ã€ŠThe Devious First-Daughterã€‹


 Chapter 1 Previous Hatred and Drowning

    "Miss, Ning Ziying has been beaten and is passed out. Should I continue to beat her?"

    Two women in fine clothes were sitting high up in the Yunying courtyard of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor scornfully looking at the thing that was huddled up on the ground. It was badly mutted and could be recognized as a human being. They picked up their teacups and slowly took a sip of tea.

    One of them walked forward and brushed aside the matted hair on the face of that person. She said with affectation, "Sister Ying, wake up, Sister Ying!"

    Having been awakened by the pain on her face, Ning Ziying raised her dirty face covered with mud, where a few deep blood stains could be seen that had just been scratched by Ning Ziyan¡¯s nails.

    "Sister Ying, don¡¯t hate your elder sister. You had an affair with another man before marriage. It is really shameful. How could Brother Yuhang marry a dirty woman like you..."

    "Ning Ziyan!" she raucously bellowed with difficulty, "it is you who had an affair with a man and made my fiance break it off with me!"

    Ning Ziyan put her hand holding a hanky under her nose as if to block something dirty while she said with disdain, "Brother Yuhang and I are fond of each other. It¡¯s you who shamelessly messed around with him! At first, I took pity on you. It¡¯s OK to let you be Brother Yuhang¡¯s concubine as the minister¡¯s mansion can afford a concubine who serves me with drinks, but you were unlucky. When you had a tryst with a man, you ran into Brother Yuhang and me, so I had to take action..."

    Looking at the perky Ning Ziyan in front of her, Ning Ziying just felt a surge of anger. This woman, who had secretly had an affair with her fiance and even got pregnant out of wedlock, had falsely used her of having an affair with another man before her wedding in order to take her marriage away! How could there be such a vicious woman in the world like her, whom she had treated as her own elder sister before?

    With her eyes full of hatred, Ning Ziying had been beaten unconscious by the servants. She was only able to lie on the ground. Suddenly, she rushed at Ning Ziyan and fiercely bit her hand, making her mouth bloody and teeth break. She felt her teeth cut open the skin on her hand and be embedded in the flesh, where bright-red blood oozed out. It was unknown whether that blood came from her mouth or Ning Ziyan¡¯s hand!

    Madam Ling, the Lord Protector¡¯s wife, who sat next to Ning Ziyan watching the fun, just then rushed over to beat and scold Ning Ziying. But no matter how much pain Ning Ziying felt when her back and body were being beaten, she did not let up her bite. She stared straight at Ning Ziyan and bit her with greater and greater force.

    "Bitch!"

    A powerful male voice suddenly resounded among the noise, which came from Xia Yuhang!

    The next moment, Ning Ziying felt that her abdomen had been ferociously hit by something. Completely unguarded, she was hit and flew straight out, smashing into arge stone by theke! A mouthful of blood sprayed out, which stained the ground red in front of her!

    "How dare you hurt Yan¡¯er! Throw this shameless bitch into theke," Xia Yuhang said coldly.

    "How dare you bite me! Drown this bitch in theke!" Ning Ziyan shouted with madness...

    Ning Ziying wanted to look up at the man who had spoken sweet words to her yesterday but today could mercilessly kill her. However, the next moment several people grabbed her hair and dragged her into the nearby lotus pond.

    "Miss!" The scream came from Xiang¡¯er, her personal maid. She tried to look back, but she could not see what was in front of her eyes.

    She was violently suffocating and her numb body could not feel pain any longer. With herst bit of strength, she tried to focus her eyes on the faces of Madam Ling, Ning Ziyan, and Xia Yuhang. She smiled silently toward the sky. Her sad, distorted smile could be seen through the fluctuations of the water surface, and it was cold and bloodthirsty...

    "Someonee over here, put stones onto them, and make them sink into the water. After tomorrow, we¡¯ll tell others that they have drowned." Madam Ling stood up and coldly instructed once the water¡¯s surface no longer fluttered and the mistress and her maid were dead.

    "Yes, madam!" Severaldies sharply grabbed either side of a stone and tied to Ning Ziying and Xiang¡¯er, then pushed it hard into the lotus pond with a big ssh. Immediately, it turned into light ripples. No one knew that the owner of the Yunying Courtyard had died in this lotus pond.

    "Yan¡¯er, you were bitten badly by the damn bitch. Go and see the doctor. Don¡¯t put off tomorrow¡¯s wedding because of that." Madam Ling turned her head to Ning Ziyan and spoke empathetically after she had dealt with everything in sight.

    "Mom, don¡¯t worry about my minor injury. Will the death of Madam Ming dy my and Brother Yuhang¡¯s wedding?" Xia Ziyan pointed to the southeast corner of the backyard where Madam Ming, the co-wife of Lord Protector Ning Zu¡¯an, lived. Just now, someone had reported that Madam Ming was dead!

    Madam Ming was the co-wife of the Lord Protector and had the same position as her, the wife of the Lord Protector. If the news were to be spread out, Ning Ziyan, as her daughter, could not marry until three monthster. But even though she could wait, her pregnant belly could not!

    "That bitch didn¡¯t die earlier orter, but at this moment. Don¡¯t worry, Yan¡¯er. I will put off the time of her death until the day after tomorrow," Madam Ling snorted coldly. The bitch should have died long ago, but unexpectedly she had a hard life. Her death was postponed for half a month, which happened to be in collision with her baby daughter¡¯s wedding day!

    As they spoke, their group of people suddenly walked out of the door of the Yunying Courtyard. Thestdy to leave closed the door, and the Yunying Courtyard was restored to peace and quiet again. No one would have thought that this empty, closed yard had lost its owner...

    But that sinking body suddenly woke up in the water. The floating body made her grasp something in front of her subconsciously.

    Awake!

    As she opened her eyes and looked at the strange surroundings, Ning Ziying was full of doubts.

    She had undoubtedly been drowned in the lotus pond. So, where was she now?

 Chapter 2 Ning Xueyan Reborn at the Funeral

    "Where am I?"

    Seeing the white clothes on her body and the simple arrangement of a funeral in the house, Ning Ziying suddenly felt dizzy, and a lot of strange memories poured into her mind.

    Ning Xueyan was the cowardly, 14-year-old Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Her natural mother was the unfavored co-wife of the Lord Protector, Madam Ming, who had died the day before. Ning Xueyan had died at her mother¡¯s funeral due to grief and weakness.

    And Ning Ziying was reborn in Ning Xueyan¡¯s body. She was no longer the Ning Ziying who went to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor for shelter.

    The sound of joy andughter in the front yard made her feel that it was a dream...

    ording to Ning Xueyan¡¯s memories, it was Xia Yuhang and Ning Ziyan who were married now.

    They thought that Ning Ziying had died!

    Every dog has its day. Now she was no longer the same as she used to be. This time, it was her turn to send them to hell...

    "Fifth Young Lady, Fifth Young Lady." Mother Han¡¯s voice came from the door.

    "Mather Han, I¡¯m here." There was a mute voice in her throat. She had lost consciousness and been hungry for a day. She was lucky to be able to make a sound.

    Hearing the sound of Ning Xueyan, Mother Han rushed over and said, "Fifth Young Lady, I brought you some water. Have a drink and rest for a while."

    "Mother Han, hasn¡¯t madam arranged someone to send me food yet?" After drinking some water, Ning Ziying did not feel any pain in her throat. She slightly recovered her original voice and her gaze became serious. At this time, the bride had left, but the guests were still there ording to noise outside. "Everyone will see if I go out now and make trouble for them," Ning Xueyan thought.

    "I have asked them, and they said..." Mother Han swallowed hard as she looked at Ning Xueyan, "they said that the First Madam would ask someone to send food to you soon."

    "Mother Han, let¡¯s go and get it ourselves!" Ning Xueyan stood up suddenly with a mocking smile on her lips. If she remembered correctly, aside from the Madam Dowager, who very much valued face, there was a Madam Dowager Liu in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, and both were extremely respectful of the rules.

    This Madam Dowager Liu was the aunt of Ning Zu¡¯an, the Lord Protector. Her dead husband was a famous schr in the regions south of the Yangtze River and she only had a daughter. After her husband died and her daughter was married, she lived alone. So Ning Zu¡¯an went to her home to bring her to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to take care of her. At that time, all the people in the court said that Ning Zu¡¯an was filial.

    "What? We... we¡¯ll get it ourselves?" Mother Han widened her eyes in shock and looked incredulously at the Fifth Young Lady, who had always been weak and protected by her.

    "Yes, we¡¯ll get it ourselves. They said that my mother has died and I¡¯m unlucky now, so they don¡¯t allow me to go to the front yard. I¡¯ll go!"

    Ning Xueyan spoke coldly, with hatred in her eyes!

    "Ning Ziyan, don¡¯t think everything is okay as long as you enter the Xia¡¯s Manor. I¡¯ll mess it up. Besides, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor never has been peaceful."

    "Fifth Young Lady, you can¡¯t go. The Madam Dowager and First Madam will punish you if they find out." Mother Han was shocked by Ning Xueyan¡¯s sudden decision. She grabbed Ning Xueyan¡¯s sleeve tightly for fear that she would recklessly rush out.

    "Mother Han, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t be rash." Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes were indescribably deep.

    Seeing that the Fifth Young Lady was persistent, Mother Han could only pick up thentern on the ground and hold Ning Xueyan with her hand.

    Ning Xueyan walked toward the bustling front yard. Everything was full of happiness, and her white linen clothes were more dazzling than the others.

    Most of the servants in the manor did not know that someone had passed away. And Ning Xueyan had not been out of her Bright Frost Garden for many years due to cowardice. The new servants did not know who she was, secretly guessing her identity.

    "Who is she? How does she dress like this? It looks as if someone died."

    "It¡¯s the Fifth Young Lady. Look at her, she doesn¡¯t look like ady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor."

    "She has no manners. The First Young Lady got married today, but she is dressed like this. What does she want to do?"

    Suddenly, a woman rushed out of the crowd and reached out to stop her, saying rudely, "Fifth Young Lady, why did youe here? You¡¯re not in good health. You needn¡¯te out. The First Madam asked you to go back to rest."

    Everyone in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor called Madam Ning "First Madam" while they called co-wife Madam Ming "Second Madam". Theer was Madam Ming¡¯s trusted Mother Yun. Ning Xueyan recognized that she was one of the viins who had drowned Ning Ziying the night before. She could not help looking at her with great hatred.

    "Mother Yun, the Fifth Young Lady hasn¡¯t eaten for a day. Why hasn¡¯t anyone sent her food yet?" asked Mother Han.

    "We all are busy serving the guests. Madame and Madam Dowager haven¡¯t eaten yet. Why are you in a hurry? When everything is done, we¡¯ll send a meal to the Fifth Young Lady," Mother Yun said impatiently.

    "When everything is done? When will that be? Mother and grandmother also haven¡¯t eaten for a day?" Hiding the hatred in her eyes, Ning Xueyan raised her head and asked in amazement.

    The Fifth Young Lady, who had always been cowardly and seldom spoke loudly, had refuted Mother Yun today, which stunned Mother Yun. She raised her head and looked up at the cold eyes of Ning Xueyan and felt afraid.

 Chapter 3 Ning Xueyan Shows Off Her Great Change

    "Mother Yun, I heard that you are in charge of the kitchen today. Why didn¡¯t the masters have dinner, yet all the servants have eaten?" Ning Xueyan stretched out her hand and pointed at the greasy corner of Mother Han¡¯s mouth, smiling ironically.

    "Fifth Young Lady, you¡¯re the daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s co-wife. It¡¯s very disgraceful of you to argue with us. You¡¯d better go back first, and when we¡¯re not busy, we¡¯ll send it to you." Mother Yun was shocked to see that Ning Xueyan was so fierce today. But when she remembered that it was madam¡¯s order to neglect the Fifth Young Lady and her cowardice, she was perfunctory again.

    After that, without waiting for Ning Xueyan to answer, Mother Yun turned to the two women following her and said, "Come on, take the Fifth Young Lady back!"

    Mother Yun was Madam Ling¡¯s trusted servant, so she knew that she had to prevent Ning Xueyan from going to the front yard. So, Mother Yun asked them to take Ning Xueyan away, as she could not let her destroy the wedding ceremony.

    "Who dares to touch me!" Looking at the two womening at her in a threatening manner, Ning Xueyan suddenly gave a sneer and spoke sharply.

    The indignation on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face threatened the two women, and they did not dare toe closer.

    Mother Yun felt humiliated and shouted at the two women, "Go ahead and take Fifth Young Lady away."

    Ning Xueyan sneered in her mind. Madam Ling¡¯s servants dared to bully a mistress, but this was exactly what she needed. She pushed aside Mother Han who was protecting her, stepped forward, and pped Mother Yun. "I am the mistress, and you dare to bully me!"

    She pped Mother Yun¡¯s face heavily with great hatred.

    No one expected that the cowardly the Fifth Young Lady would p the First Madam¡¯s personal servant!

    Mother Yun had never received such treatment in the manor. She covered her face subconsciously and roared with a fierce look on her face, "How dare you p me!"

    She was dizzy now, just feeling the buzz in her ear. She felt that she was losing face when she saw several maids and women on the side secretlyughing.

    She forgot that Ning Xueyan was also the mistress of this manor due to being enraged and she rushed at Ning Xueyan and was going to hit her!

    "Sure enough, you¡¯re an evil flunky and dare to beat a mistress," Ning Xueyan thought with mockery in her eyes. She moved to one side, but pretended to be unsteady and fell down. Before she fell down, she secretly stretched out one foot and tripped Mother Yun, who then fell down beside Ning Xueyan.

    Looking at Mother Yuning over to her, Ning Xueyan stretched out from a very hidden angle and pinched Mother Yun hard on her breast. Then she fell down on top of Mother Yun, so it seemed that it was Mother Yun who had dragged her down.

    Mother Yun screamed out in pain because of Ning Xueyan¡¯s hard pinch. Shepletely forgot that Ning Xueyan was the mistress of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, and was going to beat Ning Xueyan while she scolded her. "Bitch! How dare you hit me! I¡¯ll kill you today."

    The maids and women around them responded at this time, and immediately rushed up to stop Mother Yun. Mother Han reacted quickly and protected Ning Xueyan with her body. It was chaos.

    "Stop! What¡¯s going on?" The angry sound came from over their heads. Madam Ling, who came in hurriedly, almost went mad when she saw the scene! She stared at Mother Yun fiercely. Mother Yun felt afraid so she let go of Ning Xueyan¡¯s arm and hurried to exin.

    "Madam, the Fifth Young Lady pped me. Look, my face is swollen." Mother Yunined to Madam Ling, pointing at her swollen face. It had be red and swollen, and it could be seen that she had been pped.

    "Fifth Young Lady, what¡¯s the matter? You don¡¯t stay well in the Bright Frost Garden. Why did youe here and p my servant?" Madam Ling frowned and looked at Ning Xueyan, who was being protected by Mother Han.

    Ning Xueyan held Mother Han¡¯s hand and stood up with difficulty. Her face looked pale. She pointed at Mother Yun and said, "She not only scolded me, but also bit me. Mother, please exercise justice for me."

    "Ah!"

    All of them screamed, and their eyes fell on Ning Xueyan¡¯s sleeves, where there was arge bloodstain and blood still dripped from the sleeves. They all realized that Ning Xueyan¡¯s pale face was caused by excessive blood loss.

    This sudden change surprised everyone except Ning Xueyan! She hid all the hatred on her face. Because of her pale face and bleeding wounds, she looked more miserable in the eyes of the people around her.

    "Madam, I didn¡¯t bite her!" Mother Yun was also shocked, hurrying to exin. Even though Ning Xueyan was not favored, she still was a mistress of the manor.

    "Do you mean that I bit myself?" Ning Xueyan stood unsteadily, covering her head with one hand. It looked like she was going to faint, but she still forced herself to turn her head to Madam Ling. "Mother, please exercise justice for your daughter."

    She emphasized the word "daughter" when she begged, then fell back after saying it. Mother Han hurried to reach out to catch hold of her. Before fainting, Ning Xueyan said something in Mother Han¡¯s ear in a low voice.

 Chapter 4 Disorder and the Evil Servant

    The surrounding maids and women reacted because the Fifth Young Lady still was a mistress of the manor even though she was not favored. If something bad were to happen to her, all of them would be punished. So they were overwhelmed at the moment, just trying to wake Ning Xueyan up and calling for a doctor.

    The shouts in the garden passed to the front yard, where the madams were having a banquet. They looked at each other, not knowing what had happened.

    At this time, a blood-stained female servant hurriedly walked by, but was stopped by a madam in splendid clothes. "What happened in the backyard?"

    Mother Han did not know why Ning Xueyan had asked her to go to the front yard before she fainted. But now, she suddenly understood. The Fifth Young Lady wanted all these madams to go to the garden!

    So she quickly said to the madam, "A servant stunned the Fifthe Young Lady in the garden. I¡¯m going to fetch the doctor!"

    Mother Han¡¯s words shocked all the madams.

    A servant dared to hit a mistress! Were there no rules in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?

    These madams¡¯ interest of gossip was aroused, so they walked to the garden while gossiping about it.

    Seeing these madamsing over, Madam Ling became extremely angry because she knew that things could no longer be controlled. She stared at Mother Yun, who then realized things would get worse, and knelt down beside Ning Xueyan.

    "What¡¯s wrong with the Fifth Young Lady? Who hurt her?" The Madam Dowager walked out, frowning. She became unpleasant when she saw the fainted Ning Xueyan and her injured arm.

    Today was Ning Ziyan¡¯s wedding. But the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor lost its face because of such a thing. Why was Madam Dowager happy?

    "Madam Dowager, please exercise justice for the Fifth Young Lady. Mother Yun not only starved the Fifth Young Lady for a day, but also scolded and beat her when the Fifth Young Lady came to ask her about it. Look, Madam Dowager, the Fifth Young Lady... Fifth Young Lady..." Mother Han, who came back with those madams, pointed to Ning Xueyan¡¯s bloody hand and spoke with grief and indignation.

    They all looked at Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand. Some timid madams could not help crying. Although they did not see the bloody wound, the blood dripping down from Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand made them shiver. What a cruel servant! She should bite a mistress like that!

    "Madam Dowager, it wasn¡¯t me. I didn¡¯t bite the Fifth Young Lady." Mother Yun anxiously exined, sweat dripping from her face.

    The evidence was obvious, but Mother Yun still denied it. Some madams could not bear it and said with dissatisfaction, "If you didn¡¯t bite her, why does her hand look like this! What a damn servant."

    "She should be beaten to death. There¡¯s no reason for servants to bully their masters."

    "How could there be such an evil servant in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?"

    "Come on, shut her up and take her away to beat her to death!" Looking at this chaotic scene, Madam Dowager made the decision. She just wanted to end this chaos quickly. Otherwise, the face of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would be lost!

    "Help, First Madam! Help me!" Mother Yun turned to Madam Ling, crying for help.

    But immediately, two women came up and covered her mouth with a handkerchief and were going to take her away.

    "Wait a minute. Mother, we haven¡¯t asked about it clearly yet before taking her away... It¡¯s, it¡¯s not good!" Although Madam Ling was afraid of Madam Dowager, she now had to stop Mother Yun from being taken away. If she did not help her personal servant, who was going to be beaten to death and begged her for mercy, no one would dare to follow her in the future.

    "You mean we should just let her go?" Madam Dowager reprimanded Madam Ling and was more dissatisfied with this daughter-inw who came from a small family and did not know it was inappropriate for such a matter to happen now. What¡¯s more, Madam Dowager was displeased with the clothes that Ning Xueyan wore when someone died.

    She was afraid that Madam Ming¡¯s death would be exposed, and they all would get into trouble if that happened.

    Having been reprimanded by Madam Dowager in front of all the madams, Madam Ling was ashamed and angry and could not speak for a moment.

    "Sister, wait a minute. Today is Ziyan¡¯s wedding. It¡¯s unlucky if someone dies today!" Madam Dowager Liu, who stood at the side, tried to persuade Madam Dowager.

    Madam Dowager Liu¡¯s words were reasonable. So, Madam Dowager nodded her head and wanted to lock up Mother Yun first, and then interrogate her separately after the wedding.

    Ning Xueyan, who pretended to be unconscious and listened to their conversations, knew that it was time to wake up.

 Chapter 5 The Strange Fragrance at the Funeral

    Ning Xueyan unsteadily stood up, holding onto Mother Han¡¯s hand, and said, "Grandma, please spare Mother Yun. We were too impulsive just now."

    All the madams were stunned by Ning Xueyan¡¯s unexpected pleading for Mother Yun. Ning Xueyan was still young and her face was pale, but she behaved elegantly and had a delicate appearance. Her behavior and words made people feel close to her.

    They had not unexpected that there was such an outstanding girl in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. They only heard that the First Young Lady was gentle and elegant, but now, they felt that Ning Xueyan was better.

    "Xueyan, why did you plead for her? She doesn¡¯t respect you and even hurt you. She¡¯s an evil servant." Looking at the gentle and graceful Ning Xueyan, Madam Dowager Liu felt happy and spoke with a soft smile on her face.

    "Grandmother, she has to be punished because she hurt me. But I think today is important and it¡¯s not suitable to kill her. She has been working in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor for many years. How about asking her to go to the backyard... It¡¯s also a punishment for her negligence as a servant..." Ning Xueyan smiled when she said that sincerely, but everyone could see that she was in pain. And they all felt confused by Ning Xueyan¡¯splete words.

    "What is she going to do in the backyard?" Madam Dowager Liu also did not understand what Ning Xueyan meant, and asked in puzzlement.

    Realizing that Ning Xueyan wanted her to keep vigil at the funeral, Mother Yun shouted in horror. She crazily pushed away the two women and cried out in a hurry, "No! No! I don¡¯t want to keep vigil for Madam Ming! First Madam, I won¡¯t go. Help me, I won¡¯t go! The funeral... Madam Ming... funeral..."

    This sudden change scared everyone!

    When they heard clearly what Mother Yun said, all the madams changed their expressions. Ning Xueyan had waited for this scene for a long time. She looked down slightly to hide the coldness in her eyes.

    The death of Madam Ming was strange. When Ning Xueyan was at the funeral, she smelled a sweet scene. After careful distinction, she found that the fragrance came from the coffin! The source of this fragrance was a kind of poisonous food. Long-term consumption of it would lead to dizziness and illness, and the fragrance would stay in the body.

    The slight, sweet fragrance must have had something to do with Madam Ling. Ning Xueyan¡¯s mother, Madam Ming, had left her a set of methods for making incense, so she knew that that incense was harmful. Mother Yun was Madam Ling¡¯s trusted personal servant, so she knew the truth about Madam Ming¡¯s death. Therefore, she was afraid of keeping vigil for Madam Ming.

    "You damn servant, what are you talking about here?" Madam Ling rushed over and pped Mother Yun before she finished her words, interrupting Mother Yun.

    But Mother Yun¡¯s words had caused amazement among the madams who were watching.

    Mother Yun¡¯s words caused chaos in the backyard.

    The Second Madam had died in the backyard, but they held a wedding banquet in the front. How could the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor do such a disrespectable thing!

    "Damn servant, what are you talking about? Come on, shut her up and take her away. Beat her to death directly!" Madam Ling did not expect Mother Yun to say that. She shouted at the two female middle-aged servants in a panic, totally forgetting that she had pled for Mother Yun just now.

    "Beat me to death? Madam, I have..." On hearing Madam Ling¡¯s vicious word, Mother Yun cried out. But before she finished her words, she was stopped and held back.

    At this point, Madam Dowager already knew that the death of Madam Ming could not be covered up. Looking at Madam Ling, she trembled with anger. This matter not only brought shame on the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, but also would affect her son¡¯s prestige. Faced with the gaze of the madams, Madam Dowager felt ashamed and angry, her face turning pale. She could say nothing now and finally fainted.

    Then it became more chaotic. The doctor who had been called to cure Ning Xueyan happened toe over and was pulled to cure Madam Dowager first.

    All the madams knew that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had done something disrespectable. They all wanted to see how the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would end this wedding ceremony. Originally, some madams heard that there were other daughters in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and wanted to take the opportunity to take a look at them. Now, none of them wanted to. It was said that the First Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was elegant and gentle. But in order to get married, she hid the death of her elder, which was greatly disrespectable.

    She was not cultured or steeped in propriety at all!

    ording to Madam Ling¡¯s guilty look, it was obvious that she already had known. She treated Ning Xueyan badly, allowed her servants to bully a mistress, and hid the death of Madam Ming, so a daughter taught by such a mother was no good either.

    "Don¡¯t beat her to death first. Take her away, we¡¯ll deal with herter." Madam Dowager Liu withdrew her smile and stared coldly at Madam Ling. At this time, there had to be someone to order.

    Ning Zu¡¯an, the Lord Protector, had great respect for his aunt, so no one dared to disobey her even though she did not take charge of anything during ordinary times. Immediately, two women took Mother Yun away to stop her from saying anything more.

    "Young Lady, are you all right?" The maid Qingyu ran over and supported Ning Xueyan. She had been arranged to help in the wedding ceremony by Madam Ling and could not leave. Now she came when no one noticed her.

    "Go and see where Mother Yun will be locked up," Ning Xueyan leaned against Qingyu and said in her ear with a quiet voice.

 Chapter 6 Ning Xueyan Relieves Madam Dowagers Anger

    "Go and see where Mother Yun will be locked up."

    "Young Lady..." Qingyu looked at Ning Xueyan and asked with a quiet voice full of doubt.

    "Go!" Ning Xueyan pushed her hard.

    This time, Qingyu did not hesitate, but turned and ran away.

    Looking at the back of Qingyu, Ning Xueyan smiled.

    Mother Yun was Madam Ling¡¯s aplice who knew a lot. How could she let her die so simply?

    The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was holding a wedding ceremony and the banquet was arranged near the second door. But the backyard was already in chaos.

    Nobody noticed that somebody was watching them in a loft near the second door.

    In the vast, luxurious living room, an extremely handsome man sat against the railing wearing ck clothes on which there were many bloody flowers.

    He was extremely beautiful, but also daunting. Several guards stood far away at the entrance of the stairs, not daring to move.

    He lifted up a zed cup and took a sip from it slowly, his beautiful eyes reflecting coldness. The temperature around him was lower than that of other ces.

    At this time, he looked at the thin Ning Xueyan with great interest.

    "It¡¯s really interesting. I didn¡¯t expect there to be such an interesting little girl in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor!"

    He said that as if he had found some interesting prey.

    From there, he could clearly see the movements of Ning Xueyan.

    "What a surprise!" he thought. Ning Xueyan was just a delicate girl who only knew how to cry, he had not expected her to be as fierce as a wolf.

    She bit herself without any hesitation. Everyone knew that it was easy to be cruel to others, but difficult to be cruel to oneself!

    "The Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is so interesting!"

    It waste, and the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was dark. Two people were on the way to the Madam Dowager¡¯s Lucky Garden with antern. Just now, the Madam Dowager asked Ning Xueyan to see her.

    "Young Lady, why does Madam Dowager want to see you now? Will she me you for what happened just now?" Mother Han was quite anxious, and could not help asking with a quiet voice.

    "Don¡¯t worry. They won¡¯t do anything to me at this time!" Ning Xueyan sneered. She clearly knew Madam Dowager¡¯s purpose. Maybe aside from Madam Dowager and Madam Ling, her father was also in the Lucky Garden.

    So many people gathered there only for one purpose¡ªthey wanted Ning Xueyan to be responsible for this matter!

    Unfortunately, today she would not let them do what they want.

    "Young Lady, but..." Mother Han was still worried.

    "Mother Han, when I enter the Lucky Garden, you wait for me outside. Then at the proper time,e in to do what I told you." Ning Xuyan Looked down at the road beneath her feet with a resolute look. Knowing their purpose, she had prepared well beforeing.

    Looking at the confident Young Lady, Mother Han rxed and nodded forcefully. "Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve got it all in my mind."

    When they arrived at the Lucky Garden, the whole ce was aze with lights. Arge number of servants stood still outside, not daring to move and fearing to provoke the masters in the house.

    In the room, the Madam Dowager sat on the couch with an unpleasant look, and Madam Dowager Liu sitting beside her also frowned.

    Ning Zu¡¯an sat calmly to the right of the Madam Dowager, and Madam Ling stood beside his chair with her head bowed.

    The Madam Dowager in her seat stared at Ning Xueyan angrily as soon as she came in. She knocked on the ground severely with the crutch in her hand and shouted at Ning Xueyan, "Kneel down."

    The atmosphere became more tense.

    Ning Xueyan was not in a hurry. When she came in, she saw the entire scene clearly and knew that Madam Ling must have said something bad about her.

    The Madam Dowager also wanted to suppress her by using this opportunity. Ning Xueyan sneered at them."If I were the cowardly Ning Xueyan from before, I would listen to you now after being scolded. But I am not!"

    Taking a cup of tea brought in by the maid, Ning Xueyan stepped forward and gently said, "Grandmother, are you better now? Don¡¯t be angry. Your health is the most important."

    Hearing her words, the Madam Dowager could not help feeling eased.

    Madam Dowager Liu nodded off to the side. "This girl is kind-hearted. At this time, she still worries about her grandmother¡¯s health. It¡¯s totally different from what Madam Ling said."

    "Xueyan, did you intentionally make trouble in the front yard this time?"

    Madam Dowager Liu asked before the Madam Dowager could tell Ning Xueyan to kneel down again.

    "Grandma, I¡¯m a mistress of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, how could I do that? My mother has died, I was very sad and I didn¡¯t eat for a day, so I felt dizzy. But I can¡¯t be ill. Otherwise, no one would keep vigil for my mom. I had no choice but to go to the kitchen to get some food with Mother Han."

    Ning Xueyan said that sincerely with tears in her eyes, letting them know that she was telling the truth.

    "Madam Ling, what¡¯s the matter? Why there was no servant in Bright Frost Garden? And no one sent meals?"

    Madam Dowager asked angrily, and almost at the same time, Ning Zu¡¯an stared at Madam Ling.

    Madam Ling did not expect Ning Xueyan to say that so methodically in front of so many people.

    At this time, when she saw that the Madam Dowager was staring at her and her husband, who had always favored her, was unhappy, she trembled due to fear, stared at Ning Xueyan, and cried out her grievances.

 Chapter 7 Who Will Be Responsible for the Scandal?

    Hearing Madam Dowager¡¯s inquiry, Madam Ling hurried to cry out her grievances!

    "Mother, I did arrange it. Maybe the servants were too busy to serve the Fifth Young Lady. Today, there were so many guests, I can¡¯t always be with the Fifth Young Lady! Those servants came out toze around on their own. It really has nothing to do with me."

    "You¡¯ve been in charge of this manor for some time. How can there be evil servants who deceive and bully the masters! Although Xueyan lives in a remote house, she is also a mistress of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Later, you will arrange more servants in her Bright Frost Garden, she can¡¯t be slighted." Madam Dowager stared at Madam Ling unhappily for a while, then ordered in a deep voice.

    "Yes, Mother. I was too busy to neglect Xueyan. Xueyan, it¡¯s mother¡¯s fault, sorry."

    Madam Ling made an apology quickly this time, then turned to Ning Xueyan and was going to salute her.

    If Ning Xueyan were to ept Madam Ling¡¯s salute now, she would be criticized for not respecting elders.

    Madam Ling had changed her n to frame Ning Xueyan.

    Ning Xueyan sneered in her mind and nced over at her father, whom she did not hold out any hope for. But she looked at Madam Dowager Liu for a while.

    In order to achieve their goals, the Madam Dowager and Madam Ling used the carrot and stick. They wanted Ning Xueyan to know that they were a family.

    Unfortunately, this time they were wrong. She already had a solution.

    Ning Xueyan stepped away and avoided Madam Ling¡¯s salute with a cold smile on her face. Then she looked up and said in surprise, her cold smile already disappearing, "Mother, you are the First-ss Marchioness and my elder, how dare I ept your salute!"

    "Madam Ling, don¡¯t embarrass Xueyan. What¡¯s important is what to do next. As the Marchioness, don¡¯t you know it¡¯s a scandal to hold a wedding ceremony when a member of our family has died!"

    Ning Xueyan felt surprised, but she behaved well. However, Madam Ling wanted to salute her daughter regardless of her identity, which showed her flippancy. Madam Dowager Liu frowned and directly asked Madam Ling in an unpleasant tone.

    "I..."

    Madam Ling could not answer for a moment then turned to the Madam Dowager.

    The Madam Dowager coughed and was asked by Madam Dowager Liu before saying anything, "Sister, you don¡¯t know about it, do you?"

    This remark surprised the Madam Dowager, making her cough for a while. Then she drank tea with the help of the maids and said, "Madam Ling has covered that up. I didn¡¯t know."

    Saying this, the Madam Dowager was more unpleasant regarding Madam Ling.

    Madam Ming had died the night before, but the Madam Dowager found out about it this morning. At that time, the wedding ceremony had started and the bridal sedan chair had left.

    Now, the Madam Dowager was so passive because of Madam Ling.

    "Now we have toe up with an idea to make up for it. It¡¯s not good for anyone if the reputation of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is destroyed. Xueyan, just tell others that your mother told you on her deathbed not to announce her death until after your sister¡¯s wedding. This is also your mother¡¯s love for the younger generation."

    At this point, the Madam Dowager did not want to hide it anymore. She told Ning Xueyan her purpose directly.

    Someone had died in the family, but they held a wedding instead of a funeral. Now they wanted Ning Xueyan and Madam Ming to be responsible for that. The Madam Dowager and Madam Ling distorted the facts, but thought it was justified!

    Only Ning Zu¡¯an, who sat on one side, stopped looking at Ning Xueyan with guilt on his face.

    That was the reason why they had called her at this time!

    Ning Xueyan clenched her hands in her sleeves and tried her best to suppress the rising anger. Anger and hatred shed in her eyes!

    "You want me and my mother to be responsible for that! How shameful of you! Unfortunately, you can¡¯t achieve your purpose."

    Ning Xueyan nodded with a smile and said, "Grandmother, I know your difficulty. I¡¯m willing to do what you said!"

    Hearing Ning Xueyan¡¯s words, Madam Dowager was relieved and thought her granddaughter was understanding.

    Seeing that the Madam Dowager had been relieved, Ning Xueyan smiled and continued to speak.

    "But now the entire city knows that we held a big wedding while hiding the news of someone¡¯s death. If we put it another way, I¡¯m afraid people will think that we spare no efforts to nder the dead people to cover up the scandal. If some people make irresponsible remarks to expose it to His Majesty, I¡¯m afraid..."

    The Madam Dowager became fearful, her gaze wandering. At this point, Ning Xueyan knew that her aim had been achieved.

    Realizing that the Madam Dowager was going to change her mind, Madam Ling hurried to speak with a smile. "How could His Majesty know about such a trifle? Xueyan, don¡¯t talk nonsense. You¡¯ve frightened your grandmother!"

    Madam Ling¡¯s meaning was that Ning Xueyan was unwilling to help the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and had intentionally frightened the Madam Dowager.

    "Mother, do you think His Majesty doesn¡¯t know? Or do you think this kind of thing won¡¯t be exposed to His Majesty? Mother, don¡¯t doubt His Majesty¡¯s ability. If this matter is spread to His Majesty..."

    Ning Xueyan looked at Madam Ling with a cold smile, which scared Madam Ling. Then she said slowly, "The crime of deceiving the monarch is unforgivable!"

 Chapter 8 The Threat Comes from Ning Xueyans Uncle

    When Ning Xueyan finished saying that, they were all silent due to fear. The entire house was in silence.

    "Who... No one will tell His Majesty!" Madam Ling struggled to speak.

    Madam Dowager Liu pounded the desk heavily and suddenly stood up. She pointed at Madam Ling, then turned to stare at Ning Zu¡¯an.

    Madam Dowager Liu was so angry that she could not speak for a moment. After a while, she said angrily, "Madam Ming has died, but you still want to humiliate her. Madam Ling, you have reced her, aren¡¯t you satisfied? Why did you make trouble all day? Zu¡¯an, you tell me, was Madam Ming sorry for you? She has died, why don¡¯t you let her go? Do you feel guilty when you wake up at night?"

    Originally, Madam Dowager Liu thought the Madam Dowager¡¯s decision was not proper and realized the consequences after Ning Xueyan¡¯s words. In daily life, she disliked people who did not behave well. Now she saw that Madam Ling wanted Madam Ming to be responsible for what she herself had done. And it might bring copse to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. She could not restrain her anger anymore and scolded Madam Ling and Ning Zu¡¯an.

    "Aunt, I..." Ning Zu¡¯an was scolded so that he could not speak a word, frowning slightly. He gave a look to Ning Xueyan and sighed, saying nothing.

    "Aunt, I¡¯m also unwilling to do that. But it will affect the Marquis¡¯s career if it¡¯s known by others. I have no choice..." Madam Ling disliked Madam Dowager Liu, but she had to pretend to be aggrieved, wiping tears with her handkerchief. It looked like she really took the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor into consideration and had no choice.

    Ning Xueyan sneered in her mind when she saw Madam Ling pretend to cry. She would cry for realter on.

    Just now, Madam Dowager Liu realized that it was Madam Ling¡¯s decision to hide the news of Madam Ming¡¯s death, so she scolded her. "Mandan Ling, what else do you want to say? You¡¯re the Marchioness, how can you do such unruly things? Was Ziyan so anxious to marry? Why couldn¡¯t you wait a few months?"

    Ning Ziyan was not Madam Ming¡¯s biological daughter, so she only needed to observe a three-month mourning period instead of three years. Madam Dowager Liu was extremely angry. It was not a big deal to postpone the wedding for three months. She took the cup in her hand and smashed it at Madam Ling¡¯s feet.

    Madam Ling did not expect for this normally gentle olddy to get so angry. She was frightened backward, tripped directly on the foot of the chair, and fell to the ground.

    Several people were talking when suddenly there was a noise at the door. The Madam Dowager waved her hand with an unhappy look. A woman immediately turned up and came in to report to her. "It¡¯s Mother Han, she said there¡¯s an urgent matter to report to the Fifth Young Lady."

    "Mother Han, you¡¯re just in time!" Ning Xueyan looked down to hide her sneer.

    "What¡¯s the matter at this time?" Madam Dowager was unhappy now as she impatiently asked.

    "Grandmother, maybe it¡¯s uncle¡¯s letter!" Ning Xueyan said before Madam Ling drove away Mother Han.

    "Your uncle¡¯s letter? He hasn¡¯t contacted your mother for 10 years," Ning Zu¡¯an was stunned, then he suddenly raised his head and asked, panic shing in his eyes. Madam Ming¡¯s brother, Ming Feiyong, had been guarding the border for 10 years and had never returned to the capital. Because of the events of the past, he was unhappy about his sister and had not contacted Madam Ming since he went to the border. Why did he send a letter here at this time?

    "I don¡¯t know. Mother Han mentioned it before, saying that there may be a letter from uncle. So I asked her to report to me as soon as she got the letter," Ning Xueyan said, appearing confused as if she really did not know the reason. But ridicule appeared in her eyes. Like Mother Han said, Zing Zu¡¯an was afraid of Madam Ming¡¯s brother.

    "Bring over Mother Han!" the Madam Dowager frowned and said.

    The woman went out and she brought in a sweaty Mother Han.

    "Madam Dowager, Marquis, First Madam." After saluting them, Mother Han hurriedly turned to Ning Xueyan and said in a hurry, "Young Lady, the letter says your uncle will arrive in the capital soon to see you and your mother, but now the Second Madam..."

    Ming Feiyong had not seen his sister in 10 years. So it was normal he wanted to see Madam Ming. But the problem now was that Madam Ming had died.

    Now they all became fric and confused.

    Ning Xueyan frowned at the right moment and said with worry, "But my mother... What should we do?"

    "What a coincidence!" Madam Dowager murmured, her gloomy gaze turning from Ning Xueyan to Madam Ling. Just now, she wanted to force Ning Xueyan to be responsible for this scandal. But now, she had to reconsider it carefully. Ming Feiyong was irritable. If he found out the truth, he would report it to His Majesty. At that time, the entire Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would get into trouble.

    The crime of deceiving the monarch was unforgivable. The Madam Dowager felt scared inwardly. She struggled for a while and made a decision in her mind.

    "Mother, what should we do now?" Ning Zu¡¯an asked, losing his mind. Now, he did not dare to push these things onto Madam Ming and Ning Xueyan again. His Majesty became more and more suspicious. This was a matter among women, but it was possible that it would lead to the exposure of the past events and cause their deaths.

    "There¡¯s no choice. Madam Ling assumes all responsibility. Anyway, this was her own idea." Madam Dowager stared at Madam Ling. At this point, no one could assume responsibility for this matter aside from Madam Ling.

    "Yes. It¡¯s her own fault. We also have to exin that Ziyan has nothing to do with this matter. She was influenced by her disappointing mother." Madam Dowager Liu nodded at the side.

    Hearing their conversation, Madam Ling sat on the ground and cried, "Marquis, Marquis..."

    And this time, she did not need to pretend to cry, as tears dropped down from her face.

 Chapter 9 Mother Yun Escapes to Her Sisters Home

    Ning Zu¡¯an stood up, nced at Madam Ling, and left quickly, disregarding her screaming.

    "Was Ning Ziyan innocent?" Ning Xueyan sneered in her mind. Ning Ziyan framed her for having adultery, stole her fiance, and asked others to drown her. How could Ning Ziyan be innocent!

    "Madam Ling, this is just beginning, you¡¯ll take on the responsibility you deserve."

    The next day, the scandal of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor shocked the court!

    Many officials impeached Ning Zu¡¯an in court. They said that Ning Zu¡¯an had hidden the news of his co-wife¡¯s death and dared to hold a wedding ceremony regardless of rituals and principles. Such a vicious act was abhorrent!

    In the end, it was proved that it was Madam Ling¡¯s fault and she should be the one to me. But Ning Zu¡¯an was the Marquis and should be responsible for it as well. If he had valued his co-wife, he should have known about her death and this scandal would not have happened.

    Such a big scandal happened in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. His Majesty was so angry that he threw the memorial to the throne to Ning Zu¡¯an and asked him to read it while kneeling. And as for Madam Ling, if not for Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s entreaty and that she was the mother of Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s only son, she would have been killed directly.

    "Young Lady, Madam Ling has been taken to the pce by the people sent by the empress. I heard that her title of First-ss Marchioness will be stripped and she will be beaten 20 times!" Mother Han had pried the information in the morning. When she came into Ning Xueyan¡¯s room, she could not help screaming with happiness.

    Ning Xueyan just got up and had not cleaned up yet, sitting at the window. Listening to Mother Han¡¯s words, she showed a slight smile.

    The punishment from the empress would not only punish Madam Ling¡¯s body, but also destroy her dignity as the Marchioness.

    Madam Ling was Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s Official Wife, but she was no longer the First-ss Marchioness. It meant that she could not stop Ning Zu¡¯an from marrying someone else as the Marchioness. At that time, she would be the co-wife.

    This totally humiliated Madam Ling!

    "Is she back?" The Imperial Morning Conference had been over for a while.

    "Not yet. But the doctors are ready there, just waiting for Madam Ling toe back for treatment. I heard that the punishment in the pce is more severe than that of the manor. 20 floggings would disable someone!" Mother Han said in a low voice, "It¡¯s better to..."

    "Mother Han, this can¡¯t be talked about!" Ning Xueyan became serious at once and reminded Mother Han.

    "Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t tell others." Mother Han immediately nodded, looked around carefully, and left.

    When Ning Zu¡¯an came back from the pce, the bloody Madam Ling had been sent back.

    The doctors who had been waiting hurried to treat her. The people in the manor were all flustered.

    No one expected Mother Yun, who had been locked in the firewood room, to escape.

    Of course, Ning Xueyan knew that!

    Qingyu, who monitored Mother Yun secretly, returned and was called to dress up Ning Xueyan.

    Today, she would keep vigil for her mother in the main hall, epting the condolences of the guests. The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would hold a funeral for Madam Ming with the standard of Official Wife to show that they did not maltreat Madam Ming to cover up the scandal.

    "Young Lady, Mother Yun didn¡¯t return to her home, but went to her sister¡¯s on East Street early in the morning. Do I need to monitor her?"

    Qingyu asked while dressing up Ning Xueyan.

    Qingyu¡¯s eyes were bright and her face was full admiration for Ning Xueyan. But for the same face as before, she could not believe that her weak and cowardly master would be so smart and powerful, and even predicted that Mother Yun would not escape to her own home.

    Such a Young Lady made her unconsciously convinced, and also made her happy. Her mistress was no longer the obedient Fifth Young Lady!

    "Don¡¯t worry about her. You needn¡¯t monitor her for the time being. Did you bring the powder I wanted?" Ning Xueyan stood up and asked. It was not the best time to expose Mother Yun¡¯s escape.

    "Yes. Everyone was in chaos in the morning. So I went to the pharmacy at that time and found the powder you mentioned. Here you are. Is it what you wanted?" Qingyu took out the powder hidden in her arms and put it on the table.

    Ning Xueyan looked at it. It was exactly what she needed. She nodded and said, "Go to the garden and take a few pots of malus halliana koehne for me."

    Malus halliana koehne was one of Madam Ling¡¯s favorite flowers, and it was fully blooming at this time.

    "Qingrui, why are you justing back now? Where were youst night?" Mother Han¡¯s voice in the yard came in with dissatisfaction.

 Chapter 10 The Maid Who Took Advantage of Her Power

    Ning Xueyan looked out and saw that Qingrui was back.

    She was another first maid of Ning Xueyan, but in fact, she was one of Madam Ling¡¯s people. She usually relied on Madam Ling¡¯s influence and had bullied Ning Xueyan much.

    Whatever happened in Bright Frost Garden was always known by Madam Ling¡¯s side first, and that was all because Qingrui was trying to curry favor with her.

    It could be said that this Qingrui was put in Bright Frost Garden by Madam Ling to monitor Ning Xueyan. She likely also had something to do with Madam Ming¡¯s death.

    There was something odd about Madam Ming¡¯s death.

    "Of course I have something to do. The first miss gets married, it¡¯s an important issue. I have to help her. Unlike you, you can also rely on the Second Madam to bezy." Qingrui, dressed in a beautiful new satin dress, looked disdainfully and sneered at Mother Han, who was covered in coarse linen and white cloth.

    "Qingrui, how dare you say that!" Mother Han was trembling with anger as she cursed in rage.

    "Give your fire a rest, Madam, you¡¯re also so old. What kind of temper do you have so early in the morning? The Fifth Young Lady needs to get up, and you should go serve her now!"

    Qingrui lifted up her head. With Madam Ling backing her, she was not afraid of Mother Han, so she twisted her waist to walk toward her room. She did not want toe if the First Madam urged her.

    She was just a dying thing that kept consuming medicine. What was so important about it?

    Ning Xueyan stood silently at the window, watching Qingrui¡¯s brilliant red skirt disappear around the corner. Only then did she raise her voice and call out, "Mother Han."

    Hearing Ning Xueyan¡¯s call, Mother Han, not caring her anger toward Qingrui, hurriedly put down her things and went in. "Youngdy, do you want to have breakfast? Please wait for a moment. Qingrui is not here today. Qingyu went to fetch it. She¡¯s a littlete."

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s food had always been taken from the kitchen by Qingrui, but this food was often reced by her. Madam Ming was ill and Ning Xueyan was cowardly. How could she argue with Qingrui because of this?

    "Madam, have Qingrui get the noon meal." With her thoughts turning, Ning Xueyan hade up with a countermeasure, and a cold smile appeared on her pale face.

    This issue could perhaps break Madam Ling¡¯s reach into Bright Frost Garden. If Madam Ling suffered losses this time, she would never let it go. So, she should start at a faster pace and take advantage of Madam Ling¡¯s business...

    White gs fluttered, and cries were heard in the mourning hall of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Ning Xueyan knelt in front of the coffin, burned paper offerings and incense. She was d in white and looked gaunt. She was exhausted after having knelt for a morning, and her eyes had turned red because of constant crying, which made people feel sorry for her! The guests who came to pay their respects sighed for her when they learned that her biological mother had lost her life and had been treated unfairly. Everyone felt that Madam Ling had done too much.

    She finally had time afterunch. Then, she greeted the guests whost came to the hall.

    Except for her, the other one knelt in front of the coffin was the Fourth Young Lady, Ning Lingyun. She was the daughter of the aunt, so she naturally had to kneel in front of the coffin with Ning Xueyan as an act of filial piety. Although she was just amon woman, she kept ttering Madam Ling¡¯s daughter, and she also very much despised Ning Xueyan, thinking that Ning Xueyan simply could notpare with her.

    At this point, seeing that no one wasing, she stopped pretending to mourn and let her old maid take some food. She also ignored Ning Xueyan and ate on the small table at the side.

    At this time, it was unlikely that anyone woulde, so people attending the coffin had ckened off.

    "Youngdy, why hasn¡¯t Qingrui brought the food yet?"

    Qingyu went to the door, looked outside, and then looked at Ning Lingyun who was eating. She then walked to Ning Xueyan and asked anxiously.

    The Fourth Young Lady had eaten almost all her food. Why didn¡¯t Qingrui bring the food over? This girl was in poor health and had been busy all morning. If she was hungry, she could even faint.

    "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not hungry, Qingyu. First, go to Madam Dowager and ask Mother Qin if she has the Frigid Pill for Madam Dowager. Just say that my chest is congested and I want some Frigid Pills to lift my spirits. Then, go back to Bright Frost Garden and get some of my clothes. I¡¯m a little cold."

    Ning Xueyan picked up the paper offerings nearby and watched the fire in the stove burn slowly while speaking softly.

    An elderlydy like Madam Dowager would have these refreshing Frigid Pills at hand, which could lift her spirits and relieve slight symptoms such as chest tightness and asthma when she felt ufortable.

    "Yes, I will go right away," Qingyu hurriedly replied when she heard that Ning Xueyan was having trouble breathing. She did not dare to be slow, so she stood up and hurried to Madam Dowager¡¯s auspicious courtyard.

    Not long after she left, the maid Qingrui walked in with a teapot, followed by a woman carrying a basket of food. This time, she looked quite normal outside as she had on a in white dress. Ning Xueyan, kneeling on the ground, saw a small piece of red under the white dress with her sharp eyes, which appeared from time to time when she was walking.

    Ning Xueyan quietly withdrew her eyes and sneered in her heart.

 Chapter 11 Slap the Servants Who Slight Their Master

    Ning Xueyan sneered inwardly when she spotted the red clothing that maid Qingrui exposed.

    To think that mere maids dared to wear a mourning garment on top of a gaudy outfit when her masters did not. It was obvious how badly they treated Madam Ming and Ning Xueyan. Everyone in this manor was brave enough to bully her. Outsiders knew only of the first wife¡¯s eldest and second daughters of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor but not the fifth daughter born by Madam Ming.

    The two servants came over andy down the teapot and food basket in their hands. The older female servant poured a cup of water and passed it to Qingrui, who squatted down and handed it to Ning Xueyan. Ning Xueyan was a filial daughter. She had been kneeling for an entire morning and did not even have a sip of water. Yet she saw the cold tea, she found that she had no appetite.

    "You must be starving, youngdy. Keep calm and have some water before eating. It¡¯s better for your body that way." Since there was an outsider around, Qingrui nevertheless would show some respect for Ning Xueyan¡¯s status. Her words sounded warm but the sarcasm was obvious when one took note of the steamless tea that she served.

    Ning Xueyan leveled a cold look at her without epting the cup of tea. She then turned to look at the food without a hint of warmth that the older female servant prepared. With a faint smile, she asked, "Is it out of consideration for my health that you deliberately waited for everything to cool down beforeing in?"

    Late autumn was frigid and the sky today had been murky as well. Ning Xueyan¡¯s hands and feet were ice-cold after standing in ce motionless for so long. If she drank that cup of "warm" water, she supposed her five viscera and six bowels would freeze. She had always been frail and sickly. Even if she was healthy, eating such cold food so frequently would eventually get her ill.

    Qingrui was stunned, having not expected the timid Fifth Young Lady to retaliate. She raised her head and met Ning Xueyan¡¯s jet-ck pupils that seemed to be a bottomless sea of serenity. Inexplicably, she began to panic. However, she immediately straightened out her expression and chuckled. "What¡¯s wrong with you today, Young Lady? Why throw such arge tantrum? Your health is poor and the doctor said that you¡¯re not allowed to eat overly warm food. Don¡¯t tell me that you forgot, Young Lady!"

    "So I¡¯m not allowed to eat overly warm food, but it¡¯s fine to feed me cold leftovers?! You people sure are a bunch of self-serving and smooth-talking ves!"

    Ning Xueyan frowned and said sternly, "Kneel down!"

    This time, Qingrui got a fright. However, she wasn¡¯t afraid and was even audacious enough not to kneel. She started loudly, airing her grievances. "What¡¯s the matter, Fifth Young Lady? I know you¡¯re upset because Second Madam is gone. But you can¡¯t take it out on this lowly servant. If you act this way, how will us servants have the courage to serve you?"

    The older female servant, who walked behind Qingrui, immediately cried, "Oh dear!" She pointed to three tes of dishes and one bowl of soup on the side. "You¡¯re sure in a bad mood today, Young Lady. It¡¯s your health that doesn¡¯t permit you to eat warm food. It¡¯s not like we¡¯re deliberately slighting you."

    The two of them echoed one another, insisting that Ning Xueyan was provoking matters.

    They caused so much fuss that they drew the attention of Ning Lingyun, who was next door. She set down the bowl and chopsticks in her hands and put on a disapproving expression. She sat on a small wooden stool and watched the show with a grin.

    Ning Xueyan looked around and saw that the other maids, as well as the older female servant, looked like they were waiting to watch a show. No one stepped forward to take her side. In fact, they were even looking at her in disdain. It was no wonder that no one bothered even though Madam Ming had passed away. No one in this manor, from the lowly servants to their masters, truly regarded them as masters.

    However, she was no longer the Ning Xueyan of the past who allowed people to humiliate her!

    A cold glint flickered across her pupils. Without another word, she raised her hand andnded a hard p on Qingrui¡¯s face. The maid was so shocked that she couldn¡¯t recover her senses in time and fell to the ground. She was utterly speechless.

    With an ice-cold expression, Ning Xueyan sternly rebuked, "I wonder who made the despicable order to have their master eat cold food!"

    Her imposing manner frightened Qingrui so much that she trembled. The Ning Xueyan before her eyes was emitting a domineering air that was difficult to describe. Clutching her face, Qingrui stared wide-eyed at Ning Xueyan. For a moment, she couldn¡¯t snap out of it.

    "Come back with fresh dishes. Get your punishment of 10 canings on your own!" Ning Xueyan said, frowning.

    Only then did Qingrui recover her senses. She gathered her courage again upon remembering that she belonged to First Madam. She got up from the floor and straightened her neck. "Young Lady, you¡¯re acting as you please, from wanting to change dishes to hitting people! This lowly servant wonders if you have eaten something wrong today. Why are you as explosive as a lighter? Second Madam had just died and you¡¯re already tormenting me like this. Even if you want me to die, you need to exin why you want to punish me out of nowhere."

    Her use of the word "die" was inplete disregard of the taboo of Madam Ming lying inside the mourning hall. In front of Ning Xueyan who was still hurting from the loss of her mother, this was rude beyond reproach.

    Qingrui¡¯s voice had just faded when a bellow came from the door. "What¡¯s that about dying? Come, men! Drag this lowly ve out and p her 20 times."

    Everyone turned around and saw Madam Dowager standing at the door of the mourning hall, looking so angry that her face was ashen. Qingrui had never anticipated her to show up at this moment. She was so terrified that she trembled and felt her legs weaken. With a loud thud, she knelt on the floor.

    Ning Xueyan smiled coldly.

 Chapter 12 Neither Plain Nor Pure White Clothes

    Madam Dowager was drawn here after she noticed Qingyu running off to get Frigid Pills.

    Ning Xueyan deliberately ordered Qingyu to get some Frigid Pills to indicate that her health was very poor.

    Old Lady Qin was still ill at ease after giving Qingyu the Frigid Pills and went to inform Madam Dowager about Ning Xueyan¡¯s condition.

    "After all that racket in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor yesterday, all eyes are on us. We must not allow rumors of us abusing the Fifth Young Lady spread. With her health, the Fifth Young Lady is like a master who is at death¡¯s door. We¡¯re having guests over this afternoon. What will they say if she faints inside the mourning hall?"

    After thinking about it, Madam Dowager decided to check on the situation personally. The family was already at the heart of so much uproar in these two days. She must not allow people to continue gossiping about the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    To her surprise, she heard a sharp-tongued maid bombarding Ning Xueyan with words the moment she entered the mourning hall. The maid even mentioned the word "die" inside the mourning hall. She was furious that her face turned ashen.

    She never thought that a lowly maid would embarrass her master this way and speak so fearlessly inside the mourning hall. She couldn¡¯t imagine the kind of things people would say if they overheard this.

    Two old women walked over to Qingrui and grabbed her. Ignoring her cries, they dragged her to the corridor and started pping her.

    Another came to help the kneeling Ning Xueyan to her feet. She carefully helped Ning Xueyan walk to the side room. Madam Dowager was already sitting there waiting. Ning Xueyan once again kneeled down. Even though she looked pale and frail, her expression was determined. "Grandmother, please uphold justice for me."

    Pin-drop silence took over the side room!

    "What do you have in mind?" Madam Dowager stared at Ning Xueyan who had her head lowered.

    "This maid and older female servant go too far in deceiving their master. I don¡¯t have the courage to have them serve me." Ning Xueyan raised her head and said every word with rity. Her manner was neither servile nor domineering. "They went to retrieve the food at the same time as Fourth Sister¡¯s maids. However, my food wasn¡¯t here even after Fourth Sister finished dining. Moreover, what they served me were their leftovers."

    Earlier, Ning Xueyan saw that her dishes were clearly food for the servants.

    The maids had eaten Ning Xueyan¡¯s dishes and then served her the cold rice and vegetables from the servants¡¯ table. This practice was repeated every day and today was no exception either!

    The reason she drew Madam Dowager here was to let her see this scene!

    Ning Xueyan knew that at this moment, Madam Dowager would surely avenge her.

    It wasn¡¯t because Madam Dowager¡¯s heart ached for her. It was only for Madam Dowager to put up a front to others. She must show that her adoration of andpassion for Ning Xueyan as a way to speedily remove the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor from the ugly rumors going around yesterday.

    And the recement of her servants was an excuse that Ning Xueyan deliberately gave Madam Dowager!

    Taking advantage of the fact that Madam Ling was in hot waters, she used Madam Dowager to drive away Madam Ling¡¯s people around her and reinstate the Bright Frost Garden. This was her true goal in ordering Qingyu to pay a visit to the Auspicious Fortune Hall!

    What she needed now were servants that she could trust!

    After a moment of silence, Madam Dowager asked, "Are your words true?"

    "Grandmother, you may investigate it if you don¡¯t believe me. Even if I¡¯m weak, I refuse to allow them to humiliate me. That would affect the reputation of our Lord Protector¡¯s Manor!" Ning Xueyan¡¯s every word was purposeful, allowing everyone to understand the irrefutable truth at first listen.

    Mother Han had already checked on the food, having understood Madam Dowager¡¯s intention. She smiled wryly at Madam Dowager and nodded. "Madam Dowager, the dishes are indeed food for low-level maids and older female servant and they have be thoroughly cold. Considering her frail body, the Fifth Young Lady would surely fall ill if she eats such food."

    "ng!"

    The teacup fell to the ground and broke into fragments. Madam Dowager sneered. "To think that there are such wicked ves that dare to bully and humiliate their young master! Fetch Housekeeper Lu immediately! Have him sell off these two wicked ves!"

    Seeing that Madam Dowager was angry, Mother Han immediately tried to mollify her. "Please appease your anger, Madam Dowager. I¡¯ll immediately send someone to fetch Housekeeper Lu!"

    Ning Xueyan was still kneeling. From her vantage point, she could see a shadow flitting behind the white banner. A person wearing a navy blue dress was slowly moving outward. Everyone inside the mourning hall earlier was dressed in pure white clothes. The servants that Madam Dowager brought were dressed in in but not pure white clothes.

 Chapter 13 First Madams People

    Out of nowhere, Ning Xueyan turned around and bellowed, "Stop right there!"

    This time, even Madam Dowager and Mother Han noticed someone shifting suspiciously behind the white banner. The middle-aged woman that had just arrived at the door looked at Ning Xueyan in bewilderment. She didn¡¯t know if she should put down her raised foot. She was the very picture of awkwardness!

    "Could you be sneaking out to find a way to save these two wicked ves? Fake some evidence and witnesses to help them out of this predicament?" a pale-faced Ning Xueyan said coolly.

    Madam Dowager, who upied the central seat, watched the middle-aged woman wear a guilty expression as if her intention had been uncovered. She turned livid with rage and flung the teacup in her hand at the middle-aged woman¡¯s feet.

    The middle-aged woman was so frightened that she trembled. With a loud thud, she kneeled down and tried to exin herself. "Fifth Young Lady, I¡¯m just feeling the urge to go to the washroom. I¡¯m not going off to fake evidence or whatever; I just didn¡¯t want to disturb Madam Dowager!"

    "Even if you¡¯re feeling an urge, you shouldn¡¯t be leaving at this time. With your tant disregard for rules and regtions, how can you serve Grandmother?" Ning Xueyan gave her an indifferent nce.

    Such words fanned Madam Dowager¡¯s anger even further. How could the people around her, the Madam Dowager of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, flout the rules and regtions? It was impossible for her not to re up.

    Moreover, she recognized this middle-aged woman to be a rtive of Housekeeper Lu. Housekeeper Lu was an older female servant of the inner courtyard and a maid that was a part of Madam Ling¡¯s bridal entourage. She was Madam Ling¡¯s most loyal dog.

    She didn¡¯t give this incident much thought but this time, she immediately understood that this middle-aged woman belonged to Madam Ling. How could she not be angry when Madam Ling dared to provoke even her?

    "Drag this wicked ve out as well! Flog her 20 times!" Madam Dowager mmed a hand on the table. Her face was ashen and dark as she became even angrier at Madam Ling.

    Amid the middle-aged woman¡¯s terrified pleading, Ning Xueyan looked out to the corridor to where Qingrui was. The handmaid¡¯s face was drenched with blood after repeated ps. A mocking smirk appeared on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face. Madam Dowager¡¯s heart was pricked by a thorn. Even though it didn¡¯t hurt now, it would one day prate deeper...

    Out of fear that Ning Xueyan¡¯s health would fail, Madam Dowager ordered Ning Lingyun to keep watch of Madam Ming¡¯s coffin so the former could rest in the side room. Ning Lingyun felt so angry about this that she secretly crushed her handkerchief. She had no choice but to reluctantly keep watch inside the mourning hall.

    Ning Xueyan was simply too frail to reject the offer. After eating a small portion of lunch, she leaned against the couch with her eyes closed, racking her brain as she rested.

    "Madam Ling is as clever as she is ruthless. The reason I gain the upper hand this time is that I manage to catch her off guard and make her suffer a great disadvantage. When she recovers, she¡¯ll definitely not let me off. She has every advantage when ites to status, so I must strike while the iron is hot. I must make my move in session so that she won¡¯t have the time to target me."

    No matter how she thought about it, there were still too few trustworthy people around her! The intel that she could obtain were also too few!

    There was no way for her to tell the world about the poisonous fragrance found on Madam Ming¡¯s body. Tomorrow, the coffin would be nailed and moved to the grave. If she didn¡¯t bring up this matter now, she would lose the chance forever!

    She subconsciously reached out to touch her arm. The wound on it had been treated with ointment and bandaged. Her long, finely eyebrows involuntarily knitted together. There was no one that she could use!

    "Young Lady, are you okay?" Qingyu ran into the side room with Ning Xueyan¡¯s garment in hand. She had heard that something happened in the mourning hall on her way here. Worried that Ning Xueyan was in trouble, she ran so hard here that her forehead was soaked with sweat. The moment she came in, she sized up Ning Xueyan and only heaved a sigh of relief after seeing that she was fine.

    "I¡¯m fine. Why were you gone for so long?" Ning Xueyan asked casually. It didn¡¯t take that long to go from Madam Dowager¡¯s ce to Bright Frost Garden to the mourning hall.

    "I was already on my way back but halfway here, I met Lan Ning from the Cloud Theater. She requested that I ask you if you still need a handmaid, even if it¡¯s a low-level handmaid who sweeps the grounds. She¡¯s willing toe to our Bright Frost Garden."

    "Lan, Lan Ning?"

    Ning Xueyan bit her lower lip. She lowered her faraway gaze and her heartbeat abruptly quickened.

 Chapter 14 The Personal Maid of Ning Xueyans Previous Life

    "How can she not know who Lanning is?" Ning Xueyan had the thought while she was gripping herpel.

    In her previous incarnation, Lanning was her close personal maid. Although Lanning was sent by Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to serve her, Ning Xueyan treated her well and they had a deep rtionship which was as intimate as what she had with Xianger after being with her for two years.

    That night, however, Lanning wasn¡¯t there!

    "Maybe you don¡¯t know it, mydy." Qingyu said, "Lanning was the first ss servant of Yunying courtyard. She had nowhere to stay after Ziying Lady¡¯s gone. She might think you are a good master, so she begged me especially. I talked with her just now, this was exactly the reason why I waste."

    Once, Qingyu was bullied by Xianghong and Miao¡¯er who were Second Young Lady¡¯s maids. They blocked the way to stop her moving. At that time, Lanning did something clever shouting that Madam Dowager hade. Two bullies were scared and ran away. Besides, Lanning was nice to everyone. She never looked down on herself even though Fifth Young Lady wasn¡¯t favored.

    Trying hard to repress her heartbeat, Ning Xueyan raised her head and said, "Qingrui was kicked out by Madam Dowager before long so that I just need someone to be my first maid. You can tell Nanny Qin that I¡¯m fond of Yunying courtyard¡¯s Lanning, to make sure whether she can be sent to be my maid." Ning Xueyan smiled slightly with her bloodless beautiful lip.

    "Oh mydy, does that mean you agree to ept Lanning?" Qingyu only caught the point having no time to ask why Qingrui was driven away. She was thrilled because she really thought Lanning was a good girl who was smart and kind.

    "Yes, Qingyu, you can talk about thister. First of all, do you know there¡¯s any noble guests who will definitely be here and are good at medicine?" Ning Xueyan asked, frowning.

    "Noble guests, with good medical skills...I have no idea."Qingyu thought for a while and shook her head. She wasn¡¯t pretending. She barely went out because Fifth Young Lady was never outside the yard. Knowing a few persons only, of course, she wouldn¡¯t know the kind of guests whom Ning Xueyan wanted.

    Noble guest!

    Qingyu suddenly opened her eyes wide and said, "Mydy, I know such an honored guest in our manor who is in marquis¡¯s Mingyue Pavilion now. When I met Lanning just now, she came from the front. She said that it had been heavily-guarded with the honor guards. But the marquis just returned to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. He¡¯s talking with the guest in Mingyue Pavilion now."

    Mingyue Pavilion had the most sumptuous ornaments of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Ning Xueyan knew that only the one with more valuable status than Ning Zu¡¯an could be there. However, there weren¡¯t many such men in Chu State.

    Ning Zu¡¯an received the man there with honor guard, and this showed the guest was more likely from the royal family. On a day like today, this noble guest muste to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor for worshipping Ning Xueyan¡¯s mom.

    A great idea shed into Ning Xueyan¡¯s mind, this caused her a heart stroke. As far as she knew, the royals were noblest. So even though some of them were not familiar with medicine, when they went out they would take someone with medical skills. But now that the guest was a royal, it was impossible Madam Ling could get help from the guest.

    "Qingyu, are doctors of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor all at First Madam¡¯s ce?" Ning Xueyan questioned. She lifted her eyes slightly. The eyes were profound and ck like dark jade was wandering inside. Madam Ling was almost beat to death. Two doctors of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor must both be at her ce.

    "You are right, mydy. I just heard that First Madam¡¯s condition wasn¡¯t so good. Doctors are all in Yunxia courtyard, not allowed to leave." Qingyu said as nodding.

    "Later, you go to the front and stay there. If you see the marquising along with the guest, you need to run back here throughne. Remember not to be noticed by anyone."Ning Xueyan ordered her in a low voice holding her hands, "If someone finds you, you just tell them I¡¯m not feeling well and send you for a doctor."

    Doctors were all in Yunxia courtyard. ording to Madam Ling¡¯s temper, there¡¯s no way that the doctor coulde to deal with Ning Xueyan¡¯s wounds.

    Seeing Ning Xueyan being confident and showing calm in her face, Qingyu felt a bit distressed. Especially she found something convincing from Ning Xueyan¡¯s smile, it was beyond words. From now on, this young girl would never be bullied by anyone. Second Madam¡¯s soul could rest in peace. Qing yu nodded hard and said, "Don¡¯t be worry mydy, I will follow your order and nobody will notice me."

    "Ok, there you go, remember to be careful!" Ning Xueyan raised herself and stood up. After tidying up her clothes, she walked straight toward the mourning hall.

 Chapter 15 Mean Sisters

    Ning Xueyan propped herself up to get back on her feet and adjusted her clothing before walking out to the mourning hall.

    Since she had to put on a show, she must act until the end. Those around the noble guests were no ordinary people. If she identally made a mistake, she would be bringing trouble to herself instead...

    "My, Fifth Sister! You¡¯re finally showing up!"

    Ning Lingyun couldn¡¯t help mocking Ning Xueyan after seeing her. This was the first sentence that Ning Lingyun said to her sister today.

    Even though she was a concubine¡¯s daughter, her beautiful looks made her believe that she wasn¡¯t inferior to her sisters!

    Her sisters were merely fortunate to have grown inside First Madam¡¯s belly. On the other hand, she was unfortunate enough to have a concubine for a mother. Her birth lowered her status by a significant degree.

    Ning Ziyan and her sister were daughters of Madam Ling, who was the First Madam of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Madam Ling could kill her as easily as she could squash an ant. That was why she didn¡¯t dare to retaliate.

    Thus, she vented her anger on Ning Xueyan instead. She was a frequent aplice of the Second Young Lady, Ning Yuling, in bullying Ning Xueyan. She thought of herself as much nobler than Ning Xueyan.

    She was long stewing in anger after being told to keep watch while Ning Xueyan went off to rest. Gripping her handkerchief tightly, she harshly rebuked Ning Xueyan when she saw her.

    "Fourth Sister, you could have left if you didn¡¯t want to keep watch," Ning Xueyan said indifferently as she kneeled down again. She didn¡¯t want to concern herself with Ning Lingyun who was busy licking the soles of Madam Ling¡¯s boots.

    "Leave? Of course, I want to! Had your damned mom not die, do you think I¡¯d be forced to keep watch?!" Ning Lingyun retorted furiously.

    She had been kneeling since this morning. She was so tired that she was close to copsing.

    Currently, she was in an incredibly poor mood. Moreover, she had never possessed any respect for Madam Ming. To think that she would be ordered to keep watch of this woman¡¯s coffin!

    These thoughts filled Ning Lingyun with even more rage.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s face fell after hearing Ning Lingyun ndering Madam Ming and her voice was cool as she said, "Fourth Sister, would you dare to repeat such words in front of Grandmother?"

    "Repeat such words in front of Madam Dowager?"

    "Wouldn¡¯t I just be digging my own grave?"

    Ning Lingyun had taken note of Madam Dowager¡¯s protection of Ning Xueyan today. Even though she didn¡¯t know why Madam Dowager showed Ning Xueyan such respect today, she knew now wasn¡¯t the time to provoke thetter. Earlier, she had been watching the fate of the servants on the sidelines in fear.

    "What do you mean? Are you deliberately criticizing me?"

    Having always considered Ning Xueyan a pushover, Ning Lingyun was instantly furious after hearing the former¡¯s words. Unable to control her emotions, she yelled, "Who allowed you to speak in such a manner? How dare you talk to me like that!"

    "Fourth Sister, are you protesting against me or the Madam Dowager?" Ning Xueyan asked coolly, with an unwavering gaze.

    She raised her head to look at Ning Lingyun. Her pupils were so cold and unfathomable like two deep natural ponds. They sent a shiver down one¡¯s heart.

    Ning Lingyun, who was about to lose her temper, took in Ning Xueyan¡¯s coldness and unfathomable eyes. She opened her mouth and for a moment, no words came.

    However, she felt resentment just as quickly and red at Ning Xueyan. After making sure that no one was around, she rose to her feet with her maid¡¯s help and went to rest in the side room.

    This was exactly what Ning Xueyan wanted. If Ning Lingyun was around, she might notice something when Ning Xueyan actster.

    The following event would be the most crucial step in seeking justice for Madam Ming. She could only hope that the noble guest would be of high enough standing and reputation that Ning Zu¡¯an wouldn¡¯t be able to retort much.

    Considering the time, now would be the time for the noble guest toe if the guest intended to pay respects to Madam Ming. A guest like that wouldn¡¯t stay long in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor for something like this.

    She picked up the cup next to her and poured the powdered medicine that Qingyu brought back into the tea.

    The tea emanated a faint fragrance. It wasn¡¯t a strong smell but enough to alert those with a keen sense of smell when they enter.

    After downing half of the teacup, she leaned sideways and quietly rested.

    Qingyu ran in from the front hall. When she saw that no one was inside the mourning hall, she went to Ning Xueyan and whispered into her ear, "Young Lady, the Marquis is on his way here. I ran here after seeing him showing the way from afar. They didn¡¯t see me."

    "Hmm. Stop running around and kneel here."

    Suppressing the stabbing pain that demanded its presence to be felt, Ning Xueyan opened her eyes and pointed behind her as she spoke.

    The medicine kicked in nearly immediately. It barely took any time for her to feel its effects.

    "Alright. Let me get a sip of water first."

    An exhausted Qingyu reached out for the teacup by Ning Xueyan¡¯s foot but thetter swiftly caught her hand and stopped her. "You can¡¯t drink this water. Go and kneel first!"

    "Young Lady..." Qingyu looked at Ning Xueyan in surprise. When she noticed that her master¡¯s lips were so pale that it was nearly colorless, she got a huge shock.

    She kneeled down next to Ning Xueyan and supported her arm. In a panicked voice, she said, "What¡¯s wrong, Young Lady? Are you ill? I¡¯ll look for Madam Dowager now and ask her to find a way to call for a physician."

    There was no way that Ning Xueyan would allow her to look for Madam Dowager. That would render her effort in drinking that cup of "medicine" in vain.

    She clutched Qingyu¡¯s sleeve. "You don¡¯t have to look for Grandmother. It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ll be fine after resting for a while. I suppose it¡¯s my old illness acting up. It¡¯s no big deal; nothing a little rest won¡¯t fix."

    "Are you sure you¡¯re fine, Young Lady? Your old illness has been dormant for a long time, so why is it acting up now? What should we do?"

    Qingyu¡¯s expression changed drastically after hearing that it was Ning Xueyan¡¯s old illness.

    In the past, Second Madam would find a way to get Ning Xueyan some pills. Now that she was gone, where could they find pills for Ning Xueyan?

    A cold glint crossed Ning Xueyan¡¯s pupils. Sure enough, Madam Ling had poisoned her!

    It was no wonder that her health would be so poor that she would die after crying in front of her mother¡¯s coffin.

    "Old illness? What old illness? What kind of old illness can a young girl have?"

    A bellow abruptly came from the door!

 Chapter 16 The Handsome and Ruthless Prince Yi

    A bellow abruptly came from the door!

    The two of them turned to look in unison and saw a group of people standing at the door. The one who spearheaded the group wore a ck robe with an eye-catchingrge blood-red spider lily print. The contrast of the garish, beautiful colors of ck, red, and gold enveloped everyone¡¯s vision.

    The blood-redrge blood-red spider lily print stood in stark contrast against the ink-like ck fabric. The hem of the robe was lined with golden thread.

    Under the purple-golden hat was an extremely handsome face that was equally as demonic. His seemingly pure-ck eyes had no light in them and resembled two bottomless pits of darkness. He emanated a thousand-year coldness that frantically sucked everyone into his aura. He appeared both ruthless and treacherous.

    Thanks to his aura, his delicately beautiful face didn¡¯t lend him an air of femininity. Instead, he was full of the demonic charms with his manly nefariousness and ruthlessness on full disy!

    His pale, thin lips were pressed together, making him look frighteningly beautiful. However, he inexplicably made others feel the coldness akin to the frigidness of the Blood Sea.

    Upon meeting that pair of eyes, Ning Xueyan felt her hands tucked inside her sleeves inexplicably began to cramp.

    However, she swiftly put her emotions under control and showed no trace of her feelings aside from the appropriate disy of surprise. Then, she slowly lowered her head.

    Fortunately, her mental state was firm after her rebirth. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be able to stop herself from trembling in fear after meeting his eyes!

    The man was as much as of an unrivaled beauty as he was cold. Together, he produced an extremely strong visual and mental impact.

    A person like him was surely one to hold another¡¯s fate in his hands. He must be frequently stationed above everyone else and had a cruel and tyrannical nature.

    Right now, he was staring fixedly at the people inside the mourning hall with his overwhelming cold aura.

    "What happened, Yan¡¯er?"

    A frowning Ning Zu¡¯an was standing next to the man. He stared unhappily at Qingyu, who was kneeled beside Ning Xueyan. This girl was sure insensible to mention old illnesses. What would His Highness Prince Yi think after hearing that?

    "Father, I¡¯m... I¡¯m fine."

    Ning Xueyan forced herself to sit up straight and put on a small smile. However, her hand that she ced by her side couldn¡¯t help trembling.

    "Tell me the truth."

    It was Qingyu who Ning Zu¡¯an addressed this time. His expression was somber and his gaze was sharp. As a former militarymander, his re carried quite a bit of a demonic air.

    "Marquis, my Young Lady isn¡¯t feeling well and has been breaking out in cold sweat all day. I would like to invite a physician to check on her." QIngyu was both worried about Ning Xueyan and terrified of Ning Zu¡¯an. When she was questioned, she immediately lowered her head to the floor and answered.

    "Why aren¡¯t you going then?" Ning Zu¡¯an frowned.

    "The physicians are... all with First Madam..." Qingyu¡¯s voice trembled. She didn¡¯t finish her sentence.

    Ning Zu¡¯an looked at Ning Xueyan¡¯s body, so thin that she looked like she would topple over with the slightest breeze, and then at the nonchnt expression that she forcefully wore. Finally, he took note of how the mourning hall was deserted except for a pair of master and servant. A trace of concealed anger inadvertently shed across his face. He had ordered Madam Ling to organize the funeral properly but she had treated his words like air!

    "Come, people! Go and fetch a physician from the Auspicious Clouds Garden!" Ning Zu¡¯an said furiously.

    "Father, please don¡¯t. Mother isn¡¯t in good condition either. I¡¯ll be fine after enduring it for a while." Ning Xueyan stopped her father, putting on the demeanor of a gentle and sensible child.

    "Oh, now she¡¯s gentle." The corner of Prince Yi¡¯s cold and stiff lips lifted into a smirk. He stared at her with great interest, his eyes partially narrowed. Amid his imposing aura was a trace of coldness in his gaze. It made Ning Xueyan shifted her body sideways in difort, avoiding his eyes. This noble guest¡¯s gaze was simply too piercing for her liking.

    "Your Mother is fine, but you, on the other hand... Stand up and get some rest first." Ning Zu¡¯an reached to help Ning Xueyan stand, his voice subconsciously carrying a trace of warmth.

    "It¡¯s alright. I¡¯m... fine..." Ning Xueyan rose to her feet while holding Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s hand. However, the moment she stood up, her body fell backward.

    When Ning Zu¡¯an touched his daughter¡¯s hand, he felt that it was devoid of any warmth. He turned around and angrily scolded the manservant who had not left. "Why are you still here? Go and fetch the physician now!"

    "Marquis, if you trust me, you may use the imperial physician that constantly apany me. He can examine your precious daughter."

    His was a voice that was as pure and fragrant as fine wine and yet carried a hint of coldness and dauntlessness. Even with her head lowered, Ning Xueyan could feel that man¡¯s gaze on her like a thorn in her back.

    "This man is too dangerous! I must not provoke him!"

    She inwardly made a resolution and allowed her longshes to droop to fake a flustered appearance. Unfortunately, she had already provoked this man and even schemed against him.

    "Many thanks, Prince!"

    While Ning Zu¡¯an was expressing his thanks, Qingyu heaved a sigh of relief as she helped Ning Xueyan take a seat in a short stool by the coffin.

    The imperial physician walked to Ning Xueyan. With a quick sniff, he looked confusedly at the coffin ced on the deceased¡¯s bed and frowned. However, he swiftly put his focus on examining Ning Xueyan¡¯s pulse.

    "Imperial physician, how is our Young Lady doing?" Qingyu couldn¡¯t help asking when she noticed the imperial physician¡¯s increasingly deep frown.

 Chapter 17 Vicious; The Beauty Get Intoxicated Amid Peach Blossoms

    "Imperial physician, how is our Young Lady doing?"

    The imperial physician didn¡¯t answer. He made Ning Xueyan offer her other hand and his frown deepened.

    His gaze fell on the teacup ced near her. He reached out for the cup, ced it near his nose, and sniffed. He asked Qingyu, "Did your Young Lady drink this?"

    "Yes. The kitchen sent it over. Is there something wrong with it?" Qingyu asked nervously.

    "I didn¡¯t touch the tea when they sent it over this afternoon. But I got thirsty earlier and took a sip or two. We¡¯re all drinking tea prepared in the kitchen; how could there be a problem?" Ning Xueyan exined feebly.

    Her face was deadly pale.

    Her exnation stopped Ning Zu¡¯an from questioning.

    The imperial physician fished a silver needle out of his bosom and dipped it inside the teacup. The snow-white silver needle was now dyed a faintyer of ck!

    "There¡¯s the Intoxicating Peach Blossom inside this. This medicine has a cold nature and carries a naturally sweet and mellow fragrant aftertaste. It¡¯s also poisonous and a frequent user will die of poisoning. Judging from this Young Lady¡¯splexion, I think it¡¯s not her first time consuming this. I fear that her body has been deeply harmed and requires thorough care or her life will be at risk."

    The imperial physician shook his head as he gave a thorough exnation. The household affairs of an aristocratic family had nothing to do with him but since he had received his master¡¯s order, it meant that they would be meddling in this matter. Naturally, the imperial physician would reveal his findings without reservation. After thinking about it, he decided to reveal that it wasn¡¯t the first time this Young Lady had consumed the poison.

    The Intoxicating Peach Blossom¡ªthe full name being The Beauty Get Intoxicated Amid Peach Blossoms¡ªhad a lovely name and yet was deadly enough to im lives. It was particrly vicious due to its faint fragrance being difficult to discover.

    "It¡¯s... It¡¯s impossible. This is my old illness; my mom suffered something simr. It couldn¡¯t be a poisoning. My mom and I would experience symptoms like these every now and then. How could it be poison? Imperial physician, are... are you mistaken?"

    Ning Xueyan clutched the imperial physician¡¯s sleeve as she questioned him.

    The greatest taboo for a physician was having his expertise questioned. When he saw that Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t believe him, he became so furious that even his beard stood up!

    "I have been a physician all my life and never have I been mistaken! But this is my first time having someone doubting my expertise. You¡¯re indeed poisoned with the Intoxicating Peach Blossom, but you¡¯re still living because the dosage is small. This Madam of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor ought to have died from Intoxicating Peach Blossom poisoning as well. Otherwise, there wouldn¡¯t be lingering fragrance on her body the second day after she died. If you don¡¯t believe me, you may lean close to the coffin. You will be able to smell the fragrance better."

    "As expected, one who enters the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor finds himself entering a deep sea. The waters inside the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor sure are deep!"

    Prince Yi¡¯s unfathomable eyes were fixed on the girl leaning on one side, his mouth forming a teasing smirk.

    The Lord Protector Marquis¡¯ expression immediately changed. The veins on his forehead protruded as he turned around and barked, "Go and investigate it! Investigate what exactly has been going on! Let it be known that without my order, no one is allowed to leave the manor!"

    He rarely made such strict orders, so it was evident how furious he was.

    How could he not be angry when he was discovering something like this, which even caused Madam Shi¡¯s death, in front of a Prince?

    He never expected something this shameful to happen in his household, and even caused the death of a person! In front of outsiders, to boot! Ning Zu¡¯an became even angrier. He had a feeling that Madam Ling was surely involved in this matter. Never did he imagine that Madam Ling would dare do something like this and make him so furious that he was shaking.

    The servants moved a spacious seat inside and Prince Yi upied it. In a leisurely manner, he said, "Lord Protector Marquis, please go on your way if you have something to attend to. I don¡¯t mind staying here a little longer."

    "Yes. Well, please take a seat, Prince. Your humble servant will be back soon!"

    The Prince looked as if he was about to watch a good show. Even though Ning Zu¡¯an found his interest inappropriate, he dared not say anything about it.

    This man was temperamental. He might look like joyful now but who knew if he would turn around and cripple someone for something minor?

    "Go on!" Prince Yi waved offhandedly. His eyes were focused on Ning Xueyan, his gaze carrying a sliver of interest.

    Ning Xueyan ought to feel bashful under the watchful gaze of such a noble and handsome Prince and yet she felt as if her hair was rising on its end. His gaze was like the focused gaze of a venomous snake, cold and frightening.

    Even without looking at him, she could feel his stare on her. It was a stare that made her feel as if she had been plunged into darkness!

    Only after a long time, when cold sweat was already forming on Ning Xueyan¡¯s back, that Prince Yi revealed an indifferent smile on his face. He leaned sideways into the spacious chair, with his elbow propping up his waist. In a leisurely manner, he asked, "The Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, is it? Should I ask the imperial physician to give you a prescription?"

    "Many thanks, Prince, for your grace in saving me." With Qingyu¡¯s help, Ning Xueyan stood up and made a deep bow.

    Instead of confirming or denying it, Prince Yi retorted, "Oh. I don¡¯t remember when I have done something like saving you."

    It was as if there was nothing she could hide in front of this person. His cold gaze fixed on her was frigid and carried a hint of demonic air. Ning Xueyan gnashed her teeth and said, in neither servile nor domineering manner, "Many thanks for your help, Prince."

    She had nned on going along with the flow and let this incident pass under the guise of thanking the Prince for saving her. However, the Prince in front of her evidently had seen through her ploy.

    "You dare to manipte me?" Even though his snort was without warmth, his tonecked the coldness that sent chill down one¡¯s spine earlier.

 Chapter 18 Confrontation with the Wickedly Charming Man

    Ning Xueyan shivered inwardly. She made the correct bet. This man was typically a man who made good on his word and one who couldn¡¯t tolerate any annoyance. She never thought that she would end up provoking a person like him. Right now, she could only stay humble.

    "In response to Prince: I¡¯m not intentionally manipting you. The circumstances have forced my hand. If I had any other idea... why would I hurt myself?" Ning Xueyan was expressionless. It was as if she was talking about something as ordinary as the weather. However, her smirk inadvertently revealed a hint of wryness.

    "Aren¡¯t you... afraid of me killing you?" His voice was so cold that there was no trace of vitality to be found.

    "If it means that I can plunge those who abuse, humiliate, and harm me into a world of despair, then I have nothing to fear!" Ning Xueyan stared fixedly at the man¡¯s handsome face with neither fear nor admiration. Her gaze harbored only a sliver of coldness.

    The purpose of her rebirth was revenge. The grudge she bore in her past life, the grudge Ning Xueyan bore, the grudge Madam Ming bore¡ªevery grudge was steeped in blood...

    Very soon, Madam Ming would be buried six feet under. If she didn¡¯t take advantage of this opportunity to raise suspicion about Madam Ming¡¯s cause of death, the truth would be concealed forever and Madam Ling¡¯s true colors would never be revealed.

    Thus, she had thrown all caution to the wind for this purpose!

    Prince Yi looked away from her and said ambiguously, "You¡¯re clever but I won¡¯t ept being used as your knife withoutpensation!"

    "What do you want, Prince?" Ning Xueyan asked solemnly, while staring fixedly at that extremely handsome face. Someone else¡¯s favor must be repaid in simr magnitude. She didn¡¯t find this unreasonable at all. She understood very well that Prince Yi not exposing her trickery was equivalent to sparing her life.

    To be precise, she owed him a great favor!

    So what if he was forcing her to repay his favor? Even though she had borrowed his authority in this matter, it wasn¡¯t he who took the initiative to help her. Even if she was aggrieved, she couldn¡¯t reject him! This person in front of her didn¡¯t look like someone who would take no for an answer.

    Prince Yi looked at her and suddenlyughed out loud. "Very well, Ning Xueyan! Do you feel like I¡¯m forcing you to repay my favor?"

    It was as if he could see through her thin body, straight into her heart.

    "No. I owed you the favor, in the first ce!" Ning Xueyan replied neutrally.

    Prince Yi rose to his feet and said nonchntly, "I won¡¯t make it difficult for you. If you ask for my help again in the future, I will reap thepensation for both favors at once: you must agree to one of my conditions." Even so, his words were as sharp as a sword coated with poison. Like a sword pressed against her throat, his words made her unable to speak.

    There was no negotiation. He was merely informing Ning Xueyan the truth without giving her any room for resistance.

    "Yes!" Ning Xueyan calmed herself down and a cold smile appeared on her face. No matter what happened next, he had at least given her a way out now. She allowed herself to rx a little. This man was too dangerous. If their paths ever crossed again, she would undoubtedly stay away from him. As long as they never meet again, there would never be a situation whereby she would need his help.

    Then, that condition would never appear!

    Ning Xueyan had a feeling that the condition was surely not a condition that would delight her.

 Chapter 19 Mixed-breed; Not Favored?

    After giving his prayers in front of Madam Ming¡¯s coffin, Prince Yi left with his entourage without waiting for Ning Zu¡¯an to return. It wasn¡¯t until he left that Ning Lingyun finally dared toe out of the side room.

    Ning Zu¡¯an hade over with the others while she was hiding inside the side room. Two stone-faced guards watched the entrance, making it impossible for her and her maid to return to the mourning hall. Thus, she had no idea of what happened inside the hall.

    She hastily came out to investigate as soon as she saw the outsiders leave.

    When she saw that Qingyu was helping Ning Xueyan swallow a pill, she thought that Ning Xueyan was so frightened that her illness red. She stared at Ning Xueyan in contempt while inwardly mocked thetter for being so useless. She had forgotten how she hid inside the side room earlier, too afraid to even move a limb.

    Without people around, Ning Lingyun refused to call Ning Xueyan her younger sister. With her chin raised, she asked rudely, "You there, what happened earlier? Why did Fathere and then left?"

    "A noble guest came to pay his respects to my mom," Ning Xueyan replied indifferently. She had Qingyu put away the bottle of uneaten pills that the imperial physician gave her earlier. He said the medicine could neutralize the poison in her bloodstream but whether it could destroy the roots of her illness was still undetermined. They could only wait and see until she finished this bottle of pills.

    "A noble guest came to pay his respects your mom?!" A dumbfounded Ning Lingyun looked at the coffin lying in the middle of the mourning hall and curled her lips. She said bitterly, "Are you making up stories? Don¡¯t you know what kind of status your mom had? What kind of noble guest woulde and personally pay his respects? It¡¯s alreadymendable if he even sends a housekeeper over! Do you think she was the official wife of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?!"

    "When Father and Grandmothere, I¡¯ll inform them that you don¡¯t have to keep watch here. My mom doesn¡¯t need an insincere person serving her altar," Ning Xueyan said coolly.

    She nced at Ning Lingyun with a dark expression. The reason why a concubine¡¯s daughter like Ning Lingyun would take advantage of her was that she was easily bullied!

    Ning Lingyun never imagined that Ning Xueyan would dare go against her.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s nce added to her fury. She rushed to Ning Xueyan, pointed at her face, and began scolding her!

    "Ning Xueyan, who do you think you are? How dare you order me around! Did you think you¡¯re the first wife¡¯s daughter of this manor?! You¡¯re just an unfavored girl and a mixed-breed born in this manor! How dare you show me the temper of a first wife¡¯s daughter!"

    Mixed-breed? Unfavored?

    Ning Lingyun¡¯s words riled Ning Xueyan up. Her gaze suddenly turned so razor-sharp that it frightened Ning Lingyun. Her bravado in bullying Ning Xueyan instantly weakened significantly.

    Ning Lingyun looked ridiculous putting up a front after her rage was clearly extinguished. Seeing that, Ning Xueyan sneered. She raised her hand and swatted away Ning Lingyun¡¯s pointing finger.

    "My mom was the legal family of this manor. Her status was the same as Madam Ling. All the Young Masters and Young Ladies of this manor must address her as Mother. For you to speak such wicked words in Mother¡¯s mourning hall is an unfilial act!"

    Following her words, Ning Lingyun¡¯s expression changed. Just as she wanted to open her mouth to retort, she heard Ning Xueyan continue, "The standing of equal-status wives in a family has long been dered when thete Emperor founded this country: ¡¯Equal-status wives are both considered one¡¯s mothers.¡¯ Your words earlier not only deny Mother her status, but also ridiculing thete Emperor¡¯s wishes. That makes you disloyal to the country!"

    Ning Lingyun was already pale by the time Ning Xueyan started speaking.

    The servants nearby all had different expressions.

    Even men would be afraid of being used of being unfilial and disloyal, never mind an unmarried girl like her!

    Ning Xueyan sneered inwardly, having noticed Ning Lingyun¡¯s change in expression. She didn¡¯t have to waste much effort in dealing with an idiotic woman who spoke without thinking. With this in mind, she took her seat once again and continued, "Besides, your biological mother is also Madam Ling¡¯s maid. Fourth Sister, you¡¯re born a concubine¡¯s daughter and yet you hold such arrogance toward a first wife¡¯s daughter. You really opened my eyes today."

    Ning Lingyun had always considered Ning Xueyan a weak and easily bullied person. After hearing thetter mention that her biological mother was no more than a concubine with the status of a maid, she was so humiliated that she flew into a rage. She immediately scolded, "So what if my biological mother is a maid? She¡¯s still better than a rebellious daughter like your mom! Who knows if one day, secrets are revealed and you¡¯re exposed as an illegitimate child!"

    "Is that how your concubine-status mom educates you?! How dare you say something like that!" The imposing, furious voice came from behind them. Ning Zu¡¯an stood in a dark corner by the door with a dark expression. He stared coolly at Ning Lingyun. No one knew when he came. The moment Ning Lingyun saw him, she was so frightened that her face turned chalk-white.

    Ning Xueyan slowly lowered her gaze to hide her emotions. Naturally, she knew Ning Zu¡¯an wouldn¡¯t punish Madam Ling this time. It wasn¡¯t hard to investigate something like this. Madam Ling was the one who oversaw the inner courtyard and sent Qingrui and the others to the Bright Frost Garden. If there were anyone in the manor who hated Madam Ming enough to kill her, it must be Madam Ling.

    However, she bore little hope of Ning Zu¡¯an finding out the truth of this incident. If this useless father of hers truly cared for Madam Ming, he wouldn¡¯t bepletely ignorant about this matter.

    However, now the truth that Madam Ming died of poisoning was out. It had be a thorn in Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s heart.

    Perhaps, the thorn was still small now and not enough to make him loathe Madam Ling. However, once suspicion existed, his trust in her would gradually diminish.

    Ning Xueyan quietly coughed several times and took advantage of the motion to hide her smirk. From now on, another person would be keeping his eyes on Madam Ling. Madam Ling would have to think thrice before doing anything to her.

 Chapter 20 Little Affection between Father and Daughter

    "Fa... Father..." Ning Lingyun never imagined that Ning Zu¡¯an would appear here at this moment. Her face instantly paled and she was so frightened that her voice trembled.

    Ning Zu¡¯an raised an eyebrow after seeing Ning Lingyun¡¯s hesitation and immediately rebuked her. "Apologize at once!"

    Even though Ning Lingyun hated this order so much that she was inwardly gnashing her teeth, she was forced to lower her head and say, "Fifth Younger Sister, please forgive me my poor choice of words. I don¡¯t mean it. I¡¯m sorry."

    "It¡¯s alright. I¡¯m sure it wasn¡¯t intentional. But the rebel that you mentioned earlier..." Ning Xueyan raised her head and put on a curious expression. However, her pupils were frozen cold.

    "Rebel?" She was curious as to why Madam Ming would be considered rebellious.

    Before Ning Xueyan could finish her sentence, Ning Zu¡¯an interrupted her with an angry bellow. "Go to the ancestral hall! I hereby punish you to copy Lessons for Young Women one hundred times!"

    What was the reason that this matter couldn¡¯t be mentioned at all?

    Ning Xueyan narrowed her eyes ever so slightly, her pupils ever cold.

    "Father!" Having never thought that Ning Zu¡¯an would give her such a harsh punishment, Ning Lingyun looked incredibly aggrieved. The tears welling up in her eyes nearly fell. She looked at Ning Zu¡¯an pitifully.

    "Yan¡¯er,e out here." Ning Zu¡¯an didn¡¯t spare Ning Lingyun a nce. With a flick of his sleeves, he turned around without looking back.

    After being reprimanded by their father, Ning Lingyun felt both humiliated and furious. She was so angry that her entire face was red. After seeing Ning Zu¡¯an leave, she pointed at Ning Xueyan and scolded her in a quiet voice, "Ning Xueyan, you unscrupulous woman!"

    "Was I unscrupulous? If you hadn¡¯t so fearlessly scolded my mom in front of her coffin, why would I need to do this?" Ning Xueyan smiled. The sliver of coldness buried in the depths of her pupils made Ning Lingyun shiver. She slowly put down her raised hand and the moment it fellpletely, she felt an overwhelming cold aura.

    When she tried to get a better look, Ning Xueyan had already walked out of the hall.

    Outside the mourning hall, Ning Zu¡¯an stood quietly inside a neat circle of blooming chrysanthemums. He looked deep in thought.

    "Father!" After walking out of the hall, Ning Xueyan concealed the contempt in her eyes and put on a deferential and gentle look. She would only address him when necessary. This man wasn¡¯t worth the title of "Father".

    "It was Qingrui who poisoned the tea. Your mum once hit her and that gave rise to hatred strong enough for her to poison her. Your Mother has already ordered people to beat her to death."

    Ning Zu¡¯an turned his head and momentarily paused as he took in Ning Xueyan¡¯s thin and pale face. Then, looking as if he made a resolution, he ultimately still told her.

    "Father, a packet of Intoxicating Peach Blossom must be expensive, yes?" Ning Xueyan looked up and stared emotionlessly at him. She was so calm that she didn¡¯t sound like she was talking about something involving her. How high could the monthly sry of a maid be? A packet of Intoxicating Peach Blossom would cost at least two taels. It wasn¡¯t something that a maid could afford!

    Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s stance was not very clear. After a brief pause, he exined, "Qingruies from a decent family!"

    Despite knowing that he wasn¡¯t being honest, she stubbornly continued to ask, "She wants to kill my mom and I just because my mom once hit her?"

    Her head was lowered and her smile was faint and fleeting on her lips. If not for her rebirth, Ning Xueyan would be long dead. Or perhaps it would be more urate to say that even if she didn¡¯t die now, she would still die at Madam Ling¡¯s hands in less than half a year. Being a concubine¡¯s daughter in an estate as impressive as the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, her life was even more worthless than a maid¡¯s.

    "You don¡¯t have to worry about that. Your Mother has already got to the bottom of it," Ning Zu¡¯an replied impatiently, frowning. Ning Xueyan¡¯s questioning had irritated him.

    This was the oue of the investigation that her "Father" made. Even though she wasn¡¯t surprised, Ning Xueyan still despised how Ning Zu¡¯an protected Madam Ling. She sneered inwardly. Were it not for the presence of the Prince today, Ning Zu¡¯an might not even bother giving her such a superficial exnation.

    Madam Ling was definitely a crafty woman to be able to pull Ning Zu¡¯an to her side in such a short time! However, it remained to be seen whether she would always be that invincible!

    A pale-faced Ning Xueyan dropped the issue. "Since you have already found the reason and also punished the perpetrators, I¡¯m sure my mom will be happy in heaven. I¡¯d like to be a vegetarian at the Cold Mountain Temple for a month after my mom is buried in hopes that she will be at peace. I hope she¡¯ll be reincarnated into a decent family and never suffer the pain of being poisoned."

    After having her ns foiled again and again, Madam Ling would be undoubtedly so furious that she loses her judgment. Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t have to power to go all out in fighting her right now. Dodging her was for the sake of a better return. She would seek her revenge in the end!

    Ning Zu¡¯an gaze paused and lingered on Ning Xueyan for a long time. His sharp, observant look seemed capable of prating her. She stood there quietly and openly without evading in the slightest.

    His gaze softened after failing to detect anything abnormal about her. "I feel ill at ease letting you go to the Cold Mountain Temple in your current state. Why don¡¯t we have your Eldest Sister go with you? Now isn¡¯t the time for her to make her first return to her parental home after marriage, so she isn¡¯t able to help you keep watch by the coffin. But she can apany you to the Cold Mountain Temple and be a vegetarian for a while. It can be considered her show of filial piety to your mom."

    Ning Ziyan¡¯s good reputation had been ripped to shreds because of the sh with Madam Ming¡¯s funeral. Not only did Ning Zu¡¯an let her off without any punishment, but he even manipted the matter of being a vegetarian to restore Ning Ziyan¡¯s reputation. Ning Zu¡¯an was sure biased!

    "Father, Eldest Sister is still a newlywed. I think... it¡¯s better for you to ask Mother and Eldest Sister for their opinion!" Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes reddened as if she was moved by the offer, even though she ultimately still declined it.

    "Yan¡¯er is a gentle and kind girl. She must be feeling deeply aggrieved after something like this happened. She keeps saying that she must do her filial duty with you. You don¡¯t have to worry that she won¡¯t agree."

    After dropping such a bomb, Ning Zu¡¯an left her with some words of warning before walking away withrge strides!

    Qingyu took two steps forward and said indignantly, "Young Lady, when Qingrui first arrived in the Bright Frost Garden, Madam would fall ill every now and then. To think that the Marquis would believe that it was she who poisoned Madam!" Qingyu had been serving Ning Xueyan since young; she came to the household several years ahead of Qingrui.

    "Ah... you noticed as well, haven¡¯t you? But some people are truly adept liars to both themselves and others!" Ning Xueyan sneered. No one was more familiar with Madam Ling and Ning Ziyan¡¯s hypocrisy than her. After something like this happened, they would inevitably put on the act of a Bodhisattva and do their filial duty for her mom!

    That line of words was what she had been waiting for. After something like this happened, Ning Ziyan had no choice but to show Ning Xueyan¡¯s mom "filial piety" if she wanted to recover her reputation! The reason she mentioned going to the Cold Mountain Temple and bing a vegetarian was to lure Ning Ziyan.

    "Cold Mountain Temple, is it? We¡¯re about to meet again! Ah, how interesting. There¡¯s a ¡¯major gift¡¯ I prepared for Ning Ziyan waiting there! I hope Ning Ziyan won¡¯t disappoint me too much!"

    Suddenly, a panicked-looking Mother Han appeared out of the corner of the corridor. Her typically calm face was drenched with sweat. "Young Lady, there¡¯s trouble! Hurry... hurry and return to the Bright Frost Garden!"

 Chapter 21 The Corpse at the Bright Frost Gardens Entrance

    "What happened?" A frowning Ning Xueyan turned around and looked at Mother Han in confusion. She had never seen Mother Han looking this panicked.

    "Young Lady, Qingrui was beaten so badly that she¡¯s one breath away from dying. First Madam ordered the servants to drag her to the entrance of the Bright Frost Garden, saying that she has avenged Second Madam. A battered and bloodied Qingrui is now lying at our door." A pale-faced Mother Han was sweating all over. Whoever who saw that badly mutted body would feel an intense fear!

    First Madam had Qingrui thrashed and thrown at the entrance of the Bright Frost Garden before leaving with some ambiguous message about avenging Madam Ming. She was a cruel woman, indeed. She wanted everyone to think of Ning Xueyan as a narrow-minded and vicious girl. She wanted to ruin Ning Xueyan¡¯s reputation while simultaneously distracting everyone¡¯s attention.

    Qingrui was a servant of the Bright Frost Garden who served Ning Xueyan. Coupled with the previous dishes incident, the servants thought it was Ning Xueyan who wouldn¡¯t let Qingrui off and used Madam Ming¡¯s name to force First Madam to deal with her. They thought Qingrui¡¯s death wasn¡¯t enough for Ning Xueyan, who ced the former¡¯s corpse at the entrance of the Bright Frost Garden as a warning!

    This action could only be described as malicious!

    Her action was considered even more frighteningly cruel and excessive than Madam Ling concealing Madam Ming¡¯s funeral!

    "Mother Han, let¡¯s take a look," Ning Xueyan said serenely. She nonchntly grabbed a pair ofrge white candles from the pile of funeral offerings nearby.

    Mother Han inexplicably rxed after seeing how calm Ning Xueyan was. Herplexion improved as well. She nodded and led Ning Xueyan to the Bright Frost Garden.

    The moment they arrived at the Bright Frost Garden, an older female servant hastily walked over to them. When she saw Ning Xueyan, she greeted her with a face full of smiles and said serenely, "Fifth Young Lady, the Marquis said you can just remove this person. He also reminded you to keep the manor¡¯s reputation in mind." She looked like she couldn¡¯t care less about the matter.

    Ning Zu¡¯an telling Ning Xueyan to keep the manor¡¯s reputation in mind was equivalent to ordering her not to mention Madam Ming¡¯s poisoning. Sure enough, Madam Ling was so sure of Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s character that she knew he would force Ning Xueyan to swallow this grievance.

    Still, it didn¡¯t matter how good she was at predictions. Some things were beyond her expectation!

    "Alright." Ning Xueyan nodded with a faint smile. She said nonchntly, "Please ry my response to Father. Tell him that the Prince said he¡¯d be sending his men to deliver some offerings. Please ask him to receive them."

    One would typically send offerings when paying respects to a deceased person, yet the Prince hade empty-handed. Thus, he must not be here to pay his respects to Madam Ming. Even if he had merely stopped by the mourning hall, he would be expected to make subsequent delivery of offerings.

    Earlier, while Ning Zu¡¯an was hastily making his way to the inner courtyard, the Prince was heading toward the outer courtyard. Seeing as they were headed in different directions, it was unlikely for them to meet.

    "Yes. I will inform the Marquis immediately." Thinking that she hadpleted Madam Ling¡¯s order, the satisfied-looking older female servant nodded and happily turned around to leave. She walked in the direction of Madam Ling¡¯s Bright Clouds Garden.

    She belonged to Madam Ling, after all. She was also involved in throwing Qingrui at the entrance of the Bright Frost Garden. Afterpleting her job, she went to Ning Zu¡¯an to report the matter. Of course, she didn¡¯t forget to mention Madam Ling¡¯s motive of wanting to avenge Fifth Young Lady, repeatedly emphasizing how magnanimous her master was in taking Ning Xueyan¡¯s side.

    One couldn¡¯t live under the same sky as the murderer of one¡¯s mother. It wasn¡¯t excessive even if one whipped the murderer to death!

    Ning Zu¡¯an knew something was wrong after listening to the servant. He immediately ordered her to stop Ning Xueyan from revealing the truth. If it was revealed that a servant poisoned the Second Madam of the great Marquis¡¯ Manor to death, their reputation would be ruined. He can¡¯t imagine the kind of gossip that would arise about their inner courtyard.

    Thus, the servant was satisfied after seeing that Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t dare to defy her father¡¯s order. It was as she had expected. Thus, she happily left to inform her master of this good news.

    Qingyu¡¯s eyes widened after seeing where the servant was heading. She said angrily, "Young Lady, she..." The servant said that she was going to ry Ning Xueyan¡¯s message to Ning Zu¡¯an, yet she was fearlessly running off to the Bright Clouds Garden. Obviously, she was taking advantage of the fact that Ning Xueyan couldn¡¯t do anything about it.

    Ning Xueyan smirked coolly. "Mother Han, keep watch at the manor¡¯s entrance. If a noble guest is here to deliver offerings on his own, greet him..." she whispered into Mother Han¡¯s ears. Initially stunned, thetter swiftly nodded.

    A crowd had gathered outside of the entrance of the Bright Frost Garden. The maids and older female servants pressed their handkerchiefs against their mouths while gesticting at the garden.

    "I didn¡¯t expect Fifth Young Lady to be so vicious. The girl is already dead, yet she¡¯s still denying her peace."

    "She had the girl executed just for eating some of her food! I pity the girl!"

    "Can¡¯t believe she¡¯d drag the girl here for public viewing after beating her to death! How wicked!"

    "I can¡¯t believe the Fifth Young Lady who never leaves the Bright Frost Garden would be so cruel. Whoever who marries her might find all members of his inner courtyard dead..."

    As expected, the gossip about Ning Xueyan became increasingly nasty under someone¡¯s deliberate provocation. Not only did the servants on the other side of the door not speak up for her, but they joined the bandwagon as well. They all wore disapproving looks.

    The servants working in this garden were on Madam Ling¡¯s side. They fawned on her by bullying and tormenting Ning Xueyan.

    Seeing as the crowd was still smearing Ning Xueyan¡¯s name, Qingyu stepped forward and pushed away a chattering old female servant. She yelled, "Quiet! Fifth Young Lady has returned!"

    The crowd quietened a little but soon came the jeering andughing. None of the servants came to salute Ning Xueyan. They cast her a sideways nce and chatted among themselves, none paying her any mind.

    "Who¡¯s the one who besmirched me earlier?" Ning Xueyan stared coolly at the crowd of more than ten.

    "Oh, how dare we, Fifth Young Lady! We¡¯re here to see what¡¯s all the fuss about after hearing that a corpse is thrown at the entrance of the Bright Frost Garden. We came here to see whomitted a crime," a green-clothed maid in the crowd said,ughing.

    "Exactly! Us old servants were shocked after hearing someone had died. It¡¯s only aftering here that I knew that Fifth Young Lady is punishing a servant from the Bright Frost Garden and we¡¯re the one fussing for nothing!" an old female servant holding a teapot chimed in, grinning. Instantly, the rest began interjecting with their own responses. One after another expressed that they were here to join the excitement.

    Sure enough, no one in this Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡ªfrom the masters down to the servants¡ªtook her seriously. It must be Madam Ling¡¯s order. Otherwise, these people wouldn¡¯t be so daring as to slight her to her face.

    A somber-faced Ning Xueyan stepped forward and conveniently grabbed the teapot in the older female servant¡¯s hand. Without another word, she threw it to the feet of the crowd. The teapot smashed, sending the hot water inside sshing.

    No one expected the typically weak and timid Fifth Young Lady to retaliate out of nowhere. Some reacted quickly enough to jump out of the way but some of the slower ones were scalded by the sshing hot water. They retreated several steps, sat on the ground, and tended to their scalded skin. It hurt so much that they were groaning.

    They had never seen Ning Xueyan like this. Staring into her ice-cold, ink-ck eyes, those yelping in pain after getting scalded quieted down. The girl standing before them seemed to be emanating an imposing, domineering aura.

    "Well, why aren¡¯t you continuing? I¡¯d like to listen what else you have to say," she said sternly, her gaze as sharp and cold as a de.

    Only now did the servant who held the teapot earlier recover her senses. She continued to argue, saying, "Fifth Young Lady, we... we¡¯re just here to join the excitement!" She had reacted swiftly earlier and jumped at the right timing, saving her the pain of being scalded.

    "Punishment of 20 ps!" Ning Xueyan¡¯s cold gazended on her. Her gaze was so frigid that her pupils carried no warmth.

    "Why? Fifth Young Lady, you¡¯re the master. I shouldn¡¯t be questioning a master who wants to punish her servant, but I serve First Madam. Even if you want to hit a dog, you still have to be wary of the dog¡¯s owner. If you want to punish me, give me a reason at least. Otherwise, you won¡¯t be able to exin yourself to First Madam!" the sharp-tongued servant argued.

    She kept bringing up First Madam without the slight bit of nervousness. In fact, she seemed unconcerned. She even looking smug toward the end of her sentence.

    It was Madam Ling who sent her here to stir up the gossip. Now that she saw herself destroying Fifth Young Lady¡¯s authority, she became even prouder and surer of herself. She wasn¡¯t even addressing Fifth Young Lady, but the crowd of servants instead.

    "Pa!" A tight p sent her twirling in ce and she nearly fell. When she saw that it was Qingyu who pped her, she gnashed her teeth and angrily stormed over to make a scene. She scolded, "You lowly wench! Not even Fifth Young Lady dares to hit First Madam¡¯s people, but a lowly wench like you dares? You must be tired of living!"

    Ning Xueyan sneered and stepped forward in front of Qingyu. She said sternly, "How dare you, you damned ve! I¡¯m still your master. How dare you act so brazenly in front of me! Who gave you the courage to do so?"

    The sudden killing aura radiating from her face fell on the servant like it was tangible. The servant inexplicably shuddered and began losing confidence. She took a step backward, not daring to swing her hand. She felt goosebumps after receiving Fifth Young Lady¡¯s cold stare.

    However, she swiftly recalled that she belonged to First Madam and had no reason to fear Fifth Young Lady. Noticing everyone¡¯s attention on her, she felt a surge of embarrassment and anger. She felt like she had lost face. She immediately gave two nearby maids, both sent over by Madam Ling, a meaningful nce. "Please get out of the way, Fifth Young Lady. If I don¡¯t teach this lowly wench a lesson today, she will never learn who the true master of this manor is!"

    She reached out to pull Ning Xueyan aside. The two maids also came over, bypassing Ning Xueyan to try and hit Qingyu.

    Madam Ling¡¯s ves had disrespected Ning Xueyan in front of the Bright Frost Garden and even tried to hit her maid in front of her! Since when had anyone in this manor treat her as a master?

    Ning Xueyan swatted the older female servant¡¯s face with the white candle in her hand. Having been caught off guard, the servant was hit so hard that she became disoriented. She subconsciously touched her head and found her hand drenched with blood.

    She never thought that the Ning Xueyan who dared not raise her voice even when she was bullied would dare to hit someone. When she saw Qingyu¡¯s mocking gaze, hatred and courage filled her. Sheughed nastily and said to Ning Xueyan, "Your bravery is off the charts today, Fifth Young Lady! You dare put on airs in front of me and disobey First Madam. Look at the girl lying on the ground. That¡¯s what happens to people who don¡¯t listen to her!"

    She was so determined to suppress Ning Xueyan that she was now speaking incoherently.

    "Oh, so this person had offended Mother and that was why she was killed. But why is she left outside my Bright Frost Garden?" Ning Xueyan sneered. The corner of her lips was lifted to form a smirk.

    "That will be your oue if you insist on being disobedient, Fifth Young Lady!" The servant threatened Ning Xueyan, misunderstanding that thetter didn¡¯t believe her. She deliberately pointed to Qingrui¡¯s mangled, lifeless body on the ground.

    After saying her piece, she reached out to pull Ning Xueyan. She wanted to drag Ning Xueyan to the corpse so that thetter had a closer look of Qingrui¡¯s miserable state.

    However, before her hand reached Ning Xueyan¡¯s sleeve, she heard someone¡¯s angry rebuke from behind her. "Stop! Where did this mad old womane from? Why isn¡¯t anyone dragging her away?"

 Chapter 22 Secret; The Link between the Past and Present

    When everyone turned around, they saw an ashen-faced Ning Zu¡¯an and an elderly eunuch standing behind them.

    After sizing Ning Xueyan up, the beaming eunuch turned to Ning Zu¡¯an. He said with augh, "Marquis, your First Madam is sure impressive to execute a ve and then deliver the body to your first wife¡¯s daughter as a demonstration of power. To think a mere ve dare to yell and reprimand her master! What a novel experience!"

    His words were direct and spared Ning Zu¡¯an no respect.

    Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s face went from green to purple, and finally ck, after hearing Prince Yi¡¯s head eunuch taunting him. Unable to vent his anger on the eunuch, he focused it on the older female servant instead. He approached her and kicked her to the ground without a word. The servant coughed up blood. She was so badly injured that she couldn¡¯t even stand. "Damned ve! How dare you bully your master!"

    Thanks to the previous incident, court reports condemning him had already piled up on the Emperor¡¯s desk. If rumors spread that Madam Ling bullied a fragile young girl and his manor¡¯s servants were acting like masters, he would be charged with failing to govern his household and indulging his wife¡¯s vicious acts. People might even dig up the incident from all those years ago and call him a man who favored his concubine over his wife! That would spell even bigger troubles for him!

    These few days, he had been unable to raise his head in the court after it was known a funeral in his household had been concealed in favor of a wedding. He must not allow a bullying rumor to spread at a time like this! Moreover, this eunuch was the keeper of internal affairs of the all-powerful Prince Yi. He couldn¡¯t afford to offend both the master and his servant. When they were in the mourning hall earlier, Prince Yi had already learned of Madam Ming¡¯s death by poisoning.

    He must absolutely conceal this matter!

    Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s mind was made. He looked at the servant on the ground who was oblivious that her time of death had arrived. He said coolly, "Drag this mad ve who bullies her master away and beat her with a rod 30 times!"

    It was impossible for an old female servant to endure 30 rod beatings. Ignoring the blood trailing down the corner of her mouth, the rmed servant immediately looked up. "Marquis, it¡¯s First Madam..."

    "First Madam ordered you to beat to death the maid who harmed Second Madam and inform Fifth Young Lady. Yet you tried to act clever by carrying the body to the Bright Frost Garden. Whose order are you executing?! How dare you act on your own ord! People,e and drag her away!" With a wave of Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s hand, two servants stepped forward and dragged the older female servant away.

    The other servants immediately dispersed after seeing that disaster was looming!

    However, they also came to understand that Qingrui was beaten to death for harming Second Madam and that First Madam was the one who wanted her body delivered here. When they thought about it, it was evident that First Madam¡¯s intention was twofold...

    Ning Xueyan stood quietly on the side with her lowered head concealing the sneer within her pupils. As expected, he was protecting Madam Ling. Even though he couldn¡¯t reveal how Qingrui harmed Madam Ming, he nevertheless revealed Madam Ling¡¯s role with just a few words. He made it clear that Madam Ling was merely avenging Madam Ming and the current situation was the result of the older female servant acting on her own ord.

    The elderly eunuch was smiling but his pupils were tainted with a hint of darkness as he looked at Ning Xueyan. In a manner that suggested a deeper meaning, he said, "So this is your family¡¯s Fifth Young Lady. She¡¯s a pearl-like character, as expected."

    "You¡¯re too courteous, Eunuch Ling. This is indeed my daughter," Ning Zu¡¯an said. He then awkwardly diverted the topic, asking, "Yan¡¯er, do you have any of your mom¡¯s designation tablets left?" It was rather embarrassing to have something like this happen and for Prince Yi¡¯s servant to catch them in the act, to boot.

    "I have one. Please wait for a moment, Father, I will fetch it immediately." Ning Xueyan nodded. She turned around and asked Qingyu to retrieve the tablet from their courtyard.

    Designation tablets were tablets inserted into the pile of sacrificial offerings sent by other families. The tablets were wrapped with a snow-white cloth with the deceased¡¯s name written on it. They were typically designed with great detail as a form of respect to the deceased¡¯s family.

    Of course, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had prepared a few for when there were other needs for them.

    However, Ning Xueyan was the only one in this manor who sincerely put effort into making the tablets for Madam Ming.

    Soon, the tablet reached Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s hand. The bamboo tablet was wrapped with a white cloth. It was intricately made whether in terms of materials chosen or needlework. It was obvious at first nce that the maker of this tablet had poured her heart and soul into it. The calligraphy of Madam Ming¡¯s name was fine but extremely beautiful.

    "Great work!" Eunuch Ling nodded with satisfaction and his gloomy expression faded a little. He nced at the fidgeting Mother Han behind him before turning around and walked away withrge strides.

    Ning Zu¡¯an didn¡¯t follow after him. Frowning, he unhappily asked Ning Xueyan, "Why didn¡¯t anyone receive Prince Yi¡¯s sacrificial offerings at the door?"

    Had he known earlier that Prince Yi¡¯s Manor would be delivering sacrificial offerings, he would surely send servants to receive the offerings at the door. Then, the offerings wouldn¡¯t have toppled over in a moment of chaos and the tablet on top of it wouldn¡¯t be knocked down to the muddy ground, dirtying its white cloth. The eunuch wouldn¡¯t have been upset either.

    Desperate to find an intricately-made tablet to appease Eunuch Ling¡¯s anger, Ning Zu¡¯an took him to the Bright Frost Garden in a moment of panic. Little did he expect such a scene.

    "When the older female servant came to ry your message, I told her to inform you that the Prince¡¯s sacrificial offerings are on their way and ask that you send servants to receive them," Ning Xueyan replied calmly.

    After thinking about it, Ning Zu¡¯an realized that the older female servant earlier served in Madam Ling¡¯s courtyard. Right now, she must be reporting to Madam Ling without paying him any mind. How dare she ignore him just to curry favor with Madam Ling.

    "So this is how Madam Ling governs her servants." A sh of anger crossed his face.

    He dropped the conversation and left hastily with a flick of his sleeves. He was heading in the direction of Madam Ling¡¯s Bright Clouds Garden...

    Ning Xueyan sneered inwardly as she watched him leave without showing her any regard. This useless father was indeed a good-for-nothing. It was one thing for him to say nothing about Madam Ling beating the maid to death and dumping the body at her door, but he was even forcing her to suffer in silence. Fortunately, she had alreadye up with a countermeasure.

    If he were to investigate, he would find Madam Ling at the root cause of his terrible embarrassment today.

    Ning Zu¡¯an wouldn¡¯t reproach Madam Ling just because an unfavored daughter was bullied. But if his honor as a court official and the prestige of his manor were threatened...

    Thoseing to send offerings to the funeral weren¡¯t merely people from the manor!

    Madam Ling was so focused on subduing Ning Xueyan that she forgot that secrecy was difficult if too many people share it. It would be the manor¡¯s reputation that she was ruining!

    Ning Xueyan was sure that the string of incidents must have given Ning Zu¡¯an a massive headache. His mood must be even worse after all that chaos earlier. No matter how much he trusted Madam Ling, the truth was before his eyes. This time, there wouldn¡¯t be a good oue for Madam Ling.

    Everything went as expected. In the evening, Mother Han reported the chaos in the Bright Clouds Garden and the argument between Ning Zu¡¯an and Madam Ling. Ning Zu¡¯an was so furious that he smashed a piece of chinaware and angrily left for Concubine Ma¡¯s courtyard. Madam Ling kicked up a fuss and wept in her own courtyard. She was so upset that she didn¡¯t eat dinner.

    "Young Lady, First Madam is still fussing and crying in the Bright Clouds Garden. I heard she smashed quite a few things," Mother Han said quietly.

    "Is that so? She¡¯s still crying now?" Ning Xueyan chuckled. She took off her outer garment and entered her bedroom. Qingyu was already inside with hot water ready for her.

    "Madam Ling, I fear you won¡¯t even be able to eke out tears in the future."

    Even though she was smiling faintly, Mother Han inexplicably detected a hint of sinister coldness...

    Ning Xueyan was the only one inside the bedroom. The vapor rising from the hot water gradually filled the room, making her skin look like as pure-white and translucent as snow and her ink-ck pupils look even darker.

    Standing in front of a copper mirror, she tugged the sleeve of her underwear and turned sideways. She could clearly see the distinct spot on her pale shoulders in the reflection. Instinctively, she covered it with her fair hand. Staring into her eyes in the mirror, she saw a hint of coldness and contemtion reflected in them. She never thought that she would see this "pattern" again after being reborn as Ning Xueyan!

    Back when she was still Ning Ziying, her mother had repeatedly warned her to never reveal that imprint. Therefore, she always bathed on her own. Not even her personal maid, Xiang¡¯er, knew this. Now, she was seeing the same imprint on a person with zero connection with her previous self.

    "Why would this happen? How could this happen..."

    The same spot, the same pattern. She subconsciously reached out to cover it. It was as if she could conceal everything by doing so.

    The unfamiliar feelings of fear and trepidation came to her. For a long time, she couldn¡¯t calm her rapidly beating heart.

    This must be Ning Xueyan¡¯s secret, as well as her own. She thought that her previous self had carried this unsolvable secret to theherworld and yet this secret remained on her body. How she could not feel fear?

    She would never forget how frightened her mother had looked when she told her this in her previous life. That fright was something that her mother couldn¡¯t hide.

    It seemed that everything was fated. In her previous life, Madam Ling subdued her and she ended up drowning in the lotus pond. In her current life, Ning Xueyan wept to death in the mourning hall. After being reborn as Ning Xueyan, she came to discover thetter¡¯s secret.

    Everything indicated that this matter wasn¡¯t so simple!

    She put down her hand and her young, tender face regained its mask of coldness. She knew what she should do now. Before she got to the bottom of matters, she would guard this secret...

    "Young Lady, is the water still warm? Should I add more water?" Qingyu¡¯s voice came from outside her bedroom.

    "It¡¯s fine. The temperature is just right," Ning Xueyan answered cidly. She turned around and stepped inside the bathtub. The heat of the warm water surged into her from her four limbs, giving her a sense of being revived. However, she was still ill at ease even as she was staring at the water. The drowning sensation from that day suddenly became vivid in her mind.

    The bright red blood, the choking sensation that was so terrible that it felt like her chest was bursting, the fruitless struggle, the hands that pressed her into the water!

    She subconsciously reached for her chest. Her face turned chalk-white and cold sweat formed on her fair forehead. Still, she continued to sit upright inside the bathtub. She gnashed her teeth and made no sound. Her bitten lip was initially white but soon became stained with blood.

    After drowning to death, she inexplicably developed a fear of water after her rebirth. She could feel the choking sensation of drowning even though she was merely stepping inside the water inside a bathtub.

    But she wasn¡¯t willing to let this be her weakness, so she must ovee it. Leaning against the wall of the tub, she tried her best to ignore the water enveloping her body and its rippling surface. Following a pained grimace, she slowly regained her calmness. She was now Ning Xueyan, not the Ning Ziying who drowned to death.

    She was now bathing, not being pressed under the lotus pond...

    After hearing no sound from the bedroom for a long time, Qingyu asked nervously, "Mother Han, why isn¡¯t Young Lady out yet? Should we go in and take a look?"

    "It¡¯s fine. Young Lady has always preferred to bathe on her own. Maybe she¡¯s exhausted today. Let¡¯s wait a little longer. It¡¯s not toote to askter if she¡¯s still not out yet!" Mother Han sighed. When she thought of how her Young Lady had lost her support at such a young age, she couldn¡¯t stop the rim of her eyes from reddening.

    "Young Lady must be exhausted after the past few days..."

 Chapter 23 Panic; Chaos in the Cloud Reflection Courtyard

    Madam Ming was buried the next day. Few came to witness the ceremony. In fact, the number of witnesses was fewer than those who came to pay their respects at the mourning hall that day. Some manors merely sent their housekeeper as a representative but Ning Xueyan expected this. To put it nicely, a co-wife was also considered a wife, whose position was equivalent to a wife. However, to put it frankly, a co-wife was a concubine. She had no right to demand anything for a concubine¡¯s funeral.

    In fact, she was curious why such esteemed guests came to pay their respects to her mom. The co-wife of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor wasn¡¯t so reputable as to attract the likes of them. It made no sense even if this was Madam Ling¡¯s funeral! Some guests were particrly noble. Take that Prince for example. She knew at one nce that he possessed a high standing and great authority. Why would hee and pay his respects to her mom?

    Even if he was merely stopping by, it was still suspicious. Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s treatment of that eunuch was enough to tell her that the Prince was a formidable character!

    She decided to forget all of this for the moment. She was now packing up in preparation to leave for the Cold Mountain Temple tomorrow.

    "Young Lady, Lanning sent a little maid to ask when you¡¯re leaving." Qingyu lifted the curtain and entered with a small package. That was the few things that she was bringing with her.

    Her former residence, the Cloud Reflection Courtyard, was deserted after a youngdy drowned herself into the lotus pond along with a maid. The suicide stirred up numerous rumors, with many using Ning Ziying of lewd behavior with a man to the point of falling pregnant. The rumor went that she drowned herself out of desperation after the man abandoned her. Her maid, Xiang¡¯er, also jumped into the pond, fearing the responsibility of her master killing herself.

    Ning Xueyan said nothing after hearing this rumor. She merely expressed her wish to visit the lotus pond before leaving for the temple and pay her respects to a fellow youngdy. Thus, Qingyu told Lanning to make preparations at the pond. After the prayers, Lanning would officially join Ning Xueyan¡¯s courtyard.

    "A little maid?" Ning Xueyan¡¯s gaze swiftly turned cold. "Tell her I¡¯m not done packing. I¡¯ll be there in another two hours."

    The Cloud Reflection Courtyard had been deserted for a long time! Where would one find a little maid who Lanning could order around?

    "Yes, I will ry your message now." Qingyu put down the package in her hand and walked out of the room. She came back minutester and appeared ill at ease. "Young Lady, please excuse my frankness. Nearly everyone in this manor belongs to First Madam. It¡¯s better if you don¡¯t reveal when you¡¯re leaving for a ce lest you incite gossip."

    Ning Xueyan smiled faintly while sliding a finger across the surface of a basin decorated with crabapples on the table. "If First Madam wishes to know, so be it."

    Madam Ling wouldn¡¯t sit still after suffering such a massive disadvantage. Yesterday evening, Ning Xueyan heard of the havoc in the Bright Clouds Garden and Ning Zu¡¯an pping Madam Ling after an argument. He had left swiftly after and spent the night at his study. Considering Madam Ling¡¯s temper, she wouldn¡¯t let matters rest.

    "Young Lady, have you anticipated this?" Qingyu¡¯s eyes brightened after seeing that Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t seem like she was being taken advantage of.

    "What have I anticipated?" Ning Xueyan stood up with a faint smile. She ced the spice bag in her hand into the pocket sewn into her sleeve and dusted her hands. She craftily said, "The timing that First Madam knows isn¡¯t the real timing anyway. Bring me some water. I will leave after cleaning my hands."

    Qingyu¡¯s mood settled after seeing that her master had a n. She hastily went to retrieve some water and helped Ning Xueyan wash her hands. Then, they headed for the Cloud Reflection Courtyard.

    The courtyard was far from the Bright Frost Garden as both residences were located northeast and southeast respectively. They were separated by an entire courtyard, which made the Cloud Reflection Courtyard appear even more isted. Perhaps it was because its master and servant had died in the lotus pond. Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t even spot a shadow on her way there.

    To her surprise, a wall was being built on the other side of the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. Someone seemed to be trying to separate the courtyard from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    The semi-nting door of the courtyard was ajar. No sign of life could be found inside. Even though this ce used to be isted in the past, there was at least the sound of an old female servant keeping watch by the door drinking tea. To keep up appearances, Madam Ling designated quite a few maids and old female servants to work in this courtyard. When Ning Xueyan first arrived in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she truly believed that Madam Ling was a magnanimous woman. Otherwise, she would have listened to her wet nurse¡¯s advice to wait and see instead of directly moving her dowries into the manor.

    Ning Xueyan couldn¡¯t bring herself to feel anything while looking at the familiar courtyard¡¯s door. When she got close to the courtyard, she saw a little maid looking around at the door. The maid must have missed her earlier due to the wall. When the maid finally saw her, she looked frightened. Thinking that she was running out of time, she opened her mouth in preparation to scream.

    Ning Xueyan stepped forward, raised her hand high, andnded a tight p on the maid¡¯s face. She used so much force that the maid took two steps backward and fell to the ground. The startled cry in her throat turned into a quiet, pained groan. She clutched her mouth. For a moment, she was knocked dizzy.

    Qingyu reacted just as quickly and stepped forward to block the little maid¡¯s mouth. She pressed so hard that the maid¡¯s eyes were rolling to the back of her head.

    Ignoring the maid, Ning Xueyan hastily walked to the second room to the right of the wing of the building on the slopping side of the courtyard. That was Lanning¡¯s bedroom.

    The doors were closed but not locked. They gave away with a slight push. The table and chairs inside the room were overturned. She instantly knew that something had happened. An older female servant was forcing Lanning to kneel by the bed and tried to pour a dark medicinal concoction into her mouth. Lanning desperately struggled but failed to get out of the servant¡¯s clutches.

    Ning Xueyan red up in anger. She stepped forward, grabbed the servant¡¯s coiled hair, and tugged it backward. Pain stabbed the servant and she dropped the bowl of medicine, spilling it all over her and Lanning. Lanning forcefully shoved the servant aside and took advantage of the moment to break out of thetter¡¯s hold.

    The servant wiped the medicinal concoction off her face and started yelling before taking a good look at who it was. "Who¡¯s so foolish as to hinder Madam¡¯s business?"

    Ning Xueyan instantly understood what was going on. Madam Ling truly despised her. Had she came a littleter, Lanning would surely die by their hands and her death would be med on her when she arrives afterward. She was sure that Madam Ling had made preparations to seal her fate.

    "Fifth Young Lady, please let go of me. It¡¯s First Madam who sent me here. This girl is the one who harmed Lady Ning Ziying. First Madam sent me here to execute this maid who harmed her master. You must not ruin her ns." This servant was pretty slick. When she saw that it was Ning Xueyan, an idea immediately struck her and she started spinning lies.

    She truly believed that Ning Xueyan couldn¡¯t do anything to her. Thus, she spoke brazenly and self-righteously. She shoved Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand aside and stood up. She even straightened her neck smugly. Then, looking as if she recalled something, she pointed to Ning Xueyan and sneered.

    "Fifth Young Lady, didn¡¯t you say you will being two hourster? "I¡¯m going to report this to First Madam and the Marquis. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re so cunning! Everything you do is premeditated. Let¡¯s see if First Madam will let you off!"

    She then haughtily made her way out.

    Even though Madam Ling had her suspicions about everything that had happened, she ultimately believed it was all an ident. If she found out that it was all part of Ning Xueyan¡¯s ns and thetter was feigning ignorance, she would surely kill her.

    The sound of a dying yelp followed the sound of a crash. The servant fell to the ground with her head and face drenched with blood. Ning Xueyan stood nearby with a cool expression. The only thing left of the flower vase in her hand was a base dyed with blood. The fragments were scattered across the floor amid a pool of vibrantly red blood.

    Lanning recovered her senses and calmed down. She lowered her body and checked the servant¡¯s breathing. In a trembling voice, she said, "She... She¡¯s dead!"

    Ning Xueyan stared indifferently at the servant on the floor. If she allowed the servant to return, it would be her death instead!

    "Young Lady, I... I identally suffocated the little maid to death..." Qingyu frantically ran inside the room. When she saw the bloodstain on the floor, her face became frozen with fright and she couldn¡¯t even finish her sentence.

    "So the other one is dead too. Well, might as well!"

    Ning Xueyan put down the vase in her hand calmly and said to Lanning, "Go to the storeroom on the left and fetch two bup bags. Stuff the two bodies into the bags and tie them up with stones. Sink them into the pond near the back door."

    When she first moved here, she took her parents¡¯ relics with her. The bup bags used to move those things were still kept inside the storeroom.

    Lanning looked at her in surprise. There was a flicker of shock in her eyes but she refrained from saying anything. She turned around and left to get the bags.

    The back door of the Cloud Reflection Courtyard was located in a secluded corner. It was evening when Ning Xueyan arrived and the sky was even darker now. Seeing as the courtyard was deste and considered inauspicious after the recent deaths that took ce, no one would be heading in this direction. The three of them stuffed the bodies into the bup bags, tied stones to the bags, and threw them into the pond in the courtyard. Then, they returned to the room to clean it. Lanning, bringing only a piece of small baggage, followed Ning Xueyan out of the courtyard.

    Cloud Reflection Courtyard waspletely barren. The objects that filled the rooms were either stealthily taken away by Madam Ling and Ning Ziyan or moved into the Xia Manor before the wedding. The servants had all escaped to get better jobs after hearing that their master was dead. Lanning was the only one who stayed to watch over the deste courtyard.

    Watching Lanning close the courtyard¡¯s doors firmly, Ning Xueyan¡¯s gaze turned sharp. She must ensure that the damned couple receives their retribution. They coveted her riches, harmed her life, and drowned her in the pond the day before the wedding. Heaven would never tolerate such evil...

    When they returned to the Bright Frost Garden, they found Mother Han at the door. Having been waiting for a long time, she sighed in relief to see them.

    The group entered the garden. Qingyu went off to settle Lanning into her new room while Mother Han followed Ning Xueyan into the house.

    "Young Lady, the Eldest Young Lady sent this for you, saying it¡¯s her small but kind intention. She also said that she will apany you in the Cold Mountain Temple once she returns for her bridal home visit." The table was filled with presents and several sheets of ornate satin. She instantly knew that these were expensive gifts. However, the vibrant colors of the fabric didn¡¯t look like something one would gift a person who had recently lost her mother.

    Obviously, these sheets of satin were Ning Ziyan¡¯s wedding presents that she conveniently regifted. Even so, she wanted to put on a show of gratitude in front of others. Like mother, like daughter. Both deceived the world while hiding their wicked hearts.

    "Mother Han, send the satin to Madam Dowager. Tell her that Eldest Sister sent them to me but I have no use for them now. Since I can¡¯t waste my sister¡¯s kind intentions, I will gift them to Madam Dowager instead," Ning Xueyan said cidly. Everything Ning Ziyan did was to manufacture a facade in front of others.

    Outsiders might see this as a deep affection between sisters but if Madam Dowager learns that Ning Ziyan had regifted her wedding present to someone who had just lost her mother, Ning Xueyan wondered if the olddy would believe in Ning Ziyan¡¯s innocence!

    Mother Han, also upset after seeing the sheets of satin, nodded after hearing Ning Xueyan¡¯s order. She pointed to the boxes of vibrant rogue and powders. To think that Eldest Young Lady had the gall to send over things of such auspicious colors. She asked in disgust, "Young Lady, what about the cosmetics? Should I send them to Madam Dowager as well?"

 Chapter 24 Face Powder; Ning Ziyans Present

    Ning Xueyan walked up to the table and opened one of the boxes. She used her sharp fingernail to scrap the powder and ced them near her nose for a sniff. It was a light, natural fragrance. It was the type of face powder most popr among youngdies, whether in terms of texture or fragrance. She smirked. "Keep this and put it in the drawer. We can talk about it after I return."

    The face powder was a top-notch product and exactly what she needed right now. Her monthly allowance wasn¡¯t even enough to pay for a box of it. Ning Ziyan¡¯s present hade at just the right timing.

    This could be considered as a case of preparation averting peril. She would strike Madam Ling where it hurts at the right timing and use the face powder that her eldest daughter sent to ruin her second daughter. She wondered if Madam Ling would go mad over this.

    "Young Lady, you must refrain from using cosmetics now or people will talk." Mother Han thought that Han Ziyue was nursing a woman¡¯s sense of vanity. After thinking about it, she pitied her master for never having the chance to use such face powder since young. Thus, she merely warned her instead of stopping her.

    "Rx, Mother Han. I understand. Just put it away for now." Ning Xueyan nodded. Since she didn¡¯t n to use the face powder herself, she naturally wasn¡¯t concerned.

    "I¡¯m d you understand." Mother Han was relieved.

    "Mother Han, do you know when Uncle is arriving in the capital?" Ning Xueyan took a seat at a nearby table. Under the light, her palm-sized face appeared contemtive. She didn¡¯t look like a carefree 14-year-old girl at all. This upset Mother Han even further. Without Second Madam sheltering her in the future, her days would be even harder.

    Simultaneously, she also vowed to protect Ning Xueyan from now on!

    "We just delivered the letter the night before yesterday. It will reach him 10 dayster at the soonest."

    Madam Ming never exchanged letters with her Eldest Brother stationed in the border army. It was Ning Xueyan who wrote the letter. However, she couldn¡¯t remember her maternal uncle very well and her mom didn¡¯t seem to have a good rtionship with him. It had been more than 10 years since they met and Madam Ning never wrote to him during that time. If not for Mother Han mentioning his name in a moment of desperation, she would have forgotten that her mom had a brother.

    Mother Han stammered through a vague exnation of past events and concealed quite a few details but when it came to her uncle¡¯s adoration for her, she wasn¡¯t at all ambiguous. She was very sure that he would rush over if Ning Xueyan wrote him a letter, prompting thetter to draft one on the spot and ask her to send it that very night.

    Regardless of when this uncle of hers shows up, she could tell from Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s reaction that day that the former had quite the influence over him. She hoped that her uncle truly cared for her and would be able to return to the capital in a month.

    "Mother Han, are the servants from Eldest Sister¡¯s manor still here?"

    "They were here moments ago. Do you have a need for them, Young Lady?" Mother Han stopped in her tracks.

    "Tell them to ry my gratitude to Eldest Sister and tell her that she doesn¡¯t have to hurry to the temple. I¡¯m fine with having Qingyu and Lanning forpany."

    Lanning was a maid that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor assigned her. The day Madam Ling barged into the Cloud Reflection Courtyard with her people, Lanning happened to be away. Ning Ziyan said that Lanning was the one who imed that Ning Ziying was having an affair with a man. She never believed this! Even if she had her reservations, she became convinced after seeing Lanning remaining in the Cloud Reflection Courtyard alone and Madam Ling¡¯s intention to kill her.

    She wondered if Ning Ziyan would feel pressured when she sees Lanning again.

    Auspicious Clouds Courtyard.

    Mother Chen frantically pushed open the door to a bedroom. "First Madam! I went over with a group of servants but no one is there. The Cloud Reflection Courtyard is deserted and I can¡¯t find Old Servant Ling anywhere. I asked around at the Bright Frost Garden and heard that Lanning has returned with Fifth Young Lady, safe and sound."

    "Crash!" The teacup in Madam Ling¡¯s hand crashed into a nearby small side table. Her exquisite, pale face was contorted into an ugly expression. "That damned old servant actually failed her task. Give her a good beating when you see her."

    Mother Chen was supposed to catch Ning Xueyan in the act. Once she saw the wench Ning Xueyan and the dead Lanning together, Ning Xueyan would have no room to argue her innocence. To her surprise, she saw no one, not even Old Servant Ling.

    "First Madam, please remain calm. With Second Madam gone, Fifth Young Lady¡¯s fate is in your hands. We can take it slow." Mother Lu cated her with a soft voice. "The Marquis is already suspicious about Second Madam¡¯s death. It¡¯s best if you stay put for the time being. Otherwise, we will risk his anger."

    "As long as that wench is alive, there will never be peace in this manor." Madam Ling gnashed her teeth in resentment.

    Her injuries meant that she could onlyy on her bed. Even though she didn¡¯t know that it was Ning Xueyan¡¯s work, thetter was nevertheless the reason for it. Naturally, she hated the girl down to her bone. Her greatest desire was to tear that wench to shreds. How dare a low-ss slut like Ning Xueyan reduce her to this state.

    "First Madam, we might not be able to act but we still have Eldest Young Lady. If something happens to Fifth Young Lady in the Cold Mountain Temple, it has nothing to do with us," Mother Han said contemtively while pointing outside. "The Marquis won¡¯t be able to put the me on us then."

    Madam Ling¡¯s eyes brightened and a thoughtful glint appeared in her pupils. She nodded with force. "Fine. Inform Yan¡¯erter."

    Whatever happened to that wench in the Cold Mountain Temple would have nothing to do with her. No matter how the Marquis investigates, he wouldn¡¯t be able to implicate her.

    Ning Xueyan departed from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor early in the morning. Aside from the servants that Madam Dowager Liu sent to see her off, there was no show of familial affection from Ning Zu¡¯an and Madam Dowager. The entire manor knew that she was an unfavored child and thus sent her off on a random carriage from the side door.

    It was still dark out. Ning Xueyan, Qingyu, and Lanning were all stuffed inside the same carriage. Mother Han, the housekeeper of the Bright Frost Garden, stayed behind to watch the house.

    "Young Lady, can I meet you thereter...? I think I saw my aunt earlier!" Lanning, who was about to enter the carriage, seemed to have spotted someone. Surprise flickered in her pupils and the hand that was holding the reins trembled. She turned around with a pale face and asked Ning Xueyan for permission.

    "Your aunt?" Ning Xueyan looked away from the window with a faint and indecipherable smile. The smile was barely there but it wasn¡¯t cold.

    "Yes, it¡¯s my paternal aunt. She came here from the city outskirts a while ago. I heard she was being bullied outside and came to seek shelter with rtives. However, my family¡¯s house is too small and she¡¯s forced to rent a ce outside. Just now, I saw her waiting anxiously outside the manor. I fear that something serious has happened," Lanning exined, biting her lower lip.

    "Since it¡¯s your aunt, go ahead. Who knows if something serious might happenter? Those hooligans are troublesome; they might pursue her all the way here. Tell her to be careful. I have some money here. Take them and find her a ce. I¡¯m sure she didn¡¯t bring much with her since she was in a hurry," Ning Xueyan said softly.

    "Many thanks, Young Lady!" Lanning felt a hint of embarrassment. When she looked up and saw Ning Xueyan¡¯s sincere smiling face, she felt a sting in her eyes and nodded fervently. She didn¡¯t reject the offer because it was true that she didn¡¯t have much money and wouldn¡¯t be able to find Mother Wang a good home. For the time being, she must not allow First Madam to find Mother Wang.

    Ning Xueyan ordered for the carriage to keep going after seeing Lanning off. Subconsciously, a faint smile was ying on her lips. Her long-time worry and longing finally subsided. Her wet nurse had finally returned. Not only that, she detected that something was off and didn¡¯t immediately enter the manor. Otherwise, First Madam would definitely silence her. With Lanning¡¯s protection, First Madam wouldn¡¯t be able to pin this on her for now. Once her roots became firm, she would be able to settle Mother Wang down even more securely.

    It was nowte autumn. Dead leaves were scattered all over the road. The small carriage draped with green cloth traveled down the road inconspicuously, shaking all the way to the Cold Mountain Temple. They arrived at the temple about four hourster. The monk that greeted them at the door was soon reced by a young novice monk who led them to the female quarters. Then, out of the blue, the sound of the flute reached their ears. The tune sounded mncholic in the quiet, deste temple.

    Ning Xueyan stopped in her tracks. When she heard the first note of the tune, it was as if lightning had struck her.

    Misunderstanding that her master was enjoying the tune, Qingyu quietly stopped behind her. The young novice monk also cleverly stopped at the corridor and didn¡¯t disturb Ning Xueyan¡¯s peace.

    The sound continued to linger after the first song ended. The tune was filled with sorrow and anxiety. Coupled with the withering trees in the autumn season, one couldn¡¯t help feeling emotional and suffering quietly from a broken heart.

    Finally, Ning Xueyan moved. The corner of her lips lifted to form a faint but lovely smile. However, one couldn¡¯t sense any warmth from her smile, only endless coldness that followed the end of autumn.

    In her past life, the sound of this flute had repeatedly appeared and lingered endlessly in her dream. The tune was apanied by that delicate, handsome face. However, she now found itughable. That was her former fiance and Ning Ziyan¡¯s current husband. He was Xia Yuhang, the Eldest Young Master of the Minister of Justice with little reputation and talent.

    For a moment, memories of all kinds from her past life hit her like the tide crashing on the shore. Nothing but deep, cold, and biting resentment remained!

    Slowly, Ning Xueyan resumed walking and concealed her emotions. She asked nonchntly, "Little monk, who¡¯s the one ying the flute?"

    "It¡¯s the Eldest Young Master Xia of the Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor. He came here two days ago and has been ying his flute on top of the mountain ever since. He sounds like he¡¯s in a sorrowful mood," the young novice monk answered deferentially.

    "Eldest Young Master Xia?" Qingyu was stunned. She asked nonchntly, "Didn¡¯t he just get married a few days ago? Why is he staying on top of the mountain?"

    "I¡¯m not sure myself. I heard that he¡¯s grieving the death of a friend. He came here the day after his wedding and has been here since," the young novice monk said while scratching the back of his head in confusion.

    Ning Xueyan raised her hand to point to the mountain and asked in a leisurely manner, "What a coincidence. Is he staying there?" The coldness concealed in her pupils were several degrees lower in temperature than the autumn season. Xia Yuhang and Ning Ziyan were the ones who gave the order. He had watched nkly as they drowned her in the lotus pond and yet he was now putting on a show of being mncholic.

    If she was still the same Ning Ziying of the past, she would surely be moved and believed that he harbored a deep, undying affection for her. But the simple and kind Ning Ziying was now dead. The one who survived was Ning Xueyan, the Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor who had climbed out of hell.

 Chapter 25 Nemesis; Meeting Ning Ziyan Again

    "Yes, Young Master Xia has been upying his usual residence. He used toe here every now and then to offer incense. Every month, he would spend three nights here," the young novice monk immediately answered. Evidently, he was very familiar with Xia Yuhang.

    As expected, Xia Yuhang¡¯s habits remained unchanging. On the same few days every month, he would spend a few days in the Cold Mountain Temple. Others might not understand why, yet Ning Xueyan was well aware of the reason.

    "I see. Is he not returning to his manor today as well?" Ning Xueyan looked away and continued walking behind the young novice monk. If Xia Yuhang doesn¡¯t show up when his wife returns to her bridal home three days after their wedding, Ning Ziyan wouldn¡¯t be the only one would be humiliated.

    "You guessed correctly, Fifth Young Lady. I heard servants from the Minister¡¯s Manor came early this morning to persuade Young Master Xia to go home. Our Master Uncle, the one who greeted you earlier, even told us to keep the courtyard as it is because Young Master Xia will be returning. He only left today to deal with some business," the young novice monk said.

    The three of them had a casual chat until they reached their destination, a courtyard that the Cold Mountain Temple prepared for thedies.

    This courtyard wasn¡¯t the same courtyard that Ning Ziying upied in her previous life, which was closer to the male quarters. After all, Ning Ziying was a guest at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor back then. Even though she was engaged, she was nheless not allowed to meet her groom. Thus, Xia Yuhang would secretly meet her under the guise of visiting the Cold Mountain Temple.

    Thus, Ning Xueyan wasn¡¯t a stranger to this temple.

    The young novice monk stood at the entrance of the courtyard and pointed to a spot at the rear mountain. Smiling at Ning Xueyan, he said, "Fifth Young Lady, the chrysanthemums at our temple are blooming beautifully at the moment. Please take a look at them if you¡¯re keen. They¡¯re just right there!"

    "The chrysanthemums are blooming?" Ning Xueyan asked, stunned. Something flickered in her mind but it vanished so quickly that she didn¡¯t quite grasp what it was.

    "Yes. The chrysanthemums at our temple are famed worldwide. Some cherished varities of the flower can be found here. I heard there are a few types that have gone extinct out there. Many famed individuals and elegant schrs woulde here for flower-viewing. Even an imperial consort was full of praises when she camest year."

    "Oh, are you referring to Noble Consort Ya? Is sheing again this year?" A thought flickered across her mind.

    Noble Consort Ya was the Third Imperial Prince¡¯s biological mother and the Emperor¡¯s favored consort. She originated from the Qingliu n and rumor had it that she liked tending to her flowers and nts in the pce. She was known to be a lover of flowers. Ning Xueyan finally recalled that the chrysanthemums at the Cold Mountain Temple were indeed famous. Two years ago, Noble Consort Ya sung praises about the flowers when she deliberately visited this ce.

    "I don¡¯t know if the imperial consort will being but our Uncle Master has ordered us to prepare for her arrival. He said that even though there¡¯s no news yet, she mighte here when she feels like it." The young novice monk ced his palms together with an earnest expression. He looked rather amiable.

    "Please inform me if the imperial consortes. I have never met any imperial consort and would like to gain a new experience," Ning Xueyan said softly.

    "Very well. I will surely keep that in mind." The young novice monk then excused himself.

    The courtyard was small but clean, with only one main house and two side rooms. After all, its intended purpose was to amodate a master bringing two or three servants. Ning Xueyan took a seat inside the house while Qingyu ran off to fetch tea. She only began to fully recover her senses after sipping the tea that emanated a faint but refreshing fragrance.

    The carriage was simply too small and the journey was so bumpy that it gave her a headache. Holding her dizzy head, Ning Xueyan felt some of her memories returning to her. That year, she was only seven or eight years old when she spotted avishly-dressed older female servant entering the courtyard. She remembered how the servant had dressed even more extravagantly than those serving Madam Ling.

    Madam Ming had sent everyone away but the mischievous Ning Xueyan hid under the bed and watched the servant salute Madam Ming deferentially. It was obvious from the servant¡¯s eyes that she greatly respected Madam Ming. Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t dare to get any closer, so she only faintly heard them mentioning Noble Consort Ya¡¯s name. It seemed that Noble Consort Ya had sent over some presents. During the conversation, they also mentioned someone else.

    That person was Noble Consort Ya¡¯s servant intended to be a gift for Madam Ming. However, thetter rejected the offer. That person kowtowed to Madam Ming before leaving with Noble Consort Ya.

    Ning Xueyan had never paid that person any mind but her interest was now piqued. Since that person was Noble Consort Ya¡¯s confidante, then she would surely tag along when the consort leaves the pce. That person must share a deep rtionship with Madam Ming. If Ning Xueyan could persuade that person to be her chess piece, it would be akin to having heaven give her a helping hand...

    The chrysanthemums at the Cold Mountain Temple were indeed a sight to behold. The temple was known for itsplete collection of chrysanthemums. Now was just the right time to enjoy the flowers. The guests who came to the temple had all gone flower-viewing in the rear mountain. Ning Xueyan spent her morning listening to the head abbot reciting scriptures and took Qingyu and Lanning to the rear mountain after they had lunch.

    The Cold Mountain Temple was built halfway up the mountain, with a path built in front and a forest for a backdrop. There was a winding path that led to the mountaintop. Surprisingly, there wasn¡¯t as much of a crowd at noonpared to the morning and everything was much more peaceful. Shortly after they began hiking up the mountain, Ning Xueyan felt too weak to continue and took a rest at a pavilion nearby.

    Her other purpose ining to the Cold Mountain Temple was strengthening her body, lest her health failed her before she even started fighting Madam Ling and Ning Ziyan. Her current body was simply too frail. It was no wonder she cried herself to death in front of Madam Ming¡¯s coffin.

    "Young Lady, are you going to continue? Why don¡¯t you just rest here? How can your body take it if you keep climbing?" Qingyu tried to persuade Ning Xueyan. She was worried about her master¡¯s health which had always been prone to sickness. Ning Xueyan¡¯s jade-white face was tinted red and she was panting after the climb.

    "I¡¯m fine. I will stop if I really can¡¯t go on anymore. The higher we climb, the more beautiful the scenery will be." Ning Xueyan looked up. The rear mountain of the Cold Mountain Temple was truly tall. From afar, the mountain seemed high enough to pierce the clouds. It was said that the temple atop the mountain was the actual Cold Mountain Temple while the one below was simply a subsidiary.

    Lanning poured a cup of hot tea and handed it to her. She said softly, "Young Lady, there¡¯s nothing much to see up there, except a farther view. In the past, we..."

    The rim of her eyes suddenly reddened as she thought of Ning Ziying who died a tragic death. She bit her lower lip, unable to continue her sentence.

    "Lanning, why don¡¯t you tell me about your previous master, Lady Ziying? I heard Sister Ziying was aplished in the four arts of zither, Go, calligraphy, and painting and that she was a rare talent. Why would she be so upset as to drown herself in the lotus pond?" Ning Xueyan asked in apparent interest. She adjusted her hair and seemed to be smiling from her eyes.

    "My master didn¡¯t drown herself in the lotus pond. How could she when her dowry had just arrived at the manor..." Lanning became agitated the moment Ning Ziying was mentioned. The corner of her mouth trembled and her voice subconsciously became high-pitched.

    A soft voice came from behind them. "Are you discussing Sister Ziying? What¡¯s wrong? Didn¡¯t they say she drowned herself in the lotus pond? Is there a secret behind it?"

    The voice alone was enough tip off Ning Xueyan that its owner was a gentle and beautifuldy. Ning Xueyan slowly turned around while suppressing the resentment in her pupils. She felt herself go cold all over. She would never forget this voice. Madam Ling¡¯s daughter, the eldest daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, and the one whose face woke her from her nightmares at night!

    Ning Ziyan, dressed in a pink embroidered coat and dress, had her coiled hair decorated with two dangling ornaments. There was a faint smile on her face, which gave the impression of a gentle, fragiledy. One couldn¡¯t help but want to protect her. Upon closer inspection of her memories, Ning Xueyan realized that she couldn¡¯t remember when Ning Ziyan and Xia Yuhang¡¯s affair began. She only knew that due to their good rtionship, Xia Yuhang wouldn¡¯t avoid Ning Ziyan out of courtesy whenever he visited.

    Whenever Xia Yuhang came to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, the three of them would surely have a chat. Most of the time, they would meet in Ning Ziyan¡¯s courtyard. That was because Ning Ziyan said that Xia Yuhang would be cozier in her spacious and better-maintained residence.

    Now that Ning Xueyan thought about it, the two of them must be in affair by then. Otherwise, why would Xia Yuhang never find Ning Ziyan¡¯s courtyard inconvenient? Once, Ning Ziying told him that they should meet in her courtyard because she felt bad about constantly troubling her sister. He immediately rejected the idea, saying that both of them were guests at the manor and that the host must amodate her guests. Seeing as the Eldest Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was showing them such courtesy, it was only right for them to repay in kind.

    What a fool she had been. Had Xia Yuhang not visited Ning Ziyan¡¯s courtyard each time he came to the manor, outsiders would have objected to the marriage alliance between the Xia family and the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. People believed that it was Ning Ziyan whose hand was promised to Xia Yuhang at a young age, not someone else. Why else would Young Master Xia visit the Eldest Young Lady¡¯s courtyard each time without even avoiding her out of courtesy?

    She believed that she and Xia Yuhang loved each other but it turned out that the mutual love was actually shared by them both. She was nothing but a supporting character, one that doubled as their stepping stone. They used her life to gain blessing for their "fated" union. And now, she had returned from Asura¡¯s sea of blood...

    Ning Xueyan stood up and smiled. "Elder Sister, when did you arrive?" Thest time she met Ning Ziyan was four or five years ago, so they weren¡¯t very close.

    Ning Ziyan walked over and grabbed her hand. She asked softly, "I just arrived. I came here after hearing that you¡¯re heading to the rear mountain. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d reallye across you. Fifth Sister, are you well these days?" Just by looking at her, one would have a hard time believing that she wasn¡¯t someone with a good rtionship with her younger sister. She truly emanated the air of the eldest sister!

    Resisting the urge to rip her hand away from Ning Ziyan¡¯s, Ning Xueyan pulled thetter down the path with a t smile. "Since you¡¯re here, let¡¯s see the scenery together, Eldest Sister. Lanning was just talking about Lady Ning Ziying who used to live in our manor. I heard she was incredibly beautiful but drowned herself in the lotus pond for no apparent reason. It¡¯s strange, indeed."

    Ning Ziyan behaved as if she was hearing about this for the first time. She put down Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand and turned to smile at Lanning. Her questions came one another another. "Drowned herself in the lotus pond? When did that happen? I was so caught up in my affairs that I didn¡¯t realize. Afterward, I heard Second Mother talk about it but nothing about Sister Ziying," she asked, her questionsing one after another. "Lanning? Oh, I remember that your older sister works in the kitchen, yes? Well, why don¡¯t you tell me? Tell me why Sister Ziying drowned herself in the lotus pond."

    Her words were aggressive and threatening. She was so focused on Lanning¡¯s reaction that she didn¡¯t notice others.

 Chapter 26 The Woman Who Selfishly Lingers in the Cold Mountain Temple

    Thedies chatted as they walked. Ning Ziyan didn¡¯t realize that Ning Xueyan was "identally" leading her down a trail.

    The winding path in the rear mountain of the Cold Mountain Temple was full of trails. Those who rarely came here would have no idea where these trails lead to.

    "Was Ning Ziyan threatening Lanning earlier?"

    Ning Xueyan nced at Lanning. Sure enough, her maid¡¯s expression had changed. Even her face turned pale. However, she soon raised her head, deferentially saluted Ning Ziyan, and retreated behind Ning Xueyan. She was making it clear that she now belonged to Ning Xueyan.

    Ning Xueyan gave her a subtle nod. She had long known Lanning to be a clever girl. Lanning¡¯s refusal to speak had effectively ruined Ning Ziyan¡¯s ns. If Lanning really had to say something, she must at least get her master¡¯s permission. Ning Ziyan¡¯s abrupt arrival was prompted by her talking about Ning Ziying. Not even in a million years would Ning Ziyan expect that the girl she drowned would be reborn in a different body.

    Thus, Ning Xueyan knew where Xia Yuhang was and what he was doing at this very moment. The nefarious smile hidden in her pupils turned even colder.

    Her aim was to draw Ning Ziyan over and take her to see a good show. As for what would happen next...

    Well, she had no idea what would happen next!

    Hadn¡¯t Xia Yuhang kill her for Ning Ziyan? Wasn¡¯t he deeply devoted to Ning Ziyan? Then she looked forward to seeing the couple¡¯s "lovefest"!

    Despite sneering inwardly, her mask of gentleness stayed put. Mirth filled her beautiful eyes as she slowly said, "Eldest Sister, let¡¯s put that aside. I heard Eldest Brother-inw is here as well. Why didn¡¯t youe with him? The monk at the temple said that he has been staying here these few days."

    A curious-looking Ning Xueyan blinked at Ning Ziyan. She sounded so innocent, yet Ning Ziyan felt like it pierced her heart. Xia Yuhang had been away from the Xia Manor aside from their wedding night. In fact, he left for the Cold Mountain Temple the morning after. Ning Ziyan was furious but she couldn¡¯tin. People had been criticizing her ever since the death of Madam Ming of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was revealed. Minister Xia and his wife were also terribly unhappy about her. Their every word suggested that she was bringing their family misfortune.

    To her chagrin, they didn¡¯t even question their son about leaving the manor the day after the wedding and leaving his bride to safeguard an empty bedroom. Even though he obeyed the tradition of apanying her to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor yesterday afternoon, he urged her to return straight after lunch. By the time the carriage was halfway through the journey, he was nowhere to be seen. It wasn¡¯t until she questioned the young manservant that she learned that he was already returning to the Cold Mountain Temple.

    If not for the fact that she had to return to the Xia Manor to pack, she would have headed straight for the temple.

    Ning Ziyan considered this a great disgrace and her smile nearly faltered after hearing Ning Xueyan bring it up.

    "Brother Yuhang will be taking part in the preliminary round of imperial examinations in the spring, so he needs peace. Ambitious men aim far, after all. How can I, his wife, restrict him? It¡¯s tranquil here; it¡¯s just the right environment for one to study in. That¡¯s why he¡¯s here." Ning Ziyan tried her best to act the part of a noble wife as she took a seat nearby. She looked like she was acting in nothing but consideration for Xia Yuhang.

    With a turn of her mind, Ning Xueyan shed a brilliant smile and said curiously, "I see. So, Eldest Brother-inw is taking the imperial examinations soon. I have long heard of his talent. There wouldn¡¯t be any problems with your visit home in theing spring, would there? The examinations next year are still far away. Don¡¯t tell me that he¡¯s going to stay here until then."

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s facial features were exquisite but they typically didn¡¯t stand out due to her young age, poorplexion, and pale lips. However, her exhaustion after the climb had dyed her pale face with a reddish tint. She looked like she had been revitalized. She was so lovely that she nearly took one¡¯s breath away. Though her smile was faint and cid, there was a coquettish quality to it.

    She looked so beautiful that the madams walking down the mountain path couldn¡¯t help turning around to steal second looks. They wondered which family she belonged to. How could she be so beautiful and ethereal? Subconsciously, they began walking toward her.

    Ning Ziyan didn¡¯t notice all these for rage was rising in her chest. Regardless of how she diverted the topic, Ning Xueyan would somehow draw Xia Yuhang "abandoning his new bride" into their conversation. The girl sounded like she wasforting her but her words sounded like mockery to Ning Ziyan¡¯s ears. She suppressed her fury and scuttled forward like a raging inferno.

    Trying her best to restrain herself, she said, "Fifth Sister, let¡¯s not talk about your Eldest Brother-inw. Men think differently than women. Besides, us women need only to keep their inner courtyard in order."

    "Is that so... But..." Ning Xueyan paused. She looked as if she was holding back and it made Ning Ziyan terribly curious.

    "What is it?"

    "Eldest Sister, look. Isn¡¯t that Eldest Brother-inw? The one next to him..." Ning Xueyan acted as if she had just spotted Xia Yuhang. She blinked and pointed to a pavilion nearby. The mountain path was winding. Had they not walk to this area, they wouldn¡¯t have discovered a small pavilion here.

    The handsome, blue-robed gentleman standing in the cloister of the pavilion was none other than Xia Yuhang. The one leaning against the railing with him was a beautifuldy dressed in a yellow and green dress. From afar, they looked like a handsome couple who had walked out of a painting. They wereughing while chatting, not realizing that they had caught someone¡¯s attention...

    Watching Xia Yuhang so elegantly chatting andughing with a woman, Ning Xiyan¡¯s face instantly darkened.

    After taking in the scene, Ning Xueyan subconsciously took a couple of steps backward with a small smile. Ning Ziyan believed that she had won Xia Yuhang¡¯s heart but never expected that a newly-wedded Xia Yuhang would act so intimately with another woman. Moreover, she even insisted that Xia Yuhang had merely neglected her for his studies in front of Ning Xueyan. However, barely any time passed before she saw him with another woman. It was a hard p on her face.

    Ning Ziyan¡¯s face instantly turned ashen after seeing her husband. She looked drastically different from her typical image of a sweet-tempered youngdy from a wealthy family.

    Ning Xueyan, who had be Xia Yuhang¡¯s fiancee at a young age, naturally knew a lot of things about him that Ning Ziyan didn¡¯t. Take this woman in front of them for example. Xia Yuhang had always insisted that he wasn¡¯t close to that woman. In her previous life, she trusted his words and believed that they had a tonic rtionship. He said that the woman was just a damsel in distress that he happened to rescue and settled in the Cold Mountain Temple.

    A precious youngdy ran to the capital to escape a forced marriage but discovered that her rtives were away. In a moment of desperation, she entered a forest somewhere to hang herself. Xia Yuhang happened to pass by, saved her, and settled her in the Cold Mountain Temple. He even ordered his men to search for this woman¡¯s family but the search was fruitless even after half a year had passed. Thus, that woman remained in the temple until now.

    Ning Xueyan once met this woman by chance. Back then, she was coincidentally in the Cold Mountain Temple as well. The woman had sought her out, apparently to thank Xia Yuhang for saving her. She insisted on returning the favor and expressed her willingness to be Ning Xueyan¡¯s servant. She was willing to do anything as long as she could repay his kindness.

    It was also the same woman who told her of this spot!

    The woman was so agitated that she knocked Ning Ziying into the creek that she was standing next to. She fetched Xia Yuhang while weeping like the world had ended. She acted as if she was prepared to jump into the water to save Ning Ziying. Xia Yuhang hugged her tightly out of fear that she would truly jump, all while dying Ning Ziying¡¯s rescue.

    It had been a cold winter day with the wind blowing from the northwest. Lanning happened to be away to fetch something while the woman held onto Xia Yuhang. It wasn¡¯t until Lanning returned and jumped into the water while sobbing that she was saved. She was so cold that she was stammering through her words. Fortunately, Abbot Mingyue of the Cold Mountain Temple was a medical expert or she wouldn¡¯t have survived. Even so, her recovery took nearly half a year.

    However, she had been terribly naive. After hearing Xia Yuhang¡¯s exnation and the woman¡¯s repeated tearful apologies, she instantly trusted in their innocence. She believed that the woman was only trying to repay his grace and the subsequent incident was merely an ident. Since it was an ident, then no one should be med.

    But from the looks of things now, it was evident that something was going on between them. That woman was obviously vicious. Back then, she had tried to kill Ning Ziying but the admiration and gentleness in her eyes now were evident for all to see!

    Xia Yuhang was much taller than the woman and would lower his head to talk to her. His action was so gentle that Ning Ziyan became red-eyed with fury. She red at the woman in resentment.

    Noticing someone looking at her, the woman looked up. She became frozen with shock after seeing Ning Ziyan and reached out to tug on Xia Yuhang¡¯s sleeve as if she got a fright. She said softly, "Young Master Xia, who... who¡¯s that woman? She looks so fierce!"

    Xia Yuhang swiftly turned around and saw Ning Ziyan. He was surprised to see her here but he didn¡¯t panic. He got up and walked over to her. "Ziyan, why are you here?"

    Even though she was raging inside, Ning Ziyan forcefully suppressed her emotions and put on a faint smile. "I came here to apany my Fifth Sister. Why are you here, Brother Yuhang? Who is that woman? She looks like the one we saw at Cousin Brother¡¯s ce. Don¡¯t tell me that you deliberately invited her from one of those ces."

    Her words sounded like a nonchnt joke but she was nhelessparing the woman to a brotheldy. Ning Ziyan¡¯s cousin was a frequent visitor of brothels and would have flings with courtesans every now and then.

    "No, she¡¯s a damsel in distress that I saved. She¡¯s not from a brothel," Xia Yuhang said earnestly. His gaze went from Ning Ziyan to Ning Xueyan. Her pair of limpid, cold eyes were as dark as ink and filled with indifferent mockery and scorn. Inexplicably, his heart raced. When he wanted to get a closer look, she made a small bow at him. She addressed him somewhat cidly, "Eldest Brother-inw!"

    "Oh, so you¡¯re Fifth Sister." He felt disappointed for no particr reason.

    Ning Ziyan watched the woman shyly walk over to them and cried in feigned surprise, "Damsel in distress?" After sizing the woman up, she turned to smile at Xia Yuhang. "Brother Yuhang, I think she¡¯s rather pitiful. Why don¡¯t we take her in? That way, it will be easier for us to care for her in the future."

    Mirth was dancing in her eyes as if she was truly going to give Xia Yuhang a concubine. She looked just like a wise and virtuous First Madam of a manor.

 Chapter 27 They Can Forget About Being Happy Themselves

    The woman who walked over in an "ordinary" manner kneeled and knocked her head hard on the ground before raising her head fearfully. She wasn¡¯t a great beauty but she was petite and had a pitiful look. Tears cascaded down her cheeks as if she had been bullied. "It¡¯s a misunderstanding, Young Madam. Young Master Xia saved me, settled me here, and even contacted my family for me. We¡¯re not really in a rtionship. Please trust me, Madam. Let... Let me die to express my innocence."

    With that said, she abruptly stood up and acted as if she was going to throw herself at a nearby pir and die.

    A panicked Xia Yuhang reached out to stop her. The woman¡¯s petite body fell into his tight embrace and she cried even harder. "Young Master Xia, you saved me. How could I allow others to misunderstand you? I¡¯m... I¡¯m but a piece of duckweed floating on a pond. I don¡¯t care about being mistaken as ady from a brothel, but... how could I ruin your reputation? I..."

    She wept so hard that her words became strangled!

    She looked like she would rather die than ruin Xia Yuhang¡¯s reputation.

    She was retaliating against Ning Ziyan for calling her a prostitute! She seemed to be rather sly. The moment she showed up, she stole all of Ning Ziyan¡¯s lines as a fragile, gentle character. Ning Ziyan had always been the one to act the part of a fraildy but the wheel of fortune was always turning. Things were bing interesting.

    Ning Xueyan stepped back. She might as well stand on the sidelines and watch the show. Ning Ziyan believed she had won Xia Yuhang by killing her. She would like to see Ning Ziyan get a taste of the deep resentment she had felt back then.

    "Ziyan, how can you say such disgraceful words? She¡¯s innocent. You¡¯re the precious youngdy of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor yourself. How can you say such filthy words?" Seeing the beauty in his arms cry her heart out, a stern-faced Xia Yuhang unhappily berated his wife.

    "Innocent?" Ning Ziyan¡¯s anger nearly exploded. What innocence when these two were embracing each other in front of her? He even called her unworthy of being the precious youngdy of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor for the woman. From this angle, she could even see the unbridled smugness on the woman¡¯s face. She was about to crush the handkerchief in her hand into dust.

    She had spared no effort in snatching this man and their blissful marriage. Now, another woman was standing in her way. She would never ept this. Moreover, Ning Xueyan was nearby, looking like she was watching a good show. She could barely restrain the perfect smile on her face.

    "Eldest Sister, since Eldest Brother-inw and thisdy are innocent, there¡¯s no need to conceal their rtionship. Otherwise, people will think he abandoned his new bride to frolic with his mistress. This will harm his spring boudoir," Ning Xueyan said softly, trying to cate Ning Ziyan. Her unfathomable gazended on the woman standing in the corner and the mirth in her pupils intensified.

    She was reminding Ning Ziyan that this was the Cold Mountain Temple. If thetter made a fuss here, it would hurt her reputation. If news broke out that she got into a fight with another woman before the gossip about the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had even subsided, her reputation would never recover.

    "Brother Yuhang, Fifth Sister is right. Since there¡¯s nothing going on between you two, I will get her settled somewhere in our inner courtyard. She can return when her familyes for her in the future. It¡¯s better than her staying here on her own. Even though this temple is tranquil, there are only men here. Some things are easy to gossip about but unpleasant to hear!"

    Ning Ziyan had already recovered by now and was barely restraining her anger. Hatred flickered in her eyes, yet she looked like she was wholeheartedly devoted to Xia Yuhang. She even deliberately mentioned that there were only men in the Cold Mountain Temple. After all, monks were also men.

    Once the woman enters their manor, she would have to submit to her. Madam Xia didn¡¯t like her very much, it was only because the funeral in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor going against her wedding made Madam Xia feel like her son had married an unlucky wife. That was why Madam Xia was unhappy with her. However, this woman of questionable background who hade out of nowhere would drag her son¡¯s reputation through the mud. Madam Xia would never like this woman.

    When that happens, Madam Xia wouldn¡¯t even care if she tramples all over this woman!

    Ning Ziyan would torment her so much that she would beg for death!

    "Brother Xia, I¡¯m scared. I... I don¡¯t want to go..." The woman panicked as soon as she heard she was going to the Xia Manor, and as someone without an identity or status. She tugged on Xia Yuhang¡¯s sleeve pitifully, looking so fragile that she was moments away from fainting. It was as if she wouldn¡¯t be able to take it if she was agitated even a little. She looked affectionately and pitifully at Xia Yuhang.

    Ning Ziyan was unlike that foolish woman. She knew at once that Ning Ziyan wasn¡¯t easy to deal with. If she truly followed her to the Xia Manor, she might very well die a tragic death!

    Xia Yuhang hesitated. On one end was his delicate confidante and on the other was his legal wife. He frowned, finding it hard to choose. He had been nning to tell Ning Ziyan about this sometimeter but their rtionship was exposed when they were still newlyweds. No matter what, he was at a disadvantage.

    If Ning Ziyan truly wanted to kick up a fuss, he wouldn¡¯t stand for reason either. Moreover, this would affect his future career.

    Seeing Xia Yuhang¡¯s hesitation, Ning Xueyan thoughtfully gave him a reminder. "Eldest Brother-inw, your spring boudoir..." When she spoke, she deliberately looked behind her and saw several married women who had subconsciously followed her. They happened to witness the show as well. Even though they kept their distance, they didn¡¯t walk away either. The women were staring curiously and even pointing fingers at them.

    "Miss Chen, please follow Ziyan to our manor. It¡¯s not appropriate for a man like me to be always watching over you. When we find your family, I will definitely send you home." In a sh, Xia Yuhang made up his mind and let go of the woman. He even stepped backward, putting in distance between them.

    It would be the spring boudoir next year. The triennial imperial examinations would be taking ce then. Xia Yuhang had waited three years for that spring and would never allow a woman to ruin his ns. Even if he likes her, he would never gamble his future away! Those with a poor reputation would never be able to enter the Sacred Heart no matter how intelligent and studious they were. Never mind getting one of the three ranks, he wouldn¡¯t even get second or third ce!

    Furthermore, Ning Ziyan had the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to back her up. She wasn¡¯t one to be trifled with.

    Understanding this, he naturally wanted to wash his hands clean off Chen Hexiang.

    Chen Hexiang never thought he would push her away. She stood still with tears brimming in her eyes. Whenever she acted like this, he would answer to her every whim. She never imagined he would stop going along with her wishes today. She called out for him pitifully, "Young Master Xia!" Somehow, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to continue speaking.

    Xia Yuhang nced at Ning Ziyan and couldn¡¯t stop himself from giving her a reminder. "Ziyan, Miss Chen is a guest. Tell the servants to give her a better amodation. Don¡¯t let others think that our manor is inhumane. Since I have saved her, I must make sure I help her until the end." His words angered Ning Ziyan so much that steam was practically rising from her head.

    "So he¡¯s afraid I¡¯d torment this woman!"

    "Rest assured, Brother Yuhang. I will order the servants to take good care of Miss Chen." Ning Ziyan walked over and warmly took Chen Hexiang¡¯s hand in hers. She even used her handkerchief to wipe the woman¡¯s tears. She smiled and said, "Please stop crying, Miss Chen. If you keep crying, people will really think you¡¯re Brother Yuhang¡¯s mistress that is getting bullied by me!"

    "Many thanks, Young Madam." Based on their conversation, Chen Hexiang knew she had no choice but to go with Ning Ziyan. She had to humble herself and salute Ning Ziyan, putting on a look of gratitude.

    "What¡¯s there to thank? You look so adorable and well-behaved, Lady Chen. Don¡¯t worry even if you can¡¯t find your family. Brother Yuhang and I will surely find you a good husband." Ning Xueyan became increasingly immersed in her role. She tugged Chen Hexiang¡¯s hand while praising her. Then, she turned to Xia Yuhang and asked, "Isn¡¯t that so, Brother Yuhang?"

    Frowning, Xia Yuhang said impatiently, "Hm. Go home after you help her pack up." He turned around and walked away withrge strides. It made him feel ill at ease that the group of married women was still curiously watching them. What made him even more ufortable was that beautiful pair of ink-ck eyes that were both limpid and unfathomable. She stared quietly at him and made him feel like she could see through him.

    "Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? Isn¡¯t she considered the timidest and most ipetent daughter of that manor?"

    He suddenly felt a wave of frustration, even some inexplicable guilt.

    The maids and older female servants acted quickly and packed up Chen Hexiang¡¯s things in no time at all. When Ning Xueyan saw the servants carry out a divider carved out of ck jade and crystals and fixed with a painting of beautiful women, rage took hold of her. That divider was a relic that her mom left her. She had always kept it inside her room. However, Xia Yuhang once came to her room and sang praises about the divider.

    Back then, she believed she would eventually marry into the Xia Manor. Seeing how much Xia Yuhang liked the divider, she gifted it to him. Who knew he would give it away to this woman who nearly killed her? She never thought he would so thoroughly trample her sincere heart. She paid not only with her heart but also her life...

    However, she would reim everything back little by little! A murderer must pay with his life in the same way a debtor must repay with money. These two had taken everything from her! Her sneer gradually disappeared under her sharp gaze. Then, her expression slowly returned to normal.

    Ning Xueyan walked over and smiled at Ning Ziyan, who was angrily watching the servants finish packing up Chen Hexiang¡¯s things. "Eldest Sister, why don¡¯t you go home as well? You don¡¯t have to apany me. I¡¯m fine anyway, I just n on reciting some scriptures. But you¡¯re a newlywed, Sister, and Eldest Brother-inw needs to study. More than ever, his inner courtyard needs to be peaceful."

    The show earlier was her purpose in drawing Ning Ziyan here. Now that her goal was achieved, she wanted to send her away.

    She didn¡¯t want to kill Ning Ziyan yet. She wanted to see Xia Yuhang and Ning Ziyan slowly turn against each other until they be nemeses. She wanted to reduce them into two people who couldn¡¯t tolerate the other living...

    They had ruined her happiness and life, so they can forget about being happy themselves!

    With Xia Yuhang gone, Chen Hexiang calmed down as well. Seated somewhere nearby, she secretly dabbed her tears with a handkerchief that covered half of her face. Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t know if her tears were real. Chen Hexiang was still watching Ning Ziyan with a glint in her eyes. She was deliberating what she should do to force Xia Yuhang to take her side. Was this woman really Xia Yuhang¡¯s new bride?

    Why wasn¡¯t it the woman from before?

    Even though Ning Ziyan didn¡¯t look like a pushover, Chen Hexiang knew that she stood a chance from the way Xia Yuhang treated the former. Xia Yuhang didn¡¯t seem to care much for Ning Ziyan, which was drastically different from how he treated his former fiancee. But why did his fiancee end up changing?

    In the past, she thought she would never win against that foolish woman!

 Chapter 28 Winning Lannings Heart

    After falling into the waterst time, Ning Ziyan had been ignored by Xia Yuhang for more than half a year. She had sneaked into Xia Manor afterward, kneeling down in front of Xia Yuhang for six hours with lightly dressed. She faintedter so Xia Yuhang forgave her reluctantly, and he warned her not to be against the woman.

    Seeing Xia Yuhang¡¯s reaction, Ning Ziyan knew he treated that woman differently, but who was this woman?

    Ning Ziyan was hesitating.

    Because Ning Xueyan¡¯s words had helped her just now, Ning Ziyan had a good feeling about her. She frowned a little when she heard what Ning Xueyan said and thought it made sense. However, she couldn¡¯t make up her mind. The main purpose of Ning Ziyan¡¯sing to Cold Mountain Temple with Ning Xueyan is to glorify her reputation. She wanted people to know she was a filial daughter. And the reason why the funeral turned into a wedding was because of her unawareness.

    She needed to get herself out of the scandal of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Therefore, perhaps it was not wise that Ning Ziyan returned home now. Seeing that woman showed a coquettish face with a handkerchief in her hands, however, Ning Ziyan hated it a lot and couldn¡¯t calm down easily.

    "My Eldest Sister, if you don¡¯te back..." Ning Xueyan nced at Chen Hexiang slightly, implying something unspoken with her lip thrown up a little. It could be told obviously that Chen Hexiang was ambitious. If Ning Ziyan really stayed at Cold Mountain Temple for a month, it would be hard to predict what would happen.

    "My dear fifth younger sister, please help me to burn some incense for my second mom. I got something to handle in my manor, so I need to go back hurriedly." Ning Ziyan said. Although her reputation was important, she decided to deal with Chen Hexiang first at the moment seeing Chen Hexiang¡¯s face. Because nothing is more important to her than Xia Yuhang. Ning Ziyan had just got rid of Ning Ziying. It was unexpected that Chen Hexiang showed up.

    Ning Ziyan even never felt guilty for killing Ning Ziying, let alone this woman.

    "Eh...okay, my Eldest Sister. Our mom wouldn¡¯t me you for this, especially in circumstances like this. You can go home now." Ning Xueyan dropped her eyes smiling. Her eyes fell upon Ning Ziyan¡¯s hands, which were bound up carefully. The wound inside the bandage was a bite from Ning Xueyan. The bite contained all her grievance, hatred and pain. It, seemingly, hurt deeply because Ning Ziyan tried to protect the hand all the time.

    Even though it hurt her badly and so what? The wounds would heal soon, but how about the broken heart?

    Assembling two vicious women together is the purpose of her managing to make Ning Ziyane to Cold Mountain Temple. Two hypocritical malicious women gathered in Xia Manor so it would be impossible for Xia Yuhang to get any peace. What Xia Yuhang cared about most, such as having the first prize of the next spring and passing the imperial examination for a better political career, would be destroyed by her one by one...

    Both her and Ning Xueyan¡¯s stuff, she would let them pay for it eventually...

    Back to the room, Ning Xueyan sat for a long time to recover from gloomy mise. She thought her status as Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor could y a role better now...

    "Mydy, do you want to have a rest?" Lanning asked as she walked in with a cup of hot tea. She noticed Ning Xueyan remained the same gesture as she saw before her leaving. So she thought about it and asked the question.

    Ning Xueyan turned to look at Lanning, taking a deep breath. Her limpid cold eyes were filled with mood swings, and she came straight to the point with astonishing words, "Lanning, please tell me everything you know, and I would avenge yourdy¡¯s death."

    The words came to Lanning unexpectedly. Lanning¡¯s face turned white promptly and couldn¡¯t help trembling. She looked at Ning Xueyan in amazement with her eyes in panic, "My...mydy..."

    Her delicate lip was bitten turning almost bloodless! And her eyes seemed losing bright!

    Although Ning Xueyan appreciated it in her heart, she stared at Lanning trying hard to repress her feeling, and said by word, "Yes, I want to know the truth of Ning Ziying¡¯s death."

    Ning Xueyan wanted Lanning, but it would be unnecessary to keep Lanning if she became disloyal. The one Ning Xueyan needed is the same Lanning of Ning Xueyan¡¯s previous incarnation, who was loyal to herpletely. She never nned to tell Lanning all the weird things about herself. How freaky what she had gone through was! Her rebirth in another girl¡¯s body, even herself couldn¡¯t believe it really happened let alone Lanning. So she ought to adopt some more valid measures to give a hit straight to Lanning¡¯s heart.

    "My dear Fifth Young Lady, mydy...was...was because of herself..." Lanning said, gritting her teeth when she opened her eyes wide.

    "I know you don¡¯t dare to tell the truth. Then please keep it as a secret forever, and never try to avenge her death! Let reality be the truth!" Ning Xueyan interrupted Lanning cold-bloodedly. Her eyes were insightful and peaceful, filled with rolling darkness, which could nearly swallow people.

    Looking at this pair of eyes, Lanning felt a bit distressed. She burst into tears because there were hatred and sadness deep inside her heart. She flopped down on her knees, kowtowing to Ning Xueyan hard three times. Then she raised her head staring at Ning Xueyan and said, "Fifth Young Lady, please get revenge for mydy. She... she... must be murdered by Eldest Young Lady and First Madam."

    Lanning was already chocked with sobs pulling Ning Xueyan¡¯s dress when she finished talking,

    At that moment just now, Lanning was convinced by some unreasonable feeling to believe Fifth Young Lady. She had a strong instinct that the fragile Fifth Young Lady could definitely be the one who could revenge her Young Lady. Lanning looked at Fifth Young Lady¡¯s ck jade eyes which were the same as Ning Ziying¡¯s eyes and made up her mind that she would do everything to reciprocate Fifth Young Lady, so long as Ning Xueyan finished the revenge.

    "Please stand up." Ning Xueyan reached out to Lanning. She saw Lanning raising herself with tears, so she whispered," Where were you the day when yourdy drowned?"

    "Mydy was about to marry, and I was afraid that someone of the manor wouldn¡¯t take it seriously. So I went to the people in charge to ask about the wedding stuff. It was said everything was ready, but suddenly they told me it was not fully prepared. They asked me to check on. I knew there wasn¡¯t anyone who cared about mydy in the manor, so I worried about it and went to check up myself. However, I didn¡¯t expect that... that..." she said.

    Lanning became speechless for the tears while she was talking.

    When she returned, herdy and Xiang¡¯er had disappeared. She found no one in the yard. And the older female servant of Ning yard happened to deal with something outside. Lanning looked for them everywhere with anxiety, but she saw nobody after keeping looking for half more night. Finally, someone remained her that she should go to see whether Ning Ziying fell into Lotus Pond. Then a man who could swim made sure that herdy and Xiang¡¯er both were drowned there.

    How was that possible herdy killed herself by drowning?

    Tomorrow was Ning Ziying¡¯s wedding day, but the wedding dress, which she had embroidered over half a year, was thrown on the ground in chaos. All the evidence showed herdy was murdered. In Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, First Madam was the only one who could do this. Except for her, no one could send all the people of their yard away leaving thedy and Xiang¡¯er alone.

    Besides, it could be told from the bruise on herdy¡¯s face that someone beat thedy. However, all the maids were lying obviously saying the people drowned to death all looked like this. Moreover, Lanning didn¡¯t have the chance to say more, and herdy was put in a coffin. She only saw herdy once before the coffin was nailed.

    Most importantly, the one who should be in the bridal sedan chair should be herdy, but it turned to be Eldest Young Lady instead. To her great surprise, everyone said the Eldest Young Lady and Xia Yuhang were engaged when they were young and nobody knew the bride should be Ning Ziying. It seemed that the one who could change everything, like turning ck to white, sabotaging herdy¡¯s wedding could be no one but Madam Ling and First Young Lady.

    Lanning wanted to make terrible at the wedding under the impulse. But she was clear that she was just a maid who barely kept alive. How could she revenge her Young Lady? If she really went to sabotage the wedding, she would be dead before entering the hall. If she died, nobody would find out the truth for herdy.

    "Therefore, you came to my ce to revenge Ning Ziying. But don¡¯t you think I¡¯m fragile without any ability?" Ning Xueyan asked after hearing what Lanning said. She tried hard not to show her hatred.

    "At that moment, I didn¡¯t know what to do. But now, I believe you can find a way." Lanning said decidedly looking at Ning Xueyan. From the moment she became Ning Xueyan¡¯s maid, she got a feeling that she didn¡¯t approach to the wrong person. The girl in front of her was not ipetent because thedy can rescue her from the First Lady, then punished them without hesitation.

    The one who did such things couldn¡¯t be ipetent or coward.

    "Lanning, if you want to avenge Ning Ziying¡¯s death, you must follow my order all the time." Ning Xue¡¯s face was full of the cold smile, and she said, "You know where I am now, I can¡¯t confront Madam Ling or Ning Ziyan for the moment. But I will let them pay back step by step, are you willing to follow me?"

    Ning Xueyan was short-staffed now, especially loyal staff. If she only got Qingyu and Mother Han, it wouldn¡¯t be enough. Lanning was always her close maid and loyal to her, so she hoped Lanning still was.

    "So long as we can get revenge mydy, no matter how long I have to wait, I will wait." Lanning¡¯s eyes became bright. She wiped her tears and said, gritting her teeth. She often dreamed of herdy¡¯s bloody face. They not only changed the wedding but also killed her. So Lanning was determined to avenge herdy¡¯s death.

    "Lanning, do you believe that there is a ghost?" Ning Xueyan asked quietly.

    "Ghosts? I believe in their existences. I believe mydy is watching me in heaven, to see how I make the bad guys pay back." Lanning said with great hatred.

    Ghosts? Ning Xueyan dropped her eyes again and smiled slightly. Nobody knew better than her. She was an evil ghost who died sadly. She was the one who relived from bloody hell!

    Since the day she was reborn, Ning Xueyan knew clearly, she came here for revenge.

    The water flowed into her nose. She could feel Blood came out from her organs and her chest hurt like being cracked. She struggled once, then twice, using up her all strength. But she was pressed by someone whom she nced at clearly. The water flowed, but the familiar gentle face became strange and horrible, like a man-eating demon.

    Struggling to the extreme, she felt nothing but extreme pain. Ning Xueyan suddenly sat upright from the darkness. She put her hands on her chest, breathing quickly. She saw blood, and she opened her eyes in the end. Her eyes looked at the sky nkly, and blood emerged in front of her.

 Chapter 29 Dressing up as a Man, Ning Xueyan Offends Prince Yi

    Ning Xueyan had a nightmare again! She lifted her quilt, smiling ruefully, and stood up. Then she walked toward the table to grab a cup of cold tea, pouring in her mouth. But she was too weak to swallow the cold water. She poured in quickly, so she had to grasp her chest for a slight cough. Although she tried to do exercise every day, it seemed that she hadn¡¯t get better.

    Ning Xueyan was lost in thought, standing in the front of the window. She looked at the lightful dawn with frowning.

    She had been at Cold Mountain Temple for half a month. Several days ago, Mother Han wrote a letter to tell her that her uncle was about toe to the capital and today was the day of hising. Ning Xueyan never met this uncle before, but Mother Han guaranteed to her this uncle would protect her.

    Therefore, Ning Xueyan nned to meet this uncle today, to verify whether Mother Han told the truth. Moreover, if she didn¡¯t go to see him, her uncle would inquire about her from Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, which would cost more time unnecessarily. In addition, she needed to tell him something in person.

    She must meet him before Madam Ling, making sure she and her uncle were on the same boat.

    It was early, so she went back to bed. However, she couldn¡¯t fall asleep. Ning Xueyan reyed the scene of her death in her mind for no reason. Blood, suffocating, struggling, the pain... Shey on the bed remaining stock still with eyes closed, but she could still sense the smell of fear and the despair caused by death.

    Grabbing her quilt tightly, Ning Xueyan took a deep breath to rx. But even her breathing was smelt like the blood. She sat straight again, abruptly trying to memory other things for distracting her thought. It came to her mind suddenly that her dowry was sent to Shangshu Manor at the beginning.

    Something was wrong!

    Looking back at her previous life, her father died on duty and her mother followed his step after being sick for three years. Her mother told her to turn to Ning Zu¡¯an, the family patriarch. She came to the capital taking all her belongings with the old housekeeper. After she moved to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Shangshu Xia visited her and Madam Xia came to console her with Xia Yuhang.

    The Ning and Xia families had already made the decision of her marriage, which would settle down when she was 16.

    They had been engaged since they were kids. However, she knew Xia Yuhang. He would constantly give her father some gift in person when her father was in the office. It seemed Xia family didn¡¯t n to go back on their word. As soon as Ning Xueyan arrived in the capital, Xia Yuhang and Madam Xia went to see her immediately.

    Observed in any aspect, Xia Yuhang showed great affection for her. It could be told from his bright smile.

    When did he begin to change?

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s mind was full of doubts. Almost one or two years ago, even earlier, maybe it was at the time when she reached here... But she couldn¡¯t remember what she did to piss him off. The only thing she remembered was some stuff was sent from her family when Xia Yuhang and Ning Ziyan were at her ce. They left hurriedly after seeing the things.

    Ning Xueyan also inquired about the rumor in these days. The story that Xia Yuhang and Ning Ziyan had been engaged since they were little, started to spread from then on.

    If Madam Ling and Ning Ziyan wanted to rece her long ago, why did they keep her alive until the night before her wedding? Was there any difference?

    Did they really keep her for her dowry? But Ning Ziying was alone without any immediate family living in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor temporarily, so if she died early, the manor could have all her property. Madam Ling and Ning Ziyan didn¡¯t need to wait, then what was the truth behind? Ning Xueyan had a sneaking suspicion that something was hidden.

    She might be overthinking so that she forgot her fear of death. In the end, she fell asleep.

    When Lanning came to wake Ning Xueyan up, Qingyu had prepared the breakfast well. Because she was going out today, Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t climb the mountain. She took the clothes of some manservant style from Lanning¡¯s hands. The clothes fit her perfectly. It must be made by Qingyu and Lanning ording to her size.

    "Mydy, do you really want to go alone?" Lanning was a mature girl and worried about her. After all, herdy hadn¡¯t been outside of Bright Frost Garden in her previous life.

    "It¡¯s okay; I know the way." Ning Xueyan straightened her clothes and said," If someone of the manor wants to visit me today, please tell them I am ill and can¡¯t greet them."

    Ever since thest time she defended Ning Ziyan in public, even though it couldn¡¯t eliminate Madam Ling¡¯s doubts, she showed great sisterhood to people. This could prevent Madam Ling from being harmful to her provisionally providing her some time to prepare other things. And this duration was important to her.

    Madam Dowager sent people to inquire after her now and then. This was for showing her concern about Ning Xueyan. Since that time, Ning Xueyan was no longer the quiet Fifth Young Lady. Instead, she became the one who could defense Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s dignity. Of course, Madam Dowager needed to show her respect.

    "Yes, I¡¯m aware. But please be careful, mydy." Lanning said as nodding.

    After arranging it all, Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t go out of the room without dy. Cold Mountain Temple was the suburban district, not far from Shili Pavilion. Whoevering from that direction, must pass Shili Pavilion if they wanted to go to the capital. She would see her uncle there.

    She struggled to climb the mountain for exercise every day. Not only her body but also herplexion got better these days. So it wasn¡¯t difficult for her to walk for a while after the downhill.

    Hastilying out of the pilgrim¡¯s yard and then walking through several halls, Ning Xueyan saw the temple¡¯s door, the honor guards stood there. She frowned a little noticing there were many carriages with a huge array, especially a lenient carriage stood at the entrance. And the abbot of Cold Mountain Temple was waiting by the door. Ning Xueyan was aware that big shot was about to show up.

    Who woulde to Cold Mountain Temple in a big way now?

    Big shot¡¯s men came over in lockstep. All the monks went out for greeting and they were bald, so it would be obvious if Ning Xueyan walked out now. She knew she was a woman in a man dress. Therefore, she was afraid of being caught and was careful everywhere. She thought and looked at the side door. The monks were all out of the front door and only a few persons were by the side door. So even though it was almost closed, she could go through the door.

    More importantly, nobody would notice her.

    Taking a few steps quickly, Ning Xueyan walked towards the side door. Her body was small and she was far from the front door so it would be possible no one saw her.

    Sure enough, the side door was slightly closed and nobody noticed her.

    However, a young monk who was behind the abbot found her. He made a gesture to her. Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t think it through at the moment. She saw nothing outside in her sight. So she thought the young monk tried to ask why she went out. She raised her hand pointing at the side door then herself, and wanted him to know she was about to go out.

    The little monk seemed a little anxious giving a strong hint to her by his hands constantly, but Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t understand him.

    She would leave him alone because time was ticking.

    She heard the rebuke when she opened the door. The next thing she knew was someone shouted, "Who is it? Arrest him!" She could feel the coldness of the man.

    Looking at the sharp knife in front of her, she looked back at the young monk who was in a panic now. Ning Xueyan was aware that the young monk was trying to warn her of the man outside the door. But she didn¡¯t see anything just now and misunderstood him. So she was caught.

    The dignified soldiers guarded the hidden ce with armors. They surround the unshaped lenient carriage.

    And that was exactly the direction of her way.

    "Who are you? How dare you to run in front of Prince Yi? Knee on the ground, now!"

    Prince Yi? Ning Xueyan changed her face and was really frightened now. People in Chu state might know nothing about their emperor, but they definitely knew Ao Chenyi, Prince Yi. He was not only Prince Yi but also the named previous emperor¡¯s younger brother, which meant he could seed to his brother¡¯s throne.

    The younger brother could get his crown, this was the previous emperor¡¯s decision.

    Ning Xueyan heard that Ao Chenyi fought beside the previous emperor on the battlefield, and he was famous for his great valiancy. So he struggled out of the ughter. He must be cold-blooded and didn¡¯t care about people¡¯s lives.

    Everyone in the capital knew Prince Yi was a ruthless guy, who killed ten ministers overnight, leaving nothing alive in their families. It shocked people and other officials, so people were scared of him. Besides, he controlled the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Punishments. Even some intelligence organization and Secret Service of the Imperial Court was in charge of Ao Chenyi.

    As long as it was reported by Secret Service of the Imperial Court, being taken to the Ministry of Punishments¡¯ court, anything could happen. What they wanted, they got it easy.

    Therefore, although some ministers wanted to support the prince being the crown heir, they couldn¡¯t say it out.

    Ao Chenyi was the true ruler of this country, who stood under the emperor only but everybody else stood under him. He was obviously the next emperor in the future and also cold-blooded, so nobody dared to be against him unless he lived for long enough.

    Ning Xueyan thought a guy like him shouldn¡¯te here. The merciful Buddha might be stunned by his blood figure.

    Coming across Ao Chenyi, Ning Xueyan was unable to calm down. She went out hastily today never expecting something like this. Looking at the curtain of ck carriage with gold ornaments, she flopped down on her knees immediately trying to exin herself, "I get work to do outside the temple ordered by my master. Please let me go."

    Her body was small, but the hat of her clothes was huge so that it seemed she hid her face in the hat when she dropped her head. Her face couldn¡¯t be seen totally. This made the guard think there was a problem with her.

    "You are trying to hide something. Move your hat away!" The guard said as using the knife edge to poke towards her hat. Sharp knife scared Ning Xueyan but she remained where she was and exined, "My highness, I¡¯m not interrupting on purpose. If you don¡¯t believe me, I can go back now and wait until you leave, then go out doing my job."

    She couldn¡¯t let the hat go away, or else, they would find out she was a girl.

 Chapter 30 Meeting Third Prince with Soft Talking

    "Move the hat away! It is an order! How dare you!" Ning Xueyan¡¯s reaction annoyed the guard. Using his sharp knife, the guard was about to kill her because nobody could do such things in front of Prince Yi.

    Prince Yi¡¯s arrogance was unexpected. His guard was even more arrogant than him. If the knife fell on her neck, she would die! She shunned back in panic and suddenly shouted loudly, "Inmand of my lord, I inquire for Prince Yi!" Ning Xueyan gritted her teeth tightly.

    Ghosts were difficult to deal with but it was easier to see Hades. Now that she was here, nothing could be worse.

    With someeliness, Ning Xueyan¡¯s voice sounded tender like a girl, which was also alluring. So several men who were standing by the door were attracted and they came towards her. An elegant man in a white suit walked ahead.

    Inside the carriage with a long curtain, cold eyes fell upon Ning Xueyan¡¯s pure face at the same time. Looking carefully at her pale little face, Ao Chenyi smiled slightly showing his bloody interest in her.

    She was truly an interesting and bold girl. He thought it was fun.

    After her shouting, the guards had nothing to do with her, they even got sweaty on their foreheads. They didn¡¯t expect her to be brave enough to disturb Prince Yi. The cold eyesight came from that side meant Ao Chenyi was aware. The guards threw away their swords, then knelt on the ground.

    "Which manor are you in?" The man in white asked after reaching here and looked Ning Xueyan up and down. His eyes were full of doubts.

    The man in front of him seemed delicate. It could be told from the pale face and light-colored lip that he wasn¡¯t in good health. But his beautiful facial features, especially his dark eyes astonished him. He thought the man was too thin so the hat seemed oversize, which would cover almost all the forehead. The clothes were also huge for the man, making him look thinner.

    This was an extremely delicate servant, who would want him? Maybe he was sick.

    To some extent, he was right!

    Was this Prince Yi? Ning Xueyan felt something wrong. He talked slowly and his eyes were warm and gentle, unlike Prince Yi described by the rumor.

    "How dare you! Reply to Third Prince now!" The guard beside shouted angrily at her.

    Third Prince? Ning Xueyan took a breath with a little relief. Unlike the ruthless Prince Yi, Third Prince got a good reputation. Everyone knew he was quite gentle and elegant.

    It would be better if he wasn¡¯t Prince Yi.

    Noticing him looking her up and down, Ning Xueyan lowered her head and said with respect, "Ie from Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. My Fifth Young Lady lives in the manor so Ie from there to deliver some stuff in themand of Madam Dowager. Now I¡¯m about to return."

    "Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?" Third Prince couldn¡¯t think of who it was. He looked at him again with frowning. It is unexpected that such a small body had the courage to speak loudly in front of his royal uncle. So he asked curiously, "Did you just say your master wanted to meet my uncle?"

    "All I want was to get out of here. But the guard thinks I sneak in and want to kill me. So I have to say this but it is not true. Mydy doesn¡¯t want to meet Prince Yi." Ning Xueyan said.

    Ning Xueyan exined it slick. She was afraid that Third Prince didn¡¯t believe her. So she raised her head looking at him with profound dark eyes twinkling. Her face was full of sincerity.

    "It turns out that you take this as an excuse to send the guards away!" Third Prince burst intoughter because he didn¡¯t expect the delicate servant¡¯s answer would be like this. The servant was smart and funny, so it was no wonder that he was wanted in spite of his weakness.

    "No, it¡¯s because I¡¯m scared that I would be killed. I still got work to do, I can¡¯t die here." Ning Xueyan said proudly.

    "Oh, are you sure that I won¡¯t kill you?" Seeing her opened dark eyes under the long eyesh, Third Prince got more interested in her.

    "It is acknowledged that the Third Prince is generous and kind. You care about the servants so you won¡¯t punish me for telling the truth. If you don¡¯t believe what I said, you can send people to ask our Fifth Young Lady." Ning Xueyan said.

    Fawning on him wouldn¡¯t do harm to her. Besides, if Third Prince really sent someone to ask, Lanning and Qingyu wouldn¡¯t let the cat out of the bag. Ning Xueyan fawned on Third Prince at the same time of telling the truth. It wouldn¡¯t be wrong.

    "Ha-ha, you are funny. What¡¯s your name?" Third Princeughed.

    "My name is Little Yan." Ning Xueyan said randomly.

    "Little Yan? What an interesting name!" Third Prince said as nodding. He thought this servant was a funny man with a funny name. He wondered whether Fifth Young Lady gave the name. It seemed she could be a wonderful person, too.

    He came here to ask about something. He didn¡¯t mean toe across this funny guy but he knew he couldn¡¯t dy. When he was about to release Ning Xueyan, a eunuch came from the carriage side.

    "Third Prince, Prince Yi asked me to take this man for a talk." The eunuch said with a long voice,ughing.

    "He is just an ordinary servant in panic. He was in a hurry just now, so it will be unnecessary to bother my uncle." Third Prince said frowning a little. Some mystery shed through his eyes.

    "The servant of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is exactly the one my highness is about to question." The eunuch said with a sharp voice while falling his eyes upon Ning Xueyan.

    When it came to this, Third Prince couldn¡¯t stop it anymore.

    "Kid, you are super bold! Stand up and follow me to meet my highness." The eunuch had a fake smile and said after looking her up and down for a while.

    The eunuch left for the carriage without waiting for her standing up.

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t expect the attention of Prince Yi. Her heart beat abnormally. She looked at the gorgeous carriage in distance with hesitation. She stood up as her eyes flickering. Thinking of Prince Yi¡¯s prestige, she couldn¡¯t stop being scared. Ao Chenyi wouldn¡¯t be as kind as Third Prince.

    Seeing her pathetic look, Third Prince couldn¡¯t hold the words anymore, "Don¡¯t be afraid. You can tell my uncle the truth. He won¡¯t me you."

    Ning Xueyan nodded and hesitated to go toward the carriage. She had a horrible instinct and sighed by heart. She prayed that Prince Yi wasn¡¯t the one she saw that day. Because that man was hard to get along with and he saw her so it was impossible to trick him.

    Standing before the lenient carriage, Ning Xueyan saw huge curtains were hung over. She came closer but couldn¡¯t see clearly his face. The eunuch shouted at her, "It is your Highness! Knees on the ground!"

    Someone hit her hard from behind. Ning Xueyan staggered a little then tumbled on the ground. Ignoring the pain, she hurried to kneel in tendency. She saw his ck clothes with embroidering glossy bright gold strings and some red flower shadow on it. It gave her a hit then she felt horrible. The royal she was afraid to see again was now in front of her. They came across at Cold Mountain Temple.

    How could she not feel bad? She had the thought that this prince could be the famous Prince Yi. But except for him, she couldn¡¯t think of any other prince could make Ning Zu¡¯an act with his most respect.

    However, when she thought about it again, she figured, with high status as Prince Yi, he wouldn¡¯te to grieve for her mom. So she excluded the answer. However, now she saw his ck clothes with striking red and gold on it. She ended up with no doubt.

    "You are the servant of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?" Ao Chenyi¡¯s voice was as cold as the first Ning Xueyan heard of it. There was no warmness in it. This could frighten people well.

    "Yes, I am. I¡¯m here for Fifth Young Lady. I¡¯m in themand of her so I¡¯m about to return to the manor." Ning Xueyan said lowering her head down. It¡¯s the only way that she continued her story and tried to hide.

    "The servant of Fifth Young Lady? Let me see your face." Prince Yi said coldly.

    "I... I¡¯m ugly. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll be in shock so I can¡¯t raise my head." Ning Xueyan said earnestly but her hands trembled. Although Prince Yi might not recognize her because they only had a small chat that day, she couldn¡¯t raise her head. She pretended to be a servant now and Ao Chenyi was a busy man. And she knew he could meet dozens of people every day. But she¡¯s worried so it would be better he didn¡¯t see her face again.

    "Since you are ugly, you are useless. I can ask someone to drag you out and kill you, in case you defiled my eyes." Ning Xueyan heard Prince Yi¡¯s cold snort clearly. She was stupefied. It was unexpected that Prince Yi was such a cruel man. He wanted her life for one sentence only.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s hands were held by two arms which were as hard as the steel. She believed Ao Chenyi wasn¡¯t bluffing. If she answered himte, she would be dead.

    "My Highness, I¡¯m humble. And I¡¯m truly ugly. You may see!" Despite being recognized, Ning Xueyan raised her head and shouted hastily.

    Her eyes in panic looked into Ao Chenyi¡¯s dark eyes. Prince Yi¡¯s eyes were totally ck with coldness inside. He looked like the demon from hell. You saw him once, you could never relive.

    Even though it was the second time she saw him, Ning Ziyan couldn¡¯t help trembling. This man made people scared. With the gruesome smile on his face, he could warp space and cause the dread. His handsome face gave people heartquake with that smile.

    "You are Fifth Young Lady¡¯s servant?" Prince Yi asked coldly with an uncertain smile. His looking her up and down made her feel something cold and ropy swept over her body.

    Squinting around, Ning Xueyan found two eunuchs who repressed her before were back-off reverently. They blinded the Third Prince¡¯s curious eyes.

    Ning Xueyan knew Ao Chenyi recognized her. They were in a crowd now, she didn¡¯t know whether she should say yes or no. He was Prince Yi, so Lying to him was the same as lying to the emperor. Ning Xueyan couldn¡¯t call herself the ve any longer. Unlike Third Prince, Prince Yi would kill her without hesitation if she did anything wrong.

 Chapter 31 Killing Intent Flashes

    Thinking about it, Ning Xueyan took a bowl to Prince Yi and said, "Your Highness, your favor will be carved on my bones."

    She conveyed her appreciation to Prince Yi and also admitted who she was.

    Prince Yi suddenly burst intoughter. He used his hand for supporting the forehead. And his fingers which were white as the jade glided over his ck robe but his beautiful voice was cold as hell.

    "Twice!"

    It wasn¡¯t a question, it was an affirmative sentence. Prince Yi was telling Ning Xueyan that he had certainly helped her twice. No matter she admitted it or not, when he thought it was, then it must be. He was the boss.

    Would he need anyone¡¯s favor? She couldn¡¯t imagine what the favor would be, maybe it would cost her life.

    Ning Xueyan felt her hands, which was hidden in the sleeves, trembling and swallowed some saliva unconsciously. Prince Yi¡¯s peaceful eyesight seemingly focused on her with the treacherousness, and she could sense it moved on her tender skin inch by inch as a sharp sword poking into her frail neck.

    This truly frightened her!

    Ning Xueyanposed herself. Trying hard to repress her fear, she raised her head and made eye contact with Prince Yi¡¯s beautiful cold eyes, saying, "Your Highness, if you don¡¯t ask me here, I¡¯ve already been released by Third Prince."

    This meant, she refused his generous favor! Ning Xueyan thought she would be out of danger by now if Prince Yi didn¡¯t take her here. Now he caught her first, and released next. In the end, did he want her to regard it as a favor?

    Seriously?

    Seeing her bloodless bitten lip and the stubbornness in her jade-dark eyes, Prince Yi could feel her deep fear. But it seemed she didn¡¯t n to capitte. He smiled slightly.

    His jade-like hands reached out and stayed at her front, lifting her sharp chin. He stared at her peaceful jade-dark eyes smiling significantly with sudden coldness, "Not again!"

    His face confronted Ning Xueyan¡¯s beautiful face with bloodthirsty coldness.

    It was not apromise! It was a warning!

    "Yes...never again." Ning Xueyan said without noticeable pause although she halted a little. She looked at him, trying hard to keep calm under his strong oppression. The eyesight from this incredibly handsome man scared her deeply.

    "If you did such thing again..." Prince Yi withdrew his hands from her chin and didn¡¯t go on talking. His hands skimmed over her delicate neck, with his sword-like fingers stained with venom. The fingers were so cold that he would kill her with mild strength.

    Prince Yi showed satisfaction when he saw her pupils magnifying.

    Then he released her. He waved, suggesting her leaving.

    Seeing the troops went into Cold Mountain Temple, Ning Xueyan got refreshed. Even though she seemed peaceful just now, only she knew the sweat under her vest. Now the wind blew over, she felt colder. She had no doubt that the hands on her neck minutes ago would take her life instantly.

    At that moment, she sensed his intent on killing her clearly!

    If she didn¡¯t talk along with his way, and guaranteed to pay for his favor, she would be dead already.

    Prince Yi, Ao Chenyi, what a fathomless and ruthless man he was!

    She needed to be more careful!

    After the renewal, Ning Xueyan understood the importance of life more. She didn¡¯t finish her revenge and she knew Madam Ling was hard to break down, so she couldn¡¯t die for the unknown cause now. She might avenge herself with the help of powerful Prince Yi.

    Once the thought appeared in her mind, it disappeared quickly!

    She wanted to use Prince Yi for her own revenge unless she was ready to die! Maybe she would be killed by him before she could borrow his power.

    Shili Pavilion in the suburb was necessary to enter and leave the capital. Ning Xueyan arrived there early. ording to the time that Mother Han said, she found she still got hours before her uncle came, so she sat down.

    Soon after her sitting down, she saw a carriage moved slowly towards her. There wasn¡¯t any sign on the carriage, but it could be told from the number of maids and older female servants aside that the personage inside was rich or respectable. The carriage stopped and a handsome young man got off the horse behind the carriage. He nced at Ning Xueyan then turned around, walking to the carriage.

    With the curtain lifted, a maid and an older female servant jumped off, then a noblewoman who was about 30 years old came out and got off the carriage supported by the young man¡¯s hands. She raised her head and took a look of the sky, then nned to go into the pavilion without talking.

    "Madam, my young master, someone was there!" Instead of kicking Ning Xueyan out forthwith like the other bureaucracy family, the older female servant went back to report because she went first to check on the pavilion. And she found Ning Xueyan upied the only stone table.

    "Please ask her whether we can have a table!" The young man said impatiently taking one look at Ning Xueyan, but the tender madam didn¡¯t speak.

    This was also the same. Although they were polite, they wouldn¡¯t sit with a servant. Ning Xueyan was in a manservant robe now, so she would leave the table for them no matter what. She couldn¡¯t lead them to suspect her.

    "Hey, bro, can you make a concession?" The older female servant came close to her and asked politely.

    Ning Xueyan nodded then stood up. She sat by the railing of the pavilion then.

    Their maids put some brocade over the stone chairs and served tea. Madam and the young man sat down. It seemed they were waiting for someone. Several older female servants stood by the roadside. Madam waved her hands, telling the other servants to step aside. Only she and the young man were left in the pavilion.

    "Who is your master? Are you also waiting for someone here?" The tender madam asked Ning Xueyan after sitting down and drinking some tea. She seldom saw a servant waiting here without the master.

    "Ie from Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. I¡¯m here for our great-uncle." Ning Xueyan answered loudly while standing up. She must tell the truth because her uncle would be here soon. They would suspect her identity.

    Madam Ming was Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s first wife, of course, her brother was Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s great-uncle.

    The face of the young man aside became darker. He snorted coldly. Ning Xueyan had no idea what she did to piss him off. Why did he look so irksome? So awkward!

    "Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? Does your marquis ask you to pick up your great-uncle?" This astounded the madam, but she asked gently.

    "Not my Marquis, It¡¯s my Fifth Young Lady who asked me here. Mydy hears her uncle wille to the capital today, so she let me wait for him here." Ning Xueyan said with a slight smile. Although she was in manservant¡¯s robe, her jade-dark eyes and exquisite facial features attracted people.

    Even the handsome young man, who turned away and looked at her with great impatience, couldn¡¯t help looking at her more.

    "Have your Fifth Young Lady still been in Cold Mountain Temple now?" The madam asked frowning. She took a close look at Ning Xueyan¡¯s over-exquisite pale face. Some unknown doubts and mysteries shed by in her eyes, but her tone was still gentle.

    Ning Xueyan knew shrewdly that the madam in front of her paid much attention to her, but she had a good feeling on her inexplicably. She didn¡¯t hide anything from the madam.

    "My Fifth Young Lady is in Cold Mountain Temple now. She hears her uncle wille today, so asks me to wait here." Ning Xueyan said.

    "I thought yourdy was capable of anything! Now she retreats in order to advance, but where was she before? She can¡¯t even protect her own mother. Useless!" The young man interrupted the madam¡¯s conversation and said with anger staring at Ning Xueyan. It looked like Ning Xueyanmitted a great crime. This astonished Ning Xueyan to speechless looking at him with shock.

    "Hua¡¯er, be polite!"

    "Mother, I¡¯m telling the truth. I heard before that Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was an ipetent girl. However, looking at her now, she understands how to avoid opponents¡¯ sharpness. It is obvious that she is smart. In spite of her cleverness, she can¡¯t protect her own mom. Now, does she feel embarrassed about having a helper?"

    The handsome young man waved angrily. He was pissed off seemingly with his eyes filled with rage.

    Ning Xueyan really confused what was going on here. She tried to figure out what she had done to get him there, but she couldn¡¯t. She didn¡¯t remember she knew him. Not to mention how to piss him off. But he regarded her as an enemy.

    "Hua¡¯er, if you do this again, you go to talk to him yourself when you see your father." The madam said with her face darkened when she saw her son talking without thinking.

    Her words confused Ning Xueyan, but the handsome young man seemed to understand and became quiet. The way how he looked at Ning Xueyan was still with hatred. If Ning Xueyan weren¡¯t herself, she would think she did something horrible to him, causing his great anger.

    "Does Fifth Young Lady ask you to take the man to Cold Mountain Temple?" The madam asked gently. She dropped her eyes, then raised her head with a smile reshowed on her face.

    "My Fifth Young Lady has to talk to her uncle, so she asks me to take a message. "Ning Xueyan said as winking with a smile. She definitely couldn¡¯t wait here aboveboard as Fifth Young Lady. Or else, she would be caught by Madam Ling. This would damage her and her uncle in the future, making them passive.

    "Does Fifth Young Lady know she has an aunt in the capital?" The madam signed and looked at Ning Xueyan with soft eyes. There was some obscurity in her eyes.

    Her aunt? Ning Xueyan was surprised and raised her head suddenly. She looked at the madam in wonder. The madam was smiling slightly with mercy in her eyes. All her gestures meant she was the aunt of Ning Xueyan.

    Her uncle had guarded the frontier over ten years and never returned. How was it possible that her aunt was in the capital?

    Madam Ming never talked about her uncle¡¯s family to Ning Xueyan. If Mother Han didn¡¯t bring up, Ning Xueyan wouldn¡¯t know she had an uncle who loved her by now. Now that her uncle was at the board all these years and nobody reached out to her mother when Ning Xueyan was in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she assumed her aunt followed her uncle to the frontier.

    But who was the madam in front of her? Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes fell upon the young man¡¯s face who was beside the madam opening his eyes wide with shock. He looked her up and down, and his eyes seemed the same as her mother¡¯s so it was apparent they two had blood connection. Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t look closely just now because he was a man after all.

 Chapter 32 The Reunion of the Niece and Uncle

    "Come here, sit down." The madam showed thin happiness on her face withplex emotion emerging from the bottom of her eyes. There was a little sadness in her eyes. She reached out to point at the stone chair aside asking Ning Xueyan to sit down.

    "Yes, thanks a lot, my aunt!" Ning Xueyan calmed down immediately from the shock. The aunt in front of her was a smart woman. She might suspect Ning Xueyan¡¯s identity already, so she tested her by words all along. Ning Xueyan was aware that her pale face and the infirm body was the defect to lead to people¡¯s suspicions of her identity.

    However, Ning Xueyan was short-staffed. Although her two maids were gumptious, she still needed to handle something herself. She had no choice but to disguise as a manservant using a roomy robe to cover her track. But any experienced man could tell she was a skinny sick girl.

    "Yan¡¯er, he is your uncle¡¯s son, you can call him Brother Hua. Hua¡¯er, this is your Sister Yan." The madam introduced them to each other.

    "Nice to see you, younger sister Yan," Hua¡¯er said indifferently after waking up from the shock. His lip was curved with taunt. He looked her up and down and said," Sister Yan¡¯s robe was so beautiful that luckily my mother was sharp-eyed to notice you. Otherwise, we will miss you."

    Ning Xueyan really didn¡¯t know why her cousin was angry at her. She lifted her pretty eyes and smiled, holding no grudge against him. "So d to see you, my brother Hua."

    Seeing Ning Xueyan saluted him with a good attitude, Ming Yuanhua couldn¡¯t stump her more. He snorted and turned around, ignoring Ning Xueyan. He seemed so angry. Even though he looked like one or two years older than Ning Xueyan, he was childish like a kid. Ning Xueyan felt funny.

    Her cousin truly didn¡¯t like her! And he showed her dislike all over his face!

    "Madam, my young master, the lord ising! The lord ising!" Some older female servants who stood by the road screamed abruptly. One of them even ran as screaming.

    Three people in the pavilion stood up immediately looking towards the crossing in excitement together. Some horses appeared indistinctly in the dust, running to them fast...

    Five or six horses stopped at the Shili Pavilion together. Ning Xueyan just saw clearly that a middle-aged man of about 40 years old was ahead. He lifted his leg getting off expertly and strode into the pavilion. Madam Ming walked to him excitedly with her hands, which held a handkerchief, trembling.

    She was a sedate woman but couldn¡¯t help herself now.

    "My lord...you...you are back!" She said whimpering. The tears shed through her eyes making them red.

    "Yan? Why are you here?" Ming Feiyong didn¡¯t expect his wife would be here, so he was surprised. He wrote a letter saying that he woulde back, but they needn¡¯t pick him up because he wanted to talk to his niece first.

    "I...I¡¯m here for you...you." Madam Ming stammered. She was so excited that her tears dropped ceaselessly. Her husband stayed at the frontier over a decade and never returned before. Usually, they could get his letters only. Hearing he coulde back, she couldn¡¯t wait to see him arriving here early with her son for seeing him soon.

    "Don¡¯t cry. You are an adult. Kids wouldugh at you. Is this...Hua¡¯er? Look, how big he is!" Seeing his wife¡¯s tears, Ming Feiyong felt heartache and reached out to wipe her tears gently. His face looked tender. He threw his eyes on Ming Yuanhua. It made him feel good that his son was vigorous and robust.

    "Father, my dear father. How¡¯s everything going?" Ming Yuanhua was moved to see his mother crying. His lip trembled a little, and then he saluted his father with respect. He grew up along with his father¡¯s stories, which his mother told him. Knowing his father was a general so he must stay with the troops, he was proud of him. But when his father really appeared in front of him, he wasn¡¯t so excited.

    "Okay, okay...everything was good!" Ming Feiyong answered, showing tears in his eyes. He pulled his son near him then pped his shoulder hard with mixed feelings. If he had the choice, he wouldn¡¯t stay there for that long. And in the duration, he never came back once.

    Ming Feiyong¡¯s eyes fell on thest person here. Dressing like a manservant, Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t catch his attention at the beginning. But he remembered his family sat with this servant just now. It meant he wasn¡¯t ordinary. He withdrew his eyesight suddenly after seeing the bloodless pale face.

    "Uncle, I¡¯m Yan¡¯er." Ning Xueyan said. She didn¡¯t know why she wanted to cry with them. Seeing their reunion, she had red eyes, too. It was supposed to be a happy scene, but she dropped her head for glossing over her excitement. When she raised her head again, there was a soft smile on it.

    "Yan¡¯er?" Ming Feiyong moved his hands away from Ming Yuanhua¡¯s shoulder. He strode to her, lifting his lip slightly with the fortitude.

    "Yes, my uncle, I¡¯m Yan¡¯er! My mom... she..." Ning Xueyan couldn¡¯t keep on talking biting her lip. For her, she was not only Ning Ziying, but also Ning Xueyan now. Everything Ning Xueyan went through was like her experience. So in her heart, she already regarded Madam Ming as her own mother. She was so moved to look at Ming Feiyong now.

    She only felt her nose sore and was about to cry. Being reborn, she never felt like this way even when she confronted Prince Yi. She even couldn¡¯t say the word "died" now.

    "My good girl, no more talking. I¡¯ve known it all about your mom." Ming Feiyong was definitely a broadly experienced general. He was calm now and looked Ning Xueyan up and down, reaching out to touch her head. He sighed and consoled her, "I know. I know it all. My good girl, you suffered a lot!"

    "Uncle, I¡¯m not. My mom did." Trying hard to repress her pain, Ning Xueyan raised her pale face forcing a smile.

    "Are you dressed like this for avoiding their eyes on you?" Ming Feiyong understood after seeing her clothes. He nodded and appreciated that Ning Xueyan was clever. He was worried that she might be cowardly. Now he sighed with relief. Sure thought the rumor wasn¡¯t true.

    "Don¡¯t worry, my lord. Please sit down and have a cup of tea first." Madam Ming suggested as she walked towards them with red eyes. She served Ming Feiyong a cup of tea herself.

    The family sat together again. Several maids were ordered to be out of the pavilion. Some trusted guards stood outside the pavilion, too. Ning Xueyan rxed her hands and stood beside Ming Feiyong instead of sitting down. They were in Shili Pavilion now. It would be a broad vision if someone looked in the distance. Ning Xueyan was overwhelmed just now, so she sat down with Madam Ming. Now she was aware of this so that she wouldn¡¯t make the same mistake again.

    The people of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor couldn¡¯t know she was here to meet her uncle.

    Ming Feiyong saw her movement and appreciated her. He didn¡¯t expect Ning Xueyan to be such a thoughtful woman in her age. She was tactical, although her body was weak. He got another heartache and hated Lord Protector¡¯s Manor more.

    He couldn¡¯t imagine how his younger sister and niece¡¯s life in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor looked like. It made a skinny young girl mature!

    "Uncle, there are all Madam Ling¡¯s staffs in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. After mother¡¯s death, Marquis didn¡¯t punish Madam Ling. If I¡¯m not careful enough, you will be notified of my death for illness soon." Ning Xueyan exined. She could tell Ming Feiyong¡¯s pity in his eyes feeling a bit distress, but she forced a smile with more courage in her eyes.

    It was hard for her to deal with Madam Ling, but it was easy for Madam Ling to kill her.

    Ning Xueyan deliberately helped Ning Ziyan find Chen Hexiang before and let Chen Hexiang enter Xia Manor for her revenge, of course. However, she couldn¡¯t hurt Ning Ziyan for now because Madam Ling wouldn¡¯t spare her easily. So she needed to get rid of Madam Ling first, then went after Ning Ziyan and Xia Yuhang.

    Ning Xueyan knew how vicious Madam Ling was. If she showed any hatred to her, Madam Ling would be ruthless and kill her immediately. Her mother was gone so nobody would stand out for her in the manor. Nobody would care if she died for no reason like her mother.

    Madam Dowager only cared about Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s dignity and wealth. She ended her rtionship with Ning Xueyan years ago. Now Madam Dowager seemed to treat her well, butpared with other granddaughters, Ning Xueyan was nothing so Madam Dowager wouldn¡¯t take the risk of pissing off Madam Ling for Ning Xueyan.

    Therefore, Ning Xueyan needed to be more careful to make sure her safety. Only when she was alive, she could avenge herself and her mother and dragged her enemies into the bloody hell.

    Blood for blood. She never forgot the despair produced by her death.

    Designing by step, leading them to death one by one would be all in her rebirth.

    "Pa" Ming Feiyong hit the stone table hard so that the table shook and almost fell down. He scolded, "Dare him!" If his sister didn¡¯t decide to pretend to have a good life there and had a fight with him asking him to leave her alone, he wouldn¡¯t ignore her for so long.

    "Uncle, please don¡¯t be angry. I won¡¯t let them bully me in the future." Ning Xueyan said gently. She really felt close to this uncle. Just like Mother Han said, her uncle loved her so much. And when he talked about her mom, his eyes turned red with the pain in them. So she was sure he sincerely loved her and her mom.

    Ning Xueyan was relieved a lot now.

 Chapter 33 Emergency, Madam Dowager Arrives

    Ning Xueyan was very relieved now.

    She took out a thick stack of letters from her arms, delivering them to Ming Feiyong. She had been out for a long time and was afraid that someone from Lord Protector¡¯s Manor woulde to see her. Lanning might be unable to handle this so she had to return now. She said, "Uncle, I found these letters in my mother¡¯s secret dresser. I don¡¯t know whether or not they¡¯re useful to you so please keep them for me because they are not safe with me."

    The letters were brought to her recently by Mother Han¡¯s staff. They were hidden in her mother¡¯s dresser. Ning Xueyan never saw Ning Zu¡¯ane to Bright Frost Garden to see Madam Ming when she lived there. So Madam Ming never did any decorating and the dresser was covered in dust. Mother Han and Ning Xueyan did not notice it before. However, after someone always came to check Madam Ming¡¯s things, they found something wrong there.

    Mother Han sent everyone away and checked everything carefully. Then she found these letters from the secret dresser so she delivered them to Cold Mountain Temple at night. She needed Ning Xueyan to make a decision. Ning Xueyan opened them all and found a few contracts from stores and some silver coins in them. This might be her mother¡¯s dowry.

    Looking at the letters, Ning Xueyan had no idea that Madam Ming¡¯s dowry was sorge. Compared with hers, Ning Ziying, Ning Xueyan¡¯s previous incarnation, had no reason to be killed for a dowry, so she suspected the cause of her death had another reason.

    What surprised Ning Xueyan was thest paper, it was a contract with Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s and Madam Ming¡¯s fingerprints on it. But under theirs, there was another vague fingerprint, which belonged to Madam Ling. This contract could be regarded as the symbol of Madam Ming¡¯s status.

    If her uncle wanted to redress the grievance for his sister, this was fit for the entry point. Madam Ling also thought she was the noble marchioness so she oppressed Ning Xueyan¡¯s mother all along so that Madam Ming was restricted to live in the backyard. And Madam Ling still did not let her off. She poisoned her thinking everything was settled down.

    But Ning Xueyan, who was reborn, would destroy her.

    "Madam Ling, the crime youmitted on me and Madam Ming, I will make you pay for that gradually! One day, I will make your life a living hell!"

    Shili Pavilion was not a good ce to talk, so Ning Xueyan only expressed the key points, then she excused herself. Ming Feiyong knew he could not keep her here for long. He told her to be cautious, and if she needed anything she could send someone to take a message to him. Madam Ming held her hands gently saying the same words over and over.

    Only Ming Yuanhua snorted at her indifferently and loathed her deeply. Even now, Ning Xueyan could not figure out what she did to him. But he went near her specifically and said, "Be careful! Don¡¯t die for no reason!"

    Ning Xueyan felt he was funny. He was a weird man, so even the way he expressed his concern was weird as well.

    Back at Cold Mountain Temple, everything was silent now. She wondered whether Prince Yi had left, but that had nothing to do with Ning Xueyan. She saw a maid of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor squint at the crowd. She had to run back to the yard along a secluded path and got into the room from the back window hurriedly.

    "Finally, mydy," Qingyu said happily when she saw Ning Xueyan¡¯s face. She had been so worried. Then, she helped herdy get in and get rid of the manservant¡¯s clothes.

    "Is Madam Dowager here?" Ning Xueyan asked while panting. Her body was weak so she felt ill after running.

    "Yes. I heard from the people in the manor that Madam Dowager woulde to burn some incense after you leave. I¡¯m so worried. Lanning is waiting for you at the front, you didn¡¯t see her." Qingyu took off Ning Xueyan¡¯s robe quickly and put the clothes under the bed. She supported Ning Xueyan to lie down.

    "I saw Madam Dowager¡¯s maid in the front, so I ran back as quickly as I could. Lanning may be with Madam Dowager now." Ning Xueyan thought about it. Lanning saw Madam Dowager instead of her at the door, so she had to be stalling now. "What did you tell them?" Ning Xueyan asked.

    "I told Madam Dowager you are sick so you haven¡¯t gotten up yet," Qingyu said. She calmed down and wiped the sweat on her forehead.

    She was in a panic with Lanning. If the maids or older female servants came here, they could say that the Fifth Young Lady fell asleep and was sick so she could not see them. But if Madam Dowager wanted to see Ning Xueyan, the maids could not stop her. So Lanning waited outside, hoping Ning Xueyan woulde back soon.

    In the morning, the powerful Prince Yi came to Cold Mountain Temple with the Third Prince. Now Madam Dowager of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor came here also. Ning Xueyan saw many different carriages in the parking lot when she entered the temple. So, even though it was quiet at the doorway, there were a lot of people inside.

    Has anything happened here?

    When Ning Xueyan was thinking of that, the voices of the maids and older female servants were heard. "Be careful, Madam Dowager." "The steps!" "Madam Dowager..." She knew that many people wereing.

    "Qingyu, give me a cold handkerchief so that I can wash my face!" Ning Xueyan said, leaning on a soft cushion and pointing at the handkerchief in the basin.

    "Mydy, the water is so cold!" Qingyu said with shock.

    "I can¡¯t wait. If Madam Dowager sees me lying here with a healthy face, she will suspect me." Ning Xueyan said. Because she was running just now, her face looked better than when she was in the pavilion. A hot face with a little blush on it did not look sick.

    "But mydy, you can¡¯t stand it..." Qingyu hesitated.

    "Come on, it will be better than death!" Ning Xueyan showed sharpness in her eyes. Of course she knew that the cold water would damage her body. She got sweaty first, then got cold. It was ate autumn day, if she used the cold handkerchief, her body would get worse. But she had to.

    She noticed Lanning¡¯s peaceful voice with anxiousness in it.

    Seeing Ning Xueyan insisting on this, Qingyu knew it was emergency now. The people got closer, so she grasped the cold handkerchief while gritting her teeth and gave it to Ning Xueyan. The moment Ning Xueyan put it on her face, she shook a little because of the coldness.

    Her body was too ill to take it. She could feel her shaking once the coldness entered her body.

    But she did not stop. She wiped her face hard and bit her lip. Blood emerged in her mouth so that she could keep conscious. She asked Qingyu to soak the handkerchief in the cold water again.

    She repeated it several times until the heat blew away. Ning Xueyany down with her hair disheveled. Her pale face was bloodless, not to mention any blush, and her body was trembling now. Qingyu noticed something wrong with her and wrapped her using a quilt while tears almost flowed out from Qingyu¡¯s eyes.

    The door opened when they finished those acts in a panic. Madam Dowager showed up with the maids and older female servants at the door. Lanning walked ahead to guide them. When she saw the bed gauze was lifted, she was relieved and almost fell down. She had been stalling again and again just now so Madam Dowager was not happy. So she had no choice but to take her here.

    It seemed that the Fifth Young Lady was back.

    Ning Xueyan was on the bed with her eyes closed. It was unclear whether or not she was dizzy, but it could be seen that she was not well. She forced herself to open her eyes and raised her head, pretending to be surprised when she saw Madam Dowager. She struggled to get up, seemingly supporting herself with the bed, but she was too weak, so she failed. She panted hard lying there.

    Qingyu and Lanning rushed to the bed and shouted. Ning Xueyan opened her eyes slightly and said weakly, "Grandmother." Then, she could not say anything more.

    Madam Dowager was unhappy just now because Ning Xueyan had been informed that she wasing but did not wait for her at the temple door. So, she showed her unhappiness all over her face.

    But when she saw that Ning Xueyan was sick on the bed, she turned around and looked at the older female servant behind her angrily because she had told her that Ning Xueyan had recovered from her illness. However, she got worse than when she was in the manor.

    The influence of Madam Ming¡¯s ident had not passed yet. Madam Dowager did not expect anything to happen to Ning Xueyan. She did not me her, seeing how sick she was. So, she asked other people to wait outside and she entered the room with two close maids.

    "My fifth granddaughter, what happened? How did you get worse? I heard that you had gotten better days ago," Madam Dowager said gently, sitting on a chair beside the bed.

    Qingyu and Lanning supported Ning Xueyan to sit upright. The cushion behind her was warm now. Qingyu knelt on the ground after Madam Dowager¡¯s question and said, "Madam Dowager, the Fifth Young Lady was better before. But she heard from the abbot that she must take a shower and change her clothes before copying the scripture. That would show her sincerity while she prayed for you and the family. She wrote until midnight yesterday and we couldn¡¯t stop her, so she became like this today."

    "Qingyu... stop talking..." Ning Xueyan said weakly. It seemed she tried to stop Qingyu, but she was too ill to do so. She could not catch her breath after talking.

    "Okay, my fifth granddaughter, please stop talking. Were the doctors asked?" Madam Dowager showed some kindness on her face after hearing Ning Xueyan had gotten sick due to praying for her, even though she did not like Ning Xueyan at all.

    "It happened in the morning. I nned to ask for a doctor but there were none in the temple. I heard a master was good at medicine here, so I was about to invite him. But some big shots came today, so I waited for a while and couldn¡¯t get in. I had no choice but to go to the front, and that¡¯s where I came across Madam Dowager." Lanning took over the conversation andpleted the whole story.

 Chapter 34 Ning Xueyan Goes to the Bamboo Forest after Dressing Up

    As soon as Ning Xueyan left, Lanning went to see with concern but encountered Prince Yi¡¯s guard of honor, so she quickly knelt beside the road. Then she knew that it was Prince Yi who came, knowing that most of the monks of Cold Mountain Temples went to greet him and would not have time to take care of other guests.

    "I¡¯ll go to see if Master Mingyue is there or not. If he¡¯s here, I¡¯ll invite him toe over and greet you. Don¡¯t rush to pray for me, take care of yourself first. Several dayster, Honored Consort Ya wille to the temple to enjoy the chrysanthemum and hold an appreciation grand meeting. Your sister, First Young Lady, has been married, and the Fourth Young Lady is not qualified. So, only you and Second Young Lady can enter the grand meeting. You have to keep a good body before the grand meeting."

    The Honored Consort Ya wasing to Cold Mountain Temple, so the temple had been busy recently.

    And, that was the reason why the madams anddies had alle here. But, why had Prince Yi and the Third Princee too? It could be said that the Third Prince came here to apany his mother. However, what was Prince Yi¡¯s reason? He was not like a good person who was willing to apany Honored Consort Ya to appreciate the flowers.

    Ning Xueyan thought about it in her mind, but her face didn¡¯t show her thoughts at all. She weakly raised her head and nodded hard. Although she was half-supported by Lanning, she still teetered. "Grandmother, I¡¯m in poor health. I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t go with my second sister!"

    She was not interested in the appreciation grand meeting at all. She cared more about the news that Honored Consort Ya woulde. It at least meant that that man woulde too.

    "You are the Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, how can you say that? Fine, I¡¯ll ask someone to send you medicine. You take a good rest. There are still a few days left. Before that, you put your body first." Madam Dowager was unhappy. She stood up and walked out while asking some maids to take some good herbs to Fifth Young Lady.

    Seeing that Madam Dowager had left, others left too. Ning Xueyan closed her eyes slightly and leaned against Lanning¡¯s arms, gasping, and then gently pushed Lanning away. "Go inquire about why these madams anddies havee!"

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t think that Madam Dowager should be so positive about Honored Consort Ya¡¯s chrysanthemum appreciation grand meeting. In the past, Honored Consort Ya held other chrysanthemum appreciation grand meetings. But, Madam Dowager had never participated. If Ning Lingyun was not qualified to take part in the grand meeting. What kind of person could take part in?

    It was not difficult to identify the reason. All those madams came to Cold Mountain Temple with their own daughters. It was said Honored Consort Ya was going to look for suitable wives for several princes during this chrysanthemum appreciation grand meeting. If there was an appropriate one, Honored Consort Ya would directly grant a marriage. Those princes were distinguished and would choose an Official Wife this time, so theers were Official Wife¡¯s daughters from a rich or noble family.

    Except for the Second Young Lady, Ning Yuling, only Ning Xueyan was an Official Wife¡¯s daughter in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. So, Madam Dowager would try her best to help the two take part in the chrysanthemum appreciation grand meeting. In Madam Dowager¡¯s opinion, it would be a great honor if they married the princes. So, now she gave multiple precious medicines to Ning Xueyan.

    Looking at the tonic on the table, Ning Xueyan sat up with Lanning¡¯s help. She squinted at the tonic, sarcasm shing in her eyes. Madam Ling was injured andying on her bed. So, her grandmother was in a hurry toe over and see Ning Xueyan when she heard that Honored Consort Ya was going to choose wives for the princes.

    That meant the Second Young Lady, Ning Yuling, wasing over!

    She could never forget how her sisters had humiliated her when she was ten. On that day, she yed in the yard and met Ning Yuling. The sinister Ning Yuling not only asked the maids to p her but also asked maids to take off her clothes. Ning Ziyan watched the fun from the side and Ning Lingyun, watching her holding her clothes and crying, saying it was fun.

    There were so many servants in the manor, but no one helped her. They just looked on coldly!

    She was ten years old at the time. Even though there were only older female servants who worked only for madams anddies when her clothes were taken off in public, her reputation and integrity would still be ruined. Ning Xueyan believed that her father, Ning Zu¡¯an, would never tolerate that and would kill her secretly and call it an illness.

    Fortunately, Madam Ming knew that and came from Bright Frost Garden. She pped Ning Yuling and saved Ning Xueyan from the hands of the maids. But, at the same time, Madam Ming also insulted Ning Yuling and was punished to keel in the ancestral hall. She knelt for three days and three nights and was brought to Bright Frost Garden until she fainted in the ancestral hall.

    After that, Madam Ming became weaker, and Ning Xueyan had never dared to leave Bright Frost Garden, bing cowardly and useless!

    But, Ning Yuling only had been reproached and it was said that she was not given money for one month!

    How ridiculous it was! Ning Yuling almost killed her but was only punished by having no money for a month. Her life was only worth some money. However, Madam Ming was almost tortured to death by Madam Ling because she had pped Ning Yuling. And Ning Zu¡¯an and Madam Dowager did nothing.

    Madam Ming was not favored by Ning Zu¡¯an, so she was bullied and scolded in the manor. Even if she was dead, no one would care about her. Since they all believed thew of jungle, Ning Xueyan would not shrink in fear. She had died once, so now she knew what would hurt them most.

    "How many princes live in the Cold Mountain Temple?" Ning Xueyan looked down and gently asked, her white fingers hooking a corner of the embroidered bed curtain.

    "Only the Third Prince and Prince Yi came. The whereabouts of Prince Yi is unknown. The people who guard there are too fierce, I wouldn¡¯t dare to inquire. The Third Prince lives in the middle courtyard on the right side. I have seen several Young Ladies of other manors walking around there from time to time."

    Lanning answered after thinking about it. In order to get more urate information, she went there to spy. But, she had no way to get close to Prince Yi¡¯s house. On the contrary, there were more girls that went to Third Prince. As long as they didn¡¯t bother the guards at the door and didn¡¯t intend to go into the yard, thosedies wouldn¡¯t be chased off.

    Ning Xueyan slightly frowned and was not sure why Prince Yi, Ao Chenyi, came.

    People of the Shu Kingdom knew that Prince Yi hadn¡¯t married since his fiancee died because of an illness before the marriage. The Emperor had mentioned it several times, but he rejected it every time. He said that he still loved his former fiancee and didn¡¯t want to get married. So, his marriage had been dyed.

    Would Honored Consort Ya choose an Official Wife for Prince Yi this time?

    After carefully thinking, Ning Xueyan thought that this idea was ridiculous. Who was Prince Yi? He was in such a high position. Honored Consort Ya had no right to interfere in his marriage.

    Ning Xueyan thought about it in her mind while getting up.

    "Fifth Young Lady, you just get better. Your body will be weak again if you get up now. You¡¯d better rest for two more days!" Lanning looked at her slightly flushed face, saying with worry.

    "I heard that Ning Yuling ising." Ning Xueyan said faintly, holding Qingyu¡¯s hands to stand up. She was still weak, so she almost fainted when she stood up but got better after a while.

    She must heal quicker. Madam Dowager had asked people to send many medicines to her over the past few days. The older female servant who sent the medicine repeatedly told her to raise her body and said that if she would be healthy, she would not have a good marriage and maybe she would be someone else¡¯s concubine.

    In addition, she praised Ning Xueyan¡¯s beauty. Ning Xueyan believed that the older female servant wouldn¡¯t dare to say that to her without Madam Dowager¡¯s order.

    What did it mean that she would be a concubine if she couldn¡¯t be someone else¡¯s Official Wife?

    This time, the Honored Consort Ya was going to look for an Official Wife for princes. Why had Madam Dowager mentioned the concubine?

    This was a threat, but also a warning, or even a notice!

    If she couldn¡¯t be someone else¡¯s Official Wife, it was likely that Madam Dowager would send her to someone else to be his concubine. In Madam Dowager¡¯s opinion, she must do something for the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, or her beauty would be wasted.

    Ning Xueyan had been bullied in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor for so many years. Later, she even didn¡¯t dare to leave Bright Frost Garden. Madam Dowager had never helped her in the past years. But, now seeing that Ning Xueyan was beautiful, she wanted to send her to someone else to be a concubine. Thinking of this, Ning Xueyan was full of hatred.

    "Dress me up, let¡¯s go to the bamboo forest in the back mountain." Ning Xueyan gritted her teeth, showing coldness in her eyes.

    After saying that, she sat in front of the dressing table. Seeing that she was firm, the maids began to dress up her. When she was dressing up, a servant sent by Madam Dowager came and saw Ning Xueyan had gotten up, happily saying that she would report it to Madam Dowager.

    Ning Xueyan said that she was still sick and would not go see Madam Dowager in order to not infect Madam Dowager, then asked the older female servant to express her apology to Madam Dowager.

    The older female woman promised, scrutinizing Ning Xueyan for a while, then went back to report it to Madam Dowager. She used to think that the Second Young Lady was the most beautiful, and didn¡¯t expect that the Fifth Young Lady who hadn¡¯t left Bright Frost Garden for four or five years was a real beauty. Even though she was sick now, she was still beautiful and attractive. She thought Madam Dowager¡¯s wish would be fulfilled.

    After dressing up, Ning Xueyan ate a little porridge and felt better. Then she went out with Qingyu. Qingyu carried an old zither that had been left by Madam Ming. Madam Ming used to use this to teach Ning Xueyan how to y the zither. This time Ning Xueyan brought it from the manor to the Cold Mountain Temple.

    The bamboo forest was at the foot of the back mountain, where there were no chrysanthemums. One would only see the chrysanthemums if he or she walked up. At this time, the bamboo leaves had been blown by the wind and it was depressing there. Nobody went to see the colorful chrysanthemums at this time but came to the bamboo forest.

    Holding Qingyu¡¯s hands, Ning Xueyan walked while looking at the scenery in front of her. The sun rode high in the sky at this time, so it was not cold. Ning Xueyan had had a fever for a few days, so now she was weak and had no strength. Although the bamboo forest was not too far away, she had to stop to rest several times and it took her longer than usual.

    Another path on the mountain road was steep and unreachable. It was one of the few dangerous ces there. A small yard was built on it, and the courtyard door was closed. Half of the yard connected with the rock on the side. So, from the bottom, it seemed that half of the yard was in mid-air. On the attic of the small yard, Ao Chenyi was reading the memorial. Suddenly, he became angry and threw away the memorial.

    It scared the two guards at the door and they immediately knelt down.

    "Catch Zuo Zhibing and decapitate him in public. Transport his male family members to the frontier juncture and send his female family members to the official whorehouse! Ao Chenyi showed a cold smile on his face, which frightened people.

    If anyone was familiar with the court, he or she would definitely be amazed now. Who was Zuo Zhibing? He was a Three-ss official. But, Prince Yi didn¡¯t investigate and ordered them to decapitate him and exterminate her entire family.

    "Your Highness, what if... if His Majesty asks about this...?" One of the guards asked with fear.

 Chapter 35 Its Said that the Third Prince is Friendly and Handsome

    Ao Chenyi¡¯s smile was ruthless. He leaned backwardzily, narrowed his eyes, and said, "Tell His Majesty I said that Zuo Zhibing intended to kill me and gossiped about the royal family. His crime is unforgivable. So I killed him to warn others."

    His voice was cold and indifferent. It seemed that he didn¡¯t know his words had determined the lives of hundreds of people.

    His words also showed that he hadn¡¯t negotiated with His Majesty before killing this official.

    The Emperor was the supreme master of a country. But this one, Prince Yi, dared to directly kill an official without His Majesty¡¯s permission. How arrogant he was.

    "Yes!" The guards did not dare to say more, respectfully nodded before they left.

    Ao Chenyi stood up and walked to the window, coldly looking out of the window. Suddenly, it seemed that he found something fun. He smiled and said profoundly, "What a funny little thing!"

    His gaze fell on Ning Xueyan, who was strolling with Qingyu¡¯s support. He heard that this little girl had been ill in order to gain Madam Dowager¡¯s trust. Now she went out before recovering from an illness. Who was she going to frame?

    "Your Highness, need me to invite her toe?" The eunuch standing on one side saw Ao Chenyi¡¯s smile and ttered.

    "No. It¡¯s rare to have something fun. I have to treat it carefully and keep it longer!" Ao Chenyi shook his hands, and his long eyshes fell, making him like a ruthless and bloodthirsty demon. What a bold and interesting little girl! She framed herself again and again without mercy.

    Prince Yi¡¯s smile frightened the guards who served and the eunuchs! It was not a good sign that Prince Yi felt something interesting.

    Ning Xueyan did not know that she had attracted a bloodthirsty demon.

    She was walking along the path to the bamboo forest. One side of her was bamboo, and the other side was a winding path. It was indeed a very quiet ce. Qingyu helped Ning Xueyan sat down on a slightly smooth stone to rest. This was the time for the Third Prince to go to the bamboo forest. These days, in order to avoid those youngdies, the Third Prince came here every day at the same time.

    In herst life, Ning Xueyan asionally learned from Xia Yuhang that the Third Prince liked bamboo, especially the bamboos of Cold Mountain Temple. He built a small thatched cottage in the depths of this bamboo forest and had a rest there every time he came to the Cold Mountain Temple.

    Xia Yuhang¡¯s conduct was bad, but he had excellent talent and learning was appreciated by the Third Prince, so he knew some of the Third Prince¡¯s hobbies. And Ning Xueyan felt that the rtionship between Xia Yuhang and the Third Prince was by no means simple.

    Ning Xueyan began to y the zither. The music was clear and crisp, spreading far in the bamboo forest. The Third Prince, who was walking, heard the sound and stopped, frowning and walking towards the sound.

    "Young Lady, you haven¡¯t recovered yet, how could youe here again? Here only are some bamboo, and they are not as beautiful as the chrysanthemums over there. If you really don¡¯t want to stay in the room, you can go to see the chrysanthemum with those girls!" Qingyu muttered as she handed the zither to Ning Xueyan.

    The cold wind blew and the bamboo forest was lush. It was cold here. This ce was really not suitable for a long-term sick person to rx.

    Ning Xueyan coughed with handkerchief covered her mouth and then said with a smile, "It¡¯s good here. We¡¯ll stay here. I used to stay in the Bright Frost Garden all the time and seldom saw bamboo. It¡¯s great to have a chance to see a bamboo forest. Bamboo is not as beautiful as chrysanthemum, but it¡¯s more charming."

    "Whatever. I can¡¯t understand. I just feel cold. You¡¯re still sick, what should we do if you be worse? Madam Dowager said you have to raise your body. It will be terrible if you miss the chrysanthemum appreciation grand meeting." Qingyu said with unhappiness.

    "It doesn¡¯t matter." Looking at Qingyu¡¯s unpleasant look, Ning Xueyan burst intoughter. She yed the zither and stopped after a second because of weakness. "There¡¯s my second sister. She is expected to marry the Third Prince by the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. I... If I really have to marry, I¡¯d rather marry an ordinary person and live a peaceful life. And I hope no one will bully us!"

    "The Second Young Lady? Fifth Young Lady, if the Second Young Lady really be the Consort of Prince, she will bully you even more." Qingyu recalled Ning Yuling¡¯s bullying on Ning Xueyan and became more indignant. Ning Yuling had done a lot of to Ning Xueyan, and almost killed her several times.

    "Qingyu, don¡¯t talk nonsense. Second sister... Anyway, she¡¯s thedy of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor... and she¡¯s also my sister. She can teach me. These words must not be heard by others, otherwise, her reputation will be damaged." Ning Xueyan¡¯s face sank and she said in a deep voice.

    She seemed to choke because she said in a hurry, and immediately coughed. With her Her in and simple clothes, she looked paler and weaker. She narrowed her eyes. Her delicate face made people pity her.

    They were talking about Ning... Yuling?

    The Third Prince, who came to the back of the bamboo grove, frowned when he heard that. He looked at the pale, gentle face, anger shing in his eyes. He didn¡¯t expect the Second Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Ning Yuling, to be such an evil girl and pretend to be graceful when she saw him in daily times.

    His mother had been deceived by her. If such a vicious woman who even bullied her bloody sister became his wife and entered his manor, it would in a mess in the future. The Third Prince¡¯s mother had repeatedly told him that Ning Yuling was gentle and beautiful and was the perfect candidate for the Consort of Prince.

    Unexpectedly, she was good at acting and was vicious!

    "Young Lady, I won¡¯t say that again... Don¡¯t get angry. I¡¯ll never that the Second Young Lady pushed you into the river because of envy and you almost was drowned. I¡¯ll keep my mouth shut. I hope that the Second Young Lady can sessfully be the Consort of the Third Prince. In this way, she won¡¯t bully you in the manor." Qingyu was frightened by the tremendous cough of Ning Xueyan. She supported Xueyan and patted her slim back path gently, saying with tears in her eyes.

    After a while, Ning Xueyan stopped coughing and wiped tears with her handkerchief. She was fragile now, so indeed she was too dispirited to y a song. She touched the zither gently with her fingers, but before it made a sound, Ning Xueyan already felt weak. She had to pat the zither with her fingers.

    "Qingyu, let¡¯s go back. I really have no strength." Ning Xueyan struggled to stand up and used up all her energy. She nced at the quiet path and secretly smiled. The way led to seclusion and the bamboo there was lush so that nothing could be seen clearly. But only when she came in, she heard the sound of footsteps.

    It seemed that the noble Third Prince heard what they said just now!

    "Okay, Young Lady, we¡¯ll go back now. Then you lie down to rest. Several dayster when the princes choose their wives, you have to go, otherwise, Madam Dowager will be unhappy." Qingyu took the zither and hung it on her shoulder, saying that with concern while holding Ning Xueyan. Actually, Qingyu also hoped that Ning Xueyan could marry a powerful husband. In this way, the Second Young Lady wouldn¡¯t dare bully Ning Xueyan.

    Looking at Qingyu¡¯s hopeful face, Ning Xueyan gently smiled and shook her head. "The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is so unpeaceful. Living in the royal family... will be more difficult for girls."

    "Young Lady, I heard that the Third Prince is handsome. People in the capital say that he¡¯s friendly and beautiful. Don¡¯t you like him?" Qingyu asked, feeling that the Third Prince was good. She thought that her Fifth Young Lady was good and maybe the Third Prince would like her.

    "Qingyu, you think too much!" Ning Xueyan looked at Qingyu¡¯s solemn look and said with a smile. "Even though the Third Prince is handsome, it¡¯s just his appearance. Good looking doesn¡¯t mean good character, just like..." Ning Xueyan¡¯s ck eyes turned around as if she was looking for a suitable analog.

    Qingyu¡¯s eyes suddenly became bright. "Just like the Second Young Lady. She¡¯s beautiful, but her character is bad."

    "Qingyu, you did it again!" Ning Xueyan said.

    "Sorry, I won¡¯t do that again. Young Lady, let¡¯s go fast. The is too strong here."

    "Okay, let¡¯s go!"

    The master and maid walked away slowly. When they couldn¡¯t be seen, the Third Prince came out with an unpleasant face, looking at Ning Xueyan¡¯s back thoughtfully. He came here to avoid thosedies in his courtyard. This time, all the noble or wealthy families became excited as soon as his father, His Majesty, spread the news that he was going to choose a consort.

    From the early morning, thosedies kept visiting him constantly. From time to time, someone said they were tired and wanted to have a drink. Some said they had fallen down and wanted toe in to have a rest. Their reasons were strange and diverse. The Third Prince felt annoyed and didn¡¯t like them at all.

    But unexpectedly, there was someone who didn¡¯t want to see him. "What does ¡¯good looking doesn¡¯t mean good character¡¯ mean? She was saying that my character was not as good as my looking." The Third Prince thought in mind. And he got angry when he realized that this beautiful, cleverdy didn¡¯t want to see him and avoided him like avoiding snakes and scorpions.

    What was more, her delicate and weak appearance made people pity her.

    Ning Xueyan finally returned to her own house with Qingyu. Then the two maids served her to rest. Lanning handed Ning Xueyan the medicine she had prepared earlier. After drinking, Ning Xueyan lied down and Lanning covered the quilt tightly. Until now, Ning Xueyan felt better.

    Her medicine was prescribed by a master in Cold Mountain Temple who was good at the medical skill. And it worked. After drinking for several times, Ning Xueyan felt much better. But because she was too weak, she hadn¡¯t recovered immediately. Today, she went out for a long time and became worse again.

    Lanning touched the Ning Xueyan¡¯s forehead and felt a little relieved. Fortunately, she didn¡¯t have a fever. Ning Xueyan¡¯s body couldn¡¯t bear more harm. In order to survive, Ning Xueyan, the daughter of Lord Protector¡¯s Official Wife, had done too many things and even hurt herself. Thinking of this, Lanning felt very sad, and her eyes became wet.

    "Lanning, you needn¡¯t apany me. I¡¯ll be better after sleeping." Ning Xueyan patted Lanning¡¯s hand. Looking at Lanning¡¯s look, she knew that Lanning thought her experience in the past again and smiled at her.

    "Yes." Lanning nodded and left, secretly wiping her eyes. Standing in the doorway, she took a deep breathed and became determined, thinking in mind, "Now I¡¯m guarding the Fifth Young Lady. She¡¯s clever and courageous. She will never do what her mother did. And such a tragedy will never happen again."

 Chapter 36 The Young Lady, Ning Yuling, Was Coming

    Everything was in silence in the room. Ning Xueyan dropped her eyes slightly, thinking she could be sure the one who had been at the end of the road was Third Prince. Ning Yuling had regarded herself as Third Prince¡¯s wife already. Ning Ziyan told Ning Xueyan many times before that Ning Yuling was Highest-ranking Imperial Concubine Ya¡¯s beloved girl, and was determined to be the wife of Third Prince in the future. Not only did she have the thought herself, but also Madam Dowager and Madam Ling had it.

    Ning Xueyan wondered whether it would drive Ning Yuling crazy if they were aware of what they nned fell through.

    Ning Xueyan noticed that Madam Dowager and Madam Ling still had time to get some benefits from her marriage with conspiracy. She would embarrass them heavily if they pushed her too far. Her half-closed eyes had a cold light. Who could imagine such a sick and weak girl had such sharp eyes.

    More than a decade, Ning Xueyan was confined in the courtyard. How could Madam Dowager say that she had been concerned about her confined granddaughter whom she never met or cared about over ten years? Ning Xueyan never felt any blood connection with them, otherwise, her life in the Bright Frost Garden wouldn¡¯t be as bad as now.

    Ning Yuling was packing her things in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. She would leave for Cold Mountain Temple tomorrow. Thinking she would meet elegant handsome Third Prince, she can¡¯t hold her thrills. She tried to pack up all her beautiful dresses and jewelry. Her mother already got in touch with Highest-ranking Imperial Concubine Ya, making sure she was the prime candidate for Third Prince¡¯s wife.

    Ning Yuling was very satisfied with everything at the moment, except for one thing¡ªthinking of that little bitch would also be a candidate, she couldn¡¯t stop being angry with this.

    Madam Ling walked into the yard supporting herself with older female servant¡¯s hands. She recuperated well after all these days and almost fully recovered from injury. She seemed like she was never been beaten before so long as she walked slowly and was careful with her wounds.

    "Mother, why can that little bitchpete with me?" Ning Yuling said with great hatred seeing her mother walked towards her. She was born to be a beauty and was favored by Madam Dowager. Nobody dared to piss her off in the manor. But now when she thought of Ning Xueyan, she felt ufortable. How could she forgive this? If Ning Xueyan was in Bright Frost Garden now, she would go there to humiliate her badly.

    "It¡¯s okay. She is a sick girl, nobody would have a crush on her." Madam Ling tried to console her daughter petting Ning Yuling¡¯s head with love.

    "No, mother. She is a humble girl. How could she take part in Chrysanthemum Party topete with me? I can¡¯t stop being angry with this. Mother, we¡¯d better kick her out at the beginning. In the room, I heard from grandma that she is a beauty. Maybe some heirs or princes would like her."

    Biting her handkerchief, Ning Yuling said it with hatred, showing jealousy all over her face. After all these years, she never thought that little bitch could grow up to be a beauty, which caught grandma¡¯s attention. How could Ning Yuling not hate her and be angry with her?

    What did Ning Xueyan think she was? How dare shepete with her!

    "Don¡¯t worry, nobody will like that niddering girl. Before long, she will follow her mother¡¯s steps." vicious Madam Ling said. She couldn¡¯t give up hatred when she recalled she had to end up like this for no reason.

    If Ning Xueyan didn¡¯te out from Bright Frost Garden that day, anything wouldn¡¯t happenter. She wouldn¡¯t even be able to attend the Chrysanthemum Party. Now, although Madam Ling still was Marchioness, without the imperial mandate, she couldn¡¯t go to the party.

    Thinking of this, Madam Ling became more vicious. Even though she didn¡¯t have proof to me Ning Xueyan, she still wanted to relieve her anger on her. The older female servant wanted to let this niddering girl show up at Chrysanthemum Party with Madam Ling¡¯s daughter, to get the attention of royal princes or imperial boys. Don¡¯t even think about it!

    Niddering woman¡¯s daughter must also be niddering. Ning Xueyan deserved that!

    "Mother, you found a way, right?" Ning Yuling asked while dragging her mother¡¯s sleeves. And she smiled with joy when Madam Ling¡¯s face changed.

    "Take it easy, I will help you get rid of the little bitch!" Madam Ling¡¯s face became colder like a cacodemon. Ning Xueyan¡¯s mother had to give the official wife position away after defeated by Madam Ling, ending up with death. That little bitch wouldn¡¯t be tougher than her mother.

    "Mother, I will ruin her face tomorrow as soon as I get there. You can sell her to a brothel so that she will be fucked by men every day. Isn¡¯t that a great idea?" Ning Yuning said venomously. When she thought of Ning Xueyan¡¯s face, she couldn¡¯t help wishing her destroyed.

    "It¡¯s not a good idea. Do you want to make your grandma angry? Look at you, as Second Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, how could you say something like this?" Madam Ling dressed Ning Yuling down after hearing what she said because it was too dirty.

    "What are you afraid of, mother? I will be Third Prince¡¯s wife in the future, or maybe in a better positionter. Grandma will fawn on you instead of being angry with us." Ning Yuling said proudly. Madam Ling told her in private that some ministers support Third Prince being the crown prince.

    The younger brother got his elder brother¡¯s position, which was the previous emperor¡¯s thought, but not today¡¯s emperor¡¯s. Everyone wanted to give his crown to his son.

    If Third Prince became the crown prince, he would be the future emperor, so Ning Yuling would be the empress someday admired by her people. Grandma wouldn¡¯t dare to bully her.

    "Shut up!" Madam Ling said hurriedly. Her face suddenly turned white and she covered up Ning Yuling¡¯s mouth with hands," My youngdy, you can¡¯t say this. If he hears you, you will be dead."

    Prince Yi had a title of the devil incarnate. What he always did were confiscating the property and exterminating the family. Moreover, what Ning Yuling said concerned royal issues. Madam Ling was of some insight knowing this wasn¡¯t allowed to talk about.

    "Fine, no more talking. You can¡¯t be wayward when you reach to Cold Mountain Temple tomorrow. There will be your grandma, Third Prince and Highest-ranking Imperial Concubine Ya. If you aren¡¯t desired to have a royal marriage, you can be whoever you want." Madam Ling said while poking Ning Yuling¡¯s front head hard. She expected more on her daughter.

    Struggling hard to free herself from her mother¡¯s hands, Ning Yuling said in anger, "But mother, Ning Xueyan..."

    "You don¡¯t need to worry about her, I will not let her live in peace." Madam Ling said impatiently. She thought Ning Yuling was too indulged to know what she should do and shouldn¡¯t do. If Ning Yuling got involved into this, it wouldn¡¯t end up well. So it would be better if Madam Ling acted ahead this time. Anyway, Ning Xueyan wouldn¡¯t be alive for long.

    Cold Mountain Temple¡¯s wing-room.

    Maybe because of the exercisesting for a half month, Ning Xueyan took a package of medicine only and slept for a while, but her body felt better instead of worse. She drank half more bottle of soup at the dinner, which made two maids so happy. They prayed to god for this.

    Madam Dowager got the information, so she visited Ning Xueyan at the dinner time. This was the first time she visited besides the first day Madam Dowager came here. She even sat on Ning Xueyan¡¯s bedside, saying Ning Xueyan was a lucky person that she could get recovered knowing Highest-ranking Imperial Concubine Ya wasing.

    Ning Xueyan sat on the bed, replying to whatever Madam Dowager¡¯s said politely. If anyone saw this, they would think they are grandma and granddaughter in a good rtionship.

    After watching Madam Dowager leaving, Ning Xueyan felt a little tired. Qingyu fed her another package of medicine, served her to lie down, put out the candle, and left.

    Lying in the dark, Ning Xueyan closed her eyes with frowning. She came to Qingchu Forest on purpose for sabotaging Ning Yuling¡¯s marriage with Third Prince. Otherwise, although with evidence, Madam Ling wouldn¡¯t be broken down by Ning Xueyan¡¯s uncle. Considering the Third Prince¡¯s prestige, her uncle woulde to grief.

    So no matter what, Ning Yuling couldn¡¯t be the wife of Third Prince, or the wife of any princes and heirs. Because whoever she married to would be used by Madam Ling. But under this circumstance, it was hard to stop Ning Yuling¡¯s marriage because if Third Prince wouldn¡¯t marry her, someone else would.

    Ning Yuling was a beauty. Besides, just like Ning Ziyan, she got a good reputation outside and they were the best two daughters in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. With both talent and knowledge, she was the top of concubines¡¯ daughters. The only reason why she had not been engaged yet at the age of 16 is she wanted a royal marriage. This was the same as Ning Ziyan, who got married in her 17th. Ning Ziyan already had a crush on Xia Yuhang, and their families had a deal.

    In her previous life, Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t figure out clearly that Ning Ziyan said Madam Ling liked her so that she wanted to keep her for more time. In the end, they conspired to kill her for exchanging Ning Ziyan and Xia Yuhang¡¯s marriage with her life. In a word, they got the marriage by sacrificing her.

    Ning Zu¡¯an, the Lord Protector, didn¡¯t inherit the title from his family. When the current royals plundered the country from the emperor of thest dynasty, Ning Zu¡¯an was the leading general and achieved outstanding military exploits. The previous emperor regarded him as Lord Protector and allowed his posterity to seed in the title. Nobody could deny what he did in the military.

    Stated thus, Ning Yuling¡¯s marriage would definitelye true!

    Raising herself with the help of the headboard, Ning Xueyan sat in the shadow with her long hair hanging loose. She had no idea what she would do next. She was short-staffed now.

    The wind blew up the curtains and came inside. Ning Xueyan sat upright. She remembered Lanning closed the window before leaving, then why was the window opened in the middle of the night. After drawing the curtains back and locking the window, she sat back on the bed, suddenly finding someone was sitting on her bed, which surprised her. Looking at the cold handsome face, she felt scared and stepped back.

    "Little girl, who will you do damage on?" The voice sounded kind of spooky in the dark. No matter how brave one man was, he wouldn¡¯t be able to be calm when he saw this cold gray face, even though it was handsome as hell.

    "My honor, Prince Yi." Ning Xueyan calmed down and showed her respect to him. She looked at Ao Chenyi with ck eyes full of questions. She never tried to hide. Some highest-ranking and second-ranking ministers wouldn¡¯t dare to look straight into his eyes. But she, a delicate little girl, are doing it with a strong heart.

    "You seduced Third Prince this afternoon, right?" Ao Chenyi smiled with coldness and didn¡¯t want to be veiled. Any otherdies would insist on exining themselves to him after hearing what he said, saying they were as innocent as white flowers.

    Ning Xueyan smiled slightly and said, "I¡¯m not beautiful so I¡¯m not seducing. I just make Third Prince know he can¡¯t marry Ning Yuling if he wants to keep his beautiful concubines alive."

    Even though Prince Yi¡¯s words were offensive, Ning Xueyan needed to ept them. People like him, whose temper was unpredictable, would kill her as easily as winking. But she only had one life, she couldn¡¯t lose it before finishing her revenge. So it was okay being humiliated by his words. It wouldn¡¯t hurt her.

    "Oh, you know this so you aren¡¯t willing to marry him?" Ao Chenyi asked with leisureliness. He seemed happy tonight so he didn¡¯t say more. He justy down on Ning Xueyan¡¯s bed genteelly upying Ning Xueyan¡¯s ce.

 Chapter 37 Sudden Appearance of Prince Yi and the Military Medallion from the Preceding Dynasty

    "Third prince has always been gentle to women with good manners. There are many women admiring him in the backyard. What¡¯s the difference in having a few more!" Ning Xueyan replied gingerly. Neither did she care about Third Prince nor had she any thoughts for him at the moment. The only reason that she didn¡¯t want Ning Yuling to marry Third Prince was that it would be very disadvantageous to her.

    It was said that there were a few beauties living in Third Prince¡¯s Manor, as attractive and desirable as the white jade. Given Ning Yuling¡¯s disposition, a turmoil must await in the future.

    Ao Chenyi nodded, seemed to be satisfied by her reply. He then raised his hand and pointed outside, saying, " Go fetch a cup of tea for me. I am thirsty!"

    With no attitude, Ning Xueyan picked up the coat hanging on the edge of the bed, put it on, and grabbed a teacup on the table before leaving the room. Since she had no habit of drinking water in the middle of the night, there was no hot water in the room. She should better try to find some from outside where Qingyu slept. Hot water might be avable over there.

    She was fairly weak. After detaching herself from the warm, cozy quilt, she became more vulnerable to the intrusive chill at this autumn night, right in its prime. She couldn¡¯t help but have a stroke of shiver. Along with the teetering of the teacup, her pure-jade fingers were shaking. However, despite all that, she bit her lips and staggered towards the door.

    That was Lord Xiuluo we were talking about, there was no way to argue with him.

    Ning Xueyan cracked the door open and realized that Qingyu had been asleep. She groped her way to the table in the darkness and poured a cup of hot tea from the teapot. She turned around and went back, and closed the door behind her. She served hot water on Ao Chenyi¡¯s reach and said, "Your Highness, please enjoy your tea!"

    Such a stream of warmth prating through the teacup to her frozen fingers literally got her. But when his slender fingers came, she automatically let it go, leaving herself to the cold that tantly seeped into her body, inch by inch.

    All she could do was keeping a bitter smile to herself. It was so freaking cold; she felt like she would be frozen before long.

    "Are you cold? "It was like Ning Xueyan¡¯s shivering finally captured attention from Ao Chenyi, who grabbed the tea, took a sip, then leaned on a cushion he retrieved from the bed, and asked in a curt, dismissive voice.

    "My lord. What may I help you with?"Ning Xueyan struggled to hold herself together and finished the sentence. This person, an obnoxious killer of countless lives, could never be expected to have some mercy and respect on ady. He must havee with ulterior motives.

    "I do have things that could use your help, but I wonder if you are willing to do me that favor! " A smirk shed on his face, as Ao Chenyi patted the bed, "You look freezing. How about youe up andy in bed? So we can talk."

    He lounged on bed and took up over half of the space, tucking most of the quilt under himself and leaving the rest drooping on the edge. It was never a pleasantbination when you had a ringly bloody red, thriving Equinox Flower, also known as Manjusakaonack garment, and the greenish cover of the quilt. Thisbination, although seemingly resplendent, reminded her of blood and struck the core of her heart.

    It sounded like a proposal, but Ning Xueyan knew he wasn¡¯t asking because there was never an "asking" bone in his body.

    "My pleasure, my Lord."She owned up to her decision and helped herself walk towards him and getting on the bed with aplomb andposure. She circumspectly covered herself up with half of the quilt and rolled up in the corner. She instantly sensed the warmthing from quilt which helped ease the numbness on her frozen extremities a little bit. It would be stupid to let the lofty and pretentious courtesy get in the way of her own health.

    A sense of poignancy emerged from her heart. Given that she was never gifted with a robust constitution by birth and that she was unfortunately ill recently, exposure to the cold a little longer would cause a fatal stab to her health.

    "My lord, you have all my ears," said Ning Xueyan, who tucked her whole body in the quilt, took a deep gasp to rx her uptight lips, and revealed her beautiful and innocent eyes while looking into the air.

    Since he made an offer, it was impossible to have him withdraw it, let alone the attempt to discuss with her. Considering that there was no way to turn down this offer, it would be smarter to just y by his rules.

    "Yan¡¯er, you are such a clever woman knows the right thing to do," smirked with a bit of coziness, which diluted the heaviness in the air. He acted as if he was close to her, casually he said, "I have heard that there is a piece of the military medallion in the hands of Lord Protector, which belongs to the preceding dynasty. Yan¡¯er, why not bring the military medallion to me? I would be very interested to have a peak of it."

    A military medallion from preceding dynasty? Ning Xueyan¡¯s heart twitched and beat strongly as she heard it. Although she had no idea why Ning Zu¡¯an had a medallion from the preceded dynasty, it must be true if Prince Yi said so. What a medallion from a dynasty that had demised for more than 10 years for? It made no sense for Ning Zu¡¯an, a general of the current Chu dynasty, to have it.

    "Your Highness, there... must be some kind of mistake?" Ning Xueyan turned her eyes to look at Ao Yichen. A bit of astonishment leaked out of the corner of her mouth, showing her surprise. Everyone would be as frightened as her if they heard the same thing. It is treason for Ning Zu¡¯an to have the medallion and not hand it to the authority.

    To justify treason, the whole family must be uprooted!

    No matter how much Ning Xueyan hated Ning Zu¡¯an, Madam Ling wouldn¡¯t be willing to sacrifice herself for the sake of their lives by the way of exterminating the whole family.

    "Are you doubting my ability?" Ao Chenyi¡¯s face dropped. His voice was attracting yet merciless, emanating brooding and forbidding sense, which made her backbone chill. Her cold fingers touched Ning Xueyan¡¯s cheek and the frost activated by that touch doused the bottom of her heart. On top of that, there came his icy eyes, which all said nothing but Prince Yi was in rage.

    "Your Highness, my father would not dare to hide anything from the former dynasty, especially the useless medallion." Ning Xueyan smiled softly, looking at Ao Yichen straight into his eyes.

    Given the former dynasty only exist in the past, the medallion was certainly meaningless. People who hid this thing would be causing themselves trouble. No one along with their whole family could be spared if it was found out.

    "If Your Highness says so, then Ning Zu¡¯an must have hidden it from me. How dare you to be skeptical about my judgment?" He said with a snub in his voice, after noticing Ning Xueyan did not give away any trace of being frightened and evasive.

    Ning Xueyan really didn¡¯t want to argue with him on this matter. Her body has warmed up a bit. She half-closed her eyes and said, "Well, when I return to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, I will search my father¡¯s study for the medallion!"

    "Aren¡¯t you afraid of dragging the whole Lord Protector¡¯s Manor down to the desperation of being exterminated?" Ao Chenyi found her being oveposed quite intriguing. He leaned over and locked his icy eyes on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face, and slowly ran his slender fingers through her beautiful hair, which made her strain the scalp.

    She fully understood that Prince Yi was not joking around. When he said extermination, he seriously meant it.

    She looked down, and replied, "Of course I am. Will you stop me?"

    "Never!" Without any hesitation, Ao Chenyi rebuffed relentlessly. His eyes projected a ray of menace; thin mouth, going slightly upwards at the edges, seemed like a smile on that charming appearance, yet quite terrifying.

    "So, you leave me no choice but to find it." Ning Xueyan shrugged off.

    She didn¡¯t get a say on anything. In front of Prince Yi, dignified yet merciless, the only thing she could do was ying by ear and be safe.

    Ao Chenyi was quite content with her soft but calm attitudes. Out of nowhere, there came a meaningful gesture, a slight stretch on one corner of his mouth, pretty and flirtatious, and said," Yan¡¯er, don¡¯t worry. Even if the Lord Protectors¡¯ is in trouble, I can guarantee your safety."

    Made a turn and sprang up from the bed. He then headed outside after dabbing his sleeves, unclosed the window when he passed by and shot aplicit smile at Ning Xueyan, "Since you are willing to give me a hand, I will be generous to offer you one."

    Was this the justice he imposed? No room for negotiation. The discrepancy on power between him and her was like the distance between sky and earth, Ning Xueyan got nothing to say.

    Before Ning Xueyan could say anything, he fleed away and disappeared on her after letting those words out, leaving the window widely open and the cold st gusting into the room.

    Ning Xueyan had to suck it up. She stood up, walked over, and closed the window. Apanied by the serene night, cradled by the warm quilt, she sat there for a long time before finally drifting off.

    "Young Lady, I thought you got much betterst night. Howe the fevere back again? "

    "What do you say if I ask a master to have a look on you?"

    "I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not possible. I¡¯ve heard that Prince Yi is listening to the chants. No one would be allowed to leave at the moment. How about I go down the mountain and look for a doctor to take a look at you? Young Lady, you need to be cautiously taken care of to get your illness under control."

    Laying in bed, Ning Xueyan was too weak to open her eyes and respond by moving her eyshes fully. With Lanning and Qingyu¡¯s voices echoing in her ear, she felt like herself floating further and closer, and suddenly had no grasp of where she was.

    "The Young Lady woke up. The Young Lady woke up." Two maidservants also saw Ning Xueyan open her eyes, all hurled themselves to her, and reported concernedly.

    "Am I getting worse?" Ning Xueyan could barely make a sound after clearing her throat. She squeezed a bitter smile to herself. It is lucky enough for her to be able to wake up after standing outside for a long time on that freezing night.

    "When I came checking on her, I found that her temperature was high again, and I thought I¡¯d better go find a doctor at the foot of the mountain." Lanning helped Ning Xueyan sit up. When she first came in, Ning Yuning didn¡¯t respond to her calling at all, and her scorching forehead astounded her.

    "Leave it as it is. Last night, some naughty wind opened my window, and I caught a cold." Ning Xueyan coughed and said in a low voice.

    "I was nning on inviting a master to take your pulse, but everyone is preupied with chant lessons." Qingyu was finally relieved when she saw Ning Xueyan wake up.

    "Are you saying you were stopped froming inside by the guards?" Ning Xueyan asked weakly.

    "Yes. My Lady. The guards gave me this pill and implied this was from Prince Yi. Look?" Qingyu showed her a little ss bottle, with one pill inside.

    This was the favor Prince Yi had promised before.

    "Water, please, I shall eat this pill." Ning Xueyan nodded and took a deep breath. Fortunately, Ao Chenyi didn¡¯t want to kill her. But Ao Chenyi had a swing mood, unapproachable and unpredictable. Just asst time, no one knew which word from him to believe and which not.

    Fortunately, the silver lining was that for now, he had no intention of killing her.

    "Youngdy, we know nothing about the characteristics of the pill, your health..." Lanning suggested reluctantly, holding some thoughts to herself.

    "It is fine!" Ning Xueyanughed, received the water from Qingyu, picked up the pill and aimed it in her mouth, swallowed it with water. If Prince Yi was determined to deprive her of her life, there would be no way for her getting away with it. Besides, this pill was consisted of several valuable herbs, which could also be very helpful to her. She knew fairly enough about the quality of herbs.

    She thought about what Ao Chenyi saidst night. It seemed like she had to help him find that soldier medallion which belongs to thest dynasty. Since she had to be on the same board with Ao Chenyi, she would like to take advantage of his power. For somebody as shrewd, sophisticated, paranoid and unpredictable as Ao Chenyi, it certainly wouldn¡¯t be easy to use his power for her favor. She had to be more careful.

    Requesting evils to act against their interests, and manipting human mind were not what she was good at in herst life. However, in this life, she had to learn it from scratch.

    Neither Ning Xueyan nor her had any attachment with the Lord Protectors, hence she couldn¡¯t care less about what the future held for the Lord Protectors.

    Since she already walked into the road of revenge, she had never expected everything would go as she wished.

    Alternatively, having Prince Yi on her corner was the best arrangement she could imagine in this situation where she did not have a say on anything.

    After taking the pill, she rested for a while, right until lunch time. She was awake and soaked by sweat, but surprisingly found herself much better, as if she fully recovered overnight. Her appetite was back to normal and looked pretty well, except for her pale face, which made her two maids quite happy. The room was full of joy.

    In the middle of joyfulness, a voice from outside interrupted. "Is Fifth Young Lady here?"

 Chapter 38 Let Her Know Who is the Master of Lord Protectors Manor

    Madam Dowager was having a nap now, so it was not her who asked someone toe.

    Lanning went out and saw a maid who dressed well standing in the courtyard. At a nce, Lanning knew she was the First Maid. Raising her chin, she looked at Lanning impatiently.

    She was the Ning Yuling¡¯s First Maid, Xianghong. The Second Young Lady hade to the Cold Mountain Temple!

    "Fifth Young Lady is sick and resting now. What¡¯s wrong?" Lanning asked faintly.

    Ning Yuling¡¯s maids had the same temperament with Ning Yuling. They were cowardly in front of Ning Yuling, but were very arrogant outside. They always bullied other maids under the protection of Ning Yuling. And Ning Yuling¡¯s two personal maids were more arrogant.

    "The Second Young Lady ising, let the Fifth Young Lady pick her up at the gate of the temple." Xianghong nced at Lanning and said with scornfully.

    "Our Young Lady is ill and can¡¯t go out. The Second Young Lady coulde by herself. When Fifth Young Lady recovers, she¡¯ll visit the Second Young Lady." Lanning politely refused. The Second Young Lady was not an elder who needed younger to pick up, just came. Moreover, it seemed that the Second Young Lady had a bad idea.

    "What? Let our Young Ladye by herself. Lanning, how dare you!" Xianghong was so angry. In the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, everybody had to respect the Second Young Lady, not to mention the cowardly Fifth Young Lady. In the past, Xianghong always helped the Second Young Lady to bully the Fifth Young Lady. She also took part in taking off Ning Xueyan¡¯s clothes.

    In her mind, Xianghong looked down upon the Fifth Young Lady all the time. Now Ning Xueyan¡¯s maid dared to stand in her way. She instantly became angry!

    "My second sister doesn¡¯te in by herself, do I have to carry her?" When the door opened, Ning Xueyan came out with Qingyu¡¯s holding, smiling coldly.

    She satirized Ning Yuling by her words, which made Xianggong angrier. Xianghong turned her gaze to Ning Xueyan and was about to swear. But she suddenly looked into Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes. Ning Xueyan was coldly looking at Xianghong, which scared her a lot.

    Xianghong¡¯s abusive words were stopped, and she didn¡¯t dare to speak out for a moment.

    "My second sister is effeminate and fragile, but I am sick now and grandmother is taking a nap at this time. She has to go to the yard and clean there first. I¡¯ll visit her after taking medicine." Ning Xueyan, with a faint look, said that and then came back the room, unwilling to say more to Xianghong.

    The meaning of the Fifth Young Lady was that the Second Young Lady wanted the Fifth Young Lady and Madam Dowager to pick her up. Xianghong was angry about Ning Xueyan¡¯s satire and wanted to say something. But Lanning didn¡¯t look at her and turned into the house. Thenughter of them came out.

    No one took Xianghong seriously. She was angry and then left in resentment.

    She would tell the Second Young Lady that the useless Ning Xueyan dared to satirize her. She not only didn¡¯t go to pick up the Second Young Lady, but also ignored Xianghong. She would ask the Second Young Lady to punish Ning Xueyan. They used to scold and bully Ning Xueyan. Unexpectedly, Ning Xueyan dared to fight against the Second Young Lady.

    When Xianghong left, Ning Xueyan also didn¡¯t stay in the house. She took some medicine and felt better. The weather was good outside. She was thinking of going out for a walk. At this time, of course, she wouldn¡¯t stay in the courtyard and wait for Ning Yuling. So she went to the back mountain with two maids. There should be many people enjoying the chrysanthemum flower.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s room was with otherdies¡¯ and on a rtively remote ce. It also was far from men¡¯s courtyards. If she wanted to go to the back mountain, she had to pass through the men¡¯s courtyards. Those princes chose the best courtyards. Ning Xueyan would pass through theirs.

    When they left and were not far, Ning Yuling came to Ning Xueyan¡¯s courtyard. After listening to Xianghong¡¯s words, she was very angry and determined to teach Ning Xueyan a lesson first. "This bitch dared to talk back to my people. I¡¯ll kill her." Ning Yuling thought in mind.

    But when she arrived at Ning Xueyan¡¯s courtyard, she was told that she had gone to the back mountain to appreciate the flowers and got angrier. Instead of picking her up, Ning Xueyan went to the back mountain to appreciate the flowers, which greatly angered Ning Yuling.

    Regardless of going to her own courtyard, Ning Yuling chased Ning Xueyan with arge number of maids. After walking for a while, Ning Yuling saw Ning Xueyan and the two maids behind her. She gave a look at two older female servants, then the two immediately ran to Ning Xueyan and stopped her with fierce momentum.

    "Fifth Young Lady, please wait a minute." One older female servant stretched out her hands and said in a weird way.

    All of Ning Yuling¡¯s servants looked down upon Ning Xueyan. These evil servants almost tortured Ning Xueyan to death several times for Ning Yuling.

    "Second sister, you don¡¯t tidy up your yard first bute to me, what¡¯s wrong?" Ning Xueyan stopped, turned his head to look at the angry Ning Yuling, and asked with a faint smile on her face.

    This question was natural. But Ning Yuling thought it was defiant. Just now, she sent people to inform Ning Xueyan of hering and ask Ning Xueyan to pick her up. But Ning Xueyan didn¡¯te and dared to talk back. Now she pretended to be innocent. So Ning Yuling said nothing, came over and was going to p Ning Xueyan.

    Ning Xueyan had expected that. She turned her head to avoid, took Ning Yuling¡¯s hand, and asked with puzzle, "Second sister, why are you so angry as soon as you arrive here? Grandmother asked us toe to the temple to be calm and self-disciplined. Don¡¯t get angry. If there¡¯s something wrong with me, please tell me."

    To be calm and self-disciplined? It seemed that the Madam Dowager just asked Ning Yuling to change her bad temper here. Ning Yuling got angrier and got rid of Ning Xueyan¡¯s hands, saying angrily, "All of youe here, give her a lesson. Let her know who is the master of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor."

    Ning Yuling¡¯s servants were familiar with this kind of thing. Tow older female servantsughed and were going to beat Ning Xueyan.

    Qingyu and Lanning were going to stop them, but was stopped by Ning Xueyan.

    Ning Xueyan stepped forward, stared at the two evil servants and said, "I am the master anyway. Who dares to touch me?"

    Her fierce gaze fell on the two older female servants. The two trembled and didn¡¯t dare to go forward, subconsciously looking back at Ning Yuling.

    The two were frightened by Ning Xueyan. Ning Yuling felt she had lost face and immediately shouted at the two older female servants, "Teach this little bitch a lesson. I¡¯ll take all the consequences."

    Ning Yuling was mad by Ning Xueyan now and cared nothing. She had long forgotten that this was not the backyard of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. A servant realized that something was wrong. She saw more and more people around them and couldn¡¯t help pulling Ning Yuling¡¯s sleeves.

    "Young Lady, Young Lady..."

    "Let me go, we¡¯ve done it before. It doesn¡¯t matter. Beat her, beat this little bitch." Ning Yuling was really mad, getting rid of that servant. Seeing that the two older female servants didn¡¯t start, she just came over by herself, raised her hand and was going to p Ning Xueyan. Ning Xueyan took a step backward and avoided Ning Yuling¡¯s p.

    "Second sister, can¡¯t we talk about it?"

    Ning Yuling didn¡¯t beat Ning Xueyan, so she rushed to Ning Xueyan and wanted to knock her down. Lanning rushed forward to stop Ning Xueyan from being pushed down. But she was hit by Ning Yuling, stood unsteadily, and hit Ning Xueyan¡¯s back. Qingyu reached her hands and pushed Ning Xueyan, making her stable.

    A group of people was in chaos, attracting all the people from the side to watch.

    "What an arrogant Second Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor!" The cold voice came from behind Ning Yuling with anger.

    The crowd turned around and saw several young noble men were walking slowly. The first one of them was the Third Prince.

    Looking at Ning Yuling fierce face and hearing her nderous words, the Third Prince felt disgusted. How could such a woman be his Official Wife? He couldn¡¯t imagine what she would do if he married concubines... Such an evil woman couldn¡¯t be his Official Wife. He used to think she was beautiful, but now he only felt disgusted.

    His gaze fell from Ning Yuling¡¯s face on Ning Xueyan¡¯s. Though she looked pale and weak, she had the demeanor of ady. She was at a disadvantage, but others still felt that she was noble. His Official Wife must be this kind ofdy.

    Other childes also looked at Ning Yuling with disdain. They didn¡¯t expect that the Second Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor who had a good reputation to be a shrew. Whoever married her, he would get into big trouble. Now she was so merciless to her bloody sister, she must be more merciless to her husband¡¯s concubines in the future.

    Was she taught by the Lord Protectors¡¯ Manor? The shrew was better than her.

    Ning Yuling stunned and then woke up in an instant. She began to tremble and couldn¡¯t stand steadily, almost falling down. Why didn¡¯t anyone tell her that the Third Prince was here. She was scolding Ning Xueyan just now and didn¡¯t find that both the Third Prince and some childes were there.

    "What... what should I do?" Ning Yuling thought in mind. Now she realized that she had to maintain her grace. But what should she do under such a circumstance?

    "Third Prince, I..."

    "Second Young Lady Ning, you¡¯re somanding. You really are a sister. Did Fifth Young Lady Ning make you angry? Did she do something wrong? If so, Fifth Young Lady should apologize to the Second Young Lady, Right?" A voice came from the Third Prince¡¯s back.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s gaze fell on a beautiful face, which was more enchanting than woman¡¯s. Seeing Ning Xueyan looked over, he deliberately blinked at her.

    Although she had never seen such a beautiful face, she had heard that. The man who was more beautiful than a woman was Wen Xunran, the son of Commandery Prince Min.

    "I, I¡¯m too angry. Fifth sister... Fifth sister has beaten a servant... So I¡¯m so angry." Ning Yuling didn¡¯t know what she was saying. Looking at the Third Prince¡¯s face, she almost cried. She just wanted to teach Ning Xueyan a lesson. How could she know it would arouse lots of things.

    Everyone present saw clearly just now. They all knew that she was telling a lie and more looked down on her. Even several youngdies chuckled. They came here because they wanted to be the Consort of Prince or Consort of a Princely Heir. Ning Yuling was their opponent. Of course, they hit her when she was down.

    "Fifth Young Lady Ning is so weak and might be blown away. Could she beat the servant? Did I hear aright?"

    "I heard that the Fifth Young Lady has been here for a period of time, and never beat or scold the servant. Howe the Second Young Lady found her beating the servant as soon as she came here to exercise justice for the servant? It seems that the Fifth Young Lady is not as good as a servant in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor."

    "Am I wrong? The Second Young Lady was going to beat the Fifth Young Lady by herself..."

    All the people looked at Ning Yuling with sarcasm.

 Chapter 39 Madam Dowagers Partiality

    The ridicule of everyone wasing to Ning Yuling.

    Ning Yuling¡¯s face was pale. With tears in her eyes, she looked at the Third Prince with a grievance, hoping that he would stand on her side.

    "Second Young Lady, if you¡¯re feeling sick, you¡¯d better see a doctor early. Don¡¯t let it hurt you!" said the Third Prince who gave her a heavy blow. It meant that she was sick and went out to harm people, like a madman!

    Seeing that the Third Prince looked at Ning Xueyan with gentleness and care, Ning Yuling was jealous. Suddenly, she cried with her hands covering her face as she ran back. "Ning Xueyan, how dare you do that? How dare you seduce the Third Prince in front of me? I¡¯ll never let you go." Ning Yuling thought in mind.

    Seeing Ning Yuling run away, the group of servants looked at each other and immediately followed her.

    It became quiet.

    "Fifth Young Lady, are you okay?" The Third Prince took two steps, gently asked Ning Xueyan, who was standing behind Lanning. Just now Ning Yuling ran into Lanning, and thetter hit Ning Xueyan who was almost knocked down. Everyone saw it.

    "I¡¯m fine. Thank you. Third Prince, is there any doctoring with you?" Ning Xueyan checked Lanning and saw she frown painfully, knowing that she was hit by Ning Yuling seriously. So she asked the Third Prince gently.

    Lanning must have been hurt. People like the Third Prince must be apanied by doctors.

    "Go to invite the doctor." The Third Prince also realized that Lanning was injured and asked people to invite the imperial physician.

    He didn¡¯t like to go out with too many people. So the imperial physician was in his courtyard. After a while, the imperial physician came and checked Lanning, leaving some medicine for her. Ning Xueyan thanked the Third Prince. She asked Qingyu to hold Lanning and went back with them, not going to appreciate flowers. It was unexpected that Ning Yuling was so crazy.

    If it hadn¡¯t been for Lanning, she would have been knocked down! She couldn¡¯t bear any more injury now.

    Ning Yuling was getting more and more vicious...

    Madam Dowager knew it after waking up in the afternoon. She was very angry and reproached Ning Yuling. Ning Yuling also knew it was going to be terrible at this time. She cried sadly and med Ning Xueyan for everything.

    It was Ning Xueyan who deliberately led her there, made her angry, and embarrassed her in public.

    Ning Xueyan had been standing in the corridor for some time, but all the servants directly ignored her. She stood quietly, looking down and listening to Ning Yuling scolding her with a cold smile on her face.

    Madam Dowager was so partial with Ning Yuling.

    Many people saw Ning Yuling bully people by taking advantage of her power, but now they med Ning Xueyan!

    Fortunately, she had no expectation on Madam Dowager. She knew that the Madam Dowager wanted to warn her by making her stand in the corridor. Ning Yuling was brought up by herself. She, an abandoned girl was no match for Ning Yuling. If Ning Xueyan¡¯s reputation had been ruined today, Madam Dowager would not care about that.

    Fortunately, she did not care about her attitude!

    "Fifth Young Lady, Madam Dowager invites you in!" A female servant came out and said with a smile.

    Ning Xueyan nodded and went into the house with Lanning.

    As soon as she entered the house, she saw Madam Dowager sitting in the first ce with a gloomy face and Ning Yuling standing beside her while wiping her tears with her handkerchief. At this time, Ning Yuling wasn¡¯t arrogant at all. She cried sadly. When she saw Ning Xueyan, she looked at her with hatred and tightly grasped her handkerchief.

    If it hadn¡¯t been for an older female servant behind her who pulled her sleeve hard, she would have rushed over and torn Ning Xueyan¡¯s face. "It¡¯s me who humiliate you all the time, how dare you fight against me!" Ning Yuling thought in mind.

    "Grandmother!" Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t look at Ning Yuling and directly saluted Madam Dowager.

    Madam Dowager coldly looked at her pale face and didn¡¯t allow her to stand up. She asked faintly, "Are you better now?"

    Actually, Ning Xueyan looked more delicate than Ning Yuling. But her face was pale and the color of her face and lips was faint. At first nce, one would know that she was a patient. No one would marry a patient. So Madam Dowager thought Ning Yuling was much better. She was in good health and was beautiful, smart, and sweet!

    "Grandmother, thank you for your concern. I¡¯m better now. Today, after getting up, I went out for a walk to breathe fresh air!" Ning Xueyan answered gently.

    "Xueyan, you said you were sick when your sister asked you to pick up her. Why did you go out for a walk in a short time?" Madam Dowager stared at Ning Xueyan with an unhappy look. She doubted that Ning Xueyan deliberately made Ning Yuling lose face.

    An older sister came to the temple and needed her sick younger sister to pick her. As their grandmother, she thought it was normal and med the younger sister not going to pick up her sister. Ning Xueyan sneered in mind but didn¡¯t show that on her face. She was not in a hurry and said, "When my second sister came, I am taking medicine. I was expecting to visit her after she cleaned up the garden. But I didn¡¯t expect her to rush over directly and get angry with me."

    Ning Yuling was so arrogant that she got into trouble. Madam Dowager listened to her words and med Ning Xueyan.

    "It is clear that you deliberately let Xinghong provoke me and led me there. Ning Xueyan, I didn¡¯t expect you to be so vicious!" Ning Yuling couldn¡¯t hold it anymore. She looked at Ning Xueyan with hatred and angrily said.

    "Second sister, how did I let Xianghong provoke you? Xianghong is your maid. When you were in the temple, she didn¡¯t serve you, but ran to my yard and urged me to greet you. There were not only our Lord Protector¡¯s Manor living in the temple. What will they think when they see I greet you at the door? Will they think it¡¯s the rule of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?!"

    Ning Xueyan said slowly and looked at Ning Yuling.

    The current Cold Mountain Temple was different from others. Everywhere you could see Young Ladies, Childe, and princes. If someone saw that the younger sister respectfully greeted her older sister, what would they think? What was more, the younger sister was in bad health. Madam Dowager frowned and unpleasantly stared at Ning Yuling.

    She behaved so badly. If this was known by others, the whole Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would lose face.

    Thinking of this, Madam Dowager was unhappier. Even though she favored Ning Yuling, Madam Dowager wouldn¡¯t let her harm the reputation of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    "I forget that you just recovered. Stand up to talk!" Madam Dowager waved her hands.

    "Yes. Thank you, grandmother!" Ning Xueyan stood up, holding Qingyu¡¯s hands. She knew that Madam Dowager didn¡¯t like her and deliberately ignored her salute.

    Seeing that Madam Dowager was going to spare Ning Xueyan, Ning Yuling couldn¡¯t allow that. She took two steps forward and cried to Madam Dowager. "Grandmother, she made things like this, now what should I do. Just let outsiders gossip me and ruin my reputation? And... the Third Prince... What will he think, what will he think of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?!"

    Ning Yuling wanted to persuade Madam Dowager in the name of Third Prince. Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t expect that the arrogant Ning Yuling would be so scheming.

    Madam Dowager coughed and turned to Ning Xueyan with an unpleasant look. She snorted and rebuked, "Xueyan, if you followed Yuling when you saw her, this would not have happened. Both our manor and the royal agreed on the marriage between your second sister and the Third Prince. Now, what will others think about the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?"

    If Ning Xueyan went with Ning Yuling when the two older female servants stopped her, then she must be seriously injured. Ning Xueyan¡¯s gaze became colder and colder. Compared with Ning Yuling¡¯s reputation, her life was not important at all in Madam Dowager¡¯s mind. Nobody really treated her as a real master in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Even a maid would struggle desperately when she was tortured by Ning Yuling, but her struggle was a mistake.

    What Madam Dowager meant was that Ning Xueyan could be responsible for the whole thing in order to maintain Ning Yuling¡¯s good reputation. What she thought was perfect.

    Ning Xueyan bit her lip slightly and quickly thought in mind. Suddenly, she went up and saluted again. "Grandmother, you can put this matter on me, I¡¯m willing to be responsible for it. Tell others that I provoked the second sister and made her angry so that people will know that she is a gracefuldy."

    "What?" Madam Dowager was stunned. This was what she wanted to say next. Ning Xueyan said it in advance, and she didn¡¯t react for a moment.

    Ning Yuling, who stood aside stopped crying. She looked at Madam Dowager in surprise and cried out in a hurry, "Grandma!" Then she looked at Ning Xueyan with disdain. She had thought that Ning Xueyan had be smart. Now she found that she was still timid. Grandmother didn¡¯t say anything before she took the initiative to take responsibility. "I needn¡¯t persuade grandmother." Ning Yuling thought in mind.

    "Grandmother, I¡¯m in bad health. I don¡¯t know how long I can live. The reputation is useless to me." Ning Xueyan coughed for a while and continued. "So no matter what you say, I¡¯ll agree. As long as I admit this, those princes and princely heirs won¡¯t say more even though they have seen what happened!"

    "What? They saw all?" Madam Dowager widened her eyes suddenly.

    "Yes. I went out to rx and saw them after a while. Unexpectedly, the second sister rushed over and asked two older female servants to stop me. Without saying a word, they were going to beat me. I was afraid that people would think that servants always bully masters in our Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, so I reproached the two servants. But the second sister was angrier. She rushed to beat me by herself while scolding me, so this matter..."

    Ning Xueyan said gently. It seemed that she defended the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, especially when she said ¡¯always¡¯. But Madam Dowager was anger about her words, and her gloomy gaze fell on Ning Xueyan as if she wanted to see her through to see if she told the truth because Ning Yuling didn¡¯t mention the detail just now.

    Ning Xueyan faced Madam Dowager¡¯s gaze and looked gentle and calm.

    "Grandmother, she¡¯s deliberate. She deliberately reproached the two servants, deliberately provoked me and deliberately framed me..." Ning Yuling cried out in a hurry when she felt something wrong.

    "Shut up!" Madam Dowager shouted at her with anger.

 Chapter 40 Ning Yuling Falls Down Badly

    Ning Yuling didn¡¯t expect Madam Dowager to yell at her. Looking at Madam Dowager¡¯s unpleasant face, Ning Yuling was shocked, and she couldn¡¯t help but say, "Grandma!"

    Such a wronged look made people feel she was pitiful.

    "How could you get into the prince¡¯s manor like this? What did you say? You said that she led you there and framed you intentionally. But you asked someone to beat your sister in front of so many people. Now you dare to deceive me. Don¡¯t you know I¡¯m your grandmother? Your father and mother have spoiled you."

    Looking at her, Madam Dowager was so angry that she couldn¡¯t help shouting at her. She had wanted Ning Xueyan to be responsible for this matter, exining to others that Ning Xueyan treated her sister¡¯s maids badly and beat her sister¡¯s maids so that Ning Yuling angrily defended her maid, then the two argued in the back mountain.

    But Ning Yuling didn¡¯t tell Madam Dowager that the Third Prince saw what had happened. How could Madam Dowager exin to others this time?

    If they med Ning Xueyan for this matter, even though Ning Xueyan was willing to take it, others would feel that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was biased. What was more, Ming Feiyong was in the capital. He was difficult to get along with. Maybe he had been collecting evidence these days so that he didn¡¯t go to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    "Grandma, it¡¯s not all her faults. I should be med as well. I should have told her early." Ning Xueyan said.

    Indeed, she didn¡¯t want to make it clear at that time. Even though she wanted, Ning Yuling didn¡¯t give her a chance to say. She rushed over and immediately asked two older female servants to beat her. She didn¡¯t care about Ning Xueyan at all. Of course, Ning Xueyan had to say that she should have told Ning Yuling early to Madam Dowager, letting Madam Dowager understand what kind of person Ning Yuling was in other people¡¯s mind.

    Looking at the sensible Ning Xueyan, Madam Dowager sighed. "If she could be as sensible as you, it would be good. Look at what she has done today. She looks like a shrew. Let¡¯s wait for the Honored Consort Ya to solve the matter."

    She hoped that the Honored Consort Ya would consider this an ident since Ning Yuling seldom forgot herself and forgave her.

    Looking at that Madam Dowager was gentle to Ning Xueyan, Ning Yuling was very angry. Although she was afraid to speak, she stared at Ning Xueyan fiercely. She only wished to tear Ning Xueyan¡¯s face. Suddenly, she looked at the outside and got a malice idea in mind.

    Madam Dowager had no choice but to remedy what Ning Yuling had done. She only wanted Ning Yuling to stop causing trouble these days and do some decent things to cover this matter for Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. So she repeatedly told Ning Yuling to behave herself these days.

    Ning Yuling promised.

    After saying goodbye to Madam Dowager, Ning Yuling rushed over and wanted to grasp Ning Xueyan¡¯s hair as soon as they arrived at the gate of the courtyard. She didn¡¯t believe that she could not deal with a patient, scolding, "You¡¯re such a little bitch. It¡¯s all your fault. You dared to provoke grandmother to scold me. I¡¯ll kill you."

    Things happened unexpectedly. Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t expect Ning Yuling to be so wanton. She just had time to avoid her head from being grasped. But she was grasped on the shoulder and pushed hard. She couldn¡¯t keep stable. She rushed forward and was going to collide with the door frame and stone wall. Ning Xueyan was so weak that she might be dead if she hit the door frame and stone wall.

    Ning Yuling was upset that she had not caught Ning Xueyan¡¯s hair. But when she looked at the door and the stone wall in front of Ning Xueyan, Ning Yuling was immediately happy to see that she was going to die.

    In the critical moment, Ning Xueyan grabbed an older female servant¡¯s clothes who stood on the side. The older female servant was pulled to take two steps forward, but stopped when Ning Xueyan was going to knock on the door frame. Luckily, Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t hit the door frame. She just was bruised slightly.

    Even so, Ning Xueyan was too shocked and scared to hear other people¡¯s voice.

    "Little bitch, watch out. Do you still dare to fight with me?" Ning Yuling mocked at her, tidying herself. Then she strode past Ning Xueyan, nced at her intentionally, but reached out her foot to trip Ning Xueyan who still stood unsteadily. She wanted Ning Xueyan to be seriously injured.

    Ning Xueyan was furious, thinking, "She¡¯s so vicious!"

    Ning Xueyan gritted her teeth and lifted her foot slightly. When Ning Yuling stretched her foot, Ning Xueyan seemed to be unsteady and fell to Ning Yuling. The older female servant who was pulled by Ning Xueyan subconsciously exchanged her position with Ning Xueyan. So Ning Yuling finally tripped the older female servant.

    The older female servant was powerful. When she noticed someone tripped her, she stood steadily with great strength. Instead, she tripped the Ning Yuling. Those servants following Ning Yuling wasughing at Ning Xueyan, so they all didn¡¯t have time to stop Ning Yuling from falling down.

    Ning Yuling staggered out of the door, and fell down,ying on the ground.

    Nobody expected Ning Yuling to fall so heavily. Suddenly there was a burst ofughter outside the courtyard door. Ning Yuling looked up and saw severaldies looking at her with disdain andughing ironically.

    "Well, isn¡¯t this the Second Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? What are you doing this time? Are you dressing in motley and clowning to amuse your grandmother?" The Young Lady who spoke put her handkerchief over her mouth andughed at Ning Yuling.

    "She must be. The Second Young Lady is really filial. Knowing that Madam Dowager likes drama, she ys a part to amuse her grandmother. It¡¯s lucky that we also see the y." Anotherughed happily. Her family wanted her to marry with the Third Prince, but heard that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor wanted Ning Yuling to marry the Third Prince. She was depressed. So now she was happy to see Ning Yuling losing face.

    "You... you..." Ning Yuling didn¡¯t hurt, but she felt embarrassed. And now she was mocked by her opponents. She was extremely furious.

    "Second Young Lady, Madam Dowager invites you in!" One older female servant told this to Madam Dowager who then almost fainted in her anger. She immediately asked people to call back Ning Yuling. One problem hadn¡¯t been solved and another problem came. Madam Dowager didn¡¯t know how to help Ning Yuling!

    Would it be fine for her to marry Third Prince?

    Ning Xueyan calmed down and was called in by Madam Dowager too.

    As soon as they entered the room, they saw the angry Madam Dowager hitting the ground with her cane. Ning Yuling knelt and said with unwillingness, "Grandmother, I¡¯m not wrong. Ning Xueyan deliberately stripped me. She wanted me to lose face. She¡¯s malicious."

    Although she didn¡¯t know how she was tripped, she still pushed things all over Ning Xueyan. If it hadn¡¯t been Ning Xueyan, she wouldn¡¯t have stretched her feet and fallen down! It was her fault.

    "You¡¯re ruining yourself." Madam Dowager had no time to scold her and said to the servants, "Go to see if Master Mingyue has time now. Invite her toe here. Help Fifth Young Lady sit down."

    Only after a while, Ning Xueyan¡¯s forehead had been swollen. It looked scary and worse than Ning Yuling.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s forehead was swollen, but she was calm, covering her forehead with a handkerchief, and said with a smile, "Grandmother, I¡¯m good. How¡¯s second sister? Is she also injured? Check her first."

    No one saw the ridicule in Ning Xueyan¡¯ eyes. She was only slightly hurt, but Ning Yuling lost face in front of many people. For those Young Ladies, reputation was more important than life!

    "Don¡¯t be hypocritical. Bitch! It¡¯s your fault!" Ning Yuling shouted with hatred.

    Madam Dowager looked at this sick granddaughter who almost could be blown down by the wind. She kept calm even though she was seriously injured. Then she looked at Ning Yuling who knelt on one side and spoke out a stream of abuse. Madam Dowager felt pity for Ning Xueyan now.

    She personally came over and looked at the forehead of Ning Xueyan. "Because of her, you¡¯re injured seriously. Leave her alone. Later when the Masteres, I¡¯ll invite her to check you first. You¡¯re a Young Lady, your face couldn¡¯t be ruined."

    Ning Xueyan looked at Madam Dowager loving face and her eyes brimmed with tears. She lowered her head and wiped tears with her handkerchief, hiding the sneer in her eyes.

    Ning Yuling¡¯s behaviors had proved that she was a vicious shrew. Now Ning Xueyan wanted to get rid of this matter. Although she was pushed forward by Ning Yuling first and it was not she who tripped Ning Yuling, she was not sure whether Madam Ling would pick on her. So she had toe up with an idea to let Madam Dowager believe she was innocent.

    "Grandma, why do you still protect her? She tripped me." Ning Yuling was angry when she found that she was kneeling while Ning Xueyan was sitting on one side.

    "Since when her status was even higher than me? You¡¯re just a bitch. How dare you sit?" Ning Yuling thought in mind. Because she was beautiful and charming, she often made Madam Dowager happy. So she was favored by Madam Dowager and stood by her word in front of Madam Dowager. Even though she almost killed Ning Xueyan in the past, Madam Dowager never scolded her.

    Today, she just pushed Ning Xueyan. Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t fell down, but she fell down and was mocked by several Young Ladies. Ning Yuling felt that she was aggrieved. The cause of this incident was Ning Xueyan. If she hadn¡¯t wanted to trip her, she wouldn¡¯t have fallen down.

    There was a kind of person in this world who was vicious and killed others but imed all were other people¡¯s fault.

    If Ning Xueyan really died today, no one would suspect what Ning Yuling said!

    "Shut up and go back to your yard. You can¡¯t go out without my permission." Seeing she still was stubborn, Madam Dowager was angry and shouted at her.

    "Grandmother, you punish me for her? Do you really think she is the daughter of Official Wife and is equal to me? She¡¯s just a bitch. Yes, I want to kill her. But so what? Grandmother, you¡¯re partial."

    Ning Yuling was unwilling, shouting in the house.

    "How dare you! Take her into the yard." Madam Dowager was extremely furious, hitting the ground with her walking stick. Ning Yuling didn¡¯t know that she also scolded Madam Dowager as she scolded Ning Xueyan. Madam Dowager had a close blood rtion with Ning Xueyan.

    Seeing a few older female servantse toward her, Ning Yuling shouted more loudly, pushing them away.

    "Grandmother, how can you do this to me? I¡¯ll tell my mother!"

 Chapter 41 Your Highness Wants Something, So Do I

    Madam Dowager pressed on her chest, so furious and livid at what Ning Yuling had just said, which almost caused her to have a heart attack. The messages Ning Yuling conveyed was that in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Madam Ling prevailed her on power. Though she barelyid her hands on the matters in the Manor, she couldn¡¯t bear such a demeaning attitude towards her. "Force her out, force her out, leave her kneeling in her own yard, and without my permission, she shall never get up."

    After yelling out, she was all worked up and panting heavily. Sensing the severity of this situation, with no hesitation, maids and older female servants unambiguously dragged Ning Yuling out. After all, Ning Yuling hadn¡¯t dared to cross the line so far. As soon as she was outside, she cleared her hair, angrily shoved two older female servants¡¯ hands away and strode forward. Two older female servants looked at each other, knowing there was nothing they could do but following behind her, which made the whole thing more like "escorting", rather than "forcing".

    Master Mingyue came over and checked on Ning Xueyuan. Aside from prescribing her some medicine for swelling, he asked her to ensure enough rest. As a token of constion, Madam Dowager sent someone to select and give her some luxuries, and then to escort her back to her own yard.

    Coming back to her yard and sitting down, Ning Xueyan leaned on the bed, resting. The medicine prescribed by Master Mingyue was so effective that it took only a short time before her forehead felt much better. Qingyu felt relieved after finding out nothing serious was going on on her forehead.

    "Young Lady, howe Madam Dowager gives away such things to you when you are not allowed to wear them currently?!" Lanning frowned and asked, pointing at the exquisite silks, satins, and the jewelry on the table which were identifiable as high quality at first nce. However, since she was in mourning right now, it would be extremely inappropriate to put those on.

    "This is a gesture from Madam Dowager to show her kindness to you. It seems like she has truly realized how good you are." Qingyuughed naively.

    "That is because she found out the great benefits of using me and I am such a good asset to her, rather than how good I am." Ning Xueyan tilted her head and sneered. Her long eyshes teetered a little, leaving the subtle shadow on her pure white face. The thing was that Madam Dowager was absolutely too confident of her n to realize that Ning Xueyan was no longer the person who knew nothing about how to defend herself.

    There was no way that Madam Dowager could genuinely care about her. In front of her granddaughter, she had always adored her most with a full heart, Ning Xueyan was the one thatcked any interaction and attachment to her. On one hand, treating her well was to show the manners and rules in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to the bystanders, especially after Ning Yuling made such a dramatic scene. On the other hand, she aimed to reestablish and improve Ning Yuling¡¯s resilience in this way.

    Madam Dowager was encouraging Ning Yuling, by taking advantage of the situation so Ning Yuling could use it as a stepping stone.

    Given Ning Yuling¡¯s disposition, it would be unwise to be one of the royals. Madam Dowager intended to teach her a lesson by giving Ning Yuling a hard time under her watch. As for whether Ning Yuling would wind up turning against her, or whether she could make it, was all beyond her consideration.

    Lanning stayed silent. As someone who had been through hell once, she could think about things ahead of Qingyu. Knowing Ning Xueyan was right about this, she had nothing to say.

    Qingyu bit her lips, speechless, and feeling sorry for the Young Lady she served.

    The carriage Honored Consort Ya rode in arrived at nightfall, with everyone¡¯s expectation and attention. All of a sudden, the madams in the temple all rushed outside to wee her. In Cold Mountain Temple¡¯s gate was such a hustle and bustle, swarmed with youngdies. The madams who brought their eldest daughter, all eagerly wanted to make some impression in front of Honored Consort Ya, with the hope of marriage being possible if they were lucky enough to catch Honored Consort Ya¡¯s eye. Even though it was not the emperor¡¯s son who was to marry, noble and dignitary princes in the pce of the Prince would also be enough for them.

    Since the people had all gathered in front, correspondingly there was a lot of space in the back. Ning Xueyan saw the chance and headed to the back. Constantly resting on a bed for these past few days evidently crippled her flexibility. She roamed around to get some fresh air and rx.

    Since everyone had been attracted to the front where Honored Consort Ya was, the ambiance of the mountain behind Cold Mountain Temple was fairly quiet. The stream was running through, the road was still, and the breathtaking trees stood against the sky, as she ambled along a path. She felt humble and peaceful. Immersing herself in the serene forest felt like a dream to Ning Xueyan.

    As a survivor, everything around her was surreal, more like a dream. Only can wrenching pain while suffocating provide a real awareness of being alive.

    Walking for a while, a stream settled underneath a small-sized waterfall and grew into ake. Though the waterfall came far from the sky, theplicated turns and twistspromised its speed and impact, so the sound of its impact was muffled. Through the crystal clearke, there were fish swimming by frequently, exclusively nurtured and pampered by idyllic nature.

    There was a person sitting on a tall rock beside theke, with their hair scattered and soaked. Though he was facing away from her with his back turned, Ning Xueyan still recognized the ck garment as sooty ink, resplendent yet aggressive, with the crimson Manjusaka blooming and the elegance conveyed by the golden silk thread.

    She couldn¡¯t help but sigh, sometimes fate was sometimes karma.

    It was thest person she wanted to see, and here he was!

    The whole temple, as His Highness whose power loomed over the entire imperial government, Prince Yi was the one that didn¡¯t take Honored Consort Ya seriously. It was already toote to retreat. Besides, given there were no guards getting in the way, he must allow her to get near.

    "Why not go to the front to please Honored Consort Ya. You may wind up getting married to the Third Prince, who knows." Expectedly, before she moved, Ao Chenyi turned his head, sitting on that tall rock, and looked down on her. Without his gold crown, he looked less superior and cavalier and yet more enchanting. Slightly rolling his beautiful eyes, he distantly looked at Ning Xueyan and asked.

    Ning Xueyan shook her head as she leaned on a stone next to her, looked upwards and replied, "ying a role as the royal wife is quite demanding. Since I am not endowed with enough intelligence and the gifts I need, it is better if I distance myself from this mess where I may die without even knowing why."

    All she said was unfortunately true. She had already been struggling in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, and every step ahead of her was tough enough. Turning her back against others for the Third Prince would leave her marooned and isted. There was a fat chance that she would end up being eliminated without a trace.

    In herst life, she had been blessed with romance. However, when it came to this life, the only thing she cared about was revenge and living a normal life ever after. The fortune and affection shall all pass.

    "What if I can help you be the Third Consort to the Prince? Ao Chenyi leaned over and thenid down. His eyes looking directly at Ning Xueyan, eliciting a smile tinged with a weird chill.

    "I really appreciate my lord¡¯s offer, but I literally have no intention to be Consort of the Prince," Ning Xueyan sighed, "My lord need not worry. Though bing Third Consort to the Prince wouldn¡¯t work out for me, I will still go to Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s study room and help you look for that thing like I promised. She retracted her captivating gaze from the distance, projected it at Ao Chenyi and shined a smile on him. That unpolished and innocent gesture made his heart skip a beat.

    This was the first time someone was sofortable around him, unlike others who would dodge making eye contact after the first nce. Not everyone was capable of putting up with the appalling vibe which seemed to emanate from the dead and their blood. In front of him, even experienced generals who had witnessed countless battles obeyed him without questions, let alone this vulnerable youngdy who could literally be carried away by the wind.

    In his handsome eyes, some curiosity was stirred up. "Wouldn¡¯t it bother you if the whole of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was exterminated?"

    Even though the words were simr to before, the tone was different.

    "My lord is second to the one only, besides, In the future, with the whole country in your hand, whoever you want to kill is totally up to you. Not making a move today won¡¯t guarantee their safety tomorrow. I am not in the position to worry."

    "Oh, Ning Zu¡¯an is your own father, wouldn¡¯t you feel concern about him?"

    "My biological mother is the only parent I have, I¡¯ve never had a father." Cutting and distant as her eyes were, she said without a slice of hesitation, and only her long eyshes teetered a little bit. Since she had already nned on taking advantage of Ao Chenyi¡¯s power, when it came to the choice between the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and Prince Yi, there was no room for her to evade. Besides, she literally had no attachment to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Though she was yet capable of leaving the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor for good, no one can stop her from building up her strength.

    Ao Chenyi¡¯s thin lips went slightly upwards at the edges, ck hair falling smoothly down his shoulder, looking like dark silk. Slender eyes squinted towards this delicate girl standing in front of him, "Do you want to leave the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?"

    "Yes, the day I leave shalle!" Ning Xueyan answered bluntly.

    "That¡¯s a quick answer, aren¡¯t you afraid of me dragging you down while I crush the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?" Ao Chenyi found her more intriguing and looked at this youngdy, who had been telegraphing cold and distant vibe, with great interest. As a person who treated the one she loved with a full heart and paid back the pain to the people she hated a hundred times over, she was quite something else.

    To get what she wanted, she acted merciless and assertive, even to herself.

    It was her personality that he was mesmerized by.

    "My lord wouldn¡¯t. Killing someone on your side with no good reason would definitely make the people who work for you feel disappointed and even betrayed!" Ning Xueyan looked up, corners on her mouth going upwards slightly. She raised her head and looked at Ao Chenyi with her clear eyes as water yet fairly cutting and elusive. Only she knew that her drooping long sleeves hid her clenched fists. In front of Prince Yi with his capricious mood, she never would dare to lower her guard.

    She circumspectly saw herself as one of Ao Chenyi¡¯s subordinates.

    "Hehe......" he smiled, with his morous beauty, while ruffling his handsome eyes. He raised his hand casually, grabbed a gon and frivolously poured himself a cup of wine. Red wine, dark as blood, spinning in ss, reached his lips which made them much brighter and tinged them with a sense of danger like he¡¯d been drinking blood.

    "How dare you threaten Your Highness? Aren¡¯t you afraid that I would kill you right now?" Ao Chenyi¡¯s slender, charming eyes shed a hint of astonishment. This girl kept surprising him. His focus was not on the menace hidden in her words, but her boldness, which he really appreciated.

    His eyes looked at her palm-sized face, stopping at her forehead where some medicine had been applied. To avoid infection, Lanning deliberately let her hair down onto her forehead and thought no one would notice. Her exquisite facial features were utterly exposed, the redness and swelling on her forehead made her look more pitiful and fragile.

    From every angle, she was a delicate youngdy from a respectful family. However, what she said and what she did was far from that image. If he didn¡¯t see the evident bite on her arm in person, there was no way for him to believe that she could be so hard-hearted.

    "My lord, of course I¡¯m afraid, but I still stand by my words."

    "Oh, why?" Ao Chenyi widened his eyes a little.

    "If my Lord wants something, so do I." Ning Xueyan looked straight at his gorgeous face and confided in him as if in front of Ao Chenyi, she had nothing to hide.

    This answer made Ao Chenyiugh so hard. "In fact, you can also ask the Third Prince for help, maybe he is more willing to do the beauty a favor."

    "What Third Prince would do is his own business, not mine!" Ning Xueyan articted. Judging from Madam Dowager¡¯s attitude, that door for Ning Yuling bing Third Princess was not entirely closed, it seemed like Third Prince¡¯s marriage was not entirely up to him.

    Besides, Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s power was something Third Prince probably craved.

 Chapter 42 Assassination and Blood Everywhere.

    So, when it came to Third Prince, she yearned for nothing that could happen between them. Initially, she had no intention to swoop in andpete with Ning Yuling. What Third Prince would do was literally none of her business, and the reason she didn¡¯t want Ning Yuling to marry Prince was that she had been afraid Madam Ling would capitalize on the powering along with this marriage against her.

    "If Third Prince knew the opposite side of you that you act so hard-hearted, I am not sure whether he would still treat you nice and kind." Something funny urred to Ao Chenyi which made himugh even harder. His eyes, falling on Ning Xueyan, were so gloomy and cold that made her whole body nervous, like being hit by something resplendent yet cial.

    She couldn¡¯t afford a slice of suspicion from Ao Chenyi, was afraid to remove her eyes away first. She had no choice but to confront that creepy gaze, while in her heart deep trembling with fear. She kept telling herself asfort that since Ao Chenyi needed her to find that military medallion which belonged to preceding dynasty, he must need her alive and would not kill her at least for now.

    Compared with the first time they met, Ao Chenyi was less hostile and intimidating to her, but still couldn¡¯t guarantee her safety for good, considering that Prince Yi was obnoxiously capricious.

    Requesting evils to act against their interests, is a business either to win or die. She put her own life at stake.

    To defeat Madam Ling mother and daughter was out of her league, so she had to seek support from others. Her uncle was one of them, but he would eventually return far back to the border. It just hit her that since there was no other valuable family background for her to exploit, she must take advantage of other¡¯s power, otherwise, killing her would be like nipping a bud to Ning Yuling, leaving no chance for her to fight back.

    In the whole Manor, there was no one for her to count on, neither the Madam Dowager, nor Ning Zu¡¯an. As ipetent as she was, how on earth could she win Madam Ling to get her revenge!

    The weak might seed in manipting others, but not the military force. In front of Madam Ling¡¯s tremendous appalling power, everything she had was trivial. If Madam Ling wanted her dead, there was nothing she could do to stop her. Besides, Ning Zu¡¯an wasn¡¯t a threat to her. All in all, she had to score this one.

    She must be one of Ao Chenyi¡¯s people.

    "Okay, you are in." He smiled with some elusive meaning, and surprisingly long eyshes cast creepy shadows on his white smooth face, "since I¡¯ve already listed you in my team, you don¡¯t need to be so frightened."

    That flippantughter sounded like a signal and was received by the guards who ambushed him on the side, which made their hearts jolt. They all desensitized their hearing and retracted their attention from theke. If Prince Yi found out they were all eavesdropping, they might lose their ears for that.

    He suddenly hurled the wine ss backward, drawing a crimson light and it thudded into theke. Before Ning Xueyan could figure out what happened, Ao Chenyi adroitlynded on the ground from that rock, caught Ning Xueyan and turned around before both of them fell on that rock. He remained half-reclining posture, and the only difference was that there was a beautiful, pale yet chaste as clear water in this handsome man¡¯s arm.

    What presented in front of her was the red blood waving in the water and drifting away!

    On the hills of both sides, some people in ck with masks either rolled down or showed up from theke. All of them were aiming their swords toward Ao Chenyi, as well as Ning Xueyan in his arm. Blinding and cold lights went straight to their faces within a blink...

    Meanwhile, a group of guardsing out from nowhere jumped out from all directions and acted mercilessly. People in ck were extremely skilled, but they were immediately ambushed. In front of guards who were twice times than them in number and equally trained, people in ck couldn¡¯t stand a chance to spare.

    All of a sudden, cries only from one party were everywhere. The clearke was colored into bloody red.

    There was blood everywhere. People in ck were taken down one by one, a few of them died of one fatal harm, and some of them were still struggling to march toward Ao Chenyi after applied seven or eight wounds by the sword. An assassin who had already jumped up on the rock fell down in front of Ning Xueyan. His eyes were still wide-open, bluntly gazing at her, and the color in his eyes was fading away. Before dying, he spurted blood on Ao Chenyi¡¯s and Ning Xueyan¡¯s clothes.

    Unconsciously, Ning Xueyan reached out and dragged Ao Chenyi¡¯s garment.

    "Are you scared?" A cold yet enchanting sound echoed in her ear...

    "Does it matter whether I am scared or not?" Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes cast on that assassin¡¯s face. Although her face had turned pale and her extremities were frozen, she still exerted herself and stared at that assassin.

    After being stabbed a few times, fresh and warm blood was flowing out. Wide-open eyes were staring at them in vain and vanity, but still could sense the bloody hatred. This assassination ended up with failure, as the cries became weaker and weaker.

    Everything had been nned. Prince Yi showed up here because he had known this. It was herself that strayed into this.

    "If you are frightened, feel free to go!" Ao Chenyi let go of Ning Xueyan¡¯s slim waist, and on the corners of his mouth, a creepy cold smile emerged, resplendent yet elusive, which was quite terrifying, especially against this bloody background.

    "Even if I can leave, I can¡¯t be safe. For your information, the road has been full of danger, too." Ning Xueyan felt a stab of pain. She quickly calmed down, sat up, embraced her knees where her head settled and said in a low voice.

    Since assassination had happened, there was no way there were only a few people. Those people could not kill Ao Chenyi. There must be some attacks waiting for him since they dared to assassinate Ao Chenyi. It was the most rxing moment for someone who just won a battle after being threatened. If the enemy mustered their strength to fight back, it was possible that they could get what they want.

    This reminded her of thest life, Madam Ling and her daughter, along with Xia Yuhang acted exactly like that. At thest night before her wedding, which was supposed to be the happiest and most blessed moment in her life, they cruelly drowned her to death in that lotus pond.

    The youngdy in in dress bent her knees and sat on the stone stage, and her eyes were ck as dark jade, deep yet distant, emanating a sense of mncholy. Her palm-sized innocent face seemed at a loss. The corner of her clothes was covered with some blood. This was a dramatically bloody scene where she was the only one who seemed out of all this and unbelievably peaceful, like a pure white snowdrop, so unapproachable and elegant.

    The view full of blood on the back actually served as a foil to her.

    She didn¡¯t feel sorry for them, given she would lose her life if they won. After all, they wouldn¡¯t spare her life out of her being innocent.

    Ao Chenyi frowned, flippantly pointed at the path Ning Xueyan took before, and asked, "So, you mean there are more assassinators out there?"

    "My Lord, this question is actually redundant. Along that path, I can¡¯t even hear the sounds of insects and birds. This forest is abnormally quiet!" Ning Xueyan retracted her thoughts and slightly looked back, eliciting a smile at the edges of her eyebrows, "Since My Lord has already set up everything, howe you ask me again!"

    She hadn¡¯t noticed when she came here, the path she took was oddly quiet. Cooperating with this current situation, all was so clear.

    Looking upward, this intense fight was just over, while another fight got started. Although she couldn¡¯t see the details, the cries loomed over this ce, scary and terrifying. Though she didn¡¯t pity those people, that didn¡¯t mean she appreciated such a scene, which was full of blood and death. Even the air smelled bloody. She looked down and kept silent.

    She tried to avoid witnessing such a living hell.

    "My Lord, what should we do with those people?" A guard came and saluted respectfully under the stone stage.

    "Old rules!" Ao Chenyi said without any feelings.

    "Understood!" With no more words, the guard went back a few steps and then retreated!

    In the meantime, there were criesing one by one, echoing long in the air. Thest cry came right before they died, in the broad field, before the final strike, it was more like a cruel game of cat catching mouse. Not until they grew bored about this, here came the lethal move!

    Prince Yi, who had been through a lot, howe he didn¡¯t realize there were people ambushing him.

    Ao Chenyi narrowed his eyes and asked Ning Xueyan no more questions. He stood beside Ning Xueyan. The autumn wind blew his sooty garment with some blood, where the Equinox Flower looked even more ring and striking and got people spellbound by the arresting red. From Ning Xueyan¡¯s position, she could see the blooming Equinox Flowers, which blocked her view of the sky flying toward her with the wind.

    The night rolled over. Ning Xueyan came back to her yard in the darkness. Fortunately, everyone had gone to the Honored Consort Ya¡¯s ce to pay their respect, so she didn¡¯t encounter anyone. When she entered her room, Qingyu almost shouted out after inspecting the blood on her dress.

    "I am okay, and this blood is not mine." Ning Xueyan urgently exined in order to prevent her from screaming.

    "Young... youngdy, what happened?" Qingyu asked concernedly after finally getting herself together, while her face was still pale.

    If this blood wasn¡¯t from Ning Xueyan, then it must be others¡¯. Howe others¡¯ blood sshed on youngdy¡¯s clothes. Thinking of this, Qingyu was terrified.

    "I ran into an event that someone tried to assassinate Prince Yi. Go get me clothes to change." Ning Xueyan sat down on a chair and actedposed when the fatigue kicked in. She had been holding her breath until now. After she exhaled, she felt that her arms and legs were trembling and freezing. It was not she was not afraid; it was because she could not be afraid.

    "Youngdy, please take the tea first, and then I will help you change your dress." Lanning served a cup of steamed tea, and said in a low voice. She had always been more sophisticated than Qingyu, so after she saw Ning Xueninge in, she acknowledged Ning Xueyan wasn¡¯t injured. Lanning, on the opposite, behaved herself as normal and went make a cup of tea.

    Ning Xueyan fetched the tea. When her trembling fingers touched that warm cup, a stream of warmth seeped in through her fingers literally and brought her back to life.

    After they helped Ning Xueyan change and clean up, she finally got to sit down when hearing someone asking, "Is Fifth Young Lady here?"

    "Sister, can I help you?" Lanning came out and saw a maidservant, so she asked politely.

    "Madam Dowager asked Fifth Young Lady to dress up ande over now." This maidservant replied.

    "Sure, she will be there in a minute." Lanning nodded. Hearing this, the maidservant turned around and left.

    "Madam Dowager was asking for me?" Ning Xueyan was shocked. After giving it a lot of thoughts and getting the clue, she barely hesitated before standing up, bringing antern and heading toward Madam Dowager¡¯s ce with Qingyu. Lanning was bumped by Ning Yuling and hadn¡¯t fully recovered yet, so she stayed in the yard.

    When they got to the gate, they saw the dazzling gate and a group of maidservants standing still on the corridor. Also, there were a few eunuchs waiting next to the door. When they spotted Ning Xueyaning, one of them stepped forward and asked, "Who are you?"

 Chapter 43 The Appreciation Comes from the Honored Consort Ya

    "Our Young Lady is the Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. She¡¯sing here to meet Madam Dowager." Qingyu stepped forward, raised her head and answered. During this period of time, Qingyu had been trained to be no longer as timid as before. She was neither humble nor arrogant when she answered the eunuchs.

    Someone came in to ask for permission. After a while, an older female servant came out and nodded while looking at Ning Xueyan who was blocked outside. Then the eunuch raised his hand and let go.

    Qingyu was left in the corridor and Ning Xueyan went into alone. Although she didn¡¯t look up, she had seen everything in the room as soon as she came in. In the spacious room, a beautiful woman in a piece of clothing embroidered phoenix was sitting at the top seat. She had an oval face and her eyebrows were slender, showing her gentleness while speaking and smiling.

    It was hard to believe that such a pure and gentle woman was the favored Honored Consort Ya.

    The Third Prince sat on her left hand while Madam Dowager was sitting on her right hand. Ning Yuling, who was supposed to be punished in the courtyard now was standing next to Madam Dowager with a charming and shy look. When Ning Xueyan came in, Ning Yuling looked at her with maliciousness but did nothing.

    Sure enough, the Honored Consort Ya was here. She came to Madam Dowager¡¯s courtyard at this time, which showed that she had a good personal rtionship with Madam Dowager.

    "You¡¯re the Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? How old are you?" The Honored Consort Ya scrutinized Ning Xueyan for a while. Ning Xueyan looked pale at first nce, which gave people a feeling that she was not in good health. But when people looked at her carefully again, they would found her delicate face was really beautiful. Just because of her light lips, she looked less eye-catching.

    But the more you looked at her, the more beautiful you felt she was. She was a young beauty.

    "Her Royal Highness, I am the Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. I¡¯m fourteen years old." Ning Xueyan went forward and saluted respectfully, then stood on the side and answered.

    She was natural and graceful and didn¡¯t show any surprise, panic or joy when she saw Honored Consort Ya.

    Seeing Ning Xueyan behaved well, the Third Prince praised her in mind and his look became more gentle. He gave a look to Ning Xueyan with an unconscious smile. Ning Yuling, who stood opposite him, saw his smile clearly. Immediately, she became angry and almost tore her handkerchief into pieces.

    "You¡¯re a clever child. But I found that you¡¯re not in good health. Have you ever gone to the doctor?" The Honored Consort Ya looked at her with a smile and asked, seemingly in a casual way.

    "Mother, the imperial physician had seen Fifth Young Lady before, saying that there was nothing serious. Because of the neglect of nursing, she always falls ill." The Third Prince answered first. When they were in the back mountain, Ning Yuling didn¡¯t hit Ning Xueyan but hit Lanning. After checking Lanning, the imperial physician was asked by the Third Prince to see Ning Xueyan¡¯splexion.

    Originally, the Third Prince wanted the imperial physician to feel the pulse for Ning Xueyan. But Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t want to be close to the Third Prince, so the imperial physician only saw herplexion.

    His word made Madam Dowager ufortable. A Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor always fell ill because of the neglect of nursing. Did it make sense? It clearly meant that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor slighted Ning Xueyan. But it was the Third Prince who said that, so Madam Dowager couldn¡¯t refute even though she wanted to.

    "Not just because of that. I just lost my mother. I missed her very much day and night. So I¡¯m weak now." Ning Xueyan raised her head and exined in a soft voice. Her expression was gentle and the voice was clear. She ascribed her illness to her missing of mother in a few words.

    Madam Dowager, sitting at one side, could not help smiling and satisfactorily looked at Ning Xueyan.

    "The Fifth Young Lady is really filial. Madam Ming is dead, and she doesn¡¯t want to see her only daughter fall ill because of her. You should be happier in the future and take care of yourself." Listening to Ning Xueyan¡¯s word, Honored Consort Ya soothed her with a smile. She waved to her with a kind look. "Come here, let me see, howe you are so weak!"

    Hearing that, Ning Xueyan gently and obediently raised her head and stepped up to Honored Consort Ya, behaving appropriately. There was nothing wrong with her. It really made people feel that she was a true Young Lady of a noble family. Compared with the Second Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor who ttered Honored Consort Ya as soon as she met the Honored Consort Ya, Ning Xueyan was much better and more graceful.

    "You¡¯re really beautiful, looking like a fairy from the painting." The Honored Consort Ya took Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand and praised her with a gentle gaze.

    Ning Xueyan was slightly ufortable, but she couldn¡¯t pull her hand out of the Honored Consort Ya¡¯s hands. She looked up and looked into the Third Prince¡¯s eyes.

    The Third Prince was scrutinizing Ning Xueyan. She was still in in clothes. She couldn¡¯t be too in because she came here to see Honored Consort Ya. So she wore light white clothes embroidered a few light pink flowers on the edge of her skirt. It made her look more elegant.

    Such a woman was not only beautiful but also indifferent. With her slightly childish face, her temperament was quite attracted and it was difficult for people to remove their gaze from her delicate face.

    "Many thanks for your love." Ning Xueyan lowered her head to avoid the deep gaze of the Third Prince.

    "Madam Dowager, your granddaughters are both beautiful and graceful. Howe the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor fosters such outstanding Young Ladies." The Honored Consort Ya let go of Ning Xueyan¡¯s hands, turned to Madam Dowager, and said to her with a smile.

    Seeing that the Honored Consort Ya also praised Ning Yuling, Madam Dowager smiled more greatly. "Thanks for your praise. They¡¯re just little girls and don¡¯t dare to speak in front of you, so they look quiet. Usually, the two sisters like ying in the courtyard. It¡¯s quite annoying. They¡¯re so childish."

    She openly talked about the event that happened in the Cold Mountain Temple before. At that time, the Third Prince was there and watched the whole process. He even took the initiative to help Ning Xueyan in the end. Madam Dowager thought that Honored Consort Ya must know this matter too. So she imed that this matter just was the quarrel and fight among children.

    Ning Xueyan, with a smile on the face, retreated a few steps and then stood behind Madam Dowager. "The quarrel and fight among children? How dare you said that. Your lovely granddaughter¡¯s quarrel will cause death." Ning Xueyan thought in mind with a cold smile on the face.

    "They are still young and sisters. It¡¯s normal for them to have fun. When they get married, they will have no possibility to y together." The Honored Consort Ya sighed, seeming to recall the past that happened when she was a little girl. She turned to Ning Yuling and Ning Xueyan and smiled more softly.

    "Madam Dowager, have your two granddaughters been betrothed to anyone?"

    Ning Xueyan suddenly became excited and haze shed through her eyes, thinking in mind, "I know that theing of Honored Consort Ya to the Cold Mountain Temple this time is bound to have something to do with the Third Prince¡¯s marriage, but why did she mentioned me? I have nothing to do with the Third Prince¡¯s marriage, why did they ask me toe here?"

    "Their mother loves them very much and don¡¯t want them to marry early, so they stay in the manor all the time and haven¡¯t been betrothed. Too much spoiling is harmful to children. Look, their marriage have been dyed."

    Madam Dowager answered with worry. She med Madam Ling for spoiling daughters too much so that they couldn¡¯t get married early.

    "It¡¯s normal that parents love their children. They¡¯re afraid that their daughters will be wronged after getting married. So they want them to stay at home longer. But it can¡¯t be too long. Look at your two granddaughters. They look like a pair of beautiful flowers. I really like them very much. It will be a good thing if they are still together and follow the example of Ehuang and Nvying!"

    With a smile on the face, Honored Consort Ya turned her gaze from Ning Yuling¡¯s face to Ning Xueyan¡¯s and put them together.

    Ehuang and Nvying?

    Ning Xueyan finally understood what that weirdness was. No wonder the Honored Consort Ya asked her toe at night. She didn¡¯t mention what happened to Ning Yuling before and even praised her. She wanted Ning Xueyan and Ning Yuling to marry the Third Prince together.

    Honored Consort Ya wanted the two daughters of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to marry the Third Prince together. Ning Yuling would be the Consort of Prince and Ning Xueyan would be the Co-consort of Prince. She really had a good intention. Ning Xueyan gave a look at the Third Prince who was looking at her gently, a trace of disgust shing in her eyes. She didn¡¯t want Ning Yuling to marry the Third Prince. At the same time, she also didn¡¯t want to marry him, let along being a Co-consort of Prince.

    Co-consort of Prince namely was the consort, just like the co-wife namely was the wife. In fact, Co-consort of Prince was a concubine.

    What¡¯s more, she didn¡¯t want to be hated by other women because of this man. This man was rich and powerful, but actually, he had too many scruples. He didn¡¯t like Ning Yuling, but he had to marry her. If Ning Xueyan married him, she was bound to be murdered.

    People of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor in the room changed their looks because of the words of Honored Consort Ya. Ning Yuling almost couldn¡¯t stand up. If she hadn¡¯t been helped by the older female servant beside her, she would have fallen down. She couldn¡¯t believe it. She looked at the Honored Consort Ya, and then looked at the Third Prince who was looking at Ning Xueyan. In the end, she looked at Ning Xueyan with jealousy and hatred.

    "This little bitch dares ogle the Third Prince and seduce him in front of me. She¡¯s so cheap and shameless!" Ning Yuling thought in mind with angry.

    "Your Highness, they are all the Young Ladies of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Zu¡¯an said a few days ago that we should choose a good husband for them. Their marriage shouldn¡¯t ruin the reputation of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Although the Fifth Young Lady is weak and the daughter of the co-wife, fortunately, she¡¯s smart and gentle." Madam Dowager was shocked. Although she didn¡¯t expect the Honored Consort Ya to have this idea, she responded quickly and said with a smile.

    When Ning Xueyan was in Bright Frost Garden, Madam Dowager didn¡¯t care about her. At most, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor supported one more person. In Madam Dowager¡¯s mind, the ¡¯support¡¯ meant feeding her. Ning Xueyan¡¯s safety was not in Madam Dowager¡¯s consideration.

    But now things had changed. Ning Xueyan was quite different now and she was beautiful. Madam Dowager hadn¡¯t figured out how to arrange the future of Ning Xueyan, so she subconsciously refused Honored Consort Ya¡¯s suggestion.

    Ning Xueyan rxed at one and looked at the ground.

    "Oh, that¡¯s a pity. I really like these two girls." Honored Consort Ya didn¡¯t show any unhappiness on her face, as if Madam Dowager didn¡¯t refuse her just now. She continued with a smile. "Here, reward the two Young Ladies a set of ruby headwear and ten pieces of brocade separately. Besides, reward the Second Young Lady a golden Phoenix Hairpin."

 Chapter 44 An Extra Phoenix Hairpin

    Ning Yuling was unsatisfied when she first heard that she was had the same reward as Ning Xueyan¡¯s. But when she heard that she could still get a Phoenix Hairpin, she looked up at Honored Consort Ya in surprise. Her eyes were widened and she was very happy. Then she turned to Ning Xueyan and red at her with satisfaction.

    The Phoenix Hairpin was not something that ordinary people could have!

    Only the consort of the royal family could be called the Phoenix. "Since Honored Consort Ya noble rewards me with such a Phoenix Hairpin, she must be satisfied with me and wants me to marry the Third Prince." Ning Yuling thought in mind.

    Madam Dowager also was very happy and rxed. Unexpectedly, Honored Consort Ya didn¡¯t ask about the trouble Ning Yuling made before, which pleased Madam Dowager. She deliberately asked Ning Yuling to dress up and thene here in order to Ning Yuling could leave a good impression to Honored Consort Ya.

    The jewelry and brocade were put on the table by the pce maids one by one, beautiful and noble!

    "Why does she also have a Phoenix Hairpin?" Ning Yuling was smugly looking at her own reward. Suddenly, she turned around and saw that there also was a gold Phoenix Hairpin in Ning Xueyan¡¯s ornamental box. Although it was not as beautiful as her, it still was not amon product, so Ning Yuling could not help crying out at once.

    She was so angry because she thought Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t deserve the Phoenix Hairpin.

    "Maybe the pce maids brought an extra Phoenix Hairpin. Fine, give it to Fifth Young Lady!" Honored Consort Ya waved her hand at will and said as if she didn¡¯t care much about it.

    How could the pce maids bring an extra Phoenix Hairpin that couldn¡¯t be sent at will? Ning Xueyan sneered in his mind but didn¡¯t show it on her face. She stepped backward, bowed respectfully and saluted. "Your Highness, thank you for your rewards. But I¡¯m not qualified to own this Phoenix Hair. I don¡¯t dare to ept it."

    She didn¡¯t want to be Third Prince¡¯s Co-consort, so she couldn¡¯t receive this Phoenix Hairpin. This one was lower than Ning Yuling¡¯s. And the two Phoenix Hairpins represented the Consort and Co-consort. Unexpectedly, the Honored Consort Ya didn¡¯t say anything on the surface, but rewarded her with this Phoenix Hairpin. If Ning Xueyan epted it, she wouldn¡¯t make it clear!

    "She dares to refuse my mother¡¯s Phoenix Hairpin!" The Third Prince was slightly unhappy, thinking in mind.

    Although he had heard before that she didn¡¯t want to marry into the Royal family, he didn¡¯t expect her to give up the opportunity when it was there. This made the Third Prince who was loved by countless Young Ladies stricken. He lowered his head and y with the folding fan in his hands without saying a word.

    Madam Dowager also reacted at this time and hastily exined. "Honored Consort Ya, you really think highly of her. How dare she ept such a valuable Phoenix Hairpin."

    Hearing that, Honored Consort Ya looked at the gold Phoenix Hairpin for a while and pretended she suddenly recalled something, then said, "Oh, it¡¯s my negligence. Change a gold hairpin for the Fifth Young Lady."

    The pce maid immediately took away the Phoenix Hairpin and reced it with an ordinary one.

    This matter seemed to be just a misunderstanding.

    Ning Xueyan knew that the Honored Consort Ya really wanted her to marry Third Prince. Ning Xueyan knew herself well. She always was in bad health. It was possible that she might die quickly after the marriage. So no one wanted to marry her.

    The Co-consort of the Third Prince was also noble.

    Why did the Honored Consort Ya feel satisfied with her and repeatedly hinted to Madam Dowager? Because she was the daughter of the Madam Ming? Honored Consort Ya had met Madam Ming secretly, did they have a good personal rtionship? If so, why didn¡¯t she send someone to worship Madam Ming since she died? Did Honored Consort Ya have other intentions...

    After rebirth, Ning Xueyan habitually considered things in aprehensive way. The tragedy of her Last Life told her that things could be traced!

    Honored Consort Ya and Third Prince for a short time and left. Ning Yuling was also asked to leave by Madam Dowager while Ning Xueyan was left behind. Under the light, Madam Dowager¡¯s face couldn¡¯t be seen clearly and her look was cold. Ning Xueyan stood there, bowing her head and saying nothing.

    "Would you like to marry the Third Prince?" Madam Dowager asked slowly while staring at Ning Xueyan closely.

    "I don¡¯t want to!" Ning Xueyan firmly said, looking up at Madam Dowager respectfully. "Grandmother, I knew the meaning of Honored Consort Ya. But I really don¡¯t want to marry the Third Prince."

    "Why? Since ancient times, marrying into the Royal family means wealth and rank. Marrying Third Prince, you¡¯ll get more wealth and rank. Even though you¡¯ll be the co-consort, it¡¯s possible that you¡¯ll have great wealth in the future. You really don¡¯t want to?" Madam Dowager didn¡¯t express her meaning clearly, but Ning Xueyan understood.

    If the Third Prince became the next emperor in the future, things would change greatly. Those women who married him before, including consort, co-consort, and concubines, all would be exalted and enjoy countless wealth.

    Ning Xueyan respectfully and gently replied, "Grandmother, as a Young Lady, I shouldn¡¯t have said that. But since grandmother asked me to stay, I don¡¯t want to conceal. The marriage of Third Prince and second sister is secretly agreed by you and Honored Consort Ya. Second sister likes the Third Prince. I would not like to get involved with them. Both second sister and I are the Young Ladies of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and are exalted. If we marry the Third Prince together, it will only weaken the reputation of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. What¡¯s more, if the Third Prince failed in the future... We shouldn¡¯t put all the eggs in one basket!"

    After saying that, Ning Xueyan looked at Madam Dowager sincerely. Her words showed her concern for others. And she didn¡¯t speak out her meaningpletely in the end, but Madam Dowager could understand. If the Third Prince failed inpeting for the throne, the whole Lord Protector¡¯s Manor might get into trouble too. It would be much difficult for them to get rid of the trouble if one of their Young Lady married the Third Prince, let alone two Young Ladies married him.

    Nobody dared say that he would win before the result came out. What¡¯s more, it was the ruthless and cold-blooded Prince Yi who controlled the court. It was difficult to get along with him.

    Madam Dowager was shocked and stared at Ning Xueyan in silence. She didn¡¯t expect the most insignificant Fifth Young Lady to have such insights. It shocked her greatly. Both she and Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t speak out their meaning clearly, but they understood each other clearly.

    "It¡¯s hard for you, a young girl, to have such an idea." After a long time, Madam Dowager sighed, and her look became mild. What Ning Xueyan scrupled was what Madam Dowager scrupled. She would never let her son support Third Prince with the whole Lord Protector¡¯s Manor before things were clear.

    "Grandmother!" Ning Xueyan said in a soft voice and didn¡¯t show any fickleness. She was totally unlike those Young Ladies who blushed when they saw Third Prince. She was graceful while indifferent. When the Honored Consort Ya rewarded her with the Phoenix Hairpin, she refused politely. It seemed that she really didn¡¯t want to marry Third Prince with Ning Yuling.

    "Well, go back and rest! Today you are tired. Your second sister is impatient. Although her some words are harsh, she isn¡¯t unintentional. Forgive her, after all, she is your sister." This time, Madam Dowager¡¯s smile was sincere. She waved her hand, and specifically asked servants to send Ning Xueyan¡¯s rewards to her ce.

    Although the quality of the cloth was good, they were in. Maybe because the Honored Consort Ya thought of that Ning Xueyan¡¯s mother had died.

    The Honored Consort Ya and her servants upied three courtyards. It seemed that the Cold Mountain Temple already knew she wasing, so the temple had left these three middle courtyards to her. The Third Prince didn¡¯te back to his own courtyard and followed Honored Consort Ya to her courtyard. When they entered the house and sat down, the Third Prince was depressed.

    "You really want her?" Honored Consort Ya looked at her unhappy son andughed suddenly. Then she asked servants to serve them tea and leave.

    "Mother, Ning Yuling is arrogant and domineering. She¡¯s a shrew. I don¡¯t want her. You didn¡¯t see what she had done in the temple before. She scolded and beat her bloody sister. How could such a woman be my consort?"

    The Third Prince unhappily said and took a sip of tea, remembering Ning Xueyan. She wore in clothes and was still calm when she was bullied. She must be graceful and was much better than Ning Yuling. She was the right person to be his consort.

    "I¡¯ve heard before that she¡¯s very unpopr in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Maybe she refused my mother¡¯s suggestion just because the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor doesn¡¯t want her to marry me." Thinking of this, the Third Prince became happy again. Then he began to worry about her because she was innocent and weak.

    "Mother, how about Ning Xueyan being my consort?" He turned to the Honored Consort Ya and said.

    "No way!" The Honored Consort Ya¡¯s face darkened and she refused directly.

    "Why?" The Third Prince could not help but ask.

    "Need I say the reason? Do you really like her? She¡¯s so weak. I think she won¡¯t live for a long time. Maybe she¡¯ll die before marrying him. How can such a woman give birth to a child for you? Besides, she has nothing, what¡¯s the advantage of marrying her?"

    Honored Consort Ya said coldly.

    In fact, the Third Prince understood all that his mother said. He also knew that it was impossible for Ning Xueyan to be his consort. A daughter of co-wife could only be his co-consort. He married Ning Yuling, not only because she was the daughter of the Official Wife, but also because of the forces behind her.

    One was the beloved daughter, and the other was the unfavored daughter. In addition, Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s attitude also mattered. How could the Third Prince not be clear about the reason behind?

    "The news that the assassination failed again came just now. But you are immersed in love now! I promise, Ning Xueyan will be your co-consort if possible. The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor doesn¡¯t want Ning Xueyan and Ning Yuling to marry you together. But if no one wants to marry Ning Xueyan, they won¡¯t refuse to our suggestion."

    The Honored Consort Ya said with an unhappy look. The Madam Dowager repeatedly refused her just now, which had already made her angry. Now there were no other people, Honored Consort Ya didn¡¯t need to cover her anger. She clearly knew what Madam Dowager was thinking. Ning Xueyan was beautiful, so she should have had a good marriage. Unfortunately, she was in bad health and her mother had died. It was hard to say that if anyone wanted to marry her.

    Today she deliberately asked Ning Xueyan toe over and said those words. She also knew that Madam Dowager would not agree, but she did so. What she wanted was to provoke the vixenish Second Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. The Second Young Lady wasn¡¯t easy-going. She was certain to make trouble for Ning Xueyan. So Honored Consort Ya only needed to watch on one side.

    "Maybe I can help Ning Xueyan when she is in danger..." Honored Consort Ya thought.

    Of course, these were not her main goals. How could these two Young Ladies be her daughter-inw? Just because the situation now was not clear, she needed to do something to help her son.

    "Mother, you decide this matter. I¡¯ll go to deal with the affair." On hearing the failure of assassination, the Third Prince rubbed his eyebrows and stood up, putting the matter of Ning Xueyan aside. This was the fifth time that he sent people to assassinate Ao Chenyi. But no one hurt him. If this went on, he would use up his killer that he trained secretly.

    "See if there are any traces left. If any, clean them up!" The Honored Consort Ya said coldly.

    "I know." The Third Prince turned and strode away. The house became quiet. Only the Honored Consort Ya sat quietly under themp, her eyebrows wrinkling slightly.

    "Your Highness, are you going to have a bath and rest?" A 30-year-old woman knocked at the door, came in, and asked.

    "Yes." The Honored Consort Ya nodded. It waste and there would be madams to visit her early tomorrow morning.

    A group of pce maids came in with towels for bathing. They followed Honored Consort Ya into the inner room where everything had been prepared well. Honored Consort Ya took off her clothes and went into the bathtub.

 Chapter 45 Aunt Xiangs Surprise

    Seeing that the Honored Consort Ya going into the inner room to have a bath, the 30-year-old woman left the house.

    "Aunt Xiang, it¡¯ste, where are you going?" Seeing Aunt Xiang came out, the eunuch who guarded the door asked with a smile.

    "I heard that there is a sole chrysanthemum outside our yard. I¡¯ll go and see it first. If Honored Consort Ya asks about it tomorrow, I can tell her." Aunt Xiang answered with a faint smile. She was Honored Consort Ya¡¯s servant and in charge of the flowers and nts in Honored Consort Ya¡¯s pce for her. She was good at growing flowers and nts, so the flowers in Honored Consort Ya¡¯s pce bloomed better than that of anywhere else and even was praised by the emperor.

    Since these flowers could attract the emperor for Honored Consort Ya, Aunt Xiang was not an ordinary servant anymore. Everyone respectfully called her Aunt Xiang. Aunt Xiang came into the pce with Honored Consort Ya and was Honored Consort Ya¡¯s dowry. Naturally, she was Honored Consort Ya¡¯s henchman. So these eunuchs smiled and let her go when she went out at this time.

    Aunt Xiang went out of the courtyard and observed for a while, then she went to the left. The chrysanthemum was specially nted by the monks in Cold Mountain Temple for the guests to enjoy. The flowers were elegant when bloomed. But people seldom enjoyed it at night. The eunuchs who guarded the door didn¡¯t know that, but Aunt Xiang was very clear about that.

    Aunt Xiang walked along the path and passed the chrysanthemum. She didn¡¯t see the chrysanthemum at all but went to the pavilion on the side. Under the moonlight, there was a beauty sitting on the stone bench. She poured a cup of tea and slowly drank. Her delicate face, together with her inky jade-liked eyes, made her alone in the night.

    Aunt Xiang could hardly believe it. She stared at Ning Xueyan¡¯s white face in excitement. The huge impact almost made her unable to believe what she saw for a moment. She rubbed her eyes and looked at the young girl in the pavilion again. She could say nothing due to great amazement.

    She had seen almost identical inky jade-liked eyes. Though the two faces were not very simr, both were beautiful. The face in front of her was too pale so that people couldn¡¯t realize its beauty at one. The childish gaze was also familiar to Aunt Xiang. She almost thought that the girl she saw was the beautiful and graceful woman...

    Aunt Xiang¡¯s lips trembled and her eyes became red because of sadness. "No, it could not be her." Aunt Xiang had seen her jumped into the fire in person. The mes burned her skirts, reflecting her beautiful face. Then she was covered by the fire and smoke...

    "Aunt Xiang?" Ning Xueyan stood up leisurely. The moonlight shone on her little face, making it a little blurred. Her glittering eyes were full of smile. She looked calm and gentle. It seemed that she encountered Aunt Xiang by chance instead flicking a note and it fell to Aunt Xiang when Honored Consort Ya walked by her with Aunt Xiang. The note said she wanted to have a meeting with Aunt Xiang at night.

    Aunt Xiang came to the imperial pce with Honored Consort Ya when Honored Consort Ya married the emperor. She had visited Madam Ming in private with Honored Consort Ya. It seemed that Honored Consort Ya wanted to leave Aunt Xiang to Madam Ming, but Madam Ming refused. The former Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t know who Aunt Xiang was, but now Ning Xueyan knew.

    The real Ning Xueyan had died. The soul of the present Ning Xueyan was Ning Ziying. Ning Ziying¡¯s mother knew how to make spices and also knew how to make poisons with spices. She said that the invisible poison was made up of several kinds of spices. But Ning Ziying¡¯s mother said she wasn¡¯t good at that and mentioned Aunt Xiang, saying Aunt Xiang was a master who knew all kinds of poisons made up of spices and also knew how to make poisons.

    If there was such a person to help Madam Ming, thepetition and poison wouldn¡¯t be a problem for Madam Ming.

    Madam Ming was poisoned to death. But actually, that poison was not difficult. One could found it as long as he or she knew a little bit about poison. Unfortunately, Madam Ming refused the goodwill of Honored Consort Ya, which puzzled Ning Xueyan. On that day, Aunt Xiang kowtowed to Madam Ming. From that, Ning Xueyan spected that the rtionship between Aunt Xiang and Madam Ming was unusual. So she invited Aunt Xiang toe here in the name of Madam Ming¡¯s daughter.

    She was in great need of help now. If there was an expert like Aunt Xiang who knew poison well, she didn¡¯t have to worry about being poisoned by Madam Ling. Maybe she also could fight back in some respects. With Aunt Xiang¡¯s help, she could revenge with more courage. That was why she risked meeting Aunt Xiang.

    Aunt Xiang came as what she expected.

    "You... you¡¯re Madam Ming¡¯s daughter, the Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?" Aunt Xiang finally controlled her mood and calmed down. She walked slowly and scrutinized Ning Xueyan. She was a little excited and confused. When she went to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manorst time, she only saw Madam Ming and didn¡¯t saw Ning Xueyan.

    "Yes, please sit down, Aunt Xiang." Ning Xueyan smiled and invited her to sit. Then she sat down on the stone bench leisurely, poured two cups of tea, and pushed one to Aunt Xiang.

    "Fifth Young Lady, why did you want to see me?" Aunt Xiang did not sit down, looking at Ning Xueyan on alert.

    "Aunt Xiang almost followed my mother before. I wonder if Aunt Xiang would like to follow me now if there¡¯s a chance." Seeing Aunt Xiang didn¡¯t sit down, Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t invite again. She gently buckled the teacup, lifted her watery eyes, and lifted the hair on her face casually, asking directly.

    On that day, the Honored Consort Ya came to see Madam Ming in person in order to leave Aunt Xiang to Madam Ming, but Madam Ming refused for some unknown reason!

    "You want me to help you?" Aunt Xiang was shocked. She didn¡¯t expect gentle Ning Xueyan to say that directly.

    "Yes, Aunt Xiang. How can you leave Honored Consort Ya?" Ning Xueyan asked with a smile.

    Although she hid at that time, she still saw that Aunt Xiang left reluctantly while crying. She must want to stay with Madam Ming.

    "I can¡¯t leave Honored Consort Ya!" Aunt Xiang refused.

    "Why? Didn¡¯t you wish to stay with my mother before?" Ning Xueyan wasn¡¯t very surprised, because she knew that Aunt Xiang wouldn¡¯t help her easily.

    "That was just my wish. Madam Ming didn¡¯t want me to stay with her." Aunt Xiang said with sadness but didn¡¯t speak out the meaning directly.

    "So, my mother died. Aunt Xiang, do you want me to die my mother?" Ning Xueyan smiled slightly as if she were talking about other people¡¯s affairs, only hatred in her eyes. Madam Ming died because of Madam Ling¡¯s plot. But the whole Lord Protector¡¯s Manor didn¡¯t give her an exnation. Only several servants were punished. Ning Zu¡¯an really ignored herpletely!

    "Your mother has been sick for a long time, so..." Aunt Xiang¡¯s face became pale. After a while, she answered in difficulty.

    "She had been sick for a long time? Aunt Xiang, you¡¯re wrong. She died of poisoning. There was a light fragrance of peach blossom after her death. The imperial physician brought by Prince Yi diagnosed in the mourning hall. But they only punished several servants. I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll die like my mother." Ning Xueyan smiled, picked up the tea cup on the table and took a sip.

    It seemed as if she were talking about other people¡¯s life and death.

    Aunt Xiang shocked violently, and her calm eyes were full of rage. One could see that she was very angry. She couldn¡¯t be indifferent to Madam Ming¡¯s death and Ning Xueyan.

    "Aunt Xiang, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor isn¡¯t the right ce for my mother and me. My mother was too confident to fall into such a situation, but I don¡¯t want to die in the backyard of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor so silently." Something fierce shed in Ning Xueyan¡¯s dark eyes and she smiled coldly.

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t know why Madam Ming refused such a big helper. Now she only wanted to revenge herself, Madam Ming and Ning Ziying. She would never let them seed again and again. "Aunt Xiang, if you still remember the rtionship with my mother, please help me."

    Ning Xueyan stood up and remembered the despair when she was pressed tightly into the water, holding her fingers tightly. No matter when, she would not give up. Of course, she couldn¡¯t persuade Aunt Xiang to help her so easily. Aunt Xiang was Honored Consort Ya¡¯s henchman and it was not an easy thing that she came to Ning Xueyan. This Aunt Xiang didn¡¯t seem to be impulsive. She must think about it carefully.

    And she just needed Aunt Xiang¡¯s help.

    "Fifth Young Lady, did you ever feel ufortable?" Aunt Xiang stood by the roadside, frowning and meditating. When Ning Xueyan passed by her, she suddenly widened her eyes and grabbed Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand, asking in a hurry.

    "Aunt Xiang, what¡¯s wrong?" Ning Xueyan stood still and asked softly, but she was not surprised at all.

    Aunt Xiang pulled Ning Xueyan and looked at her face under the moonlight. Then she picked up her hand again and felt her pulse. In the end, she asked with a trembling voice, "Fifth Young Lady, do you always feel ufortable? Do you often feel sleepy but can¡¯t sleep at night, and sometimes feel epigastric pain?"

    "Yes. How could I sleep well when I think about mother¡¯s death?" Ning Xueyan said indifferently. She seemed to have no surprise about her difort at all.

    "Are you taking medicine?" Aunt Xiang looked pale.

    "Yes, I have been taking all the time. My mother asked people to nurse my health when she was alive. Now Madam Dowager asks people to take care of my health." Ning Xueyan said with a smile. She was calm and not surprise at all when she said that, but her gaze was cold. "No matter what medicine I take, there¡¯s always a light fragrance of osmanthus. It¡¯s not easy for others to notice that when it¡¯s mixed with the medicine. But I have a keen sense of smell!"

    After listening to Ning Xueyan¡¯s words, Aunt Xiang was sure what was mixed with the medicine. She bit her teeth and said with hatred, "Fifth Young Lady, don¡¯t take that medicine again. This... this is used to make woman infertility and kill people. I checked for you just now. If you take more of it, I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t..."

    This kind of thing only happened in the backyard when womenpeted for husband¡¯s favor. Ning Xueyan was only a child. But Madam Ling should poisoned her. Before that, Aunt Xiang was still hesitant. At this time, she had made a decision in an instant.

 Chapter 46 The Handsome Princely Heir, Wen Xueran

    Madam Ming wanted her to be childless and also wanted to murder her. Ning Xueyan noticed that something was wrong in medicine, which was the reason why she invited Aunt Xiang toe tonight. But she didn¡¯t expect Madam Ling to be so malicious. For a woman, her children were her lifelong dependence. The love came from lover would change one day. Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t believe love anymore.

    If she could seed in revenge in the future, she wanted to marry an ordinary person and live a simple life. If she had no offspring, it could be imagined how miserable her future life would be. First, she would have no offspring, and then she would die. She couldn¡¯t figure out that there would be anyone but Madam Ling who hated her so much.

    No wonder Madam Ling had kept a low profile for Ning Xueyan these days. She had already poisoned her and waited quietly to see Ning Xueyan get weak step by step and die in the end. Even though Ning Xueyan wouldn¡¯t die, she also would have no children. Then her future would be...

    "Fifth Young Lady, have you ever taken a precious pill?" Aunt Xiang¡¯s hand came over again. It seemed that she didn¡¯t get the right diagnosis just now. This time, she put her hand on Ning Xueyan¡¯s wrist to feel her pulse for a longer time and then asked confusedly.

    A pill? Ning Xueyan suddenly thought of the pill given by Ao Chenyi and became surprised. "Yes, I have taken one."

    "Fifth Young Lady, is that pill still avable? This pill suits the remedy to the case. If you can take it several times for a long time, most of the residual poisons in your body can be solved." Aunt Xiang put down Ning Xueyan¡¯s wrist and looked at her, seriously saying, "One of itsponents is very precious, and even no stock in the pce. Although I know how to detoxify, I can do nothing without that medicine."

    "If I don¡¯t take this medicine, what will happen to me?" Ning Xueyan asked softly.

    "Without the pill, the residual toxicity in your body won¡¯t be cleared and you won¡¯t get well. In the future, it will be very difficult for you to have children and you will die soon!" Aunt Xiang was very sad and angry. Even if it was found earlier, Ning Xueyan had already been harmed for a long time.

    It seemed that she had to ask for Ao Chenyi¡¯s help in order to survive. Ning Xueyan sighed helplessly.

    "Fifth Young Lady, I¡¯d like to help you, but I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t leave Honored Consort Ya for the time being. However, I can asionally leave the pce and you can learn how to make perfume with me. What do you think?" Aunt Xiang had made up her mind at this time. The Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor not only was Madam Ming¡¯s daughter, but also her face was familiar, which made Aunt Xiang want to help her uncontrobly.

    Now, Aunt Xiang was Honored Consort Ya¡¯s servant. As she could not leave Honored Consort Ya to follow Ning Xueyan, she could only help Ning Xueyan in private.

    She went into the pce and became Honored Consort Ya¡¯s henchman, which involved lots of people. She didn¡¯t want to cause too many trouble.

    "Thank you, Aunt Xiang! Maybe you can help me tomorrow." Ning Xueyan said readily. Her smile contained some indescribable charm, which made the sad Aunt Xiang feel a little more gratified. Compared with Madam Ming, the Fifth Young Lady was stronger and smarter. If Madam Ming knew it, she would surely rest assured.

    "Okay, I¡¯ll help you in secret!"

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t expect Aunt Xiang to give up Honored Consort Ya and follow her. What kind of person was Honored Consort Ya? Ning Xueyan had known after having a few words with her today. She couldn¡¯t tolerate people¡¯s betrayal. If Aunt Xiang promised to leave Honored Consort Ya immediately, she would bring trouble to both of them.

    The way Aunt Xiang did this was consistent with what Ning Xueyan thought. On the one hand, it could be seen that the rtionship between Madam Ming and Aunt Xiang was unusual. On the other hand, it could prove that Aunt Xiang was not a rash person, whom Ning Xueyan needed most.

    After Aunt Xiang left, Ning Xueyan walked alone on the path of the Cold Mountain Temple, thinking about what to do next. It was dark and cold wind blew gently. Fortunately, the moon was still bright, shining on her head.

    "Fifth Young Lady, it¡¯s sote, why don¡¯t you go to sleep? Or you are like me who can¡¯t fall asleep?" A tall figure appeared turned out under the tree. A man in a light blue robe appeared in front of Ning Xueyan. A folding fan in his hand shook slightly, which made people feel he was shy. Using a fan in autumn, together with his smiling eyes, made him like a libertine.

    Why was he here? Did he see what happened just now?

    "I lost a piece of jewelry here. I¡¯m looking for it. Sorry for disturbing you." Ning Xueyan exined with a slight smile, but didn¡¯t answer Wen Xueran¡¯s question, showing indifference on her face.

    Wen Xueran, the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min, was famous in the capital because of his appearance. He was not only handsome but also the son of the rich and noble family. He was the ideal husband of many Young Ladies, except Ning Xueyan.

    In the night, he wore a loose-bodied robe whose cuffs were embroidered a purple auspicious cloud pattern. His appearance and temperament were eye-catching which couldn¡¯t be ignored.

    Unexpectedly, such a handsome and gentle man became a ruthless person. Just as an old saying goes, never judge a book by its cover.

    In the Last Life, when Ning Xueyan saw Wen Xueran for the first time, he just arrived at the capital city. He entered the capital on a fine horse and so many Young Ladies rushed to the road to see him that even the road was blocked.

    For the second time, Ning Xueyan met him in Cold Mountain Temple. That night, Wen Xueran in ck waspletely different from the handsome and elegant man of daytime. He pointed at her chest with a sword, asking about the whereabouts of a nun. When he was aware that she didn¡¯t know anything, his coldness and ruthlessness made her believe that she would be killed.

    But in the end, he disappeared without saying anything...

    "What did you lose? Let me help you." Wen Xueran walked over leisurely with a smile, looking at Ning Xueyan with his bright eyes in a good mood. He felt interested since all the Young Ladies in the capital were shy and excited when they saw him. He had never seen a girl who saw him with alert.

    She looked at him with alert both the first time and the second time. Wen Xueran couldn¡¯t remember what had happened between the Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and him.

    She stood there so quietly with indifference. She frowned slightly, and then naturally turned away. She didn¡¯t show any uneasiness, shyness, or coquetry, as if he was nothing.

    "Thank you. It¡¯s just a piece of valueless jewelry. Forget it. I don¡¯t dare to bother you." Ning Xueyan smiled and nodded. Losing jewelry was just an excuse. This seemingly passionate Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min was not a decent person. Was it a coincidence that he was here alone at midnight?

    Ning Xueyan unconsciously turned to another path, avoiding the one where Wen Xueran appeared.

    "An inessential essory? None of the girl¡¯s essories is unimportant. I¡¯m not busy now, so I¡¯d like to help you." It seemed that this handsome gentleman didn¡¯t perceive Ning Xueyan¡¯s unwillingness. He said with a smile, which made people feel warm.

    Then he headed to the road where Ning Xueyan turned to, which meant he would go with Ning Xueyan!

    Ning Xueyan slightly frowned. It seemed that she couldn¡¯t get rid of this Princely Heir! She stopped instantly and said, "Princely Heir, please stop. I really don¡¯t want to bother you. If people see we¡¯re together, they will gossip. That might not bother you. But it¡¯ll be a big problem for me."

    People were always tolerant of man. If a man and a woman dated secretly, people only would say the man was romantic. Especially when the man was like Wen Xueran, it would bring more gossip.

    But things were different for women. In Ning Xueyan¡¯s Last Life, she was framed by Madam Ling and Ning Ziyan that she had secretmunication with other men. Although everyone knew it was fake, Madam Ling and Ning Ziyan insisted that it was true. Then she was drowned at the lotus pond so that they could destroy her marriage.

    Nowadays, she became Ning Xueyan. If she made a tiny mistake, Madam Ling would not spare her, even if she was the Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Wen Xueran didn¡¯t expect Ning Xueyan to be so evasive and say that directly. He was speechless for a moment, shaking the fan in his hand. Seeing that she looked down obediently and the firmness in her eyes, Wen Xueran thought for a second and then nodded, indicating that Ning Xueyan could leave.

    Then he walked to another road.

    Seeing he leave, Ning Xueyan turned and left, saying nothing. She would better leave here as soon as possible.

    When Ning Xueyan returned to her courtyard, Lanning had long been waiting for her. Seeing hering, Lanning was relieved. Lanning had wanted to follow Ning Xueyan, but Ning Xueyan said that the fewer people went, the less likely they would be found. So she stayed in the courtyard. When they closed the gate and entered the house, Lanning asked in a low voice, "Young Lady, how¡¯s it going?"

    Qingyu was decocting in the corridor. Seeing Ning Xueyane over, she stood up and saluted.

    Ning Xueyan stopped beside the medicine can and sniffed, but smelled nothing. Actually, that smell was very light and could only be smelled when the medicine was hot. After the medicine cooled down, one couldn¡¯t sniff that smell even though his or her nose was sensitive. Usually, the medicine that the maids brought was cool. If it wasn¡¯t because the medicine maids brought it when it was hot asionally, Ning Xueyan would not doubt it.

    But she was not good at distinguishing the scent, so she only felt strange. After listening to what Aunt Xiang said, she knew what it was.

    "Is this medicine sent by Madam Dowager?" It was Master Huiming who prescribed, but the medicine was sent by Madam Dowager. Now it seemed that Madam Ling had nted her people in Madam Dowager¡¯s ce. And these medicines had been changed before they were sent to Ning Xueyan.

    "Yes. Madam Dowager¡¯s maid, Xiangmiao, asked the second-ss maid Huan, who was in charge of the store house in the Lucky Garden, to send it to us. We didn¡¯t take enough medicine with us when we came to the temple. When we used up the medicine, you didn¡¯t ask us to fetch from the manor. Later, Madam Dowager knew that we had used up the medicine, then she asked people to give some to us."

    Lanning answered after thinking for a moment. When Ning Xueyan came to the Cold Mountain Temple, they didn¡¯t bring too much medicine and used up all after several days. But Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t tell the manor. Instead, she insisted on going to the mountain to exercise every day and got much better. This time, in order to enjoy the trust of Madam Dowager, all of the medicine Ning Xueyan took were taken from Madam Dowager¡¯s store house.

 Chapter 47 Greetings and the Poison in the Medicine

    "Does Madam Dowager also take tonics?" Ning Xueyan thought for a second and said. In the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, the masters were used to taking tonics in winter. Of course, there was no such rule in the Bright Frost Garden. People in the manor said that Madam Ming and Ning Xueyan had been taking medicine all the time and they couldn¡¯t eat other tonics randomly in case the effect of the medicine would be influenced. But Ning Xueyan knew that Madam Dowager started taking tonics in autumn which was useful for old people.

    So Madam Dowager had a small pharmacy, small butplete. Compared with therge pharmacy which was in charge of by Madam Ling, there were more precious medicinal materials in Madam Dowager¡¯s small pharmacy. Usually, Madam Dowager kept a close eye on her small pharmacy strictly and always brought good things into it, which made Madam Ling jealous.

    Ning Xueyan hade up with an idea. Since Madam Ling nned to hurt her, she would let her pay a double penalty.

    "Madam Dowager¡¯s maids have begun to decoct tonics. Yesterday, I saw a maid decocting medicine in the corner of the corridor. What¡¯s wrong, Young Lady?" Lanning had been keenly aware of the problem and urgently asked.

    "There is a kind of poison which could make people infertile and die." Ning Xueyan said faintly.

    Qingqu was shocked when she was going to take up the lid of the medicine pot to see if the medicine was ready. The lid of the medicine pot in her hand suddenly fell to the ground, making a crisp sound. Qingyu didn¡¯t pick it up but asked in surprise, "Young... Young Lady, you said that it was poisoned?"

    Under themplight, the face of Qingyu was pale. She looked at Ning Xueyan with horror, and almost screamed!

    "Qingyu, bring the decoction ande with me." Ning Xueyan walked into the house. Lanning said nothing and followed her. Qingyu calmed down herself, picked up the lid of the medicine pot from the ground, came into the house with the medicine, and closed the door behind her.

    The pot was put on the table. Ning Xueyan opened it and smelled a faint osmanthus fragrance. It slowly spread out from the inside, and then dissipated in the wind, leaving no traces. It was very light and dissipated in a very short time. If it was ced for a longer time, that fragrance wouldn¡¯t be smelled any more. Then no one would doubt that there was a poison in it. This poison was more powerful than that was used to poison Madam Ming.

    Maybe Madam Ling was afraid that things had happened to Madam Ming would happen again and then people would suspect her, so she poisoned Ning Xueyan in a more insidious way.

    "What time does Madam Dowager usually take medicine?" Ning Xueyan thought for a while and then asked.

    "Madam usually take medicine at around 10 o¡¯clock in the morning. The doctor in the manor said that that time was the best time for Madam Dowager to take medicine. So the maids in Auspicious Fortune Hall decoct medicine for Madam Dowager around that time every day." Lanning had a good rtionship with the maids in all the courtyards, so she knew Madam Dowager¡¯s habit.

    "Young Lady, do you want Madam Dowager to know that First Madam had secretly changed the medicinal materials?" Qingyu also calmed down at this time. Her eyes suddenly brightened, but soon faded down. "Young Lady, the smell is so light that Madam Dowager may not detect it. And she won¡¯t check her own pharmacy without any reason. Or do you want to take this medicine to Madam Dowager directly?"

    This medicine had been decocted for some time, and Qingyu had never noticed any difference. If they could not find anything, what was the use to bring it to Madam Dowager? On the contrary, Madam Dowager would suspect that Ning Xueyan had a bad intention.

    They all knew that Madam Ling was harming Ning Xueyan, but there was no evidence and nobody could prove it. Madam Ling was still the First Madam of the manor as well as Ning Xueyan¡¯s namely mother. If she made a false countercharge then, Ning Xueyan would fall into danger.

    Ning Xueyan sat down beside the bed and thought for a while, then said, "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll let people find out that the smell of this medicine is not right. Lanning, you and Qingyu walk to Ning Ziyan¡¯s courtyardter while saying..."

    Seeing that Ning Xueyan was confident, Lanning and Qingyu nodded and believed that their Young Lady would have the solution. They rxed and thought in mind, "The Young Lady is quite different now and is more and more convincing!"

    After getting up the next morning, Ning Xueyan went to visit Madam Dowager with Qingyu. Her face was paler than before. Madam Dowager asked her to sit down and asked about her situation but found nothing different. She thought that Ning Xueyan looked so pale maybe because she had been weak for a long time.

    When they were talking, Ning Yuling came in with her maid. She wore a coat that embroidered gold twisted branches patterns and a skirt in a bright color, which showed her more charming. Compared with pale Ning Xueyan, Ning Yuling was beautiful and lovely.

    Seeing that Ning Xueyan was still pale and powerless, Ning Yuling restrained her jealousy. So many things had happened yesterday. The Honored Consort Ya even suggested that Ning Xueyan should marry to Third Prince. Although she didn¡¯t mention Ning Yuling, it still rmed her.

    Now Ning Yuling¡¯s personal older female servant was sent by Madam Ling. When they returnedst night, this older woman told Ning Yuling that Ning Xueyan would not have any children or live for a long time even though they married the Third Prince together. These words made Ning Yuling feelfortable. Therefore, although she still hated Ning Xueyan, she didn¡¯t show it on her face. She even felt a little proud.

    "So it¡¯s okay that Ning Xueyan seduces the Third Prince since she¡¯ll die soon. If she marries the Third Prince together with me, I¡¯ll step on her. Look at her, she¡¯s so pale and ugly. How dare she seduce the Third Prince?" Ning Yuling thought.

    "Fifth sister, you¡¯re so early. Did you take the medicine today? I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll faint in front of the Honored Consort Ya if you don¡¯t take the medicine. If so, it will irritate the Honored Consort Ya and affect the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor!" Ning Yuling proudly raised her chin and said to Ning Xueyan with disdain.

    Ning Xueyan smiled lightly and said softly, "Second sister, you came early too. Is it early to visit Honored Consort Ya now?"

    If Ning Xueyan hadn¡¯t said that it was still early, Ning Yuling also would think it was early. But since Ning Xueling had said, Ning Yuling would not agree with her. She sneered at the moment and said, "It¡¯s early? It¡¯s just right to go at this time, so as not to make Honored Consort Ya feel that we are used to be idle and there¡¯s no rule in the manor. In the manor, everybody visit elders at this time."

    Previously, Madam Dowager didn¡¯t like Ning Xueyan and never let Ning Xueyan greet her in the morning. Madam Ming didn¡¯t trust Madam Ling, so she never greeted anybody in the morning. Now Ning Yuling mocked Ning Xueyan of being unfilial. Sure enough, Madam Dowager became unhappy at once when she heard Ning Yuling¡¯s words. But she forgot that it was she who never let Ning Xueyan greet her in the morning.

    "Yes, you¡¯re right, second sister. Let¡¯s go now. But Grandma¡¯s medicine..." Ning Xueyan pretended not to understand her meaning. She pointed at the medicine that was being decocted outside and asked, frowning. Usually, Madam Dowager didn¡¯t take medicine at this time. But when Ning Xueyan came in, she noticed that the medicine had been decocting for some time. It seemed that Madam Dowager wanted to take some before greeting the Honored Consort Ya.

    "The medicine?" Ning Yuling understood at this time. But she didn¡¯t want to deny what she said just now and was unwilling to show weakness in front of Ning Xueyan. She took Madam Dowager¡¯s sleeve and shook it, saying with coquetry, "Grandmother, we should not take the medicine now. First, it is not the right time and the effect won¡¯t be good. Second, I just saw several madams with their daughters going to Honored Consort Ya¡¯s courtyard."

    "Are they so early?" asked Madam Dowager.

    "Yes, Grandma. Tomorrow is the chrysanthemum appreciation grand meeting. Those madams have to go to Honored Consort Ya¡¯s courtyard to inquire about it." Ning Yuling muttered, "Grandma, everyone else has gone. It won¡¯t be good if we¡¯rete."

    This remark was very reasonable. The rtionship between the Honored Consort Ya and the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was unusual. The marriage between Ning Yuling and the Third Prince was certain. If they wereter than others, maybe Honored Consort Ya would be unhappy. Moreover, Madam Dowager had refused Honored Consort Ya¡¯s suggestion yesterday, which already had made her unhappy.

    "Fine, let¡¯s go first!" Madam nodded, stood up, and walked out with Ning Yuling and Ning Xueyan.

    "The medicine can¡¯t be taken if it¡¯s cool. How about asking them to send it to Honored Consort Ya¡¯s courtyard. Grandmother cane out to take it and then return to the house. Or else all the medicines you had taken will be in vain! " Ning Xueyan suggested Madam Dowager with concern on her face.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s suggestion hit the spot. Madam Dowager had been taking this tonic for some time before and the doctor also told her that she could not stop taking. Otherwise, all the previous efforts would be wasted. Madam Dowager thought Ning Xueyan¡¯s suggestion was a good idea. She could then exin to Honored Consort Ya ande out to take medicine. Then she would go back and continue to chat with the Honored Consort Ya.

    So Madam Dowager nodded and asked the servants to send the medicine to her when it was ready. Ning Xueyan also specifically advised the servants to pour it into the bowl when it was taken to the Honored Consort Ya¡¯s ce in case it would be cold and the effect would be reduced. Hearing Ning Xueyan¡¯s words, the servants nodded. The Madam Dowager showed a satisfied smile when she saw that Ning Xueyan was so careful.

    When they arrived at the entrance of Honored Consort Ya¡¯s courtyard, they saw arge group of maids and servants waiting outside. It seemed that those madams were eager to visit Honored Consort Ya.

    Knowing that the Madam Dowager of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor wasing, Honored Consort Ya allowed them toe in.

    In the house, there were several madams with their daughters. After saluting Honored Consort Ya, Ning Yuling and Ning Xueyan stepped back and sat down with other Young Ladies.

    "Madam Dowager Ning, you¡¯re so lucky. Look, how beautiful your two granddaughters are." Sitting on the one side of the Honored Consort Ya was the Consort Dowager of the Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor, who held a snow-white civet cat in her hands. She and Madam Dowager were familiar with each other. She gave a look to Ning Yuling and Ning Xueyan and praised them while touching the head of a civet cat.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s gaze could not help but fall on thezy civet cat.

    The snow-white civet cat leanedzily in the arms of Consort Dowager. There was a lot of meat around its belly. It curled up naturally, head touching its tail. It looked very lovely.

    "It¡¯s very kind of you, Consort Dowager. They¡¯re just ordinary girls. They don¡¯t deserve your high praise." Madam Dowager said modestly with a smile. Hearing Consort Dowager¡¯s praise, the Madam Dowager was very happy but didn¡¯t show it on her face.

    "Madam Dowager, you¡¯re too modest. Everybody knows that the Second Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is highly cultured and steeped in propriety and also elegant and versatile. She has a straightforward temperament and is responsible. Looking at her appearance now, it¡¯s really enjoyable." The Consort Dowager said with a smile and praised Ning Yuling while looking at her.

 Chapter 48 The Kindness of the Consort Dowager of Commandery Prince Lis Manor

    Ning Yuling flushed because of the praise. Although she didn¡¯t understand what the meaning of the Consort Dowager was, she still proudly looked at Ning Xueyan. She had already felt that she was much more beautiful than Ning Xueyan.

    But Ning Xueyan remembered something and understood the meaning of this Consort Dowager. She lowered her head to cover the sneer in her eyes. Ning Yuling was very proud now. Ning Xueyan wondered whether she would be proud too when she knew the truth.

    "Consort Dowager, you think highly of her." Madam Dowager said with a smile, then she raised her hand and said to Ning Yuling, "Yuling and Xueyan, you twoe over together and salute the Consort Dowager of the Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor."

    "Yes!" The two came together and saluted the Consort Dowager of Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor with great respect.

    Really speaking, the identity of this Consort Dowager was the same exalted as that of the Empress Dowager. She was the present emperor¡¯s aunt. The Honored Consort Ya also had to respect her. Her meaning that she took a fancy to Ning Yuling was so obvious. The Madam Dowager couldn¡¯t act like she didn¡¯t understand.

    So she let Ning Yulinge over to salute the Consort Dowager with Ning Xueyan. In this way, Ning Yuling would be less conspicuous.

    "You¡¯re really a good girl. You¡¯re so lovely. If you were my child, it would be great. Good girl, I don¡¯t have something good with me now. I just give this to you." The Consort Dowager of Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor took Ning Yuling¡¯s hands intimately. She took off the ruby bracelet on her wrist and then put it on Ning Yuling¡¯s wrist.

    Both Madam Dowager and Honored Consort Ya changed their looks.

    Only Ning Yuling still didn¡¯t know. Ning Yuling knew this ruby bracelet was the best when she saw it. She remembered the pair of ruby bracelets that she wanted and finally was given to Ning Ziyan by Madam Ling. So she now wanted to ept this ruby bracelet when she saw it.

    "Consort Dowager, this is too expensive. How could a child deserve such a good thing?" Madam Dowager refused with a smile.

    "It doesn¡¯t matter. I just like her, so I want to give it to her. I have no other meaning." The Consort Dowager said with a smile. Her words relieved Madam Dowager and showed that she really liked Ning Yuling. And when she was talking, the ruby bracelet had already been worn on Ning Yuling¡¯s wrist.

    "Thank you, Consort Dowager." Ning Yuling had already thanked Consort Dowager before Madam Dowager said something again. So Madam Dowager now could say nothing more and had to thank Consort Dowager with a smile. But she had made up her mind that she would let Ning Yuling take off the bracelet and then send it back when they returned.

    This ruby bracelet was not an ordinary bracelet. It was the heirloom of the Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor and also was the bride-price for the future Consort of the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. Thinking of this Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, Madam Dowager couldn¡¯t be happy anymore. He just was a libertine. Every day, he either saw a y or drank in the brothel. No parents wanted their daughter to marry him.

    He dared to bring any woman to the manor. It was heard that he had married many concubines and had several children. And he had once annoyed his mother seriously. If any girl became his Official Wife, she wouldn¡¯t live a good life!

    Ning Yuling didn¡¯t know the meaning of this bracelet. She returned to her seat with joy, and also deliberately show off her new ruby bracelet in front of Ning Xueyan.

    Ning Xueyan smiled faintly and didn¡¯t pay attention to her. Her gaze fell on Aunt Xiang who stood next to Honored Consort Ya. Seeing that she had been standing behind Honored Consort Ya, Ning Xueyan smiled more greatly.

    The madams in the room chatted about their daily life and the chrysanthemum appreciation grand meeting of tomorrow. Several madams also asked about who would attend the chrysanthemum appreciation grand meeting, wondering if there was a daughter in their manors who could marry the Princely Heir or prince. All of them calcted in mind and chatted with each other, which cost quite a long time.

    Ning Xueyan felt it was the time that Madam Dowager¡¯s medicine should be sent. She looked up and looked outside, seeing a pce maiding in.

    "Your Highness, an older female servant of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is outside and said that she came here to send the medicine to Madam Dowager."

    Hearing that the medicine had arrived, Madam Dowager stood up and said to Honored Consort Ya with a smile, "Your Highness, I¡¯ll go out to take the medicine first, and thene back." After that, she was going to go out.

    "Madam Dowager, don¡¯t have to be so troublesome. Let shee in and you can take the medicine here." Honored Consort Ya politely said.

    "Er..." Madam Dowager hesitated.

    With a slight smile, Ning Xueyan was about to persuade Madam Dowager to take medicine in the room. But she stopped and kept her head down when she heard the words of the Consort Dowager. Since someone was willing to persuade Madam Dowager, she just needed to watch the show!

    "I¡¯ve heard that the medicine taken by Madam Dowager is very good for the elderly. I wanted to ask Madam Dowager for advice. Now that Madam Dowager¡¯s servant has taken the medicine here, how about letting us look at it." Consort Dowager said with a smile. Now the Consort Dowager wanted the help of Madam Dowager, so she ttered Madam Dowager.

    Since Consort Dowager said that, Madam Dowager would be pretentious if she refused again. So she had to agree.

    After a while, an older female servant of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor walked in with a pot and was led to Madam Dowager. The pce maid took out a bowl and the older female servant opened the pot. Immediately, a strong smell of medicine rushed out and the Honored Consort Ya who was the nearest to the medicine couldn¡¯t help but lean to the side.

    Madam Dowager took the pot, poured the medicine into the bowl, and was going to drink.

    Aunt Xiang who stood next to Honored Consort Ya suddenly changed her look, looked up slightly, and looked at the bowl in Madam Dowager¡¯s hands. She shouted, "Stop! There¡¯s something wrong with the medicine!"

    This word stunned everyone. And they all looked at the bowl in Madam Dowager¡¯s hands.

    Ning Yuling first shouted and rebuked, "Nonsense. This medicine is made by grandmother¡¯s servants in her yard. How could there¡¯s something wrong with it?"

    If there was something wrong with the medicine in the manor, Madam Ling was the first to be suspected. Ning Yuling was particrly clear-headed this time.

    When Ning Yuling reproached Aunt Xiang, Honored Consort Ya frowned and looked at Ning Yuling with unhappiness. Aunt Xiang was Honored Consort Ya¡¯s henchman, and even she herself also respected Aunt Xiang. How dare Ning Yuling reproached Aunt Xiang in front of her?

    "Aunt Xiang, what¡¯s the matter?" Honored Consort Ya ignored Ning Yuling and asked Aunt Xiang gently.

    Madam Dowager knew Aunt Xiang. At this time, she didn¡¯t dare to take the medicine in her hands. She put it on the table, looked at Aunt Xiang with confusion, and listened to her.

    "Your Highness, there¡¯s another kind of medicine material in it. Long-term use will make people sleepy. Weak people like Madam Dowager will lose her life if they take it. Originally, this medicine is used for people who are in good health. But it¡¯s harmful to weak people!"

    Aunt Xiang said with a faint expression. Then she came over, smelled it and said, "The smell of that kind of medicine is very light and couldn¡¯t be smelled when it¡¯s mixed with other medicines. Only when the pot is opened, one could smell the faint scent that is different from the smell of general medicine. Madam Dowager, if you don¡¯t believe it, you can smell it now. Otherwise, it¡¯ll dissipate after a while."

    It was almost colorless and tasteless, but could kill people! How poisonous this medicine was. No one would pay attention to the tiny difference in the medicine. Usually, it had been cool when it was sent to Madam Dowager. But this time, Madam Dowager poured it into the bowl in person in order to take it when it was still hot.

    The looks of everyone changed.

    "Bullshit! How could someone poison grandmother!" Ning Yuling subconsciously felt bad and refuted.

    "Second Young Lady, I don¡¯t know how to say if you insist on not believing. You can invite other doctors to have a look. Are the dregs of the decoction still here?" Aunt Xiang indifferently said. She looked at Ning Yuling, stepped back, and stood behind Honored Consort Ya, as if she just casually discovered something and spoke out it.

    What would happen next had nothing to do with her!

    What would happen next had nothing to do with Aunt Xiang. But how could it have nothing to do with Madam Dowager. Madam Dowager was extremely angry when she thought that there was poison in her medicine. She pointed at the older female servant and shouted, "Go, pour the medicine dregs out."

    The older female servant was so frightened. She had wanted to be rewarded for bringing the medicine to Madam Dowager. Unexpectedly, it might bring a great disaster to her. She didn¡¯t dare to be slow, quickly pouring out the dregs into another bowl sent by a pce maid.

    Honored Consort Ya also brought an imperial physician with her when she came to the Cold Mountain Temple. Aunt Xiang was her henchmen. If she invited her own imperial physician to check the dregs, others would suspect the result. So Honored Consort Ya didn¡¯t invite her imperial physician. Instead, she let people tell the Forth Prince that she wanted to borrow his imperial physician.

    Since such a thing happened, the pce maid ran away quickly to invite the Forth Prince¡¯s imperial physician.

    When things got to this point, Ning Yuling was shocked at first, and then looked back at the servant standing behind her. This was the person Madam Ling sent to her and was Madam Ling¡¯s henchmen. When Ning Yuling looked at her, she shook her head, indicating that there was no problem with the medicine and the First Madam didn¡¯t poison.

    Although the interaction between them was not attention-getting, it still fell into Madam Dowager¡¯s eyes, and her gaze suddenly turned cold.

    This servant¡¯s behavior rxed Ning Yuling. She came over and said to Madam Dowager with a smile, "Grandma, don¡¯t worry, there can be nothing wrong. It must be this female officer¡¯s mistake. Your medicine materials are the best medicine materials selected by my mother, and the doctor in the manor has also checked. How can there be problems? Is there something wrong with this bowl?"

    She just wanted to say that Madam Ling was filial to Madam Dowager, not to speak ill of Honored Consort Ya. But this bowl was taken out by Honored Consort Ya¡¯s maids from Honored Consort Ya¡¯s room. It seemed that Ning Yuling targeted at Honored Consort Ya. The meaning was that the Honored Consort Ya deliberately made troubles.

    Ning Xueyan smiled slightly and thought Ning Yuling was the most stupid one she had seen. Didn¡¯t she see Honored Consort Ya¡¯s and Madam Dowager¡¯s cold and unhappy faces? Originally, Ning Xueyan had wanted to irritate Ning Yuling so that she would say something foolish. Unexpectedly, she didn¡¯t need to do that. Ning Yuling had already taken the initiative to say something wrong. So Ning Xueyan simply sat aside and quietly saw what would happen.

    "Ning Yuling, just boast. You¡¯d better say how virtuous and filial Madam Ling is. Later, you¡¯ll regret what you have said." Ning Xueyan thought in mind.

    Madam Dowager didn¡¯t show a smiling face because of Ning Yuling¡¯s exnation. Instead, she looked at Ning Yuling coldly and gave a gloomy smile, ignoring her.

 Chapter 49 Things Happen One after Another and Madam Dowager Gets Angry

    Ning Yuling was ignored and felt embarrassed for a while. When she saw Honored Consort Ya¡¯s unhappy face, she realized that she was disgusted. So she quietly stepped back and stared at Ning Xueyan fiercely when she came back. When passing through Ning Xueyan, she whispered angrily, "Did you do that, little bitch?"

    Ning Xueyan gave her a faint smile, but didn¡¯t answer her question. She looked at Madam Dowager¡¯s face and ignored Ning Yuling directly, which made Ning Yuling angry. However, she dared not indulge in front of so many people.

    The Forth Prince¡¯s imperial physician came quickly. Listening to the order of the Honored Consort Ya, he went to examine the dregs and said, "Yes, there¡¯s one harmful medicine material!"

    Ning Yuling stiffened and could hardly believe what she heard. She unconsciously looked at the servant behind her again. "Did I misunderstand just now? Did she mean that there really is something wrong with the medicine? Did she want to tell me that my guess is right?" Ning Yuling was tense and restless, thinking in mind.

    Seeing Ning Yuling¡¯s tense and restless look, Madam Dowager was furious. It seemed that Madam Ling really had added one harmful medicine material into her tonics. She recalled what had happened in the mourning hall. At that time, she found that someone was going to report to Madam Ling¡¯s person. Combining the two matters, Madam Dowager realized that Madam Ling not only nted people in her ce but also poisoned her.

    Madam Dowager could hardly contain her anger.

    "Grandma... How could it be? Did... did the servants mistake it? My mother has always been responsible. It¡¯s impossible that she delivered the wrong medicine." Ning Xueyan suddenly stood up, as if she was frightened. She stepped forward. It seemed that she wanted to check in person. But after a few steps, she teetered with amaze and scare on her face.

    It seemed that she was incoherent because of over-fright. But her words unconsciously linked Madam Ling and Madam Dowager¡¯s medicine. Ning Yuling had said that before. So it wasn¡¯t abrupt that she said that again. On the contrary, it made people feel that it must be true since Madam Ling¡¯s own daughter said that.

    This was a family affair of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. So no one said something now even though they had guessed it was Lord Protector¡¯s wife, Madam Ling, who did that. Madam Dowager was extremely angry and didn¡¯t want to stay any longer. She rushed to say goodbye to the Honored Consort Ya and returned with Ning Yuling and Ning Xueyan.

    As soon as she entered the room and sat down on the couch, Madam Dowager pped the table heavily, pointed to the older female servant standing behind Ning Yuling, and scolded, "Kneel down!"

    Madam Dowager saw clearly that this older female servant had been making eye contact with Ning Yuling just now. She must know the truth. Thinking that she had been poisoned by Madam Ling, Madam Dowager was furious. In order to maintain the face of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Madam Dowager had controlled her anger in front of Honored Consort Ya.

    "I, I..." The older female servant didn¡¯t expect the Madam Dowager to me her as soon as they came back. She immediately knelt down and trembled, not knowing how she made Madam Dowager angry. "Madam Dowager, I don¡¯t know. It really has nothing to do with me!"

    "Huan, you say!" Madam Dowager said with anger.

    Huan, who had been informed earlier, was also frightened to tears. At this time, she hurried to exin when Madam Dowager asked her. "Madam Dowager, the medicines are taken from Manager Zhang. When I get them, I¡¯ll carefully seal them up. When we use them, I¡¯ll take them out with other maids. Madam Dowager, if you don¡¯t believe it, you can ask the servants who guard the pharmacy."

    Huan was afraid to be involved in this matter, so she exined it hurriedly.

    Mother Zhang, the manager of the backyard, was Madam Ling¡¯s person.

    Ning Xueyan moved back silently and let Ning Yuling¡¯s older female servant expose to Huan. Huan was worried that she couldn¡¯t exin clearly. Her eyes suddenly brightened when she saw Ning Yuling¡¯s older female servant. So she said urgently while pointing at the older female servant, "Madam Dowager, when I was preparing the medicine to be decocted for you in the morning, she came over and said that the Second Young Lady was ufortable and wanted some medicines. So I, together with a little maid, hurried to get the medicine that the Second Young Lady needed. At that time, she... she was left there alone!"

    Huan originally didn¡¯t think of this matter. But she suddenly remembered when she saw the older female servant.

    The older female servant didn¡¯t expect that. She was frightened and could not even speak fluently for a moment. "Madam Dowager, Second Young Lady was... ufortable... I, I wanted to nurse her health, so..."

    "She was ufortable? Why?" Madam Dowager snapped.

    Ning Yuling wasn¡¯t ufortable at all. She thought that what had happened yesterday would let the Honored Consort Ya and the Third Prince feel dissatisfied, so she listened to a maid¡¯s suggestion. She wanted to get some medicine to take and deliberately pretended that she was ufortable yesterday so that she did those foolish things.

    But the older female servant couldn¡¯t say that now.

    Therefore, after listening to Madam Dowager¡¯s words, this older female servant looked paler and almost copsed to the ground. She was Madam Ling¡¯s henchman and was arranged to help Ning Yuling. Usually, Ning Yuling relied on her very much. But such a serious thing had happened, Ning Yuling wouldn¡¯t talk for her. Looking at Madam Dowager¡¯s angry face, Ning Yuling suddenly became sober.

    Her grandmother¡¯s medicine was poisoned, which seemed to be rted to her mother. If she still talked for this older female servant, her grandmother would be more suspicious of her mother!

    Therefore, she could never save this older female servant!

    Not only could she not be saved, but also she needed to be punished severely. In this way, her grandmother¡¯s suspicion would be dispelled.

    "You, how can you do that? I always respect my grandmother. You dared to poison her. Did you forget why my mother sent you to me?" Ning Yuling came forward and heavily pped the older female servant. Blood immediately appearing on her face.

    She entuated the word "mother" deliberately.

    Listening to Ning Yuling¡¯s words, the older female servant trembled all over. She clearly knew how vicious Madam Ling was. If she said that it was Madam Ling¡¯s order, her whole family would be murdered by Madam Ling. Moreover, Madam Ling had born a son for Lord Protector. So whatever she said now was useless. She had to admit it now.

    The older female servant gritted her teeth and kowtowed at Madam Dowager, crying loudly, "Madam Dowager, please spare me. I did that. Huan and I are not in harmony. So I added another medicine material in your medicine. I didn¡¯t mean to harm you. I just wanted Huan to be punished. Madam Dowager, forgive me. This was originally the unhappiness between Huan and me. I didn¡¯t expect to involve you."

    "She dared to murder the master. Such an evil servant should be beaten to death. Grandma. Do you think so?" Ning Yuling¡¯s suggested with indignation.

    "Grandma, we¡¯re in the temple, I¡¯m afraid..." Ning Xueyan suddenly said.

    Madam Dowager then remembered that this was the Cold Mountain Temple. It wasn¡¯t suitable to kill people directly here. But she was unwilling to let this older female servant go. She thought for a while and came with an idea.

    "Here, send her back and let Madam Ling find out who wanted to kill me! Let her execute this older female servant as a warning to others!" Madam Dowager snapped with fierce. Although this older female servant¡¯s words were reasonable, Madam Dowager still didn¡¯t believe her. She suspected that Madam Ling was involved in this matter. She already didn¡¯t believe Madam Ling, so she thought everything seemed possible.

    This older female servant would be sent to Madam Ling to be executed as a warning to others. Madam Dowager would see who dared to follow Madam Ling in the future.

    The older female servant was gagged and taken away. Madam Dowager was still angry and didn¡¯t want to pay attention to Ning Yuling and Ning Xueyan. She waved her hand and let them go.

    Ning Xueyan returned to the courtyard with Qingyu and Lanning had been waiting for them in the courtyard. Then the three closed the door and went into the house together.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s courtyard was in a remote ce and few people came here.

    "Young Lady, how do you know that Second Young Lady¡¯s maid would listen to us and persuade the Second Young Lady to ask for the medicine from the Madam Dowager?" Thinking about what happened just now, Qingyu couldn¡¯t help asking when there were no outsiders around.

    Last night, she and Lanning made a special trip to Ning Yuling¡¯s ce. When they saw two of Ning Yuling¡¯s maidsing, they deliberately talked about Ning Yuling¡¯s scandal and exaggerated it and said Ning Yuling was so foolish. Then they joked that if the Second Young Lady was smart enough, she would surely think of pretending to be ill to ount for her foolish behaviors.

    As long as she got some medicine to take and spread a rumor that she was so ufortable that she did such stupid things yesterday, maybe her reputation would be saved.

    Qingyu had thought that those words would be useless. She didn¡¯t expect it to have a great effect. Qingyu was surprised at her Young Lady¡¯s cleverness.

    Ning Xueyan took the tea from Lanning, drank it, and smiled. "Yesterday many things happened. Ning Yuling was impulsive at that time, then she would certainly want to remedy her reputation. When she heard the maid¡¯s suggestion, how could she not ept? It wastest night. So asking for medicine from Madam Dowager before others getting up this morning was better. When Honored Consort Ya asks about it, she could exin."

    Ning Yuling was easy to be impulsive but was extremely poisonous when she calmed down. In Ning Xueyan¡¯s memory, she had been framed by Ning Yuling for many times and finally didn¡¯t dare to go out of the Bright Frost Garden because of Ning Yuling. This time she wiped out one of Ning Yuling¡¯s important helpers. Then, she would revenge on Ning Yuling step by step.

    Didn¡¯t she want to marry the Third Prince? Unfortunately, the Third Prince didn¡¯t like her. But that Consort Dowager of the Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor seemed to be satisfied with her. If Ning Yuling married this Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, it would be a good thing. That Princely Heir was a famous libertine, and Ning Yuling was a shrew. They suited each other.

    "Are you better now, Lanning?" Ning Xueyan looked back at Lanning, who had been standing beside her with a faint smile. She knew that Lanning was smarter than Qingyu, so she asked at the moment.

    "Young Lady, what can I do for you? The injury isn¡¯t serious. I feel much better after taking medicine." Lanning nodded and said with a smile, knowing Ning Xueyan¡¯s meaning. Actually, she was hit seriously yesterday. Luckily, she was treated in time. The imperial physician came timely and the medicine she took was good. Although she still felt a little ufortable, she was much better today.

 Chapter 50 The Disturbance in the Lord Protectors Manor and Madam Ling Is Going to Frame Ning Xueyan

    There were few people who could help Ning Xueyan and everyone had to bear more responsibilities. Lanning knew this situation very well, so she said she was okay.

    "You and Qingyu go out for a stroll in the afternoon. As soon as you see the maids of other manors, you talk to them. During the conversation, you only say that Ning Yuling is beautiful and virtuous." Ning Xueyan leisurely said with a smile.

    "Many Childe and Young Ladies saw what happened yesterday. No one will believe us!" Qingyu blinked her eyes and couldn¡¯t understand Ning Xueyan¡¯s meaning for a moment, asking in perplexity. At that time, more than one Chile was present and saw what Ning Yuling did. Who would believe Ning Yuling was virtuous?

    "Those Chiles who were present yesterday know that Ning Yuling isn¡¯t virtuous. But not all Childes were present yesterday. They might believe what we¡¯ll say." Ning Xueyan smiled and jade-like eyes circled, mockery in her eyes.

    She didn¡¯t know how many people saw it yesterday, but she knew that the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li was absent!

    It was said that this Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li was unhappy without women. It was impossible for him to stay quietly in the Cold Mountain Temple. Even though the Consort Dowager of Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor hade, this Princely Heir would only appear at the end. Tomorrow, he woulde and might leave as soon as possible.

    The Third Prince was that Princely Heir¡¯s friend on the surface, but would not be too intimate with him. So the Third Prince wouldn¡¯t gossip about Ning Yuling with that libertine. In this way, that Ning Yuling actually was a shrew wouldn¡¯t be spread to the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li.

    "Yes, I¡¯ll go with Qingyu in a minute." Lanning had a better understanding of worldly wisdom. So she understood Ning Xueyan¡¯s meaning at once and showed it on her face. She looked at Ning Xueyan with admiration and nodded her head forcefully.

    Although Qingyu was still somewhat confused, she knew that Ning Xueyan had made up her mind, so she didn¡¯t ask any more questions. Now she was more and more convinced of Ning Xueyan, feeling that Ning Xueyan was right all the time.

    After lunch, Ning Xueyan went to bed for a nap. Lanning and Qingyu closed the courtyard door and went outside to meet people "asionally". In order to meet more people, they deliberately separated and went to different ces. Originally, one of the two had to stay to serve Ning Xueyan, but Ning Xueyan refused this time. She was really short of manpower now. Even though both Lanning and Qingyu went out, she still was afraid that words wouldn¡¯t be spread to the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li.

    The most important thing for Qingyu and Lanning was to encounter the servants of Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor. Those servants had seen how the Consort Dowager of Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor treated Ning Yuling today. So they also wanted to know some good news about Ning Yuling and then told the Princely Heir. At that time, the Consort Dowager would be satisfied and reward them.

    At the same time, there was a great disturbance happening in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Looking at the older female servant who was on her knees, Madam Ling was very angry and almost tore her handkerchief. She was unpleasant recently. Her person was wiped out one by one and now the people she sent to Ning Yuling was used of poisoning and murdering Madam Dowager. How dared Madam Ling join in such a thing? Although she wanted Madam Dowager to die, she also knew that she couldn¡¯t do.

    Ning Zu¡¯an was a well-known filial son. Seeing that he sit aside with an angry look, one could know he must be very angry.

    "Marquis, what should I do?" Madam Ling asked carefully, forcing a smile on her face.

    "Do what mother says! You¡¯re the Marchioness, but you can¡¯t manage the whole manor well. Things that servants murder masters happen again and again! Didn¡¯t anyone teach you before? When something like this happens, just beat the servants to death. Don¡¯t ask me anymore." Ning Zu¡¯an was extremely angry. He rarely punished servants so severely. It seemed that he was in a great rage.

    The evil servant dared to murder his mother so that Ning Zu¡¯an was very angry and even scolded Madam Ling!

    Didn¡¯t anyone teach her before? Did this mean that she was lowborn? Madam Ling felt angry in mind. She gritted her teeth, pretended to cry because of anger, wiped her face with her handkerchief, and cried wrongly. "Marquis, do you dislike me now? Since I married you, I have given priority to you and taken care of mother all the time. Mother is a Buddhist, so I think we can¡¯t really beat her to death..."

    This older female servant was her person, so she wanted to save her life, although she dared not ask for mercy for her publicly. Now there were fewer and fewer people who could help Madam Ling, so she had to save her person.

    "If you are a Buddhist, can you be poisoned by others? Mother lets you execute her as a warning to others. Don¡¯t you understand?" Ning Zu¡¯an pounded the heavily and stared at Madam Ling coldly. Now he suspected that Madam Ling was unfilial to his mother. And he felt angry when he thought that his mother was poisoned by an evil servant.

    He was originally a general, so he was full of fierceness. Now he stared at this older female servant with fierceness, and she had copsed to the ground in fear for a long time.

    "Here, take her away and beat her to death!" Madam Ling had no choice but to order. Ning Zu¡¯an had determined to severely punish this older female servant.

    Two servants came over and carried away the older female servant. Knowing that she had been abandoned, the older female servant who had been gagged showed her entreaty in her eyes. But Madam Ling also wanted to kill her now. If Madam Ling didn¡¯t execute this older female servant, she would be suspected by Madam Dowager. Then she would lose more.

    Seeing Madam Ling was going to execute the older female servant, Ning Zu¡¯an was satisfied. He stood up and said casually, "Huaiyuan wille back in a few days. Ask servants to clean up his room. All the evil servants must be wiped out. I don¡¯t want to see these things happen again."

    "Yuan¡¯er¡¯sing back?" As soon as she mentioned that her only son woulde back, Madam Ling was in a high mood. She didn¡¯t even pay attention to the other meanings of Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s words. Madam Ling hadn¡¯t seen her son for half a year. She really missed him.

    "He¡¯ll be home in about half a month! You prepare to wee him." Ning Zu¡¯an shook his hand and went out.

    "Yes, I¡¯ll clean up in a minute." Madam Ling said with joy. When Ning Zu¡¯an left, her face grew gloomy at once. Her beautiful face became cruel, which showed that she was very angry.

    Mother Chen, who knew her temperament well, knew her mind, waved her hand and let all the maids in the room leave. Then she said, "Madam, what¡¯s wrong with Madam Dowager¡¯s medicine?" "I remember you didn¡¯t touch her medicine."

    How could there be such poison in Madam Dowager¡¯s medicine? This poison was only added into the Fifth Young Lady¡¯s medicine a short time ago.

    "That little bitch is not a good woman, and I misjudged before." Madam Ling said in a gloomy way. Madam Ling had been framing others all the time, but this time she was framed by others. Madam Ling didn¡¯t expect Ning Xueyan to revolt. She had realized that she was framed by Ning Xueyan.

    "Madam, would it be the servant who sent the medicine which should be sent to the Fifth Young Lady to Madam Dowager?" Mother Chen hesitated and asked. She still didn¡¯t believe that Ning Xueyan would be so fierce. She thought that the Fifth Young Lady had no courage or ability to do such a thing.

    "I don¡¯t care whether it¡¯s her or not. But the cause is her. I heard that the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li also would go to the Cold Mountain Temple to choose his consort. Did you find the person I want?" Madam Ling narrowed her eyes slightly and said with hatred, "How can things be so coincidental? Since Ning Xueyan came out of the Bright Frost Garden, bad things happened one by one and the manor isn¡¯t peaceful anymore."

    "Yes, I¡¯ve already prepared well. He¡¯s good at drawing, especially drawing the portrait of ady. Later, I¡¯ll bring him to the Cold Mountain Temple. Even though he can only see her for one time, he still could draw well. The Young Ladies in his pictures are so beautiful. Those Princely Heirs and Princes must like the Young Ladies in his picture as long as they see the picture. You have ever seen his pictures before."

    Mother Chen said with a smile. That man was her nephew, a chair warmer who haunted the red-light district every day and used up all his family property.

    Fortunately, he had read books for some time when he was young and drew pictures well. So now he drew the portraits ofdies in a brothel and was in charge of all the portraits sending everywhere. The longer the time, the better his painting was.

    "Good. Do it quickly. Let him draw well. I don¡¯t want to see a weakdy in the picture. And the chrysanthemum appreciation grand meeting will be held tomorrow." Madam Ling said coldly. The Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li had married many women who were scheming. When Ning Xueyan married him, she would inevitably be tossed to death. It was possible that she would survive. But the Princely Heri was a yboy. She also would live an unhappy life even though she survived.

    For an unfavored woman, death was much better than being alive!

    "Madame, don¡¯t worry. He has worked for you before. You can be assured." Mother Chen nodded her head with understanding

    "Last time he did a good job. This is for him!" Madam Ling took an ordinary hairpin and threw it to Mother Chen. In Madam Ling¡¯s opinion, this hairpin wasmon. But it valued a lot for ordinary people. Mother Chen was so happy that she bowed her head and thanked Madam Ling vigorously.

    When Ning Xueyan woke up in the afternoon, the weather was cloudy and it seemed it was going to rain. Lanning and Qingyu hade back. When they heard the sound of Ning Xueyan waking up, Qingyu came to help her get up and Lanning poured a cup of warm water for her. Ning Xueyan was spirited after taking a nap.

    Holding Ning Xueyan to the dressing table to dress up, Qingyu said, "Young Lady, an older female servant of Madam Dowager came and said that the Madam Dowager invited you to the Fragrance Pavilion in the back mountain."

    "Madam Dowager invited me to the Fragrance Pavilion at this time?" Ning Xueyan frowned and thought in mind. She looked up at Qingyu and asked, "Is she really Madam Dowager¡¯s servant?"

    "Yes, she guards the gate in Madam Dowager¡¯s courtyard. I have seen her in Auspicious Fortune Hall before. And this time she also came along with Madam Dowager." Qingyu answered naturally.

    "It¡¯s going to rain at this time... She¡¯s just a gatekeeper... The Fragrance Pavilion..." Ning Xueyan looked out at the sky and showed an indifferent smile on her face.

    Qingyu didn¡¯t understand what Ning Xueyan murmured. "Young Lady, what did you say?"

    "Young Lady, you¡¯d better not go. I¡¯ll go for you!" Lanning sensitively felt the weirdness. She put down theb in her hands and said urgently.

    "Yeah, you¡¯ll go somewhere for me. Qingyu, prepare the brush pen and paper." Ning Xueyan stood up with her long hair scattered. Although her face was pale, her hair was dark and smooth. When it was scattered, her face looked smaller and paler. Ning Xueyan went to the bookcase in front of the window with a calm expression.

    Qingyu had prepared the brush pen and paper. Ning Xueyan thought for a while and then wrote a few words with her left hand. After that, she looked at it, folded the paper and handed it to Lanning. Lanning changed her look as soon as she saw the words...

 Chapter 51 The Private Meeting with the Painter of a Brothel

    It started to rain. The raindrop, with a touch of coolness, fell on the human body from the sky. The sky was dark and gloomy!

    Ning Yuling was walking to the Fragrance Pavilion with Xianghong in private, tightly holding a piece of paper in her hand. She was so happy that she didn¡¯t found that the umbre which was held by Xianghong didn¡¯t stop the sporadic raindrops from falling on her head and body. Thinking that she would catch the man who secretly dated Ning Xueyan and then murder Ning Xueyan, she could not help being excited.

    "Ning Xueyan is so unlucky. The note she dropped in front of my door was picked up by Xianghong." Ning Yuling thought with excitement. How could she give up the chance of exposing Ning Xueyan¡¯s scandal and letting people see what kind of person she was? Ning Yuling was very excited when she thought that.

    She rushed to the Fragrance Pavilion with Xianghong.

    Ning Yuling saw someone in the pavilion far away, but she couldn¡¯t see who it was. The sky became darker. It seemed that she hade early, and Ning Xueyan hadn¡¯te yet.

    Ning Yuling, hiding aside on a rainy day, felt very ufortable. She had waited for a while and still didn¡¯t see Ning Xueyan. She was a bit upset. Would Ning Xueyan note when she found that the note was missing?

    "Young Lady, will Fifth Young Ladye?" Xianghong also felt tired because she had held the umbre for a long time. Now they couldn¡¯t see the man in pavilion clearly from a distant ce, so she could not help asking.

    When Xianghong asked this question, Ning Yuling also felt uncertain. Would they go back empty-handed? Ning Yuling had stayed here and endured the rain and coldness for so long. She was unwilling to go back empty-handed. She took a look at the people in the pavilion not far away and determined to go to the pavilion. "Let¡¯s go!"

    She couldn¡¯te back empty-handed. Even if she couldn¡¯t catch them on the spot this time, at least she had to see who the man secretly dating Ning Xueyan was. Then she would find another opportunity to catch them on the spot. Ning Yuling didn¡¯t believe that she couldn¡¯t murder Ning Xueyan. She didn¡¯t expect that the cold and indifferent Ning Xueyan couldn¡¯t stand loneliness and started to date man soon after her mother died.

    Chen Qing was also cold on a rainy day. He didn¡¯t expect the weather to change greatly at once. In order to pretend to be an encounter, he dressed himself as a handsome schr. He was quite handsome, but was foppish, two eyes rolling around. He didn¡¯t look like a good man.

    After sitting for a while, he stood up and looked outside. "Why hasn¡¯t shee yet? It will rain heavily. Maybe she won¡¯te." Chen Qing thought in mind. If he couldn¡¯t finish the picture today and send it to the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, he would lose his reward. Thinking of that, Chen Qing felt distressed. Besides, he had to report to Madam Ling.

    He just wanted to leave, but it wasn¡¯t that easy.

    When Chen Qing was anxious and looked around, he suddenly saw a master and a maiding. The one walked ahead must be the Young Lady. She wore a light pink coat with peach blossoms on it and a light green pleated skirt. As soon as she appeared, Chen Qing¡¯s attention was attracted by her.

    It was a beautiful woman with a pink face, very bright and eye-catching.

    Didn¡¯t they say that she was a patient? In order to make her more beautiful in the picture, Chen Qing decided to pinken her pale face in the picture. He had to paint her as a bright and charming beauty. But the person in front of him didn¡¯t need those embellishments any more. Such a ruddy, healthy, and charming face could attract men in an instant.

    Compared with the fair prostitutes in the brothel, she was more brilliant.

    "Why are you here alone?" Ning Yuling walked into the pavilion, scrutinized Chen Qing, and asked with a smile. It was unexpected that Ning Xueyan had found a handsome childe who seemed to be from a rich family.

    Chen Qing had decided to have a look at her, and then go back to finish the picture. Unexpectedly, this beauty didn¡¯t avoid him when she saw him. Instead, she came to the pavilion. Hearing her soft greetings, Chen Qing was intoxicated.

    He had been haunting in the brothel and often saw prostitutes¡¯ wandering behaviors there. So he didn¡¯t feel that Ning Yuling shouldn¡¯t have talked to a stranger. Instead, he wondered whether Ning Yuling had taken a fancy to him. Thinking of that, he almost couldn¡¯t control himself. Fortunately, he still had some sense and remembered that this was the Cold Mountain Temple where there were many noble people. He couldn¡¯t be rude.

    "I¡¯m having a rest here and waiting for the rain to stop. My servant went to other Princely Heirs¡¯ courtyards to see if there were any extra umbres." Chen Qing saluted Ning Yuling in a gentle and elegant way. He had seen many such behaviors in the brothel, so he applied them now.

    Ning Yuling¡¯s gaze changed instantly when she knew that this man knew those Princely Heirs. She had thought that he was rich but had no right. Unexpectedly, he was the son of an official family. Besides, he was so gentle and elegant. He was in line with Ning Yuling¡¯s image of a good husband. Therefore, Ning Yuling became shy for a moment.

    "Childe, I have an extra umbre. You can take it. It¡¯ste now." Ning Yuling said in a soft voice.

    Ning Yuling really took an extra umbre. In Ning Yuling¡¯s n, if Ning Xueyan was here, Xianghong would call over all the servants hiding at the back intersection. Then it would be more convenient for them to act if they had two umbres.

    "Er... I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t have the chance to return the umbre!" Seeing the beautiful woman was delicate, Chen Qing was delightful. But he deliberately frowned and hesitated for a moment.

    "It doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s normal to forget to take an umbre when people go out. If there¡¯s a chance, you can return it next time. If there¡¯s no, just keep it." Said Ning Yuling.

    "Well, thank you very much!" Chen Qing didn¡¯t refuse this time. He smiled and took the umbre handed by Xianghong.

    Ning Yuling also remembered that she shouldn¡¯t stay any longer. So she turned and left with Xianghong.

    Looking at her disappearing in sight, Chen Qing smiled proudly. He didn¡¯t expect her to be a beauty. He hoped that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor wouldn¡¯t murder her. After all, it was a pity that such a vivid beauty died.

    Last time, when his aunt came back and told him about another Young Lady, he sighed in mind. It was a pity that a beautiful woman was drowned.

    This one was also good. When the Princely Heir disliked her, he could ask her out in the name of today¡¯s encounter. It would be a romantic affair. Chen Qing¡¯s eyes brightened when he thought of that. He didn¡¯t care the coldness and strode back, holding the umbre. He didn¡¯t dare to disobey the order of the Marchioness of Lord Protector. He had to finish the painting as soon as possible.

    Neither Ning Yuling nor Chen Qing noticed that Ning Xueyan had been standing under a big tree at the top of the mountain with Lanning and Qingyu for a long time. They happened to see the whole thing. Ning Xueyan was in a high position, so she couldn¡¯t see and hear them clearly. But she clearly saw that Ning Yuling left an umbre to that man in the end.

    Seeing Chen Qing left, Ning Xueyan made a look at Qingyu. Qingyu busily went down the hill from the other side to inquire about him. A male outsider could never appear here without any reason. And it was impossible that someone deliberately asked her toe just in order to see such a man. Ning Xueyan coldly smiled, with a deep gaze.

    Madam Ling¡¯s method was superb. She wasn¡¯t here, but still could frame Ning Xueyan.

    Madam Ling framed Ning Xueyan again and again. At this time, this matter must be rted to the chrysanthemum appreciation grand meeting... Ning Xueyan hoped the intention of this matter wasn¡¯t the same as what she thought. The matter that Madam Dowager was poisoned just was revealed. Madam Ling couldn¡¯t wait to wipe out Ning Xueyan. It seemed that Ning Xueyan was Madam Ling¡¯s most hated person and Madam Ling wanted to kill her as soon as possible.

    Ah, that was a great honor for Ning Xueyan!

    It was too strange that Madam Ling always aimed at Ning Xueyan. Madam Ming had died, Ning Xueyan wouldn¡¯t be superior to Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling. But Madam Ling refused to let Ning Xueyan go. Was it because she hated Madam Ming very much and didn¡¯t want her daughter to live a good life? But Madam Ling didn¡¯t treat Ning Lingyun, who was not born by her, like that. It was quite interesting.

    Qingyu came back very quickly. When Ning Xueyan came back to the courtyard, she had inquired about that man.

    "Young Lady, he¡¯s a painter. It¡¯s said that he¡¯s good at painting. This time, he came here with the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. The Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li hasn¡¯te yet, but he has alreadye and lived in the courtyard where the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li will live. I asked several maids about him. They all look down on him. They said that he lives in a brothel. They didn¡¯t know how he knew the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li and also didn¡¯t know why the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li brought him to the Cold Mountain Temple. "

    "When did hee?" Ning Xueyan narrowed her eyes and asked.

    "He came here today. He came at lunchtime today with a young manservant of the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. After he settled down, the young manservant said he had to apany the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li and then went back. So he was left alone." Qingyu just chatted with an older female servant and asked for it clearly.

    He came here with the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. But the people came with the Consort Dowager of Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor disliked him and looked down on him. He was the friend of the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. He must be another libertine. Maybe he was a pander. He was good at drawing the portraits of beauties, the meaning of which was doubtful. Recently, there were many Young Ladies in the Cold Mountain Temple. What did he want to do?

    A painter, the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, the meeting at night...

    An invisible line slowly extended out in Ning Xueyan¡¯s mind and strung those matters together. Ning Xueyan understood why a painter was here. She clenched her fists tightly and her fingernails hurt her hands, but she didn¡¯t care about that.

    The painter... the portrait... the portrait that was believed to be a token of her love... the portrait that became the evidence and Ning Xueyan couldn¡¯t exin in her Last Life. In her Last Life, Madam Ling and Ning Ziyan took out a portrait of half-naked Ning Xueyan and said she secretly dated a man. Thinking of that, Ning Xueyan felt headache, as if she were pressed in the water now.

    Madam Ling and Ning Ziyan nned it in her Last Life. Ning Xueyan had decided to look for the evidence of that day. Now she found out that they were right here. Madam Ling wanted to repeat her n again to kill Ning Xueyan!

    "Madam Ling, since you gave me such a big gift, I should give you a gift too. I hope you can bear it..."

 Chapter 52 Planning, Maids Changeable Words

    It grew dark. The maid lowered her head and walked hurriedly through the courtyard door. She was from the other manor but nobody had seen her. She looked around, then went straight towards the candle lit room. Knocking lightly on the door, she heard a voice from inside, "Who is it? Pleasee in."

    The maid saw no one around, so she entered and closed the door. From the shadows outlined at the window, it showed two persons talking and delivering something. After a while, the door reopened. Again, the maid looked around furtively, making sure there was no one around, then walked out and closed the door.

    Suddenly a scream came from nowhere just as she was about to leave. The sound frightened the maids and older female servants who were working in the courtyard. They raised their heads in confusion, looking around for the source of the scream. They wondered who could be making a sound like that. However, an older female servant, who was standing under the roof, caught hold of the external maid, and asked her, "Which manor do you belong to? Why are you here?"

    When they heard this, all the maids and older female servants looked at her.

    "I...I got the wrong ce, sorry, I made a mistake." The maid exined hastily in shock and dropped her head because of their close scrutiny.

    She walked out quickly before she finished talking.

    Someone recalled seeing her going into the candle lit room just now, so they exchanged weird looks. A few of the older female servants couldn¡¯t hold back theirughter. Although they didn¡¯t block her way, they judged her with contempt, thinking that the one inside the room could not be a good man, since he had seduced the maid in such a short time.

    It also seemed the maid wasn¡¯t a good girl. She was enticed to his room within a mere 4 hours.

    They had no idea which manor she was from. But how indecent and unruly she was!

    After all, it had nothing to do with them at all. The only thing they could do was to regard this as a joke, which would make themugh. The one inside the room wasn¡¯t their master. They would let Consort Dowager know about this because maybe it would make herugh and they would get some money as a reward.

    Seeing that nobody came out to stop her, the maid felt relieved once she reached the door. She checked her route and returned hurriedly.

    After she left, Ning Xueyan and Qingyu showed up round the corner. Qingyu held a food basket containing their dinner.

    "Mydy, how do you know that Xianghong will be asking around here?" Qingyu wondered. She didn¡¯t believe it before but now she saw it in person. She admired Ning Xueyan greatly for leading Xianghong to the monk, after knowing that she would be inquiring about the painter.

    The monks dared not sayment on this, especially since the painter was here because of the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. So they just indicated the way without saying anything.

    "How can Ning Yuling give up such a great opportunity?" Ning Xueyan turned around and walked back with a cold smile. She was aware that Ning Yuling¡¯s viciousness was the same as that of Madam Ling. She would not give up this chance of framing Ning Xueyan. Now Ning Yuling had mistakened the identity of the person inside so she would shoot herself in the foot.

    When she reached the corner of the cloister, Ning Xueyan stopped to look around. The view here was great. Even though it was dark, she could see the other side clearly. On the contrary, nothing could be seen from the other side.

    They waited for a while, standing under the roof, then they noticed Chen Qing leaving the room stealthily. Chen Qing thought nobody was paying any attention and was about to leave. Ning Xueyan then gave a signal to Qingyu. Qingyu rushed out and collided with him on purpose. A gold hair sp dropped from Chen Qing¡¯s hands. Qing Yu¡¯s sharp eyes saw that it belonged to her manor.

    Qingyu pretended to be astonished and calmly asked, "My childe, are you the one whom sister Xianghong is talking about?"

    "Is something wrong?" Chen Qing picked up the hair sp on the ground and said this with a sense of fake calmness.

    "Sister Xianghong is afraid that you will forget so she told me to remind you again. Please remember it is Second Young Lady. She asks me to give you this, too." Qingyu answered politely in response to Ning Xueyan. She took out a gold head-ornament flower and gave it to him, then she said with a smile, "We all know it will cost a lot if we want this to work. I just hope you, my childe, will not forget mydy."

    "Of course I won¡¯t. I can guarantee that. But I was told it was Fifth Young Lady." Chen Qing said excitedly. He didn¡¯t expect the beauty would really choose him. Now that he received the favor, he must do something worthwhile. He nned to use Madam Ling¡¯s gold hair sp to ask for help. It was better that he need not pay for the help anymore.

    "My childe, you heard wrongly. It¡¯s Second Young Lady. Please remember this time." Qingyu emphasized again.

    Chen Qing did not suspect anything. He nodded and said, "Yes, yes, I won¡¯t forget it anymore. Second Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, I get it! I won¡¯t make the same mistake again."

    When he thought that the beauty would rather be with him, and had nned all these, Chen Qing¡¯s heart beat faster. He had already forgotten about the portrait which he had asked someone to deliver to Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li.

    The Chrysanthemum Party, held by Honored Consort Ya, was held halfway up the mountain, behind the Cold Mountain Temple. There was arge open space so the party was a magnificent affair. The ground was filled with all kinds of chrysanthemums. There was also a small man-made lotus pond on the west. Although it was not time for the lotus to bloom, the fish inside were very lively.

    Groups of red koi carps in the water, showed up leisurely from time to time.

    Several pavilions were beside the lotus pond. Princes, Princely Heirs and the daughters of aristocratic families stood or sat inside. They chatted. And they were supposed to choose someone they like. The girls couldn¡¯t stopping sneaking peeks at the heirs although they were shy. The most outstanding prince was Third Prince. Fourth Prince was busy today so he did note.

    Third Prince¡¯s biological mother was Honored Consort Ya and Fourth Prince¡¯s was Honored Consort Shu. Their mothers held high statuses in the pce. But Third Prince was the elder and his mother was the highest-ranking, so he had the upper hand. The girls paid more attention to him.

    Even if a girl couldn¡¯t be his wife, her future would be just as promising if she became his concubine. Not to mention the fact that Third Prince was a dashing man.

    Compared with noble Third Prince, the Princely heir of Commandery Prince Min was popr, too. As one of the most handsome man in the capital, Wen Xueran was born with a pleasing appearance with a pair of bright, amorous eyes. Any girl whom he had his eye on, would always blush and try to avoid his attention.

    Being watched by such a pair of beautiful eyes would make anyone drown in its appeal. The romantic feeling it evoked made people¡¯s hearts beat fast.

    Honored Consort Ya chatted andughed with a few of the elder madams sitting in the middle pavilion. In the way, she could also observe the crowd.

    Ning Yuling secretly peeked at Third Prince, standing on the other side. He looked tall and handsome in the sunshine. In his tight finery, Third Prince showed an extraordinary temperament. His profound eyes, natural Roman nose, and thin lips with its bright smile seemed warm. His gentility swept through the crowd and settled on her, too. He looked at her gently.

    "Third Prince is looking at you all the time!" Lin Ziruo, the one who sat beside Ning Yuling, was the daughter of Imperial Supervisor Lin, said this ambiguously while nudging her.

    "Maybe it¡¯s you he¡¯s looking at, instead of me." Ning Yuling replied, blushing. She heard that Imperial Supervisor wanted to let his daughter marry Third Prince. Lin Ziruo had a purpose in mind and it was obvious from her actions.

    "How can it be? I heard that Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had a marriage deal with Third Prince. Is it true?" Lin Ziruo asked chuckling. She nudged Ning Yuling again. And she expressed herself clearly even though she equivocated.

    "You are talking nonsense! How is it possible? It won¡¯t be easy to have a royal marriage." Ning Yuling red at Lin Ziruo. She wouldn¡¯t tell her the truth.

    "Really?" Lin Ziyan looked doubtful.

    "Of course!" Ning Yuling said seriously. But she couldn¡¯t stop hercency from showing, which was easy to see. Especially since her eyes were following Third Prince all this while. When she looked into Third Prince¡¯s eyes, she showed great affection. Her pretty eyes became soft and beautiful. This made Lin Ziruo even more jealous.

    "How can Lin Ziruo dream of marrying Third Prince? She is just a nasty shrew." Ning Yuling had this cold thought in her mind.

    Suddenly, Lin Ziruo inadvertently witnessed something. She reached out to pull Ning Yuling¡¯s sleeve after taking a close look and in a mocking tone, said, "Second Young Lady, it looks like Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li has been staring at you all this while. Look! He¡¯s been there for a long time, so he must be watching you. And he appears to be in a trance."

    Ning Yuling looked at the direction where Lin Ziruo¡¯s hand was pointing. She saw a handsome young man, dressed in finery, staring at her absentmindedly. There was an undisguised stunned look in his eyes. Ning Yuling feltcent about being stared at by a young pretty noble Princely Heir, but she had to pretend to be unhappy.

    "How can he be so rude? How dare he look at me like that? Where are his manners?" Ning Yuling said coquettishly.

    "You can¡¯t say that. He is the beloved one of Consort Dowager of Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor. If he hears you, he will get angry." Lin Ziruo said with a smile.

    Consort Dowager of Commandery Prince Li? It reminded Ning Yuling of the olddy who gave her a pair of bracelets yesterday. She had a good feeling about the olddy. Thinking of her, she smiled at Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li spontaneously. She felt happy in her heart but she said coldly, "Why does he keep looking at me? Disgusting!"

    "Because you are so beautiful. This heir is too obsessed with you to remove his gaze. Maybe he will ask Honored Consort Yater for the honor of marrying you." Lin Ziruo teased her and covered her mouth.

    "Nonsense!" Ning Yuling said unhappily. She was determined to be the wife of Third Prince now. Other men were not her choice. Although it was noble Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, he wasn¡¯t good enoughpared with Third Prince. She was unwilling to marry him even though she felt satisfied with his adoration.

    "I¡¯m telling the truth. See, he is walking towards you." Lin Ziruo nudged her, smiling.

    Ning Yuling turned around subconsciously and saw Princely Heir walking straight to her. She frowned a little and turned round, moving off to another road. Now it was party time, a lot of people including Honored Consort Ya were watching. She could not have anything to do with other men. It would make Third Prince and his mother unhappy.

 Chapter 53 Chaos, Princely Heir was beaten

    Something had happened the day before yesterday that made Third Prince and his mother unhappy. So Ning Yuling needed to be more careful now. She remembered that Honored Consort Ya wanted Ning Xueyan to be her son¡¯s concubine. Ning Yuling had a cold smile on her face. She tried to look for Ning Xueyan but could not find her. Where was the bitch?

    Actually, Ning Xueyan was present. She stood in a secluded ce, far away from the crowd, so Ning Yuling did not see her. She leaned against a tree, leisurely waiting for their next move. Honored Consort Ya and Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had already decided in secret that Ning Yuling would be Third Prince¡¯s wife. Now she wondered what Ning Yuling would do if she became his wife.

    Qingyu had appeared earlier but had already excused herself. There was only Lanning beside Ning Xueyan.

    "Are you Second Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?" Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li asked, looking at Ning Yuling with a smile. He only reached out to talk to her politely. It seemed his propriety was less than the dignity of a childe.

    He then stared at Ning Yuling lewdly, looking at her from top to toe. He paid special attention to her buxom breasts. This made him even more of a disgrace.

    From a distance, she thought he was a noble Princely Heir. Ning Yuling felt something was terribly wrong when he came closer. He seemed like a scoundrel on the street instead of an heir. It was disgusting. His eyes seemed to be removing her clothes. This made Ning Yuling feel ashamed and angry.

    He couldn¡¯t be Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. He was a shameless jerk!

    "Who... who are you? Go away!" Ning Xueyan scolded him angrily. She struggled to pass by using the side road. Several noble girls standing beside her noticed what was happening. They retreated after discovering that it was Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. Everyone knew his bad reputation. Getting involved with him would only create problems. It seemed he was fond of Second Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    The wastrel and the shrew, this should be fun. The girls mocked her, as they covered their mouths with their hands. They scattered, walking back a few steps because they wanted to see what would happen next.

    Princely Heir seemed satisfied. His eyes fell on Ning Yuling¡¯s buxom breasts after scanning her face. Sure enough, she was the type of beauty he fancied. Her pretty face and nice-shaped body made her a rare one. He had lost sleep ever since Chen Qing delivered the painting to him.

    When he heard that she would be attending the party today, he purposely came early in the morning in order to meet her.

    What surprised him most was that she seemed to have a crush on him, too.

    He was looking for her just now. The painter did not give any further details and had said that it was ady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Thinking that the most famous girl in the manor was Second Young Lady, he believed that the girl in the painting was Ning Yuling. Furthermore, he heard that Ning Yuling was a beautiful girl with a good reputation, as soon as he arrived at Cold Mountain Temple. The girl, who drew the picture, had a good reputation. This made him curious. He had to see her.

    A maid came from the other side, lowered her head and said something to his servant before leaving when Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li was unable to find Ning Yuling. She said that Second Young Lady was over there and had asked Princely Heir toe over. It thrilled him greatly.

    Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li was a dissolute man. His bones melted when he heard that the beauty had invited him, and he went to see her in spite of everything. Seeing Ning Yuling, he was overjoyed and thought she was the mistress of the maid. She must have been aware of his charm and good looks, so she instructed her maid to tell him that on purpose. However, he was surprised that Ning Yuling was angry. Then he believed he understood her.

    She knew nothing about him so she thought he was a wastrel who had osted her and rebuked him. Luckily, he was a thick-skinned man who was doing this deliberately. He wasn¡¯t angry with her. On the contrary, he kept his smile on face and said, "Second Young Lady, I¡¯m Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. Nice to meet you!"

    After talking, he bowed to her especially. He kept looking at her from top to toe and smiled leeringly at her.

    Ning Yuling¡¯s face turned dark because she was angry. As a nobledy, she had never been so humiliated by such a person. And she was so angry that her body trembled. Under his watchful eyes, she didn¡¯t notice what he said. It seemed that his eyes were undressing her. She felt ashamed and full of hate for him.

    She shouted furiously, "Guards! Kick him out!"

    Ning Yuling was the boss in her manor so her older female servants behind her were good at their jobs. They scrambled to Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. And the one ahead pped him in the face.

    Although Princely Heir was young, he wasn¡¯t in good shape because he indulged in women and alcohol. After downing two bottles of wine in the morning, the only thing he had in mind now was how to get Ning Yuling in his arms. He didn¡¯t hear what she said. The next moment, he felt a sudden p on his face.

    He became dizzy and stepped back a little. His servants tried to hold him so he didn¡¯t fall down. They shouted, "Heir, heir!"

    He was the beloved son of Consort Dowager. She would punish the servants if anything bad happened to him.

    The other older female servants tried to rush up to him, when they saw the one ahead hitting him, but they failed. They knew they could not give up the chance to show their loyalty because Second Young Lady was furious now. Seeing Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li¡¯s servantsing, they didn¡¯t wait and tried to push the servants away, in order to hit the heir.

    The servants stayed with Princely Heir in case the older female servants hit him again. He was precious. Even his father would be punished if he beat or rebuked him harshly. Of course, they would protect him until death. So, they fought back.

    The ce where Ning Xueyan stood in was a brae. She saw everything clearly. Putting her fingers slightly on Lanning¡¯s hands, Ning Xueyan moved her eyes to the south-west corner of the party, from Ning Yuling¡¯s angry face. She heard voices from there, too. However, it sounded much lowerpared with the onesing from the fight.

    There was a slight smile on her face, but there was no happiness in her eyes.

    Madam Ling wanted to nder Ning Xueyan. But Ning Xueyan yed her back at her game, now her daughter was the one who was being yed.

    The older female servants wanted to hit him again as Princely Heir¡¯s servants tried to protect their master. This caused chaos and attracted the attention of Honored Consort Ya and the other people who sat on the other side. A royal maid came over hurriedly. She whispered to Honored Consort Ya. Honored Consort Ya looked at Madam Dowager of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and frowned. Her face turned dark.

    "Honored Consort Ya, what¡¯s wrong? Why are they making so much noise? These days, youngdies and childes can¡¯t seem to behave." Consort Dowager of Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor said unhappily after seeing what had happened on the other side. She always preferred quiet ces.

    "Go! Go and ask what has happened?" Madam Dowager thought something wrong so she asked Xiangmiao to check. But after thinking for a while, she said, "Find Second Young Lady first."

    She had a bad feeling.

    The noisy crowd moved towards them before Xiangmiao¡¯s could respond. Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, who was obsessed with the beauty, had been beaten badly, had just regained consciousness. He found himself being teased by the nobledies and childes who stood beside him. His face darkened after assessing the situation.

    Nobody could humiliate him like this. The person he hated most now was Ning Yuling. She asked the maid to guide him here, but then she pretended to be lofty and ignored him. Moreover, she asked her servants to beat him. There was no way he would let her go so easily. He became instantly angry even though Ning Yuling was a beauty. He yed with beautiful girls every day. There was one, who became haughty because she was indulged by him and ended up being flogged to death.

    "Stop! I am here because Second Young Lady asked me toe over. I will cut your hands off if you hit anyone again. Ning Yuling! Tell your servants to stop immediately!" Princely Heir yelled.

    He didn¡¯t notice any other stuff now and pushed his servants away and rushed to p the older female servant hard. He used all his strength. The crowd became quiet when they found that he was truly angry and heard his words clearly.

    He had said that Ning Yuling was the one who invited him here and wrote him a letter, which could be termed as a private rtionship. But she chose to have a rtionship with this dissolute Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. People thought Ning Yuling fancied his status, so she invited him secretly. She did not expect him to turn out to be a yboy, so she had put them both in an awkward situation now.

    "You are talking nonsense! I never wrote to you!" Ning Yuling¡¯s face turned red after hearing what he said, "Hit him! Hit him harder!"

    "Beat them! You! The slutty bitch! You dare to ask me toe over but dare not admit it. You even asked your people to hit me." Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li had never been humiliated by a woman before. He got angrier and stared at Ning Yuling in a rage. And he moved forward and pped her on her cheek.

    She, the bitch, was the one who wanted him here. How dare she pretend to be the innocent one now? This pissed the arrogant heir off horribly. He couldn¡¯t care less about what she was or he needed to exercise more tolerance when he was really angry. The reality was that he was embarrassed because of her.

    The heirs and childes Ning Yuling saw in her daily life were all elegant. They talked gently with smiles and were polite. She never saw anyone like him. Being beaten by Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li was unexpected, so she was confused at that moment. Flowers fell down from her head and her hair was loose. She fell awkwardly onto an older female servant.

    The noble daughters around watched the drama, pointing at her at the same time. The heirs looked at them from a distance, with disdain on their faces. Nobody tried to interfere. She even saw Third Prince, who was talking to several noble girls facing her just now, turn around after discovering what happened, and leaving her with a view of his back.

    She was ashamed, furious and felt so wronged. She looked at the crowd and not finding anyone to help her, couldn¡¯t repress her feeling anymore. She started to cry and turned to run to Madam Dowager. The older female servants stopped scuffling and ran behind her. They tried to console Ning Yuling, "Please don¡¯t cry, my Second Young Lady. We will tell Madam Dowager and she will back you up."

    "Mydy, no need to hurry. Madam Dowager is there..."

 Chapter 54 Insisting

    They showed up in front of the noble madams with tears and much noise. The Madams already knew what had happened. Consort Dowager of Commandery Prince Li, who liked Ning Yuling a lot before, talked with the other madams, while holding a leopard cat in her arms. She just heard that Ning Yuling had hit her baby grandson.

    She was immediately unhappy. Princely Heir was her beloved grandson who grew up by her side. Even Commandery Prince Li would be punished if he touched him, let alone a stranger.

    Let alone a strange woman.

    She knew everything about her grandson. She understood that she had overindulged him. This made him naughty. It was said that Second Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was vixenish so she was satisfied and hoped that maybe Ning Yuling could change her grandson. It wouldfort her and her son wouldn¡¯t say that she spoiled her grandson too much.

    Ning Yuling was a beauty from a good family, so she was satisfied with her at the beginning. It would be a good thing if her grandson could marry Ning Yuling. Although she knew that Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and Honored Consort Ya wanted Ning Yuling to be Third Prince¡¯s wife, she still wanted her. Anyway, she was the emperor¡¯s aunt. If she asked for ady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Third Prince would have to give her up.

    So she gave the bracelets to Ning Yuling on purpose.

    But Ning Yuling knew nothing about it and had epted it, although she felt a bit confused.

    Madam Dowager and Honored Consort Ya were aware of this. But she was Consort Dowager, so they wouldn¡¯t be against her openly. In the end, this became unexpectedly feasible. Now she only wanted her grandson to get to know Ning Yuling. He was a royal heir with good looks, so Ning Yuling would like him definitely. She could help a little after, then it would be done.

    This was what she had nned, but what happened today was unexpected. She was furious now and already erased any ideas that she previously had. Ning Yuling had hit her grandson before their marriage. Her manor wouldn¡¯t be peaceful anymore if they really got married. Sure enough Ning Yuling was a heinous shrew. There was no way she would let the shrew into her manor.

    She didn¡¯t want Ning Yuling any longer and sat there with a dark look on her face, waiting for Ning Yuling¡¯s exnation.

    Ning Xueyan walked towards them, mingling in quietly with the crowd.

    "Grandmother, grandmother, that... that jerk... where is he from? He said all kinds of things. Grandmother, please let someone flog him to death!" Ning Yuling cried piteously. She could get whatever she wanted in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and had never been a doormat. Now she wished she could tear Princely Heir up.

    She rushed to Madam Dowager¡¯s arms, crying grievously as soon as she saw her.

    "My baby girl, what¡¯s the matter? You are a noble daughter. Why are you doing this?" Madam Dowager avoided the topic awkwardly, with a dark face. The one beside her was the grandmother of the "jerk", who looked at her with such a horrible expression. Madam Dowager was cunning so she did not answer Ning Yuling¡¯s questions directly.

    "Second Young Lady, what happened?" Honored Consort Ya had to ask. Honored Consort Ya was the organizer of the Chrysanthemum Party. As the highest-ranking imperial concubine of the emperor, the emperor trusted her, so he asked her to help heirs, princes anddies with their marriages and got them acquainted with each other.

    Two teams, who were supposed to get along well, had a fight from the start. This annoyed Honored Consort Ya. Cold light shed through her eyes.

    The only reason why she agreed to let her son marry the shrew was because she was interested in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor after Ning Yuling. But now Ning Yuling had shown up, looking so messy. The rouge and make-up on her face had been washed off by her tears and her face was covered with red and ck tear marks.

    There was no air of a nobledy on Ning Yuling now. She looked like a crazy, ugly woman who disgusted people.

    Hearing Honored Consort Ya¡¯s question, Ning Yuling became sad. She wiped away her tear marks, thenined tearfully to Honored Consort Ya, "My royal madam, please help me regain my reputation. Please let your officers punish the jerk who is bothering the girls."

    Everything happened too quickly so she couldn¡¯t react to this in time before she got pped. Now she ran back tearfully without thinking about who Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li was. She only remembered she needed to pay him back for what he had done. Actually, her reputation could be ruined by getting pped by a man and showing up here in a disheveled state.

    Madam Ling had warned her many times that the reputation of a woman was very important. As a result, she said, in a rage, that she was determined to get the man killed without any hesitation. Nobody would dare to hurt her anymore.

    "Hum!" A cold snort was heard before Honored Consort Ya spoke.

    "As what Second Young Lady says, my grandson needs to pay for your unnecessary reputation with his life. Isn¡¯t it?" The cold voice came from Ning Yuling¡¯steral side with irrepressible anger in it. Consort Dowager was really angry. She did not expect Ning Yuling to be not only mean, but vicious as well. She was the one who started all these. She was the one who had invited her grandson first, but now Ning Yuling refused to admit it. How could Consort Dowager tolerate this? So she opened her mouth.

    Ning Yuling felt dizzy and befuddled because she had cried for so long. Finding someone against her, she retaliated without figuring out who was the one talking before, "He is an ignoble lecher. He even dares to harass me. Of course, he need to pay for it with his life. Grandmother, Honored Consort Ya, please help me. Please kill him!"

    She continued crying after finishing her speech.

    "Bitch! What did you say? I harassed you? Look at you, do I need to do that? You wille voluntarily. You asked your maid to lead me to you, then you pretend to be innocent when I am here. It sounds like I am the one who came voluntarily." Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li arrived and scolded her harshly, after hearing what Ning Yuling said.

    He hated her so much. She had made it into such a great issue. There was really a maid who told him where Ning Yuling was and asked him to find her. He was conscious now and saw clearly, Honored Consort Ya sitting above and Consort Dowager¡¯s wink, and wanted to let Ning Yuling take the me.

    A jerk like him, could turn nothing into anything. And something had really happened between them just now.

    "Nonsense! You, bastard! I didn¡¯t do it. I never asked you toe over. I don¡¯t even know who you are." Ning Yuling shouted again tearfully. She would have kicked his ass if the two older female servants didn¡¯t stop her. She looked like a mad woman with her crazy looks and actions. People looked at her with great scorn.

    How could this girl be Second Young Lady with the good reputation? She was a totally mad shrew.

    Third Prince, who had juste over, was standing next to his mother, had a dark expression on his face.

    Honored Consort Ya frowned and didn¡¯t know what to say at the moment. A woman like Ning Yuling could never marry her son and be the future empress.

    "My baby girl, don¡¯t hurry. Talk slowly. It is Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li in front of you. His grandmother gave you the bracelets yesterday. Did you forget that due to the grievances today?" Madam Dowager consoled Ning Yuling and held her hands. Trying hard to repress her face muscles, she kept a serene look on her face, although she was so angry with Ning Yuling.

    She had tried to hint to her that the man in front of her was Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, instead of a lecher. Especially since Honored Consort Ya and Consort Dowager were both there. Ning Yuling couldn¡¯t afford to offend them.

    "Madam Dowager, the education of your manor is really good. Your granddaughter uses words like Lecher, bastard and jerk when she speaks. Our eyes are truly open now. Luckily we know she is Second Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. If we did not, we would have thought that she is a disgraceful shrew."

    Hearing Ning Yuling calling her baby grandson a lecher and a bastard, Consort Dowager couldn¡¯t help saying this. She lost all interest in the marriage so she stopped being courteous and retaliated harshly against the shameless shrew.

    Not to mention the single girls, even the madams could not take it.

    Ning Yuling raised her head in amazement after hearing her words. She saw clearly now that the one sitting beside her grandmother was Consort Dowager of Commandery Prince Li, who had been kind to her. What did she say? Did she scold her just now?

    Madam Dowager felt suffocated and almost fainted because of Consort Dowager¡¯s words. If Ning Yuling¡¯s reputation was tarnished by Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, her innocent granddaughter would be unable to marry anyone in the future.

    "Heir, you say it is Second Young Lady who asks you toe over. But she doesn¡¯t know you, how could she invite you here? Enlighten me, Princely Heir. "Madam Dowager said with great anger, while she used her cane to knock heavily on the ground. It wasn¡¯t time for tolerance. She got to the point and asked Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, while staring at him.

    "She sent a maid to tell me that she was waiting for me there. The maid emphasized especially it was Second Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor." Princely Heir said, with a cold snort, as he held his head up high.

    As for whether the maid emphasized it or not, when she said it was Second Young Lady, then it must be.

    "The maid? Which maid? Ning Yuling only has several maids with her this time and they are all here. Can Princely Heir recognize the maid?" Madam Dowager had a surprised look on her face. Looking at Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, she thought Ning Yuling wouldn¡¯t like him, so she asked again.

    "They all look the same. How can I tell which one is the maid? Just ask them who the one who informed me earlier was. Anyway, I was invited by Ning Yuling. It¡¯s expected that she would not admit it in front of the crowd." Princely Heir still believed it was Ning Yuling who invited him.

    Seeing the situation, his eyes blinked a little. He was conscious now so he wouldn¡¯t take the me. He would let Ning Yuling be responsible for all of it. He was Princely Heir. If he was found to be harassing the daughter of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, his father, who had a bad temper, would break his legs.

    He was clearly aware of this.

    Ning Xueyan had a slightly cold smile on her face as she stood at the other side. She knew that Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li would take a bite at Ning Yuling.

 Chapter 55 The Evidence, Beautiful Painting

    "Ask the maids to tell which one of them passed the message!" Ning Yuling wanted to rush over as she gritted her teeth in anger. The two older female servants tried to stop her under themand of Madam Dowager.

    "You are talking nonsense. How dare you do this? I have no private rtionship with you. Why do I need you here? I am a Young Lady of Marquis Manor and I will never like a prodigal like you!"

    She remembered the kind of man he was, so she spoke without thinking when she thought of the bad reputation he had.

    "Yes, Second Young Lady isn¡¯t that kind of girl who will ask you toe over. Maybe you made a mistake?"Madam Dowager said, with great anger on her face.

    "How do I know why she is doing this? Fortunately, I have the evidence. It is from her. I can show you if you don¡¯t believe me. Honored Consort Ya and madams, please find the truth for me." Princely Heir shouted loudly.

    Everyone started to whisper. Their eyes filled with doubts, disdain and unbelievable feelings, were focused on Ning Yuling. People thought it was Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li who had lusted for her beauty and was talking nonsense. They didn¡¯t expect him to have the evidence. Maybe Second Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was a slutty girl. She even tried to seduce him.

    Even Madam Dowager turned to Ning Yuling in doubt, signalling her with her eyes, whether it was real.

    Ning Yuling was furious. The evidence? How could she leave any evidence in his ce? She didn¡¯t know why a lot of people trusted his words.

    "Xian¡¯er, tell us. What is the evidence? Take it out and let Honored Consort Yament on it." Consort Dowager said loudly. She had kept quiet all along until now, because she wondered whether it was her grandson¡¯s fault. But she became excited when she heard there was evidence.

    "You have evidence?" Honored Consort Ya asked. Seeing the drama, she kneaded her temples, and her eyes darkened. She didn¡¯t believe Princely Heir had the evidence. No matter what, she had made up her mind, Second Young Lady couldn¡¯t be her son¡¯s wife.

    Looking at Ning Yuling now, what did she do? Luckily, the two families had just discussed about the marriage secretly. It wasn¡¯t officially decided yet. Otherwise, this would humiliate her son.

    "My second sister won¡¯t give you any evidence. You must be talking nonsense because you want to ruin her reputation. Honored Consort Ya, please help my sister to safeguard her reputation. Lord Protector¡¯s Manor will never be humiliated like this!" A cold voice came from the crowd. People looked back and saw a skinnydy supported by a maid walking into the area.

    Because she was too thin and young, her beautiful face features were not dazzling. Even so, she looked innocent and calm. She was a young girl with a decent temperament. Compared with Second Young Lady, she was much better.

    Someone asked who she was, but somebody who saw Ning Yuling ming Ning Xueyan said it was Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    "Is there a Fifth Young Lady in the manor? Why have I never heard of it?"

    "Is Fifth Young Lady¡¯s mother dead?"

    "Is she the first daughter? It is a strange matter in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. They hide their first daughter in the backyard. What is this all about?"

    Someone teased, someughed at Ning Xueyan, and some just wanted to watch the drama. Madam Dowager¡¯s face turned red when they whispered among themselves.

    Princely Heir was in panic after hearing Ning Xueyan¡¯s words. His eyes moved quickly because he lied. The evidence maybe wasn¡¯t from Ning Yuling. When he found this concerned Lord Protector¡¯s reputation, he thought he was unable to take the responsibility. Lord Protector was a powerful being, in charge of troops. He wasn¡¯t like the other nobilities who were paid without having to work.

    If he was found to be harassing Lord Protector¡¯s daughter and making the evidence on purpose, maybe it would need the emperor to handle the issue in the end. His grandmother wouldn¡¯t be able to protect him. Even as he thought of the bad result, he was being pushed here. So he said loudly to his servant beside him, gritting his teeth.

    "Take out the painting Second Young Lady gave me. Submit it to Honored Consort Ya."

    At this point, Princely Heir had insisted that Ning Yuling invited him here. Or else he would be unable to take the responsibility for this.

    The servant behind him went forward and knelt in front of Honored Consort Ya in themand of him, and lifted the painting above his head.

    A royal maid standing behind took it over and delivered it to Honored Consort Ya.

    The other royal maid came over. Two maids opened the painting together. Third Prince, who stood behind his mother snorted coldly and his face turned dark immediately.

    "Oh! This... this painting is... so obscene." Consort Dowager shouted after moving her head and taking a look at the painting. She sat beside Honored Consort Ya and wanted to cover her eyes with the handkerchief. But she swung her hands so hastily that her hands hit one of the royal maid. The royal maid¡¯s hand trembled, and dropped the painting.

    The other royal maid was looking at the painting, together with Honored Consort Ya. Hearing Consort Dowager¡¯s shout, she let go of the painting, too.Before she could respond, another shout could be heard. She didn¡¯t get the chance to pick up the painting so it fell on the ground.

    The paintingy on the ground. People focused their attention on it.

    Ning Xueyan covered her mouth with the handkerchief. It was so chaotic that nobody noticed that she was the one who had shouted.

    There was a buxom voluptuous woman in the painting with a thin gauze dress covering her half body. The woman¡¯s body could almost be seen clearly through the dress. The woman¡¯s shy and charming face looked exactly like Ning Yuling.

    It was private. Nobody could draw this unless he or she saw it. The meaning on the painting was sultry. Clearly it was...Thinking of it, the painting wouldn¡¯t have been so vivid if Ning Yuling had notin down and dressed like that.

    All the madams anddies turned around almost at the same time, hastily covering their eyes with their handkerchiefs. It seemed they had seen something dirty. The painting was obscene so it was reasonable that they acted like that.

    "No, it isn¡¯t me!" Ning Yuling shouted hurriedly, after seeing it.

    "Second Young Lady! It is unexpected that you have a rtionship with my Xian¡¯er. I am not against it. But Second Young Lady. You can¡¯t be his wife. Although my manor is willing to be responsible for this, my grandson can¡¯t marry you. Our manor isn¡¯t powerful but we act with propriety and we can¡¯t let you ruin it."Consort Dowager said calmly.

    This meant she wanted Ning Yuling to be Princely Heir¡¯s concubine.

    Everyone thought Ning Yuling, as Second Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, had created the obscene painting herself. She revealed that she was having a private rtionship with Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. Shame on her!

    Ning Xueyan was standing aside quietly. She showed a surprised look like everyone else. But nothing existed in her ck eyes. This was Madam Ling¡¯s n for her. Sure enough it was vicious and malicious.

    Madam Ling had nned to add Ning Xueyan¡¯s face to thepleted painting of a prostitute¡¯s body. If Princely Heir saw that it was Ning Xueyan, her reputation would be ruined. People would think she was the slutty girl. Nobody would care whether her face fitted the buxom body.

    Madam Ling wanted to attract Princely Heir¡¯s attention by using the buxom body. However, it fitted Ning Yuling perfectly. She was only 16. Exactly the age of the mature body. The painting with Ning Yuling¡¯s face on it looked wless. Even though Ning Xueyan knew the truth, she could believe that the woman was Ning Yuling after taking a look at the picture.

    If Ning Xueyan did such a thing now, especially when Madam Ming died long ago, Madam Dowager wouldn¡¯t protect her for Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s reputation. She would strangle her with a white silk string. Then Madam Ming¡¯s reputation would be tarnished. Then Madam Ling and Ning Yuling would take control of everything after Ning Xueyan¡¯s death.

    People would only say that Madam Ming and Ning Xueyan were slutty. They wouldn¡¯t care about the marriage of Ning Ziyan anymore. Madam Ling and Ning Ziyan could finally get rid of it.

    Ning Yuling was as malevolent as her mother. Now that they started this vicious affair, Ning Xueyan would let them take care of it themselves.

    Ning Xueyan lifted her lips slightly to cover the frosty coldness.

    Wen Xueran, who stood beside Third Prince, happened to see this. His amorous eyes blinked a little when it fell on Ning Xueyan. He sneered a little, after thinking it over and showed a charming smile on his face. He had noticed it.

    "It¡¯s not me... It¡¯s not me...This isn¡¯t me..." It drove Ning Yuling crazy. She shouted madly, her face full of shock, swinging her hands around. It gave her a crazy look, the wide open eyes and loose hair.

    "This is not you? Oh, I remember. This maid came to visit Princely Heir yesterday," A maid who stood behind Consort Dowager said, pointing at Xianghong, who was standing behind Ning Yuling.

    "Yes, it¡¯s her. She came over yesterday stealthily. We would have barely noticed her if there wasn¡¯t some sound outside."

    "Yes, it¡¯s her. We thought the maid was seducing someone. It turns out to be ourdy. The maid is just a helper."

    Several older female servants and maids proved it, too. They all spoke reasonably. It was true that they all saw Ning Yuling¡¯s maid showing up in the courtyard of Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li.

    "Second Young Lady, how...how can you exin this?" Honored Consort Ya sighed and asked lightly. She asked maids to pick up the painting and deliver it to Madam Dowager.

    Madam Dowager gritted her teeth tightly. She could feel her blood gushing from her chest and almosting out from her mouth. She couldn¡¯t speak a word with her face turning red. She hated her beloved granddaughter who had humiliated Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and embarrassed her. She wanted to p Ning Yuling now.

    No... It was wrong. How could it be? It was Ning Xueyan! That bitch!

    "What a bold man! Who are you? How dare you intrude into the Honored Consort Ya¡¯s Party?" The rebuke could be heard,ing from outside.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s face turned dark. She couldn¡¯t help grasping her handkerchief. Seeing Ning Yuling in a panic, she turned her surprise intocency. And her eyes were dark as the ck jade and profound as the sea.

 Chapter 56 The Private Meeting and the Wrong Person

    "The Chrysanthemum Party is held by Honored Consort Ya. How did the lechere in easily?"

    "Nobody can take the me if he bothered Honored Consort Ya."

    While talking, the guards took a man over. Although he lowered his head and couldn¡¯t be seen clearly, it could be told from his body that he was a man. He was in an ordinary dress instead of fineries, but he wasn¡¯t a servant.

    A lot of things happened during the party. The earlier thing wasn¡¯t handled yet, now this man came from nowhere. Honored Consort Ya¡¯s face became darker and darker. The persons here were all from noble families with honorable statuses. She wasn¡¯t able to take the me if bad things urred. Honored Consort Ya stood up suddenly and said with great anger, "How dare you sneak here. Take him out and flog him hard 50 times."

    It would kill him after taking 50 times of flogging. Although he was young and strong, he couldn¡¯t take it.

    Two guards who dragged the man in took him aside without thinking twice. The man started to scream because of fears, "Honored Consort Ya, please don¡¯t kill me! Please don¡¯t kill me! I was invited here!"

    Here it was. Ning Yuling showed a smug face, staring at Ning Xueyan viciously. She gritted her teeth tightly and only got one thought in her mind, which was the one who was unlucky today should be Ning Xueyan... It must be her...

    Invited? Again? People showed doubtful faces. Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li just said he had been invited by Ning Yuling. Now there was another man saying he was invited.

    "Take him back!" Third Prince said coldly. He moved forward.

    The guards dragged the man back. Now people saw him clearly. The young man with good looks was in a mess because his clothes were untidy. Seeing Third Prince stood high in front of him, he knew this man was a big shot so he answered hastily.

    "Ady sent her maid secretly to give me a letter saying thedy has a crush on me, so she asked me to see her. I doubt it ande here to have a look. I¡¯m not nning anything. My childe, please find out the truth."

    The man said as his eyes moved quickly. It meant he was unreliable.

    "Who invited you here?" Third Prince asked coldly. Same things kept happening, which made him so angry. His eye-sight shed over nobledies¡¯ faces one by one. Whoever watched by him, they all dropped their heads with bloodless faces. Then he looked into a pair of profound peaceful eyes.

    He drew back a little of his harshness in his eyes. He saw exactly a prince¡¯s wife¡¯s temperament.

    "It¡¯s... it¡¯s..." The man could hardly breathe. He was frightened by atrocious guards beside him.

    "Are you going to say or not?" Third Prince threatened him, looking at him leeringly.

    "It¡¯s the Second Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor." The murderous look of Third Prince scared the man so he shouted loudly.

    A smug smile froze on Ning Yuling¡¯s face. She looked at the man with total amazement. How... How could it be? It should be Ning Xueyan!

    Madam Dowager clenched her hands tightly. Her face turned dark. She looked at Ning Yuling, gritting her teeth. It was her again! Everything happened today was because of Ning Yuling, which made Lord Protector¡¯s Manor lose all its dignity. But what could she do now? The only thing in Madam Dowager¡¯s mind was to rush to p her face heavily.

    "Oh, no wonder the maid told me where Second Young Lady was and asked me to find her. It turns out I¡¯m the wrong person. He is the one she wants. Bitch! There are other men she flirted with besides me!" Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li shouted loud passing the buck to Ning Yuling without hesitation. He pretended to be innocent now.

    "A woman like her won¡¯t be epted by anyone. It¡¯s unexpected that ethics and moral standards of Lord Protector¡¯s family is ..." Consort Dowager said coldly. She was ashamed of the things her grandson just did.

    Ning Yuling looked at them with a cold smile, feeling ironic. Madam Ling intended to do harm to her by letting a painter paint the obscene picture for Princely Heir. So did Ning Yuling. She asked the man to ruin her reputation. In the end, Ning Yuling took them all.

    The situation at present was all their own fault. Madam Ling and Ning Yuling took it themselves.

    Ning Yuling started trembling because she was angry and worried. But she couldn¡¯t say a word for her lip shivered. How could it be her instead of Ning Xueyan?

    Ning Yuling was shrewish so she pushed away an older female servant and wanted to abuse the man. She showed a ferocious face, looking at the man.

    Xianghong, who stood beside her, reached out to stop her, whispering to her ear.

    Her words stunned Ning Xueyan immediately. Shock, hatred, and fear were all on her face.

    It was Ning Yuling¡¯s n. She asked Xianghong to tell the man that Ning Xueyan had a crush on him but couldn¡¯t be with him, and she would like to be his concubine because her family wanted to marry her to someone. Moreover, Xianghong told the man that Ning Xueyan wanted him to send a servant to ruin her reputation so that he could help her. In the end, Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would agree with their marriage.

    However, instead of ruining Ning Xueyan¡¯s reputation, Ning Yuling became the victim.

    Ning Yuling felt her blood be cold. She could feel the disdain and disgust in people¡¯s eyes. When she raised her head, she looked into Ning Xueyan¡¯s profound dark eyes. She only saw the coldness in them. So was her silent lip.

    "It¡¯s you. It¡¯s you. Isn¡¯t it?" Ning Yuling screamed, pointing at Ning Xueyan in a rage. Her face was twisted.

    "My second sister, what are you talking about? I... know nothing at all." Ning Xueyan answered calmly with a pair of peaceful eyes. She stood aside in no hurry. Her beautiful face showed no fear and panic.

    "Bitch! It must be you! The shame was on you. You seduced men then nted it on me." Ning Yuling was furious. She shouted in a rage. She wasn¡¯t willing to face the truth that she nned everything, but it turned out to be her shame.

    The rouge and make-up were stacked on Ning Yuling¡¯s face. Tears made them be colorful marks. Her ugly looks made people hate her more.

    "My second sister, please don¡¯t be angry. Someone may frame you up. Let grandma find the truth. If she can¡¯t, we will tell some officers. All in all, we won¡¯t let anyone tarnish your reputation for no reason." Ning Xueyan pretended to be thoughtful.

    This reminded Madam Dowager. She said, "Frisk him!"

    Two older female servants did what she asked right now. They searched all over his body and found a gold head-ornament flower in her arms. Madam Dowager was in silence when she saw it. Her face was twisted while she held tightly the same gold flower in her hands. Of course, she knew what it was. This was a usual ornament in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    There was a sign on the top of it, which represented her manor. Besides, the type of the flower only belonged to Ning Yuling.

    Seeing Madam Dowager¡¯s action, people understood immediately that the ornament was Ning Yuling¡¯s.

    Ning Xueyan showed a little shock on her face but she hid it perfectly. She turned to her angry grandma and said, "Grandmother, my second sister will never do such a thing. She might think it was funny so she wanted to imitate the drama. The worst persons are her maids. They didn¡¯t stop her. When the truth is exposed, they are afraid of punishments so they frame up Yan¡¯er... Grandmother, please forgive my second sister!"

    Ning Yuling started to rebuke Ning Xueyan after hearing what her maid said. This made people think Ning Yuling¡¯s maid suggested her to frame up her sister. The maid was the same as her mistress.

    Moreover, Ning Xueyan¡¯s words could prove Ning Yuling¡¯s sins.

    "You... you, I..." Ning Yuling¡¯s face was ugly. She couldn¡¯t say a word pointing at Ning Xueyan. She could do nothing now. All she knew was what Xianghong said was aboutst night¡¯s n. The man ought to be sent by Princely Heir. Xianghong tried to warn her. But she couldn¡¯t tell people this.

    Madam Dowager¡¯s face became worse. She had no idea what to do, gritting her teeth. Hearing what Ning Xueyan said, she understood the situation clearly. She decided to walk towards Ning Yuling and p her. Ning Yuling stepped back a little then fell down on the ground. Her lip was broken and the blood came out.

    "Grandmother..." Ning Yuling covered her mouth, looking at Madam Dowager. She couldn¡¯t believe this.

    "Xianghong connived her mistress. Flog her to death!" Madam Dowager rebuked, staring at Xianghong in rage.

    "Madam Dowager..." Xianghong was astonished, she knelt on the ground and said, "It¡¯s Second Young Lady..."

    The whole n was from Ning Yuling, so Xianghong was unwilling to take the me.

    Madam Dowager didn¡¯t give her more chance to exin. "Mute her and flog her hard!"

    Xianghong wanted to say more but someone already did what Madam Dowager asked. She couldn¡¯t say anything anymore.

    "Grandmother, how to deal with this man?" Ning Xueyan asked, pointing at the man.

    "Drag him out and flog him hard, too. Then deliver him to the office." Madam Dowager rebuked again when she heard Ning Xueyan¡¯s question because she was in rage now.

    The man saw the guards walking towards him, he started to shout in spite of everything, "My madam, it¡¯s real that Second Young Lady asked me here. She said she didn¡¯t want to marry a prince or an heir. She just wanted to be with me. But she was afraid her manor would be against her so she made the n. Madam, please let us be!"

    "Mute him and drag him out! Now!" Madam Dowager knocked the ground using her stick in a rage. Even Honored Consort Ya¡¯s and Third Prince¡¯s faces grew dark.

    When two guards saw Third Prince¡¯s horrible look, they muted the man quickly and dragged him out immediately. Everybody here knew Ning Yuling and Third Prince were engaged. Now they found out Ning Yuling had private rtionships with other men. This would embarrass Third Prince.

    Being stared by Third Prince¡¯s cold eyes, Ning Yuling dared not to say more. She started to cry, covering her face.

 Chapter 57 Chessman and Madam Dowagers Hint

    After what happened, nobody could enjoy the Chrysanthemum Party. Ning Yuling was sent away by Madam Dowager. Third Prince wanted the power of Ning Zu¡¯an. Ning Yuling had such a bad reputation of dating several men secretly, so Third Prince would not marry her if he was to get rted to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor by marriage.

    He was a prince. It would be a joke if she cheated on him.

    Ning Xueyan settled down back to her room. Lanning offered a cup of tea to her and asked after thinking of something, "Mydy, how do you know Second Young Lady would leave Xianghong for abetting the man to tarnish your reputation?"

    Ning Xueyan smiled slightly. Her eye-sight fell on a cluster of ordinary daisies. She answered coldly with her lip lifted, "Ning Yuling only got one chance. She was too proud to let it go."

    Ning Yuling, who was as vicious as Madam Ling, hated Ning Xueyan so much. So she wouldn¡¯t give up the opportunity to frame her up. She made a n but it mixed up with Madam Ling¡¯s n. Madam Ling was so vicious that Ning Yuling was unlucky to take the consequence.

    "What will happen to Xianghong?" Qingyu couldn¡¯t help asking.

    "After all these things, Xianghong won¡¯t be alive. She may be flogged to death for abetting her mistress to date other men." Ning Xueyan answered peacefully.

    Qingyu showed an unhappy face after hearing this. She felt sorry for Xianghong. Lanning noticed her mood and said with a cold smile, "You have sympathy for her? If they seeded today, not only you and I would be like her, but also ourdy will be killed by a white silk string."

    Ning Xueyan wasn¡¯t Ning Yuling. Ning Yuling was under the protection of Madam Ling, so Madam Dowager wouldn¡¯t kill her. If it was Ning Xueyan, she wouldn¡¯t be alive.

    Qingyu trembled a little after hearing this and stopped her thinking. Ning Xueyan dropped her eyes slightly seeing Qingyu stopped, there was some shadow in her eyes.

    Qingyu had a soft heart. But if she wanted to stay with Ning Xueyan, she must know being merciful to their enemies was killing themselves. Ning Xueyan found out this by her blood in herst life. She wouldn¡¯t make the same mistake now.

    "Mydy, will Madam Ling rush to question you because Second Young Lady takes the me?" Lanning worried about Madam Ling so she tried to warn Ning Xueyan. After what happened, Madam Ling would suspect Ning Xueyan although she had nothing to do with it.

    Seeing considerable Lanning, Ning Xueyan smiled a little, and she felt warm, "Never mind, Madam Ling won¡¯t do that. Now she was in danger herself. Ning Yuling had private rtionships with other men, which was proved true. People saw the truth, so I won¡¯t get involved."

    People in the party were noble madams in the capital, so Madam Ling would be unable to turn back again.

    "How about marquis? He follows his wife all the time..." Lanning was still worried. The backyard of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was in themand of Madam Ling. Ning Zu¡¯an allowed this.

    "He follows her all along?" Ning Xueyan showed an ironic look. Compared with his power and money, following his wife would be an alternative. Watch! Her uncle was almost ready. She wanted to know which one was more important to Ning Zu¡¯an, dignity or Madam Ling...

    Some voices came from the yard while their talking. Lanning went out to check up and brought an older female servant in.

    Two maids were behind the female servant. One of them held some silks, the other had a jewelry box in her hands.

    The older female servant bowed to Ning Xueyan with great respectful smiling.

    "Fifth Young Lady, these were from Third Prince. Madam Dowager asked me to give you after checking up. They were simple but the color was good, which will fit you perfectly. Madam Dowager asked you to take them."

    The gifts from Third Prince? Especially picking light color ones, he gave them to Madam Dowager first then Ning Xueyan took them from Madam Dowager.

    Ning Xueyan never saw the older female servant acted like this. She said while frowning, "They¡¯re gifts for grandmother, so I can¡¯t take them. Not to mention they¡¯re useless for me."

    "Fifth Young Lady didn¡¯t hear me clearly. Third Prince gave them to you. He picked something decent. They¡¯re all silks and satins. I heard they¡¯re from the national treasury. I never saw anything as good as them in our manor." The older female servant ttered.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s eysh dropped a little. The coldness in her eyes was covered, but her eyebrow emitted colder mood.

    Seeing Ning Xueyan¡¯s reaction, Lanning understood her right now and rebuked, "What are you saying? Third Prince gave them to mydy? Mydy is noble, so is Third Prince. They won¡¯t have a private rtionship."

    "Oh... no, it¡¯s not what I meant..." Being misunderstood, the older female servant was astonished and tried to exin, but Ning Xueyan stopped her.

    "Now that you said no, why do you take Third Prince¡¯s gifts to me? People who know the truth think it¡¯s grandmother¡¯s love to me, but people who don¡¯t will talk about me and Third Prince. After what happened to my second sister, do you want more troubles?"

    The words were harsh, Ning Xueyan even med her grandmother. Her white face showed some cold smiles.

    "It¡¯s... it¡¯s not what Madam Dowager meant..." The older female servant nned to tter Fifth Young Lady by sending her gifts. It was unexpected she was misunderstood by thedy. The older female servant was about to exin with widely opened eyes and mouth, "Fifth Young Lady, Madam Dowager sent me here and asked me to give you..."

    "You still don¡¯t get it. You want Fifth Young Lady to tell it to Madam Dowager herself?" Qingyu rebuked with unpleasure. She was aware of it now.

    Seeing the situation, the older female servant moved her eyes quickly and smiled brightly to Ning Xueyan, "Fifth Young Lady, it would waste Madam Dowager¡¯s kindness if you refuse."

    "The kindness of Madam Dowager or Third Prince?" Ning Xueyan asked coldly. Her frozen eye-sight scared the older female servant.

    "Of... of course the gifts were from Third Prince. Madam Dowager sent them here."

    "I can¡¯t take Third Prince¡¯s gifts. Please tell my grandmother. I¡¯m the noble daughter of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor so I won¡¯t take them." Ning Xueyan said coldly.

    "I..." The older female servant didn¡¯t expect her to be like this so she didn¡¯t know what to say now.

    "Do you really want Fifth Young Lady to say it to Madam Dowager herself?" Lanning rebuked again.

    "No... no. I will tell it to Madam Dowager." The older female servant saw Ning Xueyan¡¯s cold face although Ning Xueyan said nothing. She would put down things and leave directly in her old time. But the older female servant remembered what Third Prince said, so she dared not to make it up. So she excused herself quickly.

    The older female servant nned to tter, but now she was kicked out. This was a shame. She felt angry so she stomped her feet heavily by the yard door and cursed something. Then she went back angrily to reply to Madam Dowager with maids, shaking her handkerchief. The little bitch dared to insult her, so she would say something bad to Madam Dowager.

    The servants of Madam Dowager despised Ning Xueyan.

    Lanning closed the door after they left and went back to the room. She asked uncertainly, "Fifth Young Lady, what does Madam Dowager want?"

    Ning Xueyan raised her head with a cold smile on her lip, "She wants to get on well with Third Prince. Now that Ning Yuling is useless, so her focus is on me. She even wants to marry me to him in spite of what happened to Ning Yuling."

    Ning Xueyan was unwilling to be a chessman of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor for richness and dignity. What she did wasn¡¯t for marrying Third Prince. Third Prince was obsessed with Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s power so he wouldn¡¯t break with Lord Protector, because it wasn¡¯t good for him.

    Honored Consort Ya and Third Prince paid attention to her at the moment of what happened to Ning Yuling. Madam Dowager was willing to do this. It might be better than Ning Yuling that her unfavored granddaughter could marry Third Prince.

    If Third Prince was the future emperor, Ning Xueyan would earn dignity for Lord Protector¡¯s Manor as the first daughter of it.

    If Third Prince couldn¡¯t be the future emperor, she was a useless chessman which would be thrown away easily. She wasn¡¯t favored so marquis and Madam Dowager could handle her in the way whatever they wanted. So Madam Dowager hurried to send her gifts of Third Prince and wanted to keep her reputation at the time.

    "Mydy, what should we do now?" Qingyu understood it and asked hurriedly, "The older female servant was unhappy when she left. Maybe she is saying something bad about you in front of Madam Dowager. What should we do if Madam Dowager mes you for this?"

    "She¡¯d better say it. Lanning, fetch my scissors." Ning Xueyan showed a cold smile on her lip, standing up. She tried to find a way to get Madam Dowager here. Seeing the older female servant¡¯s face, she knew she would definitely say bad things to Madam Dowager which would enrage her.

    Lanning did what Ning Xueyan asked without thinking twice. She put scissors on the desk.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s cold eye-sight fell on the scissors. She put it under the loom and smiled. "Qingyu, go to decoct medicine under the roof. Right under the roof. You need to give me the medicine when Madam Dowager is hereter."

    Madam Dowager wanted to use her to please Third Prince. Third Prince wanted to use her to build the connection with Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. But she wasn¡¯t the old her. She would be against them and use them to deal with some troubles of her own.

    An older female servant who was good at medicine followed Madam Dowager everywhere.

    It was said that the servant had checked all the medicine around Madam Dowager. So madam Dowager only used the things she checked.

    As for Madam Dowager, she heard Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t take the gifts and said impolite words. So she got angry and rushed to Ning Xueyan¡¯s ce with many maids and older female servants.

 Chapter 58 There Is Also a Problem with Ning Xueyans Medicine

    "Young Lady, Young Lady, you can¡¯t do that... If Second Madam knew it, she would have been sad." The voice of a maid came out of the room, apanied by the sound of something falling.

    Under the corridor stood a maid who stunningly saw Madam Dowagering with anger. The medicine pot in her hand was still steaming. It seemed that she had just decocted the medicine and was about to bring it to Ning Xueyan.

    "Madam Dowager, you...e and see our Young Lady." Qingyu seemed to see the savior when she saw Madam Dowager. She rushed to Madam Dowager, forgetting to put down the hot medicine pot in her hands.

    "What¡¯s wrong with her?" Madam Dowager asked impatiently. Originally, she came here with anger to denounce Ning Xueyan and became unhappier when she found that it was in a mess here.

    "Our Young Lady..."

    Before Qingyu finished her words, a sudden cry followed by a loud sound came out of the room, which made Qingyu almost unable to hold the medicine pot. She rushed into the house in spite of talking to Madam Dowager who followed up with her servants.

    In the room, Ning Xueyan fell to the ground, and on the other side was a fallen chair. Lanning was also half sitting on the ground, holding Ning Xueyan¡¯s one hand tightly. What made people nervous most was a pair of sharp scissors in Ning Xueyan¡¯s hands. Lanning and she were snatching the scissors.

    The two ignored the messy embroidery on the ground.

    "What are you doing?" Madam Dowager¡¯s face darkened and she heavily rapped the ground with her walking stick, making a loud sound.

    "Grandma!" Ning Xueyan looked up with surprise as if she didn¡¯t know why Madam Dowager was here. Then she let go of the scissors she held tightly, stood up with the support of Qingyu, and saluted Madam Dowager respectfully, with a dim look on her face.

    Her elegant salute was totally different from her radical behavior before.

    "Grandma, please sit down!" Lanning grabbed the scissors and threw it away. Then she picked up the fallen chair, bowed her head, and stepped back to one side.

    Madam Dowager sat down and asked angrily, "What were you doing just now? Do you think that we haven¡¯t had enough trouble recently so you make troubles now?"

    So many things had happened. Ning Yuling lost the chance to be the Consort of Third Prince, which made Madam Dowager very angry. So now she vented her anger on Ning Xueyan.

    The Madam Dowager was so biased.

    Ning Xueyan nced at Madam Dowager, hatred shing in her jade-like eyes.

    Looking at Madam Dowager¡¯s angry look, Ning Xueyan raised her head and exined, "Grandma, I just want to shave my long hair and worship it in front of mother¡¯s memorial tablet. From then on, I¡¯ll stay with her to show my filial piety to her."

    Shaving her hair and staying with her mother forever? Did she want to be a nun?

    Thinking about her previous n, Madam Dowager was furious and couldn¡¯t think too much in her mind. She immediately looked sharply at Ning Xueyan and said, "What do you mean? Are you not satisfied with the gift that I just sent and deliberately did those things to embarrass me?"

    The Third Prince just talked with Madam Dowager about Ning Xueyan and said he was very satisfied with Ning Xueyan. But now Ning Xueyan said she wanted to be a nun. How could the Madam Dowager not be angry?

    And then she began to cough and flush. It was obvious that she really was angry!

    The female physician standing behind Madam Dowager immediately went to take a cup of water to her.

    Ning Xueyan knew that Madam Dowager didn¡¯t like Madam Ming and her. If not, she would help them in the backyard in the past. Even though Ning Yuling murdered Ning Xueyan, Madam Dowager still wouldn¡¯t care too much. Now Madam Dowager cared for Ning Xueyan because Ning Yuling couldn¡¯t be the Consort of Third Prince. So she was afraid that Ning Xueyan really wanted to be a nun and couldn¡¯t marry the Third Prince.

    At this time, Madam Dowager wouldn¡¯t allow Ning Xueyan to shave her hair and be a nun.

    "Grandmother, my mother used to apany me. Now I want to apany her in the future. Grandma, please allow me to do so." Ning Xueyan looked up and said with calmness on her face. Then she looked down to cover the hatred in her eyes.

    Hearing that, Madam Dowager who leaned on the back of the chair became more furious. She pounded the table with her hands, saying, "You only care your mother. Your father and I are your families too. If you be a nun, how could your father and I face the ancestors when we die?"

    "But, my mother..." Ning Xueyan¡¯s look changed and she hesitantly said.

    "Your mother has died. But you still have father, brothers, sisters, and I. Isn¡¯t it good for us to live happily in the future?" Madam Dowager constrained her anger and persuaded Ning Xueyan first.

    If Ning Xueyan really shaved her hair and became a nun, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would greatly lose face.

    Madam Ming had just died, and then her daughter wanted to shave hair and be a nun several dayster!

    Moreover, Ning Xueyan was beautiful and the daughter born of the legal wife. Madam Dowager was reluctant to allow Ning Xueyan to be a nun in any case. What was more, the Third Prince had made it clear that he was fond of her.

    Ning Yuling couldn¡¯t marry the Third Prince anymore. Strictly speaking, Ning Yuling had cuckolded Third Prince. It was considered that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was sorry for the Third Prince. So the Third Prince should be angry and vent his anger on the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    At this time, Madam Dowager should please the Third Prince even more!

    Madam Dowager had sent people to greet the Honored Consort Ya. But the Honored Consort Ya refused to see them. It could be seen that Honored Consort Ya was angry too!

    So in this case, the importance of Ning Xueyan was obvious.

    Madam Dowager had seen how fierce Ning Xueyan was when she snatched the scissors, so now she changed her mind and dared not force Ning Xueyan anymore.

    "Grandmother, my mother will be lonely if I don¡¯t apany her." Ning Xueyan hesitantly said, seeming to be convinced by Madam Dowager.

    Seeing Ning Xueyan no longer stubborn, Madam Dowager was relieved. Now she didn¡¯t dare to vent her anger on Ning Xueyan. She took Ning Xueyan¡¯s hands and said lovingly, "Xueyan, your mother also wants you to live well. She also wants you to live in harmony with your sisters and brothers. Now, you should take care of yourself. If something bad happened to you, your mother would be sad if she knew that."

    Madam Dowager became sad when she said that. She took up her handkerchief and wiped around her eyes. "Your mother used to be obedient. You take after your mother. You¡¯re also sensible. Don¡¯t make me worry about you anymore."

    Madam Dowager¡¯s statement was sincere as if she really worried about Ning Xueyan. If Ning Xueyan hadn¡¯t know Madam Dowager¡¯s mind, she would have regarded Madam Dowager as a good grandmother who loved her granddaughter.

    After hiding the scissors, Lanning came over and also said to Ning Xueyan, "Madam Dowager is right. Young Lady, Madam Dowager cares you so much. How could she make you unfaithful and unfilial? It¡¯s all that older female servant¡¯s nonsense. It must have nothing to do with Madam Dowager."

    Madam Dowager was stunned by Lanning¡¯s words. She looked back at the older female servant Lanning pointed at, face bing gloomy.

    "What did she say?"

    The older female servant who stood beside was frightened, and her face suddenly turned pale.

    "Madam Dowager, the older female servant who came just now said that you¡¯re going to give the gifts of the Third Prince to our youngdy. She also said that our Young Lady will marry the Third Prince and be his Co-consort. Listening to those words, our Young Lady felt indignant and said she would shave her hair and be a nun. How a daughter could be engaged after her mother died less than one month!"

    Lanning pointed at the older female servant and angrily said.

    Then she turned to Madam Dowager and said, "Madam Dowager, how could she say that? Our Young Lady repeatedly said that the gifts were given by you. But she said it was the Third Prince who gave them to our Young Lady. If so, it will be a private deal. The Second Young Lady¡¯s private deal was revealed. If such a thing happened to our Young Lady too, it will bring shame to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor!"

    This remark was very sharp. Madam Dowager was angry, but she couldn¡¯t vent her anger. She felt embarrassed.

    She turned around and heavily pped the older female servant who stood behind her. The older female servant immediately knelt down, covering her face. The older female servant had spoken ill of Ning Xueyan in front of Madam Dowager. Now she was scolded by Lanning and she couldn¡¯t respond for a moment. Before she could respond, Madam Dowager pped her.

    Now she didn¡¯t dare to say more, and wonder if Madam Dowager knew her nder. She only felt frightened and begged for mercy.

    "Grandma, don¡¯t be angry. It¡¯s nonsense. I don¡¯t care. You greatly value propriety and rule. How can you say that?" Feeling that it was her turn, Ning Xueyan went to Madam Dowager and gently said.

    Ning Yueyan¡¯s remark made Madam Dowager more depressed, but she could say nothing. Madam Dowager couldn¡¯t say that she really wanted Ning Xueyan to marry the Third Prince. She also couldn¡¯t admit that in order to please the Third Prince, she sent the gifts of the Third Prince to her granddaughter who was observing mourning for her mother.

    Apart from feeling angry, she still felt regret. Ning Yuling¡¯s reputation had been ruined. If Ning Xueyan¡¯s reputation was ruined too, there would be no suitable Young Lady in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    It seemed that the marriage between the Third Prince and Ning Xueyan couldn¡¯t be rushed. This matter should be discussed after at least three months!

    If Madam Dowager was too anxious, she might fail!

    "I won¡¯t say that. You¡¯re observing mourning for your mother. How can I talk about that now? Well, forget that and don¡¯t shave your hair. Is that your medicine? Take it first. The health is the most important thing. You have to take care of yourself." Madam Dowager only wanted to change the topic now.

    She pointed at the medicine pot that Qingyu put aside and asked Ning Xueyan to take it with concern.

    "Ah, the medicine." As soon as Madam Dowager mentioned, Qingyu also seemed to remember it. She rushed to the medicine pot, opened it, and poured the medicine into a bowl. Immediately, the strong smell suffused the whole room. The smell of it was much stronger than that of Madam Dowager¡¯s medicine.

    Ning Xueyan took the bowl handed by Qingyu and was about to take the medicine, frowning ufortably.

    The female physician standing next to Madam Dowager suddenly changed her look when she smelled something. She looked up slightly and stared at the medicine bowl in Ning Xueyan¡¯s hands, shouting, "Wait a minute! There¡¯s something wrong with the medicine."

 Chapter 59 Madam Dowager Shows Partiality to Madam Ling and Takes Away All Medicine

    There was also a problem with this medicine!

    Madam Dowager¡¯s look changed as soon as she heard that!

    Madam Dowager had been frightened by the matter of her medicine. When she heard that something was wrong with Ning Xueyan¡¯s medicine, she looked at the medicine bowl with gloom and asked, "What¡¯s wrong?"

    "Madam Dowager, it¡¯s poisoned too! And the poison in it is the same as that in your medicine." The female physician smelled again and said firmly.

    "Was my medicine material taken from grandmother? It¡¯s impossible. I didn¡¯t use up my medicinest time. They were directly taken from the manor." Ning Xueyan slight frowned and said casually.

    But her words made Madam Dowager¡¯s look more sinister!

    "Please help our Young Lady!" Qingyu got the hint of Ning Xueyan and knelt down to the female physician.

    Madam Dowager nodded with a gloomy face.

    The female physician went to Ning Xueyan and took her pulse. But after a while, she frowned tightly and took Ning Xueyan¡¯s other hand to feel her pulse again.

    "Am I... unable to be cured?" Asked Ning Xueyan.

    "No..." The female physician felt embarrassed and looked around.

    Madam Dowager waved her hand, all servants leaving the room except her two henchmen.

    "What¡¯s the matter?" Madam Dowager asked with a gloomy look. She had to care about Ning Xueyan. The Third Prince had clearly expressed his like for Ning Xueyan and his wish to marry her. Although Ning Xueyan only would be his co-consort, she had won the favor of the Third Prince. The Third Prince gave gifts to Ning Xueyan in person, which obviously showed his attitude towards Ning Xueyan.

    Nothing could happen to Ning Xueyan at this time!

    "Madam Dowager, long-term use of this poison will not only lead to death but also..." The female physician spoke with hesitation and took a look at Ning Xueyan¡¯s pale face.

    Seeing that things went on as her expectation, Ning Xueyan showed coldness in her eyes. Madam Ling didn¡¯t add too much poison to her medicine. It was she herself who deliberately add that poison to all medicine.

    In this way, the female physician could distinguish it easily.

    "Just say it. I can stand it!" Ning Xueyan calmly said with a faint smile on her face. She still kept graceful and calm in the face of disasters, which few men could do. Madam Dowager couldn¡¯t help but attach more importance to Ning Xueyan.

    "Say it!" Madam Dowager said with a serious look.

    It could be seen from the female physician¡¯s face that this matter was quite serious!

    "This medicine is only harmful to ordinary people¡¯s body. Long-term use will lead to death. But for young women, it will also make them... childless!"

    Childless?

    "Ah! Our Young Lady will get married in the future. What will happen if her future husband knows it?" Qingyu was astonished and cried out in distraction.

    Her future husband? Madam Dowager¡¯s face suddenly turned gloomy. She was very angry and even wanted to kill Madam Ling.

    In Madam Dowager¡¯s opinion, Ning Xueyan was now favored by the Third Prince and would marry him. She was beautiful and sensible. She would be favored by the Third Prince for a long time after getting married.

    If one day they found that it was Madam Ling who made Ning Xueyan childless, this marriage would be a misfortune for Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Madam Dowager was very angry and wanted to kill Madam Ling directly at this time when she thought of the final result of the marriage.

    "Can I be cured?" Although Ning Xueyan¡¯s face was pale, she still was calm and forced a smile on her face. She didn¡¯t ask the reasons, but directly asked the results.

    The matter that Madam Dowager was poisoned was directly rted to Ning Yuling¡¯s a personal older female servant who was Madam Ling¡¯s henchman. Although there was no evidence that Madam Ling had poisoned Madam Dowager, people who saw the whole process knew that it must be Madam Ling¡¯s order. How could an older female servant dare to poison the Madam Dowager?

    Now, this kind of poison appeared again. And Ning Xueyan¡¯s medicine was taken from the manor too. Everyone could imagine who poisoned Ning Xueyan.

    Besides, the death of Madam Ming was rted to Madam Ling. But Ning Xueyan¡¯s words showed that she didn¡¯t want to hold anyone ountable.

    Ning Xueyan was so generous that Madam Dowager¡¯s face softened. She also became angrier with Madam Ling. Then she turned her head and beckoned the female physician to go on.

    "Fifth Young Lady has been poisoned for a long time and her body has been seriously hurt. In the future, she needs to be nursed carefully so that she might recover." The female physician frowned and didn¡¯t express her meaning directly. But her meaning was clearly understood by others.

    Ning Xueyan had been poisoned for a long time, and she wouldn¡¯t be cured in a short time. Whether she could have children in the future was still a problem. That was to say, it not only relied on her future treatment, but also depended on her fate.

    Madam Dowager had wanted Ning Xueyan to marry the Third Prince, but now she was hesitant. It was very likely that Ning Xueyan would be childless. If the Third Prince med the whole Lord Protector¡¯s Manor when he became the emperor, they all would get into trouble.

    Moreover, if Ning Xueyan had no child after she married the Third Prince, she might lose the Third Prince¡¯s love soon and the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor might not maintain the glory and wealth.

    Madam Dowager greatly hated Madam Ling as long as she thought of the possible future results.

    "Xueyan, how much medicine is left?"

    "Little of the medicine I brought from the manor is left. There are about ten doses. When I came to the temple, I brought some with me. Soon afterward, mother sent some to me. I think she¡¯s afraid I¡¯ve run out of the medicine."

    Ning Xueyan thought for a moment and replied.

    "Take them and show me!" Madam Dowager said.

    Ning Xueyan nodded and asked Qingyu to fetch them. After a while, ten doses of medicine were ced in front of Madam Dowager. The female physician looked at them one by one, and finally stood in front of Madam Dowager. She looked up and said, "Madam Dowager, all of the ten doses are poisoned. Fifth Young Lady is very weak now. If she takes another month or two, I¡¯m afraid she would have no children."

    Things were very clear. It must be Madam Ling who poisoned Ning Xueyan. Madam Dowager was livid, and her face darkened and turned gruesome.

    "Xueyan, you take a rest first. I¡¯ll certainly look into this matter." Madam Dowager calmed down and conciliated Ning Xueyan.

    Even if Madam Ling bore Ning Zu¡¯an a son, Madam Dowager wouldn¡¯t allow her to be so presumptuous. She turned her head and said to Mother Qin with a cold look, "Pass on my message to others. Tell them that Fifth Young Lady is filial and obedient. From today on, she¡¯ll receive the same treatment as the Second Young Lady¡¯s and all her articles of daily use will be taken from my ce."

    Mother Qin hurried to nod her head.

    It meant that Madam Dowager would protect Ning Xueyan in the future.

    "Grandmother, thank you." Ning Xueyan said with gratitude.

    "Well, that¡¯s it. The servants in the manor are too cunning. Your mother should teach them a lesson. Here, pack back all the medicine." Looking at Ning Xueyan¡¯s grateful face, Madam Dowager stood up with satisfaction. Then she went back with her servants, leaving such a sentence to Ning Xueyan.

    Looking at Madam Dowager who left with her servants, Ning Xueyan sneered in mind. Before leaving, Madam Dowager told Ning Xueyan that it was servants¡¯ faults and had nothing to do with Madam Ling. This matter would be dealt with like those matters before. Some servants would be punished, and Madam Ling would be let off.

    Unfortunately, Ning Xueyan would never let off Madam Ling this time.

    Ning Xueyan yed such a show so that Madam Dowager wouldn¡¯t casually determine her marriage and had to carefully reconsider. Besides, one of her purposes was to expose Madam Ling¡¯s evil deeds. How could she let off Madam Ling easily?

    Madam Dowager wanted to cover up the fact, but Ning Xueyan would disclose it...

    Seeing off Madam Dowager in the corridor and seeing her disappear outside the courtyard, Ning Xueyan returned to the house.

    "Young Lady, Madam Dowager is unfair and helps the First Madam. She even took the medicine away." Qingqu followed Ning Xueyan to the house and said with indignation. The medicine was the evidence that the First Madam framed Ning Xueyan.

    Madam Dowager¡¯s help to Madam Ling was too obvious, and she even took away the evidence.

    "Qingyu, don¡¯t worry. Our Young Lady had thought of it before!" Lanning smiled, took out two doses of medicine from Ning Xueyan¡¯ sundries box, and put them in front of Qingyu.

    They were the same as those were shown to Madam Dowager, and also were sent by Madam Ling. Besides, they had already been added poison to.

    "Fortunately, our Young Lady had thought of it before, otherwise our efforts would be wasted! Young Lady, what should we do now?" Thinking of Ning Xueyan¡¯s foresight, Qingyu smiled. Then she turned to ask Ning Xueyan.

    Ning Xueyan sat down on one side, took a sip of tea, and rxed, looking at the sky outside the window with a faint smile on her face. "Lanning, check it for me that whether the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li is gone?"

    Although the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li got rid of that scandal, his reputation must have been suffered.

    Ning Yuling was rakish, but the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince also behaved poorly. He shouldn¡¯t habe held that sort of vulgar picture!

    The Consort Dowager of Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor originally wanted Ning Yuling to marry her grandson. But after such a scandal, they wouldn¡¯t get married. And even the Consort Dowager would dislike Ning Yuling because her grandson was involved in this scandal because of Ning Yuling. It was heard that this Consort Dowager loved her grandson very much.

    Presumably, Consort Dowager also hoped that Madam Ling and Ning Yuling would fall on evil days! Moreover, it looked like that the civet cat was favored by Consort Dowager...

    "Yes, Young Lady. I¡¯ll ask now." Lanning nodded, turned, and left.

    "She refused to marry me?" The Third Prince put down the writing brush and inkstick in his hands, took the towel handed by the maid to wipe his hands, and asked.

    "Yes. I heard that the Madam Dowager of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor went to see her with anger. Your Highness, you¡¯re the exalted Third Prince. She¡¯s an unfavored Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Why did you want to marry her? How dare she refuse you? Maybe she¡¯ll show off it in the Lord Protector¡¯ Manor."

    The guard said in indignation.

    His master was gentle and cultivated and countless Young Ladies wanted to marry him. It was Ning Xueyan¡¯s luck that his master liked her. But this weak woman dared to refuse, which made him angry!

    The handsome Third Prince smiled. He would like to help Ning Xueyan, but why did she refuse? He said, "It doesn¡¯t matter. I just want to know her family¡¯s attitude. I didn¡¯t expect her to irritate the Madam Dowager."

    Actually, the Third Prince was annoyed. He clearly expressed the willingness to marry her, but she refused. However, he certainly would marry the daughter of Lord Protector. He was looking forward to seeing how she would respond next time!

 Chapter 60 A Gift Comes from Aunt Xiang

    Although several young men and women became couples after the chrysanthemum appreciation grand meeting held by Honored Consort Ya, it was unexpected that neither of the two most important princes found a good match. The reasons why they didn¡¯t find a match were that Ning Yuling had an ident and the Fourth Prince was absent on business.

    Although the chrysanthemum appreciation grand meeting was over, the Honored Consort Ya didn¡¯t leave, so those madams couldn¡¯t leave first.

    Early in the morning, Ning Xueyan went to greet Madam Dowager.

    Madam Dowager had already got up. She heard that Ning Xueyan hade and asked her toe in. Before they chatted for a longer time, Madam Dowager received an invitation from the Honored Consort Ya. Something big happened yesterday and the two families hadn¡¯t sat down to have a good talk. So Honored Consort Ya invited Madam Dowager to have a talk.

    Ning Yuling¡¯s scandal apparently brought shame on the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. However, all the madams here clearly knew that there was an agreement between the Honored Consort Ya and Lord Protector¡¯s Manor that Ning Yuling would marry the Third Prince and be his consort. So such a thing also brought shame on the Third Prince.

    Generally speaking, it was the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor that was sorry for the Third Prince. There must be an exnation for this matter.

    Whatever the reason was, Madam Dowager should go there. So she decided to go with Ning Xueyan.

    The two followed by a group of servants went to Honored Consort Ya¡¯s courtyard together.

    When they arrived at the gate of the courtyard, the eunuchs were already there. Seeing Madam Dowagering, a eunuch trotted into the room to report. When Madam Dowager arrived, an Honored Consort Ya¡¯s older female servant came out with a smile and respectfully weed Madam Dowager in.

    Not only the Honored Consort Ya was in the room, but also the Consort Dowager of Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor sat there with a depressed look.

    Ning Xueyan gave a look to Consort Dowager and found that she didn¡¯t bring her white civet cat. It seemed that the incense she made had worked.

    The Honored Consort Ya smiled all the time as if she didn¡¯t mind the matter of yesterday at all. When she saw Madam Dowagering in, she politely invited her to sit down.

    "Madam Dowager, some preserved fruit were sent from the Pce this morning. I heard they are the new product this year. So I especially invite you to have a taste." The Honored Consort Ya pointed at the preserved fruit in front of her and said to Madam Dowager with a smile on her face.

    The Honored Consort Ya just left the pce for a short time, but His Majesty in the pce began to miss her and sent something to her. It could be seen that she was favored now.

    Madam Dowager recognized Honored Consort Ya¡¯s power from her words, so she hurried to stand up and said, "Your Highness, thank you very much. But I¡¯m too old to eat this sweetmeat. Thank you for your care."

    Honored Consort Ya didn¡¯t say anything, but actually, she was extremely unhappy. The Third Prince always had a good reputation. But now he was cuckolded by Ning Yuling. Everyone would be angry if such a thing happened to them, let alone the royal family member.

    "Honored Consort Ya really cares about Madam Dowager. Look at your dark circles, didn¡¯t you sleep wellst night?" Consort Dowager of Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor coldly said in an impolite way.

    Honored Consort Ya¡¯s face darkened when she heard that.

    Hearing Consort Dowager¡¯s words, Madam Dowager felt embarrassed. Yesterday¡¯s scandal also implicated the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. It seemed that the Consort Dowager was angry too and today came here to find fault with Madam Dowager.

    "I¡¯m so sorry, Your Highness. I¡¯ve lived for a long time, but I didn¡¯t expect such a thing to happen. The Second Young Lady usually behaves well. I really don¡¯t know how she was fooled by her servants. s, it¡¯s a family misfortune!" Madam Dowager sighed with tears in her eyes and her voice trembled.

    Although Madam Dowager wanted to pin that on the maids, she was really sad!

    Honored Consort Ya, whose smile became sort of gentle, turned around and saw Ning Xueyan standing behind Madam Dowager. She softly said to her, "Fifth Young Lady,e here, let me see you. You face is really pale. How about I asking the imperial physician to treat you? How can a young girl be so weak?"

    This scene was simr to the scene that Consort Dowager of Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor cared about Ning Yuling while taking her hands!

    Ning Xueyan smiled coldly. She didn¡¯t want others to think that she would certainly marry the Third Prince. If the Honored Consort Ya really cared about Ning Xueyan, she wouldn¡¯t wait until this time and intentionally showed her concern in front of others. Honored Consort Ya just wanted others to believe that there was a new agreement between the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and her.

    Ning Xueyan lifted her head and regainedposure. She walked forward and saluted Honored Ya with cleverness. "Thank you very much for your kindness, Your Highness. But Grandma has invited a new doctor for me. The doctor said that I¡¯m only weak and need good care."

    "Yes, there¡¯s nothing serious about her health. It¡¯s inborn. She didn¡¯t pay much attention to her health so that she¡¯s so weak now. The doctor said that she should pay more attention in the future. The imperial physician needn¡¯te." Madam Dowager rushed to say after Ning Xueyan.

    If the imperial physician checked Ning Xueyan, the matter that she had been poisoned would be disclosed!

    But Madam Dowager¡¯s words showed that there was more distance between her and Honored Consort Ya.

    The Consort Dowager of Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor, who was sitting on the other side, stopped finding fault with Madam Dowager, shrewdness in her eyes. But all her behaviors and expressions had been seen by Ning Xueyan. It seemed that the Consort Dowager was not as useless as others said.

    "Women should pay great attention to their health. It¡¯s rted to whether they will have children or not. You can¡¯t slight your health." Honored Consort Ya didn¡¯t insist on asking the imperial physician to check Ning Xueyan, but the meaning of her words made Madam Dowager upset. Actually, Madam Dowager wanted to ept Honored Consort Ya¡¯s advice and tell others that the Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor still would marry the Third Prince.

    However, she was afraid that the Honored Consort Ya would know Ning Xueyan¡¯s current physical condition by the imperial physician. And the issue of child Honored Consort Ya mentioned greatly upset Madam Dowager.

    "Yes, girls do have to pay more attention to their health." Madam Dowager reluctantly replied. Then she turned to Ning Xueyan and said, "Xueyan, you can go to the garden. It¡¯s nice. I¡¯ll talk to the Honored Consort Ya for a while."

    Madam Dowager wanted Ning Xueyan to leave for a while, because some topics were not suitable to be talked in front of young girls.

    Because of the previous matters, Madam Dowager would never determine her marriage at random, so Ning Xueyan nodded her head and left the room.

    When she passed the Consort Dowager of Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor, she understood why the Consort Dowager of Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor was unhappy and smiled greatly.

    The Honored Consort Ya¡¯s courtyard was one of the best in Cold Mountain Temple and was originally used to entertain important guests.

    Behind Honored Consort Ya¡¯s courtyard, there was a garden where there were many rockery forests and a winding cobblestone path paved with red maple leaves.

    Pce maids and eunuchs were all serving Honored Consort Ya and her guests, so the garden was quiet. Ning Xueyan strolled along the winding cobblestone path, feeling soft under her feet. The chrysanthemum bloomed around the rockery, which was very charming. Theyered petals made them look like pleated skirts, colorful and beautiful.

    Ning Xueyan walked slowly forward while enjoying the beautiful scenery around her. After turning a corner, she saw Aunt Xiang standing under a big maple tree with her hands sped behind her back.

    Aunt Xiang had helped Ning Xueyan prove that Madam Dowager was poisoned. But after that, Ning Xueyan had no chance to see Aunt Xiang. So when she met Aunt Xiang at this time, she hurried to step forward and cried, "Aunt Xiang!"

    "Fifth Young Lady, are you here to see Honored Consort Ya?" Aunt Xiang didn¡¯t move, but only turned her head to face Ning Xueyan and asked politely.

    "Yes, Grandma is talking to Honored Consort Ya. She asked me to go out for a stroll." Ning Xueyan answered with a faint smiled. Then she stood beside Aunt Xiang and looked up at the maple tree Aunt Xiang had been looking at. "What¡¯s on the tree? Why are you so absorbed in it?"

    "I¡¯m not looking at anything, just thinking of an old friend." Aunt Xiang turned and walked to the back of the tree, followed by Ning Xueyan. After several steps, Ning Xueyan saw a stone table and two stone benches behind the tree. A teapot and two delicate bamboo-shaped cups were on the stone table, and one cup was steaming, tea aroma spreading.

    "Aunt Xiang, you¡¯re aesthetic. It¡¯s great to drink tea and enjoy the scenery here!" Ning Xueyan said with a smile.

    "Fifth Young Lady, please sit down!" Aunt Xiang smiled and offered a seat to Ning Xueyan. Then she poured a cup of tea and pushed it to Ning Xueyan.

    It was daytime now and they were in Honored Consort Ya¡¯s courtyard, so they couldn¡¯t be too close. However, Ning Xueyan could still sense Aunt Xiang¡¯s sincere and warm smile in her eyes.

    "Thanks!"

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t refuse the tea. She took it handed by Aunt Xiang and took a sip. Immediately, her eyes brightened and she couldn¡¯t help but praise it. "Aunt Xiang, it¡¯s really a good tea. I can taste the fragrance of chrysanthemum. How did you make it?"

    There were only tea leaves in the tea, but Ning Xueyan tasted chrysanthemum. The aroma of chrysanthemum and tea was mixed together, which was a different vor.

    "This is a favorite tea of an old friend. She made the tea leaves by her new method. Hasn¡¯t your mother mentioned it to you?" Aunt Xiang seemed to ask at will, but the corner of her eyes throbbed for one time unconsciously. From that, Ning Xueyan felt that Aunt Xiang was nervous when she asked.

    "My mother didn¡¯t mention this kind of tea to me. I think your old friend must be a person of poetic temperament. I really admire her for making such good tea. What kind of people your old friend was?" Ning Xueyan asked in a pretended casual way, turning around the cup with her white fingers.

    "She¡¯s just an old friend of mine. But she has passed away." Aunt Xiang shook her head with sadness on her face and didn¡¯t want to talk about the past. Then she stood up and said, "Please enjoy yourself, Fifth Young Lady. I have work to do and have to go now."

    Then she stretched out her hands and lifted her long sleeves, as if she was going to pour more tea for Ning Xueyan before leaving.

    Aunt Xiang¡¯s long andyered sleeve blocked the sight in the other three directions, and only Ning Xueyan could see a small note falling in front of her. Ning Xueyan¡¯s fingers moved slightly, and the note silently fell into her sleeves.

    Ning Xueyan had guessed that Aunt Xiang wouldn¡¯t appear in the courtyard for no reason. She was waiting for Ning Xueyan here.

    Ning Xueyan stood up and said with a smile while keeping her countenance, "Aunt Xiang, please yourself."

    Aunt Xiang smiled and said nothing more, turning and leaving. But when she passed the maple tree, she paused and looked up at the straight maple tree, murmuring something before leaving.

    When Aunt Xiang disappeared in her sight, the smile on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face faded away and she began to meditate.

    Just then, Ning Xueyan seemed to hear a footstep. Somehow, she unconsciously looked to the left and hid behind the rockery on the other side. She couldn¡¯t help be shocked when she saw a familiar personing from another road through the holes in the rockery.

    How could it be him!

 Chapter 61 The Commandery Princess Muling from Yunnan

    The handsome maning from afar was the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min, Wen Xueran.

    How could he, a man, be alone in the courtyard of Honored Consort Ya!

    Suddenly, another figure appeared in the sight of Ning Xueyan who frowned when she saw that woman.

    Yesterday, Ning Xueyan saw this woman who had been sitting behind the Honored Consort Ya. At first nce, Ning Xueyan felt she was arrogant. It was said that she was the daughter of the Feudal Prince of Yunnan, Commandery Princess Muling.

    Since the founding of the country, the Feudal Prince of Yunnan had been stationing in the southeast of the country. But his daughter was born and grew up in the capital.

    "Elder Brother Ran, why are you walking so fast? Would you like to have a rest?" The blushed Commandery Princess Muling stepped forward and delicately asked while pointing at the stone bench and table.

    Seeing that their eyes turning to the table, Ning Xueyan felt bad and shrank more unconsciously. From the two steaming cups, one could know that there had been two people here.

    But the two over there seemed to be unknown.

    Wen Xueran gently smiled, eyes smiling too. He sat down on the stone bench where Ning Xueyan had just sat and turned over the folding fan in his hands, asking with a smile, "Commandery Prince Muling, why did you ask me out?"

    "It¡¯s not a big deal. I heard you¡¯re looking for a nun. I¡¯ve heard of such a man and I also found her. But I don¡¯t know if she¡¯s the one you¡¯re looking for!" The Commandery Princess Muling said with a smile.

    Looking for someone? Was Wen Xueran still looking for that person?

    Ning Xueyan couldn¡¯t help but be alert. That person seemed to be very important to Wen Xueran.

    On that day, Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t know the nun Wen Xueran was looking for, but he still pointed at her with a sword and kept asking her with a murderous look. No one had expected the handsome and gentle Wen Xueyan to be so fierce.

    "Don¡¯t trouble yourself. I¡¯ve found her." Wen Xueyan smiled, eyes bing enchanting. He was originally handsome. So when he smiled like that at this time, the Commandery Princess Muling who was sitting opposite him became shier. She pinched her handkerchief, put down it, and then rubbed it up again.

    Hearing that Wen Xueran had found the nun, the Commandery Prince Muling could not help being disappointed. She thought that she had finally found an opportunity to please Wen Xueran, so she made an appointment with Wen Xueran solemnly today.

    Ning Xueyan frowned slightly. She was a bystander, so she could see them clearly. It was not like he had found the nun, but like a random refusal.

    "Ah, you¡¯ve already found her!"

    "But if you also find someone, you can tell me who she is. It¡¯s not a big thing, but still bothers you." Wen Xueran said with a smile. It sounded like he was thanking the Commandery Princess Muling, but people could felt his reluctance and random from his words.

    Wen Xueran had found the nun, but he was still willing to sit down and listen to Commandery Princess Muling. It was because of Commandery Princess Muling¡¯s enthusiasm!

    In this way, it was Wen Xueran who gave a face to Commandery Princess Muling.

    Ning Xueyan praised Wen Xueran in her mind. The Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min was so smart that he took the initiative in his own hands by a few words. The Commandery Princess Muling helped him find people. But it seemed that the Commandery Princess Muling owed him a favor.

    From Wen Xueran¡¯s action, Ning Xueyan was sure that he hadn¡¯t found that person.

    "It seems that the person I found is not what you want. But you can have a look since I find a nun. Later, I¡¯ll bring her to you by myself." As soon as she heard that Wen Xueran was willing to see the people she found, the Commandery Princess Muling relieved, raised her watery eyes and said while looking at Wen Xueran.

    "That¡¯s not necessary. You just ask an older female servant to send her over. It¡¯s just an insignificant person." Wen Xueran casually said, seeming to stand up and leave.

    "Elder Brother Ran, why are you always avoiding me? We grew up together and yed together since childhood. I think we match each other in the aspect of appearance, family background, and status. What on earth do you dislike about me? I¡¯ll change it." The beautiful girl finally couldn¡¯t bear anymore and asked.

    Yesterday, the Honored Consort Ya said she would betroth Commandery Princess Muling to Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min. But he was absent. Later, something bad happened. Commandery Princess Muling¡¯s aunt had no time to care about her and only said that she let the Third Prince ask Wen Xueran in private and Wen Xueran expressed his unwillingness to marry her.

    How could the proud Commandery Princess Muling ept that?

    "Commandery Princess, you are neither as good-looking as I am nor graceful. Look at my own face, and then at yours... Commandery Princess, do you really think I need to marry you?" The handsome man smiled casually, but said cruel words to the beautiful girl in front of him.

    The Commandery Princess Muling burst into tears and wiped her eyes with a handkerchief.

    Wen Xueran, however, didn¡¯t care. He looked at her with a smile, stood up and seemed to be leaving.

    Seeing that Wen Xueran was going to leave, Commandery Princess Muling became anxious.

    She had made great efforts to invite Wen Xueran to Honored Consort Ya¡¯s courtyard and also asked all servants to leave so that she could be alone with him.

    "Elder Brother Ran, don¡¯t go. You¡¯ve made me cry, you have tofort me." The Commandery Princess Muling stood up and pretended to stop Wen Xueran, but threw herself straight into his arms.

    As long as she fell into his arms, their rtionship would be unclear. The Honored Consort Ya who knew what Commandery Princess Muling was thinking would surely stand on her side. At that time, Wen Xueran, even if he didn¡¯t want to marry the Commandery Princess Muling, had to marry her!

    Wen Xueran smiled and avoided Commandery Princess Muling. From the angle of Ning Xueyan, she could clearly see him secretly tripping up Commandery Princess Muling.

    Commandery Princess Muling rushed forward, but suddenly found that Wen Xueran was missing. She was tripped and rushed forward for several steps, and then threw herself to the ground, falling heavily in an extremely indecent position.

    "Young Lady, Young Lady, what happened?" Two maids rushed out from the back of a tree, shouting and rushing to help the Commandery Princess Muling, who still did not understand the situation.

    Wen Xueran smiled and stepped back, the folding fan in his hands shaking slightly. "Nothing. The sunlight is too strong and your Commandery Princess feels dizzy so that she fell down. You should pay attention to it so as not to fall down from time to time."

    Falling down and losing face in front of her sweetheart and meanwhile being slighted by him, Commandery Princess Muling couldn¡¯t bear anymore and burst out crying loudly. She pushed aside the two maids who were supporting her and ran out crying.

    It waste autumn. Although there was the sun in the sky, it wasn¡¯t hot at all!

    But Wen Xueran¡¯s look was extremely innocent, making people believe that the Commandery Princess Muling really fainted because of strong sunlight.

    The Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min had no tenderness toward women. His graceful face was so deceptive!

    Commandery Princess Muling had run away, but Ning Xueyan hadn¡¯t gone out. She was waiting for Wen Xueran to leave.

    Previously, there seemed to be only Wen Xueran and Commandery Princess Muling in the garden. However, as soon as Commandery Princess Muling fell down, there were maids running out. This matter was obviously not simple.

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t want to be involved in such a matter. So she kept hiding first and then went out when Wen Xueran left.

    "Well, haven¡¯t you seen enough yet?" A voice withughter suddenly sounded in Ning Xueyan¡¯s ear, which made her unconsciously stepped back. Then Ning Xueyan saw a magnified face in front of her and couldn¡¯t help butin in mind.

    She really didn¡¯t want to have any rtionship with the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min!

    The scene that he pointed at her with a sword in her Last Life was firmly imprinted in her mind.

    "Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min!" Knowing that she couldn¡¯t avoid him at this time, Ning Xueyan stood by the rockery and saluted him.

    "It¡¯s destined. I didn¡¯t expect to see you here. Fifth Young Lady, did it look good?" Wen Xueran seemed to be unsurprised to see her here and asked Ning Xueyan with a smile.

    He was so handsome and graceful. No wonder the Commandery Princess Muling loved him so much!

    "You¡¯re joking. I just passed by identally but disturbed you intentionally. If it¡¯s impolite, please forgive me." Ning Xueyan gently said in a low profile, respectful and indifferent.

    "Did you see me before you came to Cold Mountain Temple?" Wen Xueran didn¡¯t answer, but scrutinized Ning Xueyan and asked with interest.

    "I¡¯ve never seen you before!" Ning Xueyan was amazed by Wen Xueyan¡¯s question. Then she shook her head firmly and answered.

    "Then, why did you avoid me when you saw me? Isn¡¯t it that I am too scary, so that you retreated?" Wen Xueran teased. "Or you¡¯re afraid that you¡¯ll fall in love with me if you¡¯re too close to me?"

    Then he smiled, handsome and charming.

    "You¡¯re joking. I¡¯m just afraid of identally crashing the ground in front of you." Ning Xueyan also calmed down at this time, raised her eyebrows and said with a smile, her gaze falling on the ce where Muling fell.

    "He won¡¯t recognize me! I needn¡¯t be nervous!" Ning Xueyan thought in mind.

    Moreover, Ning Xueyan looked different from Ning Ziying.

    "You¡¯re afraid of crashing the ground? It¡¯s really fun!" Wen Xueranughed loudly. "I didn¡¯t expect the weak and ipetent Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to be so interesting."

    "Princely Heir, I¡¯m in bad health, so I have to go back to rest now." Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t intend to stay with Wen Xueran. She took two steps and came out from the back of the rockery.

    They were in the Honored Consort Ya¡¯s courtyard. Although there was no one, maybe many people were staring at them in private.

    "I specially came here, won¡¯t you join me for a cup of tea?" Wen Xueran pretended to be sad and asked while skillfully flipping the fan in his hands, cool and rakish.

    It was Commandery Princess Muling who invited him, but Wen Xueran said he specially came here to see Ning Xueyan. It was really difficult to get rid of him. Fortunately. Ning Xueyan hade up with an idea. She smiled and said, pointing at the ground, "Princely Heir, the Commandery Princess just left in a hurry. How about you keeping this gold hairpin for her. Maybe she¡¯lle in a minute."

    Ning Xueyan pointed to the ce where Muling fell down, and a golden hairpin was lying there. It must fell from Commandery Princess Muling¡¯s head when she fell down. That gold hairpin was exquisite. It must be extraordinary and cherished by its master.

    "Er... Fifth Young Lady, I have anything else to do, I¡¯ll leave first." Thinking that Commandery Princess Muling woulde back, Wen Xueran frowned. Commandery Princess Muling asked Wen Xueran to meet her in the living ce of Honored Consort Ya, which also be Honored Consort Ya¡¯s idea. So Wen Xueran couldn¡¯t refuse.

    Now he didn¡¯t want to stay here any longer when he thought that Muling mighte back.

    Now that she didn¡¯t need to stay with him, Ning Xueyan said goodbye to him with a smile!

    Ning Xueyan strolled in the garden for a while and then went back when the time was suitable.

    When Ning Xueyan arrived at the garden gate, she was hit by a man who suddenly rushed out. She stepped back for several steps and stabilized herself by holding on to one side of the door frame, then she saw theer.

 Chapter 62 The Sick Civet Cat

    It was an older female servant who came in a hurry. Ning Xueyan saw clearly that her clothes were the same style and color as that of those older female servants who stood behind the Consort Dowager of Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor.

    "I¡¯m sorry, Young Lady." Seeing that she had hit a Young Lady, the older female servant didn¡¯t dare to neglect and rushed to apologize.

    Those who could go in and out of the residence of Honored Consort Ya were not ordinary people.

    "It¡¯s all right." Ning Xueyan faintly said. Seeing the older female servant going into the courtyard after wiping sweat, Ning Xueyan narrowed her eyes and smiled.

    Ning Xueyan came back in time.

    The older female servant rushed to the corridor and stopped. She knew that the Honored Consort Ya was in the house, so she dared not rush in and only peeped from the doorway. A maid standing behind the Consort Dowager saw the older female servant and told the Consort Dowager. She knew that there must be something serious had happened, otherwise, the older female servant wouldn¡¯t havee here.

    Consort Dowager asked people to call the older female servant in. Ning Xueyan also came into the room at this time and stood behind Madam Dowager.

    "Consort Dowager, Xue¡¯er is missing and Princely Heir is in a rage." The older female servant came in and report, trembling with fear.

    Xue¡¯er was the snow-white civet cat!

    The civet cat was always kept beside the Consort Dowager, but the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li would take care of it in person when he was at home. Usually, the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li cared about nothing, except the civet cat. Once, he was very angry because of the missing of the civet cat and beat several servants to death in the end.

    Remembering the ferocious appearance of Princely Heir, the older female servant could onlye here to ask for help.

    Hearing that her grandson was furious again and fearing that he would make more troubles, Consort Dowager of Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor was eager to leave. She stood up and said goodbye to Honored Consort Ya.

    "Grandmother, the Consort Dowager is gone. Should we...?" Ning Xueyan saw it, smiled, and said in Madam Dowager¡¯s ear.

    A scandal just happened to Ning Yuling yesterday so that Madam Dowager felt shameful and didn¡¯t want to see others. So she wished to leave early. But the Consort Dowager and Honored Consort Ya made no mention of leaving, so Madam Dowager didn¡¯t say she wanted to leave first. Now when she heard Ning Xueyan¡¯s words, she immediately understood. She stood up and said she also wanted to leave.

    Something happened to the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, so Honored Consort Ya didn¡¯t persuade Consort Dowager to stay. And Madam Dowager was also agreed to leave.

    When Consort Dowager of Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor and Madam Dowager went out together, a servant ran to Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li and said they had found the whereabouts of the civet cat. The Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li heard that his civet cat was found in the courtyard of womenfolk and went there with a group of servants.

    So the two groups happened to meet at the door.

    "Xian¡¯er, where are you going?" Seeing that Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li rushed to the ce of womenfolk with some servants in a fierce manner, the Consort Dowager got angry and asked an older female servant to stop him.

    Although the members of Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor were rtives of the emperor, those madams here also came from noble families and the Young Ladies came with them were born by the legal wife. Yesterday, the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li just offended Ning Yuling. If he offended anyone today, Consort Dowager wouldn¡¯t be able to help him.

    "Grandmother, just now a servant told me that Xue¡¯er is there. I just want to have a look."

    "You just want to have a look? Then why there are so many people with you?" The Consort Dowager scolded him, pointed at arge group of people following the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li with anger.

    There was arge group of people, and most of them were men. If they offended those Young Ladies, they all would get into trouble.

    "You all go back." Following Consort Dowager¡¯s gaze, Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li suddenly found that there were so many people behind him. He waved his hands and drove most of them away. He was in a hurry to find Xue¡¯er. Just now he only said that he would take all the people with him so that they couldn¡¯t find Xue¡¯er quickly. But he was not aware that so many people hade.

    Most of the people who left were young male servants of Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li and only a young male servant and several maids were left.

    "You go back too. I¡¯ll find Xue¡¯er for you." Looking at so many people and her grandson who was standing in the middle, Consort Dowager frowned. In front of her was the womenfolk ce, and she was really not confident of her grandson.

    "Grandmother, we have to be fast. Xue¡¯er will disappear again if we¡¯rete. I¡¯ll leave as soon as I catch the cat."

    Knowing what his grandmother was worried about, the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li said with impatience.

    Such a thing happened to him yesterday and he was scolded by Consort Dowager in the evening. So the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li felt dull and was in no mood to flirt with women.

    When they were talking, suddenly a cry came from ahead. "Ah! How can there be a wild cat?"

    "What, a cat?" Hearing that there was a cat, the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li stopped talking nonsense with the Consort Dowager and directly rushed to there. Therefore, the Consort Dowager had no choice but to follow him with servants.

    When they turned around and saw the door of the second courtyard, a maid rushed out with a pale face. She saw the Madam Dowager who was following the people of Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor and rushed over in a hurry. "Madam Dowager, there¡¯s... there¡¯s a big wild cat."

    "A wild cat?" Madam Dowager also recognized that this was Ning Xueyan¡¯s courtyard. She rushed forward and asked the maid. Yesterday, they just antagonized the Consort Dowager of Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor. So Madam Dowager hoped nothing would happen to them today.

    "Qingyu, calm down. What¡¯s the matter?" Ning Xueyan came out from the back of Madam Dowager and asked Qingyu softly.

    "Young Lady, there¡¯s a big cat. But it seems that it¡¯s going to die... I... I¡¯m scared to death." Qingyu calmed down and hurriedly said, pointing to the courtyard.

    "What does the cat look like? What does it mean that it¡¯s going to die?" Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li was very worried.

    The people who followed him immediately held their breath and dared not gasp. If it was the civet cat, the Princely Heir wouldn¡¯t let them go.

    "It¡¯s a snow-white cat!" Before Qingyu¡¯s words were finished, the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li pushed her away impatiently and rushed into the courtyard.

    "Where?"

    "It¡¯s over there!" Qingyu followed him in and pointed to a tree in the back right corner of the garden.

    The crowd looked over and saw a snow-white civet cat lying there and struggling painfully. Its white fur was stained and it wasn¡¯t as beautiful and glorious as before.

    But it was not like a dirty wild cat!

    Especially, there was blood on its body!

    The Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li was the first to rush over and asked, frowning and pointing at the dregs under the civet cat. "What¡¯s this?"

    "They are dregs of the medicine that our Young Lady usually takes, and they were buried under this tree. But I don¡¯t know where the wild cat came from and why it dug up the dregs." Qingyu answered with fear.

    "How can the dregs make Xue¡¯er so ufortable? Is there anything mixed in them?" Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li squatted down, looked at the screaming civet cat rolling around, and shouted angrily.

    "Princely Heir, they are really my medicine dregs. Is there anything poisonous in my medicine dregs? However, it¡¯s possible that it ate something before and felt painful when it came here so that it scratched around." Ning Xueyan came out from the back of Madam Dowager and said, neither humble nor pushy.

    "What did you feed Xue¡¯er today?" Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li turned to the maid who was in charge of the civet cat¡¯s food.

    "Princely Heir, how can I feed Xue¡¯er on other things? It ate as usual. I even tasted it to check if it was hot before feeding." The maid cried out with grievance. "Princely Heir, I¡¯m sure that Xue¡¯er ate as usual today. After the meal, the civet cat was still all right."

    "Maybe other people of your manor fed the cat!" Ning Xueyan implicitly reminded.

    That sounded like she was shirking responsibility!

    Everything was okay if Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t say that. Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li burst into rage as soon as he heard Ning Xueyan¡¯s words. He narrowed his eyes and looked at the pale and emaciated girl in front of him, then looked at Madam Dowager. Suddenly, he remembered that this was the Madam Dowager of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and the Young Lady was Ning Yuling¡¯s younger sister.

    Remembering that he had been badly scolded by his grandmother yesterday, the Princely Heir became very angry. Now, something bad had happened to his beloved civet cat and the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor wanted to pass the buck. Therefore, Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li became angrier and vented all his anger.

    Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li hadn¡¯t wanted to take it too seriously. But he was irritated by Ning Xueyan¡¯s words and decided he had to figure out this matter!

    "Here, go and fetch the doctor of our manor. I¡¯ll figure out what¡¯s in this pile of residue and what makes my civet cat ufortable. If it¡¯s the fault of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, you have to exin to me."

    Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li angrily said.

    It seemed that he would never give up before figuring out this matter.

    Ning Xueyan knew that her words had worked. So she stopped talking and quietly retreated, as if she was frightened by Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li.

    "Consort Dowager, how about we sitting down to talk about it? Maybe Xue¡¯er has eaten something else in the courtyard so that it¡¯s ufortable now." Madam Dowager had to stand up and persuade Consort Dowager. Her words, showing a sort of weakness, meant that it might be the responsibility of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    But she also wanted to express that it had nothing to do with the dregs.

    Madam Dowager was anxious. She clearly knew what was in the medicine residue. If it was disclosed, it would be another big scandal to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Domestic shame shouldn¡¯t be made public. Although Madam Dowager also hated Madam Ling, she was never willing to make it public that Madam Ling poisoned Ning Xueyan.

    "Madam Dowager, since it¡¯s not clear now, we¡¯d better call in the doctor." At this time, Consort Dowager of Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor calmed down. She waved hands and asked maids to invite the doctor.

    Their neighbors were all disturbed by the noise. Several madams came curiously with some Young Ladies. When they saw the civet cat rolling and screaming, some timid Young Ladies covered their eyes and shivered with fear.

    And those madams looked at the medicine dregs with doubts.

    How could normal residue make a cat scream like that?

    "Consort Dowager..." Madam Dowager was so anxious that sweat broke out on her head. She also wanted to persuade the Consort Dowager. However, the Consort Dowager was persistent this time and directly interrupted Madam Dowager.

    "Don¡¯t worry, Madam Dowager. This matter is unclear now. So we just wait for the doctor to check Xue¡¯er. If it¡¯s the fault of us, I¡¯ll ask Xian¡¯er to apologize to you." The Consort Dowager said. Apparently, Consort Dowager would punish the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. In fact, she reminded Madam Dowager that if it was the fault of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, they had to give a satisfying exnation to Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor.

    A scandal happened to both of them yesterday and Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor greatly lost face.

    In Consort Dowager¡¯s opinion, it was Ning Yuling who misbehaved and seduced her grandson so that Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor lost face too.

    When they were talking, the doctor hade. He squatted down and looked at the residue on the ground, face darkening.

 Chapter 63 - It Cant Be a Coincidence

    Everyone knew that something was wrong with the herb residue when they saw the doctor¡¯s face. Some madams could not help noticing Ning Xueyan¡¯s pale appearance, which was as white as paper. Coupled with her fragile body, she did not look well. They thought of the Second Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor yesterday, who was in good health with a rosyplexion.

    There had to be something wrong.

    "Is there anything bad in the herb residue? Did it make Xue¡¯er sick? Tell me!" the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li said hurriedly because the doctor remained silent.

    This unintentionally got right to the point and Madam Dowager trembled a little.

    "To be honest, Princely Heir, some noxious herbs were put into the medicine. They have cooling attributes, so it can kill someone if they drink too much of it, and it can damage fertility..." The doctor suddenly stopped talking. He raised his head and looked at Consort Dowager because he knew some private things in the manor would be exposed.

    Kill people and cause infertility?

    The medicine was for the Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Someone in this manor was vicious enough to harm this fragile girl.

    "Then what happened to my cat?" the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li asked the doctor without much thought, pointing at his leopard cat.

    "My heir, Xue¡¯er is pregnant so she can¡¯t take it after eating the vicious herbs with cooling attributes," the doctor replied.

    Coincidentally, the cat¡¯s reaction was because of it being pregnant.

    "Doctor, if someone keeps drinking it for a long time, what will happen?" Qingyu stood out from the crowd and asked hastily.

    "It has a high dosage. If someone keeps on drinking it, they will die in less than half a year..." The doctor was uncertain.

    "No wonder mydy is so weak," Qingyu whispered.

    Everyone looked at the skinny Ning Xueyan, who was supported by Qingyu. And as she stood there, her long feathery eyshes drooped slightly making two shadows below her eyes, which made her face look more bloodless. But she had a kind of poignant beauty. And although she look tired, she was peaceful. She stopped Qingyu by pulling her hands.

    "Qingyu, stop talking!"

    At this point, everyone was aware that someone had damaged the Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    The facts had proven that Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had harmed the leopard cat, so the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li showed no mercy and turned around to yell at Ning Xueyan, who stood behind Madam Dowager. "I don¡¯t care about anything in your manor. Now the me is on the residue. How can you exin it?"

    This was directed at Ning Xueyan. He was angry by her denial. Now he would not let her go easily when he had the advantage.

    But in the eyes of the others, he was staring at Madam Dowager looking like he wanted to eat her.

    "Xian¡¯er, stop! It¡¯s their family business." Consort Dowager stopped him properly, but with a hint of ridicule on her lips.

    "It¡¯s nothing to do with me!" The Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li lifted up his head.

    Consort Dowager was a little surprised. Luckily, she knew that he was reckless when he was in bad mood. So she said politely, "Xian¡¯er, Lord Protector¡¯s Manor will definitely find out the truth because their first daughter was almost murdered. Now what we need to do is save Xue¡¯er immediately."

    Consort Dowager was afraid of her grandson¡¯s temper because it would cause chaos. Now that they were here in front of everyone, Lord Protector¡¯s Manor could not pass the buck anymore.

    This reminded Princely Heir. In spite of Ning Xueyan, he rushed to ask for the doctor¡¯s help.

    "Madam Dowager, I heard that the Second Madam in your manor has just died. And now, her daughter is being treated like this. Doesn¡¯t this prove that a weak man is calling the shots in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?" Consort Dowager turned around to look at Madam Dowager with a taunting look on her face.

    "Go check the Fifth Young Lady¡¯s herb residue and see if the same ingredients are in it." Madam Dowager was pushed into asking, while gritting her teeth. Because she was being watched by everyone, she had to do it.

    Several older female servants went to do what she asked.

    Two older female servants beside Consort Dowager of Commandery Prince Li followed them as well.

    Ning Xueyan sneered secretly when she saw Madam Dowager¡¯s great affectation. She took away all her medicine but acted as if she were a judge. Fortunately, Ning Xueyan already knew that Consort Dowager would keep being angry at Lord Protector¡¯s Manor because of what happened yesterday.

    "Grandmother, forget it please. Maybe it¡¯s just a mistake. Perhaps there were other things where the residue was, causing the mistake." Ning Xueyan forced a smile with knit eyebrows, looking like she wanted no more trouble.

    This was the result that Madam Dowager wanted, but now it hade from Ning Xueyan¡¯s mouth and it blocked her way. This made it difficult for her to find another reason for this.

    "Fifth Young Lady, it can¡¯t be a coincidence. Compared with the Second Young Lady, you looked much weaker." It seemed that Consort Dowager of Commandery Prince Li was joking. But people noticed her sharp words and Ning Yuling¡¯s actions.

    Hitting and cursing at people and making a scene showed Ning Xueyan¡¯s good health.

    Observing the Fifth Young Lady, they found her in poor health and remembered what happened before in this manor.

    "Anyway, Ning Xueyan is not her daughter, so she isn¡¯t favored. Looking at Ning Xueyan, she was definitely poisoned."

    "Definitely, we never noticed it before. No men can marry Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s daughters, they are shrews or sickly. Eh... Madam Ling is vicious. She grabbed another woman¡¯s husband then wants to kill her daughter as well."

    This was old business.

    Madam Dowager¡¯s expression continued changing. Veins throbbed on her forehead and her eyes bulged out while her face showed her great anger.

    She had no idea why things had turned out like this. She wanted this to die down then she could give a lesson to Madam Ling back at the manor. She did not expect that it would be led to the public because of the leopard cat.

    "Consort Dowager, I¡¯ve found two more packs of medicine in the corner." An older female servant of Commadery Prince Li¡¯s Manor ran over holding two packs of herbs.

    "Right on time. Show them to the doctor to discover if there any poison in them," Consort Dowager said.

    The older female servant brought them to the doctor. He smelt them and tasted it with his tongue, then he said, "Yes, it has poison, but it was mixed well. So the murderer must be an expert."

    The murderer had done it many times.

    How could this medicine still miss! Madam Dowager¡¯s face grew darker. She had to ask, "Qingyu, where are they from?"

    "My dear Madam Dowager, mydy¡¯s medicine ran out when she arrived at the temple. So these herbs came from Madam Ling¡¯s roomkeeper, Mr. Lu. I thought they looked like the old ones so I paid little attention. It¡¯s unexpected that there¡¯s some poison in them. Please help mydy," Qingyu knelt on the ground and said angrily.

    Qingyu¡¯s words did not me Madam Ling directly. However, she said that Mr. Lu was Madam Ling¡¯s roomkeeper. This made everything clear. A servant dared not murder the mistress without any support.

    Qingyu had not said this yesterday but had done it in front of everyone. Madam Dowager felt ashamed.

    Looking back at Ning Xueyan, Madam Dowager found she was a little astonished. But there was little panic on her face. So the Fifth Young Lady had not asked Qingyu to do this. Madam Dowager made sure it was an ident. Nobody anticipated the leopard cat run over here.

    Maybe Qingyu had said that because she wanted to console Ning Xueyan.

    "Nonsense! You, stand up! I will find out the truth," Madam Dowager said. Everyone was watching. The medicine and the residue were the evidence. She had to investigate. Everyone knew that someone in their manor wanted Ning Xueyan¡¯s life, so she could not let a servant take the me as she had nned.

    "Princely Heir, I¡¯m so sorry. But your cat... Look, it¡¯s no big deal..." Ning Xueyan said sorry to the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. She wanted to calm him down.

    Hearing what she said, the Princely Heir was unhappy. The cat was cool now but it was dirty. Besides, the cat hadn¡¯t moved since being poisoned. No big deal? Seriously?

    "What? You think it¡¯s fine? Come on, my cat seemed as if it would die. Can you call that no big deal? I happened to be free today so I don¡¯t mind investigating with you. I need to know who did this to my precious cat." The Princely Heir was in a rage.

    He wouldn¡¯t let it go easily. Everything that happened yesterday and today was because of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. He wanted to see the manor¡¯s reaction.

    Damaging his cat on purpose made Madam Dowager be more furious. But she couldn¡¯t say no because it was his cat. At his side, Consort Dowager did not seem to stop him, so the Princely Heir would really do this.

    Madam Dowager felt dizzy, so she said angrily, "Consort Dowager, Princely Heir, now that it¡¯s rted to your cat, of course you can do it."

    The Princely Heir was a jerk, but she couldn¡¯t believe that Consort Dowager wanted this as well.

    "Madam Dowager, thanks." Consort Dowager wanted to continue the drama from yesterday. She was willing to see Lord Protector¡¯s Manor be mocked. So she said yes, pretending to be angry.

    Madam Dowager was angry because she did not expect Consort Dowager to respond like this. So she had to excuse herself from Honored Consort Ya and return in a rage with her people. The people of Commandery Prince Li followed behind immediately. Moreover, some madams who were familiar with Consort Dowager followed as well to see more drama.

    Honored Consort Ya heard that the two manors were about to have a fight, so she asked the Third Prince to take a look.

    Ning Xueyan needed to go with Madam Dowager back to the manor because she was the victim. Due to her poor health and her staying in the temple, Madam Dowager showed love to Ning Xueyan. She asked her to pack up and take her time to return.

    After everyone had left the yard, Qingyu and Lanning started to pack up immediately.

    Ning Xueyan put on an unobtrusive dress when they were packing. She walked along the pathway toward the right-side yard of Cold Mountain Temple.

    There was one more thing that she had to finish before leaving.

 Chapter 64 - A Tentative Strategy about the Medicine

    The right-side yard of Cold Mountain Temple and Honored Consort Ya¡¯s dwelling were the most luxurious ces of the temple. Now, Prince Yi, Ao Yichen, who was one of the most powerful man with a changeable mood, lived in the right-side yard.

    Therefore, the yards around it were empty because nobody dared to live by his side. It seemed deserted there.

    Ning Xueyan was in servant clothes so nobody noticed her along the road. She passed by two detours, finding that there were two poker face guards standing upright by the door. They were staring at her expressionlessly with some sharpness in their eyes, which was frightening.

    Time was tight, so Ning Xueyan did not want to waste any. She stepped forward, saying with smile, "Please tell Prince Yi that someone from Lord Protector¡¯s Manor wants to see him."

    The guards looked at her from head to toe, then one opened his mouth and said, "Wait here!"

    He went to ask for permission. After a while, he came back to his position and waved to Ning Xueyan. "He said yes!"

    It seemed that he did not n to lead her in, so Ning Xueyan walked inside on her own.

    As she stepped inside, Ning Xueyan discovered that Prince Yi¡¯s yard was much bigger than Honored Consort Ya¡¯s. Several small yards stood there one by one. It looked magnificent.

    Looking around, Ning Xueyan chose to walk toward the middle yard. It was where Prince Yi obviously was because it was right in the middle and had four guards standing outside.

    The four guards stood upright without moving as they watched hering over. They also did not intend to lead her in.

    Walking in deeper, she became more surprised. There were paintings and sculptures everywhere, which did not fit here. They were luxurious and varied and it could be seen that they were taken good care of. Only one precious ck chrysanthemum had been on disy at the Chrysanthemum Party, but there were two of them here.

    Besides that, some flowers present were not shown at the Chrysanthemum Party. They were colorful and difficult to find, but now they were nted in the yard, which surprised her even more. This ce was especially prepared for Prince Yi because luxurious ornaments were everywhere, which did not fit in with the temple.

    "Fifth Young Lady, please follow me." The silence was broken before she had finished looking around. A shrill voice was heard, then she turned back to find the lovely face of a eunuch.

    "Please!" Ning Xueyan said politely. She was clearly aware that the reason she was able to be here was that Prince Yi knew who she was.

    The little eunuch led her into a luxurious room, serving her with desserts and tea. He told her that Prince Yi was busy now so she had to wait. Ning Xueyan nodded then the little eunuch excused himself.

    It was so quiet here that there was almost no sound. Ning Xueyan would have thought it was empty if she had not seen the eunuchs outside. In this weird room, Ning Xueyan felt danger for no reason. Some wind blew behind her head, so she turned around.

    She only saw cold lighte toward her with a voice that said, "Bastard, die here!"

    There was a sword!

    Any girl would run away while screaming involuntarily if they saw this. However, Ning Xueyan did not even try to evade it. Her dark eyes were as peaceful as the surface of ake. Her face did not change in the face of the sword.

    The cold light stopped in front of her forehead.

    Before she could see clearly, Ning Xueyan heard a beautiful, cold voice say, "The daughters of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor are all intrepid."

    The door opened and Prince Yi came in with some eunuchs beside him.

    The one who had pretended to be an assassin held back his sword and stepped back with respect.

    Some equinox flowers were embroidered on Prince Yi¡¯s clothes. They were red and stood in the middle of a ck color. When he moved, you could see the flower blossoms. With the dark background, it looked like blood flowers, which bloomed in hell. Those clothes made him look more handsome.

    Unlike the female beauty of Wen Xueran, Prince Yi was more cold and enchanting. Not only his delicate eye features, but also his lifted, amorous lip all had a natural coldness and hegemony. His cold eyes especially seemed to be filled with a bloody darkness inside.

    There was no doubt that if he wanted Ning Xueyan¡¯s life, she would be unable to run away from him.

    Thus, she never tried to flee.

    How could anyone assassinate undisguised in his yard and be ignored? Unless he did it on purpose...

    Prince Yi and the emperor were well-matched. This meant he was extraordinary and noble¡ªhe was one of the most powerful men in the world.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s dark eyes flickered a little. She tried to calm down as she bowed to him. "Your Highness."

    Ao Chenyi sat down elegantly. Although he showed a handsome smiling face, the sharpness inside his eyes was easy to see. It could almost destroy Ning Xueyan¡¯s soul. Nobody could keep calm while being watched by his eyes. Ning Xueyan tried her best to control her breath and four words jumped into her mind¡ªevil, tricky, cold, and cruel.

    Being the emperor¡¯s brother as Prince Yi but getting no overt objection from him was the reason why he was extraordinary.

    "Yan¡¯er, why aren¡¯t you afraid?" Ao Chenyi drew back his sharp gaze after raising his eyebrow. His lips moved a little with a slight smile, then he becamenguid.

    "If your ce isn¡¯t safe, there will be no safe ce in the world." Ning Xueyan raised her head calmly with a smile.

    Now that Ao Chenyi tried to test her, he had to have an insight into her tricks. Even though he did not know them all, he knew most of them. She had better not try to hide herself in front of him.

    "Bold! I didn¡¯t expect you to be brave because you are weak after all. Weren¡¯t you afraid that I wouldn¡¯t save you in time just now and that the sword would really stab you? You are too weak to take that blow!" Ao Chenyi said with an ambiguous smile on his face, although the smile was not from his eyes.

    "If you didn¡¯t save me, then it would be my destiny to die here," Ning Xueyan replied sincerely while smiling slightly. "Moreover, nobody besides me can be used to look through the study room of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor."

    Ning Zu¡¯an was the beloved marquis of the emperor with military power. Additionally, the military medallion, which people knew nothing about, would be hidden secretly by Ning Zu¡¯an if it was important enough. It would not be found easily.

    "Oh, does this mean I have to keep you?" Ao Chenyi waved to Ning Xueyan suddenly and she stepped forward.

    He lifted her jaw suddenly and his fingers pointed against her neck. Ning Xueyan raised her head and looked into his cold eyes as he said, "Yan¡¯er, maybe I will agree to help if you seduce me one more time."

    His action was elegant. Ning Xueyan struggled to move her head away without thinking twice. She wanted to get away from him, but his fingers glided down her delicate neck. He could easily break her neck anytime he wanted.

    Ning Xueyan tried hard to keep calm and her brain was running fast. A light smile appeared on her lips, looking like a pure white flower. She was calm with also a little coldness.

    "If you help me, I¡¯ll do whatever you ask."

    Pushing Ao Chenyi¡¯s hands away slowly, she only tried a little this time and easily freed herself of those beautiful hands.

    "Oh, what do you want me to do? I¡¯ve helped you plenty, but I¡¯ve seen nothing in return," Ao Chenyi said leisurely while leaning on the chair.

    "I¡¯ll get what you want as soon as I¡¯m back in the manor," Ning Xueyan answered immediately. It seemed that she was waiting to know his intention.

    "There¡¯s no hurry!" Ao Chenyi shook his head. His gaze was weird and profound. An evil smile was on his pretty noble face as he said, "I want you to earn Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s trust first."

    She felt relieved. Some pressure was removed from Ning Xueyan¡¯s heart. She had to fight against Madam Ling back at the manor, so she did not have time to find the military medallion. Besides, earning Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s trust would take time.

    The military medallion was so important that Ning Zu¡¯an would never put it away arbitrarily. Even Ao Chenyi could not find out where it was. It was protected well.

    Ning Xueyan had nned to take the advantage first.

    "Yan¡¯er, did youe here for my pills?" A cold smile was on Prince Yi¡¯s lips. His eyes had lights shing inside them, which looked like freaky ghost shadows.

    "Yes, I¡¯ve been poisoned. It deeply wounded my body. Although I can deal with itter, I still need some of the same pills that you gave me the other day. Please help me; otherwise, when I return to the manor, I can¡¯t even ensure my life, let alone anything else."

    Ao Chenyiughed. Azy smile appeared on his face. He picked up a dessert from the side and took a bite elegantly. "You nned this well. Will you be unable to serve me if I don¡¯t give you the pills?"

    "I don¡¯t dare to deceive you!" Ning Xueyan answered with respect and was unafraid of his awareness. She smiled slightly and took a bow.

    Now that she was here asking for his help, she knew she could not keep anything from him. She was willing to tell him the truth.

    He was too clever to allow his people to deceive him.

    "Well, I give you my permission. Remember, you owe me something." Ao Chenyi¡¯s lips moved a little, but his eyes were still cold and profound.

    "I will remember!" Ning Xueyan nodded heavily.

    She nodded heavily but slowly. Her gaze was solemn, which proved that she really meant it. Ao Chenyi felt happy suddenly, and somewhat of a smile was in his eyes. He pped and a eunuch came in with his head lowered. There was an exquisite box in his hands.

    The box was brought over to Ao Chenyi, then the eunuch excused himself.

    Ao Chenyi pressed a button on the box and opened it. Five light, smooth red pills were inside. Their special smell came out, which informed everyone that they were precious.

    Only these precious pills could heal Ning Xueyan.

    "Here are five. Take one per month. As for your illness, you¡¯ll need at least 10. When you¡¯ve finished these, you cane and get them from here." Ao Chenyi looked at her leeringly and his gaze grew darker.

 Chapter 65 - Framed, Mother Han Got Caught

    Qingyu and Lanning had everything well-prepared when Ning Xueyan returned to her yard. She wrote a letter hurriedly and asked a Cold Mountain Temple monk to give it to her uncle.

    When everything was done, they got in the carriage that had been waiting outside and went to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    "Mydy, many madams saw it. Consort Dowager of Commandery Prince Li is on her way to our manor, so Madam Dowager has to punish Madam Ling hard this time." Qingyu was thrilled when she thought everything had gone as Ning Xueyan had wanted.

    Ning Xueyan smiled slightly and said, "She won¡¯t."

    "She won¡¯t? Why not? The evidence is clear, so Madam Ling is definitely the one who should take the me. Can¡¯t that get her punished?" Qingyu was astonished.

    "Did anyone see her poison me? Did anyone say that it was her? Or did anyone sell her out?" Ning Xueyan had a little rest leaning against the carriage wall as she closed her eyes with a cold smile.

    "We only need to find Mr. Lu. Under such great pressure, he will... Mydy, will he sell her out?" Qingyu lowered her voice gradually.

    Ning Xueyan smiled coldly. "Housekeeper Zhang can¡¯t decide what she can say and what she should keep to herself."

    Housekeeper Zhang was born into the Ling family and followed Madam Ling to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. She helped her with all the housework. Clearly, Madam Ling trusted her deeply. However,pared with Madam Ling¡¯s trust, her family, which was under Ning Xueyan¡¯s control, was more important. Unexpectedly, some of her family were not in the manor.

    Being aware of this, Qingyu was surprised and said, "Mydy, what if Madam Ling starts over? Maybe she will ruin you. Why didn¡¯t youe over in Madam Dowager¡¯s carriage?"

    Lanning knew what would happen and said, "Will it be useful? Madam Dowager only needs to ask someone to tell Madam Ling first."

    "But, Madam Dowager... she was also poisoned by Madam Ling... Isn¡¯t she angry?" Qingyu stammered because she did not know how to reply.

    "Yes, Madam Dowager is angry and she will punish Madam Ling, but she won¡¯t let other people mock the manor. So she won¡¯t push her hard or let others know. At most, Madam Ling¡¯s power will be taken back and she will be abused a little. However, it¡¯s useless. It is so obvious that ourdy will be with them soon. This will make Madam Dowager suspect us." Lanning understood Ning Xueyan better, so she exined it.

    Madam Dowager wanted to show her love by asking Ning Xueyan to returnter. If Ning Xueyan followed her, she would be suspected. After all, she was suspected before.

    They fell into silence suddenly.

    Ning Xueyan closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep as her she listened to the words of her maids.

    So the best n was to take advantage of Madam Ling when she was in trouble.

    As Ning Xueyan was arriving, someone was waiting for her. It was Mother Qin, a servant of Madam Dowager. She ran up to her happily after seeing hering. She helped Ning Xueyan get out of the carriage with respect. "Fifth Young Lady, you are finally here. I¡¯ve been waiting for you for a long time. Madam Dowager and Madam Ling asked you to go see them."

    She thought about thest time she left when nobody had said goodbye to her. Ning Xueyan was surprised that Madam Dowager had now asked her close mammy to wait here to show her concern. It was totally different fromst time.

    But Ning Xueyan knew that Madam Ling saved herself when she heard what the servant said.

    Luckily, Ning Xueyan had already prepared for this. She said gently, "Thanks, mammy. Is grandmother angry now? I¡¯m so sorry that she has to worry about me at her age. It¡¯s all my fault."

    After what had happened, Ning Xueyan was worried about her grandmother first. This made Mother Qin have a good feeling about her. It was unexpected that Ning Xueyan was a good girl. She had thought wrongly of her before.

    Mother Qin¡¯s face was full of smile-wrinkles while talking. She said, "What are you saying? Mydy, it¡¯s Concubine Ma who was over the line and did this. You and Madam Ling will be wronged if we don¡¯t discover it. I can¡¯t believe there is a vicious woman like her in our manor. You can never know a person by their appearance."

    "Concubine Ma?" Ning Xueyan had a cold gaze again. Madam Ling was good at telling a story. She could pass the buck to others easily.

    Concubine Ma, who was new here, was a beautiful woman. She was always close to Madam Ling. She probably never thought this would happen to her.

    Ning Xueyan pretended not to care much as she asked while was walking inside, "Why did Concubine Ma do this?"

    "I don¡¯t know why. Isn¡¯t there a Mother Han in your yard? Her son badly hurt someone outside. The man who was beaten was Concubine Ma¡¯s brother. At first, it had nothing to do with you, but Mother Han said that you were the mistress of the manor and Concubine Ma was a servant, so it was okay that her son hit the concubine¡¯s brother. And she said she wouldn¡¯t pay any money.

    "When Concubine Ma heard this, she was pissed off. She thought you supported Mother Han to humiliate her, so she poisoned you."

    Mother Qin exined angrily and seemed to be on Ning Xueyan¡¯s side.

    "Mother Han?" Ning Xueyan¡¯s face was frozen! She stopped to look at Mother Qin, who was in a good mood, and a coldness shed through her eyes.

    Madam Ling was truly cunning. She fought back using Mother Han even when she was in a panic.

    "Where is Mother Han now?" Ning Xueyan stopped smiling and her cold face and sharp gaze appeared.

    Being watched by Ning Xueyan¡¯s cold eyes, Mother Qin felt afraid. She tried to avoid her gaze but she could feel Ning Xueyan¡¯s indescribable temperament.

    "Mother Han is locked up now, waiting for the buyer to pick her up tomorrow," said Mammy Qin slowly while lowering her voice.

    Hearing this, Qingyu¡¯s face turned white. She was standing behind Ning Xueyan and was about to ask something. But Lanning, who stood beside her, pulled her sleeves telling her not to do so.

    "Concubine Ma is also in the woodshed now, waiting for the buyer?" Ning Xueyan¡¯s face was frozen again.

    "No, she¡¯s not. She fell down recently and the doctor said that she was pregnant, so the marquis said the punishment would need to wait until after she gives birth." Mother Qin regained her mood in no time. She could not be frightened by the weak Fifth Young Lady.

    The bad person was safe, but the good one was locked up. Everything was opposite in the manor.

    "Where is grandmother now?" Ning Xueyan could not show her unhappiness on her face, so she started to walk inside.

    Seeing Ning Xueyan letting it go, Mother Qin felt relieved and smiled. "Madam Dowager is talking with Consort Dowager at Auspicious Fortune Hall now. Consort Dowager is seldom here. And after what happened, Madam Dowager needs to exin everything to her."

    "Is the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li here?" Ning Xueyan asked, seemingly casual.

    "Yes, Consort Dowager is here and he said that he will wait for her so they can go back together," Mother Qin replied.

    By the crossroads, Ning Xueyan stopped to say to Mother Qin, "Mammy, I need to go back and change my clothes first. I will be there when I tidy myself up."

    "OK, OK. Madam Dowager isn¡¯t in a hurry. You are weak so you need to take good care of yourself." Mother Qin said so, but Ning Xueyan noticed her smug demeanor.

    "I will leave first, Mother Qin." Ning Xueyan no longer wanted to be there so she went straight away to Bright Frost Garden.

    Seeing Ning Xueyan leaving, Mother Qin went back to tell Madam Dowager about her. She thought that Madam Dowager was overthinking it and the Fifth Young Lady was weak and fragile. Hearing what had happened to Mother Han, Ning Xueyan had just asked routine questions, showing no extra concern.

    When they turned around, Qingyu could not hold it in any longer. She stepped ahead and said, "Mydy, they¡¯re talking nonsense. Mother Han¡¯s son would never do such a thing. Mother Han told me the other day that her son became in charge of a shop. Why would he have a fight with Concubine Ma¡¯s brother?"

    Qingyu and Mother Han were always loyal to Madam Ming and Ning Xueyan. They all trusted each other. Ning Xueyan would not believe what Mother Qin just said. She met Mother Han¡¯s son before and thought that he was a good man. He had been asked to buy medicine for Madam Ming when Madam Ming was ill but nobody cared for her.

    Ning Xueyan dropped her eyes slightly and asked, "You don¡¯t believe it, Qingyu?"

    "Of course I don¡¯t. I will never believe that Mother Han¡¯s son would hurt someone and talk like that." Qingyu stomped hurriedly. "Mydy, I can make sure he didn¡¯t do it. What they said was to frame Mother Han."

    "Nobody cares whether you believe it or not. They let Mother Hanmit the crime." Ning Xueyan smiled coldly. Madam Ling had handled it well. She arranged everything correctly in just a short time. The fight had to exist.

    As for the crime of hitting the other man, this was not up to Mother Han¡¯s son.

    It would be easy if Concubine Ma wanted a new brother. Not to mention her pregnancy seemed to be right on time. How could it be a coincidence? Ning Xueyan was unprepared for this.

    If Ning Xueyan punished Concubine Ma, everyone would think she was harsh and mean.

    In the end, the me was on her.

    But she did not expect that Concubine Ma would agree to do this.

    However, they missed something!

    "Mydy, what should we do now?" Qingyu fell into a panic after hearing what Ning Xueyan said. Her face became pale as she said, "They will sell Mother Han tomorrow, what we can do?"

    "Qingyu, would you mind going to Qingrong Courtyard?" Ning Xueyan asked.

    Madam Ling had handed a gift to her, so Ning Xueyan should give something in return as well.

    Ning Yuling lived in Qingrong Courtyard. Ning Xueyan and Qingyu were bullied a lot by Ning Yuling, so they never went there. Not to mention the things in Cold Mountain Temple, Ning Yuling would abuse her. She would not leave Qingyu in peace when she saw her.

    "I will!" Qingyu would do anything to save Mother Han. She gritted her teeth, showing her faith.

    "Okay, you need to inquire about the Third Prince and..." Ning Xueyan whispered into Qingyu¡¯s ear. Qingyu¡¯s eyes suddenly became brighter and she handed over her bag to Lanning. Then she left in a hurry.

 Chapter 66 - The Fight in the Woodshed

    Ning Xueyan dressed Lanning and herself well when she returned to her yard. Then they left for Auspicious Fortune Hall.

    The female servant standing by the door saw hering and greeted her, "Fifth Young Lady, you are finally here. Madam Dowager and Madam Ling asked about you just now."

    Ning Xueyan just nodded and kept going.

    The maids by the door lifted the curtain to let Ning Xueyan in.

    "Xueyan, you are here. Let Mother see. How could this happen to you? Why bad person poisoned you? You are such a good girl. The bad servant did damage to you but you are innocent. You would have been killed if we didn¡¯t find out..." Seeing Ning Xueyan in, Madam Ling started to sob. She could not even speak clearly as she wiped away her tears with a handkerchief.

    Ning Xueyan stood to the side and a coldness emanated from her eyes. In Ning Xueyan¡¯s previous life, she was killed by Madam Ling. So she would not be tricked by her again. Raising her head, Ning Xueyan saw Consort Dowager, Madam Dowager, and Madam Dowager Liu sitting above. Madam Ling was putting on a show for them.

    She got close to Ning Xueyan on purpose and opened her mouth first. She did it all for show. She knew Ning Xueyan would not embarrass her even though she was unhappy.

    "Mother!" Ning Xueyan stepped back and got free from her. It seemed they were not close at all.

    "Ok. Well, I¡¯m happy to see that you¡¯re okay. You are a nice girl with a bad servant. What a pity..." Madam Ling¡¯s ambiguous looks could not hide the viciousness in her eyes.

    "Thank you, Mother. I will talk to youter after greeting grandmother," Ning Xueyan said.

    Her grandmother was here so she could not talk with Madam Ling first because it was impolite.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s words stopped Madam Ling¡¯s show.

    She turned around, avoiding Madam Ling¡¯s frozen face, and walked toward Madam Dowager. "Nice to see you, grandmother and aunt-grandmother."

    "Okay, okay. This is Consort Dowager," Madam Dowager said happily. She nced at Madam Ling, who stood aside with hatred. The only reason she let her be was for her grandson¡¯s sake.

    "My honor, Consort Dowager." Ning Xueyan bowed to Consort Dowager.

    "Never mind that. What a polite kid." Seeing that Ning Xueyan had acted properly and elegantly, Consort Dowager felt sorry for her. Although she was not perfect, she thought she could be a big shot if Lord Protector taught her well.

    Although Ning Yuling was the first daughter of Lord Protector, she was a real shrew.

    Consort Dowager was fond of Ning Yuling¡¯s personality at first and she had wanted her to control her grandson. But she didn¡¯t expect her to be a slut and cheat on her grandson before they could get married. This did damage to Consort reputation as well. So, of course she was angry with her.

    So she never stopped her grandson and wanted this to be an issue.

    The bigger issue it was, the less that people would care about her grandson¡¯s fault.

    Unexpectedly, it had nothing to do with Madam Ling. It was Concubine Ma who had done this. But only god knew the truth, what she saw might not have been true.

    Hearing the praise, Madam Ling felt embarrassed. She shook her handkerchief while walking over elegantly. "Xueyan, you treat your servant too well for them to respect you. So Mother Han became arrogant and did that bad thing in the name of your reputation. From now on, they¡¯ll need discipline."

    It seemed she was worried about Ning Xueyan. But actually, she was saying that Ning Xueyan was not good enough to take control of her people. Her servants must be as horrible as she was.

    "Mother, where is Mother Han now?" Ning Xueyan¡¯s smile faded away slowly and her eyes looked gentle on her cold face.

    "She is a bad servant! Xueyan, let her be! I will help you clear up your people in case someone will damage you again." Madam Ling looked merciful. People would misunderstand that Ning Xueyan was her biological daughter because she cared so much.

    Ning Xueyan nced at Madam Ling and stopped talking with her. She turned to Madam Dowager saying, "Grandmother, Mother Han is the only servant that my mom left to me. I want to see her so I can ask her what exactly happened. Whom she was counting on and why she let her son do such things."

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s words were reasonable. She did not show any bias so Madam Dowager could not say no. Some older female servants were about to take Mother Han here by themand of Madam Dowager.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s lips were full of a bitter smile. She made a suggestion. "Thanks, grandmother. Please allow Lanning to go with them in order to dress her up. After all, she was my close servant before..."

    "That¡¯s so nice of you, Xueyan. A bad servant like her won¡¯t need it. In my opinion, we must punish her hard. The only reason why she wasn¡¯t flogged to death is that she¡¯s been with you for a long time." Madam Ling followed Madam Dowager immediately when she found herself in an awkward position.

    Madam Dowager stared at Madam Ling ruthlessly. She despised her. She thought Madam Ling was belittling herself. As the mistress of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she should not be petty. Besides which, Madam Dowager clearly knew that the poison had nothing to do with Mother Han. She knew that Madam Ling was framing her. How did she dare to say so?

    Compared with Ning Xueyan, Madam Ling was mean.

    "My dear fifth granddaughter, of course your maid can go with them."

    Ning Xueyan had already given hermand to Lanning, so Lanning followed behind the older female servants with respect, lowering her head. She stepped back and acted carefully. It looked like she was serving her mistress. Her movements did not belong to a first maid. Consort Dowager, who sat above, watched with some suspicion in her eyes.

    Lanning followed the older female servant out, walking toward the woodshed.

    An older female servant was ahead of Lanning. Lanning kicked a stone at her feet and it did not miss.

    "Oh!" Hit by the stone, the older female servant screamed and went to check her feet.

    "Mammy, what happened?" Lanning stepped ahead and tried to support her ostensibly.

    "What the hell! Something hit my feet," the older female servant said while touching her feet. Lanning kicked it so heavily that the stone had caused great pain.

    "Mammy, you can take a rest if you can¡¯t continue. You need to check your wound in case it damaged your bones. I heard the Mammy Li, who was in Madam Ling¡¯s yard, had gotten hurt before because she was careless when she walked. Her leg got hurt badly so that she is unable to walk now."

    It would take 100 days to recover if one broke their bones, especially for older people. If she did not take it seriously, she would be unable to walk again.

    This frightened the older female servant. Her legs became limp right away, for she was afraid that her bones were broken.

    Mammy Li was unable to walk because she had not been paying attention.

    "Lanning, my feet can¡¯t move now, so would you mind taking her here?" the older servant asked Lanning. She dared not move any farther and she leaned on a tree holding her feet. The mistresses were waiting inside, so she could not dy.

    "Mammy, they might not let me see Mother Han. Could you do it yourself? Maybe it¡¯s no big deal." Lanning shook her head perplexedly.

    Maybe it was nothing! On the contrary, maybe it could be something!

    The older female servant was so worried, but she could not move until she found out if her bones were okay. If it was not okay, she would be disabled because of being dyed. So she said, "It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine. You can go first and tell them that Madam Dowager asked you to take her away. If they stop you, you cane back to me."

    "Could... could that work?" Lanning frowned and acted like she did not know what to do.

    "Of course, it¡¯s fine. Just a servant. It¡¯s nothing. Go!" The older female servant only cared about her legs now so she pushed Lanning to do it.

    So Lanning had to go first!

    The older female servant found a covert ce to check her legs. Another older female servant was eating sunflower seeds when Lanning arrived at the woodshed, but she ignored her.

    Sure enough, she was one of Madam Ling¡¯s people. Lanning had seen her with Madam Ling more than once.

    "Let Mother Han out, I need her." Lanning was not as gentle as she was before when she said that coldly. She was standing akimbo and had her chin raised up high.

    "Eh? Who are you?" the older female servant rolled her eyes and asked disdainfully. She stood up and shook the seeds off her clothes. She knew her but she despised her.

    "I¡¯vee to take Mother Han. Open the door now and give her to me. Otherwise, you will be punished hard if you dy the mistress¡¯s business," Lanning said while widening her eyes.

    "Mistress? Who is Lanning¡¯s mistress? It¡¯s the Young Lady, that unfavored and cowardly girl."

    Mentioning this, nobody was afraid of her in the manor.

    The older female servant did not give a damn. She pushed Lanning away when she saw her standing in front of her and acting proudly. "Move away! Now! As for your sick mistress, please leave me alone, I think she could be dead anytime."

    "How dare you say that!" Lanning screamed.

    Her shrill scream startled two maids who walked by. They had an interest in the drama so they stopped.

    "Nobody cares about your sick mistress in the manor! Don¡¯t try to frighten me!" Seeing her bravado, the older female servant mocked Lanning.

    The two maids started tough as well.

    Lanning¡¯s face grew dark. She rushed at the older female servant and thrust her head into her chest. This made the older female servant step back and fall down on the ground. Her head hit the door of the woodshed. Then the door opened.

 Chapter 67 - Among All the People in the Manor, Who Doesnt Know That the Fifth Young Lady Is Sickly?

    Hearing the sound, Mother Han, who was tied up and thrown to the ground, tried hard to straighten her back. Upon seeing Lanning, a pleasant surprise shed through her eyes.

    Lanning silently mouthed to Mother Han: "The Fifth Young Lady is back", suggesting that she rest assured.

    Mother Han nodded to show that she understood. It could be seen from her eyes that she was very excited and felt greatly relieved in her heart. If it were the previous Fifth Young Lady, Mother Han would not have had so much confidence in her. But now, the Fifth Young Lady was different, she could certainly clear her of the injustice.

    "You little bitch, you even dared to hit me." The older female servant became furious because she had been beaten by a maid from Bright Frost Garden. How could she live with that in the future? Especially the two maids standing at the door, theyughed while bending forward and backward, which attracted more maids and older female servants here to watch the fun. They pointed at her and talked about her, one and all. The older female servant appeared quite embarrassed.

    She climbed up from the ground and rushed at Lanning vehemently.

    Lanning neatly shed back. Then, she pretended to be pushed back two more steps and fell into the nearby woodpiles. She turned around in the woodpiles, so her body and her hair were immediately covered with woodchips. Now her hair fell down and she looked like a terrible mess. Her face also looked dusty and dirty because she had smeared her face with a handful of dust that she picked up from the ground.

    Nobody except Lanning and the older female servant knew the facts. The others all thought that Lanning was messed up like this because the older female servant had knocked her to the ground.

    The woman had failed to hit Lanning. Thus, she stumbled two steps before she finally managed to stand firmly. Seeing that Lanning knocked herself like this, she could not help swearing at Lanning with her hands against her sides. "You little bitch, who do you think your mistress is? You even dared to be unreasonable and make a scene here. You really didn¡¯t know how little strength you have."

    "You actually dared to disobey the mistress¡¯s order." Lanning still sat in the woodpiles and had not gotten up. But she was reluctant to show weakness, so she also raised her head and cursed her furiously. "You just wait here. In a moment when Mammyes here, she will rip your skin off."

    Being so despised by such a little girl she usually used to look down upon, how could the older female servant bear it? So she broke out into curses without thinking. "The mistress? What kind of mistress? There is actually an older female servant who wille here. Which shameless servant dares to rip my skin off? I am one of the First Madam¡¯s people. No one can take her away today without the order from the First Madam."

    Because of Lanning, she had be so angry that she nearly fainted, so she tarred all the others with the same brush.

    "How dare you disobey an order from Madam Dowager?" said the older female servant of the Madam Dowager angrily. She was sent by Madam Dowager. After she found that her feet were fine, she happened to arrive here to see a group of people gathered around the door. Before she could see everything clearly, she heard an older female servant shout that only the people of the First Madam could take Mother Han away, which instantly made her extremely furious.

    Their two mistresses could not get along. Therefore, neither the people in the courtyard of Madam Dowager nor the people in the courtyard of Madam Ling would give in.

    The crowd was parted in the middle. Lanning¡¯s untidy face was the first thing the older female servant of Madam Dowager saw.

    Seeing the servante over, Lanning suddenly looked so aggrieved and she struggled to stand up. "Mammy, she, she won¡¯t let me take Mother Han away. She also insulted the mistress."

    Lanning spoke in very general terms. She did not clearly say who the mistress was. However, she came here to take Mother Han away with Madam Dowager¡¯s people. Thus, her mistress certainly would be Madam Dowager.

    Upon hearing that the older female servant had insulted Madam Dowager, the face of the personal servant of Madam Dowager was red with anger. She grabbed the older female servant, who failed to react at the moment, and made for the door. "Come, let¡¯s go to meet Madam Dowager and let her decide who is right. Why does the order from Madam Dowager not work? Why can¡¯t we take the person away? Do we really need to ask the First Madam for permission to take one person away?"

    "I have been here for a while. No matter what I said to her, she just wouldn¡¯t allow me to take Mother Han away and she actually spoke ill of the mistresses. Mammy, now the mistresses must be anxiously waiting in suspense. We really can¡¯t afford to shoulder the responsibility." By her side, Lanning added fuel to the servant¡¯s angry mes.

    Upon hearing that she might shoulder the responsibility, the servant was unwilling to stop. She had someone else bring Mother Han with them. Then, holding the hand of the servant who guarded the door, she dragged her all the way to Auspicious Fortune Hall. There was a lot of noise along the way so she also brought arge group of onlookers there.

    After Lanning and the servant had left, Madam Dowager asked Ning Xueyan to sit down to answer questions. Madam Dowager tenderly asked her about her body condition. She also nned on inviting a physician to take her pulse in order to see what kind of medicine was better for her. Furthermore, she specifically told Mother Qin beside her to prepare some good medicine for Ning Xueyan, and so on. All these things showed how much she cared for Ning Xueyan.

    At the side, Madam Ling also chipped in on their conversation from time to time. The scene actually looked quite warm and happy!

    When they were acting vigorously, a loud noise suddenly came from outside. The face of Madam Dowager fell instantly. Before she could speak, Lanning rushed in with her dirty face. After entering the door, she immediately knelt down before Madam Dowager with a loud thud. She burst into tears. "Madam Dowager, please exercise justice for our Young Lady."

    She mentioned Ning Xueyan at the beginning. Madam Dowager was stunned and then she looked down at Lanning, whose face was covered with ck and white lines now. For a moment, Madam Dowager failed to recognize who she was.

    Mother Qin standing by her side actually recognized Lanning immediately. Then she whispered in Madam Dowager¡¯s ear to remind her. Spotting the surprised look on Consort Dowager¡¯s face, Madam Dowager really wanted to explode.

    "Lanning, what¡¯s the matter? Didn¡¯t you go to bring Mother Han here? How could you end up like this?" asked Ning Xueyan. She frowned while looking Lanning up and down. She then asked with an unpleasant expression, "Is there anything wrong regarding me that needs my grandmother to get justice for me?"

    Because they were just disying their deep feelings of kinship, Madam Dowager could not me Ning Xueyan for speaking first. Moreover, Lanning was Ning Xueyan¡¯s maid, so it was normal for her to ask questions first.

    "Mydy, I went to get Mother Han with the Mammy from Auspicious Fortune Hall. But when we arrived there, that older female servant not only didn¡¯t allow us to take Mother Han away, but she also called you a sickly. And she also said that... She said that you were not the mistress..." Lanning felt so wronged that she could hardly bring out a word. She was angry and annoyed. Unconsciously, the rims of her eyes turned red. It was obvious that she had been bullied badly.

    "How dare she do such things? That dog ve, where is she?" Madam Dowager leaned back angrily. She was performing this deep touching bond with her granddaughter here to make others think that she was sincerely good to Ning Xueyan. But she didn¡¯t expect that such a thing would happen. She felt embarrassed and opened her mouth to scold her.

    While they were talking, the people from outside arrived!

    Entangled with each other, the two older female servants came in. Behind them, Mother Han also came in and then knelt at one side.

    In the chaos, Qingyu managed to get in and stood in the shadow behind Ning Xueyan.

    The moment Ning Xueyan spotted Qingyu, she knew in her heart that the things over there seemed to have already beenpleted!

    The older female servant who came in first let go of the other servant¡¯s hand and knelt on the ground angrily. She reported loudly, "Madam Dowager, I went there to take someone away, but she spoke rudely. She even dared to speak ill of Madam Dowager. The entire time, she uttered insulting remarks without any good words."

    A moment ago, she talked about Ning Xueyan. Now, the person she talked about was Madam Dowager. Seeing that the eyes of Madam Dowager had suddenly turned razor sharp, Madam Ling felt really anxious. She went over and mmed hard on the face of the servant who guarded the door. Then she said angrily, "You dog ve. How dare you insult Madam Dowager!"

    "I, I didn¡¯t insult Madam Dowager. I, I only said that the Fifth Young Lady is sickly. I didn¡¯t curse Madam Dowager at all!" The older female servant was nearly knocked out by Madam Ling. After she heard what Madam Ling had said, she argued loudly in a hurry.

    As a matter of fact, she had never abused Madam Dowager. Now she was misunderstood and had been pulled here by someone else. Her head felt all muzzy along the way. Before she could figure everything out, she had been pped in the face by Madam Ling. All she could hear were the few words: "insult Madam Dowager". She knew that she had been wronged so she refused to admit to her mistakes and argued loudly.

    Seeing that it was almost the time, Ning Xueyan winked at Lanning.

    "Why is the Fifth Young Lady sickly?" Lanning growled at the side at the right moment, ring angrily at the older female servant.

    The woman became angry under her gaze and her attention was immediately attracted by Lanning.

    She had gotten in such big trouble all because of the little bitch in front of her. Now, she was being beaten and wronged by others. The servant became wild with rage. Not seeing her surroundings clearly, she immediately argued back and cursed, "You little bitch, among all the people in the manor, who doesn¡¯t know that the Fifth Young Lady is sickly? She may die at any time."

    "You actually dare curse our Young Lady! She is the mistress of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor." Lanning was trembling with anger.

    Seeing the weakness of Lanning, the servant pressed on and continued her victorious pursuit. "Why can¡¯t I curse her? What kind of mistress is she? Among all the people in the manor, no one regards her as the mistress. How dare she consider herself the mistress!"

    No one knew that the servant would actually say something like this. It was toote for Madam Ling to stop her. Madam Ling went nk on the spot and her face turned pale.

    Seeing the servant froth at the mouth with curses, Ning Xueyan immediately picked up the cup by her hand and threw it at the servant. The fine porcin cup smashed a step away from the servant. It then broke into pieces. A flying piece sliced across the face of the servant and left a bloody mark behind.

    The servant shut up immediately out of fear!

    Ning Xueyan threw a cold look at Madam Ling, who had yet toe to her senses. Then she turned around and knelt down in front of Madam Dowager with a loud thud. "Grandmother, I volunteer to guard my mom¡¯s tomb. From then on, I¡¯ll stay with oilmps before the statue of Buddha and I¡¯ll never bring you any trouble!"

    Her expression looked firm and indifferent. Her face remained calm. There was only a glimmer of tears in her eyes, which made her look stubborn and beautiful.

    There was only silence in the room. They all couldn¡¯t help holding their breath.

    "Take her away and beat her to death!" Madam Dowager growled with a solemn face. She made the decision in an instant.

    "Grandmother, don¡¯t bother. There are a lot of people like her in the manor, so why should we bother to kill her?" Ning Xueyan said serenely. However, she got a trace of sadness at the bottom of her eyes. She was the first wife¡¯s daughter of the manor, but she was repeatedly cursed by an inferior servant. Anyone in her situation would feel frustrated.

    "Madam Dowager, I have never thought that the status of the Fifth Young Lady in the manor is actually no better than an inferior servant. No wonder that even her medicine was poisoned," sneered the Consort Dowager of Commandery Prince Li. Shaking her head, she thought, "All the people in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor have no standards. They even let a servant tread on the first wife¡¯s daughter."

    "It seems that the status of the Fifth Young Lady is not as high as Madam Dowager has shown us."

    "Fifth Young Lady, don¡¯t be upset. Your grandmother will surely help you vent your spleen. After that, people in the manor won¡¯t dare to look down on you and bully you." Madam Dowager Liu could not help starting to talk. Although she was not in charge of the internal affairs of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she knew that people in the manor treated those people from Bright Frost Garden with indifference.

    She just had not expected that even an inferior servant would dare to curse Ning Xueyan. Thus, she red at Madam Ling and spoke to her angrily.

    Although she did not know the whole affair, she knew that servants dared to treat Ning Xueyan with indifference only because it was exactly what Madam Ling meant. So she became more unpleasant regarding Madam Ling.

    "I, I didn¡¯t... Guards, take her away and flog her to death!" Madam Ling wanted to argue but she did not know where to start. It had never urred to her that things would end up like this. She was only anxious to see the servant be beaten to death right now.

    The guards had alreadye in and then they dragged the servant out.

    "Young Lady, Young Lady, my poor Young Lady!" Mother Han, who was nearby, suddenly cried out pitifully with a deste sound. She attracted everybody¡¯s attention and all the people turned their heads to look at her.

    It was exactly the moment that Ning Xueyan had been waiting for!

 Chapter 68 - Youre Right. We Must Find out Who Did This!

    It was exactly the moment that Ning Xueyan had been waiting for!

    Looking up at Madam Dowager with her dark-jade-like eyes, she slowly dropped the words one by one after clearing her throat. "Grandmother, how could Mother Han take advantage of my lowly status?"

    Madam Ling once said that by taking advantage of Ning Xueyan¡¯s power, Mother Han encouraged her son tomit violence and he beat up Concubine Ma¡¯s brother.

    This thing that happened to Mother Han was the reason Ning Xueyan had been drugged. What Mother Han had done annoyed Concubine Ma, and hence, brought a fatal disaster to Ning Xueyan.

    However, if Ning Xueyan was even unable to protect herself, how could Mother Han take advantage of her power?

    In one sentence, Ning Xueyan argued clearly that Mother Han was being framed by Madam Ling.

    Then the entire house fell into a weird silence. Cold sweat was already forming on Madam Ling¡¯s forehead. It was so unexpected to everyone that Ning Xueyan would make such a big leap. Originally, everyone¡¯s attention was focused on the servant who had cursed Ning Xueyan. But now, all their eyes fell upon Mother Han.

    With tears in her eyes, she looked quite sad and her voice sounded mournful. She looked at Ning Xueyan with kindness and love. How could she be an arrogant person? Even the woman kneeling beside her looked much more ferocious than her.

    "Madam Dowager, judging by the status of the Fifth Young Lady in your manor, how could her personal servant take advantage of her power? It seems that you¡¯ve caught the wrong person!" Off to the side, Consort Dowager of Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor saw the farce clearly. She sneered slightly with her lips rising.

    "Consort Dowager, no... How could they take the wrong person? They all said that it was Mother Han." When this thing came down on her head, she had to bite the bullet and exin.

    Everything that happened was all linked together. If one of those things went wrong, then the following things wouldn¡¯t follow. How dare Madam Ling let others know the inside story!

    "Mother, even an inferior servant can humiliate me at will. She rained down curses on Lanning¡¯s head only because Lanning mentioned me. No one spoke up for me. In this situation, who would choose to stand on the side of Mother Han?" Ning Xueyan asked indifferently. She lowered her eyes slightly to cover the indignation at the bottom of her eyes.

    An unfavored mistress with a servant who was despised by others¡ªif anyone wanted to frame her, it would just be a piece of cake.

    "I..." Madam Ling was stumped and was unable to find anything to say.

    "Mother, the life or death of Mother Han was decided just by a few people¡¯s words. Then why can¡¯t the truth we saw before us exin everything? Does Mother also think that we should find a few more people to verify it?" Ning Xueyan lifted her lips a little and sneered slightly. Her eyes fell upon Madam Ling without blinking or avoiding her.

    That kind of deep and hellish aura came at her from all sides. Madam Ling was so intimidated by this aura that she could not utter a word.

    The facts were disyed in front of them. None of those servants who hade just now had spoken a word on behalf of Ning Xueyan. They all came here with the attitude of just watching the fun. And judging by those people¡¯s cavalier attitudes, everyone present could realize the status of Ning Xueyan in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Consort Dowager of Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor was present, so Madam Ling couldn¡¯t just turn things upside down, even if she was eager to do that.

    "The rules in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor are really different. The Fifth Young Lady was drugged by someone but her personal loyal servant was punished for it. The daughters in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor are really cheap. No wonder that the Second Young Lady was capable of doing such a degrading thing. Because that was the way she was brought up!" Unable to watch anymore, Consort Dowager spoke in a voice dripping with sarcasm.

    "Madam Ling, apologize to the Fifth Young Lady." Upon hearing what Consort Dowager had said, Madam Dowager made a quick decision.

    Madam Ling¡¯s face changed greatly. She turned to look at Madam Dowager with disbelief, but all she saw was her ice-cold eyes.

    She bit her lips and her face turned pale. All the muscles in her face were shaking. She was a Marchioness but now she was asked to make an apology to her daughter, which was meant to be a kind of humiliation¡ªa terrible humiliation!

    She would not only make an apology but also lose her dignity as Marchioness.

    Her dignity had already been trampled on once when she was in the pce. But that was in the pce, and the one who had trampled on her dignity was the queen, the most distinguished woman in the whole country.

    But now, the one who had trampled on her dignity was the little bitch that she despised the most...

    In that room, there was only silence, a weird silence!

    Ning Xueyan had gotten up with someone¡¯s help and now she was standing beside Madam Dowager. A maid served a cup of hot tea and brought it to Madam Ling¡¯s side.

    Madam Ling picked up the teacup with her trembling fingers and forced herself to stay calm. Seeing that Ning Xueyan stood still, she had to walk over to her. She said while gritting her teeth, "Xueyan."

    Ning Xueyan just looked at her indifferently but her fists clenched unconsciously. She tried hard to restrain herself from pping the face of Madam Ling. Her hot blood rushed into a hell of tumult, and finally, her blood became quiet and deep. "This time, I just taught her a lesson. I¡¯ll have plenty of opportunities in the future."

    "Madam Ling wanted more than my life."

    "I misunderstood you before..." Madam Ling handed the tea to Ning Xueyan but her eyes were full of hatred!

    "Mother, you indeed had listened to the rumors and misunderstood me. I hope that you can help me find the person who drugged me. Now that we know it isn¡¯t Mother Han, who told those rumors to you?" Ning Xueyan asked naturally and then took the tea from Madam Ling¡¯s hands without embarrassing her too much more. After this, Madam Ling¡¯s dignity in the manor would suffer a great loss.

    In addition, she still had the following moves.

    Madam Ling almost could not hide the hatred in her heart, and she replied dryly, "Yes, I have misunderstood you. It won¡¯t happen again. I will find out who is so vicious!"

    Ning Xueyan looked at her and said word by word, "Mother, I didn¡¯t me you."

    "I will certainly not only me it on you, but also, I can¡¯t wait to drink your blood and eat your flesh...

    "One day, Madam Ling, you will pay for your vicious deeds.

    "Hopefully, you can slowly endure the process until you reach the end. I hope you can have enough strength to withstand the blows that wille one after another..."

    "Well, well. That will be all for now. Yan¡¯er, since that matter has nothing to do with Mother Han, it has to be re-examined by your Mother. Perhaps, Concubine Ma was wronged too," Madam Dowager stood up and said.

    "Grandmother, what did Concubine Ma say? Did she insist that Mother Han was the person who drugged me?" Ning Xueyan frowned and asked. Although Mother Han had gotten out of the trouble by taking this opportunity, she was not willing to let Concubine Ma go because what had happened with Concubine Ma was really a great coincidence.

    There was no story without coincidences. Ning Xueyan was more likely to believe that Madam Ling must have nned it for quite a long time!

    "The manor always has physicians to treat concubines in each house. Why didn¡¯t they find out that Concubine Ma was pregnant before? But immediately after something happened to her, they told others that she was pregnant. All this must have been specially designed by some people.

    "ording to the timeline, this trap could only be used after I was poisoned to death. That should be in half a year. So they might not able to use the trap, which is supposed to be used six monthster.

    "No matter how Madam Ling is exceptionally adept in trickery, she couldn¡¯t know that I would suddenly challenge her in Cold Mountain Temple!

    "Madam Dowager came back in a hurry, so Madam Ling must have used the trap she had designed before, but it was just not in the time that she had nned...

    "Now that the situation is reversed, I should first see how Madam Ling and Concubine Ma will exin it."

    "Concubine Ma has always been living deep in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Maybe she made a mistake in thinking that person was Mother Han¡¯s son. I will send people to find out if this thing really happened," Madam Ling said with a chagrined look.

    It seemed that she was regretting it, but in fact, she helped to exculpate Concubine Ma from the trouble. She made it clear that Concubine Ma did not know the truth. Thus, they could just insist that they got the wrong person.

    "Do you mean Concubine Ma got the wrong person, so she gave the medicine to Yan¡¯er?" Madam Dowager asked quickly because this result was the best one. If all this was done merely by a concubine, it would not injure Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s dignity too much.

    "The concubine in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was really bold. When she wanted to hurt the daughters in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she could do it without knowing all the facts. Is it because the rules in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor are quite different from the others?" Consort Dowager always piped in when Madam Dowager was satisfied. Besides, now she really wanted to give support to Ning Xueyan.

    Her words were extremely sharp. Merely a concubine dared to do such a vicious thing, but they could do nothing to her now.

    "You¡¯re right. We must find out who did this!" Madam Dowager¡¯s eyes glittered and she finally had to say something.

    While they were talking, a maid wearing the clothing of Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor suddenly came in. She walked up to Consort Dowager of Commandery Prince Li and whispered a few words in her ear. Then the face of Consort Dowager abruptly changed.

    She immediately turned her head. Her eyes ring, she shouted at Madam Dowager, "Where is the Second Young Lady in your manor?"

    Madam Dowager went nk for a second because she did not understand what Consort Dowager meant. Frowning, she asked Madam Ling, "The Second Young Lady, where is she now?"

    "Ling... Ling¡¯er is now in Buddha Hall. After returning from Cold Mountain Temple, she knelt alone in Buddha Hall." Madam Ling drew back her neck, defending subconsciously.

    In the face of Madam Dowager, how dare she say that she actually acted to the contrary and let Ning Yuling return to her own courtyard long ago!

    "Buddha Hall. Well, what a great Buddha Hall! Madam Ling, please take me to Buddha Hall to see if your Second Young Lady is really there!" Consort Dowager stood up, full of hatred. With angry mes burning in her eyes, she stared at Madam Ling, which really bewildered Madam Ling.

    But how could she agree when she heard that Consort Dowager wanted to go to Buddha Hall? Because at this time, there was not even a shadow of Ning Yuling in Buddha Hall.

    "Consort Dowager, B-Buddha Hall is the ce where Mother prays to Buddha. You... That¡¯s probably not a very appropriate for you to go, right?" Madam Ling looked embarrassed and put the me on Madam Dowager.

    Buddha Hall was indeed the ce of Madam Dowager. Usually, Madam Dowager liked praying to Buddha and copying Buddhist scriptures there, etc. She valued Buddha Hall so much that she usually did not like others to go in.

    Upon hearing Madam Ling say that, Madam Dowager also felt somewhat unpleased.

    "Grandmother, Consort Dowager has something to do there. Let¡¯s go find out the truth!" Ning Xueyan said gently in the ear of Madam Dowager. She lowered her voice further and added, "Grandmother, where is the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li?"

    This question reminded Madam Dowager so that she could not sit still. "The reputation of Ning Yuling has be so bad now. I was thinking about marrying her off to a petty official or someone without real power who only had the title of nobility after three or five years when this thing faded. As long as Ning Zu¡¯an is there, he can at least give her peace in her lifetime.

    "Nothing more can go wrong at this time!

    "The reputation of the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li being a yboy is well-known. If she gets involved with such a person, then I really have no way to help her."

    "Let¡¯s go and check it out together!" Madam Dowager was unable to wait at this time. She stood up instantly and was about to go outside.

    "Mother!" Madam Ling¡¯s head was covered with sweat because of anxiety. She stretched out her hand to stop Madam Dowager. She forced a smile and said, "Mother, please wait for a moment. Ling¡¯er has been kneeling for so long that Buddha Hall is already a mess. Let me send someone to clean it up and then Mother and Consort Dowager can go there to check."

    At this time, she only wanted to dy them and try to send a message to inform Ning Yuling.

    "Are you trying to send a message to her?" One sentence from Consort Dowager froze Madam Ling¡¯s smile sessfully.

    "There is no need. I¡¯m going there now." Madam Dowager immediately pushed Madam Ling away. Then she brought her people and walked toward Buddha Hall with Consort Dowager.

 Chapter 69 - Thats How an Accident Happened

    Ning Xueyan was in poor health so she wentst, with Qingyu and Lanning following behind her.

    Seeing that there was no one around, Qingyu leaned against Ning Xueyan and whispered to her, "Young Lady, the Third Prince has gone back. He left in a hurry so most of the people in the manor don¡¯t know that. The Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li is resting in the Chinese Flowering Crabapple Pavilion. Then I went to the Second Young Lady¡¯s courtyard. However, I met Miao¡¯er, the personal servant of the Second Young Lady before I got to the Second Young Lady¡¯s courtyard."

    "Oh, what did she say?" Ning Xueyan asked without betraying any emotion.

    "Young Lady, you are so smart. I told her the thing about the Third Prince. I also told her that the Third Prince was still in the Chinese Flowering Crabapple Pavilion and was waiting for you to meet him there." Qingyu then said with admiration, "I saw that the eyes of Miao¡¯er lit up, then she immediately turned around and walked away, exactly as you predicted. You foretold it like a prophet. You motivated her to act on her own with just one trick."

    Ning Xueyan sneered at the bottom of her heart. "Ning Yuling always fancies herself. She is ambitious and has many evil intentions. There have been days that she has been secretly admiring the Third Prince. Now after such a thing happened, how could she have no ns of her own? Now upon hearing that the Third Prince asked me out, she would definitely wish I were dead in her heart.

    "If I were the previous Ning Xueyan, I would die sooner orter in her hands long before Madam Ling made her moves.

    "Fortunately, she has no time to torture me now..."

    "After that, I didn¡¯t leave. Instead, I stayed by the rockeries. After a while, sure enough, I saw the perfectly coiffed Second Young Lady hurry to the Chinese Flowering Crabapple Pavilion with Miao¡¯er. The face of the Second Young Lady was covered by a veil. She dressed with simplicity, just like your usual style." Qingyu chuckled.

    "The way the Second Young Lady dressed today waspletely different from her normal dressed-to-the-nines style. She also deliberately covered her face with a veil. As you had expected, she dressed herself up like you. Pretending to be you, she went to go on a date with the Third Prince, which was really shameless. Fortunately, one was shameless and one was bored. What a good match!"

    The Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li felt extremely bored!

    When the Third Prince was there, they always enjoyed the flowers in the Chinese Flowering Crabapple Pavilion and had a chat. It felt like nothing special at that time. But now that the Third Prince was gone and Consort Dowager was still inside, he felt exceedingly bored alone. Often at this time, he would have snuggled up with women. Thinking of this, he felt an itch for the temptation.

    "I shouldn¡¯t have any trouble with the Fifth Young Lady."

    Feeling bored, he had all his servants go out. Now he was alone. He hung a gauze mosquito andy down on the couch, closing his eyes to take a rest.

    At first, he just could not fall asleep. Then in a daze, he fell asleep slowly. Suddenly, he heard a knock at the door. Touching his slightly unconscious head, he said impatiently, "Come in."

    As the door opened, a simply dressed woman with a fascinating body and a pair of big, beautiful eyes walked in gracefully.

    The drowsiness of the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li was gone instantly. He widened his eyes to examine the woman in front of him. Judging by her figure alone, he could tell that she was a beauty. Moreover, this beauty was now looking at him with affection. The Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, who was used to dealing with women¡ªhow could he not understand that this beauty in front of him was obviously interested in him?

    It did not ur to him that there such a beautiful woman who knew about romance and feelings was hiding in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. In an instant, his whole body became burning hot with ecstasy in his heart.

    "It seems that it¡¯s a beauty that Lord Protector¡¯s Manor has prepared for me. They must know that I am lonely and bored here," the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li thought to himself. At this time, he got increasingly good feelings toward the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Through the gauze, he reached out his hands and waved at her with a smile. "Come,e here. You beautiful woman,e here."

    He was not some upright gentleman. Seeing the image of the extremely coquettish beauty, he had melted long ago. She was radiant and enchanting and she looked seductive with her well-developed body, which just happened to be the type he liked.

    Shyly, Ning Yuling looked at the bed with the curtains hanging. But in her heart, she cursed the bitch Ning Xueyan. "Judging by the words said by the Third Prince, he is quite very familiar with Ning Xueyan. They should have had an affair early on. I never thought that would I actually get a great bargain today. When I get married to the Third Prince, I¡¯ll grind that bitch hard beneath my feet.

    "Don¡¯t even think of marrying into the Third Prince¡¯s Manor, you bitch."

    "Yes! I¡¯ming!" Ning Yuling thought that she was perfectly sound and able this time. When she entered the door, she left Miao¡¯er outside to stop Ning Xueyan. Upon hearing "the Third Prince" call her, she answered in a sweet voice and started to walk over to the bed. Before she got to the bedside, a hand reached out from within the curtains and grabbed her hand. Then, Ning Yuling¡¯s entire body fell onto the bed along with the curtains.

    Listening to her voice, all the bones of the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li became limp. He didn¡¯t expect that the beauty that Lord Protector¡¯s Manor casually sent out was even much morescivious than the famous prostitutes in the brothels.

    Since the beauty brought herself over to him and the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li himself was a dissolute person, how could he refuse her?

    Furthermore, he had been so closely watched by Consort Dowager during these two days that there was no time for him to do anything romantic. He finally took a fancy to Ning Yuling but it turned out that the bitch Ning Yuling was a vamp. The Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li felt miserable even at the thought of Ning Yuling.

    Now that he had gotten a chance to indulge himself, how could he let her go?

    He dragged Ning Yuling over to him, touching and kissing her.

    Ning Yuling was shocked first. She did not expect that the gentle and cultivated Third Prince could be so anxious. She secretly cursed to herself, what a bitch that Ning Xueyan was. Then her body softened and she just allowed him to do anything to her. She thought to herself, "No matter if I make it or not today, with such a beginning, the Third Prince will have no choice but to marry me."

    With such a distinguished status as the Consort of the Third Prince, no one would dare to talk about that matter of releasing animals in Cold Mountain Temple.

    "Your Highness... I have long admired you. Today, I came here especially to see you... In my heart, you are the only real man that I want to marry." Puffing and blowing, Ning Yuling could not help expressing her true feelings when she was touched and kissed by the man.

    At the thought of Ning Xueyaning here and seeing that she was lying with the Third Prince, Ning Yuling felt quite relieved. "Ning Xueyan, you little bitch, you even dared to seduce the Third Prince. However, you can only watch me be the Consort of the Third Prince." Thinking of this, Ning Yuling became very excited and her whole body was trembling because of the excitement.

    "That little bitch, I must make her live a life that is cheaper and nastier than pigs¡¯ and dogs¡¯."

    The Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li was so tempted that he was anxious to make further moves. Tearing off the gauze clothes on the beauty in a hurry, hepletely failed to catch Ning Yuling¡¯s words. Totally concentrating on his own business at hand while gasping, he nodded casually. "You beauty, rest assured. I will let you know who the real man is today. Now, let me take care of you nicely."

    "I... Ning Xueyan and me..." Ning Yuling twisted her body, unwilling to stop. "Your Highness, out of that bitch Ning Xueyan and me, who do you think is better?"

    "You, you are better. Of course, you are the better one. No one can be better than you. You are my most beloved woman..." With the beauty in his arms, now the head of the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li was full of carnal desires. Without considering Ning Yuling¡¯s words too much, he answered while smiling and pressed Ning Yuling down on the bed. He was in such a hurry that he did not even pull the veil off her face...

    In Buddha Hall¡ª

    Madam Dowager and Consort Dowager pushed the door of the small Buddha Hall open. The inside of Buddha Hall was very quiet and nobody was there. Let alone the whole body of Ning Yuling, there was not even a piece of her clothes there. Madam Dowager was angry on the spot. She turned back and pped Madam Ling¡¯s face hard, which knocked Madam Ling two steps backward and she almost fell off the steps.

    "What happened? Tell me now." Madam Dowager felt extreme hatred as she pointed at Madam Ling and scolded her.

    It turned out that Madam Ling overtly agreed but secretly acted to the contrary. All of a sudden, Madam Dowager felt so humiliated. Looking at the sullen face of Consort Dowager, who was standing at the side, Madam Dowager really wanted to gulp Madam Ling down. She hated Madam Ling since the first day she became her daughter-inw.

    "Mother, it¡¯s probably because Ling¡¯er fainted just now so the servants brought her back. That¡¯s why she... she is not here." Madam Ling tried hard to dispute it while sweat dripped from her face.

    "Grandmother, don¡¯t worry. Perhaps something really happened to my second sister. Kneeling from yesterday until today, her body couldn¡¯t withstand it. Thus, it¡¯s also possible that she passed out!" Ning Xueyan came over. She supported Madam Dowager gently and said softly to save Madam Dowager from embarrassment.

    Not all the people present were from Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Hence, at this time, she mustn¡¯tunch a frontal attack directly. Instead, she should guide her enemies in the direction she wanted them to go.

    It seemed that her words were to rescue Madam Ling and Madam Dowager from a siege. However, when that thing broke outter, Madam Ling would shoulder greater responsibilities. Now, Ning Xueyan had set the trap and then Madam Ling would jump in it herself.

    "Yes... Right, it must be because Ling¡¯er is in poor health. Mother, I remember that the maid of Ling¡¯er had appeared outside just now. I guess that she must want to report what happened to Ling¡¯er. But I stayed inside and it was inconvenient to go outside at that time. So I didn¡¯t know what happened to Ling¡¯er." Madam Ling nodded continuously. Upon hearing the reason that Ning Xueyan offered, Madam Ling epted it immediately and made up her further exnations.

    "Did the Second Young Lady faint?" Madam Dowager looked coldly at Madam Ling.

    Madam Ling nodded hard. "Yes, yes. Mother, it must be."

    "Are you sure that your Second Young Lady is resting in her own courtyard?" Consort Dowager asked with a sneer while ring at Madam Ling with anger.

    Just now, her maid brought back a message from the servant. He said that he saw a well-dressed woman go to the room of the Princely Heir. The Princely Heir was resting in the room alone. And the servant could barely hear the maid call the woman Second Young Lady. Upon hearing the message, Consort Dowager gnashed her teeth with hatred. That shameless Ning Yuling! She even dared to seduce her grandson. How could Consort Dowager not hate her to the extreme?

    Consort Dowager swore to herself. "Such a bitchy woman wants to be my granddaughter-inw. Don¡¯t even try it."

    "Yes, Ling¡¯er has never been in good health. After kneeling in Buddha Hall for one night, she just couldn¡¯t support herself anymore and fainted. She must have been brought back to her courtyard to rest by the servants." Madam Ling became increasingly good at making up lies. She guessed that Ning Yuling had to be in Qingrong Courtyard, and hence, she had to be resting. Even if Madam Dowager suggested to take a look, she was not afraid.

    Just now, she had already sent a message to the people in Qingrong Courtyard. She asked Ning Yuling to fake an illness so they could get away with this thing today.

    "Are you sure, Madam Ling?" Consort Dowager followed up.

    "Of course!" Although Madam Ling was not clear why Consort Dowager asked her like this, she still nodded hard and stated categorically.

    Madam Dowager frowned deeply. It was only because Madam Ling answered with such certainty that it was inconvenient for her to say anything further. Her eyes fell on Madam Ling, sullen and cold. "Consort Dowager inquired into the things about Ning Yuling over and over again, which definitely would not be okay. At this very moment, Madam Ling didn¡¯t even try to find out the truth but just swore blindly.

    "She said everything too absolutely without leaving herself a way out. She is truly stupid enough!"

    "Mother, maybe my second sister isn¡¯t..." Stretching out her hand, Ning Xueyan pulled Madam Ling and lowered her voice to speak.

    It seemed that she wanted to warn Madam Ling. But simply because the warning came from Ning Xueyan, Madam Ling would not believe a single word of it. Staring at Ning Xueyan, she said with a skin-deep smile, "Fifth Young Lady, what do you mean by saying this? Ling¡¯er is your sister. She certainly would go to rest in the courtyard when she fainted. Why do you still think that she is not resting in the courtyard?"

    By saying this, she implied that Ning Xueyan wanted to frame Ning Yuling.

    "Yes, Mother. You are right!" Ning Xueyan did not argue with Madam Ling. She stepped back two steps and stayed near Madam Dowager.

    Madam Dowager heard Ning Xueyan try to help Madam Ling out of the predicament. However, that idiot not only appeared ungrateful, but she also med Ning Xueyan. Madam Dowager became furious.

    "Come on, let¡¯s go to the Chinese Flowering Crabapple Pavilion!" Consort Dowager no longer hesitated. She was now extremely impatient!

 Chapter 70 â€“ Who Is The Victim?

    To Madam Ling¡¯s surprise, the ce Consort Dowager suggested to go was not Ning Yuling¡¯s Qingrong Courtyard, but the Chinese Flowering Crabapple Pavilion, which was used for receiving guests. She felt really relieved in her heart. This time, without a hint of hesitation, she led them to the Chinese Flowering Crabapple Pavilion while smiling.

    She thought that there had to be something wrong with the unreliable Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li.

    As long as the thing of Ning Yuling was not exposed, what should she be afraid of? Therefore, she certainly had no psychological burden at all and walked at the front.

    The group of people walked up to the door of the Chinese Flowering Crabapple Pavilion. Before they arrived at the door, they heard the love-making sounds of a man and a womaning from inside. The face of Consort Dowager changed greatly. She winked at the servant beside her. Before Madam Ling could react, the servant already went ahead and kicked the door open. Then, the group of people rushed in together. Only Ning Xueyan took two steps back.

    So many people appeared in the room all of a sudden, which greatly frightened the two people who were making love on the bed.

    As the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li was a man, he reacted faster. He pulled the quilt over himself and left Ning Yuling outside. Screaming, she tried hard to pull the quilt.

    "You little bitch, you failed to seduce Xian¡¯erst time. This time, you did such a shameless thing again. Do you still want to marry into the Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor in a decent manner?" As expected, Consort Dowager saw Ning Yuling in the Chinese Flowering Crabapple Pavilion. She was so angry that she nearly began to vomit blood. She walked up to Ning Yuling and pped her violently in the face.

    Madam Ling was scared silly. It never urred to her that the woman who was entangled with the man in the room would be Ning Yuling. Seeing her tangled up with the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li with messy clothes, a mouthful of blood nearly sprayed out of her mouth. Her hands were trembling and she could not utter a word.

    Madam Dowager was so angry that she could only sit torpidly on a chair nearby. She pressed her crutches hard to the ground with the veins on her forehead popping out.

    With a gloomy face, Madam Dowager Liu stood next to Madam Dowager, wearing a nk face.

    "Ah, who are you? Why is it you, the dissolute dandy?" Ning Yuling was knocked backward so she hit the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. Looking back subconsciously, she looked right into the face of the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. She pulled her clothes from the side and hurriedly put them on her naked white body.

    "You... Are you that bitch Ning Yuling?" The Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li was also putting on the clothes by his side. He widened his eyes and yelled at her.

    "You... Did you just call me a bitch?" After shuffling her clothes on, Ning Yuling pointed angrily at the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li and scolded him in hatred while trembling with a pale face.

    "Why can¡¯t I call you a bitch? You even dared to say that I am a dandy. Even if I am a dissolute dandy, I am much better than you, a promiscuous woman. I only wanted to take a break here. Then you came to throw yourself at me. For fear that I would refuse you, you even covered up your face. Ning Yuling, you are cheap enough." The Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li threw the veil from the bed and cursed in rage.

    He only believed himself to be a romantic man but could not stand being called a nasty man. Therefore, he pointed at Ning Yuling and cursed her sharply. He even threw out the veil as the evidence to prove that Ning Yuling was a bitch.

    Looking angrily at the two half-dressed people, the eyes of Madam Dowager almost popped out of her head. "You, you..." She failed to catch her breath and almost passed out because of that. Madam Dowager Liu was in a hurry to appease her.

    "Mother, Mother, it wasn¡¯t me. I didn¡¯t want toe here. It was the little bitch Ning Xueyan that wanted to date him. I was framed by them." Faced with a situation like this, Ning Yuling felt ice-cold from head to toe. All of a sudden, she threw herself before Madam Ling. Holding Madam Ling¡¯s hands, she burst into tears.

    "Mother, it was the little bitch Ning Xueyan who wanted to go on a date. I came here to check it out, so I wore a veil. But I didn¡¯t expect that he... he actually grabbed my... my..." While crying loudly, Ning Yuling shouted. "Mother, I was set up by that little bitch Ning Xueyan."

    At this moment, Ning Yuling got wise and realized her situation. Miao¡¯er told her that the Third Prince asked Ning Xueyan out. But why did she see the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li only but not the Third Prince? Why it was not the Third Prince? If it was the Third Prince, she would not be afraid even if they were caught. After all, the Third Prince had to give an exnation to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. She simply did not believe that the Third Prince wouldn¡¯t take the responsibility.

    But now, this person was the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. Thinking of what Madam Ling told her yesterday about the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li when she returned to the manor, how could Ning Yuling be willing to marry him for nothing? Thus, she surely would insist that the person who wanted to date the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li was actually Ning Xueyan.

    "Second Young Lady, you again tried to me your fifth sister for a shameless thing you did. I really don¡¯t know where your brain is!" Madam Dowager Liu could not help rebuking before Madam Dowager started to say something.

    The other people in the room also showed sarcastic looks on their faces. Covering their mouths, they allughed secretly. Even the few servants in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor could not help eyeing the Second Young Lady suspiciously because she really made a shameful scene today.

    The Fifth Young Lady had just returned to the manor. Later on, she stayed the entire time with Madam Dowager without leaving. Therefore, why did the Second Young Lady say that the Fifth Young Lady framed her? Out of everyone in the manor, who didn¡¯t know what the Fifth Young Lady¡¯s character was?

    "Second sister, are you talking about me?" Ning Xueyan walked in slowly from the outside. Covering up the coldness in her eyes, she looked at Ning Yuling, who was now sitting weakly on the ground in silence.

    "You... It is you... It must be you!" Ning Yuling screamed uncontrobly. She could not conceal her jealousy towards Ning Xueyan.

    Knowing that she could not control her mood now, Ning Xueyan narrowed her eyes and asked softly, "My second sister, are you really not sober now? I just went back to the manor. How could I know you weren¡¯t in Buddha Hall but in the Chinese Flowering Crabapple Pavilion? Even if I really wanted to harm you, I would have had to know these things first. Besides, I really couldn¡¯t be in two ces at the same time."

    Her words reminded Consort Dowager, who then turned her head immediately and said to Madam Ling ferociously, "Madam Ling, you reassured me again and again that your very well-behaved delicate daughter fainted in Buddha Hall and then returned to her courtyard to rest, right? But now, who is this person? Is she a famous prostitute from some brothel?"

    Consort Dowager¡¯s words were extremely sharp. Speaking like that, she totally took Ning Yuling as a cheap whore.

    Previously, Madam Ling had repeatedly said that Ning Yuling was in poor health, but now Ning Yuling was caught on the spot.

    "You... Miao¡¯er, you can tell us. Tell us. Is it this bitch who told you that the Third Prince was going to meet that little bitchy Ning Xueyan?" Ning Yuling went mad. Pointing at Miao¡¯er, who stood by the side at a loss, she shouted loudly.

    This time she even mentioned the Third Prince!

    The faces of Consort Dowager, Madam Dowager, and Madam Dowager Liu all became gloomy and cold. Now all of them turned around and looked at Miao¡¯er.

    Being stared at by so many people, Miao¡¯er immediately knelt down with a bump.

    Miao¡¯er was shocked and scared. She only knew that bad things had happened to the Second Young Lady and it was rted to the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. Thus, neither the Second Young Lady nor Madam Ling would let her go.

    "Miao¡¯er, you are the personal maid of Ling¡¯er. The Second Young Lady was originally resting in her own courtyard. Why did shee here? Was she framed by someone? Or is it you who deliberately yed a dirty trick and set your mistress up? You must tell us everything honestly. You must make yourself clear today because Lord Protector¡¯s Manor cannot tolerate ck-hearted people like you."

    After the initial shock, Madam Ling¡¯s mind suddenly rified. Staring at Miao¡¯er, she reproached her angrily.

    It seemed that she was rebuking Miao¡¯er and she wanted her to tell the truth. But in fact, she was threatening Miao¡¯er.

    Madam Ling gave Miao¡¯er two choices. The first choice was that Miao¡¯er had been set up by Ning Xueyan. The second choice was that Miao¡¯er had been framed Ning Yuling. Either way, Ning Yuling was the victim.

    Madam Ling was in charge of the backyard of the whole Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. So she could easily decide a ve¡¯s life and death as she wished. Moreover, Ning Xueyan, the Fifth Young Lady, had always been looked down upon by the people in the manor. Miao¡¯er stayed by Ning Yuling¡¯s side all the time so she also bullied Ning Xueyan often in the past. How could she fear Ning Xueyan?

    Even the new servants of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor knew which one they could offend and which one they couldn¡¯t.

    ba

    Miao¡¯er thought about this a little while and then she made her judgment. She immediately pointed at Ning Xueyan and said in a trembling voice, "Yes, I... It was... it was the Fifth Young Lady who had me lie to the Second Young Lady and lure her here. The Fifth Young Lady gave me arge amount of money so I became greedy. I just needed to trick the Second Young Lady into staying in this room for a while. I thought it was nothing serious."

    Her words caused an uproar!

    All the suspicious eyes turned toward Ning Xueyan!

    Off to the side, upon hearing what Miao¡¯er had said, the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li learned that Ning Xueyan had instigated Miao¡¯er to lure Ning Yuling here. With a surge of angry mes rushing up, he dashed over to Miao¡¯er with big strides and kicked her. Staring at her, he scolded loudly, "You cheap maid, you got that vamp into my bed only for a little money and harmed my reputation. Are you looking for death?"

    Miao¡¯er¡¯s body was kicked over. She covered her chest and had a ghastly pale face. However, she still gritted her teeth and said, "It has nothing to do with me. The Fifth Young Lady asked me to do so. I dared not disobey her order."

    Consort Dowager saw that the face of Miao¡¯er changed dramatically because of the kick. Lest something bad happened to the witness, she shouted to stop the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. "Xian¡¯er, stop!"

    "Grandmother, Lord Protector¡¯s Manor has bullied me again and again. I feel really upset and angry." Now his face was red with anger. With his face red and his neck swollen, the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li straightened his neck and spoke angrily.

    He was not annoyed because he had been caught. He only felt disgusted as if he had swallowed a fly at the thought that Ning Yuling also had an affair with that poor man. That bitch Ning Yuling pretended to be bashful before him as if it was her first time to make love with a man, which made him cherish her a lot. When he thought of all these things now, he only felt sick.

    This bitch was so good at acting. He had dealt with women for so many years, but he was also fooled, which was a great shame to him!

    "Xian¡¯er, rest assured, Lord Protector¡¯s Manor will certainly give us an exnation." Consort Dowager pulled him to sit down. Now the matter had developed to this point¡ªwhether it was Ning Xueyan who had lured Ning Yuling here or Ning Yuling who had misbehaved herself as an unmarried girl and had thrown herself at Xian¡¯er, the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li was rtively innocent.

    No matter what the facts were, the Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor would not lose.

    Seeing that Miao¡¯er spoke in the way as she had expected, Madam Ling felt overjoyed in her heart. Thus, she turned her head to Madam Dowager. She cried while wiping her tears with a handkerchief. "Mother, the facts are in front of us. It was the vicious Fifth Young Lady who greatly envied Ling¡¯er and lured her here deliberately. She has ruined Ling¡¯er¡¯s reputation. Mother, you should support Ling¡¯er and shouldn¡¯t let the Fifth Young Lady go."

    Ning Yuling, who had copsed to the ground, took the cue from Madam Ling¡¯s eyes and then she cried louder and louder.

    "Grandmother, grandmother, you have to uphold justice for me!"

    At this time, she was truly sad because her reputation had been ruined. But actually, the most important thing was that the person who ruined her reputation was the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, who she despised the most. How could she not be sad? For a while, she even choked with sobs. But she also nced viciously at Ning Xueyan out of the corner of her eyes and nearly grinded her teeth to pieces secretly.

    She wanted Ning Xueyan to die miserably...

 Chapter 71 She Would No Longer Be Softhearted to Her Foes

    Ning Yuling thought about the whole matter over and over again. Even though she had not been clever enough, she knew that she had been tricked by Ning Xueyan. How could she forgive her?

    "Fifth Young Lady, did you do that?" Madam Dowager¡¯s face turned ck as she shouted angrily at Ning Xueyan.

    "Madam Dowager must be nning to sacrifice herself to save Madam Ling and her daughter since she didn¡¯t even ask anything, as if she had heard nothing when Madam Ling and her daughter ndered her," Ning Xueyan thought with a sneer. "Madam Dowager always protects those who are treacherous and she¡¯s been partial to Madam Ling and her daughter from time to time. But what a pity it is today, since Madam Ling and her daughter are bound to lose face with the whole Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    "Madam Dowager has neither done enough surface work nor was she confident. What else can she do to save face?"

    "Grandmother, I was with you just now, so how could I make such a clever arrangement? You expected that my Second Sister would slip out of Buddha Hall, but how did you know that she still had the strength to enjoy the flowers in the Chinese Flowering Crabapple Pavilion? And Second Sister, why are you here now?"

    Ning Xueyan asked them calmly, her eyes looking cold. Faced with Miao¡¯er¡¯s and Madam Ling¡¯s testimonies, she did not lose her presence of mind.

    She was smiling slightly and looked magnanimous.

    Commandery Prince Li¡¯s wife, Consort Dowager, was sophisticated in her old age. She discovered the holes in their testimonies, while what the youngdy had said in front of her was infallible. If it really had nothing to do with her, then she had to be extremely scheming. So she suppressed the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li for his impatience and watched how the people from Lord Protector¡¯s Manor investigated and dealt with it.

    Ning Yuling was at a loss for words for a while when she was questioned by Ning Xueyan. Anyway, she could not tell her that she came here to have a secret date with the Third Prince.

    "Stop resorting to sophistry, Xueyan. It was you who incited the maid to trick Ling¡¯er and bring her here. The maid had clearly exined that she wouldn¡¯t have done this if it weren¡¯t for you," Madam Ling said with a sneer while pointing at Miao¡¯er, who was down on her knees.

    Ning Xueyan followed Madam Ling¡¯s finger and looked at Miao¡¯er. She approached them slowly and smiled. "Miao¡¯er, keep your eyes open and tell them whether or not I incited you."

    Miao¡¯er had a bellyful of tricks. But now, she had to answer Ning Xueyan. She looked up at her, clenched her teeth and said, "Yes. The Fifth Young Lady incited me to do that."

    "What did I say to you? And when? It appears that I went straight to Bright Frost Garden when I came here and I don¡¯t remember having seen you." Ning Xueyan nodded and continued to ask the maid.

    Ning Xueyan could not cover up her tracks after she returned to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor because people would know where she had been as long as they asked about it.

    "It was... Qingyu beside the Fifth Young Lady who ordered me to do that. She said the Fifth Young Lady had asked her to incite me, and she even gave me the silver." Miao¡¯er was determined to make up lies. After all, she had met Qingyu and exchanged some words with her. When Miao¡¯er heard from Qingyu that the Third Prince had made an appointment with the Fifth Young Lady, she rushed to Qingrong Courtyard and told that to Ning Yuling.

    After that, Ning Yuling had changed her clothes and rushed here in a hurry. In case Ning Xueyan might arrive at that time, she asked Miao¡¯er to stay outside the door to stop Ning Xueyan.

    "Oh? So you listened to me just because Qingyu conveyed my words to you and gave you some silver?" Ning Xueyan sneered.

    Madam Dowager, who sat beside them, adjusted her position uneasily while everyone in the room cast their eyes on Miao¡¯er looking puzzled.

    If the older female servant had not cursed Ning Xueyan in Auspicious Fortune Hall, they might have believed Miao¡¯er¡¯s words. But since that had happened, it seemed that Ning Xueyan had merely a low status in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. How could she order about the first maid of a big shot like Ning Yuling?

    Why would the first maid listen to Ning Xueyan when even an older female servant would not take Ning Xueyan seriously? Not to mention, Miao¡¯er had listened to Ning Xueyan when she did not even order her herself. Thus, everyone became more and more skeptical about this.

    But Miao¡¯er did not know what had happened in Auspicious Fortune Hall. She still clung to her view and said, "Yes. The Fifth Young Lady gave me the silver and then I believed her."

    "How much silver did I give you?" Ning Xueyan noded and asked unhurriedly.

    Miao¡¯er thought about this for a long time. She did not have much silver. It would be worse if she made the amount too high. So she told Ning Xueyan the amount of the sliver that she had with her now. She put out two fingers and said, "The Fifth Young Lady asked Qingyu to give me 20 taels of silver."

    "Then, where is the silver now?" Ning Xueyan curved her lips into a smile.

    "I¡¯ve hidden it in Qingrong Courtyard." Miao¡¯er was chilled with fear over these questions. Now, she had to continue to make it up.

    "Did I give you notes or pieces of silver?" Ning Xueyan continued to ask her.

    "Pieces... pieces of silver!" Miao¡¯er responded quickly. Those pieces of silver had been saved by herself and were undoubtedly pieces of silver.

    "Pfft." Lanning, who was beside Ning Xueyan, failed to refrain fromughing. When everyone cast their eyes on her, she stepped back and stood behind Ning Xueyan with a mocking look on her face.

    "20 taels of silver. This is the first time I¡¯ve heard that you need just 20 taels of silver to incite a maid to set up her mistress. It seems that the mistresses of Lord Protectors Manor are so worthless. And if I were to set my Second Sister up, why would I ask the maid to bring some pieces of silver? Did I intend to let everyone see that?"

    Ning Xueyan was smiling slightly but her eyes looked cold.

    Her words sounded in but they were sharp and full of and sarcasm. Everyone present, like Consort Dowager, was calcting enough. Why would the first maid beside Ning Yuling who was so pampered care about 20 taels of silver? It would have made sense if Ning Xueyan had set Ning Yuling up with at least 200 taels of silver.

    Furthermore, the silver was given to the maid in pieces. Why didn¡¯t a mistress like Ning Xueyan bribe her with notes, since notes were more portable and covert than a pocket of silver pieces?

    Everyone understood this. Having been exposed by Ning Xueyan, now they knew clearly that Miao¡¯er had to be ndering Ning Xueyan.

    But Madam Ling would not let Ning Xueyan get away from this and said hurriedly, "Maybe Miao¡¯er was incited before she got the real benefit."

    "What would be the benefit? Mother, what benefit do you think I can give to others in my present status?" Ning Xueyan smiled slightly and defended herself inly. She was neither humble nor pushy at the moment, looking calm and confident.

    In Auspicious Fortune Hall, everyone had clearly seen Ning Xueyan¡¯s status, with which Ning Xueyan would not have been able to order Miao¡¯er even if she had given Miao¡¯er any benefits, not to mention that it was just a promised benefit. How dare Miao¡¯er betray her own mistress without gaining any real benefit?

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s words sessfully put Madam Ling down.

    "It is you. It must be you. Grandmother... I came here because I heard the slut had a secret date with a man." Seeing that Ning Xueyan was getting away, Ning Yuling lost her temper and cursed, crying and pointing at Ning Xueyan.

    "Bullshit! I didn¡¯t have any date with you who are so scrawny." Hearing he was about to be dragged into in this matter, the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li red at Ning Yuling and shouted, "It¡¯s you who wanted to hook up with me and threw yourself at me. You were so afraid of being loathed and even wore a veil. You said that you admired me so much but now you are trying to frame me."

    The Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li did not intend to help Ning Xueyan out, but he was so sick of Ning Yuling. And he had already understood that Ning Yuling was trying to set up Ning Xueyan through this whole affair. In addition to that, Ning Xueyan looked calm in spite of being framed while Ning Yuling acted like a virago and was so disgusting, so he couldn¡¯t help arguing.

    His first words had hit the nail on the head. He and Ning Yuling had just tangled with each other and he was clear about what she had said by the bed. Now hearing him say it out loud in front of so many people, Ning Yuling felt extremely ashamed and embarrassed. She blushed and kept her head down.

    "Ning Xueyan, how dare you have a date with a man in private..." Madam Ling quickly changed the topic and shouted at Ning Xueyan when she saw that it was going bad.

    "Fifth Young Lady, exin it to me." Madam Dowager took over Madam Ling¡¯s topic and shouted at Ning Xueyan with a gleam shing in her eyes.

    They were trying to put the me on Ning Xueyan coercively.

    Ning Xueyan was bored and fed up with these people in front of her. "Madam Dowager and Madam Ling, though thinking differently, had the same purpose. That is, to put me on the spot and take the me for Ning Yuling.

    "Ning Yuling is vicious and malicious, just like Madam Ling. Madam Dowager, who looks impartial, had never been impartial actually. She was so partial to Ning Yuling.

    "The so-called mismatching of fate must be describing me and the glorious Lord Protector¡¯s Manor."

    Anyway, nobody cared about her. She was the one that had to be sacrificed.

    But unfortunately for them, Ning Xueyan, who always treasured her life so much, would never allow anybody to trick or frame her. Madam Ling would be her foe forever, and she would no longer be softhearted to her foes. There would be only one left alive.

    "Mother, I¡¯ve heard my Second Sister mention the Third Prince. Was the Third Prince also involved in this matter? Should we invite the Third Prince and Honored Consort Ya here to see whether they can make it clear?" Ning Xueyan sneered with indifference and sarcasm in her eyes.

    "The Third Prince?" Madam Dowager did not look good and Consort Dowager also narrowed her eyes uneasily.

    "Involve the imperial family in the scandal? Who would be responsible for that?"

    "Yes, Grandmother. It is the Third Prince..." On hearing the Third Prince, Ning Yuling thought an opportunity had arisen. So she shouted hurridly, "Yes. I thought it was the Third Prince. So I..."

    "Shut up!" Madam Dowager burst in anger and hit Ning Yuling heavily with her stick, who leaned over and almost fell to the ground when her words stopped suddenly.

    "Guards! Take this lowly maid away and beat her to death with a stick!" Madam Dowager had now made up her mind and denounced Miao¡¯er angrily.

    "The Third Prince is His Majesty¡¯s most beloved son who has numerous secret powers. How can we implicate him so rashly?

    "This is the end of this matter of Ning Yuling¡¯s. We can¡¯t y up to the Third Prince in case we offend him and his powers..."

    Two older female servants came up and dragged Miao¡¯er out. Miao¡¯er went into a frenzy, struggling and trying to scream. But her mouth had already been covered and she was dragged out of the room.

    "Madam Ling, take the Second Young Lady to Qingrong Courtyard and don¡¯t let her out unless she gets my permission. Ask her to transcribe the Confucian ssics 100 times," Madam Dowager said angrily as she red at Ning Yuling in the harshest tone that Ning Yuling had ever heard.

    "Grandmother, I..." Ning Yuling refused to obey and burst into tears.

    Seeing that the whole scheme hade to naught, Madam Ling dared not say anything and asked the guards to take Ning Yuling out. It was clear to her that she had to rely on Madam Dowager to save her face. Even though Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor had rtives of the royal family, they still had to look up to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and take them as their backup force.

    So she could not go against Madam Dowager¡¯s words.

 Chapter 72 Step by Step

    Since it hade to this, no one there had any reason to stay. Ning Xueyan also returned to Bright Frost Garden with her people.

    Now it was tranquil in the courtyard. Madam Dowager asked those from Bright Frost Garden to pick themselves up now that Madam Ling was ill, and she suppressed those who seemed to always suck up to Madam Ling. After recovering, Madam Ling also tried to take the opportunity to do something but was held back by Mother Han, who had alwayse up with some ideas to handle her. That was why Madam Ling hated Mother Han so much and dragged her into the mire.

    Back in the courtyard, Lanning and Qingyu were sorting Ning Xueyan¡¯s items, while Mother Hane to talk to Ning Xueyan after packing her own things.

    "Young Lady. The First Madam and the Second Young Lady paid the price this time. Now that this has happened, the Second Young Lady would not be the principal wife even if she were married into Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor. By no means can the First Madam and the Second Young Lady bully the Young Lady." Mother Han smiled as she spoke to Ning Xueyan. She had been delivered from great danger and had witnessed the course of the incident, so she was in high spirits at the moment.

    But Ning Xueyan was not as delighted as Mother Han was. She lifted the corners of her mouth and said inly, "Do you think Ning Yuling will only be a concubine, Mammy?"

    "But things have gone like this... She was caught in bed with the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li before getting married. Won¡¯t she... just be a concubine?" Mother Han opened her eyes open and asked in confusion.

    "Do you think they will let this get out, Mammy?" Ning Xueyan tittered indifferently.

    No one else aside from the people from Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor had seen the two of them stay together. To prevent it from getting out, they just needed an order from the masters.

    Though Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor had a high status, they had little real power, while Ning Zu¡¯an was the opposite. How would he allow his daughter to be someone¡¯s concubine? Now that it had gone like this, Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Consort Dowager would have to consent to the marriage whether she liked Ning Yuling or not.

    But of course, Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would also have to pay some price for the marriage.

    "Then what should we do, Young Lady? The First Madam will tyrannize you if the Second Young Lady bes the consort of a princely heir." Mother Han became impatient. She thought that the evil-minded Second Young Lady had lost her chance, but she never expected that things would end up like this.

    "Take it easy, Mammy. What do you think of the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li?" Ning Xueyan raised her head and asked softly.

    "It would be interesting if the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li and Ning Yuling get married."

    "The Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, loose in morals, arrogant and overbearing, seems to be quite unsatisfied with the Second Young Lady judging by what he has done to her," Mother Han said after thinking. She was also a sophisticated old woman and her eyes brightened after saying this. "Does the Young Lady mean that the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li won¡¯t suffer this loss without taking any action?"

    In the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li¡¯s eyes, Ning Yuling was just a dissolute jezebel. Everyone knew that he was unwilling to marry a woman like her. Seeing what she had done today, she was by no means virtuous.

    She hooked up with the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li on her own ord and tried to pass the buck to Ning Xueyan when she was discovered, which was apparently to vilify Ning Xueyan. Ning Xueyan would have been wronged if she had not been astute enough.

    If a woman like Ning Yuling became a householder in the harem, she would do harm to all other women in the manor. The Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li must have gotten dozens of beauties in his harem because he was so romantic. Why would he be willing to marry Ning Yuling?

    "Nor was Ning Yuling willing to marry the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li," said Ning Xueyan, smiling slightly.

    Ning Yuling loved the Third Prince rather than the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, and she always posed as the Consort of the Third Prince. Compared with the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, the Third Prince was much more handsome and attractive. Most importantly, the Third Prince had a brilliant future, which was iparable to the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, who was so indolent.

    And the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li was notorious since he was often seen in brothels and goofed around.

    No virtuous girl would marry him!

    Ning Yuling would never fall in love with him because she was so arrogant.

    So their marriage would never be sessful. They had hated each other before their marriage, so who knew what it would be like when they got married?

    Superficially, Lord Protector¡¯s Manor seeded in saving its face but it would suffer more disturbances in the future. Even if Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor tried everything to bring Ning Yuling and the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li together, it was likely that they would fail in the end since they were both unwilling to marry each other.

    Hearing Ning Xueyan¡¯s words, Mother Han was enlightened. She stopped frowning and nodded vigorously.

    "Mammy, what happened to Concubine Ma?" Ning Xueyan stopped smiling. The matter rted to Ning Yuling hade to an end. Superficially, at least, Madam Ling did not suffer heavy losses. Now, she would need to figure out who had put poison in her soup. Knowing that it was not Mother Han, could it be Concubine Ma?

    "Young Lady, I was called by Madam Dowager this morning and went to Auspicious Fortune Hall. There I saw Concubine Ma kneeling down. She said in tears that I had been on a rampage in the manor using your power. And she said that my son hit her brother outside the manor and that my son was domineering because he didn¡¯t admit to his fault."

    Mother Han got angry when she said this. In Auspicious Fortune Hall, Concubine Ma cried andined. Then, Madam Ling asked Mother Han whether she had only one son and then locked her up, saying that she would sell her the next day. It took no more than half an hour for the whole process. Mother Han was sentenced before she could even exin.

    And she asked someone to watch Mother Han without any exnation.

    "What¡¯s Concubine Ma¡¯s parentage?" Ning Xueyan asked this after thinking for a while. Concubine Ma was the key to this matter. Last time, Ning Xueyan learned that Concubine Ma was new to the manor and was favored by Ning Hu¡¯an while she got along well with Madam Ling. Sometimes, when Ning Xueyan was taking a walk in the hall, she could see Madam Ling apanying Concubine Ma and seemed to be joyful.

    "Concubine Ma is from a humble family and was a peasant. I remembered that my son did fight with someone the other day, but that guy was in an opera troupe. Some people in the opera troupe upied somend and put up a tform, which blocked the way. My son tried to discuss it with them but they just wouldn¡¯t listen. So they fought. Is Concubine Ma¡¯s brother someone from the opera troupe?"

    Mother Han recalled this and told Ning Xueyan about the whole affair.

    "Though Concubine Ma is from a humble family in the vige with a humble origin, it seems impossible for her to bear any rtionship with someone in the opera troupe." Ning Xueyan frowned. "There must be something I¡¯ve missed, otherwise I can inquire about her origin."

    "Then how did they find out Concubine Ma was pregnant?" Ning Xueyan continued asking.

    "I don¡¯t know, either. I just heard from the doorkeeper, an older female servant, who gloated and said that the masters in the manor wouldn¡¯t do anything against her because she was pregnant and that I was the one who would be punished." Mother Han looked confused because she saw Concubine Ma still kneeling down when she was dragged out.

    How was Concubine Ma found out to be pregnant within such a short time?

    "How was Concubine Ma doing when you were in the hall?" Ning Xueyan smiled indifferently.

    "She was crying when I got there but was not rmed at all. Her words were well-organized when she testified against me, and I was stopped several times when I tried to defend myself. But I didn¡¯t see anything else strange." Mother Han shook her head. She did not find anything abnormal about Concubine Ma.

    "Did she look and behave as usual and keep kneeling down when you left?" Ning Xueyan frowned. She came to realize something.

    "Nothing different. Concubine Ma was kneeling down since my arrival and was still kneeling down when I left. She just spoke with tears. I was impatient at that time and was eager to defend myself. So maybe I lost some details."

    "Now that they looked all right, then they must have nned everything. They nned how to frame Mother Han as well as how to let everyone know that Concubine Ma was pregnant. That¡¯s why Concubine Ma was so calm."

    "She kneeled down for half an hour!"

    Ning Xueyan sneered. "As expected, they nned everything. Concubine Ma was fine after kneeling down for so long! She framed Mother Han and got away with ease. Next, they will do something about her pregnancy.

    "Madam Ling was so malicious. She framed me step by step and I would have been the one to be killed in the end."

    "Mammy, go out of the manor and ask about Concubine Ma¡¯s family home, her previous job, and if there is anything special about her."

    "Yes. I was nning to ask about my son and buy some crude drugs for the Young Lady. Young Lady, these drug stores were yours originally, but now belong to the First Madam. And I was bullied all the time." Tears came into Mother Han¡¯s eyes when she said this.

    Mother Han was indignant when she thought that the Second Madam used to be in charge of those stores.

    Superficially, the manor had provided drugs for Bright Frost Garden. But they did not have enough drugs to offer to two masters at the same time. And the drugs that Madam Ling sent to Bright Frost Garden were either fragmentary, of low quality, or had gone bad from moisture. These drugs could not be used at all.

    So Mother Han would buy some drugs for Ning Xueyan every time she left the manor.

    Hearing Mother Han¡¯s words, Ning Xueyan remembered Mother Han¡¯s son, Da Zhuang, who served in a drug store that his family operated.

    The drug store was Madam Ming¡¯s dowry. The shopkeeper was not only business-minded but also knew some medical skills. That was why the store was still in his charge. He thus could lend a hand to his previous master privately. Otherwise, all of Madam Ming¡¯s stores would sooner orter be taken over by Madam Ling and be her private property.

    Madam Ling was from a humble family. She had no dowry when she married into the manor. But now, all Madam Ming¡¯s dowry was taken over by her, and the entire staff was also reced by her people. So she was indifferent to Mother Han and even teased her.

    "Mammy, I have a dowry list from my uncle. You can check it and tell me the details." Ning Xueyan went over to the trousseau and opened it. She took out the list that Ming Feiyong had given her and handed it to Mother Han.

    "It¡¯s so great that your uncle gave the list to you. Take it easy, Young Lady. I will count it up right away. I didn¡¯t expect that your uncle had been keeping the list for so many years. The Second Madam¡¯s list had already been destroyed by the First Madam," Mother Han said angrily.

    666

    During that time, Madam Ling pretended to view the list of the Second Madam¡¯s dowry and sent someone to fetch it for her. Mother Han had advised her to say that she did not have it but was refused by the Second Madam. Then she never saw the list again, while the Second Madam¡¯s stores were taken over by others one after another.

    How could Mother Han not feel indignant?

    "Don¡¯t worry, Mammy. Sooner orter, I¡¯ll take back what they took from me." Ning Xueyan smiled slightly but had a cold look cold in her eyes.

    "I¡¯ll take back everything that belongs to me!

    "And I¡¯ll take revenge on whoever framed me!

    "I¡¯m just waiting for the opportunity..."

 Chapter 73 The Pretty Maid, Yu Lian

    "Young Lady, Sister Yu Lian sent by the First Madam hase. She has something to say to the Young Lady," a maid reported.

    "Let her in!" Ning Xueyan nodded.

    Mother Han put the dowry list into her breast pocket, stepped backward, and stood behind Ning Xueyan.

    The portiere was lifted and a maid came in dressed in a colorful, embroidered skirt, looking delicate and spotless, elegant and polished. Ning Xueyan stared at her and recognized that she was the first maid, Yu Lian, who served Madam Ling. Ning Xueyan cast her eyes on her face that had been meticulously made up and then noticed her embroidering shoes, which were decorated with colorful stitchwork of birds and gold.

    There seemed to be a faint smile on her face. She was calm as she stopped looking Ning Xueyan up and down.

    "Fifth Youg Lady, the Second Young Lady is betrothed to Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor. The wedding ceremony will be held in half a year. The First Madam has asked you to embroider some sachets for the Second Young Lady if you are at leisure in case they don¡¯t have enough sachets to award the servants."

    Yu Lian shook her aromatic handkerchief and spoke impatiently.

    She was not respectful at all. Apparently, she was treating Ning Xueyan like a maid.

    "If the Second Young Lady is to be married, you can turn to the weavers. The Fifth Young Lady never needs to embroider personally," said Mother Han crossly.

    "The weavers in the manor are busy now. The New Year ising and they have to weave clothes for people in the manor. Now that the Fifth Young Lady has nothing to do, she can kill time by doing this and make less trouble," Yu Lian nced at Ning Xueyan and said disdainfully.

    Her words were bing more and more bitter.

    This was another ve using her mistress¡¯s power for bullying. All the ves beside Madam Ling were the same, who always looked down upon those from Bright Frost Garden. These ves once even bossed Ning Xueyan around and never treated her as a mistress. They created all sorts of obstacles for her and tried to frame her with Madam Ling.

    Looking at the well-dressed maid, Yu Lian, Ning Xueyan lifted the corners of her mouth slightly and sneered. Yu Lian was probably 16 or 17 years old. She was slender and attractive and had been an Eldest Young Lady. She was not like a maid at all judging from her dressing.

    People would take her as a Young Lady if they had not heard of her.

    But going by her facial expression, she could not be a serious girl.

    Mother Han¡¯s face turned cold when she heard Yu Lian¡¯s disdainful tone. She was about to re up but was stopped by a gesture from Ning Xueyan. Ning Xueyan smiled at Yu Lian, leaned back, and asked leisurely, "Yu Lian, who will be the next for you to inform of the marriage?"

    "I¡¯ll inform the marquis next. The madam said that this will be a great event and I should let him know," Yu Lian answered after a beat, her eyes moving constantly. She did not expect for Ning Xueyan to ask her this.

    "I¡¯ll tell my father that. You can now go back and report to the madam," Ning Xueyan said with an affable smile.

    "There is no need for the Fifth Young Lady to do this. I will go there anyway. So just let me tell him." Hearing Ning Xueyan was going to inform Ning Zu¡¯an of the marriage herself, Yu Lian was anxious and she refused.

    "Are you visiting the marquis dressed up like this? Some might know that you are going to inform the marquis of the marriage, but most unwitting people will believe you have other purposes," Mother Han snorted. She detested Yu Lian for her coquetry.

    "What... what else can I do?" Yu Lian blushed and stammered because Mother Han had hit the nail on the head.

    "Who knows what you want to do? There is no festival but you¡¯ve dressed up so gaudily to visit the marquis. How would others think of you?" Mother Han never thought much of the maids who always intended to go to their masters¡¯ beds. Now seeing Yu Lian still being so stubborn, Mother Han could not help denouncing her.

    "Nonsense. I... I¡¯m just informing the marquis of the marriage. Why would you speak those brittle words? I¡¯ll tell this to the marquis." Yu Lian was so ashamed and indignant that she stamped her feet with anger because Mother Han had guessed her secret.

    "It seems that she is indeed in love with Ning Zu¡¯an."

    Ning Xueyan smiled and pretended to re at Mother Han. She turned back and said to Yu Lian, "I already knew that, but I have no time to do needlework for the Second Eldest Sister. You can go back and tell madam that I have to transcribe the scriptures for my mom tofort her spirit since she has passed away."

    Madam Ling and her daughter had always been trying to frame her, so she would never embroider for Ning Yuling. She did not feel guilty at all refusing their request.

    "Yes. I¡¯ll report to the madam immediately." Yu Lian realized after the short conversation that the Fifth Young Lady was quite different from how she used to be. She dared not act unbridled anymore and instead responded obediently.

    She did not have to worry about what to say to the madam. All she wanted was to visit the marquis as soon as possible.

    The madam was so alert that she seldom had the chance to see the marquis. Even if the marquis came to the manor, the madam would ask Hong Lian, who looked much worse than Yu Lian, instead of her to attend to him. She was extremely annoyed by this.

    Therefore, she would by no means give up this golden opportunity to visit the marquis while having the chance to inform the Fifth Young Lady of the marriage.

    Though the madam had promised a long time ago to marry her to the First Childe, she never put it into practice. Yu Lian became more and more skeptical of her promise and thought the madam must have lied to her. Maybe the marquis had fallen in love with her but the madam was envious, so she tricked Yu Lian.

    Now that Ning Xueyan had asked her not to inform Ning Zu¡¯an herself, Yu Lian did not run counter to Ning Xueyan¡¯s order and left Bright Frost Garden for the front courtyard happily.

    As she always did, she left without bowing to Ning Xueyan.

    "Young Lady, think of her attitude and behavior. As long as they see her dress, everyone will know that she is about to hook up with someone. Look, what a coquette she is! She always dreams of going to her master¡¯s bed." Mother Han cursed at her figure indignantly.

    "Mammy, this isn¡¯t what we need to worry about!" Ning Xueyan lifted the corners of her mouth with a cold looking in her ck eyes.

    "That¡¯s rather interesting for Madam Ling to have a maid like this. It seems that she waspliant outwardly but unsubmissive inwardly. I wonder how Madam Ling would behave if one day the first maid beside her went to the marquis¡¯ bed."

    It did not take long before Ning Yuling¡¯s delight was known all over the manor. Though some people who did not know the truth were confused by the fact that Ning Yuling would marry the marquis instead of the Third Prince, they were envious because the Second Young Lady¡¯s bridegroom was a princely heir from the royal family and theyuded her for her good blessing.

    But no one knew that Ning Yuling had smashed all the porcin in her room in Qingrong Courtyard.

    The two maids who served her looked at the door in fear and heard nothing from inside the room. Then they went in holding a cup of tea with great care. "Young... Young Lady, have some tea, please."

    Ning Yuling opened her eyes, looking wild and ferocious. She would grind her teeth as long as she thought that she was going to marry the lewd Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. She took up a cup beside her and threw it at one of the maids¡¯ heads, cursing, "Bitch! Bitch! Bitch! I¡¯ll kill you."

    "Ouch!" The maid failed to dodge the cup and she fell onto the ground. Boiling water spilling on her hands and she screamed out in great pain.

    It was the Third Prince who privately dated Ning Xueyan, so why did it turn out to be the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li? Confused as she was, Ning Yuling was clear that she had been tricked by Ning Xueyan. So she grabbed one of the maids in ce of Ning Xueyan, took out an embroidery needle from the basket, and stabbed the other maid recklessly.

    Her brittle scream stunned a group of servants who had just arrived at Qingrong Courtyard, looking pale and scared.

    Everyone knew that no one could be more ferocious than the Second Young Lady because she would vent her anger on anyone in front of her at any time and beat them until they were halfway dead. They wondered who was so unlucky this time.

    Madam Ling gestured at those servants and asked them with a cold face to leave.

    She stepped toward the room looking sullen.

    The room was in a mess with broken porcin all over the ground, while the two maids who had been stabbed were rolling around on the floor miserably.

    "Get out." Madam Ling scolded them.

    Seeing that Ning Yuling said nothing, the two maids left in fear, holding each other.

    "Mother, I won¡¯t marry that swinger. It¡¯s also clear to you that the swinger is iparable to the Third Prince. I¡¯ll marry the Third Prince and be the Third Princess." Ning Yuling looked wronged and cried when she saw Madam Linge in. "I¡¯ll kill that bitch. How dare she trick me!"

    "Ling¡¯er, stop mentioning the Third Prince. You¡¯ll never marry him." Madam Ling was more clear-headed than Ning Yuling at the moment. Even if Ning Yuling and the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li were clean, they had been found in one bed, not to mention that Ning Yuling was now unclean.

    Ning Yuling would never be the Third Prince¡¯s wife.

    "No, mom. You¡¯ll ask my father to think of an idea and have him fully support the Third Prince. Then the Third Prince will marry me. Honored Consort Ya had said that she liked me." Ning Yuling was still not in her right mind yet and she cried toward Madam Ling, pulling her clothes in agitation.

    In the past, her mother would do everything to satisfy her as long as she cried.

    And now, she was still the Second Young Lady in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor who would get everything she wanted.

    Ning Yuling sighed inmiseration seeing Ning Yuling like this. This was her most-loved daughter, but now her reputation had been ruined and had to reluctantly marry the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. How could she not be so resentful? Ning Yuling would have been married as a concubine if it were not for Ning Zu¡¯an, who promised to ensure the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li¡¯s prospect.

    Madam Ling became resentful when she thought of this. She reached out, wiped the tears from Ning Yuling¡¯s face, and said in a peaceful but cold tone, "Ling¡¯er, take it easy. Do you want to suppress that bitch forever and decide whether she lives or dies yourself?"

    Just like Madam Ming, who used to be high above her, was defeated and lived in a lower status than hers...

    Ning Yuling opened her eyes open and stopped crying when she heard that they were going to punish Ning Xueyan. She asked hurriedly, "Teach me what to do, mother."

    The ferociousness in Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes turned intocency with some coldness. She would subdue Ning Xueyan forever once she managed to suppress her.

    Ning Xueyan did not know that Madam Ling and her daughter were scheming against her for a second time. She was taking a walk alone after lunch. As she headed for Cloud Reflection Courtyard, she never thought that she would run into that man at the courtyard¡¯s gate.

    She felt an aching pain in her heart instantly, distinct and biting...

 Chapter 74 The Closed Courtyard Door and Slightly Closed Room Door

    "Xia Yuhang... do you know? I wish I could eat your flesh and drink your blood!"

    In the gap between the trees, Ning Xueyan saw Xia Yuhang, who wore a long snow-white robe, standing in front of the door with his hands sped behind his back.

    Xia Yuhang, a graceful gentleman, should not be wearing such in coarse clothes. However, he stood there at this time in these clothes and slightly frowned, showing a sense of loneliness.

    Xia Yuhang, who had always been elegant and outstanding, had lonely days too!

    Ning Xueyan smiled coldly. The love between her and Xia Yuhang had already disappeared! That kind of deep attachment, with the drainage of her blood, had long be a cold and cruel edge, bruising her all over.

    How much Ning Xueyan had loved him before, and how much she hated him now! She saw his hypocrisy at the cost of her life.

    After rebirth, Ning Xueyan did not shed a single tear for him. With such an excellent performance, he pushed her into the abyss and was beyond redemption.

    He was elegant and gentle. Unfortunately, Ning Xueyan had misread him!

    "Who¡¯s over there?" Suddenly, Xia Yuhang turned his head, looked over at Ning Xueyan, and shouted with furrowed eyebrows.

    Even when unhappy, he still kept his elegance and gentleness. He deserved to be called a gentleman.

    "It¡¯s me!" Since she had been discovered, Ning Xueyan stopped hiding and came out from behind a tree. Ning Xueyan was excited just now so she had identally stepped on some branches on the ground, making a sound that startled Xia Yuhang.

    "You... you¡¯re..." Xia Yuhang looked at Ning Xueyan and could not help looking into her dark, jade-like eyes with uncontroble enthusiasm, and his voice unconsciously shivered.

    "Brother-inw, did you forget who I am?" Ning Xueyan faintly asked.

    Only then did Xia Yuhang clearly see the emaciated girl in front of him. She was so young and pale that no one would think she was beautiful. But in another year or two, she would be a beautiful woman.

    Ning Xueyan, the Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor!

    "Oh, it¡¯s you, Fifth Young Lady." Xia Yuhang coughed and cleared his throat, with a gentle smile on his handsome face and a look of sudden realization.

    Xia Yuhang was just as hypocritical as before.

    Xia Yuhang had ck hair and wore a white robe, looking elegant and gentle. But Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes were full of disgust.

    "Brother-inw, why are you here at this time? I remember... this is Sister Ziying¡¯s courtyard, right?" Ning Xueyan¡¯s watery eyes fall on Xia Yuhang¡¯s face, twinkling to hide the hatred in her eyes.

    Xia Yuhang was stunned by Ning Xueyan¡¯s question. Then he smiled lightly and said, "I just have the feeling that this courtyard is different from others. It¡¯s strange for such a good courtyard to be locked."

    "Sister Ziying¡¯s death is still unclear now. The servants are scared and said that there were ghosts here. Later, they said that there were servants missing, so no one dares toe around. Often there are people saying that they saw Sister Ziying wandering around the lotus pond. Maybe Sister Ziying doesn¡¯t want to leave here. Brother-inw, how about having a look inside?" Ning Xueyan said with a slight smile on her face.

    Ning Xueyan calmly looked at Xia Yuhang and invited him.

    "No. I¡¯m just curious. Fifth Young Lady, we heard that something had happened to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. So, your eldest sister asked me toe." Looking at that pair of eyes which showed slight alienation, Xia Yuhang smiled uneasily, and subconsciously avoided Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes.

    That pair of eyes should have been full of love, rather than indifference.

    "Oh, it¡¯s nothing serious. The Second Sister is going to marry the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. Only now did the mother inform the whole family. You can go there now to congratte her," Ning Xueyan said with coldness in her eyes. Then she retreated to one side and gave way to Xia Yuhang.

    "The Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li?" Xia Yuhang was stunned and could not speak for a moment, his eyes widening. Then his face darkened and did not look good. It seemed that he was surprised by the news.

    "Yes, it¡¯s the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. He and the Second Sister had a very happy conversation, so the two families decided on their marriage. They¡¯ll get married in half a year," Ning Xueyan smiled and faintly said.

    Ning Xueyan had told the truth. Even if Xia Yuhang were to go ask Madam Ling now, Madam Ling would also say so. It was absolutely impossible that Madam Ling had told Xia Yuhang about Ning Yuling¡¯s scandal.

    "Wasn¡¯t it said that she would marry the Third Prince? Why will she instead marry the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li?" Xia Yuhang muttered, and the changes in his eyes were like the rising wind and scudding clouds.

    Ning Xueyan coldly looked at the handsome face in front of her. She remembered that she had seen this face through the water when she was being drowned. Sure enough, this man had other ns.

    Only when she came back to life again could she learn what kind of person he was!

    "Maybe the Third Prince doesn¡¯t like the Second Sister, but the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li does like her. Brother-inw, I have something to do. I have to go now!" Ning Xueyan did not want to stay with Xia Yuhang any longer. So, she saluted him, turned, and walked toward another path.

    "Fifth Young Lady..." Xia Yuhang called Ning Xueyan, frowning.

    Ning Xueyan looked back and asked coldly, "Is there anything else?"

    "Oh, nothing. There¡¯s no way ahead," Xia Yuhang exined gently, his eyes twinkling for a moment.

    "Unexpectedly, you¡¯re familiar with such a remote ce, brother-inw. That makes me think you¡¯ve been here before." Ning Xueyan¡¯s gaze was cold and her smile was light. She looked at the road under her feet and answered casually, "I¡¯m just wandering around. I¡¯lle back if there¡¯s no way ahead."

    She could turn around if there was no way ahead in the garden!

    What about the road of her life? After rebirth, she could no longer be the infatuated Ning Ziying!

    Ning Xueyan turned around and her gaze was cold and gloomy.

    Xia Yuhang helplessly watched Ning Xueyan passing by. For a moment, he wanted to reach out and hold her, but found that he had no excuse to do so.

    This strange girl gave him a sense of both familiarity and strangeness, and always reminded him of Ning Ziying, but she and Ning Ziying were two different people.

    Ning Ziying was gentle and pure, but the Fifth Young Lady in front of him was indifferent and not easy to get close to. Xia Yuhang could even sense a trace of hostility from her. He had only seen the Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor a few times. Xia Yuhang did not know why she hated him.

    But now wasn¡¯t the time to figure this out. Xia Yuhang took a deep breath to suppress his restlessness, turned around, and strode toward Madam Ling¡¯s courtyard.

    When Xia Yuhang left and could not be seen, Ning Xueyan wandered back from the path and went back to the door of Cloud Reflection Courtyard.

    Ning Xueyan had not been here for half a month, but the doorway of Cloud Reflection Courtyard was overgrown with weeds. The lower edge of the wooden door was almost hidden in the weeds. Nobody would remember Ning Ziying, who once lived here, or anything about her. She had faded into the past.

    Ning Xueyan took a deep breath and felt ufortable, as if she still could feel the pain when she was being suffocated.

    Ignoring the difort, Ning Xueyan half-circled around the fence and saw the familiar big crooked tree at the back of the courtyard.

    Seeing that there was no one around, Ning Xueyan went to the backside of the tree. She tied a knot at the hem of her long dress, grabbed the branches of the tree, and began to climb up. In herst life, Ning Xueyan also had a happy childhood. She used to secretly climb trees during her study breaks without her mother¡¯s knowledge.

    Now, this crooked tree became Ning Xueyan¡¯s secret.

    Even though she trusted Xia Yuhang so much, Ning Xueyan had never mentioned that to him due to the fear that Xia Yuhang would think she was not ady.

    After a short time, Ning Xueyan went up to the crooked trunk of the crooked tree, where there was a small hole. Ning Xueyan searched inside it skillfully and took out a long ribbon. Then, she walked along a branch that crossed the fence, crouched down, and tied the ribbon to the trunk.

    She fastened the ribbon and let herself down using the ribbon.

    No one lived in the yard, so it was lifeless here. The ground was covered with withered branches and leaves that crunched under Ning Xueyan¡¯s feet when she stepped on them.

    The courtyard was so silent that you could hear someone gasp.

    The courtyard was still the same courtyard where Ning Ziyan once beat her. But now, there was no trace of blood on the ground, just residual branches and leaves. The wind rolled up the residual leaves and they gathered by her feet. It was bleak and deste here.

    Ning Xueyan did not think about her past for long. She looked around, untied her dress, and walked toward the house. She pushed open the door of the middle room. The dust in the room was blown by the wind and went toward Ning Xueyan, who closed her eyes subconsciously as she was about to go inside.

    Suddenly, Ning Xueyan stopped.

    She looked at the fruit on the table in the house with astonishment.

    It was impossible that the fruit had ripened during this season unless they were produced in the greenhouse. But usually, the amount of fruit that was grown in the greenhouse was very small. Why would it be put in the house of a master who was dead?

    The candles had been burned up, leaving two candle-holders. The table was covered with a piece of snow-white cloth, on which fruit was ced. All of these were sacrifices.

    Ning Xueyan of course did not believe that this was done by anyone sent by Madam Ling. Although there was a greenhouse in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, very little fresh fruit was offered to them every day. So, there was no more fruit to be ced in front of Ning Ziying¡¯s memorial tablet. Furthermore, Ning Ziying was murdered by Madam Ling and Ning Ziyan. Why would Madam Ling be so kind to worship her?

    "Who did this?" Ning Xueyan pondered.

    After she arrived in the capital, she went directly to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and then lived there. Aside from Xia Yuhang, she did not know anyone else. She could not think of anyone who would worship her. These fresh fruits were not easy to get, so this person worshipping her could not be an ordinary person.

    The closed courtyard door, slightly closed house door, and tidy but dusty room were all strange. Everything here was full of mystery. And it seemed that the exact cause of her death became suspicious.

    Suddenly, the door opened and gave off a squeaky sound, showing a sense of decay. Ning Xueyan turned her head subconsciously, her eyes widening unconsciously...

 Chapter 75 The Mysterious Woman in White

    Outside the door stood a woman, a woman Ning Xueyan had never seen before. She was about 20 years old, wore a piece of white clothing, and was an elegant beauty. Upon seeing someone in the room, she still walked in with ease, although she was surprised.

    She had a basket in her hand that was covered with a veil. Ning Xueyan could vaguely see that there was some fresh fruit in the basket.

    But Ning Xueyan had not seen her before.

    "Who are you?" Ning Xueyan frowned and asked vigntly. Then she retreated, keeping a sharp lookout.

    "I¡¯m a worshipper." The woman put the basket on the table with an indifferent expression, put aside the veil, and reced the fruit on the table with the fruit in the basket.

    "You do not live here! How did you get in?"

    "Why can¡¯t Ie in? You also came in without permission. Fifth Young Lady, how much do you know about Ning Ziying?" the woman said with ridicule as she gave a look to Ning Xueyan. Then she took her basket, silently passed by Ning Xueyan, and disappeared from the sight of Ning Xueyan.

    Ning Xueyan was shocked that this woman knew her.

    However, Ning Xueyan had never seen her in herst life or this one!

    How much did Ning Xueyan know about Ning Ziying? If she did not know, who else in the world knew?

    This woman put fresh fruit in front of Ning Ziying¡¯s memorial tablet to worship her, showing that she bore Ning Ziying no malice. However, she was indifferent when she talked about Ning Ziying¡¯s death. Why did shee here to worship Ning Ziying?

    Maybe there were some things that Ning Xueyan did not know in herst life, such as this woman and some strange things that she had neglected...

    This time, she came here to take the relics left by her mother.

    In fact, Ning Xueyan had never carefully looked at these relics in her previous life. In her previous life, her father died first, and then her mother got seriously ill. Before she died, she asked Ning Xueyan to go to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. So, after her mother died, Ning Xueyan immediately packed up her luggage and went to the capital. And her mother¡¯s relics were kept by Mother Wang because she was afraid that she would greatly miss her mother if she were to see these things.

    When they arrived at Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, those things were also carefully hidden in a certain ce.

    Ning Xueyan hade here today to take those things.

    But now, she decided not to take them.

    The woman appeared in silence. Anyway, it was unsafe to take the relics at this time.

    Ning Xueyan had an intuition that the appearance of this woman had to be rted to Ning Ziying.

    Ning Xueyan pretended to be curious as she walked around the room, casually looking around. She did not enter the room where the relics were hidden. Then she closed the door and returned by the way she came.

    When she returned to Bright Frost Garden, Lanning and Qingyu, who had not seen her for a long time, were about to go out to look for her.

    "Young Lady, where have you been? The First Madam called you over," Qingyu approached her and said.

    "What¡¯s the matter?" Ning Xueyan kept walking and went inside.

    "I don¡¯t know. But it seems to be rted to the Second Young Lady¡¯s marriage." Qingyu frowned. "Lanning and I thought it would not be good that the First Madam called you over. So we said you were ufortable and already asleep."

    "Good. As a sister, how can Iment on Ning Yuling¡¯s marriage? Moreover, others don¡¯t know the truth, but I do." Ning Xueyan nodded and sat down. Then, Lanning came over to loosen her hair. Ning Xueyan prepared to have a bath.

    Madam Ling was not satisfied with Ning Yuling¡¯s marriage and was unhappy now. So it was possible that Madam Ling called her over with bad intentions at this time.

    Today it was Lanning¡¯s turn to keep watch at night, so Qingyu retreated first. Lanning helped cover Ning Xueyan in a quilt and was about to blow out the candle before leaving.

    "Lanning, can you tell me what kind of person Sister Ziying was?" Ning Xueyan, who had closed her eyes, suddenly opened her eyes and asked. Under the light, her dark, jade-like eyes were full of coldness.

    Hearing that, Lanning suddenly retracted her hands quickly and knocked a cup to the ground, making a crisp cracking sound in the silent room.

    "Lanning, can¡¯t you say?" Ning Xueyan coldly said, looking at the flustered Lanning.

    "Young Lady..." Lanning, who always was calm, said with hesitancy. She squatted down and tried to pick up the debris from the porcin cup.

    "I just went to Cloud Reflection Courtyard and saw a woman, a very beautiful woman. She went into Cloud Reflection Courtyard from the wall. And I¡¯ve never seen her before."

    Ning Xueyan smiled insincerely.

    When Lanning heard Ning Xueyan¡¯s words, her hands trembled and the porcin fragments cut her finger and blood rushed out immediately. Lanning subconsciously looked up into Ning Xueyan¡¯s cold eyes. Next to the quilt, Ning Xueyan¡¯s delicate, pale face was only as small as one¡¯s palm. But because of the dim lights, her face made Lanning feel familiar.

    "Young Lady!" Lanning subconsciously screamed and felt pain in her heart and had tears in her eyes.

    "Ning Ziying lost her father at the age of 10 and mother at the age of 13. Then she went to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor for shelter with Mother Wang and Xiang¡¯er. After that, she lived in the back yard of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor the entire time. Madam Ling gave you to her when you were 16. However, she threw herself into theke with Xiang¡¯er on the eve of Ning Ziyan¡¯s marriage." Ning Xueyan looked at Lanning and spoke softly, but her gaze was cold.

    This mood of Ning Xueyan made Lanning dare not look, and Lanning came to her senses immediately.

    She realized that Ning Xueyan was not her former gentle master, but her new wise and scheming master.

    But what made Lanning nervous most was that Ning Xueyan knew so much about Ning Ziying¡¯s life. The Fifth Young Lady used to live in Bright Frost Garden and had never seen Ning Ziying before. How could she know her so clearly? Lanning¡¯s face turned pale in an instant and she could not help trembling.

    "Lanning, others said that Ning Ziying died by throwing herself into theke." Seeing that Lanning¡¯s mood fluctuated, Ning Xueyan continued to ask.

    "Young... Young Lady..." Lanning opened her mouth, as if she could only say those two words.

    "Others say that Ning Ziying died by throwing herself into the river. I think nobody knows that she was murdered. My eldest brother-inw, Xia Yuhang, was Ning Ziying¡¯s fiance. Ning Ziyan not only stole her fiance, but also killed her."

    Ning Xueyan looked down and smiled lightly. No one knew this better than she did. After she was reborn, she had nightmares and dreamed about the scene of her death every night. Now, this hatred was deeply rooted in her heart.

    If she had not been reborn, who would avenge her?

    "Young... Young Lady... stop, stop talking, I... I... I..." Ning Xueyan pressed step by step. And Lanning finally could not bear it anymore, as she hid her face and cried.

    These things also were painful to Lanning, who subconsciously believed Ning Xueyan. Looking at those familiar dark, jade-like eyes and thinking that her new master knew the truth, Lanning got the idea that Young Lady Ziying had told the Fifth Young Lady those things in the Fifth Young Lady¡¯s dream and wanted the Fifth Young Lady to avenge her, so Lanning was unwilling to hide anything.

    "When did Xia Yuhang and Ning Ziyan start dating?" In her previous life, Lanning told Ning Ziying that Xia Yuhang had an affair with Ning Ziyan. But Ning Ziying did not believe that her best sister and affectionate fiance would betray her. So she refused to listen to Lanning¡¯s exnation.

    "Sister Ziying and Childe Xia were betrothed when they were children. Mother Wang said they had been betrothed for at least 10 years. When Young Lady Ziying arrived at Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she decided to observe a mourning period for her mother for three years here and then marry Childe Xia. Before Young Lady Ziying arrived here, the Eldest Young Lady and Childe Xia were not familiar with each other. But when Young Lady Ziying had been here for about one year, Eldest Young Lady and Childe Xia were familiar with each other without ceremony. I once saw they hugged behind the rockery."

    Lanning wiped her tears with her handkerchief. She thought about it for a while before answering.

    Lanning had mentioned that matter to Ning Ziying, but Ning Ziying had med her for misreading it.

    One year ago, Ning Ziying was 14 years old and Ning Ziyan was 15. At that time, Xia Yuhang was still very affectionate to Ning Ziying. It turned out that he had already changed his mind.

    A strange sadness hit Ning Xueyan¡¯s heart. No one would think that the affectionate man had already ceased to be faithful. But she was still kept in the dark. So, finally she came to such an end.

    "Was there anything strange when Ning Ziying was alive?" asked Ning Xueyan.

    At that time, Ning Ziying devoted herself to Xia Yuhang and thus neglected many things.

    "It¡¯s not very clear to me. But I had seen the woman you mentioned a few days before Young Lady Ziying¡¯s death, and I don¡¯t know whether or not it¡¯s the same person," Lanning frowned and said.

    "Who is she?"

    "I don¡¯t know. Childe Xia also was there when I saw that women. On that day, Young Lady Ziying went out with him. Then they met Eldest Young Lady on the way. So the three of them went to the garden together. I saw off Young Lady Ziying in front of the courtyard gate and saw the women when I got back to the room. She seemed to be looking for something. When she saw me, she wasn¡¯t panicked at all, but just opened the window and then disappeared quickly. I ran after her, but she already had gone."

    Lanning answered while recalling it.

    She was shocked and worried at that time because Zing Ziying and Xia Yuhang would be holding their wedding ceremony a few dayster. Who was this woman that appeared inexplicably?

    Lanning was very upset and had a bad feeling. But when she saw Ning Ziying¡¯s happy face, she did not want to tell Ning Ziying this matter that would destroy her happy mood.

    The next few days were very calm. So calm that Lanning felt that she had misread it.

    "Did Mother Wang and Xiang¡¯er ever talk about Ning Ziying? Or was there anything unusual about Ning Ziying¡¯s childhood?" There was no mistake in Lanning¡¯s words, so Ning Xueyan could not continue to interrogate Lanning at the moment. The woman who appeared inexplicably had to be rted to Ning Ziying, but Lanning did not know anything.

    "Mother Wang and Xiang¡¯er came here with Young Lady Ziying. I didn¡¯t think there was anything wrong with them, but there was one thing..." Lanning hesitated for a moment and equivocated, "there was one thing I think..."

    "Say it!" Ning Xueyan coldly said.

 Chapter 76 Lannings Doubts

    Lanning nodded and expressed her doubts. "Most of the things Mother Wang told me happened after Young Lady Ziying was three or four years old. It seemed that she had never mentioned those things that happened when Young Lady Ziying was younger. I felt strange at that time. She was Young Lady Ziying¡¯s wet nurse, how could she not know about Young Lady Ziying¡¯s childhood?"

    These words made Ning Xueyan silent for a while.

    In Ning Xueyan¡¯s memory, Mother Wang began to take care of her when she was a child. And Xiang¡¯er was the personal maid her mother gave her when she was eight years old.

    Ning Xueyan could not recall her childhood clearly; after all, she was a child at that time, but Mother Wang was an adult.

    "How do you know that Mother Wang didn¡¯t know about what happened during Ning Ziying¡¯s childhood?"

    "I once asked about the burn mark on Young Lady Ziying¡¯s ankle. Mother Wang told me that Young Lady Ziying was scalded when she was a child. But she didn¡¯t know the exact time. She only said that Young Lady Ziying had been scalded before she had arrived at the manor to serve Young Lady Ziying. But when I asked her another time, she said that she had been serving Young Lady Ziying since Young Lady Ziying was born."

    Such contradictory words made Lanning feel strange and doubtful. So she tested Mother Wang from time to time. The result of the test was that Mother Wang was not Ning Ziying¡¯s wet nurse. For reasons unknown, Ning Ziying¡¯s wet nurse was changed when she was still young.

    It was very strict when a big family chose a wet nurse. When the Young Lady grew up, her wet nurse would stay with her to take care of her. Generally speaking, the wet nurse would be more loyal to the children she took care of personally than others would be. So if there was no specific reason, it was impossible to change the wet nurse in the middle of her service.

    These things were always kept in Lanning¡¯s mind. Now, Lanning trusted Ning Xueyan, who was lying in bed, so she told her everything.

    Lanning gradually calmed down. The girl on the bed closed her eyes. Under the candlelight, she looked pale and emaciated, which made her look dangerous. But somehow, she made Lanning feel at ease.

    "I heard that Ning Ziying¡¯s wet nurse happened to be absent when she had an ident. Now she¡¯se back?" Ning Xueyan asked, opening her eyes.

    "She hase back. But she felt strange when she heard that it was the Eldest Young Lady who was marrying Childe Xia, so she didn¡¯te back to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. When we went to Cold Mountain Temple, I saw her outside the gate of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. So I went to see her. Now she lives in a house on the east side of the city."

    Lanning had kept this matter in mind for some time and already wanted to tell Ning Xueyan. So when Ning Xueyan asked her now, she rxed and told her.

    Seeing that Lanning became rxed and replied naturally, Ning Xueyan narrowed her eyes slightly. Lanning was a smart person. And Ning Xueyan now needed such a smart and loyal person to help her. Lanning was a good candidate.

    One reason was that Lanning was once Ning Ziying¡¯s maid. Ning Xueyan knew that she was a loyal maid.

    The other reason was that Lanning was calm in the face of an ident. She was intelligent and not rash!

    But she didn¡¯t want Lanning to disregard the present because of her former master. Ning Ziying had be a thing from the past. Now, it was Ning Xueyan who was alive. Lanning mustn¡¯t question Ning Xueyan¡¯s decisions and had to firmly carry out any of her orders.

    So Ning Xueyan needed to shock Lanning and gain her trust.

    Now, Lanning had told Ning Xueyan Mother Wang¡¯s story. So Ning Xueyan believed that Lanning trusted her wholeheartedly.

    "Lanning, don¡¯t rm Mother Wang at first. Hire a smart maid to take care of her. Pay attention to whether or not Mother Wang associates with others and what she has done. Let me know if there¡¯s anything. By the way, I¡¯ll pay the maid¡¯s wages."

    Ning Xueyan arranged Mother Wang well.

    "Well, I needn¡¯t tell Mother Wang that it¡¯s you who asked me to do those things?" Lanning nodded and asked.

    Ning Xueyan looked at Lanning with admiration. Lanning was indeed a wise woman. "I don¡¯t want her to know yet. I promised youst time that I would avenge Ning Ziying. When the timees, Mother Wang will be needed."

    Since Ning Xueyan and Lanning had talked about Ning Ziying, Lanning no longer hesitated and told Ning Xueyan everything she knew. So the two talked for a while. Seeing that Ning Xueyan had to rest, Lanning blew out the candle, went to the outside room, and was about to sleep.

    Bright Frost Garden was quiet all night.

    But Madam Ling¡¯s Auspicious Clouds Courtyard wasn¡¯t quiet at all. Ning Zu¡¯an was in a rage there.

    How could Ning Zu¡¯an not be angry at such a scandal caused by his favored daughter? Originally, the marriage between Ning Yuling and the Third Prince was certain. Unexpectedly, so many things happened during their trip to Cold Mountain Temple. Furthermore, the daughter, who Ning Zu¡¯an had always valued, didn¡¯t help him at all, but would instead bring many things to Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor when she got married.

    Madam Ling, sitting to the side, wiped her tears with a handkerchief with grievance on her face.

    "You just know how to cry. Look at your daughters, all of them are money-losing propositions!" The more Ning Zu¡¯an looked at Madam Ling, the more angry he became. He felt very upset and threw the cup out of his hands, which greatly frightened Madam Ling who then stopped crying.

    "Marquis, this matter... isn¡¯t Ling¡¯er¡¯s fault. Who knew that Ning Xueyan would do such a thing? She knew that Ling¡¯er would marry the Third Prince. So she wanted to seduce the Third Prince. Of course Ling¡¯er had to go and see. Ling¡¯er didn¡¯t expect for such a thing to happen!" Madam Ling said with grievance, her tears falling one by one. She wiped them with her handkerchief and choked at the same time.

    It seemed that she couldn¡¯t breathe because of sadness and grievance.

    "She wanted to see? Who is she? What qualifications does she have to interfere in the affairs of the Third Prince? And why were she and the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li in the same bed together and caught by others? I would like to know the reason. Tell me! Why?" Ning Zu¡¯an scolded, pointing at Madam Ling.

    "But... didn¡¯t wee to an agreement that Ling¡¯er would marry the Third Prince? Honored Consort Ya also agreed!" Madam Ling avoided the question involving the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, trying to exonerate Ning Yuling.

    "She... she also wishes to marry the Third Prince?" Ning Zu¡¯an was extremely angry. "She misbehaved and even pledged to marry a libertine without our permission. She wants to marry the Third Prince? How can the royal family ept her?"

    Ning Zu¡¯an was so angry that his words were very sarcastic. He didn¡¯t save face for Ning Yuling at all and described her as a prostitute, which also made Madam Ling flush.

    Besides being ashamed and annoyed, Madam Ling hated Ning Xueyan even more!

    How could Madam Ling forget that she nned to send Ning Xueyan¡¯s portrait to the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li? She believed that it had to be Ning Xueyan¡¯s plot to rece the painting with Ning Yuling¡¯s portrait. But Mother Chen¡¯s nephew, Chen Qing, had already disappeared since that matter happened.

    Now Madam Ling couldn¡¯t find anyone to vent her anger on, which made her even more angry.

    "Marquis, since the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li consented to the marriage, at least you should pretend to be happy," Madam Ling ate humble pie and said.

    "What¡¯s the meaning of supporting him? He¡¯s a useless libertine. A few days ago, people saw that he fought with others in the red-light district." Ning Zu¡¯an was angry as soon as he thought that the libertine would be part of his family. And when he saw Madam Ling¡¯s face, he felt she was a hypocrite and he hated her.

    "Marquis... it¡¯s Ning Xueyan¡¯s fault. But for her, how could Ling¡¯er... My poor Ling¡¯er, you should have been the consort of the prince, but now..."

    Madam Ling sadly cried and put the me on Ning Xueyan.

    "Don¡¯t just me Yan¡¯er. At least she is the daughter of Madam Ming. When you married me and had your own children, Madam Ming never treated your children unfairly. How could you do such a vicious thing to her child?" Speaking of this matter, Ning Zu¡¯an raged again.

    "Marquis, I have nothing to do with that matter. Concubine Ma admitted that she poisoned Ning Xueyan. I have to manage the whole family every day, how could I consider everything? People in Bright Frost Garden seldom obey my rules. So I seldom interfere with their affairs in case that something bad would happen. Unexpectedly, someone dared to poison the Fifth Young Lady."

    Madam Ling spoke with grievance, her tears falling again. Her voice was full of sadness, as if she really couldn¡¯t take care of everyone in the manor.

    "Did I me you wrongly?" asked Ning Zu¡¯an.

    Madam Ling knew where the problemy, and also knew that Ning Zu¡¯an wouldn¡¯t punish her. She had prepared well, so she was not panicked now. She raised her head and looked at Ning Zu¡¯an sincerely.

    "Marquis, you are a man. So naturally you don¡¯t know howplex our lives are. I really want Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to be better. Don¡¯t you understand my mind? If Concubine Ma weren¡¯t pregnant, she would have died for the Fifth Young Lady, but... children are innocent, Marquis!"

    This remark was really sincere. It seemed that she really took Lord Protector¡¯s Manor into consideration. Furthermore, Ning Xueyan looked to be healthy, so Ning Zu¡¯an felt that Concubine Ma didn¡¯t need to die for Ning Xueyan. Thinking of this, Ning Zu¡¯an became less angry.

    But he still wasn¡¯t happy with what Madam Ling had done. Looking at Madam Ling, Ning Zu¡¯an said, "No matter what, Yan¡¯er is my daughter. Now it¡¯s impossible for Ling¡¯er to marry the Third Prince. You¡¯d better see if Yan¡¯er can marry the Third Prince and be the Consort of the Prince. After all, she calls you mother. She will certainly thank you when she achieves a high position. Don¡¯t make trouble anymore!"

    Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s words were stern. Although he didn¡¯t say what Madam Ling had done, he already knew what she had done and what had happened in Cold Mountain Temple.

    Madam Ling took a look at Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s face and knew that he was determined. So she was aware that she couldn¡¯t retort now. She also knew that he was not concerned about Ning Xueyan. He just wanted to form an alliance with the Third Prince by the marriage.

    Madam Ling smiled coldly, malice shing in her eyes, but said gently, "Yes, Marquis. I¡¯ll arrange everything well to satisfy the Third Prince."

    Of course, she would find a "good" husband for Ning Xueyan.

 Chapter 77 Ling Yi Will Thank Mother Chen Again After He Succeeds in Seducing Ning Xueyan

    Ning Xueyan carefully smeared the medicine powder on the Malus halliana Koehne petals. The smell of the medicine powder was light, and it couldn¡¯t be detected when it mixed with the fragrance of the flower. After smearing it, Ning Xueyan stretched out, washed her hands, and asked Qingyu to carry the flower back to the flower room.

    Ning Xueyan was able to make some medicine powder. Aunt Xiang gave her some prescriptions, which made her suddenly gain some insights. Some things that had been iprehensible became clear at once. With not much change, the medicine powder made by Ning Xueyan with the original prescription would be odorless.

    "Young Lady, are you going to greet Madam Dowager now?" after dressing Ning Xueyan up, Lanning asked softly.

    In the past, Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t need to greet Madam Dowager every morning because Madam Dowager didn¡¯t want Ning Xueyan to greet her. However, Madam Dowager now needed to show her kindness to Ning Xueyan in front of others because Ning Xueyan might marry the Third Prince. She didn¡¯t want to be a biased grandmother in other people¡¯s minds.

    "I¡¯ll go after breakfast!" Ning Xueyan nodded.

    Qingyu had already prepared breakfast. After taking a small bowl of porridge, Ning Xueyan went to Auspicious Fortune Hall with Lanning.

    When Ning Xueyan arrived at Auspicious Fortune Hall, she found that Madam Ling was already there. She was busy preparing Madam Dowager¡¯s breakfast, just like a filial daughter-inw. Madam Dowager paid no attention to her and also didn¡¯t ask her to leave. It could be said that they got along with each other like this all the time. However, Madam Dowager was more disgusted with Madam Ling today. So she asked Madam Ling, the hostess of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, to serve her.

    Ning Lingyun, the Fourth Young Lady, was also in the room and was asked by Madam Dowager to have breakfast with her. Seeing that Madam Ling was busy, Ning Lingyun felt upset and looked at Madam Ling from time to time. When she saw Madam Ling¡¯s smiling face, she was a little relieved and carefully had porridge.

    Ning Xueyan entered the room and quickly looked at all the people in the room. She smiled and saluted Madam Dowager, who was sitting in the middle seat. "Good morning, grandmother."

    "You¡¯re here. Sit down!" Madam Dowager smiled and waved to Ning Xueyan, as if she hadn¡¯t proposed to sacrifice Ning Xueyan yesterday.

    "Xueyan, you¡¯ve finallye. Just now, Madam Dowager was worried that you hadn¡¯t arrived because you were feeling unwell again. Now you¡¯vee. You look well today." Madam Ling walked over to Ning Xueyan with enthusiasm and was about to take Ning Xueyan¡¯s hands.

    These people acted well, choosing to forget that they tried to frame Ning Xueyan yesterday.

    Madam Ling¡¯s words sounded pleasant, but they made Ning Xueyan ufortable.

    Ning Xueyan smiled slightly, avoided Madam Ling, and sat down beside Madam Dowager. The maid hurried to take out a pair of chopsticks and served Ning Xueyan half a bowl of porridge.

    "The rice was given to us by His Majesty. There isn¡¯t much in my Auspicious Fortune Hall. It just so happens that you two are here. Have a taste," Madam Dowager gently said.

    "Thank you, grandmother." Ning Xueyan gently thanked her with a smile on her face.

    Ning Xueyan had already eaten breakfast, but since Madam Dowager invited her to have a taste, she agreed.

    "Xueyan, mother was busy cooking porridge for grandmother this morning. We¡¯re lucky that we can also try some. So we have to thank mother also," Ning Lingyun said, ttering Madam Ling.

    Hearing Ning Lingyun¡¯s words, Madam Ling, who was being ignored just now, activated again. She took a look at Ning Lingyun with satisfaction and said to Ning Xueyan with a smile on her face, "We¡¯re family, don¡¯t be so polite. As long as you eat happily, I¡¯m also happy, even if I¡¯m tired."

    This meant that for the sake of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she was willing to work wholeheartedly.

    "Mother, thank you for all the hard work. Grandmother, since the Fourth Sister said so, why not invite mother to sit down and eat with us?" Ning Xueyan smiled and asked softly.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s words also meant that Madam Dowager had not considered Madam Ling¡¯s hard work, and therefore, Ning Lingyun had to speak for Madam Ling.

    Hearing that, Madam Dowager hummed and looked at Ning Lingyun unhappily. "Don¡¯t worry about her. She has already finished her porridge. We should mind our own business."

    Thinking of the matter that Madam Ling mixed her medicine with other medicines, Madam Dowager couldn¡¯t be happy.

    What happened afterward was more or less rted to Madam Ling. Ning Lingyun dared to want Madam Ling to sit down and have breakfast with them, which made Madam Dowager unhappy.

    Madam Dowager said that in front of so many maids, which made Madam Ling lose face. But Madam Ling dared not get angry. She could only smile and pretend that she had not heard. Meanwhile, she also dared not go near Ning Xueyan.

    Ning Lingyun and Ning Xueyan had already eaten breakfast this morning, so they only ate half a bowl of porridge with Madam Dowager. Then they chatted with Madam Dowager for a while and left.

    When they went out of the courtyard gate, Ning Lingyun took two steps forward quickly and walked out before Ning Xueyan. But Ning Xueyan had already lifted her foot. Because of Ning Lingyun¡¯s sudden advance, Ning Xueyan almost fell down and Lanning hurried to support her.

    "Xueyan, do you want to go to see the Second Sister? I heard that she was ill since yesterday and can¡¯t get up now." When they were outside the courtyard, Ning Lingyun no longer pretended to be fragile and spoke to Ning Xueyan disdainfully.

    She had always looked down upon the cowardly Ning Xueyan and bullied her along with Ning Yuling.

    "Fourth Sister, you go first. I¡¯lle immediately after I get the gift for the Second Sister," Ning Xueyan smiled and gently said.

    "The gift? You brought gifts from the remote Cold Mountain Temple? Xueyan, did someone send them to Cold Mountain Temple specifically?" Ning Lingyun spoke sarcastically. The meaning of her words could make people blush. As a Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she shouldn¡¯t speak like that.

    Ning Xueyan looked at Ning Lingyun coldly, sneering in her mind. Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was doomed to copse. So many Young Ladies misbehaved. The Eldest Young Lady stole her sister¡¯s fiance and also killed her sister. The Second Young Lady was vicious and selfish. And this Fourth Young Lady was arrogant and rude. There was no need for such a Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to exist.

    "It¡¯s some precious face powder that the Eldest Sister gave me before. I don¡¯t need it now, so I want to bring it to the Second Sister." After that, Ning Xueyan narrowed her eyes and turned her back to Ning Lingyun. She turned and walked toward Bright Frost Garden. It was useless to treat people like Ning Lingyun mildly.

    As soon as she heard that Ning Xueyan had precious face powder, Ning Lingyun also wanted some. She thought for a moment and said to Ning Xueyan with a big smile, "May I go with you to take a look?"

    Sure enough, Ning Lingyun was attracted by the face powder. Ning Xueyan sneered in her mind, but smiled and nodded. "Of course you can. I can¡¯t use it now. You can choose two boxes of face powder and take them away."

    "I really can take away two boxes?" Ning Lingyun was surprised.

    "Yes. Fourth Sister,e with me." Ning Xueyan looked at Ning Lingyun, who had been attracted, and nodded.

    Since Ning Lingyun was attracted by the face powder and also wanted some, Ning Xueyan could send some to Ning Yuling with the help of Ning Lingyun. In this way, others wouldn¡¯t suspect Ning Xueyan in the future.

    "Xueyan, let¡¯s take the way that connects to the garden. There are some new beautiful Malus halliana Koehne there. We can go and see them." Seeing that Ning Xueyan heading for the path, Ning Lingyun stopped her with an expression that she wanted to make friendly contact with Ning Xueyan. If she could get benefits from Ning Xueyan, Ning Lingyun didn¡¯t mind treating Ning Xueyan kindly.

    If she could help Madam Ling, Ning Lingyun thought it was worthwhile to invite Ning Xueyan to the garden. As for Ning Xueyan, she didn¡¯t care at all.

    The path led to Bright Frost Garden and it was quicker to go this way. Besides, the cobblestone path wasn¡¯t worse than the road over there.

    "Fourth Sister, we¡¯d better take a shortcut back. We have to visit the Second Sisterter," Ning Xueyan suggested.

    "Take it easy. Anyway, we¡¯ll take gifts with uster. The Second Sister won¡¯t me us. Let¡¯s go and see the flowers first. I heard that they¡¯re very beautiful, but I didn¡¯t have time before. It¡¯s rare that I have time today. Xueyan, let¡¯s see them, please."

    Ning Lingyun was overly enthusiastic today. Usually, she looked down upon Ning Xueyan and bullied her when they met. Today, she treated Ning Xueyan kindly.

    "Fine, let¡¯s go." Ning Xueyan smiled and looked down. She followed Ning Lingyun and sneered in her mind.

    Ning Xueyan and Ning Lingyun, each with a maid, walked to the garden one after the other with different intentions. Ning Lingyun did most of the talking and Ning Xueyan only nodded with a smile from time to time. They turned the corner of the courtyard and walked to another garden.

    In a concealed ce in the garden, a foppish young man in pink clothes appeared. At first nce, one would know that he was a libertine.

    He was Madam Ling¡¯s nephew, Ling Yi. His father was the Vice Minister of Justice, Ling Nianhua. He was the only son of Ling Nianhua, so he was spoiled by all his elders and grew up with many sisters. He had made no academic achievements. He was just a yboy.

    He got along very well with the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li and flirted with women every day.

    "Isn¡¯t our Fifth Young Lady beautiful?" Mother Chen, Madam Ling¡¯s personal servant, appeared silently and said to him while pointing at Ning Xueyan.

    Ning Lingyun and Ning Xueyan stood together in the garden. Although Ning Lingyun was beautiful, she was still inferior to Ning Xueyan. So Ling Yi couldn¡¯t help staring at Ning Xueyan.

    At first, Ling Yi didn¡¯t pay much attention to Ning Xueyan and thought that she was just a little girl. Compared with the plump Ning Lingyun, Ning Xueyan was inferior. But when he looked at her carefully, he was stunned. Although Ning Xueyan was emaciated, she was delicate and touching.

    Unexpectedly, there was such a beautiful woman in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor! Ling Yi couldn¡¯t move his gaze and didn¡¯t want to leave.

    Seeing his expression, Mother Chen smiled proudly. She pulled Ling Yi¡¯s sleeve to bring him to his senses. "Isn¡¯t she a beauty?"

    "Yes. Yes! Unexpectedly, she is the most beautiful one in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor." Ling Yi was obsessed, looking at Ning Xueyan¡¯s backside lustfully. He felt that the beauty in front of him was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen in his life.

    Ling Yi had seen many beautiful women, but he had never seen such a beautiful woman. This beauty looked so tender, but her gaze was cold and indifferent. Such a beauty gave people different feelings. How could Ling Yi not be attracted by her?

    "Childe, do you want to seduce the Fifth Young Lady?" Mother Chen suddenly went up close to Ling Yi and asked him in a low voice.

    Ling Yi was frightened at first, but immediately after he was overjoyed. "Mother Chen, do you have an idea?"

    After that, he took some money out from his sleeve and handed it over. "After it¡¯s sessful, I¡¯ll thank you again!"

 Chapter 78 The Impolite Visitor

    Hearing what Ling Yi said, Mother Chen smiled happily. She took the money that Ling Yi handed her and nodded vigorously. "Yes. Childe Ling, you may rest assured. I promise your wish wille true."

    Of course Mother Chen was happy. She not onlypleted what the First Madam had ordered, but also received a reward. Looking in the direction Ning Xueyan was leaving, Mother Chen praised the First Madam¡¯s wonderful foresight in her mind. Unlike the Second Young Lady, Ning Xueyan would not be protected by anyone if a scandal happened to her. At that time, she only would be someone¡¯s concubine.

    Furthermore, the Hostess of Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor was not kind-hearted. Any woman who Ling Yi did not like anymore would be beaten to death or sold to the red-light district by the hostess.

    Thinking of this, Mother Chen felt proud inwardly and quietly left to arrange the next matter.

    Ning Xueyan walked around the garden with Ning Lingyun for a while and then went to Bright Frost Garden.

    Whey they arrived at Bright Frost Garden, Ning Xueyan took out the face powders that Ning Ziyan gave her and opened them one by one. All of them were precious, some in light colors and some in dark colors. As soon as they were opened, a faint fragrance could be smelled. At first nce, one could know that they all were treasures.

    Ning Lingyun was just a concubine¡¯s daughter. Madam Ling was mean to those children that she did not give birth to. So they did not have enough pocket money every month. After buying daily necessities and rewarding servants, Ning Lingyun could not afford to buy such a high-quality powder. So when she saw those good face powders, she wanted them all, the greed showing in her eyes. She stretched out her fingers and tried them on the back of her hand.

    At the same time, she said, "These face powders look beautiful, but the color isn¡¯t bright enough. The Second Sister might not like them."

    Everyone in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor knew that Ning Yuling liked bright colors. Her clothes were gorgeous with exquisite decorations.

    Qingyu, standing beside them, looked at Ning Lingyun andined in her mind. "Aren¡¯t the colors bright?"

    Ning Xueyan chuckled and said casually, "They are not bright enough, but there¡¯s nothing that I can give to the Second Sister now. Fourth Sister, we¡¯ll just choose two boxes for her, and you can take the rest if you like."

    This suggestion satisfied Ning Lingyun. She liked them all and wanted to take all of them, so she deliberately slighted them and said that they were not very good. When Ning Xueyan said she could take the rest, Ning Lingyuan immediately agreed and began to choose happily.

    But these face powders were so excellent, and the colors and fragrances were all different. So it was difficult for Ning Lingyun to choose. She felt that these face powders were better than any she had seen before.

    "If only I could take them all away," Ning Lingyun thought in her mind.

    When Ning Lingyun was selecting, Lanning came in a hurry, pale and panicked. "Young Lady, a maid in the courtyard fainted."

    "What¡¯s the matter?" Ning Xueyan seemed to be frightened as she turned around and asked urgently.

    "I don¡¯t know. That maid suddenly fainted and fell to the ground. Just now I asked people to take her to her room to rest. Young Lady, would you like to ask the doctor to see her?"

    "There¡¯s no need to call a doctor. A maid merely fainted. I thought something big had happened. Xueyan, it¡¯s not important. Don¡¯t bother mother. I heard that the Second Sister is sick now, so how can we ask a doctor to take a look at a maid?" Ning Lingyun sneered and said with a strange smile.

    "Yes, we can¡¯t disturb mother. She has a lot to do every day. I¡¯ll go take a look." Ning Xueyan nodded and was going to leave to see the maid.

    Ning Xueyan went to the door and suddenly stopped as if thinking of something and said to Ning Lingyun with embarrassment, "Fourth Sister, I can¡¯t visit the Second Sister now. When you go see her, can you bring my gifts to her and tell her that I¡¯m busy now and will visit herter?"

    In Ning Lingyun¡¯s mind, Ning Xueyan was afraid of being scolded by Ning Yuling so she sent her gifts first to please her!

    Ning Lingyun nodded disdainfully with ridicule on her face. She looked down on Ning Xueyan more in her mind. It was said that Ning Xueyan had changed. But now, Ning Lingyun thought she was as cowardly as before and believed that she would surely be much stronger than Ning Xueyan if she had been born by the Legal Wife.

    Ning Lingyun replied while quickly packing up all the face powders on the table, "You can rest assured. I¡¯ll exin it to the Second Sister."

    Since it was Ning Lingyun who would take the face powders to Ning Yuling, she would choose the best ones for herself. Ning Lingyun thought she just needed to take one to Ning Yuling. Anyway, no matter how much face powder Ning Xueyan sent, Ning Yuling would not spare her. So Ning Lingyun felt at ease when she took all the face powders.

    Looking at Ning Lingyun taking away all the face powders and leaving with her maid, Ning Xueyan smiled coldly, standing at the door. When Ning Lingyun could no longer be seen, Ning Xueyan returned to the room and sat down.

    "Young Lady, I just went to inquire about something for you. Today, the madam and Childe Ling Yi of the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor came. The madam talked with the First Madam in the First Madam¡¯s ce. But Childe Ling Yi was also in the garden just now. I¡¯m not sure whether he saw you or not... However, when I left the garden, I saw Mother Chen and Childe Ling Yi walking together, talking andughing."

    After that, Lanning added another sentence.

    When they went to the garden, Ning Xueyan asked Lanning to inquire about it. Sure enough, some abnormalities were found.

    This was not the first time that Ling Yi hade to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, so he didn¡¯t need to be apanied by Madam Ling¡¯s henchman, Mother Chen. It was clear that they were plotting something. Ning Lingyun intentionally said she wanted to see the flowers, so they went to the garden. Although Ning Xueyan said she didn¡¯t want to see flowers in the end, Ning Lingyun said nothing.

    It seemed that Ning Lingyun just wanted her to go into the garden!

    The garden was the same as usual. The only difference was that Ling Yi, the libertine, was there!

    After thinking it over carefully, Ning Xueyan understood Madam Ling¡¯s plot. Ning Lingyun was indeed Madam Ling¡¯sckey. Since they liked scheming, Ning Xueyan would beat them at their own game.

    Ning Xueyan was worried that there would be no opportunity to drag the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor into the mire. But now, the opportunity arrived!

    There were two reasons why Madam Ling could be so powerful in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. One was that she had an outstanding son, who was the only son of Ning Zu¡¯an. The other was that she came from the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor. Her brother, the Vice Minister of Justice, had real power in the court.

    So it was not easy to overthrow Madam Ling. However, if one of her props were to copse...

    "Young Lady." Seeing Ning Xueyan¡¯s indifferent and cold expression, Qingyu called her feeling scared and uneasy.

    "Qingyu, where¡¯s the maid who fainted?" Ning Xueyan suddenly asked.

    "She just felt dizzy in the morning. It wasn¡¯t serious. I asked her and she said that she¡¯s anemic and it¡¯s an old problem. I let her rest in the room." Ning Xueyan had already known about this matter before she went to greet Madam Dowager this morning.

    "She¡¯s a neer. When Mother Han chose the maids before, the manager deliberately left out that she¡¯s anemic. So she was chosen by Mother Han and came to Bright Frost Garden," Qingyu indignantly said. There were fewer people in Bright Frost Garden than in other ces. Now the neer was sickly. It was clear that those people were bullying them.

    "Investigate that maid for me. You can chat with her when you have time. If she happens to be sick, you can go to visit her." Ning Xueyan suddenly smiled.

    In a word, this maid came to Bright Frost Garden by an improper method. At that time, Madam Dowager was thoroughly investigating Bright Frost Garden. Madam Ling was injured and had no time to care about other things. So it wasn¡¯t Madam Ling who sent the maid to Bright Frost Garden on purpose.

    "Yes, we¡¯ll go to see herter." Lanning and Qingyu understood Ning Xueyan¡¯s meaning and nodded.

    "You go first." Suddenly, a cold chuckle sounded in Ning Xueyan¡¯s ears. It was not loud, but it could be heard by Ning Xueyan clearly. Ning Xueyan was stunned, and then she calmly asked Lanning and Qingyu to leave first.

    Lanning and Qingyu didn¡¯t understand why Ning Xueyan suddenly asked them to leave, they just looked at each other doubtfully and then left. Lanning walked behind Qingyu and deliberately closed the door for Ning Xueyan.

    "Your maid is smart." When the door was closed, a pleasant but cold sound came from behind her.

    Ning Xueyan sighed. She knew that Prince Yi, Ao Chenyi, had appeared when she heard his chuckle just now. Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t know why he quietly appeared here at this time, but that cold voice made her know clearly that it was Prince Yi.

    Ning Xueyan calmed down and then turned her head. Although she had prepared well, she still couldn¡¯t help but be stunned when she saw Prince Yi.

    Today, Ao Chenyi was obviously different from before. He wore ordinary ck clothes instead of a luxurious ck robe. There were no bodyguards or eunuchs following him, but he still gave people a sense of a strong and powerful momentum.

    Ning Xueyan had to admit that some people were born kings, such as Ao Chenyi.

    Ao Chenyi leanedzily on her bed. The book she had just read and had leisurely thrown aside was now in his hands. He coldly looked at Ning Xueyan, which gave her the feeling of being stared at by a poisonous snake.

    There was no doubt that Prince Yi was handsome and beautiful. But he also was cold and merciless. Although he wore ordinary clothes now, he still made people feel scared.

    "You¡¯re surprised to see me here?" seeing Ning Xueyan staring at him, Ao Chenyi asked.

    Ning Xueyan calmed down and answered softly, "Prince Yi, why are you here at this time?"

    "I can¡¯t be here?" Ao Chenyi elegantly waved to Ning Xueyan and then pointed to the teapot on the table. It was clear that he wanted Ning Xueyan to serve him tea. He regarded himself as a master of this ce.

    Seeing his gestures, Ning Xueyan smiled, went over, and naturally lifted the teapot. When she was about to pour tea, she found that there was only one cup on the table. So she turned wanting to fetch another cup from the outside room.

    Ning Xueyan directly ignored his counter-question.

    As Prince Yi, he hade to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor with such clothes. Obviously, he had sneaked in ande to the ce of the womenfolk. Was it really proper?

    Ning Xueyan really wanted to tell him that if he were to be discovered, his reputation would be ruined.

 Chapter 79 The Sudden Search Frightens Ning Xueyan

    Of course, Ning Xueyan also knew that Prince Yi had never been reasonable.

    "Just this one." Seeing Ning Xueyan going out, Ao Chenyi hummed softly and knocked on the tea table while speaking.

    "Your Highness, I¡¯ve used it!" Ning Xueyan was speechless. She turned around and spoke with a very sincere attitude.

    "I don¡¯t care!" Ao Chenyi saidzily. Looking at her delicate face and slightly depressed look, Ao Chenyi narrowed his eyes slightly and felt somewhatfortable, his depression fading away.

    "But I care!" It was a pity that Ning Xueyan could only say that in her mind. Ao Chenyi would not listen to her words.

    Being stared at by him, Ning Xueyan could not say "no".

    After pausing, Ning Xueyan turned, went over to the table, and poured some water into the cup. Then, she put down the teapot, pushed the tea to Ao Chenyi, and watched him stretch out his slender hand with elegance andziness as he picked up the cup, drank the tea, andid down the cup leisurely.

    Suddenly, there was the sound of quick footsteps outside the door, followed by Lanning¡¯s voice. "Young Lady, Young Lady!"

    "What¡¯s going on?" Ning Xueyan asked calmly.

    "Madam Dowager¡¯s several stewardesses, together with some guards, areing in at the door. They said they are looking for a burr. Young Lady, do you need to prepare for it?" Lanning asked carefully

    Lanning was clever. Only when Ning Xueyan suddenly let them go out did Lanning know something was bound to happen. So as soon as she found the stewardessesing, she left Qingyu there to deal with them and returned to report it to Ning Xueyan immediately.

    "They are looking for a burr?" Ning Xueyan looked back, her gaze falling on Ao Chenyi.

    "They¡¯re looking for me? Or I¡¯ll go out to meet them now!" Prince Yi seemed to be in a good mood and askedzily while raising his eyebrows.

    "You wanna go out now? What a shameless thing to say!" Ning Xueyan thought in her mind while gritting her teeth. He could leave Ning Xueyan¡¯s room naturally and confidently, but Ning Xueyan¡¯s reputation would be ruined after that!

    "Lanning, will they check every room?" Ning Xueyan asked Lanning calmly.

    "Yes, they said that it was Madam Dowager¡¯s order. All of us, including the Young Ladies, must be checked because it¡¯s of great importance. They¡¯re afraid that the thief is hiding in the house now and will leave at night," Lanning answered. Although she had juste in a hurry, she still heard what the stewardesses had said to Qingyu.

    "Prince Yi, can you go back first?" Ning Xueyan felt embarrassed while looking at Ao Chenyi, who still was lying on Ning Xueyan¡¯s bed.

    "I can¡¯t go out now. What if someonees in and finds me lying on your bed?" Ao Chenyi said with interest in his eyes, which had always been cold. It seemed that he was very willing to give it a try here.

    "In order to please Honored Consort Ya and the Third Prince, Ning Zu¡¯an and Madam Dowager might murder me under the pretext of some special reasons," Ning Xueyan thought.

    If Ao Chenyi was not strong enough to kill her at will, Ning Xueyan would like to kick him out directly. She raised her bright watery eyes, just looking into Ao Chenyi¡¯s cold eyes.

    It seemed like it had been a long time. Ning Xueyan stepped forward, pushed Ao Chenyi onto the bed, and wrapped him up in the quilt. Then she put down the bed-curtain. After that, she went to the dressing table and pulled out the hairpin on her head at random, her dark hair scattering in an instant.

    At this time, Ning Xueyan could not hesitate. Since she could not reason with Ao Chenyi, she could only save herself.

    "Lanning, go back and tell those stewardesses that I¡¯ve been in difort since I got back from Madam Dowager¡¯s ce and I¡¯m resting in bed. Tell them that they cane in, but the guards are not allowed toe in. Otherwise, I¡¯llmit suicide if my reputation is ruined. At that time, they¡¯ll also get into trouble."

    After doing all that, Ning Xueyan resolutely got into bed. After thinking for a moment, she took off her coat and threw it on the screen, then she sat down on the bed andy down.

    No matter what Ao Chenyi did in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, he could not be found here at this time. Otherwise, Ning Xueyan¡¯s reputation would bepletely destroyed.

    The reason Ning Xueyan ordered Lanning like that was that she wanted the stewardesses to understand that if something happened here, they would never be able to bear it. What happened to Ning Xueyan before made the people in the manor realize that Ning Xueyan was not the weak and cowardly Fifth Young Lady.

    Of course, the deeper reason was that she wanted to stop those guards from entering her room. Compared with the stewardesses, these guards were the most likely people to find Ao Chenyi.

    "Yes, I know. I¡¯ll go right there." Lanning was a clever maid. She immediately understood the meaning of Ning Xueyan¡¯s words. She turned and walked toward the stewardesses, who wereing over.

    As soon as shey down, Ning Xueyan found herself wrapped around her waist. Then she heard a cold voice say with a smile, "Yan¡¯er, I¡¯m sleeping with you in my arms."

    Ning Xueyan could not help but flush and she took a deep breath to suppress her anger. Suddenly, she smelled a faint fishy smell. After thinking for a moment, Ning Xueyan understood. She suddenly turned around and asked, "You¡¯re injured?"

    "Yes, but it¡¯s not serious!" Ao Chenyi raised his head and smiled unconcernedly. Looking at the girl¡¯s cold and angry face, he chuckled in a good mood, as if he did not know he was in danger at all.

    Outside the door came footsteps and the voices of Lanning and Qingyu, who were talking about something with two older female servants. From the voices, Ning Xueyan knew that the two older female servants wanted to break in with the guards, but were being stopped by the two maids. It seemed that the people of Madam Dowager¡¯s courtyard still did not take Ning Xueyan seriously. Of course, Ning Xueyan also was sure that they would not dare to break in with the guards.

    Ning Xueyan nced over at the embroidering area. asionally, she would embroider some patterns. Now, her unfinished embroidery was over there. Aside from that, there were needles and scissors. Judging by the voices outside the door, it seemed that they had made a deal at this time. The sound of footsteps was getting closer and closer, they had arrived at the outside room.

    Ning Xueyan took a look at the teacup on the table beside the bed, and then another look at the scissors. She had an idea in mind. She pushed Ao Chenyi to the inside and covered his face with the quilt. "Prince Yi, don¡¯t make a sound, unless you¡¯re not afraid of the emperor¡¯s suspicion."

    Ning Xueyan did not care what Ao Chenyi hade here for, but it had to be of great concern; otherwise, Ao Chenyi would not havee in person. Ning Xueyan could not guess what was in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor that was worth Ao Chenyiing for. But she knew that if he were to be discovered, he would get into trouble, even though he was Prince Yi.

    Even if he could say that he went to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to privately meet with Ning Xueyan, it still would inevitably arouse the suspicion of the emperor and even spoil his great affairs, which was the reason why he was hiding here. He could not be discovered by anyone.

    If the private meeting with Ning Xueyan would not attract anyone¡¯s attention, Ao Chenyi would certainly not hesitate to exin to others that he hade here to privately meet with Ning Xueyan. As for Ning Xueyan¡¯s reputation, he did not care at all.

    Ao Chenyi did not expect that Ning Xueyan would dare to press his head under the quilt or would not care that he was the powerful Prince Yi. Therefore, he did not stop Ning Xueyan due to his sudden astonishment. Although he still had his arms tightly wrapped around her waist, he did not move anymore. Under the quilt, Ao Chenyi slightly narrowed his eyes, which were full of interest.

    Ning Xueyan resolutely picked up the scissors. When she retracted her hands, she knocked over the teacup, which fell to the ground, making a breaking sound. Then there was Ning Xueyan¡¯s cry of pain.

    Lanning and Qingyu, who had just arrived at the door, suddenly changed their faces and rushed in when they heard the sound. The two older female servants who followed them were also worried and hurried toe in after Lanning and Qingyu. The two older female servants had confronted Lanning and Qingyu outside the room just now, trying toe in with the guards for inspection, but they dared not ask the guards toe in the end.

    If something really happened to the Fifth Young Lady, they would die before they realized it.

    In the room, the teacup was broken and the tea was sshed around. Ning Xueyan was sitting on the bed with her long hair scattered, holding the scissors tightly and staring coldly at the two stewardesses, who had juste to the door. Due to her excitement, her hands were punctured by the scissors with blood dripping down.

    "Young Lady, Young Lady, what¡¯s... what¡¯s wrong with you?" Lanning and Qingyu were shocked. They reached out their hands, wanting to grab the scissors. But they were afraid they would hurt her, so they dared not fully exert themselves.

    "Didn¡¯t you say that the guards muste in for inspection? Is it really grandmother¡¯s order? Or do you intentionally want to pick fault with me and want to force me to die?" Ning Xueyan stared at the two stewardesses coldly, gritting her teeth. Obviously, she was very angry. She held the scissors firmly and refused to let go, despite how the two maids grabbed and persuaded.

    "Fifth Young Lady... Fifth Young Lady, it¡¯s not true. We, we didn¡¯t ask them toe in. They... they¡¯re all outside." The two older female servants did not expect Ning Xueyan to react so violently. They were so frightened that sweat broke out on their foreheads and they shook their hands vigorously.

    The Fifth Young Lady was so excited that anything could happen. At that time, neither of them could bear the responsibility. Now the two older servants felt it was lucky that they had listened to the words of Lanning and Qingyu and did not ask the guards to break in. Otherwise, it was highly possible that the Fifth Young Lady would directly hurt herself with the scissors before talking to them.

    It was said that a thief had entered the manor, so the stewardesses only needed to check the manor ording to the rules. Whether the thief could be found or not had nothing to do with them.

    "Young Lady, they didn¡¯te in. The guards are all waiting outside. You may rest assured. Be careful, don¡¯t hurt yourself. If you hurt yourself, we won¡¯t want to live." Lanning went to snatch the scissors in Ning Xueyan¡¯s hands while screaming out. Her words made the two older female servants feel more frightened and sweat even more.

    They regretted epting this task anding here. And they also regretted epting the suggestion of Madam Dowager¡¯s servants to check the Young Lady¡¯s room with the guards. Madam Dowager had asked them to check by themselves so as not to destroy Young Lady¡¯s reputation. Had they known that the Fifth Young Lady was so fierce, they would not have dared to let the guards search her room.

 Chapter 80 A Letter from Ning Yuling

    "Young Lady, Young Lady, we wouldn¡¯t dare! No guards came in. They¡¯re all outside." An older female servant hurried to say, even wanting to swear that they had not asked the guards toe in.

    "Did they really note in?" Ning Xueyan seemed to rx, but she still looked out and asked incredulously.

    "Yes, yes, they really didn¡¯te in. Fifth Young Lady, your hands have been injured by the scissors. They need to be treated first." Seeing that the situation had eased, the older female servant nodded her head vigorously to show her sincerity.

    On hearing that there was no guarding in, Ning Xueyan rxed her hold and the scissors were carefully taken away from her by Qingyu. On the other side, Lanning was finding supplies and medicine to cure Ning Xueyan¡¯s hands. There was a faint bloody smell in the room.

    "Since you want to search the room, just hurry up. Our Young Lady¡¯s hands are injured. I¡¯ll go ask for some medicine from Madam Dowager if I can¡¯t find any here." Lanning did not find the medicine right away and spoke impatiently when she saw the two older female servants standing still.

    It seemed that Lanning would report what happened here to Madam Dowager. The two older female servants looked at each other, shivering.

    "You¡¯d better hurry up. Don¡¯t let our Young Lady wait here, or someone else will think that there really are thieves here," Qingyu pointed at the furniture in the room and said unhappily.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s bedroom was very simple. There was a big bed that was blocked by a bed curtain. It seemed that Ning Xueyan was taking a rest just now. When she heard the quarrel between the two older female servants and her two maids outside the room, she got angry and pierced herself with the scissors to prove her innocence. And that cup was knocked down when she took the scissors with excitement.

    In front of the bed was a screen on which Ning Xueyan¡¯s clothes were hung. There was a table near the head of the bed, a soft couch in front of the window, and a table beside the couch. Besides that, there was nothing else. From the position of the two older female servants, they could see that there was no ce to hide anyone, except for behind or underneath the big bed.

    "Lanning, show them behind and underneath the bed," Ning Xueyan looked at the two older female servants and said indifferently with a pale face.

    "Yes. Come with me. From here you can see if there is anyone behind or under the bed." Hearing Ning Xueyan¡¯s order, Lanning pointed to a ce in the room and spoke to the two older female servants.

    The two older female servants looked at each other. They had thought that they had to search carefully since they hade. But after seeing what the Fifth Young Lady had done, how did they dare to search the room now? So they quickly took a look behind and under the bed. After finding nothing, they retreated while apologizing.

    On behalf of Ning Xueyan, Qingyu sent the two older female servants to the gate of Bright Frost Garden and returned after they left. When she arrived at the door of Ning Xueyan¡¯s bedroom, she saw Lanninging out. So she walked over to Lanning quickly and wanted to ask something, but was stopped by Lanning.

    "Let the Young Lady rest for a while. I¡¯ll guard here. You go ask Mother Han if she has the medicine for the injury."

    "Fine. I¡¯ll go now." "Isn¡¯t the medicine in the Young Lady¡¯s room? Why do I have to go to Mother Han¡¯s?" Although Qingyu did not understand, she also knew that it had to be Ning Xueyan¡¯s order. So she agreed and went to Mother Han¡¯s room.

    Inside the room, Ning Xueyan was struggling to get the medicine that Lanning had found and put on the table. The wounds on her hands were not serious. The scissors had cut the skin between her thumb and index finger. It seemed to be serious, but in fact, it was not. It was only very painful. The reason why she had cut her hands was to cover up the bloody smell caused by Ao Chenyi¡¯s wounds.

    Although the two older female servants were not as vignt as those guards, they had to be shrewd since they could lead the guards to search the manor. As long as a bloody smell was found here, it would be hard to avoid causing other troubles. So Ning Xueyan hurt herself to stop the bloody smell from being discovered. Under the circumstances, the two older female servants would not dare tell others even if there really was something wrong.

    If Ning Xueyan had not shocked the two older female servants by hurting herself, they would have searched her bed. Ao Chenyi was thin, but he, a man, would inevitably be seen as long as someone got closer to the bed. So Ning Xueyan made a split-second decision. Using this method, she made the two older female servants dare not search the room carefully or tell others.

    "You are so cruel to yourself. Is the arm injury all right?" Ao Chenyi got out from under the quilt and let go of Ning Xueyan¡¯s waist, but he stretched out one hand and put it on Ning Xueyan¡¯s shoulder naturally. He nced at Ning Xueyan, smiled in a low voice, and asked her.

    "The arm wound?" Ning Xueyan was a little stunned. She turned her head and looked into Ao Chenyi¡¯s cold but smiling eyes. Then she turned her head back and looked at Ao Chenyi¡¯s hand on her shoulder. Now Ning Xueyan could clearly see a dark and wet ce on his arm, while a bloody smell rushed into her nose.

    "Prince Yi, doesn¡¯t it hurt?" Ning Xueyan looked up and asked.

    "Why don¡¯t you check it for me?" Ao Chenyi smiled and said naturally, as if this was what Ning Xueyan was supposed to do.

    "Well, put your hand down," Ning Xueyan took a look at his hand and said. The smell of blood was very strong, so his injury had to be serious. Ning Xueyan stretched out her hands and pulled his hand off her shoulder. Then she took the scissors and cut his ck cuffs and sleeves to reveal his wounds inside.

    The wound was really serious, which could not be seen from the outside. It seemed that his arm had been prated by something. But now, that thing was no longer there, leaving a semi-coagted wound.

    If she had not seen the wound, Ning Xueyan could not have known how badly he was hurt. She looked up at Ao Chenyi, who was still as lethargic as usual. When Ning Xueyan identally touched the wound on his arm, he still remained lethargic, as if he was not in great pain. He was a tolerant man.

    Ning Xueyan frowned and no longer said anything. She carefully cleaned his wound and sprinkled medicinal powders on it. When there was no bloodstain around the wound, she picked up the handkerchief from before and wrapped the wound carefully for him.

    Ao Chenyi said nothing, which was rare. He looked at his wound for a while and finallyid his gaze on Ning Xueyan.

    Her facial features were delicate. Only her profile made people feel she was beautiful. Because she was pale and young, no one would think she was beautiful at first nce. But after carefully looking, one would find that she was very charming. But her indifference made people dare not get close to her.

    But that feeling would disappear when one discovered her charm. Her indifference and charm, two totally different temperaments,bined together, attracting everyone¡¯s attention.

    This ferocious wildcat-like woman was really different from other women.

    Ning Xueyan did not care about Prince Yi¡¯s scrutiny, but just carefully bandaged Ao Chenyi¡¯s wound. After finishing, she raised her head and said, "Now your wound has been treated, can you leave now?"

    "What if I don¡¯t go?" Ao Chenyi could not helpughing as he looked at her.

    It seemed like Ning Xueyan had pressed on his arm wound unintentionally. As expected, Ao Chenyi¡¯s face turned pale and his gaze became cold and bloodthirsty at once.

    "Prince Yi, this is Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. The marquis is absent right now. But when hees back and searches the manor by himself, I can¡¯t protect you at that time," Ning Xueyan smiled and said softly.

    "You dare to threaten me." Ao Chenyi¡¯s tone was extremely cold and it could make people feel scared.

    "I would not dare! I just believe that you don¡¯t want what I said to be true!" Ning Xueyan did not look at Ao Chenyi¡¯s face. She pushed his hands away, got out of bed, put on her coat naturally, and then walked out of the bedroom.

    As soon as Ning Xueyan reached the next room, she heard Lanning knocking at the door. "Young Lady, someone is here with a letter. Do you want to see her?"

    "Bring me the letter." Ning Xueyan sat down as she answered. Hearing Ning Xueyan¡¯s reply, Lanning left to convey Ning Xueyan¡¯s meaning. After a while, Qingyu arrived with a maid.

    The snow-white letter was in a pink envelope. Ning Xueyan narrowed her eyes when she saw the letter. But she still smiled with coldness in her eyes. She held the letter in her hands but did not open it, asking the maid who had sent the letter. "Where is this letter from?"

    "I encountered a maid of the Second Young Lady. This is from the Second Young Lady," the maid, who was very young, answered respectfully.

    "Is the Second Young Lady still sick and lying in bed?" Ning Xueyan asked calmly.

    "That maid said yes. She also said that you need to go see her, and if you don¡¯t visit the sick the Second Young Lady, she will be very angry because you ignore your sisterhood," the maid replied naturally.

    "I see, you may leave!" Ning Xueyan paused for a moment then waved her hands.

    Qingyu looked at Ning Xueyan¡¯s slightly cold look and anxiously said, "Young Lady, what does the Second Young Lady want to do?"

    Ning Xueyan opened the note in her hands, on which there only were just a few words: "Come on! It¡¯s urgent!"

    The words on the note totally showed Ning Yuling¡¯s insolence. It looked like Ning Yuling was displeased with Ning Xueyan¡¯s absence and had gotten angry. So she wanted Ning Xueyan to go to her ce so she could humiliate her, which always happened in the past.

    "You met the Second Young Lady¡¯s maid at the gate of the courtyard?" Ning Xueyan put away the note and asked faintly.

    "Yes. When I was about to go out, I saw the maiding over. She asked me to give this letter to you. She also said that you should hurry up and not let the Second Young Lady wait too long, otherwise she¡¯ll lose her temper again," the maid answered after thinking for a moment.

    It would take at least one hour to get to Ning Yuling¡¯s courtyard from Ning Xueyan¡¯s courtyard. Ning Lingyun just left. So it was impossible that she had arrived at Ning Yuling¡¯s courtyard.

    If Ning Lingyun had not said that, Ning Xueyan would not have known that Ning Yuling was sick. But the maid who sent the letter was sure that Ning Xueyan had known Ning Yuling was sick and did not exin it at all.

    Furthermore, this letter was not an ordinary note. It was very popr among women in the brothel and was not liked by the Young Ladies...

    Additionally, why did Ning Yuling call her over?

    Ning Xueyan carefully rubbed the paper in her hands. This paper smelled good and had a different kind of odor than other paper. She smiled and said to Lanning and Qingyu with sarcasm on her face, "Call more servants to apany me. Last time, Madam Dowager said there should be more trees in my courtyard and asked me to choose them in the garden when I have time. Today, I happen to have time. Let¡¯s visit the Second Young Lady together and incidentally choose the trees."

    "Yes!" Seeing that Ning Xueyan was confident, Lanning made a quick response and went outside to gather some people.

    Qingyu was no longer upset. She nodded and asked the little maid to leave, saying nothing more.

    After finishing everything, Ning Xueyan returned to the inner room. As expected, Ao Chenyi was no longer there and a bottle of medicine was left on the table...

 Chapter 81 Madam, This is Lord Protectors Manor

    Ling Yi felt restless and walked back and forth in the room, making the young male servant behind him feel dizzy.

    "Childe, don¡¯t worry. The Fifth Young Lady ising soon. I almost feel dizzy due to your walking back and forth," the young male servant could not help saying.

    This was a house facing the water, lying on the way from Bright Frost Garden to Qingrong Courtyard.

    Ning Xueyan would surely pass through this remote ce if she came from Bright Frost Garden. A maid of Ning Yuling was waiting in the road ahead. When Ning Xueyan arrived, the maid would tell her that Ning Yuling was here and trick her intoing.

    "Go and see if the Fifth Young Lady is here." On thinking that the beauty would soon belong to him, Ling Yi was so excited that he could not sit still.

    "Childe, the Fifth Young Lady ising!" suddenly, the young male servant shouted excitedly and waved to Ling Yi while peeping through the door.

    Hearing that, Ling Yi quickly went to the door and peeped through it, immediately fixing his eyes on the woman on the road.

    A girl dressed in in white clothes came into Ling Yi¡¯s view. The longer he looked, the more beautiful he thought she was. He could not even look away. From now on, such a beautiful woman would belong to him, which greatly excited him.

    "Childe, we¡¯d better hide first," the young male servant warned Ling Yi.

    Ling Yi was almost dragged behind the screen by the young male servant.

    There was a small side door behind the screen. The young male servant skillfully went out from the small side door and hid behind it to eavesdrop.

    The door opened. Lanning frowned and asked while looking at the empty room, "Young Lady, the Second Young Lady had you wait here?"

    Ning Xueyan took a look at the room and walked in while Qingyu guarded by the door vigntly.

    With a few steps, she walked over to the screen, which blocked half of theyout in the house. It was an ordinary screen. Ning Xueyan pushed it with her hands and found that it was not heavy.

    Ning Xueyan tilted her head and hinted to Lanning. Then the two forcefully pushed the screen together. The screen fell down, revealing Ling Yi, who only wore underwear. He was frightened and stepped backward, leaving the ce where he had been hiding.

    "Ah, there¡¯s a thief!" Before everyone could see clearly, Lanning screamed while kicking a chair down on its side, which then hit Ling Yi¡¯s feet. Ling Yi took two steps askew, fell to the ground, and could not help letting out a cry of pain.

    Ning Xueyan pulled down the curtain and threw it toward Ling Yi while retreating.

    Lanning tucked the letter that she had prepared into Ling Yi¡¯s clothes before everybody outside came in.

    Several older female servants who usually did unskilled work rushed in when they heard the noise in the house.

    "Hurry up, there¡¯s a thief here," Ning Xueyan said while pointing at Ling Yi, who was entangled by the curtain and could not get free of it at the moment. "He dared to try to steal from Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Beat him!"

    The maids and older female servants did not clearly see what had happened and only heard the voice of a man. It was a great event for a male burr to appear in a courtyard of the womenfolk. So they all rushed in, afraid of falling behind, and then caught Ling Yi and beat him.

    These older female servants and maids were strong. So Ling Yi was beaten seriously while shouting loudly, "You bitches... stop! I am Childe Ling Yi."

    The older female servants stopped when they heard Ling Yi¡¯s words and turned toward Ning Xueyan subconsciously.

    "How could Childe Ling Yi dress like this and appear here? Look at those things, aren¡¯t they the property of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?" Ning Xueyan coldly said while pointing at the delicate jewelry box on the table.

    Originally, Ling Yi had intended to tempt Ning Xueyan using that jewelry box.

    But at this time, no one could tell if that jewelry box belonged to the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor or Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Besides, the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor used to be a poor family and many things were taken from Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. An older female servant even saw a small "Ning" on the jewelry box, so she believed that he was a thief.

    Therefore, she beat Ling Yi even harder at once. Ling Yi was beaten half-dead and could not even speak a word.

    "Stop! He¡¯s Childe Ling Yi!" At first, the young male servant, who had been squatting by the back door, thought it was nothing serious. Because he had squatted a little far away, when he heard the sounds, he thought that they were being caused by Ning Xueyan¡¯s resistance. He tittered outside the house and believed that the Fifth Young Lady would certainly give in because his master had some tools they had gotten from the brothel.

    Suddenly, he heard his Childe¡¯s screams and felt that something was wrong. So he ran to the side door, opened it, and rushed in while shouting.

    He caught those older female servants¡¯ clothes and tried to pull them away.

    In Auspicious Clouds Courtyard¡ª

    Madam Ling was talking to her sister-inw, Madam Qian. Everything that had happened to Ning Yuling, Madam Ling ascribed it to Ning Xueyan, making Madam Qian share the same hatred toward Ning Xueyan. So they were looking for ways to teach Ning Xueyan a lesson. Madam Qian was giving advice to Madam Ling and repeatedly said that she would teach Ning Xueyan a lesson when she met her.

    Madam Ling was satisfied with Madam Qian¡¯s words and was secretly happy in her mind.

    Madam Ling believed that Madam Qian would certainly deal with Ning Xueyan after listening to her words.

    Suddenly, Honglian rushed in with a pale face. "First Madam, something... something bad has happened!"

    "What happened?" Madam Ling was not in a hurry at all.

    Madam Ling thought that Ning Xueyan had been caught having the affair with Ling Yi. She asked Honglian with a smile on her face because this matter was part of her n.

    But Madam Qian, sitting at the side, changed her looks.

    "It¡¯s Childe Ling Yi... something bad happened to Childe Ling Yi... in the house over there," Honglian gasped.

    Honglian was in a great panic. The whole matter was arranged by her. She asked a maid of Ning Yuling to send the letter to Ning Xueyan and arranged the rest. But now something went wrong. She had a feeling that the First Madam would seriously punish her.

    "What happened to Yi¡¯er?" Madam Qian could not sit still and asked urgently when she heard that something had happened to her son.

    "Childe Ling Yi was resting in the house. Unexpectedly, the Fifth Young Lady arrived and asked servants to beat him. Now, he¡¯s... he¡¯s..."

    "Ning Xueyan gave Ling Yi a beating?" Madam Ling was shocked by that news and turned pale immediately. She could not help asking, "Where is Ning Xueyan now?"

    "The Fifth Young Lady, together with the maids and older female servants, is there now, waiting for your arrival..." Honglian was worried and her forehead was covered in sweat.

    Madam Qian had already stood up and rushed out in spite of talking to Madam Ling.

    Madam Ling also looked very unpleasant. Finally, she stamped her feet, gritted her teeth, closed her fists, and said with a ferocious expression, "Let¡¯s go and take a look."

    When Madam Ling and Madam Qian arrived, Ning Xueyan was sitting on a chair in the middle of the room and the half-dead Ling Yi was lying on the ground.

    Hearing the tinkling sound of earrings and bracelets, Ning Xueyan turned her head and saw Madam Linging in with a woman in simr gorgeous clothes. The woman was not very beautiful, but she looked fierce. At first nce, one would know that it was difficult to get along with her.

    She rushed over to Ling Yi and hugged him as soon as she saw him lying on the ground.

    "Xueyan, what¡¯s going on?" Madam Ling came in and got angry when she saw Ning Xueyan leisurely sitting in the chair, her face darkening. "Come and pay respects to Madam Qian!"

    Madam Qian was the wife of the Vice Minister of Justice, but Ning Xueyan was the daughter of Lord Protector¡¯s Legal Wife. So Madam Qian¡¯s position was inferior to Ning Xueyan¡¯s.

    Madam Ling called her sister-inw Madam Qian, which meant that she was the wife of the Vice Minister of Justice. In this way, Ning Xueyan did not need to pay respects to Madam Qian.

    However, Ning Xueyan stood up, stepped back, and saluted Madam Qian with a smile on her face. "Nice to meet you, Madam Qian."

    Seeing that her son had been beaten half-dead, Madam Qian was very angry. She stood up and did not return the salute, but snorted and sat down. Instead of talking to Ning Xueyan, Madam Qian asked Madam Ling, "Who¡¯s this rude girl?"

    Madam Ling smiled and replied, "She has been in Bright Frost Garden the entire time for so many years and seldom meets outsiders. So her etiquette has been neglected. Please forgive her, my sister."

    Madam Qian then said with a snort, "No wonder she¡¯s impolite. Fine, I¡¯ll forgive you."

    Ning Xueyan sneered in her mind and thought that Madam Qian was so powerful. Madam Qian really took this ce as if it were her own ce, the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor, and psyched out Ning Xueyan at the beginning. In this case, Ning Xueyan decided not to treat her politely and straightened up.

    "Did you ask these people to beat Yi¡¯er?" Madam Qian raised her chin and asked with disdain.

    In recent years, His Majesty paid more and more attention to the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor, so Madam Qian became more and more arrogant. In addition, Ning Xueyan had always been bullied by Madam Ling and her daughter before. Therefore, Madam Qian looked down on Ning Xueyan.

    "Madam, do you mean him? This is only a thief. I don¡¯t see your son," Ning Xueyan answered calmly.

    "A thief? He¡¯s the Eldest Childe of the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor. You dare to insult my son!" Madam Qian was furious. She pounded the table and spoke aggressively.

    "Madam, I really don¡¯t know how this thief is Cousin Ling Yi. Look, the jewelry box on the table belongs to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Why does Cousin Ling Li have it?"

    Ning Xueyan answered in neither a humble nor exalted way while looking at the jewelry box on the table with sarcasm on her face.

    Originally, items like this belonged to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, but many of them were transferred to the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor by Madam Ling. In front of so many people, Ning Xueyan wondered if Madam Qian and Madam Ling would dare to say that the jewelry box belonged to the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor.

    When Madam Qian saw the jewelry box, her face turned pale at once. But then she said sharply, "I want to make some decorations ording to your mother¡¯s. This jewelry box is one of them. But you said that this was stolen by my son. He¡¯s the Eldest Childe of Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor, does he need to steal these things?"

    Madam Qian resorted to sophistry.

    There was a small "Ning" on the jewelry box. How dare Madam Qian say that she made it ording to Madam Ling¡¯s jewelry box!

    "What¡¯s going on?" Madam Ling turned her fierce gaze from Ning Xueyan to the maids and older female servants and angrily asked.

    Lanning stepped forward and reported, "The Second Young Lady asked the Fifth Young Lady toe here to meet her. It happened that our Young Lady wanted to transnt some trees at Bright Frost Garden. So we came here together. Unexpectedly, we found a person skulking here as soon as we arrived here..."

    "Does Yi¡¯er need to skulk here?" Madam Qian was furious and scolded Lanning while pointing at her.

    "I¡¯m not lying. I wasn¡¯t the only one present at that time. Madam, if you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask the others." Lanning had been prepared for it, so now she answered calmly.

    Madam Qian was so angry that she was about to p Lanning.

    Ning Xueyan walked forward and took Madam Qian¡¯s hands. She said with a cold smile on her face, "Madam, this is Lord Protector¡¯s Manor!"

 Chapter 82 Madam Ling and Madam Qian Act so Well

    "So what? Can¡¯t I teach a maid a lesson?" Being offended repeatedly by Ning Xueyan, Madam Qian was furious. She pulled back her hand and pounded the table while speaking with great anger.

    The maids and older female servants saw she got angry and dared not raise their heads, trembling with fear.

    "Take this bitch away and give her a rough beating."

    Everyone was shocked by Madam Qian¡¯s words. Was she going to beat Lanning to death?

    Seeing Madam Qian¡¯s dominance over Ning Xueyan, Madam Ling showed a faint smile on her face, but still said, "Sister, forget it. Just flog her 50 times, or she¡¯ll die..."

    Lanning would certainly be disabled after the flogging.

    "No way. She spoke without evidence. If she isn¡¯t punished severely, everybody in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor will do the same as her." Madam Qian insisted on severely punishing Lanning.

    Madam Ling was seemingly embarrassed but was happy in her mind. Anyway, she had persuaded Madam Qian. In fact, Madam Qian insisting on punishing Lanning severely was exactly what Madam Ling had wanted. That was because Lanning not only was Ning Xueyan¡¯s maid and helper, but also had been Ning Ziying¡¯s maid. If Lanning was dead, Ning Xueyan would lose one helper and Ning Ziying¡¯s matter would not be known to others.

    Several older female servants behind Madam Qian came over to grab Lanning.

    Ning Xueyan stood in front of Lanning and stopped those older female servants while coldly saying, "Madam Qian, this is Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, not your Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor. You¡¯d better think it over, or you¡¯ll pay a double penalty."

    Having been disdained by Ning Xueyan, Madam Qian was very angry. "How impolite you are! You¡¯re as ill-bred as your natural mother. You, grab that maid. I don¡¯t believe that I can¡¯t punish a maid of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor today."

    "Madam Qian, I respect you because you¡¯re the sister-inw of my Mother, Madam Ling. But how dare you scold the Second Madam of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor! Are you ill-bred too?" Ning Xueyan asked with a serious expression.

    Ning Xueyan said that Madam Qian was ill-bred in front of so many servants, which made Madam Qian extremely angry. She could not control her anger anymore and shouted angrily, "How dare you! You¡¯re just an uncultured bitch. Your natural mother was a misbehaving woman and her family is uncultured, so you¡¯re so impolite."

    On hearing that, Madam Ling went into a panic and hurried to stop Madam Qian. "Sister!"

    Unfortunately, it was toote. Then they heard someone angrily say, "What do you mean that the Ming family had no upbringing? You¡¯re a butcher¡¯s daughter. Are you well-bred?"

    This remark was very harsh. They all turned back to see Madam Dowager standing at the door with her maids, looking coldly into the room.

    "Grandmother!" Ning Xueyan stepped forward and saluted Madam Dowager.

    Madam Qian came to her senses as soon as she encountered Madam Dowager. She wanted to exin, but found that she did not know how to say.

    She could only salute her. "Madam Dowager!"

    "Madam Qian, I didn¡¯t expect that the Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would need to be taught a lesson by you. It¡¯s my negligence." Madam Dowager, surrounded by the maids and older female servants, came in and sat down in a chair in the middle of the room. Then she coldly spoke to Madam Qian. Today, idents had happened not only in the ce of the menfolk but also in the womenfolk¡¯s, which made Madam Dowager unhappy.

    Madam Qian was born into a humble family, which had been exposed by Madam Dowager just now. Now she looked pale and realized that she had gone too far before.

    "Mother, it¡¯s the matter of Xueyan and Ling Yi. My sister got angry and spoke without thinking because she suddenly found that Xueyan was with Ling Yi. She doesn¡¯t want to discipline the Young Lady for Lord Protector¡¯s Manor."

    Madam Ling spoke up to break the ice. She knew that what Madam Qian said had offended Madam Dowager, so she exined to Madam Dowager, turning aside from the topic under discussion.

    She only said that Ning Xueyan was with Ling Yi, as if the two were caught doing something against the rules.

    Madam Dowager narrowed her eyes and asked with displeasure, "Since things like that happened, why did you argue over it here instead of figuring it out through investigation?"

    "Madam Dowager, we are here to visit my sister-inw, but now my son has been beaten half-dead. Madam Dowager, you have to give us a satisfying exnation," Madam Qian said with grievance on her face.

    "A satisfying exnation?" Madam Dowager frowned.

    "Xueyan, look at what you¡¯ve done. I can¡¯t help you now. Bring Childe Ling Yi¡¯s servant over," Madam Ling sincerely said, as if she really was giving thought to Ning Xueyan.

    Hearing that, Madam Dowager turned her eyes toward Ning Xueyan, who stood there with a calm look.

    The young male servant soon arrived. He kneeled down and kowtowed as soon as he saw the crowd in the hall.

    "Why is your Childe here?" Madam Dowager asked coldly.

    "Our Childe received an invitation from the Fifth Young Lady, so he came here to wait for her. Unexpectedly, the Fifth Young Lady refuses to admit it now," the young male servant answered while pointing at Ning Xueyan.

    "You mean Xueyan asked your Childe toe here?" Madam Ling said, seeming to have realized it suddenly.

    "Yes, Childe Ling Yi had an appointment with the Fifth Young Lady here. Otherwise, why would he wait here?" the young male servant answered decisively.

    "Mother, what should we do? The... the love between a man and woman is... is inevitable..." Madam Ling sighed and could not go on. She turned to Ning Xueyan and said, "Xueyan, if you really like Yi¡¯er, your father and I will let him marry you. Why did you make so many troubles and ruin your own reputation? Do you think you can still marry him?"

    "We won¡¯t ept such a woman. There¡¯s no way for her to marry my son. Even though she agrees to be my son¡¯s concubine, we have to think it over," Madam Ling raised her head and said with a snort, putting on an act.

    "Sister, please don¡¯t do that. Anyway, Xueyan has always been a Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. If she can¡¯t marry Yi¡¯er and bes his cohabiting partner, it will bring shame to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. For my sake, please ept her and consent to their marriage."

    Madam Ling pretended to sigh and persuade Madam Qian, as if she really felt pity for Ning Xueyan and cared about Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Madam Qian sneered and said, "She not only misbehaved, but also beat Yi¡¯er. No one will ept such a woman. Don¡¯t persuade me. I won¡¯t consent to her marrying my son."

    Madam Qian felt that Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had to beg her to ept Ning Xueyan now, so of course she would not agree casually.

    Madam Ling and Madam Qian spoke one after the other and acted really well. Ning Xueyan said with a cold smile on her face while looking at them, "I came here because the Second Sister asked me toe. How did it be a private meeting between me and Childe Ling Yi? If it was really a private meeting, why didn¡¯t Ie alone?"

    "Moreover..." Ning Xueyan paused for a moment and continued, smiling ironically, "Mother, I have never seen Childe Ling Yi before, this is the first time. How could I have a love affair with him? Or do you think that I had a love affair with him years ago?"

    In the past years, Ning Xueyan had stayed in Bright Frost Garden all the time and seldom went out. Her first trip was to Cold Mountain Temple. Besides that, she only showed up at the funeral of Madam Ming while Madam Ling was absent and only sent a housekeeper toe. This really was the first time Ning Xueyan had met Ling Yi.

    "Who knows? Maybe you fell in love with Cousin Ling Yi at first sight. What¡¯s more, if you have never seen Cousin Ling Yi before, why does his servant know you? Fifth Sister, did you have a love affair with Cousin Ling Yi in private without mother¡¯s and grandmother¡¯s knowledge?" said another voice, which came from outside.

    It was Ning Yuling in gorgeous clothes. She appeared at the door with her maids and disdainfully looked at Ning Xueyan.

    Ning Xueyan narrowed her eyes and hid the sneer in them. As Ning Xueyan expected, Ning Yuling could not helping. Yesterday, she was caught having adultery and became aughing stock. How dare she show up today!

    "Second Sister, are you mad at me because of what happened yesterday? So you want to damage my reputation today?" Ning Xueyan raised her eyebrows and calmly asked.

    Ning Yuling could not stand Ning Xueyan¡¯s words anymore. But before she counterattacked, Ning Xueyan added one more sentence, "Or, it was you who invited him. If not, why did youe so fast?"

    "I... why would I ask him over?" Ning Yuling felt guilty from Ning Xueyan¡¯s questions. She gritted her teeth and stared at Ning Xueyan angrily.

    She originally hade to watch Ning Xueyan be suppressed. But she did not expect that Ning Xueyan had the gift of gab and would shift the me onto her. How could she not be angry?

    "I heard that you are extremely dissatisfied with marrying the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. Cousin Ling Yi and you grew up together, so your rtionship is naturally different. This should have been... normal... But now you¡¯re engaged!"

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s words were as sharp as a knife. She stared at Ning Yuling, who hardly dared to look back. The deep darkness in Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes seemed to drag Ning Yuling into hell. Ning Yuling was so frightened that she stammered, "I... I... I¡¯d never do such a thing!"

    Her original intention was to denounce Ning Xueyan. However, she lost her imposing manner in the face of Ning Xueyan and seemed to be very guilty. Madam Dowager looked at Ning Yuling with suspicion.

    "What you¡¯ve done recently is not what the Second Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor should do. I didn¡¯t know you felt so lonely..." Ning Xueyan smiled slightly, with an odd expression. Her eyes were full of mockery, which made the arrogant Ning Yuling extremely angry.

    "Ning Xueyan, you¡¯re slinging mud at me!" Ning Yuling roared loudly.

    "We¡¯ll soon know if I am slinging mud at you!" Ning Xueyan smiled slightly and looked at Ling Yi, who had fallen to the ground. At this time, he leaned weakly in the chair with torn clothes.

    A pink envelope peeked out from under his cuff.

    "Second Sister, do you dare show us that envelope?" Ning Xueyan raised her eyebrows and asked Ning Yuling while pointing at the exposed envelope.

 Chapter 83 If She Is Innocent, Who Is Not?

    "Show it to me!" Madam Dowager asked the servants to take the envelope to her with an unhappy expression before Ning Yuling could say anything.

    Immediately, the note in the envelope was delivered to Madam Dowager which said: "Come! It¡¯s urgent!" The signature on it said "Ling". People who were familiar with Ning Yuling knew that she normally signed "Ling" to represent herself.

    "It was found on Cousin Ling Yi, and the signature is..." Ning Xueyan smiled and said with a look of deep significance.

    On hearing that, Madam Dowager¡¯s expression changed greatly and her gaze became gloomy.

    "You arrived here first. Maybe you put that note on Yi¡¯er. How can it be evidence?" Madam Ling became flustered, but she still made a good point.

    "Mother, everyone saw that the note was taken from Cousin Ling Yi just now. What¡¯s more, Cousin Ling Yi wasn¡¯t dead. Wouldn¡¯t he have stopped someone from putting a note on him?" Ning Xueyan calmly asked, her expression unchanging.

    "Enough! Today, Childe Ling Yi was drunk and took a rest here, but was mistaken for a burr by the servants. That¡¯s what happened. Madam Qian, you can go back and treat your son first. Yuan¡¯er hasn¡¯t been at home recently. Therefore, there¡¯s no male host in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to entertain our guests."

    Madam Dowager spoke coldly while looking at them with a fierce gaze.

    In the end, Ning Yuling was involved again. How could Madam Dowager not get angry by her repeated failure? She even hated Madam Qian and her son after this matter and wanted them to leave. Domestic shame should not be made public. Ning Yuling would marry the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor. If this matter was exposed to others, her engagement might be cancelled.

    Hearing that Madam Dowager drove her away, Madam Qian was unhappy and disagreed with leaving now. She snorted and wanted to say something, but was stopped by Madam Ling.

    Now Madam Qian also realized that this matter had something to do with Madam Ling. Seeing that her son had been beaten half-dead, Madam Qian was also annoyed with Madam Ling. So she directly ignored Madam Ling and left in a rage with her servants.

    Behind her came the voice of Ning Yuling anxiously exining.

    "Grandma, I didn¡¯t do that. You must believe me. How could I like Ling Yi? He¡¯s a libertine."

    Hearing what Ning Yuling had said, Madam Qian became so angry that she almost tore up the handkerchief in her hands. Being stared at by Madam Ling with a fierce and gloomy gaze, the maids and older female servants bowed their heads one by one.

    "Let¡¯s go!" Now Madam Qian hated Ning Yuling as well.

    Ning Yuling did not know that her words were heard by Madam Qian and also provoked her anger. At this time, she arrogantly said while pointing at Ning Xueyan, "Grandmother, it¡¯s clear that she was caught having a private meeting with Cousin Ling Yi. But she shifted the me onto me."

    Ning Yuling dared to loudly talk about such a big scandal in front of so many people, making Madam Dowager very angry.

    "Mother Qin, have them leave!" Madam Dowager coldly said.

    "Yes!" Mother Qin nodded her head in understanding. Then she drove out all the servants and closed the door, only leaving several henchmen.

    "You... kneel down!" Madam Dowager shouted angrily while pounding the ground with her walking stick.

    Ning Yuling had always been spoiled and had never been abused by Madam Dowager in her life. She was stunned on the spot when Madam Dowager scolded her and reacted until Madam Ling pushed her down onto her knees.

    "Mother, Ling¡¯er is innocent. She didn¡¯t know about this at all. Someone deliberately framed her. It was chaotic just now and someone put that envelope into Ling Yi¡¯s clothes while we were not paying attention." Madam Ling stood at one side and pleaded for Ning Yuling while shooting Ning Yuling a warning nce.

    "If she is innocent, who is not?" Madam Dowager angrily said, "I remember you said this morning that she was ill. Look at her face, does she look sick? Today I have to teach her a lesson, otherwise others will really think that there are no rules in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor!"

    Ning Yuling could not clearly exin the matter of the note. There was no evidence to prove that the note was not written by her. Furthermore, it had her signature on it. Madam Ling also could not exin it for her. What happened yesterday as well as today made Madam Dowager unhappy with Madam Ling. She thought that Madam Ling had not taught Ning Yuling well.

    In Madam Dowager¡¯s opinion, how could Madam Ling manage the whole family well if she could not teach her own daughter well?

    "Mother, it¡¯s all my fault, please punish me alone. Ling¡¯er will marry the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. Nothing can happen to her. Xueyan is really not sensible and has caused us so much trouble."

    Realizing that Madam Dowager would punish Ning Yuling, Madam Ling knelt down and pleaded for her daughter, her voice full of grievance.

    She reminded Madam Dowager that Ning Yuling was getting married soon.

    "Xueyan, persuade your grandmother. Do you really want to see Lord Protector¡¯s Manor lose face because of you?" Madam Ling finished her words and turned to look at Ning Xueyan fiercely.

    Suddenly, there was silence in the room.

    Madam Dowager, who was sitting on the chair, took a look at them all and finally looked at Ning Xueyan. But Ning Xueyan was looking down with a calm look, which surprised Madam Dowager.

    Ning Xueyan was very timid when she was a little girl. Neither Ning Zu¡¯an nor Madam Dowager liked her. Madam Dowager even thought she was inferior to a maid and did not want to see her. So she asked Ning Xueyan not to greet her every morning. In recent years, nobody paid attention to Bright Frost Garden.

    A girl who did not dare to leave Bright Frost Garden for several years did not attract anyone¡¯s attention.

    Unexpectedly, Madam Dowager found that Ning Xueyan was no longer cowardly when she saw her again. She felt that Ning Xueyan was calm and graceful and was better than Ning Yuling, who had been carefully cultivated by her.

    Madam Dowager was not sure whether such a granddaughter was good. At this time, she frowned and waited for Ning Xueyan¡¯s answer.

    "Grandmother, please punish me." Feeling the attention of the public, Ning Xueyan looked up without hurrying.

    "What did you do wrong?" The silence of the room was broken. Madam Dowager looked thoughtfully at Ning Xueyan.

    "If I hadn¡¯t listened to my Second Sister ande here, this would not have happened, and you would not have gotten angry. It was my fault," Ning Xueyan said with gentleness on her face.

    What did Ning Xueyan do wrong? Her mistake was to listen to Ning Yuling ande here, on which everything that followed was based. It could be said that the cause of this matter was Ning Yuling. In other words, Ning Yuling had framed Ning Xueyan and deliberately asked her toe here.

    Maybe that note was the evidence of Ning Yuling¡¯s conspiracy with Ling Yi.

    Madam Ling looked terrible and could not say a word!

    Ning Yuling was furious. She did not expect Ning Xueyan to have the gift of gab. Ning Yuling had a very bad life these days because everything that had happened recently involved her. But she could not exin it clearly. At this time, she shouted, while staring at Madam Dowager with anger in her eyes, "Grandmother, you are too biased! She framed me. Why don¡¯t you punish her?"

    After that, she struggled to try and stand up, but two older female servants immediately came and held her down.

    "Take the Second Young Lady to Ancestral Hall. She can¡¯t leave without my permission." Madam Dowager was extremely furious. At this point, Ning Yuling dared to offend Madam Dowager. She was really spoiled at ordinary times.

    "Mother, Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor..." Looking at the struggling Ning Yuling, Madam Ling felt distressed and could not help speaking.

    "If they knew what has happened today, there would be no future marriage," Madam Dowager said unhappily. And the more she looked at Madam Ling, the less satisfied she was with her. Ning Yuling was not well educated by Madam Ling. Fortunately, her grandson was not brought up by Madam Ling, and otherwise Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would be screwed up by her.

    At Madam Dowager¡¯smand, Mother Qin and several servants took Ning Yuling to Ancestral Hall.

    Madam Dowager talked with Ning Xueyan for a while and then left with her, leaving Madam Ling kneeling there. As the hostess of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Madam Ling was directly ignored by them and greatly lost face.

    Madam Ling held Mother Chen¡¯s hands and stood up while looking at Ning Xueyan with a gloomy and fierce gaze.

    "First Madam..." Mother Chen called Madam Ling carefully.

    All of sudden, Madam Ling fiercely pped Mother Chen, who then covered her mouth subconsciously.

    "What did you do? I asked you to keep watch here. How did this happen?" Madam Ling gloomily stared at Mother Chen, who could not help lowering her head before exining cautiously, "I... I didn¡¯t know how this happened either. It was not until Childe Ling Yi told me that everything was okay that I left. I didn¡¯t expect the Fifth Young Lady to be so shrewd."

    "Didn¡¯t you know that she¡¯s shrewd?" Madam Ling viciously cursed.

    They had nned to frame Ning Xueyan in Cold Mountain Temple, but in the end, it was Ning Yuling who was involved. Although there was no evidence that Ning Xueyan did it, Madam Ling believed it had to be rted to Ning Xueyan. Madam Ling intended to figure the whole matter out, but Mother Chen¡¯s nephew escaped.

    "First Madam, it¡¯s... it¡¯s my fault..." Faced with such a gloomy Madam Ling, Mother Chen had to bow her head and take the responsibility. "But, First Madam, what about the Second Young Lady? She has never been punished before. How can she survive? Does Madam Dowager mean that the Second Young Lady should kneel in Ancestral Hall all the time..."

    Speaking of Ning Yuling, Madam Ling was sad and worried. She loved her little daughter very much. Ning Yuling was beautiful and distinguished. She was expected to marry into the royal family and be the empress in the future. So everyone in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor spoiled her very much.

    But now, she could not marry the Third Prince. Furthermore, she could marry the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li on the condition that Ning Zu¡¯an promised he would help the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li in the future. Even though, the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li was now the only one Ning Yuling could marry. Thinking of this, Madam Ling became extremely furious.

    She almost vomited blood because of anger.

    Her beautiful girl¡¯s bright future was destroyed. How could she be satisfied?

    "How is Concubine Ma?" Madam Ling asked coldly.

    "You may rest assured, First Madam. I¡¯ll arrange everything well. Since Concubine Ma admitted to poisoning the Fifth Young Lady, she can not get rid of this matter. Now, she and the Fifth Young Lady have be enemies. What will happen to Concubine Ma next will have nothing to do with us. She poisoned the Fifth Young Lady, so it¡¯s normal that the Fifth Young Lady wants revenge." Mother Chen curried favor with Madan Ling as she replied.

    "Will there be any mistakes this time?" Madam Ling looked at Mother Chen coldly.

    "First Madam, I promise that I won¡¯t make any mistakes this time. No matter how shrewd the Fifth Young Lady is, she won¡¯t know about Concubine Ma. You can rest assured," answered Mother Chen.

    "Good. I don¡¯t want things to change again." After Madam Ling said that, her expression became fierce and bloodthirsty, as if she were going to eat somebody. Seeing Madam Ling¡¯s face, Mother Chen was so frightened that she lowered her head and did not dare look at her again while she nodded.

    "Yes, ma¡¯am."

 Chapter 84 Ming Feiyong Visits Lord Protectors Manor

    When Ming Feiyong came to visit Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Ning Zu¡¯an met him at the door.

    He went down the steps and weed Ming Feiyong with great enthusiasm. "Brother, I knew you were back, but I¡¯m so sorry that I had no time to visit you."

    Ming Feiyong took a cold look at the smiling Ning Zu¡¯an and snorted, "Do you still know that I am your brother?"

    "How could I not know? Brother, you¡¯re my lifesaver. If it weren¡¯t for you, I would already have died." Ning Zu¡¯an ushered Ming Feiyong into the house while smiling and talking.

    Ning Zu¡¯an was raised in the Ming family when he was a child and had a good rtionship with Ming Feiyong. When he was about 10 years old, Ning Zu¡¯an climbed a tree and fell into the river. At that time, no one was around him. It was Ming Feiyong who saw that and rescued him. So Ning Zu¡¯an said that Ming Feiyong was his lifesaver.

    "If I had known what was going to happen, I wouldn¡¯t have saved you at that time!" looking at that hypocritical face, Ming Feiyong coldly said.

    At Ming Feiyong¡¯s words, Ning Zu¡¯an almost could not maintain his smile. But he still was able to do so as he ushered Ming Feiyong into the hall, then they sat down together.

    "How did my sister die?" Ming Feiyong directly asked.

    "Brother, she had been unhappy ever since she was downgraded to the co-wife on her own initiative and seldom left Bright Frost Garden with Yan¡¯er. I was shut out every time I went to see her. She would only say that she was in a bad mood and didn¡¯t want to see anyone. She also stopped contacting you, brother. She died because of depression. We couldn¡¯t help her."

    Ning Zu¡¯an sighed and answered with sadness in his eyes while forcing a smile.

    Although Madam Ming was poisoned to death, the servants concerned either were dead or had left Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Ning Zu¡¯an believed that he had left no trace. Ming Feiyong also knew that his sister was stubborn and never changed her mind. If it were not for that, Madam Ming would not have been out of touch with him for so many years.

    Zing Zu¡¯an believed that Ming Feiyong would never find out the truth.

    "My little sister died, but that woman became the marchioness. Ning Zu¡¯an, do you need to give me an exnation?" Ming Feiyong put the cup in his hands on the table heavily, making a loud sound.

    "Brother, it... it has nothing to do with her!" Ning Zu¡¯an coughed to clear his throat before exining.

    "It has nothing to do with her? My sister wouldn¡¯t have been so angry if you hadn¡¯t had an affair with that woman and had an illegitimate son and an illegitimate daughter with her. If that woman hadn¡¯t knelt outside the door with her two children when she was pregnant, my sister wouldn¡¯t have been so disappointed with you. Ning Zu¡¯an, if it hadn¡¯t been for our Ming family, you wouldn¡¯t have everything you have today!"

    Ming Feiyong spoke coldly.

    The murderous look of Ming Feiyong fell on Zing Zu¡¯an, making him ufortable all over.

    "Brother, things were not just like that. You also know what happened. Madam Ming felt sorry for me and was voluntarily downgraded. It was not Madam Ling and I who forced her to do that." Being satirized by Ming Feiyong repeatedly, Ning Zu¡¯an also got angry. But when he looked at Ming Feiyong¡¯s face, he felt guilty again.

    "Speaking of that, I still don¡¯t understand what happened. How could such a thing happen to my little sister? And that woman benefited the most from the whole thing. Shall we make a further investigation into what happened?" asked Ming Feiyong. In fact, how could they find out what had after so many years?

    It sounded like he was joking, but there was no smile in Ming Feiyong¡¯s eyes.

    "Brother, you¡¯re too humorous. Those things are disgraceful and Madam Ming is dead. So we¡¯d better not bother her anymore! Just forget about it!" A fierceness shed through Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s face as he spoke. But facing the aggressive Ming Feiyong, Ning Zu¡¯an had no imposing manner at all.

    If someone else was there, it would be beyond their expectation that this weak person in front of them was the powerful official Ning Zu¡¯an.

    "Didn¡¯t that woman frame my little sister?" Ming Feiyong reluctantly asked, ignoring what Ning Zu¡¯an said.

    "How could she frame Madam Ming? If she did, I would be the first to deal with her." Ning Zu¡¯an promised him.

    Madam Ming¡¯s death was weird. But Madam Ling had exined that she had nothing to do with Madam Ming¡¯s death. So Ning Zu¡¯an directly made several maids pay for Madam Ming¡¯s death to protect Madam Ling. No matter what, Zing Zu¡¯an would never admit that Madam Ling had any connection with Madam Ming¡¯s death.

    "What if she killed my little sister?" asked Ming Feiyong.

    "If, if she framed Madam Ming... I¡¯ll directly kill her." Ning Zu¡¯an swore with a serious expression. At this time, he just wanted Ming Feiyong to leave. In his opinion, the matter of Madam Ming having a private affair with a man had been solved, and she had already died, so Ming Feiyong could not find anything out.

    "Ning Zu¡¯an, remember what you said today." Ming Feiyong grinned coldly. All of a sudden, he asked, "Is that man still here?"

    Ming Feiyong did not believe that it had happened this way. How could his younger sister have an illicit rtionship with a man? They were found to have been in correspondence with each other all the time and those letters fell into the hands of Ning Zu¡¯an. Because the Ming family had helped him, Ning Zu¡¯an did not punish Madam Ming. But Madam Ming felt sorry for Ning Zu¡¯an and gave up her position as the Legal Wife on her own initiative.

    This matter was really weird. But Madam Ming did not allow him to investigate and admitted that she had a personal rtionship with that man.

    Ming Feiyong was so angry when he learned what his sister had done that he left the capital. It had been 10 years since he left the capital. During the past 10 years, he had not written a letter to Madam Ming. Unexpectedly, he found that the lovely little girl had died when he came back. Ming Feiyong¡¯s eyes were full of tears as soon as he thought of that.

    If Ming Feiyong had known what was going to happen, he would not have agreed with his sister to marry Ning Zu¡¯an in any case.

    "No, he¡¯s not here. When their rtionship was exposed, I also tried to find him. But I didn¡¯t find him. Maybe he ran away as soon as their amour came to light." Speaking of this, Ning Zu¡¯an was embarrassed. In any case, it was not a pleasure to talk about his wife¡¯s betrayal with others.

    "Give me the information of that year, and I¡¯ll have it checked out," Ming Feiyong indifferently said.

    "Okay, I¡¯ll give it to youter." Ning Zu¡¯an nodded his head while feeling relieved. At that time, he increasingly liked the delicate Madam Ling and disliked Madam Ming, who always ignored him. However, although he disliked Madam Ming, he still could not stand her betrayal.

    He almost killed Madam Ming when he learned of her betrayal. But Madam Ling begged him to forgive Madam Ming. Madam Ling said that Madam Ming was his wife and they also had a child. Afterparing the gentle and considerate Madam Ling to Madam Ming, who betrayed him, Ning Zu¡¯an liked Madam Ling more.

    And he also increasingly disliked Madam Ming¡¯s child, Ning Xueyan.

    Later on, Madam Dowager learned of this matter and intervened. Madam Ming volunteered to be the co-wife and Madam Ling became the Legal Wife. Everything went on naturally. To others, they dered that Madam Ming felt sorry for Ning Zu¡¯an because she did not give birth to a son for Ning Zu¡¯an, so she volunteered to be the co-wife and suggested that Madam Ling should be the Legal Wife so that Ning Huaiyuan would no longer be an illegitimate son.

    This result was alsopensation for Ning Zu¡¯an because his son, Ning Huaiyuan, would always be an illegitimate son even though Madam Ling was the co-wife.

    Seeing that he had achieved his goal, Ming Feiyong stood up and said, "I¡¯m going to visit Madam Dowager."

    "Okay. Knowing that you¡¯reing, mother has been waiting for you in the backyard." Seeing that Ming Feiyong stopped questioning him, Ning Zu¡¯an was relieved and ushered him into the backyard.

    Madam Dowager¡¯s family name was Ming, and she was Ming Feiyong¡¯s aunt.

    After speaking with Madam Dowager in Lucky Garden for a while, Ming Feiyong went to Bright Frost Garden.

    Ning Xueyan had already received Ming Feiyong¡¯s letter, so she had been waiting for Ming Feiyong at the gate of Bright Frost Garden for a while. When she met Ming Feiyong, she was very sad and almost cried. Then she ushered him into the hall and asked the other servants to leave. Only Qingyu was asked to stay to serve them.

    After offering tea to Ming Feiyong, Ning Xueyan sat down and asked calmly, "Uncle, did you find out what happened?"

    Madam Ming was found to have been passing ambiguous letters with a man, which was the key reason she was downgraded. Then, Madam Ling became the Legal Wife and her children¡¯s status became known to others. The greatest beneficiary here was Madam Ling.

    Therefore, Ning Xueyan could almost be sure that Madam Ling must have been involved in framing Madam Ming!

    So she wrote to Ming Feiyong before to discuss this matter!

    In order to defeat Madam Ling, they had to investigate how Madam Ming died.

    "At that time, your mother didn¡¯t allow me to investigate and also said a lot of harsh words to me. I was very angry with what she had done to me. So I left the capital. It can be said that I barely looked into what happened. Therefore, I¡¯m here today to ask your father for information. No matter what happened, he must give me an exnation. So he must be keeping something," said Ming Feiyong.

    666

    "How are you doing in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? Do you need me to take you to my house?" Looking at the emaciated Ning Xueyan, Ming Feiyong felt distressed and spoke in a soft voice.

    "Not yet. I will ask you to help me when you are needed. Uncle, you just need to concentrate on investigating what happened to my mother." Ning Xueyan shook her head while smiling.

    At this time, how could Ning Xueyan leave Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? The peace of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had been broken by her, and more things would surface then. If she did not take this opportunity to get revenge now, when would she? Furthermore, she needed to restore Madam Ming¡¯s innocence. How could Madam Ming, a proud woman, have an affair with others?

    "Uncle, you investigate outside Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and I investigate inside. Although many years have passed, there certainly must be some traces as long as Madam Ling participated. If I leave, no one will be able to find out what happened in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. What¡¯s more, the dowry of my mother has been taken away by them."

    She certainly would not let her enemies go!

    She would take back what belonged to her.

    "Okay. Now that you have decided, I won¡¯t force you to leave with me. But, you have to be careful in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor." Ming Feiyong also knew that there might be no clues outside. After all, many years had passed. It would be better to investigate in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Then it would be easier for them to find out the truth when they united.

    But he was worried about the safety of Ning Xueyan. Fortunately, her ce was remote but quiet. After thinking about it, Ming Feiyong agreed that Ning Xueyan should stay.

    The two talked for a while and set a ce to meetter. Then Ming Feiyong left.

    After Ming Feiyong left, Lanning went over to Ning Xueyan and said to her in a low voice, "Young Lady, Mother Han is back!"

    Mother Han had been out for three days. In order to investigate Concubine Ma, she took three days off on the pretext of her son¡¯s ident. It seemed that Mother Han had learned something since she came back now. Thinking of this, Ning Xueyan smiled coldly. It looked like it was time to expose Concubine Ma¡¯s lie.

 Chapter 85 Is This the Concubine Ma Who Poisoned Me?

    Ning Xueyan unexpectedly encountered Concubine Ma on the road. Looking at the delicate Concubine Ma saluting her, Ning Xueyan stepped back with a cold smile on her face and said, "Is this the Concubine Ma who poisoned me? She looks quite delicate!"

    Mother Qin, who apanied Ning Xueyan to Bright Frost Garden to fetch some things, also stepped back carefully while frowning.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s words were harsh and made Concubine Ma feel humiliated. She looked up at Ning Xueyan in disbelief. Concubine Ma had never met Ning Xueyan before. But, she had seen Ning Xueyan twice from afar by chance and felt that Ning Xueyan was an emaciated girl. She did not expect Ning Xueyan to humiliate her directly as soon as they met.

    "Fifth Young Lady, I made a mistake with your medicine so that... Please forgive me." Concubine Ma stood up while holding her maids and saluted Ning Xueyan again, keeping a low profile.

    "I dare not receive your apology. Because of a misunderstanding, you dared to put poison into my medicine, which almost killed me. If I carelessly offend you next time, you may poison the entire Bright Frost Garden."

    Ning Xueyan showed sarcasm on her face and her eyes fell on Concubine Ma¡¯s beautiful face. Being stared at by Ning Xueyan, Concubine Ma felt that she was almost drowned in the endless darkness, and immediately looked away subconsciously.

    "Fifth Young Lady, it¡¯s... it¡¯s my fault. Please forgive me. If you do not forgive me, I... I¡¯ll kneel here forever." Concubine Ma suddenly threw herself down on her knees, bowed her head in tears, and knocked her head on the ground heavily.

    Anyway, everybody would think that Ning Xueyan had gone too far if they saw the pregnant Concubine Ma kneeling here with her head bowed and sincerely asking for Ning Xueyan¡¯s forgiveness.

    Seeing that, Mother Qin slightly frowned.

    Ning Xueyan hid the coldness and indifference on her face. She went up to support Concubine Ma with a slight smile on her face. "Concubine Ma, what are you doing? You overwhelmed me with more than I deserve."

    Although Ning Xueyan said this with a smile, Concubine Ma dared not regard her words as a joke. She stood up, grabbed Ning Xueyan¡¯s hands, and said with tears in her eyes, "Fifth Young Lady, I... I was a fool. How... how could I think that you asked servants to humiliate me? I..."

    Concubine Ma was very sad and sobbed while covering her face with her handkerchief.

    "Concubine Ma, take care of yourself. No matter what you¡¯ve done, now your body is the most important." Mother Qin could not helping over and supporting Concubine Ma whileforting her.

    Ning Zu¡¯an only had one son, so Madam Dowager paid great attention to the pregnant Concubine Ma and even pardoned Concubine Ma for murdering the Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. It showed that Madam Dowager was eager to have another grandson.

    "Concubine Ma, your health is very important. Take care of yourself and don¡¯t run around. If something happens, who can afford it?" Ning Xueyan showed her concern to Concubine Ma while quietly pulling her sleeves away from Concubine Ma¡¯s hands.

    "Fifth Young Lady, my birthday is in five days. First Madam will hold a birthday party for me. I hope to see you then." Concubine Ma stopped crying, put down her handkerchief, and sincerely invited Ning Xueyan, as if she really wanted to dispel her former enmity with Ning Xueyan.

    "Oh, mother will celebrate your birthday. No wonder a stage is being set up in the garden recently. Is a theatrical troupe going to sing there?" Ning Xueyan asked with a smile.

    Ning Xueyan encountered some outsiders along the way and deliberately avoided them. The maid told her that they were setting up a stage. Ning Xueyan did not remember the happy event that they were going to celebrate, but now she knew that they were going to celebrate Concubine Ma¡¯s birthday. A concubine¡¯s birthday should be celebrated like that. It seemed that Concubine Ma was valued by the whole manor.

    "Yes. The First Madam said I should be happy every day because I¡¯m pregnant and forget the unhappy things of the past. So she invited a theatrical troupe to make me happy," Concubine Ma exined softly while looking at Ning Xueyan through her watery eyes. Concubine Ma was really beautiful. No wonder Ning Zu¡¯an was so fond of her recently and stayed in her courtyard almost every day.

    And he even directly ignored the fact that Concubine Ma had poisoned his daughter.

    "Has the Spring Theatrical Troupe been invited? I¡¯ve heard that some actors of that theatrical troupe are very good at singing," Ning Xueyan asked casually.

    Concubine Ma¡¯s smile suddenly became stiff and her hands unconsciously shuddered as she held her handkerchief. And there was panic in her eyes. But then she said while moving to hide her mistake, "Yes... You also know the Spring Theatrical Troupe."

    "I didn¡¯t know them. But Mother Han went to the countryside and found out some interesting things about the Spring Theatrical Troupe. I didn¡¯t know it was anything interesting until she told me..." Ning Xueyan said in a soft voice while looking at Concubine Ma¡¯s face. "If you¡¯re free one day, we can have a talk."

    Since Concubine Ma wanted to bury the hatchet, it was normal that they would have a talk one day.

    But instead of being happy, Concubine Ma became scared and her face turned pale. She hurried to say, "Fifth Young Lady, I¡¯m going to thank Madam Dowager now. So I don¡¯t have time to apany you. In five days, I¡¯ll invite you toe and have a talk with me."

    "My mother is so kind to you. In this manor, no one gets the same treatment as you. Not only does my father like you, but also my mother likes you very much." Ning Xueyan slightly smiled. She did not stop Concubine Ma from leaving, but took two steps back and said those meaningful words.

    Hearing that as she was going to leave, Concubine Ma stumbled and almost fell.

    "What¡¯s wrong with you?" Mother Qin urgently asked. Madam Dowager attached great importance to the baby that Concubine Ma was about to give birth to. So nothing was allowed to happen to Concubine Ma.

    "Nothing. I just tripped. Fifth Young Lady, I¡¯ll leave first!" Concubine Ma exined. Then she hurried to Bright Clouds Garden with her maids, as if there were people chasing after her. Seeing Concubine Ma walking so fast, Mother Qin worried that she would fall.

    Looking at Concubine Ma¡¯s back, Mother Qin asked with doubt, "What¡¯s wrong with Concubine Ma?"

    "I don¡¯t know. Maybe she thought of something important and wants to tell my mother, so she¡¯s in a hurry. s, how can she walk so fast now? What if she runs into someone by chance?"

    Ning Xueyan smiled casually and went to her Bright Frost Garden with Mother Qin.

    A few days prior, Ming Feiyong had asked for some old objects of Madam Ming. So today, when Ning Xueyan greeted Madam Dowager in the morning, Madam Dowager remembered and asked Mother Qin to fetch some from Bright Frost Garden.

    "Yes, Concubine Ma is indeed a reckless person. Otherwise, how could she make so much trouble? Fortunately, you¡¯re all right. The doctor said that you¡¯ll recover as long as you rest more and take in more nourishing food." Mother Qin smiled wide and spoke good words for Concubine Ma.

    But was Ning Xueyan all right? If this Ning Xueyan had been the former Ning Xueyan, she would have already died!

    Madam Dowager and her henchmen were getting better and better at lying through their teeth.

    Fortunately, she was not in a hurry now. Since Madam Ling wanted to show her importance to Concubine Ma, Ning Ziyan should return home on Concubine Ma¡¯s birthday. Were Madam Ling and Concubine Ma trying to frame Ning Xueyan in five days?

    Unfortunately, there was no perfect n and Madam Ling¡¯s mistake was right in front of her eyes.

    "Madam Ling, I hope you can bear what¡¯s going to happen," Ning Xueyan thought in her mind.

    "Yes, Concubine Ma seems to be straightforward. It¡¯s not unreasonable that my mother likes her so much. People will think they are sisters if they don¡¯t know their rtionship!" Ning Xueyan said with a smile on her face.

    Seeing that Ning Xueyan smiled when she talked about Concubine Ma, Mother Qin thought that Ning Xueyan had forgiven Concubine Ma. "Yes. But anyway, she did something wrong and hurt you. After she gives birth to the child, she will be asked to apologize to you. We can¡¯t slight you."

    Mother Qin saw what Ning Xueyan had done recently, and clearly knew that the girl in front of her was no longer the submissive Fifth Young Lady. Mother Qin used to be Madam Dowager¡¯s maid and came here when Madam Dowager married into Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Later on, she became one of the stewardesses. Mother Qin had been here for many years, so she knew Ming Feiyong well. Now Ming Feiyong had returned to the capital, and the Fifth Young Lady was no longer helpless.

    So she began to curry favor with Ning Xueyan.

    "There¡¯s no need to punish her. It¡¯s just a misunderstanding," Ning Xueyan said with a smile on her face while waving her hand.

    A few momentster, they arrived at Bright Frost Garden. Ning Xueyan asked Mother Han to pack up some old jewelry and clothes of Madam Ming and then asked Mother Qin to bring them to Ming Feiyong.

    When Mother Qin left, Mother Han could not help crying while holding the open jewelry box.

    Only a few pieces of jewelry were left in the jewelry box, and most of them were silver. Who could believe that Madam Ming, who was born into a noble and rich family, did not leave any precious jewelry?

    "Young Lady, it used to be full of jewelry ornaments. Later... some were taken away by Madam Ling and some were exchanged for medicine for you."

    Mother Han spoke sadly while stretching out her hands to wipe away the tears on her face.

    How could she not get angry when her respectable and magnificent Young Lady came to such an end?

    "Mother Han, don¡¯t cry. They¡¯ll return everything they took away. It¡¯s not the right time yet." Standing in front of the window and looking at the cloudy sky, Ning Xueyan spoke calmly. But no one saw the coldness and blood-thirst in her ink-like eyes.

    Looking at Ning Xueyan¡¯s thin back, Mother Han suddenly felt sorrowful. Who would have thought that the Fifth Young Lady was the only daughter of the Legal Wife, and that the Eldest Young Lady and Eldest Childe just were illegitimate children?

    "Mother Han, don¡¯t feel aggrieved. They¡¯ll give back everything soon!" Ning Xueyan chuckled andforted Mother Han, as if she could see Mother Han¡¯s expression.

 Chapter 86 The People around Concubine Ma

    "Youngdy, is the First Madam nning a grand feast for Concubine Ma¡¯s birthday because she wants to return that concubine¡¯s favour?" Mother Han said anxiously.

    "No!" Ning Xueyan said that with a smile. Then she turned around and sat by the table. Having poured a cup of tea for herself, she took a sip and said thoughtfully, "If she wants to give thanks to Concubine Ma, she will do it secretly and won¡¯t n so many things."

    Mother Han spoke out her guess, "Youngdy, I think it is not that simple."

    Of course it was not that simple. It was actually a series of plots which targeted at her. These women had really regarded her as a weak girl by setting her up with insidious tricks over and over again.

    "Lanning, how¡¯s your rtionship with the maid of Concubine Ma?" Ning Xueyan asked Lanning who stood by her side.

    Lanning¡¯s acquaintances in the manor were much more than Qingyu.

    Lanning pondered for a while, then she said, "I have worked with Qiufang who works for Concubine Ma. We are quite familiar with each other."

    Ning Xueyan nodded. Then she called Lanning over and whispered to her ears. Lanning nodded while giving a smile on her face.

    In the evening, Lanning ran into Qiufang at the door of the kitchen. They held hands intimately and went to the corner of the kitchen to chat.

    "Qiufang, did Concubine Ma go out today?" As they were talking about daily events, Lanning suddenly pulled Qiufang over and put a piece of sliver in her hand with a smile.

    Qiufang was stunned. Then she understood Lanning¡¯s intention right away. With her eyes staring at Lanning, she said hesitantly, "Lanning, that¡¯s... not appropriate!"

    Having sensed Qiufang¡¯s struggle, Lanning smiled and put another piece of silver in her hand. She knew that Qiufang had a poor family. With her mother being ill at home, Qiufang always lived on a tight budget.

    "I won¡¯t ask you too many things. It¡¯s only about the Concubine Ma. Our youngdy heard that Concubine Ma had some misunderstandings with her and got a bit depressed about that. So she wanted to know who do Concubine always meet and what have they talked about?" Lanning said that with a smile.

    "I, I still feel ufortable to tell, tell you things about my mistress." Qiufang hesitated.

    "We are just chatting. It¡¯s not like our Young Lady would really do something to Concubine Ma. Your mistress is the favoured one in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. So our Young Lady won¡¯t provoke her," Lanning said that and put another two pieces of silver in Qiufang¡¯s hand.

    Those silver that Lanning had presented were nearly equal to six months¡¯ wages of Qiufang. Then Qiufang made up her mind while stamping her feet, saying, "Fine. I¡¯ll tell the Fifth Young Lady everything about Concubine Ma... in the future."

    "Does Concubine Ma go to see the First Madam very oftentely?" After Qiufang had agreed to her, Lanning got relieved secretly while asking a seemingly casual question.

    The thing she had just asked was not a secret. All the people could see that.

    "Yeah, I know that Concubine Ma has always tried to curry favour with the First Madam, but their rtionship was even closer than before. These days, the First Lady is always happy to see our mistress, unlike before," Qiufang said.

    Before, Concubine Ma always had often got sneered by the maids and older female servants of the First Madam when she had fawned on the First Madam. Also, the First Madam had also given the cold shoulder to Concubine Ma. And a maid like Qiufang could only stay in the lowest status in Auspicious Clouds Courtyard where anyone was able tomand her.

    However, things werepletely different right now. The First Madam was really kind to Concubine Ma right now, which made the maids and older female servants in the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard changed their attitude toward Qiufang and became politely. But this only made the maids of Concubine Ma get nervous because they felt insecure about the change.

    The people who stayed in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor for a while all knew what kind of a person the First Madam was and why she treated a concubine so nicely.

    That was another reason for Qiufang to risk everything to work for Ning Xueyan.

    "I heard Concubine Ma was pregnant. Have you heard her talk about it before?" Lanning asked.

    "We are quite surprised about her pregnancy actually. There was no sign of her getting pregnant, but..."Qiufang paused, looking around to see if there was anyone near them. Then she approached Lanning and said in a low voice, "Our mistress always has an irregr period. She has taken the medicines before. Buttely she stopped the medications."

    Irregr period and the sustained medication?

    Lanning already got what she wanted while nodding. After having a chitchat, they came back to their own ces.

    The manor was very lively on the day of Concubine Ma¡¯s birthday.

    As the new favoured one in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor who was appreciated by the First Madam and got pregnant, Concubine Ma really had reached the peak of her life. And now there was a huge feast in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor being held for her.

    Although a concubine didn¡¯t have a noble status, the people still came to congratte her birthday since the Lord Protector and Madam Ling had already given orders.

    The feast was held in the eastern garden where there was a stage being set up.

    Of course, this kind of invitation was not qualified enough to be sent to the Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Luckily, Prince Yi was never used to turning down these invitations.

    Therefore, after the invitation had been sent to him, he took it over in his hands while looking at the words on it with interest. Then he smiled and said, "Should I go to congratte to the Lord Protector?"

    His words made the eunuch who waited upon trembled. Even the birthday of Madam Dowager might not be able to get the Prince Yi there, today it was just a concubine¡¯s birthday. It was so strange that the prince was willing to go.

    "Prince, if you send someone there to congratte, that concubine of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor might have the equal position as the First Madam." The eunuch advised carefully, not knowing if the prince was meant for real or thinking of something else.

    A concubine like that would be so grateful even if the prince sent someone there to congratte her birthday instead of himself.

    With his eyes squinted, Ao Chenyi held the tea up gracefully and took a sip, saying, "I heard this new concubine of Lord Protector had some issues with that girl. That girl was so lucky to still be alive after being poisoned a lot. Since she¡¯s not dead, I feel that I need to give her a present."

    "Prince, do you want to use giving present to the concubine of the Lord Protector as an excuse to send the gift directly to the Fifth Young Lady?" The eunuch who stood by Ao Chenyi¡¯s side was his henchman. Thus the eunuch did know some details about the prince and Ning Xueyan. However, he was still not able to get what the prince really meant, so he couldn¡¯t help asking that.

    "No, I don¡¯t want to give her a gift on someone else¡¯s birthday! I won¡¯t do it. Ask that girl tomorrow if she needs my help to raise this concubine¡¯s position to a madam," Ao Chenyi said thatzily, with a mysterious smile in his cold eyes.

    Co-wife, that was a madam indeed!

    Then his eyesight fell on his arm which was hurt before. He was surprised about that the effect of that little cat¡¯s medicine. Though it still couldn¡¯tpare to the medicine he had left there, the wound still healed faster than he thought. He hadn¡¯t nned to take anything from Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s study at that time when he had broken in there, he had merely wanted to test the defense there.

    Actually, he didn¡¯t need to do these kinds of things by himself. However, he had suddenly been in the mood of bringing two secret guards there. After getting injured, he hadn¡¯t walked out of the manor. Instead, he had headed straightly toward the inner yard, which made the two secret guards helpless. Nevertheless, the two secret guards had been confident that they were able to bring the prince out of there even if they were discovered by somebody else. So the secret guards had decided to let Prince Yi do whatever he wanted.

    "Yes, prince, I¡¯ll send someone to ask early in the morning tomorrow." They had that conversation so fluently as if going to find ady straightly was not an inappropriate thing for them.

    "Those women who have been sent here, have you finished the investigation of them?" Ao Chenyi said that in a slight but scary voice, with the corner of his bloody red mouth hanged up.

    "We are still investigating the ones which were sent by the Third Prince. There are so many things that need to be dug out. And the words from the regions south of the Yangtze River are still on the way." The eunuch said that reverently in a low voice. It was not that he didn¡¯t want to speed up the investigating process, he just couldn¡¯t. It was not easy to dig out a person who had shown up dozens of years ago in a short period.

    What was more, the thing he was looking into was very secret. So the people who knew about this was very few.

    "Since it¡¯s hard to figure it out in a short time, just stop the investigation and send someone to get rid of those women. It doesn¡¯t deserve our manpower. I need my guys to do something else." Ao Chenyi said that, with a gruesome smile on his gorgeous face. He uttered those words in a fierce tone as if he was about to get rid of some flowers of nts instead of human lives.

    "Prince, if it is real..." The eunuch asked that raucously.

    "The reason why Ao Mingyu sent so many people to me is that he was sure that I¡¯ll look into it. If he finds anything wrong, he wille to take these people back. But, I¡¯m not a fool. If I have time, I¡¯ll do the investigation. If I don¡¯t, I¡¯ll just kill those people. Remember to give those people back to Ao Mingyu after you killed them in case he keeps thinking about them."

    Ao Chenyi crooked his fingers at ease, with coldness and gloom in his eyes.

    "Yes, prince!" The eunuch understood the prince right away, then he asked, "What if the Third Prince keeps sending people to us?"

    "Just let him! Since they are so eager to send people here to amuse me, I¡¯ll have to make some new inventions. Use some body parts to make some articles. It¡¯s better than sending the corpses alone." Ao Chenyi leaned on his chair after giving this order. Under the light, his beautiful and bloody red lips made him look like a powerful monster which was stepping forward on the blood.

    No one dared to doubt the possibility of his words.

    "Yes, I¡¯ll tell them at night to make delicate articles. I can¡¯t let your reputation be ruined, Your Highness."

    "Fine, just go. Work hard on it." Ao Chenyi waved his hand while the smile on the corner of his mouth turning to a murderous look. Some people had really considered his ce as some kind of waste treatment nt. They wanted him to deal with the fake ones and take away the real ones. However, no one who was sent here could walk out of his ce alive.

    Of course, since that was his nephew, Ao Chenyi wouldn¡¯t treat Ao Mingyu randomly. That was why he would send some body parts to Ao Mingyu in case his nephew wouldin him for bullying the younger ones and disgracing the royal family. Thinking of this, Ao Chenyi shed a deep sneer in his deep eyes.

    "Yes, Your Highness," the eunuch answered and nned to leave.

    "Wait, I also have a letter for that girl. Don¡¯t wait until tomorrow, tell someone to throw this letter into the yard where she lives tonight. Don¡¯t all the people choose to do those things such as meeting in private, writing letters secretly or eloping at night when nobody¡¯s watching?!"

    As the eunuch was about to leave, something suddenly popped in Ao Chenyi¡¯s mind and he stopped the eunuch.

    Meeting in private, writing secretly, eloping? The eunuch showed a reluctant look on his face and thought, "Are you really talking about yourself, my prince? When did you have this kind of interests? You can have anyone you want by simply asking. Why do you bother to do these sneaky things?"

    "Prince, well... I did have heard of that." The eunuch murmured that. But how much did he know about dating a woman as a eunuch.

 Chapter 87 The Birthday Feast for Concubine Ma

    As soon as Ning Xueyan went to bed, Lanning woke her up. Seeing the letter in Lanning¡¯s hand, Ning Xueyan got speechless for the moment.

    It was just an anonymous letter. After Ning Xueyan had opened the delicate envelope and taken out the letter, she only saw the beautiful handwriting, "Make the concubine be madam."

    Make the concubine a madam, make the concubine a madam? Ning Xueyan frowned and folded the letter in her hand, with a meaningful expression in her eyes.

    "Lanning, where did you find this?"

    "I was nning to have a rest in my room after I had cleaned up everything on the outside, then this letterid on my bed straightly." As Lanning was talking about this, she gave another small note to Ning Xueyan.

    The handwriting of the note was different from the one on the letter. And there were more words on it, "Please write back quickly. Tie your youngdy¡¯s letter with stone and throw them out of the wall."

    And that was everything on the note!

    Tonight Ning Xueyan got a strange letter and a strange note. However, she still managed to figure out the hints inside those words. The only person she knew who was able to do this was none other than that bloodthirsty monster, Prince Yi. What was more, if he wanted to know the issues between Concubine Ma and Ning Xueyan, the secret guards under hismand could easily get that information for him.

    However, Ning Xueyan only felt weird that Prince Yi would mind other people¡¯s business.

    "Lanning, pass me the paper and the writing brush." Although she didn¡¯t know why this prince was doing this, Ning Xueyan still asked Lanning to prepare the ink and paper for her. Lanning moved quickly and brought her the thing she needed. Having lifted the writing brush, she thought for a moment and wrote something down. Then she folded the paper and put it into the envelope which had been sent to her while asking Lanning to tie the letter to a stone and throw it out of the wall.

    She already had a n to deal with Concubine Ma, so she wouldn¡¯t like anyone else to step in her business. She was pretty confident of herself when coping with the dirty tricks of other women. As for this moody Prince Yi, she didn¡¯t dare to get too close to him. After all, there was a great identity gap between them.

    It was just business between them. Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t even know if she could still be alive atst. However, that was enough for her. Having him as her backup force would definitely make her revenge n seed. She didn¡¯t care about her own destiny.

    As long as she could have her revenge and protect the people around her. She did not mind dying again.

    So she had to be strong and took care of her personal affairs calmly.

    Only by doing that could she revenge for herself.

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t think that this ruthless Prince Yi would make a deal with her if she couldn¡¯t even handle a minor issue like this. Moreover, she also didn¡¯t believe that Ao Chenyi would help her for nothing. Therefore, she wouldn¡¯t ask him for help when she was capable of dealing with the issues right now. But she also wouldn¡¯t hesitate to get to him when she had no other options.

    When she had closed her eyes and died in that beautiful lotus pond, she had broken off all her rtions with all the weakness in her previous life. She had believed and trusted Xia Yuhang with all her heart. And what was the oue? She had only pushed her self in the misery.

    On the day of the birthday of Concubine Ma, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor got bustling early in the morning. There were carriages stopping in front of the door constantly. After the carriage had stopped, the young male servants who wanted to curry favor with the big shot would run out of the manor and serve. Some led the horse, some pulled the cart. The lively scene made the passengers think that it was the birthday of the madam in the manor.

    Ning Zu¡¯an entertained the guests in the front yard while Madam Ling greeted them in the back yard.

    Ning Xueyan got up early on purpose. After giving her regards to Madam Dowager, she was sent back by the olddy.

    "Youngdy, Eldest Young Lady was here." Lanning came in to announce that right as Ning Xueyan just sat on the chair.

    Ning Ziyan, you were quick!

    Ning Xueyan snorted. Then with her eyes squinted, she nodded and said, "Let my eldest sister in."

    The maid passed her word. Then Ning Ziyan walked in shyly with the support of a maid. She wore a red dress which had some floral design at the bottom. Her dress looked elegant, just like her appearance, which always let people have a good impression on her.

    That was why Ning Xueyan had been fooled by Ning Ziyan until her death. She had believed that Ning Ziyan really regarded her as a sister. It had never urred to Ning Xueyan that this sisterhood would kill her.

    "Sister Ying, we are like real sisters. You can regard this ce as your own home. Everything you want to eat or do, just tell me. Even if I don¡¯t have them, I¡¯ll figure out a way to find them for you."

    "Sister, let¡¯s go out together with Brother Xia, all right? I¡¯m familiar with the capital city."

    "Sister Ying, do you know that all the girls in the capital city envy you? They all think that you have married a perfect guy who is from a decent family and loves you so much. You are so lucky."

    Those words were still echoing in Ning Ziyan¡¯s head. However, Ning Ziying¡¯s body had already vanished. Her ¡¯good husband¡¯ and her ¡¯sister¡¯ had plotted together to murder her. Come to think about it, when she had heard Ning Ziyan praising Xia Yuhang, she had been really joyful and expected to have a happy life with Xia Yuhang forever.

    Unfortunately, that was only her innocent thought. She had only died in the lotus pond forever. She clenched her hands. All of her sharp fingernails stuck into her palm fiercely, which brought a stab of pain. Then her eyes turned red.

    "Eldest Sister." Seeing Ning Ziyaning in, Ning Xueyan stood up and hid the bloodiness and coldness in her eyes. She smiled and saluted Ning Ziyan. Of course, she would wee Ning Ziyan. How hard it was to pretend to be nice?

    Ning Ziyan still wore a simple white dress today. However, there were some tiny yellow flowers being embroidered on the cor of her dress. With her slender waistline and her fancy hairstyle, she looked graceful and charming in that dress. After being dressed up, her pretty face now looked even more attractive and enchanting.

    ¡¯Since when did Ning Xueyan be so beautiful?¡¯

    Ning Ziyan considered that while staring at Ning Xueyan¡¯s face. She found that Ning Xueyan had turned more and more beautiful, even more beautiful than her sister. No wonder why her mother couldn¡¯t stand Ning Xueyan. Ning Ziyan had heard that the troubles her mother and her sister had during this period were all because of Ning Xueyan.

    But after today, she would grind Ning Xueyan beneath her knees once again.

    "How dare you want topete with me and Ning Yuling? Don¡¯t you remember your menial identity," Ning Ziyan thought.

    Ning Ziyan already forgot about her identity as an illegitimate daughter when she had been a child. Now she believed that she was superior to Ning Xueyan in every way. When she heard from her mother that her father nned to marry Ning Xueyan to the Third Prince, she got so jealous. She felt so unfair that a girl in a low status could marry a finer man than her husband. She had also wished to marry the Third Prince before.

    However, at that time, her mother had told her that her father and her grandmother all intended to let Ning Yuling marry the Third Prince.

    Ning Ziyan was not able to change the decisions of the elders.

    While Ning Xueyan was standing there, she didn¡¯t miss any of the jealousy in Ning Ziyan¡¯s eyes. With a trace of smile on the corner of her mouth, she fell her eyesights on the maid beside Ning Ziyan.

    That was a sweet girl. She had a delicate appearance which looked even more delicate than her mistress!

    She was Chen Hexiang. The one who hade back to the manor with Ning Ziyanst time.

    The lover of Xia Yuhang.

    Ning Ziyan only brought this maid with her everywhere in order to prevent the maid from meeting Xia Yuhang privately.

    It seemed that Ning Ziyan had disciplined her maid well these days. Chen Hexiang stood tamely by Ning Ziyan¡¯s side, looking obedient. However, after dealing with Chen Hexiang for a few times, Ning Xueyan knew that she must have illicit rtions with Xia Yuhang. Ning Xueyan could sense that judging from that expensive vest that Chen Hexiang was wearing now.

    She didn¡¯t believe Chen Hexiang could afford that.

    "I have heard that the design in your room is delicate. So Ie here today deliberately to have a look. Actually, it¡¯s even elegant than I thought." After getting into Ning Xueyan¡¯s room, Ning Ziyan said that gently while looking around the room randomly.

    Ning Ziyan was really good at ttering people by calling her room which were full of simple and crude decorations a delicate ce. The people of the Bright Frost Garden had been out of sight for a long time. No one ever got any new pieces of furniture. So the furniture Ning Xueyan had right now were all the old ones which had been used by Madam Ming.

    Some of the furniture even had one part missing from the legs. So she had ced something under the short legs and kept them.

    "That¡¯s so nice of you to say that. I only have the things my mother has left for me. It¡¯s a pity to throw them away. Those things remind me of her." Ning Xueyan drank the soup beside her while saying that smilingly. Then she acted as if something echoed in her mind and said to Qingyu who stood beside her, "Qingyu, prepare a bowl of soup for my Eldest Sister."

    The soup smelt really good which gave people appetite. Qingyu served the soup to Ning Ziyan. However, Ning Ziyan only nced at it and didn¡¯t touch it at all.

    The lite soup had some oil blooms and a few chopped green onions on it, which looked tasty.

    "Sister, what is this?" Ning Ziyan asked that with doubt.

    "This is the soup was made in our kitchen. I heard that they had stewed it for a night. It can maintain beauty and keep young. They said it¡¯s perfect for women¡¯s health. Qingyu has taken it from the kitchen. She said that lunch would bete so it is better for me to eat something first. I actually like the vour. Do you want to have a taste, sister?" Ning Xueyan wiped her mouth with her towel and said that.

    "I¡¯ll pass. Not that hungry now. I¡¯ll let someone serve me the soup when I am starving. You can have it all for yourself." Although Ning Ziyan was interested in the effect of maintaining beauty, keeping young and recovering women¡¯s health, she still pushed away the bowl in front of her while giving out an even gentler smile.

    Madam Ling had already told the things that had taken ce in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to her. From the description of her mother, Ning Ziyan had already known that Ning Xueyan was not that cowardly girl who never fought back. Now even Ning Yuling¡¯s marriage was about to be ruined by Ning Xueyan. "What an insidious b*tch!" Ning Ziyan thought.

    So Ning Ziyan didn¡¯t have the gut to drink anything from the Bright Frost Garden.

    She touched her belly subconsciously. Although she didn¡¯t look pregnant, she had already had some symptoms of pregnancy. So she had to be very careful of the things that woulde into her mouth.

    "Since you don¡¯t want to have it, I¡¯ll let Qingyu take it away." Ning Xueyan said that with a slight smile and stopped insisting. She knew that Ning Ziyan wouldn¡¯t eat anything that was given by her now. However, what if Concubine Ma who was also pregnant drank the soup afterwards and was perfectly fine...

    After Qingyu had taken away the bowl, Ning Xueyan looked at Chen Hexiang with her eyebrows knitted.

    "Sister, your maid looks familiar to me. Is she the one who used to serve you before? She does dress up decently. Look at the high-quality cloth on her. Now I see the difference between the Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor and our manor, even the maids at your ce dress up more properly than the maids of ours."

    As she mentioned Chen Hexiang, Ning Ziyan also pay attention to the clothes that Chen Hexiang was wearing. Then Ning Ziyan got sulky right away...

    "That b*tch, how dare she wears clothes of that material..." Ning Ziyan finally realized that.

 Chapter 88 The Hairpin and Ning Ziyans Personal Maid

    The vest on Chen Hexiang looked no different from the green ones on other maids if someone didn¡¯t watch it carefully. However, after taking a good look at the material of the green vest, Ning Ziyan found that it was actually made by silk. Although it wouldn¡¯t need too much cloth to make a vest, it was still luxury for a maid to wear something made by silk. Even Ning Ziyan only had two pieces of the silk cloth.

    And she had already used them up after making only two pieces of clothes.

    That silk cloth was a gift from one of Xia Yuhang¡¯s friends. He had told her that this rare cloth was a tribute to the royal family, which was even hardly to be seen in the pce.

    So why was this maid¡¯s vest made of silk?

    Ning Ziyan clenched the handkerchief in her hand and then loosen it up. Then with the stiff smile on her face easing, she said breezily, pretending not to care, "I got the extra cloth and gave it to her to make a vest. I didn¡¯t realize that she would wear it today. Don¡¯t ridicule me for that, sister."

    Although there were still smile on Ning Ziyan¡¯s face, the malevolence in her eyes was not able to be hidden. Ning Ziyan determined to torture her maid when she came bakc to her manor. "You b*tch, you have seduced Xia Yuhang all day long. And you still imed there¡¯s nothing between the two of you? I¡¯ll marry you to the ugliest and the most disgusting old night watchman. Let¡¯s see how you are going to lure my husband," Ning Ziyan thought.

    Meanwhile, Chen Hexiang was also having a bad feeling. So she raised her head to look at Ning Ziyan with fear, then she lowered her head timidly, looking cowardly. However, she was thinking that she couldn¡¯t wait anymore and she had to let Xia Yuhang admit her position. Today was a perfect day to aplish her n. So Chen Hexiang had worn this vest on purpose today.

    Seeing Chen Hexiang¡¯s delicate look and the craft expression that was shed in her eyes, Ning Xueyan snorted secretly. It seemed that so many people were plotting something on today¡¯s feast. That was even better, the more chaotic the situation became, the more likely her enemies would make mistakes. Ning Xueyan was wondering if Madam Ling and Ning Ziyan would be able to extricate themselves this time.

    "Sister, your makeup today is too simple. After all, it¡¯s Concubine Ma¡¯s birthday, you should at least add some powder on your face. Don¡¯t let Concubine Ma think that we look down on her." Ning Ziyan said that with a grin.

    "My, my mom had just died for..." Ning Xueyan said that with a reluctant look on her face.

    "Although your mom were dead, it has already been a month. Concubine Ma seldom has the chance to have a birthday feast like this and all the people in the manor now are having a good time now. Don¡¯t have the guests¡¯ spirits dampened. "Ning Ziyan said that as if she was really being thoughful for Ning Xueyan. Then she took out a ruby tassels hairpin, which was particrly pretty.

    When Chen Hexiang saw Ning Ziyan taking out the hairpin, she couldn¡¯t help raising his head while looking at the hairpin with a greedy look. Then she lowered her head instantly. If Ning Xueyan hadn¡¯t been observing Chen Hexiang the whole time, she wouldn¡¯t notice this maid¡¯s facial expression.

    "Sister, this hairpin will look so beautiful on you. Just look at the color, it suits you perfectly. You are the daughter of the Lord Protector, don¡¯t let other people sneeze at you. You should wear this hairpin! This one belongs to me, I¡¯ll give it to you!" Ning Ziyan said that generously. Then she took over the hairpin and tried to put it on Ning Xueyan¡¯s hair.

    "Thanks a lot, sister. But I don¡¯t think my outfit could match such a pretty hairpin!" Ning Xueyan declined that with a troubled expression while holding Ning Ziyan¡¯s hand to let her sit down. Then Ning Xueyan stared at the ruby hairpin with light shing in her eyes, showing great interest.

    "What are you talking about? Sister, you are so beautiful to fit all the nice things. Have you just said those things deliberately because you dislike my hairpin?" Being rejected by Ning Xueyan, Ning Ziyan showed a sullen look on her face.

    "Sister, you misunderstood me. Look at the color of my face, I can¡¯t wear something so bright..." Ning Xueyan pretended to be hesitating, with her eyes fixed on the hairpin. After that, she still pushed the hairpin toward Ning Ziyan.

    Her acts made Ning Ziyan believe that she really liked the hairpin but she had to push it away.

    Then Ning Ziyan looked at Ning Xueyan¡¯s face doubtfully and found that it was true that Ning Xueyan had a paler face than ordinary people. That bright-colored hairpin was surely not suitable for her. It would be a huge mistake for a woman to wear a piece of jewelry which had a brighter color than her face.

    However, Ning Ziyan had to give this hairpin to Ning Xueyan today!

    Then Ning Ziyan found a perfect reason to give the hairpin away.

    She found that Ning Xueyan was quite fond of the hairpin, so she said, "Sister, I see your pale face. It doesn¡¯t matter. Don¡¯t you remember that I have presented you some powder and blusher? Come here, I¡¯ll do the makeup on you. Then you can wear the hairpin. Trust me, you¡¯ll look like a fairy by then."

    Hearing her words, Ning Xueyan was persuaded. Then she stopped pushing the hairpin away.

    Ning Ziyan put on an even brighter smile after seeing that Ning Xueyan¡¯s hesitation. Then Ning Ziyan said, "Sister, what are you waiting for? Half of the guests who came here today haven¡¯t seen you before. I¡¯ll take you to greet them afterwards. You just have to dress up to see those people. Come on, it¡¯s not like I am asking to wear red or green colored clothes. No one will care about a little hairpin."

    "But Fourth Sister said that she liked the powder and blusher and has taken them all away!" Ning Xueyan said that with her eyebrows knitted.

    "That¡¯s OK. I have some with me. You can use these," Ning Ziyan said while showing her generosity. Then she told Chen Hexiang who was standing behind her to take out the powder.

    Now Ning Ziyan was very careful with her body. So she always brought the powder and blusher with her in order to refine her makeup anytime she wanted.

    Chen Hexiang then came over instantly, pulling out the powder and blusher from the bag.

    "Eldest Young Lady, thank you. I¡¯ll do the make up for our Young Lady then." Lanning took over the powder in Chen Hexiang¡¯s hands and said that politely.

    Since Lanning already said that, Ning Ziyan couldn¡¯t insist on letting Chen Hexiang doing the make-up. Having nodded, Ning Ziyan sat behind Ning Xueyan and watched Lanning primping Ning Xueyan. However, it seemed that Lanning was not very familiar with the make up procedure ording to her slow movements. After Ning Ziyan had sat there for a while, she only saw Lanning finished the foundation for Ning Xueyan.

    Since Ning Ziyan was pregnant, she always felt ufortable with her body. She already felt a bit tired now after sitting there for a short while. She leaned to the left at first then she leaned to the right. However, no matter what kind of posture she had, she only felt more and more exhausted and couldn¡¯t bear to stay there anymore.

    So she held Chen Hexiang¡¯s hand to get up, saying, "Sister, I¡¯ll go to the garden to see who hase. Then I¡¯ll introduce them to you afterwards."

    "Fine, you can go first, sister. I¡¯ll be there in a minute." Ning Xueyan nodded while saying that smilingly, with darkness shing in her eyes. What she had guessed was right, Ning Ziyan had already colluded with Madam Ling to set her up.

    "I hope you won¡¯t cry so hard afterwards!" Ning Xueyan thought that.

    "Young Lady, what are we going to do about this hairpin?" Lanning stopped doing make-up for Ning Xueyan right after Ning Ziyan had left. Having walked to the table, she picked up the ruby hairpin and asked Ning Xueyan that.

    Although Lanning couldn¡¯t see what was wrong with the hairpin, she still knew that it must be something that could hurt Ning Xueyan ording to Ning Ziyan¡¯s willingness for Ning Xueyan to have it. Back to the old days, the Eldest Young Lady had also treated Young Lady Ziying with the same attitude. And what had happened next only showed the Ning Ziyan¡¯s evil intentions toward Young Lady Ziying. However, all the evil intentions had been hidden behind that smiling face of Ning Ziyan.

    And Young Lady Ziying never managed to see Ning Ziyan¡¯s true colors. That was why she had died in the lotus pond strangely.

    Ning Xueyan had already smelt the fragrance on the hairpin. The smell was easy to be ignored because it was too light. If it had not been for her knowledge about the drug, she would never realize that this hairpin had drug on it. And the kind of drug was...

    Ning Ziyan and Madam Ling were both malicious women. They had tried everything to destroy Ning Xueyan. However, Ning Xueyan would only disappoint them. "How desperate are you two that you already made a move before I have done anything!" Ning Xueyan sneered inwardly.

    "Lanning, find a way to drop the hairpin in front of Chen Hexiang." Ning Xueyan curved her lips and smiled coldly while staring herself in the mirror. She knew that Chen Hexiang had worn that vest today for a reason. Then Ning Xueyan felt obliged to give Chen Hexiang a hand. When she had seen Chen Hexiang¡¯s greedy eyes on the ruby hairpin just now,

    she knew that Chen Hexiang must be eager to have this hairpin. Perfect, then she would give Chen Hexiang the thing she wanted.

    When Ning Xueyan arrived at the garden, she was totally dressed up. With the light make-up on her, her face looked brighter. Now she looked even more beautiful. The ruby hairpin with wobbling tassels made her look like an impable jade.

    The feast was set in the garden. The male guests were all seated on the left while the females were on the right. There was a gauze curtain between them. So the males and the females could hear each other¡¯s voices but couldn¡¯t see each other¡¯s figures clearly.

    A drama stage had been set up and there were already some people performing opera on it. The audiences were giving apuse and there were waves ofughtering from the crowd from time to time.

    Most of the people who had been invited already arrived before the feast began. However, the Lord Protector still had to wait until all the guests came here in order to show courtesy.

    Madam Ling and Ning Ziyan sat in the crowd with a bunch of madams anddies around them. They were chatting andughing.

    Suddenly, Madam Ling and Ning Ziyan saw Ning Xueyaning over with the ruby hairpin on her hair. Then they looked at each other and smiled evilly. After that, they both turned their head and stopped paying attention to Ning Xueyan.

    Meanwhile, Ning Xueyan found a chair in the corner and sat, not intending toe over to them.

    This was a perfect spot for her to observe everyone without being noticed.

    Concubine Ma came here hastily. It seemed that she was in a hurry because she was wiping the sweats on her forehead. When she arrived at the ce, she looked around and found nobody noticed her. Then she let out a sigh of relief. After pushing away Qiufang who was beside her, Concubine Ma walked quickly toward Madam Ling.

    Seeing Concubine Maing over, Madam Ling nced at her with disdainful expression in her eyes. However, Madam Ling still showed a genial smile on her face and pulled Concubine Ma over favorably, saying, "Where have you been? Howe you just show up? I almost tell the maid to look for you."

    Hearing that Madam Ling had nned to look for her, Concubine Ma trembled subconsciously. But she gave out a smile at once and answered, "I was in the kitchen just now. I heard that they had made delicious soup there. I thought that the lunch would bete and I might get hungry by then. So I drank the soup first."

    Concubine Ma had actually been to the opera troupe just now. But she had no guts to tell Madam Ling that. Then something popped in her mind. She remembered two older female servants had told her about the soup on her way there. So she had chosen to use a story to cover for herself. She had even gone to the kitchen to taste the soup in order to have a perfect excuse.

    "Soup. I¡¯m a bit hungry as well. Do you still have some, Concubine Ma?" Ning Ziyan had a good appetite these days. Now she really was starved. She hadn¡¯t dared to drink the soup at Ning Xueyan¡¯s ce. Since Ning Ziyan saw that Concubine Ma was fine, she really wanted to have a taste of that soup now.

    "Of course. I was thinking that you should try this delicious soup. Then I have let someone bring arge bowl of it on purpose. Eldest Young Lady, if you want to have a taste, I can take you to the room there to have a rest and drink it." Seeing that Madam Ling didn¡¯t find anything wrong with her story, Concubine Ma breathed a sigh of relief while pointing at a room out of the crowd.

    She had let someone served the soup to that room in order to make her story sound more believable and fawn upon Madam Ling.

    "Fine. You can lead the way." Ning Ziyan stood up. She had sat there for too long and became a little tired. So she wanted to rx her body by walking for a short while.

    Madam Ling knew about her daughter¡¯s condition, so she didn¡¯t suspect anything else. Then she nodded...

 Chapter 89 The Wife and the Concubine Both Got Pregnant

    Concubine Ma went out of the room soon. Now she was wiping her mouth with a handkerchief. And there was only one maid following her. Meanwhile, Ning Ziyan was still staying in the room. It seemed that she wanted to have a rest in the room after drinking the soup.

    In the meantime, Chen Hexiang, the maid of Ning Ziyan, sneaked out from the room. After looking around for a while and finding nobody seeing her, she walked straightly toward her left. This path she was walking on could lead her to the male guests. She had already acknowledged that the path was very long because the Lord Protector had wanted to separate the male guests and the female guestspletely.

    Seeing Chen Hexiang¡¯s move, Ning Xueyan winked at Lanning. Having understood her mistress¡¯s intention, Lanning followed Chen Hexiang right away.

    After Ning Ziyan finished drinking the soup, shemanded Chen Hexiang to massage her legs. Then she took a nap on the bed. Pregnant women always got sleepy, not to mention that Ning Ziyan had got up very early this morning. And there had been peopleing around to chat with her. So she fell right into asleep when she finally got a chance to rx.

    When Chen Hexiang found that Ning Ziyan was asleep, she stopped massaging her legs. Then she stood up and looked at Ning Ziyan viciously. Then she turned around and walked outside quietly. She was determined to let Xia Yuhang marry her no matter what. She couldn¡¯t bear being a menial maid anymore. Otherwise, she would definitely die in the hands of Ning Ziyan who always plotted something behind someone¡¯s back.

    Chen Hexiang had been Ning Ziyan¡¯s puppet the moment she had entered the Xia Manor! How could a proud girl like her live with that!

    Before when Xia Yuhang hade to her ce, they had made out freely with passion. Now with Ning Ziyan keeping a close eye on her, Chen Hexiang couldn¡¯t even wink at Xia Yuhang.

    She was pregnant. So she couldn¡¯t wait anymore!

    If Xia Yuhang couldn¡¯t take her as his concubine, she was not able to keep the baby.

    She had already felt something wrong about her at the Cold Mountain Temple. However, her period had only dyed for a day or two. So she hadn¡¯t been certain about that. What was more, she had nned to be a co-wife of Xia Yuhang by giving birth to his baby. After all, the woman who had been engaged with Xia Yuhang before Ning Ziyan was a weak person.

    And she had thought that Xia Yuhang would agree to give her a position as a co-wife for the sake of the baby in her belly as long as she begged him.

    She had nned to let Xia Yuhang repudiate that stupid woman after her baby was born. Then she would find an opportunity to kill the woman or destroy her reputation. Then she could be the only wife of Xia Yuhang!

    However, her n was not able to keep up with changes. It never urred to her that Xia Yuhang didn¡¯t marry that stupid woman. Instead, it was Ning Ziyan who married him. Chen Hexiang had known that Ning Ziyan was the same person like her who looked gentle on the surface and acted evilly on the sly from the first nce at Ning Ziyan. That was why Chen Hexiang was anxious right now.

    She would definitely be murdered once Ning Ziyan found out about her pregnancy.

    Nevertheless, she didn¡¯t even have a chance to talk with Xia Yuhang in Xia Manor. Everywhere she went, there was a maid following her. She couldn¡¯t run away with that. If she still failed to speak to Xia Yuhang and let him marry her as his concubine, she would end up with a miserable life.

    So she took a detour from the left in a hurry when Ning Ziyan was sleeping. She had noticed clearly that there were young male servants sending things from there.

    However, she had to stop at an intersection, not knowing which path led to the male guests.

    She didn¡¯t have much time. The longer she waited, the more dangerous she would be.

    "Are you heading somewhere?" As she was hesitating there, she heard someone asking her from behind.

    She looked back in fright and found that it was not the maid of Ning Ziyan. Then she couldn¡¯t help letting out a sigh of relief with lots of sweats already on her back.

    "Are you lost? Do you want to find where the female guests are?" The pretty maid walked toward Chen Hexiang while saying that with a grin. Chen Hexiang found the maid look familiar. Then she watched the maid¡¯s face carefully and found that it was the maid of the Fifth Young Lady who she had just visited.

    "I wasn¡¯t nning to go to the female guests¡¯ seats. Ourdy has told me to find our master. But I was lost when I got here. Sister, do you know which way I should go?" Chen Hexiang smiled and exined that with awkwardness.

    "Do you need me to send the message for you to your master? There are so many people here and you might bump into someone else!" Lanning said that politely.

    "No, no, our mistress has urged me to do it by myself. Don¡¯t bother, sister!" Hearing that Lanning wanted to help her, Chen Hexiang got restless immediately. Then she waved her hands and refused Lanning.

    "Don¡¯t worry. I happen to be free right now. I¡¯ll have to go there anyway afterwards. I¡¯ll do it for you, sister!" Lanning insisted while stepping on the path on her right. It looked like she was really intending to send the message for Chen Hexiang.

    "It really is not necessary, sister. Our mistress will punish me for beingzy." Chen Hexiang pulled Lanning subconsciously in a moment desperation while still exining that.

    Then Lanning staggered about and almost tumbled. After standing still, Lanning showed a sullen face and said, "Walk this way. You¡¯ll see the female guests after a short while. If you can not find your master momentarily, just ask a young male servant. There were lots of guests there. Be careful not to offend any important guests."

    "Yes, yes, yes. I won¡¯t offend anyone there. Don¡¯t worry, sister." Chen Hexiang nodded without a break while saying that.

    "All right, I¡¯ll leave now!" Lanning nodded while walking toward another path.

    Seeing Lanning being out of sight, Chen Hexiang was overjoyed. She had just learned a few helpful information from Lanning. Not only did she know the way to the male guests, she also learned that the young male servant would help her to find Xia Yuhang. What was more, Lanning had also told her that there would be important guests in the front.

    That was awesome for her. As long as those important guests saw Xia Yuhang admit her as his concubine, Ning Ziyan then couldn¡¯t do anything about it after waking up. With a crowd of people staring, even Madam Ling couldn¡¯t ruin her n. Then Chen Hexiang felt assuredpletely and nned to head there.

    However, her eyes were caught by a sparkling red object.

    When she looked closer, she found a ruby hairpin in the grass. Then she squatted down and picked it up, feeling extremely happy.

    That was the ruby hairpin she had coveted just now. Without thinking too much, she looked around and found nobody nearby. Then she put the hairpin in her arms and walked on the path on her right.

    This hairpin must have been dropped from the maid who she had met during their tugging back and forth.

    As far as she denied having taken the hairpin, no one would know that she was the one who had it.

    As Chen Hexiang was rushing to the male guests with joy, Lanning had alreadye back to Ning Xueyan. There were also a few youngdies having a pleasant talk with Ning Xueyan now.

    Lanning nodded to Ning Xueyan while Ning Xueyan also gave a nod implying that she knew that Lanning had done her job sessfully. Now it was up to Chen Hexiang if Ning Xueyan¡¯s n could be sessful. She believed that clever woman Chen Hexiang could absolutely find Xia Yuhang.

    After that, Ning Xueyan could watch the fun.

    "What are you doing here, Fifth Young Lady? Our mistress has been looking for you. She has wanted to ask you how¡¯s the soup taste. But she couldn¡¯t see you anywhere. It took me a long while to find you."

    An older female servant in the crowd saw Ning Xueyan andughed right away.

    That older female servant was the servant of Concubine Ma.

    "Our Young Lady is kind of busy now. Please tell Concubine Ma that the soup tastes great. Thank the concubine for making soup deliberately for our Young Lady." Qingyu stopped the older female servant with a grin and pulled her out of the crowd. Then Qingyu pointed at Ning Xueyan who was among thedies, saying, "It¡¯s unnecessary to call our Young Lady over there because of such a small thing! She is talking with other Young Ladies right now and doesn¡¯t have the time."

    "Qingyu, it¡¯s not me who has insisted to invite Fifth Young Lady. It¡¯s Concubine Ma who has said that the Fifth Young Lady has a fragile body and has to be fed well. She also imed that Fifth Young Lady must be clear about what should be eaten and what shouldn¡¯t. Now she really wants to know what has Fifth Young Lady thought of the soup. So she has sent me to ask."

    The old female servant said that humbly, with a friendly look.

    Qingyu was a bit moved by her genial posture. What was more, it seemed that Concubine Ma now looked upon on Ning Xueyan and tried to show a friendly gesture. After all, due to what had happened before, it was reasonable for Concubine Ma to want to tter Ning Xueyan.

    "All right. Give thanks to Concubine Ma for our Young Lady. Tell her it¡¯s unnecessary, our Young Lady doesn¡¯t mind about these things." Qingyu declined with a smile.

    "But Concubine Ma was waiting for Fifth Young Lady. She will absolutely scold me if I can¡¯t bring Fifth Young Lady there. Qingyu, please help me. It won¡¯t take long. And Fifth Young Lady cane back right away. Fifth Young Lady won¡¯t miss anything here. Please, otherwise Concubine Ma may get angry, and I, I can¡¯t take the responsibility." The older female servant begged Qingyu persistently.

    Due to her pregnancy, Concubine Ma was being spoiled right now. If she was irritated right now, even Ning Xueyan couldn¡¯t handle the consequences.

    "Where is Concubine Ma?" Qingyu appeared to be persuaded. So she frowned and asked that.

    "There¡¯s a rockery by the kitchen which has a pavilion on it. The ce is near theke and is very quiet. Our mistress assumed that Fifth Young Lady should like a tranquil ce like that. So she went there." Hearing Qingyu¡¯s words, the older female servant pointed a direction for her affably.

    Everyone in the manor knew about the rockery by the kitchen. That was a ce which was deadly quiet, withke on the one side and mountain on the other side. It was also a ¡¯good¡¯ ce where someone could do anything without being noticed.

    "Our mistress has already told the servants to prepare a hot stove there. Fifth Young Lady can chat and enjoy the view with our mistress. It is warm in the pavilion now. Also, our mistress has also prepared a few dishes. Fifth Young Lady has a delicate body so she could eat something first. It¡¯s good for the stomach."

    The old female servant said those words with an expressive look. She tried her best to let her words sound persuasive after seeing Qingyu being influenced by her.

    "Then youe back first. I¡¯ll bring Fifth Young Lady there. Tell Concubine Ma not to worry." Qingyu nodded and agreed to her.

    "Fine, I¡¯ll tell Concubine Ma." The older female servant was overloaded with joy. Hearing Qingyu¡¯s answer, she came back to inform Concubine Ma at once.

    Ning Xueyan who was in the crowd had paid close attention to them the whole time. Seeing the older female servant disappeared, she excused herself to thosedies and left with Lanning.

    "Young Lady, Concubine Ma has sent someone to pass her words as you have expected!" Qingyu said that with anger.

    "Lanning, go to Mother Han. Tell her to invite the people." Ning Xueyan remained calm. She looked at Madam Ling who was standing not far away from her and snorted. Then she clenched her fists. "You did have a thorough n, Madam Ling. However, it¡¯s still a waste of time," she thought cynically.

    She expected to see how Madam Ling would make up for what would happen today...

 Chapter 90 Pregnancy, Surprise Or Scare

    There were already a few tes of sunflower seeds, some preserved fruit and tea being prepared in the pavilion. The windows on both sides were closed. With a burning stove in the center, this was surely a perfect ce for chatting. What was more, the pavilion faced theke and was situated on the rockery, which made it a fairly tranquil ce. People who didn¡¯t live in the manor wouldn¡¯t even find such a secluded ce.

    Right now, there were only Concubine Ma and a maid in the room.

    Concubine Ma was feeling like sitting on pin and needles. She walked to the door from time to time, then she stopped out of fidget. She had already made a thorough n. However, she just felt restless for no reason while having a bad feeling for what was about to happen.

    Suddenly, she heard someone talking on the outside. However, the expression on her face was not joyful but scared.

    "Mistress, you need to drink the tea now. Or the effect won¡¯t be shown in a short while." The maid who stood by the table pushed the tea on the table toward Concubine Ma and said that.

    "I..." Concubine Ma hesitated a bit.

    "Concubine Ma, do you want the marquis to know that you are not pregnant at all?" The maid looked at Concubine Ma with a cold expression in her eyes.

    Concubine Ma was frightened by the maid¡¯s eye sight. Then with her teeth gritted, she walked over and drank off the tea in the cup.

    Then she started to cough because she had drunk too fast.

    Right at this moment, someone knocked on the door lightly with hesitation. And Concubine Ma finally stopped coughing. She used her towel to cover her mouth.

    Meanwhile the maid took a few steps back and stood in the shadow of the corner of the pavilion.

    "Come in!" Having sat down on her seat, Concubine Ma cleared her throat and said that. She gritted her teeth secretly and thought, "Since I¡¯ve already drunk the drug in the tea, I shouldn¡¯t think anything else now. After all, I have drugged Ning Xueyan. And that thing has toe to a close. Fifth Young Lady was not an easy one to handle too."

    Concubine Ma was regretting right now. She shouldn¡¯t have married to Lord Protector. All the high position and great wealth she had expected to have were at the cost of being other¡¯s puppet. Now she had no way to back down. Since she had already agreed that she would help set up Ning Xueyan in order to curry favor with First Madam, she had to y along with this false pregnancy thing!

    After ten months of pregnancy, she wouldn¡¯t give birth to anything because she was not pregnant at now. By then she would definitely be punished severely!

    So she had to abort the baby who she had never had. And the ¡¯baby¡¯ had to die because of Ning Xueyan. She had drugged Ning Xueyan before, so people might find it reasonable for Ning Xueyan to drug her and kill her baby!

    It was the scheme which was plotted by First Madam and Concubine Ma. Now Concubine Ma had already drunk the tea with the drug in it. The drug only had one effect, which was to bring forward the date of her period. However, Concubine Ma suddenly had a sense of foreboding when she saw the door open slightly.

    Until now, everything went so smoothly, even too smoothly.

    But Concubine Ma still felt perturbed now! And her forehead was covered with sweats.

    Would A girl who was able to make First Madam scared walk into the trap so easily?

    "Caiyun!" A cheerful voice came through from the door. The familiar voice drew Concubine Ma back to the earth. She stood up abruptly, showing a frightened rather than delighted look on her face. She pointed at the fair-skinned man in front of her with terror, saying,

    "You, you... what are you doing here?" She couldn¡¯t even stand still due to her panic while still feeling vague pain from her belly as if it was drooping.

    "What? You didn¡¯t call me over here? Caiyun, how are you doing... Have you missed me?" The young man was stunned at first. Then with a sad look on his face, he didn¡¯t go out. Instead, he closed the door and looked at Concubine Ma while asking that.

    "I¡¯m fine. How can I not be? You should go now, now!" The pain from her belly kept welling up, which made Concubine Ma hardly able to utter a word. Cold sweats were covering her forehead right now. She bore the pain very reluctantly and walked toward the man to push him out of the room.

    The person who came here was not Ning Xueyan. It was the man from the opera troupe, also her past lover, whom she had tried so hard to cover up. And now he just stood right in front of her. No wonder Concubine Ma would be overspread with cold sweats and nearly faint.

    "What happened to you? Are you sick... What¡¯s wrong?" However, that man has already born Concubine Ma in his mind. When he saw Concubine Ma turned her face pale and stood unsteadily with sweats on her forehead, he really thought that she was ill.

    Then he stepped forward and supported Concubine Ma who seemed groggy.

    "Stay away." Before he stood still, someone pushed him violently from the side of him. The man who was holding Concubine Ma¡¯s hand tightly didn¡¯t pay attention to other people, so he backed up while falling down to the ground along with Concubine Ma.

    They both rolled on the ground and neither could stand up at the moment.

    "Go away!" The maid got into a p, knowing that something must be wrong. So she dragged Concubine Ma in a hurry and tried to pull Concubine Ma out of that man¡¯s arms. However, that man wouldn¡¯t let go of his hands. And Concubine Ma was back to the ground due to his powerful tug.

    As the three of them were in aplete tangle, the door was opened suddenly. Ning Xueyan along with a few maids and older female servants stood at the door, watching what was happening in the room in a shock.

    Concubine Ma was holding hands with a man on the ground. What was the story?

    Deadly silence filled in the space inside and outside the door.

    "Blood, blood, Concubine Ma is bleeding?" A sharp-eyed maid shouted that while pointing at the bottom of Concubine Ma¡¯s dress, from where red blood was flowing out.

    Concubine Ma almost pushed away the man beside her subconsciously in no time. Then she started to hold her belly and shouted miserably, with cold sweats on her forehead.

    "My belly, my belly!"

    "Go find a doctor. Tell him there¡¯s something wrong with Concubine Ma." Ning Xueyan ordered that to Qingyu.

    "Sure. I¡¯ll go right away." Having nodded, Qingyu ran away from there in a sh.

    At the same time, Ning Xueyan told the maid to hold Concubine Ma up while sending someone to inform Madam Dowager and First Madam. Now the pavilion became a scene of chaos. No one paid attention to that man who had run away secretly under the hint of Concubine Ma except Ning Xueyan.

    The maids and older female servants who had guided Ning Xueyan there were startled by the idents.

    Madam Dowager and Madam Ling came here fast. Lanning was the one who had invited Madam Ling and they came a bitter than Madam Dowager. So Madam Ling thought that everything went as she had nned. When she entered the room, she saw Madam Dowager sitting there with a sullen face. Meanwhile, Concubine Ma was lying on the bed, holding her belly and rolling back and forth due to the pain. And Ning Xueyan was standing there with her head lowered and the expression on her face unable to see.

    "Ning Xueyan falls into the trap," Madam Ling thought.

    "Mom, what happened?" Though Madam Ling wascent about herself secretly, she didn¡¯t show any sign of it. Instead, she asked with concern.

    "Mom, don¡¯t ask first. We should call a doctor to check on Concubine Ma at once." Ning Xueyan raised her head with terror in her eyes. It seemed that she was shocked by what had happened.

    "What do you mean by telling me no to ask? How can I keep silent now? Xueyan, what are you doing here? Don¡¯t tell me you are the one who has hurt Concubine Ma!" Madam Ling looked at Ning Xueyan with a doubtful look.

    "Mother, I, I didn¡¯t!"

    Hearing that, Madam Ling found Ning Xueyan¡¯s exnation quite feeble. And she saw Madam Dowager remaining silent with a gloomy face. Then Madam Ling was even more certain that her n had worked out.

    Come to think about it, when Madam Dowager found that her granddaughter had killed her grandson, she must have been heart-broken. Nevertheless, she couldn¡¯t tell others about this. Otherwise, she would only bring embarrassment to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    But Madam Ling had no intention to let Ning Xueyan get away with this. She wanted to blow up the affair. The more significant this matter became, the better Madam Ling felt. By then, even Madam Dowager was not able to protect Ning Xueyan.

    Then Madam Ling raised her voice as if she got a huge fright. "Oh my gosh, my Fifth Young Lady, you are... Even if Concubine Ma has misunderstood you and drugged you, you arepletely fine now. How can you murder the child in her belly! That is your brother!"

    Madam Ling put on a deep grieved look on her face while scolding Ning Xueyan.

    Madam Ling was standing at the door right now, and she had raised her voice on purpose because she wanted to draw people¡¯s attention. As expected, there were several madams who just passed by this ce looking up to this ce and finding Madam Ling who was standing at the door. They all stopped and looked over, wanting to know what had happened!

    "Mother, it¡¯s not like that..." With her face turning pale, Ning Xueyan exined hastily. However, she paused a bit when she had tried to exin. And Madam Ling caught the chance and continued.

    "Not like that. Are there any other possibilities? "That was a little human being. However, how can you be so ruthless to a child as his sister? That is my son whom you have just killed. Xueyan... how can you be so malicious at such a young age!"

    Madam Ling said that loudly with righteous words as if she really wanted to uphold justice for Concubine Ma.

    And she just kept iming that Ning Xueyan was the one who killed Concubine Ma¡¯s child on purpose.

    In the meantime, Concubine Ma who was lying on the bed kept winking at Madam Ling regardless of the terrible pain from her belly. However, Ning Xueyan stepped forward and block Concubine Ma¡¯s eyesight along with the maid which had been in the room with Concubine Ma.

    "Mother, how can you be so sure that it is me who has done that?" Ning Xueyan, having wiped off her scared look, said that calmly.

    "It... isn¡¯t it obvious? You are the only person who was here. That makes you the most possible one to have done that... Xueyan, have you forgotten what I had told you before? Why are you bing so vicious now?" Madam Ling still pestered Ning Xueyan in a loud voice.

    Those madams who were at the bottom of the rockery could hear clearly of Madam Ling¡¯s words because the rockery was not high even if they didn¡¯te up. They looked at each other with their eyes flickered. ording to the voice they had heard, the people who were on the rockery now were First Madam and Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. And they concluded from the conversation that Fifth Young Lady was a malicious girl who had just killed someone. Then they all got a bit curious.

    So they simply decided to stand at the bottom of the rockery, waiting for the follow-up of what was happening above.

    "Mother, you call me a malicious person only because I am standing here. What if my Eldest Sister or my Second Sister is in my ce right now. Will you still charge them straightly without even asking?" Ning Xueyan refuted Madam Ling with a sneer on the corner of her mouth.

    "I, I... Your sister would never do something like this." Madam Ling was startled by Ning Xueyan¡¯s words, but she retorted reflexively at once.

    "My sisters wouldn¡¯t do something like this, and I would? Mother, am I really that vicious in your eyes that I would kill someone without blinking? Or maybe you have already known what would happen in the beginning?"

    As she was saying this, Ning Xueyan smiled and approached Madam Ling who was already speechless due to Ning Xueyan¡¯s words.

    Madam Dowager looked at Madam Ling with a sullen look, with a spooky smile on the corner of her mouth, saying, "Madam Ling, aren¡¯t you the one who¡¯s gonna benefit the most if Concubine Ma lost her child? Why are you ming Xueyan right now? She was just trying to help Concubine Ma. Why are you calling her a malicious girl? What if she hasn¡¯t done the thing you just said?"

    Hot steam was rising in the pavilion. Ning Xueyan had opened the window deliberately in order to let Concubine Ma have some fresh air just now. So what Madam Dowager had said reached to the ears of those madams from the window.

    "It¡¯s, it¡¯s not Xueyan who did this?" Madam Ling waspletely confused right now. Then she blinked her eyes and asked that.

 Chapter 91 It Was the Imperial Physician

    "Grandma, Concubine Ma told someone to invite me here. She said that I must tell her if the soup I had drunk was delicious or not. She also said that she didn¡¯t want to let me be wronged and had to ask my opinion. I didn¡¯t want toe at first. But the older female servant who came to invite me just pestered me unceasingly. So I agreed toe here."

    "I was caught up by something else on the way here. However, when I got here, I saw Concubine Ma sitting on the ground covered with blood. Nowe to think about it, if I came earlier, I would be regarded as a malicious girl like what mother said for sure!" Ning Xueyan said that orderly with a smile.

    Though she was stating the truth, she still managed to hide the fact that there had been a man in the room at that time.

    Mixed feelings filled in Concubine Ma¡¯s heart at the moment, and she didn¡¯t know what to do next!

    She never thought that Ning Xueyan would make no mention of that man as if she had never seen him. If Ning Zu¡¯an knew about this, Concubine Ma would be doomed. Though Ning Zu¡¯an favored her a lot, he still wouldn¡¯t tolerate this kind of thing. And her end would be miserable.

    Thinking of this with fear, Concubine Ma couldn¡¯t help but rest her eyes on Ning Xueyan. She didn¡¯t know why Ning Xueyan had helped her to cover this up!

    Then she suddenly looked right into Ning Xueyan¡¯s dark jade-like eyes intentionally. That girl was even smiling to her, which made Concubine Ma¡¯s heart tremble. She lowered her head subconsciously, not daring to look right into Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes. Now she only felt the skinny girl in front of her was so unfathomable. Without the protection of her mom, Ning Xueyan still managed to fight Madam Ling. What a tough girl!

    Since things had alreadye to this point, Concubine Ma was totally helpless now.

    She wondered if she should keep framing Ning Xueyan with Madam Ling...

    As they were talking, a doctor over his fifties showed up at the door with a medical kit. It was clear to see that he was not an ordinary doctor.

    "Wait, you are not the doctor from our manor." Madam Ling reacted fast this time and held the doctor back.

    Although she didn¡¯t know where this doctor came from, she was still aware that she couldn¡¯t let anyone find out about the false pregnancy of Concubine Ma, let alone the real effect of the drug. Therefore, she didn¡¯t care about the fact that she had already failed to set Ning Xueyan up. The more important thing for her was to prevent people from knowing that Concubine Ma had not been pregnant at all.

    Since she had failed this time, she would stille up with something new. "I will destroy you, you little b*tch!" Madam Ling thought that.

    "What, you don¡¯t want me to see the patient?" The doctor snorted while raised his head to red at Madam Ling¡¯s hands, saying that in anger.

    "First Madam, just let him check on Concubine Ma. When I looked for the doctors in our manors, they were all rushing toward the ce where Eldest Young Lady stayed. They said that Eldest Young Lady also didn¡¯t feel well. When I was in anxiety, someone told me that this doctor was very skillful. So I invited him here specially." Qingyu showed up from the doctor¡¯s back and exined fretfully.

    "You stupid maid. How dare you invite this quack into our family! You think you could take the responsibility if anything happens?" Under no circumstance would Madam Ling let the doctor pass. So she didn¡¯t let go of her hands which were holding the door while curing Qingyu with her eyebrows knitted.

    "A quack?" The doctor roared that with an imposing manner on his face. Then he leered at Madam Ling and continued, "No one has ever called me that. I have even treated the emperor. Tell me why I can¡¯t treat a concubine in your manor and couldn¡¯t take the responsibility!"

    When they had quarreled, Madam Dowager finally recognized that the doctor was the imperial physician from the royal pce. So she red at Madam Ling fiercely and came over with a smile on her face, saying, "Imperial physician Wang, you are here. I¡¯m terribly sorry that my daughter-inw hasn¡¯t recognized you. Excuse her ignorance. Pleasee here and take a look at the concubine. Is the child in her belly still alive?"

    After Madam Dowager had said that, Madam Ling¡¯s face wentpletely stiff and turned green. She couldn¡¯t believe the man in front of her was an imperial physician! And she finally released her hand.

    "I don¡¯t know if I am qualified to be an imperial physician. Just don¡¯t regard me as a quack! Madam Dowager, I only didn¡¯t leave just now for the sake of the marquis." Imperial Physician Wang snorted at Madam Ling and then turned his head to talk to Madam Dowager.

    "Yes, yes, yes, she is too inexperienced to know your face, imperial physician Wang. Please have a look now!" Madam Dowager knew that imperial Wang was best at gynecology and it never urred to her that he would agree toe at this critical moment. Being overjoyed right now, she cast aplimentary nce at Qingyu and leading imperial Wang toward Concubine Ma¡¯s bed in a hurry.

    Now Madam Ling had no choice but to wait there. She felt in a state of feverish like ants on the hot pan. "Why did Ziyan call all the doctors in the manor over at this moment!" she thought.

    How terrified was Madam Ling right now!

    Seeing Concubine Ma whose face turned pale and lost all the color due to the pain, imperial physician stopped talking and sat down right away. After that, he took Concubine Ma¡¯s pulse with his eyebrows wrinkled. He seemed to be hesitating about something. Madam Dowager who was looking at him became even more nervous. Her reaction was quite understandable. After all, Ning Zu¡¯an had never had a son for all these years. And finally, Concubine Ma was pregnant with a boy this time. Madam Dowager really didn¡¯t want to lose this grandson.

    All the people became quiet all of a sudden. There¡¯s only the sound of groan from Concubine Ma.

    Imperial physician Wang put down one hand of Concubine Ma and took the pulse of the other one. Then his eyebrows knitted tighter and tighter. He looked at the Concubine Ma¡¯s pale face with a light sneer shing in his eyes. Being surprised by the things she had done to strive for her husband¡¯s favor, imperial physician Wang only felt that this woman was too bold to risk her own body. "Won¡¯t she regret this?" he thought.

    "Madam Dowager, this concubine in your manor was not pregnant at all! I haven¡¯t sensed any sign of pregnancy from her pulse." After putting Concubine Ma¡¯s hand, the imperial physician said that coldly.

    Concubine Ma was not pregnant!

    He said that lightly. However, his words were like a p of thunder which stroked all the people in the room.

    Madam Dowager wobbled and couldn¡¯t even stand still. Then she pointed at Concubine Ma with her trembling finger in extreme anger.

    "Doctor, maybe you have got it wrong. Concubine Ma was in great pain now and looked exactly like being suffered from abortion. Is possible that you didn¡¯t find her pregnant because the child had already been dead?" Madam Ling was anxious now. So she stepped forward and offered an exnation with sweats on her forehead.

    "Madam, please be responsible for your words. I have practiced medicine for so many years. Do you think I could be an imperial physician for so long if I am not able to diagnose whether a woman is pregnant or not?" With light shing in his eyes, imperial physician Wang looked Madam Ling up and down. Then he said that slowly while twiddling his mustache.

    His words were very sharp. He tried to tell them that he was the superior imperial physician who could even treat the queen in the royal pce. Now there was someone who dared to question him. So, was Madam Ling trying to imply that a concubine in the manor was even more delicate than the queen?

    "Doctor... I didn¡¯t mean that. I just want to ask if her pulse appears a bit different from other pregnant women because she has just suffered the abortion." Seeing imperial physician Wang getting angry, Madam Ling also realized she had said something inappropriate. Then she apologized and exined for herself immediately.

    After she had admitted her mistake, imperial physician Wang finally softened the expression on his face.

    "Doctor, then why does Concubine Ma in such great pain. Is she going to be all right?" Ning Xueyan said that and managed to draw everyone¡¯s attention back to Concubine Ma who was trembling due to the ache and couldn¡¯t spit a single word.

    Sweats were keeping dropping from the forehead of Concubine Ma. If it were not for imperial physician Wang who was from the royal pce, no one would suspect that she had an abortion.

    Her reaction was just like miscarrying.

    "The pain is not a big deal. She will be fine after that. However, afterwards..." Imperial physician Wang stopped there and looked at Concubine Ma pitifully.

    "Afterwards... What will happen? Doctor, please finish your words!" Concubine Ma gritted her teeth and asked word by word.

    At this moment, Concubine Ma clenched the corner of the quilt with terror in her eyes, having a bad feeling in her heart.

    "Mistress... You can not be pregnant anymore. The drug you have used has such a strong effect..." The imperial physician shook his head and said that with a meaningful look.

    "Drug? Strong effect?" Concubine Ma almost fainted. Without any scruple, she struggled to get up with the support of the maid. After that, she knelt down on the bed heavily, crying out, "Doctor, please save me. As long as you can cure me, I¡¯ll pay you everything I have!"

    She was only a concubine. If she didn¡¯t have a child, the adoration her husband had for her meant nothing. After she got older, she would definitely be forgotten and lived even poorer than a maid.

    "The drug..." Imperial physician Wang still shook his head under the hopeful stare from Concubine Ma. He sighed and said, "It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to save you. But the drug is too poisonous. I¡¯m sorry that you can not have any child in your lifetime. I¡¯m powerless about that."

    "Doctor, there really is no way to cure her? If Concubine Ma couldn¡¯t give birth to a child, her life... in the future..." Ning Xueyan asked the doctor for Concubine Ma with faintly discernible sadness in her eyes, showing a strong pity for the woman who had drugged her before.

    Imperial physician Wang didn¡¯t say anything but only shook his head firmly. Having stood up and packed up his medicine kit, he left there.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s words hit the sour spot of Concubine Ma. Moreover, the imperial physician had kept shaking his head and given an affirmative answer. By then Concubine Ma knew that there was no hope for her. She covered her face and began to weep bitterly.

    "Concubine Ma, stop crying. What have you drunk to sterilize yourself?" Ning Xueyanforted her softly.

    What she had said shocked everyone in the room. Since Concubine Ma had faked her own pregnancy, why had she taken the drug which prevented her from having a child ever again? It just did not make sense!

    Now seeing Concubine Ma¡¯s distraught state, everyone was even more certain that this woman had no intention to cut off her own retreat!

    Madam Ling was worrying now. As the conversation getting deeper and deeper, people in the room already ignored Concubine Ma¡¯s false pregnancy and shifted their focus to the tea that Concubine Ma had drunk. She knew exactly what was inside that cup of tea. Because she was the one who used the drug to sterilize Concubine Ma. Madam Ling had envied Concubine Ma for a long time because of Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s preference toward her. So Madam Ling had decided to destroy Concubine Ma¡¯s ability to have children.

    No matter how much Ning Zu¡¯an favored Concubine Ma, he would still find a new sweetheart. By that moment, Concubine Ma would die very miserably.

    Little did she know that her plot would be exposed at the critical moment. What was more, the one who had said that Concubine Ma couldn¡¯t pregnant again was an imperial physician, which made her hard to deny. She saw Concubine Ma looking at her because of Ning Xueyan¡¯s words, then she came over tofort Concubine Ma with her towel at once, saying, "Sister, don¡¯t worry. Maybe it¡¯s because of something you have eaten. Actually, we have an opera troupe here. And the manor is bustling. Sometimes we might be careless when everything is in a mess. We can find a way to nurse your healthtter."

    She brought up the opera troupe on purpose in order to warn Concubine Ma. After all, Madam Ling had something on Concubine Ma. Moreover, after threatening her, Madam Ling also coaxed Concubine Ma that she would cure Concubine Ma in the future.

    After saying that, Madam Ling let out a sigh of relief. She believed that Concubine Ma was clever enough to understand the meaning of her words. As long as Concubine Ma didn¡¯t give her away, Madam Ling would definitely figure out a way to reverse the situation!

    She wouldn¡¯t let herself be involved in this!

 Chapter 92 The Baby Was Already Two Months or Three

    However, Madam Ling was too optimistic. If the man in the opera troupe hadn¡¯t been here and Ning Xueyan hadn¡¯t found out about his existence, Concubine Ma wouldn¡¯t dare to say anything no matter how much she hated Madam Ling!

    But the problem was there had been more than one person who had seen that man. Perhaps Ning Xueyan was nning something else by keeping quiet about this thing.

    At this moment, Concubine Ma could risk anything as long as she could get her revenge.

    She rested her eyes on the teacup on the table with the corner of her eyes turning red and went mad. Then she, having pointed at Madam Ling, suddenly pounced on Madam Ling and shouted, "Madam Ling, you evil woman. You will rot in hell!"

    The direction Concubine Ma rushed at was Madam Ling¡¯s face. So Madam Ling turned her head to dodge, which presented her ear right in front of Concubine Ma. Meanwhile, the embittered Concubine Ma who saw Madam Ling¡¯s ear approach bit down without any hesitation. Then Madam Ling uttered a heartrending cry and the people in the room all freaked out.

    They all came forward to separate them. Concubine Ma was frail now so she was pulled back easily. But she was too weak to stand still, only a single pull already made her faint.

    Then the maids and older female servants all got panicky again.

    Someone went to look after Concubine Ma, others checked on Madam Ling¡¯s wound. Though Concubine Ma was weak now, she still managed to bite off a piece of flesh from Madam Ling¡¯s ear. Madam Ling¡¯s face was covered with blood right away, which made her look like a demon. There were someone screaming and someone getting flustered. Meanwhile, there was also someone who wanted to fawn on Madam Ling and pressed the wound for her. However, Madam Ling was hurt again due to the pressing, so she pped the person who tried to please her...

    Seeing the absurd scene in front of her, Madam Dowager was trembling all over out of anger. She was clear that what was happening now must be caused by Madam Ling again. She pounded the teacup toward Madam Ling violently. Suddenly, Madam Ling who was screaming due to the pain was startled and didn¡¯t have the guts to make any sound.

    "You, you wicked woman!" Madam Dowager almost hit Madam Ling with her walking stick.

    "First Madam, Madam Dowager, something bad happened, happened to Eldest Young Lady!" An older female servant dashed in totteringly before the thing happened in the pavilion finished.

    "Eldest Young Lady, what, what have happened to her?" After the constant strike today, Madam Dowager also felt shortness of breath. But she had to ask the situation of Ning Ziyan after seeing Madam Ling¡¯s crumpled shape.

    "Eldest Young Lady, Eldest Young Lady is losing her baby now!" After catching her breath, the older female servant shouted that.

    Losing her baby?

    "Go, let¡¯s go have a look now." Madam Dowager couldn¡¯t give any thoughts to Madam Ling and Concubine Ma right now. After giving the order, she rushed over to where Ning Ziyan stayed along with all the people. Meanwhile, Madam Ling who heard that something had happened to her daughter was unable to take care of her wound. She followed Madam Dowager with one hand covering her ear and went to the garden.

    Those madams who had been waiting at the bottom of the rockery felt embarrassed to go up there but they never left the ce either. They had almost heard all of the conversations. Though they were still puzzled about what had happened before, now they had heard clearly of the thing about Eldest Young Lady. So, the Eldest Young Lady, who had insisted on getting married regardless of one of her father¡¯s concubine¡¯s death?

    They stared speechlessly at each other and couldn¡¯t get what was really happening right now. Seeing Madam Dowager and Madam Ling getting out, those madams also followed after them.

    Ning Xueyan walked by Madam Dowager¡¯s side. She looked worried on the appearance; however, she was actually snorted secretly. "Madam Ling, Ning Ziyan, you two think you can set me up? Now you just be the victim of your own cleverness," she thought.

    That imperial physician Wang who was good at gynecology was sent by Ao Chenyi to give birthday congrattions after she had written a letter to him deliberately.

    Ning Xueyan knew that Ning Ziyan would upy the doctor in the manor if she felt ufortable. Since the doctors in the manor were all unavable, they would have to find a doctor outside the manor. And imperial physician Wang who was in the feast was the best choice. As long as Qingyu mentioned Concubine Ma¡¯s condition to Ning Zu¡¯an in a panic, he would invite imperial physician Wang to treat Concubine Ma for sure.

    Then Concubine Ma¡¯s false pregnancy would be revealed!

    Also, Ning Ziyan had already foreseen that Madam Ling would drug Concubine Ma. For all these years, there were too many concubines in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, and none of them had given birth to a child. Those who had been favored by Ning Zu¡¯an had rather died at a young age or fallen into disfavor without a child.

    Since Concubine Ma was bing more and more dominant and Ning Zu¡¯an favored her a lot, Madam Ling would definitely grab the chance to eliminate this threat!

    The Spring Theatrical Troupe had used to perform in the area where Concubine Ma¡¯s family lived for a long while. Concubine Ma had been a frequent visitor of their show. As time went by, she fell in love with the actor of the Spring Theatrical Troupe. They had even pledged to marry without parental consent and already slept together. The two young adults had thought that they would be with each other happily forever.

    However, one day, Ning Zu¡¯an had seen Concubine Ma on the street and got tempted. So he had sent someone to her home to inquire about her marital status. Being fancied by Lord Protector was such a great honor. Concubine Ma¡¯s parents had been intrigued, as well as Concubine Ma. So she had gone back on her previous words with that actor. After packing up her simple luggage, she was sent to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor that night.

    The rtionship Concubine Ma had with that actor should have ended after that. However, Ning Zu¡¯an was no longer a young man, which made Concubine Ma miss her previous young lover again. So she had sent letters and some silvers to the actor from time to time. In the course of their contact, not only hadn¡¯t broken up with each other, they had even be closer.

    Their affair had been known by Madam Ling. So she had decided to use this to threat Concubine Ma.

    As for the matters with her cousins was actually a little dispute between Han Dazhuang (Mother Han¡¯s son) and the Spring Theatrical Troupe and was not a bit deal. But Madam Ling had managed to make this thing bigger, which had given a motive for Concubine Ma to drug Ning Xueyan. And of course, the false pregnancy of Concubine Ma had been plotted by Madam Ling.

    Ning Xueyan had asked Mother Han to inquire who Han Dazhuang had argued with. Then she found the existence of the Spring Theatrical Troupe. Atst, she had followed up the clue and found Concubine Ma¡¯s affair. The reason why Ning Xueyan had found out about that so easily might because Concubine Ma had been unguarded because Madam Ling had already learned this.

    So Concubine Ma had even written the letters more frequently than before. Her maid Chunfang who had paid close attention to her discovered that easily.

    "Mother, mother!" Seeing Madam Dowager and Madam Linging in, Ning Ziyan screamed to Madam Ling. She was covering her belly with one hand while crying loudly.

    Madam Dowager saw that with her face turning sullen. With her displeased expression recing her worried look on her face, she went back to the chair next to her and sat tight.

    The reason why Madam Dowager became unhappy was that when Madam Dowager and Madam Ling had entered the room together, Ning Ziyan had simply ignored her grandma and kept calling Madam Ling.

    "Ziyan, what happened? Are you all right? What¡¯s the matter with her? Why has the servant said that she lost her baby?" Madam Ling rushed to Ning Ziyan immediately. Her ear had been bound up hastily, so she looked better than before although she was still in a mess. After that, she shouted to the doctor of the manor angrily.

    She med the doctor of the manor for what had happened to her today. So she scolded him on purpose.

    "Eldest Young Lady... has eaten something cold. She, she shouldn¡¯t have eaten that when she¡¯s pregnant!" The doctor of the manor jabbered that with his head lowered under Madam Ling¡¯s glower.

    "You b*stard. What you have prepared for Ziyan? How can she have a miscarriage!" Madam Ling got furious and pped the maid who was standing by the bed fiercely. She had lost all of her impatience right now and only felt her chest moving up and down with anger welling up.

    Madam Ling now looked at everyone with a ferocious look! Her brutal nature showed outpletely!

    "I, I have never prepared anything cold to the Young Lady." The maid fell on the ground while exining for herself.

    "You haven¡¯t? Then why would Ziyan lose her baby? I know she has a strong body!" Madam Ling got even angrier. She pointed at that maid and started to curse.

    "Grandma, why has my Eldest Sister had a miscarriage? Is there anything wrong with the diagnose?" Ning Xueyan asked Madam Dowager in a low voice.

    Her words enlightened Madam Dowager and the other madams who were there.

    Ning Ziyan had just been married for only a month. Even if she had been pregnant, it would be hard to diagnose. So it was unreasonable for her to lose a baby. Now judging from the expression on Ning Ziyan and Madam Ling¡¯s faces, they seemed to have already known about her pregnancy.

    Madam Ling who had also heard of Ning Xueyan¡¯s seemingly unintentional words flew into a rage immediately. She considered Ning Xueyan¡¯s words a provocation. "What did she mean by there is something wrong with the diagnose? Was this little b*tch trying to imply that Ziyan also pretended to be pregnant like Concubine Ma? She must have said that to irritate me!" After thinking of that, Madam Ling just couldn¡¯t get a hold of herself anymore.

    She was caught unprepared by all the things that had happened today. Even Concubine Ma had changed sides and bitten her. Madam Ling was already in a muddled state. And now that Ning Xueyan still provoked her and doubted if Ning Ziyan¡¯s pregnancy was fake. So Madam Ling red at the doctor of the manor with her teeth gritted, saying,

    "Have you made a mistake? Was Ziyan pregnant or not?"

    There was no doctor who would like to be questioned about their expertise. Although the doctor of the manor was afraid of Madam Ling, he still refuted with his head raised, "First Madam, although I am not the best doctor, I can still tell if a girl is pregnant or not. What¡¯s more, Eldest Young Lady has already been pregnant for two or three months, you think I wouldn¡¯t find out?"

    For two or three months?

    Ning Ziyan had only been married for a month but had already been pregnant for two or three months! After learning about that, all the people in the room were shocked.

    "Hasn¡¯t she just been married for a month?" Madam Dowager asked that doubtfully.

    When all those women had rushed across the garden in a hurry including the wounded Madam Ling, they managed to draw more people¡¯s attention. So right now there were even more peopleing to watch the fun.

    "Being pregnant before getting married. What about the rules in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? That is so..."

    "No wonder why she was so eager to get married. It turned out that she was pregnant. What have her parents taught her?"

    "She must have a love affair stealthily. After all, the reason why she was born was because of her mother¡¯s affair. That might be the tradition of her family." A madam sneered that whileughed with her hand covering her mouth.

    Now everyone was looking at Madam Ling and Ning Ziyan cynically with a bit taunt in their eyes.

    Madam Ling had already had a sinking feeling when she had listened to the doctor of the manor talking. Before she was able to stop him, the doctor had already told everything. And she got flustered right away. She and Ning Ziyan had tried so hard to cover this up. It never urred to her that it had still been exposed in front of everyone. No wonder Madam Ling would be panic-stricken.

    "Madam, my Eldest Sister was a self-disciplined girl and would never do anything that would humiliate our family. Every time her husband was here, my Eldest Sister went to see him with Sister Ziying. So they have never had a chance to meet privately." Ning Xueyan exined to those madams who were gossiping there politely.

    With her pleasant voice and elegant behavior, Ning Xueyan showed an imposing manner when she talked, which made people admire deeply. She was still defending Ning Ziyan at this moment. It must because she had a close rtionship with her sister. Those madams had already heard that Madam Ling had tried to set her up all the time. However, Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t take advantage of Madam Ling¡¯s perilous state. She was surely a virtuous girl!

    Those madams all thought that in their hearts!

 Chapter 93 Truth, or Scandal

    Meanwhile, Madam Ling was gritting her teeth and got chilled in her heart. She was unable to argue anything now. What Ning Xueyan had said had already dered Ning Ziyan¡¯s guilty. What was more, Ning Xueyan had also mentioned Ning Ziying who had already been dead. There might be someone who began to doubt about the cause of Ning Ziying¡¯s death. What was worse, if anyone wanted to dig out the truth of that girl¡¯s death, Madam Ling and Ning Ziyan would be doomed.

    So Madam Ling had to keep her mouth shut. Otherwise she would sound more suspicious!

    A few madams looked at Ning Ziyan with a doubtful look. Xia Yuhang always had a good reputation of being a decent man. It was true that he didn¡¯t seem like a shameless person.

    "Since she didn¡¯t have a love affair with Xia Yuhang, is it possible that the baby¡¯s father was not him?"

    "Anyway, it is true that she was pregnant. Has she cheated on her husband?"

    Ning Ziyan was in great pain right now. Those women¡¯s talks made her also feel ashamed and angry. They said that as if she was a dissolute woman. Then with a fit of extreme anger rushed to her brain, she struggled to get up and stormed Ning Xueyan, "What the hell do you mean? This child¡¯s father is none other than Xia Yuhang! If he followed all the rules, then who do you think my child¡¯s father is!"

    After losing the baby and being suspected of cheating on Xia Yuhang, Ning Ziyan couldn¡¯t keep calm and gentle like the ordinary times anymore with thunder rage. So she uttered those words with a vile visage.

    Madam Ling was overwhelmed with sudden idents right now. No one in the room had expected that Ning Ziyan would have raked up her own fault except Ning Xueyan.

    Ning Xueyan knew Ning Ziyan so well. After being suspected of cheating on Xia Yuhang, that poor woman would definitely let rage alter her mind.

    "Ziyan, what are you talking about!" Xia Yuhang who had been informed of what had happened by the servant spoke angrily after hearing Ning Ziyan¡¯s curse.

    He was going to take the imperialpetitive examination. So his reputation was the most important thing for him right now!

    People who were blocking the door stood aside at one. Then Xia Yuhang, having shown up at the door with Chen Hexiang, winked to Ning Ziyan to tell her not to speak randomly.

    "Nice to meet you, my eldest brother-inw. Isn¡¯t she the personal maid of my Eldest Sister? Why isn¡¯t she serving my sister and staying by your side? Don¡¯t you know what has happened to my Eldest Sister?" After saluting Xia Yuhang, Ning Xueyan watched Chen Hexiang who was standing beside Xia Yuhang with her eyebrows wrinkled and said sullenly.

    Hearing her words, Ning Ziyan also rested her eyes on Chen Hexiang and found thetter following Xia Yuhang closely. Then Ning Ziyan was steamed up. Now she realized why Chen Hexiang had not been here before. It turned out her maid had left here to seduce her husband when she had been sick.

    Seeing her ferocious eyesight falling on Chen Hexiang, Xia Yuhang pulled his lover to his back gently. However, this movement just was like adding fuel to the fire, Ning Ziyan now was simmering with rage.

    "I didn¡¯t say anything wrong. It is the truth. What now, you want to deny that you are the father? And what are you doing with that b*tch! Is she trying to lure you again?!"

    Ning Ziyan was filled with anger and hatred right now. When she saw Xia Yuhang having no intention to defend her but protecting her maid as if he was afraid that she would hurt Chen Hexiang, she just couldn¡¯t bear it. As a result, she threw the thing in her hands without knowing what it was.

    The china was smashed on the ground in front of Chen Hexiang heavily and broke into pieces immediately. Then she, as shocked as she was, took a few steps and stood behind Xia Yuhang tremblingly. At the same time, she also looked at Ning Ziyan with terror, saying, "Mistress, I, I just happened to meet Master Xia. I wasn¡¯t intended to find, find him in the front."

    "Hey! Isn¡¯t this the maid who was looking for Master Xia just now? She has also asked me the way to the male guests¡¯ seats. She told me that Eldest Young Lady had told her to find Master Xia because of something important. So... she was telling a lie?"

    Chen Hexiang and Lanning were speaking at the same time. Although Lanning was merely murmuring to herself in a low voice, all the people still focused their eyes on this maid who wore showy clothes. Some of the madams already found that the material of the clothes on this maid was quite expensive.

    How could the clothes of a maid be made of such expensive material? Unless there really was something stealthy between her master and her.

    Moreover, what Chen Hexiang had said to exin for herself contradicted what Lanning had said. Seeing Chen Hexiang blushing right away and Xia Yuhang showing an awkward face, all the people there realized instantly that this maid really had some bad intentions by having abandoned her own mistress and meeting her master secretly at her master¡¯s father-inw¡¯s manor.

    So, was this Xia Yuhang really a gentle and cultivated person as what people had said?

    "Howe I don¡¯t know about asking you to find him! Anyone! Drag her out and beat her to death!" How Ning Ziyan wished to tear Chen Hexiang apart right now! Since she had just suffered the miscarriage and felt ashamed now, she then vented all her anger to Chen Hexiang due to Lanning¡¯s words.

    She said that severely while patting the bed board.

    Though she hadn¡¯t brought any older female servant with her, there were still two older female servants who had received the order from Madam Ling showing up right away and dragged Chen Hexiang. After all, this was the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor where servants were everywhere.

    It was beyond Chen Hexiang¡¯s expectation that Ning Ziyan would lose control in front of everyone! She pulled Xia Yuhang¡¯s robe with fright, begging for help pitifully, "Master, help me!"

    "Ziyan, just forget about it. We¡¯ll discuss this maid after we got home. Don¡¯t make a scene in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor." Having given a nervous cough, Xia Yuhang approached Ning Ziyan and said that in a low and displeased voice.

    What he meant was talking about this in front of everyone at this moment was clearly inappropriate!

    "Eldest Sister, just let it pass. I believe my brother-inw didn¡¯t try to defend her on purpose. You two should discuss it until you go back home. Anyhow, it is just about a maid. Do you think my brother-inw will let her tread on you?" Ning Xueyanforted Ning Ziyan gently.

    However, those words hit the sour spot of Ning Ziyan again. Judging from Xia Yuhang¡¯s attitude, he was determined to protect Chen Hexiang. After all the things she had been through today including losing her baby, not only did Xia Yuhang refuse tofort her, he even showed an intimacy to her maid.

    Ning Ziyan felt like she was stabbed right into the heart.

    "Beat her. Beat her to death!" She thumped the bed with full hit and ignored Xia Yuhang. Now both her eyes turned red and the blue veins in her forehead kept jumping. And she nearly uttered those words with her teeth crunched.

    "Ziyan, don¡¯t act recklessly! Let go of Hexiang!" Xia Yuhang saw that there were more older female servant pulling Chen Hexiang while thetter was screaming and struggling, he couldn¡¯t restrain the anger either. Then the expression on his face turned cold.

    "Recklessly? I did have been reckless. Otherwise, this kind of thing would never happen. How could I let a maid climb on the top of me! I could turn a blind eye when I was in the Xia Manor. Now we are in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor! And this barefaced maid just couldn¡¯t wait a second to sneak out and meet you secretly! Do you know how humiliated I feel right now?!"

    It seemed Ning Ziyan had gained some power from her extreme anger. She suddenly sat up straightly and pointed at Chen Hexiang while cursing in rage.

    Those harsh words also pointed at Xia Yuhang. Now everyone knew that not only had this man flirted with his wife¡¯s maid in his own manor, he also couldn¡¯t control himself in his father-inw¡¯s manor. It seemed that Xia Yuhang¡¯s moral character was not as good as they had heard.

    Some madams who had doubted the father of Ning Ziyan¡¯s child all came to realize that this couple must have had an illicit sexual rtionship before their marriage. And they had only got married because Ning Ziyan had been pregnant. No wonder why they had even covered Second Madam¡¯s death. Because they had to, due to the disgraceful thing they had done.

    What a scandal it was! And now even the cause of hiding the Second Madam¡¯s death was exposed!

    The Eldest Young Lady and the Childe of the Xia Manor had imed that they knew nothing about Second Madam¡¯s death. But actually, it was clear that they had illicit intercourse at first and hidden the Second Madam¡¯s death in order to get married. And they had shown others that they had been kept in the dark. How hypocritical and dishonest they were!

    The color of Madam Dowager¡¯s face had turned from green to purple, then green again. Now she really couldn¡¯t stand sitting there. She stood up abruptly and said to Xia Yuhang with a gloomy look, "We won¡¯t step in the affairs of your home. Go back to your own manor please."

    She had just ordered Xia Yuhang and Ning Ziyan to leave!

    "Mother, how could Ziyan move being like this! We should let her rest for a while. She can leave after she got better!" Madam Ling was anxious about Madam Dowager¡¯s order. Ning Ziyan couldn¡¯t move a bit right now. After taking the medicine which was prescribed by the doctor of the manor, she finally got a little better. However, the doctor had also instructed that she couldn¡¯t make any movements right now.

    "Grandma..." Seeing Madam Dowager really got mad, Ning Ziyan stared at her grandma and said that.

    "Servants, take this coarse maid away first." Madam Dowager looked at Ning Ziyan¡¯s face and found her granddaughter in a weak state indeed. So she waved her hand depressingly and ordered the older female servants that.

    As long as this maid was here, the situation would only get worse. The reason why Ning Ziyan hadn¡¯t been able to control herself was because of this maid. And that Xia Yuhang was totally senseless by defending that maid till this time. What Madam Dowager nned was dragging the maid down and kill her secretly.

    After all, that was just a maid who had slept with her master. This kind of maid could be seen in every manor. When Madam Dowager had been young, she had dealt with more than one of these maids. She had always managed to get rid of these girls before things went bigger.

    There was no need to be held to ridicule as it was now.

    "Yes!" Two older female servants came up to drag Chen Hexiang down.

    As Chen Hexiang saw Madam Dowager¡¯s scary face, she knew that she was done. Now those older female servants were really trying to drag her down, so she could only grasp Xia Yuhang¡¯s robe and said, "Master, you cannot let them take me away... I, I am pregnant with your child now. My death is not to be regretted. But what about the child?"

    Her words caused a great disturbance in the room...

    So this maid was also pregnant...

    This, this childe of the Xia Manor who was famous for his high morality was actually a libertine. Those madams who had wanted to marry their daughter to him before because of his good reputation all felt lucky now.

    Fortunately, it was not their own daughter that Xia Yuhang had married. He had already had an affair with his wife¡¯s maid within a month of his marriage and even got the maid pregnant. What a mess in the Xia Manor! The madam and the maid both got pregnant from adultery!

    "So you two have already had an affair with each other behind my back. How many times have you two slept with each other?! And you, Xia Yuhang told me that she only stayed in our home for a while and let me take care of her." Ning Ziyan thought that bitterly.

    "You, you two have already..." Ning Ziyan was trembling due to the anger with her face turning green. She said that while pointing her finger to Xia Yuhang¡¯s embarrassed face, then to Chen Hexiang. After that, she swayed and fainted...

 Chapter 94 Ive Only Taken You in for Half a Month

    After Ning Ziyan fainted, she attracted everyone¡¯s attention.

    Ning Ziyan¡¯s current situation was not very good. Everyone in the house was sent out; only Madam Ling and Madam Dowager were left. Basins of blood were taken out one after another and many female servants shuttled in and out in a flurry. Ning Xueyan stayed outside and could not help pulling an older female servant and asking her about it.

    The older female servant only said that the Eldest Young Lady would lose her baby and was in danger now!

    After that, she ran back in a hurry.

    Chen Hexiang was frightened pale. She held Xia Yuhang¡¯s clothes tightly with panic on her face. Although she wanted Ning Ziyan to lose her baby, she did not want to be involved with it. Even though she was scheming, she was still in a great panic now.

    "Eldest Brother-inw, couldn¡¯t you talk about that when you go back? Did you have to stimte my Eldest Sister at this time?" Ning Xueyan turned around and coldly spoke to Xia Yuhang while looking at Chen Hexiang¡¯s hands, which were holding Xia Yuhang tightly.

    As Ning Ziyan¡¯s sister, Ning Xueyan could defend Ning Ziyan against this injustice!

    Hearing Ning Xueyan¡¯s words, all the madams turned their eyes to Xia Yuhang and saw Chen Hexiang holding Xia Yuhang tightly. They could not help sighing in their minds that Xia Yuhang was really not good!

    In their view, Xia Yuhang still flirted with a maid while his wife was in danger, and such a person did not deserve to be an official!

    Xia Yuhang already felt disgraced when his amour with Chen Hehiang was exposed in front of so many people. At this time, after listening to Ning Xueyan, Xia Yuhang pushed the sobbing Chen Hexiang aside and said coldly, "My child? Is there any rtionship between your child and me? I¡¯ve only taken you in for half a month. How can this child be mine?"

    "Childe, you..." Chen Hexiang was pushed to the ground and felt a pain in her stomach. She could not help raising her head and looking at Xia Yuhang in disbelief. She could not believe that he had gone back on his word. Xia Yuhang had promised that he would marry her and cherish her and her child from then on, and would also protect them from being bullied by Ning Ziyan.

    But he had gone back on his word after just a short time!

    "Take her down and give her some money, and then see her off!" Xia Yuehang was no longer tender, and he waved his hands with a look of indifference on his face.

    It meant that she would be driven out of the Xia Manor, which Chen Hexiang could not bear. In order to be the hostess of the Xia Manor, she racked her brains in scheming. To achieve her goal, she had framed Ning Ziying before and told Xia Yuhang about the baby in front of Ning Ziyan today.

    But she did not expect that Xia Yuhang, who had always been gentle to her, would drive her away.

    "Childe, you... you can¡¯t abandon me. I¡¯m pregnant! It¡¯s yours! We spent so much time together in Cold Mountain Temple. How could we only know each other for half a month..."

    Thinking that she would lose everything, Chen Hexiang was unwilling to give up. She rushed over to Xia Yuhang, held his legs, and started crying.

    The two had had sex in the temple, which greatly shocked everyone, but Xia Yuhang looked sanctimonious. Unexpectedly, he dared to have sex in a temple. Wasn¡¯t he afraid of offending the Buddha?

    "Cold Mountain Temple? The Cold Mountain Temple that Sister Ziying had visited before?" Ning Xueyan raised her head and asked while frowning, as if she really had been shocked.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s words reminded Chen Hexiang of the past. At this time, she would tightly grab onto it, even if there was only one life-saving straw there. Xia Yuhang did not admit to their amour. But Ning Ziying knew that she had been taken in by Xia Yuhang at Cold Mountain Temple.

    "Yes. Young Lady Ziying can prove that I didn¡¯t lie. She became aware of me when she came to see you at Cold Mountain Temple... Young Lady Ziying..."

    Before she had finished, Chen Hexiang suddenly felt a pain in her waist and found that she was being kicked out by Xia Yuhang. Chen Hexiang flew out and hit a tree so hard that she spit out blood as she fell down.

    "Take this bitch away! She dares to nder me!"

    Now Xia Yuhang was not gentle at all. He shouted with a gloomy and angry look and regretted that he had not asked the older female servants to take Chen Hexiang away and beat her to death just now.

    Chen Hexiang not only irritated Ning Ziyan, but also destroyed Xia Yuhang¡¯s reputation. Now, she even dared to talk about Ning Ziying. If the secrets about Ning Ziying were exposed, the Xia Manor could not afford the consequences.

    "She... she seems to be bleeding!" One madam was shocked by Xia Yuhang¡¯s sudden brutality and shouted while pointing at Chen Hexiang¡¯s skirt.

    Needless to say, she would lose her baby as well!

    But she used to be the maid of the Xia Manor, and the Eldest Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor fell into danger because of her, so no one stood up to take care of her. In the end, Xia Yuhang asked two older female servants to take her away. The fainted Chen Hexiang was dragged away, leaving a trail of blood on the ground.

    Those madams standing aside covered their mouths and noses with their handkerchiefs while looking at Xia Yuhang with disdain, ridicule, and suspicion, while thinking in minds, "Who is Ning Ziying? It seems that she alsoes from Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. When did Xia Yuhang have a rtionship with another Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?"

    Ning Xueyan looked down with her head hanging low. Her ink-like eyes were full of tranquility and coldness, as if they were filled with darkness.

    This was Xia Yuehang. He would listen to you and was willing to do anything for you when you had a good rtionship with him. But when it came to his own interests, he would be fierce and merciless. Chen Hexiang had thought that she was Xia Yuhang¡¯s beloved and believed that Xia Yuhang would listen to her, so she was so indulgent today.

    Xia Yuhang was extremely good to Chen Hexiang before, so she dared to say that she was pregnant in public. However, this man was unreliable. Maybe now at the end of her life, she would understand that Xia Yuhang could give up anything for his own future.

    Would he marry a powerless orphan girl instead of a Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?

    For his own fame and future, it was almost inevitable that Xia Yuhang would abandon Chen Hexiang.

    Unfortunately, he was caught up in such a scandal. After today, how could he keep his reputation? And his rich knowledge would be useless!

    With a bad reputation, how could Xia Yuhang be an official and achieve his career sess?

    Ning Xueyan lowered her head and coldly smiled.

    The birthday banquet hosted in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor for the concubine of Lord Protector became a farce in the end, the news of which was soon spread out.

    First, it was found out that the concubine of Lord Protector was not pregnant. Then, it was discovered that the concubine had been poisoned with acyeterion. After that, the Eldest Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, who had married into the Xia Manor, had a miscarriage. And it was found out that she had been pregnant for about three months, which meant she was pregnant before she had gotten married.

    They also knew that the Eldest Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and Xia Yuhang had premarital sex, so that the Eldest Young Lady was pregnant and Lord Protector¡¯s Manor concealed the Second Madam¡¯s death from others in order to hold a wedding for the Eldest Young Lady and Xia Yuhang.

    Later, it was exposed that Xia Yuhang had carried on a ndestine love affair with a maid in Cold Mountain Temple before he married Ning Ziyan. It was also rumored that Childe Xia had a close rtionship with a female rtive who had lived in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and they met in both Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and Cold Mountain Temple.

    After that, it was said that the Young Lady had died on the eve of Xia Yuhang¡¯s marriage. How could it not be suspicious?

    It was chaos in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and the host had no time to entertain the guests. Therefore, the guests gathered in twos and threes to gossip.

    Ning Xueyan was not married yet and this was the first time that she showed up in front of others, so she could not make any judgment. A few momentster, Madam Dowager asked her to return to her own courtyard.

    Mother Han had already returned to Bright Frost Garden. When she saw Ning Xueyaning back, she immediately reported to Ning Xueyan in a low voice, "Young Lady, Madam Dowager invited a doctor to treat that woman. She has stopped bleeding. But she will lose her child. One reason is that she was kicked. The other reason is that she has been poisoned. The poison was smeared on her hairpin and will lead to an abortion."

    "Ning Ziyan will never show mercy when she poisons others!" Ning Xueyan sneered as she turned to the bookcase. She picked up a brush pen and started drawing. She liked drawing and her pictures were quite different from those of ordinary women, which was due to her mother¡¯s cultivation.

    Ning Ziyan put the hairpin on her head because Concubine Ma had asked her out. If something happened, the first person to be checked was her. As long as the hairpin was found on her, she would not be able to rify even if she had more mouths.

    Madam Ling made the n and Ning Ziyan carried out the ce. They fit together perfectly as usual. They had conspired together to kill Ning Ziying beside the lotus pond before and they tried to frame Ning Xueyan now. But Ning Xueyan was no longer cowardly!

    She would not only save Chen Hexiang, but also make her hate Ning Ziyan. Actually, Chen Hexiang was a scheming and cruel woman. She failed today because she did not realize her weight in Xia Yuhang¡¯s heart. Ning Xueyan hoped that Chen Hexiang could give her a bigger surprise the next time.

    Why was there poison on that hairpin? Why did it fall into her hands? Ning Xueyan could figure it out easily!

    At lunchtime, Madam Dowager organized in the inner courtyard while Ning Zu¡¯an organized in the outer courtyard. But no one was in the mood for dinner. So they finished lunch quickly and left!

    Such things happened in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor one after another, so nobody had the mind to take care of Bright Frost Garden. Originally, no one paid attention to Bright Frost Garden. So at this time, no one cared about Ning Xueyan. She secretly changed into a young male servant¡¯s costume and went out of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor alone.

    Today, there was still onest important step to go!

    Otherwise, what she had done would all have been in vain!

    In other people¡¯s opinions, Ning Xueyan was an emaciated girl who never went out. But Ning Ziying was not. She was a guest in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, so they seldom stopped her from going out. Therefore, she went out many times when she was Ning Ziying and knew theyout of the street outside.

    And now she was about to look for that man!

 Chapter 95 Prince Yis Favorite Concubine

    Ning Xueyan went through the gate of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, turned left toward the main street, and then passed by the most prosperous street in the capital. Finally, she went to a capacious intersection, where eight horses could pass side by side. She turned at this intersection and arrived at a street where all of the buildings on both sides were owned by one person.

    That was Prince Yi, Ao Chenyi!

    Standing in front of the gate of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, Ning Xueyan frowned. She had passed through this intersection before, but she had never been to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Only then did she find that she could not enter Prince Yi¡¯s Manor! Ning Xueyan was in a hurry when she got here and did not think about it, so now she could only stand outside in despair.

    While Ning Xueyan was trying to find a way to enter, several horses suddenly rushed out of the manor. The guards at the door almost unconsciously shed away and respectfully knelt on the ground.

    Did Ao Chenyi happen toe out?

    However, before Ning Xueyan could move, the one who rushed out first wielded a long whip in his hand and then she was pulled toward him before she could respond.

    Anyone would be frightened if they suddenly experienced that. Ning Xueyan subconsciously held Ao Chenyi¡¯s waist to prevent herself from falling down from the horse. The horse kept running rapidly and did not stop. If Ning Xueyan had not reacted quickly, she would have flown out and died when Ao Chenyi took the whip back!

    The wind blew so furiously that her hat was blown away. Immediately, her long ck hair was scattered. Several strands of her hair pped her on the face and it was painful.

    Ning Xueyan heard Ao Chenyi¡¯s malicious and coldughter, which made her very angry and firmly believe that he had done that on purpose!

    Suddenly, the horse stopped. Ning Xueyan could hardly hold onto Ao Chenyi and was about to fly off due to inertia. Ao Chenyi wielded his whip again and looped it around her waist to hold her in his arms.

    "Uncle, she is?" Suddenly, Ning Xueyan heard a surprised voice. It was the Third Prince!

    How did they encounter the Third Prince?

    Ning Xueyan did not dare to move at this time. She hugged Ao Chenyi motionlessly and buried her head deep in his arms. At this time, her face could never be seen by the Third Prince.

    "She¡¯s my girl. She¡¯s very naughty. I don¡¯t know how she got such an outfit. She usually stays in the manor and seldomes out. So today I especially took her out. But she is too timid. Turn around and salute the Third Prince," Ao Chenyi said drowsily while tapping Ning Xueyan on her back with his whip.

    So Ning Xueyan had to turn around. She slightly tilted her head while not looking at the Third Prince on the opposite horse, bent slightly on the horse to salute the Third Prince, and said delicately, "Your Highness!"

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s long hair was scattered, covering arge part of her face, so the Third Prince only saw a little of her face and lips. Although he could not see clearly, he also realized that the woman in front of him should be very beautiful. So the Third Prince could not help but say with a smile on his face, "I didn¡¯t expect there to be such a beauty in your manor. My father worries about your emotional life every day. It seems that all his worrying is in vain!"

    "She is not exceedingly beautiful, but just happens to be my type. As for other beauties, they¡¯re not my cup of tea." Ao Chenyi stretched out his hands to touch Ning Xueyan¡¯s long hair and held her closer whileughing.

    Ao Chenyi had never been so tender to a woman before. Therefore, all of them were shocked and widened their eyes when they saw the gentle Ao Chenyi. They wanted to know how beautiful this woman was so that Ao Chenyi was attracted by her and brought her to this important asion.

    "My father would be sad if he heard what you said. Uncle, you¡¯re Prince Yi. Ordinary women do not deserve you. The hostess of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor muste from a noble and exalted family." Once again, the elegant voice of the Third Prince came to Ning Xueyan¡¯s ears. It sounded like he was very concerned about Ao Chenyi and wanted him to marry a suitable woman.

    The Third Prince was really hypocritical. In his mind, he wished that Prince Yi would marry an ordinary woman. However, in front of Prince Yi¡¯s concubine, he deliberately said that Prince Yi should marry an exalted woman. This was to make Prince Yi¡¯s concubine jealous and cause Prince Yi trouble. After all, if Ao Chenyi¡¯s Legal Wife came from a powerful family, the pressure on the Third Prince would be greater.

    If Ning Xueyan really was Ao Chenyi¡¯s beloved concubine, she would be jealous and cause him trouble. Unfortunately, Ning Xueyan was not. Ning Xueyan unconsciously smiled and appreciated the performance of Third Prince while leaning into Prince Yi¡¯s arms.

    Anyway, it looked like she would not be able to leave now!

    The two groups slowed down, headed by Prince Yi, and ran all the way to the Third Prince¡¯s manor outside the city.

    The wind was very strong, Ning Xueyan felt cold in her flimsy dress. So she subconsciously got closer to Ao Chenyi. Ning Xueyan was in poor health. She would be seriously ill if she were to be blown by the strong wind the entire way.

    But now, she had a wolf by the ears and could not leave.

    Suddenly, Ning Xueyan felt warm, as if she had been wrapped in something. She got a glimpse of the pure-white fox-furred edge. Unexpectedly, it was Ao Chenyi¡¯s cloak.

    It seemed that he was afraid that Ning Xueyan could not pretend to be his favorite concubine due to being frozen!

    Since it was beneficial to both of them, Ning Xueyan did not refuse Ao Cheyi¡¯s cloak. She tucked into the cloak and was wrapped in his chest and cloak. It was really warm, and she unconsciously rxed.

    Then she began to think about where they were going!

    Ning Xueyan raised her head, pulled Ao Chenyi¡¯s clothes on his chest, and asked in a low voice, "Where are we going, Prince Yi? What should I do?"

    She did not believe that Ao Chenyi had taken her without a purpose.

    Feeling that she was talking to him, Ao Chenyi looked down and saw a small head peeking out above the snow-white fox-furred cloak. Her dark hair fell back, making her look charming. Ao Chenyi answered with a smile on his face, "You don¡¯t need to do anything, just dress up as my favorite concubine."

    "But the Third Prince knows me!" Ning Xueyan hesitated and said.

    The Third Prince did not recognize her just now because she was on a horse and her face was half-covered by her flying hair. However, when she got off the horseter, she would be clearly seen by the Third Prince and might be recognized.

    "Don¡¯t worry, I have my own way. You just have to lie in my arms." Ao Chenyi slightly narrowed his eyes and smiled, but Ning Xueyan could hardly feel his warmth.

    The man waspletely indifferent. He showed no warmth even when he was smiling and always made people feel like they were in the cold. Ning Xueyan sighed and said nothing more. She closed her eyes and rested in the cloak.

    Fortunately, his body was warm and she did not feel cold.

    Not knowing how long the horse had been running, Ning Xueyan became sleepy on the horse. Suddenly, she felt the horse stop. She opened her eyes and blinked. Ning Xueyan raised her head unconsciously and looked into a pair of cold eyes. Then she blinked more before she remembered where she was.

    "Prince Yi, here we are?" Ning Xueyan wanted to sit up.

    "Hmm!" Ao Chenyi drew back his gaze, tossed away the whip in his hands, and got off the horse while holding Ning Xueyan by one hand. Ning Xueyan was still half wrapped in the fox-furred cloak, with the top of her head exposed in the air. Her eyes were bright and beautiful, making Ning Xueyan look enchanting.

    Since she could fascinate Prince Yi, how could she not be a stunner?

    Those who followed Ao Chenyi also got off their horses. Ning Xueyan secretly scrutinized them while still leaning into Ao Chenyi¡¯s arms. Besides the Third Prince, they also seemed to be extraordinary. But they were totally unrted with Ao Chenyi. Why were they together?

    Ning Xueyan frowned and had a feeling that something unusual would happen!

    Suddenly, Ning Xueyan looked into a pair of smiling eyes, whose owner deliberately winked at her. It was the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min, Wen Xueran. "Why is he here?" Ning Xueyan was very surprised. She always felt that Wen Xueran was dangerous.

    Ning Xueyan tried to calm down and quietly turned to another person. Then she turned back and buried her head in Ao Chenyi¡¯s arms. Compared with the Third Prince, the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min was more difficult to fool. Ning Xueyan did not want to see him.

    "Uncle, pleasee in!" The Third Prince jumped off the horse, took two steps forward, and made an invitation gesture at the door!

    Ao Cheyi nodded and strode in while holding Ning Xueyan!

    The rest of them followed, only Wen Xueran stopped in ce and thoughtfully looked at Ao Chenyi with a faint smile on his face.

    "She is Prince Yi¡¯s favorite concubine? When did Prince Yi have a favorite concubine? This is a piece of news that¡¯s worth looking forward to," Wen Xueran thought.

    "Don¡¯t they say that Prince Yi has no concubine? Where does this womane from? She should dress in a young male servant¡¯s clothes. As Prince Yi said, she is naughty.

    "It¡¯s interesting that the cold-blooded Prince Yi would allow a woman to be mischievous and doesn¡¯t punish her."

    "Xueran, why don¡¯t youe in?" A childe of a noble family ahead looked back and cried when he saw that Wen Xueran had not moved.

    "I¡¯ming!" Wen Xueran responded and entered the house after them with a smile on his face while spinning the folding fan in his hands.

    Out of fear of being recognized by the Third Prince, Ning Xueyan was more careful in peeking this time. She grasped the fox-furred cloak and secretly peeked while the Third Prince and Ao Chenyi were talking.

    This courtyard was a richly ornamented building. Carved beams and painted rafters were everywhere. Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was well-known in the capital for its grandness. But it still was inferior to this building.

    Surrounded by the crowd, Ao Chenyi, holding Ning Xueyan, walked through the corridor and stopped at a waterside pavilion.

    One could see the rockery in theke and the gurgling water. The view was open and excellent!

    Ao Chenyi sat on the first couch in the middle, while the Third Prince and the others sat on both sides. Ning Xueyan sat on the couch near Ao Chenyi. Her face was still half-covered by the cloak. The cloak, along with her scattered long hair, made her face indistinct.

    Everyone sat down and began to drink while talking and enjoying the scenery. All of a sudden, the Third Prince came to the center and pped three times. Then the door was opened and two teams came in...

 Chapter 96 If It Is Good, You Just Keep Watching

    It was two groups of female dancers in flowing dresses. They entered the house in two teams and then started dancing face to face.

    The team on the left was led by a beauty in a pink dress, who was slender and adorable.

    The team on the right was led by a beauty in a green dress, who was sexy and enchanting!

    Both of them were stunners!

    The two beauties moved to the center as they danced. Then they bent down in front of Ao Chenyi and looked at him with shyness.

    "Prince Yi, you are looking at... dancing?" The singing and dancing were still going on. Those beauties took a look at Ao Chenyi from time to time. But he was not moved. He held a zed ss that was full of blood-like wine and indifferently looked at those beauties. Ning Xueyan felt uneasy and asked him in a low voice.

    For fear of being recognized by the others, Ning Xueyan had to stick tightly to Ao Chenyi. The strong masculine atmosphere rushed at Ning Xueyan from all directions, making her blush. And because of the blush, she looked even more enchanting than usual.

    Ao Chenyi looked down at her while supporting his chin with one hand and touching her earring with the other hand, and vaguely said, "Hmm."

    Suddenly, he asked Ning Xueyan while looking at her with a faint smile on his face, "Do they dance well?"

    "Yes!" Ning Xueyan nodded sincerely. They feasted their eyes on the flying ribbons and dancing beauties. Furthermore, these dancers did their best to dance. It was cold and they wore thin clothes, but none of them felt cold and their faces became red due to being so hot.

    "Then keep watching." Hearing Ning Xueyan¡¯s answer, Ao Chenyi smiled and said a meaningful word.

    While they were talking, the music was no longer soft and had be fast. The dancers also moved fast, looking a little bit fierce. From the ce where she was, Ning Xueyan could see several dancers looking at her with tears in their eyes when they passed by her.

    Yes, there were pleading. Their eyes were full of entreaty!

    No man could bear the plea of a poor beauty. However, the one beside her was not moved at all. He still watched them dancing while holding the ss, as if he knew nothing. It was him who was so gloomy and cold-blooded!

    It was easier to ask him to directly kill someone than hope that he could havepassion for women.

    "Prince Yi, you don¡¯t like any of them? All of them are well-known beauties and were carefully selected, especially the leading ones. They are more charming than the others." A man sitting on Ao Chenyi¡¯s right could not help speaking first.

    He said those harsh words while looking at Ning Xueyan, who was held tightly by Ao Chenyi, with disdain.

    Ao Chenyi drank the bloody wine and then looked sideways at the man who just spoke with a slight smile on his face. Instead of paying attention to him, he turned to the Third Prince and said, "Mingyu carefully chose these beauties for me. They are indeed beautiful, but not my cup of tea. So, kill them all."

    Hearing what Ao Chenyi said, Ning Xueyan sighed helplessly in her mind! Sure enough, he could easily determine those dancers¡¯ destinies.

    And those dancers became disordered and their faces turned pale immediately.

    Obviously, Ao Chenyi turned his nose up at these beauties, or at anyone else here. He nced over the crowd and stopped when he saw the smiling Wen Xueran, and then he showed a strange and gloomy smile.

    From her position, Ning Xueyan found that Ao Chenyi¡¯s smile was more like a ghost hand that silently caught her neck!

    It was creepy!

    The childe who had been directly ignored like dust by Ao Chenyi did not dare to say a word. Ning Xueyan even saw his cup-holding hand unconsciously trembling. The wine in the cup spilled onto his hand, as red as blood.

    The others who did not speak also turned pale and lowered their heads.

    The Third Prince clenched his fists in his sleeve and felt a sharp pain in his fingertips. He could almost not keep his elegant smile at this time. He looked down to hide the murderous look in his eyes.

    He was the favorite son of the emperor, and his status was enough to be the Heir Apparent. If not for Ao Chenyi, he would not have been the Third Prince at this moment and a powerless Imperial Prince in the future.

    It was not clear to the Third Prince how binding thest words of the former emperor were, but he felt that it was a great shame that his father did not confer the title of Heir Apparent onto him and let Ao Chenyi take control of the court.

    He even controlled the emperor¡¯s...

    Someone had opposed that, but they and their families had been decapitated!

    Today, those childes who came here with the Third Prince were not only exalted, but also arrogant. However, Ao Chenyi¡¯s simple words frightened them all.

    "Uncle, these are excellent beauties. Even though you don¡¯t like them, you needn¡¯t kill them all. For this dance, I searched many ces to assemble them."

    The Third Prince regained his elegance when he looked up again. He advised Ao Chenyi not to kill them while looking at those dancers with a gentle smile on his face.

    Hearing the Third Prince¡¯s words, those dancers looked at him gratefully with tears in their eyes.

    "Since Mingyu said so, I¡¯ll let you off. Guards, bring them all to my manor where there is a shortage of women." Ao Chenyi leaned backzily and nodded his head as if he were very satisfied with what the Third Prince had said. "After hearing what you said, I find they are indeed beautiful when looking again. Since they dared to seduce me, I have to give them a chance to try it!"

    What he said was very flippant. He described the noble Third Prince as a procurer of a brothel, making all the people present bow their heads in shame and indignation.

    They all followed the Third Prince¡¯s head!

    Blue veins stood out on the Third Prince¡¯s cup-holding hand, but he still gently smiled, as if he did not feel there was anything wrong in Ao Chenyi¡¯s words.

    Ning Xueyan had been secretly paying attention to the Third Prince the entire time. Seeing his behavior, she could not help think that the Third Prince was quite tolerant!

    "Prince Yi, since you like Lianyue and Xiyue, how about marrying them? There is no such a beautiful woman in the world. I¡¯m afraid that they are much better than the one in your arms! Moreover, the two girlse from a schrly family. I think they deserve to be your co-consorts."

    There always were people in the world who were not afraid of death. When they got the Third Prince¡¯s hint, another childe stood out and suggested that Ao Chenyi should marry the two leading beauties. Although his face was pale, his behavior was normal.

    How dare the Third Prince suggest that Ao Chenyi marry the two dancers! Ning Xueyan frowned when she heard what the man said. The Third Prince should not have done such a silly thing!

    As the powerful Prince Yi, what kind of beauty had he never seen? How could he fall in love with a beauty given by the Third Prince?

    "Want to see how my girl looks?" Ao Chenyi suddenly looked askance at the young man. His deep eyes, like the eyes of a ghost, were full of gloom and fierceness, making people feel chilly and cold.

    He was both extremely beautiful and gruesome!

    The two images were contradictory, but could be seen in Ao Chenyi simultaneously, forming a unique effect. The childe who tried to be calm turned pale as if he saw a ghost and teetered.

    "Unfortunately, you don¡¯t deserve to see her!" Ao Chenyi coldly said while staring at that man.

    As soon as Ao Chenyi finished, the man fell heavily to the ground and trembled. The wine in the cup was all sttered on him. Those with sharp eyes saw that the hem of his clothes had been wet.

    He pissed his pants in horror!

    The Third Prince¡¯s face clouded over at once.

    Ning Xueyan did not expect that the man who was arrogant and spoke as raised his head would suddenly be like this. It really made people feel humiliated.

    "Mingyu, this is the man you invited." Ao Chenyi chuckled as he tossed away the cup in his hands. The cup pounded on the man¡¯s head and the wine inside it spilled on him. The wine stain on his body looked like peach blossoms. The man immediately lost his breath before he could say more.

    Was that how he died?

    Ning Xueyan subconsciously bit her lips, and forcefully resisted the coldness and fear gushing from the bottom of her heart!

    There was nothing to be afraid of. Ao Chenyi and the Third Prince were destined to be enemies and they would confront each other sooner orter. Although the two people seemed to be in harmony, this must have happened many times before.

    Of course Ning Xueyan had seen blood. After her rebirth, she understood many things. At most, death was the worst!

    So what she had to do was not be afraid, but stay close to the man. Anyway, she was on the same team as him now!

    The Third Prince was very angry. He was angry not only with his useless people, but also with Ao Chenyi¡¯s direct killing of his man!

    His hands inside his sleeve shivered slightly!

    However, he had no ability or confidence to overthrow Ao Chenyi. He had to submit to Ao Chenyi before his father made a clear decision.

    "Uncle,ter I¡¯ll ask people to send these beauties to your manor." The Third Prince smiled and changed the subject as he swallowed his anger. "Uncle, do you want to see the next?"

    "Do you want to have a look?" Ao Chenyi nodded, but did not directly answer the Third Prince¡¯s question. He turned his head and looked at Ning Xueyan¡¯s half-hidden face with interest. Ning Xueyan was no longer blushing. Her face was still a little pale but her eyes were calm.

    She looked as if she hadn¡¯t seen death here!

    "She¡¯s quite interesting!" Ao Chenyi thought.

    "The next? How many beauties has the Third Prince prepared for you? I don¡¯t want you to look at them!" Ning Xueyan said as she moved closer to Ao Chenyi. Since she was Prince Yi¡¯s concubine now, Ning Xueyan pretended to be jealous even though she did not know what Ao Chenyi wanted to do. Although her voice was gentle, others could tell that she was unhappy now.

    "Are you unhappy?" Ao Chenyi burst intoughter, stretched out his hand, and patted her on the back. In front of those surprised people, he coaxed Ning Xueyan as if there were no one around them. "Since you don¡¯t like it, I won¡¯t see them!"

    Thest sentence was for the Third Prince! After that, Ao Chenyi waved his handszily.

    Then, the waterside pavilion suddenly quieted down and the atmosphere became strange...

 Chapter 97 So, I Helped You, Prince Yi

    Ao Chenyi refused the Third Prince¡¯s suggestion because of his concubine, which clearly showed Ao Chenyi¡¯s disdain for the Third Prince.

    Ning Xueyan suddenly became nervous. Although she could not see their expressions, she could sense the tense atmosphere. And what made her more nervous was that Ao Chenyi had called her Yan¡¯er just now. Would Ao Mingyu recognize her by the name?

    "Uncle, you must be joking. Since you don¡¯t want to see them today, we¡¯ll talk about it next time!" After a long time, Ning Xueyan heard the gentleughter of the Third Prince.

    This man could not be underestimated!

    Unexpectedly, he could endure it being despised like that. He deserved to be Ao Chenyi¡¯s opponent!

    "Fine, let¡¯s go. I have something to do," Ao Chenyi said with a faint smile on his face while looking at those depressed childes.

    Immediately, theirs faces turned pale and stiff!

    "Uncle, you haven¡¯t chosen the right beauty yet. Why are you going back so soon? There still are some beauties from the regions south of the Yangtze River who are 16 years old. Uncle, you really don¡¯t want to see them?" the Third Prince asked again. He did not believe that Ao Chenyi would not like those beauties.

    In his opinion, Ao Chenyi was ying cat and mouse with him and the woman in his arms was his prop!

    "No, I don¡¯t want to see them. I already have a beauty. As for any other beauties, we¡¯ll talk about itter." Ao Chenyi stood up, wrapped Ning Xueyan with the cloak, and was about to leave.

    "Goodbye, uncle. Later, I¡¯ll ask my people to send Lianyue and Xiyue to your manor." The Third Prince stood up with respect and bowed with his hands folded in front of his chest.

    Ao Chenyi nodded, and then left the waterside pavilion while holding Ning Xueyan.

    Behind him, the Third Prince turned gloomy and veins bulged on his cup-holding hand. He was a prince, but had been slighted like that. How could he not be angry?

    "Your Highness, those two beauties..." A man came up and whispered to the Third Prince. Seeing all the people look at him, the Third Prince concealed the coldness in his eyes and changed the topic with a smile on his face.

    "My uncle seldom epts beauty. Since they¡¯re epted, they can¡¯t be too shabby. Later on, send all their luggage along with the clothes and jewelry I have prepared for them to my uncle¡¯s manor. Then send more jewelry to them. Tell them it¡¯s the dowry I give them."

    "Your Highness, remember to send along their family information to Prince Yi, so that Prince Yi can learn about their origins. Otherwise, you may get in trouble when something happens," said Wen Xueran, who came over while shaking the folding fan in his hand.

    The Third Prince nodded with an unhappy expression. "Xueran, I¡¯ll leave that to you. Make sure that there¡¯s nothing left. I don¡¯t want to be hurry-scurry one day."

    "Your Highness, rest assured. Nothing will happen. Prince Yi has the ability to learn everything about the two beauties. We needn¡¯t bother!"

    Wen Xueran spoke with a smile on his face as he shook the folding fan in his hands, the peony pattern on the folding fan flickering.

    "But, their origins are still unknown to us, if they are..." The Third Prince hesitated. He looked in the direction Ao Chenyi disappeared and suddenly remembered something.

    It took him a long time and so much effort to find them. If they were really found by him, but fell into Ao Chenyi¡¯s hands in the end, it would be toote to regret it.

    Knowing what the Third Prince was worried about, Wen Xueran smiled andforted him. "Your Highness, don¡¯t worry. Although they¡¯re about the same age as the person we¡¯re looking for and alsoe from the regions south of the Yangtze River, they¡¯re not necessarily the ones we¡¯re looking for. We have checked that there¡¯s nothing wrong them!"

    "But this is the first time that he has epted a beauty. Maybe they are..." The Third Prince felt uneasy. And the more he thought about it, the more doubtful he felt. Ao Chenyi had never epted any beauty he had sent before, so why did he ept the two today?

    Of course, the Third Prince did not believe that Ao Chenyi epted them because of their beauty!

    "Your Highness, even if they¡¯re the people we¡¯re looking for, we needn¡¯t be afraid. Aren¡¯t those people they care about under your control? If they really are, maybe we¡¯ll have unexpected harvest then." Wen Xueran shook his head and rejected the Third Prince¡¯s guess. And the smile on his face was as warm as a spring breeze.

    After listening to Wen Xueran¡¯s exnation, the Third Prince rxed. He thought about it and felt what Wen Xueran said was reasonable, and nodded at the moment.

    Outside the manor, Ning Xueyan got on the horse with Ao Chenyi. Although there was no one around them, Ning Xueyan still hid herself in Ao Chenyi¡¯s arms cautiously.

    "What¡¯s wrong? You think that someone is keeping an eye on me?" Ao Chenyi reached out a hand and gracefully touched the top of her head.

    Ning Xueyan subconsciously avoided his hand. Anything he said or did gave people a sense of great oppression.

    "Prince Yi, I¡¯m looking for you because of Xia Yuhang. I believe that you already know what happened in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor today." Ning Xueyan raised her head in his arms and directly spoke with a serious look on her face. She had been out for a period of time, and it would be terrible if she was discovered.

    Madam Ling was worried that she had no chance to deal with Ning Xueyan. If she knew that Ning Xueyan had sneaked out and had the suspicion of having a private meeting with a man, she would immediately deal with Ning Xueyan.

    Ao Chenyizily picked the hair from Ning Xueyan¡¯s face and said with a faint smile on his face, "Yan¡¯er, do you have a grudge against Xia Yuhang?"

    He already knew what had happened in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor today. He did not expect such a little girl to be so scheming and expose what had happened in the past. Meanwhile, he also found something interesting, which was that this girl seemed to pay too much attention to Xia Yuhang.

    As far as he knew, Ning Xueyan had never seen Xia Yuhang before. Why did she hate Xia Yuhang so much and want to destroy him? It could be seen that her eyes were full of fierceness when he mentioned Xia Yuhang, which made Ao Chenyi feel a little ufortable. What kind of man was Xia Yuhang to make her care so much about him?

    "Prince Yi, if I said that I wish I could eat his flesh and drink his blood, would you believe it?" said Ning Xueyan. The hatred in her eyes was too much to be concealed.

    "I believe it. Why wouldn¡¯t I believe it? Do you want me to have him captured and kill him directly?" Ao Chenyi said naturally, as if he had just said that he would take her to look at flowers.

    "Thank you, Prince Yi. But I don¡¯t want him to die. Sometimes, living is more painful than dying. I want him to stay alive and suffer from pain!" Ning Xueyan smiled insincerely. She showed a cold smile on her face and her eyes were full of hatred.

    She just looked up at Ao Chenyi without shyness on her face. Ning Xueyan¡¯s face was delicate and beautiful, but she said such cruel words coldly, which made her attractive!

    She was a Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and was so young. Unexpectedly, she was so vicious!

    Unexpectedly, Ao Chenyi did not ask why Ning Xueyan hated Xia Yuhang so much. Instead, he nodded and said with interest in his eyes, "I can stop Xia Yuhang from taking the imperial examination and bing an official. But you and I only had one deal. Now it seems that you owe me one. Why should I help you?"

    In this way, Ning Xueyan was in the wrong!

    Ao Chenyi indeed had helped her several times. But she had not stolen what she should have. So he meant that he suffered a loss and did not like the deal, and he was unwilling to help Ning Xueyan this time even though he had the ability to do so.

    Hearing that, Ning Xueyan said without hurry, "Prince Yi, I helped you once today. Shouldn¡¯t you express your gratitude to me?" Ning Xueyan did not think that the matter she had helped Ao Chenyi with in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor that night could be used as a bargaining chip. At that time, he didn¡¯t look like he couldn¡¯t escape.

    Ao Chenyi raised his eyebrows and said, "I don¡¯t think you helped me today."

    He refused to admit it!

    Fortunately, she had strung together what happened just now and figured out the whole thing.

    But she felt ufortable being stared at by him. What did he mean?

    Ning Xueyan seemed to be interested and asked, "Prince Yi, did you gamble with the Third Prince today? If I hadn¡¯t been there, would you intend to finish or not?" She was held tight by Ao Chenyi and clung to his chest, which almost made it unable for her to breathe. But Ning Xueyan was quite aware of the situation and did not struggle.

    "Gamble? What did Ao Mingyu and I gamble on?" Ao Chenyi smiled and loosened his grip, letting her be able to breathe.

    "I don¡¯t know exactly what you and the Third Prince gambled on, but it must be rted to the beauties. It seems that the Third Prince is unwilling to give you the two beauties. Prince Yi, why don¡¯t you return them to the Third Prince? In this way, he won¡¯t suffer a lot when he misses the two beauties."

    Just now, she had been secretly observing the Third Prince when she hid in Ao Chenyi¡¯s arms.

    The expression of the Third Prince had been mild the entire time and he kept smiling. It seemed that there was no change to his expression. But Ning Xueyan had observed him very carefully. She saw his clenched fists in his sleeves and bulged veins on his cup-holding hand. The Third Prince had been trying his best to control himself.

    After the dancers appeared, the Third Prince had been paying attention to Ao Chenyi¡¯s expression the entire time. When Ao Chenyi wanted to kill the dancers, the Third Prince became very nervous. It could be seen that he cared about those dancers. Then when Ao Chenyi epted the two beauties, the Third Prince¡¯s expression became strange again.

    It seemed that he did not want to give the two beauties to Ao Chenyi.

    All in all, his expression was vivid!

    Ning Xueyan of course knew that it had a great deal to do with Ao Chenyi¡¯s eptance of the two women.

    Ao Chenyi did not answer Ning Xueyan¡¯s question, but asked with a treacherous look in his eyes, "Does Ao Mingyu like the two women?"

    "The Third Prince does not like those two women. But from my point of view, there must be something that the Third Prince wants to know from them. In the past, you never ept any woman. But today, you suddenly epted the two beauties. How can Third Prince not suspect it?"

    Ning Xueyan strung together what had happened and roughly understood the psychological process of the Third Prince.

    "Prince Yi, you never epted a woman before. You epted them today just because I was there!" Ning Xueyan summarized in the end and expressed her point again. She smiled happily and her pale face became ruddy instantly. She was full of confidence, as if everything was under her control.

    "So, I helped you today!"

 Chapter 98 Who Do You Think You Are?

    "So, I helped you today!"

    What she stated was a fact!

    Facing the fierce Ao Chenyi, Ning Xueyan was still confident. No one would think that she was only a young girl who used to stay in her own courtyard all the time.

    However, Ning Xueyan also had her own ns. She believed that her guess was right!

    Ao Chenyi¡¯s attitude was quite different from what it was before. That was why the Third Prince felt unprepared today.

    Maybe the Third Prince had not thought about whether or not to give the two beauties to Ao Chenyi when he suggested to Ao Chenyi that he should ept them. That was because it was impossible for Ao Chenyi to ept the two beauties ording to his past behavior.

    That was what Ning Xueyan wanted to say. From this point of view, Ning Xueyan was useful to Ao Chenyi, at least she helped him this time.

    What secret did the two beauties from the regions south of the Yangtze River have?

    "You¡¯re a clever girl. I¡¯ll help you this time." Ao Chenyi agreed to help Ning Xueyan then suddenly burst intoughter with a cunning look in his eyes.

    Ning Xueyan responded quickly, and thanked him immediately. "Thanks a lot, Prince Yi!"

    "Don¡¯t thank me, I have a condition." There was coldness in Ao Chenyi¡¯s beautiful eyes. "Yan¡¯er, since you¡¯re my favorite concubine, you have toe to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor to y the role from time to time. Don¡¯t let my favorite concubine lose my favor!"

    He was threatening Ning Xueyan with a condition!

    But Ning Xueyan had to ept the condition!

    Sure enough, Ao Chenyi did not allow himself to suffer losses!

    "Prince Yi, as long as you need me, I¡¯ll surely help you." Ning Xueyan promised without hesitation.

    Hearing what Ning Xueyan said, Ao Chenyi nodded and showed a satisfied smile on his handsome face.

    Suddenly, Ning Xueyan said with embarrassment on her face, "But, I¡¯m the Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. If I leave the manor frequently, I will be discovered."

    Ao Chenyi said with a snort, "Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let you be found. Later on, I¡¯ll send you a person to help you."

    "Your person?" Ning Xueyan was stunned by Ao Chenyi¡¯s words. She raised her head and blinked while looking at Ao Chenyi.

    Her confused look made him smile. Immediately, his eyes became as enchanting as equinox flowers opening in the River Lethe. Suddenly, the horse stopped and raised its two front hoofs while neighing. Because of that, Ning Xueyan almost fell off!

    "Get off!"

    Ning Xueyan was directly pulled down by Ao Chenyi. The sudden change made her involuntarily stagger. Then she stabilized herself by pulling on the corner of the saddle.

    She raised her head and looked at Ao Chenyi, who was on the horse. His ck clothes and beautiful face made him appear noble and beautiful.

    He stood high and overlooked all living beings!

    Looking at the surroundings, Ning Xueyan frowned and couldn¡¯t help asking, "Where are we?"

    In front of Ning Xueyan was a courtyard, which was not big. It could never be Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, which upied a whole street. Ning Xueyan had not been paying attention to the road, so now she did not know where they were.

    Ao Chenyi did not get off the horse and suddenlyughed while looking at Ning Xueyan. "This is my courtyard. You cane here to see me in the future."

    This could prevent them from being found by others. Ning Xueyan agreed and asked, "Prince Yi, how long does it take me to get to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor from here?"

    "Two hours!" Ao Chenyi looked at Ning Xueyan and suddenlyughed.

    Two hours! This courtyard was farther away than Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. It was not easy for Ning Xueyan to leave Lord Protector¡¯s Manor every time. How could she stay out for so long?

    Hearing that, Ning Xueyan asked while frowning, "Prince Yi, do you know what will happen if I leave Lord Protector¡¯s Manor for more than two hours?"

    "So what? That¡¯s for you to think about!" Ao Chenyi said sarcastically with a smile on his face, "Who do you think you are?"

    His extremely ruthless words, in line with his lofty attitude, made her feel embarrassed and humiliated.

    She had so gotten dizzy with sess that she said that.

    Ning Xueyan thought their deal was equal. However, in Ao Chenyi¡¯s mind, Ning Xueyan was just a pawn, a pawn that could be used. Who would care about the safety of a pawn?

    "I¡¯m just a dispensable pawn."

    Ning Xueyan took two steps back, respectfully saluted, and said with a calm face, "You¡¯re right. I overstepped my bounds!"

    Ao Chenyi seemed to find her attitude interesting. He smiled and saidzily while looking at her, "I¡¯ll help you deal with Xia Yuhang. You also have to remember your duty. You needn¡¯te to my ce every day. You just need to show up when I need you."

    Then he bent slightly, lifted her chin with his slender fingers, and looked down at her face. "If you are useful, I won¡¯t give up you!"

    After that, he smiled and left.

    That flying ck dress, along with the flickering manjusaka on it, made him look extraordinary. The clothes flew with the wind from time to time, looking like the clouds in the sky. No one could read his mind!

    He warned her against talking too much!

    Ning Xueyan looked at his back thoughtfully and lost her mind for a moment.

    "Young Lady, pleasee with me." Hearing the voice of a woman behind her, Ning Xueyan turned her head in dismay and saw a maid standing at the gate of the courtyard. The maid was 16 or 17 years old, wore an ordinary maid¡¯s dress, and was looking at Ning Xueyan with a smile on her face.

    "You work for Prince Yi?" After hiding the surprise in her eyes, Ning Xueyan calmly turned back and walked toward the half-open door.

    There had to be a reason Ao Chenyi had brought her here. The courtyard in front of her and the maid had to be the reason.

    "Young Lady, my name is Xinmei. I¡¯ll serve you in the future." Xinmei had a sweet smile and two dimples. She looked harmless.

    Ning Xueyan did not believe that the people left by Ao Chenyi would be so harmless. After scrutinizing her for a few minutes, Ning Xueyan nodded with a slight smile and said, "Xinmei, I wanna sneak back now. Do you have any idea how?"

    Ning Xueyan had been gone for a period of time. If she did not go back now, something bad would happen in Bright Frost Garden.

    Xinmei was not worried about Ning Xueyan¡¯s problem. She answered without hurry while leading the way ahead, "Young Lady, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve got a carriage ready. It¡¯s at the backdoor. You can leave after changing your clothes."

    Knowing that it had been arranged, Ning Xueyan breathed a sigh of relief.

    The whole courtyard was not very big. It consisted of three rows of rooms, and there also were not too many rooms in each row. But after she entered it, Ning Xueyan found that everything inside was exquisite. The exquisite embroidery on the chair could only be used in the pce. Maybe none of the consorts in the pce could have as much luxury as this.

    They entered the main room and opened the wardrobe inside it. Ning Xueyan found that most of the clothes were ck robes. They had to be Ao Chenyi¡¯s. Ning Xueyan hurried to change into a in dress that Xinmei found in the corner of the wardrobe. Then she was brought to the carriage, having no time to ask why there were woman¡¯s clothes here.

    After a short time, the carriage stopped. It took Ning Xueyan less time to get back than she had expected.

    Xinmei and Ning Xueyan got out of the carriage. There was a high wall in front of them. Seeing that there was no one around them, Xinmei jumped over the wall while holding Ning Xueyan.

    After looking around carefully, Ning Xueyan found they were in the small forest outside of Bright Frost Garden. At this time, there was no one in the forest. Looking far in the distance, Ning Xueyan saw there were several people at the gate of Bright Frost Garden and it was in chaos.

    Had something happened?

    After saying goodbye to Xinmei, Ning Xueyan went back while frowning.

    Before Ning Xueyan got to the door, she heard a maid¡¯s loud voice. "Lanning, you said the Fifth Young Lady is notfortable and has been resting. Do you think she can get away with it? Our Second Young Lady said that the Fifth Young Lady has to go to exin. Is the Fifth Young Lady hiding because she is afraid of being discovered that she had framed others?"

    "Madam Dowager doesn¡¯t allow the Second Young Lady to leave the Ancestor Hall. What does she want to do? Today, many things happened. And my Young Lady is ufortable due to those things and is having a rest now. If there¡¯s anything wrong, the Second Young Lady can tell Madam Dowager. Whether my Young Lady has framed someone or not is not up to the Second Young Lady."

    Lanning stopped the maid from entering the house at the door while staring at her with anger. But she was very anxious now. Lanning had thought that no one would pay attention to Ning Xueyan since many things had happened today. Unexpectedly, the Second Young Lady had targeted her Young Lady and wanted to see her now. How could she not be anxious at this time?

    Lanning was just a maid. She could not stop the Second Young Lady if the Second Young Lady insisted on breaking into the house.

    "Lanning, you dare to disobey the Second Young Lady!" The maid opposite Lanning scolded her while standing akimbo. Ning Yuling¡¯s maids were as high-handed as Ning Yuling. In Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, everybody knew that the Second Young Lady was the most favorite Young Lady and they all fawned over her.

    If Ning Yuling had not been involved with many things and lost her two First Maids, the maid would not have talked to Lanning now and would already have rushed in directly.

    "My master is the Fifth Young Lady!" Although Lanning¡¯s words were polite, the meaning of the words was not polite at all.

    Ning Yuling was not her master. So Lanning¡¯s behavior was not disobeying.

    "You..." Ning Yuling¡¯s maid had never been despised like that. She roared with anger and was about to p Lanning.

    "What happened?" Suddenly, a soft and cold voice came from the courtyard, and the quarrel at the door ended immediately. Ning Xueyan came slowly with a maid and stood at the gate of the courtyard, coldly looking at the maid who was about to p Lanning.

    Being stared at by Ning Xueyan coldly, the maid became afraid and did not dare to raise her hands, feeling that the Fifth Young Lady was imposing.

 Chapter 99 They Want to Cover up the Scandal Again!

    "Young Lady, she¡¯s the Second Young Lady¡¯s maid. She said that the Second Young Lady wants you to go and see her immediately." Seeing Ning Xueyaning out of the inner courtyard, Lanning breathed a sigh of relief and told her what had happened.

    Ning Xueyan nced at the maid and said, "So many things have happened today. What does the Second Sister want to do? I¡¯m going to see Madam Dowager now. If the Second Sister wants toe, she cane along with me."

    Then, she went to Auspicious Fortune Hall with Lanning.

    The maids and older female servants who were looking on stepped backward and lowered their heads when they saw Ning Xueyaning out and then dispersed after Ning Xueyan had left. The Fifth Young Lady was obviously not the same Fifth Young Lady from before.

    Was Ning Xueyan going to Madam Dowager¡¯s ce?

    Ning Yuling¡¯s maid did not dare to follow them. She turned pale and felt bad. So she rushed back to Qingrong Courtyard to report to Ning Yuling.

    The atmosphere in Auspicious Fortune Hall was serious. Before Ning Xueyan reached the gate of the courtyard, she heard loud soundsing from the room. It seemed that something had been smashed. Then a cry of pain came out from the room. The voice from Madam Ling¡¯s. Hearing that, Ning Xueyan coldly smiled.

    Then she raised her head and concealed her smile, regaining her calmness.

    The maid guarding at the door saw Ning Xueyaning and reported to Madam Dowager with caution.

    After a moment, Mother Qin came out and said to Ning Xueyan, "Fifth Young Lady, please go back first. Madam Dowager is busy now. I¡¯m afraid she won¡¯t have time to see you."

    It seemed that Ning Xueyan did not expect that she would not be allowed to enter the room. She was stunned and softly asked, "What happened in there?"

    "Nothing. Many things happened today, so Madam Dowager has to deal with them." Mother Qin frowned. One thing after another had happened in the manor today. And all were scandals regarding Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. It would have been strange if Madam Dowager had not gotten angry.

    It was the marchioness who was kneeling on the ground and being scolded. Besides that, she was an elder. It was not suitable for juniors to see that.

    That was why Ning Xueyan was stopped at the door.

    "Is grandmother dealing with what happened today? The Second Sister asked a maid to tell me that it has something to do with me, so I rushed over. Please tell my grandmother that it¡¯s regarding my innocence and I must make it clear to her face to face."

    Ning Xueyan spoke with a serious look on her face.

    Ning Xueyan was afraid that she might not get in. Unexpectedly, what Ning Yuling had done provided an excuse. After Ning Xueyan jumped over the wall and heard the quarrel at the door, she felt that she came back just in time.

    Mother Qin was speechless due to Ning Xueyan¡¯s words. Then she ufortably said, "Er... Fifth Young Lady, the Second Young Lady spoke nonsense. Don¡¯t mind what she said."

    "Please tell my grandmother that there are many doubts about today¡¯s affairs. And the matter about Concubine Ma is also strange. Moreover, we knew that Concubine Ma was pregnant because I was poisoned!" Ning Xueyan said implicitly. But the meaning made Mother Qin unable to refuse.

    As a matter of fact, Concubine Ma owed Ning Xueyan a statement.

    "Er, Fifth Young Lady, wait a minute. I¡¯ll ask Madam Dowager first!"

    After that, Mother Qi turned around and went back into the room helplessly and then whispered in Madam Dowager¡¯s ear.

    Madam Dowager¡¯s face became gloomier after she listened to Mother Qin. She nodded and said, "Since Yuling asked her toe, let here in and listen to it together. We have to give her an exnation about the matter of her being poisoned."

    Madam Ling, who stood aside, changed her face greatly when she heard Madam Dowager¡¯s words.

    It was Ning Yuling who put the cat among the pigeons again. At this time, Ning Zu¡¯an wished that he could p her.

    Ning Xueyan followed Mother Qin in. First, she saluted Madam Dowager, who was sitting in the middle. Then she saluted Ning Zu¡¯an and Madam Ling, who were standing on one side respectively. Finally, she stood near Madam Dowager¡¯s right hand and looked down.

    Madam Dowager was satisfied with Ning Xueyan¡¯s cleverness and politeness. She hummed to her as a greeting.

    Ning Xueyan also knew that Madam Dowager had no time to care about her. Anyway, her aim was Madam Ling.

    "Tell me what happened to Ziyan. When did she and Xia Yuhang do such a thing?" Madam Dowager was so angry today that she almost fainted. At this time, she angrily scolded Madan Ling while pointing at her even though Ning Xueyan was also there.

    "Mother, this... er... Yan¡¯er... I..." Madam Ling could not say a word and sweat broke out on her forehead. Suddenly, she calmed down and said, "Mother, do you remember what happened at the banquet that day? Yuhang was drunk, and you specifically asked Yan¡¯er to go to see him..."

    Madam Dowager wanted to get rid of this matter and put the me on Madam Ling. However, she also approved of Ning Ziyan¡¯s marriage. Once, Madam Dowager had told Madam Ling that Ning Ziying did not deserve Xia Yuhang, which showed that Madam Dowager was satisfied with the Xia family.

    Since then, Madam Dowager also facilitated the marriage. Would she now put the me on Madam Ling?

    "What?" Madam Dowager seemed to understand something and her face changed greatly.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes became cold when she clearly saw Madam Dowager¡¯s face. Sure enough, Madam Dowager knew how Ning Ziying died.

    How could the scheming Madam Dowager know nothing about something that had happened in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?

    "It happened two or three months ago. Mother, have you forgotten?" Madam Ling became confident and her words became more and more fluent. She even said to Madam Dowager with pride, "Mother, that day, they... I also couldn¡¯t do anything about it. Originally, I thought this matter couldn¡¯t be exposed and I had to maintain the reputation of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor."

    Madam Ling spoke with grievance on her face while wiping her tears with her handkerchief.

    Ning Zu¡¯an frowned and said in a deep voice, "Mother, forget it. Yan¡¯er and Xia Yuhang love each other and they also got engaged before Yan¡¯er got pregnant. They just made a mistake after drinking before marriage. It¡¯s no big deal."

    Ning Zu¡¯an tried to cover up the big scandal with the excuse that they were drunk. Hearing that, Ning Xueyan sneered in her mind.

    Ning Zu¡¯an actually said that Ning Ziyan and Xia Yuhang had been engaged before Ning Ziyan got pregnant and they had made a mistake after drinking. He was so biased!

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s natural mother was murdered. But he did not care about the truth and only punished several maids to avenge her.

    Ning Xueyan had been poisoned. But when he heard that the concubine who poisoned Ning Xueyan was pregnant, he immediately forgave the concubine and did not care about his daughter¡¯s safety. No wonder Mother Han said that her mother had made the wrong choice.

    In his heart, Ning Xueyan and her mother were inferior to a single hair of Ning Ziyan or Madam Ling.

    Such a man did not deserve to be a husband and a father.

    In Ning Xueyan¡¯s memories, her mother always sat alone by amp and made clothes for her while coughing. Who could believe that a Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had not gotten any new clothes in a few years?

    Those people in front of Ning Xueyan also lived in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. It was impossible for them to not know that Madam Ling had treated Madam Ming and Ning Xueyan badly.

    Now they wanted to cover up the scandal again!

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s gaze became as cold as ice.

    She would not let them seed!

    Hearing what Ning Zu¡¯an said, Madam Ling became ecstatic. She turned her head and affectionately looked at Ning Zu¡¯an with a blushed face, and delicately said, "Marquis!"

    "Grandmother, let bygones be bygones. Let¡¯s not talk about these past events. Today, there were many people present. Maybe someone will impeach father in the court tomorrow morning. We have to think about countermeasures."

    Ning Xueyan turned around and spoke to Madam Dowager in a gentle voice.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s words not only warned Madam Dowager, but also warned Ning Zu¡¯an. Immediately, their faces changed suddenly.

    All the people present at the banquet today were dignitaries. What happened today would inevitably be known by the emperor. If the emperor asked about it tomorrow, it would not be easy to answer.

    There had to be an oue to this matter, otherwise Ning Zu¡¯an would greatly lose face in court.

    Madam Dowager immediately made a decision and said in a deep voice, "Take the First Madam to the Buddha Hall to kneel. No one can let her out without my permission."

    "Mother, I..." Madam Ling was anxious at once.

    Ning Zu¡¯an stared at Madam Ling with his bloodthirsty eyes and coldly said, "Don¡¯t talk nonsense. Take the First Madam to the Buddha Hall so that she can calm down there."

    It was the first time that Ning Zu¡¯an was so fierce to Madam Ling. She was frightened and knew that he was really angry!

    Knowing that she could not oppose him directly, Madam Ling immediately changed her expression to a delicate one. Madam Ling was beautiful. At this time, her beautiful face and aggrieved look made her pitiable.

    "Yes, marquis... I won¡¯t say more. As long as you and Lord Protector¡¯s Manor won¡¯t be med by others, I¡¯m willing to shoulder the responsibility."

    It seemed that she took the responsibility for the sake of Ning Zu¡¯an and Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Looking at her aggrieved expression, Ning Zu¡¯an felt that she really cared about Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. His face softened and he said as he nodded, "Cultivate yourself in the Buddha Hall in order to avoid such things from happening again."

    This was telling her that she would leave the Buddha Hall one day, which reassured Madam Ling.

    Immediately, Madam Ling smiled and nodded vigorously. Then she respectfully saluted Madam Dowager before she turned around to leave.

    However, both Ning Zu¡¯an and Madam Ling neglected Ning Xueyan, the victim. Madam Ling did not mention her intentionally, and Ning Zu¡¯an did not care about her at all. A daughter who was disliked by him was certainly less important than his lover.

    Both of them were disgusting!

    "Xueyan, this matter has passed. Last time, your mother was punished by the empress and couldn¡¯t get up for a period of time. We can¡¯t punish her twice for one thing. Furthermore, she¡¯s the hostess of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor," Madam Dowager had adjusted her mind and kindly said to Ning Xueyan.

    "Grandmother, it¡¯s up to you!" Ning Xueyan nodded her head obediently, as if she would agree with whatever Madam Dowager decided.

    "You¡¯re indeed sensible. Look at your dress, it¡¯s too in. Fetch my jewelry box and select some essories for the Fifth Young Lady. The young girl should be beautiful in her manner of dressing."

    Madam Dowager spoke with a smile on her face.

    "Madam Dowager is really good at implementing the stick and the carrot. In your opinion, my life is less valuable than a few pieces of jewelry!

    "Madam Ling, don¡¯t think that you can escape this time with the support of Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an..."

 Chapter 100 I Will Fulfill Her Wish

    In the study of Xia Manor, Xia Yuhang said while going in circles impatiently with a gloomy face, "Father, what should I do now?" He was not as gentle as usual.

    Xia Tian, the Minister of Justice, did not expect such a thing to happen. He frowned and asked, "Can her child survive?"

    "Of course the child won¡¯t survive. Father, will my schrly honour be taken away after such a thing?" Xia Yuhang concerned his schrly honour most, so that he felt ill at ease. This matter upset all his ns, which made him very angry. After years of effort, he was about to seed, but failed at thest moment.

    Xia Yuhang wished he had killed the baby in Ning Ziyan¡¯s belly as soon as he thought that the child made him like a drowned mouse. If it hadn¡¯t been for this child at that time...

    After this matter, Xia Yuhang could imagine that there inevitably would be some people attending the court tomorrow impeached him. The Spring Metropolitan Examination would be held a few monthster, and Xia Yuhang was very sure that he would seed in this examination.

    One reason why Xia Yuhang had never taken the exam before was that he felt that he was not ready, and the other reason was his marriage with Ning Ziying. Now everything was ready, and his official career would be smooth with the help of his father and Ning Zu¡¯an as long as he seeded in the Spring Metropolitan Examination. Unexpectedly, such a thing happened at this time.

    How could Xia Yuhang not be angry?

    Xia Yuhang bit his teeth and cruelly said, "Father, how about telling others that Ning Ziyan seduced me when I was drunk?"

    Ning Ziyan was worried that she would not marry Xia Yuhang, so she deliberately entered Xia Yuhang¡¯s room after drinking. Then the two had sex at that night.

    "No." Xia Tian was a crafty man and much calmer than Xia Yuhang. "Hang¡¯er, you¡¯re smart all the time, how can you put forward such a foolish suggestion at this time? If you say so, you will surely irritate Ning Zu¡¯an. Ning Ziyan is already your wife, can she be downgraded to a concubine?"

    The words warned Xia Yuhang and sobered him!

    Usually Xia Yuhang was calm and confident. This time, he could not keep calm because all the things were rted to him and happened suddenly.

    As a matter of fact, he had no way to get rid of these things. The matter that he had premartial sex with Ning Ziyan was wrong. And the matter that he had carried on a ndestine love affair with Chen Hexiang also was wrong. The two matters were exposed together, which greatly influenced his reputation. He could not exin well by himself. Furthermore, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was also be involved.

    The amour with Chen Hexiang had already upset the people of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. If Xia Yuhang dumped the me on Ning Ziyan, Ning Zu¡¯an would stand in opposition. Then things would be totally different from Xia Yuhang¡¯s original intention. He would never do such a foolish thing.

    "Father, who is going to deal with us?" After thinking about this, Xia Yuhang calmed down.

    He did not believe that the two unrted things would suddenly be exposed together. It was impossible to be so coincident. There must be someone who did that on purpose.

    "I can¡¯t reason it out yet. I asked the maids who apanied Ning Ziyan all the time. They all said that Ning Ziyan had visited her mother and the Fifth Young Lady before she showed up at the party. After that, the Concubine Ma of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor appeared and talked about the soup with her. Then she drank some and rested. Finally, she miscarried."

    Xia Tian had interrogated the maids and summarized what Ning Ziyan had done the whole day.

    The one who poisoned Ning Ziyan must be someone she had seen on that day. But it was a secret that Ning Ziyan was pregnant. In Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, only Madam Ling knew Ning Ziyan was pregnant. Who poisoned her step by step?

    "It won¡¯t be marchioness. She¡¯s Ning Ziyan¡¯s biological mother. The Fifth Young Lady was a young girl and I heard that she¡¯s cowardly. Is it Concubine Ma?"

    Xia Tian thought and guessed.

    Concubine Ma took Ning Ziyan to drink the soup, and then Ning Ziyan had an ident. It seemed logical. But Xia Yuhang felt there was something strange. Suddenly, he remembered the dark jade-like cold eyes. Was the Fifth Young Lady really cowardly and ipetent?

    Xia Yuhang coldly said with a gloomy face, "Father, we have to ask someone to investigate the Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and Concubine Ma. Anyway, it must be one of them."

    How could he not be angry that he had suffered such a big loss this time?

    Xia Tian nodded and asked, "What about tomorrow?"

    "Father, you¡¯ll talk about it with Lord Protectorter and then contact some old friends. Tomorrow, there will be someone impeach me. As long as you and Lord Protector insist that I was drunk at that time and Ziyan was asked to take care of me by her mother, then this problem will be solved."

    Xia Yuhang had had an idea and said to his father with a serious look.

    He and Ning Ziyan had been engaged. And it was normal that Ning Ziyan took care of him when he was drunk in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. In this way, it was reasonable that they had sex that night. At most, it was a mistake they made after drinking.

    A mistake was much better than immorality!

    Now only this exnation made sense, so Xia Tian nodded and agreed. Suddenly, he remembered another woman and asked while frowning, "But what about that woman?"

    At this time, Xia Yuhang had calmed down. He calmly said with a smile on his face, "Father, don¡¯t worry. She¡¯ll change her mind."

    Although Chen Hexiang was also a trouble, only Xia Yuhang and she knew what had happened between them. As long as Chen Hexiang changed her mind, no one would know.

    Didn¡¯t Chen Hexiang always want to be his concubine? He would fulfill her wish!

    Seeing that Xia Tian was about to leave, Xia Yuhang, who had already regained his calmness, specifically warned his father again, "Father, remember to tell the Lord Protector to block the whole Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and decontrol it after tomorrow¡¯s morning meeting."

    Since Xia Tian could be the Minister of Justice, he was not foolish. He immediately understood the meaning of his son and nodded before leaving. They must block the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor before the news was spread.

    If this was not a coincidence, there must be something toe.

    Xia Yuhang did not care who wanted to deal with Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and Xia Manor. Now what he had to do was to control the spread of the events happened in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Although he was very angry before, he still remembered to ask people to keep watch on Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. His subordinates had reported to him that no suspicious people came in or out.

    But Xia Yuhang still felt that there was something wrong...

    Qingyu came back from the outside with anger and stamped her feet as soon as she entered the door. She took a cup of cold water and hurried to drink. Ning Xueyan looked at her and asked with a smile on her face. "What¡¯s wrong? You can¡¯t go out?"

    "Young Lady, I told them I have to go out to buy medicine for you, but the doorkeepers didn¡¯t let me go out. What¡¯s more, they said that you only care about yourself and are indifferent to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor."

    Qingyu angrily said.

    "What can we do then? The woman asked us to fetch some important things from Cold Mountain Temple. What if we can¡¯t get out?" Lanning always was calm, but also was in a hurry at this time.

    "If the doctor hadn¡¯t left just now, he wouldn¡¯t be able to leave now. The older female servant who guards the gate said that it¡¯s Madam Dowager¡¯s order that no one is allowed to go out. If someone wants to go out, they must be permitted by Madam Dowager." Qingyu almost stamped her feet in a hurry.

    Ning Xueyan was quite unmindful. She took the handkerchief and saw the embroidered flowers on it by the light while casually asking, "Did Madam Dowager order after someone of Xia Manor arrived?"

    "Yes. I inquired about it deliberately. It was said that no one can go out ande in at will since someone of Xia Manor came. Those who purchase daily necessities every day are not allowed to go out, either."

    Qingyu had asked just now. She had thought that the doorkeeper only did not allow her to go out. Then she went to other gates and found that no one was allowed to go out.

    "Unexpectedly, Xia Yuhang was so fast!"

    "I had seen that he became very angry and lost his mind. Unexpectedly, he became sober after such a short time."

    "Sure enough, he¡¯s not as honest as he looks!"

    "I have been engaged with him for ten years and we have been together for three years. But I still didn¡¯t know what kind of person he is. I trusted him so much and finally came to such an end."

    Ning Xueyan faintly said to them, "Lanning, bring Xinmei to Cloud Reflection Courtyard. Xinmei, you can go out there. You¡¯ll go to Cold Mountain Temple to take things out and then send them to Xia Manor at night with your mask on. Remember, don¡¯t tell Chen Hexiang who you are. You just say that you¡¯re a passer-by and happened to hear what she said to the old female servants, and you want to defend her against the injustice."

    Ning Xueyan did not want to be so cautious, but she could not trust Chen Hexiang. Fortunately, she did not ask her servants to invite the doctor for Chen Hexiang. She only asked people to gossip that Chen Hexiang was going to die. Then it happened to be heard by Madam Dowager who then asked people to invite a doctor for Chen Hexiang. The doctor of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was busy treating Ning Ziyan and had no time to treat Chen Hexiang, so Madam Dowager¡¯s servants had to go outside to invite a doctor.

    The doctor Ning Xueyan prepared was waiting at the back door. Sure enough, he was invited to treat Chen Hexiang. Then he deliberately exaggerated Chen Hexiang¡¯s injury when he treated her. Chen Hexiang was weak because she was pregnant. Besides, she carried a hairpin which was poisoned by Ning Ziyan and kicked by Xia Yuhang. It was not strange that she was seriously injured.

    Xia Yuhang could never know that how terrible the blow that she would never be pregnant was to a woman.

    Chen Hexiang had nothing left now, so she could only risk danger in desperation.

    After the doctor left, Mother Han went in tofort Chen Hexiang. She brought Chen Hexiang a bowl of porridge and asked her to have some first with concern. Then she deliberately said to Chen Hexiang that Xia Yuhang had almost killed Ning Ziyan¡¯s maids when he knew that Ning Ziyan¡¯s child could not survive and promised that he would give a satisfying exnation to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Chen Hexiang immediately understood what kind of exnation Xia Yuhang would give to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Ning Ziyan lost her child because she knew the amour between Xia Yuhang and Chen Hexiang.

    So, Ning Ziyan would not let her go. Therefore, Chen Hexiang would be killed by either Xia Yuhang or Ning Ziyan!

    Although Chen Hexiang was willing topromise and give up, Ning Ziyan would not forgive her and would murder her. It would be easy for Ning Ziyan to cover up the fact that a concubine died in Xia Manor.

    When Mother Han enlightened Chen Hexiang, she also gave an example which could help Chen Hexiang make a decision.

    They forced Chen Hexiang to make a decision...

    "What Chen Hexiang hid in Cold Mountain Temple may be rted to Ning Ziying. If Chen Xexiang carries that with herself, I can use it when I need."

    "Love can make people pay for everything!"

    "And hate can destroy everything..."

    "Xia Yuhang, Ning Ziyan, and Chen Hexiang, I¡¯ll let you hurt each other."

 Chapter 101 Your Majesty, Do You Want to Investigate This Matter Thoroughly?

    The hall was magnificent and could amodate hundreds of people. Arge red and gold carpet covered the ground and dragons were carved on walls and pirs.

    The emperor was sitting in the middle of the hall and Ao Chenyi was sitting on another chair near the emperor. He still wore a ck robe, on which bloody equinox flowers were embroidered. Ao Chenyi was looking at Xia Tian and Ning Zu¡¯an who were kneeling with a faint smile on his face. He was looking forward to what was about to happen.

    "Your Majesty, my son and daughter-inw had already been engaged. And the date of their marriage had been fixed. So they were allowed to meet, so that they made a mistake after drinking. It¡¯s my duty. Your Majesty, please punish me!" Xia Tian exined in a natural tone while kneeling there and lowering his head with respect.

    Xia Tian did not pass the buck, but said that Xia Yuhang and Ning Ziyan made a mistake because they were drunk and it was not a big deal because they had been engaged.

    "Your Majesty, my mother saw Childe Xia was drunk that day and asked my daughter, his fiance, to take care of him. Unexpectedly, they... I¡¯m also responsible for that. Your Majesty, please punish me."

    Ning Zu¡¯an also confessed his fault and did not pass the buck.

    Their words made the emperor and others feel that both of them were responsible. Many people also felt that this was really not a big deal. Since they were going to get married, such a mistake could be understood.

    It had nothing to do with immorality.

    "Your Majesty, Childe Xia and the Eldest Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor misbehaved after drinking. Then the First Madam of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor concealed the death of Second Madam of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. I think the reason is the misbehavior of Childe Xia and the Eldest Young Lady. ording to what Lord Protector said just now, he knows this matter. But I remember that Lord Protector said he didn¡¯t know before."

    An official who had a bad rtionship with Ning Zu¡¯an at ordinary times stood out and said.

    This official directly contradicted what Ning Zu¡¯an said both just now and before. Immediately, the whole hall became quiet. The emperor sitting on the hall coldly looked at Ning Zu¡¯an with a dignified look.

    "Your Majesty, I really don¡¯t know. My wife was afraid that this matter would be known to many people, so she even didn¡¯t tell me." Ning Zu¡¯an paused for a moment and then said what he had already prepared. "This is all my fault. Please punish me."

    Ning Zu¡¯an and Xia Tian had discussed this matter yesterday. They made an agreement that they had to say that they didn¡¯t know this matter. Anyway, Madam Ling had been punishedst time and would not be punished for the same thing.

    Ao Chenyi, sitting on one side, suddenly turned his head elegantly and asked curiously, "Lord Protector, are you really the host of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?"

    His question made Ning Zu¡¯an blush and sweat!

    Would others believe that the Lord Protector knew nothing about such a big matter happened in his manor?

    As the saying goes, to regte the country and the world rightly, one must regte his family first. How could Lord Protector regte the country and the world rightly when he could not regte his family?

    Ning Zu¡¯an had thought that the emperor could not do anything with him as long as he insisted that he did not know this matter. But now he realized that something was wrong. He raised his head and looked at the emperor who was sitting in front of them and coldly looking at him. But before he exined, the emperor spoke directly.

    "Ning Zu¡¯an, since you¡¯re too busy with family affairs, I think you should deal with your own family affairs first. Is a three-month vacation enough for you?"

    The emperor was going to suspend Ning Zu¡¯an from his duties, which was unexpected to Ning Zu¡¯an. Hearing that, he became anxious and hurried to say, "Your, Your Majesty, I do not dare to bother you with my family affairs. I will do my best to deal with this matter."

    Ning Zu¡¯an was an official with real power. Suspension of three months was equivalent to being demoted. How would Ning Zu¡¯an ept?

    Ao Chenyi asked with interest while putting his one hand on the armrest and resting his head on it, "Lord Protector, your family affairs are not troublesome. I heard that the Second Young Lady is also quite special."

    What happened to Ning Yuling in Cold Mountain Temple had already been spread. At least half of the people in the court knew that she had misbehaved and seduced other men in the chrysanthemum appreciation grand meeting where some Princes and Princely Heirs showed up. No matter how the people of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor exined, it still was humiliating.

    Although people of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor exined that it was caused by a maid and Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li was willing to marry Ning Yuling, people of the influential and privileged families already knew the real truth.

    The Eldest Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor misbehaved, and the Second Young Lady misbehaved, too. Many people wondered if Lord Protector¡¯s Manor really was okay?

    "Enough!" The emperor who was sitting in front of them was reluctant to say anything anymore.

    Ning Zu¡¯an dared not say a word. He stood up and stood aside in disgrace. Ning Zu¡¯an also felt aggrieved. His daughter had made a mistake, and he was punished together.

    "Official Xia, I heard that not only the Eldest Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was pregnant, but also an orphan girl. Instead of marrying the orphan girl, Childe Xia regarded her as a maid. Yesterday, Childe Xia kicked her so that she lost her baby. Does such a fierce and immoral man deserve to be an official?"

    Huai Yuming, the Regional Investigating Censor which was admisnistered by Left Censor-in-chief, stood up and asked Xia Tian with a serious look. He asked that for emperor, so Xia Tian did not dare to slight.

    Censor-in-chief was in charge of supervision, impeachment and suggestions. Censor-in-chief supervised all officials and could impeach anyone. There were Left Censor-in-chief and Right Censor-in-chief. And the lower positions were Regional Investigating Censor and Chief Investigating Censor.

    "Official Huai, it¡¯s a misunderstanding. That maid is indeed an orphan girl. She came here and sought refuge with her rtives. When she was at the end of her rope, my son met her and brought her to my manor to help her. My son said she would be sent to her rtives¡¯ ce when he found her rtives for her. Unexpectedly, she has already been pregnant. My son didn¡¯t know that and got angry when she talked irresponsibly. Therefore he kicked her so that she lost her baby."

    Hearing Xia Tian¡¯s exnation, Huai Yuming asked with a smile on his face, "You mean her child isn¡¯t Childe Xia¡¯s?"

    "Yes. My son has only known her for a few months. How can her baby be my son¡¯s? Official Huai, if you don¡¯t believe it, you can go to my manor to inquire about it. Everyone in the manor knows her and how she came to my Xia Manor."

    Xia Tian stated positively.

    Ao Chenyi sitting on the side coldly looked at Xia Tian. People in the court knew that those who were targeted by Prince Yi almost woulde to a bad end.

    Ao Chenyi¡¯s gaze made Xia Tian panic. Although he knew that his exnation was watertight, he still felt nervous!

    This should have nothing to do with Prince Yi.

    Xia Yuhang had promised Chen Hexiang that she would be his concubine as long as she helped Xia Manor sessfully settle this matter. Chen Hexiang agreed with that. And there was nothing unusual.

    "Official Xia, that¡¯s your exnation, but what I heard is different. This is the letter I receivedst night. Your Majesty, please make a judgment!" Huai Yuming took a letter from his arms and presented it respectfully.

    An eunuch came, took away the letter, and ced it on the emperor¡¯s table.

    After reading the letter, the emperor immediately changed his face. He shouted at Xia Tian with great anger, "Xia Tian, your son dared to disrespect the Buddha. Show him this letter! I wonder how he can exin this time."

    Before the letter was shown to him, Xia Tian had already felt bad. He picked up the letter and read it while his hands were trembling.

    It was Chen Hexiang¡¯s statement. She clearly said how she and Xia Yuhang knew each other. She and Xia Yuhang had sex in the Buddha Hall, then she got pregnant. After that, Ning Ziyan met them when they were together. In order to separate them, she was deliberately brought to Xia Manor by Ning Ziyan and became Ning Ziyan¡¯s personal maid.

    The letter was very detailed. Chen Hexiang also specifically mentioned the monks in Cold Mountain Temple, and the specific days when Xia Yuhang spent the night with her.

    These matters mentioned in the letter could not be concealed from others. They could be easily checked out.

    "Official Xia, I went to Cold Mountain Temple on purpose after I received the letter. And I found that everything is true. Official Xia, how do you exin for that?" Huai Yuming asked, "Do you need to confront that woman now?"

    Although Xia Tian had prepared well, his words were based on Chen Hexiang¡¯s cooperation. At this time, Huai Yuming asked him one question after another, which was unexpected to Xia Tian. So he could not say a word and sweat broke out on his head immediately.

    It seemed that Huai Yuming was asking Xia Tian, but in fact he was stating facts. Was there any need for confrontation?

    Now that this woman had sent her letter to Huai Yuming, it meant that she had decided to tell the truth. If Xia Tian chose to confront with her, it would bring shame on himself!

    Looking at the silent Xia Tian, the emperor who was sitting there realized the problem and his face darkened immediately.

    "What else do you want to say, Official Xia?" Huai Yuming gave him a heavy blow.

    "Your Majesty, the woman deliberately frames my son. It¡¯s true that it has been some time since my son saved her. She was allowed to stay in the temple because she was poor and had no ce to go. The temple is a sacred ce. If my son really had a rtionship with her, why did he ce her there? Why didn¡¯t he ce her in a secret ce?"

    Xia Tian showed resourcefulness in an emergency and exined loudly.

    Huai Yuming asked while frowning, "Official Xia, do you mean that the woman deliberately frames your son?"

    "Yes. The Spring Metropolitan Examinations ising soon. And my son has schrly honour. In order to concentrate on study, he usually goes to Cold Mountain Temple to study. This is not a secret. Why did the woman happen to appear in Cold Mountain Temple? Why did she happen to be saved by my son and was ced in Cold Mountain Temple? And why did she happen to be pregnant? Your Majesty, my son wasn¡¯t the only one in Cold Mountain Temple!"

    Xia Tian not only defended his son, but also hinted that someone had framed Xia Yuhang.

    Ao Yun, the present emperor, ascended the throne by many foul means. So he was the most suspicious one. After listening to Xia Tian, he started to suspect the whole thing and gloomily looked at several officials with anger on his face.

    The hall was so silent that the gasp could be heard.

    Suddenly, a cold voice came to their ears. Ao Chenyizily said, "Your Majesty, do you want to investigate this matter thoroughly? I happen to be free these days. I¡¯m willing to help you investigate this matter."

    His slightly narrowed eyes were bloodthirsty. He showed a faint smile on his face, but the smile was not warm at all.

    Xia Tian who was kneeling suddenly felt cold from the bottom of his heart and his face instantly turned pale.

    In the past, Prince Yi had brought casualties when he investigated every case!

    And a few families were exterminated in the end. So neither XiaTian nor Ning Zu¡¯ang wanted Prince Yi to interfere in this matter?

    Xia Tian said with an embarrassed smile on his face, "I don¡¯t dare to trouble you, Prince Yi!"

 Chapter 102 No Matter Which Way Concubine Ma Chose, She Would Not Survive

    "No trouble at all. Anyway, I have nothing to do recently. Everyone involved in those cases are dead. I¡¯m very bored!" After saying that, Ao Chenyi tried to show a gentle smile.

    But in Xia Tian¡¯s eyes, the smile was treacherous and cold.

    Almost instantly, Xia Tian made his decision. He said in panic while kowtowing, "Your Majesty, in any case, that woman lost her baby because my son kicked her. So it¡¯s normal that she hates my son. He made the mistake on impulse. He will be responsible for that. Your Majesty, please punish him."

    At this time, Xia Tian did not insist that his son was framed by someone and his attitude also softened.

    This meant that there was no need to investigate this matter and Xia Manor was willing to take full responsibility. Meanwhile, Xia Tian also ttered the emperor by what he said.

    In times of danger, Xia Tian remembered what Xia Yuhang saidst night. Xia Yuhang had told Xia Tian that he could say those words to admit mistake if something happened unexpectedly.

    When the present emperor was still a prince, he once beat his brother half-disabled on impulse. Because of that, he was almost murdered by the former emperor. Although he was framed, atst he had to admit this mistake. It was almost the same with Xia Yuhang.

    So this time, Xia Yuhang asked his father to imitate what the emperor had done.

    Sure enough, the emperor¡¯s angry face softened a little.

    Ao Chenyi nodded and said while slightly tapping his fingers on the table, "Official Xia, you¡¯re right. If I act on impulse next time, I wonder if I also won¡¯t be punished."

    Ao Chenyi¡¯s words made the emperor changed his face greatly, and people could almost clearly see the bulged veins on the emperor¡¯s forehead.

    The two ranks of officials standing below were all frightened. Only the Prince Yi seemed to have no idea that he had said something wrong, and still showed a cold smile with great interest.

    After a while, the emperor regained his calmness. He pounded his chair and said to Xia Tian while sharply looking at him, "The son¡¯smitting mistakes should be med to his father¡¯s failure to teach him. Xia Tian, you will be fined half a year¡¯s sry, and Xia Yuhang won¡¯t be allowed to participate in the Spring Metropolitan Examination. This also is a warning to others."

    The emperor made the final judgement.

    The Spring Metropolitan Examination was held once three years. Xia Yuhang lost the chance this time and had to wait for another three-year, which was a great blow to him who wanted to be the very best this time.

    Xia Tian was bitter, but he had to thank the emperor!

    Compared with that matter, this was much less serious.

    Qingyu rushed in, carefully closed the door, and said with a smile on her face, "Young Lady, I have inquired. The emperor doesn¡¯t allow Childe Xia to participate in the Spring Metropolitan Examination and gives marquis a three-month vocation to deal with family affairs. Madam Dowager was very angry and scolded the First Madam just now."

    It was a happy news to them. The Auspicious Clouds Courtyard was in a mess, which made people in Bright Frost Garden very happy.

    Ning Xueyan put down the brush pen in her hands, took the towel Lanning handed over to wipe her hands. Then she turned her head, took a deep breath, and asked, "Did you get some news about Xia Manor?"

    "The Eldest Young Lady sent someone to look for the First Madam, but the First Madam was shut up in the Buddha Hall by Madam Dowager. So the people sent by the Eldest Young Lady didn¡¯t see the First Madam. The servant was anxious and directly asked an older female servant of the First Madam. I happened to be there and heard what they said."

    Qingyu widened her eyes and showed an exaggerated expression, making Ning Xueyan and Lanningugh.

    Ning Xueyan smiled and said, "Tell me, what happened?"

    "What that maid said was a mess. So actually I didn¡¯t hear clearly. I only heard that Xia Manor is in disorder now. Childe Xia can¡¯t take part in the examination the next spring and there¡¯s one more concubine. The Eldest Young Lady is arguing with Childe Xia and the Madam of Xia Manor is scolding the Eldest Young Lady. So the maid wanted to invite the First Madam to mediate."

    Qingyu said that happily, but then she felt confused. In her opinion, some things were irrelevant.

    "But, I still don¡¯t understand, Young Lady. That woman informed against Childe Xia, why did he still marry her?"

    Qingyu was loyal, but sometimes she could not understood these matters as quickly as Lanning. When they heard Qingyu¡¯s question, Lanning smiled first. Then she slightly pushed Qingyu and exinced to her, "The more people know about this matter, the less they dare murder Chen Hexiang. The reputation of Childe Xia is bad now, so he dares not deal with Chen Hexiang. If the Eldest Young Lady wants to harm Chen Hexiang, Childe Xia had to stop her."

    They did not expect Chen Hexiang to be so clever.

    Mother Han talked about a simr thing when sheforted Chen Hexiang.

    In terms of strength, Chen Hexiang was no better than Ning Ziyan. In the past, Chen Hexiang believed that she was beloved by Xia Yuhang. But being kiked by him so heavily, she had realized she was not!

    Chen Hexiang was a very cruel woman. She had figured out the whole matter and chose the best way for herself. As long as she did notpromise and informed against Xia Yuhang, people of Xia Manor would ask Xia Yuhang to marry her and prevent Ning Ziyan from harming her.

    The bigger this matter was, the better it was! That was why she asked Xinmei to throw the letter at righteous Official Huai¡¯s door.

    Chen Hexiang indeed nned to met Xia Yuhang and have a rtionship with him. But Xia Yuhang was also a yboy. So Chen Hexiang did not spent much effort on this matter.

    Therefore, Xia Yuhang could not rify!

    In addition, Chen Hexiang also knew something about Ning Ziying. But she did not mention it in her letter. It meant that she did not want to destroy both Xia Yuhang and herself.

    However, these were also what Ning Xueyan needed. The more cunning Chen Hexiang was, the greater pressure Ning Ziyan would have, and the more Xia Yuhang dared not kill her.

    Chen Hexiang and Ning Ziyan were equal, so the fight between them was fierce.

    Both of them were heartless and cruel. Ning Xueyan wondered who would win in the end.

    Since both of them wanted to marry Xia Yuhang and be his Legal Wife. So Ning Xueyan would let them fight with each other...

    Qingyu still did not understand. She asked while touching her own head, "Oh, I see. But Young Lady, there still are some things I don¡¯t understand. Why did Chen Hexiang trust Xinmei and give the letter to her?"

    Ning Xueyan said while showing an ironc smile on her face, "We didn¡¯t ask her to believe Xinmei. She believed Xinmei on her own initiative. At that time, no one in Xia Manor could help her. So Xinmei was her only hope. She had no other choice but to believe Xinmei!"

    A woman like Chen Hexiang would absolutely do so when she was in such a situation. She did not care who the masked man in ck was. If she wanted to survive, she had to ask Xinmei to help her.

    Lanning carried the well-prepared hamper in her hands and softly asked, "Young Lady, everything¡¯s ready. Are we going to see Concubine Ma now?"

    "Yes, let¡¯s go." Ning Xueyan nodded and stood up.

    The meal that Madam Ling sent should happen to arrive at this time...

    After they found that Concubine Ma was not pregnant, so many things happened. Both Ning Ziyan and Chen Hexiang lost their babies, and it was exposed that Xia Yuhang and Ning Ziyan had a premarital adultery. So nobody cared about Concubine Ma and all forgot that Concubine Ma had pretended to be pregnant.

    However, Ning Xueyan did not forget.

    Concubine Ma had been very popr in the past few days, so the courtyard she lived in was rtively close to the middle. However, her courtyard which used to be very busy was deste now.

    When Ning Xueyan entered the room, Concubine Ma suddenly sat up in panic. To their surprise, Concubine Ma who was still beautiful yesterday had been very thin and old. She looked like a totally different person.

    Everyone knew her current situation was bad!

    Concubine Ma showed a timid expression as soon as she saw Ning Xueyan. She said with a tremulous voice, "Fifth Young Lady!"

    "Concubine Ma, how are you doing? Is there any food you want to eat? I brought some food for you, but I don¡¯t know if you like it or not." Ning Xueyan smiled and sat down in a chair near the bed, as if nothing had happened between her and Concubine Ma.

    Lanning, who was behind Ning Xueyan, put the hamper on the table in front of Concubine Ma. There happened to be another exactly the same hamper in which the dishes were very delicious. All of the hampers were bought by the servants of the manor, so they were all the same.

    "Thank you, Fifth Young Lady. I... I¡¯m all right." Concubine Ma answered in a hoarse voice. Following the hamper put down by Lanning, Concubine Ma looked at the other one with scare.

    Ning Xueyan said with a smile on her face, "Anyway, you¡¯re a member of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Even if mother can¡¯t tolerate you, she¡¯ll allow you to be full before dying." Ning Xueyan¡¯s deep gaze fell on Concubine Ma, which chilled her.

    Concubine Ma felt scared!

    Concubine Ma felt that the thin Fifth Young Lady in front of her had a kind of inenarrable imposing manner. It seemed that her eyes could suck out people¡¯s soul, making Concubine Ma dare not look back.

    Concubine Ma turned her head and forced a smile. "Thank you, Fifth Young Lady. I¡¯vee to such an end, how can the First Madam not tolerate me?"

    "Oh, I guess wrong. I wanted to show you a way to survive. Since you needn¡¯t, I¡¯ll leave now! Please enjoy your meals!" Ning Xueyan emphasized ¡¯meals¡¯ when she spoke. Then she stood up with a cold smile and was about to leave.

    On seeing that Ning Xueyan was going to leave, Concubine Ma was in a great hurry.

    In fact, Concubine Ma was disturbed. This matter was caused by Madam Ling, but it was she who took the responsibility!

    Who would believe it if she said it all?

    Concubine Ma extremely hated Madam Ling, because Madam Ling had poisoned her and made her infertile. Therefore, Concubine Ma was so impulsive at that time and rushed to bite Madam Ling.

    Unfortunately, when she calmed down, Concubine Ma found that she could not spoke out this matter. Madam Ling had the evidence that Concubine Ma had had a love affair stealthily with her lover. If Madam Ling told Ning Zu¡¯an, Concubine Ma and her family would fall into danger.

    Concubine Ma had thought about it all night, but she still did note to a conclusion. If Concubine Ma admitted that she was not pregnant, then she would be used of poisoning the Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. If she said it was Madam Ling¡¯s order, her secrets would be exposed by Madam Ling, then Ning Zu¡¯an would be angry and vent his spite upon her and her family...

    No matter which way Concubine Ma chose, she would not survive. She did not know how she would end up!

 Chapter 103 The Way for Concubine Ma

    "Concubine Ma, when I came here just now, I heard that the First Madam had asked someone to send you meals even if she¡¯s in the Buddha Hall. She¡¯s really generous. In my opinion, if something happens to you in the future, it must have nothing to do with the First Madam."

    Lanning nced at Concubine Ma and spoke slowly while picking up the hamper.

    This hamper was prepared by Madam Ling! After knowing that, Concubine Ma became shocked and grabbed the handkerchief in her hands. First Madam always returned evil for good. Concubine Ma had bit her and this matter hade to a deadlock, so the First Madam would not let go of Concubine Ma.

    This was a threat to Concubine Ma!

    "Fifth Young Lady, don¡¯t go. Please do me a favor!" Concubine Ma could no longer control her fear, and couldn¡¯t help asking for help in a tremulous voice.

    Ning Xueyan stopped, but did not turn around. She directly said, "Concubine Ma, if you need anything, why don¡¯t you call my mother? Although she isn¡¯t allowed to leave the Buddha Hall, fortunately, all of the people in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor listen to her. If you really need something, she can help you."

    Hearing that, Concubine Ma looked paler and could not help imploring, "They all say that Fifth Young Lady is clever and kind-hearted. Please help me, Fifth Young Lady."

    Hearing what Concubine Ma said, Ning Xueyan could not help turning her head with a smile on her face. This Concubine Ma was really naive. She had poisoned Ning Xueyan before, but now said Ning Xueyan was kind-hearted and asked for help. Did she think that Ning Xueyan was the Madonna?

    Seeing Ning Xueyan smiling and turning her head, Concubine Ma thought Ning Xueyan would help her and hastily promised, "Fifth Young Lady, I will pay back and risk any danger to do my duty as long as you save me this time..."

    Ning Xueyan coldly said, "Concubine Ma, I don¡¯t need your thanks. Now that my mother has sent you food first, it will make her angry if I send you food again. As a daughter, I can¡¯t do anything against my mother."

    "Fifth Young Lady, as long as you save me, I¡¯ll tell you who secretly framed you." Seeing Ning Xueyan did not want to help her, Concubine Ma was anxious. Now Madam Ling would not support her anymore, she needed to find another strong person to rely on. A drowning man will catch at a straw. Concubine Ma forgot that the one in front of her had been poisoned by her.

    Seeming to be surprised, Ning Xueyan asked, "You know who framed me and poisoned me?"

    As soon as she found that Ning Xueyan¡¯s voice softened, Concubine Ma thought there was hope and said urgently at the moment.

    "Yes, as long as you can help me escape from Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, I will tell you everything." It was the only way Concubine Ma could think of. She would certainly die if she stayed. Leaving here might bring her a different end.

    Ning Xueyan coldly said with an ironic smile on her face, "I know what you want to say, so I can¡¯t help you leave."

    Concubine Ma had thought she could bargain with Ning Xueyan. In fact, her so-called secrets, including her lover, had already been known to Ning Xueyan.

    "You knew that?" Concubine Ma was shocked and looked at Ning Xueyan with her eyes wide open in horror.

    Ning Xueyan coldly said without expression, "I also know that you were good at singing and had stayed in Spring Theatrical Troupe before you entered Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. You and a man yed lovers so well."

    Concubine Ma did not expect that Ning Xueyan would know all of this. She was so shocked that could not say a word. Suddenly, she forced herself to get out of bed, up, threw herself at the foot of Ning Xueyan, and held Ning Xueyan¡¯s leg in her arms. "Fifth Young Lady, please save me. As long as you save my life, I¡¯ll do whatever you ask and never disobey your orders."

    Ning Xueyan pulled back her leg while coldly looking at Concubine Ma.

    "Concubine Ma, did you want to say these to my mother? Now my mother is in the Buddha hall, how about visiting her with me and making it clear to her?" Concubine Ma was so scheming. She actually wanted to exchange a changeable promise for Ning Xueyan¡¯s help.

    How dared Concubine Ma see Madam Ling now?

    "Or do you want to see that man? If my father knows that you were dating with a man in the pavilion at that time, will he be angry and drown you?"

    Ning Xueyan spoke that with a smile on her face while looking down at Concubine Ma, as if she was looking at a dead man.

    "Fifth Young Lady, you... how do you know that?" Concubine Ma¡¯s lips trembled so that she could not speak fluently. She looked at Ning Xueyan in horror. At that time, the man only showed for a second, and then left. How did Ning Xueyan know?

    "Do you still think it¡¯s a secret? My mother won¡¯t forgive you for biting her. Even if my mother isn¡¯t allowed to leave the Buddha Hall, my Second Sister cane here to beat or kill you for her. At that time, no one will say a word for you. After all, you offended my mother."

    Ning Xueyan spoke with a smile on her face. Then she winked at Lanning who immediately understood and dragged Concubine Ma back onto the bed.

    In Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, no one was more unruly than Ning Yuling!

    Many maids and older female servants have been beaten to death by her.

    Remembering how fierce Ning Yuling was, Concubine Ma looked paler. Ning Yuling would really do that. In the past, Concubine Ma was protected by Ning Zu¡¯an, so Ning Yuling did not hurt her.

    But now, Concubine Ma had to thank God if Ning Zu¡¯an did not punish her when something like this happened!

    Lanning said to Concubine Ma with a smile on her face while tucking her up, "Concubine Ma, do you think that our Young Lady doesn¡¯t want to save you? In fact, the whole manor is strictly controlled and no one can go in or out at will. If you want to survive, you have to rely on yourself."

    "I... what should I do?" Concubine Ma cried out, as if she had grabbed a life-saving straw.

    No one was allowed to leave Lord Protector¡¯s Manor now. How could she not be depressed?

    "The cause of your current situation is my mother, so you have to look for solutions from her. I heard that the Eldest Brother-inw married a woman today who had informed against him. But he had to marry her for fear that something bad will happen to her and then his reputation will be worse."

    Ning Xueyan smiled andzily said while giving a meaningful look at Concubine Ma.

    Xia Yuhang married that maid at this time, which shocked Concubine Ma. Concubine Ma also heard about what had happened to Xia Yuhang. They all said that a maid had had sex with Xia Yuhang and got pregnant, but lost her baby for being kicked by furious Xia Yuhang when Ning Ziyan knew their rtionship and lost her baby.

    In order to defuse the anger of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, the little maid must be murdered!

    How did she survive? And why did Childe Xia marry her and Lord Protector¡¯s Manor have noint?

    "Concubine Ma, no one can take responsibility if more people know this matter. Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is in the troubled times. The Eldest Sister, Second Sister and mother have had idents, and the reputation of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is getting worse and worse. Grandmother is very worried," Ning Xueyan said that with a slight imperceptible sneer.

    How could Madam Dowager not be in a hurry? The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor almost lost all face because of Madam Ling and her daughter.

    "Lanning, there already are dishes for Concubine Ma, so we¡¯ll take back the dishes we brought so as not to waste them." Before Concubine Ma responded, Ning Xueyan stood up and walked outside. "By the way, Concubine Ma, do you still think that my father doesn¡¯t know your secrets?"

    This was thest sentence left by Ning Xueyan, but it helped Concubine Ma make her decision.

    "Yes, I¡¯ll do it right away." Lanning nodded. Then she came to Concubine Ma and whispered to her. After that, she walked to the two hampers and looked at them in confusion. It seemed she could not tell which one was brought by herself. In the end, she picked up one at will and left.

    "Hey, this hamper..." The maid who was standing beside Concubine Ma couldn¡¯t help calling Lanning. The one on the right was the one she brought jus now, why did she take the one on the left?

    "Shut up!" Concubine Ma¡¯s cold rebuke sounded in the maid¡¯s ear. She turned her head in perplexity and was startled by Concubine Ma¡¯s cold and crazy gaze.

    Since this maid could get into the house, she naturally was Concubine Ma¡¯s henchman.

    "Concubine Ma, what¡¯s wrong with you?"

    Concubine Ma said with a gloomy face, "Show me those dishes."

    The maid went over and gave the hamper to Concubine Ma who then took out a silver needle from the bed and inserted it to the food.

    When the silver needle was pulled out, its tip had be ck. This half-ck needle made people feel chilling.

    "They¡¯re, they¡¯re toxic!" The maid was so frightened that she staggered and almost fell down. She angrily said, "Concubine Ma... unexpectedly, the Fifth Young Lady is so vicious. She wants to kill you! "

    "No... She doesn¡¯t want to kill me! She¡¯s helping me." Looking at the ck on the tip of the needle, Concubine Ma forced an ugly smile on her gloomy face.

    The food Madam Ling prepared was not poisonous, just because she wanted to be seen as virtuous. In this way, no one would believe she would murder Concubine Ma. So she would not poison Concubine Ma at this time.

    However, when it quieted down, Concubine Ma would certainly be a scapegoat. Maybe she even would die painfully.

    Concubine Ma was unwilling to give up. The words of Ning Xueyan and the food sent by Ning Xueyan gave her a hint. Ning Xueyan had provided her a solution. If she wanted to survive, she had to ept Ning Xueyan¡¯s suggestion.

    She could only trust Ning Xueyan!

    Maybe this was the only way for her!

    "Xia Yuhang¡¯s new concubine should have died. Since she can survive, I can as well..."

    Ning Xueyan walked back with Lanning who carried the hamper she deliberately changed. After they turned, they suddenly saw Madam Ling¡¯s maid Yu Lian passing by in gorgeous. Ning Xueyan immediately made a gesture to Lanning, then the two hid behind the bushes quickly.

    Yu Lian, who always wanted to be a concubine, dressed like that at this time. Was she going to seduce Ning Zu¡¯an again?

    But, Yu Lian could not get to Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s ce from that direction. Yu Lian¡¯s road led to two ces. One was the back door, and the other was Ning Xueyan¡¯s Bight Frost Garden. Ning Xueyan remembered nothing had happened between her and Yu Lian.

    Yu Lian stopped and walked, seeming to be very careful along the way. She stopped several times to see what was going on behind her. She was much more alert than usual.

    Only when she turned to the path in front of her right, Ning Xueyan came out with Lanning.

    "Young Lady, why does Yu Lian go to our courtyard? Shall we go and have a look?" Lanning asked Ning Xueyan.

    "No. Xinmei is in Bright Frost Garden!" Ning Xueyan shook her head and said a meaningful word. Then she picked up a leaf at hand. The leaf had turned yellow and lost its vitality. And so did other leaves which were falling one by one.

    How could the leaves survive when the tree was dead?

    The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor looked grand, but in fact its root had already deeply rotted...

 Chapter 104 Ning Lingyuns Marriage

    "Look, it¡¯s Fifth Sister. Why are carrying a hamper at this time? Grandma has already eaten. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s toote for you to send her food now?" Ning Xueyan and Lanning encountered Ning Lingyun who was on the way to Lucky Garden. Ning Lingyun saw the hamper in Lanning¡¯s hands and could not help but mock Ning Xueyan.

    Ning Xueyan did not take Ning Lingyun¡¯s sarcastic ridicule seriously. Ning Lingyun, the daughter of a concubine, always followed Ning Yuling¡¯s lead and curried favor with Madam Ling in order to have a good marriage in the future. But Ning Xueyan knew well that Ning Lingyun would eventually be a stepping stone for Madam Ling¡¯s children.

    Ning Xueyan nced at Ning Lingyun and asked, "Fourth Sister, who made you so angry?"

    "Great wits have short memories. Fifth Sister, you made Second Sister angry and didn¡¯t dare to see her. So you requested me to see her and face her anger. You¡¯re a coward." Remembering what had happened on that day, Ning Lingyun felt hot and pain on her face.

    Originally, Ning Lingyun visited Ning Yuling and sent her two boxes of face powder in her own name, and Ning Yuling was also very happy!

    But as soon as Ning Yuling heard that Ning Lingyun came from Bright Frost Garden, she changed her look on the spot and ran out in a hurry.

    Because of what happened afterwards, both Ning Yuling and Madam Ling were scolded and punished. Ning Yuling did not ask Ning Lingyun to leave when she went out, so Ning Lingyun did not dare go.

    When Ning Yuling came back, Ning Lingyun came up and wanted to greet her. But she was pped and kicked by Ning Yuling before leaving.

    Ning Yuling was extremely angry when she beat Ning Lingyun. So Ning Lingyun was beaten seriously and knocked down. In the end, she left Qingrong Courtyard with the support of her maid and had been lying in bed for a few days because of difort.

    Ning Lingyun dared not hate Ning Yuling. Instead, she vented all her anger on Ning Xueyan. So she was very angry when she saw Ning Xueyan now.

    Ning Xueyan said indifferently, "Fourth Sister, you provoked Second Sister, does it have something to do with me? The Second Sister became angry because you didn¡¯t recognize the situation clearly."

    "What? I provoked Second Sister? It was because of you! You framed me. You¡¯re a hoodoo. Since you came out of Bright Frost Garden, so many things have happened in this house. It¡¯s your fault!" Ning Lingyun almost jumped up because of anger. She stretched out her hands and almost poked Ning Xueyan¡¯s nose with arrogance.

    Ning Xueyan did not move. She calmly looked at Ning Lingyun and said with sarcasm on her face, "What wrong with you, Fourth Sister? Mother just had an ident. Why are you doing now? Do you think it¡¯s not messy enough in the manor?"

    What Ning Xueyan said alerted Ning Lingyun. She immediately looked around and unconsciously lowered her voice, keeping talking, "You have made Lord Protector¡¯s Manor look like this. If you stay in Bright Frost Garden all the time, how can it be so? You¡¯re a pest!"

    Feeling that she was provoked by Ning Xueyan, Ning Lingyun became angrier and cursed Ning Xueyan.

    "Am I a pest?" Ning Xueyan thought and smiled. Ning Lingyun had been beaten by Ning Yuling, but she did not dare to avenge and vent her anger on Ning Xueyan, just because she thought Ning Xueyan¡¯s status was inferior to hers.

    "Fourth Sister, do you want to please mother and Second Sister by doing this? Unfortunately, I heard that mother had already chosen a man for you. He¡¯s Marquis of Ping¡¯an. Have you heard about him? That¡¯s what mother prepared for you. Fourth Sister, you should go to Buddha Hall to thank mother!"

    Seeing it was time to leave, Ning Xueyan did not want to waste more time with Ning Lingyun and smiled coldly.

    Marquis of Ping¡¯an?

    Ning Lingyun was frightened by the news and suddenly turned pale. She looked up at Ning Xueyan in panic.

    "Fourth Sister, I think you¡¯d better think about how to please Marquis of Ping¡¯an. I heard that his grandsons are older than you. After you marry him, you will directly be the grandmother. In order to thank you for your service in the past years, mother considered a lot and chose a good man for you."

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s dark smiling eyes looked strange and frightening. It seemed that her gaze which fell on Ning Lingyun came from the hell.

    Such a look should not belong to a girl. Being stared at by Ning Xueyan with such a look, Ning Lingyun could not help shivering and almost fell, and subconsciously reached out to hold the tree. She felt frightened by Ning Xueyan¡¯s gaze.

    Ning Xueyan did not take another look at Ning Lingyun, and elegantly left with Lanning. She was not affected by Ning Lingyun at all.

    The maid Caiyun, who was standing beside Ning Lingyun, could not help asking, "Young Lady, will First Madam really ask you to marry Marquis of Ping¡¯an?"

    Marquis of Ping¡¯an was very famous in capital. He was very old, but he still flirted with women. He was the only one in capital. He already had eighteen concubines and every one of them was young and beautiful. But he still was not satisfied and married new women from time to time. In his manor, there were many women whose family background was bad.

    Furthermore, his sons and grandsons also misbehaved. Those concubines in his manor had rtionships not only with him, but also with his sons and grandsons. His manor was the dirtiest one.

    No girl came from a good family was willing to marry into such a family. If they married, death would be their only end.

    "No, that won¡¯t happen. Mother won¡¯t do that." Ning Lingyun gritted her teeth and said that. But it sounded more like boosting her courage. "Let¡¯s go and see my mother!"

    Although Ning Lingyun did not know whether Ning Xueyan¡¯s statement was true or not, she dared not gamble, so she had to inquire about it. Thinking that old yboy and those young yboys in his manor, Ning Lingyun could not help trembling with fear.

    However, Ning Lingyun had an intuition that Ning Xueyan was telling the truth and Madam Ling really intended to do so...

    Was what Ning Xueyan said true?

    After walking for a while, Lanning could not help asking carefully, "Young Lady, how do you know that?"

    "Ning Ziyan said that." Ning Xueyan turned her head sideways and gave a look at Lanning while smiling slightly.

    That really was what Ning Ziyan said, but Ning Ziyan said that to Ning Ziying at that time.

    Once, Ning Ziying and Ning Ziyan went to pick up Xia Yuhang together and saw the matchmaker passing by when they walked to the gate of the garden. Ning Ziying was curious and asked Ning Ziyan. Ning Ziyan said casually that the matchmaker came here due to the marriage between Ning Lingyun and Marquis of Ping¡¯an.

    Lanning was nervous and subconsciously asked while staring at Ning Xueyan, "The Eldest Young Lady said that... where did she say that?"

    When Ning Ziyan said that, Lanning was also there. But Ning Xueyan was not there and all the people present at that time had nothing to do with Bright Frost Garden.

    Ning Xueyan answered with a slight smile on her face, "Don¡¯t care how I know that. I¡¯ll tell you when the time is right. It¡¯s not the right time yet!" She knew what Lanning suspected.

    Now, it was really not the right time. Ning Ziying¡¯s death was certainly caused by Madam Ling and Ning Ziyan. But now Ning Xueyan found that things wereplex. So she did not want new problems to crop up unexpectedly until she found out the truth.

    Some things would be seen more clearly from an outsider¡¯s point of view.

    Ning Xueyan had been looking for an opportunity to tell Ning Lingyun her marriage with Marquis of Ping¡¯an. Although Ning Lingyun was born of a concubine, she was never willing to marry Marquis of Ping¡¯an. Because of Madam Ming¡¯s death, Ning Lingyun¡¯s marriage had not been publicized so far.

    How could Ning Lingyun be willing to marry Marquis of Ping¡¯an?

    She heard that Marquis of Ping¡¯an also had a daughter!

    In Auspicious Fortune Hall, Ning Xueyan respectfully saluted Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an and then stood aside.

    Madam Dowager sat on the couch with a gloomy face and sharply looked at Ning Xueyan. After a while, she slowly asked, "I heard you sent food to Concubine Ma, is that true?"

    "Yes. I visited Concubine Ma and asked her something," Ning Xueyan answered in a natural and graceful way while facing Madam Dowager¡¯s gaze.

    The matter between Concubine Ma and her could not be concealed!

    In order to weasel out, Concubine Ma pretended to be pregnant, which was rted to Ning Xueyan. So it was normal that Ning Xueyan asked Concubine Ma something.

    Madam Dowager¡¯s face softened when she saw that Ning Xueyan directly confessed and did not hide anything. She pointed to a chair on one side and asked her to sit down.

    "Xueyan, our Lord Protector¡¯s Manor also lost face because of what your Eldest Sister had done. Your mother had been punished by the empress before, and now is cultivating herself in the Buddha Hall. All of this because of her own moral defect. The reputation of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor can¡¯t be ruined again."

    Madam Dowager¡¯s words sounded like a sigh. After that, she took a sidelong nce at Ning Xueyan.

    Ning Zu¡¯an, who was sitting on the side, nodded and said gently, "You mother had made a mistake, and she has been punished. Let it pass. Yan¡¯er, you¡¯ll be the hostess in the future. What you should pay more attention to is the reputation of the whole family."

    Ning Xueyan sneered in her mind. She already knew what the two people wanted. They wanted her to forgive Concubine Ma and stop investigating Concubine Ma.

    If Ning Xueyan did not investigate Concubine Ma, Madam Ling¡¯s mistakes would not be exposed!

    They threatened Ning Xueyan with the reputation of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and tried to stop Ning Xueyan pursuing Madam Ling¡¯s responsibility!

    Anyway, Ning Xueyan was the Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. But in their minds, her life was inferior to Madam Ling¡¯s reputation. No wonder in Ning Xueyan¡¯s memory, Madam Ming had never had hope for Ning Zu¡¯an. Every time Mother Han persuaded her to dress up and leave Bright Frost Garden, Madam Ming would never listen.

    Who would have hope for such a man?

    Ning Xueyan gently bit her lips and hid the coldness in her eyes before raising her head. She still said with a faint smile on her face, "Grandma, Concubine Ma¡¯s story is being spread outside. The day before yesterday, my uncle said he¡¯ll ask about it in person. Maybe he¡¯lle in a few days."

    Ning Zu¡¯an asked with an unhappy face, "You¡¯ve said that to your uncle?"

    "Father, there were so many people in Cold Mountain Temple at that time, and many of them came to our manorter. At the banquet yesterday, some madams asked servants about it from time to time. And this matter has already been spread among servants."

    Ning Xueyan pretended to advance along one path while secretly going along another. Since they paid attention to this matter, Ning Xueyan was willing to attract their more attention, so that they would not find her true purpose.

    "Do you want your mother to apologize to you?" Ning Zu¡¯an did not intend to let go of Ning Xueyan. He aggressively asked Ning Xueyan while staring at her sharply, as if he wanted to read her mind.

 Chapter 105 Concubine Ma Admits Her Error and Asks for Punishment While Kneeling at the Door

    Ning Xueyan frowned and said in confusion, "Father, does this matter have anything to do with mother? Concubine Ma said that this matter is not what I thought. She also said that she would tell meter when she had the chance."

    Concubine Ma did not say anything. Knowing that, Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an looked at each other. They felt shocked, but also relieved.

    Madam Dowager finally smiled and euphemistically said, "This matter naturally has nothing to do with your mother. The womenfolk¡¯s courtyard is under your mother¡¯s control. When something like this happened, she is also sad and should take the responsibility. Since Concubine Ma isn¡¯t pregnant, I¡¯ll let her tell the truth. She dared to lie to me. It¡¯s detestable of her!"

    Madam Dowager dumped the me on Concubine Ma, even though she knew Madam Ling was behind this evil. In such a big manor, no one really cared about Ning Xueyan.

    For the people of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, kinship meant nothing. In this glorious Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Ning Xueyan felt cold every time she breathed, as if she was in the hell. If those people who were murdered really had the power to revenge, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would have been ruined long time ago!

    "Madam Dowager, Madam Dowager, something bad happened! Something bad happened to Concubine Ma!" An older female servant cried out in panic before she entered the courtyard.

    Looking at the rushing older female servant, Ning Zu¡¯an asked with an unpleasant face, "What happened?"

    "Concubine Ma was poisoned. She was poisoned after eating the food sent by First Madam! What, what should we do? There are so many people watching at the gate." The older female servant gasped and spoke incoherently. It was obvious that she was very anxious.

    "Calm down! What¡¯s going on?" Madam Dowager did not understand what the older female servant said. She snorted and heavily pounded at the ground with her walking stick.

    "Concubine Ma was ill, so First Madam asked people to prepare a good meal for her. Concubine Ma ate some and then said she was poisoned. Now, she is kneeling at the gate and asking for justice."

    The older female servant stopped gasping and urgently answered.

    Concubine Ma dared to make trouble at the gate of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, which greatly angered Madam Dowager. She stood up while trembling and said, "Follow me to see what¡¯s going on. Eventse one after another!"

    Madam Dowager, together with most of the servants of Lucky Garden, went to the gate of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Ning Xueyan stood beside Madam Dowager and held her. It was in a mess, so nobody noticed that Lanning returned to Bright Frost Garden with a hamper.

    At the gate of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, arge number of people were gathering there and talking about Concubine Ma who was kneeling there.

    Concubine Ma was gaunt and pale with hair disheveled and bleeding on her mouth. She looked extremely miserable!

    Madam Dowager asked in a deep voice while looking at Concubine Ma, "Concubine Ma, what are you doing?"

    "Madam Dowager, please bring fair back to me. Although I am of low status, I still have the right to live. How can the First Madam kill me at will? Even if I¡¯ve done something wrong, I have to know my usation before dying. I won¡¯t die for nothing!"

    "What do you don¡¯t understand? What are you doing now? Get up first and let¡¯s talk about it inside. You¡¯re in poor health. Don¡¯t make your health worse." Then, Madam Dowager asked two older female servants to help Concubine Ma up and take her inside.

    What Madam Dowager meant was that Concubine Ma was making trouble out of nothing. Shepletely ignored the blood on Concubine Ma¡¯s lip.

    If Concubine Ma was taken inside, her life would be up to Madam Dowager. Since Concubine Ma dared to make noise here, she was ready to risk everything and was unwilling to be drawn away by the two older female servants. She pushed them away and turned to Ning Zu¡¯an with a sad smile on her face.

    "Marquis, I know my life is of no value. We¡¯re destined to meet but not fated to be together. If there is an afterlife, I hope we can be long-term husband and wife. I hope there will be no harm from the First Madam and our love willst forever."

    Then she stood up, put her sleeve over her head, and was about to hit the stone steps.

    Madam Dowager and others did not expect Concubine Ma tomit suicide and failed to stop her in time. But Ning Zu¡¯an was a military officer and his reaction was much quicker than others. He moved quickly and stood in front of Concubine Ma who then directly fell into his arms.

    If a concubine said something equivocal and thenmitted suicide, it would bring shame on Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    "Marquis... you, you¡¯d better let me die... in case that First Madam... can¡¯t rest assured!" Concubine Ma pulled Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s clothes and wept while her shoulders shaking slightly. She cried so sadly, which made Ning Zu¡¯an pity on her.

    Even heroes fall for beauties. Furthermore, the beauty was so affectionate. Which man would not like such a beauty? Even though he did not like, he also would be proud of that.

    Ning Zu¡¯an asked while frowning, "Why did you make trouble here instead of speaking out?"

    Seeing that Madam Dowager, who was standing by, wanted to stop her, Concubine Ma spoke first.

    "Marquis... you, you¡¯d better not ask!"

    That was how curiosity worked. The less you let them ask, the more they wanted to know.

    "Why can¡¯t I ask? Did you do something wrong to me?" Seeing that Concubine Ma refused to speak out, Ning Zu¡¯an began to suspect her. Suddenly, he remembered what Madam Ling had said to him yesterday, and his face turned cold.

    On seeing his cold face, Concubine Ma knew her guess was right. "Madam Ling really told him my secrets. She wants to dump shame on me and forces me to die."

    "Marquis, I was sick andy in bed today. The First Madam asked servants to send me food before I had a meal. I was very happy. Because I was ufortable, I only ate a few. Fortunately, I only ate a few... otherwise, you, you won¡¯t see me now!" Then Concubine Ma cried again.

    The blood on her lips and tears fell down together. How pitiful she was!

    "The First Madam wants to kill a concubine. She¡¯s so poor!"

    "Isn¡¯t the marchioness said to be kind-hearted? Why can¡¯t she tolerate a concubine like that now?"

    "Your news is out-of-date. The marchioness is malicious. Some time ago, the marchioness covered up the death of Second Madam and held a wedding ceremony for her daughter. I heard that the death of Second Madam was rted to the marchioness. It was said she also poisoned the daughter of Second Madam..."

    "How could there be such a vicious woman? The Lord Protector should have abandoned her long ago!"

    "Nonsense! How could she harm you? It¡¯s you..." Ning Zu¡¯an stared at Concubine Ma with anger and did not speak out her story in the end. No man was willing to say that he had been betrayed by a concubine in front of so many people.

    "Marquis, what have I done? Did I do anything that First Madam misunderstood? So she sent me poison and wanted to kill me? Marquis, tell me what I did wrong. I¡¯ll go to die by eating up these dishes after you tell me what I did wrong."

    After hearing Concubine Ma¡¯s words, they all looked at the ground and saw a hamper at Concubine Ma¡¯s feet. There was blood on the top dish, beside which there was a silver needle whose tip was ck. It was obvious that the food was poisonous.

    Concubine Ma was clever. She did not ask why Madam Ling poisoned her. She just kept asking what she did wrong.

    "What are you talking about?" Ning Zu¡¯an was angered by Concubine Ma¡¯s question. He kicked over the hamper which flew towards the crowd. The food inside fell to the ground and was in a mess. A man took out a silver needle to test the food and it was found that all were poisonous.

    "It was poisoned!"

    "That woman is so malicious that she can¡¯t tolerate a concubine."

    "It is said that her two daughters are as ill-behaved as she is. The Second Young Lady had sex with her fianc¨¦ before getting married. It is said that she lost her baby yesterday. I wonder if her baby really is Childe Xia¡¯s!"

    The fact was in front of them. And their words became more and more unpleasant to hear.

    "Concubine Ma, calm down. Let¡¯s get in and talk about it. We¡¯ll be aughing stone to others if we go on talking here." Ning Xueyan came out of the back of shivering Madam Dowager to hold Concubine Ma, and persuaded her with a smile on her face.

    Her wordsforted Madam Dowager who nodded at the moment and looked at Ning Xueyan satisfactorily. And her face also softened. "Concubine Ma, let¡¯s get in to talk about it. If you are innocent, we¡¯ll protect you."

    "Marquis..." After Madam Dowager persuaded her, Concubine Ma also recognized the facts of the situation. She turned to Ning Zu¡¯an and looked at him with grievance and sadness and love in her eyes. Being looked at like that, Ning Zu¡¯an could not get angry for a moment.

    Ning Zu¡¯an gruffly said, "Come in!"

    When the two older female servants saw Concubine Ma stopped taking a tough stance, they immediately came over to hold Concubine Ma on both sides and went inside with her.

    This time, a group of people entered Lord Protector¡¯s Manor smoothly, leaving those passers-by outside.

    They entered Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, closed the door, and went to Madam Dowager¡¯s Lucky Garden. Most of the servants were asked to leave, leaving a few henchmen. Madam Dowager also called over Biyun, the maid who followed Concubine Ma yesterday. Madam Ling was also brought in.

    They were going to confront face to face and figure everything out.

    Concubine Ma felt somewhat terrified and subconsciously gave a look at Ning Xueyan who was slender and stood there with a calm face. Feeling Concubine Ma¡¯s gaze, Ning Xueyan turned her head and looked back. Her eyes looked like ck jade and her gaze was as cold as ice.

    Ning Xueyan showed a meaningful smile to Concubine Ma.

    Ning Xueyan was so delicate and beautiful, but also made people feel treacherous. It reminded Concubine Ma of a spider that she had heard before. It was said that the spider could only spin web in its whole life, but it could easily kill human being.

    Concubine Ma suddenly trembled with fear!

    It seemed that everything was under her control. Was such a girl really the Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor who used to be cowardly and ignored by others for so many years...

    The weak are the prey of the stronger. The Fifth Young Lady looked like a hunter. Whoever wanted to invade her would die under her sharp ws...

 Chapter 106 A Maids Confession

    Madam Ling arrived soon after. She looked a little bit old, although pious, in a simple cloth gown without any makeup on her face, instead of wearing her fineries as usual. The bandage wrapped around her ears, in particr, made her appearance inferior to that of the young and charming Concubine Ma.

    "Madam Ling, yesterday you said that Concubine Ma had an affair with another man, and was seen by a maid, so she caused the me of the abortion to shift onto you. Is that true?" Madam Dowager asked.

    "Mother, I heard all this from Biyun. I¡¯m also not sure. I was about to ask more yesterday, but had no time since you told me to go to Buddha Hall. Why don¡¯t you ask her yourself now?" On her way here, Madam Ling had learned about Concubine Ma¡¯s farce. She was startled at first. Now she was staring at Concubine Ma with cold eyes, leaving the judgment to Madam Dowager and deliberately avoiding the fact that Concubine Ma had once been poisoned.

    Luckily, she was prepared!

    Anyway, it was reasonable to disclose earlier issues first.

    Biyun was the maid beside Concubine Ma when the affair had taken ce.

    "What happened yesterday, Biyun?" Madam Dowager turned to the girl who was kneeling on the ground and asked.

    "I also didn¡¯t know about it yesterday. Concubine Ma said she wanted to take a rest in the back. But when we reached the pavilion, she said it¡¯s a good ce up there to meet the Fifth Young Lady. She had me prepare the furnace and some other things. I was quite busy. When I wanted to go up after finishing everything, I saw a man entering the pavilion."

    "What! A man?" A mixed expression of anger and shock appeared on Madam Dowager¡¯s face. Ning Zu¡¯an had once mentioned this, but just a word.

    "Yes, a man. He talked with Concubine Ma intimately. I was standing at the door, daring not to go in. Then Concubine Ma said... said..." Biyun stopped, casting a nce at Ning Xueyan purposely, as if she were afraid to continue.

    "Go on. What did she say?" Madam Dowager reproached her.

    "She said... said that the Fifth Young Lady would help her elope with that man. That¡¯s why she met with him in private with the excuse of having a talk with the Fifth Young Lady," Biyun continued cravenly, her voice bing lower and lower.

    "Nonsense. You mean the Fifth Young Lady would help them elope? What¡¯s the matter with the Fifth Young Lady? She has never been close to Concubine Ma. Why would she do that?" Madam Ling rebuked her angrily when hearing the words, as if she were defending Ning Xueyan. This was really effective when she saw the ckening face of Madam Dowager.

    Ning Xueyan stayed aside, silently watched Madam Ling¡¯s acting, and sneered in her mind.

    "I... saw... it. But I am not sure... Then the Fifth Young Lady arrived with some servants. The cup of tea that I brought to Concubine Ma was put beside the Fifth Young Lady by chance. I don¡¯t know why that happened after Concubine Ma was drinking it. Then Concubine Ma med the First Madam and bit her!"

    Biyun spoke out the whole thing vacantly as if she were really uninformed.

    But all the clues in her statement went against Ning Xueyan, even the motivation was contained in it. Ning Xueyan did all of this to frame Madam Ling by misleading Concubine Ma into the thought that Madam Ling had intended to hurt her, so she bit off a piece of flesh from Madam Ling¡¯s ear.

    The clues were so closely connected to each other that even Madam Ma¡¯s meeting with Ning Xueyan earlier had turned into Ning Xueyan¡¯s excuse to frame Madam Ling.

    For her to be able to make such a story in such a short time, Madam Ling was really a person to be reckoned with!

    Even Concubine Ma was ck-jawed, forgetting to continue her own acting.

    "You will be beaten to death with rods if you frame your mistress. Don¡¯t you know that?" said the First Madam in a cold voice.

    Biyun shivered. Suddenly she pointed to the crowd and said, "I am not the only one who saw Concubine Ma and the man tugging back and forth. They all saw it."

    Those who were pointed to looked rather frightened, and had to walk out from the crowd. They had followed Ning Xueyan to enter into the pavilion by chance.

    "You all saw it?" Ning Zu¡¯an couldn¡¯t help asking.

    "Y... yes. We saw Concubine Ma lying on the ground and a man hugging her... The... the other things, we don¡¯t know about either."

    Madam Ling was so crafty that she could even make use of such a scene. But this n was too perfect to be made by her. Not only Concubine Ma, but also Madam Ling herself was trapped. Even her own behaviors had been exposed in the n rationally.

    It looked as if everything had been pre-arranged!

    If Ning Xueyan had guessed right, this n had to be from that person. It was really a perfect n to me Ning Xueyan for the scandal of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, and to protect the reputation of Madam Ling, or perhaps, of Ning Ziyan, by sacrificing the lives of Ning Xueyan and that of Concubine Ma.

    Unfortunately, since the n was carried out by Madam Ling, it was doomed to not have good results.

    "You unfilial wretch. Did you n it with this bitch?" Ning Zu¡¯an excoriated her with both anger and resentment, his face showing unspeakable embarrassment. He stared at Ning Xueyan and Concubine Ma ferociously, as if he would strangle them if either of them said yes.

    He was a man, a noble Lord Protector. How could he stay calm when such a scandal came from his manor?

    "Father, do you really believe I would do such a thing to frame mother? I am wondering since when have I been so exceptionally adept in trickery like mother. Father, will you convict Concubine Ma and me just from a maid¡¯s words?" Ning Xueyanughed abruptly and looked coldly into the fierce eyes of Ning Zu¡¯an.

    Did Madam Ling really understand her husband? Would it be okay to let him lose face as a man in front of so many people?

    If Concubine Ma really wanted to elope, who was that man? Besides, Ning Xueyan was only the fifth daughter of Ning Zu¡¯an. Few respected her within the whole manor. And no one was more exceptionally adept in trickery than Madam Ling. Moreover, Concubine Ma had always been favored by Ning Zu¡¯an.

    Her words were more powerfulpared with those from the impotent Ning Xueyan.

    Why would she ask for Ning Xueyan¡¯s help to elope with another man?

    Madam Ling¡¯s face hardened. A trace of suspicion showed in Madam Dowager¡¯s eyes. Even Ning Zu¡¯an turned his head to Madam Ling. These simple words had changed everyone¡¯s thoughts abruptly.

    "Father, you med Concubine Ma for her private meeting with another man, and me for my collusion. But father, has Concubine Ma treated you wholeheartedly since she came to this manor?" Ning Xueyan continued.

    "Marquis, even the sun and moon can bear witness to my love for you. If I didn¡¯t want to marry you, I would have told you at that time. Why would I follow you toe here? You are always so kind to me, wouldn¡¯t I regret it after receiving your love?" Concubine Ma had a sudden realization and started to sob bitterly with her face hidden behind her hands.

    Her words made sense. She was thetest to marry Ning Zu¡¯an and was the most favored by him. Ning Zu¡¯an considered himself to be quite fair to her. Why would she plot to elope with another man? It was really beyond reason. Besides, Concubine Ma was a sophisticated woman. She ttered Ning Zu¡¯an all the time as if he was the only person she cared for.

    In this way, it was indeed impossible for her to run away with another man.

    Back then, when Ning Zu¡¯an had been fascinated by her and sent servants to seek a marriage alliance, it was she herself who had agreed to his proposal and married him willingly.

    "Father, I didn¡¯t want to talk about this. But now since I am involved, I have to do so to rify myself, even if there is a wedge between Concubine Ma and me," Ning Xueyan continued, "They did see Concubine Ma lying on the ground yesterday with a man. It looked as if they were hugging. But the fact is, Concubine Ma was having a rest inside the pavilion. When she noticed that a man wasing, she rushed out and fell down by ident. The man followed and ran into her."

    Ning Zu¡¯an was puzzled at first, and then he turned to Madam Ling with a weird expression on his face.

    Madam Ling felt something wrong intuitively and showed a sense of panic when seeing such expression.

    "Father, if there were someone who is unable to order the servants in this manor, that someone must be me!" Ning Xueyan finished her words with a wry smile. Her helplessness could be easily felt by everyone.

    Though she was a daughter of the principal wife, Ning Xueyan could not even order the servants, let alone frame the marchioness, a matron of the manor.

    This would be likely to happen if their roles had changed!

    "As for her?" Ning Xueyan pointed to Biyun and said insipidly, "If father doesn¡¯t believe me, you can make an investigation about who she serves!"

    "Marquis, you... you must find out... She was the little bitch who killed my child with a cup of toxicant. How dare I bite the First Madam at the risk of my life if it were not for her." Thest words of Concubine Ma dispelled thest doubt of Ning Zu¡¯an.

    Concubine Ma was very sophisticated. She had obeyed Madam Ling all the time. But yesterday, she should rush at Madam Ling and bite her. It was clear that she had hated Madam Ling to the utmost degree. The reason for her desperate hatred, as Ning Zu¡¯an had thought, had to be due to what Madam Ling had done to frame her, leaving her no way out.

    Just seeing a man and a woman lying on the ground after an idental collision could prove nothing.

    A simr situation had once happened when Ning Zu¡¯an was young and was a guest in a manor. When turning a corner, he ran into a beautiful woman, likely to be a concubine, and was nearly beaten for being considered her adulterer.

    He would have lost his entire reputation if Madam Ming hadn¡¯t stood out to testify for him!

    Ning Zu¡¯an would never tell others, including Madam Ling, about such a humiliating thing. But Ning Xueyan had once heard it by chance from Madam Ming.

    Everything made sense. A simr situation, a simr thing, and the same misunderstanding. How well-reasoned it was! There had always been estrangement between Concubine Ma and Ning Xueyan. In no case would the two of them work together to plot against Madam Ling. On the contrary, it was Madam Ling that was likely to pass the buck to them.

    It made more sense that Madam Ling had poisoned Concubine Ma, intending to murder her to silence her.

    Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s face darkened. He had done nothing wrong, but was deceived by Madam Ling to think that Concubine Ma had betrayed him. If this were heard by those outside the manor, how could he raise his head in front of others? He stared at Madam Ling, Biyun, and those who had borne witness, saying nothing for a good while.

    Biyun and the other maids were all frightened and flustered. If Ning Xueyan and Concubine Ma had been set up, they had been set up by them.

    This added to Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s suspicions.

 Chapter 107 The Concubine Wins in the Wife-concubine Infighting

    "You are so..." Ning Zu¡¯an red at Madam Ling with the two fire-fork shaped veins on his forehead swelling.

    Madam Ling had sensed the danger already but was unable to interpose Ning Xueyan¡¯s spouting statement or to keep up with her thoughts. When Madam Ling finally took a tumble, it was already toote. Subconsciously, she cried with an affectedly effeminate voice, "Marquis!"

    Then she went limp and fell onto the ground weakly, her head colliding against a column beside her and blood bleeding profusely.

    Mother Chen went forward to hold her without dy and shouted to the crowd, "Hurry up! Hold Madam back to the yard right now and call a physician. My goodness, she was so seriously hurt. What shall I do?"

    Seeing this, Ning Zu¡¯an knitted his brows slightly. He hesitated for a while when hearing the words of "back to the yard". After all, they had been couples for years and he felt a little bit sympathetic for her.

    "Marquis," Concubine Ma made two steps forward and with a sound of plop, she kneeled in front of Ning Zu¡¯an, her eyes filled with tears. "Marquis, please leave me a chance to live. I didn¡¯t bring anything to this manor, and will not take anything with me either when I leave. In the remaining of my life, I will put an oilmp before the statue of Buddha and pray for both you and Madam Dowager day and night."

    When saying this, she had been choked with sobs.

    The beautiful aggrieved eyes, as well as the pale face and a string of blood at the corner of her mouth, generated Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s deeppassion for her and greater fury against Madam Ling. He reached out a hand to pull Concubine Ma up and said to her tenderly, "Why did you say so? You are the concubine of this manor. How can you be a nun? Since it¡¯s not your fault, I will sure to send you a good physician to cure you."

    "No. Marquis. I dare not to live here anymore. I am afraid, afraid that someday, First Madam will make up another story like this," Concubine Ma said resolutely and decisively with tears rolling in her eyes. The string of blood at the corner of her mouth added to her fragility and wretchedness.

    "Father, it¡¯s better not to bewilder Concubine Ma," said Ning Xueyan in a soft voice.

    "Bewilder?" Ning Zu¡¯an was puzzled and then fixed his eyes on Madam Ling, who was still staying on the ground.

    "Father, the truth is that Concubine Ma ispletely wronged, but still, she is nearly killed without any chance to rify herself. Yesterday, a cup of toxicant killed her child. Today, her food was... If this goes on, how can she struggle to survive? It¡¯s better for her to leave via this opportunity. At least she can have a chance to survive if she faces the oilmp before the statue of Buddha." Ning Xueyan let out a sigh. It seemed that she was persuading Ning Zu¡¯an, but only to fuel his mes of fury. As a noble marquis, he should be unable to protect a woman.

    "Marquis. I am only a crestless woman. I had even acted in a theatrical troupe before. In no way do I have a good family background. If there are rumors about some man and me again, how can I have the face to live? Now, I¡¯ve already had no obsession for anything."

    After saying this, Concubine Ma turned her head to Ning Xueyan, bowed deeply and cried, "Fifth Young Lady, I¡¯m so sorry for wronging you poisoning me. First Madam required me to say so. I thought I could still serve Marquis if I pleased her. Moreover, she told me that everything would be all right and I could conceal it as long as I made use of my pregnancy. Even the thing happened at the physician¡¯s was manipted by First Madam. But I had never thought she is nning to kill both you and me!"

    What Concubine Ma said, no matter true or fake, made sense. All the clues were now interconnected after her confession.

    Ning Zu¡¯an was more than furious now. Even the face of Madam Dowager, who was sitting up there, turned extremely ck.

    "Marquis, it is indeed my fault to upy your favor. First Madam can¡¯t stand me and wants to kill both Fifth Young Lady and me. Fortunately, Fifth Young Lady is a broad-minded girl. Otherwise, I could not have a clean death and would ruin your reputation..."

    Hearing this, Ning Zu¡¯an turned his face purple with anger and nearly roared out. He stared at Madam Ling coldly, who was still supported by the servants, and said, "She wants to worship Buddha in the Buddha Hall, doesn¡¯t she? Why don¡¯t you pull her there? What are you waiting for?"

    The maids and old female servants around Madam Ling were all stunned while Madam Ling was still keeping her eyes closed, her heart being hurt badly. How could he incarcerate her in the Buddha Hall regardless of their husband-wife affection, leaving her no face to meet the others in future?

    "Get out of my sight!" Roared Ning Zu¡¯an with a malicious and insidious expression on his face never seen before.

    This time, no one dared to hesitate. Having no time to deal with the wound on Madam Ling¡¯s head, the servants carried her in her fake faint, half holding and half lifting, out of the room towards the Buddha Hall hurriedly, daring not to mention going back to the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard any more.

    "Marquis..." Concubine Ma said pathetically, "Marquis, she is First Madam. Any way, I can¡¯t put you in such a dilemma all the time..."

    "Rest assured. I will never believe any rumor about you again!" Ning Zu¡¯an promised.

    That was to say, Ning Zu¡¯an would not believe Madam Ling again even if she made use of people from the theatrical troupe as a threat. Thinking of this, Concubine Ma let out a silent sigh unconsciously.

    "Mother, I need to take her back and call a physician." Ning Zu¡¯an turned around to Madam Dowager. A sense of guilt appeared in his eyes when he looked at Concubine Ma. She had suffered so much yesterday, but he had still suspected her and even paid no visit to her just because of Madam Ling¡¯s words.

    "Go!" Madam Dowager stroked her thick-skulled head and waved her hand. She felt both mentally and physically exhausted and got a bad headache after going through what had happened yesterday and today.

    Too worried about Concubine Ma, Ning Zu¡¯an left with her immediately, giving no notice to the unpleasant expression on Madam Dowager¡¯s face at all.

    Ning Xueyan watched the scene freezingly. She moved to Madam Dowager¡¯s back in light steps after Ning Zu¡¯an had left, and started to mxate her on her temples both sides. In the past, Madam Ming had a headache now and then, and Ning Xueyan would always mxate her softly.

    Being massagedfortably, Madam Dowager opened her eyes slightly and let out a light sigh when seeing Ning Xueyan. "Yan¡¯er, do you me me for wronging you?"

    "No, I don¡¯t me you!" Ning Xueyan replied in a low voice, smiling faintly.

    Of course, she didn¡¯t me her. She hated her!

    Madam Dowager was pleased with her reply and showed a smile. "Your Mother¡¯s brother is the Assistant Minister of War. He is favored and trusted by His Majesty. It¡¯s said that he will soon be promoted as the Minister of War. Though your Mother was outrageous these days, she did this for her daughter. Yan¡¯er, be assured, this won¡¯t happen again."

    Was that a promise to her?

    The price of believing it would definitely be a death without a burial ce.

    Madam Ling¡¯s brother was favored by His Majesty at present, so in no way would Lord Protector cut off this rtion by marriage. It sounded that Madam Dowager was just sighing with emotion, but the fact was she was warning Ning Xueyan to stop where it should stop!

    And there was even a trace of threat.

    Ning Xueyan sneered in her mind. Madam Dowager was still protecting Madam Ling even at this time. By blood, Madam Ming was her actual niece, but she had been so indifferent to her even on the day she died. As for the things happened in the backyard, how was it possible that this experienced and astute Madam Dowager be utterly ignorant?

    Unless she hoped this to happen!

    The Bright Frost Garden had been isted for many years. Madam Ming and Ning Xueyan had always lived a hard life in the manor. They had been subjected to endless bullying and humiliation, but Madam Dowager had never lent them a helping hand. Now Madam Ling was only lightly punished, but Madam Dowager beat around the bush to warn Ning Xueyan. How could this not chill her?

    What on earth made Madam Dowager so unjust?

    There must be a reason that Madam Dowager favored Madam Ling instead of loving her own niece!

    "I appreciate it very much, Grandmother. How is the situation of the Eldest Sister?" asked Ning Xueyan with a half-smile, her hands still kneading for Madam Dowager.

    Since Ning Xueyan had stopped to ask for an exnation, Madam Dowager nodded in mind. Obviously, Ning Xueyan was a clever girl. But when thinking of Ning Ziyan, a feeling of depression came to her again. "Your eldest brother-inw can¡¯t take the Spring Metropolitan Examination next year. The child in Ziyan¡¯s belly had gone, along with the manor¡¯s reputation..."

    "Grandmother, I heard something about sister Ziying from the maid of Xia Manor. Didn¡¯t sister Ziying need to avoid arousing suspicion when she met eldest brother-inw?" asked Ning Xueyan in a seemingly casual voice.

    She could feel the jump of veins on Madam Dowager¡¯s forehead when the words came out.

    "It might be... that your elder sister had a good rtionship with Ning Ziying... So there was no need to avoid suspicion." Madam Dowager¡¯s eyes dodged slightly.

    "Then why sister Ziying killed herself so unexpectedly. Why would she jump into the lotus pond? People in the manor say sister Ziying was murdered. Someone even heard a miserable shriek from the Cloud Reflection Courtyard that night," Ning Xueyan said with her hands still rubbing Madam Dowager¡¯s forehead gently. A cynical look crept to the corners of her eyes, but was not seen.

    "Who made such irresponsible remarks?" Madam Dowager pushed away Ning Xueyan¡¯s hands abruptly, turned her head and asked harshly.

    "I, I didn¡¯t notice. It was the day before yesterday. When I passed the gate of a courtyard, I heard some maids and old female servants talking about this on the other side of the wall. When I walked around over there, they had already gone." Ning Xueyan seemed to be scared. She paused and cleared her mind before replying.

    "If you heard servants talking nonsense next time, don¡¯t hesitate to pull them out and beat them to death by rods!" Madam Dowager said mercilessly.

    If the truth about Ning Ziying¡¯s death was revealed, the whole Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would be ughtered. How could Madam Dowager be not anxious or angry when hearing this. She was even more anxious than knowing Ning Ziyan¡¯s ident and that the truth of Madam Ling¡¯s death was surfaced. The wrinkles at the corner of her eyes trembled.

    Her voice was as cold as ice.

    "Grandmother, can¡¯t we talk about sister Ziying?" Ning Xueyan showed a gormless look deliberately.

    Madam Dowager fell her sharp eyesight on Ning Xueyan, only to find a frank, upright and ignorant look on her face. Ning Xueyan had stayed in Bright Frost Garden for years and had nevere out in the past. She was unlikely to know Ning Ziying or to trap the words. Thinking of this, the expression on Madam Dowager¡¯s face softened.

    "Yan¡¯er, you should not ask about Ning Ziying. She was only living under our manor. Her own business had nothing to do with us. If someone asks you about this, you just need to reply that you have never seen Ning Ziying before because you have always lived in the Bright Frost Garden. After all, it was she who brought those trivial matters here."

    "I had no families after the death of my parents, and no one asked about me since I came to live in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Why now I am told that someone may ask about me?" At this moment, Ning Xueyan realized that her death was not that simple.

    "What trivial matters on earth did I neglect in my previous life?"

    "Madam Ling, her daughter, and Xia Yuhang didn¡¯t murder me until the night before my wedding. Did they put up with me till thest moment just because of my dowry? Did they wait until my dowry had been brought into the gate of Xia Manor before them showing their vile nature?"

    "It was valuable but was still nothing ifpared with that of Madam Ming¡¯s. They have already had deep pockets after taking possession of Madam Ming¡¯s dowry. Why did they still keep me alive until thest moment at the risk of letting the truth of the marriage be found?"

    "The longer I lived, the more suspicious that thing was. Though I had always kept a low profile in my previous life, Xia Yuhang still visited my Cloud Reflection Courtyard quite often to obtain my trust, which had been witnessed by many in the manor. The more people, the more diverse voices were. Did he take this risk just for my dowry?"

    "The answer was definitely ¡¯No¡¯!"

 Chapter 108 Suspicion to the Past

    Back to the Bright Frost Garden from Madam Dowager¡¯s courtyard, Ning Xueyan picked up a book at will, flipped it through, and then sat by the window in a daze. Images of her previous life slid by in her mind as flowing water.

    Madam Ling had treated her so warmly like a true mother since she came to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, and Ning Ziyan also took her as a blood sister and sent to her courtyard all the delicious food and interesting ythings, making her believe that she had chosen the right persons to depend on. Later on, Xia Yuhang came to visit them.

    He didn¡¯t avoid her since she was so close to Ning Ziyan like a sister of her.

    What happedter was well-reasoned. But now, when thinking back, she always felt that she had neglected something important.

    "Young Lady." Lanning came in with a cup of tea. She put the cup down and said to Ning Xueyan with a smile, "Young Lady, I have had the food shared by some maids of the courtyard. Now, even the bowls and chopsticks have been washed clean and sent to the kitchen."

    In this way, even if they came to investigate, they could find nothing!

    Those dishes looked very simr. But in fact they were slightly different. However, no one would notice the difference since they had been pigged out by so many people.

    The food basket in Concubine Ma¡¯s hands was knocked onto the ground at that time and the food was mixed together. Now it had been cleaned up and even the basket, bowls and chopsticks had been thrown away.

    Two portions of food, one was poisoned, one not, were now both obliterated!

    Nothing could be found even if someone still wanted to investigate!

    Lanning admired her Young Lady from the bottom of her heat, especially for thest words she had left to Concubine Ma, which made Concubine Ma follow her steps and cooperate with her wholeheartedly.

    Thosest words were the name of that young man from the theatrical troupe!

    "Lanning, find a time to pay a visit to Mother Wang." Having a sip of tea, Ning Xueyan lowered down her eyelids and showed the hard-to-recover fatigue in her eyes.

    After so many strikes, Madam Ling was unable to dispose of her at will like before. Mother Wang had so many clues about her previous life, so she worried about her. If Mother Wang was found and harmed by Madam Ling¡¯s servants, she would be too far away to help her.

    So she must find a way to bring her into the manor. Now the thought hade to being, she needed only an appropriate chance.

    For some of the things, she had no clue at all no matter how hard she had tried to think back. Had she really neglected so much during her previous life, or had Xia Yuhang concealed from her so tightly that each time she found something suspicious, he would give her a perfect exnation?

    She obeyed Xia Yuhangpletely and thought he would be kind to her and treat her wholeheartedly since he was her future husband. Never had she realized that he was cheating her all the time and his heart had changed long ago.

    He had sworn to love her forever and to grow old with her!

    Atst, he left her only a pool of blood and an ending of drowning after making full use of her...

    "Young Lady, the manor must be managed strictly at this moment. I heard that the husband of the Eldest Young Lady hade this morning. He paid a visit to the Buddha Hall to see First Madam particrly, and also had a talk with Madam Dowager. Then Madam Dowager ordered that servants could only enter into or go out of the manor with ess card these days. Otherwise, we will be punished asmitting private escape."

    Xia Yuhang? So he was unwilling to give up.

    Xia Manor was also in a troublous situation these days, but Xia Yuhang still had the mood to pry into the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Obviously, he was suspecting people from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    She had really looked down upon him during her previous life and mistaken him as a graceful and gentle son of a high official, who was well-educated and reasonable without knowing any trickery. His righteousness and deep affection to his fianc¨¦e, an orphan girl, had only been illusions to cheat her.

    Now she finally realized that he was the smartest one!

    "It was him who taught Madam Ling to make up such a consummate story!"

    "He had intended to save Madam Ling from this scandal by making Concubine Ma and me as the scapegoats."

    "I was so lucky to foresee that Madam Ling would not be willing to let go and take actions before her thanks to Concubine Ma¡¯s being poisoned. Moreover, Ning Zu¡¯an has always doted on Concubine Ma and is willing to listen to her, which helped me to get through this crisis!"

    "And to undermine the plot!"

    "In the past, was Xia Yuhang good for Ning Ziying?" Ning Xueyan leaned back against a soft mat.

    "Yes, he was very good to Young Lady Ziying. He would send Young Lady Ziying whatever she wanted, so, so, Young Lady Ziying had never expected that he, and he was cheating her all the time and married the Eldest Young Lady atst." Thinking of Ning Ziying, Lanning replied with grief on face.

    Lanning did not know the details of that case, but looking at the vicious Madam Ling and her daughter, she knew that Ning Ziying must be murdered by them instead of jumping into the pond to end herself. She was going to marry her beloved man soon. Why would she do that for no reason at all?

    Lanning would never believe such words!

    "What did Xia Yuhang and Ning Ziying usually talk about in the past?" Ning Xueyan frowned and asked.

    Those closely involved cannot see clearly. She hadn¡¯t noticed anything at that time, so now she needed Lanning, a bystander, to remind her.

    "They usually talk about..." Perceiving Ning Xueyan¡¯s confusion, Lanning also tried hard to recall the past. Xia Yuhang and Ning Ziying were just unmarried couple, and Ning Ziying was conservative, she would let a maid follow her each time she met Xia Yuhang. Lanning was stable and clever, so Ning Ziying would take her most of the time.

    "I remembered it, Young Lady. In thest days, he usually asked Young Lady Ziying about her stories during her living in the regions south of the Yangtze River, and her childhood, or someone or something interesting that she had met in the past! He seemed quite interested in that!"

    Childhood, someone or something interesting?

    A ray of light shed across Ning Xueyan¡¯s brain. Her memories were ignited abruptly by Lanning¡¯s words. It was true that Xia Yuhang liked to inquire about her memories of the past. He even asked it repeatedly without feeling bored even though she had already told him before, as if he was really very interested in her childhood.

    She had felt it strange once, but Ning Yuhang exined to her soulfully that he loved her and wanted to know all about her. Even he was not involved in her past, he still wanted to listen to it again and again so he could share her previous happiness and sorrow with her.

    She was so moved at that time and considered him as the best gift God had provided her with!

    Since then she gave him all her heart and believed his simple exnation even when she was pushed into the pond by Chen Hexiang, a woman he had an affair with, and nearly got killed.

    Ning Xueyan just had a vague memory about her childhood. The things she had told were simple and repeated without any feeling of freshness.

    With a tremble in her heart, she suddenly recalled one thing. Xia Yuhang was not only interested in her childhood at that time. There was something he had asked more than once. She had considered it as his curiosity, but now realized it was more than curiosity due to his meticulous mind...

    "The backyard is in charge of Madam Dowager now, isn¡¯t it?" A trace of mncholy shed from Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes. She might need to see Mother Wang first before she could make sure of something.

    "The First Madam is incarcerated in the Buddha Hall and Madam Dowager doesn¡¯t feel well. All the matters of the backyard are in charge of Concubine Xu. It¡¯s said this will notst for a short time, and now is more assured after such things happened today. The First Madam has hurt herself on the head badly, but Marquis still let servants take her to the Buddha Hall. All the maids say the First Madam will have to spend the rest of this year there!"

    Lanning had just inquired about the changes in the manor.

    "Does anything happen to the Fourth Young Lady?" asked Ning Xueyan in a slow and orderly way.

    "The Fourth Young Lady went to the courtyard of Concubine Xu directly after parting you, and then returned to her own courtyard. She didn¡¯t go to the Buddha Hall," Lanning replied. She had also inquired about the reaction of the Fourth Young Lady, knowing that Fourth Young Lady was quite shocked by her Young Lady¡¯s words.

    It was unexpected that the Forth Young Lady should show no trace of abnormity at all. Everyone knew it was like jumping into a fire pit to marry Marquis of Ping¡¯an, but the Fourth Young Lady, who had always emphasized her marriage very much, seemed very indifferent now.

    No one had expected Ning Lingyun to be so tolerant. Was it because the backyard was now in charge of Concubine Xu?

    "Lanning, sent the news out about theing marriage between Marquis of Ping¡¯an and the Fourth Young Lady." Ning Xueyanughed unemotionally. Concubine Xu had once been a maid of Madam Ling. However harsh Madam Ling was to her maids about their appearance, Concubine Xu was still able to steer by Yu Lian¡¯s monitoring and climb onto the bed of Ning Zu¡¯an, even giving birth to Ning Lingyun atst.

    This manifested that Concubine Xu was clever enough!

    And a clever person can always find the most beneficial way!

    Uncle was unable to find out the truth about that thing because nearly all the people knowing that had gone. He could even find no one to inquire. But how about this Concubine Xu? She must be there at that time. The more mixed the water was, the more favorable was to Ning Xueyan!

    As for Madam Ling, she never behaved herself!

    Ning Xueyan might need Madam Ling to "live" longer in the Buddha Hall...

    "I knew. Young Lady." Lanning was a clever girl. She got Ning Xueyan¡¯s intention immediately. She nodded and started to leave, but stopped at the door suddenly, said, "Young Lady. Yu Lian came furtively for Qing¡¯er, the sick maid, today, and brought her some medicine as it seemed to be. Xinmei said they two looked quite intimate. But Yu Lian left soon after a simple chat at the door. It seemed that she didn¡¯t want others to know."

    "Then find out who Qing¡¯er¡¯s families are! We are going to have a trip out of the manor the day after tomorrow," Ning Xueyan said in an insipid voice, her eyes fell onto a tree outside the window. Leaves were falling in session, and then rising with the wind, and falling again, having nothing and nowhere to depend on...

    Buddha Hall

    Madam Ling was sitting in front of a bed with a sour look on her face. Her head was wrapped with a bandage. In this narrow room, there was only one bed and one table, totally different from that of her Auspicious Clouds Courtyard.

    "First Madam, I haveforted the Second Young Lady by telling her that everything will be fine and there is no need for her to worry. I have told her to obey Madam Dowager and Marquis these days and not to do anything wrong to distract you." Mother Chen appeared from nowhere and reported to Madam Ling.

    "Very well. How about Marquis?" asked Madam Ling, her expression was sullen and her face looked bluish white and bleak under themp light, making her more ferocious and terrifying!

    "I have sent the old garments of Marquis that you have preserved during those years to him. Marquis didn¡¯t say anything, but his attitude softened. He took those garments. Anyway, you and Marquis loved each other at that time and the garments were made by you personally stitch by stitch."

    Madam Ling let out a sigh of relief and nodded. It meant she still had a chance since Marquis had epted the garments.

    Mother Chenforted her, "Rest assured, Madam. Now that Marquis had epted the garments, we can still turn the situation around. Besides, the Eldest Childe wille back in a few days. At that time, Marquis will be sure to let you out. But..."

    Mother Chen hesitated. She wished to continue but stopped on a second thought.

 Chapter 109 Madam Ling Wants Ning Xueyan to Marry Marquis of Pingan

    Madam Ling coldly asked with an unhappy face, "What¡¯s the matter?"

    "Although marquis has pity for you, he went to Concubine Ma¡¯s courtyard and asked people to invite a doctor for Concubine Ma as soon as I left." Mother Chen said indignantly, "This b*tch had promised to you, but eventually she helped Fifth Young Lady deal with you. She¡¯s an ungrateful person."

    Madam Ling gritted her teeth and asked again, "What about that little b*tch?"

    Mother Chen knew that Madam Ling was asking about Ning Xueyan. She answered while pointing to Bright Frost Garden, "I¡¯ve already inquired about it. I heard that nothing had happened to Fifth Young Lady and Madam Dowager had rewarded her a lot of things and asked maids to send them to Bright Frost Garden. The servants said that the Fifth Young Lady is preferred by Madam Dowager and no one will dare to slight her and she will certainly get a good marriage."

    "A good marriage!" Madam Ling snorted coldly. Mother Chen¡¯s words aroused her anger.

    In Madam Ling¡¯s opinion, both Ning Yuling¡¯s marriage and reputation had been ruined by Ning Xueyan so that she had to marry the useless libertine, Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li.

    "My Ling¡¯er won¡¯t marry a good man, can she marry a good man?" Madam Ling would definitely choose a normal family for Ning Xueyan, so that she would be inferior to Ning Yuling for her whole life.

    "Bring me the matchmaker who was invited by Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s Manorst time. Just tell her that I have something to ask." Madam Ling made a decision in a moment while maliciousness shing in her eyes.

    In Madam Ling¡¯s mind, Ning Xueyan wanted to marry the Third Prince. How could she allow that to happen? She would not let her daughter be inferior to Ning Xueyan. So she would choose a "good family" for Ning Xueyan!

    Mother Chen asked hesitantly, "Yes, but Madam Dowager..." She did not think that Madam Dowager would agree to the marriage that Madam Ling would arrange for the Fifth Young Lady.

    "Doesn¡¯t Marquis of Ping¡¯an have a daughter who is His Majesty¡¯s consort? It¡¯s said that her position is not high, but she¡¯s favored by His Majesty." Madam Ling smiled gloomily. Her swollen forehead, together with her gloomy face, making her treacherous.

    "I understood. Do we need to tell Madam Dowager? If Madam Dowager agrees, the Fifth Young Lady has to get married even though she doesn¡¯t want to."

    Mother Chen reminded Madam Ling with a look of disinclination. The Third Prince wanted to marry the Fifth Young Lady. It was better for Lord Protector¡¯s Manor that if the Fifth Young Lady became the co-consort of Third Prince than marrying Marquis of Ping¡¯an. Madam Dowager always attached great importance to the reputation of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. How could she allow the Fifth Young Lady to marry Marquis of Ping¡¯an?

    Madam Ling bitterly said with a cold smile on her face, "At the beginning, Madam Dowager didn¡¯t want me to be marquis¡¯s Legal Wife, but she had to agree in the end!"

    Mother Chen became nervous when she heard what Madam Ling said. She asked in a low voice with a serious look, "Madam, are you talking about those things?"

    Madam Ling proudly said, "With those things, she has to agree with me about Ning Xueyan¡¯s marriage."

    "But, madam, you, you want to give those things to Marquis of Ping¡¯an?" Mother Chen was shocked and her face turned pale involuntarily. She said with worry, "What if this is known by Marquis of Ping¡¯an..."

    "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve had a n!" Madam Ling said while fiercely looking at the direction of Lucky Garden, "You¡¯re old enough to die, why you still firmly control the womenfolk ce of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?"

    Concubine Xu sneaked in Buddha Hall at dusk. The light in Buddha Hall was always on, and the figures inside were sometimes together and sometimes separated. Mother Chen, who was guarding outside, looked at the surroundings cautiously, but did not notice the dark shadow on the trees in the courtyard.

    In the Bright Frost Garden, seeing that Ning Xueyan was leaning on the bed and reading a book carefully when she came in, Lanning advised, "Young Lady, you should stop reading now. It¡¯s time to rest!"

    Ning Xueyan had taken a bath, now her ck long hair casually scattered on her shoulder. The pills given by Prince Yi were indeed good. After taking, Ning Xueyan¡¯s face became ruddy. Although it was still paler than a normal face, it was much better. Under the light, her indifferent face looked gentle and charming. Young as she was, she was already pretty.

    Her long eyshes cast a shadow on her jade-white face. Hearing Lanning¡¯s words, Ning Xueyan did not raise her head. She nodded, yawned, and closed the book. Lanning took over the book and ced it under her pillow.

    Ning Xueyan closed her eyes and softly said, "Lanning, you go out, I¡¯m going to sleep!" She really was tired.

    Seeing Ning Xueyan lie down, Lanning tucked her in and said to her, "Yes, I¡¯ll go out. The tea is on the table. I¡¯ve wrapped it with cotton sheath. If you¡¯re thirsty at night, you can drink it."

    Ning Xueyan did not like anyone sleeping in her room. This habit was almost the same as Ning Ziying¡¯s. Lanning, who used to serve Ning Ziying, sometimes felt that Ning Xueyan was Ning Ziying. If not, why did she feel that she was serving Ning Ziying when she served Ning Xueyan?

    However, they did not look alike.

    Lanning shook her head with a bitter smile on her face to get rid of this unrealistic idea. "I¡¯ve been thinking too much. How could this happen?" Then she blew out themp and walked out quietly.

    Lanning went outside and took a long sigh. "Young Lady Ziying has died. The one in front of me is the Fifth Young Lady. They¡¯repletely different. How can they be the same person?"

    "Is it because I miss Young Lady Ziying too much so that I see the Fifth Young Lady as Young Lady Ziying?"

    The wind in winter was very strong, but it was quiet in the room. There was a foot-warmer prepared by Lanning beside Ning Xueyan¡¯s feet. The warmth extended from the sole of the foot to the body, making her whole body warm. Ning Xueyan was in a bad health, so Lanning had already prepared the foot-warmer.

    Ning Xueyan closed her eyes and the pictures of her dying appeared in her mind again. She subconsciously tightly held her hands. It seemed that the warmth under feet subsided gradually and coldness spread from her heart. That night when she waited to be a bride became herst night.

    Suddenly, she touched something hard, soft and warm. She immediately woke up. But before she spoke, her mouth was tightly covered by a big hand.

    "Don¡¯t make a noise!" said a familiar voice in Ning Xueyan¡¯s ear. Even though she was dizzy now, she still could recognize who it was.

    It was Prince Yi, Ao Chenyi. "He always haunts here. What¡¯s his business with me today?"

    Hearing that voice, Ning Xueyan rxed. She reached out one hand and pushed his hand, telling him to remove his hand. She could not clearly see Ao Chenyi¡¯s face in the dark. She could only saw his profile.

    Ao Chenyi stopped covering her mouth when he sensed that she was no longer resisting. Ning Xueyan gasped for a moment and then curiously asked in a low voice, "Prince Yi, is there anything I can do for you?" Ao Chenyi never came here for nothing. Of course, Ning Xueyan had to ignore his unrulying.

    Ao Chenyi askedzily, "I heard that someone of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is going to marry Marquis of Ping¡¯an?" His voice was gloomy and cold.

    "Yes, Madam Ling has this idea." Ning Xueyan turned to Ao Chenyi with curiosity. She did not understand what this matter had to do with him.

    "Who will marry him?" It sounded like Ao Chenyi wasughing.

    Ning Xueyan indifferently said, "Originally it was Ning Lingyun who was going to marry him. But now... I guess that Madam Ling wants me to marry Marquis of Ping¡¯an and be his concubine." After that, she casually yawned with sarcasm on her face. But then the sarcasm on her face turned into embarrassment and she flushed. When people were in the dark and could not see clearly, the sense of touch would be extremely sensitive.

    The changeable and decisive Prince Yi alsoy with Ning Xueyan in the same quilt and Ning Xueyan leaned on him. No wonder she felt strange.

    Ao Chenyi asked while looking at her beautiful little face, "You¡¯re not going to fight?" Ao Chenyi had not seen her for several days. Now he found her face was no longer pale. Her ruddy face made her eye-catching. Her dark long hair scattered on the snow-white pillow. Even though it was dark, she was still charming.

    Ning Xueyan was no longer the cowardly Fifth Young Lady who almost died in the hands of the Second Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor!

    Ao Chenyi had asked people to investigate Ning Xueyan and found nothing unusual. It was impossible that she was not the Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. But why could a person¡¯s personality change so much?

    Did this little girl who looked weak but was fierce change so much that she became so different from the past because of her natural mother¡¯s death?

    What an increasingly interesting little girl!

    Marquis of Ping¡¯an wanted to marry this little girl. If this happened in the past, she would not say something and not dare resist. But now, she had stretched out her ws, so she would not let others bully her. It could be seen from the matter that she exposed that her natural mother was poisoned with the help of him.

    "Will you help me?" Ning Xueyan took a deep breath and secretly pushed Ao Chenyi away a little from herself.

    Ao Chenyi was not angry. He directlyy down andzily said, "No! I¡¯d like to see you do it by yourself!"

    "So you¡¯re here especially for the show? But now it has not started yet. You came too early!" Ning Xueyan sat up and reached for the coat on the bedside. She had pretended to be his concubine on that day and was held tightly by him.

    But it was because there were some audiences at that time. It did not mean that she was willing to do that when there was no one around!

    "You needn¡¯t get up. I¡¯ll leave in a minute." Ao Chenyi stretched out one hand to put his arm around her waist and pulled her into his arms. "You have to pretend to be my concubine in the future. If you can¡¯t ept this, how can you make people believe the intimate rtionship between you and me?"

    Ao Chenyi looked down at Ning Xueyan. He directly looked at Ning Xueyan¡¯s ck jade-like eyes with his ck and cold eyes. He saw the indifference in her eyes. If he had guessed right, she only blushed for a moment just now and now she was no longer shy. She looked more like a wild cat who was waiting for a chance.

    In order to better attack, she had endured for many years!

    Was this tender girl in front of him really only fourteen years old? She had taken full advantage of her limited resources to deal with Ning Yuling and Madam Ling. Who could expect that such a beautiful and tender girl was fierce and manful?

    How could a girl who always stayed in her own room be like that?

 Chapter 110 I Will Wear the Dark Blue Clothes

    He was looking forward to her performance more and more...

    "Prince Yi, you can rest assured. I will be "close" with you when I pretend to be your favorite concubine, but not now!" Ning Xueyan faced Ao Chenyi¡¯s gaze and did not conceal the coldness and anger in her eyes. She looked straight into Ao Chenyi¡¯s beautiful but oppressive, tyrannical eyes, and said with courage, "Please behave yourself."

    A little girl dared to not only look at him directly, but also disobey him and ignore his fierceness and cold murderous look. None of the officials in the court dared to do so!

    Ao Chenyi showed a slight smile on his cold face. Then he jumped up from the bed, stood at the head of the bed, and quietly looked at Ning Xueyan with his back to the moon. An extremely cold smile appeared on his beautiful, evil face. Even the room was also full of gloomy atmosphere.

    "Yan¡¯er, you must remember that you¡¯re my favorite concubine. You belong to neither yourself nor anyone else. You only belong to me."

    "That¡¯s true only when you need me to pretend to be your concubine. At other times, I am the Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and have nothing to do with you." Ning Xueyan did not want to bow her head and admit defeat. She had a presentiment that concession at this time would lead toplete annihtion. Ao Chenyi was never a kind-hearted one.

    She indeed had a deal with him and was subject to him, but she must have freedom! However, she felt powerless when she struggled now. How could domineering people like Ao Chenyi listen to her suggestions?

    "Good, you¡¯re very good!" Ao Chenyi coldly sneered in the dark. Ning Xueyan watched him turn around and saw his slender and indifferent back. Then she watched him take his robe from the screen, slowly put it on, give a cold look at her, walk to the window, and jump out.

    Before leaving, he left onest sentence to Ning Xueyan. "Don¡¯t let me find you had something to do with Marquis of Ping¡¯an!"

    Ning Xueyan knew that this was Ao Chenyi¡¯s warning to her. She could not get married before she fulfilled her promise to him.

    Fortunately, that was also what she thought.

    Ning Xueyan got up, walked to the window, and closed it with calmness. Then she went back,y on the bed, and closed her eyes, looking unperturbed. "Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s Manor? Madam Ling, if you like it, you can keep it by yourself..."

    Although Ning Xueyan stayed uptest night, she was called up by Lanning on time the next day.

    Nowadays her treatment was different. Ning Xueyan had to greet Madam Dowager every morning, which represented the courtesy of Madam Dowager.

    Two maids dressed up Ning Xueyan quickly and skillfully while Qingyuing with a in white dress which Ning Xueyan usually wore in daily life. Although this dress was in, it was embroidered with a circle of light pink flowers on the hem. It was very elegant and would highlight Ning Xueyan¡¯s beauty together with Ning Xueyan¡¯s delicate little face.

    Madam Dowager did not like Ning Xueyan to wear in clothes. So after Ning Xueyan returned to the manor, Madam Ling pretended to be generous and asked people to make these clothes for her.

    Because Madam Ling treated Ning Xueyan and Ning Yuling equally when she asked people to make clothes for them, Madam Dowager praised her.

    Ning Xueyan stood in front of the makeup mirror, nced at the clothes, and said, "I don¡¯t want to wear this one. I¡¯ll wear the dark blue one."

    Qingyu asked in confusion while widening her eyes, "Why? This dress suits you. You will be very beautiful if you wear it. And its material is better than that of the dark blue one. That dress is too old and its color is not beautiful. You won¡¯t look spirited if you wear it." Then she shook the clothes in her hands and looked at Ning Xueyan.

    "Young Lady has always been the most knowledgeable, why did she choose the dark color which is more suitable for older people?" Ning Xueyan¡¯s face was not ruddy. If she wore dresses of dim color, she would be paler and her beauty would not be shown.

    Ning Xueyan said with indifference, "I¡¯ll wear that dark blue one. It was made for me in person when my mother was alive. She specially made it bigger at that time. Now it suits me."

    "Yes!" Although Qingyu was puzzled, she said nothing since Ning Xueyan insisted on wearing that one. She folded the dress in her hands and found the dark blue dress in the corner of the suitcase.

    Madam Ming had chosen good materials specially when she made it. But Bright Frost Garden had been ignored for many years. The best materials they had were also not wanted by others. Ning Xueyan, the Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, looked shabby when she wore this dress.

    At that time, it was rare to have extra cloth, so Madam Ming made it bigger specially. Now although the cloth was old and the color was dim when it was taken out, its size was also suitable.

    Ning Xueyan specially asked Lanning to do her a hairstyle with heavy bangs which immediately blocked most of her forehead. The hairstyle and old blue dress made the beautiful Fifth Young Lady very normal. She would not attract anyone¡¯s interesting.

    Ning Xueyan asked Lanning, "Did Mother Han go out to talk to her old sister?"

    Lanning understood Ning Xueyan¡¯s meaning and answered, "Yes, Mother Han went out early in the morning. She chose a good ce and also brought some melon seeds with her." Lanning smiled when she remembered what Mother Han brought with her in the morning. "Our Young Lady is prophetic. She urately predicted those trifles."

    Qingyu could not help asking while she dressing Ning Xueyan, "Will Third Prince reallye to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor today?"

    "Yes, he wille." Ning Xueyan smiled slightly and nodded with certainty. Then she calmly looked at herself in the mirror. The people in the mirror was not outstanding at all and even inferior to some decent maids in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor where there were many beauties.

    Of course the Third Prince woulde!

    Because today was a special day!

    The reason why Ning Xueyan knew was that Xia Yuhang had once said something to her in thest life!

    The Third Prince came here on this date every year because of that woman. She was not simple!

    Afterbing Ning Xueyan¡¯s hair, Lanning and Qingyu helped she put on clothes.

    Xinmei stayed to guard the courtyard and Ning Xueyan went to Lucky Garden to greet Madam Dowager with Lanning and Qingyu. Sure enough, they encountered Ning Lingyun who dressed well on the way. Ning Lingyun wore a splendid dress and several jewelry hairpins. She looked more outstanding than usual and walked lightly with a shy look.

    "Fifth Sister, your dress is really beautiful. Why didn¡¯t you wear it before? Is it because it was made out of good cloth by your mother and you were unwilling to wear?" Ning Lingyun swung her handkerchief and mocked Ning Xueyan while scrutinizing her. And the two maids followed her alsoughed at Ning Xueyan.

    "Fourth Sister, your dress is so splendid. It makes you beautiful. If people don¡¯t know you, they may regard you as the Second Sister." Ning Xueyan counterattacked with a cold smile on her face.

    "You..." Ning Lingyun was contradicted by Ning Xueyan and became anger. She shrieked, "What are you talking about?"

    Ning Lingyun always imitated Ning Yuling. But because she was the daughter of a concubine, she was inferior to Ning Yuling all the time. And Ning Yuling also hated Ning Lingyun to imitate her. Every time when she found that Ning Lingyun imitated her, she would scold her and sometimes p her.

    So far, Ning Lingyun was really afraid of the tyrannical Ning Yuling. At this time when she heard that she looked simr to Ning Yuling, she immediately vented her anger on Ning Xueyan. Of course, this was also because Ning Xueyan was vulnerable. If she faced Ning Yuling now, she would only be beaten.

    "Fourth Sister, your clothes are so beautiful. I feel like I¡¯ve seen it before somewhere." Ning Xueyan¡¯s gaze fell on Ning Lingyun¡¯s gorgeous clothes. It was unexpected that Concubine Xu was a scheming woman. Ning Yuling had only a little of this kind of cloth, while Ning Lingyun had a piece of clothing made out of this kind of cloth.

    Being looked at by Ning Xueyan with a smile on her face, Ning Lingyun felt guilty. It seemed that she had felt the disdain in Ning Xueyan¡¯s words and seen the irony on her face, so Ning Lingyun burst into anger. She came over, stretched out her hands to push Ning Xueyan heavily, and said with hate, "Fifth Sister, hurry up. Grandmother has got up and is waiting for us."

    Ning Lingyun wanted to knock down Ning Xueyan so that she would break her arm or leg!

    It was clear that Ning Lingyun touched Ning Xueyan, but she felt that she did not touch Ning Xueyan¡¯s back.

    No one had expected that Ning Lingyun would suddenly push Ning Xueyan. Although Lanning and Qingyu were standing beside Ning Xueyan, Ning Xueyan was pushed out before they reached out. In front of them was a turning fork. And a rockery happened to be the ce where Ning Xueyan rushed to.

    If Ning Xueyan bumped into the rockery, she would disfigure even though she survived!

    The two maids cried out in a hurry, "Fifth Young Lady..."

    All of a sudden, a man rushed out of the corner and grabbed Ning Xueyan. Then he turned around quickly and stopped her from rushing out. After that, he stabilized while holding Ning Xueyan¡¯s sleeve.

    "Young Lady, you... are you okay?" Qingyu rushed to Ning Xueyan and almost burst into tears because of worry. She held Ning Xueyan and checked her.

    Lanning angrily said while pointing to Ning Lingyun, "Fourth Young Lady, you... how can you push the Fifth Young Lady like that? Fifth Young Lady is in bad health, if she bumps into the rockery, she will die!"

    Ning Lingyun sulkily said, "I didn¡¯t mean to. Why did she walk so slowly? I was in a hurry to greet grandmother." She was also shocked just now. Ning Xueyan was certainly not favored, but if she died because of bumping into a rockery, Ning Lingyun would also get into trouble. Concubine Xu had said to her that she was not allowed to make any trouble today.

    Ning Lingyun came here today with purpose, so she would not make any trouble. She dressed so beautifully because of one person. If Ning Xueyan had not deliberately provoked her, she would not have been angry and pushed Ning Xueyan.

    "Speaking of this, Ning Xueyan is so lucky. She wasn¡¯t hurt at all." Ning Lingyun¡¯s gaze turned from Ning Xueyan to the man who saved Ning Xueyan. She became surprised and happy as soon as she saw the man. The handkerchief in her hands almost was rolled into a ball. And the sarcasm on her face immediately became shyness.

    Ning Lingyun immediately became a polite Young Lady from a respectable family who wanted to speak with a man, but was too shy to do that. However, because she could not avoid the man, she had toe over and salute.

    Ning Lingyun took two steps forward and crouched down to salute the man, "Your Highness. I don¡¯t know you¡¯re here. Please forgive my impoliteness." Her behavior was elegant and her voice was delicate.

    Ning Lingyun changed her attitude so quickly, which made people speechless.

    Ning Xueyan, who was leaning on Lanning, could not help but sneer in her mind. The Third Prince was indeed a favorite and both Ning Yuling and Ning Lingyun liked him. Ning Yuling had lost the chance to marry him. Ning Lingyun, who had been eager to try, finally found the chance to know him. How could she not dress up beautifully and show up in front of the Third Prince?

    Ning Xueyan had nced at a light yellow robe which showed at the corner opposite. Not everyone dared to embroider dragons on the robe. So Ning Xueyan thought it must be the Third Prince who came to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Therefore, Ning Xueyan intentionally said to Ning Lingyun that she looked like Ning Yuling in order to annoy her just now.

    Since Ning Lingyun always thought highly of herself and despised Ning Xueyan, Ning Xueyan would let her lose face at this time.

    Hearing Ning Lingyun¡¯s delicate voice, Ning Xueyan showed a malicious smile on her face. "Ning Lingyun, don¡¯t you want to show up in front of the Third Prince? Don¡¯t you want the Third Prince to marvel at your beauty? Now your opportunityes. I wonder whether your Third Prince will be surprised by your beauty. Or will someone else fall in love with you?"

    And more importantly, that man happened toe from another path.

    A good show wasing...

 Chapter 111 The Third Prince Has Been Here on This Day for the Last Three Years, Rain or Shine

    "Your Highness!" Theer was a fat old man. Because of obesity, he shook while he was walking. On hearing the noise here, he turned his head and saw the Third Prince. Then he immediately hurried toe to salute Third Prince. The Third Prince was the favorite son of His Majesty, how could Marquis of Ping¡¯an not immediatelye to tter him?

    "Marquis of Ping¡¯an!" The Third Prince waved his one hand and his gaze fell on Ning Xueyan who was not recover from the fright and leaning on her maids. When he held her hands just now, he felt that her hands were thin and soft, as if something was attracting him so that he could hardly let go of her hands.

    "Third Prince, thank you for saving me!" Ning Xueyan seemed to recover from the fright. She pushed aside Qingyu, respectfully walked to the Third Prince and saluted him.

    Her blue dress was very old, and its material was also not very good. It could be seen that it was made years ago. Seeing her dress, the Third Prince unconsciously frowned. When his gaze fell on her face, he frowned more greatly. Her delicate face was blocked by the heavy bangs so that she looked very normal.

    If he had not observed her carefully, he would surely have thought that she was not as beautiful as the maids around him.

    All her beauty was covered up by her bangs and clothes.

    The color of her lips was as light as ever, but her face was better than before. Although she was still weak and pale, but looked ruddier. The Third Prince suddenly thought that her delicate face under the heavy bangs should be more beautiful and charming!

    Suppressing the inner impulse, the Third Prince turned to Ning Lingyun and asked, "What happened just now?"

    "Your Highness, we were ying just now. But unexpectedly, I didn¡¯t control myself and identally pushed Fifth Sister. Fortunately, you saved her. Otherwise I would be guilty if she was injured." Hearing that the Third Prince was talking to her, Ning Lingyun became excited and her voice became more delicate.

    "It¡¯s clear that she pushed our Young Lady. But now she actually said that they were ying." Qingyu was unhappy when she heard what Ning Lingyun said and was about to refute. But she was stopped by Lanning and was unwilling to stand aside while pouting and looking at Ning Lingyun with hatred.

    Ning Lingyun answered in a delicate voice, which only made Third Prince frown with displeasure, but attracted Marquis of Ping¡¯an who stood beside the Third Prince. He thought that the woman in front of him was really nice. She wore a light pink gauze skirt and a belt of the same color was around her slender waist, which made her slim and graceful.

    Then he looked at Ning Lingyun¡¯s face which was snow-white and delicate. Her cheeks were pink and her watery eyes were full of shyness. Marquis of Ping¡¯an thought he was attracted only by her one look. Marquis of Ping¡¯an was originally lecherous. Now when he suddenly saw such a beautiful woman, he instantly indulged himself with her beauty with mouth opening and lust in his eyes.

    "Is this the Second Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?" Marquis of Ping¡¯an had already heard that the Second Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was extremely beautiful. And he wondered whether the girl in front of him now was the Second Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Ning Lingyun was not as beautiful as Ning Yuling. However, she specially dressed up and pretended to be shy and feminine today. Anyway, she was the Young Lady of a respectable family, and had learned the etiquette. At this time, her shy expression and delicate voice greatly attracted Marquis of Ping¡¯an.

    He did not expect that there was such a beauty in the world. He believed that everyone would envy him if this beauty belonged to him.

    As for Ning Xueyan who looked normal, Marquis of Ping¡¯an had not seen her face clearly so far and directly neglected her.

    Again, someone mistook Ning Lingyun for Ning Yuling, which made Ning Lingyun angry. On hearing that, she immediately winked at the maids standing beside her. Then a maid took a step forward and said while holding her head high, "The Second Young Lady? This is the Fourth Young Lady!"

    Ning Lingyun was so excited to see the Third Prince that she did not hear his address to Marquis of Ping¡¯an at all. At this time, she could only saw the handsome Third Prince.

    Usually, Ning Lingyun was suppressed by Madam Ling and Ning Yuling. So she had never seen an honored guest before. She only once saw the Third Prince in the distance and fell in love with him at that time. However, Ning Yuling was supposed to marry the Third Prince. As the daughter of a concubine, Ning Lingyun had to hide her love to Third Prince in her heart. If Ning Yuling knew that she liked the Third Prince, she would lose her life.

    Ning Yuling would never allow others to covet her things, not to mention the Third Prince. In the past, if Ning Lingyun touched Ning Yuling¡¯s things, Ning Yuling would beat Ning Lingyun first, and then tore up those things so that Ning Lingyun would not get them.

    Therefore, Ning Lingyun never dared to do anything when faced Ning Yuling!

    Ning Lingyun had thought that there would be no chance for her to marry the Third Prince. Every dog has his day. Unexpectedly, the marriage between Ning Yuling and the Third Prince had failed and the always arrogant Ning Yuling finally had to marry such a yboy as Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li.

    This result made Ning Lingyun extremely happy and she mightugh from her sleeping!

    Ning Yuling did not have the opportunity to marry the Third Prince, which meant that Ning Lingyun got the opportunity. People of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would not miss the opportunity to ally with the Third Prince by marriage. Madam Dowager would tightly grasp the Third Prince. As for Ning Xueyan, Ning Lingyun directly ignored.

    In Ning Lingyun¡¯s opinion, herself was slender and in good shape and the skinny Ning Xueyan could not win her. No man would be interested in such a skinny woman.

    Ning Lingyun was different from Ning Xueyan. Although she was the daughter of a concubine, she lived in a spacious room, wore clothes of good quality, and ate delicious food. There also were many servants served her. Although her life was not as good as Ning Yuling¡¯s and Ning Ziyan¡¯s, she was indeed regarded as a Young Lady. In order to have a good reputation, Madam Ling had never mistreated her.

    So Ning Lingyun was well-proportioned. In addition, she was very young. She was only 15 years old. Therefore, she was certainly different from Ning Xueyan who had been malnourished and sick.

    Madam Ling was not allowed to leave the Buddha Hall. Concubine Xu took charge of the housekeeping power. So she knew that the Third Prince woulde today. Ning Lingyun also got the good news. How could she not dress up well? This would be the first time she appeared in front of the Third Prince. So it was necessary for her to dress up well so that the Third Prince would marvel at her beauty and fall in love with her.

    So Ning Lingyun took out the dress Concubine Xu had secretly made for her and put it on. When people noticed her, she would certainly tell others who she was.

    The Third Prince did not look at Ning Lingyun. He turned to Ning Xueyan and asked her in a soft voice, "Fifth Young Lady, were you just ying?"

    Ning Xueyan had already got up after saluting the Third Prince. Hearing his question, she smiled slightly, lowered her head and nodded, as if it was not her who almost bumped into the rockery just now.

    However, she slightly bit her lips, leaving a light mark on her lips which then disappeared. This exactly showed her grievance. At this time, Ning Xueyan did not want to be showy, so she did not want to talk to the Third Prince

    In Third Prince¡¯s opinion, Ning Xueyan¡¯s performance meant that she did not dare to voice out her discontent even though she was angry and aggrieved. He remembered that Ning Yuling had stopped her and asked servants to beat her. And today Ning Lingyun had pushed her and she also did not dare to revolt. Thinking of those things, the Third Prince became unhappier and her gaze fell on her slender neck and the corners of his eyes shivered unconsciously.

    "Your Highness, we¡¯re in a good rtionship, how could I hurt her?" Seeing that the Third Prince ignored her, Ning Lingyun was embarrassed and stared at Ning Xueyan fiercely. Then she made eyes at the Third Prince with a more charming smile on her face. The Third Prince was clever. He would certainly receive Ning Lingyun¡¯s hint.

    On seeing the seductive, unrestrained Ning Lingyun, the Third Prince became unhappier and avoided looking at her. He had already known that the Fourth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was the daughter of a concubine, but he did not expect that she dared to seduce a man in public. She was so misbehaved that she did not look like a Young Lady of a decent family.

    "Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s daughters were fierce, except for her!"

    The Third Prince nced at Ning Xueyan¡¯s face once again. He still could not see her expression and only saw the heavy bangs. So he hummed helplessly in his mind. He wanted to help her, but she did not say anything. Therefore, he had no excuse to help her.

    The Third Prince was unhappy with Ning Xueyan¡¯s silence. He casually greeted Ning Lingyun, turned around and went to Auspicious Fortune Hall.

    Today the Third Prince came here because of something important. Every year on this date, he woulde to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. To others, he had imed that he came here to visit Madam Dowager. The rtionship between the Third Prince and Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was good, and the Third Prince had visited Lord Protector¡¯s Manor from time to time. So it was not clear to anyone that the Third Prince had been here on this date for the past three years regardless of the weather.

    Ning Lingyun became embarrassed and angry when she saw that the Third Prince greeted her casually and then directly went to Lucky Garden without saying anything. After the Third Prince left, Ning Lingyun had to turn around and followed him while holding the maid¡¯s hands. Anyway, the Third Prince would surely stay longer once he met her grandmother. At that time, she would have a chance to talk to him again.

    "I didn¡¯t expect that there¡¯s such a beauty in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. You¡¯re exceedingly beautiful. They all said that the Second Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is beautiful. But in my opinion, only Fourth Young Lady is a beauty." The Third Prince did not like Ning Lingyun, but Marquis of Ping¡¯an fell in love with her. At this moment, he quickly walked to Ning Lingyun and praised her while narrowing his eyes.

    Ning Lingyun was startled by the unexpected sound. She looked back and saw Marquis of Ping¡¯an. When she saw that he looked at herself with lust in his eyes as if he was going to take off her clothes, Ning Lingyun felt disgusted and subconsciously moved to avoid him.

    However, he still came alongside and went on praising, looking like a fly which stared at a piece of stinky meat.

    Although this man was old and ugly, what he said satisfied Ning Lingyun, especially when she was ignored by the Third Prince walking ahead. At this time, Ning Lingyun felt very dignified when Marquis of Ping¡¯an ttered her.

    So she smiled at him and said, "Thank you for your praise!"

    Her smile and words fascinated Marquis of Ping¡¯an more. Marquis of Ping¡¯an was lecherous and those girls from respectable families had never smiled at him like that. So he immediately became fascinated when he saw Ning Lingyun¡¯s smile and stared at Ning Lingyun. He only felt that the girl in front of him was his right girl.

    Those women in the red-light district were naturally inferior to the girls from respectable families. Seeing that Ning Lingyun had gone far, Marquis of Ping¡¯an walked quickly to catch up with her. He believed that Ning Lingyun attractively smiled at him just now because she had been fascinated by his handsome demeanour.

    Marquis of Ping¡¯an paid all his attention to Ning Lingyun and identally stepped on a stone, so that he teetered. Seeing that Ning Lingyun was in front of him, he directly threw himself to Ning Lingyun with open arms. He fell because the road of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was not smooth. It was not other people¡¯s fault. Furthermore, he and the girl in front of him had fallen in love with each other at first sight!

    So it was natural that they could not help themselves...

 Chapter 112 I Walked Too Fast So That I Bumped into the Fourth Young Lady

    Marquis of Ping¡¯an only felt that Ning Lingyun had already fallen in love with him, so he was very proud since then. Although he was old, he was usually ttered by those women in his manor. So he really thought that he was still romantic and more charming than those young men!

    "The Fourth Young Lady is delicate. She wishes to speak to me but stops on a second thought. She must have fallen in love with me at first sight. She¡¯s a girl, and I am a man. I have to be active."

    So Marquis of Ping¡¯an directly rushed to Ning Lingyun when he stood unsteadily.

    Although Ning Lingyun had been paying attention to the Third Prince in front of her, she was a clever one.

    Hearing the sound behind was strange, Ning Lingyun rushed to move aside. She saw fat Marquis of Ping¡¯an rushing towards her and frowned in disgust. Then she looked at the Third Prince who was walking in front of her and her eyes suddenly became bright.

    When she avoided Marquis of Ping¡¯an, Ning Lingyun pretended to stagger and rushed straight to the Third Prince. She held the same purpose as Marquis of Ping¡¯an. Whether she would bump into the Third Prince, or the Third Prince would support her just like he supported Ning Xueyan just now, Ning Lingyun believed their rtionship would be closer.

    If she could directly bump on the Third Prince and fall into his arms, maybe the Third Prince had to be responsible for her.

    Ning Lingyun thought so and also did what she thought.

    Ning Xueyan, standing behind them, stopped and showed a slight smile on her face.

    Unexpectedly, Ning Lingyun¡¯s reaction was quite fast. Unfortunately, although there was no romantic affair about the Third Prince for so many years, he had encountered many women who threw themselves on him.

    Sure enough, the Third Prince reacted quickly. He slightly moved aside and sessfully avoided Ning Lingyun who was rushing to embrace him. He raised his eyes and looked into Ning Xueyan¡¯s delicate ck jade-like eyes and saw the sarcasm in her watery eyes. However, her sarcasm was mixed with girlish innocence.

    Ning Xueyan slightly smiled. Even though part of her face was covered by her bangs, she still made people feel amazed, as if they had seen thousands of flowers blooming together. In addition, she was childlike naughty and childish, as if she had seen something interesting and secretly felt happy...

    One had to admit that Ning Xueyan was not only beautiful, but also cute!

    The Third Prince¡¯s gaze became deep.

    Seeing that the Third Prince looked at her, Ning Xueyan hastily restrained her smile and avoided his gaze with a serious look. Then she turned her attention to the two people who were rushing forward with respective purposes.

    It must be said that Ning Lingyun was unlucky. She had avoided Marquis of Ping¡¯an. But she suddenly had other purposes and paused for a second. Unfortunately, Marquis of Ping¡¯an trampled on her skirt during the second. In addition, she was rushing forward and the Third Prince avoided her. Therefore, she could not stand up and fell down.

    More coincidentally, the fat Marquis of Ping¡¯an rushed to her at that time. The two coincidentally collided and fell to the ground together. Fortunately, Marquis of Ping¡¯an fell down first and Ning Lingyun fell on him, so that Ning Lingyun did not make a fool of herself.

    The maid who followed Ning Lingyun also responded quickly. She pulled up Ning Lingyun quickly while screaming, "Young Lady, Young Lady, are you okay? Need I to invite a doctor?"

    "I¡¯m, I¡¯m fine!" Ning Lingyun gritted her teeth and looked contemptuously at Marquis of Ping¡¯an who was holding his young male servants and could not stand up a while. Ning Lingyun hated him very much.

    "Howe I didn¡¯t fall down with the Third Prince, but bumped into the ugly old man?" The ugly old man¡¯s pouch was obvious, which meant that he had had excessive sex and would die soon. How dare he look at her with lust in his eyes and bump into her?

    Ning Lingyun bumped into the Third Prince with her own purpose. So she naturally thought that Marquis of Ping¡¯an also had other intentions when he bumped into her.

    Marquis of Ping¡¯an finally got up. Regardless of the dust on his body, he turned to Ning Lingyun and said with a serious look, "Fourth Young Lady, are you okay? Just now... I walked to fast so that I bumped in you... I have to be responsible for you." It seemed that he really felt guilty about what had happened to Ning Lingyun.

    But his opaque eyes under which there was obvious pouch were full of lust.

    Ning Lingyun, though she did not know where this old man came from and wanted to beat him, still pressed her anger and answered in a delicate voice, "It doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m fine!"

    The Third Prince was still standing on one side. She could not be rude in front of him!

    "You wanna be responsible? For what?" If she bumped into the Third Prince, Ning Lingyun would try her best to have a rtionship with him. But it was an ugly old man who had bumped into her. How could Ning Lingyun want him to be responsible for it? She just wanted him to leave as soon as possible.

    "Howe you¡¯re okay? I heard your cry of pain. Let me see whether you¡¯re injured. Young girls are tender. I can¡¯t let you get hurt because of me." Now that Marquis of Ping¡¯an had believed that Ning Lingyun was interested in himself, he felt that Ning Lingyun was pretending to hate him when she stared at him.

    "Woman need to be coaxed!"

    So he stretched out his one hand, and was going to touch Ning Lingyun¡¯s hands, as if he was going to check whether her hands were injured.

    His rude behavior in front of the Third Prince made Ning Lingyun tremble in anger. She almost could not control herself and pped him. "Who¡¯s he? Where¡¯s he from? How could there be such a nasty and shameless person who dares to casually touch a girl?"

    The maid stood in front of Ning Lingyun in time, and stopped Marquis of Ping¡¯an from touching Ning Lingyun while angrily saying, "Sir, our Fourth Young Lady is fine. We dare not trouble you."

    Seeing that, the Third Prince coldly asked, "Marquis of Ping¡¯an, did you came here to see the Fourth Young Lady?"

    The Third Prince was not helping Ning Lingyun. He asked Marquis of Ping¡¯an because he thought that he did not take him seriously. Marquis of Ping¡¯an was so lecherous that he dared to molest the Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor in front of Third Prince.

    "Yes... er, I came to see Madam Dowager." Seeing that the Third Prince was angry, Marquis of Ping¡¯an came to his senses immediately. They were in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, and the girl in front of him was the Fourth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Moreover, the Third Prince was standing by. Even though he was unruly, he still knew that he had to be patient.

    So he dared not be brusque at the moment. He immediately stepped back and exined to the Third Prince.

    The Third Prince gave a cold look at him, turned around, and went on walking.

    "Why did youe to see Madam Dowager today?" asked the Third Prince.

    "There¡¯s something important to discuss with Madam Dowager." Marquis of Ping¡¯an took a particrly nasty look at Ning Lingyun when he said that. Then he followed the Third Prince whileughing.

    Ning Lingyun felt worried and had a bad feeling when she was so nced at by Marquis of Ping¡¯an. But it was obviously impossible for her to leave at this time. Looking at the tall and handsome Third Prince in front of her, Ning Lingyun gritted her teeth and followed. She seldom had such an opportunity to get close to the Third Prince, so she would not leave anyway.

    So she also followed the Third Prince to Madam Dowager¡¯s Lucky Garden.

    "Young Lady, Marquis of Ping¡¯an..." Qingyu cried in a low voice while looking at Marquis of Ping¡¯an who was ttering the Third Prince.

    "Don¡¯t ask, just follow them." Ning Xueyan showed a slight smile on her face and followed them with a calm look. The show had just begun. Of course, she would go on watching.

    Several people arrived at Lucky Garden together. Madam Dowager had been informed that the Third Prince woulde today, and she had been waiting at the door.

    Seeing a group of people led by the Third Princeing, Madam Dowager immediately let go of the maid¡¯s hands and was about to salute.

    The Third Prince took several steps forward and hurried to hold Madam Dowager. Then he said with a gentle smile on his face, "Madam Dowager, don¡¯t need to be so polite. Today, I just happen to have spare time ande to visit you for my mother."

    "How kind of your mother. She always cares about me, but I¡¯m unable to make any rpense. Please express my thanks to your mother." Madam Dowager did not insist on saluting. She made a bow in the direction of the imperial pce and got up.

    The Third Prince elegantly said, "If it weren¡¯t for you, my mother wouldn¡¯t have had what she owns today. You deserve our thanks."

    Madam Dowager smiled and replied, "Honored Consort Ya is too polite. This... is not a big deal at all. She¡¯s supremely fortunate. She deserves that."

    When they finished greeting each other, Marquis of Ping¡¯an came from the back of Third Prince and respectfully saluted Madam Dowager. "Madam Dowager, how do you do!"

    Honestly speaking, Marquis of Ping¡¯an and Madam Dowager were about the same age and was a marquis, so he did not need to salute Madam Dowager. In addition, his salute looked like a salute that the young generation made to their elders. It was neither fish nor flesh.

    Madam Dowager calmly said, "Marquis of Ping¡¯an, you¡¯re so polite!"

    But Ning Xueyan did not miss Madam Dowager¡¯s anger. Her veins bulged on her forehead. It could be seen that Madam Dowager was extremely angry.

    But what made Madam Dowager dare not express her anger?

    "I should be polite to you. The First Madam has already told me. How can I not salute you when I see you? Others will think that I¡¯m arrogant if I don¡¯t salute you now!"

    Marquis Ping¡¯an thought himself was handsome when he said that and gave a look at Ning Lingyun who was ashamed as well as angry by his looking. Madam Dowager also could not control herself and showed anger on her face. The Young Ladies of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, including those who were born of concubines, could not be humiliated by such an old yboy.

    Thinking of what Ning Zu¡¯an had told her, Madam Dowager darkened her face and her joy of seeing the Third Prince disappeared at once.

    Madam Dowager nced at Ning Lingyun who looked at the Third Prince with a shy face from time to time as well as Ning Xueyan who was standing behind them and dressed up improperly. And then she indifferently said, "Xueyan, Lingyun, you two go in first with the Third Prince. I¡¯ll say something to Marquis of Ping¡¯an beforeing."

    "Yes, grandmother." Ning Lingyun was very happy. She walked quickly, went to the Third Prince, and said, "Your Highness, pleasee with me to the courtyard to have a rest."

    Ning Lingyun became excited and blushing and fell in love with him when she only saw the figure of the Third Prince. Such a handsome man, even if he was not the Third Prince, would also attract many women. Hearing that she could be close to the Third Prince, Ning Lingyun was very happy.

    The Third Prince subconsciously gave a look at Ning Xueyan who was standing in ce, and then looked at blushing Ning Lingyun. He nodded and said nothing while frowning slightly. Then he turned around and went inside. Ning Lingyun hurried to follow him.

    Ning Xueyan was not in a hurry and slowly walked inside with two maids.

    It seemed that Madam Dowager purposely asked others to leave and wanted to say something to Marquis of Ping¡¯an...

 Chapter 113 Marquis of Pingan Is Fascinated by Ning Lingyun

    Seeing that the Third Prince behind her had gone further, Madam Dowager said in a low voice, "Marquis of Ping¡¯an, what Madam Ling promised you can¡¯t be discussed now. We¡¯ll discuss it when shees out of the Buddha hall." It could be inferred that Madam Dowager was angry from her voice, who narrowed her eyes and looked at the Marquis of Ping¡¯an in front of her.

    Marquis of Ping¡¯an was different from Lord Protector. He had no real power. And everyone knew that none of his manor was somebody. On thinking that such a person wanted to marry her granddaughter, Madam Dowager got angry. An old yboy who was nobody dared to marry the Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. He should know who himself was first.

    "Don¡¯t worry, Madam Dowager. This was put forward by the marchioness of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor first. I was still thinking about whether to agree. After all, the woman I¡¯m going to marry will be my marchioness. I have to be very cautious. Now, I¡¯ve already made up my mind. Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s Manor are matched for marriage. Such an important event should be up to you. It doesn¡¯t matter that marchioness is in the Buddha Hall."

    Marquis of Ping¡¯an reluctantly took his eyes back from Ning Lingyun. What he said sounded like that it was an honour to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor that he married the Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Madam Dowager¡¯s angry face became gloomier, and she almost bit her teeth while saying, "Marquis of Ping¡¯an, you really shouldn¡¯t have. We¡¯d better discuss it when Madan Linges out of the Buddha Hall."

    Madam Ling still could make trouble while she was in the Buddha Hall. Madam Dowager just wanted to shut her up for a long time until this matter was ruined. She actually wanted the Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to marry this good-for-nothing Marquis of Ping¡¯an. Madam Dowager wondered how stupid she was.

    Yuan¡¯er would take charge of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor in the future. If his sisters married into noble or powerful families, he would receive great help from them. Madam Ling was shortsighted as well as senseless. She actually wanted to ally with Marquis of Ping¡¯an by marriage. Everyone knew that Marquis of Ping¡¯an and his family members had no bright future. If it were not for his one daughter who had married the emperor, his family would have already copsed.

    Marrying to Marquis of Ping¡¯an was no better than marrying a promising official, at least he would not make trouble and influence the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor in the future.

    Hearing that Madam Dowager found pretexts for not agreeing him to marry her granddaughter, Marquis of Ping¡¯an darkened his face and unhappily asked, "Madam Dowager, do you want to repudiate the marriage?"

    Ning Xueyan had already passed the corner. Suddenly, she gave a low cry of pain and bent down to cover her feet.

    Lanning immediately held her and asked in a low voice, "Young Lady, what¡¯s wrong?"

    "It¡¯s all right. It¡¯s just the sprain of ankle," Ning Xueyan whispered while slightly frowning. She bit her lips, lowered head, and winked at Lanning while people did not pay attention to them.

    "You two go to serve the Third Prince, we¡¯lle after I massaging our Young Lady¡¯s feet." Lanning immediately received Ning Xueyan¡¯s meaning and said to the two maids of Lucky Garden who was standing aside.

    The two maids gave a look at Ning Xueyan and then at the Third Prince and Ning Lingyun who had gone far away. After thinking about it, they went on walking and followed the Third Prince.

    They were asked by Madam Dowager to serve the Third Prince, not the Fifth Young Lady.

    Although the Fifth Young Lady¡¯s situation was not as bad as before, she still was less important than the noble Third Prince.

    Lanning supported Ning Xueyan and Qingyu massaged her feet, and the three squatted down and quietly eavesdropped.

    On the other side of the wall was the gate of Lucky Garden where Madam Dowager and Marquis of Ping¡¯an were talking. Both of them were angry now and their voices were loud. So Ning Xueyan could hear clearly in this position.

    Madam Dowager impatiently said, "I wanna repudiate the marriage? Marquis of Ping¡¯an, your words are so unpleasant. We haven¡¯t decided yet. This matter is still under discussion."

    Being so rudely refused by Madam Dowager, Marquis of Ping¡¯an got angry on the spot and coldly said while staring at Madam Dowager, "The marchioness of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor has promised me that I can send betrothal gifts at any time as long as I agree. You wanna break your words?"

    Madam Dowager did not expect Madam Ling to be so foolish. She became very angry and shouted at Marquis of Ping¡¯an with great anger, "She has promised you? When?"

    Marquis of Ping¡¯an said with a gloomy face, "One month ago, marchioness told this to me and we have been discussing it all the time. If it hadn¡¯t been for the funeral of your Second Madam and my serious consideration, it would already have been settled. Madam Dowager, do you want to say that you know nothing of it?"

    Originally, he did not believe what Madam Ling had secretly sent to him yesterday. Now it seemed that what she said was true. The olddy wanted to go back on her words.

    If Marquis of Ping¡¯an had not seen Ning Lingyun, he might have thought about what Madam Ling told him. But now, he had no doubt. He did not expect that Ning Lingyun was so beautiful and fell in love with him at first sight. When she was asked by her grandmother to leave, she helplessly looked at him with a delicate and touching gaze. She was asking for help.

    Marquis of Ping¡¯an thought that he was saving Ning Lingyun, as if the hero saved a beauty. He was full of heroic courage and did not take into ount the consequences.

    It was strange and unknown to others that how he felt Ning Lingyun¡¯s love to him from her disgusting gaze.

    As for the Fifth Young Lady Madam Ling had chosen for him, he had already forgotten. Such an unimportant and bony Fifth Young Lady who also dressed like an old-fashioned woman was certainly inferior to the charming and affectionate Fourth Young Lady.

    He had settled on the Fourth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and determined to marry her.

    He had been controlled by his lust and consciously neglected Madam Ling¡¯s warnings to him.

    "It¡¯s all Madam Ling¡¯s work. I really don¡¯t know, so let¡¯s discuss it after Madam Linges out." Madam Dowager refused with a serious look.

    Of course, Madam Dowager was not protecting Ning Xueyan. She just felt that if the Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor who was born of the co-wife married into Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s Manor, not only Ning Xueyan, but also the whole manor would lose face.

    Marquis of Ping¡¯an suddenly grinned gloomily and pulled out a jade pendant from his arms. "Madam Dowager, marchioness has already sent me some betrothal gifts. I feel that this jade pendant must be made many years ago and of high value. So I deliberately asked people to investigate it. Unexpectedly, they found out something interesting. The iteming from the imperial pce is indeed unusual!"

    The jade was glittering and translucent. It must be of high value. The silk ribbon had been knitted in aplex way, but it was also very beautiful!

    The knitting technique was created in the previous dynasty, but it had been lost. In the past, it was prevalent in the imperial pce. However, a fire burned the whole imperial pce and those people in the pce were all died. Then, thisplex knitting technique faded out of the public¡¯s sight.

    This jade was a sharp warning to Madam Dowager. On seeing it, she felt a spasm in her fingers and could not conceal the shock in her eyes.

    "Madam Dowager, the next time I go to the imperial pce to see my daughter, I¡¯ll ask her when this jade pendant was made!" Seeing Madam Dowager changing her look, Marquis of Ping¡¯an said some meaningful words while proudly swinging the jade pendant in his hands in front of Madam Dowager¡¯s face.

    Beautiful Lady Liu was his daughter who had married into the imperial pce. Although she was only ranked the Beautiful Lady, it was said that the emperor also doted on her and visited her from time to time.

    Marquis of Ping¡¯an was threatening Madam Dowager with his daughter.

    Hearing Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s words, Madam Dowager turned pale. She blinked and slowly said in a deep voice, "Since you insist on discussing it, pleasee back another day. Today, the Third Prince has something important to discuss here!" Her attitude had softened.

    Since Marquis of Ping¡¯an wanted to marry Ning Xueyan and took out this jade pendant, Madam Dowager agreed with reluctance. She felt that other secrets could not be exposed because of this little matter. Anyway, Ning Xueyan was not her favorite granddaughter.

    Madam Dowager, who had always been upromising, actually softened because of a jade pendant. It appeared that Madam Ling knew something about Madam Dowager. Otherwise, how could Madam Dowager protect Madam Ling again and again? However, Madam Ling finally irritated Madam Dowager this time by giving this jade pendant to Marquis of Ping¡¯an who then showed it in front of Madam Dowager...

    "I¡¯m all right. It doesn¡¯t hurt. Let¡¯s go!" Realizing that the conversation was about to end, Ning Xueyan stood up and tried to walk while leaning on Qingyu.

    "Yes, I¡¯ll hold you." At this time, Qingyu also understood. She and Lanning looked at each other, reached out to hold Ning Xueyan¡¯s wrists, and helped Ning Xueyan walk inside.

    "Since you have something to do today, I won¡¯t bother you. I¡¯lle another day." Marquis of Ping¡¯an showed acent smile on his fat face. He knew that today was not a good day for discussion since the Third Prince was here. He turned around, and left Lucky Garden to find Ning Zu¡¯an whileughing. He intended to talk to Ning Zu¡¯an for a while to finalize this matter before leaving.

    Thinking that he would soon get what he wanted, Marquis of Ping¡¯an could not help smiling. "The jade pendant Madam Ling gave is useful. I just casually said some words and that olddy agreed as we expected. Will Ning Zu¡¯an listen to me in the future as long as I take out the jade pendant and say something to him just like what I did to that olddy just now?"

    Marquis of Ping¡¯an knew that his manor was weakening day by day. But he could rely on Lord Protector¡¯s Manor as long as he married the Fourth Young Lady. How could he not be overjoyed? He would not only marry a beauty, but also ally with Lord Protector. He did not care whether his future marchioness was born of a concubine. "As long as I have this jade pendant, Ning Zu¡¯an has to listen to me."

    Marquis of Ping¡¯an had already forgotten what Madam Ling told him!

    Madam Ling had told him that Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would help Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s Manor as long as he married the Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. After all, the Fifth Young Lady was the daughter of the co-wife. Marrying her would not bring shame on Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s Manor. As for the Fourth Young Lady mentioned earlier, she was born of a concubine and did not deserve him...

    "Hmm, she deliberately said that the Fourth Young Lady doesn¡¯t deserve me. Clearly she had changed the bad one for the good one." Marquis of Ping¡¯an had seen the two Young Ladies of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and knew who was better. How could he listen to Madam Ling and marry Ning Xueyan? He would choose the best for himself.

    "Haha, Madam Dowager has agreed. The beauty will belong to me soon!" Marquis of Ping¡¯an strode out while thinking.

    Marquis of Ping¡¯an was proud and in a good mood while he walking to Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s study with his young male servants. An older female servant was leading the way. Suddenly, he heard several older female servants were talking behind the rockery and mentioned the Third Prince. He could not help but stop and eavesdrop.

    "Will the Third Prince stay for lunch today?"

    "Of course he will. Marquis had already asked people to prepare the lunch. The Third Prince is the son of His Majesty, he might be... It¡¯s our honour that the Third Prince stays for lunch. Those who want to see the Third Prince have to queue up outside Third Prince¡¯s Manor, but they still can¡¯t see the Third Prince."

    "That¡¯s true. The Third Prince is the emperor¡¯s favorite son. He is noble. Not everyone can see him."

    "If someone can have a rtionship with the Third Prince now, he will be free from punishment in the future after making mistakes as long as the Third Prince puts in a good word for him."

    "If I curry favour with the Third Prince now, he will help me in the future when Imit a crime?" Marquis of Ping¡¯an was confused first, but suddenly he understood and his eyes became bright. "Yes! How can I miss such a good opportunity?"

    When Madam Dowager arrived at the hall, the Third Prince, Ning Lingyun, and Ning Xueyan had already been present! They did not ask what Madam Dowager had said to Marquis of Ping¡¯an. Soon, maids sent over the tea and Madam Dowager said with a smile on her face.

    "Third Prince, please enjoy the tea."

    "Thank you, Madam Dowager!" The Third Prince stopped scrutinizing Ning Xueyan and elegantly drank the tea while slightly smiling. Then he put down the teacup, turned to Madam Dowager, and directly asked with a smile on his face.

    "Is there a letter from her this year? Mother asked me toe and fetch it."

    Who was he asking about? ording to the Third Prince¡¯s tone, it seemed that she was not a normal people. Ning Lingyun could not help looking sideways and focused on what the Third Prince was saying. Although Concubine Xu had told her that the Third Prince woulde, she did not say why he came.

    Ning Xueyan looked down at the teacup in her hands to conceal a trace of meditation in her eyes. The Third Prince had not forgotten that woman for three years. She was indeed not simple!

 Chapter 114 Who Is the Third Young Lady of Lord Protectors Manor?

    There were five Young Ladies in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. The Eldest Young Lady and Second Young Lady were born of Madam Ling. Both of them were the most prominent in front of people and presented at most of the banquets. So they had a good reputation in the capital. Fourth Young Lady was born of a concubine and was not qualified to attend some banquets. Fifth Young Lady was the daughter of the co-wife, but she was timid and seldom left her courtyard, let alone go out to meet visitors.

    In many people¡¯s minds, there was no Fifth Young Lady at all!

    This was all Ning Ziying knew in herst life! She just had lived in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor for three years. She was not very clear about many things and had not met the Third Young Lady. Combining with the situation of two lives, she only knew something about the Third Young Lady three years ago.

    It was said that the Third Young Lady was quiet and beautiful since childhood. When she grew up, her reputation was better. She was adopted by Madam Ming. So her identity was the same as Ning Xueyan¡¯s. Both of them were the daughters of co-wife.

    But she was different from Ning Xueyan. It was said that she was very smart. Although she was not Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s biological daughter, she was favoured by Madam Dowager very much. Even Ning Yuling, who had always been arrogant, dared not bully her. Her status and treatment in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor were not worse than Ning Ziyan¡¯s and Ning Yuling¡¯s, who were the daughters of Legal Wife.

    Although Madam Ming lived in Bright Frost Garden and did not leave her courtyard all year round, the Third Young Lady lived in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor like a duck to water.

    At that time, Ning Xueyan was still young, and the most famous one in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was the Third Young Lady, Ning Qingshan. Everyone praised her when they mentioned her. They all said that she was not only outstanding in appearance, but also smart and sensible. Young as she was, she was so outstanding. She must be better when she grew up.

    At that time, both Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling were neglected by others because of her.

    When she was thirteen years old, she suddenly said that she wanted to go to the nunnery to pray for Madam Dowager, Madam Ling and Madam Ming, and would return in two years.

    How could people not be moved by such a filial daughter? Immediately, everyone praised her, so that the emperor in the imperial pce was shocked by that. He specifically asked Honored Consort Ya, who then was Consort Ya, to inquire about her. It was said that the emperor wanted to confer an honor, Commandery Princess, on her. But it had not been carried out, and the reason was unknown to others.

    Because Honored Consort Ya liked her, Ning Qingshan had lived in the imperial pce for two or three months before going to the nunnery.

    But two yearster, she still did note back. She said that she wanted to pray for Lord Protector¡¯s Manor for another year. This year was herst year!

    Originally, Ning Xueyan only knew these things. But at this time of herst life, Ning Ziying saw the Third Prince and curiously asked at the moment when Xia Yuhang apanied Ning Ziyan and her wandering in the garden.

    Ning Ziyan, who was eager to please Xia Yuhang, hastily exined. She said that Ning Qingshan had recognized the Honored Consort Ya as her aunt, so that she would also send a letter to Honored Consort Ya when she wrote to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor at this time every year.

    Xia Yuhang also spoke highly of Ning Qingshan at that time.

    Ning Ziyan also said that Ning Qingshan usually stayed in Bright Frost Garden and never met outsiders and be involved in other affairs. People of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor still could not see her when they sent things to her. However, she wrote a letter to her family on the first day into the nunnery, which was a filial behavior.

    Two years was not enough, and she prayed for another year. It was impossible for ordinary people to do!

    In all people¡¯s minds, Ning Qingshan was a model of Young Lady!

    In thest life, Ning Xueyan would only envy her good luck.

    But one would feel strange if he or she thought about it now. A Young Lady who had no blood rtionship with members of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had such a good reputation and enjoyed the favor and praise of everyone in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. It was obvious that she was not a simple person.

    Furthermore, the gentleness in the eyes of Third Prince could not be hidden. At that time, the Third Prince was only fourteen or fifteen years old. But he had been keeping thinking about Ning Qingshan for three years. How scheming the thirteen-year-old little girl was!

    "Shan¡¯er should be back this time. I have sent a letter to her today. She has spent three years there living a simple and hard life. She¡¯s just a little girl... I feel sad whenever I think of it."

    Madam Dowager sighed and said with tears in her eyes. She actually showed her true feelings that she had never shown before.

    "Madam Dowager, does she agree to leave the nunnery this time?" There was a glimmer of surprise in the Third Prince¡¯s eyes.

    Madam Dowager said while looking at Ning Xueyan, "She should have agreed. She has been there for three years and has toe back. She is sixteen years old now. Ling¡¯er is engaged, and she¡¯s next. There¡¯s no such a principle that younger sister gets married before the elder sister."

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s dress today was worse than usual. Her clothes looked so gaudy and her hairstyle was so ugly. She did not look like the Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and even was worse than a maid. This made Madam Dowager very unhappy. She felt that she was not promising when she saw Ning Xueyan¡¯s appearance.

    Originally, Madam Dowager hoped that the Third Prince would marry Ning Xueyan. But now she found that even she did not think Ning Xueyan was outstanding. How could the Three Princes like her?

    "If she doesn¡¯t know how to dress up, her delicate and beautiful face is of no use. And how can she attract the Third Prince? Since Marquis of Ping¡¯an want to marry her, just let him marry her. Anyway, she¡¯s in a poor health and doesn¡¯t know how to dress up. She¡¯s useless to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor."

    Madam Dowager had made up her mind while looking at Ning Xueyan.

    Hearing that Ning Qingshan woulde back, the Third Prince was happier. He nodded and said, "Since you¡¯ve said that she¡¯lle back this time, I¡¯ll tell my motherter. My mother hasn¡¯t seen her for so many years, and said that she misses her very much. If shees back, let her go to the imperial pce to see my mother."

    "Naturally she¡¯ll visit your mother. It¡¯s also her good fortune that Honored Consort Ya likes her. After shees back, we wish that your mother will pay more attention to her marriage and choose a good man for her!" Madam Dowager was also in a good mood and nodded.

    The Third Prince immediately agreed with what Madam Dowager said. Since they had made an agreement, the Third Prince decided to leave. He stood up and said goodbye. At this time, Ning Lingyun seized the opportunity and said that she would see off the Third Prince on behalf of Madam Dowager.

    Looking at delicate Ning Lingyun whose behaviors were too gentle and lovely, Madam Dowager frowned, but still nodded her head. Anyway, she was better than the silly Fifth Young Lady.

    The Third Prince gave a look at Ning Xueyan and followed Ning Lingyun to walk outside.

    Seeing that everyone had gone, Ning Xueyan finally said goodbye.

    However, she went out of the courtyard gate and soon saw the Third Prince and Ning Lingyun who were slowly walking in front of her after walking for a short time.

    Ning Xueyan did not want to walk with them. She gave a look at a fork nearby and wanted to go there. But the Third Prince stopped and turned around when he heard sounds behind them. He looked at Ning Xueyan and smiled elegantly. "Fifth Young Lady, are you going back to your courtyard? Let¡¯s go together!"

    He went on walking as soon as he finished that!

    Ning Xueyan could not but follow them since the Third Prince had invited. Ning Lingyun kept giving fierce looks at Ning Xueyan, but Ning Xueyan could only pretend that she could not see her fierce looks. Anyway, after passing the rockery which was not far away, Ning Xueyan would arrive at the path to her courtyard. At that time, the Third Prince could not say anything.

    "Fifth Young Lady, your hairstyle is quite special." The Third Prince looked sideways at Ning Xueyan with a slight smile on his handsome face, a trace of curiosity and gloom shing through his eyes.

    Ning Xueyan was not a foolish woman. But why did she cover up her brilliant face with bangs? Thinking of what Marquis of Ping¡¯an and Madam Dowager had said, the Third Prince understood the reason.

    "Yes, my maids are not good at it. Please don¡¯tugh at it." Ning Xueyan smiled and pretended to be embarrassed.

    Being disturbed by Ning Xueyan, Ning Lingyun unhappily said in a sharp voice, "Fifth Sister, I think you should drive away the maid who made the hairstyle for you. Look at yourself, you look so terrible. Your face is pale and too thin, and such a hairstyle makes you so ugly!" She gave a sarcastic look at Ning Xueyan and then squeezed into the middle between Ning Xueyan and the Third Prince.

    It was hard for Ning Lingyun to get a chance to be alone with the Third Prince, but now this chance was destroyed by Ning Xueyan, which made Ning Lingyun very angry. So she was certainly not satisfied with everything of Ning Xueyan.

    Ning Lingyun was really interested in the Third Prince and feared that others would attract his attention.

    Ning Xueyan gave a cold look at Ning Lingyun, and slightly moved aside. She did that because she did not want to have too much contact with the Third Prince, not because of Ning Lingyun. She was not Ning Lingyun who could not see the Third Prince¡¯s shrewdness and dislike. She had been harmed by Xia Yuhang inst life, so she now just wanted an equal marriage.

    Otherwise, others would despise her!

    The Third Prince slightly smiled and elegantly said while looking at Ning Lingyun, "Fourth Young Lady, your hairstyle is also good. There must be some maids who are good at it!"

    The Third Prince¡¯s stare made Ning Lingyun flush, who thought that she had sessfully attracted the Third Prince. It was helpful that she got up so early and dressed up for two hours. So she was not angry with Ning Xueyan anymore and said shyly, "Thank you for your praise!"

    "What happened to the right side of your head? Is it a new hairstyle? I haven¡¯t seen it before. I¡¯ll certainly mention it to my mother when I return to the imperial pce." The Third Prince smiled more gently while looking at the right side of Ning Lingyun¡¯s hair, as if he really liked her hairstyle today.

    "The right? What happened to the right?"

    Ning Lingyun was at a loss because of the Third Prince¡¯s praise. She subconsciously reached out for a touch, and immediately touched her back hair. A hairpin hung on her hair loosely and suddenly fell down because of Ning Lingyun¡¯s touch. Immediately, her hair disorderly scattered on her shoulder.

    "Ah, Young Lady, your hair is in disorder!" The maid standing on her side immediately reminded her.

    Ning Lingyun always wanted to keep a beautiful image in front of the Third Prince. How could she tolerate such an embarrassment? Her face turned pale first, and then red. Finally, she rushed away with tears in her eyes while covering her hair of right side before saying something to the Third Prince.

    Her two maids looked at each other and then followed up.

    Ning Lingyun had spent so long in dressing up in the morning and even actively saw off the Third Prince, regardless of a Young Lady¡¯s reservedness. However, she became ashamed and rushed away because of the Third Prince¡¯s one sentence in the end!

    Ning Xueyan wanted tough. But when she saw that the Third Prince looking at her, she immediately concealed her smile and regained indifference. Although she was d that the mean Ning Lingyun had gone away, she still was unwilling to walk with the Third Prince.

    She did not want to be targeted by other women because of the Third Prince!

 Chapter 115 The Third Princes Gentleness

    The road to her courtyard was closer. Ning Xueyan tidied up her clothes and was about to say goodbye. But a man in the white robe stood in front of her and blocked her way.

    Ning Xueyan looked up and saw the gentle and elegant face of the Third Prince who asked gently, "Why did you make such a hairstyle?"

    "Is it really because your maid is not good at it?" The Third Prince insisted on asking for the reason, which was unexpected to Ning Xueyan. She turned her head to Lanning who was standing beside and wanted to dump the me on Lanning. She really did not want to have any private involvement with the noble Third Prince.

    "I, I¡¯ll make a better hairstyle for our Young Lady next time," Lanning answered the question in fear while bowing her head, looking like she really had done something wrong.

    The Third Prince asked with a smile on his face while quietly looking at Ning Xueyan. "I heard that you refused to marry me?" At first nce, the Third Prince would think that the clothes did not suit the girl in front of him and her hairstyle was also ugly so that she looked terrible and was worse than the maids in his manor.

    But if he looked carefully, he would see how beautiful she was. Even though her clothes did not suit her and her hairstyle was ugly, she still made people feel surprised. Young as she was, she was so beautiful. And she would only be more beautiful when she grew up.

    The Third Prince could not help being attracted by her and was unwilling to look away.

    This question was extremely brusque. No one would ask such a question to a girl. Moreover, they had no affection for each other in private.

    "Should all women act like Ning Yuling and Ning Lingyun when they see you?" Ning Xueyan sneered in her mind, but she did not show it on her face. She answered while lightly pulling the handkerchief in her hands, "The Third Prince¡¯s Manor is very good. But I still cannot protect myself. I don¡¯t want to die for such a thing."

    When she was speaking, the breeze blew and her bangs parted slightly so that the Third Prince clearly saw the indifference in her bright watery eyes.

    It was the same person and she did not change her clothes. But now she gave the Third Prince a different feeling. She just stood there and directly told him the reason, neither shy nor shamed. She was so honest and did not conceal the truth.

    When they were in Cold Mountain Temple, Ning Yuling humiliated her so much and her medicine was poisoned, from which we could see how difficult her situation was in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Just now he saw with his own eyes that she was pushed by a Young Lady who was born of a concubine and her face was almost disfigured. All these things told the Third Prince that she was telling the truth!

    She did not y hard to get, which those girls from respectable families liked to do. She was only stating a fact. So her eyes were clear and firm.

    She did not want to lose her life, so she dared not marry him!

    Her answer was simple, but was urate!

    It was the first time for the Third Prince to see such a wise and incisive woman. She already was in a difficult situation in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and might have a greater crisis because of him, which made the Third Prince feel guilty.

    "Or I¡¯ll directly tell my mother and we get married as soon as possible. In the future, you¡¯ll be my wife and I won¡¯t allow others to bully you!" The Third Prince said that naturally and subconsciously reached out to pick up a withered and yellow leaf that had fallen on her hair.

    The man¡¯s slender fingers slipped through her hair, which shocked Ning Xueyan. Her eyes immediately became cold. She subconsciously stepped back to avoid his hands and could not help but blush.

    Ning Xueyan was a little angry. How could the Third Prince be so frivolous and impolite?

    But in the eyes of the Third Prince, the blushing Ning Xueyan was as beautiful as flowers...

    Ning Xueyan concealed the anger on her face and indifferently said, "Thank you for your kindness. But my grandmother said that younger sisters have to get married after the elder sisters!" Then she saluted the Third Prince and said with a cold look, "We¡¯re almost at the intersection and I have to go back to my courtyard. I can¡¯t apany you anymore!"

    After that, she walked to the other side with her maids before the Third Prince could speak.

    She walked away without hesitance!

    She was a weak woman, but was so decisive and sober. The Third Prince certainly knew that what he just said was empty. Madam Dowager had made it clear that Ning Xueyan¡¯s two older sisters had not gotten married and it was not her turn. If he rashly said that he wanted to marry her, it would only cause great disaster to her.

    It was the best choice for her to get rid of and refuse him now. But that was what attracted him more. What he proposed just now was empty. But now he had a different feeling and really wanted to marry her and protect her.

    What kind of situation made such a beautiful girl to be alert step by step and dare not make a mistake? Looking at Ning Xueyan walking away, the Third Prince unconsciously showed gentleness in his eyes.

    But Ning Xueyan did not have so much time to be sentimental. As soon as she returned to Bright Frost Garden, she asked Lanning and Qingyu to inquire about information.

    Soon, Lanning and Qingyu came back one after the other.

    "Young Lady, Marquis of Ping¡¯an and the Third Prince did not leave. They¡¯re in the front yard, and apanied by our marquis. Now they should be chatting in the study. And servants are preparing lunch in the kitchen!" Because she had run quickly, Qingyu told Ning Xueyan what she was asked to inquire by Ning Xueyan while gasping.

    "I also inquired what you asked me to. First Madam¡¯s personal servant, Mother Chen, is indeed in the Second Young Lady¡¯s courtyard. Now, the Second Young Lady is particrly quiet in her ce. No one of Qingrong Courtyard knows that the Third Prince is in the manor." Lanning was much steadier than Qingyu. When inquiring about things, she also paid attention to some other things.

    Originally, she felt strange that why the Second Young Lady did not show up when the Third Prince was here. It turned out that she was guarded by Madam Ling.

    Qingyu asked while blinking her eyes, "Young Lady, the marriage between the Second Young Lady and Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li has been determined. Does the Second Young Lady still want to marry the Third Prince?"

    Young Ladies from respectable families attached great importance on reputation and integrity. It was believed that the Second Young Lady and Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li had had sex. Did the Second Young Lady still think that she could marry into the Third Prince¡¯s Manor and be the Third Prince¡¯s consort?

    Ning Xueyan smiled slightly, carefully picked up a small pastry on the table, and gently bit it. Others would feel hopeless and drop the idea forever. But Ning Yuling was different. She was arrogant and had always been self-centered. In addition, she also was the favorite Young Lady in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. How could she think that she did not deserve the Third Prince?

    "Is anyone else in the Buddha Hall?"

    "No one else. I¡¯ve been there. Madam Dowager only allows Mother Chen to serve the First Madam when she was in the Buddha Hall. Mother Chen is in the Second Young Lady¡¯s Qingrong Courtyard now. So there¡¯s no one serving the First Madam now. The female servant who guards the door is old and will take a nap every afternoon. Besides, few will visit the Buddha Hall. Actually, there¡¯s no need for her to guard the door at all."

    After listening to Ning Xueyan¡¯smand, Lanning even inquired about the information about Buddha Hall.

    The Buddha Hall was usually closed, and only Madam Dowager went there asionally. The female servant guarding the Buddha Hall was old and could not hear clearly. But as long as one spoke loudly, she still could hear.

    "Qingyu, you go to the kitchen again and ask them to make my favorite nut pastry. Just tell them that I need to eat it when I take medicine and ask them to make it with care. Then you needn¡¯te back. Just stay there and watch them do it. Bring some money with you and reward them." Ning Xueyan took a sip of tea and showed a cold smile on her face.

    It was veryplex to make nut pastry. The cook not only needed to ce four or five kinds of nuts on it, but also had to knead the dough with great care. The nut pastry was sweet and delicious. There was one cook in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor who was good at making it. But it would take much time.

    "Yes, I¡¯ll see them do itter. I won¡¯t bezy!" Qingyu reached out and touched the item in her sleeve. Then she nodded her head firmly and promised without hesitation.

    Although she did not quite understand why her Young Lady was so foresighted, she still knew that her Young Lady was no longer the ipetent Fifth Young Lady. When she thought that so many people had bullied her Young Lady before and no one had shown up to say a word for her Young Lady, Qingyu felt very angry. Fortunately, now no one could bully her Young Lady at will!

    This change was certainly good. Qingyu was relieved and did not persist in wondering why Ning Xueyan became like this!

    "Lanning, I heard that the Second Sister asks people to make some snacks for her at noon every day. But today is so busy. I¡¯m afraid that people in the kitchen can¡¯t make snacks for her. The Second Sister has to be informed of that, so as not to disturb father¡¯s banquet!" After that, Ning Xueyan slightly looked down with coldness in her eyes.

    Ning Xueyan mentioned Ning Yuling here, while Ning Yuling¡¯s ce was not quiet.

    In the room, Ning Yuling threw away the brush pen in her hands angrily and looked at the words on the paper. The more she looked at them, the more she was angry. She picked up the paper and tore it hard, and the paper immediately was torn in two.

    Mother Chen came over, picked up the paper, and said, "Oh, my Second Young Lady, who are you angry with? You¡¯ve written a few words. It¡¯s a pity that they all were ruined!"

    "I don¡¯t want to write. Why do I have to practice calligraphy here while that little b*tch isfortable and has nothing to do?" Ning Yuling said with anger. On thinking that the reason why she had to marry Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li was Ning Xueyan¡¯s plot, Ning Yuling wished that she could kill Ning Xueyan!

    Mother Chenforted Ning Yuling, saying, "Second Young Lady, you can rest assured. The Fifth Young Lady will be ufortable soon. She will live a bad life after she marries into Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s Manor!"

    Ning Yuling said with resentment in her eyes, "Marrying into Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s Manor and bing the marchioness are not punishment. I really don¡¯t know how mother thought about it. She should kick her out and sell her to the red-light districts in the end. In this way, I can vent my hate."

    Mother Chen said while smiling, "Second Young Lady, you can rest assured. The Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s Manor is not a good ce. All men in Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s Manor are shameless. If a girl from a good family marries into there, she¡¯ll die soon. If she survives, she will be a shameless woman." Her words were meaningful.

    Mother Chen¡¯s statement was very obscure, and also contained something dirty. But Ning Yuling understood. She immediately was very happy. But then she gritted her teeth and said, "Mother Chen, tell my mother that I want her to manage to save me from punishment. I also want tough at that little b*tch and see how she dies."

    All men of Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s Manor were libertines. Women were to them what honey was to bee. They would certainly torment her.

    "Second Young Lady, so you have to be obedient and must not offend Madam Dowager. First Madam is not allowed to leave Buddha Hall, how can she save you from punishment?" Mother Chen advised Ning Yuling in earnest, but sighed in her mind. The Second Young Lady had always been arrogant. How could she take into ount Madam Ling¡¯s present situation?

    Were it not for the fear that she would make trouble if she knew that the Third Prince was in manor, Mother Chen would not havee here to guard her at this time.

    Suddenly, the door was thrown open behind her, and a girl rushed in with happiness while shouting, "Young Lady, Young Lady..."

 Chapter 116 Marquis of Pingan Is Drunken and Enters the Womenfolk Courtyard by Mistake

    Being interrupted by the maid, Ning Yuling turned her face with anger, stared at the maid who was rushing in, and shouted angrily, "What¡¯s the matter?"

    "Young... Young Lady," The maid trembled and realized that Ning Yuling would not let go of her if she did not provide some useful information when she was stared at by Ning Yuling. So she immediately said after gasping, "Second Young Lady, the Third Prince is in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor now."

    "The Third Prince?" The anger on Ning Yuling¡¯s face disappeared at once. She took the maid¡¯s hands and asked in surprise.

    Seeing that something bad was going to happen, Mother Chen immediately stepped forward and stood in front of Ning Yuling to stop her. "Second Young Lady, First Madam said that you have to practise calligraphy in your courtyard. If you make Madam Dowager angry again, she can¡¯t protect you."

    "Mother had never protected me. I still have to rely on myself. Mother Chen, don¡¯t worry. I have a sense of propriety." Ning Yuling impatiently pushed aside Mother Chen, who was standing in front of her to stop her.

    Because she was pushed by Ning Yuling, Mother Chen stepped backward and almost fell down. After taking several steps backward, Mother Chen stabilized herself by holding a chair and her face had turned pale.

    Ning Yuling asked the maid, "Where is the Third Prince now?"

    "How dare you! First Madam ordered that no one can talk about the Third Prince in front of the Second Young Lady, otherwise..." Just as the maid was about to speak, Mother Chen¡¯s gloomy voice came from behind. The maid was so frightened that she dared not say again. She shook her head in fear while covering her mouth, afraid to say anything more.

    She only remembered that the Second Young Lady had said that they would be rewarded if they report to her immediately when they got the news of the Third Prince. She forgot that the First Madam had said that they would be beaten to death if they talked about the Third Prince in front of the Second Young Lady.

    Although the maid wanted a reward very much, she dared not say something about the Third Prince in front of Mother Chen. She would lose her life if First Madam knew this matter!

    "Speak now!" Seeing the maid covering her mouth and shaking her head, Ning Yuling got angry and directly pped her heavily, who then stood unsteadily and fell to the ground.

    "Say it! If you don¡¯t tell me, I¡¯ll sell you to the worst brothel." Ning Yuling said that with fierceness.

    "Young Lady, I..." The maid was very regretful now. She regretted that she hade back to tell the Second Young Lady as soon as she got the news of the Third Prince in the kitchen in order to get the reward. Unexpectedly, she did not receive the reward, but was punished. On thinking the life in the worst brothel, the maid immediately knelt straight in front of Ning Yuling.

    "Young Lady, the Third Prince is in the manor now. Marquis invited him to have lunch. Now people in the kitchen are busy preparing lunch and don¡¯t have enough time to make the pastries you want."

    The maid directly said all she knew in a trembling voice, ready to risk everything.

    The maids who served Ning Yuling knew that they really would be sold to the worst brothel by Ning Yuling if they did not obey her. The life there was worse than death.

    "Did the Third Prince reallye to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? My father also invited him to have lunch here?" Hearing the maid¡¯s words, Ning Yuling was very happy and her eyes brightened. She did not care about the maid anymore and immediately walked inside while asking other maids to choose beautiful clothes and to send to her. "I have to dress up well so that the Third Prince will marvel at my beauty and be unwilling to give up me. Then he will propose marrying me. Will my grandmother oppose at that time?"

    At this time, all she was thinking about was the Third Prince. She did not realize that the Third Prince had not fallen in love with her when she was innocent, let alone now.

    "Second Young Lady, you can¡¯t go out. You¡¯re grounded now. If you go out now, Madam Dowager will be angry." Mother Chen followed her and urgently advised.

    Ning Yuling rolled her eyes and carelessly said, "So what? If I be the Consort of the Third Prince, she will be thrilled. How can she me me at that time?" She sat in front of the dressing table while the maids were dressing up her.

    "Second Young Lady, the First Madam is still in Buddha Hall..." Mother Chen also wanted to persuade her, but Ning Yuling was tired of it. She said to the two maids standing behind the door, "Stop her mouth. If I hear her nonsense again, I¡¯ll beat you together."

    The two maids dared not disobey Ning Yuling¡¯s order. One came and pressed Mother Chen¡¯s hands, and the other stuffed a cloth towel into her mouth. Mother Chen was old and could not stop the two maids. She was dragged aside and could only watch Ning Yuling going out after dressing up.

    Last time, the Third Prince just stayed for a short time. So this time Ning Zu¡¯an invited the Third Prince to have lunch in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Fortunately, the Third Prince agreed to stay for lunch. However, the fly in the ointment was that they could not get rid of Marquis of Ping¡¯an who was as sticky as sticky candy.

    Marquis of Ping¡¯an hade to talk about the unity by marriage, but Ning Zu¡¯an ignored him and directly asked him to talk about it with Madam Dowager. Everyone knew that Madam Dowager was powerful and could defeat ten people like Marquis of Ping¡¯an together. Unexpectedly, Madam Dowager asked people to tell Ning Zu¡¯an that Marquis of Ping¡¯an had a jade pendant of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, which made Ning Zu¡¯an very angry.

    "It must be Madam Ling¡¯s work, otherwise it is impossible for Marquis of Ping¡¯an to have this jade pendant!"

    The meaning in Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s words made both Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an nervous. So Ning Zu¡¯an talked to Marquis of Ping¡¯an for a while when he came out of womenfolk courtyard to look for him. But he wished that Marquis of Ping¡¯an could leave as soon as possible. However, Marquis of Ping¡¯an moved ahead with ten-step-forward when Ning Zu¡¯an moved one-step-backward and did not leave.

    He also said that he would leave with the Third Prince. The Third Prince stayed for lunch, so did he.

    Fortunately, Marquis of Ping¡¯an knew how to behave in a delicate situation. When Ning Zu¡¯an and the Third Prince were talking, he seldom spoke and only smiled. If one did not look at his fat face, he or she would not be very ufortable. Ning Zu¡¯an directly ignored him and toasted to the Third Prince.

    Marquis of Ping¡¯an was in a good mood today. He not only saw his favorite beauty, but also hit on the way to stay for lunch with the Third Prince. This was a great fortune. The Third Prince was supported by many officials. If he became the emperor in the future, it could be said that Marquis of Ping¡¯an would put himself under the patronage of a higher-up.

    When he saw Ning Zu¡¯an toasted the Third Prince, he also came to toast the Third Prince. His daughter was a Beautiful Lady in the imperial pce, so the Third Prince could not refuse him and had to drink, which greatly aroused his enthusiasm. He, together with Ning Zu¡¯an, proposed toasts again and again. In the end, the Third Prince did not get drunk, but himself was drunk.

    Ning Zu¡¯an asked servants to take him to the guest room to rest.

    The Third Prince was also a little drunken, so he got up and said goodbye.

    Ning Zu¡¯an respectfully apanied the Third Prince to the gate, and then returned to the study. He had drunk a lot before, so he also was somewhat drunk. So he directly lied down in the study to have a rest.

    Marquis of Ping¡¯an was sleeping in the guest room that lied near the second door. His young male servant, who had helped his master lie down, was guarding outside the door. He felt bored and was napping. Suddenly, he saw the face of a little maiding out of the second door, who waved at him and then hid behind the courtyard wall.

    The young male servant did not understand for a moment. So he went out and stretched out his head to look. But before he could see it, he was knocked on his head and fell down involuntarily. Xinmei, who was at the corner reached out to hold him and then dragged him to the back of a tree inside the courtyard and let him sit behind the tree.

    The tree was thick while the young male servant was only an eleven or twelve years old boy. No one would see him when he sat behind the tree while leaning against it.

    After dealing with the young male servant quickly, Xinmei entered the room through the slightly closed door. As soon as she entered, she smelt the strong smell of liquor. She saw a big fat man lying in bed, who was loudly snoring with his mouth open. Seeing that, Xinmei involuntarily wrinkled her nose.

    Knowing that the time was limited, Xinmei took out the sobering medicine given by Ning Xueyan from her arms and picked up a cup of cold tea on the table. Then she pinched Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s nose with one hand and made his mouth wider, and threw the medicine into his big mouth and poured cold tea into it with the other hand.

    Marquis of Ping¡¯an swallowed it subconsciously, and the medicine went into his throat immediately. Then cool water rushed down. After that, Marquis of Ping¡¯an coughed sharply and loudly.

    The drunken Marquis of Ping¡¯an woke up because of choke. He sat up while covering his head, only feeling that everything in front of him was unclear. He heard somebody was saying to him, "Marquis, don¡¯t lie here. This is the womenfolk courtyard. I¡¯ll bring you to the menfolk courtyard and rest there."

    "Okay, let¡¯s go." Marquis of Ping¡¯an thought it was his young male servant who was talking to him. So he nodded his head and got up while coughing.

    He still remembered that this was the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Ning Zu¡¯an was powerful and influential, so he could not make any trouble here. Although he was dizzy, he still had a clear mind. After taking medicine and coughing for a while, he had be somewhat sober and staggered to his feet.

    "Go. Let¡¯s... let¡¯s go to menfolk courtyard!"

    He staggered all the way, and did not see the road clearly. So he did not know that he was taken to those paths where there were no people. Xinwei would stop and let him rest as soon as she found that there was someone far away. After several times, the medicine worked. Marquis of Ping¡¯an could see more and more clearly, but his brain was still not clear.

    Marquis of Ping¡¯an felt that his young male servant was unpleasant. He was staggering, but the servant did note to support him. At a corner, Marquis of Ping¡¯an could not walk anymore. He stopped, closed his eyes, and scolded, "You bastard,e to help me!"

    Xinmei said to Marquis of Ping¡¯an on the outside of the corner in a low voice, "Marquis, walk a little further ahead and you¡¯ll see the house. Then you go straight in. I¡¯ll go somewhere to find hot water for you."

    "Go!" Hearing that it was not far away and the young male servant was about to find hot water for him, Marquis of Ping¡¯an forgave him. He narrowed his eyes and saw there really was a house not far away. Then he staggered forward.

    Xinmei guarded outside alone and sneered when she saw Marquis of Ping¡¯an staggering into the house. It was exactly what her Young Lady had thought. She was looking forward to her Young Lady¡¯s next step...

    Ning Yuling did not expect that she could note out of the floral-pendant gate. As soon as she left the Qingrong Courtyard, Madam Dowager knew it. Madam Dowager was very angry and asked people to stop her. So before she arrived at the floral-pendant gate, Mother Chen hade with some servants and stopped her directly.

    She said to Ning Yuling that Madam Dowager was asking for her!

    Although Ning Yuling was not happy, she dared not disobey Madam Dowager¡¯s order. So she had to follow Mother Qin to Madam Dowager¡¯s Lucky Garden with unhappiness. On the way, she suddenly saw Ning Xueyan passing by her with a pot of ck chrysanthemum in hands. Ning Yuling stopped at once when she saw the pot of ck chrysanthemum.

    Ning Yuling recognized this potted ck chrysanthemum, which was her favorite one. The reason why she liked ck chrysanthemum was that the Third Prince liked it.

    "Ning Xueyan, do you want to die? How dare you touch my flowers!" After giving a look at the direction Ning Xueyan was going and the ck chrysanthemum Ning Xueyan was holding, Ning Yuling was very angry. She could not pass the second gate. But Ning Xueyan dared to please the Third Prince with her flowers. How could Ning Yuling not be extremely angry?

    Ning Yuling got angry at once. She stopped and reproached Ning Xueyan while pointing at her.

 Chapter 117 One Show after Another

    Hearing Ning Yuling¡¯s questions, Ning Xueyan stopped and faintly said with a slight smile on her face, "Second sister, I¡¯ll show this flower to grandmother. Don¡¯t you want to show it to grandmother?"

    "Show it to grandmother? Is this the way to Lucky Garden?" Ning Yuling unconsciously sneered and scolded while making an akimbo gesture, "You little bitch, how dare you lie to me!"

    "Some parts of this flower are not good-looking. So I want to trim it in the front garden before sending it to grandmother. Second Sister, what are you suspicious of?" Ning Xueyan slightly raised her chin to point to the right front ce. There was a garden house where there was some equipment used to trim the flower.

    Ning Yuling found what Ning Xueyan said was reasonable. She still wanted to make unreasonable noises, but she also knew that this time was not appropriate. Besides, Mother Qin also was there. But she was unwilling to give up in front of Ning Xueyan who she despised most, especially when she saw the anxiety in Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes. She was sure that Ning Xueyan had a n.

    The Third Prince had not left at this time, and Ning Xueyan was in such a hurry. Ning Yuling thought that Ning Xueyan must want to try to seduce the Third Prince with the ck chrysanthemum. How could she allow it to happen?

    "What¡¯s wrong with my flower? Does it humiliate you? I think it¡¯s beautiful. If you really want to show it to grandmother sincerely,e with me to see her now. Don¡¯t talk so much nonsense!" Ning Yuling nced at Ning Xueyan with an angry face.

    "Little bitch, you want to seduce the Third Prince when I¡¯m absent. There¡¯s no way!"

    Ning Xueyan turned to Mother Qin and said with embarrassment on her face. "Mother Qin, is it appropriate for me to go at this time?"

    The reason why Madam Dowager called Ning Yuling was that she was going to teach her a lesson. It would be very inappropriate for Ning Xueyan to go at this time. One would not disturb Madam Dowager at this time as long as he or she was foresighted.

    "Why would it be inappropriate? Is it appropriate for you to go out and seduce the Third Prince now?" Ning Yuling scolded mercilessly!

    Ning Yuling wanted to seduce the Third Prince, so she thought that Ning Xueyan had the same idea. Seeing hesitant Ning Xueyan, Ning Yuling believed that her guess was right. Immediately, she red at Ning Xueyan and shrieked.

    Almost half of the people in the garden could hear the scream. Some maids and older female servants passed by looked over and then fled in fear when they saw the Second Young Lady.

    Her words were more and more unpleasant to hear. If people heard two Young Ladies of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had no shame and talked about seducing man, how would they think about Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?

    "Fifth Young Lady,e with us!" Mother Qin felt distressed. Now she just wanted to take the Second Young Lady to Madam Dowager¡¯s ce without causing any more trouble.

    "Well... okay!" Ning Xueyan ignored Ning Yuling. She nodded, turned around, and followed Mother Qin and others to Lucky Garden with the flower in her hands.

    Nobody noticed that Ning Xueyan had sneered when she turned around!

    How could Ning Yuling let go of Ning Xueyan when she saw her walking to the second door with ck chrysanthemum...

    When they arrived at the Lucky Garden gate, Xiangmiao, Madam Dowager¡¯s maid, was standing in the courtyard and waiting for them. Seeing Ning Yulinging, Xiangmiao loudly said while pointing to the corridor, "Second Young Lady, Madam Dowager asked you to wait here."

    It was the severity shown by Madam Dowager to Ning Yuling.

    "You also want to stop me? Grandmother asked me toe, why should I wait outside?" Ning Yuling refused to obey. She had been spoiled by Madam Dowager and Madam Ling and always was domineering. She could ask people to wait outside. But she could not be asked to wait outside.

    She directly poked Xiangmiao¡¯s head with her one hand on which fingernails were red.

    Several red prints appeared Xiangmiao¡¯s head, which made her somewhat angry. She was the First Maid of Madam Dowager. And Madam Ling had to respect her at ordinary times. "Second Young Lady, this is Madam Dowager¡¯s Lucky Garden. Even though First Madam is here, she also has to wait for Madam Dowager¡¯s permission to enter."

    But she was pped by Ning Yuling as soon as she finished that. "Little bitch! You dare to threaten me with my mother and grandmother!"

    Ning Yuling usually beat and scolded her maids at will. Even some had been beaten to death or sold to private brothels. Now she was not in a good mood, so she would certainly vent her anger on Xiangmiao.

    Xiangmiao was the powerful First Maid serving Madam Dowager, and she had never suffered this kind of humiliation. She covered her face for a while and almost fainted. Her lips were trembling, and she could not say a word.

    "Let her in!" Madam Dowager¡¯s cold angry voice came from the room.

    Ning Yuling sneered while ncing at the Xiangmiao with pride. Then she pushed the crowd away and went inside.

    Ning Xueyan hesitated for a second and followed Mother Qin in.

    "Grandma!" Ning Yuling entered first, and saluted Madam Dowager. But she directly straight up before Madam Dowager responded. Seeing that, Madam Dowager darkened her face more.

    Ning Yuling asked with unhappiness, "Grandma, why did you call me over at this time?" If it had not been for Madam Dowager, she would have met the Third Prince.

    Madam Dowager coldly said while looking at Ning Yuling, "Why didn¡¯t you stay in your own courtyard? What are you going to do? Now you even make noise here. It¡¯s outrageous!" Her face became worse and worse.

    Seeing Madam Dowager¡¯s gloomy face and hearing her harsh words, Ning Yuling felt guilty. She looked around and saw Ning Xueyan who was standing respectfully on one side with the flower in her hands. Immediately, she had an idea. She reached out to point to Ning Xueyan and angrily scolded, "Grandmother, it¡¯s her fault. She wants to seduce the Third Prince with the potted flower as soon as she heard that the Third Prince would have lunch in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor today. Look at her, how terrible she is. Does she deserve to have such an idea?"

    Ning Yuling ndered Ning Xueyan and dumped the me on her. The more she said, the more she felt that Ning Xueyan was shameless and low. She was even more furious to see Ning Xueyan standing there indifferently.

    "If I knew that you have this in your mind, I should have asked my mother to send you to a brothel to serve men."

    Hatred of Ning Xueyan, for old and new wrongs, welled up in Ning Yuling¡¯s heart. For momentary pleasure, she spoke without thinking. She had already forgotten that this is Madam Dowager¡¯s Lucky Garden.

    "Pa!"

    Ning Yuling¡¯s curse stopped abruptly. She looked at Madam Dowager in disbelief while covering her face with one hand.

    "Enough! You¡¯re the Second Young Lady, how could you say those bestial words? How did your mother teach you? You look like a shrew of ill-breeding. How can you marry into Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor if you behave like that?" Madam Dowager pped Ning Yuling and scolded her fiercely. She was so angry that her face turned livid.

    For the first time, she heard her spoiled granddaughter scolding people as a shrew. Although she knew that Ning Yuling was vicious in private, she still spoiled Ning Yuling because she was beautiful and always pleasing. Madam Dowager also thought that a woman would be bullied if she was too weak in womenfolk courtyard.

    But she had never thought that Ning Yuling¡¯s behaviors were worse than those of a shrew.

    Ning Yuling was beaten by Madam Dowager for the first time so that she was shocked at the moment. She immediately cried in a grievance, "Grandma!"

    ... Madam Dowager was exasperated at Ning Yuling¡¯s failure to make good. She pointed at Ning Yuling and scolded, "Shut up! If you¡¯re as one-tenth clever as of your Fifth Sister, I won¡¯t p you today. Look at what you said and did, are you still the Second Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? You not only pped my maid, but also scolded your sister. You¡¯re sisters, but you call her bitch again and again. Do you still know that I¡¯m here?"

    Ning Yuling ruefully said with tears in her eyes, "Grandma..."

    "Apologize to your Fifth Sister!" Madam Dowager rebuked coldly.

    Ning Xueyan had been standing on one side to look at them. However, she was suddenly mentioned, so she had to say, "Grandmother, it¡¯s my fault. I thought that the ck chrysanthemum is beautiful, so I decided to bring it to you. Unexpectedly, I made Second Sister misunderstand."

    Madam Dowager said with a gloomy face, "She misunderstood? I think that she wanted to seduce the Third Prince, but now dumps the me on others. She¡¯d better know who she is. If it weren¡¯t for your father, Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li wouldn¡¯t agree to marry you. How dare you seduce the Third Prince now? If you go on like that, you¡¯ll be hated by Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li after you marry into Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor!" Her words were harsh, which made Ning Yuling dare not say a word.

    Ning Yuling was scolded by Madam Dowager so much that she could say nothing. And her expression was aggrieved and pitiful. But her look at Ning Xueyan was more and more malicious.

    "Grandmother, Second Sister and Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li are in love with each other. I believe that Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li won¡¯t treat Second Sister like that." Ning Xueyanforted Madam Dowager with a smile on her face, as if she did not see Ning Yuling¡¯s fierce look.

    "Only Xueyan is sensible. Inform Concubine Xu of taking some money from my pocket-money to Xueyan every month." Madam Dowager sighed, took Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand, and let her sit down. "The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor looks decent, but it¡¯s actually seeming decent. We can¡¯t ally with the Third Prince by marriage, which makes many peopleugh at us. Look at your Second Sister, and she¡¯s not foresighted. I can¡¯t depend on her."

    Madam Dowager became sadder as she said, and her eyes turned red. She took the handkerchief to wipe the corners of her eyes. It seemed that she really was sad, and there were tears in her eyes.

    Mother Qin came tofort Madam Dowager in due course. She stood beside Madam Dowager and said to her in a soft voice, "Don¡¯t be sad, Madam Dowager. Isn¡¯t there the Fifth Young Lady? The Fifth Young Lady is clever. She will certainly understand your meaning and won¡¯t go against your meaning. If our Lord Protector¡¯s Manor bes better and more powerful, they will receive more support from us and won¡¯t be bullied."

    "But Yan¡¯er is still young, and she just lost her mother. I... I love her dearly. The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is sorry for her!" Madam Dowager sighed and looked at Ning Xueyan with benevolence. It almost made people believe that Madam Dowager really loved Ning Xueyan. Looking at this, Ning Yuling became jealous and angry. She wished she would tear Ning Xueyan.

    "Madam Dowager, Fifth Young Lady will understand you. You can rest assured!" Mother Qinforted Madam Dowager while winking at Ning Xueyan. She wanted Ning Xueyan tofort Madam Dowager as well.

    Madam Dowager acted in front of Ning Xueyan again. Looking at her performance, Ning Xueyan showed coldness in her ck jade-like eyes for a second. Marquis of Ping¡¯an threatened Madam Dowager with a jade pendant and she agreed his request as expected.

    Sure enough, Madam Ling knew Madam Dowager well. She knew that Madam Dowager would sacrifice Ning Xueyan without hesitance!

    Ning Xueyan sneered in her mind, but she did not show it on her face. She gave a look at Madam Dowager, and then at Mother Qin with a nk expression, as if she did not know what they were talking about. "Grandmother, what happened?"

    Of course, she would act with them. Otherwise, good y would note...

 Chapter 118 Ning Yuling Speaks Without Thinking and Falls into the Trap Step by Step

    When Ning Xueyan asked what had happened, Madam Dowager immediately said, "Yan¡¯er, Marquis of Ping¡¯an came to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor today to propose a marriage!"

    Ning Xueyan asked innocently with a nk face, "Propose a marriage? To Third Sister or Fourth Sister?"

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s question stunned Madam Dowager who then could not answer. The Third Young Lady and Fourth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor were not married yet. So generally speaking, Ning Xueyan had nothing to do with Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s proposal of marriage.

    Mother Qin immediately said with a smile on her face, "Fifth Young Lady, if it were the Third Young Lady and Fourth Young Lady, Madam Dowager wouldn¡¯t have felt embarrassed. But Marquis of Ping¡¯an said he wants to marry you. You¡¯re still young. Madam Dowager doesn¡¯t want you to get married at a young age."

    Mother Qin just said that Madam Dowager wanted to keep Ning Xueyan, but did not mention that Marquis of Ping¡¯an was old enough to be her grandfather. They actually wanted Ning Xueyan to marry an old man.

    Furthermore, Marquis of Ping¡¯an liked going to brothels and flirting with women, which should be made clear to Ning Xueyan. But Madam Dowager did not mention it at all and regarded her as a weak girl who knew nothing and fooled her. Madam Dowager was Ning Xueyan¡¯s grandmother, but she never had any family affection towards Ning Xueyan. And Ning Xueyan had never sensed any warmth in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. She only smelt the smell of rot...

    "Why does the Marquis of Ping¡¯an want to marry me?" Eventually, Ning Xueyan could not contain herself any longer. She asked Madam Dowager in confusion with her big eyes blinking.

    Madam Dowager was unable to answer again. "Maybe he heard that you had a good reputation!"

    "I¡¯ve been in Bright Frost Garden all the time in recent years. Even the people in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor don¡¯t know me. It¡¯s unexpected that people outside Lord Protector¡¯s Manor know my good reputation!" Ning Xueyan looked very surprised.

    Madam Dowager, whose face always was calm, became blushed by Ning Xueyan¡¯s words.

    Ning Xueyan had been in Bright Frost Garden all the time. People outside did not know there was a Fifth Young Lady in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. How could there be a good reputation of Ning Xueyan? People of the noble families in the capital only knew that there were four Young Ladies in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Apart from the Fourth Young Lady, the other three were born of Lord Protector¡¯s Legal Wife and Co-wife. They also knew that all of them were beautiful and the Third Young Lady was the most filial and knowledgeable.

    If it hadn¡¯t been for this incident, even Madam Dowager herself would have forgotten that there was another Young Lady in Bright Frost Courtyard.

    "Maybe Marquis of Ping¡¯an heard that you had fainted because of sorrow in front of Madam Ming¡¯s temporary memorial tablet. Then he knew that you¡¯re a filial daughter. So he specially came today to propose a marriage." Madam Dowager had experienced a lot. She quickly thought of an exnation and then exined to Ning Xueyan with a calm face.

    "Because of what had happened in my mother¡¯s funeral?" Ning Xueyan did not ask any more questions, but repeated what Madam Dowager said.

    "Yes, it must be at that time. I was wondering why Marquis of Ping¡¯an mentioned the Fifth Young Lady and wanted to marry you. It turned out that he had taken a fancy to the Fifth Young Lady at that time. Fifth Young Lady will be the marchioness after she marries into Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s Manor."

    Mother Qin seemed to be enlightened suddenly. She pped her hand forcefully and said with a smile on her face.

    "Yan¡¯er, Marquis of Ping¡¯an is a little older than you, but fortunately he really likes you. After you marry him, you¡¯ll be the hostess of Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s Manor and the marchioness with grade. Your future life will be happy." Madam Dowager also smiled and said something nice, as if Ning Xueyan really would live a happy life in Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s Manor in the future.

    Ning Xueyan looked down to hide the sarcasm in her eyes. How could Madam Dowager say that? Was it good for a fourteen-year-old girl to marry an old man of seventy or eighty? They went on too far in bullying Ning Xueyan.

    But now she wanted to lead Madam Dowager to say. The better and spoonier Marquis of Ping¡¯an was in her description, the more disgraceful the things that were going to happen would be and the harder it would be for her to justify herself. And Ning Xueyan also wondered the origin of the jade pendant...

    Listening to Madam Dowager¡¯s description of her future happy life in Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s Manor, Ning Xueyan pretended to show happiness and shyness on her face. She also deliberately gave a proud look at Ning Yuling.

    "Marquis of Ping¡¯an... Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li..." Ning Xueyan blushed when she said that. Although she did not express her meaning clearly, her meaning was understood by all the people present.

    A trace of displeasure shed through Madam Dowager¡¯s eyes. Neither Marquis of Ping¡¯an Hou nor Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li was her ideal grandson-inw. Ning Yuling had been supposed to marry the Third Prince. Allying with the Third Prince by marriage would bring great benefits to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Madam Dowager¡¯s eyesnded on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face. Today, Ning Xueyan¡¯s makeup was not outstanding, especially her heavy bangs which almost covered half of her small white jade-liked face. But Madam Dowager knew that the face under the bangs was the most beautiful in the manor.

    When Madam Ming died, Ning Xueyan was still thin and weak. At that time, she looked pale and was just a child who had not grown up. After months of conditioning, she looked better. Although her face was still a little pale, everyone could see that she would be a beautiful woman in the future.

    If such a beauty could be sent to noble families, Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would get lots of help in the future. Unexpectedly, Marquis of Ping¡¯an had taken a fancy to her. The more Madam Dowager thought about it, the more regretful she was. It was a treasure of great value, but it could only be sold as a counterfeit. Therefore, Madam Dowager was very depressed.

    Madam Dowager was unhappy, but she did not show it. However, there was somebody directly vent her anger!

    Ning Yuling could not control herself anymore. In Lucky Garden, she was always the center. However, today, Madam Dowager ignored her. She only talked with Ning Xueyan and also said that Ning Xueyan would be the marchioness as soon as she got married. In addition, Ning Xueyan nced at Ning Yuling from time to time, which Ning Yuling thought was a provocation to her.

    At this time, Ning Xueyan also mentioned Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. Ning Yuling thought she was showing off in front of her. Immediately, she got angry and forgot that she had been scolded by Madam Dowager just now. She stepped forward and shouted while pointing at Ning Xueyan, "Marquis of Ping¡¯an is just a useless old man who only knows beer and skittles every day. Does he deserve praise? Everyone in his manor, old and young, women and men, is filthy. After you marry into Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s Manor, I wonder whether you¡¯ll serve the old or the young, or you¡¯ll sever them together. Everything is possible."

    Ning Yuling blurted out what Madam Ling had said to her. She just wanted to humiliate Ning Xueyan at this time, and did not think about the consequences of saying these words.

    The shyness on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face disappeared at once. She turned pale, as if she had been frightened. She said while shivering, "Second Sister... are you... are you talking about Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li?"

    "Bullshit! Unlike Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s Manor, Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor is clean. I heard that Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯sst wife had had amours with his sons. After you get married..." Looking at Ning Xueyan¡¯s face, Ning Yuling became more and more exciting, as if she wanted Ning Xueyan to die of shyness.

    "Enough!" Madam Dowager pounded on the table heavily and her face was livid. Hearing that Ning Yuling¡¯s words became more and more unpleasant to hear, she could not help shouting angrily, "What are you talking? Apologize to your Fifth Sister!"

    "Grandmother, this is true. Mother said that woman will be filthy as long as she marries into Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s Manor. No one can survive if he or she wants to keep innocent. But as long as they survive, they will be filthy!" Ning Yuling was stimted by the fear of Ning Xueyan¡¯s face and forgot that she was talking to Madam Dowager.

    Ning Yuling lost herself in abusing Ning Xueyan while pointing to her. She thought that she had been framed by Ning Xueyan so that she was scolded by others recently and could not go to the menfolk courtyard to see the Third Prince. And she was relieved when she saw Ning Xueyan¡¯s pale face.

    "Servants,e here! Take her away and put her into Buddha Hall to lock her up with her mother!" Madam Dowager angrily pounded the ground with her walking stick.

    "Grandmother, don¡¯t punish the Second Sister to the Buddha Hall, please. It¡¯s just a dispute between sisters. It¡¯s not a big deal. I... I heard that it¡¯s extremely cold in the Buddha Hall. How could Second Sister tolerate that?" Ning Xueyan persuaded Madam Dowager with fear. It seemed that she was worried about Ning Yuling.

    But no one saw that there were no tears in her ck eyes. There was only a cold smile.

    Ning Yuling was scolding Ning Xueyan. But Madam Dowager said that it was just an argument between sisters. So it was little possibility that Madam Dowager would punish Ning Yuling. Maybe Madam Ling and Ning Yuling would frame up Ning Xueyan and charge her with deliberate provocation. Therefore, Ning Xueyan had to get rid of this matter first and it was necessary for her to persuade Madam Dowager.

    Two maids came and were about to take away Ning Yuling who was unwilling to leave. She struggled with anger and her eyes turned red because of anger. "Grandmother, you¡¯re partial. You¡¯re partial to this little bitch. Mother said that she would be a ything after she marries into Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s Manor. Why are you partial to her?"

    If she did not go on scolding, she would be taken to the Buddha Hall where Madam Ling was by maids at most. Madam Ling was her biological mother and had always spoiled her. So Madam Ling would not do anything to her. But now, she was facing the dignity of Madam Dowager and challenging her prestige. She actually dared not listen to Madam Dowager in front of so many servants.

    How could Madam Dowager not be angry? Furthermore, Ning Yuling, who was so foolish that she still could not see the fury in Madam Dowager¡¯s eyes, pushed aside the two maids and shouted while staring at Madam Dowager with red eyes and stamping, "Grandmother, you¡¯re partial. You¡¯re partial. I¡¯ll tell my mother!"

    Ning Yuling had always been arrogant and spoiled by Madam Ling. She was domineering in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Usually, Madam Dowager and Madam Ling were partial to her. At this time, when she saw that Madam Dowager was not partial to her, she subconsciously turned to Madam Ling. She felt that Madam Ling would definitely stand by her wholeheartedly to deal with Ning Xueyan.

    Her words undoubtedly irritated Madam Dowager. It turned out that Madam Dowager was no better than Madam Ling who came from a normal family in Ning Yuling¡¯s mind. Madam Dowager, who had always considered herself noble, could not endure that and became very angry. She pushed away Mother Qin who was about to support her and stared at Ning Yuling with great anger.

    "Take the disobedient and unfilial girl to the Buddha Hall. I want Madam Ling to exin how she raised her daughter!"

    Madam Dowager was extremely angry this time, and thought it was Madam Ling¡¯s fault. Ning Yuling said that it was Madam Ling who told her. Madam Dowager originally did not want her granddaughter to marry Marquis of Ping¡¯an. If Madam Ling had not agreed and given that jade pendant to Marquis of Ping¡¯an, how could Madam Dowager ept Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s demand?

    Madam Dowager had not persuaded Ning Xueyan to marry Marquis of Ping¡¯an, and Ning Yuling unexpectedly jumped out and made it worse. Madam Dowager vented all her anger on Madam Ling. She only felt that Madam Ling had not taught Ning Yuling well so that she was unruly.

    Seeing that Madam Dowager was really angry, two older female servants came over and held Ning Yuling¡¯s arms to stop Ning Yuling from struggling. After that, someone came over and whispered in Ning Yuling¡¯s ear. Only then did Ning Yuling stop talking with a red face. Seeing that, Ning Xueyan sneered in her mind. It seemed that there were more than one of Madam Ling¡¯s people in Lucky Garden.

    Unfortunately, all of them were of low grade and could not speak in front of Madam Dowager. So they could only watch Madam Dowager, together with arge group of people and Ning Yuling, walking to Buddha Hall with a stick.

    Ning Xueyan smiled and followed them with her maids!

 Chapter 119 The Unexpectedness in Buddha Hall

    Madam Dowager arrived at Buddha Hall with a group of people. When they got there, she found that no one could be seen at the entrance of Buddha Hall and the door was slightly closed. She did not think much about it and asked Mother Qin to open the door at the moment.

    The door was pushed open heavily and the maids who stood ahead immediately screamed while covering their faces. Madam Dowager was standing in the middle and could not see it at first. After the maids scattered, the scene inside was immediately presented in front of everyone.

    There was a man, a fat and ugly old man, lying on the ground in Buddha hall. He was sleeping while holding Madam Ling in his arms.

    "This... this... Go... go to separate them quickly." Seeing that, Madam Dowager was so shocked that she almost fell down. The muscles on her face trembled and her fingers shook unconsciously. She gritted her teeth and whispered to Mother Qin, asking her to separate them quickly so that no more people could see it.

    The Marchionessy in Buddha Hall while holding a man. If this were to be spread out, everyone from Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would lose face.

    Mother Qin knew Madam Dowager¡¯s intentions immediately. She entered Buddha Hall quickly and was about to close the door.

    "What happened to mother?" Ning Xueyan muttered because she stood behind them and did not see it.

    She stood quite close to Ning Yuling. Both of them were behind the crowd and could not see the front.

    Ning Yuling only heard the maids ahead scream, andter Madam Dowager said something she did not hear clearly. When she was trying to figure out what it meant, she heard Ning Xueyan mutter. Immediately, she became startled and pushed aside the two older female servants in front of her while screaming, "Mother, mother, is something wrong with her?"

    No one expected that she would suddenly rush out. And Madam Dowager, who was standing ahead, was almost pushed down. The maids and older female servants around her were in a hurry to help her. It was instantly in chaos. Some were squatting, some were standing, and some were half-squatting. All kinds of gestures could be seen.

    Mother Qin, who wanted to close the door to deal with the incident inside, was knocked down by the door, which was opened suddenly. She held her waist while groaning in pain and could not get up for a moment.

    When the door was totally opened, Ning Yuling suddenly stopped calling Madam Ling. Without the person in front, the people outside immediately saw the two people who were hugging each other inside. Furthermore, Madam Ling happened to open her eyes and look around nkly. Then she looked at the startled Ning Yuling. She still did not know what was going on.

    Madam Ling stayed in Buddha Hall all the time. At noon, she enjoyed the meal taken from the kitchen. After that, she got bored and fell asleep.

    She did not expect to see so many people when she woke up.

    "Ling¡¯er, what happened?" Madam Ling became serious and asked Ning Yuling with an unhappy face. She thought that Ning Yuling had caused trouble again.

    Before Ning Yuling could answer, a hand was stretched out suddenly from Madam Ling¡¯s back and she was pulled into the man¡¯s arms. A drunken man muttered behind her, "Beauty, what happened?"

    Madam Ling heavily bumped into a strong and soft chest. She subconsciously pushed backward and felt it was soft. Only then did she realized something wrong. She turned around in shock and saw a man¡¯s old and fat face. Immediately, she screamed with rm and subconsciously struggled to push the man away.

    Unfortunately, she was too shocked to get up for a while. Furthermore, she was pulled by the man so that she fell into his arms again. But in other people¡¯s eyes, it was she who deliberately threw herself on the man.

    Seeing that her always holy mother was hugging an ugly old man and that the two had no shame and misbehaved in front of so many people, Ning Yuling stood there with changing expressions. She could not endure it anymore. She pushed aside the people behind her and rushed out while covering her face.

    "Ling¡¯er..." Madam Ling subconsciously cried out while pushing aside the man. When she saw Madam Dowager¡¯s fierce face, her face immediately turned pale, as if her head had been sshed with cold water.

    Madam Ling turned around, reached out, and pped the man¡¯s fat face severely. "Mother, Madam Dowager, I... I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on. I... I don¡¯t know this man. How... how could he be here?"

    She was in a hurry to prove herself innocent and did not see the man¡¯s face clearly. The man beside her was the Marquis of Ping¡¯an. How could she have never seen him before?

    Madam Dowager took a long breath to suppress her anger. Then she said to Mother Qin, who had made great effort to stand up, with a gloomy gaze, "Go to... go to invite the marquis over and ask everyone else go out." Domestic shame should not be made public. So she could not vent her anger now.

    Mother Qin immediately drove the people out and asked someone else to invite Ning Zu¡¯an.

    Ning Xueyan took a step forward, held Madam Dowager¡¯s cold hand, and said with concern, "Grandma, sit here first. I¡¯ll call someone in to serve you!"

    "I don¡¯t need that. Don¡¯t go out. Help me sit over there." Today, Madam Dowager was so frightened that she was limp and could not walk. But she did not want more people to see the scandal of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. So she had to let Ning Xueyan support her. Anyway, Ning Xueyan also saw it and was her granddaughter, who was closer to her than others.

    "Yes, Grandma!" Ning Xueyan agreed. She and Mother Qin supported Madam Dowager on both sides and helped her walk to a chair on the side of the small Buddha Hall.

    The Marquis of Ping¡¯an, who had been neglected, was woken up by Madam Ling¡¯s fierce ps. Immediately, he turned to Madam Ling with a dizzy mind and angrily shouted at her while covering his face, "Who? Who dares to p me?" At present, Madam Ling was the closet to him. It seemed most likely that Madam Ling had pped him.

    "Who are you?" The Marquis of Ping¡¯an was still in a daze now and had not recovered his senses.

    "You... you. Who led you here? This is the Buddha Hall of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Not everyone cane in!" Madam Ling recognized the Marquis of Ping¡¯an at this time and was very frightened by that. She never expected the Marquis of Ping¡¯an to be here. At present, both of them were in an awkward situation. So she hastily gave a hint to the Marquis of Ping¡¯an.

    "The Marchioness of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?" The Marquis of Ping¡¯an touched his dazed head and sensed that something was wrong. He looked around and saw a small Buddha statue that always could be seen in the Buddha Halls of some manors. Although he was not aggressive, he also knew that something had happened and hurried to exin.

    "I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m here. Someone brought me here to rest!"

    "Marquis of Ping¡¯an, tell me who led you here?" Madam Dowager¡¯s face was gloomy and her sharp eyes fell on the Marquis of Ping¡¯an. But she still was calm when she asked the Marquis of Ping¡¯an. She had suppressed her anger.

    In order to prevent this matter from being spread, Madam Dowager had driven out all maids and older female servants. Now there only were Mother Qin and Ning Xueyan, who would certainly not gossip about this at random.

    "I... I can¡¯t remember because I was drunk at that time... It seemed to be a maid. Yes, it was a maid!" The Marquis of Ping¡¯an did not dare say that it was his young male servant who led him here. After thinking about it, he decided to dump the me on a maid of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. After all, only women were allowed to enter the womenfolk courtyard of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor freely.

    The Marquis of Ping¡¯an did not know the truth and could only speak casually. Ning Xueyan, who was standing aside, looked at Madam Ling, who was tidying up herself in a hurry, with a cold smile on her face.

    This kind of matter could not be rified if there was no reliable witness!

    Simrly, they could not say that the Marquis of Ping¡¯an and Madam Ling had a personal rtionship for the same reason. But that was enough...

    "You can¡¯t remember? Marquis of Ping¡¯an, would you like to call over all the maids of Auspicious Clouds Courtyard? I wonder if you can find out who it was if all of them are here." Madam Dowager gave a sneer.

    Madam Dowager¡¯s remark was extremely unpleasant to hear. She stared at the Marquis of Ping¡¯an and Madam Ling and almost believed that they had a private rtionship.

    It was no wonder that Madam Dowager suspected them. Although the two did nothing when they were lying together, Madam Ling had given the Marquis of Ping¡¯an a jade pendant before and the Marquis of Ping¡¯an could not exin why he was here. Madam Ling had the ability to send such a secret item as a jade pendant to the Marquis of Ping¡¯an, who then could threaten Lord Protector¡¯s Manor with it. How could Madam Dowager believe that it was a misunderstanding?

    "Mother, it¡¯s really not me... I, I don¡¯t know why. I was so sleepy after lunch today that I leaned over here to nap. I didn¡¯t expect to see this after I woke up. I... I don¡¯t know why the Marquis of Ping¡¯an is here... He, isn¡¯t he supposed to have left already?"

    Madam Ling was shocked and turned pale. "Mother, I really know nothing!"

    "You were sleepy after lunch and you didn¡¯t know what happened afterward? Do you mean that someone deliberately drugged in your food?" Madam Dowager coldly hummed and pounded the table angrily while looking at Madam Ling with fierceness. Her eyes were full of disgust for Madam Ling. There were no outsiders, so she did not need to pretend to like Madam Ling.

    "Mother Qin, bring in the older female servant who delivered food today."

    "Yes. She works in Lucky Garden and happens to be here now. I¡¯ll ask her toe in." Mother Qin nodded, went out, and soon brought in an older female servant.

    On seeing the angry and gloomy Madam Dowager, the older female servant was very scared and knelt down as soon as she came in.

    Madam Dowager asked her slowly, "You delivered Madam Dowager¡¯s food today. Is there anything wrong today?"

    "I... I carried the food over. As usual, I guarded the food prepared for the First Madam all the time and did not leave for a while," the older female servant answered while trembling. If it was caused by the food, she could hardly absolve herself of the me.

    "Bullsh*t. There must be something wrong with the food. I never felt so sleepy after eating. But today I lost consciousness after eating it. There must be something wrong with the food." The more Madam Ling thought about it, the stranger she felt it was. She believed that there had to be something wrong with the food.

    "Did youe across anyone unusual who came to talk to you on purpose?" Madam Dowager continued to ask.

    "Did someone talk to me?" Madam Dowager¡¯s words reminded the older female servant. Her eyes brightened suddenly and she hastened to reply, "Yes, Madam Dowager. Today someone deliberately talked to me. She hasn¡¯t spoken to me in thest few days. But today, she came to talk to me for a long time. At that time, First Madam¡¯s food was ready and I was putting it into baskets."

    "Who?" Madam Ling did not expect that the path would wind along mountain ridges. She immediately seized the hands of the older female servant with excitement.

    If Madam Ling could find out that it was someone who framed her today, she would get rid of this matter. Moreover, she had an intuition that the person who framed her was Ning Xueyan. Although she was standing behind Madam Dowager and said nothing, Madam Ling could clearly see mockery in Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes when she asionally raised her eyes.

    "The maliciousness in your eyes can¡¯t be hidden. Little bitch, how dare you frame me? I¡¯ll make youe to a bad end."

    "Mother, don¡¯t hold her too tight. Otherwise, she¡¯ll die!" Seeing Madam Ling¡¯s hateful eyes fall on her, Ning Xueyan smiled softly and reminded her gently.

 Chapter 120 A Beauty Is Still Less Important Than Wealth and Honor

    Only then did Madam Ling find that she was too excited. She had pulled the older female servant¡¯s cor so tight that the older female servant rolled her eyes and could not speak. Seeing that, Madam Ling immediately let go and hastily asked, "Whose maid poisoned my food? Tell us now!"

    The older female servant coughed violently while covering her throat forcefully as soon as Madam Ling let go. She did not expect Madam Ling to hold her cor so tightly. Fortunately, the Fifth Young Lady had reminded Madam Ling. Therefore, the older female servant bowed slightly to Ning Xueyan to express her thanks while coughing.

    But in Madam Ling¡¯s eyes, the older female servant¡¯s behavior convicted Ning Xueyan of sin. She grabbed Madam Dowager¡¯s sleeve with excitement and said while pointing to Ning Xueyan, "It¡¯s her, it¡¯s her! It was she who asked someone to poison my food and to lead the Marquis of Ping¡¯an into here. She wants to ruin my reputation. Mother, please exercise justice for me."

    Madam Ling was in a state of great rejoicing and was overjoyed. She only felt that Ning Xueyan had gone out for wool ande home shorn. How could she not be overjoyed? Atst, she found an opportunity to deal with Ning Xueyan, which made her very happy. She even forgot that what had happened between her and the Marquis of Ping¡¯an in Buddha Hall would certainly be a thorn in the side of Ning Zu¡¯an and Madam Dowager.

    "Mother... what... what does that mean?" Ning Xueyan looked frightened. She gave a look to Madam Dowager, whose face was gloomy, and then to Madam Ling. She felt wronged and was at a loss. It seemed that she really did not understand Madam Ling¡¯s meaning.

    "Mother, you see, she still denies it. She dares to frame me. Mother, you have to exercise justice for me."

    Madam Ling cried out while pointing at Ning Xueyan. She was pretty sure that it was Ning Xueyan who had framed her today.

    Seeing that Madam Ling was so sure, Madam Dowager could not help suspecting Ning Xueyan. She looked sideways at Ning Xueyan¡¯s face and asked coldly, "Xueyan, did you really do this?"

    Even if Madam Dowager did not like Madam Ling, she still believed what Madam Ling said and suspected her granddaughter. "Sure enough, they won¡¯t hesitant to dump the me on me if there¡¯s any possibility. This is the so-called loving grandmother." Ning Xueyan sneered in her mind.

    Atst, the older female servant stopped coughing and stammered in a hoarse voice, "Madam Dowager... it... it was the Second Young Lady..."

    Madam Dowager frowned and asked, "The Second Young Lady? Isn¡¯t it the Fifth Young Lady?"

    "It¡¯s not the Fifth Young Lady. It was the maid of the Second Young Lady who stopped me and talked about the Third Prince with me. She asked if the Third Prince was having lunch in the menfolk ce. I didn¡¯t want to talk to her. But she kept asking me." At that time, the people in the kitchen were busy and it was in a mess. People from different courtyards and marquis¡¯s servants shuttled in and out of the kitchen.

    The older female servant could easily remember Ning Yuling¡¯s maid because the maid had talked to her for a long time, which had made her almostte to take food to Madam Ling and got her scolded by Madam Ling.

    "It¡¯s Ling¡¯er¡¯s maid!" Madam Ling was very shocked and almost fell down. "How could it be Ling¡¯er¡¯s maid? Isn¡¯t it Ning Xueyan¡¯s maid?

    "How could it not be Ning Xueyan¡¯s maid? There must be a misunderstanding! No, I can¡¯t let Ning Xueyan be free from this. There must be some other clues." But before she mentioned Ning Xueyan again, Ning Xueyan acted first.

    Ning Xueyan directly knelt down on one side and knocked heavily on the ground. When she raised her head again, her face was full of grievances and bewilderment. "Grandmother, I was wrong. I shouldn¡¯t have asked maids to take food from the kitchen when mother was going to have lunch so that it aroused mother¡¯s suspicion. Please punish me."

    "Bullsh*t. People of every courtyard went to the kitchen to take food at noon. Do you mean that I also asked someone to poison you?" Madam Dowager was furious. She pounded on the ground heavily with her walking stick. Her gaze was cold and her voice came at Madam Ling like a sharp sword.

    Just before lunch, the master of every courtyard would ask people to fetch food from the kitchen, which happened every day. Both people from Ning Xueyan¡¯s Bright Frost Garden and people from Madam Dowager¡¯s Lucky Garden were asked to fetch food at that time.

    "Mother, I... I didn¡¯t mean that!" Madam Ling was so anxious that she tightly grasped the handkerchief and almost tore it.

    "What else do you mean if you didn¡¯t mean that? Ling¡¯er¡¯s maid talked to your servant for a while, that is to say, Ling¡¯er wanted to poison you!" Madam Dowager asked Madam Ling with a cold look.

    "No, I..." Madam Dowager made Madam Ling lose face, but she still wanted to exin.

    "Enough! You made such a mistake, but want to dump the me on Xueyan. What did she do to make you so unhappy that you try to frame her again? Look at yourself, you should behave so improperly. Have you ever considered the feelings of me and your husband?" Madam Dowager said with anger while pulling up Ning Xueyan.

    Ning Xueyan took advantage of this opportunity to stand up while holding Madam Dowager¡¯s hands. Then she gently pulled Madam Dowager¡¯s sleeve and asked, "Grandmother, don¡¯t me mother first. What should we do with him?"

    Ning Xueyan was not in a hurry to deal with Madam Ling now because she had not called off the marriage between her and the Marquis of Ping¡¯an, which was proposed by Madam Ling.

    Madam Ling could not rify today¡¯s matter anyway. Qingyu first mentioned the matter of the Third Prince with Ning Yuling¡¯s maid, but she did not talk about it in detail. She only said that people from Madam Dowager¡¯s Lucky Garden knew about it, then she did not talk to the maid. How could the maid who was trying to please Ning Yuling not ask the older female servant of Madam Dowager¡¯s Lucky Garden when she saw her?

    The food was still beside the basket and had not been put in it. And the two were talking happily and did not notice that Qingyu had sprayed powder on it when they did not pay attention to the food.

    That powder was just some Chinese medicine powder with no odor. The prescription provided by Aunt Xiang said that the medicine powder was not real poison and would only make people feel sleepy. So a doctor could not discover it.

    Being reminded by Ning Xueyan, Madam Dowager immediately returned to her senses. She turned to the Marquis of Ping¡¯an, who was trying to sneak away secretly, with a gloomy face and coldly said, "Marquis of Ping¡¯an, what¡¯s your exnation?"

    "I... I¡¯m not... I really have no personal rtionship with the Marchioness. I just wanted to have a rest when I was drunk. I didn¡¯t expect that someone would lead me here." The Marquis of Ping¡¯an stopped with embarrassment on his face and was at a loss for words because of Madam Dowager¡¯s question. He also could not rify this matter, but could only deny it.

    "Do you think that you can be free of this just by saying that you¡¯re not clear about it? Since the Marquis of Ping¡¯an is unwilling to give us an exnation, I¡¯ll go to the Imperial Pce and talk it to His Majesty," Madam Dowager said with anger. Then she stood up with her walking stick and was about to walk outside.

    "Mother, please don¡¯t..." On seeing that trouble was imminent, Madam Ling rushed over and reached out to stop Madam Dowager. She directly knelt down with a pale look, teetering.

    Now Madam Ling could not rify it. If this matter was spread to the Imperial Pce, her reputation would be totally ruined. After all, she really had hugged a man in Buddha Hall regardless if there was a private rtionship between them. At that time, how could she live?

    "Madam Dowager, you... don¡¯t be impulsive. I... I¡¯ll definitely give you a satisfying exnation." The Marquis of Ping¡¯an was also in a great hurry. Defiling someone¡¯s wife was an extremely serious matter. Besides, she was Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s wife. How could Ning Zu¡¯an let him off? Maybe he would lose his title this time because of this matter.

    Madam Dowager stopped and asked coldly, "A satisfying exnation? Marquis of Ping¡¯an, how will you give us a satisfying exnation?"

    "How can I exin it?" The Marquis of Ping¡¯an had said that on the spur of moment. After that, he realized that it was hard to exin, and sweat began dripping from his face.

    "Marquis of Ping¡¯an... I heard that you want to marry me. Is that true?" Ning Xueyan asked him at the right time.

    "No. How can I marry you? The one I want to marry is the Fourth Young Lady. The Marchioness said that I should marry you, but I like the Fourth Young Lady." When he heard that it was Ning Xueyan who was asking him, the Marquis of Ping¡¯an subconsciously refuted. After that, it seemed that he suddenly remembered something. Immediately, he widened his mouth and his two ugly eyes stared, which looked like dead fish¡¯s eyes.

    "Jade pendant... yes, the jade pendant. Madam Dowager, I¡¯ll give it back to you. The Marchioness said that the jade pendant is very important and the Fourth Young Lady will certainly marry me if I propose marriage with it." The Marquis of Ping¡¯an suddenly realized it now. In order to please Madam Dowager, he told her everything Madam Ling had told him. A beauty was good, but the Marquis of Ping¡¯an knew that his wealth and honor were much more important.

    If this matter was spread out, he and Ning Zu¡¯an would be enemies of each other. Compared with the high-ranking and powerful Ning Zu¡¯an, the Marquis of Ping¡¯an was a nominal marquis and was no match for Ning Zu¡¯an. The reason why he wanted to marry the Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was that he wanted to ally with Ning Zu¡¯an. Unexpectedly, instead of being rtives by marriage, they would be enemies at this time.

    The Marquis of Ping¡¯an felt very regretful in his mind. If he had known what would happen today, he would not havee to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    After that, he took out the jade pendant from his breast pocket and handed it to Madam Dowager.

    He just wanted to solve this problem at this time and had no time to care about Madam Dowager and Madam Ling. Because of his words, Madam Dowager was very angry and her face turned livid while Madam Ling directly copsed to the ground with a pale look and could not say a word.

    How could Madam Dowager not be embarrassed? She had told Ning Xueyan that the Marquis of Ping¡¯an loved her very much and insisted on marrying her. She also said to Ning Xueyan that she would be the Marchioness after she married the Marquis of Ping¡¯an. Unexpectedly, in order to get away, the Marquis of Ping¡¯an had said everything out loud. Most importantly, he did not like Ning Xueyan. The one he liked was Ning Lingyun. Allying through marriage had nothing to do with Ning Xueyan.

    But what made her more upset was Madam Ling. This jade pendant was of great importance. But Madam Ling gave it to an outsider and that outsider threatened Madam Dowager with it, which Madam Dowager could not endure. Even though there were other people here, Madam Dowager hit Madam Ling on her shoulder with her walking stick, who then fell to the ground and could not stand up for a while.

    Mother Qin took the jade pendant to have a look and then nodded to Madam Dowager.

    "Madam Ling, I left the womenfolk courtyard in your hands. When there were problems between you and Madam Ming, I did not interfere because I thought they were not serious. After all, you¡¯re the Marchioness. The Marchioness must be powerful enough to hold her ce. But now in order to frame Yan¡¯er, you dared to give the jade pendant to an outsider and told him its meaning. You¡¯re too unruly!"

    Madam Dowager¡¯s face looked very livid and she stared at Madam Ling with anger. She said that word by word while gritting her teeth. It was obvious that she was extremely angry.

    Ning Xueyan looked at Madam Dowager with coldness in her eyes. It was impossible that Madam Dowager did not know that Madam Ling had killed Madam Ming. It turned out that the lives of Ning Xueyan and Madam Ming were not serious in Madam Dowager¡¯s mind and she did not punish Madam Ling at all. Now, when it came to her own affairs, she got very angry and almost wanted to kill Madam Ling. Madam Dowager was so selfish.

    For a moment, all the people kept silent, and the atmosphere in the room was frightening.

    Suddenly, the door was kicked open and Ning Zu¡¯an appeared at the door with a ferocious look on his face. Madam Ling, who had struggled to stand up, immediately copsed again.

 Chapter 121 Like It or Not

    In front of the opened door, Ning Zu¡¯an redirected his gaze from Madam Ling to re at Marquis of Ping¡¯an. Blue veins were protruding on his forehead.

    The Marquis of Ping¡¯an turned pale upon seeing his murderous rage. He was so frightened that his legs were shaking and his soul was close to flying out of him. He nearly joined Madam Ling in copsing to the floor. Forcing a fawning smile on his face, he said, "Lord... Lord Protector... I swear it¡¯s all a misunderstanding. I had too much to drink. I don¡¯t know how... I end up running here and... There¡¯s nothing between me... and Madam!"

    He had always been a useless fool. This time, he suffered such a bad fright that he couldn¡¯t even form full sentences!

    A miserable silence shrouded the interior and exterior of the building.

    Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s eyes were bloodshot. He was exuding such an icy air that there was nearly no warmth at all. "You... dare do something like this?"

    "No... You misunderstood us. There¡¯s nothing between us, I swear!" Thinking that Ning Zu¡¯an didn¡¯t believe him, the Marquis of Ping¡¯an was so panicked that his hands went iling. The fleshy fat in his arms shook with his every movement.

    He was the only one at the scene who had mistaken what Ning Zu¡¯an meant.

    Frowning, Ning Xueyan quietly stood in Madam Dowager¡¯s shadow. No one noticed the cold glint reflected in her dark pupils. It seemed that the jade pendant was of great significance, so much so that it became Ning Zu¡¯an and Madam Dowager¡¯s priority in this incident.

    But all the better for her.

    To be frank, the "affair" between Madam Ling and the Marquis of Ping¡¯an couldn¡¯t stand up to scrutiny. Madam Ling couldn¡¯t have fallen for the old and hideous Marquis, who was no match for the middle-aged but manly Ning Zu¡¯an. Anyone with a working pair of eyes wouldn¡¯t betray Ning Zu¡¯an for the Marquis of Ping¡¯an.

    Moreover, the Marquis of Ping¡¯an made it clear that Madam Ling had chosen him to be Ning Xueyan¡¯s husband. Coupled with what Ning Yuling said earlier, it couldn¡¯t be more obvious that Madam Ling was sabotaging Ning Xueyan. Since the Marquis of Ping¡¯an was clearly no favorable match, why would she get herself involved with him?

    Thus, there must be a conspiracy behind all these.

    Even though no one knew why Marquis of Ping¡¯an was at the Buddha Hall or why Madam Ling was sleeping in his embrace, it was evident that they had fallen for someone¡¯s trick. Madam Ling was sure it was Ning Xueyan, but Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an were entertaining other thoughts.

    Regardless, it was an indisputable fact that Madam Ling privately handed the jade pendant to the Marquis of Ping¡¯an. It was likely that the two of them had agreed to meet at the side room of the Buddha Hall to discuss the pendant, only to fall into someone¡¯s trap. Following this line of thought, one would wonder if other people have found out about this pendant as well.

    How could Ning Zu¡¯an not be angry after considering this?

    Madam Ling¡¯s face had turned a frightening shade of white. She raised her head to see her husband, who had typically been kind to her, ring daggers at her. Immediately, she crawled over and kneeled in front of him. She tugged at his sleeve and raised her face, revealing a pair of eyes welled up with tears. She began crying tragically. "Marquis, I married you in my teen years and have devoted myself to you since. It was an ident that the jade pendant was sent away with other objects. I didn¡¯t expect... something like this would happen. Surely, someone is trying to sabotage me and pin the me on me. Marquis, you... you must uphold justice for me!"

    She rubbed her tears as she spoke. A crystal-like tear cascaded down her delicate face.

    Ever so subtly, Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s face turned rigid. Madam Dowager was shaking all over. Unable to control herself, she pointed to Madam Ling and said, "How dare you make up lies! Now that things havee to this, you still dare to say that someone is sabotaging you! If you have refrained yourself, you wouldn¡¯t have fallen for this! In this manor, who would have the ability to sabotage you?"

    Looking like the world had wronged her, Madam Ling looked at Madam Dowager and sobbed, "Mother, please have mercy. Take the Lord into consideration and refrain from such piercing words. No matter what, I¡¯m still his wife. If the household isn¡¯t doing well, I won¡¯t be doing well either. Do I look like Ick so much judgment that I¡¯d put the entire Lord Protector¡¯s Manor at stake? If something happens to the Marquis, won¡¯t I be in trouble as well?"

    While speaking, she knocked her forehead on the floor loudly as she kowtowed to Madam Dowager. By the end of it, a bruise had already formed on her forehead.

    Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s expression inadvertently rxed.

    In the corner, Ning Xueyan rolled her eyes. She couldn¡¯t help sneering on the inside. It was no wonder that Madam Ming was no match for Madam Ling. Even though Madam Dowager didn¡¯t like her, she still had to give her permission to make Madam Ling the Marchioness and was even subdued into the housekeeper position. Sure enough, Madam Ling had her set of wits and tricks with her.

    With just words, she was able to overturn what was a tantly obvious situation and im that she was framed instead.

    Ning Xueyan gently tugged on Madam Dowager¡¯s sleeve and tried to speak up for Madam Ling. She whispered, "Grandmother, I believe Mother is innocent. Someone must have framed her. Think about it. Even though Fourth Sister and I aren¡¯t her biological daughters, she has treated us all the same."

    Even though she seemed to have said nothing of importance, that wasn¡¯t the case for Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an. Both their expressions changed.

    Madam Ling would never be sincere to Ning Xueyan. First, she killed Madam Ming. Then, ill at ease even after Ning Xueyan left the Bright Frost Garden, she poisoned the former¡¯s medicine and even arranged such an awful match for her. Worried that the family wouldn¡¯t agree with the marriage, she even gave away such an important jade pendant as a betrothal gift.

    Just because no one talked about it, didn¡¯t mean no one knew about it.

    What made Madam Dowager even angrier was that all it took was a few words from Madam Ling to soften her son¡¯s heart. That woman was bad news, indeed! Moreover, she kept insisting that she was framed. In the entire manor, Madam Dowager was the only one who could do this. Evidently, Madam Ling was trying to pin the me on her.

    Had she known this would happen, she would near allow this woman to marry into her family back then and cause so much trouble. Right now, she was stewing in so much rage and resentment that her face was taking on a purple sheen. She nearly fainted out of anger.

    Seeing this, Mother Qin massaged Madam Dowager¡¯s hand. Ning Xueyan swiftly poured a cup of water and handed it to Mother Qin. Mother Qin epted the cup and helped Madam Dowager drink it. Only then did Madam Dowager regain some calm.

    "Mother Qin, let me take care of Grandmother," Ning Xueyan said, epting the empty cup from Mother Qin.

    Mother Qin nodded. She was an old mammy in the manor, as well as one of the maids who came here as Madam Dowager¡¯s wedding entourage. Having gotten through some tribtions together in the past, her rtionship with Madam Dowager was naturally different. She was, of course, livid to see Madam Ling angering Madam Dowager half to death. Holding back the urge to step forward, she told Ning Zu¡¯an, "Marquis, may I ask First Madam a few questions?"

    Ning Zu¡¯an nodded.

    "First Madam, I¡¯m but an ignorant servant. Yet I know one has to speak with proof. First Madam, you say someone is trying to frame you. Before this, you imed that it was Fifth Young Lady¡¯s subordinate but weter found out it was Second Young Lady¡¯s servant. They insisted that it was someone else and yet couldn¡¯t exin themselves. If someone didn¡¯t bring the Marquis of Ping¡¯an here, how would he know where this secluded Buddha Hall is?"

    The moment these words left her mouth, Madam Ling wasn¡¯t the only one who went pale. Even Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s expression changed.

    Mother Qin had been serving Madam Dowager in the inner courtyard for many years and was well aware of the strife within. She knew how Madam Ling insisted that Ning Xueyan was the culprit, only to let it up when it was revealed to be Ning Yuling¡¯s servant and even im that Ning Yuling was framed. Then came the jade pendant incident and the Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s quiet appearance in the Buddha Hall.

    The Marquis imed it was a maid who took him here, but couldn¡¯t point out who it was.

    In the entire inner courtyard of the manor, there were only two people who could most likely bring someone in without notice. Since it wasn¡¯t Madam Dowager, then it could only be Madam Ling.

    Ning Zu¡¯an looked at Madam Ling with a cold gaze filled with disappointment. Panicked, Madam Ling tried to exin herself but Mother Qin raced ahead of her to ask, "First Madam, you insist that someone is trying to frame you. In the inner courtyard of the manor, the only other person who can order people around without your knowledge is Madam Dowager. The one Madam Dowager cares for the most is her son; she chooses to ept it even when you do things that disgrace the family name. And yet you use her of framing you. Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re wronging Madam Dowager and the Marquis?"

    The eloquent Mother Qin intentionally mentioned Ning Zu¡¯an, making it so that Madam Ling couldn¡¯t say a word in retort.

    Mother Qin¡¯s words were so reasonable that Madam Ling panicked. Putting on a pained look, she said, "Mother, the Marquis of Ping¡¯an and I are truly innocent. You may investigate if you please. I know nothing, I swear. If you really discover an affair between us, I¡¯d rather m my head on the wall and die inside the Buddha Hall to prove my innocence."

    Madam Ling wailed loudly. She climbed up from the floor, about to hit her head on a nearby pir.

    Subconsciously, Ning Zu¡¯an pulled onto her hand. She went with the flow and leaned into his embrace. She sobbed even louder, looking wronged.

    Madam Dowager was so furious that she grabbed the cup in Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand and threw it to the floor. The crisp sound of shattering ss gave everyone a fright. The Marquis of Ping¡¯an kept his head even lower still as he hid in a corner, not daring to even open his mouth.

    Ning Xueyan stepped forward and rubbed Madam Dowager¡¯s back. In a cating tone, she said, "Cease your anger, Grandmother. You must pay attention to your health." She then turned to Ning Zu¡¯an and said, "Father, words won¡¯t be able to settle this matter. Since things havee to this, let¡¯s all make a littlepromise. It¡¯s our family business, after all. It wouldn¡¯t be pleasant if this turns into gossip."

    Her words sounded like a piece of advice from a daughter to a father, and yet when it reached Madam Dowager¡¯s ears, it was like adding fuel to her fire. How could Madam Ling demand an elder like her topromise aftermitting such a shameful act? Moreover, there was some other conspiracy in y here!

    She scoffed and said angrily, "Xueyan, there¡¯s no need to advise your father. We must investigate this or there¡¯ll be no end to this cmity!"

    Seeing such a determined Madam Dowager ring at Madam Ling, Ning Zu¡¯an pushed away his wife with a darkened expression.

    "Father, then let us follow Grandmother¡¯s suggestion. We must not let others find out about Mother¡¯s emotional ckmail. Something like this... is unfilial!" Ning Xueyan said.

    Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s heart sank after hearing this. It was a government servant¡¯s great taboo tomit an unfilial act. Even if the Emperor was unwilling to name Prince Yi his heir, he must still acknowledge thetter¡¯s status as his royal brother. It was all because filial piety was the supremew of this world. Considering this, a deep coldness filled his gloomy expression.

    He looked so standoffish that Madam Ling, who tried to lean onto him once again, dared not to step forward anymore.

    "There¡¯s an outsider here too..." Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t have to finish her sentence to prompt Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an to direct their gaze to the Marquis of Ping¡¯an, the only outsider in this ce.

    "Mother Qin, First Madam will stay in this temple and reflect on her mistakes. She¡¯s not to leave without Madam Dowager¡¯s permission. As for the Marquis of Ping¡¯an," Ning Zu¡¯an said, promptly making his decision. "Marquis, this isn¡¯t the ce to talk. Let¡¯s have our conversation outside."

    Regardless of whether there was truly an affair between Madam Ling and the Marquis, it was still a fact that the two of them wereying in the same bed. Any man would feel a stab of pain. His heart had softened because of Madam Ling¡¯s tears earlier, but Ning Xueyan¡¯s words instantly sobered him.

    Watching the Marquis of Ping¡¯an trembling as he followed Ning Zu¡¯an, the corner of Ning Xueyan¡¯s mouth lifted to form a subtle smirk. This incident was much more severe than Madam Ling¡¯s past deeds, to the point that it was Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s taboo. Madam Ling wouldn¡¯t be in charge of the household until the end of the year, at least. This was exactly what she needed.

    Madam Ling wanted to be inws with the Marquis of Ping¡¯an, didn¡¯t she? Now, like it or not, she had no other choice...

 Chapter 122 Madam Ling Isnt an Easy Opponent

    "Marquis..." Madam Ling called out for her husband affectionately. But seeing Ning Zu¡¯an leave without paying her any heed, her heart sank into a pool of icy water. Knowing that she was in deep trouble this time, she red at Ning Xueyan in resentment. The most suspicious person in this sudden affair was her.

    Ning Xueyan wore a little frown, but her gaze was filled with aloof mockery. Madam Ling had always wanted to tear her apart. Since that was the case, she must give Madam Ling a great gift...

    Madam Ling¡¯s actions prompted Madam Dowager to say sternly, "You¡¯re the First Madam of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Do you think you¡¯re a concubine, to be making so much noise? Which madam in this capital acts like you, to dare seduce her man after an episode like this? What a wench."

    After signaling Mother Qin, she ignored Madam Ling and left while holding onto Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand.

    "Grandmother, don¡¯t be mad anymore. What families don¡¯t have worries in this capital? We should try and preserve peace in our family whenever possible," Ning Xueyan said, trying tofort Madam Dowager as she walked.

    There was a faint smirk on her face. Never mind Madam Dowager, even Ning Zu¡¯an would despise Madam Ling following this incident. No man would be able to stay above this. Even knowing that nothing had happened between the two, it was still a fact that they had embraced each other in the bed in the light of the day.

    The biggest factor for Madam Ling¡¯s rise from a concubine to First Madam was Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s affection for her. Now that this affection had changed, how much longer could she keep her position?

    Perhaps Madam Ling would never imagine that Ning Xueyan wasn¡¯t trying to make it look she had an affair with the Marquis of Ping¡¯an, but to make Ning Zu¡¯an and Madam Dowager doubt her. Even without evidence, some things could linger in one¡¯s consciousness. Moreover, Ning Xueyan¡¯s biggest goal was having Madam Ling confined in the Buddha Hall.

    Sure enough, Mother Qin stayed behind to warn the older female servant guarding the door. She even arranged for a few more servants to make sure Madam Dowager¡¯s order that no one was to see First Madam would be well-executed. Only then did she left, walking behind Madam Dowager.

    When Ning Xueyan returned to the Bright Frost Garden, she found Mother Han weing her with a bright smile. Her joyous expression dimmed when she sensed Ning Xueyan¡¯s cold gaze, and she immediately shed away her grin. Then, she led Ning Xueyan into the house with the proper conduct of a servant.

    "You¡¯re right, Young Lady. The Marquis wouldn¡¯t forgive First Madam so easily in a matter like this. Even if Eldest Young Lady and Second Young Lady plead with the Marquis, it¡¯ll be some time before First Madam is released. Moreover, she¡¯ll have lost the Marquis¡¯ favor. It won¡¯t be as easy for her to harm you in the future."

    With quick steps, Qingyu served Ning Xueyan a cup of tea. Ning Xueyan picked up the cup and took a sip. She said with a faint smile, "Mother Han, it¡¯s too early to celebrate. Madam Ling isn¡¯t an easy opponent."

    Ning Ziyan had her own troubles to sort out while Ning Yuling had lost Madam Dowager¡¯s favor. However, there was still Madam Ling¡¯s son, Ning Huaiyuan.

    He was the hope of the entire manor. In her memories, this older brother of his had always been very cold to her. When he saw Ning Yuling bullying Ning Xueyan in the distance, he would turn around and walk away as if he saw nothing. In several instances where Ning Yuling ordered the servants to beat and scold her, and he happened to pass by, she had looked at him hoping he would save her. Yet he had simply ignored her each time.

    Never mind any brother-sister affection. Like Madam Ling and her daughters, Ning Huaiyuan considered her even less important than a maid.

    However, she couldn¡¯t deny that the Eldest Young Master of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was quite the character. He studied abroad with his teacher, a great schr, at a young age and had quite the reputation in the capital. Now that the year-end was closing in, he ought to be home soon. He wouldn¡¯t just leave it be once he learns that Madam Ling was confined in the Buddha Hall.

    Upon second thought, Mother Han found Ning Xueyan¡¯s words to be reasonable. Her smile faltered, and she started frowning instead. She asked anxiously, "Is First Madam still targeting us? Should we do something?"

    Madam Ling had been managing the household for so many years. It wouldn¡¯t take more than a few instructions from her to deal with a youngdy with so few servants. This made Mother Han deeply worried.

    "That won¡¯t be necessary. She won¡¯t have the time to deal with us when someone else¡¯s targeting her!" Ning Xueyan chuckled. Concubine Xu might be obedient to Madam Ling as her former maid, but now that her only daughter was going to marry an old pervert because of Madam Ling, how could she bear no resentment...?

    Ning Lingyun was sharp-tongued and mean. Concubine Xu schemed with Madam Ling to sabotage her marriage. How could she let them have their way? So, she decided to select a good match for Ning Lingyun and turn them against each other.

    Sunlight filtered through the window tond on her pale face, and yet was incapable of melting the coldness in her eyes. Mother Han, Qingyu, and the rest were stunned to see her. It was as if they were staring at a demonic flower, a bewitchingly beautiful flower that would gradually devour the preys that dare to infringe on her. Nothing would be able to escape her clutches...

    They ought to fear her, and yet she made them feel at ease instead. Only a youngdy like her could protect everyone here in the dog-eat-dog environment of the inner courtyard.

    Even the strong-willed Xinmei couldn¡¯t help wondering just what kind of experience had shaped Ning Xueyan¡¯s coldness and apathy. It was as if the previously childish Fifth Young Lady had crawled out of the hell itself.

    Fifth Young Lady wasn¡¯t unlike an ordinary person. It was no wonder that her Master left her with Ning Xueyan!

    In the end, no word about Madam Ling and Marquis of Ping¡¯an leaked. The servants who saw them received stern warnings to keep their mouth shut. The marriage between the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s Manor was also nailed down, with the bride being the concubine-born Ning Lingyun. However, as Ning Lingyun had unmarried elder sisters, the two families did no more than the exchange of betrothal gifts. The official wedding would be held at ater date.

    This time, the Marquis of Ping¡¯an had essentially tied himself to the fate of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Ning Zu¡¯an thought it was a worthwhile deal to buy his silence with a concubine-born daughter. It was just a concubine-born daughter anyway.

    Ning Lingyun¡¯s position had always been lowerpared to Ning Yuling, who bore a far heavier responsibility.

    Marquis of Ping¡¯an was, of course, delighted to marry the beautifuldy of his dreams. He had already tossed the matter about the jade pendant to the back of his mind; it was something Madam Ling instructed him to say, anyway. He was grateful enough that he achieved his goal without suffering consequences from the incident with Madam Ling. On the other hand, Ning Zu¡¯an felt frustrated to be addressed as "father-inw". Looking at such a plump face, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to feel happy.

    With a wave of his hand, he sent the Marquis of Ping¡¯an away.

    That night, Ning Lingyun¡¯s courtyard was noisy withmotion, so much so that it nearly alerted Madam Dowager. Concubine Xu had to spend the night there to cate her daughter.

    Ning Xueyan went to bed as soon as themps were lit for the evening. Lanning stared at the bulging quilt inside the house and closed the doors helplessly. After informing the other servants that their Young Lady had fallen asleep, she returned to the house, closed the doors, and slept outside the room.

    Her eyes were closed, but she remained awake. That was because the one sleeping inside wasn¡¯t Ning Xueyan but a bundled quilt.

    Ning Xueyan had followed Xinmei to sneak out of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. This was what she had promised Prince Yi.

    Tonight, Prince Yi had some affairs that required Ning Xueyan¡¯s presence. Lanning didn¡¯t know if it was a good thing for her Fifth Young Lady to get involved with Prince Yi. However, Ning Xueyan had so few supporters that her path was still treacherous despite her intelligence. Today¡¯s incident was a good example. If Xinmei wasn¡¯t around, the Marquis of Ping¡¯an wouldn¡¯t have fallen for their trap so easily.

    If it was someone else, they would be discovered even if they were able to lure the Marquis of Ping¡¯an over.

    Ning Xueyan was a smart one; she must have her reasons to get involved with Prince Yi. This thought made Lanning feel a little calmer. Compared to Ning Ziying, Ning Xueyan appeared even smaller and frailer. The truth was that she was even more formidable, enough to make Lanning trust her. Her Young Lady would surely have her reasons; all she had to do was trust her.

    Even so, she was still worried, and it kept her awake. She carefully listened to the sound of activity inside the courtyard...

    This time, Ning Xueyan was dressed as a maid. Instead of leading her in through the front door, Xinmei jumped over the wall while carrying her. The Bright Frost Garden was located in a remote corner of the manor, so jumping across the wall would directly take them outside. Outside, a horse carriage was waiting. Ning Xueyan entered the carriage with Xinmei following suit behind her.

    In the cover of the night, the carriage made several turns down the road before arriving at the courtyard from before. They entered through the backdoor. Once she closed the doors, Xinmei stood there and carefully listened for any noise. Ning Xueyan stood beside her quietly, looking indifferent. Her calmness made Xinmei nod to herself. This Fifth Young Lady might be young, but she was garnering more and more of her respect.

    "Young Lady, allow me to dress you in a new set of clothes!" They entered a room, where amp was illuminating a set of ornate clothing made of snow-white cotton yarn. It was a gorgeous piece with an elegant design of blood-red butterflies and looked even better with a jadeite head ornament. With her cool expression, Ning Xueyan looked even more bewitching dressed in it.

    Xinmeibed Ning Xueyan¡¯s fringe once again. Even though it was a little on the short side, she still managed to press it down with a butterfly hairpin. It was rather astonishing how alluring her delicate brows and eyes could look if she put a little effort into her appearance. With such temperament, behavior, and appearance, she would fully blossom in just two years.

    Xinmei couldn¡¯t helpplimenting this girl inside her mind. Her Master was the most bewitchingly beautiful person that she knew, but the Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor wasn¡¯t inferior to him by any means.

    "Xinmei, is the Prince going somewhere? Or is he receiving a guest?" Ning Xueyan asked cidly, as she took in the calm expression of the gorgeousdy in the mirror.

    "I¡¯m in the dark myself. The Prince¡¯s letter only says that you muste here tonight. I¡¯m thinking that perhaps the Prince is putting on a show to meet a few people," Xinmei answered as shebed Ning Xueyan¡¯s hair. Since she was away from Prince Yi recently, she wasn¡¯t sure about the exact details.

    Ning Xueyan frowned and asked confusedly, "Doesn¡¯t the Prince have concubines?" Considering his status, Prince Yi could have any woman that he wanted. Why did he ask her to pretend to be his favored concubine?

    "There are concubines in the manor, but they¡¯re all bestowed by the Emperor and the royal consorts. The Prince doesn¡¯t like any of them and settles them in some corner of the inner courtyard. He forbids them from leaving on most days," Xinmei exined, seeing as this couldn¡¯t be considered a secret.

    Everyone knew that the Emperor and Prince Yi didn¡¯t get along. There was no way Prince Yi would want anything to do with the concubines that the Emperor sent. Moreover, all those women tend to shiver when they saw him. They couldn¡¯t even get proper sentences out of their mouth. It was incredibly displeasing to him.

    She didn¡¯t mention the reason was also Ao Chenyi¡¯s bloodthirstiness. Several of his concubines were beaten to death just days after entering his manor. Who wouldn¡¯t be obedient after seeing this?

    "What¡¯s the matter with the Third Prince and Prince Yi¡¯s fight?" Ning Xueyan asked calmly. That day, the Prince had sent over his people as if he couldn¡¯t be bothered it. It was truly strange!

    Xinmei didn¡¯t dare to answer that question, so she carefully exined, "I¡¯m not so sure myself. If you¡¯re curious, you¡¯ll have to ask the Prince."

 Chapter 123 The Beauties from the Palace

    It was obvious that the tall, elegant ink-ck carriage embedded with jade and gold carried an esteemed guest.

    The breeze swept the half-rolled pearl ne, causing it the pearls to emit a crisp rustling sound. One could faintly see the man sitting on the soft couch covered in golden silk. Leaning on him was a woman with a slip of white silk covering her face.

    Prince Yiy on the jade couch on his side. His face was so delicate and gorgeous that it looked like it was carved out of jade. There was a small smirk on his lips, making him look even more bewitching. Yet no one dared to look straight at him.

    His eyes were ice-cold. His jet-ck pupils emanated a startlingly bloodthirsty air. In the spacious and empty courtyard, he appeared sly and frigid. No one dared to meet his eyes. His nefarious aura seemed capable of dragging a person down to the nine levels of hell.

    Everyone¡¯s faces looked stiff. Prince Yi had always been a rebellious sort, known for his ruthless bloodthirstiness. He might be smiling now, but he could plunge you into purgatory in the next second. The several beautifuldies kneeling on the ground were trembling with fear. They didn¡¯t even dare to raise their head.

    On the contrary, the white-clothed woman leaning against him calmly reached for a grape on the table. She peeled off the skin of the grape with her slender fingers and brought it to Prince Yi¡¯s thin, beautiful lips. Her action demonstrated her calm. Now and then, she would turn around to reveal a lovely pair of eyes. Her gaze was so prating that she seemed capable of reading anyone¡¯s heart.

    Ao Chenyi opened his mouth ever so subtly, biting the purple grape imported from the Western Region that Ning Xueyan fed him. His dark red lips glistened thanks to the juice from the grape, making him look even captivating.

    He narrowed his eyes. Reflected in his beautiful, jet-ck eyes was a demonic coldness, so cold that it stifled the air around them. He said, "Behead them."

    "Prince, please spare our lives!" The two adorable-looking beauties who kneeled at the forefront immediately copsed on the ground. Their jade-white faces were wet with tears. They raised their head, giving Ao Chenyi a pitiful, pleading look.

    Most people wouldn¡¯t bear to behead such beautifuldies, but none of the imperial bodyguards dared to say a word. Two guards came forward to drag the flirtatious-looking beauties away without mercy.

    Suddenly, a court eunuch standing on the side recovered his senses, and hastily stepped forward. With iling hands, he said, "H... Halt... Prince... These are gifts from... the Emperor... If you do this... the Emperor will..." His face was so pale that it looked almost lifeless. Thedies that he delivered here today were all gorgeous, and these two even more so.

    Moreover, they were daughters of officials. If they were beheaded the minute they were sent to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, the Emperor would surely behead him in retaliation.

    "Just because the Emperor sent them here, does that mean they can offend my beloved?" Ao Chenyi looked at everyone in disdain. His beautiful eyes emanated an insidious and ruthless gaze.

    Right on cue, Ning Xueyan yed the role of a well-pampered concubine. She lowered her voice and said affectionately, "Prince, those two insulted me!" Ao Chenyi reached out and pulled her into his embrace.

    "Prince... They didn¡¯t... It¡¯s just that these two beauties... got into a little argument with your... beloved concubine... I... I¡¯ll make them apologize now," the eunuch exined, stammering. He was as anxious as he was angry, but there was nothing he could do about it when he had no backing.

    He had no idea how those two managed to offend Prince Yi¡¯s favorite concubine. He had told them in advance that Prince Yi had just wedded a concubine that he doted on dearly. Not only did he allow her to live in the Garden of Irises and Orchids, the courtyard closest to his, but he also assigned her multiple guards. Most days, she wouldn¡¯t even show up in front of others.

    He had warned them not to offend her!

    Yet in the short time where he stepped away, the two beauties ran into Prince Yi¡¯s beloved concubine and even got into a quarrel with her. He heard that those two were so agitated that they pushed her off the rock garden tform, nearly killing her. Fortunately, Prince Yi returned right then and saved her just in time.

    Prince Yi was the one who took lives, never the other way around!

    "Tell the Emperor that I thank him for his royal grace." Ao Chenyi looked at the eunuch. Noticing him shivering, a smirk gradually appeared on his peerlessly handsome face.

    Even though the eunuch was afraid, he knew he must plead for the two beauties¡¯ lives. He pointed in the direction where thedies were dragged away and said, "But..."

    Suddenly, he heard two screechesing from the distance. It was obvious that thedies were screaming while struggling.

    "I ought to be taking care of them since they came from the Emperor, and yet... they provoked someone they shouldn¡¯t." Ao Chenyi seemed to bementing on the two screeches earlier. His voice carried peculiar darkness that made people feel like they were suffocating.

    Did he truly behead the beauties that the Emperor sent without mercy?

    Under the veil, Ning Xueyan subconsciously bit her lip. Looking like she was frightened, she trembled as she leaned into Ao Chenyi¡¯s embrace. No one saw that she was sneering.

    Today, she came here to find a chance to start an argument with the two beauties. Those twodies from the pce had always been the proud sort. Since it was the Emperor who sent them here, they became even haughtier. They were cruel, too. Just because of a few words of dispute, they worked together to push her off the rock garden tform.

    Fortunately, Ao Chenyi had seen thising. Had the victim been a woman without any backup whatsoever, she would really be dead. Sure enough,dies hailing from the pce were ruthless.

    "Prince, they... they..." Hearing the screechesing from outside, the eunuch felt his legs weaken. He pointed outside, unable to even get his words out.

    "They¡¯re about to be beheaded. Eunuch He, please ry to the Emperor that I¡¯m very pleased with the ythings he sent over. What a pity that the ythings aren¡¯t that good and are quickly broken." Ao Chenyi shed a bright smile. He looked like he was in a good mood.

    The eunuch¡¯s face turned as white as a piece of paper upon hearing that the two beauties were about to be headed. He couldn¡¯t say anything in response.

    The other beauties at the scene were so frightened that their teeth were ttering noisily, all of them wrestling feelings of regret. With two of them dying in the first meeting, just what kind of perilous road lie ahead of them? To them, Prince Yi and his bewitchingly good looks were equivalent to the blood-thirsty Asura from hell.

    Who would still dare to seduce a man like him...?

    Two guards entered through the moon gate, with one holding a tray dripping with blood. When they passed by one of the beauties, she subconsciously looked up and saw a seductive face stained with blood. Once, she was deeply envious of that face. Now, it brought her nothing but fear.

    She screeched. With a turn of her head, she fainted.

    Her screeching seemed infectious. One after another, all the beauties copsed.

    "Prince, please examine the oue of the punishment!" The two tall guards ignored them and walked up to the carriage.

    On the way back, the carriage entered through the main entrance. Before Ao Chenyi even exited the carriage, he saw Ning Xueyan being pushed off the rock garden tform. Thus, he remained inside.

    "Look, Yan¡¯er. I vented your anger for you," Ao Chenyi said breezily. The corner of his red lips curved to form an amused smirk. He reached out to grab Ning Xueyan¡¯s face and pulled her close, so that she was facing the frightened faces of the beauties before their death on the tray.

    "Thank you, Prince!" Ning Xueyan replied cutely, in neither servile nor overbearing tone. Shocked as she was, she didn¡¯t let it show.

    "Don¡¯t you find them pitiful, Yan¡¯er?" Suddenly, Ao Chenyi frowned and turned his head to stare deep into Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes. Under her longshes, her beautiful and dark-as-ink pupils wereced with shock but not fear.

    "Prince, the two beauties wanted to take my life earlier. If you were even a stepter, the one lying here would be me. I don¡¯t think I should pity people who tried to harm me." Ning Xueyan nced at the beauties¡¯ heads emotionlessly.

    In her new life, she would never show mercy to those who harmed her.

    River of Forgetfulness, red spider lilies, Old Lady Meng¡¯s soup, Asura¡¯s Hell¡ªall these had preordained her ruthless character!

    Likewise, the women sent here by the Emperor were destined to suffer such a fate. Thepetition for affection in the inner courtyard was like a battlefield without smoke. It was a dog-eat-dog world. The two beauties in the rock garden reached a tacit understanding to push her off the mountain after just an exchange of looks. It was obvious how cold-blooded they were. Moreover, they worked very well together.

    There was no way an ordinary upbringing could produce such character.

    "Prince, are these... the unparalleled beauties earlier?" the eunuch asked as he pointed to the beauties¡¯ heads on the tray, unable to ept the truth. He was nheless had stronger mental fortitude than the other women.

    Never mind ordinary men, even a eunuch like him couldn¡¯t help feeling his heart face after seeing the two beauties. He refused to believe that Prince Yi would be affected, much less go so far as to behead them.

    "Hearing you put it that way makes me think that they¡¯re, in fact, quite pretty. Let¡¯s do it this way then. I heard there¡¯s a medicine in the pce that can preserve the dead¡¯s looks. Why don¡¯t you find some?" Ao Chenyi said, looking amused. However, his cold eyes carried no joy whatsoever as his gazended on the eunuch.

    "I... I¡¯m not... These two offended you, I... I¡¯ll report this to the Emperor straightaway." The eunuch shivered under Ao Chenyi¡¯s intense gaze. Immediately recovering his senses, he hastily bade farewell and carried his shaking legs back to the ce.

    That was the tyrannical Prince Yi, after all. He knew that if he dared to nag the prince, he might not be able to see the sunrise tomorrow. He saw very clearly the killing intent glinting in the prince¡¯s eyes earlier.

    Ao Chenyi straightened his body and got up from the couch. He adjusted his gorgeous but peculiar ink-ck robe before stepping on the back of a eunuch on all fours under the carriage door. When his feet reached the ground, he supported Ning Xueyan with his hand and carried her off the carriage. After wrapping her in a long, wide ck cloak, he sped her under his arm and led her into his residence.

    "Send them to the inner courtyard!" He shot the group of beauties sprawled on the ground an indifferent nce and smirked. It was such a beautiful smirk, and yet it carried no warmth.

    "Yes," said a housekeeper, long on standby. He came over and dragged the beauties without care to the inner courtyard, one in each hand.

    Prince Yi could be as unbridled as he wanted to be. The Emperor had dered him the heir presumptive and the title of Crown Prince would be his as long as he didn¡¯t plot a rebellion. Even so, was this situation alright...?

    "Yan¡¯er, are you scared to be bound to me?" Next to Ning Xueyan¡¯s ear was Ao Chenyi¡¯s bewitching, amused voice and hints of warmth. Yet what she felt was a trembling deep within her.

 Chapter 124 Open Target

    Just because Prince Yi could be unbridled, it didn¡¯t mean that he would inherit the throne in the end. The Emperor wasn¡¯t happy, just as his princes were. The former Emperor¡¯s edict wasn¡¯t absolute sometimes. The frequent delivery of beauties represented the Emperor¡¯s fear of him.

    This didn¡¯t mean Ning Xueyan regretted her decision.

    Her purpose had always been revenge. The future wasn¡¯t within her scope of consideration.

    She calmly lifted her head. Under the veil, the beautifuldy¡¯s eyes were filled with startling coldness and tranquility. She looked nothing like a fourteen-year-olddy. She looked up at him icily. "If you don¡¯t abandon me, I¡¯ll never abandon you."

    She didn¡¯t want to ponder on what the future would bring. Her consideration right now was her immediate benefits. She wanted to take every step to ensure her survival and keep going on.

    To her, the future was too distant... Perhaps, she might not even have a future!

    Her jet-ck, feathery eyshes trembled twice. One could see her delicate and beautiful face under the muslin. Reflected in her fairy-like looks was her tragic solemnness and determination to never look back, making her resemble a warrior about to charge into the battlefield. Despite knowing she was charging on a path of no return, she continued to advance bravely!

    The handsome man with a nefarious glint in his eyes turned even colder still. However, an undetectable trace of warmth flitted across his pupils. He stopped trying to make things difficult for Ning Xueyan. Hugging her thin and weak shoulders, he urged her forward. The others that nked his side lowered their head and excused themselves.

    The residence was tastefully decorated. Inside the bedroom, a couch was ced by the window overlooking the south. There was an intricate fragrance stove on the side table that looked like it would emanate the fragrance of a hundred blossoming flowers. However, the fragrance that permeated the room was merely a mild sweetness. Behind the couch was a courtdy¡¯s screen with nine sections. On the side was a curtain of pearls partially covering up a spacious bed with a canopy of muslin behind it.

    Ning Xueyan looked around as she walked inside. "This is for ¡¯me¡¯?" she asked.

    "Yes. This is the new residence I built for my favorite concubine." Ao Chenyi walked in and sat on a spacious chair carved out of Chinese cedar with ease. Calmly and contently, he started peeling the grapes ced on the table with a faint smile on his thin lips.

    "Prince, is this how you scare away all the beauties that the Emperor sends? If he sends so many each time, do you have space in your inner courtyard to house them all?" Ning Xueyan asked curiously as she settled down on the chair on the opposite.

    "Do you think I¡¯d worry about whether or not they¡¯re properly housed?" Ao Chenyi looked at Ning Xueyan with a haughty expression. Suddenly, he smirked. His bewitching, long, and narrow eyes emitted coldness as he said, "If there¡¯s not enough space, we can make enough space by beheading a few of them."

    What a ssic response from Prince Yi!

    Ning Xueyan sighed. No wonder the guards looked like the beauties like they were looking at the dead. Considering the way the Emperor sent beauties over, the manor would sooner orter run out of space. Others wouldn¡¯t dare to slight the beauties for fear of the Emperor, but this prince had no need to consider this at all.

    He was, after all, Prince Yi who overturned authority at all levels. It was said that he had been following the previous Emperor to the battlefield since young. His character was also cold-blooded and ruthless. Those who offended him even in the slightest would suffer a terrible fate. If he didn¡¯t want the beauties that the Emperors sent him, killing or skinning them was just a matter of words to him.

    He wouldn¡¯t pay any mind to insignificant beauties from the pce.

    "Then why did you summon me here?" Ning Xueyan asked, smiling. "Since you have your ways, you wouldn¡¯t need to invent this tale of a favorite concubine and make me an open target!"

    She had the feeling that this man knew all of her thoughts, so she decided to be frank with her unhappiness. In front of a man like him, frankness might be even more effective at gaining his favor.

    "You¡¯re very bold. Aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll want your life after you discover my intentions?" Ao Chenyi wiped his hands with a handkerchief. He reached out and grabbed Ning Xueyan¡¯s wrist with his slender, powerful, and wide hand. There was a faint smile on his face. Target, indeed. She was indeed clever to be able to guess his n.

    When he exerted just the barest of strength, Ning Xueyan felt like her wrist was about to break. The pain shot through her heart. This man was indeed temperamental. Suppressing her pain, she looked up calmly at him with her jet-ck eyes. "Prince, we¡¯re on the same boat now," she said sincerely.

    She was informing him about her stance. The truth was that she had no choice but to take his side since the moment she received help from him. She had no other stance to turn to. That was why she obediently executed his order of pretending to be his favored concubine and provoking an argument with the two beauties until they tried to push her so heavily.

    What an intelligent and daring girl indeed. Ao Chenyi rxed his hand but continued to hold onto her wrist. He looked at the back of Ning Xueyan¡¯s tender, graceful hand and saw the two bloodied wounds. Those were the scratches the two beauties left when they pushed her earlier. They were now showing signs of inmmation.

    The wounds were particrly conspicuous against a backdrop of soft, fair skin. It was like a discord in an otherwise harmonious picture.

    It was indeed bothersome to look at!

    He fished out a jade bottle from his bosom and reached over in a graceful movement. Before Ning Xueyan could recover her senses, he tugged on her wrist and pulled her into his embrace. She looked up, rmed, and met a bewitching pair of eyes. She swallowed her yelp of surprise.

    With quick movements, he smeared the milky, translucent ointment inside the jade bottle onto the injured back of Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand. She felt a refreshing coolness instantly soothing the hint of scorching pain earlier.

    "If someone discovers your injured hand, you¡¯ll ruin the entire n," Ao Chenyi said with a quiet scoff. He let go of her hand and calmly wet his hands with his handkerchief. Ning Xueyan understood from his wicked, savage smile that he wasn¡¯t joking. If she truly ruined his n, her oue was inevitable death.

    To Ao Chenyi, people were divided into just two categories: useful and useless. If he considered her useless, she would suffer the same fate as those beauties. She wouldn¡¯t dream of asking him to treat rubbish any differently.

    "What do you want me to do?" Her cold eyes regained their calm. Ning Xueyan returned to her seat, ignoring the flirtatious atmosphere when Ao Chenyi pulled her into his embrace. They were the only ones here, so there was no need for him to put on ointment for her.

    "Who would find out that you¡¯re injured?" Ao Chenyi leaned on the chair with a smile ying on his thin lips. He could acutely feel her attention on him.

    "Those in the pce," Ning Xueyan answered after some thought. Even though the attack happened some distance away from the others, where they were cunning enough to gather in a secluded area, this didn¡¯t mean that the eunuch and the other beauties weren¡¯t paying attention to their actions.

    Her wounds wouldn¡¯t escape the notice of those who pay attention.

    "What will happen next?" Ao Chenyi asked softly. His eyes were unreadable as he looked through his eyshes at Ning Xueyan¡¯s reserved face.

    "No woman in your inner courtyard has ever received such favor from you, to the point that you¡¯d kill two beauties from the Emperor for her. If they can manipte such a woman who can control your mood, they¡¯ll surely be able to affect you."

    Ning Xueyan gave an earnest analysis after some thought.

    Ao Chenyi might look rampant and impetuous, but he was in truth a shrewd person. Coupled with the fact that he had the capital¡¯s guards under his control, he met little opposition in the court. No minister dared to openly contradict him. Not even the Emperor could do anything about him. He could only try and sabotage Ao Chenyi through his harem. However, all the beauties that entered his manor would end up leaving as corpses.

    So what if they sent so many?

    The Emperor couldn¡¯t reprimand Ao Chenyi just because of the beheading of a few beauties.

    When the Emperor who had reached the end of his rope heard that Ao Chenyi had fallen for a woman, he would surely focus on her. So, Ning Xueyan had be an open target for everyone. Whether they would try to kill his beloved concubine to disturb his peace or try to control her to cause problems for Ao Chenyi would be up to their intention.

    Thus, considering the situation, Ning Xueyan had ced herself in great danger by ying the role of the beloved concubine.

    "Aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯d abandon you so the others think it¡¯s a ruse and make their move?" Ao Chenyi raised an eyebrow and put on a wicked smirk as if he was discussing the weather, not Ning Xueyan¡¯s survival.

    "You wouldn¡¯t." Ning Xueyan looked at him with her pair of jet-ck eyes, meeting hisnguid eyes.

    "Oh, do enlighten me. Do you think it¡¯s because I can¡¯t bear to let you die?" Ao Chenyi looked at her, smiling as he waited for an exnation.

    "If you¡¯re dealing with any of those ministers, all you have to do is send your imperial guards. I heard the imperial guards are equipped with the mastery of eighteen different martial arts. You need not thrust me into the open. If you¡¯re dealing with others, it¡¯s even more useless to do that. I¡¯m just your favorite concubine, not your royal consort. They won¡¯t have a need to deal with me and incur your attention. Considering your character, you don¡¯t look like someone who¡¯d risk your ambition for a concubine."

    Ning Xueyan was fluent as she exined herself with an unwavering gaze at him.

    Ao Chenyi turned his head subtly to fix his cold gaze, filled with wicked killing intent, on her. Suddenly, he reached out to touch her face. Light was flickering in his unfathomable pupils as he gradually narrowed his eyes. "Yan¡¯er, are you looking to be the only first wife¡¯s daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?"

    "No. I want to bring the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to ruins," she said sharply. Something changed in her eyes. She looked away, avoiding his slender fingers.

    There was no need for such a ruthless ce to exist.

    "Sure. I await the day you bring the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to ruins," Ao Chenyi said softly. For the first time, a joyful smile appeared on his handsome face.

    "Then what should we do now? How do we deal with the pce if my beloved concubine disappears from time to time?" Ao Chenyi retrieved his hand, looking unperturbed by Ning Xueyan¡¯s resistance.

    "Prince, if you don¡¯t mind, I can give something a try," Ning Xueyan said in a sharine voice. She abruptly reached out to grab Ao Chenyi¡¯srge hand.

    Ao Chenyi smiled wickedly. Before he could reply, she pulled his hand to her mouth and took arge bite out of it. Blood gradually spilled out from the wound on the back of his slender, fair hand...

 Chapter 125 But Remember, Just This Once

    "How dare you?" Swords and sabers flew out from eunuchs and guards who stood on their side. In an instant, the two sabers and two swords alreadyy across Ning Xueyan¡¯s throat.

    Of course, those people Ao Chenyi carried with him must be experts. Now with the killing intent permeating in the air, they pointed their swords at the vital spot of her throat and ced their sabers across her jade-like neck. Such a beauty like her would perish immediately if they pressed a little harder.

    "You really have guts!" Ao Chenyi instantly waved the swords and sabers away with the other bare hand. His pair of evil pupils that others dared not to look at was filled with dense dark bloody color, which fixed steadily at Ning Xueyan. He looked as if his next step was to break the slender neck of Ning Xueyan.

    His appearance was more like the bloody equinox flowers that bloomed in hell. He was now as mysteriously beautiful and morous as Xiuluo, who ate human souls...

    The several guards gazed at each other. Although they retreated, they still stared at Ning Xueyan with vignce because they were afraid that she would hurt their noble master again.

    Ning Xueyan looked up, and a touch of red color appeared on the gauze kerchief by her lip corners. Slowly, the blood dripped down from her mouth corners, which brought her a weird and sad aura. At this time, her jet-ck eyes became even clearer. She seemed unaware of the bloodthirsty light at the bottom of Ao Chenyi¡¯s eyes. Then, she smiled gently and looked at Ao Chenyi, neither cringing nor arrogant.

    "Prince, did you just ask me how to handle all of this? Well, I guess this is the best way!"

    "Do you dare to hurt me?" The thin lips of Ao Chenyi lifted up, and he sneered with rage. It seemed that the fire of hell was burning in his eyes.

    "In this world, who can hurt you without your permission?" Indifferently, Ning Xueyan gently wiped the gauze kerchief by her mouth corners with her white hand, and the blood there froze between her delicate fingers.

    "If your favorite concubine hurts you, you will certainly re up because of your temper. Then, it will be a normal thing if you hurt your favorite concubine." With this, Ning Xueyan picked up a cdon vase at hand and threw it hard to the ground without casting a nce at it.

    In the crisp and loud voice, the two guards and eunuchs looked very surprised.

    "You guessed that I would do this!" Ao Chenyi nced at the wound that was still bleeding on the back of his hand, and his long and narrow eyes looked as limpid as colored ss.

    "It doesn¡¯t matter if you will do it or not, as long as others think that you will do it!" Ning Xueyan said with tongue in cheek. Then, she tossed another pure white jade bottle to the ground without changing her expression.

    Hence, what she meant was that Ao Chenyi wanted others to see this scene so that he would tolerate her behavior.

    She knew that it was dangerous to do so. But still, she made the choice for Ao Chenyi even before he made up his mind. Because it would be more dangerous for her if she didn¡¯t do that, she was actually trying to save herself. Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t want to be the target in the open because then she wouldn¡¯t even know how she died. However, she had no other choice!

    Everyone knew that Prince Yi was brutal, bloodthirsty, and moody. If someone became haughty because of his indulgence and hurt him, this person woulde to no good end even if the person were his beloved concubine...

    From time to time, crushing sounds of the porcin came out from the room. Even those servants passed by the outside of the courtyard could hear the sounds clearly. One after another, they hunched over and softly walked past the gate with fear and trepidation, and none of them dared to look back.

    A slightly meaningful expression suddenly revealed on Ao Chenyi¡¯s cold face. His thin lips started to hang up, and he said, "Little girl, you are really bold. But remember, just this once."

    Unexpectedly, the "toy" he bumped into could be so bold and smart. The girl was getting more and more interesting, and so Ao Chenyi was increasingly expecting her growth!

    Presumed on being a favorite, Prince Yi¡¯s concubine became so spoiled that she cried and screamed in the courtyard because the emperor had given Prince Yi several Beautiful Ladies. She even bit Prince Yi¡¯s hand and provoked him. Prince Yi then left the courtyard named Zhn House in a rage and let others seal the yard. Also, he didn¡¯t allow the people inside toe out and only offered them only one meal a day. It seemed that he became really furious.

    "Did he shut his favorite concubine up?" Standing in his study, Third Prince was watching a picture of peony he drew. Upon hearing the report from the guard, he frowned a little. Then, he sat down on the chair and asked.

    "Yes, Your Highness. I heard that there was an obvious bite mark on the hand of Prince Yi. He asked some people to apply medicine for him as soon as he left the yard. Later on, he sent someone there to lock the door," the guard replied, respectfully. He was the henchman of Third Prince, so he knew Ao Mingyu, the Third Prince, now concerned about this matter.

    "Did she truly bite uncle¡¯s hand? What a bold woman! I really didn¡¯t expect that she survived after that. It seems that my uncle likes her." A trace of gloom emerged on Ao Mingyu¡¯s gentle face. His brows slightly loosened, and he sneered and said, "Continue to focus on the affairs of Zhn House, but remember not to make any move in case my uncle notices anything."

    Third Prince was increasingly curious about that woman. He could not see her facest time they met. But judging by her figure, the woman should be a beauty. Third Prince also sent Prince Yi two teams beauties at that time, the two leaders of the two teams were still in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor now. However, the woman did not say anything at all, and it seemed that she behaved very appropriate to the situation.

    "But now, what was the reason that irritated her so much that she even bit uncle¡¯s hand? What exactly does that mean?"

    "When you withdraw, send the jade ointment that His Majesty rewarded me to my uncle¡¯s manor."

    It was challenging for Third Prince to ce his person in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor such that he didn¡¯t dare to ask the person to do too many things for him. Now he only asked the person to check whether or not the wound on his uncle¡¯s hand was true!

    "Yes!" The guards answered and then retreated. But he returned halfway. Once again, he bowed down and replied, "Your Highness, it is said that Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is about to ally itself to Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s Manor by marriage. In previous, it was the Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would marry Marquis of Ping¡¯an. Butter, they reced the Fifth Young Lady with the Fourth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor for some unknown reason."

    "The Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?" A trace of surprise shed across the Third Prince¡¯s eyes. He seemed to see an iparably lucid and attractive face with indifferent eyes. "Was Ning Zu¡¯an crazy or stupid? He actually prepared to marry such a delicate daughter of his co-wife to the notorious Marquis of Ping¡¯an. I really don¡¯t know what his purpose was."

    "Behind the hair fringe, she looked tedious and dull; in Cold Mountain Temple, she was intelligent but indifferent. Which one is the real her?"

    For the first time, he was curious about a woman, and he would like to see what kind of appearance she would show next.

    "Has anyone sent the invitation card of the Plum-blossom Party to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?" A faint smile appeared on the Third Prince¡¯s handsome face, and he tapped on the table with his fingers.

    "Honored Consort Ya has already sent the invitation there at an earlier time. I heard that Honored Consort Ya especially sent three invitation cards to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor." Although the guard did not understand the meaning of the Third Prince, he answered honestly.

    "Three invitation cards. Now that Eldest Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is already married. Then the three cards should be sent to Second Young Lady, Third Young Lady, and Fifth Young Lady. Sure enough, parties in the pce will only invite the co-wife¡¯s daughter. My mother is indeed thoughtful. But will shee?"

    A pretty smiling face shed in his mind. She looked so tender and lovely. And she was as soft as water when she kept the Third Princepany in his most difficult time, which he always recalled.

    "So many years had passed, everything must be alright about her!"

    Ning Xueyan left Prince Yi¡¯s Manor from a secluded side door. She finally felt relieved when she saw Xinmei, who was waiting for her in the carriage outside. Sitting quietly before the window, Ning Xueyan felt the carriage slowly started to move. She could faintly hear the heartrending screams from the two beauties before their death. But on the surface, it seemed that it was Prince Yi that killed the two beauties who obviously had evil intents by taking advantage of her favorite concubine identity.

    Ning Xueyan certainly would not think that Prince Yi would not kill the two beauties without her.

    In previous, a lot of beauties were sent from the pce, and it was unknown how many of them had died in the hands of Prince Yi. However, Prince Yi cared nothing about that. But this time, the reason why Prince Yi wanted her toe forward this time was that he needed such a favorite concubine to stay in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    Just now, she bet on the right horse, so she could leave Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, safe and sound!

    "Young Lady, did the master embarrass you?" With concern, Xinmei inquired in a low voice. Since Xinmei became Ning Xueyan¡¯s servant, she was totally impressed by Ning Xueyan¡¯s wisdom. So she certainly did not want to see her die in the hands of her previous master. Therefore, she feared for her safety ever since Ning Xueyan went in the manor.

    Feeling Xinmei¡¯s genuine concern, Ning Xueyan smiled lightly. She shook her head and said, "I¡¯m fine. Prince still needs me to be his favorite concubine."

    "The purpose that Ao Chenyi used me as a shield or a target is certainly not just to deal with those beauties in the backyard of his manor. He has stayed in a high position for such a long time such that he must know very well what others are thinking about and good at ying politics. He is definitely not someone that others can make use of with ease. If I showed even the slightest hesitation when I answered him just now, I might end up like the two beauties."

    "Young Lady, when we arrive at the courtyardter, will we go directly back to the manor or go to Splendid Pavilion?" Seeing that she looked natural, Xinmei let out a sigh of relief and asked.

    Splendid Pavilion was one of thergest jewelry stores in the capital. It was located in the most prosperous ce in the capital, and it had upied the ce of several stores on that road. Usually, those youngdies and madams in the capital came here one after the other to order or buy jewelry. Because each item in this store was a piece of beautifully designed jewelry, and there was a wide selection of colors and designs. So, the price of each piece was high. A great many daughters from noble families were proud of having the jewelry of Splendid Pavilion.

    It was also Ning Lingyun¡¯s favorite ce.

    Ning Lingyun was only a concubine¡¯s daughter, so she certainly didn¡¯t have so much money to buy the jewelry here. But even if she could not afford the jewelry, she might as well look at them. Therefore, Ning Lingyun would pay a visit to Splendid Pavilion from time to time. She woulde to look at the new varieties and patterns of the jewelry. In this way, she could still be knowledgeable about the jewelry wearing on other girls, which would make her feel proud.

    Early in the morning, Ning Xueyan knew that Ning Lingyun had gone out again. Of course, her destination was Splendid Pavilion. Again and again, bad things happened to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, and at this time, those entrance guards were a little rxed. Moreover, now that Concubine Xu was in charge of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. So it was much more convenient for Ning Lingyun to go out than before.

    "After returning to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, let¡¯s go to Splendid Pavilion." Ning Xueyan lifted her lips, and a faint smile appeared on her face. She then instructed calmly.

    She had nned to follow Ning Lingyun to Splendid Pavilion. So this time, how could she not do that?

    Madam Ling promised Concubine Xu to make her marry Marquis of Ping¡¯an, but now it was Ning Lingyun who would marry him. Neither Ning Lingyun nor Concubine Xu would feel satisfied. And Ning Lingyun was a particrly vainglorious woman. What a coincidence...

    "Well, I will make arrangements." Xinmei nodded. She knew that Ning Xueyan had her judgment, so she immediately poked her head out and said something to the coachman.

    The carriage stopped in front of the door of the previous courtyard, and Xinmei helped Ning Xueyan get out of the carriage. Ning Xueyan went to the main courtyard and changed her clothes. Then she took another carriage which waited for her at the back door. The carriage went all the way smoothly and stopped by a sidewall of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Xinmei climbed over the wall with Ning Xueyan.

    Ning Xueyan changed her clothes in Bright Frost Garden and took a little break. She asked someone to inform Concubine Xu, and then get on the carriage of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor with Xinmei and Qingyu. All of them headed to the street.

    On the other side, Lanning also went out of the door of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, on the excuse of seeing her sick aunt.

    After the carriage going along the road for a little while, they arrived at Splendid Pavilion.

    Qingyu handed Ning Xueyan a curtained hat, and Xinmei helped Ning Xueyan get off the carriage. Before they stood still, they heard a sarcastic voice from the front. "Yo, aren¡¯t you Fifth Sister? I¡¯m so surprised to see you here. Howe you alsoe to this luxurious ce?"

 Chapter 126 Is It Second Sister Who Let Grandmother Reward You

    "It is true that when thinking of someone, she is sure to appear," Ling Xueyan thought to herself.

    After covering the trace of sarcasm in her eyes, Ning Xueyan raised her head. Wearing a faint smile, she looked at Ning Lingyun, who was standing at the front door of Splendid Pavilion, neither cringing nor arrogant. "Fourth Sister, why are you here? Do you also want to buy some jewelry here? Is the jewelry here expensive?"

    Ning Lingyun was used to treat her meanly. Just when they met, she sneered that Ning Xueyan had seen little of the world. She was utterly unlike the fawning Ning Lingyun when she met Madam Ling and her daughter. Some people were just like this. They were like dogs wagging its tail ingratiatingly before those people who were superior to them. However, when they faced those persons who were inferior to them, they would insult them in every possible way.

    Seeing that Ning Xueyan stayed calm and indifferent, Ning Lingyun went nk for a while and failed to answer her for the moment.

    "Fourth Sister, what a coincidence! Why are you also here?" Without taking Ning Lingyun¡¯s words seriously, Ning Xueyan smiled, dropped Xinmei¡¯s hand, and went up to her. "Are you choosing your jewelry for the wedding now?"

    Ning Xueyan meant that Ning Lingyun was so anxious to marry that she finally made the thing about Marquis of Ping¡¯an happen. At this time, Ning Lingyun was filled with anger. If Concubine Xu had not warned her for such a long time, she would have made a terrible scene at Madam Dowager¡¯s ce this early morning.

    "I am not so anxious to pick up jewelry for myself. But Fifth Sister, you may need those ornaments now. Mother told me to choose some for you in advance. Perhaps, you can use them before long." Ning Lingyun raised her head. She looked back, pointed at those exquisite headdresses in the cabs inside, and said with a false smile.

    Her attitude was extremely arrogant, and her words showed that she firmly believed that Madam Ling would marry Ning Xueyan to Marquis of Ping¡¯an. It seemed that Ning Lingyun had got Madam Ling¡¯s guarantee.

    Her words sent Qingyu into a rage. She was going to quarrel against Ning Lingyun, but Ning Xueyan stretched out and pulled her back. Then, Ning Xueyan said to Ning Lingyun. "Now that we have met. Let¡¯s find a ce to sit down lest others think that sisters in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor cannot get along well with each other."

    Many people wereing and going at the entrance of the door. But Ning Lingyun stopped Ning Xueyan in the doorway to speak with her. Thus, only after a short while, they had caught the attention of others. Some people were already pointing to them and talking about them, wondering what had happened between them.

    Ning Lingyun did not yet dare to spot the reputation of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Instantly, she snorted, turned around, and went to the upstairs. There were private rooms on the upper floor, which opened specially to thosedies and madams from noble families as a ce to rest. Those rooms were screened off from each other by some simple screens. Refreshments were served with extremely exquisite teacups and small tes. This store was indeed a famous one in the capital.

    The store had not only exquisite jewelry but also a ce to rest, which was prepared with meticulous care!

    Ning Xueyan sat down and took off her curtained hat. Then there were maids in the store who sent each of them a cup of tea. In Ning Xueyan¡¯s previous life, she would sneak out sometimes. Back then, Ning Ziying had enough money, so it was not an unfamiliar ce to Ning Xueyan.

    "Do you have any fashionable jewelry?" Qingyu walked forward and asked the maid, who brought the tea to them.

    "Young Lady, we have just got a batch of jewelry with new styles today, and there are hairpins, earrings, headdresses, and so on. Which kind of jewelry would you like to see?" The little maid was smart enough to know that Ning Xueyan was from either a wealthy family or a noble one once she saw her extraordinary bearing. So she replied obsequiously.

    "Do you have any sets of head-ornaments?" Qingyu asked.

    "There are not many new sets of head-ornaments newly arrived today. Which style do you prefer, Young Lady?" The eyes of the little maid were kindled with joy because anyone who could afford sets of head-ornaments must be a big customer.

    "Send two or three sets of the newly arrived head-ornaments up here for ourdy to choose. We prefer more exquisite and sophisticated ones." Qingyu told her.

    The little maid withdrew delightedly.

    "Yo, I didn¡¯t know that you have some money in your hands. It turns out that Second Madam really left you her private savings." Looking at Ning Xueyan¡¯s posture, Ning Lingyun could not help eximing jealously. Most of the time, Ning Lingyun only came to watch the jewelry in Splendid Pavilion. Yesterday, Concubine Xu especially handed some banknotes to her to appease her. Concubine Xu told her that Madam Ling gave her those banknotes and Madam Ling wanted her to stay calm because this matter had not yet ended.

    They would eventually marry Ning Xueyan to the old and ugly Marquis of Ping¡¯an.

    Getting Concubine Xu¡¯s guarantee and Madam Ling¡¯s banknotes, Ning Lingyun finally quieted down. And early this morning, she came to choose jewelry in Splendid Pavilion with some people in high spirits.

    However, she felt quite helpless because the jewelry here was too expensive, and no matter how she chose, she could only buy one or two pieces of jewelry with the money in her hands. The price of sets of head-ornaments was far beyond her reach. Now she already felt jealous to the extreme when she saw that Ning Xueyan was so generous.

    "Grandma rewarded me with the money. I don¡¯t have any other ces to spend the money, so I am here to pick a few pieces of jewelry." Ning Xueyanughed kindly.

    "But Grandmother hasn¡¯t ever liked you, has she? So why would she reward you?" Ning Lingyun immediately felt dissatisfied when she learned that it was Madam Dowager who gave Ning Xueyan the money. Lifting her eyes corners, she said with anger. And the corners of her eyes twisted out of anger, which made her look even more wicked.

    Ning Xueyan picked up the teacup and took a sip gracefully. Then, she said gently. "Grandmother rewarded me only because of Second Sister..."

    Speaking of which, she seemed to realize something all of a sudden. She subconsciously covered her mouth with her handkerchief and swallowed thetter part of her words.

    Ning Lingyun strained her ears to catch Ning Xueyan¡¯s words, but she did not quite understand.

    It could be the most unbearable and annoying thing if the other side broke off in the middle of the sentences during a conversation. Moreover, what Ning Xueyan had said seemed to be rted to Ning Yuling. "How can Ning Yuling have something to do with the money Madam Dowager reward Ning Xueyan?" Feeling extremely anxious, Ning Lingyun was only eager to make Ning Xueyan talk.

    However, Ning Xueyan did not look like someone who could tell the truth easily!

    "Fifth Sister, why does it have anything to do with Second Sister? Is it Second Sister who let Grandmother reward you?" Rolling her eyes, Ning Lingyun put on a false smile and pretended to ask in disdain. She knew that Ning Yuling hated Ning Xueyan to the extreme so that she deliberately asked in a reverse way to make Ning Xueyan talk.

    "Fourth Young Lady, you... How did you know that?" Before Ning Xueyan opened her mouth, Qingyu, who was always outspoken and impetuous, stared at Ning Lingyun with great surprise and blurted out the question. But immediately after that, Qingyu noticed that she said something wrong. So she zipped her lips right away and smiled at Ning Lingyun awkwardly.

    "Qingyu, shut up!" With a cold face, Ning Xueyan reproached her and exined to Ning Lingyun apologetically. "Fourth Sister, Qingyu was talking nonsense. Don¡¯t believe her."

    If it were Ning Xueyan who told her that Madam Dowager rewarded her because of Ning Yuling, Ning Lingyun would never believe it. But it was said by Qingyu, a straightforward and outspoken maid. In this case, Ning Lingyun would have to think it over.

    Upon seeing the nervous expressions of Ning Xueyan and her servants, Ning Lingyun suddenly felt that there might be a plot behind this even if she thought that it was almost impossible.

    Her smile faded. Then, with some sincerity, she deliberately pushed a fruit bowl toward Ning Xueyan. "Fifth Sister, we are sisters. Please don¡¯t treat me as a stranger. You should let me know that Grandmother rewarded you money. Perhaps, I can also get some reward money from Grandmother and buy a few pieces of jewelry to wear."

    "Fourth Sister, you misunderstood. It was nothing, really." Ning Xueyan shook her head. Without batting an eyelid, she pushed the bowl away and said with a smile.

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t want to her, but Ning Lingyun was unwilling to give up. Just in time, carrying two sets of head-ornaments, the maid walked up to them. Both of the two sets were extremely exquisite, and they seemed to attract all Ning Xueyan¡¯s attention instantly. Then, the maid said that there were a few more sets downstairs, but it was inconvenient for her to bring them here because some people were watching them. After hearing what she said, Ning Xueyan immediately got up and went downstairs.

    "Fourth Sister, I am going to see the jewelry first. Please sit here for a while."

    "Fifth Sister, just go ahead. But the maid beside me is not as clever as yours. Can I borrow Qingyu from you? She can help me check whether the hairpin I brought is good or not." With a smile, Ning Lingyun stopped Qingyu who wentst. Seeing the chance, the maid beside Ning Lingyun immediately held Qingyu¡¯s hand affectionately and didn¡¯t let her go downstairs.

    "Then, Qingyu, you stay to help Fourth Sister check the hairpin." Ning Xueyan nodded while smiling. Right after that, she turned around and went downstairs with Xinmei.

    "Qingyu,e here to see the hairpin of Fourth Young Lady. Is it beautiful?" asked Caiyun, Ning Lingyun¡¯s maid. Smiling, she took out an exquisite gold hairpin from the box she carried.

    "It¡¯s pretty, Fourth Young Lady. But I am really not good at choosing ornaments. You¡¯d better let sister Caiyun pick them for you. I want to see the sets downstairs with mydy." Qingyu looked helpless, and she begged drily while frowning. From time to time, she looked out of the door. It was apparent that she also wanted to follow Ning Xueyan downstairs.

    Ning Lingyun tipped Caiyun a wink.

    "Why are you in such a hurry? It is okay just to look at it. Fifth Young Lady has left you to us, anyway. If you disobey Fifth Young Lady¡¯s order and go to find her at this time, you will upset her." While smiling, Caiyun pushed the box in her hand toward her. "Take a closer look. Ourdy also thought it was good when she brought it. But now, she doesn¡¯t like it very much."

    Caiyun pushed the box to her. Subconsciously, Qingyu stretched out her hand to pick it up, but Caiyun released the box at the moment. The box suddenly slipped from their hands and fell heavily on the ground, and then the hairpin with pearls hanging on fell out of the box.

    "Qingyu, how dare you? Even if you are reluctant to stay here, you cannot break Fourth Young Lady¡¯s hairpin!" When Caiyun saw something falling, she red up and shouted loudly with her finger pointing right at Qingyu.

    "I, I am not... I didn¡¯t..." Qingyu was quite shocked and waved her hands anxiously.

    "Who else could do it? I will wait and see what your punishment will be when yourdy returns the manor and tells others about this thing," Caiyun said ferociously.

    "I... It was not me. I didn¡¯t..." Qingyu was so anxious that she could not make a clear exnation now, and her face became quite pale.

    At this crucial moment, Ning Lingyun reached out to stop Caiyun, who was dragging Qingyu¡¯s clothes. "Well, it is not a big deal. Qingyu didn¡¯t do it on purpose."

    "Yes, yes, I didn¡¯t mean it." Seeing Ning Lingyune to her aid, Qingyu breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly added.

    "But whether you did it deliberately or not is all up to me." Ning Lingyun smiled insidiously. She meant that she could easily decide whether Qingyu was guilty or not at her will.

    "Fourth Young Lady..." Qingyu immediately looked at Ning Lingyun pathetically.

    "Why would Grandmother reward Ning Xueyan? How is it connected to Second Sister? You can tell me the answers. If I am satisfied, then the thing that you broke my hairpin will no longer be a big thing." Ning Lingyun threatened Qingyu. When she knew that her n worked, Ning Lingyun leaned back against the back of the chair, picked up a piece of cake on the table and put it in her mouth.

    She made such a scene only because Qingyu was always a frank and outspoken person, and she was a little timid. Compared to another maid who looked quite smart, Qingyu seemed to be much easier to deal with.

    "Second, Second Young Lady..." Qingyu stammered with a colorless face, and it seemed that she swallowed back the words on the tip of her tongue.

    "Sure enough, it is rted to Ning Yuling." Ning Lingyun was more curious about the answer. She gave Qingyu a ck look at once. "Qingyu, think it twice. You broke the master¡¯s jewelry, which can never be considered as a minor offense! In the Second Sister¡¯s ce, there is a precedent."

    Ning Yuling had a maid who dropped her pair of earrings and was beaten to death.

    Her words helped Qingyu make her determination. She went to the door and specially checked the situation outside. She closed the door again when she saw no one outside. Biting her teeth, she told Ning Lingyun, "The reason why Fifth Young Lady could get the reward from Madam Dowager was certainly because of Second Young Lady. Mydy made an appointment with Second Young Lady, and she fulfilled the agreement. Certainly, Second Young Lady should thank mydy for that. To escape the notice of others, they made Madam Dowagere forward."

 Chapter 127 Two Unsatisfactory Marriages

    Did Ning Xueyan and Ning Yuling have an agreement? Ning Lingyun didn¡¯t believe it because she knew how much Ning Yuling hated Ning Xueyan. Last time, she got beaten by Ning Yuling because of Ning Xueyan. How was it possible that they would make an appointment?

    "How dare you talk nonsense?" Ning Lingyun¡¯s face became cold.

    "It is real. I don¡¯t dare to lie to you, Fourth Young Lady. It was true that Second Young Lady don¡¯t like mydy. But in this case, she indeed benefited because of mydy. Hence, Second Young Lady had topensate her. Otherwise, where could mydy get the money? In the past few years, if Bright Frost Garden had any money, it would all be used to buy medicine for Second Madam and Fifth Young Lady."

    Seeing that Ning Lingyun still didn¡¯t believe her, Qingyu argued excitedly, and her face turned red with anger.

    "Then, what happened? Tell me clearly." Seeing her act like that, Ning Lingyun could not help asking her, half seriously and half skeptically.

    "Fourth Young Lady, do you know the thing about Marquis of Ping¡¯an? He originally nned to marry the daughter of the principal wife in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor." After taking a brief break, Qingyu asked.

    "The daughter of the principal wife in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, if there is one, it will be Ning Xueyan." Ning Lingyun nodded, signaling for Qingyu to continue.

    "At the beginning, First Madam prepared to marry mydy to Marquis of Ping¡¯an. However, it turned out that Marquis of Ping¡¯an took a fancy to Second Young Lady and he told others that he must marry Second Young Lady. But at that time, Second Young Lady had already engaged with Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. Marquis of Ping¡¯an was an unreasonable man. If he really wanted to do something wild and spread the thing about Second Young Lady throughout the capital, it would ruin the reputation of Second Young Lady. If that happened, Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li would break off his engagement to her."

    More than half of what Qingyu said was the fact, which was almost the same with what Ning Lingyun already knew. Hence, she somewhat believed it. The fact was there, even if she didn¡¯t believe it. Although Ning Lingyun was rather confident about her appearance, she was not as pretty as Ning Yuling. Marquis of Ping¡¯an was the most sensual of all lechers. After he saw Ning Yuling, he would probably announce that he must marry Ning Yuling.

    Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s Manor was a shit hole. Even Ning Lingyun was reluctant to marry Marquis of Ping¡¯an, how would Ning Yuling be willing to marry him?

    "But so what?" asked Ning Lingyun, puzzled.

    "First Madam wanted to marry mydy to Marquis of Ping¡¯an, but he refused because he only wanted to marry Second Young Lady. The most important thing was that Marquis of Ping¡¯an held something important in his hand so that First Madam had no choice but to assent to their marriage. But how could Second Young Lady agree? Of course, she went to argue with First Madam. First Madam felt helpless, so she, she, she specifically asked mydy for help..." Speaking of which, Qingyu cast a timid look at Ning Lingyun.

    The look of Qingyu made Ning Lingyun felt so nervous that even her hairs stood up. She thought that it must have something to do with her, and then she pricked up her ears to listen.

    "That day, First Madam invited Marquis of Ping¡¯an toe to the manor. At that time, you were all dressed up, but mydy was dressed in a stupid manner. With mydy served as a contrast, you instantly looked as pretty as a fairy in the eyes of Marquis of Ping¡¯an. Therefore, he decided to marry youter."

    "Mydy dressed up like that only because Second Young Lady told her to do so. After that, Second Young Lady just needed to wait until the date of the wedding was set and sent you to the bridal sedan chair. During this waiting period, she also was afraid that mydy would tell you something and you might trouble them again, so she gave mydy a sum of money in order to let her keep it a secret. But Second Young Lady just said it was the reward money from Madam Dowager."

    Lowering her head, Qingyu timidly told her almost everything without a break. Sitting at the table, Ning Lingyun was trembling all over. She only felt that her hands and feet were as cold as ice as if she had fallen into an ice cer. Ning Lingyun bit her lips so hard with her white teeth that her lips were nearly bleeding. She had thought that the thing that happened that day was an ident. But she had never thought that it was a trap set by Madam Ling and her daughter. No wonder the servant would secretly tell her that Third Prince woulde to their manor that day.

    "Madam Ling is in charge of all the things in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. If she didn¡¯t want to reveal the information to me, how could I possibly know that? I would not dress up so nice, either."

    After Ning Lingyun had suspected one of the things, she started to doubt all the other things. Once again, Ning Lingyun remembered that day. In order to dress beautifully, she especially went to the garden and picked a few flowers. The maid there specially chose several flowers that Ning Yuling usually didn¡¯t allow others to touch. So obviously, it was Ning Yuling who told the maid to do so.

    Now, she fully believed the words of Qingyu. Grinding her teeth, Ning Lingyun hated Madam Ling and Ning Yuling so much that she was very anxious to tear them to pieces. "And that exins why they sent me the message that Third Prince woulde and let me dressed up to meet him. Clearly, they asked Marquis of Ping¡¯an to our manor instead. In order to make that old goat choose me, they were even willing to let go of their resentments to Ning Xueyan and let her dress up that ugly to serve as a foil to me."

    At this time, the more she recalled the past things, the more clues and evidence she found among them. Tightly clenching her teeth, Ning Lingyun felt that her hatred was growing.

    "Concubine Xu also told me that Madam Ling wanted Ning Xueyan to marry into Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s Manor. She also told me not to worry or cause any trouble, which was obviously a stalling tactic. If I followed her words, I would possibly not see the trap until I was in the bridal sedan chair. Poor Concubine Xu must still have been kept in the dark up until now."

    "Fourth Sister, what¡¯s wrong with you?" When Ning Lingyun hated them so much that she was going to spit blood, someone knocked at the door lightly, and Ning Xueyan appeared at the door with a gentle smile.

    Ning Xueyan changed her hair to the usual style, and she hadbed her thick forelock aside long before. Just as Ning Lingyun had expected, Ning Xueyan did the ugly hairstyle that day especially to make Ning Lingyun look better.

    Ning Lingyun stood up abruptly and stared viciously at Ning Xueyan. Pointing right to her, Ning Lingyun said with hatred, "Ning Xueyan, you are so... You actually dealt with me together with Ning Yuling. "

    "Fourth Sister, what were you talking about? Why I could not understand?" Ning Xueyan fluttered her long eyshes and looked at Ning Lingyun nkly. But Ning Lingyun felt that there was a touch of sarcasm on her face, and she didn¡¯t know why she would have such a feeling.

    "You b*tch, don¡¯t you understand? I will beat you until you understand." Ning Lingyun had spit out some blood, and her eyes became all red. Rushing up to Ning Xueyan fiercely, she was about to blow Ning Xueyan direct in her face. She was going to vent all her resentments toward Madam Ling and her daughter upon Ning Xueyan because she had secretly helped them to do harmful things to her.

    Unexpectedly, just when she rushed forward, someone grabbed her and rolled her over. Ning Lingyun could not stand still while going forward, and then her stomach hit right on the tea table aside. In great pain, covering her stomach, she bent down and could not utter even a word.

    After shepleted the series of actions fluently, Xinmei neatly pped her hands and went to stand by Ning Xueyan¡¯s side while looking at Ning Lingyun coldly.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s face had cooled down. A trace of deep and dark cold light shed across her dark-jade like eyes and the gentle smile her lips formed became sharp. "Fourth Sister, you are not in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Please consider taking care of the dignity of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Fourth Sister. If you annoyed Grandmother, perhaps you would get into your bridal sedan chair and marry Marquis of Ping¡¯an tomorrow."

    "You, you..." While covering her stomach, Ning Lingyun pointed to Ning Xueyan, but she was unable to say a word. She only felt that right after Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes swept across her, a chill feeling popped up in her heart. She didn¡¯t dare to look at the pair of deep dark eyes of Ning Xueyan. Nervously, she swallowed her saliva and didn¡¯t know what she should do next.

    And now, she alsopletely realized that she was in Splendid Pavilion where there were manydies from official families. If they spread the news that she made a scene in public, how could she behave herself in the future?

    "What happened to me? Since you have already known everything, I will just make a clear statement here. It was not me who set your marriage with Marquis of Ping¡¯an. If you cannot figure out a way, the bridal sedan chair wille to get you soon." Ning Xueyan looked at Ning Lingyun with a sneer hanging at her mouth corners.

    Ning Lingyun, who liked bullying the weak but feared the strong, definitely didn¡¯t dare to make a big scene outside.

    "I, I... What should I do?" Being overwhelmed by Ning Xueyan¡¯s imposing manner, Ning Lingyun said drily.

    "Fourth Sister, how can I know what you should do? Now Second Sister is unhappy about her engagement, and so do you. How about changing your fianc¨¦? Perhaps, both of you will feel satisfied!" Ning Xueyan curved her lips and said meaningfully. After that, she put on a serious look. "Fourth Sister, it¡¯s gettingte. You¡¯d better go back earlier!"

    Without waiting for Ning Lingyun, Ning Xueyan took the curtained hat Qingyu gave her and turned to go downstairs after she finished the talk. Ning Lingyun, who lost her wits, was left alone upstairs.

    "Young Lady, how are you?" Just now, Ning Xueyan also frightened Caiyun a lot. She had never thought that Fifth Young Lady, who was little and always been amicable, would have such an imposing manner. Caiyun didn¡¯t even dare to get a bit more breath. She came to support Ning Lingyun after she saw Ning Xueyan go out.

    "I am fine. Go back to the manor!" Clinching her teeth, Ning Lingyun dropped the words one by one.

    At this moment, Ning Lingyun hated Ning Xueyan very much, but she hated Madam Ling and her daughter even more. On the one hand, they told Concubine Xu that Ning Xueyan must be the one who would marry into Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s Manor in the end. On the other hand, theyid the trap for her together with Ning Xueyan. What was worse, they even sent her banknotes to appease her right after they set her marriage with Marquis of Ping¡¯an.

    But what she was thinking about now was another thing: thest words Ning Xueyan said enlightened her. Although the marriages with Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor and Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s Manor were wholly inappropriate, the marriage with Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor would be much better. Ning Lingyun thought that she still got a chance...

    Ning Lingyun sat in the carriage, and her eyes looked vicious. In a hurry, she went back to discuss with Concubine Xu in the manor!

    "Young Lady, Fourth Young Lady has gone!" Xinmei regained her gaze that fell outside and lowered her voice to say to Ning Xueyan.

    "Humph." Ning Xueyan nodded and said, not to say yes or no. "Ning Lingyun¡¯s response was normal. She tried hard to please Madam Ling because she wanted Madam Ling to marry her into a good family. But now, instead of finding a good family for her, Madam Ling is going to marry her to the notorious Marquis of Ping¡¯an. ording to Ning Lingyun¡¯s temper, how can she ept that? I have mentioned Ning Yuling¡¯s marriage just now. I believe that she will understand as long as she is not hopelessly stupid."

    While speaking, Ning Xueyan walked up to a counter filled with jade ornaments with Xinmei. In this counter were all ornaments made of jade. Since she was here already, she could buy two pieces. As for the money, she didn¡¯t have much money, but it was enough for her to buy two pieces. Ming Feiyong left her the money when he came to visit herst time.

    "Young Lady, look at this hairpin. It is light and elegant, which goes very well with you." A shop assistant came over to greet her. He could not see Ning Xueyan¡¯s appearance under the curtained hat, but he was sure that she could not be someone from a poor and humble family because she took two maids with her outside.

    The hairpin was indeed very nice and was engraved with a white lotus. It looked crystal clear in an elegant style, which happened to hit her fancy. When Ning Xueyan was about to take it, a hand shed out sideways and grabbed the hairpin all of a sudden.

    "Young Lady, look at this hairpin. It looks clean and elegant and it is just right for you. There will be no better match hairpin here for you!" A maid chirped. Ning Xueyan and others tilted their heads and saw a woman wearing the same curtained hat with Ning Xueyan standing on the other side of her. Now, she was holding the same hairpin that Ning Xueyan looked just now.

    A pretty maid followed her.

    "It is the hairpin that we first found." Qingyu was not happy. "They are robbing openly," she thought.

    "You found it, but have you paid for it? If you haven¡¯t, how can it be yours? Look at you, do you deserve such a beautiful hairpin?" It turned out that the pretty maid was a rude and unreasonable person. She turned around, cast a disdainful nce at Ning Xueyan and others, and argued with her hands against her sides.

    Their voices attracted other guests who were looking at the jewelry in the house. The maid not only grabbed the jewelry in front of so many people, but she behaved so aggressively and extremely insolently. Ning Xueyan slightly frowned. The face of the maid¡¯s master was behind the curtained hat, so Ning Xueyan could not clearly see her face. But Ning Xueyan could tell that she was a youngdy.

 Chapter 128 The Arrogant Maid

    "Xia¡¯er, don¡¯t make troubles. Give the hairpin back to the Young Lady," the girl in the hat ordered in a low voice. Her voice was gentle and sweet, and from the way she spoke, everyone could tell that she was well-bred in a rich family. However, there seemed to be a domineering air about her.

    In a low voice, she properly expressed her displeasure.

    "Yes, miss!" The maid called Xia¡¯er took the jade hairpin reluctantly and put it on the counter with a snort, as if she was giving something to a beggar.

    "You¡¯re just a maid. How dare you turn your nose up at others in front of your master? Didn¡¯t your master teach you to be polite?" A girl of about 15 years old snorted, looking at Xia¡¯er from the corner of her eyes. She and her maid stood on the other side of Ning Xueyan.

    She was a beautiful girl with bushy eyebrows and big eyes; such an appearance was pleasing to people.

    The girl in the hat turned to her maid and ordered, "Xia¡¯er, apologize to this Young Lady!"

    "Miss, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m just a maid, not worth your anger. Please forgive me. I didn¡¯t notice that you were also fond of this hairpin," Xia¡¯er said, ring at the beautiful girl. Being cursed by her master, she was angry, but she didn¡¯t dare to disobey her master. She bowed slightly to Ning Xueyan to express her regret. However, from her pursed lips, everyone could tell that she was unwillingly to do so.

    Moreover, she was hinting that as a daughter from a rich family, Ning Xueyan was being so narrow-minded to argue with a maid.

    "We can¡¯t afford your apology. Our master won¡¯t care about such trifles. Since this hairpin matches your master so well, we will give it to her!" Qingyu was also a sharp-tongued girl. She took several steps forward and bowed slightly to Xia¡¯er¡¯s master to show her respect. Making no concession, she retorted sarcastically.

    "Hey, how dare you speak that way?" Xia¡¯er shouted angrily with one hand on her hips, pointing at Qingyu. In her opinion, her master was the most honorable person. It was normal for other people to take things that her master left, but she had never expected that someone would have dared to ask her master to take things that other people had left.

    "Wow, you¡¯re really aggressive!" The beautiful girl who stood beside Ning Xueyan smiled and began to size Xia¡¯er up. She had seen many noble youngdies and their maids in the city, but she couldn¡¯t recall having seen anyone like Xia¡¯er.

    Hearing what she said, Xia¡¯er wanted to protest again. Ning Xueyan looked at her master in confusion.

    "Xia¡¯er, let¡¯s go." The calm and gentle voice rang out again. Xia¡¯er kept her anger down and walked out with her master, holding her master¡¯s arm. She snorted with a disdainful expression while walking.

    Seeing them leave, the beautiful girl murmured in confusion, "It¡¯s said that servants always behave in much the same way as their masters. This master seems quite well-bred, but why is her maid so aggressive?"

    "Maybe her master is not as tender as we saw, but we have no opportunity to find out," Ning Xueyan answered. She was very much disposed toward this girl who had spoken for her.

    "That sounds reasonable. My name is Heng Yuqing, and my father is Lord Guardian. Can you tell me something about yourself?" She seemed to like Ning Xueyan as well, so she immediately introduced herself after sizing Ning Xueyan up.

    "Oh? She is Heng Yuqing, the daughter of Lord Guardian?" Ning Xueyan thought. Heng Yuqing was famous among the imperial and nobledies in the city, and Ning Xueyan had heard that she was a straightforward person. Although she hadn¡¯t seen her before, Ning Xueyan had heard Ning Yuling talk about her, saying that she was an arrogant and rude girl and nobody would dare to marry her in the future.

    A person who annoyed Ning Yuling wouldn¡¯t be ordinary.

    "I¡¯m Ning Xueyan from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor," Ning Xueyan said with a smile.

    "Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?" Heng Yuqing was surprised. She sized Ning Xueyan up again and asked, "What¡¯s the rtionship between you and Ning Yuling?"

    "She is my Second Sister. I¡¯m the fifth daughter of the Lord Guardian," Ning Xueyan exined with a smile.

    She knew that Heng Yuqing wouldn¡¯t have heard about her because she had been staying at home in recent years and she had never attended parties. Moreover, Madam Ling seldom mentioned her in front of outsiders, so very few people knew that there was a Fifth Young Lady in the manor.

    "Oh! You¡¯re the Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor whose mother has just died!" Heng Yuqing blurted out, but immediately, an awkward expression appeared on her face, as she had realized her slip of the tongue.

    Bad news travels fast. Many people had heard about the news that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would hold the wedding ceremony shortly after the death of the Second Madam. Not until people heard about the news did they know that there was a Fifth Young Lady in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Although Heng Yuqing was a straightforward girl, she knew that she shouldn¡¯t have mentioned the things that made others sad.

    "Yes, my mom has just passed away. She¡¯ll take care of me only in heaven in the future," Ning Xueyan said, with sadness in her eyes. Then she smiled gently, without a trace of reproach. Looking at her starry eyes and gentle smile, Heng Yuqing liked her even more.

    Her kindness eased Heng Yuqing¡¯s embarrassment. Heng Yuqing nodded hard and said, "Your mom would definitely bless you in heaven." With that, she held Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand and continued, "Let¡¯s go over there and have a look. The boss just replenished some new jade ornaments, and they are much more beautiful than this hairpin."

    Attracted by her straightforward and generous personality, Ning Xueyan smiled and walked forward with her.

    Although she was no longer unknown, Ning Xueyan hadn¡¯t really integrated into the circle of the nobledies yet, so the appearance of Heng Yuqing was a good opportunity for her.

    They had not been wandering long when an older female servant from the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor came and asked Heng Yuqing to go home. Her voice was low when she spoke. Obviously, she had something secret or private to tell Heng Yuqing. Ning Xueyan moved to aside to keep a distance from them. Heng Yuqing looked at her gratefully and then turned to the older female servant.

    Heng Yuqing turned pale when she heard what the older female servant said. She turned around and squeezed out a smile. "Fifth Young Lady, something¡¯s happened in our manor. I can¡¯t stay with you any longer," she said.

    "All right," Ning Xueyan answered with a smile. Heng Yuqing walked out with the older female servant in a hurry. Due to her haste, she almost stepped on her skirt. Thankfully, her maid held her up. Otherwise, she would have fallen to the ground.

    Seeing that Heng Yuqing was in a panic, Qingyu said in surprise, "Miss, it seems that something bad has happened to the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor."

    "Maybe something bad happened to her mother," Ning Xueyan answered with a little sadness. If she remembered correctly, the Lord Guardian¡¯s wife had been sick these days. She overheard the news when Ning Ziyan and Xia Yuhang talked about it. She didn¡¯t take it seriously at that moment because she had never expected that she would meet Heng Yuqing.

    After seeing Heng Yuqing off, Ning Xueyan walked around in the shop for some time and bought another two jade ornaments. Then she left the shop and got into the carriage that was waiting outside.

    On their way back home, Qingyu couldn¡¯t help asking, "Miss, do you think that the Fourth Young Lady will believe me?"

    What she had done just now had been arranged by Ning Xueyan. She knew that the Fourth Young Lady would force her to tell the "truth". What she needed to do was pretend to be a timid and outspoken maid and leave the rest to Ning Xueyan. However, Qingyu still felt unsure.

    "I guess Ning Lingyun is probably losing her temper now. She might have swallowed Madam Ling and her daughter if she could," Ning Xueyan snorted. She put the gauze curtain down and leaned against the back of the seat. She seemed to be in a good mood.

    Ning Lingyun used to be loyal to Madam Ling and her daughter, but now she would definitely be their opponent. Besides, Concubine Xu had gotten involved, so the matter couldn¡¯t be over so easily.

    "Having been deceived and betrayed, now maybe Ning Lingyun hates Ning Yuling more than she hates me!" Ning Xueyan thought.

    Ning Lingyun didn¡¯t dare to make trouble in front of Ning Yuling, but it didn¡¯t mean that she wouldn¡¯t do this behind her back. Obviously, they knew what was waiting for them was to marry someone from the Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s Manor, so neither Ning Lingyun nor Concubine Xu would be willing to do so.

    No matter how close Concubine Xu and Madam Ling were, they wouldn¡¯t be friends anymore after hearing what she said.

    Seeing Ning Xueyan so calm, Qingyu heaved a sigh of relief. Although Ning Xueyan had told her to talk and act as she usually did, she still did not feel assured that the Fourth Young Lady would believe her. Everyone knew that Ning Xueyan and the Second Young Lady hated each other so much, so it would be unconvincing to tell someone that these two had joined hands to deal with another person.

    "Miss, what shall we do next?" Xinmei asked.

    That was what Ning Xueyan was thinking about. She opened her eyes and looked at Xinmei with admiration. Xinmei had been trained, so she looked deeper than Qingyu did. Ning Xueyan had mentioned Ning Yuling¡¯s marriage today, and Ning Lingyun would think that way as well, but without an essential prerequisite, the marriage wouldn¡¯t happen.

    "You can get out at the corner ahead, and then spread the news about the marriage of the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li to both the Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s Manor and Lord Protector¡¯s Manor," Ning Xueyan ordered in a gentle voice.

    "Got it. I will get out soon." Xinmei nodded. Although she didn¡¯t know why Ning Xueyan had asked her to do this, after a long period of special training, she knew that she had to obey her master¡¯s instructions unconditionally. She then went out of the carriage and told the driver to stop at the turn ahead because she needed to buy some osmanthus candies for Ning Xueyan.

    Seeing the driver nod, Xinmei went back into the carriage.

    Since Xinmei was so obedient, Ning Xueyan decided to tell her the reason. "Ning Yuling and Ning Lingyun were engaged shortly after my mom¡¯s death. It will cause trouble if that news gets out. To prevent any trouble, the two manors would do something. They might either say that the youngdies had been engaged for a long time or that they had never been engaged at all. Anyway, they would do something," Ning Xueyan exined, hatred shing in her eyes.

    "So the Fourth Young Lady would get a chance when these two manors made a move at the same time?" Qingyu still felt confused. On the contrary, Xinmei¡¯s eyes lit up and she seemed to have understood part of Ning Xueyan¡¯s n.

    "If people from the Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor and Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s Manor don¡¯t do anything, no matter how hard Ning Lingyun struggles, her engagement can¡¯t be canceled. On the other hand, if people from the two manors visit the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor openly, they can tell the others that they have long been engaged with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, and because the Lord Protector¡¯s wife just passed away, they can¡¯t hold wedding ceremonies at this moment.

    Now someone must spread the news to the public to set the stage for the wedding."

    Hearing Xinmei¡¯s exnation, Qingyu nodded. She understood Ning Xueyan¡¯s n as well now.

    Soon after, they had arrived at the turn. The carriage stopped and Xinmei got out swiftly. She then walked into the crowd. Spreading rumors was simple for her.

    The carriage moved on. Qingyu handed Ning Xueyan a cushion so that she could rest morefortably. Seeing Ning Xueyan close her eyes, she sat beside her quietly. She didn¡¯t want to disturb her master¡¯s rest because she knew that Ning Xueyan was tired. Since the Second Madam¡¯s death, Ning Xueyan had to handle everything on her own. She was like a child who grew up overnight.

    To her surprise, before they moved on very far, the carriage suddenly stopped. Seeing a person stand in their way, the driver pulled the reins in a hurry and the carriage was jolted twice. Ning Xueyan fell to the left. Fortunately, the cushion that Qingyu had given her slipped to her left side before she hit the wall of the carriage.

    "What happened?" Qingyu asked the driver angrily while holding Ning Xueyan up.

 Chapter 129 An Old Lady Was Knocked Down

    "I... I knocked someone down." The coachman quivered with anxiety.

    "I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll go and check it out." Ning Xueyan stayed poised and gave Qingyu a knowing wink.

    Taking the hint, Qingyu got out of the carriage.

    The coachman was sure that there had been no one down the road before this happened. He really had no idea where the olddy sprang out from. How did his carriage hit the olddy in the twinkle of an eye, even leaving unconscious from the crash?

    At this, he jumped from the carriage to see if the olddy was hit hard. Fortunately, there was no blood around.

    Qingyu also came up around the oldy whoy on the ground, noticing that the olddy was clothed in in rags, with a bale in her hand. She did not look like a local and she had a small stature and seemed to be about in her 50s. Lying there with a pale face, one could not tell if her fainting was caused by the crash or by her poor nerves.

    "A crash on the road! Someone was hit!" The loud whinny of the horse drew a great crowd. Seeing an olddy being hit and lying unconscious on the ground, people started gossiping. Some observant eyes noticed the emblem of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor on the carriage.

    "The carriage of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor has hit someone."

    "Lying there motionless, is she already dead?"

    "Could it be the Second Young Lady from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor sitting in the carriage again? It is said that her carriage had knocked people dead before."

    "Exactly! It was a childst time. What a crime! Obviously, it was her carriage that hit the child. How could she have the face to im that the child had popped up from nowhere?"

    While the onlookers were talking loudly about how the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor knocked people down, two older female servants squeezed their way through the crowd. After figuring out what exactly had happened on the spot, they were taken aback. One winked at the other, and thetter immediately fled from the crowd.

    The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was only one block away. The servants would sometimes pass by. Moreover, there was a preserved fruit store on this street, a favorite of Madam Dowager, who would send people to buy some every few days. And today, a servant from Lucky Garden happened to be running the errand for Madam Dowager.

    Ning Xueyan heard snatches of people¡¯s discussions, and a smile lifted the corner of her mouth.

    She barely knew about that thing before. Two years ago, Ning Yuling was galloping on the street in order to catch up with the Third Prince, and a petrified child, standing by the road, was trampled dead. She had denied the fact and insisted that the child had suddenly shown up. The ident ended up with her giving some money inpensation.

    Somebody had recognized the horse was from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s, and the dead child¡¯s parents had cried loudly outside the manor. People had gathered together and swore loudly so that Ning Zu¡¯an had to deal with it himself by way of apology andpensation. It was a big deal.

    It urred to Ning Xueyan that her chance presented itself now.

    Ning Yuling set a precedent for her and there was arge group of witnesses. Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an would certainly ept her conditions.

    "Hey, olddy, wake up." Qingyu squatted down and held the olddy in her arm and jolted the olddy with her anxious call.

    There was no arrogance or imperious air on her face, which left a good impression on the crowd. Some even took a few steps back to clear room for her.

    After a while, the olddy finally opened her eyes under the earnest gaze of the onlookers. She looked nkly at the people around her, apparently not knowing what was going on here.

    "How do you feel? Do you want to see a doctor?" Qingyu asked with concern.

    "Yes, there is a clinic over there. Now that the youngdy offers help, you should take a look!" Someone in the crowd gave a sympathetic suggestion.

    "No... not at all..." The olddy seemed to have understood the situation. She tried to get herself up with the help of Qingyu, but it was in vain. She fell again, but fortunately, Qingyu kept her hands on the olddy all the time so that she did not flop on the ground.

    "Evidently, you are hurt badly. It is all right. Let¡¯s just check it out at the clinic. My Young Lady orders me to treat you well until you are fine." Qingyu stood on one side of her and the coachman stood on the other side. They worked together to help the olddy get up again.

    Being badly hit, the oldy groaned in great pain and her face whitened when she felt her legs on the ground.

    "Your bones must be hurt. It is something serious. You may want to take a look."

    "Exactly right! Otherwise, you will spend the rest of your life in bed." No one expected the olddy to be hurt so badly, not even being able to stand up, even though there was no blood at all. The onlookers also had a good opinion of the Young Lady inside the cart. It seemed that the one inside the cart was not the Second Young Lady from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    "I am sorry to bring you trouble." Fearing the possibility of a lifelong disability, the olddy nodded her head to ept the advice.

    Qingyu was trying to help her up to the carriage, but the step was a little too high. Even though the coachman lent a hand, two of them were still unable to get the fragile olddy on the carriage.

    "Put her on my back! It is just a stone¡¯s throw away after all." A kind young man stepped forward, ready to carry the olddy while pointing to somewhere nearby.

    Seeing that it was just a short distance, Qingyu nodded and then went into the carriage. The coachman also sat back in his ce and started whipping the horse to follow the young man. In an instant, they arrived at the clinic.

    Under her veiled cap, Ning Xueyan, escorted by Qingyu, got down from the cart and they went into the clinic.

    At the sight of her little figure, those who followed began to gossip about who this youngdy was. She seemed to be a benevolent girl with a graceful demeanor, totally different from the Second Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Despite all kinds of guesses, they could not figure it out. Some inquisitive guys even walked up to the coachman and fished for clues. It turned out that the little girl was the Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector. They could not help eximing how they were different in way of style even though they came from the same family. What a nice girl she was!

    Ning Yuling¡¯s style departed from the Fifth Young Lady¡¯s graceful manner, and their upbringing immediately became the heart of the public discussion.

    "Doctor, please try your best to treat this olddy, I will cover all the cost," Ning Xueyan said in all earnest. She nced at the olddy, and her eyes flickered with a touch ofpassion without any changes on her face.

    The doctor nodded and walked up to check out the olddy. He frowned and touched her legs. Each time, the olddy would cry out in pain with a pale face. It was true that her bones were badly hurt.

    "She may have hurt her legs. As the saying goes, it may take one hundred days to recover from broken bones. Given her advanced age, it will take her at least more than half a year to recover before she can stand up," the doctor straightened up and said to Ning Xueyan.

    He meant that the olddy could not get up in theing days and should have someone around to take care of her.

    "Olddy, do you have any rtives?" Ning Xueyan put her chin down slightly and looked at the olddy, who was trying to sit properly.

    "I... I am not a native here." The olddy gave a wry smile. Beads of sweat were oozing from her forehead as she was exerting herself to get up. Seeing this, Qingyu gave her hand until she finally did.

    "You are not a local here, so what are you doing here in the capital city?" Qingyu asked with her big eyes blinking in curiosity.

    "I..." The olddy held her tongue and let out a sigh. She began to wipe her tears with a handkerchief.

    "Do you have troubles? Just tell me. I will do anything I can to help you." Ning Xueyanforted her with her soft tone. Obviously, her words tugged at the olddy¡¯s heartstring.

    During their conversation, two older female servants from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor walked in and then saluted Ning Xueyan. They whispered in a low voice, "Fifth Young Lady, Madam Dowager asked you to handle this matter well and not to cause more troubles."

    Though in a roundabout way, Ning Xueyan understood it all. She smiled and nodded.

    The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was going through a stormy patch right now, and Ning Yuling¡¯s scandal had spread all over the city. Of course Madam Dowager did not want to make it worse at this point and lose face, which meant that Ning Xueyan had to deal with it peacefully at all costs.

    "We have hurt the olddy¡¯s bones. She has no kinfolk in the capital and has to rest for at least half a year or more. What are we supposed to do?" Ning Xueyan asked, pretending to be at a loss.

    "No kinfolk?" The two older female servants gave a start and felt embarrassed by the unexpected situation.

    Madame Dowager had told them to appease the victim, if she was not dead, withpensation so that rumors could be reined in. But she failed to anticipate that the victim had no family here and now had difficulty moving around. Abandoning this solitary olddy would only discredit the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    The two older female servants gave each other a knowing look and then made up their minds. They had been sent here by the Madame Dowager because they were believed to be able to handle this well.

    "Fifth Young Lady, in that case, how about first bringing her to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and taking care of her there until she recovers, or until her familyes to fetch her?"

    "Will my grandmother mind..." Ning Xueyan was a little concerned.

    "Please rest assured. I will exin it to Madam Dowager, and you won¡¯t feel awkward." The two older female servants added, knowing that Ning Xueyan did not want to displease Madam Dowager. As seniors in Lucky Garden, they were acute enough to notice that the Fifth Young Lady was no longer her past self. They had better treat her nice.

    "Thank you, Mammies. How about taking her to Bright Frost Garden then? I caused this and I shall not brother my grandmother with it anymore." Ning Xueyan insisted.

    Her words sounded reasonable and brought home to the people around her sense of responsibility and her wishes not to bother Madam Dowager. The two mammies gave their tacit approval. Under the same situation, the Second Young Lady denied it while the Fifth Young Lady faced up to it fair and square. It was obvious which one won favors.

    "All right. I will then tell Madam Dowager that you insisted on amodating the olddy in Bright Frost Garden. I assure you that Madam Dowager would appreciate your thoughtful arrangement." The two mammies nodded. The issue was finally clinched.

    As long as the victim was amodated and served well and then given some money a yearter, the aftermath of this could eventually be minimized. After putting a good seal on this matter as Madam Dowager had told them, the two mammies smiled. Then, when the mammy looked around at the olddy sitting in bed and their eyes met, they were both startled.

    "You... you are..." The older female servant, while pointing at the olddy, looked stunned and said with a tremor in her voice.

 Chapter 130 Worrying about the Disclosure of the Conspiracy

    Everyone hade back to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Under the instruction of Ning Xueyan, Qingyu led several servants to carry Mother Wang into the Bright Frost Garden. Then Ning Xueyan went to the Lucky Garden to visit Madam Dowager. The two older female servants had reported Madam Dowager about Ning Xueyan¡¯sing in advance. Nobody had expected that the injured old woman was Mother Wang, the wet nurse of Ning Ziying. Ning Ziying was the cousin of Ning Xueyan and she was already dead.

    "What? The wet nurse of Ning Ziying?" Madam Dowager was drinking tea while she heard the news. She was so astonished that the tea cup slipped from her hand and fell to the ground.

    "Yes. It¡¯s exactly her. We have seen her several times in our manor before," the two older female servants answered, trembling.

    "How could it be her?" Mother Qin was surprised as well. She asked a maid to clean the floor while asking the two older female servants about the details. She felt a little relieved when she knew that it was the two older female servants who had made the decision to bring Mother Wang to the manor.

    If it wasn¡¯t Mother Wang, it would be much easier.

    "Why did Fifth Young Lady take Mother Wang to the Bright Frost Garden?" Madam Dowager asked with a serious look.

    "Fifth Young Lady said that since Mother Wang was injured because of her, she should take responsibility. She wouldn¡¯t bother Madam Dowager and would arrange the servants and maids from the Bright Frost Garden to take care of Mother Wang. Besides, she would pay for Mother Wang¡¯s daily expenses." The two older female servants evidently felt that Madam Dowager was not very pleased, so they dared not conceal a thing, but told her exactly what Ning Xueyan had said.

    "Did Fifth Young Lady know that it was Mother Wang before you came here?" Madam Dowager asked to make sure. It was abnormal. Why had Ning Xueyan been out of the manor without anything special? How could the person who had been knocked down by her carriage happen to be the wet nurse of Ning Ziying?

    "When we arrived there, the doctor had just diagnosed for Mother Wang and was telling Fifth Young Lady about her injuries. The maid Fifth Young Lady took out with her today was Qingyu. She always stayed in the Bright Frost Garden with Fifth Young Lady and never left our manor before," the two older female servants answered after thinking for a short while.

    Everyone in the manor knew that Ning Xueyan used to be timid. She had always hidden in the Bright Frost Garden and refused to see any visitors. Her personal maids had acted the same way.

    Before Ning Ziying came to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Ning Xueyan had hidden herself in the Bright Frost Garden. It was not until the death of Ning Ziying and Madam Ming that she walked out from the Bright Frost Garden, so she and Ning Ziying wouldn¡¯t havemunicated with each other before and it was impossible for Ning Xueyan to have known Ning Ziying¡¯s wet nurse.

    Madam Dowager felt something wrong, but she couldn¡¯t tell what it was.

    She gestured the others leave except for Mother Qin. Then she asked with a sigh, "Did you find anything wrong?"

    Madam Dowager would be happy if the Nings and the Xias could tie the knot by marrying Ning Ziyan to Xia Yuhang. When Ning Ziying just came to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Madam Dowager heard that she had been engaged to the elder son of Minister Xia and she sighed in front of Madam Ling, saying that a powerless orphan like Ning Ziying didn¡¯t deserve Xia Yuhang who was so talented, noble and would have a great future.

    Although she didn¡¯t ask Madam Ling to murder Ning Ziying, she turned a blind eye to Madam Ling¡¯s inappropriate behavior.

    Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would get great benefits from the marriage if Ning Ziyan could marry Xia Yuhang.

    So she had never asked what Madam Ling was going to do. She allowed Madam Ling to make the final decision for everything in the Cloud Reflection Courtyard, without reporting to her.

    After some time, Madam Dowager told her that Ning Ziying was dissolute and had an affair with another man. Madam Ling was happy secretly at the news, because no man would tolerate his fianc¨¦e to have an affair with other men. Thus this marriage was bound to be a non-sess.

    Since Xia Yuhang wouldn¡¯t marry Ning Ziying, Minister Xia would consent to his son marrying Ning Ziyan if the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor arranged someone to propose the marriage.

    Madam Dowager had never cared about the destination of Ning Ziying. Therefore, although Madam Dowager hadn¡¯t ordered someone to murder Ning Ziying, she had given a hand to the murderer. Nobody tracked down why Ning Ziying and her personal maid Xiang¡¯er died in the lotus pond.

    But to everyone¡¯s surprise, Ning Ziying¡¯s wet nurse appeared at such a moment. Madam Dowager couldn¡¯t help being nervous.

    "Madam Dowager, don¡¯t worry. Nobody could tell how Young Lady Ziying died. She was too narrow-minded, so it was normal for her tomit suicide. If Mother Wang wants to know about this, you can ask her to ask First Madam. It¡¯s said First Madam still kept some "evidence." Mother Qin knew what Madam Dowager was worrying about, so she tried tofort her.

    "Does First Madam still have the ¡¯image¡¯ of Ning Ziying having an affair with another man?" Mother Qin wondered.

    "How to exin the marriage between Ziyan and Xia Yuhang? Xia Yuhang was Ning Ziying¡¯s fianc¨¦. I¡¯m afraid Mother Wang will make trouble when she knows that it was Ziyan who have married Xia Yuhang," Madam Dowager said in worry. She felt unassured, as a person who shouldn¡¯t have appeared in the manor had shown up.

    "That¡¯s easy. We can tell her that Childe Xia shifted his affection to Eldest Young Lady after knowing that Young Lady Ziying had an affair with another man. Since the wedding ceremony between him and Young Lady Ziying was approaching, and everything had been ready, if he didn¡¯t get married, his reputation would be ruined, so he married with our Eldest Young Lady, instead. The consequence was caused by Young Lady Ziying herself! As her affairs were known by us, shemitted suicide. We don¡¯t have anything to do with her death."

    Mother Qin was very flexible. Hearing her exnation, Madam Dowager felt a little relieved.

    "That sounds reasonable.

    "No regtion says that a man can¡¯t marry another girl after he broke off his former engagement!"

    Madam Dowager thought for a short moment and then nodded. Ning Xueyan had knocked Mother Wang down in public, so she wouldn¡¯t let Mother Wang die in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Otherwise, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would get into trouble. At least, what Mother Qin said made sense, so maybe Mother Wang would believe it.

    "Madam Dowager, Fifth Young Lady ising," a maid reported outside the room.

    "Let here in," Madam Dowager ordered. Then Mother Qin stood behind her again.

    A maid lifted the door curtain and then Ning Xueyan came in with a guilty look on her face.

    Seeing the two older female servants went back to the Lucky Garden in a hurry to report the ident, she had told Qingyu to find several servants and carry Mother Wang to the Bright Frost Garden. That was why she had just arrived at the Lucky Garden.

    "Greetings, Grandmother! I¡¯m so sorry that I have made the trouble," Ning Xueyan said regretfully in a gentle voice the moment she walked into the room.

    "Are you going to keep her in the Bright Frost Garden? Madam Dowager asked after observing Ning Xueyan¡¯s expression and finding nothing abnormal.

    "Yes. Since it was me who has knocked her down, I shouldn¡¯t ask you to take the consequences for me. Or the outsiders will say that the Young Ladies from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor are irresponsible," Ning Xueyan exined sincerely. As if she had thought of something, her face turned red with shame. "Someone mentioned Second Sister when we were on the street. He said that all the Young Ladies from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor were arrogant, rude and irresponsible."

    Hearing what Ning Xueyan said, Madam Dowager recalled something about Ning Yuling. Ning Yuling used to knock someone down before because of her arrogance, and this news had been spread over among the city. The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had had a hard time to put the matter to rest. Because of the impact of this ident, the wedding ceremony between Ning Yuling and the son of the Honored Consort Ya had to be postponed and eventually canceled. If Ning Yuling hadn¡¯t been that arrogant, she would have be the concubine of the Third Prince.

    Such kind of things shouldn¡¯t happen again!

    Now Madam Dowager had made her decision. Since Ning Xueyan would like to take the responsibility, just let her do it. She didn¡¯t want the Young Ladies¡¯ reputation to be ruined again.

    "Alright. I agree to keep her at your ce. Although she got injured because of you, you¡¯re the Young Lady from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, so you shouldn¡¯t take care of her in person. Just ask the servants and maids to do that. Otherwise, people from other manors will look down upon you." Madam Dowager reminded Ning Xueyan.

    Although she looked amiable when she spoke, there was a note of warning in her words.

    Worrying that Mother Wang might say something to Ning Xueyan secretly, Madam Dowager didn¡¯t want Ning Xueyan to be close with her.

    "Got it. I will have done my duty by bringing her home and asking my maids to look after her. How could I serve her in person?" Ning Xueyan said with a smile.

    Seeing her so obedient and considerable, Madam Dowager nodded with satisfaction. She then asked about the health status of Ning Xueyan and gave her some high-ss medicinal materials. She told Ning Xueyan to make herself stronger so that she could enjoy the endless prosperity in the future.

    "It seems Madam Dowager is still thinking about marrying me to the Third Prince to be his co-consort!"

    Ning Xueyan snorted inside, but she didn¡¯t express her disdain. She thanked Madam Dowager and then took leave of her. Since she hade in a hurry, she didn¡¯t take any maids with her. Madam Dowager arranged a young maid to send her back.

    "Did any outsiders visit Madam Dowager today?" Ning Xueyan pretended to ask casually. When she was on the way close to the courtyard, she saw an older female servant walked out from the courtyard with a smile. She seemed to be familiar with everyone in the manor and when she saw someone on the way, she would have stopped and talked to them for a short while, and all of those people looked happy while talking with her. Obviously, she was a smart and an artful person.

    But Ning Xueyan had never seen her before.

    "No outsiders have been here. But Mammy Luo, a female servant of Third Young Lady hase to take a message. Third Young Lady is so kind. She was supposed to be back in a few days, but because she saw a sick child who had nobody to take care of on her way back, she decided to stay there and take care of the child. Then she can only postpone her return to our manor."

    The maid answered with a smile.

    "Mammy Luo seems to be a smart person and she is familiar with everyone in our manor. I guess Third Sister must be a smart girl as well," Ning Xueyan said with curiosity. She felt puzzled, because her mother was Ning Qingshan¡¯s mother in name, but why did Ning Qingshan seem to be closer with Madam Ling?

    Ning Qingshan had only shown her respect on the surface to Ning Xueyan¡¯s mother. But when everyone looked down upon people from the Bright Frost Garden, this kind of respect won admiration for her.

    As she thought about it, Ning Xueyan couldn¡¯t find a trace of warmth in this kind of respect. Ning Qingshan had always paid attention to etiquette very much in front of her mother in name, but she had never had a real affection for her.

    "Mother Han told me that mom was very kind to Ning Qingshan, just like she treated me, but why was Ning Qingshan nicer to Madam Ling than to mom?" Ning Xueyan wondered. She had asked Mother Han the same question before, and Mother Han looked like she wanted to tell her the reason, but she couldn¡¯t. This made Ning Xueyan more skeptical.

    "I don¡¯t know. I only heard that Third Young Lady was a nice and gentle person. She was kind to the maids and servants in the manor and she had never beaten and scolded the maids and servants," the maid answered. She didn¡¯t know what Ning Xueyan¡¯s intention was. She thought that Ning Xueyan was happy because Third Young Lady woulde back soon, so she wanted to know more about Third Young Lady so that she could please her when she was back.

    "Fifth Young Lady, since you are interested in Third Young Lady, I will collect more information about her when I¡¯m free and then I¡¯ll tell you about it," the maid said.

    "People in Lucky Garden will definitely know more about Ning Qingshan. That will be great if someone is willing to act as my eyes and ears!" Ning Xueyan thought.

    "Fine. Take it seriously." Ning Xueyan smiled but she didn¡¯t exin more. When they arrived at the Bright Frost Garden, she asked Qingyu to give the maid two taels of silver pieces.

    The maid had never expected that she would have gotten so much money just by sending Fifth Young Lady back, so she left with excitement.

 Chapter 131 Is There Anything Special about the Brocade?

    "Where did you put Mother Wang?" Ning Xueyan asked Qingyu as soon as she returned to the Bright Frost Garden.

    "I put her in the room next to Lanning¡¯s. Lanning said it would be convenient for her to take care of Mother Wang," Qingyu answered, pointing to a room on the right wing. "Miss, you¡¯d better have a rest before visiting Mother Wang. Lanning is being with her now."

    "Okay. I¡¯ll go and fresh myself up first." Ning Xueyan nodded. "Although Mother Wang hase to the manor under the persuasion of Lanning, she won¡¯t tell me any secrets because I¡¯m Ning Xueyan, not Ning Ziying now. But I still have time. Since many outsiders have known that Mother Wang came to our manor after being knocked down, Madam Ling won¡¯t dare to hurt her. Furthermore, Mother Wang is at my ce, so her safety can be assured at least," she thought.

    She had a feeling that Mother Wang must have known some secrets about her past life.

    However, she knew that even with Lanning¡¯s exnation, Mother Wang wouldn¡¯tpletely trust her and tell her about the secrets.

    After refreshing herself up, Ning Xueyan rested for a while before walking toward the right wing. She didn¡¯t take Qingyu with her. It not because she didn¡¯t trust Qingyu, but she was afraid that Mother Wang would be more suspicious.

    Lanning opened the door when she heard someone knocking at it. When she found it was Ning Xueyan, she greeted her. "Miss." She looked a little worried, so Ning Xueyan guessed that Lanning¡¯s persuasion of Mother Wang didn¡¯t work.

    Ning Xueyan smiled, trying tofort Lanning. Then she stepped into the room.

    Mother Wang was sitting on the bed now. She looked at Ning Xueyan cautiously with surprise in her eyes.

    Just like the true Ning Xueyan had never seen Mother Wang, Mother Wang had never seen Ning Xueyan before. The girl in front of her was calm and graceful, so Mother Wang had difficulty in associating her with the timid Fifth Young Lady from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor who had always hidden in her own room.

    "Mother Wang." Ning Xueyan stood still and sized her up for a while before calling her with a smile.

    Mother Wang just recovered from her trance. She immediately sat straight and was about to get out of the bed. Ning Xueyan reached out and stopped her.

    "Since you¡¯re recuperating here, you don¡¯t have to get up. Many peoplee in and out here every day. If they knew that your injuries are not that serious, we¡¯ll get into trouble," she said.

    "Mammy, you¡¯d better stay in bed. Young Lady won¡¯t me you for these manners," Lanning said. Of course Mother Wang¡¯s feet were not really broken. In order to take her into the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor smoothly, Ning Xueyan had designed this.

    "Thank you, Fifth Young Lady," Mother Wang said. She knew she should keep this secret, so she didn¡¯t insist on getting out of the bed, but bowed slightly to Ning Xueyan in bed.

    "You¡¯re wee, Mother Wang. Lanning has told you about Sister Ziying¡¯s death. I know that she was murdered, and I would like to take revenge for her. If you know anything useful, just tell me. Maybe we can avenge her sooner.

    She knew that Mother Wang was loyal to Ning Ziying. When she heard the news about Ning Ziying¡¯s death, she could have chosen to leave, but she hadn¡¯t. Instead, she insisted on staying in the city and collecting news about Ning Ziying. This time, she agreed toe into the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor because she was told that Ning Xueyan would help her to find out the true cause of Ning Ziying¡¯s death.

    Mother Wang didn¡¯t hesitate even when she knew that she had to rush toward the carriage and to be knocked down so that the n could be executed.

    Although everything had been nned and the speed of the carriage wouldn¡¯t be fast, something unexpected might happen. But Mother Wang still agreed to be a part of the n without any hesitation.

    Fortunately, she ended up with only a few bruises on her feet.

    It was unnecessary to go around a lot to talk to someone like her.

    "Fifth Young Lady, are you serious that you¡¯re willing to track down the cause of my master¡¯s death? I remember that you haven¡¯t seen my master before, right?" Mother Wang asked, looking at Ning Xueyan. Mother Wang looked weary. Obviously, she had been busy investigating Ning Ziying¡¯s death recently.

    Mother Wang was confused. Since Ning Xueyan had never seen Ning Ziying, then she wouldn¡¯t have been close to Ning Ziying. Why did she spend so much energy on finding out how Ning Ziying died?

    "Mammy, there¡¯s more to our rtionship than that." Ning Xueyan smiled and sat on the chair beside the bed. Apparently she was hinting something.

    "The rtionship between you and my master?" Mother Wang was surprised and her eyelid twitched slightly.

    Ning Xueyan continued when Mother Wang was lost in thought, "Ning Ziying came to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor for shelter, but in reality, she came to my mom."

    Hearing that, Mother Wang was so shocked that she almost immediately sat up from the bed. She widened her eyes and stared at Ning Xueyan, as if the person in front of her was a stranger. She knew that Ning Ziying had a letter which her mother wrote to Madam Ming, the wife of the Lord Protector. However, Madam Ming had never received the letter.

    When they arrived at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, it was Madam Ling who was administrating the manor, while Madam Ming had already hidden in the Bright Frost Garden, and she had never shown up even in holidays.

    Ning Ziying¡¯s mother wrote that letter before her death. She repeatedly reminded Ning Ziying to hand this letter to Madam Ming in person and not to ask other people, even it was the henchman of Madam Ming to do this. Because Mother Wang was standing beside Ning Ziying at that point, she heard every word clearly.

    Since Ning Ziying had no opportunity to see Madam Ming, she hadn¡¯t given the letter to her after she had been in the city for five years.

    Mother Wang wondered how Fifth Young Lady knew about this letter, because except for Ning Ziying, her maid Xiang¡¯er and Mother Wang, nobody else, including Lanning knew about it. Looking at Ning Xueyan¡¯s dark jade-like eyes, Mother Wang¡¯s eyes were moist. Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes were quite like Ning Ziying¡¯s, but a little less tender and a little sharper.

    "Mother Wang, although I don¡¯t have evidence to improve that Madam Ling has something to do with Ning Ziying¡¯s death, you should think it over why Ning Ziying¡¯s fianc¨¦ married Ning Ziyan? My mother also died because of Madam Ling, so we have the same enemy. Moreover, my rtionship with Sister Ziying is much closer than you have imagined. I have dreamed of her many times and she told me that she was murdered..."

    Before Ning Xueyan could finish, Mother Wang had tears in her eyes.

    The rebirth of Ning Ziying in Ning Xueyan¡¯s body was a secret, and nobody would believe such a story. Mother Wang believed in Buddha, so it would make sense to her that someone who had died appeared in another person¡¯s dream to make a request. Besides, two persons out of the three who had known about the letter had died, and Mother Wang had never mentioned it to Ning Xueyan before.

    So it seemed the only possibility was that Ning Ziying hade to Ning Xueyan in her dream and asked Ning Xueyan to take revenge for her.

    Hearing their conversation, Lanning felt very sad and she couldn¡¯t help sobbing. She turned her head and wiped tears off her check quietly.

    She hadn¡¯t served Ning Ziying for a long time, but she was moved by Ning Ziying¡¯s kindness. So when she heard them talk about Ning Ziying¡¯s death, she really felt heartbroken.

    "Fifth Young Lady, was my master really killed by them?" Mother Wang shivered and could hardly speak. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She couldn¡¯t believe that a kind and generous Young Lady would have died in the lotus pond. Committing suicide? How could a girl who was ready to get married with anticipation havemitted suicide?

    "Mother Wang, I don¡¯t remember clearly what happened in my dream. I only remember that Sister Ziying said the Xias seemed to want to get something from her, so they killed her. But before, she has already decided to give all her banknotes to Xia Yuhang. Why did they still want to kill her?" Ning Xueyan propped her elbow onto the table and asked in confusion, rubbing her head.

    On the rebirth day, she thought that the Xias wanted to grab her dowry, so they brought her dowry to their manor before killing her. But now, she thought that they hadn¡¯t killed her just for money. She had told Xia Yuhang that she would like to give all her bank notes to him if he needed them, but he refused to ept them.

    From her confused look and what Ning Ziying had told her privately before, Mother Wang became trust what Ning Xueyan said. She had tried her best to stop Ning Ziying from giving her bank notes to Xia Yuhang, but Ning Ziying didn¡¯t want to follow her advice. She said that since she would marry Xia Yuhang, he would get the bank notes sooner orter, so it wasn¡¯t a big deal to give him a little bit earlier.

    Because Xia Yuhang didn¡¯t ept the bank notes, Mother Wang had thought that he really loved Ning Ziying.

    Ning Ziying didn¡¯t tell Xiang¡¯er about this, but only discussed with Mother Wang.

    Ning Xueyan had no chance to have known anything about such a private issue if Ning Ziying hadn¡¯t told her in her dream. Now Mother Wang was more assured that her master was murdered. Otherwise, her soul wouldn¡¯t have stayed in the mortal world. Thinking about this, Mother Wang was both angry and sad. She gritted her teeth.

    "Fifth Young Lady, my master did want to give her bank notes to Childe Xia. It seemed because Childe Xia needed money to turn over. I don¡¯t know the exact reason, and my master was reluctant to tell me about it. Childe Xia didn¡¯t ept her bank notes, but she died the day before the wedding ceremony. I guess Childe Xia didn¡¯t want to get married with my master, but he wanted her dowry!"

    Gritting her teeth, Mother Wang told Ning Xueyan the conclusion he had drawn after thinking about the issue for a few days.

    "I still don¡¯t understand," Ning Xueyan said in confusion.

    "Childe Xia has always said that he needed money to turn over. However, when my master wanted to give him her bank notes, he said that a true man shouldn¡¯t ept the money from his fianc¨¦e and he would find a way on his own. My master trusted him. But behind her back, Childe Xia¡¯s servant always hinted me that..."

    Mother Wang pulsed for a short moment and then continued, "His servant said that Childe Xia wouldn¡¯t ept my master¡¯s bank notes, because it would be shameful for a man to do so. He suggested me to give him some old, unused brocade of my master. He would sell them in the market and give the money to Childe Xia to turn over. When Childe Xia earned money in the future, he would buy some better brocade for my master."

    "Old brocade?" Ning Xueyan frowned in surprise.

    She didn¡¯t guess wrong. There was some hidden reason!

    When Ning Ziying just came to the city, she took two big cases of brocade with her. They were the dowry her mother had bought for her. Her mother told her not to use the brocade before getting married.

    So she had never used any of the brocade after arriving at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. When she needed new dresses, she would have asked Mother Wang to buy some cloth in the shop. She didn¡¯t know from when Xia Yuhang began to notice the brocade.

    "What¡¯s the secret in the brocade?" Ning Xueyan wondered.

    "Mother Wang, is there anything special about the brocade?" Ning Xueyan raised her head and asked. She wanted to know the reason. There must be some secret in the brocade.

 Chapter 132 Mother Wang Was Not Her First Wet Nurse

    "Young Lady Ziying thought that her mother had bought all the brocade for her, but she didn¡¯t know that some of the brocade used to be her mother¡¯s belongs and she just left it to Young Lady Ziying. Moreover, most varieties of the brocade her mother left had stopped production a long time ago. They are very precious and we can¡¯t find them in the market now. Young Lady Ziying¡¯s mother left the brocade as her daughter¡¯s dowry, so I dared not to give them to anyone else."

    Since she had mentioned the brocade, Mother Wang decided not to hide anything about it from Ning Xueyan anymore, so she told her everything she knew about it.

    "Some varieties of the brocade has stopped production?" Lanning was surprised. She had seen the two big cases which contained the brocade among a pile of cases, and she knew that the brocade was the dowry that Ning Ziying¡¯s mother had prepared for her daughter, so she had never opened them to organize the stuff inside.

    "Why did Sister Ziying¡¯s mother prepare the brocade for her?" Ning Xueyan asked, her eyes bright and cold.

    She had thought the two cases of brocade were ordinary. She followed her mother¡¯s instruction and had never used the brocade. However, she had never expected that Xia Yuhang had long wanted it for himself.

    "I don¡¯t know the reason. Madame told me that these two cases of brocade were prepared for Young Lady Ziying and I should have locked them before Young Lady Ziying got married. She said I could tide up the brocade after Young Lady Ziying¡¯s marriage."

    Mother Wang thought for a short moment and added, "I felt something wrong when Madame told me about that. I have been thinking about the reason for Young Lady Ziying¡¯s death recently, so I thought of the brocade."

    "Mammy, when did you be Sister Ziying¡¯s wet nurse?" Ning Xueyan asked after thinking for a while.

    Mother Wang answered subconsciously, "She was about two or three years old."

    Her face flickered the moment she finished speaking. She stopped talking and looked at Ning Xueyan cautiously. Before Mother Wang came to the Ning Manor, it was another wet nurse who had been feeding Ning Ziying. But Ning Ziying¡¯s mother didn¡¯t allow Mother Wang to tell this to anyone else, and told her to say that she was the only wet nurse of Ning Ziying if someone asked her.

    Even Ning Ziying didn¡¯t know that she had already been two or three years old when Mother Wang became her wet nurse.

    "Rx, Mother Wang. I have known about this all along. I just want to know where the wet nurse of Sister Ziying has gone," Ning Xueyan said. Although she had proved her guess, she didn¡¯t show anything abnormal on her face. Her eyes were bright and clear and it seemed that she really had known everything before Mother Wang told her.

    It was impossible for a rich family to look for a wet nurse for their children when they had already two or three years old.

    "Fifth Young Lady, I don¡¯t know the whereabouts of that wet nurse. I thought maybe they were not satisfied with her, so they employed me." Mother Wang hesitated for a short moment and exined.

    Except for Mother Wang, the other people around Ning Ziying told her that Mother Wang was the wet nurse who had brought her up. Nobody told her that she had been bred by another wet nurse before she was two or three years old.

    If only Mother Wang hid this from her, it might be because she wanted to tter her young master. However, why did her own mother and everyone around her didn¡¯t want her to know anything about her former wet nurse? They must be concealing an important secret which concerned her.

    Obviously, Mother Wang didn¡¯t want to tell Ning Xueyan more about Ning Ziying¡¯s former wet nurse because she had to follow the instruction of her master, Ning Xueyan¡¯s mother, though she had already died.

    Ning Xueyan knew that Mother Wang still kept a wary eye on her and she should be more patient if she wanted to know more secrets from Mother Wang. She smiled and stopped talking about this topic. She then asked Mother Wang about her injuries and told her to stay in bed to pretend to be injured seriously. Then she stood up and walked out.

    It was no use worrying. She was sure that she would unravel the mystery of herst life.

    Lanning walked out following her. They went to the principle room and then entered the inner room. She brought the lunch for her master. Ning Xueyan was hungry after a busy morning, so she ate some food and rested for a while before lying down on the bed in the service of two maids.

    Everything was quiet in the room, but Ning Xueyan couldn¡¯t fell asleep. She couldn¡¯t help thinking of the brocade. Hadn¡¯t Xia Yuhang and Madam Ling killed her until the day before the wedding ceremony just because they wanted to take the brocade? It didn¡¯t seem to make sense.

    But ording to her intuition, that might be the reason.

    But even though the brocade was precious, it couldn¡¯t be more valuable than the bank notes. How could Xia Yuhang refuse to ept the bank notes and grab the brocade? She was confused. Since it was impossible to find the answer in a short time, she could only uncover the truth bit by bit.

    People in the cityughed at Lord Protector after the news about the engagement between the Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s Manor and the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had been spread. They thought that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was too unruly and even the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li had been the object of their conversation. The Consort Dowager of the Commandery Prince Li was annoyed by this, so she arranged someone to visit the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Lord Protector¡¯s Manor responded quickly. They announced that the engagement between the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and the Commandery Prince Li Manor as well as the Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s Manor had been decided long ago, not after Madam Ming¡¯s death. They also asked someone from other ns and the Nings to prove that people of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had ethics.

    In the early morning, Ning Xueyan was awakened by Lanning. It was snowing outside. The crystal snowkes floated down from the air and looked so beautiful.

    Ning Xueyan sat in front of the window and chatted with Lanning.

    At this point, Xinmei came in. Although she held an umbre, her robe was still covered with snow. She put down her umbre in the corridor and shook off the snow from her robe before walking into the room.

    "Miss, Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li came to our manor and marquis is greeting him in the hall. In addition to him, someone else came as well. It¡¯s said they would serve as witnesses to the marriage between Second Young Lady and Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li," Xinmei said. She had gone to the front courtyard to inquiry about the visiting of these people, and she was told that they were the "witnesses" that Ning Zu¡¯an had invited who would prove the rationality of the marriage of Ning Yuling and Ning Lingyun.

    "Hasn¡¯t Marquis of Ping¡¯ane yet?" Ning Xueyan narrowed her eyes and asked.

    "Not yet. I heard that someone was sent to invite Marquis of Ping¡¯an this morning, but because Marquis of Ping¡¯an stayedtest night, he couldn¡¯t get up early," Xinmei answered with a mocking smile. She knew why Marquis of Ping¡¯an stayed toote the night before. She had gone to the Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s Manor yesterday and she heard that Marquis of Ping¡¯an doted on the two Beautiful Ladies who had just been sent to his manor.

    The two beauties came from a brothels and they were very popr. Ning Xueyan had asked Xinmei to buy them and sent them to the Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s Manor. They were so charming, and Marquis of Ping¡¯an was fascinated by them soon, so it was no wonder that he couldn¡¯t get up early this morning.

    "Has Ning Yuling been released?" Ning Xueyan asked, a coldness shing in her eyes. Madam Dowager had only locked Ning Yuling up for a few days. Since she was Madam Dowager¡¯s favorite grand daughter, even she had been so rude, Madam Dowager was still reluctant to punish her.

    "Knowing that Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li woulde, Second Young Lady refused to show up. She is pretending to be ill now," Xinmei said.

    "How about Fourth Young Lady?" Ning Xueyan smiled. Ning Yuling didn¡¯t like Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li and she was a proud person, so Ning Xueyan wasn¡¯t surprised when she heard the news.

    "Fourth Young Lady dressed up and went to the garden on purpose. I heard that she asked the servants to heat up a pavilion and she was ying the zither and enjoying flowers in it." Although Xinmei just gone to the front courtyard once just now, she had inquired all the useful information.

    Everything seemed to be undergoing as what Ning Xueyan nned. What she needed to do was wait and see how those people were going to take the bait!

    The idea of ying the zither and enjoying the flowers beside a stove was not bad!

    Ning Xueyan yed with a hairpin in front of her dressing-case with a smile. "Go and observe what Ning Lingyun will do next. Thene back to report to me," she ordered.

    "Yes, Miss! I¡¯m going right now" Xinmei nodded and was about to leave.

    Suddenly, she heard Ning Xueyan call her name, so she stopped. Ning Xueyan tapped her finger on the table and said, "It¡¯s not urgent. You can have a rest first and I¡¯ll ask Qingyu to prepare some snacks for you. It¡¯s about lunch time, so Ning Lingyun won¡¯t have much time to stay with Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li before noon. She just wanted to attract Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li and impress him. Even if she wanted to do anything with him, she will have to wait until after lunch."

    "But Marquis of Ping¡¯an..." Xinmei was a little worried.

    "Marquis of Ping¡¯an can¡¯t arrive before lunch," Ning Xueyan snorted. Of course Marquis of Ping¡¯an couldn¡¯te early. The two Beautiful Ladies came from brothels, so they were much skillful in serving men in the bed. Besides, Marquis of Ping¡¯an was a lecher. It would be good enough that he couldeter.

    There was enough time for Ning Lingyun to seduce Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li.

    At the moment, Ning Lingyun was sitting in the Changfang Pavilion. Thick curtains surrounded three sides of the pavilion, so it didn¡¯t seem to be cold inside. She chose to wait here because it was the only way to the inner courtyard, everyone would pass by here if they wanted to go to the inner courtyard from the front courtyard.

    "Miss, Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li ising. I stole a look at him. He is very handsome, much more handsome than Eldest Young Master. And he was polite to people. Obviously, he is an educated and reasonable nobleman. I haven¡¯t seen a man more handsome than him," Caiyun said. When she recalled the moment that Princely Heir smiled at her when he saw her, her heart beat faster.

    If her master could merry Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, she might also have the opportunity to serve him in the bed. Caiyun had never seen such a handsome man before, and most importantly, he smiled at her. Thinking about that, she blushed and her heart thumped.

    "Did Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li smiled because he saw me?" she wondered.

    "Is he more handsome than Third Prince?" Ning Lingyun asked. She had never seen Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li before. She didn¡¯t want to merry Marquis of Ping¡¯an, so she came up with the idea to seduce Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. If she had other choices, she wouldn¡¯t have done this. Her face turned red when she heard that Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li was an extremely handsome man.

    "Yes, he is even more handsome than Third Prince. The maids of the front courtyard were all shamelessly peeping at him. Miss, if you marry to Princely Heir in the future, you must be careful of those maids and don¡¯t allow them to serve Princely Heir in the bed casually."

    Caiyun was angry at the thought of the maids with flushed faces. "Princely Heir will be the husband of Fourth Young Lady, how dare those b*tch have any illusions about him?" she thought. She had totally forgot that she was the one who was crazy about Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li.

    "He ising!" A young maid came panting.

    "Princely Heir ising?" Ning Lingyun asked excitedly. She hadn¡¯t expected that Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li would have been so outstanding. This made her more determined to manage to marry him, instead of Marquis of Ping¡¯an. There was nothing worse than marrying Marquis of Ping¡¯an in the world! So she immediately straight up and put her fingers on the zither.

    "Marquis suggested Princely Heir to take a stroll in the garden, but..." the maid answered panting.

    However, before she could continue, Caiyun cut her in. "Come here to serve Young Lady," she said and pulled the young maid over. She stuffed the fruit bowl in her hands and asked her to stand behind Ning Lingyun. Then she stood on the other side of Ning Lingyun and pretended to be arranging a bunch of plum blossom on the corner of the zither tform.

    The white plum blossom was still in bud with petals slightly open. It was the most charming moment for any flowers and no one could resist this beauty.

 Chapter 133 The Lure of a Beauty

    The snow was falling, and melodious sounds of a zither wafted through the air. With a slight smile on her pretty face, a youngdy wearing a pink dress totally immersed herself in the winter scenery. She slightly raised delicate hands. Her elegant figure and her graceful movements while ying the zither could touch others to their souls.

    On the snow-covered path came two graceful young men.

    The childe walked in front could be considered as handsome. But it was just that his eyes corners and the tips of his eyebrows slightly lifted, which made people feel a bit unpleasant upon taking a nce at him. Besides that, he looked indeed ufortable, and his face stirred with dull anger.

    "Tell me, what is that crap? I don¡¯t know what my Grandmother was thinking. She actually let me marry such a crazy woman." At the thought of the fact that somehow he was going to marry Ning Yuling, Ao Xian, who was Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, would clench his teeth in bitter hatred. No matter how licentious he was, he knew that a man should take a good woman as his official wife. But now he would marry such a cheap woman Ning Yuling. Ao Xian just felt reluctant to ept the marriage in whatever way he thought.

    "But today, Consort Dowager specifically asked me toe here to vindicate her reputation. Vindicate her fu*king reputation! That cheap little b*tch only deserves to be my concubine," Ao Xian thought.

    "I heard that Second Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is pretty and charming. And in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she is also the Official Wife¡¯s daughter. Why do you still haveints about that? Just marry her." While turning the folding fan in his hands, Wen Xueran raised his smiling face. A faint smile appeared on his handsome face, which was more delicate than a woman¡¯s.

    He gave an oblique look to Ao Xian with his charming eyes and advised, not with the best of intentions.

    "Did you advise me to marry that b*tch? But does she need to marry anyone? I also want to advise Third Prince to marry her, lest that she make me a cuckold even before marry me." Ao Xian kicked the snow by his feet away and growled while grinding his teeth.

    It was not a secret that Ning Yuling took a fancy to Third Prince, plus those words she said when she had sex with him. Though Ao Xian was not so smart, he could almost guess that Ning Yuling probably had slept with Third Prince in secret. Once he thought about that, he felt sad as if he had eaten a fly.

    It was always him who messed around with the woman of someone else. How could he marry this woman who had had sex with others?

    "Go to talk to Third Prince about that!" Wen Xueran sneered. With a romantic and graceful style, he appeared surpassingly beautiful.

    He was purely dragged here by Ao Xian. Today, he happened to go Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor to do something. But just when he arrived at the gate, Ao Xian, who was in a low spirit, forced him to apany him in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Wen Xueran thought that he had nothing to do anyway, so he might just as well go to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor!

    Wen Xueran suggested Ao Xian talk to Third Prince himself. But how dare he do that? Upon hearing this suggestion, Ao Xian suddenly became depressed and hung his head in dismay. But after thinking for a while, he still felt upset. Clenching his teeth in bitter hatred, he said, "No, I must not marry that b*tch. I will make my Grandmother go to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to break off my engagement with her as soon as Ie back."

    Ao Xian really didn¡¯t want to marry her. For him, it would be better to take anyone as his wife than Ning Yuling. He just could not bear to recall her promiscuous behavior.

    "You cannot easily cancel the engagement with Lord Protector¡¯s Manor!" With a smile hanging on his mouth corners, Wen Xueran joked and knocked on the shoulder of Ao Xian with his fan.

    "I..." A few words from him made Ao Xian speechless. His face turned red with anger, but he didn¡¯t know what to say next.

    "Look, the beautiful woman over there, is she Second Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? Enjoying plum blossoms in the snow and ying the zither under flowers are graceful things. Anyone who can do such graceful things should be an elegant person." Pointing to the pavilion nearby, Wen Xueran threw Ao Xian a fluid nce with his glittering and glowing eyes.

    Pieces of snowkes floating down from the sky, though not dense, those snowkes still blocked their sight. So they could only see a girl in a pink dress was ying the zither in the pavilion, facing the gate of the pavilion.

    Ao Xian could not see her clearly, but he subconsciously thought that she must be Ning Yuling, and he felt delighted upon seeing her. Ao Xian thought in his heart. "Ning Yuling wants to marry Third Prince, and I don¡¯t want to marry her. Maybe we can discuss the matter in private and figure out a n which can satisfy both of us. If it is Ning Yuling who doesn¡¯t want to marry me, Grandmother will not force me to marry her then."

    "Let¡¯s go and see." With this, Ao Xian went ahead.

    "You are a couple who have engaged so that you two can certainly meet. But I will pass that." Wen Xueran stood still and shook his head while smiling.

    Regardless of whether this person was Ning Yuling or not, he had no reason to meet her. Initially, women who stayed in the backyard should avoid mening toward them. But perhaps the girl was too absorbed in ying the zither to notice them. She did not make any changes and still focused on ying the zither with deep feelings...

    Wen Xueran certainly didn¡¯t want to get involved in this sort of thing.

    "Well, you can wander around the garden first. I wille to you after I have done talking with her." Now Ao Xian only wanted to talk about his marriage with Ning Yuling, and he also felt inconvenient if Wen Xueran was also there. So he nodded at once.

    Wen Xueran looked at the roads and chose another path. After taking a few steps, he looked back at the girl in pink who still sat in the pavilion and concentrated on ying the zither. On his handsome and enchanting face, the corners of his lips slightly lifted and a trace of dark color shed across his eyes. But then he continued to walk ahead, silently.

    He was just an outsider today, so many things here had nothing to do with him...

    Delightedly, Ao Xian rushed forward. But when he was halfway there, he felt that something was wrong. The woman opposite him slightly lowered her head, but he could still see her face. Her face looked elegant and beautiful, which appeared to be delicate and touching. But she was not Ning Yuling. Ao Xian slightly slowed down his pace.

    Upon hearing the footsteps of someone, Caiyun, who stood behind Ning Lingyun, stepped forward and pulled Ning Lingyun¡¯s sleeves, pretending that she just saw him.

    Ning Lingyun raised her head. She frowned and got angry immediately after she saw Ao Xian¡¯s face clearly!

    "Caiyun, you little b*tch maid, you told me that Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li was as pretty as a beautiful flower. But this person in front of us, how can he be that good? The young man before me still looks okay, but how can he be a match with Third Prince? He is far worse than Third Prince both in terms of appearance and bearing."

    But then she thought that no matter how bad he was, he could not possibly be worse than Marquis of Ping¡¯an. Immediately, she hid her dissatisfied feeling, wore a little shy smile, and got up to give him a slight salute.

    Ao Xian sized up the woman in front of him. She was as delicate as a willow branch trembling in the wind. A faint smile emerged on her snow-white face, and her face flushed a little, which made her looked even more beautiful. "She is also a beauty!" Ao Xian thought. The beauty was now saluting him, sweetly. Ao Xian melted already when they first met.

    He was a rakehell who liked messing around with women in his usual days. This time, being tempted by this beauty, he instantly forgot that he was here to argue with Ning Yuling. Ao Xian also forgot that as a man from outside, he should avoid women in the backyard. Deliberately putting on a romantic posture, he cupped his hands with a smile. "I am enjoying the plum flowers while going over the snow, but I never expected that I would encounter such a beautifuldy. Could you please tell me your name, youngdy?"

    "What a bold man! Who are you? Ourdy is the Fourth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Get out of here right now." At this time, Caiyun also saw the Ao Xian¡¯s face and could not help feeling greatly surprised. The man she saw just now was not the one in front of her, so Caiyun thought he was someone else. "How is it possible that he bes somon all of a sudden?" Caiyun thought to herself. In a hurry, she rushed up to Ning Lingyun and bellowed.

    "Are you the Fourth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?" Caiyun rushed out to reproach him, but Ao Xian didn¡¯t feel angry. Instead, he thought thedy in front of him was much more dignifiedpared to Ning Yuling. "I am Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li."

    "You are Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li!" Caiyun¡¯s eyes widened. She still wanted to say something, but Ning Lingyun gave her a fierce look. Caiyun was frightened and immediately shut up.

    "Why? Do you think I am a fake one?" Ao Xian asked strangely.

    "Princely Heir, my maid is rude. She hasn¡¯t seen so much of the outside world. Excuse us, please." Ning Lingyun had already figured the situation out now. No matter who Caiyun met before, this man before them should be Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li.

    "Never mind. I am tired after the walk. May I have a rest in your pavilion?" Now Ao Xian found a beauty, how could he go away? With a smile, he asked shamelessly. As for Ning Yuling, he had long forgotten her.

    At this time, he was trying to hook up with Ning Lingyun with his heart and soul, and it had never urred to him that Ning Lingyun was his sister-inw.

    "If you do not mind, pleasee in and sit down." Just in time, Ning Lingyun came up to him. She immediately leaned over and made room for him at the pavilion gate. She invited him in with a blush.

    "Thanks, Fourth Young Lady." He thought that the beauty stared at him with loving eyes only because she liked him, which greatly fulfilled his self-esteem. As proud as a peacock, Ao Xian came in and seated himself in the only avable chair inside.

    This chair was next to the seat of Ning Lingyun, which she used for ying the zither.

    "You y the zither very well. Could you please y one more song for me?" Ao Xian also found that he sat near Ning Lingyun, and he made the suggestion while smiling.

    "I am afraid that you may not like it," Ning Lingyun replied shyly with polite.

    "You yed very well. The song you yed is a lot better than what I heard outside. It is a rare chance for me to hear such a pleasant sound of zither today. I hope that you can be generous enough to y more."

    Ao Xian always hung out with women in brothels, and he had heard the sexual songs in brothels the most. Hence, the music Ning Lingyun yed just now was undoubtedly a distinctive sound to him.

    "You tter me, Princely Heir." When it came to this, Ning Lingyun felt it almost the time. She came over and sat down on the stool. With her hands on the zither, she began to y with a blush. It seemed that to hear more clearly, Ao Xian especially leaned closer to Ning Lingyun. When he smelled the fragrance of Ning Lingyun, he was immediately overwhelmed with joy.

    While Ning Lingyun just cast a shy nce at him. Her face turned red, but she said nothing. Ao Xian, who was an expert in dealing with women, surely understood. Pretending not aware of this, he stayed close to Ning Lingyun and didn¡¯t move a bit away.

    If others looked from a distance, they could see that one of them yed the zither and the other stayed close. Those people who didn¡¯t know the situation would think that they were a pair.

    Ning Zu¡¯an came here to look for Ao Xian and Wen Xueran after getting things done in the front courtyard. And he almost vomited blood when he saw this scene.

    Of course, Ao Xian was a libertine. But Ning Lingyun was an unmarried girl. She actually sat right beside a man from outside and yed the zither for him. How could she be so shameless? Besides, this person would be her brother-inw. How disgraceful would it be if anyone saw such a scene!

    "Go ahead. Call Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li over. Tell him that I am waiting for him in the study in front." Ning Zu¡¯an told his young male servant. In great anger, he waved hisrge sleeves with all his strength and left this ce.

    "Yes." Seeing that Ning Zu¡¯an looked terrible, the servant knew that the marquis was angry, but he didn¡¯t dare to ask him more. Immediately, he trotted up to Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. The thing about Second Young Lady had humiliated them enough. If any affairs between Fourth Young Lady and Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li were spread out, Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would lose all its dignity.

    After he heard that Lord Protector called him, Ao Xian had no choice but to stand up and reluctantly said goodbye to Ning Lingyun.

    He had an excellent impression on Ning Lingyun. He felt that thedy in front of him was tender and decent, and her appearance also happened to hit his fancy. In his heart, she was the rightdy to be his official wife, who was much better than the little termagant b*tch Ning Yuling.

    "Young Lady, I..." When Caiyun saw that Ao Xian left, she tried to murmur her exnation.

    Before she could finish, Ning Lingyun gave a p in her face. The maid near them trembled all over out of fear. She then retreated to a corner and did not dare to move.

    "Are your eyeballs a pair of ones painted on your face? You could not distinguish different persons and made a mistake already. If you dare to make one more mistake, I will gouge out your eyes." Ning Lingyun abused her with hatred and anger. The shyness that piled up on her face had turned into coldness.

    "Yes, yes, I will make no more mistakes." Caiyun knelt on the ground with a bump and promised hurriedly.

    "This time, you have seen him clearly. Next, the person..." Ning Lingyun said coldly with a whole condescending attitude. She took out a note from her arms and handed it to Caiyun.

    "It was, it was Princely Heir. I, I will not mistake him for someone else." Caiyun knew that she got the wrong person just now and annoyed Ning Lingyun. So she kept begging Ning Lingyun to forgive her.

 Chapter 134 All of a Sudden, an Accident Happened

    Marquis of Ping¡¯an arrived veryte. Ning Zu¡¯an could not wait long ago and let the servants serve the dishes. Ao Xian was Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, and Wen Xueran was Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min. Compared to them, Marquis of Ping¡¯an was truly not so important. Therefore, they directly began to eat and drink without him.

    When they were in a good mood after a few drinks, Marquis of Ping¡¯an rushed in. While wiping off the sweat on his head, he humbly apologized in embarrassment.

    Ao Xian himself was a dissolute rakehell, but he still disdained Marquis of Ping¡¯an, who was old, stupid, fat and ugly. Ao Xian muttered a grunt as a greeting to him. And at this time, he remembered it seemed that the Fourth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would marry this ugly fat man in front of him.

    Suddenly, he felt injustice for the beautiful Fourth Young Lady. "The beauty is now in the hands of the beast!"

    "Why will such a dignified and gentle beauty marry such an old and ugly d*mned man! What a waste!"

    Leaning against the back of the chair, he was talking with Wen Xueran, in a desultory kind of way. They totally ignored Marquis of Ping¡¯an.

    Marquis of Ping¡¯an alone felt quite embarrassed there. Last night, he had messed up with two beautiful women for too long. When Marquis of Ping¡¯an woke up, it was already in broad daylight outside. Immediately, he remembered that Lord Protector had invited him toe to his manor today, and then he rushed here in a hurry. Now he even got one button on his robe wrong, which was quite improper in any way.

    Ning Zu¡¯an didn¡¯t like him that much, either. If it were not for the fact that Marquis of Ping¡¯an knew the thing about the jade pendant so that he wanted to rope Marquis of Ping¡¯an in the same boat with him, Ning Zu¡¯an would never sacrifice a daughter and pulled this ugly fat man along with him.

    Ao Xian saw that Wen Xueran also finished eating. Then, he got up and wanted to take him to take a rest at the study room aside. Since Marquis of Ping¡¯an was still there, Ning Zu¡¯an could not leave. He just let the servant lead them to the study room.

    Just when they went out, they saw a small maid carrying a pot of hot watere to them in a hurry. It was toote for the maid to avoid them when she spotted them, and she bumped into Ao Xian. The hot water spilled Ao Xian¡¯s robe, and arge part of it got wet.

    The little maid was so scared that she knelt on the ground with a bump. "Princely Heir, sorry... I¡¯m sorry... I, I didn¡¯t mean to."

    Inside, Ning Zu¡¯an heard the sound and came out to see what had happened. When he saw Ao Xian¡¯s robe was wet, he red at the little maid and said to Ao Xian who looked unhappy. "Your body is almost the same as Yuan¡¯er. You can change his clothes first in case that you may catch a cold. You, take Princely Heir to the courtyard of Eldest Young Master."

    Ao Xian shook his robe. Though he felt displeased, he said nothing. Anyway, he was in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, and so he had no other choices. Then, he went to the backyard after the little maid.

    Wen Xueran nced at the maid who was shivering but didn¡¯t look too nervous. An enigmatic smile appeared on his good-looking eyes, and he went to the study alone.

    On the other side, Marquis of Ping¡¯an knew that he was wrong. Therefore, he apanied Ning Zu¡¯an to drink when he was here. Now he said that he was full when he felt a little tipsy. Marquis of Ping¡¯an didn¡¯t dare to drink as much as he didst time. Last time, he went to rest after he was wholly drunken and stirred up a heap of trouble.

    Thus, he only told Ning Zu¡¯an that he was going to sober himself up in the yard.

    Ning Zu¡¯an did not like him there. Seeing that Marquis of Ping¡¯an was smart enough to bring up the suggestion himself, he agreed at once.

    After lunch, Ning Xueyan walked to the gate of the courtyard alone. She would like to digest her meal and enjoy the snow scene. At this time, the snow wasing down more heavily. Large snowkes fell from the sky like a myriad of feathers, which was beautiful to the extreme.

    Suddenly, an unfamiliar maid came up to her and said with great respect. "Fifth Young Lady, the marquis calls you over for he has something to ask you!"

    "Where is my father?" Upon hearing her words, Ning Xueyan raised her head and asked with a spurious smile. "Do you know what the matter is?"

    "I don¡¯t know what the marquis wants to ask you. The marquis is now in the Lasting-fragrance Pavilion. I heard that he lost his temper just now. You should go there as fast as you can," the maid answered, cutely.

    "The Lasting-fragrance Pavilion, it is really a ce that Ning Lingyunid out with painstaking efforts. She had spent such a long time to fix up the ce, so how can she abandon it after using it for once only?"

    Ning Zu¡¯an lost his temper. Well, it meant that he didn¡¯t have the patience to wait for anyone at this moment!

    Smiling slightly, she went up a path to the Lasting-fragrance Pavilion.

    The maid saw Ning Xueyan go away, and a trace of pride shed across her eyes. Then, she hurried back. Just when she walked around the corner, she saw Caiyun who hid on one side.

    Caiyun had seen everything clearly. After she was sure that Ning Xueyan was walking into the trap, she was overjoyed. She gave the silver ingot in her hand to the maid and excitedly went to report to Ning Lingyun.

    On the other side, the maid of Ning Yuling also met a maid from the front yard and got a message saying that Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li was going to meet Ning Yuling secretly in the Lasting-fragrance Pavilion of the backyard. At first, Ning Yuling didn¡¯t believe it at all. However, the maid added that she saw that Fourth Young Lady and Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li had already met once in the morning, and the two of them yed the zither and enjoyed the blossoms together.

    Speaking of the sound of the zither, Ning Yuling really had vaguely heard some in the morning. At that time, she thought that Ning Lingyun was going to marry an ugly and stupid old goat, but she even had a leisurely and carefree mood to y the zither in the yard.

    This time, Ning Yuling connected the series thing before and after, and then she burst into anger. Ning Yuling even dared to seduce her brother-inw. How horrible it was!

    Even if she had thrown him away, that little b*tch Ning Lingyun still was not qualified to grab him. She would go to scratch the face of the little b*tch.

    In a rage, she took a maid with her and went to catch the couple. When she saw the cozy Lasting-fragrance Pavilion that Ning Lingyun let people clean up, Ning Yuling felt much harder to suppress her hatred.

    Outside the pavilion, the snow fell in soft kes. Inside it, there were red curtains with a warm fragrance. It was precisely the right ce for a secret date.

    After taking a few strides, she stepped into the half-closed curtains in the pavilion. Before she could see everything inside the pavilion clearly, she felt a pain at the top of her head. Then, darkness came over her eyes, and she copsed...

    As for Ning Lingyun, she dressed up once again. She looked herself in the mirror from the left and the right. As she learned that Ning Xueyan walked into her trap, she felt very pleased. She stood up immediately and went out.

    "Young Lady, are we going to the Lasting-fragrance Pavilion now?" Caiyun asked in a low voice.

    Ning Lingyun sneered. "No. What are we going to do there now? Haven¡¯t I asked you to let out a cry near the Lasting-fragrance Pavilion? Then, there must be some other people who will find them. That b*tch Ning Xueyan, she does not know what shame is and hooks up with Marquis of Ping¡¯an. But what¡¯s that got to do with me?"

    Although she hated Ning Yuling, she did not dare to set a trap for Ning Yuling and Marquis of Ping¡¯an. So she nned to trap Ning Xueyan instead. "If Ning Xueyan and Marquis of Ping¡¯an hug each other with all eyes watching, how can my father still marry me to that stupid old man? As for Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, cannot I win Ning Yuling with my excellent appearance and character in his heart now?"

    She was afraid of Madam Ling and her daughter since she was a child. This time, maybe the desperate situation that she would be forced to marry Marquis of Ping¡¯an gave the courage to her!

    Besides, she plotted against Ning Xueyan in secret by the way. If she seeded this time, Ning Xueyan would lose all her standing and reputation. Wouldn¡¯t Madam Ling and Ning Yuling feel unhappy about that?

    Thinking like that, she felt that there was nothing dangerous, and she would not be afraid of the revenge from Madam Ling and her daughter after all of this.

    In general, the biggest loser was Ning Xueyan. But what was that got to do with her?

    "Yes, I have already done what you have told me to do, and I have arranged the people there early." Caiyun ttered.

    "The two older female servants, are they reliable?" Ning Lingyun stopped and asked.

    "You can rest assured. The two servants are members of my family. Moreover, I have also told them to act faster. After they knock Ning Xueyan out and pull her to the stone table nearby, they will leave immediately, lest they run into other people."

    "What about the Princely Heir?" Speaking of which, Ning Lingyun felt a little shy and flushed a bit.

    "Princely Heir has gone to the courtyard of Eldest Young Master. The person who leads the way will deliberately make a few detours. It is just the right time for you to go there now." Caiyun hurried to make a reply.

    Although she designed the plot herself, she was still an unmarried girl. Therefore, Ning Lingyun didn¡¯t ask the details. She nodded with a red face and went to the courtyard of Ning Huaiyuan with Caiyun.

    Of course, this plot that could achieve three things at one stroke was not designed only by Ning Lingyun. Concubine Xu helped her a lot with that. As for the trap for Ning Xueyan, it was undoubtedly set by Concubine Xu in order to please Madam Ling. Under the circumstances that Ning Xueyan suffered such a great loss, it would not be a big deal to them if Ning Lingyun did something wrong.

    In a hurry, Ning Lingyun went to the courtyard of Ning Huaiyuan. When she met the woman who guarded the door, she said that Concubine Xu asked her to see what needed to be added in his house. Concubine Xu said that Ning Huaiyuan woulde back and they should not upset him at that time. After hearing what she said, the woman immediately let her in.

    Anyone knew that Eldest Young Master was the treasure in the manor. Nothing could be more important than the things of Eldest Young Master.

    Hardly when she walked in the house, the maid led Ao Xian to the house, and they entered the main room in the middle.

    "Princely Heir, these are the clothes of our childe. You can pick a piece of clothes." The maid reverently opened the closet full of clothes. She pointed at those clothes and said to Ao Xian.

    "You may leave!" Ao Xian nodded, and the maid left the room.

    The weather was cold. Only after a while, Ao Xian could feel the wet of his robe through his clothes, and it made him feel ufortable all over. He took a piece of clothes at random and went behind the screen to take off his robe to change a dry one.

    It indeed took him a long time to walk here. The wet originally on his robe outside now had pratedyers of clothes and reached the clothes closet to his skin. Feeling quite helpless, he had to go back to the closet and chose another set of clothes inside.

    When he was busy changing his clothes, he heard a woman¡¯s charming voiceing from outside. He was startled a little. "The Eldest Young Master has been on a study tour outside. So, how can a womane to his ce?" Somehow, he felt a bit more curious.

    "Young Lady, sorry. I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t pay attention first and poured the water on you. Young Lady, please wait here. I am going to get clothes for you to change right now." The anxious voice of a maid faded. Then, Ao Xian heard that the maid pushed the door open and then closed it.

    "Never mind. You just go to get one set for me. I will wait for you here." The first time Ao Xian heard the gentle voice, he knew that thedy had a good temper. And the voice seemed to be a little familiar to him, which further aroused Ao Xian¡¯s curiosity. After thinking it over, he remembered that the voiced belonged to the Fourth Young Lady who he just met it in the morning. Suddenly, he had an itch in his heart, and so he involuntarily walked near the screen to look at her.

    "Young Lady, how can I leave you like this? Your body is delicate. It will harm your health if you still wear those wet clothes. I will help you take off your clothes outside, and you can just put the Eldest Young Master¡¯s clothes on for the moment. I wille back before long."

    Nervously, Caiyun pulled Ning Lingyun¡¯s clothes and wanted to help her take off her gown outside.

    "No. It is not good if others know this. I¡¯m not cold." Ning Lingyun¡¯s face flushed, and her voice was gentle. She indeed looked like a well-behaved greatdy of good conduct.

    Inside, Ao Xian was very attracted by her, and he eximed in his heart. "Such a gentle and virtuous woman like her is what a Hostess should be. She is much better than Ning Yuling, who is arrogant, overbearing, and mean."

    "Young Lady, there are no others here, so that will be okay. Later, when I go out, I will let the gatekeeper guard the door for you. She will not let otherse in. If you really get a cold, how can I be able to take the responsibility?" While talking, Caiyun took off Ning Lingyun¡¯s outside clothes and removed another piece of clothes by the way, down to her underwear.

    After that, she pushed Ning Lingyun behind the screen.

    Behind the screen, Ao Xian was looking at them, in high spirits. He had never expected that they woulde to the back of the screen directly. There was no time for Ao Xian to avoid them. He met Ning Lingyun, who looked scared, face to face. Then there came the scream of Caiyun.

    Hearing the screams, the two maids who did menial jobs in the yard and the gatekeeper rushed in. By chance, they witnessed Ning Lingyun falling, dressed in a mess. Subconsciously, Ao Xian reached out and happened to hold Ning Lingyun in his arms...

 Chapter 135 A Rearrangement, a Drama in Real Life

    Screams also rang near the Lasting-fragrance Pavilion. The sharp screams attracted the attention of Ning Zu¡¯an, who was wandering with Wen Xueran. Ning Zu¡¯an frowned lightly. He followed the sound and made a turn. Just after a few steps, he saw a few maids and servants stand in front of the Lasting-fragrance Pavilion in mute amazement.

    "What happened?" Ning Zu¡¯an asked unpleasantly.

    "Second, Second Young Lady, and, and Marquis of Ping¡¯an are in..." Seeing Ning Zu¡¯an, the servant could not even utter a whole sentence.

    "That¡¯s nonsense. Second Sister is in her yard. How can she be here?" From another path, Ning Xueyan popped up with her maid. She was stunned a little after seeing the servant. Then she put up a cold face and reproached.

    Seeing Ning Xueyan defend for Ning Yuling, Ning Zu¡¯an nodded secretly in his heart.

    "Fifth Young Lady, it is really Second Young Lady... with, with Marquis of Ping¡¯an..." When she heard Ning Xueyan¡¯s words, the servant exined more, but her exnation darkened Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s face...

    "Step aside. Let my father see it himself." The long and narrow eyebrows of Ning Xueyan slightly narrowed, and she unpleasantly interrupted the servant¡¯s words.

    When the maids and servants that blocked the gate of the Lasting-fragrance Pavilion heard that Ning Zu¡¯an was going to see the scene himself, all of them got out of the way. Then, in front of them, there appeared the half-dressed Ning Yuling, who was hugging tightly with a man.

    "No... It¡¯s not me. Why? Why is it happen..." Just when Ning Yuling woke up, she didn¡¯t expect that a fat old man got fresh with her and hugged her tight. Before she could react, she screamed in terror subconsciously.

    Before she figured out something wrong with her dizzy head, the few servants stayed there instantly screamed together with her, and then they rushed in. Ning Yuling could only be able to push Marquis of Ping¡¯an far away in a hurry. Then, she fell to the ground and hurriedly pulled her opened clothes together.

    "Ning Lingyun, it is Ning Lingyun... Father, it is that b*tch Ning Lingyun who cheated me intoing here." Looking at the stupid fat man aside, she screamed out in a panic.

    At the side, Marquis of Ping¡¯an was also shocked. Before he came, he repeatedly warned himself not to make any mistakes because of drinking, nor could he had anything to do with any women in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. However, upon seeing the sleeping beauty as he walked here, he immediately forgot all the warnings he made to himself.

    Such a beautifuldyy there, almost motionless. He was already eager to do something dirty to her.

    He went straight to the beauty and held her in his arms. He totally forgot everything else and directly put his hands on the body of the beauty. While he was busy in groping Ning Yuling, she suddenly woke up. Her screams scared him, and his limbs felt like jelly. The next moment, Ning Yuling pushed him, and both of them fell to the ground. Before they knew their situation, the people of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor rushed in.

    Seeing that Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s face nearly burned with anger, Marquis of Ping¡¯an shivered with a chill and woke up immediately. He recognized that a disaster was about toe and exined in a hurry. "Marquis, I, I just entered here to have a look. I, I didn¡¯t do anything."

    He said that he did nothing. However, Ning Yuling was not appropriately dressed, and a flush stayed on her face just now. Evidently, there must be something going on between them.

    "Second Sister, you... Why are you here?" Ning Xueyan asked in amazement.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s words reminded Ning Yuling, she screamed in a sharp voice. "Father... It is that little b*tch Ning Lingyun. Someone knocked me out when I just came in. It was that little b*tch who did all this to me!"

    Ning Yuling was not really stupid. After she linked all things happened now, she immediately understood that it was Ning Lingyun who set her up. Now she just could not wait to tear Ning Lingyun up. Her beautiful face now became ferocious.

    "Is it has something to do with Ning Lingyun?" Ning Zu¡¯an remembered that he had seen Ning Lingyun and Ao Xian here in the morning. He could not help but feel a little suspicious.

    While they were talking, a servant rushed over here. She yelled out loud before she came before Ning Zu¡¯an. "Marquis, marquis, bad news. Fourth Young Lady is... with Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. Together, they..."

    She shouted so loud that all the people present heard her words clearly. Now that Ning Lingyun was with Ao Xian, and it seemed that they must have done some umon things together.

    "What¡¯s the matter? Make it clear!" In anger, blue veins stood out on Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s forehead. He red at the servant and questioned her with an ice-cold face.

    It seemed that the servant didn¡¯t get Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s hint. She hurriedly added, "Fourth Young Lady was changing clothes, and Princely Heir also happened to change his. And they ran into each other. Now... Now that Fourth Young Lady wants to die to prove her innocent. She is, she is trying to kill herself."

    "Not properly dressed, Ning Lingyun is now together with Ao Xian." Suddenly, Ning Zu¡¯an felt cold in his heart, and his eyes became red because of angry!

    "Father, I am going to see Fourth Sister," Ning Xueyan said.

    "Just, just let her die!" Grinding his teeth, Ning Zu¡¯an slowly dropped the words one by one. The thing that happened today must have something to do with Ning Lingyun. He asked Ao Xian to change his clothes in Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s house. How could Ning Lingyun happen to change hers there too? Moreover, Ning Zu¡¯an had seen that the two of them leaned close to each other in the morning. Apparently, they had an affair.

    As for the scene before him, how was it possible that the proud Ning Yuling like Marquis of Ping¡¯an? She obviously fell into the trap set by someone. It had never urred to Ning Zu¡¯an that he actually had such a vicious daughter. How Ning Zu¡¯an wished he could chock this shameless daughter to death right in front of him!

    "Father, please calm down. Anyway, she is the Fourth Young Lady. It is not good if anyone spread the rumor out," Ning Xueyan lowered her voice and said.

    Her words reminded Ning Zu¡¯an. No matter what she had done, she was the daughter of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Getting angry was useless when such a thing happened. He had to find a solution.

    "You... Go to see her. Let her stop threatening others with death by the way. If she really wants to die, find a ce with no one around to kill herself." Ning Zu¡¯an hated Ning Lingyun to the extreme. He cared Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling the most. But now Ning Lingyun put Ning Yuling into such a terrible situation. How could he not be angry?

    "Yes, father, I will go now." Ning Xueyan nodded. She cast a cold look at Ning Yuling aside with sarcasm hiding in her eyes.

    "Ning Lingyun was indeed vicious once sheunched the attack. She nned to marry Ao Xian and dragged me down at the same time. In order to please Madam Ling and her daughter, she wanted to ruin my future. But she must never have thought that I dragged Ning Yuling down instead. After I made Ning Yuling take my ce in Ning Lingyun¡¯s plot, Ning Lingyun could not deny that she nned to change clothes together with Ao Xian and she only pretended to be the weak one.

    No matter how innocent she looked at this time, Madam Ling and her daughter would not let her go.

    Of course, Ning Xueyan would not let Ning Lingyun be destroyed. Because with Ning Lingyun blocking others attacks in front, it would be much better for her!

    "I will go with Fifth Young Lady to see Ao Xian." Wen Xueran, who was watching the drama nearby, suddenly began to speak.

    Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li brought Ao Xian here. Now that something bad happened to Ao Xian. Though Ning Zu¡¯an didn¡¯t want him to see the skeleton in the closet of his family, he had no choice but to let him see it. Hence, he had to nod with a cold face.

    Wen Xueran did not care at all. After he said goodbye to Ning Zu¡¯an, he went to the courtyard of Ning Huaiyuan with Ning Xueyan.

    "Fifth Young Lady, do you think that there is something weird about this matter?" Wen Xueran went two steps forward. Rolling his charming and pretty eyes, he squinted at Ning Xueyan and asked with a smile.

    "Please keep this matter a secret, Princely Heir," Ning Xueyan said indifferently and coldly.

    "Keep it a secret! There are so many secrets in this Lord Protector¡¯s Manor!" It seemed that Wen Xueran said this on purpose.

    Ning Xueyan narrowed her pupils. A deep and inexplicable vignce suddenly appeared in her jet-ck eyes.

    But she didn¡¯t reveal her feeling. She said calmly, "Every manor has its secrets. Sorry to make ourselves a joke!"

    By saying like this, she directly stopped him from talking about this topic. The look on her face showed that she didn¡¯t want to discuss anything with him. Faint coldness emerged on her exquisite facial features. Quietly, she moved aside, a little bit further away from Wen Xueran.

    "Are you afraid of me, Fifth Young Lady?" Looking at her movements, Wen Xueran raised his handsome face and could not helpughing.

    "Princely Heir, gossip is a fearful thing," Ning Xueyan said with an indifferent expression. After that, she said nothing more and focused on walking only.

    But the strange thing was that Wen Xueran didn¡¯t pump her about the case. He walked behind Ning Xueyan on his initiative. He deliberately kept a few steps away from her, but he still followed her, only not in a hurry.

    The scene in Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s courtyard was a mess. Ning Lingyun kept crying. From time to time, she pretended to try to suicide. Caiyun and a few maids dragged her with all their effort as if they very afraid that she indeed took this thing to heart and would hit the wall to kill herself.

    On the other side, Ao Xian also kept apologizing. He repeatedly promised that he will be responsible for Ning Lingyun and would never betray her.

    Up until now, Ning Lingyun made all things develop in the direction she had nned. Although Ning Lingyun still grasped her handkerchief and cried, she could not help smiling under the handkerchief. "At this time, they must have also caught Ning Xueyan and Marquis of Ping¡¯an on the spot. Now that they have caught such a shameless couple dating in private, I certainly deserved more sympathy as an idental ¡¯victim¡¯."

    "Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li has such a good impression on me, plus he feels guilty. Marquis of Ping¡¯an will no longer be a problem. As long as Ao Xian is determined to marry me, my father will not say anything."

    "As for the Ning Yuling, she may thank me for she no longer needs to marry Commandery Prince Li after all the things. Besides, I set Ning Xueyan up, which is a big gift I sent her!"

    Of course, Ning Lingyun did not know that Ning Yuling already had sex with Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li long ago. Now that she had sessfully tricked Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li into the trap, she would only be his concubine in the end if nothing else happened.

    When she was enjoying the joy of her victory and felt proud of herself, suddenly she heard someone outside said, "Fourth Young Lady and Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min areing."

    Involuntarily, Ning Lingyun was stunned a little. Then she lowered her crying voice and pricked up her ears because she wanted to know if someone sent her a wrong message. "It cannot be Ning Xueyan. That little b*tch has been caught dating with Marquis of Ping¡¯an. She can never exin everything clearly. In the end, she will have no other choices but to marry the old and lecherous man."

    "Fourth Sister, are you alright?" Ning Lingyun heard someone whisper in her ear. "But the gentle and low voice belongs to Ning Xueyan, doesn¡¯t it?"

    Ning Lingyun shivered subconsciously. Her intuition was telling her that there was an ice-cold chill in Ning Xueyan¡¯s voice. It felt like that a piece of sharp ice pricked her heart and gave her prating coolness. Suddenly, Ning Lingyun¡¯s eyes greatly widened.

    "Why is Ning Xueyan here? How is it possible that she is here?"

    "Brother Xueran, youe just in time. You see, I really didn¡¯t mean it. I don¡¯t know how I have offended Fourth Young Lady. It¡¯s... Anyway, it¡¯s my fault. I have to be responsible for what I have done. I should not let Fourth Young Lady be wronged." Now Ao Xian got an eyeful of Ning Lingyun and her delicately pretty figure. He thought that Ning Lingyun really was going to hit the wall. She was a gentle and amiable as well as delicate and prettydy. How could he let such ady die in front of him? So he promised to take the responsibility again and again.

    As long as the beauty didn¡¯t cry or try to kill herself, he would like to shoulder any responsibilities!

    Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li thought in his heart. "Where else can I find such an ideal beauty?"

    "Fourth Sister, how about changing your clothes first? You cannot always be like this. Just now, I have asked someone to take your clothes here." After ncing at Ning Lingyun¡¯s shivering body, which was wrapped in wet clothes, Ning Xueyan smiled and said.

    "I, I will change my clothes now." When Ning Lingyun heard Ning Xueyan¡¯s words, she jumped up immediately. Greatly frightened, she nervously stammered.

    "Princely Heir, can you go out first?" Ning Xueyan turned to look at Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li.

    "Brother, Ao Xian. Let¡¯s go out." Wen Xueran nodded. Ao Xian was unwilling to part from Ning Lingyun, so Wen Xueran pulled him out. The others went out with them, and someone closed the door.

 Chapter 136 It Is You, Am I Right?

    The door was closed, and suddenly they were cut off from the outside. Ning Xueyan stared steadily at Ning Lingyun with her eyes, which were as clear as water. Her mouth corners formed a slight sneer, and Ning Xueyan looked at Ning Lingyun as if she was looking at a clown.

    "Fourth Sister, do you also want Mother to see your look now? Will she agree that someone else did all this to you?" Ning Xueyan lifted her lips. She gave Ning Lingyun an ice-cold smile.

    "You... What do you mean?" Under her gaze, Ning Lingyun lost her temper from embarrassment. The delicate expression on her face was long gone, and she asked with hatred while grinding her teeth. Although Ning Lingyun did not know how Ning Xueyan escaped from the trap she set, she knew that her situation was not good. Ning Lingyun appeared strong outward, but she actually felt weak inward. Hence, in a fury, she could only shout out a question.

    Caiyun was scared silly long ago since she saw Ning Xueyan.

    "Fourth Sister, don¡¯t you want to see how Marquis of Ping¡¯an and Second Sister are doing?" Ning Xueyan smiled slightly and sneered at the corner of her lips.

    "You... what do you mean?" Her words made Ning Lingyun¡¯s flesh creep. "How can this matter have something to do with Ning Yuling? Was it Ning Yuling who had been with Marquis of Ping¡¯an?" At the thought of that, she immediately felt dizzy and faint. Biting her teeth, she forced herself to ask the question word by word to make it sound clear.

    "You know what I mean." Ning Xueyan smiled leisurely. Looking Ning Lingyun up and down, she didn¡¯t even try to cover up her sneer. "Fourth Sister, Second Sister will never forgive you."

    "It is you, am I right? You are so proud of yourself to design all of this. You are so vicious that you care nothing about your sisters." All of a sudden, Ning Lingyun smiled wanly. Her voice was sharp and out of control.

    "If you want Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li to know that you designed all of this, you are free to shout loud." Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t give a damn and warned her. Calmly, she turned back to sit on the chair on one side.

    "Fourth Young Lady, Fourth Young Lady, what happened?" Outside, Ao Xian heard the sharp screams of Ning Lingyun inside. He became very anxious and rushed to knock the door. He knocked on the door with ngs as if he was going to rushing in.

    "Nothing... It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m fine." Ning Lingyun was in a panic. Immediately, she lowered her voice and replied to him with a soft voice.

    "Then that¡¯s okay. If you need anything, call me." After Ao Xian learned that Ning Lingyun was okay inside, he breathed a sigh of relief outside. He liked the Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor very much, who was simply the official wife model in his heart now.

    In Ao Xian¡¯s heart, she was such a beautifuldy with a gentle temper. Moreover, she was very affectionate toward him. Now, he only wanted to guard beside such a delicate but gentledy.

    "Well, do you have a crush on her?" Wen Xueran came up to Ao Xian. With a smile on his good-looking face, he narrowed his charming eyes and asked.

    "She is a good girl! It is truly my fault today. I didn¡¯t make a sound, so she didn¡¯t know that I was inside!" Ao Xian sighed. At this time, he firmly believed that Ning Lingyun was all good and she would never do anything wrong. He only felt that it was him who hurt her today.

    "Brother Ao Xian, you want to marry her. Aren¡¯t you afraid that Grandmother will be angry?" Wen Xueran¡¯s ears moved a little, and he vaguely asked with a significant smile.

    "I am going to tell Grandmother that I will marry her as soon as Ie back. That vixen Ning Yuling, bad things will happen to whoever marries her." As he said, Ao Xian turned around and took Wen Xueran¡¯s hands all of a sudden. He said sincerely, "Brother Xueran, be my witness and you must tell my Grandmother that I have ruined her reputation. As a man, I should shoulder the responsibility."

    At this time, Ao Xian had long forgotten thatpared with Ning Lingyun, Ning Yuling was the one who ruined the reputation for real. If Ning Yuling did not marry him, who would like to be her husband as she had already slept with someone else?

    Of course, at this moment, Ao Xian thought Ning Lingyun was the best, and no one else could enter his heart.

    Unlike Ao Xian, who knew nothing about the truth, Wen Xueran had almost learned everything. Besides, he was not a weak bookish person. Although Ning Xueyan and Ning Lingyun said the few sentences very lightly, he caught all their words. He slightly lifted his mouth corners and pulled Ao Xian a few steps back.

    "Brother Ao Xian, let¡¯s wait here. She is changing clothes inside. No matter how anxious you are, you should not stay so close." Anyway, Wen Xueran was free and at leisure now. He could just watch the fun. "It seems thatdies in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor are all not weak. Each of them is adept at scheming." Wen Xueran thought.

    It was so rare that Ao Xian flushed after hearing his words. Obediently, he stood far away from the room with Wen Xueran.

    Inside the room, Ning Xueyan looked at Ning Lingyun, mockingly. "You took Second Sister¡¯s husband and made her and Marquis of Ping¡¯an a couple with a trick. I don¡¯t know whether Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li can keep you safe or not. You should know that in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, you are never the favorite daughter."

    Her words made Ning Lingyun¡¯s face ghostly pale. The favorite daughter in this manor certainly should be Ning Yuling. Compared with Ning Yuling, Ning Lingyun was even no better than a maid beside her. In previous, she was active in doing errands for Ning Yuling. She wanted Madam Ling to marry her into a good family when Madam Ling considered that she had been treated Ning Yuling so respectfully.

    Now that she found someone to marry, but she also brought a disaster to Ning Yuling. At this point, the vicious Madam Ling as well as the brutal and fierce Ning Yuling would never let her go.

    "Ning Xueyan did all of this to me, right?" Ning Lingyun thought.

    "It was you... It was you, right? You... How can you harm us like this? We are your sisters! You are the one to me. I will tell everything to Mother and Second Sister." Although Ning Lingyun said these words in a low voice, she vehemently rushed over to Ning Xueyan and stretched out to catch her.

    Ning Xueyan leaned slightly aside to avoid her. Her pale lips formed a sharp sneer with sarcasm. "What you said sounds really nice. You said that I don¡¯t care about the feelings between sisters and I am the one to me. But it was you who made this plot. You viciously nned to put Marquis of Ping¡¯an and me together, and then I would marry into Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s Manor instead of you. Don¡¯t you forget that? For your future, you nned to sacrifice me. You are the one who has the heart of a devil! But now you actually med me for being injustice, which is so ridiculous!"

    "In Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, there are so many women as vicious as snakes and scorpions. Ning Ziyan, Ning Yuling, and Ning Lingyun, all of them are like this. When they tried to frame me, they were sinister and ruthless. But when their ns failed, they were shameless enough to me me. They even consider themselves as noble ones. How ridiculous they are!"

    "You... I have never nned to harm you. It, it has nothing to do with me!" Ning Lingyun argued. Ning Lingyun felt afraid and guilty because Ning Xueyan figured out her secret n.

    "Does it have nothing to do with you? Since you refused to admit your errors, then I will not ask you anymore. Anyhow, Second Sister will definitely not me me for thister on." With a cold smile hanging on her mouth corners, Ning Xueyan cast an indifferent look at Ning Lingyun. Suddenly, she turned around and pressed her hand on the door. It seemed that she was going to pull the door open.

    But in Ning Xueyan¡¯s heart, she thought. "As long as Ning Lingyun is not helplessly stupid, she will ask me to stay."

    "No, please help me!" Sure enough, seeing her leaving, Ning Lingyun begged with an anxious look.

    "Oh, I don¡¯t dare to help you, Fourth Sister. Perhaps, don¡¯t know when you will betray me again." Ning Xueyan did not look back. Smiling coldly, she said word by word.

    "No, no, I won¡¯t, really. If you help me through the crisis this time, I can do anything you want me to do in the future!" Ning Lingyun asked for her pardon and a chance. Now she was as restless as ants on a hot pan. As long as Ning Lingyun thought that Madam Ling and Ning Yuling would take revenge on her, all her pride would turn into fear.

    Even if Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor epted her, she couldn¡¯t possibly marry into the manor within a short time. As long as she was in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Ning Yuling and Madam Ling were absolutely capable of killing her. Although it was a cold day today, sweat actually began to break out on her forehead. At this time, if Ning Xueyan asked her to do something, she would say yes immediately. In fact, Ning Lingyun was willing to do anything Ning Xueyan wanted her to do.

    Ning Lingyun looked at Ning Xueyan¡¯s indifferent thin back. Each word Ning Xueyan said hit right at the Achilles¡¯ heel of Ning Lingyun and made her feel scared. Now, feeling panic and frightened, she was a total mess.

    Ning Lingyun secretly thought. "Or I was wrong to deal with Ning Xueyan from the beginning. Madam Ling and Ning Yuling hated Ning Xueyan so much, but they asked her to help them instead in the end. She must get quite a few tricks. Can I really deal with her?"

    "She destroyed my n simply by dragging Ning Yuling into it. In addition to that, she let me bear all the usations." Ning Lingyun was horrified. This fear crushed her from inside. At this time, she would do whatever Ning Xueyan told her to do.

    She didn¡¯t even dare to bargain with Ning Xueyan.

    Ning Xueyan sensed that the high defensive wall Ning Lingyun built was broken. She turned back and looked at Ning Lingyun coldly. "Do you want to marry Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li?"

    "Yes! I don¡¯t want to marry that disgusting old man." Every time Ning Lingyun thought about that disgusting old man, she would grit his teeth in hatred.

    "So now, Second Sister has to marry Marquis of Ping¡¯an." Ning Xueyan calmly stated this fact with ice-cold eyes.

    "Then... What should we do?" Ning Lingyun was a little intimidated by Ning Xueyan¡¯s imposing manner. She gulped and murmured, "But I suppose that people in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor will not let Second Sister marry Marquis of Ping¡¯an."

    What she said was the truth. What was the identity of Ning Yuling? She was the superior daughter of the official wife. She was even qualified to marry a prince and be his wife. How could she lower herself to be the next wife of Marquis of Ping¡¯an, who was a useless old man? ording to Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s character, he would rather lock Ning Yuling up than marry Ning Yuling to Marquis of Ping¡¯an.

    "You know that people in our manor will never marry Second Sister to Marquis of Ping¡¯an. But does Second Sister know it?" Ning Xueyan slightly raised her eyebrows. Her cold eyes sneered.

    "Then, then what?" Ning Lingyun said with a trembling voice. She felt as if she was a strain of little grass shivering in the wind. Ning Xueyan had gained full control over her, but she could not resist a bit.

    "Are you now afraid that Mother and Second Sister will make great efforts to deal with you? But what if they fight against each other?" Outside, it was still cloudy. Inside, the room was very dark. Beams of light fell on Ning Xueyan¡¯s pale face, which looked gloomy and cold, without a trace of warm.

    Subconsciously, Ning Lingyun shivered. She only thought that in front of her, Ning Xueyan was more like a demon from Asura¡¯s Hell. Otherwise, as a girl who was younger than her, how could she do things in such a vicious and ruthless way?

    "Since such a bad thing happened to her, Second Sister wille to you. If you can make Mother take the me, you will have a slim chance of survival. Or..." Ning Lingyun understood what Ning Xueyan meant even before she finished speaking. Looking at the delicate and gorgeous as well as ruthless and cold face, Ning Lingyun felt that even her heart started to shake.

    How could she scheme against such a person?

    "Okay, I, I will do as you told..." At this time, Ning Lingyun could not even try to do anything against Ning Xueyan¡¯s will. She even could not look directly at that exceedingly beautiful but cold face.

    "Now, it is the right time." Ning Xueyan smiled a little. She leaned forward and whispered a few words in Ning Lingyun¡¯s ear. Ning Lingyun nodded repeatedly. In the end, she cast a horrified look at Ning Xueyan and hurriedly took Caiyun to the room inside to change clothes.

    Ning Xueyan opened the door, and Ao Xian, who waited outside, rushed in. He asked anxiously, "How is she? Is she fine?"

    "She is fine. Fourth Sister is resting now. I hope that you can keep your words in mind. Or else, my Fourth Sister has to take the road that leads to death." Ning Xueyan raised her eyes to look at him and said gently.

    "Of course, I will shoulder the responsibility!" Once again, Ao Xian promised, patting his chest. At this moment, he loved Ning Lingyun, sincerely and wholeheartedly. He thought that he would never let such a nice woman fall to the ground.

 Chapter 137 Mother Sent Me to Do All of This

    "Father, it was that b*tch Ning Lingyun who tricked me. She deliberately led me there. Otherwise, I was in good condition at that time. How could I faint in Lasting-fragrance Pavilion?" Tearfully, Ning Yuling exined with her sweet and charming face, which was precisely like that of Madam Ling. Now she looked as if she had suffered from injustice. What a delicate and touchingdy!

    If it were at ordinary times, Ning Zu¡¯an would definitely stand on the side of Ning Yuling. She was his most beloved daughter who was raised carefully by him and who as precious as peals to him. But now, he remainedpletely unmoved and looked at Ning Yuling with a gloomy face. His eyes were full of disappointments. He did his best to raise this daughter. At first, he thought that she could marry into the royal family and would possibly be the queen in the future.

    She could not even marry into an ordinary family because nobody would want to marry her with her stupid look at this time, let alone the royal family.

    Not properly dressed, she stayed with Marquis of Ping¡¯an. After that, how could it be possible that Commandery Prince Li still wanted to marry her? Being as a disloyal woman, she could only marry into Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor as a concubine. But as it was known to all, it was impossible to let a concubine¡¯s daughter be the wife and make an official wife¡¯s daughter be the concubine at the same time. Ning Yuling ruined such a good marriage. How could Ning Zu¡¯an not be angry?

    "Second Sister, I had never led you there on purpose. Concubine Xu asked me to help clean up Eldest Young Master¡¯s courtyard. If I saw what was still needed there, I should tell her to get those things. However, I identally knocked over the water basin nearby when I was in the house. That was why I had to change clothes in Eldest Young Master¡¯s house. But I had never expected that... Second Sister, even if I wanted to do something harmful to you, I didn¡¯t have the time!"

    Ning Lingyun knelt on the ground, timidly. Sobbing and trembling with tears in her eyes, she looked much more pitiable than Ning Yuling.

    "What a b*tch! You even dared say that you had no time. You were ying the zither together with the b*stard Ao Xian in the morning, flirting with each other. B*tch, don¡¯t you know who you are? You don¡¯t even deserve to think that you can marry Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li." Upon seeing that Ning Lingyun looked like as if she was wronged, Ning Yuling became so furious that even her eyes turned red. Immediately, she pointed to Ning Lingyun and cursed in rage.

    "If I had known that you are such a nasty thing, I should have asked Mother to marry you to some servant and let you attend on him. Then, you would no longer need to seduce your brother-inw." At this point, Ning Yuling certainly thought that it would be much better to marry Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li than Marquis of Ping¡¯an.

    "Shut up!" Seeing that what she said went too far, Ning Zu¡¯an became so angry that his face went purple. He thumped the table, and said sharply, "You haven¡¯t figured out your situation even until now. You can never marry into Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor. You can only go to marry Marquis of Ping¡¯an!"

    After that, he cast a sharp eye to Ning Yuling and ignored her. Then, he turned around and left.

    Ning Zu¡¯an totally felt disappointed with this daughter. If it had not been the fact that he had to uphold the reputation of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, he would have married her into Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s Manor for real this time.

    For the first time, Ning Zu¡¯an reproached Ning Yuling so relentlessly. Seeing that Ning Zu¡¯an totally ignored her and went out with a sullen face, Ning Yuling felt that things were not so good now. Her face became dreadfully pale with fear. In sorrow, she chased Ning Zu¡¯an to the corridor and cried out hurriedly, "Father!"

    Ning Zu¡¯an turned a deaf ear to her cry. Neither did he stop, nor did he look back. Ning Zu¡¯an continued walking outside...

    "Second Sister, how can you make father angry? Things happen among us are always little things of women. You should not displease our father because of those trivial things!" It didn¡¯t know when Ning Lingyun got up. Now Ning Lingyun stood behind Ning Yuling and nced at her boldly. It seemed that she was no longer the previous Ning Lingyun who always tried hard to fawn on Ning Yuling.

    Ning Lingyun said in a voice dripping with sarcasm plus the disdain in her eyes, which made Ning Yuling tremble with angry. "Since when did a humble daughter of a concubine dare to talk to me like this?"

    "Ning Lingyun, you b*tch. I will beat you to death!" Usually, Ning Yuling was the most arrogant in the manor. She always beat and abused Ning Lingyun as she wanted. And especially this time, she felt sick to her stomach. Instantly, Ning Yuling came over and stretched out to hit Ning Lingyun in her face.

    But Ning Lingyun caught her hand and said with a mocking smile. "Second Sister, I am going to be the wife of Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, and you will be the powerless wife of Marquis of Ping¡¯an. You are not qualified enough to p me."

    Her words hit Ning Yuling like a p in her face. Feeling ashamed and angry, Ning Yuling instantly tore herself from Ning Lingyun¡¯s hand. After that, she said while walking outside. "B*tch, don¡¯t kid yourself! I am going to let Mother marry you to the old and ugly Marquis of Ping¡¯an."

    "Second Sister, you will go there in vain." Ning Lingyun was not frightened at all, and she smiled instead.

    "Usually, Ning Lingyun is afraid of Madam Ling the most. Like a mouse that met a cat, she doesn¡¯t even dare to breathe heavily every time she saw Madam Ling. Why was she not afraid of Madam Ling now? Involuntarily, Ning Yuling stopped. She could not help asking, "Why?"

    "Second Sister, Mother sent me to do all of this happened today. You should me Mother for everything because she wants you to marry into Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s Manor." Ning Lingyun waved the handkerchief in her hand. Her face was all smiles, and there was not a single bit of her previous grievance and pity on her face

    Her appearance made Ning Yuling angrier.

    "You are talking nonsense! Mother cannot possibly marry me into Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s Manor." Ning Yuling stared at Ning Lingyun with hatred. Grinding her teeth, she said with rage.

    "You don¡¯t believe it, do you? Well, what a pity. Originally, this kind of thing would never happen to you. But what if Mother has to sacrifice you because of difficulties?" Ning Lingyun smiled jauntily.

    "That was impossible!" Ning Yuling denied immediately. Mother loved her the most. How could she marry her into Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s Manor which was clearly a fire pit? But Mother had already decided to marry Ning Xueyan to Marquis of Ping¡¯an.

    "You don¡¯t want to admit that, Second Sister. Do you remember the thing happened in Buddha Hall?" Ning Lingyun reminded her.

    Upon hearing her words, Ning Yuling suddenly recalled the ugly scene in Buddha Hall, and her body could not help shivering. Her mom, the person who Ning Yuling respected the most, snuggled up with an ugly and fat man in Buddha Hall. It was galling and humiliating.

    "Do you remember that, Second Sister? Even now, no one knows the dirty thing because it was held back. Later on, Mother called Concubine Xu over and asked her to find a way to marry you to Marquis of Ping¡¯an," Ning Lingyun said while smiling delightedly, "You do not need to thank me for marrying into Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor instead of you. Everything is what Mother wants. As a daughter, I am willing to do whatever Mother tells me to do."

    Ning Lingyun got the benefits and showed off her cleverness in front of Ning Yuling, which made Ning Yuling¡¯s eyes red out of angry with her fingers cramping and trembling.

    An ordinary person would not believe Ning Lingyun¡¯s words. But Ning Lingyun was an incredibly selfish person. Ning Yuling would be very likely to marry her to Marquis of Ping¡¯an to keep the dirty thing a secret if she were Madam Ling. Otherwise, why did nobody else know the nasty thing even until now?

    The thoughts of Ning Yuling now went into a dead end. For a time, she could not get her head around. She insisted on going on the road she chose, even though it led only to a dead end.

    "Ning Lingyun knew the dirty thing of Mother because Concubine Xu knew it. Concubine Xu knew it because Mother told her that." After she connected all the things, Ning Yuling felt that what Ning Lingyun said was true. "It looks like that Ning Lingyun fears nothing. Someone must have supported her from behind. Except for Mother, who else can give her so much courage?"

    When Ning Yuling thought that her dearest Mother betrayed her to protect her reputation, she went crazy with rage. At this time, she was not in a mood to be angry with Ning Lingyun. All of a sudden, she turned around, ran outside, and went straight into Buddha Hall.

    Suddenly, the hall became quiet. The proud expression on Ning Lingyun receded like tides. Caiyun, who hid in the corner of the hall, came up to her timidly. "Young Lady, Second Young Lady reacted like this. Is it okay?"

    "I, I don¡¯t know, either!" Ning Lingyun smiled bitterly and wiped the cold sweat on her forehead. She had never fought against Ning Yuling like this. What she did just now provoked Ning Yuling, but she felt very scared in her heart.

    "When First Madames out to deal with this, she will never pardon you!" Caiyun was also very afraid, and she could not help reminding Ning Lingyun.

    This time, Ning Lingyun not only offended Second Young Lady but also brought trouble to First Madam. If First Madam came out to handle this matter, she would torture her to death.

    "I, I have no other choices but to take this step." Ning Lingyun shook her head helplessly, feeling empty soft all over, and her feet became limp. Initially, she had full control of the things that happened today. But she had never expected that she would end up like this today. Now, she had to set Ning Yuling against Madam Ling.

    Otherwise, either of them could kill her with ease!

    She had to follow Ning Xueyan¡¯s words and let Madam Ling take the me.

    "Will you listen to Fifth Young Lady from now on?" Fifth Young Lady was ady who could make her too frightened to speak only with a sharp look. Was she still the always harmless and timid Fifth Young Lady?

    "It is impossible. As long as I get through this crisis... As long as I get through this crisis... Why should I obey Ning Xueyan¡¯s orders?" Ning Lingyun gnashed her teeth and said fiercely.

    "In the past, I tried hard to please Madam Ling to get a good marriage. Now that I already got what I want. Could Ning Xueyan still suppress me? Ning Xueyan is alone and has no one at her back. For what reasons can Ning Xueyan suppress me, the wife of a Princely Heir in the future? If I have any chancester, I will revenge on her for what all she did to suppress me today."

    Things happened today. If Ning Xueyan did not secretly sabotage her n, Ning Lingyun would not do things in such a passive way and even turned against Madam Ling and her daughter. But the lesson she learned this time also reminded her that Ning Xueyan was not so easy to deal with. If she had any chances next time, Ning Lingyun would n more carefully.

    Such a big thing had happened in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Madam Dowager, who stayed in the courtyard, had already learned the news and she even smashed her favorite teacup out of angry. In a hurry, she called Ning Zu¡¯an over, and they were discussing countermeasures now in the courtyard. The situation was so severe now, so someone had toe out to deal with it. Moreover, Madam Dowager invited the Consort Dowager of Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor to Lucky Garden. She also asked Ao Xian who was Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li and Marquis of Ping¡¯an to go there.

    Ning Xueyan did not go there because this whole thing had nothing to do with her. Therefore, she was the least busy person at this time. She walked along the path and went to the study of the outer courtyard.

    There had been so many things happened in the manor. All the servants did their jobs with fear and trepidation. When they saw Ning Xueyan, their attitudes toward her were much more respectful than before. Upon seeing Ning Xueyaning out, the two female servants who guarded the second door took two steps back respectively, and they didn¡¯t even dare to ask her any questions.

    Not far from the second door was the study of Ning Zu¡¯an. Ordinarily, there were always young male servants guarded at the entrance. Even if Ning Zu¡¯an was not here, others could not enter the study freely. Ning Xueyan had never been here before. Today, it was very quiet here. Ning Xueyan thought that those servants must be very busy after so many things happened in the manor.

    She pushed the slightly closed door open and spotted arge desk in the middle of the room. Behind the desk was a screen which divided the study into two parts. The two rows of shelves there were full of books. Ning Zu¡¯an was sort of a general with literary initially, so it was quite normal that he had some more books in his study.

    The study of Ning Zu¡¯an was just like any other normal studies!

    As soon as Ning Xueyan entered the study, she heard a melodious voice came. Someone said with a smile, "Fifth Young Lady, are you here to visit me?"

    When the voice faded, a fan stretched out to her lower jaw. Ning Xueyan rolled her jet-ck eyes and looked right into the pair of smiling eyes which were charming and as brilliant as stars.

    "Why is he here?" Ning Xueyan wondered.

 Chapter 138 The Weird Encounter in the Study

    "Princely Heir, why are you still here at this time?" Ning Xueyan asked faintly, raising her head, who stepped back calmly to avoid the fan and was frightened, but her face did not show it.

    "Fifth Young Lady, why are you here at this time? Could it be that you know I¡¯m resting here?" Wen Xueran asked instead of answering, with his beautiful amorous eyes ncing at her. He retracted the folding fan in his hand and circled it two times in a handsome way between his fingers.

    In terms of the appearance, it was really no one who couldpare with Wen Xueran in this world. The beautiful face of him would even make women feel ashamed too. A beauty that overthrew states and cities that was what he should be! Plus the pair of amorous eyes which always seemed to be affectionate, few young girls would not be shy and blush when they saw his eyes.

    However, this Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector, not only did not have the slightest shyness but even disseminated a sense of indifference, which refused people thousands of miles away. She looked indifference, not because she pretended to refuse, but because she rejected otherspletely.

    "Here is Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. I don¡¯t seem to have to report to you where I am going!" Ning Xueyan looked at him, and then went to one side of the bookshelf. She took a book casually and turned around to go out.

    Wen Xueran was surprised that she didn¡¯t even want to say a few more words to him. And did she want to go away right now?

    His hand stretched out, and the fan was already in front of Ning Xueyan. Wen Xueran looked this unusual girl in front of him up and down with interest.

    He saw that she was wearing a very ordinary light white dress with an unmarried girl¡¯s hair bun, who looked just like an ordinarydy. That in reflected her pale face and the light lip color as if there was a kind of spiritual beauty and indifference from the bone, which made her look cold and fragile.

    Under the long eyshes, her pair of deep jet-ck eyes looked like two pieces of obsidian that kept all the reiki and starlight in the sky inside, which made her pale face a wonderfully embryonic form. The delicate outline of her features had not yet grown, so she looked not remarkable at first nce with her in face.

    But after looking her carefully, Wen Xueran knew that she would surely be an exceedingly beautiful woman before long!

    It was the first time that Wen Xueran observed Ning Xueyan¡¯s face so closely. The longer he looked at her, the more frightened he became. Somehow, he felt that he was a little familiar to the face in his heart...

    "Princely Heir, is there anything else?" With a little more vignce, the dark eyes of Ning Xueyan fell on the face of Wen Xueran.

    "Aren¡¯t you looking for me here? Why are you leaving so soon? Would you like a cup of tea before you go?" Wen Xueran raised his eyebrows obliquely, with an unusual splendor shed in his eyes, but he did not withdraw his hand.

    He said frivolously with a queer smile on his face. He even stretched out his hand to touch Ning Xueyan¡¯s face. "It¡¯s a rare thing that I am happy today, so I¡¯ll treat you for a drink!"

    "Princely Heir, please behave yourself!" Ning Xueyan rebuked. She did not expect Wen Xueran would suddenly stretch out his hand. With a trace of anger shing through her eyes, she retreated two more steps to avoid Wen Xueran¡¯s hand.

    "I even don¡¯t care. Why did you care, Fifth Young Lady?" A glimmer of unusual splendor shed through the brilliant amorous eyes of Wen Xueran. He withdrew his hand arrogantly, folded his fan, and made a circle around Ning Xueyan. "Didn¡¯t you especiallye to see me because I am here?"

    "Princely Heir, you misunderstood. I just went to my father¡¯s study to find a book. And I didn¡¯t know you were here!" Ning Xueyan¡¯s voice still sounded t and cold. She stared at the handsome man in front of her, but her heart still remained calm and quiet.

    She stretched out her hand to push Wen Xueran away, picked up her skirt corner, and walked outside!

    This time, Wen Xueran did not stop her. The corners of his eyes fluttered two times, and the bright colors in her eyes blocked all his real feelings like a blur of smoke. While smiling, he just watched Ning Xueyan going away with a touch of a thoughtful smile on his lips...

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t stop all the way. Her body finally rxed after she passed the second door, and she slowed her pace.

    Deliberately, she took advantage of the chaos in the manor to explore the study of Ning Zu¡¯an to investigate on the spot whether or not Ningzu¡¯an had the military medallion from preceding dynasty. Ning Zu¡¯an must not simply have ced it in a prominent ce. Otherwise, with the ability of Ao Chenyi, he could find at least a trace of it.

    But what she didn¡¯t expect was that why Wen Xueran was still here?

    Something so big happened in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. But as an outsider, he hadn¡¯t yet gone. How could Ning Zu¡¯an trust him to be in the study?

    The study of Ning Zu¡¯an was not essible to anyone who wanted to enter it. Even his favorite daughter Ning Yuling was not allowed to enter the study at her will. So why could Wen Xueran stay in his study at this time?

    A sh of inspiration shed through Ning Xueyan¡¯s mind. A study without servants, the partly-closed door, and Wen Xueran who stood in the study. All these seemed to indicate that there was something strange.

    "There is something wrong. There is something wrong with Wen Xueran!" The idea suddenly crossed Ning Xueyan¡¯s mind.

    Ning Xueyan stopped suddenly and looked back. She hesitated for a moment, then turned around with determination and walked to Bright Frost Garden.

    No matter what purpose Wen Xueran had, or he was looking for something just like her, it all had nothing to do with her. It wouldn¡¯t help even if she went back to the study now because Wen Xueran could never be as harmless as he appeared. She obviously could not deal with Wen Xueran alone.

    The evening meal of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was particrlyte today. Qingyu came in with a food basket. As soon as she entered the door, she covered her mouth andughed.

    "Silly girl, what makes you so happy?" Lanning came over to take the food basket of Qingyu and asked.

    "I just heard that Second Young Lady rushed into Buddha Hall and quarreled with First Madam who then pped her twice. Now she is crying and making trouble in Qingrong Courtyard, saying that she will never marry Marquis of Ping¡¯an even if she dies. She even disturbs Consort Dowager of Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor," Qingyu said excitedly.

    Second Young Lady used to bully herdy ended up like this today. How could Qingyu not be unhappy?

    "Did Madam Dowager go to Buddha Hall?" Ning Xueyan took the chopsticks Lanning handed her with a smile and asked.

    ording to the temper of Ning Yuling, she would certainly go to make a scene in Buddha Hall after Ning Lingyun provoked her several time. When she was furious, she wouldn¡¯t listen to whatever Madam Ling said. After all, she thought Madam Ling sacrificed her happiness for her own interest. Even though Madam Ling was her biological mother, she would not say anything good to her at this time.

    Therefore, Madam Ling was sure to beat her

    "Too much noise is in Buddha Hall so that servants in the manor dared not to hide this thing. They reported the situation to Madam Dowager. When Madam Dowager arrived there, Second Young Lady had already smashed everything in Buddha Hall here and there. Madam Dowager became so angry that she urged people to pull Second Young Lady away," Qingyu said excitedly with bright eyes.

    "And what happened in the end?" Ning Xueyan took a slight sip of soup to moisten her throat, and a faint smile appeared on her face.

    "I don¡¯t know what happened in the end. Anyway, both the marquis and Madam Dowager both got angry. They scolded First Madam, too. It was so great that it was in chaos there." Qingyu felt very relieved now when she thought about how Madam Ling and her daughter had treated herdy in the past few years.

    "Lanning, tell Mother Hanter that anyone in my courtyard is strictly prohibited from discussing this matter; otherwise, they will be expelled from Bright Frost Garden." Ning Xueyan thought about it carefully and ordered seriously.

    "Yes, I will go to tell Mother Han right now." Lanning was cautious, and she knew that they should not make others suspect theirdy at this time. Immediately, she nodded. She cast a look at Qingyu and retreated.

    Qingyu was straightforward, but she was not reckless. Now that she also understood and put away the smile on her face. She thought of Madam Ling¡¯s means and felt worried about Ning Xueyan. She said, "Young Lady, if First Madames out and knows from Fourth Young Lady that you are behind all this, she will never let you go."

    The words Ning Lingyun used to provoke Ning Yuling could not stand up to close scrutiny at all. If Ning Yuling had not been in that situation, she would not have been easily deceived and would not have rushed to Buddha Hall to make a scene with Ling either. If they made a further investigation on this matter, they would inevitably find out Ning Lingyun and then Ning Xueyan.

    If First Madam knew that Ning Xueyan was behind this matter, there would be no way for her to survive!

    "First Madam will suspect me, but she has no evidence." Ning Xueyan gave a gentle smile. She seemed to have considered everything in advance and felt quite confident now.

    It was not because Ning Xueyan believed that Ning Lingyun was a trustworthy person. But after what had happened, Ning Lingyun waspletely on the opposite side of Madam Ling and her daughter. Even if Ning Lingyun told them the truth, she would make one more enemy of herself beside Madam Ling and her daughter.

    If Ning Xueyan got punished by this, Ning Lingyun would be the next one who was going to suffer!

    And it also involved the scandal that she deliberately seduced Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. If others knew it, Ning Lingyun also would have no way to live. Therefore, Ning Lingyun would never get herself in trouble.

    Ning Xueyan was sure about this, so she did not need to hide her thoughts from Ning Lingyun!

    The news that Ning Lingyun and Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li was going to marry was spread out in that evening. As for Marquis of Ping¡¯an, he would marry a concubine-born daughter in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. It was said that both of them were engaged long ago, before Madam Ming¡¯s death. So their marriages could not be regarded as impolite.

    The rumors going around the manor had stopped long ago. Those bigmouth older female servants and maids in the backyard were beaten so severely that they could not get out of bed. Except for Bright Frost Garden and Madam Dowager¡¯s Lucky Garden, in almost every other courtyard, there were some people be beaten. For a time, no one in the manor dared to gossip.

    People outside had already heard that daughters in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would marry into Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor and Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s Manor. At this moment, though they were surprised when they knew the people who would marry, they thought it was normal. It was good that Marquis of Ping¡¯an could marry a concubine-born daughter of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. As for Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, it was not proper that he would marry a daughter of a concubine. But it was still a good marriage for him because Lord Protector was in a high position and had great power.

    And Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li himself was not a well-behaved person. So no daughter of an official wife from a good family was willing to marry him. Perhaps he wanted to y up to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, so he would like to take the daughter of a concubine as his wife.

    Of course, these were the words outside Protector¡¯s Manor, which saved the dignity of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor on the surface.

    The treatment inside the manor was utterly different. Although Ning Lingyun got this marriage, she had knelt for half of an afternoon in Auspicious Fortune Hall. It was not until she fainted that Madam Dowager let her go back. Concubine Xu also knelt there with her. No evidence proved that they did all of this. But there were so many coincidences that could arouse the suspicions from others.

    Madam Dowager had experienced lots of things during the long time she spent in the courtyard. How could she not understand the trick?

    But what could she do even if she had seen through everything? If she also punished Ning Lingyun, who would marry into Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor. Though Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li was not a decent man, he still was a noble prince. As the daughter of a concubine, Ning Lingyun was fortunate to marry someone who was high above her rank. And Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li kept saying it was all his fault and actually took all the me on himself. He insisted on that even when Consort Dowager became so pissed off.

    Anyway, he said he must marry Ning Lingyun. Otherwise, he would run away from home and nevere back. Feeling helpless, Consort Dowager had no choice but to agree!

    In this case, if Madam Dowager must punish Ning Lingyun, Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li was sure to make some more trouble and publicize the scandal all over the city.

    That night, after a noisy day, Lord Protector¡¯s Manor finally quieted down. People in each courtyard were all exhausted and were going to go to bed early.

    Suddenly there came a shrill and frightened scream. Madam Dowager, who was supposed to go to bed, was so scared that she almost fell off the bed.

    Because this scream was really too harsh andmentable, which made people feel creepy...

 Chapter 139 Something Serious Happened

    Early in the morning, the doctors rushed into Qingrong Courtyard one after the other.

    Although none of the servants in the manor dared to talk more openly, some news was uncontroble.

    Something serious happened. Second Young Lady was disfigured. She was disfigured because First Madam beat her!

    The news was spread by the servants secretly. Nobody dared to talk about it loudly, but everyone said in private, "It¡¯s so strange. It¡¯s hard to imagine that First Madam¡¯s p made Second Young Lady disfigured. It was so terrible..."

    Some people even said that Ning Yuling made trouble in Buddha Hall and offended deities so that she got retribution. Otherwise, she would not have been disfigured for no reasons.

    In Qingrong Courtyard, Ning Yuling threw away her mirror madly, crying with her broken heart. On the face that should have been extremely beautiful originally, red dense and convex rashes had erupted, forming into a palm-shaped pattern.

    When seen carefully, all of them were just in a palm print.

    Several doctors were driven to the corner of the courtyard with nothing to do, sighing and shaking their heads.

    There was no clue at all about this kind of sudden illness of Second Young Lady in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. It was weird that the rashes should form into a palm-shaped pattern on the face, which might be exined only by the concept of supernatural beings. What was more, before that, Ning Yuling did break many things in Buddha Hall. After that, people who entered the hall that was fine at first could not even find a ce to stand.

    The news was spread more quickly this time. Although Ning Zu¡¯an told the doctors not to gossip, the news got out. Everyone knew that Second Young Lady in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor got retribution. Now she had many convex rushes on her faces which grew into a palm print. And it was the palm print resulted from the p of First Madam in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    With the news spreading out, there were all kinds of guesses. At first, others thought that Ning Yuling herself led to this. Later someone said it was because First Madam was vicious. Then others guessed that people in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had done something terrible so that they offended the deity and got such retribution. It was indeed a strange and evil thing. For a time, there were only three or four kittens in front of the gate of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Nobody dared to enter the gate at this time.

    They feared that they might get themselves into trouble identally.

    That night, Ning Yuling, crying and screaming, was forced to put on a small sedan and sent to the old house of the Ning family. They announced that she would live a simple and quiet life there for some time.

    All the others, even including the doctors, didn¡¯t know the reason. It was merely because the medicinal powder of the rouge on Ning Yuling¡¯s face and the medicinal powder in Madam Ling¡¯s hand could mutually counteract. A single kind of medicinal powder would not show anything. However, when two types mixed up, they were going to react right away and stimted the skin of Ning Yuling. That was how those swollen and bulgy rashes formed.

    Madam Ling liked Hall Crabapple. She always took care of them in person, and even those in Buddha Hall were no exception. Ning Xueyan had coated each precious flower of the Hall Crabapple with medicinal powder.

    The rouge on Ning Yuling¡¯s face came from the boxes of powder which Ning Ziying sent to Ning Xueyan. Then Ning Xueyan added something bad in them. Later on, Ning Lingyun took those several boxes away and sent them to Ning Yuling. At that time, Ning Ziying meant to curry favor with Ning Xueyan, so what the boxes of powder she sent were all thetest good stuff. It was normal that Ning Yuling liked the powder and certainly would apply it to her face.

    Madam Ling pped Ning Yuling in the face and mixed thee two types of powder. Then Ning Yuling would certainly be disfigured!

    The face of Ning Yuling was disfigured in such a weird way. So Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an had to send her to the remote countryside to shut others up.

    "Ling¡¯er, my Ling¡¯er." In Buddha Hall, Madam Ling put on a fierce look and was going to rush out. But Mother Chen held her tightly to stop her.

    "Madam, Madam, please don¡¯t worry. We may still cure the face of Second Young Lady."

    "Cure her face? How can they find famous doctors in that remote ce?" Thinking that her most beloved daughter lived a life like a living death, Madam Ling felt her heart was torn apart with grief. She brought up the beloved daughter borately and took her as a precious pearl in the palm since she was a baby. Now all her hope was all destroyed. How could she not feel regretful?

    In the gloomy Buddha Hall, her beautiful face of Madam Ling looked almost as fierce as a ghost.

    "First Madam, it is no use rushing out now. Doing like this, you will instead give Madam Dowager reasons to punish you. Concubine Xu and Fourth Young Lady did all this. They wille to a bad end when Eldest Young Masteres back." Seeing that Madam Ling calmed down, Mother Chen tried best to persuade her.

    Everyone in the manor knew that Fourth Young Lady envied Second Young Lady¡¯s marriage and set a trap on purpose. She won the heart of Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li who then was determined to marry her. Meanwhile, she ruined the reputation of Second Young Lady. To everyone¡¯s surprise, Fourth Young Lady who had been following Second Young Lady was also a poisonous snake. She destroyed the marriage of Second Young Lady as soon as she made her move.

    "Two d*mned b*tches. However, it was not them!" Madam Ling, with her long hairs down loosely, burst out hateful light from her eyes in the dim light.

    Concubine Xu and Ning Lingyun dared not to offend her so much. As long as she and Yuan¡¯er were here, Concubine Xu and Ning Lingyun could not go too far. Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would belong to Yuan¡¯er in the future. Therefore, she could decide their life and death! How could a concubine without a son be powerful and determined?

    Madam Ling had an intuition that it must be Ning Xueyuan. Last time in Cold Mountain Temple, Madam Ling intended to plot against her at first. But finally, Ling¡¯er bore the consequence. Who else could it be if it wasn¡¯t that little b*tch?

    "Madam, how could it not be them? Fourth Young Lady grabbed the marriage of Second Young Lady. Now, all the good things have be hers." Mother Chen asked confusedly and held Madam Ling to take a seat on the sole cushion in Buddha Hall.

    "Go to find out where Yuan¡¯er is now. Send a letter to tell him that something happened in our family and he shoulde back home quickly," Madam Ling said fiercely.

    "Yes, I will do it at once. I have already heard that Eldest Young Master woulde back soon."

    Madam Ling nodded. "You should also go to see Yan¡¯er. Tell her all the things that happened in the manor. Let her take precautions against that b*tch. On that day of Concubine Ma¡¯s banquet, the b*tch must have yed some underhand tricks. Let Yan¡¯er tell Xia Yuhang that the b*tch also knows what had happened in Cloud Reflection Courtyard."

    Speaking of Cloud Reflection Courtyard, Mother Chen couldn¡¯t help thinking of the girl covered in blood who had been beaten brutally. In the end, the girl was pushed into the lotus pond alive. She felt a sudden thrill in her heart. She felt that a stream of cold feeling rushed from her heart to her limbs and shivered instantly because of the cold.

    She looked up and saw the Buddha above the Buddha¡¯s pedestal, which had a pair of eyes that seemed to have seen through everything, and she shuddered and bowed her head hurriedly. "Yes, yes, I will do it right away."

    At the moment she was too scared to ask for the reason. She only felt the Buddha¡¯s eyes above were fixed still at her, making the roots of her hair numb.

    Without noticing the unnatural act of Mother Chen, now Madam Ling only wanted to tear Ning Xueyan apart. If she knew the b*tch was so hard to handle, she should have listened to her brother and set a fire in Bright Frost Garden. Whether the young or the old, everyone there would have been burnt to death, leaving no future trouble.

    She would never let that b*tch go!

    What had happened in Cloud Reflection Courtyard frightened more people except for her and Ning Ziyan...

    The snow had been falling for several days. In these days, Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was quiet. Ning Xueyan greeted Madam Dowager regrly every day. After that, she woulde back, embroid flowers, and read books. Or, she would enjoy the snow-coveredndscape with several maids in the corridor. It was the most beautiful season of the year. A plum flower in the courtyard also blossomed its stamens early.

    With the fragrance of plum in the air, the scene of the snow looked distant and beautiful.

    The others in the manor were very quiet as well. Concubines remained orderly. They stayed in their courtyards if nothing else happened outside. Concubine Xu, who had run internal affairs only for several days, was relieved of her post. Then, she also stayed in her courtyard and would note out. Ning Lingyun was even better-behaved. The whole Lord Protector¡¯s Manor seemed to be lifeless, in which only several servants were walking around.

    Ning Xueyan had her dinner quite early. The sky outside reflected the color of snow on the ground, and it became quite bright. So it was not dark at all. Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t know when the snow stopped. There was a moon rising in the sky, hanging high in the sky. With the vastnd covered in snow, the scene made people feel peaceful and harmony.

    Ning Xueyan, wearing a light gray cloak, trampled on the snow alone and walked on the path. She didn¡¯t know when she had formed the habit. Sometimes she alone would walk on the road from Bright Frost Garden to Cloud Reflection Courtyard.

    Between these two courtyards, there was a long-unused path. Both courtyards were on the sides. Walking around the wall for arge half of the circle, she could see the back door of Cloud Reflection Courtyard. Ning Xueyan always stopped at the remote ce where she could see the back door of Cloud Reflection Courtyard. A plum tree happened to be nted there. Ning Xueyan stayed there and just looked at it for a little before she left.

    That was the ce she had lived for three years, and the ce which she thought was filled with beauty and hope. It was also the ce where she lost her life.

    Today, she went to the plum tree again. It grew up more when she lived in Cloud Reflection Courtyard. At that time, she had thought about moving the plum tree into Cloud Reflection Courtyard. But she gave up the idea eventually because it was not her home after all. So she didn¡¯t take any reckless action. It was just that she woulde here every winter to pick some plum blossoms in person. She would then put them in her vase and appreciate them.

    Many times, she also let Xia Yuhang bring the plum blossoms to Xia Manor.

    At that time, there were so many people around her. She still had the smart and charming Xiang¡¯er, the calm Lanning, and Mother Wang, who cared about her more than she cared about herself. What was more, she had a fiance, who seemed to give her so much love. And she had Ning Ziyan, who seemed to have a deep feeling of sisterhood toward her...

    When she thought of this, a thick bloody smell seemed to ooze from her chest. And she felt as if the feeling of suffocation fell upon her once again, which suppressed her almost breathless.

    Subconsciously, she reached out to wipe the bloody smell off her lips. But she couldn¡¯t wipe it away no matter how hard she tried. The smell seemed to be imprinted in the depths of her soul. It made her feel nausea and a great rush of sickness.

    Ning Xueyan retched two times subconsciously. Holding the branches of the plum tree with one hand and covering her heart painfully with another, she bent her thin waist. Now her face even looked paler than the snow.

    The painful feeling while struggling at the end of her previous life welled up in her heart again.

    Suddenly someone picked up her before she saw the face of the person before her. She heard a beautiful but cold voice in the ears. "What happened?"

 Chapter 140 The Women Sent by Third Prince Had a Lot of Guts

    Feeling something cold slipped past her earlobe, Ning Xueyan widened her eyes in surprise. She then saw a handsome face which was as delicate as being carved. The eyes on this face seemed to be emitting bone-chilly coldness.

    Ning Xueyan just found herself in the arms of Ao Chenyi, Prince Yi. His face was so close to her, as handsome and cold as Asura¡¯s.

    "Why is he here?" she wondered.

    Nobody told her that Prince Yi would visit the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor today. Normally, a man as powerful as he would be apanied by a guard of honor group toe at least. How could she know nothing about hising?

    She pushed Ao Chenyi away quietly with a flushed face. It was not the first time for Ao Chenyi to hug her. However, he had done this just for performing in front of others. Now since they didn¡¯t have to show, Ning Xueyan felt uneasy in his arms.

    "Prince Yi, why did youe here?" Ning Xueyan asked with a smile. She managed to calm herself down and restore her indifference.

    "I¡¯m just hanging around," Ao Chenyi replied slowly, looking at Ning Xueyan. The fragility in her eyes had been reced by indifference. She had hidden all her emotions behind her smile. If he wasn¡¯t confident enough, he would think that he might have seen incorrectly.

    It was hard for him to believe that the fragile, pained expression hade over the face of a girl who had always been so calm, and even cold in front of him.

    "Hanging around? How powerful this man is! He could even hang around from the Prince Yi¡¯s Manor to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor! " Ning Xueyan thought.

    "Come on! Hang around with me." Ao Chenyi wrapped his arm around Ning Xueyan¡¯s waist before she could know what was happening. Then he leaped forward andnded on the wall carrying her.

    Beforending, he nced at the opposite corner coldly.

    Someone was hiding in the corner. He was so scared at the sight of Prince Yi that he almost fell to the ground.

    "Prince Yi, where are we going?" Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t break free from his grip. She shrank her neck subconsciously when a gust of chilly wind blew over.

    She knew it was no use to struggle, because this aggressive prince had never taken other people¡¯s opinions into consideration.

    Ao Chenyi took off his ck robe and wrapped her slim figure with it. His temperature was still on the robe. Before Ning Xueyan could see everything clearly, Ao Chenyi had leaped up and down several times at an incredible speed with her. The wind grew stronger, so she closed her eyes subconsciously.

    "Open your eyes!" Ao Chenyi said, touching her face, cold and red from wind. He was amused when he saw her close her eyes and bite her lips tightly. She was so scared, but she still pretended to be afraid of nothing.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s long eyshes fluttered a few times, then she opened her beautiful jet-ck eyes. A gust of cold wind blew over, she couldn¡¯t help but sniff. She felt that she seemed not to be standing on a firmnd, so she looked down. When she found that beneath her feet were shaking tree branches, she tightly held the waist of the man beside her.

    She had never stood on any trees before. The branches creaked when a strong wind blew over. Although she was very brave after her rebirth, she had never expected that she would have stood on a tree someday.

    "Ah!" she cried out in surprise, holding Ao Chenyi with her arms tightly. She was really scared. She had no idea what this proud prince was going to do. She wondered why he didn¡¯t stay in hisfortable manor, but took her on a tree instead in such cold weather.

    "Prince Yi, what are you doing here?" Ning Xueyan asked. She gritted her teeth when she uttered every single word. Her eyes were filled with anger because she was really scared. She had never been so angry.

    With his robe on her body, she didn¡¯t feel very cold. However, she was afraid she might fall off the rickety branch.

    "Yan¡¯er, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s very clear and quiet here?" Ao Chenyi said slowly, letting go of his arm around her waist.

    To prevent herself from falling off and bing a meat pie, Ning Xueyan had to hold him firmly. She raised her head, but could only saw his chin. Sensing that she was looking at him, Ao Chenyi looked down and narrowed his eyes. Nobody could tell what he was thinking about.

    "Prince Yi, it¡¯s clear and quiet on the high building in your manor," Ning Xueyan said, managing to hold back her anger. She heard that there was a tall building in the Prince Yi¡¯s Manor which was the tallest building in the whole city. "Can¡¯t you see far enough from up the building in your manor?" she wondered.

    Ning Xueyan believed that in his manor, if he wanted to be quiet, no one dared to make any noise.

    "Besides, I don¡¯t like here," she continued, ignoring the coldness in his eyes.

    After a short while, her hands and feet went numb. She was physically weak, so if she stayed here any longer, she would fell off soon.

    Compared to falling onto the ground, she felt being gazed by Ao Chenyi were not as terrible as usual.

    However, anyone wouldn¡¯t be happy to be carried here and put on a rickety tree for no reason. Ning Xueyan had always reminded herself that Ao Chenyi was a man of moods, but at this point, she seemed to have forgotten about that and began to protest.

    "Oh? You think I¡¯m spoiling you, so you are contradicting me?" Ao Chenyi pinched her chin, his face darkened. Ning Xueyan felt a sharp chill passed from his palm to her chin.

    "He is really unreasonable!" Ning Xueyan thought angrily.

    She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down. Then she raised her head and said sincerely, "You¡¯re kidding on me, Prince Yi. I really have no strength to hold you, so I¡¯m going to fall off soon!"

    "Do you... need my help?" Ao Chenyi acted as if he had just found out that Ning Xueyan was about to fall off. He shifted his eyes from her face to her hands which held him tightly, and after quite a while, he asked before she was about to lose her hands.

    "Of course!" Ning Xueyan squeezed these words from her throat. Her hands began to tremble, and she knew she couldn¡¯t hold on any longer.

    "Then why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier?" With that, he wrapped his arm around her waist again. Withdrew her strength from her arms, Ning Xueyan heaved a sigh of relief, and she felt much better.

    "Thank you very much!" Ning Xueyan said. She didn¡¯t know why Prince Yi brought her here, but being cautious would never go wrong.

    "Shh!" Prince Yi¡¯s voice rang out over her head. "Look down," he continued.

    Being so close with him, Ning Xueyan just found that Ao Chenyi was so tall, even more than a head taller than her. In his arms, she felt much safer, and even the waving branch beneath her feet didn¡¯t seem that horrible.

    It was not until she rxed that she heard what seemed to be a faint sound from below.

    Since it was in winter, there were only several leaves left on the tree, and there was nothing could block her vision. Ning Xueyan lowered her head and saw a courtyard below. Two women were tied to two posts in the courtyard. In the dim light, Ning Xueyan could see that they had long hair and they looked weak and thin.

    "We¡¯re not spies. Please report to the prince and let... go of us!" a woman pleaded weakly.

    However, the one who answered her was nobody but the whip!

    Her head draped, and nobody could tell if she was still alive.

    "You b*stard! Don¡¯t beat her! She knew nothing. I, I¡¯m the spy," the other woman suddenly shouted furiously.

    She struggled hard, and the post she was tied to creaked terribly.

    She had great strength. Obviously, she was a martial arts practitioner!

    A middle-aged man walked over to her, with a whip in his hand. From the ck cloth he wore, Ning Xueyan knew that he was an imperial guard. Was the imperial guard interrogating and torturing prisoners? She wondered.

    Then why didn¡¯t Ao Chenyi, the head of the imperial guards sleep at night, but brought her here?

    Ning Xueyan raised her head and looked at Ao Chenyi.

    "Do you think they look familiar?" Ao Chenyi looked at Ning Xueyan from the corner of his eyes and asked coldly.

    Ning Xueyan decisively shook her head. She had never heard such miserable screams before.

    "Ao Chenyi, you¡¯re such a cruel man! If you¡¯re a true man, juste at me! Stop torturing the innocent people! You, you will die in your boots..."

    Before the woman could continue, she was kicked in the chest. Although she had cultivated martial arts, after being tortured for such a long time, she was already at herst gasp. She let out a miserable cry, and then everything was quiet.

    There was a stain of blood on the ground covering with snow.

    The smell of blood lingered in the air.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s heart beat fast. She held her breath subconsciously so that Ao Chenyi wouldn¡¯t find her panic. The two women were untied from the posts and dragged away, left a trail of blood behind them.

    "They were sent here by Third Prince. They have a lot of guts!" the cold voice from Ao Chenyi mixed with the blood smell in the air made her grow extremely nervous, and the hair on the back of her neck stood up straight.

    "The two women were sent by Third Prince?" Only now did Ning Xueyan know she had seen the two women before.

    She remembered that Third Prince had sent these two women to Ao Chenyi when she pretended to be Ao Chenyi¡¯s pet concubine for the first time. At that point, Third Prince¡¯s expression was veryplex, and she couldn¡¯t tell he was happy or sad.

    One of the two women was a martial arts practitioner, so obviously, Third Prince didn¡¯t send them to Ao Chenyi out of goodwill.

    "What¡¯s so special about them?" Ning Xueyan asked, trying to ignore the blood smell in the air. Ao Chenyi could choose to refuse to ept the two dancing women, but he hadn¡¯t done that. Combined with what she had just seen just now, Ning Xueyan could tell that he must have some special purpose.

    Ao Chenyi was a little surprised by her keen insight. He nced at her and found her lips had turned even paler because of the cold wind. She seemed to be trying to withstand the coldness and she was a little breathless. "This strong-willed little woman!" he thought, aplex expression appeared on his face.

    He put more stress on his arm so that he could hold her more firmly. Then he looked down and said, "Don¡¯t ask. Just apany me quietly."

    Ning Xueyan could only saw his handsome profile from aside. She couldn¡¯t figure out what he was going to do, but she could feel that he was emotionally unstable tonight, so she didn¡¯t move, allowing him to hold her tightly. To prevent cold, she leaned her head against his chest. She heard the steady, powerful beating of his heart.

    Somehow she felt secure, so she closed her eyes.

    Ao Chenyi had been moody, but he seemed even more abnormal this night. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have brought her here in such a cold winter night to watch an interrogation that puzzled her.

    She didn¡¯t know whether it was because she had been too nervous, or because his arms were so warm that she had grown sleepy. She pressed her body closer to him and found a morefortable ce for herself.

    They didn¡¯t notice from when the snow began falling off again. Between heaven and earth in whiteness, a man and a woman embraced each other, standing on a branch of a bare tree. The handsome man had been watching what happened in the courtyard below the tree. Then he shifted his gaze to the woman in his arms. Looking at her face, which was red with warmth, a warmth came into his eyes.

    After a short moment, he flickered through the air and disappeared into the distance, only left the snow on the tree.

 Chapter 141 A Villain with a Temporary Success

    "You saw Fifth Young Lady with a man?" Ning Lingyun asked excitedly, widening her eyes.

    "Yes, miss. That man is young and very handsome. Moreover, I saw Fifth Young Lady vomit holding a tree once; it looked like she was..." the older female servant paused and dared not to continue. Ning Lingyun was very excited.

    A man had taken Ning Xueyan out of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor! Most importantly, she was about to vomit! She must have been pregnant! Hearing such a shocking secret about Ning Xueyan, Ning Lingyun couldn¡¯t control her joy.

    If not because of Ning Xueyan, everything would have gone smoothly as she plotted. Although she reached her goal finally, everyone in the manor looked down upon her. Thinking about this, she wanted to kill Ning Xueyan.

    She hadn¡¯t expected that if she had got her way, it would be a terrible disaster for Ning Xueyan. Because if that was the case, Ning Xueyan would have onlymitted suicide to prove her innocence or married Marquis of Ping¡¯an, which would make her live no better than die.

    "Good! I¡¯ll visit Fifth Young Lady right now." With that, Ning Lingyun put on her cloak and was about to walk out.

    "Ning Xueyan is not in her room now. If I go to her ce and prove it in person that she is out at the moment and report it to Madam Dowager, then she couldn¡¯t hide the secret of having an affair with a man from others!" Ning Lingyun thought.

    "Miss... wait! The man looked very aggressive. If he finds out that you blew the whistle, he might kill you!"

    Seeing Ning Lingyun was serious to reveal them, the older female servant was anxious. She immediately grabbed Ning Lingyun¡¯s cloth.

    The older female servant had hidden in a corner just now when the handsome man found her. She almost fell to the ground under the cold gaze of the man. She had been in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor for some time, so she knew such a man couldn¡¯t be ordinary. If Fourth Young Lady exposed Fifth Young Lady¡¯s secret, that man must be annoyed, and Fourth Young Lady might lose her life because of this.

    Since he was able to freelye and go of the inner courtyard of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, it would be a piece of cake for him to take someone¡¯s life.

    "I¡¯m not scared. It¡¯s the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor here. I don¡¯t believe that he dare kill me here!" Ning Lingyun would never miss such a good opportunity, and she believed that the guards of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor were capable enough to protect her.

    "Miss, you should think it over. No guards found hime and go of our manor just now. I believe that it wasn¡¯t his first time to do this. However, nobody else in our manor has found him before, so he must be no ordinary. If you annoy him, he might hurt you and even kill you. It won¡¯t be worth it."

    The older female servant knew that Ning Lingyun nned to rely on the guards of the manor, so she tried to persuade her to give up this idea. She clung to her dress and didn¡¯t want her to go.

    At the thought of the man had found her in the corner, the older female servant began to regret to have told the secret to Ning Lingyun. She worried that something bad might happen.

    Hearing what she said, Ning Lingyun began to fear too. She was sure that she would enjoy an extremely distinguished and prosperous life in the future, so it was not worth dying for Ning Xueyan. She thought the man who took Ning Xueyan away must be a desperado. On the contrary, she was going to be the Consort of Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li soon, so her life should be much more precious than a desperado.

    But she didn¡¯t want to let go of Ning Xueyan easily. She thought for a while and walked back to the room. She paced back and forth in her room and then whispered in the older female servant¡¯s ear, looking confident. The older female servant widened her eyes and nodded hard.

    The next day...

    Ning Xueyan found herself in her own bed when she woke up. She blinked and then stared the ceiling nkly for a while before she recalled that she had been taken away by force by a prince who seemed not in a good mood. She should thank God that the moody prince hadn¡¯t left her in the snow.

    "Miss, you have woken up!" Hearing a faint sounding from inside, Lanning lifted up the curtain and brought the toiletries which she had already prepared for a long time to Ning Xueyan.

    It waste in the morning, so after freshening herself up, Ning Xueyan walked to Madam Dowager¡¯s ce apanied by Lanning to present her respects.

    To her surprise, she saw Ning Lingyun in the Lucky Garden.

    Obviously, Madam Dowager was not friendly to Ning Lingyun. However, for the sake of the Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor, she didn¡¯t drive her out, but chatted with her absentmindedly.

    Since it had been decided, no matter what she would do to Ning Lingyun, the result couldn¡¯t be changed. And she knew that Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would definitely marry Ning Lingyun to Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li after so many unexpected things had happened. Otherwise, if any rumors got out, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would be theughingstock of people.

    Nobody had expected that Ao Xian would have really fallen in love with Ning Lingyun. Since it was the case, Madam Dowager didn¡¯t want to change anything. But she was still mad at Ning Lingyun. Although she had no evidence to prove that it was Ning Lingyun who had plotted everything the other day, she knew that Ning Lingyun would be the biggest beneficiary of this.

    Compared to the benefit of the whole Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, they could only sacrifice Ning Yuling.

    "Hi, Xueyan! Grandmother just talked about you. Why did youe sote?" Ning Lingyun said in a coquettish tone. She came over and wanted to hold Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand. Her attitude seemed to be abnormally polite.

    Ning Xueyan moved a little to the side and dodged Ning Lingyun¡¯s hand quietly. She bowed to Madam Dowager who was sitting on the principle seat and said, "Greetings, grandmother!"

    She didn¡¯t think she waste, because it was at this time that she hade to show her respects to Madam Dowager before.

    "Raise your head. Have you eaten breakfast?" Madam Dowager asked with a dark face. She wasn¡¯t in a good mood because so many things had happened recently. Furthermore, she had to administrate the manor in these days. As an olddy, she didn¡¯t have enough energy to deal with so many things, so she looked weary.

    Normally, if Ning Xueyan said she hadn¡¯t eaten breakfast yet, Madam Dowager would have asked her to go back.

    However, it seemed that she couldn¡¯t leave that easily today, because Ning Lingyun was here too.

    How could Ning Lingyun, a ¡¯warm-hearted¡¯ Young Lady let go of her so easily? She came over, wiggling her waist exaggeratedly. She grabbed Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand and said with a smile, "Grandmother, since Xueyan hasn¡¯t eaten breakfast yet, how about ask her to eat with you?"

    Madam Dowager looked at Ning lingyun, showing no emotion on her face. But Ning Lingyun was still smiling at her.

    "Xueyan, just stay here and eat something with me." Madam Dowager shifted her gaze from Ning Lingyun and nodded to Ning Xueyan.

    Although she didn¡¯t mention Ning Lingyun, she didn¡¯t say that Ning Lingyun couldn¡¯t have breakfast with them.

    The maid standing beside her immediately brought two sets of tableware for them.

    The two Young Ladies sat beside Madam Dowager, one on the left, and another one on the right.

    Ning Xueyan straightened herself up and looked at Ning Lingyun, a flicker of doubt in her eyes. Ning Lingyun had changed a lot recently since Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li had sworn to marry her. She didn¡¯t need to follow Ning Yuling and tter her any more.

    Sometimes, she seemed even more arrogant than Madam Dowager!

    Ning Xueyan smiled slightly. She didn¡¯t show her disdain on her face, but in her opinion, Ning Lingyun was no more than a viin with a temporary sess.

    She knew Ning Lingyun wouldn¡¯t have been so warm to her for nothing, so she nned to wait and see what this woman would do next.

    "Grandmother, Xueyan and I haven¡¯t had breakfast with you before. We¡¯re so lucky to have such an opportunity this morning. Don¡¯t you think so, Xueyan?" Ning Lingyun was flexible and she said with a smile. She picked up one of Madam Dowager¡¯s favorite snacks with chopsticks and ced it on the te in front of Madam Dowager.

    The way she acted just now was quite simr to what Madam Ling had acted in front of Madam Dowager.

    It seemed Ning Lingyun admired Madam Ling so much. She had always been nervous when she was being with Madam Ling, but obviously, she hadpletely learned the way Madam Ling spoke and acted. From her aura, an outsider might think that she was the daughter of First Madam by mistake! She didn¡¯t seem to have realized that the marriage between her and Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li didn¡¯t mean that her status in the manor was higher than before. It would be nothing at all if not because the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor got into trouble recently.

    Something disgraceful had happened to the Young Ladies of the manor one by one, so Madam Dowager needed a decent wedding to show to the outsiders.

    Both of Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling¡¯s marriages were not going well, so if there were something unexpected happen to Ning Lingyun, nobody would like to marry the Young Ladies of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor!

    But Ning Lingyun didn¡¯t think that way. She thought that she was extremely important in the manor now and nothing could be done without her.

    But from the indifference in Madam Dowager¡¯s eyes when she looked at Ning Lingyun, Ning Xueyan could tell that Madam Dowager wouldn¡¯t have thought highly of the daughter of a concubine if she had any other choice.

    Although Madam Ling¡¯s family was rich and powerful now, Madam Dowager still thought she wasn¡¯t decent enough, so as far as Madam Dowager was concerned, a concubine¡¯s daughter like Ning Lingyun was even less important than a high-ss maid.

    "Just put it there. I don¡¯t want to have it," Madam Dowager said coldly. Then she asked a maid to pick another piece of snack from the other side for her. Obviously, she was trying to embarrass Ning Lingyun.

    Ning Lingyun was shameless. She seemed unconcerned by Madam Dowager¡¯s indifference. After all, her target was Ning Xueyan today. She turned her head and looked at Ning Xueyan unscrupulously; an arrogance appeared on her face. She knew that Madam Dowager didn¡¯t like her, but she must be here today, because she was going to reveal Ning Xueyan¡¯s scandal in front of Madam Dowager!

    "Ning Xueyan spoke and acted like a saint girl when she knew I was trying to seduce Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, but now look at her! She has had an affair with a man for a long time and she is pregnant! She has disgraced the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor!" Ning Lingyun thought.

    She picked up a haw jelly with her chopsticks and put it on the te in front of Ning Xueyan.

    Pretending to care about Ning Xueyan, she said, "Xueyan, have this. The haw jelly is sour and sweet. It¡¯s very delicious. It¡¯s said that you didn¡¯t have an appetite and couldn¡¯t sleep welltely. Oh, I also heard that you liked sour food and you vomited yesterday in the morning. Is this all true?"

    Hearing that, Madam Dowager who was sitting on the principle seat was surprised. There was something sharp in her clouded eyes. She looked at Ning Xueyan with a dark face, but said nothing.

    "Vomited?" Ning Xueyan wondered what Ning Lingyun was going to do. She looked at Ning Lingyun and said indifferently, "Fourth Sister, you must have heard someone wrong!"

    "Impossible! An older female servant of mine saw you vomitst night. Xueyan, are you sick? You¡¯re so young. You should keep yourself safe and sound." Pretending that she knew nothing about Ning Xueyan¡¯s ¡¯affair¡¯, Ning Lingyun turned to Madam Dowager and said, "Grandmother, please ask the doctor of our manor to diagnose for Xueyan. She may be seriously ill."

    Madam Dowager wouldn¡¯t have taken her words seriously before. However, at the moment, she was a little suspicious. She looked at Ning Xueyan and hesitated for a while. Then she nodded and ordered Mother Qin, who was standing beside her, "Go and fetch the doctor of our manor."

    With that, she mmed her chopsticks onto the table. Then she stood up and walked toward the inner room.

 Chapter 142 I Dont Know What Youre Talking About

    Seeing Ning Lingyun¡¯s smiling face, Ning Xueyan realized that someone had seen her when she was at Cloud Reflection Courtyard. Besides, the person was one of Ning Lingyun¡¯s old female servants. But it seemed that Ning Lingyun was too sensitive. How could she judge her to be ¡¯pregnant¡¯ just because she retched a few times?

    "Fourth Sister, I don¡¯t know what you are talking about. But I wonder how you knew what happened in Bright Frost Garden," Ning Xueyan said. She stood up quietly and nced at Ning Lingyun coldly.

    Since Madam Dowager had put down her chopsticks and was about to leave, they felt uneasy to sat there any longer.

    Hearing what Ning Xueyan said, Madam Dowager stopped for a short moment, but soon, she continued to go to the inner room. She had never liked Ning Lingyun. Thinking about what had happened to Ning Yuling and what Ning Xueyan had said, she hated Ning Lingyun more. As the daughter of a concubine, she had gone too far to watch her sister, a Young Lady who had been born by a madam.

    "Xueyan, you may not aware of your sickness. As your sister, I should care about you. If you¡¯re not satisfied with me, just vent your anger on me. Anyway, I did it for your health," Ning Lingyun said. At the thought of Ning Xueyan¡¯s ¡¯affair¡¯ would be revealed soon after the doctor came, Ning Lingyun couldn¡¯t help but be more excited. "Ning Xueyan¡¯s status in the manor is much lower than Ning Yuling, and Madam Dowager has been paying attention to ethical rules, so maybe she will sink that b*tch into the pool!" she thought.

    Staring at Ning Xueyan¡¯s belly, she hinted.

    She was d because once the doctor found Ning Xueyan was pregnant, Madam Dowager would ask someone to punish her. What she needed to do was add fuel to the fire and ask Madam Dowager to kill Ning Xueyan. Then she would be the only Young Lady left in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Moreover, she had a rich and powerful fianc¨¦, so even Madam Dowager didn¡¯t like her, she could do nothing to her.

    Thinking highly of herself, Ning Lingyun was confident that even if First Madam hade out from the Buddha Hall, she couldn¡¯t do anything to her either.

    The more Ning Xueyan protested, the more Ning Lingyun thought she was diffident. She rushed into the inner room and said to Madam Dowager, "Grandmother, look at her! It¡¯s obvious that she has already had symptoms, but she is still trying to hide. How can such a thing be hidden?" Madam Dowager was sitting in the room with a dark face.

    Ning Lingyun had gone too far, and she was almost saying that Ning Xueyan tried to hide the disgraceful thing on purpose.

    Ning Xueyan looked at her coldly. Madam Dowager shouted, "How dare you!"

    At the same time, she raised her hand and pped Ning Lingyun¡¯s arrogant face hard. When her palmnded on Ning Lingyun¡¯s face, Ning Lingyun¡¯s smile froze. She looked at Madam Dowager who was in rage shockingly.

    She had thought that she would make a great contribution to the manor if she exposed Ning Xueyan¡¯s ¡¯affair¡¯.

    However, Madam Dowager had been in a bad mood recently and she had nowhere to vent her anger. Ning Ziyan, Ning Yuling and Ning Lingyun herself were all caught up in scandals rted to a girl¡¯s reputation. Ning Lingyun was rubbing salt into Madam Dowager¡¯s wound by reporting her of Ning Xueyan¡¯s scandal. So it was no wonder that Madam Dowager lost her temper.

    Ning Xueyan would be punished if she really had an affair with a man, but Ning Lingyun woulde to no good end to reveal such a thing to the others.

    Madam Dowager stared at Ning Lingyun with sharp eyes. She looked mighty and angry, but inside, she wasn¡¯t as strong as she looked like. "You¡¯re just a concubine¡¯s daughter who can never get on the stage. How dare you ignore the rules of our manor and spread rumors here? Without the support of the Lord Protector, even though Ao Xian wanted to marry you, you can¡¯t be Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li¡¯s wife, and you would be his concubine at most. Do you think that Ao Xian will contradict Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Consort Dowager because he wants you to be his wife, not his concubine? Dream!"

    Madam Dowager had always had an aversion to Ning Lingyun, but she nevershed out her without mercy like this. Feeling ashamed, Ning Lingyun covered her face with her hands and protested, tears streaming down her cheeks, "Grandmother, I¡¯m not lying. All the servants of our manor have seen what she did. Even if I didn¡¯t say it, other people will know it sooner orter. Why are you ming me? Do you mean that if I didn¡¯t expose the secret, she can behave like this openly?!"

    Now Ning Lingyun had thrown caution to the wind. She was angry because Madam Dowager took Ning Xueyan¡¯s part. So she spoke loudly on purpose, and finally, she began to cry. Obviously, she wanted to attract attention from other people and let everyone know what was happening here.

    With a snap, Ning Lingyun was pped hard on the face again. She was stunned.

    Madam Dowager was surprised too. She raised her head and looked at Ning Xueyan¡¯s cold face, aplex expression shing in her eyes, but she didn¡¯t say anything.

    "Ning Xueyan, how dare you beat me?" Ning Lingyun almost immediately rushed over as soon as she found that it was Ning Xueyan who pped her. She stared at Ning Xueyan fiercely, gritting her teeth. She knew that Ning Xueyan would protest her, but she hadn¡¯t expected that she would have been so aggressive even when Madam Dowager was present.

    "I pped you because you were talking nonsense! How dare you say that all the servants in our manor have seen what I did? Grandmother should cut off your tongue when the doctor proves that I have no physical problem after diagnosis so that you won¡¯t talk nonsense in the Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor after the marriage. Otherwise, you might cause disaster in the future and even the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would get into trouble because of you!"

    Ning Xueyan stared at Ning Lingyun coldly, and there was a mighty aura around her. Ning Lingyun dared not to look into her eyes, so she turned her head away subconsciously. She felt a coldness rush into her body from the top of her head.

    Hearing what they said, Madam Dowager¡¯s face became even darker. She looked at Ning Lingyun silently, falling into thought.

    Ning Lingyun had a bad feeling and her face turned pale. She wasn¡¯t an impulsive person. Hearing what Ning Xueyan said, her joy had been reced by fear. How could Ning Xueyan not be pregnant? The old female servant had seen her retch beside a tree and a man who was staying with her took her out of the manor.

    "Fourth Sister, dare you promise that what you said about me is true? And if it isn¡¯t the case, you agree to have someone to cut off your tongue?" Ning Xueyan said with a faint smile, staring at Ning Lingyun. It sounded like she was joking with her, but Ning Lingyun figured out the malevolence in her words.

    She trembled under the gaze of the ck-jet and jade like eyes. Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes were as cold as ice and there wasn¡¯t a trace of warmth in them. Ning Lingyun was too scared. Of course she dared not to make such a promise. She suddenly recalled that the girl in front of her had sabotaged her n and set her upst time.

    "I, I heard this from the others," she muttered. Under the pressure of Ning Xueyan¡¯s mighty aura, she didn¡¯t dare to be arrogant again. She was in a panic and her heart beat fast. She hardly knew what to do.

    Madam Dowager¡¯s eyes became even sharper. She had thought that Ning Lingyun was a smart person at least, because she had managed to win an opportunity for herself to marry Ao Xian. It would be a great honor for a concubine¡¯s daughter to marry Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. Being able to get Ao Xian to marry her meant she was capable. Maybe she would be more useful than Ning Yuling, who was hated by Ao Xian.

    That was why Madam Dowager had tolerated Ning Lingyun¡¯s arrogance for such a long time. However, now she found Ning Lingyun was stupid too and she didn¡¯t seem to be smarter than Ning Yuling because as a concubine¡¯s daughter, she was challenging a madams¡¯ daughter groundlessly before she became the wife of Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. On the other hand, Ning Xueyan, whom she had never attached importance to behaved much better than Ning Lingyun in terms of both tolerance and calmness.

    No matter whether Ning Xueyan had an ¡¯affair¡¯, Ning Lingyun was already lost.

    Among the Young Ladies of the manor, except for Ning Ziyan who had married and Ning Qingshan who didn¡¯t stay in the manor, Ning Xueyan was the smartest. Besides, Third Prince¡¯s Manor had shown their intention to marry Ning Xueyan, so Madam Dowager had changed her mind. If Ning Xueyan wasn¡¯t pregnant at all, she would pay more attention to her training in the future. Maybe she would be very useful to this family.

    At this point, Mother Qin brought the doctor in. Ning Xueyan stretched her arm fearlessly. The doctor felt the pulse by putting his fingers on one of her wrist, and then on the other one. After a short while, he turned to Madam Dowager and said, "Fifth Young Lady isn¡¯t sick, but she is a little weak, so she needs to take more nourishment."

    "That¡¯s all?" Ning Lingyun asked anxiously, widening her eyes.

    "Fourth Young Lady, what do you mean?" the doctor looked at Ning Lingyun in confusion. He knew the Fourth Young Lady in front of him was mean.

    "Can Xuyan bear a baby in the future? How about her cold womb problem?" Madam Dowager heaved a sigh of relief when she knew that Ning Xueyan wasn¡¯t pregnant. She asked the doctor, ignoring Ning Lingyun.

    The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor couldn¡¯t stand any blow any more!

    "Fifth Young Lady¡¯s cold womb symptoms haven¡¯t disappeared yet, but they are lessening. After a period of recuperation, she maybe recover," the doctor answered cautiously. He had diagnosed for Ning Xueyan before, and he knew that the symptoms wouldn¡¯t disappear that easily.

    Hearing that cold womb problem of Ning Xueyan might be cured, Madam Dowager was delighted.

    The Young Ladies of the manor had gotten into trouble one by one, and even the engagement between Ning Yuling and Third Prince was canceled. So if Ning Xueyan could marry Third Prince, even if only as a co-consort of his, it would be a good thing for the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. But as Ning Xueyan had the cold womb problem, Madam Dowager didn¡¯t dare to marry her to Third Prince. She worried that if Ning Xueyan couldn¡¯t bear a child because of her physical problem, Third Prince would be annoyed and get Lord Protector¡¯s Manor into trouble.

    Since there were possibilities for Ning Xueyan to recover, of course, Madame Dowager was excited. But she didn¡¯t care about another Young Lady, because she was not rted with her by blood. Madame Dowager¡¯s dark face lit up immediately. She waved to the doctor and told him to prescribe some medicines for Ning Xueyan.

    "Fourth Sister, how did you know that I haven¡¯t been feeling good in the morning, and I have been sleepytely? And how did you know that I vomited?" Ning Xueyan pulled down her sleeves and asked with a smile, looking at Ning Lingyun.

    "I, I, I heard these from others!" Ning Lingyun knew she had misunderstood, and now she extremely regretted. She thought that she should have looked into the matter before revealing it.

    "Fourth Sister, you¡¯re really something! You could even know what happened in Bright Frost Garden!" Ning Xueyan said coldly, the smile on her face disappeared.

    She was hinting that Ning Lingyun had arranged someone to ask for her information in the Bright Frost Garden. Madam Dowager was furious at the thought of the daughter of a concubine dare do this. Seeing that Ning Lingyun was still protesting, she shot a re to her, eyebrows raised. "Apologize to your sister! If you dare to stir up troubles again, we will send you to Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li before he holds a wedding ceremony for you. We¡¯ll wait and see if he will plead Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Consort Dowager to allow you to be his wife!"

    Hearing that, Ning Lingyun¡¯s face turned paler. She swayed several times and almost fell to the ground. It seemed Madam Dowager had the n to send her to Ao Xian to be his concubine. "No!" Ning Lingyun cried inside. She had plotted so long time, and she would never reconcile herself to be a concubine!

    ording to Ao Xian¡¯s personality, if she had been sent to him, he wouldn¡¯t cherish her and let her be his wife.

    "Xueyan, I¡¯m sorry! I made a mistake. I won¡¯t make such mistakes again!" Ning Lingyun wasn¡¯t as cruel as Ning Yuling was, so she relented at the sight of Ning Xueyan bowing to her to show the sincerity of her apology.

    "Fourth Sister, it¡¯s not a big deal to have misunderstandings between sisters. But we¡¯ll get into trouble if the rumors got out of our manor and caused the misunderstanding of outsiders," Ning Xueyan said calmly.

    Ning Lingyun began to tremble when he heard what she said, plus, Madam Dowager was staring at her coldly, seemed to be nning something about her. She had a feeling that she was falling to the hell, and all her joy and arrogance had been reced by fear.

 Chapter 143 The Past of Madam Ming

    Ning Lingyun was sober-minded now, and she had never been so sober before. Her limbs felt as cold as if she were in an ice cer. How could she be that stupid by thinking that she had gotten something on Ning Xueyan! She should have thought it over before taking action, because Ning Xueyan was smart and she wouldn¡¯t be easily caught.

    "Copy the Commandments for Women several times after returning to your ce. You should always keep it in your mind that you are just a humble daughter of a concubine. Without the support of Lord Protector, you¡¯ll be a concubine at most!" Madam Dowager said coldly, narrowing her eyes.

    Madam Dowager showed no mercy when she spoke and she almost shamed Ning Lingyun to the utmost by belittling her position in the manor and warning her seriously.

    "Got it. I knew I should be med. I¡¯ll copy the Commandments for Women immediately. Grandmother, please forgive me." Ning Lingyun was ashamed, and she dared say nothing except for admitting her mistake. Then she left, covering her face and wiping tears off her cheeks.

    "Yan¡¯er,e and sit here." Seeing Ning Lingyun leave, Madam Dowager pointed at a chair beside her and gestured Ning Xueyan to sit. She looked a little happier and a faint amiable smile appeared on her face.

    "I¡¯ming," Ning Xueyan answered. She had noticed a change in Madam Dowager¡¯s attitude. She walked over obediently with a smile, and then sat on the right side of Madam Dowager.

    She had been considering how to change her cowardly image in the eyes of Madam Dowager. To her surprise, Ning Lingyun brought this opportunity to her today.

    By teaching Ning Lingyun a lesson, she had proved to Madam Dowager that she was no longer Ning Xueyan she used to be.

    For people like Madam Dowager, there was no so-called family affection, but only interests. Ning Xueyan knew that if she was still a good for nothing grand daughter, even if she had been ckened by Ning Lingyun and died from injustice today, Madam Dowager wouldn¡¯t give her a second look.

    Ning Yuling had been sent out of the manor so soon just because she was not valuable any more.

    "Madam Dowager, look! How you adore Fifth Young Lady! Don¡¯t worry. She¡¯ll go nowhere, but just stay with you here!" Mother Qin joked timely and lightened the atmosphere.

    "She has been a nice girl. She is good-tempered and obedient, just like her mom. Every time I saw her, I thought of her mom. Her mom was just like her at that time. Every time she saw me in the past, she was excited and kept on calling me aunt. If something like that hadn¡¯t happened, she wouldn¡¯t have hidden herself in Bright Frost Garden and cut herself off from the outside world!"

    Madam Dowager said with a sigh, seemed to be sad to think of Ning Xueyan¡¯s mother. Her eyes turned red and her voice sounded to choke.

    "Hide herself? Mom was abandoned by people of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, but Madame Dowager talked as if mom didn¡¯t want them to care!" Ning Xueyan thought angrily. She had seen someone turn the facts upside down, but she had never seen someone do this to this point!

    Covered by her long eyshes, the coldness crossed her eyes. However, when she raised her head again, she looked as if she were surprised. "Grandmother, what happened to my mom? Everyone said my mom was First Madam, and you¡¯re her aunt, why was she abandoned and became Second Madam?" she asked.

    Ning Xueyan had asked Mother Han the same question before, and Mother Han told her indignantly that Madam Ming was the rightful wife of Ning Zu¡¯an who had been taken into the manor in arge sedan chair carried by eight people. On the contrary, Madam Ling was taken into the manorter because she had an affair with Ning Zu¡¯an outside of the manor. Ning Huaiyuan and Ning Ziyan were all b*stards she had with Ning Zu¡¯an before she had been taken into the manor.

    She gave birth to Ning Yuling soon after she moved to the manor. Before long, something happened to Madam Ming. Then Madam Ming agreed to be Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s co-wife and give her ce to Madam Ling. But Mother Han wasn¡¯t clear what had happened to Madam Ming. She only said that a man was found in her bed.

    At that time, it was not long before Madam Ming gave birth to Ning Xueyan, so Ning Zu¡¯an not only suspected that she had an affair with another man, but also suspected that Ning Xueyan was not his own daughter and wanted to kill Ning Xueyan. Madam Ming was mad at him because of this and gave her ce to Madam Ling. She preferred to hide herself and Ning Xueyan in Bright Frost Garden. From then on, she had never seen Ning Zu¡¯an.

    That was just Mother Han said, but Ning Xueyan keenly felt that there must be something inside!

    Madam Ling was aggressive, so she wouldn¡¯t have been reconciled to be a co-wife for a long time. Moreover, Ning Huaiyuan was only an illegitimate b*stard. So in any case, Madam Ling could never have allowed Madam Ming to maintain her position of First Madam. Maybe Ning Zu¡¯an and Madam Dowager thought in the same way.

    How could the only male child of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was an illegitimate b*stard!

    Thinking about this, Ning Xueyan¡¯s heart ached. She understood how sad and desperate Madam Ming was at that moment. She could only hide her grievance in her heart for saving her daughter¡¯s life, and she even hadn¡¯t exined to her elder brother. The moment Ning Xueyan heard about it, she had regarded Madam Ming as her mother.

    So she wanted to avenge her. It was clear that Madam Ming was set up, but nobody had stood out and spoken for her.

    Obviously, everyone in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had stood on Madam Ling¡¯s side and watched Madam Ming helplessly give up her ce to Madam Ling.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s long eyshes trembled. A nk expression appeared on her pale but extremely pretty face made her look ethereal. She was too beautiful to be true!

    Looking at her charming face, Madam Dowager was gentler to her.

    "Your mom shouldn¡¯t be med. Because your dad and Madam Ling had already had three children by that time, your eldest brother, your eldest sister and your second sister, your mom thought that your dad only cared about Madam Ling and alienated her; she did... such a thing. Forget it. Let bygones be bygones. No matter what happened, your mom is my sweet niece forever in my heart."

    Madam Dowager waved her hand with a sigh, as if she were a generous person who would not care about the past.

    "She really knows how to act!" Ning Xueyan snorted inside. But she hadn¡¯t expected that Madam Dowager would tell her the truth. Both she and her mother¡¯s brother were tracing the past. Her uncle asked somebody to tell her that the man who had been found in Madam Ming¡¯s bed was still alive. He was investigating further ording to the trace of the past. If he had gotten the evidence to prove that Madam Ming was set up, Madam Ling would be finished.

    Ning Xueyan sighed too, just like Madam Dowager did. She frowned, looked as if she were not interested in knowing more about the past, and she didn¡¯t ask more about this.

    Madam Dowager felt relieved. She admired Ning Xueyan more about her smartness. "The girl is so smart! She sensed that I was a little impatient, so she didn¡¯t ask more. It¡¯s a pity that such an excellent girl was born by Madam Ming!¡¯" she thought.

    "Madam Dowager, these are the ount books of the inner courtyard for today. I¡¯ll put them here. If you¡¯re not tired, please have a look at them." With that, Mother Qin walked in with a pile of ount books in her arms. She then put them on the tea table in front of Madam Dowager.

    Madam Dowager frowned at these ount books. She waved her hand helplessly and said with a sigh, "You brought them again! I¡¯m so old, but I have to administrate the inner courtyard!"

    Madam Ling was still in the Buddha Hall, and Concubine Xu¡¯s administration power was suspended as Madam Dowager had suspicion of her because of Ning Lingyun. Now everything of the outer and inner courtyard had to be decided by Madam Dowager. It had been a long time since she took care of so many things, so after barely holding out for a few days, she could hardly stand it.

    "Madam Dowager, you¡¯re not old at all. I¡¯m even older than you." Mother Qin was smart, and she knew what to say at this moment. Then she pointed at Ning Xueyan and continued, "Look, at least you have an obedient and smart grand daughter like Fifth Young Lady. None of my grand sons would like to stay at home, and I can¡¯t see them all day."

    Mother Qin had a son and his ve identity had been removed under the help of Madam Dowager. Her son had several children, and none of them were girls, all were boys.

    "Mother Qin, you¡¯re kidding on me," Ning Xueyan said with a smile, listening to Mother Qin joking with her master.

    "Fifth Young Lady, I¡¯m not kidding on you. I¡¯m praising you sincerely. From the way Fifth Young Lady speaks and acts, everybody can tell that you¡¯re a madam¡¯s daughter. Madam Dowager, why are you still hesitating?? Just ask Fifth Young Lady to help you to check some of the ount books. When Fifth Young Lady marries to someone of other manor and bes the administrator in the future, she will have to manage the internal affairs of the manor."

    Mother Qin blinked to Ning Xueyan while talking with Madam Dowager with a smile, hinting her to share Madam Dowager¡¯s work on her own initiative.

    "Mother Qin!" Ning Xueyan flushed with shyness, but she chose to ignore Mother Qin¡¯s hint.

    "Yan¡¯er, won¡¯t you help me?" Madam Dowager asked. She was convinced that Ning Xueyan had no ulterior motives. She had been a little suspicious of her sudden assertiveness, but when she found that Ning Xueyan wasn¡¯t attracted by Mother Qin¡¯s proposal, she felt assured.

    She felt tired to manage the affairs of the manor, but she was worried that Ning Xueyan might plot and take power from her. When she saw Ning Xueyan ignore Mother Qin¡¯s hint, she was relieved and asked with a smile.

    "Grandmother, I have no idea how to check them," Ning Xueyan looked at the ount books, seemed embarrassed.

    "You little girl! How could you say you have no idea? If you don¡¯t know how to check the ount book, how can you administrate a manor? Take some of them back and have a look. If there¡¯s anything you don¡¯t understand, juste and ask me." The more Ning Xueyan refused, the more Madam Dowager thought that she didn¡¯t have the ambition to administrate the manor, and the less she was suspicious of her. Now she was asking Ning Xueyan from her true heart to check these ount books.

    "Ur... Grandmother..." Ning Xueyan bit her lips and looked at Madam Dowager, saying, "Alright then."

    "Take these back and have a look. I have told you toe and ask me if there was anything you didn¡¯t understand," Seeing Ning Xueyan had agreed, Madam Dowager said with a smile, picking several from the ount books.

    Mother Qin walked over to Lanning and asked her to hold the ount books.

    Afraid Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t understand, Madam Dowager opened an ount book and gave her some instruction.

    Two hourster, Ning Xueyan walked out from the courtyard of Madam Dowager. Lanning stood behind her, holding several ount books. The servants at the gate of the courtyard greeted her respectfully, "Fifth Young Lady!" Since Madam Dowager attached so much attention on her, all the servants thought that Fifth Young Lady¡¯s luck was going to change, and Bright Frost Garden wouldn¡¯t be the ¡¯Cold Pce¡¯ in the manor any more.

    After walking out of the gate, Ning Xueyan was about to turn to the path toward Bright Frost Garden when she suddenly saw Ning Lingyun standing in the intersection not far away from her.

    At the sight of Ning Xueyan, Ning Lingyun immediately walked over, lifting her skirt hem. "Xueyan! Xueyan!" she called her name.

    "Fourth Sister, anything else?" Ning Xueyan stopped. She looked at Ning Lingyun who was nervous with a faint smile. Ning Lingyun looked gentle and weak, but there was a trace of calction in her eyes.

    She hadn¡¯t given up yet!

 Chapter 144 Do You Think Im So Gullible?

    "Xueyan, I¡¯m so sorry! I thought, I thought you were... I wanted the doctor to diagnose for you just because I was afraid that it might be dyed if you weren¡¯t aware of it," Ning Lingyun said in anxious. She acted properly and looked as if she had cared about Ning Xueyan so much.

    Ning Xueyan looked at her quietly. She didn¡¯t speak until Ning Lingyun felt uneasy about showing any more anxiety in front of her. "Fourth Sister, do you think I¡¯m so gullible?"

    Hearing that, Ning Lingyun was shocked. She raised her head subconsciously and found that Ning Xueyan was staring at her. Her heart went cold at the sight of the killing intent in Ning Xueyan¡¯s beautiful watery eyes. She turned her head away to avoid the gaze of Ning Xueyan.

    "Xueyan, I know I was wrong. I won¡¯t dare to do this again!" she stammered.

    Ning Xueyan knew Ning Lingyun wasn¡¯t lying to her. Ning Lingyun put it straight because she wanted to show her weakness. "It seems I underestimated her before. She is flexible and she knows when to yield," Ning Xueyan thought.

    However, Ning Lingyun was too confident. She thought that Ning Xueyan would forgive her if she apologized to her.

    Ning Xueyan wondered what made this woman so bold to face her after she had set up her so many times!

    "Fourth Sister, you won¡¯t have an opportunity to make such a mistake again!" Ning Xueyan said indifferently. She looked at Ning Lingyun with a sly smile. At the moment, Ning Lingyun had a feeling that Ning Xueyan was able to read her mind at a nce. A strong fear rose in her which made her feel colder even than the cold air outside.

    Her intuition told her that Ning Xueyan wasn¡¯t just threatening her. She knew that if she dared to do anything harmful to Ning Xueyan again, she might end up soon like Ning Yuling. Thinking about this, the panic turned to fear on her face. Her legs trembled and she was about to fell to the ground.

    Seeing Ning Xueyan from behind, she bit her lips and decided not to confront again if she had any other choice.

    The moment Ning Xueyan returned to Bright Frost Garden, Mother Han had juste back. Although it was very cold outside, she was still sweating profusely because she had walked back in a hurry.

    "Mother Han, take your time. Qingyu, give a ss of water to Mother Han," Ning Xueyan ordered, walking into the room.

    "I¡¯m fine. I walked fast because I remembered to prepare dumplings for you, miss," Mother Han said with a nod. Seeing there were some maids and servants in the room, she smiled and followed behind Ning Xueyan into the room.

    Qingyu was in the room. When she heard what Ning Xueyan said, she fetched a ss of water and handed it to Mother Han. Then she asked solicitously, "Mother Han, is there anything wrong?"

    Mother Han had frequently gone out recently. She told the others that she went out to pick medicinal materials for Ning Xueyan, but in fact, she was connecting with Mr. Lu, the shopkeeper of Tonghetang Pharmacy. The pharmacy was one of the dowries of Madam Ming, but it was taken by Madam Lingter. When Madam Ming had no money to buy medicine, Mr. Lu would have given her some for free secretly.

    When Madam Ming married to Ning Zu¡¯an, her parents had given her many shops and a lot of money as her dowry. However, all these had fallen into Madam Ling¡¯s hands. Tonghetang was one of the shops of her dowry. Now Mr. Lu of Tonghetang was the only one who was still kind to Madam Ming. As for the other shops¡¯ shopkeepers, either were changed by Madam Ling, or stood on Madam Ling¡¯s side, or didn¡¯t dare to express their anger.

    The dowry list had been taken away by Madam Ling through deceit. Even if Ning Xueyan had known about it, she couldn¡¯t find evidence. Fortunately, her uncle still kept a copy. Until she got this list, Ning Xueyan knew that most of the shops of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor were left by Madam Ming.

    Without Madam Ming¡¯s dowry, Ning Zu¡¯an wouldn¡¯t have been so powerful. However, after Madam Ming had died lonely in Bright Frost Garden, both power and money were taken over by Madam Ling and Ning Zu¡¯an.

    What Ning Xueyan was going to do was to get those shops back.

    When Madam Ling had been sent to the Buddha Hall for the first time, Madam Dowager just did it to show to the others. But after the scandal between Ning Yuling and Marquis of Ping¡¯an was found, Madam Ling was unable to be released from the Buddha Hall that easily. Furthermore, Concubine Xu got into trouble too. Therefore, Madam Dowager was bound to return to power and run the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Madam Dowager was old and she wasn¡¯t energetic enough to take care of everything of the manor, so she would definitely find someone to help her. Ning Xueyan was a madam¡¯s daughter, so she was obviously more suitable than Ning Lingyun to do this job. Moreover, Ning Lingyun was just a concubine¡¯s daughter who was despised by Madam Dowager and she had robbed Ning Yuling¡¯s fianc¨¦.

    What Ning Xueyan needed to do was show her capabilities in front of Madam Dowager and changed her timid image in Madam Dowager¡¯s mind. Fortunately, what Ning Lingyun had done this morning brought her an opportunity to perfectly build up a new image in front of Madam Dowager. Now in Madam Dowager¡¯s opinion, Ning Xueyan had be a smart and aggressive girl, so she would like to give Ning Xueyan the ount books.

    A few ordinary ount books couldn¡¯t mean too much, but they wouldy a foundation for Ning Xueyan to get Madam Ming¡¯s dowry back in the future. It was the first step that cost troublesome, but once you went through the difficulties, the rest would be much easier.

    "Young Lady, Mr. Lu said all the ount books which were checked and signed by Madam Ming had been taken away by First Madam, so there was no ount book left by Madam Ming in the shop," Mother Han frowned and said anxiously after drinking some water and resting for a short while. She had been out these days for the purpose of looking for the ount books signed by Madam Ming. With these ount books, Madam Ling couldn¡¯t say that Madam Ming had given all her dowry to Madam Dowager as the private property of the manor as soon as she had married with Ning Zu¡¯an.

    Normally, the main ount book in a store was often the one with the clearest bnce. At the end of a year, the shopkeeper would give it to his master to review. Then his master would sign on it to indicate that this ount book had been checked. As long as the shop was open, the ount would remain in case the master to check it again.

    "Mammy, did Mr. Lu search everywhere in the shop carefully? Was he sure that none of the ount books has been left?" Qingyu took Mother Han¡¯s tea cup and asked anxiously.

    "Yes. Mr. Lu and I have checked everywhere, hoping to find one, but nothing was left. All the ount books which were created when Madam Ming had just married with the Lord Protection were gone. Mr. Lu had asked the shopkeepers of other shops, and they told him that all the ount books with Madam Ming¡¯s signature on had been taken away by First Madam too when she took over their shops."

    Mother Han said angrily. She flew into a rage at the thought of Madam Ling hogging Madam Ming¡¯s dowry and being arrogant to everyone while Madam Ming and Fifth Young Lady were suffering hardships in Bright Frost Garden. The shops were left by Madam Ming to her daughter. Why should Madam Ling and her daughter have taken them away? And what made Mother Han even angrier was that two of the shops were sent to the Xias as Eldest Young Lady¡¯s dowry.

    "Miss, I¡¯ll go to other shops tomorrow to check if they have any. I don¡¯t believe that none of the ount books was left!"

    "Mother Han, you don¡¯t have to go tomorrow. Because the shopkeepers of the other shops are not close to us, I¡¯m afraid they will tell Madam Ling about this." Ning Xueyan waved her hand and stopped Mother Han from doing so. It was clear that Madam Ling had expected that they would look for these ount books someday, so she had done everything she could to stop them from finding any of them. Besides, it wasn¡¯t Madam Ming who was administrating these shops, so most of the shopkeepers had been changed by Madam Ling.

    At such a moment, if she took too many actions, it would arouse the others¡¯ suspicions.

    "We¡¯ll give up so easily? So the dowry list that your uncle gave you is useless now?" Mother Han was so angry when she recalled that Madam Ming had no money when she wanted to buy some good medicine for Ning Xueyan. Her eyes turned red and tears almost fell down. She turned her head aside and wiped away the tears in her eyes with her sleeve.

    "Young Lady, were those ount books destroyed by First Madam?" Lanning asked in confusion.

    What she said reminded Ning Xueyan. She thought for a short moment and then came up with an idea. Then she turned to Mother Han and said,

    "Mammy, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t give up so easily. When you¡¯re free, go to Auspicious Clouds Courtyard more frequently. Since Madam Ling is locked up in the Buddha Hall and Ning Yuling has been sent away, Auspicious Clouds Courtyard has no masters now and the guard won¡¯t be as strict as before. You can chat with the servants you¡¯re familiar with there to see what¡¯s different about Auspicious Clouds Courtyard!"

    "Miss, do you mean that First Madam didn¡¯t burn all the ount books? But how could she feel assured to hide the ount books there?" Mother Han asked excitedly. She was smart and she immediately understood what Ning Xueyan meant.

    ¡¯The number of the ount books isrge, and for such kind of thing, Madam Ling wouldn¡¯t have dared to burn them openly, so there¡¯s only one possibility, that is, the ount books are still there, but they have been hidden by Madam Ling," Ning Xueyan said, a coldness crossing her eyes. It wasn¡¯t because Madam Ling felt assured to keep the ount books, but she didn¡¯t dare to rob Madam Ming¡¯s property tantly.

    She had already taken the ce of Madam Ming and be First Madam. If the rumors about her robbing Madam Ming¡¯s property got out, even Ning Zu¡¯an couldn¡¯t protect her.

    "Got it! Miss, I¡¯ll go to Auspicious Clouds Courtyard to chat with my old friends right now!" Hearing that it was possible to find those important ount books, Mother Han immediately brightened up. She stood up and was about to leave.

    "Mammy, take your time. We¡¯d better wait for several days, or it will be easy to arouse attention!" Ning Xueyan reminded her with a smile, a coldness shing in her eyes. She knew that she should be more patient and investigate step by step. Since Madam Ling dared keep the ount books, she must have hidden them in a secret ce. Therefore, it was impossible to find them easily.

    Fortunately, Madam Ling wouldn¡¯t be released from the Buddha Hall soon. At the end of the year, those shopkeepers woulde and hand over the ount books of this year...

    In the following days, Ning Xueyan was so busy that she even had no time to have a rest. Madam Dowager had just wanted to test her abilities. After all, Ning Xueyan had never managed the manor before. However, to Madam Dowager¡¯s surprise, she did a good job. Therefore, Madam Dowager was relieved to leave some other ount books to her. Now what she need to do was make sure that Ning Xueyan checked correctly.

    "It¡¯s said that the girl was suspected of carrying my child?" Ao Chenyi took the note which handed over by Yu Jian, the guard team leader from a servant, a mysterious smile appeared on his face. He leaned against his chair and looked very rxed, and a rare touch of softness and interest could be found in his eyes.

    "Yes. Prince Yi, do you mean..."

    "Just wait and see. I want to know what the little girl will do next," he remarked. If necessary, he would punish those who tried to set up Ning Xuyan. But it seemed the ¡¯little wild cat¡¯ was not easy to mess with.

    The sun shone brightly outside the window. Ning Xueyan put down a thick ount book and touched her head. Madam Dowager almost didn¡¯t do any checking now, and she had asked the servants to send all those ount books to Bright Frost Garden. Ning Xueyan had reviewed some of them from the time she got up till now and her brain felt a little dull now. Fortunately, she had finished the work for today.

    "Miss, I have found out who Qing¡¯er is," Lanning lifted the door curtain and walked in. She handed a cup of tea to Ning Xueyan. Then she came up behind her and began to massage her shoulders.

    Qing¡¯er was the little maid who had passed out in Bright Frost Gardenst time. Her physical condition was poor and she obviously couldn¡¯t do any work. She would pass out even if she had stood a little longer.

    "What¡¯s the rtionship between Yu Lian and her?" Ning Xueyan asked in a low voice.

    "She is Yu Lian¡¯s younger sister. It¡¯s said Yu Lian¡¯s father passed away many years ago. Then her mother married to another man and took Qing¡¯er, her young daughter with her. However, that man and his family members ill-treated Qing¡¯er, and they often beat or scolded her when she was still a kid. Qing¡¯er got injured inside, so she is much weaker than ordinary people when she grew up. When she works for a while, she will gasp heavily and sometimes she will even pass out," Lanning answered.

    They felt strange when Yu Lian hadest time, so Lanning looked into it. Since Yu Lian and Qing¡¯er didn¡¯t share the same surname, she thought there was nothing between them. However, after investigation, she found that they were sisters by blood.

 Chapter 145 A Second-class Maid Who Was Paid as a Third-class One

    "Yu Lian must have yed some tricks. Otherwise Qing¡¯er wouldn¡¯t have been sent to Bright Frost Garden. It seems Yu Lian cares about her sister very much," Ning Xueyan said coldly.

    Before, everyone knew that Qing¡¯er would have been safe if she was in Bright Frost Garden, because Ning Xueyan was the young master here, and even she had found that this maid was weak and unable to work, she wouldn¡¯t say anything. Moreover, Madam Ling, who was in charge of the whole manor had never liked Ning Xueyan, so she wouldn¡¯t care even if a maid missing in Bright Frost Garden, let alone a maid couldn¡¯t work because of her poor health.

    That was why Yu Lian had managed to send Qing¡¯er to Bright Frost Garden. She was so smart that nobody had found this before.

    "What does Qing¡¯er do every day?" Ning Xueyan askedzily, narrowing her eyes. The sun outside the window shone on her body. She felt warm and a faint flush came over her cream-like face.

    "She is a third-ss maid. Normally, she should be in charge of some rough works like watering flowers and sweeping floor. However, after she had fainted that day, Mother Han had no other choice, but asked her to do some fine work which needed more delicacy, less strength. Thankfully, she was good at embroidering, so she did the work of a second-ss maid, but got the sry of a third-ss one," Lanning answered.

    She and Mother Han came up with this idea. Since they could neither send her away, nor ask her to do rough works, they had to ask her to do some fine work so that she wouldn¡¯t be so tired.

    "Did Yu Lian visit her?" Ning Xueyan asked, her lip twitched.

    "Yu Lian visited her about once a week, but secretly. Sometimes, she would have brought some invigorator to her. I asked Qing¡¯er about it and she told me that her family worried that she was too weak, so they brought it to her. She never told me that Yu Lian, the maid of First Madam was her sister." Since Ning Xueyan asked her about Qing¡¯erst time, Lanning had paid particr attention to her.

    "Lanning, do you think Yu Lian is beautiful?" Ning Xueyan smiled and suddenly changed the topic.

    Lanning was surprised and wondered why Ning Xueyan asked her about this. "She is very beautiful and more beautiful than most maids in our manor," she answered.

    "Then why hasn¡¯t she realized her dream?" Ning Xueyan raised her head and took a sip of tea quietly, a trace of sarcasm could be found in the depth of her dark eyes.

    "Her dream?" Lanning thought for a while and the answer suddenly popped in her mind. "Because Yu Lian is scared of First Madam!"

    "You¡¯re right. Because she is scared, she has no guts," Ning Xueyan said and the irony in her smile grew more intense. With her beauty, Yu Lian had always wanted to serve Ning Zu¡¯an in the bed, but she dared not to do so, because she was scared of Madam Ling. Ning Xueyan knew something else which she had asked Xinmei to investigate.

    Except for Yu Lian herself, there was another person knew about this too. However, even Yu Lian didn¡¯t know what that person was thinking about.

    "Which one was embroidered by Qing¡¯er?" Ning Xueyan asked, pointing at a pile of clothes beside her. In order to highlight her position, Madam Dowager had many clothes made for her.

    Ning Xueyan preferred in colors, so most of her clothes were light-colored. Madam Dowager asked her to embroider some small flowers on the skirt hem, so she left the work to the maids of Bright Frost Garden who knew how to embroider.

    Lanning and Qingyu were responsible for this work, because they were not assured to let other maids touch the skirts of Ning Xueyan. They had asked the second-ss maids to sew several handkerchiefs with the cloth left over from making skirts. But Ning Xueyan herself wouldn¡¯t use these handkerchiefs. During the Spring Festival, the Young Ladies in the manor would give silver ingots to the maids and servants as gifts. Ning Xueyan could ask someone to wrap the silver ingots in the handkerchiefs and knotted in beautiful shapes before giving them out. They would be more delicate than perfume satchels.

    "Miss, I didn¡¯t dare ask her to embroider on your new dresses, so I only asked her to embroider on some small stuff like handkerchiefs." With that, Lanning walked to the desk in the corner and put out a few handkerchiefs from a hidden drawer. The flowers and grass which were embroidered on the handkerchiefs looked pretty good. At a nce of them, one could tell that these exquisite stitcheries were made by a skilled embroiderer.

    Ning Xueyan picked up a handkerchief with her fingers and touched a bunch of delicate small flower on it. Then she suddenly said coldly, "Tear them!"

    Lanning was shocked and she looked at Ning Xueyan nkly.

    "Cut all of them into pieces," Ning Xueyan ordered with a smile. She moved the handkerchief closer to her and stared at it coldly.

    "Yes, miss! I¡¯ll cut them immediately!" Lanning knew Ning Xueyan must have her reason. She had been obedient to Ning Xueyan, so she didn¡¯t ask more, but cut a beautiful embroidered handkerchief into several pieces with a pair of scissors soon and the embroidery waspletely destroyed.

    "Give these cloth pieces to Qing¡¯er and tell her that I don¡¯t like her embroidery. Ask her to practice more and embroider for me when she is more skilled," Ning Xueyan ordered. The sun outside the window shone on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face, a delicate face with a slight chill.

    "Is Young Lady going to fire Qing¡¯er?"

    "But it seems it¡¯s not the right time. During the period Young Lady has left the manor, Madam Dowager asked First Madam to change a number of maids and servants of Bright Frost Garden. Now just after a short time, Young Lady wanted to change staffs again. Will this annoy Madam Dowager?"

    Lanning wondered. She was nervous and couldn¡¯t figure out what Ning Xueyan meant.

    She looked at Ning Xueyan silently. She was smart, but she was still unable to keep up with Ning Xueyan¡¯s thinking.

    "Since she has always been scolded by me for nothing, she must feel very frustrated. As my personal maid, you¡¯re supposed tofort her. Then you can tell her by the way that nothing happened to Concubine Ma after she had framed me." Ning Xueyan blinked to Lanning, and the chill on her face had been reced by sarcasm.

    "Nothing happened to Concubine Ma after she had framed Young Lady?" Lanning was smart and she suddenly thought of something. It seemed she had understood what her young master was nning. Since she wasn¡¯t confused any more, her brows unfurled. She grinned and nodded hard.

    "Oh! I got it!" she thought.

    In the afternoon, a muffled cry came from a small room on the left of Bright Frost Garden intermittently. The sound of the cry was so faint that no one could hear it if they didn¡¯t listen carefully. A thin, weak young maid wearing a cyan cotton-padded jacket was sobbing bitterly, lying on the edge of her bed. Many cloth pieces scattered on the floor and the bed.

    The embroidery flosses on the cloth pieces were in a total mess.

    "Bang! Bang!" Someone was knocking at the door. "Qing¡¯er, may Ie in?"

    Qing¡¯er, the young maid who was sobbing raised her head and wiped tears off her cheeks when she heard the voice. She opened the door and saw it was Lanning, the first maid of Bright Frost Garden who was standing in front of her. She immediately nodded hard and promised, crying,

    "Sister Lanning, are you here to drive me away? Can you give me an opportunity to stay? I¡¯ll work hard in the future. I can do any kinds of work."

    She lived in a poor family. Her stepfather didn¡¯t treat her and her mother well. Now her mother was made ill by his stepfather, so she had to sell herself to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and became a maid.

    "But Young Lady doesn¡¯t like your embroidery," Lanning said with a sigh. She picked up several pieces of cloth from the floor and moved them closer to her to examine.

    "Sister Lanning, could you please tell me what kind of embroidery Young Lady likes? As long as Young Lady doesn¡¯t drive me away, I will embroider whatever she likes. Sister Lanning, could you please plead Young Lady for me?" Qing¡¯er said with tears in her eyes. She was so weak that she couldn¡¯t do any rough work. If Yu Lian hadn¡¯t yed tricks, nobody would have bought a sick and weak maid.

    So if she was driven away from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she wouldn¡¯t be able to find a new job.

    She looked extremely miserable. "Your embroidery is actually very good..." Lanning said, but she stopped in the middle.

    "Then... why did Young Lady cut the handkerchiefs I embroidered and try to drive me away?" Qing¡¯er¡¯s eyes brightened up and she immediately grabbed Lanning¡¯s sleeve.

    "In fact, it¡¯s not Young Lady who doesn¡¯t like your embroidery, but Concubine Ma..." Lanning said, as if she was in a dilemma. She pushed away Qing¡¯er¡¯s hand from her sleeve and pattered her on the shoulder, as if she had decided not to continue the topic. "Come on! Just collect your belongs. Don¡¯t put me in a dilemma. After all, we¡¯re only maids and can¡¯tpare with Concubine Ma. She is a master of the manor, not like us."

    "Sister Lanning, I know you¡¯re a kind person. Please tell me who wants to drive me away. Even I have to leave, I want to know the truth." Hearing there was something inside, Qing¡¯er was anxious. She pleaded Lanning with red eyes and was reluctant to let go of her grip on Lanning¡¯s skirt.

    Lanning was moved by her pleading and her miserable look. She sat on the edge of the bed, holding Qing¡¯er¡¯s hand. "You should know what kind of person Young Lady is. How could she be mad of you for no reason? It¡¯s all because of Concubine Ma!" she said.

    Mother Han and Lanning had been helping Ning Xueyan to manage Bright Frost Garden. Ning Xueyan never scolded or beat servants, like the other Young Ladies did, so everyone in Bright Frost Garden thought that she was good-tempered. It was the first time that she was mad of Qing¡¯er. Hearing what Lanning said, Qing¡¯er had found something wrong. She then sat down next to Lanning.

    "Sister Lanning, please tell me the truth. I won¡¯t tell anyone else about it to put you in a dilemma," she promised, wiping tears away from her eyes.

    "Young Lady has been helping Madam Dowager to manage the manor recently. She asked a maid to send silver ingots to Concubine Ma this morning. Because she didn¡¯t have perfume satchel at hand at the moment, she used the handkerchief you embroidered to wrap the silver ingots. Surprisingly, Concubine Ma beat the maid who sent the silver ingots to her because she thought our Young Lady looked down upon her by using such an ugly embroidery to wrap the silver ingots. She cut the handkerchief into pieces and threatened to punish the person who embroidered the handkerchief. Obviously, she wanted to stir up trouble. Since Young Lady is managing the inner courtyard, she doesn¡¯t want the others to make trouble because of this, so..."

    Lanning told Qing¡¯er what had happened and then said with a sincere look, "Anyway, Concubine Ma is our master too!"

    "A concubine can only be regarded as half a master at most. How can she bepared to Young Lady?" Qing¡¯er said resentfully. At the thought of herself being driven away because of Concubine Ma, she couldn¡¯t help being annoyed.

    "Although she is just a concubine, marquis dotes on her. She was found to have framed Young Ladyst time, but marquis didn¡¯t me her. Now since First Madam was shut up in the Buddha Hall and Second Madam has passed away, Concubine Ma is likely to be a co-wife in the future relying on her beautiful face. If that¡¯s the case, her families will get benefits and be powerful too. How lucky they will be!"

    Lanning didn¡¯t hide her admiration for Concubine Ma when spoke.

    "She is likely to be Second Madam?" Qing¡¯er¡¯s eyes sparkled.

    "Yes. If she can give birth to a child, then it would be regarded as the child of a madam of our manor. Even her descendants will enjoy prosperity too in the future!" Lanning paused for a while, and then stood up and said, "Qing¡¯er, don¡¯t cry. I¡¯ll persuade Young Lady again. Maybe she would like to keep you. Concubine Ma is the one who should be med. How could she meddle in affairs of Bright Frost Garden! I hope Concubine Ma will forget you, then she won¡¯t get you into trouble anymore."

    "Thank you, Sister Lanning!" Qing¡¯er was delighted. She wiped tears off her cheeks and said gratefully, "I¡¯ll do anything if you don¡¯t drive me away!"

 Chapter 146 the Straw that Breaks the Camels Back

    At the turning of a dead end at Bright Frost Garden, where nobody woulde without any special reason,

    Qing¡¯er was talking to someone tearfully. She wiped the tears from her cheeks with a handkerchief, and said sadly, in a low voice, "Sister, Concubine Ma doesn¡¯t like Fifth Young Lady, so she vented her anger on me. What will mom and I live on if they drive me away?"

    "Don¡¯t think too much. She can¡¯t even protect herself now!" Yu Lian said dismissively. She really detested Concubine Ma. Before First Madam was shut up in Buddha Hall, Concubine Ma had always trailed behind her, ttering her endlessly. Even the servants could not bear her bootlicking ways.

    "Why can¡¯t she even protect herself? Maybe she will be promoted to Second Madam after some time. Now First Madam is in Buddha Hall, and there is no any other madam managing the manor. Since marquis likes Concubine Ma so much, if he decrees it, she will definitely be a real master. If she remembers me when she bes Second Madam in the future, even Fifth Young Lady can¡¯t protect me anymore." Qing¡¯er cried even more bitterly.

    "She should look at herself first before she finds fault with others! How can a woman with such a dirty record, dare dream of bing a madam!" Yu Lian said ironically. Madam Ling was reluctant to let Yu Lian get close to Ning Zu¡¯an, but she still took her as her henchman, so Yu Lian knew something about Concubine Ma.

    "Sister, don¡¯t speak that way. You said that you will be a madam in the future, but now, look at you! You can¡¯t even be a concubine! Otherwise, I would not have to be a maid, and get rejected by others," Qing¡¯er imed, sobbing.

    Hearing what she said, Yu Lian felt ashamed. With a serious look on her face, she said, "What are you talking about? Aren¡¯t you afraid of being overheard?"

    "So what? You told me that you would not forget me when you became rich. But now you¡¯re still a maid, and you even can¡¯t prevent your sister from being bullied by a concubine, let alone be rich! Since you¡¯re so useless, don¡¯t brag in front of mom next time!"

    Qing¡¯er felt very wronged and she began to cry again after being scolded by Yu Lian. She threw all caution to the wind, and her cries grew louder.

    Suddenly, the sound of footsteps could be heard. Yu Lian was worried and she immediately covered Qing¡¯er¡¯s mouth with her hand. She warned her in a low voice, "Why did you speak so loudly? Someone might overhear it. Come on! Stop talking!"

    The sound of footsteps was just at the turning, so Qing¡¯er did not dare to cry out. She bit her lips hard to prevent herself from sobbing.

    "Was there someone quarreling here just now?" a sweet and surprised voice rang out. It was Qingyu.

    "You must have heard wrongly. How could anyone quarrel in a ce like this? Besides, there¡¯s nothing to quarrel about in Bright Frost Garden," Lanning answered gently. Obviously, they had something to do, and were heading for Bright Frost Garden.

    "Lanning, are they serious in marrying her off to Housekeeper Lu¡¯s nephew? It¡¯s terrible! How pitiful that she has to marry that fool! The maid is even more beautiful than Concubine Ma."

    Housekeeper Lu had a nephew who had a mental problem. Whenever he came to the manor and saw a pretty maid, he would call her ¡¯sister¡¯, drooling, and would then rush toward her and hold her. Once, Housekeeper Lu came with his nephew to pay their respects to Madam Ling. When his nephew saw Madam Ling¡¯s maid, Yu Lian, he kept on calling her ¡¯beautiful sister¡¯ and then held her tightly in his arms, saying that he would marry this ¡¯beautiful sister¡¯.

    Yu Lian had nearly been frightened to death. Finally, several older female servants managed to save her from the fool.

    Housekeeper Lu had joked with them, saying that he would like Yu Lian to marry his nephew.

    Yu Lian had a bad feeling when she overheard the conversation between Qingyu and Lanning, so she could not help but listen more intently.

    "But First Madam has her reasons. She is in Buddha Hall now and Yu Lian is so beautiful, so it¡¯s normal for her to worry, in case Yu Lian takes this opportunity to please marquis if she is still in the manor. It¡¯s said that marquis has been fascinated with Yu Lian for a long time already. If First Madam had not stopped him, we would have already called her Concubine Xu! It¡¯s a pity! Beautiful girls are usually unlucky!"

    Qingyu said this, as if she were defending Yu Lian. Then she let out several sighs.

    "That¡¯s her fate. If she was not so well-dressed, marquis would not have noticed her. Unfortunately, she failed to be a concubine, and instead aroused First Madam¡¯s suspicion. No good wille of anyone who offends First Madam. Yu Lian will be sent out of our manor soon. Madam Dowager wanted this matter to be dealt with in a low key manner, so she asked Young Lady to deal with it secretly. ording to the instructions of Madam Dowager, it will be fine, even if she was sent to Housekeeper Lu in a sedan. She is so unlucky!"

    Lanning pretended to sympathize with Yu Lian, but could not help her.

    "First Madam is a person who suffers from great jealousy. Marquis did not do anything but only paid a little more attention to Yu Lian than to the other maids, but First Madam already wanted to drive her away."

    Qingyu grew angrier.

    "Come on! We don¡¯t have to worry about the others. Anyway, we¡¯re not as beautiful as Yu Lian and marquis probably won¡¯t notice us, so we don¡¯t need to worry that we¡¯ll be married off to a fool."

    Lanning patted Qingyu on the shoulder, and then they turned round a corner, and walked toward Bright Frost Garden, talking andughing at the same time. It seemed they didn¡¯t notice there was someone hiding behind the corner.

    Yu Lian was frozen in surprise at the corner, and she had already taken her hand away from Qing¡¯er¡¯s mouth. She gritted her teeth and trembled violently, as if she had been struck by lightning. She was so beautiful, but she would have to marry a fool! Moreover, it was First Madam who had made the decision, so it was inevitable that she lost her temper. It was almost the straw that broke the camel¡¯s back!

    "Look! Not only will you not be a concubine, but you have to marry that idiot!" Qing¡¯er came to Yu Lian for help to soothe her broken heart, but she did not get any useful suggestions from Yu Lian. When she saw Yu Lian standing there in shock, she could not help mocking her.

    "No! I won¡¯t marry that idiot!" Yu Lian had just recovered from her shock. She flew into a rage and she never thought that Lanning and Qingyu had said these deliberately, so that she could overhear them.

    She knew that Madam Ling did not want her to approach Ning Zu¡¯an. Although she dressed up beautifully each time she appeared in front of Ning Zu¡¯an, Ning Zu¡¯an was not her target, so she had never raised any objection to Madam Ling¡¯s decision. She had thought that Madam Ling would give her a chance to serve Eldest Young Master. After all, he was much younger and more handsome, than marquis.

    She was surprised that Madam Ling would be that wicked to marry her off to a fool. Now she realized what Madam Ling said was a lie.

    "Sister, didn¡¯t you hear sister Lanning saying that marquis has always been fascinated with you? If you don¡¯t want to marry that idiot, you¡¯d better go to him as soon as possible. Since you¡¯re more beautiful and younger than Concubine Ma, you¡¯ll definitely win the marquis¡¯ heart." Qing¡¯er remembered what Lanning had said, so she thought if Yu Lian became a concubine, her position in the manor would rise too, and Concubine Ma would never dare bully her again, so she immediately made this suggestion.

    Yu Lian had always dreamed of bing a concubine, and she had promised her mother and her sister that she would definitely be rich in the future. That was why Qing¡¯er came to the manor. However, after waiting for a long time, not only did her sister not get rich, but would be married to an idiot! How could she just wait and do nothing?

    So Qing¡¯er began to advise her sister.

    "Of course I won¡¯t marry an idiot! I must go to marquis immediately. The fortune teller told me that I would enjoy prosperity in the future, so I should not let others push me around. I must find marquis before Housekeeper Lues back. Marquis will definitely help me!" Yu Lian thought.

    "Go back and wait for my news." She pushed Qing¡¯er away and rushed off, clenching her fists.

    Qing¡¯er had not expected that Yu Lian¡¯s reaction would be so furious. Caught unawares, she fell to the ground, when she was pushed. Her bottom hurt so much from the fall that she screamed at once.

    She managed to stand up and then hobbled back, but she looked happy. Once her sister became marquis¡¯ concubine, she would be marquis¡¯ official rtive, and she would not have to serve the others, as a maid, but enjoy afortable life, like a Young Lady.

    Thinking about that, she forgot about her former sadness. And she had already put the possibility of her being thrown out of the manor behind her.

    Qingyu, who had been hiding somewhere near the siblings, had clearly seen every one of their moves. After seeing Yu Lian leave, she turned around and walked into the courtyard. She then headed for the main room to report the news to Ning Xueyan.

    Ning Xueyan was reading a book when Qingyu came in. Hearing what Qingyu said, she put down the book and looked out of the window. Qing¡¯er was walking in, holding on to the wall for support. Several maids in the courtyard saw her limping, so they asked her what happened out of curiosity. She just said, "Nothing," with a poker face, and then walked slowly to her room. She looked quite different from her usual timid self.

    "The siblings were all snobs!"

    Thinking about this, Ning Xueyan did not feel guilty any more in making use of them.

    She wanted Yu Lian to strengthen her determination, so she had asked Lanning and Qingyu to say those words when the siblings were together. What Yu Lian had nned before might be useful for Ning Yuyan in the future.

    Yu Lian wanted to serve a powerful man in bed, so that she could be a concubine of a rich family. She did not really care about who she would serve. But it was impossible to sit on the fence. So Ning Xueyan thought she was helping her to make a decision by giving her a push. It was said that Ning Huaiyuan was going to return in a few days¡¯ time.

    "Arrange for more hands at the outer study room. I don¡¯t like dad to sleep there alone. Besides, he will go to court tomorrow morning. So ask someone to serve him in the morning," Ning Xueyan ordered.

    If more people knew about it, the news would spread quickly.

    In the early morning, everyone in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor knew what happened between Yu Lian and Ning Zu¡¯an. It was said that marquis had asked Yu Lian to serve him in bedst night. And this morning, someone saw Yu Lian going back to Auspicious Clouds Courtyard hurriedly aftering out shyly from the study room of marquis. The maids and the older female servants who had seen her could prove it.

    Madam Ling got up early and went to the cold and cheerless Buddha Hall. She lit up a stick of incense and put it in front of the Buddha. Then she sat on a futon with crossed legs, began to beat the wooden fish and chanted the Buddhist scriptures. Madam Dowager would arrange for someone to check on what she was doing, from time to time. Although she was angry, Madam Ling did not dare to disobey Madam Dowager¡¯s orders.

    At this point, the door was pushed open suddenly. Mother Chen ran hurriedly into the hall. "First Madam! First Madam, I have bad news for you!"

    "Calm down! How could something bad happen so early in the morning?" Madam Ling nced at Mother Chen coldly, her face darkening. She had only been here for a few days, but already some gray hairs could be seen at her temples. She was not as charming and happy as she used to be, and looked cold and depressed.

    No one would believe that the smart and tactful Marchioness looked ten years older!

    "First Madam, someone said that the little bitch, Yu Lian, served marquis in his bedst night! And this morning, she was seening out from marquis¡¯ study room, her clothes in disarray. The kitchen staff said that marquis asked someone to cook soup to nourish her constitution!" Mother Chen was so anxious that she raised her voice.

    "ng!" the wooden fish slipped from Madam Ling¡¯s hands and dropped on her feet.

 Chapter 147 Tie Up that Little Bitch and Drown Her

    Madam Ling¡¯s face was livid and her look was ferocious. She pounded the table heavily and said, while gritting her teeth, "What? She apanied marquis in the studyst night?"

    Mother Chen rolled her eyes, and said angrily, "Yes. When I went out in the morning, the people in this manor were saying that marquis would promote Yu Lian to Concubine, after hees back from the court."

    Mother Chen knew that Madam Ling had always protected Yu Lian. Besides, Yu Lian had promised Madam Ling that she would never have any rtionship with marquis and would instead, serve the Eldest Young Master. Unexpectedly, Yu Lian had betrayed Madam Ling and seduced marquis as soon as Madam Ling entered Buddha hall. How could Madam Ling not be angry?

    "Bitch! She¡¯s a bitch. She makes me so mad! If I knew that was going to happen, I would have killed her." Madam Ling was so angry that she went around in circles, while gritting her teeth. Without her permission, her maid actually had sex with Ning Zu¡¯an. What would the others think of her?

    "Yu Lian promised us at that time. Unexpectedly, she went back on her words. First Madam, don¡¯t be angry. No matter what she does, she will only be a concubine. She can¡¯t take away your control."

    Mother Chen was angry, but she did not lose her reasoning. She pulled Madam Ling and made her sit on the cushion.

    "You go out in a minute and ask Housekeeper Lu to find some people to tie Yu Lian up, and drown her directly!" Madam Ling said this ferociously, as she gritted her teeth.

    "First Madam, don¡¯t do that. I feel that there is something strange going on. What did Yu Lian tell you? The future you promised her, is much better than the one she chose. Why was she so daring? Why did she suddenly go to marquis¡¯s study? Was it because she was bewitched or instructed by someone else? Otherwise, how dare she betray you?"

    Mother Chen had sobered up, but was still in a state of confusion, while trying to pacify Madam Ling.

    This reminded Madam Ling of something. She screwed her handkerchief, with a gloomy face, while frowning. Was it rted to Ning Xueyan?

    "First Madam, you¡¯re in Buddha Hall now. Everything you¡¯re going to do, is not appropriate. We¡¯d better wait for the Eldest Young Master toe. Anyway, he is the only son of marquis. As long as the Eldest Young Master is here, marquis will certainly let you out. At that time, you¡¯ll have an advantage when you deal with both Yu Lian and the Fifth Young Lady."

    As long as Madam Ling was still the marchioness, she was the mother of all the children, and the Legal Wife.

    Besides, she had given birth to Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s only son.

    This remark made sense. Madam Ling looked up at the dusky room and had a grim sneer on her face. "Okay, I¡¯ll wait. I won¡¯t let that little bitch die a natural death."

    Although she said that, she was still unwilling to yield, and there was a sh of cruelty in her eyes.

    In the Bright Frost Garden, Ning Xueyan had gone to bed early. All of a sudden, she smelt something strange. Immediately, she opened her eyes and subconsciously reached under the pillow, for the sharp dagger, she had ced there before. But before she could reach the dagger, her wrist was caught in a heavy grip.

    That strong force immediately made her hand weak. She was shocked and struggled, hoping to knock against the table beside the bed. There were cups of tea on the table. As long as she knocked down the cups, others would know that something had happened, and no one could quietly take her away. Unfortunately, it seemed that the person knew what her intentions were, and what she wanted to do.

    Ning Xueyan was grabbed tightly by her waist and then she was lifted up. Seeing that she was getting further and further away from the table, Ning Xueyan tried hard to open her mouth and shout. Suddenly, a familiar voice came into her ears. "What¡¯s wrong? Are you scared? Little wildcat, I know you¡¯re very bold. You even dared to frame the marchioness of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Howe you¡¯re so timid now?"

    When she heard the voice, Ning Xueyan suddenly rxed, and was not nervous or scared at all. Instead, she felt angry.

    Ao Chenyi! It was Ao Chenyi again. Instead of sleeping, he had broken into her boudoir. What did he want to do? People might die of fright, if they were suddenly frightened by others. Even though she had been reborn and was bold, she would still be scared. Just because she was bold, did she deserve to be scared by him like that? He could not be more daring!

    "What¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t you want to see me? Unfortunately, my favorite concubine has run away, so I have toe and see her." He pinched Ning Xueyan¡¯s nose so forcefully that she frowned, due to the pain. Shyness and anger shed across her face.

    They were still going up and finally rested on a beam in the middle of the house. Ao Chenyi, hugged her tightly and whispered in her ears, with a smile on his face, "Come with me, my favorite concubine. I¡¯ll show you a good show."

    Ning Xueyan calmed down, looked at the half-open window and the dark sky, and asked, "Prince Yi, are you sure that we¡¯ll be able to see the show from here?" She did not feel that climbing up a beam at night, instead of sleeping, was a good n.

    "Of course not. But, don¡¯t you want to put on a coat before leaving? Or do you want to stay in my arms all the time?" Under the moonlight, Ao Chenyi¡¯s eyes were as dark as ink, and his voice soundedzy. However, he did not put Ning Xueyan down to let her put on a coat, even though he said those words.

    "Then please get the coat for me, Prince Yi." Ning Xueyan blinked and pointed to a pile of clothes on the screen below.

    Now that he had mentioned it, she ordered him to do so.

    "If your rigorous grandmother saw that we¡¯re having a private meeting in your boudoir at this time, will she feel that we have been together a long time ago?" Ao Chenyi narrowed his eyes slightly and said this casually, while ncing at Ning Xueyan, in the darkness. He had good eyesight, so he immediately saw the blush, as well as the irrepressible anger, on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face.

    It was really very interesting. Looking at the angry and depressed Ning Xueyan, Ao Chenyi was in a good mood.

    "Prince Yi, if we¡¯rete, we will miss the y, but others will see it, instead?" Ning Xueyan was both shy and angry, and she wished that she could bite him on the spot. However, the little fish cannot eat the big fish. Moreover, she was held by Ao Chenyi in mid-air, and had to depend on him, so she would not fall.

    Could any woman¡¯s reputation be joked about like that?

    "Fine, since you want to see the show so much, I¡¯ll carry you there!" Ao Chenyi was in a good mood and flew out of the window, while carrying Ning Xueyan in his arms. The wind was very strong. Ning Xueyan huddled in his arms, subconsciously. Ao Chenyi felt that and wrapped her tightly in his cloak. Following four shadows directly, he jumped onto the roof and sped towards a certain direction.

    Ning Xueyan believed that the four shadows must be his guards.

    After jumping over several roofs, Ao Chenyi came into a room through the window, while carrying Ning Xueyan, and then sat on the beam this time. Ao Chenyi loosened his hold and immediately Ning Xueyan felt unsteady, and hurriedly grabbed hold of his waist. Although she was mentally berating him, she dared not let it show on her face.

    "Prince Yi, what are we doing here?" Under the moonlight outside the window, Ning Xueyan looked around the room and felt that she had never seen this room before. Or it could be said that she had never noticed it before.

    This room should still be in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Ning Xueyan recognized that it was still Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, when she looked around, outside the room.

    The room was simr to all the other rooms. The decoration inside was gorgeous, but it was also very old. The room was still clean. It seemed that someone had been cleaning it regrly. The room was not small, which made one feel that the person who lived here, should be a master.

    But Ning Xueyan had not seen anyone from Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, living in this room.

    Ning Xueyan stretched out her hand, gently poked Ao Chenyi¡¯s waist, and asked, "Where are we?" This ce does not look like a ce where people would live.

    "Just wait for the good show!" Ao Chenyi seemed very interested. He craned his neck and whispered in her ear. The warm breath around her ear, made her tilt her head uneasily. However, instead of keeping away from her ear, Ao Chenyi blew in her ear, instead.

    Immediately, Ning Xueyan blushed and anger appeared on her face.

    At this time, the door opened unexpectedly, and someone Ning Xueyan had never expected, appeared.

    Ning Zu¡¯an. It was Ning Zu¡¯an.

    Ning Zu¡¯an, the Lord Protector, was in his own home and had sneaked into an old room, with antern in his hands. Shouldn¡¯t he be with Yu Lian at this time? Why was he here alone?

    Ning Xueyan narrowed her eyes slightly and stared closely at Ning Zu¡¯an. Ning Zu¡¯an was thest person she expected, to see, at this time. This was the good show Ao Chenyi brought her to see?

    "Marquis..." He was not alone. Ning Xueyan could not see the person, but she could hear the voice. It was familiar, but she could not remember who it was, for a moment. But she was sure that the person was neither an ordinary older female servant, or a maid.

    "You go back first." Ning Zu¡¯an waved one hand impatiently, while holding antern in the other, and asked the woman to leave.

    "Yes, marquis!" The woman outside, did not enter the room. Ning Xueyan heard her retreating footsteps.

    Ning Zu¡¯an put thentern on the table and looked around, and frowned. Then he walked to the big bed and sat down, keeping his body still, as if he was thinking about something.

    Ning Xueyan knew that Ning Zu¡¯an was good at Kung Fu, so she dared not breathe hard. She just huddled in Ao Chenyi¡¯s arms and did not move at all. She did not understand what Ning Zu¡¯an was doing here, at this time.

    Ning Zu¡¯an sat on the bed for a while, and then stood up. It seemed that he was looking for something. He searched behind and under the bed, and almost all the hidden ces. Next, he knocked on the bed, the table, and even on the wall. But he found nothing.

    Obviously, he could not find what he was searching for.

    After that, Ning Zu¡¯an stopped and sat on the bed, and rested, while looking around. Then he stood up and pounded the bed again. He still found nothing unusual.

    Ning Xueyan kept watching Ning Zu¡¯an, who always appeared calm in front of people, walking around the room for one hour, like a headless fly, and finding nothing in the end. Eventually, he picked up thentern, closed the door, and left.

    Hearing the retreating footsteps of Ning Zu¡¯an, Ning Xueyan wanted to rx and stretch her rigid body. But Ao Chenyi stopped her and said, "Don¡¯t move!"

 Chapter 148 Whose House Is This?

    Ning Xueyan understood, and immediately remained motionless. After a while, they suddenly heard the door opening again. Under the light, Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s face appeared strange and looked blue in color.

    After making sure that there was nothing unusual in the room, Ning Zu¡¯an closed the door and left.

    "Do you want to know whose house this is?" Ao Chenyi¡¯s low and sophisticated voice drifted to Ning Xueyan¡¯s ear.

    "Whose?" Ning Xueyan nodded at once. She really wanted to know whose house this was. Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s behavior tonight, was very strange. This kind of behavior did not match his status at all.

    This time, Ao Chenyi directly answered, "It¡¯s your mother¡¯s. Your mother used to live here, when she was the Legal Wife."

    Was this Madam Ming¡¯s house? Ning Xueyan was silent. In her memory, she had been living in Bright Frost Garden all the time, and she thought that Bright Frost Garden was the ce where Madam Ming had been living. Unexpectedly, there was another courtyard here. This house was better than Madam Ling¡¯s Auspicious Clouds Courtyard, in size and decoration. Ao Chenyi was not lying to her.

    "What is Ning Zu¡¯an looking for?" Ning Xueyan asked, puzzled. She did not think that Ning Zu¡¯an could not sleep at night, and came to the house where Madam Ming lived before, to look for something, because he missed Madam Ming.

    "Maybe he¡¯s looking for the property left by your mother. Look at him, he doesn¡¯t sleep at night, andes here to find something. How pitiful he is! Is the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor so poor now?" Ao Chenyi sighed with emotion, as he said that. His words were ridiculous, but unexpectedly, it exined why Ning Zu¡¯an could not sleep at night.

    Knowing that she would not get the answer as long as Ao Chenyi did not want to say, Ning Xueyan did not ask anymore, and turned to Ao Chenyi, "Prince Yi, the show is over, when will you send me back?"

    "I heard that you¡¯re going to send a concubine to your father. Do I need to do some good deeds and send him some, too?" Ao Chenyi said this, and pulled hard at Ning Xueyan¡¯s long hair.

    "It hurts!" Ning Xueyan did not expect him to do that, so she did not stop him in time. She nearly cried, because her hair had been pulled so roughly. She stared at Ao Chenyi with great unhappiness. She really did not understand why he, the Prince Yi, could do such a childish thing.

    "Does it hurt? You dealt with the mother, but the son ising. I heard that Ning Huaiyuan is returning soon. Are you not afraid that Ning Huaiyuan will kill you?" Ao Chenyi looked at Ning Xueyan, as he said those words, that were filled with so much meaning.

    "I¡¯m not afraid!" Ning Xueyan¡¯s gaze became cold and a hint of cruelty appeared in her eyes. Since she had been reborn, she was certainly out for revenge. Both Madam Ling and her daughters were her enemies, so the elder brother, who was said to be talented, was also her enemy.

    "Fine, I¡¯ll wait for your good show. Don¡¯t lose your life, due to dealing with them!" Ao Chenyi seemed to discovered something interesting, and said that, with an evil smile on his face. He decided to let Ning Xueyan go. He carried Ning Xueyan, went out through the window, and went to Bright Frost Garden.

    It was getting more and more interesting.

    In the morning, Ning Xueyan returned to her own courtyard, after greeting Madam Dowager.

    "Young Lady, after Mother Chen entered Buddha Hall, nothing has happened. It seems that they know nothing. The First Madam is so tolerant this time, and did not make any trouble." Lanning reported to Ning Xueyan, who was making perfume.

    The medicine had been mixed into the powder. Others could not find anything unusual. The smell appeared to be fresher and more natural, than the original smell. This prescription had been given to Ning Xueyan by Aunt Xiang, before.

    Ning Xueyan put down the powder box in her hands, and smelt it. She said, with a casual smile on her face, "After putting up with so many things, she is certainly smart. If she was not patient, it would not be possible for her to wait until the day, when marquis will pick her up."

    Madam Ling had been Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s secret lover for many years. In order for her to return to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor in a decent way, she did not even hesitate to let her son be known as an illegitimate child. She had endured so much, for so many years before marrying Ning Zu¡¯an. She was a woman with great endurance. The reason why she lost out, when she faced Ning Xueyan was because she was careless, and thought of Ning Xueyan as being the defenseless one.

    Having a knife pointed at her head, Madam Ling had no choice, but to endure.

    Ning Xueyan was looking forward to see the extent of Madam Ling¡¯s endurance limit!

    "Didn¡¯t Yu Lian go to the study today?" Ning Xueyan casually closed the box, and washed her hands in a nearby basin.

    Yu Lian was Madam Ling¡¯s First Maid and still lived in Auspicious Clouds Courtyard. After what had happened the night before yesterday, people in the manor guessed that she would immediately became the concubine. Unexpectedly, Ning Zu¡¯an had not promoted her to concubine status yet. How could she not be worried?

    When she found that her Young Lady no longer mentioned what had happened in Buddha hall, Lanning changed the topic. She handed Ning Xueyan a handkerchief, and said, "Yu Lian went to marquis¡¯s study against night. I heard that marquis asked someone to boil soup for her, early in the morning. This matter has been spread all over the manor. This morning, more people saw Yu Lianing out of marquis¡¯s study."

    This had originally, been specially arranged by Ning Xueyan. In the name of serving Ning Zu¡¯an, Ning Xueyan had arranged for more people to serve Ning Zu¡¯an. How could they not see Yu Lianing out of Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s house, with her messy clothes, in the morning, for two consecutive days?

    After calcting the time, Ning Xueyan thought there would be some results today. Ning Zu¡¯an could no longer pretend that nothing had happened, otherwise, not only Yu Lian would lose face.

    Ning Xueyan took the handkerchief, wiped the water from her hands. She pointed to several ount books ced on the table, in front of the window, and with a smile on her face, said "Come on, let¡¯s visit Madam Dowager and show these ount books to her."

    Although she was the one who checked the ount books, the final decision was made by Madam Dowager, who was worried, whether Ning Xueyan could manage the whole family well.

    On the way to Lucky Garden, Ning Xueyan encountered Madam Dowager Liu, who was rarely in charge of affairs at Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    She was walking ahead, with several maids and older female servants. Seeing Ning Xueyaning, she stopped and waited for Ning Xueyan.

    "Grandaunt, how do you do!" Ning Xueyan went forward, letting go of Lanning¡¯s hands, and bowing to Madam Dowager Liu.

    Madam Dowager Liu shook her hand, and gently asked Ning Xueyan, in confusion, but with a smile on her face, "Xueyan, are you going to see your grandmother now? Haven¡¯t you greeted her yet?"

    Although it was not lunch time yet, it was not early.

    "I¡¯ve greeted her in the morning. Now I¡¯m going to show her these ount books. I don¡¯t know whether I did it correctly or not. Grandmother needs to check it again." Ning Xueyan answered, with a soft smile of shyness, on her face.

    "s, it¡¯s hard for you. You¡¯re still a child, but there is no one useful, in the manor now." Madam Dowager Liu sighed, and looked at Ning Xueyan, kindly. A fourteen-year-old was old enough, and many women from other respectable families started learning how to manage the whole family, and read ount books, when they turned thirteen or fourteen years old.

    But Ning Xueyan¡¯s situation was different. She had been in Bright Frost Garden all the time, and had never been taught these things before. So it would certainly be hard at first. From her thin face, one could tell that she had spent a lot of time and energy on it.

    Madam Dowager Liu was not Madam Dowager. She was not that much of an utilitarian, and was fond of Ning Xueyan. But she was not Ning Xueyan¡¯s grandmother, and could not speak up for her, and interfere in these affairs.

    "Grandaunt, it¡¯s not difficult. It will onlyst for a few days. Grandmother is old. We should help her, but... there are some things I really don¡¯t understand." Ning Xueyan shook her head. After all, she was still young. Although she did not want anyone to discover her difficulty, her furrowed eyebrows showed that she had run into some problems.

    Madam Dowager Liu became serious and asked, "What¡¯s wrong? Is someone making trouble for you?"

    Madam Dowager Liu clearly knew about the status of Ning Xueyan, in the manor. Although she was asked to take care of the ounts, this time, it was inevitable that some people would deliberately make things difficult for her.

    "Nobody deliberately makes things difficult for me". It seemed that her secret had been revealed, so Ning Xueyan flushed with embarrassment. She wanted to deny it, but failed under Madam Dowager Liu¡¯s sharp gaze. So she exined, "Grandaunt, mother is now in Buddha hall to refine herself. So I have to manage Auspicious Clouds Courtyard. But I can¡¯t be too strict with mother¡¯s servants."

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s words were implicit, but Madam Dowager Liu immediately understood. Instantly, she got angry and said, "Yan¡¯er, don¡¯t be too polite to them. Your mother is absent. If there is any servant who dares to offend you, you just drive them away. Your grandmother is behind you to support you, you need not be afraid of them."

    Ning Xueyan smiled gently and said, "Er... I¡¯m afraid mother will be unhappy and embarrassed!"

    Seeing that Ning Xueyan dared not interfere with the affairs of Auspicious Clouds Courtyard, Madam Dowager Liu sighed privately. She knew Madam Ling well. If Ning Xueyan really punished someone at Auspicious Clouds Courtyard, Madam Ling would make trouble again. At the thought of this, Madam Dowager Liu got very angry.

    Many big events had happened at the womenfolk courtyard of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor recently. Scandals had been exposed, one by one. Although Madam Dowager Liu lived a half-hermitic life, she was aware of what was happening. She could not stand it any longer, when she heard the news about Ning Zu¡¯an, during these two mornings. So she hade over today, with her maids and older female servants, to discuss it with Madam Dowager, and wanted toe up with a solution.

    They could not let Lord Protector¡¯s Manor be so disorderly any longer. Look, now, even Ning Zu¡¯an was bing so unruly. He actually had sex with Madam Ling¡¯s maid. Moreover, Madam Ling happened to be in Buddha Hall. This kind of thing was disgraceful, in any case.

    Without the permission of Legal Wife, he actually had sex with her personal maid.

    This was the reason why Madam Dowager Liu had rushed to Lucky Garden, in anger. She originally wanted Madam Dowager to punish the girl who seduced Ning Zu¡¯an. But after listening to Ning Xueyan, she had another idea.

    They arrived at the gate of Lucky Garden, while they were talking. An alert maid saw theming, and hurried to report to Madam Dowager. Knowing that Madam Dowager Liu was also there, Madam Dowager specially asked Mother Qin to wee Madam Dowager Liu at the gate of the courtyard. She then came into the room, with the help of Ning Xueyan.

    Madam Dowager met Madam Dowager Liu and asked, with a smile on her face, "Sister, why are you here at this time? Is there something wrong?"

    The rtionship between herself and Madam Dowager Liu was very good. Besides, ever since she came to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Madam Dowager Liu had never interfered in the affairs of the womenfolk courtyard. Instead, she lived a quiet and half-hermitic life. So she was on good terms with Madam Dowager.

    "Sister, something about Zu¡¯an, has been brought to my attention, this morning." Madam Dowager Liu sat down, and said that, with a serious look.

    Madam Dowager blushed as soon as she heard what Madam Dowager Liu said. She red at Ning Xueyan with great displeasure, and eximed, "Xueyan, is that how you manage the family? How could that happen?"

    Although it was no big deal that the master had sex with a maid, the problem now, was that Madam Ling, the hostess, was in Buddha Hall, and knew nothing about it. It was a shame that her personal maid had sex with the master, in any case.

    Madam Dowager was ashamed, and subconsciously dumped the me on Ning Xueyan, who was the temporary housekeeper. She did not think about how a daughter could possibly interfere in her father¡¯s sex life.

    Therefore, Ning Xueyan was prepared for it. She calmly admitted her fault, "Grandma, I did not restrain the servants of Auspicious Clouds Courtyard. It¡¯s my fault."

    After Ning Xueyan admitted her mistake, Madam Dowager felt a bit odd, and could not speak for a moment.

    "She¡¯s just Zu¡¯an¡¯s daughter. Can she handle this kind of thing?" Madam Dowager Liu snorted in discontent.

 Chapter 149 The Tactful Concubine Xu

    That was true. How could a daughter interfere in this kind of thing?

    Talking about that maid, Madam Dowager became very angry. She snorted and said coldly, with a gloomy face, "After Zu¡¯anes back, I¡¯ll ask him to take that undisciplined main to his study, to serve him. She¡¯d better not live in Auspicious Clouds Courtyard."

    Although she disliked Madam Ling, she still thought that it was undisciplined of Madam Ling¡¯s personal maid to have sex with Ning Zu¡¯an, at this time.

    As far as she was concerned, Yu Lian should be executed directly. But she was also afraid that it would arouse her son¡¯s anger. So she came up with a good way to keep everyone happy. She would not promote that maid to be a concubine, and would only regard her as Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s sex partner.

    "Sister, I think that is not a good idea. Madam Ling is in Buddha Hall now, and her courtyard is under no one¡¯s supervision. This should be remedied. Yu Lian is the first one. What if the second one and the third one appear, after several days? Yan¡¯er is only a daughter, she can¡¯t be fully in charge of Auspicious Clouds Courtyard."

    After listening to Madam Dowager¡¯s thoughts, Madam Dowager Liu frowned. Her previous thoughts were the same as Madam Dowager¡¯s. But after talking with Ning Xueyan, she felt it was improper. There should be someone in charge of Auspicious Clouds Courtyard now. If it went on like this, Auspicious Clouds Courtyard would soon be in great chaos.

    Madam Dowager Liu¡¯s words were reasonable. Hearing that, Madam Dowager frowned even more. It would be really hard to solve this problem.

    "Sister, I have an idea. You can let me know whether it is good. Yu Lian has had sex with Zu¡¯an. I also heard that Zu¡¯an asked people in the kitchen to make soup for her, in the morning. It seems that he likes Yu Lian. So let¡¯s promote her to a concubine status. She was the First Maid of Auspicious Clouds Courtyard, now it can be said that she¡¯s the master and can restrain the people of Auspicious Clouds Courtyard. We can let her manage Auspicious Clouds Courtyard now. When Madam Linges out, we¡¯ll discuss it further."

    Madam Dowager Liu expressed this idea which she suddenly came up with, while she was talking with Ning Xueyan. Of course, this idea would not make Ning Zu¡¯an lose face.

    It was reasonable for her to think so. Yu Lian was the First Maid of Auspicious Clouds Courtyard, and had been in charge of the people of Auspicious Clouds Courtyard before. Besides, after she became the concubine, she would be one of the masters of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Then it would be normal for her, to help Ning Xueyan manage Auspicious Clouds Courtyard. Furthermore, since she became the concubine in such an unseemly way, she would have to pay more attention in managing Auspicious Clouds Courtyard, so as to prevent the other maids from doing the same thing.

    In this way, they could prevent things like this from happening again!

    "That would be okay..." After thinking for a moment, Madam Dowager understood Madam Dowager Liu¡¯s meaning, and nodded. Yu Lian would only be a concubine, whom Madam Dowager would not take seriously. "But someone has to inform Madam Ling..."

    If they did not inform Madam Ling, this matter would not be justifiable. The concubine was also Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s wife, so Yu Lian had to serve tea to Madam Ling. Only in this way could Yu Lian be a perfectly justifiable concubine. But now Madam Ling was still in Buddha Hall. She would make trouble again, if she knew that Ning Zu¡¯an was going to promote Yu Lian to be a concubine.

    Madam Dowager Liu disliked Madam Ling. She snorted and said, "It¡¯s her own fault. She didn¡¯t choose a good maid. No one else is to me!"

    That was to say like master, like maid!

    "Grandaunt, it¡¯s not mother¡¯s fault. Nobody expected that the maid would do such a thing!" Ning Xueyan managed to persuade Madam Dowager Liu, over time. But no one saw the strange look shing in her eyes.

    Wasn¡¯t Madam Ling always so tolerant? Now her maid had betrayed her and seduced Ning Zu¡¯an. Ning Xueyan was looking forward to see how much she was able to endure.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s words did notfort Madam Dowager Liu, but aroused Madam Dowager¡¯s anger, instead. "She neither chose good maids, nor taught her daughters well. I do not think she is decent. I¡¯ll ask someone to inform her. Zu¡¯an is a marquis, he doesn¡¯t need her approval when he decides to promote someone to be his concubine!"

    When she thought about Ning Yuling, who she had cultivated with great care, hade to such an end, because of her misbehavior, and also had been disfigured due to Madam Ling¡¯s p, Madam Dowager was very angry and hated Madam Ling. She angrily said these words, with a gloomy face.

    "Grandmother, mother is the marchioness anyway. It won¡¯t be good if she makes trouble. So we¡¯d better ask someone who is close to her, to inform her in a euphemistic way!" Ning Xueyan advised.

    "We need not look for someone who is close to her. Just ask someone to inform her. If she had spent all her wisdom on her daughters daily, since she came to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, her daughter would not have been so foolish, so that a good marriage has been destroyed. Now she was still staring at Zu¡¯an¡¯s affairs. Is this the attitude that the Legal Wife should have?"

    The more Madam Dowager spoke, the angrier she became, and she even started gasping, due to her anger.

    Madam Dowager Liu did not say anything, for a while. Although she was an elder, she lodged at Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and could not criticize Madam Ling too much. She took the tea from Mother Qin, handed it to Madam Dowager and tried to calm her, saying "Sister, forget it. Harmony brings wealth. We should be harmonious, so that outsiders can¡¯tugh at us."

    Madam Dowager took the tea and drank it, to calm down. Although she knew that Madam Dowager Liu¡¯s words were reasonable, she still could not calm down, whenever she thought about Madam Ling. She took a deep breath, and coldly ordered Xiangmiao, who was standing aside.

    "Xiangmiao, ask Concubine Xu to inform Madam Ling that the marquis will have one more concubine, and then bring the new concubine to Buddha Hall, to serve tea to Madam Ling. Let¡¯s not make anyone lose face."

    Among the several concubines in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Concubine Xu was the one closest to Madam Ling. She used to be Madam Ling¡¯s personal maid. No one was closer to Madam Ling than her!

    Because of Madam Dowager Liu¡¯s words, Madam Dowager swallowed her pride and agreed to find a suitable person to talk to Madam Ling, about this matter.

    "Yes, I¡¯ll tell Concubine Xu now!" Looking at Madam Dowager¡¯s face, Xiangmiao knew that she was really angry. Although she thought that it was not proper to ask Concubine Xu to inform Madam Ling, she dared not disobey Madam Dowager. Madam Dowager was in a bad mood, and Xiangmiao would be punished if she disobeyed her, in front of so many people.

    Xiangmiao hurriedly nodded, and left.

    Looking at Xiangmiao¡¯s back, Ning Xueyan had a light and cold smile on her face.

    Concubine Xu was indeed the right person to talk to Madam Ling. But now what she was about to inform Madam Ling was the matter regarding Yu Lian and Ning Zu¡¯an. Strictly speaking, what happened to Concubine Xu and Ning Zu¡¯an was exactly the same as what happened to Yu Lian and Ning Zu¡¯an. After she became Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s concubine, Concubine Xu stooped topromise, and dared not disobey Madam Ling, as if she was still a maid.

    So she could have a daughter!

    But this was true before Ning Lingyun grabbed Ning Yuling¡¯s fiance. Now, maybe Madam Ling could not help getting angry as soon as she saw Concubine Xu, let alone Concubine Xu informing her about the marriage between Yu Lian and Ning Zu¡¯an.

    The reason why Ning Xueyan deliberately added fuel to the fire, was because she wanted to push Concubine Xu to Madam Ling.

    Ning Xueyan stopped thinking about it, and watched Madam Dowager and Madam Dowager Liu chatting for a while. Then she showed Madam Dowager the ount books and asked some key questions, from time to time, which satisfied Madam Dowager. She increasingly liked this little granddaughter in front of her, and her livid face rxed.

    Madam Dowager thought that this granddaughter was so smart and beautiful, and maybe would have a bright future. So she had to make a better n. The Third Prince was likely to ascend the throne in the future, but the Fourth Prince was also powerful. She had to choose a fiance for Ning Xueyan, carefully, in line with the interests of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    So she became more and more patient with Ning Xueyan.

    Madam Dowager disclosed all she knew, when Ning Xueyan asked, and Madam Dowager Liu also said something, from time to time. It was harmonious and happy for a moment!

    When they were talking, Madam Dowager heard that Concubine Xu wanted to see her. She put down the ount books with displeasure, and said to Xiangmiao who came in to report, "What¡¯s the matter this time? Has she gone to First Madam¡¯s ce, already?"

    Xiangmiao hesitated for a moment and replied, "Not yet. Madam Dowager, Concubine Xu said she wants to talk to you, first." She thought that Concubine Xu was really not sensible. She had told her not toe to Lucky Garden at this time. But Concubine Xu said she had to tell Madam Dowager that it was not appropriate for her to be the one, to inform Madam Ling.

    Sure enough, Madam Dowager¡¯s face darkened and she asked unhappily, "What¡¯s the matter?"

    "Concubine Xu said that it would be inappropriate for her to inform the First Madam!" Xiangmiao hesitated for a while, as she looked at Madam Dowager¡¯s face. Madam Dowager did not allow Concubine Xu toe in, which meant that she did not want to see Concubine Xu.

    Thinking that Concubine Xu dared to doubt her, Madam Dowager was very angry. She pounded heavily on the table and shouted angrily, "Inappropriate? Why is it inappropriate? She¡¯s just a concubine, how dare she be so hypercritical?"

    "No... no. Concubine Xu said..." Xiangmiao was scared and hurried to exin. She wanted to say that Concubine Xu used to be First Madam¡¯s maid, andter became Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s concubine. First Madam would be angry if Concubine Xu went to inform First Madam.

    "Xiangmiao, tell Concubine Xu not to go against grandmother¡¯s wishes. She¡¯ll just have to go and inform mother. Mother won¡¯t do anything to her. Tell her to go." Ning Xueyan interrupted Xiangmiao, smiled, and asked her to persuade Concubine Xu, not to make Madam Dowager angry.

    But in fact, Ning Xueyan was stopping Xiangmiao from exining.

    "Yes, I¡¯ll tell her now." Since Ning Xueyan said so, Xiangmiao nced at Madam Dowager¡¯s gloomy look, dared not say more, and quickly left.

    Ning Xueyan narrowed her dark jade-like eyes and secretly smiled. Concubine Xu was indeed interesting, and should not be underestimated. In Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, there were a few concubines. But she was the only one who had a daughter and raised her. She was not a simple person.

    Concubine Xu knew that Madam Ling would vent her anger on her, so she intentionally came to Lucky Garden first. Whether Madam Dowager saw her or not, she had visited Madam Dowager anyway. If Madam Ling made any trouble then, it would have nothing to do with her. As long as Madam Dowager was here, Madam Ling would not get any benefits, no matter how much trouble she made. Maybe she would be reprimanded by Madam Dowager. Concubine Xu took advantage of Madam Dowager¡¯s rebuke to deal with Madam Ling.

    Ning Lingyun had used the same method to frame Ning Xueyan. But Concubine Xu was more skillful than Ning Lingyun!

    However, Ning Xueyan had no intention of exposing Concubine Xu¡¯s plot. After Ning Lingyun had grabbed Ning Yuling¡¯s fiance, Madam Ling could no longer trust Concubine Xu, and they were no longer in the same team.

    The news from Buddha Hall arrived quickly. After about 15 minutes, Ning Xueyan heard a voice outside. Madam Dowager and Madam Dowager Liu were talking, and neither of them paid any attention to it. Ning Xueyan had been paying attention and heard themotion. She pretended to read through the ount books carefully, and hid the coldness in her eyes.

    She wasing...

    "Grandma, I can¡¯t finish reading all these ount books at once. So I¡¯ll take them back and go through themter." Ning Xueyan raised her head, and softly asked for permission to leave, as if she had not heard anything.

 Chapter 150 - She Will Survive As Long As She Is Smart Enough

    <strong>Chapter 150 She Will Survive As Long As She Is Smart Enough</strong>

    With Madam Dowager¡¯s permission, Ning Xueyan went out with Lanning. On the way, she encountered Concubine Xu, whose hair was disheveled. There was a red palm print on her swollen face, and her clothes were in a mess. It was clear how furious Madam Ling was, just now. Obviously, it was extremely inappropriate for Ning Xueyan, the younger generation, to stay to see what was going to happen.

    Her father¡¯s wife and concubine hadpeted and fought, something she could not interfere with. If she stayed to see what was going to happen, everyone would be embarrassed. One of the reasons that Madam Dowager did not allow Concubine Xu toe in just now, was because of Ning Xueyan¡¯s presence.

    So Ning Xueyan took the initiative to leave. She was so insightful that Madam Dowager and Madam Dowager Liu were satisfied.

    Madam Dowager waved her hand and allowed her to leave.

    However, Ning Xueyan would inevitably encounter Concubine Xu, who was walking in, just as she was leaving.

    The aggrieved and frightened Concubine Xu was wiping away her tears with a handkerchief with one hand, while holding an older female servant¡¯s hand, with the other. Seeing Ning Xueyan approaching, she stopped immediately and greeted Ning Xueyan, ¡°Fifth Young Lady!¡±

    Ning Xueyan scrutinized Concubine Xu¡¯s face and saw the obvious palm print and tear marks on her face. Looking at how aggrieved and delicate Concubine Xu was, Ning Xueyan pretended to be puzzled and asked, ¡°Concubine Xu, what happened to you? Didn¡¯t you go to see my mother?¡±

    Everyone knew that Concubine Xu had visited Madam Ling just now. Soon, Concubine Xu came back looking like this. It must be Madam Ling¡¯s work, but nobody dared to say more.

    ¡°Fifth... Fifth Young Lady...¡± Concubine Xu could not hold back her tears anymore and cried, while covering her face with her handkerchief. It seemed that she was suddenly asked about her grievance. ¡°First Madam... First Madam... she¡¯s going to kill Yu Lian!¡±

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s face darkened and she shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. Mother is not like that!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s... it¡¯s true. First Madam, First Madam asked me to call Yu Lian. I didn¡¯t call, so...¡± Concubine Xu cried and sobbed so much, that she could not speak. The fear in her eyes could not be hidden. She stretched out her other hand to Ning Xueyan, all the while trembling. Only then did everyone see that there were cuts on Concubine Xu¡¯s other hand, which were made by porcin scratches.

    All the servants were shocked.

    Ning Xueyan nodded, in her mind. Concubine Xu was indeed clever. She showed her wounded hands, andined about Madam Ling, after she came back from Buddha Hall, which made everyone believe that she had been beaten by Madam Ling. Besides, she specially came to Lucky Garden, before she went to Buddha Hall, so that everyone knew that she had gone to Buddha Hall.

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. Grandma¡¯s waiting for you.¡± Ning Xueyan warned Concubine Xu and moved aside to let Concubine Xu in. Since she had expressed that she did not want to get involved in this matter, she could not talk too much to Concubine Xu, at this time. Fortunately, her present goal had been achieved. Then she looked at the big tree outside the courtyard.

    Concubine Xu cried so loudly just now, that everyone could hear and see what was happening, clearly.

    ¡°Yes... I¡¯ll report to Madam Dowager.¡± Concubine Xu did not talk to Ning Xueyan any longer. She nodded to Ning Xueyan before leaving and walked in, all the while holding on to the older female servant¡¯s hands, with tears on her aggrieved face.

    Ning Xueyan continued walking out of the courtyard. Instead of going directly back to the Bright Frost Garden, Ning Xueyan went to another remote road, after leaving Lucky Garden. On one side of the road, there was a small rockery, beside which there were several big trees. The leaves had withered and the trees looked decayed.

    Ning Xueyan walked for a while, and stopped. She stood in front of the rockery. She nced at Lanning obliquely, and winked at her, a smile appearing in her cold, teary eyes.

    People at the gate of Lucky Garden could not look in, because their view was blocked by rockeries and tree trunks. Ning Xueyan and Lanning turned at a corner.

    Lanning, who had served Ning Xueyan for a long time, immediately understood Ning Xueyan¡¯s meaning. She took several steps forward and intentionally asked in disbelief, ¡°Young Lady, did First Madam really beat Concubine Xu?¡±

    Ning Xueyan coldly said, ¡°Do you think Concubine Xu dares to nder my mother? She¡¯s just a concubine and only has one daughter. Can she bepared to my mother?¡± She looked up at the tree top and narrowed her eyes, as if she was attracted to the big tree in front of her.

    Without children, a concubine could never be promoted, no matter how much she was favored. She was doomed to be inferior to the Legal Wife.

    The person hiding behind the rockery trembled, and bit her handkerchief, hard.

    Lanning still did not understand and asked again, ¡°Just like Concubine Ma?¡±

    Yu Lian, the person behind the rockery, trembled. Concubine Ma used to be the favorite concubine of Ning Zu¡¯an who spent most of his days sleeping with her. But after thest incident, Ning Zu¡¯an seldom went to Concubine Ma¡¯s ce to rest.

    Ning Xueyan coldly said, ¡°Look at those concubines in the manor, only Concubine Xu gave birth to a daughter. All of the rest have no children. Concubine Ma is the same now. She does not have a child. Such concubines would die alone, even though they are favored by my father, for some time!¡±

    Ning Zu¡¯an owned many concubines. But the fact that only one concubine had given birth to a daughter, was strange!

    Yu Lian, who was hiding behind the rockery, was transfixed, when she heard those words!

    Her happiness, because she had sessfully seduced Ning Zu¡¯an, disappeared and she felt cold now. Yes, she still might live an unhappy life in the future, even if First Madam had to agree to promote her to the status of concubine, because of the present situation. Yu Lian knew something about Concubine Ma¡¯s affair. She heard that First Madam had secretly asked someone to give Concubine Ma medication that made it impossible for her to conceive.

    A woman became somebody¡¯s concubine, but could not have any children. Could she still have any future?

    When she was old and ugly, she would be forgotten and thrown into the womenfolk courtyard. Maybe she would not even know how she would die in the end!

    When she thought about that, Yu Lian could not help trembling. Originally, she came to Lucky Garden to inquire about something. Unexpectedly, she found out that Concubine Xu, who had gone to inform Madam Ling, had been beaten by Madam Ling. She heard it clearly just now. Madam Ling not only beat Concubine Xu, but also scratched her hands. Yu Lian felt really scared, as soon as she thought of Madam Ling¡¯s fierce and vicious eyes.

    She was still young, and did not want to die. She also did not want to be childless in the future, and be tortured to death by Madam Ling, after she lost Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s love!

    ¡°Does that mean that even if Yu Lian won¡¯t die this time, and the First Madam agrees to promote her to be a concubine, First Madam will never spare her and she¡¯ll eventuallye to a bad end, like Concubine Ma?¡± Lanning asked one question after another, and Yu Lian was eager to find out the answers. She kept silent, and dared not make a sound, trying to hear their conversation.

    Concubine Xu had gone to inform Madam Ling, but was severely beaten by Madam Ling, which just showed how much Madam Ling hated Yu Lian. Besides, Concubine Xu also said that Madam Ling wanted to kill Yu Lian. When she thought about that, Yu Lian was frightened and was no longer happy, because she would be the concubine.

    ¡°It won¡¯t be. As long as she¡¯s smart, there¡¯s always a way for her to survive.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled slightly, but did not tell all she knew, which made Yu Lian ufortable and eager to know the way.

    Lanning asked, ¡°Young Lady, how can she survive? She annoyed the First Madam who is in charge of the womenfolk courtyard. Although First Madam is not allowed to leave the Buddha Hall, she will eventually leave, one day. After all, the Eldest Young Master is the only son of marquis!¡±

    Lanning had served Ning Xueyan for a long time. Of course, she knew that Ning Xueyan would not say something like that, without a purpose. So she continued to talk about this topic. She did not move and only focused on Ning Xueyan, as if she really wanted to know.

    Ning Xueyan brought her gaze back from the top of the tree, and took a look at the cave of the rockery, on the other side.

    It was quiet there and only the sound of the wind could be heard. If Ning Xueyan had not seen Yu Lian sneaking into the cave of the rockery from the back of the tree before, she would not have thought that there was someone hiding in the rockery.

    ¡°Big brother is the only son of father. Everything of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor will be his. But now it¡¯s father, who is in charge, anyway!¡± Ning Xueyan rolled her eyes and said those meaningful words. She did not express her meaning, clearly.

    Marquis? This reminded Yu Lian. As long as the Eldest Young Master was not in power, marquis was the master of the whole Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Ning Xueyan went on saying, ¡°As long as Yu Lian is smart enough, and makes father aware of her grievance and fear, my father will protect her. After all, she¡¯s so beautiful and also the new person.¡±

    Lanning shook her head nkly. ¡°I still don¡¯t understand. Young Lady, what does Yu Lian have to do?¡±

    This was also what Yu Lian wanted to ask. She held her breath and dared not gasp. Now she urgently wanted to know what she should do to make the marquis take pity on her, and protect her from being harmed by First Madam. As soon as she thought that she would not be able to have any children in the future, because of First Madam, she trembled in fear. She was going to stop it.

    She seduced marquis because she wanted honor and wealth, not because she wanted to die alone, ore to a bad end.

    ¡°Mother is now in the Buddha Hall. Just now, she beat up Concubine Xu. One can tell that she is really angry. When she is confined in Buddha Hall, her personal maid and her husband betrayed her. Generally speaking, father will inevitably feel sorry for mother. So if mother is mighty and puts forward her intention to have Yu Lian sterilized, it¡¯s highly possible that my father will agree.¡±

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s voice was not loud, but what she said, shocked Yu Lian, like a huge p of thunder. She almost spat out blood, and her whole body turned cold!

    Fifth Young Lady guessed right!

    Yu Lian thought of what marquis had said to herst night. Marquis also wanted Yu Lian to stoop topromise. After all, they had betrayed Madam Ling. They should let Madam Ling vent her anger and be happy. ¡°Does it mean that marquis won¡¯t say no when First Madam says she wants to have me sterilized? No, I don¡¯t want that!¡±

    Yu Lian firmly grasped the sharp rock of the rockery, and did not care that the sharp stone would scratch her palm!

    Yu Lian gritted her teeth and understood Ning Xueyan¡¯s meaning. Marquis felt guilty and she might end up being the victim. How could Yu Lian, who had just won the favor of Ning Zu¡¯an, endure that?

    She did not want to give in!

    ¡°What can she do?¡± Today, Lanning asked those questions, as if she was in Yu Lian¡¯s shoes and Yu Lian was also eager to know the answer. Yu Lian tried to calm down, so as to be able to clearly hear every word Ning Xueyan said.

    She had a feeling that the next words would be very important to her!

 Chapter 151 - How to Deal with the Old Lover and the New Lover

    <h4>Chapter 151 How to Deal with the Old Lover and the New Lover</h4>

    ¡°She can visit my mother. My mother is angry now and even beat Concubine Xu who had nothing to do with this matter, not to mention her. She has to ask for my mother¡¯s forgiveness, and must neither fight back nor swear. The more badly she is beaten, the better it will be. She can also kneel at the entrance of Buddha Hall,¡± Ning Xueyan gave a look at the sky and continued, ¡°It¡¯s not early now, my father will be back soon...¡±

    The meaning of this remark was immediately understood by the three people present. Yu Lian was shocked by that. After she thought about it, a great ecstasy emerged from her heart. Yes, she still had a chance.

    ¡°Marquis feels guilty about First Madam, mainly because he is not allowed, by First Madam, to be with me. But if I am beaten half dead by First Madam and kneel outside the Buddha Hall, how much guilt will he feel, then?¡± Yu Lian thought in her mind.

    Afterst night, Yu Lian clearly knew that Ning Zu¡¯an was very interested in her body, now.

    Looking at Ning Xueyan and Lanning, who were walking slowly in front of her, Yu Lian had an idea. She turned around and came out from the other side of the rockery, while lifting her skirt. She took a look at the sky, and then quickly walked to another path. She had to rush to Buddha Hall to beg for First Madam¡¯s forgiveness, before marquis came back.

    ¡°Young Lady, will she go and visit the First Madam?¡± Although Lanning was walking ahead, she had been concerned about the situation behind them. Seeing a shadow sh by, she knew that the person was not there anymore. Lanning was always smart. After listening to Ning Xueyan, and thinking about it, she already knew who the one, behind the rockery was.

    ¡°Yes, she will. Now, not only glory and wealth, but also her life, is of vital importance!¡± Ning Xueyan narrowed her eyes, and there was a trace of coldness in it. She sneered in her mind.

    If Yu Lian had been pursuing glory and wealth before, now, she was going to work for her own life and future. After seeing Concubine Xu being so severely beaten and thinking about Concubine Ma¡¯s life now, how could she not panic? How could she not strive in desperation?

    It was up to Ning Zu¡¯an now, how to deal with his old and new lover.

    With Yu Lian to stir things up, Madam Ling¡¯s rtionship with Ning Zu¡¯an would deteriorate further, even if she left Buddha Hall.

    Since she was doomed to be Madam Ling¡¯s deadly enemy, she had to decisively and fiercely deal with Madam Ling, and weaken her power!

    Ning Xueyan stopped, took over the ount books in Lanning¡¯s hands, and said, ¡°Lanning, you go back first, then go outside to see if my father is back. When hees, lead him directly to Buddha Hall.¡± She would certainly do some things to add fuel to the fire.

    All of a sudden, Ning Xueyan stared coldly in front of her.

    She took a deep breath and suppressed her hatred and anger.

    In front of them was a pavilion, which was surrounded by sunshine and looked warm. A tall and handsome man was standing there, looking at Ning Xueyan with calmness, elegance, and with a smile on his face. The beautiful woman sitting next to him, was Ning Ziyan.

    ¡°When did they arrive?¡± She was not aware about it!

    Nevertheless, it was the right time for them toe today.

    Lanning felt the tension and asked uneasily, ¡°Young Lady, are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Go ahead, I¡¯m okay. I will go and talk to my eldest sister and eldest brother-inw!¡± Ning Xueyan smiled slightly and covered up the coldness on her face. Her smile was mixed with a great hatred towards them, and seemed to have the smell of blood. And this kind of hatred suffused her breath.

    Seeing that Ning Xueyan had returned to normal, Lanning felt a little relieved. She turned around and hurried to Bright Frost Garden. She was still a little worried about Ning Xueyan, but she had to ask Xinmei to pay attention to what Yu Lian was going to do. Otherwise, her Young Lady would not know about the situation at Madam Dowager¡¯s ce, and Buddha Hall, at the same time.

    Lanning had no good feelings toward the two people, who had betrayed Ning Ziying.

    Therefore, she was worried about Ning Xueyan¡¯s safety.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, you came from grandmother¡¯s courtyard. Did you go to there to speak on behalf of mother, to ask grandmother to release her? There is no hostess in the manor now, so the servants do not conform to rules. Yuhang and I have been here for some time, but nobody came to serve us.¡± Seeing Ning Xueyaning, Ning Ziyan stood up and walked to her.

    This was the first time that she returned to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, after she lost her baby.

    Her expression was natural, as if she had never framed Ning Xueyan.

    She was ming Ning Xueyan for not helping Madam Ling. As for nobody serving them, in fact nobody dared to do so. Ning Xueyan smiled lightly and replied, ¡°Sister, you must be joking. It is grandmother and father¡¯s orders, how would I dare to disobey? Sister and brother, are you here today, because of this matter?¡±

    Ning Ziyan did not expect Ning Xueyan to tell them directly, that she could not help Madam Ling, and also to ask if they hade to help Madam Ling. She was surprised and malice appeared in her eyes.

    ¡°Mother is right. Ning Xueyan is not simple. I have to get rid of her, as soon as possible.¡± But Ning Ziyan was married and could not live in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor all the time. Besides, Madam Dowager increasingly favored Ning Xueyan. So she could not get rid of Ning Xueyan so easily.

    Xia Yuhang smiled lightly, while scrutinizing Ning Xueyan. Then he pointed to the stone bench in the pavilion and said, ¡°Today we came here, mainly to see mother. Although it¡¯s father and grandmother¡¯s orders, we as the younger generation, cannot let her be alone in Buddha hall.¡±

    ¡°Fifth Sister, let¡¯s sit down and have a talk.¡±

    Xia Yuhang could not take part in the next Spring Metropolitan Examination, but his expression looked unchanged. He was still gentle and elegant, as if that matter was not important at all. But Ning Xueyan knew Xia Yuhang well. It was such a blow to Xia Yuhang, almost a fatal blow. How could he not care?

    Recently, things had been happening in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, one after another. But there was no reaction from Xia Manor. Maybe that was the reason.

    So the reason why he and Ning Ziyan were here today, would not be that simple!

    What was the reason for their sudden and secret visit to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?

    Her mind was full of doubts, but she did not show any of it on her face, and nodded calmly. Since the two were well prepared, Ning Xueyan would certainly not be able to walk away. This was the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, many people came and went, around them, and they were close to Madam Dowager¡¯s Lucky Garden. Ning Xueyan did not believe they would dare to do anything to her.

    ¡°Obedience is better than politeness.¡± Ning Xueyan replied in a natural and graceful way. Then she went to the pavilion, following behind Xia Yuhang and Ning Ziyan!

    There was a pot of tea and three cups on the table. Sure enough, they were well prepared. Seeing that, Ning Xueyan had a slight sneer on her face. Xia Yuhang and Ning Ziyan were still so hypocritical. They were well-prepared, but had pretended that they met her by chance. From the three steaming cups of tea, it could be deduced that the tea had been poured, a few minutes ago.

    Xia Yuhang poured a cup of tea for Ning Xueyan, and pushed it to her. Ning Xueyan took the tea, but she did not drink it. She held it in her hand and her tender little finger caught the handle of the cup. Then she touched it slightly.

    Ning Ziyan was too impatient to wait and hurried to ask, ¡°Fifth Sister, what happened to Second Sister? Why is the Maquis of Ping¡¯an involved?¡±

    Recently, there were also many unpleasant things happening in Xia Manor. Ning Ziyan lost her baby, Chen Hexiang became Xia Yuhang¡¯s concubine, and Xia Yuhang could not take part in the next Spring Metropolitan Examination. Ning Ziyan had a bad time in Xia Manor. Fortunately, Xia Yuhang treated her better.

    Xia Yuhang had been very indifferent to Ning Ziyan, when they first got married, but now he was kind and gentle to her, which was almost the same as when they were not married. So even though Madam Xia was not satisfied with Ning Ziyan, Ning Ziyan recovered very quickly, under the care of Xia Yuhang. As for the little bitch, Xia Yuhang had not visited her for a long time, which was also the reason why Ning Ziyan was in a good mood.

    What happened to Ning Yuling was so fast, that she was sent away, even before Ning Ziyan had time to react. And the core of Madam Ling¡¯s message was not to Ning Yuling. Madam Ling only told Ning Ziyan that she shoulde up with an idea to get rid of Ning Xueyan, and also said that Ning Xueyan had something to do with Ning Ziying. She even said that Ning Xueyan knew something about what they had done before.

    This caused Ning Ziyan to pay attention to it.

    Ning Xueyan calmly said, ¡°I¡¯m also not clear about what happened to Second Sister. It¡¯s was decided by grandmother and father.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you know? Weren¡¯t you there at that time? Don¡¯t you care about your sister at all? Such a big thing happened, but you know nothing about it.¡± Ning Ziyan, as the eldest sister, reprimanded Ning Xueyan, with a cold face.

    Although Ning Ziyan¡¯s voice was not loud, her words were sharp. Obviously, her meaning was that Ning Xueyan was cold-blooded, and did not care about her biological sister.

    As soon as her voice became a little louder, several maids and older female servants passing by the front intersection, looked over.

    It was nearest to Lucky Garden, so almost all of the people passing by, were the servants from Lucky Garden.

    How could Ning Xueyan not understand Ning Ziyan¡¯s meaning? Coldness shed in her dark jade-like eyes. Sure enough, they came here today to make trouble for Ning Xueyan. As long as Ning Xueyan made a mistake, they would nder her and report her mistake to Madam Dowager.

    Ning Xueyan, with a puzzled face, looked up and asked, ¡°Sister, I don¡¯t understand your words. Do you mean that you are not satisfied with grandma and father¡¯s disposal? But as a younger generation, I can¡¯t interfere in this kind of matter.¡±

    Ning Ziyan did not expect Ning Xueyan to be so straightforward. She had inadvertently fallen into a disadvantageous position. But she could not say that Ning Xueyan was wrong. Ning Xueyan could not disobey Madam Dowager. Could she disobey? Ning Xueyan was depressed at the moment, and sneered, ¡°Fifth Sister, you really have the gift of the gab. No wonder Mother is confined in Buddha Hall and Second Sister was sent away. Now you¡¯re the most powerful one in the manor!¡±

    ¡°Sister, your words today, are strange. Isn¡¯t grandmother the most powerful one in this manor? Do you think that mother is the most powerful one? It¡¯s unfilial. Even father has to listen to grandmother!¡± Ning Xueyan had a slight smile on her face as she counterattacked.

    Her face was too pale, and her inky eyes were more prominent. They looked deep and naturally charming. But if you looked carefully, you would find that they had a bone-engraved chilliness to it. The two temperaments should not happen at the same time, but strangely enough, whenbined, it formed a kind of unspeakable beauty!

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s little finger, which was hooked on the handle of the cup, carelessly touched the cup.

    Xia Yuhang had been observing Ning Xueyan. He did not believe what Ning Ziyan said, in his mind. He had inquired about it. Ning Xueyan had never seen Ning Ziying. It could be said that there was no rtionship between them. But when he saw Ning Xueyan catching the handle of the cup, with her white and tender little finger and gently touching the cup, he was very shocked and his eyes widened at once...

 Chapter 152 - Do You Know Ning Ziying Who Lived in Cloud Reflection Courtyard?

    <strong>Chapter 152 Do You Know Ning Ziying Who Lived in Cloud Reflection Courtyard?</strong>

    ¡°Fifth Sister, do you know Ning Ziying who lived in Cloud Reflection Courtyard?¡± Xia Yuhang suddenly asked Ning Xueyan while staring at her keenly, studying her facial expressions.

    Ning Xueyan was confused at first, then smiled faintly and said, ¡°Eldest brother-inw, you also know Sister Ziying? I heard that she died the night before you got married. I wonder what she was depressed over and why she drowned herself in theke. She died without a burial ce! s, it¡¯s so terrible!¡±

    Ning Ziying drowned in the lotus pond. Watching the water stained red with her own blood, she suffocated to death. And the murderers were in front of her now. Ning Xueyan felt the blood gushing again and unaware of it, there was an ice-cold vicious look in her eyes. Then she bend her head slightly to hide the hatred.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, grandmother already said that we mustn¡¯t talk about Sister Ziying.¡± Ning Ziyan turned pale.

    Ning Xueyan looked up and said with a nonchnt smile, ¡°Eldest Sister, what are you afraid of? We only gossip about it. We have nothing to do with Sister Ziying¡¯s death. Even if Sister Ziying died with a grievance, she would not take revenge on us.¡± By now, she had regained her look of indifference.

    Xia Yuhang closed his mouth tightly and felt sad in his heart. That gentle and beautiful woman who always followed him and wholeheartedly loved him would nevere back! The smile on Xia Yuhang¡¯s constantly calm face gradually disappeared. He gave a cold and meaningful look at Ning Ziyan.

    ¡°Stop talking!¡± Ning Ziyan reacted violently. She unconsciously shrieked and stopped Ning Xueyan from saying more. Her face was pale and fear shed in her eyes.

    Instead of stopping Ning Xueyan, the shrill cry made her turn and ask curiously, ¡°Eldest Sister, what¡¯s wrong with you? What we are talking about now is Sister Ziying. I heard that she was a kind person. Even if she died, she will not take revenge on innocent people. Good and evil will always be rewarded, it¡¯s only a question of time. It¡¯s only those who harmed her who have to be afraid!¡±

    Good and evil will always be rewarded, it was only a question of time.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s voice was gentle and low. But to Ning Ziyan, those words hit her like a giant hammer. She had lost her child. First she med it on Chen Hexiang, and then on the ghosts and gods. Now she suddenly felt that it was Ning Ziying who came to take revenge on her and took her child away. After all, she had a secret affair with Xia Yuhang and got pregnant when Ning Ziying was still alive.

    Ning Ziyan stared at Ning Xueyan, and seemed to see the familiar mild jade-like eyes suddenly became cold and bloodthirsty, almost swallowing her up. She subconsciously screamed as she iled her hands, ¡°No... it¡¯s not... It¡¯s not me...¡±

    Xia Yuhang gave her a tight p, which stopped her and also sobered her up.

    ¡°Ziyan, what¡¯s the matter? Are you having a nightmare?¡± Xia Yuhang¡¯s face darkened as he stared coldly at Ning Ziyan without smiling. Seeing Xia Yuhang like that, Ning Ziyan dared not say a word, but murmured, ¡°I... I¡¯m afraid that...¡±

    ¡°What are you afraid of? Even if you have been on good terms in the past and you me yourself for her death, you can¡¯t lose your mind. You can worship her when we go back. She¡¯s dead and her soul has gone to Hades. What can we do about it?¡±

    Xia Yuhang spoke in a restrained manner. At the same time, he exined to Ning Xueyan why Ning Ziyan suddenly forgot herself.

    ¡°I... I feel so sad and guilty as soon as I think of Sister Ziying¡¯s death. If I had noticed earlier that she wasn¡¯t her normal self, maybe she would not have died.¡± Ning Ziyan had sobered up at this time. She exined while smiling stiffly. But her pale face told Ning Xueyan that she had not really gotten over Ning Ziying¡¯s death.

    Ning Ziyan did not regret killing Ning Ziying. She lost her child recently, which made her feel that it was Ning Ziying¡¯s revenge, so she was afraid...

    Ning Xueyan looked away and did not ask. She could feel Xia Yuhang watching her suspiciously. If she went on, the shrewd Xia Yuhang might start suspecting her.

    ¡°Eldest Sister and Eldest Brother-inw, since you¡¯re here, let¡¯s go and visit mother together!¡± Ning Xueyan stood up and suggested while blinking her dark-jade eyes.

    ¡°No matter what they are here for today, I¡¯ll let them witness Madam Ling¡¯s disgrace together!¡±

    Ning Xueyan turned her head and mockery was all over her face.

    Yu Lian respectfully knelt at the entrance of Buddha Hall, sobbing as she spoke. Although her voice was not loud, it still attracted the attention of Madam Ling who was in the Buddha Hall.

    ¡°First Madam, it¡¯s... it¡¯s my fault. Please... please don¡¯t me Marquis. You can scold and beat me how much you want, as long as you don¡¯t me marquis.¡± Yu Lian lowered her head, her face was pale and the tears which filled her eyes were falling in droplets. She looked so pitiful.

    Some maids and older female servants who were passing by, stopped, wondering what Yu Lian, who was said to be promoted as a concubine, was doing.

    In the Buddha Hall, Madam Ling was gasping in anger. Concubine Xu hade and said that Ning Zu¡¯an liked Yu Lian and wanted her to agree to promote Yu Lian to a concubine. Madam Ling immediately burst into anger. She rumpled Concubine Xu¡¯s long hair and fiercely pped her.

    ¡°Bitch! Both of them are bitches!¡±

    Yu Lian¡¯s words reminded her that Concubine Xu and Ning Zu¡¯an also got together like that.

    Concubine Xu used to be Madam Ling¡¯s maid and came to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor with Madam Ling when Madam Ling got married. Originally, Concubine Xu was going to be sent to Ning Zu¡¯an, but Madam Ling didn¡¯t agree. One night, Ning Zu¡¯an got drunk and the two slept together. Because of this, Madam Ling argued with Ning Zu¡¯an and almost beat Concubine Xu to death.

    After that, Concubine Xu knelt at the door of Madam Ling¡¯s room for a day and a night before she finally fainted. In the end, Madam Dowager showed up and asked Madam Ling to forgive them. In this way, Concubine Xu was really sent to Ning Zu¡¯an. At that time, Madam Ling was not the First Madam and had to deal with Madam Ming. Therefore, she could only ept Madam Dowager¡¯s suggestion even though she hated Concubine Xu very much.

    Afterwards, in order to please Ning Zu¡¯an, Madam Ling had to put on a smiling face!

    Fortunately, Concubine Xu was sensible. After that, she respected Madam Ling more and prioritized her. When Madam Ling dealt with Madam Ming, she also firmly supported Madam Ling. All of this made Madam Ling a little bit reassured and feel less guarded against her.

    In any case, this was her disgrace. Unexpectedly, after many years, this not only happened again, but even Concubine Xu was sent to tell her. Madam Ling was no longer the same as she used to be. She had already been the First Madam. It was more serious to see such a thing happen again than to be pped.

    Furthermore, Yu Lian¡¯s background was the same as Concubine Xu. This matter brought shame on Madam Ling.

    Therefore, she beat Concubine Xu and drove her out!

    No sooner had Madam Ling calmed down because of Mother Chen¡¯s conciliation than she heard Yu Lian¡¯s voice outside. Then Madam Ling burst into anger again. ¡°Beg me to forgive marquis and punish her only? What does she mean? It seems that I¡¯m going to do something to Ning Zu¡¯an.¡± Madam Ling could not control her hatred anymore. She reached for the tform in front of the Buddha and took a candle that was as thick as a baby¡¯s arm.

    Then she stood up and rushed out. Mother Chen who was standing on one side could not stop Madam Ling, so she had to follow her out.

    On seeing Madam Ling, Yu Lian trembled in fear. She had been fearful of Madam Ling all along. She had mustered all her courage to rush here earlier. Now she was really scared. But she calmed down at once, when she thought of the awful consequences if she didn¡¯t settle the matter today.

    Yu Lian raised her tearful little face, and looked at Madam Ling as she begged, ¡°First Madam, please... please forgive Marquis. I... I¡¯m willing to take the whole me.¡±

    Looking at Yu Lian¡¯s charming young face, Madam Ling drew near wordlessly and pped her. Yu Lian was unable to kneel anymore. She directly sat down on the ground and the corner of her mouth started to bleed.

    ¡°Bitch, you¡¯re just my dog. How dare you say that when you see me? Do you think that you¡¯re going to be the concubine after serving marquis all night?¡± Madam Ling fiercely scolded Yu Lian while holding a candle with one hand and pointing Yu Lian with the other.

    Yu Lian felt the sting on her face. She reached up her with her hand and touched blood. A gleam of hatred shed in her eyes. Who¡¯d have thought that Madam Ling would be so fierce? ¡°You wanted me to marry a fool and ignored my objection. Do you really consider me a fool?¡±

    ¡°You promised me that I would have a bright future. So it turns out to be a lie.¡±

    Suddenly, Yu Lian rushed over with great courage and held Madam Ling¡¯s foot in her arms. She loudly cried while tightly holding Madam Ling¡¯s foot, ¡°First Madam, beat me to death. As long as you forgive Marquis, I¡¯m ready to die!¡±

    Yu Lian had already seen the thick candle in Madam Ling¡¯s hands. It appeared that Madam Ling was going to beat her with this candle. If she was beaten by this candle, she would certainly faint. So she decided to take the initiative to gain the upper hand. She suddenly rushed over and held Madam Ling¡¯s foot. Madam Ling almost fell down and she inadvertently kicked her.

    Shouting at the same time, ¡°Whore, you¡¯re a whore!¡±

    Yu Lian cried loudly while pulling Madam Ling¡¯s foot hard, which made Madam Ling almost lost her bnce. Mother Chen, standing on one side, hurried to support Madam Ling and help her kick Yu Lian who then uttered mournful cries. Others were shocked by that and looked at each other, not knowing what to do next.

    A few quick-witted servants turned and ran out to report it to Madam Dowager!

    Yu Lian took hold of Madam Ling and shook her till she was dizzy. After stabilizing herself by holding Mother Chen¡¯s hands, Madam Ling was very angry and wanted to kill Yu Lian. She had forgotten that she was still in the Buddha Hall. She clenched her teeth and shouted fiercely, ¡°Take her away and beat her to death!¡±

    Then she raised the candle in her hands and beat Yu Lian mercilessly.

    Seeing that Madam Ling held up the candle in her hands, Yu Lian knew she was in trouble. She quickly let go of Madam Ling¡¯s foot and rolled on the ground while screaming and covering her head while Madam Ling kicked her.

    Seeing Yu Lian evading the candle made Madam Ling angrier and lost her head. She pushed aside Mother Chen who was supporting her, raised the candle in her hand, and rushed towards Yu Lian. ¡°She dares behave wildly before me! I¡¯ll kill her today.¡± The fierce and vicious expression on Madam Ling¡¯s face made a few maids who were close to them scream out!

    Mother Chen had already seen the troubleing and was rushing over to stop wild Madam Ling. Unfortunately, it was toote. ¡°Stop!¡± Outside the crowd, an angry voice came.

 Chapter 153 - The Buddha Hall Is Busy and Each Shows Their Special Prowess

    <strong>Chapter 153 The Buddha Hall Is Busy and Each Shows Their Special Prowess</strong>

    Hearing the familiar voice, Madam Ling sobered up suddenly and looked out of the crowd with a pale face.

    The crowd parted and Ning Zu¡¯an, together with Ning Xueyan, Ning Ziying and Xia Yuhang, appeared behind the crowd in a hurry.

    Ning Xueyan, Ning Ziying and Xia Yuhang came across Ning Zu¡¯an as he was hurrying to Buddha Hall. Lanning showed up halfway and stood beside Ning Xueyan.

    Before they arrived at Buddha Hall, they already heard Yu Lian¡¯s shrill screams and cries pleading for Ning Zu¡¯an from time to time, as well as Madam Ling¡¯s crazy roar. They could tell without looking that Madam Ling was punishing Yu Lian. Because of what had happened the past two nights, Ning Zu¡¯an also felt sorry for Madam Ling.

    Hence, in respect of Madam Ling, he did not report it to Madam Dowager for the time being, letting her resolve this on her own.

    If Madam Ling was magnanimous and agreed to promote Yu Lian as a concubine, Madam Dowager could be pleased enough with Madam Ling to allow her to leave Buddha Hall early. Contrary to expectations, Ning Zu¡¯an heard that Buddha Hall was in chaos as soon as he came home. At this time, he saw the servants, young and old, craning their necks, looking into the hall.

    It was as though they were watching an entertaining show. Ning Zu¡¯an burst into anger when he saw that!

    This matter was shameful enough to start with. And now Madam Ling has made it known to the whole manor. Yu Lian was still begging Madam Ling to spare her, as if he, the marquis of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, could do nothing without Madam Ling. Ning Zu¡¯an felt it brought shame on himself.

    The maids and old female servants behind the crowd saw Ning Zu¡¯an arriving, his face dark, and respectfully hurried to one side to make way for him.

    As soon as Ning Zu¡¯an entered, he saw Madam Ling beating Yu Lian with a thick candle. He instantly became furious.

    Even though Yu Lian did wrong, she was also his woman now. Madam Ling humiliated her in front of so many servants of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Did she not consider him?

    ¡°Marquis!¡± On hearing Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s voice, Yu Lian breathed a sigh of relief. She had been seriously beaten by Madam Ling. So when she realized that her helper wasing, she looked up at Ning Zu¡¯an with tears in her eyes. Her swollen face was bloodstained, her clothes were torn, and her hair was a mess. She looked miserable. There was no sign of the coyness she showedst night.

    With a dark face, Ning Zu¡¯an asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Seeing Ning Zu¡¯an, Madam Ling knew trouble was brewing. She rolled her eyes, threw away the candle she was holding, and said hurriedly, ¡°Marquis, it¡¯s her fault. She suddenly came here and said that she is the concubine now and asked me to send her some jewelry and a few sets of clothes. Now that her status is different, she made a scene when I gave her a little reprimand. Now everyone in the court is watching.¡±

    Madam Ling¡¯s distortion of the truth made Yu Lian very angry. Seeing Ning Zu¡¯an frowning and looking at her suspiciously, Yu Lian quickly said, ¡°Marquis, I didn¡¯t do that. I wouldn¡¯t dare to. It was... it was First Madam who beat me for no reason.¡±

    Yu Lian cried and exined, her tears rolling from her swollen cheeks. She could not be more miserable.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t she my mother¡¯s maid? Father, she... she... did she...¡± screamed Ning Ziyan. She nced at Ning Zu¡¯an and saw his anger. Before he started venting his fury, she grasped the opportunity to point at Yu Lian and uttered those words, as if she had discovered something extraordinary. She looked at Ning Zu¡¯an and Yu Lian while covering her mouth with a handkerchief and could not say a word because of shock.

    This reminded Ning Zu¡¯an of the shameful incident that happened to him and Yu Lian. Once again, he slept with Legal Wife¡¯s maid when his Legal Wife was locked up. This actually brought shame on Madam Ling, and he felt sorry for her. When he thought of that, Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s anger abated. Instead, he frowned and looked at Yu Lian.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Did Yu Lian really intentionally provoke Madam Ling? If so, Ning Zu¡¯an would not forgive her this time. Generally speaking, Madam Ling had been his wife for so many years. She could not be reced by Yu Lian overnight. Besides, she actually made trouble before she became a concubine. Neither Madam Dowager nor he could stand her.

    Yu Lian did not expect Ning Ziyan to stand out at this crucial moment and even say that she was sorry for Madam Ling. It gave her a shock. Originally, she intended to take this opportunity and pretend to be aggrieved to gain Ning Zu¡¯an sympathy and attention. Unexpectedly, Ning Ziyan¡¯s words easily destroyed the image she tried to portray. Now it seemed that the marquis was doubting her.

    ¡°I... I didn¡¯t. Marquis, I didn¡¯t...¡± Yu Lian could not think of anything. She could only keep asking for forgiveness and weeping in fear.

    Seeing Yu Lian so frightened and incoherent, Ning Xueyan came over and gave her a hand, saying soothingly, ¡°Don¡¯t panic. Just exin yourself properly. My father is right here. You just have to tell him the truth. Don¡¯t bother my grandmother one after another and frighten her.¡±

    Ning Zu¡¯an asked unhappily, ¡°Does your grandmother already know?¡±

    ¡°Father, I came from grandmother¡¯s ce. Just now, Concubine Xu...¡± Ning Xueyan stopped for a second and continued while pointing to Yu Lian, ¡°Concubine Xu looked just like that. She ran to my grandmother with her hair disheveled. Maybe she is still crying in there now!¡±

    Was Concubine Xu also like this?

    Ning Zu¡¯an did not understand for a moment, but when he finally understood what Ning Xueyan meant, he immediately got so angry that the veins on his forehead bulged. It turned out that not only Yu Lian, but also Concubine Xu, who had always been good-tempered, had been beaten.

    Yu Lian, supported by Ning Xueyan, sobered up immediately after hearing this. She exined while crying, ¡°Marquis, I heard that Concubien Xu was beaten because of me... I felt bad, so I came here to ask for First Madam¡¯s forgiveness, but... but First Madam did not let go of me, and said... that Marquis was...¡±

    Yu Lian did not finish her sentence, but her meaning was clear. Hearing that, Ning Zu¡¯an stared darkly at Madam Ling.

    Madam Ling also raised her head at this time and stared at Ning Xueyan with hatred. She now understood that Ning Xueyan had nned this. If it were not for Ning Xueyan, how could Yu Lian betray her so quickly and create such a ruckus?

    Seeing that Ning Zu¡¯an was going to vent his anger, Madam Ling cried at once even though she wanted to kill Ning Xueyan and Yu Lian now. She affectionately looked at Ning Zu¡¯an and said, tears falling down from her face, ¡°Marquis, how can you only listen to them? I don¡¯t know when Concubine Xu and Yu Lian colluded with each other and came here together to make trouble. I¡¯ve been praying for Yuan¡¯er here, but they bothered me again and again and stopped me from praying. I... how could I not be angry? Yuan¡¯er has not been home for so long. If... if something bad... really happened to him, I... I won¡¯t forgive them.¡±

    Madam Ling looked so aggrieved and angry that others absolutely believed her!

    At this time, she deliberately mentioned Ning Huaiyuan in order to remind Ning Zu¡¯an that she was so angry because she was worried about him!

    Ning Huaiyuan was the only son of Ning Zu¡¯an, and the lifeblood of the whole of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. It could be said that Ning Zu¡¯an would take seriously any matter that was rted to Ning Huaiyuan.

    Madam Ling realized that Ning Zu¡¯an would definitely regard her as a jealous woman and hate her if she made trouble because Yu Lian was with himst night. However, if it was because of Ning Huaiyuan, Ning Zu¡¯an would surely stand on her side.

    Ning Huaiyuan was the only son of Ning Zu¡¯an. Madam Ling believed that Ning Zu¡¯an would care about him.

    After listening to Madam Ling, Ning Zu¡¯an looked gloomily at Yu Lian. Madam Ling knew Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s mind well. For the sake of Ning Huaiyuan, Ning Zu¡¯an even forgave what Madam Ling had done to Madam Ming, let alone Yu Lian.

    Ning Xueyan, who was standing aside, looked doubtful and asked Yu Lian with an even voice, ¡°Did you and Concubine Xue here to deliberately prevent my mother from praying for Eldest Brother? If so, Grandmother won¡¯t forgive you.¡±

    Yu Lian was already at wit¡¯s end. Hearing Ning Xueyan¡¯s using tone, she immediately understood and knelt down in front of Ning Zu¡¯an at once.

    Yu Lian exined while sobbing, ¡°Marquis, I really didn¡¯t do that. It was Madam Dowager who ordered Concubine Xu toe here. I didn¡¯t know about it. Later, I heard that Concubine Xu was beaten by First Madam because of my affair. I felt bad, so I came to ask for First Madam¡¯s forgiveness. I did not meet Concubine Xu. How could I consult with her? Marquis, if you don¡¯t believe it, you can ask Madam Dowager.¡±

    It was Madam Dowager who asked Concubine Xu toe here. It really had nothing to do with Yu Lian. If Concubine Xu was supposed to deliberatelye here to prevent Madam Ling from praying for Ning Huaiyuan that meant that Madam Dowager deliberately wanted to trouble Madam Ling.

    Madam Dowager loved Ning Huaiyuan the most. How could she deliberately ask someone to prevent Madam Ling from praying for him?

    Yu Lian turned to look sadly at Madam Ling and said, ¡°First Madam, I know it¡¯s all my fault. No matter how angry you are, I¡¯m willing to bear the consequence. But... but you can¡¯t bring Eldest Young Master into this. I wouldn¡¯t darepromise the safety of the Eldest Young Master.¡±

    After that, she directly fainted.

    Ning Xueyan took a few steps back and nced at Madam Ling who looked like she was to faint too. She smiled coldly. Yu Lian was indeed clever. She actually fainted before Madam Ling did. Now Madam Ling could not pretend to faint.

    Ning Zu¡¯an understood everything now and immediately held Yu Lian in his arms. He stared at Madam Ling in resentment and angrily said to Mother Chen who was standing beside Madam Ling: ¡°First Madam should quietly cultivate herself at Buddha Hall. She¡¯d better not leave the hall, so as not to bring shame to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.¡±

    Although he did not say this directly to Madam Ling, he said it in front of all those servants. Madam Ling was so angry and embarrassed that she almost fainted. Seeing that Ning Zu¡¯an really was angry, she said urgently, ¡°Marquis, I...¡±

    ¡°Enough, you needn¡¯t say any more. I always thought you were kind-hearted, gentle and smart, but you were so narrow-minded and vicious. I just wanted to promote someone as a concubine, but you made a fuss in the manor. At the beginning, Madam Ming epted you and allowed you and your children to enter the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor when she was the Legal Wife. Madam Ling, I didn¡¯t expect that you would treat others like that now that you¡¯re the Legal Wife!¡±

    Ning Zu¡¯an was extremely angry. Such a thing, caused by his Legal Wife, happened in the manor. How could he not be angry? He remembered that he fell in love with Madam Ling because of her gentleness. When did she be so vicious?

 Chapter 154 - Sister, I Donâ€™t Understand What You Were Saying

    <h4><strong>Chapter 154: Sister, I Don¡¯t Understand What You Were Saying</strong></h4>

    After hearing what Ning Zu¡¯an said, Madam Ling stiffened at once and really was in panic!

    She had been with Ning Zu¡¯an for so many years, and had never been so reprimanded by him. She hastily cried while covering her face, ¡°Marquis... I, I was so fool for a moment that I... marquis, I, I did that because of you. I really love you, so that I...¡±

    As soon as Madam Ling spoke, Ning Ziyan felt bad. She wanted to remind Madam Ling, but it was toote.

    Seeing that, Ning Xueyan showed a bit of irony on her face. Madam Ling was so smart, but lost her head when she saw Ning Zu¡¯an protect Yu Lian. Her words proved that she had deliberately beaten Yu Lian just now and deliberately said the reason was Ning Huaiyuan so as to pass the buck.

    If things like that happened again, Ning Zu¡¯an would certainly really dislike Madam Ling.

    Yu Lian was very clever at this time. She interrupted Madam Ling and wrongly said, ¡°Marquis, don¡¯t me First Madam. I¡¯m not blessed. If I¡¯m beaten to death, First Madam can cool down. I... I¡¯m willing to die. Anyway, it¡¯s my fault. It¡¯s me who make you and First Madam angry.¡±

    After that, Yu Lian cried sadly. Her face was ck and blue, but at the same it also looked fragile.

    This made Ning Zu¡¯an pity on her!

    Now, Ning Zu¡¯an fully understood that it was Madam Ling who made trouble because of jealousy. He was very disappointed with Madam Ling. Holding Yu Lian in his arms, he said to her, ¡°Don¡¯t say you¡¯re not blessed. I¡¯ll promote you as the concubine soon. You just need to serve me well in the future.¡±

    As soon as she heard that Yu Lian who had betrayed her was about to be promoted as a concubine, Madam Ling was very anxious. ¡°Marquis, Yu Lian was a maid and has no children. She just... it¡¯s improper to promote her as a concubine now. How about asking her to only serve you in the study?¡±

    Seeing that Madam Ling still was stubborn, Ning Zu¡¯an angrily eximed, ¡°Shut up! Aren¡¯t you going to pray? Go back to the Buddha Hall and kneel down.¡±

    ¡°Marquis, you, you asked me to kneel!¡± Madam Ling looked up at Ning Zu¡¯an in disbelief. Madam Dowager had punished her before, but Ning Zu¡¯an had never said something. Unexpectedly, he actually asked her to kneel in the Buddha Hall in front of so many servants because of Yu Lian. How could Madam Ling stand it?

    Ning Ziyan standing on one side already was very angry when she saw what was going on. She gave a fierce stare at Yu Lian and then went forward to advise, ¡°Father, mother is always your Legal Wife. You can¡¯t spoil a concubine while suppressing your wife...¡±

    Spoiling concubines while suppressing wife was a serious sin. Even if Ning Zu¡¯an was the Lord Protector, he also would be impeached by censor-in-chief.

    ¡°Father, calm down,¡± Ning Xueyan also advised, ¡°Let¡¯s check Yu Lian first. Although she¡¯s a maid, it¡¯s bad that someone dies today. We can¡¯t let others think that there is no rule in our manor. Besides, maybe grandmother already knows it now. Father, you should ask someone to visit her.¡±

    She seemed to persuade Ning Zu¡¯an. In fact, it suggested that the matter that Madam Ling cruelly beat servants without any reason also would be used of by censors. Compared with spoiling concubines while suppressing wife, cruelly beating servants would influence Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s conduct, which Ning Zu¡¯an concerned more.

    Both Ning Ziyan and Ning Xueyan mentioned censor-in-chief. Ning Zu¡¯an was quite upset and felt that this matter would bring a crisis. Recently, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had never been peaceful. idents happened one after another. A few days ago, he was called to the imperial pce and was scolded because of Ning Yuling¡¯s affair and knelt in the imperial study for more than two hours.

    The emperor had warned him that if he made trouble again, it would not be so easy to let go of him.

    However, Madam Ling still shouted and made a scene today, which made the whole matter clear to the whole manor. Didn¡¯t she think that he was deeply troubled enough in front of the emperor?

    ¡°Take First Madam into the Buddha Hall, so that she can cultivate herself well!¡± Ning Zu¡¯an quickly made a decision. He did not allow Madam Ling to shout so loudly here. If this matter was spread, they would lose face.

    Two older female servants came and were about to take Madam Ling into the Buddha Hall.

    Madam Ling cried loudly, ¡°Marquis, you... how can you be so heartless!¡± Then she pushed aside two older female servants and wanted to rush to Ning Zu¡¯an. She always thought she was Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s favorite woman. Besides, she gave birth to his only son. But now she was defeated by a maid, how could she ept it?

    ¡°Take her away!¡± Ning Zu¡¯an ordered the two older female servants without hesitation. Hearing that, the two older female servants rushed to drag Madam Ling to the Buddha Hall. This was not a simple confinement to Madam Ling. Madam Ling was dragged into the Buddha hall in the face of so many servants, how could she take charge of the whole manor in the future?

    ¡°Father, she¡¯s my mother, your wife!¡± Seeing that her mother was like a drowned mouse, Ning Ziyan was in a hurry. She stepped forward and wanted to stop them. She did not want to stop Madam Ling entering the Buddha Hall, but wanted her to enter the Buddha Hall in a decent way, so she wanted to stop the two older female servants from dragging her mother.

    Ning Xueyan went forward quietly and stood in front of Ning Ziyan, softly saying, ¡°Sister, as the younger generations, we cannot interfere in father and mother¡¯s business. It¡¯s their private affair.¡±

    Seeing Ning Xueyan stopping her again, Ning Ziyan was very angry and her face turned vivid. Today, although she did not know the whole story, she still shared a bitter hatred of the enemy with her mother when she saw her extremely angry mother. She coldly stared at Ning Xueyan and said, ¡°Fifth Sister, you¡¯re so clever, so scheming!¡±

    Madam Ling had told Ning Ziyanst time that how clever Ning Xueyan was, but she did not believe it. Now, it seemed that Ning Xueyan was really scheming. After hearing what Ning Xueyan said, Ning Zu¡¯an actually directly punished Madam Ling. But now Ning Ziyan could not directly beat Ning Xueyan to death as before. It seemed that she needed to make a n.

    While they were talking, two older female servants had taken Madam Ling into the Buddha hall. Mother Chen dared not say a word and hurried to follow in.

    Ning Zu¡¯an waved his one hand and asked them to leave. Then he went to Madam Dowager¡¯s Lucky Garden while holding the wounded Yu Lian. This matter must be settled. Madam Dowager knew that it was in a mess here, but she deliberately did note. She wanted Ning Zu¡¯an to solve it on his own. And at this moment, Ning Zu¡¯an had made a conclusion in his mind.

    ¡°Sister, father has gone to Lucky Garden. Would you like to go there, too? Sister, you seldome back, and you need to care about mother.¡± Ning Xueyan stepped aside and asked Ning Ziyan with a sincere smile on her face.

    She sent back what Ning Ziyan had said to her before to Ning Ziyan!

    Obviously, Ning Zu¡¯an was extremely angry just now. He went to visit Madam Dowager with Yu Lian, just in order to promote Yu Lian as a concubine. How could a daughter interfere in it? Ning Xueyan actually advised her to care about it. Ning Ziyan turned vivid because of Ning Xueyan¡¯s words.

    She bit her teeth and said, ¡°Fifth Sister, you¡¯re really magical. Unexpectedly, you could make the family unpeaceful! Let¡¯s go and talk to grandma.¡± After saying this, Ning Ziyan immediately reached out to hold Ning Xueyan.

    But Lanning moved faster. She stepped forward and stopped Ning Ziyan.

    ¡°Sister, I don¡¯t understand what you were saying. But at this time, grandmother and father have something to do, we¡¯d better not disturb them.¡± Ning Xueyan took a cold nce at Ning Ziyan and then ignored her. After finish her words, she returned to Bright Frost Garden with Lanning.

    Madam Ling hated Ning Xueyan very much and Ning Ziyan also had bad intentions today. Then why should she show her friendliness and pretend to happily talk with them?

    Ning Ziyan¡¯s eyes were full of maliciousness while she watching Ning Xueyan leave. ¡°B*tch, I¡¯ll kill you one day!¡±

    Ning Ziyan leaned close to Xia Yuhang and said while looking at the back of Ning Xueyan, ¡°Dear, don¡¯t you think that Fifth Sister knows Ning Ziying? ording to what she said just now, it seems that she has a good friendship with Ning Ziying.¡±

    ¡°She hasn¡¯t had any contact with Ziying!¡± Xia Yuhang was pretty sure, but his gaze was quite strange. He also looked at Ning Xueyan¡¯s slender back while unconsciously frowning. The Fifth Young Lady in front of him was totally different from what he heard. It seemed that she was a new man.

    But in fact, she was Ning Xueyan. ¡°Why do I feel that she¡¯s familiar to me?¡±

    ¡°Who knows? Maybe they had a secret rtionship. Dear, you can investigate it. It¡¯s really possible. If so, we can¡¯t keep her.¡± Ning Ziyan fiercely said in Xia Yuhang¡¯s ear. She had married into Xia Manor, and Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was beyond her reach. So she wanted Xia Yuhang to kill Ning Xueyan, which was Madam Ling¡¯s idea. Ning Ziyan also strongly agreed with it.

    Since she could not kill Ning Xueyan openly, she would kill her in secret.

    In this way, when Ning Xueyan died, no one else would doubt her.

    Xia Yuhang looked at Ning Ziyan¡¯s fierce face and indifferently said, gloominess shing through his eyes, ¡°We should conclude after investigating it.¡±

    Seeing that Xia Yuhang was unpleasant, Ning Ziyan dared not talk about this matter. She changed to another topic and said in a delicate voice, ¡°Dear, why didn¡¯t you stand up and say a few words for my mother? Maybe father would not treat her like that if you speak for her!¡±

    Xia Yuhang had not said a word just now. As a younger generation, he could not interfere with his elders¡¯ affairs. Although the two families allied by marriage, Ning Zu¡¯an certainly did not want him to see that. So he had been standing aside and did not say a word. He also objected to what Madam Ling had done today.

    Madam Ling did not look like the marchioness at all. People who did not know her might think she was a jealous concubine of Ning Zu¡¯an.

    She really had no demeanor a marchioness should have!

    ¡°It¡¯s father and mother¡¯s private affairs anyway. We can¡¯t interfere in it.¡± Xia Yuhang frowned for Ning Ziyan¡¯s stupidity. Originally, he thought that Ning Ziyan would be his helper. After marrying her, he found that she was not helpful at all and destroyed his participation in the Spring Metropolitan Examination.

    ¡°If I had known this before, I would have married Ziying.¡± Xia Yuhang felt sad when she thought of the woman who had loved him wholeheartedly. If he had known, if he had known it would be so...

    He would have stopped her from dying in the lotus pond!

    Ning Ziyan did not find something wrong in Xia Yuhang¡¯s look, but still held his arm and said energetically, ¡°She¡¯s our mother anyway. It¡¯s better if we say anything, and father would certainly consider your...¡±

    Xia Yuhang got impatient and threw away Ning Ziyan¡¯s hand fiercely. He coldly said, ¡°You can go there and speak for your mother now. There¡¯s still time!¡±

    ¡°I...¡± Ning Ziyan turned pale and embarrassed by Xia Yuhang¡¯s behavior and did not know how to react.

    ¡°Yuhang, Ziyan... are you here to have a lovers¡¯ talk?¡± Suddenly clearughter came behind them.

 Chapter 155 - Ning Huaiyuan Is Back

    <h4>Chapter 155 Ning Huaiyuan Is Back</h4>

    The sudden voice shocked Ning Ziyan. She looked back, and saw a man in a light blue robe and a snow white fox-furred cloak walking along the road, followed by two young male servants. His ck hair was tied up with a hairpin. He was handsome and elegant and had endured the hardship of a long journey.

    ¡°Brother!¡± On seeing theer, Ning Ziyan jumped up excitedly, eyes brightening. The man walking to them was her brother, the Eldest Young Master of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Ning Huaiyuan.

    Ning Huaiyuan said to his sister with a smile on his face while looking at her, ¡°Sister, I didn¡¯te back when you got married. I¡¯ll give you a gift as mypensation!¡±

    Then he said to Xia Yuhang, ¡°Yuhang, sorry for my absence!¡±

    Ning Huaiyuan and Xia Yuhang had known each other since childhood, and studied togetherter. They were very familiar to each other. Xia Yuhang and Ning Ziyan¡¯s marriage was held in a hurry, so Ning Huaiyuan did note back in time.

    The reason why they were in such hurry was tacit!

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. We¡¯re a family. You needn¡¯t apologize,¡± Xia Yuhang said with a smile on his face and greeted Ning Huaiyuan.

    Ning Huaiyuan gave a look at the messy ground and the two older female servants who were guarding the entrance of the Buddha Hall, then he gently asked with a smile on his face, ¡°Is mother in it? What¡¯s wrong here?¡±

    Ning Ziyan indignantly said, ¡°Brother,e with me to see mother. She¡¯s inside. She¡¯s framed and is locked up in the Buddha Hall by father.¡± As long as she thought of Ning Xueyan¡¯s words and deeds, she would bite her teeth in hatred. ¡°My brother is back. I¡¯m looking forward to seeing how you will deal with my mother.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ll visit grandmother and father first. I thought something had happened to mother, so that I came here first. Now that mother is okay, let¡¯s go to Lucky Garden!¡± Ning Huaiyuan shook his hand, smiled and turned to Lucky Garden with Xia Yuhang.

    Although Ning Ziyan wanted to see Madam Ling with Ning Huaiyuan, she also knew that her brother should visit Madam Dowager first at this time. She stamped her feet and gave a look at the Buddha Hall which was strictly guarded by two older female servants. She knew that if she had to go inside at this time, she woulde into conflict with the two older female servants. So she had to follow them to the Lucky Garden.

    In the Lucky Garden, Madam Dowager, Madam Dowager Liu and Ning Zu¡¯an had made a conclusion. They all agreed to promote Yu Lian as a concubine.

    Madam Dowager was more annoyed with Madam Ling¡¯s behavior today, so she not only agreed to promote Yu Lian as the concubine, but also asked Yu Lian to help Ning Xueyan manage the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard when Madam Ling was in the Buddha Hall. This was originally Madam Dowager Liu¡¯s proposal. Madam Dowager thought it was good, but she had not formally agreed with the proposal before.

    Now when she heard that Madam Ling had made a scene in the Buddha Hall, she was very angry and made the final decision!

    ¡°Madam Dowager, Marquis, the Eldest Young Master is back!¡± An older female servant trotted all the way and came in to report to them happily.

    ¡°Yuan¡¯er is back! Let him in.¡± Madam Dowager turned happy as soon as she heard that and urged them to wee Ning Huaiyuan.

    Madam Dowager Liu also showed a smile on her face.

    Even Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s angry look turned gentle and joyful.

    The door curtain was pulled, and Ning Huaiyuan, Xia Yuhang and Ning Ziyan came in sessively. They saluted several elders and sat down.

    Madam Dowager scrutinized Ning Huaiyuan and found that he was a little thinner than before, so that she could not help saying lovingly, ¡°Yuan¡¯er, have you suffered outside? Look at you, you¡¯re thinner and darker!¡±

    ¡°Grandmother, I didn¡¯t suffer. I¡¯ve experienced a lot outside and broadened my mind. I¡¯m not a girl. Being darker is nothing!¡± Ning Huaiyuan said with a smile on his face, ¡°This time I brought a gift back for you. I hope you¡¯ll like it.¡±

    Then he took out a delicate box from his sleeve and passed it to Madam Dowager.

    ¡°Youring back is a gift to me. As long as you¡¯re healthy, I¡¯m willing to have nothing!¡± Instead of taking the box, Madam Dowager took his hands with a gentle, loving face.

    She was so satisfied with her grandson!

    Ning Huaiyuan was handsome and learned. In recent years, he had traveled outside from time to time and had broadened his horizon. Many madams had praised that Ning Huaiyuan, the heir of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, was really excellent. They also had expressed that they want to ally with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor by marriage. The reason why it had not been done was that there were too many choices and the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor did not know which one to choose.

    Madam Dowager was very satisfied that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would be taken over by her promising grandson in the future. Therefore, she was less angry with Madam Ling. Anyway, Madam Ling was Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s biological mother. If she was not supposed to be virtuous by others, it would influence Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s reputation.

    This also was the reason why Madam Dowager tried her best to help Madam Ling even though she did not like Madam Ling. For the sake of Ning Huaiyuan, Madam Dowager did not tell the truth even though she had found that her own medicine was mixed with Madam Ling¡¯s medicine. Now what she concerned most was her grandson Ning Huaiyuan.

    This time, Ning Huaiyuan visited Madam Dowager first and gave her a gift before changing his clothes and taking a rest as soon as he came back, which made Madam Dowager very happy. On thinking that her grandson was so sensible and much better than Madam Ling who always made trouble, Madam Dowager smiled happily.

    ¡°Grandmother, have a look at what brother brought to you, so that I also can broaden my horizon. He hid it all the way and didn¡¯t show it to us. You¡¯re the first one to see it.¡± Ning Ziyan came and pleased Madam Dowager.

    Her words made Madam Dowager happier. She reached out and patted Ning Ziyan on her head and said, ¡°Since Ziyan also wants to see it, let¡¯s open it and have a look.¡±

    Mother Qin came over, took the box and opened it. It was a delicate jade Buddha in the box. Although the jade Buddha was small, it was very delicate and was made up of a whole piece of jade. It was clear and feltfortable. At first nce, Madam Dowager knew that it was rare. Furthermore, the Buddha statue was exquisite.

    Madam Dowager believed in Buddhism, so she built a Buddha Hall in the backyard. When she saw such a delicate jade Buddha, she naturally liked it. Madam Dowager Liu sitting on one side smiled and said, ¡°Yuan¡¯er is really filial!¡±

    ¡°Grandaunt, I also brought you a gift. I¡¯ll ask someone to send it to youter. I also brought gifts for father, mother and sisters! Grandma, how about inviting them all over to share the presents happily?¡± Ning Huaiyuan advised with a smile on his face. On the surface, he was fair to everyone.

    Invite them all? Hearing that, Madam Dowager, Madam Dowager Liu and Ning Zu¡¯an were embarrassed.

    Not only was Madam Ling now closed in the Buddha hall, but also Ning Yuling had been sent away long ago. How did they get together?

    Ning Ziyan was sad and the smile on her face faded. She said in a low voice, ¡°Brother, mother, mother is still in the Buddha Hall. She can¡¯te here. Neither does the Second Sister.¡±

    Ning Huaiyuan was stunned and asked in doubt, ¡°What happened to mother and Second Sister?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. Your Second Sister was pped by your mother, so that her face was hurt. So she was sent to the countryside to recuperate. Your mother was sad and decided to live a quiet life in the Buddha Hall for some time.¡± Madam Dowager exined simply and gave a look at Ning Ziyan with displeasure. The whole story could not be clearly exined for a moment. Also, what happened today should be unknown to her grandson.

    Hearing Madam Dowager¡¯s words, Ning Huaiyuan fairly said, ¡°Is Second Sister¡¯s face hurt? I happen to know a doctor. I¡¯ll invite him to treat Second Sister. Maybe she¡¯ll recover soon. Second Sister is sometimes arrogant, and it must be her own fault even though mother identally hurt her. Mother needn¡¯t me herself!¡±

    Ning Yuling¡¯s temperament was known to all in the manor. Because she was beautiful and Madam Dowager held great hope for her, people in the manor would give in when faced her. Ning Huaiyuan could talk about her shorings in such an unavoidable way, which made Madam Dowager feel that he was sincere and impartial.

    ¡°But mother...¡± Ning Ziyan frowned, wishing to speak but stopped on a second thought.

    ¡°Is mother still self-condemned?¡± Ning Huaiyuan frowned and thought about it for a while. Then he turned to Madam Dowager and said, ¡°Grandmother, how about I persuading my mother? Second Sister¡¯s injury is not her fault. Second Sister was naughty and got herself into trouble. No one else is to me!¡±

    The son who came back from a distant ce wanted to see his mother. In principle, they could not stop. Furthermore, the reason that Madam Dowager said before was not serious. But only then did such a big thing happen, and everyone in the manor knew that Madam Ling had made a scene and beaten Yu Lian and Concubine Xu. If she was released now, how could they be prestigious in front of the servants in the future?

    Madam Dowager was so embarrassed!

    As soon as Madam Dowager was silent, Ning Ziyan was happy and wanted to say something, so that Madam Dowager had to release her mother. But before she said, Xia Yuhang stretched out his hand and pulled her aside gently and forcefully. He smiled and said, ¡°Yan¡¯er, don¡¯t worry, brother will take care of mother¡¯s business!¡±

    Xia Yuhang¡¯s voice was low, but everyone could hear it clearly because the room was quiet. Madam Dowager darkened her eyes suddenly and looked at Ning Huaiyuan while frowning. The smile on her face slowly faded.

    Ning Zu¡¯an also darkened his eyes and looked at Ning Huaiyuan.

    Before, Madam Dowager was immersed in the joy of Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s return, so that she did not think too much about Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s words. She only thought that Ning Huaiyuan just returned and knew nothing about what had happened to his mother so that he questioned things about his mother. But now because of Xia Yuhang¡¯s words, she suddenly felt that Ning Huaiyuan seemed to pay too much attention to Madam Ling today and talked about Madam Ling all the time.

    It seemed that he had some purposes. Then she remembered that Ning Huaiyuan came in with Ning Ziyan just now. Although Ning Ziyan had married, she still was Madam Ling¡¯s daughter. Although she was not clear about everything now, she knew at least part of them. It was impossible that she did not talk about Madam Ling with Ning Huaiyuan.

    Did Ning Huaiyuan return today to plead for Madam Ling?

    ¡°Grandma, is there any other information?¡± Ning Huaiyuan, slightly surprised, turned to Ning Ziyan and said, ¡°Sister, you just asked me about my journey. Why didn¡¯t you tell me about mother in detail?¡±

    He exined that he did not know the truth and Ning Ziyan also did not tell him about Madam Ling on the way.

    After listening to him, Madam Dowager softened her face again. She always valued her grandson. Since Madam Ling came to the manor, Ning Huaiyuan had been raised by Madam Dowager. She thought she was more intimate with Ning Huaiyuan than Madam Ling. If Ning Huaiyuan kept thinking about Madam Ling¡¯s affairs as soon as he came back, she would surely be angry with him.

    Next, Ning Huaiyuan did not mention Madam Ling anymore. He neither mentioned it by ident nor questioned it. His grandson¡¯s cleverness made Madam Dowager happier and chat whileughing.

 Chapter 156 - The Red Plum and the Beauty

    <h4>Chapter 156 The Red Plum and the Beauty</h4>

    In Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s room, Ning Ziyan asked with a gloomy face, ¡°Brother, why don¡¯t you mention mother anymore? If you put a good word for mother, she would be released.¡± Just now, she was stopped by Xia Yuhang who warned her not to interfere in the affairs of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor by great strength.

    A woman had to obey her husband after getting married. And Xia Yuhang had been neither enthusiastic nor indifferent to her, so Ning Ziyan dared not disobey Xia Yuhang. Xia Yuhang had left first, and there only were Ning Ziyan and Ning Huaiyuan in the room now, so Ning Ziyan straightforwardly asked Ning Huaiyuan, ignoring taboos. She believed that her brother was also concerned about mother, otherwise, he, who had always been courteous, would not go to the Buddha Hall first instead of greeting grandmother first as soon as he heard that something had happened to his mother.

    Ning Huaiyuan smiled and said, ¡°Sister, how are you and Yuhang doing recently?¡±

    Ning Ziyan was not sad before he asked, but as soon as he asked, Ning Ziyan cried while wiping her tears. Before she married Xia Yuhang, she only knew that he was a handsome man and affectionate to her. When Ning Ziying hurt her before dying, he also took care of her wholeheartedly, which made her love him more.

    Unexpectedly, he became indifferent to her soon after they got married. Then he actually went to Cold Mountain Temple to secretly date with Chen Hexiang. After that, she lost her child. Now even though Xia Yuhang loved and cared about her, she still felt strange, as if she had lost something.

    That kind of bad feeling seemed to appear since Ning Ziying died!

    Ning Huaiyuan darkened his face at once and asked with anger, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did he bully you?¡± In his opinion, Xia Yuhang had gone too far and actually dared to slight his beautiful, gentle sister. He directly ignored how his sister married Xia Yuhang.

    ¡°No, he didn¡¯t. He, he has a concubine!¡± Ning Ziyan spoke of her sorrow and then sobbed.

    Hearing that, Ning Huaiyuan frowned. ¡°A concubine? He actually got a concubine soon after getting married. He has gone too far.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t cry. Tomorrow I¡¯ll talk to him. As for the concubine, don¡¯t put her in your mind. She¡¯s just a concubine. Keep her if you like her. If you don¡¯t like her, sell her. Will he be angry with you because of a concubine?¡± Ning Huaiyuan touched Ning Ziyan¡¯s head andforted her.

    Ning Huaiyuan really turned his nose up at a concubine. He also did not approve of his sister caring about a concubine. At this time, Ning Huaiyuan had known all about what happened today. The reason also was a concubine. Because of a concubine, his mother actually made a scene today. It was so humiliating.

    Both his mother and his sister only focused on womenfolk courtyard. Concubines just were ythings. Would they be superior to the Legal Wife? It was worthless to make a scene because of concubines!

    Before, he was still doubtful about why Xia Yuhang stopped Ning Ziyan and said such a word at the critical moment, so that Madam Dowager doubted him. Now he realized that there were problems between Xia Yuhang and his sister. Others did not understand what was going on in Lucky Garden just now, how could Xia Yuhang not know it?

    That was the reason. There was a wedge between Xia Yuhang and Ning Ziyan, so Xia Yuhang did not want to be involved in this matter.

    Ning Ziyan knew that Ning Huaiyuan and Xia Yuhang were friends. When she heard what her brother said, Ning Ziyan nodded and wiped her tears with her handkerchief. Suddenly, she put down her handkerchief and said, ¡°Brother, you cannot let go of Ning Xueyan. I suspect that she framed mother and Second Sister.¡±

    Ning Xueyan? Ning Huaiyuan frowned after hearing the name. He had no impression of the Fifth Sister who had been hiding in Bright Frost Courtyard and had never dared to appear in front of the public. He only remembered that she was a small, insignificant girl and even dared not raise her head when there were a little more people. She was unpresentable.

    And she used to be bullied by Ning Yuling, and dared not say a word!

    ¡°How could such a person frame mother and Second Sister? Second Sister can easily kill her, not to mention mother.¡±

    ¡°Did Ning Xueyan dare to go out of Bright Frost Garden? At most there¡¯s one more Young Lady. Sister, you needn¡¯t care about her!¡± There was no outsider here, so Ning Huaiyuan directly spoke his mind with a sarcastic smile on his face. He had never look up to his Fifth Sister and was unable to remember her face now.

    Ning Ziyan fiercely said, a pair of beautiful eyes shining with the vicious look, ¡°She¡¯s very malicious now. Both mother and Second Sister fell into her trap. Brother, you have to help me kill her.¡±

    Last time, Ning Ziyan and Madam Ling nned to kill Ning Xueyan, but failed. Instead, she lost her child. The more Ning Ziyan thought of it, the more she felt it has something to do with Ning Xueyan. ¡°I obviously put the hairpin on Ning Xueyan¡¯s head. Why did nothing happen to her?¡±

    ¡°Ziyan, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll find out what happened to mother and Second Sister. If Ning Xueyan really framed them, I¡¯ll take avenge on her.¡± Ning Huaiyuan promised to Ning Ziyan. Now he had a different feeling towards his sister who he had no family affection for.

    He really did not believe that Ning Xueyan who could not protect herself could frame his mother and Second Sister.

    Ning Huaiyuan decided to observe Ning Xueyan when he would greet Madam Dowager tomorrow morning, but he did not expect the meeting to arrive half a day earlier than he thought.

    After lunch, Fourth Prince, Ao Mingwan, came to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Ning Huaiyuan had apanied Ao Mingwan studying before. The rtionship between them was quite different. Ning Huaiyuan also did something for Fourth Prince in private by way of traveling, which was also the reason why he could note back in time to participate in Ning Ziyan¡¯s wedding.

    So as soon as he heard of his return, the Fourth Prince came to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Ning Zu¡¯an chatted with Ao Mingwan for a while. Knowing that they had something to discuss, Ning Zu¡¯an let them walk and talk in the courtyard. Then the two talked while walking to the courtyard at will. Suddenly, they saw a girl in white standing in front of an arch after they turned at a corner.

    In front of the arch there was a red plum tree which had blossomed. Against the white snow, the red plum looked more glittering and beautiful. What was more striking was the girl standing there picking red plums. She wore a snow white clothes embroidered with red plums on the skirt edge and had made a hairstyle of the unmarried young girl.

    Against the snow and red plum, that little face was as beautiful as a fairy¡¯s. Besides, she had her own features. It was hard to describe that beautiful face which instantly stunned the two men.

    Ning Xueyan came here to pick red plums. In the whole garden, Ning Xueyan was satisfied with this red plum tree most. After arriving here, she asked Qingyu to stand on one side and went up to pick red plums by herself. Now she was standing on tiptoe and focusing on picking the red plum she had chosen while narrowing her eyes. Unexpectedly, she became the beautiful scenery in the eyes of others.

    ¡°Who is she?¡± Ao Mingwan asked Ning Huaiyuan while pointing to Ning Xueyan, eyes brightening.

    Ning Huaiyuan looked carefully and could not recognize her for a moment. He knew that she must be a Young Lady from her clothes. But he did not know the maid standing beside her. So he could not answer who she was. In his mind, Ning Xueyan was an insignificant thin girl, and even was inferior to an ordinary maid. How did he know that the beautiful girl opposite them was Ning Xueyan?

    Looking at the bright red plum, Ning Huaiyuan suddenly remembered something, and his gaze turned strange. ¡°Is she Ning Qingshan? Yes, it must be Ning Qingshan!¡±

    Because of the red plum, he suddenly thought of his Third Sister who he had not seen for years. ¡°I heard grandmother say that Ning Qingshan will definitelye back this year. Is she the Third Sister?¡± Ning Huaiyuan put his hands together behind his back and pinched each other with a strange look. Then he answered as if nothing were on his mind, ¡°This is my Third Sister.¡±

    Ning Qingshan was a little beauty before. Unexpectedly, she was more beautiful when she grew up!

    ¡°Your Third Sister? Is she the filial Third Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?¡± Ao Mingwan also heard that the Third Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was both virtuous and filial, but he did not take it seriously. He did not believe that a little girl was both virtuous and filial. Now when he saw Ning Xueyan, his eyes brightened.

    Ning Huaiyuan nodded and said, ¡°Yes, she¡¯s my Third Sister!¡± Now he was sure that the girl in front of them was Ning Qingshan. Unexpectedly, Ning Qingshan had already returned. The clever little beauty in memory had be so beautiful, which made Ning Huaiyuan have a different feeling.

    The Fourth Prince curiously said, ¡°Let¡¯s go and see this virtuous and filial Young Lady!¡± Then he turned and marched to Ning Xueyan.

    Among the youngdies in the capital, some were talented and some had a good reputation. But no one was both virtuous and filial. That was the reason why Ning Qingshan still was popr in the capital even though she had left the capital for many years.

    Ning Huaiyuan did not follow the Fourth Prince, but stopped and said with a smile on his face, ¡°Fourth Prince, my Third Sister is young and had never seen you before. It is inappropriate that we directly meet her!¡±

    The Fourth Prince and Ning Qingshan had not met before. He should avoid Ning Qingshan in this case. It was extremely impolite of him to see her now.

    Although the Fourth Prince wanted to know the Third Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, he did not want to be considered rude by such a beautifuldy, so he had to stop and turned to another road.

    Ning Xueyan was picking a plum blossom. She did not notice that someone had seen them. Qingyu saw the corner of Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s clothes, but she did not know who it was for a moment. Seeing that no one came, Qingyu thought it was just a passerby and did not tell Ning Xueyan. On seeing that Ning Xueyan picked a plum blossom, she hurried to hand over the vase in her hands.

    Qingyu happily said, ¡°Young Lady, this is really beautiful. I think this is the most beautiful one. I¡¯ll put it study desk in a minute.¡±

    Ning Xueyan took over the handkerchief and wiped the snow on her hands, then she smiled and said to Qingyu, ¡°No, send it to Lucky Garden first.¡±

    Qingyu was unwilling to give such a beautiful red plum to others and muttered, ¡°Didn¡¯t we sent one to Madam Dowager yesterday?¡±

    ¡°Yesterday is yesterday, while today is today. Grandmother has priority over us. You can pick another one for meter.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled slightly, and a mockery smile shed through her inky eyes.

    This flower must be sent to Madam Dowager.

 Chapter 157 - Who Is the Sister?

    <h4>Chapter 157 Who Is the Sister?</h4>

    Ning Qingshan used to pick red plums for Madam Dowager. These days Madam Dowager mentioned it from time to time. She talked about the filial Third Young Lady Ning Qingshan, as if she was talking about her biological granddaughter. She spoke highly of her and also asked Ning Xueyan to clean the Foggy Courtyard. All the appliances were reced with new ones, several of which were given by Madam Dowager.

    And that dazzling ze screen given by Madam Dowager was Madam Ming¡¯s dowry!

    It seemed that not only Madam Ling, but also Madam Dowager privately took possession of Madam Ming¡¯s dowry, otherwise, Madam Dowager would not be so generous and send things to Ning Qingshan¡¯s Foggy Courtyard.

    Madam Dowager mentioned Ning Qingshan and red plums again and again. How could Ning Xueyan not understand that? So today she specially came out to pick red plums for Madam Dowager.

    Qingyu walked away while carrying the vase with the red plum in it. Ning Xueyan stood alone under the plum tree and meditated while looking at the red plums. The red plums made her ck hair and beautiful face free from vulgarity. And her pale face even made people feel that she would go with the wind.

    ¡°Sister!¡± A gentle and affectionate cry came behind her. That gentle voice almost made her feel that she was in a dream. Once there was a person who also called her so gently.

    ¡°Ying¡¯er, I¡¯ll apany you all my life!¡±

    ¡°Ying¡¯er, you are the only wife in my life. I will never betray you!¡±

    ¡°Ying¡¯er...¡±

    Ning Xueyan shook her head to get rid of the voice in her mind. Then she blinked her eyes and turned back. When she saw the maning to her, she was a little surprised!

    It was Ning Huaiyuan!

    When she was Ning Ziying, she had met Ning Huaiyuan. At that time, Ning Huaiyuan was neither indifferent nor enthusiastic to Ning Ziying. After all, there should be a prudent reserve between the sexes. Although Ning Ziying lived in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she had only seen Ning Huaiyuan a few times and said a few words with him. She almost had no impression of him.

    In Ning Xueyan¡¯s memory, this brother always ignored her. When he saw that she was bullied by Ning Yuling, he would not say a word for her and passed by with indifference. Instead of seeing her who was bullied, he went to see Ning Yuling who bullied her and asked whether her hand was hurt when she beat her. In his mind, she had never been his sister.

    Unexpectedly, he woulde forward and call her affectionately when he saw her this time. How could Ning Xueyan not be surprised?

    Looking up at him, Ning Xueyan did not speak for a moment.

    Ning Huaiyuan thought that Ning Qingshan did not recognize him for a while, and gently said, ¡°We haven¡¯t seen for many years. Didn¡¯t you recognize me?¡±

    ¡°Brother!¡± Although Ning Xueyan did not know what Ning Huaiyuan meant, she still calmly went forward and slightly bowed to salute him.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you for many years. Unexpectedly, you¡¯re more beautiful and more courteous.¡± Ning Huaiyuan smiled more gently and reached out, as if he was going to help her get up.

    Ning Xueyan moved aside and avoided his hand. She blinked her eyes and slight indifference appeared in her eyes. She meditated in her mind. ¡°Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s attitude is really strange. When did I have such a good rtionship with him, so that he directly called me sister.¡±

    Ning Huaiyuan asked with a smile on his face, ¡°Sister, are you busy now? Can you stroll with me for a while?¡± A trace of meaningful look shed through his eyes.

    ¡°Sorry, brother, I can¡¯t apany you. I have to go to grandma¡¯s ce.¡± Ning Xueyan refused with a gentle smile on her face. She didn¡¯t think she had anything to say with Ning Huaiyuan. Moreover, Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s attitude was very strange and different from his attitudes towards her in the past. He was so gentle that she almost thought that he was facing his biological sister.

    Ning Xueyan insisted on leaving, so Ning Huaiyuan did not stop. He smiled and made way for her. ¡°Okay. We can stroll as before when you have time!¡±

    Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s voice was low and gentle, but it happened to be heard by Ning Xueyan who passed by. Ning Xueyan frowned and nced at him, happening to look into Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s eyes. Ning Xueyan did not know his meaning, but slightly bowed and turned to the road to Lucky Garden.

    Qingyu came from a distance and saw Ning Xueyan walking toward Lucky Garden. She asked with doubts, ¡°Young Lady, why did youe?¡± When Qingyu left just now, Ning Xuyan had no intention ofing.

    ¡°What did Madam Dowager say?¡± Ning Xueyan stopped and stood at the intersection. After Qingyu came, the two turned to another path, which was also a shortcut to Bright Frost Garden.

    Seeing Ning Xueyan turning around, Qingyu thought that Ning Xueyan could not wait to go back and did not care about it. She followed Ning Xueyan and said, ¡°Madam Dowager likes that flower very much. She praised you continuously. She said that you are as ingenious as the Third Young Lady. Only then did Madam Dowager let me ask you whether you want to learn flower arrangement.¡±

    Flower arrangement? The Third Young Lady Ning Qingshan? After hearing Qingyu¡¯s words, Ning Xueyan showed a cold smile on her face. She did not understand Madam Dowager¡¯s meaning at first. But now she fully understood. Madam Dowager really had cudgeled her brains.

    Thinking that Madam Dowagerpared her Young Lady with the Third Young Lady, Qingyu was quite unhappy. ¡°My Young Lady was born of the legal wife while the Third Young Lady is an adopted daughter even though she is quite good. Why does Madam Dowager speak highly her, as if she was her biological granddaughters?¡±

    Qingyu unhappily said, ¡°Young Lady, the Third Young Lady cannot hold a candle to you. She is just an adopted daughter, not the biological daughter of marquis. Don¡¯t they say that she is virtuous and filial? When Second Madam was ill in Bright Frost Garden, she only came to greet the Second Madam on the first day of the New Year, and then left immediately. She is not filial at all.¡±

    Ning Qingshan nominally was Madam Ming¡¯s daughter. She ought to be filial to Madam Ming most!

    Ning Qingshan was clever. On the first days of the New Year, she always went to Bright Frost Garden to greet Madam Ming and offer her a cup of tea. But she would not stay in Bright Frost Garden for more than fifteen minutes. In Ning Xueyan¡¯s memory, although her Third Sister smiled at her, her smile was not sincere. Her eyes were full of arrogance which was hidden under her smile.

    The reason why she showed this expression in front of Ning Xueyan was that she looked down on Ning Xueyan and never regarded Ning Xueyan as her opponent.

    Ning Xueyan reached out her tender white hand, and took a yellow leaf that had fallen from the tree, faintly saying, ¡°Tell Madam Dowager in a moment that I¡¯ve burned my hand with hot water.¡±

    No matter how good Ning Qingshan was, she was unwilling to be the second one! She heard that the Third Young Lady was good at flower arrangement when she was in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, which also was the reason why Honored Consort Ya appreciated her. Therefore, flower arrangement became popr among the youngdies from respectable or noble families.

    Some of the consorts in the imperial pce were also proud of their ability to arrange flowers. Madam Dowager¡¯s ultimate goal was to make her the second Ning Qingshan.

    Qingyu nodded and said, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll report it to Madam Dowager in a minute.¡± Suddenly, she asked after thinking for a moment, ¡°Young Lady, only then did I heard the maids in Lucky Garden say that the Eldest Young Master is back. What should we do?¡±

    ¡°Take it easy. We¡¯ll take one step and look around before taking another.¡± Suddenly, Ning Xueyan stopped and looked at the empty courtyard in front of her. This path led to Bright Frost Garden, but they also would pass through the Cloud Reflection Courtyard if they took this path. Seeing the deste Cloud Reflection Courtyard which used to be busy, Ning Xueyan showed coldness in her dark eyes.

    Every time she came here, her mind was filled with hatred, which had gone deep into her bone. When she dreamed at midnight, she would wake up every time she saw theke covered with blood in her dream...

    Qingyu also felt the anomaly of Ning Xueyan and carefully asked, ¡°Young Lady, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Ning Xueyan asked while narrowing her eyes, ¡°Look, Qingyu, is there anybody over there?¡± The leaves rustled because of the wind in winter. It seemed that someone had shed at a distance, but she did not see it clearly.

    Qingyu had a look along the direction of Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes and saw nothing unusual. ¡°Young Lady, I did not see anything different. It¡¯s branches that are shaking in the strong wind.¡±

    Ning Xueyan looked at there again and found nothing. It seemed that the figure shed just now really did not exist. Then Ning Xueyan turned and walked to Bright Frost Courtyard.

    But she had a feeling that what she just saw was true. It seemed that there were too many secrets buried in the Cloud Reflection Courtyard, and she could not find a clue for a moment. Xia Yuhang, Ning Ziyan, Madam Ling, Ning Zu¡¯an, Madam Dowager, and the brocade mentioned by Mother Wang seemed to be in disorder.

    But Ning Xueyan knew that there must be a connection!

    ¡°Qingyu, did Mother Wang say anything about Ning Ziying?¡± Ning Xueyan thought about it all the way while asking Qingyu who was following her. In order to prevent others from discovering that Mother Wang¡¯s legs were all right, the matter that Mother Wang was in the Bright Frost Garden was in charge of Qingyu, Lanning, and Xinmei.

    Xinmei was sent to Ning Xueyan by Ao Chenyi and had to deal with many things rted to Ning Xueyan, so most of the time there were Qingyu and Lanning.

    ¡°Mother Wang didn¡¯t say anything, she just said...¡± Qingyu hesitated for a moment, but then said with a smile on her face, ¡°Mother Wang said you and her Young Lady look alike, but Lanning and I don¡¯t think so. Lanning also said that you and Young Lady Ziying are sisters and slightly resemnce is normal. Honestly speaking, your eyes and Young Lady Ziying¡¯s eyes look the most alike. I don¡¯t know why Mother Wang said you and her Young Lady look alike.¡±

    Ning Xueyan suddenly stopped and blinked her watery eyes, showing abnormalities in her eyes. Her previous appearance suddenly appeared in her mind. Did Ning Ziying and Ning Xueyan look alike? Why had she never felt it?

    Ning Ziying¡¯s face was slightly rounder, ruddy and lustrous, while Ning Xueyan was thin. When she reborn, she, a 14-year-old girl, looked like an 11- or 12-year-old girl. During this period, she had been taking the medicine given by Ao Chenyi and also trying to nurse her health, so that she slightly looked like a 14-year-old normal girl.

    But she still was thin. She had a sharp chin and a pale face. She did not resemble Ning Ziying at all. But Mother Wang said they looked alike, which confused Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Qingyu, did Mother Wang really say that Ning Ziying and I look alike?¡± Ning Xueyan bit her lips and meditated. ¡°Does Mother Wang doubt that I am Ning Ziying, or does she really feel that I look like Ning Ziying?¡±

    Qingyu said with certainty, ¡°Yes, Mother Wang has said that to me and Lanning more than once, so I and Lanning have talked about it in private.¡±

    Ning Xueyan went on walking and asked neither fast nor slowly, ¡°Has Mother Wang ever said that someone else look alike Ning Ziying?¡±

    ¡°No, Mother Wang only said you look alike Young Lady Ziying. She did not say anyone else look alike Young Lady Ziying. Most of the time, Mother Wang doesn¡¯t talk about her Young Lady. Every time she talks about her, she would cry. It¡¯s so pitiful. Why did she take things too hard and throw herself into theke?¡± Qingyu sighed. Mother Wang was also pitiful. Ning Ziying who she had taken care of for many years suddenly died. How could she not be sad?

    Suddenly, a maid appeared on the path and shouted, ¡°Young Lady...¡± When they approached her and found that she came from the Bright Frost Courtyard. On seeing Ning Xueyan, the maids hurried to say, ¡°Young Lady, Madam Dowager sent you many gifts.¡±

 Chapter 158 - Ning Xueyan Refuses All Gifts

    <strong>Chapter 158 Ning Xueyan Refuses All Gifts</strong>

    There were many gifts, including satin and clothing. Even there was a set of head-ornament of pearls. All of the gifts were ced on the table, upying a whole table.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, these are all sent by the Third Young Lady. These are for girls. Madam Dowager said that there are only you and Fourth Young Lady, so she asked me to send these gifts to your ce. In a moment, the Fourth Young Lady wille, and you two can choose.¡±

    Mother Qin said that with a smile on her face while pointing to the gifts on the table.

    Ning Xueyan picked up a piece of snow satin on the table, looked at it, and asked with a smile on her face, ¡°Did Third Sistere back?¡±

    Such delicate and smooth snow satin was made in somewhere in the south of the Yangtze River. Ning Ziying grew up in the south of the Yangtze River, so she knew how precious this kind of snow satin was. Even in the ce of production, most of it would be sent to the capital as tribute. Ning Qingshan should send four pieces of snow satin to them. She was so generous.

    ¡°The Third Young Lady has not returned yet. She has to cure others before leaving. She is always so kind as she was when she was young. Madam Dowager asked you to choose some jewelry from the warehouse for Foggy Courtyard. We can¡¯t make people feel that we have treated the Third Young Lady badly!¡± Mother Qin was in a good mood. The Third Young Lady not only sent gifts to the masters of every courtyard, but also gave her a great gift in private. So she thought Ning Qingshan was very good when she mentioned her at this time.

    ¡°Oh, Fifth Young Lady, these are given to Second Madam by Third Young Lady. The Third Young Lady is outside. She doesn¡¯t know that Second Madam is dead. You can ept these gifts for her.¡±

    Compared to the previous ones, the gifts Mother Qin pointed to now were rather shabby. On the top also was a piece of snow satin. It was light pink and shining. Under it was a tiny ornament box which almost could not be seen. All they could see was pink snow satin.

    Ning Xueyan showed anger in her eyes, but then she immediately hid it behind her cold ck jade eyes!

    Madam Ming was Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s co-wife. Although she was not the legal wife, she still could wear red clothes whosece must be pink, so that these clothes could be distinguished from legal wife¡¯s totally red clothes. But now the snow satin Ning Qingshan sent to Madam Ming was totally pink, the color belonged to concubines.

    She looked down on Madam Ming and regarded her as an ordinary concubine!

    She was adopted by Madam Ming. If Madam Ming was only a concubine, could she be the daughter born of legal wife?

    Before arriving, she built her prestige by means of Madam Ming. The Third Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor really was not simple.

    This was a humiliation to Madam Ming. Ning Xueyan regarded Madam Ming as her biological mother. How could she endure it?

    Ning Xueyan touched the pink satin and knocked on it intentionally. Then she carried it and said to Mother Qin who was praising Ning Qingshan, ¡°Mother Qin, this color is not suitable for my mother even if she was alive. Please take back these gifts with you!¡±

    The light pink snow satin was directly showed to Mother Qin.

    Mother Qin was surprised at first, and then embarrassed. Those servants who had worked in the manor for so many years knew that Madam Ming not only was the co-wife, but also once was Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s legal wife. Compared with Madam Ling, Madam Ming was the perfectly justifiable wife of Ning Zu¡¯an. Madam Ming was so proud, how could she ept the satin of this color?

    ¡°Maybe the Third Young Lady doesn¡¯t know it, so that she made a mistake. Fifth Young Lady, you¡¯re magnanimous, please don¡¯t care about it. I will change one for you.¡± Mother Qin had been devoting herself to Ning Qingshan since she epted a great gift from Ning Qingshan. Now when she realized that Ning Qingshan had made a mistake, she hurried to apologize for her with a smile on her face. She put the pink snow satin in the pile of gifts which would be given to Ning Xueyan. Then she wanted to find out a piece of totally red snow satin, but she failed. In the end, she could only take out a piece of snow satin of red and pink and pushed it to Ning Xueyan.

    This meant that anyone would make a mistake about this kind of thing. If Ning Xueyan cared about it, it would appear that she was not magnanimous!

    Ning Xueyan indifferently said, ¡°Mother Qin, needn¡¯t change. Just return these to grandmother and tell her that I thanked Third Sister for my mother. My mother is dead, and these gifts are unnecessary.¡± Then she looked at Ning Lingyun who just came in, and said, ¡°This satin is not suitable for me and Fourth Sister!¡±

    It did not matter if the pink satin was given directly to Ning Xueyan or Ning Lingyun first. But now it had been refused by Madam Ming. It would make people ufortable if it was sent to them again. Besides, different colors represented different status. If it was sent to Ning Xueyan or Ning Lingyun, others would think that it meant that the two Young Ladies would be concubines in the future.

    Mother Qin was also in trouble for a moment. Looking at Ning Lingyun who was standing aside and thinking about something and Ning Xueyan who was smiling but in fact was cold and persistent, Mother Qin had to swallow her words.

    The Fifth Young Lady in front of her was not the one who was ordered by others at will.

    Mother Qin awkwardly said, ¡°Yes, I will take it back in a minute. When Third Young Ladyes back, she will send another gift to the Second Madam.¡±

    Ning Xueyan gently and politely said, ¡°Mother Qin, it¡¯s unnecessary. My mother is dead. She won¡¯t care about it. Please bring my thanks to Third Sister.¡±

    Madam Ming was dead, but Ning Qingshan still made use of her. What did she mean? If she really cared about Madam Ming, why didn¡¯t she show up when Madam Ming was in trouble? The so-called Third Sister was more intimate with Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling than with Ning Xueyan. Ning Xueyan wondered why Madam Ling did not adopt her at the beginning.

    ¡°Well... all right, I¡¯m leaving!¡± Because of this mistake, Mother Qin felt dispirited, but she could not say more. She had stayed with Madam Dowager for a long time. Of course, she knew whatever she said now was wrong. Anyway, it was the Third Young Lady¡¯s mistake that she sent the Second Madam a piece of pink satin.

    Originally, Mother Qin wanted to help the Third Young Lady to cover up this matter. But now these gifts to Madam Ming were refused by the Fifth Young Lady. Madam Dowager would certainly know it. Fortunately, Madam Dowager would not me the Third Young Lady if she exined well for the Third Young Lady. After all, the Third Young Lady was young when she left Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and had been in the nunnery all the time, how could she know these rules? It was normal that she made a mistake.

    Mother Qin had made up her mind that when the Third Young Lady came back, she would first tell her that the Second Madam was dead and the Fifth Young Lady also was not the original Fifth Young Lady.

    Carrying the light pink satin and the tiny jewelry box, Mother Qin did not say more and left while frowning.

    ¡°Fourth Sister, you can take all these gifts if you like them!¡± Ning Xueyan looked at the gifts on the table with disdain. Just now, she had seen these gifts clearly. There actually were four sets of gift which were prepared for Ning Ziyan, Ning Yuling, Ning Lingyun and her. But she saw w on the same gifts of each set.

    A piece of snow satin obviously was damaged; one corner of an ornament box copsed; a fine fan was stained; the artistic design embroidered on one handkerchief was not good.

    There were four sets of gift for four people. In the past, those worst ones must be left to Ning Xueyan!

    It seemed that the Third Young Lady really did not know that Ning Ziyan had married, Ning Yuling had been sent away, and Ning Xueyan hade out of Bright Frost Garden.

    Three years ago, Ning Qingshan was only a 13-year-old girl. But the Honored Consort Ya and the Third Prince had been remembering her for so many years; she had been famous in the capital; Madam Ling had been kind to her even though she was adopted by Madam Ming; Madam Dowager had been missing her all the time; people of the capital had been thinking that she was filial to Madam Ming even if in fact she was indifferent to Madam Ming in private. How could such a girl be simple?

    Ning Xueyan even had a feeling that the Third Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had been knowing everything happening in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    The four sets of gift were sent to Madam Dowager first. There were too many gifts, so that no one noticed that some of them were damaged. Even though they found itter, they only would think that it must be servants who carelessly damaged them on the way. No one would think of the bad intentions of Ning Qingshan?

    The four sets of gift were seemingly the same, but obviously one set of gift was wed. If it had been before, the worst one would certainly be given to Ning Xueyan. When Madam Ling and her daughters saw it, they would think that Ning Qingshan stood by them. In this way, Ning Qingshan would please Madam Ling.

    Now there were only Ning Lingyun and Ning Xueyan in the manor. As far as Ning Xueyan knew, Ning Lingyun was tart and mean and would not ept the wed ones. Ning Xueyan, as a daughter born of the legal wife, would be inferior to Ning Lingyun who was born of a concubine if she epted the wed ones. Then how could she manage the whole manor and the household ounts for Madam Dowager? However, if Ning Xueyan did not ept them and argued with Ning Lingyun for them, she would be supposed to be insensible.

    So, whatever Ning Xueyan would do was wrong!

    Furthermore, others would not think that Ning Qingshan was wrong. They would only say that the Third Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was generous and brought gifts to her sisters when she came back. However, two unpresentable Young Ladies actually argued for the gifts. It really was a shame!

    Ning Xueyan did not want toe into conflict with the Third Young Lady. But if someone bullied her, she would not give in. She did not care how Ning Qingshan fish for fame and credit, but she could not step on her. Therefore, she gave all these gifts to Ning Lingyun without care.

    She also knew how to show her generosity. So she neither fought for nor wanted these gifts and gave them all to Ning Lingyun.

    If this had happened before, Ning Lingyun would be ecstatic andcent, thinking that Ning Xueyan was afraid of her.

    But Ning Lingyun, who had been taught twice by Ning Xueyan and secretly warned by Concubine Xu, was much more cautious now. She moved her feet and said, ¡°Fifth Sister, I don¡¯t want them. I¡¯ll give it all to you.¡±

    Ning Lingyun thought that Ning Xueyan pretended to refuse these gifts. So although she was unwilling to give up these gifts, she still reluctantly looked away. She was really afraid of Ning Xueyan, and dared not steal the show in front of her.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like all these styles. Fourth Sister, take them all!¡± ¡°Here is a token of Third Sister¡¯s affection. If we ignore it, we can¡¯t ount for it in front of grandmother.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled faintly, turned back and sat down on the chair, then she said to Qingyu, ¡°Qingyu, pack all these gifts for Fourth Sister.¡±

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s words made Ning Lingyun felt ufortable. Although she was not born of Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s legal wife, she was indeed his biological daughter. However, she was not as important as an adopted daughter. How could Ning Lingyun, who had a good opinion of herself, not be depressed? This also reminded her of her childhood. When they were young, it clearly was Ning Qingshan¡¯s mistake, but finally it was she who was med.

    Three years had passed, Ning Qingshan must be more sophisticated! She needed to be more careful!

    Qingyu skillfully packed all the gifts. Knowing that Ning Xueyan really did not want these gifts, Ning Lingyun no longer refused. She pretended to politely refuse, and then asked her maids to bring back all these gifts to her courtyard.

 Chapter 159 - You Mistook Me for Someone Else. Iâ€™m Ning Xueyan!

    <strong>Chapter 159 You Mistook Me for Someone Else. I¡¯m Ning Xueyan!</strong>

    ¡°Miss, you must beware of Third Young Lady. She is the daughter in name of Madam Ming, but she didn¡¯t respect her at all! Look, the brocade she gave Madam Ming is pink. The color is for concubines!¡± seeing everyone leave, Mother Han said angrily. She was brought to the manor by Madam Ming, so she had always stood on Madam Ming¡¯s side and she couldn¡¯t restrain her anger when she saw the insulting brocade Ning Qingshan sent here before she had returned to the manor.

    ¡°Miss, what does she mean?¡± Lanning was a thoughtful girl, but she couldn¡¯t help asking now.

    ¡°She is ttering Madam Ling by suppressing Bright Frost Garden!¡± Ning Xueyan took the tea cup from Lanning and took a sip of tea. Her feathery eyshes trembled in the floating mist. Her jet-ck jade like eyes were too beautiful to be true, but there was a trace of irony in them.

    To tter Madam Ling and suppress Ning Xueyan!

    Although they hadn¡¯t seen Third Young Lady yet, everyone knew that she wouldn¡¯t be friendly to Ning Xueyan.

    What was wrong with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? How dared an adopted daughter frame a principle wife¡¯s daughter!

    ¡°Miss, what shall we do next?¡± Lanning asked, frowning. Everyone in the room could tell that Third Young Lady was difficult to deal with.

    ¡°Let¡¯s wait for some time,¡± Ning Xueyan answered with a smile. Ning Qingshan wanted to both tter Madam Ling and suppress her as well, but she wasn¡¯t that easy to mess with. She would return the pink brocade to Ning Qingshan. Although Madam Dowager didn¡¯t like Madam Ming, she wouldn¡¯t be happy when she heard the news!

    Ning Qingshan might suffer losses, instead of taking advantage of the others!

    Since her gift had arrived, she would arrive soon.

    At Lucky Garden...

    Looking at the pink brocade, Madam Dowager¡¯s face was as cold as an ice.

    ¡°How could Third Lady send this kind of things to Bright Frost Garden! It seems she is not as smart as she used to be!¡± Madam Dowager banged the floor with her walking stick and shouted angrily.

    ¡°Third Young Lady has always been in the nunnery, so she is getting simpler and purer. She might just want to send some bright-colored brocade to Bright Frost Garden and she didn¡¯t know that there was something particr about it,¡± Mother Qin exined, lowering her head. She could sense Madam Dowager¡¯s displeasure and she couldn¡¯t help sighing inside. Third Young Lady really should be med this time.

    Although Madam Dowager didn¡¯t like her, Madam Ming is Madam Dowager¡¯s niece and legal wife of marquis. How could Third Young Lady treat her the same way to amon concubine? Since she had put down Madam Ming like that, of course Madam Dowager would be annoyed.

    If Fifth Young Lady epted the brocade, Madam Dowager wouldn¡¯t have known about it. But now Fifth Young Lady forcibly returned the brocade back, Mother Qin had to exin to Madam Dowager about the reason.

    ¡°Obviously what she did is inappropriate. Has she ever seen anyone send this kind of brocade to Bright Frost Garden? She is stupid! Who told her that Madam Ming was a concubine? If she were, Third Young Lady would only be a concubine¡¯s daughter!¡± Madam Dowager said angrily. Although she liked Ning Qingshan, she was angry to see her insult people who was rted her by blood.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. Third Young Lady must haven¡¯t thought it over before doing so. I¡¯ll beat about the bush to remind her when she returns!¡± Madam Dowager was really annoyed, so Mother Qin didn¡¯t dare to say more and she immediately answered tofort her.

    Madam Dowager¡¯s gazes suddenly fell cold. She stared at Mother Qin and snorted. ¡°Did you get some benefits from Third Young Lady as well?¡±

    Mother Qin had never thought that she would have asked her about this bluntly. She was shocked and sweat beaded on her forehead.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, I...¡± she stammered and looked at Madam Dowager, didn¡¯t know how to reply.

    ¡°Zi¡¯er, I don¡¯t care if you epted the offer Third Young Lady gave you. I just want you to know who your master is!¡± Madam Dowager said with a dark face.

    Zi¡¯er was Mother Qin¡¯s given name.

    Mother Qin was so scared that she almost fell to the ground. She immediately fell to her knees and raised her head. ¡°Madam Dowager, I dare not to cheat on you! I have always stood on your side, and I never dare disobey your orders. Madam Dowager, don¡¯t you believe me?¡±

    She had never thought about betraying Madam Dowager and she just spoke for Third Young Lady in a certain range.

    Madam Dowager looked at her with aplex look. After a while, she reached out and held Mother Qin up. ¡°Zi¡¯er, you know me well. If I had any other choice, I wouldn¡¯t have done it. Anyway, I¡¯m sorry for my elder brother. Madam Ming has passed away and Yan¡¯er is my close kin, so I can¡¯t stand to see her bullied,¡± she said with a sigh.

    ¡°Yes! Yes! I understand how you feel. If you could help Madam Ming, you wouldn¡¯t have stood here to such a miserable end. That¡¯s her fate,¡± Mother Qin immediately said, wiping sweat off her forehead.

    Madam Dowager was satisfied with Mother Qin¡¯s answer. ¡°Both Third Young Lady and Fifth Young Lady are daughters of principles wives, and they will be very useful for our manor in the future. I don¡¯t want any problems between them. Take out some good-quality brocade with in color from my warehouse and give them to Fifth Young Lady. Tell her that I know she has been working hard recently,¡± she ordered and closed her eyes.

    ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll choose some good brocade right away, and I won¡¯t let Fifth Young Lady feel wronged! After all, Fifth Young Lady is rted to you by blood.¡± Mother Qin instantly understood what Madam Dowager meant, so she promised ingratiatingly.

    ¡°You can leave now!¡± Madam Dowager looked very tired. She waved her hand to signal Mother Qin to leave. There were things she was reluctant to recall. Now she was Madam Dowager of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, so what she should think about was the benefits of the manor and family session. This was more important than paying attention to rumors.

    She thought in this way years ago, and now she still insisted on it.

    Mother Qin nodded and left.

    Ning Xueyan was surprised that she met Ning Huaiyuan again.

    After having supper, she went to Cloud Reflection Courtyard alone. Before she could stand still at the gate of Cloud Reflection Courtyard, a joyful voice rang out behind her, ¡°Sister!¡±

    It was getting dark outside. Ning Xueyan turned back and saw Ning Huaiyuan. He looked calm, but there was a gleam of excitement in his eyes.

    ¡°Brother!¡± Ning Xueyan said in a low voice. She looked down and bowed to greet him.

    ¡°Thank you for your gift! I thought you must have forgotten me, but you are still as good to me as before!¡± Ning Huaiyuan was obviously very happy. He looked at her extremely beautiful face gently.

    She was so thin that it seemed she would be blown away if there was a wind. Her lips were pale and it made her look even more fragile, but it added a touch of mour to this delicate and touching girl. ¡°She must have led a hard life in the nunnery. Otherwise, how can she be so thin that she doesn¡¯t look like she is already sixteen?¡± Ning Huaiyuan thought.

    He looked at her andnded his gaze on her right hand wrapped in gauze. He was a little surprised and then went angry. ¡°What happened? Who injured you?¡± he shouted.

    Ning Xueyan looked good when he saw her in the afternoon. Why did she hurt her hand in such a short time?

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t understand why Ning Huaiyuan said that she had given him a gift. She frowned and tried to recall something which could remind her about it, but before she could find the answer, Ning Huaiyuan had shifted the topic to her hand.

    Her hand wasn¡¯t injured. In order to go along with the lie, she asked Lanning to wrap her hand with gauze.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that serious. I burned my hand identally and it blistered.¡± She knew she shouldn¡¯t describe her injuries too lightly or too heavily.

    If she said her injuries were too serious, Madam Dowager would ask a doctor toe, and then they would find that she was lying.

    On the contrary, if she said her injuries were minor, Madam Dowager would ask her to learn flower arrangement again. When she was as ¡®outstanding¡¯ as Ning Qingshan, they would marry her to someone who was both rich and powerful to make profits for the manor.

    ¡°Really? Do you need a doctor?¡± Ning Huaiyuan looked at her and asked anxiously. She looked so pale!

    ¡°I¡¯m okay. Thank you, brother! When did youe here? What are you doing here?¡± Ning Xueyan smiled and asked. She didn¡¯t expect Ning Huaiyuan to answer her questions, and she just wanted to shift the topic. She wondered why Ning Huaiyuan cared about her so much. It even made her a little nervous.

    ¡°Sister, do you still remember here?¡± Ning Huaiyuan asked with a smile, raising his head and looking around.

    Of course Ning Xueyan remembered here, because ¡®she¡¯ died in the courtyard. Her eyelid twitched and there was a cold appeared in her eyes, but it disappeared soon. It was normal that it was a ce she would never forget, but why Ning Huaiyuan still remembered here? There was a nostalgic expression on his face when he looked around.

    ¡°I thought you must have forgotten this ce. I¡¯m so happy to see you here. Just like me, you must haven¡¯t forgotten this ce!¡± Ning Huaiyuan said with a touch of excitement in his eyes. He smiled and continued, ¡°I remember that I stole a book to read here and happened to run into you. You said that you would tell Grandmother. I was scared and I pleaded you not to expose me, and finally, you agreed not to turn me in on the condition that I show you the book. From then on, I would havee here whenever I got a book.¡±

    ¡°Reading book?¡±

    Ning Xueyan frowned. She had never had such experience no matter when she had been Ning Ziying or she was Ning Xueyan!

    Now she was sure that Ning Huaiyuan had mistaken her for someone else. Thinking about the gift he had mentioned, she could tell that he must have mistaken her for Ning Qingshan. She was a little surprised that Ning Qingshan and Ning Huaiyuan were so close. ¡°No wonder Ning Huaiyuan affectionately called me sister at the sight of me!¡± Ning Xueyan thought.

    But his attitude seemed to be too warm!

    Even if she were his younger sister by blood, it was abnormal to be so warm!

    Ning Huaiyuan didn¡¯t find anything wrong with Ning Xueyan. He turned his head and looked at her face. She was so beautiful and grace that she looked like a fairy! Ning Huaiyuan let out a heavy sigh and said, ¡°Sister, it has been three years since we were apart. That¡¯s a long time!¡±

    Although he had kept a good rtionship with Ning Qingshan, he vaguely felt that he didn¡¯t like to be close with her, so even though she had been gone for three years, he didn¡¯t think much of it. He had never expected that Ning Qingshan would be any different from she used to be aftering back. But when he saw the charming and weak girl among the red plum blossom, he was so delighted of hering back!

    It was good news for him. He had never expected Ning Qingshan toe back so much!

    So after supper, he walked here without knowing it. It was a remote corner of the garden. When he and Ning Qingshan were very young, they liked toe here to read and say something vaguely sensible.

    ¡°I¡¯m right! He has mistaken me for Ning Qingshan!¡±

    Ning Xueyan took several steps back, frowning. Then she stopped and raised her head. ¡°Brother, you mistook me for someone else! I¡¯m Ning Xueyan!¡± she said with a smile.

    No matter what kind of rtionship was between Ning Huaiyuan and Ning Qingshan, she didn¡¯t want to get involved in. The best way was to tell Ning Huaiyuan the truth, so she put it straightforward.

    With that, she bowed to Ning Huaiyuan and turned to leave, left Ning Huaiyuan standing there, ck-jawed.

 Chapter 160 - His Pet Could Only Belong to Him

    <h4>Chapter 160 His Pet Could Only Belong to Him</h4>

    Everything in the room was quiet. The fragrance ball on the table emanated light and fresh smell. Lanning didn¡¯t want to interfere with her young master to check the ount books, so she prepared a cup of tea for Ning Xueyan and then left the room. For those ount books that she hadn¡¯t finished checking in the day, Ning Xueyan would continue to check after supper.

    With the fire burning in the oven, it wasn¡¯t cold in the room. Being afraid of the room too stuffy, Lanning opened the window a little to let the fresh air in before her leaving.

    Rubbing her forehead, Ning Xueyan closed the ount book which she had finished checking and pushed it to aside.

    Suddenly, she heard a faint sound close to the window. She raised her head cautiously and saw a man stand in front of the window, wearing a ck robe with bright-red lycorisradiata embroidered on it. He was extremely handsome, but on his face, there was a cold and aggressive aura which would make people shiver. It was none other than Prince Yi, Ao Chenyi!

    It seemed he had used to sneak into the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor at night!

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you happy to see me?¡± Ao Chenyi raised his eyebrows and his eyes were filled with joy. He was satisfied to see Ning Xueyan stay calm at sight of him. He remembered when he came at night for the first time, although she looked calm, she was actually nervous.

    ¡°Prince Yi, you alwayse and go in this way. Aren¡¯t you afraid someone will find out?¡± Ning Xueyan asked, but she could do nothing. She wondered why this price liked to break into other¡¯s manor in the middle of the night. After all, he was Prince Yi, the future emperor of the country.

    ¡°Nobody will find me out!¡± Ao Chenyi answered disdainfully. Although Ning Zu¡¯an had arranged some guards in the manor, they couldn¡¯t bepared with the guards of Prince Yi.

    ¡°Even if nobody could find you, you should pay attention to your safety. You¡¯re a prince, so you should be more careful.¡± Ning Xueyan bit her lips and didn¡¯t know what to do. She only wanted to remind him that it was improper to break into a girl¡¯s room at night, but when she found he was staring at her coldly, she had to change the way to speak and tried to express her opinion implicitly.

    He was such a domineering noble man!

    Ao Chenyi didn¡¯t seem to have regarded himself as a guest here. He walked to the bed beside her and sat down, leaning against the bedhead. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If I want toe, Ning Zu¡¯an can¡¯t stop me,¡± he said.

    ¡°Prince Yi, you should be more patient for taking the military medallion. I¡¯ll manage to go to the study room again sometimeter,¡± Ning Xueyan said with a sigh. She had a feeling that he came here for the military medallion. But Ning Zu¡¯an was indifferent to her whenever she saw him, so she had no opportunity to talk with him, let alone went to his study room.

    She didn¡¯t want to be close with the indifferent person, the so-called ¡°father¡± of her.

    Besides, Ning Huaiyuan and Ning Qingshan had just returned, so it wasn¡¯t the right time to get close to Ning Zu¡¯an.

    ¡°It seems your father loves your mother so much. It¡¯s sote, but he is still looking for something in the room your mother lived in. I wonder if he has already found what he wanted.¡± Ao Chenyi looked at Ning Xueyan with a sly smile, raising his eyebrows.

    ¡°Prince Yi, what¡¯s Ning Zu¡¯an looking for? Since it¡¯s the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, of course he can look for everything openly. Why is he doing this secretly at night?¡± Ning Xueyan blinked and said in confusion. She was curious, and her intuition told her that what Ning Zu¡¯an was looking for had something to do with her.

    She had secretly asked Mother Han about what happenedst time, but Mother Han didn¡¯t know clearly. She only told her that Madam Ming had lived there at the beginning after married to Ning Zu¡¯an. However, it wasn¡¯t long before her ¡®affair¡¯ was found out. Then she immediately moved to Bright Frost Garden. Because she was in a hurry, many of her belongs were left there. That was all she knew. If she pushed too hard, Mother Han would tell her to believe Madam Ming. She was sure that Madam Ming was wronged.

    She knew nothing else about that ce.

    It seemed many of Madam Ming¡¯s pieces of stuff were left in where she had lived before she was ¡®caught¡¯ having affairs with another man on the spot!

    ¡°So you think that Ning Zu¡¯an should check or move anything he wants in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor for granted?¡± Ao Chenyi asked with a sneer, propping his hand against the bed.

    ¡°Prince Yi, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s weird?¡± Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t understand what he meant, so she asked cautiously.

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s weird! So I need toe and investigate from time to time!¡± Ao Chenyi said, as if he had a good reason to sneak into a girl¡¯s room at night. He raised his chin toward the window, hinting Ning Xueyan to pay attention to the half-opened window, because he had entered the room from the window.

    ¡°Do you still want to go there and have a look? Maybe you can find some evidence about Ning Zu¡¯an, then your imperial guards can show off your abilities,¡± Ning Xueyan said gently.

    Everyone knew that killing wasmon for the imperial guards in capital. Prince Yi was the leader of the imperial guards, so he would be more cold-blooded than the others, just like a devil from the hell.

    ¡°Evidence? Yan¡¯er, aren¡¯t you looking for evidence? Maybe you don¡¯t want to help me anymore, so you¡¯re stalling for time!¡± Ao Chenyi said, looking at her coldly. A sly smile appeared on his lips and he suddenly reached out and grabbed her dress. Ning Xueyan was sitting beside him, and without any preparation in mind, she fell on top of him.

    They were so close, and her beautiful marble-like eyes met his cold and aggressive eyes. Ao Chenyi wrapped his arms around her waist.

    ¡°Prince Yi, I dare not to stop looking for evidence for you!¡± Ning Xueyan was blushed. She knew at this moment, she couldn¡¯t do anything. The man in front of her had never been reasonable. She had even agreed to act as his favorite concubine, and they had shown how close they were many times in front of so many people, so it would be too hypocritical for her to act as if she were too shy to be close with him.

    ¡°You don¡¯t dare? I know you have guts. If you don¡¯t want to help me, I don¡¯t mind stopping trade with you!¡± he said, staring at her, his eyes full of coldness, mystery and rage. Under his gaze, Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t dare to move. She was clear that nobody could stop trading with Ao Chenyi easily.

    ¡°I never force people to do anything. You can tell me directly if you don¡¯t want to help me.¡± Ao Chenyi turned over on the bed and pressed her under him, looking down at her. In the shadow of the light, she could only saw his ice-like eyes. She couldn¡¯t help but clench her fists.

    From her rebirth at the very beginning to trade with him, Ning Xueyan had never thought to stop the trade, even if the consequence might beyond what she could imagine. She was clear that she was pale and weak in front of him. Until now, she hadn¡¯t done anything for him, but he had already helped her several times.

    In that respect, she owed him.

    She must be stronger for taking revenge and for protecting people who were close to her.

    Ning Xueyan took a deep breath and said in a low voice, biting her lip, ¡°Prince Yi, I won¡¯t forget that. I promise I¡¯ll get the military medallion of the previous dynasty for you.¡±

    Ao Chenyi looked at the girl in front of him coldly. She turned her head aggrieved with a pale face. She was so weak and even fragile that he couldn¡¯t help wanting to protect her especially when he heard the determination in her words. However, from the coldness in her eyes which was simr to his, he knew how strong-willed she was.

    ¡°Do you still remember the room of your mom?¡± Ao Chenyi looked down and his eyes went darker under his long eyshes.

    ¡°Yes. I know what you mean. I¡¯ll check it,¡± Ning Xueyan answered obediently and nodded. From the killing intent of his eyes, she could tell that Ao Chenyi was more aggressive tonight than ever. It reminded her that the prince in front of her was not only noble, but also temperamental.

    ¡°It¡¯s said my forth nephew saw a beautiful girl in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and he fell in love with her.¡± his cold voice rang out in her ear. The coldness of his manner and the way she was now pressed under him almost enveloped her in his shadow, and made her smothered.

    She moved her hands slightly just now, but they were immediately pressed to the sides of her head by him.

    ¡°Prince Yi, I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about!¡± Ning Xueyan was confused. Ao Chenyi was really different from others and his mind always too active! He was talking about the trade between them, but suddenly, he shifted the topic to Forth Prince. Why Forth Prince should tell her whom he had seen in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand? Didn¡¯t you see Ao Mingwan?¡± Ao Chenyi narrowed his eyes, shooting a cold gleam. How dared someone else pry about his little wild cat! At the thought of this, he couldn¡¯t restrain his anger. He came here from Prince Yi¡¯s Manor to let this little wild cat know who her master was!

    His pet could only belong to him!

    ¡°Forth Prince? I have never seen him, and I don¡¯t know whom he has fallen in love with!¡± Ning Xueyan said frankly. She knew that Ao Mingwan was Forth Prince¡¯s name. She had battled her wits against Third Prince recently, but she actually didn¡¯t see Forth Prince. Ning Zu¡¯an was on the side of Ao Mingyu, so she wondered why Ao Chenyi suddenly talked about Forth Prince.

    ¡°Prince Yi, do you want to know whom Forth Prince had a fancy to?¡± she asked subconsciously, a confused look appeared in her watery eyes under her feathery eyshes.

    Ao Chenyi looked at her cream-like face and pale lips coldly. Although she was now recuperated, her lip color was still lighter than that of other women. Her tender petal-like lips were pressed together, showing her pride. This aggressive girl looked at him frankly, without any concealment.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to ask about this. I¡¯m asking you to inquire about things about your mom¡¯s room!¡± Ao Chenyi snorted and let go of Ning Xueyan. He then stood up. His slim and long figure which surrounded in powerful aura cast a shadow in the light and covered Ning Xueyan. He decided not to tell her about what Ao Mingwan had said with Consort Shu in the pce.

    ¡°Prince Yi, do you want me to investigate it immediately?¡± Ning Xueyan raised her head in surprise. She hadn¡¯t established herself in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, so it was impossible for her to investigate Ning Zu¡¯an at such a moment.

    ¡°Why should I tell you what I¡¯m going to do?¡± Ao Chenyi looked at her coldly and slyly from the corner of his eyes. Then he turned and walked toward the window. The bright-red lycorisradiata embroidered on his robe shed several times, and then he disappeared in the darkness, only left a half-opened window behind.

    ¡°What did hee here for? I can¡¯t believe he has left like this!¡±

    Ning Xueyan was surprised. She got out of the bed and walked out to have a look, but saw nobody. It seemed this temperamental prince came here for nothing except for warning her!

 Chapter 161 - Reputable Third Young Lady

    <strong>Chapter 161 Reputable Third Young Lady</strong>

    Ning Qingshan returned to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor in the morning the next day.

    It caused a sensation because Third Prince came to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to visit her.

    Ning Qingshan had always enjoyed a good reputation among the nobledies in the capital. All the noble families praised her when they talked about the young girl of both loyalty and filial piety. Moreover, although she had been meditating in the nunnery, she would have written some poems asionally, so she was also famous because of her talent.

    Even though she was only an adopted daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she enjoyed a higher reputation than the daughters who were born by the principle wives of Lord Protector. Besides, Third Prince and Honored Consort Ya paid special attention to her, so fewdies among the noble families could be as famous as she was.

    In herst life, Ning Xueyan had no connection with Ning Qingshan, so she didn¡¯t know much about her. She only knew that the maids and the older female servants respected Third Young Lady very much. But after what happened yesterday, Ning Xueyan knew she should be more cautious in the face of Ning Qingshan.

    She had her right arm wrapped in white gauze and then put her garment on. She didn¡¯t put a lot of gauze on, so it didn¡¯t look obvious. It was her first time to meet Ning Qingshan, so she didn¡¯t want to cause her attention. Without touching her hand, nobody would find that the gauze under her garment.

    After Lanning had brushed hair and worn the hair ornaments for her, Ning Xueyan walked to Lucky Garden with her. It was said that Third Prince had arrived in the early morning and there was something wrong with Ning Huaiyuan. Ning Xueyan thought her Third Sister was by no means ordinary.

    Before they could enter the Lucky Garden, they heard a burst ofughtere out from the room.

    Ning Xueyan was now a frequent visitor to Lucky Garden, so the maid didn¡¯t report to Madam Dowager and let her in.

    The moment she lifted the curtain, she saw a beautiful girl intimately sitting beside Madam Dowager. She looked gorgeous in a luxury green dress with a fairplexion. There was a pink color on her face and in her watery eyes, there was a trace of a smile. The gold pendant of her hairpin didn¡¯t shake at all and she looked graceful and decent.

    She was no less beautiful than Ning Yuling, the famous Young Lady in the capital, andpared to that arrogant girl, she looked more elegant and generous.

    It was rare to see such a decent girl of a noble family like her!

    Ning Qingshan chatted with Madam Dowager and made herugh from time to time. Meanwhile, she lowered her head slightly and chatted with Third Prince asionally. Obviously, she didn¡¯t ignore anyone or being too ttering. It had been three years since she left the manor and she was more sociable now.

    Hearing someone lift the curtain, she raised her head with a smile.

    She was surprised when she saw a girl was looking at her too. This girl had jade-like eyes, long and ck eyshes, and there was a cold and bright gleam in her beautiful eyes. She observed further, and found that the girl in front of her was a delicate beauty, although she hadn¡¯t fully developed yet and her face and her lips were too pale.

    These weren¡¯t detrimental to her exquisite face, and made her more delicate and touching! From her eyes, one could tell that she was quick-witted.

    It was foreseeable that how beautiful she would be when she grew up!

    ¡°How beautiful! Grandma, who is this sister?¡± Ning Qingshan looked at Ning Xueyan with a gentle smile and calmly asked.

    Watching here in, Ning Huaiyuan, who was sitting aside felt a little uneasy.

    ¡°This is your Fifth Sister. Just like you, she has lived in Bright Frost Garden for many years and she seldom showed up in public, so it¡¯s normal that you don¡¯t know her. When you left, she was only about eleven years old. Xueyan,e here to greet your Third Sister,¡± Madam Dowager introduced with a smile.

    ¡°Greetings, Third Sister!¡± Ning Xueyan shifted her eyes from Ning Qingshan to her maid beside her and then a smile crossed her eyes. Fate brought them together again! It reminded her of what had happened a few days ago.

    Ning Qingshan stood up and walked close to Ning Xueyan. She held her hand with a sincere smile and sized Ning Xueyan up. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re Fifth Sister! You¡¯re as beautiful as a fairy! You resemble mom so much. Is she all right? Has she recovered? Is she still taking her medicine? I brought some medicines back. Please give them to momter.¡±

    Every move of her showed her sincere affection and she looked so gentle and graceful. From any aspect, she was perfect.

    ¡°Give the medicines to mom?¡± Ning Xueyan sneered. She knew that Ning Qingshan did this to make everyone think she was filial.

    She held back the impulse to withdraw her hands. Her face grew colder and there was sadness in her eyes. ¡°Third Sister, thank you for your medicines! But mom doesn¡¯t need them anymore,¡± she said.

    ¡°Ah? What happened?¡± Ning Qingshan asked in a hoarse voice, her smile faded away.

    ¡°Third Sister, you have been meditating in the nunnery, so maybe nobody of the manor told you about the news. Mom... has passed away,¡± Ning Xueyan said in a gentle voice and she was on the verge of tears.

    Ning Qingshan was Madam Ming¡¯s daughter in the name. Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t believe that she didn¡¯t know about Madam Ming¡¯s death, because Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would definitely have sent someone to tell her about it. Ning Xueyan had inquired someone and she was told that the so-called nunnery was not far away from the outside of the east gate of the capital. It was small, but a lot of people went there to worship every day.

    It was said that First Princess of the previous dynasty had her hair shaved and became a nun there. It seemed the Bodhisattva enshrined in the nunnery was very efficacious, so if the nobledies wanted to make a wish in front of the Bodhisattva, they would definitely go to this nunnery.

    Otherwise, there wouldn¡¯t be so many people who knew Ning Qingshan was talented.

    The girl Ning Xueyan met who had taken an arrogant maid with her recently was no other than Ning Qingshan. The maid who fought her for a jade hairpin was standing behind Ning Qingshan now.

    ¡°Third Young Lady, why didn¡¯t you see the person who was sent by marquis to report to you about Madam Ming¡¯s passing away?¡± Madam Dowager looked at Ning Qingshan with a smile, as if she asked the question casually.

    If nobody in the manor had arranged people to inform Ning Qingshan about the news, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor should be med.

    ¡°Grandmother, my practice has reached the most critical stage at that moment, so I wouldn¡¯t have met with any visitors. Since nobody mentioned it again, I didn¡¯t think he had anything special to tell me and I didn¡¯t ask about itter.¡± Ning Qingshan knew what Madam Dowager meant, so she immediately exined. Her face turned a little pale and her eyes became red. She looked up at Madam Dowager and continued, ¡°If, if I knew mom passed away, I, I would havee back to see her onest time even if I broke my promise to Bodhisattva.¡±

    She wiped the corner of her eyes and looked very sad. She deliberately turned sideways toward Third Prince so that he could see how she felt wronged.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, Third Young Lady is telling the truth. I have sent my man there too, but the master of the nunnery told him that Third Young Lady wouldn¡¯t see anyone at that moment.¡± Seeing the beauty cry so bitterly in front of him, Third Prince, Ao Mingyu, couldn¡¯t help speaking for her.

    ¡°Come on! Don¡¯t cry! We should be happy to see Third Young Ladye back. Fifth Young Lady, don¡¯t make everyone unhappy by bringing up those sad things.¡± Madam Dowager was embarrassed to have Third Prince exin for the home affair of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, so she began to me Ning Xueyan.

    Being scolded for no reason, Ning Xueyan¡¯s face darkened. She looked up at Madam Dowager and then Ning Qingshan in confusion, looked as if she had just realized that Madam Dowager was ming her. Her eyes turned red. ¡°Grandmother, since Third Sister asked me about mom, of course I should let her know. How can we keep her being dis-respectable to mom all the time but do nothing?¡±

    Looking at Ning Xueyan¡¯s reddish eyes, Madam Dowager just realized that the way Ning Qingshan dressed was improper. She dressed up like this showed she attached great importance to today¡¯s gathering, but instead of offering incense and worshiping Madam Ming, she chatted and joked with others in a gorgeous dress. It was really indecent!

    She was a little regret. She should have told her about Madam Ming¡¯s death the moment Ning Qingshan stepped into the manor, and asked her to worship Madam Ming and changed her clothes beforeing here.

    Seeing Madam Dowager fall silent, Mother Qin, who had been standing behind her said in a hurry, ¡°Fifth Young Lady, you¡¯re right. Madam Dowager was nning to tell Third Young Lady about this, but she forgot it as soon as she chatted with her. Third Young Lady, do you want to worship Second Madam now?¡±

    Ning Qingshan was surprised that Ning Xueyan dared to me her to her face in front of Madam Dowager and Third Prince. She was a little annoyed. But Mother Qin, the old female servant of Madam Dowager had asked her to worship Madam Ming, which meant she was indirectly ming her rudeness. Although Madam Dowager didn¡¯t say anything, she didn¡¯t stop Mother Qin. Obviously, what Mother Qin said was what Madam Dowager thought as well.

    ¡°Yes. I should be med. Grandmother, I¡¯ll change my clothes right now and worship mom with Fifth Sister. I¡¯m not filial not having seen mom onest time. If mom forgives me, I would like to copy the scripture a hundred times in her mourning hall,¡± Ning Qingshan said gently, her every move full of affection.

    She looked so sincere that an outsider would think that she was the biological daughter of Madam Ming!

    Ning Xueyan knew she was acting, but she was marvel at her acting skill.

    ¡°Go and change your clothes. Come back after worshiping your mom. Let¡¯s talk about the scripture copying thing in the future. Just have dinner with me today. I haven¡¯t seen you for several years and I want to spend more time with you.¡± Madam Dowager patted Ning Qingshan on the hand and looked at her with satisfaction, the smile on her face more gentle.

    ¡°Got it,¡± Ning Qingshan answered respectfully. She then turned to Third Prince and said softly, ¡°Your Highness, please wait here for a moment. I¡¯ll worship mom first. Then I¡¯lle back after changing my clothes. Please tell me about Honored Consort Yater. She has been treated me well, and I missed her so much when I was in the nunnery.¡±

    Ning Xueyan almost apuded for her performance. Ning Qingshan was gentle when she spoke and she looked decent. Besides, what she was asking for was Honored Consort Ya, so Third Prince wouldn¡¯t leave before she came back from the mourning hall.

    Ning Qingshan had hinted that she had been focusing on meditation in the nunnery, so she didn¡¯t know what was going on outside, but now when talking about Honored Consort Ya, she seemed to know a lot about her. Several years ago, when she just came to the nunnery, Honored Consort Ya had only been an ordinary consort of the emperor. Since the promotion of a consort wouldn¡¯t be announced to the public, how could Ning Qingshan know about it so clearly?

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Third Young Lady. Mother misses you very much as well. But I should know how you¡¯ve been these years before I report to her,¡± Third Prince said with a smile on his handsome face. He then shifted his gaze to Ning Xueyan from Ning Qingshan. Every time he saw this girl, he was amazed by her beauty.

    He came here for Ning Qingshan today, but somehow, when he saw her beautiful face, he didn¡¯t feel as happy as he had imagined. He kept on shifting his gaze between Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan, and finally, he fixed his eyes on Ning Xueyan, frowning...

 Chapter 162 - Got Her Hand Injured

    <strong>Chapter 162 Got Her Hand Injured</strong>

    The moment they walked out the gate of the courtyard, Ning Qingshan pulled Ning Xueyan to the side. When they came to a quiet ce, she lifted her skirt hem and was going to kneel down.

    Ning Xueyan was cautious and she stopped her immediately. ¡°What are you doing, Third Sister?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, mom treated me like her biological daughter, but I couldn¡¯t serve her when she was alive. What¡¯s more, I didn¡¯t see her onest time after she passed away. I was in the nunnery, so I didn¡¯t know what had happened outside. But I shouldn¡¯t take it as an excuse. Anyway, I should be med. I only hope that you won¡¯t be mad of me and our sisterhood won¡¯t be influenced because of this.¡±

    Ning Qingshan said sincerely and her attitude would make everyone think that she was admitting her mistake and asking for forgiveness from the bottom of her heart.

    But it reminded Ning Xueyan what happened to her in herst life. ¡°Sister Ziying, we¡¯ll be as close as sisters forever. I have taken you as my own younger sister in my heart!¡±

    ¡°Sister Ziying, we¡¯re so close, so I¡¯ll share everything I have with you in the future! Even Brother Yuhang can¡¯t break our friendship.¡±

    The person who spoke was just like Ning Qingshan, they all looked sincere with a charming smile on their faces when they spoke. However, that person pressed her in the lotus pond without mercy and drowned her...

    Ning Xueyan took a deep breath and withdrew the sneer from her lips. She realized that Ning Qingshan was much smarter than Ning Ziyan. Ning Ziying had trusted Ning Ziyan so much, so she didn¡¯t find the hypocrisy in Ning Ziyan¡¯s eyes. But although Ning Xueyan was very cautious, she could only feel the sincerity in Ning Qingshan¡¯s eyes.

    What she said was so reasonable that everyone would consider Ning Qingshan a filial, generous, and perfect girl.

    It seemed Ning Qingshan didn¡¯t want the others to overhear their conversation, so she pulled Ning Xueyan away from the front gate of Lucky Garden. However, the ce where they were was only several steps away from the gate, so two smart older female servants had followed behind them and hid in a corner. Now they had heard every word of their conversation.

    Third Young Lady was really no ordinary!

    ¡°Third Sister, don¡¯t speak that way. Since you have been at the nunnery in those days, how can I me you? You didn¡¯te back because you didn¡¯t know mom had passed away,¡± Ning Xueyan said with a faint smile.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, so you still don¡¯t believe me? I¡¯m not lying. I can do nothing if you¡¯re still mad of me. I will kowtow to you if you would like to forgive me. I can¡¯t go to the mourning room to worship mom until you have forgiven me. Otherwise, mom will me me in theher world,¡± Ning Qingshan said.

    Ning Qingshan looked sad and was about to go down on her knees. ¡°Fifth Sister, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t tell anybody about this,¡± she continued.

    Ning Xueyan sneered in her heart. It seemed this kind of things didn¡¯t need to be told, because those older female servants were overhearing in the corner.

    Ning Qingshan had never been ordinary. She was a talented girl with a reputation of loyalty and filial piety and she was so famous in the capital. Ning Xueyan knew that if she agreed with Ning Qingshan to kowtow to her, everyone would criticize her in the future.

    Even if she stretched her hand a little bitte and let Ning Qingshan drop to her knees, other people would think that she was a vitriolic person. That would entuate Ning Qingshan¡¯s decent, gentle and generous demeanor.

    It was the first time they met, Ning Qingshan already yed tricks on her! Did she think that Ning Xueyan was easy to bully?

    Ning Xueyan pulled Ning Qingshan hard and tried to stop her from kneeling. ¡°Third Sister, both mom and I won¡¯t me you. Let¡¯s go to worship mom as soon as possible. Don¡¯t keep Grandmother waiting.¡±

    With that, she applied more strength to her arms, as if she really wanted to pull Ning Qingshan up. Suddenly, she let out a cry in a low voice and frowned.

    Feeling Ning Xueyan pull on her harder, Ning Qingshan pressed herself down harder as well, trying to show that she was sincere to kneel down to ask for her forgiveness.

    ¡°Third Sister, it hurts! Please stand up!¡± Ning Xueyan raised her head and said painfully. Two older female servants who stood behind the corner which on one side of Ning Xueyan and Ning Qingshan didn¡¯t know what happened and they looked at them curiously. From the angle they looked, Ning Xueyan¡¯s hands were tightly pressed under the elbows of Ning Qingshan.

    Ning Qingshan heard what Ning Xueyan said and saw her painful look, but she thought Ning Xueyan was ying tricks in order to pull her up, so she didn¡¯t take it seriously, but still acted as if she wanted to kneel down.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, don¡¯t pull me. I must kneel down and beg your pardon, or I won¡¯t feel relieved!¡±

    ¡°Third Young Lady, please let go of our Young Lady! Don¡¯t do that anymore! Our Young Lady got injured!¡± Lanning eximed beside them. Then she came over to pull Ning Qingshan¡¯s hands. Now Ning Xueyan¡¯s hands were still pressed under her elbows.

    ¡°I only applied a little more strength, how could she get injured? She is pretending to be delicate!¡± Ning Qingshan thought. She had noticed that Third Prince looked at Ning Xueyan many times just now, and she was both jealous and furious.

    She grabbed Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand forcefully and walked toward Lucky Garden. ¡°Fifth Sister, since your hand got injured, we should move faster, so that the doctor check for you as soon as possible,¡± she remarked.

    She was not made of porcin. How could she get injured so easily? Ning Qingshan decided to expose Ning Xueyan¡¯s lie to Third Prince¡¯s face so he would know how hypocritical she was at such a young age!

    ¡°Third Sister, please let me go! My hand hurts!¡± Ning Xueyan said weakly with a pale face, while being dragged ahead.

    ¡°Third Young Lady, you used too much strength and injured our Young Lady¡¯s hands!¡± Lanning cried out anxiously, but she didn¡¯t dare to pull Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Got injured? So I¡¯m taking her to check her injuries. I won¡¯t let anything happen to my sister¡¯s hand because of me.¡± ¡°They act as it¡¯s real!¡± Ning Qingshan snorted inside. Although it was her first time to see Ning Xueyan, she couldn¡¯t help being jealous. ¡°After several years, she must be more beautiful. Madam Dowager takes her seriously just because she is beautiful,¡± Ning Qingshan thought.

    Ning Qingshan had thought that without Ning Yuling, she would be the most beautiful Young Lady in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. However, to her surprise, Ning Xueyan, who had always been unremarkable, came out so beautiful! Madam Dowager must want to marry her to the imperial family, so she treated her so well!

    From the way Third Prince looked at Ning Xueyan, Ning Qingshan could feel that Ning Xueyan was special to him. That made her both jealous and furious. She had been nning to marry herself to Third Prince, how could she watch Ning Xueyan rob him away from her!

    The quick-witted older female servants had already reported to Madam Dowager about what happened outside. Madam Dowager also heard the noise outside, and she was wondering what happened to Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan. Hearing the report, she froze for a while and then asked an older female servant to brought them in.

    Before older female servant walking out, Ning Qingshan had pulled Ning Xueyan into the room in a hurry. ¡°Grandmother, Fifth Sister said her hands hurt. Can you call a doctor to check for her?¡± she asked.

    Ning Xueyan kept on pushing Ning Qingshan¡¯s hand hard while being dragged in. Her jade-like eyes went moisture because of grievance. ¡°Third Sister, I¡¯m not lying. My hand really aches. Please let go... of it!¡±

    Although they had entered the room, Ning Qingshan didn¡¯t want to let go of Ning Xueyan and still grabbed her hand firmly. She said with a gentle look, ¡°Fifth Sister, I didn¡¯t mean that you were lying. I wanted to make amends to you just now, but you got injured while pulling me, so I should be med. I¡¯m asking Grandmother to call the doctor for you.¡±

    ¡°Go on! Show me how you will pretend to be injured when the doctores!¡± Ning Qingshan thought.

    As long as there were no obvious injuries, she wouldn¡¯t need to be worried even though Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand was sprained by her. The other people would think that Ning Xueyan pretended to be injured to frame her.

    Third Prince frowned and he couldn¡¯t help looking at Ning Xueyan¡¯s aggrieved face. He had never seen such an expression on her face. She had been biting her lip all along and it got paler, so it was obvious that she was enduring much pain. However, Ning Qingshan didn¡¯t seem to have noticed that, and she still grabbed her hand! Third Prince was filled with anger.

    ¡°Third Young Lady, please let go of Fifth Young Lady. Don¡¯t you see that she can¡¯t even speak because of pain?¡± Ao Mingyu said. She wanted to pull them apart, but it was improper for him to do so.

    Ning Huaiyuan was sitting beside him. He looked at Ning Xueyan, and then Ning Qingshan, but say nothing, except for frowning.

    ¡°Qingshan, move your hand away from her!¡± Seeing Ning Qingshan still grab Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand tightly, Madam Dowager¡¯s face went dark. Ning Xueyan had asked her maid to tell Madam Dowager that her hand was scalded, so she couldn¡¯t learn flower arranging recently. And Madam Dowager remembered that the maid said it was Ning Xueyan¡¯s right hand which had been scalded.

    Along Ning Xueyan¡¯s arm which was grabbed hard by Ning Qingshan, everyone could see white gauze peep out and Ning Qingshan¡¯s hand was pressing against that position.

    Mother Qin also remembered that Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand was injured and she was suddenly worried. Regardless of the possibility of offending Ning Qingshan, she grabbed her hand and tried to pull it away from Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand. At the same time, she shouted anxiously, ¡°Third Young Lady, let go of Fifth Young Lady! She got her hand injuredst night. If you keep on pulling her like this, her wound will break!¡±

    ¡°Third Sister, it really hurts! I¡¯m not lying!¡± Ning Xueyan said in a low voice. She took a deep breath and leaned against Lanning.

    She was not pretending to be weak now. She was surprised that a delicate Young Lady like Ning Qingshan¡¯s hands were so strong. She had dragged Ning Xueyan into the room, but she showed no sign of letting go of her. Ning Xueyan was weak due to chronic malnutrition. What was more, she was poisoned some time ago. So although she was getting better, she still hadn¡¯tpletely recovered yet.

    Being pulled along the way by Ning Qingshan, she felt a fluctuation of her blood and energy. Head swimming, her face turned paler and her forehead was sweaty.

    In the eyes of others, she was enduring unbearable pain.

    Third Prince was obviously annoyed by Ning Qingshan. Apparently Ning Xueyan wasn¡¯t feeling well. Besides, Madam Dowager said that she had got injured. How could Ning Qingshan still think that she was lying? She was still grabbing Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand hard. If she kept on doing this, of course Ning Xueyan¡¯s wound would go worse.

    ¡°Third Sister, let go of her. Otherwise, Fifth Sister is going to faint!¡± Ning Huaiyuan strode forward and pulled Ning Qingshan¡¯s hand away from Ning Qingshan¡¯s.

    ¡°Grandmother, I, I didn¡¯t notice my hand was on Fifth Sister¡¯s injuries. Shall we ask the doctor here?¡± Ning Qingshan asked and looked at Madam Dowager anxiously, as if she were worried about Ning Xueyan so much. From the attitude of everyone, she sensed that things were not going well. She was smart and she immediately let go of Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Third Young Lady, our Young Lady told you to let go of her, but why didn¡¯t you listen to her? Since you pressed on her injuries, of course it hurts!¡± Lanning eximed angrily, holding Ning Xueyan¡¯s arm.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s just a little burn, not a big deal! Third Sister, let¡¯s go to worship mom. That¡¯s the most important thing,¡± Ning Xueyan said, squeezing out a faint smile.

 Chapter 163 - Elder Brother, It had been Three Years since We Parted

    <h4>Chapter 163 Elder Brother, It had been Three Years since We Parted</h4>

    What she said seemed natural and reasonable.

    Before Ning Qingshan returned to the mandor, Madam Dowager had known that Ning Xueyan was scalded the night before, so it couldn¡¯t be false.

    A small burn wouldn¡¯t be a big deal if Ning Qingshan didn¡¯t grab her hand forcefully. Compare to Ning Xueyan, Ning Qingshan seemed exaggeratedly warm and it even felt like she was making a fuss. Everyone would think that she did it deliberately, and when they thought further, they would be more confused.

    What did Ning Qingshan mean? Thinking about what Ning Xueyan had acted and spoken, they vaguely felt that Ning Qingshan had gone too far!

    Madam Dowager¡¯s face went dark, and Ning Huaiyuan looked at Ning Qingshan with suspicion.

    Third Prince frowned. Ning Qingshan seemed to have changed a lot from three years ago!

    ¡°Sorry! I¡¯m sorry, Fifth Sister! I really didn¡¯t know you got injuredst night. I thought that you were injured by me.¡± From the way everyone looked at her, Ning Qingshan knew that they were mad at her. But she was a quick-witted girl, and she immediately pretended to be guilty and began to apologize ¡®sincerely¡¯. She also managed to shed a few tears to convince others of her sincerity.

    If nobody saw what happened just now, they would believe that Ning Qingshan apologized to Ning Xueyan from the bottom of her heart. However, they couldn¡¯t help but be suspicious that she was so warmhearted to ask the doctor toe because she suspected that Ning Xueyan was lying.

    ¡°Well, since the injury is not serious, Third Young Lady and Fifth Youngdy, you can go to worship your mom now. After that,e back to have dinner with me. Don¡¯t keep me waiting too long,¡± Madam Dowager said. She had always fond of Ning Qingshan. Even though she wasn¡¯t satisfied with what Ning Qingshan had done just now, she didn¡¯t me her. Furthermore, Third Prince was still here.

    ¡°Got it, Grandmother,¡± Ning Qingshan answered and then she reached out to hold Ning Xueyan¡¯s arm carefully. When she touched her hand, she smiled awkwardly. ¡°Fifth Sister, are you sure that the injury isn¡¯t serious? If you can¡¯t go with me, just ask your maid to guide me there. I was in such a hurry that I didn¡¯t notice that your hand got injured,¡± she said softly.

    She looked so gentle and quite different from the way she spoke just now. Besides, she admitted her mistakes frankly, without any concealment. It was easy to win people¡¯s favor.

    Ning Xueyan praised her inwardly. Ning Qingshan appeared to make a concession, but in fact she did it in order to win back favor. She was a person of deep mind!

    Hearing what she said, everyone in the present looked a little softer.

    ¡°Third Sister, I¡¯m all right. Let¡¯s go!¡± Ning Xueyan let Ning Qingshan hold her arm and smiled slightly. Her hand was not hurt at all, so she didn¡¯t want to talk about it anymore.

    ¡°Grandmother, Third Prince, elder brother, I¡¯ll leave for a while with Fifth sister,¡± Ning Qingshan bowed to them and then left the room with Ning Xueyan.

    After burning incense and worshiping Madam Ming, Ning Qingshan went to Foggy Courtyard to change her clothes.

    When she walked into the room, Xia¡¯er, the maid following her said angrily, ¡°Young Lady, Fifth Young Lady went too far to have treated you like that! Madam Ming is only a concubine, but it seems they all treat her like she is a principle wife! Everybody knows that she is only a concubine!¡±

    She stood behind Ning Qingshan just now. When she watched her Young Lady in an awkward position, she almost jumped out to speak for her. But beforeing back to the manor, Ning Qingshan had told her not to speak in public. Otherwise, she would have fought for her Young Lady in front of those people.

    In Xia¡¯er¡¯s mind, Ning Qingshan was the noblest, and neither Madam Ling nor Madam Ming could match with her. Of course she couldn¡¯t bear the noblest person in her heart to worship a concubine.

    The smile on Ning Qingshan¡¯s charming face had been reced by coldness. Her expression at the moment was quite different from her gentle expression just now. She looked down upon Ning Xueyan in the heart. She thought the coward who had been hiding in Bright Frost Garden would die at Ning Yuling¡¯s hands finally.

    She had always concerned about what happened in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    She had a crush on Third Prince for long, and making concession was her way to gain the maximum benefit. In Third Prince¡¯s opinion, she had been a gentle and kind girl. And she had apanied him in the most difficult days of his life. She was confident that when she showed up in front of him again, he would be crazy about her.

    Ning Yuling was stupid, so Ning Qingshan had never taken her as a threat. No matter whether Ning Yuling could marry Third Prince, the result was the same.

    She was happy when she knew that Ning Yuling failed to marry Third Prince, because there was one less obstacle in her way.

    She had never expected that Ning Xueyan would be her new obstacle! The useless coward made her look stupid in front of so many people on the first day she returned to the manor. Ning Qingshan had always thought highly of herself, so she couldn¡¯t be angrier about this. Furthermore, when she saw the dissatisfaction in Third Prince¡¯s eyes, she felt a heavy blow.

    Third Prince didn¡¯t look at Ning Xueyan the same way he looked at her!

    She could tolerate Ning Xueyan to make trouble with her the first day she came back, but she couldn¡¯t bear Third Prince to shift his affection to another woman!

    Now only she and her maid were in the room, she didn¡¯t need to pretend to be gentle any more. She warned coldly, ¡°Xia¡¯er, Ning Xueyan is too smart, and you¡¯d better mind your tongue in front of her.¡±

    ¡°Miss, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be cautious and I know what I should say in front of her,¡± Xia¡¯er answered with a nod.

    ¡°She is too cunning, and I almost fell for her trap!¡± At thought of what happened, Ning Qingshan couldn¡¯t help being furious. She had nned to take the opportunity to suppress Ning Xueyan, but to her surprise, that little girl got her into trouble by saying that her hand was scalded. If she hadn¡¯t apologized to her, the other people would have med her more.

    Because she was in a hurry, she didn¡¯t think it over when Ning Xueyan imed that she didn¡¯t believe her. Now she found such words were likely to misguide people to doubt her motives.

    ¡°You¡¯re so noble, how can the daughter of a concubine like Fifth Young Ladypare with you?¡± Xia¡¯er said scornfully.

    ¡°Never talk about it in the manor! Xia¡¯er, if you spill the beans, I won¡¯t show mercy!¡± Although there was plenty of sunshine in the room, Ning Qingshan¡¯s face was as cold as ice. Xia¡¯er shivered with fear, and then she knelt down. ¡°Got it! Miss, I promise I¡¯ll watch my tongue!¡±

    She knew Ning Qingshan wasn¡¯t joking. When they were at the nunnery, a young nun who said something improper was found dead behind the nunnery the next day.

    ¡°Xia¡¯er, we¡¯re at the manor now. I would have forgiven you in the nunnery when you said something improper because of your carelessness, but things are different here. If you make any mistake, I can¡¯t protect you,¡± she said seriously and sincerely. Looking at Xia¡¯er¡¯s pale face and trembling body, Ning Qingshan knew that she had realized the severity of consequences, so her face softened a little and she held Xia¡¯er up.

    ¡°Yes, miss. I¡¯ll be more cautious and I won¡¯t get you into trouble.¡± Being held up by her master in person, Xia¡¯er nodded hard and felt ttered.

    ¡°Go and invite elder brother here in the evening. I haven¡¯t seen him for three years, and I want to chat with him,¡± Ning Qingshan ordered with a nod. She was satisfied with Xia¡¯er¡¯s answer and there was a touch of a smile on her lips when she spoke.

    Ning Huaiyuan might not be the most important person, but at such a critical moment, he was useful. She had plotted everything three years ago, and now it was time to end the game. She should try all her efforts to suppress those she could suppress and use those she could make use of. When she understood this truth, she had begun to arrange everything carefully.

    Including the trip to the nunnery three years ago!

    Several years ago, she was pped by the arrogant Young Lady, Ning Yuling. From then on, she was clear about her own status in the manor. No matter how popr she was, she was only an adopted daughter of Lord Protector, and she could never match with Lord Protector¡¯s biological daughters.

    ¡°Yes, Miss. I¡¯ll invite Eldest Young Master toe right now.¡± Xia¡¯er nodded. She hesitated for a short moment and then asked, ¡°Miss, I wonder if Eldest Young Master will refuse toe, just like he did before.¡±

    Before Ning Qingshan went to the nunnery, she had been close to Ning Huaiyuan, and Ning Huaiyuan treated her even better than he treated his own sisters. The night that Ning Qingshan was going to leave for the nunnery, Ning Huaiyuan was invited to Luoyan Garden too. However, Xia¡¯er didn¡¯t know what happened between them, Ning Huaiyuan left, regardless of Ning Qingshan calling him behind.

    Ning Qingshan chased after him until she arrived at the gate of the courtyard, but Ning Huaiyuan didn¡¯t look back.

    Since Ning Qingshan arrived at the nunnery, the other masters of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would have sent some gifts to her in festivals, but Ning Huaiyuan had never even arranged anyone to greet her. It seemed he hadpletely forgotten Third Young Lady.

    Whenever Xia¡¯er mentioned Ning Huaiyuan, Third Young Lady¡¯s face would go dark.

    ¡°No, he won¡¯t refuse toe. I have chatted with him and made everything clear just now,¡± Ning Qingshan said, an abnormal look crossing her eyes. What happened three years ago was her testing to Ning Huaiyuan. Now she must find a way to deal with Ning Xueyan. The only daughter left in the manor now who had been born by the principle wife of Lord Protector was standing in her way!

    While talking, Ning Qingshan had changed her clothes. She looked herself in the mirror and then walked out gracefully. The moment she stepped out, the gentle and graceful smile appeared on her face again.

    Ning Xueyan came back to Lucky Garden earlier than Ning Qingshan. When she walked into the room, Madam Dowager was chatting with Third Prince, and Ning Huaiyuan asionally put in a word politely. Obviously, they had a good time.

    At the sight of Ning Xueyan, Madam Dowager waved her hand with a smile. When she walked over, Madam Dowager held her hand gently and look at it carefully. ¡°Fifth Young Lady, does it still hurt? Did you have your wound re-bandaged? You girls should be careful. It¡¯s easy to get scarring if you¡¯re not careful, especially in winter.¡±

    ¡°Grandmother, I¡¯m fine. I have applied some medicine on it and I¡¯m much better now,¡± Ning Xueyan answered softly.

    ¡°I¡¯m relieved now. Take a seat. Third Prince talked about you just now. We have received the invitation letter of the Plum-blossom Party from the imperial pce. Now since Third Young Lady was back, you two can attend the party together a few dayster. Don¡¯t disgrace the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.¡± Madam Dowager patted Ning Xueyan on the shoulder. Apparently, she was hinting something.

    ¡°Third Prince, invitation letter and Ning Qingshan? The party is going to be held in these days?¡±

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s watery eyes shed and there was a thoughtful look in them. It seemed everything was arranged by Ning Qingshan. She was going to attend the Plum-blossom Party held by the imperial family after she had juste back from the nunnery. No matter what her purpose was, Third Young Lady seemed to be going to rise irrepressibly.

    That was why she gave a head-on blow to Bright Frost Garden even before her return. She just wanted to raise her own status in the manor by suppressing Bright Frost Garden!

 Chapter 164 - Have You Really Forgiven Me?

    <h4>Chapter 164 Have You Really Forgiven Me?</h4>

    ¡°Brother, I was too young and I said something stupid. I hope you can forgive me.¡± Ning Qingshan greeted Ning Huaiyuan with a bow, looking calm and graceful.

    ¡°Sister...¡± Ning Huaiyuan looked at her thoughtfully, a strange look shing in his eyes. He assumed a posture to hold her up, and he found it was difficult for him to call her so intimately like before. He paused for a while and then continued, ¡°Third Sister, let¡¯s bygones be bygones. We have grown up, so we should be mature.¡±

    His previous naive ¡®sister¡¯ had disappeared before she went for the nunnery, and the ¡®sister¡¯ he saw recently was not Ning Qingshan at all!

    Until now, Ning Huaiyuan still couldn¡¯t believe that the slim figure under the plum tree was Ning Xueyan, the Fifth Young Lady who had never walked out Bright Frost Garden! He paid much attention to Ning Xueyan today and he looked at her carefully a few times, but it was hard for him to associate her with that shy, unremarkable little girl.

    She didn¡¯t look frightened at all whether it was answering Madam Dowager or arguing with Ning Qingshan.

    Since his mind was on Ning Xueyan, he paid less attention to Ning Qingshan. He agreed toe to Ning Qingshan¡¯s residence without hesitation, because he had let go of the past. He had been so annoyed that he hoped Ning Qingshan would nevere back. Now when he recalled the past, there was nothing stirring in his heart.

    But, did he really let go of the past?

    Feeling a little bit scared, Ning Huaiyuan picked up the tea cup at hand and took a sip of tea uneasily.

    ¡°Brother, have you really forgiven me?¡± Ning Qingshan¡¯s eyes brightened up and she looked excited, as if she became vigorous because of Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s forgiveness. She then said in a sweet voice, ¡°Brother, if you have forgiven me, just call me sister like before. It reminds me of the moments when we read books together secretly.¡±

    She mentioned the past on purpose because she wanted to know Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s reaction.

    ¡°Third Sister, we¡¯re not kids anymore, so it¡¯s improper to call you like that,¡± Ning Huaiyuan said with a polite smile. He didn¡¯t follow her request, but was reasoning her like an elder brother.

    ¡°Is he estranged from me?¡± Ning Qingshan wondered, a frustrated look crossing her eyes, but she was smart and she immediately shifted the topic with a smile. ¡°Brother, Third Prince said that he came here every year to ask about my information. Is that true?¡±

    Her face was as beautiful as a flower when she smiled. She flushed, as if she were shy while talking about the person she cared so much.

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s true. Third Prince has always had a crush on you. If you can win his heart, father and Grandmother would like to marry you to him as the daughter of my mother. That means you will be taken as the daughter of Lord Protector¡¯s principle wife,¡± Ning Huaiyuan said with a smile. He thought of what Madam Dowager told him, so he stopped thinking about the bygones between Ning Qingshan and him.

    He kept a good rtionship with Forth Prince, but it didn¡¯t mean that he could ignore Third Prince. Ning Zu¡¯an and Madam Dowager had decided to marry Ning Qingshan to Third Prince. At beginning, he didn¡¯t take it seriously. Anyway, one of his sisters would be married to Third Prince, but if this person was Ning Qingshan, it would be the best choice in terms of every aspect.

    Ning Qingshan¡¯s status would be higher if she was taken as the daughter of Madam Ling, instead of Madam Ming, and that was she had been hoping for. That was why she suppressed Bright Frost Garden on purpose as soon as she came back to the manor. She did this for Madam Ling, hoping that Madam Ling to raise her status because she treated her with more respect than Madam Ming.

    Then she could be worthy of Third Prince and became his wife.

    With her current status, she could marry Third Prince as well, but as a co-consort at most. Ning Qingshan had determined to be Third Prince¡¯s wife, so she was extremely excited at the good news Ning Huaiyuan told her.

    ¡°Brother, I won¡¯t let you down. If I can... I will try my best to protect the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor,¡± hearing what Ning Huaiyuan said, she immediately answered in a gentle voice. Ning Qingshan was not only flexible but also knew she should return the favor of others. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have been so popr in the manor.

    If she had the opportunity to be the empress, she would try all her efforts to protect the manor. That was her promise to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor!

    That was also what Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an wanted!

    ¡°Two dayster, Honored Consort Ya will attend the party as well. I hope you can take this opportunity to get her to settle the marriage between you and Third Prince. After all, Third Prince is old enough to marry!¡± Ning Huaiyuan smiled and hinted.

    The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had something to do with Third Prince¡¯s marriage being still up in the air. In the beginning, Ning Yuling had been supposed to marry him, but because Ning Ziyan hadn¡¯t gotten married yet, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor postponed the marriage. Later, Ning Ziyan got married, but Ning Yuling got into trouble at Cold Mountain Temple, so the engagement between her and Third Prince was canceled. Now in any case, Third Prince¡¯s marriage couldn¡¯t be dyed any longer.

    His marriage would be settled in a year at most.

    The previous emperor had appointed Prince Yi, Ao Chenyi as the heir to the throne. However, the current emperor preferred his own son. So both the current emperor and Honored Consort Ya hoped Third Prince to have a son as soon as possible. Then he would be more certain of winning the throne. Of course, Third Prince¡¯s wife muste from a powerful and influential family.

    It was the best time for Ning Qingshan toe back!

    ¡°Brother, thank you for your reminding. I won¡¯t let you down,¡± Ning Qingshan said with a smile, her eyes full of joy and determination. She hadn¡¯t seen Third Prince for three years, but she had kept an eye on the news about him. Besides, she also asked someone to release the news that she was cultivating delicately in the nunnery and spread several poems she wrote among people.

    The poems revealed her nostalgia for something that happened between her and Third Prince three years ago.

    It seemed that Third Prince could always receive some information about her without knowing it in the three years, and from the information, he could feel her deep affection about him. Otherwise, Honored Consort Ya wouldn¡¯t have remembered her, and Third Prince wouldn¡¯t have taken her seriously. Who would take a promise made three years ago seriously?

    ¡°Third Sister, if you need anything, just let Grandmother know.¡± Both of Ning Huaiyuan and Ning Qingshan were satisfied with their conversation. Now Ning Huaiyuan stood up and was about to leave. Although they were brother and sister, they were not rted by blood. Since it was gettingte, it was improper for him to stay here too long.

    ¡°Brother, why is mother in the Buddha Hall?¡± Ning Qingshan stood up as well and it seemed she asked about Madam Ling casually while seeing Ning Huaiyuan off. In the afternoon, she had deliberately said that she wanted to visit Madam Ling, but Madam Dowager didn¡¯t approve her request, saying that Madam Ling would chant Buddhist scripture for a few more days. Ning Huaiyuan had been there when they talked about it.

    ¡°Third Sister, Mother hasn¡¯t been in a good mood recently because of Second Sister. I hope you won¡¯t mind.¡± Ning Huaiyuan was a little annoyed, because he could tell that Ning Qingshan had figured out that his mother was in the Buddha Hall because grandmother was punishing her.

    Sensing that Ning Huaiyuan didn¡¯t want to talk about that, Ning Qinshan shifted the topic smartly. She said with a smile, ¡°Elder brother, Fifth Sister¡¯s change is really surprising! Everything is changing. No one had expected that the talented and beautiful Second Sister ended up like this and the weak and humble Fifth Sister rose so quickly.¡±

    She spoke very skillfully. It sounded like Ning Xueyan was raising her own status by suppressing Ning Yuling.

    A chill appeared in Ning Huaiyuan eyes. He shook his sleeve and left without saying anything more. Except for Ning Qingshan, Ning Ziyan and his mother¡¯s servant, Mother Chen, also said that to everyone¡¯s surprise, Ning Xueyan was the mostpetent one.

    Since she had framed his mother and sister in a row within two month, how could Ning Huaiyuan let go of her?

    ¡°Young Lady, is Eldest Young Master annoyed again?¡± Xia¡¯er, who stood behind Ning Qingshan asked in confusion. It was quite like what had happened three years ago.

    Ning Qingshan sneered and answered, ¡°He is annoyed, but not because of me!¡±

    She knew that Ning Huaiyuan would deal with Ning Xueyan to take revenge for his mother and sister. If she added fuel to the fire, it would be easy to end Ning Xueyan¡¯s life.

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t know that Ning Qingshan was nning to get rid of her after they had just met. At this point, she wasn¡¯t in the manor. After having the supper, she had sneaked out of the manor. Xinmei was good at martial arts, so with her by the side, it wasn¡¯t difficult for Ning Xueyan to leave the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    She put on the young male servant¡¯s clothes and climbed over the wall with the help of Xinmei. This time, there was no carriage waiting outside, because Ao Chenyi had nothing to do with her sneaking out.

    ¡°Miss, will that be okay for us to go out like this?¡± Xinmei looked around nervously. She needed to protect Ning Xueyan, so she should be extremely cautious.

    Although it was evening, there were many people walking on the way they took and the street was illuminated as if it were day. It was the most prosperous section of the capital and there were many shops and different kinds of people.

    ¡°That will be okay. Don¡¯t worry. Nobody will pay attention to us. Don¡¯t get too close to me and just follow behind me in distance.¡± Ning Xueyan straightened the young male servant¡¯s hat she wore and joked with Xinmei, ¡°It¡¯s easy to cause attention if a young male servant and a maid walk side by side on the street in the evening.¡±

    ¡°Miss, why didn¡¯t you put on a maid¡¯s clothes? In this way, at least I can walk together with you without causing any suspicion.¡± Xinmei hesitated for a while after hearing what Ning Xueyan said, but she couldn¡¯t help asking why her master especially liked to dress up as a young male servant. Lanning told her that Ning Xueyan used to dress up the same way at Cold Mountain Temple, and almost got into trouble.

    ¡°Because the person I¡¯m going to meet is a man. If I dressed up like a maid, other people may think that it must be an unruly Young Lady who dressed in this way to date with a man privately,¡± Ning Xueyan exined, narrowing her eyes.

    ¡°Dating with a man privately?¡± Xinmei was scared and her heart thumped. She widened her eyes and looked at Ning Xueyan with disbelief. ¡°Miss, you, you¡¯ll meet a man privately? What if... Prince Yi finds out?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to date with that person. I have something important to discuss with him. I don¡¯t think it has anything to do with Prince Yi!¡± Ning Xueyan said.

    ¡°But, but you have agreed to act as the favorite concubine of Prince Yi!¡± Xinmei reminded.

    ¡°I¡¯m just pretending! He won¡¯t care about this, me too. I made a deal with Prince Yi that I would only show up when he needed me.¡± Looking at Xinmei¡¯s nervous face, Ning Xueyan smiled slightly. She looked at her from the corner of her eyes and said disapprovingly, ¡°Rx! Prince Yi won¡¯t bother for such kind of trifles!¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Xinmei agreed with Ning Xueyan, but she still felt not assured.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure. Don¡¯t worry!¡± Ning Xueyan blinked to her naughtily. Before she could continue, she suddenly saw Xinmei widen her eyes and looked in the direction of her in shock.

    Sensing something wrong, Ning Xueyan couldn¡¯t stop immediately. When she turned around, she felt she was hit by something. Losing her bnce, she took several steps backward.

    On a tall building opposite them, a handsome man narrowed his eyes coldly, standing in front of the window.

 Chapter 165 - Why Does Her Voice Sound So Familiar?

    <h4>Chapter 165 Why Does Her Voice Sound So Familiar?</h4>

    Third Prince, Ao Mingyu was going to walk into a restaurant with several guards.

    He had left the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor before supper. The gentle and kind girl who had left three years ago came back. Although she was not as perfect as he imagined, she was still a gentle, graceful and beautiful. What was more, she was much better than Ning Yuling. So Ao Mingyu was satisfied with Ning Qingshan.

    He had be the emperor¡¯s favorite prince now and he was quite different from he used to be three years ago, so even he was satisfied with Ning Qingshan, he wouldn¡¯t pay too much attention on her. He had done everything her mother told him to do, and what he needed to do was wait and see how the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would act to show its sincerity.

    What he had to consider about was not only Ning Qingshan, but the whole situation as well. It would be his best choice to connect with Lord Protector by marriage, but unfortunately, Ning Qingshan¡¯s status was too humble, even lower than Ning Xueyan¡¯s.

    If the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor didn¡¯t want to do anything to raise Ning Qingshan¡¯s status, he preferred to marry with Ning Xueyan. Since this idea came to him, he took it more and more seriously. Ao Mingyu even thought it was a good choice for him. If he had Ning Xueyan be his concubine, Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would stood on his side. Then he would marry a woman from a more powerful family as his principle wife. That would be perfect!

    When he was still in trance, people suddenly retreated to both sides of the street. A luxurious carriage rushed toward them at an incredible speed and the crowd immediately went chaos. Several guards of Ao Mingyu were about to guard him retreat while a person suddenly run to them from a sideroad.

    Everyone was focusing on what happened in front of them, and none of them had noticed that someone rush out from the sideroad. This person ended up to bump into Ao Mingyu.

    ¡°How dare you!¡± Seeing that Ao Mingyu was hit, a guard run over at once and pushed away the person who bumped into Ao Mingyu.

    The carriage rushed over from behind of Ning Xueyan, so Xinmei didn¡¯t have time to exin to her. She immediately run to her and pulled her to the roadside. Since Xinmei was still some distance from Ning Xueyan, in order to save time, she used all her strength while pulling her. Ning Xueyan was weak and she couldn¡¯t withstand the impact at all. She lost her bnce and was sent flying to the street beside her.

    She bumped into Ao Mingyu so hard that her hat was almost knocked off!

    To her surprise, when she raised her head, she saw a pair of eyes she was familiar with. She lowered her head in a hurry and covered her hat with her hand. Then she took several steps back and was about to slip into the crowd.

    How could Third Prince show up here?

    ¡°Stop!¡± Ao Mingyu yelled. Ning Xueyan tried to keep going, pretending not having seen him, but a sword rested on her neck like lighting. She rose her head slowly and looked at Ao Mingyu cautiously.

    Her jade-like eyes were special, as they were deep with fascination. Her long eyshes trembled several times.

    ¡°Fifth...¡± Ao Mingyu immediately recognized that she was Fifth Young Lady from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. He froze for a while and frowned slightly. Then he reached out and pulled Ning Xueyan to aside.

    ¡°Cousin Mingyu!¡± A girl¡¯s voice rang out from behind excitedly.

    Then the carriage suddenly stopped apanied by whinny of the horse. Ning Xueyan subconsciously wanted to withdraw her hand from his, but it was gripped by him tightly and couldn¡¯t move at all. She was not a person to yield easily, so she continued to struggle.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to be found out, don¡¯t move!¡± Ao Mingyu warned in a low voice.

    ¡°Cousin Mingyu, what are you doing here? I was on my way to your manor!¡± With that, a melodiousughter rang out and the girl walked over. Ning Xueyan stopped struggling. It was not because she was afraid of Ao Mingyu, but because the voice of the girl.

    ¡°Why does her voice sound so familiar?¡± she wondered.

    Everything seemed to quiet down to her except for the wind whistling. ¡°No, it¡¯s impossible! It can¡¯t be her!¡±

    Seeing that she stopped struggling, Ao Mingyu let go of her hand. He turned and looked at the girl with a smile. ¡°Qin¡¯er, you came back so early. I was told that you would be back a few dayster,¡± he said.

    ¡°I just came back today. As soon as I put down my luggage, I came out and headed for your manor. I didn¡¯t expect that I would have met you here. Cousin Mingyu, I brought you something nice and I¡¯ll show you when we arrive your manor,¡± Ya Moqin said with a smile, pointing at the carriage.

    She was the niece of Honored Consort Ya and the granddaughter of the grand tutor of the crown prince. She had gone back to her hometown several months ago and now had just returned to the capital. After throwing the gifts she would give to Ao Mingyu onto the carriage, she asked the servant to drive her to Ao Mingyu¡¯s residence in a hurry.

    Hearing a lot of noise on Ao Mingyu¡¯s side, she immediately asked the driver to stop.

    ¡°Thank you for caring about me, Qin¡¯er. But I can¡¯t go back with you now, because I have something to deal with. I¡¯ll go to your manor to visit you tomorrow,¡± Ao Mingyu said gently. He kept Ning Xueyan behind him and blocked Ya Moqin¡¯s vision with his great stature. Meanwhile, Ning Xueyan also couldn¡¯t see Ya Moqin¡¯s face.

    Although Ao Mingyu had let go of her, Ning Xueyan knew she couldn¡¯t get away, because she was surrounded by the guards now. She took several steps back and then walked out from behind of Ao Mingyu, looking quietly at the girl full of joy.

    The girl was beautiful but strange to her. Ning Xueyan was clear that she wasn¡¯t the person in her memory. Although their voices were quite simr, she was sure they were not the same person, because the girl in her memory couldn¡¯t be at the age of sixteen or seventeen. When she was in the regions south of the Yangtze River, that girl had already been more than twenty years old.

    ¡°You can put off everything till tomorrow. Cousin Mingyu, I¡¯m not lying, and I really have some gifts for you. Since I brought them from afar, you should show your sincerity to thank me at least!¡± Ya Moqin was reluctant to follow Ao Mingyu¡¯s suggestion. She came out in a hurry because she wanted to see Ao Mingyu so much. The two of them had been getting along well with each other from childhood, and she had been fascinated about Ao Mingyu, so of course she didn¡¯t want to miss such a good opportunity to stay with him.

    ¡°Qin¡¯er, I¡¯m serious that I¡¯m busy now,¡± Ao Mingyu said with a smile, gentle and polite.

    ¡°Cousin Mingyu, if you don¡¯t go with me, I¡¯ll kill the two ¡®gifts¡¯ that grandfather asked me to give you!¡± Ya Moqin threatened. She was annoyed as Ao Mingyu insisted on not going with her. ¡°Or I¡¯ll send them to the brothel ahead. Since they have to be given away anyway, it makes no difference whether I do it early orte,¡± she added.

    Ya Moqin¡¯s eyes brightened up and she became excited at this idea.

    She didn¡¯t like the two girls of sixteen years old she had brought back this time. To add to her annoyance, her grandfather asked her to present them to Ao Mingyu in her name. Ya Moqin had been had a crush on Ao Mingyu, so she was extremely furious about that, but she didn¡¯t dare to disobey her grandfather¡¯s decision. Fortunately, she was a girl of ideas!

    She had managed to get the two girls take some pills on the way, so even Ao Mingyu had an intimate rtionship with them in the future, they would be infertile for life.

    If Ao Mingyu didn¡¯t want to ept them, Ya Moqin would send these two girls to the brothel. If that was the case, she would be happier.

    Although Ya Moqin didn¡¯t mention what the ¡°gifts¡± were, Ao Mingyu had figured it out. Frowning, he said, ¡°Qin¡¯er, you can go back after sending the ¡®gifts¡¯ to my manor. Let¡¯s talk about them tomorrow.¡±

    It was bustling around, and it was inconvenient to talk here, so Ao Mingyu wanted Ya Moqin to leave as soon as possible. When he turned around and looked at Ning Xueyan, he found her lowering her head, as if she were really a young male servant. He felt relieved, because he didn¡¯t want other people to know about this.

    ¡°Cousin Mingyu, I...¡± Ya Moqin still wanted to say something, but Ao Mingyu cut her in before she could continue. ¡°Go back now! Or I¡¯m going to get angry!¡±

    With that, he turned and walked toward a restaurant near to them.

    Ya Moqin¡¯s eyes reddened as Ao Mingyu seemed really angry. She bit her lip wrongfully, but she didn¡¯t dare to chase him. Since Ao Mingyu had left and she didn¡¯t dare to be mad at him, she vented all her anger on the maid behind her. She pushed her hard and went back to the carriage angrily.

    Two beautiful girls were sitting side by side in the carriage. When they saw Ya Moqin get in angrily, they were scared and moved to the corner a little bit.

    ¡°Why are you looking at me?¡± Ya Moqin was losing her temper when she saw them peeping at her. She came closer and pped both of them. Instantly, a red hand print appeared on both of their faces. They burst into tears, but didn¡¯t dare say anything. Curling up in the corner and covering their faces with their hands, they lowered their heads and didn¡¯t dare to move.

    ¡°Miss, calm down. Third Prince must have something important to handle. He won¡¯t be happy if he knows you behaved like this. Haven¡¯t you forgotten that Madam asked you to hold your temper?¡± her personal maid, Xiangxue, persuaded.

    ¡°Humph! B*tches, if I find that you seduced my cousin when Ie next time, I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Ya Moqin threatened. She had to follow her grandfather¡¯s instruction to send these two girls to Ao Mingyu, but at the thought that he might attach great importance to them, she couldn¡¯t help flying into a rage.

    ¡°If they dare to seduce Cousin Mingyu, I¡¯ll beat them to death!¡± she thought.

    ¡°We, we dare not to do so,¡± the girls said timidly. Ya Moqin¡¯s anger subsided a little when she saw how frightened they were. She then ordered the driver to keep going toward Third Prince¡¯s Manor.

    Ao Mingyu didn¡¯t enter the restaurant. Ning Xueyan stopped not far away from the gate of the restaurant and looked up at him. She knew Ao Mingyu had already recognized her, so she decided not to dodge his gaze or hide herself at more.

    ¡°Third Prince, can I leave now?¡± she took two steps back and asked him cautiously.

    She could tell the girl she saw just now came from a powerful family and she had a crush on Ao Mingyu. Obviously, she was a person of great jealousy, so Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t want to stay with Ao Mingyu any longer. Otherwise, if that girl knew about this and took her as her opponent, she would get into trouble.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, why did you dress up like this? Where are you going?¡± Seeing Ning Xueyan stopped there and refused to follow him, Ao Mingyu stopped too. He sized up the young male servant¡¯s dress Ning Xueyan wearing and asked with a smile.

    ¡°I wanted to buy some medicine, so I came out,¡± Ning Xueyan came up with an idea soon and she answered calmly.

    ¡°Why did you have to dress up like this to buy some medicine?¡± Ao Mingyu asked in confusion. ¡°What¡¯s more, you¡¯re the daughter of Lord Protector. I don¡¯t believe you have to sneak out just for buying medicines. Don¡¯t you have medicine warehouse in your manor?¡±

    Third Prince didn¡¯t believe her excuse at all. Even an ordinary officer¡¯s manor would have some medicinal materials, how could a daughter of Lord Protector have to dress up as a young male servant to buy medicines in the evening?

    ¡°What kind of medicines can I get if I don¡¯t sneak out and buy them by myself? I don¡¯t want to be poisoned, so I prefer to buy them by myself. That will be much safer,¡± Ning Xueyan said with a self-mockery sneer, who looked a little sad. Looking at her indifferent smile, Ao Mingyu felt distressed.

 Chapter 166 - I Will Find a Way Finally If Iâ€™m Still Alive

    <h4>Chapter 166 I Will Find a Way Finally If I¡¯m Still Alive</h4>

    Ao Mingyu knew what happened in Cold Mountain Temple as well. He narrowed his eyes, anger shing in them.

    He was only testing when he said that he wanted to marry Ning Xueyan. Although nobody of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had said anything about this, from many things happenedter, he realized that Ning Xueyan was nothing important at all to Ning Zu¡¯an, the Lord Protector. Plus he got the news that Ning Qingshan was going toe back from the nunnery, so he gradually gave up thinking about marrying Ning Xueyan.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s status in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was even lower than Ning Qingshan¡¯s!

    He was also reluctant to marry an unvored and powerless woman to be his co-consort, but anyway, he had expressed his admiration for her in front of Ning Zu¡¯an, so he thought people of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would treat Ning Xueyan better for his sake.

    He guessed that her life would be easier after Madam Ling had been put into Buddha Hall, but that didn¡¯t seem to be the case. It meant that Lord Protector¡¯s Manor didn¡¯t take his words seriously at all!

    Ao Mingyu had been calm. However, looking at the extremely pale face in front of him, he couldn¡¯t hold his anger any more. Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had gone too far!

    He could not help but say, ¡°You can go back. I¡¯ll bring the medicines you need for you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Third Prince! But we¡¯re neither rtives nor friends, I can¡¯t ept the medicine from you. Many thanks for not having revealed my identity just now. I have to leave now. Third Prince, please don¡¯t tell anyone that you have seen me this evening.¡± Ning Xueyan refused him, her attitude neither humble nor exalted. She bowed to him with respect but in an alienated way and then was about to leave.

    Without Ao Mingyu¡¯s permission, the guards didn¡¯t dare to move, so she couldn¡¯t leave at the moment. She stopped and shifted her eyes to Ao Mingyu again.

    Ao Mingyu was surprised when the girl who looked so weak refused his suggestion without even thinking about it. Furthermore, she was determined to distance herself from him. He had never seen such ady before, so he was shocked. His heart beat faster when he looked at Ning Xueyan¡¯s delicate and charming face again.

    He was Third Prince who was both handsome and noble. Besides, he enjoyed a good reputation. All the youngdies of noble families wanted to talk with him, and they would blush at the sight of him. Even Ning Qingshan, who was natural and graceful had never been so cold to him, let alone refusing his suggestion.

    When he was told that Ning Xueyan declined his proposal, he had thought that she just pretended to refuse him, but in fact, she really was reluctant to marry him. Now he knew that the girl in front of him actually didn¡¯t want to marry him. He was confused, because he thought if she married him, even as a co-consort, she would be honorable, and nobody dared to bully her again.

    ¡°So you dressed like this and came out alone to buy medicine?¡± Ao Mingyu asked.

    ¡°Yes. Because I won¡¯t get the other¡¯s attention to dress up like this. At this moment, nobody will notice a young male servant of the outer courtyard is missing. Third Prince, can I leave now? They will find me out if I go backter!¡± Ning Xueyan said calmly with a faint smile on her face. Her jet-ck eyes looked extremely bright against her pale face.

    Although she showed no semnce of shyness, her smile and her beautiful face looked brilliant. Ao Mingyu couldn¡¯t shift his eyes from her and he just stared at her quietly.

    Without avoiding his gaze, Ning Xueyan looked at him calmly.

    ¡°Fine. You can leave now! Ao Mingyu looked at her deeply and waved his hand. The two guards beside Ning Xueyan moved aside and made way for her.

    Ning Xueyan bowed to Ao Mingyu one more time and return to leave, heading for the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    ¡°Yu Jian, follow behind her!¡± The man on the tall building had been watching them ordered coldly.

    ¡°Got it!¡± A ck figure flew away and followed behind Ning Xueyan quietly.

    Xinmei had been like a cat on hot bricks when she saw Ning Xueyan being caught by Third Prince just now. However, worried that Third Prince would find out she was a martial arts practitioner and became suspicious, she didn¡¯t dare to rush over. Most importantly, Ning Xueyan had been hinting her not to make any rash moves.

    She took a sigh of relief when she saw Ning Xueyan walk away from Third Prince. However, when she found Ning Xueyan choose the way returning to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she was surprised. But she still followed her, keeping a proper distance from her.

    When she came to a turn which led to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Ning Xueyan stopped. She turned to Xinmei and waved to her.

    Xinmei stopped as well and looked around cautiously. She wanted to hint Ning Xueyan that someone else was following them, but Ning Xueyan had already turned around. ¡°Come closer to me. I¡¯m a little scared,¡± Ning Xueyan said.

    ¡°Scared?¡± Xinmei blinked, but she didn¡¯t see a single trace of fear on her face. She had been staying with Ning Xueyan for some time. Maybe she hadn¡¯t improved in any other way, but she had be much more resilient than before. So she walked over and answered, ¡°Miss, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m following behind you all the time.¡±

    ¡°Will anybody find us?¡± Ning Xueyan asked, her eyes bright and clear like water. Then she reached out to pull Xinmei¡¯s hand.

    ¡°No, they won¡¯t. Miss, we have just been out for a short time, how can anybody find us? We¡¯d better hurry so that we can get back before anyone finds us. We didn¡¯t get the medicines we wanted, but we cane out again next time,¡±

    Xinmei persuaded.

    Ning Xueyan nodded. After straightening her hat, smoothing her clothes and brushing her hair affectedly, she turned and walked toward the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor with Xinmei following behind not far away.

    Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s light could be seen in front of them. Ning Xueyan walked forward calmly, but Xinmei got extremely nervous. After walking a few steps further, they would arrive at the gate of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. If Ning Xueyan was found to have dressed like a young male servant, she would get into trouble. But Xinmei knew that she could do nothing now.

    She heard a faint sound and she knew it came from the guard of Third Prince who was following them. It seemed that he was waiting to watch them enter the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor! Thinking about the consequence that Ning Xueyan might be found out, Xinmei¡¯s forehead got sweaty and she couldn¡¯t help clenching her fists.

    Two older female servants of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor were chatting while Ning Xueyan getting closer to the gate. They turned their head and looked at hering over. She looked as if nothing at all had happened.

    This area was famous as many wealthy and influential ns lived here. Although Lord Protector¡¯s Manor wasn¡¯t the only manor here, they guessed that the young male servant who walked in its direction was, of course, visiting Lord Protector. The light was dim and they couldn¡¯t distinguish which manor the young male servant came from, so they stopped talking and looked at him.

    Suddenly, Xinmei heard a faint p sound of cloth. ¡°It seems the guard who was following behind us has gone!¡± Xinmei listened carefully for a while and her face lit up. She strode forward and grabbed the arm of Ning Xueyan as she was about to step on the doorsteps of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, and pulled her away from the gate of the manor.

    The two older female servants were curious when they saw the young male servant walked away with a maid, but since he only passed by here, they didn¡¯t focus on him anymore and continued the topic they had been talking about. They didn¡¯t notice that a tall and straight figure flickered and then disappeared after they walked into the manor.

    Ning Xueyan and Xinmei stopped at a ce out of light and then they climbed over the wall and jumped into the Bright Frost Garden. Aftering into Ning Xueyan¡¯s room, Xinmei¡¯s face was still pale and devoid of any color of blood, and the clothes on her back were soaked with sweat. On the contrary, Ning Xueyan looked calm.

    ¡°Miss, were you scared just now?¡± At the thought of what happened just now, Xinmei¡¯s feet still felt like jelly. If the guard hadn¡¯t left at that point, she could only watch her master go up the doorsteps and ask someone to open the door.

    ¡°What was there to be afraid of?¡± Ning Xueyan took a sip of the tea which Lanning handed to her and let out a slight sigh. ¡°What does fear solve?¡±

    Fear could solve nothing! When she was beaten hard by Ning Ziyan and Madam Ling, she had been so scared and hoped Xia Yuhang toe to save her. However, when he showed up, he hadn¡¯t saved her, but asked the others to throw her into theke instead.

    So she realized that in case of danger, she should find a way to save herself instead of shivering with fear.

    Since Xinmei had been following behind her, she knew that Third Prince must have arranged someone to follow her. She was clear that Third Prince wouldn¡¯t have done this out concern of her safety. Although she exined why she hade out and dressed like this by saying those in front of Third Prince, it was impossible for a person like him to believe her easily.

    It was normal if he arranged his guard to verify what she had said.

    And the guard would have definitely followed behind her to see whether she came back to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor or not.

    So before the guard of Third Prince had gone, she could only walk forward to the manor without hesitation. But she had alreadye up with an idea. If the guard still hadn¡¯t left when she approached the gate, she would stop walking and turn around and then go back to the ce where she had encountered Third Prince. She would tell Xinmei that she suddenly remembered the medicine she needed in urgent, and to save time, she would head for the pharmacy she had nned to visit.

    When she returned to the manor again, the gate of the manor must have been locked inside, so she couldn¡¯t enter.

    If the guard of Third Prince was still following her behind at that point, he would definitely show up. Then she could plead Third Prince to send her into the manor.

    It was a risky move and the excuse was not convincible, so Third Prince was likely to feel suspicious and even the slightest indiscretion could give her away. So if she had any other choice, Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t want to choose this option.

    ¡°But what if the guard didn¡¯t leave?¡± Xinmei couldn¡¯t help but ask. Ning Xueyan looked too calm at that moment, and she had a feeling that she was going to enter the gate of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    She wondered how a person who looked so weak could be so strong-minded. Even she was an experienced secret guard, she couldn¡¯t help sweating because she was too nervous, so she couldn¡¯t understand how Ning Xueyan managed to stay calm under such satiation.

    ¡°I¡¯ll find a way finally if I¡¯m still alive!¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s jet-ck eyes shone brightly under the light, and there was a trace of smile on her lips. She looked so beautiful, but there was a cold in her eyes which made people chill.

    If she was still alive, she would avenge herself. If she were dead, who would still remember Ning Ziying of Cloud Reflection Courtyard? And nobody would know how miserably she had died.

    Without her rebirth, nobody would seek justice for Ning Ziying.

    Xinmei looked at Ning Xueyan in nk and she suddenly was filled with sadness. Like an old woman who had experienced vicissitudes, the delicate and pretty girl in front of her seemed to have seen through life and death, and there was an indifferent look on her face. How could a fourteen years old girl who had hidden in Bright Frost Garden for years had made people feel that way?

    ¡°As for what I would do if the guard didn¡¯t leave... Since Third Prince wanted to spy on me, just let it be!¡± Ning Xueyan looked down with a smile. Although the way she had juste up with wasn¡¯t good enough, it was better than nothing.

    ¡°Xinmei, go to Tonghetang now and tell my cousin that I can¡¯te out to meet him today. I¡¯ll manage to find time to visit him.¡±

    She held up the tea cup and took a sip of tea, her face thoughtful. She had nned to discuss with her cousin about what her uncle had found out, but it seemed she had to postpone her visit.

    Now since both Ning Huaiyuan and Ning Qingshan came back, she should be more cautious so that nothing wrong would happen to the ount books at the end of the year.

 Chapter 167 - the Stained Account Book

    Chapter 167<strong> the Stained ount Book</strong>

    Since Yu Lian had be Concubine Xu, in order to distinguish her from the former Concubine Xu, Madam Dowager ordered everyone in the manor called them Senior Concubine Xu and Junior Concubine Xu. Of course Yu Lian was Junior Concubine Xu.

    Concubines of the manor were also women who had married Ning Zu¡¯an, so Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an decided to hold a simple wedding ceremony by setting up a few tables of banquet at noon the next day, then Yu Lian would be Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s concubine formally. They nned to have dinner only with some people of the manor, but to their surprise, many guests came at noon the next day.

    Since Ning Zu¡¯an was a powerful general, the military department members had already heard the news and came to congratte him.

    Moreover, they had taken their family members here, so the outer courtyard was immediately filled with greetings andughter.

    Madam Dowager was honorable and she wouldn¡¯t greet Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s subordinates¡¯ families in person for a concubine¡¯s wedding ceremony, so she asked Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan to do this job. Ning Xueyan was unremarkable, but Ning Qingshan was well known because of her talent and filial piety, so she became the focus of the subordinates¡¯ families.

    Everyone knew that Third Young Lady of the Ning Qingshan was kind, smart, filial and generous. Although she was young, she could withstand the poor life of the nunnery and cultivated there sincerely for three years! What was more, she was both pretty and graceful, so everyone put their attention on her. They surrounded her like stars surrounded moon.

    Ning Qingshan was a tactful person, so soon she became the center of the youngdies and girls.

    Madam Dowager asked Ning Qingshan to greet the guests as she wanted her to expand herwork. Though all the guests were not as powerful as Ning Zu¡¯an, many of them were daughters of noble families. Ning Qingshan had been away from the circle for three years, but with her good reputation, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult for her to fit in again.

    As for Ning Xueyan, Madam Dowager arranged her to manage the logistics, including the dishes preparation, so she almost had no opportunity to show up in front of the guests.

    Fortunately, Ning Xueyan had managed the internal affairs of the manor for a period and she was familiar with it, so she didn¡¯t feel very busy at this moment. She asked Lanning and Mother Han to handle the matters, while she was resting beside them.

    ¡°Miss, why don¡¯t we go out to meet those guests? Now everyone in the manor is talking about how capable Third Young Lady is, but nobody knows that you are the one who contributed most for this banquet!¡± Qingyu said resentfully with a few ount books in her hands. What made her angrier was that she encountered a maid who held the ount books on the way, and this maid told her that Madam Dowager asked Fifth Young Lady to check them when she was free.

    ¡°What are we doing out there? Madam Dowager arranged this on purpose, because she wanted Third Sister to take this opportunity to expand herwork,¡± Ning Xueyan answered with a smile. She then took the ount books from Qingyu. To her surprise, there was a marked stain on thest page of the ount book. Her face darkened.

    ¡°Who gave you this?¡±

    Qingyu looked at the ount book and saw the stain as well. Her face turned pale in shock. ¡°Miss, I don¡¯t know that maid and I haven¡¯t seen her before. I found the ount books she gave me were those Madam Dowager should give you these days, so I didn¡¯t check before taking them back. I didn¡¯t notice that this page was stained.¡±

    Qingyu was so anxious that she was about to cry. She took five ount books in total from that maid. They were piled on top of each other, and there was nothing specialpared to the ount books she received before, so she didn¡¯t pay special attention to them and took them back. If Madam Dowager found that there was a big stain on thest page of one of the ount books, she would definitely me Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Is that maid from Lucky Garden?¡± Ning Xueyan asked, a coldness crossing her eyes.

    ¡°No. I¡¯m sure she isn¡¯t. I haven¡¯t seen her before, but she knew me and she called my name. She told me that Xiangmiao, the maid of Madam Dowager asked her to give them to me. It should be Xiangmiao to bring the ount books to us, but she was dispatched to serve the female guests in the backyard, so she asked that maid to give them to me.¡±

    Qingyu answered with reddish eyes. She began to look for the handkerchief and wanted to wipe the stain off the page. Finally, she found a white one and was about to wipe it.

    ¡°Wait! If you wipe it, the stain will get bigger.¡± Ning Xueyan reached out and stopped her. She observed the stain carefully. It was ck, quite simr to soy sauce and it smelled fishy. Because it was ck and the paper had been soaked, it was hard to find it out without careful observation.

    The page was already soaked, so if they wiped it with amon method, the stain couldn¡¯t be removed, but the cover and the pages between the cover and thest page would be stained as well instead.

    ¡°Miss, I¡¯ll go to look for the maid. I¡¯m sure I can find her,¡± Qingyu said, gritting her teeth. She threw the handkerchief in her hand away and was about to leave. When she found the maid, she wouldn¡¯t let go of her easily. ¡°How vicious she was to give a stained ount book to my master!¡± she thought.

    ¡°Qingyu,e back!¡± Ning Xueyan put down the ount book. She looked mild, but there was coldness in her eyes.

    The soaked page indicated that the ount book had been stained for some time. What was more, it seemed only Ning Xueyan had the possibility to touch the things like soy sauce and fish, as she was in charge of the kitchen today. Obviously, someone was framing her!

    She had thought to lead a period of peaceful life in the manor, but since someone wanted to stir up trouble, she had to fight for herself!

    ¡°Miss, I will find her. Even if I rummaged through the whole manor, I¡¯ll find her!¡± Qingyu said angrily, gritting her teeth and stamping her foot. She thought Ning Xueyan stopped her because she was worried that she couldn¡¯t find that maid.

    No matter who the maid was, she would find her!

    ¡°What will you do after finding her?¡± Ning Xueyan asked gently.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask her to apologize to you and exin to Madam Dowager that the ount book was stained by her, not by you,¡± Qingyu said, holding her head high. She was extremely angry, and what she was thinking was to find the maid, so when Ning Xueyan asked her, she blurted it out.

    ¡°What if she were reluctant to follow your instruction?¡± Ning Xueyan asked slightly.

    ¡°Reluctant? Impossible! Miss, you are a master, but she is just a humble maid, how dare she frame you up?¡± Qingyu widened her eyes and paused for a while before protesting. In her mind, it was already a very serious problem if a maid dared to disobey her master, let alone setting up her master.

    ¡°Without such people, mom wouldn¡¯t have passed away so early!¡± Ning Xueyan said coldly.

    ¡°I...¡± Qingyu didn¡¯t know what to say. She and several others knew that Madam Ming was murdered, and they were sure that it must be Madam Ling who had put her people up to it! ¡°Miss, what shall we do? If we bring it to Madam Dowager like this, she may even abolish your right to run the manor!¡±

    Qingyu was so anxious, but she could do nothing, because her master didn¡¯t allow her to wipe the stain or look for the maid.

    Ning Xueyan looked at the stained ount book and thought for a while. It couldn¡¯t be Madam Dowager who had abetted someone to do this. If she wasn¡¯t satisfied with her, she could just strip her of her administration right, and it was unnecessary to make things soplex. Besides, if not because Madam Dowager was old andck of energy to manage the internal affairs, she wouldn¡¯t have asked her to check the ount books. So it couldn¡¯t be Madam Dowager who had asked someone to stain the ount book.

    Ning Zu¡¯an would never be involved in such matters!

    Madam Ling was locked up in the Buddha Hall and she had no energy to set up the others now. Besides, even Mother Chen had already been forbidden to go out.

    Ning Ziyan was in the Xia Manor, and she didn¡¯te today. Even if she were here, she wouldn¡¯t havee up with such aplex idea. So the person who wanted to frame her was not only clear about how many ount books she had taken from Madam Dowager every day, but also was able to get the ount books from Madam Dowager. Moreover, that person also knew that she was in charge of the kitchen today.

    She had taken the ount books, and the stain was obvious from the kitchen. What was more, she was in charge of the kitchen today. So even if they found the maid, nobody would believe what she said.

    The person who was trying to set her up was thoughtful with long-term sight, so she was by no means ordinary.

    Now Ning Qingshan seemed the most likely suspect!

    Ning Xueyan had vaguely figured out what was going on. Obviously, Ning Qingshan was an ambitious woman. She enjoyed such a good reputation and received attentions from Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an, and even Madam Ling didn¡¯t dare to bully her. In the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, an adopted daughter even led a better life than a biological daughter! If she wasn¡¯t a person of means, how could she manage to get these?

    Ning Ziyan had gotten married, Ning Yuling couldn¡¯t be a threat to her at more, Ning Lingyun was just a concubine¡¯s daughter, and obviously, Ning Xueyan wasn¡¯t a push-over, so Ning Qingshan decided to deal with her.

    ¡°Ning Qingshan just returned to the manor, but she already couldn¡¯t tolerate my existence! She is really ambitious!¡± Ning Xueyan thought.

    ¡°Is Madam Dowager greeting the guests?¡± Ning Xueyan asked. She shifted her eyes from the ount book and the indifferent and calm look returned to her face.

    ¡°I went to Lanning just now. She said Madam Dowager asked the cook to prepare more dishes, that means Madam Dowager was greeting some guests as well. I thought since olddies of several other manors hade, Madam Dowager had to show up and greet them.¡±

    Qingyu didn¡¯t understand why Ning Xueyan was in the mood to ask about this, but she still answered in detail.

    ¡°Go to the kitchen to check what dishes Madam Dowager asked the cook to prepare,¡± Ning Xueyan said. She lowered her head and looked outside of the window and continued slowly, ¡°By the way, ask the people in the kitchen who went there yesterday and what they took away from the kitchen and if someone ordered them to cook braised fish. Tell them to cook soup with fishes if there are some in the kitchen today!¡±

    ¡°Miss, shall I stop by the Foggy Courtyard to have a look?¡± Qingyu asked. Now she understood part of her master¡¯s n. Looking at her master¡¯s calm face, she somehow calmed down as well.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do so, as you can¡¯t find anything valuable there.¡± Ning Xueyan shook her head. A person as smart as Ning Qingshan wouldn¡¯t have left any obvious clue to them. And even if she had already found the maid, the maid couldn¡¯t have much to do with Ning Qingshan. If necessary, Ning Qingshan would manage to disassociate herself from the matter.

    ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll go to the kitchen right now.¡± Qingyu nodded and was about to leave. But when she looked at the stained ount book, she was worried again. Apparently the stain couldn¡¯t be wiped, but it was obvious, and if they left it on the page, Madam Dowager would find it. ¡°Miss, what shall we do with the... ount book? After lunch, Madam Dowager will ask someone to take the ount books from you. What shall we do then?¡±

    ¡°You go to the kitchen first. After finishing what I asked you to do,e back to tell me the result and leave the rest to me.¡± Ning Xueyan had made up her mind, so she nodded and urged Qingyu to leave.

    Qingyu knew it was urgent. She then nodded and pushed open the door and rushed out.

    Ning Xueyan stood up and picked up the ount books from the table. She carefully pulled out the stained ount book and the one which was beneath it, and put them on a handkerchief. She held them with her hand and walked out the door, and then turned to another room.

    Mother Wang who ¡®couldn¡¯t¡¯ move was lying in the bed of that room.

 Chapter 168 - Stay with the New Concubine?

    <strong>Chapter 168 Stay with the New Concubine?</strong>

    In a flower hall of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s courtyard, there were a number of female guests. They chatted happily and burst intoughter asionally.

    Ostensibly to congratte Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s marrying a new concubine, but they all had other ns. Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was no ordinary. She was not only beautiful, but gentle, graceful and decent as well. Everyone could tell that she had a bright future, and some well-informed person even said that Third Prince had already waited in the manor when Third Young Lady just returned yesterday.

    Who was Third Prince? He was the real imperial family member! Normally, only those youngdies from noble families waited for him, and he would never take the initiative to wait for them. It was said Third Prince¡¯s cousin who had grown up together with him returned to the capital yesterday. However, he didn¡¯t wait for her at Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor, but went to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor instead!

    People would find something unusual if they thought it over.

    Besides, there were rumors that Third Prince would engage with a daughter of Lord Protector, and most people thought that girl would be Second Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Now it seemed the rumors were not urate. Obviously, Third Young Lady was the one who was favored by Third Prince and Honored Consort Ya.

    Everyone believed that it was the case. Because in terms of the rtionship between Third Prince and the two manors, he should have been closer to the grand-daughter of Grand Tutor Ya!

    Soon, the flower hall was filled with ttery and pleasing words. Ning Qingshan reacted properly. She smiled at everyone and no one was ignored or snubbed. Both the host and the guests were satisfied.

    ¡°Third Young Lady, it¡¯s said Fifth Young Lady of your manor is outstanding as well, why hasn¡¯t she shown up?¡± an official¡¯s daughter asked with a smile, looking around.

    There were so many things happened to The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor recently, so many people had heard the existence of Fifth Young Lady. However, none of them had ever seen her, so they were very curious about her.

    ¡°All the Young Ladies of your manor are outstanding and pretty. I wonder if Fifth Young Lady is as excellent as you. Can you ask her out to chat with us?¡± another official¡¯s daughter asked curiously.

    ¡°Yes! We have been here for a long time. Why hasn¡¯t shee out yet? Isn¡¯t she in the manor? Or maybe she is disdain to meet us?¡± the third one joked and said.

    Ning Qingshan smiled and answered gracefully and gently, ¡°Young Ladies, you thought too much. Fifth Sister hasn¡¯te out yet not because she is reluctant to meet you, but because she is too busy and has no time to greet you at the moment.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s she up to? Today is the big day of marquis. What must she do?¡± an official¡¯s young wife asked subconsciously.

    Yu Lian was just a concubine of Ning Zu¡¯an, but Ning Xueyan was the daughter of Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s principle wife. Was she staying with the concubine now? If that was the case, it would be very improper!

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that. In the manor, there is something that... Fifth Sister¡¯s mother passed away before long, and she was familiar with the new concubine of my father, so it¡¯s no wonder that she is busier. Fifth Sister is capable, that¡¯s why she has a lot on her te.¡±

    Ning Qingshan said with a soft smile. She seemed to be exining for Ning Xueyan, and the others would think that she was a nice elder sister who was defending her younger sister. Now they witnessed she was not only gentle, but also generous.

    Fifth Young Lady was familiar with the new concubine of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, so she preferred to stay with the concubine,pared to greeting the official¡¯s female family members. Furthermore, it was true that her mother had just died, so she was so eager to please a new concubine of Ning Zu¡¯an?

    As the daughter of Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s principle wife, how could she tter a concubine? She was putting herself down! Instantly, everyone present showed disdainful expression.

    They had nned to meet Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor who seldom showed up, because they heard that she was excellent as well. But when they found she was a person who couldn¡¯t get on the stage, their admiration for her immediately turned to contempt. She was so stupid and unsociable, no wonder she had hidden herself so many years! Obviously, she didn¡¯t know how to behave in front of people at all!

    Otherwise, how could a principle wife¡¯s daughter of Lord Protector had never shown up in public?

    ¡°Third Young Lady, has Fifth Young Lady been behaving this way all the time?¡± someone couldn¡¯t help asking disdainfully.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I have been in the nunnery for cultivation recently, and Fifth Sister was the only daughter who stayed with mom. Besides, she is the youngest among the sisters.¡± It seemed Ning Qingshan didn¡¯t answer the question directly, but the information she provided proved that Ning Xueyan had developed this kind of character because Madam Ming spoiled her too much. She was the youngest daughter, of course her mother was more partial to her.

    Seeing the disdainful expression on the faces of everyone, a trace of imperceptible satisfaction shed in Ning Qingshan¡¯s eyes.

    Mother Luo had reported to her just now that ¡®all¡¯ the ount books had been sent to Ning Xueyan, so no matter what Ning Xueyan would say or act, or even she had found the maid who gave the ount books to Qingyu, she wasn¡¯t able to exin this matter clearly. Madam Dowager would definitely think it was Ning Xueyan who stained the ount book, and because she was afraid of being punished, she pushed the responsibility to a maid.

    So whether Ning Xueyan admitted or not, Madam Dowager would think she stained the ount book.

    Ning Qingshan was clear that Ning Xueyan had just managed the inner courtyard for a few days, and Madam Dowager asked Ning Xueyan to help her to check the ount books. She also heard that Ning Xueyan had done a good job, so Madam Dowager admired her very much, and she seemed to have nned to leave all the affairs of the inner courtyard to Ning Xueyan. The management of internal affairs was equivalent to the management of the whole Lord Protector¡¯s manor.

    The position was so attractive that Ning Qingshan had already coveted it for a long time!

    But since Ning Xueyan was doing the job, she was unable to get involved in, so she had to find a way to kick Ning Xueyan out. Moreover, she worried Third Prince would shift his attention from her to Ning Xueyan. She had taken Ning Xueyan as her enemy who would be the obstacle for her to win Third Prince¡¯s heart since the day Third Prince had looked at Ning Xueyan a few more times.

    But she didn¡¯t take Ning Xueyan seriously, because she believed that a person who had hidden herself in the Bright Frost Garden wouldn¡¯t be capable. What was more, she heard that Ning Xueyan had offended Madam Ling. Although Madam Ling was still in the Buddha Hall, she would be released sooner orter if she were still Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s principle wife.

    Since Madam Ling was Ning Xueyan¡¯s elder and she was a cruel woman, in any case Ning Xueyan was no match for her.

    ¡°If I took her administration power, and ruined her reputation, I will not only gain the advantage but also win Madam Ling¡¯s favor. Maybe Madam Ling will recognize me as her daughter, then I¡¯ll be a daughter of the principal wife,¡± Ning Qingshan thought.

    ¡°It¡¯s said Fifth Young Lady is talented, gentle and generous. How could she behave like this?¡± Of course not everyone agreed with Ning Qingshan¡¯s answer, so some of them asked suspiciously.

    It was true that Ning Xueyan wasn¡¯t remarkable before. But in the Chrysanthemum Party held at the Cold Mountain Temple, Ning Xueyan had met several noble youngdies. Compared to the arrogant Ning Yuling, Ning Xueyan was calm, generous, smart and reasonable, so her good reputation had been spread out by these youngdies, even though she was still far less famous than Ning Qingshan.

    Anyway, the rumors about her were positive. Besides, they were spread out from those noble families, so nobody would doubt the truth of the rumors.

    ¡°I behaved like what?¡± a sweet voice suddenly rang out at the door of the flower hall. Everyone was waiting for Ning Qingshan¡¯s answer when they heard someone speak at the door. They looked in the direction of that person and saw a pretty girl standing there.

    She wore a light pink suit embroidered with plum blossoms. She had a charming look and fairplexion, and she showed the grace of the youngdy of a noble family in every move. She looked elegant and pure, so nobody could associate her with the Fifth Young Lady who had been despised by everyone just now.

    She didn¡¯t look like a person who would please a concubine at all!

    Several youngdies who didn¡¯t know much about Ning Qingshan¡¯s past looked at her suspiciously. ¡°Did Third Young Lady said that because she was jealous of Fifth Young Lady?¡± they thought.

    ¡°Hey, Fifth Sister! Come here! We are talking about you and our guests are curious about you,¡± Ning Qingshan said with a gentle smile. She was surprised when Ning Xueyan suddenly showed up. She hadn¡¯t expected that Ning Xueyan was still in the mood toe here at this moment. But she was quick-witted, and she stood up gracefully and came to hold Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand.

    She did it so naturally, as if she hadn¡¯t spoken ill of Ning Xueyan behind her back at all just now, and all the bad associations were assumed by the guests themselves.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I was busy in the kitchen for the party, so I didn¡¯t have time to meet you just now.¡± Ning Xueyan apologized with a graceful smile. She walked over to the guests and withdrew her hand from Ning Qingshan¡¯s naturally and then bowed to the female guests present.

    She exined the reason that she hadn¡¯t shown up in the flower hall before.

    A girl of thirteen or fourteen years old from the noble family looked at Ning Qingshan, and then Ning Xueyan. She was confused, so she asked naively, ¡°This Fifth Young Lady was busy in the kitchen just now, but... why did you say that she was being with the new concubine?¡±

    Like being pped, Ning Qingshan went stiff and her perfect smile froze as well. She had a hard time to maintain her smile. Several smart official¡¯s wives and daughters looked at her doubtfully. She hadn¡¯t expected that Ning Xueyan was so sharp, and with a single sentence, she broke the advantage she had managed to gain and made people doubt her.

    She had underestimated her!

    ¡°Being with the new concubine?¡± Ning Xueyan sneered. Ning Qingshan was really good at making up stories. As a principle wife¡¯s daughter, how could she stay with a concubine on such an asion? Ning Qingshan must have thought that she was busy with the stained ount book and couldn¡¯te.

    ¡°Thank you for your hard work, Fifth Sister!¡± Ning Qingshan said with a smile. Although she was annoyed, she didn¡¯t show her angry on her face. She acted as if she had known that Ning Xueyan would have shown up here. She then turned to the guests and said, ¡°Fifth Sister had too many things to care about today. Our grandmother is old and her hands are full. It¡¯s said all the affairs in the manor were in charged by Fifth Sister recently. There are so many things need to be cared about every day, so of course she is very busy!¡±

    She smiled and stressed ¡®It¡¯s said¡¯, because she wanted the others to know that she was absent, so Madam Dowager had to choose Ning Xueyan to take care of the internal affairs of the manor. Moreover, since Ning Xueyan was in charge of the internal affairs of the manor, it seemed reasonable that she had been with the new concubine of Ning Zu¡¯an just now.

    She made her lie sound reasonable by confusing the others. She smiled and spoke gracefully and calmly. It was hard to believe that she had said those words deliberately to have people to doubt Ning Xueyan.

 Chapter 169 - the Warm-hearted Third Young Lady

    Chapter 169 the Warm-hearted Third Young Lady

    Ning Qingshan cursed inwardly. Today was supposed to be her day. She had tactfully indicated to Madam Dowager that she wanted to greet the guests alone and Madam Dowager had acquiesced to her request. Her purpose in doing so was to show how graceful, generous and gentle she was. However, all her ns were ruined by a few words from Ning Xueyan.

    It was her first time to attend the banquet of the social circle after she had cultivated in the nunnery for three years, so today was very important for her. Ning Xueyan¡¯s sudden appearance made her passive and she couldn¡¯t act as calmly as she used to be. Even though her smile was still perfect, under the smiling gaze of severaldies, she showed some ws.

    There were many smart people among the guests!

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t protest Ning Qingshan, but smiled quietly. Her jet-ck eyes shone brightly and after ncing at all the guests, she finally fixed her eyes on Ning Qingshan. ¡°Third Sister, grandmother was greeting some elders and she asked us to meet them,¡± she said slowly.

    Madam Dowager hadn¡¯t nned to greet any guests today, but to her surprise, there were several olddies of her generation among the guests, so she invited them to Lucky Garden to chat. Of course, she wouldn¡¯t forget to ask her two grand-daughters to show their respect to those olddies on such an asion. Ning Xueyan was at Lucky Garden at the moment, so she offered to ask Ning Qingshan over.

    ¡°If it¡¯s Ning Qingshan who stained the ount book, she must think that I¡¯m anxious because of the stained ount book, so I won¡¯t be in the mood to show up in the flower hall. People like Ning Qingshan will never miss any opportunity to defame me, so my appearance will be the strongest riposte to her.¡± With that in mind, Ning Xueyan came to the flower hall.

    Of course, it was only the first step for her to fight back.

    She had learned from the miserable experience of herst life that some people naturally liked to raise themselves by suppressing others. Both Ning Ziyan and Ning Qingshan were such kind of people. They shared themon characteristics¡ªselfish and vicious!

    She hadn¡¯t hated Ning Qingshan that much before, but now Ning Qingshan seemed to have stood on her opposite side. She would never show mercy to her enemies. Since Ning Qingshan had given her such a ¡®gift¡¯, she should give something back. Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t be fair!

    So when she showed up in the flower hall, she caught sight of the suspicion, surprise, confusion and other looks in the eyes of the guests. As she had expected, Ning Qingshan didn¡¯t forget to belittle her while enjoying the ttery and pleasing of others. Ning Xueyan¡¯s showing up cracked her perfect camouge.

    From the look of those official¡¯s wives and daughters, Ning Xueyan could tell that Ning Qingshan must have made up stories to defame her just now.

    Since Ning Qingshan was so vicious, she didn¡¯t have to be nice to her!

    She wasn¡¯t Ning Ziying of herst life anymore. Ning Ziying was so kind that she was even reluctant to step on an ant. But this innocent girl couldn¡¯t even protect people around her and had been drowned into the lotus pool together with Xiang¡¯er, her personal maid.

    So she wouldn¡¯t show any mercy this life!

    She was cruel to herself, and would be even crueler to her enemies!

    Ning Qingshan was surprised when she was told that Madam Dowager asked her back, but she felt relieved as well. Because with Ning Xueyan¡¯s appearance in the flower hall, she couldn¡¯t keep her ease and grace anymore. It was not bad to go to the Lucky Garden. She could take this opportunity to calm herself down and find a way to deal with Ning Xueyan.

    After cultivated in the nunnery for three years, she became more patient. Since she could even withstand the hard life of the nunnery for three years, the minor provocation from Ning Xueyan meant nothing to her. But she was confused why Ning Xueyan was still so calm. ¡°Hasn¡¯t she found that the ount book was stained? Or maybe she has found a way to solve the problem? Or maybe she is just pretending not being worried?¡± Ning Qingshan wondered.

    But she quickly dismissed the second possibility, because she didn¡¯t believe that Ning Xueyan was capable enough to solve the problem. Thest page of the ount book had been ruined like that, and it was impossible for Ning Xueyan to wipe the stain off. Besides, the strong fishy smell emanated from the stain could be smelled from afar. How could she find a way to remove it?

    So Ning Xueyan was more confused about the reason that Ning Xueyan was so calm by now.

    She took a leave of thedies and girls in the flower hall, and then went for Lucky Garden, following Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, you have been busy in the kitchen for such a long time. Did you go back to Bright Frost Garden to take a break?¡± Ning Qingshan caught up with Ning Xueyan and asked, pretending that she cared about her. She couldn¡¯t figure out why Ning Xueyan was so calm, so she tried to get the answer from Ning Xueyan¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°Yes. I went back for a while. But because something happened to the kitchen, I had toe back to the kitchen and have a look. Then I went to grandmother,¡± Ning Xueyan answered with a faint smile. A sneer appeared on her lips, but as her lips were pale, nobody could find it out easily.

    Ning Qingshan became anxious.

    ¡°What happened to the kitchen? Didn¡¯t they prepare enough dishes? What will you do then?¡± Ning Qingshan asked, looking concerned about her very much.

    ¡°Nothing special. A big fish in the kitchen wasn¡¯t dead after being killed with one cut. It jumped out and knocked over a pot, and almost caused a fire,¡± Ning Xueyan answered helplessly.

    The fish had been sent to the kitchen the night before. It was said that because Madam Dowager liked eating fish, the kitchen staff bought it for her. But Ning Xueyan knew more than that. Madam Dowager hadn¡¯t said that she wanted to eat fish, but Ning Qingshan kept on persuading her, saying that fish was nutritious and was especially good for the health of old people, so Madam Dowager ordered the kitchen staff to buy it.

    ¡°Huh? They were too careless! No wonder you were so busy. I thought that you woulde to the flower hall soon after having a look at Junior Concubine Xu. After waiting for a long time, we still haven¡¯t seen you, so I guessed you must have been with Junior Concubine Xu,¡± Ning Qingshan said with a sweet smile, covering her lips with her handkerchief.

    Everything she said was meant to show that she had really thought Ning Xueyan was at Junior Concubine Xu¡¯s ce, so she hadn¡¯t lied to thosedies in the flower hall just now. Meanwhile, the way she spoke also showed her grace and frankness. She had decided to disguise herself to the end, so although there was no outsider with them, she still took every opportunity to exin.

    She disguised well, as if she was a person who was scrupulously honest even when there was no one around.

    Such a person was the most difficult to deal with, because she seemed to have no ws, or maybe she kept on fixing her ws all the time. If Ning Xueyan was still as kind and naive as she used to be in herst life, even if she had heard Ning Qingshan speaking ill behind her, Ning Qingshan would be able to convince her in a few words, and made her feel that she had wronged her.

    Unfortunately, her opponent was Ning Xueyan, a girl who looked weak and peaceful, but actually cold-blooded inside.

    Although Ning Ziyan didn¡¯t disguise as perfectly as Ning Qingshan did, she had been hypocritical in front of Ning Ziying. Since she had been cheated once in herst life, Ning Xueyan wouldn¡¯t be fooled again, and now her eyes were bright and her heart was as hard as a rock!

    ¡°Thank you for your concern, Third Sister! I thought you were deliberately saying that I was being with Junior Concubine Xu. I wondered maybe I had offended you without knowing it, so the day after you just came back, you were mad at me,¡± Ning Xueyan said with a slight smile, which made Ning Qingshan not clear whether she meant it or she was just joking.

    Ning Qingshan had a feeling that Ning Xueyan who stood beside her wasn¡¯t the same person who had hidden herself in Bright Frost Garden all the time. They were totally different by nature! Was she really Ning Xueyan? How could she have changed so much? Ning Qingshan wondered subconsciously.

    What made her think this way mainly because the personality of the person in front of her was far cry from the girl¡¯s in her memory.

    How could a person have changed so much? Under what situation could be a timid person became so sharp and smart?

    To Ning Qingshan¡¯s surprise, Ning Xueyan wasn¡¯t moved by her concern and she didn¡¯t hold her hand and call her ¡®Third Sister¡¯, but said something meaningful instead which made her more confused.

    Was she really Ning Xueyan?

    ¡°Fifth Sister, I wasn¡¯t mad at you. Though we were not born by the same mother, we are the closest sisters in the manor. Mom has left us, so we should help each other more so that we can lead a better life in the manor. If you meet any difficulties in the future, don¡¯t hesitate toe to me!¡± she said.

    Instead of showing suspicion, Ning Qingshan smiled gently, and her face looked as beautiful as a flower. It made her look more sincere to make good friends with Ning Xueyan. She even mentioned Madam Ming. Since she was Madam Ming¡¯s daughter in name, it was normal that she had been closer with Madam Ming than Ning Yuling and Ning Lingyun.

    She wasn¡¯t sure whether the girl in front of her was real Ning Xueyan or not, but she was sure that this girl was smart and resourceful, so she needed to stay calm in front of her. Fortunately, the girl was still young, and couldn¡¯t be as experienced as her. Ning Qingshan was confident that if she was more cautious, she would have no problem to deal with Ning Xueyan.

    The stained ount book was going to be found out soon, so she must show that she got well with Ning Xueyan in front of others, and thus nobody would suspicious about her.

    To Ning Xueyan, what Ning Qingshan said sounded quite familiar. Although she was smiling, in her eyes, there was ice-like coldness. No wonder that Ning Ziyan and Ning Qingshan were close sisters, the way they spoke almost the same!

    ¡°Sister Ziying, you just arrived in the capital. Although we were not born by the same mother, I like you most in the manor. Since both of your parents have passed away, I should help you more, so that you can lead a better life. If you meet any difficulties in the future, don¡¯t hesitate toe to me!¡±

    At that moment, Ning Ziyan had held her hand and called her ¡®Sister Ziying¡¯ intimately. She had been so moved, and she had thought that after experiencing the pain of losing her mother, she had found a warm-hearted sister who sincerely treated her well!

    But what had happened next? This ¡°warm-hearted sister¡± not only had robbed her fianc¨¦ away, but also beat her hard, framed her for having an affair with another man, and murdered her finally. That was her close sister had done to her!

    Ning Xueyan narrowed her eyes and hid all her sarcasm in the depth of them. When she raised her head again, a faint smile had appeared on her face. ¡°Thank you very much, Third Sister! You¡¯re the one who cares about me most. You worried that my hand to be injured, so you wanted to call the doctor for me. I know you regard me as your sister, so you are always so warm-hearted to me.¡±

    Now they had arrived at Lucky Garden. At sight of them, a maid had lifted the door curtain and waited for them at the door. Therefore, what Ning Qingshan said was not only to Ning Xueyan, but to Madam Dowager as well. Smile appeared on Madam Dowager¡¯s face when she found the two sisters were getting well with each other.

    However, her smile faded away when she heard thest words Ning Xueyan had said just now.

 Chapter 170 - I Just Learned a Little from Grandmother!

    Chapter 170 I Just Learned a Little from Grandmother!

    ¡°Grandmother!¡±

    ¡°Grandmother!¡±

    The moment they entered the room, Ning Xueyan and Ning Qingshan bowed to Madam Dowager.

    ¡°Get up.¡± The smile was back on Madam Dowage¡¯s face. She then introduced the olddies beside her to Ning Xueyan and Ning Qingshan, and they bowed to these olddies, with smiles.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, are they the granddaughters you have hidden away? How beautiful they are! You¡¯re so lucky to have two such fairy-like granddaughters!¡± an olddy in a brown garment said in admiration.

    ¡°Sure enough! Look at them! If I have just one granddaughter like them, she will surely be the apple of my eye. But you have two! Madam Dowager, you¡¯re really lucky!¡± another olddy in a blue garment with a nting cor said in agreement.

    On the whole, Ning Qingshan looked more outstanding than Ning Xueyan. Women looked their best at sixteen. Ning Qingshan was gentle and graceful, and her face was as beautiful as a peony in full bloom. That, together with her well-proportioned figure, made her look stunningly charming.

    On the contrary, Ning Xueyan did not look that charming at first nce. She was younger and was not as well-developed yet, and her face and lips looked pale. But if people observed carefully, they would find she had delicate features, and her watery, jet-ck eyes were very attractive. It was obvious that after one or two years, she would turn into an extremely beautifuldy.

    By then, even Third Young Lady could notpare with her.

    All these olddies¡¯ eyes were sharp, and they had figured out that the two youngdies had potential, so they kept on praising them. They heard that Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, could likely be Third Prince¡¯s wife. Although Fifth Young Lady, who had never shown her face in public before, was still very young, from her pretty face and graceful aura, they could tell that she would have a promising future.

    Hearing the praises from the olddies, Madam Dowager became even more delighted.

    ¡°You tter them too much. They are just two young girls and they do not know much yet. You¡¯ll spoil them by saying so,¡± Madam Dowager said, smiling.

    While they were chatting, a steward walked in. He asked Mother Qin something. Then Mother Qin whispered in Madam Dowager¡¯s ear, and after a while, Madam Dowager nodded.

    ¡°Grandmother, let me serve you during dinner,¡± Ning Qingshan said gently, with a smile. She knew that Madam Dowager had ordered the steward to serve the meal.

    ¡°Good, you are a filial girl!¡± Madam Dowager nodded, with a smile.

    There were only several people in the living room of the main house. After Ning Xueyan and Ning Qingshan helped Madam Dowager and the other olddies to their seats, the maids began to serve the dishes. Ning Qingshan was quite familiar with such asions. She was highly regarded by Madam Dowager and Honored Consort Ya, because she knew when and how she should speak and act.

    She stood beside Madam Dowager respectfully, and helped her to choose her food during the dinner. She was considerate and her movements were fluid.

    From the thoughtful and elegant way she behaved, everyone could tell that she had been well trained. She knew which dishes Madam Dowager favored, merely at a nce from her, and she picked and ced them onto her te, from time to time.

    While Madam Dowager was having dinner, Ning Qingshan peeked at Ning Xueyan discreetly. She did not believe that Ning Xueyan, who had hidden herself in Bright Frost Garden for years, would know much about table manners. But when she raised her head, she saw Ning Xueyan acting as gracefully as she did. Ning Qingshan¡¯s smile was frozen in ce.

    Was this girl who was so well behaved and graceful, the same as the unsociable and inexperienced Ning Xueyan? How did she manage to behave so well, and was even more graceful than her? Ning Qingshan had practiced hard at her manners for three years at the nunnery, so she was confused when Ning Xueyan was able to perform even better than she did. Meanwhile, all the olddies were looking at Ning Xueyan in admiration.

    What kind of training could have produced such a well-behaved girl? Her manners were almost exactly in ordance to the rules of etiquette! From this point of view, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s upbringing rules were very strict!

    Ning Xueyan saw Ning Qingshan¡¯s frustrated face. She knew that Ning Qingshan had proposed to serve Madam Dowager during dinner, because she wanted to humiliate her. Ning Xueyan had been in Bright Frost Garden for years. She did not have any upbringing Mammy to teach her, and even her reading and writing had been taught by Madam Ming, so she was not familiar with the court etiquette at all.

    Although Ning Xueyan was not familiar with that, Ning Ziying was.

    Since she was a young child, Ning Ziying¡¯s mother had put in a lot of effort in her etiquette training. She pointed out Ning Ziying¡¯s slightest mistakes. The strict, almost harsh training made her cry many times, but after that, she had to re-practice her training, ording to her mother¡¯s requirements.

    Her mother did not stop her training until she was so familiar with the manners that she seemed a natural at it, and the grace seemed to have emanated from inside her. Unfortunately, not long after that, her mother died from an illness. So it was impossible for her to disgrace herself in front of others, in terms of table manners.

    Even though Ning Qingshan had undergone four or five years of hard training, Ning Xueyan had spent even more time on learning in herst life.

    Ning Qingshan was elegant and skillful, but Ning Xueyan looked more graceful and noble, and her smooth movements were a joy to behold!

    Ning Qingshan could hardly keep her smile.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, both your granddaughters are so cultivated. Could you please tell me what kind of upbringing Mammy you have hired?¡± another olddy asked curiously. It was impossible for the two youngdies to have learned such standard etiquette from an ordinary upbringing Mammy. If she knew what kind of people their Mammies were, she wanted to hire them for her manor, to train her granddaughters.

    ¡°Madam Han, you¡¯re ttering the Mammies. They are nothing special, but as my granddaughters practice hard, I don¡¯t need to pay much attention to their training,¡± Madam Dowager answered with a smile.

    She knew that Ning Qingshan¡¯s upbringing Mammy was Mother Luo, but she was surprised that Ning Xueyan had performed so well. She had intended to let Ning Xueyan set off Ning Qingshan¡¯s excellence, and she had never thought that Ning Xueyan would behave even better than Ning Qingshan did! Ning Xueyan did not have any upbringing Mummy, so she could only give Madam Han a vague answer.

    Those olddies did not know that Madam Dowager had no idea who Ning Xueyan had trained under, and they thought that she did not want to give them the name of the upbringing Mummy, so they did not ask anymore. They were not young, and they knew they should not persist in their questions, if someone was reluctant to answer them.

    ¡°It¡¯s said all the female guests in the inner courtyard were greeted by Third Young Lady. Although she is still young, she is already so capable! Madam Dowager, you¡¯re so lucky!¡± an olddy deliberately shifted the topic.

    ¡°She is just a little girl, and what she can do is very limited. I¡¯m old and not as energetic as the young ones, so I asked her to assist me.¡± Madam Dowager smiled, and sighed.

    ¡°Grandmother, you¡¯re not old at all! Nobody will think that you¡¯re my Grandmother when people see us together. Maybe some of them will even think that we¡¯re sisters,¡± Ning Qingshan joked.

    Everyone in the room burst intoughter.

    ¡°You¡¯re so sweet! I don¡¯t have that much energy left. How can I look like your sister? How can you have such an old sister?¡± Madam Dowagerughed.

    ¡°Of course that¡¯s possible! If you take greater care of your health, you may even look younger than me! Someone may think that you¡¯re my younger sister, if we are out on the street!¡± Ning Qingshan ttered her. Her eyes were fixed on Ning Xueyan. ¡°Fifth Sister is more capable, so you trust her with all the ount books of our manor. I¡¯m not that capable, so I am only able to apany you for dinner.¡±

    Everyone knew she was joking, but obviously she was ttering Ning Xueyan as well. Madam Dowager thought that she was sincerely building the momentum for her sister, so her smile became softer.

    Madam Dowager had never liked Ning Xueyan before. However, after Ning Xueyan stopped hiding herself away in Bright Frost Garden, her talents gradually began to show, and Madam Dowager started to admire her. She had not regarded Ning Xueyan as her own granddaughter, but when she found that Ning Xueyan was so outstanding, she gradually changed her mind.

    After all, she was her granddaughter, andpared to her other granddaughters, Ning Xueyan was the closest to her, in terms of blood ties. If she was able to marry into a powerful family, it would be very helpful to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. With the change of her attitude toward Ning Xueyan, Madam Dowager wanted to push her to the forefront as well.

    She had nned to give only Ning Qingshan the opportunity to show off today, but after thinking it over, she decided to include Ning Xueyan as well, so she had asked both of them to meet these olddies. Seeing Ning Qingshan ttering Ning Xueyan, she thought that Ning Qingshan was not only smart, but also generous.

    ¡°Oh? Fifth Young Lady is so young, but she already knows how to check ount books and manage the manor! She is really no ordinarydy!¡± All the olddies were surprised. It was not because only very few children were able to do something for their manors, but most of the time, they were only in charge of something less important.

    As for the current Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Madam Ling was still in the Buddha Hall, and Madam Dowager was too old, so if Fifth Young Lady was actually in charge of the finances, she should be the one running the whole manor! Even ¡®capable¡¯ was not enough to describe her ability! The olddies had thought that it must be one of Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s extremely capable concubines who was managing the manor, when they visited and found everything was in order.

    To their surprise, the person who was running the manor was Ning Xueyan, the youngest daughter of Ning Zu¡¯an!

    Ning Qingshan had naturally diverted everyone¡¯s attention to Ning Xueyan.

    Ning Qingshan was really cunning! She knew the adage, ¡°he who climbs high will fall heavily.¡± She spoke highly of Ning Xueyan, so if the stained page of the ount book was found by Madam Dowagerter, Madam Dowager would be even more disappointed in her. She did this because she hoped that Ning Xueyan would fall out of favor with Madam Dowager, and look stupid in front of these olddies. Then she would never be able to hold her head high, in front of anyone.

    ¡°I¡¯m not good at checking ount books. Mostly, it is grandmother who makes the final decision. If there is something that I do not understand, I will ask Third Sister and grandmother,¡± Ning Xueyan raised her head and said softly. She was neither humble nor arrogant when she said this. She looked generous and amiable, mild and modest, so it was easy to make people feel good about her.

    She knew that Ning Qingshan would not let her off so easily, and she would definitely shift the topic to the ount books, so she had thought out her countermeasures, beforehand.

    ¡°Third Young Lady knows how to manage ounts too?¡± an olddy asked with a smile, after hearing what Ning Xueshan said.

    ¡°Yes. Third Young Lady is capable. She assisted me to check the ount books for some time, three years ago. I¡¯ll ask her to assist Fifth Young Lady. Otherwise, Fifth Young Lady will be too tired at having to deal with so much work, alone.¡± Madam Dowager remembered that Ning Qingshan had helped her run the inner courtyard three years ago. Although Madam Ling had called the shots most of the time, Madam Dowager had intentionally trained Ning Qingshan, so she had learned from Madam Dowager how to manage the manor for some time.

    Since Madam Dowager had mentioned this, Ning Qingshan knew she could not say that she knew nothing about taking charge of the ounts. Otherwise, other people would think that she was too hypocritical. So she said modestly, ¡°I just learned a little from grandmother!¡±

 Chapter 171 - Third Sister, Can You Give Me Some Advice?

    <h4>Chapter 171 Third Sister, Can You Give Me Some Advice?</h4>

    ¡°Third Sister, since you are so smart, how can you know only a little? It so happens that there is something I do not understand in the ount books, can you give me some advice?¡± Ning Xueyan asked, with a smile. She spoke naturally, and Ning Qingshan almost forgot to reply. She blinked, and then she was overjoyed.

    She was just thinking about how she could make Ning Xueyan bring out the ount books here. To her surprise, Ning Xueyan had put her neck into the noose by asking her to check the ount books! So it was no wonder she became so excited.

    ¡°Fifth sister, if there is anything I can do for you, I will certainly do my best,¡± she said with a smile, trying to suppress her excitement.

    ¡°Lanning, bring the ount books here,¡± Ning Xueyan immediately ordered Lanning, who was standing behind her.

    Lanning already had preparations in mind. She nodded to Ning Xueyan, and after a short while, she brought out several ount books. Looking from where she stood, Ning Qingshan could tell that there were five ount books. But she was not in a hurry to look through them, because she knew that thest page of one ount book among the stack, was not in order. Since they were piled up one on top of the other, the ount book under this one should also have been stained as well.

    She had been racking her brains earlier, wondering how to get Ning Xueyan to bring out the ount books. Ning Qingshan thought since Ning Xueyan was courting death, she would not show any mercy.

    ¡°Fifth sister, these are the ount books you were checking, right? You¡¯re such an organized person! They¡¯re very neat and orderly, so obviously you have put in a lot of effort.¡± Ning Qingshan smiled, covering her mouth with a handkerchief. Then she reached out and wanted to take the ount books from Ning Xueyan¡¯s hands.

    ¡°If I pretend to identally drop the ount books, the page that was stained will be exposed in front of everyone,¡± she thought.

    ¡°Third Sister, are you serious that you¡¯ll help me?¡± Seeing that Ning Qingshan¡¯s hand was about to touch the ount books, Ning Xueyan suddenly pulled them back, with a smile. She looked at Ning Qingshan with aplex look in her jet-ck eyes.

    Even though Ning Qingshan had been calm and cunning till now, she could not help feeling nervous when such a good opportunity seemed to be slipping away from her. ¡°Fifth Sister, what are you talking about? We are sisters, so of course we should help each other. Since you¡¯ve asked me to help you, I have no reason to refuse you.¡±

    ¡°So Third Sister, you¡¯re serious about helping me?¡± Ning Xueyan asked again, with a smile. She still held the ount books in her hands, and showed no signs of giving them to Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°Yes! Yes! I¡¯ll definitely help you,¡± Ning Qingshan became a little impatient, but she didn¡¯t let it show it on her face, but smiled instead. She then tried to take the ount books from Ning Xueyan¡¯s hands again, while joking, ¡°Fifth Sister, it seems that you can¡¯t bear to give them to me. Am I right? You have begged me several times to help you, but you seem a bit reluctant to hand them over.¡±

    She was hinting that Ning Xueyan did not really want her to check the ount books, and she took out them just because she wanted to show off in front of others. Ning Qingshan smiled while speaking, and her words were unimpeachable, so it was hard to figure out whether she was joking with Ning Xueyan, or hinting at something.

    ¡°Third Sister, do you have time to check the ount books now?¡± Ning Xueyan asked with a faint smile, as if she did not know what Ning Qingshan was hinting at.

    Ning Qingshan was a little surprised. Now she was still standing beside Madam Dowager to serve her. Although Madam Dowager had almost already finished her dinner, as her granddaughter who was in charge of serving her during dinner, she could not leave her to check the ount books at the moment.

    Her intention was to drop the ount books onto the floor, and all she needed was a few seconds to do this. But she could not tell this to Madam Dowager.

    ¡°Ning Xueyan has asked her maid to bring the ount books here, but she is reluctant to give them to me! What is she trying to do?¡± Ning Qingshan was sharp, and immediately sensed that something was wrong. She frowned.

    ¡°Grandmother, Third Sister has agreed to help me. Please be my witness! If she has no time to check the ount books, she must take them back to Foggy Courtyard, and find time to check them for me,¡± Ning Xueyan walked over to Madam Dowager and pleaded with her. She looked like a little girl, who was asking Madam Dowager for support. She had an air of both innocence and intimacy when she spoke.

    Ning Xueyan was still young, so such a manner was very natural for her age.

    Other olddies thought that she was joking with her sister, and even Madam Dowager liked her vivacity. Ning Xueyan seldom showed her intimacy with her in public, so she felt very proud when Ning Xueyan showed that she was close to her in front of others.

    She reached out, patted Ning Xueyan on her hand and said amiably, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll support you. Since your Third Sister has promised to help you, she must keep her words. To prevent her from reneging, I¡¯ll ask someone to send the ount books to herter.¡±

    Ning Qingshan became very anxious when she heard that the ount books were going to be sent to her ce. If the stained page was found after the ount books had been sent to her, she would not be able to prove her innocence. She was surprised at Ning Xueyan¡¯s deceit. ¡°Ning Xueyan must have already found the stained page, and she is now trying to send them to my ce. No way!¡± she thought.

    But she had already promised to help Ning Xueyan just now, she could not refuse her now. Seeing that Ning Xueyan was about to pass the ount books to the maid beside Madam Dowager, she said anxiously, ¡°Grandmother, let me have a look first. I must make sure that I understand everything in the ount books. Otherwise, I might not be able to help Fifth Sister.¡±

    ¡°Grandmother, see, Third Sister wants to backtrack already, after she has made the promise!¡± Ning Xueyan said with a smile. She took back the ount books and then passed them to Madam Dowager.

    The ount books were now in front of Madam Dowager. Ning Xueyan meant to let Madam Dowager have a look at them first. Ning Qingshan wasn¡¯t sure whether Madam Dowager would check them carefully. Her brain was spinning fast. She was worried that if Madam Dowager did not check them before asking someone send them to her ce, she would not be able to exin the stained page well.

    So she would have to do something in order to knock down the ount books to the ground, before they were sent to Foggy Courtyard.

    But it seemed Ning Xueyan did not want to give the ount books directly to her at all. ¡°This bitch is so sly! But I can still find a way to deal with her,¡± she thought.

    She turned her head and looked at Xia¡¯er who was standing beside her. Then she gestured with her eyes to the ount books.

    Xia¡¯er had served Ning Qingshan for many years. She knew what was going on with one of the ount books. So she immediately walked over and tried to take the ount books from Ning Xueyan¡¯s hands. She always turned her nose up at others, and in her mind, her master was the noblest person, so she seldom showed respect for anyone else.

    Ning Qingshan had reminded her not to speak and to act casually in front of others, and she was usually cautious. However, she was worried that the ount books might be sent to Foggy Courtyard before Madam Dowager checked them and found the stained page, so she forgot what her attention should be focused on. She rushed over, and tried to grab the ount books from Ning Xueyan, shouting, ¡°Fifth Young Lady, please give the ount books to me! I¡¯ll bring them to Foggy Courtyard, and then my master will check them.¡±

    Xia¡¯er rushed over hurriedly, just as Ning Xueyan was putting down the ount books in front of Madam Dowager. She inevitably had to reach out her hands in front of Madam Dowager if she wanted to take the ount books from Ning Xueyan. To her surprise, Ning Xueyan suddenly pulled back the ount books the moment she reached out, so Xia¡¯er could not withdraw her hands, and almost fell on Madam Dowager¡¯s face.

    ¡°Ah! Xia¡¯er, be careful!¡± Ning Qingshan had a feeling that things would go wrong the moment she saw Ning Xueyan withdrawing the ount books. Now she saw that Xia¡¯er was going to be in trouble, so she eximed in surprise.

    Xia¡¯er¡¯s hands did not touch the ount books, but seemed to stretch toward Madam Dowager instead. Madam Dowager was afraid, and took a step back subconsciously, and narrowly avoided her hands.

    ¡°What are you doing? Get down on your knees!¡± Mother Qin shouted, pointing at Xia¡¯er. She was startled and her face turned pale.

    ¡°I...¡± Xia¡¯er was stunned as well. Seeing Madam Dowager¡¯s face darkened, she knelt down and exined anxiously, ¡°Madam Dowager, I... I didn¡¯t mean to do that. I just wanted to take the ount books from Fifth Young Lady, but she suddenly withdrew them.¡±

    She was afraid that Madam Dowager would punish her, so she immediately stood up for herself. Obviously, she meant that Ning Xueyan had withdrawn the ount books deliberately. Although Xia¡¯er was arrogant, she knew that she was in trouble, so she was eager to shift the me to Ning Xueyan.

    When they had been at the nunnery, to make it look as if she treated her maid well, Ning Qingshan deliberately asked Xia¡¯er not to address herself as the maid when she spoke to her in front of others. Moreover, she also told Xia¡¯er that she did not take her as her maid, but as her younger sister. She would share everything she had with Xia¡¯er in the future.

    From then on, Xia¡¯er became even more loyal to her!

    But after returning to the manor, Ning Qingshan had reminded her not to address herself as ¡®I¡¯ when she spoke in front of the masters of the manor. Xia¡¯er was anxious and she had always looked down upon Ning Xueyan, so she blurted out the ¡®I¡¯, unintentionally.

    Then she found that not only did Madam Dowager¡¯s face darken, the other olddies were sizing her up in a disdainful manner as well.

    ¡°p her!¡± Madam Dowager ordered, her face as cold as ice. How dare a maid address herself as ¡®I¡¯ in front of the masters! She did not behave like a maid at all! The outsiders wouldugh at Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, for having such an ill mannered maid. Besides, if she had not dodged quickly, her face would have been scratched by the maid!

    ¡°Madam Dowager, maid Xia¡¯er ...¡± Looking at two older female servantsing over to her, Xia¡¯er was frightened, and she regretted her slip of tongue.

    With a crack, a handnded on Xia¡¯er¡¯s face heavily, and she was almost knocked backward to the ground before she could continue her exnation. The p made her brain buzz. She raised her head and could not speak out due to fear and surprise when she saw the person who had pped her. It was no other than Ning Qingshan, the one she respected the most!

    Qing¡¯er covered her face, and looked at Ning Qingshan, tearfully.

    ¡°Grandmother, I should be med. If I didn¡¯t spoil her too much and was too generous with her, Xia¡¯er would not have been so ill mannered. I never thought she would offend you. Grandmother, please punish me,¡± Ning Qingshan knelt, and said this, with tears in her eyes. She looked very sad.

    Then she turned her head and said to Xia¡¯er angrily, ¡°Xia¡¯er, apologize to Grandmother right now!¡±

    Seeing that Ning Qingshan had knelt down ahead of her, Xia¡¯er¡¯s astonishment turned to appreciation. She thought her master still treated her well, and she pped her because she had no other choice. So she moved forward and kowtowed to Madam Dowager. ¡°Madam Dowager, it¡¯s all maid Xia¡¯er¡¯s fault. Maid Xia¡¯er didn¡¯t see Fifth Young Lady suddenly withdrawing her hands, so Xia¡¯er almost hurt you by mistake! Please punish me! It has nothing to do with my master.¡±

    Xia¡¯er was quite ruthless. With a bang, her foreheadnded on the ground. When she raised her head again, the fair skin on her forehead had spilt and started to bleed. When she saw Xia¡¯er¡¯s forehead bleeding, and especially when she heard Xia¡¯er defending her, Ning Qingshan could not help but look at her anxiously.

    The master and the maid seemed to care so much about each other. The scene was so touching!

    Noble families valued loyal servants very much. In their eyes, Xia¡¯er was obvious a loyal maid, so everyone changed their minds. The olddies thought she was a straightforward person when they saw her bleeding forehead, because she had used too much strength in kowtowing. They could tell that she deeply regretted her actions.

    When they thought over what she had said, they could not help but look at Ning Xueyan suspiciously.

 Chapter 172 - Being Defeated Because of Self-righteousness

    <h4>Chapter 172 Being Defeated Because of Self-righteousness</h4>

    There was a touch of coldness in the depth of Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes, and the faint smile on her lips gradually turned to a sneer.

    ¡°Ning Qingshan is really not easy to deal with! She has evene up with such an idea to disentangle herself from me! Since Xia¡¯er used me like that, I have no chance to send the ount books to Foggy Courtyard today,¡± she thought.

    She knew that Xia¡¯er was inspired after her master pped her and knelt down in front of Madam Dowager for her mistake. That was why she banged her head so hard onto the ground. She wanted to arouse the other¡¯s sympathy and let them suspect Ning Xueyan by hinting Ning Xueyan was a vicious girl and she was trying to frame Ning Qingshan¡¯s maid.

    Seeing everyone watching herself, Ning Xueyan walked over calmly and knelt down as well. ¡°Grandmother, don¡¯t be angry. I should be med. I just wanted to joke with Third Sister, but I didn¡¯t expect that she would have been implicate because of this. Grandmother, if you want to punish Third Sister, please punish me first.¡±

    ¡°Ning Qingshan doesn¡¯t want to be close to me, and she wants everyone to think that there is bad blood between us. I won¡¯t let her get away with it!¡± Ning Xueyan thought.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, did you deliberately pull back the ount books just now?¡± Madam Dowager¡¯s face lit up a little when she heard Ning Xueyan take initiative to admit her mistake. She had thought it over and found it was true that Xia¡¯er rushed over to take the ount books from Ning Xueyan and she lost her bnce because Ning Xueyan withdrew the ount books.

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s all my fault. Grandmother, please don¡¯t punish Xia¡¯er. Even if she did something improper, please forgive her for the sake of the big day of Junior Concubine Xu,¡± Ning Xueyan said with a smile, raising her head.

    She kept a low key when she admitted her mistake. Furthermore, she was interceding for Xia¡¯er sincerely and taking all the me on herself. She admitted that she deliberately withdrew her hands because she wanted to y with Ning Qingshan. It was normal among sisterhood. So it wasn¡¯t a big deal at all.

    Moreover, she exined this clearly that there were no hard feelings between her and Ning Qingshan.

    Compared with Xia¡¯er, who broke her head by banging her it onto the floor, Ning Xueyan seemed more natural and frank when she spoke. Ning Qingshan and Xia¡¯er overreacted, and looked contrived.

    Nobody had expected that a small incident would havee to this far on a joyous day! The olddies present all focused on the big picture, so in their mind, the well-known Third Young Lady didn¡¯t seem to behave better than the unremarkable Fifth Young Lady.

    This matter wasn¡¯t that serious, but someone bled on the day of a wedding was really ominous. If Ning Qingshan hadn¡¯t pped Xia¡¯er, but exined carefully instead, plus Ning Xueyan¡¯s additional exnation, Madam Dowager wouldn¡¯t have med Xia¡¯er and asked someone to p her because of misunderstanding.

    Moreover, the maid had always called herself ¡®I¡¯. A mannered maid would never do this. It was said Third Young Lady was a person of good manners, but obviously, that wasn¡¯t the case.

    She could be nice to her maid. But if she allowed her maid to call her master ¡®You¡¯ and call herself ¡®I¡¯, the olddies would think that she wasn¡¯t a stickler for rules.

    The result was totally out of Ning Qingshan¡¯s expectation. Xia¡¯er had made trouble by ident, and she pped her because she wanted to tter Madam Dowager. She thought that after Xia¡¯er had gotten the sympathy from the olddies and shifted the responsibility to Ning Xueyan under her instruction, nobody would want to send the ount books to her ce anymore. But now, Ning Xueyan was not affected at all, while she appeared to be ignorant and ill-behaved.

    ¡°Get up!¡± Anger crossed Madam Dowager¡¯s eyes, but she immediately turned to be gentler. She turned her head and said, ¡°Mother Qin, take her out. The outsiders will think that we ill-treated our servant if they saw her bleeding on such an asion. Besides, it¡¯s ominous.¡±

    Olddies like Madam Dowager was extremely superstitious. But she was experienced, so although she was mad at Ning Qingshan, she didn¡¯t show it on her face, but generously asked Mother Qin to take Xia¡¯er out instead.

    ¡°Today is a joyful day, so don¡¯t make things big. Otherwise, the outsiders will gossip,¡± she reminded and said.

    ¡°Yes, Madam!¡± Mother Qin walked over and supported Xia¡¯er up. Then she led her out of the room.

    Ning Qingshan had been held up by an older female servant. She lowered her head and shook off the dust from her dress. Xia¡¯er didn¡¯t get Ning Qingshan¡¯s instruction, so she dared not to make trouble again and followed Mother Qin out.

    ¡°Third Sister, I¡¯m sorry! Your maid was injured because of me, so please ept my apology,¡± Ning Xueyan said apologetically. She gave the ount books to a maid beside Madam Dowager, and bowed to Ning Qingshan respectfully, lifting the hem of her skirt.

    ¡°Forget it. It¡¯s not a big deal. If I was a little stricter to her, she wouldn¡¯t have made such troubles,¡± Ning Qingshan said with a smile. She looked gentle and mild, as if she wasn¡¯t annoyed by Ning Xueyan at all.

    ¡°Third Sister, I¡¯m so d that you¡¯re not angry with me.¡± Ning Xueyan took a deep breath of relief, and her smile became more vivid. She said coquettishly, ¡°That will be terrible if you¡¯re mad at me and don¡¯t want to check the ount books for me!¡±

    ¡°Are the ount books really so difficult?¡± Madam Dowager naturally took an ount book from the maid.

    She was a little unsatisfied with Ning Qingshan because of the incident just now, and she looked not as happy as she had been. And now, she didn¡¯t put in a word when Ning Xueyan and Ning Qingshan was talking.

    Ning Qingshan was sensitive to the dissatisfaction of Madam Dowager, but when she saw Madam Dowager was checking the ount book, she was secretly happy. She was surprised that Madam Dowager would have checked them in person.

    Everyone would sense something wrong if she took the ount books close to herself. The fishy taste was so strong that everyone could smell it.

    ¡°Grandmother, let me take a look!¡± Ning Qingshan looked curious and got her body closer to Madam Dowager. Her face turned pale when she smelled a pleasant fragrance, instead of a fishy taste.

    There were a total of five ount books. Madam Dowager only took the one on the top and checked it briefly. She found that it was true that there was still some unfinished content in the ount book. Then she quietly put it back into the maid¡¯s hands and ordered, ¡°Take them to Foggy Courtyard.¡±

    The maid said yes and was about to walk out.

    Ning Qingshan was extremely anxious and she took several steps forward and said, ¡°Grandmother, don¡¯t bother. I¡¯ll ask my maid to take them back.¡±

    She reached out and was about to take the ount books from the maid.

    The maid was shocked when she saw a master reach out to take the ount book from her in person. She looked at Madam Dowager at a loss. She dared neither give the ount books to Ning Xueyan nor pull them back.

    Every Young Lady was honored and they would ask their maids to send or ept things from the hands of other master¡¯s maids.

    Ning Qingshan didn¡¯t seem to have noticed the embarrassment of the maid. She grabbed the bottom ount book and pulled it out forcibly.

    ¡°Third Sister, take it easy. How can you do it in person...¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s voice rang out in time. But before she could finish her words, with several bangs, all the ount books dropped onto the floor from the maid¡¯s hands due to the forcible pulling.

    Ning Qingshan was sure that Ning Xueyan had known the ount books were stained. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have done so many things, and she had even sprinkled some fragrant powder on it. Ning Xueyan must be worried that she might find out the stained page, so she did this. Ning Qingshan didn¡¯t believe that Ning Xueyan had just wanted to y with her when she withdrew the ount books, because she knew their rtionship wasn¡¯t that close.

    This had been the case before, and it was now as well!

    That was why she had to take the book in person. Nobody would mind her little recklessness when the stained ount book was foundter.

    She didn¡¯t care about what Ning Xueyan said at all. When she heard the sound of the ount books falling to the ground, she took several steps back, looked like she was frightened. In order to arouse more attention, she screamed in a low voice, as if she found out something abnormal. She was very confident that Ning Xueyan couldn¡¯t remove the stain from the ount book no matter how capable she was.

    Apanied by her scream, all the ount books dropped onto the floor!

    Because those olddies had no mental preparation, they were all taken aback. An olddy among them with poor physical conditions felt dizzy and fell onto an older female servant beside her, and it caused the older female servant to scream a lot.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Madam Dowager couldn¡¯t hide her anger anymore. She was asking the maid, but her eyes were on Ning Qingshan. From what Ning Qingshan had done and what Ning Xueyan had said, she could tell that the ount books dropped because Ning Qingshan was worried about something. She wondered why Ning Qingshan who had been calm became so reckless today.

    Seeing that Madam Dowager was angry, the maid was so scared and immediately knelt down. She argued, ¡°Madam Dowager, Third Young Lady reached out so quickly, so I couldn¡¯t hold the ount books firmly.¡±

    She didn¡¯t dare to shift the responsibility to Ning Qingshan, but she suddenly came up with an idea. She borrowed what Ning Xueyan had said just now and hinted that Ning Qingshan didn¡¯t behave properly and took things from a maid¡¯s hands in person, and because she grabbed the ount books so urgently, all of them were knocked to the ground.

    ¡°Third Young Lady!¡± Madam Dowager stared at Ning Qingshan with a dark face. The other olddies were looking at her disapprovingly.

    Now they knew the reason that the maid was unruly, because her master was undisciplined as well. They wondered why the rumors said that Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was a person of good manners and had the air of the prince¡¯s wife. Did a person who was as obtrusive as her was really suitable to be a Consort of Prince?

    ¡°Grandmother, sorry. I was eager to see Fifth Sister¡¯s ount books, so I knocked them to the floor by ident. I¡¯ll pick them up now.¡±

    Ning Qingshan was surprised, because the stained page wasn¡¯t exposed in front of them. But soon, she resumed calm. She thought it must because Ning Xueyan was lucky that even the ount books had dropped onto the ground, the stained page didn¡¯t show. She secretly looked at Ning Xueyan who was standing beside her and found Ning Xueyan¡¯s face was extremely pale. She stared at the ount books on the floor nervously, and that made Ning Qingshan felt a little relieved.

    From Ning Xueyan¡¯s look, she could tell that the stain on the ount book hadn¡¯t been removed yet, so she didn¡¯t need to be so nervous. She then said to Madam Dowager with a smile and then crouched and was about to pick up the ount books on the floor.

    ¡°Qingshan!¡± Seeing that she was going to pick up the ount books in person regardless of her status, Madam Dowager warned her coldly, knocking the floor hard with her walking stick.

    It had been three years since Third Young Lady left the manor. She wondered how could a smart girl became so stupid, and on such an asion, she even wanted to do this kind of things in person. It was really too disrespectful!

    ¡°Third Sister, just let the maids pick them up. Don¡¯t worry, Grandmother will ask them to send the ount books to your ce after they are picked up.¡± Ning Xueyan persuaded with a smile.

    Hearing the warning of Madam Dowager, Ning Qingshan dared not to bend over again. obviously, Madam Dowager was in a rage. Ning Qingshan had been cautious and she knew she didn¡¯t behave properly today. If she ignored Madam Dowager¡¯s warning and picked the ount books up in person, Madam Dowager would be angrier. It was not worth it.

    ¡°Got it. Grandmother, I should be med!¡± She straightened up, but didn¡¯t walk backward. She bowed gracefully to Madam Dowager. Madam Dowager would have been delighted when she saw Ning Qingshan bow to her, but now she only felt humiliated at the thought of her improper behavior. What made her feel more embarrassing was that she had praised Ning Qingshan incessantly in front of those olddies.

    Therefore, she nced at Ning Qingshan with a dark face. She didn¡¯t answer Ning Qingshan, but looked at her meaningfully instead. She then said to the maid who was kneeling on the floor, ¡°Pick up the ount books immediately and send them to Foggy Courtyard.¡±

 Chapter 173 - Send the Account Books to Foggy Courtyard

    Chapter 173 Send the ount Books to Foggy Courtyard

    With the picking up of the ount books one by one, Ning Qingshan¡¯s breath sharpened unconsciously. It seemed she couldn¡¯t stay calm and maintain her perfect smile any longer. The maid picked up the first ount book and shook the dust off. Both the top and the bottom cover were clean. Then she picked up the second one and shook off the dust as well, and there was no stain on it either.

    How could all of them be clean? Now four of the five ount books had been found clean, so Ning Qingshan became nervous and sweat beamed from the tip of her nose.

    There was only one ount book left. Thest one must be the stained one!

    The maid picked up thest ount book and shook the dust off it. She then piled all the ount books up and held them firmly in her arms before turning to leave.

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible! Why none of them was stained?¡±

    She was a hundred percent sure that the stained page would be exposed, but that didn¡¯t happen. Although Ning Qingshan had always been shrewd and seldom showed her true feeling in front of others, she froze there. She looked in the direction the maid left nkly and opened her mouth, trying to ask the maid to stop so that she could check the ount books again. Fortunately, her reason prevented her from doing such a foolish thing.

    Although she had nned carefully, nothing happened as she had expected. The huge difference made her well-prepared smile disappear in the blink of an eye.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, Third Young Lady?¡± Madam Dowager¡¯s brows knitted when she looked at Ning Qingshan who was in a trance. Ning Qingshan didn¡¯t seem to be herself today! Now she was even gluing her eyes on the ount books. Why was she so interested in them?

    Madam Dowager nced at Mother Qin, and thetter immediately understood what she wanted. She walked over and held Ning Qingshan by the arm. ¡°Third Young Lady, are you feeling sick and need to go back to rest? You just came back yesterday, and you have to help Madam Dowager greet guests today, so I think you must be tired.¡±

    Obviously Madam Dowager wanted her to go back to Foggy Courtyard.

    ¡°No, Grandmother! I¡¯m not tired!¡± Ning Qingshan said subconsciously and squeezed out a smile. She had been greeting the guests at the flower hall just now, so if the others knew that she was sent back to her ce, they wouldugh at her.

    ¡°Are you serious?¡± Madam Dowager asked coldly.

    ¡°Grandmother, I¡¯m not tired!¡± Ning Qingshan pretended that she didn¡¯t understand Madam Dowager¡¯s hint. Now she no longer showed any doubt, because she knew what she had done had aroused Madam Dowager¡¯s suspicion, and she dared not take any more drastic actions. She took a deep breath and calmed herself down.

    She had nned to make Ning Xueyan look stupid in front of others, but she failed. Besides, Madam Dowager was asking her to go back now. Of course she was not content. She would be Third Prince¡¯s wife and if Third Prince inherited the throne, she would be the empress! How could she be driven back like this? If she followed Madam Dowager¡¯s order and went back to her ce, she would never establish her dignity in front of the others again.

    ¡°Grandmother, the guests at the flower hall are still waiting for Third Sister.¡± Ning Xueyan walked over and exined for Ning Qingshan with a smile, without a trace of displeasure on her face.

    Everyone thought that Ning Qingshan knocked over the ount books on purpose. Ning Xueyan should feel embarrassed when the ount books dropped onto the floor, but she didn¡¯t mind at all, and she was even defending Ning Qingshan now. What a generous person Fifth Young Lady was!

    ¡°Qingshan, you can leave for the flower hall to greet the guests now. Don¡¯t surprise anyone and make a fool of yourself.¡± Ning Qingshan knew what Madam Dowager was hinting, and she blushed. But to her surprise, what Madam Dowager said next made her even more ashamed that she couldn¡¯t hold up her head. ¡°Mother Qin, apany Third Young Lady to the flower hall. You should correct her immediately if she does anything wrong,¡± Madam Dowager said.

    Ning Qingshan knew that Madam Dowager wanted Mother Qin to watch her. But since she had made mistakes just now, she didn¡¯t dare refuse her.

    If it were the other Young Ladies, they would have been ashamed and offered to go back to rest.

    Ning Qingshan wasn¡¯t an ordinary person. She insisted on not going back. She looked calm, as if she didn¡¯t understand what Madam Dowager was hinting. She then bowed to Madam Dowager with a smile and left the room.

    ¡°Grandmother, I have to leave now. I need to go to the kitchen and check if everything is ready and if anything needs to be added,¡± Ning Xueyan said to Madam Dowager and took leave.

    Madam Dowager was very satisfied with Ning Xueyan¡¯s performance today. Hearing that she wanted to go to the kitchen, she smiled and waved to her to leave.

    Ning Xueyan bowed to the other olddies in the room and then walked out, smiling.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, Fifth Young Lady is just like you when you were young. She is generous and calm. That¡¯s how a lord manor¡¯s Young Lady behaves.¡±

    ¡°Sure enough! Madam Dowager, you were a well-known nobledy when you were young, and so was your niece. It seems your granddaughter is even more outstanding than you two. She deserves to be your granddaughter by blood. She is so excellent because she carries the blood of your family.¡±

    Ning Xueyan was a little surprised when she heard the sighs from the olddies.

    Madam Ming was also a well-knowndy?

    Then why did she die so miserably? Ning Xueyan hadn¡¯t found everything out what had happened years ago. When she asked about something, even her uncle, Ming Feiyong, would shift the topic on purpose. And Mother Han, the personal Mammy of Madam Ming was reluctant to tell her when she asked the same question.

    Ning Xueyan knew Mother Han was loyal, but she wondered why she hid the secret from her.

    ¡°Miss, Xinmei is already there!¡± Qingyu suddenly showed up from nowhere. She walked to Ning Xueyan and reported to her in a low voice.

    Ning Xueyan nodded slightly. Then she walked toward the kitchen with Lanning and Qingyu. Since she excused herself to look in the kitchen, of course she would.

    But she stopped at a junction. She looked at the direction of the junction and sneered. After a while, she turned her head and ordered, ¡°Lanning, go and check if there¡¯s anyone wille over.¡±

    Ning Qingshan followed Mother Qin to the flower hall on the left, and the way they took was different from the one to Foggy Courtyard. Since the ount books were on the way to Foggy Courtyard, Ning Qingshan wouldn¡¯t feel assured and she would definitely arrange someone to check. But she had no henchman with her and only Mother Qin was being with her now, so she was unable to openly order someone to check for her.

    But she wouldn¡¯t give up easily, and she would find a way to arrange her people to check the ount books. What Ning Xueyan was looking at was the only way to Foggy Courtyard.

    Lanning was smart. She raised her head and looked in the direction to Foggy Courtyard along with the gaze of Ning Xueyan, and then she immediately understood what she meant. She nodded and walked toward the junction.

    Since Ning Qingshan only left a little bit earlier than her, Ning Xueyan guessed that she was about to arrive at the flower hall now. Even Mother Qin was watching over her, Ning Qingshan would find a way to arrange someone to check the ount books on the way.

    Ning Xueyan thoughtfully looked down the path for a while and then turned to the kitchen on the other side. It was not far from Foggy Courtyard to the kitchen. It would only take a few minutes from where she was to the kitchen. What was more, it was unnecessary to pass by the road of the inner courtyard. So it was really convenient.

    It was also the center of the inner courtyard of the Lord Protector. Although Ning Qingshan was an adopted daughter, she was very popr, so the location of her residence was much better than that of Bright Frost Garden.

    The moment Ning Xueyan returned to Bright Frost Garden, Xinmei had already been there for some time. Seeing Ning Xueyane in, she opened the food box with Qingyu and took out the dishes one by one. What was ced on the bottomyer was a bowl of cooked fish soup. The color of the soup was white and apparently it had been cooked for a long time. There were some chopped scallions on the fish, and when the soup was taken out, a delicious smell wafted in the air.

    Ning Xueyan was hungry as well. She ate a small bowl of rice Qingyu handed to her and put the empty bowl on the table. Then she washed her hands and rinsed her mouth.

    ¡°Did anybody say something when all the fish were used to cook soup?¡± Ning Xueyan asked casually.

    ¡°Nobody said anything except for the older female servant whose surname is Li. She said that they were told to cook both braised fish and steamed fish the day before. She didn¡¯t understand why the order was changed today. When I asked her who told her to braise the fish, she faltered. Lanning gave her a good scolding,¡± Qingyu said andughed. After Lanninging out from the kitchen, she walked into it to check again to ensure that no braised fish would be served today.

    Bright Frost Garden was different from it used to be and Ning Xueyan seemed to be running the manor. Although it was Madam Dowager who made the final decision, everybody could tell that Fifth Young Lady¡¯s status was much higher than before, so no one dared to contradict her. Even Madam Ling¡¯s servants didn¡¯t dare to protest her and they would do everything she ordered. Obviously, Madam Ling had ordered her people not to make troubles.

    ¡°Investigate the background of the older female servant whose surname is Li, and how did she be the servant of our manor. Maybe you can start your investigation from Mammy Luo,¡± Ning Xueyan said slowly. She took the tea cup from Qingyu and took a sip of the tea, looking at the steam rising.

    Mammy Luo was the most capable servant of Ning Qingshan. She had hit it off with all the older female servants of the manor one day after she arrived, so apparently she was a person of great ability.

    Xia¡¯er was too reckless, so Ning Xueyan thought thatpared with her, Mammy Luo was much more difficult to deal with and she was the key person.

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll ask someone to investigate it soon.¡± Qingyu nodded consciously. Now she and Lanning took most responsibilities of the inner courtyard, and Xinmei was only in charge of something outside of the manor or something special. Ning Xueyan had already told Qingyu, Lanning and Mother Han about Xinmei¡¯s identity.

    ¡°Xinmei, how are things at Foggy Courtyard?¡± Ning Xueyan turned to Xinmei and asked.

    Xinmei nodded and praised Ning Xueyan secretly. In her mind, her master was by no means ordinary, and the average noble youngdies couldn¡¯t match her in terms of the bearing and calmness.

    Hearing Ning Xueyan asking her, she walked over and answered in a low voice, ¡°Miss, I stayed there and saw the maide in, holding the ount books. There was nobody else in the room, and the maid left after talking for a short while with the older female servant who was on duty at the door. I immediately unpeeled the cover of the ount book and then stopped by the kitchen to bring your lunch here.¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s the cover?¡± Ning Xueyan asked.

    ¡°After I came back, I have burnt it with several booklets which had been abandoned by you. Then I asked someone to clean the ashes and opened the window to let the smoke out. Miss, you can¡¯t smell the smoke now, can you?¡± Xinmei said with a smile.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. Since all traces were covered up, even if Ning Qingshan wanted to shift the responsibility to me, she can¡¯t find any evidence,¡± Ning Xueyan thought.

    She stood up with a sneer on her lips. Ning Qingshan thought that Ning Xueyan would fall into in the trap she had carefullyid out, but she could get nothing except for taking the consequences. No matter what happened, Ning Xueyan wouldn¡¯t give up the power to manage the manor before the end of the year.

 Chapter 174 - Block the Maid on the Way to Buy Time

    <h4>Chapter 174 Block the Maid on the Way to Buy Time</h4>

    A maid in the blue padded jacket rushed toward Foggy Courtyard. As she walked in a rush, she walked so fast that she nearly tripped over a stone.

    The maid took a sigh of relief when she found herself at the gate of Foggy Courtyard. She wiped the sweat off her forehead with a handkerchief and was going to walk into the courtyard.

    ¡°There are many guests in our manor today. You are walking in such a hurry. What if you disturb the guests?¡± Lanning walked out from nowhere and said crossly, staring at the maid.

    Hearing that, the maid was taken aback. When she found that the person in front of her was the first maid Lanning, she immediately argued for herself, ¡°Sister Lanning, Third Young Lady asked me to find Mammy Luo and tell her to put the ount books which Fifth Young Lady had sent here at a safe ce so that they won¡¯t be stained.¡±

    ¡°Mammy Luo is at Foggy Courtyard?¡± Lanning asked, pretending to be surprised. Mammy Luo was very active. She visited many people yesterday and was still looking for others to chat this morning. It seemed she was on good terms with everyone as soon as she returned to the manor.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if Mammy Luo isn¡¯t at Foggy Courtyard. Third Young Lady said she will ask other maids to find her.¡± The maid thought that Lanning didn¡¯t believe her, so she immediately exined.

    Lanning knew that Ning Qingshan wanted the maid to inform Mammy Luo to deal with the ount books as soon as possible.

    ¡°Since those ount books don¡¯t have legs and they can¡¯t run away, you can find Mammy Luoter. Now go to the kitchen first. The kitchen staff prepared a nutritious soup for Madam Dowager and the other olddies. Take it to them as soon as possible. If you keep them waiting too long, Madam Dowager might be angry,¡± Lanning said with a nod. She was in charge of the kitchen on behalf of Ning Xueyan, so she knew thest dish, the nutritious soup, had not been served yet.

    ¡°I... now...¡± The maid was surprised. She looked at the road toward Foggy Courtyard, and then the one to the kitchen, but didn¡¯t know what to do. Third Young Lady made a point telling her to run back so as not to lose time.

    ¡°Why are you still standing here? Do you think that Third Young Lady is even more important than Madam Dowager?¡± Lanning scowled when she found that the maid was still hesitating.

    ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯ll go right now.¡± The maid knew that Madam Dowager was much more powerful than Ning Qingshan, so she turned to leave without any hesitation.

    Lanning followed behind her triumphantly toward the kitchen.

    Ning Xueyan had instructed her to block the way of the maid, because she knew that the longer the ount books were at Ning Qingshan¡¯s ce, the more she couldn¡¯t exin clearly if the stained page was found.

    Ning Qingshan was abstract-minded when she just went back to the flower hall. She looked out from time to time and it was an hour before she gradually calmed down. She knew Mammy Luo was capable, and if there were anything unexpected happened, she would find a way to send a message to her and ask her back.

    Now it was a long time after she had arrived at the flower hall again, but she hadn¡¯t received any information from Mammy Luo yet. That meant nothing big happened, so it was unnecessary to ask her back.

    But Ning Qingshan was still confused. She had watched Xia¡¯er stain the ount book, but how could it be clean so soon? Furthermore, since the fishy vor was so strong and the stained area was so big, how could nothing left on that page. ¡°Maybe Ning Xueyan changed the ount book,¡± she thought.

    If that was the case, Ning Xueyan was really capable, because it was not easy to copy a new ount book in such a short time. But it was useless to do so, as the new copied ount book was different from the original one in nature, and the writing ink color of different times would certainly be different.

    She didn¡¯t believe that Ning Xueyan was able to make a new ount book looked as old as the original one in such a short time.

    She had a hard time at Auspicious Fortune Hall just now, but she failed to get the ount book, so even though she was suspicious, she had no chance to check it. However, because she had been closer with those ount books just now, she was sure that if there was any fishy vor, she should have smelled it, but she only smelled the fragrant smell there.

    She hadn¡¯t thought about it because she was anxious at that point. But when she calmed down, she found it was a slip of Ning Xueyan.

    How could an ordinary ount book emanate a faint fragrance like this? It could happen only when this ount book was special or someone had sprayed fragrant powder on it on purpose.

    Thinking about this, she felt relieved. She could take advantage of this w of Ning Xueyan to expose her. And she could even make things even more serious by using her viciousness of setting up her sister!

    After having cleared her mind, she gradually behaved naturally in the flower hall. Mother Qin was very confused because she found that Ning Qingshan had resumed her grace and calmness. She looked generous and behaved quite differently from when she had been at Lucky Garden.

    ¡°If Third Young Lady was as calm as she is now when she was at Lucky Garden, Madam Dowager wouldn¡¯t have been so unhappy with her!¡±

    ¡°It seems Third Young Lady takes the ount books very seriously,¡± Thinking about this, Mother Qin fell to silence. Although she had epted benefits from Ning Qingshan, she understood that Madam Dowager was her master, so she didn¡¯t dare help Ning Qingshan too much. Otherwise, Madam Dowager would be suspicious. Then she gave up the idea of asking Ning Qingshan about the ount books.

    Theing-of-concubine ceremony of Junior Concubine Xu was held at the gate of the Buddha Hall where Madam Ling was.

    Junior Concubine Xu knelt down at the gate of the Buddha Hall. Mother Chen walked out and took the tea cup from her hands and then brought it into the Buddha Hall. After a short while, she supported up Junior Concubine Xu on behalf of Madam Ling, smiling. She passed a golden hair pin to Junior Concubine Xu and said, ¡°First Madam asked you to serve marquis whole-heartedly. You should never be arrogant and make troubles because marquis loves you. Otherwise, even if marquis couldn¡¯t bear to punish you, Madam Dowager and First Madam wouldn¡¯t show mercy.¡±

    Although she didn¡¯t speak loudly, her attitude was aggressive. Besides, she had even taken advantage of Madam Dowager to suppress Junior Concubine Xu.

    She spoke these on such an asion was like pping Junior Concubine Xu in front so many people, because it sounded like that Junior Concubine Xu was a troublemaker. Plus what had happened in the manor before, everyone couldn¡¯t help imagining wildly.

    Junior Concubine Xu was very embarrassed. She kowtowed twice to the Buddha Hall wrongfully with tears in her eyes, and then was supported up and left. Now the principle wife had drunk the tea served by the concubine. Although Madam Ling didn¡¯t show up, she had given a hair pin to Junior Concubine Xu in the presence of many people. That meant she had already officially admitted her as the concubine of Ning Zu¡¯an.

    After lunch, the guests waved good-bye and left in small groups. Since it was only a concubine¡¯s wedding ceremony, and the guests came for the sake of Ning Zu¡¯an, they knew they shouldn¡¯t stay here too long, and left sessively.

    The female guests left as well following their family members, so the flower hall began to be quiet gradually. After seeing off thest guest, Ning Qingshan felt rx. She breathed a long sigh of relief. Even though she was sociable, she was a little tired after apanying the guest for such a long time.

    However, at the thought of all the praise she had received from the female guests, she felt that it was all worth it!

    If nothing unexpected had happened at Lucky Garden just now, it would be a perfect show in public for her on the first banquet after she had left three years. However, everything was ruined by Ning Xueyan! At the thought of Ning Xueyan, a coldness appeared on her face. She wouldn¡¯t let go of Ning Xueyan!

    ¡°Mother Qin, can I go to Grandmother¡¯s ce after a while? I want to check the ount books first and then take them to Lucky Garden. What do you think?¡± Ning Qingshan said politely and softly with a smile.

    She was mentioning the ount books again! Mother Qin frowned unconsciously. She wanted to say something, but finally held back the words. She nodded with a smile. No matter how Madam Dowager liked Third Young Lady, she was not rted to the family by blood. Madam Dowager cared about this very much. If she were Madam Dowager¡¯s granddaughter by blood that Madam Dowager liked very much, Madam Dowager wouldn¡¯t have agreed to let her stay at the nunnery for three years.

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll go back and report to Madam Dowager right now. Third Young Lady, you don¡¯t have to check the ount book in a hurry. You were busy with greeting guests today, so you should have a good rest first. I¡¯m sure that Fifth Young Lady will understand that,¡± Mother Qin persuaded implicitly, hinting that Ning Qingshan should not be in a hurry to bring up the ount books.

    What Ning Qingshan had done today had already aroused the suspicion of Madam Dowager!

    However, Ning Qingshan was eager to defeat Ning Xueyan as soon as possible, so she didn¡¯t catch Mother Qin¡¯s hint. Furthermore, she didn¡¯t take her words seriously. Why did she need to care about whether Ning Xueyan understood or not? What if she didn¡¯t understand?

    ¡°Thank you, Mother Qin! Then I¡¯lle to visit grandmotherter.¡±

    She would step Ning Xueyan under her feet today by this opportunity. If Madam Dowager knew that the ount book was a copy, Ning Xueyan wouldn¡¯t be able to defend herself.

    After saying good-bye to Mother Qin, she took two young maids with her and went back to Foggy Courtyard. She walked very fast. At the thought of more than one w in the new copied ount book, she couldn¡¯t help butugh inwardly.

    When she arrived at an intersection, she suddenly saw Mammy Luoing diagonally across from her. She stopped and surprisingly looked at Mammy Luo and in the direction Mammy Luoing. That wasn¡¯t the direction toward Foggy Courtyard at all!

    ¡°Miss, you¡¯re back! Did all thedies and girls leave?¡± Mammy Luo asked. She had juste out from Auspicious Clouds Courtyard. She was very busy all the time today and got a lot of news. During her three years in the nunnery, Ning Qingshan had kept an eye on what had happened in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, but there were still some details she didn¡¯t know.

    ¡°Mammy Luo, you...¡± Smile faded away from Ning Qingshan¡¯s face.

    ¡°I walked around in the manor just now and encounter some old friends. It has been three years since I saw themst time, so we had a lot to talk, and I have just finished talking with them,¡± Mammy Luo said with a smile.

    ¡°You were not at Foggy Courtyard and you didn¡¯t see the ¡®ount books¡¯?¡± Thest words were almost squeezed out of her teeth, and her face turned pale when she spoke.

    ¡°ount books?¡± Mammy Luo didn¡¯t understand. She froze there for a few seconds and looked at Ning Qingshan. Suddenly, she seemed to have thought of something and her look became serious.

    ¡°Fifth Sister asked someone to send several clean ount books to our courtyard. Didn¡¯t you see them?¡± Ning Qingshan had a bad feeling, and after asking this, she stopped talking and turned to Foggy Courtyard. She had asked a maid to inform Mammy Luo, but since Mammy Luo hadn¡¯t even been back to Foggy Courtyard by now, it meant the maid didn¡¯t find her just now. In other words, those ount books had been in Foggy Courtyard all the time after they were sent there.

    Mammy Luo also felt something wrong. She rushed into the courtyard following behind Ning Qingshan. When they entered the room, they saw the ount books piling on the table in order. They looked at each other and their heart sank. Gritting her teeth, Ning Qingshan walked forward and picked up an ount book.

    At the first ce of the bottom cover of this ount book, she felt dizzy and she was nearly breathless. She swayed a few times and almost fell to the floor.

 Chapter 175 - Thereâ€™s No Braised Fish in the Kitchen Today

    <h4>Chapter 175 There¡¯s No Braised Fish in the Kitchen Today</h4>

    ¡°Young Lady, how can this, this ount book be here?¡± Mammy Luo said, pointing at the ount book with fishy vor. She was so shocked that she could hardly speak.

    Madam Dowager had asked her maid to take the ount books to Ning Xueyan. However, she had been knocked by another maid on her way and she twisted her ankle. The maid who had knocked her agreed to help her to take the ount books to Ning Xueyan. Thus the ount books fell into the hands of Mammy Luo without being noticed. She asked Xia¡¯er to bring the braised fish in brown sauce from the kitchen and then poured the juice onto one of the ount books and carefully made the juice permeate the bottom cover little by little.

    Then she piled the five ount books. Because she did it very carefully, nobody could find anything abnormal from appearance. Unless these ount books were taken down one by one, or the others couldn¡¯t find the stained one. Besides, the maid who had sent the ount books to Ning Xueyan came from Auspicious Clouds Courtyard, so even if Ning Xueyan had found the maid, no one would think that Foggy Courtyard had something to do with this matter.

    But they were sure that the ount books had been sent to Bright Frost Garden, and Mammy Luo had been out this morning because she thought everything had been settled.

    ¡°Young Lady, what¡¯s wrong? Why was this ount sent here again?¡± Mammy Luo asked anxiously.

    Ning Qingshan wasn¡¯t stupid, so she knew she had fallen for Ning Xueyan¡¯s trick. She stared at the ount book and looked ferocious. She gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Mammy, I underestimated Ning Xueyan. I didn¡¯t expect that she was so sly!¡±

    She was so careless. She thought even if Ning Xueyan were more capable than before, she wouldn¡¯t be a match for her. But now she had been framed by Ning Xueyan! Ning Qingshan was both regret and angry, her eyes full of hatred.

    ¡°Young Lady, what shall we do next?¡± Mammy Luo took the ount books from Ning Qingshan and looked at it carefully. Nobody would find the stained page if she took it out.

    ¡°Go and ask the kitchen staff if they still have the braised fish juice,¡± Ning Qingshan tried to calm herself down and ordered, managing to hold back her anger.

    ¡°Miss, there is no braised fish in the kitchen today. I met an older female servant whose surname is Li when I came over here, and she told me that Fifth Young Lady told the kitchen staff not to cook braised fish today.¡± Mammy Luo suddenly recalled what the old female servant had told her, and her forehead immediately sweated.

    She hadn¡¯t paid any attention to those words when they were talking. Since the stained ount book had been sent to Bright Frost Garden, the overall situation wouldn¡¯t be changed even without the braised fish. Anyway, the ount book was stained after it had been sent to Fifth Young Lady¡¯s ce.

    Mammy Luo had already gotten yesterday¡¯s dish list from the kitchen staff the night before, so she asked the people from the kitchen to prepare a braised fish. She then poured the juice onto the cover of the ount book. She had thought that the braised fish would also be served today, so nobody could tell whether the juice was from today or yesterday.

    Fifth Young Lady was in charge of the kitchen this time. Even she hadn¡¯t been there to check the preparation of dishes, her maids would have been there on behalf of her. So it was normal for them to stain the ount book. So Fifth Young Lady couldn¡¯t deny it.

    But now the ount books were already in Foggy Courtyard. How could Ning Qingshan exin the stained page clearly?

    Since Ning Qingshan had been busy greeting guests at the flower hall all the time today, if her people had made some mistakes, she would only be used of inadequate supervision. So it seemed she could shift the responsibility to any of her servants.

    However, how to exin the braised fish juice?

    Only Xia¡¯er, Mammy Luo and Ning Qingshan knew the details about pouring the braised fish juice onto the ount book. Moreover, such kind of things could only be done secretly, so of course the fewer people knew about it, the better. Mammy Luo and Xia¡¯er were the henchmen of Ning Qingshan, and they had been at the nunnery with her for three years. They were obedient, so they were easy to control.

    Now Ning Qingshan had to choose a person between the two to take responsibility for her. She didn¡¯t want to lose any of them.

    But it was useless to worry. She had to pass the buck to one of them.

    ¡°Which one should I choose?¡± Ning Qingshan looked at Mammy Luo with a dark face, a coldness shing in her eyes. She made the decision quickly, ¡°Mammy, tell Xia¡¯er to carry the can. She can exin that she saw the braised fish yesterday and she spilled the juice onto the cover of the ount book by ident when she tasted the juice. I know I¡¯m sorry for her. After this matter is settled, I¡¯ll find a way to save her younger sister from that kind of ce and reunite them.¡±

    After weighing the pros and cons, Ning Qingshan decided to sacrifice Xia¡¯er who was reckless. Besides, Mammy Luo was just back, but Xia¡¯er had already returned for quite a while. Because her forehead was injured, she had been sent back to rest in her room.

    Ning Qingshan knew that this kind of thing, the earlier they were found, the less they would implicate her.

    After all she had just returned to Foggy Courtyard. Ning Qingshan was now anxious to disassociate herself from the affair, so she asked Mammy Luo to bring Xia¡¯er to Lucky Garden immediately, and she herself took the ount book and walked toward Lucky Garden in a hurry.

    Lucky Garden was filled withughter, and many people were there in the room. Junior Concubine Xu was bowing to Madam Dowager and both Ning Zu¡¯an and Ning Xueyan were present. Madam Dowager seemed to be in a good mood. She gave a set of jewelry to Junior Concubine Xu, and Junior Concubine Xu was so happy that she kept on ttering Madam Dowager. Obviously, Madam Dowager enjoyed her ttery very much and sheughed loudly.

    When she was told that Ning Qingshan arrived, Madam Dowager looked at Mother Qin and gestured the maid to ask Ning Qingshan in.

    Ning Qingshan knew that it was not the right time to talk about the ount book when she found there were so many people in the room. But she didn¡¯t dare to dy. Because she was clear that the longer it took, the worse it would be for her. She didn¡¯t worry that much that Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an would fly into a rage because she interrupted Madam Dowager¡¯s enjoyment of family life.

    Since Xia¡¯er was the scapegoat, even if Madam Dowager were angry and ordered someone to beat Xia¡¯er to death with sticks, it had nothing to do with her.

    ¡°Grandmother, I made a mistake. Please punish me!¡± Ning Qingshan knelt down in front of Madam Dowager, looked so sad. Junior Concubine Xu was shocked. She moved closer to Ning Zu¡¯an and didn¡¯t dare to say anything more.

    Madam Dowager¡¯s face darkened and she asked unhappily, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    Theughter disappeared suddenly and the room was eerily quiet. Everyone looked at Ning Qingshan and wanted to know what had happened.

    ¡°Grandmother, when I came back to my courtyard just now, I found my maid had spilled the braised fish juice onto the ount book and stained it by ident when she was eating the fish. Grandmother, please punish me.¡± Ning Qingshan¡¯s eyes turned red. She took the ount books from the maid behind her and took down the one on the top. Everyone immediately saw the stained cover and a strong fishy vor could be smelled in the air.

    ¡°How could that happen?¡± Madam Dowager asked, pointing at the ount book. Seeing that the ount book had been stained like this, she couldn¡¯t hold back her anger anymore.

    ¡°Grandmother, I should be med. Because I didn¡¯t discipline my maid, she stained the ount book. Please punish me.¡± Tears immediately streamed down Ning Qingshan¡¯s face. She didn¡¯t shift the responsibility to others, and she kept on saying that she should be med and asking Madam Dowager to punish her. It made people think that she was sincere in taking responsibility.

    Ning Xueyan couldn¡¯t help but praise her inwardly. She was reasonable and seemed to have taken all the responsibility on herself, so it was hard for the others not to be moved.

    ¡°Mother, Shan¡¯er has been greeting the guests in the flower hall, so she shouldn¡¯t be med for this.¡± As Ning Xueyan expected, Ning Zu¡¯an stood out to speak for Ning Qingshan.

    It sounded reasonable. Ning Qingshan had been busy all the time today. Mother Qin had just been back, so Ning Qingshan should have just returned to Foggy Courtyard as well. Madam Dowager thought Ning Qingshan must have found the ount book had been stained by her maid the moment she arrived at Foggy Courtyard, so she rushed here to report to her. Since she didn¡¯t shift all the responsibility to her maid, she could be taken as a nice master.

    Madam Dowager¡¯s face softened a little. She couldn¡¯t punish Ning Qingshan for the sake of Ning Zu¡¯an. What was more, Ning Qingshan was very close to Third Prince.

    ¡°Fine. Support Third Young Lady up. Tell me who stained the ount book.¡±

    After being held up, Ning Qingshan answered hesitatingly, ¡°It¡¯s... a maid of my courtyard. It¡¯s...¡± Her voice trailed off until she could hardly be heard. She looked at Madam Dowager pitifully and pleaded, ¡°Grandmother, could you please forgive her? She didn¡¯t mean to do this. She just knocked over the bowl by ident.¡±

    ¡°By now, you¡¯re still protecting your maid. I know why the servants of your courtyard are all unruly. Third Young Lady, you¡¯re at the manor, not the nunnery now. It doesn¡¯t matter if you treat them like this at the nunnery, but you can¡¯t do the same way at the manor. And you should know that the rules at the manor of the prince were even stricter!¡± Madam Dowager knocked the ground hard with her walking stick and said angrily. It seemed she was very disappointed with Ning Qingshan.

    If not because Ning Qingshan was extremely intimate with Third Prince before, Madam Dowager would get even angrier with her.

    While they were talking, Ning Xueyan saw Mammy Luo apany Xia¡¯er, who was wrapped in gauge, to kneel down outside the door. Xia¡¯er was moved when she heard that Ning Qingshan was scolded by Madam Dowager inside. Ning Qingshan was really smart. She made Xia¡¯er be her scapegoat, but Xia¡¯er had noints and was grateful.

    ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s Xia¡¯er.¡± Seeing that Madam Dowager was so angry, Ning Qingshan didn¡¯t dare hide the maid¡¯s name anymore. She then ratted out Xia¡¯er.

    ¡°Servants, bring that maid here!¡± Madam Dowager went into a rage when she heard it was the unruly maid again who had stained the ount book. She had been embarrassed in front of those olddies today because the same maid called herself ¡®I¡¯ in front of her masters.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, maid Xia¡¯er is here. Please punish me!¡± Xia¡¯er shouted emotionally outside. When people in the room looked out through the curtain, they found that Xia¡¯er had already knelt down outside.

    ¡°Grandmother, please forgive Xia¡¯er. She has led a poor life with me at the nunnery in the three years, so she is greedy about food.¡± Ning Qingshan pleaded.

    ¡°People who cultivate at the nunnery should be ascetic, but why did she even steal the overnight fish juice after staying at the nunnery for several years?¡± Qingyu whispered to Lanning in confusion behind Ning Xueyan. Although her voice was low, Madam Dowager, who was sitting beside Ning Xueyan heard every word clearly.

    She became even angrier.

    If the rumors were spread out, what would the others think of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? Even a maid couldn¡¯t bear the poor life of the nunnery, how could a pampered Young Lady have endured this life for three years? The outsiders might think that the manor had arranged someone to send food to Ning Qingshan secretly, so she had been to the nunnery to fish for fame and credit, instead of sincerely praying for her elders. Some people might even think that they had been fooled by the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Even the imperial family knew that Ning Qingshan enjoyed a good reputation, so if the censor-in-chief heard about the rumors, he would report it to the emperor. Then the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would be suspected of deceiving the emperor and the whole family might face a disaster.

    ¡°Servants, take the stupid maid outside and hit her hard fifty times with thick sticks!¡± Madam Dowager knocked on the floor forcefully with her walking stick and ordered viciously.

    Madam Dowager was really annoyed. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have ordered the servants to beat Xia¡¯er with thick sticks, not thinner ones. Xia¡¯er would be killed!

    In the room, Ning Qingshan¡¯s face turned ashen, then pale, but she dared not say anything.

    Outside, Xia¡¯er was paralyzed with fear. Although she had been bold, she couldn¡¯t help trembling when she heard the order of Madam Dowager. She looked through the curtain in the direction where Ning Qingshan was with imploring eyes.

 Chapter 176 - Being Kind to Your Enemy Is Often the Wrong Beginning

    <h4>Chapter 176 Being Kind to Your Enemy Is Often the Wrong Beginning</h4>

    Xia¡¯er was dragged outside the courtyard and to prevent her from screaming, her mouth was plugged with a piece of cloth. Ning Zu¡¯an ordered the guards to execute the punishment. The servants knelt on the ground in the courtyard, lowering their heads. None of them dared even breathe heavily. Soon, the sound of sticks hitting people and muffled grunting came from outside the courtyard.

    The air seemed to be filled with a faint bloody smell. Mammy Luo knelt on the ground with other servants with a pale face. She was scared and she had never expected that Madam Dowager would have ordered people to beat Xia¡¯er to death. How could she be so cold-blooded to kill a person just because she had stained an ount book!

    The air was suffocating in the room as well. Junior Concubine Xu was so scared that she covered her mouth with her hand, shivering behind Ning Zu¡¯an. She had forgotten that today was her big day. She had been very happy when she took the jewelry from Madam Dowager just now. No matter how First Madam protested, she had be the concubine finally, and obviously, she won the battle with First Madam this time.

    If she would have a son with Ning Zu¡¯an in the future, she might have the opportunity topete with First Madam.

    But now, she had changed her mind. Looking at the dark face of Madam Dowager and the knife-sharp eyes of Ning Zu¡¯an, she realized that her fate was still in their hands. They could decide her life and death. The idea that she might rece Madam Ling and be First Madam waspletely dismissed by her now.

    The repressed stuffy groans from outside, intermittent, represented the passage of life!

    Ning Qingshan¡¯s face was as pale as a sheet and she couldn¡¯t stay calm anymore. She pinched the handkerchief, her fingers trembling. The person who was being hit was her personal maid, Xia¡¯er, who wasn¡¯t strong at all, so it was impossible for her to withstand the fifty times beating. She had just returned to the manor. If her personal maid was beaten to death like this, what the others would think of her?

    She also felt the authority of Madam Dowager, so in addition to shame, she was frightened as well.

    But at the same time, this ident strengthened her determination. One day, she would climb to the top of power and decide the life and death of others.

    Then Madam Dowager, Madam Ling, Ning Zu¡¯an and Ning Xueyan would all be stepped under her feet. But she needed to wait. She would definitely be more cautious in the future and would never be as reckless as she was today. If she hadn¡¯t been so hasty, things could be different. She thought that after three years of forbearance, she had gotten everything under her control. However, she had never expected that Ning Xueyan would have gotten in her way.

    Ning Xueyan held up the tea cup speechlessly. She took a sip of tea gracefully, allowing the bitterness to refresh her heart. She looked down, and her jet-ck eyes were cold and clear, without a trace of fear in them.

    She wouldn¡¯t feel that Xia¡¯er was pitiful. The weak was the prey of the strong. If Ning Qingshan¡¯s n seeded today, Ning Xueyan would be the one who got involved in trouble, and maybe her maid would be killed miserably.

    She had failed to protect her maid in herst life, and she herself even had been murdered.

    When it came to this life, she wouldn¡¯t make the same mistake again. Therefore, she was fearless and would never retreat!

    Lanning stood behind her and quietly watching Ning Xueyan¡¯s delicate figure. She was so thin, but she made people feel strong. Among the nervous people in the room, Ning Xueyan looked so calm, strangely calm. It seemed she wasn¡¯t been disturbed at all. Her long eyshes cast a light shadow on her fair face, and no fear could be found in her eyes.

    Lanning had never witnessed a servant being hit like that before. But she didn¡¯t feel nervous when she looked at the delicate and slim figure in front of her.

    Yes, her mind was in peace. She had never been so calm before.

    She knew that danger had been close to her today. If the others found the stained ount book at Bright Frost Garden, Ning Xueyan would have been med. As her personal maids, she and Qingyu would have been punished too. If that was the case, the one who was being beaten outside might not be Xia¡¯er, but her and Qingyu. So it was a fight to death!

    Since Ning Qingshan began to frame Ning Xueyan, Bright Frost Garden and Foggy Courtyard were hostile! So she didn¡¯t need to show even the slightest sympathy to Xia¡¯er, who was being punished outside.

    Sensing that Lanning¡¯s breath calmed down, a faint smile crossed Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes.

    Lanning had always been a cautious person, but it was not enough. She must be absolutely loyal to her and obey her orders unconditionally. Moreover, she must be cruel. Ning Xueyan had always appreciated Lanning, but she was afraid that Lanning was too kind just like she had used to be in herst life.

    Being kind to your enemy was often the wrong beginning.

    Lanning was smart, so Ning Xueyan believed that she would understand the truth.

    Xia¡¯er failed tost until she was hit fifty times. She had no breath when she had been hit forty times. An older female servant came in to report, shivering. Obviously, she was extremely scared, and her voice changed with fear.

    ¡°Take her out!¡± Madam Dowager raised her head and said slowly, ncing at everyone present.

    ¡°Yes!¡± The older female servant dared not to say anything more. She wanted to stand up and leave, but she was so frightened that her legs went limp, so she couldn¡¯t rise to her feet.

    ¡°Lanning, help her up,¡± Ning Xueyan ordered calmly. Her face was still pale, but it was because she was weak, not because she was scared. She showed no fear at all.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Lanning answered and then walked toward the older female servant. She supported her up, her face as calm as it used to be.

    Madam Dowager nodded secretly. Ning Qingshan was pretending to be calm, while Ning Xueyan was really calm. Even her personal maid looked calm and at ease, showing the air of an excellent first maid. It was quite different from that of the unruly maid of Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°Qingshan, it wasn¡¯t a big deal that you had only one maid to serve you when you have been at the nunnery in thest three years. But now things are different. You have returned to the manor, so you must have several first maids,¡± Madam Dowager said. Then she turned to Mother Qin and said, ¡°Transfer two second-ss maids from my courtyard to Third Young Lady¡¯s Foggy Courtyard. Increase two maids for her temporarily. If it¡¯s not enough, let me know.¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll arrange it right now,¡± Mother Qin answered and then walked out of the room, lowering her head. She blinked at Ning Qingshan before leaving.

    Ning Qingshan immediately understood what Mother Qin was hinting. She walked over and said with a smile, ¡°Grandmother, how can I ask the maids from you. Don¡¯t bother. I can choose two maids in the manor by myself.¡± Ning Qingshan looked more natural than she was just now. She was gentle when she spoke and she didn¡¯t seem to have been annoyed by what had happened just now.

    Her personal first maid had been beaten to death just now. Did she really not mind?

    She knew that Madam Dowager wouldn¡¯t give her two maids merely to serve her. Ning Qingshan was ambitious and greedy, so she wouldn¡¯t be willing to let Madam Dowager arrange her people to watch her.

    ¡°Qingshan, you have juste back from the nunnery, so I won¡¯t feel assured if you don¡¯t have any good maids to serve you. You have left the manor for three years, so there are some rules you might have forgotten. You must learn them again. Otherwise, the outsiders willugh at you,¡± Madam Dowager said meaningfully. She looked at Ning Qingshan, not as amiable as she used to be.

    This was extremely harsh.

    ¡°Got it. Thank you, Grandmother!¡± Ning Qingshan was sensible, so she walked to aside. A coldness shed in her eyes when she nced at Ning Xueyan beside her. She would never forget that all the humiliation she had suffered today was because of Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, this ount book was stained. Ask someone to buy a new and nk one, and copy the stained one. After making sure that there was no error, ask Mother Qin to check again,¡± Madam Dowager said, frowning. She was tired, and she waved her hand to Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Yes, Grandmother. I¡¯ll do it right now.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded. Then she asked Lanning to wrap the ount book with a piece of cloth. The fishy smell was too strong, and nobody could stand it if the ount book wasn¡¯t wrapped.

    After waving good-bye to Madam Dowager, Ning Xueyan took Lanning out the room.

    At the same time, the rumors that Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was ambitious and wanted to fight for the administration power the second day she had just returned to the manor were spread out secretly.

    Ning Huaiyuan and Xia Yuhang were drinking wine at the backyard of Xia Manor.

    Ning Huaiyuan didn¡¯t want to attend the wedding ceremony of Ning Zu¡¯an and Junior Concubine Xu, so he had found an excuse and came to Xia Manor. He took the opportunity to visit Ning Ziyan. Then he stayed at Xia Manor to have lunch with Xia Yuhang. They didn¡¯t ask any people to serve them, but poured the wine by themselves after finding a pavilion and heating the oven. Since only the two of them present, they were rxed and free.

    ¡°Yuhang, can you tell me something about your new concubine?¡± Ning Huaiyuan raised his head and said crossly. Ning Ziyan had told Ning Huaiyuan that Xia Yuhang had married a concubine. She also said if not because of that woman, she wouldn¡¯t have lost her baby.

    ¡°She is just a concubine,¡± Xia Yuhang drank up the wine in the cup and answered with a faint smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal that you married a concubine, but Ziyan miscarried because of her! That was also your baby. Don¡¯t you feel sad?¡± Ning Huaiyuan said angrily. Seeing that Xia Yuhang was so cold, he mmed the wine cup onto the table.

    ¡°My baby?¡± A strange smile appeared on Xia Yuhang¡¯s lips. Maybe the baby shouldn¡¯te to this world. When he heard the news that Ning Ziyan miscarried, he wasn¡¯t that sad as he had imagined.

    If it was a boy, he would be his first son. But so what?

    If Ning Ziyan had never carried this baby, things might be different.

    Xia Yuhang let out a long sigh and hid the bitterness in his eyes. When he raised his head again, he regained his gentleness and calmness. He exined, ¡°Huaiyuan, I¡¯m not lying. She is only a concubine. It was sensational and you know what happened between Chen Hexiang and me as well. I ran into her outside and she was pathetic, so I took her in. I was afraid that she might know it, so I... But since she has be my woman, I should marry her.¡±

    Xia Yuhang said with a smile, as if he were talking about the story of other people. Except for a pause in hisst words, he remained calm.

    Although he had omitted some words, Ning Huaiyuan knew what he meant. He held the cup firmly with aplex look.

    Of course he knew why Xia Yuhang had married Ning Ziyan. He hadn¡¯t seen much of Ning Ziying, who had stayed at her ce quietly ever since she hade to the manor. He only heard that she was a gentle girl. If Xia Yuhang had already had an affair with Chen Hexiang when Ning Ziying was still his fianc¨¦e, it seemed he hadn¡¯t done anything wrong to Ning Ziyan.

    He even felt that Ning Ziyan had overreacted.

    After all, it was Ning Ziying who had an engagement with Xia Yuhang, not Ning Ziyan at that point! Even if Xia Yuhang had done something wrong, he should say sorry to Ning Ziying. Ning Ziyan had nothing to do with it at all.

    ¡°Anyway, Ziyan miscarried because of that woman. This kind of woman is by no means good. Don¡¯t let her bully Ziyan.¡± Ning Huaiyuan knew it was improper to put it straightforward, so he had to hint Xia Yuhang.

    ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll keep an eye on it. Let¡¯s talk about you now. How did it feel to be back in the mansion?¡± Xia Yuhang smiled and shifted the topic.

    ¡°Yuhang, did you see my fifth sister? She is quite different from what she used to be!¡± Ning Huaiyuan suddenly thought of the girl under the plum tree, and he blurted.

 Chapter 177 - What You had Imagined and Reality were not the Same

    <h4>Chapter 177 What You had Imagined and Reality were not the Same</h4>

    ¡°What¡¯s the difference? Maybe she is more mature because her mother died.¡± Xia Yuhang smiled unnaturally, a subtle look ofplexity crossing his eyes.

    ¡°Another day, I saw her outside Cloud Reflection Courtyard. She was standing beside a tree and looking at Cloud Reflection Courtyard in a trance,¡± Ning Huaiyuan said. He poured a ss of wine for Xia Yuhang, and then for himself.

    Cloud Reflection Courtyard? Xia Yuhang¡¯s heart beat fast. He grasped the wine ss more firmly, as if he wanted to hold something in his hand.

    ¡°Does Ning Xueyan really know what happened between Ning Ziying and me?¡± he wondered. Ning Xueyan had been at the gate of Cloud Reflection Courtyard when he saw herst time. Now Ning Huaiyuan told him that he had seen Ning Xueyan near Cloud Reflection Courtyard. He also recalled what Madam Ling had said. Thinking about these, Xia Yuhang couldn¡¯t help but feel something wrong.

    ¡°Maybe she likes that ce,¡± Xia Yuhang answered with a smile, hiding the suspicion in his eyes.

    ¡°Maybe!¡± A cold and thoughtful look appeared in Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s eyes.

    He had secretly visited Madam Lingst night. Madam Ling gritted her teeth when she talked about Ning Xueyan. She told him that if not because of Ning Xueyan, she wouldn¡¯t have been locked up in the Buddha Hall and Ning Yuling wouldn¡¯t have been sent away. She asked him to find a way and get rid of that b*tch.

    It seemed they couldn¡¯t continue the topic about Ning Xueyan anymore, so they chatted at random. While they were talking, a young male servant of Ning Huaiyuan ran in.

    ¡°Eldest Young Master, Madam Dowager was extremely angry and she had Third Young Lady¡¯s personal maid beaten to death!¡±

    ¡°When did that happen?¡± Ning Huaiyuan stood up and asked in surprise. He was shocked not because a maid had been beaten to death, but because he wondered why Madam Dowager had lost her temper like that.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s said Third Young Lady wanted to take the power of administrating the manor... so her personal maid was jealous of Fifth Young Lady helping Madam Dowager with the internal affairs... and she deliberately stained the ount book Fifth Young Lady was going to check.¡± The young male servant wasn¡¯t quite clear about this matter, so he faltered and described what he had heard briefly.

    ¡°Yuhang, I have to leave now.¡± Hearing what happened in his manor, Ning Huaiyuan couldn¡¯t stay calm any longer. He then said good-bye to Xia Yuhang.

    Xia Yuhang nodded and didn¡¯t ask him to stay longer. He then saw him off at the gate.

    ¡°Arrange someone to investigate the background of Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. I want the detailed information about her,¡± Xia Yuhang ordered his servant on his way back to his manor after Ning Huaiyuan had left. He couldn¡¯t help but think of the jet-ck eyes. They looked familiar, but the coldness in them was totally strange to him.

    Her action of touching the tea cup looked so familiar.

    Did he really see this girl the first time?

    ¡°Got it,¡± the young male servant answered and ran away.

    After returning to Bright Frost Garden, Ning Xueyan asked Mother Han to buy a new ount book cover. She then began to tear off the stained cover with Lanning and Qingyu. Ning Xueyan had sprayed some fragrant powder on the new cover she had made, so the fishy smell was covered by the smell of the fragrant powder.

    But the fragrant powder had a characteristic that it would disappear after an hour. Now her two maids had to cover their noses while tearing off the cover due to the strong fishy smell.

    ¡°Miss, Third Young Lady wanted to frame you, but she had to eat her own bitter fruit now. I think she won¡¯t dare set up others again,¡± Qingyu squatted on the floor and said with a smile while tearing off the cover.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so!¡± Ning Xueyan answered with a smile.

    ¡°She had lost her personal maid. How dare she do this again?¡± Qingyu said in surprise.

    Ning Xueyan smiled, but didn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t she dare to do this again? Third Young Lady has endured the poor life at the nunnery for three years. Now is the right time for her to shine. She will dare do anything to reach her goal. Xia¡¯er used to be a smart girl. I wonder why she became so stupid after bing Third Young Lady¡¯s personal maid. Since she was so pushy, it was no wonder that she got into trouble,¡± Lanning said.

    She had been acquainted with Xia¡¯er for a long time, and they used to serve Madam Dowager at Lucky Garden together. Butter, Xia¡¯er went to the nunnery with Ning Qingshan, and Lanning became Ning Ziying¡¯s personal maid. She had never expected that Xia¡¯er was abandoned by Ning Qingshan and died miserably just after she returned to the manor after leaving for three years.

    ¡°Madam Dowager was really cold-blooded. Staining an ount book isn¡¯t a big deal at all,¡± Qingyu said disapprovingly.

    Now the cover had beenpletely torn off. Although the pages inside were not stained, the fishy smell was still very strong. It hadsted for one day, and the smell made them ufortable.

    ¡°It¡¯s not just a matter of an ount book,¡± Ning Xueyan exined with a faint smile, a touch of sarcasm on her lips. ¡°Ning Qingshan cared about the ount book so much, and it aroused Madam Dowager¡¯s suspicion. This manor belongs to the Nings. No matter how popr Ning Qingshan is, she is just an adopted daughter,¡± she continued.

    Ning Qingshan was in the game, but she didn¡¯t know what Madam Dowager was thinking. If Madam Dowager meant to let her manage the manor, she wouldn¡¯t have easily agreed with Ning Qingshan¡¯s going to the nunnery when Ning Qingshan had requested. Before she left for the nunnery, Ning Qingshan was helping Madam Ling in managing the manor.

    Three year had passed, but Madam Dowager¡¯s mind didn¡¯t change. So obviously, she had never nned to take the power to Ning Qingshan.

    Ning Qingshan should bear most of the responsibility for Xia¡¯er¡¯s death. If she hadn¡¯t mentioned the ount books again and again at Auspicious Fortune Hall, showing her caring about it, Madam Dowager wouldn¡¯t have been so angry. If she was smart, she would have refused when Ning Xueyan proposed her to check the ount books.

    Since Ning Qingshan was ambitious, she slipped into the trap without knowing it.

    Hearing Ning Xueyan¡¯s analysis, Qingyu nodded. She seemed had vaguely understood the whole story.

    Since the cover had been torn off, they put the ount book near the window to speed up the spreading of the fishy smell. Lanning and Qingyu went out to wash hands, while Ning Xueyan picked up a book at random. She sat under the window and was about to read the book when Lanning suddenly came in. ¡°Miss, Mother Wang asked if you were free now. She wanted you to her room and she had something to tell you.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m going now.¡± Ning Xueyan put down the book on the table and stood up.

    Now she hadn¡¯t gotten the new ount book yet, so she wanted to talk with Mother Wang as well.

    She pushed open the door and entered the room. Lanning hesitated for a short moment before following her in. She then closed the door from inside. At Bright Frost Garden, only Ning Xueyan and her personal maids knew about the real status of Mother Wang. And Lanning and Qingyu would send food and daily supplies to Mother Wang in person.

    Mother Wang leaned against the head of the bed with something in her hand and looked emotional, quite different from her usual calm appearance. When she saw Ning Xueyaning in, she put down the item in her hand and immediately shifted her gaze to Ning Xueyan. She examined Ning Xueyan¡¯s face carefully, as if she wanted to find something out.

    ¡°Mother Wang, what did you want with me?¡± Ning Xueyan asked with a slight smile. She sat on the chair beside the bed and looked at Mother Wang with her clear eyes.

    ¡°Miss. Fifth Young Lady.¡± Mother Wang¡¯s hands shivered slightly on the quilt. She was still staring at Ning Xueyan. Excitement, sadness, doubt, all mixed together and made her suddenly unable to speak. She paused for a while.

    ¡°Mother Wang, are you going to ask me why I knew the method to make that kind of fragrant powder?¡± Ning Xueyan reminded Mother Wang, smiling. She hadn¡¯t used the method which Aunt Xiang had taught her to make the fragrant powder today, but used the method Ning Ziying had known.

    When Ning Ziying was learning the method, Mother Wang had been by her side.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, who taught you the method to make the fragrant powder?¡± Mother Wang asked with difficulty. She took a deep breath to calm herself down. She looked at Ning Xueyan anxiously, hoping to hear the answer she wanted.

    ¡°Mother Wang, what are you still expecting? Sister Ziying is dead. She has left us for a long time!¡± Ning Xueyan answered cruelly, without mercy, but she still looked calm.

    Mother Wang¡¯s pupils suddenly dted. She looked painful and her eyes turned red. ¡°But, but why could you make the fragrant powder with the method that my young master knew? How did you know that I could make the cover of ount books?¡±

    Lanning who was standing behind Ning Xueyan was confused as well, and her intuition told her that Ning Xueyan was hiding something from them.

    Ning Xueyan hadn¡¯t hidden from Mother Wang when she sprayed the fragrant powder on the ount book. She had done this in front of Mother Wang in her room.

    It was Mother Wang who had made the cover that had been stuck onto the bottom of the ount book. Mother Wang was good at handwork, and she had made all the covers of the ount books Ning Ziying used. The covers she made were thinner and firmer than the average, so Madam Dowager and Ning Qingshan hadn¡¯t found anything abnormal today.

    Because the new cover was thin enough and had been perfectly stuck onto the ount book, nobody had found any ws.

    Mother Wang had only shown this technique when she was in Ning Ziying¡¯s hometown, so even Lanning had no idea about this. The moment Ning Xueyan came to her with a stained ount book in her hands, what she had said was, ¡°Mother Wang, please help me to make a cover of ount book.¡±

    She even hadn¡¯t asked Mother Wang whether she knew how to make an ount book cover!

    Because Ning Xueyan needed it in urgent, Mother Wang hadn¡¯t thought that much at the moment. However, after Ning Xueyan had left, she felt something wrong. She thought it over, and became more confused. A bold hypothesis hade to her. ¡°Maybe my young master is still alive.¡± Thinking about this, she couldn¡¯t stay calm anymore.

    ¡°Mother Wang, do you believe that someone will tell you something in your dream?¡± Ning Xueyan asked with a smile when she saw that Mother Wang looking at her doubtfully. She couldn¡¯t tell them the truth, but she could exin to them by saying that she knew many secrets about Ning Ziying because thetter had told her in her dream. No matter whether the others believe her or not, at least she should make it sound reasonable.

    ¡°Tell you something in your dream?¡± Mother Wang murmured, looking at Ning Xueyan in surprise.

    ¡°Since Sister Ziying passed away, I have dreamed of her many times. She told me many things about herself, including the happy time she had been with you and Xiang¡¯er when she was in regions south of the Yangtze River, the engagement between Xia Yuhang and her, and...¡± Ning Xueyan paused for a while before continuing. ¡°In fact, I¡¯m not sure whether what she told me in my dream is true or not. Nobody can tell what happened in the middle of a dream is real. If I haven¡¯t been desperate for your help today, I wouldn¡¯t have believed what she said was real!¡±

    Nobody would believe this kind of thing like ¡®rebirth¡¯. She wouldn¡¯t have believed it if she hadn¡¯t turned from Ning Ziying to Ning Xueyan. Now she was both Ning Ziying and Ning Xueyan. What the two had experienced would appear in her mind, as if they were the same person.

    Of course she wouldn¡¯t tell this to Mother Wang and Lanning. It wasn¡¯t because she didn¡¯t believe them, but because it was too incredible, and even she had told them, they wouldn¡¯t believe it was real. So she preferred to exin to them that it was Ning Ziying¡¯s soul that hadmunicated with her in her dream. That would be more convincing.

    ¡°My young master appeared in your dream and made requests to you? So she, she has really... died?¡± Mother Wang stammered. She stared at Ning Xueyan anxiously, hoping to see the opposite answer from her eyes, denying that Ning Ziying had already died, but to her disappointment, Ning Xueyan nodded slowly, but firmly.

    Tears streamed down her cheeks. Mother Wang immediately turned her head and wiped them off.

    Lanning lowered her head, trying to hide the sadness in her eyes.

    For many things, what you imagined and reality were not the same.

 Chapter 178 - the Phoenix Earring

    <h4>Chapter 178 the Phoenix Earring</h4>

    The room fell into silence and filled with thick sorrows.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, did my young master told you in your dream who murdered her?¡± Mother Wang wiped tears from her face and suddenly asked resentfully. She had totally believed what Ning Xueyan said, but she didn¡¯t believe that Ning Ziying had thrown herself into the river tomit suicide.

    She had been outside of the manor and collected information after Ning Ziying¡¯s death. She heard everyone said that Ning Ziyan had been engaged to Xia Yuhang since childhood, and nobody knew that there was an engagement between Ning Ziying and Xia Yuhang. That was abnormal. She had been willing to follow Lanning¡¯s advice and cooperate with Ning Xueyan because she wanted to collect information in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    ¡°Mother Wang, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll avenge Sister Ziying. If she didn¡¯t appear in my dream and give me instruction, I might have died,¡± Ning Xueyan looked at Mother Wang and said sincerely, two cold frames shing in her eyes. She was Ning Ziying, and she became Ning Xueyan after rebirth just for revenge!

    She couldn¡¯t tell Mother Wang how Ning Ziying had died. Maybe she would tell her in the future, but not now. Because she knew Mother Wang well, and if Mother Wang knew that Ning Ziying had been murdered by Madam Ling and Ning Ziyan, she would definitely jump up and rush to them. Even if she gave her life, she would try to get justice for her young master. Every one of the manor kept this murder a secret, so although it was Madam Ling and her daughter who had killed Ning Ziying, actually every one of the manor was involved with her death.

    Madam Dowager¡¯s people were everywhere in the manor, so she couldn¡¯t have been unaware that Ning Ziying had been murdered.

    And it was impossible for Ning Zu¡¯an, the powerful marquis and general didn¡¯t know how she had died!

    But nobody had mentioned it. That meant everyone knew about it, and they all acquiesced. It also meant that if anyone dared fight against Madam Ling and her daughter, she was fighting against the whole manor. Ning Xueyan wasn¡¯t that powerful now, Mother Wang was much weaker than her, so if she went to Madam Ling for revenge, she would die.

    She would take revenge for herself, but she wouldn¡¯t let people who wanted to protect her die in vain.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, are you serious that you¡¯ll avenge my young master?¡± Mother Wang asked, gritting her teeth. She saw the coldness in Ning Xueyan¡¯s jet-ck eyes, and didn¡¯t ask about the murderer anymore.

    She had asked the same question when she just came to Bright Frost Garden, and she didn¡¯t believe that Ning Xueyan would really avenge her young master. But now, she began to have some confidence that the gentle and weak girl in front of her would do this for her young master.

    ¡°Mother Wang, you don¡¯t have to do anything, and just wait and see.¡± Ning Xueyan looked at her with a smile, her eyes became softened.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, take this!¡± Looking at Ning Xueyan, Mother Wang was about to cry. At that moment, the cold and proud Fifth Young Lady seemed to have transformed into her gentle and kind young master. She calmed herself down and then passed the thing in her hand to Ning Xueyan.

    It was a very small jade earring. Although it wasn¡¯t big, it was set with rubies at the bottom. There were some gray-ck marks on the golden hook on the top of the earring, and a phoenix carved on it was faintly discernible.

    At the sight of this jade earring, Xueyan almost couldn¡¯t stay her calm. She pinched her handkerchief firmly and managed to restore calm.

    This earring belonged to Ning Ziying. Her mother had asked her to keep it carefully. Ever since she could remember, this earring had been put away by her mother. At a certain time of each year, her mother would have taken it out and asked her to examine it carefully, and repeated that it was her jade earring, and she must keep it carefully and never let anyone take it away.

    At this time, Ning Ziying would have yed with it in her hand curiously.

    The Nings was influential in the regions south of the Yangtze River, and they were wealthy. Ning Ziying didn¡¯t understand why her mother had cherished this earring that much. When she grew up, she had examined it carefully, but didn¡¯t find anything special. Although jade was precious, the earring wasn¡¯t made of the extremely rare jade. Ning Ziying wondered why her mother had taken it so seriously.

    She even had taken it out and asked her to examine it every year.

    Before dying, her mother had called Mother Wang to her room and talked with her for a while. Then she asked Ning Ziying in and told her that she had asked Mother Wang to keep the earring for her.

    After they arrived in the capital, Mother Wang had never taken it out, so Ning Ziying had forgotten about it gradually. Now when she saw it again, she was mixed with joy and sorrow, and she almost couldn¡¯t maintain her calm. Fortunately, Mother Wang and Lanning were all looking at the earring, so nobody had noticed her excited expression.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, this is my young master¡¯s earring. Madam asked me to give this to my young master after her marriage, but now... she has...¡± Mother Wang couldn¡¯t help but burst into tears. ¡°People of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor turned out to be cold-blooded. I have persuaded madam not to let my young mastere to the capital, but she didn¡¯t follow my advice.¡±

    Although Mother Wang didn¡¯t know the specific cause of Ning Ziying¡¯s death, after all, she had died at Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Moreover, her fianc¨¦e who had been engaged to her since childhood married Ning Ziyan finally. Therefore, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor couldn¡¯t get away with it anyway.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, please take this jade earring. Madam said it was very meaningful, and if my young master kept it, she might get help from some powerful people. But now... my young master doesn¡¯t need it anymore, so Fifth Young Lady, please take it. It might be helpful to you.¡± With that, Mother Wang put the earring into Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand, wiping tears from her cheeks with a sigh. Since it was her young master¡¯s legacy, she couldn¡¯t bear to lose it, but she knew it might be more useful in Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand, so she decided to give it to her.

    ¡°Did madam say anything else?¡± Ning Xueyan asked in a low voice, bending her fingers and holding the earring firmly.

    ¡°She didn¡¯t tell me anything more special. She only reminded to pay attention to my young master¡¯s safety and remember to give the earring to her. She said a fortune teller had told her that my young master would get a powerful person¡¯s help who was rted to this earring. But she didn¡¯t expect that...¡± Mother Wang covered her face with her hands and began to sob.

    ¡°Mother Wang, are you the only wet nurse after Sister Ziying was born?¡± Seeing that Mother Wang was heartbroken, Ning Xueyan asked gently. She couldn¡¯t find answers to many questions. Now since Mother Wang had given her such a precious thing, she knew that Mother Wang was standing on her side, so she asked her without hesitation.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not. I went to the Ning Manor when my young master was about three or four years old. Mr. Ning had just be the local official, and madam took my young master there. I don¡¯t know why my young master didn¡¯t have any wet nurse before. They hired me, but madam didn¡¯t allow me to tell the others that I wasn¡¯t the first wet nurse. She asked me to tell them that my young master was brought on my milk. But actually, I have never nursed her.¡±

    Mother Wang wiped her eyes and said sadly.

    ¡°When was Sister Ziying engaged to Xia Yuhang?¡± Ning Xueyan thought it over and asked. She felt something wrong with the engagement between Ning Ziying and Xia Yuhang. She couldn¡¯t remember it clearly, but she vaguely felt that the engagement wasn¡¯t made at her birth.

    ¡°The engagement between my young master and Childe Xia was settled when my young master was eight years old. Official Xia brought his son to our manor and he had a good time with Mr. Ning, so they made a marriage arrangement. Then Official Xia took Childe Xia back to the capital. From then on, no matter when Childe Xia hade to visit my young master or not, he would have sent gifts to her every year. I thought he was a person of righteousness and deep affection, but to my surprise, he was brutal and cold-blooded!¡±

    Her young master had died miserably. As Ning Ziying¡¯s fianc¨¦e, Xia Yuhang didn¡¯t investigate her death, but married Eldest Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor instead. At the thought of this, Mother Wang felt an impulse to rush to Xia Yuhang and scold him.

    ¡°Mother Wang, you don¡¯t have to be angry. Good and evil must atst have their reward. The evil people will be punished finally, but we still need to wait,¡± Ning Xueyan persuaded. She stood up, holding the earring firmly. She raised her head and there was a trace of mockery in her eyes. Both Xia Yuhang and Ning Ziyan were involved in murdering her, so she wouldn¡¯t let go of them.

    She hade back from the bloody hell, so she would make them pay for what they had done.

    Aftering out from Mother Wang¡¯s room, Ning Xueyan returned to her own room. She sat before the window and touched the earring. Leaning against the armchair of the soft couch, she gazed out of the window and was lost in thought.

    Her intuition told her that something important hid in what Mother Wang had said. But she couldn¡¯t figure it out. Thinking about this, she couldn¡¯t help frowning.

    Since the engagement between her and Xia Yuhang had been arranged when she was eight years old, why her parents told the others that it had been settled since their childhood? It was easy to make people think that the engagement between them had been settled when their mothers were pregnant.

    Since Mother Wang had been hired when she was already three or four years old, where her former wet nurse was? She didn¡¯t believe that she hadn¡¯t a wet nurse after being born. Why had her mother asked Mother Wang to tell the others that she was the only wet nurse of her and she had nursed her ever since her birth?

    In her memory, her mother was smart, and she had never done anything for no reason. But why had she tried to cover up the things about her childhood?

    Furthermore, earrings shoulde in pairs. Why was there only one piece? Her mother had taken the earring so seriously, could it only because she believed what the fortune-teller had said? Her mother seldom took her out of the manor, and she had never asked anyone to tell her fortune. She remembered once she managed to have her mother take her to the market. A maid had been curious when she saw a fortune-teller, and she wanted to ask that person to tell her fortune. But her mother stopped that maid with a smile, saying that all the fortune-tellers were swindlers.

    Therefore, it was impossible that her mother had taken an earring so seriously and asked her to check it carefully every year just because of what a fortune-teller had said.

    In Ning Xueyan¡¯s mind, that kind of checking could even be taken as ¡®worship¡¯!

    Her mother had died of illness suddenly. Worried that she might be dying, she had confided a lot to her daughter in advance, but her physical condition hadn¡¯t been that bad, and it seemed she shouldn¡¯t have passed away so soon. Ning Xueyan remembered that a woman had stayed at the Ning Manor for half a year, and she had always been together with her mother. Her mother died soon after that woman left. For no reason, Ning Xueyan felt that the woman¡¯s voice was quite simr to Ya Moqin¡¯s and she was by no means an ordinary person.

    She had never been suspicious when she was Ning Ziying, but after bing Ning Xueyan, she seldom trusted people. She always had the feeling that there was something wrong with the woman who had suddenly appeared in the Ning Manor.

    Before her mother died, that woman had taken leave because she had something to do. From then on, Ning Ziying had never heard any news about her, as if she had never shown up. She had asked someone to look for this woman secretly, but failed to get any information about her. The woman seemed to have disappeared from the world.

    The other day, Ning Xueyan had heard a familiar voiceing from behind Third Prince. She had thought that she would see that woman again. If not because one voice was young and arrogant, and the other one was gentle and elegant, she would have thought that they came from the same person.

    However, although the two voices were simr, there seemed to be no rtionship between their owners.

 Chapter 179 - Run into Heng Yuqing Again

    <h4>Chapter 179 Run into Heng Yuqing Again</h4>

    In the early morning, both Bright Frost Garden and Foggy Courtyard were busy.

    Third Young Lady and Fifth Young Lady were invited to attend the imperial party. Because Ning Lingyun was the daughter of a concubine, she was ineligible to participate in such activities.

    Ning Qingshan had gone to the imperial pce three years ago, but after all, it had been a long time. She was still famous among the nobledies because of her filial piety, and this was the first imperial party she would attend after she had left three years, so she must be careful.

    Both she herself and Madam Dowager hoped that she would shine on the party and stand out from the crowd.

    Ning Qingshan had lost a personal maid yesterday and she felt humiliated. But the night before, Madam Dowager had asked Mother Qin to bring her several boxes of jewelry and everyone looked high of her again.

    They knew that Fifth Young Lady of Bright Frost Garden didn¡¯t get anything from Madam Dowager.

    So obviously, in Madam Dowager¡¯s heart, Third Young Lady was the most important. Xia¡¯er deserved to be punished because she had made troubles. Madam Dowager hadn¡¯t meant to humiliate Third Young Lady.

    Seeing that Madam Dowager treated Third Young Lady so well, those who were still watching immediately knew whom they should tter. Many people of the manor brought various kinds of gifts to Foggy Courtyard. On the contrary, only very few people visited Bright Frost Garden.

    ¡°Miss, what¡¯s Madam Dowager doing? You¡¯re her granddaughter by blood!¡± Qingyu grumbled, handing the bead flower to Lanning.

    ¡°She never cares about that. What she cares about is who is useful to her!¡± Ning Xueyan said, a trace of sarcasm in her eyes.

    Madam Dowager had never regarded her as her own granddaughter. When she was humiliated by Ning Yuling and almost beaten to death by Ning Yuling¡¯s people, where had Madam Dowager been? When she lived miserably with her mother at Bright Frost Garden, and even had no money to buy medicine, where had Madam Dowager been? Now she treated her better, but it wasn¡¯t because they were rted by blood. It because she was useful to Madam Dowager!

    It was clear that she wasn¡¯t as useful as Ning Qingshan now!

    Madam Dowager became even more skillful in following the policy of stick and carrot!

    Hearing what Ning Xueyan said, Qingyu didn¡¯t know what to say. Although she felt injustice for her master, she knew that Madam Dowager had never treated Ning Xueyan well from her heart.

    Lanning took the bead flower from Qingyu and pinned it to Ning Xueyan¡¯s beautiful long hair. She looked at her and asked with a smile, ¡°Miss, do you like it?¡±

    Lanning had put more thought into her master¡¯s dressing today. Although there were only a green jade hair pin and a white bead flower in her bun, she looked refreshing and charming.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s fine!¡± Ning Xueyan looked into the mirror and smiled. Since Madam Ming had just passed away, she shouldn¡¯t overdress. There were advantages to not wearing so much jewelry. At least, she looked fresh. It was her style.

    Seeing that Ning Xueyan was satisfied with her hair dressing, Lanning picked up a long skirt by the side and put it on with Qingyu for Ning Xueyan. It was a white imperial dress that Madam Dowager had just asked someone to make for Ning Xueyan. The skirt hem was interspersed with small pink flowers, and the skirt was wrapped in white organza.

    It was her first time to go to the imperial pce, and she was the daughter of the principal wife of Lord Protector, so she shouldn¡¯t dress too shabby.

    ¡°Miss, you¡¯re so beautiful!¡± Qingyu eximed. After putting on the skirt for Ning Xueyan, she smoothed the skirt hem and then stood up.

    In a set of white long skirt and chiffon, Ning Xueyan looked pure and charming. Two strands of hair falling down to her cheeks made her lips look even paler but more enchanting, and her eyes more watery.

    She hadn¡¯t well-developed yet and she still looked a little childish. But after two years, everybody would be astonished by her beauty.

    Ning Xueyan looked at her own eyes in the mirror. They looked so familiar! It seemed she had seen them countless times, but she couldn¡¯t tell where she had seen them. She frowned and turned her head to look into the mirror again, but still failed to recall it.

    ¡°Miss, your, your eyes resemble Young Lady Ziying¡¯s eyes so much!¡± Staring at Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes, Lanning said in quivered voice.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes had been usually too cold. Now she had dressed up carefully, plus the faint smile on her face, her eyes looked beautiful and gentle, as if there were water inside and they were delicate with fascination.

    ¡°Ning Ziying? Herself ofst life?¡± Ning Xueyan suddenly came to herself. She had seen this pair of eyes countless times in herst life, so no wonder they looked so familiar!

    She wondered why Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes were so simr to Ning Ziying¡¯s. Her eyes bore no resemnce to Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, are you ready? My master ordered me to ask if you¡¯re ready to go.¡± A maid¡¯s melodious voice came from outside the courtyard.

    Hearing that, Lanning immediately walked out and answered with a smile, ¡°Tell Third Young Lady that my master is ready, and she¡¯lle out soon.¡±

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll tell Third Young Lady right now.¡± With that, the maid turned to leave with a smile.

    Ning Xueyan stood in front of the window and sized up the gentle maid carefully.

    ¡°Miss, she is Feiyue, the former maid of Madam Dowager. It¡¯s said although she is only a second-ss maid, Madam Dowager trusts her very much. I never expected that Madam Dowager would have given her to Third Young Lady,¡± Lanning said, walking over to Ning Xueyan.

    Madam Dowager was thoughtful, but Ning Qingshan wasn¡¯t easy to control. Ning Xueyan narrowed her eyes and sneered. Madam Dowager only racked her brain in vain. She really wanted to know what would happen to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor in the future.

    Ning Xueyan had already greeted Madam Dowager in the morning, so after making sure that everything was ready, she walked toward the gate with Lanning. Compared to Qingyu, Lanning was more mature and calmer. Ning Xueyan knew that she couldn¡¯t make any mistakes at the imperial pce. Otherwise, she might be doomed. Therefore, Lanning was more suitable for such asions.

    When she arrived at the gate, Ning Qingshan hadn¡¯te out yet. Ning Xueyan got in the carriage behind another one which had been arranged for her and began to take a nap, leaning against the wall of her carriage. She knew Ning Qingshan had asked her out just to make her wait for her in the carriage and show that her status was higher than Ning Xueyan¡¯s.

    Lanning was smart. There was no sign that the carriage ahead would set off, so she knew that Ning Qingshan wouldn¡¯te out soon. She got out the carriage and lifted the curtain on the window, and then pulled down the screen window. Thus, they could see everything outside clearly, but people couldn¡¯t see them clearly from outside.

    About fifteen minutester, Ning Qingshan walked out with her two new first maids, Feiyue and Feilian. Feiyue came up to Ning Xueyan¡¯s carriage and greeted her with a smile before the two carriages set off to the imperial pce.

    Since both Ning Xuyan and Ning Qingshan were the daughters of Lord Protector, and it was their first time to attend such parties, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor took it seriously, and two carriages had been prepared for them.

    Ning Yuling, who had the best chance of marrying the imperial family member had been abandoned. Now among the daughters of the principal wives, only Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan could get on the stage. Moreover, they both were excellent. Of course, Madam Dowager had put a lot of efforts into dressing them, but the emphasis was on Ning Qingshan. After all, she was most likely to marry Third Prince.

    It would be a happy surprise for the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor if Ning Xueyan could be chosen by the imperial family, no matter as a wife or a concubine.

    Before Ning Xueyan stopped hiding herself at Bright Frost Garden, nobody had taken her as the daughter of a principal wife. Now if she could arouse the attention of the imperial family, of course it would be a happy surprise for the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor!

    Madam Dowager had changed her mind a little. She thought it was unnecessary to marry Ning Xueyan to Third Prince. If Ning Qingshan could be Third Prince¡¯s wife, Ning Xueyan had better marry Fourth Prince. Although he was not as powerful as Third Prince, if Ning Xueyan could marry him, Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would have one more retreat. As for what would happen to Ning Xueyan if Fourth Prince copsed in the future, it wasn¡¯t on Madam Dowager¡¯s mind.

    What she cared about was maintaining the wealth and status of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, and she wouldn¡¯t pay attention to those ¡®trifles¡¯.

    Carriages stopped one by one in the imperial city, and Young Ladies with gorgeous clothes getting out the carriage gracefully with the support of their maids before walking into the imperial pce could be seen from time to time. Only Commandery Princesses and County Princesses and others who had grade titles could be sent into the imperial pce with a sedan chair. Both Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan were Lord Protector¡¯s daughter, but they didn¡¯t have any grade titles, so they had to walk in along with a group of people.

    Many Young Ladies of the noble families had attended the party held by the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Besides, Ning Qingshan enjoyed good reputation and she was sociable, she had been on good terms with almost all the noble Young Ladies three years ago. Therefore, the moment she got out the carriage, she was surrounded by a group of noble Young Ladies, and they walked to the imperial pce while talking andughing.

    Ning Xueyan was left behind. She looked at Ning Qingshan, who was far in front of her, smiled slightly.

    She knew Ning Qingshan was showing her strength in front of her. She had never been to this ce, but Ning Qingshan had gone and left her alone.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady?¡± She suddenly heard someone calling her andughing surprisingly from behind.

    Ning Xueyan turned around and saw a smiling face. It was none other than Heng Yuqing, Eldest Young Lady of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor.

    ¡°It¡¯s you! I thought I mistook someone else as you,¡± Heng Yuqing said with a smile. Seeing that Ning Xueyan turn around, she jumped out the carriage and ran to Ning Xueyan, lifting the hem of her long skirt.

    She was a straightforward person, and her smile always came from the heart. Ning Xueyan couldn¡¯t help but smile warmly.

    ¡°It¡¯s you, Eldest Young Lady of the Hengs. What a coincidence!¡±

    ¡°Yes. I feel the same way. I have been wanting to go to your manor and visit you after we metst time, but I was so busy, so I couldn¡¯t find time to pay my visit. I was thinking that I might run into you today. I¡¯m so d that you¡¯re here too!¡± Heng Yuqing said excitedly. She pulled Ning Xueyan by her hand and continued, ¡°Please don¡¯t call me Eldest Young Lady of the Hengs. How about you call me Yuqing and I call you Xueyan?¡±

    Looking at Heng Yuqing¡¯s smiling face, Ning Xueyan nodded with a smile. ¡°Okay, Yuqing. Then I¡¯ll put the etiquette aside and call you by your given name.¡±

    ¡°Of course you can call me by my name. Xueyan, let¡¯s go! Did anyone from your manore here with you? Do we need to ask her to go with us?¡± After taking several steps forward hand by hand with Ning Xueyan, she suddenly turned her head around and looked at another carriage, and asked her warmly.

    ¡°I came here with My Third Sister, but she has already walked into the imperial pce with the others,¡± Ning Xueyan answered gently.

    ¡°What? Why didn¡¯t she take you with her? It¡¯s said Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was the most generous and kindest. How could she leave her younger sister here alone?¡± Heng Yuqing curved her lips, but immediately continue to walk, pulling Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand. ¡°Forget it. She didn¡¯t want to wait for you. I¡¯ll guide you there. Anyway, we don¡¯t want topete for a good reputation.¡±

    Heng Yuqing was frank, but she wasn¡¯t stupid. She immediately understood the reason and began to despise Ning Qingshan.

 Chapter 180 - the Legendary Favorite Concubine

    <h4>Chapter 180 the Legendary Favorite Concubine</h4>

    At Prince Yi¡¯s Manor...

    On a spacious machilus chair carved with dragons and phoenixes, was a man who was incredibly handsome against the ck garment with golden trim. His profile was as delicate as being carved, and his good looks were beyond description. And under the ck crown decorated with a dragon design, his beautiful eyes were deep and as bottomless abyss and as dark as pure ck ink, without a trace of light.

    There was a gorgeous invitation card among his slender fingers, and several rubies on the invitation letter had crumbed by him.

    With a strange smile on his thin lips, he asked coldly, ¡°Was this invitation card sent from the imperial pce?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It was just sent here from the imperial pce. Prince Yi, they had sent the same invitation card to you before, but they worried that you might forget it, so they asked their people to send another one,¡± Eunuch Wang answered carefully. His master did not seem to be happy now.

    Whenever such a look appeared on that extremely handsome face, his master was not in a good mood. Since he had upset his master, what Eunuch Wang could do was to pray for himself.

    ¡°I won¡¯t go. Tell them that I¡¯m sick!¡± Rolling his eyes and curving his lips, Ao Chenyi threw the invitation card into the air. He found people from the imperial ce became even more boring. At this time every year, they would invite some noble Young Ladies to enjoy flowers in the imperial pce and then asked the princes to join them. He did not know what their purpose was, and for him, it was a burden to attend the party.

    The invitation card banged onto the floor. All the precious rubies on it were shaken off and several of them broke into powder the moment they touched the ground. Eunuch Wang swallowed hard subconsciously. He knew that his master had never been patient to deal with this kind of thing.

    ¡°Prince Yi, it¡¯s time to find a hostess for this manor!¡± Although scared, Eunuch Wang had to mention it. Prince Yi was old enough to marry. Without a woman, he couldn¡¯t have a baby. Under the current situation, he would benefit a lot to have awful heir.

    ¡°Hostess?¡± Ao Chenyi curved his lips and narrowed his eyes. A cold, bloodthirsty smile appeared on his lips.

    ¡°Yes. Prince Yi, if you married a woman from the noble family, people of the imperial pce won¡¯t bother you again for this. But if you don¡¯t n to find a woman by yourself, they might designate one that you don¡¯t like.¡± Since Prince Yi did not protest, Eunuch Wang immediately continued to persuade him.

    He had watched Ao Chenyi grow up, so he really hoped him to marry a woman he loved and give birth to several sessors.

    Since Ao Chenyi refused the marriage that the emperor had arranged for him, he had always been requested to attend such parties. Although he had excused himself from going each time, people from the imperial pce would mention it repeatedly. If he married a woman, those people would not trouble him again with such parties, and nobody would me him for not attending the asions.

    Last time, they were at the imperial study room of the emperor when he implicitly refused the emperor¡¯s arrangement of his marriagest time. However, emperor was the most authoritative person in the country, if he arranged the marriage for Ao Chenyi in the presence of the officials, Ao Chenyi would not be able to refuse him anymore.

    Ao Chenyi had realized it. His eyes became even darker. ncing at the invitation card embedded with rubies on the floor, he lifted the corners of his mouth, making him extremely handsome, but also coldest.

    It seemed it was necessary to find a hostess for his manor. He had never worried about how to deal with the emperor, but he had a problem in managing the internal affairs of his manor. He did not think it was a problem, and he would ask the imperial guards to solve the problems if there was anything he did not know how to deal with, but this would arouse gossips!

    Besides, he would be requested to attend parties like this constantly!

    Now he was managing to a semnce of peace with the emperor, but nobody knew when the peace would be broken. He was clear how the emperor jealous and suspicious of him!

    The cold smile on his face had turned to malicious mockery. The emperor wanted to depose him as his younger brother and support his son to inherit the throne, but he worried that the official historians would say that he disobeyed the will of his ancestors. Thus, he would be despised by the world in history.

    Ao Chenyi stood up and pushed the table aside. Then he walked down the tform along the stairs with his hands sped behind his back. ¡°Tell the people from the imperial pce that I won¡¯t forget to attend the party,¡± he said.

    Since the emperor had never been tired of ying this game with him, he would y with him.

    It was a long way from the imperial pce to the Plum Garden. Fortunately, with Heng Yuqing by her side, Ning Xueyan wasn¡¯t bored. After turning the corner, she caught sight of a corner of an extremely huge pce. From afar, she saw the beams and pirs of the pce were carved and painted with borate designs, and looked extremely exquisite. Although the pces around it were also tall and exquisite, they seemed tock something whenpared to this one.

    ¡°Is that the empress¡¯ pce?¡± Ning Xueyan asked curiously. That pce was so obvious, but it wasn¡¯t on the central axis of all the imperial pces.

    ¡°No, it isn¡¯t.¡± Heng Yuqing looked in the direction of her gaze, and then looked at the left and the right before saying in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s Honored Consort Xia¡¯s pce. She lives there.¡±

    ¡°Honored Consort Xia?¡± Ning Xueyan had never heard of her before. Her title did not seem to be as high as Honored Consort Shu¡¯s, but apparently the pce was a main pce.

    ¡°The emperor¡¯s favorite concubine Honored Consort Xia lives in that pce. It¡¯s said nobody has ever seen her. She is extremely beautiful and is quiet by nature, so she hasn¡¯t shown up in front of outsiders by now. She is very mysterious. Someone said that she is the concubine of the former emperor, but I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s true.¡±

    Heng Yuqing whispered.

    ¡°The former emperor¡¯s concubine?¡± Ning Xueyan was shocked. It was incredible that a former emperor¡¯s concubine could be favored by the current emperor like this!

    ¡°She never attended any parties?¡± Ning Xueyan could not help but want to know more about the mysterious Honored Consort Xia.

    ¡°Yeah, never. She has never shown up even on Empress Dowager¡¯s birthday party or the big day of the emperor and the empress. I asked many noble youngdies, and they all have never seen Honored Consort Xia. But ording to people from the imperial pce, it¡¯s true that there¡¯s such an honored consort here.¡± Heng Yuqing had asked many people about Honored Consort Xia out of curiosity, and she got the same answer. Honored Consort Xia did live here, but except for very few people of the imperial pce, nobody had seen her.

    She was really strange!

    As the favorite concubine of the emperor, everybody would bow to her except for the emperor. If it had been someone else, they would definitely have shown off in front of others. It was weird that she was even unknown. If Heng Yuqing had not told her, Ning Xueyan would never know that there was a favorite concubine never showing herself up in front of outsiders.

    While talking, they had passed the imperial road and came to a section of the imperial wall outside the Plum Garden. Since there was no gate here, they had to walk forward along the imperial wall.

    Before entering the garden, they had seen several branches of plum blossoms stretch out from inside. The flowers were in full bloom and extremely beautiful, white as snow and red as fire.

    Many Young Lady stopped watching and Ning Qingshan stood among a group of people in distance. She was looking at the plum blossoms with a delicate smile. No matter from which angle, she was a delicate beauty who behaved gracefully.

    Ning Xueyan slowed down as well. She turned her head aside and saw several handsome young childeing along the opposite road. The first two of them were Third Prince, Ao Mingyu and Fourth Prince, Ao Mingwan!

    ¡°They walked so fast just now. But why did they stop here?¡± Heng Yuqing asked, pointing at Ning Qingshan and those youngdies. By this point, she had not noticed that Ao Mingyu and the others walking over from aside yet.

    ¡°Maybe they¡¯re waiting for someone!¡± Ning Xueyan answered meaningfully. Ning Qingshan would never miss any opportunity to be close with Third Prince!

    ¡°Who?¡± Heng Yuqing looked around and immediately catch sight of Third Prince and the others. A trace of sarcasm appeared on her face. She pointed at Ning Qingshan, who was the most attractive one among the youngdies and asked, ¡°It looks like Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. I didn¡¯t expect that after three years, she is still so hypocritical!¡±

    ¡°Oh? Yuqing, you knew my Third Sister before?¡± Ning Xueyan did not want to run into Third Prince, so she deliberately slowed down. She nned to wait for the two groups in front of her to meet and follow them.

    ¡°Of course! Everyone knows Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor in the capital. It¡¯s said that her filial piety is unmatched, and she has the air of a noble youngdy. But I don¡¯t think so. She always puts on a show and she is quite good at it! Three years ago, I ran into her at Honored Consort Ya¡¯s pce when I visited Honored Consort Ya. We talked for a while in the side hall and she broke Honored Consort Ya¡¯s porcin by ident, but she framed me for breaking it!¡±

    Heng Yuqing said angrily.

    ¡°She said it was you who broke it?¡± Ning Xueyan asked curiously. It was very much Ning Yuling¡¯s style to me someone else for her mistakes.

    ¡°No, she didn¡¯t. She kept on saying that she should be med for not taking care of the porcin carefully. She also wanted to kneel down and plead for me!¡± At the thought of the scene, Heng Yuqing could not hold back her anger. Because Ning Qingshan kept on pleading for her, and Heng Yuqing had even no opportunity to exin for herself before being scolded by her mother. Finally, Honored Consort Ya persuaded her mother, saying that she was just a kid and it was not a big deal.

    Heng Yuqing failed to argue for herself and took the me for Ning Qingshan. She could not remain calm whenever she thought of this.

    Ning Xueyan smiled. It was quite Ning Qingshan¡¯s style. She was good at making others suffer but could not tell anyone else. And people who did not know the truth had always praised her and med the one who had suffered.

    The two groups in front of her met finally. At sight of so many young childes, even the distinguished Third Prince, Fourth Prince and several other noble Princely Heirs were among them, those youngdies could not help being excited. They greeted them with blushed faces.

    Furthermore, their brothers might also be there among the childes. So the two groups immediately merged into one and walked toward Plum Garden.

    However, there were too many people in the group. Plus the personal maids, eunuchs and pce maids, the end of the line was very close to Ning Xueyan and Heng Yuqing.

    Ning Xueyan pulled Heng Yuqing¡¯s hand and stopped off the road. She wanted to wait until they were a little further away from her.

    ¡°Eee? Who¡¯s that girl? I have never seen her before.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen her either. Which manor is she from?¡±

    ¡°She looks like Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s impossible! I heard that she was ugly and timid, and she has always hidden hers in the manor and never shown up in public.¡± Several childes¡¯ faces lit up when they passed by Ning Xueyan who was standing outside the wall. One or two of them had once had a look at Ning Xueyan from the instance at the Cold Mountain Temple.

    But at that point, she had been very thin and wearing. After some time¡¯s resting, she had removed. Besides, she dressed up carefully today, so many people were stunned by her beauty.

 Chapter 181 - Prince Yiâ€™s Favorite Concubine Is at the Imperial Palace

    <h4>Chapter 181 Prince Yi¡¯s Favorite Concubine Is at the Imperial Pce</h4>

    Several branches of plum blossom stretched out from the heavy and thick imperial pce wall. A girl stood beside the wall gracefully. On her fair face was a pair of gentle eyes that sparkled with wisdom, and they were watery, as if covered with a thinyer of fog. Although she had not well-developed yet, from her extremely delicate and beautiful features, everybody could tell that she would be an extremely beautifuldy in the future. The snow-white imperial chiffon she wore fluttered in the wind, entuating her slender waist.

    She looked beautiful and smart, but a little bit cold. Under the plum blossom, it felt like this pretty girl was originally part of the beautiful scenery.

    It was unbelievable! It was said Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was both ugly and unsociable. These rumors were all nonsense! The best things were always hidden before they were shown. Everyone felt that Ning Qingshan was extremely charming after leaving three years, butpared to Ning Xueyan, she was not that shining.

    Even though Ning Qingshan did not seem to be inferior from appearance, and she even looked more attractive than Ning Xueyan because of her well-developed figure, how about some yearster?

    Seeing everyone, including Third Prince beside her stop, Ning Qingshan turned her head along with the gazes of them, and saw Ning Xueyan. She was shocked, and then gloom and coldness filled her eyes because of anger. She was in the carriage ahead of Ning Xueyan¡¯s, and she did not wait for Ning Xueyan before walking to the imperial pce, so she had not seen how Ning Xueyan looked like after dressing up.

    Now at sight of Ning Xueyan, she almost could hardly keep her smile. She twisted the handkerchief in her sleeve hard, nearly tore it up.

    She admitted that Ning Xueyan was outstanding, but she never thought that she couldpare with her. To her surprise, after dressing up, Ning Xueyan was as beautiful as her!

    ¡°Third Young Lady?¡± Fourth Prince, Ao Mingwan¡¯s eyes were shining at sight of Ning Xueyan. He eximed in happy surprise and turned to walk toward Ning Xueyan.

    The beautiful figure under the plum tree always shed in his mind, and he could not forget her. He was regret not having spoken to her the first time he saw her because he had worried that it might be improper to do so.

    Seeing Ao Mingwan walking to Ning Xueyan, Third Prince¡¯s face darkened. He did not say anything, but walked forward quietly instead. The others moved forward following him.

    Now Fourth Prince, Ao Mingwan was the only one in the group going in the opposite direction.

    ¡°Third Prince, don¡¯t you want to greet Fifth Sister?¡± Ning Qingshan asked calmly while walking forward.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s necessary. If I have to greet everyone I know, I might not be able to reach the Plum Garden.¡± Third Prince smiled slightly, looking graceful and proud.

    He was the distinguished prince, so of course he could speak that way.

    ¡°Everyone he knows?¡± Ning Qingshan was filled with joy. It meant that Third Prince did not treat Ning Xueyan special. Smile came back on her face and she shifted the topic. ¡°It has been three years. Third Prince, are you all right?¡± she asked in a soft voice.

    This was the secret between them, and Ning Qingshan had never told anybody about it. Whenever thinking about it, she felt that there was a special affinity between Third Prince and her. Also because of this, Honored Consort Ya and Third Prince always thought of her. She leaned closer to Third Prince and said this in a low voice on purpose.

    Looking at them from behind, the others would think that the two of them were whispering. The Young Ladies and childes exchanged nces and understood tacitly. It seemed that the rumors about the marriage between the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and Third Prince were well-founded.

    ¡°I¡¯m all right,¡± Ao Mingyu said slightly. Then he turned to the young eunuch beside him and ordered, ¡°Go and get Fourth Prince here. Remind him not to keep our father waiting too long.¡±

    ¡°Got it, Third Prince!¡± the eunuch answered and run to the end of the group.

    Ao Mingwan rushed to Ning Xueyan excitedly, but stopped when he saw the coldness in Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes. He did not know what to say, because he was worried that Ning Xueyan would think him too abrupt. After all, they had not greeted each other officially yet. Thankfully, he was a smart person. Seeing Heng Yuqing there, he immediately asked with a smile, ¡°Miss Heng, why did you walk so slowly? How about going inpany with us? ¡±

    He pointed at the team ahead.

    Ning Xueyan had heard someone say that it was Fourth Prince. She knew she should show her respect, so she bowed to him gracefully.

    ¡°Greetings, Fourth Prince. I was thinking to join you, and I didn¡¯t think that you woulde over. Fourth Prince, what can I do for you?¡± Heng Yuqing took a step forward and stood in front of Ning Xueyan with a smile. Although Fourth Prince was talking with her, his eyes were on Ning Xueyan, so his intention was obvious. Heng Yuqing was worried that Ning Xueyan might be scared because it was her first time toe to the imperial pce, so she deliberately blocked Fourth Prince¡¯s vision.

    He had nothing special but wanted to meet Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. But he could not say it.

    ¡°Which manor is this Young Lady from? I have never seen her before,¡± Fourth Prince asked, pointing at Ning Xueyan who was standing behind Heng Yuqing. He was bold and without anybody introducing for him, he began to ask about Ning Xueyan.

    Since he had asked about her, Ning Xueyan knew she shouldn¡¯t hide herself anymore. She let out a sigh helplessly and walked out from behind Heng Yuqing. ¡°I¡¯m Lord Protector¡¯s daughter. Greetings, Fourth Prince,¡± she said.

    ¡°I¡¯m not mistaken. She is the beauty I saw the other day. She is even more beautiful today than on the other day!¡± Ao Mingwan was overjoyed, and he was about to talk to her before the eunuch running over.

    ¡°Fourth Prince, Third Prince asked you to go over there. He said that the emperor was waiting for you there.¡±

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be there soon!¡± Hearing that the emperor was waiting in front, Ao Mingwan did not dare to dy. He nodded and turned to Ning Xueyan and Heng Yuqing. ¡°Miss Ning, Miss Heng, I have to leave now,¡± he said.

    Then he strode away. Looking at Fourth Prince who had suddenly appeared in front of them, Ning Xueyan and Heng Yuqing exchanged nces and both of them felt confused.

    After walking for a while, they suddenly saw a young eunuch off the path. He waved to Ning Xueyan. Ning Xueyan looked at him carefully and found it was Eunuch Zhu who worked for Ao Chenyi. She was shocked.

    ¡°Yuqing, please wait for me for a few minutes. That eunuch seems to be waiting for me, so I need to check with him,¡± Ning Xueyan stopped and said helplessly. She had to take it seriously no matter how petty the thing was as long as it rted to Prince Yi.

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll wait for you over there. Be careful.¡± Heng Yuqing saw the eunuch who was waving to Ning Xueyan as well. Although she did not know him, she was clear that she should not ask too much about the imperial pce affairs. She nodded and reminded Ning Xueyan to be careful, watching her walk toward the eunuch.

    ¡°Eunuch Zhu, what¡¯s up?¡± Ning Xueyan walked over and asked with a smile.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, Prince Yi said he wanted you to have fun in another identity, so you must leave the party early,¡± Eunuch Zhu said in a squeaky but low voice, and his attitude was very friendly.

    ¡°Another identity?¡± Ning Xueyan frowned and wondered what Ao Chenyi was going to do. She was at the imperial pce now. If she made any mistakes, her life would end here. Only Prince Yi dared to say having fun here, but she could not afford the consequences if anything went wrong.

    ¡°Eunuch Zhu, could you please tell Prince Yi not to y a game at the party? After all, we¡¯re at the imperial pce,¡± Ning Xueyan said helplessly.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, you have to tell Prince Yi about it in person. I have to go now. Prince Yi¡¯s favorite concubine is in the imperial pce too,¡± Eunuch Zhu said meaningfully with a strange smile.

    ¡°His ¡®favorite concubine¡¯ is here too?¡± It seemed she had to y the game with him no matter if she wanted or not.

    ¡°How could he... What¡¯s he going to do on such an asion? Has he realized that he might be risking her life to y the game?¡± she thought.

    ¡°Okay. I will leave the party early,¡± she answered calmly, gritting her teeth and holding back her anger.

    Who was that man? He was Prince Yi, the younger brother of Chu Kingdom¡¯s present emperor, and the heir to the throne! As distinguish and powerful as him, of course he did not like others to bargain with him. He had never known what passion¡¯ was.

    In his eyes, Ning Xueyan could only see coldness, gloom and bottomless abyss!

    She knew that if nothing bad happened to Prince Yi, she would be safe as well. At least, she was still useful to him.

    ¡°Okay. I will go back to tell Prince Yi.¡± Eunuch Zhu was satisfied that she was smart. He nodded with a smile and turned to leave.

    Ning Xueyan calmed herself down and then turned around, her facee back to normal.

    Seeing her look normal, Heng Yuqing did not ask her anything more. They then walked toward Plum Garden together.

    Now many people had already gathered in the Plum Garden. Along their way, Ning Xueyan and Heng Yuqing saw a number of noble Young Ladies in fine dress. It was a high standard party, so almost all the single noble Young Ladies hade. Without their mothers by their side, these girls were more rxed, and they talked casually.

    Laughter could be heard from time to time.

    It was a littlete when Ning Xueyan and Heng Yuqing arrived and most of the seats had been upied. The male and female guests were arranged on both sides, with only a few flower racks in the middle. The best seats were in the middle of both sides where people could see the other side clearly. In other words, people sitting on the other side could see them clearly as well. Therefore, these seats had already been upied by several distinguished daughters of principal wives.

    Ning Qingshan did not sit at the table near the male guests, because almost all the seats had been upied by Commandery Princesses, County Princesses and other nobledies with grade titles. Therefore, she chose a favorable position at the second table, from where she could see people opposite clearly. The position was neither too near nor too far from the other side.

    ¡°Your Third Sister chose a good ce. Those princes and Princely Heirs are opposite her,¡± Heng Yuqing said dismissively, looking at Ning Qingshan. She did not mean to challenge Ning Qingshan, but thetter¡¯s position was so conspicuous that almost everyone came here would see her sit there gracefully at first nce.

    She was really shrewd. In the blink of an eye, she had already found such a seat where she could show herself easily. It was hard to ignore her.

    Ning Qingshan kept an eye on the gate of the Plum Garden while talking with several Young Ladies with a smile. When she saw Ning Xueyane in, she said to Ling Xue, the daughter of the Assistant Minister of War, Ling Huanian, smiling, ¡°Cousin Xue, my Fifth Sister is there. I¡¯m going to greet her. Do you want toe with me?¡±

    Ling Huanian was Madam Ling¡¯s elder brother, and Ling Xue was only two days younger than Ning Yuling, so if Ning Qingshan took Madam Ling as her mother in name, she should take Ning Xue as her elder female cousin.

    ¡°The girl beside Heng Yuqing is Fifth Young Lady of your manor? She looks ill-mannered. From her appearance, I can tell she is not a well-behaved person,¡± Ling Xue said sarcastically. She turned her head and looked with an exaggerate expression at Ning Xueyan, who was looking for a seat with Heng Yuqing.

    Then she stood up and stopped Ning Qingshan, who was going to rise to her feet. ¡°Stay here. I will greet your Fifth Sister,¡± she said.

    At the thought of her elder brother being beaten by this woman, Ling Xue could not hold her anger. She then walked toward Ning Xueyan angrily.

    Ning Qingshan covered the excitement in her eyes, pretending not having noticed what she said, and began to chat with another Young Lady beside her, but she still looked at Ning Xueyan from the corner of her eyes.

 Chapter 182 - Taking Her for Ning Ziying by Mistake

    <h4>Chapter 182 Taking Her for Ning Ziying by Mistake</h4>

    Xia Yuhang was frozen at sight of Ning Xueyan. He stood still at the gate of the garden, looking both excited and shocked. He clenched his slender fingers into a fist and pressed it on his chest, trying to keep a lid on his pounding heart.

    He didn¡¯t know how many times he had seen the familiar gentle, watery and jet-ck eyes in his dream. When he saw them again, he was so surprised and overjoyed that he couldn¡¯t keep his calm anymore. He strode toward Ning Xueyan, and in his eyes, there was nothing but the bright and familiar eyes.

    She was still alive!

    It was true that she was still alive!

    Ning Xueyan and Heng Yuqing had chosen their seats. They entered the gate of the Plum Garden, with Heng Yuqing in front and Ning Xueyan behind, and was about to walk inside before a well-dressed girl suddenly appeared in front of them and deliberated gave a push of Ning Xueyan.

    Without any preparations, Ning Xueyan took several steps back. She couldn¡¯t keep her bnce anymore and was about to fall onto the ground behind her.

    Heng Yuqing wanted to pull her hand, but it was toote. She was anxious and screamed.

    ¡°Ziying!¡± An excited voice came from Ning Xueyan¡¯s behind. Ning Xueyan was sensitive and she immediately recognized the voice. She bit her lips hard.

    It was Xia Yuhang behind her! She didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with this man!

    Ning Xueyan tried to change her direction as she stumbled backwards, so she dashed aside. She would rather have her head broken or even die than fall into the arms of that cold-blooded man!

    She had loved him so much, but finally she got nothing except for his betrayal. He even murdered her for his own benefits! She had already realized how vicious this man was the moment her blood was shed on the side of the lotus pool that had once been full of affection and sweetness.

    She felt into a man¡¯s strong and warm arms. Ning Xueyan immediately gave it a backhanded shove subconsciously, coldness and bitterness shing in her beautiful eyes.

    The man who was holding her hadn¡¯t expected that the weak girl would burst out with such strength. He was pushed away and almost fell onto the ground. In the process, Ning Xueyan lost her bnce again and was sent fly backward towards the gate that nted behind her. People in the garden had already found something wrong.

    They stood up to watch what was going on. A trace of triumphant smile appeared on Ning Qingshan¡¯s lips. No matter whose arms she now fell into, Ning Xueyan would be aughing stock. If the man who was holding her was a yboy, her reputation might be ruined. Then it was impossible for Madam Dowager to marry her into the imperial family.

    She was so careless at her first imperial party! Even her reputation hadn¡¯t been ruined, all the nobledies would look down upon her in the future.

    Suddenly, she felt herself being pulled by someone, and then she stumbled into the cold and broad arms of a person. That person lifted her up and loosen her teeth between her lips with his slender fingers. She raised her head in surprise and saw an extremely handsome face, as cold and cruel as Asura.

    Her dazed brain suddenly became sober, and a chill came over her back.

    ¡°Prince Yi, Ao Chenyi? How can he show his face here?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ao Chenyi let go of his hand from Ning Xueyan¡¯s slender waist and asked. He nced at Xia Yuhang, who had already been back to normal, Wen Xueran, who was both graceful and extremely beautiful, Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, who was in confusion, and other noble childes who had just arrived at the gate.

    Under Ao Chenyi¡¯s gaze as cold as ice, all of them lowered their heads.

    ¡°I have no idea. Fifth Young Lady was knocked fly out the moment I just reached the gate,¡± Wen Xueran answered, looked innocent. He blinked her eyes, which were even more charming thandies¡¯ and smiled. His smile made him look even more beautiful than flowers. ¡°Fifth Young Lady also stepped hard on my foot just now,¡± he continued.

    It was Wen Xueran, not Xia Yuhang who had been the first one to hold Ning Xueyan just now. To prevent her reputation from being ruined, he didn¡¯t mention it, but cleverly covered it up, merely saying that Ning Xueyan stepped on his foot.

    Ning Xueyan was a little surprised, as she had never expected that the beautiful Princely Heir to be so smart and bold.

    It happened suddenly, and it was only a few seconds from Ning Xueyan¡¯s falling into Wen Xueran¡¯s arms to pushing him away, so nobody had noticed it, except for Ao Chenyi.

    He looked at Wen Xueran for a while and then waved aside.

    Two guards came over. They had seen Ling Xue, who was standing at the gate, looked triumphant the moment they entered the gate. One of the guards walked closer to her, grabbed her by the arm, and dragged her to Prince Yi. The other one kicked her on the ankle before she could stand firmly. She lost her bnce and fell onto the ground heavily. She screamed at the pain and copsed, propping her hands on the floor.

    ¡°Prince Yi, this woman deliberately knocked thatdy onto you,¡± a guard said seriously, pointing at Ling Xue on the floor. It sounded like Ling Xue wanted to hurt Ao Chenyi deliberately.

    ¡°Take her out and beat her twenty times with sticks,¡± Ao Chenyi ordered coldly, as if the person he was talking about wasn¡¯t the daughter of a minister assistant, but only an ordinary servant.

    ¡°Prince Yi... my father is Ling Huanian,¡± Ling Xue shouted. Although it hurt so much that she couldn¡¯t even utter the words clearly, she had to take the opportunity to defend herself. Otherwise, she might have no opportunity anymore.

    ¡°Anyone who dares to hurt Prince Yi must die!¡± a eunuch shouted. His shrill voice seemed toe from the hell, and it gave everyone present the creeps.

    Prince Yi was the demon king who killed people without blinking an eye, so it was a piece of cake for him to end a person¡¯s life. Even the minister had no opportunity to survive if he offended Ao Chenyi, let alone the daughter of a minister assistant!

    Third Prince, Ao Mingyu walked over in a hurry. He clenched his fists in his sleeves, veins sprang up on the back of his hands, but he looked calm with a faint smile. He walked closer to Ao Chenyi and bowed to him respectfully. ¡°Uncle, what happened?¡±

    ¡°She tried to hurt my favorite concubine!¡± Ao Chenyi answered coldly. His voice was low and maic, but as cold as ice.

    ¡°No! I didn¡¯t! I, I just knocked her by ident,¡± Seeing that Third Prince stood out and spoke for her, Ling Xue immediately argued.

    With two loud sounds, she was pped twice. Blood ran down the corners of her mouth, and she burst into tears out of pain.

    It was not Ao Chenyi¡¯s people, but two eunuchs behind Ao Mingyu who had pped her.

    ¡°Uncle, please forgive her for my sake. Today is supposed to be a happy day, and my father and mother wille outter,¡± Third Prince pleaded.

    Ling Huanian was on his side, so he must save his daughter, but he knew he should let Ao Chenyi vent his anger first. Otherwise, Ao Chenyi might take it out on Ling Huanian. Everyone knew that Ao Chenyi never show mercy to people who had offended him, and the imperial guards under his leadership were good at extracting a confession by torturing. They could even turn ck and white. Besides, it was a fact that Ling Xue had pushed Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Throw her out! My woman doesn¡¯t want to see her.¡± Ao Chenyi looked at Third Prince and suddenly smiled with strange coldness. Then he waved his hand generously.

    ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll arrange it right now.¡± Third Prince waved his hand, and two guards immediately came over. Despite the fact that she was an official¡¯s daughter, they lifted Ling Xue up, one held her head, the other her feet, and moved her out.

    ¡°Prince Yi! Prince Yi, I was wronged...¡± Ling Xue was scared, and regardless of the pain, she struggled and shouted.

    A eunuch walked over to her and stuffed a piece of cloth which he had found from nowhere into her mouth. Then the nobledy was thrown out like trash.

    Seeing that Ling Xue had been thrown out, Ao Chenyi smiled with satisfaction. He shook his ck sleeve and nodded to Third Prince before walking into the Plum Garden, following by his concubine and a group of people.

    He didn¡¯t even talk to anyone else present.

    Ning Xueyan lowered her head and stood aside cautiously. Only when the aggressive man had disappeared did she raise her head again and take a deep breath.

    Heng Yuqing, who had been frozen at shock came to herself and rushed to Ning Xueyan. She grabbed her by the hand and sized her up. ¡°Xueyan, are you okay? Did you get hurt?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay!¡± Ning Xueyan shook her head and smiled faintly. Heng Yuqing suddenly saw the wound on her lips and she asked anxiously, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your lips? They¡¯re bleeding!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. I hurt my lips identally just now.¡± With that, she pulled Heng Yuqing and turned to bow to Third Prince. ¡°Thank you very much, Third Prince!¡± she said.

    No matter whether Ao Mingyu really wanted to save her or not, she had to pretend that she had been saved by him. It would be better for both of them.

    ¡°It¡¯s you?! Did you get hurt?¡± Ao Mingyu was surprised that it was Ning Xueyan who had been knocked fly out. After a short moment, his surprise was reced by terror. He knew that Ao Chenyi wasn¡¯t a reasonable person. If he insisted that Ning Xueyan had knocked him deliberately, she would get into big trouble, and she could be even worse off than Ling Xue was.

    After all, she was the person who had bumped into Ao Chenyi.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t get hurt. Thank you, Third Prince.¡± Ning Xueyan showed her appreciation again. Then she turned to Wen Xueran, who stood aside with an enchanting smile. She smiled at him to show her gratitude, and she had a feeling that Wen Xueran knew her well.

    ¡°I¡¯m d that you¡¯re fine. Third Prince, we¡¯ll go back to our seats.¡± Since Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t get injured and even had survived from Prince Yi, Heng Yuqing felt relieved. She had been in a cold sweat and now her feet felt like jelly, so she only wanted to find a ce to sit down.

    ¡°Go ahead!¡± Ao Mingyu nodded with a smile and made a way for them. He looked at Ning Xueyan¡¯s slim and weak figure, and was lost in thought.

    She was by no means an ordinarydy! Ling Xue had been severely punished only because she had pushed her. Ning Xueyan bumped into Ao Chenyi, but she could still stay calm. Even when she saw that Ling Xue had been treated like that, she had shown no sign of panic. It was impossible for an ordinary woman to keep calm under such circumstances.

    As for the men present, except for a few of them had been able to remain calm, all the others hadn¡¯t dare even raise their heads, and none of them dared to speak in front of the ruthless killer, Prince Yi.

    But this woman could face him calmly!

    With her ease, she had the potential to be a prince¡¯s wife.

    ¡°Maybe my wife should be this Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.¡± Thinking about this, Third Prince¡¯s eyes softened unconsciously.

    The softness in his eyes was caught by a pair of enchanting and bright eyes, which rolled slightly and suddenly shed with a trace of weird look.

 Chapter 183 - Uncle, Is There Anyone You Like?

    <h4>Chapter 183 Uncle, Is There Anyone You Like?</h4>

    ¡°Fifth Sister, what¡¯s wrong with you? Are you okay?¡± Ning Qingshan came over to them from aside and asked solicitously as soon as Ning Xueyan and Heng Yuqing sat down.

    From where she had sat just now, she could see what had happened inside the garden, but not outside.

    Seeing that Ning Xueyan had been knocked fly out the gate, she was excited, and when she saw that Ling Xue was dragged out by two guards and heard the screaming of a woman, she was surer that Ning Xueyan had gotten into big troubles. Even Ling Xue who had just given her a push suffered for it, so obviously, the consequence was serious.

    But she became confused when she saw what had happened next. Prince Yi, who was well-known for his ruthlessness, came in with a woman in a veil, and after a short while she saw Ning Xueyan!

    ¡°So Ning Xueyan has bumped against the cold-blooded Prince Yi?¡±

    Ning Qingshan immediately disproved this assumption. If Ning Xueyan had bumped against Prince Yi, it was impossible for her toe back safe and sound.

    ¡°If it was not that case, why did the woman scream?¡±

    When Ning Qingshan was talking to Ning Xueyan, all the Young Ladies around turned their attention to them and listened carefully. There had been a lot of noise outside of the gate, but they were sitting inside, so they didn¡¯t know what was going on.

    ¡°Third Sister, did you sit together with Ling Xue just now?¡± Ning Xueyan asked gently and smiled faintly. But Ning Qingshan saw the sarcasm on her lips. Her jet-ck eyes were so cold that Ning Qingshan could not help but avoid them subconsciously.

    When Ning Xueyan came into the gate, she had seen that Ning Qingshan and Ling Xue sat side by side intimately.

    ¡°I... Yes, I sat with her just now. What¡¯s the problem?¡± Ning Qingshan was shocked and immediately asked back.

    Since there had been many people around her and Ling Xue, she knew she couldn¡¯t deny it.

    Heng Yuqing figured out something as well. She suddenly stood up and shouted angrily at Ning Qingshan, ¡°You must have abetted Ling Xue to push Xueyan! Am I right? I was wondering why Ling Xue suddenly rushed out and pushed Xueyan out the gate on purpose. Now I know you¡¯re the mastermind behind!¡±

    Heng Yuqing couldn¡¯t help burning with anger at the thought of the dangerous moment.

    ¡°Ning Qingshan is the mastermind behind?¡± Discussion immediately rose among the Young Ladies around them. They looked at Ning Qingshan shockingly.

    Ning Qingshan blushed, and she looked both aggrieved and sad with tears rolling in her eyes, as if Heng Yuqing and Ning Xueyan were bullying her.

    Ning Qingshan enjoyed a good reputation, and everyone took her as the model of the nobledies. Therefore, someone began to feel sorry for her. A Young Lady stood up and said, ¡°Miss Heng, you must be mistaken! Ling Xue walked to Fifth Young Lady alone, and nobody thought she would have knocked her. Third Young Lady has nothing to with it!¡±

    ¡°She has nothing to do with it? Then why Ling Xue rushed over after she had talked something to her? Do you want to get Ling Xue here and ask her if she pushed Xueyan because someone had told her to do so?¡± Heng Yuqing said. Although she hadn¡¯t seen Ning Qingshan talking to Ling Xue, since she had been set up by Ning Qingshan once, she guessed that Ning Qingshan had something to do with it.

    ¡°Heng Yuqing, what are you talking about? Who stipted that nobody could talk to Ling Xue? If anyone who talked to her is suspicious, many of us have talked to her just now. Can you say that all of us have something to do with that? Fifth Young Lady hasn¡¯tined yet. What are you yelling about here? Third Young Lady has juste back after leaving us for three years. How could you bully her again?¡±

    This Young Lady seemed to have used to antagonizing Heng Yuqing, and she was using her of nonsense and meddling. Although Ning Qingshan didn¡¯t say anything, everyone believed that she was innocent when they saw her wronged appearance.

    ¡°Yuqing, this Young Lady, please stop arguing. It doesn¡¯t matter whether someone had put her up to pushing me or not. As long as Prince Yi doesn¡¯t get angry, I don¡¯t care about anything else,¡± Ning Xueyan walked over to Heng Yuqing and that Young Lady, and persuaded them gently.

    ¡°Prince Yi? He has something to do with this ident?¡±

    Everybody¡¯s heart shivered. Nobody dared to spread gossips about Prince Yi, because they all knew that if they were careless and offended him, they would die without even knowing the reason. Besides, their families would get into trouble because of this. The Young Ladies here were all from noble families, but none of them dared to provoke the powerful Prince Yi.

    ¡°Prince Yi ordered to break Ling Xue¡¯s legs and throw her out the imperial pce just now. If he knew that there was someone put Ling Xue up to bump against him, the result could be terrible!¡± Ning Xueyan said in a gentle voice. Although she didn¡¯t speak loudly, all the Young Ladies were frozen out of fear.

    After all, Ling Xue was the daughter of a minister assistant. It was a great shame for her, even if her legs hadn¡¯t been broken, and she would be looked down upon by others in the future. Who would marry a girl who had been thrown out the imperial pce as his principal wife? It would be too humiliating!

    ¡°I haven¡¯t spoken to her.¡±

    ¡°Neither do I!¡±

    ¡°She has been by Third Young Lady¡¯s side, talking to her.¡±

    ¡°Yes. I saw that Ling Xue had been talking to Third Young Lady, and their seats were next to each other...¡±

    The Young Ladies said one after another, trying to distance themselves from Ling Xue, and nobody dared to defend her any more. They were not stupid and they knew that their lives were much more important than Ning Qingshan¡¯s innocence.

    What they said proved Ning Qingshan and Ling Xue were very close.

    Ning Qingshan had gotten well with all the noble Young Ladies before, but Ling Xue was Ning Yuqing¡¯s cousin by blood, so her rtionship with Ling Xue should not be as intimate as Ning Yuling with Ling Xue. Nobody knew when they had be so close that they never left each other alone. Unfortunately, the ident urred the moment they had just apart.

    There were several little birds among the Young Ladies. They knew what had happened at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor yesterday. The rumor said that Ning Qingshan had framed Ning Xueyan in order to take the administration power from her hand. They didn¡¯t know the detailed information, but they knew that there were no waves without wind. If nothing had happened between Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan, nobody would have spread such rumors.

    They hadn¡¯t believed it at the beginning, but now... it seemed the rumor was true!

    Some Young Ladies looked at Ning Qingshan in suspicion and doubt.

    ¡°Could this Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor not be so gentle and generous as rumor has it?¡±

    Being stared by these Young Ladies, Ning Qingshan felt embarrassed. She had never expected that Prince Yi would have been involved in this ident. What scared her most was how he had treated Ling Xue. He was really as ruthless as legend had it. A nobledy¡¯s future had been ruined by him like this. Ling Xue would have little chance to marry a childe from a noble family in the future.

    The punishment was too severe!

    ¡°Third Sister, go back to your seat. Otherwise, Prince Yi will think that we¡¯re gossiping about him by mistake,¡± before Ning Qingshan could exin for herself, Ning Xueyan had spoken. Hearing that, all the Young Ladies around them immediately scattered.

    Nobody wanted to risk their lives being suspected by him Prince Yi.

    Losing her audience, and being suppressed by Ning Xueyan with the topic of Prince Yi, Ning Qingshan bit her lip in embarrassment. She was so angry that she really wanted to rush over and p Ning Xueyan, but she showed nothing on her face. Now the perfect smile on her face had been reced by awkwardness. She answered, ¡°I¡¯ll go over there now. Fifth Sister, please let me know if you need any help.¡±

    She didn¡¯t want to be with Ning Xueyan now, because she was afraid that Prince Yi might be suspicious. He was sitting on the chief seat of the male guests, so he was probably look in this direction.

    ¡°Go ahead, Third Sister.¡± Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t insist on keeping her. She smiled and saw Ning Qingshan go back to her seat alone.

    Ning Qingshan had caused so much trouble and even offended Prince Yi, the extremely powerful man in the country, so all the Young Lady became more cautious, and they were more careful when they spoke. They had learned the lesson from Ling Xue, and wouldn¡¯t be abetted into doing something inappropriate.

    Since these noble Young Ladies were all the high-rank official¡¯s daughters, they knew how dangerous the court businesses were.

    So very few Young Ladies would like to be close with Ning Qingshan, and she was not the center of them anymore.

    It was useless even if Ning Qingshan became the Third Prince¡¯s wife in the future, because Third Prince had to be respectful to Prince Yi. Besides, Ning Qingshan had offended Prince Yi, so it was still unknown if she could marry Third Prince. Some Young Ladies who had a crush on Third Prince couldn¡¯t stay calm anymore. They looked at Third Prince, who was sitting among the male guests, with burning affection.

    Ao Chenyi sat on the principal seat, and only he and his veiled favorite concubine sat at the first table. This concubine didn¡¯t seem in mood, and she always lowered her head. It was said that she had a quarrel with Ao Chenyi, and it was the first time for them to show up together in public after their quarrel.

    It felt like Ao Chenyi didn¡¯t take the party seriously to have brought his favorite concubine to such an asion at the imperial pce. Besides, the purpose of this royal banquet was to find spouses for the princes.

    All the other male guests came here to find the principal wife for themselves, but Prince Yi brought a ¡®pet¡¯ here!

    ¡°Uncle, my father asked you to look at these Young Ladies carefully. They¡¯re all single and from noble families. If there¡¯s anyone you like, my father will marry her to you,¡± Ao Mingyu said, pointing at those noble Young Ladies opposite them.

    The Young Ladies blushed and their hearts beat fast when they saw Prince Yi look in their direction. However, they felt as if they were in the ice cer when they saw the coldness in his eyes.

    Although Prince Yi¡¯s appearance and temperament were unparalleled, all the Young Ladies went stiff at fear under his cold and indifferent gazes. They knew they would be extremely distinguished if they could be the hostess of the Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, but at the thought of facing such a ruthless person every day, they couldn¡¯t help shivering.

    They had heard that many women who had been sent to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor were beaten to death and thrown to the graveyard.

    Although they were all noble Young Ladies, it meant nothing to this prince. Ling Xue had been thrown out the imperial pce just now. If they married Prince Yi, they might die even without knowing the reason.

    They were worried that even if they died unjustly after they had been sent to the Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, nobody would dare to get justice for them at the risk of offending the powerful Prince Yi.

    Moreover, Prince Yi even had brought his favorite concubine to attend the imperial pce party. Apparently, this woman was by no means ordinary. Nobody would like to have such an opponent.

    Soon, those highly raised shy faces lowered.

    Everyone knew thatpared to the distinguished status, their lives were more important.

    ¡°Your father asked me to choose my wife here?¡± Ao Chenyi said with a slight smile, the disdain obvious on his extremely handsome face.

    Such an expression showed that he was contemptuous of the party.

    ¡°Yes, uncle. My father said that you were old enough to marry a wife. These are all the noblest daughters of principal wives of the high-rank officials. Uncle, is there anyone you like?¡± Ao Mingwan raised his head and asked with a smile, holding back his anger.

 Chapter 184 - I Have Nothing Special with Third Young Lady

    <h4>Chapter 184 I Have Nothing Special with Third Young Lady</h4>

    ¡°Noble Young Ladies?¡± Ao Chenyi nced at all the female guests, and suddenly pointed at a Youngdy with a sneer. ¡°Can the outstanding Third Young Lady from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor be taken as a noble Young Lady?¡± he asked.

    Since Ning Qingshan returned to the manor, news about her had been widely spread. Besides, Third Prince had visited her in person at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, so everyone had thought that she was Ao Mingyu¡¯s woman. Now Ao Chenyi talked about her in such a cold and frivolous voice, having no more respect for her than for a prostitute.

    Ao Mingyu was the distinguished prince with pure royal blood, he had never been humiliated like this. When he heard that the woman he had a crush on had been despised like this, his smile froze, and a strong sense of killing appeared in the depth of his eyes.

    Ao Chenyi was so powerful that even Ao Mingyu¡¯s father, the emperor, dared not to be in conflict with him openly.

    And all the assassins Ao Mingyu had sent were killed. Therefore, he dared not to offend Ao Chenyi.

    ¡°Uncle, you¡¯re kidding. Third Young Lady is not Lord Protector¡¯s principal wife¡¯s biological daughter, but she is her daughter in the name, so of course she can be taken as a noble Young Lady as well.¡± When Ao Mingyu raised his head, the smile came back on his face. He continued, ¡°Uncle, if you like Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, I¡¯ll report to my father immediately.¡±

    He had thought that he would be heartbroken when he had to give the woman he liked to another man, but he found it was not that difficult to say it. His smile was even as natural as it had been. When he nced at the beautiful face of Ning Qingshan, there was only a slight fluctuation in his mind. Even though Ning Qingshan had saved his life and impressed him so much,pared to the throne, she was not that important.

    ¡°So you can bear to lose her?¡± There was a trace of ambiguity in Prince Yi¡¯s smile. He looked at Ao Mingyu from the corner of his eyes, made Ao Mingyu extremely nervous.

    ¡°Uncle, I have nothing special with Third Young Lady. She has stayed in the imperial pce for some time, and my mother liked her very much. My mother asked me to visit her when she heard that she has just returned to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. It wasn¡¯t like the rumors have it,¡± Ao Mingyu exined with a smile.

    He knew he couldn¡¯t hide the fact that he had visited Ning Qingshan, especially from Ao Chenyi, the leader of the imperial guards.

    ¡°Oh. Will my elder brother agree if I want her to be my co-consort?¡± Ao Chenyi seemed to be talking to himself, her eyes even darker and colder.

    Ao Mingyu clenched his fists in his sleeves, and almost couldn¡¯t hide his killing intent anymore.

    ¡°He means the woman I wanted to marry as my principal wife is fit only for him to be a co-consort!¡± Ao Mingyu thought.

    He managed to hold back his anger and asked, ¡°Uncle, I¡¯ll arrange for it if you like. Do you want me to report to my father right now?¡±

    ¡°Forget it. Let¡¯s talk about itter. There are a few beautifuldies that I think are pretty good. The others are too ugly and I don¡¯t want to see them. Is that the Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?¡± Ao Chenyi shook his wide sleeve and then leaned against the back of the big machilus chair. His beautiful eyes fixed on Ning Xueyan, shing a trace of coldness and slyness.

    ¡°Uncle, she is Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, the girl who bumped against you just now. She is too young and reckless, so she didn¡¯t behave properly.¡± Ao Mingyu saw Ning Xueyan along the gaze of Ao Chenyi. He frowned slightly, and then came back to normal.

    It was not rare to be engaged at fourteen years old, but it was too early to get married at this age. Ao Chenyi was not very young, so it was impossible for him to remain unmarried for one or two years after his engagement.

    Furthermore, a reckless girl wasn¡¯t suitable for him.

    ¡°It¡¯s pity that she is too young! But she looks good,¡± Ao Chenyi said in agreement. He narrowed his eyes, and shifted his gaze from Ning Xueyan to other Young Ladies.

    Ao Mingyu let out a sigh of relief for no reason. He moved forward and introduced those noble Young Ladies one by one for Ao Chenyi. It seemed he didn¡¯t mean it, but at where he was, he happened blocked Ao Chenyi¡¯s view of Ning Xueyan.

    Ao Chenyi was extremely charming, and even women couldn¡¯t match him, let alone men. Therefore, it was no wonder that he thought those Young Ladies were ugly. He seldom praised the others. It didn¡¯t mean that he thought Ning Xueyan was more charming than him, but at least, he was impressed with her. This made Ao Mingyu ufortable.

    He even felt worse than when Ao Chenyi had an interest in Ning Qingshan.

    The banquet hadn¡¯t started yet, so people were talking in small groups. Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t know anyone else, but Heng Yuqing knew a lot of people here, and someone came to chat with her from time to time, so they didn¡¯t look lonely here.

    Ning Qingshan sat on her seat, looked still gentle and graceful. She chatted with people beside her asionally andughed gently, covering her mouth with a handkerchief. Suddenly, a eunuch walked over to her and asked,

    ¡°Are you Third Young Lady from Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?¡±

    Ning Qingshan immediately stood up and answered gracefully, ¡°Yes. What can I do for you?¡±

    ¡°Honored Consort Ya wanted to meet you. This way, please!¡± The eunuch gestured politely with a smile.

    Honored Consort Ya took Ning Qingshan so seriously that she even arranged a eunuch to invite her to her pce! Now several Commandery Princesses and County Princesses couldn¡¯t help but shift their attention to her, and other noble Young Ladies were all looking at her with admiration in their eyes.

    ¡°Got it. Please lead the way,¡± Ning Qingshan said with a smile. Under the gaze of everyone, she maintained her easy and grace.

    ¡°Okay. Third Young Lady, please follow me,¡± the eunuch said respectfully with a smile. He worked for Honored Consort Ya, so of course he knew that Honored Consort Ya thought highly of Ning Qingshan. It had been the case three years ago, and even more so three yearster. Third Young Lady was very likely to be Third Prince¡¯s wife, so the eunuch treated her with great respect.

    Ning Qingshan nodded, and then walked out Plum Garden and headed for Honored Consort Ya¡¯s pce, following the eunuch.

    As soon as they walked out of the Plum Garden, Ning Qingshan suddenly stopped. She frowned slightly and sighed, as if she had something difficult to say.

    ¡°Third Young Lady, is there something you want me to do?¡± Every one of the imperial pce was smart. The eunuch figured out her intention and immediately asked. He had regarded Ning Qingshan as Third Prince¡¯s wife, his master in the future, so he was happy to have such an opportunity to tter her.

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk over there.¡± Ning Qingshan looked around and pointed at a quiet ce. They had just walked out the Plum Garden, and where she was pointing was on the path of the turn ahead. From that ce, they could see a part inside of the Plum Garden, including Ning Xueyan.

    It was a little far from where Ning Xueyan sat and they couldn¡¯t see her clearly, but it was enough to know her position and what she looked like.

    ¡°Third Young Lady, please say it.¡± The eunuch wondered at Ning Qingshan¡¯s mysterious behavior. He looked at her extremely beautiful face, having no idea what she wanted to do.

    ¡°Can you ask someone to give this to my Fifth Sister?¡± Ning Qingshan asked, there was something unnatural in her expression. Then she took out a note from her sleeve and pointed at Ning Xueyan who was sitting in the Plum Garden. The eunuch was more convinced that she would be Third Prince¡¯s wife in the future when he saw her gentle air, as if she was born to be elegant and calm.

    ¡°Since Third Young Lady asked me to give it to Fifth Young Lady, I¡¯ll arrange for it right now.¡± The eunuch was surprised that Ning Qingshanmunicated with her sister with a note, but he still nodded.

    ¡°The note isn¡¯t from me. My maid picked it up at the gate. My Fifth Sister had a fall there just now, and the note is written to her. I¡¯m sorry to trouble you. Please keep it as a secret,¡± Ning Qingshan said in a soft voice.

    ¡°Someone wrote the note to Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? Normally, if it isn¡¯t a very private thing, nobody will deliver a note to the others. The person who wrote the note is unlikely to be a girl, because there is nothing between girls to be embarrassed to say directly.¡± the eunuch was experienced and he immediately understood what happened. At the same time, he began to despise the Fifth Young Lady who hade to the imperial pce for her first time.

    Obviously, she had an affair with someone!

    A daughter of the principal wife of Lord Protector even had an affair with someone at the imperial pce! How shameless! They were both the daughters of the principal wife of Lord Protector. Third Young Lady was so well-behaved, but that Young Lady in the distance... How could the gap between them so big?

    Furthermore, Fifth Young Lady was so stupid that she even lost the note, and now, her elder sister had to cover up for her!

    ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll ask someone to bring her there secretly,¡± the eunuch answered. He looked in Ning Xueyan¡¯s direction with a sneer. Although he could only see her vaguely, he wouldn¡¯t get the wrong person.

    Since the eunuch had agreed to help her, Ning Qingshan thanked him and then followed him toward Honored Consort Ya¡¯s pce.

    They bumped into a pce maid on their way. The eunuch stopped her and whispered in her ear. Then he led Ning Qingshan on again.

    Ning Xueyan was talking to Heng Yuqing when a pce maid suddenly walked to her in a hurry. The pce maid said in a low voice, ¡°Fifth Young Lady, someone asked me to give this to you.¡±

    With that, she gave the note to Ning Xueyan carefully.

    Ning Xueyan looked at the note, but she didn¡¯t take it. She raised her head, her long eyshes trembled. Then her jet-ck eyes fixed on the pce maid coldly. ¡°Who asked you to give it to me?¡± she asked.

    She didn¡¯t believe that someone would write a note to her. In the imperial pce, except for the high-profile, arrogant Prince Yi, nobody had anything to do with her. It was impossible for Prince Yi to deliver a note secretly if he wanted to meet her. She had seen him looking at her unscrupulously just now.

    And except Ao Chenyi, she knew nobody in the imperial pce.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I was stopped by a young male servant when I just arrived at the intersection ahead. Fifth Young Lady, he told me that he was your acquaintance, and you would know who he was when you saw him,¡± the pce maid answered with a smile.

    ¡°I think you might be mistaken,¡± Heng Yuqing, who was sitting beside Ning Xueyan, said in surprise.

    Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had only recently appeared in public, and Heng Yuqing had never heard any news about her before that. How could anyone have seen her at the imperial party before. Therefore, it was impossible for anyone from the imperial pce to deliver a note to her. There must be some conspiracy behind this note!

    Moreover, only the noble childes had brought the young male servants with them. That meant the person who wrote the note was among the noble childes opposite them.

    ¡°I won¡¯t get the wrong person. I heard clearly that the young male servant asked to give the note to Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. He also said that Fifth Young Lady had fallen at the gate, and something happened to her... Fifth Young Lady, you¡¯d better check it in person. I¡¯m not clear about it,¡± the pce maid said, as if in a dilemma. What she said sounded make sense.

    It was true that Ning Xueyan had fallen there just now. But wait! The pce maid seemed to be hinting that Ning Xueyan had fallen down because she was doing something unruly with someone.

    Heng Yuqing shot her a re and was about to say something.

 Chapter 185 - A Note That Conveys an Affair

    Chapter 185 A Note That Conveys an Affair

    Ning Xueyan pulled Heng Yuqing¡¯s hand and stopped her. She nodded with a smile and removed a jade bracelet from her wrist. She passed it to the pce maid and said, ¡°Thank you very much for telling me about this. Please ept it as my thanks.¡±

    ¡°Thank you so much, Fifth Young Lady!¡± From the precious gem set on the bracelet, she could tell the bracelet was very valuable. The pce maid hadn¡¯t expected that she would get this benefit by conveying a note for others. She took the bracelet joyfully and bowed to Ning Xueyan. Then she put the note into Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand and turned to leave.

    Ning Xueyan turned her head and said something to Lanning. Lanning nodded and then walked toward a pce maid who was standing behind the banquet table with a smile. She whispered in the pce maid¡¯s ear, looked a little embarrassed. Then the pce maid nodded and led Lanning out.

    Ning Xueyan spread the note in front of her and Heng Yuqing, and began to read it.

    There were only several words on the note, ¡°Fifth Young Lady, pleasee to the Graceful Moon Pavilion soon! Xia Yuhang.¡±

    ¡°Graceful Moon Pavilion? Xia Yuhang?¡± Ning Xueyan was surprised at the beginning, and then her eyes turned to be dark and cold. She had managed to change her direction when she was knocked fly out the gate because she heard Xia Yuhang¡¯s voice. At that point, she would rather die than touch that man.

    That was why she had bumped against Wen Xueran, and then fallen into Ao Chenyi¡¯s arms. When Ling Xue was punished, Ning Xueyan had nced at everyone present, but didn¡¯t find Xia Yuhang. She had heard him call her ¡®Ziying¡¯ seemed to be only a hallucination. But Ning Xueyan was sure that Xia Yuhang had been there.

    ¡°Could this note be written by Xia Yuhang?¡± Ning Xueyan sneered. Then she covered the sarcasm in the depth of her eyes.

    She knew that was impossible.

    She didn¡¯t know why Xia Yuhang suddenly called her ¡®Ziying¡¯, but he was a thoughtful man, and he would definitely not ask her to meet him at the imperial pce.

    At the cost of her blood, she had known what kind of person Xia Yuhang was. But if it was Ning Xueyan who knew nothing about Xia Yuhang, she would believe that the note was written by him. After all, Xia Yuhang was Ning Ziyan¡¯s husband. She would think that Xia Yuhang wanted to meet her because something happened to Ning Ziyan and she needed her in urgent, so she would definitely go and meet Xia Yuhang.

    Except Ning Qingshan, nobody knew Ning Xueyan so well about and hoped something bad happen to her.

    Ning Xueyan became more confident when she smelled a faint fragrance on the note. Her contempt for Ning Qingshan grew. To frame her, Ning Qingshan had spared no effort. The fragrant powder was one of the few she was most familiar with. They were made of a kind of herbal medicine named ¡®white orange¡¯ and some fragrant powder.

    Because the fragrant powder was so special, she remembered it clearly. Besides, she had happened made some yesterday and it was now in her sleeve.

    Yes. This kind of fragrant powder was really special!

    ¡°What does your brother-inw want with you? Could something have happened to your elder sister?¡± Reading the words on the note, Heng Yuqing eximed and then seemed to have figured out what had happened.

    Ning Qingshan must have guessed her reaction.

    ¡°Where is the Graceful Moon Pavilion?¡± Ning Xueyan crumpled the note into a ball and asked.

    ¡°I know this ce. Go straight down the road from the Plum Garden, and then turn right at the intersection. Do you see it? The Graceful Moon Pavilion is at the end of the walk,¡± Heng Yuqing said, pointing at the road outside the Plum Garden.

    ¡°Okay! Got it!¡± Ning Xueyan smiled and stood up thoughtfully.

    ¡°Are you serious?¡± Heng Yuqing suddenly felt a little worried. She pulled Ning Xueyan by the hand and gestured her to sit down. ¡°You¡¯d better not go. Although he is your brother-inw, it¡¯s improper to meet him alone.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I only want to check it, and I won¡¯t go into the Graceful Moon Pavilion,¡± Ning Xueyan said with a gentle smile. Of course, she should go and check what Ning Qingshan had prepared for her. But she had made some preparations to deal with something unexpected.

    ¡°I still felt unassured. How about I go with you?¡± Heng Yuqing moved several times and was about to stand up.

    ¡°Stop! Sit here. It will arouse attention if both of us leave!¡± Ning Xueyan reached out and put her hands on Heng Yuqing¡¯s shoulders. She shook her head to gesture her to sit down.

    ¡°Be careful. If the person is not your brother-inw, don¡¯t walk over.¡± Since Ning Xueyan had made up her mind, Heng Yuqing could only nod and remind her again to be careful.

    ¡°Got it. I will be careful.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded and stood up. Then she walked out, lifting the hem of her long skirt.

    The banquet had not started yet. Most of the guests were still sitting where they were, but there were several lively Young Ladies among them who had left their seats and chatted with other Young Ladies. And two of them were enjoying the plum blossom, standing side by side.

    They were at the Plum Garden, so they could see extremely beautiful Plum blossom everywhere.

    Seeing that nobody had noticed her, Ning Xueyan stood up and walked toward the gate of the Plum Garden.

    Lanning appeared from nowhere and followed her. Nobody noticed them as they went out.

    Ao Chenyi, the aggressive and cold-blooded prince, was leaning against the back of the chair among the male guests. He nced at the Ning Xueyan¡¯s back and smiled meaningfully.

    ¡°Mingyu, has Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor gone to Honored Consort Ya¡¯s pce? So Honored Consort Ya wanted her to be her daughter-inw?¡±

    He suddenly asked.

    Ao Mingyu, who was by his side, didn¡¯t notice that Ning Qingshan had left. Hearing what Prince Yi said, he raised his head and found Ning Qingshan¡¯ seat was empty. He looked a little embarrassed. ¡°My mother has been impressed with her since three years ago. Maybe she just asked her to chat with her. There couldn¡¯t be anything special,¡± he exined.

    He hadn¡¯t protested when Ao Chenyi said that he wanted to choose Ning Qingshan as his concubine. Now being asked by him, he blushed with shame.

    He knew that Honored Consort Ya liked Ning Qingshan. In thest few years, although she had made an arrangement with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to marry Ning Yuling to Third Prince, she had always talked about Ning Qingshan in front of him. And she requested him to promise that even if he had married Ning Yuling, he should marry Ning Qingshan as his co-consort in the future. She repeatedly reminded him to give back to those who had helped him.

    Since Ning Qingshan had saved his life, of course he should repay her well.

    It was three years ago when he had been saved by Ning Qingshan. He had been sick at a remote part of the imperial pce, with nobody by his side. If Ning Qingshan hadn¡¯t found him and managed to help him to the pce of Honored Consort Ya, he might have already died.

    By that point, Ning Qingshan had been only thirteen years old. In order to help him out the room, she had fallen twice, and her hand gotten injured. When the imperial physician arrived, he had tried his best to cure Ao Mingyu, and only after Ao Mingyu was out of danger, had the imperial physician begun to treat Ning Qingshan¡¯s wound. Since Ning Qingshan had paid so much to save him, Third Prince was grateful to her.

    Therefore, he had promised his mother that he would marry Ning Qingshan, no matter as his principal wife or his co-consort.

    Now he was a little annoyed. His mother knew that his father had invited Ao Chenyi to attend the party today, but she still asked Ning Qingshan to her pce. Obviously, she still wanted Ning Qingshan to be her daughter-inw. Then what Ao Mingyu had said could be mistaken for betraying his woman. The others would think that he had to push Ning Qingshan, his fianc¨¦e, into Prince Yi¡¯s arms because he was afraid of him.

    ¡°Oh? Honored Consort Ya is reallyid back. She even had time to summon an official¡¯s daughter she liked three years ago!¡± Ao Chenyi smiled meaningfully, didn¡¯t seem to have seen Ao Mingyu¡¯s awkward expression.

    At this point, Ning Xueyan had walked out of the courtyard. Lanning took several steps forward and passed her something she had taken out from her sleeve.

    They fiddled with that object in hands while walking, and after a short while, Lanning put it back into her sleeve again.

    ¡°Miss, do you want me to have a look first?¡± They moved on for some time and a pavilion appeared in the distance. They saw a tall and slim man in the pavilion. He looked out thoughtfully, standing there with his hands sped behind his back. Although they could only saw his back, they could tell that he was both handsome and elegant.

    It was really Xia Yuhang!

    Ning Xueyan suddenly stopped, her smile fading. ¡°How could Xia Yuhang be here? Is it by chance or is he really waiting for me?¡± she wondered. She was Ning Xueyan now, and she didn¡¯t think there was anything to say between Xia Yuhang and her.

    They had met only a few times, and hadn¡¯t said much. Besides, they had never talked about Ning Ziyan.

    In herst life, they were an unmarried couple who had known each other in childhood.

    But in her current life, they were like strangers. They had little contact, and there seemed to be no reason to meet in private.

    She rolled her eyes and took a look at the surroundings around the Graceful Moon Pavilion.

    This pavilion¡¯s geographical position was very special. It was located in the middle section of a big artificial hill, and one side of it was blocked by a wall. From where Ning Xueyan was, she couldn¡¯t see what behind the wall.

    Half of the pavilion was covered by the rockery, and half of it was exposed. There were several plum trees on the artificial hill. Such a semi-sheltered ce with beautiful scenery was really ideal for dating.

    ¡°Lanning, take this with you and ask Mr. Xia what he wanted with me.¡± With that, Ning Xueyan took out the crumpled note from her sleeve and handed it to Lanning, turning her head and pointing at Xia Yuhang, who was in the Graceful Moon Pavilion. She was sure that it was impossible for Xia Yuhang to have asked her here, but why he happened to show up here?

    Could Ning Qingshan have tricked him intoing here?

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t think that Ning Qingshan was that capable.

    Lanning took the note and nodded. When she was about to walk to the pavilion, Ning Xueyan suddenly stopped her and pulled her behind a big tree.

    They looked forward and saw Xia Yuhang turn around. He walked downward the artificial hill, and it seemed he was going to leave.

    Before leaving, he hadn¡¯t looked around and showed no signs of waiting for someone. He lowered his head, as if he had something difficult to solve, and frowned tightly. Obviously, it wasn¡¯t him to have asked Ning Xueyan here!

    Ning Xueyan and Lanning exchanged nces surprisingly.

    It seemed Xia Yuhang hadn¡¯t had an appointment with anyone, but had deliberatelye to this quiet ce to soothe his worries. After walking out of the pavilion, down the hill, he slowly walked to the side of a road. He kept his head down along his way, as if something was bothering him. There was loneliness on his graceful face.

    Ning Ziying had worried about him when he was unhappy. But now she had be Ning Xueyan, and she had nothing but indifference and sarcasm for him. She looked at his back with a sneer.

    ¡°Miss, look!¡± Lanning suddenly pulled Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand and eximed in a low voice, pointing at the Graceful Moon Pavilion.

    Ning Xueyan raised her head and looked in the direction Lanning was pointing at, a gloomy coldness immediately appeared in her beautiful eyes.

 Chapter 186 - Third Princeâ€™s Suspicion

    <h4>Chapter 186 Third Prince¡¯s Suspicion</h4>

    Following Lanning¡¯s finger, Ning Xueyan saw another man appeared in the Graceful Moon Pavilion after Xia Yuhang had just left. From behind, he looked quite simr like Xia Yuhang, and at first nce, they looked about the same height, the same size, and even the same standing posture!

    If she had not been too familiar with Xia Yuhang in herst life, Ning Xueyan must have mistaken that man for Xia Yuhang.

    A cold smile appeared on her pale lips. ¡°Ning Qingshan is really a vicious woman! In order to get rid of me, she has tried every means!¡± she thought.

    ¡°It must be because Xia Yuhang happened walked into the pavilion, that man did not show up just now. That man must be hiding somewhere nearby, so I would have been found out if I showed my face in the pavilion,¡± Ning Xueyan thought. She was sure that there was something odd about that yard behind the wall. Xia Yuhang had just gotten down the artificial hill and gone to that yard.

    She recalled the road she had passed. After having walking out of the Plum Garden, she had turned to a corner, and then gone straight here, so this ce was not far from Plum Garden.

    The party was held at the Plum Garden today. This ce looked closer than the male guest seats. Since Xia Yuhang had been able to enter that yard, it meant the yard was opened to the public today, and there must be some noble childes hanging out inside who was not at the party now. Where the pavilion was located was higher than the wall, so everyone in the yard could see her clearly if she went to the pavilion.

    Once she appeared in the Graceful Moon Pavilion with a man, plus the note in her hands, she would not be able to exin it clearly. Ning Xueyan was even sure that the man also had a note in his hand, with her name on.

    Ning Qingshan was so vicious that she wanted to kill her at one move!

    ¡°Lanning, go over there and throw it onto the floor when nobody is paying attention,¡± Ning Xueyan looked around and ordered with coldness in her eyes, pointing to another corner.

    There were many pce maids bustling around to serve fruits to the guests and some young male servants passed there asionally, so it should be an exit.

    She rubbed the note again and handed it to Lanning. Then she moved back behind the tree and looked at the man in the pavilion coldly. It was not someone she knew, so she could not tell who it was.

    Lanning looked at the corner and immediately understood her master¡¯s intention. She took the note from Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand and walked toward the exit of the Plum Garden.

    She walked around the corner for a while and then dropped the note quietly on the ground in a more conspicuous position. Without stopping, she turned a corner and walked back.

    The whole process only took a short moment, and the pce maids were busy serving the guests, so none of them had noticed Lanning¡¯s appearance.

    Several pce maids were walking toward the Plum Garden with some fruit trays in their hands. Suddenly, one of them stopped and kicked a crumpled note beside her feet. She asked another pce maid beside her surprisingly, ¡°Hey! Did you drop your stuff?¡±

    ¡°No. It¡¯s not mine.¡± The other pce maid looked at it and shook her head.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Several pce maids nearby heard about it and came closer to check. When they found it was a note, they all shook their heads to show that it was not theirs.

    ¡°What did it say? Let¡¯s check it!¡± a pce maid suggested out of curiosity.

    The pce maid who had found the note handed the fruit tray in her hands to another pce maid, and squat down to pick up the crumpled note. When she opened it, she could not help eximing.

    It immediately aroused many people¡¯s attention. Even some young male servants who passed by here stopped, wondering what had happened to these pce maids.

    ¡°Third Young Lady of the Nings? The words look like they were written by a man.¡± Although the note was crumpled and there were several marks on the name, after spreading it, they could distinguish the words on it.

    ¡°Which Third Young Lady? It can¡¯t be Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, can it? Let me take a look.¡± Some pce maids had seen Ning Qingshan at the party just now. They could not believe that such a gentle and elegant person would do such disgraceful and immoral affairs.

    ¡°Why it can¡¯t be her? Look! It¡¯s clearly indicated ¡®Third Young Lady of the Nings¡¯, and that person asked her to meet him at the Graceful Moon Pavilion. How can a noble Young Lady like her be so shameless!¡± The pce maid who had found the note muttered. In case of the others not believe her, she passed the note to another pce maid.

    ¡°Graceful Moon Pavilion? Is that the pavilion opposite us?¡± A pce maid who stood behind them had not seen the note yet, but she had heard what they said. She blinked and suddenly her eyes began to shine. She remembered that the pavilion was just opposite them, so she reached out and pointed in the direction of Graceful Moon Pavilion.

    She was so surprised that she spoke loudly. Many people looked in the direction of the Graceful Moon Pavilion along with her gaze. It was not far from here, and they even could see clearly a man in the pavilion. He stood there with his hand sped behind his back and kept looking around, as if he was waiting for someone anxiously.

    They noticed that the ce he was watching was the entrance of the Plum Garden, which was closest to the female guest seats.

    It was true that he was waiting for Third Young Lady. They were too... shameless!

    ¡°It¡¯s said Third Young Lady of Nings has gone to Honored Consort Ya¡¯s pce just now. Could you be mistaken? It might not be her,¡± someone protested.

    ¡°Hearing what you said, I¡¯m more confident that it must be her. It can¡¯t be wrong. Maybe she dropped the note when she passed by here. She might have walked out of the Plum Garden by this way.¡±

    ¡°I remember! I thought I saw her just now!¡±

    A discussion rose among the pce maids. The more they talked, the more they felt it was true.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you serve the guests, but gathering here?¡± A eunuch came over and yelled at the pce maids who were talking, shooting them a re.

    He was the chief eunuch here, and he was extremely busy at today¡¯s party. At sight of a group of pce maids gossiping and some young male servant overhearing aside with surprise, he could not help flying into a rage.

    Seeing their immediate superior get angry, the pce maids scattered soon, only the pce maid who had been in the core of the pce maids just now stood still there, with a note in her hand, looked both anxious and frightened.

    Since everyone had run away, she had to walk over to the eunuch and handed the note to him. ¡°I just found this note and was about to give it to you. It seems someone made an appointment with Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.¡±

    She wanted to shift the responsibility, and she did not want to do anything with this matter, so she said in a very cryptic way, as if she knew nothing about what had happened. No matter whether Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had made an appointment with a man, she was just a humble pce maid, so she had better watch her tongue.

    ¡°Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?¡± The eunuch was a little surprised and his face flickered. He took the note from the pce maid and gestured her go leave.

    The pce maid immediately ran away, lifting the hem of her dress.

    He opened the note which was even more crumpled and found that the note was indeed written to Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. His face darkened. He looked up at the man who was still in the pavilion and thought for a while before turning to the Plum Garden.

    He knew that Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was most likely to be Third Prince¡¯s wife. Honored Consort Ya had asked her to her pce just now. He did not dare to make a decision on his own, because he could not afford the consequences. After thinking for a short moment, he turned around and walked toward Third Prince.

    The matter concerned his master. As a servant, the more he knew, the sooner he would die.

    ¡°Third Prince, I have something to report to you,¡± he walked close to Ao Mingyu and said in a low voice.

    At the same time, a guard walked over to Ao Chenyi in a hurry from outside. He whispered in Ao Chenyi¡¯s ear for a while, and then a half-smile came over Ao Chenyi¡¯s face. He knew that girl looked gentle and weak, but she was actually very aggressive. She had turned the tables after leaving for a short while. She was so smart and decisive that he became even more interested in her.

    He waved his handzily and let the guard leave. Then he turned to Ao Mingyu and said meaningfully, ¡°Mingyu, go ahead if you have something to deal with. I want to see if there are more Young Ladies whose appearances are eptable and the characters are suitable for me. The two Young Ladies of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor are both good, but one is too young, and the other one...¡±

    He did not continue, but looked at Ao Mingyu meaningfully. He curved his thin lips up, and a sly smile appeared on his handsome face, as if he was hinting something. It made Ao Mingyu¡¯s smile almost stiff.

    He took a deep breath, held back his anger and said with a smile, ¡°Uncle, I do have something to deal with. Please pick your own. I¡¯ll be with youter.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead!¡± Ao Chenyi waved his hand, a mysterious smile on his face. He propped his hand on the armchair and leaned against the back of the chair.

    The little girl had gotten everything ready, and was waiting for Ao Mingyu to take the bait.

    He had been here just because he was too boring, so he had not expected that he would have seen such a wonderful show. If he had not found that the little girl acted weird, he would have missed the show. He wondered whether he should watch their performance nearby, or just from this ce.

    Nobody could have imagined that the powerful and cold-blooded Prince Yi, who had a lot on his te everyday would be pondering such a boring question.

    ¡°Where did you get it?¡± Third Prince pinched the note and went angry, and the veins on his temple beat a few times unconsciously.

    ¡°Just at the gate over there. When I walked closer to check what was happening, several pce maids were gathering there, and it seemed they had discussed it for a while. A few young male servants of the noble childes were also there.¡± Seeing Ao Mingyu lose his temper, the eunuch became even more respectful. He lowered his head and told him exactly what had happened.

    Nobody wanted to be involved in such affairs. He did not want to be killed because of this, so he must tell Third Prince that he was not the only one present, and there were some pce maids and young male servants there. That meant this affair might have already been leaked out.

    ¡°Where is that person?¡± Ao Mingyu asked after being silent for a while, coldness appeared on his face. He looked at the eunuch coldly, as if to see if he was lying.

    The eunuch¡¯s back sweated under his gaze. Since Third Prince did not ask more, he immediately pointed at the Graceful Moon Pavilion and answered, ¡°Over there. Third Prince, look! That person is still there. It seems...¡±

    Seeing the killing intent in Ao Mingyu¡¯s eyes, the eunuch did not dare to continue, and his voice became even lower.

    Pinching the note in his hand, Ao Mingyu walked toward the Graceful Moon Pavilion with a dark face. He would like to check if someone wanted to frame Ning Qingshan, or that woman was really so immoral and shameless!

 Chapter 187 - Donâ€™t You Know Who You are Dating?

    <h4>Chapter 187 Don¡¯t You Know Who You are Dating?</h4>

    Ao Mingyu turned the corner and strode toward the artificial hill with a dark face, without taking anyone with him.

    Suddenly, a person appeared in his way. He stopped and looked at this person coldly. To his surprise, it was Ning Xueyan, who had a graceful smile on her jade-like face.

    ¡°Sorry, Third Prince. I was ying with my maid, and got in your way by ident,¡± Ning Xueyan stood still and apologized, her beautiful eyes misting. After a little dressing up, she was softer and less cold than usual.

    She hade from the exit of the Plum Garden which was close to the female seats. Looking at the frightened maid who stood behind her, Ao Mingyu believed that they were in a panic.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you rest there, but came here?¡± His face softened and a smile appeared on it.

    ¡°It¡¯s my first time to the imperial pce, so I wanted toe out and have a look at the beautiful scenery around here. I was thinking about going over there,¡± Ning Xueyan answered with a smile, pointing to the front. Her present position was very good, and looking from here, the man in the Graceful Moon Pavilion was happened blocked, and after taking a few steps forward, he would appear in view.

    Ao Mingyu looked up in the direction of the Graceful Moon Pavilion in confuse, but he didn¡¯t see the man, so he thought that Ning Xueyan hadn¡¯t seen a person there. He then asked gently, ¡°Why did you want to go there? You can enjoy the scenery from other ces.¡±

    He had a feeling that he didn¡¯t want Ning Xueyan to know about the disgraceful affair in the Graceful Moon Pavilion.

    ¡°That ce is high and it¡¯s close to us. Although we can see the scenery of the imperial pce from other ces, they¡¯re too far from the Plum Garden. It¡¯s my first time to be here, so I¡¯m worried that I might bump against someone influential of the imperial pce...¡± Ning Xueyan smiled gracefully. Maybe because she had been ying and chasing with her maid, her face, which had always been pale and cold, showed a faint flush, adding a touch of charm to her beauty.

    She was so charming, like a fairy came to the mortal world by chance. Ao Mingyu glued his eyes on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face and examined her expression carefully. As he did not find anything abnormal, he nodded and said, ¡°Well, let¡¯s go there together!¡±

    ¡°Third Prince, are you going there as well?¡± Ning Xueyan asked curiously.

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m heading for there,¡± Ao Mingyu nodded and answered with a smile.

    ¡°Then I¡¯m not gonna get there now. I¡¯ll go after youe back.¡± Ning Xueyan stopped and looked around. She hesitated, as if she was thinking of avoiding suspicion.

    ¡°Why?¡± Ao Mingyu asked. He wondered why she had wanted to go just now, but suddenly stopped.

    ¡°Other people will gossip if they see only you and me there,¡± Ning Xueyan refused in a soft voice. She raised her head and looked at a corner of the Graceful Moon Pavilion, looked reluctant to leave.

    She did not want to be with him alone, so obviously, she did not want people to think that there was any intimacy between them!

    Ao Mingyu could not help but smile gently. He had never met any noble Young Ladies who spoke like her. Wherever he went, those Young Ladies woulde to him, blushing. None of them had ever said that a woman should not stay with a man alone in front of him. Hearing what Ning Xueyan said, his heart beat faster and he could not shift his eyes from her delicate and childish face.

    He had not ever heard any women put it straightforward that she did not want to be alone with him!

    He knew that Ning Xueyan had no ce in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Now the engagement between him and Ning Yuling had been canceled because of Ning Yuling¡¯s improper behavior, so Ning Xueyan would get a lot of benefits if she would like to be under his wing. However, this girl, who was so weak that made others want to protect, had made it clear that she did not want to be associated with him.

    The determination on her beautiful face softened his heart even more.

    ¡°Come on! Go with me. I just want to have a look, so it won¡¯t take long. Nobody will gossip about us, because they don¡¯t want you to take advantage of it,¡± Ao Mingyu promised seriously, but there was a trace of irony on his lips. Many noble Young Ladies had talked and walked with him, but they would never gossip about each other.

    Because they knew that once the rumors were spread out, that would only make it true, and the rumored heroine was very likely to be Third Prince¡¯s wife.

    So many Young Ladies hoped that they could be the heroine in the rumors about Ao Mingyu.

    The warmth appeared for the first time in his eyes which looked gentle, but actually were cold.

    ¡°Third Prince, can you walk behind me and climb onto the hill after I have taken a look at the imperial pce? Maybe you can follow me not far away,¡± Ning Xueyan thought for a while and suggested. She looked in the direction of the Graceful Moon Pavilion, and seemed to be reluctant to give up going there.

    ¡°Okay!¡± Since she was insisting, Ao Mingyu agreed helplessly.

    Ao Mingyu made a way for them. Ning Xueyan and Lanning walked ahead, and Ao Mingyu set off after they had taken about twenty steps forward.

    ¡°Miss, I¡¯ll check first and report to youter,¡± Lanning said excitedly. Apparently, she was curious about the imperial pce as well.

    ¡°All right. You go first. I walk too slowly.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded, and then climbed up the artificial hill along the steps one by one.

    She was weak, and she began to breathe heavily after only taking a few steps further, so she smiled and agreed to Lanning¡¯s suggestion.

    As soon as she got Ning Xueyan¡¯s permission, Lanning immediately ran up the hill. Ao Mingyu, who followed behind them, shook his head. This maid could not stay calm. They almost bump against him when they had been ying, and now she even left her master behind to watch the scenery on her own!

    Maybe he should remind Ning Xueyan to rece this maid with a maturer one!

    Lanning moved fast, and after a short while, she arrived at the Graceful Moon Pavilion. That man heard some noise and turned around.

    It was a noble childe, who looked not bad. But the way he looked at others was frivolous, so obviously, he was not a gentleman. Seeing Lanning, he was joyful at first, and then became a little surprised. He had been told that Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would meet him here, but why did he see a maid?

    ¡°Sir, did you make an appointment with my master?¡± Lanning walked over and asked frankly before he could think further. She looked at the other side of the wall and saw several childes chatting there, some of them standing, some sitting. Someone had noticed her, and turn his eyes to her with a smile.

    Lanning had realized that her master was right. It was a trap targeting her master.

    ¡°Yes. Why didn¡¯t your mastere?¡± The man was excited. He had heard that Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was extremely beautiful, and she was unknown in the capital, because the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had hidden her. His heart could not help beating faster at thought of dating such a beautifuldy privately.

    ¡°Sir, do you have any evidence?¡± Lanning reached out and deliberately turned her face to the wall. The man turned around along her gaze.

    ¡°Evidence?¡± He was surprised, and soon understood Lanning wanted him to prove that he was the person who had asked Fifth Young Lady out. He immediately took out a note and gave it to Lanning. ¡°Here you are! Tell your master and let her take it easy. I¡¯m the person who wants to date her. It can¡¯t go wrong.¡±

    Lanning took the note quickly, and meanwhile, she bowed to him on purpose. From behind the wall, people could see nothing but a maid saluting to someone.

    She opened the note instantly, and saw that Ning Xueyan¡¯s name was signed on it. She was surprised that Third Young Lady who had been famous for her filial piety was so cold-blooded. She then touched the name of Ning Xueyan with her thumb, and the words faded away little by little.

    ¡°Sir, don¡¯t you know who you¡¯re dating?¡± Lanning raised her head and said seriously.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t your master ask me to meet her here?¡± the man asked crossly. A pce maid had given the note to him and told him that it was from a beautifuldy. Therefore, he immediately came to the Graceful Moon Pavilion. At that point, Xia Yuhang had been there, so he didn¡¯t show up. The pce maid had repeatedly reminded him not to go to the pavilion if someone was there in case of being found out.

    Like a cat on hot bricks, he waited nearby anxiously. Fortunately, Xia Yuhang left finally. He then climbed up the rockery and walked into the pavilion soon. After waiting for a long time, the Young Lady still hadn¡¯te yet, so he became a little impatient. If the pce maid hadn¡¯t guaranteed that Fifth Young Lady was a beauty, he would have left.

    ¡°Sir, you must have made a mistake. My master is the daughter of the principal wife of Lord Protector. She was so noble that she can even marry a prince. How could she be so disgraceful and make an appointment with a man? Obviously, someone wanted to frame her. Go with me back to our manor and report this to marquis. He will definitely investigate it, find out and severely punish the person who wanted to set up Fifth Young Lady!¡±

    Lanning said angrily, her face dark. Although she was only a maid, now she was as cold and aggressive as a master.

    Moreover, she mentioned Ning Zu¡¯an. When she uttered thest few words, the killing intent appeared in her eyes. ¡°Ning Zu¡¯an is a very powerful general. If he finds out that I have something to do with this matter, maybe not only me but also my family members will be punished,¡± the man thought.

    He did not believe that someone had written the note to frame Ning Xueyan, but when he saw how aggressive Lanning was, his mind began to waver. ¡°Maybe the note wasn¡¯t really written by Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. If such kind of disgraceful affairs were exposed, not only would I and Fifth Young Lady feel embarrassed, but Ning Zu¡¯an will be annoyed as well. It¡¯s said because the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor protected Fifth Young Lady well, so she seldom showed up in public.¡±

    Thinking about this, the man was more certain that it was impossible for Fifth Young Lady to ask him out. Maybe she had never even seen him at all!

    Thinking about Ning Zu¡¯an, he began to sober up and think himself of being unlucky to be involved in such an affair.

    ¡°How could I be so stupid toe here as soon as I heard it was a beautifuldy who wanted to date me!¡± He shook his head and was about to leave.

    ¡°Wait, sir! My master will be here soon. Please exin it clearly to her face who asked you here, so that my master can look into this matter after going back to our manor,¡± Lanning reached out to stop him and said with a serious look. The note in her hand had quietly slipped onto the floor beside the man¡¯s feet.

    When they were talking, Ning Xueyan had walked closer, panting. Shended her hand on the rock of the entrance of the path to rest. She turned her head and smiled at Ao Mingyu before moving on to the Graceful Moon Pavilion.

    The man in the pavilion caught sight of Ning Xueyan as well. Since there was a turn which blocked his vision, he could not see Third Prince who was only twenty steps behind Ning Xueyan. As soon as he saw the childish, but extremely delicate face, he was shocked. Although he was told that it was a beautifuldy, he had never expected her to be so amazing.

    Even the fairy in the heaven could not be even more beautiful than her! He stood still with a foot lifted and watched Ning Xueyane over with nk eyes. There was no sign that he would take any action.

    It seemed he was waiting for Ning Xueyan to approach.

    Looking at the beautifuldy walk over, the childes in the yard became excited, some of them admired that man, some envied, some hated...

 Chapter 188 - He Said It was Me Who Had Made the Appointment

    <h4>Chapter 188 He Said It was Me Who Had Made the Appointment</h4>

    ¡°Eee? Which manor is that Young Lady from? She is so unruly that she was even dating Li Zhiwen, the yboy! Does she have a crush on him?¡±

    ¡°From her look, I can tell that she isn¡¯t a well-behaved woman. I wonder what she likes Li Zhiwen about.¡±

    ¡°They even dare to date secretly in the imperial pce. Maybe they¡¯ve been having an affair for a long time!¡±

    ¡°Definitely! From the happiness in her eyes, I can tell that they have an affair. It¡¯s a pity that such a beautifuldy likes a scum! It¡¯s said Li Zhiwen has already gotten married, and his wife is very aggressive. So this Young Lady can only be his concubine.¡±

    ¡°She is so beautiful, but she has no self-respect and has fallen to this degree. It¡¯s easy for her to marry a noble childe as his wife, but it seems she prefers to be a concubine. How shameless!¡±

    The noble childes behind the wall discussed, looking at Ning Xueyan with disdain and contempt.

    The man called Li Zhiwen was still in a trance, so he did not hear the discussion behind him at all. Ning Xueyan heard the gossip, but ignored it. When she saw Li Zhiwen, she seemed to be a little surprised. She stood still with a frown, and did note over to him.

    Lanning ran to Ning Xueyan and imed resentfully, ¡°Miss, you¡¯d better go back now. That psycho kept on saying that you dated him when he saw me, and he asked me to hurry you over!¡±

    ¡°He said I made the appointment with him?¡± Ning Xueyan raised her eyes and asked, ncing at Li Zhiwen, who was still standing in the pavilion and staring at her.

    ¡°Yes. Miss, he insisted that you asked him out. There are many noble childes behind the wall. Maybe someone wanted to frame you!¡± Lanning said anxiously, wiping off the sweat from her forehead.

    ¡°It¡¯s impossible. I don¡¯t believe anybody would set me up.¡± Ning Xueyan shook her head and looked at the man in the pavilion again, seemed to be a little uneasy. She thought a while and said, ¡°Ask him again who on earth had asked him out. It¡¯s my first time to visit the imperial pce, and I didn¡¯t even know him. How could I date him?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Miss. I¡¯ll ask him now.¡± Lanning nodded, turned, and was about go to that man.

    ¡°Follow me.¡± Ao Mingyu¡¯s cold, unpleasant voice came from behind. He was only a few steps away from Ning Xueyan, and he had heard what Lanning said the moment he turned the corner of the stairs. Seeing that Ning Xueyan was still standing there calmly and trying to figure things out, he admired her ease so much.

    A noble Young Lady should have such tolerance!

    Meanwhile, he was a little annoyed. He wondered who had plotted to ruin Ning Xueyan¡¯s reputation. Ao Mingyu knew the man in the pavilion. He was just a yboy. Besides, he had already gotten married. It seemed that the person who was trying to set up Ning Xueyan wanted her to be a yboy¡¯s concubine!

    How vicious that person was!

    Ao Mingyu decided to find out the person who wanted to frame a Young Lady, as delicate, gentle and graceful as Ning Xueyan.

    When he walked up, the noble childes behind the wall were gossiping about Ning Xueyan disdainfully. They were stunned the moment Ao Mingyu appeared in their views. They gasped and immediately scattered. They were back to what they had been, as if they had not seen anything happen in the pavilion.

    It was normal for Third Prince to have a woman beside him. The sisters of the noble childes might be one of those women. Furthermore, who dared gossip about the imperial family members? Several childes who had spoken ill of Ning Xueyan behind her back just now began to regret. They would have never dared to say in that way if they knew that this Young Lady had something to do with Third Prince.

    Although they were standing under the rockery, they could see Third Prince¡¯s face clearly. He was smiling, but there was no warmth on his face, and when he looked at them, they saw killing intent in his eyes. So everyone could tell that Third Prince was angry.

    It seemed that this beautiful woman was close with Third Prince. Third Prince had been gentle, and nobody had ever seen him be angry like this.

    Li Zhiwen stared at Ning Xueyan nkly. He thought that the girl in front of her was just like a fairy, and he could not shift his gaze from her. He did not notice Ao Mingyue over, and still stood there, with all his attention on Ning Xueyan.

    Seeing hering, his heart pounded. He did not notice that the face of Ao Mingyu, who was walking ahead of Ning Xueyan darkened and his smile was about to freeze.

    ¡°How dare you not bow to Third Prince?¡± Lanning walked over and yelled at Li Zhiwen, who was still in a daze.

    ¡°Third Prince? Nobody can shift my eyes from the beautifuldy!¡± Li Zhiwen thought, looking a little upset. He reached out and tried to push the person standing in his way. As soon as he saw the eyes with sneer inside, he could not help shivering. ¡°Third Prince! Third Prince?¡±

    He immediately shifted his eyes from Ning Xueyan. When he saw Ao Mingyu¡¯s darkened face, he was so scared that he was almost felt onto the ground. ¡°What happened? Why didn¡¯t I notice that Third Prince came?¡±

    ¡°Greetings, Third Prince!¡± Li Zhiwen¡¯s face turned pale. He immediately bowed to Ao Mingyu.

    ¡°Why are you here, Mr. Li?¡± Ao Mingyu sized him up and saw the note beside his feet. The note was simr to the one in Ao Mingyu¡¯s hand from both quality and color of the paper.

    ¡°I, I came here to enjoy the scenery, simply enjoy the scenery. The scenery here is especially beautiful,¡± Li Zhiwen exined. Looking at Ning Xueyan standing beside Ao Mingyu, he waspletely sober.

    The maid had told him that someone wanted to frame her master, and she had also mentioned Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Now Third Prince was just in front of him. If they were annoyed, he might die even without knowing the cause.

    From Third Prince¡¯s look, Li Zhiwen could tell that he cared about Fifth Young Lady very much. Li Zhiwen was a yboy, but he was not stupid. He had already seen the situation clearly, and he dare not say that it was Ning Xueyan who had asked him here.

    ¡°The scenery here is especially beautiful? Mr. Li, it seems you want to stay here all along? Then I will tell the chief eunuch to arrange for you. Then you can stay here forever.¡± Ao Mingyu suddenly smiled gently.

    But in Li Zhiwen¡¯s eyes, such a smile was horrible. His back sweated. ¡°Does Third Prince want to kill me and bury me here? Then I will really unable to leave the imperial pce anymore,¡± he wondered.

    ¡°Third Prince, a pce maid... gave me a note. She told me that.... a Young Lady wanted me... to be here,¡± Li Zhiwen immediately exined. Under the gaze of Ao Mingyu¡¯s glittering eyes, Li Zhiwen dared not to hide the truth anymore. He had never been so sober, and he saw the gentleness in Third Prince¡¯s eyes when he looked at Ning Xueyan. Besides, he dared not to offend Ning Zu¡¯an either.

    If Third Prince and Ning Zu¡¯an found out that he wanted to take advantage of Fifth Young Lady, he would die a graveless death, and even his family could be sentenced.

    ¡°A note? Where is it?¡± Ao Mingyu reached out and said slowly.

    ¡°Third Prince, I... I¡¯ll show it to you now.¡± Li Zhiwen put his left hand in his right sleeve and began to fumble. He was so nervous that he forgot that he had given the note to Lanning just now. Now he was trying to find it out to prove his innocence.

    However, no matter how he fumbled, he could not find the note. Sweat immediately rose from his forehead. Although Ao Mingyu was smiling, his eyes were filled with coldness. Li Zhiwen¡¯s hands could not help trembling. He said, ¡°Third... Prince, I¡¯m not lying. The note was just in my hand.¡±

    ¡°Is this one?¡± Ao Mingyu pointed at the note beside his feet.

    ¡°Yes, yes. That¡¯s it!¡± Li Zhiwen eximed excitedly. He crouched and picked the note up. Then he handed it to Ao Mingyu respectfully and felt a little relieved. Fortunately, he had the evidence to prove his innocence.

    He thought since he had not done anything to Ning Xueyan, of course he was innocent. Fortunately, he had not put his dirty ideas into action, and he would never dare to mention it in the future anymore.

    ¡°Mr. Li, so you came here to date a Young Lady because a pce maid had given you a note?¡± Ning Xueyan raised her head and looked at Li Zhiwen with a faint smile.

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m telling the truth. I wouldn¡¯t havee here if that pce maid didn¡¯t give the note to me.¡± Li Zhiwen was so nervous, like being on pins and needles. He did dare look at Ning Xueyan, and he answered everything she asked, lowering his head.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, why did youe here?¡± Ao Mingyu nced at the note and asked Ning Xueyan with a smile.

    ¡°I heard that the scenery of the imperial pce is beautiful, and from the Graceful Moon Pavilion, one could see most of the pce. I came to the imperial pce for the first time and I was curious, so I came here.¡± Her eyes flickered with bewilderment and irritation. Obviously, she had realized what was happening.

    Since it was Ning Xueyan¡¯s first time to visit the imperial pce, it was no wonder that the scenery here was extremely attractive to her.

    Moreover, only those who came to the imperial pce for the first time did not know that there was a yard beside the Graceful Moon Pavilion for resting.

    The male guest seats of the Plum Garden were close to this yard, so there must be many noble childes here. A Young Lady who knew such things would never venture here, unless she was new to the imperial pce, and knew nothing of it, like Ning Xueyan.

    Li Zhiwen, the man in front of him was not that powerful, and his father was only a grade four official. It seemed it was his first time to visit the imperial pce as well. Ao Mingyu had met him two times outside the imperial pce. Since Li Zhiwen was a well-known yboy, Ao Mingyu had some impression of him.

    Ao Mingyu was confident that it was impossible for Ning Xueyan to have a crush on Li Zhiwen, let alone date him at a ce that was easy to be found out, unless both she and Li Zhiwen were framed by someone. Of course, that person¡¯s target was not Li Zhiwen, but Ning Xueyan.

    At thought of the delicate and weak girl in front of him almost being set up, he could not help being angry. If he had note with her, the amazing girl¡¯s reputation would have been ruined, and have to be a concubine of a yboy! Ao Mingyu cursed inwardly, eyes burning with anger.

    He shook his sleeve hard and shouted angrily, ¡°Get out!¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, yes...¡± Seeing the killing intent in Ao Mingyu¡¯s eyes, Li Zhiwen answered in a hurry. He passed them, shivering, and then ran down as fast as he could. Because he was too nervous, he bumped against a stone on the rockery. Regardless of pain, he ran helter-skelter.

    ¡°Nothing is special here. Let¡¯s go!¡± Ao Mingyu looked around and said. His face turned soft when he looked at the pure and dark eyes of Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s go. Third Prince, thank you for your help. I¡¯m leaving now.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded and bowed to Ning Mingyu with a faint smile. She looked at the yard behind the rockery and saw those noble childes. None of them were looking at them.

    ¡°You¡¯re wee. You¡¯d better not walk about in the imperial pce, but go back to the Plum Garden,¡± Ao Mingyu said meaningfully.

    Ning Xueyan smiled and stopped talking. Then she walked down the artificial hill with Lanning.

 Chapter 189 - Series of Stratagems

    Chapter 189 Series of Stratagems

    The paper of the two notes was the same, and if someonepared them in detail, he would find that they were torn from the same piece of paper, and the only difference between them was that one had a name on it, and another one did not have.

    The crumpled note was broken, but they could vaguely recognize the words ¡®Third Young Lady of the Nings¡¯.

    Ao Mingyubined the two notes together and stood in the pavilion with his hands sped behind his back. He looked at Ning Xueyan, who was walking down the rockery, and frowned.

    The slim and weak girl in snow-white imperial gown still stayed calm, and did not show rm or surprise even something unexpected had happened. But she was a little cold when she left just now. It seemed that she did not want to spend any more time with him.

    She was a smart girl, and she must have already figured out who wanted to set her up!

    A yboy hade here after receiving a note from a pce maid, and Ning Xueyan hade as well, as someone had told her that she could saw the beautiful scenery here. Since the Graceful Moon Pavilion was located in such a conspicuous ce, they would definitely be found out. If that happened, she would end up miserably.

    She had never shown up in public before, so it was impossible for her to offend any outsiders. It was said that Ning Qingshan had tried to stir up trouble with her at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor for an ount book of the backyard of the manor. She was most likely to frame Ning Xueyan.

    But if Ning Qingshan happened to have such a note, what would others think?

    They would think that the political opponents of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor wanted to deal with Ning Zu¡¯an, so they framed his daughters who had juste to the imperial pce. Ning Qingshan did not fall for it, because she had happened gone to Honored Consort Ya¡¯s pce.

    What a reasonable exnation! It seemed it had nothing to do with Ning Qingshan. But Ao Mingyu was not an ordinary person, and he paid more attention to the result. Ning Xueyan hade here. If she had not met him by chance, something bad would have happened to her. If that was the case, who would benefit the most?

    Of course it was Ning Qingshan!

    Without Ning Xueyan, she would be able to help Madam Dowager to manage the internal affairs of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, maybe more than that!

    But it was hard for him to believe that Ning Qingshan was such a person.

    Could the kind and gentle girl, who had even gotten injured in order to save him, have be so vicious? She had almost been isted from the secr world in the nunnery for three years, and her life should be purer. He could not imagine how a woman from that ce could end up like this?

    But if it was not Ning Qingshan who had set a trap, who would want to harm Ning Xueyan?

    Ning Xueyan was not the most distinguished daughter at Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. She had been abandoned in the backyard for years, and no outsiders would have noticed her if nobody of the manor had mentioned her. Even Ning Zu¡¯an did not care about her either. Maybe the rtionship between him and Ning Xueyan was very indifferent. In his heart, she was even inferior to a concubine¡¯s daughter. Therefore, even if Ning Xueyan got involved in troubles, it would have little effect on Ning Zu¡¯an.

    Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s political opponents would not do such a meaningless thing!

    Third Prince was not certain whether it was Ning Qingshan or not who had set the trap. He spread the note with the words ¡®Third Young Lady of the Nings¡¯ again and examined it carefully, but found that apart from being crumpled and a little worn, this note was nothing special.

    He stepped down the Graceful Moon Pavilion slowly and tore the other note in his hand into pieces. Then he threw them and strode toward the male guest seats in the Plum Garden.

    After he had gone far and walked into the Plum Garden, Lanning showed up at the rockery again.

    The note pieces scattered on the stone steps. Lanning picked them up naturally and turned to leave. After a short while, she caught up with Ning Xueyan, who was walking slowly.

    ¡°Miss, why did you ask me to pick up the note?¡± Lanning asked, handing the note pieces to Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°The words that just disappeared will show up again after a short while.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled, looking at the note calmly. The white orange¡¯s effect could notst long, and after a short moment, her name would appear on the note again.

    ¡°Miss, since Third Prince believed that you were here because you were tricked, what if he saw your name on it?¡± Lanning asked, puzzled. She was smart, but she still could not figure out Ning Xueyan¡¯s intention.

    Since Third Prince had known that her master was framed, he should think it was normal that someone had tricked that man intoing here. Lanning was confused about why her master asked her to wait there and picked up the note after Third Prince had torn and thrown it. Not only was there no benefit in doing so, but someone might find out.

    In Lanning¡¯s opinion, it was not worth the loss!

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter even if Third Prince found you to pick up this note. Since it has something to do with me, it¡¯s normal for me to take it back and investigate about it secretly. As for the words ¡®Ni Xueyan¡¯ on the note, it was another of Ning Qingshan¡¯s tricks. She was smart and even if she wanted to frame others, she wouldn¡¯t leave any obvious traces. How could she be so stupid to write my name on it? So even if other people found the note, they wouldn¡¯t think that it has anything to do with her.¡±

    Ning Xueyan smiled slightly.

    Ning Qingshan was not only vicious but also smart. She used a set of interlocking stratagems, so skillfully!

    She wrote her name on both notes, as if it was true that Ning Xueyan had made the appointment with that man. Besides, the dating ce was the Graceful Moon Pavilion where many people could see them. Thinking about it carefully, people would find many ws. How could a smart person like Ning Qingshane up with such a stupid idea?

    Therefore, even if the others finally found that Ning Xueyan was trapped, they would not suspect Ning Qingshan.

    Then nobody would get justice for Ning Xueyan even if they knew that she was set up. So she could onlye to a miserable end.

    These were the interlocking stratagems of Ning Qingshan. But the moment Ning Xueyan smelled the vor of the white orange, she had already known Ning Qingshan¡¯s n, so she asked Lanning to borrow a pair of scissors, and turned the ¡®Fifth¡¯ to ¡®Third¡¯ on the note with it. Then she asked Lanning toe to that man and manage to get the other note from him, and wipe her name from the note.

    The whole process was soplicated and confusing!

    Nobody had mentioned Ning Qingshan, but by his character, Ao Mingyu would definitely suspect her.

    Sometimes, things did not have to be proven.

    Slight negligence might lead to a great disaster!

    Ning Qingshan was not easy to deal with, so Ning Xueyan decided to slow down the process.

    Ning Qingshan had lost a personal maid without any preparation. Today, Ning Xuyan just took an opportunity and showed the notes in front of Ao Mingyu. As for what Ao Mingyu would think, it was none of her business.

    When she was talking with Lanning, she suddenly saw Heng Yuqing and her maide over in a hurry. Heng Yuqing felt relieved when she saw Ning Xueyan and Lanning were safe and sound. She pulled Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand and asked in a low voice, ¡°Are you really okay?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m okay. I happened to encounter Third Prince. We chatted for a while, and then I came back,¡± Ning Xueyan answered, smiling gently.

    Feeling the sweat in Heng Yuqing¡¯s hand, warmth rose from her cold heart. Unlike Ning Ziyan¡¯s false affection, Heng Yuqing cared for Ning Xueyan with all her heart. From the way she looked at her, Ning Xueyan could tell that Heng Yuqing did not want to get anything for her, but was worried about her safety and wanted to do something for her from the bottom of her heart.

    To prevent her from being worried, Ning Xueyan did not tell her what had happened in the pavilion.

    ¡°Third Prince? Why did hee here? It¡¯s said he is going to get engaged with Ning Qingshan,¡± Heng Yuqing said with a frown. She thought it over and felt Ning Qingshan, the hypocritical woman, was most likely to frame Ning Xueyan. Moreover, Ning Qingshan had walked with Third Prince just now. It was said that they were very close. Therefore, Heng Yuqing was also wary of Third Prince.

    ¡°He was just hanging out. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve torn the note, and I won¡¯t get into trouble,¡± Ning Xueyan said with a smile, trying to relieve her.

    ¡°Fortunately you didn¡¯t go to the Graceful Moon Pavilion. I thought it over and suddenly remembered that there was a yard near it. Since many noble childes came for the party, maybe some of them would go to the yard. If you met Mr. Xia there, gossip would spread. Then you might...¡±

    Heng Yuqing exined, wiping the sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief. Although she did not finish her words, she had expressed her meaning clearly. Other people would think that Ning Xueyan tried to seduce his brother-inw shamelessly. Then she could only end up with a miserable end.

    ¡°You came here for me?¡± Ning Xueyan examined Heng Yuqing¡¯s expression carefully and asked, looking thoughtfully.

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve thought it over. With me by your side, even if we met Childe Xia, it doesn¡¯t matter, because we can tell the others that we happened to encounter him by chance. If I was a littleter than you to arrive at the pavilion, and saw you and Childe Xia alone there, I can exin to other people that we nned to go to the pavilion together, but I had something to deal with, so I asked you to go first, and I would meet you thereter. Then the others won¡¯t have any reason to gossip.¡±

    Heng Yuqing said sincerely.

    She had been thinking why Childe Xia asked the maid to give the note to Ning Xueyan. What on earth could he want to tell Ning Xueyan to her face in the imperial pce? After thinking for a long time, she failed to get the answer. Later, when several pce maids mentioned Graceful Moon Pavilion by ident, she suddenly realized how improper it would be if Ning Xueyan met Xia Yuhang there.

    That ce was obvious and easy to be found. From the pavilion, which was located in a higher position, one could see half of the imperial pce. That also meant that people in the pavilion would be seen by others easily. What was more, there was a yard beside it, and there must be someone there today on such an asion. At thought of this, Heng Yuqing began to be extremely worried.

    She then stood up and ran out.

    Looking at Heng Yuqing, Ning Xueyan felt a little guilty. She grabbed Heng Yuqing by the hand firmly andforted her. ¡°It¡¯s all right now. It¡¯s all over. Nobody hurt me.¡±

    She was guilty because she had suddenly thought of what Ning Ziyan had done to her in herst life, and wondered whether Heng Yuqing was the same kind of person.

    She had been emotionally devastated in herst life, and it was hard for her to believe the sisterhood. But now, she was sure that she trusted Heng Yuqing.

    ¡°I think the note might not be written by Childe Xia. Do you need me to check who asked the pce maid to give it to you? The person who wanted to frame you should be punished!¡± Heng Yuqing was not a person to put up with being bullied. After recovering from her panic, she could not help being angry at thought of someone trying to set Ning Xueyan up.

    She came more times to the imperial pce than Ning Xueyan did, and one of her cousins was here, so she knew something about it.

    Ning Xueyan smiled faintly. Of course she would not let go of the pce maid who had conveyed the note to her for Ning Qingshan. No matter she had been sent by Ning Qingshan or someone else, she had something to do with this matter.

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother. We¡¯ll know who did it soon,¡± Ning Xueyan said insouciantly with a smile, ying with the handkerchief in her hands. Her eyes were filled with coldness.

    ¡°Ning Qingshan knows how to use irrelevant people, I can do the same,¡± she thought.

 Chapter 190 - Why Has Nothing Bad Happened to Ning Xueyan?

    <h4>Chapter 190 Why Has Nothing Bad Happened to Ning Xueyan?</h4>

    The banquet started officially. The empress came here to have a look. Since she had no children, of course she was no interested in the banquet at all. She showed her face for a while, then left the principle seats to Honored Consort Ya and Honored Consort Shu. The main hostess of the banquet was Honored Consort Ya, and Honored Consort Shu would help her to host. Both of them had an adult son.

    Third Prince and Fourth Prince were the most outstanding princes among all the adult sons of the emperor.

    Honored Consort Ya and Honored Consort Shu sat on the principal seats among the female guests, and Prince Yi sat on the principal seat among the male guests. Because the emperor was not feeling well, he did not show up.

    Ning Qingshan came in with Honored Consort Ya. Then she went to her own seat quietly, did not seem to be arrogant because of Honored Consort Ya. Seeing her gentle smile, Honored Consort Ya liked her even more. ¡°Only such a woman is worthy of my son!¡± she thought.

    ¡°Yu¡¯er, would you like to rearrange Shan¡¯er¡¯s seat and ask her to sit next to me?¡± Honored Consort Ya asked gently. Her voice was both polite and generous, and she looked even calmer and more graceful than the empress.

    ¡°Mother, it¡¯s unnecessary. Since my uncle is choosing his consort, I¡¯m afraid that... he will be annoyed if I do this.¡± Ao Mingyu shook his head with a smile and stopped Honored Consort Ya.

    As same as Honored Consort Ya¡¯s, his smile was both gentle and noble. Although he was not proud, people could feel the noble aura from him. All his movements were graceful and easy, and everyone would think him a gentleman.

    ¡°Since you have decided to marry her, it will be awkward for both of you if she were chosen by Prince Yi.¡± Honored Consort Ya looked at Ao Chenyi, who was not far away from her, and her eyelid could not help twitching. Aplex look shed in her eyes. Sensing that Ao Chenyi turned to her, she immediately lowered her head and lowered her voice unconsciously.

    ¡°Mother, I haven¡¯t decided to marry anyone yet. No matter who uncle chooses, please don¡¯t say anything. Otherwise, father will be angry,¡± Ao Mingyu persuaded her calmly.

    He knew that Honored Consort Ya had always liked Ning Qingshan. But it would be improper to show that Ning Qingshan was special to him on such an asion. Especially that Ao Chenyi was here. He did not want to offend Ao Chenyi because of Ning Qingshan. Now he was much weaker than Ao Chenyi in terms ofpetence and strength, so he would not confront him openly, but would deal with him secretly.

    ¡°But what if he chose Shan¡¯er? Shan¡¯er can¡¯t survive in his manor. Three years ago, if she didn¡¯t save you, you might have already died. You have made up your mind to marry her at that point. Now Shan¡¯er is more elegant and beautiful than three years ago. Why are you in no hurry to marry her?¡±

    Honored Consort Ya asked in surprise.

    Three years ago, after being saved by Ning Qingshan, Ao Mingyu told his mother that he wanted to marry her. Honored Consort Ya asked Ning Qingshan for it privately, but Ning Qingshan said shyly that she was too young and she wanted to talk about it when she grew up. From her look, Honored Consort Ya could tell that she liked Ao Mingyu from her heart, and Ao Mingyu treated her differently as well.

    In the past three years, not only Honored Consort Ya had frequently talked about Ning Qingshan, Ao Mingyu¡¯s attachment to her had not changed at all. Every year on that day, he would visit the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to inquire about her. But now Ao Mingyu seemed not to be eager to marry Ning Qingshan. What was more, he even made Honored Consort Ya think he did not care about Ning Qingshan at all.

    Otherwise, how could he even not being anxious when he knew that Ning Qingshan might be chosen by Ao Chenyi?

    Ao Chenyi was arrogant, but he would not fight with Ao Mingyu for a woman. Everyone said that he was cold-blooded. Although it was said that the woman beside him was his favorite concubine, it did not mean that she had won his heart, because by now, nobody had heard any woman had ever seeded to do so.

    ording to her experience, Honored Consort Ya could tell that woman was nothing but a pet of Ao Chenyi. She sat there timidly, and she even did not dare to move closer to Ao Chenyi. On the other hand, Ao Chenyi was drinking alone, and showed no sign to be close to her. Was she really the favorite concubine who had dared to annoy Ao Chenyi?

    With a woman¡¯s intuition, she could tell that Ao Chenyi did not like that woman in the veil.

    What was more, that woman even was afraid of Ao Chenyi!

    ¡°Mother, it¡¯s not worth to arouse other people¡¯s attention to this. Among the officials, not only Ning Zu¡¯an was powerful,¡± Third Prince said. His voice was so low that only Honored Consort Ya could hear. But he had expressed his meaning clearly, that was, he did not have to marry Ning Qingshan, and Ning Zu¡¯an was not the only one who was powerful.

    Honored Consort Ya thought it over and became worried. She pulled Ao Mingyu¡¯s sleeve and wanted to persuade him again. At this point, she suddenly saw Ning Qingshan looking in her direction. She looked so gentle and weak. Honored Consort Ya smiled at her, trying to relieve her.

    Ning Qingshan had mentioned to Honored Consort Ya at her pce that Ao Mingyu was not as good to her as he had been three years ago. Honored Consort Ya thought that she was too sensitive. But now she found that her son had changed.

    ¡°Yu¡¯er, do you have a crush on some other girl?¡± Honored Consort Ya knew her son well, so she immediately figured out the cause.

    ¡°Mother, don¡¯t think too much. We should respect uncle¡¯s will. Mother, have you forgotten what my father said?¡± Ao Mingyu answered calmly. Honored Consort Ya did not know how to reply. She nced at Ao Chenyi, who was sittingzily on the other side, a coldness shing in her eyes.

    Since the previous emperor had designated Ao Chenyi to be his sessor, if nothing unexpected happened, he would still be the emperor¡¯s brother, and would be the emperor in the future. Although the emperor had not decreed that Ao Chenyi would inherit the throne in the future, everyone knew that it was the previous emperor¡¯s will. Therefore, it was not easy for the emperor to have his son to take the throne.

    Before supporting his son to the throne, the emperor had to pretend that he cared about Ao Chenyi.

    Honored Consort Ya nodded helplessly, sighing. Even the emperor did not dare to provoke him, what a concubine like her could do? What she could do was to pray that Ao Chenyi would not choose Ning Qingshan as his concubine. Otherwise, she could not help her either. She knew if she dared to meddle, Ao Chenyi would immediately take action to stop her.

    He even dared to kill the emperor¡¯s men at will. What else did he dare not do?

    She waved her hand, gesturing the pce maids to serve the dishes. Honored Consort Ya felt uneasy with Ao Chenyi¡¯s presence of the banquet. She always felt that he was looking at her coldly. She found it was hard to maintain her smile. If he had known that Ao Chenyi would have shown up, she would manage to ask the empress to host the party.

    Now the delicious dishes and wine had been served by the pce maids. Seeing that both Honored Consort Ya and Third Prince did not look at her again, Ning Qingshan took this opportunity to look in the direction of Ning Xueyan.

    Since she had been at Honored Consort Ya¡¯s pce just now, she happened to have an alibi. But also because of it, she did not know what was going on. She did not find anything abnormal in other people¡¯s eyes, so she was not certain whether what she expected had happened to Ning Xueyan or not.

    Since she hade in with Honored Consort Ya just now, it might have aroused attention from the others. If something bad had happened to Ning Xueyan, it might arouse suspicion for her to look straight at Ning Xueyan as soon as she came back to the Plum Garden.

    Therefore, Ning Qingshan had not taken any action until now.

    She turned her head slightly to Ning Xueyan¡¯s direction, and immediately saw a pair of cold, jet-ck eyes looking at her. Ning Xueyan¡¯s gaze was so cold that it made Ning Qingshan, who had always been so calm, fell into a panic. Her heart beat faster. How could Ning Xueyan was still sitting there, safe and sound£¿

    A faint smile appeared on Ning Xueyan¡¯s delicate face. Seeing Ning Qingshan looking at her surprisingly, she held up the wine ss and raised it several times in Ning Qingshan¡¯s direction, and then drank the wine up. She deliberately pointed the rim of the wine ss at her to show that it was empty. Her movements were both fluid and graceful. She curved her lips up, looking extremely charming.

    What surprised Ning Qingshan most was that nobody around her was gossiping about Ning Xueyan, and Ning Xueyan was not as difited as she had imagined.

    How could nothing bad happen to her?

    Ning Qingshan was shocked, and her pupils could not help but contract. She clenched the handkerchief in his hands, having a bad foreboding.

    Not only nothing bad had happened to Ning Xueyan, but she was still as calm as before as well. In other people¡¯s eyes, she was showing her friendship when she had toasted Ning Qingshan at a distance just now, but in Ning Qingshan¡¯s opinion, it was a provocation and a mockery.

    If nothing had happened yesterday, she might have thought that Ning Xueyan did not afraid of her because she had no idea how maniptive she was. But after yesterday¡¯s incident, she knew that Ning Xueyan was on par with her. She had thought for quite a long timest night, and could not help gritting her teeth at thought of falling into Ning Xueyan¡¯s trap.

    If she had not underestimated Ning Xueyan, her personal maid would not have died. More importantly, Madam Dowager¡¯s impression of her was getting worse. Someone might be gossiping about her to ruin her reputation. All she had suffered were because of Ning Xueyan, so Ning Qingshan could not help but burn with anger.

    That was why the gentle smile of Ning Xueyan made her feel creepy.

    Her fear was justified. Before she could find a way to deal with Ning Xuyan, she suddenly heard a Young Lady crying out, ¡°Ah! My golden hair-pin is missing!¡±

    The Young Lady¡¯s face turned pale and she copsed on the seat with fear in her eyes, trembling. Her maid at her side was supporting her by the arm.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Honored Consort Ya put down her chopsticks, and asked crossly. She ordered a pce maid beside her to ask what was going on. Honored Consort Shu next to her stopped talking with Fourth Prince and turned around.

    ¡°Your Highness, that Young Lady lost her hair-pin. She borrowed it from her grandmother,¡± the pce maid came back after a short while and whispered in Honored Consort Ya¡¯s ear.

    Honored Consort Ya knew that Young Lady. She was the daughter of the principal wife of her manor, but her grandmother did not like her, and it was said that she would be extremely scared whenever she had to visit her grandmother. Now she had lost the precious stuff of her grandmother, so it was no wonder that her face had turned ashen at fear.

    ¡°Ask her when she found it missing. Then have someone to look into the matter,¡± Honored Consort Ya ordered with a darkened face. In her eyes, a hair-pin was nothing at all. But since she was the hostess of the party, she felt awkward to have let such a thing happen. Besides, the emperor might doubt her ability.

    ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll arrange for it right now.¡± The pce maid nodded and then went to that Young Lady for information. After a short while, she gathered all the pce maids and eunuchs present for questioning.

    Now things were getting big. All the Young Ladies looked embarrassed. Since they had been present when the hair-pin was missing, if it could not be found on the pce maids and the eunuchs, they could be next in line for scrutiny.

 Chapter 191 - Miss, She Stole Your Bracelet

    <h4>Chapter 191 Miss, She Stole Your Bracelet</h4>

    The pce maids and eunuchs were very cooperative, so after a short while, the investigation of them was over. That hair-pin was not on them!

    ¡°Do I really have to search these Young Ladies for the hair-pin?¡±

    Honored Consort Ya was in a dilemma. Her face darkened. All the Young Ladies were from noble families, and it would be an insult to them to search them. But if She did not ask people to search them, she did not know how to solve the problem. Furthermore, the pce maids and the eunuchs had already been searched.

    ¡°Are all the pce maids and eunuchs who were present just now here? Could any of them haven¡¯t been searched yet?¡± None of the Young Ladies would like to be searched, so someone could not help asking.

    ¡°Sure enough. There were many pce maids and eunuchs bustling around here just now. Maybe someone has passed by here asionally and took the hair-pin away,¡± another Young Lady said, following the first one. If they were searched here, they would feel ashamed to show their faces in public in the future.

    ¡°Your Highness, please check again if there were anyone else had passed by here just now,¡± A Young Lady stepped out the crowd and suggested, bowing to Honored Consort Ya respectfully.

    Honored Consort Ya was thinking about this as well. She knew that she could not order people to search the Young Ladies. Otherwise, it would stir troubles up. She then nodded and gestured that Young Lady to sit down.

    She ordered the pce maid beside her to bring all the pce maids and eunuchs in attendance at the party, including someone passing by here, someone picking plum blossom here, and someone fetching things here. After a short moment, about twenty or thirty more pce maids were brought here.

    Looking at one of the pce maids, Ning Xueyan smiled slightly. It was the one who had given the note to her.

    When these pce maids and eunuchs were about to be taken away and searched, Lanning suddenly said, pointing at one of the pce maids, ¡°Miss, she stole your bracelet! Look! It¡¯s still on her wrist!¡±

    There was an uproar when the crowd heard that someone had stolen a bracelet and been caught. They looked at the pce maid who was being pointed at by Lanning and saw an extremely delicate bracelet set with precious gems.

    Seeing that everyone, including Honored Consort Ya and Honored Consort Shu, who were sitting on the principal seats turned to her, the pce maid was so scared that she immediately covered the bracelet with her hand, trying to hide it from others. She repeated subconsciously, ¡°This is... mine. I didn¡¯t steal it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s yours?¡± Lanning walked over to her and lifted her wrist in front of everyone. ¡°This bracelet was left by Madam Ming to my young master, and it also bears the name of Madam Ming. Do you want to argue that Madam Ming gave it to you?¡± Lanning shouted angrily.

    Ming Feiyong had given this bracelet to Ning Xueyan, saying that Madam Ming liked it most before marrying to Ning Zu¡¯an. The bracelets were originally a pair, but unfortunately, one was broken, so she did not wear them again since then, and left it in the Ming Manor. Maybe because Madam Ming was still very young at that point, she had asked someone to carefully carve her name on the bracelet.

    Madam Ming had hidden herself in Bright Frost Garden for years. She even had never left Bright Frost Garden, let aloneing to the imperial pce. Therefore, it was impossible for her to give the bracelet to a pce maid at imperial pce. Obviously, the pce maid was lying.

    Ao Chenyi narrowed his eyes and quietly looked at Ning Xueyan, who was standing beside Lanning with an anxious look. He then looked at the pale pce maid and Ning Qingshan, who was on the other side. His lips curved up and a faint smile appeared on them. ¡°This little girl is not that generous, and she won¡¯t bear to suffer a little loss!¡±

    But that was his type!

    ¡°I, I...¡± The pce maid had just recovered from her panic. She knelt down and said, pointing at Ning Xueyan. ¡°Fifth Young Lady of the Nings gave it to me.¡±

    ¡°Tell me what happened.¡± As the hostess of the party, Honored Consort Ya felt humiliated for such a thing. She ordered her people to take that pce maid to her and asked.

    At the same time, Ning Xueyan and Lanning were brought to her as well.

    Ning Qingshan¡¯s seat was close to them, so although she did not move, she could see everything clearly. She had a bad presentiment that made her restless. She was so anxious that she had crumpled the handkerchief in her hands. ¡°What¡¯s Ning Xueyan doing?¡± she wondered.

    Honored Consort Shu sat next to Honored Consort Ya. She sized up Ning Xueyan, eyes shining.

    The male guests knew something unusual happened among the female guests as well. Some childes looked in this direction curiously. ¡°How dare someone steal at the pce banquet? Doesn¡¯t she want to live?¡± they thought.

    Hearing Honored Consort Ya ask, Ning Xueyan walked over and bowed to her respectfully. She said in a soft voice, ¡°Your Highness, how could I give such a precious thing to a maid as a reward? What¡¯s more, the bracelet was left by my mother, so it means something special to me.¡±

    Ignore the pce maid¡¯s pathetic pleading eyes, she said slowly.

    It sounded reasonable. How could a Young Lady give such a precious bracelet to a maid just because she had served tea and fruit for her? Besides, this bracelet was left by this Young Lady¡¯s mother. Honored Consort Ya looked at the bracelet carefully. It was both delicate and gorgeous, and was exactly as she remembered it. It really Madam Ming¡¯s bracelet.

    Honored Consort Ya put down the bracelet and was about to say something.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, you must have forgotten that I gave you a note. This lord asked me to give it to you,¡± she said, pointing at a eunuch. Then she turned to that eunuch and continued, ¡°Lord, do you still remember that you told me to make sure that I would give this note to Fifth Young Lady, and you said this note was picked up by someone else.¡± The pce maid had been carefully watching what Honored Consort Ya was doing and saying, now she found things went bad and became to defend herself. She looked around, and suddenly saw a eunuch hiding behind Honored Consort Ya. She immediately shouted at him.

    That eunuch had been standing behind Honored Consort Ya. Obviously, he worked for her. Being used by the pce maid, he was shocked, then in panic. He waved his hands in a hurry and exined, ¡°I didn¡¯t do it. Third Young Lady...¡±

    He turned his head to look for Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°How dare you!¡± Honored Consort Ya shouted angrily. An old mammy came over and pped the eunuch hard. The eunuch stumbled and then fell onto the floor. ¡°Those who attended the banquet today were all daughters of the officials. If you dare talk nonsense again, I¡¯ll beat you to death!¡±

    The old mammy looked at him fiercely and threatened.

    ¡°Yes, yes! I, I wanted to say that I didn¡¯t know anything about Fifth Young Lady, and I had no idea about what the pce maid was talking about. I didn¡¯t see her today. How could I ask her to give something to the others? She must have stolen Fifth Young Lady¡¯s bracelet and couldn¡¯t exin it, so she tried to shift the me on me.¡±

    Being pped, the eunuch became sober. He was eager to correct himself, so he exined and denied that he had asked the pce maid to convey the note.

    He regretted. If he had expected that he would be involved in such a trouble, he would not have sent the note for Third Young Lady in order to tter her. Now he could not tell the truth in front of people. He knew what Honored Consort Ya meant. If he mentioned Third Young Lady, he would definitely die.

    ¡°I, I, I¡¯m not lying. He asked me to give the note to Fifth Young Lady, and he even gave me a silver ingot as a reward. Your Highness, if you don¡¯t believe me, please take a look.¡± Hearing that the eunuch had denied what he had done, the pce maid was in a panic. She took out a silver ingot from her pocket and showed it to Honored Consort Ya, hoping Honored Consort Ya would trust her.

    ¡°He... why did he ask you to give the note to me? It¡¯s my first time to visit the imperial pce, and I don¡¯t have acquaintances here. Why did someone write the note to me? It¡¯s not reasonable! You must be lying because you wanted to deny that you stole my bracelet.¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s voice was not high, and she looked gentle when she spoke, as if she was talking to herself. However, since there was a sudden silence, almost everyone close to her heard what she said.

    Ning Xueyan had never visited the imperial pce before, neither she had attended any parties. If Second Madam of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had not died, very few people would know her existence. When someone asked about her, he would be told that Fifth Young Lady had note out from her courtyard for several years. Of course she could not know any outsiders.

    How could anyone in the pce knew her and delivered a note to her? Obviously, the pce maid was lying!

    Someone who had sharp eyes suddenly found that the eunuch was the one who had taken Ning Qingshan to Honored Consort Ya¡¯s pce. Then the ¡®Third Young Lady¡¯ he had mentioned just now should be Ning Qingshan. If what he had said was true, that meant Third Young Lady delivered a note to her younger sister.

    It seemed contradictory and did not make sense.

    Many people present were smart. Honored Consort Ya lost her temper after hearing what the eunuch said, and then the old mummy behind her pped the eunuch. After that, the eunuch suddenly denied what he had said. Everything proved that there was something behind this matter.

    ¡°Ha-ha-ha...¡± Honored Consort Shu suddenly burst intough. She said to Honored Consort Ya, ¡°Sister Ya, don¡¯t be angry. The servants mentioned Third Young Lady and Fifth Young Lady. I think they were talking about the two Young Ladies of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. It doesn¡¯t make sense for Third Young Lady to send a note to Fifth Young Lady. Since they were sisters, what kind of things couldn¡¯t they talk face to face, but have to entrust these two servants to deliver the note?¡±

    Honored Consort Shu seemed to be talking casually, but what she said pointed to Ning Qingshan. Hearing what she said, everyone¡¯s gazes turned to Ning Qingshan, who was sitting on the other side. With everyone watching, Ning Qingshan stood up and walked to Honored Consort Ya. She bowed to Honored Consort Ya and Honored Consort Shu, and gently said, ¡°Greetings, Your Highnesses!¡±

    ¡°Get up!¡± Honored Consort Ya said, looking thoughtful. She waved her hand calmly.

    ¡°What a polite kid! I heard that Third Young Lady was both filial and loyal. I haven¡¯t seen you for three years. Now you¡¯re even gentler and more beautiful!¡± Honored Consort Shu said with a smile, covering her mouth with a handkerchief. She sized up Ning Qingshan, as if she liked her from her heart.

    Only Ning Qingshan felt the hostility in Honored Consort Shu¡¯s words.

    ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯re ttering me,¡± Ning Qingshan said respectfully. Then she turned to Ning Xueyan, who was standing behind her, and said, ¡°Fifth Sister, since she stole your bracelet, just take it back. It¡¯s just a bracelet. Honored Consort Ya and Honored Consort Shu call the shots here. Besides, we¡¯re at the party now. You can¡¯t behave like you¡¯re in our manor.¡±

    She seemed to be persuading Ning Xueyan. She was generous and calm when she spoke, and very much like an elder sister. She also hinted Ning Xueyan not to speak casually by stressing that they were at the imperial pce. She seemed to do Ning Xueyan¡¯s good, and she looked frank. People who suspected her could not help but hesitate. Maybe the ¡®Third Young Lady¡¯ the eunuch had blurt out was not Ning Qingshan?

    Ning Qingshan could even stay calm under such circumstances!

    And she even had suppressed Ning Xueyan with words. Compared to her generosity, Ning Xueyan seemed to be too narrow-minded. Stirring such trouble for a bracelet showed that she did not take the overall picture into consideration.

 Chapter 192 - Third Young Lady, Please Wait!

    <h4>Chapter 192 Third Young Lady, Please Wait!</h4>

    [Thanksgiving Special Updates]

    [In the folllowing 3 days, we will update 2 chapters each day on this novel,thank you for your continued suppport for TapRead!]

    ¡°Third Sister, so you think the bracelet is of no importance?¡± Ning Xueyan asked, pointing at the bracelet. She sneered inside, but did not show it on her face.

    From the appearance of the bracelet, one could tell it was valuable. And all the gems on it were precious. Ning Qingshan had not expected that Ning Xueyan had such a valuable thing. But she was not that surprised. Since she had been in the imperial pce for some time, and seen many valuable jewels of Honored Consort Ya, she certainly would not make a fuss about a fine bracelet.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, don¡¯t be naughty. The bracelet is really beautiful. But don¡¯t worry. I have a pair of bracelets simr to this one. I¡¯ll give them to you when we¡¯re back,¡± Ning Qingshan said generously.

    It seemed in any case, she was a generous, nice elder sister. Many people among the crowd were impressed by her, and they thought that Ning Xueyan was too vexatious. It was not a big deal, but she had made the two honored imperial concubines uneasy because of it.

    But a few of others did not think in the same way. They put on a weird look and looked at Ning Qingshan with disdain.

    Honored Consort Shuughed, covering her mouth with a handkerchief. But she did not say anything.

    Honored Consort Ya looked a little embarrassing. But she immediately said gently, ¡°Third Young Lady, you must not have looked at it carefully. Your bracelets couldn¡¯t be the same as this one. There are only a pair of such bracelets in the Chu Kingdom, and now only one piece left. Each gem on it is extremely valuable. So you can imagine how expensive it will be with so many gems on it.¡±

    Of course the bracelets of Madam Ming¡¯s were extremely precious. All the gems on it were high-quality natural gemstones of the same size. It was not easy even to gather all of them. People who were experienced could tell it. But Ning Qingshan even boasted that she had a pair of bracelets just like this one. Obviously, she was lying.

    She was not only had a poor taste, but she tried to cheat Ning Xueyan as well.

    If you told a lie, others might not trust you anymore. It was hard to believe that Third Young Lady who was well-known for her loyalty and filial piety would have said something like that. When people thought it over, they found Ning Qingshan¡¯s hint in her words. She had been telling people that Fifth Young Lady was very narrow-minded, and made a fuss over a trifle. ¡°Could that be her who was framing Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?¡± someone thought.

    Sensing the mocking, skeptical looks, Ning Qingshan felt ashamed. She bit her lip and could not stay calm anymore.

    ¡°Take the stupid maid out and beat her to death with sticks!¡± Honored Consort Ya ordered coldly.

    Two eunuchs came over and skillfully stuffed a piece of cloth into the pce maid¡¯s mouth. Then they each grabbed one of her hands and dragged her out.

    Before she could utter a single word, the pce maid had been dragged out.

    ¡°Bring this bracelet to Fifth Young Lady, and give her another pair of bracelets as a gift,¡± Honored Consort Ya leaned back and ordered, losing all her interest in seeing into this matter.

    ¡°Got it.¡± A high-grade pce maid of Honored Consort Ya walked over to Ning Xueyan, with a delicate jewelry box in her hands. Meanwhile, another pce maid brought Ning Xueyan her bracelet.

    Ning Xueyan knew that Honored Consort Ya did not want to see into this matter anymore. She smiled and bowed to Honored Consort Ya respectfully to show her thanks. Then she asked Lanning to take the bracelets and walked back to her seat.

    ¡°Young Ladies, go back to your seats,¡± Honored Consort Shu waved her hand and said. She was smiling all the time, seemed to be in a good mood.

    All the Young Ladies understood what the two honored imperial concubines meant, so they returned to their seats soon. No matter what had happened, since Honored Consort Ya did not want to see into it, they would not meddle.

    Maybe the pce maid had been attracted by the beautiful bracelet and stolen it when she sent the note to Fifth Young Lady. Or maybe the pce maid lied, and there was no note at all. Anyway, Honored Consort Ya had punished her, and it was over. Nobody could tell what had been going on.

    In short, Third Young Lady did not seem to be as harmless as she looked. She was more like a scheming b*tch!

    Suddenly, they heard someone shouting, ¡°Here¡¯s a hair-pin! A golden hair-pin! Whose is it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s... mine! It¡¯s mine!¡± The Young Lady who had lost her hair-pin rushed out. She saw a hair-pin under the tree at a corner, and it was hers! She could not help but cry out joyfully.

    It suddenly became very busy over there.

    Ning Qingshan stood there stiffly for quite a while. It was not until she regained her mobility that she returned to her seat.

    She looked at Ning Xueyan, eyes full of hate. She had not expected that Ning Xueyan dared to talk about the note in front of the two honored imperial concubines. At that point, she had been worried, but could not say anything. By now, nothing bad had happened to Ning Xueyan, but Ning Qingshan was almost exposed.

    If Honored Consort Ya had not been so determined and stopped that eunuch from using Ning Qingshan in time, she might have been exposed.

    If that was the case, she was done. At thought of this, she sweated and her legs went weak.

    Her reputation for ¡°loyalty and filial piety¡± was nearly ruined!

    Even though Honored Consort Ya did not see into the matter, many people had already begun to suspect her. Furthermore, what she had said about the bracelet made the others feel that she was inexperienced.

    Noble family valued experience most. She was doomed to beughed at if she was inexperienced.

    How dared Ning Xueyan treat her like that!

    She was staring at Ning Xueyan fiercely, and did not notice that Honored Consort Shu was looking at her. Honored Consort Shu suddenly said, ¡°Third Young Lady, please wait a moment!¡±

    Why did Honored Consort Shu call her? Ning Qingshan was shocked, but she immediately stopped and turned to bow to Honored Consort Shu respectfully. ¡°Your Highness.¡±

    The gentle and perfect smile came back to her face again.

    ¡°Third Young Lady, it¡¯s said you are very close to Wan¡¯er. When did you be so close? I remember three years ago, there was nothing between you. I wondered why Wan¡¯er was starting to miss you after you have juste back to your manor a few days.¡± Honored Consort Shu said with a smile.

    It sounded that she was chatting with Ning Qingshan casually, but Ning Qingshan felt like being struck by the lighting. She was frozen there with a pale face.

    ¡°Wan¡¯er? Is Honored Consort Shu talking about Fourth Prince, Ao Mingwan? Why did she say I was close to him? Although she said politely, she seemed to be hinting that I have seduced Ao Mingwan, so he was starting to miss me after I have juste back to our manor a few days!¡± Ning Qingshan thought.

    Honored Consort Ya¡¯s face darkened as well. She had chosen Ning Qingshan as her future daughter-inw. Now she suddenly heard that Ning Qingshan was close to Ao Mingwan, so she could not help being angry.

    ¡°Your Highness, I don¡¯t... understand what you mean.¡± Ning Qingshan¡¯s eyes turned red and tears rolled in them. She looked at Honored Consort Shu nkly, as if she was very confused.

    ¡°Third Young Lady, don¡¯t cry. Otherwise, Wan¡¯er may think I¡¯m bullying you. It¡¯s okay if there¡¯s nothing between you. Maybe I misunderstood. Wan¡¯er told me that he wanted to marry you as his co-consort. It seems I have made a mistake. I¡¯ll confirm with himter,¡± Honored Consort Shu said, smiling. She shook her fan, looking guilty. Then she shifted her eyes to Honored Consort Ya.

    ¡°Sister Ya, I¡¯m a straightforward person, and I can¡¯t hide anything. I¡¯ll teach Wan¡¯er a good lesson after returning to my pce, so that he won¡¯t dare to talk nonsense again. I was wrong about Third Young Lady,¡± she said.

    Her words easily reminded people of the ambiguous rtionship between Ning Qingshan and Third Prince. It was said that Ning Qingshan would marry Third Prince as his wife. It seemed that Fourth Prince liked her as well, and he had pleaded Honored Consort Shu to agree him to marry Ning Qingshan as his co-consort . For Third Prince and Honored Consort Ya, it was a real p on the face!

    The woman that Third Prince wanted to marry as his wife could only be a co-consort of Fourth Prince!

    What was more, the imperial family most tabooed brothers liked the same woman!

    Thinking about this, Ning Qingshan¡¯s face turned as white as a sheet. No matter how vicious she was, she was only a girl of sixteen years old, and she was not match for Honored Consort Shu, who had fought with other women at court for years. Besides, she had not gotten married yet, so it was improper for her to talk about the rtion between men and women too much.

    Because it was quiet now, although Ning Xueyan was a little far from them, she still could hear what they were talking about. She was surprised that Ao Mingwan liked Ning Qingshan. Obviously, Honored Consort Shu did not like Ning Qingshan. It was an unexpected pleasant surprise for her to know that the sociable Ning Qingshan had offended Honored Consort Shu. Ning Xueyan had shown herself in front of people just now, now she only wanted to quietly watch the others perform.

    She held up the tea cup and took a sip of the tea. Then she began to watch what was going on with a smile.

    Suddenly, she sensed two cold and sharp gazes. She looked back subconsciously and saw a pair of extremely beautiful, but cold eyes. ¡°Ao Chenyi? Doesn¡¯t he like to watch harem fight? Why is he looking at me?¡± Ning Xueyan was a little surprised, blinking her eyes.

    Seeing Ning Xueyan turn her head, Ao Chenyi curved up his lips and a faint smile appeared on his face. He nced at his ¡®favorite concubine¡¯ beside him, who did not dare even move, and then held up the wine ss and took a sip of the wine slowly.

    The blood-red wine soaked his lips, made them look extremely charming, but cold and dangerous as well. Ning Xueyan suddenly remembered what she had promised Ao Chenyi. She frowned slightly. It seemed she had no choice but acted as his favorite concubine.

    But idents were happening one after another, and there was no sign that everything woulde back to normal soon. Besides, it was an imperial party. What excuse could she find to leave?

    ¡°Honored Consort Shu, you¡¯re really frank. His Majesty talked about you the day before yesterday. He said you were the most straightforward person in the imperial pce. I didn¡¯t expect that Fourth Prince to be as straightforward as you. It¡¯s really good! I¡¯ll tell His Majestyter,¡± Honored Consort Ya said with a gentle smile.

    But Honored Consort Shu¡¯s smile faded away when she figured out what Honored Consort Ya meant.

    She knew that the emperor wanted to choose the heir to the throne from his sons. Now the most powerful princes were Third Prince and Fourth Prince, so there was bound to be a fight between them, and their mothers, Honored Consort Ya and Honored Consort Shu, were also being at strife openly and secretly.

    They both knew that the emperor wanted to choose a thoughtful and capable prince, who was able to suppress Prince Yi, Ao Chenyi, to be his sessor. If he were a straightforward person, not only he was unable to control Ao Chenyi, but he might be killed by him. If Fourth Prince was such a person, the emperor would immediately kick him out from the candidates for his sessor.

    Honored Consort Shu knew what Honored Consort Ya was hinting, and for a moment, she did not know what to say.

    ¡°Sister Ya, you¡¯re joking. Wan¡¯er has royal blood. How could he be as silly as me?¡± Her embarrassment could be discerned in her words.

    Since Honored Consort Shu had given in, Honored Consort Ya stopped fighting her. She turned to Ning Qingshan and said with a smile, ¡°Third Young Lady, you can go back to your seat now. Fourth Prince was joking with his mother. The kid is smart, but he always likes to make jokes.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Wan¡¯er likes to joke. It¡¯s very annoying sometimes. Third Young Lady, I hope you¡¯re not offended,¡± Honored Consort Shu said with a smile. Since Honored Consort Ya had given her an out, she immediately followed her and exined to Ning Qingshan politely.

    She seemed to bear Ning Qingshan no ill will at all, and what she had said just now was more like a joke.

 Chapter 193 - Being Slapped, Ning Qingshanâ€™s Hate Gets Intenser

    <h4>Chapter 193 Being pped, Ning Qingshan¡¯s Hate Gets Intenser</h4>

    The male guests only knew briefly about what had happened to the female guests. It was said that a pce maid stole a Young Lady¡¯s stuff. It seemed that the two Young Ladies of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor were involved in this matter. Someone said that Third Young Lady had sent a note to Fifth Young Lady and caused the trouble.

    Since they were all noble childes, they would not gather to watch what was going on. Besides, the powerful Prince Yi was still on his seat. Therefore, none of the male guests walked to the female guest zone. Even Ao Mingwan, who was focusing on Ning Xueyan, did not know exactly what was going on. He saw his mother call another Young Lady to her and said something.

    Both Honored Consort Ya and Honored Consort Shu were not stupid, and they did not speak loudly when they were secretly fighting in front of so many people. Besides, it was not that close between the male guest zone and the female guest zone. Therefore, it was normal that one could not hear everything clearly about what was happening in the female guest zone.

    Only those who had sharp ears could hear what thedies were talking about.

    But obviously, Ao Mingwan was not one of them. Therefore, he had no idea what had happened. He looked at Honored Consort Shu, who was talking with a smile, and then at Ning Xueyan, who was sitting in a corner quietly. He was confused, and could not tell what the problem was.

    ¡°Mother has promised me to ask about Third Young Lady, and if possible, she will marry Third Young Lady of the Nings to me. But why by now, mother still hasn¡¯te to Third Young Lady yet, but talked to another Young Lady for such a long time?¡± he wondered.

    But it was not convenient for him to ask on such an asion. He looked at the female guest zone, confused. Ao Mingyu wasing over, and he had to stop wondering and toast to Ao Chenyi with him.

    After the banquet, Honored Consort Ya and Honored Consort Shu went back to their own pces. The Young Ladies and noble childes stayed in the Plum Garden to enjoy the beautiful scenery. Since plum blossom was the theme of this party, of course they should leave time for guests to enjoy the flowers after dinner.

    Vivid red plum blossom and in white plum blossom could be found everywhere in the Plum Garden. Besides, the garden covered arge area. Therefore, people scattered gradually. Ning Qingshan was relieved not have been exposed. She smiled and was about to go to Ning Xueyan. She knew that what happened today had aroused people¡¯s suspicion, so she must show that she got well with Ning Xueyan in front of the others.

    ¡°Third Young Lady, Her Highness asked you to her pce,¡± a pce maid came out from behind a plum tree and said with a smile.

    Ning Qingshan recognized that she was the pce maid who had stood behind Honored Consort Ya just now. ¡°Honored Consort Ya has talked with me at her pce just now. Why is she asking me there again?¡± she wondered.

    ¡°Sister, do you know what Her Highness wanted me?¡± Ning Qingshan asked, uneasily.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, and I dare not to guess what Her Highness is thinking about. Come on, Third Young Lady. Please go with me!¡± the pce maid said with a smile, and nothing abnormal could be found on her face.

    Ning Qingshan examined her expression carefully and did not find anything wrong, so she had to nod.

    Honored Consort Ya was resting in a courtyard outside the Plum Garden. When Ning Qingshan walked into the room, she saw Honored Consort Ya sitting there alone, face darkened. Not as gentle and graceful as she used to be, she looked at Ning Qingshan coldly the moment she saw her in.

    ¡°Greetings, Your Highness!¡± Ning Qingshan said cautiously.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on between you and Fourth Prince?¡± Honored Consort Ya did not ask her to sit down, but put it straightforwardly. She looked serious and unhappy.

    ¡°I have no idea. I have never met Fourth Prince after returning to our manor. How could there¡¯s something between us!¡± Ning Qingshan knew Honored Consort Ya was suspicious about her, she immediately defended herself anxiously. ¡°Honored Consort Shu must want to destroy the marriage between Third Prince and me, so she said this on purpose.¡±

    ¡°Although Honored Consort Shu is cunning, she won¡¯t talk casually about such things. If she wasn¡¯t sure, she wouldn¡¯t have mentioned it in front of people. Think it over. Did you give Fourth Prince any hints?¡± Honored Consort Ya asked coldly. She did not suspect that there was something between Ning Qingshan and Ao Mingwan, but she worried that Ning Qingshan had done something that made Ao Mingwan might misunderstand.

    If the emperor knew that the brothers had a crush on the same woman, he would not agree Ao Mingyu married Ning Qingshan.

    Then her n would fall through.

    ¡°I, I didn¡¯t. Your Highness, please trust me. I don¡¯t have any rtionship with Fourth Prince. I met him today when I walked to the imperial pce, but Third Prince was there as well. Fourth Prince did not say much to me. Your Highness, if you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask Third Prince,¡± Ning Qingshan said anxiously.

    She did not understand why Honored Consort Shu said that she was close to Ao Mingwan. Ning Qingshan only had bowing acquaintances with Ao Mingwan three years ago, and now the same thing. Her target was Third Prince, and she had never changed her mind. She was smart, so of course she knew she would get nothing if she sat on the fence.

    If Honored Consort Ya thought that she had an affair with Ao Mingwan, she and Third Prince would be suspicious about her.

    Seeing that her face turned pale, Honored Consort Ya knew that she was really worried. She looked at Ning Qingshan for a while, and then said, still sullenly, ¡°Tell me the truth about the note.¡±

    It was the soft underbelly of Ning Qingshan. She might be able to hide the truth from others, but she could not hide it from Honored Consort Ya. The eunuch was Honored Consort Ya¡¯s servant, and he had almost exposed Ning Qingshan. Since Honored Consort Ya had made a quick decision and put all the mes on that pce maid in time, that meant she had guessed what was going on.

    ¡°Aunt, I...¡± Ning Qingshan immediately came up with an idea. She looked at Honored Consort Ya piteously with tears in her eyes.

    ¡°Shut up! I have told you many times that I was the honored imperial concubine, not your aunt! Honored Consort Ya said angrily, her expression fierce. She lowered her voice and continued, ¡°If you can¡¯t remember this, you¡¯d better note to the imperial pce.¡±

    Seeing that Honored Consort Ya was so angry, Ning Qingshan was scared and did not dare to call her ¡®aunt¡¯ again. After a while, she uttered, ¡°Your Highness!¡±

    ¡°Qing¡¯er, although I made the pce maid your scapegoat, it doesn¡¯t mean that nobody knows about it. Honored Consort Shu could guess, and so could other Young Ladies. Maybe even Yu¡¯er will suspect you and think that you framed Ning Xueyan on purpose. If he finds out that you¡¯re not as kind and gentle as you used to be, what you have done three years ago would have been in vain,¡±

    Honored Consort Ya said coldly, without being moved by Ning Qingshan¡¯s sad, pathetic expression.

    ¡°No, aunt! I didn¡¯t want to frame her. But she went too far in bullying me. She took use of the ount book to set me up at Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.¡± Ning Qingshan became angrier. At thought of being humiliated in front of Madam Dowager, losing her personal maid, and what the others of the manor whispered, she could not help but hate Ning Xueyan to the core.

    ¡°Aunt, she is just a daughter of the supporter of the previous emperor. It will be a piece of cake for you to get rid of her. If Ning Xueyan died, I¡¯ll follow everything you ask me to do. I promise I won¡¯t make any mistakes again, and anything like what happened today won¡¯t happen again.¡±

    Ning Qingshan promised, aggrieved. At thought of the calm and graceful face of Ning Xueyan, she really wanted to tear it apart. The expression should belong to her. How could that useless b*tch look even more generous and graceful than her!

    Her beautiful face twisted at hate.

    ¡°Pa!¡± Ning Qingshan was pped heavily. She staggered and almost fell onto the floor. She covered her face subconsciously, and looked at Honored Consort Ya with disbelief. She asked with reddish eyes, ¡°Your Highness, why did you... p me?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re too arrogant! You must think that you¡¯re something because Yu¡¯er hasn¡¯t forgotten you after three years, and you enjoy a good reputation for your loyalty and filial piety in the whole capital. You think that Yu¡¯er will definitely marry you and you¡¯ll be Third Prince¡¯s wife, and if Yu¡¯er became the emperor in the future, you may be the most distinguished woman in the country. Am I right?¡±

    Honored Consort Ya yelled, pointing at Ning Qingshan. She was so disappointed in her. She was so angry that she became trembling. She looked at Ning Qingshan, eyes full of disappointment.

    ¡°If I knew that you were such a person, I wouldn¡¯t have given you the opportunity to approach Yu¡¯er. He didn¡¯t need a rash woman beside him. Only a smart, tolerant and well-behaved woman can match him. Maybe I should consider about Fifth Young Lady of your manor. She behaved much better than you at the party today. You were not only be suspected by others, but you were not as experienced as her. How can you win Yu¡¯er¡¯s heart and assist him?¡±

    ¡°You can leave now. After leaving here, you¡¯ll still be Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, but you¡¯ll have nothing to do with Yu¡¯er anymore. You can frame anybody you want. Don¡¯te to me for help anymore,¡± Honored Consort Ya said angrily, pointing at the pce door that opened slightly.

    Ning Qingshan became extremely anxious. Hearing that Honored Consort Ya asked her to leave, and even wanted to cancel the engagement between her and Third Prince, Ning Qingshan knew she was really angry. Ignoring the pain in her face, she knelt down in front of Honored Consort Ya. She crawled forward and grabbed Honored Consort Ya¡¯s leg.

    ¡°Aunt! Your Highness! I know I have made a mistake. I won¡¯t act rashly and let anyone get a hold of me in the future, and I won¡¯t let Ning Xueyan find any w in me. After marrying Third Prince, I¡¯ll do everything that he wants and assist him wholeheartedly. Even if he wanted me to die, I¡¯ll do it without any hesitation,¡±

    Ning Qingshan promised, tears streaming down her fair face. She trembled slightly and sobbed, looking at Honored Consort Ya with her hand holding high.

    Seeing her pitiful and determined eyes, Honored Consort Ya calmed down gradually. Her anger subsided a lot. She reached out and wiped tears from her eyes. Then she pulled her up and said with a sigh, ¡°Shan¡¯er, people who do great things shouldn¡¯t stick to trifles. Sometimes, you have to be tolerant. Swallowing a grievance is some kind of torture. I know it¡¯s hard. But you¡¯re not Moqin. You¡¯re smarter and more capable than her. I choose you not only because you were the adopted daughter of Lord Protector. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Your Highness, I understand. I know I was too reckless today. It won¡¯t happen again in the future. I¡¯m sorry I made such a scene. Please forgive me,¡± Ning Qingshan said obediently. She grabbed Honored Consort Ya by the hand and deliberately moved closer to her to show that she was submissive. She repeated that she would not mess with Ning Xueyan easily.

    Ning Qingshan¡¯s attitude made Honored Consort Ya relieve a little. She believed that Ning Qingshan would not make trouble again, but she did not see the resentfulness in her eyes.

    Of course Ning Qingshan would not mess with Ning Xueyan easily, but if she had nned carefully, she would not let go of her. If not because of Ning Xueyan, she would not have been cursed by Honored Consort Ya.

    After so many things, she drew a conclusion, that was, Ning Xueyan must die!

 Chapter 194 - Uncle, Can You Let Us Have a Look at Her?

    <h4>Chapter 194 Uncle, Can You Let Us Have a Look at Her?</h4>

    Ning Xueyan was really helpless now. She had a hard time getting rid of Heng Yuqing. No sooner had she crossed a path than she saw Eunuch Zhu, who worked for Ao Chenyi, waiting. He took her into a courtyard. After changing her clothes in the room, they walked out from the back door. Now she had dressed up as same as the woman in veil.

    On the other hand, the woman in veil had put on an ordinary pce maid¡¯s clothes and mingled with the crowd.

    After getting everything ready, Eunuch Zhu took Ning Xueyan to the seat next to Ao Chenyi.

    Ao Chenyi and the two princes had the highest status among all the gentlemen present.

    But the two princes were his juniors. Therefore, he was at the first table alone, and Third Prince and Fourth Prince were at the second table, which was lowered than his. Several noble Princely Heirs were at the third table. Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min was sitting at the third table and looking at the female guests breezily.

    His lovely charming eyes were filled with appreciation of the beautiful Young Ladies.

    Being stared by such a man, who was even as beautiful as a woman, all the Young Ladies, no matter if they knew him or not, blushed shyly. They wanted to look at him, but felt embarrassed to do so.

    People in the capital all knew that Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min was extremely beautiful, and he was the most well-known charming man. Except for Prince Yi, Ao Chenyi, no other man was more attractive than him in terms of appearance. But nobody dared discuss Prince Yi¡¯s appearance. Even though he was unbelievable handsome, he was as cold and cruel as Asura who came from the hell. Who dared look at a handsome, cold-blooded demon?

    When Ning Xueyan passed by Wen Xueran, she saw him blinking his eyes and flirting with a Young Lady, who was enjoying the plum blossoms not far away. He was in a good mood and shook his fan when he saw that Young Lady blush shyly. Then he turned his head and made eyes at another beautifuldy who was looking at him secretly.

    He was busy flirting with those women, and seemed to be enjoying it.

    All the women would blush while being sized up by a beautiful and romantic man, who showed great interest in her.

    Suddenly, Wen Xueran stopped shaking his fan and turned his head to look at Ning Xueyan, his lovely charming eyes shining. But soon, he became a little serious and sized up Ning Xueyan with interest. Although in the veil, Ning Xueyan could see him smile at her, extremely charmingly.

    The Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min was really bold, and he even dared to seduce Ao Chenyi¡¯s ¡®favorite concubine¡¯ to his face!

    Ning Xueyan pretended that she did not see anything. She walked to Ao Chenyi gracefully, under the gazes of other people.

    She wore a light ck skirt, with a few beautiful peonies embroidered on the hem. Her jacket was made of gauze of the same color, and her face was under a veil. People could only vaguely saw a pair of beautiful eyes under the veil. They knew that she must be a beautiful woman, and they became very curious about the appearance of the ¡®favorite concubine¡¯ of Prince Yi.

    In spite of this, nobody dared to talk to her. Only Wen Xueran, was still making eyes at her. It seemed he did not think it was a big deal.

    Ning Xueyan did not know whether he was too insensitive, or he was used to flirting with women, and did this subconsciously.

    She came to Ao Chenyi¡¯s side and was about to sit down. She did not feel any pressure to pretend to his favorite concubine.

    She had observed that ¡®favorite concubine¡¯ carefully just now when she was at the female guest zone. She found it quite simple to be Ao Chenyi¡¯s ¡®favorite concubine¡¯. What she needed to do was sitting beside him, said and did nothing, just like a log.

    Ao Chenyi did not want the emperor to designate any women to him, so he should only take her as an excuse. It was enough that people knew he had already had a ¡®favorite concubine¡¯.

    But to her surprise, before she could take a seat, Prince Yi who waszily leaning against the armchair suddenly reached out, and intimately brushed off a plum blossom from her hair with his fingers. Then he turned his palm and pulled her into his arms. Ning Xueyan looked at him, eyes full of disbelief.

    Ning Xueyan had no preparation at all. She tripped over her feet and mmed into his arms. Looking from where other people were, she was throwing herself into Prince Yi¡¯s arms on her own initiative. Now they knew why she could be the favorite concubine of the cold-blooded Prince Yi. An ordinary man might not get used to her wild behavior. Some people gave a knowing smile and looked in their direction secretly.

    The chair was big enough to hold both of them. Besides, Ning Xueyan could only be taken as sitting on the thigh of Ao Chenyi. Her waist was firmly held by his arms, and she could only lean against his chest, without being able to move. She knew at such a moment, she should not struggle.

    Leaning against his broad chest, she could sense his cold aura. This man¡¯s blood was really cold!

    With a woman in his arms, he still breathed smoothly, without any fluctuation.

    Ning Xueyan was so angry that she really wanted to bite him, but she also wanted to know what he would do next. Fortunately, she was all wrapped up. Otherwise, she would feel too humiliating to face people.

    He was such an arrogant man! How could he be so intimate with her in front of people without her permission?

    But Ning Xueyan knew that even if she did not agree, Prince Yi would not change his mind. Therefore, after moving slightly a little to show her disapproval, Ning Xueyan buried her head in his arms andforted herself, ¡°Nobody knows who I am, so it¡¯s unnecessary to feel embarrassed.¡±

    Although Ning Xueyan was m, she was only a teenage girl who had not gotten married. Being firmly held by a man in front of so many people for the first time, she could not help but feel uneasy. She told herself not to care about this repeatedly, but her heart still beat faster.

    In herst life, Xia Yuhang and she were an unmarried couple, but they both followed the code of ethics, and had not even touch each other¡¯s hands. She had never been so imitated with a man like this, and she felt a buzz in her head. Like the most beautiful music, the low, maicughter in her ears made her dizzy. She clenched her fist subconsciously.

    ¡°Uncle, you really love... so much. I¡¯m surprised that after so long time, your love for her hasn¡¯t changed at all.¡± Third Prince, Ao Mingyu¡¯s voice suddenly rang out. It made Ning Xueyan sober. She could not help but listen carefully. Now she knew why Ao Chenyi had suddenly pulled her into his arms.

    Ao Mingyu did not know what to call the ¡®favorite concubine¡¯ of Ao Chenyi, so he addressed her title vaguely when he spoke. He smiled and sized Ning Xueyan up secretly. He felt that Ao Chenyi¡¯s favorite concubine seemed to be too stiff today, and she might have something wrong. But before he could think it over, the woman had resumed her intimacy with Ao Chenyi.

    Could that because his mother and Honored Consort Shu had been here, she abided forms of etiquette and showed no intimacy with Ao Chenyi?

    It seemed that Ao Chenyi loved this woman from his heart. Then it was important to find out her background.

    ¡°I¡¯m an affectionate person!¡± Ao Chenyi always spoke as concise as possible. Although Ao Mingyu could not see any affection on Ao Chenyi¡¯s face, anyway, it was his first time to take a woman to an imperial party, so it was no ordinary.

    ¡°Uncle, all the Young Ladies on the party are daughters of high-rank officials. Do you like any of them?¡± Fourth Prince, Ao Mingwan asked with a smile. He and Third Prince were on the same site in terms of dealing with Ao Chenyi. Since Ao Chenyi took this woman so seriously, if she knew that Ao Chenyi came here to choose a concubine, she would be annoyed. After all, women were jealous.

    He also heard that Prince Yi had quarreled with his favorite concubine once. It had happened the time when the emperor ordered people to send beautifuldies to the Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. It showed that this woman was a person of jealous.

    ¡°They¡¯re not pretty!¡± Ao Chenyi held Ning Xueyan with one hand, and held up the wine ss with the other one. He took a sip of the wine and said slowly.

    ¡°Not pretty?!¡± The noble childes present almost dropped their jaws. If these Young Ladies were not beautiful, they could not imagine what kind of woman could be taken as beautiful in Prince Yi¡¯s eyes. If someone else spoke in this way, the others might protest him. But since the words came out from Prince Yi¡¯s mouth, they could only express their disdain secretly, but dared not to say anything to his face.

    ¡°So thisdy must be more beautiful than all the other Young Ladies. Uncle, could you let us have a look at her?¡± Ao Mingyu asked, smiling.

    He believed that if he saw the face of the woman, he would be able to find out who she was. Maybe she would be useful to him. By now, he did not hear that any woman could be intimate with Ao Chenyi. The women sent by him or the emperor could not even approach Ao Chenyi, let alone be intimate with him.

    He had thought that Ao Chenyi was not interested in women at all. Now it seemed it was not that case!

    Besides, he was Third Prince. He did not believe that Ao Chenyi would refuse a prince¡¯s request in front of so many people!

    However, to his surprise, Ao Chenyi did not care about his feeling at all, and refused him straightly.

    ¡°No!¡± Prince Yi answered briefly, his eyes charming and mysterious, but when they looked at people, everyone could not help but feel chilly. ¡°How can anyone see my favorite concubine easily?¡±

    Third Prince blushed with embarrassment. He was the prince who was most popr among the officials. How embarrassing to be refused in front of so many people!

    ¡°Uncle, how can we see her face?¡± Ao Mingyu asked with a smile, holding back his anger. He believed that if he paid a high price, he could have any woman under his control. Furthermore, she was only a concubine.

    ¡°Would you like to see Third Prince?¡± Ao Chenyi suddenly asked with a sly smile. He looked at Ao Mingyu, who determined to see his favorite concubine¡¯s face, and pattered Ning Xueyan on the shoulder. He asked her gently with a smile, as if he respected her very much and was asking her permission. But Ning Xueyan did not think that way, and she gritted her teeth at anger.

    How could she speak at this moment? She was worried that someone would recognize her if she uttered a word. The coquettish Princely Heir, Wen Xueran, was looking at her with a mysterious smile. She reminded herself to be more careful.

    She wondered why Ao Mingyu had not made such a request when the former ¡®favorite concubine¡¯ was here, and now he was raising difficulties when it was her turn to act as the ¡®favorite concubine¡¯.

    So annoying!

    She could not ignore Ao Mingyu¡¯s request. Ao Chenyi could say ¡®NO¡¯ to Ao Mingyu, because he was thetter¡¯s elder who was extremely powerful. But who she was acting was an only humble favorite concubine. In any case, she could not, and dared not ignore Ao Mingyu.

    But how could she neither expose herself, nor embarrass Ao Mingyu?

 Chapter 195 - My Favorite Concubine Saidâ€¦

    <h4>Chapter 195 My Favorite Concubine Said...</h4>

    Everyone fixed their eyes on Ning Xueyan and Ao Chenyi. They had been curious about his favorite concubine before, but no sign showed that Ao Chenyi was fond of her today, and she even looked timid. She was quite different from what the rumors said, so the others lost their interests after looking at her for a while, and they shifted their eyes from her. Now when they saw that Ao Chenyi cared about her so much, they all widened their eyes.

    It was unbelievable that Prince Yi even treated a ¡®favorite concubine¡¯, who was even more humble than a co-consort so well!

    Favorite concubine was nothing, but a pet! Prince Yi had not only taken her into the imperial pce, but also asked her advice. Obviously, he cared about her very much. The noble childes gasped, wondering if the most charming and mysterious man in front of them was really the cold-blooded Prince Yi.

    Only now did they look at him carefully and find him so handsome!

    Ning Xueyan raised her head slightly and whispered in Ao Chenyi¡¯s ear.

    Because her voice was too low, nobody else had heard it. In fact, she was threatening Ao Chenyi angrily, saying, ¡°Prince Yi, do you want me to tell them who I am?¡±

    Although she wore a veil, since they were so close, Ao Chenyi could see the indignant expression on her tender, fair face. She bit her lip, and stared at him angrily under the veil, like a kitten that was pissed off. It seemed that if he pushed her any further, she would stretch out her sharp ws. A trace of smile suddenly appeared in Ao Chenyi eyes.

    ¡°My favorite concubine said that ording to etiquette, it was inconvenient to show her face here,¡± Ao Chenyi said casually, curving up his lips.

    They were at the male guest zone. Although there were some pce maids serving them by their side, they were only servants. It was really improper for Prince Yi¡¯s woman to lift her veil in front of so many people. Hearing what Prince Yi said, most people thought the excuse reasonable.

    Ao Mingyu was surprised that a concubine had the guts to refuse his request. A coldness of anger shed in his eyes. ¡°This woman is really insensible!¡± he thought.

    ¡°Uncle, my father held this party mainly for you. Please choose one or two from these noble Young Ladies at least. After all, Prince Yi¡¯s Manor needs a real hostess,¡± Ao Mingyu said with a smile. When he raised his head again, he had recovered hisposure.

    ¡°Yes. Uncle, my father repeatedly reminded me and my third elder brother, saying that we must ensure that you could choose a satisfactory consort. We can¡¯t just watch your backyard go unattended. It¡¯s also grandfather¡¯s will,¡± Ao Mingwan said in agreement, smiling. He even wanted to force Ao Chenyi with the previous emperor¡¯s will.

    The previous emperor had chosen Ao Chenyi as the sessor of his elder brother, the current emperor, so Ao Chenyi could not disobey his order. And it was true that before his passing away, the previous emperor had urged Ao Chenyi to get married as soon as possible. But for a variety of reasons, the matter was put off till now.

    When talking about the previous emperor, Ning Xueyan, who was leaning against Ao Chenyi, sensed that Ao Chenyi¡¯s body went stiff, and the hand which wasnding on her waist contracted forcibly. Although Ning Xueyan could not see his expression at the moment, she could feel something strange about him.

    ¡°Oh? Then which beautifuldy does your father think is good enough for me?¡± Ao Chenyi askedzily. Although he was smiling, everyone could see the coldness and killing intent in his eyes.

    Some people were looking at him just now. Now they all lowered their heads, hoping that they had note to the party today.

    If they had known that Prince Yi would attend the party, they might not havee!

    It seemed that something bad would happen. Everyone knew that the emperor had expressed many times that he would arrange the marriage for Prince Yi, but nothing happened finally. It must be Prince Yi who had privately refused him. After all, he had not refused him in front of others, so although he had made the emperor embarrassing, Prince Yi should not be taken as disobeying his decree.

    But things were different today. The two princes had put it straightforward on behalf of the emperor in front of so many noble childes. It showed the emperor¡¯s determination. If he was a little tougher, he would designate a woman to be Prince Yi¡¯s wife. If Prince Yi did not agree, he would disobey the emperor¡¯s decree. Anyone who dared to disobey the emperor¡¯s decree would be killed, and his n would be exterminated!

    But it was impossible for Prince Yi to ept the punishment without a fight!

    Everyone fell into silence.

    Ao Mingyu and Ao Mingwan exchanged nces and watched every movement of Ao Chenyi cautiously. They moved backward a little, and their smiles were frozen. Although they had the preparation in mind, under the powerful aura of Ao Chenyi, they could not help but take a step backward.

    The atmosphere was tense.

    Ning Xueyan became nervous as well. She moved slightly in Ao Chenyi¡¯s arms. She suddenly saw several silver spots shing, and she became worried. Those things should not appear at a party like this.

    She narrowed her eyes and wrote something on Ao Chenyi¡¯s chest with her finger.

    Ao Chenyi suddenly smiled. He grabbed Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand and said softly, ¡°Sweetie, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t bring a woman who will bully you to my manor.¡±

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand and her body went stiff. She bit her lip, and did not know what to say. She took a deep breath and decided not to say anything. Otherwise, she might be even angrier.

    Ao Chenyi¡¯s suddenly changed his attitude, and the atmosphere was immediately eased up a lot. Afterforting her favorite concubine, he turned to Ao Mingyu and saidzily, ¡°Which noble Young Lady does your father want me to marry?¡±

    Everyone was shocked. They shifted their gazes from Ning Xueyan to Ao Chenyi. They looked at his cold and charming face, speechless. ¡°Is this Prince Yi consent to get married?¡± they wondered.

    They could not believe that the arrogant demon suddenly agreed to get married. They thought with his temper, he should have flown into a rage, kicked the chair over, and left, holding his favorite concubine.

    Was it because of his favorite concubine that Prince Yi was so abnormal?

    People looked at Ning Xueyan withplex expressions. They sized up her, as if they wanted to find something special on her. Prince Yi was not himself today, and this made everyone freak out. They could not tell whether what he said was true or not.

    ¡°The granddaughter of Grand Tutor Ya is nice. I saw a buxom Young Lady over there. Mingyu, it¡¯s said she is your cousin. How about...¡±

    Ao Chenyi said with a faint smile, seemed to be very rxed. He held the beautifuldy with one hand, andzily pointed with the other one at Ya Moqin, who was looking at Ao Mingyu with affection under a plum tree.

    She was Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s eldest granddaughter. It was said that she had just returned to the capital after visiting her hometown.

    ¡°Uncle, since you haven¡¯t decided yet, you can make your decision after discussing it with my father. We really don¡¯t know which Young Lady is suitable for you. They¡¯re all beautiful, and I can¡¯t tell who is better.¡±

    Ao Mingyu¡¯s face turned pale, and he immediately stopped Ao Chenyi. He was sure that Ao Chenyi would not let the emperor push him around to get married, so he had said that on purpose. Ao Chenyi had never changed his mind because of others, so if he were cornered, he might resort to force. Ao Mingyu wanted to provoke him, so he had kept on forcing him to choose a Young Lady.

    Those who came to attend the party were all sons and daughters of the powerful officials. If something bad happened to one or two of them, nobody could do anything to Ao Chenyi, but if because of Ao Chenyi¡¯s rage, many noble childes died, their families would definitely take Ao Chenyi as their enemy, and would fight him to the death.

    Ao Mingyu thought that Ao Chenyi would be guilty of disobeying the emperor¡¯s decree, and the officials would be against him because they lost their children. Even if he would not be killed soon, he could not be the sessor of the emperor anymore. Then Ao Mingyu could take his power little by little and asked the emperor to take back all his power. Without the limit of the previous emperor¡¯s will, nothing was a big deal.

    But now, what he had expected did not happen!

    To his surprise, Ao Chenyi had agreed to choose one of the Young Ladies to be his consort. Besides, he wanted to choose Ya Moqin!

    Ao Mingyu did not like Ya Moqin, but he knew that Grand Tutor Ya was on his side. They had made an agreement to marry Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s distinguished eldest granddaughter as his co-consort. That was why Grand Tutor Ya spared no effort to support him. But if Ao Chenyi married Ya Moqin, Ao Mingyu was not sure that Grand Tutor Ya would still be on his side in the future.

    Although Ao Mingyu was the grandson of Grand Tutor Ya, it did not mean that thetter would always support him. Once Ya Moqin married Ao Chenyi, Grand Tutor Ya would fall on the side of which was the most powerful. Even though these were all possibilities, Ao Mingyu would not let it happen at all.

    ¡°Fine. Then I¡¯ll discuss it with my brother about my marriage. I should choose a noble and gentle Young Lady, so that my woman won¡¯t be wronged.¡± Ao Chenyi stood up,ughing. He then strode out, wrapping his arm around Ning Xueyan¡¯s slim waist.

    A group of eunuchs and pce maids walked out, following him. The princes and childes were left there, dumbfounded.

    Third Prince had nned everything carefully, but he failed to achieve his aim because of a favorite concubine! He clenched his fists, the veins on the back of his hands swelling. He had wasted such a good opportunity to show his ability in front of the emperor. He was so angry that he felt suffocated, and he almost passed out.

    Fourth Prince, Ao Mingwan was not that angry, because Ao Mingyu was mainly responsible for this matter, and he was just a bystander. Even if Prince Yi fell, Ao Mingyu would be the one who deserved the most credit. Of course, he would benefit as well, but not big. Maybe the emperor would be very happy and appoint Ao Mingyu to be his sessor if Prince Yi was deposed. Then he would get nothing from it.

    Therefore, he even had a feeling of joy when he saw the veins on Ao Mingyu¡¯s temples swell.

    ¡°You may run into those people if you go out like this,¡± Ning Xueyan said calmly. She leaned against Ao Chenyi, staring at the ce where the spots had just shed.

    ¡°Are you scared?¡± Ao Chenyi suddenly lowered his head and asked frivolously.

    ¡°No. Prince Yi, in fact, I¡¯m worrying about you. If troubles were stirred up because of you just now, those people might rush in in your name,¡± Ning Xueyan answered in neither a humble nor arrogant way. Her stiffed body rxed a little. Now she was sure that Ao Chenyi had asked her act his favorite concubine because he had a n.

    He took use of a favorite concubine to change people¡¯s impression of him, and sessfully broke the emperor¡¯s plot.

    She was still worried about Ao Chenyi just now, and reminded him by writing a few words on his chest with her finger, ¡®There¡¯s an ambush¡¯. Now she was a little rxed, but still scared. She figured out the emperor¡¯s intention after thinking over what had happened. He wanted to provoke Prince Yi and force him to fight in the imperial pce. Then Prince Yi would be opposed by everyone in the country.

    However, Ao Chenyi defused the crisis easily.

    Ao Chenyi was both smart and calcting, so no wonder the emperor was scared of him, but could do nothing to him! Moreover, Ao Chenyi had guessed that although from what he had said, Fourth Prince seemed to be on Ao Mingyu¡¯s side, he did not want to help him from his heart.

    ¡°He is both ruthless and horrible. Besides, he seems to be able to see through people,¡± Ning Xueyan thought.

 Chapter 196 - Do You Want to Watch a Good Show?

    <h4>Chapter 196 Do You Want to Watch a Good Show?</h4>

    ¡°Many people want to do things in my name, but if I don¡¯t like, nobody can do this.¡± Ao Chenyi nced at Ning Xueyan and said slowly with a smile.

    ¡°Then what are you going to do?¡± Ning Xueyan asked in confusion.

    ¡°I won¡¯t let him bring his men here. The Chu Kingdom is a ce ofw!¡± Ao Chenyi narrowed his beautiful eyes.

    Ning Xueyan was speechless. If someone else said this, she would think that he was somehow righteous. But when the words came from Ao Chenyi¡¯s mouth, it was really ironic. In the Chu Kingdom, nobody was morewless than Prince Yi.

    She was surprised that at this point, he was speaking justly of the rule ofw!

    ¡°Do you want to watch a good show?¡± Ao Chenyi curved up his thin lips, emanating cruel aura.

    If someone else said this, he might be indicating a farce. But when it came from Prince Yi¡¯s mouth, things would not be that simple. Even though Ning Xueyan had the guts to watch such shows, she did not want her nerves to be tortured for no reason. She then shook her head and refused his suggestion.

    Dressing up like this and following behind Prince Yi, she felt a lot of pressure. If it was possible, she would definitely stay away from him.

    However, it was not up to her. As soon as they stopped, Ao Chenyi reached out and wrapped around her waist with his arm. He walked forward with her and said, ¡°Since you havee, you should watch a show before leaving. Otherwise, you¡¯lle in vain.¡±

    Ning Xueyan bit her lip and stared at Ao Chenyi resentfully through the veil. She really did not care whether she hade in vain or not. She had watched so many shows in the imperial pce this time, and she did not want to watch a bloody game anymore.

    Since the two princes were not here, why was he so close to her? She turned to Ao Chenyi and shot him a re, hoping to stay away from him.

    Through the veil, she found his handsome and cold face still so charming and mysterious. It made her swallow her refusal.

    ¡°May I not watch the show?¡± Ning Xueyan asked in a gentle and pitiful voice. She knew that nobody was more aggressive than Prince Yi.

    ¡°No!¡± As she had expected, Ao Chenyi was proud and cold, so disobedience would only make him lose his temper.

    ¡°My maid is still waiting for me. If the others find out that I¡¯m acting as your favorite concubine, we¡¯ll get in trouble!¡± Ning Xueyan had to express her will gently.

    ¡°I have arranged my people there, so you don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡± Ao Chenyi suddenly turned his head and stared at Ning Xueyan coldly. He said impatiently, ¡°You don¡¯t want to watch the show with me, do you?¡±

    Under his gaze, she was in a panic. Ning Xueyan knew that he was annoyed. She did not dare to protest again, but said with a smile, ¡°Of course not! I¡¯m worrying that it may lead trouble if my identity is found out. Your business is important!¡±

    ¡°As long as you obediently follow me, I won¡¯t miss important things!¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s face softened a little, but he still stared at Ning Xueyan with his beautiful eyes. Ning Xueyan had to smile at him through the veil.

    He had been in good mood just now, but after a short moment, he lost his temper. Prince Yi was really a moody person, as same as the rumors said.

    While talking, they had walked a long way. In Ao Chenyi¡¯s arms, Ning Xueyan was focusing on Ao Chenyi¡¯s mental changes, and did not notice someone appear in front of them until a guard suddenly unsheathed his sword and shouted, ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡±

    Before she could know what was happening, Ao Chenyi had taken a step backward with his arm around her waist. A sword slipped over her slim waist. She could almost sense the chilly aura emanating from the sword.

    While stepping backward with Ning Xueyan, Ao Chenyi raised his right foot and kicked the masked man in the imperial guard clothes who had suddenly appeared opposite them just now. Being kicked into the position between the forefinger and thumb, the man could not hold his sword anymore. It was sent flying out and jabbed into the ground under a plum tree.

    Two Young Ladies were enjoying the plum blossoms with their maids under the tree. They both screamed at fear at sight of the sword suddenly.

    ¡°There¡¯s an assassin! Someone pretended to be the imperial guard and wanted to assassinate Prince Yi! Hurry! Come to protect Prince Yi!¡± the guards shouted, gathering around Ao Chenyi. Since Ning Xueyan was tightly held by Ao Chenyi in his arms, she was surrounded by the guards as well. There was chaos ahead of them.

    Ning Xueyan felt suffocated at the miserable scream, the crying of fear, the strong blood smell and the warm hand sping her waist. She turned her head subconsciously and saw the charming and cold smile on Ao Chenyi¡¯s face. Everything had been designed. The emperor tried to set up Ao Chenyi, but Ao Chenyi was not a person who would give in easily.

    Ning Xueyan curved up her lips, and a trace of smile appeared on her face. Ning Zu¡¯an thought highly of Third Prince, so he bet on Ao Mingyu. But she thought Ao Chenyi was more potential than Ao Mingyu.

    Suddenly, she caught sight of a spot shing. Ning Xueyan immediately looked back. When she saw a figure at the rockery from the corner of her eyes, her smile was frozen.

    A man who was also in the imperial guard¡¯s clothes covered his face with a mask. He had a bow in hands, which had been stretched to its full extent. Although other assassins had been killed one by one, this man looked very calm. He aimed the arrow at the back of Ao Chenyi and was going to kill him with one move.

    Now Ning Xueyan understood that this man was the key assassin that the emperor had arranged. No matter whether Ao Chenyi would make trouble at the banquet or not, the man was mainly responsible for the assassination. Even if he had to pay a higher cost, he would find an opportunity to kill Ao Chenyi with a move.

    Now he seemed to have found the perfect opportunity. He loosed his hand, and the sharp arrow flew out, as quickly as lighting, aiming at Ao Chenyi¡¯s back.

    Ning Xueyan clenched her fist and suddenly punched Ning Chenyi in the chest. Then she rushed toward him. Except for ¡®Watch out!¡¯, she had no time to say anything else, before a cold light passing her shoulder. She almost cried out in pain. She then fell on her knees. At the same time, she saw the ferocity and violence, as well as a trace of anger in Ao Chenyi¡¯s cold eyes.

    ¡°Kill all of them!¡± Ao Chenyi ordered angrily. He quickly held Ning Xueyan in his arms and rushed into the courtyard nearby.

    ¡°Got it!¡± After receiving Ao Chenyi¡¯s instruction, the guards showed no mercy anymore. They stabbed their swords toward the critical parts of the assassins, and soon, the ground was covered with corpses.

    Hearing that something big happened, Ao Mingyu and Ao Mingwan came over with their people. Seeing the assassins who died miserably, their faces darkened.

    ¡°How is my uncle? Did he get hurt?¡± Ao Mingyu asked. Seeing the courtyard being heavily guarded, he calmed himself down and was about to break in.

    He was a little far from where the ident happened. Besides, he had not arranged for the assassins to make a move here. He was told that someone wanted to assassinate Ao Chenyi, and Ao Chenyi was hit by an arrow. He could not hold back his joy and wanted to check it in person.

    ¡°Thank you for your caring, Third Prince. My master didn¡¯t get hurt, but his favorite concubine was injured. The doctor is dealing with her wound now.¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s guard, Yu Jian walked out and stopped Ao Mingyu. He bowed to him respectfully, and stood in his way at the gate.

    ¡°Was my uncle really not injured?¡± Ao Mingyu asked again to confirm.

    ¡°Prince Yi is safe and sound!¡± Yu Jian answered with certainty.

    ¡°I want to have a look. The imperial physician wille soon. I¡¯ll arrange people to prepare if any good medicine is needed,¡± Ao Mingyu said with concern.

    He did not believe that Ao Chenyi was not injured. It was unnecessary to arrange so many guards here only for a concubine. The ident happened suddenly, so he had not gotten the detailed report yet. If Ao Chenyi really got injured, or even more miserable than death, it would be a golden opportunity for him. He would not miss it.

    Thinking about this, he was overjoyed.

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to believe I¡¯m okay, so you want to check it in person. Right?¡± Ao Mingyu suddenly saw Ao Chenyi in the corridor. The blooming manjusaka embroidered on his ck robe looked as red as blood. As he moved, patches of blood were faintly visible on his ck robe, and it looked striking.

    The blood patches were even more vivid, beautiful and chilly than manjusaka.

    ¡°Ao Chenyi really wasn¡¯t hurt?¡± Ao Mingyu was frozen for a short moment, and then he recovered hisposure and said respectfully, ¡°Uncle, thankfully you were not injured. Otherwise, my father will definitely me me. I¡¯ll ask the imperial physician to check for you in detail soon.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s unnecessary. I have an imperial physician here. You can leave now. Tell your father that all the assassins are dead. All of them!¡± Ao Chenyi said with a faint smile, a coldness shing in his eyes.

    ¡°They¡¯re all dead!¡± Ao Mingyu raised his head surprisingly.

    ¡°Yes. They¡¯re all dead. There are thirty martial arts practitioners in total outside. If you don¡¯t believe it, you can count them one by one. But a few people¡¯s bodies were broken into pieces. You have tobine them before counting.¡±

    Ao Chenyi raised his eyes, as if he were smiling, but it was chilling.

    Ao Mingyu¡¯s eyelid twitched unnaturally. Broken corpses? No wonder that the blood had been so strong when he walked over. Several of the assassins had their arms cut off, and several others had their stomachs cut open...

    ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m relieved that you were not injured. I, I¡¯m going to report to my father now. Uncle, do you need more hands to protect you?¡± Although Ao Mingyu was calm, he felt a little uneasy. Not only because these people had died miserably, but also because of the death toll.

    He had known that his father had trained a death squad, but it had only a hundred people in total. If all the people who had been killed were the members of the death squad, his father suffered a heavy loss this time. About one third of the death squad members were killed in this battle, but they only injured a woman of Prince Yi.

    He could already foresee how angry his father would be at the news.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need them. I¡¯ll go back to my manor soon.¡± Ao Chenyi raised one of his brows, half smiling. He stood at the gate. Against the broken limbs outside the courtyard, his handsome face was as cold and secretive as a cold-blooded demon¡¯s.

    ¡°Well, then I¡¯m leaving to report to my father now.¡± Ao Mingyu lowered his eyes subconsciously and left as soon as possible. He did not dare to stay in front of him any longer.

 Chapter 197 - Letâ€™s Go! Leave Her Alone

    <h4>Chapter 197 Let¡¯s Go! Leave Her Alone</h4>

    Ning Xueyanid on a bed with a pink curtain. Her shoulder wound had been wrapped with gauze. It was in winter, and her clothes were thick, so nobody could find out that she had wrapped with gauze on her shoulder. The medicine was very effective, and now her wound no longer burned, but she still could not raise her arm.

    A pce maid who was in charge of serving her had changed the clothes for her. This pce maid was none other than the woman who had sat beside Ao Chenyi, pretending to be his favorite concubine just now.

    After putting on thest dress for her, the pce maid walked out the room slowly.

    Ning Xueyan sat up and touched her left shoulder. Fortunately, when she rushed toward him, Ao Chenyi had pulled her forcibly. Otherwise, her injury would be much more serious. Although her physical conditions were much better than before, she was still weak. She looked into the bronze mirror beside the bed and saw a pale face, without a trace of blood.

    Her left hand had almost no strength at all, and it dropped feebly.

    She smiled bitterly. The injury was nothing for others, but it was serious enough for her to rest for a long time.

    The door was pushed open heavily, and Ao Chenyi strode to the bed with a darkened face. He stopped when he was two steps away from her and sized her up. Then he shook his ck robe gracefully and sat down on the chair beside the bed. He asked in an elusive tone, ¡°Tell me why you tried so hard to save me. You really want to be my wife, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Prince Yi, you¡¯re kidding on me,¡± Ning Xueyan said with a smile. She then got out of the bed and stood up, holding the head of the bed. ¡°Prince Yi, could you please bring my maid here? I want her to help me out of here,¡± she said.

    Such an ident had happened in the imperial pce, and Prince Yi almost got injured. The two Young Ladies who had been under the plum tree were in a panic and rushed out of the imperial pce, screaming a lot. So it was the perfect time for Ning Xueyan to leave. Nobody would notice whether the others got injured or not, and in panic, it was normal to hit something and hurt themselves.

    Therefore, she must take this opportunity to leave.

    Otherwise, when everything came back to normal, it would be difficult for her to leave.

    ¡°Are you serious that you don¡¯t want me to pay you back?¡± Ao Chenyi asked in a low voice.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything for you, so of course you don¡¯t need to pay me back. Actually, I should thank you, Prince Yi. If you didn¡¯t save me, I might have already died,¡± Ning Xueyan said gently with a smile, raising her pale face. She suddenly bowed to Ao Chenyi gracefully, holding back the pain in her shoulder. ¡°Prince Yi, thank you for saving my life. I will certainly repay you in the future!¡±

    The moment Ning Xueyan was hit by the arrow, Ao Chenyi had pulled her backward quickly, looking both calm and a little annoyed. Ning Xueyan had suddenly understood that Ao Chenyi had seen the man on the rockery. He had not done anything to stop him shoot the arrow because he had his n.

    Ning Xueyan realized that she seemed had ruined his n by ident£¡

    ¡°If he hasn¡¯t seen that man, he wouldn¡¯t have turned and avoided the arrow so swiftly. I was injured, because he didn¡¯t expect that I was being with him at that point. Obviously, I became his burden and he failed to keep both of us safe. Fortunately, it¡¯s me who got injured. Otherwise, I will be tortured by that demon,¡± she thought.

    A delightful smile suddenly appeared on Ao Chenyi¡¯s handsome face, and his face lit up a little. ¡°Yan¡¯er, you¡¯re a smart woman. I love talking to smart people,¡± he said.

    Although he did not say that Ning Xueyan was right, he did not deny it either. That confirmed Ning Xueyan¡¯s guess.

    Since he did not want to make things clear, Ning Xueyan did not want to ask more. Otherwise, he might be annoyed again. She had expressed her appreciation and sincerity. That was enough.

    ¡°Prince Yi, thank you for thepliment! Compared to you, I¡¯m too shallow. I hope you won¡¯t mind it,¡± Ning Xueyan said in a neither humble nor arrogant way. Although she looked pale, she still stood straight. It was hard to believe that such a strong will in such a delicate body.

    Ao Chenyi looked at Ning Xueyan quietly, and did not say anything. Ning Xueyan¡¯s frail form was reflected in his thoughtful eyes. After a while, he said in a maic voice coldly, ¡°If you like, I can marry Third Young Lady of your manor to vent your anger.¡±

    ¡°Marry Ning Qingshan and vent my anger?¡± He had shifted the topic so quickly that Ning Xueyan could not follow him for the moment. She blinked for a while and understood his intention. She lowered her head and sighed slightly. ¡°Prince Yi, these are only the affairs of our manor. How can I trouble you for such trifles? I can handle it.¡±

    She did not want to talk about Ning Qingshan. But this woman had be her opponent and she seemed to be fighting her to the death. Ning Xueyan did not want to bother Ao Chenyi with a personal feud between her and Ning Qingshan, and she only hoped that Ao Chenyi would give her a hand when she was really in need in the future.

    Moreover, she was acutely aware that he was only testing her. Ao Chenyi was so domineering that he never changed his mind because of others. If he decided to marry Ning Qingshan, it would not because she had requested him to do so. Like two des, his gazes were both cold and sharp, without any softness.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that Ning Qingshan may collude with Ao Mingyu to kill you? Your status at Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is even lower than an adopted daughter,¡± Ao Chenyi said. He put it straightforward and pointed out the real look of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    A daughter of the principal wife even less favored than an adopted daughter who was not rted to Ning Zu¡¯an by blood. Only people of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor could be so indifferent to kinship!

    Ning Qingshan was already very tough to deal with. If Ao Mingyu, who wanted to marry her joint hands with her, Ning Xueyan had little chance to survive.

    ¡°Of course I¡¯m afraid! But it¡¯s useless. Will they let go of me because I¡¯m afraid?¡± Ning Xueyan smiled slightly. The weakness on her face had been reced by a trace of loneliness, coldness and nkness.

    She was clear that it was useless to be afraid.

    In herst life, when she was almost beaten to death by Ning Ziyan and Madam Ling by the lotus pool, she had been so scared and hoped that someone woulde to save her. But except for Xia Yuhang¡¯s betrayal and indifference, she had gotten nothing. He even watched her being drowned in the lotus pool without doing anything.

    At that point, she had realized that fear could never solve any problem.

    It was useless to put your hope in others!

    If it was possible, she hoped that she could be more strong-willed. Then it would be much easier for her to throw those vicious people into hell.

    ¡°Ning Xueyan, you¡¯re not bad. You¡¯re so smart. I hope you¡¯re always so smart.¡± Ao Chenyi suddenly curved up his thin lips and a smile appeared on his extremely delicate face. It was the first time his face had not been so bleak. Raising his brow slightly, he stood up and ced a porcin bottle in his hand on the bedside table of the bed.

    ¡°Apply the medicine powder onto your wound once each day. Your injury is not serious, so you¡¯ll recover in a few days. But be careful not to get water on the wound.¡±

    ¡°Many thanks, Prince Yi,¡± Ning Xueyan said in a low voice.

    Watching Ao Chenyi striding away, her feet felt like jelly. She leaned against the bed, sweat rising from her forehead. She was really weak. She had shed only a little blood and was faint and feeble.

    ¡°Miss, what¡¯s wrong with you? Are you okay?¡± When Lanning walked in, she happened to see Ning Xueyan gasping, leaning against the bed.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay. Let¡¯s go!¡± Ning Xueyan managed to stand up with a pale face. She smiled at Lanning, trying tofort her.

    ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s leave from the back door. Prince Yi arranged two people there, and they will send us to a safe ce.¡± Lanning knew that it was not safe to speak here, so she helped Ning Xueyan and was about to leave.

    After only taking two steps forward, Ning Xueyan saw the medicine bottle on the table. She picked it up and put it into her pocket before walking to the back door with the help of Lanning.

    The back door of the courtyard was just behind the rockery. The area near the front door was a mess, with blood and flesh flying and bodies everywhere. All the servants of the imperial pce were handling the ident site. Ning Xueyan saw nobody except for a pce maid and a eunuch who were waiting for her. Seeing hering over, the pce maid reached out and supported her by the arm. The eunuch looked around and saw nobody else. Then he led them away from this ce by a path.

    After crossing several intersections, they saw someone ahead. There was such a big thing going on in the imperial pce, and the assassins showed up and even injured Prince Yi! Those spoiled Young Ladies had never seen such a horrible scene before, and their feet felt like jelly. They stumbled with the support of their maids, showing no more grace.

    They did not feel safe whenever they were. They were afraid that the assassins would suddenly show up from somewhere and kill them.

    The eunuchs and pce maids were busy worrying about their own safety, and none of them came to guide them. Compared to these noble Young Ladies, they were more likely to be the assassins¡¯ target.

    Now on the path, were all the distinguished daughters of the high-rank officials. They were walking in small groups. After all, men had more guts than women. These Young Ladies had left those ethics behind and did not care if they were walking with a childe. Some of the childes were their brothers, so of course they would walk together. A few Young Ladies were in a panic and they tripped over the nt, and one of them even had a head injury.

    Therefore, when Ning Xueyan appeared on the path in the imperial pce with a pale face, nobody noticed her.

    She knew very few people here, and she had no idea where her only friend, Heng Yuqing was. She looked around, and found nobody she knew, so she walked out slowly with the support of Lanning. Almost all her weight was on Lanning. With feeble legs, she was obviously extremely weak now.

    The pce maid and eunuch who had sent them out had left quietly.

    ¡°Miss, the person in front seems to be Third Young Lady!¡± Lanning suddenly whispered in Ning Xueyan¡¯s ear. Ning Xueyan calmed herself down and raised her head to look. She saw a figure like Ning Qingshan. She closed her eyes for a short moment, and then opened them again. Now she was sure that it was Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°Miss, Third Young Lady seems to be injured as well,¡± Lanning looked for a while and said in hesitation.

    Just like Ning Xueyan, Ning Qingshan was also stumbling forward with the support of a maid of her and a pce maid.

    ¡°Ning Qingshan got injured as well?¡± Ning Xueyan frowned. She looked at Ning Qingshan carefully and fell into silence. It seemed Ning Qingshan really got injured.

    How could that happen? She had been at Honored Consort Ya¡¯s pce at that point, and the killers that the emperor arranged would not disturb them there. How could Ning Qingshan get injured?

    Ning Xueyan suddenly recalled what Ao Chenyi said, and her heart beat faster for no reason. She raised her pale face and squeezed out a feeble smile. ¡°Let¡¯s go! Leave her alone!¡± she said.

 Chapter 198 - The Gifts from the Two Princes

    <h4>Chapter 198 The Gifts from the Two Princes</h4>

    In the shockingly ident happened in the imperial pce, not only Prince Yi had been assassinated, those noble Young Ladies and childes who hade for the party were scared too. A few of them even hurt their hands or feet. Fortunately, none of them died. Even so, the officials were all filled with apprehension.

    The Young Ladies and childes who had visited the imperial ce this time were all the daughters and sons of the principal wife of the officials who were much more distinguished than the children of the concubines. Their families had put a lot of effort in training them, so if something bad happened to them, it would be a heavy loss for their families.

    The officials all requested the emperor to punish those assassins. However, since all the assassins had been killed by Prince Yi¡¯s guards on the spot, the emperor could not find any of them. He had to kick the ball to Prince Yi, and asked him to investigate the ident. Thus, a blood storm was set off.

    Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was the most unlucky among all these manors, because two daughters and one son of the principal wives were all injured.

    Ning Huaiyuan was shot in the shoulder by an arrow flying diagonally opposite. Ning Qingshan hurt her leg in panic. Ning Xueyan had been weak, and at sight of the bloody scene, she fainted to the ground, and finally, the maid managed to carry her back to the manor. In the evening, Ning Xueyan got a fever. The doctors hurried to the three courtyards to check and cure their wounds and illness ordingly.

    It was really an unexpected cmity! Madam Dowager was so worried and her lips blistered. She went to the Buddha Hall and stayed there with Madam Ling there. The whole night, she was chanting the Buddhist scripture. Madam Ling, who had been always at odds with Madam Dowager, did not show displeasure, but willingly kowtowed and chanted the Buddhist scripture with her. After all, the son she cared most got injured this time.

    The best things in the manor were sent to Ning Huaiyuan first. Soon, many people could be seen bustle around his courtyard.

    However, the gifts from Third Prince and Fourth Prince put Ning Qingshan¡¯s courtyard in the spotlight.

    Third Prince was rtively fair, because he gave each of the three a gift to express the sympathy and constion from the imperial family. ording to some little birds, the gifts Third Prince had given to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor were at least 50% more expensive than those he had given to the manors with injured children. That meant Third Prince had bought the gifts for the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor out of his own pocket.

    Why did he do this? Obviously, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was special for him. Someone even said that the news of the engagement between Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and Third Prince should have been announced at the party that day, but because of the assassination, the announcement of the good news had to be postponed. Anyway, Honored Consort Ya had taken Third Young Lady as her future daughter-inw, so it was normal that Third Prince sent more valuable gifts to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    If Third Prince had sent the gifts because he wanted to marry Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, why Fourth Prince had sent gifts to the manor£¿

    As soon as people who had dispatched by Third Prince to send the gifts left, Fourth Prince¡¯s men arrived. Besides, he made it clear that the gifts were for Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. His men brought many gifts, and most of them were sent to Ning Qingshan¡¯s Foggy Courtyard. Only very few of them were given to Ning Huaiyuan and Ning Xueyan.

    Everyone could tell that without Third Young Lady, Fourth Prince would not give anything to Ning Huaiyuan and Ning Xueyan.

    What did he want? Not only people from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, but also the outsiders were confused. Apparently, Fourth Prince was interested in Third Young Lady!

    Fourth Prince¡¯s excuse of sending the gifts to the manor sounded reasonable. He said that when Third Young Lady was injured in the imperial pce that day, he had happened been by her side. He had failed to find a doctor to cure her wound in time, so he felt guilty, and asked someone to send the gifts to the manor to make up for his guilt.

    However, all those who were not stupid knew that it was just an excuse. After the assassination taking ce, Third Prince and Fourth Prince had been around the Plum Garden to handle things, while Ning Qingshan had been in Honored Consort Ya¡¯s pce. She did not see the assassin and get her leg injured in a panic until she had left the pce.

    Therefore, Fourth Prince and Ning Qingshan could not have been in the same ce at the same time. How could he have seen Ning Qingshan get injured and failed to cure her in time?

    It was really subtle that Third Prince and Fourth Prince had sent gifts to the Foggy Courtyard one after another. Madam Dowager was at Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s courtyard at the moment. She thought it over and walked to Ning Qingshan¡¯s Foggy Courtyard with Mother Qin. She had been busy caring about Ning Huaiyuan in the past few days, and had not visited Ning Qingshan yet.

    ¡°Third Young Lady, Madam Dowager ising,¡± Seeing Madam Dowager and her servantsing, Mammy Luo hurried lifted the curtains of the bed, and supported Ning Qingshan up while greeting Madam Dowager.

    ¡°Grandmother!¡± Ning Qingshan looked even more delicate and charming after getting injured.

    ¡°Does your leg still hurt? Can you walk a little bit? Is the medicine effective? Tell me if it¡¯s not effective. I¡¯ll find some better medicines for you,¡± Madam Dowager sat beside the bed and asked with concern, grabbing Ning Qingshan¡¯s hand. She looked so cared about her, as if Ning Qingshan were his own granddaughter.

    ¡°Thank you for your concern, Grandmother. The medicine is very effective and my leg is much better. I can walk a little, but not long,¡± Ning Qingshan said in a soft voice.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. I feel relieved that your wound is not serious. I was worrying that if you had a disability in your leg, you can¡¯t find a man to marry you in the future,¡± Madam Dowager said with a smile.

    ¡°Grandmother!¡± Ning Qingshan blushed with shyness.

    ¡°Are these the gifts given by Third Prince and Fourth Prince?¡± Madam Dowager turned her head and looked at the table beside her, which was covered with all sorts of silks and satins, makeup powder, ornaments, as well as some medicinal materials. Not only was there a great variety, but each item was umon. Obviously, they were all from the imperial pce.

    ¡°Yes. They were all given by the two princes. I was just thinking about sending them to you and let you make the decision how to handle them,¡± Ning Qingshan said gently, a triumphant look shing in her eyes, but not showing on her face.

    She had been confused when Honored Consort Shu mentioned that she was close with Ao Mingwan in the imperial pce, and it had also made Honored Consort Ya angry at that point. Therefore, Ning Qingshan had made up her mind to distance herself from Ao Mingwan. However, to her surprise, Madam Dowager could not stay calm anymore when she knew that Fourth Prince had sent gifts to her as well. Madam Dowager had note to visit her in the past few days. Hearing the news of Fourth Prince¡¯s gifts, she immediately came. Therefore, Now Ning Qingshan thought that what Fourth Prince had done was good for her.

    Furthermore, how lucky a woman was to be loved by two princes!

    What was more, she could never figure out what her aunt was thinking. Three years ago, she had promised to marry her to Third Prince as his principal wife. However, when she went to the nunnery, her aunt had talked about the marriage with Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and wanted Ning Yuling to be her daughter-inw. If nothing bad had happened to Ning Yuling, she would have been Third Prince¡¯s principal wife. Even if Third Prince would still marry Ning Qingshan, she could only be his co-consort.

    Ning Qingshan was proud, and she could not bear that to happen. She thought she was the most suitable woman to be the future empress.

    Therefore, with Fourth Prince as her back-up, if her aunt wanted to cancel the marriage between her and Third Prince, or only want to marry her as his co-consort, she would marry Fourth Prince, and assisted him wholeheartedly to take the throne. Then she would still be the empress. Thinking about this, she felt relieved. Before Madam Dowagering, she had asked Mammy Luo to prepare a gift for Fourth Prince.

    It was a picture she had painted. She wanted to express her thankfulness and affection to Fourth Prince.

    Originally, it was very improper for an unmarried noble Young Lady to give a man her things. However, since Fourth Prince had given gifts to her, she thought she should give back something to him. Nobody else would know about this, so nobody would use her of such unruly behavior.

    Of course Ning Qingshan would not mention it to Madam Dowager.

    ¡°Third Young Lady, you can keep them. Since both the two princes think highly of you, you should have a good rest, and when you recover, I¡¯ll invite them to our manor and show our thanks,¡± Madam Dowager said with a smile, looking at her from the corner of her eyes.

    ¡°Thank you, Grandmother!¡± Ning Qingshan answered obediently. Then she continued to tter Madam Dowager and made herugh from time to time. Finally, Madam Dowager left the Foggy Courtyard satisfied.

    Mammy Luo saw Madam Dowager off at the gate of the courtyard on behalf of Ning Qingshan. She returned to the room and ordered the maids out, and then closed the door.

    ¡°Has she gone? Did she say something?¡± Ning Qingshan asked coldly, leaning against the cushion.

    She looked totally different from what she had been ttering Madam Dowager just now.

    ¡°Nothing. Miss, you, you really want to invite Fourth Prince here to thank him personally?¡± Mammy Luo stood beside the bed and asked uneasily.

    ¡°Yes. Since grandmother mentioned it, I should follow her suggestion. Anyway, what I will do is just follow grandmother¡¯s words. It¡¯s not me who came up with such an idea, and nobody can use me of that!¡± Ning Qingshan smiled proudly. Although she did not know why Ao Mingwan had suddenly shown his affection to her, at least, it proved that she was attractive. Meanwhile, Third Prince and Honored Consort Ya would feel pressure and the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would pay more attention to her because of this. Since she could get so many benefits, why not?

    ¡°Miss, if Honored Consort Ya finds out about it, you...¡± Mammy Luo said in hesitation, pinching the handkerchief in her hands. Honored Consort Ya was smart. If she knew that Third Young Lady deliberately associated with Fourth Prince, she would not let go of her easily.

    ¡°Mammy, don¡¯t worry. I know what I¡¯m doing. Thinking of my identity and my status, don¡¯t you think my life is miserable?¡± Ning Qingshan let out a sigh and sat straight. She looked at Mammy Luo and said sincerely, holding her hand.

    ¡°Mammy, I take you as my only family member. I know only you really care about me, so I won¡¯t make a move recklessly. I¡¯ll take care of you when you¡¯re old and carry out funerary duties after your death. I¡¯ll let you lead a happy life in your old age, and I¡¯ll ask the emperor to give you a title!¡±

    She said sincerely, and she deliberately mentioned to let Mammy Luo be the imperial mandate Mrs.! How lucky a servant would be to get such benefits! A lump came into Mammy Luo¡¯s throat. She walked over and wrapped Ning Qingshan¡¯s shoulders with her arms, her eyes red.

    ¡°Miss, you don¡¯t have to promise me that. I¡¯ll be happy if you¡¯re all right. You¡¯re a noble Young Lady of your own mind. I¡¯m only worrying that it will be dangerous if you rise too rapidly.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be okay. Mammy, take it easy. Please redeem Xia¡¯er¡¯s younger sister from the brothel tomorrow, and ask her to be a second-ss maid at Foggy Courtyard. After all, she is Xia¡¯er¡¯s younger sister by blood, we should take care of her as possible as we can,¡± Ning Qingshan said softly, burying her head in Mammy Luo¡¯s arms.

    ¡°Got it. Miss, you¡¯re such a kind person. I¡¯ll do my best to serve you.¡± Mammy Luo thought that Ning Qingshan wanted to help Xia¡¯er¡¯s younger sister for the sake of Xia¡¯er, so she immediately became emotional. She nodded hard with tears in her eyes. At the same time, she was more determined to do everything to her master without any hesitation, even if she had to undergo the most severe trials.

    Xia¡¯er¡¯s younger sister Caifen, had been sold to the brothel when she was just a kid, and now she was the performer of the brothel. Xia¡¯er had just found her not long ago. Ning Qingshan had seen her once. Caifen was very smart, and she had a deep affection for Xia¡¯er.

 Chapter 199 - the Candied Fruits from Mr. Wang

    <h4>Chapter 199 the Candied Fruits from Mr. Wang</h4>

    Bright Frost Garden was the most cheerless among the three courtyards. By now, no master of the manor had visited Ning Xueyan. Madam Dowager had only asked a servant to bring several kinds of medicines to her, and Ning Zu¡¯an had done nothing at all, as if he had forgotten that one of his daughters at the Bright Frost Garden was ill out of panic.

    Of course Ning Xueyan had little hope that they woulde to see her. She had fallen into ill because she was injured and she was too weak. The first night she was carried back to the manor, she had been delirious with fever. In her semiatose state, she felt as if she were in her mother¡¯s arms, so gentle and tolerant. Therefore, after midnight, she had slept soundly. The next day, although she was still feeble, her fever had gone down.

    The medicine Ao Chenyi had given her was very effective, and her wound scarred quickly after using it. Lanning carefully applied the medicine powder on her wound. Ning Xueyan frowned in pain, and her teeth almost got into her flesh.

    ¡°Miss, if it hurts too much, just shout it out. I have checked outside and found nobody,¡± Qingyu said, felt distressed. She then held up a basin and began to clear the medicine power around her wound.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay. The pain will go away soon.¡± Ning Xueyan rxed gradually and leaned against the big cushion behind her weakly.

    The medicine from Ao Chenyi should be a cure for knife wounds. It hurt badly the moment the medicine powder was applied on the wound, and people without strong-willed could not bear the pain. But after a short while, the pain would subside, and even her shoulder was not that pain. Because she had been injured and gotten a fever, she had not recovered yet. After a short while, she felt weak all over.

    ¡°Miss, I checked the wound just now, and found the scar began to harden. It seems you¡¯ll recover in a few days,¡± Lanning said with a smile, while skillfully wrapping the gauze for Ning Xueyan. She felt relieved. She had almost scared to death when she helped Ning Xueyan out from the courtyard of the imperial pce. At that point, Ning Xueyan¡¯s face had been ashen and could not walk firmly.

    Now although she still looked pale,pared with the other day, she was much more energetic.

    Lanning and Qingyu felt relieved.

    ¡°I¡¯m recovering pretty quickly. What¡¯s going on at the Foggy Courtyard?¡± Ning Xueyan closed her eyes and asked, leaning against the cushion weakly.

    ¡°It¡¯s said both Third Prince and Fourth Prince sent gifts to Third Young Lady. Because of this, Madam Dowager visited her. After returning to her courtyard, Madam Dowager also asked her servant to send many nutritious medicinal materials,¡± Qingyu answered. Then she muttered in discontent, ¡°Madam Dowager hasn¡¯te to visit you yet. I wonder who she thinks her granddaughter is!¡±

    ¡°She never cares about who is really her granddaughter. She only takes the one who can bring the biggest benefits to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor as her own granddaughter.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled faintly. She opened her eyes and continued, ¡°Besides, it¡¯s good for me that they will note to visit me. Otherwise, if they know that I was injured by the arrow, I¡¯ll be in trouble.¡±

    No one of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor really took care of her!

    After her rebirth, Ning Xueyan was even more aware of it. If they cared about her, they would not have waited until now. The moment when Ning Ziying died, she had cut off the kinship with all the people of the Nings.

    So she did not care about their attitude to her. Ning Qingshan was much valuable than the useless Fifth Young Lady now, so it was normal that Madam Dowager paid much attention to Ning Qingshan. But she was surprised that Fourth Prince, Ao Mingwan had also given the gifts to Ning Qingshan. Although she had been far from them that day, Ning Xueyan had found that Honored Consort Shu seemed to talk to Ning Qingshan unkindly.

    And she had also found that Honored Consort Ya¡¯s face darkened.

    So she knew that must be something she did not know. Thankfully, she needed not to worry about that, because Ning Qingshan was the person concerned, not her. What she needed to do was watching what was going on and adding fuel to the fire just in time.

    After the pce banquet, Ning Qingshan and her were at daggers drawn. With the nature of Ning Qingshan, she would not let go of her. Of course, Ning Xueyan did not n to avoid her.

    ¡°I wonder whom Third Young Lady wants to marry. Third Prince or Fourth Prince?¡± Seeing Ning Xueyan not being annoyed, Qingyu shifted the topic and asked.

    She was not the only one who had doubts about this. Many servants of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor thought in the same way.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe she wants to sit on the fence!¡± Ning Xueyan said casually. She looked at Qingyu from the corner of her eyes and joked, ¡°Since you care so much about Third Sister, how about go to the Foggy Courtyard and asked her for me? Then I can prepare the gift in advance. Otherwise, if she suddenly makes the decision, I may have no time to prepare it.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t do that, miss. Please! If I go there, maybe you¡¯ll have toe to save me,¡± Qingyu said with a sad face, looking scared. She picked up the used bandage and walked to the window. There was a brazier, and all the bandages which had been reced each time would be burned in it, and then thrown away together with ashes of other things.

    But because of this, sometimes, the smoke in the room would be stronger than normal.

    Fortunately, Bright Frost Garden was located in the most remote part of the manor. Now the other two important people had been injured, nobody would pay attention to this ce.

    At the point, the door curtain was lifted and Mother Han walked in. She stood at the gate for a moment. After the chill had left her, she walked over. Seeing Ning Xueyan look good and even can joke with the two maids when she leaned against the cushion, Mother Han could not help smiling. Thinking about how weak Ning Xueyan had been when she got a fever, she was still nervous.

    Ning Xueyan was born to be weak. Although she was much better than before, she could notpare with the others. Furthermore, she had gotten injured this time. If she was not careful enough, abination of injury and illness could kill her!

    ¡°Mother Han, did you get them?¡± Ning Xueyan raised her smiling face and asked.

    ¡°Miss, those people really pushed me too far. I have told the shopkeepers of those shops that you needed it, but only Mr. Lu and the other two shopkeepers have tried their best to look for them for you. Although they didn¡¯t find them, they said they would immediately inform me when they get it.¡±

    When talking about this, Mother Han could not hold back her anger. Those shops were all Madam Ming¡¯s dowry. Now none of the shopkeepers took Fifth Young Lady as their master. Moreover, they found all sorts of excuses to deny her these things, and some of them even said that Second Young Lady had ordered these, so they could not give them to Ning Xueyan.

    Only Mr. Lu, the shopkeeper of Tonghetang Pharmacy would like to help her for the sake of Madam Ming. After rummaging the whole shop, he did not find the stuff that Ning Xueyan needed. He promised that he would inform Mother Han to pick them as soon as the stuff arrived.

    ¡°Mammy, that¡¯s normal. Madam Ling has managed the shops for so many years, so of course she has reced most of the former shopkeepers with her henchmen. Now those people only take Madam Ling as their master. Maybe they even don¡¯t know these shops were my mother¡¯s dowry. And it¡¯s impossible that they will follow my instruction.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled slightly. She did not feel surprised at all.

    This was a matter of reason. Madam Ling was such a ruthless woman, so of course she would not keep any Madam Ming¡¯s men to help Ning Xueyan. As for Mr. Lu, he must have something special about him, so Madam Ling had not reced him yet. Fortunately, she had sent Mother Han to the shops only to test the shopkeepers¡¯ attitude, not really wanted something.

    Their attitude was rted to her next move.

    ¡°Which are the other two?¡± Ning Xueyan asked with a smile, a trace of coldness appeared in her jet-ck eyes.

    ¡°Mr. Wang of the candied fruit shop and Mr. Yu of the fabric shop. They didn¡¯t say that much, but I can tell that they really want to find them for you. After rummaging for a long time, they didn¡¯t find them. They apologized to me and asked me to give these to you.¡±

    Although those things were not valuable, at least, they showed their sincerity.

    ¡°What did they give me?¡± Ning Xueyan asked curiously. She turned her head yfully with a smile.

    ¡°Mr. Wang of the candied fruit shop gave me several cans of precious candied fruit. It was said they didn¡¯t have much of it in his shop. A shop assistant was reluctant to give them to me, saying that they only have several cans of them in their shop. Mr. Yu wasn¡¯t that generous. Although he picked several rolls of precious cloth for you, he had many of this kind of cloth in his shop.

    Mother Han said while taking out the candied fruit cans from her pocket, ¡°I have put the cloth on the table of the outside room. Miss, do you want to have a look at them?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Ning Xueyan shook her head slightly, smiling faintly. She looked at the cans of candied fruit and asked, ¡°These are Mr. Wang¡¯s rare candied fruits?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Miss, when the shop assistant saw me off, he reminded me to be careful and not to break the can. Otherwise, you would not be able to taste such delicious candied fruit,¡± Mother Han answered seriously without any suspicion.

    The faint smile on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face changed to a sneer. ¡°Mammy, be care of Mr. Wang. Don¡¯t tell him any truth. Otherwise, he will definitely tell what you said to Madam Ling.¡±

    Ning Xueyan might have never seen such kind of candied fruit, so she might think it to be precious. However, Ning Ziying had eaten a lot of it, because she liked the taste. Whenever Xia Yuhang visited the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, he would have brought some to her. Although this kind of candied fruit was expensive, it could not be taken as rare!

    Obviously, the shop assistant had said and acted under the shopkeeper¡¯s secret instruction. Otherwise, how could a humble shop assistant question his leader¡¯s decision? Since the candied fruits were going to be given to their master, how could he be so reluctant? They had just been acting in front of Mother Han. It seemed Mr. Wang was a very tactful person.

    ¡°Miss, you mean Mr. Wang was acting in front of me?¡± Mother Han was not stupid, and she immediately understood what she meant.

    ¡°Mother Han, I saw this kind of candied fruit when I was at Cloud Reflection Courtyard. They¡¯re not precious at all!¡± Lanning stopped what she was doing and walked over. When she saw the candied fruits, she said disdainfully.

    ¡°Mr. Wang is so cunning! Miss, I thought that he took you seriously, so he gave these to you. I didn¡¯t expect that he was a typical mean person!¡± Mother Han said angrily. Mr. Wang had even kept her waiting outside for a long time. Now she knew he had just acted in front of her.

    ¡°Mammy, rx. Since he likes to act, I¡¯ll act with her in a few days,¡± Ning Xueyan smiled slightly. Although she had not recovered yet, at least she was freer than Madam Ling. When she was better a few dayster, she would be able to go to the shop under the guise of rxation.

    ¡°How about the two shops of the Nings?¡± Ning Xueyan suddenly changed the topic and asked about another thing she had asked Mother Han to do.

    ¡°Oh! I just wanted to report it to you! I really found some secrets there!¡± Mother Han suddenly recalled an urgent matter at Ning Xueyan¡¯s reminder. She cried out, pping her thigh.

 Chapter 200 - Investigation, and a Past Event about Ning Ziying

    <h4>Chapter 200 Investigation, and a Past Event about Ning Ziying</h4>

    ¡°What happened?¡± Ning Xueyan asked.

    Seeing Mother Han waving her hand, Qingyu walked out cautiously.

    Although it was impossible for Madam Dowager toe now, it would be better to be cautious.

    ¡°Miss, the ques of the two shops in the name of Young Lady Ziying were reced by those of the Xia Manor. It was said that these two shops were Eldest Young Lady¡¯s dowry. The two shopkeepers were newly hired and even all the shop assistants were reced. None of them knew who Young Lady Ziying was.¡±

    The Ning¡¯s shops were Ning Ziying¡¯s property in the capital. They were neither big nor small, and were profitable enough for all Ning Ziying¡¯s expenses at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. When they were going to get married, Xia Yuhang had told her that the two shopkeepers seemed to have stolen something from the shops, and asked her to punish them. Ning Ziying had thought that she would marry Xia Yuhang sooner orter, so she had left the matter in his hands.

    Later, all the dowry of Ning Ziying had been sent to the Xia Manor, and the two shops had be the property of Xia Yuhang. Ning Xueyan was a little surprised that Xia Yuhang had told everyone that the shops were Ning Ziyan¡¯s dowry, and reced the ques with the Xia Manor¡¯s so soon. She sneered. Thinking about this man, she was filled with disgust. How stupid she had been to think he had done everything for her good?

    ¡°But when I was inquiring about Young Lady Ziying, someone else asked about her as well. I thought it might be someone from her hometown, but after listening for a while, I realized that it wasn¡¯t,¡± Mother Han said with certainty.

    She had been thinking how she could ask about Ning Ziying, without arousing suspicion when she suddenly heard someone ask if the shop was named ¡®the Nings¡¯, and why it turned to be ¡®the Xias¡¯?

    Then someone had told him that the shop was the dowry of the Eldest Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Since Eldest Young Lady of the Nings had married the childe of the Xias, of course it should be named as ¡®the Xias¡¯!

    ¡°That person couldn¡¯t havee from Young Lady Ziying¡¯s hometown. Mother Wang said that the only acquaintance of Young Lady Ziying in her hometown was an old housekeeper of their manor. He had to take care of the houses of the Nings, so he wouldn¡¯t have sent people here. Besides, before her marriage, the old housekeeper had sent many wedding gifts to Young Lady Ziying. It wasn¡¯t possible for him to send people here in such a short time.¡±

    Lanning shook her head and denied immediately.

    Ning Xueyan leaned against the head of the bed and looked down at her slender fingers. Nobody could tell what she was thinking.

    ¡°I thought in the same way in the beginning, but I changed my mind soon. Because that person even didn¡¯t know where Young Lady Ziying was, and he pressed the old shopkeeper many times, asking him the whereabouts of his former master, Young Lady Ziying. He also said that the shop didn¡¯t belong to Ning Ziyan at all, and it was the property of Young Lady Ziying. He questioned how it had fallen into Ning Ziyan¡¯s hand.¡±

    At that point, not only the old shopkeeper had been so scared, but even Mother Han¡¯s face had turned pale at fear as well. The man who had been asking about Ning Ziying did not seem to be a gentleman. His clothes had been bulging at the waist, as if a de or sword at his side. It seemed he would draw out his weapon immediately once anyone had said something he did not like. In any case, nobody would believe such an aggressive person had anything to do with the gentle Young Lady Ziying.

    ¡°Someone is investigating Ning Ziying?¡± Ning Xueyan frowned slight, biting her lip.

    Ning Xueyan recalled the woman in white at the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. Now a man who had suddenlye to the shop to look for Ning Ziying. She was sure he would not have been dispatched by the old housekeeper, and she could not figure out where he hade from for the moment. But it reminded her of the moment on the way she hade to the capital.

    When she set off from her hometown, she had led a group of servants who drove luxurious carriages, carrying a lot of valuable dowry. But when they were approaching the capital, the team were been streamlined and the carriages were reced by iner ones in a small town.

    These had all been arranged by the old housekeeper. He told Ning Ziying that her mother had warned before her death that gold, silver and satin were the most eye-catching things. As a lonely girl who had lost her parents, if being found out that she had a lot of property, Ning Ziying might get into trouble. Besides, it could even bring her death! Therefore, reducing the number of servants and changing the carriages would be the best choice.

    Ning Ziying believed that her mother had said that out of concern for her safety. She had been very young and had just lost her parents, so it was normal that she would have followed her mother¡¯sst words. She had never doubted about her mother¡¯s motives, and no one had suspicions about her when she just arrived at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    When she thought it again now, she found everything was full of doubts. What if she hade to the capital with those luxurious carriages? Since Ning Zu¡¯an was a powerful general, she did not believe that anyone would dare to get him in trouble for money.

    However, if not because of this, why her mother did not want the others to know her whereabouts£¿It seemed that she had been trying to hide her identity, and even hide the fact that she had arrived at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    ¡°Was mother trying to hide me from those people?¡±

    ¡°What do they want? Why are they looking for Ning Ziying?¡± Ning Xueyan wondered.

    ¡°What did those who were asked answer?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I heard them insist that they didn¡¯t know Ning Ziying, and they have never heard that Ning Ziying was the owner of the shop. Their present master was the newly married wife of Childe Xia, the former Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Since they didn¡¯t know more than that, that man left,¡±

    Mother Han thought for a while and answered. The shopkeepers and shop assistants were all newly hired, so of course they did not know who Young Lady Ziying was, and thought that Ning Ziyan was the owner of the shop.

    It seemed it was time to take something out from the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. Ning Xueyan had not taken them out because she was afraid that it might arouse attention. She had hung out there recently when she had spare time and did not find anything abnormal. Once, she even had entered the Cloud Reflection Courtyard when there was nobody around.

    It was empty inside, and those sacrificial offerings had been taken away. Dust could be found everywhere. Obviously, nobody hade here for a long time.

    ¡°Mammy, don¡¯t go to the shops anymore, and don¡¯t ask about Sister Ziying anymore. If someone asks you about that, just say that you know nothing,¡± Ning Xueyan said. She hade up with an idea.

    ¡°Miss, don¡¯t you want to look into the matter about Young Lady Ziying¡¯s shops?¡± Mother Han asked.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether we look into it or not. What¡¯s more, we¡¯re at the inner courtyard, so it¡¯s not convenient to ask for something. But those people are different from us. They seem toe specifically to investigate things about Sister Ziying. If the shops are still there, they will find that the Nings and the Xias have problem. We just have to wait,¡±

    Ning Xueyan said slowly, smiling.

    Since someone was investigating Ning Ziying¡¯s affairs, and they seemed to be doing better than Ning Xueyan herself, she was certainly willing to just sit back and leave others to find it out. She was sure that there was something she did not know about herst life. There were even doubts about how she had died. Except for the two cases of brocade, there must be something else had aroused Xia Yuhang¡¯s attention.

    Of course, someone else was more eager than her to find everything out.

    After Ning Ziying was drowned in the lotus pool, people of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor kept it in secret. They only told the others that a rtive of the Nings who lodged at their manor had died, and the outsiders even did not know her name. Since suicide was such an ominous and a miserable thing, the manor did not hold a funeral for her. What was more, someone seemed to be deliberately hiding the trace of her life at the manor, as if nobody had known that she had used to live here.

    Ning Xueyan was not sure who the person was, Ning Zu¡¯an, Madam Dowager or Madam Ling? But since someone hade to the capital to investigate Ning Ziying¡¯s affairs, the person who was trying to hide her trails must be anxious. All Ning Xueyan had to do was looking on!

    ¡°Okay. Miss, it¡¯s up to you,¡± Mother Han thought it over and nodded with agreement. She suddenly remembered another thing. ¡°When I walked into the manor just now, I saw Mammy Luo walk over with a maid. The maid was pretty, but she was flirtatious in manner and didn¡¯t seem to be a fine upstanding girl. After Mammy Luo walked away, I asked someone about the girl, and was told that she was Xia¡¯er¡¯s younger sister. Third Young Lady pitied her for being alone, so she brought her here to be a maid,¡± Mother Han said.

    ¡°Xia¡¯er¡¯s younger sister?¡± Ning Xueyan frowned, a trace of coldness appeared in her eyes.

    If Ning Qingshan had not made Xia¡¯er her scapegoat, Xia¡¯er would not have been beaten to death. Ning Xueyan was sure that Ning Qingshan must have tried another trick to get Xia¡¯er¡¯s younger sister into the manor.

    ¡°She failed to frame me this time, so she came up with another trick! She has already injured her leg, but she was still thinking about setting me up. It seems she wants to make use of that woman from nowhere to fight me by telling her that Xia¡¯er died because of me,¡± Ning Xueyan thought.

    She was not afraid of Ning Qingshan¡¯s tricks, but she did not want to be set up again and again.

    ¡°Mammy, pay a visit to Foggy Courtyard. Tell Third Sister that I asked you to see whether she had recovered. Tell her that I¡¯m sick and I¡¯ll visit her in person when I recover.¡± Ning Xueyan pointed at the gifts by the window. They were some medicinal materials and satin that Third Prince had sent to her.

    ¡°Miss, it seems to be improper to give the gifts that Third Prince brought you to Third Young Lady. Since they are not prepared by yourself, she may think that you¡¯re not sincerer,¡± Mother Han suggested, looking at the gifts scatter on the table.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Since Third Sister is so noble, she won¡¯t like what I prepared for her. Third Prince¡¯s gifts are much better, and were more in line with Third Sister¡¯s status,¡±

    Ning Xueyan said with a smile, looking at Mother Han.

    Even a personal maid of Ning Qingshan thought that she was extremely noble, so obviously, Ning Qingshan thought herself in the same way. Although she had not expressed this in front of people after returning from the imperial pce this time, Ning Xueyan was sure that Ning Qingshan looked down upon her from the bottom of her heart. If Ning Xueyan gave her the things from Third Prince, Ning Qingshan certainly did not want others to think she was inferior to her.

    Things from the imperial pce were much better than those of the manor!

    Moreover, neither Ning Xueyan nor Ning Qingshan had any valuable things. In spite of her poprity, Ning Qingshan was an adopted daughter. How could Madam Dowager give anything precious to her? If she wanted to show that she was not inferior to Ning Xueyan, the gifts she would give back to Ning Xueyan should be on par with Third Prince¡¯s gifts.

    Ning Qingshan was good at pretending to be gentle in front of the others. If Ning Xueyan had not forgotten to visit her and bring her gifts when she herself was ill, Ning Qingshan would definitely return the favor, and she would act in front of people and made them believe that she and Ning Xueyan had a deep affection for each other. Therefore, in any case, she would give gifts to Ning Xueyan in return that were even better than what Ning Xueyan had given to her!

    Therefore, Ning Qingshan would definitely give Ning Xueyan the gifts that Fourth Prince had given to her that were even better than what Ning Xueyan had given to her in return.

    It was said that the gifts from Fourth Prince were much more valuable than those from Third Prince.

    These gifts were what she needed now.

    ¡°Got it. Miss, I¡¯ll bring the gifts to her right now.¡± Mother Han did not understand Ning Xueyan¡¯s attention, but she felt assured at the sight of the faint smile on her face. She agreed with what Ning Xueyan idea for no reason. Since her young master had ordered, she would do it immediately.

    Mammy Han knew that her young master must have her reason, so what she had to do was follow her instructions.

    Her young master was not the Fifth Young Lady who had always hidden herself under the wing of Madam Ming anymore.

 Chapter 201 - A Late Night Visit from Prince Yi

    <h4>Chapter 201 A Late Night Visit from Prince Yi</h4>

    It only took Mother Han less than two hours to return. As Ning Xueyan had expected, she brought back the gifts Ning Qingshan had given to her. Two maids with the gifts in their hands and several other servants followed Mammy Luo to Bright Frost Garden with Mother Han. Mammy Luo walked to the bed and asked Ning Xueyan about her health.

    Ning Xueyan had rested for a while after Mother Han left, so she recovered some of her energy. With the help of her maid, she sat up. She asked about Ning Qingshan and specifically about how she had been injured. Mammy Luo only said that Ning Qingshan had been in panic and got her leg injured after seeing the assassins, but the wound was not that serious, and she would recover after a few days.

    Mammy Luo brought greetings from Ning Qingshan and told Ning Xueyan that Ning Qingshan woulde to visit her after her injury was healed. She then asked the maids to present the gifts to Ning Xueyan and hinted that these gifts were from Fourth Prince, which were even more valuable than those from Third Prince.

    Ning Xueyan smiled and chatted with her for a while before seeing her off.

    ¡°Lanning, bring these gifts to Third Prince, telling him that I have nothing to give him in return, so I will give him the gifts that Third Sister gave me to show my thanks. In addition to thank him, you don¡¯t need to say anything else.¡±

    Hearing the footsteps outside receding, Ning Xueyan leaned back and said, raising her eyebrows.

    ¡°Miss, you want Third Prince knows that Fourth Prince gave gifts to Third Young Lady? Should I tell Third Prince¡¯s attendants that these gifts were from Fourth Prince?¡± Lanning had been brought to the imperial pce by Ning Xueyan a few days ago. Although she was not clear about what had happened between Ning Xueyan and Ao Chenyi, she was involved in the incident about the note. Therefore, she soon understood Ning Xueyan¡¯s intention.

    But there were some things she still could not figure out.

    ¡°Even if we didn¡¯t tell him, Third Prince would know these gifts were from Fourth Prince,¡± Ning Xueyan said meaningfully. If Ao Mingyu was so ill-informed, he could not even beat Ao Mingwan, let alone Ao Chenyi. Obviously, in any respects, Third Prince was superior to Fourth Prince.

    ¡°Got it. Miss, I¡¯m going right now!¡± Lanning was a smart girl, so after thinking for a short moment, she understood her young master¡¯s n. She then left with a nod.

    It was getting dark outside, andnterns were lit up everywhere in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Ning Xueyan touched the candle wick and shortened it with a pair of scissors. She had slept for a long time during the day, so she was not sleepy at the moment. She then took out the form Aunt Xiang had given her and began to read. Aunt Xiang had asked someone to take the form secretly out of the imperial pce and gave it to Ning Xueyan several days ago.

    It was Qingyu¡¯s turn to serve her tonight. Ning Xueyan had asked her to go to sleep in the outside room.

    With the stirring of the scissors, the candle wick emanated bright light. Ning Xueyan was watching intently the candle wick while a figure suddenly appeared in front of her. With a cold light shing, she immediately stabbed the scissors toward that figure.

    Her wrist was grabbed forcibly and got a pinch. With a pain in her wrist, she loosed her hand and the scissors dropped. However, before they dropped onto the table, the scissors were caught by that person.

    Ning Xueyan raised her head and looked at Ao Chenyi in front of her, gritting her lip. He looked even taller, stronger and more aggressive than usual in the candlelight. He was filled with a ruthless air, and the smile on his lips was extremely cold and sinister.

    ¡°Prince Yi, what are you doing here? It¡¯s alreadyte, why don¡¯t you stay at your manor and rest?¡± Ao Chenyi had appeared in her room so many times, so her fear had already turned to helplessness. Ning Xueyan leaned back and deliberately stretched her injured arm. She really wanted to know what this man came here for sote.

    The coldness in Ao Chenyi¡¯s eyes turned to a trace of idle smile. He pulled a chair over and sat on it casually. ¡°I¡¯m here to check if my favorite concubine is okay. Yan¡¯er, it¡¯s how you wee me?¡±

    He yed with the sharp scissors in his hands. His face flickered in the scissors¡¯ cold light and his beautiful eyes looked even more elusive.

    He looked at the girl, who was leaning against the bed head. Her jet-ck eyes were as cold as her. She had been too calm and self-possessed, but she also made people feel that she was delicate. These contradictory features coexisted in the same person harmoniously, as if she should have been like this.

    Now, with her long hair fallen, she looked both cold and charming. Her beautiful hair fell, like a waterfall, making her delicate features extremely beautiful. In the dim light, her eyes seemed to have been covered with fog, and it made her less cold, but more delicate and adorable.

    ¡°Prince Yi, now we were alone in the room. You don¡¯t have to act like this!¡± Ning Xueyan felt uneasy under his gaze. She turned her head to the side, wondering what he wanted to do. She had gotten injured because of him in the imperial ce. If he wanted to y the game again, she might lose her life.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say that it was improper to enter a girl¡¯s room at night?¡± Ao Chenyi suddenlyughed heartily with great interest. The previous depression had gone.

    ¡°Because I know it doesn¡¯t work for you!¡± Ning Xueyan sighed helplessly. Ao Chenyi had been arrogant. He had even dared to kill those assassins arranged by the emperor in the imperial pce, so obviously, he was a daredevil. But Ning Xueyan knew that it was the best choice to kill those assassins at that moment.

    Ao Chenyi was ruthless, decisive, cold-blooded and noble, so Ning Xueyan had never expected that he could abide by the moral codes, and she estimated that he did not think it a big deal toe to a noble Young Lady¡¯s bedroom at night.

    ¡°Ha-ha!¡± What Ning Xueyan said seemed to be the ttery for Ao Chenyi, and he suddenly burst intoughter. He thenzily put his hand on Ning Xueyan¡¯s injured hand, then moved it up along her wrist and finally stopped on Ning Xueyan¡¯s shoulder. He applied a little more strength on her shoulder and Ning Xueyan¡¯s forehead immediately sweated in pain.

    ¡°Don¡¯t try to butter me up!¡± His beautiful eyes shed with a fierce look. His hand continued to move up and then rested on her neck for a while. Ning Xueyan had been under the warm quilt, so the moment his cold fingers touched her skin, she could not help shivering. ¡°I¡¯m here to see how you are. After all, you got injured because of me!¡±

    Sensing the coldness on her neck, Ning Xueyan went stiff for a second, but she then grabbed the big hand resting on her neck and pushed it away. She took a deep breath and said with a smile, ¡°Prince Yi, are you here to probe Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s study? I have checked and found nothing there. He may not have what you are looking for. Even if he had it, he must have hidden it in a secluded ce, and it¡¯s impossible to find it in a short time. I have sneaked into my mother¡¯s room and did not find anything either.¡±

    Some people were born to be thoughtful and there was some deeper meaning behind what they were doing. Ao Chenyi was an extremely smart person and when he did one thing, he always had other ns. Therefore, Ning Xueyan did not think that Ao Chenyi came here to make fun of her at such ate hour.

    ¡°It has been a few days since you got injured on the shoulder. Why hasn¡¯t the wound healed yet? Is it because I didn¡¯t send gifts to you that it is healing so slowly?¡±

    Ao Chenyi asked with a snort, retracting his hand calmly, and something dangerous shing in his eyes. He stared at Ning Xueyan, as if he wanted to find something wrong from her eyes.

    It was too tired to talk to such a person! His mind was too active and it was hard to follow what he was thinking. Ning Xueyan was silent for a moment and then answered tactfully, ¡°Prince Yi, if there is anything I can do, please let me know. My wound will be healed in a few days.¡±

    When they were talking, she raised her arm slightly. The wound that had been pressed by him hurt badly. She thought that the wound might have reopened.

    ¡°Why does it still hurt so much? Are you trying to fool me? You must have heard that I¡¯m tender to girls, so you are pretending that your wound is not healed yet,¡± Ao Chenyi said with a smile in his eyes, as if he had not seen the painful look on Ning Xueyan¡¯s pale face.

    He moved closer to Ning Xueyan while talking, as if he wanted to find some evidence of her lying in her face.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s body went stiff again. She clenched her fists and gritted her lip, but did not say anything.

    Seeing that the coldness came back to Ning Xueyan¡¯s charming, delicate face, Ao Chenyi moved a little away from her. He then took out a small bottle from his pocket. ¡°Rece the ointment I gave youst time with this one. I don¡¯t want my favorite concubine has a scar on her shoulder. Otherwise, I will feel humiliated in front of people when I take her with me.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Prince Li.¡± Ning Xueyan did not say anything more, but took the ointment from his slender hand. She knew that it was not wise to disobey the will of people like Ao Chenyi. She should follow the trend. If Ao Chenyi did not request her to do something that would cross her red line, she would like to follow his will.

    They each took what they wanted. Since Ao Chenyi wanted her to work for him, he had to keep her safe and sound. If anyone dared to threaten her life in the future, she would ask him for help. That was why she had suddenly pushed Ao Chenyi away when she saw the arrowe toward him. Like Ao Chenyi, she did everything with a specific purpose.

    Seeing that she was so obedient, Ao Chenyi smiled with satisfaction. His cold eyes became even darker. His long eyshes cast two rows of shadows over his eyelids against the candlelight. ¡°Take good care of yourself. I don¡¯t want people to suspect that my favorite concubine is too ugly when theye to visit her.¡±

    Ao Chenyi stood up and took several steps forward to the window. He suddenly stopped and looked at Ning Xueyan from the corner of his eyes. ¡°Yan¡¯er, no matter what you are investigating, you should put my business first. Otherwise...¡± he said, half-smiling.

    ¡°I won¡¯t forget that!¡± Ning Xueyan was shocked, a surprise and fear in her eyes. She had not thought that such a subtle action had aroused Ao Chenyi¡¯s attention. She looked down and answered calmly. She should have thought that nobody else in this country could be better informed than Prince Yi.

    Although she was investigating Ning Ziying¡¯s death secretly, if Prince Yi wanted, he would know.

    The window opened and then closed in the darkness. After that, everything resumed quiet. After staring at the window for a while, Ning Xueyan managed to strip a sleeve of her underwear and untied the bandage from her shoulder. Her wound did not open, but it hurt to touch. Ao Chenyi had applied much strength when he touched her wound just now. She opened the bottle, picked some milky ointment from it and put the ointment under her nose and sniffed it.

    She could tell that the ointment was very good, even better thanst one, and it had a stronger fragrance.

    She applied some of the ointment to her wound and felt veryfortable.

    This ointment seemed to be more effective!

    She had just bandaged her wound casually and put her clothes on when she heard someone knocking at the window gently. Ning Xueyan was surprised. She looked at the window in confusion, wondering if Ao Chenyi came back again.

 Chapter 202 - A Past Eventâ€¦

    <h4>Chapter 202 A Past Event...</h4>

    The window opened quietly and a person in ck, wearing a mask darted in. He swiftly turned and looked at Ning Xueyan. Ning Xueyan looked calm and distant and there was nothing in her expression of a noble Young Lady startled.

    ¡°You¡¯re a noble Young Lady. How could you not be afraid to see a mane in at night?¡± The man in ck removed the ck cloth from his face after he and Ning Xueyan had stared at each other for a while. It was Ming Feiyong¡¯s son, Ming Yuanhua!

    ¡°If fear worked, I would have been!¡± Ning Xueyan answered with a frown.

    ¡°Of course it will work! You can at least cry for help. Although this ce is remote, after all, it is in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Maybe Ning Zu¡¯an has never taken you as his daughter, but if there is something bad happen to you, he will feel humiliated,¡± Ming Yuanhua said impatiently. He had made an appointment with Ning Xueyan, but Ning Xueyan failed to meet him. After that, he could not find an opportunity to meet her again.

    Tonight, he managed toe to check what was going on with Ning Xueyan.

    What he said made sense. It was true that Ning Zu¡¯an did not like Ning Xueyan, but if something bad happened to her in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Ning Zu¡¯an would beughed at by the outsiders.

    However, except for the shame, this would have no any other impact on Ning Zu¡¯an.

    ¡°Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s courtyard is quite far from here. No one could hear me even if I shouted at the top of my lungs,¡± Ning Xueyan said calmly.

    Looking at Ning Xueyan¡¯s extremely calm face, Ming Yuanhua began to feel restless for no reason. He turned around, walked to the window and closed it. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you, a noble Young Lady, close the window at night? Don¡¯t you know it will be easy for thieves to get in? I wonder why you became so bold now. But you were so timid before and you even hid yourself all day in Bright Frost Garden and did not dare to show up in front of people!¡±

    ¡°Things are different! If I had any other choice, I wouldn¡¯t have been where I am now!¡±

    The sarcasm appeared in Ning Xueyan¡¯s jet-ck eyes. Her face was even more charming in the candlelight, as if it had been tinted with a faint glow.

    She was talking about herst life. If she had not been murdered by Ning Ziyan and Xia Yuhang, she would still be that happy, naive and kind Ning Ziying.

    Ning Xueyan had always hidden herself in Bright Frost Garden before, so Ming Yuanhua had been thinking she was a coward and looked down upon her. If she had been as brave as she was now, his auntie might not have died miserably.

    Besides, because of his auntie and Ning Xueyan, his father had left him for ten years!

    That was why the first time he had seen Ning Xueyan, he disliked her.

    However, he was shocked when he saw the determined and calm look in this weak and gentle girl¡¯s eyes. If she had not experienced so much pain, how could a girl of only fourteen look so calm, with vicissitudes in her eyes.

    Ming Yuanhua turned his face to the side, feeling a little uneasy. He pulled the chair a little far from the bed and said with a tone of irony, pretending to be calm, ¡°How is your injury? It¡¯s said you were frightened into illness. You said that you were fearless, but why were you still so timid that you were not injured by the assassins, but scared sick by them? Your father, the great general, must be ashamed of you!¡±

    Ning Xueyan knew that he was mocking her, but she was not angry. She looked at him and said with a smile, ¡°No matter whether he is ashamed on me, as least, he can do nothing to me in front of people!

    She could not figure out what Ning Zu¡¯an was thinking, but she was clear about what was on Madam Dowager¡¯s mind. Girls were useful to the family, so even Ning Zu¡¯an disliked her, medicinal materials and other necessities had been sent to Bright Frost Garden constantly. They treated her quite different from what they used to be.

    ¡°What happened that day? Why didn¡¯t youe to the appointment? Your maid did not exin it clearly. She just said that you met Third Prince on your way. Did he recognize you?¡± Ming Yuanhua¡¯s heart beat faster at sight of her delicate and pale face. He immediately turned his head to the side to avoid looking at her beautiful face. She looked so weak that his heart could not help aching.

    ¡°I happened to bump into Third Prince. He recognized me, but he did not know what I was doing. Cousin Yuanhua, please help me to investigate the background of Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s granddaughter. I want to know if she has any rtive who used to live in the regions south of the Yangtze River for at least half a year three year ago.¡±

    Ning Xueyan did not notice the strange look on Ming Yuanhua¡¯s face. She pulled a corner of the quilt casually.

    She had juste to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor three years ago, and her mother had just died by that time. That woman had stayed at the Ning Manor for half a year. Ning Ziying¡¯s mother had treated her like her own sister, and she had even asked Ning Ziying to call that woman ¡°auntie¡±. Sometimes, her mother would have closed the door of her room and talk to that woman secretly. Ning Ziying had tried many times to overhear, but was stopped by the servants.

    Who the woman was? Why Ning Ziying¡¯s mother who had been so cautious trusted her so much? What was more, not long after that woman had left, her mother died of illness.

    Could that only be a coincidence?

    Later, that woman had nevere back again and Ning Ziying had never heard any news about her. Before Ning Ziying leaving for the capital, she had told the old housekeeper to inform her if he saw that woman. She had some questions for that woman, but in the past three years, that woman had never shown up in the Ning Manor again.

    It was as if that woman had never existed in the world.

    Ning Xueyan was acutely aware that something was wrong, and that woman was the key to the mystery. When she had encountered Third Prince on the other day, she found that Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s granddaughter, Ya Moqin, had the simr voice with that woman. It had immediately aroused Ning Xueyan¡¯s suspicion.

    These two women¡¯s voices were so simr. Was there any rtionship between them?

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯m going to see into it for you.¡± Ming Yuanhua nodded and promised without any hesitation. ¡°My father had some difficulties in investigating your mother¡¯s case. That man involved in this matter is missing. We went to his hometown, but people there said they hadn¡¯t seen him for a long time. Maybe he had been killed years ago.¡±

    ¡°Died? Impossible!¡± Ning Xueyan shook her head. ¡°Mother Han was told that this person was seen toe to our manor and then left several years ago. If Ning Zu¡¯an wanted to kill him in the beginning, he wouldn¡¯t have waited till now. So this person should still be alive.¡±

    A coldness and disgust shed in Ning Xueyan¡¯s beautiful eyes. How vicious Ning Zu¡¯an was! She was sure that Ning Zu¡¯an knew the truth about what had happened to Madam Ming. In order to make Madam Ling the principal wife, he had watched Madam Ming being framed by Madam Ling. Or he might have been involved in framing Madam Ming. Finally, Madam Ming had been downgraded to a co-wife.

    Later, he had still used Madam Ming of having an affair with that man. Maybe that man was still useful to Ning Zu¡¯an, so Ning Zu¡¯an had not killed him yet. How could a person be that shameless! What a scum Ning Zu¡¯an was!

    ¡°Scum!¡± Ming Yuanhua cursed, seemingly to have understood what Ning Xueyan was thinking. He gritted his teeth and said angrily, ¡°If my auntie didn¡¯t trust him and choose him as her husband, he couldn¡¯t have the wealth and power he has today. She had never thought that he was such an ungrateful person!¡±

    ¡°Cousin Yuanhua, go back and tell my uncle to take his time. It has been so many years. We have to be patient if we want to find out the truth. If we act recklessly, our enemies may be alerted!

    A fierce look appeared in Ning Xueyan¡¯s dark eyes in the candlelight, which made her delicate face looking cold.

    ¡°Okay. I will remind my father to be careful. You should be cautious as well. The Lord Protector¡¯s manor is as dangerous as a snake pit, and the slightest mistake will put you in danger. My auntie has died here. Cousin Yan¡¯er, I, I don¡¯t want anything bad happen to you!¡± Ming Yuanhua reminded. He stood up and turned his face uneasily, a red glow on his face.

    ¡°Cousin Yuanhua, don¡¯t worry. I will be okay!¡± Ning Xueyan answered with a sardonic look.

    Of course she would not put herself in danger. She had died once, and now she returned to avenge herself. She would not reconcile herself to being murdered so easily.

    If the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was the snake pit, she would like to be the most poisonous snake!

    Before leaving, Ming Yuanhua reminded her to close the window. Ning Xueyan managed to get off the bed and closed the window. She then came back to her bed, blew out the candle and fell asleep.

    On the roof of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s highest building, an extremely handsome young man, who looked bloodthirsty and cold, was sitting at a corner and looking at Ning Xueyan¡¯s room. Seeing that the candle in the room went out, his lips twitched. He ordered his men in a cold voice, ¡°Check who that man is. I¡¯m going to crush him into ashes!¡±

    His bloodthirsty voice made all the secret guards shrinking their heads. None of them dare to say anything at the moment, because they knew that Prince Yi was in a rage.

    ¡°Prince Yi, that man seems to be General Ming¡¯s son, Fifth Young Lady¡¯s cousin. Maybe Fifth Young Lady has something to discuss with him, and it was inconvenient for her cousin toe to her... during the day.¡± Yu Jian had to walk out of the crowd and exined to Ao Chenyi.

    ¡°Humph!¡± Ao Chenyi sneered but said nothing. He shook his robe and turned to his own Manor. The secret guards followed behind him cautiously, and soon, all of them disappeared in the darkness.

    The next day...

    Ning Qingshan got up in the early morning. After freshening herself, she walked with difficulty, with the help of her maid, toward Lucky Garden to greet Madam Dowager. All the maids and older female servants she encountered on her way bowed to her respectfully. They all knew that this Third Young Lady would rise high in the future.

    Even if she was unable to marry Third Prince, she could marry Fourth Prince. She had been born noble and good-tempered. What a lucky girl she was!

    She also saw Ning Lingyun on her way, and she deliberately stopped and waited for Ning Lingyun toe. ¡°Fourth Sister, I haven¡¯t find time to visit you after returning our manor. You¡¯re even more beautiful than before!¡± she said friendly with a smile.

    ¡°I was nning to visit you, Third Sister. But you¡¯re so distinguished, and I did not dare toe to your courtyard at will,¡± Ning Lingyun said gently after bowing to Ning Qingshan.

    Ning Lingyun did not look as sarcastic as she used to be and she was cautious when she spoke. It seemed she really had an air of a noble Young Lady.

    ¡°Fourth Sister, since we are sisters, you don¡¯t have to be so polite. It has been three years since we metst time. Are you engaged? If not, I can rmend a person to you. I¡¯m sure you will be an imperial mandate Mrs. in the future.¡± Ning Qingshan said in a soft voice, pulling Ning Lingyun¡¯s hand, as if she did not know anything about Ning Lingyun¡¯s engagement.

 Chapter 203 - Just Like Third Prince, I Like You, Too

    <h4>Chapter 203 Just Like Third Prince, I Like You, Too</h4>

    ¡°Third Sister, I, I¡¯m engaged!¡± Ning Lingyun answered shyly, her face blush.

    As a whole, a daughter of a concubine like her was not good enough to marry Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, so she was satisfied with her engagement and had not made any trouble recently.

    ¡°You are engaged, Fourth Sister? Why nobody told me about this. What a pity! Third Prince mentioned you to me the day before yesterday. He said that you were the most obedient and adorable Young Lady in our manor. He also said that you were unforgettable at the first sight,¡± Ning Qingshan said with a sigh. She looked surprised at first, and then she smiled.

    ¡°Third Prince said I was the most obedient and adorable Young Lady in our manor and he was impressed with me at the first sight?¡± Ning Lingyun¡¯s heart thumped, a look of utter joy on her face.

    She had been longing for Third Prince for a long time. ¡°Could Third Prince really like me?¡± she wondered.

    ¡°You¡¯re kidding on me, Third Sister. Third Prince is an imperial member, how could he... notice me, a humble daughter of a concubine,¡± Ning Lingyun calmed herself down and said in a low voice, rubbing her handkerchief.

    ¡°Fourth Sister, don¡¯t look down upon yourself. What¡¯s wrong with a concubine¡¯s daughter? I¡¯m even only an adopted daughter. Our father is a high-rank official with great power, and the emperor thinks highly of him. So even you¡¯re a concubine¡¯s daughter, many people will fight to marry you. Besides, we get on well with each other. Just like Third Prince, I like you, too!¡±

    Ning Qingshan said with a smile in a low voice while walking ahead with Ning Lingyun, pulling her hand.

    It made people feel that these two sisters were talking intimately.

    Ning Lingyun¡¯s head thundered. She was so excited and she could hardly stay calm any more. Her heart was pounding and the great pleasant surprise made her almost tremble.

    It was a great recognition for her. She thought it must be Third Prince who had asked Ning Qingshan to tell her this. Otherwise, Ning Qingshan would not have said anything about this. In her memory, Ning Qingshan was a tactful woman. Three years ago, her status in the manor had already been much higher than her, a concubine¡¯s daughter, and she had almost been on par with Ning Yuling and Ning Ziyan, so now she must be more tactful and at ease than before.

    Moreover, as soon as Ning Qingshan returned to the capital, the rumors said that she would marry Third Prince.

    ¡°That means she is telling me this on behalf of Third Prince, and Third Prince wants me to marry him along with Ning Qingshan? He wants both of us to marry him? Otherwise, why Ning Qingshan said this to me? And she looks so nice to me.¡± Ning Lingyun thought.

    ¡°Fourth Sister, it will be a good thing if we can stay with each other all the time. Then we can support each other and share prosperity in the future.¡± Although Ning Qingshan¡¯s voice was as low as a whisper, Ning Lingyun¡¯s inner defense was broken down.

    She had been smug about marrying Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. Although he was not an aspirant person, at least he was a noble childe. It was impossible for her to marry into such a powerful family before. In order to marry Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, she had set a trap. The engagement between her and Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li became a great happy event for her.

    However,pared to Third Prince¡¯s love for her, this happy event was as light as a feather!

    She had admired and wanted to marry Third Prince for a long time. Even if she could not be his principal wife, she would be the most wealthy and noble woman in this country. What was more, almost all the people of the manor had hinted that Third Prince was very likely to be the emperor in the future.

    Since the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was so powerful, she thought at least she could be one of Ao Mingyu¡¯s four major concubines. Or maybe she would still have the opportunity to be his principal wife. With that in mind, Ning Lingyun had always been thinking about marrying Ao Mingyu. Later, she had to give it up under pressure. Now she was suddenly told that she might still have an opportunity to marry Ao Mingyu, she could not help being excited.

    What was more, it was Ning Qingshan who had told her about this, so obviously, Third Prince really wanted to marry her.

    ¡°But, but I¡¯m engaged to Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li.¡± Now in Ning Lingyun¡¯s mind, Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li had be a good-for-nothing. She would have born his shorings for the sake of her future¡¯s wealth and position before, but now at the thought of this, her mind was in turmoil. Compared to Third Prince, Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li was really good for nothing!

    He could notpare with Third Prince both in appearance and in moral quality. Compared with Third Prince¡¯s wealth, Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li¡¯s was nothing.

    ¡°Fourth Sister, if you don¡¯t want to marry Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, I have a good idea. But I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re willing to follow my suggestion,¡± Ning Qingshan said softly, a trace of sarcasm crossing her eyes. Ning Lingyun was still so snobbish, and she did not even take marriage seriously. But it was not a big deal, because Ning Qingshan was only teasing her.

    ¡°Please say it!¡± Ning Lingyun looked up at Ning Qingshan and said anxiously, her eyes sparkling and her face blush.

    Her engagement had been approved by her father and people of the two manors, and even the outsiders had known it, so it was hard to cancel it.

    ¡°I heard that it was not you, but Second Sister, who had been supposed to be engaged to Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. Now since you don¡¯t want to marry him, you can find someone else to marry him. Fourth Sister, you¡¯re a smart girl. Both Third Prince and I appreciate your intelligence and obedience. Only such people can enjoy the great honor and wealth!¡±

    Ning Qingshan hinted her with a smile. Looking at Ning Lingyun¡¯s flickering face, she smiled and let go of her hand, and then walked forward slowly.

    She could not put it too bluntly. She believed that Ning Lingyun would understand what she meant and do what she wanted.

    Ning Lingyun paused for a few seconds and then understood Ning Qingshan¡¯s intention. Seeing Ning Qingshan leaving, she rushed forward in a hurry and caught up with her. ¡°Third Sister, I, I¡¯m afraid of Fifth Sister!¡± Ning Lingyun said in a low and tremble voice.

    After that incident, Ning Lingyun dared not to say anything offensive any more in front of Ning Xueyan. Even when she visited Madam Dowager, she tried not to meet Ning Xueyan. In order to get Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, she had nned carefully. However, the borate n had not only been ruined by Ning Xueyan, but caused Madam Ling and Ning Yuling to be punished as well.

    Because of this, she was scared every time she saw Ning Xueyan.

    And she did not dare to oppose Ning Xueyan again.

    ¡°Fourth Sister, you have to fight for what you want. Otherwise, you will lose it forever. Marriage is about your lifetime happiness. How can you get it so easily without paying the price?¡± Ning Qingshan said meaningfully with a smile. ¡°You have to fight for everything. Fourth Sister, if I didn¡¯t do the same way, how can Grandmother and father be so nice to me, an adopted daughter?¡±

    ¡°I, I...¡± Ning Qingshan tried to convince Ning Lingyun with her own experience. Ning Lingyun opened her mouth, but did not say anything in addition to uttering two ¡°I¡±.

    ¡°Third Sister, Fourth Sister, you¡¯re having a great time! Would you like to share it with me to cheer me up?¡± Ning Xueyan stood at the intersection and looked at them, smiling and holding Lanning¡¯s hand.

    ¡°I... We didn¡¯t talk about anybody else. I¡¯m just chatting with Third Sister casually.¡± Under Ning Xueyan¡¯s cold gaze, Ning Lingyun could not help trembling. She immediately exined, but it could only make people more suspicious. Her face color hade back to normal, but her expression was still uneasy.

    Ning Xueyan rolled her jet-ck eyes and gave her a few more looks. She felt Ning Lingyun was not herself today!

    ¡°Fifth Sister, are you better today? Are you on your way to visit grandmother?¡± Ning Qingshan stopped and asked gently, looking calmly.

    ¡°I¡¯m a little better. I haven¡¯t visited grandmother for a long time. Third Sister, I didn¡¯t expect that you have managed to get off the bed and walked out. Is your wound any better? I hope you don¡¯t have any scars on your leg. It would be terrible to have scars for girls.¡±

    Paying no more attention to Ning Lingyun, Ning Xueyan walked over and said with concern, looking at Ning Qingshan¡¯s leg.

    Ning Qingshan¡¯s gentle smile froze. For a girl, her beauty would not be perfect if she had scars. Although other people could not see the scar on her thigh, her husband could see it. Ning Qingshan had been upset because of this recently.

    Hearing what Ning Xueyan said, Ning Qingshan rubbed her handkerchief hard, a vicious look shing in her eyes.

    Ning Qingshan thought that Ning Xueyan must have something to do with what had happened in the imperial pce recently. Although that pce maid, who was used of stealing Ning Xueyan¡¯s bracelet, and the eunuch, who worked for Honored Consort Ya, had not confessed everything in front of people, Honored Consort Ya had already known that Ning Qingshan was trying to frame Ning Xueyan. That was why she had taught her a lesson at her pce. If Ning Xueyan had not done anything, Ning Qingshan would not have been asked back to Honored Consort Ya¡¯s pce again.

    Of course she would not have bumped into the assassins and hurt herself when she came out from Honored Consort Ya¡¯s pce. What was more, there would be no scars on her body!

    All she had suffered was because of Ning Xueyan!

    What Ning Xueyan had said just now was just like rubbing salt into Ning Qingshan¡¯s wound.

    ¡°Thank you for your concern, Fifth Sister. It¡¯s not a big deal. I only sprained my leg, so of course it won¡¯t leave any scar,¡± Ning Qingshan said gently with a smile. Then she shifted the topic. ¡°Fifth Sister, are you okay? You look pale, and I know you are very weak. I¡¯ll ask someone to bring more medicinal material to you. Fifth Sister, you must make yourself stronger, because it¡¯s about your future.¡±

    In fact, Ning Qingshan had not been injured in the leg, but in the shoulder. Because she worried that other people would know that she might have a scar, she said that she had just sprained her leg. The shoulder injury was almost healed, but there was a scar on it, and she did not know when it would recede.

    ¡°My future?¡± Ning Xueyan was a little surprised. Then she smiled slightly and looked at Ning Qingshan meaningfully, a glow in her bright eyes. ¡°Third Sister, thank you so much!¡±

    While talking, the three of them arrived at Lucky Garden. The older female servant at the door saw that both Third Young Lady and Fifth Young Ladying, so she reported to Madam Dowager in a hurry. Madam Dowager ordered her maid to ask them in.

    They chatted for a short while in the room and then joked with Madam Dowager for a moment before leaving.

    Since Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan had notpletely recovered, Madam Dowager did not insist on them to stay, so the three of them walked out the courtyard together.

    ¡°Third Sister, have you visited our mother after you returned? How about we go to visit her now?¡± Ning Xueyan stopped and turned to Ning Qingshan and Ning Lingyun with a smile.

    ¡°Mother devoted herself to the Buddha, and grandmother ordered her to stay at the Buddha Hall, so it¡¯s not the right time for us to be there. We can visit her after some time when shees out from the Buddha Hall,¡± Ning Qingshan said.

    ¡°No! Let¡¯s visit our mother after shees out from the Buddha Hall!¡± Ning Lingyun said at the same time.

    They both did not want to visit Madam Ling now.

    ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s visit our mother after shees out from the Buddha Hall.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled slightly, looking very charming. She fixed her beautiful eyes on these two people with her lips curving up.

    It was interesting! She understood that Ning Lingyun did not want to see Madam Ling out of fear, but why Ning Qingshan did not want to visit her either?

 Chapter 204 - The Reason Madam Ming Adopted Ning Qingshan as Her Daughter

    <h4>Chapter 204 The Reason Madam Ming Adopted Ning Qingshan as Her Daughter</h4>

    ¡°Xinmei, have a look at the Buddha Hall after supper. First Madam has chanted the Buddhist scriptures for a long time, and I think she should have calmed down!¡± Ning Xueyan said casually with an elegant smile, sitting by the soft couch and leaning against a soft cushion.

    Madam Ling had been so quiet in the past few days that she seemed to be a different person. She would have tried to stir troubles at Buddha Hall even before her son returned. Now, her son hade back, how she could be so quiet, as if she was sincere to seek the peace of mind at Buddha Hall.

    Ning Xueyan had not figured out what Madam Ling was thinking, but now she was enlightened by what Ning Qingshan said.

    ¡°I see!¡±

    She had thought of the possibility before, and now she was very certain about it.

    ¡°Got it! Miss, I¡¯m going to visit First Madam, who devoted to Buddhist meditation, right now. Do you want me to drop in Third Young Lady¡¯s courtyard?¡± Xinmei immediately understood Ning Xueyan¡¯s intention. She passed the tea cup to Ning Xueyan and answered.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to go to Foggy Courtyard. Xinmei, I remember your master said that Ning Qingshan was injured in her leg, so it can¡¯t be a sprain.¡± Ning Xueyan took the tea cup and stirred the tea foam inside. She looked calm and gentle, as if nothing could disturb her thoughts.

    And it seemed that she was not talking about the delicate, reserved Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, but an ordinary servant.

    ¡°Yes. My master said that he asked someone to stab Third Young Lady in the leg and left a shallow wound. I guess her injury is quite simr as yours. I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s on Third Young Lady¡¯s mind. How can she recover soon without careful treatment?¡± Xinmei said after thinking for a short moment. There were so many people of great martial arts in the imperial pce, so Ning Xueyan had not taken Xinmei with her. But Xinmei knew that Ning Xueyan had been injured soon after the ident, so she had prepared the medicinal herbs for Ning Xueyan in advance.

    She had also heard Ning Qingshan¡¯s injury. She was surprised that this proud Third Young Lady had yed down her injury by telling the others that she only sprained her leg.

    If Ning Xueyan¡¯s physical condition was not that poor, she would not have fallen ill because of the injury. That was why she had stayed on the bed for a few days.

    Unlike Ning Xueyan, Ning Qingshan had been so feeble recently and could only get off her bed until now because she concealed her injury.

    Hearing what Xinmei said, Ning Xueyan only smiled, but said nothing. Xinmei could not understand what Ning Qingshan was doing, but Ning Xueyan was not surprised about it. Ning Qingshan was a perfectionist, so she was striving for perfection for everything¡ªperfect reputation, perfect smile, perfect gentleness...

    Since Ning Qingshan pursued perfection crazily, she would not let anyone know that she had a scar. What was more, she did not want Third Prince to look down upon her because of the scar. She would not let the opportunity to turn her from a sparrow to phoenix slip from her hand because of the imperfection caused by the minor ident.

    Ning Qingshan tried to keep a perfect image on any asion.

    The next day, Xinmei reported to Ning Xueyan what she had seen when Ning Xueyan was sitting in front of the dresser and having Lanning making up for her.

    ¡°Miss, I checked yesterday and didn¡¯t find anything wrong with First Madam. Even Mother Chen, who was sitting there with her looked normal. They were talking about Eldest Young Master. First Madam asked Mother Chen about Eldest Young Master¡¯s injury, and Mother Chen told her that Eldest Young Master¡¯s injury wasn¡¯t serious and he would recover soon. After a few days, he would be able to visit her.¡±

    ¡°Nothing wrong with her?¡± Ning Xueyan blinked her jet-ck eyes in surprise.

    As a powerful Marchioness, how could Madam Ling stay calm to be locked up in the Buddha Hall? With Madam Ling¡¯s personality, she should have rushed out the Buddha Hall forcibly at the news that Ning Huaiyuan was hurt. How could she still stay in the Buddha Hall and chant the Buddhist scriptures at ease!

    ¡°Is there anything unusual about Mother Chen?¡± Ning Xueyan asked with a frown. She felt something wrong, but she could not remember it for the moment.

    ¡°Nothing unusual about her. But I saw her ask someone to take more quilts and winter clothes to the Buddha Hall. She must be worried that the Buddha Hall was too cold for First Madam,¡± Xinmei answered after thinking for a while. In order to find some clues, Xinmei had stayed a long time there on purpose to observe.

    She saw that Mother Chen began to make the bed for Madam Ling after chatting with her for a while. Since the quilts were all very thick, Xinmei thought a quilt would be warm enough, but Mother Chenid three quilts on Madam Ling¡¯s bed. Mother Chen also said that if these were still not enough, she would ask people to bring another two quilts. Besides, those clothes were very thick.

    The Buddha Hall was lingered with the smoke of incense, and there was a heater inside, so obviously, it was unnecessary to wear so many thick clothes. ¡°Ladies from rich families are different from average women. They seem too delicate and weak!¡± Xinmei thought.

    More quilts and winter clothes? Although it was quiet and cheerless in the Buddha Hall, it was not cold inside. Besides, in order to pray there in the winter, Madam Dowager had asked people to prepare a stove there. Ning Xueyan knew that Madam Dowager could not have forbidden Madam Ling from light the stove. After all, Madam Ling was the First Madam of the manor.

    Moreover, only people of the manor knew what mistakes Madam Ling had made, and those mistakes did not seem to be that serious, so it was impossible for Madam Dowager to punish her too severely. Above all, Ning Huaiyuan was Madam Ling¡¯s son, so he would not watch her mother be ill-treated by Madam Dowager without doing anything. Therefore, Madam Ling¡¯s behavior was more suspicious.

    ¡°Could I have guessed wrong and Ning Qingshan didn¡¯t conspire with Madam Ling?¡±

    Ning Xueyan lowered her head. The confusion in her eyes gradually turned to certain. She could not be wrong. Otherwise, Ning Qingshan would not have known that someone had poisoned her with infertile pills. In order to keep it from Third Prince and Honored Consort Ya, Madam Dowager had kept it as a secret, and only several Madam Dowager¡¯s henchmen knew it.

    Therefore, Ning Qingshan would not have known it.

    She had been so offended by Ning Xueyan¡¯s words that she blurted out that Ning Xueyan might not be able to conceive in the future. How could she know it? It was impossible for Madam Dowager to tell her about it. So she must have gotten the news from Madam Ling. Even she and Madam Ling had not met with each other openly, they must have met privately.

    Or even they had not met with each other, Mother Chen and Mammy Luo must have met.

    Ning Qingshan had not been back the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor long, so she would not have visited Madam Ling. After the incident at the imperial pce banquet, her leg had gotten injured, so of course she would not have met Madam Ling in person. Madam Ling had been locked up in the Buddha Hall because she annoyed Madam Dowager, so the Buddha Hall was strictly guarded, and it was impossible for Madam Ling toe out. Then most likely, the two of their henchmen had met.

    However, how could they be so confident that their henchman would convey their message clearly and urately, without screwing things up?

    ¡°I must have missed something.¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s heart thumped.

    ¡°Mother Han, why did my mother adopt Ning Qingshan as her daughter?¡± Something shed in her mind, but she failed to catch it. Ning Xueyan raised her head and asked seriously when she saw Mother Han walking in.

    ¡°Madam Ming did not offer to adopt Third Young Lady. Marquis brought her here, saying that she was the kid of his old friend and asked Madam Ming to adopt her as her daughter so that the kid wouldn¡¯t starve at least. By that point, Third Young Lady was already six years old, and you were only three,¡± Mother Han answered after hesitating for a while.

    ¡°Ning Zu¡¯an asked Madam Ming to adopt a friend¡¯s kid to be her daughter out of pity?¡±

    Ning Xueyan did not believe it at all. Ning Zu¡¯an was even ruthless to his own child, how could he be so generous to adopt his friend¡¯s child? There must be some hidden reason! There must be some story behind Ning Qingshan¡¯s origin!

    ¡°Why did Third Sister move out from Bright Frost Garden?¡± Since Madam Ming had agreed to adopt her as her daughter, Ning Qingshan should have stayed with her at Bright Frost Garden. Why had she moved to Foggy Courtyard? Besides, every one of the manor had treated her even much better than they treated Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s biological daughter.

    Hearing that, Mother Han¡¯s face darkened. She walked close to Ning Xueyan and let out a sigh, lost in memory. ¡°Miss, in the beginning, Third Young Lady was very obedient and she used to be with Madam Ming for some time. She was pretty, smart and obedient. Although Madam Ming was always preupied, she would have been amused by her. So there was some time that Madam Ming treated her like her own daughter.¡±

    Mother Han¡¯s face even more darkened. ¡°I thought that she really took Madam Ming as her own mother because she had lost her parents. That would be a good thing. However, once you were sick and after a long time, you still hadn¡¯t recovered. Madam was very anxious and she stayed by your side for several days and nights. After you became a little better, I persuaded her to rest for a while. When I came back, I was stunned by what I saw.¡±

    A horror look appeared on Mother Han¡¯s face. She swallowed hard, as if she could not continue for the moment.

    Ning Xueyan looked at herself in the mirror and asked calmly with a smile, ¡°You saw Ning Qingshan trying to hurt me, right?¡±

    ¡°Mi-Miss, you¡¯re right!¡± Mother Han stared at Ning Xueyan with wide eyes. She was so shocked that she did not know what to say.

    ¡°Calm down, Mammy. I¡¯m just guessing. My mother loved Ning Qingshan so much, but I was also her child, so Ning Qingshan couldn¡¯t enjoy my mother¡¯s love alone, and she could only rank after me. Ning Qingshan is a person who peruses perfection, so it was normal that she couldn¡¯t bear my mother being nicer to me than to her. Since there was nobody else in the room, it was a good opportunity for her to make a move.¡±

    Ning Xueyan said with an indifferent look.

    ¡°Yes, Miss. I felt strange that it was quiet in the room. I thought maybe First Madam was in the room, so I became cautious. I walked to the window and saw Third Young Lady take something out from her pocket and pour it into your medicine bowl. Then she held you up and began to feed you that.¡±

    Mother Han paused for a while. It was horrible that a little girl of only six had done this and she even looked as calm as nothing had happened in front of people. No wonder that Fifth Young Lady¡¯s illness became more serious every time Madam Ming had left for a while. And after more than half a month, Fifth Young Lady had still not recovered.

    The more she thought, the more frightened Mother Han had be.

    She had gotten her head heavily knocking on the window frame out of fear, and it alerted Ning Qingshan. Mother Han had seen clearly that Ning Qingshan pretended to pour the medicine onto her clothes by ident and screamed, causing the maids and older female servants toe in and everyone was in a mess.

 Chapter 205 - A Vicious Woman

    Chapter 205 A Vicious Woman

    Everyone present had thought that Third Young Lady was so kind that she had already known to feed her younger sister medicine at such a young age. Only Mother Han saw that Ning Qingshan had slipped some drug into Ning Xueyan¡¯s medicine bowl. But all the medicine in the bowl had gone, so she had no evidence. Besides, nobody would believe that a child of six years old had done something so vicious.

    Moreover, after being found out by Mother Han on spot, Ning Qingshan had not been in a panic, but handled this matter perfectly.

    When Madam Ming and Mother Han walked into the room, they found Ning Qingshan still looking naive. She repeated that she had spilled the medicine soup onto her clothes by ident when she tried to feed her younger sister. Looking at her wet clothes, naive face and guilty expression, Mother Han could not help feeling chilly.

    No matter how cunning, slippery, or even vicious a person was, at least, he or she should be naive at this age.

    But Ning Qingshan seemed to be born to act. Mother Han had been so scared at that point, and she had not said anything to anyone else.

    After that, the more she thought about it, the more she felt worried, so she told Madam Ming this. Fortunately, Madam Ming had been trusted Mother Han, so she believed what she said. From then on, Madam Ming had not treated Ning Qingshan as well as before.

    ¡°But what happened before Third Young Lady moving out?¡± Lanning could not help asking. Without evidence, Madam Ming would not have driven Ning Qingshan out from Bright Frost Garden only because of what Mother Han said.

    Ning Xueyan looked at Mother Han thoughtfully. Mother Han looked serious, and Ning Xueyan knew that something big must have happened before Ning Qingshan had left Bright Frost Garden.

    ¡°A few days after that ident, Third Young Lady went to Madam Dowager to offer her greetings. Madam Dowager found that she was in ck and blue, so she asked her who had beaten her. Ning Qingshan didn¡¯t say anything, but kept on crying. Later, Madam Dowager came here with her attendants to investigate this matter. Then she said for no reason that it was Madam Ming who had beaten Ning Qingshan. She also said that Madam Ming acted one way to people¡¯s face and another behind people¡¯s back, and she had even ill-treated a little girl of six like this!¡±

    Mother Han was angry when she spoke. ¡°Madam Ming was a stubborn person and she had always been at odds with Madam Dowager. Therefore, hearing what Madam Dowager said, she didn¡¯t exin and went back to her room. Madam Dowager told everyone that Madam Ming ill-treated Third Young Lady and took Third Young Lady to Foggy Courtyard. Since then, people of the manor looked down upon Bright Frost Garden even more.¡±

    Mother Han could not hold back her anger whenever she talked about this. Madam Ming had done nothing wrong and she had treated Ning Qingshan so well, but everybody had thought that she was a vicious woman! Although Ning Qingshan had not said that it was Madam Ming who had beaten her, from her almost trembling expression, everyone could tell that she was using Madam Ming. Who would think that such a child had been acting in front of them?

    Ning Xueyan sneered. It seemed Ning Qingshan was really difficult to deal with.

    She had framed Madam Ming when she was only six years old! No wonder that she had never been sincere when she came to Bright Frost Garden to greet Madam Ming every year before. Madam Ming had not been warm to her.

    ¡°Miss, you must be cautious and watch out for Third Young Lady. There is something I don¡¯t know about Third Young Lady. I only know that after moving into Foggy Courtyard, she endeared herself to both Madam Dowager and marquis. It¡¯s said she also got on well with First Madam!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be careful!¡± Ning Xueyan nodded slightly. ¡°Putting drug into my medicine bowl?¡± Thinking about this, she suddenly frowned and her face was filled with coldness.

    ¡°Mother Han, when did Mammy Luo begin to serve Third Sister?¡±

    Mammy Luo was Ning Qingshan¡¯s most faithful servant, and she was very smart and flexible. No matter how capable Ning Qingshan was, she had been a child of six. Besides, people of Bright Frost Garden seldom went out. Where had she gotten the drug? Since she had juste to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, how could she get the drug?

    Since she had been able to get it, she must be able to get more toxic drugs.

    Moreover, as a little child, nobody would have noticed what she was doing.

    ¡°Mammy Luo came to our manor with Third Young Lady. It¡¯s said she was Third Young Lady¡¯s wet nurse. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s true. But I know that Xia¡¯er was allocated to Third Young Lady after she hade to our manor.¡±

    ¡°Was Mammy Luo close with First Madam? Did she often visit First Madam?¡± Ning Xueyan asked, ying with a hair pin on the dresser. On the smooth side of the hair pin, she saw a cold and ruthless look in her own eyes.

    If that was true, Ning Qingshan was really her sworn enemy!

    ¡°In those days, most servants of Bright Frost Garden seldom went out the manor. Only I needed to go out to do something for Madam Ming, buy medicinal materials or buy some fresh vegetables for you. Since you were very young and growing, it was necessary to have some meat.¡± Mother Han felt sad at the thought of the past. She wiped tears off her cheek with her hand. It was unbelievable that a noble Young Lady had led such a miserable life in her childhood. Nobody had ever thought that the powerful and wealthy Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had been so mean to Madam Ming and Fifth Young Lady like this.

    ¡°I saw Mammy Luo chatting andughing with several older female servants from First Madam¡¯s courtyard a few times. By then, Third Young Lady was still at Bright Frost Garden. I thought that they had juste, so it was normal that they wanted to get close to First Madam. I didn¡¯t take it seriously. But after that ident, I was sure that First Madam must have been involved in it.¡±

    Ning Zu¡¯an was really a scum! His wife and daughter could not even get enough food and clothes at Bright Frost Garden, and they had to be self-sufficient, but he had turned a blind eye to this. How could a man be cold-blooded like this? Ning Xueyan remembered that most of Madam Ming¡¯s jewelry had gone. They must have been sold by Madam Ming to exchange money. Mother Han had told her that all those jewelry were valuable, but they still could not support themselves. It must have something to do with Madam Ling.

    Madam Ling had taken Madam Ming¡¯s dowry, her jewelry and even her life! Ning Xueyan had made up her mind to take all these back one by one.

    ¡°Mammy, do you believe that Ning Qingshan could get the drug by her own?¡± Ning Xueyan trusted Mother Han, so she would like to put it straightforward. She needed to know more details.

    ¡°Mi-Miss, you mean Third Young Lady got the drug from First Madam?¡± Mother Han stammered. She immediately saw what Ning Xueyan meant.

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it in more depth. Since she could get the toxic drug and slipped it into my medicine soup, is that mean that she also put vicious drug in my mother¡¯s medicine? Before Qingrui came to Bright Frost Garden, my mother had already been poisoned! It¡¯s said she had been poisoned for a long time, but nobody could tell since when she had taken the poisoned medicine for the first time.¡±

    Ning Xueyan sneered inwardly. Now she was certain that it must be Ning Qingshan, who had put the toxic drug into her mother¡¯s medicine, because only Ning Qingshan had the opportunity to do this. She was able to get close to Madam Ming, and Madam Ming was an unguarded person. Moreover, if Ning Qingshan was not useful to Madam Ling, Madam Ling would not have been so generous to let her move to Foggy Courtyard.

    The situation was the same now. Mammy Luo must have some inner trading with Mother Chen and other attendants of Madam Ling for a long time. That was why Madam Ling and Ning Qingshan had felt assured to have them convey their message. They did not need to worry that they would screw things up by misunderstanding each other.

    ¡°Miss, you mean Third Young Lady poisoned Madam Ming? This is... not likely!¡± Mother Han said in a trembling voice, her face ashen. For her, it was already very terrifying that Ning Qingshan had put some vicious herbs with cool attributes into Ning Xueyan¡¯s medicine to prevent her from recovery. If she had also poisoned Madam Ming on purpose, Mother Han could not even find a word to describe her evil.

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sure that Ning Qingshan had put some toxic medicine in my mother¡¯s medicine!¡± Ning Xueyan sneered. Time, ce, and character matched. Plus the current situation, she could tell that Madam Ling and Ning Qingshan had colluded for a long time. Otherwise, how could an adopted daughter been treated like a principal wife¡¯s daughter?

    Madam Ling did not seem to be a generous person!

    Now it sounded reasonable that Ning Qingshan and Madam Ling had been trade in secret.

    How vicious women of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor were! No wonder that Madam Ming, Ning Xueyan and Ning Ziying had died one after another. It was impossible for a normal person to survive in a poisonous snake pit!

    ¡°Lanning, go to Fourth Young Lady and tell her that I want to borrow an embroidered sample from her,¡± Ning Xueyan said coldly after having made her decision.

    No matter what Ning Qingshan did, she had a specific purpose, so it was impossible to be just a coincidence that she and Ning Lingyun were so close. Since Ning Xueyan had exposed Ning Lingyun¡¯s plot to get Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li engaged to her, Ning Lingyun had been afraid of her every time she saw her. But this time, in addition to fear, Ning Xueyan also saw a trace of hesitation in Ning Lingyun¡¯s eyes. It seemed she wanted but dared not to look at her.

    Although Ning Lingyun did not say much, she had been peeping at Ning Xueyan all the time and at Ning Qingshan sometimes, as if there was something she could not decide.

    ¡°Obviously, Ning Qingshan is ying trick again. And this time, she is nning to take use of Ning Lingyun to deal with me!¡± Ning Xueyan thought. But it seemed that Ning Lingyun had not decided yet. Ning Qingshan was very vicious and she was good at manipting others behind the scenes.

    ¡°Got it. I¡¯m going to Fourth Young Lady right now.¡± Lanning nodded. Now she had fully understood Ning Xueyan¡¯s n.

    Borrowing the embroidered sample was just an excuse. Ning Xueyan knew that Ning Lingyun would inquiry Lanning for information when she saw her, so she arranged for Lanning to visit Ning Lingyun on purpose. Although Bright Frost Garden was not that strictly guarded, it was not easy for anyone apart from Ning Xueyan to arrange for a servant to work here. Therefore, it was inconvenient for Ning Lingyun to seek information about Ning Xueyan. Since they wanted to know more information about her, Ning Xueyan would like to give them such opportunities to ask.

    As for some things, it was better to let it happen than to stop it. At least, she could monitor every move of those people!

    Fortunately, she could make preparation to fight back at the same time.

    After freshening herself up, Ning Xueyan walked toward Lucky Garden with Lanning and Xinmei. It was still early, so she did not encounter anyone else. She chatted with Madam Dowager for a while, and then Madam Dowager asked her to go back, saying that Ning Xueyan should rest more. Madam Dowager also said that Ning Xueyan did not have to visit her everyday. After all, the most important thing for her currently was to get well as soon as possible.

    Ning Xueyan knew that Madam Dowager would not really care about her health. After Ning Xueyan falling into sickness, Madam Dowager had to check the ount books in person. Madam Dowager wanted to take the power, but she did not want to work. Although it was Ning Xueyan who had been managing the financial matters, she had asked Madam Dowager to make the final decision for everything, and Madam Dowager had enjoyed it very much. Now Madam Dowager had to work again and she felt tired of this, so of course she hoped that Ning Xueyan would recover soon and manage the ounts for her.

    Of course, Ning Xueyan hoped herself to recover as soon as possible as well.

    As soon as she sat down after returning to Bright Frost Garden, a maid reported, ¡°Miss, Concubine Ma ising. She is outside to seek an audience with you.¡±

    ¡°Concubine Ma?¡±

    Ning Xueyan was a little surprised. She did not think that Concubine Ma had anything to do with her after that ident.

 Chapter 206 - Maybe Nothing Bad Happened to My Family

    <h4>Chapter 206 Maybe Nothing Bad Happened to My Family</h4>

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, please, please save me! Please!¡± Seeing Ning Xueyan walking out, Concubine Ma suddenly knelt on the ground at the gate and said with tears in her eyes.

    ¡°Concubine Ma, what are you doing? You can just tell Fifth Young Lady if there¡¯s anything she can help. Seeing you kneeling down here, other people will think our master is bullying you!¡± Mother Han was experienced. She took a few steps forward and stood between Ning Xueyan and Concubine Ma. Sheforted and persuaded Concubine Ma.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady! Fifth Young Lady, if you don¡¯t help me, I will kneel here until I die!¡± Concubine Ma managed to get rid of Mother Han¡¯s hands and began to cry loudly.

    ¡°Mother Han, since Concubine Ma doesn¡¯t want to say and likes to cry here, just let it be!¡± Ning Xueyan said indifferently and stopped Mother Han. She then turned and was about to walk into her room.

    Concubine Ma was a little surprised when she saw that Ning Xueyan was about to leave without talking to her any more. She was anxious and stood up in a hurry. ¡°Fifth Young Lady!¡± She called her in a sad voice, tears streaming down.

    ¡°Concubine Ma, you can tell me what you want clearly when you calm down. If you are trying to threaten me to do anything that I can¡¯t do, you can leave now,¡± Ning Xueyan said, looking at Concubine Ma coldly with her icy and dark eyes.

    Under her gaze, Concubine Ma felt uneasy. It seemed that Ning Xueyan had seen through her. She immediately turned her head slightly and said humbly, ¡°Fifth Young Lady, I, I¡¯m not that kind of person. I really need your help, Fifth Young Lady.¡±

    ¡°Say it!¡± Ning Xueyan was patient. She turned around and looked at Concubine Ma indifferently.

    ¡°Say it... here?¡± Concubine Ma was surprised. She then looked back.

    She was at Bright Frost Garden¡¯s gate now. When she knelt down just now, some people had stopped to watch, even including a few maids passing by. Therefore, it was inconvenient to say something secret here.

    ¡°We can say everything in public. Besides, Concubine Ma, I don¡¯t think there is anything you have to hide from people. So please put it straightforward. Otherwise, Concubine Ma, the others will think that you did this because of Junior Concubine Xu. As a junior, I can¡¯t help you with this,¡± Ning Xueyan said politely and distantly.

    Every one of the manor knew that Junior Concubine Xu was Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s favorite concubine now. And recently, he had been staying with Junior Concubine Xu every night. Concubine Ma had been involved in a lot of troubles before. Although she had managed to prove her innocence, she had something to do with it. In Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s opinion, without Concubine Ma, Madam Ling would not have been down to this degree.

    Concubine Ma had sworn that she had never had an affair with another man, but Madam Ling was certain that she had, although without any direct evidence. Any man would be annoyed and felt unpleasant at such news. Besides, Ning Zu¡¯an had married Junior Concubine Xu, whopared to Concubine Ma, was new, pure, gentle and obedient.

    So in any case, Concubine Ma would be out of favor.

    Most people of the manor were snobbish, so when Concubine Ma became down and out, nobody wanted to talk to her. Because Concubine Ma had made a scenest time, Madam Dowager was mad at her as well. Now Concubine Ma had to be humble and cautious in the manor.

    It was abnormal that she had knelt at the gate of Bright Frost Garden and cried loudly.

    ¡°Fifth, Fifth Young Lady, I, I really need your help for something private. It¡¯s about my family, so it¡¯s inconvenient to talk about it here,¡± Concubine Ma said in tears. She wiped tears with a handkerchief while speaking in hesitation, as if she was too shy to say it because it was her family business.

    Seeing that Concubine Ma seemed to be in a dilemma, some maids and older female servants could not help feeling sorry for her. Concubine Ma¡¯s family must really get into trouble. Maybe Concubine Ma wanted to give some money to her parents, so she hade here to ask Fifth Young Lady for help. It would be too embarrassing to say such things in front of so many people!

    Fifth Young Lady had gone too far that she was even forcing her to reveal her family¡¯s difficulties in public!

    Ning Xueyan looked at Concubine Ma coldly. Concubine Ma had not only forced her to agree to help her, but also spoken in such a miserable tone, as if Ning Xueyan was bullying her. Obviously, she came to Bright Frost Garden to act!

    ¡°Your family met with some difficulties? If you didn¡¯te to me for the theatrical troupe, I may be able to help you.¡± Ning Xueyan suddenly walked close to Concubine Ma with a smile. When she said the ¡°theatrical troupe¡±, she lowered her voice. She smiled thoughtfully while looking at Concubine Ma¡¯s face with her jet-ck eyes.

    Concubine Ma¡¯s face blushed, and then turned pale. She raised her head and looked at Ning Xueyan in a panic.

    Now she just remembered that Ning Xueyan was clear with the affair between her and her lover.

    ¡°Concubine Ma, let¡¯s talk inside.¡± Ning Xueyan gave way to her politely and gestured her in, as if she did not notice Concubine Ma¡¯s pale face.

    ¡°No... I won¡¯t. Fifth Young Lady, I, I suddenly remember that... I don¡¯t know if that person said is true. Maybe nothing bad happened to my family!¡± Concubine Ma refused to get into the room almost subconsciously. She was in a panic and she spoke disorderly. How could she have forgotten something so important? Ning Xueyan knew her secret!

    The Fifth Young Lady in front of her was no longer the one who had been so timid and bullied by others at will.

    ¡°Oh? So you got the news about your family from others? You¡¯d better make sure of it. If this causes some unnecessary trouble, your family may really get into trouble! Concubine Ma, don¡¯t worry. Since you¡¯re still Lord Protector¡¯s concubine, nothing serious will happen to your family!¡± Ning Xueyan said meaningfully with a slight smile.

    Everyone thought that Ning Xueyan wasforting Concubine Ma. However, for Concubine Ma, the words were just like thunders. ¡°Since I¡¯m still Lord Protector¡¯s concubine, nothing serious will happen to my family! Is she hinting that if I were not Lord Protector¡¯s concubine, something big might happen to my family?¡± Concubine Ma thought.

    ¡°I, I, I have nothing to bother you now. Fifth Young Lady, thank you forforting me!¡± With that, Concubine Ma bowed to Ning Xueyan in a hurry and turned to leave with her maid. She left in such a hurry that she almost ran away.

    Ning Xueyan winked to Xinmei and Xinmei followed behind Concubine Ma quietly.

    Concubine Ma¡¯s appearance became a sensational affair and soon every one of the manor knew it. At first, they thought that something big had happened, butter, they knew that the rumors were exaggerated. In fact, although Concubine Ma had knelt down and cried a lot in the beginning, she had not done anything before leaving Bright Frost Garden in a hurry. Nobody knew what she wanted to do. Maybe Concubine Ma was trying to make trouble again!

    Her panic made other people think that she must have done something evil and worried to be found out by people.

    Concubine Ma was so nervous and she was not in a mood to care about the rumors. She had been thinking to escape from the manor before, but now she realized that she made a mistake. How could she be so stupid to follow that person¡¯s words and do this? She should have known that Fifth Young Lady was not easy to mess with.

    ¡°Concubine Ma, why did youe back so soon?¡± As soon as she arrived at a quiet path, she heard a contrived voice ring out.

    It was Caifen, a maid of Third Young Lady. She came here to convey Third Young Lady¡¯s message to Concubine Ma.

    ¡°You, you can tell Third Young Lady that I, I don¡¯t want to leave the manor!¡± Concubine Ma turned around and said seriously, looking at Caifen.

    ¡°So you are willing to be out of favor and end up being inferior even to a maid? Then you will have to lead such a miserable life for the rest of your life! What a pity! You¡¯re so pretty, and wherever you are, you¡¯re the most charming one among people. There are so many ces you can go after leaving the manor. It¡¯s impossible for anyone to catch you!¡±

    Caifen¡¯s face went icy when she heard Concubine Ma refuse her suggestion, but soon her attitude changed and she spoke in an exaggerated intimate voice.

    At the thought that she might be ignored by Ning Zu¡¯an all the time if she continued to stay at the manor, and when she grew old and died, nobody would know her body rotten in the backyard of the manor, Concubine Ma could not help clenching her fists. ¡°No! I¡¯m still young! I don¡¯t want to die in the backyard of the manor at such a young age!¡± She shouted inwardly.

    But it was not that easy if she wanted to escape. She wondered if Third Young Lady would really help her.

    Seeing that Concubine Ma was hesitating, Caifen took two steps forward and whispered in her ear, ¡°Concubine Ma, don¡¯t worry. My master will definitely help you. You know that both Third Prince and Fourth Prince think highly of her, so in any case, she will be a Consort of Prince. Of course it won¡¯t be difficult for her to protect you. Besides, marquis won¡¯t turn his back on her for such trifles.¡±

    With Ning Qingshan¡¯s current status, she had no problem to protect a concubine of Ning Zu¡¯an. Every one of the manor knew that the two princes thought highly of her. Therefore,pared to Ning Xueyan, a nobody, Ning Qingshan was more likely to win.

    However, as Ning Xueyan knew her secret, Concubine Ma did not dare to make an enemy of her.

    ¡°Is Third Young Lady really willing to help me?¡± Concubine Ma asked in hesitation.

    Caifen¡¯s face darkened. ¡°There is no such thing as a free lunch. If you don¡¯t want to pay the price, you¡¯ll get nothing. If you follow Third Young Lady¡¯s words, she will help you to leave safely and prepare the passports you need to run far away from the manor!¡± she said.

    She could leave if she wanted. But before that, she had to do something for Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°But Fifth, Fifth Young Lady is very smart. I, I¡¯m afraid of being found out by her!¡± Concubine Ma stammered. She did not seem to have more choices.

    ¡°Be found out by her? So you came back after only saying a few words at the gate just now? If Third Young Lady knew it, you wouldn¡¯t have any chance to escape. And you will have to stay at the manor until you die. It¡¯s said First Madam is going to be released from the Buddha Hall. Since marquis doesn¡¯t like you as before, how can you win First Madam?¡±

    Caifen sneered. Seeing her white teeth shining, Concubine Ma was almost desperate¡£

    Hearing that she was going to report to Ning Qingshan, Concubine Ma grabbed Caifen by the hand and pleaded, ¡°Please... don¡¯t tell Third Young Lady. I¡¯ll think it over. I¡¯ll think it over.¡±

    ¡°My master is not that patient. Just tell me ¡°yes¡± or ¡°no¡±. My master said that even if you did something wrong, marquis couldn¡¯t find you after you escaped from the manor, so he could do nothing to you. You don¡¯t have to worry about your family. Since marquis is such a high-rank official, how can she be so mean to get your family into trouble. The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor can¡¯t afford to beughed by the outsiders!¡±

    Caifen said as per Ning Qingshan had told her. Ning Qingshan had told her to say this if she saw Concubine Mae back in disgrace. Now she knew that her master¡¯s concern was justified. Concubine Ma was too useless!

 Chapter 207 - A Ghost Is Not the Most Horrible Thing in the World

    <h4>Chapter 207 A Ghost Is Not the Most Horrible Thing in the World</h4>

    What Caifen said reassured Concubine Ma. She suddenly felt relieved and her face lit up.

    If she escaped from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, the affair between her and that actor would be nothing. Since the marquis could not find them, even if he knew what they had done before, he could do nothing to her.

    No matter how capable the Fifth Young Lady was, she could not do anything outside the manor. However, the Third Young Lady was different from the Fifth Young Lady. She would be the Third Prince¡¯s concubine in the future, so she had to be able to find a way to help Concubine Ma leave. Then Concubine Ma would go everywhere at will, and she would have nothing to do with the Fifth Young Lady in the future.

    ¡°The Fifth Young Lady has no advantage against the Third Young Lady, so she will have a problem even protecting herself. Of course, she won¡¯t have the time and energy to deal with me!¡± Concubine Ma thought.

    ¡°Fine! I¡¯ll do as the Third Young Lady tells me!¡± Concubine Ma said, gritting her teeth. She had made up her mind.

    Caifen moved even a little closer to her and whispered in her ear for a few seconds. Concubine Ma nodded hard. After that, they parted, without noticing that someone was behind a tree not far away when they had been talking just now.

    When Xinmei came back, Ning Xueyan was reading the ount book Madam Dowager had given to her. Lanning stood by her side to serve her the brush pen and grind ink for her.

    The room was quiet except for the sound of Ning Xueyan gently turning the pages.

    Xinmei lifted the door curtain and was about to speak when she saw Lanning raising her finger to her lips as a signal to be silent. Xinmei nodded and then came up behind Ning Xueyan. Ning Xueyan wrote something on the ount book after reading it for a while. Sometimes, she stopped reading and thought for a while with a frown, and sometimes, she marked something in a notebook.

    Ning Xueyan had marked in the notebook since she began checking the ount books for Madam Dowager. The content of each line was indicated clearly.

    After a while, Ning Xueyan put down the notebook and cleaned her hands with the handkerchief Lanning handed her.

    She raised her head and asked gently, ¡°Did Concubine Ma meet Ning Qingshan¡¯s attendant?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Miss, you guessed right. As you expected, she met a new maid of the Third Young Lady, named Caifen. It¡¯s said she is Xia¡¯er¡¯s younger sister. I hid myself behind a tree just now and heard that the Third Young Lady was going to help Concubine Ma escape, but only if Concubine Ma frames you.¡±

    Xinmei nodded, admiring Ning Xueyan even more for her wonderful foresight.

    ¡°Concubine Ma agreed, didn¡¯t she?¡± Ning Xueyan said with a smile. Sitting down in front of the table beside the window, she took the tea cup from Lanning. She lifted the cup lid and removed the tea foam inside.

    Now Ning Xueyan knew what Ning Qingshan was plotting. ¡°She promised Concubine Ma to help her escape? With Concubine Ma¡¯s current status, it¡¯s really an attractive offer and it¡¯s no wonder that Concubine Ma would like to do anything for her. If they seed, Concubine Ma won¡¯t need to worry that I will expose her secret. Ning Qingshan is really smart. Although she didn¡¯t know what had happened to Concubine Ma, she could convince Concubine Ma to work for her!¡±

    ¡°Yes. Concubine Ma didn¡¯t agree at first. But after Caifen had ryed the Third Young Lady¡¯s words, she immediately agreed. Then they talked for a short moment. Because they spoke in low voices, I didn¡¯t hear them clearly.¡± Xinmei was a little awkward when she said thest sentence.

    Caifen and Concubine Ma had deliberately lowered their voices. Since there was no ce to hide near them, Xinmei had to hide herself a little bit far away from them, and she could not hear all the contents of their conversation.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Since I have known that Ning Qingshan is the mastermind behind it, it¡¯s much easier for me to decide what to do next,¡± Ning Xueyan said slowly. She took a sip of tea and then put down the tea cup. ¡°It seems that she has been on a roll recently. I should find something to set her back on her heels.¡±

    Because both the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince had sent gifts to her, everyone in the manor thought highly of Ning Qingshan, even Madam Dowager did not dare to offend her. Madam Dowager asked her attendants to bring some nutritious medicine to Foggy Courtyard. But Ning Qingshan seemed to have forgotten one important thing¡ªshe had not be the Third Prince¡¯s concubine yet.

    And what the Fourth Prince had done might not be a good thing that would raise her status!

    ¡°Lanning, give the ount books back to Madam Dowager. Tell her that in addition to the jewelry shop, the other shops¡¯ ounts are normal. It¡¯s said that the shop opposite this jewelry shop ispeting with it, so its profit this month is much less thanst month. Tell Madam Dowager to inquire about the background of ourpetitor. I hope the two shops can meet each other halfway. Since we are doing business, viciouspetition can only harm the interests of both sides. But that¡¯s only my suggestion. After all, the jewelry shop is very profitable, so Madam Dowager should make the final decision on her own.¡±

    Ning Xueyan spoke gently as she pushed the ount books to Lanning.

    ¡°Miss, how did you know the details?¡± Although Lanning had been calm, she was so surprised that she widened her eyes after hearing the detailed analysis from Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°It¡¯s easy. I can find everything in the ount books. Of course, it¡¯s not the only reason for profit or loss. Since someone is ying a trick, I can make use of it. As for thepetition between the two jewelry shops, I heard about that from Mother Han. When you connect all these things together, you will understand.¡±

    A graceful and icy smile appeared on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face. She had checked the ount books for a long time, and she had not found anything wrong, as if nothing abnormal had ever happened. However, after examining them carefully, she had found a secret¡ªalmost all the shops¡¯ profit was declining this month more or less, although it was not easy to be aware of this in such a short period.

    Since Madam Ling had been in charge of the internal ounts for so many years, of course she would not give the power back to Madam Dowager easily!

    It might be a good thing for Ning Xueyan, because she could make use of it. Ning Xueyan had gotten the news about the jewelry shop from Mother Han partially, but she already knew about the rest from herst life when she was still Ning Ziying.

    Once, Ning Ziyan had been showing off in front of Ning Ziying, saying that the jewelry shop of their family was the most profitable one, even more profitable than the jewelry shop across the street. Ning Ziying had also known that the owner of that jewelry shop was the Third Prince.

    Since Madam Ling had fiddled with the ount book and made the profit much less, then it could be an excuse for the two shops topete. Two of the same trade would never agree. Besides, the two shops were on the same street, how could there be no contradiction between them? As an imperial member, the Third Prince would not directly deal with such trifles, but it was enough for the two shops topete.

    How could the Third Prince be untroubled by what had happened at the imperial pce about the note and the Fourth Prince¡¯s gifts for Ning Qingshan?

    The Fourth Prince suddenly showed his interest in Ning Qingshan. What was he thinking? Three years ago, there had been nothing going on between him and Ning Qingshan. But now, he suddenly showed his intention and determination to marry Ning Qingshan. Was there any special reason?

    Anyway, Ning Xuyeyan would find out about it step by step.

    She knew it was a cutthroat world. With the grievance in herst life and the hatred in her current life in her mind, she would never back down!

    She sat in front of the table, looking delicate and weak. Her cold, lowered eyes and her graceful, icy smile did not frighten her two maids, but reassured them.

    They knew that their young master was not weak and incapable. Now she was able to protect herself well, so she had the ability to protect them as well.

    Lanning left with the ount books in her arms and soon came back with a message from Madam Dowager. Madam Dowager would invite the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince for dinner this evening, and she had asked Ning Xueyan, Ning Huaiyuan, and Ning Qingshan to attend the dinner. After all, they should thank the two princes for their gifts.

    Whether or not Madam Dowager would talk about the jewelry shops to the Third Prince was not on Ning Xueyan¡¯s mind. She had asked Lanning to convey her suggestion. It was not the most important thing whether or not Madam Dowager would say something about it in front of the Prince. But the jewelry shop was actually a good money-maker for the manor.

    Madam Ling had never gotten along well with Madam Dowager. The jewelry shop was so profitable when Madam Ling was running it, but now the profit was less after Madam Dowager had taken back the power. So no matter how much less it was, Madam Dowager would feel humiliated.

    Ning Xueyan thought that Madam Dowager would definitely talk about it with the Third Prince.

    After taking a nap at noon, Ning Xueyan walked out of Bright Frost Garden with Qingyu.

    Ning Xueyan walked toward Cloud Reflection Courtyard subconsciously. It was getting cold recently and Mother Han did not want her to go out after supper, so Ning Xueyan would take a walk after napping at noon when she had time. Anyway, Cloud Reflection Courtyard was remote and was near Bright Frost Garden, so nobody would have noticed that she had such a habit.

    Standing under the designated plum tree, she nced at Cloud Reflection Courtyard, frowning.

    Cloud Reflection Courtyard was even colder and more cheerless than before. Nobody would like toe here. After Ning Ziying¡¯s death, thisnd had almost been abandoned by Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Maybe Madam Ling and Ning Ziyan worried that Ning Ziying would turn into a ghost ande to take revenge on them, so they had asked people to build a wall that was not very big to separate Cloud Reflection Courtyard from Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    If people came from the direction in front of Ning Xueyan, they could not see Cloud Reflection Courtyard, which was behind the wall.

    Unless they were looking from Ning Xueyan¡¯s direction, nobody would know about the existence of Cloud Reflection Courtyard. It had beenpletely separated by Madam Ling.

    Obviously, she was trying topletely erase Ning Ziying from people¡¯s memory!

    However, no matter how hard she had tried, she could not erase some things.

    ¡°Qingyu, keep watch for me here. I¡¯m going to have a look at Cloud Reflection Courtyard,¡± Ning Xueyan turned her head and said to Qingyu.

    ¡°Miss, you¡¯d better not go there. It¡¯s said that it is not clean there,¡± Qingyu said nervously. Rumors about Cloud Reflection Courtyard were more and more terrifying. Since nobody lived there, many people said it was haunted. The wall had been built up gradually because of the rumors.

    And this project had beenpleted a few days ago.

    ¡°Clean? Is there any clean ce in the manor?¡± Ning Xueyan said indifferently. She looked down and her feather-like eyshes cast faint shadows on her pale face. ¡°Haunted? Haha! The most horrible thing in the world is not a ghost, but a human being!¡±

    Qingyu was shocked at suchughter, sarcasm, and contempt.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady is right. Is there any ghost in the world? Lanning was almost murdered by the First Madam. Besides, Fifth Young Lady, Lanning and Mother Wang mentioned that Young Lady Ning Ziying, who lived in Cloud Reflection Courtyard before, might also have been murdered by the First Madam and the others. They¡¯re so vicious, they are even more terrible than ghosts!¡±

    Qingyu calmed down for no reason, then nodded and asked, ¡°Miss, do you want me to go there with you?¡±

    Although she had stopped thinking about the ghost, she was still not at ease letting Ning Xueyan go there alone.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to go with me. I¡¯m just having a look and walking around. Just wait for me here. Stop anyone if theye,¡± Ning Xueyan said with a coldness shing in her eyes. She then walked forward. Where she was now was close to Cloud Reflection Courtyard¡¯s back door. She had been waiting for such a long time, and it was the right time to take those things out!

 Chapter 208 - Those Things She Had Hidden

    <h4>Chapter 208 Those Things She Had Hidden</h4>

    Everything in Cloud Reflection Courtyard was more decaying. Weeds sprang up at the corner and on the path. Obviously, no one had been here for a long time. When Ning Xueyan pushed open the door of the master bedroom, the wind blew in and the dust on the floor was stirred up. It had been full ofughter here not long before, but now, noughter could be heard any more.

    She walked into the room and came to the bed. She narrowed her eyes slightly when she pushed away a needle and thread basket.

    Obviously, someone had rummaged here carefully. Although that person was cautious, Ning Xueyan still found out.

    Because the thin blue thread hanging in front of the needle and thread basket had gone, and the left and right sides of the red thread tied at the back of the basket was no longerpletely equal as Ning Ziying had put it on purpose.

    Ning Ziying had been so cautious, because her mother had repeatedly reminded her that she should not let anyone find what inside, otherwise, something big would happen and even bring about death. Although Ning Ziying had not believed what her mother said, as an obedient daughter, she had still put the thread around the basket on purpose after hiding those things carefully.

    In the past three years before Ning Ziying¡¯s death, nobody hade here to look for anything. However, after she had just died a few months, someone rummaged here.

    Someone had evene to Cloud Reflection Courtyard to look for something!

    Ning Xueyan took out the basket and crawled under the bed. She moved to the left foot of the bed against the wall and took out a brick. There were a small package and a letter. She put them into her pocket and covered the hole with the brick gain. She then moved out from under the bed andid out the thread around the needle and thread basket as before.

    She had a hunch that someone woulde again!

    She looked into the dusty mirror, brushed her hair and smoothed her clothes before slowly walking out from the room. Then she closed the door and took a deep breath, her gaze fixing on the lotus pool not far away. A bloody smell seemed to emanate from her chest. After a while, her lips twitched and a cold smile appeared on her face.

    No matter for Ning Ziying or for Ning Xueyan, she would make those murderers pay for their blood!

    Ning Xueyan half closed the back door of the Cloud Reflection Courtyard and turned around without haste, lifting her skirt hem. Qingyu felt relieved when she saw her calm figure and she immediately walked toward Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Miss, is there...¡±

    ¡°Nothing. I just had a look casually,¡± Ning Xueyan said gently.

    ¡°Is there anything abnormal?¡± Qingyu asked after a short hesitation, following behind Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Nothing. Let¡¯s go!¡± Ning Xueyan nodded.

    Seeing that Ning Xueyan did not want to talk more, Qingyu stopped asking. She walked toward Bright Frost Garden following Ning Xueyan.

    At a high building of the courtyard, Third Prince and Fourth Prince sat next to each other with Ning Huaiyuan by their side. After all, Ning Huaiyuan was a man, and his injury was not that serious, so after applying some effective medicine, he had almost recovered. Except for one of his hands was not very handy, nobody could tell that he had been injured.

    After receiving the invitation for dinner, the two princes came much earlier than everyone had expected. So Ning Huaiyuan was asked to apany them to rest and drink tea at the tall building of the courtyard.

    Ning Huaiyuan was tactfully talking about the jewelry shop with Third Prince while Fourth Prince was looking in distance through a telescope.

    This telescope was a tribute presented by other countries and there were only very few such telescopes in the imperial pce. Fourth Prince had just gotten it and he was very curious. When he was looking around, he found a delicate figure in the telescope. Ao Mingwan froze for a few seconds and then was overjoyed. He had agreed toe here for dinner because he wanted to see this Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    He had fallen in love with her at the first sight. He had never thought that there was such a wonderful girl in the world!

    If he had known that the Third Young Lady of the Nings was so outstanding, he would have engaged her three years ago and would not leave any chance to Ao Mingyu!

    Thankfully, nothing had been decided yet, so he still had a chance. Although the rumors said that Ning Qingshan was going to be Ao Mingyu¡¯s principal wife, they had not been officially engaged yet and he still had some room for manoeuvre. Besides, he had told his mother that he was fond of Third Young Lady, and asked her mother to manage to marry Third Young Lady to him.

    However, his mother told him that things were not going well. It seemed that Honored Consort Ya liked Third Young Lady very much!

    At the thought of this, Ao Mingwan¡¯s mood turned sour. It was not until the girl walked into a yard that he put down the telescope. He thought for a while, standing by the rail. Suddenly, he turned around and walked toward Third Prince. ¡°Third Brother, is your jewelry shoppeting with Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s?¡± he sat next to Third Prince and asked with a smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. Maybe our attendants are fighting for business. Huaiyuan, please don¡¯t mind. I¡¯ll ask someone to see into it. I won¡¯t allow them to bid up the price and cause loss to both of us,¡± Ao Mingyu nodded politely and said to Ning Huaiyuan with augh.

    ¡°Thank you for your concern for such trifles, Third Prince. I thank you on behalf of my grandmother,¡± Since Third Prince had generously agreed to see into this matter, Ning Huaiyuan said with augh as well.

    ¡°Huaiyuan, don¡¯t worry. My third brother will solve the problem. It¡¯s said this ount book was checked by Fifth Young Lady of your manor? It¡¯s remarkable that she can check ount books at such a young age!¡± Ao Mingwan praised with an ulterior motive.

    Rumors about the dispute between Third Young Lady and Fifth Young Lady for an ount book had spread out from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and all the well-informed people had known it. People held different views and Ning Qingshan was the focus of their discussion, and many of them were arguing whether Ning Qingshan was a hypocritical person.

    ¡°She is still very young, and she is only helping my grandmother to check the ount books briefly. Since she had never taken care of ounts before, she knew very little about it. And we should thank God that she hasn¡¯t made any big mistakes,¡± Ning Huaiyuan said modestly with a smile.

    He seemed to be modest. However, far from expressing admiration for her, he was hinting that Ning Xueyan pretended to know what she did not and meddled in the backyard.

    Ao Mingyu¡¯s eyelid twitched, but he only smiled without speaking anything.

    ¡°She is already so capable at such a young age! It¡¯s said your fifth sister is only fourteen. She can even manage such a big manor now, so she must be able to manage a big family well in the future.¡± Ao Mingwan shifted the topic and said to Ao Mingyu, who had been in silence, ¡°Third Brother, since you¡¯re not married, you¡¯d better engage such a wonderful girl as soon as possible. I¡¯m sure she will be the hostess of a manor in the future.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s said Third Young Lady of the manor is also excellent,¡± Ao Mingyu raised his head and said meaningfully with a smile.

    ¡°Third Young Lady is also nice, but it seems she is not as outstanding as Fifth Young Lady. Third Brother, Third Young Lady is two years older than Fifth Young Lady, but Madam Dowager felt assured to let Fifth Young Lady manage the manor, so Fifth Young Lady must be very capable. Third Brother, your manor has no hostess now, and your mother always wants you to find a capable woman. I¡¯m sure Fifth Young Lady is the right person for you!¡±

    Ao Mingwan suggested with a smile. He looked rx and natural with a smile in his eyes, as if he really cared about Ao Mingyu.

    Princes like them really needed a capable wife to manage those beautifuldies and their concubines of the backyard. If they could not even keep their family in harmony, how could they manage a country?

    Therefore, Fourth Prince had grasped the key of the problem when he said this. Because Third Young Lady and Fifth Young Lady had fought for managing the manor, Fourth Prince did not like Fifth Young Lady. How could he be happy after knowing that his beloved woman had been humiliated. But he knew that it was the right time to praise Fifth Young Lady in front of Third Prince now.

    However, to his surprise, the rtionship between Ao Mingyu and Ning Qingshan was far closer than he had imagined, and it was impossible for him to shake it because what he said.

    But it also made Ao Mingyu more depressed. He had promised to marry Ning Qingshan, but now he hesitated a little.

    He thought Ning Qingshan had framed Ning Xueyan at the imperial pce on purpose with that note. At the thought that Ning Xueyan¡¯s reputation had almost been ruined by Ning Qingshan, he felt angry. He even thought that Ning Qingshan was too cruel and ruthless.

    Ao Mingyu himself was not an innocent person and he had killed and set up many people, so he could turn a blind eye on what Ning Qingshan had done. However, at the thought that the person who had been framed was Ning Xueyan, thinking of her delicate figure, her weak and cold eyes, he was upset and even distressed.

    Because of this, he was angry with Ning Qingshan.

    Taking the opportunity to send gifts to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, he had given the same gifts to Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan, because he wanted people of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to treat Ning Xueyan a little better for his sake. However, to his surprise, Ao Mingwan had also gotten himself involved in and sent the gifts only to Ning Qingshan, causing Ning Qingshan¡¯s status higher than Ning Xueyan¡¯s in the manor.

    What annoyed Ao Mingyu more was that Ning Qingshan had epted Ao Mingwan¡¯s gifts. What did she mean? When had she started hooking up with Ao Mingwan? Was that mean that if he did not marry her, she would find another man for herself?

    Ao Mingyu became even angrier at the thought of this. As a noble prince, he could dump a woman, but he could not bear to be dumped by a woman! He hade here because he wanted to know what Ning Qingshan was thinking. He was a prince of the country, not a man who can be chosen or dumped by Ning Qingshan at will.

    It had been three years since they parted. She had changed so much!

    It seemed the gentle girl, who had protected and taken care of him wholeheartedly three years ago, was leaving him gradually.

    She had be a vicious and thoughtful person!

    What was she really like?

    ¡°Fourth Brother, so you think Third Young Lady is not good enough?¡± Ao Mingyu raised his head slightly with a graceful and faint smile. He rotated the tea cup in his hand and asked casually. However, there was coldness in his eyes when he spoke.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that.¡± Ao Mingwan paused for a while and then continued with a smile, ¡°I mean she is not as excellent as Fifth Young Lady. As Fifth Young Lady is so remarkable at such a young age, after two years, no, after only one year, the threshold of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would be crushed by the matchmakers.¡±

    He was intent on matchmaking Ao Mingyu. It would be perfect if Ao Mingyu changed his mind and married Fifth Young Lady. Then he could marry Third Young Lady. It did not matter even if Ao Mingyu could not decide for the moment. At least he would let Ao Mingyu know that Third Young Lady was not the best choice.

    Thus, if he married Third Young Lady in the future, Ao Mingyu would not get too angry with him.

    All the imperial members were thoughtful and calcting. Ao Mingwan looked straightforward, but he was actually not, and he was also apetitive candidate for the throne.

    ¡°Fourth Brother, it seems you¡¯re fond of Fifth Young Lady,¡± Ao Mingyu said, pretending that he did not understand what Ao Mingwan said, an unpleasant look in his eyes. He thought that Ao Mingwan should mention neither Ning Qingshan nor Ning Xueyan in front of him.

    ¡°I¡¯m not having feelings for her. Third Brother, I just think that she is a good match for you!¡± Ao Mingwan knew he could not be too blunt, so he said with augh.

    ¡°Huaiyuan, it seems I really need to talk about my marriage with your grandmother. Since both Third Young Lady and Fifth Young Lady are so excellent, I don¡¯t know if they can marry me together, like the two sisters, Ehuang and Nvying, in the legend?¡± Ao Mingyu said, squinting at Ning Huaiyuan next to him with a smile.

    ¡°Ehuang and Nvying? He has really regarded himself as the emperor!¡± Ao Mingwan¡¯s face darkened.

    Ning Huaiyuan was surprised. His heart sunk and his face turned pale, his forehead sweating. It was hard to answer Third Prince. He did not dare to say ¡°No¡± to him, however, he had no right to make the decision.

 Chapter 209 - Fourth Prince Wants to Help Third Young Lady Vent Her Anger

    Chapter 209 Fourth Prince Wants to Help Third Young Lady Vent Her Anger

    ¡°Third Prince, you¡¯re kidding!¡± Ning Huaiyuan did not know what Ao Mingyu meant, so he had to find a pretext for not answering him directly.

    ¡°Third Brother, I¡¯m scared! I wondered how you could marry both of the two wonderful girls. At least you should leave one to me! Now I know that you were just joking!¡± Ao Mingwan said in response to Ao Mingwan¡¯s words with a smile and then shifted the topic quietly, ¡°Third Brother, have all the assassins after the party been caught? Our uncle is urging us!¡±

    This caused hatred shing on Ao Mingyu¡¯s mild face. He clenched his fists and the look in his eyes turned icy.

    Ao Mingyu had been too busy recently because some assassins had tried to kill Prince Yi after the imperial banquet and also injured a number of high-rank official¡¯s children. Ao Chenyi had killed all the assassins and ordered people to pile up the corps to publicize the assassination¡¯s failure. However, he still kept asking Ao Mingyu to catch the assassins every day. He really pushed him too far!

    But Ao Mingyu could not tell anyone, because it was his father¡¯s stratagem. His father had told him that if they failed to provoke Ao Chenyi and cause chaos at the party, they should order the assassins to kill Ao Mingyu directly. They had plotted to have the assassins mingle with the imperial guards, and all the assassins had worn the same suits as the imperial guards. They had dispatched forty assassins in total, and now all their bodies were in the yard of the imperial pce.

    Where could he find any other assassins?

    ¡°Those assassins appeared in all of sudden, so I think they must have allies to help them at the imperial pce. We need to check carefully. Even a slightest mistake will cause a disaster.¡± Ao Mingyu¡¯s face darkened, as if he did not want to continue the topic.

    Ning Huaiyuan was a smart person and he would not ask for a snub at this moment. Ao Mingwan did not want to annoy Ao Mingyu, so he did not ask anything about this anymore. Then the three of them began to talk about something else casually.

    While they were chatting excitedly, Ning Xueyan returned her courtyard. The moment she stepped into the room, she received the invitation from Ning Qingshan. Ning Qingshan said that it was shining outside, so she wanted Ning Xueyan and Ning Lingyun to go to her courtyard to enjoy flowers and chat. After that, they would go for dinner together.

    Ning Xueyan nodded. After freshening herself up and changing her clothes, she walked toward Ning Qingshan¡¯s courtyard with Lanning.

    Fourth Prince watched Bright Frost Garden through the telescope from time to time while chatting with Ao Mingyu and Ning Huaiyuan in the tall building. Suddenly, he caught sight of Ning Xueyan and he became excited at once. Seeing that the other two did not notice him, he quickly stood up quietly. He walked to the rail, as if he was enjoying the distant view, but in fact, his eyes were gluing on Ning Xueyan.

    She deserved his love! No matter looking from which direction, she was so beautiful!

    It was a pity that she was too thin! It was said that she had been living in the nunnery before, so she must have led a poor life there. That was why she was so thin and her face was so pale. The rumors said that Ning Zu¡¯an liked her very much. However, no matter how well he treated her, she was only an adopted daughter. How could she be more favored than those biological daughters of Ning Zu¡¯an?

    At the thought of this, Ao Mingwan was a little indignant for Ning Qingshan.

    After a while, he would tell Madam Dowager in a tactful way that he was fond of Third Young Lady, and he would let the others of the manor know that he cared about her and would not allow Fifth Young Lady to bully her anymore. He did not believe that she had fought with Fifth Young Lady for an ount book as the rumors said. How could such a gentle and weak girl fight with the others for an ount book? It must be that Fifth Young Lady had set her up on purpose with some evil intentions!

    Ao Mingwan was nning to help Ning Qingshan vent her anger. He would make that Fifth Young Lady look stupid in front of people so that his beloved beautiful girl would vent her anger. However, he had never thought that he mistook Ning Qingshan for Ning Xueyan.

    His telescope was moved along with Ning Xueyan¡¯s movements and stopped when Ning Xueyan walked into a pavilion. There were already two girls inside. The girl in the gorgeous robe must be Fifth Young Lady. The clothes of the other girl, who sat next to her, were much iner than hers, but she also looked beautiful and adorable. She must be Fourth Young Lady of the manor, the daughter of a concubine.

    Ao Mingwan had known that Eldest Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had married Xia Yuhang, and Second Young Lady had been sent to the countryside, so only three Young Ladies were left in the manor now. They should be the three in the pavilion. Ao Mingwan pitied even more for the girl he loved when he saw that the other two girls were much superior to her in both clothes and dressing.

    Obviously, she was not treated as Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s biological daughter, because her clothes and dressing were quite different from the other two. Her clothes were so in and there was only one hairpin on her hair. On the contrary, even the daughter of a concubine had two hairpins on her hair. Ning Zu¡¯an was so unfair!

    Ao Mingwan was angry and all he was thinking was to help ¡®Ning Qingshan¡¯ vent her anger. Now Ning Xueyan had walked into the pavilion. Her eyes flickered slightly when she saw the other two chatting excitedly. What was more, Ning Lingyun even smiled at her intimately at the sight of her. ¡°Is that because they have reached an agreement, Ning Lingyun was not nervous at the sight of me?¡± Ning Xueyan wondered.

    After greeting each other and sitting down, Ning Qingshan suddenly began to size up Ning Xueyan. ¡°Fifth Sister, you¡¯re dressed beautifully today!¡± she said with a gentle smile.

    In fact, Ning Xueyan had not dressed up. The in whiteness was still the main color of her clothes. Embroidered with some small flowers, her clothes did not seem to be that in. She had her hair brushed briefly. Since she would meet two princes, she should show her politeness. However,pared to Ning Qingshan¡¯s gorgeous dressing-up, she looked too in.

    ¡°Third Sister, you¡¯re kidding on me! I know I¡¯m poorly dressed, so Third Sister, please don¡¯t make fun of me anymore.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled slightly. She sized up Ning Qingshan for a while and said gently with a smile, ¡°Fourth Sister¡¯s clothes are also very nice. Although they are not as eye-catching as Third Sister¡¯s, they¡¯re very beautiful!¡±

    She praised Ning Lingyun by the way.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, I¡¯m ttered! Ning Lingyun seldom said so little. With a blush face, she lowered her head and rubbed her handkerchief. At the thought of Third Prince, she could not stay calm any longer. She had a different feeling this time. She knew that Third Prince had praised her secretly, and maybe he was really fond of her. At the thought of this, she could not help but be blush, as if she was going to meet her lover secretly.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, you¡¯re so sweet! We haven¡¯t had such a fine day for a long time! Fifth Sister and I have almost recovered, so I ask you two toe here to chat. I have been back for a while, but I couldn¡¯t find time to gather with you.¡± Ning Qingshan stood up, poured three cups of tea and pushed the tea cups to Ning Xueyan and Ning Lingyun.

    Ning Xueyan smiled at Ning Qingshan and bowed to her slightly to show her thanks. ¡°Third Sister, thank you for your tea. I have been thinking to chat with you, but I couldn¡¯t find time either. I¡¯ll make a toast to you with the tea you provided instead of wine. I wish our family a peaceful reunion after your return, Third sister!¡±

    With that, Ning Xueyan raised the tea cup to Ning Qingshan with a slight smile and took a sip of the tea.

    Seeing that she had raised her tea cup, Ning Qingshan and Ning Lingyun followed her suit and took a sip of the tea as well.

    ¡°Thank you, Fifth Sister. I¡¯m sure your wish wille true. Third Prince and Fourth Prince willeter. It¡¯s good news for our manor, because it means that the two princes think highly of our manor,¡± Ning Qingshan raised her head slightly and said, seemed inattentive, triumph shining in her eyes. Being favored by two princes, of course she was overjoyed.

    ¡°Both Third Prince and Fourth Prince wille for Third Sister. If not because of you, the two princes wouldn¡¯t have thought highly of our manor.¡± Ning Lingyun seemed extremely smart and obedient at the moment and as soon as Ning Qingshan finished her words, she began to tter her, her face full of admiration and adoration. Ning Qingshan seemed to enjoy the ttery very much.

    She could not help looking at Ning Xueyan from the corner of her eyes. She meant to deal Ning Xueyan a head-on blow by asking her toe over. At the thought that she was favored by two princes and even Madam Dowager had to think highly of her, Ning Qingshan could not help being excited. The suddenly stepping in of Fourth Prince would bring great benefit to her.

    At the critical moment, she could also take use of the favors of the two princes on her to suppress people of the manor. She believed that before long, Madam Dowager would ask Madam Ling to adopt her as her daughter and then she would be the principal wife¡¯s daughter of the manor.

    No matter she would marry Third Prince or Fourth Prince, she would definitely be the Consort of Prince.

    A cold sarcasm crossing Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes at the conversation between Ning Qingshan and Ning Lingyun. Their minds were in sync, so they must have reached an agreement. She looked at Ning Lingyun¡¯s cherry-red skirt embroidered with colorful butterflies for a while and then curved up her lips.

    She had never seen Ning Lingyun wear this skirt before. It must have been made for Ning Lingyun before the Spring Festival. She wore it today obviously because she wanted to bring out the best in herself in front of the man who loved her. However, Ning Lingyun had been engaged to Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. Had she still had feelings for Third Prince and tried to attract his attention by dolling herself up like this?

    How dare she! Was she not afraid of offending the Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor? Maybe Commandery Prince Li would do nothing to her, but nobody could guarantee that he would not get Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor into trouble. Thinking about this, Ning Xueyan smiled even more meaningfully.

    Ning Qingshan understood the psychology of others well. Both Concubine Ma and Ning Lingyun had been convinced by her and would like to follow her words.

    ¡°Third Sister, since the two princes wille together and both of them treat you well, I wonder which one you value more?¡± Ning Xueyan did not continue Ning Lingyun¡¯s topic, but asked casually. She hooked her fair and slender finger around the handle of the cup and touched the cup gently, looking inattentive.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, how could you ask such a question? Nobody can stop the two princes from loving Third Sister. How can Third Sister choose any of them? It can only be decided by our Grandmother,¡± Before Ning Qingshan could say anything, Ning Lingyun had answered for her, looking righteous¡£

    So Ning Lingyun must have totally been convinced by Ning Qingshan and she was on Ning Qingshan¡¯s side intently. That meant Ning Qingshan had persuaded Ning Lingyun with a very attractive term. Could it because of Third Prince?

    Ning Xueyan believed that Ning Qingshan must have convinced Ning Lingyun with the bait of Third Prince! Thinking about this, she sneered inwardly. Even Ning Qingshan herself could not find a way to settle the engagement between her and Third Prince. How dare she attracted Ning Lingyun with Third Prince? What made her so confident that Third Prince would definitely marry her?

    It seemed that the involvement of Fourth Prince had not only given Ning Qingshan a little more confidence, but also made her so arrogant that she almost did not know who she was!

    Fourth Prince wanted to marry her, but Third Prince began to hesitate. Ning Xueyan wondered if Ning Qingshan would be happy for such an ending.

    By this point, it had never urred to the three that Fourth Prince, Ao Mingwan, had mistaken Ning Qingshan for Ning Xueyan!

 Chapter 210 - Third Young Lady Is the Most Beautiful

    <h4>Chapter 210 Third Young Lady Is the Most Beautiful</h4>

    ¡°Everything can only be decided by Grandmother? Fourth Sister, what a thorough understanding you have! Grandmother will definitely say that you are more considerate and sensible than before when we meet herter,¡± Ning Xueyan said in a soft voice, her delicate face full of peace and gentleness.

    Hearing that, Ning Lingyun shivered unconsciously, her face immediately pale.

    If Madam Dowager could decide everyone¡¯s marriage, how could Ning Lingyun be engaged to Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li? Ning Lingyun realized that if she talked about this in front of Madam Dowager, Madam Dowager would not be happy with her. Maybe Madam Dowager would p her on the spot and use her of hypocrisy. Although Madam Dowager had not found any evidence to improve that Ning Lingyun plotted to engage herself to Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, Ning Lingyun knew that what she had done had offended Madam Dowager.

    After thinking it over, she fell into a panic, like being cast a damp over. If everyone¡¯s marriage had to be decided by Madam Dowager, she had to follow Madam Dowager¡¯s instruction to marry Third Prince or not in the future. Even if Third Prince really had feelings for her, if Madam Dowager did not agree, he could not marry her.

    ¡°Can Ning Qingshan make a decision on behalf of Madam Dowager and marry me to Third Prince?¡± Ning Lingyun wondered.

    Seeing that Ning Lingyun froze there and said nothing after hearing what Ning Xueyan had said, Ning Qingshan was annoyed. She had nned to give Ning Xueyan a blow with Ning Lingyun. However, to her surprise, Ning Lingyun was so stupid that she had fallen into a panic at Ning Xueyan¡¯s words, and she did not even dare to shoot back.

    ¡°Fifth Sister...¡±

    ¡°Third Sister, Fourth Sister, it¡¯s gettingte. Let¡¯s go and chat with our grandmother for a while before dinner.¡± Ning Xueyan stood up, cut Ning Qingshan off and suggested with a smile. She did not want to waste her time on talking craps with Ning Qingshan. Since Third Prince had been invited here, she was going to watch a wonderful y acted by Third Prince, Fourth Prince and Ning Qingshan.

    The sooner the y started, the better.

    Since Ning Qingshan had been agitating Concubine Ma and Ning Lingyun to deal with her, Ning Xueyan also prepared a big gift for her. She wished that the two princes were strong minded enough, and still dared to marry this beautifuldy, Ning Qingshan.

    Ning Qingshan was extremely angry when Ning Xueyan mentioned Madam Dowager, but she had to stand up in agreement.

    As Ning Qingshan was going to go back and fix her makeup, she asked Ning Lingyun and Ning Xueyan to Lucky Garden first, and she would arriveter. Thus, the three of them left in two directions.

    Ao Mingwan stood in the tall building and saw Ning Xueyan leave. He put down his telescope, thought for a while and then turned to Ao Mingyu and Ning Huaiyuan.

    At Lucky Garden, Madam Dowager saw Ning Lingyun and Ning Xueyaning over and epted their greets with a smile. She then asked them to sit down by her side and asked, ¡°Where did Qingshan? The maid told me that you were drinking tea and chatting just now. Why hasn¡¯t shee yet?¡±

    ¡°Third Sister has gone back to her courtyard to dress herself up. She said it was rare that the two princes came to our manor together, so she should make herself up more carefully,¡± Ning Xueyan answered with a smile.

    ¡°Yes, she is right. Xueyan, why didn¡¯t you dress yourself up carefully? You shouldn¡¯t make the two princes think that we don¡¯t take their visit seriously. Go back and dress yourself up as your third sister did,¡± Madam Dowager said. When she saw Ning Xueyan¡¯s simple dress, she frowned disapprovingly and asked her to go back.

    Ning Xueyan dressed too simple, and even Ning Lingyun was better dressed than she was.

    Since the visitors were two princes, Madam Dowager had nned to have Third Prince marry Ning Qingshan, and if Fourth Prince would like to marry Ning Xueyan, it would be perfect. Ning Xueyan had been checking ount books for Madam Dowager recently, and Madam Dowager thought that she was as capable as Ning Qingshan.

    What was more, Ning Xueyan was rted to her by blood, sopared to Ning Qingshan, Ning Xueyan was more close to her.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, don¡¯t bother. The two Young Ladies have already dressed up as beautiful as flowers. If they dressed themselves up more, my third brother and I would think them to be fairies in the mortal world!¡± Laughter rang out from outside the door. The maid immediately lifted the door curtain. An older female servant rushed into the room in a hurry and reported, ¡°Madam Dowager, the two princes and Eldest Young Master areing!¡±

    ¡°Ask them in immediately!¡± Madam Dowager said joyfully.

    After a short while, Ao Mingyu, Ao Mingwan and Ning Huaiyuan walked in. All the three of them were handsome and distinguished, but each had his own characteristics. It was quite pleasing to the eye to see them standing together.

    Ning Xueyan lowered her head with a smile. Brothers from the imperial family would be opponents sooner orter. Now the two princes could still join hands to deal with Ao Chenyi. What would happen between them without Ao Chenyi? Would they still drink together peacefully?

    Madam Dowagerughed heartily and her eyes narrowed. If both of the two princes married the Young Ladies of the Nings, the Nings would enjoy a longsting prosperity.

    ¡°Princes, please take a seat. I invited you here to show my thanks, but I didn¡¯t think that you havee so early!¡± Madam Dowager said excitedly while ordering the servant to bring chairs for them.

    The earlier they came, the more serious they took her invitation. It was about two hours before the dinner, and now both of the two princes hade, so of course she was d. ¡°Qingshan is really attractive! In order to meet her, the two princes havee so early!¡± Thinking about this, Madam Dowager decided to ask Ning Zu¡¯an to make Ning Qingshan Madam Ling¡¯s adopted daughter. Then Ning Qingshan would officially regard Madam Ling as her mother and be a daughter of the principal wife of Ning Zu¡¯an.

    No matter she would marry Third Prince or Fourth Prince, her status would be high enough to match them.

    As for Ning Xueyan, her status seemed a little inferior. It would be perfect if she could marry Fourth Prince as a concubine.

    Seeing them sit down, Ning Lingyun and Ning Xueyan stood up and bowed to Ao Mingyu and Ao Mingwan. Then they sat down on the stools beside Madam Dowager.

    Ao Mingyu could not help fixing his eyes on Ning Xueyan¡¯s gentle and beautiful face. She frowned slightly and her face was even paler than before. It seemed to be true that she was seriously ill after returning the manor from the imperial pce. ¡°She has been very thin, and now she looks even more pitiful. Isn¡¯t she happy here?¡± he thought.

    It reminded him of the note event that happened in the imperial pce. Although his mother had stopped everyone from investigating this matter, he had gotten the evidence little by little. ¡°Has Ning Qingshan really be so vicious that she can¡¯t even put up with her younger sister?¡± he wondered.

    Unlike him, Ao Mingwan¡¯s eyes sparkled as soon as he saw Ning Xueyan. If Madam Dowager were not there, he would have rushed toward Ning Xueyan and talked to her.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, you¡¯re too polite. We didn¡¯te that earlypared to these two Young Ladies. We had to deal with something, so we were dyed,¡± Ao Mingwan said to Madam Dowager with a smile. He looked guilty, as if they had really beente.

    Fourth Prince¡¯s words made Madam Dowager misunderstand again. She thought that Fourth Prince was so polite because of Ning Qingshan and she became even more excited. Since Fourth Prince had a crush on Ning Qingshan, she could ask Ning Qingshan to put in a good word for Ning Xueyan. Then Fourth Prince would definitely agree to marry Ning Xueyan as his concubine as she had expected.

    While they were talking, Ning Qingshan arrived. Hearing a man¡¯s voiceing from inside, she was overjoyed. She straightened herself and walked in the room gracefully. She bowed to Madam Dowager, and then to Third Prince and Fourth Prince. After dressing up again, she looked radiant and extremely beautiful.

    Madam Dowager smiled and asked her to sit down on her right. She touched Ning Xueyan by her hand graciously and said, ¡°You¡¯re so well dressed and nobody is more beautiful than you in the room!¡±

    Since both Third Prince and Fourth Prince were fond of Ning Qingshan, of course Madam Dowager should show how much she loved her.

    ¡°Grandmother!¡± Ning Qingshan said shyly, blushing at Madam Dowager¡¯s words.

    ¡°Okay! Okay! I won¡¯t talk about it again. Look at you! Why are you feeling so shy? Princes, did I say something wrong? Is she the most beautiful?¡± Being in a good mood, Madam Dowager turned her head and asked. Meanwhile, she was observing the two princes¡¯ expressions.

    ¡°Of course Third Young Lady is beautiful!¡± Ao Mingyu nced at Ning Qingshan and answered gently.

    ¡°Third Young Lady is the most beautiful!¡± Ao Mingwan looked at Ning Xueyan and said, disagreeing with Madam Dowager. Seeing that Madam Dowager grabbing this ¡®Fifth Young Lady¡¯ by the hand and being so intimate with her, but giving ¡®Third Young Lady¡¯ the cold shoulder, he said this firmly to show his support for ¡®Third Young Lady¡¯.

    Ning Qingshan lowered her head shyly and did not see Ao Mingwan¡¯s unusual behavior. Ning Xueyan nced at Ao Mingwan and wondered why he looked at her while speaking that Third Young Lady was the most beautiful.

    Ning Huaiyuan looked at Ao Mingwan with a frown, and at Ning Xueyan, his face flickering with confusion.

    Madam Dowager was surprised as well. She could not tell why Fourth Prince looked at Ning Xueyan while talking about Ning Qingshan. What was more, his eyes were filled with affection when he looked at Ning Xueyan! What was happening?

    Ao Mingyu also felt something wrong. He nced at Ning Xueyan, Ning Qingshan and Ao Mingwan secretly.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, no girl is better than Third Young Lady even in the whole Chu Kingdom, let alone the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor! Everybody knows that Third Young Lady is not only filial and loyal, but smart, beautiful, gentle and nice as well. She deserves to be called ¡°the most beautifuldy¡± in the Chu Kingdom!¡± In order to defend ¡®Third Young Lady¡¯, Ao Mingwan kept on praising her and speaking extremely highly of her.

    He had been called back by Ao Mingyu when he wanted to talk more to Ning Xueyan at the imperial pce. He thought maybe Ning Xueyan did not even know who he was, so he racked his brains to praise her, trying to arouse her attention.

    Ning Xueyan was shocked that this Fourth Prince loved Ning Qingshan so much. She raised her head slightly and met Fourth Prince eyes full of excitement. ¡°Since he was praising Ning Qingshan, why was he so excited when he looked at me?¡± she wondered.

    Although Ning Xueyan was quick-witted, she would not have thought that Fourth Prince made such a big mistake!

    The other people felt something wrong as well. They froze for a while and then fell into silence, carefully observing Ao Mingwan¡¯s every movement.

    ¡°The most beautifuldy in the Chu Kingdom?¡± Ning Qingshan became excited as well. She raised her head shyly and said, ¡°Fourth Prince, you¡¯re ttering me. I¡¯m very in and I don¡¯t deserve your praise. Third Prince, Fourth Prince, you tter me so much!¡±

    She mentioned Ao Mingyu on purpose to show that she treated Ao Mingyu and Ao Mingwan alike. But everyone could hear the triumph in her words.

    ¡°I said nothing!¡± Ao Mingyu corrected her with a frown. It seemed Ning Qingshan thought that he and Ao Mingwan werepeting for her. He was a little annoyed by Ning Qingshan¡¯s flirtatious attitude.

    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about you. Why are you thanking me?¡± Ao Mingwan was confused and said angrily when he found the Young Lady who was speaking was not his beloved girl. Fourth Prince had been arrogant and he would have put what he wanted to say straightforward no matter if there was anyone around. Besides, he thought that the girl in front of him had bullied ¡®Third Young Lady¡¯ he wanted to marry.

 Chapter 211 - What? She Is Third Young Lady!

    <h4>Chapter 211 What? She Is Third Young Lady!</h4>

    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about you. Why are you thanking me?¡±

    Ning Qingshan¡¯s smile froze at the words. Being mercilessly mocked by Fourth Prince, Ao Mingwan, she could not even sit calmly. Her face turned pale and she felt both humiliated and angry. Her eyes immediately turned reddish with tears. She did not know why Fourth Prince, who had been sparing no efforts praising her with a look of adoration on his face had suddenly spoken these.

    How could she stand this?

    Hearing what Ao Mingwan had said, Ning Qingshan was not the only one to be shocked. Everyone wondered what Fourth Prince meant? Why had he said that he was not talking about Ning Qingshan? Could there be anyone else he was talking about?

    Ao Mingyu looked at Ao Mingwan silently. His eyes flickered, but he said nothing.

    Ning Xueyan nced at Ao Mingwan in confusion, then at Ning Qingshan. She lowered her head again and was ready to wait and see. It was really an unexpected episode of the y!

    Ning Lingyun widened her eyes in surprise. When she saw Ning Qingshan was about to cry, she followed Ning Xueyan¡¯s suit to lower her head as well. Since everyone¡¯s status in the present was higher than hers, of course she should not speak at will.

    Madam Dowager gasped for a while and then turned her head to Ning Huaiyuan beside her, hinting him to say something to ease the embarrassment.

    ¡°Fourth Prince, this is my third sister!¡± Ning Huaiyuan cleared his throat and said with a smile, trying to exin why Ning Qingshan had responded his words. Since everybody had been praising Ning Qingshan, it was normal for her to say something to show her modesty. They wondered why Fourth Prince had been so angry and yelled at her.

    ¡°What? She is Third Young Lady!¡± Ao Mingwan froze for a while and then jumped up. He pointed at Ning Qingshan and shouted angrily, as if he had been cheated, ¡°How can she be Third Young Lady?¡±

    ¡°Fourth Brother, she is Third Young Lady!¡± Ao Mingyu had to exin to him. He said gently.

    ¡°Then who is she?¡± Ao Mingwan asked loudly in anger, pointing at Ning Xueyan. If that woman was Third Young Lady, who the perfect and most lovely ¡®Third Young Lady¡¯ in his heart actually was?

    ¡°That¡¯s my fifth sister!¡± Ning Huaiyuan remembered the moment Ao Mingwan and he had seen Ning Xueyan for the first time after he returned the manor. Ning Huaiyuan had mistaken Ning Xueyan for Ning Qingshan, so he had told Fourth Prince that the Young Lady they saw was Ning Qingshan. He didn¡¯t know he had the wrong person until he met Ning Xueyan again. But he had never thought that Fourth Prince would have made a mistake even worse than he had done.

    Ao Mingwan had not only had the wrong person, but had sent the gifts to the wrong person as well.

    ¡°You also...¡± Ao Mingwan widened his eyes and said incoherently after looking at Ning Xueyan and Ning Qingshan for a while. Ning Xueyan was calm, but Ning Qingshan had a mixture of shame and anger on her face.

    ¡°I had the wrong person as well on the other day!¡± Ning Huaiyuan exined helplessly.

    Ning Huaiyuan had never expected that a casual remark would have caused such a big trouble! He had been confused recently, wondering from when Fourth Prince began to have a crush on Ning Qingshan, and Fourth Prince had even sent some gifts tofort Ning Qingshan and express that she was special for him. Ning Huaiyuan had thought that because Ning Qingshan was too charming, Fourth Prince had fallen in love with her.

    However, to his surprise, his mistake had caused Fourth Prince¡¯s misunderstanding, and mistaken Ning Xueyan for Ning Qingshan!

    Hearing their conversation, everyone knew that the reckless Fourth Prince had mistaken Ning Xueyan for Ning Qingshan. An obvious unpleasant look shed on Ao Mingyu¡¯s face. He walked over and pulled Ao Mingwan by the hand. ¡°Come on! Apologize to Madam Dowager! You¡¯re an adult now. How could you make such a mistake? People willugh at you,¡± he said gently.

    As Ao Mingwan¡¯s elder brother, he gave Ao Mingwan an out by saying this.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, I¡¯m so sorry that I mistook Fifth Young Lady for Third Young Lady and yelled at Third Young Lady recklessly. I hope you can forgive me!¡± Ao Mingwan hade back to himself now and he immediately bowed to Madam Dowager and apologized to her with an awkward smile.

    Everyone would feel embarrassing on such asions, let alone Fourth Prince, an imperial member.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Since Fourth Prince had never seen these two girls, it was normal that you had the wrong person,¡± Madam Dowager said with a smile, deliberately understating the fact that Ao Mingwan had mistaken Ning Xueyan for Ning Qingshan.

    Theyughed, as nothing special had happened.

    On the other hand, Ning Qingshan was ashen and began to tremble. She felt so cold, and even her heart was trembling. Looking at Ning Xueyan¡¯s delicate face, her jealousy for her grew crazily, like weed. It was Ning Xueyan again to make her look stupid in front of people!

    Ning Qingshan had thought that Fourth Prince was fond of her and she had been proud of this. She had even mentioned Third Prince and Fourth Prince at the same time, as if she wanted them topete for her! Now what would Third Prince and Honored Consort Ya think of her? Even though she was Honored Consort Ya¡¯s niece, Honored Consort Ya would trust her own son more.

    It was all because of the b*tch, Ning Xueyan!

    She would definitely kill that b*tch!

    Ning Qingshan clenched her fists, eyes full of jealousy and coldness. Her sharp nails embedded into her palm. Only with such sharp pain could she stay sober.

    She could not let herself fall apart, especially at such a moment! She would not show her weakness in front of Ning Xueyan. What was more, she would not make Third Prince think that she was off-key. It was not a big deal that she could not marry Fourth Prince, because she still had Third Prince. Honored Consort Ya had promised her that Third Prince would definitely marry her.

    Ning Qingshan repeatedly reminded herself and finally managed a mild smile on her face.

    Ning Xueyan had been observing Ning Qingshan¡¯s expression. At the beginning, Ning Qingshan seemed to feel aggrieved with reddish eyes, and then her look turned to be resentful, and finally a gentle smile appeared on her face, as if nothing big had happened. Seeing the change in her expression, Ning Xueyan could not help but look at her coldly.

    ¡°Ning Qingshan is so hypocritical! It was no wonder that she dared to put toxic drug into my mother¡¯s medicine when she was still a kid!¡± Ning Xueyan thought.

    If Madam Ming had not taken the poisoned medicine for such a long time, she would not have been ill for so many years and died oddly in the end. Ning Qingshan should be mainly responsible for this. At the thought that Madam Ming had treated Ning Qingshan so well, but Ning Qingshan had not only put toxic drug into Madam Ming¡¯s medicine bowl, but also framed her up for beating her, Ning Xueyan had an impulse toe over and p her, and she also wanted to let Ning Qingshan swallow that kind of poisoned medicine that Madam Ming had taken.

    Watching Ning Qingshan in agony, Ning Xueyan had no sympathy for her. She just stared at her with a trace of coldness in her eyes. She wanted to know how Ning Qingshan would justify herself.

    ¡°I see. Fourth Prince had the wrong person! I thought he was mad at me because I said something wrong!¡± Ning Qingshan smiled gently, pretending to be generous. Now she had recovered herposure and like the others, and she too, had an expression of sudden realization on her face.

    Since Ao Mingwan had been talking about Third Young Lady, it was normal for her to say in response to his words. It was Ao Mingwan, who had said something wrong, not her!

    ¡°It¡¯s true that I mistook Fifth Young Lady for Third Young Lady. Fifth Young Lady, please forgive me.¡± As he just knew that he did not need to fight his Third Brother for a woman, Ao Mingwan was in a good mood, and he became more tactful when he spoke. The first part of the sentence was for Ning Qingshan, but he turned to Ning Xueyan when he spoke the second part.

    Hearing that, Ning Xueyan bowed slightly to Ao Mingwan with a smile, but said nothing.

    Since her grandmother, Madam Dowager, was here, it was unnecessary for her to make any decision.

    ¡°Fourth Prince, the gifts you sent to my courtyard are actually for my fifth sister, aren¡¯t they? I¡¯ll ask someone to bring them to my fifth sister¡¯s Bright Frost Garden soon,¡± Ning Qingshan continued. After making a fool of herself in front so many people, she tried to make the others feel that she was a gentle and generous person, and forget her previous frivolity and pride. Therefore, she immediately stood up, as if she was going to return the gifts to Ning Xueyan right now.

    ¡°Thank you, Third Young Lady!¡± Of course Ao Mingwan was upset after knowing that he had sent the gifts to the wrong person, but what made him more upset was that he could not find any excuse to give Ning Xueyan a gift. He was surprised that Ning Qingshan was so considerate and offered to send the gifts to Ning Xueyan¡¯s ce, so his impression of her began to improve and his face softened gradually, a smileing over his face.

    ¡°Third Sister, since Fourth Prince had sent the gifts to you, why are you trying to give them to me? Besides, I¡¯m a girl, how can I ept the others¡¯ gifts casually? Third Sister, please return the gifts to Fourth Prince.¡± Ning Xueyan stood up and smiled gently, trying to stop her.

    Ao Mingwan was a little surprised that Ning Xueyan refused his gifts to his face. He thought for a while and found what Ning Xueyan said was reasonable. A well-behaved woman should not ept a man¡¯s gift casually. He had been too hasty to give the gifts to his beloved woman, so he had not thought that much.

    Thinking about this, he was more satisfied with the Young Lady he loved. She was even better-behaved than Ning Qingshan, who had been well-known for her good manners.

    A look of hatred and disgust crossed Ning Qingshan¡¯s face. She really wanted to lose her firmly clenched fists and reach out her fingers to scratch Ning Xueyan¡¯s mild face with her long nails! ¡°A girl should not ept the other¡¯s gifts casually? I have epted those gifts. Does she mean that I¡¯m not well-behaved?!¡± she thought angrily.

    When she saw Third Prince looking at her thoughtfully, Ning Qingshan¡¯s face immediately turned pale. She suddenly stood up with panic in her eyes and said to Madam Dowager awkwardly with a smile, ¡°Grandmother, I¡¯m bringing Fourth Prince¡¯s gifts here right now.¡±

    ¡°Right now?¡± Madam Dowager asked with a smile. Her eyes flickered, but she still looked gentle.

    ¡°Yes, right now. Otherwise, I¡¯m afraid that Fourth Prince will forget that those gifts are still at my ce.¡± Ning Qingshan¡¯s eyelid twitched and she managed to hide the killing intent in her eyes. She tried not to look at Ning Xueyan, because she worried that she might be out of control and rush toward Ning Xueyan to tear up her face hysterically.

    ¡°Okay. Shan¡¯er, go ahead, but don¡¯t dy too long. I¡¯m waiting for you to have supper,¡± Madam Dowager said. She reached out and patted Ning Qingshan on the hand, trying tofort her.

    ¡°Got it. I¡¯lle back soon.¡± Ning Qingshan nodded. She then turned around and was about to leave.

    ¡°Third Sister, wait for a moment!¡± Ning Xueyan suddenly stood up and took several steps forward, as if she had something to tell Ning Qingshan. However, because she stood up in haste, she felt dizzy. She covered her forehead with her hand and swayed for a few seconds before falling onto Ning Qingshan. Lanning was standing behind her. When she saw that her young master almost fell, she screamed in surprise, ¡°Miss!¡±

    She then rushed over to support Ning Xueyan.

    Ao Mingwan was trying to find a chance to ost Ning Xueyan, but had not found any yet. When he saw that Ning Xueyan was going to fall, he immediately reached out. However, Ao Mingyu was even fast than him. He was sitting just opposite Ning Xueyan, so it took him less time to get up and help Ning Xueyan than Ao Mingwan did.

    The other people failed helping Ning Xueyan, but bumped into each other.

    Lanning and Ning Qingshan were knocked to the ground at the same time. Ning Qingshan¡¯s hand was scraped by a chair foot, and she let out a cry of pain before copsing to the ground.

    ¡°Oh! Bleeding! Third Young Lady is bleeding!¡± Lanning shouted in horror, pointing at Ning Qingshan¡¯s hand.

    Everyone turned their head and saw a trace of blood oozing out from Ning Qingshan¡¯s shoulder.

 Chapter 212 - The Wound She Has Been Concealing

    <h4>Chapter 212 The Wound She Has Been Concealing</h4>

    Ning Xueyan pushed away Ao Mingyu¡¯s hand and rushed toward Ning Qingshan. ¡°Third Sister, which part did you get injured?¡± she asked anxiously, crouching down in front of Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°Third, Third Young Lady, I, I didn¡¯t mean to bump into you. I swear I didn¡¯t see youing over,¡± Lanning knelt on the floor and exined nervously, lowering her head.

    Ning Qingshan covered her shoulder with her hand, her face full of panic. She looked at Ao Mingyu subconsciously and saw that Ao Mingyu was looking at her with thoughtful and grim eyes. Her heart sank. Third Prince had never looked at her with such a cold and suspicious look!

    ¡°Shan¡¯er, are you okay? Come on! Let me check if you broke your bone!¡± Seeing that Ning Qingshan could not stand up from the floor for the moment and covered her shoulder with her hand, Madam Dowager was so anxious that she stood up. With Mother Qin¡¯s support, she held Mother Qin¡¯s hand and was about toe over to Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°No... Nothing!¡± Ning Qingshan pressed her shoulder with her hand and answered subconsciously, shaking her head. She would try every means to conceal her injury. If the others knew that there was a scar on her shoulder, they would think that her image was not perfect.

    Her shoulder injury had almost recovered, but a winding scar was left on her skin, and it became a taboo for Ning Qingshan. As a perfectionist, how could she bear to have an ugly scar on her body?

    ¡°How can you be okay? Grandmother, Third Sister is bleeding. Please ask the doctor of our manor toe as soon as possible!¡± Ning Xueyan turned to Madam Dowager and said anxiously, supporting Ning Qingshan¡¯s injured hand.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay. Let go of me!¡± Ning Qingshan held back the pain and said, gritting her teeth. She then began to push Ning Xueyan forcibly.

    But there was no sign that Ning Xueyan would let go of her hand. On the contrary, she applied more force to grab Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand firmly.

    ¡°How could Third Sister be okay after bumping against the chair foot? Third Sister, let me help you up.¡± Ning Xueyan seemed to be guilty and nervous. However, a faint sarcasm shed in her jet-ck eyes when she looked at Ning Qingshan.

    Ning Qingshan saw the sarcasm clearly.

    ¡°Ning Xueyan isughing at me? Yes, she must beughing at my scar and she wants Third Prince to know that I have an ugly scar! Fourth Prince mocked at me just now because of her, now she is trying to ruin my perfect image in Third Prince¡¯s heart!¡±

    Thinking about this, Ning Qingshan was almost driven crazy by hatred. Being upied by Ning Xueyan¡¯s sarcasm on her mind, she suddenly pushed Ning Xueyan away and shouted angrily, ¡°I¡¯m okay! I told you!¡±

    Everyone was stunned by Ning Qingshan¡¯s sudden rage. Being pushed hard, Ning Xueyan took several steps back and fell heavily to the ground.

    Ao Mingwan acted quickly this time. He reached out and stopped Ning Xueyan from falling to the ground.

    Everybody fell silent at Ning Qingshan¡¯s sudden rage and the room was strangely quiet. They all looked at Ning Qingshan in suspicion, wondering why she had overreacted like this just because Ning Xueyan wanted the doctor to check her injury.

    Seeing their skeptical look, Ning Qingshan immediately came back to herself. She realized that this would put her at a disadvantage, so she instantly turned to Ning Xueyan with a softened face. She apologized in a gentle voice, ¡°Fifth Sister, I¡¯m sorry. But you touched my injury and it hurt badly, so I lost my temper.¡±

    She was hinting that Ning Xueyan had touched her injury on purpose while pulling her up.

    However, Ning Xueyan did not care about this at all, because once Ning Qingshan¡¯s shoulder injury was exposed in front of people, Ao Mingyu would suspect her. It was said that Prince Yi, Ao Chenyi¡¯s favorite concubine had been injured on the shoulder. The injured part and severity were as same as hers. Most importantly, that woman was very mysterious and by now, no one had known who she was!

    Ning Xueyan knew that Ao Mingyu must be investigating the background of that woman. It was impossible for a favorite concubine appearing at the Prince Yi¡¯s Manor for no reason. And nobody knew anything about her. However, since Prince Yi¡¯s Manor was strictly guarded, it was not easy to get any clue. Now Ning Qingshan¡¯s shoulder injury became an important clue.

    It was Prince Yi¡¯s man who had treated wound for Ning Xueyan, but in that courtyard, there must be some people who worked in the imperial pce, so it was normal that the news about her injury leaked out by ident. Of course, Ao Chenyi must have plotted it. Otherwise, Ning Qingshan would not have been injured in the same part as she.

    Ning Xueyan guessed that even the severity of Ning Qingshan¡¯s injury was simr to hers!

    But unlike her, Ning Qingshan had been trying to conceal her injury from people, so the medicine she had applied on her wound must be verymon. On the contrary, the medicine Ao Chenyi had given Ning Xueyan was very effective, and now her injury was almost invisible. Ning Qingshan¡¯s wound had opened with a slight touch, so it was obvious that her injury had not recovered yet.

    Ao Chenyi was a ruthless and thoughtful man, so it was impossible for him to do this for no reason. He must be trying to lead others to associate Ning Qingshan¡¯s injury with his favorite concubine¡¯s injury!

    That was also Ning Xueyan needed.

    ¡°Sorry, Third Sister! I didn¡¯t mean to do this!¡± Ning Xueyan froze for a short moment and pretended to feel guilty. She pushed away Fourth Prince¡¯s hand and was about to walk over to Ning Qingshan. She did not seem to mind what Ning Qingshan had done to her, as if she really thought that Ning Qingshan had roared not because she lost her temper, but because she touched her wound and it hurt badly.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay. Thank you, Fifth Sister. Maybe it¡¯s just a scratch and a brief treatment will do.¡± Holding back her pain, Ning Qingshan squeezed out a smile. She avoided Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand again, as if she did not even want Ning Xueyan to touch her.

    Ning Xueyan did not try to approach her again. She bit her lip, seemed to have been wronged, but she still nodded. ¡°Third Sister, you¡¯d better go back to your courtyard early. Maybe there was a nail on the chair foot and injured you.¡±

    ¡°Maybe! I¡¯ll have my wound checked after returning to my ce.¡± Ning Qingshan responded. She only wanted to leave here as soon as possible. She was worried about that if she stayed here any longer, her secret would be found out. In any case, she did not want Third Prince to know that she had a scar on the body.

    ¡°Shan¡¯er, you can leave now. If the wound is serious, ask the doctor of our manor to treat it for you,¡± Madam Dowager said, holding back her suspicion.

    Ning Qingshan was really not herself today!

    ¡°Okay! Grandmother, Third Prince, Fourth Prince, I¡¯m going to return to my courtyard now.¡± With that, Ning Qingshan slightly bowed to everyone and left in a hurry, holding her maid¡¯s hand.

    ¡°A nail on the chair foot?¡± Ao Mingyu looked at the position where Ning Qingshan had fallen, but only found that the chair foot was smooth and there was no nail on it at all. Ning Qingshan¡¯s bumping against the chair foot was not serious, and it was impossible to have made her bleeding unless she had been scraped by a nail.

    Since there was no nail on the chair at all, there was only one possibility¡ªNing Qingshan had had an injury on her shoulder before. Ao Mingyu suddenly remembered that his men had reported that Prince Yi¡¯s favorite concubine disappeared again after entering the Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. It was said that she had been locked up again.

    How could a favorite concubine have been locked up for no reason? Ao Mingyu had seen clearly at the imperial pce that Ao Chenyi was very special to this favorite concubine. Therefore, it was even less likely that he had locked her up as soon as they returned to his manor. It was so strange! It seemed that the favorite concubine only appeared at some special moments and she had been chosen for these particr moments.

    ¡°The favorite concubine who was injured? The favorite concubine who disappeared in the Prince Yi¡¯s Manor? The favorite concubine who was locked up for no reason? Is that because...¡±

    Ao Mingyu¡¯s face darkened. Although he did not believe it, he could not help thinking in that way!

    Since Ning Qingshan got injured, she returned to her courtyard. After a while, Mammy Luo came and reported to Madam Dowager that it was just a scratch, not serious. She then asked for leave for Ning Qingshan, saying that Ning Qingshan would note to have dinner with them. Mammy Luo also brought Fourth Prince¡¯s gifts to give them back to him.

    Madam Dowager granted Ning Qingshan leave of absence and asked Mammy Luo to take good care of Ning Qingshan. Then she was going to give back the gifts Ning Qingshan returned to Fourth Prince, but Ao Mingwan said he wanted to give them to Ning Xueyan. Ning Xueyan refused him, saying that she had never done anything for Ao Mingwan, so she could not ept his gifts. Fourth Prince thought it was improper to take back what he had been given away, so he asked someone to send all the gifts to Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s ce.

    After only having a little food during the dinner, Ning Xueyan said she wanted to visit Ning Qingshan, so she stood up in a hurry and was about to leave. Seeing that, Ning Lingyun immediately stood up as well, saying that she was going to Foggy Courtyard with her. Madam Dowager approved their requests and let them leave first.

    Ning Lingyun was scared by what had happened today and she had been filled with anxiety. Although she did not know what was really going on, she had a bad feeling. It made Ning Qingshan look like a fool after everyone had known that Fourth Prince had taken Ning Xueyan for her. When Ning Xueyan had been going to check her hand injury, Ning Qingshan lost her temper and pushed her away forcibly. In any case, Ning Lingyun could tell there was something wrong.

    She cautiously followed behind Ning Xueyan, keeping a step away from her. ¡°Fifth Sister, Third Sister only hit the chair, how could she injure her hand and bleed so easily?¡± She thought for a while and could not help asking.

    ¡°I have no idea. Maybe she was bumped against by Lanning too heavily, so Third Sister got her hand injured.¡± Ning Xueyan frowned, looking confused. She then turned her head and asked Ning Lingyun, ¡°Fourth Sister, you should see it clearer than we did from where you were just now. Was Third Sister really knocked down so heavily?¡±

    ¡°I, I didn¡¯t see it clearly. Maybe that was it!¡± Since it was all of sudden, Ning Lingyun had not seen what was happening clearly. Nobody had expected that Ning Qingshan would have bled with a slight bumping. Normally, it would never happen. Had Ning Qingshan made herself injured on purpose?

    It was possible that Ning Qingshan wanted to vent her anger on Ning Xueyan after knowing that Fourth Prince had had the wrong person, so she tried to frame Ning Xueyan for injuring her hand. But why had neither of the two princes wanted to hold Ning Qingshan up? Could that because it was too obvious that she was framing Ning Xueyan? How could she be scraped by a smooth chair foot?

    Thinking about this, Ning Lingyun understood why Ning Qingshan¡¯s hand had been injured so seriously.

    ¡°Ning Qingshan is too cunning! If we marry the same person in the future, I should be more cautious!¡± Ning Lingyun reminded herself inwardly.

    Finally, Ning Xueyan and Ning Lingyun failed to see Ning Qingshan. When they arrived at Foggy Courtyard, they saw Mammy Luo there. Mammy Luo greeted them with a smile at the sight of them. She said that Ning Qingshan was ufortable and had gone to bed. She also hinted that if not because of Lanning, Ning Qingshan would not have been injured that seriously.

    Ning Xueyan repeatedly promised that she would give Lanning a good lesson after returning to her courtyard. She then left Foggy Courtyard with Ning Lingyun.

    In the study room of the Prince Yi¡¯s Manor...

    Ao Chenyi was about to go to bed. The ck robe embroidered with beautiful red manjusaka was hung on the screen and he had changed into a suit of in white clothes. His long ck hair fell casually and there was a trace of indolence on his extremely handsome face, making him even more charming. However, usually nobody dared to look at his charming face carefully.

    There was a pigeon at the window. He walked over and took off a note from itzily.

    When he opened the note, he narrowed his eyes, causing his handsome face ruthless and cold.

 Chapter 213 - You Are Not Our Own Daughter

    <strong>Chapter 213 You Are Not Our Own Daughter</strong>

    ¡°I have never expected that this little girl would have thought in the same way as I and taken advantage of Ning Qingshan¡¯s wound to arouse the others suspicion about her!¡±

    Ao Chenyi curved up his lips and a bloodthirsty smile appeared on his face.

    He put down the note and asked a guard into his room in azy voice.

    A secret guard in ck immediately showed up in front of him. He knelt down and said, ¡°Prince Yi!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s unnecessary to leak out more news about my favorite concubine. It¡¯s enough for now.¡± A rxed smile appeared on Ao Chenyi¡¯s red and thin lips. He had deliberately leaked out some news about his favorite concubine to arouse other people¡¯s attention on Third Young Lady. Now what Ning Xueyan had done had sessfully caused Ao Mingyu¡¯s suspicion about Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°She coincided with me! I was thinking to arrange carefully to arouse people¡¯s suspicion against Ning Qingshan as well. This little girl is bing more and more my cup of tea!¡± Ao Chenyi thought.

    ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll convey your message immediately!¡± The secret guard stood up with a nod and was about to leave.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Ao Chenyi suddenly stopped him.

    ¡°I¡¯m listening, Prince Yi!¡± The secret guard instantly stopped and lowered his head respectfully.

    ¡°Investigate the background of the two women the old guy, Ya Rui, asked his granddaughter to bring back. Could they be the ones I¡¯m looking for? If possibly, bring them here,¡±

    Ao Chenyi said slowly, his red lips so charming.

    ¡°Prince Yi, Third Prince¡¯s manor is strictly guarded. After the two beautifuldies were brought there, they have been watched by Third Prince¡¯s henchmen and nobody is allowed to approach them casually,¡± the secret guard said with hesitation.

    ¡°If I can¡¯t see them alive, bring their bodies here!¡± Ao Chenyi said with obvious killing intent. He held up a brush pen gracefully and picked up a note casually with a slightugh and his eyes flickered.

    ¡°Got it!¡± The secret guard did not dare to say anything more. He left with his head lowering and then disappeared behind the window.

    Ao Chenyi wrote several words with the brush pen and stuffed the note into a small bag under a pigeon¡¯s right leg. He touched the pigeon on the back for a moment with rare tenderness and then threw it into the air.

    Ning Xueyan was about to freshen herself up when the pigeon arrived. Hearing a sound like a bird pecking at the window, Xinmei immediately put down theb and walked to the window. She opened the window and let the pigeon in. After practically taking off the note from the pigeon¡¯s leg, she walked toward Ning Xueyan with the pigeon in her hands and passed the note to her.

    ¡°Miss, it¡¯s from Prince Yi!¡±

    Ning Xueyan turned her head carelessly with her hair hanging down loosely. She looked at the note Xinmei passed her and yed with it for a while. Then she touched the pigeon¡¯s snow-white back gently and let out a sigh before opening the note. She had no idea what was wrong with this wickedly charming Prince Yi. ¡°He could ask me to send information to him if he wanted, but why did he ask Xinmei to give me the pigeon?¡± she wondered.

    There were only two words on the note, ¡°Nice girl!¡±

    Ning Xueyan was shocked. It was crazy that the wicked, arrogant and cold-blooded Prince Yi would have said something like that!

    She crumpled the note and burned it with fire. Then she threw it onto the ground and watched it burn to ashes. After that, she went to bed and nodded to Xinmei, signaling her to leave.

    Xinmei walked to the window and put down the pigeon before cleaning the ashes on the floor with a broom. ¡°Miss, do you want me to put out the candle?¡± she raised her head and asked.

    Sometimes, Ning Xueyan would read for a while before sleeping.

    Ning Xueyan shook her head and sat up. She picked a book from the table and began to turn the page. ¡°No. I want to read for a while. I¡¯ll put it out myself,¡± she answered without even raising her head.

    ¡°Got it!¡± Xinmei poured a ss of hot water for her and tiptoed away.

    Ning Xueyan held the book in the candle light abstractedly. Although she was staring at the page, she did not know what it said. What on her mind now was how Ning Qingshan had acted today. Even though Ao Mingyu¡¯s behavior was generally normal today, he was not that happy. He had been lost in thought from time to time, so obviously, he was suspicious about Ning Qingshan.

    After thinking for a while, Ning Xueyan sat up and took out a letter from the top of a small package in her pocket which she had secretly brought out from Cloud Reflection Courtyard today. Before she came to the capital, Ning Ziying¡¯s mother had asked her to give this letter to Marchioness, Madam Ming.

    Unfortunately, when Ning Ziying arrived at the capital, Madam Ming had been degraded to Second Madam. She had hidden herself in Bright Frost Garden with Ning Xueyan all the time and refused to see any visitors. Therefore, Ning Ziying had not had any chance to give the letter to her. It was obvious that her mother had not been in touch with Madam Ming for many years and she had no idea that Madam Ming had offered to give up the title of Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s principal wife. Looking at this letter, Ning Xueyan could only let out a sigh at the strangebination of circumstances. She thought for a while and then put the letter to the side.

    Next, she saw another letter, a thin one.

    The moment she saw the familiar characters, tears streamed down her cheeks. It was a letter that her mother had written to her.

    ¡°To Ying¡¯er¡±, ¡°Your mom¡±.

    The simple words reminded her of herst life. Before her mother died, she had been a happy child. Even though her father had died early, her mother had loved her dearly. However, all these had gone after her mother¡¯s death.

    Before she could recover from the sorrow of losing her mother, their old housekeeper had asked her to go to the capital, saying that her mother had arranged for this. Since then, her doom came.

    Now when she saw her mother¡¯s letter again, Ning Ziying had be Ning Xueyan!

    She withdrew the letter from the envelope with trembling hands. There were not so many words on the page, but Ning Xueyan¡¯s head buzzed the moment she saw the first sentence, as if she had been struck by lightning! She wiped tears with her sleeve with a look of disbelief. After clearly seeing the words on the letter, she felt like all her blood rushing to the top of her head.

    ¡°Impossible! How could I not be born by mom!¡±

    In addition to her name, the first sentence of the letter content was, ¡°Ying¡¯er, you¡¯re not actually our own daughter!¡±

    How could that happen? In her memory, her mother, father and she had been the only three in their family. Her father had been kind to her and he had been an upright official. Although his rank was not very high, he had been very influential locally. Their family rtionship was quite simple, because in addition to her father, mother and her, his father had no concubine, and he had never allowed any maid to serve him in bed.

    Her parents had been a harmonious couple and they had never fought. Every time her father had returned home from outside, he would have brought delicious melons to her. And she would have run to her mother and given her half of the melon while gobbling another half of it.

    Even though she had died in herst life, she remembered all the happy moments.

    Sometimes, she would havepared Ning Xueyan¡¯s childhood with hers and every time she had drawn the same conclusion that she was happier than Ning Xueyan when they had been kids. Compared to Ning Xueyan, Ning Ziying had been carefree in her childhood. After all, her parents had treated her so well. And since there had been nobody else in addition to the three of them, she did not need to worry to be bullied by other family members.

    But now, she suddenly got the news from her mother¡¯s letter that she was not her parents¡¯ own daughter! How could she ept such a fact?

    She wiped her tears with her hand and continued to read. However, the more she read, the more shocked she was. Tears rolled down her eyes and her vision turned to a blur.

    To her surprise, she had been adopted by her parents when she was only two or three years old. It was a day with strong wind and heavy rain when she had been found out at the gate of the Ning Manor. She had curled up in the porch with crossing arms and shivering body and had almost fainted from the cold. Finally, the old housekeeper saw her and carried her into the manor.

    Her physical conditions had been very poor at that moment and in addition to a few burns on her body, her hair tip had also been burned. It seemed that she had just escaped from a fire. Her mother felt pity for the cute girl, and she happened to have no children, so she had adopted her and named her Ning Ziying.

    In the letter, her mother said that she did not know Ning Ziying¡¯s origin. She had arranged some people to investigate it, but they failed to get any clue. Afterwards, she was not that eager to see into this matter and began taking Ning Ziying as her own daughter wholeheartedly. Later, she had even arranged for her daughter¡¯s marriage. Unfortunately, Ning Ziying doomed to have lost her parents early and be a lonely girl.

    Maybe her mother had expected that her natural parents woulde to find her someday in the future, so she had left this letter to tell her the truth.

    Thest paragraph in this letter did not reveal much detailed information and her mother had used ellipsis in many ces of this paragraph. Obviously, she had been in a mood of ambivalence at that point. She also mentioned that if Ning Ziying wanted to investigate her own origin, she could visit a nun called Jingkong after reaching the capital, and she might get some information from Jingkong.

    When talking about the nun called Jingkong, her mother deliberately said that she had no idea which nunnery Jingkong had been and if it was meant to be, Ning Ziying would find her someday. Then her mother said some things dispensable, as if all she had known about Jingkong was her name, and she even had no idea how old Jingkong was.

    After closing the letter, Ning Xueyan was lost in thought. She recalled every word in the letter and vaguely felt that her mother had been trying to hide something and had not told her everything she knew.

    After going through all the terrible things and rebirth, she was no longer that Ning Ziying who was simple and naive!

    Since her mother had said that she could not find any clue about Ning Ziying¡¯s origin, why she knew the nun, Jingkong, and was so certain that she was the one that Ning Ziying would look for and would tell Ning Ziying about her origin? What was more, before Ning Ziying came to the capital, it was obvious that her mother had arranged for something to confuse some people. Whom had she tried to hide from?

    Besides, Xia Yuhang¡¯s attitude had been abnormal. What had he wanted to get from Ning Ziying?

    Since Ning Ziyan had conceived his baby, of course Xia Yuhang should have married her as soon as possible. However, why had he postponed his marriage with Ning Ziyan so long time and had not killed Ning Ziying until the night before the wedding of Ning Ziying and him when Ning Ziying¡¯s dowry was brought to the Xia Manor?

    There must be something Xia Yuhang had wanted to get from her dowry, so he had waited so long before killing her!

    Not long after her rebirth, she had angrily thought that Xia Yuhang had killed her because he wanted to take her property. However, after thinking it over, she had found that things could not be that simple. Even though she had some money and treasure, they were not enough to make Xia Yuhang dy his marriage with Ning Ziyan. Moreover, after Ning Ziying¡¯s death, all her property would naturally be taken by the Lord Protector¡¯s manor.

    Since Madam Ling favored Ning Ziyan that much, Ning Ziyan would have no problem to bring all Ning Xueyan¡¯s property to the Xia Manor with her.

    But why Xia Yuhang had killed Ning Ziying until the day before their wedding? What had he wanted to get? What on earth had been in the brocade? What her mother had hidden from her? Or maybe her mother had been avoiding someone.

    She recalled the past in herst life. Ning Ziying¡¯s mother had seldom brought her out. Whenever her mother could not persuade her to stay at home, she would have put her into a carriage and asked their driver to carry her around the city. But her mother had never allowed her to get out the carriage alone, saying that she had been worried about Ning Ziying getting lost.

    Now when she thought it again, Ning Xueyan found it seemed that Ning Ziying¡¯s mother had not wanted her to show up in front of people, instead of being worried about her getting lost.

    She put the letter back into the envelope and then ced the envelope in the small package again. After thinking for a while, she stood up and walked toward the dresser. She pulled open a drawer and put the small package into it before closing the drawer.

    She then turned around and walked back to her bed. Lying on the bed, she stared at the ceiling in darkness nkly with her jet-ck, icy eyes.

    ¡°Abbess Jingkong? Since she is the key person to reveal the mystery, I¡¯ll definitely find her! Although mother didn¡¯t say much about Ning Ziying¡¯s origin, when she talked about Jingkong, she was quite sure that this nun knew something about Ning Ziying.¡±

 Chapter 214 - Iâ€™m Going to Leave the Lord Protectorâ€™s Manor

    <h4>Chapter 214 I¡¯m Going to Leave the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor</h4>

    Except for Foggy Courtyard¡¯s main bedroom, the candles of most courtyard had been put out. A ferocious look had reced the gentleness and elegance and appeared on Ning Qingshan¡¯s face. She gritted her teeth and looked in the direction of Bright Frost Garden, the veins on her forehead swelling.

    She had had her wound bandaged again. She had not been bumped against too heavily, but because her former injury had not recovered yet, it opened again. She had applied medicine on her wound, which Mammy Luo had secretly brought to her from outside recently.

    ¡°Mammy, what did Madam Ling say?¡± Ning Qingshan asked, still looking angry. Thinking about what had happened today, she became even more upset. She grabbed the jade porcin vase beside her made of Runan County and threw it hard toward the wall, and she still felt it was not enough and wanted to smash more things to vent her anger.

    She had not only been humiliated in front of people, but had gotten the short end of the stick as well today. But she could not argue with Ning Xueyan about her wound. Otherwise, Madam Dowager would have asked the doctor to check her injury. She had lived sixteen years and had never swallowed her grievances in silence like this in her life, so it was no wonder that she was so angry.

    ¡°Miss, calm down. First Madam said that she could not decide anything now. She asked you to discuss with Eldest Young Lady about finding a suitable person.¡± Seeing that Ning Qingshan was in a rage, Mammy Luo immediately persuaded, ¡°Miss, having a scar is not a big deal. Maybe Third Prince will feel sorry for you after knowing that you were injured. It¡¯s better to let him know it than to keep it from him. And you don¡¯t have to behave secretly any more, as if you have something on your conscience.¡±

    Even Mammy Luo did not understand Ning Qingshan¡¯s perfectionism. It was not a big deal to have been injured at the imperial pce. If Ning Qingshan had not hidden her wound from the others, how could she have been so awkward today!

    Ning Qingshan snorted and did not take Mammy Luo¡¯s suggestion seriously. She took several deep breathes and then resumed to herposure. Madam Ling was at the Buddha Hall and she could not even protect herself. Ning Qingshan was an unmarried Young Lady, so it was inconvenient for her to frequently get in and out of the manor. So Ning Ziyan was the best choice.

    ¡°Tell Concubine Ma to hurry up if she wants to leave. Otherwise, she will have no chance anymore!¡± Ning Qingshan said with an icy look. Her pale face flickered in the candle light, making her look extremely ferocious.

    Mammy Luo understood what she meant. She immediately said, ¡°Concubine Ma really wants to leave and she has agreed to follow Caifen¡¯s request. However, she still hasn¡¯t made a move yet. Maybe she is still hesitating. Miss, do you want us to urge her?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Ning Qingshan immediately denied her suggestion, a creepy sneer on her face. ¡°Ask Caifen to persuade Concubine Ma to stay in the manor. Tell her that First Madam will be released from the Buddha Hall in two days. She¡¯d better think about how to escape from First Madam¡¯s punishment!¡±

    She was trying to put an end to Concubine Ma¡¯s desire to stay.

    ¡°Got it, Miss!¡± Mammy Luo immediately understood Ning Qingshan¡¯s intention and she said excitedly.

    ¡°Let Caifen try to satisfy all Concubine Ma¡¯s requests and tell her she doesn¡¯t have to ask me. If we can¡¯t meet Concubine Ma¡¯s requirements, just take First Madam as an excuse. As for how to act, it¡¯s up to you. Let¡¯s talk about Ning Ziyan after Concubine Ma has done what we asked her to do,¡± Ning Qingshan continued.

    ¡°Okay. Got it!¡± Mammy Luo understood what Ning Qingshan was thinking about. Her young master did not want to involve herself too much in Concubine Ma¡¯s business.

    In the early morning next day, Concubine Ma appeared at Bright Frost Garden¡¯s gate again. This time, she stood there without making any trouble and asked a little maid to report to Ning Xueyan.

    After a short moment, Ning Xueyan asked the maid to let her in.

    Concubine Ma looked weary. Obviously, she had not slept wellst night. ¡°Fifth Young Lady, I¡¯m going to leave the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor!¡± As soon as she saw Ning Xueyan, she said this determinedly.

    Ning Xueyan was ying with a pink round fan with beautiful women painted on it. Touching the tassels of the round fan, she smiledzily and raised her ck-jet eyes. ¡°Concubine Ma, are you bidding farewell to me?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I...¡± Concubine Ma was a little surprised at Ning Xueyan¡¯s question. She had thought that Ning Xueyan would have asked her how she would leave. She opened her mouth but could not utter a single word. She suddenly lifted her skirt hem and knelt down in front of Ning Xueyan. After kowtowed to Ning Xueyan several times, she said, gritting her teeth, ¡°Fifth Young Lady, I¡¯ll do anything for you as long as you can help me leave!¡±

    Concubine Ma banged her forehead to the ground so hard that her forehead swelled up quickly. It was obvious that she wanted to leave the manor from her heart.

    ¡°Concubine Ma, you are really desperate to get out of the manor!¡± Ning Xueyan said meaningfully with a slight smile.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, I offended First Madam, so she will definitely get back at me after she is released from the Buddha Hall. The marquis has been giving me the cold shoulder, so I can¡¯t have a... baby with him in the future. It will be my best ending if I can die of old age at the backyard of the manor. So I prefer to run away from here. At least I can have a chance to survive. If I continue to stay here, I may die at a young age!¡±

    Concubine Ma gritted her teeth and said emotionally. Apparently, what she said came from the bottom of her heart.

    ¡°Concubine Ma, what do you want my master to do for you?¡± Before Ning Xueyan could say anything, Lanning had walked over to Concubine Ma and said coldly, ¡°My master can hardly even protect herself. How can she help you?¡±

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, I won¡¯t... ask too much. It¡¯s easy. If you can let me dress up as a maid and leave the manor following behind you, you will be saving my life. Fifth Young Lady, I will do anything to pay you back in the afterlife!¡± Concubine Ma said and banged her head twice to Ning Xueyan. She then took out a jade pendant from her pocket, raised it high with both hands and walked closer to Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, this is our family heirloom. My mother told me that the jade pendant has been passed down for generations. It¡¯s warm in winter and cool in summer. Fifth Young Lady, you¡¯re weak, so this jade pendant suits you best.¡±

    ¡°You want this in return for my helping you escape the manor?¡± Ning Xueyan asked calmly, looking at the jade pendant and then Concubine Ma¡¯s face.

    ¡°Yes! Fifth Young Lady, please save me!¡± Concubine Ma pleaded. She looked at Ning Xueyan with her reddish eyes while raising her hands.

    ¡°What if I won¡¯t help you?¡± A cold smile suddenly appeared on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face. She lowered her head slightly and looked at Concubine Ma.

    ¡°She won¡¯t help me?¡± Concubine Ma was shocked. She looked at Ning Xueyan with disbelief in her eyes, looking both sad and angry.

    ¡°Okay, I agree!¡± With the cold smile on her lips, Ning Xueyan¡¯s moisture eyes looked as cold as ice. ¡°Then you won¡¯t have to hit your head here and make my ce ominous!¡±

    She said such ruthless words so naturally. Concubine Ma¡¯s face turned ashen under her meaningful and fierce gaze.

    ¡°I... Fifth Young Lady... I... Thank you, Fifth Young Lady!¡± Concubine Ma stammered for a while and then suddenly realized that Ning Xueyan had agreed to help her to leave. She cried out emotionally and was about to kowtow to Ning Xueyan again.

    Her face rxed slightly.

    Finally she made it!

    ¡°Concubine Ma, since you have no ce to stay after leaving our manor, my master has a suggestion for you. The actor of the theatrical troupe is a spoony man and he is still waiting for you. My master had thought to help you out the manor, but she didn¡¯t know if you would like to leave. It¡¯s really a coincidence that you¡¯re asking her to help you for the same thing! Since you love each other, it will be a wonderful thing if you can marry that actor!¡±

    Lanning said.

    ¡°He, he is still waiting for me?¡± Concubine Ma suddenly raised her head, her hands clenching and her body shivering with excitement.

    ¡°Yes, he is still waiting for you. After you leave the manor, you can go everywhere you want with him. As soon as you leave the capital, people of our manor can¡¯t find you,¡± Lanning continued.

    ¡°Re-really?¡± Concubine Ma repeated it with a dull expression. When she saw Lanning nod, she instantly burst into tears with overwhelming joy. She could not stay at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor anymore. Otherwise, she would die here. She had never thought that her lover was still waiting for her. Could anything be more exciting than this?

    ¡°Concubine Ma, the jade pendant smells very scented. I¡¯m curious what did your ancestors do? How could they keep the fragrance for so many years?¡±

    When Concubine Ma calmed down again, Ning Xueyan asked curiously, pointing at the jade pendant in Concubine Ma¡¯s high raising hands.

    Concubine Ma¡¯s heart trembled. She immediately went back to herself and exined cautiously, ¡°Fifth Young Lady, the fragrance is not emanated from the jade pendant itself. As I always took it with me and it perfumed with the smell of powder, it smells scented. Fifth Young Lady, if you put it outside for a while, the fragrance will fade away.¡±

    ¡°Is the jade pendant really so precious?¡±

    Ning Xueyan asked, staring at the jade pendant. Concubine Ma¡¯s back began to sweat and she could not utter a single word.

    ¡°It¡¯s said such jade pendants carved with dragon are from the court. Concubine Ma, is any of your family members the prince or princess of the previous dynasty? That will be terrible! It¡¯s said the emperor ordered to capture the princess of the previous dynasty not long before. If his men find that the jade pendant is from your family, all your family members will be headed. Its fragrancees from ambergris and people who touch it will get the smell on their hands. There¡¯s a kind of special small hound at the imperial pce. Their sense of smell is extraordinarily acute and as soon as they smell it, they will know who touched the jade pendant,¡±

    Ning Xueyan said gently and her moisture eyes filled with a faint smile, as if she was chatting with Concubine Ma casually, not talking about the great sin that might cause the beheading of a family.

    Concubine Ma¡¯s forehead began to sweat as well and she could not even hold the jade pendant firmly. She trembled and her face was ashen.

    ¡°Concubine Ma, as long as you have touched this jade, the manor¡¯s people will find you. Third Young Lady is going to marry Third Prince, so it¡¯s easy to borrow such a special hound from the court. With the help of the hound, they will find you and your lover following the scent, and you two will definitely die. Of course, in addition to you two, all your family members will die. Concubine Ma, it¡¯s said you have a nephew less than a year old. What a pity! Such an innocent kid will be killed because of you!¡±

    Ning Xueyan smiled, looking so friendly. However, Concubine Ma had copsed. Her face was as pale as a sheet with fear and the jade had slipped onto the ground from her hands.

    She suddenly crept forward in a hurry and grabbed Ning Xueyan¡¯s skirt hem. ¡°Fifth Young Lady, please save me! Third Young Lady gave me this... this jade pendant. Fifth Young Lady, I have no other choice. If I don¡¯t follow Third Young Lady¡¯s words, I can¡¯t escape from the manor and I will die here!¡±

 Chapter 215 - Fifth Sister Is Not Such a Person

    <h4>Chapter 215 Fifth Sister Is Not Such a Person</h4>

    ¡°You will die at our manor if you can¡¯t escape?¡± Ning Xueyan repeated what Concubine Ma said, a rxed smile on her face.

    ¡°Yes! Third Young Lady¡¯s maid, Caifen, promised me that if I could give this jade pendant to you and let you send me out the manor, Third Young Lady would help me to leave the capital and get rid of the hunting from our manor. Besides, she also promised me that she would give me a new identity and the departure certificate...¡±

    ¡°And arge sum of money?¡± Ning Xueyan cut her off and said with aughter.

    ¡°Yes, yes! Third Young Lady did promise me that!¡± Concubine Ma said, trembling a little.

    ¡°If your life is at stake, money and freedom will mean nothing to you!¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes turned cold and she satirized Concubine Ma indifferently, ¡°Concubine Ma, are you so confident that Third Sister will let go of you easily? Xia¡¯er of Foggy Courtyard was her henchman, but you know what happened to her. Do you think that you are even closer to Third Sister than Xia¡¯er is to her?¡±

    ¡°Third, Third Young Lady wanted to kill me? How could she do that?¡± Concubine Ma asked in surprise. She was not stupid, and she immediately understood what Ning Xueyan was hinting.

    ¡°Why couldn¡¯t she do that? It was not a big deal for her to make someone less important her scapegoat, so she had every reason to do this.¡± Ning Xueyan contemptuously looked at Concubine Ma and continued, ¡°I believe Third Sister has never promised you anything to your face. That means if something bad happens, she won¡¯t take any responsibility. She won¡¯t care about the death of a maid or a concubine. And you, are very likely to be beaten to death or drown in the pool!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s... impossible!¡± Concubine Ma was utterly scared and she said in a trembling voice.

    ¡°Why not? Concubine Ma, don¡¯t you think that you are being used? You knelt down at the gate and cried a lot when you came to Bright Frost Gardenst time. Now you came to me again and asked me to help you, saying that you would thank me with your jade pendant if I could bring you out the manor. If someone finds out that the jade pendant you gave me belongs to the imperial family, I will be punished, and you will be hunted and caught. All your family members will be beheaded. Nobody can escape. But it will have nothing to do with Third Sister!¡±

    Ning Xueyan sneered, a rage on her extremely beautiful face.

    ¡°Concubine Ma, you can only tell the king of hell your grievance in theherworld, but I don¡¯t know if he will serve you justice!¡±

    Ning Xueyan had no idea if the king of hell would redress an injustice for others in theherworld and the blood sea, but she knew that blood would have blood.

    Concubine Ma broke down mentally after hearing what Ning Xueyan said. She seemed to have seen that all her family members were taken to the execution ground and beheaded at noon¡ªher obedient nephew who had already been able to call her auntie could not say anything more, lying on the ground in a pool of blood, her old parents died on the spot, and...

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, please save me! Please!¡± Concubine Ma was terrified by all these possibilities. She raised her head in horror and pleaded, looking at Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Concubine Ma, I can¡¯t save you, but you can save yourself!¡± Ning Xueyan said with a slight smile and the rage vanished from her face.

    ¡°How can I... save myself?¡± Concubine Ma asked with disbelief.

    Ning Xueyan gestured to Lanning. Lanning came over to Concubine Ma and whispered in her ear for a while. Concubine Ma suddenly froze. She looked at Ning Xueyan shockingly. Waving her round fan slightly, Ning Xueyan turned around and walked into the inner room leisurely.

    Concubine Ma stood behind her and thought for a while. She then gritted her teeth and took out a handkerchief from her pocket and wrapped the jade pendant carefully. After that, she put it into her pocket again.

    She bowed in the direction of Ning Xueyan¡¯s room and exited. When the maid, who was waiting for her outside, saw Concubine Ma, she immediately walked over and support her by the arm. She looked at Concubine Ma from the corner of her eyes, and Concubine Ma nodded to her quietly. Seeing that, the maid¡¯s face immediately lit up. Without staying at Bright Frost Garden any longer, she supported Concubine Ma to return to their courtyard in a hurry.

    After lunch, Ning Xueyan asked for leave to Madam Dowager, saying that she wanted to do some shopping. Since the Spring Festival wasing, she needed to buy something for the servants of the manor. Every year, the manor would prepare two sets of new clothes for the servants. In previous years, it was Madam Ling who had arranged for it. This time, Madam Dowager had asked Ning Xueyan to prepare the new clothes.

    ¡°Go ahead. Check if there is any suitable cloth at the market today. If there is, make two sets of clothes in cheerful color for each servant,¡± Madam Dowager sat on the soft couch and said with a smile, looking at Ning Xueyan graciously. Obviously, she was in a good mood.

    Although Ning Qingshan had gotten injured yesterday, in the ident, Madam Dowager had found that Fourth Prince had a crush on Ning Xueyan. It was a piece of good news that she had never expected. She had been thinking that it would be good enough if Ning Xueyan could be Fourth Prince¡¯s co-consort, but now it seemed that Fourth Prince was going to marry her as his principal wife.

    Anyway, even if the Fourth Prince¡¯s parents did not approve of Fourth Prince¡¯s marrying Ning Xueyan, it was not bad if Ning Xueyan could be his favorite co-consort.

    If Ning Qingshan married Third Prince and Ning Xueyan married Fourth Prince, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would gain an advantage from both sides. It was no wonder that Madam Dowager was pleased at the thought of this, so she smiled when she saw Ning Xueyan. She did not even mention Lanning¡¯s bumping against Ning Qingshan yesterday. Since Ning Qingshan herself had notined about it, Madam Dowager did not want to stir any trouble.

    Ning Xueyan knew what Madam Dowager was thinking about. She sneered inwardly, but she did not show anything abnormal on her face. She chatted with Madam Dowager for a short while and then left with Lanning and Xinmei.

    After returning to Bright Frost Garden, she saw Concubine Ma in a maid¡¯s dress. Concubine Ma hade here secretly without taking anybody with her this time. Seeing Ning Xueyaning over, she walked closer and bowed to her. Then she walked toward the gate, following behind Ning Xueyan.

    Caifen had been hiding in a small intersection. When she saw that Concubine Ma dressed as a maid and followed behind Ning Xueyan, she triumphantly raised her smiling face and turned to another path. This path did not lead to the inner courtyard, but to the second gate which connected the inner and the outer courtyard. The older female servants who were on duty at the second gate stopped her because they had never seen her before. Caifen took out something and waved it in front of them and the two older female servants immediately released her.

    As Lanning needed to inform the doorman to prepare a carriage for Ning Xueyan, after walking following behind Ning Xueyan for a while, she surpassed her and walked to the gate first.

    Now only Xinmei, two older female servants and two maids were behind Ning Xueyan. Xinmei followed closely behind her, and the rest followed behind her silently with their head lowered.

    When they were going to reach the gate, they saw Lanning arguing with someone angrily at the gate. Seeing Ning Xueyan walking over, Lanning ran to her andined indignantly, ¡°Miss, the doorman said they didn¡¯t have any carriage for us!¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Ning Xueyan stopped with a frown and asked unpleasantly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I was told that Third Young Lady had reserved a carriage early and she was going to the Third Prince¡¯s Manor soon, and Eldest Young Master would use another carriage and he was going out right now. All the other carriages are broken. The doorman said if you wanted to go out, you could only use the carriage prepared for the servants!¡±

    Lanning told Ning Xueyan angrily, pointing at the gate.

    There were more than two carriages in the manor, but unfortunately, all the others were broken. It was such a coincidence!

    The doorman stood at the gate, looking awkward. It was totally out of his expectation! Third Young Lady and Eldest Young Master had reserved the carriages in advance. When he had tried to find another carriage for Fifth Young Lady, he found that all the rest carriages were broken, some had broken wheels, some had broken carriages, and some even had broken curtains! The masters of the manor seldom went out recently, so these carriages had not been in use for some time.

    But he was still surprised that so many carriages were broken. He would definitely be punished after a while when the marquis returned to the manor.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, I¡¯m not lying. There is no carriage that can be used. Maybe you can discuss with Third Young Lady or Eldest Young Master and go out with them together.¡± Seeing Ning Xueyan walking over, the doorman bowed to her with a bitter face.

    ¡°All the other carriages are broken?¡± Ning Xueyan asked coldly.

    ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t know what happened. A few days ago when I checked them, all the carriages were in good condition. Somehow, when I checked them again today, I found in addition to those reserved, all the others were out of order,¡± the doorman answered.

    ¡°When did Third Young Lady and Eldest Young Master reserve the carriages?¡± Ning Xueyan asked calmly.

    ¡°This morning. Their servants told me that Third Young Lady and Eldest Young Master were going to use the carriages after lunch, so they reserved them in advance. I didn¡¯t mean to give you a hard time. Fifth Young Lady, if you don¡¯t trust me, you can ask Third Young Lady and Eldest Young Master.¡± The doorman was anxious. He exined constantly, worrying that Ning Xueyan might think that he was lying.

    Fifth Young Lady was quite different from she used to be, so a humble doorman did not dare to offend her.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, are you going out?¡± Ning Qingshan turned to this path from another one with a few maids. At a nce, Ning Xueyan immediately found the two older female servants at the end of the line were from Madam Dowager¡¯s courtyard.

    ¡°Third Sister, are you going out as well?¡± Ning Xueyan asked back with a smile.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, wait for a moment. I still have something to handle. After it¡¯s done, we can go out in the same carriage, okay?¡± Ning Qingshan smiled, seemed to be in a dilemma.

    It seemed to be the best way for the shortage of carriages.

    ¡°But I have something urgent, so I have to go out right now,¡± Ning Xueyan said gently.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, you¡¯d better wait for a while. Madam Dowager asked you to go to her courtyard and she had something to ask you!¡± Mammy Luo walked out from behind Ning Qingshan and said seriously, looking at Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Mammy, don¡¯t talk nonsense! Maybe it¡¯s not true,¡± Ning Qingshan said unpleasantly and pulled Mammy Luo¡¯s sleeve, as if she was not satisfied with Mammy Luo¡¯s attitude.

    ¡°Third Young Lady, how could it be false? Look! Is she or not?¡± Mammy Luo said helplessly. She pulled Ning Qingshan turn around and Ning Qingshan saw a maid who stood in thest row behind Ning Xueyan.

    That maid was furthest away from them. She lowered her head and shrank her neck, as if she did not dare to raise her head. It seemed that she had felt people staring at her, she moved to the side a little.

    ¡°You,e here!¡± Mammy Luo shouted loudly, pointing at the maid.

    ¡°Mammy Luo, what are you doing? She is my master¡¯s maid. How dare a Foggy Courtyard¡¯s servant order our Bright Frost Garden¡¯s maid?¡± Lanning flew into a rage and stopped Mammy Luo.

    ¡°There must be something wrong. Or why don¡¯t you dare to let us have a look?¡± Mammy Luo said aggressively.

    ¡°Mammy, stop! Fifth Sister is not such a person.¡± Ning Qingshan defended Ning Xueyan again in a low voice, as if she was sincere to exin for Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Miss, why are you still trying to defend Fifth Young Lady? Fifth Young Lady has done such an unbelievable thing, and she is hiding that person...¡± Mammy Luo seemed to be very disappointed with Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°Mammy Luo, what do you mean?¡± Ning Xueyan cut Mammy Luo off and said with an indifferent smile.

 Chapter 216 - We Have Found Concubine Ma

    <h4>Chapter 216 We Have Found Concubine Ma</h4>

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, how dare you help Concubine Ma escape? You¡¯re trying to dress her as an ordinary maid and bring her out our manor. How could you... be so unfilial and immoral?¡± Mammy Luo decided to put things straightforward. She shouted, pointing at a shivering maid in thest row, whose face could not be seen clearly at all.

    ¡°Concubine Ma?¡± Ning Qingshan looked like being scared. She stared at Ning Xueyan and murmured, ¡°Impossible! How could that happen? Fifth Sister, Concubine Ma is our father¡¯s concubine and everything about her should be decided by our father. You, you know how serious the consequence will be, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Hearing what she said, the two older female servants following behind Ning Qingshan turned to the maid in thest row and looked at her with gleaming eyes. Concubine Ma¡¯s maid had reported that Concubine Ma was missing in the morning. She said that Concubine Ma had been very upset recently and she could not fall asleep at midnight. She had repeatedly mentioned a man¡¯s name and it seemed that she wanted to escape from the manor.

    Therefore, as soon as the maid had found out that Concubine Ma was missing, she reported it to Madam Dowager. Flying into a rage, Madam Dowager dispatched two older female servants of her courtyard to look for Concubine Ma everywhere. These two capable servants were asked to check everyone going out at all the gates to intercept Concubine Ma. They happened to bump into Ning Qingshan on the way, so they came here with her.

    The had thought that they might not be able to find Concubine Ma. However, as soon as they arrived at the gate, they found something wrong with the maid following behind Fifth Young Lady.

    When they were talking, a luxurious carriage stopped at the gate. Third Prince, Ao Mingyu, came out from the carriage. Seeing that people were arguing, he stood beside the carriage door with a slight frown and did note over.

    Several guards came out of the carriage following behind him. Seeing that he did not move ahead, the guards stood behind him quietly.

    Ignoring the aggressive Mammy Luo, Ning Xueyan turned to Ning Qingshan calmly. ¡°Third Sister, so you came here to intercept me on purpose?¡± she said slowly with a smile.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, what are you talking about? I happened to bump into the servants our grandmother dispatched to look for Concubine Ma when I was going out for some business. Fifth Sister, these are not that important. But how could you help Concubine Ma escape? Concubine Ma will die if she flees privately. Why are you trying to help her meet her lover privately? Don¡¯t you know that you will ruin our father¡¯s and our manor¡¯s reputation by doing so?¡±

    Ning Qingshan looked both sad and angry when she spoke, and every word seemed to hit the key.

    It was extremely shameless if a daughter helped her father¡¯s concubine escape to meet her lover and make her father a cuckold!

    ¡°Third Sister, why are you so certain that I have something to do with Concubine Ma¡¯s missing?¡± Ning Xueyan asked, looking calmly.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t she Concubine Ma? Fifth Sister, it¡¯s useless to argue. Since Concubine Ma is caught on spot, you¡¯d better confess to our grandmother and father. Anyway, Concubine Ma should take the main responsibility and you have little to do with it.¡± Ning Qingshan persuaded in a soft voice earnestly. She stared at Ning Xueyan, looking sincere.

    Everyone thought that Ning Qingshan was thinking for the sake of Ning Xueyan by persuading her to confess her fault to Madam Dowager and the marquis. They thought that she was really gentle and sensible. Compared to her, Ning Xueyan¡¯s behavior was not only hateful but also ignorant. She was really stupid! How dare an unmarried noble Young Lady help a concubine do such an immoral thing?

    Her own reputation would be ruined because of this!

    No noble childe would like to marry such a woman!

    Only Ning Xueyan saw that Ning Qingshan was not looking at her, but at the gate. Ning Xueyan had noticed Ao Mingyu standing there just now, so obviously, it was exactly what Ning Qingshan had hoped.

    However, it was useless even though she had acted perfectly. She had been pretending to be a gentle and generous elder sister of Ning Xueyan to Ao Mingyu¡¯s face, but she had missed the point. Ao Mingyu would not trust her as before after the Note Event at the imperial pce and her concealing of her injury.

    Ning Qingshan was smart, but she was destined to be ruined by her own wisdom!

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, please allow me to take Concubine Ma away. Madam Dowager is waiting for her!¡± an older female servant from Lucky Garden bowed to Ning Xueyan and said coldly. Then she was going to pull that maid.

    ¡°Why are you saying that the maid of our courtyard is Concubine Ma?¡± Xinmei asked. She reached out and stopped that older female servant.

    ¡°Mammy Luo told us that we would see Concubine Ma here. I was a little surprised that we really saw her! Now we have caught her on spot and even Third Young Lady has recognized that the maid was Concubine Ma. Fifth Young Lady, are you still trying to argue?¡± Being stopped by Xinmei, the older female servant said in an ironic tone. She had served Madam Dowager for a long time, and she had never liked Ning Xueyan. Now Ning Xueyan¡¯s status was much higher than before, so she did not dare to offend her, but she still looked down upon Ning Xueyan from the bottom of her heart.

    ¡°Why do you believe what Third Young Lady said, but ignore what Fifth Young Lady said? Do you mean that Third Young Lady is the master of our manor and Fifth Young Lady is not?¡± Lanning said resentfully.

    Mammy Luo could not stay calm any more when the two eloquent maids questioned them one after another. She lost her temper and snorted. ¡°Since Third Young Lady has a decent manner, of course the servants of our manor will take her as the master. On the contrary, what Fifth Young Lady is doing? She has not only abased herself to be so close with a concubine, but also tried to release the concubine to meet her lover. How shameless!¡±

    Mammy Luo shouted at Lanning and Xinmei angrily. Seeing that neither of them dare to say anything more, she felt very relieved.

    ¡°How dare you! What are you talking about?¡± Ning Huaiyuan strode over from an intersection. He shot Mammy Luo a cold re, looking angry.

    He was surprised that the older female servant of Ning Qingshan was such a big-mouth person. How dare she stood at the gate and said that his father got cuckolded? How GROSS!

    The two sisters had been quarreling at the gate and a servant kept on saying that his father¡¯s concubine had tried to escape from the manor to meet her lover. What a disgrace it would be to the marquis! ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Now Ning Huaiyuan could not hold back his anger any more. He looked at Ning Xueyan coldly, waiting for her exnation.

    Ning Xueyan was not surprised at Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s sudden appearance. Looking at his angry face, she felt even a little funny. Ning Qingshan¡¯s older female servant had repeatedly said that Concubine Ma was going to escape from the manor to meet her lover. It was a disgrace to the whole manor. As the only son of the manor, Ning Huaiyuan had to say something to maintain the manor¡¯s reputation. He must have stood there and watched for a long time!

    Obviously, he had not nned to show up. However, Mammy Luo had been talking about Concubine Ma¡¯s fleeing and her affairs with another man, so Ning Huaiyuan could not hide himself anymore and had to show up to calm things down.

    It might not be a bad choice. After all, he had to face the problem.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, Brother Huaiyuan is asking you. You¡¯d better tell him the truth. It¡¯s not worth hurting your sibling affection for such a thing!¡± Ning Qingshan said anxiously, as if there was really deep sibling affection between Ning Huaiyuan and Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Ning Huaiyuan and Ning Qingshan are ying the carrot and stick trick!¡± Thinking about this, Ning Xueyan burst intoughter. ¡°Brother Huaiyuan, so you feel the same way like Third Sister and take it for granted that I¡¯m going to bring Concubine Ma out our manor privately? Why are you so certain about this? Did somebody tell you in advance that the maid was Concubine Ma, and you came here to catch her on spot when she was about to pass the gate?¡±

    ¡°Nonsense! You two, bring the maid here!¡± Ning Huaiyuan looked at Ning Xueyan thoughtfully and shouted angrily, aplicated look in his eyes. At Ning Huaiyuan¡¯smand, two young male servants were about to catch that maid.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Ning Xueyan shouted with a grim look. Xinmei and Lanning, who were standing behind her, reached out and stopped the two young male servants.

    Seeing that Ning Huaiyuan and Ning Xueyan had an argument, Ning Qingshan was very pleased, but she did not show it on her face. On the contrary, she looked surprised, as if being scared. ¡°Fifth Sister, how dare you disobey our elder brother¡¯s order? He will be the Lord Protector in the future!¡± She covered her lips with a handkerchief and turned her face slightly toward the gate.

    She had looked into the mirror countless times and she knew that she looked the most delicate and charming when she turned her face slightly. No man could stay calm at the sight of such a beautiful, gentle and adorabledy like her.

    Looking from Third Prince¡¯s direction, she was as charming as she looked herself in the mirror. She was confident that Third Prince would make the correct choice afterparing her, a Young Lady as gentle as water with Ning Xueyan, who was so stupid and stubborn.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, what do you mean?¡± Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s face darkened.

    ¡°Nothing! I just feel weird. Why the doorman said that you and Third Sister had reserved the carriages and all the rest ones were out of order when I needed a carriage. After we had been at the gate for a while, Third Sister came here to catch Concubine Ma with several servants and they insisted that Concubine Ma was hiding in my maids. Then you showed up, and before getting this straight, you were going to take my maid away. Wasn¡¯t it all designed?¡±

    Everything matched so perfectly that everyone would doubt that it had been designed. Nobody would believe that it had not been carefully designed, because none of these seemed to have happened by ident.

    Each step was closely connected, as if everything had happened naturally. No one would feel suspicious about a single step. However, when people took a panoramic view of the situation, they would feel that these perfectly interlocked events were more likely to be carefully designed.

    ¡°Are Third Young Lady and Eldest Young Master conspiring to set Fifth Young Lady up?¡± the crowd at the gate wondered, feeling confused. Their eyes wandered over the three of them and could not tell who was lying.

    Ning Xueyan was neither humble nor arrogant when she spoke. The smile on her lips was breathtakingly charming, but people could not feel a trace of warmth from it. Like a snow lotus blooming at the top of an iceberg, she looked noble, pure and extremely beautiful.

    Nobody dared to look straight into her eyes.

    Leaning against the carriage with his arms crossed in front of his chest, Ao Mingyu could not help looking at Ning Xueyan, a thoughtful look in his eyes.

    For the first time, he found that the delicate and weak girl had such a powerful aura. Ning Qingshan had been well-known for her gentleness and generosity. However,pared to Ning Xueyan¡¯s calm, she seemed to be a little nervous. Ao Mingyu even felt Ning Qingshan shivering under Ning Xueyan¡¯s gaze.

    After hearing what Ning Xueyan said, everyone was silent.

    Ning Huaiyuan cleared his throat and was about to speak when he suddenly saw an older female servant running to them. She shouted, ¡°Eldest Young Master, Third Young Lady, Fifth Young Lady, we have found Concubine Ma, and she is being with Madam Dowager now!¡±

    Everyone was shocked at the words. They all turned to the maid, who was standing in thest row behind Ning Xueyan, trembling.

    Since Concubine Ma was at Madam Dowager¡¯s Lucky Garden, who this maid was?

 Chapter 217 - Ning Qingshanâ€™s Plan

    <strong>Chapter 217 Ning Qingshan¡¯s n</strong>

    Third Prince, who was outside, straightened himself up, and walked in slowly, with his hands sped behind his back. The doorman did not dare to stop him when he saw it was Third Prince, and he immediately stood aside. Two guards followed Third Prince in, one following him closely, empty-handed, the other one a few steps behind them, with a leash in his hand, and at the end of the leash was a small hound.

    The maid who hid herself with the other maids behind Ning Xueyan, looked up nervously.

    She looked as ordinary as the other maids, and it was obvious that she was not Concubine Ma, which was what everyone thought.

    Ning Qingshan¡¯s head buzzed, as if she had been struck heavily by something. Staring at the maid, who looked so in and bore no resemnce to Concubine Ma at all, Ning Qingshan¡¯s brain wentpletely nk. She could not believe her own eyes. She looked at the maid nkly, and the handkerchief in her hands was almost ripped to pieces.

    She could not speak, and she was not in the mood to show her charming face at the best angle, a trick she had practiced countless times in front of the mirror!

    ¡°How did that happen? Caifen watched Concubine Ma following behind Ning Xueyan, dressed in a maid¡¯s attire. How could she turn to be another person in such a short time?¡±Ning Qingshan wondered.

    ¡°I¡¯m... possible! It must be Concubine Ma...¡± Mammy Luo was so shocked that she muttered to herself, with her eyes wide open.

    ¡°Mammy Luo, why are you so certain that it is Concubine Ma?¡± Ning Xueyan sneered, but her voice was very gentle.

    ¡°We saw Concubine Ma changing her clothes and following behind you with your maids...¡± Mammy Luo was so shocked that she was in a state of panic. She received a hard p on herface as she answered Ning Xueyan, almost subconsciously.

    ¡°Since you saw Concubine Ma following behind Fifth Young Lady, why did the others tell us that she was chatting with our grandmother? Was that a ghost you saw?¡± Ning Huaiyuan pped her and yelled angrily.

    Mammy Luo shivered and suddenly came back to herself. She knelt and gave a far-fetched exnation anxiously, ¡°Eldest Young Master, I did not see it in person. When I walked over with Madam Dowager¡¯s two older female servants, a maid told me this. Therefore, Third Young Lady and I thought that Fifth Young Lady was going to take Concubine Ma out of the manor.¡±

    She tried to exin why she had used Ning Xueyan of trying to help Concubine Ma to leave the manor secretly, as soon as she arrived.

    Ning Qingshan came back to herself as well. She calmed herself down and sighed helplessly. ¡°Mammy, I told you that you should make things clear before you speak. You¡¯re so quick-tempered and you always lose your cool when people say something. You must get rid of this habit! You¡¯re lucky that Fifth Sister is a generous and kind person. Otherwise, you¡¯ll get into trouble!¡±

    She was hinting that if Ning Xueyan refused to let Mammy Luo off, she would be considered a selfish and vicious person.

    At such a moment, Ning Qingshan was still ying tricks! What a vicious woman she was!

    Since Ning Xueyan discovered that Ning Qingshan had poisoned Madam Ming when she was only a child, Ning Xueyan had decided to make her pay for it. Therefore, she would not let any chance to deal her a blow, go by.

    ¡°Third Sister, Mammy Luo is not only quick-tempered, but also able to foresee what will happen next. She is really capable! The maid merely told her that Concubine Ma was with my maids, and immediately she came to a conclusion that Concubine Ma was trying to escape, and I was going to help her to do this to meet her lover. Mammy Luo said that I was an evil and extremely shameless daughter, and she almost wanted me tomit suicide to make up for my mistake. Although she is only a servant, she is even more eloquent than those censor-in-chiefs! She is really good at framing people by using subtle means!¡±

    Ning Xueyan said this coldly, a faint sarcasm showing in her moist and beautiful eyes. She paused a little as she spoke each word.

    ¡°Third Sister, you really found a capable servant for yourself! If Concubine Ma had really mingled with my maids, Third Sister, you would have forced me tomit suicide here. Am I right?¡±

    Ning Qingshan praised Ning Xueyan for her generosity and kindness, hoping she would forgive Mammy Luo. However, Ning Xueyan had already decided to fight them to the end, so she would not let Mammy Luo off so easily.

    She believed that Ning Qingshan would not miss any chance to set her up. She shifted her eyes from Ning Huaiyuan to Third Prince, who was walking to them, and to the small houndbehind Third Prince.

    Their n was really thorough! If Ning Xueyan did not die as they had expected, they would frame her by saying that she had something to do with the previous dynasty. Then she would be useless to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, and would be abandoned.

    Each of her words hit home. Ning Qingshan blushed with shame, and she almost could not say anything. However, she had to say something. Otherwise, Mammy Luo would end up like Xia¡¯er.

    It was not because she had a deep affection for Mammy Luo, but because Mammy Luo was too important to her. Besides, she had a secret, and except for Mammy Luo, no one else could help her. She had to save Mammy Luo, no matter what.

    ¡°No, no! Fifth Young Lady, I will not dare to do that. I thought as the maid said, you really... Fifth Young Lady, if you don¡¯t trust me, you can ask them. They are Madam Dowager¡¯s servants, you should believe them.¡± Looking at Ning Xueyan¡¯s cold face, Mammy Luo knew that she would not forgive her that easily. She pointed at the two older female servants of Lucky Garden and said anxiously.

    Of course the maid who had spread rumors about Concubine Ma¡¯s escape had been arranged by Mammy Luo in advance, but now Mammy Luo had to shift the me to her. Otherwise, Mammy Luo herself might lose her life. Mammy Luo was loyal to Ning Qingshan, but she shuddered at the thought that Xia¡¯er had been beaten to death not long before, and now it might be her turn.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, it¡¯s all my fault. I pampered these servants too much, and they became too arrogant. But Mammy Luo is my wet nurse and I will take care of her when she is old. Fifth Sister, you can vent your anger on me. You can either beat me or curse me, but please forgive Mammy Luo.¡±

    Ning Qingshan became extremely anxious, when she saw the sneer on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face. Having no time to think too much, she walked to Ning Xueyan and was about to kneel in front of her.

    If Ning Qingshan knelt in front of Ning Xueyan, before the Third Prince and Ning Huaiyuan at the gate, everyone present would think that Ning Xueyan had forced her elder sister to kneel to her, and all the people of the capital would spit upon her.

    Ning Qingshan was even more skillful in using deadly traps! By doing this, on the one hand, Ning Qingshan could show how she cared about her servant in front of people, on the other hand, she could force Ning Xueyan to agree not to punish Mammy Luo.

    Ning Xueyan immediately grabbed Ning Qingshan by the hand to prevent her from kneeling. Meanwhile, she turned around and said to Ning Huaiyuan anxiously, ¡°Brother Huaiyuan,e here and help me to raise Third Sister up! What will the outsiders think of our manor, if they know that she is willing to kneel to me, for the sake of a servant, who tried to set me up?¡±

    Since he had found out that the maid was not Concubine Ma, Ning Huaiyuan had been standing aside, with an angry look on his face. Watching what was going on between Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan, Ning Huaiyuan had a thoughtful look and a trace of coldness in his eyes. Since Ning Xueyan was asking him for help, he had toe over and help Ning Xueyan lift Ning Qingshan up.

    If he ignored what Ning Xueyan said and continued to watch Ning Qingshan kneeling, Ning Xueyan would not be the only one to beughed at by people.

    ¡°Third Prince!¡± After pulling Ning Qingshan up, Ning Xueyan froze for a few seconds, as if she had just seen Ao Mingyu. She let go of Ning Qingshan¡¯s hands and bowed slightly to Ao Mingyu.

    ¡°Third Prince!¡± Ning Qingshan pretended that she just caught sight of Ao Mingyu as well. She looked at Ao Mingyu, with tears in her eyes, looking pathetic and weak, as if she had been greatly wronged. She swayed a few times and almost fell to the ground. Thankfully, the maid by her side had quick reflexes, and caught her in time.

    ¡°What happened? What are you arguing about?¡± Ao Mingyu looked at Ning Xueyan with aplex look. Then he looked at Ning Qingshan. Although he seemed a little annoyed when he spoke, everyone could tell that he cared about Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°It has nothing to do with Fifth Sister. My wet nurse should be med for this. She believed the rumors and thought that Concubine Ma was trying to escape from our manor, by following Fifth Sister. She was quick-tempered and this annoyed Fifth Sister. I was trying to apologize to Fifth Sister just now.¡± Ning Qingshan wiped at her tears with a handkerchief and squeezed out a smile, but tears continued to stream down her cheeks.

    Everyone could tell how wronged she was.

    She was so scheming! It seemed she was telling Third Prince about what had happened and even though there was nothing special about her words, after thinking it over, people would think that she was defending Mammy Luo by describing such an incident as a misunderstanding. Besides that, she was hinting that it was Ning Xueyan who had misunderstood Mammy Luo, but she was making a fuss and trying to punish Mammy Luo.

    That, plus her piteous look, made her look as if she was an elder sister who was being bullied by her younger sister. Even though she was being bullied, as an elder sister who took the interests of the whole manor into ount, she did not speak ill of her younger sister.

    This would make people think that Ning Qingshan was both generous and sensible. On the other hand, they would be disgusted with Ning Xueyan¡¯s behavior. It could be a major incident or a minor one. Since it was just a misunderstanding and nothing untoward had happened, why did Ning Xueyan not want to let this go? It would not only ruin the manor¡¯s reputation, but make people feel that she was too narrow-minded, as well.

    ¡°Ning Xueyan could not bepared with her gentle and generous elder sister at all!¡±

    Seeing that Ao Mingyu¡¯s face darkened at her words, Ning Qingshan was overjoyed. It seemed her scheme had worked well. Third Prince had gone over to her side when he saw her wronged face, and it meant that Third Prince still had feelings for her. It made Ning Qingshan feel more confident about what was going to happen next.

    She had told Third Prince that she was going to his manor to visit him, butter, she changed her mind and asked him toe to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. She knew it was improper, but since she mattered to Third Prince, it would not be difficult to exin it to him. She would tell him that she had nned to go to his manor, when she suddenly thought of that matter, so she had asked him toe over instead. Besides, she had just met Ning Xueyan by chance.

    She looked at the guard standing a few paces behind Third Prince and evaluated the distance. It was still too far! Otherwise, why was there no response from the hound?

    If this matter was exposed, Ning Xueyan would definitely be beheaded!

    Then what Mammy Luo had done would just be a trifling matter. Ning Xueyan could not even protect herself, how could she punish Mammy Luo? Thinking about this, Ning Qingshan stole a nce of Ning Xueyan, a triumphant look in her eyes.

    What would happen next did not have much to do with her, so what she needed to do was to watch the show.

    If Third Prince found out what Ning Xueyan had done, even Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an were unable to protect her. Besides, Ning Qingshan did not believe that Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an would try to save Ning Xueyan for the sake of family affection. On the contrary, they would definitely abandon Ning Xueyan, and put all the me on her instead.

    It was impossible for Ning Xueyan to be lucky enough and reverse the situation again. She would watch her being punished!

 Chapter 219 - A Well Plotted Show

    <h4>Chapter 219 A Well Plotted Show</h4>

    Third Prince left and took away Ning Qingshan¡¯s maid. Seeing him off, Ning Huaiyuan walked toward Lucky Garden, ignoring Ning Qingshan, who had copsed on the ground, and could not get up for the moment. He had to talk to his grandmother about this, and ask her to make a decision.

    Now, nobody would care about the little episode about Concubine Ma!

    ¡°Fifth Sister...¡± Seeing that Ning Huaiyuan did not talk to her, Ning Qingshan immediately turned to Ning Xueyan, with a sad look. She realized that the situation was turning out to be disadvantageous to her. Many outsiders had seen what had taken ce, from the gate just now. Even though they did not know what was going on, they could tell from her bedraggled look, that something bad had happened to Ning Qingshan.

    Both Third Prince and Ning Huaiyuan had given her the cold shoulder. If even Ning Xueyan did not want to talk to her, what would the others think of her? They might think that she must have done something wicked. Otherwise, why was it that nobody wanted to talk to her when she was in trouble?

    She had been thinking so highly of herself, but now she had to make Ning Xueyan stay with her.

    If Ning Xueyan agreed to stay with her, she would have an excuse to exin this matter.

    However, before she could continue, Ning Xueyan took several steps forward, and ignored her. She walked into the manor, following closely behind Ning Huaiyuan. ¡°Brother Huaiyuan, I¡¯ll visit our grandmother with you. By the way, I¡¯ll check if Concubine Ma is still there.¡±

    Ning Qingshan¡¯s face instantly turned ashen. Watching the backs of the two receding, plus the mocking looks from the others, her face flushed. Gritting her teeth, she stood up with the help of Mammy Luo. She red at Ning Xueyan¡¯s back, with coldness and deep hatred in her eyes.

    She could not ept the fact that Ning Xueyan had escaped from her trap again!

    Ning Xueyan knew that Ning Qingshan was staring at her from behind, and she must have an impulse to kill her now, but she did not care about this. She caught up with Ning Huaiyuan and asked, ¡°Brother Huaiyuan, is there anything special about the jade pendant? Why was Third Prince so angry?¡±

    She really wanted to know the answer. She had left before Ning Qingshan could say anything to her, because she did not want Ning Qingshan¡¯s scheme to seed. On the other hand, she wanted to know the origin of the jade pendant. ¡°Could the jade pendant really havee from the previous dynasty as I assumed, and Ning Qingshan did not get it from Ao Mingyu?¡± she wondered.

    She had told Concubine Ma that this jade pendant came from the previous dynasty, because she wanted to scare her. But now, it seemed that what she said was really true.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Since Third Prince was in a rage, I did not find a chance to ask him,¡± Ning Huaiyuan answered tactfully, shaking his head. He turned his head, and with a frown, fixed his gaze on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face with a thoughtful look.

    ¡°Brother Huaiyuan, do you want to tell our grandmother about this?¡± Ning Xueyan continued, as if she had not seen the thoughtful look in his eyes.

    ¡°Well, at least I should let our grandmother know that Third Prince was annoyed. You can go back to your Bright Frost Garden now,¡± Ning Huaiyuan said coldly, looking at Ning Xueyan with a piercing light in his eyes. Obviously, Ning Huaiyuan did not want to talk to Ning Xueyan, and he was trying to get rid of her.

    ¡°But I should exin to our grandmother about the incident regarding Concubine Ma. I¡¯m afraid that she may believe the rumors, and think that I was such an evil girl that I even wanted to help Concubine Ma leave our manor.¡± Pausing for a while, Ning Xueyan did not leave as Ning Huaiyan expected, but continued to walk forward with him.

    Ning Huaiyuan sped up, but she still followed closely behind him.

    Ning Huaiyuan suddenly stopped. He turned around and looked at Ning Xueyan, who was a little breathless from her haste. ¡°Fifth Sister, our grandmother won¡¯t have time to think about Concubine Ma¡¯s matter for the moment. You¡¯d better go back to Bright Frost Garden now. I will exin to her about what happened at the gate,¡± he said.

    He knew that he could not hide what had happened at the gate from the people. He had thought that Ning Qingshan was a smart girl, so when she had dispatched someone to tell him that she had reserved a carriage, he did not pay much attention to it. Moreover, when Ning Qingshan had invited him to watch a show at the gate, he did not refuse. Now he discovered that the smart Ning Qingshan did not seem as smart as before, after staying at the nunnery for three years!

    On the contrary, the Fifth Sister in front of him had surprised him the first time he saw her, after returning the manor. She was nothing like what he had remembered her to be.

    ¡°Okay. Thank you, Brother Huaiyuan!¡± Ning Xueyan nodded. Since Ning Huaiyuan had agreed to exin for her, she knew she should not follow him anymore, and it was not the best time to visit Madam Dowager.

    It seemed there was a story behind Ning Qingshan, no, behind the jade pendant of Ning Qingshan! Obviously, Ning Huaiyuan had smelled the fragrance of the ambergris and he had also seen the dragon pattern. Ning Xueyan could tell there must be a secret that she was not aware of, and maybe it had something to do with the previous dynasty.

    And it was very likely that Ning Huaiyuan had the military medallion that Prince Yi, Ao Chenyi, was looking for.

    The jade pendant Ning Qingshan had taken out was very likely a relic from the previous dynasty. It seemed that not only Ao Mingyu had been shocked at the sight of it, even the whole Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would be shocked as well.

    It should have nothing to do with Ning Xueyan, but now she had to get herself involved. Since she had promised Ao Chenyi to find the previous dynasty¡¯s military medallion for him, she would not let him down. Besides, in the current situation, the more mysterious Ning Qingshan was, the more difficult she would be to deal with. In any case, Ao Mingyu should have been angry with her. What had happened before and today was enough to make anyone realize how vicious Ning Qingshan was.

    However, he had let Ning Qingshan go so easily, and only took the maid away. It was really strange!

    It seemed Ao Mingyu had spared Ning Qingshan not because he cared about her. Although he hid it carefully, Ning Xueyan had still seen the disgusted look in his eyes, when he looked at Ning Qingshan. Then why had he not taken Ning Qingshan away with that maid?

    ¡°What is he trying to hide?¡±

    ¡°Could that jade pendant be the military medallion from the previous dynasty?¡±

    Sitting in front of the window, Ning Xueyan suddenly came up with a bold assumption. But she immediately shook her head. Since Ao Mingyu had said that Ning Huaiyuan had the military medallion, he must have his reason. Therefore, it was impossible for Ning Qingshan to have it.

    Besides, since Prince Yi was looking for the military medallion, Ao Mingyu must have been looking for it as well. If the jade pendant was the military medallion, why had Ao Mingyu not shown any joy on his face? He had held the jade pendant firmly and covered half of the carved dragon with his hand. People who were not familiar with the pattern, could not tell that the jade was carved with a dragon.

    Ning Xueyan had seen clearly that there was a mixture of disgust, grimness, surprise, and even a trace of a killing intent on Ao Mingyu¡¯s face, but definitely no expression of joy.

    Besides, he had not seemed to be surprised by the sudden appearance of this jade pendant. Maybe Ao Mingyu had known that Ning Qingshan had the jade pendant before. Or maybe, he or Honored Consort Ya had given it to Ning Qingshan. But how to exin the disgust and the killing intent on his face?

    ¡°Maybe I should find more information about the previous dynasty,¡± Ning Xueyan thought. When she was Ning Ziying in herst life, she had known nothing about the outside world. When she was in her hometown, neither her parents nor the servants of their manor had ever mentioned anything to her about the previous dynasty. If she had note to the capital, she would not have known that the previous dynasty had only ended a dozen of years ago.

    After arriving in the capital, she had known something about the previous dynasty from Xia Yuhang, but she had never taken it seriously. The so-called previous dynasty seemed quite far from her!

    But now, she found that she seemed to be so close to it that she could almost touch it. However, she could only see it, but not touch it. Everything seemed to be shrouded in a mist.

    ¡°Lanning, has Mother Hane back?¡± Ning Xueyan touched her own forehead, and turned to Lanning, who had been standing behind her quietly. Because she had been so deep in thought for so long, she felt her brain going numb. Ever since she had been lost in thought after returning to Bright Frost Garden, Lanning had told all the others to leave, and then stood behind her quietly, to apany her.

    ¡°Miss, Mother Han came back just now. Seeing you were in a trance, she did note in. Wait a moment. I¡¯ll ask her toe in right now,¡± Lanning answered with a nod. She then turned and walked out. After a short while, Mother Han, who had been waiting outside, came in.

    ¡°Miss, do you want to ask me about Madam Ming?¡± Mother Han asked, as soon as she entered the room.

    ¡°Ning Lingyun said I was the rebel¡¯s daughter. Was that because of my mother?¡± Ning Xueyan asked thoughtfully. From the tone Ning Lingyun had used and her look, Ning Xueyan could tell that she was serious at that point. Besides, Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s attitude had been very suspicious.

    ¡°Miss, I would not have brought it up if you had not asked. Madam Ming was the daughter of the Minister of War of the previous dynasty, and she was a well-known noble Young Lady. The Mings had been a noble family for more than a hundred years, so in fact they were far more noble than those who call themselves noble families of the current dynasty.¡±

    Mother Han said resentfully, ¡°The marquis was just a low ranking military official. If he had not married Madam Ming, he would not have be a general, and of course he would not have helped the present emperor to crack down the previous dynasty, and be the new power of the current dynasty. Finally, he even managed to demote Madam Ming from the role of principal wife to a co-wife!¡±

    ¡°You mean he became so powerful because of my mother?¡± Ning Xueyan knew that Madam Ming¡¯s family was extraordinary, but she was a little surprised that the Mings used to be so powerful. A Young Lady from a noble family with a history of more than a hundred years had married a low ranking official, so from the very beginning, their status were quite different. It was a coincidence that with the regime change, the humble man had be an influential official of the new dynasty, and his wife, the previous nobledy, had be a rebel.

    After the new emperor had ascended the throne, all the officials who were loyal to the former emperor were regarded as rebels. This earth-shaking change also brought the status changes of Madam Ming and Ning Zu¡¯an. Therefore, in Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s eyes, Madam Ming had not been suitable to be his principal wife any more, and the previous well-known noble Young Lady might hinder his promotion and wealth.

    That was why things had ended up like this.

    ¡°How did Madam Ling marry Ning Zu¡¯an?¡± Ning Xueyan suddenly thought of something, and she continued to ask after a short pause.

    ¡°In order to marry Madam Ming, the marquis repeatedly promised that he would only have one wife, and would not marry any concubine in the future. He seemed very sincere in wanting to marry Madam Ming, and in order to marry her, he even knelt in front of the door of the minister¡¯s study room for two days and nights. Finally, he passed out and Madam Ming felt very sorry for him. She knelt in front of the door as well, saying if she could not marry the marquis, she would keep keeling there until she died.¡±

    Thinking about that, Mother Han¡¯s eyes were filled with tears. How distinguished Madam Ming used to be! As the most famous noble Young Lady and the empress¡¯ best friend, countless talented young men had wanted to marry her. If Ning Zu¡¯an had not moved her by kneeling in front of the minister¡¯s study room, how could the minister have agreed to marry his daughter to him?

    But he had been just acting. It turned out to be a well plotted show!

 Chapter 219 - A Well Plotted Show

    <h4>Chapter 219 A Well Plotted Show</h4>

    Third Prince left and took away Ning Qingshan¡¯s maid. Seeing him off, Ning Huaiyuan walked toward Lucky Garden, ignoring Ning Qingshan, who had copsed on the ground, and could not get up for the moment. He had to talk to his grandmother about this, and ask her to make a decision.

    Now, nobody would care about the little episode about Concubine Ma!

    ¡°Fifth Sister...¡± Seeing that Ning Huaiyuan did not talk to her, Ning Qingshan immediately turned to Ning Xueyan, with a sad look. She realized that the situation was turning out to be disadvantageous to her. Many outsiders had seen what had taken ce, from the gate just now. Even though they did not know what was going on, they could tell from her bedraggled look, that something bad had happened to Ning Qingshan.

    Both Third Prince and Ning Huaiyuan had given her the cold shoulder. If even Ning Xueyan did not want to talk to her, what would the others think of her? They might think that she must have done something wicked. Otherwise, why was it that nobody wanted to talk to her when she was in trouble?

    She had been thinking so highly of herself, but now she had to make Ning Xueyan stay with her.

    If Ning Xueyan agreed to stay with her, she would have an excuse to exin this matter.

    However, before she could continue, Ning Xueyan took several steps forward, and ignored her. She walked into the manor, following closely behind Ning Huaiyuan. ¡°Brother Huaiyuan, I¡¯ll visit our grandmother with you. By the way, I¡¯ll check if Concubine Ma is still there.¡±

    Ning Qingshan¡¯s face instantly turned ashen. Watching the backs of the two receding, plus the mocking looks from the others, her face flushed. Gritting her teeth, she stood up with the help of Mammy Luo. She red at Ning Xueyan¡¯s back, with coldness and deep hatred in her eyes.

    She could not ept the fact that Ning Xueyan had escaped from her trap again!

    Ning Xueyan knew that Ning Qingshan was staring at her from behind, and she must have an impulse to kill her now, but she did not care about this. She caught up with Ning Huaiyuan and asked, ¡°Brother Huaiyuan, is there anything special about the jade pendant? Why was Third Prince so angry?¡±

    She really wanted to know the answer. She had left before Ning Qingshan could say anything to her, because she did not want Ning Qingshan¡¯s scheme to seed. On the other hand, she wanted to know the origin of the jade pendant. ¡°Could the jade pendant really havee from the previous dynasty as I assumed, and Ning Qingshan did not get it from Ao Mingyu?¡± she wondered.

    She had told Concubine Ma that this jade pendant came from the previous dynasty, because she wanted to scare her. But now, it seemed that what she said was really true.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Since Third Prince was in a rage, I did not find a chance to ask him,¡± Ning Huaiyuan answered tactfully, shaking his head. He turned his head, and with a frown, fixed his gaze on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face with a thoughtful look.

    ¡°Brother Huaiyuan, do you want to tell our grandmother about this?¡± Ning Xueyan continued, as if she had not seen the thoughtful look in his eyes.

    ¡°Well, at least I should let our grandmother know that Third Prince was annoyed. You can go back to your Bright Frost Garden now,¡± Ning Huaiyuan said coldly, looking at Ning Xueyan with a piercing light in his eyes. Obviously, Ning Huaiyuan did not want to talk to Ning Xueyan, and he was trying to get rid of her.

    ¡°But I should exin to our grandmother about the incident regarding Concubine Ma. I¡¯m afraid that she may believe the rumors, and think that I was such an evil girl that I even wanted to help Concubine Ma leave our manor.¡± Pausing for a while, Ning Xueyan did not leave as Ning Huaiyan expected, but continued to walk forward with him.

    Ning Huaiyuan sped up, but she still followed closely behind him.

    Ning Huaiyuan suddenly stopped. He turned around and looked at Ning Xueyan, who was a little breathless from her haste. ¡°Fifth Sister, our grandmother won¡¯t have time to think about Concubine Ma¡¯s matter for the moment. You¡¯d better go back to Bright Frost Garden now. I will exin to her about what happened at the gate,¡± he said.

    He knew that he could not hide what had happened at the gate from the people. He had thought that Ning Qingshan was a smart girl, so when she had dispatched someone to tell him that she had reserved a carriage, he did not pay much attention to it. Moreover, when Ning Qingshan had invited him to watch a show at the gate, he did not refuse. Now he discovered that the smart Ning Qingshan did not seem as smart as before, after staying at the nunnery for three years!

    On the contrary, the Fifth Sister in front of him had surprised him the first time he saw her, after returning the manor. She was nothing like what he had remembered her to be.

    ¡°Okay. Thank you, Brother Huaiyuan!¡± Ning Xueyan nodded. Since Ning Huaiyuan had agreed to exin for her, she knew she should not follow him anymore, and it was not the best time to visit Madam Dowager.

    It seemed there was a story behind Ning Qingshan, no, behind the jade pendant of Ning Qingshan! Obviously, Ning Huaiyuan had smelled the fragrance of the ambergris and he had also seen the dragon pattern. Ning Xueyan could tell there must be a secret that she was not aware of, and maybe it had something to do with the previous dynasty.

    And it was very likely that Ning Huaiyuan had the military medallion that Prince Yi, Ao Chenyi, was looking for.

    The jade pendant Ning Qingshan had taken out was very likely a relic from the previous dynasty. It seemed that not only Ao Mingyu had been shocked at the sight of it, even the whole Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would be shocked as well.

    It should have nothing to do with Ning Xueyan, but now she had to get herself involved. Since she had promised Ao Chenyi to find the previous dynasty¡¯s military medallion for him, she would not let him down. Besides, in the current situation, the more mysterious Ning Qingshan was, the more difficult she would be to deal with. In any case, Ao Mingyu should have been angry with her. What had happened before and today was enough to make anyone realize how vicious Ning Qingshan was.

    However, he had let Ning Qingshan go so easily, and only took the maid away. It was really strange!

    It seemed Ao Mingyu had spared Ning Qingshan not because he cared about her. Although he hid it carefully, Ning Xueyan had still seen the disgusted look in his eyes, when he looked at Ning Qingshan. Then why had he not taken Ning Qingshan away with that maid?

    ¡°What is he trying to hide?¡±

    ¡°Could that jade pendant be the military medallion from the previous dynasty?¡±

    Sitting in front of the window, Ning Xueyan suddenly came up with a bold assumption. But she immediately shook her head. Since Ao Mingyu had said that Ning Huaiyuan had the military medallion, he must have his reason. Therefore, it was impossible for Ning Qingshan to have it.

    Besides, since Prince Yi was looking for the military medallion, Ao Mingyu must have been looking for it as well. If the jade pendant was the military medallion, why had Ao Mingyu not shown any joy on his face? He had held the jade pendant firmly and covered half of the carved dragon with his hand. People who were not familiar with the pattern, could not tell that the jade was carved with a dragon.

    Ning Xueyan had seen clearly that there was a mixture of disgust, grimness, surprise, and even a trace of a killing intent on Ao Mingyu¡¯s face, but definitely no expression of joy.

    Besides, he had not seemed to be surprised by the sudden appearance of this jade pendant. Maybe Ao Mingyu had known that Ning Qingshan had the jade pendant before. Or maybe, he or Honored Consort Ya had given it to Ning Qingshan. But how to exin the disgust and the killing intent on his face?

    ¡°Maybe I should find more information about the previous dynasty,¡± Ning Xueyan thought. When she was Ning Ziying in herst life, she had known nothing about the outside world. When she was in her hometown, neither her parents nor the servants of their manor had ever mentioned anything to her about the previous dynasty. If she had note to the capital, she would not have known that the previous dynasty had only ended a dozen of years ago.

    After arriving in the capital, she had known something about the previous dynasty from Xia Yuhang, but she had never taken it seriously. The so-called previous dynasty seemed quite far from her!

    But now, she found that she seemed to be so close to it that she could almost touch it. However, she could only see it, but not touch it. Everything seemed to be shrouded in a mist.

    ¡°Lanning, has Mother Hane back?¡± Ning Xueyan touched her own forehead, and turned to Lanning, who had been standing behind her quietly. Because she had been so deep in thought for so long, she felt her brain going numb. Ever since she had been lost in thought after returning to Bright Frost Garden, Lanning had told all the others to leave, and then stood behind her quietly, to apany her.

    ¡°Miss, Mother Han came back just now. Seeing you were in a trance, she did note in. Wait a moment. I¡¯ll ask her toe in right now,¡± Lanning answered with a nod. She then turned and walked out. After a short while, Mother Han, who had been waiting outside, came in.

    ¡°Miss, do you want to ask me about Madam Ming?¡± Mother Han asked, as soon as she entered the room.

    ¡°Ning Lingyun said I was the rebel¡¯s daughter. Was that because of my mother?¡± Ning Xueyan asked thoughtfully. From the tone Ning Lingyun had used and her look, Ning Xueyan could tell that she was serious at that point. Besides, Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s attitude had been very suspicious.

    ¡°Miss, I would not have brought it up if you had not asked. Madam Ming was the daughter of the Minister of War of the previous dynasty, and she was a well-known noble Young Lady. The Mings had been a noble family for more than a hundred years, so in fact they were far more noble than those who call themselves noble families of the current dynasty.¡±

    Mother Han said resentfully, ¡°The marquis was just a low ranking military official. If he had not married Madam Ming, he would not have be a general, and of course he would not have helped the present emperor to crack down the previous dynasty, and be the new power of the current dynasty. Finally, he even managed to demote Madam Ming from the role of principal wife to a co-wife!¡±

    ¡°You mean he became so powerful because of my mother?¡± Ning Xueyan knew that Madam Ming¡¯s family was extraordinary, but she was a little surprised that the Mings used to be so powerful. A Young Lady from a noble family with a history of more than a hundred years had married a low ranking official, so from the very beginning, their status were quite different. It was a coincidence that with the regime change, the humble man had be an influential official of the new dynasty, and his wife, the previous nobledy, had be a rebel.

    After the new emperor had ascended the throne, all the officials who were loyal to the former emperor were regarded as rebels. This earth-shaking change also brought the status changes of Madam Ming and Ning Zu¡¯an. Therefore, in Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s eyes, Madam Ming had not been suitable to be his principal wife any more, and the previous well-known noble Young Lady might hinder his promotion and wealth.

    That was why things had ended up like this.

    ¡°How did Madam Ling marry Ning Zu¡¯an?¡± Ning Xueyan suddenly thought of something, and she continued to ask after a short pause.

    ¡°In order to marry Madam Ming, the marquis repeatedly promised that he would only have one wife, and would not marry any concubine in the future. He seemed very sincere in wanting to marry Madam Ming, and in order to marry her, he even knelt in front of the door of the minister¡¯s study room for two days and nights. Finally, he passed out and Madam Ming felt very sorry for him. She knelt in front of the door as well, saying if she could not marry the marquis, she would keep keeling there until she died.¡±

    Thinking about that, Mother Han¡¯s eyes were filled with tears. How distinguished Madam Ming used to be! As the most famous noble Young Lady and the empress¡¯ best friend, countless talented young men had wanted to marry her. If Ning Zu¡¯an had not moved her by kneeling in front of the minister¡¯s study room, how could the minister have agreed to marry his daughter to him?

    But he had been just acting. It turned out to be a well plotted show!

 Chapter 220 - The Tragic Fall of the Previous Dynasty

    Chapter 220 The Tragic Fall of the Previous Dynasty

    ¡°Everyone thought that the marquis loved Madam Ming from the bottom of his heart, and Madam Dowager also promised that the marquis would not marry any other woman except for Madam Ming. Finally, the minister agreed on their marriage. After marrying Madam Ming, the marquis was promoted quickly. Afterwards, there was a coup at court and to everyone¡¯s surprise, the marquis opened the gate of the city he was guarding and surrendered with his men.

    After the regime change, your grandfather died in the battle and your uncle was arrested. He refused to surrender, so the marquis was arranged to persuade him. The marquis threatened him with Madam Ming, so your uncle had to agree with him. Madam Ming was very sad about this. However, what surprised her more was that not long after, the marquis brought his mistress to our manor. That woman was Madam Ling. She had already had a son and a daughter by that point.¡±

    Speaking of the past, Mother Han could not hold back her tears. A series of blows had exhausted Madam Ming both physically and mentally. ording to the age of the b*stard, she could tell that when the boy had been born, the marquis was promising her that he would not marry any other woman.

    Madam Ming had been utterly disappointed in the marquis, and from then on, she had given him the cold shoulder. She had left everything about Madam Ling to the marquis, saying that she would not get involved in his business anymore. The couple¡¯s rtionship had be as cold as ice.

    What a tragedy that a sentimental Young Lady had married a cold-blooded man! If the previous dynasty had not fallen, Madam Ling would only have been a hidden mistress. Unfortunately, the old dynasty had been reced by the new one, and many families fell apart because of this, and even some of them still looked uniform, they were not what they used to be.

    After giving birth to a boy for him, Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s mistress had been dreaming of bing his principal wife. His former principal wife had no longer been helpful for his promotion. Besides, her existence might remind the others that she was the daughter of the Minister of War of the previous dynasty and it would be bad for his career. Maybe because of these, he had forced Madam Ming to Bright Frost Garden.

    The outsiders thought that Ning Zu¡¯an was a man of deep affection, and although Madam Ming had offered not to be his principal wife, he still let her be his co-wife, and allocated a courtyard to her to rest. However, nobody knew that there was a big conspiracy behind it.

    The scum and his vicious mistress had colluded and framed Madam Ming. Madam Ming had already disheartened with Ning Zu¡¯an, and after that, she had to move to Bright Frost Garden.

    ¡°Was the military medallion of the former dynasty in my grandfather¡¯s hand?¡± Ning Xueyan asked coldly. She suddenly figured out many things. Some of those who had suddenly appeared at Madam Ming¡¯s funeral used to be the noble family members of the previous dynasty. That meant some people had had to surrender to the new emperor and be the officials of the new dynasty.

    It was said that the founding emperor of the Chu Kingdom, the current emperor¡¯s father, was an ambitious and talented man. That was why he valued the talented people, even the main high-rank officials, no matter if they had worked for the previous dynasty before or not. Unfortunately, not long after he had founded the kingdom, this great emperor died. Thus, the current emperor took the throne.

    However, the old emperor had also announced his will to his subjects and the current emperor before death and appointed Ao Chenyi to be the current emperor¡¯s sessor.

    Those officials who had helped the former emperor found the Chu Kingdom were all very capable and loyal. Otherwise, they could not have overthrown the previous dynasty. Most of them had been high-rank officials, and after their retirement, many of their students were still working for the court. That was why the current emperor did not dare to depose Prince Yi now.

    ¡°Military medallion? I don¡¯t know. Since the minister was in charge of the Ministry of War, maybe the military medallion...¡± Mother Han paused for a moment at this question and did not know how to answer. She was just a servant of the inner courtyard, and it was impossible for her to know such kind of things.

    Ning Xueyan took a deep breath and bit her lip, a piercing light crossing her eyes. She suddenly shifted the topic and asked, ¡°Mammy, have you heard of the empress of the former dynasty? Have you seen her before?¡±

    Although Ning Xueyan was not well-informed, she knew that the empress of the previous dynasty was an extremely beautifuldy. It was said that the empress had caused the fall of the previous dynasty. Therefore, in most rumors, this empress was an evil woman who had brought cmity to the country and people of the previous dynasty.

    Hearing Ning Xueyan mentioning the previous dynasty¡¯s empress, Mother Han¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Miss, are you talking about Empress Han? You can never talk about her! It¡¯s a taboo to the court. If people from the court know that we are talking about Empress Han, we will be beheaded!¡± she immediately covered Ning Xueyan¡¯s mouth and reminded her in a low voice anxiously.

    Ning Xueyan shook her head calmly, gesturing Mother Han to let go of her. Then Mother Han removed her hand from her mouth. Mother Han¡¯s face was ashen and she could not help trembling with fear. Since she was so scared, Ning Xueyan did not ask more. The previous empress was really mysterious! The rumors said that she had led to the downfall of the country, but in the history books, nothing about this was mentioned. The history books only said that her surname was Han, and she had burned herself the day the imperial city was captured.

    That was all about her.

    It seemed that the empress the history books recorded was not the same one as the evil woman the rumors described. However, they actually were the same person.

    ¡°It¡¯s said the princess of the previous dynasty was still a child when the coup took ce. After that, she was missing,¡± Ning Xueyan could not help asking.

    ¡°Miss, that princess had already died in the fire. Almost half of the imperial pce was burnt out, so it was impossible for a child to survive. She must have died. She had no chance to survive.¡± Mother Han¡¯s face turned blue and she shook his hand in fright.

    ¡°Mammy, I want to know if she were still alive, how old would she be now?¡± Ning Xueyan smiled slightly.

    ¡°Probably... sixteen or seventeen!¡± Mother Han answered hesitantly.

    Ning Xueyan looked at Mother Han quietly. Until Mother Han felt uneasy at her gaze and turned her head to the side, she continued, ¡°Mammy, do you think Ning Qingshan could be the princess from the previous dynasty?¡±

    ¡°Third Young Lady? Impossible! No way!¡± Mother Han answered firmly, without hesitation.

    ¡°Why couldn¡¯t Ning Qingshan be the previous dynasty¡¯s princess?¡± Ning Xueyan muttered with a frown, a suspicious look in her jet-ck eyes. It was very different from what she had expected.

    ¡°There¡¯s no chance that Third Young Lady is the princess. Although Third Young Lady is about her age, she couldn¡¯t be the princess of the previous dynasty. I have seen the princess more than one time when I worked for Madam Ming. If she were still alive, her appearance should be different from when she was a child, but there should be still some simrities. I didn¡¯t see anything in Third Young Lady about the princess when she was a kid, so it¡¯s impossible that they are the same person.¡±

    Mother Han shook her head again.

    Ning Xueyan hesitated for a while and stopped asking. It seemed that she could not solve her doubts soon, but she trust Mother Han and believed that Ning Qingshan was not the missing princess of the previous dynasty. But from Ning Qingshan¡¯s manner and the way Xia¡¯er behaved and spoke when she had met them for the first time, Ning Xueyan still felt that Ning Qingshan had something to do with the princess.

    Besides, like a death squad member, although the sudden appeared maid looked pale with fear, she had still taken all the me for Ning Qingshan. Who the hell was Ning Qingshan? Why did a death squad member appear by her side? Although Ning Zu¡¯an said that Ning Qingshan was an old friend¡¯s child, Ning Xueyan did not believe it.

    Anyway, there must be some secrets about Ning Qingshan. Ning Xueyan knew she must be more careful when she dealt with Ning Qingshan in the future.

    It seemed Ning Qingshan would escape from being punished this time. Nobody had thought that a maid would have been willing to take the me for her, and Third Prince, Ao Mingyu, had let go of Ning Qingshan so easily.

    Fortunately, Ning Xueyan had gained something today. At least, she could tell that Ao Mingyu¡¯s attitude toward Ning Qingshan had changed. He had been gentle when he looked at Ning Qingshan, but today, Ning Xueyan had clearly seen the disgust look in his eyes. He had not been treating Ning Qingshan like a lover he had waited three years for.

    As for why Ao Mingyu had not lost his temper with Ning Qingshan on spot, Ning Xueyan thought there must be some special reason.

    Because of this special reason, Ao Mingyu could not offend Ning Qingshan for the moment.

    ¡°Lanning, ask Xinmei to visit Concubine Ma secretly and inform Concubine Ma to mingle with those kitchen staffs who are in charge of cleaning up the kitchen waste and leave the manor,¡± Ning Xueyan said coolly.

    Every day after super, the kitchen staff would clean up the waste from the day. Some people would take away the leftover food and dishes. Since it would be getting dark when they left, nobody would notice them.

    ¡°Miss, what if Concubine Ma is caught? She will definitely tell the others that you helped her escape. Then you will be in danger! She did not want toe out and it took me a long time to find her today,¡± Mother Han said anxiously. After Ning Xueyan had stopped asking her about the previous dynasty, she became much more rxed. Now when she heard that Ning Xueyan was going to have Concubine Ma leave, she became nervous again.

    In her mind, Concubine Ma was not a kind person. She had followed Madam Ling¡¯s words and tried to poison Ning Xueyan before. Now she was trying to frame Ning Xueyan again following Ning Qingshan¡¯s instruction. So obviously, she was a selfish and vicious woman. If she was caught, she would definitely sell Ning Xueyan up.

    Concubine Ma had promised Ning Xueyan to go out, but Mother Han had not seen her after waiting for a long time. Finally Mother Han had found her with the help of other maids and sent her to Lucky Garden.

    ¡°She... had no chance to sell me out!¡± Ning Xueyan bit her lip and sneered, a bloodthirsty coldness shing in her eyes.

    Concubine Ma had never been an honest person. She had broken her word before, and she would do the same thing in the future. If Ning Xueyan had not prepared in advance, she might have already been set up by Ning Qingshan because of Concubine Ma. Concubine Ma had promised Ning Xueyan that she would suddenly show up from a path and caught Ning Qingshan off guard. If she acted as they had agreed, Concubine Ma should have walked to them from a path much earlier than she had shown up at Lucky Garden.

    However, after waiting for a long time, she still had note out yet. Thankfully, Ning Xueyan had asked Mother Han in advance to look for Concubine Ma if she failed to show up as schedule. When Mother Han had found her, Concubine Ma said that she had gotten held up.

    Obviously, she did not want toe out at all. She just wanted to watch Ning Xueyan and Ning Qingshan both lose, and then she could reap the benefits.

    But Concubine Ma did not seem to be that bold! There must be somebody else watching the backyard of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor!

    Since Concubine Mas was so vicious, Ning Xueyan knew it was unnecessary to show any mercy to her. After rebirth, she had always assessed the situation carefully before action. She would never hurt herself and people who cared about her again because of her helping others.

    Although Mother Han did not know what Ning Xueyan meant, she knew her young master had been much smarter than before recently. Since her young master said she would be okay, she believed that nothing bad would happen to her. Then Mother Han left with a nod.

    After supper, Concubine Ma put on coarse clothes and cautiously walked to the door of the kitchen. She got into the prepared barrel and after the barrel was closed from outside, she sat down with a big bag in her arms. She took a sigh of relief and closed her eyes triumphantly, pretending to be asleep.

    The gold in the bag was the payment someone had given to her for making Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan both lose in the fight. She had been surprised that someone was thinking in the same way as she did. Moreover, that person also gave her a sum of money.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that Fifth Young Lady was so cunning. Her servants still found me even though I have hidden in such a concealed ce. Otherwise, I would have gotten more gold!¡± Thinking about this, she looked a little sorry.

 Chapter 221 - Concubine Maâ€™s Death

    <h4>Chapter 221 Concubine Ma¡¯s Death</h4>

    Suddenly, the cart stopped, as if it bumped against something. ¡°Have I reached my destination?¡± Concubine Ma wondered.

    Soon, the barrel began to shake again, as if being lifted by someone. Sensing this, Concubine Ma became more assured. She held her breath in the barrel and did not dare to move at all.

    The barrelnded firmly, as if being ced on a cart. Then the cart was pulled away. At the beginning, the barrel shook a little, but not seriously. Based on the distance they had traveled, Concubine Ma estimated that they had left the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. She felt a little relieved. It was really convenient toe out of the manor at this point!

    After some time, the cart stopped and the barrel was lifted again. Concubine Ma listened carefully, but heard nothing. It seemed everything was extremely quiet outside. Then something very heavy was hung over the barrel and Concubine Ma felt that under the weight of it, the barrel was likely to fall. Before she could do anything, the barrel suddenly rolled out in the air horizontally.

    With a bang, Concubine Ma felt the barrel being thrown into somewhere. The water gushed into the barrel with a ssh and the barrel sunk into the depth of the water rapidly. A barrel should not have sunk at such a speed in water!

    ¡°Heavens!¡± Concubine Ma screamed subconsciously and was about to get out the barrel. She realized that the barrel had been tied with an iron block and thrown into the water.

    The water rushed in and soon the barrel was full. Concubine Ma could not even stand up and she sank rapidly with the barrel. In herst waking moment, she realized that she was going to die. She had never thought that she would die the moment she had just fled the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    If she were given a chance to choose again, she would not ept the gold, and she would not follow the other¡¯s words to frame Ning Xueyan. Then she might not lose her life.

    A woman in white stood by the river, watching the barrel sink with a rxed look. Now there were no more bubbles came out from where the barrel sank. If nobody else had witnessed this, the barrel with an iron block on it and the body of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s concubine might never be found out.

    ¡°What a stupid woman! She even thought about getting the second batch of gold. Now she can only ask the king of the hell for it!¡±

    The woman turned to the road beside her and disappeared soon. Only a middle-aged cart driver was left on the bank. He was in aa beside a cart, on which there were several big barrels.

    After a while, this man woke up. He touched his head, wondering why he had suddenly fainted here. He did not find anything wrong and pulled the cart forward along the river bank. He would reach his destination after crossing one more road.

    A building made of bamboo stood in a bamboo forest. Although it was in winter, it still looked fresh and elegant.

    The woman in white showed up. She walked into the bamboo forest and came over to the building. After going upstairs, she stopped behind a bamboo curtain.

    ¡°Master, it¡¯s done!¡± The woman in white stood there respectful and then bowed to the person in the room, a gentle smile on her beautiful face.

    ¡°Are you sure Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is the one we are looking for?¡± An elegant and alluring man¡¯s voice rang out behind the curtain.

    ¡°Yes. I think she is!¡± the woman answered after a short moment of hesitation.

    ¡°You think? You must make sure of it!¡± With a snort, a powerful energy wrapped in killing intent rushed out and hit the woman. The woman¡¯s feet felt like jelly and she got down to the bamboo floor on one knee with a bang with a trace of blood at the corner of her lips.

    ¡°Got it. I will try my best,¡± she gritted her teeth and answered with difficulty, covering her chest with her hand.

    ¡°Continue to investigate. I don¡¯t want to hear any uncertain answer, and I don¡¯t hope such a thing happen again.¡± The alluring voice became much gentler and sounded so elegant and melodious.

    It was as if he had not been annoyed just now.

    ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll look into the situation thoroughly!¡± the woman answered and nodded hard.

    ¡°You can leave now!¡± The man¡¯s voice became cold again.

    ¡°Yes, master! I¡¯m leaving now.¡± The woman in white sentimentally looked at the tall and straight figure through the bamboo curtain and then staggered downstairs, covering her chest with her hand.

    After a while, a slender hand lifted the bamboo curtain and an extremely beautiful man appeared on the tform of the bamboo building, his bright green clothes fluttering in the wind. He threw the fan in his hand to the air and then caught it again.

    A brilliant and charming smile appeared on his face. However, if people observed carefully, they could tell although he was smiling, he was not pleased.

    Concubine Ma was missing! This time, the maid did not dare to report to anyone without making sure of it, so it was not until noon the next day that the news spread. By that time, Concubine Ma had been missing for the whole night.

    Ning Zu¡¯an asked his men to search every corner of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, but they found neither Concubine Ma nor her body.

    This time, of course, nobody said her missing had something to do with Fifth Young Lady of Bright Frost Garden.

    Third Young Lady had stopped Fifth Young Lady at the gate and used her of trying to help Concubine Ma escape, butter, Concubine Ma was found at Madam Dowager¡¯s courtyard. This news had spread all over the manor.

    Concubine Ma had been at odds with Fifth Young Lady and she had tried to poison Fifth Young Lady before. Therefore, the servants of the manor did not believe that Fifth Young Lady would help Concubine Ma to escape. They thought Third Young Lady must have misunderstood, that was why she had said this.

    Now Concubine Ma disappeared quietly from the manor, and it could not have anything to do with Fifth Young Lady. Fifth Young Lady was still very young and she was so weak. Besides, she seldom went out. How could she make Concubine Ma disappear without arousing attention? Although someone said that Lanning had gone to Concubine Ma¡¯s courtyard yesterday after Fifth Young Lady and Third Young Lady had argued at the gate, someone else proved that Lanning had been there to warn Concubine Ma, because Concubine Ma behaved strangely and she was probably to flee.

    It was Bright Frost Garden¡¯s servant who had found her yesterday!

    Therefore, Concubine Ma was more likely to have escaped by her own.

    Now some sensitive people became suspicious about Third Young Lady. It was obvious that Concubine Ma had tried to escape on her own will. Since she had offended First Madam, and people who knew Madam Ling well could tell that Madam Ling would not let go of Concubine Ma after she was released from the Buddha Hall, it was normal for Concubine Ma to havee up with an idea of escaping.

    But why had Third Young Lady said that Fifth Young Lady had something to do with her escaping? Fifth Young Lady had little contact with Concubine Ma, so it was impossible for her to help thetter to escape. Besides, Third Young Lady¡¯s servant had been very aggressive when she used Fifth Young Lady at the gate, saying that Fifth Young Lady was unfilial and immoral because she was going to help Concubine Ma leave the manor and meet her lover.

    Could Third Young Lady really have something to do with Concubine Ma¡¯s missing? Unlike Fifth Young Lady, Third Young Lady was close with Third Prince. Third Prince was so powerful, so it would be a piece of cake for him to take away a concubine from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    If that was the case, why had she stopped Fifth Young Lady at the gate yesterday?

    It was said that Concubine Ma had been very close with Third Young Lady¡¯s maid, Caifen, recently. They had talked secretly from time to time, as if they were plotting something.

    Under somebody¡¯s deliberate guidance, the servants of the manor gradually associated Concubine Ma¡¯s missing to Ning Qingshan.

    At Lucky Garden...

    Now only Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an were sitting in the room. After serving the tea for them, Mother Qin exited respectfully. She closed the door when she walked out. She did not leave, but still stayed at the door.

    She was smart and she knew that she should not listen to such conversations. Although Madam Dowager did not ask her to leave, she still stepped out consciously.

    She was clear that the more she knew, the sooner she would die.

    ¡°Don¡¯t waste time looking for Concubine Ma any more. She is just a concubine. Give her family some silver and put the matter to rest.¡± Since only the two of them in the room, Madam Dowager put down her teacup and put things straightforward.

    Although Concubine Ma was only a concubine, she was different from those servants bought by the Nings, and the masters of the manor could not end her life at will. Otherwise, if the rumors spread out, it would be very disadvantageous to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. The manor had been in a lot of trouble recently.

    ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. I have given some silver to Concubine Ma¡¯s family and hinted them that Concubine Ma had eloped with another man. Her family members won¡¯te here to make trouble.¡± Ning Zu¡¯an nodded, an angry look crossing his eyes. He had almost forgotten what Concubine Ma had done before, but to his surprise, she escaped from the manor today! Ning Zu¡¯an had asked his men to investigate carefully, and they found out that Concubine Ma actually had an affair with an actor!

    He had been cuckolded for a long time! Thinking about this, Ning Zu¡¯an could not hold back his anger.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be upset about it anymore. After all, she¡¯s just a concubine. I reminded you to be cautious with people from poor families when you were about to bring her in, but you didn¡¯t follow my words and insisted on marrying her as your concubine,¡± Madam Dowager said unpleasantly.

    She had objected to Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s bringing Concubine Ma to the manor, but Ning Zu¡¯an had repeatedly promised that Concubine Ma was a pure woman, and although her family was not rich, her background was clean. But what had she done since she came to the manor? She had tried to poison Yan¡¯er, and she had fought Madam Ling, and now she even escaped! She had brought a lot of trouble to the family!

    ¡°Mother, I know I was wrong, but Madam Ling is really...¡± Ning Zu¡¯an realized that he had made a mistake, so he shifted the topic and tried to talk about something else, but Madam Dowager cut him off impatiently.

    ¡°It¡¯s useless to talk about that now. You should keep our manor in order. What do you think about Shan¡¯er? Yuan¡¯er said that Third Prince was very angry at that point, but he didn¡¯t punish Shan¡¯er and only took away Shan¡¯er¡¯s maid, who had taken all the me for Shan¡¯er.¡±

    Madam Dowager¡¯s brows knitted tightly. She had been trying to avoid talking about that matter. She had strongly opposed to keeping Ning Qingshan in the manor, but Ning Zu¡¯an had insisted on keeping her, so he had adopted Ning Qingshan as his daughter. However, Madam Dowager was still worried that something bad would happen to the manor because of Ning Qingshan. At the thought of this, she had no appetite to eat and could not fell asleep.

    She had a feeling that Ning Qingshan was a hidden trouble, and she would get the whole manor into trouble sooner orter.

    ¡°Mother, calm down. I knew clearly about what happened years ago. We won¡¯t have any trouble because of this child. Since Honored Consort Ya is sincere to have Shan¡¯er her daughter-inw, I can tell she also approved our adoption of Shan¡¯er. Don¡¯t worry about it anymore. Third Prince seemed to be very angry, but in the end, he did nothing to Shan¡¯er.¡±

    Ning Zu¡¯an was also uneasy, but he still tried tofort Madam Dowager.

    ¡°I hope so!¡± Madam Dowager nodded with a heavy heart and let out a long sigh. If Grand Tutor Ya had not asked them for help, she would not have epted Ning Qingshan. No matter how smart and obedient Ning Qingshan was, Madam Dowager would not treat her as her own granddaughter. She decided to unite the imperial family by marrying her own granddaughters to the princes. ¡°Zu¡¯an, do you think that Fourth Prince really has feelings for Yan¡¯er?¡±

 Chapter 222 - Under What Circumstances Is It Advantageous for a Girl to Cancel the Engagement?

    Chapter 222 Under What Circumstances Is It Advantageous for a Girl to Cancel the Engagement?

    ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll inquire Fourth Prince about it at the right time. But since Yan¡¯er¡¯s status is not that high, I¡¯m afraid that Honored Consort Shu wouldn¡¯t let Fourth Prince marry her. No matter how Fourth Prince likes Yan¡¯er, he can¡¯t disobey his mother¡¯s will.¡± Ning Zu¡¯an knew what Madam Dowager was thinking, and he could not help frowning after thinking for a moment.

    The problem was still Ning Xueyan¡¯s identity. As her mother was just a co-wife, she was not worthy of a prince.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so! Madam Ming used to be your principal wife, and she was your first wife, so Yan¡¯er is your principal wife¡¯s daughter, and she is much more distinguished than Ziyan and Yuling!¡± Madam Dowager snorted and defended Ning Xueyan. She seldom spoke for Ning Xueyan.

    No matter how low Ning Xueyan¡¯s status was, for Madam Dowager, she was of noble blood.

    ¡°Mother!¡± Ning Huaiyuan cleared his throat and cut her off awkwardly.

    ¡°Fine! Fine! I won¡¯t bring up the past. Keep an eye on Fourth Prince. If Fourth Prince can¡¯t convince Honored Consort Shu to marry Yan¡¯er as his principal wife, at least he can marry her as his co-consort. After all, Yan¡¯er is Lord Protector¡¯s daughter, so she should be noble enough to be a co-consort of Fourth Prince,¡±

    Madam Dowager said resentfully. She shot a re to Ning Huaiyuan with aplicated expression.

    Ning Zu¡¯an knew that Madam Dowager was ming him for what he had done years ago. He nodded obediently and did not dare to say much fear of upsetting her again. He only promised that he would sound Fourth Prince out.

    They talked for a while before Ning Zu¡¯an stood up and took a leave. After seeing Ning Zu¡¯an off at the courtyard gate, Mother Qin walked back to Lucky Garden.

    Every one of the manor knew that Third Young Lady had stopped Fifth Young Lady at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s gate and argued with her. It seemed she had been trying to frame Fifth Young Lady. Moreover, her servant, Mammy Luo had even discredited Fifth Young Lady. Of course Madam Dowager could not turn a deaf ear to such rumors. She asked people to beat Mammy Luo twenty times with a stick as a warning to others.

    And she also stopped paying for Ning Qingshan¡¯s expenses for three months as punishment.

    The punishment was not serious at all. However, since Ning Qingshan had made so much trouble not long after returning to the manor, the others did not value her as much as they used to. It was quite different from when she had juste back and everyone had praised her.

    Sitting in front of Mammy Luo¡¯s bed, Ning Qingshan clenched her fists and her nails coated with red nail polish deeply embedded in her flesh.

    She had begun to plot everything three years ago, hoping that she would enjoy a higher reputation than three years ago. Thus, the others might ignore the fact that she was only an adopted daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Then she would have a grand wedding with Third Prince and gain both fame and fortune. With this on mind, she had endured the boring and poor life in the nunnery for three years.

    However, to her surprise, after three years, she had not only gotten what she deserved, but even Third Prince began to distance her as well. From the disgust look in his eyes at the manor gate, she could tell that Ao Mingyu had agreed what Ning Xueyan said.

    She could not bear her careful n to be ruined by Ning Xueyan!

    She had always been the object of envy, but since she met Ning Xueyan, she had tasted failure and jealousy.

    Thinking about this, she was both angry and unreconciled.

    She swore that she would never let go of Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Miss, calm down. It¡¯s not easy to deal with Fifth Young Lady. I shouldn¡¯t have been so quick-tempered to argue with her. Look at me now! If not for your sake, Madam Dowager would have beaten me to death.¡± Mammy Luo knew that Ning Qingshan could not swallow the result, so she persuaded her, holding back the sharp pain.

    Mammy Luo had regained reason and she knew that she had been too impulsive yesterday. If she had not been overconfident and argued with Ning Xueyan, she would not have been punished and gotten her master into trouble. It made Mammy Luo realize that Ning Xueyan was difficult to meddle with. If they had a head-on confrontation with Ning Xueyan, her master would suffer a loss.

    Hatred made the blood rush in Ning Qingshan¡¯s chest. ¡°Mammy, don¡¯t worry. I will be very cautious in the future,¡± she gritted her teeth and said slowly.

    She had been too contemptuous of her opponent and acted too recklessly. She had thought that Ning Xueyan would have retreated in the battle, but obviously, she herself was the loser! She had lost Xia¡¯er, and now Mammy Luo was punished. Both of them had been staying with her at the nunnery for three years! Fortunately, Madam Dowager had shown mercy and spared Mammy Luo¡¯s life. Otherwise, nobody would serve her and work for her as wholeheartedly as they had done.

    ¡°Miss, Fourth Young Lady...¡± Mammy Luo hesitated for a while, but still wanted to talk about Fourth Young Lady with Ning Qingshan. She had been quite in favor of taking advantage of Ning Lingyun, but now she thought it was necessary to reconsider it. Otherwise, they might suffer even more.

    ¡°Mammy, leave it to me. Take good care of yourself. After your wound healed up, you can help me again.¡± Ning Qingshan stopped Mammy Luo unpleasantly. Then she stood up and put down her hand. Before Mammy Luo could say anything, she turned to leave with Caifen. Anyway, she would not spare Ning Xueyan.

    Mammy Luo shook her head helplessly and stopped talking.

    Her master was so smart, so she should not have lost to Fifth Young Lady, who was still too young. Mammy Luo felt guilty, because if she had not been too careless, her master would not have been in trouble this time.

    ¡°Caifen, go and visit Fourth Young Lady. Bring her some fruits and tell her that I can¡¯t eat so much, so I would like to share with her. By the way, tell her that Third Prince invited us to visit his suburban courtyard. Fifth Sister and she will go with me tomorrow. She can take anyone she wants with her.¡± After returning to her room and sitting down, Ning Qingshan said with a thoughtful look, pointing at a basket fruit on the table.

    These fruits were very fresh and it was obvious that they had just been picked from the trees. It was not easy to have such fresh fruits in winter. They had been produced from Third Prince¡¯s greenhouse and the yield was not high. After taking away her maid yesterday, Ao Mingyu had specially ordered his servant to bring the basket of fruit to Ning Qingshan.

    It was said that Third Prince¡¯s greenhouse was very famous in the capital. It was located in Third Prince¡¯s suburban courtyard and the fruit and vegetable were fresh even in winter. Third Prince had specially ordered the servant who brought the fruit to Ning Qingshan to tell her about this.

    Caifen immediately understood her master¡¯s intention. ¡°Got it.¡± She nodded and took out several fruits from the basket and put them into a salver. Then she ced the salver into another food basket and walked out.

    Ning Xueyan was reading when someone told her that Concubine Ma was missing. This did not have much to do with her. Concubine Ma had disappeared once yesterday, now she disappeared again! But this time, nobody would think that Ning Xueyan had something to do with this.

    Indeed, she had nothing to do with this in addition to having given Concubine Ma a push.

    Concubine Ma had been too greedy. After reaching an agreement with Ning Xueyan, she had also wanted to set her up. She had known so many secrets, so it was normal that she had been murdered. How miserable! Concubine Ma had thought that she had taken advantage of others and she had never thought she would have lost her life because of this. But she deserved it!

    ¡°Miss, I saw Caifen head for Fourth Young Lady¡¯s courtyard with a basket in her hand. It seemed to be some food in the basket,¡± Qingyu reported, lifting the door curtain anding in. She had gone to send the ount books to Madam Dowager when she suddenly saw Caifen walk toward Ning Lingyun¡¯s ce. Feeling something wrong, she had rushed back to tell Ning Xueyan.

    Many people of the manor said that Caifen had been very close with Concubine Ma recently. However, as Madam Dowager did not arrange for people to investigate Concubine Ma¡¯s disappearance, and she did not even allow anyone to talk about it, so nothing bad had happened to Caifen yet. Qingyu thought that Ning Qingshan was trying to frame Ning Xueyan by making use of Caifen, so she had paid close attention to this maid¡¯s every move.

    ¡°Was she alone when you saw her?¡± Ning Xueyan raised her head and sneered. Ning Qingshan had failed to frame her and now she wanted to make another try. Obviously, she wanted to make use of Ning Lingyun this time. Now Ning Xueyan figured out why Ning Qingshan had been so close with Ning Lingyun when she saw them on the other day. She had already nned to deal with her by that point.

    ¡°What does she want Ning Lingyun to do for her? Why is she so confident that Ning Lingyun will help her?¡± Ning Xueyan wondered.

    ¡°Yes, I only saw her. She looked around while walking toward Fourth Young Lady¡¯s courtyard. Obviously, she visited Fourth Young Lady for some shady business!¡± Qingyu said angrily.

    Ning Xueyan smiled slightly and picked up the book beside her. She nced at the withered leaves of a cluster of ntain outside, her eyes as calm as autumn water. ¡°Qingyu, pay close attention to Fourth Young Lady. Let me know immediately if there¡¯s anything wrong,¡± she said.

    Under Ning Qingshan¡¯s instruction, Ning Lingyun would definitely make a move. From her look on the other day, Ning Xueyan could tell that Ning Lingyun still had feelings for Ao Mingyu. She had looked so affectionate, just like when she had seen Ao Mingyu. When Ao Mingyu had visited the manor some time ago, Ning Lingyun had not shown up in front of him on purpose.

    What had made her be so confident again? She was going to marry Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. Could she still think about to marry someone else?

    It was so interesting!

    Qingyu nodded. But after thinking for a while, she still felt not assured. ¡°Miss, I¡¯m worried that Fourth Young Lady and Senior Concubine Xu will join hands to deal with you! Do you want me to keep an eye on Senior Concubine Xu?¡± she asked.

    Ning Xueyan shook her head with a sneer and answered briefly, ¡°No!¡±

    Senior Concubine Xu was very satisfied with the engagement between Ning Lingyun and Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. If Ning Lingyun changed her mind and wanted to cancel the engagement, she would not dare to tell Senior Concubine Xu. With her characteristics, Ning Lingyun would not let Senior Concubine Xu know until everything had been settled. The person she loved was not Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, Ao Xian, but Third Prince, Ao Mingyu.

    No matter why Ning Lingyun was willing to cooperate with Ning Qingshan to frame Ning Xueyan, this matter would have something to do with Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li.

    But under what circumstances did an engagement cancetion not damage the girl¡¯s reputation?

    Ning Xueyan touched the book page slowly and looked down, a sneer on her lips.

    If Ning Lingyun had agreed to follow Ning Qingshan¡¯s words, she would definitely help her to deal with Ning Xueyan. Ning Lingyun was not that patient, so she would not wait a long time before making a move.

    As Ning Xueyan expected, Ning Lingyun was impatient to wait. When she heard that Ning Qingshan had made a fool of herself at the gate, she had hesitated for some time, but when she saw the fruits Ning Qingshan had sent to her, she immediately made up her mind. It was obvious that Ning Qingshan had tried to frame Ning Xueyan at the manor gate, but no one held her ountable for this matter.

    In addition to the older female servant who had made impertinent remarks had been beaten, nobody had been punished, and even the maid who had just brought the fruits to her was still safe and sound. It must be because Madam Dowager did not want to offend Third Prince. It was not a big deal for Third Prince to make the maid Ning Qingshan¡¯s scapegoat and spare Ning Qingshan easily.

    Since Third Prince did not want to punish Ning Qingshan, of course Madam Dowager did not dare to disobey his will.

    ¡°If I can marry Third Prince in the future, no one of the manor will dare to offend me!¡± Thinking about this, Ning Lingyun¡¯s heart thumped. After sending Caifen away, she asked her personal maid in and whispered in her ear for a while.

    The maid immediately understood her intention with a nod. She left the manor and headed for the Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor under the pretext of buying candied fruit for Ning Lingyun.

    On the other hand, the maids of Bright Frost Garden and Foggy Courtyard rushed back to their courtyards and reported the news to their own masters.

 Chapter 223 - The Similar Clothes

    <h4>Chapter 223 The Simr Clothes</h4>

    ¡°Miss, Fourth Young Lady asked her maid to convey a message to Commandery Prince Li just now,¡± Caifen walked into the room and reported to Ning Qingshan. After bringing the fruits to Ning Lingyun, she had not left but hidden near Ning Lingyun¡¯s courtyard. Seeing Ning Lingyun¡¯s maid leaving in a hurry, she returned to Foggy Courtyard triumphantly.

    Everything was undergoing as her master had expected!

    ¡°Ask that man to wait near Third Prince¡¯s suburban courtyard. I wonder what methods he will use to get my fifth sister¡¯s attention.¡± Ning Qingshan sneered triumphantly. She was patient this time, and she would make Ning Xueyan fall into her trap step by step. Anyway, the idiot, Ning Lingyun, was willing to be taken advantage of by her. Even if it were exposed, nobody would be suspicious about her.

    Qingyu ran into Bright Frost Garden in a hurry and whispered in Ning Xueyan¡¯s ear for a moment.

    Ning Xueyan nodded and put down the book in her hand calmly. She thought for a while and asked Lanning toe in. Since Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li had been engaged to Ning Lingyun, Ning Xueyan paid close attention to the news about Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. Mother Han would also bring her such kind of news from time to time.

    A yboy like Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li had never known what ¡®low-key¡¯ was.

    A piece of sensational news spread in the capital recently. Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li and Ya Changqing had beenpeting for a popr prostitute and they had done all they could to please her.

    It was very attracting news that two noble childes had a crush on the same prostitute, so people in the capital buzzed about it. It was said that Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li lost in thepetition, so this yboy was probably in a bad mood now.

    Mother Han often went out, and she had happened to hear another news about the most popr prostitute.

    Lanning was at Mother Wang¡¯s room following Ning Xueyan¡¯s order. When she heard that Ning Xueyan was asking her toe back, she immediately said good-bye to Mother Wang and walked to Ning Xueyan¡¯s room with Qingyu.

    ¡°Lanning, was there a rumor in the capital that Ning Qingshan was both beautiful and talented, as well as extremely filial and loyal?¡± Ning Xueyan asked casually. She stirred some powder with her fingers while ncing at the book page.

    She had just concocted the fragrant powder as per the form, but she was not sure if it was as same as it should be. She wanted Aunt Xiang to have a look, but Aunt Xiang was at the imperial pce, it was not easy to meet her.

    ¡°Yes. Such rumors had spread for a long time. But since a chain of events had happened after her return, people¡¯s praise for Third Young Lady dwindled.¡± Lanning nodded.

    ¡°Has Ao Xian ever seen her before?¡± Ning Xueyan raised her jet-ck eyes and asked in a soft voice.

    ¡°Never. Third Young Lady is so proud, so it¡¯s impossible for her to offer to meet people like Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li.¡± Even Lanning could tell that Ning Qingshan was a proud person, so of course, Ning Qingshan would not have any feelings for Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, the yboy!

    Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li was also from a noble family, but he had never seen Ning Qingshan. That meant very few people had seen Ning Qingshan.

    That meant very few people were familiar with Ning Qingshan!

    ¡°Third Young Lady¡¯s clothes should be very in when she was at the nunnery. Find a dress for me from my former clothes. I¡¯m going to wear it tomorrow,¡± Ning Xueyan suddenly shifted the topic and said with a smile.

    Ning Qingshan was a person for fame. Life of the nunnery should be poor, so it was normal to wear in clothes there. But after all, Ning Qingshan was a Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she would not have worn clothes made of coarse cloth. Therefore, the clothes she had worn at the nunnery were all made of the most ordinary brocade, even though they were not much better than coarse cloth.

    Thus, she would not have looked too shabby and people would think that she was sincere to meditate.

    It was coincident that Ning Xueyan had had no good-quality brocade either before. Madam Ling had sent some brocade to her, but the brocade was themonest, no better than coarse cloth. So the quality of the brocade was as same as Ning Qingshan¡¯s.

    When Ning Qingshan was at the nunnery, she could not wear bright-colored dresses. Madam Ling had never had people to make any clothes with cheerful color for Ning Xueyan. Therefore, except for the style, the clothes Ning Qingshan had worn was almost as same as those of Ning Xueyan¡¯s. Of course, it was possible that they both had clothes in the same style.

    ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll arrange for it right now.¡± Lanning did not know what Ning Xueyan was going to do, but she still nodded. She trusted Ning Xueyan from the bottom of her heart. Her master must have her reasons for asking her to do it.

    After Lanning left, Ning Xueyan asked Xinmei toe in and said something to her. Then Xinmei turned to leave.

    Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, Ao Xian, was very upset recently. Why? It was quite simple¡ªthe most popr prostitute he liked had been taken away by someone else. And that person was no other than Ya Changqing, Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s grandson!

    Ao Xian would not have given in so easily and he would have gotten into a fight if that person was not Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s grandson. Now he could not do this, because he did not dare to offend Ya Changqing.

    Commandery Prince Li was only an ordinary imperial family member without so muchpetence, while Grand Tutor Ya was really powerful. His daughter was an honored consort of the emperor and his grandson was Third Prince, who was thought highly of by the emperor. Ao Xian was a yboy, but he was not stupid. He knew that he would not have any chance to win if there was a battle between Ya Changqing and him.

    But he did not want to give in like this watching such a beautiful woman fall into Ya Changqing¡¯s hand.

    After returning to his manor, he began to walk around in his study room without even having lunch, wondering how to rob that beautifuldy back from Ya Changqing¡¯s hand. He suddenly saw his personal servant from the door, who was obvious watching him, when he was distracted.

    He flew into a rage and picked up a vase near him before throwing it to the door. ¡°You bastard, what are you doing?¡± he shouted angrily.

    Seeing the vase flying toward him, the young male servant shrank his neck and avoided it. He walked over in a hurry and knelt in front of his master. ¡°Princely Heir, Fourth Young Lady¡¯s maid from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is waiting outside. She said she had something to tell you,¡± the servant said anxiously.

    He knew his master was in a bad mood now, so he did not dare to say irrelevant words. He had been reluctant to report to Princely Heir about the maid¡¯s visiting, but since she was the personal maid of Princely Heir¡¯s future wife, he did not dare to offend her, so he had toe over to check if Ao Xian felt better now. However, to his surprise, Ao Xian had lost his temper at the sight of him at the door.

    ¡°Ning Lingyun¡¯s maid?¡±

    ¡°Bring her in.¡± Although Ao Xian was in a bad mood, he took Ning Lingyun¡¯s business seriously. A woman as gentle and generous as Ning Lingyun would be the most suitable to be his principal wife, because such a woman would not ill-treat his concubines in the future. Besides, their families were equal in social status.

    If he had followed his grandmother¡¯s words and chosen a shrew to be his wife, those beautifuldies of his backyard could not survive!

    That was one of the important reasons why he had chosen Ning Lingyun, instead of Ning Yuling.

    Since Ning Lingyun was only a concubine¡¯s daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, even Ao Xian messed about with other women, she would not dare to say anything. That would be a great thing for Ao Xian. Besides, Ning Lingyun was delicate and charming, so Ao Xian really liked her from the bottom of his heart.

    ¡°Got it. I¡¯m bringing her in right now.¡± Since Ao Xian did not curse him anymore, the young male servant took a sigh of relief. He wiped the sweat off his forehead, stood up, and walked out.

    The next day, Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li paid a visit to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, and it was a coincidence that Third Prince came as well. After Third Prince had just entered the room, Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li arrived. If Ao Mingyu did not know that he had not made an appointment with Ao Xian, he would have thought that they had agreed toe here together.

    Ao Xian knew that he was incapable, but he knew how to curry favor with others. After getting the news from Ning Lingyun¡¯s maid that Ao Mingyu had invited her and her sisters to go to his suburban courtyard, he came to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor the next day without any hesitation. Third Prince and Fourth Prince had not shown much interest in talking to him when they met before. Although they were polite to him, he knew that these two princes looked down upon him.

    Therefore, he was very grateful to Ning Lingyun for informing him about the news and letting him have an opportunity to get close to Third Prince. He was more certain that it was the most correct decision he had made to marry Ning Lingyun.

    Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li and Third Prince were very polite to each other.

    Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li had been engaged to Fourth Young Lady. Although Third Prince had not been engaged yet, everyone knew that he was very close to Third Young Lady.

    Third Prince came to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to invite the Young Ladies to visit his suburban courtyard. It was said that he mainly wanted them to have a look at his greenhouse there. The quality of the fruit produced from the greenhouse was high and was well-known in the capital. Besides, the close rtionship between Ning Qingshan and him made the invitation reasonable.

    Moreover, in addition to Ning Qingshan, he also invited several other Young Ladies, Ning Huaiyuan, and Ao Xian, the one who had happened toe here with him.

    As soon as Third Prince put forward the proposal, Madam Dowager immediately agreed. She was eager to have her granddaughters to get in touch with the imperial members. Although Ning Lingyun had already been engaged, it would be good for her to keep a friendly rtionship with Third Prince.

    After freshening themselves up, Ning Qingshan, Ning Lingyun and Ning Xueyan got in the carriage waiting outside. Third Prince had specially prepared the luxurious carriage for the three girls.

    The carriage was very spacious inside. The three Young Ladies each brought a maid with them. After sitting down, it was still not crowded at all.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, it was all my fault yesterday. I really thought that the maid was Concubine Ma!¡± As soon as they sat down, Ning Qingshan apologized to Ning Xueyan sincerely, her delicate face looking sad.

    She was in an unremarkable and in dress and there were no ornaments in her hair, but it made her look more delicate and gentle. Compared to Ning Lingyun, who was in gorgeous clothes, she looked fresher and more elegant. So obviously, she was more charming than Ning Lingyun.

    She had chosen such attire on purpose. What had happened yesterday had aroused Ao Mingyu¡¯s suspicion, so she decided to keep a low profile in her dress today to show Ao Mingyu how gentle and low-key she was. Then he might regain his confidence in her and believed that she had just fallen into a trap by ident instead of framing Ning Xueyan on purpose.

    But Ning Qingshan had never thought that it was not for this reason that Ao Mingyu had suspected her. In fact, Ao Mingyu suspected that she was Ao Chenyi¡¯s favorite concubine. Plus the jade pendant from the previous dynasty and Ning Xueyan¡¯s deliberate guidance, now Ao Mingyu was full of doubts about Ning Qingshan. He knew that she was unlikely to be that person, but like the poisonous weeds, the suspicion grew in his heart crazily.

    He had invited them to his suburban courtyard because he wanted to test Ning Qingshan.

    Ning Qingshan was not aware of this at all. She deliberately dressed as she had done at the nunnery. On the one hand, she wanted Third Prince to know that she was a person of few desires, so she would never harm anyone on purpose. On the other hand, she knew that she looked both charming and delicate in such attire, and Third Prince would definitely be fascinated by her again.

    But she was surprised that Ning Xueyan¡¯s clothes were so simr to hers that she almost thought that Ning Xueyan was wearing her clothes!

 Chapter 224 - They All Have an Ulterior Object in View

    <h4>Chapter 224 They All Have an Ulterior Object in View</h4>

    In in clothes, Ning Xueyan¡¯s face looked much paler than Ning Qingshan¡¯s, and it made her jet-ck eyes even more clear and dark under her trembling, long eyshes. Her paleness reminded people of purity and niceness and her aloof temperament made her more like a fairy.

    Compared to Ning Qingshan, she was more like to arouse Third Prince¡¯s attention. Ning Qingshan had been sensitively aware that Ao Mingyu had looked at Ning Xueyan more than once before they got into the carriage.

    It made jealousy spread in Ning Qingshan¡¯s mind, like a frantic viper.

    Holding back her anger and gritting her teeth, she squeezed out a smile and talked to Ning Xueyan. She reminded herself to be patient. She would watch Ning Xueyan step by step into the abyss. She had many opportunities to corner Ning Xueyan and she would watch her struggling in the trap and being tortured!

    ¡°Third Sister, it doesn¡¯t matter. Let¡¯s bygones be bygones. Since so many people had been there, they could prove my innocence. Third Prince specially asked me about it, so obviously, all the others trust me.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled slightly. Her faint smile meant that she did not care about what had happened, but her words did not sound friendly.

    If everyone believed that Ning Xueyan was innocent, Ning Qingshan, who had been criticizing her could not be innocent. What was more, Ning Xueyan mentioned Third Prince. Ning Qingshan¡¯s smile almost froze and her eyes shed with anger. She clenched her fists more firmly and her sharp nails almost embedded into her palms.

    ¡°She is challenging me!¡±

    She was surprised that Ning Xueyan dared to challenge her to her face. They were all smart, so they knew what each other was hinting although they did not say it.

    Ning Qingshan knew that she should not lose temper and argue with Ning Xueyan at the moment. Otherwise, the others would know they quarrel again for what had happened from the manor gate yesterday. And it would set off another round of debate. She would be utterly defeated. Besides, due to Mammy Luo¡¯s eagerness, Ning Qingshan¡¯s intention had been exposed yesterday.

    In order to prove that she was innocent, she must maintain sisterhood with Ning Xueyan and made the others think that they were getting on well with each other. Moreover, she had her n. Once something bad happened to Ning Xueyan a momentter, the others would be suspicious about her!

    Ning Lingyun felt something wrong as well. After looking at Ning Qingshan¡¯s frozen face, and then at Ning Xueyan¡¯s rxed expression, she lowered her head cautiously. She had an ulterior object in view, so she did not dare to say much. She worried that if she said something wrong, Ning Xueyan would see through their plot. She had suffered a lot because of Ning Xueyan, so she was more cautious, trying to avoid Ning Xueyan¡¯s attention.

    She blinked at her maid by her side. The maid nodded slightly.

    Theymunicated with each other quietly without making any noise, sitting in the utmost corner of the carriage. It seemed that she knew well that she was a concubine¡¯s daughter and did not dare to make a little noise in the battle between two principal wife¡¯s daughters. Although she was well dressed today, she could not bepared with the other two Young Ladies at all in terms of aura.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, are you ming me? It seems you still don¡¯t believe me,¡± Ning Qingshan said after hesitating for a while, looking a little annoyed. She knew she could not confront Ning Xueyan to the face, but it would not work to show her kindness all the time. Besides, it might make Ning Xueyan think that she was too weak.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, you can put it straightforward if you¡¯re still mad of me. It¡¯s unnecessary to hide it. I¡¯m not good at reading heart, so I¡¯m afraid that I will mistake your annoyance for your forgiveness of me.¡±

    Ning Qingshan spoke loudly with a trace of anger on her face, trying to show that she was really angry. Ning Lingyun moved a little inside, as if she was too timid to do anything, trying to make everyone ignore her existence.

    ¡°Third Sister, why are you so angry? I was almost cornered yesterday. Fortunately, the injustice was redressed. Third Sister, aren¡¯t you feeling happy for me?¡± Ning Xueyan asked back calmly with a faint smile.

    ¡°The injustice was redressed? I¡¯m not happy about this?¡± Each word seemed to hit home. Ning Qingshan had not thought that Ning Xueyan dared to repeatedly challenge her. She felt that she could no longer pretend.

    She had deliberately spoken loudly, trying to make Ning Xueyan lower her voice consciously and stop arguing with her. After all, Third Prince was outside.

    To her surprise, Ning Xueyan had the guts to argue with her loudly. It seemed she did not worry about their conversation to be overheard. ¡°She spoke even louder than I did!¡± Being resentful, Ning Qingshan sneered and was about to shoot back.

    Suddenly, with a knock on the carriage, Ao Mingyu¡¯s voice rang out clearly, ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Nothing! We¡¯re talking about what happened yesterday. I misunderstood Fifth Sister, so I¡¯m apologizing to her.¡± Hearing that, Ning Qingshan exined to Ao Mingyu gently. She immediately held back her anger and put on a smile.

    She had to maintain her gentle and virtuous look in front of Third Prince, and she would never let Ning Xueyan ruin her image.

    She decided to make a concession and give Ning Xueyan the upper hand for the moment. But someday in the future, she would let Ning Xueyan kneel to her and plead her for forgiveness. At that point, Ning Xueyan would no longer dare to contradict her!

    Hearing her exnation, Ao Mingyu looked at the carriage thoughtfully and said nothing. He then mounted his horse and rode on.

    ¡°Third Prince, the girl who was speaking is Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. It¡¯s said Third Young Lady was both filial and loyal. I have never thought that she was such a beautifuldy. Third Prince, you¡¯re really lucky!¡± Ao Xian rode forward with Ao Mingyu on a horse. Following Ning Lingyun¡¯s suggestion, he hade to curry favor with Ao Mingyu. He remembered the rumors about Third Young Lady and Ao Mingyu. And Ao Mingyu specially invited the three Young Ladies of the Ning Manor to visit his greenhouses.

    It seemed that what the rumors said was true. So he immediately came over and praised Ning Qingshan in front of Ao Mingyu.

    He had not seen Ning Qingshan¡¯s face clearly at all, but it would not prevent him from ttering Ao Mingyu.

    Hearing that, Ao Mingyu did not seem to be very happy. He looked at Ao Xian coolly and said, ¡°Princely Heir, you spoke too highly of Third Young Lady!¡±

    With that, he spurred the horse slightly and the horse immediately rushed forward. It seemed he did not want to talk to anybody.

    It was true that Ao Mingyu was not in the mood for conversation. He had never objected to having Ning Qingshan be his principal wife. Whenever he thought of the moment Ning Qingshan had saved his life three years ago, he reminded himself not to let her down. In the past three years, he had visited the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor each year. On the one hand, he had paid the visits following Honored Consort Ya¡¯s words. On the other hand, he had really wanted to see her.

    The gentle, generous girl used to be his sweetest memory.

    But now, she had changed so much! Or maybe in the past three years, she had gotten in touch with Ao Chenyi. After thinking it over, he even suspected that she might have approached him under Ao Chenyi¡¯smand. Otherwise, why had she happened to be injured in the same position as Ao Chenyi¡¯s favorite concubine¡¯s? Besides, she had been trying to hide her wound from the others.

    Ning Qingshan had gotten involved in a chain of events after her return. She had been trying to frame her younger sister. Could this vicious woman still the gentle girl three years ago?

    If it were not for scruples, he would have taken Ning Qingshan away with the maid at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s gate. His principal wife should be both generous and gentle. Obviously, a vicious woman like Ning Qingshan was not suitable for this role.

    But for the moment, not only could he not do that, he had to protect her. He could not let the others know that she had such a jade pendant. At the thought of the jade pendant, Ao Mingyu was so angry that he could not help gritting his teeth. How could she expose the jade pendant so casually? Wasn¡¯t she afraid that the others would investigate her origin? In fact, Ao Mingyu did not believe that Ning Qingshan had such an identity, because it was impossible!

    But if it was possible, maybe he would benefit from it.

    He must keep the secret.

    Being snubbed and knowing that Ao Mingyu did not want to talk, Ao Xian stopped talking awkwardly. He did not dare to chase Ao Mingyu, but followed behind him with Ning Huaiyuan. Led by Ao Mingyu, the team left the city.

    After leaving the city, they passed several turnings and arrived at their destination. Ao Mingyu jumped off the horse first and threw the rein to a servant walking over to him.

    ¡°Third Prince, we have been waiting here for a long time. Why are you sote?¡± One of the two people waiting at the gate was Wen Xueran! The enchanting and beautiful man walked over to greet Third Prince, ying with the fan he had taken with him all the time.

    ¡°Xueran, you have been here for a long time?¡± Ao Mingyu asked politely with a smile.

    ¡°Not too long. I looked for some time and found my way here. Third Prince, there are so many greenhouses in your courtyard. I have walked in the greenhouses just now and found both the fruit and the vegetable were very fresh. I also have a courtyard near here. I will follow your suit and build up some greenhouses there,¡± Wen Xueran said casually, an extremely charming smile on his face, as beautiful as a woman¡¯s.

    ¡°Good. Ask your men here next time. I will ask the steward here to teach them,¡± Ao Mingyu answered friendly.

    ¡°Greetings, Third Prince!¡± Another gentle and elegant young childe came over and greeted Ao Mingyu. Ao Mingyu nodded to him.

    When they were talking, the carriage arrived as well. The sisters of the Nings got out the carriage in order and walked into the courtyard with the support of their maids.

    Ao Mingyu led the way. It was his courtyard, and he was the host, so of course, he should show his guest the way. Ning Qingshan took several steps forward and caught up with him. She walked side by side with him, as if she were the hostess of the courtyard, Ao Mingyu was a little unsatisfied, but when he saw the in and clean clothes she wore, a gentle look crossed his eyes. He did not say anything, but let her walk next to him.

    Ao Xian, Ning Huaiyuan and Wen Xueran walked behind them. Since they were all noble childes at a simr age, they had a lot to talk about.

    Ning Xueyan and Ning Lingyun walked behind the three noble childes with their maids.

    The man who walked atst in the line was another guest of Third Prince, a delicate and elegant young man. He was distinguished in a manor. When he saw Ning Xueyan passing him by, he bowed to her with a smile. His natural and calm behavior made him like a gentleman, and people could not help being impressed by him. Even Ning Lingyun had given him a few more nces.

    But when Ning Xueyan saw his face, she froze for a short moment. The look in her eyes became icy. What a coincidence!

    Sometimes, what had happened in herst and current lives made Ning Xueyan feel like she was in a dream. She knew this man because of his special identity.

 Chapter 225 - The Noble Childe Xia Yudong

    <h4>Chapter 225 The Noble Childe Xia Yudong</h4>

    Xia Yudong was Xia Yuhang¡¯s younger brother. He was a concubine¡¯s son and it was said that he was very talented.

    Unfortunately, even if Xia Yudong was more talented than average concubines¡¯ sons, he could not bepared with Xia Yuhang, who was so brilliant. Therefore, Xia Yudong had been keeping a low key. Among the noble childes, he enjoyed a good reputation, and even better than the children of some other noble families¡¯ principal wives.

    But what kind of person he was actually?

    In herst life, Ning Ziying had paid a secret visit to the Xia Manor for Xia Yuhang. It had happened that Xia Yuhang was not there, so she had hung out in the courtyard. Later, she had fallen asleep leaning against the swing frame. When she woke up, everything had been very quiet, and she had vaguely heard someone plotting. To her surprise, the one who had been speaking was Xia Yudong!

    He talked about a noble Young Lady. It seemed that he had wanted to force that Young Lady to marry him so that he would get help from her family for his career. Ning Ziying had been so scared that she had not dared to make any noise. She had heard all the details of Xia Yudong¡¯s n. If he had seeded, the Young Lady would definitely die after marrying him.

    As this matter was associated with the Xia Manor, Ning Xueyan had not dared to tell Xia Yuhang. After returning to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she had be more worried at the thought of it. Later, she had written a letter and asked Mother Wang to bring it to that noble Young Lady, reminding her to watch out for Xia Yudong. She had not let Mother Wang tell that Young Lady who she was. After that, she had cautiously inquired about the news about that Young Lady and found that nothing bad had happened to her.

    It was obvious that Xia Yudong had failed to have that Young Lady marry him.

    Ning Xueyan was surprised that she would have met Xia Yudong at Ao Mingyu¡¯s suburban courtyard, whose reputation was still very ¡®good¡¯.

    When Ning Qingshan passed by Xia Yudong just now, although they had only nced at each other quickly, Ning Xueyan still noticed that they were making eye contact. It was abnormal that Ning Qingshan had bowed back to him. Being proud, she had never been so polite to anyone whose status was inferior to her. Besides, they had sent information through the eyes. Ning Xueyan had been observing their every move, so although they had parted after exchanging a salute, she had found something wrong.

    It seemed that Xia Yudong had something to do with Ning Qingshan!

    It was easy for an elegant and talented gentleman with good fame to win girls¡¯ hearts. Xia Yudong seemed to have realized it. His in white clothes were not gorgeous but still made him elegant and distinguished. In front of Third Prince, who had a powerful aura, he did not look humble, and it seemed that he was a man of great character.

    In other girls¡¯ eyes, he was an ideal husband candidate, but unfortunately, Ning Xueyan seemed to have seen blood on his graceful, white clothes!

    Xia Yudong and Xia Yuhang did things in the same way. It seemed that he had been copying Xia Yuhang. If he was maturer and more skillful, he would be another Xia Yuhang. They both were ambitious and could do anything for interests, even murdering.

    Ning Xueyan would never forgive Xia Yuhang!

    A bloodthirsty look appeared in her grim eyes. She lowered her head slowly and did not look at Xia Yudong again.

    Ning Qingshan happened to turn her head and see the scene. A trace of a triumphant smile appeared on her face. Ning Xueyan had given him a second look. It meant that she was impressed with Xia Yudong. But it was normal. He was both gentle and elegant, as well as modest and calm. No girl could resist his charm. Next, he would make a further move to attract Ning Xueyan¡¯s attention.

    She shifted her smiling eyes from Ning Xueyan to Ning Lingyun. If Ning Lingyun could set Ning Xueyan up with a move, she would watch the wonderful show without doing anything. If Ning Lingyun failed, she had to rely on Xia Yudong to deal with Ning Xueyan. It seemed that Xia Yudong had seeded in getting Ning Xueyan¡¯s attention. She was confident that after further inducement, Xia Yudong would definitely win Ning Xueyan¡¯s heart.

    No matter how capable Ning Xueyan was, she was only a girl who seldom came out of the manor. Although Xia Yudong¡¯s status did not match hers, if Ning Xueyan was fascinated by him, she would not mind he was just a concubine¡¯s son, regardless of the fact that she was a principal wife¡¯s daughter of Lord Protector. With Xia Yudong¡¯s character, if Ning Qingshan required, he would give Ning Xueyan away to another man for his own interests.

    Then Ning Qingshan would be the owner of Ning Xueyan¡¯s fate!

    ¡°Ning Xueyan, you have been fighting me. I will let you feel regret to be born in the world!¡±

    She was very patient this time. She would watch Ning Xueyan being tortured before death.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, what are you thinking?¡± Ning Lingyun was impressed with Xia Yudong as well. She shifted her eyes from Xia Yudong to Ning Xueyan, who was in a trance, and asked with a smile.

    ¡°Nothing!¡± Ning Xueyan came back to herself and answered coolly.

    Then she walked inside a greenhouse with Ning Lingyun. Xia Yudong followed two or three steps behind them politely, like a graceful noble childe. He looked natural and mild.

    After enjoying a number of greenhouses in the courtyard, they arrived at the biggest one.

    This greenhouse almost upied half of the courtyard with all kinds of precious flowers and grasses inside. It was winter and the ground was covered with a carpet of snow, but in the greenhouse, it was as warm as spring. The blooming flowers sent out the overwhelming aroma, made people feel refreshing. Since it was very spacious inside, they scattered to enjoy the beautiful scenery.

    Compared to the greenhouses which covered a small piece ofnd in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, these ones were too big!

    Looking from a distance, everyone seemed to be drowning in the sea of flowers. They all looked happy to visit such a wonderful ce in winter.

    Now there was nobody else except for Xinmei around Ning Xueyan. They walked among flower clusters and stopped from time to time to enjoy them.

    Nobody had noticed that they were quietly walking toward the side of the greenhouse. There were not only small potted flowers in the greenhouse, but also some big flower trees and even some peach and pear trees, which could block people¡¯s vision.

    It was said that Third Prince¡¯s greenhouses in his suburban courtyard were very famous, and they covered more areas than any other greenhouses in the capital. The corners of the greenhouses were next to the wall, and sometimes, Third Prince would open the door of the corner and let the average peoplee in to enjoy the beautiful scenery in the greenhouses. It gained him a good reputation among themon people.

    ¡°Has he arrived?¡± Ning Xueyan asked gently in a low voice, pretending that she was smelling a flower.

    ¡°Yes. He is outside now. Do you want me to bring him here?¡± Xinmei said in a low voice. She had had a look just now and seen that person right outside the wall.

    ¡°No, let¡¯s wait for some time. We can bring him in after lunch.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded with a slight smile, a coldness in her moisture eyes under her feather-like eyshes.

    There were so many people in the greenhouse now. Although it was spacious inside and they could not see each other for the moment, if something unusual happened, it would definitely arouse other¡¯s attention. So neither Ning Lingyun nor Ning Qingshan would make a move here.

    The wolf has a winning game when the shepherds quarrel!

    Nobody knew who wouldughst.

    Xinmei nodded. Ning Xueyan had brought her here because Xinmei was a martial art practitioner. With more sensitive eyes and ears thanmon people, she was able to be aware of changes around in time. Of course, Xinmei did not dare to show that she was a martial art practitioner, because Ao Mingyu must have some martial art masters around him, and if they found out that Xinmei was different from ordinary people, Ao Mingyu would be suspicious about Ning Xueyan.

    Fortunately, there was no need for Xinmei to use her martial art. It would be enough that she was more sensible visually and auditorily than average maids.

    They enjoyed the flowers while walking forward. Suddenly, Xinmei pulled Ning Xueyan¡¯s sleeve and gestured her to stop. She listened carefully for a moment and whispered in Ning Xueyan¡¯s ear, ¡°Miss, someone ising. Don¡¯t move!¡±

    They were under a tall flower tree now. The extremely beautiful flowers on the tree were in full bloom and happened to block people¡¯s vision. Ning Xueyan listened carefully and heard the footsteps sounding from the distance. It seemed there were two people, one was light, and another one was heavy; one was walking slowly with long strides, and another one was walking fast with short strides.

    ¡°Ao Mingyu and Ning Qingshan?¡± Ning Xueyan leaned against the flower tree, and her breath became a little slow. Ao Mingyu and Ning Qingshan could be regarded as the hosts of the party. Instead of staying in the center of the greenhouse, they hade to the side. It was obvious that they had something secret to talk about, so they tried to avoid the others on purpose.

    It was indeed Ao Mingyu and Ning Qingshan thating over. Ao Mingyu was walking ahead with Ning Qingshan behind him. Thankfully, Ao Mingyu did not walk too fast. Otherwise, Ning Qingshan could not catch up with him.

    ¡°Third Young Lady, how did you get injured at the imperial pce?¡± Ao Mingyu did not hide his intention and put it straight forward. Stopping under a tree, he looked at Ning Qingshan with an elegant smile on his face, his eyes full of concern, as if she cared about Ning Qingshan¡¯s injury from the bottom of his heart.

    But as far as Ning Qingshan was concerned, it was a disgraceful thing and she had been trying to hide her wound. She froze for a while after hearing what Ao Mingyu said and then she blushed shyly. But at the thought of the ugly scar on her shoulder, the sweetness turned to bitterness. She had wanted to tell him about this after the scar disappeared, but the scar had opened repeatedly, so it was impossible for her to hide it from Third Prince if she married him.

    Gritting her teeth, she looked up with reddish eyes. ¡°Third Prince, I was so scared at the... imperial pce. That assassin stabbed me with his sword, and then I fell to the ground. Because I was too scared and panic, I... didn¡¯t notice my shoulder injury. That¡¯s why I haven¡¯t told anyone about it.¡±

    Since she had hidden her shoulder wound from people at the imperial pce, she could not tell anybody that she had known it at the imperial pce. Otherwise, she would havemitted the crime of deceiving the emperor, and she could not afford it. So she was very cautious even when she was talking to Third Prince about it.

    ¡°Too scared and panic?¡± A mocking look appeared in Ao Mingyu¡¯s eyes. What kind of thing would have made her forget her shoulder wound? Her foot injury was much less serious, but why hadn¡¯t she forgotten it? Obviously, she was hiding her shoulder injury on purpose!

    ¡°Cousin Qingshan, you¡¯re my cousin by blood. We will rise and fall together so that you can tell me everything. After all, we¡¯re from the same family.¡± Ao Mingyuforted Ning Qingshan in a soft voice, hiding the sarcasm in the depth of his eyes. Honored Consort Ya had strictly forbidden them to call each other ¡®cousin¡¯, even privately, but it sounded more intimate.

    ¡°The same family? Is Third Prince hinting that he will definitely marry me?¡±

    Thinking about this, Ning Qingshan¡¯s heart thumped. She grabbed Ao Mingyu by the hand subconsciously. She was so moved that her eyes turned red. ¡°Cousin Mingyu, I... I will. Since we will definitely be a family, I won¡¯t keep anything from you,¡± she said emotionally.

    Ning Qingshan thought that Ao Mingyu was confessing his love for her, so she was both excited and shyly.

    ¡°I¡¯m still the only woman Cousin Mingyu loved.¡± After three years, it was the first time for Third Prince to confess to her, so Ning Qingshan was both surprised and overjoyed.

    ¡°In Cousin Mingyu¡¯s eyes, Ning Xueyan is nothing at all. It¡¯s useless for her to be coquettish in front of Cousin Mingyu. Third Prince only loves me!¡±

    However, what Ao Mingyu said next made her shyly pink face immediately turned pale.

 Chapter 226 - The Close Cousins

    <h4>Chapter 226 The Close Cousins</h4>

    ¡°You have just returned to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, so you should try to please Madam Dowager and the marquis, and get them on your side. Don¡¯t make unnecessary mistakes and stir up trouble. It will ruin your good reputation.¡±

    Ao Mingyu seemed very mild as he spoke to her. He lowered his head and looked at Ning Qingshan with deep affection in his eyes.

    But Ning Qingshan was sensitive to his mood, and she could tell that he was displeased and was trying to hold back his anger. After thinking it over, she guessed that Third Prince knew that she was plotting against Ning Xueyan secretly. Her face suddenly turned pale.

    ¡°Third Prince, I, I¡¯m not fighting her on purpose, but she is trying to frame me!¡± With trembling lips, Ning Qingshan raised her head and said this, appearing very aggrieved. She was so anxious that she seemed about to cry. She appeared a little surprised and scared, but it was all an act. It made people feel that she was really wronged, and could not bear to talk about her grievance.

    ¡°I know you are a nice girl and won¡¯t set people up.¡± Ao Mingyuforted her in a soft voice, with a gentle look in his eyes.

    Ao Mingyu¡¯s trust in her made Ning Qingshan feel especially happy. The grievance in her eyes was reced by pleasant surprise. At that very moment, a tear dropped from her fair face. ¡°Third Prince, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t fight Fifth Sister, and she can do everything she wants, even if... she... is thinking about marrying you!¡±

    With that, tears streamed down her cheeks. Ning Qingshan immediately lowered her head, as if she did not want Ao Mingyu to see her tearful face. She sniffed and wiped her face with a handkerchief. When she raised her head again, she managed to smile, which made her look both gentle and elegant. ¡°Sorry, Third Prince. I shouldn¡¯t have said that.¡±

    Ning Xueyan heard every word clearly from where she was, hidden behind the flower tree. Her lips turned pale. She touched the calyx of a flower with her fingers, quietly.

    Ning Qingshan was really good at acting. She had pretended to be sad and shifted all the me on Ning Xueyan for what had happened recently. She even managed to find an excuse for herself¡ªNing Xueyan had been trying to set up her, because she had feelings for Ao Mingyu. After all, Ning Qingshan was most likely to be Third Prince¡¯s principal wife.

    On the other hand, Ning Qingshan also wanted to test Ao Mingyu.

    ¡°Come on! Don¡¯t be sad. I don¡¯t care what she is thinking about. I only care about you.¡± Ao Mingyuforted Ning Qingshan with a calm look, wiping the tears gently from her eyes.

    That was what Ning Qingshan wanted to hear. She felt relieved. Because of Ao Mingyu¡¯s intimate act, she looked a little shy. ¡°Third Prince, I understand. I will try to avoid attracting any attention from Fifth Sister. Then she will not have any excuse to frame me.¡±

    She was showing that she was not stupid, and she would get on well with Ning Xueyan. If she was found to be associated with something in the future, she could exin to the others with what she had said just now¡ªshe did that because she did not want to get Ao Mingyu in trouble.

    Ning Qingshan was clear that Ao Mingyu¡¯s women should never be stupid.

    With a calm expression, Ao Mingyu looked at Ning Qingshan thoughtfully, then walked forward with his hands sped behind his back. Nobody knew what he was thinking about. Ning Qingshan walked slowly and caught up with him. Looking at them through the gap between the branches, Ning Xueyan had to admit that the handsome man and the beautiful woman were really a good match!

    Ning Xueyan reached out and picked a flower from the tree, with her slender fingers. Winding the petals around her fingers, her pale lips curved into meaningful smile. As she had thought, Ning Qingshan would not miss any chance to frame her!

    ¡°Am I¡¯m fighting her because I have feelings for Ao Mingyu? She is really imaginative and shameless!¡±

    Third Prince was a thoughtful person, so he had not shown his feelings on his face just now. If it was only a fight between girls, Ao Mingyu would not pay any attention to it, but now what Ning Qingshan had done seemed to have something to do with his strongest opponent, Prince Yi, Ao Chenyi, so Ao Mingyu had to be more cautious. Ning Qingshan thought that she had exined everything perfectly, but she had not realized that it had made her seem even more suspect.

    But it seemed Ao Mingyu¡¯s attitude was also doubtful. With his character, he should not have to repeatedly put up with Ning Qingshan, unless Ning Qingshan was very valuable to him, and because of her value, he would not show his suspicions about her. What was Ning Qingshan worth to Ao Mingyu and made him help her, despite his suspicions?

    He had let her go easily yesterday, and he did not ask about her shoulder injury, after hearing her exnation today!

    Ning Xueyan was shocked when Ao Mingyu had called Ning Qingshan ¡®cousin¡¯. How could she be his cousin? The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had no blood rtionship with the imperial family, so it must be due to Ning Qingshan herself. But Madam Dowager had never mentioned this rtionship between Ning Qingshan and Ao Mingyu at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    That meant Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an did not know that Ao Mingyu was Ning Qingshan¡¯s cousin.

    ¡°Cousins?¡± It was impossible for Ning Qingshan to be rted to the imperial family, the Aos, by blood. Otherwise, she would be a Commandery Princess or a County Princess. Such a princess would not have disappeared from the imperial pce and showed up at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, for no reason. So Ning Qingshan must have something to do with Honored Consort Ya¡¯s family.

    ¡°The Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s manor?¡± Ning Xueyan frowned slightly. There were so many secrets about The Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s manor!

    ¡°Miss!¡± Xinmei suddenly poked her and gestured to her to look to the right.

    Ning Xueyan turned her head to the side subconsciously, and saw a pair of enchanting eyes. An extremely handsome man dressed in luxurious clothes, was leaningzily against the flower tree, with a flirtatious smile in his eyes. Being watched by such a beautiful and enchanting man, any ordinary woman would have blushed shyly.

    But Ning Xueyan was not any ordinary woman.

    ¡°Why is Wen Xueran here? Has he been here for some time already, or did he just turn up?¡± Ning Xueyan frowned, and quietly watched Wen Xueran walking over to her, with a smile.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, did you hear anything just now?¡± Wen Xueran smiled slightly, his beautiful eyes sparkling under the flowers and leaves.

    ¡°Princely Heir!¡± Ning Xueyan bowed to him and answered coolly, ¡°If you want to know something, just follow them.¡±

    Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min looked harmless, and he was both handsome and romantic, but Ning Xueyan was always wary of him. Although she did not find anything wrong about him, she knew he was not a simple-minded person. Otherwise, he would not have helped Ao Mingyu deal with Ao Chenyi. Besides, Ning Xueyan had had a feeling that this man was not that simple, since the first time they met.

    ¡°Were you not able to hear what they said clearly, Fifth Young Lady? I saw you listening carefully just now.¡± Wen Xueran raised his brows in surprise, his tone enquiring, as if he had been watching Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Princely Heir, you¡¯re kidding me. I have been enjoying the view of the flowers on the tree, so I did not pay any attention to the conversation between Third Prince and my third sister. I wonder what made you think I was eavesdropping.¡± Ning Xueyan raised her head and smiled slightly. She looked at Wen Xueran with her jet-ck, innocent eyes. She did not avoid Wen Xueran¡¯s gaze and showed no sign of blushing or palpitations, as if she had not seen Wen Xueran¡¯s enchanting and beautiful face.

    A well-behaved person should never overhear another¡¯s conversation. Being used like this, it was normal that Ning Xueyan to have such a reaction. But Wen Xueran was a little surprised that Ning Xueyan could still stay calm after overhearing what Ao Mingyu and Ning Qingshan had said.

    Wen Xueran smiled slightly, as if he had not seen the faint anger on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face. Leaning against the flower tree in front of Ning Xueyan, he picked a flower. ¡°Fifth Young Lady, what do you think about Third Prince and Third Young Lady?¡± he asked with a smile.

    Since Wen Xueran stopped talking about the eavesdropping, of course Ning Xueyan would not mention it. ¡°They are a good match. Princely Heir, don¡¯t you think so?¡± Looking through the gap between flowers at the receding backs of Ao Mingyu and Ning Qingshan, she said gently.

    Wen Xueran turned his head and watched the backs of the two as well, curving his lips. ¡°It¡¯s rumored that three years ago, Third Young Lady saved Third Prince, so it is normal for Third Prince to treat Third Young Lady so well. The rumors have spread to the capital, saying that Third Young Lady will be marrying Third Prince. Now it seems Third Prince really has feelings for Third Young Lady,¡± he said with a smile.

    ¡°Third Sister saved Third Prince? At the imperial pce?¡± Ning Xueyan turned her face and asked, looking at him with her enchanting eyes.

    No one at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had known about this, so it must had taken ce at the imperial pce. It must have happened when Ning Qingshan had stayed at the imperial pce at Honored Consort Ya¡¯s invitation. After that, Ning Qingshan had requested to go to the nunnery for three years. She must have been confident that Ao Mingyu would not shift his love for her to another woman, so she had made such a decision.

    Wen Xueran plucked a flower and put it under his nose. ¡°Yes. Third Prince has been in poor health since childhood. Once, he had a sudden attack and there was nobody by his side. Third Young Lady happened to see him and saved his life. So Third Prince owes Third Young Lady a big favor.¡± He nced at Ning Xueyan thoughtfully, with a smile.

    ¡°Oh? You even know about such a thing!¡± Ning Xueyan twitched her lips and said this in an indifferent tone. Then she stopped talking to Wen Xueran, and turned in another direction.

    She was even more alert when it came to Wen Xueran. Only the people at the imperial pce knew that Ning Qingshan had saved Ao Mingyu. At least, there was no rumors about this in the capital. But Wen Xueran knew it well, so if Ao Mingyu had not mentioned it to him, he must be an extremely powerful person!

    It was unbelievable that a yboy like Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min was so capable!

    ¡°Why did he tell me this? Is he trying to exin why Ning Qingshan is so against me? Or maybe he wanted to tell me why Ao Mingyu is putting up with Ning Qingshan. But what does it have to do with him?¡± Ning Xueyan did not think that Wen Xueran had anything to do with Third Prince¡¯s affairs. But from his words, Ning Xueyan could tell that he was defending Ning Qingshan.

    But why?

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, as the saying goes, what is done by night appears by day. There are so many secrets in the world. You will know them if youe across them.¡± Wen Xueran¡¯s voice rang out from behind. Obviously, he was smiling. Ning Xueyan was shocked and she clenched her fists inside her sleeves. Instead of stopping, she continued to walk forward calmly.

    ¡°Secrets?¡± Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min was right. She was a person of many secrets.

    The secrets about herst and current life, and her rebirth almost weighed her down. But even so, she would not give up. Besides, she did not believe that Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min knew any secrets about her.

    She did not know why Wen Xueran talked about this to her. She and Ao Mingyu had seen Wen Xueran showing up at the party hosted by Ao Mingyu. But in addition to this, she had never heard about his involvement in any political affairs. ¡°Did he tell me about this on purpose or is he just gossiping?¡± Ning Xueyan wondered.

    Xinmei was walking on the right of Ning Xueyan. ¡°Miss, that person is following us,¡± she told Ning Xueyan in a low voice.

    ¡°Turn in Ning Lingyun¡¯s direction.¡± Ning Xueyan knew that Xinmei was not talking about Wen Xueran. She stopped thinking about Wen Xueran and turned to the center of the greenhouse. She did not want to have anything to do with Xia Yudong, but he kept on following behind her. ¡°What a daredevil!¡±

 Chapter 227 - The Greenhouse in the Gardenâ€¦

    Chapter 227 The Greenhouse in the Garden...

    Ning Lingyun and Ao Xian, the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, were walking together. But today, Ao Xian was on his best behavior. After exchanging a few words with Ning Lingyun, he left her and followed Ao Mingyu. His goal today was to curry favour with Ao Mingyu. It was rare for him to have such a chance, and there was no one else around. He would certainly seize this opportunity.

    But Ao Mingyu was now with the Third Young Lady Ning, so he could not get too close to him, and followed him from a distance.

    He did not dare to scrutinize Third Young Lady Ning, whose reputation was very good. He only knew that she seemed to be a very beautiful girl, and was much more beautiful than Ning Lingyun. But he also knew that it was impossible for him to have any other rtionship with the Third Young Lady Ning, so he just followed them.

    He only dared to covet her in his mind. ¡°If I had known that there was such a beautiful girl in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, I should have directly proposed a marriage to Ning Zu¡¯an and married her, and this beautiful girl might have been mine now.¡±

    The thought of that almost made his mouth water, and the look in his eyes which was fixed on Ning Qingshan¡¯s back, became a little lecherous!

    When Ning Lingyun saw Ao Xian, who was following the Third Prince and Ning Qingshan, turn his eyes from the Third Prince to Ning Qingshan and giving her ascivious look, she knew that he must be thinking of something evil in his mind, and was very angry. Although she did not like Ao Xian, it did not mean that Ao Xian could show such a lecherous look in front of her.

    But after thinking about it, Ning Lingyun took another deep breath and rxed.

    ¡°Ao Xian¡¯s behavior now is only good for me. Anyway, after whatever happenster, I will have nothing to do with him. After the matter has less influence, the Third Prince wille to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to propose a marriage. At that time, I¡¯m sure I will be his co-consort. The annulment of an engagement for marriage is not caused by me, and no one will me me.¡±

    ¡°Fourth Sister.¡± Ning Xueyan stepped out from behind a cluster of flowers, and called out to Ning Lingyun in a soft and clear voice, with a smile on her face.

    ¡°Fifth Sister!¡± On hearing the voice of Ning Xueyan, Ning Lingyun became alert at once. She immediately averted her eyes from Ao Xian in the distance, and carefully turned around to smile at Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Ning Xueyan is very smart. I can¡¯t let her discover anything.¡±

    ¡°Fourth Sister, do you want to have a rest over there?¡± Ning Xueyan said, while pointing to a perg, which was not far away. There were two swings, which were not too high, and could be used for people to rest. The swings were tied to some flower branches, and were not only beautiful, but also enjoyable.

    ¡°OK, let¡¯s go together.¡± Ning Lingyun looked over and nodded.

    Ning Lingyun had to do the same with Ning Qingshan. On the surface, she must have a good rtionship with Ning Xueyan, so she obeyed Ning Xueyan now. In this way, she could get rid of what would happenter.

    Ning Xueyan went first, and Ning Lingyun followed her. Xinmei originally followed Ning Xueyan closely, but although Ning Lingyun was born of a concubine, she was still a master, so Xinmei specifically let Ning Lingyun go first. She and Ning Lingyun¡¯s maid followed them, and the four came to the swings.

    Ning Xueyan and Ning Lingyun sat down on a swing separately, and chatted with each other, while enjoying the beauty of the garden. Xia Yudong had been waiting for a while at the corner, and he still did not have a chance to be alone with Ning Xueyan, so he could only leave. Otherwise, it would arouse suspicion if he, a man, waited behind the two Young Ladies.

    Originally, he wanted to meet Ning Xueyan once again, and leave a good impression on Ning Xueyan. But now he seemed to have no chance. Fortunately, Xia Yudong believed that the impression he made before, was good. ¡°If I really can¡¯t find another chance, I need not look for another chance. Anyway, the next stage should be enough for a woman who has a good impression of me, to fall in love with me.¡±

    So Xia Yudong did not approach Ning Lingyun and Ning Xueyan. He just passed by and politely saluted them with a gentle smile on his face, like a well-behaved gentleman. Seeing that, Ning Lingyun blushed and smiled.

    Ning Xueyan looked at them and showed a cold smile. Because she had been cheated by a man in herst life, she did not trust men anymore. Moreover, Xia Yudong was so simr to Xia Yuhang. Now, even if it was Xia Yuhang who was standing in front of her, she could tell whether he was sincere or not, not to mention Xia Yudong, who was no better than Xia Yuhang.

    Ning Xueyan was now basically sure that Ning Qingshan wanted to make use of Xia Yudong and Ao Xian to frame her! ¡°Are you afraid that I won¡¯t die, so you decided to use the two of them to frame me? It seems that one will make me fall into the trap now, and the other will lead me to be involved, in the long run. Theyplement each other. No matter who will seed, my fate will be miserable.¡±

    Everyone had spent the longest time in the greenhouse in the garden, and had a good time. On such a day, it was rare to see such beautiful flowers, which those Young Ladies loved very much. Even Ning Qingshan could not resist picking a flower and inserting it into her hair. The bright red flower made her look charming and beautiful.

    The Third Prince could not help looking at her several times, which made her blush and feel excited. Then she looked even more charming and beautiful.

    The group of people left the greenhouse, and went to the hall to have a meal.

    There were not many people, and most of them knew each other, so there was no screen to separate them. Only one table was set up, and they all sat together.

    Before the meal, the Third Prince had specially asked for his men to kill a deer. The best part of the deer was selected to be roasted, and the deer blood was served to the male guests. Recently, drinking deer blood became popr in the capital, which was very good for men. It not only made people feel warm, but was also nourishing.

    Of course, girls did not drink. They did not dare to even look at the fresh blood!

    The Third Prince took the lead in drinking a small cup of deer blood, and several other people also drank up. Such a small cup of deer blood was good enough for a man¡¯s health, and at the same time would not cause other problems. A small cup was enough.

    After the deer blood was drunk, and the small cups taken away, they continued to talk andugh. In the meantime, Ao Xian left to change his clothes. A young male servant took him to the back. After taking him to the ce, the young male servant was asked to go back first, by Ao Xian. After changing his clothes, Ao Xian wandered around the garden at will, thinking about the invitation from Ning Lingyun, which made him happy.

    Ao Xian was a romantic man and was engaged to Ning Lingyun. However, he was very upset about the fact that even though they were engaged, they could not get close to each other. Unexpectedly, Ning Lingyun invited him today. How could he refuse such an opportunity. So he specially asked the young male servant to leave first, and he himself stayed, to see how to get to the garden.

    Yes, he and Ning Lingyun would meet in the garden that they had just gone to. And if there was any change, Ning Lingyun would inform him in advance.

    Ning Lingyun was smart this time. She did not decide on the meeting ce. Ning Xueyan was so smart. Once she found something wrong, Ning Lingyu would not go to the garden.

    ¡°Your Highness.¡± A maid suddenly appeared from afar. Seeing that no one was around, she walked respectfully to Ao Xian.

    This was Ning Lingyun¡¯s maid. Ao Xian had seen her before. Besides, the maid of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was different from that of the Third Prince in this courtyard, in the way they dressed. Even though Ao Xian was a little bit drunk, he still knew it clearly.

    ¡°Your Young Lady can¡¯t wait to see me and wants me to go now?¡± Seeing that the maid was quite beautiful, Ao Xian flirtatiously reached out to grip the girl¡¯s chin and said this happily. Just now, he had been thinking that the most beautiful prostitute had been taken by Ya Changqing several days ago. He did not expect that he would be so lucky, not long after that.

    He did not regard Ning Lingyun as his fiancee at all, in his mind. Instead, he thought of her as a romantic woman. So, he was willing to flirt with her, if there was a chance. At present, the maid in front of him was also beautiful. When they got married, the maid would also belong to him. On thinking of that, he could not help feeling happy, and leered at the maid.

    ¡°Your Highness, our Young Lady is afraid you may not be able to find herter, so she asked me to give this to you.¡± The maid blushed at his behavior, feeling shy and ashamed. She took out a sachet from her arms and handed it to Ao Xian.

    Ao Xian took the sachet and turned it over. A faint fragrance came from it, which made him even more excited. He fondled the maid¡¯s white and tender face and said happily, ¡°Fine, fine, I¡¯ll put it on now. Tell your Young Lady that I¡¯ll look for herter.¡±

    After Ning Lingyun belonged to him, this maid would also belong to him in the future, so he was not in a hurry now.

    ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡± The maid saluted and hurried to the other side, with a red face.

    Ao Xian did not care about the maid¡¯s departure. Originally, this kind of thing should not be known by others. ¡°Unexpectedly, even though Ning Lingyun looks very respectable, she will make a date with a man privately. Anyway, it¡¯s a good thing for me.¡± Ao Xian hung the sachet on his waist. There was already a sachet, but it did not matter there was one more now.

    During normal times when he went to the Red Light District, he would hang several sachets on his waist. When he saw a woman he liked, he would send one out. So he never checked these sachets when he hung them on his waist. Of course, he did not know that at the bottom of the sachet, the word embroidered was not ¡°Lingyun¡±, but ¡°Xueyan¡±.

    A distinction should be made between males and females, so the lunch time passed soon. The Third Prince had prepared ces for men and women to live in, which were separated by a wall, and was not far away. After the meal, they went back to their respective rooms to rest for two hours, before ying again.

    There were many rest rooms in the Third Prince¡¯s courtyard, and there were not many people here today, so everyone rested in their room alone, which was convenient andfortable for them.

    Ao Xiany down in the room for a while, but he could not sleep at all. When he thought that such a beauty would belong to himter, he was so excited that he could not sleep and tossed and turned in bed. He felt hot and his mind was full of the scenes of being with those women, on weekdays.

    He was very excited and could hardly rest. He and Ning Lingyun would meet one hourter and it was still early now, but he could not sleep. Finally, he had no choice, but to get up. He felt that as a man, he had to arrive earlier when he made a private date with a woman.

    ¡°Anyway, I can¡¯t sleep now. So I¡¯ll go over and wait first. It doesn¡¯t matter if I have to wait for an hour.¡±

    Instantly, he asked his servant to help him get up and get dressed. Then he quietly went out of the courtyard, and went to the greenhouse in the garden. At this time, he was restless and just wanted a woman tofort him.

    Because the host and the guests were resting, the courtyard was very quiet. Ao Xian met nobody along the way and arrived at the door of the greenhouse in the garden. When he was about to enter the greenhouse, he suddenly saw someone who looked very familiar, and could not help, but stop. He was very surprised. How could she be here!

    ¡°How could it be possible!¡±

 Chapter 228 - She Is Willing to Do Everything

    Chapter 228 She Is Willing to Do Everything

    The woman in a in white dress, looking like an angel, was the prostitute he had been thinking during thest few days and nights. How could she be here?

    Even though Ao Xian did not see her face, he clearly knew that he was not mistaken!

    Ao Xian had wooed her for some time, but in the end she had been won by someone else. He had been depressed about it for many days, and his heart had been in a knot since. At this time, he saw that the beauty was not far away. The slim figure dressed simply, was a great temptation to him.

    Ao Xian was easily tempted, so he thought about it and followed her.

    Compared with Ning Lingyun, this prostitute was much more attractive. In terms of appearance, Ning Lingyun was not as beautiful as her. Moreover, Ning Lingyun would always be his, but this prostitute was different. Now she belonged to Ya Changqing. Ao Xian thought that it would be a great betrayal to Ya Changqing, if he were to have a rtionship with this prostitute.

    Thinking of that, Ao Xian was very happy!

    ¡°How dare he fight for this prostitute against me? How dare he keep her so as to prevent me from seeing her! It¡¯s said that Ya Changqing will marry her. But so what? This woman will belong to me soon.¡±

    Thinking that Ya Changqing would suffer losses, Ao Xian involuntarily followed her. For convenience, Ao Xian hade out alone. At this time, he followed the prostitute in front of him to see what she was going to do. Of course, he would certainly find a chance to kiss her.

    Maybe because he had drunk too much liquor, but he could not seem to walk steadily now, and the scenery in front of him seemed to be wavering. He felt hot all over, and wanted to find a woman to rx. He could barely see the people walking ahead of him, and then followed.

    At this time, his attention was focused on the figure in front of him, so he did not notice that someone had brushed by him. When he saw a maid standing there, cowering in fear, he shoved her away and rushed after the prostitute. He did not know that the sachet hanging on his waist had been changed.

    Ning Xueyan did not take a nap, because Ning Lingyun came over to her room.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, I can¡¯t sleep. Would you like to take a walk with me?¡± Ning Lingyun looked terrible and her face was pale. At first sight, one could tell that she was in a bad mood.

    ¡°Fourth Sister, where do you want to go?¡± Ning Xueyan stood up in front of the dressing table, and asked with a smile, hiding the look in her eyes.

    Ning Lingyun¡¯s worried look looked so sincere. It seemed that she had decided to stand by Ning Qingshan wholeheartedly to push Qing Xueyan into the abyss.

    As an old saying goes, ¡°A fall into the pit, a gain in your wit.¡± It looked like Ning Lingyun would never know that!

    Of course, such a selfish and vicious person as Ning Lingyun would even betray her own biological mother, Concubine Xu, if Ning Qingshan promised her enough benefits.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, let¡¯s go and talk about it.¡± Ning Lingyun looked extremely distressed. She sighed, took Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand and walked out. Two maids bowed their heads and followed.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you, Fourth Sister?¡± Ning Xueyan asked indifferently, as she followed Ning Lingyun to the garden.

    Now, only the three of them were resting in the womenfolk courtyard. When Ning Xueyan went out, she saw clearly that the curtain of Ning Qingshan¡¯s room was slightly raised, and she sneered.

    ¡°Ning Qingshan is not resting as expected, and she must be paying close attention to me.¡±

    Ning Lingyun thought that her idea was brilliant, but she did not know about the danger behind her...

    ¡°Fifth Sister, have you seen Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li?¡± Ning Lingyun did not know that she was going to do to Ning Xueyan, had already been made known to Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan. She sighed, and talked about Ao Xian, trying to look for a topic.

    ¡°Yes. He is nice to you.¡± Ning Xueyan said. But her words were meaningful. They were all smart and knew that Ning Lingyun had ruined Ning Yuling¡¯s engagement and reced her. So there was no need to mention that.

    Ning Lingyun was startled and did not know what to say next. Could she say that Ao Xian seemed interested in Ning Qingshan recently? But as a Young Lady from a respectable family, she should not say those words. But if she did not say that, how could she gain Ning Xueyan¡¯s sympathy, and then indirectly lead her to the garden?

    Ao Xian would being soon. Besides, there was a little bit of the estrus-stimulus powder in the sachet she gave him, but he had drunk deer blood. The estrus-stimulus powder, together with deer blood, would certainly make him go out of control when he saw Ning Xueyan. But now, the problem was how to make Ning Xueyan interested in her topic, and follow her to the garden.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, what do you think of Third Sister?¡± Since this topic was useless, Ning Lingyun chuckled and immediately changed the topic, pretending to care for Ning Xueyan. ¡°I heard that what happened at the gate yesterday was also rted to Third Sister.¡±

    Since Ning Xueyan was not interested in Ao Xian, what about Ning Qingshan? What had happened yesterday at the gate of the mansion were full ofplications. It was said that Ning Qingshan had failed and almost lost her personal Mammy. In the end, the Third Prince saved her.

    So Ning Lingyun was even more dead set on Ning Qingshan. In such a case, the Third Prince still took care of Ning Qianshan and rescued her from a siege, and even sent fresh fruit to her after the event. The extent to which Third Prince sheltered Ning Qingshan, could evidently be seen. ¡°In the future I¡¯ll also marry into the Third Prince¡¯s Manor, and it is necessary to have a good rtionship with Ning Qingshan.¡±

    ¡°And the key to pleasing Ning Qingshan is to deal with Ning Xueyan.¡±

    ¡°As long as someone sees Ao Xian and Ning Xueyan hugging each other, the engagement between myself and Ao Xian is bound to be broken off. And others will only sympathize with me and scold Ning Xueyan for misbehaving and privately dating a man in the garden of the Third Prince¡¯s courtyard in broad daylight. Then Ning Xueyan will lose her dignity and how will she survive that. It will not only ruin the engagement, but also avenge Ning Qingshan.¡±

    Ning Lingyun had been thinking about killing two birds with one stone, for a long time.

    So at this time, she was trying her best to lead Ning Xueyan to the garden, and could not show anything on her face at the same time. She had suffered losses, and she knew that Ning Xueyan was not someone who could be dealt with by ordinary people.

    Ning Xueyan was clear about Ning Lingyun¡¯s goal. Instead of answering Ning Lingyun¡¯s question, she sneered and asked coldly, ¡°Fourth Sister, do you think Third Sister can marry the Third Prince?¡±

    ¡°Of course she can. The Third Prince is so affectionate toward the Third Sister. How could he not marry her?¡± Ning Lingyun answered immediately.

    ¡°Really? How do you know that Third Prince is deeply in love with Third Sister? Through a basket of fruits? Didn¡¯t the Third Prince separately give it to every Young Lady in our family? Fourth Sister, didn¡¯t you receive any?¡± Ning Xueyan looked at Ning Lingyun with a faint smile and asked.

    ¡°To every Young Lady?¡±

    ¡°Did you get one too?¡± Ning Lingyun was stunned, and asked subconsciously.

    ¡°Fourth Sister, you really did not receive the gift? The Third Prince will not treat us differently. We all are Young Ladies of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. How could we be treated differently?¡±

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s words sounded like a sigh, but was actually loaded with sarcasm.

    But Ning Lingyun could not know that. She was shocked by the significant meaning of Ning Xueyan¡¯s words. She widened her eyes and was speechless for a while, looking at Ning Xueyan with amazement.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it true that the Third Prince likes me?¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t I receive the fresh fruits which even Ning Xueyan received? Just then, I saw that the greenhouse was so big and there were lots of fresh fruits in it. And it should not be a big deal to send me some. How is it that Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan received the fruits, but I didn¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°This means that the Third Prince is not in love with me.¡±

    ¡°But if the Third Prince doesn¡¯t like me, why did Ning Qingshan say that he likes me? If the Third Prince doesn¡¯t like me, will I have a good marriage after I break off the engagement with Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li?¡±

    ¡°But I have contacted Ao Xian, and the sachet embroidered with Ning Xueyan¡¯s name has also been sent to him. My n is already in ce, and maybe Ao Xian is in the garden now. I can refuse to go to the garden, but how do I stop my n now?¡±

    ¡°What to do now?¡± Thinking of that, Ning Lingyun could not help sweating. She stood still, and dared not walk toward the garden.

    ¡°Fourth Sister, what¡¯s wrong? Why are you not moving? The garden is over there. Let¡¯s go in and talk, while enjoying the flowers.¡± It seemed that Ning Xueyan did not see Ning Lingyun¡¯s pale face and asked softly.

    If Ning Xueyan had said that earlier, Ning Lingyun would have been overjoyed.

    But now, Ning Lingyun only felt chills all over, and could not stand steadily. She reached out and leaned on the maid. And she even sensed that Ning Xueyan¡¯s soft smile was as cold as ice.

    ¡°Fifth... Fifth Sister...¡±

    ¡°Fourth Sister, if you don¡¯t go now, you will bete. Then it won¡¯t be good!¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s smile gradually disappeared, and she looked at Ning Lingyun coldly.

    ¡°What... what do you mean?¡± Ning Lingyun found it difficult to speak. Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes were magnified infinitely in front of her eyes. And atst, only a sense of coldness was left. Facing such momentum, Ning Lingyun unconsciously weakened and lowered her voice.

    ¡°What do I mean? Fourth Sister, are you unwilling to marry into Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor? Do you want to marry into a more respected family?¡± Ning Xueyan stared at Ning Lingyun closely, and said this, one word at a time. She was sure that it must have something to do with Ao Mingyu. Maybe Ning Qingshan had sessfully persuaded Ning Lingyun to go with Ao Mingyu.

    ¡°I... I didn¡¯t...¡± Ning Lingyun denied subconsciously.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go and have a look, then we¡¯ll know the answer. Maybe Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li is waiting for you there now.¡± Ning Xueyan said with a sneer. She was aggressive and did not rx at all. Ning Lingyun¡¯s mind was in a turmoil at this time, which was the best opportunity for Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°No... I didn¡¯t...¡± Unexpectedly, Ning Xueyan even knew about this. Ning Lingyun was so scared that she shivered and leaned on the maid, breaking out in a cold sweat.

    ¡°Fourth Sister, if you really don¡¯t want to marry into Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor, I have an idea to help you. But I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re willing to do it?¡± Ning Xueyan suddenly softened her look and the smile on her face turned mild, as if she had not been that aggressive earlier.

    ¡°What... what kind of thing?¡± Ning Lingyun felt regret now. Her n had been exposed, and the Third Prince did not like her. At this time, she felt helpless. She looked at Ning Xueyan and sincerely hoped that Ning Xueyan can help her.

    She even forgot that she was going to frame Ning Xueyan!

    At this time, she was willing to do everything which could help her get rid out of such a predicament

 Chapter 229 - Xia Yudong Tries to Find a Chance to Save Ning Xueyan

    <h4>Chapter 229 Xia Yudong Tries to Find a Chance to Save Ning Xueyan</h4>

    Ning Qingshan watched Ning Lingyun lead Ning Xueyan away. Then she let down the curtain in her hand, and there was acent smile on her face. She was smart. The matter of Ning Lingyun framing Ning Xueyan had been instigated by her, secretly. She had already known that Ning Lingyun wanted to frame Ning Xueyan from the many clues, and to break off the engagement with Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li too.

    The best way was to let Ao Xian ruin Ning Xueyan¡¯s innocence, and at the same time let others discover it.

    Then Ning Xueyan, whose reputation would be ruined, could only be a concubine of Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. At the same time, what Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li did, would also make Ning Zu¡¯an angry and his engagement with Ning Lingyun would be called off, and Ning Lingyun would be free again.

    It was a perfect n, but Ning Qinshan did not believe Ning Lingyun, so she made another backup n. If Ning Lingyun¡¯s n was changed, or if Ao Xian failed, Xia Yudong would appear to save Ning Xueyan and win her love. The final result would still ensure that Ning Xueyan would live a miserable life.

    Ning Qingshan¡¯s goal was the same as Ning Lingyun¡¯s. Ning Lingyun¡¯s n would have a short term effect, and easily discovered, while Ning Qingshan¡¯s n would have a longer term effect ording to Qingshan¡¯s n, even though Ning Xueyan would finally die, it would not affect anyone else. She just needed to stand by and watch Ning Xueyan¡¯s misfortune.

    Ning Qingshan had failed several times when she tried to frame Ning Xueyan, which made Ning Qingshan wary of Ning Xueyan, nor was she optimistic about Ning Lingyun. Ning Lingyun was likely to fail this time, but her n was perfect.

    No one would know that n for the man who would save Ning Xueyan had been arranged by her. Soft fire makes sweet malt. As long as she could defeat Ning Xueyan, Ning Qingshan was willing to wait. ¡°I failed when I tried to frame Ning Xueyan before, because I was too tense, so now, I¡¯ll do it slowly.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe that Ning Xueyan will be able to escape this time.¡±

    While she was thinking, the curtain was raised and Feiyue hurried in. She then carefully looked at the door before closing it, looked relieved, and turned around.

    She was the maid brought by Ning Qingshan this time. Now she was not the henchman of Madam Dowager. She had already be Ning Qingshan¡¯s henchman because of the threat and benefits from Ning Qingshan. Instead of helping Madam Dowager to monitor Ning Qingshan, she reported fake news about Ning Qingshan to Madam Dowager and devoted herself to helping Ning Qingshan. She wanted to go to the Third Prince¡¯s Manor with Ning Qingshan, and enjoy a higher position and great wealth in the future.

    ¡°Young Lady, I have told Mr. Xia Yudong, and he is on the way to the garden.¡± Feiyue wiped away her sweat. In order to avoid the others, she had ran as fast as she could. Although it was winter, she still felt hot and sweaty.

    ¡°Did you ask him to y it by ear,ter? If Ning Xueyan finds something wrong and tries to get away from Ao Xian, he will have toe out and help Ning Xueyan.¡± Ning Qingshan sat in front of the dressing table and reached out to remove the hairpin on her head. Today, she dressed inly, in order to show Third Prince that her mind had been at peace for thest three years.

    So it was impossible for her to frame Ning Xueyan. What happened at the gate of the mansion was a misunderstanding and coincidence.

    As soon as the hairpin was pulled out, Ning Qingshan¡¯s dark and straight hair fell to her shoulders. Feiyue came to help her take off the coat and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Young Lady. Mr. Xia said it will be okay. He will pay attention to the situation and said to tell you to rx, and wait for the good news.¡±

    ¡°Do you think will we seed?¡± Ning Qingshan stood up and spread out her hands, so that Feiyue could remove her clothes.

    ¡°I think it will certainly seed. The Fifth Young Lady used to stay in Bright Frost Garden and has never seen a handsome and gentle young man like Mr. Xia Yudong. Now she¡¯s out of the Bright Frost Garden and asionally walks around, but the outstanding men she sees belong to others. Mr. Xia Yuhang is the Eldest Young Lady¡¯s husband and the Third Prince is yours. Besides Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, she has not seen anyone who is outstanding.¡±

    Feiyue said this with disdain. She used to work for Madam Dowager, who had ignored Ning Xueyan for many years. So people in Lucky Garden also despised Ning Xueyan. Now, they even thought they were more respected than Ning Xueyan.

    After taking off her in coat and skirts, Ning Qingshanid on the bed and decided to have her rest. What ever happened out there had nothing to do with her.

    Ning Qingshan closed her eyes, but was still worried, after thinking about it. It was not easy to deal with Ning Xueyan. The past few times, she was full of confidence at the beginning, but failed in the end. ¡°Feiyue, go to the garden and pretend to pick flowers for me. I want to know the situation.¡±

    Ning Qingshan opened her eyes and said.

    Feiyue knew that Ning Qingshan was not at ease. She nodded and answered, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go now.¡± Then she covered her with the quilt, turned around, closed the door, and left.

    Although there were no other maids in the room, there was a female doorkeeper at the door. If Ning Qingshan wanted anythingter, she could ask for it from her.

    But Feiyue did not expect the older female servant to leave as well. Soon after she left, a maid came in a hurry and seemed to be looking for something as she walked. Then the maid said something to the older female servant. After that, the two went to Ning Lingyun¡¯s room to look for something. There was no one at the gate at all. A woman dressed in in clothes came over and saw that there was no one around. She turned and went into the yard and went to the room on the right.

    As soon as she passed by, a man staggered in. He saw the woman disappearing into the room on the right, and hurriedly went over. The room was not closed, and he opened the door. He was ecstatic when he saw a set of in clothes hanging on the screen and rushed to the back of the screen.

    Seeing the maning in, the woman dressed in in clothes appeared on the other side of the screen. She smiled coldly, turned around and walked out of the room.

    There was still no one at the gate of the courtyard. The woman left quietly. Nobody knew that in addition to Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan, another woman dressed in in clothes had also entered the courtyard.

    Xia Yudong had been waiting for some time behind a hidden tree, at the entrance of the garden. He was a little anxious. Neither the Fifth Young Lady Ning nor Ao Xian appeared. He felt a little uneasy and frowned. He had seen Ao Xian leaving the courtyard in person, but Ao Xian was not here yet.

    He was not a fool and immediately realized that something was wrong. He turned around at once and left the garden. Both Ao Xian and the Fifth Young Lady Ning were not there, and it would arouse other people¡¯s suspicious if he was there alone.

    Just after taking a few steps, he suddenly saw Ning Lingyun and Ning Xueyan standing together and talking. He was stunned and instantly hid behind the tree at the side. ¡°Has the venue changed? But it¡¯s obvious that this is not a good ce to start the n. How stupid the Fourth Young Lady Ning is.¡±

    Xinmei had already noticed the figure behind the tree. She reached out and gently pulled Ning Xueyan¡¯s sleeve. Ning Xueyan nodded, and the smile on her face became even gentler. But the smile almost looked like a devil¡¯s smile in Ning Lingyun¡¯s eyes, and she could not help trembling.

    ¡°Fourth Sister, you really cannot find your earrings? Search your clothes again.¡± Ning Xueyan said with a smile, and looked at Ning Lingyun with care.

    Ning Lingyun dared not think that Ning Xueyan really cared about her. In order to cooperate with Ning Xueyan, she reached out and patted her clothes, then shook her head to show that she could not find her earrings in her clothes.

    ¡°Let¡¯s look for it again. I¡¯ll help you see whether your earrings are, on our way here.¡± Ning Xueyan lowered her head, and walked forward a few steps as she looked at the ground carefully, as if she really wanted to help Ning Lingyun find the earrings. But she was walking towards Xia Yudong.

    There was only a tree over there. If Xia Yudong continued to hide behind it, he would certainly be found.

    Xia Yudong had to walk out of the back of the tree and pretended to see Ning Xueyan and Ning Xueyun. He walked to them and politely saluted, saying, ¡°What a coincidence. Where are you going, Young Ladies?¡±

    Xia Yudong did not mention the garden at all.

    Seeing that the elegant gentleman was saluting her, Ning Lingyun blushed and hurriedly bowed, softly saying, ¡°Mr. Xia.¡±

    Compared with Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, Xia Yudong had a much better reputation. Xia Yudong was a diligent son, born of a concubine. Although his reputation was not as good as Xia Yuhang¡¯s, it was still good. He also preserved his moral integrity and was different from Ao Xian, who was always leering at women.

    Besides, he was polite. He treated Ning Lingyun, Ning Xueyan, and Ning Qingshan equally, so Ning Lingyun was very fond of Xia Yudong. At this time, when she saw him salute her, she immediately saluted back gently.

    Ning Xueyan smiled when she saw Xia Yudong, who always pretended to be an elegant gentleman, and Ning Lingyun, who also pretended to be delicate and weak. She thought the two really could act well and were a good match.

    ¡°Mr. Xia, did you see an earring? One of the Four Sister¡¯s earrings is missing.¡± Ning Xueyan said gently.

    ¡°I just came from over there and did not see anything along the way. Fourth Young Lady, did it drop before you came over here?¡± Xia Yudong had a feeling that there was a problem with Ning Lingyun¡¯s n, and he did not know where Ao Xian had gone to. So he specifically avoided the ce they were about to go to, and said that to Ning Lingyun.

    It meant that they would not find the earring there, even if they went to the garden.

    ¡°Yes, Fourth Sister, think about it again. Was it been lost before we came here?¡± Ning Xueyan seemed to be suddenly reminded about something, and her eyes brightened.

    ¡°It¡¯s... it¡¯s possible. Could it be in Third Sister¡¯s ce? I went to her... and talked with her in the room.¡± Ning Lingyun looked at Ning Xueyan¡¯s gentle face, and started to stutter. Looking at the coldness in Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes, Ning Lingyun dared not y any petty tricks and said whatever Ning Xueyan asked her to say.

    She just wanted to get through this safely.

    ¡°I happen to be free now. Fourth Young Lady and Fifth Young Lady, let me help you find it together.¡± Xia Yudong suggested with a gentle look, when he heard that they were going to find Ning Qingshan, as if he really wanted to help look for Ning Lingyun¡¯s earrings. No one knew that he wanted to find Ning Qingshan specifically, and ask Ning Qingshan what to do next!

    It was obvious that Ning Lingyun¡¯s n had failed, and he could not find a chance to save Ning Xueyan for the time being...

 Chapter 230 - Princely Heir, Why Are You Here?

    <h4>Chapter 230 Princely Heir, Why Are You Here?</h4>

    When they arrived at the courtyard where they had rested previously, before they entered, they saw Ning Lingyun¡¯s maid and the older female servant who was in charge of guarding the door, standing at the door, as if in a trance. They were staring with horror at whatever was inside the room, and shouting loudly.

    The shrill cries even could be heard clearly in the courtyards nearby, not to mention the courtyard here.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Ning Lingyun forced herself to ask.

    ¡°Princely Heir... there... the Third Young Lady, they... ¡± The maid reached out and pointed inside. She was so frightened that she trembled and stammered.

    Before she finished speaking, a sharper and even more frightening scream rang out, then the sound of something falling to the ground could be heard. The screen that blocked the view was knocked to the ground, making a loud noise.

    Under the surprised eyes of everyone, Ao Xian fell out together with the screen, in embarrassment and his clothes were in disarray.

    On the other side, Ning Qingshan sat up on the bed and clutched her mussed up clothes tightly. Her white shoulders were exposed, and her face was pale. She was terrified and screaming.

    Ning Qingshan and Ao Xian were together, while their clothes were awry. All the people standing at the door were too surprised to say anything.

    The loud crashing sound of the screen falling to the ground stunned the excited Ao Xian. He looked at the people standing at the door nkly, then turned his eyes toward Ning Qingshan, who was gritting her teeth and staring fiercely at him, from the bed. He was also surprised and pointed at Ning Qingshan, saying in a trembling voice, ¡°Third... Third Young Lady Ning! ¡±

    He remembered that the one he was holding had been the prostitute, and the one he had just kissed was also the prostitute. How could she have turned into Ning Qingshan, after a short time? The Third Young Lady Ning was going to marry the Third Prince. How could have he climbed into her bed?

    ¡°You... why are you in Third Sister¡¯s bed?¡± Ning Lingyun also stared at Ao Xian, and pointed at him in disbelief, with tears in her eyes.

    ¡°I... I... I just wanted to have a rest. I... I didn¡¯t know that there was anyone here.¡± Being stared at by so many people, Ao Xian also knew it was not good and hurriedly tried to stammer out his exnations. He was fully awake now. He had intended to meet Ning Lingyun in private. He did not know how he got lost and followed the prostitute here. Unexpectedly, that woman was not the prostitute, but Ning Qingshan. How could he not regret it.

    At this time, he felt very guilty when he saw Ning Lingyun.

    Ao Xian was anxious and confused now, and just wanted to settle this matter, so he showed resourcefulness in an emergency, and said he just wanted to have a rest here. Of course, he could not say that he came here specially, or the Third Prince would kill him.

    ¡°You just took a break here instead of your own room?¡± A cold voice came from behind the crowd.

    Xinmei pulled Ning Xueyan back, and saw Ao Mingyu appearing at the door with an angry look on his face.

    Although Ning Qingshan was not his consort yet, Honored Consort Ya had told Ao Mingyu about the benefits of marrying Ning Qingshan, so it was inevitable that Ning Qingshan would marry into the Third Prince¡¯s Manor. But such a scandal had happened to Ning Qingshan. Although nothing serious had happened between Ao Xian and her, ording to the current situation, it was still a scandal.

    Ao Mingyu felt that he had been betrayed, and his face immediately turned livid.

    ¡°You... how can you and Third Sister...¡± Ning Lingyun was also shocked. She took two steps back, pointed to Ao Xian and Ning Qingshan, and shivered. Suddenly, she burst into tears and threw herself at Ning Xueyan. ¡°Fifth Sister, let¡¯s go back. Let¡¯s go back.¡±

    Ao Xian was Ning Lingyun¡¯s fiance, but he and Ning Qingshan had been found together in a bed. It was obvious that Ning Lingyun had been wronged, so it was normal for her to cry at this time.

    ¡°I... I didn¡¯t..¡± Ning Qingshan also came to her senses at this time. She looked at Ao Mingyu, and anxiously exined. But Ning Lingyun¡¯s cries were so loud that her voice could not be heard.

    ¡°Fourth Sister, don¡¯t cry. Let¡¯s go back. We¡¯ll go back at once.¡± Ning Xueyan, holding Ning Lingyun to appease her, retreated to the gate of the courtyard. It seemed that they were neither too fast nor too slow. She and Ning Lingyun got out of the courtyard in a few steps and no one noticed them, because it was such a mess inside.

    Ao Mingyu, who was always the calmest at ordinary times, was very angry now, because of this incident. He stared at Ao Xian, and did not notice that the two Young Ladies of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had left.

    Ning Xueyan and Ning Lingyun just took a few steps, and met Ning Huaiyuan, who came in a hurry.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Seeing Ning Lingyuning out with tears, while holding on to Ning Xueyan, Ning Huaiyuan stopped and asked.

    ¡°Brother, you¡¯d better go inside and have a look. Something serious happened!¡± Ning Lingyun just cried and did not reply. Ning Xueyan pointed to the yard and said vaguely.

    The vague words were more frightening. Hearing that, Ning Huaiyuan left in a great hurry. He did not care about Ning Xueyan and Ning Lingyun, and went to the courtyard with some people. Just then, he clearly heard Ning Qingshan¡¯s sharp scream. He knew that it was Ning Qingshan, who had had an ident. Then he thought that the Third Prince had gone. How could he not be anxious.

    ¡°Your Highness, what happened?¡± Ning Huaiyuan walked into the courtyard, and asked urgently before he got to Ao Mingyu. ¡°This is the ce for women to rest. Ning Xueyan and Ning Lingyun are OK. Does it mean that something happened to Ning Qingshan only?¡± Thinking about the scream he heard, Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s expression changed.

    Ao Mingyu pointed to the inside of the room, with a livid look. Ao Xian was crawling out on his hands and feet, having no time to tidy himself up. Ning Huaiyuan could tell at a nce that he had left the bed in a hurry. Then he looked at the Ning Qingshan who was sitting on the bed. Ning Huaiyuan felt bad. He did not need to ask. The evidence was in front of him.

    ¡°Princely Heir, why are you here?¡± Ning Huaiyuan went up, grabbed Ao Xian¡¯s cor, and asked angrily.

    ¡°I... I went to the wrong ce. I went to the wrong ce!¡± At this time, Ao Xian also knew that he was in big trouble. He was very lucid now, which was rare, and exined, cold sweat dripping from his head. He had intended to curry favour with the Third Prince. But now it seemed that he had failed, and made him annoyed. How could he not be worried.

    Although the status of Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li was noble,pared with that of the Third Prince, it was still far behind.

    ¡°You went to the wrong ce?¡± Ning Huaiyuan gnashed his teeth, as he repeated what he said. He punched Ao Xian and told him angrily, ¡°You went to the wrong ce and came to the womenfolk¡¯s ce. If you go wrong again, will you go to the Imperial Pce?¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, I really went to the wrong ce. At noon, I drank... drank too much. I came out to change my clothes and was in a daze. I did note here on purpose...¡± At this time, Ao Xian could not say he had followed someone here, no matter what happened. ¡°I have been thinking about the prostitute day and night, so I mistook the Third Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor for the prostitute, when I was in a daze just now.¡±

    ¡°If I had seen it clearly at that time, I would not have followed her, and entered the room directly!¡±

    Ao Xian was full of regret now. Originally, he had intended to have a great time with a woman, who had nothing to do with others. Unexpectedly, the woman belonged to the Third Prince. How could he not be regretful.

    ¡°Who discovered it just now?¡± Ao Mingyu had also calmed down at this time, and his face recovered a little. He strode to the courtyard and asked the people.

    Ning Huaiyuan dragged Ao Xian out of the room, and threw him at the foot of Ao Mingyu.

    ¡°It¡¯s... it¡¯s me and the maid of Fourth Young Lady. She said that the earrings of the Fourth Young Lady were missing, so she and I went to the room to try and search for a while, but we didn¡¯t find them. Then we went to the Third Young Lady¡¯s room, because she said that the Fourth Young Lady and the Third Young Lady had been in the room earlier, and that they might have dropped on the floor of Third Young Lady¡¯s room.¡±

    The gatekeeper heard the question, and knelt down hurriedly, and exined the whole matter.

    ¡°It means that if it hadn¡¯t been for Ning Lingyun¡¯s maid, maybe something would really have happened between Ao Xian and Ning Qingshan, then I can¡¯t marry Ning Qingshan, and those benefits will belong to others.¡± At this thought, Ao Mingyu became angrier and looked coldly at Ao Xian. ¡°Sure enough, he is just a useless libertine.¡±

    ¡°Yes, when I came over, I heard the two Young Ladies of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor saying that they were going to look for the earrings in Third Young Lady¡¯s room.¡± Xia Yudong took the initiative to exin.

    It was obvious that the Third Prince was going to look into the matter, so he dared not hide anything. If Third Prince found outter that he knew about the whole matter, but did not say anything, it would inevitably arouse the Third Prince¡¯s suspicion.

    Then the whole matter was clear. Ning Lingyun and Ning Xueyan went out for a walk and suddenly discovered that Ning Lingyun¡¯s earrings were missing. The maid came back to find them first, while Ning Lingyun and Ning Xueyan looked for them behind the garden. The maid could not find the earrings in Ning Lingyun¡¯s room, so she went over to Ning Qingshan¡¯s room to find. But Ao Xian hade in earlier, and gone to the wrong room and was in Ning Qingshan¡¯s room, when they were looking for the earrings...

    ¡°Where is the maid? Where is Third Young Lady¡¯s maid?¡± Ao Mingyu asked in a cold voice. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t she be guarding Ning Qingshan¡¯s door for her?¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, I... I went to the garden to pick flowers for our Young Lady.¡± Feiyue also knelt down in the crowd, her face pale with fear.

    Feiyue came back and wanted to tell Ning Qingshan that she did not see Ao Xian and Ning Xueyan in the garden. Unexpectedly, Ao Xian was here and was on Ning Qingshan¡¯s bed, which greatly frightened her. She was just a maid, so how could she be responsible for this. So she huddled in one corner, and did not know what to do. Hearing the question, she had toe out and kneel down.

    ¡°Bitch!¡± How could it be so coincidental! Ning Huaiyuan was so angry that he kicked Feiyue hard and she fell to the ground.

    Feiyue¡¯s mouth was bleeding, but she dared not get up. She fell on the ground and cried to Ning Huaiyuan, ¡°Eldest Young Master, it was really the Young Lady who asked me to go out. I am only carrying out the orders of the Third Young Lady.¡±

    Like Ao Xian, Feiyue dared not think of any other things at this time. She just wanted to settle this matter, otherwise she would die.

    ¡°How dare you frame your master! Cover her mouth and take her away.¡± Ning Huaiyuan said with a cold face.

    Ao Mingyu nodded. Then one of the bodyguards behind him came, picked up Feiyue¡¯s handkerchief from the ground, covered her mouth with it, and took her away.

    Now that it had happened, there must be someone to shoulder the responsibility. Ning Qingshan¡¯s maid had not guarded her well, which led to this matter. So they just needed to punish this maid, and ask the people present to keep it secret. In this way, this problem would be solved and the reputation of Ning Qingshan would not be tarnished.

    Ning Huaiyuan thought so, and so did Ao Mingyu. They looked at each other and reached an agreement. So they shut Feiyue up and made her the scapegoat.

    However, at the same time, they thought of another problem. Rather than talking about it, Ning Huaiyuan turned around and ran out. Ao Mingyu followed him, then stopped. He hurriedly ordered the bodyguards behind him and shouted, ¡°Invite the Fourth Young Lady and the Fifth Young Lady here. I have something to say.¡±

 Chapter 231 - Third Young Lady Failed

    Chapter 231 Third Young Lady Failed

    But it was toote when Ning Huaiyuan and Ao Mingyu thought of looking for Ning Lingyun and Ning Xueyan. They rushed to the gate and the doorman reported to them that the two youngdies had left. Ning Lingyun cried a lot while walking out, and she could not stop crying even after getting in the carriage with the help of her maid.

    The others by her side persuaded her and the passers-by faintly heard that she was talking about something rted to her third sister and Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. It seemed that the scandal could no longer be hidden.

    As expected, Ning Lingyun¡¯s crying on her way aroused many people¡¯s attention. Some snoops even followed behind the carriage to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, and they heard the conversation clearly when the maid was persuading Ning Lingyun in the carriage.

    Therefore, before Ning Lingyun could step into the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, the rumors had spread, saying that Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor seemed to have met Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li privately and been caught by Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li¡¯s fianc¨¦e on spot. Fourth Young Lady had been so sad and she rushed out and returned to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, crying a lot in the carriage on her way back.

    Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li had always been notorious. He had almost fought Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s grandson for a prostitute recently, and this time, he even wanted to seduce Ning Qingshan! People were not surprised by this news, because as a yboy, he had done so many such kinds of things!

    But he was so shameless to seduce his fianc¨¦e¡¯s elder sister to the face of his fianc¨¦e! What a scum!

    People were a little doubt that Ning Qingshan, the other heroine of the matter, would have willingly to have an affair with that yboy. Ning Qingshan had been enjoying such a good reputation and she had meditated at the nunnery for three years, so it was unlikely that she would have done such a thing. Maybe Fourth Young Lady had misunderstood her, but from Fourth Young Lady¡¯s look, that did not seem to be the case.

    What the hell had happened?

    Maybe Third Young Lady was not that virtuous and she had been acting in front of people. The most filial and loyal woman in the country? Maybe it was all fake!

    On second thought, they thought it might be true.

    Ignoring the buzzing of people, Ning Lingyun ran into the manor tearfully. She headed for Madam Dowager¡¯s Lucky Garden directly and rushed into the room. She knelt in front of Madam Dowager, propped her hands against the floor and began to weep aloud. Now she had to act following Ning Xueyan¡¯s words.

    Madam Dowager was drinking tea when she saw Ning Lingyun rushing in. She was so surprised that the tea cup almost slipped from her hands. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked unpleasantly with a darkened face, looking at Ning Lingyun¡¯s tearful eyes.

    Ning Xueyan rushed in with Xinmei as well, gasped. Before calming her panting, Ning Lingyun¡¯s maid, Caiyun, had told Madam Dowager all in detail. She also specially mentioned that Third Prince¡¯s face had been ashen when he saw what was happening.

    Now everyone knew something big had happened. It was not only a matter of a few Young Ladies mocking each other, but rted to Third Prince as well. At the sight of Third Prince¡¯s bearing at that point, Caiyun could tell that things had been going worse. Now she had to stand on Ning Lingyun¡¯s side. Otherwise, she might be a scapegoat. It was not a big deal to have a maid be a master¡¯s scapegoat at wealthy families.

    So she was deliberately partial to Ning Lingyun when she exined to Madam Dowager. ording to her words, it seemed Ning Lingyun had been betrayed by both Ao Xian and Ning Qingshan. Meanwhile, she also mentioned that Third Prince was in the same boat as Ning Lingyun. If Madam Dowager wanted to me Ning Lingyun, that meant she was unsatisfied with Third Prince.

    Caiyun had never been so smart. She performed so well and made the cause and effect of the whole story very clear on her own.

    Madam Dowager¡¯s eyes were as cold as ice. Everyone had been in a good mood when they left the manor, so she had never thought that such a thing would have happened. She was a little dissatisfied with Ning Qingshan. Ao Xian should have been engaged to Ning Yuling in the beginning, but he had insisted on marrying Ning Lingyun. Now, he had even had an affair with Ning Qingshan! Thinking about this, Madam Dowager could not hold back her anger anymore.

    After all, Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was influential and powerful. What had Ao Xian thought the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s Young Ladies were? How dare he choose them at will?

    One of her two granddaughters kept on crying, and the other one froze there in fear and could not even speak a word. It made Madam Dowager even angrier. Unlike Ning Qingshan, these two granddaughters in front of her were rted to her by blood, and now, they were the only two Young Ladies of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor that were both pretty and well-behaved.

    ¡°Servant, give back the marriage proposal note to the Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor. Tell them that the Young Lady of our Lord Protector¡¯s Manor does not match Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. Ask the Princely Heir to choose a more excellent Young Lady from some other noble family.¡± The more she thought, the angrier Madam Dowager was. She banged the table with her palm and made the tea cups on the table shake violently.

    If such a scandal spread out, who would like to marry the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s Young Ladies in the future? Ao Xian had gone too far!

    Seeing Madam Dowager in a rage, Mother Qin did not dare to say anything. She asked someone to find the marriage proposal notice from Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li and give it back to his Manor. That meant the engagement was canceled. Besides, it also showed that Lord Protector¡¯s Manor did not think it a pity to call off the marriage.

    When Ning Huaiyuan rushed back to the manor, the marriage proposal notice had been given back to the Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor, so there was no room for negotiation.

    It had been all of sudden when the two manors were engaged, and now the marriage cancetion was also beyond everyone¡¯s expectation. It was said that Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li misbehaved and he had even had an affair with a maid of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Fourth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had caught them on spot and she had returned to her manor angrily. Then the two manors canceled the engagement.

    Of course, this was just a public interpretation. The rumors said that Third Young Lady of the Nings misbehaved, and the person who had had an affair with Commandery Prince Li was not a maid, but Third Young Lady! Some people even said that they had heard Fourth Young Lady mention Third Young Lady on her way back, and she had cried a lot.

    So Third Young Lady must have an affair with Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li!

    Since they had no evidence, everyone talked about it privately. However, although without evidence, they did not think highly of Third Young Lady anymore. ¡°Maybe Third Young Lady of the Nings is not as virtuous as the rumors said.¡± Many people thought in the same way.

    Ning Qingshan was so angry that she gritted her teeth, but she did not dare to lose temper in front of people. After returning to the manor, although Madam Dowager did not say anything, she did not look happy. Therefore, Ning Qingshan could only vent her anger secretly. She pinched Feilian¡¯s arm forcibly and did not let go of her until Feilian wept with pain.

    She lost another maid this time. Feiyue had been left at Third Prince¡¯s suburban courtyard, as her scapegoat. Of course, Ning Qingshan knew what it meant.

    Her close maids and servants had been executed or punished one by one. Who would work for her wholeheartedly in the future?

    Ning Xueyan did not seem to have gotten involved in this matter, but Ning Qingshan felt that she had something to do with it. ¡°Since Ning Lingyun has been afraid of me, how dare she dispatch a maid toe to my room?¡± Ning Qingshan had woken up when she found that Ao Xian was on her bed. She had been trying to kick Ao Xian out of bed when they were found out.

    If she had driven Ao Xian away secretly, nobody would have found him on her bed, and she would not have fallen into such an awkward situation.

    She believed that if Ao Xian had found it was her who was on the bed, he would not dare to touch her. Unfortunately, that stupid maid screamed loudly when she had opened the door and found a man on her bed. The scream would have definitely aroused attention.

    At that very moment, Ning Qingshan had known that she had to do something to avoid Third Prince¡¯s suspicion. Otherwise, Third Prince would have thought that she really had an affair with Ao Xian. Therefore, she had kicked Ao Xian away forcibly and screamed a lot to show her innocence.

    What had happened next was out of her control. Third Prince hade into her room. Ning Qingshan still remembered his darkened face and icy eyes. The look in his eyes was so grim and cold, and even Ning Qingshan, who had been good at scheming, had not dare to move or made any noise at that moment.

    Then she had watched Feiyue being taken away with a piece of cloth in her mouth. Ning Qingshan did not feel sorry about Feiyue, but since Feiyue was her maid, if there was something bad to her, the others would associate it with Ning Qingshan. Even though they were just some groundless rumors, they would ruin her perfect fame that she had built up for years. At the thought of this, she had had an impulse to kill Feiyue on spot.

    It would be good if Feiyue hadmitted suicide on spot. At least, she could keep her innocence.

    Obviously, Ao Mingyu had been mad of her this time. He had left her without speaking anything, not even pretending. At the thought of this, Ning Qingshan could not help being resentful.

    ¡°Miss, calm down. Third Prince didn¡¯t say anything, did he? Everyone knows that Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li walked into the wrong room and got you in trouble. Third Prince should know it.¡± Mammy Luo sighed when she saw the ferocious look on Ning Qingshan¡¯s charming face. She pulled Ning Qingshan¡¯s sleeve, beckoning her to let go of Feilian¡¯s hand.

    Ning Qingshan was still pinching Feilian¡¯s hand. She pinched so hard that Feilian almost could not stand firmly in pain, but she did not dare to cry out.

    ¡°Get out!¡± Ning Qingshan gave Feilian a hard push angrily and shouted, ¡°You useless b*tch, get out!¡±

    Feilian looked a little like Feiyue, so Ning Qingshan seemed to have taken her as Feiyue. She stared at her fiercely.

    ¡°Got it. I¡¯m leaving right now.¡± Feilian felt pain all over. She moved out cautiously, lowering her head.

    She stopped when she arrived at the door and the piteous look in her eyes had turned to hatred. When she saw Caifening over from outside, she immediately lowered her head again with a look of fear.

    Caifen nced at her contemptuously and walked into Ning Qingshan¡¯s room, without talking to her.

    Everyone of Foggy Courtyard knew that the maid Ning Qingshan trusted most was not the first-ss maids, Feiyue and Feilian, but the second-ss maid, Caifen. Therefore, Caifen could walk into Ning Qingshan¡¯s room at any time without her permission.

    ¡°Miss, you mean this matter also has something to do with Fifth Young Lady?¡± Mammy Luo asked when she saw Ning Qingshan¡¯s knitted brows.

    ¡°Absolutely! I¡¯m quite sure about it.¡± Ning Qingshan crunched her teeth. She had designed a series of stratagems to deal with Ning Xueyan. However, nothing bad had happened to Ning Xueyan. Ning Qingshan had never thought that she would have be the victim of her own scheme, but unfortunately, that was the case. Later, she had searched Ao Xian in person, and she had also reminded Third Prince to search Ao Xian, but they had found nothing special.

    It was impossible! Since Ning Lingyun had prepared to frame Ning Xueyan by bringing Ao Xian to Ning Xueyan and being intimate to her, she should have put something on Ao Xian. Ao Xian had not seemed to be conscious when he was in her room, but Ning Qingshan still failed to find anything valuable on him. She had checked the perfume pouch tied to Ao Xian¡¯s waist, but it looked normal.

    It seemed everything abnormal had happened after Ao Xian walked out the room!

    How could it be possible?

    ¡°Mammy Luo, visit the Xia Manor again and tell Ning Ziying that I want to meet her!¡± Ning Qingshan said coldly, her eyes full of killing intent and violence. ¡°Ning Xueyan, I¡¯ll fight you to the death!¡±

 Chapter 232 - Ning Lingyun Was Frightened

    <h4>Chapter 232 Ning Lingyun Was Frightened</h4>

    Ning Lingyun¡¯s personal maid, Caiyun, had witnessed the dramatic change of the matter and she was scared. ¡°Miss, what shall we do?¡± she asked, trembling.

    She had seen that her master had to change her mind under Fifth Young Lady¡¯s threat. ording to Fifth Young Lady¡¯s instruction, her master had to ask her to go to Third Young Lady¡¯s room on the pretext of finding earrings. Then she had seen Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li in Third Young Lady¡¯s room.

    Things had not been undergoing as Ning Qingshan had plotted and Ning Lingyun had been on the back foot. Ning Xueyan had not only figured out Ning Lingyun¡¯s plot, but also hinted her that Third Prince had never had a crush on her. It had made Ning Lingyun lose her mind. She had subconsciously agreed to follow Ning Xueyan¡¯s words because she was so scared of her.

    She had never thought that Caiyun would have found out something so shocking in Ning Qingshan¡¯s room.

    However, to her surprise, the events had been interlinked and out of her control. When she had seen the angry and grim look in Ning Qingshan¡¯s eyes, Ning Lingyun knew that she had to stand on Ning Xueyan¡¯s side, because Ning Qingshan would not let go of her.

    Afterwards, she had done everything as per Ning Xueyan¡¯s instruction. She had plotted nothing, but only followed Ning Xueyan¡¯s words, but now it had caused such a big trouble and everyone was talking about it, so she was in a panic. Things would not change ording to her will, and she was so regret that she had believed what Ning Qingshan had said and made up her mind to deal with Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°She is only fourteen years old, but how could she be so experienced? Ning Xueyan is such a scheming b*tch! I¡¯m no match for her!¡±

    ¡°Caiyun, tell Madam Dowager that I¡¯m sick. We should keep a low-key in the future and I won¡¯t meddle in the affairs of Foggy Courtyard and Bright Frost Garden.¡± Senior Concubine Xu hade to her courtyardst night and cursed her. This time, she seemed to be smart and followed Senior Concubine Xu¡¯s suggestion. She could afford to offend neither Foggy Courtyard nor Bright Frost Garden.

    ¡°The higher up you go, the more benefits you¡¯ll get!¡±

    That was Senior Concubine Xu had told her. Senior Concubine Xu was a smart person. Otherwise, she would not have given birth to a daughter safely under Madam Ling¡¯s nose. Ning Lingyun was the only concubine¡¯s daughter of the whole manor. So it was obvious that Senior Concubine Xu was a woman of means. She hade to tell Ning Lingyun not to act recklessly and wait for Madam Dowager¡¯s instruction.

    ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll report to Madam Dowager immediately.¡± Caiyun nodded. Like Ning Lingyun, she was extremely scared. She still felt nervous when she recalled what had happened that day. If what had happened to Third Young Lady had happened to her master at Third Prince¡¯s suburban courtyard, maybe she would be the scapegoat. At the thought of this, she began to tremble. She thought she might end up like Feiyue in the battle among these Young Ladies.

    So she felt relieved that Ning Lingyun had no n topete with the other two Young Ladies for the moment.

    Both the master and the maid were so frightened. When they discussed the next move, people of Bright Frost Garden were talking about that matter as well.

    On the day of the ident, Xinmei had already reced the perfume pouch that Ning Lingyun had given Ao Xian with an ordinary one without any marks, but there was some aphrodisiac powder inside as well. Ning Xueyan had made the powder in person. The fragrance was faint and would notst long. It would fade away finally. That meant when Ao Xian woke up, he could not smell the fragrance at all. Therefore, nobody would find out the aphrodisiac powder.

    ¡°Mother Han, have you sent them away?¡± Ning Xueyan asked Mother Han as soon as she stepped into her room.

    ¡°Miss, she has gone. She said many thanks before leaving and she said that she would definitely repay your kindness if she had an opportunity,¡± Mother Han answered with a smile. Things had undergone smoothly. She had watched that woman getting in a carriage and leaving the city. She would go wherever she wanted and Third Young Lady would never find out that there had been another woman in in clothes at Third Prince¡¯s suburban courtyard on the other day.

    It was the most popr prostitute that Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li and Ya Changqing hadpeted for. She had be a prostitute because she had no money to cure her mother¡¯s disease. She had sold herself to the brothel. Unfortunately, her mother¡¯s illness was too heavy to be cured, and not long after, her mother had died and her younger sister had been left alone.

    Since her younger sister was left unattended, the procuress had wanted to bring her to the brothel. That woman had been reluctant to have her younger sister stay at the brothel, but her sister was too young and it would be dangerous for her to live alone outside without attendance. Although she had a close rtionship with some powerful men, like Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, these people would not be willing to buy her from the brothel and marry her. So she could not take care of her own younger sister.

    When she had been worrying about it, Ning Xueyan asked Mother Han to visit her and told her that if she did one thing for her, Ning Xueyan would buy her from the brothel and give her a sum of money. Then she would be able to take her younger sister away from the capital.

    On the other day, Xinmei had let here into Third Prince¡¯s suburban courtyard from the door of the flower greenhouse. After seducing Ao Xian to Ning Qingshan¡¯s room, this woman had left by the way she hade in. Ao Xian was not familiar with Ning Qingshan, so he had thought himself taking the wrong person, and he had not dared to tell the others that he thought the woman he had seen was that prostitute and he had followed her to Ning Qingshan¡¯s room.

    Although this matter had been cleverly done, Ning Xueyan still wanted the prostitute to leave the capital. So she immediately asked Mother Han to send the sisters away after the prostitute had fulfilled her task. They would be a hidden trouble if they still stayed in the capital. Ning Qingshan could not find any clue for the moment, but Ning Xueyan worried that it would be leaked out someday because of somebody¡¯s carelessness. Ning Qingshan had never thought that she would have be the victim of this affair, so she would do anything to strike back if she knew the secret.

    Ning Xueyan had a hunch that as long as that prostitute was still in the capital, Ning Qingshan would find some clues. She wondered why Ao Mingyu was so patient with Ning Qingshan. The more he put up with Ning Qingshan, the more Ning Xueyan suspect Ning Qingshan¡¯s background. There must be some secret that she was not aware of!

    On the contrary, Ao Mingyu had no fear of Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s granddaughter, Ya Moqin, at all.

    Ning Qingshan must have something to do with Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor. It seemed that there were many secrets about Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor!

    Seeing her frowning, Xinmei knew what she was thinking. ¡°Miss, do you want to inquire to Prince Yi about Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor?¡± she asked in a low voice.

    Xinmei was the secret guard Ao Chenyi had trained, so she was especially sensitive for such kind of things. There must be some reason. Otherwise, Ao Mingyu would not have put up with Ning Qingshan again and again.

    ¡°Be patient. Somebody else must be more anxious than us.¡± Ning Xueyan waved her hand and stopped Xinmei.

    Ao Mingyu had put the matter to the rest and shifted all the me on Feiyue, but everyone from influential families knew that Feiyue was just Ning Qingshan¡¯s scapegoat, so they all guessed that something bad would happen to Ning Qingshan. With Ning Qingshan¡¯s character, she could not swallow the result and would definitely find a way to turn the tables.

    Sometimes, more haste, less speed.

    Ning Xueyan had found some problems with an ount of Ning Zu¡¯an when she checked the ount books. The ount was recorded every month and it seemed nothing wrong with it, but in herst life, Ning Ziying had already found the problem. Now Ning Xueyan decided to find an excuse and suspend this ount. Then Ning Zu¡¯an must be very anxious, just like Ning Qingshan. The more anxious he was, the more likely it was that something would go wrong.

    ¡°Miss, Third Prince has calmed this thing. Does it mean that he will still marry Third Young Lady?¡± Lanning asked with a worried look. In the long run, although Fifth Young Lady was very smart, she was still out of favor. The marquis and Madam Dowager seemed to be nice to her, but in the face of interest, they would not stand on her side and defend her.

    Once Third Young Lady really married Third Prince in the future, nobody would help Fifth Young Lady if Third Young Lady wanted to deal with her.

    ¡°Ao Mingyu will definitely marry Ning Qingshan,¡± Ning Xueyan said calmly with a firm tone. Looking at Lanning¡¯s shocking face, she smiled slightly. ¡°But Ning Qingshan is unlikely to be his principal wife.¡±

    Ning Qingshan used to have a perfect reputation, she was Lord Protector¡¯s principal wife¡¯s daughter, Ao Mingyu had had deep feelings for her and had been grateful to her, plus, Honored Consort Ya had been favored her, so it should have been natural for Ning Qingshan to be Ao Mingyu¡¯s principal wife.

    But so many unusual things had happened to Ning Qingshan recently. She had been trying to hide her shoulder injury, and now Ao Xian had been found on her bed and nobody could tell if they had an affair or not. Even though Ao Mingyu had never med her for these, it did not mean that he did not care. The woman he would marry as his principal wife must be helpful to him. Ning Qingshan¡¯s virtue was now in doubt and her fame was even worse than an ordinary noble Young Lady¡¯s, so she had very little chance to marry Ao Mingyu as his principal wife.

    But no matter what happened, Ao Mingyu would still marry her. From his unlimited forbearance toward Ning Qingshan, Ning Xueyan knew that he was determined to get Ning Qingshan and the benefits behind her.

    Lanning was a smart girl and she immediately understood what Ning Xueyan meant. Her face lit up and she asked with a smile, ¡°Miss, you mean we should just wait and see what Third Young Lady will do next?¡±

    ¡°In addition to Ning Qingshan, Madam Ling, or Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an will make a move soon,¡± Ning Xueyan said calmly with a smile and leaned backzily. Since Ning Qingshan had a problem to be Third Prince¡¯s principal wife now, Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an, who had been focused on Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s property, would not stand by.

    Therefore, Ning Xueyan would just wait and see. But she would not wait too long.

    Because someone people could not wait to take action!

    Ning Xueyan had found some clues from what had happened at Third Prince¡¯s suburban courtyard.

    Was Ning Qingshan cooperating with Ning Ziyan? They had acted so quickly! The others might have not noticed this, but fortunately, Ning Ziying had known the Xia Manor well and she had seen Xia Yudong before, so she knew the situation better.

    Xia Yudong was Xia Yuhang¡¯s younger brother. Even though Ning Qingshan was resourceful, she could not get in touch with Xia Yudong unless someone had introduced them to each other. The person Xia Yudong admired most was his brother Xia Yuhang.

    He copied the way Xia Yuhang spoke and behaved. Since he was obedient to Xia Yuhang, of course he would follow Xia Yuhang¡¯s new-married wife, Ning Ziyan¡¯s words. Therefore, it would not be difficult for Ning Ziyan to have him act as a ¡®hero¡¯ to save Ning Xueyan when Ning Xueyan was in trouble. From this, Ning Xueyan could tell that Ning Qingshan must have collusion with Ning Ziyan.

    ¡°Miss, the carriage is waiting outside. Shall we go now?¡± Qingyu lifted the door curtain and asked. She had learned from the doorman that no master had reserved the carriages today.

    As she had been stopped at the gate because of Concubine Ma on the other day, Ning Xueyan failed to go to the cloth shops. She had reported to Madam Dowager again today and was about to choose the cloth now.

    ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go. Lanning, stay at home with Mother Han. I¡¯ll go with Qingyu and Xinmei,¡± Ning Xueyan stood up and said with a nod.

    She was a little busy recently, but Bright Frost Garden should still be alert, so she left Mother Han and Lanning, who was more mature, at Bright Frost Garden.

    ¡°Got it!¡± Lanning and Mother Han knew Ning Xueyan¡¯s intention, and they immediately answered together.

    The carriage had stopped at the manor gate. After that ident, all the carriages of the manor had been repaired and they were all in good condition now. They were avable at any time for the masters. The doorman had prepared the best carriage for Fifth Young Lady when he heard that she was going to go out. Everyone had noticed that Fifth Young Lady became more important in the manor.

    The servants were all very smart, and they all wanted to curry favor with her.

 Chapter 233 - Mr. Yu, the Shopkeeper of the Cloth Shop

    <h4>Chapter 233 Mr. Yu, the Shopkeeper of the Cloth Shop</h4>

    After getting into the carriage, Ning Xueyan found afortable ce to rest with her eyes closed.

    She would mainly go to one cloth shop to tailor clothes for the servants of the manor. That shop had been brought to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor as Madam Ming¡¯s dowry and Madam Ming used to be its owner. Now it had been taken by the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, to be exactly, by Madam Ling.

    The shopkeeper, Mr. Yu, was a special person. Ning Xueyan hade out today mainly to meet him.

    She hoped that she could figure out if Mr. Yu was still on her mother¡¯s side or he had really already taken Madam Ling as his master. All the shopkeepers would submit the ount books of their shops tomorrow. She would choose some people who were still grateful to Madam Ming from these shopkeepers. The shops were Madam Ming¡¯s dowry, so she would not allow Madam Ling to take them!

    Although not the busiest, the street in which the shop was situated was crowded and this shop¡¯s business was no worse than those big shops which were in between two main streets.

    Qingyu and Xinmei got out the carriage first. Qingyu went into the shop to find Mr. Yu, while Xinmei supporting Ning Xueyan get out the carriage.

    This shop had only two rooms which were not connected, and it was not on a main street, so it could not be taken as a big shop. However, when they got into the shop, they found it was not small inside, as it had two floors. There were various kinds of cloth on the first floor, and some embroidery products and thread on the second. In fact, it was a shop of cloth and embroidery products.

    Many women were choosing cloth and embroidery products and the shop assistants were busy serving them.

    Qingyu walked over to Ning Xueyan with a very thin old man in his sixties. At the sight of Ning Xueyan, the old man was so excited that tears welled up in his eyes. ¡°Fifth Young Lady?¡± he said and bowed to Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Mr. Yu. How are you?¡± Ning Xueyan smiled slightly and epted Mr. Yu¡¯s greeting. Then she bowed slightly to him.

    Mr. Yu was not the shopkeeper when Madam Ming had been the owner, but Mother Han said that he had already been a senior of this shop at that point. Later, he had been promoted from the vice shopkeeper to shopkeeper, and had worked in this cloth shop for many years.

    Although Ning Xueyan looked very young, she was calm and patient when she spoke and behaved. Her jet-ck eyes were bright and clear, full of wisdom. As a smart person who had seen and met many different kinds of people, Mr. Yu was sure that Ning Xueyan was not a simple girl. He could not help nodding slightly.

    It was said that Fifth Young Lady had taken her ce in the manor not long after stopping hiding herself at Bright Frost Garden. So obviously, such a Young Lady could not be simple. Thinking about this, Mr. Yu did not dare to look at Ning Xueyan anymore, and he became even more respectful.

    He invited Ning Xueyan to go upstairs and take a seat in a room. Mr. Yu took the tea cup from a shop assistant and brought it to Ning Xueyan in person respectfully.

    Ning Xueyan took the tea cup. She lifted the lip and removed the tea foam. After taking a sip of the tea, she put it straightforward.

    ¡°All the shopkeepers will hand in their ount books to our manor tomorrow. Mr. Yu, is your ount book ready?¡±

    Despite her young age, Ning Xueyan¡¯s powerful aura and her calm shocked Mr. Yu. He froze for a moment and then looked outside with hesitation.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you tell me that? My mother is meditating at the Buddha Hall, and now my grandmother is in charge of all the affairs of the backyard. She entrusted me to check the ount books, so of course I should inquire about this.¡± Ning Xueyan raised her head calmly, looking at Mr. Yu coldly, her eyes sparkling with wisdom.

    Mr. Yu could not help lowering his head, and he did not know what to say.

    Ning Xueyan had shown her identity and expressed that she should be responsible for Madam Dowager. She had also mentioned that Madam Ling was at the Buddha Hall. Although the outsiders did not know why Madam Ling had been staying at the nunnery for such a long time, they could tell that there was something wrong. As the hostess of the manor, she was not taking care of the backyard affairs, but staying at the Buddha Hall at the busiest time in a year! Anyone with a brain would figure out that something bad had happened to Madam Ling.

    The shopkeepers who worked under Madam Ling¡¯s administration had met privately and discussed the current situation. Most of them thought Madam Ling would take power again. After all, she was the First Madam of the manor. Even if she had made some mistakes, the punishment would notst long. Since Eldest Young Master was the only son of Lord Protector, who would punish his mother severely?

    They believed that First Madam would be released from the Buddha Hall by the end of the year at most. Therefore, they did not want to hand in their ount books tomorrow, and they decided to hand them in after First Madam was released.

    Mr. Yu did not quite agree with the other shopkeepers, but as a shrewd person, he knew he should follow the trend. Otherwise, he would be isted, and after First Madam was released, she would not spare him. But he knew the Fifth Young Lady in front of her was not easy to fool.

    So he could not make any decision now.

    ¡°Mr. Yu, are you going to take illness as an excuse for noting to our manor tomorrow?¡± Ning Xueyan asked with a slight smile, a piercing light shing in her bright and icy eyes. What she said next was even hit home more and Mr. Yu did not know what to say with trembling lips. ¡°Mr. Yu, do you think that the shop really belongs to Madam Ling?¡±

    Mr. Yu knew what Ning Xueyan said was right. Madam Ling had taken these shops from Madam Ming, but she did not dare to tell the others in public that these shops belonged to her. Otherwise, Madam Dowager would be annoyed. She could only hint the others privately that these shops were her property. Such kinds of things could never be announced openly.

    Madam Ling had privately told the shopkeepers that these shops were her dowry, but she had not dared to talk about it to them in front of other people. These shopkeepers were all smart, and they knew there must be something behind it. So although they had taken Madam Ling as their master, they did not dare to say that the shops were Madam Ling¡¯s dowry in front of Madam Dowager.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, what are you talking about? I dare not think of deceiving you and will never do so. I promise I will go to the manor with the ount book and hand it to you.¡±

    Being awed by Ning Xueyan, Mr. Yu had made up his mind to hand in the ount book, so he answered with a smile in a hurry.

    He had heard the rumors about Madam Ling¡¯s being locked in the Buddha Hall, but nobody knew the reason. Now Mr. Yu could tell that this must have something to do with Fifth Young Lady. An unfavored Youngdy had gotten the powerful First Madam to the Buddha Hall, so it was obvious that Fifth Young Lady was very capable.

    Even First Madam had been punished because of her, but those shopkeepers were still trying to help First Madam to deal with Fifth Young Lady! How stupid! In Mr. Yu¡¯s mind, they could not deal with Fifth Young Lady, and anyone who offended her would get into trouble. Even those shopkeepers who had been in their fifties or sixties were no match for the little girl, who was only fourteen years old!

    Hearing that Mr. Yu had agreed to hand in the ount book, Ning Xueyan felt relieved, a trace of smile on her face. Mr. Yu was a smart guy, so she had made the correct decision to discuss with him first. On the one hand, smart people would never refuse the others directly. On the other hand, Mr. Yu was not that loyal to Madam Ling. From his look and the cloth he had given to her, Ning Xueyan could tell that he had not totally forgotten his former master. Then he would not contradict her to her face. So it would be easier to make a breakthrough from him.

    The grim look had been reced by smile. Ning Xueyan asked, ¡°Mr. Yu, are you having any trouble?¡±

    Mr. Yu was stunned at the words. He raised his head in surprise and asked, ¡°Fifth Young Lady, how did you know it?¡±

    ¡°You were distracted and looked outside with a frown from time to time. You looked worried. So I guessed that you must be in trouble,¡± Ning Xueyan said gently.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, you¡¯re so smart!¡± Mr. Yu sighed. He had nned to ask Madam Ling for help, but he had not thought that she would have been locked up for such a long time. He had visited the manor and inquired when First Madam would get out of the Buddha Hall, but nobody could answer him. Now he had to solve the problem, so he had been upset recently.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Ning Xueyan asked. She had asked Mother Han to keep an eye on this shop, so she knew what trouble Mr. Yu was in. She had asked him deliberately to prevent Mr. Yu from knowing that she had asked people to watch him.

    ¡°I¡¯m not to me for this. Some people stirred trouble on purpose, saying that a kind of cloth we sold was inferior product. They imed that we had mixed some low-quality thread in the cloth, and caused the clothes they made were not strong enough. The clothes broke after their servants had only worn them for a few days. Moreover, the clothes were too shrunk to wear after being put into the water. Several manors ordered this kind of cloth from us, but now they have returned it.¡±

    When talking about this, Mr. Yu felt very upset. Before Spring Festival, all the manors would buy some cloth to make new clothes for their servants, so Mr. Yu had prepared a lot of this kind of cloth to meet their needs. However, when people from the other manors had heard that the cloth had a quality problem, they all returned the cloth. Now the warehouse was filled with this kind of cloth, so Mr. Yu was burning with anxiety.

    ¡°Which manor did the rumorse from?¡± Ning Xueyan asked, frowning.

    Mr. Yu answered with a guilty look, ¡°I don¡¯t know. Some people came and stirred trouble from time to time recently. Some of them imed that the cloth had a quality problem, saying that the clothes they made with our cloth broke after washing, or shank after being put into the water. Some others said that we mixed some different thread into the cloth, and made the cloth being stained with another color when it was put into the water. In a word, they had found all kinds of excuses to make trouble every few days. If they continue to do this, nobody will buy cloth from us anymore.¡±

    ¡°Is there any special mark on our cloth?¡± Ning Xueyan asked.

    There were many cloth shops in the capital, and all the cloth they sold had their own exclusive mark.

    ¡°Yes. But each bolt of cloth has only a mark on it. While a bolt of cloth can be used to make two or three clothes, so it¡¯s impossible to find the mark on each piece of clothing,¡± Mr. Yu said helplessly.

    ¡°There is a special mark of our shop on the cloth?¡± Ning Xueyan continued.

    ¡°Yes. There is a very small mark on the inner side of the cloth. This kind of cloth was specially made for our shop. As the old customer, we asked our supplier to print a character ¡®Ning¡¯ on the cloth to distinguish those from other shops,¡± Mr. Yu answered, looking worried. If this matter could not be solved as soon as possible, it would lead to more trouble.

    ¡°Hey! What¡¯s wrong with the cloth? Why hasn¡¯t anybody answered me till now?¡± When they were talking, there was a sudden noise downstairs along with a woman¡¯s shout.

    She came again! Mr. Yu was a little annoyed. ¡°Fifth Young Lady, this woman is the one who imed that all their clothes made with our cloth had been broken,¡± he said.

 Chapter 234 - Iâ€™m Going to Buy Some Cloth for My Servants

    <h4>Chapter 234 I¡¯m Going to Buy Some Cloth for My Servants</h4>

    A luxurious and bright-colored carriage crossed the street slowly. Seeing the big blood-red manjusaka pattern on the extremely spacious carriage, everyone lowered their heads and moved aside, without making any noise. Even those little kids who had no sense of danger sensed the tension in the air. They snuggled up to their parents and looked at the carriage in fear, closing their little mouths tightly.

    All the people in the capital knew that the carriage belonged to Prince Yi, so nobody dared to stand in his way.

    Ao Chenyi leaned against the soft couchzily, his long legs dangling aside casually. The robe he wore was in the same color as the carriage, making his handsome face a little enchanting. When he raised his head, people did not dare to look at him, because the look in his eyes was too icy. Two beautiful pce maids knelt on the two sides of the carriage, each holding a food box above their heads.

    Obviously, Ao Chenyi had no interest in the food box in the two pce maid¡¯s hands. He lifted the curtain, looked outside and happened to see the carriage of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor stopped in front of a shop.

    ¡°Go and check who is inside.¡±

    Although he said briefly, Yu Jian understood his intention. He reached out and stopped the horses. Then he jumped out the carriage and walked into the shop. An elegant and cold girl was walking downstairs, with a trace of smile on her face. His master was so smart! As he had expected, it was Fifth Young Lady!

    ¡°Your Highness Prince Yi, it¡¯s Fifth Young Lady,¡± Yu Jian walked to the carriage and reported in a low voice.

    Ao Chenyi rubbed his beautiful and straight nose with his slender fingers and smiled idly. ¡°I was right. It¡¯s that little girl! It¡¯s said she had stirred trouble at Ao Mingyu¡¯s suburban courtyard. What¡¯s she doing here?¡± He ordered in azy voice, ¡°Stop the carriage. The Spring Festival ising, and I¡¯m going to buy some cloth for my servants.¡±

    Yu Jian made a face and did not know what to say. ¡°Why is Prince Yi suddenly caring about such things?¡±

    Of course, as a smart guard, Yu Jian was clear what his master was thinking. He nodded and said seriously, ¡°You¡¯re right, Prince Yi! They should wear new clothes during the Spring Festival.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Help me get out!¡± Ao Chenyi blinked charmingly.

    The two beautiful pce maids immediately put down the food boxes and jumped out from the carriage. They then knelt, propping themselves with their hands against the ground. They were of the same height now, so it was obvious that they had been well trained.

    Ao Chenyi stepped on the back of the pce maids and got out the carriage before walking into the shop. His unrivaled handsome face looked both idle and charming and there was no usual bloodthirsty and coldness on it. Obviously, he was in a good mood.

    ¡°Give a box of the South Sea Pearl I have just gained to that little girl. Since she is my woman, I should give her something valuable before Spring Festival. Otherwise, others will think that she is too shabby and look down upon her.¡±

    He knew this little girl was both cunning and ruthless, but he still liked her. He was satisfied with everything she had done. What was more, he was the master of this little wild cat. His pet must be aggressive and should never be weak. Before he could make a fuss about Ning Qingshan¡¯s shoulder injury, Ning Xueyan had already taken advantage of it and aroused Third Prince¡¯s suspicion about Ning Qingshan. This coincided with his idea.

    He was getting even more satisfied with this little girl!

    But when had Ning Xueyan, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s Young Lady, be his woman? Since the first time they met, Ao Chenyi had taken this little girl as his woman. He was satisfied with everything about her. Besides, he had traded for her on one condition. So of course she belonged to him.

    It had never been on his mind whether Ning Xueyan was willingly to be his woman!

    He could not stand his pet being bullied. The usual cold-blooded Prince Yi suddenly came up with such an idea.

    He would not allow the others of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to bully his woman all the time. It was rare that he happened to meet her here. Seeing people gathering in the shop, he knew that this little girl was in trouble again.

    Thinking about this, he strode forward. A eunuch walked ahead of him and was about to drive away the people in his way, but he waved his hand, gesturing him not to disturb the others. Then he stopped behind the crowd. Several eunuchs and guards stood behind him respectfully, lowering their heads. They did not move at all.

    Seeing his ck robe embroidered with blood-red flower and the respectful manner of the eunuchs and guards, the experienced people near Ao Chenyi left quietly. Why did this ruthless prince show up here? Was he going to kill again?

    Many people who were watching walked out the shop quietly.

    It was not smart to look on what Prince Yi was doing, because people who did this might even lose their lives!

    Ning Xueyan did not notice Prince Yi¡¯s appearance. She leaned against the chair with a faint smile, watching the woman, who was in her thirties, shouting in front of her.

    ¡°Are you the owner of this shop? Look! This is the dress made from the cloth of your shop. It was suddenly shrunk by this much. Besides, its color faded. How can I wear such a dress?¡± With that, she threw a small and stained dress in front of Ning Xueyan. The dress was too small and it was about a kid¡¯s size. Besides, the beautiful colors on it had blended together and formed blotches, like being stained with ink.

    It really looked ugly. And it was too small for this strong middle-aged woman.

    People who were in front of Ao Chenyi did not see him, and some of them began to feel sorry for the middle-aged woman.

    ¡°How can you prove that you bought the cloth from our shop? As far as I know, suchmon cloth can be found in many shops. There are several dozens of cloth shops in the capital. Why are you so certain that you got it from our shop?¡±

    Ning Xueyan said slowly, smiling.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure I bought it from your shop! I have bought ten bolts of cloth here ten days ago, and you should have recorded it. If you don¡¯t trust me, you can check the record. What¡¯s more, I have put a thumbprint on it,¡± the woman shouted confidently, cing her hands on her hips.

    She raised her voice on purpose, trying to arouse more attention. However, since Ao Chenyi stood behind the crowd, nobody dared to walk in to stir trouble. Even if they would get money, they would not dare toe in to watch what was going on.

    ording to the custom of the capital, if the customer bought ten or more than ten bolts of cloth, the customer would be requested to leave a fingerprint on the record. Otherwise, the customer did not need to do this, and it would be enough after the ountant made the record.

    ¡°You mean you have bought ten bolts of cloth from us?¡± Ning Xueyan said coolly.

    ¡°Yes. Ten bolts of cloth! I¡¯m quite sure about it. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask the shopkeeper to check the ount book. As a powerless woman, I won¡¯t make trouble on purpose for no reason. You must give me a reasonable exnation. Otherwise, I won¡¯t leave here,¡± the woman said aggressively. Obviously, she would make a scene here if she could not get what she wanted.

    Looking at the dress on the floor and at the woman, some people were filled with indignation.

    ¡°This shop is sucks! And your cloth is sucks! Who will dare to buy anything from you?¡±

    ¡°Obviously, the color of this dress is exclusive to this shop. Are they still trying to deny it?¡±

    ¡°My son also bought cloth from this shop. I doubt if it can be used. I will bring it here and return itter. The cloth of this shop can¡¯t be used to make clothes at all!¡±

    Hearing these remarks, the middle-aged woman looked triumphantly. She had made such a right decision toe here today! Since there was her fingerprint on the record, nobody would dare to deny that she had brought the cloth from this shop.

    ¡°Has all the cloth been used to make clothes?¡± Ning Xueyan asked casually.

    ¡°Yes, of course! All the clothes look like this one. All the cloth you sold was fake!¡± the woman said firmly.

    ¡°Qingyu, go to her ce with her and bring all the other clothes here. I want to know whether all of them are broken,¡± Ning Xueyan said calmly, a sarcasm crossing her bright eyes.

    The triumphant smile froze on the woman¡¯s face. Seeing Qingyuing over, she stammered, ¡°It¡¯s un-unnecessary! My home is far from here and it will take a very long time to get there. You¡¯d better solve the problem about this dress. Then I will bring all the others to you.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I have time,¡± Ning Xueyan said indifferently, ignoring the woman¡¯s request.

    Obviously, she would definitely bring the other clothes here!

    ¡°The other clothes are in better condition than this one. This one¡¯s condition is too poor! And the rest clothing was being made.¡± Seeing that Ning Xueyan insisted on dispatching people to bring the clothes, the woman became anxious and immediately changed her attitude.

    ¡°So this one shrank and being stained the most?¡± Ning Xueyan asked before that woman could think it over.

    ¡°Of course! This one was both shrank and being stained. So you can just check this one,¡± being afraid that Ning Xueyan would ask someone to fetch the other clothes, the woman immediately answered. She was lying, so of course she would not lead the others to her home.

    ¡°Only this one? Are you sure?¡± Ning Xueyan asked again.

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sure that only this one has quality problems!¡± the woman confirmed.

    Ao Chenyi stood behind people, a trace of smile on his charming face. ¡°This little girl is so cunning! She let the woman fall into her trap so quickly!¡±

    ¡°Only this dress has such a big problem? Since the other clothes were made from the same cloth, how could they be much better?¡± Ning Xueyan asked with a darkened face. ¡°The same piece of cloth can¡¯t be so different. Or maybe the clothes were not made from the same cloth?¡±

    Since she looked too young, that woman had not taken her seriously. When she became serious, she emanated a powerful aura. The woman was so scared that she stammered and could not answer her question.

    How could the same piece of cloth be different?

    The crowd calmed down and everyone realized that the woman was lying. this would have happened only when the clothes had not been made from the same piece of cloth.

    ¡°Mr. Yu, send her to the governmental office and ask the officers to judge. We¡¯rew-abiding businessmen. If such things happen again in the future, just sue them. We can bring our cloth to the court and let the judge check it on spot.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled faintly, her lips pale, but she did not show mercy when she spoke.

    Businessmen adhered to the principle of ¡®Harmony brings wealth¡¯, so this woman and the others knew that the owner of the shop would not dare to do anything to them. Besides, it was hard for the people of the shop to prove that the cloth had not been bought from them. That was why the troublemakers hade from time to time. They knew that the bigger the fuss they made, the moreplicated the situation was, and the more it would affect the business of this shop.

    But nobody had thought that a Young Lady would have been so courageous and calm. Those who had an ulterior object in view immediately stopped thinking about making trouble. They had nned to ruin this shop¡¯s business by discrediting it when the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s madam had no time to take care of it, so that their own business would be better.

    But to their surprise, the Young Lady from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was so capable at such a young age!

 Chapter 235 - This Is a Reward for you From Prince Yi

    <h4>Chapter 235 This Is a Reward for you From Prince Yi</h4>

    Realizing that things were getting worse, the middle-aged woman rushed out the crowd and disappeared into the distance soon, leaving the dress on the floor.

    Everyone had just realized that she had tried to ckmail this shop. They were angry and began to curse her.

    However, as soon as they saw the ck robe on the tall, straight and handsome man behind them, they all stopped cursing and went dumb. Covering their mouths, they rushed out the shop in the blink of an eye. ¡°Is he Prince Yi, the terrible killer of the capital? I have never thought that he is so handsome!¡± some people thought while running away.

    Ning Xueyan saw Ao Chenyi now, wondering why he hade here. She blinked her jet-ck eyes and walked toward him. ¡°Greetings, Prince Yi.¡± She bowed to him.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, you are so eloquent! I watched a wonderful show just now.¡± A trace of idle smile appeared on Ao Chenyi¡¯s charming face. He walked inside and sat down in the chair Ning Xueyan had been sitting in just now. He pointed at the chair beside him, gesturing her to sit down.

    Ning Xueyan froze a little and did not know what he was going to do. No matter what he wanted to do, she could not stop him, so she sat down in the chair next to him helplessly. She looked at Ao Chenyi, waiting for his instruction. She thought Prince Yi would not havee here for nothing.

    ¡°Is this your shop?¡± Ao Chenyi nced at the shivering shopkeeper and shop assistants beside him.

    ¡°It¡¯s our manor¡¯s,¡± although Ning Xueyan did not understand why he was asking about it, she still answered.

    ¡°It¡¯s said the shop is Madam Ming¡¯s property, why are you saying that it belongs to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? Is your manor trying to take Madam Ming¡¯s dowry?¡± Ao Chenyi was not asking, but questioning. Mr. Yu¡¯s face suddenly turned pale at the arrogant words. Madam Ling did not allow anyone to mention that the shop was Madam Ming¡¯s dowry. If anyone dared to talk about it, he would be seriously punished.

    ¡°Prince Yi, you¡¯re kidding.¡± Ning Xueyan knew it was not smart to say anything else except for following his lead for the moment.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, you¡¯re so smart. I admire you. If you have any difficulties in the future, you cane to me. Maybe I can help you.¡±

    Ao Chenyi nced at Ning Xueyan¡¯s fair, delicate face and said with an idle look meaningfully, a pleasant smile on his lips.

    Ning Xueyan froze at the words. She turned to Ao Chenyi and looked at him with a frown uneasily. ¡°It seems he is really free today. He must be so boring that he hade to care about my business! It¡¯s said that he is always busy. How does he have time to hang out and meddle in my business?¡± she wondered.

    Of course, Ning Xueyan had no reason to refuse the benefit the others offered.

    Especially the benefit was from Ao Chenyi! Since there was a deal between them, if everything went smoothly with her, she would be more useful to him. Anyway, it would benefit both of them, so she would like to ept the help he offered.

    Since Ao Chenyi was willing to support her, more people would have scruples and did not dare to deal with her. If she had a fight with Madam Ling in the future for Madam Ming¡¯s dowry, people would not dare to help Madam Ling after they knew that Ao Chenyi was on her side. One of his words was worth more than ten thousands of others.

    After a short moment of silence, she curved up her lips and smiled pleasantly. She stood up and bowed respectfully again to Ao Chenyi. ¡°Thank you, Prince Yi. If I get into trouble in the future, I¡¯ll definitely ask you for help.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wee. I¡¯m willing to help you because you¡¯re my type.¡± Ao Chenyi stopped talking and stood up. He waved to Ning Xueyan, gesturing her not to say thanks anymore. He then turned to leave with his men. After taking two steps forward, he blinked to Yu Jian. Yu Jian understood what his master meant. He and a young eunuch, who had a box in his hands, did not move while the others walking out the shop.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, this is a reward for you from Prince Yi!¡± Yu Jian walked over to Ning Xueyan and said respectfully with a smile.

    The eunuch walked over as well and handed the delicate box to Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°These pearls were produced from the South Sea. Fifth Young Lady, you can string them into a ne.¡±

    ¡°Please thank Prince Yi for me,¡± Ning Xueyan said calmly. Xinmei, who was standing beside her, walked over and took the box. Then she stood behind Ning Xueyan again.

    Yu Jian bowed to Ning Xueyan and turned to leave with a smile. He walked back to the carriage and drove the horse along the street slowly.

    Watching Prince Yi leave, Mr. Yu calmed down a little. He looked at Ning Xueyan and found that she was at ease. He let out a sigh and praised her secretly. Being so calm and at ease at such a young age, she was truly a noble Young Lady!

    The person who had been here just now was the legendary Prince Yi. Fifth Young Lady could even stay calm in front of such a person, so she was really something. Thinking about this, Mr. Yu was more certain that he had made the right decision to hand in the ount book tomorrow.

    Fifth Young Lady was already a difficult person. Prince Yi seemed to have been very impressed by her and he had promised her to help her in the future. It would be no good to be her enemy.

    Now he had made up his mind to follow Ning Xueyan¡¯s words. He decided to remind his friends, several other shopkeepers, to hand in their ount books tomorrow. They were afraid of Madam Ling, but they still had their former master in mind. Therefore, although they had to follow Madam Ling¡¯s orders, they were willing to help if it was about Madam Ming.

    They had been promoted to shopkeepers from ordinary clerks after Madam Ling had taken power, but after all, they had worked for Madam Ming before.

    After everything was settled, Ning Xueyan chose some cloth to make New Year clothes for the servants of the manor. Then she walked out the shop with her maids and got in the carriage. But she did not return to the manor.

    The carriage stopped from time to time in front of different shops. After her carriage passing by, a rumor spread out, saying that Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s Fifth Young Lady was favored by Prince Yi, and the beautiful box that the maid held in her hands respectfully was from Prince Yi.

    People were shocked when they heard that what in the box were South Sea Pearls.

    Normally, this kind of pearl would be embedded in the earrings or hair-pins, and even a single piece was very precious. Now Prince Yi had given Fifth Young Lady a box of it, so it was obvious that he thought highly of her.

    There was a story behind his admiration for her. It was said that Fifth Young Lady had happened to be at her shop when someone was trying to make trouble there. Fifth Young Lady was so smart and she had managed to scare the swindler away. Prince Yi must admire Fifth Young Lady¡¯s wit, so he had presented her with a box of pearls.

    How lucky she was to be appreciated by Prince Yi! Nobody had ever heard that Prince Yi had given anything to anybody outside the imperial pce.

    The rumors spread quickly. After hanging out at a few shops, Ning Xueyan walked into another shop. The shopkeeper was extremely respectfully to her. And since then, all the shopkeepers of the shops she went toter were even more respectful to her than to their own masters.

    Afterwards, Ning Xueyan returned to the manor with satisfaction. As soon as she stepped into the manor, Madam Dowager asked her to her courtyard. She specially asked Ning Xueyan about what had happened at the shop. Ning Xueyan told her the whole story and was going to give the pearls to Madam Dowager. Madam Dowager did not ept them, but only looked at her graciously. She praised her and presented her a set of jewelry before let her go back.

    Madam Dowager had never been so kind to anyone except Ning Yuling.

    Of course she did not dare to ept the South Sea Pearls, because they had been given to Ning Xueyan by Prince Yi. All that terrible killer thought about was killing people. Why had he been so kind to give the pearls to Ning Xueyan? Obviously, it was true that he thought highly of Ning Xueyan. If he knew that the pearls had fallen into Madam Dowager¡¯s hand, he would definitely make a big trouble again!

    No matter how bold Madam Dowager was, she did not dare to ept things from Prince Yi. So it would be safer to keep the pearls in Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand.

    ¡°What? Ao Chenyi bumped into Fifth Young Lady and gave her a box of South Sea Pearls as a good will?¡± Ao Mingyu¡¯s face darkened. He threw hard the brush pen in his hand into the ink stone, causing the ink to ssh out and stain the characters he had just written.

    ¡°Yes. Because Fifth Young Lady was smart and calm in front of trouble and solved the problem easily, Prince Yi praised her and rewarded her the pearls. It¡¯s said that he also promised that Fifth Young Lady could ask him for help if she was in trouble in the future,¡± the guard answered cautiously. His master had been in a bad mood recently, and had quarreled with his mother, Honored Consort Ya, a few days ago.

    Everybody knew that he was not in a good mood, so they were all cautious when they spoke to him.

    ¡°Go and fetch me the jade hair essories. Send them to Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor,¡± Ao Mingyu took a deep breath and said with a frown.

    ¡°Third Prince, you can¡¯t do that!¡± The guard was so anxious that he could not help stopping him.

    ¡°Why? I can do anything I want!¡± Ao Mingyu had been impatient recently. Hearing what the guard said, he could not hold back his anger anymore. A grim look appeared in his eyes and made him look aggressive.

    He had put up with Ning Qingshan so many times. And now, he felt that he had reached the limit of his patience. He had quarreled with his mother for that shameless, stupid woman. At the thought of marrying this woman, he was very upset.

    Compared to Ning Qingshan, he appreciated Ning Xueyan more. He had a special feeling for that cold, but smart girl.

    He would tell his mother that he wanted to marry Fifth Young Lady, instead of Ning Qingshan. Even though Ning Qingshan was more valuable, who could prove that she was not Ao Chenyi¡¯s woman? Ao Mingyu had not found out whom Ao Chenyi¡¯s favorite concubine was yet. Now, the Prince Yi¡¯s Manor¡¯s courtyard was strictly guarded, and only Ao Chenyi¡¯s henchmen were allowed in and out.

    Maybe that woman was really Ning Qingshan. At the thought of this, Ao Mingyu felt fooled. He guessed maybe Ao Chenyi wasughing at him secretly because he was going to marry a woman he had abandoned!

    He did not want to marry that woman, but he had to! It was no wonder that he was so upset.

    ¡°Third Prince, you¡¯re getting angry and distracted. Remember, you should stay calm all the time.¡± A man¡¯s voice rang out from outside the study room. The guard took a sigh of relief and wiped sweat from his forehead. He then walked to the side quietly and pushed the door open. He knew his master would only follow this person¡¯s suggestion.

    A graceful noble childe in green walked into the room with a smile. He pointed at the two characters ¡°Be Calm¡± on the wall and said, ¡°Third Prince, you¡¯re too upset. Have you forgotten these two characters? Nothing will go smoothly with a restless mind!¡±

 Chapter 236 - Itâ€™s Time for Me to Get Married

    <h4>Chapter 236 It¡¯s Time for Me to Get Married</h4>

    Ao Chenyi was in a good mood when he returned to his manor. Instead of heading for the study, he walked to the backyard, looking rxed. Yu Jian was reporting to him something, a step away behind him. He was Ao Chenyi¡¯s henchman, and they had grown up together.

    ¡°Prince Yi, what shall we do next?¡± Yu Jian asked after reporting thetest news to Ao Chenyi.

    He had learned from the imperial pce that the emperor was determined to choose a consort for Prince Yi. Those candidates were all from noble, but not powerful families. Every three years, the imperial pce would hold the Beauty Contest to choose concubines for the imperial male members. The emperor wanted to take this opportunity to choose a woman for Prince Yi so that Prince Yi could not refuse again. So obviously, he had been provoked and was determined to meddle in the affairs of Prince Yi¡¯s backyard.

    ¡°Three years on. The Beauty Contest ising again!¡± Ao Chenyi stopped and looked at theke beside him, lightheartedly. He then curved his lips and smiled with a sardonic expression.

    ¡°Yes, Prince Yi. Then...¡± Yu Jian said.

    Three years ago, the emperor had nned to choose a consort for Prince Yi, but Prince Yi had happened to be ill. The illness hadsted for a long time, andter, they had asked a master from the temple to cast spell to cure his disease. The master had told them that it was not good for Prince Yi to get married. If he had done so, he would suffer from health problems or get into trouble. Then the emperor had had to stop choosing consort for him. Now, it seemed the emperor¡¯s patience had worn out. He was getting old, and he became more afraid of his younger brother.

    Since he could not control Ao Chenyi directly, he must find a way to control him through his women. At least, he could not let him marry a nice girl who came from a powerful family.

    Everybody knew what the emperor was plotting. But since he was both the emperor and Prince Yi¡¯s elder brother, of course he could call the shots on Prince Yi¡¯s marriage.

    ¡°Will any Young Ladies of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor attend the Beauty Contest?¡± Ao Chenyi asked coldly.

    ¡°It¡¯s said that Third Young Lady and Fifth Young Lady will attend the contest,¡± Yu Jian answered after thinking for a while.

    ¡°Leave those people alone. I think it¡¯s time for me to get married.¡± He curved up his lips and smiled enchantingly, an icy look shining in his charming eyes.

    ¡°Prince Yi, are you serious?¡± Yu Jian¡¯s eyes sparkled and he could hardly believe what his master said.

    ¡°Why are you so surprised? Don¡¯t you want me to get married?¡± Ao Chenyi shot a re at Yu Jian.

    ¡°Prince Yi, I¡¯m so d that you finally agreed to get married! I, I¡¯m going to prepare right now.¡± Yu Jian was overjoyed because it was the first time that his master agreed to marry. ¡°Does this mean that I will have a baby master soon?¡± he thought.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to clean the Fragrance Garden now,¡± Ao Chenyi saidzily, as if he had not seen his henchman¡¯s ecstatic look.

    Fragrance Garden was his ¡®favorite concubine¡¯, Ning Xueyan¡¯s residence.

    Ao Chenyi did not want Yu Jian to clean the room, because he did not want to kill his ¡®favorite concubine¡¯ for the moment. Then the others would think that his favorite concubine was still living in his manor. Ao Chenyi had nned to use the pce for other purposes, but now he changed his mind.

    ¡°What if His Majesty asks about it?¡±

    ¡°Leave him alone. He is so busy and he can¡¯t find time to meddle in my business. Besides, he can¡¯t make a decision for my marriage.¡±

    ¡°Shall I go to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?¡± Yu Jian asked cautiously.

    ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to go. I have my n. Put aside the affairs of the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Justice for the moment. His Majesty is determined to find a consort for me. I must take it seriously and find a woman I like by myself. Clear up a main courtyard. By the way, clean and decorate the Pear Flower Garden.¡±

    Ao Chenyi said with an enchanting smile, a coldness shing in his eyes.

    ¡°Pear Flower Garden?¡± Yu Jian froze a short while and observed Ao Chenyi¡¯s expression cautiously. He felt relieved because he did not find anything wrong from Ao Chenyi¡¯s face. He was surprised that his master would allow a woman to live in Pear Flower Garden. The location was a little far from the center of the manor. ¡°Is Prince Yi going to take this ce as the residence of his co-consort?¡± Yu Jian wondered.

    But he immediately denied this assumption. Impossible! The outsiders might know nothing about Pear Flower Garden, but Yu Jian was very familiar with it. His master had never allowed people to enter the courtyard easily, so it was impossible for him to have his co-consort live inside. Even his principal wife would not be allowed to live there.

    ¡°Master, do you want to get... someone to live in Pear Flower Garden?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s time to find a new hostess for it now,¡± Ao Chenyi said, his eyes shining, looked especially charming. Now even the bloodthirsty and coldness seemed to have faded from his eyes. Then he lifted his robe embroidered with blood-red manjusaka, making it look more luxurious and beautiful.

    He thought that making that little girl his woman was not a bad idea.

    This idea had popped into his head at the sight of Ning Xueyan today. Although he had always taken her as his woman, nobody else knew it. He had given the South Sea Pearls in front of so many people today. That meant he would let her by his side openly. Besides, his backyard should have a hostess now.

    If he could marry this girl, getting married did not seem to be a terrible thing!

    That little girl was so smart, so he was confident that she would not get him into trouble. Thinking about this, Ao Chenyi was very satisfied with the idea that he had suddenlye up with. He was eager to see that girl panic-stricken when she heard the news that she was going to marry him. Maybe he should visit her tonight and told her this ¡®good news¡¯!

    Ning Xueyan had missed the lunch time when she returned to Bright Frost Garden. Lanning brought a food basket to her. After having a little food, Ning Xueyan put down her chopsticks and walked into the inner room. She wrote a letter and handed it to Mother Han, asking her to visit the Ming Manor and give the letter to her uncle, Ming Feiyong. She wanted to make a big scene tomorrow, and she needed his uncle there.

    ¡°Miss, I will go immediately.¡± Seeing her young master arrange for everything calmly, Mother Han shed tears of relief. She nodded and walked out without hesitation.

    Ning Xueyan put down the brush pen in her hand. She looked at the South Sea Pearls on the dresser, rolling her eyes.

    She had heard that those shopkeepers had privately discussed and they would find excuses not to turn in the ount books tomorrow. Therefore, she had nned to visit those shops one by one to warn them. Since Ao Chenyi had given her a box of pearls, it was unnecessary for her to visit them one by one. Therefore, the pearls had saved her a lot of trouble.

    In order to make a scene, Ning Xueyan would not miss any opportunity.

    This box of South Sea Pearls could be used for many purposes.

    She smiled sweetly, looking so gentle and delicate.

    But she could no longer smile when she saw Ao Chenyi at night. The proud prince was lying on her bed, as if he was the owner of the room. He waved his hand to her, looking kind of gentle. However, what he said next instantly made Ning Xueyan¡¯s graceful smile freeze.

    ¡°Yan¡¯er, you will be my concubine in the future. Tell me, are you overjoyed?¡±

    ¡°Overjoyed?¡± Ning Xueyan felt like being struck by the lightning and ten thousand crows were flying overhead. She was so shocked. ¡°What happened? I have never said that I would marry this powerful and bloodthirsty devil!¡± Nobody had said anything about it to her before, but she could not ignore what Prince Yi said, because he did not seem to be joking.

    ¡°You don¡¯t look happy. Don¡¯t you like me?¡± The handsome, smiling face suddenly darkened. Even the air seemed to froze.

    Taking a deep breath, Ning Xueyan calmed herself down. She widened her bright, jet-ck eyes and said respectfully, ¡°Prince Yi, you are kidding. You¡¯re handsome, unrestrained with delicate air, so it¡¯s natural that all the Young Ladies in the capital regard you as their Prince Charming. But I¡¯m only the most unfavored daughter of Lord Protector, how dare I dream of marrying you?¡±

    Ning Xueyan finished the words without stopping. She then observed Ao Chenyi¡¯s look carefully. It was not that bad! At least, he did not look grim anymore. It seemed he enjoyed her ttering very much, but his half-smiling face still made her uneasy.

    Ao Chenyi was indeed in a good mood at the moment. Since he made up his mind to marry her, he had been feeling pretty good. He had heard a lot of such ttery before, but he did not feel so hypocritical when it came out of Ning Xueyan¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°Come here!¡± He reached out and nced at Ning Xueyan, looking pleasantly.

    Ning Xueyan was only a step away from him. Caught off guard, she fell into his embrace. She smelled a faint fragranceing from the ambergris, which could make people refreshing.

    Before she could break free of his embrace, he lifted her chin. She was forced to face him in such a posture. Being firmly constrained within his arms, she could not move at all. With a little panic in her beautiful eyes, she struggled subconsciously. However, it was in vain, and she was still held by him firmly.

    The panic in her eyes turned to helplessness, her long eyshes trembling. She looked at his face as handsome as Asura with her delicate charming eyes. In his narrowed eyes, she saw a trace of tenderness, but soon it was reced by the breathtaking charming smile.

    Being so close with this Asura, Ning Xueyan felt a lot of pressure. What made her more nervous was that their bodies were pressed together. However,pared to this man, she was too weak and her strength could be ignored, so their confrontation waspletely out of proportion.

    Ning Xueyan stopped struggling when she realized that they were unequal in strength.

    She stared at Ao Chenyi with her bright and clear eyes, waiting for his next move.

    Ao Chenyi looked at the girl in his arms. There was a little childish air on her extremely charming face. She had been very nervous just now, then her panic turned to helplessness, and finally, she calmed herself down. Her body was a little stiff, but she did not seem to be nervous now. Ao Chenyi had an impulse to make her restless. He narrowed his eyes and touched her lips with his finger frivolously.

    ¡°Do you know how many women wanted to marry me, but I turned all them down. Yan¡¯er, you¡¯re so lucky!¡±

    ¡°So lucky?¡±

    Ning Xueyan thought helplessly. Yes, she had won the lottery, but unwillingly. Actually, she did not want to be so ¡®lucky¡¯ at all! But from Ao Chenyi¡¯s look, she could tell that he was serious. Ning Xueyan was clear that it would be useless to object to such kind of things. Prince Yi, Ao Chenyi, had never followed the other¡¯s words!

 Chapter 237 - Third Sister, It Was not Your Fault

    <h4>Chapter 237 Third Sister, It Was not Your Fault</h4>

    In fact, it was not too difficult for her to ept the fact. She had been hurt to the core by love in herst life and she had been reborn for revenge, so she did not care who she would marry.

    If she could survive after revenge, she wished that she would marry an ordinary man, instead of an extremely moody and dangerous person, like Prince Yi, Ao Chenyi.

    ¡°Prince Yi, I¡¯m so ttered. I dare not expect to marry you.¡± Seeing a trace of bloodthirsty shing in his eyes, Ning Xueyan sighed secretly. She shifted the topic and continued, ¡°Prince Yi, I¡¯m very happy that I have you as my back.¡±

    She knew that she could not change Prince Yi¡¯s mind. She had thought that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would consider about her marriage in two or three years at least. By that point, she would be strong enough and even Ning Zu¡¯an and Madam Dowager could not push her around at will. But now she was still too weak, and without any mental preparation, Prince Yi had already made his decision to marry her.

    ¡°Do you really want to marry me?¡± Ao Chenyi did not think it was necessary to ask this question, but he still asked, half smiling. The girl¡¯s fragrant and soft body in his arms warmed his cold heart a little. He loosed his hands slightly and touched her hair gently with his left hand.

    ¡°Yes, I do!¡± Ning Xueyan did not know what she could say except for agreeing to his request.

    Ao Chenyi let Ning Xueyan go and leaned back, looking at her from the corner of his charming eyes. ¡°Since you agreed, I¡¯ll assume you mean it. Then give me a love token!¡± he said with a smile, trying to hold back his excitement.

    ¡°Love token?¡± It was a token given between lovers. Ning Xueyan was surprised that the proud Prince Yi would have made such a request. ¡°Is he ying tricks again?¡± She took out a perfume pouch from under her pillow and handed it to Ao Chenyi. ¡°Prince Yi, please take it.¡±

    She had made the perfume pouch in the past few days when she was free. She had learned the technique from her mother in herst life, and it was a little different from the way people of the capital made them. This was the only one that she had made to kill time. She had not decided if she should put it on or not, so she had only stuffed it under her pillow.

    Ao Chenyi took the perfume pouch from her hand in surprise. He observed it carefully, but did not see sewing trace. Obviously, Ning Xueyan had sewn it beautifully and carefully. Being pleased, Ao Chenyi patted Ning Xueyan on the head with an idle smile.

    ¡°Well done! You can make the underwear for me after moving to my manor.¡±

    Seeing a surprised and depressed look appearing on her fair face, Ao Chenyi became more excited. He yed with the perfume pouch in one hand and propped his face with another one. ¡°Since you are so sincere, I will marry you as my co-consort.¡±

    ¡°What? Co-consort?¡±

    Ning Xueyan widened her eyes and did not know what to say. She blinked, staring at him nkly.

    She did not care if she would be his principal wife or not, but she thought it strange that this prince had knocked at her window and entered her room at night only to officially inform her that he would marry her as his co-consort. Besides, he had stayed in her room for such a long time!

    ¡°His Majesty will definitely choose a woman as my principal wife, and I don¡¯t want to disobey his order for the moment. After all, he is the emperor, and I¡¯m only a prince. What¡¯s more, he is my elder brother. So I will agree with him to choose the principal wife for me. But I will choose the co-consort by myself,¡±

    Ao Chenyi reached out, pinched Ning Xueyan¡¯s chin slightly and said, half smiling.

    ¡°Is he exining to me?¡± Ning Xueyan was surprised that the arrogant, aggressive and cold-blooded prince would have exined to her. She blinked her bright, moisture eyes, looking at Ao Chenyi¡¯s incredible handsome face. There was still a sneer on his lips, but it made him look more charming and enchanting.

    He was so charming! Wen Xueran was extremely beautiful when he smiled. Compared to him, Ao Chenyi looked more bloodthirsty and grim, but they were both charming. Ning Xueyan felt that Ao Chenyi¡¯s extremely gorgeous appearance was more attractive.

    Ao Chenyi applied a little more strength on his hand and pinched Ning Xueyan¡¯s chin. ¡°What are you thinking? You are fascinated by my handsome face, aren¡¯t you?¡± he narrowed his eyes and said slightly, looking very joyful.

    Sensing the pain in her chin, Ning Xueyan came back to herself. Until now she was aware that she was staring at the Asura with fascination. With blushed face, she turned her head slightly and got rid of his slender fingers. She then stood up and smoothed her clothes. ¡°Prince Yi, it¡¯s up to you,¡± she answered coolly, ignoring his frivolous words.

    Ao Chenyi¡¯s face suddenly turned grim. ¡°Solve the problem of your manor¡¯s backyard as soon as possible. I¡¯m sure my princess consort can handle the backyard affairs!¡± he said in a low voice.

    After Ning Qingshan¡¯s returning, so many things had happened to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s backyard, and now Ning Xueyan had not find a way to stop her from making troubles. She was so smart, and it should not be a difficult problem for her to solve the problem!

    There should be a long way to go for her to marry him, but it seemed he had already thought her for his woman. Even if they got married, she could only be his co-consort. How could he call her his princess without thinking about it. ¡°Don¡¯t expect too much from a co-consort!¡± she thought helplessly, holding up the tea cup on the table and taking a sip of tea.

    ¡°Prince Yi, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t get you into trouble. I will solve the problem soon,¡± she promised.

    ¡°If you¡¯re tough enough, nobody will dare to fight you! Why should I marry you as my co-consort if you can¡¯t even handle the affairs of the backyard?¡± The cold aura emanated from Ao Chenyi was chilling.

    The woman he thought highly of should have the ability to defeat his principal wife. If she could not even defeat an adopted daughter of Lord Protector, she would be useless.

    Ning Xueyan knew that he wasining that she was too slow in dealing with Ning Qingshan. She lowered her head slightly and said in a soft voice, ¡°Prince Yi, please calm down. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡±

    The battle between Ning Qingshan and her would soon be decided, because both of them did not want the battlested long. Since the Beauty Contest wasing, Ning Qingshan would not pay much attention to her. Ning Qingshan had been taken as Third Prince¡¯s future principal wife, but after getting involved into so much trouble recently, she might not quite sure whether she would still be Ao Mingyu¡¯s principal wife.

    So after the ount books had been turned in tomorrow, in addition to Madam Ling, who had been suppressed for a long time, nobody would make any trouble in the manor for some time toe.

    Ning Xueyan knew that Ning Qingshan had no time to deal with her for the moment. After the lunar New Year, the Beauty Contest would start. The activity was held not only for choosing concubines for the emperor, but also for Prince Yi, Third Prince and Fourth Prince. If Ning Qingshan missed the opportunity, she would not be able to marry Ao Mingyu.

    ¡°Maybe I can take advantage of the Beauty Contest,¡± Ning Xueyan thought.

    ¡°Okay. I hope you won¡¯t let me down,¡± Ao Chenyi said meaningfully, looking at Ning Xueyan from the corner of his eyes.

    When Ning Xueyan raised her head, her jet-ck eyes happened to meet Ao Chenyi¡¯s mysterious and grim eyes, the look in them as cold as usual. Ning Xueyan believed that if she did something he was not happy with, this prince might show no mercy to her. She seemed to be in danger all the time, so she must be more cautious.

    In the morning of the next day, Ning Xueyan walked to Madam Dowager¡¯s Lucky Garden after dressing up. Ning Qingshan had already been there. Seeing her walking in, Ning Qingshan greeted her gently with a smile, ¡°Hi, Fifth Sister. Our grandmother was talking to me about what happened yesterday. After all...¡±

    She seemed to be too sad to continue. She wiped the tears from her eyes, as if she had suffered a great grievance.

    ¡°Third Sister, it was not your fault. Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li was too reckless. How dare he do that to Third Prince¡¯s face! Third Sister, don¡¯t worry. Third Prince will back you up.¡± Ning Xueyanforted her in a soft voice. The two of them pretended to be close sisters in front of Madam Dowager.

    Madam Dowager nodded secretly. She thought that Ning Xueyan was kind of generous, as there had been a conflict between Ning Xueyan and Ning Qingshan for ount book some time ago, but now Ning Xueyan did not kick Ning Qingshan when she was down.

    But Ning Qingshan¡¯s face turned pale at the words. In addition to sending her home yesterday, Ao Mingyu had not talked to her at all, let alonefort her. When she was crying in the carriage, she had thought that Ao Mingyu would feel sorry for her. After all, it was not her fault. If Ao Xian had not entered her room by mistake, nothing would have happened!

    But Third Prince had turned the cold shoulder to her. Even she had cried her heart out, he did not say anything. It was a heavy blow to Ning Qingshan. Now Ning Xueyan mentioned that Third Prince would back her up, Ning Qingshan felt it was a satire on her.

    She was pretending to be weak in front of Madam Dowager, trying to gain her sympathy and support, so she would not fight Ning Xueyan to Madam Dowager¡¯s face. She gritted her teeth and swallowed it. Tears immediately welled up and ran down her cheeks. ¡°Fifth Sister, don¡¯t talk about it anymore. Anyway, I, I should be med. If I did not go to the suburban courtyard, such a thing would not have happened,¡± she said.

    It seemed she had put all the me on herself, but it was Madam Dowager, who had agreed on their going out yesterday, and she had gone to Third Prince¡¯s suburban courtyard following Madam Dowager¡¯s words. Seeing her tearful face, Madam Dowager said, ¡°Come on! Don¡¯t cry. We won¡¯t talk about that ident anymore. The Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor should be med! Fortunately, nothing serious happened. You should be more cautious in the future. Girls¡¯ reputation is the most precious, so you should not make any mistake.¡±

    Madam Dowager was warning both Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan. She had great hopes for both of them, so of course she did not want their reputation to be ruined. Otherwise, if they could not marry the princes as her n, and it would be a heavy loss both for the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and for her.

    ¡°Yes, Grandmother. I will be cautious,¡± Ning Xueyan answered calmly with a smile.

    ¡°Got it, Grandmother. I will certainly follow your words.¡± Ning Qingshan wiped the tears from her cheeks and nodded gently.

    ¡°Grandmother, the ount books will be brought here soon. I¡¯m afraid that they are tooplicated that I don¡¯t know how to check.¡± Ning Xueyan did not want to waste too much time on Ning Qingshan¡¯s affair, so she shifted the topic and asked uneasily in a soft voice.

    ¡°Yan¡¯er, you did a good job before. The ount books they will bring in are even easier, and you just need to check the figures. That¡¯s enough.¡± Madam Dowager was satisfied with Ning Xueyan¡¯s work in charge of the ounts. Ning Xueyan would ask her to make the final decision each time after checking all the ount books, so Madam Dowager felt that it was more convenient than when Madam Ling had been in charge of the backyard.

    Madam Dowager was satisfied with the current situation. If not because of Ning Qingshan, she would like to keep Madam Ling in the Buddha Hall for a little longer.

 Chapter 238 - A Trouble Caused by the Account Books

    <h4>Chapter 238 A Trouble Caused by the ount Books</h4>

    ¡°Grandmother, I¡¯m not that experienced. Can you find a person to help me?¡± Ning Xueyan asked gently, holding up the tea cup from the table and passed it to Madam Dowager.

    ¡°She is still too young, so she dares not to take responsibilities. It also means that she is not ambitious.¡± Madam Dowager was very satisfied with this. She turned to Ning Qingshan and said, ¡°Shan¡¯er, go to check the ount books with Yan¡¯er. After all, you will take care of our manor¡¯s business in the future, so you should practice in advance.¡±

    Since Madam Dowager asked Ning Qingshan to help Ning Xueyan, it meant she had great expectations of her.

    Ning Qingshan was overjoyed and she immediately agreed in a soft voice. She felt a little relieved. At least, she knew that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had not given her up and Madam Dowager still hoped her to be Third Prince¡¯s principle wife.

    They had bothe early in the morning and had not had breakfast yet, so Ning Xueyan and Ning Qingshan ate something at Madam Dowager¡¯s ce before going to the front hall. Since all the visitors were men, Madam Dowager specially asked the sisters to meet them at the front hall.

    Since those people were all their subordinates, Madam Dowager arranged for a small hall beside the main hall for the meeting. After all, those shopkeepers were only Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s servants. Besides, Madam Ling had also met them there before.

    ¡°Third Sister, I heard from Mother Qin that the Beauty Contest ising soon. You¡¯re also in the list of candidates. May all your wishe true!¡± Ning Xueyan said gently, as if she was really happy for Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°Beauty Contest? Our manor has signed me up for the contest?¡± Ning Qingshan was excited and took a sigh of relief. She worried a lot about what had happened yesterday. Since Madam Dowager had allowed her to participate in the Beauty Contest held by the imperial pce, she believed that she was able to stand out in the contest. Honored Consort Ya treated her so well, so Ning Qingshan was confident that with her help, she would definitely marry Third Prince.

    ¡°But why has nobody told me about it? But Ning Xueyan has learned the news from Mother Qin! Does this mean that Madam Dowager takes Ning Xueyan more seriously than me?¡± At the thought that Ning Xueyan might rece her to marry Third Prince, Ning Qingshan became both jealous and angry. Although she was cunning and calm, she almost lost her mind and wanted to p Ning Xueyan.

    However, she could not do this for the moment. She had been too short-tempered recently and had gotten herself involved in the battle against Ning Xueyan before she could gain a firm foothold at the Lord Protector¡¯s manor. That was why she had suffered great loss. Mammy Luo had reminded her about it yesterday, and she thought Mammy Luo was right. The Beauty Contest wasing, so she should not waste her time on fighting Ning Xueyan now.

    When she became Third Prince¡¯s wedded wife, if she wanted her dead, Ning Xueyan could not live.

    ¡°Thank you, Fifth Sister! If I rise high someday in the future, I will certainly repay your kindness to me.¡± Ning Qingshan smiled, covering her mouth with her sleeve, looking gentle and graceful. In the others¡¯ eyes, she was still the gentle and generous Third Young Lady they were familiar with.

    Only Ning Xueyan knew that Ning Qingshan was hinting that if she married Third Prince in the future, she would definitely revenge on her.

    But Ning Xueyan did not care about it. They seemed to get on well with each other in front of the others, but both of them knew that Ning Qingshan had nned to set up Ning Xueyan yesterday, but unfortunately, she had be the victim of her own plot finally. Of course, neither of them would tell Madam Dowager about it.

    ¡°Third Sister, you must have never checked the ount books of these shops before. I wonder if you can find something wrong with them. I hope those shopkeepers won¡¯t fool us. It¡¯s said Third Prince owns many shops.¡± It was obvious that Ning Xueyan was challenging Ning Qingshan by hinting that since she had never been in charge of ounts before, even if there was something wrong with the ounts, she could not find it out. Besides, she was also suggesting that Ning Qingshan might be fooled by those shopkeepers.

    Ning Qingshan was so angry that she gritted her teeth. How dare Ning Xueyan look down upon her like this? She would show her and Madam Dowager that although she was not in charge of ounts, she could do a good job, even better than Ning Xueyan!

    She had nned to only show up, but say nothing. But now, she had changed her mind. She would surprise Madam Dowager and Ning Qingshan and let them know who was the most outstanding. She could do what Ning Xueyan could do, and she could also do what Ning Xueyan could not do!

    ¡°Fifth Sister, thank you for your reminding. I will check them carefully and nobody can fool me.¡± Ning Qingshan shot back, without hiding her anger.

    Then she strode into the front hall with her maid. With a faint smile, Ning Xueyan walked in, following behind her.

    The hall was separated into two parts with a bead curtain. Since they were unmarried Young Ladies, they should not show their faces in front of so many men.

    They vaguely saw a dozen men sitting outside through the curtain. They were all the shopkeepers of their manor. Since they heard that Fifth Young Lady had been rewarded by Prince Yi yesterday, none of them dared to be absent.

    Although they were all here, they did not think in the same way. A few shopkeepers exchanged nces, rolling their eyes. They said nothing but knew exactly what the other meant.

    Arge pile of ount books lying on the table in front of Ning Xueyan and Ning Qingshan. They were the main ount books of all the shops, recording the general ledger rting to ie and expenditure of the year. Ning Xueyan picked one from them, checked it briefly and found that it was impable, so obviously, the shopkeeper had put a lot of effort into preparing it.

    Every ie and expenditure was clearly recorded.

    Ning Qingshan held up an ount book as well and looked through it. She had never checked any ount books before, but she was a smart person, and she had learned a little ounting knowledge from Madam Ling, she could also tell that the ount was clearly indicated, so she nodded approvingly.

    Without speaking anything, they both began to check the ount books in their hands carefully. They would ask the shopkeepers outside to exin when there was something they did not understand. All the shopkeepers answered fluently, so obviously, they were very familiar with their ount books, and they knew what the two Young Ladies were asking without even looking at the ount books.

    So they must have well prepared beforeing to the manor to submit the ount books.

    It was so quiet in the hall that only the sounds of turning pages and the sweet female voices could be heard. All the shopkeepers had figured out that there was more than one girl inside. They were all smart, and they knew except for Third Young Lady, nobody could be on par with Fifth Young Lady. It was said that Third Young Lady would be Third Prince¡¯s principal wife in the future.

    So they became even more respectful to the Young Ladies.

    After checking a number of ount books, the Young Ladies did not found any mistakes. Ning Qingshan was trying to find out some ws from them, but so far, she had not found any problems yet, so she could not help frowning. She did not believe that all the shopkeepers were that honest. She touched the ount book in her hands for a few seconds and then suddenly pointed at the ount book that Ning Xueyan had just closed. ¡°Fifth Sister, let me have a look at it!¡± she said.

    ¡°Third Sister, what¡¯s wrong? Did you find any problems?¡± Ning Xueyan passed the ount book in her hand to Ning Qingshan in surprise. She seemed to have no idea what Ning Qingshan had found out.

    All the shopkeepers outside could not help looking in the bead curtain¡¯s direction, nervously. The shrewd Third Young Lady must have found something wrong!

    ¡°What¡¯s the profit on the ount book in your hand?¡± Ning Qingshan took the ount book from Ning Xueyan and asked casually.

    ¡°About twenty thousand taels of silver. What¡¯s yours?¡± Ning Xueyan asked curiously, moving closer to Ning Qingshan and looking at the ount book in her hands.

    ¡°A thousand,¡± Ning Qingshan said in a low voice.

    ¡°Huh? A thousand?¡± Ning Xueyan was shocked. She checked the ount book again, and found it was true.

    ¡°Mr. Wang, it¡¯s said your candied fruit shop was very busy, but how could it be a profit of only a thousand taels of silver?¡± Ning Qingshanpared the two figures again and asked in a low voice. Now she realized that she had found the w.

    There were twelve months a year. It was impossible that a candied fruit shop¡¯s profit was less than a hundred taels of silver a month.

    ¡°Third Young Lady, you can¡¯t me me for that. Our shop is really not doing very well. Many peoplee to our shop every day, but only very few of them will buy our products, so the monthly profit is small. I have tried my best.¡± Hearing Ning Qingshan¡¯s query, the candied fruit shop¡¯s shopkeeper, Mr. Wang, immediately walked out from the crowd and defended himself.

    From the conversation between Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan, the shopkeepers had distinguished the voices of Third Young Lady and Fifth Young Lady.

    ¡°Your business is not good?¡± Ning Qingshan asked incredulously.

    Ning Xueyan leaned back, hiding a trace of a smile in her eyes under her trembling feather-like eyshes. Ning Qingshan was finally behaving as she had expected after being mocked by her. That was great!

    ¡°Yes! Third Young Lady, our shop¡¯s business is poor. It has already been very difficult to have so much profit,¡± Mr. Wang answered anxiously.

    ¡°How many employees do you have?¡± Hearing Ning Qingshan¡¯s question, Ning Xueyan knew that she had hit home.

    ¡°There are ten people in our shop, including the ountant, shop assistants, the buyer and me,¡± Mr. Wang answered, wondering why Ning Qingshan asked about this.

    ¡°The shop is located in the main street of the capital and ten people are working for it, but it only has a profit of a thousand taels of silver a year! Mr. Wang, you can go home! As far as I know, the rental of the shop is more than a thousand a year. Besides, if we rent the shop out, we don¡¯t have to raise so manyzy people!¡±

    Ning Qingshan patted the ount book in her hand and said coldly.

    It was true that the candied fruit shop was located in one of the busiest streets of the capital. That street was the busiest and most bustling, and the rental was very expensive. Even if the rental of an empty shop would be more than a thousand taels of silver a year.

    ¡°Mr. Wang, you can pack your bags tonight and go home tomorrow. Dismiss all the employees of your shop and I will tell my grandmother to rent the shop to others,¡± Ning Qingshan said with a sneer.

    ¡°I, I... Please don¡¯t...¡± Mr. Wang became extremely anxious. He had never thought that Third Young Lady would have been so ruthless and even wanted to fair him and all the employees of his shop only because of an ount book. Since half of the employees were his families, if they were fired, he would not be able to support such a big family.

    ¡°Third Sister, there are a few shops that have only a profit of a little more than a thousand taels of silver. I think we can fire all the employees of these shops and rent the shops out next year. Then we don¡¯t have to sell anything and support a group of useless people but can get the rental directly. It will be much easier than running shops!¡± Ning Xueyan said slowly, taking out several ount books.

    She had checked all of them, and each of them had a profit of a thousand plus taels of silver.

    Hearing that they would be fired, the shopkeepers of these shops could not stay calm anymore. Some of them began to sweat, and some looked pale. They exchanged nces anxiously.

 Chapter 239 - Each of the Shopkeepers Has Prepared Two Different Account Books

    <h4>Chapter 239 Each of the Shopkeepers Has Prepared Two Different ount Books</h4>

    ¡°Servants, take them away.¡± Ning Xueyan did not seem to be annoyed when she spoke this, but she threw hard those ount books onto the floor under the bead curtain. Hearing Ning Xueyan¡¯s order, two male servants, who stayed at the gate of the hall, rushed in and were about to take the shopkeepers away. In order to make her granddaughters look mightier, Madam Dowager had specially chosen two strong male servants to help them.

    Each of the servants grabbed one shopkeeper in each hand and were about to walk out. If they were dragged out, these shopkeepers¡¯ dismissal would be a foregone conclusion. Besides, the person who had found the problem out was Third Young Lady, who was going to be Third Prince¡¯s principal wife. The shopkeepers were so scared that they could not even stand up. They regretted not having brought the real ount books here.

    ¡°Third Young Lady, Third Young Lady, I have something to say!¡± Mr. Wang was so scared that he could not help shouting anxiously, ¡°The ounts in this book are not true, but false!¡±

    ¡°False? Let them go,¡± Ning Qingshan ordered. ¡°Can the ount also be forged?¡± she wondered.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s... false. I have turned in the same kind of ount books in the previous years, so I brought this one this time...¡± Mr. Wang exined incoherently.

    ¡°What? How dare you turn in a false ount book? Servants, take him to the governmental office. A servant who deceives his master will be sentenced to death!¡± Ning Xueyan said coldly to the two male servants beside her, in response to Ning Qingshan¡¯s words. Although her voice was not loud, the words sounded imposing and determined.

    Hearing that he would not only be fired, but also be killed, Mr. Wang waved his hands anxiously. ¡°I didn¡¯t dare to do this! First Madam... asked me to do this. She asked me to make two ount books, a real one, and a false one and turn in the false one every year to the manor.¡±

    To save his own life, he could not think that much, but told everything he knew.

    With a snap, an ount book was thrown out from behind the bead curtain and banged his head. Mr. Wang took several steps backward and almost fell to the floor. ¡°You scum! How dare you frame my mother? Since everything of the manor belongs to her, why did she do this? How could she have done such kind of things? You heard that my mother is meditating at the Buddha Hall, so you shifted all the me on her on purpose!¡±

    Everyone could feel the killing intent in Ning Xueyan¡¯s words. Hearing every wording from behind the bead curtain slowly, the shopkeepers who had turned in the false ount books could not help trembling.

    ¡°His families will also be punished if a servant frames his master on purpose. Mr. Wang, you should think twice before you say something.¡±

    Mr. Wang had used that Madam Ling was the mastermind, so he was suspected of framing his master. As the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s madam, if Madam Ling had really asked the shopkeepers to cook the books, that meant she had embezzled most of the profits of these shops and the consequences could be severe.

    It seemed Ning Xueyan did not believe what he said. Mr. Wang became extremely anxious. ¡°I¡¯m not lying. I just did what First Madam told me to do. Fifth Young Lady, if you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask the others. All of them made two ount books as per First Madam¡¯s order,¡± Mr. Wang said loudly, pointing at the shopkeepers beside him.

    He was desperate to distance himself from this matter, so he immediately asked the others to prove it for him. Thinking about that in addition to their possible execution, their families would also be implicated, the other shopkeepers immediately confessed, trembling.

    ¡°Yes. It was... First Madam, who asked us to do this.¡±

    ¡°All of us would have brought two ount books at this time in previous years. First Madam kept all of them, and then gave the false one to the Manor.¡±

    ¡°Third Young Lady, Fifth Young Lady, we are not lying and we are not framing First Madam!¡±

    They were so regretful now. If they had known that the dirty tricks would be found out, they would not have brought the false ount books here. They had thought that if they kept the true ount books in their hands, Madam Ling would be happy and reward them after she was released from the Buddha Hall. To their surprise, Third Young Lady and Fifth Young Lady were so smart that they had found the problems so soon.

    ¡°Why did First Madam ask you to cook the books? Don¡¯t try to fool us. Otherwise, we will put all of you into jail,¡± Ning Xueyan said coldly.

    ¡°Because... because First Madam wanted to keep part of the silver privately,¡± for fear that they would be put into jail, a shopkeeper immediately answered.

    ¡°Since all the shops belong to our manor, why did First Madam want to keep some of the silver?¡±

    ¡°Because... because...¡± The shopkeepers began to sweat, but they could not give an exact answer for the moment. However, they knew if they could not exin it clearly, they would definitely be put into jail, so they all got ants in their pants.

    ¡°You can¡¯t exin it? Fine! Servant!¡±

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, I know the reason! I know! The shops were Madam Ming¡¯s dowry, but First Madam wanted to take them, so she tried to keep the silver privately.¡±

    Of course Madam Ling had never mentioned this to them before. But the shopkeepers used to meet privately sometimes and they had drawn this conclusion after discussion. They all knew that these shops were Madam Ming¡¯s property, so Madam Ling must have taken them with some evil means. Being cornered by Ning Xueyan, someone blurted it out.

    Hearing the words, everyone fell silent at once. Sitting behind the bead curtain, Ning Qingshan froze in the chair and could not say anything. She had vaguely felt that something was wrong.

    Everyone outside the bead curtain froze as well at the words. ¡°He said that the shops belonged to Madam Ming in front of Fifth Young Lady¡¯s face! What shall we do?¡±

    ¡°Since these shops are all my younger sister¡¯s property, Marquis, please tell me why you did not give my sister¡¯s dowry to her daughter, but to a woman who took her ce?¡± A snort came from the gate. Everyone turned their heads and saw Ming Feiyong standing at the gate with an angry look. Ning Zu¡¯an stood next to him, looking very embarrassed.

    Everyone knew that the dowry was brought from the wife¡¯s side to her husband¡¯s family after the woman got married. If the woman died, her dowry should be left to her children. If she had no offspring, her family could ask her husband to give the dowry back to her family. But now, the only daughter of Madam Ming got nothing, and all her dowry had been taken by Madam Ling.

    ¡°There... must be some misunderstanding. These... should not be Madam Ming¡¯s shops,¡± Ning Zu¡¯an said in a low voice. Under Ming Feiyong¡¯s gaze, he cleared his throat uneasily.

    He had been idling about in the manor with Ming Feiyong just now and had never thought that he would have stopped here and heard these words. He could not help but me Madam Ling for her greed. If she had not tried to embezzle the silver, she would not have asked each shopkeeper to prepare two ount books, and Shan¡¯er and Yan¡¯er would not have found it out. Then it would not havee to this.

    He and Ming Feiyong had not nned toe to the hall, but they heard it was very noisy here, so they came to check what was happening.

    ¡°I will get the evidence to prove that these shops belong to my sister. Marquis, since you are so unfair, don¡¯t me me! I¡¯ll see you in court!¡± With that, Ming Feiyong grabbed the two shopkeepers who had spoken just now by the hand and was about to walk out.

    The two strong guards behind him followed his suit and dragged the other shopkeepers out, grabbing one with each hand.

    Ning Zu¡¯an knew that they were going to take these people to court. If the outsiders heard that he had tried to take his wife¡¯s dowry, Ning Zu¡¯an could never raise his head high again in front of people.

    Therefore, he rushed forward, reached out and stopped Ming Feiyong. ¡°Cousin Feiyong, calm down! let¡¯s... talk about it.¡±

    ¡°Talk about what? It¡¯s useless to discuss it with you! That vicious woman is your wife. She has not only taken my sister¡¯s ce, but also taken her dowry. I¡¯m going to tell His Majesty about this and ask him to redress justice for my sister!¡± Ming Feiyong said angrily, shooting Ning Zu¡¯an a re. He then turned around and said to Ning Xueyan, who ran outside following him, ¡°I have a dowry list, and you should have a copy of it. We can present both of them to His Majesty. He will know that we are not lying.¡±

    ¡°What? There is a dowry list at Bright Frost Garden?¡± Ning Zu¡¯an was so angry that he almost coughed blood. Madam Ling had told him that all these shops would be the Ning¡¯s property sooner orter and it was unnecessary to worry about it. But now Ming Feiyong had found it out. Besides, he seemed to have evidence. How stupid Madam Ling was! How dare she tell him so confidently that everything would go smoothly and nobody would find it out!

    ¡°Cousin Feiyong, maybe Madam Ling mistook these shops for the private property of our manor. Besides, Madam Ming did not say anything about it.¡± Ning Zu¡¯an gave a far-fetched exnation.

    ¡°Because my sister did not say anything, you allowed that woman to take care of her dowry as your manor¡¯s property? Do you regard Yan¡¯er as your daughter? If you don¡¯t, I will take her away along with my sister¡¯s dowry. Then in the future, Yan¡¯er will have nothing to do with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor!¡±

    Ming Feiyong said with a sneer.

    If Ning Xueyan were not Madam Ming¡¯s daughter, Ming Feiyong could take over the dowry rightfully.

    ¡°Cousin Feiyong, be patient. Please listen to me! Of course Yan¡¯er is our daughter,¡± under the pressure, Ning Zu¡¯an said anxiously. He then turned to Ning Xueyan and said, ¡°Yan¡¯er, tell your uncle how I have treated you and your mother? If I don¡¯t take you as my own daughter, why have I let you live at Bright Frost Garden all the time and live a life of luxury?¡±

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s lips curved into a faint sneer. It seemed that Ning Zu¡¯an was really cornered, so he had asked her to defend him.

    ¡°Taking me as his own daughter? Maybe for him, I¡¯m just a person he has to raise. The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is so wealthy and it¡¯s not a big deal for Ning Zu¡¯an to support one more person. Besides, he can save a lot of trouble by raising me. If he can stop raising me without getting involved into any trouble, he might have already kicked Madam Ming and me out of the manor!¡± Ning Xueyan thought.

    It was a pity that Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s daughter, who had lived a life of ¡®luxury¡¯ had already died because of him indirectly. She was Ning Ziying after rebirth, whose soul was in Ning Xueyan¡¯s body, so she was quite different from the former Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Uncle, father, don¡¯t argue anymore. We should discuss what we shall do next. Anyway, we should not make othersugh at us.¡± Ning Xueyan raised her head, her young face looking calm. Instead of following Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s words, she began to persuade them.

    It reminded Ning Zu¡¯an. While he was auguring with Ming Feiyong, they had already arrived at the gate of the manor. If their conversation was overheard by the outsiders, that would be a terrible thing!

    ¡°Cousin Feiyong, stop! I will do everything you want. Tell me now!¡± Ning Zu¡¯an only wanted to persuade Ming Feiyong to go back.

    ¡°Feiyong, calm down. You can negotiate with your cousin for anything. If he did something wrong, just tell me. I will definitely redress justice for you! After all, we are a family. Yan¡¯er is the Young Lady of our manor, so if the manor isughed at by the outsiders, Yan¡¯er will also be looked down upon.¡± Hearing what was happening, Madam Dowager showed up in the front courtyard with Mother Qin, panting.

    She hade here in a hurry after getting the news from Ning Qingshan. She was very worried when she found that the situation had been out of control and could not help shouting anxiously, leaning on her crutch.

 Chapter 240 - What if They Canâ€™t Find the Dowry List?

    Chapter 240 What if They Can¡¯t Find the Dowry List?

    The tea had been served and all the unrted people had left. Before leaving, Ning Qingshan clenched her fists in anger, feeling that she had been used. She shot an angry re at Ning Xueyan, but had to walk out the room under theplicated and angry gaze of Madam Dowager.

    Madam Dowager had been irritated by what had happened yesterday. Now Madam Ling¡¯s dirty tricks were exposed. Ning Qingshan knew Madam Dowager must be starting suspecting her, so she reminded herself to be more cautious for the moment to avoid any mistakes.

    Madam Dowager sat in the middle chair, with Ming Feiyong on her left and Ning Zu¡¯an on her right. Ning Xueyan stood beside her with a lowered head, seemed to be in a panic. Nobody had noticed the coldness and sarcasm in her jet-ck eyes.

    She had taken advantage of Ning Qingshan to expose Madam Ling¡¯s plot, so even if Madam Dowager wanted to look into this matter in the future, she could not me her.

    As for those missing ount books, Ning Xueyan guessed that Madam Ling must have hidden them in a secret ce, where she could not find them for the moment. Therefore, it would be a better choice to look for clues from the new ount books. Since she heard that the shops¡¯ profits were much less than before, Ning Xueyan had begun to suspect that there was something wrong with these ount books.

    All these shops had been very profitable under Madam Ming¡¯s management, but why had the profits decreased so much after Madam Ling took in charge of them? Ning Xueyan felt that it was unusual that the shrewd Madam Ling had never imed about it. Madam Ling must know the reason, and maybe she was the person who had abetted those shopkeepers to provide a false figure in public, and the rest profits had all been embezzled by Madam Ling.

    It was not difficult to check if Madam Ling had embezzled the money.

    Since Ning Xueyan began to check ount books, she had known better about the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor financial status. The ount books showed that the shops were not making much money, and the surplus after expenditure was small. Even if Madam Ling had withheld some money that she should pay, it was not enough. However, in herst life, she had known that Madam Ling was very rich.

    Madam Ling had spent a lot of money on buying jewelry and clothes for Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling each year. To please Ning Ziying, Ning Ziyan had generously given her two sets of clothes as a gift without any hesitation. Obviously, she was not short of money.

    How had Madam Ling gotten so much money?

    Madam Dowager did not get on well with Madam Ling, so it was impossible for her to give money to Madam Ling. Ning Zu¡¯an would not give her that huge amount of money either. Thinking about the profits plunge of these shops, Ning Xueyan figured out that Madam Ling had embezzled a lot of money from these shops.

    Madame Ling could only do this secretly without alerting Madam Dowager, so she had been most likely to have those shopkeepers prepare false ount books and bring them to the manor to show Madam Dowager.

    Since Madam Ling had been in charge of checking the ount books alone in the previous years, nothing wrong had ever been found. This time, Ning Xueyan had yed a trick to lock Madam Ling up in the Buddha Hall, and taken over the ount books before Madam Ling was released. Thus, those shopkeepers had to hand in the ount books to her. To prevent them from being absent by any excuse, Ning Xueyan had specially visited their shops to warn the shopkeepers.

    Most of the shopkeepers were Madam Ling¡¯s henchmen, so they would hand in the false ount books so that they could get rewards from Madam Ling after her release. But those who were still loyal to their former master, like Mr. Yu, would take a wait-and-see attitude. Of course, some of the shopkeepers were timid, and the slightest threat would make them turn in the true ount books.

    Then Ning Xueyan would be able to reveal the truth that Madam Ling had pocketed the huge difference in profits between the true and false ounts.

    And she could make a scene starting from it!

    Ning Xueyan had arranged for Ming Feiyong toe to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Without his help, Ning Xueyan could not stir up such big trouble by herself.

    Now all the relevant personnel had gathered at Lucky Garden, and Madam Dowager had cleared the ce. Obviously, she wanted everyone to negotiate calmly and put the matter to rest.

    For a man, it was not only a disgraceful matter to embezzle his wife¡¯s dowry, but also would make the others think that he was an ill-behaved person.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, what will you do to redress the justice for my sister?¡± Ming Feiyong raised his head and stared at Madam Dowager with an icy look. Since his sister died, he had not taken Madam Dowager as his aunt.

    ¡°Feiyong, there must be some misunderstanding. These shops...¡± Madam Dowager let out a sigh and tried to exin it tactfully.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, if you still insist on this, we can only meet in court. I have asked my men to take those shopkeepers away.¡± Ming Feiyong knew that Madam Dowager was trying to shift the responsibility, so he immediately cut her off. He raised his head, with a serious and cold look on his face.

    When he walked into the room, he had deliberately asked his two guards to drag the two shopkeepers to the gate and the guards were still at the manor gate now.

    It seemed that Ming Feiyong would not make any concession, so Madam Dowager became anxious. ¡°Feiyong, calm down. I¡¯m discussing it with you. If the dowry is really Madam Ming¡¯s, I will definitely give all these shops to Yan¡¯er,¡± she said, trying tofort Ming Feiyong. Then she turned to Ning Xueyan and said gently with a smile, ¡°Yan¡¯er, bring the dowry list of your mother here.¡±

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll ask someone to fetch it right now.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded obediently. She then said something to Lanning next to her and told her to ask Mother Han of Bright Frost Garden to find the dowry list and bring it here. Lanning nodded and then left.

    Hearing that Ning Xueyan asked Lanning to look for Madam Ming¡¯s dowry list, Madam Dowager took a sigh of relief. Madam Ling had told her that Madam Ming¡¯s dowry list was missing a long time ago. Without the dowry list, Ming Feiyong could not prove that the shops were Madam Ming¡¯s. Even if there was a dowry list at the Ming Manor, they would use that the list did not match the real one because it had been doctored by Ming Feiyong.

    If Ning Xueyan could not find the dowry list, even if the shopkeepers were proved to have handed in the false ount books, it was the family business of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and had nothing to do with Ming Feiyong. Therefore, nobody could use Ning Zu¡¯an of pocketing his wife¡¯s dowry. Thinking of this, Madam Dowager resumed herposure.

    ¡°Feiyong, it was true that your sister brought a few shops to our manor when she married Zu¡¯an, but afterward, you know that everything was in chaos because of the war. Almost all the manors had lost some of their shops and only a few of them were kept. The shops we are running now were bought after the war, so they have nothing to do with Madam Ming,¡± Madam Dowager said hypocritically, but the smile on her face became even gentler.

    Even many families had been ruined and many people had died in the war, let alone shops. Obviously, this excuse seemed to be very convincing.

    However, Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s manor was not impacted by the war. After the previous dynasty was overtaken, Ning Zu¡¯an became the new power of the current dynasty, so it was impossible for him to loss those shops. It was obvious that Madam Dowager had said this on purpose. She was nning to use it as an excuse to take possession of Madam Ming¡¯s dowry if Ning Xueyan could not find the dowry list.

    Ming Feiyong was not that easy to be fooled. ¡°Madam Dowager, let¡¯s talk about it after the dowry list is brought here,¡± he said coolly, resuming hisposure.

    ¡°What if they can¡¯t find the dowry list?¡± Madam Dowager thought Ming Feiyong had been tricked, so she immediately asked, her eyes shining.

    Ning Xueyan sneered. As she expected, Madam Dowager must have colluded with Madam Ling and embezzled Madam Ming¡¯s dowry, so she knew something about what Madam Ling had done, and she even knew that Madam Ling had stolen Madam Ming¡¯s dowry list! Obviously, she had instigated Madam Ling to do so.

    ¡°What if the dowry list is found?¡± Ming Feiyong did not answer Madam Dowager¡¯s question, but asked back, ncing at Ning Zu¡¯an coldly.

    Seeing the sarcasm in Ming Feiyong¡¯s eyes, Ning Zu¡¯an was irritated. He had to work under Ming Feiyong in the previous dynasty. But now they were both the officials of the new dynasty. As the new powerful official who was deeply trusted by the current emperor, how could he bear to be looked down upon by Ming Feiyong, who could not on par with him now? Besides, he was clear that the dowry belonged to Madam Ming.

    So he straightened up and promised, ¡°Cousin Feiyong, don¡¯t worry. If the dowry list shows that the shops belong to Madam Ming, I will transfer them to Yan¡¯er without any hesitation. They will be Yan¡¯er¡¯s dowry in the future, and nobody is allowed to take them.¡±

    ¡°What do you think about it, Madam Dowager?¡± Ming Feiyong turned to Madam Dowager, as if he did not believe what Ning Zu¡¯an said. Ning Zu¡¯an was so angry that the veins on his forehead swelled. He was the powerful Lord Protector, but Ming Feiyong even would rather trust a woman of the backyard than him, so it was no wonder that he frowned in anger.

    ¡°What Zu¡¯an said is what I want to say. Madam Ling has been in charge of the backyard for so many years. If Yan¡¯er can show us the dowry list and prove that these shops are Madam Ming¡¯s, of course, we should give them back to her,¡± Madam Dowager said righteously to support her son.

    But she did not forget to shift the me on Madam Ling.

    Ning Xueyan could not hold back her sneer. Even if Madam Dowager was very confident that Ning Xueyan could not find the dowry list, she was still trying to put the me on Madam Ling. Like two dogs, they would bite each other when they were in trouble!

    ¡°Since Madam Dowager has promised me, I will trust you this time. Do you want me to have someonee back to my manor to fetch the dowry list?¡± Ming Feiyong sneered and asked mockingly.

    He was hinting that if Madam Dowager did not believe him, she could have the two lists checked for consistency.

    ¡°It¡¯s unnecessary! Feiyong, I¡¯m your aunt. How can I disbelieve you?¡± Madam Dowager said, waving her hand, as if she was very generous.

    Everyone knew that such kind of dowry lists would be carefully kept. Since Ming Feiyong had surrendered to the current dynasty, The Ming Manor didn¡¯t suffer great loss and everything in the manor was still there, so the dowry list should still be in his manor. In order to prevent any unnecessary dispute, Madam Dowager did not ask Ming Feiyong to fetch the list.

    In fact, as Ming Feiyong had given the dowry list to Ning Xueyan for unexpected needs, he had no more copy in his hand now. Therefore, if Madam Dowager requested him to provide it, he could not. However, Ning Xueyan had foreseen that Madam Dowager would not dare to do this. Madam Dowager was a thoughtful person, so Ning Xueyan had expected that she would not do such a stupid thing.

    ¡°So we will take the dowry list from Yan¡¯er as the final edition?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right.¡±

    While they were talking, Lanning ran into the room, panting. She handed a sheet to Ning Xueyan and said, ¡°Miss, Mother Han found Madam Ming¡¯s dowry list. Here it is!¡±

    Ning Xueyan took the sheet from her hands and looked at it. It was the one that Ming Feiyong had given her before.

    ¡°She really has the dowry list?¡± Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s smiles froze. They exchanged nces and could not hold back their anger anymore. ¡°How could Madam Ling be so careless? She failed to steal the dowry list, but she told us that she had gotten it. What shall we do?¡± they thought.

    ¡°Yan¡¯er...¡± Madam Dowager spoke, trying to stop Ning Xueyan from showing the dowry list to Ming Feiyong. If Ming Feiyong could not see it, Madam Dowager would find a way to prevent him from making trouble. Madam Dowager was confident that Ning Xueyan would follow her words. If Ning Xueyan still wanted to stay at the manor, she would dare not to disobey her order.

    Madam Dowager stared at Ning Xueyan with a darkened face, trying to put an invisible pressure on her. However, just at the very moment, something unexpected happened.

 Chapter 241 - The Broken Pearled Hair-pin

    <h4>Chapter 241 The Broken Pearled Hair-pin</h4>

    Maybe because Madam Dowager suddenly called her name, or maybe because Madam Dowager looked too serious with her darkened face, when Ning Xueyan raised her head and looked at Madam Dowager, her hands trembled and the sheet immediately slipped from them and happened to drop at Ming Feiyong¡¯s feet.

    Ming Feiyong was sitting on the left of Madam Dowager and Ning Xueyan was also standing beside Madam Dowager.

    It had happened so suddenly. When Madam Dowager had called out thest word of Ning Xueyan¡¯s name, the sheet had dropped to the floor. Ming Feiyong bent over and picked it up before Madam Dowager could say anything else.

    Ming Feiyong flicked it after picking the paper up. After looking through it, he said with a sneer, ¡°Madam Dowager, do you want me to show it to the court and ask the Ministry of Justice to identify if it is real?¡±

    It was very easy to identify the authenticity of the dowry list, because the signatures of the two families on the sheet could not be forged. Both Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an had signed on the list when the dowry was brought to the manor and at the bottom of the list were their signatures.

    Ming Feiyong raised the paper high in front of them. He was happy at the sight of signatures of Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an on it.

    Normally, people would not deny the facts, but Madam Dowager was different from them. Ning Xueyan knew a person as selfish as Madam Dowager would not give back the shops and other items in the list easily. After all, these were worth a lot of money.

    But whether she wanted it or not, she had to give them back!

    As Ning Xueyan had expected, at the sight of the dowry list, Madam Dowager froze for a few seconds and then became a little panicked. However, soon, she recovered herposure. ¡°Yan¡¯er, you might have gotten the wrong one. Is this list really left by your mother?¡± she asked.

    She narrowed her eyes and stared at Ning Xueyan when she spoke this. She paused for a short moment when spoke every word with coldness in her eyes. She was warning Ning Xueyan that if she dared to say ¡®Yes¡¯, she would definitely be seriously punished. Since Madam Dowager could do nothing to Ming Feiyong, she had to pressure Ning Xueyan.

    She was quite sure that Ning Xueyan would not dare to contradict her. If Ning Xueyan said that list was not Madam Ming¡¯s dowry list, Ming Feiyong could not argue with them anymore. After all, it was Ning Xueyan, not Ming Feiyong, who would heir to the property in the dowry list.

    If she were the same Ning Xueyan, she would say as the Madam Dowager wished after being threatened. However, she was quite different from what she used to be now, because that timid girl, Ning Xueyan, had already died after Madam Ming.

    As if being scared by Madam Dowager, Ning Xueyan turned her head and checked the list carefully. ¡°Grandmother, you suspect this is not my mother¡¯s dowry list? Impossible! It was found by Mother Han, and there are your and my father¡¯s signatures on it. It should be true,¡± Ning Xueyan confirmed after several careful checks.

    Seeing that Ning Xueyan did not figure out her hint, Madam Dowager grew angry. ¡°Check it carefully! If you mistake it, you will be severely punished for your attempt to defraud the other¡¯s property!¡± she said, gritting her teeth.

    ¡°Defraud the other¡¯s property? The dowry is Madam Ming¡¯s. How can her daughter inherit her mother¡¯s dowry as an attempt to swindle others out of their property? How shameless Madam Dowager is!¡± Ning Xueyan thought, a coldness shing in her eyes. She had thought that Madam Dowager would threaten her after she showed the dowry list, so she had found the countermeasure in advance.

    After rebirth, she was totally different from Ning Ziying, the kind and soft-hearted girl, who was so easily to be tricked!

    Her jet-ck eyes blinked a few times with anxiety, as if she also doubted that she had mistaken it or maybe Mother Han had taken the wrong list. She reached out and was about to take the paper from Ming Feiyong. ¡°Mother Han took the wrong list? It¡¯s impossible! Everything my mother left is taken care of by Mother Han, so she shouldn¡¯t have taken the wrong one,¡± she said hesitantly.

    She seemed to be talking to herself, and reaching out her hand naturally. Madam Dowager was very excited. ¡°If Ning Xueyan gets the list, I will find a way to have her give it to me. Then I can tear up the paper on the pretext that it is the wrong one. Without evidence, Ming Feiyong can do nothing to us!¡± she thought.

    Ning Zu¡¯an knew what Madam Dowager was thinking about. Although he did not approve of it, he did not protest. He frowned slightly and did nothing, going to wait and see what Madam Dowager would do next.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand almost touched the paper in Ming Feiyong¡¯s hand and Ming Feiyong did not seem to be wary of her. Seeing her reaching out, he passed the paper to her and asked, ¡°Yan¡¯er, it¡¯s said Prince Yi also said yesterday that the shop was your mother¡¯s. Is that true?¡±

    He mentioned what Ao Chenyi had said casually yesterday. Hearing this, Madam Dowager¡¯s heart thumped.

    Why had Prince Yi, Ao Chenyi, talked about it? Ning Zu¡¯an froze for a while and then stopped them in a hurry. If it was someone else who had mentioned it, Ning Zu¡¯an would not care about it. However, he must take every word Prince Yi said seriously, even if it was only a blurt out.

    Prince Yi was extremely powerful. If he was offended, he would retaliate against his opponent by any means. Ning Zu¡¯an knew thatpared to his political future, the property was not that important.

    ¡°Wait a moment!¡± He must say something. He was in a hurry when he spoke and he could not help raising his voice. He was trying to prevent Madam Dowager from making a move, but to his surprise, Ning Xueyan was scared at his words. She drew her hand back quickly, as if it had been burned.

    Her body waved a few times and she almost fell to the floor. Fortunately, Lanning, who was standing behind her, had quick reflexes and caught her in time. Before she managed to stand firmly, something shiny fell off from her hair. With a clear metallic sound, it dropped to the floor and separated from a hair-pin in front of people.

    The pearled hair-pin was broken!

    It was not a big deal to break a pearled hair-pin, but as soon as Madam Dowager saw the pearl, her face turned pale. It was not an ordinary pearl, but a South Sea Pearl!

    There were a few South Sea Pearls in the manor, but she had never given any of them to Ning Xueyan. Therefore, the South Sea Pearl on Ning Xueyan¡¯s hair-pin must be the one she had gotten from Prince Yi yesterday.

    South Sea Pearls were round and wless, and people could tell at a nce. Obviously, this pearl could not be used anymore. A small piece of it was missing when it had hit the floor just now. The consequence would be serious to have broken the thing from Prince Yi!

    ¡°Yan¡¯er, when did you have this hair-pin made?¡± Madam Dowager swallowed hard and asked difficultly, pointing at the pearl on the floor.

    ¡°Grandmother, Prince Yi gave me the pearl. Later, I happened to pass by a jewelry shop, so I asked the people there to design a hair-pin for me and embed a South Sea Pearl on it. The shop assistant brought it to mest night after finishing it. It was in and elegant, so I pinned it on my hair today. Unfortunately, it was broken!¡± Ning Xueyan said regretfully.

    She crouched and tried to put the broken hair-pin and the pearl together, but obviously, they could no longer match each other perfectly.

    ¡°Prince Yi gave the pearl to you?¡± Ning Zu¡¯an asked anxiously.

    ¡°Yes! Someone tried to ckmail us when I was at our shop yesterday. When I was dealing with that swindler, Prince Yi walked into our shop. He specially gave me a box of South Sea Pearls,¡± Ning Xueyan exined in a soft voice.

    Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s face turned pale. Who would dare to break Prince Yi¡¯s things so casually?

    ¡°Prince Yi also said that the shop was your mother¡¯s? he continued.

    ¡°Yes, Prince Yi mentioned this. Father, if you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask Mr. Yu, the shopkeeper of the cloth shop. In addition to him, some passers-by and the shop assistant were also present. There were many people watching,¡± Ning Xueyan said calmly. She then picked up the pearl and the hair-pin and stood up.

    Madam Dowager might take Madam Ming¡¯s dowry forcibly because of her greed, but obviously, Ning Zu¡¯an would not do this. He knew that the consequence would be serious if he offended the bloodthirsty devil, Ao Chenyi. Sometimes, Prince Yi did not follow anyone¡¯s words, so it was useless even though Ning Zu¡¯an was the emperor¡¯s favored subordinate.

    Ning Xueyan nced at Madam Dowager¡¯s greedy face and then at Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s frowned brows. Finally, her eyes fell on Ming Feiyong. She blinked to him secretly. She had analyzed the situation in the letter she wrote to Ming Feiyong yesterday.

    ¡°Marquis, Madam Dowager, since even Prince Yi said that those shops belonged to my sister, he must have his reason. I will show this evidence to him.¡± Ming Feiyong stopped talking. He then put the dowry list in his pocket, stood up and was about to leave.

    Obviously, he was going to sue the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Moreover, Prince Yi would also get involved in this matter. He might not testify for Ming Feiyong in court, but at the thought that the pearl was broken only one day after he had given it to Ning Xueyan, he might fly into a rage. Prince Yi was a moody person, if he was annoyed, many people might lose their lives. Although he was not the emperor, people were more afraid of him than of the emperor because of his ruthlessness. Nobody could tell whether he would be happy or angry next second.

    Ning Zu¡¯an made a quick decision. He stood up and reached out to stop Ming Feiyong. ¡°Mother, just give Yan¡¯er everything listed on the sheet. After all, they were left by her mother,¡± he said to Madam Dowager.

    ¡°But...¡± Madam Dowager could not bear to give away such arge fortune. She hesitated and her face flickered. She had nned to give all the property to his grandson, Huaiyuan. If she gave all the dowry to Ning Xueyan, it would no longer belong to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor when Ning Xueyan got married in the future. She felt sad at the thought that Lord Protector¡¯s Manor could get nothing from it.

    Thankfully, unlike Madam Ling, although Madam Dowager was greedy and she wanted to take Madam Ming¡¯s property, she knew what was more important. Since Prince Yi was so powerful and cold-blooded, they could not afford to offend him.

    She suddenly remembered that the servants had told her yesterday that Prince Yi had specially told Ning Xueyan to ask him for help if she had any difficulty. Although she did not know why Prince Yi favored Ning Xueyan so much, Madam Dowager knew that he might help Ning Xueyan in this matter. If Prince Yi was annoyed, everything could happen.

    After all, money was less important than life! If they could not even keep their lives, they would not enjoy the glory and wealth anymore.

    ¡°Yan¡¯er, if these shops are really your mother¡¯s, you will be in charge of them in the future. Although Madam Ling did not behave properly, she took over the ounts because your mother did not want to take care of the shops.¡± Hearing what Ning Zu¡¯an said, Madam Dowager changed her mind and said with a smile, looking very amiable.

 Chapter 242 - How Dare You Take Away All My Stuff

    <h4>Chapter 242 How Dare You Take Away All My Stuff</h4>

    She meant that since Madam Ling had done a lot of work in managing the shops, even she should not be credited, she should not be med. In other words, she was interceding for her, hinting Ning Xueyan not to ask back the profits of the past few years.

    Until now, Madam Dowager was still reluctant to give back the money! Ning Xueyan sneered inwardly. ¡°What a mean and shameless woman!¡± she really wished that she had nothing to do with the manor in the future.

    Taking a deep breath, she said calmly, ¡°Grandmother, I will follow your words.¡±

    Of course she would not spare Madam Ling and let the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor take advantage of her. However, she could not be openly hostile towards people of the manor now. When the time was right, she would definitely bring Madam Ling downpletely. Madam Ling must give back everything she had taken from Madam Ming, Ning Xueyan and Ning Ziying!

    Bright Frost Garden was full of things. In addition to the shops, Madam Ming had brought some other precious items to the manor as her dowry, and now they had been searched out one by one from Madam Ling¡¯s courtyard. However, at least half of Madam Ming¡¯s dowry was missing, and after searching, people still could not find them. Madam Dowager said that those items had lost in the war, and nobody could tell where they were.

    Fortunately, Ning Xueyan did not want to search thoroughly for the moment. If they gave back those items now, she could take this matter as a misunderstanding, but if she searched out them in the future, she could use those people of pocketing those things on purpose. As far as she knew, part of Ning Ziyan¡¯s dowry was Madam Ming¡¯s property and Madam Dowager also kept some in her private coffer. Since they did not want to give them back, just let it be.

    Ning Xueyan knew when it was necessary, she could take advantage of it.

    Ming Feiyong was monitoring the process in person at Bright Frost Garden. With a darkened face, he crossed off the items in the list one by one after the real things had been found. Finally, he asked Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an to sign on the paper with those missing items. Since they could not be found, Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an could argue that these items were lost in the war, but it was necessary to have them sign on the paper as the evidence.

    Madam Ling had been Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s mistress beforeing to the manor, so she did not have much private property. Besides, she did not get on well with Madam Dowager and thetter had rarely given her anything. Therefore, after moving those things out from her courtyard, most of the valuable decorations in her room were missing, and even her big bed made of machilus had been removed.

    Since Ming Feiyong did not argue with them for the ten years¡¯ ie of those shops, Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an knew that they should not go against his wish for such a trifle. Anyway, it was only a bed. Besides, Madam Ling was still at the Buddha Hall now. When she was released, she could buy a new bed. Thinking about this, they agreed with Ming Feiyong¡¯s request and asked people to remove the bed.

    Now the whole Auspicious Clouds Courtyard was in chaos, as if someone hade and confiscated most things of it.

    Madam Ling got the news at the Buddha Hall. She then dispatched Mother Chen toe back to her courtyard and have a look. After Mother Chen told what she had seen, Madam Ling was so angry that she almost passed out. After all, she was the First Madam of the manor and she deserved respect. Now since even her residence had been made a mess, everyone would look down upon her in the future. If the rumors spread out, the outsiders would think that she had embezzled all Madam Ming¡¯s dowry. However, she knew the best of the dowry was in that old woman¡¯s hands!

    Seeing Madam Ling¡¯s darkened face, Mother Chen knew that she was in a rage. She immediately pulled her dress and made her sit down. ¡°First Madam, calm down. Eldest Young Master said that Madam Dowager would release you soon. Let¡¯s get even with Fifth Young Lady after we are released from here,¡± she said anxiously. Eldest Young Master had repeatedly reminded her to watch First Madam and prevent her from making trouble.

    Because of this, Madam Ling had been keeping a low-key recently. Even when Ning Qingshan had asked someone to tell her that she needed her help, Madam Ling had asked her to discuss it with Ning Ziyan and asked Ning Ziyan to find a person to help her. That was all because her son had told her that if she did not make any trouble again, he would get her out from the Buddha Hall soon.

    Madam Ling was so angry that the veins on her forehead swelled. ¡°That little b*tch even took all my things away! They are all mine! They are all Yuan¡¯er¡¯s!¡± she said resentfully, word by word.

    She took it for granted the things that had been moved to Ning Xueyan¡¯s courtyard were hers. She had a hard time to umte these little by little and nned to leave them to her son in the future. She could not bear to watch Ning Xueyan, the little b*tch, take all of them from her.

    At the thought that Ning Xueyan was moving out her things from her courtyard, she felt a stab in the heart. Those were all her property!

    Of course it also had something to do with her dignity. If others knew that the powerful Marchioness had embezzled a co-wife¡¯s dowry, she could no longer raise her head high in front of people. That old b*tch had disentangled herself with this matter and shifted all the me on her! Why had not she refuse when she gave the best of the Madam Ming¡¯s dowry to her?

    ¡°First Madam, don¡¯t worry. After all, we have Eldest Young Master back us up. Everything of the manor will belong to Eldest Young Master in the future. Do you think that Madam Dowager will leave her things to Third Young Lady, Fourth Young Lady and Fifth Young Lady? Madam Dowager is very clear who her grandson in our manor is. She will definitely leave everything to Eldest Young Master.¡±

    Mother Chen knew that Madam Ling did not get on well with Madam Dowager, so she immediately persuaded her.

    That was she thought. No matter how much money Madam Dowager had, she would leave it to Eldest Young Master. Since even the whole manor would belong to Eldest Young Master in the future, how could Madam Dowager leave her property to anyone else?

    Although Third Young Lady was favored by Madam Dowager, she was not rted to her by blood. Fourth Young Lady was only a concubine¡¯s daughter. Fifth Young Lady¡¯s status was even lowered than all the other Young Lady¡¯s and Madam Dowager had never treated her as her own granddaughter. Therefore, it seemed that Madam Dowager treated Eldest Young Lady, Second Young Lady and Eldest Young Master better. They were all First Madam¡¯s children.

    Hearing what Mother Chen said, Madam Ling felt relieved a little, but she still could not help cursing, ¡°That old b*tch! That old b*tch...¡±

    ¡°That old b*tch ttered the Mings for her own interest and she even agreed with them to remove my big bed! Has she ever considered about my dignity?¡± At the thought of this, Madam Ling was so angry that she almost coughed a mouth of blood.

    She managed to hold back her anger and asked, gritting her teeth, ¡°Was the little b*tch again who stirred up the trouble?¡±

    ¡°I heard it was... Third Young Lady... It was Third Young Lady who found something wrong in the ount book and caused the trouble. After that, Fifth Young Lady and General Ming associated it with the dowry list of Madam Ming.¡± Mother Chen had found out everything about the whole story when she was out just now. She hesitated for a while and told Madam Ling the truth.

    ¡°First Madam, calm down. Maybe Third Young Lady did this because she fell into Fifth Young Lady¡¯s trap. Fifth Young Lady is very cunning. I¡¯m sure she had set a trap for Third Young Lady!¡± After telling Madam Ling what had happened, Mother Chen did not forget to exin for Ning Qingshan. She believed that Ning Qingshan would not have deliberately gone against First Madam. Besides, Third Young Lady would be adopted as First Madam¡¯s daughter soon, so she had no reason to get First Madam in trouble on purpose at such a moment.

    ¡°Humph! That b*tch is also a scheming girl! She dared to poison Madam Ming when she was Madam Ming¡¯s adopted daughter, so she is very likely to set me up after I adopt her as my daughter!¡± Madam Ling said coldly.

    Ning Qingshan had been so vicious when she was only a kid. Since she had dared to murder people for her own interest, Madam Ling thought that she would do everything to get what she wanted. If not because she also needed a daughter with a good reputation, she would not have been so easy topromise and agree to adopt the poisonous snake as her daughter.

    It reminded her of her own daughter, Ning Yuling. Madam Ling had put a lot of effort into training her second daughter. However, she had never heard any news about Ning Yuling after she was sent to the remote ce. Moreover, she should be med for Ning Yuling¡¯s face injury, so Ning Yuling must hate her. At the thought of this, Madam Ling could not help feeling sad.

    Her eyes turned reddish and tears streamed down. ¡°Ling¡¯er, my poor Ling¡¯er! If Ling¡¯er is still here, why should I adopt that b*tch as my daughter?¡±

    Her Ling¡¯er had been chosen as Third Prince¡¯s principal wife, and the two families had reached an agreement for it. But now, why was everyone saying that Third Prince was waiting for Ning Qingshan and Ning Qingshan would be Third Prince¡¯s principal wife? Everyone was talking about Ning Qingshan. Who still remembered her poor Ling¡¯er?

    Because of this, Ning Qingshan became an eyesore of Madam Ling. She thought that Ning Qingshan had robbed Third Prince away from her daughter.

    ¡°First Madam, you shouldn¡¯t think in this way. Maybe Eldest Young Master will need Third Young Lady to back him up in the future.¡± Hearing Madam Ling¡¯s words of grief and anger, Mother Chen immediately stopped her.

    ¡°I know. That was why I have agreed to adopt that b*tch as my daughter. When she bes Third Prince¡¯s principal wife, I will bring Ling¡¯er back to the manor and cure her face. At least, she is good enough to be Third Prince¡¯s co-consort. Ling¡¯er is so beautiful. That vicious b*tch can¡¯t bepared with her at all!¡±

    Madam Ling said fiercely, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

    Of course she was clear that she should adopt Ning Qingshan for the moment. She had never trusted Ning Qingshan. Ning Qingshan had said that she agreed to let Ning Yuling marry Third Prince in the future, but Madam Ling would rather trust herself more. She believed that if Ling¡¯er¡¯s face could be cured, Third Prince would definitely marry her.

    ¡°First Madam, Madam Dowager¡¯s servant, Mother Qin, also told me that you would be released after a few days. After all, the lunar New Year ising and the manor needs a Hostess.¡± Seeing that Madam Ling was so emotional that she was losing her temper, Mother Chen immediately told her the good news she had just heard.

    ¡°Hostess? The lunar New Year? The old b*tch is good at fooling people with such words. Why didn¡¯t she tell me that she would release me soon?¡± Madam Ling said with a sneer, her eyes reddish.

    ¡°She said that she was going to let me out because the lunar New Year wasing. It is just an excuse! In fact, she just wanted me to be that b*tch¡¯s adopted mother! The Beauty Contest of the imperial pce is going to start soon. If that b*tch wants to be Third Prince¡¯s principal wife, her status can¡¯t be too low. It¡¯s impossible for her to marry Third Prince as his principal wife as an adopted daughter of a co-wife!¡± Madam Ling said coldly.

    The old b*tch had given a reasonable reason, but actually, she would release her because she had no other choice. Ning Qingshan would attend the Beauty Contest soon and before going to the imperial pce, her identity would be registered and confirmed again. The information Ning Qingshan had submitted to the imperial pce showed that she was only a co-wife¡¯s daughter, so she was not qualified topete for the role of Third Prince¡¯s principal wife if she did not re-registered.

    ¡°First Madam, since Madam Dowager needs your help and you also need a daughter with a good reputation, it will be good for both of you to adopt Third Young Lady as your daughter. It is too cold in the Buddha Hall and you cannot even visit Eldest Young Master at will. After leaving here, you can go everywhere you want. Besides, since you are the principal wife of Lord Protector, all the Young Ladies will have to be respectful to you.¡±

    Mother Chen persuaded Madam Ling, passing her a cup of tea. For Mother Chen, it was not worth for Madam Ling to go against Madam Dowager. No matter how capable Madam Dowager was, everything in the manor would belong to Eldest Young Master in the future. Besides, First Madam had done this for Eldest Young Master¡¯s own good. Therefore, it was unnecessary for Madam Ling to take Madam Dowager as her enemy.

    ¡°Fine! I will put up with her. But after I get out of the Buddha Hall, I will definitely let that little b*tch die in her boots!¡± Madam Ling took a sip of tea and said, gritting her teeth.

    Madam Ling was nning to teach Ning Xueyan a good lesson after her release. However, she had never thought that Madam Dowager had signed up Ning Xueyan for the Beauty Contest, trying to marry her to the imperial family as well.

    For Madam Dowager, Ning Xueyan could be a prince¡¯s co-consort at least. When she saw how well Fourth Prince had treated Ning Xueyan on the other day, Madam Dowager believed that Fourth Prince would definitely like to marry Ning Xueyan as his co-consort.

 Chapter 243 - Madam Ling Was Released From the Buddha Hall

    <h4>Chapter 243 Madam Ling Was Released From the Buddha Hall</h4>

    Three dayster, Madam Ling was released from the Buddha Hall. Since they had not mentioned Madam Ling¡¯s mistakes in public and only said that she hade to the Buddha Hall for meditation, as soon as Madam Dowager approved, Madam Ling was released. Madam Dowager had not meant to get her out before the lunar New Year. However, after returning to the manor, Ning Huaiyuan had mentioned many times in front of her that the outsiders wouldugh at the manor if they knew that the hostess was absent during the festival.

    Besides, since the Beauty Contest wasing, Madam Dowager had to release Madam Ling early to make her adopt Ning Qingshan as her daughter.

    Moreover, Madam Dowager had shifted most me on Madam Ling and even Auspicious Clouds Courtyard had been turned upside down. After all, it was a disgrace to the hostess of the manor.

    Due to the reasons above, Madam Dowager had agreed to release Madam Ling early.

    In the early morning, Mother Qin came to the Buddha Hall. She offered her greetings to Madam Ling and said with a smile, ¡°First Madam, Madam Dowager said that you lived an austere life at the Buddha Hall recently. Since the New Year ising, she said that you could collect your belongings and leave the Buddha Hall,¡±

    Mother Qin said very politely, as if Madam Ling had volunteered to stay here. Madam Ling was so angry, but she did not dare to lose her temper. She lowered her head and managed to hold back her anger. ¡°Mother Qin, It¡¯s very kind of you. Please thank Madam Dowager for me. I have to return to my courtyard and have it cleaned up, so I can¡¯t visit Auspicious Fortune Hall for the moment.¡±

    After her release, she should visit Madam Dowager first. However, she was so angry that she did not want to see her at all, so she found an excuse for herself.

    Mother Qin was a smart woman and she immediately figured out what Madam Ling was thinking about. She then said with a smile, ¡°First Madam, it¡¯s up to you to visit Madam Dowager or not.¡±

    Madam Ling and Madam Dowager were hostile to each other, so both of them tried to avoid meeting. After all, neither of the two would be happy when they met.

    ¡°Mother Qin, please tell my mother that I thank her for her consideration,¡± Madam Ling said, half smiling. She then helped Mother Chen up and walked out of the Buddha Hall slowly.

    Although it was cold and cheerless outside, the sunshine was shining brightly. After punishing Junior Concubine Xu, it was the first time for Madam Ling to leave the Buddha Hall. She stopped and covered her eyes with her hand to avoid the sunshine.

    Ning Huaiyuan was waiting outside with Ning Qingshan, Ning Lingyun and Ning Xueyan. Watching Madam Ling walking out, he immediately stepped forward and bowed to Madam Ling respectfully. ¡°Mother, my sisters and I came to pick you,¡± he said.

    ¡°Mother, greetings!¡±

    ¡°Mother, greetings!¡±

    ¡°Mother, greetings!¡± The three sisters bowed to Madam Ling one after another.

    Since people of the manor had told the outsiders that Madam Ling hade to the Buddha Hall to pray for her family, it was normal that the younger generation waited outside the Buddha Hall to greet her.

    Madam Ling nced at them coldly one by one. She looked at Ning Lingyun for a while and then her eyes fell on Ning Xueyan, a viciously look crossing them. However, she managed to hold back her anger and even squeeze out a fake smile on her face. ¡°You all can go back now. I will go back and clean up my courtyard, so I have no time to stay with you.¡±

    ¡°Mother, let me help you with the courtyard,¡± Ning Qingshan walked over and said with a smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s unnecessary. It¡¯s said that some people turned the yard upside down to find things. The outsiders will think that I¡¯m no longer the Hostess and can¡¯t rule the children of the manor anymore.¡± Madam Ling refused Ning Qingshan coldly. She nced at Ning Xueyan and held back the impulse to rush over and p her in the face.

    She was warning Ning Xueyan that as long as she stayed at the manor, she would be the rightful Marchioness and Ning Xueyan¡¯s fate would be in her hands.

    ¡°Mother, don¡¯t think in this way. As the Marchioness, you offered to go to the Buddha Hall to pray for the whole family, so everyone of our manor will appreciate you. Nobody will be so stupid to spread the rumors,¡± Ning Qingshan said gently. Since she needed Madam Ling¡¯s help to improve her status, she had to try to please her.

    Unfortunately, Madam Ling had never liked Ning Qingshan because she knew that Ning Qingshan had been vicious since childhood. Now, she heard that it was Ning Qingshan who had stirred up the trouble about Madam Ming¡¯s dowry, she hated her more. With a snort, she gave Ning Qingshan the cold shoulder and walked toward Auspicious Clouds Courtyard.

    Looking at Madam Ling and then at his three sisters, Ning Huaiyuan frowned. He then turned and walked toward Auspicious Clouds Courtyard as well, following Madam Ling.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, our mother did not seem happy. Could that because what happened a few days ago?¡± Ning Qingshan lowered her head and asked Ning Xueyan in a soft voice, as if she had not seen how cold Madam Ling had been toward her.

    Now, Third Young Lady seemed to be as gentle, calm, and magnanimous as she had been when she first arrived at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Ning Xueyan knew what Ning Qingshan was thinking about. After all, she was going to attend the Beauty Contest, so any problems on the manor would impact her. Of course, she would not miss any chance to humiliate Ning Xueyan, but in a more subtle way.

    Obviously, she was ming that Ning Xueyan had gone too far to move so many things out of Auspicious Clouds Courtyard. It seemed that she felt sorry for Madam Ling.

    Madam Ling had left, but her servants were still there. If they reported it to Madam Ling, Madam Ling would hate Ning Xueyan more.

    ¡°What happened a few days ago?¡± ¡°Third Sister, are you saying that our mother was annoyed because you had found something wrong in the ount book three days ago?¡± Ning Xueyan asked back naturally with a slight smile.

    Ning Qingshan¡¯s eyelid twitched at the words and she could not help gritting her teeth. After thinking it over, she became more certain that she had fallen into Ning Xueyan¡¯s trap. But it was true that she had stirred up the trouble, so Madam Ling would definitely resent her for it. She had gotten on well with Madam Ling before, but because of this matter, Madam Ling would no longer regard her as a friend.

    After walking out of the Buddha Hall, Madam Ling had been so cold to them, so obviously she was annoyed.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, I meant what you and your uncle did to our mother after I had pointed out the problems in the ount book. Don¡¯t you think that you have gone too far? Since she is our mother, you should leave those things in her courtyard to show your filial piety.¡±

    She meant that Ning Xueyan should give Madam Ling Madam Ming¡¯s dowry and she was unfilial to have taken away those things from Madam Ling. And this was a breach of ethics as well.

    ¡°Ning Qingshan is standing on Madam Ling¡¯s side wholeheartedly and she really wants to cooperate with Madam Ling. She used me because she was trying to ttering Madam Ling!¡±

    With a slight smile, Ning Xueyan answered, ¡°Third Sister, you are right. If nobody mentioned it, I would have pretended that I knew nothing about it. However, it happened to be overheard by my uncle. Of course he would not have turned a deaf ear to it. Third Sister, I should thank you for it.¡± She looked gentle when she spoke this, but actually, she was shooting back aggressively.

    Ning Qingshan had not thought that Ning Xueyan would have shifted all the me on her. ¡°She must have set a trap for me in advance!¡± At the thought of this, Ning Qingshan could not hold back her anger anymore. ¡°Fifth Sister, you are even more eloquent than before! I did that because I fell into someone¡¯s trap!¡±

    She was hinting that she had not deliberately exposed Madam Ling¡¯s dirty tricks. But when she spoke this, all Madam Ling¡¯s people had gone and now only the three sisters and their maids were left in front of the Buddha Hall. Ning Lingyun lowered her head and did not say anything, looking very humble.

    ¡°Third Sister, you fell into someone¡¯s trap? You must tell Grandmother about this. Otherwise, they may misunderstand you,¡± Ning Xueyan did not make any concessions. She looked at Ning Qingshan with a smile, a mocking look shing in her eyes.

    With that, she bowed slightly to Ning Qingshan and left with Lanning before Ning Qingshan could say anything.

    Seeing her leaving, Ning Lingyun did not dare to stay there anymore. She took leave of Ning Qingshan in a hurry and walked toward her own courtyard with her maid.

    Ning Qingshan gritted her teeth and clenched her fists firmly, almost losing her temper.

    Ning Xueyan seemed to have said that for Ning Qingshan¡¯s own good, but in fact, she had been hinting that Ning Qingshan had lost Madam Dowager and Madam Ling¡¯s trust in her, so no matter how she tried to tter them, they would suspect that she had deliberately exposed the problems in the ount books and stirred up the trouble so as to create conflict between Madam Ling and Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Miss!¡± Seeing her in a rage, Caifen took several steps forward and called her.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay. Have you gotten the job done I told you this morning?¡± Ning Qingshan let out a long sigh and loosened her clenched teeth. Then she recovered herposure.

    ¡°I saw Second Childe Xia in the morning and told him about our n. He agreed with it,¡± Caifen answered in a low voice. She had slipped out the manor this morning and just returned. Because Ning Qingshan was going to the Buddha Hall to pick Madam Ling, Caifen had not had a chance to report it to her just now.

    Ning Qingshan had always contacted Xia Yudong through Ning Ziyan before, but this time, since she had offended Madam Ling, she did not want her and Ning Ziyan to know about their n, so she had asked her maid to contact Xia Yudong privately. Nobody had known that Xia Yudong was helping her when they were at Third Prince¡¯s suburban courtyard. Besides, it would take some time if Xia Yudong wanted to get Ning Xueyan, so they should be patient.

    Ning Qingshan knew that Xia Yudong would definitely agree with her n. Since Xia Yudong had agreed to go to Third Prince¡¯s suburban courtyard and save Ning Xueyan when she was in troublest time, Ning Qingshan knew that he was an ambitious person. Xia Yudong was not that talented and capable, so he had nned to take advantage of Lord Protector¡¯s influence to develop himself. Ning Qingshan had tried to deal with Ning Xueyan by taking advantage of Xia Yudong, so it was no wonder that they had reached an agreement so soon.

    She knew that she should not make any trouble anymore for the moment, but some things could be done quietly and slowly. When they were exposed in the future, she would have been chosen as Third Prince¡¯s principal wife and those things would not affect her badly.

    After making up her mind, she felt much relieved. She thought for a while and then returned to Foggy Courtyard. She knew that after going back to Auspicious Clouds Courtyard and seeing that everything had gone, Madam Ling must fly into a rage. If she visited Madam Ling now, Madam Ling would definitely vent her anger on her.

    When Madam Ling returned to Auspicious Clouds Courtyard and saw the empty courtyard, her eyes went reddish because of distress and anger. She almost rushed to Bright Frost Garden, but was stopped by Ning Huaiyuan at the gate. Ning Huaiyuan said something to Madam Ling and calmed her down. Then Madam Ling walked into the room with her servants, while Ning Huaiyuan asked people to move the new furniture into the room.

    These were all high-quality furniture, but they could not bepared with the Madam Ming¡¯s dowry. After all, Madam Ming had been the daughter of a century-old aristocratic family. Madam Ling lost her temper again and smashed a few other things. If Ning Huaiyuan were not here, she would ask her servants to go to Bright Frost Garden and rob everything back.

    Of course, even if she wanted, it was impossible for her to rob those things back, because Ming Feiyong had prepared another list for Ning Xueyan, and in order to put the matter to rest, Madam Dowager and Ning Huaiyuan, who had been cornered at that point, had signed their names on it.

    At Bright Frost Garden... Ning Xueyan was not in a bad mood because of Madam Ling¡¯s release.

    She had gotten everything done as her n and Madam Ling¡¯s release would not impact what would happen next. Tomorrow, Madam Ling would set a banquet and officially adopt Ning Qingshan as her daughter. Ning Xueyan did not want to stir any trouble at the banquet, but she worried that someone might try to give her a hard time to get back at her, so she reminded her servants to be cautious and do their jobs carefully tomorrow.

 Chapter 244 - Madam Ling Adopted Ning Qingshan as Her Daughter

    <h4>Chapter 244 Madam Ling Adopted Ning Qingshan as Her Daughter</h4>

    The next day, a lot of visitors came to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to attend the banquet. The carriages parking outside the manor filled the whole street in front of it.

    Ning Zu¡¯an was the emperor¡¯s favored official. Although his family had some problems recently, his power did not seem to be much impacted. But some rumors said that the emperor thought since Ning Zu¡¯an could not rule his manor well, he would not be able to help him rule the country well. Because of this, he did not trust in Ning Zu¡¯an as much as he used to be.

    But everyone was talking about Third Young Lady and Third Prince.

    Someone was certain that Third Young Lady had already been chosen as Third Prince¡¯s principal wife and she had attended the Beauty Contest just to go through the formality. Some rumors about Third Young Lady¡¯s recent improper behavior were also spreading in the capital, but since the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and Third Prince had not made any moves, people did not take the rumors seriously.

    They knew for the sake of Third Young Lady, they shoulde and present their gifts. Anyway, it would be very meaningful for Third Young Lady to be adopted by Lord Protector¡¯s principal wife as her daughter.

    In the early morning, Madam Ling was busy in greeting the guests with Ning Qingshan, Ning Lingyun and Ning Xueyan. The guests paid a lot ofpliments to Madam Ling and Ning Qingshan.

    After a whole night, Madam Ling had managed to calm herself down and put on a smile in front of people, just like she used to be. She chatted and joked with a fewdies from other manors, looking happy. Ning Qingshan sat beside them and said something from time to time. It seemed they had a good time.

    Madam Ling wore a set of scarlet clothes today. Without the Marchioness¡¯ official suit, she was still the Lord Protector¡¯s principal wife, and she looked solemn in red. Ning Qingshan wore a green long skirt with a nting cor and a red padded jacket. Her hair was pinned with a hair-pin decorated with a red-golden-peony and a pearl, making her look fairer and more beautiful.

    Today was her big day, so she had been more beautifully dressed and people could tell her out the crowd at a nce.

    Ning Xueyan was still in in clothes as usual. She wore a light blue long skirt, but a few flying butterflies embroidered on the skirt hem added a touch of girlish vivacity in her grace.

    Ning Lingyun also kept low-key this time. Although the light pink color of her dress was kind of cheerful,pared to Ning Qingshan, she was much inferior in both the dress quality and the color. Besides, she did not put on too much jewelry.

    To avoid Ning Qingshan¡¯s attention, she had been cautious after what had happened at Third Prince¡¯s suburban courtyard. She followed Senior Concubine Xu¡¯s words and tried to keep a low profile. Today was Ning Qingshan¡¯s big day, not hers, so she became even more cautious, trying to avoid stealing Ning Qingshan¡¯s thunder and causing her dissatisfaction.

    Ning Lingyun did not dare to offend Ning Xueyan, and she knew that she was no match for Ning Qingshan, so she¡¯d better not offend on either side. That was why she was more low-key than ever when she behaved and spoke. After a few losses, she did not dare to be so mean and mocked Ning Xueyan in front of people as she had done.

    Ning Xueyan was chatting with people around her casually. It was her first time to officially meet those nobledies and Young Ladies. The smile on her face was faint, but she looked decent. She greeted thosedies one by one, showing natural elegance in her gestures. The manner she behaved strictly followed the etiquette standard and even the way she bowed and walked exactlyplied with the etiquette dictates.

    Those nobledies could not help praising her. They had heard that Fifth Young Lady had been timid and weak since her childhood and had never had a formal training, but now they found that this Fifth Young Lady was the politest and best-behaved. Madam Ming¡¯s family was aristocratic for generations, so of course under her training, her daughter¡¯s manner was exemry.

    Since Ning Zu¡¯an had never taught her about it and Madam Ming had been too weak to train her even if she wanted, the former Ning Xueyan had never known how to behave in front of people. Besides, she had been bullied by Ning Yuling and almost lost her life. Therefore, from the bottom of her heart, she had been afraid of meeting people. She had not even dared to meet people, how could she possibly appear well-bred to others?

    The present Ning Xueyan behaved so well because she had learned the etiquette from her mother in herst life when she was Ning Ziying. Her mother had been so strict in training her and had never allowed any of her movements to be inadequate or redundant. Ning Ziying had cried a lot for this when she was just a little girl, but her gentle mother had not shown mercy as usual. Whenever she made a mistake, her mother would have beaten her with a big ruler. Ning Ziying had cried many times before she could reluctantly reach her mother¡¯s standard.

    That was why she could greet people gracefully and her elegance seemed to be inborn.

    At this point, Heng Yuqing appeared from nowhere. ¡°Xueyan, nice to see you again!¡± she pulled Ning Xueyan¡¯s hands joyfully and said in a low voice.

    Heng Yuqing was a frank and straightforward girl, so Ning Xueyan was very impressed by her. She was very d as well when she saw Heng Yuqing and immediately pulled her to the side to chat.

    It was the first time they met since they had parted from the imperial pce. Heng Yuqing did not look good and she was much thinner than before. She seemed to be a little depressed, as if she was being bothered by something. Although Heng Yuqing smiled and was trying to hide this, Ning Xueyan was keenly aware that something was on her mind.

    ¡°What¡¯s up? Yuqing, did something happen to you?¡± Ning Xueyan put it straightforward. She had not noticed when Heng Yuqing hade just now, but she could tell that she did not look good.

    Hearing that, Heng Yuqing¡¯s eyes turned reddish and she did not want to hide it from Ning Xueyan anymore. ¡°My mother is sick,¡± she answered in a low voice, wiping her eyes with a handkerchief.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay at home and take care of her?¡± Ning Xueyan asked in a low voice. For a person of filial piety, it was natural to take care of his or her sick mother. Heng Yuqing did not seem to be an unfilial person.

    ¡°Concubine Yun told my father that today was your manor¡¯s big day, and it had something to do with the backyard, so if none of our family came, the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor would be med for not taking your manor seriously. But my mother was still ill and she had fallen asleep after taking the medicine. How could she get up for the moment?¡± Heng Yuqing said angrily with reddish eyes.

    ¡°My mother was so sick, but Concubine Yun still asked Heng Yuwan to invite those Young Ladies to our manor to celebrate her birthday!¡± Heng Yuqing grew angrier when she spoke this. She sobbed and could hardly continue.

    Every family had its own problems. Ning Xueyan remembered that someone had said that Lord Guardian favored his concubine very much and wanted to get rid of his wife. She was so shocked of his fatuity. ¡°God protects the good. Don¡¯t worry, your mother is not old at all and she will be okay.¡± She pped her hands andforted Heng Yuqing.

    ¡°That woman made my mother sick, but look, she was dressed so voluptuously and was ttering Third Young Lady of your manor!¡± Heng Yuqing wiped the tears from her cheeks and said resentfully, pointing at a woman beside Ning Qingshan.

    That enchanting woman was in her thirties, and from the way she dressed, nobody could tell that she was only a concubine. A girl about Heng Yuqing¡¯s age was standing beside her. Ning Xueyan guessed that she should be Heng Yuqing¡¯s younger sister, Heng Yuwan. Surrounding Ning Qingshan with a few other women, they were talking to Ning Qingshan, trying to curry favor with her.

    Everyone thought that Ning Qingshan would definitely be Third Prince¡¯s principal wife in the future, so they were trying every means to get close to her before she rose high. Otherwise, it would be toote!

    ¡°Xueyan, do you take me as your friend?¡± Heng Yuqing did not look in Ning Qingshan¡¯s direction, but asked Ning Xueyan, holding her hand.

    ¡°Yes. You¡¯re my friend,¡± Ning Xueyan said with a nod. Heng Yuqing had always tried to help her at the imperial pce, so Ning Xueyan had taken her as a reliable friend since then.

    ¡°She will hold the birthday party after a few days. I want to send you an invitation card and invite you to our manor to have fun with me. I don¡¯t want to talk to them,¡± Heng Yuqing said seriously.

    Heng Yuwan would definitely send invitation cards to her friends, but Heng Yuqing did not like them. Therefore, she wanted to invite Ning Xueyan to attend the party. After all, she should find a person she liked to chat with her.

    Otherwise, she had to stay with Heng Yuwan¡¯s friends at the party. She was in a bad mood even having a look at those people.

    ¡°Okay! I will go. Just send your invitation card to me.¡± Ning Xueyan knew that Heng Yuqing did not want to be alone at the party and wanted to have someone chat with her, so she agreed to her request with a smile.

    When they had just finished their words, Madam Dowager¡¯s servant, Mother Qin, walked over and told Ning Xueyan that Madam Dowager was looking for her.

    Ning Xueyan nodded and asked Heng Yuqing to have some fun on her own. She then left the hall and headed for Lucky Garden.

    Madam Dowager was old and she was reluctant to move about, so those distinguished guests of simr rank and age to her would be brought to Lucky Garden, and all the ordinary nobledies and Young Ladies would be brought to the front hall and greeted by Madam Ling and the three Young Ladies of the Nings.

    For convenience, although the hall was located in the backyard, it was near the festooned door to the front yard.

    Ning Xueyan left the hall and walked toward Lucky Garden. She had only taken a few steps forward when she saw Ning Qingshan walking toward Lucky Garden following an older female servant. Only then did she realize that Madam Dowager had also asked someone else to go to her courtyard.

    ¡°Mother Qin, is there any important guestsing to our manor?¡± Ning Xueyan asked Mother Qin, who was leading the way, in a soft voice.

    ¡°Yes, both Third Prince and Fourth Prince have arrived and they are offering greetings to Madam Dowager now. Madam Dowager asked you and Third Young Lady to offer greetings to the two princes,¡± Mother Qin answered with a smile.

    ¡°Greeting the two princes? It¡¯s just an excuse! We often met them, but why did Madam Dowager specially asked us to greet them now? She must be ying tricks again!¡± Ning Xueyan thought.

    But Madam Dowager¡¯s scheme might fail again!

    ¡°Has my eldest sister arrived?¡± Whatever tricks Madam Dowager was up to, Ning Xueyan did not think it would impact the result, so she shifted the topic to Ning Ziyan.

    Today was Madam Ling¡¯s big day, so Ning Ziyan would definitelye. Since Ning Xueyan had been at the front hall just now, she had not seen Ning Ziyan yet.

    ¡°Eldest Young Lady has arrived and she is chatting with Madam Dowager now. Fifth Young Lady, don¡¯t worry. There are no outsiders at Lucky Garden in addition to our family members.¡± Mother Qin thought that Ning Xueyan was nervous, so she specially told her about this. Seeing Third Prince and Fourth Prince walking out together, all those smart Madam Dowagers anddies from other manors had already gone out to enjoy the scenery in the garden.

    While they were talking, a maid rushed over in a hurry. She looked a little familiar, but Ning Xueyan could not remember which courtyard she was from for the moment.

    ¡°Mother Qin, please go with me! Madam Dowager was looking for an agate chain she had put into the warehouse. But we could not find it for the moment, and she was urging us to look for it!¡±

    ¡°Madam Dowager really has a poor memory! She forgot that she had taken out the agate chain and checked it yesterday.¡± Mother Qin pped her thigh andughed. Then she turned to Ning Xueyan and said, ¡°Fifth Young Lady, take your time. I have to look for the agate chain for Madam Dowager now.¡±

    Ning Xueyan smiled slightly and nodded, gesturing Mother Qin to go first, aplicated look in her eyes.

    After Mother Qin left with the maid, Ning Xueyan walked forward slowly. Since they had been dyed by the maid for a short while, now Ning Qingshan had disappeared from sight. In order to arrive at Lucky Garden soon, Mother Qin had chosen a short cut just now. Ning Xueyan walked along the path to Lucky Garden and crossed a rockery which was seldom visited.

    Because it was remote, seldom people woulde here. In herst life, because of the same reason, Ning Ziying had rarely met the people of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor here. Due to the tranquility, Ning Ziying had especially enjoyed reading and drinking tea under the tree next to the rockery, where there were stone table and stools.

    When she had just turned the corner, Ning Xueyan stopped. She saw a person sitting at the stone table under that tree.

 Chapter 245 - Xia Yuhangâ€™s Doubt

    <h4>Chapter 245 Xia Yuhang¡¯s Doubt</h4>

    A man in a cyan robe was sitting there. Although he was not gorgeous, he looked both graceful and mild.

    Xia Yuhang had always waited for her here before, butter, he had met her at Ning Ziyan¡¯s courtyard instead. Therefore, Xia Yuhang had onlye here the first year Ning Xueyan came to the manor, and in the following two years, only Ning Ziying had asionallye here to read and rx.

    This man had waited for her here gently before. Now he looked up at Ning Xueyan and smiled, just as he had done to Ning Ziying several years ago.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t youe here and sit for a while?¡± His words were ambiguous. For Ning Xueyan, she would feel a little surprised and offensive at the words, but when it came to Ning Ziying, she would take it as the tenderness from the man she was so familiar with.

    It was as if she had returned to herst life¡ªat the same ce, the same man had spoken the same words to her with the same gentle smile.

    His handsome face and the deep affection in his eyes had added a trace of mildness in his gentleness and made people could not help trusting in him.

    But what had he done to her? He had watched her being drowned in the lotus pool without doing anything!

    She had given him everything she had and followed everything he said, taking him as the man who would wholeheartedly spend his rest life with her. However, he had not only yed around with Chen Hexiang outside the manor, but had an affair with Ning Ziyan in the manor and caused Ning Ziyan¡¯s pregnancy. Finally, he had watched Ning Ziying being murdered by Madam Ling and her daughter!

    She had totally trusted in him in herst life and thought that he loved her from the bottom of his heart, but now...

    When she looked back, she only felt what he said was ridiculous, so ridiculous! ¡°Who does he think I am? The silly girl Ning Ziying who loved him so much? How dare he speak this to me now?¡±

    The blood of all her body flushed to the top of her head. All this man¡¯s gentleness in her memory had turned to terrible scheme and hypocrisy. At the thought her helpless death in the lotus pool and her rebirth for revenge, she felt her heart broken and full of hatred.

    ¡°Greetings, Eldest Brother-inw. Whom are you waiting for?¡± Ning Xueyan walked over at ease and stopped in front of Xia Yuhang calmly. She raised her head, a coldness in her jet-ck eyes.

    Xia Yuhang looked at Ning Xueyan doubtfully. After a while, he let out a long sigh and said, as if mocking himself, ¡°I¡¯m not waiting for anyone. I¡¯m missing an old friend.¡± He then lifted the tea pot on the stone table and poured the tea into an empty cup. ¡°Fifth Sister, have some tea!¡± he said gently.

    ¡°Eldest Brother-inw, are you talking about my eldest sister? Since you miss her, why didn¡¯t you ask her toe here with you?¡± Ning Xueyan asked curiously. Ning Xueyan seemed to have thought of something, she smiled faintly and sat down on the stone stool gracefully.

    Her long eyeshes shivered and no one could saw the sarcasm in her eyes.

    An old friend? How ridiculous! They used to be the closest unmarried couple, but now he only called her ¡®old friend¡¯. Maybe she should thank Xia Yuhang. At least, he did not regard her as a b*tch and would miss her, his ¡®old friend¡¯ asionally.

    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about your eldest sister. Fifth Sister, do you still remember Ning Ziying of Cloud Reflection Courtyard?¡± Xia Yuhang raised his head and fixed his eyes on Ning Xueyan, looking a little emotional. People who were not familiar with Xia Yuhang would not notice much change in Xia Yuhang¡¯s expression.

    Ning Ziying would have taken such a look and expression and the trace of gentleness in his eyes as his affection for her. However, after rebirth and bing Ning Xueyan, she would only mock him for his hypocrisy. ¡°He is really good at pretending! He acted like it was real!¡± she thought.

    Xia Yuhang was a hypocritical and selfish person. He always looked affectionate when his interests were not involved.

    ¡°I have heard of Sister Ziying of Cloud Reflection Courtyard, but I have never seen her. It¡¯s said Sister Ziying died unnaturally, and the rumors said that she was murdered. Eldest Brother-inw, do you know what happened?¡± Ning Xueyan asked with a slight smile. She said quickly, as if she was really very curious. An indifferent and cold smile appeared in her beautiful eyes when she raised her head, expressing her surprise naturally.

    Her performance was just right, neither exaggerated nor inadequate!

    Her finger which hooked on the handle of the cup kept on touching the cup gently when she was talking.

    Only very few people of the manor had discussed it before, and now the rumors had almost disappeared. After all, Ning Ziying was only an orphan who had left her home and stayed at the manor. Since none of the masters had mentioned this matter and nobody hadined about her death, who would care such a trifle? So the influence of this matter had been kept to a minimum by Madam Ling.

    Xia Yuhang shifted his gaze from Ning Xueyan¡¯s emotionless face to her finger. He suddenly widened his eyes and unconsciously reached out to grab Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand. ¡°Ying¡¯er!¡± he muttered.

    Everyone¡¯s heart would be softened when they saw such a gentle movement. In addition to Ning Ziying, nobody would have such a habitual action.

    ¡°Eldest Brother-inw, it¡¯s me, Ning Xueyan.¡± Ning Xueyan raised her head with a frown and stared at Xia Yuhang coldly with her bright and clear eyes. When she saw into Xia Yuhang¡¯s eyes, there was a ghostly, grim look in her eyes. At this very moment, Xia Yuhang almost immediately felt a cold hatreding from this girl¡¯s jet-ck eyes.

    He stopped trying to grab her hand and looked at her eyes carefully. Now he was sure they were just a pair of beautiful, jet-ck eyes.

    Failed to touch Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand, his outstretched hand drooped feebly. A wind blew from nowhere and lifted their robes, causing pping sounds.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, I am sorry! I mistook you for Ying¡¯er.¡±

    Realizing that Xia Yuhang really tried to grab her by the hand, Ning Xueyan frowned in disgust and moved back a little. ¡°Eldest Brother-inw, you were familiar with Sister Ziying, weren¡¯t you?¡± she pretended to ask casually. She was full of questions about Ning Ziying¡¯s death in herst life, but she could not find the key to solving the mystery. Since Xia Yuhang was an important person rted to Ning Ziying¡¯s death, she might get unexpected information from him.

    ¡°Ying¡¯er is a nice girl.¡± Xia Yuhang suddenly lowered his head, looking very decadent. Xia Yuhang was a man of great self-control ability, Ning Xueyan had never seen such gloomy and bleak looks on his face before. However, things were different now. Everything had changed after Ning Ziying¡¯s death!

    ¡°Eldest Brother-inw, I don¡¯t understand why you think that Sister Ziying is a nice girl. I know she is nice, but I take a different view from yours. Eldest Brother-inw, since you have married my eldest sister, you should not miss another woman again. Besides, the rumors said that Sister Ziying had an affair with someone,¡±

    Ning Xueyan said with a sneer, her face darkened. She deliberately raised her voice when she spoke the word ¡®affair¡¯. She had no idea why Xia Yuhang waited for her here on purpose. ¡°Is he trying tomemorate Ning Ziying with me? How ridiculous!¡±

    If she had not seen clearly that Xia Yuhang was also there when she was murdered in herst life, she would have been moved by his deep affection and thought that he was still that affectionate and helpless man.

    She had a feeling that once her heart softened a little, she would get into endless trouble in the future.

    ¡°She did not have an affair with anyone!¡± Xia Yuhang gritted and said in a hoarse voice. The veins on his forehead swelled and he seemed to be trying hard to hold back his anger.

    ¡°Oh? So you believe the rumor that someone murdered Sister Ziying, right? Eldest Brother-inw, who do you think the murderer was? Could it be my eldest sister?¡±

    Ning Xueyan asked, hitting the nail on the head. The smile on her lips had turned to sneer.

    ¡°You...¡± Xia Yuhang had been eloquent, but now he was cornered and did not know what to say. He felt like he had so much to tell her, but the words failed toe out on the lips. He clenched his fists firmly in his sleeves and after a while, he recovered hisposure under Ning Xueyan¡¯s mocking eyes.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, I¡¯m sorry for my gaffe! I only came here to mourn an old friend,¡± Xia Yuhang said, a faint sadness on his face.

    Not like the natural expression of emotion before he had be furious just now, the sadness on his face was more of an affectation. ¡°What does Xia Yuhang want to get from me? Obviously, he asked Mother Qin to cooperate with him in acting and lead me here. But why? Of course he would not have brought me here only to make me watch them acting!¡±

    Ning Xueyan put down the tea cup in her hand and stood up. Then she took a few steps backward with perfect manner and bowed to Xia Yuhang gracefully. ¡°Eldest Brother-inw, our grandmother is still waiting for me, so I can¡¯t chat with you for the moment. If I see my eldest sister, I will have her here,¡± she said.

    Whatever Xia Yuhang wanted, she would meet all changes with constancy. She was no longer the spoony Ning Ziying, and now she saw clearly that although there was sadness in his calm, Xia Yuhang was just acting.

    It seemed that Xia Yuhang had recovered from his grief. He stood up with a smile and asked a young male servant beside him cleared up the tea set. ¡°It¡¯s unnecessary. I will go with you,¡± he said to Ning Xueyan with a smile, with his hands sped behind his back, as if nothing had happened just now and he was still the distinguished and graceful Eldest Young Master of the Xia Manor.

    Of course, unlike she used to be in herst life, Ning Ziying was no longer that girl who had loved the wrong man and miserably died in the lotus pool.

    When they met again after her rebirth, Xia Yuhang was still what he used to be, but Ning Ziying had totally changed and she was living in another person¡¯s body now.

    Madam Dowager¡¯sughter could be heard from Lucky Garden from time to time. Ning Qingshan gently snuggled up behind her and joked with her. Ning Ziyan sat on the other side of Madam Dowager with a smile. The graceful Third Prince and the excited Fourth Prince sat on both sides of Madam Dowager. Everyone in the room was chatting andughing, and it was very cheerful inside.

    The door curtain was lifted and Ning Xueyan walked in following behind Xia Yuhang.

    Since Xia Yuhang was Ning Xueyan¡¯s eldest brother-inw, he should walk ahead of Ning Xueyan, but in terms of the identity of host and guest, nobody would use Ning Xueyan of being disrespectful if she walked ahead of Xia Yuhang. No one in the room had noticed that this interesting phenomenon actually involved a different nature, and neither Xia Yuhang nor Ning Xueyan had realized it.

    Fourth Prince, Ao Mingwan, had waited for some time and he hade here specially for Ning Xueyan. ¡°Fifth Young Lady, how did youe with Yuhang?¡± His beloved woman had not onlye sote, but also walked in with Xia Yuhang, so he could not help asking in surprise.

    ¡°I bumped into Fifth Young Lady outside just now, so we came together,¡± after bowing to Madam Dowager, Xia Yuhang answered with a gentle smile. He had told the others that he felt stuffy in the room and wanted to get some air outside, so he had left Lucky Garden for a while just now.

 Chapter 246 - Diamond Cut Diamond

    <h4>Chapter 246 Diamond Cut Diamond</h4>

    Ning Xueyan walked over and bowed to Madam Dowager before sitting down beside Ning Qingshan. She nced at the people in the room and figured out what Madam Dowager was thinking about. ¡°Obviously, Madam Dowager also takes the two princes for granted as our family members. What makes her so confident?¡±

    ¡°Your mother is greeting the guests outside, so I let you have fun here for a moment. Otherwise, you mayin that I am unreasonable and keep you working all the time,¡± Madam Dowager said with a smile, looking gracious.

    ¡°Grandmother, I know you are the best to us,¡± Ning Qingshan responded her cleverly, as if it was normal without Ning Lingyun¡¯s presence.

    ¡°Shan¡¯er, you are so sweet!¡± Madam Dowager was joyful at Ning Qingshan¡¯s words. She patted her on the head with a smile and said, ¡°Well, I am tired. I will have a rest in the inner room. Keep chatting! You are all young people, so if there is any misunderstanding, just exin it face to face.¡±

    Madam Dowager spoke this meaningfully and she specially looked at Third Prince, Ao Mingyu, who seemed to be silent today. After walking into the room, although with a smile on his face, he did not seem to be cheerful. Madam Dowager worried that Third Prince and Ning Qingshan were at odds with each other because what had happened at Third Prince¡¯s suburban courtyard.

    Lord Protector¡¯s Manor put a lot of thought and effort into making Ning Qingshan Third Prince¡¯s wedded wife. Maybe she would even be the empress in the future. Therefore, there was no room for error in a matter of this magnitude.

    Madam Dowager had specially invited Third Prince here to have him and Ning Qingshan make up. She had also asked Ning Xueyan and Fourth Prince toe by the way. Of course, it was improper to have two unmarried Young Ladies apany the two princes, so to avoid rumors, she had deliberately asked Ning Ziyan and her husband, Xia Yuhang, to be with them.

    Madam Dowager thought that her n was perfect. After finishing the words, she left with her maids and older female servants, smiling.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, Third Young Lady has arrived for some time, but why did youe herete?¡± As soon as Madam Dowager left, Ao Mingwan walked over to Ning Xueyan and asked warmly. Deep affection could be seen in this young man¡¯s eyes. Compared to Ao Mingyu, Ao Mingwan was much more outgoing.

    ¡°I bumped into someone just now.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled, her long eyshes trembling. She could only answer this overzealous Fourth Prince¡¯s question in this way.

    ¡°Are you talking about Yuhang?¡± Ao Mingwan asked, looking at the Young Lady in front of him, who was as pure as jade. He rarely had such an opportunity to speak freely to her, so he asked in rapid session so that he could keep talking with this beautifuldy without wasting any time.

    ¡°No, I mean the person I met before I met my Eldest Brother-inw,¡± Ning Xueyan said coolly. She did not want to show any interest in this Fourth Prince, as Madam Dowager had expected. Since Ao Chenyi had said that he would marry her, although it was only his decision, she had to marry him in the future. Therefore, it was unnecessary to get Fourth Prince involved. Otherwise, it might cause more trouble.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, I am so... sorry you were shocked by what happened that day!¡± Ao Mingyu suddenly stood up and said to Ning Xueyan gently.

    He had sat beside Ning Qingshan. However, when Ning Xueyan walked in, Madam Dowager had asked her to sit next to Ning Qingshan. Therefore, Ning Xueyan looked more like she was sitting between Ning Qingshan and Ao Mingyu. Nobody had noticed this just now, but when Third Prince stood up, they found that the three people¡¯s seating arrangement was a bit odd.

    Instead offorting Ning Qingshan, Ao Mingyu wasforting Ning Xueyan. It made Ning Qingshan both jealous and angry, a vicious look shing in her eyes.

    ¡°I was the one who was wronged that day! Ning Xueyan only ran into my room with Ning Lingyun in a hurry, so this matter has the least effect on her. Why did Third Prince apologize to her?¡± Thinking about this, Ning Qingshan was so angry that she crumpled the handkerchief in her hand.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter!¡± Ning Xueyan had not expected that Ao Mingyu would have suddenly talked to her. She bowed to Ao Mingyu gracefully and moved a little back to avoid herself standing between Ning Qingshan and him.

    ¡°Princes, it¡¯s still too early. How about a game of go?¡± Xia Yuhang pointed at the two sets of go piece andughed loudly, trying to ease the awkward atmosphere in the room.

    ¡°Great! Third Brother, I haven¡¯t yed the game of go with you for a long time. Come on, let¡¯s start!¡± Fourth Prince, Ao Mingwan, seemed in high spirits, pulled Ao Mingyu to one of the go boards. Ning Ziyan invited Ning Qingshan to y with her but was rejected. She then turned to Ning Xueyan with a ck go piece in her hands and said with a smile, ¡°Fifth Sister, do you like ying go? Let¡¯s y a round!¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡± Ning Xueyan did not refuse her invitation, but sat down and picked up a white piece.

    There were only two sets of go pieces, and if she did not y the game, she would have to watch the others y. No matter who sat next to her, she would feel uneasy, so she decided to join the game.

    Ning Qingshan naturally sat beside Third Prince, Ao Mingyu, to watch them ying go. Xia Yuhang sat next to Fourth Prince. Therefore, Ning Xueyan and Ning Ziyan were left alone.

    The person with the ck pieces should y first. Ning Ziyan had chosen the ck pieces, so she ced a piece on the board gently. ¡°Fifth Sister, since I am on the offensive, I will y first. Please go easy on me.¡±

    Bright Frost Garden had never had an upbringing mammy, so Madam Ming had to teach Ning Xueyan skills like musical instrument-ying, board game, calligraphy and painting by herself. Due to her poor health, it was impossible for Madam Ming to teach Ning Xueyan much. Ning Ziyan was clear about it, so she had deliberately said this, triumphantly.

    Ning Xueyan ced a white piece on the board and sneered slightly. ¡°Eldest Sister, don¡¯t be too modest. I¡¯m not good at ying go, so I may let you down.¡±

    Among the four skills, Ning Ziying was not good at ying go. Therefore, like the former Ning Xueyan, this was her weakness. However, she did not take winning and losing into consideration for the moment, and she had joined the game only because she did not want to have anything to do with Fourth Prince.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, you¡¯re not good at ying go? What a coincidence! I¡¯m not good at it either. How about a game between us?¡± Hearing their conversation, Ao Mingwan immediately stood up and said that he was poor at ying go either. Since he and Ning Xueyan were at the same level in ying go, they could y together to kill time.

    ¡°Well...¡± Ning Ziyan had wanted to humiliate Ning Xueyan by ying go game, but to her surprise, Ao Mingwan suddenly made such a request. She was a little reluctant to miss the opportunity.

    ¡°It¡¯s so coincident that Fourth Prince is not good at ying the game either! Then y a round with Fifth Sister and see who is worse at go,¡± Xia Yuhang said slowly with a smile, in response to Ao Mingwan words.

    Hearing that, Ning Ziyan did not dare to object. She then stood up and gave Ao Mingwan her seat.

    Ao Mingwan was overjoyed. He had been ying go with Ao Mingyu just now. Seeing that Ao Mingyu seemed to treat Ning Xueyan differently, Ao Mingwan was eager to find a chance to be alone with her. To his surprise, he had gotten such a chance so soon to y with his beloved woman. He immediately sat down opposite Ning Xueyan cheerfully and gave her all the ck pieces.

    Although he was very poor at go, he still asked Ning Xueyan to y first, like a gentleman. He looked around charmingly with a triumph on his face.

    ¡°Third Prince, let¡¯s...¡± As soon as Ao Mingwan left his seat, Ning Qingshan walked over and sat down on it with a blush face. Obviously, she wanted Ao Mingyu to y with her.

    However, before she could continue, Ao Mingyu stood up and smiled at her. ¡°Do you want to go with me to watch my fourth brother ying go? He is really not good at it. If he is even no match for Fifth Young Lady, everyone willugh at him,¡± he said gently.

    He was polite and gentle when he spoke this, just like he used to be, so nobody could tell anything wrong with him.

    Ning Qingshan was reluctant to give up such an opportunity to be alone with Ao Mingyu, but she could not refuse him in front of so many people. She then followed Ao Mingyu and walked to behind Ning Xueyan to watch the game.

    Ning Xueyan was surprised that after such a short time, Ao Mingwan had sat in front of her and was about to y the game with her. Besides, all the others hade to watch them ying. She rearranged the board helplessly and ced a piece on the board casually. Ao Mingwan immediately ced another one on it. Since they were both poor at go, they were too close to call for a moment.

    They continued to ce the pieces onto the board one after another.

    The two yers were ying and did not notice the abnormal expression of the others. They were already poor at go, and Ao Mingwan did not concentrate on his pieces at all, so he seemed unlikely to win. On the other hand, Ning Xueyan did not care whether she would win or not, so she only ced the pieces casually to kill time. The onlookers could not help but frown.

    When Ning Xueyan was about to ce another piece, a hand was stretched out from behind her and pinned her fair hand onto the board before turning it to another direction. ¡°Fifth Young Lady, ce it here.¡±

    With that, this person loosed his hand and the piece in Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand dropped onto the board, not where she wanted it to be.

    ¡°Third Brother, a true gentleman should keep silent while watching a board game!¡± Ao Mingwan protested. Many of his pieces were blocked after Ning Xueyan¡¯s piecended. What was more, when had Ao Mingyue to behind Fifth Young Lady?

    ¡°Fourth Brother, are you willing to beat Fifth Young Lady to the ground?¡± Ao Mingyu asked gently. Ao Mingwan did not know what to say. Of course he did not want the beautifuldy in front of him to lose badly. In order to keep in a draw with Ning Xueyan, he had deliberately misced a few pieces.

    ¡°Fine! Fine! I won¡¯t me you this time, but don¡¯t speak anything more.¡± Ao Mingwan waved his hand generously.

    Hearing that, Ao Mingyu smiled slightly. Ning Qingshan was standing behind his side, a trace of grim jealousy crossing her eyes.

    Ning Ziyan, who was sitting beside Xia Yuhang, saw the abnormal look on Xia Yuhang as well. She looked at Ning Xueyan suspiciously and observed her expression carefully.

    Under so many people¡¯s gazes, Ning Xueyan was not in the mood to y anymore. She ced a few more pieces on the board casually and then threw all the rest pieces into the go basket. She stood up and said apologetically, ¡°Fourth Prince, I lost!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. Let¡¯s start again!¡± Ao Mingwan said, waving his hand. He was in high spirits, and since he rarely had such an opportunity to y go with his beloved woman, of course he did not want to miss it. He had wanted toe to the manor and go to Ao Mingyu¡¯s suburban courtyard with the others on the other day, but unfortunately, Honored Consort Shu had stopped him from doing this, so he had failed to go to the suburban courtyard with them.

    Of course he still remembered what Honored Consort Shu had told him, and he knew that the Young Lady in front of him was too low to be his wedded wife. However, as Lord Protector¡¯s wedded wife¡¯s daughter, even if she could not marry him as his wedded wife, she could be his co-consort at least.

    ¡°Sorry, Fourth Prince, I am so poor at go! You¡¯d better ask someone else to y with you!¡± Ning Xueyan refused him with a smile.

    ¡°Let me y with you! Fourth Brother, we haven¡¯t yed go for a long time. You escaped from me just now. Don¡¯t do that again!¡± Ao Mingyu sat down on the seat after Ning Xueyan stood up and said with a smile to Ao Mingwan sitting opposite him, as if he really wanted topete with him.

    Since he was in such good spirits, Ao Mingwan could not refuse him, but nodded in agreement instead. They restarted the game with the others watching by their sides. Seeing nobody was watching her, Ning Xueyan quietly walked to the corner of the room and sat down, taking a sip of tea Lanning had handed her.

    ¡°Miss, he has been there,¡± Lanning whispered in her ear.

 Chapter 247 - Ning Ziyan Pinched Ning Xueyan Hard (False Sisterhood)

    <h4>Chapter 247 Ning Ziyan Pinched Ning Xueyan Hard (False Sisterhood)</h4>

    After taking a sip of tea quietly, she nodded slightly and then put down the tea cup. Lanning stood behind her again.

    After a while, Ning Xueyan suddenly stood up and was about to leave, as if she felt so boring. Ning Ziyan¡¯s eyes rolled and immediately shouted in a loud voice, ¡°Fifth Sister, are you going out for a walk? Wait for me for a moment!¡±

    With that, she walked over to Ning Xueyan, and before Ning Xueyan could say anything, she had grabbed her by the hand. Ning Qingshan moved a little, as if she wanted to go following Ning Ziyan. However, after thinking it for a while, she gave up the idea.

    ¡°Eldest Sister, loose your hand. It hurts!¡± Ning Xueyan stopped walking and said to Ning Ziyan, who was grabbing her hand firmly, in a soft voice.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s voice was not loud, but since the room was quiet, everyone¡¯s attention was attracted by her.

    Ning Ziyan¡¯s hand trembled and she immediately let go of Ning Xueyan. Seeing that everyone was watching her, she exined awkwardly, ¡°I just wanted to go for a walk with Fifth Sister. I was afraid that she might go without waiting for me, so I applied a little more strength when I held her hand. Fifth Sister, I am sorry I hurt your hand!¡±

    She deliberately bowed to Ning Xueyan, showing no panic on her face. It would make people think that Ning Xueyan was making a fuss.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Eldest Sister, why are you in such a hurry to go out? Are you going to handle something?¡± Ning Xueyan shifted the topic with a smile and shook her hand slightly. Ao Mingwan immediately saw a red mark on Ning Xueyan¡¯s fair wrist from where he was. After grabbing her hand for such a short moment, Ning Ziyan had made her wrist red, so obviously, Ning Ziyan had applied much strength to pinch her.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady¡¯s hand is so red. Eldest Young Lady, it seems you are not going to take a walk with her, but fight her!¡± Ao Mingwan smiled at Ning Ziyan and spoke for Ning Xueyan.

    Hearing that, everyone shifted their gaze to Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand as she was trying to hide it behind her back. The hand had been in Ning Xueyan¡¯s sleeve just now, but she had shaken it slightly and caused a part of her sleeve rolling us and exposed her wrist in front of people. Now everyone saw the red mark on it. ¡°Eldest Young Lady must have applied great force to pinch her! The red mark does not seem to be left due to a casual grab!¡±

    It reminded the two princes of the rumors. It was said that Fifth Young Lady was unfavored in the manor. She had been bullied by her sisters since her childhood and became very timid. She had been hiding herself at Bright Frost Garden for years, and had only recently begun to show up in public. Although they did not believe the rumors before, what was happening provided a piece of strong evidence for it. It seemed that the rumors were real!

    Ning Ziyan had not thought that what she had deliberately done did not catch anyone¡¯s eye, but drew everyone¡¯s attention to the red mark on Ning Xueyan¡¯s wrist instead. She began to panic.

    Of course she had pinched Ning Xueyan on purpose. Both Third Prince and Fourth Prince were present, she did not believe that Ning Xueyan would be so shameless to roll her sleeve to check her injury in front of the two princes. She had thought that without evidence, Ning Xueyan could not me her and would give a cry of pain at most. And if she behaved at ease, nobody would think that she had really hurt Ning Xueyan¡¯s wrist.

    ¡°Sorry! Sorry, Fifth Sister! I was in a hurry and injured your wrist by ident. Fifth Sister, go with me and apply some medicine to your wound!¡± Ning Ziyan really wanted to p Ning Xueyan in the face, but she knew that she should not let the others get the goods on her, so she squeezed out a smile.

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother. Eldest Sister, it is not serious and will recover soon.¡± Ning Xueyan waved her hand with a smile, as if she did not care about it at all. However, plus her pale face, it made everyone feel that she was holding back great pain.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, your hand was injured badly. Do you want the imperial physician to check it for you?¡± Ao Mingwan did not want to waste such an opportunity to court his beloved woman. He was not in the mood for the go game anymore and threw all the pieces into the go basket. Then he walked over to Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°It¡¯s unnecessary! I¡¯m okay! Fourth Prince, thank you!¡± Ning Xueyan waved her hand and said naturally, ¡°I have some medicines for traumatic injuries and I¡¯m going back to Bright Frost Garden to apply it to my wound.¡±

    ¡°Those medicines were not prescribed by the physician attending to such injuries, so you should be careful before using them. I will ask the imperial physician toe!¡± Ao Mingwan said, trying to persuade her.

    Ning Xueyan took a step backward, as if she was scared by Ao Mingwan¡¯s enthusiasm. ¡°Don¡¯t bother, Fourth Prince! Those medicines are very effective. I used them before and a few days after applying some of them, my wound would have recovered,¡± she said, waving her hand.

    It was abnormal that a noble Young Lady had prepared such medicines in her room, and it was even stranger that she had used them before. Since Eldest Young Lady, who had always been gentle, had injured her ¡®by ident¡¯ so easily, it was normal that Fifth Young Lady had prepared some medicines for injury at Bright Frost Garden!

    Not only Ao Mingwan turned his head and shot Ning Ziyan a re, even Ao Mingyu was also looking at Ning Ziyan coldly.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, I will go with you and help you with the medicine. Anyway, I should be med for your injury. I haven¡¯t seen you for a long time, so I was so excited just now that I grabbed your hard in a hurry.¡± Under everyone¡¯s gaze, Ning Ziyan only wanted to leave here as soon as possible. She turned to her husband, hoping he would help her out, but only found that he was looking at her with aplicated look. Since even her husband did not speak for her, Ning Ziyan became more flustered.

    She had been pretending to be a gentle, graceful nobledy in front of Xia Yuhang, and the only time she had lost her temper to his face was because she had a conflict with Chen Hexiang at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. However, that was a very special case. Besides, she had lost her baby because of this and made Xia Yuhang a little guilty for her.

    But this time, everyone had clearly seen the pinch mark on Ning Xueyan¡¯s wrist. A gentle nobledy and a wedded wife of a noble family would never do such a thing!

    At this point, Ning Xueyan helped her out of her embarrassment. She reached out and held Ning Ziyan¡¯s hand gently. ¡°Okay. Eldest Sister, please apany me to go back to Bright Frost Garden. We can just take a walk together by the way,¡± Ning Xueyan said in a soft voice.

    ¡°Okay! Okay! Let¡¯s go to have your wound treated,¡± Ning Ziyan immediately answered. She then pulled Ning Xueyan outward, holding her hand. This time, she did not dare to apply too much strength to her hand anymore.

    Ning Xueyan waved good-bye to everyone and turned to leave with Ning Ziyan.

    Rolling her eyes with a frown, Ning Qingshan lifted her foot, as if she wanted to join them. However, after ncing at Third Prince beside her, she put her foot down. For her, the most important thing was to dispel Third Prince¡¯s prejudice against her. She did not think that Ning Xueyan would stir any trouble for the moment. Ning Ziyan was eager to leave now, so she did not notice Ning Qingshan¡¯s movements.

    Ning Qingshan had no n to frame Ning Xueyan today and she only wanted to create an opportunity to have Ning Xueyan and Xia Yudong meet privately so that Xia Yudong could impress Ning Xueyan more. Having Ning Ziyan around just made it less convenient for Xia Yudong to get in touch with Ning Xueyan. However, since Xia Yudong was so smart, he should know what he could say and what he could not. Anyway, Madam Ling had arranged for everything, so she was sure that nothing unexpected would happen.

    Thinking about this, Ning Qingshan felt assured and gave up the idea to go with them.

    Ning Xueyan and Ning Ziyan walked out Madam Dowager¡¯s courtyard hand in hand, but as soon as they stepped out the courtyard, they let go of each other¡¯s hands at the same time.

    ¡°Eldest Sister, you don¡¯t have to go to my courtyard with me. After applying medicine to my wound, I will be back soon.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled slightly.

    ¡°That won¡¯t do! After all, you got injured. Fifth Sister, if I am not there when you apply medicine to your wound, the others will think that I¡¯m bullying you!¡± Ning Ziyan looked at Ning Xueyan from the corner of her eyes and said resentfully. If Ning Xueyan had not screamed just now, Third Prince and Fourth Prince would not have found that she was injured.

    ¡°Eldest Sister, so you are serious that you will go with me and watch me put the medicine on my wound?¡± The smile on Ning Xueyan¡¯s lips turned to a sneer. She deliberately waved her injured wrist in front of Ning Ziyan and made Ning Ziyan more depressed.

    ¡°You were injured badly, weren¡¯t you? Why are you still wasting time here?¡± Ning Ziyan strode a few steps forward, but soon, she stopped walking. ¡°Okay! I won¡¯t go to Bright Frost Garden. I will wait for you at the waterside pavilion in front of Bright Frost Garden. Let¡¯se back after you have your wound treated. Be quick!¡±

    She did not want to help Ning Xueyan with the medicine at all. ¡°That b*tch is so hypocritical! I just applied a little more strength on her wrist and pinched her slightly. How could she be injured badly and need to apply medicine to her wound? After all, I am the Eldest Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and the daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s wedded wife. How can I help Ning Xueyan, the b*tch, to treat her wound?¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t take long before my mother finds a way to deal with this little b*tch!¡± she thought.

    Ning Ziyan felt that Madam Ling was too soft-hearted to Ning Xueyan. If she had thest word, she would let people spread rumors that the b*tch had an affair with someone and then throw her into the lotus pool. She was sure that her grandmother and father would not speak for the b*tch. Once, her second sister had bullied Ning Xueyan and almost caused her death, but nobody had med her for it.

    After a while, she would meet her mother privately. She would advise her to get rid of Ning Xueyan in the same way they had killed Ning Ziying.

    With this on her mind, she walked toward the courtyard between Lucky Garden and Bright Frost Garden alone before Ning Xueyan could answer.

    Anyway, no outsiders would see that she did not apany Ning Xueyan to treat her wound. Besides, people of the manor did not dare to offend her at all. Therefore, after Ning Xueyan had her wound treated, she would go with her back to Lucky Garden. ¡°How does that b*tch deserve my service? She will be more unlucky if she dares to ept my help!¡±

    She had walked for a short while with Ning Xueyan because she did not want anyone who came out from Lucky Garden to find out that she did not apany with Ning Xueyan go back to her courtyard. They were walking on the way to Bright Frost Garden and there was only one ce to rest on the way. Although normally, very few people woulde to that courtyard, it was still be cleaned every day. It was a good ce to rest.

    Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was very big. It was said that it used to be a previous dynasty¡¯s prince¡¯s residence. Ning Zu¡¯an did not have many concubines and he had only a son. Although he had four daughters, there were still several courtyards being unupied. The servants cleaned the courtyards every day. If the female members of the family came, they could rest there. The courtyard Ning Ziyan was heading for was one of these courtyards.

    Watching Ning Ziyan walking forward without talking to her, Ning Xueyan stopped walking. She narrowed her charming eyes with a sneer. She had been thinking about how to make Ning Ziyane out with her just now, but to her surprise, she had offered to go with her. That was great! It just so happened that she spared herself some effort.

    Thinking about her miserable death in herst life and what she had suffered in her current life, she could not hold back her anger anymore. The lewd woman robbed her fianc¨¦ and murdered her. She would definitely let the vicious couple pay the price!

    A cold wind skimmed over her exposed eyes, but with a bloodthirsty look in them, her eyes became even colder than the wind. ¡°Ning Ziyan, it¡¯s your turn to swallow the bitterness in silence!¡±

 Chapter 248 - Madam Lingâ€™s Scheme Is Different from Ning Qingshanâ€™s

    <h4>Chapter 248 Madam Ling¡¯s Scheme Is Different from Ning Qingshan¡¯s</h4>

    Xia Yudong hade to the manor with Xia Yuhang today. Of course, he had not told Xia Yuhang about what he discussed with Ning Qingshan privately.

    He imitated Xia Yuhang¡¯s every word and deed because Xia Yuhang was the most outstanding in the others¡¯ eyes, and people always praised him for his literary talent, elegance, appearance and manners. Living in Xia Yuhang¡¯s shadow since his childhood, Xia Yudong learned everything from Xia Yuhang unconsciously.

    Because of this, he also got somepliments. Other people said that Minster Xia was good at educating his sons, as not only his first son had a very good manner, but his second son, whose mother was only a concubine, was so excellent as well.

    Xia Yudong behaved like a graceful noble childe in front of people. He was obedient to Xia Yuhang and always gave priority to him. However, nobody knew that he was very resentful about it. Since both of them were Minister Xia¡¯s sons and he was as excellent as Xia Yuhang, why did everyone take Xia Yuhang as a shining star, but he could only live in his shadow?

    The concubine¡¯s son! The concubine¡¯s son! The fact that his blood was not as noble as Xia Yuhang weighed on Xia Yudong¡¯s mind like a stone.

    He swore that he would definitely rise high and prove to everyone that he was not Xia Yuhang¡¯s follower and he could be more outstanding than him.

    To achieve this goal, he needed to marry a woman from a powerful family. This could save him a decade or even a lifetime! Now the opportunity wasing. If he could impress Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and have her marry him, he might soon rise high.

    Although Fifth Young Lady was unfavored and it was said that her status was even lower than a concubine¡¯s daughter at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, as least she was Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s wedded wife¡¯s daughter. If he married her, he would be Lord Protector¡¯s son-inw. Then everyone would think highly of him because of his identity.

    Since both he and Xia Yuhang married Lord Protector¡¯s wedded wife¡¯s daughters, he would be as distinguished as Xia Yuhang in the future and nobody would look down upon him because he was a concubine¡¯s son.

    What was more, Xia Yuhang could not attend the imperial exam next spring, and if he wanted to attend the exam, he had to wait for another three years. Unlike Xia Yuhang, Xia Yudong still had the opportunity to attend the exam next spring. Therefore, he was more likely to win.

    Besides, he considered himself a man of good manner and great literary talent, so he did not thought that he was inferior than Xia Yuhang. Moreover, he was promising and gentle with woman. Therefore, he was confident that he would be in the good graces of the Fifth Young Lady, who was unfavored at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    He had not had an opportunity tomunicate with Fifth Young Lady when they were at Third Prince¡¯s suburban courtyard. If they could meet a few more times and chat privately, he was confident that he would win Fifth Young Lady¡¯s heart. What was more, at the thought of Fifth Young Lady, his heart thumped and he thought of her graceful eyebrows and moisture eyes. Although Fifth Young Lady was very young, Xia Yudong could tell that she would be an extremely beautifuldy in the future.

    Xia Yuhang and Ning Ziyan had gone to the backyard to visit Madam Dowager. Xia Yudong could not go to the backyard for the moment, so he had no chance to bump into Fifth Young Lady. He wondered if Third Young Lady had already thought of this and would find an excuse for him to go to the backyard.

    Everyone at the table with him was all noble childes of the capital. They were about the same age, so they seemed to have a lot to talk about and these childes seemed to admire Xia Yudong very much when they talked about poetry and prose. However, Xia Yudong had a feeling that they did not look at him the same way they looked at other people and he saw a trace of contempt in their eyes. After all, he was only a concubine¡¯s son.

    At the thought of this, he became resentful and stopped talking with them. He held up the liquor pot, poured a cup of liquor and drank all of them.

    A maid with a liquor pot in her hand came over to pour liquor for Xia Yudong. Unfortunately, she poured the liquor onto the table by ident. Although Xia Yudong stood up quickly, the liquor still sshed on his clothes. Shaking his wet clothes, he could not help frowning.

    Realizing that she was in a big trouble, the maid immediately knelt in front of him and apologized, ¡°Sir, sorry! I¡¯m sorry! I did not notice it!¡±

    Since everyone was watching them, Xia Yudong could not lose his temper for the moment. He held back his anger and said, ¡°Forget it!¡±

    However, his clothes were wet and smelled of liquor. Besides, this made him looked untidy.

    ¡°Sir, please follow me. There are some spare clothes in that room and you can change your clothes there,¡± the maid said anxiously when she saw the stain on Xia Yudong¡¯s clothes.

    Normally, female guests would bring a suit of clothes with them when they attended an influential family¡¯s banquet, but male guests would not. Therefore, the host would prepare a few sets of clothes in a wing-room to deal with some unexpected asions. These clothes might not be the guests¡¯ size, but they were better than nothing.

    Some fastidious male guests would bring clothes from home as well. That would be even better, because they could change their clothes directly if something unexpected happened.

    Since Xia Yudong was the concubine¡¯s son, he was not that fastidious in his daily life, so he would not bring his clothes with him to attend a banquet.

    At the thought that he would meet Fifth Young Lady after a while, he stood up helplessly and took leave of those noble childes beside him. Then he left following the maid.

    There was a back door at the left-wing room, but the maid did not stop after leading him through it. After tuning two corners, they came to a path. It was a small garden and the flower fragrance could be smelled while walking on the path. Obviously, they had arrived at the backyard garden. A courtyard wall could be seen in the distance. It seemed that they were in the inner courtyard now.

    Xia Yudong suddenly stopped walking. ¡°Who sent you to me? Why are you leading me to the backyard?¡± he asked, a fierce look crossing his eyes.

    The maid answered cleverly with a smile, ¡°Mr. Xia, don¡¯t worry! My master asked me to bring you here. Calm down! Nothing bad will happen and after a while, you will see the beautifuldy you have been longing for. Mr. Xia, you will be satisfied.¡±

    ¡°Did Third Young Lady ask her to bring me here to meet Fifth Young Lady?¡± Xia Yudong wondered.

    ¡°Did Third Young Lady send you here?¡± Xia Yudong still felt not assured, so he asked again.

    ¡°Of course. Mr. Xia, don¡¯t worry. My master won¡¯t do anything bad for you. After all, you are the rtive of our masers, if something bad happens to you, Eldest Childe Xia and Eldest Young Lady won¡¯t spare my master,¡± the maid exined with a smile, a quirky look crossing her eyes. Although she said that she had been sent here by her master, she did not specify who her master was.

    ¡°She wants me to wait up front?¡± Xia Yudong thought for a while with a frown and asked, pointing at the path.

    ¡°No, you should wait at the courtyard. Although there are not so many people here, it is inconvenient for you to meet Fifth Young Lady. After a while, Fifth Young Lady wille to the courtyard to rest. You can tell her that youe here by mistake while looking for Eldest Childe Xia,¡±

    The maid answered with a smile. She specially reminded, ¡°Fifth Young Lady is not sociable. Second Childe Xia, if you miss this opportunity, you may not get such an opportunity again. Then it will be toote for you to regret.¡±

    Hearing that, Xia Yudong stopped talking and walked into the courtyard in front of them following the maid.

    Madam Ling was talking to several nobledies about Ning Qingshan when she was told that Xia Yudong had entered the inner courtyard. Everyone said that Third Young Lady was both noble and beautiful, so she would definitely have a promising future. Now Madam Ling had adopted Third Young Lady as her daughter, so those nobledies immediately began to tter her.

    When they were talking excitedly, Mother Chen walked into the room and whispered in Madam Ling¡¯s ear for a while. Knowing that something bad would happen to Ning Xueyan, Madam Ling was very happy and her smiling face looked even more amiable. She turned to those nobledies and said, ¡°You are all praising Third Young Lady for her beauty, but you don¡¯t know that Fifth Young Lady of our manor is also as beautiful as a fairy. She is not only beautiful but also obedient.¡±

    The nobledies were curious when they heard Madam Ling talk about Ning Xueyan. ¡°Marchioness, it¡¯s said Fifth Young Lady is very timid and weak, and she does not behave like a noble Young Lady, but why are you praising her like that?¡± someone asked.

    Most guests Ning Xueyan had greeted just now were Young Ladies and she had note to the elderdies yet. Besides, there were too many guests in the hall. Unlike Ning Qingshan, Ning Xueyan was not the star of today and nobody would have deliberately met her. Therefore, many guests had never seen Ning Xueyan. The nobledies were curious when they heard Madam Ling praising her, for they all knew that Fifth Young Lady was not Madam Ling¡¯s biological daughter.

    ¡°Of course Fifth Young Lady is excellent. I don¡¯t know why the others spread rumors about her. Although she is a little timid, she is not weak. She is just too young.¡± Madam Ling seemed to be speaking for Ning Xueyan. It made the otherdies more curious. Someone suggested Madam Ling should have Fifth Young Lady here show them how outstanding she was.

    Madam Ling immediately agreed to this suggestion and asked people to invite Ning Xueyan. After a short while, a maid came and reported that Madam Dowager had asked Fifth Young Lady to her courtyard and it was impossible for Fifth Young Lady toe out soon.

    ¡°Ladies, I will ask Fifth Young Lady to greet you when shees out after a while,¡± Madam Ling said apologetically with a smile.

    She was polite when she spoke this, so the others stopped talking about Ning Xueyan with a smile. However, they became a little more curious about Fifth Young Lady. Madam Ling seldom praised the others, so Fifth Young Lady must be very excellent! The Beauty Contest wasing. This Fifth Young Lady might be their daughters¡¯ strong opponent, so they thought that they should know more information about her. These nobledies immediately ask their maids and older female servants to collect the information about Fifth Young Lady.

    However, Madam Ling did not think that what she had done did not make Ning Xueyan look stupid in front of people in what would happen next, but got her own daughter into trouble instead.

    It was Ning Qingshan¡¯s scheme to have asked Xia Yudong to seduce Ning Xueyanst time. However, in the beginning, Ning Qingshan had contacted Xia Yudong through Ning Ziyan, so Madam Ling had known her scheme from Ning Ziyan. However, this time, Ning Qingshan had contacted Xia Yudong directly and only asked Madam Ling to create an opportunity for Xia Yudong to meet Ning Xueyan privately. She had not nned to get Ning Xueyan into trouble this time and only wanted her to meet Xia Yudong and grew like him.

    Ning Qingshan did not want to make trouble for the moment because she had a long-term n, so she kept a low-key in doing this.

    Since Madam Ling had just been released from the Buddha Hall, she was still in a rage and wanted to vent her anger on Ning Xueyan. Therefore, she had asked her maid to lead Xia Yudong to the inner courtyard. However, this was not enough.

    She then began to praise Ning Xueyan in front of those nobledies. Since today was the big day of Madam Ling and Ning Qingshan, all the guests were high-rank officials and wealthy people. It was the first time for Ning Xueyan to officially show up in front of the outsiders at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. She had greeted some guests when Junior Concubine Xu got married with Ning Zu¡¯an. However, it had just been a small party, so the guests were not so distinguished as the guests who came today.

    Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had recently shown up in public for the first time. Hearing that she was even better than Ning Qingshan, of course those nobledies would inquire about her. If Ning Xueyan was found out that she had an affair with Xia Yudong, Madam Dowager would definitely take measures to avoid the rumor spread. However, since this matter would happen suddenly, Madam Dowager would not have enough time to prevent the rumor from spreading. Therefore, if someone wanted to inquire, they would know it.

    Besides, Madam Ling would leak the news to them ¡®by ident¡¯!

    As a noble Young Lady who had just appeared in public, if Ning Xueyan was involved in such a scandal, it would be impossible for her to go to the imperial pce to attend the Beauty Contest.

    Madam Ling was sure that everything would happen next would be under her control.

    Madam Ling acted as her n. However, although she was scheming, Ning Xueyan had found something wrong when she received the note.

    There was only one line on the note, ¡°If you want to know the truth about Madam Ming¡¯s death,e to Orchid Garden.¡±

 Chapter 249 - The Accident at Orchid Garden

    <h4>Chapter 249 The ident at Orchid Garden</h4>

    An unfamiliar maid passed the note to Lanning who handed it to Ning Xueyan.

    Orchid Garden was the courtyard between Bright Frost Garden and Lucky Garden.

    Ning Xueyan believed that Madam Ling had murdered Madam Ming. However, it was Qingrui who had been punished for it. Without any exnation, Madam Ling had asked people to catch Qingrui and beat her to death with sticks. Therefore, there were many doubts in this matter. Madam Ling knew that as Madam Ming¡¯s daughter, Ning Xueyan would definitely want to know the cause of her mother¡¯s death. Obviously, Madam Ling had thought of it carefully when she designed the trap.

    However, Ning Xueyan was no longer what she used to be, but Ning Ziying, who had reborn. From the vague words on the note, Ning Xueyan could tell that Madam Ling was going to frame her. Of course she would pretend that she did not find anything wrong.

    ¡°I will have Ning Ziyan fall into her mother¡¯s trap step by step!¡± Ning Xueyan thought with a sneer.

    Ning Ziyan walked ahead of Ning Xueyan. When she came to Orchid Garden, only two maids were cleaning the courtyard. She looked at them and found that she had never seen them before. She thought that they must be newers. Since she had moved to the Xia Manor after getting married, it was normal that she did not know the maids. Therefore, she walked straight to the main room without any suspicion.

    A maid was cleaning the handrail with a cloth, with a basin of water beside her. When she finished washing the cloth and walked out in a hurry with a basin of dirty water in her hands, Ning Ziyan happened to walk up the steps and show up in front of her. The maid was taken aback by her sudden appearance.

    She was so shocked that the basin slipped from her hands and most of the water in the basin was poured on Ning Ziyan. Being covered with cold water in winter, Ning Ziyan immediately let out a scream. She reached out and pped the maid heavily. ¡°Bitch! Are you blind?¡± she cursed angrily.

    The maid took several steps back and fell to the ground. She raised her head and looked at Ning Ziyan¡¯s cold face. ¡°I¡¯m... sorry! Fifth Young Lady, I, I did not notice...¡± she said anxiously, trying to exin.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady? You did not even see my face clearly before calling me!¡± Ning Ziyan flew into a rage. She had just moved to the Xia Manor not long before, but the maid of the Lord Protector¡¯s manor did not know her. It was no wonder that she was so angry. She had had to swallow the bitterness because of Ning Xueyan, and now even a maid was bullying her!

    Lifting her wet skirt hem, Ning Ziyan kicked the maid heavily. The maid rolled down the steps and was speechless with pain and sweat.

    Seeing what was happening, the other maid, who had been sweeping the courtyard, immediately ran over and knelt in front of Ning Ziyan, trying to intercede for herpanion. ¡°Fifth Young Lady...¡±

    ¡°Why did you call me Fifth Young Lady? If you dare to say it again, I will knock your teeth out!¡± Ning Ziyan shouted ferociously. She had suffered a lot just now because of Ning Xueyan. Now, she vented all her anger on the maid.

    ¡°Got it! I dare not to say it again. Miss, your skirt is wet. There are a few sets of spare clothes in the room. Do you want to change your clothes?¡± The maid was so scared. She did not know what was wrong with Fifth Young Lady today and why she did not want them to call her ¡®Fifth Young Lady¡¯, but as a humble maid, this was not something she should think of.

    These two maids were newers and had never seen the Young Ladies of the manor before. Fearing that they would be recognized by Ning Xueyan, Madam Ling had specially sent two new maids to the courtyard. Madam Ling had never thought that although this could prevent the two maids from being recognized by Ning Xueyan, however, the two maids did not recognize Ning Xueyan either, and they had mistaken Ning Ziyan for Ning Xueyan instead.

    ¡°I will teach you a good lesson after a while when Ie out!¡± Ning Ziyan felt very ufortable now. Hearing that there were some spare clothes in the room, she did not think too much. She kicked the maid who had spilled water on her clothes again and then walked into the main room in the middle with her maid, Qiushui. Since the room was prepared for female guests, it was normal to have some women¡¯s clothes.

    The coldness and moisture had prated her skin soon through her clothes and made Ning Ziyan very ufortable. As soon as she walked into the room, she could not wait to untie her coat. Qiushui knew Ning Ziyan was in a bad mood, so she walked over to help her. As it was winter now, Ning Ziyan had spent a lot of time putting on her clothes. Now her clothes were wet through, so it was not easy to take them off.

    ¡°Where did that bitche from? How dare she spill water on me? I¡¯m going to break her hand when I get out after a while!¡± Ning Ziyan shouted angrily, trembling with cold. Finally, she stripped off her coat. However, her underwear was also wet, although it was not that serious, she still felt ufortable.

    It was impossible for her to change all her clothes here. Unable to find a better solution for the moment, Ning Ziyan could only change her coat first. She nned to go back to her former residence after a while. There must be some of her clothes, so she could change all her clothes there.

    Seeing her trembling with cold, Qiushui did not dare to dy. She threw the soaked coat on the floor at the screen and rushed to behind it, trying to find a dry coat and put it on Ning Ziyan.

    Xia Yudong was anxious now, very anxious. He was sitting in the room when he heard something smash onto the ground outside. Then he heard someone cursing angrily. In the beginning, he was taken aback. After a while, he heard that a maid mentioned Fifth Young Lady. He thought that Ning Xueyan had been outside, so he wanted to walk out and have a look.

    However, at the thought that it seemed that Fifth Young Lady was cursing and beating the maid, he hesitated. He did not feel sorry for the maid, but he knew Fifth Young Lady would not be happy if she knew that somebody saw what she was doing. Nobody would believe that a delicate Young Lady who was so gentle and adorable in front of people, was so aggressive and vicious privately. It sounded like she was beating the maid.

    Fortunately, the reason he wanted to marry her was not because of her sweetness and gentleness. Therefore, after hesitating for a while, although he felt some resentment, it was still eptable for him. Anyway, As long as Fifth Young Lady would marry him, he could have as many beautiful concubines as he wanted. It would be impossible for Fifth Young Lady to disobey his words after marrying him.

    Thinking about this, Xia Yudong was clear that he should not go outside at such a moment. Otherwise, he might annoy Fifth Young Lady instead of impressing her. If that was the case, he would have no opportunity to win her heart in the future. Therefore, he moved inward a little in the room and decided to stay here before Ning Xueyan left.

    However, he didn¡¯t expect that the maid did not only bumped against Ning Ziyan, but also poured most water in the basin on her and made her go in the room. Xia Yudong had to hide behind the screen. Unfortunately, Ning Ziyan began to take off her clothes, without giving him any time to think.

    Everything happened all of a sudden and everybody was caught off guard.

    Qiushui let out a scream when she saw Xia Yudong behind the screen. At the very moment, the firmly closed door was kicked open and Xia Yuhang, Third Prince, Fourth Prince and Ning Qingshan appeared at the door. They surprisingly looked at Ning Ziyan, who was standing at the door, speechless with shock.

    Seeing Qiushui, who covered her mouth with her hand and was almost faint beside the screen, Third Prince asked a eunuch behind him to check out what was happening. The eunuch walked behind the screen and took a look, but he did not say anything. He walked back to Third Prince and whispered in his ear. Third Prince nodded without speaking.

    Looking at Xia Yuhang¡¯s darkened face, Third Prince patted him on the shoulder and then turned to leave without saying anything.

    Fourth Prince was shocked as well, but soon he figured out what had happened. He pattered Xia Yuhang on the other shoulder, half-smiling. Like Third Prince, he said nothing and left with Third Prince. Then Ning Qingshan walked outward following the two princes.

    They were all smart. Although Fourth Prince and Ning Qingshan did not see clearly who the man was behind the screen, they knew that they should not watch other people dealing with their family affairs. Therefore, they all left.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady¡¯s Bright Frost Garden is in front of us. How about we go there and have a look?¡± After walking out of the courtyard, Fourth Prince looked at the path in front of them and asked Ning Qingshan, as if he was very familiar with Fifth Young Lady.

    ¡°Yes, it is my fifth sister¡¯s courtyard. Fourth Prince, if you want to have a look, let¡¯s go!¡± Ning Qingshan answered with a smile, as if she did not know how improper it would be when a male guest wanted to visit a Young Lady¡¯s courtyard without her permission. Ning Qingshan took several steps forward and happened to stand in front of Third Prince.

    ¡°Third Prince, do you still remember the plum tree of our manor? Although it is not as beautiful as those at the imperial pce, it is the best one of our manor. Third Prince, do you still remember that you praised it before? Are you willing to have a look with me?¡± she said to Ao Mingyu gently with a smile.

    Obviously, she was hinting that she did not care what Fourth Prince would do, and now she only wanted to enjoy the plum blossom with Third Prince.

    ¡°Okay! Third Brother, why don¡¯t you enjoy the plum with Third Young Lady? I will visit Fifth Young Lady. It¡¯s said that Fifth Young Lady¡¯s courtyard is very delicate. I will take the opportunity to have a look.¡± Ao Mingwan was very satisfied with Ning Qingshan¡¯s answer, so he nodded with a smile and found a reasonable excuse to visit Ning Xueyan.

    With that, he lifted his foot and was about to leave.

    ¡°Fourth Brother, wait for a moment! It is inconvenient for you to go to Fifth Young Lady¡¯s courtyard alone. Since you like the buildings of Bright Frost Garden, I will go with you,¡± he said calmly, looking both natural and gentle. Besides, he used the same excuse as Fourth Prince¡¯s to visit Ning Xueyan.

    Hearing that, Ning Qingshan¡¯s face darkened, a trace of jealousy and bitterness shing in her eyes. She opened her mouth and wanted to say something, but since Third Prince was not talking to her, she did not know what to say for the moment. She smiled, pretending that she did not care about it. However, she was so angry that she gritted her teeth secretly and had crumpled her hand handkerchief in her sleeve.

    Ao Mingwan looked at Ao Mingyu thoughtfully. Then his eyes fell on Ning Qingshan¡¯s beautiful but a little stiff smiling face. ¡°Then let¡¯s go together!¡± he suggested with a half-smile.

    After reaching an agreement, the three walked to Bright Frost Garden together, with different minds.

    Ning Xueyan had sat on the stool at Bright Frost Garden with Xinmei applying ointment to her wound and reporting to her what had happened after they left Lucky Garden. Of course, Third Prince and the others would not have shown up at Orchid Garden for no reason. They had gone there because Madam Ling asked someone to invite them to enjoy the view of the garden.

    They had found themselves around Orchid Garden while hanging about the garden. There had been two maids at the gate. When they saw them, the maids had looked around in rm and one of them rushed in the courtyard in a hurry. Feeling something wrong, they had stridden in the courtyard following the maids. Then they heard a screaming from the room, so they asked the guard to kick open the door.

    ¡°How is everything going at Orchid Garden?¡± Ning Xueyan asked, spreading out the transparent ointment on her wrist.

    ¡°Since Third Prince was there, I did not dare to get too close to them. I heard Eldest Young Lady crying and exining in the room and it seemed that a man was shouting angrily.¡± Xinmei had stood behind Orchid Garden just now. As Ao Mingyu and the others had taken guards with them, she did not dare to move closer to the room.

 Chapter 250 - Madam Ling Is Triumphant at the News of Ning Xueyanâ€™s Trap

    Chapter 250 Madam Ling Is Triumphant at the News of Ning Xueyan¡¯s Trap

    Ning Xueyan feltfortable with the coldness when she spread out the ointment on her wrist.

    After the ointment became a little dry, she pulled down her sleeve and stood up with a smile. ¡°Lanning, we should go out to meet people now. If we stay at the backyard on this joyous asion, the others may think that we did something disgraceful and dare not to show up in public.¡±

    All the maids in the room understood what she was hinting, and they allughed.

    Without any hesitation, they helped Ning Xueyan dress up again. Ning Xueyan asked Xinmei and Qingyu to stay at the courtyard and walked out with Lanning. To her surprise, as soon as she arrived at the courtyard gate, she saw Third Prince and the othersing over. Ning Xueyan could not help frowning. She really did not want to see them.

    Therefore, when they told her that they mainly wanted to have a look at the buildings of Bright Frost Garden and by the way ask for a cup of tea here, Ning Xueyan said tactfully that she had to go to the front hall to check if Madam Ling needed help to treat the guests, and she had no time to serve the two princes.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go to the outer courtyard together. Fourth Brother and I were nning to visit the Marquis just now,¡± Ao Mingyu answered first.

    Ao Mingyu said immediately. His smile was still so gentle as usual and what he said sounded reasonable. Since they would pass by the flower hall where the female guests gathered, it was normal that they went the same way as Ning Xueyan.

    Fourth Prince and Ning Qingshan immediately agreed with Third Prince. They were all smart and knew that Fourth Prince had saiding to see the building was just an excuse, so nobody mentioned it again.

    Third Prince and Fourth Prince were the most distinguished princes among the emperor¡¯s sons, so many people thought that they were very likely to seed to the throne. Prince Yi, Ao Chenyi, was only the emperor¡¯s younger brother, so the emperor would not willing to have his brother, instead of his son, to be his sessor.

    Therefore, a fewdies and Young Ladies with sharp eyes were excited at the sight of Third Prince and Fourth Princeing. They walked out to offer their greetings to the two princes one after another.

    The statuses of thedies and Young Ladies, who sat near the door were not very high, so they would not miss such an opportunity to curry favor with the princes. Besides, if their daughters could show their faces in front of the two princes in advance, they might be pleasantly surprised in the Beauty Contest.

    Rather than having their daughters be the concubines of the old emperor, the noble families were more enthusiastic to marry them to the young princes. The young princes represented the future and the opportunity. Therefore, every family wanted to seize this opportunity. Even if their daughters could not be the wedded wives of the princes, it would be okay to be their co-consorts or even concubines. In any case, they could enjoy great honor and wealth in the future.

    Seeing thedies and Young Ladies near the door walking out, the others in the room also followed their suits. Madam Ling and a few distinguisheddies were talking in the innermost part of the room and were surprised when they saw the others going out one by one.

    Madam Ling was triumphant because she had just gotten the news that the two princes had been attracted to Orchid Garden and even heard a woman¡¯s screaming from the room. Madam Ling thought that Ning Xueyan had been caught on spot by the two princes when she was with a man while her clothes were in disarray. Since Ning Xueyan had fallen into her trap, Madam Ling felt utterly relieved.

    ¡°Although Ning Xueyan is smart, she is only an inexperienced girl and is no match for me at all!¡± Thinking about this, she was very proud of herself.

    ¡°What? Fifth Young Lady and a man were together in the room with their clothes in disarray? And they were caught by the two princes on spot?¡± Madam Ling shouted, seemed to be in great shock. She turned around and stared at the maid, who was reporting to her.

    The nobledies around her had been talking excitedly. Now they all turned to her and quieted down at once.

    Madam Ling seemed to have realized that she had blurted it out and she shouted at the maid angrily, ¡°Nonsense! How could Fifth Young Lady meet a man privately? There must be some misunderstanding. What the two princes saw... might not be real!¡±

    She spoke this tactfully as if she was defending Ning Xueyan and she deliberately said that Third Prince and Fourth Prince had seen might not be real. If what both the two princes had seen was not real, what could be real? Moreover, she framed Ning Xueyan skillfully by stressing that Ning Xueyan had met that man ¡®privately¡¯.

    The maid was so scared that she immediately knelt in front of her. ¡°I¡¯m sure it was Fifth Young Lady! I, I dare not lie. Fifth Young Lady is still at Orchid Garden now. Madam, if you don¡¯t trust me, you can have a look in person,¡± the maid said, panicking.

    She trembled, as if she was extremely frightened. Worrying that Madam Ling might misunderstand her, she immediately exined to her in a hurry.

    The incident had happened at the inner courtyard and this maid was the one who had swept the ground in the beginning and then led Third Prince and the others to the Orchid Garden. After Third Prince¡¯s guard kicked the door open, she had only nced into the room and happened to see Ning Ziyan covering the clothes with her hands in panic and from behind her, a terrible scream ringing out.

    It was this maid who had led Xia Yudong into the room. Ning Ziyan¡¯s clothes had been in disarray when the others appeared at the door. Therefore, it was impossible for her to prove her innocence.

    The maid knew that the oue was definitely settled, so she did not dare to stay there to see what would happen next and ran out in a hurry to report it to Madam Ling. She did not know that Xia Yuhang stayed at Orchid Garden after the incident.

    ¡°Marchioness, you told us that this Fifth Young Lady was even more outstanding than Third Young Lady. I¡¯m surprised that she is so ¡®outstanding¡¯!¡± a nobledy beside her could not help mocking her. She had been a little irritated when Madam Ling was talking about how excellent Third Young Lady and Fifth Young Lady were just now. She did not dare to gossip about Third Young Lady. However, she would not miss the opportunity to gossip about this ¡®outstanding¡¯ Fifth Young Lady.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure there must be some misunderstanding! The maid is stupid and she must have made a mistake!¡± Madam Ling said and with an awkward smile. Her smile was a little stiff, and obviously, she was trying to hide something from the others. Before the nobledies could say anything, Madam Ling whispered in Mother Chen¡¯s ear for a while, as if she wanted to ask Mother Chen to put the matter to rest secretly.

    With that, she kicked the maid kneeling on the floor heavily and said angrily, seemed to be very disappointed in her, ¡°Get up! Go and serve Fifth Young Lady! Don¡¯t ther before you see it clearly next time. How could you say such kind of things at will? Don¡¯t you know it may ruin Fifth Young Lady¡¯s reputation?¡±

    It seemed that she had treated Ning Xueyan as her own daughter and was trying to protect her reputation wholeheartedly.

    Madam Ling really wanted to ¡®catch¡¯ Ning Xueyan on the spot and humiliate her in front of more people. However, she knew that Madam Dowager would immediately rush to the scene to destroy the evidence when she knew what had happened. If Madam Ling went there, Madam Dowager would suspect her. Therefore, she pretended to be defending Ning Xueyan. It would not cause Madam Dowager¡¯s suspicion and it would give her good fame.

    Honored Consort Ya had sent a message to her from the imperial pce, saying if she performed well, the emperor might recover her Marchioness.

    Honored Consort Ya had informed her the good news as a reward for adopting Ning Qingshan as her daughter. They had reached an agreement secretly, so Madam Ling knew what Honored Consort Ya meant.

    Therefore, for the so-called ¡®good performance¡¯, Madam Ling had to be more generous and calm at such a moment.

    Anyway, the little b*tch, Ning Xueyan¡¯s reputation hadpletely been ruined. She would either marry a concubine¡¯s son or die. Thinking of this, Madam Ling did not think it was necessary to go against Ning Xueyan, so she pretended to be generous in front of people.

    However, she did not know at the moment that instead of Ning Xueyan, it was her own daughter, Ning Ziyan, who had been found out to have an affair with a man at the inner courtyard.

    ¡°Got it! I, I dare not to talk nonsense. It was not Fifth Young Lady. I am sure it was not Fifth Young Lady,¡± the maid said in a low voice with tears in her eyes. Although she felt pain and sore, she did not dare to protest. Obviously, she had been wronged but did not dare to go against her master.

    While they were talking, they suddenly heard someone outside say that Third Prince and Fourth Prince had arrived. Those nobledies and Young Ladies in the flower hall rushed out to offer their greetings to the two princes when they saw them. The nobledies who were sitting at the innermost part of the room became anxious. Since their daughters and nieces would also attend the Beauty Contest, of course they wanted to go out to curry favor with the two princes.

    Then they all stood up and walked outward.

    Madam Ling was shocked when she heard that Third Prince and Fourth Prince were outside, but her surprise immediately turned to joy. She rolled her eyes and became more excited. Even God was helping her! She had been a little upset because she could not find an excuse to go to the inner courtyard just now, but now since the two princes who had witnessed what had happened were here, it could not be better! Even if she mentioned it a little bit, everyone would believe Ning Xueyan having an affair with that man.

    She then winked at the maid kneeling on the floor. The maid left obediently and Madam Ling walked out following those nobledies with a triumphant look.

    Thedies and Young Ladies rushed out of the flower hall. Ning Xueyan and Ning Qingshan had already been pushed to behind the two princes and drowned in the crowd. Ning Xueyan especially retreated a little and stopped at an ideal ce where she could hear what the others in front of her said without them noticing.

    She had not been fully developed yet, so she was not tall enough to be seen at a nce in the crowd. Besides, she was trying to avoid others¡¯ attention. Therefore, Madam Ling would not have expected her to pop up here. Even if she had thought of it, she could not find her easily in the crowd.

    Ning Qingshan behaved tactfully as usual. After greeting several Young Ladies anddies, she took a few steps backward and made way for others generously. She was talking with some Young Ladies, but nced at Third Prince from time to time. Although she was not happy, she acted to be generous.

    ¡°Third Prince, Fourth Prince, greetings!¡± Now Madam Ling walked out of the flower hall. She came over to the two princes with a smile and was about to bow to them.

    ¡°Marchioness, you are too polite! Fourth Prince and I are hanging about and we are going to visit the marquis after a while,¡± Third Prince said politely with a smile, reaching out to stop Madam Ling from bowing. It was obvious that he still treated her as the First-ss Marchioness.

    It made Madam Ling very happy, her smiling face as brilliant as a flower.

    Fourth Prince, Ao Mingwan, waved his hand to greet her with a smile, but did not say anything. If someone observed his expression carefully, he would saw a trace of sarcasm in his eyes. He knew the woman who had an affair with that man at the backyard was this Marchioness¡¯ daughter.

    ¡°Princes, I apologize for Yan¡¯er for what happened just now. I am so... surprised. She has never behaved like this before.¡± The smile on Madam Ling¡¯s face faded away and she looked at the two princes awkwardly. Although Third Prince had stopped her, she still made them a deep bow apologetically.

    She said this vaguely and mentioned someone¡¯s name. Besides, she bowed to the princes so seriously. This made thedies who knew nothing about what had happened at Orchid Garden felt very strange. They could tell that something big had happened, but who was she talking about?

    Thosedies who had learned the news just now were clear that Madam Ling was talking about Fifth Young Lady. ¡°She denied that Fifth Young Lady had caused the ident, but from her look, Fifth Young Lady must have an affair with that man. The two princes in front of us witnessed what had happened, so although she was the distinguished Marchioness, Madam Ling had to politely ask their forgiveness,¡± they thought.

    These nobledies believed that Madam Ling had bowed to the two princes was also because she did not want them to spread the news. It seemed that it was true that Fifth Young Lady had met a man privately! The nobledies exchanged looks without saying anything, and they knew what each other was thinking about.

 Chapter 251 - Unexpectedly, an Assassin Came

    Chapter 251 Unexpectedly, an Assassin Came

    ¡°Marchioness, what do you mean?¡± Ao Mingyu was also stunned. But then he asked, narrowing his eyes.

    Seeing the Third Prince¡¯s expression, Madam Ling thought that for the moment, he could not remember the ¡°Yan¡¯er¡± that she was talking about was Ning Xueyan. So she exined more straightforwardly.

    ¡°Third Prince, Fourth Prince, I am talking about the thing that the Fifth Young Lady has done. She behaved disgracefully just now in the backyard. With a man, she... But it was an ident and a misunderstanding. For she is a Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, I hope that both of you forgive her. I am here to apologize to you for her misbehaviors.¡±

    Madam Ling heaved a deep sigh, appearing like a loving mother who truly cared for her daughter. Thus, when she indiscreetly mentioned the man, she deliberately stopped talking and sessfully aroused everyone¡¯s curiosity. These people present were at a loss. Out of curiosity, they spected that the Fifth Young Lady must have done something scandalous, and the two princes happened to witness that.

    Hence, Madam Ling had toe out and make small talk to exin.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the Fifth Young Lady?¡± Although Ao Mingyu was still smiling, a little cold expression appeared inside her eyes.

    ¡°Just now in the backyard, the Fifth Young Lady...¡± Madam Ling thought she had clearly exined this thing, but she didn¡¯t expect that the Third Prince still looked as if he didn¡¯t understand the situation. She couldn¡¯t help looking up at the Third Prince in surprise. With such a clear exnation and the scene that happened before, how could the Third Prince not understand?

    ¡°Hahaha!¡± Standing next to them, Ao Mingwan, the Fourth Prince, seemed to understand Madam Ling¡¯s words, and he suddenlyughed.

    Not knowing what was going on, everyonended their eyes on the Fourth Prince, who almost stumbled because ofughing, feeling even more confused. Beyond that, Madam Ling stopped halfway abruptly and didn¡¯t even finish her words.

    Ao Mingwan finally stoppedughing. Resting his hand on the forehead, he asked Madam Ling, ¡°Are you hinting at the fact that a man and a woman had a secret date in the backyard?¡±

    Bringing up the matter directly, he came straight to the point. Hearing his words, Madam Ling felt delighted. She hurriedly seized this opportunity and rushed to say, ¡°The Fifth Young Lady didn¡¯t know how to behave properly and made a mistake. Please pardon her for doing so, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡°The Fifth Young Lady? What does this have to do with the Fifth Young Lady? Why are you talking about the Fifth Young Lady all the time? Does the woman who was involved in this matter have something to do with the Fifth Young Lady?¡± Ao Mingyu couldn¡¯t bear her any longer. Looking at Madam Ling¡¯s feigned smile, he smiled coldly.

    A wave of inexplicable anger emerged in his heart. When he was in the Cold Mountain Temple, he told Madam Dowager that he wanted to take Ning Xueyan as his co-consort. Though nothing happened after that, Ao Mingyu didn¡¯t care. After all, he concentrated his heart and soul on Ning Qingshan at that time. But no matter what, he had expressed his interest in Ning Xueyan to them.

    Thus, merely for his sake, people in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor should not treat Ning Xueyan too harshly. Moreover, Ao Mingyu nned to let Ning Xueyan marry into his manor through this Beauty Contest. But now, without knowing what exactly had happened in the backyard, Madam Ling frequently mentioned that Ning Xueyan was involved. Obviously, she was determined to ruin her reputation. But by doing so, Madam Ling showed him no respect!

    Suddenly, Ao Mingyu burst into anger, which greatly frightened thosedies and Young Ladies there. They immediately felt quite strange when they thought of Madam Ling¡¯s words. Then, the scene quieted down.

    Ning Qingshan¡¯s eyelids twitched. Not far away from them, she cast a nce toward Ning Xueyan. Then, she lowered her head. She continued to chat lightly with the girls around her as if she hadn¡¯t noticed them. Now her whole mind was currying favor with Ao Mingyu. It was certainly impossible for her to confront Ning Xueyan directly.

    Besides, she also saw perfectly that thedy having a date with a man was Ning Ziyan, so she didn¡¯t know why Madam Ling firmly believed that thedy was Ning Xueyan and what was up to this time.

    ¡°Mother, are you talking about me? What¡¯s the matter? What happened to me that made you think I dated secretly with a man in the backyard?¡± A fine and soft voice came from behind the crowd. Then, the crowd parted in the middle, and Ning Xueyan, who was slender and pale, came from the back of the crowd with a sick look.

    She was paler and thinner than ordinary women. Besides, she now had tears in her eyes, and her light lips were tinged with sourness, which made her look more pitiful. But as a noble Young Lady, she was more or less decorous in appearance¡ªa sweet and charming girl with a bit of indifference and coldness. Only judging by her appearance, people would know that she was cool by nature.

    Moreover, her clothes were not messy at all, and she dressed neatly and cleanly. Her appearance was nothing like the sorry figure that Madam Ling had described, plus she looked natural. But Madam Ling told others that two princes caught her dating secretly with a man. Now on the spot, some people had already remembered that Ning Xueyan came here after the two princes with the Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Thus, how could she be in the scene that Madam Ling had said at the same time?

    For a moment, those onlookers were all speechless. They looked at the seemingly untrustworthy Madam Ling and then Ning Xueyan, who looked aggrieved. In their hearts, they could not help feeling pitiful for Ning Xueyan. After all, Madam Ling didn¡¯t give birth to her, and she didn¡¯t appear like she was defending the Fifth Young Lady, who has lost her own mother. They didn¡¯t notice it before, but after thinking carefully, they found that Madam Ling had cast a mist before their eyes. All the time, she kept saying that Fifth Young Lady, whose personal morals had corrupted, was having a secret meeting with a man.

    Madam Ling was really a vicious person.

    But to Madam Ling¡¯s surprise, Ning Xueyan popped before her in perfectly good condition. When her gaze swept across Ning Xueyan¡¯s face, Madam Ling was immediately shocked. With her mouth wide open, she could not regain herposure for a while. At first, she thought that her n, which was also confirmed by her maid, was perfect. But now it turned out that her n failed. How could Madam Ling ept the fact all of a sudden? In an instant, her mind was out of control.

    ¡°Obviously, thedy who dated secretly with a man in the backyard was the Eldest Young Lady. Up to now, Yuhang is dealing with the matter in the backyard. Marchioness, you made a mistake.¡± With a ¡°good¡± intention, Ao Mingwan bluntly reminded her, and even, he kindly pointed to the backyard for her. He meant that people in the manor were still dealing with the matter. ¡°Will you go and see for yourself, Marchioness?¡±

    Ning Ziyan was dating in private with a man. It turned out that the Eldest Young Lady from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor who had married into the Xia Manor did something shameful with a man in the backyard. She cuckolded Eldest Young Master Xia.

    As soon as such a piece of explosive news came out, everyone was so astonished that their eyes nearly fell out of their sockets.

    In the capital, although Ning Ziyan¡¯s reputation was not as good as Ning Qingshan¡¯s, her reputation had always been pretty good. That was why she could marry the Eldest Young Master Xia, who was endowed with both beauty and talent. But no one had ever thought that their marriage would go wrong.

    First, when they got married, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor concealed Madam Ming¡¯s death, which caused a scandal. Then, there were rumors saying that Xia Yuhang had a woman outside his manor. Now, people knew the news that Ning Ziyan had a private date with a man. Initially, people thought that Xia Yuhang and Ning Ziyan were a perfect couple. But now, their wless images were almost ruined.

    Madam Ling¡¯s body trembled. Feeling that her blood rushed up to her head, she almost fell to the ground.

    ¡°Fourth Brother, don¡¯t talk irresponsibly. The Eldest Young Lady didn¡¯t go there to date with some man. It was just some strange thing that happened in that courtyard, and Yuhang is dealing with the matter now.¡± Compared to the sharp Ao Mingwan, Ao Mingyu was milder. To save Xia Yuhang¡¯s dignity, he even made an exnation and made others think that the whole thing was only a misunderstanding.

    ¡°Mother, why are you still here? An assassin broke into the yard that the Eldest Young Lady rested in. Father sent many people to search the whole manor to catch the assassin. Has any unusual person evere here?¡± Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s voice with a little anxiety suddenly appeared behind them.

    ¡°Is there an assassin in this manor now?¡± Many people were frightened, shivering. An assassination had happened in the imperial pce not long ago, and everyone here still remembered it clearly. At that time, some people from noble families were injured. Shortly after this thing, another assassin entered the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. What a terrible thing it would be!

    ¡°An... assassin?¡± Dizziness overcame Madam Ling, blurring her vision. At a loss, she looked around and saw Ning Huaiyuan, murmuring.

    ¡°Yes. Yuhang and the Eldest Young Lady are identifying the assassin in the backyard. You should also be more careful here. Father was afraid that you didn¡¯t know this thing, so he especially asked me to tell Mother that you and these madams should stay in the living room for the time being. Never stay alone, or it may cause unnecessary harm.¡±

    Ning Huaiyuan said in a solemnity. But as soon as he finished speaking, those madams anddies around the two princes immediately scattered in all directions. All of them went to the flower hall. The glory, splendor, wealth, and rank were important, but they were not as important as their lives. Once people died, everything was meaningless.

    The crowd dispersed, leaving there only Madam Ling, Ning Huaiyuan, the two princes, Ning Xueyan, and Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, you go to apany Mother with the Third Sister, and all of you should go in together. Remember, never provoke the assassin.¡± Smiling gently, Ning Huaiyuan turned around and gave Ning Xueyan a look with profound meaning.

    ¡°Is there also an assassin in the backyard?¡± Ning Xueyan smiled lightly. Lifting her mouth corners a little, she sneered and immediately understood.

    ¡°Sure enough. Ning Huaiyuan is better at plotting than Madam Ling. In this emergency case, he could think of such a countermeasure, which kept Ning Ziyan from losing all her reputation. But so what? Madam Ling¡¯s n failed. Ning Ziyan fell into the trap made by Mother. Moreover, Xia Yuhang had seen that Ning Ziyan, not properly dressed, stayed with his brother.¡±

    Sometimes, when those scandals werebined, it was enough to ruin a person!

    Madam Ling knew how to calcte and manipte people¡¯s hearts... So could Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Yes, Fifth Sister, Third Sister, you stay here to help Mother together. I will go to the front yard with the two princes,¡± Ning Huaiyuan said gently, in an earnest way. After he said this, he gave a sincere salute to Ao Mingyu and Ao Mingwan. At this time, he didn¡¯t need to say too much. All of them understood the present situation so that no word was necessary. In any case, Ning Ziyan was also the daughter of the principal wife of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    ¡°Mother, let¡¯s go inside and take a seat. The Eldest Brother-inw will handle the matter about the eldest sister, so you don¡¯t need to worry, Mother.¡± Of course, Ning Xueyan had witnessed the interactions between them. Since Ning Huaiyuan exined the thing to such an extent, merely for the sake of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Ao Mingyu and Ao Mingwan would buy Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s excuse and kept this matter a secret. More than that, they would even try their best to support any remarks that Ning Huaiyuan would say.

    Ning Xueyan thought, ¡°Sure enough, it is amazing to be powerful and rich. Even two noble princes have topromise.¡±

    A hint of sarcasm shed across her eyes, but Ning Xueyan hid her emotion deep in her eyes. When she looked up, she looked indifferent again. Politely, she bowed to the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince, and her deep eyes flickered. Pretending to be obedient, she reached out to support Madam Ling.

    But just when her hand touched Madam Ling¡¯s clothes, Madam Ling, who had initially been in a daze, suddenly made a movement, a big one. Violently, she shook off Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand and almost screamed out of control. ¡°A demon! You are a demon! Stay away from me! I don¡¯t want your help!¡±

    This thing urred all of a sudden. Several madams who walked behind heard Madam Ling¡¯s cries. Involuntarily, they stopped and looked back.

    Ao Mingyu slightly lifted his lips. Although he was stillughing, his smile became a little bit cold. Ao Mingwan¡¯s eyes turned sharp and vicious. Obviously, he was about to lose his temper.

    A hint of jealousy appeared in Ning Qingshan¡¯s eyes, but then she smiled gently and covered the emotion.

    ¡°Mother, is it because that you worry about the health of the Fifth Sister and the Third Sister such that you don¡¯t want them to help you? Well, you can rest assured, Mother. They are all right now.¡± Quickly, Ning Huaiyuan grabbed Madam Ling¡¯s wrist and squeezed it hard. His eyes suddenly turned fierce. Slowly dropping the words one by one, he said to Madam Ling.

 Chapter 252 - The Thing Got Even Worse

    <h4>Chapter 252 The Thing Got Even Worse</h4>

    The sharp pain at her wrist finally woke Madam Ling up. When she saw Ning Huaiyuan holding her wrist, her eyes became red, and Madam Ling nearly burst into tears.

    ¡°Mother, if you go on acting up, you are forcing Ziyan to take the road to destruction!¡± Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s low and insidious voice sounded in Madam Ling¡¯s ears, which greatly shocked her. Finally, she came back to her senses.

    Suppressing her impulse to vomit blood, Madam Ling forced herself to smile at Ning Xueyan and Ning Qingshan, showing a face that looked uglier than a crying face. Leaning against the maid beside her, Madam Ling turned around and trudged inside. Now the news that Ning Ziyan had an ident upied her head. More than that, Madam Ling knew it was her fault. ¡°Because of me, my second daughter was disfigured. Also, because of me, my eldest daughter¡¯s reputation was ruined. Now... What should I do?!¡±

    Thinking too much, Madam Ling felt that her whole head was buzzing. At this moment, she appeared quite dull.

    After entering the hall, Madam Ling sat down, nkly. Alone, she sat there motionless. Her whole face was all red, and her whole person looked wrong.

    Fortunately, at this time, everyone only focused on the assassin, so no one noticed Madam Ling¡¯s abnormal reaction.

    But Ning Xueyan saw Madam Ling¡¯s performance. Slightly lifting her lips, Ning Xueyan showed a light, cold smile. Madam Ling became the victim of her own evil deeds, and she would only have herself to me.

    Ning Qingshan had long since sensed that the thing about Ning Ziyan was not simple. But anyway, she didn¡¯t care about anything that would happen to Madam Ling. As long as the banquet today was held, she would be taken as the daughter of the real Legal Wife and became the perfectly justifiable first daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Thus, no matter what happened to Madam Ling today, it would have nothing to do with her.

    To retrieve Ao Mingyu¡¯s heart, she certainly did not dare to bring him any trouble at this point. Besides, Mammy Luo had sent someone to tell her that the man who stayed behind the screen when Ning Ziyan was changing clothes was Xia Yudong. When she heard the message, her heart twitched. How could she be in the mood to care about Madam Ling? Even if Madam Ling stayed there and became silly, she could still be capable of cleverly dealing with others in the crowd.

    She even dragged Ning Xueyan with her to socialize with others, trying her best to behave great as a youngdy from a noble family. Pretending to be very considerate, she intended to show their close rtionship in front of others.

    Well, Ning Xueyan also didn¡¯t mind to show others the scene of the good rtionship between sisters, so she was very cooperative. Thus, in the flower hall, everyone only saw the Third Young Lady and the Fifth Young Lady from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor went around like they were natural sisters. They smiled and talked with the guests. Everything looked peaceful and gentle.

    However, the people who searched for the backyard didn¡¯t find anyone. Nevertheless, they had to say this result to those madams anddies in the backyard. Thus, they especially sent someone to notify Madam Ling. The person who came here was the young male servant beside Ning Huaiyuan. But before he could finish speaking, Madam Ling, who sat up there in surprise and anger, fainted immediately after spouting a mouthful of blood. Once again, the crowd in the flower hall fell in a great bustle and confusion.

    Ning Xueyan and Ning Qingshan, they carried Madam Ling back to the Bright Frost Garden. Then, Madam Dowager came to the flower hall and held the party in person so that the party for Madam Ling and Ning Qingshan could go on smoothly. With the effort of everyone, joy seemed to be overflown in the backyard again.

    Of course, they didn¡¯t truly enjoy the party and cared nothing about the things that had happened! Now such a big thing happened, plus one of the leading roles in adopting a daughter here even spit out blood. After all of this, they didn¡¯t believe the atmosphere here could really be as happy as before. Everyone here was sensitive enough and was trying to keep a decent appearance for each other.

    Since they were here already, they should pretend to be cheerful as the hostesses here had expected.

    In the backyard, everyone could pretend that nothing had happened, but the trouble in the menfolk courtyard got much bigger. It had never urred to Ning Zu¡¯an that they would attract that person here.

    Ning Zu¡¯an faked the assassin incident to save his daughter¡¯s reputation. Initially, he nned to settle this matter only by asking those guards to check around the manor. However, the incident turned into big trouble now. In the living room, staring at Ao Chenyi, who was sitting up there, Ning Zu¡¯an felt so anxious that he almost spat blood.

    ¡°How did the small incident in my manor attract this bloodthirsty devil here?¡±

    In the hall, Ao Chenyi sat with his elbow against the chair. Others could not tell if he was angry. There were eight imperial guards with imposing manner standing at the door. All of them stared at Ning Zu¡¯an, who hurried to the hall from outside.

    ¡°Prince Yi, I didn¡¯t know that you woulde to visit me. I have upied with too many things at this moment, so I came here toote to greet you.¡± Ning Zu¡¯an had no idea about why this evil man who would always bring bad luck woulde to his manor. He struggled to put a happy smile on his face and asked politely with great respect. Anyone would stay alert when Prince Yi with changing moods came to their doors.

    ¡°The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is quite lively today!¡± After a gloomy and cold smile, Ao Chenyi cast a sidelong nce at Ning Zu¡¯an. Though, in previous, Ning Zu¡¯an was a general who had experienced the battlefield, he immediately felt that a foul wind and a rain of blood enveloped him, which stiffened his smile. Being covered in coldness, Ning Zu¡¯an thought, ¡°He came to my ce with ill intention.¡±

    ¡°Today, my wife held a party to adopt a daughter. It wasn¡¯t a big deal. Those people are my colleagues who came together for fun.¡± Ning Zu¡¯an responded carefully.

    ¡°For fun? But I just heard that there was an assassin in this manor who even dared to go to the backyard. I happened to pass by, and so I came here to help you to find out who this assassin was. He must have been bold enough to bring trouble to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.¡± Slightly narrowing his eyes, Ao Chenyi snorted.

    ¡°There was nothing serious. We have driven the assassin away. It¡¯s all right now. Thanks for your great kindness, Prince Yi.¡± Ning Zu¡¯an certainly didn¡¯t dare to let Ao Chenyi check the thing about the assassin, which was totally made up by him. It was originally an excuse, so how could he find the thing out? Let alone that he was the head of the imperial guards, which even noble families would not dare to ignore.

    ¡°Ning Zu¡¯an, you deliberately let the assassin go!¡± Abruptly, Ao Chenyi¡¯s face became cold. With a somber look, he stared at Ning Zu¡¯an, faintly showing some gloomy and horrifying emotion in his eyes.

    ¡°Prince Yi, how dared I do such a thing!¡± Ning Zu¡¯an was greatly shocked and hurriedly tried to defend himself.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you dare to do that? Ning Zu¡¯an, now you let such an assassin escape. Perhaps, he will assassinate His Majesty in the future. If such a thing happenster on, will you be responsible for this?¡± With a cold face, Ao Chenyi said in a gloomy voice.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t allow him to catch the assassin in my manor, so he said that I didn¡¯t want to catch this person at all. Then, he concluded that my ultimate purpose was to let this assassin kill the emperor by deliberately releasing the assassin!¡± After he analyzed Ao Chenyi¡¯s intention, Ning Zu¡¯an felt angry and hateful, but he didn¡¯t dare to say no. After all, Ning Zu¡¯an did not associate with Ao Chenyi before.

    Though Ning Zu¡¯an had never had any dealings with him, Prince Yi initially could do nothing to him no matter how powerful Prince Yi was!

    But today Ning Zu¡¯an did a stupid thing and happened to fall onto Ao Chenyi¡¯s hands. In this case, Ning Zu¡¯an could not peacefully end this thing. And if he refused Ao Chenyi again, he would have to bear the felony of assassinating the emperor.

    ¡°Prince Yi, I...¡± A thinyer of sweat had already appeared on his forehead, and a gleam of harsh countenance shed across his eyes.

    ¡°So? Do you want me to wait a little longer until the assassin goes much further?¡± There was a hint of evil shing through Ao Chenyi¡¯s narrow, charming eyes.

    ¡°No, please help me find the assassin, Prince Yi.¡± The eyes of Ning Zu¡¯an jumped a little, and he immediately made a decision. Stretching out his hand, Ning Zu¡¯an invited him to check and showed him the way. But then he hesitated and turned around to Ao Chenyi. ¡°Prince Yi, there are also many other madams anddies from other manors in the backyard. So if your men directly break in...¡±

    Today, these female members in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor were not from ordinary families. Even the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince were here. Ning Zu¡¯an did not believe that Ao Chenyi would not show respect for them.

    ¡°Rx, Lord Protector. I know how far to go and when to stop. You can send those older female servants in your manor to check the ces where these female members stayed. And I will only send my men to check the ces where nobody is in. Is it okay?¡± It was rare that Ao Chenyi behaved so considerate, so Ning Zu¡¯an nodded immediately.

    Since the imperial guards were here, Ning Zu¡¯an naturally should send someone to inform those people in the backyard of this situation. Thus, another chaos urred there. After all, the imperial guards were not from some ordinary government organs. Even if rtives of the emperor made a mistake, Prince Yi would not show any mercy to them. Thus, those guests of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor now regretted to came here today to join in the fun. At this moment, they could not even pretend to smile.

    The air became heavy in the flower hall. There were only several girls who didn¡¯t know much about worldly affairs still whispering to each other,ughing.

    Ning Xueyan sat next to Madam Dowager. When she heard the message, a hint of surprise shed in her watery eyes. But then she showed a knowing expression. Slightly lifting her mouth corners, Ning Xueyan smiled a little and lowered her head to hide the amusing emotion in her eyes. She didn¡¯t know why Ao Chenyi would suddenly show up here, but this person would never do unprofitable things. More importantly, he could always seize the best chance to act.

    To offer his help in catching the assassin, Ning Zu¡¯an apanied Ao Chenyi to the backyard in person, but they did not disturb those madams anddies in the flower hall. Well, those women had gotten the order long ago. Now, all of them stayed in the flower hall and didn¡¯t dare to go elsewhere.

    The imperial guards obeyed Ao Chenyi¡¯s instruction and didn¡¯t go into the houses of the masters in each courtyard. Instead, they asked the older female servants beside Madam Dowager to enter the houses to search and back out if they found nothing. At first, Ning Zu¡¯an was very anxious. But now, he calmed down. After all, the so-called assassin in his manor was only an excuse made up by him. Therefore, Ning Zu¡¯an would never believe that those imperial guards could find an assassin from his manor.

    Therefore, following Ao Chenyi at every step, he became increasingly calm and collected.

    He no longer feared Ao Chenyi.

    ¡°Prince Yi, my co-wife used to live in this house.¡± Suddenly Ning Zu¡¯an jumped up and rushed ahead to stop Ao Chenyi.

    ¡°Your co-wife? Was she the wife who passed away recently?¡± Ao Chenyi raised his eyebrows and asked, sneering with unclear meaning.

    ¡°Yes, it belongs to my deceased wife!¡± Gritting his teeth, Ning Zu¡¯an finally decided to admit.

    ¡°Since she died, you don¡¯t need to care it anymore. Anyway, your wife is not in this house now.¡± Facing the house, Ao Chenyizily raised his chin and said.

    ¡°Prince Yi, although she is not here, I really miss her a lot. If your imperial guards mess up the things in the house, I am afraid that her spirit in heaven will be disturbed,¡± Ning Zu¡¯an said anxiously, secretly clenching his fists under the sleeves of his robe. He had been suspecting that that thing was in this house, but he just could not find it. If he let those imperial guards in, Ao Chenyi probably would get that thing.

    Thinking of this, Ning Zu¡¯an had toe out to stop Ao Chenyi, and also he pretended to be very much in love with this deceased wife. He repeatedly mentioned how he cared about her feelings. Those who didn¡¯t know the situation would think that Ning Zu¡¯an had a deep affection for this dead wife, and he still loved her even after she died.

    ¡°Lord Protector, but I heard that your wife lived in the Bright Frost Garden. This ce was abandoned long ago. Are you suggesting that you also think the assassin is most likely to hide in this abandoned house? That was why you said all of this to remind me, right?¡± Ao Chenyi smiledzily. His eyes looked deep and ice-cold, like those floating clouds drifting in the dark space at midnight.

    ¡°Yes, please, Prince Yi!¡± Ning Zu¡¯an had to step back and move out of the way. Standing by, he watched these imperial guards rush into the house and rummaging through the chests and cupboards there.

 Chapter 253 - How Could Family Affairs Be More Important than National Affairs?

    <h4>Chapter 253 How Could Family Affairs Be More Important than National Affairs?</h4>

    Ning Zu¡¯an called Ning Xueyan and Ning Qingshan. Of course, Prince Yi asked him to do this. Ning Zu¡¯an let his two unmarried daughterse here only because that Prince Yi had heard Ning Qingshan¡¯s good reputation. He wanted to see thisdy who had gained a widely known reputation for her loyal and filial manner.

    But if Ning Zu¡¯an let Ning Qingshane over alone, it was highly improper. Therefore, Ning Zu¡¯an also asked Ning Xueyan toe here with her. In this way, two Young Ladies from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would meet Prince Yi together. And the Third Prince who left just now would not take it as an offense.

    ¡°So she is your Third Young Lady. She indeed looks smart and beautiful. Have you ever nned to marry one of your daughters to me?¡± Not in a hurry, Ao Chenyi smiled gently. Staring at the two girls up and down with his pretty eyes, Ao Chenyi seemed to be very interested in them.

    ¡°Prince Yi, Honored Consort Ya had mentioned that she might want my third daughter to marry the Third Prince.¡± At this time, Ning Zu¡¯an was truly in a cold sweat. ¡°Does Ao Chenyi really take a fancy to Ning Qingshan? But it is not a good thing to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor at all.¡± Thus, he made an excuse and refused him in a hurry.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a pity. So has the Fifth Young Lady ever epted a marriage proposal?¡± Then, Ao Chenyi turned his eyes to the well-behaved Ning Xueyan, who stood quietly on the side, lowering her head in meekness. Slightly curved his lips into a smile, Ao Chenyi thought, ¡°This little wild cat is so quiet today! She has put all her talons and fangs away. Now she doesn¡¯t look like the aggressive girl at all.¡±

    ¡°She is too young, so she will marry someone only after all her sisters are engaged.¡± Ning Zu¡¯an nced at Ning Xueyan and carefully chose his words. It was not because he loved Ning Xueyan dearly and had pity for her, but because he didn¡¯t want to associate too much with Ao Chenyi. In his opinion, the emperor would only pass the throne to his sons, and Ao Chenyi was destined to be a loser. Thus, how could Ning Zu¡¯an want to get involved with him?

    And with Ao Chenyi¡¯s character, Ning Xueyan would only be another toy of him if Ning Zu¡¯an married her into his manor, which could not bring any benefits to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    ¡°Great. Those daughters of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor are all good. They are as pure as the dewdrops and as bright as pearls.¡± Suddenly, Ao Chenyi stood up and showed Ning Xueyan and Ning Qingshan a spurious smile. Then, wearing a somber look, he nced at Ning Zu¡¯an andughed. Striding forward, Ao Chenyi walked outside. In a hurry, Ning Zu¡¯an quickly followed him out.

    They left the puzzled Ning Xueyan and Ning Qingshan, who then nced at each other and went back to the flower hall together.

    When such a thing happened, the party had to be huddled through at express speed. As they finished their meals, all the guests departed.

    After seeing these guests off, Madam Dowager especially let Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan go to the Lucky Garden.

    When all of them took their seats, Madam Dowager¡¯s face turned gloomy. Looking at them with a cold face, she questioned, ¡°What the h*ll is going on?¡± Madam Dowager didn¡¯t indicate who she asked, but shended her eyes on Ning Qingshan.

    After all, except for the two princes, the people present at that time were only Xia Yuhang and Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°Grandmother, I... I don¡¯t know what has happened, either. When I heard someone screaming and entered the door, I saw the Eldest Sister standing there, shivering with only long johns. Qiushui, her maid, looked at the back of the screen, screaming. The Third Prince had sent someone to check. But they left without saying anything, leaving only the Eldest Brother-inw to handle the matter alone.¡±

    Knowing well that Madam Dowager was shrewd, Ning Qingshan didn¡¯t dare to lie to her. Right away, Ning Qingshan told her the whole affair from beginning to end. This matter had nothing to do with her now, so she should say everything clear in case she might bring trouble to herself.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you see who was behind the screen?¡± Madam Dowager asked. She knew the situation clearly when they left the manor. And then, Xia Yuhang, Xia Yudong, and Ning Ziyan came back to the manor together. Thus, Madam Dowager was pretty sure that Xia Yudong, who joined them halfway, must be the man behind the screen.

    ¡°Grandmother, I didn¡¯t see the man. Only the Third Prince and the Eldest Brother-inw knew who he was. And I suppose that the Fourth Prince also didn¡¯t know. But... but I¡¯m afraid that he has figured out who this man was.¡± Ning Qingshan tried very hard to recall the scene and answered.

    At that time, Ao Mingwan didn¡¯t send anyone to check. But he patted Xia Yuhang¡¯s shoulder, which meant that he thought Xia Yuhang could only seek fortune for himself. Then, Ao Mingwan must have guessed that there was a man behind the screen. He didn¡¯t send people to go further to check only because he wanted to show some respect to Xia Yuhang.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, when you went out with the Third Young Lady and the two princes, your mother said a lot of nonsense. It is not necessary to take this thing to heart. I suppose that your mother behaved abnormally because she was afraid of the assassin.¡± said Madam Dowager. Ning Qingshan did not notice that Madam Dowager¡¯s expression was a little calmer. After Ning Qingshan thought the whole thing over, an idea shed across her mind. She turned around and said to Ning Xueyan with a gentle voice.

    Madam Dowager knew everything that had happened in that house. Moreover, she also knew the interaction between the two princes, which reminded her that the Third Prince had once said that he wanted to marry Ning Xueyan. Later on, a series of things happened. Since then, the Third Prince had never mentioned this thing again, and all of them gradually forgot about this matter.

    Now it seemed that the Third Prince must have a crash on the Fifth Young Lady!

    Because both the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince valued Ning Xueyan, Madam Dowager certainly was very kind to Ning Xueyan at this time. Though such a big thing happened in the manor, first of all, she should pacify Ning Xueyan¡¯s emotion. The words that Madam Ling said when she was out of control could make people think of many things.

    At this time, Madam Dowager also should feel lucky because Madam Ling vomited blood in time. At least, she could tell others that Madam Ling must have been possessed by some evil thing, so she said those crazy words and acted strangely.

    ¡°Grandmother, I¡¯m fine. I just worry about Mother¡¯s body. The Eldest Sister got married, and the Second Sister isn¡¯t here. I think it would be much better to let me serve Mother this evening.¡± Ning Xueyan suggested in a gentle voice as if she didn¡¯t think that Madam Ling¡¯s abnormal behaviors were strange at all. She looked calm, and there was a little bit of worry between her eyebrows.

    Madam Dowager carefully examined Ning Xueyan for a few times. Judging by her look, Madam Dowager was sure that she was sincere and held no grudge against Madam Ling. Then, she nodded with satisfaction but still refused Ning Xueyan¡¯s suggestion. ¡°You don¡¯t need to care about your Mother¡¯s health. She was so timid that she was scared by the assassin today. After some time, she will be fine again.¡±

    When Mother was sick, as her daughter, it was right and proper for Ning Xueyan to attend upon her beside her bed. Ning Xueyan certainly was unwilling to serve Madam Ling, but she was afraid that Madam Ling would get some evil ideaster on. She might deliberately ask her to go to the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard and dealt with her. One should know that all the people there were Madam Ling¡¯s trusted people. Compared with these people, Ning Xueyan and a few her people seemed to be much weaker. Thus, Ning Xueyan volunteered to make this concession only to avoid possible trouble in the future.

    ¡°Grandmother, after all, my Mother is sick. If I don¡¯t go there to serve her, I will feel terribly sorry.¡± Wearing a gloomy face, Ning Xueyan sighed.

    ¡°Well, I know that you are love and devotion to your Mother, but this matter should be no rush. You Mother is ill, and you are also very busy. Not only will you continue to check the ount book for me, but you have to prepare the things for entering the imperial pce. And so do the Third Young Lady. The two of you will represent the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Don¡¯t make others look down upon you.¡±

    Madam Dowager surely would not let Ning Xueyan attend Madam Ling, and she believed that Madam Ling must have nned to frame up Ning Xueyan once again today.

    In previous, Madam Dowager might not care if Madam Ling would murder Ning Xueyan. After all, she was a weak and useless girl that Madam Dowager had never regarded her as her own granddaughter. But now Ning Xueyan was much more important than Madam Ling. Since the two princes took a fancy to her, Ning Xueyan would be one of the princes¡¯ co-consort after this Beauty Contest.

    Madam Dowager thought that it would be best if Ning Qingshan could marry the Third Prince, and Ning Xueyan would be the Fourth Prince¡¯s co-consort. But if the Third Prince got both Ning Xueyan and Ning Qingshan, it would indicate that the Third Prince could never be neglected because he was far more powerful than the Fourth Prince. And if her two granddaughters could marry the Third Prince, the rtionship between the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and the Third Prince¡¯s Manor would be strengthened.

    Madam Dowager thought that it was necessary. After all, Ning Qingshan was not like Ning Yuling, who was rted to them by blood. So Madam Dowager thought that she inevitably would not put her whole heart into the benefits of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Not only that, but they didn¡¯t know Ning Qingshan¡¯s background clearly.

    Therefore, at this time, Madam Dowager thought that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor could secure an invincible position no matter Ning Xueyan would marry the Third Prince or the Fourth Prince.

    In this way, Madam Dowager certainly would not watch Madam Ling make more mistakes and hurt Ning Xueyan again. Now she would protect not only Ning Xueyan but Ning Qingshan. Thus, Madam Dowager had already found an excuse for them to avoid Madam Ling in advance.

    Compared with Madam Ling¡¯s body, it was much more important for her to let the two granddaughters enter the imperial pce and join the Beauty Contest. How could family affairs be more important than national affairs?

    And this result was exactly what Ning Xueyan wanted. Immediately, she nodded docilely and agreed.

    Of course, Madam Dowager had especially sent Mother Qin to the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard. On the one hand, Mother Qin went there to visit Madam Ling. On the other hand, she implicitly delivered a warning, telling Madam Ling that she should keep her hands off the twodies. It was said that Madam Ling vomited a mouthful of blood and passed out again upon hearing the messages from Madam Dowager. However, Madam Dowager ignored her because she was very upset at her now.

    They talked for a while longer in the Lucky Garden. Then, Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan left. When they arrived at a fork in the road, Ning Qingshan suddenly stopped and slightly bowed to Ning Xueyan. Though Ning Qingshan did it quietly and gently, Ning Xueyan could clearly see that Ning Qingshan had bowed to her.

    ¡°Er... what is she up to now?¡± Ning Xueyan thought to herself.

    Raising her eyebrows, Ning Xueyan smiled and reached out to stop her. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Third Sister? You are my Third Sister, how can you be so courteous to me? I don¡¯t dare to receive your salute.¡±

    ¡°Fifth Sister, your words made me feel ashamed. We had some misunderstandings before and had some unpleasant memories. But once we enter the imperial pce, we are still sisters from the same manor so that we should not regard each other as an outsider from now on. I hope that we are of one heart about this.¡± Ning Qingshan said sincerely and even wiped the corners of her eyes with her handkerchief as if she was truly touched and cried.

    ¡°Is she making efforts to improve rtions with me for the imperial pce¡¯s Beauty Contest? Sure enough, for Ning Qingshan, the Beauty Contest is the most important thing.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? Some unhappy things have indeed happened between us before, but it was only because I was too young to be sensitive enough at that time. After we enter the imperial pce, I naturally will be of one heart with you.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled and promised without any concern.

    Since Ning Qingshan was not sincere, she would not be sincere either. Both of them would only maintain superficial harmony with each other. Ning Qingshan chose to show her kindness to Ning Xueyan here because she noticed that Madam Dowager seemed to think highly of her. Thus, she intentionally wanted to show Madam Dowager that she had a good rtionship with Ning Xueyan.

    Though a good rtionship was a false impression, Ning Qingshan needed it, and so did Ning Xueyan!

    Moreover, Ning Qingshan deliberately showed Ning Xueyan that she wanted to make peace with her. Also, she hinted that to achieve a high position and gain great wealth, they should put the disputes between sisters aside.

    Besides, as the honorable Consort-to-be of the Third Prince, Ning Qingshan believed that Ning Xueyan would not refuse her good intentions.

    As Ning Qingshan had expected, Ning Xueyan echoed her words. They talked andughed. Then, they said goodbye to each other and went back to their courtyards.

    Now both of them knew in their hearts that an agreement between them had reached. In order not to bring any adverse influence on the Beauty Contest, neither of them would stir up any trouble to each other at least before they entered the imperial pce.

    ¡°Young Lady, there was a woman who secretly came looking for marquis at the backdoor!¡± Lanning waited until Ning Qingshan walked far away and whispered in Ning Xueyan¡¯s ears. She knew it because Qingyu stayed at the back door at that time and saw everything clearly.

 Chapter 254 - A Mysterious Middle-aged Woman

    Chapter 254 A Mysterious Middle-aged Woman

    Of course, Qingyu didn¡¯t happen to stay at the gate of the backyard. Since Ning Xueyan found the strange item of Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s ount, she cut the cost and let Qingyu wait around the backyard gate where she had seen someonee to look for Ning Zu¡¯an in herst life.

    Usually, only a few people would go out of the manor, so it was not easy for others to enter the manor even through the backyard gate. But today was different. In this manor, many people wereing and going. To go the easier way, some servants directly passed in and out of the back door. Thus, these guards at the entrance were much less vignt than usual. If someone wanted to go into the manor to find Ning Zu¡¯an, today was his or her best opportunity.

    Ning Xueyan also checked the background of the older female servant who guarded the back door. She worked neither for Madam Ling nor the Madam Dowager. Instead, she was the mother of Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s former subordinate, who was disabled on the battlefield. Then, Ning Zu¡¯an took care of all his families and especially brought the subordinate¡¯s mother to his manor to guard the back door.

    More than that, her wages were twice as much as that of the other ordinary servants. Thus, in this sense, she was one of the henchmen of Ning Zu¡¯an.

    Therefore, she must be the more suitable person who could help Ning Zu¡¯an to do something that he did not want other people in the manor to know.

    Therefore, Ning Xueyan let Qingyu stay here to keep an eye for this woman. And obviously, Ning Xueyan got this important news as a result.

    ¡°Where is Qingyu?¡± Now Ning Xueyan was clear about what she should do next. She nodded and asked.

    ¡°She is still there, watching the woman.¡± Lanning replied.

    ¡°Tell her toe back. She doesn¡¯t need to tail others now.¡± Ning Xueyan ordered. After that, she partedpany with Lanning and went to the Bright Frost Garden alone. As requested, Lanning went to look for Qingyu around Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s study.

    Just when Ning Xueyan went back to the Bright Frost Garden and sat down, Lanning and Qingyu also returned together.

    ¡°Young Lady, that woman has been hanging around the marquis¡¯ study for a long time. Later, she met the young male servant of marquis. It seemed that they knew each other. After they exchanged a few words, the servant went outside. Before long, our marquis came back and brought the woman in his study. They haven¡¯te out yet.¡±

    Qingyu had been fixing her eyes on the woman who suddenly appeared in the manor, so she knew what exactly the woman had done!

    ¡°What does that woman look like?¡± Picking up the tea that Lanning made for her, Ning Xueyan took a sip. Seemingly thinking of this question all of a sudden, she asked while holding the teacup.

    ¡°I followed her. At first, I didn¡¯t see her clearly. Butter, it seemed that she could not find anyone to get in touch with her and was anxiously walking around the gate of the study. Then pretending to pass by there, I deliberately walked over and took a nce at her. However, the woman was very timid. When she saw me, she stepped aside shyly to hide. She was about in her thirties and only had an ordinary appearance. I have never seen her. I think that she didn¡¯t live in our manor.¡±

    Qingyu thought that Ning Xueyan only wanted to find out whether this woman was from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor or not. Thus, she specially added thest two sentences.

    Ning Xueyan slightly lowered her head, and her eyes dimmed with doubts. ¡°An ordinary appearance? Then, she looked just so so. Well, it is different from what I have expected. Did I make a mistake about that? But judging by various signs in all aspects, I don¡¯t think that I was wrong.¡±

    She had asked Mother Han to check the item of that ount. But it seemed that this secret was kept very tight. Therefore, they found no trace. In any case, Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t dare to let Mother Han check the ount openly because it would inevitably alert Ning Zu¡¯an. Well, Ning Xueyan always thought that there was little affection between her father Ning Zu¡¯an and her.

    ¡°What¡¯s the look on marquis¡¯ face when he saw the woman?¡± Rolling her eyes and thinking, Ning Xueyan asked for details.

    ¡°He seemed to be resentful and didn¡¯t look well. When he spotted that woman, he just frowned and threw a few nces at her. Then he continued to walk toward the study. Vigntly ncing around, the woman timidly went in after him as if she were his newly married little wife.¡±

    Qingyu recalled the scene at the time. She also felt very surprised. ¡°The whole time, the woman¡¯s behaviors have been very strange. Could she be the maid in our manor? But she didn¡¯t look like one. If she was not a maid, why would the people in the backyard go straight to find marquis when she was here? It didn¡¯t seem to make any sense.¡±

    ¡°Qingyu, let¡¯s go to the backyard to take a look. Just now, the manor was in great confusion. I don¡¯t know whether or not my brothers have already checked the matter out.¡± After a while of thinking, Ning Xueyan stood up and said to Qingyu.

    Initially, the Bright Frost Garden that they lived in was at the remote part of the manor. So it was not a long way for them to go to the backyard.

    Today, because of Madam Ling, the news that an assassin appeared in the manor came out. As one of the daughters in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, it was natural for her to go to the backyard to check.

    Wiping the few teardrops at the corners of her eyes, the middle-aged woman came out of Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s study and looked again at the cold back of Ning Zu¡¯an. Gritting her teeth, she endured the sadness in her heart and retreated. Along the way, she walked very carefully. Lowering her head, she subconsciously avoided almost everyone who came close to her.

    As today was a big day for Marchioness, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had many guests who were buzzing with excitement. However, after the previous farce, all those maids and older female servants in the backyard acted with great care because they were afraid of identally getting themselves in trouble. Thus, although they saw an unfamiliar woman walking in the manor, they all chose to ignore her.

    After all, there was a party today in the manor, and First Madam had specially transferred a few maids and older female servants to the manorst night. Thus, it was reasonable that they didn¡¯t know who this woman was.

    People in the manor had heard the ident happened on Ning Ziyan at the Orchid Garden. Ning Ziyan fell into great trouble after she ran into two maids that she didn¡¯t know.

    Just like that, the woman simply walked up to the back door. Looking at the door from a certain distance, she breathed a sigh of relief. Out of this gate, no one would know her. Thus, as long as she got out, no one would recognize and stop her, and she would finally be safe.

    Thinking of this, she quickened her pace to arrive at the gate as fast as she could. But suddenly, a young girl appeared at the crossing ahead with a maid following behind. At a nce, the woman instantly knew that she must be ady from a noble family, so she stood on the roadside at once. Lowering her head and shoulder to show respect, she didn¡¯t dare to move a bit.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± A gentle voice with a touch of tenderness came into her ears.

    A pair of embroidered shoes with two hibiscus flowers appeared before her eyes, and the skirt covered half of the two flowers.

    ¡°I came here to ask marquis for the vige¡¯s monthly allowance.¡± Carefully, the woman said the answer that was familiar to her because she had said before. Thus, she did not hesitate a little.

    ¡°The vige¡¯s monthly allowance? Which vige?¡± Ning Xueyan questioned closely with a smile, looking at the middle-aged woman who kept her head low and hid almost her whole face.

    ¡°It is the vige outside the city. This year the vige had a bad harvest, so marquis asked me toe over and get some yearly allowance.¡± The middle-aged woman had never thought that this Young Lady before would be interested in this. Startled a little, but still, she replied respectfully. Facing such a well-behaved woman, Ning Xueyan could not find a w.

    Behind Ning Xueyan, Qingyu looked the woman up and down curiously, but she couldn¡¯t see what exactly had happened.

    ¡°The vige outside the city is very close to the capital city. How did you get here?¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s attitude was as gentle as ever, and there was always a smile in her eyes. Her eyesnded on the middle-aged woman¡¯s in cloth gown, her hair, and then the normal style hairpin in her neatlybed hair.

    The hairpin that had a normal style was gold, which was unsuited to the cloth gown all over her.

    ¡°The vige is quite far away. I came by hitchhiking, or I could not arrive at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor at this time.¡± When the middle-aged woman learned that Ning Xueyan only asked how she entered the city, she breathed a sigh of relief and answered with ease.

    ¡°Will you go back soon?¡±

    ¡°Maybe I have to wait for a while because I still have something to do in the city. I am going to see an old friend.¡± It seemed that Ning Xueyan only wanted to make small talk with her. Thus, the woman became more natural in chatting and answered without thinking.

    ¡°Oh, I can call a carriage in this manor for you. Would you like it? Though you are from the vige, you are still one of the people in the manor.¡± Showing some interest to this woman on her face, Ning Xueyan continued to ask and tried to lure her into saying something more.

    ¡°No... I don¡¯t need a carriage. I... I will just wander around. I am going to see a friend first and buy some daily necessities.¡± Upon hearing that Ning Xueyan wanted to send her away by carriage, the middle-aged woman anxiously shook her hands and involuntarily raised her head.

    ¡°She has an extremely ordinary face of a woman. Amid all maids or servants in the manor, she didn¡¯t stand out at all. Especially those wrinkles at the corners of her eyes make her look a little older than her age, plus there are traces of hard manualbor on her hands and feet. Apparently, she doesn¡¯t live afortable, luxurious life.¡± Ning Xueyan thought. Quietly, Ning Xueyannded her eyes on the woman¡¯s little chapped hands.

    ¡°It is in winter now, but the skin on her hands looks good, which is not like the rough skin of the servants in the manor.¡±

    ¡°Then, go back earlier, lest you keep others waiting too long.¡± After giving the woman a kind smile, Ning Xueyan stopped staring at her and just walked forward with the maid.

    Seeing that Ning Xueyan left, the middle-aged women breathed a big sigh of relief. ¡°Today, there is a party in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, and many guests are here. But this Young Lady doesn¡¯t seem toe from the other manors. So is she the Third Young Lady, the Fourth Young Lady, or the Fifth Young Lady?¡±

    The middle-aged woman¡¯s eyes flickered, but she still could not tell who this Young Lady was. With a sigh, she said to herself, ¡°What has happened is in the past. Even if I know who she is, so what? I became an outsider of this manor long ago.¡±

    Thinking of this, she continued to walk toward the back door. Seeing that she walked over, the older female servant at the gate immediately pushed the gate open and let her go without asking any question. The servant watched the woman go out of the gate in silence. Then she closed the back door, heaving a sigh.

    The two of them acted extremely fast and naturally. However, Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t leave. Instead, she was standing behind the tree by the path, watching them. When Ning Xueyan spotted the scene, her arch eyebrows wrinkled a little, and she asked, ¡°Has Xinmei gone out of the manor now?¡±

    Ning Xueyan felt confused. ¡°Ning Zu¡¯an wanted to keep her existence as a secret. But this person, did she feel even more reluctant to be noticed by others?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Xinmei has already gone there. At this time, she must have arrived at the back door. Young Lady, is there anything wrong about the vige of marquis? It hasn¡¯t made a profit for a whole year. More than that, the vige even needed marquis to make up a deficit. How could it be possible?¡±

    Puzzled, Qingyu said her doubts now as she had heard this matter clearly not long ago.

    Ning Xueyan had just found out that the book that was cooked. But now, an unexpected error about the vige also urred. Did these people in the vige cook their books too? But the vige belonged only to marquis. Thus, even if people in the vige also had to report the ount, they could just provide a general ount of cash flow and didn¡¯t need to report it to the backyard.

    Ning Xueyan could not tell whether there was anything wrong.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go back to take a rest first. Marquis will certainly give us an exnation. It is just that I don¡¯t know if it is the same as what the woman said.¡± At this moment, Ning Xueyan had already cooled down. She smiled elegantly, but the corners of her lips slightly lifted with a sneer.

    Madam Ming¡¯s marriage to Ning Zu¡¯an proved to be the greatest cmity of her life for Ning Zu¡¯an was a disloyal and ungrateful man. Eventually, she died miserably. Originally, Madam Ming was only a concubine, but she then sessfully took Madam Ming¡¯s ce. But even after that, she didn¡¯t spare Madam Ming and her daughter. Only because Madam Ling was the marchioness who was the Legal Wife of Ning Zu¡¯an, Ning Xueyan failed to defeat her after many attempts.

    Of course, it was also because Madam Ling gave birth to the only son of Ning Zu¡¯an.

    If she had not been reborn, Ning Xueyan also could not escape her fate to die, and all the bad things were caused by Madam Ling and Ning Zu¡¯an...

 Chapter 255 - The Qingyun Academy

    <h4>Chapter 255 The Qingyun Academy</h4>

    Xinmei returned in the evening but didn¡¯t bring back many messages.

    The friend that the middle-aged woman went to visit was a young student. They seemed to be quite close to each other like they were mother and son. The woman brought him some clean clothes to change his clothes for washing. After chatting for a long time, they parted with reluctance. All their acts unintentionally showed the family affection between them.

    ¡°Young Lady, the young man came out through the side door. Right after finishing talking with the woman, he closed the door and left. There was no one around that I could ask for more information.¡± Of course, Xinmei could not climb over the wall to enter the academy in broad daylight because it would attract others¡¯ attention.

    ¡°What is the size of that academy?¡± Lowering her head, Ning Xueyan touched the cup in her hand and asked after thinking for a moment.

    ¡°It has an average size, not asrge as those big academies in the capital city. But it looks fairly formal. The academy is located at the west city gate. I especially went around to its front to check and found that the academy is named Qingyun Academy.¡±

    There were manyrge and small academies in the capital,pared with which Xinmei really didn¡¯t think the Qingyun Academy wasrge. Besides, she had never heard of the Qingyun Academy before.

    The vige of Ning Zu¡¯an was in the eastern part of the city, but the Qingyun Academy was in the western part of the city. Thus, the woman almost crossed the entire capital city to see the young man. It was reasonable if the woman especially went there to visit her son. But why didn¡¯t she say it just now? Not only that, but it seemed that she was afraid that others would know this. Also, she refused to take the carriage provided by the manor and chose to go there all by herself.

    How could these acts of her be normal? Moreover, the vige¡¯s ie appeared to be very weird. It suffered deficit year after year, but Ning Zu¡¯an said nothing about it. He even sent money to that vige monthly. Ning Xueyan only stopped providing them the money for a month. Someone from the vige could not bear it and came to see Ning Zu¡¯an directly.

    This matter must be rted to Ning Zu¡¯an.

    Ning Xueyan flipped through these books to check the time that each cost urred. ¡°At least, this cost that spent on the vige has always existed. Since Madam Ling was in charge of the backyard, there began the record of this cost on the ount book. It indicated that this cost must have happened long ago. Moreover, Madam Ling had given tacit consent to this expenditure, but she didn¡¯t have the chance to get it from the manor¡¯s expense.¡±

    Casually, she opened the ount book at hand, browsing through it page by page. ¡°The expense of each month is the same.¡±

    ¡°The woman¡¯s son is in the Qingyun Academy. But why does a son of an ordinary servant from the vige have the money to go to the academy?¡±

    ¡°Young Lady, how about me going to guard the Qingyun Academy¡¯s gate again? If that young man goes out, I can ask him some questions that you¡¯d like to know.¡± Seeing that Ning Xueyan remained silent the whole time, Xinmei suggested.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to guard the door. But you can go there again to ask if there is a student surnamed Ning in the academy. If there is such a student, ask for his name only and don¡¯t do anything else.¡± Smiling slightly, Ning Xueyan closed the ount book in her hand, and meanwhile, she had already gotten a n in her heart.

    ¡°Yes, I will go there soon.¡± Xinmei nodded and retreated.

    The Lord Protector was dogged by bad luck this year. Bad things happened in his manor one after another. When the New Year wasing, it came to the rumor saying that the First Madam, Madam Ling, was possessed and fell ill. Those madams who joined the party confirmed it. Apparently, something was wrong with her. Also, it was said that she even vomited blood on the spot.

    Of course, some savvy madams maintained a wait-and-see attitude. Sometimes, things were not what they appeared to be. Having experienced the struggles in the backyard, they could instantly understand what was going on without being told. Thus, to the Marchioness of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor whose reputation had always been good, these people were not as close as before. This time, they only asked a servant to visit her, sending some gifts to show that they were still concerned about her.

    Madam Ling indeed spat out blood because she was furious. She failed to set Ning Xueyan up and trapped her daughter instead. Xia Yuhang happened to see the scene that Ning Ziyan stayed with a man, not appropriately dressed. Especially just now, to inquire about more information in the Xia Manor, Madam Ling sent Mother Chen to see Ning Ziyan, but Mother Chen was blocked outside of the Xia Manor. People in the Xia Manor told her that Ning Ziyan was sick now and could not see any guests.

    When Madam Ling heard the news, a mouthful of blood rushed up to her throat. With her handkerchief, she covered her mouth and forcibly suppressed her urge to throw up because of the smell of blood going up through her throat. It took her a long while to calm down. Then, grinding her teeth, Madam Ling said to Mother Chen with a ferocious look. ¡°What did those people in the Xia Manor mean? Yan¡¯er is in such a good condition, why did they say she was ill? Go there again. You must see Yan¡¯er. Tell them that I ask you to see her. If you cannot see her this time, you can nevere back to this manor.¡±

    Madam Ling meant that she wanted Mother Chen to break into Minster Xia¡¯s manor by force. But Mother Chen was only an older female servant, how dare her to do that? Minster Xia was an imposing highest-ranking official. How could a servant like her force her way into his manor? Let alone that they seemed to be on the wrong side. Moreover, the Eldest Young Lady¡¯s reputation hadn¡¯t yet been restored. Thus, when Mother Chen heard Madam Ling¡¯s order, she drew back her neck in fear and advised, ¡°Madam, you¡¯d better not deal with this thing in a hurry. I think that you should discuss this matter with the Eldest Young Master first. And you two can consider it carefully before making a final decision.¡±

    ¡°Consider it carefully? If I take my time to discuss with him carefully, something bad will soon happen to my Yan¡¯er! Look at her. She was all right when she came back to the manor. But then, bad things happened to her one after another. I, I... That b*tch Ning Xueyan, I will never forgive her.¡± With this, Madam Ling suddenly felt that a feeling of sorrow overcame her. She took out her handkerchief to wipe the tears welling up in her eyes. But right after that, her vicious face clouded.

    Ning Ziyan would suffer a series of incidents each time when she came back at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. But up to now, Madam Ling still had never thought that it was the traps she specially made for Ning Xueyan that brought Ning Ziyan all the trouble, though these evil traps were all crashed atst. Madam Ling only felt that Ning Xueyan did all of this to her daughter.

    ¡°Mother, don¡¯t you think it was toote for you to regret now?¡± An angry voice came at the door. Mother Chen looked up and found that the Eldest Young Master Ning Huaiyuan was standing at the door. Knowing that he must have something to say to Madam Ling, Mother Chen saluted him and retreated with caution, secretly breathing a sigh of relief in her heart.

    Thinking of Madam Ling¡¯s crazy attitude just now, Mother Chen knew that Madam Ling must not have been in bad condition.

    To Madam Ling, her son was the most convincing person. In others¡¯ eyes, he was the only son of the Legal Wife in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor who was talented and had a fairly good reputation. In the future, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would undoubtedly be in his charge. Also, Madam Ling knew that her son was rather sophisticated and tactful. Merely through the way her son used to deal with the thing that happened yesterday could she know it.

    Ning Huaiyuan could quicklye up with such an incident about the ¡°assassin¡± at that moment and at least maintained Ning Ziyan¡¯s reputation outside.

    Now seeing that her son was staring at her in displeasure, she immediately became less overbearing. ¡°I... I was very worried about Yan¡¯er...¡±

    ¡°Did you say that you worry about my oldest younger sister? But Mother, I remember asking you not to take rash actions for the time being. You seemed to have forgotten it again, right?¡± Ning Huaiyuan strode in and took a seat at the chair on one side. His face was full of anger and dissatisfaction.

    ¡°This b*tch girl is too crafty. I... I was identally fooled by her and got your sister into trouble.¡± Madam Ling argued.

    ¡°Mother, I think that you must have been living extremelyfortable these years. You always believed that your plots seeded. But you haven¡¯t yet noticed that you brought trouble to my two sisters again and again. Now that my Second Sister¡¯s face was disfigured and her reputation was ruined. What¡¯s worse, Grandmother has sent her to that terrible ce. Will it be my oldest younger sister¡¯s turn to be destroyed next?¡±

    Ning Huaiyuan sneered and stopped Madam Ling from defending herself.

    ¡°So these were the traps that you set for enemies. You racked your brains in scheming. But have you ever thought that your son and daughters are enduring the painful consequences of your failure?¡±

    ¡°No, it was not like that. It was because of the extremely good luck of that girl. Next time, I must...¡± Madam Ling flushed because of her own son¡¯s usation, and she tried to exin that it was not her fault.

    ¡°Luck? The next time? Mother, Did I hear you right? Do you think that Ning Xueyan could escape your traps all because of her good luck? Do you truly believe that you can thoroughly defeat her next time? Mother, I cannot believe that you are really so stupid. So next time, whom do you want to bring trouble to? Me?¡± It had never urred to Ning Huaiyuan that Madam Ling was thinking about what to do the next time. Suddenly, he burst into anger.

    Bad things had happened to Ning Yuling and then Ning Ziyan. And Ning Huaiyuan believed that it must be his turn to get into trouble the next time. Although he didn¡¯t think that Ning Xueyan could be so capable, he clearly sensed the Fourth Prince was unhappy today. Others might not know whether the matter about the ¡°assassin¡± was real or not. But as both the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince witnessed the whole thing on the spot, so how could they not see the truth?

    Usually, the Fourth Prince appeared to be careless, but he was sensible enough. Afterward, the Fourth Prince only told him that he¡¯d better look out for himself. It was evident that the Fourth Prince had expressed all he wanted to say in this advice.

    Lately, people in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor now exerted great efforts to try to be rted to the Third Prince by marriage. It seemed that all of them firmly believed that the Third Prince would be the future emperor of the country. But personally, Ning Huaiyuan had a better rtionship with the Fourth Prince. This time, part of the reason that he traveled far away this time was to run errands for the Fourth Prince. The Lord Protector wanted to maintain a good rtionship with both the Fourth Prince and the Third Prince.

    But of course, there was a difference. To Lord Protector, a daughter could marry someone and represent another family since then. But his son Ning Huaiyuan could not do that. Hence, Ning Huaiyuan only kept a close rtionship with the Fourth Prince and helped him to handle some affairs in secret such that others didn¡¯t know all of this. In this way, if the Third Prince became the emperor in the future, Ning Huaiyuan could easily get rid of the Fourth Prince. Anyway, Ning Huaiyuan kept all the things that he did for the Fourth Prince as secrets.

    Of course, he honestly told the Fourth Prince that since the Third Prince took a fancy to Ning Qingshan, he could do nothing about it. Therefore, the Fourth Prince didn¡¯t alienate him for this thing. But this time, it was because Ning Xueyan had warned the Fourth Prince, he became so furious. How could Ning Huaiyuan not know that?

    ¡°How... how can I do that? I will never make such a mistake again.¡± Madam Ling shook her head anxiously.

    ¡°Mother, you can slowly guide my father and Grandmother to find the fact that the Fifth Sister is a vicious person. Then, they can certainly deal with her. Why did you intentionally give yourself away and make others think that her Mother framed her?¡± Ning Huaiyuan said.

    This kind of thing could not be rushed. Madam Ling was really too anxious.

    ¡°But, I will never let off that cheap girl.¡± Grinding her teeth, Madam Ling said anxiously, feeling very reluctant to let Ning Xueyan go without doing anything.

    ¡°Mother, when you deal with someone like the Fifth Sister, you must either show the love between her and you or finish her off with one blow. Since you are powerless now, you should try your best to be nice to her. Only by doing this, others can never me you for anything that will happen to her in the future. Mother, you haven¡¯t met any opponent for so many years, and so don¡¯t you even understand such a simple truth now?¡±

    Ning Huaiyuan said with a sneer.

    Being repeatedly humiliated by her son, Madam Ling became a little angry from shame. Staring at him, she said, ¡°What bullshit are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Mother, don¡¯t you know whether what I said was bullshit or not? If you go on making trouble like this, you are bound to hound my oldest younger sister to death.¡± Ning Huaiyuan ignored her unpleasant look and continued to say. Unconsciously, he lifted his mouth corners, showing a trace of sarcasm. ¡°You even asked an older female servant to break in the Xia Manor. Mother, you are afraid that the reputation of my oldest younger sister is not worse enough, aren¡¯t you?¡±

 Chapter 256 - Meet Commandery Princess Xianyun for the First Time

    Chapter 256 Meet Commandery Princess Xianyun for the First Time

    Ning Huaiyuan was really upset today. A wonderful party had been ruined by such a scandal!

    It not only disturbed the people of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, but also annoyed Xia Yuhang and he had taken Ning Ziyan and Xia Yudong back to his manor. Ning Huaiyuan knew that Xia Yuhang was not easy to mess with and if his mother thought that she could control the Xia Manor by marrying Ning Ziyan to Xia Yuhang, she was too naive. Ning Huaiyuan felt that he had never seen through Xia Yuhang.

    He had objected to Ning Ziyan marrying Xia Yuhang, but Ning Ziyan had been so fascinated by this man and insisted on marrying him.

    ¡°Ziyan... Xia Yuhang won¡¯t believe that Ziyan had an affair with Xia Yudong, right?¡± Madam Ling asked anxiously after thinking it for a while. She became listless at once at the mention of Ning Ziyan. Every man who had seen that would think that his wife was having an affair, so Madam Ling was really worried about Ning Ziyan now.

    ¡°No, he won¡¯t,¡± Ning Huaiyuan answered with certainty.

    Xia Yuhang was so smart and he would not be fooled so easily.

    Madam Ling, as a loving mother, felt relieved after being assured by his son. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good! Shall I ask someone to go to the Xia Manor and check how your eldest sister is doing?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Mother, although Yuhang will not misunderstand Ziyan, it does not mean everything is okay. No man can stand the gossip about his wife¡¯s affair with another man. Besides, this man is his younger brother.¡± Ning Huaiyuan felt ridiculous to see Madam Ling¡¯s rxed face and he could not help mocking her.

    If Xia Yuhang did not care about it at all, he would not have brought Ning Ziyan back to his manor without saying goodbye to them.

    ¡°What do you think Xia Yuhang is going do to Ziyan?¡± Madam Ling became nervous again.

    ¡°He won¡¯t do anything to her in front of people. However, I cannot guarantee that he will stay calm after returning to his manor. Mother, you¡¯d better not ask anyone to visit the Xia Manor and inquire information in the few days. My eldest sister will be okay. If you keep on inquiring information and annoy Xia Yuhang, I¡¯m not sure what will happen next.¡±

    Ning Huaiyuan said, raising his eyebrows.

    ¡°What shall I do next?¡± Madam Ling was in a panic and she could only ask her son for advice.

    ¡°You should do nothing except for taking care of your health. I will find an opportunity to visit my eldest sister. Don¡¯t stir any trouble again for a while. Third Sister and Fifth Sister will go to the imperial pce soon to attend the Beauty Contest. If they win in the contest, they will rise high. Although Third Prince will marry Third Sister, it does not mean that Fifth Sister is unpopr.¡±

    Ning Huaiyuan came here mainly to warn Madam Ling, hoping she would not make any trouble again. For him, That Madam Ling had repeatedly lost in the battle between Ning Xueyan and her was because she was too impatient and not that smart. For him, Ning Xueyan was only a pawn and she would leave the manor and get married sooner orter. If she was obedient, it would be good to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s advantage.

    However, if she did not follow their words, they could let her be their scapegoat. Therefore, it was unnecessary to go against Ning Xueyan and cause so much trouble for the moment.

    ¡°Why is Ning Xueyan going to the imperial pce to attend the Beauty Contest? This little b*tch is not qualified to go to the imperial pce. She must have taken Ling¡¯er¡¯s ce!¡± Madam Ling did not figure out Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s intention, but flew into a rage at the shocking news.

    ¡°Why? Mother, it is so ridiculous for you to ask such a question. She is the daughter of Lord Protector¡¯s wedded wife. Why are you saying that she is not qualified to attend the contest? Mother, to be honest, she is the real wedded wife¡¯s daughter of our manor. Do you still remember it?¡± Ning Huaiyuan could not help scoffing at Madam Ling¡¯s wrong-headed persistence. He had no n to go against Ning Xueyan for the moment.

    However, he would not spare her in the future.

    Since he had first seen Ning Xueyan, he had been thinking to destroy her, but not now!

    ¡°Mother, don¡¯t me me for not reminding you. Both my grandmother and my father attached great importance to theing Beauty Contest. I don¡¯t hope anything unexpected happens to our manor again. Don¡¯t do such kind of stupid things again! Otherwise, even though you are the hostess of the manor, my grandmother and my father will not spare you!¡±

    Ignoring Madam Ling¡¯s widened eyes with anger, with onest warning word, Ning Huaiyuan suddenly stood up and walked outward, shaking his sleeve.

    The Beauty Contest wasing soon, and Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan were the only two Young Ladies with good reputation among Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s daughters. Therefore, No one was allowed to make trouble at this critical moment. His mother had already annoyed his grandmother and his father, so neither of them hade to visit her after she fell ill. However, she was so stupid that until now, she had not realized it yet. If she went on like this, she might get him into trouble.

    For his own future, Ning Huaiyuan would not allow this to happen.

    Nothing special happened in the following days. The physician was attending on Madam Ling wholeheartedly at Auspicious Clouds Courtyard. It was said that Madam Ling was very sick, or so it seemed. Therefore, Madam Dowager had to manage the affairs of the manor again. And Ning Xueyan was still in charge of the ounts.

    It had snowed for a few times this winter and snow fell from time to time. Since Ning Xueyan was a southerner in herst life, she had liked to watch snow scenes. She was free and had not so many things to handle recently, so she felt very rxed. Even Madam Dowager had exempted her and Ning Qingshan from offering greetings to her every morning and evening so that they could have a good rest.

    This went on for some time until one day Ning Xueyan received Heng Yuqing¡¯s invitation card. She freshened herself up and went to the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor with Lanning.Read more chapter on v ipnovel

    As soon as the servant reported to Heng Yuqing about Ning Xueyan¡¯s arrival, Heng Yuqing ran out. She pulled Ning Xueyan into the manor excitedly. They had only taken a few steps forward when they saw Heng Yuwaning out from the room, shaking the fan in her hand.

    ¡°Eldest Sister, is she the guest you invited? From the way you treated her, I really thought that she was some distinguished guest!¡± Heng Yuwan had seen Ning Xueyan at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manorst time. She had only heard that she was the Fifth Young Lady who was unfavored at her manor. Afterwards, it had been too noisy and she had not found an opportunity to inquire about Ning Xueyan.

    Since then, she had always thought that Ning Xueyan was a powerless and unfavored Young Lady at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and could not bepared with the noble Third Young Lady.

    Therefore, she spoke with obvious contempt.

    Heng Yuqing almost lost her temper at the sight of Heng Yuwan, a fury look crossing her eyes. Ning Xueyan pulled her hand and smiled at Heng Yuwan. ¡°Is this Second Young Lady of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor? Yuqing, I¡¯m surprised that you two sisters to be so close and the difference between the wedded wife¡¯s daughter and the concubine¡¯s daughter is not obvious. I will ask the Young Ladies of other manors to learn from you when I visit them in the future.¡±

    How could the difference between the principal wife¡¯s daughter and the concubine¡¯s daughter not be obvious? There was a world of difference between the two! If the outsiders knew that a concubine¡¯s daughter had shouted at a noble principal wife¡¯s daughter, the manor would get into trouble and even Lord Guardian could not afford it.

    Heng Yuwan froze for a while. She did not expect that the unfavored Fifth Young Lady would have been so quick-witted and shot back so soon. Besides, it was obvious that what Ning Xueyan said was more reasonable.

    Fortunately, Heng Yuwan was a smart girl as well. Since Ning Xueyan was not easy to provoke, she immediately pretended that she did not understand what Ning Xueyan was hinting. ¡°Fifth Young Lady, you are too polite. Please get into the room first. I will be back after greeting Commandery Princess Xianyun,¡± she said with a smile.

    ¡°Commandery Princess Xianyun?¡± Ning Xueyan frowned slightly. She was a little surprised that Commandery Princess Xianyun, Yun Cai¡¯er, woulde to attend the birthday party held by a concubine¡¯s daughter.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun, Yun Cai¡¯er, was Empress Dowager¡¯s rtive, so she was no ordinary at all. Although Empress Dowager had passed away, Yun Cai¡¯er was still the emperor¡¯s family member. Therefore, as the eldest daughter of her family, she was titled Commandery Princess. It was said that the emperor liked her very much and she had grown up at the imperial pce, so she was familiar with the princes since childhood. However, nobody could tell which prince she was closer with.

    How could such a distinguished princesse here?

    ¡°Heng Yuwan¡¯s aunt is the distant rtion of the Yun family.¡± Heng Yuqing knew what Ning Xueyan was wondering, so she whispered in her ear.

    They greeted the guests in the flower hall. There were not so many visitors and the friends who had been invited by Heng Yuqing and Heng Yuwan were all Young Ladies. Therefore, it was inconvenient for Lord Guardian to show up, so he only asked people to bring more ovens here. The flower hall was as warm as spring and everyone took off their robes as soon as they entered the hall.

    This made them feel both convenient and rx.

    The flower hall of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor had been specially designed with a rockery and a few streams on one side of it. There were also a few plum trees along the streams. The plum blossoms bloomed in the snow, emitting a trace of fragrance in the air.

    There was a door near the rockery. If the guests felt stuffy in the flower hall, they could go out and get some air here. Under the rockery were the plum trees and a smallke, gathered streams flowing. The environment was so elegant!

    Many noble Young Ladies hade, so Heng Yuqing had to leave Ning Xueyan alone to greet them. Ning Xueyan walked out from a side door and saw a tform outside with handrails on both sides. There was no handrail in front of her except for a stone table and a few stone stools, looking both natural and elegant. If it was not winter, it would be an ideal ce to drink tea and enjoy the beautiful scenery.

    ¡°Miss!¡± Lanning pushed her slightly from behind, gesturing her to look over there.

    Holding up the tea cup and taking a sip of tea, Ning Xueyan looked in the direction Lanning was pointing at quietly. She saw several strong female servants sit there chatting. It seemed they had been tired of the work, and were talking excitedly behind a tree.

    Where they were was behind the rockery, facing the wind, and it was obvious that it was not an ideal ce for chatting. Besides, their masters were greeting the guests in the flower hall now. Why were they so bold to chat under their masters¡¯ noses? It must be because the hostess of the manor was ill, the servants were cking.

    It was too windy here and after standing for a while, Ning Xueyan felt a little cold. She then turned around and returned to the hall with Lanning. As soon as she stepped into the room, she felt warm at once.

    The guests were talking excitedly in the hall. Since they were all Young Ladies about the same age, they did not need to care too much about etiquette, so they had a lot inmon. Seeing Ning Xueyaning, Heng Yuqing pulled her to a girl in gorgeous dress and introduced to her, ¡°Xueyan, this is Commandery Princess Xianyun of the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor.¡±

    The Empress Dowager¡¯s n, the Yun n, had been made of Lord Peace¡¯s Manor by the emperor.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun seemed to be a very kind girl. She was very pretty and whenever she smiled, a lovely pair of dimples would appear on her face, making her even more amiable. She looked both gentle and graceful. When she saw Ning Xueyan bowing to her, she reached out to help her up and said with a smile, ¡°Fifth Young Lady, you are so polite!¡±

    ¡°Is this Fifth Young Lady of the Nings who has been in the limelight recently? I had only heard of Eldest Young Lady, Second Young Lady, Third Young Lady of the Nings, and had known nothing about Fifth Young Lady. It seems that after Second Madam¡¯s passing away, Fifth Young Lady suddenly became well-known.¡± A mocking voice ringing out beside her.

    Ning Xueyan looked aside and saw a beautiful girl. She wore a pink dress and gorgeous jewelry, looking arrogant.

    ¡°This is Second Young Lady of the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor.¡± Heng Yuqing knew that Ning Xueyan did not know other noble Young Ladies in the capital, so she reminded her in a low voice.

    ¡°Thank you for caring about the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s business,¡± Ning Xueyan said with a smile, looking at Second Young Lady of the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor, Yun Luoluo, quietly.

    In any case, it was improper for a noble Young Lady to gossip. However, it seemed that the Second Young Lady of the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor had not realized that Ning Xueyan was satirizing her and was still challenging Ning Xueyan, looking at the Young Ladies around her.

 Chapter 257 - The Birthday Party of the Lord Guardianâ€™s Daughter

    <h4>Chapter 257 The Birthday Party of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Daughter</h4>

    ¡°What a piece of sensational news that the Second Madam of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor died at Eldest Young Lady¡¯s wedding ceremony! There are many interesting rumors about it,¡± Yun Luoluo said with a sneer.

    The way she spoke was very rude and she even made fun of Madam Ming¡¯s death! Ning Xueyan¡¯s face darkened at the words, a coldness shing in her eyes. As soon as Ning Ziying and Ning Xueyan¡¯s memories merged, she had regarded Madam Ming as her own mother, so of course she was annoyed when she heard Yun Luoluo insulting Madam Ming.

    With a sneer on her lips, she said, ¡°His Majesty has drawn the conclusion. Second Young Lady, aren¡¯t you satisfied with His Majesty¡¯s decision? It seems you have more guts than those officials and dare even speak out against His Majesty¡¯s will.¡±

    Although the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor was Empress Dowager¡¯s family home, she had died and all the other noble families knew that the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor was declining. Only very few young men of the Yun n were outstanding and they could hardly be the backbone of the manor. Except for Commandery Princess Xianyun, the Yun n could not bepared with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor at all.

    Being polite did not mean being tolerant. Ning Xueyan did not think that she should put up with such a person who was gossiping about her mother. If she did not fight back, she would not only swallow the bitterness silently but also be looked down upon by those noble Young Ladies as well.

    ¡°You...¡± As Ning Xueyan expected, hearing the words, Yun Luoluo blushed and did not know what to say.

    The emperor had made his attitude known through the punishment. Everyone knew that because the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor held the wedding for Ning Ziyan after Madam Ming had just died, Madam Ling had been beaten with sticks at the imperial pce and stripped of her title as the Marchioness. If Yun Luoluo still gossiped about this, it would be against the emperor¡¯s will.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, do you know who you are talking to? My master is Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s younger sister, Lord Peace¡¯s wedded wife¡¯s daughter. Do you know which manor Empress Dowager was from? The Lord Peace¡¯s Manor!¡± The maid behind Yun Luoluo suddenly stepped out of the crowd and shouted at Ning Xueyan. She raised her head high and pointed at Commandery Princess Xianyun when she spoke this.

    She specially mentioned that the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor was Empress Dowager¡¯s family home, hinting that in any case, Ning Xueyan¡¯s status was lower than her master¡¯s.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun seemed to be talking to a Young Lady with her head lowered and did not notice what was happening.

    Having got Ning Xueyan¡¯s hint, Lanning took a step forward and shot back. ¡°My master is talking to your master. You are just a maid. How dare you butt in? Did the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor teach you to speak in this way?¡± she asked in surprise with a faint smile.

    Lanning was the most capable and the smartest among Ning Xueyan¡¯s maids. She had sensed the anger in Ning Xueyan¡¯s words, so she immediately fought back without showing mercy. Seeing that the maid still wanted to say something although she was blushed with embarrassment, Lanning continued, ¡°Everyone present knows that Empress Dowager was from the Yun n, so it¡¯s unnecessary for a maid to remind the Young Ladies. Since Lord Peace¡¯s Manor is the most distinguisheddy, Empress Dowager¡¯s family home, of course her family is good at etiquette training. It¡¯s said that the Young Ladies from the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor are as well-bred as the empress.¡±

    ¡°Since you know it, how dare you...¡± The maid shot back subconsciously.

    ¡°How dare we? It seems you also think that the Young Ladies of the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor are as well-bred as the empress?¡± Lanning asked in surprise.

    ¡°Impudent! Go back to your ce!¡± Obviously, Commandery Princess Xianyun had found them fighting, so she shouted at the maid, raising her head.

    As well-bred as the empress? That meant the Young Ladies of the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor were likely to be the empress in the future. However, since the present empress was still on the throne, talking about another woman¡¯s potential to be the empress would be a taboo. Although the Yun n was Empress Dowager¡¯s family, nobody dared to talk about this.

    ¡°Humph! What an eloquent maid!¡± Yun Luoluo said angrily in a low voice. She was so angry that she gritted her teeth. However, since Commandery Princess Xianyun was annoyed, she did not dare to say anything offensive to Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Second Young Lady,pared to your maid, my maid is not that eloquent,¡± Ning Xueyan said carelessly with a smile.

    Looking at her delicate and charming face, Yun Luoluo became even angrier. She gritted her teeth and managed to hold back her anger. Although she was reckless, she was not stupid. If the emperor and the empress heard that some Young Lady of their manor had the potential to be the empress, it would bring disaster to their family. Since the emperor¡¯s sessor had not been decided yet, who dared to say that someone had the potential to be the future empress?

    It was easy to suspect that the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor was plotting something!

    Lord Peace¡¯s Manor could not afford the consequence of this.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, I¡¯m sorry for my younger sister¡¯s rudeness,¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun apologized with a smile. She was not partial to her sister while mediating the conflict between Ning Xueyan and Yun Luoluo. Compared to the narrow-minded Yun Luoluo, she was much more generous.

    ¡°Commandery Princess Xianyun, you are too modest. If Second Young Lady did not say something insulting to my mother, I would not have shot back,¡± Ning Xueyan said with a smile, neither humble nor arrogant. She was calm when she spoke this and looked noble even in front of the distinguished Commandery Princess Xianyun.

    ¡°Commandery Princess Xianyun, Xueyan, let¡¯s chat over there and have some tea.¡± As the host of the party, Heng Yuqing came over to mediate. She gestured Commandery Princess Xianyun to take a seat and then sat down next to her with Ning Xueyan.

    The tables were set in a circle with a big fire oven in the middle. The oven gave off a lot of heat and made the hall very warm.

    The Young Ladies were chatting behind the rectangle tables with fruits, desserts and tea, looking joyful.

    Instead of Heng Yuwan, it was Commandery Princess Xianyun who sat on the principal seat. Heng Yuwan and Yun Luoluo were sitting on both sides of her. Heng Yuqing had to sit at a ce far from the principal seat with Ning Xueyan by her side, and they were far from the oven as well. Fortunately, there were also some mall ovens in the room, so they did not feel cold.

    When Yun Luoluo found Ning Xueyan and Heng Yuqing sitting in the corner, she immediately shot a contemptuous re at them. ¡°Birds of a feather flock together. Unpresentable people like to get together.¡±

    Although she did not mention their names, from the direction she was looking in, everyone knew that she was talking about Ning Xueyan and Heng Yuqing.

    Hearing that, Heng Yuqing flew into a rage and was about to bang the table. She was a straightforward person. If her mother had not reminded her not to stir trouble, she would not have put up with Yun Luoluo for such a long time. Now she could not hold back her anger anymore under Yun Luoluo¡¯s repeated provocations and was about to stand up angrily.

    Ning Xueyan pulled her sleeve and made her sit down again. ¡°Yuqing, what¡¯s wrong with you? Are you going to bite a dog if it bit you?¡± she said with a gentle smile.

    She was talking to Heng Yuqing in a voice neither loud nor low. However, everyone heard it. Since Ning Xueyan was not talking to her, Yun Luoluo did not know what to say except for gritting her teeth. If she retorted, it was clear that what she had just said was aimed at Ning Xueyan.

    Fortunately, Commandery Princess Xianyun was a smart girl. She pretended that she heard nothing and began to chat casually with Yun Luoluo and several other Young Ladies. The tension was relieved and everyone¡¯s attention was drawn by them. Now no one was focusing on the conflict between Ning Xueyan and Yun Luoluo anymore.

    Seeing no one watching them, Ning Xueyan held up the tea cup and took a sip of tea. ¡°Does Commandery Princess Xianyun keep in touch with your second sister?¡± she asked in a low voice.

    ¡°No, she doesn¡¯t. Heng Yuwan said that her aunt was the remote rtive of the Yun n, so she could be regarded as the Empress Dowager¡¯s family member. However, Lord Peace¡¯s Manor has never sent anyone here, and obviously, no one admitted that she was the Empress Dowager¡¯s family member.¡± Heng Yuqing also felt a little strange after calming herself down.

    Every family had a few distant rtives who might be down, but normally, no one would like to admit that he was rted to such rtives as it would lower his status. Commandery Princess Xianyun was so distinguished, so of course she would not be proud that her rtive was a concubine.

    Then what was she doing here today?

    ¡°Since your mother was ill, why did your father still hold such a big birthday party for your sister?¡± Ning Xueyan asked with a frown and nced at those Young Ladies. All the Young Ladies present today were the principal wives¡¯ daughters of noble families and none of them was the daughter of the concubine. It seemed that Heng Yuwan only made friends with the noble Young Ladies, whose mothers were principal wives.

    How could so many principal wives¡¯ daughters were willing to make friends with a concubine¡¯s daughter?

    At the mention of it, Heng Yuqing became very resentful. She snorted and answered angrily, ¡°I don¡¯t know what my father is thinking about. My mother was so sick, but he followed his concubine¡¯s words and held the birthday party for her daughter. My mother did not want me to make any trouble, so I came here with Heng Yuwan.¡±

    When she talked about this, Heng Yuqing was in rage, an angry look crossing her eyes. Her mother had be ill with depression because her father only favored Heng Yuwan and that b*tch. He did not seem to think that he had done anything wrong and still treated Heng Yuqing and her mother indifferently, but spoiled his concubine¡¯s daughter so much, as if she were his wedded wife¡¯s daughter.

    The doctor had told Heng Yuqing that her mother might die soon. At the thought of this, she had an impulse to rush to Heng Yuwan and p her in the face.

    The party was really strange! The Hostess was sick but Lord Guardian still was in a mood to celebrate his concubine¡¯s daughter¡¯s birthday. It seemed he had really treated his concubine¡¯s daughter as his principal wife¡¯s daughter. Could it be because he would make Heng Yuwan¡¯s aunt the Hostess, Commandery Princess Xianyun hade here to attend the party?

    After all, having a rtive who was a lord¡¯s wedded wife would benefit Lord Peace¡¯s Manor a lot.

    However, Ning Xueyan was sensitive to the fact that it was not that simple. Heng Yuqing¡¯s grandfather was also powerful. What had made Lord Peace so confident that Lord Guardian would definitely make Concubine Yun his principal wife? Normally, even if Lord Guardian really wanted to do this, he had to wait for more than half a year. Then why did he hold such a big party for Heng Yuwan?

    ¡°Eldest Young Lady, Second Young Lady wanted you to go over and ask you something,¡± a maid whispered in Heng Yuqing¡¯s ear. Since Ning Xueyan kept an eye on Heng Yuqing, she heard every word clearly.

    ¡°What does she want with me?¡± Heng Yuqing stood up and said angrily. When she raised her head, she saw that Heng Yuwan was walking to the side door.

    ¡°I also feel stuffy here. Let¡¯s go over there and have a look!¡± Some Young Ladies felt tired after sitting for a long time, so they also stood up and walked to the window in small groups to enjoy the scenery and rx themselves.

 Chapter 258 - The Quarrel and the Unexpected Accident

    Chapter 258 The Quarrel and the Unexpected ident

    Heng Yuwan had arrived at the side door. She turned her head and smiled at Heng Yuqing brightly before walking behind the door.

    As soon as Heng Yuqing and Ning Xueyan arrived at the tform behind the door, Ning Xueyan smelt a medicine vor. Although the smell was faint, as Ning Xueyan had taken a lot of medicine since her childhood, she could tell that there was some medicine nearby.

    She looked down and saw the four older female servants still chatting behind that tree. Since she left just now, these servants had been there for some time. It was very suspicious that they had been talking for such a long facing the wind. Besides, Ning Xueyan felt like an older female servant raise her head and nce over to the tform.

    ¡°What did you want with me?¡± Heng Yuqing asked angrily, staring at Heng Yuwan.

    ¡°Eldest Sister, calm down. Why are you so angry every time you see me? I just want to ask if you want me to send some delicious food to our mother. After all, today is my birthday, so I should not neglect our mother,¡± Heng Yuwan said with a smile, as if she really cared about Lord Guardian¡¯s wedded wife.

    Heng Yuqing began to shiver with anger at the words.

    Heng Yuwan seemed to be talking about a servant, not the wedded wife of Lord Guardian, as if Heng Yuqing¡¯s mother could not get good food without her help. Furthermore, she was only a concubine¡¯s daughter. How could she speak lightly of the hostess of the manor, showing no respect, as if she was talking about a servant?

    ¡°You... How dare you say that?¡±

    ¡°Eldest Sister, I don¡¯t understand what you mean. Ah, I see! You mean I¡¯m just a concubine¡¯s daughter, right? Eldest Sister, don¡¯t worry. I will be the wedded wife¡¯s daughter soon. Then we will be on the same level and nobody will look down upon me again because of my identity.¡± Seeing Heng Yuqing trembling with anger, Heng Yuwan became even more triumphant, and her smile was brighter.

    It seemed that Heng Yuwan was not just saying that she wanted to be the wedded wife¡¯s daughter. She was hinting that if Lord Guardian¡¯s wedded wife died, her mother would be Lord Guardian¡¯s wedded wife, and then she would be the rightful wedded wife¡¯s daughter. Therefore, she was challenging Heng Yuqing on purpose now, but she looked at ease with a smiling face.

    On the contrary, Heng Yuqing was extremely angry. For Heng Yuwan, Ning Xueyan was just a passer-by, so she did not take her seriously. Anyway, Ning Xueyan was unremarked and nobody would believe what she said.

    Ning Xueyan had been thinking about the connection between the medicine smell and those older female servants. Now she suddenly figured it out, a coldness shing in her eyes. However, Heng Yuqing had been provoked and rushed toward Heng Yuwan, who was standing on the outside of the tform, as if she would fight her to the death. After all, nobody could stand the others insult his mother to his face.

    However, everything happened all of sudden, and Ning Xueyan had no time to tell Heng Yuqing what she was thinking about. She reached out and grabbed Lanning by the hand as she put out her foot and caught Heng Yuqing¡¯s, tripping Heng Yuqing by taking advantage of Lanning¡¯s strength. Since she was holding Lanning¡¯s hand firmly, she did not rush out.

    She then shouted anxiously, ¡°Second Young Lady, how can you...¡±

    Before she could continue, everybody heard a big bang. The Young Ladies who were enjoying scenery and chatting by the window had noticed the conflict between the two sisters. However, since they were a little far from them, and the two sisters quarreled in a low voice to avoid attention, they could not hear clearly what they were talking about.

    They only saw that Heng Yuqing was in rage while Heng Yuwan was smiling.

    As they were wondering what was happening, they suddenly heard a loud noise. When they looked in the direction, they saw Heng Yuqing falling straight into theke from the tform with a scream from Ning Xueyan.

    Heng Yuwan froze and looked nkly at theke below, and then at Ning Xueyan. She was so stunned that she could not even say a word.

    Knowing that Heng Yuqing was short-tempered, she and Concubine Yun had plotted to provoke her on purpose today, trying to make Heng Yuqing push her into theke out of anger. They had arranged for the older female servants waiting there and even prepared liquid medicine against colds in advance. However, nobody had thought that the person who had fallen into theke would be Heng Yuqing.

    The four older female servants had been waiting for a long time. They thought it must be Heng Yuwan in the water when they saw a person falling into theke from the tform and heard someone calling ¡®Second Young Lady¡¯. Therefore, they immediately jumped into theke and brought her to the bank. Theke was not deep, but it was very cold in winter. After rescuing Heng Yuqing, they covered her with a warm robe and then poured a bowl of liquid medicine into her mouth.

    At the moment, all the Young Ladies had rushed to the window to see what was happening.

    They saw Heng Yuqing trembling under the robe and Ning Xueyan standing on the tform with her maid¡¯s help with a pale face, speechless. Obviously, she was overwrought with fright.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun came with a few noble Young Ladies from the back door. ¡°Fifth Young Lady, what happened? ¡°she looked down with a frown and asked.

    Someone had taken Heng Yuqing to change clothes.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. It seemed Second Young Lady said something about Lord Guardian¡¯s wedded wife and annoyed Eldest Young Lady. Then Eldest Young Lady fell into the water.¡± Ning Xueyan seemed to havee back to herself and answered in a low voice. She raised her head and looked at Heng Yuwan suspiciously. Everyone knew what she was hinting.

    All the Young Ladies fixed their eyes on Heng Yuwan. Some of them did not see clearly what had happened, and they thought that Eldest Young Lady was losing her temper when they saw Heng Yuqing¡¯s resentful look. Now they knew that Heng Yuwan had provoked Heng Yuqing on purpose, so they drew the conclusion that Heng Yuwan had pushed Heng Yuqing into the water.

    As a concubine¡¯s daughter, she had even pushed her elder sister into the water in winter. Clearly, she had showed no respect to a wedded wife¡¯s daughter and she was a vicious girl.

    ¡°I did not. Fifth Young Lady, you are talking nonsense! I did not push her. She fell into theke by ident and it had nothing to do with me!¡± Heng Yuwan shouted anxiously, staring at Ning Xueyan angrily. She was dumbfounded as she had never thought that she would get into trouble.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say something about Lord Guardian¡¯s wedded wife? Didn¡¯t you argue with Eldest Young Lady? Those Young Ladies were not far from here when you were arguing just now, so I believe that they heard everything clearly!¡± Ning Xueyan said in confusion with a frown.

    Heng Yuwan had deliberately said those words to provoke Heng Yuqing. Although she had lowered her voice, she was not sure that nobody had heard what she said. Being used by Ning Xueyan, she thought that someone had heard what she said, so she did not dare to deny and had no idea what to say.

    From her look, everyone could tell that Heng Yuwan had said something offensive about Heng Yuqing¡¯s mother. Now they were sure that it was Heng Yuwan, who had pushed her elder sister into theke. Thinking about this, the way those Young Ladies looked at Heng Yuwan changed. All the Young Ladies present were wedded wives¡¯ daughters. Although they hade at Heng Yuwan¡¯s invitation, they could not bear Heng Yuwan, a concubine¡¯s daughter, setting up a wedded wife¡¯s daughter like this.

    ¡°The Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor is really disciplined! It seems she invited us toe here to witness how she would bully the wedded wife¡¯s daughter. Obviously, she wanted to warn us!¡± A straightforward Young Lady could not help mocking Heng Yuwan.

    ¡°No... that¡¯s not the case. You misunderstood me! My sister fell into theke because of her carelessness. I, I didn¡¯t push her!¡± Heng Yuwan stammered with tears in her eyes, trying to defending herself.

    ¡°Carelessness? I remember that Eldest Young Lady was standing closer to the inside than you were,¡± Ning Xueyan said after thinking for a while.

    ¡°Yes, I saw them just now. It¡¯s true that Eldest Young Lady was a little closer to the inside,¡± someone said in agreement.

    ¡°It seemed that Second Young Lady sent someone to ask Eldest Young Lady out. I saw a maiding over to Eldest Young Lady before Eldest Young Lady came out.¡± Another Young Lady remembered something.

    When they were buzzing, Lord Guardian hurried over from a path under the tform. Hearing something bad happened, he immediately came. When he saw the female servants under the tform, he asked angrily, ¡°What happened?¡±

    The servant who had reported to him did not know exactly about what had happened and spoken in a confused way. He had no idea who had fallen into the water. Lord Guardian knew that all the guests were high-rank officials¡¯ wedded wives¡¯ daughters, and no matter who had fallen into the water, it might cause big trouble. Therefore, he immediately ran over at the news.

    ¡°I, I don¡¯t know.¡± The older female servants had been waiting below to provide immediate rescue in case that Heng Yuwan fell into theke. However, as everything had happened all of sudden and they acted in a hurry, they did not felt anything wrong just now. Now they just remembered that the person they rescued looked the same as Eldest Young Lady.

    At the thought of what Concubine Yun said, they were in a panic and could not exin it clearly for the moment.

    ¡°Lord Guardian, it was Eldest Young Lady of your manor who fell into theke.¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun was the most distinguished among the Young Ladies on the tform, so she had to walk out from the crowd and answer Lord Guardian¡¯s question.

    ¡°Commandery Princess Xianyun, do you know how Qing¡¯er fell into the water?¡± Knowing that the Young Lady who had fallen into theke was not from other manors, Lord Guardian took a sigh of relief. What he asked was only out of politeness. He had never liked his eldest daughter and more favored his second daughter, who always acted cute around him.

    ¡°Lord Guardian, it¡¯s said that Second Young Lady pushed Eldest Young Lady into the water.¡± Although Commandery Princess Xianyun did not tell the whole story, the other Young Ladies on the tform supplemented the information fairly.

    ¡°No! Father, I did not do that,¡± Heng Yuwan was anxious and said loudly to Lord Guardian below.

    ¡°There may be some misunderstanding!¡± Lord Guardian lowered his voice when he heard that it was Heng Yuwan who had pushed Heng Yuqing into theke. Besides, he looked a little hesitant when he spoke this. Everyone could tell that he was partial to Second Young Lady.

    ¡°Second Young Lady, more than one Young Lady saw what was happening,¡± Ning Xueyan said to Heng Yuwan gently.

    By now, all the Young Ladies had known that Lord Guardian was partial to his second daughter. It was very doubtful that to celebrate the birthday for a concubine¡¯s daughter, all the guests they had invited were wedded wives¡¯ daughters. Now Lord Guardian¡¯s concubine¡¯s daughter had even pushed his wedded wife¡¯s daughter into theke, but Lord Guardian did not seem to want to punish her. Since they were all wedded wives¡¯ daughters, and at the thought of their sisters whose mothers were concubines, all the Young Ladies stood on Heng Yuqing for the moment.

    ¡°It¡¯s no wonder that the others said that Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor was declining. They treat the concubine¡¯s daughter even better than the wedded wife¡¯s daughter!¡±

    ¡°Sure enough! It¡¯s unbelievable that a concubine¡¯s daughter dared to bully the wedded wife¡¯s daughter. I will tell the people of other manors when I go back. They must think it¡¯s ridiculous!¡±

    ¡°Definitely! I will tell those honored consorts in the imperial pce this joke when I attend the Beauty Contest after a few days.¡± The Young Ladies on the tform were very resentful and began to mock the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor.

    Although they did not speak loudly, Lord Guardian heard every word clearly and became anxious. If this news spread out, plus his wedded wife was still sick, he would get into big trouble. Moreover, his wedded wife¡¯s family was powerful and mighte to make a scene.

 Chapter 259 - He Turned out to be the Man I Am Looking for

    Chapter 259 He Turned out to be the Man I Am Looking for

    ¡°Come down and apologize to your eldest sister!¡± Weighing the pros and cons, Lord Guardian decided to be ¡®fair¡¯, so he immediately shouted at Heng Yuwan.

    It meant that he had admitted that Heng Yuwan pushed Heng Yuqing into the winter. How could Heng Yuwan take the me? She sobbed and protested, ¡°Father, I did not...¡±

    Lord Guardian was heartbroken when he saw his second daughter crying. However, after thinking it over and looking at the Young Ladies present, who were all the wedded wives¡¯ daughters of other manors, he knew that he should not be partial to Heng Yuwan anymore. Then he shook his sleeve and turned to leave without looking at Heng Yuwan.

    Feeling unjustly used of trying to murder her sister, Heng Yuwan ran away, crying. Except for Ning Xueyan, the Young Ladies on the tform did not see any point in staying, so they all left. Ning Xueyan told the maid of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor that she wanted to see how Heng Yuqing was doing. She was worried that Heng Yuqing might fall ill from fright after falling into theke in such a cold winter.

    All the maids had known that Eldest Young Lady fell into the water and Second Young Lady was humiliated in front of people. Since all the guests were noble Young Ladies, hearing that one of them wanted to visit Eldest Young Lady, the maids did not dare to ignore her request, so they ran to report to their master. After a short while, a maid came over and led Ning Xueyan to Heng Yuqing¡¯s courtyard.

    After returning to her own courtyard, Heng Yuqing had changed her clothes. She had been rescued in time. After being brought to the bank, she was covered with a warm robe and took a bowl of liquid medicine. A moment ago after she had brought back to her courtyard, the maid served her with a bowl of hot and spicy ginger soup, so she felt much better now. She asked all the others out when she heard that Ning Xueyan wasing.

    Heng Yuqing got off the bed and bowed to Ning Xueyan formally. ¡°Sister Xueyan, thank you very much! Without your help, I will be used of pushing Heng Yuwan into the water.¡±

    Although she was straightforward, she was smart. She had been frightened to death just now, but when she calmed down and thought it over, she suspected that everything had been prepared¡ªthe old female servants, the liquid medicine and the warm robe. Besides, she had been rescued and wrapped with a robe as soon as she fell into theke.

    Everything happened in order, so clearly, this had been plotted. Plus the obvious provocative words Heng Yuwan had said and where she had been, all these showed that Heng Yuwan had designed this to let the others think that Heng Yuqing was vicious and wanted to murder her sister.

    If that was the case, they wouldin to her mother who was still sick. It would aggravate her mother¡¯s illness. At the thought of this, Heng Yuqing broke out in a cold sweat and she was shocked by Concubine Yun and Heng Yuwan¡¯s evil intentions.

    Ning Xueyan helped her up and let her lie in bed again. She then sat down on the bed. ¡°Yuqing, you don¡¯t have to thank me. I happened to be there when she tried to frame you. You should be more cautious in the future,¡± she said with a slight smile.

    Like Ning Zu¡¯an, Lord Guardian was also a scum! Ning Xueyan appreciated Heng Yuqing because she was a straightforward person. Although she was a little short-tempered, she was very kind. Therefore, she would not stand by if she could help.

    However, she could not help Heng Yuqing all the time if such things happened again, so Heng Yuqing had to rely on herself. In the same way, if Ning Xueyan had been timid and hidden at Bright Frost Garden all the time, Madam Ling would not spare her.

    Compared to the former Ning Xueyan, who had been bullied by Madam Ling, Heng Yuqing had her mother with her, and her situation was better.

    ¡°To avoid Concubine Yun fromining to my mother, I attended Heng Yuwan¡¯s birthday party and showed my sincerity. My mother is ill and she cannot stand any mental blow anymore. However, I did not expect that they were so vicious and did not even spare a patient!¡± Heng Yuqing said with tears in her eyes, holding Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand.

    ¡°If I had pushed Heng Yuwan into the water today, my mother might be enraged to death and I would be the sinner of our manor. If my uncle came to our manor, my father would me me for everything and told him that I caused all the trouble.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, you would feel guilty about Heng Yuwan. Therefore, if Lord Guardian wants to make Heng Yuwan¡¯s mother his wedded wife, you and your uncle can¡¯t stop him from doing this,¡± Ning Xueyan said slowly after a short silence.

    The two of them figured out the whole scheme of Concubine Yun and Heng Yuwan.

    ¡°I won¡¯t let them get away with it! A few days ago, we received the Beauty Contest candidate list with my name on it. However, my father told my mother that he wanted to keep me at the manor to take care of my mother and let Heng Yuwan attend the contest instead of me. Besides, he wanted to upgrade Concubine Yun to his co-wife so that she was qualified to go to the imperial pce. I am not going to give my ce to Heng Yuwan!¡±

    Heng Yuqing sneered with reddish eyes. She had wanted to agree with her father not to go to the imperial pce to attend the Beauty Contest. However, she had changed her mind now and she would never give Heng Yuwan any opportunity to rise high.

    ¡°Are all the noble Young Ladies who came today going to attend the Beauty Contest at the imperial pce?¡± Ning Xueyan suddenly asked.

    Since Heng Yuqing had her own n, Ning Xueyan shifted the topic. Every family had their own problems. She was having a hard time protecting herself, so she could not help the others too much. Heng Yuqing had to rely on herself. Since she was clear about the current situation now, she would not fall into other people¡¯s traps easily in the future. Besides, she had a powerful uncle.

    ¡°Yes. All these lords¡¯ wedded wives¡¯ daughters will attend the Beauty Contest. Their family background and appearance are all the best,¡± Heng Yuqing said, wiping tears off her cheeks.

    ¡°Will Commandery Princess Xianyun also go to the imperial pce to attend the Beauty Contest?¡± Ning Xueyan asked in confusion. Commandery Princess Xianyun was so noble. How could she also attend the contest?

    ¡°Commandery Princess Xianyun does not need to attend the Beauty Contest, but...¡± Heng Yuqing hesitated for a short moment and then lowered her voice. ¡°It¡¯s said that His Majesty would pick a husband for her,¡± she said.

    The emperor would pick a husband for Commandery Princess Xianyun? Since she was so noble and also the Empress Dowager¡¯s family¡¯s eldest daughter, the emperor would definitely choose a prince or a noble childe as noble as her to be her husband. Only very few noble childes in the capital could match Commandery Princess Xianyun.

    Ning Xueyan poured a ss of water and handed it to Heng Yuqing. ¡°So Second Young Lady of the Yuns will also attend the Beauty Contest?¡± Ning Xueyan asked carelessly.

    ¡°Lord Peace¡¯s Manor will only send Yun Luoluo to attend the contest. I heard that all the Young Ladies who came today would attend the Beauty Contest, so she was very mean to those who were more beautiful than her. Since she was distinguished, she thought that she would definitely be Fourth Prince¡¯s wedded wife, so you should be careful.¡± Although Heng Yuqing was unfavored in her family, both the Hengs and her mother¡¯s family had reminded her about this.

    Compared to Ning Xueyan, she was much well-informed.

    Ning Xueyan frowned slightly, but soon a faint, confident smile appeared on her lips.

    Aftering out from the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor, Ning Xueyan did not return to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, but asked the driver to bring her to the west gate of the city. Finally, the carriage stopped in front of a book shop. Lanning put on a curtained hat for Ning Xueyan and then helped her out of the carriage.

    The book shop was not big. It had two rooms and two floors. There were some pens, inks, paper, and ink-stones downstairs and all the books were on the second floor. There were only three or four guests on the first floor.

    Ning Xueyan picked out a few things before going upstairs. She found there were more guests on the second floor than on the first. The books on the shelves were piled up even taller than a man. Ning Xueyan had to stand on tiptoe to reach the books on the top of the shelf. Lanning was a little bit shorter than her.

    Ning Xueyan happened to take a fancy to a book on the top of the shelf. Since she was the master, of course, Lanning should take the book off for her. However, Lanning was too short to reach the book and failed after a few tries. ¡°Miss, I can¡¯t reach it,¡± she turned to Ning Xueyan and said anxiously.

    ¡°Let me help you!¡± Before Ning Xueyan could say anything, a man¡¯s voice rang out loudly. He reached out a hand and took the book off easily. He then gave it to Ning Xueyan.

    This was a young man of seventeen or eighteen. Although he did not wear silk clothes, he was neatly dressed and made people feel good.

    ¡°Thank you, sir!¡± Ning Xueyan bowed to him politely, taking the book from him. She then walked to the side to read. However, Lanning seemed to be curious about this young man and could not help observing him. He collected those books in a mess and put them to the side. Then he picked up a book and had a look at it before walking to a table in the corner and sitting down.

    Lanning had nothing to do for the moment, so she walked to the table following the young man. ¡°What are you doing, Sir?¡± she asked when she saw him copying something with a brush pen on a nk book.

    ¡°I have only one copy of this book and it was ordered by a guest, but several other guests also wanted to buy it, so I¡¯m making some copies. After finishing copying, I will send them to those guests,¡± The young man smiled at Lanning and answered gently. He did not look down upon her because she was only a maid.

    ¡°Sir, are you working in this shop?¡± Hearing what he said, Lanning became even more curious. She blinked her eyes and looked at the words he had copied. She had not known a word before, but during the three years she served Ning Ziying, Ning Ziying had taught her to read when she was free, so Lanning knew some simple words.

    The young man blushed when he saw a beautiful maide closer and talk to him. He felt uneasy and moved a little backward. ¡°This shop is owned by my teacher. I wille here to help him when I¡¯m free,¡± he answered shyly.

    ¡°Your teacher? Sir, so you are still a student? Which academy are you studying in? I wonder if you are studying in the same academy as our Eldest Young Master!¡± Lanning seemed to have found that it was improper to be so close to him, so she took several steps backward, but still asked with a smile, looking curious.

    The young man was abstracted by Lanning¡¯s series of questions. He stopped copying and raised his head politely. ¡°I¡¯m studying at Qingyun Academy. Which manor are you from?¡± he asked back.

    He had lowered his head or turned his head to the side when he spoke to Lanning just now. Besides, it was a little dark in the corner. Therefore, Lanning could not see his face clearly until he looked up. In the sunlight, she saw a handsome, vaguely familiar face.

    Ning Xueyan was in no mood to read. She fixed her eyes on the familiar face through the veil of her hat. Undoubtedly, the young man bore some resemnce to Ning Huaiyuan, especially his eyes and nose. He was seventy or eighty percent like Ning Huaiyuan, or maybe Ning Zu¡¯an.

    ¡°He turned out to be the man I am looking for!¡± Ning Xueyan thought.

    ¡°We came from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. The Eldest Young Master of our manor is studying at the biggest academy in the capital. Sir, do you know our Eldest Young Master?¡± Lanning kept on asking, just like an ordinary lively maid, as if she had not noticed that the young man¡¯s face suddenly darkened when she mentioned the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    The gentleness on his face was reced by coldness. ¡°You are from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? Who is that Young Lady?¡± The young man sized up Ning Xueyan, who seemed to be focusing on her reading, and asked in a low voice.

 Chapter 260 - Sir, Are You From the Qingyun Academy?

    <h4>Chapter 260 Sir, Are You From the Qingyun Academy?</h4>

    ¡°Sir, are you from the Qingyun Academy?¡± While they were talking, Ning Xueyan had put down her book and came over gracefully. She bowed to the young man politely.

    ¡°Yes!¡± Although he was a little bit unpleasant, the young man still bowed to Ning Yueyan politely before answering her question. Obviously, he was well-educated.

    ¡°Sir, we are going to the Qingyun Academy to give something to a person. I wonder if you know him.¡± Ning Xueyan continued with a smile, ¡°Sir, can you give it to him for me when you go back to the academy?¡±

    ¡°Whom are you talking about?¡± the young man sized up Ning Xueyan. However, he could not see her face clearly except for vaguely telling that it was a girl with a veil.

    ¡°Ning Huaijing. Do you know him, sir?¡± Ning Xueyan asked in a soft voice.

    ¡°Ning Huaijing?¡± The young man was so shocked and his eyelid twitched unconsciously, the look in his eyes bing even colder. He stared at Ning Xueyan and answered after a while, ¡°What¡¯s the rtionship between you and him? Why are you looking for him?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not looking for him. My father asked me to bring something to him. As for what¡¯s the rtionship between us, maybe he is my father¡¯s nephew of our n.¡± Ning Xueyan nced at the young man¡¯s tight lips. Now the coldness in his eyes had disappeared, but she had seen it clearly just now.

    ¡°Lanning, bring me the bag. I will ask this childe to take it to the academy,¡± Ning Xueyan turned her head and said to Lanning.

    Hearing that, Lanning ran downstairs. After a while, she brought a small bag upstairs and ced it on the table in front of the young man.

    ¡°Ning Huaijing does not have any high-rank official rtives. Miss, I think you must be mistaken.¡± The young man sneered when he looked at the bag. He was no longer gentle and shy, but a little aggressive.

    With that, he smashed his brush pen and rushed downstairs without looking at Ning Xueyan and Lanning.

    Through the second-floor window, Ning Xueyan saw him walking out of the book shop. He was so angry that he even stop copying the book!

    ¡°Miss, what shall we do?¡± Watching the young man going away, Lanning became anxious. They hade to the shop for Ning Huaijing. How could he be so impatient and leave so soon?

    This bag contained more than just homely clothes and books.

    ¡°Give the bag to the shop owner and ask him to turn it over to Ning Huaijing of the Qingyun Academy.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled slightly with satisfaction. She was pleased because Ning Huaijing did not seem to be happy when he heard that Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had brought something to him. The coldness in his eyes upended his gentle image, but it made Ning Xueyan more satisfied with him.

    She did not need an overly kind person. If he was too kind, he would end up as miserable as Ning Ziying.

    It seemed that Ning Huaijing also hated Ning Zu¡¯an, just like Ning Xueyan did, so he would be an ideal person to help her to deal with Ning Zu¡¯an.

    It seemed that Ning Zu¡¯an loved Madam Ling very much and to make Madam Ling his wedded wife, he had even yed tricks and degraded his previous wedded wife. However, nobody would have thought that Ning Zu¡¯an had another bastard. This young man looked about Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s age and there could not be much difference in their age. After his birth, Ning Zu¡¯an had never mentioned him in front of people and nobody knew who he was.

    Afterward, he went to the Qingyun Academy to study. Although Qingyun Academy was unremarkable in the capital and could only be regarded as a third-ss academy, many students went there to study. Therefore, the tuition could not be cheap. Ning Huaijing had studied in this academy since he was very young, and by now, he had been studying there for almost ten years. His ssmates only knew that his family was poor and his mother was a widow. In addition to this, they knew nothing about him.

    As he grew older, he began to help his teacher to copy books at the book shop. If he had spare time, he would read some books to acquire knowledge.

    After a few years, he was kind of well-known in the Qingyun Academy. Not only the teacher thought highly of him, but the ssmates respected him as well.

    Ning Xueyan had been suspicious about Ning Zu¡¯an, so she asked Lanning to go to the Qingyun Academy to seek information about a student whose surname was Ning. Lanning told her several students¡¯ names. When she heard Ning Huaijing¡¯s name, Ning Xueyan had a feeling that he was the man she was looking for. She heard that Ning Huaijing would stay at the book shop for a while every day, so she specially came here to meet him.

    Now she was very satisfied with him.

    Because of Ning Huaiyuan, nobody could bring Madam Ling down. Since Madam Ling was Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s mother, Ning Xueyan was sure that Madam Ling was almost invincible in the future. However, if without Ning Huaiyuan, or Ning Zu¡¯an had another son who was more outstanding than him, Ning Huaiyuan might not be Princely Heir of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor in the future.

    Now she needed to approach Ning Huaijing gradually and put him off his guard little by little.

    Ning Xueyan knew that she should be patient and it was unnecessary to act in a hurry. She would let the others know this person at the right time. She wondered what Madam Dowager would think when she was told that she had another grandson outside the manor.

    They gave the bag to the ountant of the book shop. Of course, the ountant knew his master¡¯s favorite student. He immediately promised that he would turn over the bag to Ning Huaijing when he heard that what in the bag were some clothes and books from Ning Huaijing¡¯s family. From the way Ning Xueyan and Lanning dressed, the ountant could tell that they were from a rich family. He was a little surprised because he had never heard that Childe Ning had any rich rtives. However, since they did not want to tell him, he did not dare to inquire more.

    Ning Xueyan got in the carriage with Lanning and asked the driver to bring them back to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor directly. After returning to the manor, she went to Madam Dowager¡¯s courtyard to offer her greetings.

    Madam Dowager was a little surprised when she saw Ning Xueyaning back so early. ¡°You went to Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor, didn¡¯t you? Why did youe back so early?¡± she asked.

    Madam Dowager looked out the window and estimated that it was not noon yet, so she was surprised about Ning Xueyan¡¯sing back.

    ¡°The two Young Ladies of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor had a quarrel, so all the guests went back to their manors,¡± Ning Xueyan exined softly. She knew that she could not hide this from Madam Dowager, because soon, the news would spread throughout the capital. Of course, she would not hide the news for Heng Yuwan.

    ¡°The two Young Ladies quarreled in front of so many people?¡± Madam Dowager asked with a frown. She was surprised that the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor was so unruly. The two Young Ladies had gone too far to fight in front of the guests. No matter how much they hated each other, they should solve their problems privately.

    ¡°They quarreled for a while, and then Second Young Lady pushed Eldest Young Lady into the river,¡± Ning Xueyan told her the story briefly.

    ¡°Lord Guardian is bing more useless and cannot even well discipline his daughters! Don¡¯t be close to the people from such families. They treat the concubine¡¯s daughter even better than the wedded wife¡¯s, so it is no wonder that their families are declining.¡± Madam Dowager reminded with a look of contempt as if she would abase herself if she had any connection with the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor.

    Ning Xueyan was scornful at Madam Dowager¡¯s pretentious words with a trace of sarcasm crossing her eyes. Madam Dowager did not seem to have realized that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was no better than the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor while using the others. To some extent, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was even more shameless. However, people had not found out all their dirty businesses yet.

    After saying goodbye to Madam Dowager, Ning Xueyan returned to Bright Frost Garden. Qingyu brought a basket of food from the kitchen to Ning Xueyan when she knew that she had been back. It happened to be lunchtime. After a busy morning, Ning Xueyan was really tired. Since her trip was so fruitful, Ning Xueyan was in a good mood and took a little more food than usual.

    After Ning Xueyan finished her lunch, Qingyu cleared the table and handed an invitation card to her.

    ¡°Miss, Fourth Prince¡¯s men brought it to you, saying that Fourth Prince wanted to invite you to watch thentern show on the Little New Year.¡±

    These were traditional customs to put thenterns into the river, enjoy thenterns and race dragon boats on the Little New Year. On that cheerful day, people would be less constrained and even the noble Young Ladies did not have to wear the curtained hats when they went out. Furthermore, they could hang out with their friends and stay outte.

    It was heard that the brave men would confess his love to his beloved girl that day and the girl would not think that he was offensive.

    Ning Ziying had watched thentern show on the same day in three consecutive years. Every year, Xia Yuhang would apany her to watch the show. However, he had only celebrated the festival with her alone in the first year. In the following two years, Ning Ziyan was being with them. Although Ning Ziying did not know the affairs between Xia Yuhang and Ning Ziyan, she had felt that thenterns were not as attractive as before.

    It would be her first time to watch thentern show after rebirth. She had never thought that Fourth Prince would send the invitation card to her.

    ¡°Send the invitation card back to Fourth Prince. Thank him for his invitation and tell him that I will watch thentern show with my sisters of our manor,¡± Ning Xueyan gave the invitation card back to Qingyu and said calmly.

    Of course, the masters of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would watch thentern show on this festive asion. Although Ning Xueyan had never been out with the others of the manor on the same day in the previous years, she knew that Lord Protector would reserve tables in the restaurants on both sides of theke where the dragon boat race would be held. After watching thentern show, they would watch the dragon boat race there.

    She had learned it from Ning Ziyan. Obviously, as a lonely girl who was only a rtive of the Nings, Ning Ziying had not been qualified to watch the dragon boat at the restaurant.

    ¡°Miss, I¡¯m afraid that Madam Dowager will be unpleasant if you refuse Fourth Prince¡¯s invitation at such a moment,¡± Qingyu said uneasily, looking at the invitation card in her hands. Madam Dowager¡¯s servant, Mother Qin, had brought the invitation card to her, so obviously, Madam Dowager had known about this and acquiesced in epting Fourth Prince¡¯s invitation. Therefore, it might annoy Madam Dowager if Ning Xueyan sent the invitation back.

    Ning Xueyan was clear what Madam Dowager was thinking about and knew that she would not miss any opportunity to curry favor with the imperial family. She leaned back and said with a sneer, ¡°If Madam Dowager¡¯s servants ask about this, just tell them that the Beauty Contest ising, so it is improper to have too much to do with the imperial members. Otherwise, we may make more enemies.¡±

    It seemed that Ning Qingshan would definitely marry Third Prince. People from other manors would not like to see another Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor being so close with Fourth Prince. The result of the Beauty Contest was unforeseen, so Madam Dowager would not want to make so many enemies for the moment.

    Qingyu was much more experienced than before, and she immediately understood her master¡¯s intention. ¡°Got it. I will ask Mother Qin to tell Madam Dowager about what you said right now. Can I give the invitation card back to Mother Qin by the way?¡± She thought for a while and asked, putting away the invitation card.

    ¡°Okay! Let Mother Qin transfer the message to Madam Dowager and let her think about the wording on her own,¡± Ning Xueyan said with an idle smile. She was satisfied with Qingyu¡¯s inferences.

    She did not want to have anything to do with the Third Prince and Fourth Prince for the moment. The Lunar New Year wasing, so she would be very busy. It was easier to find out some problems by the end of the year.

    For example, the problems with the ount books.

 Chapter 261 - Meeting Chen Qing Again

    <h4>Chapter 261 Meeting Chen Qing Again</h4>

    Outside the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    A ragged young man craned his neck and peered at the door around the corner countless times. Just when he felt impatient with all this waiting, he saw a womaning out from the manor at a distance, and felt relieved. He came out, waved to her and then returned to the corner.

    At this time, Chen Qing was a vagrant. He was penniless, so he had to return to the capital city.

    ¡°How dare youe back? If First Madam finds out that you are back, you¡¯ll be killed!¡± Mother Chen frowned and whispered, as she went round the corner and saw Chen Qing.

    ¡°Aunt, it¡¯s been so long. Is First Madam still looking for me?¡± Chen Qing had suffered a lot during this period. After being told, he turned pale with fear.

    How was he to know that it was the Second Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? It happened so fast. He had asked the man to paint the Fifth Young Lady. Unexpectedly, the man painted Second Young Lady instead. When he heard the news, Chen Qing felt terrible at first. So, he immediately packed up and ran away.

    ¡°No matter how long it takes, Madam will never forget it. She will kill you the way she squishes a bug.¡± Seeing him obsessed with the wrong ideas, Mother Chen stomped and cursed in rage.

    Madam Ling was a grudge holder and ruthless woman. If Madam Ling found out that Chen Qing, who had hurt Second Young Lady, was back to the capital city, he would be killed, and maybe she could not even save her own life by then. Therefore, as soon as she received the message from Chen Qing, she came to look for him, for fear that Madam Ling¡¯s men would discover it.

    ¡°Let her get over it. I won¡¯t die that easily. Aunt, she started a rumor that I had an affair with that Young Lady to destroy her reputation. At that time, I was the one who drew the picture, which was used as evidence of our affair. For fear that she would go back on her word, I kept the letter she sent. If she tries to frame me, I¡¯ll use it as evidence...¡±

    Chen Qing said this proudly, with malice and insidiousness in his eyes. He had suffered a lot after he ran away. He was not aplished at either the pen or the sword. If the situation continued like this, he would be doomed to die. After figuring it out, Chen Qing returned to the capital city at once. Anyway, he had the proof in his hands. If Madam Ling wanted to kill him, it would not be easy.

    Mother Chen covered his mouth, ¡°Small ancestor, you... you dare to threaten the Madam. Are you courting death?¡±

    Mother Chen trembled with fear and said this hurriedly. Back then, Chen Qing fooled her into thinking that he had burned the letter from Madam Ling. Unexpectedly, Chen Qing had kept the letter. She was frightened out of her wits. Madam Ling was a hard woman to deal with. Otherwise, she would not have been able to rise to the position of First Madam of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, from that of a mistress.

    ¡°Aunt,¡± Chen Qing shook off her hands and said proudly, ¡°Aunt, you know so many secrets about First Madam. Aren¡¯t you afraid that she will kill you? She needs you right now, but soon, you¡¯ll be useless. Then, you¡¯ll be doomed to die because you know too much. I heard that an older female servant lost her life, after being abandoned by the madam.¡±

    Hearing that, Mother Chen felt terrified.

    She was Madam Ling¡¯s best assistant now, but who was it before? Madam Ling had always valued Mammy Yun most, but what had happened to her? Mother Chen did not know the actual facts, but heard that Mammy Yun had fled, when the manor was in chaos. Of course, Mother Chen did not believe that. No one believed that they could escape from the mansion. If so, Mammy Yun was exceptionally adept in trickery.

    But what if we put it in another way? Mammy Yun might have been killed by Madam Ling to keep her mouth shut.

    ¡°Aunt, have you ever thought that she died because she knew too much?¡± Seeing Mother Chen¡¯s face turning deathly pale, Chen Qing knew that he had guessed right, so he tried harder to persuade her.

    ¡°What ... am I supposed to do?¡± Mother Chen asked, after she trembled for a while. Now, she was in a state of utter distress. At the thought that Mammy Yun was murdered, probably because she knew too much, she felt fearful and panicky, and her heart pounded incessantly, because she also knew a lot of things. First Madam had no time to deal with her during this period. Perhaps First Madam would get even with herter.

    ¡°Aunt, we have insufficient evidence about how First Madam framed that youngdy. Can you go to the yard where she lives and find a few more tokens? At that time, all the tokens that First Madam gave to me were sent out with the picture. I hardly had time and kept only a few tokens. If so, we can convince the others.¡±

    Chen Qing thought for a moment and said this, as he came to his senses. At that time, he had stolen a few nces at thedy. After drawing her, he took some personal items from Madam Ling, such as handkerchiefs, and put them together. All the things were ¡°seized on the spot¡± and became evidence of her infidelity. He wanted to keep a few items, but the men sent by Madam Ling were watching closely, so he had no chance.

    Now, he thought if he had kept a few pieces of evidence, it would be more convincing. Madam Ling said in the letter that she would send him something to use as evidence.

    ¡°Aunt, I don¡¯t want to deal with First Madam. As long as she does not bother me and she can provide food for me, I will not do such a thing. Now, I¡¯m being driven to death. Aunt, I ever nned to look after you in your old age and ord you a decent burial. If I die, no one will set up a memorial tablet for you.¡±

    Seeing that Mother Chen was still hesitant, Chen Qing added the trimmings, and looked at Mother Chen with sincerity.

    Mother Chen was a widow without a child, so she treated her nephew like a son, in her heart. After she listened to his grievances and looked at him, she knew that he was driven against the wall.

    If he had not been framed, he would not be willing to turn against the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. If the madam did not deal with her and Chen Qing, they would keep this matter private. She nodded, ¡°Ok, I promise you, but you must promise me that you will not take those things out, unless you have no alternative. ¡±

    ¡°Aunt, please be assured. Even if I garnered my courage, I would not dare to turn against Lord Protector¡¯s First Madam. If she gives me a chance to live, I will not disclose it.¡± Chen Qing rolled his eyes and patted his chest to guarantee that.

    Hearing that, Mother Chen breathed a sigh of relief. She took out some silver, gave it to Chen Qing and asked him to find a ce to hide. As long as he did not appear in front of First Madam, he would be fine. After all, it had been so long. Moreover, Second Young Lady had run into some trouble after the incident, which had nothing to do with Chen Qing. Perhaps First Madam had forgotten about Chen Qing¡¯s involvement.

    Sheforted herself on the way to the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard. Before she reached the gate of the courtyard, she saw a maid running hurriedly toward her. When she saw Mother Chen, she caught her breath and said quickly, ¡°Mother Chen, where did you go?¡±

    Mother Chen had a guilty conscience. After being asked, she thought she¡¯d been spotted, and cold sweat appeared on her forehead. She shouted, ¡°What... what¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°First Madam woke up and was looking for you. She could not find you. She¡¯s losing her temper. You¡¯d better go back as soon as possible.¡± The maid wiped away the sweat.

    ¡°Oh, OK, OK, I¡¯ll be right there.¡± Knowing that she had not been spotted when she met Chen Qing outside the manor, Mother Chen was relieved. She rxed, immediately replied, and hurried away.

    ¡°Mother Chen, you¡¯re so blessed. She trusts you so much and needs you for everything. You¡¯re her closest associate.¡± The maid sighed with envy behind her. Hearing that, Mother Chen felt her legs grow weak and almost fell. She hurriedly reached out to hold on to the wall, so that she did not fall on the spot.

    The more you know, the faster you will die! Chen Qing¡¯s words echoed in her mind once again. She immediately turned pale. She did not want to die so soon. No. She could die from some unknown cause and then it would be said that she had escaped like Mammy Yun.

    So, she had to save herself. Chen Qing was right. Having proof of First Madam¡¯s guilt in her hand was better than to die from some unknown cause.

    If she had vacited earlier, she was very determined now. She gritted her teeth, said nothing more to the maid behind her, and hurriedly ran inside.

    Seeing that Mother Chen had staggered and almost fallen down, the maid wanted to curry favor with her by rushing to help her. Unexpectedly, Mother Chen stood up at once and ran off like a rabbit. Although she was old, she could run rather fast. It was no wonder that First Madam thought highly of her.

    When Mother Chen ran hurriedly into Madam Ling¡¯s room, she found Madam Ling in a furious mood. Two maids knelt aside and trembled. Madam Ling looked solemn, and her hair was disheveled, which made her look terrifying. She always had a serious face, but now she seemed to be more impatient and irritable.

    ¡°First Madam, are you looking for me?¡± Mother Chen caught her breath and came forward to greet her.

    ¡°Where did you go?¡± Madam Ling cast a cold look on Mother Chen, her eyes looking like a viper¡¯s eyes. Her stare made Mother Chen feel frightened.

    ¡°I... I wanted to ask the Eldest Young Master if the famous doctor whom he mentionedst time, had gone to see Second Young Lady.¡± Mother Chen dared not to say that she met Chen Qing at the gate, so she told a lie.

    ¡°Have you seen Yuan¡¯er?¡± Hearing this, Madam Ling rxed and looked less severe.

    ¡°I did not meet the Eldest Young Master. I wanted to wait for him and ask, but you sent someone to look for me.¡± Mother Chen answered cautiously.

    ¡°Oh, Yuan¡¯er is not in the mansion at this time. Let¡¯s leave this matter aside first.¡± As Madam Ling waved her hands, the two maids rose hesitantly from the ground. Knowing that Madam Ling had something private to tell Mother Chen, they stepped back gently and closed the door for them.

    In regr times, Mother Chen felt proud, because it showed that she was First Madam¡¯s henchman. But now, she felt frightened and doubted if she knew too much. She stared at the backs of the retreating maids, and did not hear what Madam Ling was saying.

    ¡°Mother Chen, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± When she heard this, Mother Chen trembled and came to her senses immediately. She lowered her head and made an excuse, ¡°First Madam, I¡¯m thinking if Second Young Lady¡¯s face is getting better. Since the Eldest Young Master said the famous doctor has excellent medical skills, it should not be a problem!¡±

 Chapter 262 - To Scare the Cat out of the Bag

    <h4>Chapter 262 To Scare the Cat out of the Bag</h4>

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about these things. Yuan¡¯er said that he has a solution, so he can do it.¡± Seeing that Mother Chen was absent-minded, Madam Ling told her, with an unhappy look on her face.

    ¡°Yes. I acted beyond my duties.¡± Mother Chen nodded.

    ¡°Mother Chen, do you think the lords of the court will take a fancy to that little bi*ch?¡± Although she did not take any action these days, Madam Ling felt more and more anxious after she thought about it. That little bi*ch looks pretty good, so Madam Ling was worried that she might be selected. Until then, whether she was at court or in a prince¡¯s mansion, it would not be good for Madam Ling.

    ¡°First Madam, don¡¯t worry. Although Fifth Young Lady looks good, she is thin and weak. Looking at her face, one can tell that she is not suited to have children. Whether she is at court or in a prince¡¯s mansion, if she can¡¯t have a child, she wille to a bad end.¡±

    At this time, Mother Chen had calmed down and was gently soothing Madam Ling.

    When it came to the matter about male offspring, Madam Ling rxed and headed towards Bright Frost Garden, with a malicious and proud look. ¡°Right. Without a son, a woman will be like a flower in the water and a moon in the mirror, no matter how cosseted she is.¡±

    ¡°Yes. First Madam, you¡¯re right.¡± Mother Chen responded carefully.

    ¡°However, I¡¯m still not assured. If the little bi*ch is favored, maybe she will do something to us.¡± Madam Ling still felt anxious after thinking about it. She patted the edge of the bed hard. These days, she felt ill at ease. She thought the Beauty Contest was beyond her control, and something might happen.

    ¡°First Madam, if you really don¡¯t want Fifth Young Lady to be chosen, it¡¯s not impossible.¡± Seeing that Madam Ling was distressed, Mother Chen had an idea and immediately proposed it to her, in a low voice.

    ¡°Do you have any good ideas?¡± Madam Ling was overjoyed.

    Mother Chen nodded, leaned her head against Madam Ling¡¯s ear, and whispered. Hearing that, Madam Ling startedughing and continuously nodded. If her son knew this, he would not approve. Anyway, she did not want to hurt that little bi*ch, but merely wanted to add a dash of unpredictability to her situation.

    ¡°First Madam, First Madam.¡± When they were talking, a maid was calling at the door, asking to be let in.

    ¡°Go and see what she wants.¡± Madam Ling felt less apprehensive and more at ease, and she signaled to Mother Chen.

    Mother Chen answered and opened the door. The maid at the door reported respectfully, ¡°First Madam, our Fifth Young Lady sent me here to ask you if you have the old ount books of all the shops. Without them, she can¡¯t check the ounts and check on the property.¡±

    Hearing this, Madam Ling remembered that most of the shops of the manor had fallen into the hands of Ning Xueyan. She could not help, but feel distressed, because those were all her property. The da**ed older woman took all her property to offset Madam Ming¡¯s dowry. How could she not feel depressed? She had operated the shops for Madam Ming for so many years. Even if she did not achieve anything, she had still put in a lot of effort!

    Those shops were her assets. The thought of all these falling into Ning Xueyan¡¯s hands, made her even more determined not to let it go.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any of the ount books right now. You ask Fifth Young Lady to look for them by herself.¡± Madam Ling said spitefully.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Seeing Madam Ling¡¯s dissatisfaction, the maid said nothing more. She bowed respectfully and retreated, so that Madam Ling could not vent her anger on her.

    When the door closed, a ferocious look appeared on Madam Ling¡¯s pretty face.

    ¡°How dare Ning Xueyan, that little bi*ch, dare to take over her shops.¡± She would never let her wishe true, which was to get hold of the old ount books and check the ounts.

    To keep Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s reputation unsullied, she had to give the shops to Ning Xueyan now, because she had been caught red-handed by Ming Feiyong. When she came out of the Buddha Hall, the issue had been settled. Ning Zu¡¯an had scolded her for this. However, she was not Ning Zu¡¯an and Madam Dowager. At that time, she still had Madam Ming¡¯s dowry list.

    And, she had been hiding it. So, Ning Xueyan¡¯s list was either a fake or directly from the Ming Family. There could not be a second list.

    Therefore, as long as the list was in her hands, she would wait for Ning Xueyan to produce the two lists. Even though she was short of one list, she would still be able to take back those shops, furniture, screens, beds, and antiques.

    So, the ount books with Madam Ming¡¯s signature should not fall into the hands of that little bi*ch.

    She would not deal with her because of Yuan¡¯er, but it did not mean that she would not take any action...

    ¡°Mother Chen, you go out tomorrow and ask the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor to send me some furniture that I used to love. Use two big carriages to send them over.¡±

    She had a stern look on her face.

    ¡°Yes, Madam!¡± Mother Chen nodded, as she understood tacitly.

    In the Bright Frost Garden, Ning Xueyan was listening to Qingyu¡¯s report. Qingyu specially mentioned Madam Ling¡¯s look.

    On the table, there were some flowers that Third Prince had asked someone to send over, early in the morning. Third Prince did things meticulously, so he would not give others something to find fault with. Thus, he sent some to the three youngdies in the manor. Moreover, he sent different flowers to them, so no one could say that he favored one more than another. He treated them equally, ording to their preferences.

    Ning Xueyan had taken a fancy to some of the flowers in Third Prince¡¯s greenhouse. She seemed to like these flowers very much. So, Third Prince sent them to her.

    She sat at the table and tore the petals off one by one. Then, she put them in a stone mortar and crushed them gently. After they were reduced to pollen, she put them into a small bottle carefully. The pollen were very fine, so she had to be extra careful, otherwise, these tiny particles would fly into the air.

    ¡°Mydy, will First Madam take any precautionary measures because of my words?¡± Qingyu collected the pollen carefully for Ning Xueyan, and asked.

    On the other side, Lanning was collecting another type of pollen. The different types of pollen could not be mixed together. Ning Xueyan divided them into two categories, and put them far apart to prevent them from being mixed.

    ¡°When she came out of the Buddha Hall, Ning Ziyan had an ident, and she said a lot of bad things about me, before others. Then, the issue was patched up because of the ¡®assassin.¡¯ The people in the manor knew that Beauty Contest ising up. It¡¯s unwise to make any trouble. Madam Dowager must have asked my elder brother to warn her. So, she will not make any trouble for the time being, but it doesn¡¯t mean she won¡¯t, in the future...¡±

    Ning Xueyan carried a wide cuff with one hand and crushed the petals with the other hand. Her long eyshes cast two rows of uneven shadows on her tender face. Her face had always been pale. She had a palerplexion than the average woman, which made her look as white as snow.

    After this period of rest, her lips turned red, which showed up against her tender skin. Her skin looked smoother and fairer. Her ck-jade watery eyes were always shimmering. Although she was a little childlike, she had an exceedingly beautiful appearance.

    Even though Qingyu and Lanning saw her often, they could not help but feel amazed, each time they saw her beauty.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you clean up?¡± She lowered her head and asked softly. Ning Xueyan had not looked up, but could feel that the two maids were distracted.

    Qingyu and Lanning stared at each other. Both of them saw the bewilderment in each other¡¯s eyes, and became embarrassed.

    Lanning said with a cough, ¡°Mydy, you asked Qingyu to say such remarks today in order to provoke madam tounch her attacks, right?¡±

    ¡°No, she won¡¯tunch any attacks now. If so, the marquis will not forgive her, not to mention Madam Dowager.¡± Ning Xueyan said confidently. She had sent Qingyu to provoke Madam Ling intentionally, to ask her about those ount books.

    When Madam Ling was cloistered in the Buddha Hall, Ning Xueyan had investigated into those ount books. However, she found nothing. It showed that Madam Ling hid them well. So, what she had to do now was to try and scare her, so the cat will be let out of the bag. Only when she reminded Madam Ling of this matter, could she proceed to the next step.

    She hated Madam Ling, and Madam Ling hated her. She would not let go of such an opportunity to turn the tables. Thus, those dispensable ount books became necessary evidence. She would not let it happen to her. Now that she was no longer the First Madam who governed the backyard, she could not take care of so many things.

    The safest way was to find a ce she thought was safe to hide them again.

    Ning Xueyan guessed that they were not at Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. What she could do was not to seize these ount books, but to figure out their whereabouts. Only in this way, could she deal Madam Ling with a vicious blow.

    ¡°Qingyu, when you go over to take the hamper, you should talk to the maid from the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard, as much as possible to inquire about things over there. You should ask for more details. If someone asks you why you are paying so attention to that, you can say that I am concerned about Madam¡¯s illness, nothing else.¡± A dim light shed across her eyes, as she instructed the maid.

    It was time to have dinner at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. The maids from the yards of the various masters were there, at the same time. To keep the food from getting cold, they often went over earlier. As soon as the food was ready, they would immediately take them away. Thus, when it was time to have a meal, the maids and older female servants from all yards would be at the kitchen. Everyone was joking and chatting freely, and the atmosphere was very lively.

    The masters had their owns minds. The servants wereughing and chatting together, which showed that they all got along well.

    Fifth Young Lady of the Bright Frost Garden was not the Fifth Young Lady who used to be bullied. And, she had started to manage the chores. The maids and the older female servants knew that no one would dare to pick on Qingyu. Even those from the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard dared not to make trouble for her.

    ¡°Mydy, if I always ask about the issues of the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard, won¡¯t I arouse others¡¯ suspicions?¡± Hearing the order, Qingyu felt a little anxious and said this uneasily. All the maids and older female servants from each house were shrewd. If she kept asking, it would inevitably create suspicion.

    ¡°Qingyu, you do what thedy says. It¡¯s good to be a suspect. If you can think of that, don¡¯t you think ourdy will also have that thought?¡± Lanning chuckled to herself, ¡°Don¡¯t you understand what she means?¡±

    Hearing Lanning¡¯s words, Qingyu was stupefied. When she saw Ning Xueyan giving her a spurious smile, she was suddenly enlightened. She reached out her hand to pat herself on the head andughed.

 Chapter 263 - Not the most Reasonable but More Reasonable

    <h4>Chapter 263 Not the most Reasonable but More Reasonable</h4>

    The carriages from the Vice Minister of Justice Ling¡¯s Manor, loaded with severalrge pieces of furniture, came in. Although the furniture was not expensive, it looked at least decent. Moreover, it came from the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor, which would make up for any regrets that Madam Ling¡¯s parents¡¯ had not sent any dowry before. Therefore, when the servants reported this, Madam Dowager nodded and said nothing.

    The Vice Minister of Justice Ling¡¯s wife, Madam Qian and her son Ling Yi, were in the carriage as well. Since they had a dispute in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor thest time, this would be their first visit since the incident. As Madam Ling¡¯s family, Madam Dowager could not go too far. She asked someone to prepare fruits and snacks, and sent them to Mingxia Garden.

    Ling Yi did not stay in the courtyard after he arrived, but went outside to look for Ning Huaiyuan. The carriage that brought in the furniture stopped outside the second door. They could not enter the courtyard, so someone came to move the furniture. The staff in the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard were few, so two older female servants who were on duty at the door, came to help.

    It was Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor¡¯s intention. Although Madam Dowager was dissatisfied with Madam Ling¡¯s behavior, she needed to spare the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor¡¯s feelings. So, she invited Madam Qian to have a chat for a while.

    At the second door, there were a lot of people moving around and they seemed to be busy. However, there was no real gatekeeper. Mother Chen came out from the door. Firstly, she shouted for the crowd at the door to clear, and asked the maids and older female servants to be careful when they carried in the things. Then, she came to one carriage, which had been emptied, nodded discreetly to the coachman sitting above, and pointed to the front.

    The coachman understood and drove the carriage away from the second door. He drove in the direction she was pointing at, and went to the other yard in front.

    No one noticed that at the second door, a little girl, who was keeping an eye on Mother Chen, put down the stool she was carrying, looked around, and followed her carefully.

    At another ce, an older female servant, who was wiping the corners of a square table, walked around from another direction, while no one was looking. After she went down that way, she would inevitably meet the carriage. She was ahead of the carriage.

    Mother Chen never thought that so many people would pay attention to the carriage. She instructed the coachman to turn around two corners and finally stopped at a quiet yard. It was not small, but there were many wing rooms inside. The male guests who visited the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would usually take their rest here.

    Madam Ling managed the inner courtyard. Moreover, she rarely came to the front as a woman, let alone a girl in the Boudoir, such as Ning Xueyan. She could not appear in a courtyard, where strange men walked in and out. Therefore, Ning Xueyan checked around the inner courtyard. Meanwhile, she secretly investigated the Bright Frost Garden and Madam Ling¡¯s private storehouse several times. However, she did not notice anything strange.

    Madam Ling had left the ount books in the outer court, a ce for entertaining strange men.

    Madam Ling made a smart tactical move. If Ning Xueyan¡¯s maid had not mentioned it, she could hardly remember it. Moreover, she knew that Ning Xueyan was a tough nut, and she would not let go of her possessions. Now that she remembered, she was determined to im the property back from Ning Xueyan.

    These ount books immediately became very important. Meanwhile, she felt that it was not safe to hide them in the mansion, where Ning Xueyan might find them. Thus, she thought the best way was to hide them in her parents¡¯ home. Even if Ning Xueyan was powerful enough, she could not go there to look for them.

    Therefore, Madam Ling could not wait to take the ount books away, by using the opportunity when the Vice Minister of Justice Ling sent the furniture to her.

    When the carriage stopped, Mother Chen brought the coachman to the first wing room on the left side. Soon, two men carried out arge box with a seal on it. It was so heavy that they were out of breath, after taking only a few steps. The two men carried the box onto the carriage with difficulty.

    Having seen the carriage turning a corner and leaving, Mother Chen breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat from her head. She was relieved because she had not made any error in the task assigned by First Madam.

    She followed the carriage and walked to the gate of the courtyard. When she was about to leave, she suddenly heard a small voice from the left. Mother Chen could not help but look, and she saw someone¡¯s clothing shing by, at the corner. When she saw the maid passing by as if nothing happened, she frowned.

    ¡°Which courtyard are you from? Why are you here?¡± As Madam Ling¡¯s trusted subordinate, Mother Chen asked rudely. She came forward two steps and stopped the maid

    ¡°I... I¡¯m Third Young Lady¡¯s maid. Just now, I saw someone sneaking past, so I followed the person in front.¡± The maid looked smart. Although she was terrified at first, she immediately exined shrewdly. To increase the credibility, she pointed to the tree in front of her.

    Mother Chen nced at it and felt quite breathless, because there was a person over there. Mother Chen thought the older female servant looked quite familiar. Seeing that there had been an ident, the older female servant happened to look over her shoulder. She had a furtive look.

    ¡°Fortunately, it was not Fifth Young Lady¡¯s servant. Otherwise, First Madam would strip the skin off me.¡± At the thought of that, Mother Chen trembled and scolded the maid, ¡°Go to work. Why are you hanging around? Do you want First Madam to know what you are doing?¡±

    ¡°No... No, I¡¯m leaving now.¡± The maid did not dare to say more, and hurried back to the inner courtyard.

    Seeing that the situation was unfavorable, she had already gone straight ahead. She had gone too far ahead and Mother Chen could not stop her. Fortunately, Mother Chen recognized the older female servant, who was from Concubine Xu¡¯s house. After the First Madam suffered all kinds of unpleasant things, these people¡¯s attitude had also changed and they even dared to stare at her. She would go back and tell First Madam about this.

    Although she was uncertain if they saw her moving the ount books, it was good to be careful. Mother Chen was determined to tell First Madam that Third Young Lady¡¯s and Concubine Xu¡¯s servants saw her move the box, lest First Madam med her, if something happened,ter. When she made up her mind, she went to the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard, without any hesitation.

    After she had walked quite a distance, Xinmei came out from another corner. She raised the corner of the mouth and gave a wry smile. She had deliberately made a noise to distract Mother Chen¡¯s attention from the maid. As herdy expected, the maids around Third Young Lady were shrewd. Once they found that something was wrong, they would pass the buck to theirpanions. Concubine Xu¡¯s older female servant would be found out.

    Hearing that Ning Qingshan¡¯s and Concubine Xu¡¯s servants saw her sneakily transferring the ount books, Madam Ling almost fainted in anger. She almost called them over to scold them. After Mother Chen¡¯s persuasion, she gnashed her teeth and stopped, because her son repeatedly stopped her from acting recklessly.

    For the time being, she really could not act recklessly.

    Even if they saw her moving things, they would only think that she was transporting some private property to her parents¡¯ home. They would never guess that those were the ount books that Ning Xueyan needed.

    Therefore, even if Madam Ling suspected and hated Ning Qingshan and Concubine Xu, she could not relieve her feelings. She had to put the interests of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor above everything else.

    On the night of the Preliminary Eve, Ning Xueyan, Ning Qingshan, and Ning Lingyun left first. After all, they were all youngdies and wanted to see the festiventerns. Madam Dowager also wanted them to be closer to each other. Ning Qingshan had been living in the Buddhist nunnery, and Ning Xueyan lived alone in the Bright Frost Garden. The threedies were not intimate before.

    Madam Dowager wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to make their rtionship more harmonious. In this way, she could consolidate the power of her own family. When Ning Qingshan put forward this suggestion, she agreed with pleasure.

    The threedies returned to their courtyards to dress and make up again. Ning Xueyan¡¯s clothing was mainly light-colored. She wore a white coat edged with silver and a light blue Chinese-style jacket with buttons down the front. She wore a peacock blue dress of the same color, with flowers embroidered at the bottom. The flowers were like waves rolling over the sea, resembling the tail feathers of a peacock. They looked lustrous yet simple.

    Her paler face was as delicate as a piece of jade against the dress.

    Ning Lingyu¡¯s clothing was gorgeous. Her dress was colored bright red and green, which looked very attractive.

    Ning Qingshan wore a light yellow dress, which was simple but elegant. She looked beautiful and looked very dignified.

    The threedies got into the same carriage. They would be watching the festiventerns so that they had to go by foot. It was the day to see both the festivalnterns and the dragon-boat races. If they werete, they could not catch the carriage. The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had booked a private room at a restaurant by the river, where the dragon boat races would take ce. When they were tired of watching the festivalnterns, they could go there.

    The dragon-boat races would take ce after the festivalnterns. They would be there in good time.

    The carriage stopped at the bustling crossing, and it could not go any further. There was a sea of people from all over. Although it was early in the evening, the lights were already lit. Manynterns of different designs and colors could be found everywhere.

    ¡°Fourth Sister, Fifth Sister, can we get off to walk?¡± Ning Qingshan raised the curtains and looked outside.

    The festivalnterns could not be appreciated from the carriage. Although Ning Xueyan enjoyed the festivalnterns in her prelife, it was the first time for her to enjoy thenterns in this life. Moreover, the disy of festivalnterns seemed to be better than ever. So, Ning Xueyan was a little more interested.

    ¡°Ok, Third Sister, Fourth Sister, let¡¯s get off and walk together.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded.

    Seeing that both agreed, Ning Lingyun nodded. She got out of the carriage after them. She felt inferior to them, and dared not show her cutting edge. She was careful and kept a low profile for fear that they might notice her, and she would die without warning.

    Her aunt repeatedly told her not to confront Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan. Both of them were tough nuts to crack.

    Unexpectedly, they caught the attention of a young master, who was upstairs in the opposite building, when they got off. He was leaning against the couch by the window. He wore an extravagant brocaded robe embroidered with ck Manjusaka and intertwined with wide brims of gold thread. His slender finger wearing a jade ring was held against his thin red lips.

    His deep eyes were filled with dark bloodthirsty Qi. He looked as gorgeous and elegant as the ck Manjusaka, blooming in the underworld, which was embroidered on his robe. Even if it had an elegant name, its nature, since it came from the depths of darkness and nourished with blood, could not be changed.

    ¡°My dear concubine ising. When shees over, I¡¯ll watch the festivalnterns with her.¡± He said idly and confidently as he twitched his beautiful lips, and reached out the other hand to touch the jade ring.

    ¡°Yes!¡± Although it sounded illogical, his guards behind him, nodded respectfully.

    The Prince¡¯s words were not the most reasonable, but more reasonable.

 Chapter 264 - Accidental Rescue at the Tea House

    <h4>Chapter 264 idental Rescue at the Tea House</h4>

    Ning Xueyan did not know that she had been targeted by Ao Chenyi. At this moment, she was walking on the street step by step with Ning Qingshan and Ning Lingyun. Their maids were surrounding them and helping them clear the way.

    ¡°Look over there, Fourth Sister and Fifth Sister. It is a cosmetics shop. Shall we go to have a look?¡± Ning Qingshan said to Ning Xueyan, pointing at a shop across the street.

    There were so many people in front of the shop because today was a very special day without any taboo. Whendies went shopping, this kind of store was very popr, not only because the makeup in the shop would make them beautiful, but also because the hangingnterns painted with courtdies looked delectable.

    Therefore, there were many people in this area. A few phnderers were wandering around from time to time, deliberately going in and out annoyingly. Seeing that, Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t want to be in a crowded ce, so she frowned and refused. ¡°Third Sister, you may go without me, and I...¡±

    She looked around and found a tea house behind her. There was an extended shelter on the street where people could drink tea and rest when they were tired.

    ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you here,¡± Ning Xueyan said.

    ¡°Well then, Fifth Sister, I will take you to the tea house first, and we will go to the opposite side,¡± Ning Qingshan said gently, looking around, then brought Ning Xueyan into it. It was very early, and there were not many people. She chose a table for Ning Xueyan to sit down at before turning around and asking Ning Lingyun, ¡°Fourth Sister, would you like to go with me? I heard that if we can figure out the puzzles on thenterns, they will give us some top-quality rouges for free, and they are limited.¡±

    Hearing that there would be some limited rouges, Ning Lingyun beamed. She was unwilling to go because it would be crowded in the shop on days like today, but hearing Ning Qingshan¡¯s words, she was tempted. However, when seeing the scene, she could not decide if she should go or not.

    ¡°Come with me, please. I haven¡¯t seennterns in the past three years. Would you like to apany me?¡± Ning Qingshan held Ning Lingyun¡¯s hand affectionately, sincerely, and gently, making thetter unable to refuse.

    ¡°Third Sister, won¡¯t there be too many people there? We are noble girls, and it is not appropriate to join the crowd on the street.¡± Although Ning Lingyun also wanted to go, thinking of Concubine Xu¡¯s words, she hesitated. Her engagement was just broken off, so she should keep a low profile.

    Although she canceled the engagement due to Ao Xian, her reputation had been spotty, and it was normal that people gossiped about her. Moreover, she was a concubine¡¯s daughter who could notpare to Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan.

    If she ruined her reputation because of being among a crowd, she could hardly get married.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, since Fourth Sister would like to go and she is afraid of the crowd, how about we take Qingyu with us? If the three maids go ahead and we follow, it will be safer,¡± seeing Ning Lingyun hesitate, Ning Qingshan turned around and said to Ning Xueyan, who was going to drink tea.

    ¡°You are saying that you want my maid to go with you?¡± Ning Xueyan raised an eyebrow and asked leisurely. There was a hint of a sneer around her mouth but she hid it under her lips.

    Ning Qingshan had been busy causing so much trouble. She wanted to see Ning Xueyan¡¯s rouge shop and then instigated Ning Lingyun to go with her. She also insisted on taking Qingyu with them. She was trying to iste her. What was she going to do today? It was very weird.

    The Beauty Contest wasing soon. Ning Qingshan had attached great importance to it, so it was impossible for her to raise big troubles, but for something unimportant...

    ¡°Fifth Sister, do you agree with me? We will be back soon and you can see us from here. If something happens, you can scream and we can hear you.¡± Ning Qingshan pointed at the rouge shop across the street. It was really close to the tea house, and under ordinary circumstances, if she screamed, they could hear her.

    But today, that was impossible! Moreover, even if they could hear her, it would take them a long time to get over here.

    ¡°Okay, Qingyu, you go with Third Sister and Fourth Sister.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled and nodded, as if she didn¡¯t find anything wrong.

    Hearing Ning Xueyan¡¯smand, Qingyu could not say anything. She followed Ning Qingshan and went across the street.

    Seeing that Ning Xueyan was alone, Ning Qingshan became a littlecent. She turned around and squinted at a person at the street corner secretly, giving him a hint.

    ¡°Wow, how could a little beauty be here alone? Are you waiting for someone? Don¡¯t wait here. Let me take you to see thenterns, shall we?¡± Just after the girls left, Ning Xueyan heard a wretched voice.

    Ning Xueyan looked up and saw three men standing at the table. They looked obscene. She sneered. So they were waiting for her.

    Xinmei, who was standing outside the tea house, was about to move forward when she saw Ning Xueyan wave her sleeves and stop her. Ning Xueyan did not believe that Ning Qingshan would dare to destroy her reputation at this time. If something happened to Ning Xueyan, Ning Qingshan would be affected and used. The royal family valued reputation the most and they would not allow anyone to ruin the Beauty Contest.

    Ning Qingshan took away Ning Lingyun as well as Ning Xueyan¡¯s maid. If something happened to Ning Xueyan, Ning Qingshan would surely be implicated. It might destroy Ning Xueyan¡¯s name, but Ning Qingshan would be in trouble.

    Ning Qingshan would never cause destruction to both sides! At least, not now.

    Looking at the exquisite, beautiful girl in front of them, the three punks were stunningly surprised, and then they were overjoyed. They didn¡¯t expect to be so lucky that they would meet such a beautiful girl.

    The jerks found she was silent and thought that she must be frightened. The leading person stepped on the bench opposite Ning Xueyan and patted his chest and said, ¡°Little beauty, don¡¯t be afraid. I will protect you. Let¡¯s go. I am taking you to have some fun.¡±

    Actually, he was saying that if she did not go with them, they would use some means. Of course, looking at the gorgeous girl in front of them, they were already disoriented and could not help appreciating their good fortune.

    Seeing this, everyone around knew that the girl was going to suffer. These men were all famous punks in the street and they often bullied neighbors. So no one dared to stand up and stop them when seeing their ferocious appearances.

    ¡°Stop! Who are you punks? How dare you bully a fine girl in broad daylight. Get lost immediately,¡± someone shouted from among the crowd. Before people could see it clearly, a young man walked out. He looked very angry but handsome in tight white clothes and a big cape.

    Seeing his face, all the women aside became excited, and their hearts throbbed. What a handsome and righteous young man!

    ¡°Go and check it out. Who is he?¡± The proud prince, who had been paying attention to this, became angry. He looked at the young man, but he could not recognize him for a moment. He revealed a dangerous smile on his face as a chilling light shed across his eyes. His gorgeous long eyshes dropped two shadows on his fair face.

    Someone dared to covet one of his people. He was seeking death.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m on it.¡± The guard knew that his master was unhappy, so he had to do it as fast as possible. He immediately went downstairs and ran toward the shop to get first-hand information.

    In front of the tea house, the three rogues never expected that someone would dare to stop them and help the girl, so they smiled and turned around. ¡°Get lost? Are you talking to us? Let¡¯s teach you a lesson today. You can only leave if you are dead.¡±

    Theyughed arrogantly and surrounded the young man in the middle as if they were going to fight against him together. The people around roared and took a few steps back. They talked in low voices, but no one believed the young man could win.

    When Ning Xueyan saw the young man, she was stunned, and then she smiled. She was rxed and looked at him at ease, happily. She didn¡¯t expect that he would be here. It seemed that Ning Qingshan¡¯s drama of the hero rescuing a beauty would fail.

    Xinmei didn¡¯t show up because she had not received Ning Xueyan¡¯s instructions at this time. She stepped back into the crowd and looked at the people in the tea house carefully. Suddenly, she saw a familiar face sh in front of her. She was shocked. Seeing there was no one watching her, she approached the man. The guard also saw Xinmei and shook his head at her, signaling to her to have a talk in secret.

    They pushed out of the crowd one after another.

    At this time, the young man had punched the three rogues to the ground. They could only scream.

    ¡°How about that? Do you want to fight again?¡± The young man in white pointed at them contemptuously and hooked his fingers, sneering.

    ¡°Bah, boy, do you dare to wait for our eldest brother to kick your ass?¡± The three punks climbed up from the ground with difficulty and left those malicious words before they fled away.

    The young man looked handsome and his clothes were expensive. When seeing that he acted so bravely, all the women were attracted and moved their eyes from the shop to him. Several nobledies who were leading their maids could not help stopping and looking at him fondly.

    At this time, Ning Qingshan was watching on the other side of the street. When she saw the bustle happen in the tea house, she smiled and pulled Ning Lingyun into the shop as if there was nothing going on. The first time they met was an ident, the second time was lucky, but the third time should be intentional.

    Moreover, in this case, the beauty who was in trouble happened to be saved by the heroic young man and she would finally feel something toward him.

    As expected, the young man finished his performance, driving the punks away. He walked to Ning Xueyan, but before he spoke, Ning Xueyan stood up with a naughty smile on her lips as she bowed and said softly, ¡°Thank you for saving me. I will let my father go to thank you some other day.¡±

    After speaking, she deeply bowed again, very politely.

 Chapter 265 - A Competition of Earrings and Hairpins

    <h4>Chapter 265 A Competition of Earrings and Hairpins</h4>

    Looking at Ning Xueyan¡¯s mischievous look, the young man in white could not help smiling. He sat opposite her and looked around. Suddenly his face sank. ¡°Where have your maids gone?¡±

    ¡°Tell me first, where is your servant?¡± Ning Xueyan smiled and asked Ming Yuanhua. What a coincidence that she could see Ming Yuanhua here.

    After Ming Yuanhua knew her situation and her misfortune, he had no longer ignored her.

    ¡°There was a man who was surreptitiously speaking to someone when I saw him. He looked like he was from your house, and I wanted to ask if there was anything wrong, so I followed him.¡± Ming Yuanhua smiled indifferently and took over the teacup from the owner of the tea house.

    The rescuer talked with the one who was rescued and they drank tea together. Seeing this, the crowd felt bored and they all dispersed.

    ¡°Let me guess, is that person the reputable second son of the Xia family?¡± she asked in a pleasant mood. Ning Xueyan took a sip of the tea and put down the teacup, stroking the handle.

    ¡°My cousin, you already knew it even though you didn¡¯t see it. Have you known this in advance?¡± Ming Yuanhua didn¡¯t expect that Ning Xueyan had foreseen it. He frowned and felt that something was wrong. ¡°Has he followed you in secret recently?¡±

    The man was Xia Yudong indeed, and Ning Qingshan seemed very obsessed with him. Why did she firmly believe that Ning Xueyan would be interested in Xia Yudong? How could Ning Qingshan have no idea what happened previously at home? Or was Ning Qingshan thinking that Ning Xueyan would believe that Xia Yudong was framed and she would feel sorry for him?

    Ning Qingshan repeatedly made her encounter Xia Yudong. When they were in the Third Prince¡¯s courtyard, Xia Yudong had no chance to show up. Ning Qingshan actually wanted to help Xia Yudong be the ¡°hero¡±.

    Xia Yuhang was very kind to his younger brother. It was only a few days after that matter and he already had forgotten about it.

    ¡°Where is he now?¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s long eyshes flickered, and the smile in her eyes became cold.

    ¡°In the alley over there. I knocked him out in the back and asked my servant to question him. If I knew he was going to set you up, I would have killed him.¡± Ming Huayuan was an expert and he didn¡¯t think too much at that time. When he knew that Xia Yudong was going to hurt Ning Xueyan, he became angry.

    ¡°Cousin, don¡¯t worry. Listen to me first.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled and stopped him. She approached him and whispered. Ming Huayuan listened and nodded. And then in the end, he stood up and said goodbye to Ning Xueyan. Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t say anything. She just stood up and gave him a bow.

    Watching him go away gently, Ning Xueyan put on a soft smile.

    Ning Qingshan happened to see all of that when she returned and she could not help showing a proud smile. But in the next moment, she put on a panicked face and rushed over. She grabbed Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Fifth Sister, what happened? I just heard that some punks havee and harassed you. Are you okay? I should have left Qingyu with you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. A young man happened to save me just now,¡± Ning Xueyan said shyly.

    ¡°Who was the young man? Do we know him? We must let Father go to thank him tomorrow,¡± Ning Qingshan asked with concern.

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it tomorrow. Third Sister and Fourth Sister, have you finished shopping or you want to continue?¡± Ning Xueyan seemed unwilling to talk about it. She stood up and walked out of the tea house.

    Ning Qingshan had achieved her goal. ¡°Ning Xueyan finally has taken a shine to Xia Yudong, but I should be patient. Since he has helped her today, they will be tied together in the future.¡± Ning Qingshan stopped asking and caught up with Ning Xueyan. They walked shoulder to shoulder to look at thenterns.

    Along the way, most of the shops were decorated with a few different types ofnterns at their door¡ªsome of them had puzzles, and some of them had only a half couplet. If passersby could figure the puzzles out, the shop owners would give them some money as a gift that was not valuable but exquisite.

    These were ordinary celebrations. Large shops had built countertops in front and hung variousnterns on both sides. There was no puzzle on thenterns because the one who hosted the celebration would act out on the stage in order to guess the puzzles.

    Because normal people could attend, people would like to watch. No matter if they could guess it or not, people wouldugh on and off, and everyone looked more and more excited.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s group was standing in front of one of the stages. The stage was more eye-catching than other ones because there was a person sitting on the high tform like a master. He was the handsome and charming Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min, Wen Xueran. And his young servant was standing behind him.

    It was a surprise that a Princely Heir like him would join the celebration and enjoy the happiness with people. It was very rare.

    His beautiful eyes could seduce people. When he looked at the crowd, those young women screamed in low voices, blushing. Everyone knew that Wen Xueran was a well-known handsome man and his face was even more beautiful than a woman¡¯s.

    His face was perfect!

    In the past, if people met him, they could only nce at him secretly. Now he was sitting on the high tform, and although thedies blushed, they would not be willing to waste the opportunity, so they looked at the handsome Princely Heir with starry eyes.

    On the tform, there were two kinds of items: earrings and hairpins!

    On the left tray were five pairs of earrings, and on the right tray were five hairpins.

    Each pair of earrings was exquisite, with ruby or opal on them, showing gorgeous colors, and everyone knew that they were treasures.

    The hairpins were as valuable as the earrings on the other side. No matter if it was the gems, the bright lines, or the designs on the hairpins, they were all outstanding, making many women yearn and unable to move their eyes away. Although the handsome Princely Heir was adorable, they could not stop staring at the jewelry.

    So, while the women gazed at the ornaments avidly, the Princely Heir, who was sitting on the stage, was looking at the women below in a good mood. It was his style to sit on the tall tform.

    He was admiring the beauties, and he didn¡¯t need to use any effort to find them!

    Suddenly, his eyes met Ning Xueyan in the crowd. He was surprised and then he smiled at her proudly. He shook the folding fan in his hand, and then pointed to the tray held by his people, leading Ning Xueyan to look inside.

    At this moment, the person on the stage was talking about the rules.

    ¡°People, the jewelry here are all the treasures of our shop. They can be regarded as boutique products. We don¡¯t ask for anything from you. If anydy¡¯s jewelry is more beautiful or valuable than ours, we will give one of the treasures to her for free. We won¡¯t lie to you and the Princely Heir will guarantee it.

    ¡°This is our handicraft appraiser. Everyone knows our shop and we will not cheat anyone. We will never go back our word or not give out the gifts.¡±

    The host was more than 50 years old and he was very smart. He had a ready tongue and a kind smile as if he was the manager of the shop behind. Then he reached out his hand, looking at Wen Xueran, indicating that he was the owner of the shop.

    Being aware that they could get the jewelry on the stage, all the people became excited.

    ¡°What if other jewelry aside from earrings and hairpins are more valuable than these things?¡± someone couldn¡¯t help asking.

    ¡°That won¡¯t work. Our Princely Heir said that only earrings and hairpins can win the gifts and others cannot. If something is antique, we can¡¯t tell its value.¡± The manager smiled and shook his head.

    He was telling the truth. There was no way topare the value of some items. So thepetition between only earrings and hairpins was better. It was easier to tell which was more valuable.

    From the crowd below, some people started to stand up and hand over things like earrings and hairpins, but certainly, none of them were more precious than those on the stage that Wen Xueran brought, so they all retreated.

    After all, they were all treasures and could not be taken outside easily.

    Looking at Wen Xueran¡¯s somewhat disdainful eyes, the girls below became more vigorous, and more people came on stage. They took off earrings and hairpins andpared them with the exhibit above, but no one won.

    ¡°Young Lady, you can go up with this pair of earrings, maybe you can win,¡± the maid with Ning Qingshan couldn¡¯t help saying to her.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if it is inappropriate!¡± Ning Qingshan seemed tempted, but she had to maintain her dignity as a nobledy, showing a little hesitation on her face.

    ¡°Third Sister, you can go up and take a look. Today, everyone should be happy, even if the emperor is with the people. Why do you care about that?¡± Ning Xueyan smiled slightly and tried to persuade her.

    ¡°Third Sister, I¡¯ll go with you. The hairpin I wore today happens to be given to me by my grandmother. Maybe I canpare it to the exhibits.¡± Seeing the items on the stage, Ning Lingyun was very excited. However, before Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan wanted to have a try, she could do nothing but wait. So hearing Ning Qingshan¡¯s words, she came forward and gave some advice.

    Of course, Ning Qingshan was also very excited. She was going to the pce, and if she could wear these earrings and hairpins, she would look very gorgeous. So she didn¡¯t hesitate but went to the stage with Ning Lingyun.

    Everyone in the audience was so excited when they saw two such beautiful girls appear.

    They all looked at them go on the stage. The appraiser came over and looked at the jewelry carefully before he shook his hands to the bottom, and stepped back. He was saying that they had failed.

    The crowdughed again.

    As peopleughed, Ning Xueyan saw Wen Xueran¡¯s eyes fall on Ning Qingshan with an unknown meaning, but he covered it behind his bright eyes. People could only notice that he was looking at the two beauties, but only Ning Xueyan felt that at that moment, Wen Xueran was looking at the earrings in Ning Qingshan¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Young Lady, these earrings...¡± Qingyu suddenly pushed Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand and wanted to say something, but Ning Xueyan shook her hand to stop her.

 Chapter 266 - The Orphan of the Former Dynasty

    <h4>Chapter 266 The Orphan of the Former Dynasty</h4>

    Earrings and hairpins? Ning Xueyan looked at Wen Xueran with meaningful eyes. She frowned slightly. People like him could really do this just for fun.

    When they met the second time, he questioned her with a sword about a nun¡¯s whereabouts. Was he looking for that Jingkong?

    Such a problem suddenly shed through her mind, which was abrupt but reasonable. She just felt that Wen Xueran was not seeking fun by sitting up there.

    But if he was not, what would be his target? The earrings, hairpins, or pendants?

    She was shocked. If he questioned her with a sword in thest life because he was looking for Jingkong, whom she knew about, he was likely looking for her or the earrings in her hand.

    It was her family affair and she had never heard that it had any rtionship with the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min. In herst life, when she was in the regions south of the Yangtze River, her father and mother had never mentioned Commandery Prince Min. Thinking of this, she also felt it was impossible. It should be a coincidence.

    ¡°Young Lady, over there, he is asking for you.¡± Qingyu pulled Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand and led her to look over in that direction.

    Looking down at her, she discovered that the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min had stepped down and was standing near the door. The little servant who had been behind him was standing behind her now. He looked at Ning Xueyan and respectfully said, ¡°Fifth Young Lady, my master wants to have a talk with you.¡±

    On the stage, Ning Qingshan and Ning Lingyun were still looking at the earrings and hairpins one by one and they would note down any time soon. Ning Xueyan nodded and followed the servant to the tform with Qingyu.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, why don¡¯t you go up and have a look? Those are all treasures of our store, and they are rarely taken out to solicit customers.¡± Wen Xueran smiled at Ning Xueyan, who just arrived, smiling breathtakingly.

    ¡°Thank you for your kindness, but I am not good at evaluating jewelry, so I can¡¯t judge their value,¡± Ning Xueyanughed softly, ncing at the stage, and said leisurely.

    ¡°All women like jewelry and they always have their own opinions, don¡¯t they? Why don¡¯t you care about them?¡± Wen Xueran didn¡¯t feel any embarrassment about Ning Xueyan¡¯s rejection. Instead, he folded his fan into his hand, smiled slightly, and asked curiously.

    ¡°If a person has to live on medicine, how can she develop a high taste? I think you will be disappointed.¡± Ning Xueyan forced a smile and her eyes turned cold, not trying to hide her disaster in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Such things could not be concealed, and she had no intention of doing this.

    ¡°I have seen the Fourth Young Lady¡¯s hairpin and it is very special. I heard that it was given to her by Madam Dowager. I am wondering if the Fifth Young Lady has any jewelry given by your elders. May I have a look?¡± Wen Xueran noticed that Ning Xueyan was unhappy, so he changed the subject, looking at her and asking gently.

    ¡°Only girls are interested in those things. I never thought that you would be curious about them,¡± Ning Xueyan said as she remembered something.

    ¡°I admire beauties, and of course I like the objects that could make them more beautiful, just like the Fifth Young Lady¡¯s earrings...¡± Wen Xueran said as he stretched out his hand to touch the pendant on Ning Xueyan¡¯s earring from Madam Ling.

    ¡°Princely Heir, please don¡¯t do that.¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s face turned cold. She took a step back, lifting her head a little higher to avoid Wen Xueran¡¯s hand. Her eyes were dark and inexplicable.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, I just want to take a look at your pendants. I am not deliberately toying with you.¡± Wen Xueran¡¯s eyes blinked, and he was a little upset, as if he was being so rude because he was anxious to see the earrings.

    And his affectionate eyes were revealing an emotion. Being stared at by such a handsome man, few women were able to remain calm. Even if his actions were abrupt, they would seem reasonable because of his eyes.

    Was it because he liked her, so he could not help doing that...

    And the reason why he acted ambiguously was that he was really interested in her...

    Anyway, all these possibilities would make girls shy and unable to raise their heads as they were thinking about it. In the end, they would be too shy to speak to him. However, Ning Xueyan subverted Wen Xueran¡¯s thoughts because she was looking at him coldly.

    She didn¡¯t show any bashful expression because of his words or actions.

    ¡°My sisters areing down, Princely Heir, see youter!¡± Seeing that Ning Qingshan hade back, Ning Xueyan left without any hesitation. She turned around and walked toward Ning Qingshan with Qingyu. Ning Xueyan had a different feeling about the Princely Heir, who looked very amorous.

    She could not tell clearly, but in short, she knew that he was dangerous!

    It might be because of his gorgeous looks. She would be the public enemy of all the women if she stayed with him. It might be because he set up thispetition today, or even because of the way he talked to her...

    Anyway, she felt that Wen Xueran was not genuine.

    Behind her, Wen Xueran beat his palm with his fan rhythmically, smiling with interest. He had never seen a girl who could stay calm when facing his charming actions.

    ¡°Princely Heir, Old Master asked you to go back,¡± a subordinate came over and said respectfully behind him.

    ¡°He should be staying with his beauties during this period. Why he is asking for me?¡± Wen Xueran turned around and returned to the store behind him.

    ¡°He said that there was something urgent that you needed to see. You can enjoy the festiventernster,¡± the man trotted away and respectfully replied as if he hadn¡¯t noticed that the son didn¡¯t show enough respect to his father.

    ¡°Thenterns are boring. Is the carriage ready?¡± Wen Xueran asked.

    ¡°They are waiting for you outside the back door,¡± said the man.

    Wen Xueran nodded, and staggered to the back of the store. The people had crowded around the store and carriages could not enter inside, so they had to take the smallne at the back door. However, even though they were familiar with the roads, it was dark in the back and could not bepared to the front.

    When Wen Xueran stepped onto the dark path, another carriage was moving on this dark road at the same time.

    Third Prince Ao Mingyu in the carriage had a dark face, and his eyes fell on a beautiful 16- or 17-year-old girl in the carriage. Being stared at by such sharp eyes, the girl was trembling. She had been sent here and there along the way and was getting more and more scared.

    ¡°You were adopted when you were two or three years old, and you don¡¯t have any memories before that?¡± after looking at her for a while, Ao Mingyu changed his expression and asked gently. He behaved in a soft manner and showed a gentle smile, bing an elegant gentleman under the light.

    The girl did not know who the man in front of her was, but because of his gentle and handsome expression, she became less terrified. She blushed and replied shyly, ¡°Yes, when I was a kid, I was separated from my natural father and mother. About 13 years ago, my foster parents adopted me, but I was too young to remember anything. My mother said that when I was found, I was well-dressed and should belong to a rich family.¡±

    At that time, the former dynasty had just ended. As many powerful families fell down, their children got lost.

    ¡°Have your foster parents ever told you what happened when they met you?¡± Ao Mingyu frowned and asked. .

    ¡°Nothing more than that. They said I was sitting alone at the door of his house at that time,¡± the girl thought for a moment and answered honestly.

    Ao Mingyu¡¯s gaze fell on the girl, trying to decide if she was telling the truth, before he asked, ¡°Has anyone evere to you since then? Or to your foster parents?¡±

    ¡°No one ever came.¡± The girl shook her head, and because Ao Mingyu looked gentle, she was no longer afraid. Instead, staying so close to a young man in a carriage, she could not help blushing.

    ¡°Are there very many people like you or at your age in your area?¡± Ao Mingyu looked the girl up and down and asked casually.

    During wartime, there were quite a lot of orphans who were lost. The former dynasty was destroyed and many families were separated. Many children lost their shelter due to the war. Things like this happened a lot, for example, the two people whom Grand Tutor Ya asked Ya Moqin to take back from the south.

    Although he had known that the chance was very small, Ao Mingyu had to ask personally. Where was she, the princess of the former dynasty who had escaped alive? Many years had passed, but he found nothing. Had she died when she fled away at that time since she was only two or three years old?

    ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± the girl hesitated and asked, biting her lips worriedly.

    ¡°I am looking for my sister. She was lost that year, and I have found nothing useful so far.¡± Ao Mingyu looked upset. He reached out and rubbed his forehead, a chill light shing across his eyes. ¡°Has Ao Chenyi found her already?¡± He should send people to watch Prince Yi¡¯s Manor¡¯s back yard.

    Maybe he should send the girl into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor since he could not figure out if she was the princess. If she was sent to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor and Ao Chenyi figured it out, he would not let her go like himself.

    He slowly stroked the tea cup with his hand. The tea in the cup had be cold, so it felt chilly.

    ¡°It turns out that you are looking for your sister. I... I heard that there was such a girl... but... but her family looked after her carefully and few people knew that she wasn¡¯t the daughter of that family. And she seldom went out on the street, so no one had seen her. But my aunt was working there, and she brought the child to the masters of the family.¡±

    The girl hesitated to finish her words. Her aunt had told her that she should never say these words to anybody since that family had treated the girl as their real daughter. But this man was looking for his sister, and it should be a good thing to help the girl find her own family.

    ¡°Bang!¡± The tea cup fell down. As the wind blew, the curtain was lifted slightly. Ao Mingyu¡¯s face looked dark in the night.

 Chapter 267 - Someone Is Following Us

    <h4>Chapter 267 Someone Is Following Us</h4>

    Ning Xueyan and her sisters walked along the street, enjoying thenterns andughing. After a short while, they met the housekeeper, who came over to tell them that they had booked room No. 9 on the third floor of Linjiang Restaurant. They had known they had booked a room, but they didn¡¯t know which one it was.

    ¡°Ladies, Marquis and Madam Dowager have arrived, and you cer,¡± the housekeeper said with a smile.

    ¡°All right. I will bring them to the restaurant soon,¡± Ning Qingshan nodded and said gently. She was the eldest one among the girls, so she made the decision. Ning Lingyun and Ning Xueyan would not disagree with her.

    While Ning Qingshan was talking to the housekeeper, Ning Xueyan and Ning Lingyun continued to look at thenterns.

    ¡°Fourth Young Lady, Fifth Young Lady, why is that person following us all the time?¡± Qingyu suddenly pointed at the corner not far away and asked Ning Lingyun and Ning Xueyan, ¡°Does he want to hurt us?¡±

    There was a bit of a distance between them and the man, so even though they raised their heads, they could not see the man¡¯s face clearly. They only saw a young man in white clothes who was looking at them suspiciously.

    ¡°Third Sister, look, someone is following us all the time.¡± Ning Lingyun didn¡¯t dare to make any decision now. Seeing the situation, she pulled Ning Qingshan, who was talking to the housekeeper, and whispered in her ears, pointing in that direction.

    Although the housekeeper could not hear their words, he could see the man. He was old, so his vision was different from these young people. He could not see close things clearly, but he could see far objects clearly. He could see the man clearly and knew that he was the second son of the Xia family, who had caused troubles in the Ning family.

    He couldn¡¯t help feeling shocked. ¡°What does he intend to do bying here!? Although his eyes are not focused, he is looking at the girls. Only the threedies are here, so who is he going to meet?¡±

    Hearing Ning Lingyun¡¯s words, Ning Qingshan lifted her head to look at the man. When she saw the white figure, she frowned and could not help cursing Xia Yudong for being a fool. ¡°He has saved Ning Xueyan already. Is he waiting for another chance to do that again? If he keeps following us, Ning Xueyan will suspect him and it would ruin everything.¡±

    Of course, at this time, she had not known that Xia Yudong had missed his opportunity to be a hero. When he saw that Ning Xueyan was harassed by the punks and was going to stop it as nned, he was hit on the back of his head. Before he could understand what had happened, he passed out.

    When he woke up, he was pressed against the wall and questioned before he was released for no reason.

    When he came out of the alley in embarrassment, everything was finished. Ning Xueyan had joined Ning Qingshan, and they were walking forward together.

    The n had failed and he had to tell Ning Qingshan. So Xia Yudong followed them, trying to find a chance to talk to Ning Qingshan. Even though he could not speak to Ning Qingshan, he had to talk to her maid. So he followed them all the way.

    He and Ning Ziyan had repeated that they were framed in the ident that happened in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, and they even swore to God. Although Xia Yuhang said nothing, his expression was gloomy. Ning Ziyan had been locked in her yard. Even though he was not punished, he was scolded by his father.

    After that, Xia Yuhang¡¯s mother rebuked him and summoned his concubine to her yard. She punished his concubine to kneel on the ground until she passed out.

    Xia Yuhang¡¯s mother ordered her female servants to send his concubine back. They mocked him, saying that he was the son of a concubine. Xia Yudong was pissed off, but he knew it was inappropriate to quarrel with the hostess of the family.

    In his opinion, the reason why he was treated like this was that he was the son of a concubine. So he wanted to be superior. At this time, Ning Qingshan sent him a message and showed him a way. In the letter, Ning Qingshan implied that Madam Ling should be med for what happened to Ning Ziyan and him.

    They kind of suffered from their own actions. If the Xia family wanted to make trouble for him, he could use this to stop them.

    For this, Xia Yudong became more grateful to Ning Qingshan, and also believed her as if he had found his backbone. So when something went wrong, he wanted to tell Ning Qingshan first.

    ¡°Tell that person that we are from Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and to not follow us.¡± Today, Ning Qingshan took Caifen with her. Hearing Ning Lingyun¡¯s words and seeing Xia Yudong, Ning Qingshan whispered to Caifen.

    Because of Ning Lingyun, she could not say it too thoroughly. Fortunately, Caifen knew her and moved backward after nodding.

    Seeing that Ning Qingshan sent her maid to deal with the man, the housekeeper frowned more tightly.

    As Ning Xueyan twisted her mouth, a coldness shed through her eyes. As if she did not see the housekeeper¡¯s reaction, she returned to look at thenterns. Ning Qingshan wanted her to be tied with Xia Yudong and impress her with a good figure. She asked her cousin to let go of Xia Yudong because she knew that Xia Yudong would tell this to Ning Qingshan.

    Therefore, Ning Qingshan was the one who had kept in touch with Xia Yudong, not her.

    Caifen returned after a while, but the housekeeper thoughtfully said goodbye to Ning Qingshan, and was going to report this to Ning Zu¡¯an. Although it was not a big deal, considering that Ning Qingshan was going to marry the Third Prince, nothing wrong should not happen to her. If she did something wrong, she would get the whole family in trouble.

    It was gettingte, and there were more and more people on the street. They were walking together at first but were separated by a crowd rushing from the other direction. When Ning Xueyan looked back, she could find no one, not even Qingyu.

    She had to listen carefully but there were all kinds of voices in the crowd and she could not hear if someone was calling her. She saw many strange faces, but none of them were from her own family. Was she lost?

    Ning Xueyan carefully walked into the store next to her. She wanted to wait there for Qingyu. Once there were too many people and she got lost, she had to wait in the spot where she got lost and someone woulde to find her. That was what Xia Yuhang had told her when she was lost on a Preliminary Eve and he found her after suffering greatly.

    While she was thinking about this, she staggered and fell into a person¡¯s arms. She tried to step back but a long arm wrapped around her and she was tightly pressed into the other¡¯s chest. Then she smelled a unique fragrance.

    She lifted her head in astonishment and looked into a pair of dark eyes. The man had a chiseled face and was staring at her, holding her waist tightly and smiling at her leisurely.

    ¡°What a coincidence! I actually met my girl. Let¡¯s enjoy thenterns together.¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s eyes became more watery and dark like two deepkes.

    ¡°Lord, there are too many people here.¡± Ning Xueyan pushed him, looking at the crowd around them. She was not wearing a veil and could be easily seen.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s find a ce with fewer people,¡± Ao Chenyi lowered his head, and suddenly whispered in her ear.

    Knowing that he had deliberately misinterpreted her words, Ning Xueyan was quite helpless. ¡°I came out with my sisters and they were here before.¡±

    She was warning Ao Chenyi that someone woulde back and they should not reveal their rtionship.

    ¡°That has nothing to do with me.¡± Ao Chenyi didn¡¯t take it seriously, holding Ning Xueyan into the half-open door behind him, and his guards helped them make way.

    Ning Xueyan was helpless, and she didn¡¯t know what the prince wanted to do today. In order to avoid being seen, she had to bury her head in his arms. Thinking that there were guards surrounding them and it happened suddenly, it should be impossible to clearly see her face.

    However, some men in ck outside the crowd suddenly showed up and pointed their swords at Ao Chenyi, who was protected in the middle, and Ning Xueyan, who was in his arms. The guards had to stop the assassins, and they protected Ning Xueyan and Ao Chenyi to go through the door. After that, they could only hear the screams from outside.

    Even though Ning Xueyan was a calm person, she could not help feeling frightened. She tried to push Ao Chenyi away to see what was happening outside and if Qingyu wasing back at this time!

    ¡°Rx, your maid won¡¯t die.¡± Ao Chenyi didn¡¯t hold her this time. He let her push him away, left her alone, and turned to go upstairs.

    Such a proud person exined it to her. How rare! Thinking rationally, Ning Xueyan stopped. At this time, it was definitely inappropriate to open the door. There were many people outside, and once someone recognized her, it would be troublesome. She had not forgotten the gloomy eyes of the Third Prince when he doubted Ning Qingshan.

    She was not Ning Qingshan, and Ao Chenyi had not too many scruples to hurt her.

    After thinking about it for a while, she followed Ao Chenyi upstairs only to find that it was a separate private room. Ao Chenyi stood at the window with his back to her, looking at the scene below. This was the best position to view the scene.

    Ning Xueyan walked over and quietly stood by his side. She pulled down the window screen at her side and looked down. The people in ck were still fighting with the guards, their sword light shing. The people had run awaypletely because no one dared to linger near such a murderous incident.

    However, there were not only Ao Chenyi¡¯s guards fighting against the men in ck, but some people wearing different types of clothing were also fighting in front of the door.

    ¡°Are these peopleing to kill you?¡± Ning Xueyan tried not to ask, but she failed.

    ¡°No!¡± Ao Chenyi squinted at her as he grinned. He turned around and stopped looking down and sat down on a wide chair.

    ¡°Are they...¡± Ning Xueyan sat down beside him and asked.

    ¡°Your cousin is the son of General Ming. He had visited youte one night in your room, and this time, he saved you like a hero. What a touching story!¡± Instead of answering, Ao Chenyi narrowed his eyes, staring at her slyly, and suddenly smiled with a weird face.

    Ning Xueyan felt chilly under his gaze and was surprised by what he said. Her dark eyes tightened slightly. Ming Yuanhua appeared only once in her boudoir just after Ao Chenyi left. She had no idea how he knew about it. Did he have someone keeping an eye her?

    She was feeling wrong about something. ¡°What does he mean?¡±

 Chapter 268 - Your Royal Highness, Which Tender and Sweet Girl Do You Want to See

    Chapter 268 Your Royal Highness, Which Tender and Sweet Girl Do You Want to See

    ¡°Your Royal Highness, my cousin sent news to me about my uncle. It is always not convenient for me to go out, especially when I have to meet my uncle and cousin.¡± Ning Xueyan hesitated for a moment and told him the truth. But then, she told him somewhat ironically. ¡°Of course, the scene that ¡®the hero saves a beauty¡¯ you saw earlier was not nned by my cousin. After all, the ¡®hero¡¯ did not get the chance to save ¡®the beauty¡¯ this time, and wasted the effort in specially preparing the plot¡±

    ¡°Was that hero named Xia Yudong, the second son of the Xia Tian Family?¡± Suddenly, Ao Chenyi smiled and asked leisurely. He seemed to be in a good mood. He even poured Ning Xueyan a cup of water and handed it to her, which was very rare.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Ning Xueyan took the cup and admitted that it was true.

    ¡°Did you deliberately let the housekeeper in your manor witness this scene?¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s eyes narrowed, and his smile was even more brilliant now.

    ¡°She does not like the Third Prince and is fond of hitting on the concubine¡¯s son of the Xia Manor. About her deeds, even Ning Zu¡¯an is simply at her wits¡¯ end with her. Isn¡¯t that the truth?¡± Ning Xueyan took the teacup from Ao Chenyi and smiled a little, behaving with perfectposure. She looked serene as if she thought that Ao Chenyi was not there to criticize her for intentionally causing harm, but instead was praising her.

    Looking at her bright and smiling eyes, Ao Chenyi felt that he had never met such a girl who was able to keep her cool, under such circumstances, before.

    ¡°It is indeed a wonderful thing for me to have such a smart co-consort.¡± As the corners of his eyes lifted in surprise, Ao Chenyi became less angry and showed a brighter smile.

    ¡°Thank you for yourpliment. Anyway, I am no longer your illegitimate favorite concubine. From now on, I finally received my status.¡± Though Ning Xueyan knew from Ao Chenyi¡¯s words that he was giving her a warning, she still smiled and replied in a gentle voice, pretending that she did not know what he meant at all.

    ¡°Oh, are you asking me for your social status?¡± Curling up the corners of his mouth, Ao Chenyi asked. He suddenly reached out and held Ning Xueyan¡¯s hands together with the teacup, stroking it gently. Ning Xueyan¡¯s hands were colder than usual, but Ao Chenyi¡¯s hands were also not that warm. As their hands touched, both Ning Xueyan and Ao Chenyi felt a little cold.

    Ning Xueyan could not help shivering. She had never thought that Ao Chenyi¡¯s hands could be so freezing.

    ¡°But didn¡¯t you just guarantee me the status before?¡± Without averting her eyes, Ning Xueyan looked at the faint smile hanging on Ao Chenyi¡¯s pretty lips, and gave him a slight smile.

    ¡°What a bold girl! Yan¡¯er, I seem to like you now.¡± Ao Chenyi scanned her exquisite face. ¡°She has a face as white and delicate as snow. Her smile is pure and clear, or it is a little childish. It is obvious that she is a little girl that has not grown up yet. But facing me directly, such a little girl is even bold enough to answer my questions without any hint of fear.¡±

    ¡°Besides, I warned her that she could only be my co-consort if she married into my manor, but she still stayed so collected, as if I were talking about someone else¡¯s fate.¡±

    ¡°You must be joking, Your Royal Highness. Well, I have something to deal with, and I don¡¯t want to cause any problems for you either. So I will leave you in peace now.¡± Gracefully, Ning Xueyan stood up. Rolling her eyes, Ning Xueyan simply did not care that she seemed to have won the handsome, cold-blooded Prince Yi¡¯s ¡°favor.¡± Of course, from deep inside, she did not believe his words were real.

    She was even more convinced that this prince had a cold heart.

    If Prince Yi said he liked something, he must be joking, or he must have some other purposes. Thus, Ning Xueyan did not think that it was necessary for her to talk further about this topic with him.

    It seemed that the fighting below stopped only after a while, as if these people were actually here to put up a fighting show. Thus, Ning Xueyan certainly could not apany Ao Chenyi on the show for too long time. Otherwise, once Ning Qingshan found her, Ning Xueyan did not know what kind of disturbance she would create. Ning Qingshan could make a big deal out of nothing, not to mention that a fight had already happened.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right. Your sister is busy enough with her own affairs now. Come and watch a good show with me.¡± Ao Chenyi did not n to let Ning Xueyan go. In high spirits, he stood up and walked over to the screen. From its top, Ao Chenyi took down an ink-ck cloak with bright, gorgeous flowers embroidered on it. With one nce, Ning Xueyan immediately knew that the cloak belonged to Ao Chenyi.

    Ao Chenyi took down a cloak. Then, he walked up to Ning Xueyan and put it on her. After reaching out to fasten the cloak for her, Ao Chenyi pulled it and pulled the hood forward, hiding Ning Xueyan¡¯s face. Originally, Ning Xueyan was much smaller than Ao Chenyi. With his loose cloak covering her, no one could see clearly who was in it.

    ¡°Your Highness, where are you going?¡± Ning Xueyan asked helplessly. At this time, under the hood, she could not see anything, but darkness before her. Though she did not know what Prince Yi was up to, Ning Xueyan was relieved. Since Ao Chenyi told her that Ning Qingshan could hardly look after herself, Ning Xueyan was sure that no one would find out that only she was missing.

    Though partly hidden and partly visible, Ning Xueyan¡¯s half-exposed snow-white skin and small red lips, which were plump and glossy, looked stunningly pretty against the ck cloak.

    Abruptly, Ao Chenyi lifted her hood up. Raising his long and narrow eyes, he said, ¡°If you don¡¯t want others to notice you, you should rest quietly in my arms.¡± With this, he pulled Ning Xueyan to the back window. He briefly checked the direction and immediately got out of the room after picking up Ning Xueyan. Jumping up and down a few times, he leaped toward the ce that had a light.

    Outside, the wind was very strong, plus Ao Chenyi was jumping above the houses. Thus, Ning Xueyan had to hold on to Ao Chenyi tightly, for fear that she might fall off the roof, if he should identally drop her. In fact, she was not afraid that he would make a mistake. Instead, she was afraid that Prince Yi, who usually didn¡¯t act ording tomon practice, would do some unreasonable things.

    After all, no one knew what this Prince Yi with his everchanging moods, would do next.

    Ning Xueyan clung tightly to Ao Chenyi¡¯s slim waist, her head resting in his arms. But still, she was acutely aware that they were actually not far from the house that they were in earlier. It was true that Ao Chenyi had made several leaps, but he only did that to avoid taking the straight line. After all, there was a brightly lit street in front of them. Perhaps, people there would see them if they happened to look up.

    But the position that they upied now was perfect. They were standing neither in the draught nor at the forefront. Before them, a tall eave happened to curve up. Thus, even if someone was looking in their direction, he or she could not see them.

    ¡°Are you afraid?¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s voice echoed in Ning Xueyan¡¯s ears along with the warm wind, blowing upward through her beautiful hair. Somehow, Ning Xueyan flushed, her heart fluttering slightly. At this moment, Ning Xueyan tried so hard to stop herself from gazing at his face, which was only a very short distance away. Calmly, she asked, ¡°I suppose that I¡¯m fine. But I do not know what you are trying to spy on.¡±

    ¡°If I say that I am here to find out about an affair, will you apany me to watch the whole show?¡± Under the dusky night light, Ning Xueyan could not see Ao Chenyi¡¯s eyes clearly. She could only feel that his evil but charming ice-cold aura, enveloping her.

    ¡°Your Royal Highness, you are so unique!¡± Not knowing what to say, Ning Xueyan racked her wits and finallyplimented him, her watery eyes blinking.

    ¡°It¡¯s rare for me to enjoy such a good show. After witnessing so many shes of knives and swords on the battlefields, I surely need to experience the tenderness and sweetness of this world. Let¡¯s watch the pair of lovers and make tonight an unforgettable night.¡± Ao Chenyi seemed to be rather happy, and even, his treacherous voice did not sound as chilly as usual. Reaching over, he pressed Ning Xueyan into his arms. With his excellent eyesight, Ao Chenyi could clearly see Ning Xueyan grimace and pout.

    When he saw her expression, Ao Chenyi thought in his heart. ¡°This little girl is getting bolder, and she even dares to sneer at me.¡±

    ¡°Oh, whose tenderness and sweetness would you like to see, Your Royal Highness?¡± Ning Xueyan asked casually, without being aware that Ao Chenyi had seen her look of disdain. Meanwhile, she was observing the surroundings around the ce where they sat. Then she found that there was dim light spilling out of the ce not far away from them. ¡°Is there a hidden window on the roof?¡± Ning Xueyan wondered.

    To let the room be well lighted, people would specially leave a small window at a specific part of the roof. Usually, the so-called hidden window was loosely covered by several tiles so that the light could pass through them to the room, but the rain could not. Since the hidden window had little use, ordinary families would not use it. ¡°Well, in front of us, the light must have spilled from the hidden window.¡± Ning Xueyan thought.

    ¡°But why would this family construct a hidden window here? Is it because the room below is not a central room, and so it needs a hidden window to get the light?¡±

    Seeing that Ning Xueyan was lost in her thoughts and paying little attention to his words, Ao Chenyi suddenly felt a little unhappy. All of a sudden, he reached out and ced his hand under Ning Xueyan¡¯s jaw. Then, he exerted some force, trying to turn her face toward him.

    However, Ao Chenyi caught Ning Xueyan off guard, because she had never thought that Ao Chenyi would act like this. She only felt that she could not stop herself from falling and was about to scream subconsciously. Fortunately, she quickly came to her senses. She hurriedly zipped her lips. Her hands instinctively reached backward and sped Ao Chenyi¡¯s sturdy waist.

    ¡°Your Highness, you...¡± Shocked by his sudden action, Ning Xueyan was somewhat annoyed. Looking up, she was about to say something.

    But she suddenly felt something soft and cold touching the corners of her mouth. Instantly, Ning Xueyan swallowed her words and reached out to touch her lips subconsciously. She knew that Prince Yi could not see her moves clearly, but she still blushed, immediately.

    ¡°Did I just touch his lips just now?¡± She thought.

    ¡°So did you want to kiss me so far in advance? But it is a pity that I n to do that after our wedding. However, since you appear to want me so badly, I may as well satisfy you now.¡± A little quietughter followed Prince Yi¡¯s words, which sounded strangelyzy. Ning Xueyan could feel his chest vibrating slightly, along with hisughter. In an extremely overbearing manner, his hands locked tightly around her slender waist, and he did not seem to want to let her go at all.

    Now Ning Xueyan¡¯s face was burning hot. ¡°How could this man talk in such a shameless way? He said all of this as if I could not wait to do something intimate with him. I have hugged and embraced him, but I have no other choice. What¡¯s more, it was too early to say anything about the marriage between us. Besides, he didn¡¯t say it right. The wedding he just talked about should be a matter between his principal wife and him. It is none of my business.¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, the wedding night is the night between you and your principal wife. What has that got to do with me?¡± Feeling angry and ashamed, Ning Xueyan wanted to turn around. However, she could not do so, because Ao Chenyi had no intention of removing his hand under her chin.

    ¡°Are you ming me for not making you my principal wife? But my principal wife must be a wedded wife¡¯s daughter from a noble family, who can be considered as a real noble Young Lady.¡± Ao Chenyi said ratherzily. He sensed that Ning Xueyan felt very ufortable, so he released his hand that was holding on to her chin.

    Ning Xueyan was speechless. ¡°Why would he talk about these totally unrted things? I am not even his co-consort. How could he start talking about the wedding? But sure enough, no normal person can understand such a man¡¯s way of thinking. Why would he exin the wedding and marriage issue in such a solemn way? Is he trying to make me understand the status that I deserve? But I clearly know my status the whole time, don¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°Your Royal Highness, there are some people down there now. Are we going to see them or not?¡± She reached out and pushed Ao Chenyi away, removing her hand away from him to point down. Just now, she heard a voice from below.

    ¡°Yan¡¯er, don¡¯t you want to listen to other lovers¡¯ honeyed words?¡±

    Suddenly, Ning Xueyan had an uncontroble urge to swear. Extending one of her hands and pressing it against Ao Chenyi¡¯s chest, she slowly spat out her words one by one, through her clenched teeth. ¡°Your Royal Highness, if I remember correctly, it was you who asked me to witness the private scene between lovers.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it was me. Then, let¡¯s watch the scene together!¡± Ao Chenyi seemed to say this with great relish. He stretched out his hand and took away a loose piece of tile which was set against the hidden window. A faint lighting out of the window enabled them to see the scene below clearly.

    But Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes froze right after she saw the graceful figure of a woman who was standing in the room. ¡°Why is she here?¡±

 Chapter 269 - Go Down. Letâ€™s Go to the Linjiang Restaurant Quickly

    Chapter 269 Go Down. Let¡¯s Go to the Linjiang Restaurant Quickly

    Although there was very little light, Ning Xueyan clearly knew that the woman below was Ning Qingshan. ¡°She was with me earlier. How could she go on a rendezvous here, only after such a short while?¡± A graceful man with a gentle look, was sitting on a chair. When Ning Xueyan saw that the man was Ao Mingyu, her heart froze all of a sudden.

    ¡°What are they doing behind closed doors, after they tried to avoid all the others?¡±

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s head bent lower and lower, for she wanted to get a clearer look at the scene. Ao Chenyi, who was beside her, also pressed close to her, his handsome face showing some excitement. Leaning close to Ning Xueyan, Ao Chenyi looked down together with her.

    Inside the room, Ao Mingyu, who was in formal attire, looked at Ning Qingshan, and asked her mildly, ¡°Third Young Lady, what can I do for you?¡±

    ¡°Cousin, I did not plot the things that happened in the other courtyards. I was wronged. Don¡¯t you know that I have always loved you with all my heart?¡± Her eyes glistening with tears, Ning Qingshan gave Ao Mingyu a winsome look. Her sharp little chin made her appear even more pitiful.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I made you feel bad.¡± It seemed that Ao Mingyu truly believed Ning Qingshan¡¯s words. He stood up and walked to her. Then, he tenderly took her in his arms and in a tone filled with utmost mncholia, said, ¡°In order to prevent others from gossiping I have to keep my distance from you thesest few days.¡±

    ¡°Your Royal Highness, you, do you really believe in me?¡± Overjoyed, Ning Qingshan asked in a trembling voice, nestling against Ao Mingyu, like a little bird. Ning Qingshan appeared as if she was unable to restrain her joy, in her disbelief.

    ¡°How could I not believe in you? If it had not been for you, I would not have had the chance to be here today. Even if I don¡¯t believe in others, I will always believe in you.¡± Ao Mingyu sighed, and in a voice filled with grief said, ¡°I am a prince, but I still cannot take a false step nor make a wrong move. Even if I wanted tofort you at that time, I was afraid that others would begin to talk. Thus, first of all, I should stop others from bad mouthing you behind your back. After all, I want you to be my principal wife, not merely a co-consort.¡±

    Ao Mingyu said these words with deep affection and a sad expression on his mncholy and handsome face. Finally, Ning Qingshan¡¯s anxious heart slowly calmed down. ¡°It turns out that the Third Prince is still in love with me, and has never doubted me. It was just that he might also be restrained by others sometimes.¡±

    At first, she thought that she could never capture the Third Prince¡¯s heart. Now Ning Xueyan knew that the Third Prince just pretended to be indifferent to her, in front of others. A slight proud expression shed unbidden, across her eyes. Of course, she could also hear the Third Prince¡¯s warnings. If even he could not afford to make a single mistake, Ning Qingshan, who would be the Third Prince¡¯s wife in the future, should certainly do nothing wrong.

    Especially at this time, perhaps only one mistake could drag her down from the position of the Third Prince¡¯s future principal wife, and eventually be merely a co-consort.

    Once again, Ning Qingshan felt that she had made a wise choice in not dealing with Ning Xueyan for the time being. As long as she could be the perfectly justifiable wife of the Third Prince, Ning Xueyan would be no match for her.

    ¡°Which of the two do you think is telling the truth?¡± Ning Xueyan whispered her question in Ao Chenyi¡¯s ears, a faint smile lurking around the corners of her lips. Both of them were so good at acting. They seemed so sincere as if what they said was true.

    ¡°How could Ao Mingyu turn a blind eye to the fact that Ning Qingshan might be Ao Chenyi¡¯s favorite concubine? Simrly, Ning Qingshan also appeared creditable in her role as a woman who was truly in love and had genuine concern for him.¡±

    ¡°Do you think that they were acting? In this world, who doesn¡¯t put on an act? Yan¡¯er, do you think that you have never put on an act before? But why do I think that you are really good at acting?¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s evil voice came to her ears. It had a weird and vicious ring to it, which could give others a chill without being cold.

    ¡°Your Highness, don¡¯t you put on an act too?¡± Suddenly, Ning Xueyan boldly asked him this question, without fear of receiving harsh punishment.

    ¡°I like to see the shows of others. I especially enjoy watching people getting into their characters, when they are ying out their roles. What an exciting show it is, when all kinds of demons with masks, run wild.¡± Ao Chenyi chuckled, his voice lingering in Ning Xueyan¡¯s ears.

    ¡°Prince Yi¡¯s pastime is really unique!¡± Ning Xueyan sighed in her heart.

    ¡°Your Highness, you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth. When you are enjoying your wealth and high social status, you certainly cannot understand the actors¡¯ feelings. Perhaps, someday, when you are no longer in power, you may have also to act out several roles before others.¡± After pondering for a moment, Ning Xueyan responded in a soft voice.

    If Ning Xueyan did not do any acting, she would have been dead by, now when she directly confronted Madam Ling, in her new life. Even though she knew who her enemies were, she would have to think carefully at each step and advance cautiously. She was afraid that a careless mistake would bring her to the road of destruction.

    ¡°But it will take countless people¡¯s lives to take my power away from me. If so many people are willing to go to theher world with me, I do not mind apanying them, to go the same way and covered with blood.¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s voice sounded extremely arrogant and vicious. Even without looking, Ning Xueyan could imagine that his appearance would be extremely overbearing at this time. However, judging by his domineering attitude, Ning Xueyan knew that he was right.

    Now that there was great power in Ao Chenyi¡¯s hands, it could be said that his status in the imperial court was only second to the emperor¡¯s.

    Even the emperor was also very jealous of him, but he still did not dare to target Ao Chenyi aboveboard. What was worse, Ning Xueyan even had a feeling that if the emperor and the Third Prince won in the future, a horrifying situation would happen. At that time, countless corpses would be strewn all over the country, with blood flowing freely like streams. Ning Xueyan knew that Prince Yi was absolutely capable of burying the whole Chu Kingdom with him.

    ¡°So are you scared?¡± Seeing that Ning Xueyan was deep in thought and remained silent, Ao Chenyi asked, with a slight smile emerging on his cold and good-looking face. It was a question, but Ao Chenyi seemed not to expect an answer at all. Sure enough, the smile lurking around the corners of his lips turned bloody. With an air of superiority that only the king of evil demons could have, he gazed at Ning Xueyan, as if he were looking at an ant which was struggling between his fingers.

    ¡°It¡¯s useless to be afraid. Since you have already chosen to be with me, I won¡¯t give you any cause to regret it.¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, how about listening to them?¡± Ning Xueyan sank into silence again. Feeling a little confused, her eyes fell upon him, and she sighed lightly.

    At this moment, she felt as if she had seen a scene from hell full of blood, in his being. How many people died because of him that even Ning Xueyan could see the raging evil spirit in him, at only a mere nce?

    ¡°Okay, then I will take a look with you, Yan¡¯er.¡± He casually touched the hair on top of Ning Xueyan¡¯s head. Ao Chenyi¡¯szy but mellifluous voice showed that he was in a good mood. His slightly cold hands dropped down, and he half embraced Ning Xueyan in his arms. Clinging together, they continued to look down.

    A momentter, the situation below had changed. On one side, Ao Mingyu sat quietly in the chair. Respectfully, Ning Qingshan stayed at the other side. It looked as if they had never shared any intimate moments a while ago. Ao Mingyu poured a cup of tea for Ning Qingshan. Handing it to her, he asked softly, ¡°After some time, it will be my eldest uncle¡¯s death anniversary. Do you want to visit his tomb with the others?¡±

    ¡°Will you be there?¡± Ning Qingshan asked softly. Although she did not want to go, she could not show her true feelings on her face. This dead man was her nominal father, but Ning Qingshan knew that she had little affection for him. However, she still needed this nominal father to be her link with the Honored Consort Ya and the Third Prince. Otherwise, she would have broken off her rtionship with him long ago.

    ¡°I may not have time to go, for the time being.¡± After a moment of thinking, Ao Mingyu answered tenderly, his eyes fixed on Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°Cousin, I think that it is not convenient for me to pay homage to my father. After all, I¡¯m now the daughter of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. If Lord Protector knows this...¡± Ning Qingshan did not finish her sentence. However, she still clearly expressed her concern. Since she was a daughter of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor now, it would be better if others did not know that she had a rtionship with the Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s manor.

    ¡°Then, don¡¯t go. You can just secretly hold a memorial ceremony for him in your room. I believe that if my uncle¡¯s spirit in heaven sees you doing that for him, he should understand you. After you marry me, I will visit his grave with you, so that you will have a good reason to visit his tomb then.¡± Ao Mingyu said softly, with some concern. HE felt sorry for her and looked at her with a gentler expression.

    ¡°As Mammy Luo instructed me, I did not tell him the whole story of my life. Sure enough, it turns out that it did benefit me a lot.¡± Ning Qingshan was overjoyed. She noticed the Third Prince¡¯s expression and knew that he felt guilty about not letting her visit her father¡¯s tomb. Exerting great efforts to suppress her great joy, Ning Qingshan forced herself to show some sadness on her face. She blinked, and her eyes became a little red, as if she was going to cry.

    She stood up and bowed respectfully to Ao Mingyu. ¡°Thank you, my cousin. If that dayes and I can hold a memorial ceremony for my father in a righteous way, I believe that he will finally rest in peace in his grave.¡±

    All these years, Ning Qingshan pretended to be a descendant of the Ya family, and the only child of General Ya, who was said to be killed in battle. General Ya chose to go to the fatal battlefield himself to protect his families. Since then, everyone in the Ya family felt sorry for him.

    It was just for this reason that Honored Consort Ya was willing toe up with a romantic trap for Ao Mingyu with Ning Qingshan, when she was in the pce. Otherwise, how could Ning Qingshan know that the Third Prince was in poor health, and happened to be there to save the Third Prince, when no one was around to serve him? She did all of this only to leave an impression on the Third Prince¡¯s mind.

    Of course, in the past three years, she tried to keep a certain distance from him in order to make the Third Prince miss her even more. Anyway, she was too young to marry Ao Mingyu at that time. Thus, it would be much better for her to leave him for a while. But then, she made sure that the others constantly spread news about her to Ao Mingyu¡¯s ears, without him noticing. In this way, she managed to increase and maintain her good reputation in Ao Mingyu¡¯s mind.

    Ning Qingshan said these words in an extremely gentle way and looked a little sad, at the same time. How many men would not show their tenderness toward such a considerate beauty, who seemed to be filled with such sadness? As Ning Qingshan expected, Ao Mingyu sighed softly and took her hand to pull her up. ¡°Cousin, it¡¯s toote now. You¡¯d better go back early, lest others start to suspect you, which is not a good thing for you.¡±

    It sounded like Ao Mingyu was worried about Ning Qingshan¡¯s situation, and was afraid that it would hurt her reputation if she stayed here longer. His thoughtful words brought warmth to Ning Qingshan¡¯s heart. She looked as if she was about to cry. Well, this time, she did not pretend. After all, she really liked Ao Mingyu. Previously, she was uncertain whether Ao Mingyu truly loved her. When she saw that he was so wholeheartedly considerate toward her, Ning Qingshan felt like her whole heart was bathed in warmth.

    Touched, she nodded. ¡°Okay, cousin. I know that. I... I will go back as soon as possible, but I want to see you a little longer.¡± The deep affection in her beautiful eyes was too intense to be hidden. Following a sudden impulse, she rushed to sp Ao Mingyu round his waist, burying her head deep in his arms.

    ¡°Cousin, let me hug you once again.¡± she said this coquettishly. Now that she thought that her wishes would soone true. Shortly, she would not only enjoy a high status and inexhaustible wealth, but also marry her loved one. What made her feel even better was that her beloved was deeply in love with her. Being ovee with passion, Ning Qingshan leaned her head against Ao Mingyu¡¯s chest. Thus, she failed to notice a somber and disgusted look shing across Ao Mingyu¡¯s face.

    ¡°Are they leaving?¡± Ning Xueyan suddenly felt very anxious. She leaned back against Ao Chenyi and told him, ¡°Let¡¯s go down. Hurry, let¡¯s go to the Linjiang Restaurant.¡±

    Hurriedly patting Ao Chenyi¡¯s hand, she turned around to whisper in his ear. Thest sentence that Ao Mingyu said was not merely to advise or express his concern for Ning Qingshan. What he meant that Ning Qingshan should go and join the others from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. After all, when these people got together, the one who was not there would inevitably attract all the others¡¯ attention...

 Chapter 270 - All the Three Girls Are Missing

    <h4>Chapter 270 All the Three Girls Are Missing</h4>

    ¡°I never expected that my cousin didn¡¯t know how to show his tenderness toward women!¡± Ao Chenyi narrowed his eyes and nced at Ning Xueyan¡¯s face, showing her his enchanting and beautiful smile. He then reached out to put back the tile. Carrying Ning Xueyan in his arms, Ao Chenyi turned around and jumped away.

    The wind went whistling past Ning Xueyan¡¯s ears. Ning Xueyan felt that the wind sounded so loud that she unconsciously buried her into Ao Chenyi¡¯s arms and grasped his clothes. Ao Chenyi returned much faster than he came here. At first, Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t adapt to such a fast speed. But suddenly, everything went ck before her. It turned out that Ao Chenyi put the hat of the cloak on her head. All of a sudden, Ning Xueyan felt that she was surrounded by warm darkness.

    It had never urred to Ning Xueyan that she could feel so warm even in the dark.

    It turned out that the sun was not the only thing that could make people feel warm in their hearts.

    ¡°Well, you cane down. Do you want to stay in my arms and so refuse toe down?¡± Only when Ao Chenyi¡¯szy and melodious voice sounded in Ning Xueyan¡¯s ears did she feel that her feet had alreadynded on the ground. Blushing, she hurriedly pushed him away. Suddenly, Ning Xueyan could see the scene before her for Ao Chenyi had lifted her hat up. She found that they were standing in an alley. Opposite them was an illuminated street.

    ¡°Young Lady, it¡¯s so nice to see youe back.¡± Staying in the dark alley, Ning Xueyan suddenly heard Xinmei¡¯s anxious voice. She turned around and saw not only Xinmei but also Qingyu.

    ¡°Are there people looking for us the whole time?¡± As soon as Ning Xueyan saw the anxious look of Qingyu and Xinmei, she sobered up and asked.

    ¡°Yes, just now all you three Young Ladies separated from and lost touch with us. Then, people from our manor were sent out to look for you. If they still could not find you, others would know that the three of you were missing today.¡± Qingyu anxiously said.

    ¡°Prince Yi, allow me to retreat first. I¡¯m afraid other unpleasant things will happen if these people cannot find any of us.¡± Ning Xue calmed down and said goodbye softly to Ao Chenyi.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right. Anyway, you originally are my co-consort. Since you are merely a co-consort, I can overlook your slightly damaged reputation.¡± Sparkling in the darkness, Ao Chenyi¡¯s eyes looked deep, which also showed a hint of a rare smile. He waved his hand generously. Then Ao Chenyi unhurriedly stretched out to untie the cloak that covered Ning Xueyan.

    When Ning Xueyan heard that he said this thing so lightly, a slightly shameful and annoying look emerged on her face. Biting her lips, Ning Xueyan decided not to make a fuss about the words he just said. But she also knew that she didn¡¯t have the right to argue with him. They were actually doing business with each other, and now Ning Xueyan had just traded her marriage.

    The next thing that Ning Xueyan should do was to remain loyal to Ao Chenyi!

    Just now he acted like that was not only to show his generosity, but also to show his right. Or he wanted to express the meaning that she was weak and powerless before him.

    Ning Xueyan took a deep breath. She waited until Ao Chenyipletely took off the cloak on her. Immediately after that, she turned around and left with her two maids. When she got help from him, it represented that the deal between them began. But with his overbearing manner, Ning Xueyan had to give him anything that he wanted to get from her, only except for her heart.

    Thus, Ning Xueyan secretly decided to make her heart much stronger.

    ¡°Young Lady, after the crowd separated us, I could not find you and was about to scream for help. But then, I saw that the Third Young Lady left alone. After that, the Fourth Young Lady was also missing. Just when I feel extremely anxious, Xinmei came to me and brought me here, saying that our Young Lady wille out soon.¡±

    Just now, Qingyu was desperately anxious. When Xinmei told her that, she could not fully believe it. However, she still chose to believe itter because as one of the few trusted maids around Ning Xueyan, she also knew that Xinmei had Kung fu. In addition, Prince Yi sent her to protect her master. Since Xinmei said so, there must be a reason.

    But just a moment ago, the two of them saw Ning Zu¡¯an rushed out of Linjiang Restaurant with arge group of people. Then, a few servants shouted in a hurry, saying that the three Young Ladies were missing and everyone should go to look for them. Upon hearing this, both Qingyu and Xinmei knew that if others knew the Fifth Young Lady hadn¡¯t yet returned, something bad was really going to happen to their master.

    Qingyu went back and forth in a hurry. As for Xinmei, she was perspiring with anxiousness already.

    Fortunately, the Fifth Young Lady unexpectedly appeared before them. That exalted Prince Yi even sent their master back by himself. Although Qingyu could not understand some of his words, she didn¡¯t care. After all, her master came back finally.

    ¡°Is Ning Lingyun also gone?¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes twinkled slightly, and a ray of unfathomable light shed across her eyes. ¡°Ning Qingshan went to meet Ao Mingyu. Who did Ning Lingyun see? Was she also plotting something? Of course, when Ning Qingshan was separated from others, she would secretly go to meet Ao Mingyu. But what was Ning Lingyun doing at that time? Originally, I thought that she must be too scared to do anything after so many bad incidents happened to her. But to my surprise, she still acted like the restless her in the past.¡±

    ¡°It is normal that people are separated from each other when they are enjoying the variousnterns. Many people have been dispersed by the crowds at this time of every year. But how could this thing bother Ning Zu¡¯an? The maids of Ning Qingshan and Ning Lingyun could not be so stupid. Then, someone must have deliberately given this matter away.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go to Linjiang Restaurant.¡± Ning Xueyanposed herself, then walked out of the alley after taking a deep breath. She went directly to Linjiang Restaurant on the opposite.

    After arriving at the entrance of Linjiang Restaurant, she saw a servanting toward her. ¡°Fifth Young Lady, you finally came back. Marquis and Madam Dowager are terribly worried.¡±

    He said in a rapid tone. Plus, he appeared to be extremely anxious. Instantly, he attracted the stares of everyone around them.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Ning Xueyan said in a soft voice, smiling gently.

    Her clothes were simple but neat, and her hair was perfectly coiffed. Ning Xueyan looked perfectly calm. With her pair of watery eyes, she looked at the servant with a little curiosity. She didn¡¯t appear as something had happened to her. Even the two maids following behind her looked very calm and collected.

    All of them appeared as if they didn¡¯t know what had happened at all, and even if there was something, it was totally none of their business.

    ¡°Just now, some people said that they saw several Young Ladies were separated from the others by the crowd. Besides, someone spotted that the Third Young Lady...¡± At this time, the servant seemed to be speaking without thinking. But then, he woke up to the situation and immediately covered his mouth. Pointing to the upstairs, he said, ¡°Fifth Young Lady, you should go up quickly. Madam Dowager is waiting for you upstairs, and I will report to marquister on. ¡±

    Before Ning Xueyan could say anything, he ran out in a hurry.

    ¡°What happened to the Third Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?¡± Upon hearing the servant¡¯s words, these people around gazed at each other, puzzled. After all, what he said did not sound good.

    The location of Linjiang Restaurant was particrly good today because it was just beside theke at the end of the dragon-boat race¡¯s track. Soon, a high tform would be built by several big boats on thiske. The emperor and the empress, as well as some of the emperor¡¯s consorts, would watch the race. It could be said that Linjiang Restaurant was wonderfully ced. Thus, the Linjiang Restaurant ¡®s boxes had been booked up a long time ago.

    Everyone raced to book the boxes.

    The housekeeper of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor acted too slow, so he didn¡¯t get a box. But luckily, the manager knew that they could not afford to offend the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Thus, the manager of Linjiang Restaurant told him that if any box would then be avable, he would certainly reserve it for the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor first. In fact, every year, some of the people who had booked the boxes in advance would not be able toe for various reasons. Therefore, the manager promised the housekeeper that he would reserve a box for the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor without even the slight pressure.

    When the housekeeper booked the box, Ning Zu¡¯an asked him to find the three Young Ladies and emphasized the reason why he would book the room.

    Today, those people who came here were certainly from either noble families or rich families. Arge part of them had already heard the good reputation of the Third Young Lady from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Of course, at this time, only some servants and maids had arrived here. Pricking up their ears, they were focusing on listening to some juicy gossip about the Third Young Lady from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    The draft wasing soon, and many people had been sent to the pce. Many had heard about the three princes and the three girls who protected the country. If they had never entered the pce, they would consider Ning Qingshan as their opponent. People, of course, knew the minds of their own masters. After listening to the gossip, they were ready to speak to the masters, so as to please the masters.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes fell on the distant man, with a corner of his lips, turned and walked upstairs. Ning Qingshan never imagined that the Third Prince had no intention of marrying her as a consort. These small nders, although there was no direct evidence, sometimes catching the wind was enough.

    But a co-consort? Ning Qingshan had always been as proud as a princess. If she knew the cousin that she was sure to marry only wanted her to be his co-consort, would she still love him so deeply? But Ning Xueyan certainly would not feel sorry for Ning Qingshan.

    Someone like Ning Qingshan was born as vicious as poisonous snakes. Even if you treated her well, she would not be grateful.

    In the box upstairs, Madam Dowager became anxious long ago. From time to time, she would send her maids to inquire about the news. Now seeing Ning Xueyane back safe and sound, she was slightly relieved. After all, the Beauty Contest wasing, so none of the threedies could afford to make any mistake.

    As soon as Ning Xueyan sat down, Ning Lingyun also went upstairs with her maids. Although she looked timid, her clothes and the essories that she wore were neat in perfect order. It was evident that nothing serious had happened to her. When two of the three Young Ladies from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor came back, Madam Dowager was finally able to sit down and eat some snacks.

    Ning Qingshan had always been a smart girl. Madam Dowager thought that since Ning Lingyun and Ning Xueyan were fine, she must also be okay. Anyway, she was merely separated from others by the crowds. Everything would be okay as long as the servants found her.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, where have you been all this time? Why did youe backte at this time?¡± Facing Ning Xueyan, Madam Dowager asked.

    ¡°Grandma, just when I was separated from my two sisters, I went back here with Qingyu and Xinmei. It was just that we were quite familiar with the roads. Thus, we were lost our way halfway to this ce and took a very roundabout way. Later, we asked someone who knew the right way and finally came out of the opposite alley to get here. Only at that time did we realize that we went the wrong way.¡± With fullposure, Ning Xueyan smiled and exined, wearing a slightly sorry expression on her face.

    ¡°If I knew that earlier, I would have sent someone to act as a guide for you at that time. Well, look at you. You could even get lost in the imperial capital.¡± Madam Dowager didn¡¯t doubt Ning Xueyan¡¯s exnation at all. It was mainly because Ning Xueyan had been staying in the Bright Frost Garden for so many years. Also, one of her maids had been keeping in the Bright Frost Garden for a very long time. Well, the other maid, who was sent here by Ming Feiyong¡¯s manor, didn¡¯t look like a clever one.

    ¡°Fourth Young Lady, what¡¯s the matter with you?¡± Madam Dowager was rather kind to Ning Xueyan, but she was not that nice to Ning Lingyun.

    ¡°Grandmother, I... I met my cousin from Concubine Xu¡¯s family. We stood aside and talked for a while. That was why I camete then.¡± Lowering her head, Ning Lingyun spoke with hesitation.

    ¡°Your cousin is from Concubine Xu¡¯s family. But Fourth Young Lady, you are now a Young Lady from the great Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. You should always keep your high status in mind. Don¡¯t let others look down upon you.¡± When Madam Dowager heard that Ning Lingyun was talking with someone from the Concubine Xu¡¯s family, she drew a long face and said unpleasantly. From her words, Ning Lingyun knew that Madam Dowager gave a subtle warning to her.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Didn¡¯t dare to say anything, Ning Lingyun replied, bowing her head.

    But how could Ning Lingyun go to meet with someone from the Senior Concubine Xu¡¯s family and even have a conversation with her? If everyone on the spot remembered correctly, Ning Lingyun always considered herself as a Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. How could she especially go to find and talk with her previous cousin?

    While they were talking, the box door opened. With a gloomy face, Ning Zu¡¯an appeared and rushed in angrily. Behind him was Ning Qingshan, who was a total mess now.

 Chapter 271 - Families Should Huddle Together to Have a Jolly Time

    Chapter 271 Families Should Huddle Together to Have a Jolly Time

    Ning Qingshan was unlucky to the extreme!

    This time, it was jolly hard luck on her!

    After saying goodbye to the Third Prince, she came out in a hurry, for she also knew that she could not stay outside for too long. Or, others would suspect her. But she was knocked to the ground by someone just as she was out of the alley hurriedly. What was worse, she happened to fall into a small puddle. Though the maid quickly went to support her, she still stumbled for a couple of paces and stepped into the puddle when she moved back. Because of this, even the lower hem of her dress got dirty.

    But it was toote for her to change the clothes at this time. Thus, she had to wipe the dirty corners of her dress and went straight to Linjiang Restaurant with her maids. But to her great surprise, just when she turned a corner, she saw Ning Zu¡¯aning with some servants. Ning Zu¡¯an was stunned as he spotted Ning Qingshan before him and then became a little angry. After taking a nce at her, he directly turned around and went back.

    Earlier, some servants hade here to report to Ning Zu¡¯an that the other two Young Ladies had returned to Linjiang Restaurant unharmed and were now with Madam Dowager.

    ¡°Third Young Lady, what¡¯s going on with you? How did you end up like this?¡±

    Seeing that Ning Qingshan was in such an embarrassing manner, Madam Dowager was first startled and then asked angrily with a sullen face, ¡°Where on earth did you go?¡±

    ¡°Grandmother, someone hit me just now, and there was a puddle behind you. Thus, I identally stepped into it and damped my dress.¡± A little hopelessly, Ning Qingshan replied, feeling aggrieved. She didn¡¯t know why the incident would happen to her when she was going on her perfect n. Moreover, as she entered Linjiang Restaurant, she felt that others were looking at her with strange looks.

    ¡°But why would you get into the alley when nothing bad happened on the street?¡± In an overbearing manner, Ning Zu¡¯an took the seat. His severe eyes swept across Ning Qingshan¡¯s face, and he asked in a deep voice.

    ¡°How did Ning Zu¡¯an know that I crossed the alley to date with the Third Prince secretly?¡± As Ning Qingshan thought of this, her heart missed a beat. However, she didn¡¯t show her mental activity on her face. Wearing an apologetic smile, she hurriedly said, ¡°Father, I have been staying with my two sisters the whole time. Originally, everything appeared fine. But all of a sudden, my two sisters disappeared. In haste, I had to go to the dark alley to look for them because I was afraid that my sisters might get lost.¡±

    The exnation that Ning Qingshan offered sounded pretty reasonable. However, once people started to suspect someone, it would be very easy for them to doubt about everything that person said. That was how Ning Zu¡¯an felt at this moment. Eyes zing like torches, he nced at Ning Qingshan. Then, his eyes slightly wrinkled. Though Ning Zu¡¯an didn¡¯t make detailed inquiries about the facts, there was doubt in his heart.

    Just now, when he found Ning Qingshan, he saw a man following behind Ning Qingshan from the distance. However, once the man saw Ning Zu¡¯an rushing to them with some people, he suddenly disappeared into the crowd. At that time, there were many people around, so Ning Zu¡¯an could not keep his eyes on him. Besides, he didn¡¯t see the man¡¯s appearance for that moment, Ning Zu¡¯an only felt that it was a young man.

    ¡°Did she really take a fancy to the Minster Xia¡¯s second son, who is merely a concubine¡¯s son? Perhaps, what the housekeeper said is true!¡±

    As Ning Zu¡¯an thought this, he would get a terrible headache. The marriage between Ning Qingshan and the Third Prince was almost a sure thing. At this time, if rumors about Ning Qingshan¡¯s affair with another man came out, the Third Prince would inevitably argue with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Then, his perfect n, which could benefit his manor both ways, would crash.

    Therefore, he must let others watch Ning Qingshan¡¯s moves, for he would never allow this unmarried daughter to do anything inappropriate.

    ¡°Be careful next time. Those alleys are normally very dark. How could a Young Lady from Lord Protector¡¯s Manor like you go there?¡± Although Madam Dowager was not clear about the specific situation, she could tell from her son¡¯s angry look and Ning Qingshan¡¯s miserable appearance that Ning Qingshan must have done some bad things.

    ¡°Yes, I won¡¯t do it again.¡± Ning Qingshan was readily to ept Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s reproach and promised quickly. Looking up, she saw Ning Xueyan. With a slightly angry look, she med. ¡°Fifth Sister, when did youe back? Why didn¡¯t you wait for me?¡±

    ¡°By doing this, she wanted to draw the attention of both Madam Dowager and a few other people to me.¡± Sure enough, Madam Dowager turned to look at Ning Xueyan, a little discontentedly. Ning Xueyan slightly sneered in her heart. Ning Qingshan¡¯s words showed that Ning Xueyan had no affection for her sisters. ¡°It looks like that Ning Qingshan is increasingly good at transferring her trouble to others. By inferring that I ignored her when she needed my help, she intended to make me a cold-hearted sister.¡±

    ¡°Third Sister, I have been back for a while. There were so many people before, and the crowds tore me apart from all the people that I knew around me. Luckily, my two maids managed to find me. Then, I checked around but did not see you. Thinking that Grandmother and father would get anxious if they knew that all three of us were missing, I finally chose to hurry back to Linjiang Restaurant first.¡±

    Ning Xueyan appeared to feel a little aggrieved and exined with a soft voice. By the way, she showed that she left that time only because she cared about the feelings of Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an.

    ¡°Yes, Third Sister, I also came back for the same reason.¡± Ning Lingyun also hurried to respond. For whatever the reasons that Ning Qingshan left for a period, Ning Qingshan surely would not allow others to know it. Therefore, she also disagreed with Ning Qingshan¡¯s usation to them. Ning Qingshan secretly med Ning Xueyan and her, for they treated their sister indifferently. But by mentioning her concern toward Grandmother and father, Ning Xueyan retorted.

    Upon hearing Ning Xueyan¡¯s words, Madam Dowager nodded in her heart.

    Compared with Ning Xueyan, Ning Qingshan obviously didn¡¯t pay attention to the interests of the whole family and acted a little too frivolous. The reputation of an unmarried girl should not be damaged even a bit. Although nothing happened to Ning Qingshan today, she just entered with a terrible appearance. Merely such a scene was enough to cause many topics, which was not what Madam Dowager would like to see.

    ¡°Grandmother, father, did something bad happen to my sisters?¡± The box door was reopened, and Ning Huaiyuan walked in with a smile.

    He came just at the right point!

    ¡°Your Third Sister slipped and made herself a mess.¡± Madam Dowager sighed and told him.

    ¡°Oh, nothing serious. It was merely a fall. Just ask a maid to fetch the clean clothes in the carriage downstairs for her to change. A lot of people are enjoying thenterns on the streets, and many of them fell. When I came over just now, I also encountered a few Young Ladies packed shoulder to shoulder, appearing in a mess. Grandmother, today is a big holiday. It is originally a time for everyone to have fun. Who would care about such a small incident?¡±

    After going a circle around Ning Qingshan, Ning Huaiyuan joked.

    ¡°Huaiyuan, you are always a sweet talker...¡± eximed Madam Dowager thought what he said was right. She loved his words. As so many people were walking down the streets today, some incidents were quite normal. Thus, Madam Dowager was immediately relieved and smiled. Seeing Madam Dowager¡¯s smile, Ning Zu¡¯an thought it was improper to pursue this matter further. So, lifting his mouth corners, he also put up a smiling face on the spot to please Madam Dowager. A furious interrogation triggered by Ning Qingshan immediately dissolved into nothing.

    When Young Ladies went on a trip outside, servants would always prepare some clothes for them and packed their clothes in the carriages. Thus, Madam Dowager asked some people to drive the carriages that the three Young Ladies were in over and told Ning Qingshan to change her clothes when the carriages arrived.

    Looking at the loving father and the filial son, Ning Xueyan disdained in her heart. It was evident that Ning Zu¡¯an had be suspicious about Ning Qingshan. However, he appeared as if he cared nothing about this case. Of course, Ning Huaiyuan popped up precisely at the right time. Ning Xueyan noticed that the maid named Caifen came in right now. She was not behind Ning Qingshan before, but now she was standing at Ning Qingshan¡¯s back. Clearly, she went out to call for Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s help just now.

    At first, Ning Xueyan thought that there were some conflicts between Ning Huaiyuan and Ning Qingshan. But to her surprise, they joined the alliance so soon. Ning Xueyan felt that she had to act more carefully next.

    When everyone was here, attendants started to serve dishes to the table. After finishing eating, their carriages arrived downstairs. Ning Qingshan went downstairs and found a ce to change her clothes. Then the dragon boat race began. One after another, everyone went up to the window to watch the match below. Standing before the window at the farthest corner, Ning Xueyan bowed her head, looking down.

    At this time, theke¡¯s surface was brightly lit. Also, the emperor had arrived. Sitting under the yellow canopy, the emperor didn¡¯t look young between his forty and fifty. The woman who sat next to him should be the empress, who had neither sons nor daughters. Thus, she wasn¡¯t so fond of lively activities. Usually, she did not attend big banquets, but unexpectedly, she came here today.

    Behind the emperor and the empress, there were at least eight or nine beautiful and charming concubines of the emperor.

    With her sharp eyes, Ning Xueyan soon saw both Honored Consort Ya and Honored Consort Shu were there.

    On the side of the emperor, a chair was ced sideways. There sat Prince Yi, who was the most powerful person in the imperial court except for the emperor. Not caring about his public image, he leaned against the chair and was watching the race with his elbows bent, his chin in his hands. Prince Yi¡¯s face was exceedingly beautiful, but it looked as cold as Asura¡¯s face. However, today, the light ofnterns added softness to his usually hostile look.

    His appearance attracted some noble Young Ladies who usually did not dare to have any improper fancy thought toward him. At this time, they either frequentlynded their eyes on him with shy looks or talked to people nearby prettily.

    All of the Young Ladies who could present there were either closely rted to the royal family or very close rtives to the emperor¡¯s favored concubines.

    Both the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince were also present.

    However,pared with Ao Chenyi, the two of them looked less imposing and handsome. Thus, those Young Ladies paid much less attention to them.

    When Ning Xueyan was examining the scene below, she suddenly felt that someone was looking at her. Involuntarily, she turned around and happened to catch Ao Chenyi¡¯s evil but enchanting eyes. There were lights above theke and a moon in the sky. But none of them looked as bright as his eyes. All of a sudden, he slightly curved his thin lips and showed a faint smile on his face.

    Without batting an eyelid, Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes turned away from him. Prince Yi, who had a gorgeous appearance, still gave her an intense pressure that could almost make her feel breathless even when they were so far apart. Prince Yi¡¯s bloodthirsty aura, which seemed to be brought from the hell full of blood, had already reached his bones. But apparently, such a face of him had fascinated some of the Young Ladies sitting below.

    Beyond their control, a few of them forgot Ao Chenyi¡¯s viciousness and looked at him with fixed eyes.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, what are you looking at?¡± Suddenly, Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s clear voice sounded in Ning Xueyan¡¯s ears. Only then did Ning Xueyan find out that Ning Huaiyuan and Ning Qingshan had already walked up to her sometime.

    A moment ago, they were by the window at the forefront to watch the scene of bustle. But now, it was evident that Ning Huaiyuan and Ning Qingshan didn¡¯te to Ning Xueyan together by ident. They seemed to have something to say to her. Judging by their looks, Ning Xueyan knew they came to her with ill intent.

    In previous, Ning Huaiyuan came to Ning Qingshan¡¯s rescue. Now, it looked like that Ning Qingshan wanted to help Ning Huaiyuan to do something which was rted to Ning Xueyan...

    Lifting her lips a little, she slightly moved away and saluted them politely. ¡°Eldest brother, Third Sister, cannot you see clearly at the front?¡±

    The window in the front was in a perfect position. It directly faced the people below, from which people could watch more closely. However, the ce around the window was notrge. Just now, Ning Huaiyuan and Ning Qingshan had upied this ce, and so others had to give up the ce and go to some other ces to watch. Thus, with very few people around, this ce was very convenient for them to discuss something.

    ¡°We gave that ce to Grandmother. She can enjoy the best scene there.¡± Smiling, Ning Huaiyuan pointed to the ce.

    Now Ning Xueyan saw that Madam Dowager had been sitting therefortably and enjoyed the scene below, full of joy. At this time, the dragon boats for the match had not yet arrived. But only looking at the crowd below was interesting and fun enough. After all, it was a rare opportunity to sit up there and watch the lively scene within which the emperor was in.

    ¡°Since both of you don¡¯t think my ce is crowded, you can watch the scene together with me.¡± The corners of Ning Xueyan¡¯s lips lifted, and Ning Xueyan showed them a gentle smile. Then, she slightly moved back to avoid touching them and shed her long eyshes to cover the touch of sarcasm in her eyes. It was true that Ning Qingshan and Ning Huaiyuan came here with ill intent. Now they even took Madam Dowager as an excuse.

    ¡°Your ce is never small for us. We families should huddle together to have a jolly time.¡± Affectionately, Ning Qingshan stretched out to hold Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand with a smile and leaned against her. Then Ning Huaiyuan also squeezed in. This ce was exactly suitable for them to pack together.

    Seeing that the three of them crowded tight against one another, other people there had to go to other windows. Then, others might not hear the words that they were going to say next...

 Chapter 272 - Third Sister Wanted to Ask About Second Sister

    Chapter 272 Third Sister Wanted to Ask About Second Sister

    ¡°Fifth Sister, what happened to Second Sister? First Brother and I were not there. How did that happen?¡± Ning Qingshan took Ning Xueyan by the hand, and lowered her voice as if she was trying to keep the peace.

    ¡°Does Third Sister want to know about this?¡± Ning Xueyan smiled faintly, with an indifferent look. She removed her hand from Ning Qingshan¡¯s hand, and cast her eyes on Ning Huaiyuan and Ning Qingshan, calmly.

    This was the price that Ning Huaiyuan paid for helping Ning Qingshan. It seemed that Ning Huaiyuan wanted to do something to Ning Yuling, either to suppress her and let Ning Yuling take the me?

    However, she did not want to intimately discuss Ning Yuling¡¯s matter with them.

    ¡°Yes, Fifth Sister, can you tell us what happened, exactly?¡± Although Ning Qingshan was unhappy that Ning Xueyan pushed her hands away, she still gave a gentle smile, because she was shrewd and deep.

    ¡°No, I can¡¯t tell you exactly what happened. However, I have an idea if you wish to know.¡± Ning Xueyan said, with a tinge of sarcasm in her tone.

    ¡°What¡¯s your idea?¡± Ning Qingshan thought herself clever and stared at Ning Huaiyuan with a smirk. She asked only about a part of the matter, and Ning Huaiyuan had replied. So, she judged that Ning Xueyan must have yed a trick. When Ning Xueyan talked about itter, she would shout if there was something unreasonable.

    With these words, she wanted to convince Madam Dowager that Ning Yuling might have been framed. Meanwhile, she tried to use this opportunity to take Ning Xueyan down and give Ning Yuling a chance to return the capital city. Ning Huaiyuan had sent someone there, and it was said that Ning Yuling¡¯s face was much better now.

    Ning Qingshan did not want to meddle in this matter. But when she saw Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s strange look, she knew that something had gone wrong and immediately asked Caifen to seek help. Therefore, she did not reach out to help, nor find it challenging to handle. It was not convenient for Ning Huaiyuan to interfere with the matter of the backyard. But if the secret was discovered, he could directly have a hand in it.

    Even if she wanted to have something on Ning Xueyan, she could find any clues. Ning Qingshan was confident about this. Although she had nned not to do anything to Ning Xueyan temporarily, if Ning Huaiyuan would do that, it would have nothing to do with her!

    She thought so, so she asked. But when Ning Xueyan said something else, her gentle smile stiffened.

    ¡°Grandmother, Third Sister is asking regarding the matter about Second Sister, but I don¡¯t know exactly what happened. Can you tell her?¡± Ning Xueyan suddenly raised her voice, and spoke to Madam Dowager, who was sitting at the first window, and looking outside with pleasure.

    She said it so loudly that almost everyone in thepartment heard it.

    Madam Dowager¡¯s face darkened at once, and she turned her head toward Ning Qingshan, as a trace of cold anger shed across her eyes. Ning Yuling¡¯s matter had been the biggest scandal in the manor. Even Princely Heir of Commandery of Prince Li had disliked her, and Madam Ling had beaten and disfigured her.

    The cherished daughter of the manor in a prominent position had be the target for all sorts of scandals, overnight. Madam Dowager, who had always valued the decency of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, was ashamed of Ning Yuling.

    Therefore, Ning Yuling¡¯s name was taboo in the manor.

    ¡°Third Girl, you want to know about Second Girl?¡± Madam Dowager looked at Ning Qingshan indifferently. Ning Qingshan¡¯s face paled as she lowered her head.

    She could not help thinking about it. Ning Yuling was the intended consort for Third Prince, and it had already been settled. Even if the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor kept urging them to get married, Honored Consort Ya would always say that the timing was not right, and told them to wait. She dyed time and again until Ning Yuling had an ident.

    How could Madam Dowager not get angry? She thought that nothing would happen if only Honored Consort Ya had let Ning Yuling get married earlier. In that case, it would have nothing to do with Ning Qingshan. But in the end, Third Prince and Honored Consort Ya took a fancy to Ning Qingshan.

    Did Honored Consort Ya dy it, so that she could wait for Ning Qingshan to get out of the Buddhist nunnery? Was Ning Yuling originally a pawn? At the thought of this, Madam Dowager felt that Ning Qingshan deliberately mentioned Ning Yuling to put herself in a good light. Ning Yuling was no longer Madam Dowager¡¯s indulged granddaughter. Even if Ning Qingshan was good enough, she was always considered an outsider in Madam Dowager¡¯s eyes.

    Now, the outsider was talking about Ning Yuling, which irritated Madam Dowager. Her good mood disappeared.

    ¡°Grandmother, Fifth Sister talked about Second Sister, so Third Sister mentioned about her.¡± Ning Huaiyuan knew something was wrong when Ning Xueyan looked angry. Before he realized that, Ning Xueyan was already yelling out loud.

    At this moment, when he saw that Madam Dowager was looking pale, he immediately passed the buck to Ning Xueyan.

    Hearing that Ning Xueyan was talking about Ning Yuling, Madam Dowager turned to Ning Xueyan and looked sullen. At the other window, Ning Zu¡¯an was full of doubts. Everyone knew that Ning Yuling almost killed Ning Xueyan. Did Ning Xueyan mean to get even with him?

    The so-called biological father and blood rtionship ims were false. Ning Xueyan sneered inwardly but looked surprised. She looked at Ning Huaiyuan and Ning Qingshan, saying, ¡°First Brother, do you mean that I purposely called you here to talk about Second Sister?¡±

    Ning Huaiyuan was stupefied and had a grim look in his eyes, which was a bit unusual for him. He had been in a close conversation with Ning Qingshan in front of everyone. Now, he turned against Ning Xueyan. Everyone in the house saw it.

    ¡°First Brother, Grandmother has repeatedly urged that no one in the manor should mention it. Did I go against her on purpose? Even so, I won¡¯t mention it before you and Third Sister. Everyone knows that you¡¯re the most obedient. If I speak harshly, you will tell grandmother.¡± Ning Xueyan said calmly.

    Her dark eyes were quiet and cold. Ning Huaiyuan even thought that there was a look of disdain in them. He never expected that Ning Xueyan would be so tough. He had thought it would be nothing, but a mere mention. He intended to make Ning Xueyan a scapegoat, but he never thought that this delicate girl was so decisive.

    Ning Qingshan felt wronged. She wanted to hit the edge ball and did not mean to deal with Ning Xueyan. Firstly, she thought that Madam Dowager disliked Ning Xueyan. Secondly, Ning Huaiyuan would arrange everything after that. Besides, she was doing this for Ning Yuling. Therefore, Ning Xueyan would put the me on Ning Huaiyuan, and it would have nothing to do with her.

    Unexpectedly, Ning Xueyan fires at her after she barely spoke two sentences, but she could not exin it. She could not say that what she said was wrong? She and Ning Huaiyuan were not the most respectful towards Madam Dowager? No matter how much she argued, she would lose. If she did not exin, it would show that she had a guilty conscience.

    She could not help but hate Ning Xueyan at this moment. She thought that Ning Xueyan was too clever!

    Of course, she would not allow herself to be used without offering any resistance. As she rolled her eyes, an idea suddenly struck her. She raised her head and had tears in her gentle eyes. She looked at Ning Xueyan nkly, with incredulity, hurt, and someplicated sadness.

    ¡°Grandmother, don¡¯t... don¡¯t me Fifth Sister. It¡¯s... It¡¯s my fault!¡± After she said this with difficulty, she could not help but break down in tears. It seemed that she was concerned about Ning Xueyan and suffered from injustice to cover up for Ning Xueyan. She even reached out to pull Ning Huaiyuan, which showed that she was asking Ning Huaiyuan not to fight with her.

    ¡°Third Sister, why are you... are you always doing this?¡± Ning Huaiyuan pretended to be exasperated at her failure to make good. He was dragged along for a few steps and stopped.

    ¡°Anyway, she¡¯s Fifth Sister. I felt grateful for Second Madam¡¯s many years of upbringing. My debt to her is beyond measure.¡± Ning Qingshan wiped her tears with a handkerchief as if she was willing to do everything to pay a debt to gratitude.

    Ning Qingshan showed her loyalty, that she would not be ungrateful to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. It was said that Madam Ming had beaten and scolded her, but she was still grateful to her. Madam Dowager had always been kind to her, so that she would be more thankful toward her. After she finished speaking, Madam Dowager was not as sullen as before.

    Ning Xueyan sneered that Ning Qingshan never missed the chance to show her loyalty. Ning Qingshan wanted to make Ning Xueyan a scapegoat and boost herself. Ning Qingshan thought Ning Xueyan would have nothing to say, because Ning Huaiyuan was there. Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an valued Ning Huaiyuan too much, so she could notpare with him.

    Ning Qingshan knew that, so she would fight against her secretly. But because she was too eager for a quick sess and her statements had a lot of loopholes.

    Ning Xueyanughed and showed a touch of helplessness. ¡°Third Sister, you said that you wanted to know about Second Sister. How can you say so much and even speak of repaying an obligation? Third Sister, please be assured that Grandmother will know how filial you are because she has been listening to you.¡±

    Her words were simple, and she never minded who was right and wrong before. On second thought, one could find something else. Even if Ning Xueyan mentioned Ning Yuling first, why would Ning Qingshan return to the subject about repaying an obligation? What she said before, seemed to be not worth mentioning. Why did she speak of that?

    Moreover, Ning Xueyan added, ¡°Grandmother has been listening to you.¡±

    That meant that Ning Qingshan had intentionally informed Madam Dowager.

    ¡°I... I did not mean that. Fifth Sister, how can you... you say that about me? Fifth Sister, I wanted to help you.¡± Ning Qingshan blushed and then felt wronged. She looked at Ning Xueyan with teary eyes, as if she suffered from injustice.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, you¡¯ve gone too far!¡± Ning Huaiyuan said, with a hint of profound determination in his eyes.

    ¡°First Brother, you were with Third Sister. Why did youe over to me? It should be better to view the scene from over there!¡± Ning Xueyan gave a soft smile.

    ¡°I left because of Grandmother.¡± Ning Huaiyuan answered. They had thought of an excuse, but he did not believe that there were ws.

    ¡°First Brother and Third Sister exchanged endearing words for some time there. Even if you are not siblings, you are better than that. Then, you left it to Grandmother, so you¡¯re so obedient.¡± Ning Xueyanughed gently.

    If they wanted to show filial piety to their grandmother, shouldn¡¯t they have left the position to Madam Dowager from the beginning? Why would they discuss it for a long time before they practiced filial piety? At best, they were careless. At worst, they might have been discussing something. They were not even siblings. Was it really good for them to be so intimate?.

 Chapter 273 - The Affectionate Third Prince Ao Mingyu

    <h4>Chapter 273 The Affectionate Third Prince Ao Mingyu</h4>

    At this point, there was no need to say too much. The meaning was all inside it.

    Ning Huaiyuan and Ning Qingshan chatted warmly with each other for a while. Then they came to Ning Xueyan. They normally weren¡¯t so kind to her, but now both of them came here. It seemed that they came with evil intention.

    Anyway, it was impossible that Ning Xueyan first mentioned Ning Yuling.

    Madam Dowager was also old and experienced. She looked at Ning Huaiyuan indifferently and showed some disapproval. Ning Xueyan was no longer who she used to be. If everything went well, she would marry into the imperial family. No matter which family she married into, what Ning Xueyan represented was the same as Ning Qingshan, so she could not be offended.

    Seeing the sadness in her grandmother¡¯s eyes, Ning Huaiyuan reacted quickly. He pressed his hand against his nose with malicious intent and bowed to Ning Xueyan, saying apologetically, ¡°Fifth Sister, I¡¯m sorry. Maybe I misunderstood you just now. I came a littlete and heard you talking about Second Sister. I thought you mentioned it. Please forgive me.¡±

    Hearing his words, Ning Qingshan couldn¡¯t stop crying. She was ashamed and angry. She didn¡¯t expect that Ning Huaiyuan would suddenly change his statement. So it was she who deliberately mentioned Ning Yuling and broke Madam Dowager¡¯s heart?

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t expect that Ning Huaiyuan would apologize to her openly. People who didn¡¯t know the story would think that he was a modest gentleman. But from the surprise on Madam Dowager¡¯s face and the satisfaction on Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s face, it showed that Ning Huaiyuan was a man who knew when to eat humble pie and when to hold his head high.

    For a moment, there was a hint of sarcasm in her eyes, but then it was hidden at the bottom of her eyes.

    Ning Xueyan shifted her eyes and silently looked at Ning Huaiyuan. Ning Qingshan was overwhelmed with shame and rage. She raised her lips slightly and stretched out her hand to hold Ning Huaiyuan. ¡°Eldest brother, we are biological brother and sister. Don¡¯t act like a stranger.¡±

    A misunderstanding? That was OK, but it depended on who misunderstood!

    She deliberately added the words ¡°biological¡± brother and sister, so that Ning Qingshan gnashed her teeth with hatred. She clenched her fists tightly inside her sleeves, and her face became stiff. That damn Ning Huaiyuan, how could he say such words at this time, to put her at such a disadvantage?

    ¡°All right, you are brother and sister. Why are you arguing? Third Young Lady, you¡¯re a big girl now. You should watch your mouth in the future. Don¡¯t always think confusedly. As long as the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is there, you¡¯ll have a family behind you. Don¡¯t think too much.¡±

    Madam Dowager¡¯s words were very harsh, which was equivalent to hitting Ning Qingshan in the face and even faintly threatening her. The corners of Ning Qingshan¡¯s eyes twitched twice, and she only felt that the airing out of her nose was frozen. ¡°That damn Ning Xueyan, she only said a few words and Madam Dowager¡¯s impression of me is getting worse.¡±

    She gritted her teeth to suppress the hatred in her heart. She lowered her head shyly and had to admit it. ¡°Yes, Grandmother. I didn¡¯t hear clearly. I thought that Fifth Sister mentioned it.¡±

    ¡°Come here and see it. Yuan¡¯er, go over to Zu¡¯an. Don¡¯t huddle together,¡± Madam Dowager looked at them indifferently, opened her mouth slightly, and ordered.

    Everyone could see that Ning Qingshan was making excuses. Except for these masters, everyone else was a servant. Who would dare to talk about Ning Yuling here and make Madam Dowager unhappy? Of course, Madam Dowager wouldn¡¯t expose her at this time. She still needed to save the Third Prince¡¯s face.

    The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and the Third Prince¡¯s Manor had to be close to each other, so Ning Qingshan was indispensable. If Ning Qingshan became estranged from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, it would not be good for the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    After thinking about this, Madam Dowager didn¡¯t want to pursue this matter anymore. But in her mind, she was secretly more vignt of Ning Qingshan. She could not trust her because Ning Qingshan was not a daughter of her own family. Moreover, she was full of nonsense and finally put her grandson in trouble.

    In Madam Dowager¡¯s opinion, Ning Huaiyuan was a good person and had performed well. At most, he was confused by Ning Qingshan for a while. It seemed that she wanted Yuan¡¯er to stay away from Ning Qingshan in the future. Since they were not biological siblings, it would not be good for them to be so close to each other.

    This was just a small fight, and everyone had evil intentions. Then they went back to watch the dragon boats.

    By this time, the dragon boats below were already visible in the distance. The people on both sides cheered. Some young men even popped their heads out from the windowsill and shouted. The crowd was passionate and excited. Even the emperor sitting in the dragon chair could not help raising his head and looking into the distance.

    Several dragon boats flew over from afar. Each dragon boat had 10 strong young men in it, each rowing on one side. Like flying boats, the boats were in front of them in an instant. Several young princes in the middle of the tform couldn¡¯t help jumping and shouting, cheering for their favorite team.

    The shouts from both sides were earsplitting, and then came cheers, louder and louder.

    Ning Xueyan found that except for Prince Yi, Ao Chenyi, who was stillzily leaning on the other side, even those imperial concubines couldn¡¯t help showing an exciting look. He was the only one looking at theke in boredom, and his eyes were deep and peaceful. The shouts and jumping for joy seemed to be from a painting. However, he was outside the picture, which was somewhat inconsistent with the pattern.

    Or, there was no coordination at all, which moved her!

    Wasn¡¯t she the same...

    They were lively outside, but she was not. She was full of doubts and resentment in her heart after she was reborn from the blood.

    She was unhappy because she was ruthlessly abandoned by Xia Yuhang and killed by Madam Ling and her daughter. But why did Ao Chenyi do this? Wasn¡¯t he the most powerful Prince Yi? Wasn¡¯t he the emperor¡¯s younger brother, and even the emperor couldn¡¯t do anything to him? What was the reason that he couldn¡¯t see the joy and excitement in ordinary people¡¯s faces?

    ¡°Look, Young Lady.¡± Xinmei walked over to Ning Xueyan and pointed down.

    Ning Xueyanposed herself and saw the Third Prince, Ao Mingyu, smiling at her gently. He fixed his eyes on the window in front of him, where Ning Qingshan was.

    Ning Xueyan narrowed her eyes slightly. In this case, Ao Mingyu seemed to be affectionate toward Ning Qingshan. He was making trouble for Ning Qingshan. On both sides, many people saw him doing this. Many noble families targeted the two princes. So what if they said that Ning Qingshan was the predetermined Third Prince¡¯s concubine?

    Some of the noble youngdies from noble families were unconvinced. Looking at Ya Moqin, who was standing beside Ao Mingyu, from where Ning Xueyan was standing, one could see Ya Moqin¡¯s jealous eyes. She followed Ao Mingyu¡¯s gaze and stared at him. She was Ao Mingyu¡¯s first cousin.

    At the thought of this, something shed through his mind. Elder male cousin, younger female cousin?

    Ning Qingshan also addressed Ao Mingyu as her cousin in private. She didn¡¯t know what her rtionship with Ya Moqin was, so she had to take advantage of today¡¯s matter to check it out.

    The Third Prince must have nned Ning Qingshan¡¯s disappearance and the servant who was waiting for her at the door. Ning Qingshan was vicious, but she didn¡¯t expect that Ao Mingyu, who was affectionate to her, didn¡¯t intend to marry her as his consort. Ao Mingyu had hinted that she would be the co-consort.

    It waste at night. It was not good to make people suspicious!

    These specious words were what Ao Mingyu meant. If people suspected that she was ill-behaved, Ning Qingshan would not be the consort. Of course, it was Ning Qingshan¡¯s fault and it had nothing to do with the Third Prince.

    But when Ya Moqin held Ao Mingyu to say a few words, Ao Mingyu looked up at Ning Qingshan. It showed that he attached importance to Ning Qingshan in his heart.

    Ya Moqin pulled him several times before he seemed to realize it. He lowered his head and gently said something to her. Then, he turned to the other people behind him and said something. However, he always fixed his eyes on Ning Qingshan, who was upstairs. Seeing that, Ning Qingshan was delighted and held her handkerchief shyly. Her beautiful eyes were sparkling.

    At this time, the Dragon Boat Race outside had ended. The emperor brought the empress and concubines back to the pce. However, everyone else returned to their originalpartments. It was still early. It was said that there would be fireworks in the capital today. Everyone chatted and waited for the firework feast.

    At the door of the private room, someone knocked. It was a clever maid. Seeing Madam Dowager, she said respectfully, ¡°Madam Dowager, I¡¯m from the Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Mansion. My Young Lady is upstairs. She wants to invite several Young Ladies of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to chat with her.¡±

    Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor? Ya Moqin? Ning Xueyan realized something. The Third Prince had been distracted while talking to her. She had met Ya Moqin before and knew that she was unruly and loved Ao Mingyu. However, she was not like a person who wanted to talk nicely with Ning Qingshan on this asion.

    ¡°Is she the First Lady of the Ya¡¯s Mansion?¡± With Madam Dowager¡¯s approval, Ning Qingshan came forward and asked with a smile.

    ¡°Is Ya Moqin looking for me now? She doesn¡¯t know me. Could it be that the Third Prince deliberately said so in order to avoid others¡¯ attention? As for inviting Ning Lingyun and Ning Xueyan, of course, it¡¯s to avoid gossip¡±. She became ecstatic and blushed.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s our Eldest Young Lady. Third Young Lady, Fourth Young Lady, and Fifth Young Lady, pleasee with me,¡± the maid respectfully answered.

    Madam Dowager was happy to see that the maid of Grand Tutor Ya respected Ning Qingshan so much. Ning Qingshan had a better rtionship with Honored Consort Ya¡¯s family, which would be more beneficial to her. So, she happily said that they would all go there.

    ¡°Fourth Sister, Fifth Sister, since Miss Ya has invited us, let¡¯s go together!¡± Ning Qingshan held back her pride, turned her head, and said to Ning Xueyan and Ning Lingyun gently.

    Of course, Ning Lingyun was willing to have such an opportunity to chat with the daughter of a powerful family. Everyone knew that Ya Moqin was the most difficult aristocraticdy to chat with. Even Ning Yuling had suffered a loss from her before. Moreover, she might meet the Third Prince. Now that Ning Lingyun had lost the engagement, she couldn¡¯t stop her wishful thinking of Ao Mingyu.

    ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m not going. I left in a hurry just now and sprained my foot slightly.¡± Ning Xueyan pretended that she didn¡¯t see Ning Qingshan¡¯scency. She smiled and refused in a soft voice. Ao Mingyu was not kind, so she didn¡¯t want to be part of Ning Qingshan¡¯s business.

 Chapter 274 - Ning Qingshan Cast the Blame on Ning Xueyan

    <strong>Chapter 274 Ning Qingshan Cast the me on Ning Xueyan</strong>

    Seeing that Ning Xueyan refused, Ning Qingshan did not dissuade her. She said goodbye to Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an, then went upstairs with Ning Lingyun.

    Third Prince Ao Mingyu booked the No. 5 private room upstairs. But at this time, he was not in his private room because the Fourth Prince had called him over. They drank and talked with each other in the Fourth Prince¡¯s private room. He left his private room to Ya Moqin, who hade with him.

    Before leaving, he expressed his regret. He wanted to call Ning Qingshan over to meet Ya Moqin.

    Three years ago, when Ning Qingshan went to the imperial pce, she didn¡¯t meet Ya Moqin, so they didn¡¯t know each other.

    ¡°Cousin, don¡¯t worry. Even without you, I can get to know the Third Young Lady in a while. Cousin, you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Seeing Ao Mingyu¡¯s repeated warning, Ya Moqin burned with jealousy. Ning Qingshan, right? In recent years, she had talked about her because Ning Qingshan was so famous in the capital city.

    But at that time, her cousin only said that he was not familiar with her. He said that he had seen her in the imperial pce once or twice. Unexpectedly, she had sessfully seduced him as soon as she returned to the capital. ording to his character, she must have tempted him because he had mentioned Ning Qingshan again and again. Then she thought of her grandfather, who had repeatedly told her to be his cousin¡¯s co-consort and left the position of consort to Ning Qingshan.

    An evil fire had been burning in her heart. She could not find an opportunity to teach this bitch a lesson.

    If she wanted to be his cousin¡¯s wife and suppress her for the rest of her life, she would have to whistle for it.

    She was the high-ranking imperial tutor¡¯s legitimate granddaughter and the Third Prince¡¯s younger female cousin. Who was she? A bastard, who was picked up from nowhere, dared to get her cousin and even dared to make her retreat to the co-consort. At the thought of this, Ya Moqin gnashed her teeth with hatred.

    ¡°Why, why did that humble woman take no ount of me?¡±

    Therefore, after Ao Mingyu left, Ya Moqin asked her maid to invite Ning Qingshan here so that she could have a good meeting with this bitch. This bitch was shameless enough to exchange love nces with her cousin in front of so many people, including the emperor and the empress.

    When Ning Qingshan and Ning Lingyun came in, they saw Ya Moqin standing in front of the window. Hearing the sound of people, she turned her head and looked at Ning Lingyun, who was a little timid. At first nce, she knew that she was a bit disgraceful. She was uncertain if she was the Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor or the Fourth Young Lady. Looking at her watery eyes, Ya Moqin thought that she was a bitch.

    Coupled with Ning Yuling, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was a fox¡¯s den.

    ¡°Are you Ning Qingshan?¡± Ya Moqin asked rudely. She sized up Ning Qingshan from head to toe and pointed at her.

    She couldn¡¯t see her clearly just now. Now that she saw Ning Qingshan¡¯s face clearly, she was even angrier. Ning Qingshan had already changed her clothes at this time. Although it was a spare dress, it was also a set of gorgeous garments. Coupled with the gentle and delicate look on Ning Qingshan¡¯s face, she looked more beautiful.

    But this was a man¡¯s opinion. Now it was Ya Moqin on the opposite side. Of course, she was more convinced that she was a vixen and wanted to seduce others. That bitch not only seduced her cousin but also made him agree to her being the consort. Did she think that she, the legitimate granddaughter of Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s manor, was dead?

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Ning Qingshan, but First Miss Ya?¡± Although Ning Qingshan didn¡¯t see the Third Prince in the room and felt quite disappointed, she responded to Ya Moqin generously.

    But what answered her was a fierce p from Ya Moqin, which made Ning Qingshan stumble two steps and almost fall down.

    ¡°Third Young Lady Ning Qingshan, haven¡¯t you have been purifying your heart and restricting your passions in the Buddhist nunnery for three years? How did youe to seduce my cousin shortly after you left the Buddhist nunnery? I¡¯m most ashamed of a person like you, a prudish bitch.¡±

    Ya Moqin scolded her fiercely. She stretched out her hand and tried to hit Ning Qingshan again.

    This time, Ning Qingshan avoided her attack. She did not need to endure her attack. Then, she pushed Ya Moqin¡¯s hand away and said coldly, ¡°Eldest Young Lady Ya, does Grand Tutor Ya know what you said?¡±

    Grand Tutor Ya also agreed with her background. The reason why Honored Consort Ya allowed her to marry Ao Mingyu was that she thought she was a descendant of the Ya family. So, neither Grand Tutor Ya nor Honored Consort Ya would object her to bing the Third Prince¡¯s consort. However, the idiot Ya Moqin in front of her knew nothing.

    She was reminding Ya Moqin that she shouldunch attacks only after figuring out the truth. But, her words sounded provocative to Ya Moqin. She didn¡¯t expect that Ning Qingshan not only hid but also dared to provoke her. Ya Moqin was trembling with anger. ¡°Bitch, what do you mean by saying this? Will Grandpa be afraid of you?¡±

    ¡°Miss Ya, I don¡¯t know where you heard me say that. Although you have a noble status, I¡¯m also the legitimate daughter of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. It seems that you don¡¯t have the right to hit me.¡± Ning Qingshan was furious now. She covered her face with her hand and felt a burning pain in the ce where she was beaten. It was swollen. She knew that Ya Moqin had hit her heavily.

    She couldn¡¯t bear it. She thought that if she were a descendant of the Ya family, the Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s mansion would be sorry for her. Without her nominal father, Ya Moqin might not have passed away a long time ago. How could she tyrannically abuse her power here and bully her?

    ¡°How dare you talk back to me!¡± Ya Moqin was furious. She was used to being arrogant. She only showed her mercy to Ao Mingyu. She was used to hitting people and killing people without scruples. In order to please her, those servants all received beatings voluntarily. Now that she was attacked by Ning Qingshan, she simmered with rage.

    ¡°Bitch, it¡¯s said that you had an affair with Ao Shang from Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor? But now you dare to seduce my cousin. Bitch, I beat you because I think highly of you. You are so shameless that you dare to marry the Third Prince¡¯s cousin. You are evil and disgusting. I don¡¯t know how many men you have tempted. Were you tainted in the nunnery? When I go back, I must tell my aunt to investigate you carefully and have her find out how many men you¡¯ve seduced.¡±

    At this time, she cursed loudly, regardless of the sound spreading in the silent night through the half-open door.

    She had heard about the matter that happened in the Third Prince¡¯s courtyard before. Although it was about Ao Xian and Ning Qingshan¡¯s maid, Ya Moqin had an intuition that it had something to do with Ning Qingshan. After that, she asked her cousin, but her cousin didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, he asked her not to talk nonsense.

    Whether or not he let her, she wanted to say it.

    She not only said it but also said it in front of Ning Qingshan. Anyway, other people didn¡¯t know what had happened at that time. They couldn¡¯t prove if it had something to do with Ning Qingshan. Today, Ya Moqin nned to put all the me on Ning Qingshan, whether it had anything to do with her or not.

    How shameless she was to seduce her cousin!

    Ya Moqin used her of seducing the man and suspected that she did not follow the rules when she was in the nunnery. Ning Qingshan was ashamed and angry. No one could make that clear, especially at this critical moment when her reputation could not be stained, so she could not allow Ya Moqin to scold her again and again.

    Looking around, Ning Lingyun didn¡¯t know where Ning Lingyu, the only person who could stop the fighting, had gone. At present, she could only rely on herself.

    ¡°Miss Ya, the matter in the Third Prince¡¯s courtyard has nothing to do with me. I went with Fifth Sister and Fourth Sister that day. I was not familiar with the Third Prince when I was in the nunnery. Fifth Sister is also the legitimate daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and was familiar with the Third Prince. On the day I went to the courtyard, the Third Prince invited Fifth Sister as well.¡±

    Ya Moqin reminded Ning Qingshan of what had happened in the courtyard. At that time, she might have fallen into Ning Xueyan¡¯s trap. Now, she was exceedingly wrathful and had a grudge against Ning Xueyan.

    If it weren¡¯t for her, the Third Prince wouldn¡¯t be aloof from her. Of course, she wouldn¡¯t have been scolded by Ya Moqin right now. However, she couldn¡¯t be tough, which made her feel embarrassed and irritable. Thinking about it again, if Ya Moqin¡¯s words attracted everyone else, she would be the one to lose face.

    At that time, the matter was not clear. However, the Third Prince did not care about it, so other people chose not to mention it. But if Ya Moqin made such a scene today, how would others think of her? If she lost her reputation, how could she be the Third Prince¡¯s wife?

    Therefore, an idea shed through Ning Qingshan¡¯s mind. Holding back her anger, she put all the me on Ning Xueyan. At first nce, she knew that Mo Yaqin in front of her was ruthless and tough to deal with. If she knew that Ning Xueyan had an affair with the Third Prince secretly, Mo Yaqin would shift her jealousy of her on to Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Ning Xueyan?¡± Ya Moqin asked suspiciously, her eyes flickering. Recently, it was well-known that the Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was gorgeous. That made Ya Moqin ufortable, not to mention if she had an affair with her cousin. Especially when her cousin had said Fifth Young Lady Ning several times, she did not think that he was uninterested in her.

    ¡°Yes, Fifth Sister is beautiful and gentle. It¡¯s not surprising for her to win a man¡¯s heart. Miss Ya, you have never seen Fifth Sister before. Otherwise, you would think that she is the most beautiful woman. Many people say that the first beauty in the capital must be Fifth Sister.¡±

    Seeing that Ya Moqin¡¯s interest was aroused, Ning Qingshan covered her swollen and burning-hot face with her hands and hailed Ning Xueyan with a smile. On the surface, she was sincerely praising Ning Xueyan. Not a single woman was willing to admit that she was not as beautiful as another, and she might have something to do with her lover.

    With Ya Moqin around, Ning Xueyan woulde to no good.

    Ya Moqin growled, ¡°Ning Qingshan, don¡¯t think that it has nothing to do with you even if you get your Fifth Sister involved. If I find out that she did not have an affair with my cousin, you¡¯ll be in trouble!¡±

 Chapter 275 - Ning Lingyun Pretending to Be Ill and Not Going Upstairs

    <b>Chapter 275 Ning Lingyun Pretending to Be Ill and Not Going Upstairs</b>

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You can find out what happened between them.¡± Ning Qingshan gritted her teeth and held back her anger. She was clear-headed now and remembered that Ao Mingyu treated Ning Xueyan differently. It could be seen that Ning Xueyan must have something to do with the Third Prince. If she said so, Ning Xueyan wouldn¡¯t be wronged.

    ¡°Okay, okay. Come on. Go and invite the Fifth Young Lady here. Tell her that my cousin and I are waiting for her.¡± Hearing Ning Qingshan¡¯s words, Ya Moqin looked pale. She gritted her teeth and spoke with hatred. She wanted to see what the little vixen looked like.

    The Lord Protector was a fox¡¯s den. She just caught a big fox, but she didn¡¯t expect that there was also a little one. Today, she had to teach the little fox a lesson.

    After receiving the order, the maid immediately went downstairs and went to the private room of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. She pushed open the door and walked up to Madam Dowager with respect. ¡°Madam Dowager, why didn¡¯t the Fifth Young Ladye? My Young Lady and Third Prince are there. They invited the Fifth Young Lady to have a chat.¡±

    ¡°Again?¡± Ning Xueyan looked away from the window and looked at Ning Lingyun coldly.

    Ning Lingyun came back in a panic and only said that all were noble people upstairs, and she was not so gregarious. After Madam Dowager looked at her with disdain, she shrank to one side. She did not look as if nothing had happened.

    Ning Xueyan still remembered that Ning Lingyun was quite proud when she went upstairs. However, she didn¡¯t look good after going upstairs and downstairs. At first nce, she knew that something had happened. ¡°Perhaps Ya Moqin is upstairs and the Third Prince is absent. When the two women meet, Ning Qingshan, who always wears a mask, will inevitably suffer a loss to face the arrogant Ya Moqin.¡±

    ¡°Now, has she put the me on me after suffering a loss?¡±

    ¡°Fourth Sister, won¡¯t you go upstairs? Let¡¯s go together!¡± Ning Xueyan smiled and turned to Ning Lingyun, who didn¡¯t say a word after entering the room.

    Ning Lingyun had nned to meet the Third Prince. Unexpectedly, she didn¡¯t see the Third Prince. Instead, she bumped into Ya Moqin. After she came in, she didn¡¯t say a word and saw Ya Moqin p Ning Qingshan. First, she was stunned, then she left. Later, she hurriedly took the maid¡¯s hand and ran away.

    However, she didn¡¯t dare to tell the truth because she was afraid that Ya Moqin would deal with her. Thus, she pleaded that she was not gregarious and hid in the corner tremblingly, fearing that someone would find her acting strangely. With a shudder, she looked up and faced a pair of cold eyes.

    With a slight tremble, she forced a smile and declined in a low voice. ¡°Fifth Sister, I won¡¯t go. You are all legitimate sons and daughters. I¡¯m a daughter of a concubine. After all... my status is lower.¡±

    At this time, she did not dare to return. She just wanted to get away.

    ¡°Fourth Sister, if you don¡¯t go upstairs, I won¡¯t go either. Anyway, I¡¯m not familiar with the Third Prince and Miss Ya.¡± Ning Xueyan refused the maid with a smile.

    Madam Dowager¡¯s face darkened because she would not let go of any opportunity to make friends with the royal family.

    So before the maid replied, she made a im, ¡°Fourth Girl, Fifth Girl, you go upstairs to apany the Third Girl. You can¡¯t leave your sister alone.¡±

    Although she said it with a smile, Ning Lingyun and Ning Xueyan knew that Madam Dowager had ordered them to go, so they had to go.

    ¡°Yes, Grandma,¡± Ning Lingyun said with a pale face.

    ¡°Yes, Grandma!¡± Ning Xueyan smiled and answered gently. She looked calm.

    Compared with Ning Lingyun, Ning Xueyan was superior. Even though she had been ill-bred for so many years, she was still much better than a concubine¡¯s daughter. Madam Dowager smiled and looked at Ning Xueyan kindly. ¡°Go ahead. Go ahead. Go and have fun. You should y with other young people.¡±

    ¡°Grandma is right.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded, followed the maid, and went out first. Ning Lingyun hesitated for a moment, gritted her teeth, and followed. Even if she was unwilling to do so, she dared not say anything in front of Madam Dowager. If Madam Dowager knew that Ning Qingshan had been beaten and she did not report it when she came back, she would find herself in serious trouble.

    After they went through the door and turned to the stairs, Ning Lingyun suddenly reached out to cover her stomach, screamed in pain, and bent down. The maid behind her hurried to help her, ¡°Young Lady, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡±

    ¡°My... my stomach hurts...¡± Ning Lingyun said in pain. She lowered her head and covered her stomach with her hands. She looked to be in so much pain that she couldn¡¯t finish a sentence.

    ¡°Fourth Sister, how are you doing? Do you want to see a doctor?¡± Ning Xueyan smiled with understanding. She knew that Ning Lingyun didn¡¯t dare to go up, so she deliberately did this. She squatted down and asked Ning Lingyun with concern.

    With the Third Prince¡¯s intelligence, he wouldn¡¯t humiliate Ning Qingshan, would he? What she needed to do next was stall. She believed that there would be a bigger surprise after that...

    ¡°No... no, it doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll be fine... after I have a rest. You can go upstairs now, Fifth Sister. I... I¡¯lle overter.¡± Ning Lingyun looked to be in pain, but she pretended to be concerned about others. She covered her stomach and spoke with difficulty.

    She didn¡¯t want to go upstairs. Even Ning Qingshan was beaten, so Ya Moqin would beat them one by one. Seeing Ning Qingshan being beaten, she was quite happy. Of course, she would be happier if Ning Xueyan was pped a few times. ¡°Isn¡¯t she a legitimate daughter who is high above the masses? Isn¡¯t she so amazing?¡±

    ¡°She will be beaten and scolded by others at will. If she sees Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan lose face one after another, Madam Dowager will not think that the daughter of the principal wife is more powerful than me, a concubine¡¯s daughter.¡±

    ¡°How can I let Fourth Sister stay here alone? I¡¯ll stay here with you. When Fourth Sister is no longer in pain, let¡¯s go upstairs together. If you still feel pain, we can go back to find Grandmother and ask her to find a doctor.¡±

    Ning Xueyan had expected Ning Lingyun¡¯s trick, so she said this to her gently.

    ¡°Sister, our Fourth Young Lady is ill. Our Fifth Young Lady wants to take care of her. Please report to the Third Prince and Young Lady Ya that if Fourth Young Lady isn¡¯t hurt, our two youngdies wille soon. But if she is, we can only visit them next time.¡±

    ¡°No... no, Fifth Sister. I... I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll be fine in a while. You can go upstairs first.¡± How could Ning Lingyun bother Madam Dowager? If Madam Dowager knew that Ning Xueyan lost the opportunity to y up to the Third Prince and the Young Lady of the Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor because of her, she would be punished severely. She covered her belly with one hand and shook it desperately with the other.

    Xinmei had received Ning Xueyan¡¯s hint a long time ago. At this time, she immediately came over and spoke to the maid of Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Mansion, who was standing aside and watching coldly.

    ¡°Fourth Young Lady, our youngdy has long desired to know you. She felt sorry that she did not have time to greet you. Can you go upstairs with Fifth Young Lady first? It so happens that His Royal Highness¡¯s imperial physician is at his side. Can I call a physician to see you?¡±

    Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s maid saw clearly that Ning Lingyun ran away when Ya Moqin pped Ning Qingshan. Now, Ning Lingyun deliberately made such a scene because she dared not go. If she did not go, the Fifth Young Lady would not go at the moment. Therefore, the maid humiliated Ning Lingyun.

    Everyone knew that Ning Lingyun was pretending to be sick. How could she dare to let the imperial physician see her, a concubine¡¯s daughter?

    Hearing that she was going to invite the Third Prince¡¯s imperial physician, Ning Lingyun panicked with sweat on her forehead. She shook her hand and said urgently, ¡°No... I don¡¯t need it. I feel... better.¡±

    She was pretending to be sick. The imperial physician would be able to tell that at a nce. If she were found to have feigned sickness, she would be embarrassed. Moreover, if Madam Dowager knew about it, she woulde to no good. Her marriage inexplicably woulde to nothing. Now her marriage hadn¡¯t been settled yet, so she didn¡¯t dare make Madam Dowager angry.

    Ning Lingyun knew that she was not as noble as she used to be. At least, Madam Dowager worried about the Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor in the past.

    ¡°Fourth Sister, are you... better?¡± Ning Xueyan gently said as she stalled with Ning Lingyun. Her eyes were full of concern as if she was worried about Ning Lingyun.

    ¡°I... I¡¯m better. Let¡¯s... let¡¯s wait a little longer.¡± This time, Ning Lingyun didn¡¯t dare to ask Ning Xueyan to go upstairs first. She leaned against the railing of the stairs and stood up a little bit. She was so scared that sweat was on her forehead and she looked pale. She seemed to be sick.

    Her eyes were rolling. She didn¡¯t dare go upstairs. Now she didn¡¯t know what Ning Qingshan had been beaten for. Ya Moqin asked the maid to call Ning Xueyan. It was evident that she had evil intentions. Whoever went upstairs now would be in trouble.

    But this maid insisted on threatening her without persuading Ning Xueyan to go upstairs first. She knew that she had to go today.

    She was in a dilemma. Ning Lingyun was in great confusion, and she didn¡¯t know what to do. She was anxious like an ant on a hot pan, and she didn¡¯t know how to escape.

    ¡°Fourth Young Lady, I¡¯ll hold you to see if you can move. If it¡¯s okay, why don¡¯t we take a little step forward?¡± However, the maid of Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Mansion didn¡¯t want to let her go at all. On the other side, she held her hand with concern and gestured for her to raise her foot ¡ª one step at a time.

    This meant that she had to move to the private room upstairs.

    She had to take Ning Lingyun with her. Ning Lingyun had seen Ya Moqin beat Ning Qingshan before. Although Ya Moqin was Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s granddaughter, Ning Qingshan was also high-ranking. As the legitimate daughter of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she couldn¡¯t be beaten easily.

    Ya Moqin was arrogant and overbearing. She hit Ning Qingshan regardless of the situation. However, the maid was smart, so she wanted to threaten Ning Lingyun to not say anything. However, what happened at that time urred too fast. As soon as Ya Moqin started to fight, Ning Lingyun immediately ran away. The maid couldn¡¯t stop her.

    Now it seemed that the Fifth Young Lady would never leave Ning Lingyun behind. So, the maid would put all her focus on Ning Lingyun. She had to make Ning Lingyun go upstairs. Otherwise, the Fifth Young Lady would not go upstairs. Then, she could not aplish her task and she would be in trouble because the Young Lady had a bad temper.

    This was also the reason why the maid fixed her eyes on Ning Lingyun. Now, Ning Lingyun was in a dilemma, so she had to walk up step by step with the help of the maid.

    ¡°Fourth Sister, wait. Who is that?¡± when Ning Xueyan passed the stairs, she suddenly cried out in a low voice as she grabbed Ning Lingyun¡¯s hand and pointed at one ce.

 Chapter 276 - Disturbances Arise Again for Eavesdropping

    <strong>Chapter 276 Disturbances Arise Again for Eavesdroppin</strong>g

    Right now, they began to pop their heads up and saw the floor above them. Ning Xueyan was pointing at a private room, whose door was half-open so that they could hear Ya Moqin¡¯s sarcasm. Her voice was loud as if she was talking about something, but they could not hear it clearly.

    They could see that there was a male figure in a gorgeous robe standing at the door of the private room. He seemed to eavesdrop on what was being said inside. They could only see his back, so they did not know who he was. But judging from the clothes, he was either rich or noble. However, it was strange that a man stood in a private room with two women inside to eavesdrop.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s voice was not loud, so she didn¡¯t disturb the person.

    Ning Lingyun was looking for an opportunity. When she saw the figure in front of her, she rolled her eyes. Stopping to pretend to have a stomachache, she quickly walked up two steps. She pointed at the man at the door and shouted, ¡°He... he is eavesdropping on the Third Sister.¡±

    Her voice was quite loud, not softer than the quarrel between Ya Moqin and Ning Qingshan. At least, more than half of the volume of their quarreling disappeared in the room, with only lingering sound outside.

    When they tried to listen carefully, they could not hear it.

    Ning Lingyun hoped that something happened over there so that she didn¡¯t have to go to Ya Moqin¡¯s private room. Of course, she tried her best to shout. Not only those in the private rooms upstairs, but also those downstairs could hear everything. For a moment, many doors of the private rooms upstairs and downstairs were opened. They didn¡¯t know what had happened outside.

    ¡°Bang!¡± Ya Moqin came over and opened the door, facing Ao Xian, the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, who had no time to escape. She immediately said with anger and sarcasm, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Are you worried that I¡¯ll hurt Third Young Lady Ning? So you¡¯vee to eavesdrop on us?¡±

    All the noble youngdies in the capital heard of Ao Xian¡¯s romantic affairs. Everyone looked down upon him. They didn¡¯t like Ao Xian, the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, who had no real power. Ya Moqin was mocking Ning Qingshan just now, so she was irritated. Now, she was raging at Ao Xian.

    Upstairs and downstairs, when everyone heard these words, they were stunned. ¡°Did something happen?¡±

    ¡°Eavesdrop? Who wants to eavesdrop on you? Look at yourself. Is there anything worthy of my eavesdropping?¡± Ao Xian was not a person to be trifled with. He looked at Ya Moqin¡¯s towering chest and spoke to her with disdain. There was a bit of obscenity in his eyes, which was very annoying.

    Ya Moqin was ashamed and angry when he looked at her. She blushed and cursed, ¡°Yes, of course, you didn¡¯te to see me, but to see your lover. Didn¡¯t you have an affair in my cousin¡¯s manor? You said it¡¯s a maid? How disgusting.¡±

    She was annoyed by Ao Xian, so she dared to say anything. Besides, she did not care about the big fox or the little fox. As long as they hooked up with her cousin, she would not let them go. Now, she met Ao Xian, who humiliated her, so she immediately red at him and fought back.

    ¡°Miss Ya, how... how dare you talk nonsense!¡± Ning Qingshan couldn¡¯t bear it anymore. If she let Ya Moqin continue, she wouldn¡¯t be able to show her face tomorrow.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t I dare say it? If you dare to do it, why don¡¯t you let others say it? Is there any justice?¡± Ya Moqin red back without any effort because she didn¡¯t like Ning Qingshan. Now, she scolded them together, which made her feel very happy.

    ¡°Ya Moqin, don¡¯t nder me.¡± Ao Xian was furious. He had seen the Third Prince lowering his head because of the matter in the courtyard. Although it was a misunderstanding, he and Ning Qingshan were lying together in a mess. They seemed to be caught in the bed by the Third Prince, so now, everything the Third Prince said was reasonable.

    Today, the Third Prince was in a rare good mood. He had allowed Ao Xian to watch him y chess with the Fourth Prince. Just now, the Third Prince needed to find Mo Yaqin, so he asked him to call her. As soon as he arrived at the door, he heard that there seemed to be women quarreling inside. He was curious and listened from outside the door. Unexpectedly, something happened.

    Now that Ya Moqin spoke of that scandal, he suddenly felt ashamed. He was used to being arrogant, and he was a jerk. Ya Moqin humiliated him again and again, so how could he bear it? He came over and pped her, and scolded her, ¡°Watch your mouth.¡±

    Since he was going to argue with Ning Yuling in front of others, of course, he would do it now.

    Ya Moqin didn¡¯t expect that Ao Xian would hit a woman, so she was not on guard against him. She was beaten a step backward and fell heavily to the ground. She covered her face with her hands, and her face was swollen. Although Ao Xian was weak, he was a man. Ya Moqin couldn¡¯t resist him.

    Things went on like this. Her maid had already left Ning Xueyan and Ning Lingyun behind and rushed over to help her.

    ¡°How... how dare you hit me!¡± Ya Moqin gritted her teeth and angrily said. She stood up with the help of her maid and was about to make a scene. She had never suffered such a big loss.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± A clear voice with unpleasantness came from the door. The two people who were making noise saw Ao Mingyu, the Third Prince, who was standing outside the door with a bad look on his face.

    ¡°Cousin, he...he hit me.¡± Ya Moqin¡¯s tears dropped when she saw Ao Mingyu. She threw herself into Ao Mingyu¡¯s arms and sobbed. She cried like pear blossoms bathed in the rain. However, Ning Qingshan, who looked even more pitiful than her, looked at Ao Mingyu with tears in her eyes. Her crystal tears fell silently. She bit her lips slightly and suppressed her grievance. In any case, she had suffered losses.

    ¡°What are you doing? Take your Young Lady aside to have a rest,¡± Ao Mingyu said with a gloomy face. Although he helped Ya Moqin up, he pushed her to the maid who followed her.

    Then he turned to Ning Qingshan, looked at the palm print on her face, and asked softly, ¡°How did you get hurt?¡±

    This question made Ya Moqin nervous. She didn¡¯t care about her grievances and rushed over to exin. She didn¡¯t dare to let her cousin know that she had hit Ning Qingshan on purpose. But when she heard what Ning Qingshan said, she breathed a sigh of relief. She stopped and nced at Ning Qingshan. Ning Qingshan was clear-minded, so at least she didn¡¯tin about her in front of her cousin.

    ¡°I... I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m not careful...¡± Ning Qingshan¡¯s tears fell one after another, but she turned her head and wiped her tears with her handkerchief as if she didn¡¯t want Ao Mingyu to me her. However, the imprints on her face were real, and everyone could see that it was a palm print.

    ¡°Your Highness, when I came here, I saw First Young Lady Ya hitting Third Young Lady Ning. I really couldn¡¯t bear it, so I stood up and argued with First Young Lady Ya.¡± Ao Xian didn¡¯t agree to let her go. He came to his senses and realized that he had beat the imperial tutor¡¯s granddaughter and the Third Prince¡¯s cousin. When he went back, his grandmother might break his leg.

    Last time when Ning Lingyun broke off the engagement, he was beaten by Consort Dowager and couldn¡¯t get out of bed for a few days. She warned him that if he made trouble again, she would break his leg. At this time, he had to defend himself, so he med it all on Ya Moqin.

    They started to get rowdy. Although it was not convenient for others toe directly to see the fun, they could listen to them. Hearing Ao Xian¡¯s exnation, they all felt that he was over-enthusiastic. This bastard had never been so enthusiastic. Was there an affair between him and the Third Young Lady of the Ning¡¯s Mansion?

    ¡°All right, you can leave right now. Ao Xian, go back and tell Fourth Brother that I won¡¯t go back for the time being.¡± Ao Mingyu didn¡¯t want to pursue this matter. He waved his hand and had Ao Xian go back.

    ¡°But she beat the Third Young Lady, and I...¡± Ao Xian looked at Ao Mingyu in a daze. Then, he looked at Ya Moqin, who was staring at him angrily. Finally, he cast eyes on the pitiful Ning Qingshan. He couldn¡¯t react for a moment.

    ¡°Go!¡± Ao Mingyu¡¯s face turned cold. If he continued to make trouble, everyone would lose face.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Ao Xian shrunk his neck. No matter how unreasonable he was, he knew that the Third Prince was angry. Since the Third Prince had said that he would not pursue him, he did not dare to talk nonsense and turned around to leave.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, Fourth Young Lady,e in and talk.¡± Ao Mingyu nced at Ning Xueyan, who was walking over, and Ning Lingyun, who was hiding behind her, and smiled faintly.

    Ning Xueyan smiled quietly and nodded. Then she stepped inside and stayed to see the fun. As soon as Ning Lingyun saw her entering, she had to follow her in. The door was closed silently, separating the curious ears outside.

    ¡°Third Young Lady Ning, Moqin is spoiled by my maternal grandfather, so she is a little arrogant. If she is sorry about Third Young Lady, please forgive her for my sake.¡±

    After closing the door, Ao Mingyuforted Ning Qingshan softly.

    After all, if this kind of thing escted, it would be different from his original intention. Now, it was just the right moment.

    ¡°Cousin...¡± Ya Moqin shouted unhappily, ¡°Ao Xian hit me just now.¡±

    ¡°Moqin! If you are so arrogant, there is no room for you in our mansion!¡± Ao Mingyu¡¯s face darkened as he shouted at her. Ya Moqin immediately burst into tears, but she bit her lip and dared not say a word, knowing that her cousin was furious.

    She kept thinking about marrying Ao Mingyu. Did Ao Mingyu dislike her now? The smart maid pulled her clothes hard, indicating that she should not be impulsive now.

    Ya Moqin was speechless. Although Ning Qingshan hated her very much, she couldn¡¯t show it on her face. She said gently with red eyes, ¡°Third Prince, I¡¯m fine.¡± At least she couldn¡¯t confront Ya Moqin head-on now. When she became the Third Prince¡¯s wife, Ya Moqin would be a co-consort at most. She would have many ways to make this idiot die.

    The Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor backed Ya Moqin. However, she was not only supported by the Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor, but also by the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. In this way, she was much more potent than Ya Moqin. It could be said that she had everything that Ya Moqin had. She also had what Ya Moqin didn¡¯t have. How could Ya Moqinpare with her?

    It was just that her own identity could not be revealed to others now, so she was at a disadvantage.

    ¡°Third Young Lady, I have an imperial physician here. I¡¯ll take a look at your wound first and escort you back to the manorter. I¡¯ll send someone to tell Madam Dowager.¡± Ao Mingyu considered every aspect well.

    Ao Mingyu rebuked Ya Moqin and put on a peacemaking attitude. Ning Qingshan pretended to be generous, gentle, and could not say anything, so she agreed immediately. So the imperial physician came in and looked at Ning Qingshan¡¯s and Ya Moqin¡¯s injuries. The injuries were not serious, so he left two ointments for them and withdrew.

    Ning Xueyan was about to apply the ointment to Ning Qingshan, but Ao Mingyu stopped her.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, please wait a moment.¡±

 Chapter 277 - The Carriages Moving Forward, Itâ€™s Dangerous

    <strong>Chapter 277 The Carriages Moving Forward, It¡¯s Dangerous</strong>

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Third Prince?¡± Ning Xueyan handed the ointment to Ning Lingyun, and asked her to apply the medication on Ning Qingshan. No one noticed the alertness in her eyes. She did not think Ao Mingyu would notice it in such a situation.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady... Could you do me a favor?¡± Ao Mingyu hesitated for a moment, as if he was too embarrassed to speak.

    Ning Xueyan did not say anything and waited quietly for Ao Mingyu to speak. Her jet-ck eyes were cold and indifferent. She did not want to have anything to do with Ao Mingyu, but it was evident that the Third Prince was not of the same mind. Although he did not turn his head, Ning Xueyan knew his eyes had a trace of jealousy in them.

    Ao Mingyu used to feel rancor for Ning Qingshan because he wanted to pull Ning Qingshan down from the position of the first wife. At the same time, he also wanted to remove Ya Moqin, who was arrogant and domineering, from the position of the first wife. Killing two birds with one stone would be an ideal move, but she did not think it had anything to do with her.

    So, she did not say anything and waited for Ao Mingyu to speak.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, could you go downstairs with me? I want to talk about Third Young Lady and apologize to the marquis.¡± Ao Mingyu asked gently.

    The gazes directed at her, from behind him, were even colder. The twodies, who were applying the medication, were looking at her with envy, jealousy, and hatred.

    It seemed that Ao Mingyu had done Ning Xueyan a favor. As the most promising Third Prince, he had invited Ning Xueyan to apany him downstairs and exin to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Of course, he did this for the sake of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and that of the Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor, and even for the sake of friendship between liegemen.

    Anyway, both Grand Tutor Ya and Ning Zu¡¯an said that they would support Ao Mingyu. The rtionship between them was harmonious, and they could not have some conflicts due to their little sisters. It was reasonable for Ao Mingyu to do something like this.

    ¡°But why her?¡±

    Outside, many people were staring at them. If she was with Ao Mingyu, it would set a lot of tongues wagging and lead to a lot of rumors.

    ¡°Your Highness, please go ahead. I¡¯ll help Third Sister to take a look beforeing over.¡± Ning Xueyan refused directly.

    The smile froze on Ao Mingyu¡¯s face. Ao Mingyu narrowed his eyes slightly, but he did not say anything more. He turned around and walked out.

    Seeing that Ning Xueyan refused Ao Mingyu without any hesitation and was indifferent, with Ao Mingyu¡¯s warning, Ya Moqin did not do anything to Ning Xueyan. She asked the maid to apply the medication on her, meekly. This time, she and Ning Qingshan were both injured. Both of them had pped each other. It seemed that neither of them lost out.

    After waiting for a while, Ning Xueyan thought it was about time, so she opened the door and went out. Anyway, she had to give face to Third Prince, Ao Mingyu. Now that she had promised him, she had to show her face.

    When she returned to the private room, she found that Ao Mingyu was still there. After greeting Ao Mingyu, Madam Dowager asked a few questions about Ning Qingshan¡¯s current situation and knew that she was fine. So she asked her to apany Ning Qingshan. Ao Mingyu must have said something before, so Madam Dowager did not appear to be angry.

    ¡°Is the thing between Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li and Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, true?¡±

    ¡°Maybe. Otherwise, why did First Young Lady Ya make such a fuss? Moreover, when First Young Lady Ya bullied Third Young Lady just now, the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Yi came out and pped her. If it had nothing to do with her, he would not have done this for Third Young Lady.¡±

    ¡°But didn¡¯t the Third Prince and the others say that the maid had something to do with the Princely Heir?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like there¡¯s no such thing as a maid taking her master¡¯s ce.¡±

    ¡°The First Young Lady of the Honored Consort Ya¡¯s Mansion is arrogant. She is also rude. If someone marries her and she bes the first wife, the backyard will be in trouble...¡±

    Some people were whispering at the corner of the building. Ning Xueyan did not see who they were, but she knew what it meant. They were insinuating about the rtionship between Ning Qingshan and Ao Xian. Besides, they held Ya Moqin in disdain. As the Hostess, she should be generous and dignified.

    If Ya Moqin were the Hostess, she would have to deal with all the concubines in the backyard.

    It was difficult to guess what the Third Prince was thinking about. Maybe he had another suitable candidate for the position of the legal wife, so he demoted the two noble, legitimate daughters.

    When she went upstairs again, Ya Moqin had already left. She felt that it was not suitable for her to stay with Ning Qingshan.

    The p on Ning Qingshan¡¯s face came from Ya Moqin. After all, she was a woman. After putting some medication on the imprint, her face was still a little swollen. There were no other traces of any other injuries. At this time, it seemed that Ning Lingyun was talking with her, so her face returned to its usual gentle demeanor.

    From her appearance, no one could not see anything.

    However, Ning Qingshan was a hypocritical sort. She knew when and how to put on a mask.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, what did Grandma and Father say?¡± Seeing Ning Xueyan pushing the door open anding in, Ning Qingshan suppressed the resentment in her eyes, and asked softly.

    ¡°Third Prince said that he would send us backter. Grandma and Father knows about it and asked Third Sister to go back and rest early.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled gracefully. She stood three steps away from Ning Qingshan, and had a faint smile on her face.

    It was not difficult to guess what was going on in Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯ minds. They would not miss any chance to get close to Third Prince, Ao Mingyu. Since the Third Prince had asked them to do so, they had to do it.

    While they were talking, Third Prince hade back. Seeing that Ning Qingshan was ready, he took them downstairs. It happened in his private room, so it was normal for him to send Ning Qingshan and others back.

    Perhaps as an apology, he had called for three carriages, one for each of them. The Third Prince ordered several guards to send them to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, and then went upstairs.

    As a prince. he was considerate and kind enough to do this.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, please get in this carriage.¡± When Ning Xueyan was about to get in a carriage, a guard beside her suddenly pointed at thest carriage and said.

    This carriage was slightly different from the previous two carriages. Regardless of the material or the decoration, it was somewhat more luxurious than the first two carriages. However, it was not that obvious. If the guard had not pointed it out, she would not have noticed it in the dark.

    Ning Qingshan was walking to the first one. Hearing this, she suddenly stopped and turned to look at thest one with a frown, and had a trace of suspicion in her eyes.

    Ning Lingyun¡¯s face darkened.

    ¡°It turns out that the Third Prince has given me a special one. Thank you, Your Highness.¡± Ning Xueyan bowed to the guard with a smile as if she had not noticed anything. She seemed to be in a good mood and was about to enter the carriage.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, how can you let Fourth Sister go in thest carriage? There is always a difference between the legal wife¡¯s daughter and the concubine¡¯s.¡± Ning Qingshan covered her mouth with her hand, and gently stopped her.

    The ranking could be from young to old or from the legitimate daughter to the daughter of a concubine. If it was based on a child to a child, Ning Xueyan would get into thest carriage. If it was from the legitimate daughter to the daughter of a concubine, Ning Xueyan should get into the second one. However, people would not be too particr about that on a regr trip, as long as they were agreeable.

    But since Ning Qingshan mentioned it deliberately, she could not say that she was wrong. The guard standing by the carriage opened his mouth, but had no reason to say no. They looked at the second one and the third one, which were all behind, so he did not say anything.

    ¡°Oh, then I¡¯ll take the second one.¡± Ning Xueyan looked at the third one reluctantly, but she went along with Ning Qingshan¡¯s words and got into the second one.

    At this time, Ning Qingshan had already got into the first carriage, and Ning Lingyun naturally went to thest one, happily.

    As soon as she got in the car, Ning Xueyan¡¯s face darkened. She lifted the curtain and peeked out of the window. Then, she whispered to Xinmei, ¡°Xinmei, do you have any idea that if I am able to get into the first car and sit with Ning Qingshan?¡±

    The guard¡¯s insistence gave her a bad feeling. At this time, she felt even more uneasy when she saw that the carriage was about to move.

    ¡°Young Lady, if you want to go ahead, I have an idea.¡± Looking at Ning Xueyan¡¯s serious face, Xinmei thought for a while and said.

    ¡°Young Lady, if this carriage breaks down while you are on the road, then you have to get on to another carriage. The guard who followed you can¡¯t say anything.¡± Xinmei looked around, opened the curtains to look outside, and whispered.

    Qingyu sat in front of the curtain and stared cautiously at the driver.

    ¡°How about that guard¡¯s martial arts skill? Will he know that you have tricked him?¡± There was a sh of uncertainty in Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes. She just felt that something was not right, but she did not know what was going to happen. If Xinmei was discovered to have martial arts skills, maybe the loss would outweigh the gain. Ao Mingyu¡¯s guard was not the mediocre sort.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Young Lady. In terms of martial arts, that guard is not as good as me. If I¡¯m careful, he will not be able to spot the w.¡± Xinmei¡¯s eyes fell again on the guard who was riding on the carriage. At this time, the carriages had already moved forward. He was riding a horse not far away from them, with nothing exceptional going on.

    Ning Xueyan said nothing and frowned slightly. This was thest resort. She should not let others know that she had a maid who was skilled in martial arts. As the light shed by, the scenery outside the window passed slowly by. After turning at a crossing, it went to another road.

    Ning Xueyan knew that this road would lead to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. In fact, it was closer to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor because it could bypass the crowded streets. However, this road was a side road, so a section of the road was remote. She usually did not go this way. In herst life, Ning Ziying secretly came out with Xia Yuhang, and walked through this road.

    ¡°Xinmei, don¡¯t damage the wheel, as long as you can frighten the horse slightly.¡± Immediately, Ning Xueyan made up her mind.

    The carriage was now at a junction of three roads. Ning Qingshan¡¯s carriage was turning a corner, so her carriage slowed down. After Ning Qingshan¡¯s carriage had turned the corner, it was her turn. If they went straight there, there were still some streets. If they went off course, there were some remote ces...

 Chapter 278 - Enjoying the Tea, Changing the Carriage Observantly

    <h4>Chapter 278 Enjoying the Tea, Changing the Carriage Observantly</h4>

    ¡°Your Highness, do you want Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to enter your manor?¡± At this time, an elegant young man was sitting in the Third Prince¡¯s private room. He picked up the chess pieces and slowly put it down. It seemed that he asked this question nonchntly.

    ¡°My father will choose a legal wife and two co-consorts for me this time. It should not be difficult for me to ask for another concubine.¡± Sitting opposite the young man, Ao Mingyu looked rxed, as if he was talking about a mere dog or a cat. Of course, in his eyes, it was not difficult.

    She was a co-wife¡¯s daughter. Since he took a fancy to her, he was determined to marry her.

    As a prince, he could have a consort, two co-consorts, and two concubines. At most, the women in his manor were only madams and maternal aunts. These positions had always been vacant. He would not sell them off if he did not derive anything from it.

    The ones in the running for the co-consort¡¯s position were Ning Qingshan and Ya Moqin.

    After today¡¯s incident, both of them had lost their credibility. Even if they were of noble lineage or rumored to be his legal wife, there would inevitably be many objections. Mother had said earlier that Father valued him very much, and would not allow such a woman to be his wife and ruin his reputation.

    As for Ning Xueyan, he felt that he was being kind to her. At least, he had given her the title of a concubine. She had been officially taken into the imperial family, and her son would also be a direct descendant of the imperial family. Even if she could not help him, he felt that he had not mistreated her, because he was interested in her.

    After all, no woman could be his concubine that easily.

    His gaze fell on the Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, who was said to be of no significance before. Although she was childish, her eyes were cold and deep, and were filled with intelligence and indifference. Even if he was standing in front of her, he could not get her full attention.

    When had a woman been able to resist his charms?

    ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯re too impulsive. I heard that the Fourth Prince also took a fancy to her.¡± The young man gave a faint smirk. He moved his chess piece and swept away a piece in Ao Mingyu¡¯s hand, blocking his move.

    ¡°She can only be Fourth Brother¡¯s co-consort at most. It¡¯s obvious that she has no status in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Honored Consort Shu won¡¯t allow Fourth Brother to marry her officially. I¡¯m also trying to help her. Otherwise, if she enters the pce and fails to join the Beauty Contest, and irritates the Honored Consort Shu, she will be doomed forever.¡±

    Ao Mingyu took that for granted. Without looking at his blocked piece, he took the opportunity to ce the chess piece in his hand to stop Xia Yuhang¡¯s moves. His movements seemed like that of a big dragon, timely and decisively.

    He meant that he had done Ning Xueyan a favor. With her status, Ning Xueyan was not good enough to be Ao Mingwan¡¯s wife. If Ao Mingwan insisted on it, the Honored Consort Shu might have her killed. Then, the Beauty Contest would be held. For a while, she would live in the imperial pce. With her status as one of the four imperial concubines, it would not be a problem for her to kill a powerless woman in the emperor¡¯s harem.

    It was Xia Yuhang who was ying chess with him. The day before yesterday, the incident between Ning Ziyan and Xia Yudong had urred. Everyone thought that Xia Yuhang lost his temper in his own house. Nobody would have thought that the person who was ying chess with the Third Prince, Ao Mingyu, was Childe Xia?

    Of course, no one expected Childe Xia, whose official career had been blocked, because of his blemished reputation, was now the best friend of the Third Prince, Ao Mingyu. He was also the chief adviser.

    ¡°Your Highness, there might be a change if you act in haste.¡± Xia Yuhang said meaningfully, with a deep and serene look in his eyes.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s just a woman.¡± Ao Mingyu said with disdain, indicating that he would not abandon official business for personal reasons.

    The horse pulling Ning Xueyan¡¯s carriage was shocked and tried to rush away before it turned a corner. The driver pulled the reins desperately and managed to avoid hitting anyone. The two maids screamed in fear after a few rumbles. Everyone was shocked by this incident and looked at the carriage. They did not know who was in the carriage.

    ¡°Young Lady, what¡¯s the matter? ¡°The guard dismounted from the front and asked hurriedly.

    ¡°Sir, can you go to the tea shop in front and get us a bowl of hot water? Our Young Lady was so frightened that she fainted.¡± Xinmei pulled the curtain aside, poked her head out, and said anxiously.

    There was indeed a tea house in front of them, but it was quite a distance away. One could see it from afar, but it was still a long way to go. But when the guard heard that Fifth Young Lady was unconscious, he had no choice, but to go to the tea house and ask for a bowl of hot water.

    As soon as he left, Qingyu and Xinmei lifted the curtain and supported Ning Xueyan, who seemed about to faint, to the front of the first car.

    ¡°Third Young Lady, our Young Lady is afraid. Can we stay in your carriage?¡± Qingyu stepped forward and asked.

    ¡°Okay, let your youngdy get in the carriage. Be careful and don¡¯t bump against her.¡± How could Ning Qingshan not know what had happened? Knowing that the people in Ning Xueyan¡¯s carriage were frightened, she was taking pleasure in her cmity. When she heard what Qingyu said, outside the carriage, she quickly restrained her joy and said softly.

    There were so many people outside the carriage. Even if she did not want to, and she could not say it. Ning Xueyan had guessed this point.

    Qingyu and Xinmei helped her get on the carriage and she leaned against the seat. The carriage was not big. For Ning Qingshan and her maid, it was spacious. But now, there were three of them. Ning Xueyan slumped against the seat and upied more than one seat, so the carriage looked crowded.

    Ning Xueyan coughed twice in a low voice. It seemed that she was not in a good condition. Her face had always been too pale. She looked very weak and seemed to be about to faint. ¡°Qingyu, Third Sister¡¯s carriage is too crowded. We... we¡¯d better go back.¡±

    When she said that, even though she was about to climb into the carriage, it seemed that she was going to get off. How could Ning Qingshan let her get off? She had just entered the carriage and clearly said that she came over because she was afraid. How could she get off again in such a short time? Others would only think that she could not tolerate her sister.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, don¡¯t go. Juste with me. Let the two maids go to the carriage at the back.¡± She made the necessary arrangements.

    If there were two fewer people in this carriage, of course, it would be much more spacious.

    ¡°Third Young Lady, don¡¯t drive us away. If we leave, who will take care of her? Please don¡¯t drive us away.¡± Qingyu had just climbed into the carriage, suddenly knelt on the front seat next to the driver, and pleaded loudly. Xinmei, who was beside her, also knelt directly.

    ¡°Hey, wasn¡¯t this elder sister feeling well just now? Why is she getting rid of her younger sister¡¯s maids in such a short time?¡±

    ¡°Could it be that she did it on purpose? Her younger sister is seriously ill, but she does not want to let anyone take care of her. What does she want to do?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t she a femme fatale who is superficially generous, but makes stealthily attacks?¡±

    ¡°Which manor are they from? Look at how fierce this elder sister is. She¡¯s really...¡± The horse became frightened, which had attracted everyone¡¯s attention. Now, they saw what was happening. So, there were indeed various contentions. In the carriage, Ning Qingshan felt regret and was angry.

    ¡°You, get off and go to Fifth Young Lady¡¯s carriage.¡± She gritted her teeth and pointed at Caifen.

    Although no one knew that she was the one in the carriage now, it would probably be known by tomorrow.

    ¡°Yes, Young Lady. Be careful.¡± Caifen red at Qingyu angrily and raised her head as if she was trying to provoke her. However, she still got out of the carriage helplessly. The situation forced them to ept reality. In this case, she was the only one who had to get out of the vehicle. She rushed over angrily, lifted the curtain, and sat inside.

    ¡°Thank you, Third Sister.¡± Holding Qingyu¡¯s hand, Ning Xueyan tried her best to sit up and thanked Ning Qingshan. At this time, Xinmei squeezed herself in.

    ¡°We are sisters, you don¡¯t have to be so polite.¡± Ning Qingshan suppressed her anger, and pretended to be her gentle and generous self.

    At this time, the guard brought a bowl of water and handed it through the door of the second car. He said respectfully, ¡°Young Lady, please have some water.¡±

    Caifen was sulking inside. She took it and said snarled out her thanks, ¡°Thank you, Sir!¡±

    She poured the water from tea bowl into her mouth and did not give it to the vicious woman. She pushed the maid away from the Young Lady. Although she believed that she would not do anything to the Young Lady, she felt it would be very humiliating to separate her from the Young Lady.

    The guard saw nothing unusual and rearranged the seating arrangements. The three carriages continued on their journey, toward the secluded path at the junction.

    This time, not far away, the lights on the side gradually went off. Suddenly, there was a noise from the outside. The driver suddenly pulled the reins and stopped. The guard rushed up with his horse. But before he could ask check into the matter, a fight had started. Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan pulled the curtains aside and looked outside.

    Several figures rushed toward the carriage, holding sharp swords in their hands, but could not get near it because the guard was standing near the first carriage. They did not seed and rushed to the two carriages behind them. With a sh of swords, the two coachmen behind were injured, and then they toppled off the carriages immediately.

    In the morning, two masked men whipped the horse hard, and the horse carriage seemed about to go off the side road. However, the side road was merely ane. The horse could not turn around, but instead stumbled and stopped. In thest carriage, Ning Lingyun suddenly rushed out in a disheveled state. She screamed in horror, while running toward the first horse carriage.

    ¡°Young... Young Lady.¡± In the second carriage, Caifen also dashed out in panic and rushed to Ning Qingshan.

    When the masked men saw the two of theming over, they grabbed them and dragged them back. Their shrill screams could be heard even at a distance.

    Ning Xueyan held Xinmei¡¯s hand tightly, trying hard to suppress the cold fear in her heart. If she had been in the two carriages behind, she would almost certainly have been captured by the masked man and lose her reputation. She did not know what she had done to provoke Ao Mingyu, who wanted to ruin her like this.

 Chapter 279 - Some Coincidences Made Her Countermeasure Slightly Superior

    <h4>Chapter 279 Some Coincidences Made Her Countermeasure Slightly Superior</h4>

    Even though there were no other outsiders here, these guards and coachmen had all witnessed the terrible scene. If this tragic thing happened to her, Ning Xueyan knew that it would be effortless for Ao Mingyu to threaten her with it.

    Just now, she felt very strange because Ao Mingyu¡¯s guards specially told her to sit in thest carriage. However, it wasmon knowledge that thest one was the easiest to be left behind. Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t know what Ao Mingyu meant by doing this, but she was sure about one thing¡ªnext, at least Ning Qingshan¡¯s carriage would be safe.

    After the farce caused by Ao Xian today, Ning Qingshan¡®s reputation was on the edge of being ruined now. If anything more happened to her, she could not even join the Beauty Contest. But how could Ao Mingyu allow such a thing to happen? Thus, Ning Qingshan must be in the safety zone. It was also the reason why Ning Xueyan struggled to send herself into Ning Qingshan¡¯s carriage.

    ¡°Who is making trouble here?¡± Suddenly, a bunch of people rushed over from a distance. The one at the forefront riding a horse came here first. Behind him were some people marching with measured steps. Apparently, they were a team of patrolling soldiers.

    ¡°Come here quickly. We are protecting the families of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Some people tried to assassinate them.¡± When the guard saw these soldiersing, he shouted in a hurry.

    It was a public security team in the capital. When those soldiers heard that some people tried to assassinate the family members of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, they immediately rushed over. Those masked men saw that the situation was not good, so they quickly let go of Ning Lingyun and Caifen and dispersed in an uproar. When the soldiers rushed over to catch them, all those masked men had already run away.

    They left only two women, Ning Lingyun and Caifen, who were standing outside the carriage. Then with hair straggling over their shoulders, the two of them ran to Ning Qingshan¡¯s carriage while crying. What a miserable scene!

    ¡°Where is the Fifth Young Lady?¡± At this time, the guard¡¯s face dramatically changed. Looking at the noiseless second carriage, he instantly grabbed Caifen, who ran over, and he asked anxiously. His target of doing all of this was the Fifth Young Lady. But how could the Fifth Young Lady be so calm without any reaction? A bad feeling arose from the bottom of his heart.

    ¡°Sir, are you looking for me? I¡¯m fine with my Third Sister!¡± The curtain behind him was lifted silently. Ning Xueyan¡¯s pale face showed up under the light of high raisednterns and torches.

    ¡°You... You... Why are you in this carriage?¡± The guard¡¯s face turned blue, and he almost could not hold the sword in his hand.

    ¡°The horses of our carriage were frightened just now, which greatly scared our Young Lady. So she specially came here to huddle with the Third Young Lady.¡± Qingyu¡¯s head cropped up from the carriage. After checking the situation outside, she exined. Then, she happened to see Ning Lingyun rushing over in a mess. In a surprise, Qingyu gazed at her with eyes asrge as copper bells. ¡°Fourth Young Lady, what, what happened to you? Were you injured?¡±

    Ning Lingyun was in a mess now. Just now, a strong masked man held her in his arms. She struggled hard, and even the essories on her head fell off. Now with disheveled hair and mess clothes, Ning Lingyun appeared as if she had been raped no matter how others looked at her. Seeing her look like this, all those soldiers who came upter to help were guessing whichdy she was.

    Upon hearing Qingyu¡¯s words, they immediately understood that thisdy was the Fourth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Besides her, it seemed that there were two other Young Ladies of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor in the intact carriage before.

    Everyone on the spot could tell that the person who came from behind the Fourth Young Lady must be her maid. That was to say, these masked men must have dragged the Fourth Young Lady and her maid down from the carriage. Then, these two girls ended up in a mess like that. Although nothing more serious had really happened, they looked so miserable as if these men had truly raped them.

    That was how the leading soldier misinterpreted the scene he had seen. Of course, the timid maid that Ning Lingyun initially brought with her was still lying in the carriage, shivering. She was unable to move now, and others directly ignored her.

    Scratching and scrambling, Ning Lingyun climbed into Ning Qingshan¡¯s carriage. Immediately after she got onto the carriage, she held Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand tight with aplicated look full of jealousy, hatred, disgust, and suspicion shing in her eyes. ¡°You... Did you already know...¡±

    ¡°Fourth Sister, the Third Prince arranged the carriages for us. Now that nothing happened to the Third Sister¡¯s carriage. However, the carriages of you and me had been hijacked,¡± Ning Xueyan said slowly. With calm eyes, she looked at Ning Lingyun as if she hadn¡¯t noticed that Ning Lingyun¡¯s hard pinch made the red mark on her arm.

    Ning Lingyun was stunned for a while. Slowly, she turned her eyes to Ning Qingshan and watched her intently with a vicious look. Then she suddenly let go of Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand and burst into tears.

    ¡°What do you mean, Fifth Sister? Are you implying that I have something to do with those attacks aimed at you?¡± Ning Qingshan¡¯s face turned livid with rage under the light. She was fed up already because her maid Caifen was forced to get off the carriage just now. And now right after she heard that Ning Xueyan hinted at Ning Lingyun that she plotted all of this, Ning Qingshan immediately smiled coldly. ¡°Fifth Sister, it seems that you treat me as a fool. I have always been earnest and sincere to you, but you actually thought that I was scheming for something.¡±

    ¡°But Third Sister, I say nothing about that. I was just telling her the truth. Are you unwilling to admit the fact, Third Sister?¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s voice sounded a little aggrieved, but she looked perfectly calm. A faint smile even emerged on her face. She looked as if she had not been wronged at all.

    Ning Qingshan became so furious that she said with a cold face, ¡°Fifth Sister, you can think in whatever way you want. Anyway, I have a clear conscience.¡±

    After saying that, she directly got off the carriage and went to the carriage behind. Pulling Caifen who followed after her, Ning Qingshan got on the carriage that stopped in the middle. The two coachmen were only injured and did not die. At this time, they also finished bandaging their wounds and sat back behind the shafts of the carriages.

    Because the team of soldiers were afraid that something bad would happen again, they directly escorted them to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, and the group of people went all the way back to the manor in peace.

    The guard brought the carriages back after the three Young Ladies arrived at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and returned to their own houses. Then, he went straight to the Third Prince¡¯s to report onpletion of his task.

    ¡°Come in!¡± Ao Mingyu was still ying chess with Xia Yuhang. He just set a chess piece when he heard the knock on the door, so he answered the door casually.

    Xia Yuhang smiled slightly, making noment. He seemed to be focused on the chessboard. Carefully studying the move that Ao Mingyu just made, he didn¡¯t even raise his head.

    When the guard came in, he first saluted respectfully and then reported, ¡°Your Royal Highness, the Fifth Young Lady got on the first carriage and stayed with the Third Young Lady. So only the Fourth Young Lady and a maid were scared.¡±

    Slowly, Ao Mingyu stopped smiling and asked thoughtfully, ¡°Why was she with Ning Qingshan?¡±

    ¡°Somehow, the horse was frightened, and the Fifth Young Lady was also shocked. That was why she went to stay with the Third Young Lady.¡± The guard was vague about the details and didn¡¯t dare to mention that Ning Xueyan sent him away with an excuse at that time.

    ¡°Well, it looks like an ident, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Ao Mingyu frowned, but then appeared relieved. ¡°After all, she is merely a frail unmarried girl in a noble family. It was normal for her to feel afraid. Who knows? It might be an ident. But this time, she was lucky enough to avoid the huge embarrassment.¡±

    Without saying anything, Ao Mingyu waved his hand to motion the guard to leave.

    Seeing Ao Mingyu no longer pursue the matter, the guard breathed a sigh of relief and retreated cautiously. He then closed the door for the Third Prince. The guard did not dare to speak out the suspicion in his heart. ¡°At first, the Fifth Young Lady sent me away. Then she went to the carriage at the forefront. After that, a maid came out of the first carriage and stayed in the second carriage instead of her. At that moment, I certainly could not realize that things had already changed. That was why I would make such a mistake.¡±

    ¡°But is all of this only a coincidence?¡±

    ¡°If I knew that the Fifth Young Lady had gotten into the Third Young Lady¡¯s carriage, I would try my best to send out secret signals to stop those masked men from rushing out. Then nothing serious would happen next. I always feel that this weak and sick Fifth Young Lady doesn¡¯t look like someone easy to deal with.¡±

    Of course, without any evidence, the guards did not dare to tell Ao Mingyu what was in his mind. Besides, it was evident that his master was interested in the Fifth Young Lady. Thus, he thought it would be much better for him not to get involved in the things between them. Perhaps, his Royal Highness would fall in love with the Fifth Young Lady. In that case, as a humble guard, he might get killed even without knowing why. Thus, the guard thought that the less he talked, the fewer mistakes he would make, and if he kept his mouth shut, he could make no mistake.

    In the room, Xia Yuhang ced another piece. Raised his eyes, he smiled gently. ¡°Your Highness, you have lost.¡±

    Ao Mingyu looked down. ¡°Exactly. The piece that Xia Yuhang set just now destroyed the overallposition that I had made. Now I can hardly recover the situation again.¡± He then couldn¡¯t helpughing and put the other chess pieces on the chess basket next to him. ¡°You¡¯re right. I lost the game. After all, I yed a little casually and hastily. I¡¯ll find a chance to y with you next time and defeat you.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll wait for our next game.¡± Xia Yuhang stood up and said goodbye. Ao Mingyu sent him to the door and turned around.

    Xia Yuhang went downstairs and walked to a corner, looking toward the box of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. He spotted the shadows on the window. Seeing that the master of the manor had not left, he turned around and left with an insidious smile on his face.

    When Ning Zu¡¯an and Madam Dowager came back, they heard that something happened to the three sisters on the way and became very anxious. Later, they were soon relieved when they knew that only Ning Lingyun met with an ident.

    The next morning, Ning Lingyun went into the Buddha Hall on the excuse of praying for Madam Dowager. Senior Concubine Xu knelt in Madam Dowager¡¯s Lucky Garden for a whole day. But Madam Dowager still didn¡¯t forgive her, nor did she allow her to visit Ning Lingyun. For a while, a very depressing atmosphere enveloped the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor tight. Everyone in the manor knew that Madam Dowager was angry.

    Well, in Auspicious Clouds Courtyard, Madam Ling was in a good mood. Now, whoever in trouble was not her daughter, so it had nothing to do with her. Actually, her son told her that he wanted to find a way to get Ling¡¯er back these days. But he didn¡¯t give her a reply up till today. Madam Ling felt so anxious that she got up early in the morning only to wait for him.

    After all, Ning Yuling who ended up like that was her favorite daughter. Also, her delicate face was finally disfigured by Madam Ling¡¯s p, which made Madam Ling guilty and sad. Therefore, when Madam Ling heard that her daughter¡¯s face had almost recovered, she certainly would put her whole heart into getting Ning Yuling back to the capital.

    Finally, Ning Huaiyuan came to her ce. But when he had just spoken a few words, Madam Ling couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Yuan¡¯er, what about your Second Sister? When can she go back to the capital? After all, the Spring Festival ising. Whenever I remember that she stay at that small ce alone, I will feel very sad.¡±

    With this, she picked up her handkerchief and covered her eyes with it, feeling bitter in her heart.

    Ning Huaiyuan thought for a while and said, ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. I think that we should wait until my two sisters are in the imperial pce to join the Beauty Contest. Then Grandmother will have no granddaughter around to apany her. At that time, she will definitely allow my Second Sister toe back if we ask her.¡± Yesterday, he wanted to take a chance to mention the Second Sister, but Ning Xueyan ruined his chances.

    ¡°But it will take a long time for us to bring her back. Perhaps, the New Year will have been over already. Your Second Sister has always been spoiled. How can she get used to living in such a small ce in the countryside? I cannot imagine how terrible she looks like now after suffering so many tortures. Anyway, that d*mned old woman has many granddaughters. She will never care if anything happens to my Ling¡¯er. But Yuan¡¯er, you should remember that Ling¡¯er is your biological sister.¡±

    In broken sobs, Madam Ling said. Her eyes turned red, and her tears immediately fell.

    ¡°Mother, I certainly know that the Second Sister is my natural younger sister. But the thing to get my sister back cannot be rushed. Or, we can ask my father to do this. Mother, Junior Concubine Xu has already be my father¡¯s woman. Thus, you don¡¯t have to be so stubborn. It seems that you don¡¯t have the style of the Legal Wife at all.¡± Helplessly, Ning Huaiyuan urged.

    During this period, Madam Ling stirred up too much trouble. Ning Zu¡¯an only visited her the first day when Madam Ling was released from the Buddha Hall. Later on, he hadn¡¯t paid a single visit to Madam Ling¡¯s Auspicious Clouds Courtyard. Instead, his newly-loved Junior Concubine Xu got good out of Madam Ling¡¯s misfortune because Ning Zu¡¯an had been staying at her pce except for the study. But as soon as Madam Ling remembered that Junior Concubine Xu served Ning Zu¡¯an in bed under her eyes, she would gnash teeth in hatred. Whenever Junior Concubine Xu came to her ce, Madam Ling would make a long face.

 Chapter 280 - Maybe the Back Door Is Not Sealed

    <h4>Chapter 280 Maybe the Back Door Is Not Sealed</h4>

    Seeing Madam Ling¡¯s serious face, Ning Huaiyuan knew what Madam Ling was thinking about. He advised her again, ¡°Mother, you have a son and a daughter. Why are you afraid of a concubine, one of a maid origin? Even if she is the most favored concubine now, she is just a ything. After a while, when my father does not like her anymore, you can beat and scold her. It¡¯s all up to you, Mother. Why are you unhappy now?¡±

    ¡°That little bi*ch, I wanted to keep her for you before, and she agreed. I did not expect that she would hook up with your father only a few days after I went to the Buddha Hall. What a shameless bi*ch!¡±

    When Madam Ling talked about this, she wanted to scratch Yu Lian¡¯s enchanting face. She had known that this bi*ch would have an affair. To prevent her from serving Ning Zu¡¯an in bed, she specifically told her that she would give her a title when Yuan¡¯er came back if she went with him. Unexpectedly, she was still so dissatisfied with her lot. Madam Ling felt that she had been betrayed.

    That was why she still did not acknowledge Concubine Xu¡¯s identity.

    ¡°Mother, what¡¯s the point of saying these things now? It is better not to mention them now. Now she is my father¡¯s concubine. It¡¯s not appropriate for you to repeat this.¡±

    Ning Huaiyuan rubbed his forehead helplessly.. He did not know what to do with his stubborn mother. Should this matter be brought up now? And whenever they talked about little Concubine Xu, they would always mention it. If outsiders heard it, something might happen.

    ¡°Mother, do you want Second Sister toe back?¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course, I do!¡± When Madam Ling spoke of Ning Yuling, she nodded vigorously and stopped scolding Yu Lian.

    ¡°Father dotes on little Concubine Xu the most now. Mother, you have to be good friends with her. Ask her to say a few more good words in my father¡¯s ear so that Second Sister cane back.¡±

    Ning Huaiyuan said this seriously.

    Madam Ling was happy when she heard that Ning Yuling mighte back. But when she thought that she had to ask Yu Lian for help, she gritted her teeth in anger. However, looking at her son¡¯s determined eyes, she knew that it was a good idea. So she said, ¡°Okay, Yuan¡¯er, don¡¯t worry. Mother will go and make friends with Concubine Xu.¡±

    ¡°Just let the bi*ch be happy. Once Ling¡¯er came back, this bi*ch will certainly suffer.

    ¡°Mother, this is the style of the legal wife. No matter how spoiled little Concubine Xu is, she can¡¯t get the better of you as long as I¡¯m here. Now, if you treat her well for my father¡¯s sake, my father will be happy. As for what will happen in the future, it all depends on you.¡± Ning Huaiyuan hinted.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s words calmed Madam Ling down. After thinking for a while, she realized that it was true. She was the First Madam of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, and no one couldpare with her. Besides, she as the legal wife, had given birth to a son, who had grown up well and had a good reputation in the capital city. The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would belong to her, so how could that little bi*chpete with her, in the future?

    If she tried to please her, she would keep her. If she dared to fight against her, she would sell her to the brothel.

    Seeing that Madam Ling had calmed down and seemed to be thinking about something else, Ning Huaiyuan knew that Madam Ling had made up her mind already. His mother was not stupid. She was smart enough to rise to the position of the legal wife in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, from a woman who had nothing initially. But recently, she ran into numerous problems, which made her flustered, so that she did something wrong.

    After speaking a few more words to Madam Ling, he went to the backyard.

    Yesterday, he went to Minister Xia¡¯s Manor to look for Ning Ziyan, but he did not see her. He only saw Xia Yuhang, who said that Ning Ziyan was in meditation, so she could not see him for the time being. Of course, Ning Huaiyuan knew that that was only Xia Yuhang¡¯s excuse. After all, Ning Ziyan¡¯s reputation had been ruined. It was already good that Xia¡¯s Manor did not say anything else.

    So, he did not ask anymore. He asked Xia Yuhang to take Ning Ziyan to a private room at night and have a reunion dinner. Although Xia Yuhang did not agree, there was nothing wrong with his request. He also asked him to go to the Cloud Reflection Courtyard to look for something, saying that Ning Ziyan wanted it.

    Whether Ning Ziyan or Xia Yuhang wanted it, Ning Huaiyuan had to take it seriously, so he went to the Cloud Reflection Courtyard at this time.

    As soon as he walked through the wall that separated the Cloud Reflection Courtyard from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Ning Huaiyuan saw Ning Xueyan sitting under the tree, reading leisurely.

    The wind blew her half-dry long hair. A few strands fell on her tender white face, which made her look more delicate. Her skin was as white as snow, and her skirt fluttered in the breeze. The wide, snow-white cloak enveloped her. Only a slender hand stretched out from under the cloak and flipped through the pages.

    The sun shone in front of her. After some time, her face, which had always been pale, had a faint flush and she looked extremely beautiful.

    Ning Huaiyuan frowned and looked at her from afar. He stopped, and his eyebrows twitched. There were mixed emotions in his eyes, some happy, some disgust, some resentment, and some insidiousness...

    ¡°Young Lady, the Eldest Young Master is here!¡± Lanning found Ning Huaiyuan standing in the corner and pushed Ning Xueyan, who appeared to be in a trance.

    Ning Xueyan put down her book and raised her head. Looking at Ning Huaiyuan, who was approaching one step at a time, she bowed slightly and said with a gentle smile, ¡°Nice to see you, Eldest Brother. What are you doing here at this time?¡±

    After saying that, she looked around in surprise. This ce was almost out of the range of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, except for its proximity to the Bright Frost Garden.

    ¡°The eldest sister asked me see if the books she wanted are in this courtyard. She said that she had lent them to Sister Ziying before.¡± At this time, Ning Huaiyuan had already stopped worrying. He smiled and said calmly.

    ¡°This... Sister Ziying likes reading too? Brother, can you tell me about Sister Ziying? The servants in the mansion don¡¯t dare to say anything about her. It is as if she is a taboo subject¡±, Ning Xueyan pointed at the Cloud Reflection Courtyard and asked curiously.

    ¡°I... I don¡¯t know. Most of the time, I am not in the mansion, and only my first sister was on good terms with her.¡± Ning Huaiyuan said indifferently. At first nce, she knew that he was not interested in talking about it.

    ¡°Oh, I thought you and sister Ziying were also very close to each other. I heard that my Eldest Brother-inw and Sister Ziying had a good rtionship. A distinction should be made between males and females. So, I thought that you were there to apany them. That did not seem to be the case.¡± Ning Xueyan said with a smile on her face, as if she was not aware of Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s darkened face.

    ¡°Who told you that Ning Ziying and Yuhang were very close?¡± Ning Huaiyuan grabbed Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand and asked in a harsh voice.

    ¡°Brother, it hurts.¡± Ning Xueyan frowned and cried out in pain. Lanning hurried over to hold Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s hand and said hurriedly, ¡°Eldest Young Master, you are hurting my youngdy.¡±

    Ning Huaiyuan finally came to his senses. He quickly rxed his hand and apologized to Ning Xueyan, ¡°Xueyan, I¡¯m sorry. This news came as a shock. Who in the manor told you this? How can you talk nonsense? She is already dead. We can¡¯t ruin her reputation.¡±

    ¡°Eldest brother, I don¡¯t know who said that. The day before yesterday, when I went to visit my grandmother, I went to the rockery in the garden to have a rest. Then, I heard two older female servants saying that. Today, I saw you, so I just enquired casually.¡± Ning Xueyan said. Her long eyshes fluttered, as she tried to suppress the hatred in her eyes.

    Sure enough, the Eldest Young Master of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, who was said to have a good reputation, knew that Madam Ling and her daughter killed her.

    How much did they hate her in her previous life? So many people watched her fall to her death, but no one reached out to save her. No one considered the bonds of kinship. Those so-called flesh and blood affection belonged to them. As for herself, in their eyes, she had long been dead...

    Who would bother about a dead person?

    ¡°That is just foolish talk. Fifth Sister, don¡¯t believe it. Sister Ziying¡¯s reputation is good.¡± Hearing that it was the older female servants¡¯ gossips, Ning Huaiyuan breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that he needed to bring some order to the mansion so that no further confusion or gossip would be spread.

    ¡°Yes, I dare not.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded slightly and watched Ning Huaiyuan go to the Cloud Reflection Courtyard alone.

    To find a book? The book Ning Ziyan lent to her? Could Ning Ziyan be a person who liked reading?

    She sneered slightly. She had guessed that since Xia Yuhang was looking for something at her ce and could not find it. There could not be anything in her dowry. Then, he woulde to Cloud Reflection Courtyard again and get Ning Huaiyuan toe over?

    Did Xia Yuhang dare to say what he was looking for? He wanted to rummage through her things, but he could not juste over and do that.

    Sure enough, when she bent her head to read again, a ck shadow blocked the sunlight in front of her. When she looked up and narrowed her watery eyes, she saw that it was Ning Huaiyuan, who had just passed and returned. A faint sneer shed across her eyes.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, why is the courtyard blocked off?¡± Ning Huaiyuan frowned and asked, pointing at the Cloud Reflection Courtyard, not far away.

    He had turned around the corner and was about to go in, but he found that the door had been bricked up and he could not get in.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, either. Maybe the door was bricked up after they finished building the wall. I saw someone starting a project here from a distance.¡±

    Ning Xueyan smiled and said this innocently, ncing at the Cloud Reflection Courtyard.

    Madam Ling had asked Qingyu to build a wall in front of the Cloud Reflection Courtyard, as she wanted to separate this ce from the whole Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Ning Xueyan had asked Qingyu to mention it casually and then ¡°extended¡± Madam Ling¡¯s meaning. Of course, the servants would seal the gate of the courtyard.

    Since the First Madam said that she did not want to see this courtyard, as she thought that this courtyard was ominous, they tried to seal it off as much as possible, so that the First Madam would not be affected by the bad luck. Then, they had to report this matter to Madam Ling. But at that time, Madam Ling had already entered the Buddha Hall, so Ning Xueyan had to pay them for the work.

    As a reward, of course, they were paid a little more than the agreed sum. So, these people were happy and felt that they had understood First Madam¡¯s meaning. Otherwise, why would the First Madam give them more money? There was a rumor that the First Madam must have something to do with the youngdy who died there. Otherwise, why would the First Madam feel so guilty?

    Of course, Ning Huaiyuan was not aware about this, so he did not know that the courtyard had been sealed.

    ¡°Eldest Brother, the front door is rtively close to the wall. It might be sealed identally.¡± Ning Xueyan closed the book with her slender hands and turned to look at the back door. The expression in her eyes became more and more sardonic. ¡°Maybe the back door is not sealed.¡±

    Of course, that ce was notpletely sealed. It was left open for those who were looking for things...

 Chapter 281 - The Cloud Reflection Courtyard Is Haunted

    <strong>Chapter 281 The Cloud Reflection Courtyard Is Haunted</strong>

    Hearing that the back door may not be sealed, Ning Huaiyuan hesitated for a moment, then walked to the back door which was just round the corner.

    The back door of the Ningying Courtyard was facing the direction of the Bright Frost Garden. But when one came from that direction, one could not see the back door directly, because of a side room that was located there. Part of the room jutted out and hid the back door from one¡¯s view. Only when one walked round the side of this room, then could one see the entrance of the backyard.

    Most of the people came through the main entrance. Only the maids and the older female servants went through the back door due to the convenience.

    Ning Huaiyuan had orders from Xia Yuhang today, so he had to go to the Cloud Reflection Courtyard to do a search. Xia Yuhang did not say what it was. He just asked Ning Huaiyuan to send Ning Ziying¡¯s books to him. Ning Ziying liked reading books. These books were nothing special, so they were not part of her dowry.

    They were not valuable ancient books, but the usual fiction books. People read them to kill time when they were idle, and no one would care about them. After Madam Ling and her daughter drowned Ning Ziying and her maid, no one really bothered about them. Of course, these things should still be piled up in the same ce.

    The narrow back door was indeed not wholly sealed, mostly because no one gave it a second look. So, a few bricks wereid casually across the door. If one removed the bricks slowly, it should not be a problem to enter, because the bricks were just randomly piled together.

    However, when Ning Huaiyuan came over, he did not even think about doing that. He did not have a servant with him. As a noble young master, he could not remove bricks in person, as this would cover him with mud.

    But he told Xia Yuhang yesterday that he would bring Ning Ziying¡¯s old books to him by today. After all, Ning Ziyan¡¯s current situation was not good. It was better to avoid making trouble over such a small matter. After making up his mind, he decided to get someone to remove the bricks from the back door.

    After making up his mind, he strode back. When he passed by the tree, he found that Ning Xueyan was no longer there. He could not help looking over at the tree where she had just stood. He frowned slightly and walked over.

    It was not long before he came across two young male servants . Thinking that the back door was not that big, he decided that the two of them would be able to move the bricks.

    Ning Huaiyuan was not Madam Ling. He had thought that Madam Ling¡¯s behavior of sealing the Cloud Reflection Courtyard was inappropriate, which was almost equivalent to telling others that some mystery underlied Ning Ziying¡¯s death in the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. The courtyard had been sealed off when someone had just died. With the wall outside, it was almost impossible to cover it up totally

    Now it would be even worse if everyone knew that he was going to remove the bricks from the back door.

    The two young male servants were about 13 or 14 years old. They saw the sizes of the bricks at the back door and felt that it was not a big deal. So they rolled up their sleeves and got to work.

    Ning Huaiyuan stood behind them and watched them work.

    The first few pieces were removed easily. The bricks wereid entirely outside the back door, and the back door was closed. Once the bricks were removed, the back door could be seen. At that time, he could just enter the courtyard by asking the older female servant to open the door for him.

    The back door was not big. The two of them stood in a row, and it was a bit of a squeeze. After removing the first few bricks, it was estimated that one could jump into it. Thus, one could stay inside, while the other took the bricks away. In this way, the work would be faster. So, a servant jumped into the small space.

    However, he did not know how he tripped, as he suddenly fell. He subconsciously stretched out his hands to hold on to the tightly closed back door to steady himself. However, he did not expect that the back door was not locked. The momentum of his fall was so strong that he fell inwards.

    To his surprise, there were several bricks behind the half-closed door. As the door was pushed open, the bricks fell in a cloud of dust.

    The young male servant closed his eyes to avoid the dust, before he was hit on the head by a falling brick. ¡°Ah!¡± He screamed and started bleeding profusely from the head. He immediately fainted and fell to the ground.

    When the young male servant jumped in, Ning Huaiyuan was looking casually around, with his hands behind his back. He looked thoughtfully at the plum tree where Ning Xueyan had stood earlier. His eyes had aplicated look. When he looked to see if there was anything something unusual, suddenly he saw the young male servant¡¯s head bleeding as he fell with a flop on the ground.

    The young male servant standing outside was stunned. He shivered and gawked at the half-open door.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ning Huaiyuan came over and asked.

    ¡°Eldest... Eldest Young Master... there are... ghosts, there is... a ghost.¡± Hearing Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s voice, the young male servant outside suddenly screamed as he pointed at the back door. Right now, the back door was slightly ajar. When he heard the young male servant¡¯s cry, he looked up and saw a white shadow sliding through the back door.

    The servants in the manor had mentioned that this ce was haunted. When he recalled that, the servant was scared.

    ¡°What are you talking about? Go and see to him.¡± Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s face darkened, and he said coldly.

    ¡°Yes... yes... I¡¯ll go and check it out. After getting chided by Ning Huaiyuan, the young male servant looked inside with trepidation. When he saw the young male servant lying there with his head bleeding, and seemed lifeless, he trembled even more. Although he said that he would check it out, he did not move.

    The medium-sized boy was quite bold ordinarily. But when something like this happened, he was not able to recover in such a short time. He only remembered the stories about the Cloud Reflection Courtyard in the mansion. He also heard that an older female servant and a maid had disappeared in the courtyard for no reason, which even rmed the First Madam. But there were no conclusions to all these tales.

    ¡°If you start spouting nonsense again, you will not go back tonight.¡± Hearing the servant¡¯s continuous shouting, Ning Huaiyuan was furious and shouted.

    Seeing that his Eldest Young Master was angry, the young male servant dared not leave him on his own. He trembled as he went inside. Then, he managed to get the young male servant out. This time, Ning Huaiyuan could not remove the bricks, because he had to tend to the servant¡¯s injury first. He had no choice but to leave with the two young male servants.

    He had to check the young male servant¡¯s condition, before making any further ns.

    Although the young male servant¡¯s head was bleeding, at least he was still alive. However, the servant outside was shivering. It was evident that he had been scared out of his wits. Along the way, they came across many servants. The uninjured young male servant held the injured one.

    Both of them looked pale and scared. Those who knew nothing about it would think that they had been in a fight. All kinds of spections ran rampant at that time. Seeing the Eldest Young Master¡¯s gloomy face, no one dared to ask for the reason. Looking at where they hade from, some people privately guessed that something had happened in the Cloud Reflection Courtyard.

    Many servants were whispering. Some of them even remembered what had happened before. At that time, there were indeed two people missing. The First Madam had sent people to investigate, but found nothing. Could it be that something... had happened over there?

    Ning Huaiyuan did not expect such a trivial thing to cause such widespread panic in the manor. When the older female servant and the maid disappeared, he was not back yet. When he came back, nobody had told him about this matter. So, he naturally did not expect that the chain reaction would be so great.

    Although there had been an ident, he still had to enter the Cloud Reflection Courtyard.

    So when he saw Housekeeper Lu of the inner courtyard after turning a corner, Ning Huaiyuan hurriedly called her and said, ¡°Mother Lu, find someone to remove the bricks that are blocking the door in the backyard of the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. I¡¯ll go into the Cloud Reflection Courtyardter.¡±

    Housekeeper Lu was Madam Ling¡¯s henchman. Of course, she knew what had happened there before. So, when she heard what Ning Huaiyuan said about the Cloud Reflection Courtyard, her hands and feet started trembling. Looking at the servant who had been hit by the falling brick, and whose head was bleeding, and then at the other servant, whose face was pale and sombre, her face paled immediately.

    ¡°Eldest Young Master... they... they were injured at the gate of the Cloud Reflection Courtyard?¡±

    ¡°They were identally hit by the bricks. Let me know after you remove all the bricks.¡± Ning Huaiyuan said indifferently. Without looking at the stewardess, he went to the study room. He was bored at having to wait outside. Remembering that he had something to do, he went to meet the Fourth Prince first.

    ¡°Eldest Young Master, Eldest Young Master...¡± Before Mother Zhang could say anything, Ning Huaiyuan strode away and left her to settle all the tasks.

    ¡°Mammy...¡± The maid who followed Mammy Zhang said, with a pale face, ¡°It¡¯s said that... there¡¯s... there¡¯s...a ghost in that... that... ce!¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? If you continuing saying that, I will rip your mouth apart. Go and ask a few people toe over and demolish the brick wall at the back door of the Cloud Reflection Courtyard.¡± Although she was also afraid, Mother Zhang, who had gone through all the vicissitudes of life, stamped her feet and shouted.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go right away.¡± The maid ran out in fright.

    In the Bright Frost Garden.

    Ning Xueyan was sitting in front of the window and reading a book. If Xia Yuhang was here, he would find that the book had been taken from the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. There were Ning Ziying¡¯s notes in the book. Ning Ziying¡¯s handwriting was delicate and elegant, much like the people¡¯s impression of her at that time.

    It was a very ordinary poem, but she found something she was not familiar with.

    ¡°Young Lady, five or six servants have gone to tear down the bricks. Housekeeper Zhang of the inner courtyard asked her maid to tell us not to send people from the Bright Frost Garden.¡± Lanning came in and reported. When Ning Xueyan came back, but Lanning had not left yet.

    The bricks had been ced on the back door for a long time already. There was grass growing around the slightly closed door. If nobody exerted any strength, it could not be opened at all, and the bricks on it could not be removed.

    After the master was gone, the back door was overgrown with weeds, which had sprouted all around the bricks. It grew all over the back door and was messy and tangled. If one was not careful, it was easy to trip and fall.

    The area where the bricks had been demolished was small, and it was easy to tear down the bricks inside. They only had to jump inside and start tearing down the bricks.

    As for white shadow that the other young male servant saw, it was just a piece of white cloth that wad hanging by the door. When the door was opened, the white strip of cloth dropped to the floor. At that time, the servant was in a panic and did not dare to look around carefully. Of course, he did not see that it was only a piece of white cloth that had dropped, and made him so panic.

    So everything went ording to Ning Xueyan¡¯s n.

    ¡°Has Xinmei arranged for everything there?¡± Ning Xueyan carelessly turned over the pages of her book, and tilted her head. Under her elegant long eyshes, her eyes were filled with hatred. Madam Ling thought that she could easily conceal this matter after sealing the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. Unfortunately, she did not have the same idea.

    Lanning looked at Ning Xueyan with admiration and answered, ¡°Xinmei is back. She told me that everything has been done per your instructions.¡±

 Chapter 282 - Thatâ€™s How Rumors Spread

    <strong>Chapter 282 That¡¯s How Rumors Spread</strong>

    What happened next scared those servants who initially did not believe in the stories told.

    As soon as they passed, a servant jumped in and slipped. Then they saw a dark, red bloodstain under the door. Some people said that it was the ce where the young male servant had hit his head. How could the bloodstain darken so soon after his fall? It was certainly a strange phenomena.

    When another servant pushed the door open and entered, a few bricks fell from it. Although they did not hurt their heads, they were hit on their arms and screamed in pain.

    In theory, no matter who had left the bricks, it had already injured many people. How could such a thing happen? Thinking about this, they all had an eerie feeling about the ce.

    After that, everyone was trembling with fear. They were afraid that if they were careless, they would get into trouble. However, there was still a servant who had been hit by another brick. This was quite normal. While working, one would inadvertently hurt themselves or others, because of carelessness.

    However, this injured man said that he saw a white shadow shing past, before the brick in his hand dropped and hit another person in the foot.

    Sometimes, this was how rumors started. Anyone with a guilty conscience, would get extremely ill at ease once the rumors spread. Then, they would even think that the weakness in the feet and hands had something to do with ghosts and gods. They felt that they had no strength, and their eyes wandered from time to time. They always felt jumpy and found it hard to work. Later, they did not even dare to lean against the door and shrank back in fear.

    They finally removed the bricks at the door. All of them were sweating, and their faces were pale. Once the steward said that their work was done, they quickly disappeared. It was said that one or two of the timid ones fell sick after they went back. For a while, the dead Young Lady Ning Ziying¡¯s name was again circted in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    It was said that she died an unjust death, so she could not go peacefully to theherworld, and her soul wandered around the yard all the time. Therefore, the First Madam had asked people to seal up the yard.

    The Eldest Young Master had ordered someone to open the door, and then this disaster happened.

    When Ning Ziying came to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she kept a very low profile. Most of the servants did not know why there was another youngdy and where she came from? They knew nothing about her, except that she was an orphan daughter of the Ning family, and came to seek refuge with the marquis, who was the patriarch of the Ning family.

    Ning Ziying only brought a maid and a wet nurse. Then, she lived quietly in the inner courtyard of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. She did not have much contact with the other people in the manor. She did not need to greet the Madam Dowager and the First Madam. Therefore, few people knew about her existence in the manor, during those three years.

    Sometimes, when they saw her together with the Eldest Young Lady and Master Xia, no one felt that anything was wrong.

    But to everyone¡¯s surprise, she jumped into the lotus pond, the night before the wedding of the Eldest Young Lady and Master Xia. This made people suspicious. Why did shemit suicide? Thinking about their close rtionship with her, it was a little fishy.

    The maids and older female servants, who had seen this youngdy, said that Ning Ziying was very beautiful, much more beautiful than the well-known Second Young Lady, at that time. How could such a beautifuldymit suicide at a young age? It was something very strange, indeed.

    However, at that time, the situation in the manor was too chaotic. The First Young Lady got married, and the Second Madame died of an illness. Then, the First Madam was punished for this matter... all these things happened, one after another, so it was forgotten. Later, someone said that an older female servant and a maid disappeared in the Cloud Reflection Courtyard, so it was said that there was a ghost in the Cloud Reflection Courtyard.

    These rumors were deliberately spread in private, but those masters, who had their hands full, did not know.

    After Madam Ling asked people to build the wall, more rumors were spread. One was that the First Madam had a guilty conscience, and perhaps the youngdy did not die due to jumping into the lotus pond. However, they were only rumors, after all. Many people did not believe them, because there was no particr evidence.

    But now, it was different. Some of them were injured, some were sick, and some were said to have seen ghosts. For a time, the rumors in the manor were rampant. Even Madam Ling heard about these rumors in the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard.

    ¡°First... First Madam, what should we do? Will... will shee for us?¡± Mother Chen had helped in carrying out the murder of Ning Ziying. She was so scared that her face turned pale. She stood in front of Madam Ling, quivering with fear.

    Just now, several maids and older female servants in the courtyard were gesticting wildly. She thought that something had happened, so she followed them and asked. Hearing that the Cloud Reflection Courtyard was haunted, she was scared and rushed back to report to Madam Ling.

    ¡°It¡¯s impossible. How could there be a ghost? When Ning Ziying was alive, she was not able to face up to us. How could shee back ... ¡± Although Madam Ling¡¯s face was blue and red, at least she was calm. She gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Someone must have deliberately made such a mess. Go and ask who was the one who wanted to go into the Cloud Reflection Courtyard, and who asked to remove the bricks.¡±

    In her opinion, it must be that person who was deliberately trying to stir things up, by pretending that there were ghosts. When she found that person, she would never let him or her go!

    ¡°First Madam, it¡¯s, it¡¯s the Eldest Young Master. He... he wanted to go to the Cloud Reflection Courtyard to find something, so he asked people to move the bricks.¡± Mother Chen had already inquired about it, so she knew that Ning Huaiyuan was the one who started all this trouble.

    ¡°Why did he go to the Cloud Reflection Courtyard? Did someone ask him to go?¡± Madam Ling asked gloomily.

    ¡°I heard from Eldest Young Master¡¯s servant that Master Xia wanted to get something from the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. So, he is helping him to get it,¡± Mother Chen answered.

    ¡°Bang!¡± Madam Ling threw the teacup in her hand, onto the marble floor. It was smashed to pieces immediately. She said angrily, ¡°What does Xia Yuhang want to do? Could it be that he can¡¯t bear to part with that girl? Did he regret marrying Yan¡¯er? Now that she¡¯s dead, does he want to remember her by keeping her stuff?¡±

    ¡°First Madam, this may not be the reason. Master Xia has always been very solicitous about Young Lady Ziying¡¯s things.¡± Mother Chen hurriedly tried to soothe her.

    This reminded Madam Ling about Xia Yuhang¡¯s behavior. At that time, when the dowry was delivered to the Manor, the servants came back to report that Xia Yuhang, as the groom, had personally, with some people, gone to check the dowry. He even looked through it from time to time, as if he was looking for something. However, his eyebrows were always furrowed.

    The servant who delivered the dowry was shocked as he thought that Childe Xia was not satisfied, so he came back to inform Madam Ling.

    ¡°Mother Chen, is there any mystery in that¡± Madam Ling¡¯s eyes were wild. At that time, she did not think too much about it as she was preupied with her ns of killing Ning Ziying. Now, she felt that something was wrong, and her heart was filled with all kinds of emotions.

    ¡°First Madam, I also don¡¯t know what he wants. In a few days, it will be the Lunar New Year. On the second day of the Lunar New Year, the Eldest Young Lady, as a bride, will return. Then, you can ask her directly.¡±

    Mother Chen was just a servant of the inner courtyard, so she did not know much about what was happening outside. She had to shift the topic from Xia Yuhang to Ning Ziyan. She knew that Madam Ling had been worried about Ning Ziyan since that thing happened. She lost all desire for food and drink, because she was afraid that something terrible would happen to Ning Ziyan.

    Therefore, after hearing her what she said, Madam Ling nodded and felt that it made sense. However, the situation at the Cloud Reflection Courtyard was not optimistic. After thinking for a while, she asked, ¡°Can I invite some Taoist priests or monks to conduct a religious rite? After all, it seems weird.¡±

    ¡°First Madam, you can¡¯t! If there is a Taoist priest or someone else during the Lunar New Festival, Madam Dowager will be unhappy. Besides, it might make things even worse at the Cloud Reflection Courtyard? We can¡¯t let others spread more rumors.¡± They hadmitted a guilty deed. After that, no one took care of Ning Ziyan¡¯s affairs, because not many people knew about her.

    Therefore, this matter could be suppressed in the manor, and nothing serious happened. Otherwise, it was bound to arouse suspicion as to why Ning Ziying wouldmit suicide by jumping into theke the night before Ning Ziyan got married.

    ¡°Ask Housekeeper Zhang to investigate. If anyone dares to gossip and spread rumors about the Cloud Reflection Courtyard, he or she will be severely punished.¡± Madam Ling said fiercely.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go now. How about the Eldest Young Master?¡±

    ¡°Let Yuan¡¯er do as he wishes.¡± Madam Ling had made up her mind at this time. She would let Xia Yuhang do what he wanted. When Ning Ziyan came, she would inquire about her. The rumors about the Cloud Reflection Courtyard in the manor had to be suppressed. At this time, she felt a little regret. At that time, she had been impulsive and asked people to build the wall that surrounded the Cloud Reflection Courtyard, and this action had been widely discussed.

    Now that she had the bricks removed again, it seemed like she was trying to cover it up.

    However, this did not seem like the usual rumors. Fear grew in people¡¯s hearts. Even if it was suppressed by force, the fear in their hearts could not be controlled. If they did not speak about it openly, it would just fill a lot of people with fear. They might suddenly lose control and their fears would erupt.

    What¡¯s more, this matter had gone too far to be kept under wraps. Although it did not take a long time for Madam Ling to suppress it, everyone in the manor knew it, except for Madam Dowager Liu, who had been cultivating herself in the courtyard and did not care about anything. Many people, who initially did not pay any attention to it, suddenly began to take note of Cloud Reflection Courtyard. After all, it was scary should it really be haunted.

    Ning Huaiyuan came back after lunch. His servants had been warned before he came back, so no oneined to him. Since Ning Ziying moved in, Ning Huaiyuan had never been here. When he entered the door, he felt unhappy when he saw the wild grass growing on the ground.

    When he entered the room, there was dust everywhere. Even a slight movement made all the dust fly up. How could they turn it over? They walked around in the inner room, but they did not find any books. However, in the outer room where the maid sat, they discovered that there were two books on the ground. They picked up and flipped through the books. They were Commandments for Women and so on.

    They found nothing else, so they picked up the two books and left the Cloud Reflection Courtyard.

    The books were delivered to Xia Yuhang that night. Sitting under themp in the study, he looked at the two books in front of him in astonishment. His eyes were full ofplicated emotions. The air was so stifling that he found it hard to breathe. After a while, he reached out his hand and turned the pages.

    The notes were written in a small seal script of the plum blossom. He had not seen this kind of handwriting for a long time, so his hands twitched and trembled slightly. He slowly touched the words and found that the ink marks were not old...

 Chapter 283 - Secrets Hiding in the Book of Family Names

    <h4>Chapter 283 Secrets Hiding in the Book of Family Names</h4>

    The book was an old book, but Ning Xueyan had never seen this line of small characters before. If this was the case, had they ever been seen by anyone before?

    It was the Book of Family Names, a verymon book, and a child¡¯s primer. In her previous life, her mother had personally imparted knowledge to her. The Book of Family Names was the first book she learned from. She was familiar with everything in it, and she even knew which page had some creases on it.

    She brought this book to the capital in memory of her mother.

    So, this book meant a lot of her, as it was something she treasured from the past.

    However, such a book was a little different from the usual books. If Qingyu had not identally sprinkled water on the book, the handwriting would not have appeared. And she never thought that there would be so many characters in this ordinary book.

    The characters gave her a creepy feeling.

    Ye:

    I hope this message finds you well. The grievances have been umted for a long time, and the situation is hopeless. God¡¯s will makes fools of people, and I cannot turn this around. Zi¡¯er is still young, and you... should not take the plunge. Leave as soon as possible!¡±

    It was signed off as: Your Husband, Tong.

    On the blotted page, there were not only the characters, but also bloodstains. Ning Xueyan could almost smell the blood from it. It was a bloodletter, meaning it had been written in blood. The dark red handwriting pierced her heart like a sword, and she felt a stabbing pain.

    This book was hers, a gift from her mother. It was the first book that her mother had given her. Her mother read all the words in this book with her. But why were these characters in her book?

    She crumpled the handkerchief in her hand into a ball, rubbed in her hand, and then unfolded it. The line of blood-stained characters almost made her lose her cool.

    As the paper slowly dried, the characters on it faded gradually and could hardly be seen clearly. However, everything in front of her had already stuck in her mind. The characters on it had been printed word by word. She was very sure that it must have something to do with her.

    When she was in Jiangnan City, both her father and mother called her Ying¡¯er. But who was that Zi¡¯er? There was also a Zi in her name. When she first met Ning Ziyan, she thought she was in the same generation as ¡°Zi.¡± But when she saw the names of Ning Yuling and Ning Lingyun, she found that there was no one with the same name in the same generation of sisters.

    Later, she learned that girls were not named ording to the generation name, so her ¡°Zi¡± and Ning Ziyan¡¯s ¡°Zi.¡± was a coincidence. Was she this Zi¡¯er?

    As for this ¡°Ye¡± and ¡°Tong,¡± she had never heard of them. There was no such character in the names of her father and mother, so it could not be them. But if were not them, how could this book fall into her hands? The blood-stained characters, together with the wide bloodstain, appeared in her mind, one by one.

    Why did he write those words in this book? It must have been an urgent and helpless situation. The husband must have written thest words reluctantly, before his death. He had asked his wife to escape with his child. Wasn¡¯t that from the previous dynasty?

    Such a conversation suddenly appeared in her mind.

    ¡°Ying¡¯er, this is the first book that I gave you. You should take good care of it and keep it all your life.¡± The woman¡¯s voice was gentle.

    ¡°Yes, Mother. Ying¡¯er will take good care of it and keep it all my life.¡± She answered innocently, in a childish voice.

    ¡°Ying¡¯er, even if you get married in the future, you have to set out in a bridal sedan chair with the book inside, and then pass it down to your children, okay?¡± The woman said with a smile.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll pass the book to my children. But Mother, what is marriage?¡± The little girl asked nkly.

    She touched the pages with her trembling hands and could stay calm anymore. Was this her biological parents¡¯st words? Otherwise, why did her mother remind her about the value the Book of Family Names time and again? These long-lost childhood memories had disappeared without a trace. But now, with the appearance of this bloodletter, some traces of her memories suddenly reappeared.

    Zi¡¯er? Ying¡¯er?

    Another thing suddenly came to her mind. The mysterious woman, whose voice was simr to Ya Moqin¡¯s, seemed to have addressed her as Zi¡¯er when she first saw her. Then, her motherughed it off and said that she was Ying¡¯er, instead of Zi¡¯er.

    She still remembered that her mother looked extremely natural at that time. She patted her head casually and let her read and y the lyre as usual. Her mother had assigned these tasks for her. In the morning, she yed the lyre and read books. In the afternoon, she rested and could walk about in the garden.

    And her mother, who had always been calm, suddenly made an incoherent statement. At that time, it was in the afternoon.

    There seemed to be thousands of knots in her mind, but she did not know how to start unraveling them. She only felt that these knots were so entangled, that it was hard for her to breathe. The deeper she was involved, the more chaotic it became. It was so messy that she almost wanted to cut everything off and start all over again.

    ¡°Cut everything off and start all over again?¡± Ning Xueyan exhaled a long breath from her chest and leaned back to calm herself down. This matter could not be rushed. If she managed to find the nun named Jingkong, she could figure out everything. However, she had to think about Xia Yuhang first. What did he want to do with these books?

    Thinking back to the past, he had even rummaged through her satin clothes. Perhaps he was looking for something like paper or tiles, or anything that could be put in a book. Of course, it could also be put in cloth, so that others could not see it...

    ¡°Young Lady, someone from Madam Dowager¡¯s side, would like you to go over there. The servant said that all the youngdies and concubines are already there.¡± Lanning came in with this message. Anxiously, she looked at Ning Xueyan¡¯s pale face. Since the blood-red characters appeared on the page, the youngdy had been sitting alone in the room for almost four hours.

    During this period, Lanning also came in and poured tea into her cup. However, she looked at the sky, frowning and seemed to be in a daze. Since she knew the youngdy and had been with her for a long time already, Lanning had never seen such a look on her face.

    Even though the youngdy looked soft, the firmness in her eyes had never gone away. She had never seen such a look of hesitancy on her face before.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go!¡± Ning Xueyan touched her forehead and gave a faint smile. She stood up and straightened Lanning¡¯s skirt. But when she walked to the door, she went to the kitchen, after a moment¡¯s thought. She asked about the dishes for dinner and added some dishes that Madam Dowager liked. Then she turned to the Lucky Garden.

    Madam Dowager was happy today, so she had agreed to let everyone have dinner together at the Lucky Garden. If it had not been for this book, Ning Xueyan would have gone earlier. Fortunately, it was notte. She went to Lucky Garden, together with Lanning and Qingyu.

    When they reached the door, they bumped into Ning Huaiyuan, so they entered Madam Dowager¡¯s courtyard together.

    The room was full of people, and Ning Qingshan was already there. She was chatting andughing with Madam Dowager. At the same time, there was junior Concubine Xu, who was now the most favored. Thus, she was not as timid as before. She and Ning Qingshan made Madam Dowagerugh time and again.

    The other concubines smiled and said something appropriate from time to time. Even Senior Concubine Xu, whose daughter had been locked up in the Buddha Hall, looked good andughed merrily. She did not seem to be estranged from Madam Dowager, because of Ning Lingyun.

    Ning Zu¡¯an had not appeared yet. He was still dealing with affairs in the study, and he asked Ning Huaiyuan toe first.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, you¡¯re finally here. Madam Dowager has called you many times.¡± Seeing Ning Xueyan, Junior Concubine Xu smiled at her and then turned to Madam Dowager. ¡°Madam Dowager, look at Fifth Young Lady. She camete because she was dressing up to please you. You should not me her foringte.¡±

    Ning Xueyan saw that the clever Junior Concubine Xu was grinning, and her eyes gradually turned cold. She thought that she had nothing to do with her at all, but it seemed that she was trying to find fault with her.

    Was she picking on her foringte?

    Madam Dowager, who was initially happy and gay, now had an angry look on her face. The dinner was already prearranged, but Ning Xueyan was thest one toe. If she had no reasonable reason, herteness could not be justified.

    ¡°Fifth Girl, why are you here sote?¡±

    ¡°Grandmother, please forgive me. I was in the kitchen just now and asked about the food tonight. Then, I added some dishes. So, I came a littlete. Sorry, if I made you worried.¡± Ning Xueyan answered calmly. She cast a thoughtful look at Junior Concubine Xu. She was wondering if there would be someonementing about herte arrival. She didn¡¯t expect that the first person would be her, whom she had no dealings with.

    Hearing this, Madam Dowager smiled again. She pointed to a seat at Ning Qingshan¡¯s right and asked her to sit down.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, look, I told you that Fifth Young Lady would not be so thoughtless. It turns out that she went to check the kitchen for you. Madam Dowager, you should not tire her out. She is still young and should have time to have fun.¡±

    Not only did Junior Concubine Xu be bolder, but her tongue became even more glib. This time, she spoke up for Ning Xueyan, to make her feel morefortable. If she had not seen a trace of pride in her eyes, Ning Xueyan would have thought that Junior Concubine Xu was trying her best to show off during her first appearance.

    It was interesting. A man whose heart was not content was like a snake that tried to swallow an elephant. She was such a person!

    ¡°You¡¯re a good talker. No wonder Zu¡¯an always said that you were very sensible. When the First Madam went to cultivate in the Buddha Hall, you helped her in the affairs of the manor. Later, Third Young Lady and Fifth Young Lady will be going to the pce to join the Beauty Contest. You can help First Madam to manage the affairs. She has praised you for your ability before.¡±

    Madam Dowager said this with a smile on her face. She agreed without hesitation, especially when she mentioned Madam Ling, which meant that Madam Ling had also agreed to this matter. The other concubines, who also had something to say, immediately stopped talking.

    Would Madam Ling agree to this kind of thing? Ning Xueyan blinked her watery eyes slightly. Following Junior Concubine Xu¡¯s eyes, she looked at a particr person and narrowed her eyes. ¡°Does it have anything to do with this person now?¡±

 Chapter 284 - Put on Airs to Collude with Each Other

    <h4>Chapter 284 Put on Airs to Collude with Each Other</h4>

    ¡°It¡¯s my good fortune that Madam Dowager and First Madam think so highly of me. However, I¡¯m green and inexperienced. If I can¡¯t make the decision, I will be mocked.¡± Junior Concubine Xu looked vexed, as if she did not have the confidence to handle the situation.

    ¡°Ha, ha, ha.¡± Seeing her timid look, Madam Dowagerughed. She pointed to her forehead and said with a smile, ¡°What are you afraid of? I¡¯ll help you. Nobody will dare to make fun of you.¡±

    Madam Dowager was in charge and did not need to check the ounts every day. This was also the reason why Ning Xueyan was able to check the ounts. After all, Junior Concubine Xu was not Ning Xueyan, so she could not bepared with Ning Xueyan, whether in identity or status. Therefore, Madam Dowager was bothered about this.

    After the Lunar New Year, when Ning Xueyan left, it was inevitable that Madam Ling would be the one in charge. She would arrange for her to take over some things, so that Madam Ling would not be the one who would have the sole authority. Madam Dowager had nned all this before. She thought that Madam Ling might not be willing to do so, so she sent someone to test her. Unexpectedly, Madam Ling was magnanimous enough to say that Concubine Xu was pretty good.

    Madam Ling had created a terrible fuss when Junior Concubine Xu had be a concubine. Madam Dowager was very happy to see that everything was now peaceful. So, she sent a lot of medicinal materials to Madam Ling, asked her to take a rest first, and then take charge of the family affairs after the New Year.

    ¡°Thank you for your support, Madam Dowager. With Madam Dowager¡¯s encouragement, I feel confident. I¡¯ll help the First Madam to manage the family affairs.¡± Junior Concubine Xu said joyfully. Suddenly, she rolled her eyes and looked from Ning Xueyan to Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, all the youngdies of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor are beautiful. It¡¯ll be amazing if Second Young Lady would be able to join us too.¡±

    ¡°I seem to have reminded you before not to bring up the Second Young Lady¡¯s name.¡± Madam Dowager¡¯s face darkened, as she said coldly.

    ¡°It¡¯s... it¡¯s my fault. It¡¯s all my fault. Madam Dowager, My apologies.¡± Junior Concubine Xu was stunned. Then, she reached out and pped herself hard. Immediately, half of her face turned red and swollen, and even her eyes were red. She knelt in front of Madam Dowager.

    She looked thoroughly ashamed of herself, as if she was ming herself for having provoked Madam Dowager.

    ¡°Well, be careful next time. It¡¯s not a big deal. Mother Qin, help Junior Concubine Xu up.¡± Seeing that she was so frightened and had beaten herself till her face was swollen, these actions showed that she respected Madam Dowager greatly. Madam Dowager¡¯s face softened a little and, she ordered Mother Qin, who was standing aside, to help her up.

    Mother Qin only ordered her to help Little Concubine Xu to rise, and asked someone else to get the ointment. Nobody expected that Junior Concubine Xu would p herself. Besides, she was not pretending, and had really hit herself hard.

    Ning Qingshan looked at Junior Concubine Xu from head to toe, with a trace of a thoughtful smile on her face. ¡°Junior Concubine Xu rose to the position of a concubine from a maid, after serving Ning Zu¡¯an. She is a tough character.¡± Ning Qingshan had underestimated her ordinarily. Was it because of Ning Yuling? She looked at Ning Huaiyuan, who was sitting at the side and did not say a word.

    She looked at the Junior Concubine Xu, whose lips had curved into a smile. She did not forget that she felt discontented as soon as Ning Xueyan entered the manor. Of course, she was very happy to see Ning Xueyan being bullied at any time. For the time being, she would not deal with Ning Xueyan. She could not do anything until she entered the pce officially. But it did not mean that others could not do it. She wanted to see what the junior concubine was going to do.

    ¡°What an earnest child. I told you not to say it, but if you said it inadvertently, then forget it. Why did you have to p yourself like that? Zu¡¯an will think that I was the one who hit you.¡±

    Madam Dowager chided her.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, what are you talking about? I¡¯m just a concubine, and my destiny depends on your words. Marquis is filial. How could he misunderstand you? Besides, you¡¯re the kindest person. If I don¡¯t p myself, you will never have punished me like this.¡±

    Junior Concubine Xu lowered her dignity to tter Madam Dowager. The better Madam Dowager felt, the more pleasing it was to her. She replied kindly, ¡°You¡¯re so good at talking. Hurry, apply some medicine so that it will not be swollen. Now, it¡¯s New Year¡¯s day. Others will think that something bad had happened.¡±

    ¡°Madam Dowager, it¡¯s all my fault. When I heard that the Second Young Lady¡¯s beautiful face had recovered fully, I could not help being eager to tell you the good news. Madam Dowager, I won¡¯t do it again. I will listen to you.¡±

    As she applied the medicine, Junior Concubine Xu cried out in pain. While she did this, she also spoke to Madam Dowager with a guilty smile on her face, as if she really had not been aware of it.

    ¡°Ning Yuling¡¯s face has healed?¡± Madam Dowager was stunned. She frowned slightly and turned to Ning Huaiyuan. ¡°Yuan¡¯er, has your second sister¡¯s face recovered?¡±

    When Ning Yuling had been sent away, there was a palm print on her face, with red and swollen particles at the tip of each finger, and it looked really disgusting. Madam Dowager felt scared when she thought of this appalling look. How did it happen to be Madam Ling¡¯s palm print?

    So, she asked the doctor of the manor to dispense some medicine and sent her away directly. Anyway, it seemed that she was unable to recover. Madam Dowager felt heartbroken when she thought that this beautiful girl was ruined. After all, she had spent a lot of effort to cultivate her. How could she be ruined that easily?

    However, she had to do it. Not only did she look like that, but she also revealed Madam Ling¡¯s secret. It happened after Madam Ling pped Ning Yuling. Moreover, it was rted to the Marquis of Ping¡¯an and the scandal between Ning Yuling and Ao Xian. So, Madam Dowager could only make a prompt decision at that time. She put all the me on Ning Yuling and sent her away directly.

    But if Ning Yuling¡¯s face had already healed, it meant that she might take advantage of her face again to get benefits. Madam Dowager¡¯s heart skipped fast.

    Ning Xueyan had been watching the scene coldly. When she saw that Junior Concubine Xu was carelessly talking about Ning Yuling, there was a hint of coldness in her smiling eyes. No wonder Ning Qingshan and Ning Huaiyuan mentioned Ning Yuling that day, and Madam Ling praised Junior Concubine Xu in front of Madam Dowager, it turned out that they hadpromised for Ning Yuling.

    Were they going to bring Ning Yuling back to the manor? Well, since these people had not given up and wanted to bring Ning Yuling back, she would respect their wishes, as there would be unexpected gains.

    She took the teacup, took a sip, and put it aside. Her fingers were wrapped around the handle of the cup, and she continued to look at it quietly.

    ¡°Grandmother, the wound on Second Sister¡¯s face has healed. The nanny who taught her also said that Second Sister¡¯s behavior now is different from before. She has the demeanor of the first wife¡¯s daughter of an aristocratic family. She is no longer capricious.¡±

    Ning Huaiyuan stood up and told this to Madam Dowager, with a smile.

    ¡°Is her facepletely healed?¡± Madam Dowager asked uncertainly. At that time, the doctor of the manor had shaken his head vigorously to indicate that there was nothing he could do about Ning Yuling¡¯s injury. He did not even know how she got injured.

    ¡°She has recoveredpletely.¡± Ning Huaiyuan said with certainty. He smiled at Madam Dowage and looked at Ning Xueyan gloomily. Then, he smiled at Madam Dowager again. It was Ning Xueyan who had ruined his n that day, so he wanted to see what Ning Xueyan¡¯s reaction would be like.

    However, Ning Xueyan did not respond at all. She just smiled and listened to their conversation.

    ¡°That¡¯s good. It¡¯s too lonely for a girl, who is still single, to stay by herself in her hometown. Mother Qin, send someone to pick up the Second Young Lady tomorrow. Although it¡¯ste for the Spring Festival, we can still have a family reunion after the New Year.¡± Madam Dowager said with a smile.

    She seemed to be in a good mood.

    ¡°Yes, Madam Dowager. I¡¯ll send someone to pick up the Second Young Lady soon.¡± Mother Qin agreed with a smile.

    Ning Huaiyuan heaved a sigh of relief. After receiving a satisfied smile from Junior Concubine Xu, he smiled faintly and sat down again, without paying any attention to her.

    Seeing that Ning Huaiyuan was ignoring her, Junior Concubine Xu was stunned, but then she greeted Madam Dowager with a smile again. As she spoke, Ning Huaiyuan came back. The banquet was ready, and everyone was seated. Several concubines were waiting at the side, and it was quiet for a while.

    After dinner, Ning Xueyan, Ning Qingshan, and Ning Huaiyuan walked out in a group. Ning Xueyan walked in a different direction. She turned around as soon as she left and went to the distant Bright Frost Garden. However, Ning Huaiyuan and Ning Qingshan went out side by side. It was rare for them to be together.

    ¡°Eldest Brother, why don¡¯t youe to my Foggy Courtyard to talk?¡± The two chatted idly. After a while, Ning Qingshan stopped and pointed at a road beside her feet. Then, she raised her beautiful eyes and asked with a smile.

    ¡°You¡¯re about to enter the pce to join the Beauty Contest. I don¡¯t understand why.¡± Ning Huaiyuan stopped, looked at the direction of Foggy Courtyard, and said.

    ¡°Eldest brother, I¡¯m leaving. Don¡¯t you have anything to say to me? After I came back, I have not spoken to you properly. Three years ago, your rtionship with me was not like this. Is it possible that you now have Fifth Sister, so you don¡¯t want me as your sister?¡± Ning Qingshan asked coquettishly.

    Three years ago? Sister, Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s face darkened under the moonlight. His eyes twitched and there was an indescribably profound look in them.

    ¡°Third Sister, what are you talking about? You and Fifth Sister are both my biological sisters. There is nothing different between you and Fifth Sister.¡±

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s different. Eldest Brother, it doesn¡¯t matter even if we¡¯re too close. Everyone knows that we¡¯re not rted by blood. Even if I... I¡¯ve been thinking about you in my heart, I won¡¯t feel guilty. Eldest brother, what¡¯s your thought on this?¡± Ning Qingshan smiled slightly and suddenly leaned over. She leaned against Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s chest and almost clung to his arms. She whispered in a gentle and charming voice.

    ¡°Third Sister, why are you talking like that?¡± Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s eyes turned cold. He did not push Ning Qingshan, but his eyes were full ofplex and cold emotions.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Eldest Brother. I¡¯ll support whatever you do. Just like yesterday, when you asked Second Sister toe back, I agreed without hesitation. Even though I was framed by Fifth Sister and reprimanded by Grandmother, I don¡¯t care. Eldest brother, do you know what I mean?¡± Ning Qingshan raised her head sadly, and looked at him.

 Chapter 285 - Let Mother Wang Get Away With a Clever Device

    <strong>Chapter 285 Let Mother Wang Get Away With a Clever Device</strong>

    ¡°What do you mean, Third Sister?¡± Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s face suddenly turned cold and harsh.

    ¡°Eldest Brother, I don¡¯t mean anything. I... I don¡¯t want you to be sad. From now on, no matter where I am, you will always be on my mind.¡± After saying that, Ning Qingshan¡¯s eyes were filled with tears, and she seemed brokenhearted. Suddenly, she pushed Ning Huaiyuan away, turned around, and trotted back to the Foggy Courtyard.

    Caifen, the maid, had intended to turn around and go out. Hearing the sound of her running feet, she quickly chased after her.

    Ning Huaiyuan stood there and looked at the direction where Ning Qingshan disappeared to. He frowned and turned to his courtyard, after a while.

    In the past three years, a lot of things had changed. When they met again, both of them had changed almost beyond recognition. That pure and gentle sister was no longer the same. Furthermore, he had been a little obsessed with her. How could it be possible that she had bewitched him?

    Moreover, if he wanted something, but he could not get it, he would rather destroy it!

    Since she was about to go to the imperial pce to join the Beauty Contest, Ning Xueyan also had some arrangements to make The first question was whether Mother Wang would stay or go. Since she was not in the manor, it was not safe for Mother Wang to stay here. Madam Ling would soon take over the running of the inner courtyard, so she would have thousands of opportunities to kill Mother Wang.

    However, it was not appropriate to send Mother Wang out like this. It was reasonable for her toe in, but it would make her look guilty if she left hastily now.

    The next day, news came from the Bright Frost Garden that Mother Wang was seriously ill. Both the doctor of the manor and those hired from outside, could not diagnose what her illness was. They said that she had a high fever that did not seem to be subsiding. They were afraid that it might be time for the manor to prepare for her funeral.

    During the Spring Festival Holiday, who would want to have such an unfortunate event happening? Moreover, she was just a servant. Madam Dowager instructed the older female servant to look for Ning Xueyan.

    Ning Xueyan met the older female servant in Mother Wang¡¯s wing room.

    As soon as the older female servant entered the door, a strong medicinal odor filled her nose. The whole room seemed to be infused with the smell of medicine. It was very pungent. Ning Xueyan sat there with a worried face on her face, and she was frowning.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, I was sent by Madam Dowager. She told you that if there is no hope for recovery, you¡¯d better send her away as soon as possible. It¡¯s not that our manor is harsh. We can¡¯t let her bad luck rub off on the whole manor during the Spring Festival.¡± The older female servant stepped forward and bowed to Ning Xueyan, respectfully.

    The atmosphere in the room was very unpleasant. She had the feeling that the skinny and pale older female servant on the bed was on her deathbed. The older female servant felt unlucky that she had to visit a dying person. She deliberately stood far away and casually nced at the bed. Then, she decided to return and report to Madam Dowager.

    Ning Xueyan deliberately sighed and said, ¡°We said before that we would take good care of her. I did not expect such a thing to happen. What will the others think of our manor?¡±

    ¡°Exactly. So many people were there at that time. If we send her away now, others will think that we do not carry out our promises. We will lose all credibility,¡± Lanning said.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, don¡¯t worry. Madam Dowager said that we will only be relocating her. Then, we will still provide nutritious food and drinks for her and get doctors to look after her. We are not mistreating her. If she dies, we will give her a decent burial. But, we can¡¯t do this kind of thing in the manor.¡± The older female servant implicitly expressed Madam Dowager¡¯s meaning.

    She could hold a funeral in any form, but she could not hold a funeral in the mansion.

    ¡°Grandmother said this? Can¡¯t she bend the rules a little?¡± Ning Xueyan looked embarrassed.

    ¡°Madam Dowager said that as long as you don¡¯t do it in this mansion, you can do whatever you want.¡± The older female servant did not want to linger in such an unlucky room. She tried her best to persuade the youngdy and exined Madam Dowager¡¯s intention again. In the lunar New Year, the master did not want to encounter any unlucky matters, and neither did the servants!

    ¡°After all, this is my fault. We have a manor in Eastern City. I don¡¯t know if we can put Mother Wang there. Although it¡¯s not our mansion, it¡¯s still our manor. Even if she¡¯s going to... it will show that we are not shirking our responsibilities. If anyone should talk about it, they can¡¯t say that we did not carry out our duties.¡±

    Ning Xueyan thought for a while and was hesitant to put forward the idea she had. After she finished speaking, the person on the bed coughed loudly again.

    Lanning rubbed her back soothingly, while sighing, ¡°s, I don¡¯t know if she can survive.¡±

    ¡°Madam Dowager said that the Fifth Young Lady could do whatever she wants. Now I¡¯m going to prepare a carriage and send her there.¡± Seeing the situation in front of her, the older female servant wanted to leave as soon as possible. Anyway, Madam Dowager said that the Fifth Young Lady could do whatever she wanted, as long as Mother Wang left the manor.

    Madam Dowager asked her to follow the Fifth Young Lady¡¯s order and she did not even need to report back. So, she promised her immediately.

    ¡°Then... that¡¯s it!¡± Ning Xueyan stood up helplessly.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll ask someone to harness the horse to the cart right away. It¡¯s closer to the gate, so I¡¯ll get someone to wait for you at the back door. Fifth Young Lady, you¡¯d better hurry.¡± Having received Ning Xueyan¡¯s consent, the older female servant immediately heaved a sigh of relief. She said something, tried to fan away the smell of medicine around her nose with her hand, turned around, and left. The smell of medicine was so strong that it nauseated her.

    When the older female servant left, Mother Wang, who was lying on the bed and pretending to be ill, sat up. Before the doctor came, Mother Wang covered her hands with the warmer. So, they thought that her high fever had not subsided yet. Besides, Mother Wang was from the south. She deliberately ate some spicy food, so she flushed a bright red, and her tongue appeared coated. It seemed that she was on her deathbed.

    The smell of medicine was disgusting because she had specially added a few strange-smelling herbs.

    ¡°Mother Wang, there is a housekeeper called Madam Yu at the ce where you are going to. She is the one I asked you to find this time,¡± Ning Xueyan said to Mother Wang, who was sitting on the bed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Young Lady. I know. I¡¯ll figure it out.¡± Mother Wang stood up with Lanning¡¯s help, tidied herself, and answered.

    Since she heard that Madam Ling had intentionally injured Ning Ziyan, Mother Wang sincerely admired Ning Xueyan and also expressed her willingness to follow Ning Xueyan. This time, she went to that manor for two reasons. On the one hand, Ning Zu¡¯an was there, so Madam Ling could not interfere. On the other hand, it was Madam Yu, whom Ning Xueyan felt that it was necessary to understand.

    Lanning and Qingyu held Mother Wang and brought her to the carriage at the back door. After putting her into the carriage, a little maid jumped onto the carriage and left with them.

    They bought the little maid from a broker. She started serving Mother Wang yesterday. Today, she apanied Mother Wang to the manor outside the city. They told her that if she served Mother Wang well, her sry would be doubled. The little maid was pleased and promised Ning Xueyan that she would serve her well.

    Qingyu sent Mother Wang to the back door, but she did not go back on the pretext that she was buying some snacks for Ning Xueyan. Seeing that she had handled this important matter well, the older female servant, who was sent by Madam Dowager, was in a good mood. So, she did not bother about the little maid, asked her to bring back more snacks for the Fifth Young Lady, and asked her to take care of her carefully.

    Qingyu nodded repeatedly, turned around, and went out of the back door of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. She walked around a wall and then turned into some shops selling preserved fruit to buy some snacks. Finally, she walked into an alley, looked around, and knocked on the door of a small courtyard.

    As the door opened, a tall young man of 17 or 18 years old stood there. When he saw Qingyu, he was stunned at first, and then he was happy. ¡°Qingyu, why are you here?¡±

    ¡°Mammy asked me toe over. I have something to tell you.¡± Qingyu was somewhat bashful, and her face turned a little red.

    ¡°Come in and have a chat ¡± Hearing that Mother Han asked her toe over, Han Dazhuang hurriedly opened the door to let Qingyu in.

    The courtyard was not big, consisting of only one principal room and two wing rooms. Ning Xueyan bought this courtyard for Mother Han after she came out of the Bright Frost Garden. Usually, Han Dazhuang, Mother Han¡¯s son, lived here. Qingyu had been here with Mother Han before, so she was familiar with this ce.

    ¡°Brother Dahuang, Mammy asked me to tell you that you should pay more attention to Childe Ning of the Qingyun Academy. If he runs into any problems, you should help him. If there is anything wrong, you have tell her immediately.¡± Although Qingyu was blushing, she repeated the instructions she was told to give, word for word.

    Speaking of this, it was a matter of fate. When he went out once, Han Dazhuang saw a few ruffians bullying a teenager. He drove them away and then got to know Ning Huaijing. Once when Han Dazhuang chatted with Mother Han, the Bright Frost Garden knew who he was.

    ¡°I know.¡± Han Dazhuang nodded. He had quit all his other jobs and was now doing odd jobs at the Academy, in order to be near Ning Huai Jing. Of course, Ning Xueyan did not send him there for him to build up a good rtionship with Ning Huai Jing. Some things had to be done with precaution, beforehand.

    ¡°In recent days, if anything unusual happens to Young Master Ning, Brother Dahuang, you must tell the Mammy,¡± Qingyu warned again. Of course, these instructions were from Ning Xueyan. Mother Wang had already gone to the manor protected by Ning Zu¡¯an. If Madam Ling had any doubts, she would have it checked out. Maybe she would look for the Qingyun Academy.

    It was not the right time for Ning Huaijing to show up. Ning Xueyan had to ensure that no one knew of his existence, so she had to arrange for someone person to help Ning Huaijing secretly. When he thought something fishy was going on, he had to inform Ning Xueyan immediately. So, Mother Han¡¯s son was the most suitable candidate.

    ¡°I got it.¡± After finishing their chat, Han Dazhuang took out a beaded flower. His candid face was somewhat bashful, but he still handed it over and said, ¡°Qingyu, I saw it on the street. It¡¯s... very beautiful, suitable for you. I don¡¯t know whether you will like it or not?¡±

    ¡°I... I like it!¡± Qingyu blushed prettily. She nced at Han Dazhuang, bit her lips, took the beaded flower, turned around, and ran out shyly. Although she wanted to stay and have a talk with Han Dazhuang, she was always shy. Besides, Ning Xueyan ordered her to deal with some essential things, so it was not the right time to talk now.

 Chapter 286 - Whatâ€™s on Madam Dowagerâ€™s Mind

    <h4>Chapter 286 What¡¯s on Madam Dowager¡¯s Mind</h4>

    After Mother Wang, who was ¡°dying of illness¡± had moved away, Madam Dowager was in a good mood. She specifically asked Ning Xueyan toe to Auspicious Fortune Hall, trying tofort her. After talking to Ning Xueyan for a while, she asked people to bring some clothes and ornaments which were all newly made. The Beauty Contest wouldst for a long time. Since every candidate¡¯s conduct and character needed to be examined carefully, thepetition would take at least a month.

    All the candidates were all noble Young Ladies. It was said that some of them would be chosen as the wedded wives and co-consorts of the two most powerful princes. Therefore, they should be more careful. The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would send Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan to attend the contest. Madam Dowager was very confident that they both would marry the two princes in the way she thought was best for the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Madam Dowager was nning to marry one of them to Third Prince and another one to Fourth Prince. As Ning Xueyan¡¯s status wasn¡¯t high enough, she could only be a co-consort. But Madam Dowager did not think there was anything wrong with that. From Fourth Prince¡¯s attitude toward Ning Xueyan, she could tell that he was fond of her.

    It would be perfect to marry Ning Qingshan as Third Prince¡¯s wedded wife and Ning Xueyan as Fourth Prince¡¯s co-consort. Of course Madam Dowager would not make them look shabby or the others wouldugh at them. She specifically prepared various kinds of clothes and jewelry for them so that they would not be looked down upon by other noble Young Ladies in the imperial pce and shame the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Madam Dowager made different types of clothes for them this time. Although Ning Qingshan¡¯s clothes were not all red, the skirt hems and cors were red. On the other hand, all Ning Xueyan¡¯s clothes were bordered with pink. Only very a few of them did not have a pink border, but they were all pale pink. This was not bad, but nobody would be happy with such deliberate pink.

    ¡°Xueyan,e here and have a look at these clothes. I have had these made for you. Young Ladies of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor should dress up decently,¡± Madam Dowager said with a smile, pointing at a pile of colorful clothes.

    ¡°Thank you for your concern, Grandmother. In fact, I don¡¯t need so many clothes. If my sisters like them, you can give these to them,¡± Ning Xueyan said softly. She reached out and touched the clothes, looking as if she was a little reluctant to give them to the others, but still said this generously.

    Seeing that, Madam Dowager nodded with satisfaction. She touched Ning Xueyan¡¯s head and said with pity, ¡°Yan¡¯er, you¡¯re closest to me by blood. I really love you. If your mother... hadn¡¯t made that mistake, you would have been the daughter of Lord Protector¡¯s wedded wife. s, it¡¯s also the will of heaven. I was also disappointed with your mother, so I just left her alone, and you also suffered because of this...¡±

    Madam Dowager said with a sigh. There was sadness in her eyes when she talked about Madam Ming, as if all Ning Xueyan had suffered because of Madam Ming, and she had turned a blind eye to Bright Frost Garden and left Madam Ming and Ning Xueyan alone because she was so angry about what Madam Ming had done.

    Clearly, she was shifting all the me to Madam Ming. Anyway, Madam Ming was dead, so she could not defend herself.

    ¡°Grandmother, what happened to my... mother?¡± Ning Xueyan sneered inwardly, but she did not show anything abnormal on her face. After hesitating for a while, she raised her head and looked at Madam Dowager. Although her face was pale, she was determined.

    ¡°Your mother... You were just a young kid when it happened. I don¡¯t want to talk about it. Anyway, your mother wasn¡¯t well-behaved!¡± Madam Dowager shook her head, as if it was painful to recall the past and she did not want to tell Ning Xueyan everything.

    ¡°Grandma, what kind of person was my mother?¡± Ning Xueyan asked softly, biting her lip.

    ¡°Xueyan, don¡¯t ask anymore. Let bygones be bygones. Although she made a mistake, she is still your mother, so you should never hate her or me her. You¡¯ve had a hard time over the years because of her, but after all, she is your mother!¡± Madam Dowager looked generous, as if she did not want to look back into the past and if she brought up it again, it would be disrespectful for the dead.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes glinted. Madam Ling had bullied Madam Ming and her to this extent, but in Madam Dowager¡¯s eyes, it was because Madam Ming had asked for it. Madam Dowager was repeatedly hinting her that if Madam Ming had not done anything disgraceful, she would not have led such a miserable life for so many years. What a vicious old woman!

    For so many years, Madam Dowager had turned a deaf ear to Bright Frost Garden. Ning Xueyan had almost died several times because of Ning Yuling, but instead of punishing Ning Yuling, Madam Dowager had med and seriously punished Madam Ming, who had tried to protect Ning Xueyan. Before Ning Zu¡¯an rising high, he had to rely on Madam Ming¡¯s father¡¯s support and he had promised to marry only one woman in his life.

    They were all lying! Otherwise, why were Ning Huaiyuan, Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling all elder than her? Why soon after Madam Ming was useless to Ning Zu¡¯an, had she been found having an affair with someone and reced by Madam Ling, who had been eager to be the wedded wife? Why had Ning Xueyan¡¯s status at the manor even been worse than a servant?

    No matter how Ning Yuling cursed or beat her, she had not dared to fight back.

    In the end, Madam Ming had been murdered by Madam Ling. However, now Madam Dowager was telling Madam Ming¡¯s daughter that her mother should be med for everything and she had forgiven her mistakes. It sounded so ironic!

    ¡°Grandmother, can I go to my father¡¯s study to find some books. I want to kill time at the imperial pce by reading.¡± Ning Xueyan seemed to be obedient and she did not ask further. Her long eyshes trembled, casting a pair of curved shadows on her face and adding a hint of coldness in her extreme beauty.

    She did not seem to be in a good mood, and looked somewhat lonely.

    Madam Dowager was trying to draw Ning Xueyan to her side. From her words and depressed look, she knew that Ning Xueyan was not happy. Now Ning Xueyan was useful to the manor, so Madam Dowager would not upset her for such trifles. She pretended not to have noticed her abnormality.

    ¡°Okay, go ahead. If you can¡¯t find any book you like in your father¡¯s study, you can look some up in your brother¡¯s study. Don¡¯t spend all your time reading. It¡¯s necessary to keep in touch with those noble Young Ladies.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Grandmother, I will follow your words,¡± Ning Xueyan stood up and answered. After saying goodbye to Madam Dowager, she walked to the front yard with Xinmei.

    She had inquired about it and knew that normally, Ning Zu¡¯an was not in his study at this time.

    Nobody was allowed to enter Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s study without permission.

    The servant at the door froze for a while when he saw Ning Xueyaning over with a maid. He immediately took a few steps forward and bowed to her respectfully. ¡°Greetings, Fifth Young Lady!¡±

    ¡°Madam Dowager asked my master to find some books in the marquis¡¯ study and take them to the imperial pce,¡± Xinmei walked out from behind Ning Xueyan and said, raising her head.

    ¡°Got it. Fifth Young Lady, this way, please!¡± Since they came on Madam Dowager¡¯s order, the servant did not dare to stop them, but watched Ning Xueyan and Xinmei entering the study.

    Ning Xueyan had oncee to the study and seen Wen Xueran in the room. It seemed that there was nobody inside today.

    The door of the study was half closed and with a slight push, it opened. When Ning Xueyan was going to step in, Xinmei suddenly pulled her sleeve and shook her head at her quietly.

    Ning Xueyan looked up and saw the four treasures of the study on the table in the middle of the room. The table was neatly arranged and everything on it was in order. There was a bookshelf on each side of the table. After all, Ning Zu¡¯an used to be a military man, so he did not have many books. Ning Xueyan knew that Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s study had thergest collection of books in the manor.

    On the tall bookshelves, rows of books were neatly arranged. Obviously, they were carefully taken care of everyday. However, Ning Xueyan saw a book strangely hanging from the top of the shelf. It was half-opened with a corner folded and half of the book protruded from other books, as if someone had left in a hurry and failed to put it into its original ce.

    ¡°Who has been here today?¡± Ning Xueyan stopped the servant who was about to leave and asked.

    ¡°Nobody. The marquis went to the court in the early morning and hasn¡¯te back yet,¡± the servant answered. Usually, Ning Zu¡¯an would not have returned to the manor at this time. Servants who had served him for a long time knew this well.

    Ning Xueyan looked back and stopped walking further into the study. ¡°Have you been here all the time?¡± Narrowing her eyes, she stared at the servant and asked coldly, her eyes full of scrutiny.

    The servant did not know what this Fifth Young Lady meant. He secretly looked up and happened to meet her thoughtful and cold eyes. He was shocked and lowered his head in a hurry. Before he could answer, Xinmei¡¯s voice rang out coldly. ¡°The marquis¡¯ study is such an important ce. If you found something unusual, you must report to the marquis immediately. Otherwise, nobody can defend you if something goes wrong.¡±

    Although Xinmei was only a maid, what she said made the servant tremble. A few days ago, another servant had been beaten to death on marquis¡¯ order because he lost something of the study. Thinking of what had happened just now, the servant could not help feeling guilty and broke out in a cold sweat on his forehead.

    ¡°I, I¡¯ve always been here!¡± he stammered.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, anything bad happened to the study should have something to do with you. You can¡¯t make up your fault even with your life,¡± Ning Xueyan said softly. However, to the servant, her voice sounded terrifyingly grim. He opened his mouth and his face flickered.

    ¡°Can it be that there is something wrong with the marquis study? That servant who was beaten to death was also the marquis¡¯ henchman, but he died before he could say anything.¡± Thinking of this, the servant was frightened.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, I, I just left for a short while.¡± The servant knelt in front of her, sweating with fear.

    He was not lying. He had left for a while when he saw a pretty maid waving at him in the corner just now. Thinking that she might want him for something, he had run over to her. However, that maid had gone when he arrived at where she had been and he had to return to the study. After that, he had not seen anyone in the study before Ning Xueyan came.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, I really just left for a while.¡± After finishing his words, the servant kept kowtowing to Ning Xueyan, showing that it had nothing to do with him.

    ¡°Get up. Look, did you drop that book?¡± Ning Xueyan smiled slightly and asked the servant to stand up. Then she asked, pointing at the half-fallen book.

    The location of the book was very suspicious. The servant¡¯s face turned pale and he said anxiously, ¡°I arranged the books on that shelf, but I didn¡¯t see the book hanging there.¡±

    ¡°Even though you didn¡¯t drop the book, you have been guarding here, so you should be med for it. Could that be some assassin or spy from other manors rummaging my father¡¯s study?¡± Ning Xueyan sized up the servant and curved up her lips. However, there was a hint of coldness in her gentle smile.

    The servant turned pale with fear and began to sweat. ¡°Spy! Hurry up ande here! Some spy broke into the marquis¡¯ study!¡± he suddenly shouted.

 Chapter 287 - Weird, a Sudden Change in the Study

    <h4>Chapter 287 Weird, a Sudden Change in the Study</h4>

    ¡°What happened?¡± As soon as Ning Zu¡¯an came in, he saw a crowd of people buzzing in his courtyard. A maid who had been found out in a corner of his study was trembling. It was said that she came from Foggy Courtyard.

    ¡°Marquis, I was guarding the courtyard just now when I suddenly saw a maid waving at me. I had thought that you asked her to find me, so I went over. But when I arrived there, she had gone. Later, I found a book in the study was about to fall down, so I asked people here to check and they found this maid.¡±

    Since the servant had made up for his mistake, he raised his head high when he answered. Ning Xueyan and Xinmei had told him just now that they was willing to give him the credit for finding the abnormality, so he was very grateful to Ning Xueyan and took her as his savior. If she had not happened toe to the study by ident, he would end up the same way that servant who had been beaten to death had done!

    Therefore, when Xinmei suggested him not to mention Fifth Young Lady so that the marquis would more believe what he said, he had agreed without any hesitation. And he had even felt more grateful to Fifth Young Lady.

    ¡°Is this maid from Third Young Lady¡¯s courtyard?¡± Ning Zu¡¯an asked with a darkened face.

    ¡°Yes, I sent someone to inquire about it. Everyone said that she was Third Young Lady¡¯s maid. She told me that Third Young Lady wanted to bring some books with her to go to the imperial pce, so she asked her to find some here!¡± the servant said angrily, pointing at the maid kneeling in front of Ning Zu¡¯an.

    As he almost lost his life because of this maid, of course he was angry.

    ¡°Did your master ask you toe here to look for some books?¡± Ning Huaiyuan asked coldly, looking at the trembling maid in front of him with a grim look.

    ¡°My master wanted to read, but Foggy Courtyard didn¡¯t have any new books for the moment. Marquis, I thought that you must have many books, so I came to ask if you could lend some to my master. I didn¡¯t see anybody when I came here, so I entered the room directly. I was thinking to bring back a few books at random for my master, but suddenly, I heard someoneing. I was afraid that you would punish me, so I hid here.¡±

    Although the maid was trembling, she could speak clearly. She then told Ning Zu¡¯an the whole story.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t your master ask you toe here to look for books?¡± Ning Zu¡¯an asked again with a sneer, looking even grimmer.

    ¡°Marquis, she is lying. How could it be so coincidental? I have been guarding at the courtyard gate. As soon as another maid tricked me out, she walked into the courtyard. Later, I have been in the courtyard but didn¡¯t hear anything unusual in the room, so she must be trying to avoid making noise. She crept on tiptoe to prevent herself from being found out, so obviously, she slipped into your study on purpose,¡±

    The servant shouted, pointing at the maid. At the thought that he almost died because of this maid, he could not help gritting his teeth angrily.

    ¡°Marquis, I... Because I didn¡¯t see anybody here, I entered your study by mistake and I didn¡¯t dare to make any noise,¡± the maid exined anxiously. It was obvious that she was eloquent, but Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s servant was also very smart. He immediately shot back loudly.

    ¡°ording to the rules of our manor, without the masters¡¯ permission, nobody can enter their rooms at will. You slipped into the study and rummaged the marquis¡¯ stuff secretly. Who can afford it if any important document was missing?¡±

    ¡°I, I...¡± The maid was anxious. She looked around, as if she was looking for somebody. However, all the people around her were Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s servants. They all looked at her indifferently and nobody was willing to defend her.

    ¡°Guards, beat her to death with sticks!¡± Ning Zu¡¯an ordered coldly. He was the host of the manor. No matter what the purpose of the maid¡¯s entering his study, it was a provocation to his authority. Besides, another maid had deliberately distracted his servant. Clearly, there must be something wrong with that.

    Two guards came over and dragged the maid out, each taking a hand.

    ¡°Marquis, please spare my life! I really entered your study by ident. I didn¡¯t mean to offend you... Uh, uh, uh!¡± The maid¡¯s mouth was stuffed with a towel and she could not speak anymore. Then she was dragged out the courtyard. Everyone knew that people who broke into the marquis¡¯ study would die. They wondered why the maid was so bold to do such a thing.

    ¡°No one is allowed to enter my study without my permission in the future,¡± Ning Zu¡¯an said sternly, looking at the servant.

    ¡°Yes, yes! Got it!¡± The servant was so scared and he felt chilled under Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s de-like gaze. He immediately knelt to the ground and answered respectfully.

    ¡°If you¡¯re tricked out again, you¡¯ll be beaten to death as well,¡± Ning Zu¡¯an said coldly before turning to go into his study. The servant copsed on the ground and could not utter a single word, trembling. What a narrow squeak! Without Fifth Young Lady, he would have be a corpse now.

    Ning Zu¡¯an opened the door of the study and looked at the book that was almost falling down, his eyelid twitching. After entering the room, he walked about and then sat down in front of the table with a frown. He did not think that it was necessary for Ning Qingshan to send someone of Foggy Courtyard to his study.

    ¡°Did the maide for that? But how did a young girl like Ning Qingshan know about it? Besides, she was just an orphan adopted by me,¡± Ning Zu¡¯an wondered. If it were not for the special identity of the person who had sent Ning Qingshan to him, he would not have brought her to the manor and treated her as her own daughter.

    In Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s eyes, Ning Qingshan was a well-behaved girl and even smarter and more sensible than any of the children in his manor. He was pleased whenever the little girl looked at him with a considerate and obedient gaze. When he heard that Madam Ming had ill-treated this kid, he had been very angry. Therefore, he had immediately followed Madam Dowager¡¯s words and moved her to Foggy Courtyard.

    Ning Qingshan proved by her actions that she was a considerate girl. Not only Madam Dowager thought highly of her, but the outsiders knew that Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was both filial and loyal as well. Everyone thought that she was a true filial daughter. The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s family education was well-known because of her. Everyone would thumb up when they mentioned the Young Ladies of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Ning Zu¡¯an thought that it did him good to have adopted her as his daughter and even his own daughters were no better than her. Now both Honored Consort Ya and Third Prince were fond of her and Third Prince hade to inquire information about her each year in the past three years. It made her a hundred times more valuable and people of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor also thought highly of her.

    ¡°But why did she send her maid to my study?¡± Ning Zu¡¯an was puzzled and began to doubt Ning Qingshan¡¯s motives.

    ¡°Marquis, Fifth Young Lady ising. It was Madam Dowager who asked her toe,¡± the young servant walked in quietly and reported.

    ¡°Let her in!¡± Ning Zu¡¯an was a little surprised but then nodded. He wondered why Ning Xueyan came at this time.

    The servant walked out and signed Ning Xueyan in, bowing and giving way to her. Ning Xueyan had saved his life just now, so he showed his kindness to her from the bottom of his heart.

    Ning Xueyan stepped over the threshold of the study and hesitated for a while at the gate before walking in. She stopped in front of the table and bowed to Ning Zu¡¯an. ¡°Greetings, Father,¡± she said.

    ¡°What are you here for?¡± Ning Zu¡¯an asked with a frown.

    ¡°Grandmother worried that I would be boring at the imperial pce, so she asked me toe here and get some books. I want to read poetry books. Father, do you have some?¡± Ning Xueyan asked softly. She looked natural and dignified with clear eyes.

    ¡°Find some yourself!¡± Ning Zu¡¯an said casually, pointing at the bookshelves on both sides.

    ¡°Father, whatever. I¡¯ll read them in my spare time, so any poetry book will be okay,¡± Ning Xueyan said in a soft voice, showing no intention to check the bookshelf.

    Her face was pale and she looked weak. However, with the calmness and patience, she had the air of a noble Young Lady. She nced at the bookshelf, showing no interest in it.

    Ning Zu¡¯an picked up the teacup offered by the servant and took a sip. ¡°Why did you suddenly think ofing to find books here?¡± he looked at Ning Xueyan and said slowly, full of doubt.

    ¡°My third sister told me that you have a lot of books, so I wanted toe to have a look. There are only a few books in my Bright Frost Garden. I¡¯m going to the imperial pce soon. I¡¯m afraid that people there willugh at me as I read too little,¡±

    Ning Xueyan answered naturally with a hint of shame and bitterness on her face, but there was no other meaning in her words.

    Although Ning Zu¡¯an had not paid much attention to Ning Xueyan¡¯s situation in Bright Frost Garden, he knew something about it. He had asked Madam Ling to hire an etiquette mother for Ning Xueyan, but Madam Ling had told him that the etiquette mother thought that Ning Xueyan was too naughty to teach. After that, he had never thought about it anymore.

    Even if Madam Ming had taught Ning Xueyan in person, there were only a few books in Bright Frost Garden.

    But how had Ning Qingshan known that he had many books? If she had nevere to his study, she would not have known it and encouraged Ning Xueyan toe here to find books. Ning Zu¡¯an frowned slightly and said, ¡°I don¡¯t have as many books as your brother. Why don¡¯t you find some at your brother¡¯s study?¡±

    ¡°Father, my third sister said it was improper to borrow books from my brother and bother him all the time, so she suggested me to borrow them from you,¡± Ning Xueyan answered.

    A hint of anger shed on Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s face. ¡°Ning Qingshan was afraid of disturbing Ning Huaiyuan, but not me? It seems she has no respect for me and doesn¡¯t care if I will be disturbed!¡± he thought. When he recalled that Ning Qingshan¡¯s maid had been here and rummaged through his study secretly, Ning Huaiyuan became even more suspicious.

    ¡°What does she want from me?¡±

    He stood up, walked to the bookshelf and casually pulled out a few books. He looked at the half-fallen book and found it was a book on criminalw. ¡°Does this kind of book really suitable for a noble Young Lady?¡± he wondered.

    ¡°Yan¡¯er, take these books with you. If they are not enough, you can ask your brother for more. He has many such books.¡± With that, Ning Zu¡¯an handed the books to Ning Xueyan with a trace of warmth on his face.

    ¡°Okay! Thank you, father!¡± Ning Xueyan nodded, showing a grateful and gentle look. She then bowed to Ning Zu¡¯an and left.

    ¡°Wait! What¡¯s in your hand?¡± Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s eyes suddenly fell on Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand.

 Chapter 288 - A Delicate Pearl Flower

    <h4>Chapter 288 A Delicate Pearl Flower</h4>

    ¡°Father, nothing. I picked it up in the corner outside the courtyard just now. It was beautiful, so I want to have a look,¡± Ning Xueyan hesitated for a while and answered. She bit her lip and blinked her jet-like moist eyes, looking a little shy. After all, it was disgraceful for a noble Young Lady to pick up a flower that other people dropped.

    It was an exquisitely crafted bead flower, which was made of a real flower. With a blooming flower pinned on a holder made of small pearls, it was no worse than those head-ornaments made of gold or jade. Besides, this elegant and delicate bead flower also made people feel the craftsman¡¯s ingeniousness.

    In fact, it was very simple to make such a bead flower. There was a hidden button on the holder which would buckle the flower up when it was inserted in the holder. Thus, a beautiful and fragrant bead flower was produced. Moreover, there were even fresh dew drops on the flower. Ning Zu¡¯an had seen the holder before.

    A few days ago, Madam Dowager had praised Ning Qingshan for her ingeniousness in front of Ning Zu¡¯an, saying that the pearl head-ornament she had worn was made of a real flower. Ning Qingshan had paid no attention to it in the beginning, but as it had been so delicate, and the winter jasmine had been plucked from their courtyard, Ning Zu¡¯an took a closer look at it.

    It seemed the bead flower in Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand was the one pinned on Ning Qingshan on the other day!

    ¡°Did the maid who tricked you out wear this flower?¡± Ning Zu¡¯an turned to the servant standing aside, a trace of coldness shing on his face.

    Hearing that, the servant immediately widened his eyes and looked at the flower. Actually, he did not remember whether the maid had worn the bead flower or not. He only remembered that she was pretty and he could not help chasing after her. That was why he got into trouble.

    He wanted to say that he had not seen it clearly. However, when he looked up at Ning Zu¡¯an and saw the grim look on his face, he swallowed the words.

    He then turned to Ning Xueyan nkly and saw her smiling. She looked at him with a gentle smile and there was an earnest look in her eyes. The servant suddenly understood something and nodded hard. ¡°Marquis, I remember that the maid pinned a flower to her head, but I was very far from her, so I didn¡¯t see it clearly. Now I¡¯m sure it was the same as this one.¡±

    The flower had been brought in by Fifth Young Lady. Although he did not know what Fifth Young Lady meant, no matter what the cost, he would prove that he had seen this flower to repay her for saving his life.

    Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s¡¯ face darkened. Managing to calm himself down, he said gently, ¡°You don¡¯t know who dropped these flowers. As a Young Lady of our manor, you shouldn¡¯t pick up such kind of things.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I know I was wrong! I¡¯ll throw the flower away soon,¡± Ning Xueyan immediately admitted her mistakes and said, ashamed.

    ¡°You are going to the imperial pce soon and you may be the hostess of a manor in the future, so you should put our manor¡¯s dignity first and never penny wise and pound foolish,¡± Ning Zu¡¯an said.

    Ning Xueyan sneered inwardly. How hypocritical Ning Zu¡¯an was! He had agreed with Madam Dowager to marry her to be Fourth Prince¡¯s co-consort, but now he was hinting that she might be a wedded wife. However, since she had been pleasantly surprised today, she did not care about Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s attitude.

    Madam Ming had been sad and desperate about Ning Zu¡¯an. She had never expected anything from him, so she had never been disappointed. For scum like Ning Zu¡¯an, showing kinship tenderness was only for power.

    Both Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an were like this!

    After saying goodbye to Ning Zu¡¯an, Ning Xueyan left with a look of shame on her face before Ning Zu¡¯an could say anything. When she arrived at the door, she dropped the bead flower to the ground and stepped on it without mercy while uttering a low scream.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, you...¡± The servant rushed out on Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s order. When he saw the broken bead flower, he stopped talking.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is there anything my father wants to tell me?¡± Ning Xueyan asked, as if she had not recovered from the shock yet. Obviously, she had stepped on the bead flower because she slipped.

    ¡°Nothing. Fifth Young Lady, mind your step!¡± Failing to keep the bead flower from being trampled, the servant twitched his lips and said helplessly. The marquis had given the order toote. Now the bead flower had been crushed by Fifth Young Lady¡¯s tread by ident.

    Since the servant did not say anything special, Ning Xueyan walked out of the courtyard where the study was under Xinmei¡¯s support. When she looked back, she saw the servant run back in a hurry. He must be eager to report to Ning Zu¡¯an.

    ¡°Xinmei, go to Foggy Courtyardter. Tell Third Young Lady that I have just taken a few books from our father¡¯s study and if she wants to read, she cane to my ce and pick some. By the way, tell her that you have prepared some ornaments for us on our grandmother¡¯s order. Ask her what kind of ornaments she likes.¡± Ning Xueyan raised her brows slightly and looked calm, quite different from the panic she had looked like when she stepped on the bead flower.

    Of course the bead flower was not Ning Qingshan¡¯s. Ning Xueyan had noticed it a few days ago when Ning Qingshan came out with such a bead flower on her head. Then Ning Xueyan specifically found a jewelry shop and asked people there to make a simr pearl holder and also pinned a winter jasmine to it. Although she had been hiding it on herself, she did not think that it woulde in handy one day.

    But after all, it was a fake one. Even though Ning Zu¡¯an had been deceived for a while, if he showed the bead flower to Madam Dowager, he would know that Ning Xueyan was lying. Therefore, Ning Xueyan had destroyed it to convince Ning Zu¡¯an that it was Ning Qingshan¡¯s.

    If it was Ning Qingshan¡¯s bead flower, both the maid who had tricked the servant out and the one who had sneaked into Ning Zu¡¯an study to look for things must have been sent by Ning Qingshan. Putting these things together, even if Ning Zu¡¯an had never suspected Ning Qingshan before, he would be suspicious about her this time.

    If the military medallion of the previous dynasty was really hidden in the study, Ning Zu¡¯an must be very cautious and even the slightest abnormality would arouse his attention. With Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s character, if it had something to do with Ning Qingshan, he would definitely get to the bottom of it.

    Although Ning Qingshan had Third Prince behind her, Ning Zu¡¯an would see into it cautiously.

    Ning Qingshan¡¯s origin was a mystery. However, even Ning Xueyan wanted to, she could not find out the truth about her origin and she did not even know where to start with the investigation. Unlike her, Ning Zu¡¯an had brought Ning Qingshan to the manor, so he must know how to investigate. Therefore, what Ning Xueyan needed to do was to wait for the result of his investigation.

    There must be a secret about Ning Qingshan¡¯s identity which made even Third Prince, Ao Mingyu dare not to offend her.

    ¡°Miss, what if Third Young Lady doesn¡¯t wear the bead flower?¡± Xinmei was Ning Xueyan¡¯s henchman now. Of course she knew why Ning Xueyan had asked her to say this to Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°She will wear it,¡± Ning Xueyan said affirmatively, with a sneer on her lips.

    To keep a good rtionship with Ning Xueyan, of course Ning Qingshan would put on the novel bead flower to show that she did not mean topete with her for the jewelry that Madam Dowager had prepared for them. Or maybe she would do this to make Ning Xueyan think that they were close. Then Ning Xueyan would lose her guard against her and follow everything she said.

    Ning Xueyan knew that Ning Zu¡¯an must have blocked the news about what had happened in his study and would certainly observe the reaction of other people in the manor. As the maid she had sent had note back yet, Ning Qingshan must be extremely anxious now. Therefore, when she knew that Ning Xueyan just returned from Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s study, she would definitelye to inquire about information. Because of this, she had to get on well with her more.

    Sure enough, as soon as Ning Qingshan heard that Ning Xueyan had juste back from Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s study, she immediately said that she woulde to pick a few books. Besides, she repeatedly hinted that she was not interested in the jewelry Madam Dowager offered, and if Ning Xueyan liked, she could have all of them.

    However, when she hurried to Bright Frost Garden with the new bead flower on her head, she heard that something bad happened to Ning Xueyan in the garden.

    Ning Qingshan met Lanning on the way when she was about to arrive at Bright Frost Garden. Lanning and Xinmei came over in a hurry and told her that Ning Xueyan had an ident in the garden. As they were in a hurry, they only spoke for a short while with Ning Qingshan and did not tell the whole story clearly. When Xinmei passed Ning Qingshan by, she bumped against her and made her almost fall to the ground.

    Fortunately, Xinmei and Caifen had quick reflexes and caught her in time. Xinmei apologized repeatedly, saying that she was in a hurry because she worried about her master. Ning Qingshan really wanted to p her in the face, but since she wanted to ask Ning Xueyan for information, she would not do that. She could only disguise it by pretending to be gentle.

    ¡°What happened to your master?¡± she asked, gesturing for Caifen to stop Lanning who was walking behind Xinmei.

    ¡°I have no idea. It was said that my master was startled in the marquis¡¯ study. She tripped over a stone and almost fell into the river on the way back,¡± Lanning had not gone to Ning Zu¡¯an study with Ning Xueyan and Xinmei, so she spoke in a vague way to express that she was not clear about what had happened.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go and have a look at my fifth sister together,¡± Ning Qingshan said with concern in her eyes.

    ¡°Yes, Third Young Lady. This way, please!¡± Lanning was anxious to go, but she could not leave Ning Qingshan alone. She felt a little wronged when she found that Xinmei had been out of sight.

    Because of Ning Qingshan, Lanning walked much slower. When Ning Qingshan arrived at the garden, she was told that Ning Xueyan had returned to Bright Frost Garden from another path. She had only sprained her ankle, so it was not serious.

    This made Ning Qingshan very depressed, but she had no choice but to turn around and head for Bright Frost Garden. She had to know what had happened in the study.

    However, to her surprise, before she could reach halfway, a maid ran over from behind, panting. Seeing that Lanning was there, she whispered in Ning Qingshan¡¯s ear, gasping.

    Ning Qingshan¡¯s face instantly turned pale like a sheet. She did not look right and almost could not stand firmly, trembling.

    ¡°Go! Let¡¯s go back!¡±. Now she had no time to go to Bright Frost Garden to inquire Ning Xueyan about the information. Biting her teeth, she calmed herself down and managed to turn in the direction of Foggy Courtyard. Neither she nor her maid, Caifen had noticed that the bead flower on her head had gone.

 Chapter 289 - A Coincidence Might Cause a Disaster

    <h4>Chapter 289 A Coincidence Might Cause a Disaster</h4>

    In Foggy Courtyard, only Ning Qingshan and Mammy Luo were in the inner room. Both of them looked pale.

    After a while, Ning Qingshan asked with a gloomy face, ¡°Was she really beaten to death by my father?¡±

    ¡°Yes. When the marquis saw that maid, he immediately ordered people to beat her to death with sticks. It¡¯s said that he didn¡¯t even give her an opportunity to exin.¡± Mammy Luo¡¯s face turned blue. Another maid had been beaten to death by Madam Dowager, and now this one was beaten to death by Ning Zu¡¯an. Mammy Luo had thought that after leaving the nunnery, they would enjoy iparable honor and wealth following Ning Qingshan, but now the servants had been beaten to death one by one, and it would be her turn next.

    ¡°Can we ask them to send another maid like this one? We can tell them that this maid was caught by my father due to her carelessness,¡± Ning Qingshan said, biting her teeth, but her face softened a little.

    ¡°Miss, the maid who took the me for youst time for what had happened at the gate was sent by them. Today, we lost another one. They told usst time that if anyone else they sent to us died, they would leave us alone and never send anyone here again.¡±

    Mammy Luo¡¯s face was ashen. She walked to the window and looked outside, lowering her voice.

    ¡°Mammy, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m sure that they will send us more people. They have to take my identity into consideration.¡± Although Ning Qingshan did not look good, she raised her head and said proudly, ¡°As long as they still want to achieve big goals, they will need me.¡±

    ¡°Miss, we...¡± Mammy Luo was not as confident as Ning Qingshan. At the thought that the sword almost cut off her neckst time, she was frightened.

    ¡°Mammy, rx! You can promise that person that we¡¯ll be more careful next time. Tell him if he fails to send more people here, I may be killed in the imperial pce. If I die, it won¡¯t do any good to them. Besides, he should know that I do this for him!¡± Although Ning Qingshan was a little worried, she calmed herself down at the thought of this.

    She looked even more arrogant. Her identity was unique. Since that person had made great efforts to find her, of course he would not abandon her easily. Thinking about it, she felt relieved. Anyway, due to her special identity, that person would not let her die easily.

    ¡°Got it, Miss. I¡¯ll find a way out soon.¡± Seeing that Ning Qingshan had calmed down, Mammy Luo was a little relieved, as if she had found something to fall back on. That was right. Her master was so distinguished, so losing a few maids was not a big deal.¡±

    What was more, Mammy Luo thought that her master meant well to help that person to investigate Ning Zu¡¯an. Nobody had thought that Ning Zu¡¯an would have suddenly appeared. By now, Ning Qingshan did not know exactly what had happened yet.

    After all, Ning Qingshan was very calm. She stopped Mammy Luo, who was about to leave and said, ¡°No, don¡¯t go out today. Act as nothing has happened. Let¡¯s talk about it in a few days.¡±

    Since a maid from her courtyard had just been beaten to death, if her wet nurse was found running out of the manor in a hurry, other people would think that there was something wrong. Besides, that person had told Ning Qingshan not to look for him except for something extremely urgent.

    That person had offered toe to meet her every time before.

    ¡°Yes, Miss, you¡¯re right!¡± Mammy Luo said, looking at Ning Qingshan with admiration. Now she hadpletely calmed down. She touched her forehead, closed her eyes and took a long sigh, suppressing her astonishment. Ning Qingshan¡¯s servants had been beaten to death one by one gave her a sense of foreboding, so Mammy Luo had lost her cool.

    ¡°Mammy, go to Bright Frost Gardenter and tell my fifth sister that I can¡¯t visit her because I have to deal with some problems. Ask her to pick several books for me at will,¡± Ning Qingshan ordered. She had rushed back in a hurry, so she had to exin it to avoid suspicions. Now she had known what had happened in the study, so she did not have to inquire Ning Xueyan about it.

    ¡°What should I say if Fifth Young Lady asks me what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Mammy Luo nodded but immediately asked uneasily.

    By the look on her master¡¯s face when she walked into the room, Mammy Luo could tell that something bad had happened. Therefore, she was sure that the moment her master had gotten the news, she must be panicked. It was said that Fifth Young Lady¡¯s maid had also been there at that moment.

    ¡°Tell her that a maid broke the jade my mother left to me.¡± Ning Qingshan thought for a while and reminded, ¡°Mammy, tell her that I¡¯m heartbroken now. The maid was so reckless and broke the only memorial my mother left to me, so I¡¯m very distressed. Don¡¯t say anything more.¡±

    Although she could not see her own face, she knew that she must have lost herposure just now. It sounded reasonable to use the jade left by her mother as an excuse.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go now.¡± Mammy Luo nodded and was about to turn to leave. However, she was stopped after only taking a few steps forward.

    ¡°Mammy Luo, wait!¡±

    ¡°Miss, is there anything else you want me to tell Fifth Young Lady?¡± Thinking that Ning Qingshan had something else to tell her, Mammy Luo asked in surprise.

    ¡°No, Mammy. My father is investigating this matter, isn¡¯t he?¡± Ning Qingshan¡¯s face was gloomy and there was a strange look in her eyes. How could she forget that sometimes, misfortune was a blessing in disguise? She should take special measures at critical moments. She would show her ability to that person while putting Ning Xueyan under her feet. Why not?

    ¡°The marquis will definitely see into this matter. Maybe he will suspect Third Young Lady,¡± at the thought of this, Mammy Luo had a headache. She lowered her voice subconsciously, for fear of being heard by Ning Zu¡¯an by ident.

    ¡°If I can prove that the maid came to our manor with ulterior motives and had nothing to do with me, my father won¡¯t doubt me anymore,¡± Ning Qingshan said coldly. ¡°Those maids were all brought in our manor by Mammy Xing, the human trafficker, right?¡±

    Most of the servants in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor were the Ning family¡¯s servants¡¯ children, but some were bought from human traffickers. Mammy Xing specialized in human trafficking. Since Madam Dowager had nned to change the servants of Bright Frost Garden, most of the maids who had been brought in the manor recently were sent there.

    Considering that Ning Qingshan was about to return, Madam Dowager had also specifically picked some smart maids for her. Both the maid who had sneaked into the study and the one who had taken the me for Ning Qingshanst time at the gate had been brought in the manor at that time.

    As soon as Mammy Xing had brought the servants to the manor, Madam Dowager had selected a few smart maids and sent them to the Foggy courtyard. Then she had sent all the rest servants to Bright Frost Garden and asked Ning Xueyan to choose some. In general, she had bought those servants mainly for Ning Xueyan, as Ning Xueyan and Madam Ling had already been on bad terms by then.

    ¡°Miss, do you want to get Fifth Young Lady involved in this matter?¡± Mammy Luo¡¯s eyes lit up, but she frowned soon. ¡°But it has nothing to do with Fifth Young Lady!¡±

    ¡°My grandmother bought those maids mainly for her. Except for my maid, Ning Xueyan also went to the study. What a coincidence that she was also there! Why did she show herself as soon as my maid was caught? Besides, she also wanted to pick this maid before!¡± Ning Qingshan said with a hint ofcency on her face.

    Although this reason sounded kind of reasonable, it was too far-fetched. Mammy Luo hesitated for a while and did not know what to say.

    ¡°Mammy Luo, go to Bright Frost Garden and tell Fifth Young Lady about me. Then find a way to go out with someone of Bright Frost Garden to find Mammy Xing,¡± Ning Qingshan said confidently with a trace of malicious jealousy in her eyes.

    ¡°Got it, Miss! I¡¯ll go to Fifth Young Lady¡¯s courtyard right now.¡± Mammy Luo rolled her eyes and immediately understood her master¡¯s intention. It was impossible for her to have any henchman of Fifth Young Lady go out with her, but it would be easy to ask an ordinary older female servant to do this.

    When Mammy Luo arrived at Bright Frost Garden, Ning Xueyan was resting in the room. Hearing that Ning Qingshan had sent her henchman, Mammy Luo to her ce, she asked Lanning to ask her in.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, is your foot better?¡± Mammy Luo bowed to Ning Xueyan and asked with concern.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. What¡¯s wrong with my third sister? Did anything happen just now?¡± Ning Xueyan put down the book in her hand. There was a faint glow in her eyes in the sun and nobody could tell what she was thinking about.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, a careless maid broke the jade left by my master¡¯s mother, so my master was not in the mood to chat with you for the moment. She asked me to apologize to you on behalf of her. As for the books you brought back from the marquis¡¯ study, my master said that you could give any two of them to her at will. When she is in a better mood, she wille to apologize to you in person,¡±

    Mammy Luo replied quickly and exined the matter in a reasonable way. She smiled apologetically, as if she really felt sorry that Ning Qingshan could note.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Please bring these two books to my third sister. When my foot is better, I¡¯ll visit her.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled gracefully, pointing at the two poetry books on the table. Lanning walked over and took the books. She then handed them to Mammy Luo.

    ¡°Thank you, Fifth Young Lady! Are you sure that your foot injury is not serious? It will need 100 days to recover if you injured your muscles or bones. Fifth Young Lady, you must take it seriously. Why don¡¯t you ask a doctor toe over and apply some ointment to your foot?¡± Mammy Luo took the books and looked at Ning Xueyan¡¯s foot resting on a small stool with concern. Qingyu was massaging the foot for Ning Xueyan, squatting on the floor.

    ¡°It¡¯s unnecessary. I¡¯m okay!¡± Ning Xueyan shook her head and refused, with an uneasy look on her face.

    ¡°Oh, I see! Fifth Young Lady, you must be worrying that the doctor will see your bare foot!¡± Mammy Luo seemed to have realized something. ¡°Fifth Young Lady, don¡¯t worry. I know a doctor who specializes in treating traumatic injuries. I¡¯ll ask him for some ointment and you can have your maid spread it on your foot. Thus, the doctor won¡¯t see your foot.¡±

    How could a Young Lady¡¯s foot be seen casually?

    ¡°Really?¡± Ning Xueyan smiled slightly, as if convinced.

    ¡°Of course. I have sprained my foot too. The other doctors said that it would take at least 100 days to recover. However, not long after applying the ointment, people couldn¡¯t find out that my foot was injured. If you don¡¯t run too fast, it will be okay.¡± Mammy Luo promised, pattering her chest. Seeing that Ning Xueyan was almost convinced, she tried harder to persuade her.

    Of course, it would be okay to have an ordinary servant of Bright Frost Garden go out with her. However, if this person was Fifth Young Lady¡¯s personal maid, it would be more convincing. This idea suddenly urred to Mammy Luo as soon as she saw Ning Xueyan¡¯s injured foot. Besides, she did know a skilled doctor who specialized in treating traumatic injuries.

    What a coincidence!

 Chapter 290 - The Warm-hearted and Kind Mammy Luo

    <h4>Chapter 290 The Warm-hearted and Kind Mammy Luo</h4>

    While Mammy Luo crouched down to look at her foot with concern, talking to Qingyu, Ning Xueyan pointed at the Lucky Garden¡¯s direction and then at the door quietly. Xinmei understood what she meant and nodded. She then left for Lucky Garden. Among all Ning Xueyan¡¯s maids, she was the swiftest one.

    Ning Xueyan was in charge of the ounts of the manor now, so she did not have to report to Madam Dowager every time she went out.

    However, Ning Xueyan still strictly followed the rules and never went out without Madam Dowager¡¯s permission.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s foot was not injured at all and she had deliberately asked her maid to tell Ning Qingshan about her injury. She did not wanted to talk to Ning Qingshan about the details of what had happened in the study and she had tricked her out just to get the bead flower on her head. She knew that Ning Qingshan would hear that Ning Zu¡¯an had beaten a maid to death soon.

    She was sure that after hearing the news, Ning Qingshan would not have the mood to chat with her and would definitely return to Foggy Courtyard. Since Ning Qingshan was a cautious person, it was normal for her to send someone to exin it to Ning Xueyan. Ning Xueyan had thought that it would be the end of this matter until Mammy Luo told something that surprised her.

    Mammy Luo tried so hard to convince her and she did not seemed to be lying when she said that she knew a skilled doctor for trauma. However, Ning Xueyan did not believe that Mammy Luo would really care about her, especially when Ning Qingshan had just suffered a heavy blow. Now even Ning Qingshan was in a panic. How could Mammy Luo be in the mood to mind her business?

    However, Mammy Luo not only cared about it, but also looked sincere, as if she could not bear to see Ning Xueyan dy the treatment of her foot injury. Of course this aroused Ning Xueyan¡¯s suspicions. Seeing that Mammy Luo was looking at her foot, Ning Xueyan could not help sneering.

    Ning Qingshan was now suspected by Ning Zu¡¯an. At the critical moment, if she wanted to clear herself of suspicion, the best way was to distract Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s attention. It seemed that Ning Qingshan was trying to frame her again! Talking about peaceful coexistence before going to the imperial pce to attend the Beauty Contest wasplete nonsense!

    At the critical moment, Ning Qingshan knew what was more important, so did Ning Xueyan.

    Ning Qingshan never really wanted to get along with Ning Xueyan, so Ning Xueyan would not mean to make peace with her.

    Qingyu seemed to be a simple girl. She rubbed Ning Xueyan¡¯s foot for a few times, but immediately let go of her when she heard Ning Xueyan groaning. ¡°Mammy Luo, is my master¡¯s foot injury really serious?¡± she asked, panicking, Mammy Luo, who was squatting on the floor like her.

    ¡°It seems to be serious. Fifth Young Lady will go to the imperial pce in a few days. What can we do about it? The consequences could be severe if Fifth Young Lady can¡¯t be cured in time. Then Madam Dowager will definitely be angry.¡± Seeing that Ning Xueyan and her maid were about to take the bait, Mammy Luo tried harder. She frowned, as if something bad was going to happen.

    ¡°Miss, why don¡¯t you have me go out with Mammy Luo? After all, the most important thing for the moment is to treat your foot,¡± Qingyu stood up and suggested anxiously.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to bother Mammy Luo. Besides, my third sister is not in a good mood...¡± Ning Xueyan did not finish her words, as if she was ashamed to trouble others.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, it doesn¡¯t matter! My master is in a bad mood now, so she doesn¡¯t want us to serve her by her side and only wants to sit in her room alone. Since I¡¯m not busy, I can help Qingyu to find the doctor for you. It won¡¯t take long,¡± Mammy Luo rmended with a smile, as if she was really warm-hearted.

    ¡°Er...¡± Ning Xueyan hesitated for a while. She lifted her injured foot, as if she wanted to check her injury. However, as she lifted her foot slightly, she frowned in pain and could not help putting it down. Since her foot could not even be lifted, her injury must be getting worse.

    ¡°Miss, you¡¯re going to attend the Beauty Contest in the imperial pce. If Madam Dowager knows that we failed to take good care of you and caused such a big trouble, she will kill us!¡± Seeing that Ning Xueyan could not even lift her foot, Qingyu was extremely anxious.

    Beauty Contest was a big event held by the imperial family. Moreover, Madam Dowager had paid so much attention to it, so everyone in the manor knew that she had high hopes for the contest. If she found that Ning Xueyan¡¯s foot was injured before going to the imperial pce, she might actually kill Ning Xueyan¡¯s maids.

    Hearing that, Ning Xueyan did not know what to say to refuse her suggestion.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, don¡¯t hesitate anymore. The sooner, the better for such kind of things. You may recover soon if you apply the ointment to your injury, but if you leave your injury alone, nobody could tell what will happen,¡± Mammy Luo stood up as well and suggested, looking at Ning Xueyan and Qingyu who were still hesitating.

    Ning Xueyan made up her mind soon and stopped hesitating at Mammy Luo¡¯s words. After all, going to the imperial pce to attend the Beauty Contest was a matter of her future marriage, so she could not make any mistakes.

    ¡°Mammy Luo, I¡¯ll ask Qingyu to bring the books to my third sisterter. Please help me to find the doctor with Xinmei. Xinmei is swift, so you cane back sooner after getting the ointment,¡± Ning Xueyan raised her head and said to Mammy Luo gently.

    Of course she would ask Xinmei to go with Mammy Luo. No matter what tricks Mammy Luo was going to pull, Xinmei was capable enough to deal with her. Besides, as a secret guard, Xinmei had been specially trained, so she was very alert. With Xinmei by her side, it was absolutely impossible for Mammy Luo to do anything secretly.

    Thinking that Ning Xueyan had taken the bite, Mammy Luo was overjoyed. She was a little disappointed that Ning Xueyan did not send the outspoken maid, Qingyu, to go out with her, but at the thought that she could trick one of Fifth Young Lady¡¯s henchmen out, she was very proud of herself. Xinmei was so young, so Mammy Luo was confident that she could deal with her easily.

    She felt relieved now.

    ¡°Miss, Xinmei went out just now. I¡¯ll check if she is back!¡± Lanning said to Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Miss, are you looking for me? I¡¯m back!¡± When they were talking, Xinmei¡¯s voice came from outside. She lifted the door curtain and hurried in.

    ¡°Xinmei, go out with Mammy Luo to get some ointment for trauma from a doctor. My foot will recover soon after the bruises fade away with the help of the ointment and massage,¡± Ning Xueyan said.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go right now.¡± Xinmei had hurried to report to Madam Dowager about Ning Xueyan¡¯s foot injury just now. Hearing that, Madam Dowager had been extremely anxious and wanted toe to visit Ning Xueyan immediately. However, Xinmei had told her that the injury was not very serious and Third Young Lady¡¯s servant, Mammy Luo, said that it would heal soon after applying some ointment to the injury, and now Mammy Luo was going to find the doctor she knew with someone from Bright Frost Garden to buy the ointment.

    Since everything was ready, Mammy Luo left Bright Frost Garden with Xinmei.

    ¡°Xinmei, shall we go out from the front gate or the back door?¡± As soon as they walked out, Mammy Luo asked with a smile. ording to her opinion, since no one else knew Fifth Young Lady¡¯s foot injury, to avoid disturbing others, it would be better for them to sneak out from the back door.

    Xinmei knew what she meant. However, since she had reported it to Madam Dowager, it was unnecessary to sneak around. ¡°Mammy Luo, let¡¯s go through the front gate. The older female servant at the front gate is familiar with me,¡± she replied with a smile.

    More people would see them if they went out from the front gate. Mammy Luo was a little surprised, but she did not say anything and walked toward the front gate with Xinmei happily.

    ¡°Miss, what does Third Young Lady want to do?¡± Seeing Mammy Luo leaving with Xinmei, Qingyu asked in surprise. Mammy Luo was too warm-hearted today, especially when Third Young Lady was in a bad mood. It was really suspicious!

    ¡°Ning Qingshan wants to shift all the me to me.¡± Ning Xueyan looked down and smiled slightly. Ning Qingshan always tried to stir up trouble. It also revealed that she was nervous now, worrying that Ning Zu¡¯an would investigate her. What she had asked Mammy Luo to do was to frame Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Miss, what shall we do?¡± Qingyu widened her eyes in shock.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have to do anything, but wait and see what she will do next.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled quietly. She picked up the teacup by her hand and took a sip of the tea. With the bitterness of the tea seeping into her heart bit by bit, a sneer appeared on her lips. Although she had no idea what Ning Qingshan would do to get her involved in this matter, Ning Xueyan knew that it was an important part of Ning Qingshan¡¯s scheme to trick her maid out of the manor.

    It was a pity that Ning Qingshan had not noticed that her bead flower had lost. It was said that the bead flower was the only one in the manor and Ning Zu¡¯an had seen it.

    ¡°Lanning, tell that servant that the marquis will definitely investigate what happened in the study today. For his own good, he must tell the others that he found the maid stealing from the study. If he dares to go back on his word, the marquis won¡¯t spare him.¡±

    ¡°Got it, Miss!¡± Lanning nodded and walked out immediately.

    Ning Xueyan wanted to warn the servant to keep his words. Otherwise, Ning Zu¡¯an would be the first one to punish him.

    It did not take Xinmei long toe back. She said that after bringing her to the doctor¡¯s ce, Mammy Luo had made an excuse to leave early. Therefore, Xinmei had not taken the ointment from the doctor, but followed behind Mammy Luo. She had seen that Mammy Luo walked into a courtyard after hanging about outside for a while and making sure that nobody was following her.

    Xinmei asked a passer-by and knew that it was the human trafficker, Mammy Xing¡¯s courtyard. She then went back to the doctor and took the ointment.

    ¡°The human trafficker, Mammy Xing?¡¯ Ning Xueyan murmured, wondering what this had to do with Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°Miss, I know Mammy Xing,¡± Lanning walked over and said. ¡°Many servants of our manor were bought from her in the past two years.¡±

    ¡°Does this mean that she knows Madam Dowager?¡± Ning Xueyan smiled slightly with her frown unfurled.

    ¡°Yes. Last time, she sent a group of servants to our manor. Miss, do you remember that Madam Dowager asked you to rece a group of servants of our courtyard?¡± Lanning reminded. Ning Xueyan had contrived to make Ning Zu¡¯an discover that there was something abnormal behind Madam Ming¡¯s death. Later, Madam Dowager had found out that Madam Ling sent somebody spying on her. Being irritated by this, Ning Zu¡¯an and Madam Dowager had ordered to rece most servants of Bright Frost Garden.

    But what did this have to do with Ning Qingshan?

    Ning Xueyan felt confused as to why Ning Qingshan thought that she could shift the me to her by getting her involved in, because she did not think that she had anything to do with this matter. ¡°Can she somehow connect me with the maid of her courtyard?¡±

    She suddenly thought of something, ¡°Human trafficker, the maid, and I?¡±

    ¡°Lanning, did Madam Dowager send all the servants they boughtst time to Bright Frost Garden?¡± Ning Xueyan put down the book in her hand slowly with a faint coldness between her eyebrows.

    ¡°Miss, I don¡¯t know about this. Why don¡¯t you ask Mother Han? She chose all the servants.¡± It was Mother Han who had been in charge of Bright Frost Garden¡¯s affairs at that moment. Therefore, most servants had been chosen by her and Ning Xueyan had not done much about it.

    Lanning walked out to find Mother Han. After a while, Mother Han stepped in. Hearing what Ning Xueyan asked, she recalled for a moment and then answered with certainty, ¡°Miss, although Third Young Lady hadn¡¯t returned to our manor by then, Madam Dowager chose several smart maids and sent them to Foggy Courtyard before asking us to choose.¡±

 Chapter 291 - Horror in the Garden, Father and Daughter Fought

    <h4>Chapter 291 Horror in the Garden, Father and Daughter Fought</h4>

    Thinking of this, Mother Han was a bit angry. She had agreed to send some people for the Young Lady to choose from, but a few good ones had been sent to the Foggy Courtyard. What¡¯s more, among the remaining people, some were sent to Junior Concubine Xu. However, she managed to send her sick sister to the Bright Frost Garden, using another method.

    Initially, only a few people were selected for Bright Frost Garden. With the addition of a sick person, they were even more shorthanded. So, they were unable to finish their tasks.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s face changed slightly when she saw the maid sent to her, and who waster sent to Foggy Courtyard. This matter not only revealed Ning Qingshan¡¯s plot against her, but also the extent of Ning Qingshan¡¯s power. When Ning Qingshan was still in the nunnery, her trusted subordinate had been sent in.

    How could she have done it so discreetly? What kind of person was Ning Qingshan? And what was the rtionship between her and Senior Grand Tutor Ya? Were the maids at the gate of the manor and the ambitious maids in the study sent by Grand Tutor Ya? What did Grand Tutor Ya want to do? Or did Grand Tutor Ya know that Ning Zu¡¯an had a military medallion from the previous dynasty?

    Since it was the military medallion from the previous dynasty, it was undoubtedly of no use. Why would so many people keep it in mind?

    Both Ao Chenyi and Grand Tutor Ya were fighting for this military medallion. Since everyone knew that Ning Zu¡¯an had this military medallion, how could he keep it safe? Although he had some power, Grand Tutor Ya was superior to him, not to mention Ao Chenyi. How could they not force Ning Zu¡¯an to take it out?

    However, both of them were acting very furtively. What was the meaning of this military talisman?

    ¡°Young Lady, Young Lady...¡± Hearing Lanning¡¯s voice, Ning Xueyan roused herself from her reverie. She reached out and touched her eyebrows. Her dark jade-like eyes were dark and deep.

    ¡°Lanning, was Qing¡¯er ill the day before yesterday? Go and see herter. Maybe she will check out this group of maids in the manor. Reveal the inside story to her.¡±

    She would cope with any difficulties in a tactful manner. Since Ning Qingshan wanted to take advantage of the maids sent to the manor, she had to be prepared. No matter where Ning Qingshan hade from, she would not let her go, because she had murdered Madam Ming viciously, and framed her for abusing her.

    In Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s study, he paced about in frustration. After thinking for a while, he strode out.

    A young male servant trotted behind him and asked, ¡°Marquis, where are you going?¡±

    ¡°I am going to the Lucky Garden!¡± Ning Zu¡¯an said coldly. This time, he was full of doubts about Ning Qingshan. He was not sure about Ning Qingshan¡¯s pearl flower, so he asked the servant to pick the crushed pearl flower up, and put it in a small box, ready to show it to Madam Dowager.

    Although the pearl flower had lost its shape, and even the winter jasmine on it had rotted, it still had the form of a pearl flower. If he could not figure it out, Ning Zu¡¯an could not calm down. He felt as if there was a vague feeling of great danger, like someone was watching in the dark.

    If Ning Qingshan¡¯s actions were questionable, then the person who sent her to him, would also be under suspicion. He had deliberately sent Ning Qingshan to himself. Was there something that he was not aware of?

    Everyone knew that Prince Yi was the most influential person in the court. However, the emperor thought otherwise. He was loyal to the emperor, so he wholeheartedly followed the emperor¡¯s will. He wanted to find a backer for his son. Recently, he thought that everything would go well. If his two daughters were sent to the two manors respectively, he would have nothing more to worry about.

    However, Ning Qingshan¡¯s scandal had happened at this time. If she had other ns to marry into the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, he had to be more careful.

    Along the way, he gradually calmed down and slowed down a little. Anyway, this matter still needed to be investigated into carefully, so he should not be so anxious at this moment.

    While he was pondering on this, he heard someone whispering behind the bushes. It was a woman¡¯s voice. In the past, he would not have stopped, when he heard a woman¡¯s whisper. But today, when he remembered the maid in his study, he could not help but stop and ask coldly, ¡°Who is there? Why are you sneaking around?¡±

    ¡°Is that you... father? I¡¯m sorry, I did not that know that you would be here at this time, and I have inadvertently disturbed you.¡± Ning Xueyan held Lanning¡¯s hand and appeared from behind a big tree. She never looked very robust, so people always felt that she was delicate. However, the coldness in her eyes made gave her an elegant and calm demeanor.

    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Ning Zu¡¯an looked at her, showing his bad mood.

    ¡°I was about to send Third Sister two books. Just now, she heard that I took a few books from the study. When she was about toe over, something unexpected happened,¡± Ning Xueyan said gracefully and calmly. Her voice was gentle and soothing.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Ning Zu¡¯an nced sideways at her, and asked.

    ¡°I heard that a maid broke a piece of jade left by Third Sister¡¯s mother, due to carelessness. Third Sister was sad and went back to Foggy Courtyard. I don¡¯t know how that careless maid can break such an important item. It¡¯s no wonder that Third Sister was shocked.¡±

    Ning Xueyan exined in a soft tone.

    ¡°Jade?¡± Ning Zu¡¯an frowned. He did not remember that when he brought the girl over, there was a jade piece left by her biological mother. In the manor, Ning Qingshan did not tell him that she had a certificate from her birth mother. He remembered that when she came to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she replied that she had a tremendous shock at a young age, and could not remember anything about her biological parents, when Madam Dowager asked her.

    ¡°When did this piece of jade left by her mother appear? What does it mean to be shocked again?¡± Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s eyes shed with a trace of suspicion, and he could not help frowning.

    The circumstances regarding Ning Qingshan was getting more and more suspicious!

    ¡°There are only two books. Let a maid send them over.¡± Looking at Ning Xueyan¡¯s pale face, Ning Zu¡¯an felt pity for her and said gently.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal, but I need to check it out. I don¡¯t know what happened to Third Sister. Just now, she sent her personal mammy to fetch the books. But because of my sprained ankle, she brought my maid out to look for a doctor and to buy medicine as well. Now, she has not returned yet. Third Sister must be worried, so I will go and check it out.¡±

    Ning Xueyan exined casually as if she did not understand what he meant.

    ¡°Since the master is feeling sad, the older female servant is still busy with other people¡¯s business?¡± Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s face turned cold. ¡°Can there anything more odd than this?¡±

    ¡°Your foot is injured. Go and have a good rest. Why don¡¯t you go to Foggy Courtyard? Go back. I have some books, and I¡¯ll ask someone to send her some.¡± Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s eyes fell on Lanning¡¯s hands, which were holding the books, and then on Ning Xueyan¡¯s raised left foot. There was a little warmth in his look.

    ¡°Yes, father. Then... I¡¯ll go back first!¡± Ning Xueyan did not expect Ning Zu¡¯an to speak so caringly. She was stunned at first, but then she bowed her head and said respectfully.

    ¡°You go first.¡± Ning Zu¡¯an waved his hand, indicating that she should leave first.

    ¡°Yes, Father!¡± Ning Xueyan nodded, turned around to hold Lanning¡¯s hand, and walked forward, with difficulty. She moved her left foot a little slowly as she stepped forward. Fortunately, she moved slowly. The left half of her body was supported by Lanning, so people who were not aware of her injury, could not tell that she had been hurt.

    It seemed that she deliberately did not want anyone to see her sprained ankle.

    ¡°Yan¡¯er...¡± Seeing that Ning Xueyan was about to disappear behind the tree, Ning Zu¡¯an suddenly called out to her.

    Ning Xueyan turned around in astonishment, and looked at Ning Zu¡¯an in surprise.

    Although it was winter, there was a faint trace of sweat on her pale forehead. She gave a forced smile. Her weak body shivered in the cold wind. However, she drew herself up, without showing any signs of timidness or inferiority.

    Although she was in pain, Ning Xueyan tried her best to maintain the dignity of a noble youngdy. Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s face became even more gentle and he even showed a rare disy of kindness that Ning Xueyan had never seen before. ¡°Yan¡¯er, be careful. You¡¯ll enter the pce in a few days. Don¡¯t miss out on any important events because of your injury. If you need anything, send someone here and don¡¯t do anything by yourself.¡±

    Hearing this, Ning Xueyan sneered in her mind, but she gave him a grateful look. ¡°Thank you, father. I don¡¯t need anything.¡±

    ¡°Go!¡± With a gleam in his eyes, Ning Zu¡¯an nodded to show that she could leave.

    This time, Ning Xueyan held Lanning¡¯s hand and walked all the way. He did not stop her again. When he saw Ning Xueyan¡¯s figure disappear, he stood for a while and went straight to Lucky Garden.

    ¡°Young Lady, the Marquis is gone!¡± Seeing Ning Zu¡¯an leave, Lanning whispered to Ning Xueyan. She pulled out the handkerchief to wipe the cold sweat from Ning Xueyan¡¯s head.

    Of course, it was true, but it was not due to the pain on her feet, but that of her hand. Just now, when Ning Zu¡¯an wanted her to turn back, Ning Xueyan pinched herself hard with one hand. Her sharp nails dug into her flesh, causing cold sweat to break out on her forehead. Then, she turned her head. If not, Ning Zu¡¯an would suspect her.

    In Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s mind, she was not the suspect.

    The so-called blood rtionship and the rtionship between father and daughter was nothing but a joke. Ning Zu¡¯an never showed any love for her. Now the reason why he treated her more kindly was that she would be useful to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Fortunately, she never had any feelings for the manor.

    She could have a mother-daughter rtionship with Madam Ming, but she hated Ning Zu¡¯an and everything that he represented. In the vast Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she could not feel any warmth.

    Fortunately, she did not want to talk to them of warmth at all, because there were a lot of blood debts. The poor, timid but kind Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Ning Xueyan, had already died. The one that survived was Ning Ziying, who was born to be bloodthirsty and was full of hatred...

    ¡°Let¡¯s go back now and see how the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor will celebrate the Spring Festival!¡± Ning Xueyan took Lanning¡¯s handkerchief, wiped the cold sweat on her forehead, and chuckled.

    Today, it should be New Year¡¯s Eve. However, everyone in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was full of suspicion. How interesting!

    Lanning looked at the smile at the corners of Ning Xueyan¡¯s mouth. It was a gentle smile, but somehow, it gave her a strange and weird feeling...

 Chapter 292 - Specially Prepared Maids

    <strong>Chapter 292 Specially Prepared Maids</strong>

    ¡°What? Do you mean the pearl flower? That one with winter jasmine?¡± Madam Dowager was shocked.

    ¡°Yes, mother, please see if this is the one?¡± Ning Zu¡¯an opened the small box in his hand, and a broken pearl flower appeared in front of Madam Dowager. The pearl flower was broken, leaving only a little residual powder and calyx on it. The original color could no longer be seen.

    Madam Dowager took the box and checked it. Then she answered with certainty, ¡°It belongs to Third Young Lady. Do you mean that you found it at the door of your study?¡±

    ¡°The young male servant said that a maid holding a pearl flower, was the one who lured him away. It was at this time that the girl from Foggy Courtyard entered the study. When I went in, I saw her rummaging through the books, which were ced on the bookshelf.¡±

    Ning Zu¡¯an said in a low voice. When he confirmed that the flower was Ning Qingshan¡¯s, he felt more and more certain that there was something wrong with her. Some problems that he had not bothered about during her childhood, were also revealed, such as the biological mother that Ning Qingshan mentioned.

    ¡°Mother, did she ever talk about her biological father and mother to you?¡±

    ¡°She never said anything about them. When Third Girl came here, she was still young. I asked her about her biological father and mother before. She said that she had a headache and could not remember, so I never asked again.¡± Madam Dowager thought about it and said slowly. Then, she looked at the pearl flower in her hand, and put it aside.

    ¡°Mother, do you think... the Third Girl is...¡± Ning Zu¡¯an paused and looked serious.

    Madam Dowager¡¯s hand went limp and her walking stick almost fell to the ground. She mmed her hand on the table beside her, and said, ¡°No... it won¡¯t. I¡¯ve seen that child once. She doesn¡¯t look like this.¡±

    At first, she did not have enough momentum to say that, but then her words became more and more dubious. It seemed that she had exposed herself unwittingly, while trying to cover up her tricks. The cold wind blew outside the window, and Madam Dowager¡¯s face turned green.

    ¡°Mother, wasn¡¯t she only two or three years old when you saw her? When she was five or six years old, she must be a little different. Did you feel that they were somewhat alike in appearance?¡± Ning Zu¡¯an did not give up and asked again. He had not seen her at that time. He had never seen her before, so he could not tell whether they were alike, even if he had his doubts about that..

    ¡°It¡¯s impossible. Honored Consort Ya will never allow her to marry into Third Prince¡¯s Manor.¡± Madam Dowager suddenly looked more determined than ever. She touched her aching hand and gently rubbed it, but her eyes were cold.

    With Honored Consort Ya¡¯s personality, how could she let her son marry a rebel¡¯s daughter in order to provoke the emperor, so that the Third Prince would not be able to ascend the noble throne?

    Hearing Madam Dowager¡¯s firm words, Ning Zu¡¯an hesitated. ¡°But if it weren¡¯t for that, what would Shan¡¯er, a weak girl in the boudoir, be looking for in my study?¡±

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just a coincidence. Maybe this maid is not hers. Someone might be deliberately trying to frame her?¡± Madam Dowager asked uncertainly. In her mind, she trusted Ning Qingshan. She had watched Ning Qingshan grow up from a little child to a beautiful youngdy. Now, she was about to be the Third Prince¡¯s consort.

    ¡°Coincidence! How could it be a coincidence! I know my young male servant. He would never tell a lie. This time, he affirmed that he must have been lured away by a maid. If the maid broke in by ident, I won¡¯t have anything to say. But what does it mean when she lured my young male servant away, at the same time?¡±

    Compared with Madam Dowager, Ning Zu¡¯an was more rational, because he was a man. After Ning Xueyan left, he questioned the young male servant several more times. Every time his answer was the same, so he had to believe it.

    ¡± Zu¡¯an, is it rted to Fifth Young Lady?¡± Madam Dowager suddenly asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s unlikely that it has something to do with her. Mother said that it¡¯s also your idea that she was looking for the books.¡± Ning Zu¡¯an shook his head. Just now when she looked back, he saw that Ning Xueyan was forcing herself to walk with light steps to cover up the wound on her face. However, she was in so much pain that cold sweat broke out on her head.

    Now, it seemed that everything Ning Xueyan said was true, but what Ning Qingshan said was too mysterious. So, he was suspicious of Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, Third Young Lady is here.¡± While they were talking, Mother Qin came to the door and reported. Just now, when Ning Zu¡¯an came in and spoke to Madam Dowager, Mother Qin consciously walked to the door, and stood guard at the entrance for them.

    ¡°Let her in.¡± Madam Dowager looked at Ning Zu¡¯an, and sat up straight, with a faint smile on her face. Ning Zu¡¯an also picked up the teacup, wiped the tea foam on the surface with its lid with one hand, and slowly took a sip, looking rxed.

    Ning Qingshan followed Mother Qin and came in. When she saw Ning Zu¡¯an, she bowed to Madam Dowager respectfully and then to Zu¡¯an. Then, she stood in front of Madam Dowager with a calm look.

    ¡°Third Girl, why are you here at this time? Didn¡¯t you say that you would be going to Cold Mountain Temple to burn the first incense stick of the day, in the evening? Why not have a rest first?¡±

    In the aristocratic circle of the Chu Kingdom, it was customary for people to burn the first incense stick of the day. The night before, youngdies of noble families, who were unmarried, often left for the temple in a group, after dinner. They waited to burn the first incense stick of the day early in the morning, to pray for their families. For the safety of thosedies, the childes of aristocratic families often escorted their sisters to the temple.

    Then, they would keep a night vigil and have a party together!

    In other words, this was also a way for young people to gather together. Usually, the daughters of aristocratic families had a lot of restrictions in all aspects. It was rare for them to have such a rxing time. Of course, everyone was very excited about this outing. This time, the temple that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had booked was Cold Mountain Temple.

    So, they had already booked three rooms in Cold Mountain Temple. After dinner, Ning Huaiyuan would escort Ning Xueyan and Ning Qingshan to Cold Mountain Temple.

    ¡°Grandmother, I have not burned the first incense stick of the day with the other rich youngdies for a long time, so I came here to ask if there were any changes since the past three years. If there is anything different, you can guide me.¡± Ning Qingshan stood behind Madam Dowager obediently, and started to massage her back.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing different from the past few years. You, young people, can stay away from us, old people.¡± Madam Dowager said with a smile. She held Ning Qingshan¡¯s hand and walked in front of her. Then, she patted the stool beside her and gestured for her to sit down.

    ¡°Really? That¡¯s great. I want to go there with Caifen and Feilian.¡± Ning Qingshan said joyfully.

    This reminded Madam Dowager that only a first maid now apanied Ning Qingshan. The other one who was with her, seemed to be a second-ss maid.

    ¡°Third Young Lady, isn¡¯t there a shortage of people in your courtyard? Let the broker send you some more. What a coincidence! A few days ago, the broker informed Mother Qin that there are a few smart maids. Coincidentally, your courtyardcks staff. Let the broker send a few more maids for you to choose from. It¡¯s not enough for you to have only one first maid.¡±

    Madam Dowager sent Ning Qingshan two maids, but Feiyue died, as a result of being a scapegoat, so only Feilian was left. Ning Qingshan was about to enter the pce, so she could bring two maids with her. If she brought a second-ss maid with her, people wouldugh at her.

    Ning Zu¡¯an smiled and watched them chatting quietly.

    ¡°Well, all right, thank you, Grandmother!¡± Ning Qingshan did not refuse. After thinking for a while, she agreed. With tears of gratitude in her eyes, she bit her lips and lowered her head slightly. One could almost see the tears of gratitude in her eyes, and her expression became softer.

    Seeing that Ning Qingshan agreed, Madam Dowager asked someone to invite Mammy Xing toe over.

    ¡°Did you send anyone to my study to get books today, Shan¡¯er?¡± Ning Zu¡¯an put down the cup in his hand, and asked.

    ¡°To get books? No, I heard that Fifth Sister took several books from your study. Is there something wrong?¡± Ning Qingshan looked at Ning Zu¡¯an nkly, as if she did not know what had happened. Ning Zu¡¯an did not let anyone know that he had punished the maid.

    ¡°Your Fifth Sister took a few books from my study. Don¡¯t you want them?¡± Ning Zu¡¯an asked calmly.

    ¡°No, if I need them, I can get them from Fifth Sister. Anyway, Fifth Sister will be entering the imperial pce with me.¡± Ning Qingshan shook her head gently, indicating that she did not need a book.

    She did not want to have anything to do with the ¡°study¡± at all. She avoided everything about ¡°books.¡±

    Seeing that she denied it, Ning Zu¡¯an did not ask anymore. Instead, he chatted with her. Madam Dowager interrupted and said a few words from time to time. They seemed to be in harmony with each other.

    Not long after, Mammy Xing arrived. She brought more than a dozen maids and asked them to wait outside. After entering Madam Dowager¡¯s room, she greeted Madam Dowager, Ning Zu¡¯an and Ning Qingshan. Then, she began to tter Madam Dowager, putting a smile on her face.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, all the maids I brought this time, are smart. None of them are bad. Third Young Lady, you must try your best to pick some good ones. It will not as bad as thest time. I¡¯m sure that you will pick all the good ones.¡±

    ¡°Did the Third Young Lady get some bad maidsst time?¡± Madam Dowager asked, with a smile.

    The older female servant Xing¡¯s face, changed slightly, and she became a little stiff. She casually said, ¡°Thest time, all the maids were meant for the Fifth Young Lady, so the maids she chose were especially for the Fifth Young Lady.¡±

    Her words were very far-fetched. Madam Dowager¡¯s face darkened. ¡°What do you mean by ¡®were chosen for Fifth Young Lady¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Madam Dowager, I... I didn¡¯t mean anything by that.¡± Seeing that Madam Dowager was unhappy, Mammy Xing immediately stammered and stared nkly at her, anxiety showing on her face.

    Ning Zu¡¯an snorted at the side, and his face became very cold. His gaze fell on Mammy Xing like a cold de.

    Seeing that Ning Zu¡¯an and Madam Dowager were angry, Mammy Xing shivered and exined to them hurriedly, ¡°Madam Dowager, Marquis, some of the maids I sent to Fifth Young Ladyst time were originally meant for Fifth Young Lady¡¯s courtyard. In fact, it¡¯s not a big deal. The servants who sent those maids specially told me to send them to Fifth Young Lady.¡±

    ¡°Someone deliberately sent people to Fifth Young Lady?¡± Madam Dowager was furious. She did not expect that such a thing to happen under her nose.

 Chapter 293 - Sinister, Madam Dowagerâ€™s intention to kill Aroused

    <strong>Chapter 293 Sinister, Madam Dowager¡¯s intention to kill Aroused</strong>

    Ning Qingshan stood behind Madam Dowager with her head lowered, looking delicate and weak, as if she would readily go with Madam Dowager¡¯s arrangement.

    When Mammy Luo came back, she had told her that everything had been settled and Mammy Xing had promised. Mammy Xing would shift the responsibility regarding the matter of the maid onto Ning Xueyan. Even if the maid did something outrageous, it would have nothing to do with her. Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an would only suspect Ning Xueyan.

    Mammy Xing knew how to act ording to the real situation. Now, she knew that it was almost time, so she pretended to be scared and said, ¡°Yes, Madam Dowager. Someone deliberately asked me to arrange for the maids to be sent to Fifth Young Lady. I thought it was not a big deal. Maybe Fifth Young Lady has seen these maids and wanted all of them, so I did not tell you.¡±

    Hearing what she said, Madam Dowager became angry. She immediately pulled a long face and scolded her, ¡°Madam Ming is a good-for-nothing. Sure enough, her daughter is insidious. She looks good, but she is full of trickery.¡±

    Madam Dowager had thought that Ning Xueyan was kindhearted, during this period. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She gasped as she was scolding Ning Xueyan.

    Ning Qingshan patted Madam Dowager¡¯s back to calm her down and said softly, ¡°Grandmother, don¡¯t be angry. Maybe Fifth Sister wants to choose the maids she likes. I am sure it does not mean anything else.¡±

    It seemed as if she was trying to soothe Madam Dowager, but in fact, she was putting the me on Ning Xueyan for sending someone to Bright Frost Garden.

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t mean anything else? She can y tricks at such a young age. It is terrible! Go and ask her to let me know what¡¯s going on, and who she is scheming against.¡± Madam Dowager finally calmed down. She pounded the ground heavily with her walking stick as she ranted.

    Xiangmiao, who was waiting aside, knew that Madam Dowager was furious, so she hurriedly asked Ning Xueyan toe over.

    ¡°Grandmother, you picked a few maids for mest time. Is she interested in them? If so, it¡¯s not... good. It seems that I took her maids,¡± Ning Qingshan said uneasily as if she suddenly thought of something. She put her hand on Madam Dowager¡¯s shoulder and did not move.

    ¡°Her maids? They have not entered her courtyard yet. How could they be her maids? What is she trying to do? Where did these peoplee from? How could she make a deal with them to enter Bright Frost Garden in advance? She thinks too highly of herself!¡± Madam Dowager was furious when she saw Ning Qingshan¡¯s scared eyes. She pounded the corner of the table and felt that she had been wrong about Ning Xueyan. She did not expect her to be so vicious.

    Madam Ming¡¯s matters were too much of an entanglement. Madam Dowager did not say anything on the surface, but she felt guilty in her heart. She had been indifferent to Madam Ming for so many years, partly because of this. Seeing Madam Ming¡¯s face reminded her of some unbearable past.

    So in her mind, Madam Dowager never wanted to see Ning Xueyan. After Madam Ming¡¯s death, she was relieved. As for Ning Xueyan, she thought that the sick and weak girl would die sooner orter without Madam Ming¡¯s protection. Unexpectedly, this girl came out of Bright Frost Garden and was publicly noticed by everyone else.

    Later, she also found Ning Xueyan to be useful and began to ept her as her granddaughter!

    However, no matter how kind she pretended to be, Madam Dowager did not want to see Ning Xueyan at all, as it brought back too many memories of her past. In this past, she yed a bad role.

    However, Ning Xueyan seemed to be more and more useful, which almost made Madam Dowager think that she had forgotten about the pressure she brought on her. However, it was only what she thought. When theyer of ¡°belief¡± was lifted slightly, Madam Dowager¡¯s eyes were full of doubts about Ning Xueyan.

    She suspected that Ning Xueyan was here to take revenge and avenge Madam Ming.

    Therefore, as Mammy Xing and Ning Qingshan stirred up trouble, she could not sit still. She only felt that Ning Xueyan¡¯s motive was execrable. In vain, she wanted to treat her as a real granddaughter. Unexpectedly, Ning Xueyan turned out to be ungrateful and vicious.

    ¡°Grandmother, don¡¯t be angry. Fifth Sister did not mean it.¡± The angrier Madam Dowager was, the happier Ning Qingshan was. At this time, she was trying tofort Madam Dowager. But her words were like pouring boiling water on oil.

    ¡°She did not mean it. If she did not do it on purpose, why did she ask someone to y a trick to send all the people she picked here to Bright Frost Garden?¡± Madam Dowager growled. Suddenly, she thought of something and turned to Ning Qingshan. ¡°Third Girl, the maids you picked can¡¯t be used anymore. Give them all to herter, so that she won¡¯t be able to nt spies around you. It will be easy for her to frame you in the future.¡±

    At that time, it was Madam Dowager who picked the people first. So, she could not be sure whether those whom Ning Xueyan felt satisfied with had been chosen by her, and sent to Foggy Courtyard. Madam Dowager looked indifferent and felt that Ning Xueyan was hypocritical.

    Ning Zu¡¯an sat by the side and did not say anything. He was a man, after all. Compared with Madam Dowager, he was more rational. It was not the time for the whole thing toe to light. So, he sat on the side and waited. How about the maid? The matter regarding the maid happened in the morning, and such a thing happened in the afternoon. What a coincidence!

    ¡°Who is ying tricks here...¡±

    As soon as Ning Xueyan came in, Madam Dowager¡¯s expression became icy. She looked at the older female servant standing aside and Ning Qingshan, who apanied Madam Dowager, warmly, and Ning Zu¡¯an, who stared at her with a scrutinizing look. With a smile, Ning Xueyan came forward and greeted them gracefully.

    Seeing Ning Xueyaning in, Ning Qingshan walked out from behind Madam Dowager and walked up to her. She deliberately lowered her voice and said with some concern, ¡°Fifth Sister, why did you take your time ining? Grandmother is angry and has been waiting for a long time.¡±

    It seemed that she was deliberately reminding Ning Xueyan. However, in a quiet room, everyone could hear her.

    Madam Dowager snorted on the spot and pounded the ground with her walking stick hard. She also felt that she had been waiting for a long time. Knowing that she was waiting for her here, Ning Xueyan still took her time, and did not take her seriously at all, Madam Dowager was angry.

    ¡°Grandmother, I sprained my ankle, so I waste. What happened? Did I offend you?¡± Ning Xueyan asked with a smile. She was neither humble nor pushy. She pulled her hand out from Ning Qingshan¡¯s and stepped back to keep a distance from Ning Qingshan.

    She did not want to appear to be on intimate terms with Ning Qingshan, in front of Madam Dowager.

    Madam Dowager nced at Ning Xueyan and said coldly, ¡°You have a silver tongue. How can you provoke me? If you¡¯re discontented with your lot, and you don¡¯t restrain yourself from evil doings, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor will not tolerate you.¡±

    ¡°Grandmother, do you think I have done something wrong?¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes fell on Ning Qingshan, who felt a little proud.

    ¡°Look at who she is!¡± Madam Dowager pointed at Mammy Xing standing aside, and shouted at Ning Xueyan. She had made up her mind that as long as Ning Xueyan¡¯s face had an abnormal color, she would lock her up and never let here out again.

    If she was used of being ¡°unfilial,¡± even Ming Feiyong could not stand up for her. Then, she would be locked away in the back garden of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, and her life would depend entirely on her. At most, she would be raised to the same level as Madam Ming, until she would not be able to survive. In that case, as her grandmother, she had done her best.

    The position of co-consort was important. However, if she were not uniform and one-hearted with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Ning Xueyan would be a mortal mdy. She had to be nipped in the bud. Indecision invariably lead to trouble. It was not unreasonable for Madam Dowager to want to continue enjoying the glory and wealth from the previous court to the present.

    At this time, she already wanted to kill Ning Xueyan...

    Ning Xueyan calmly looked at the older female servant standing aside, and then at Madam Dowager¡¯s angry face. She blinked and did not say anything for a while. She did not understand the situation. However, Xinmei, who was standing beside her, suddenly pointed at the older female servant and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Young Lady, this is the person whom the Mammy left for me to see. I thought she had something to do, so I followed her. It was the older female servant who opened the door at that time.¡±

    Did Mammy Luo secretly meet with Mammy Xing just now? Her words made Madam Dowager¡¯s face turn green and pale again. She became gloomier, feeling full of anger.

    ¡°I... I didn¡¯t see Mammy Luo. I didn¡¯t see her.¡± Seeing everyone¡¯s eyes falling on her, Mammy Xing became anxious. She did not expect Mammy Luo to be so careless. She waved her hands to show her innocence.

    Ning Qingshan¡¯s smiling face froze. Mammy Luo hade back and said that everything had been done. She thought that she had casually found an older female servant to watch the door. Unexpectedly, she was Ning Xueyan¡¯s personal maid. She had a bad feeling in her heart.

    ¡°Just now, Mammy Luo came to our Bright Frost Garden and saw that our youngdy¡¯s foot was injured, so she insisted on helping ourdy to get the medicine. I followed her out. As soon as we arrived at the store, Mammy Luo ran away.¡± Xinmei answered.

    ¡°Mammy Luo, did she go out? Howe I was not aware?¡± Ning Qingshan pretended to know nothing and turned nkly to Caifen, who was standing behind her.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, either. But when I came here just now, I saw Mammy Luo instructing the older female servants in the courtyard not to bezy. She must have been here all the time!¡± Caifen, who was following behind her, immediately spoke up for Mammy Luo.

    ¡°Grandmother, whenever I send people out, I will report to you. You should know it, right?¡± Ning Xueyan turned to Madam Dowager and said softly.

    What? Madam Dowager knew that Mammy Luo went out with Xinmei? Ning Qingshan almost spat out a mouthful of blood. She thought Mammy Luo was a prudent person. She could have found someone from Bright Frost Garden and sneaked out from the back door. Why did she have to disturb Madam Dowager?

 Chapter 294 - Warning, Mammy Luo Was Tortured

    <h4><strong>Chapter 294 Warning, Mammy Luo Was Tortured</strong></h4>

    ¡°But... but this doesn¡¯t mean that Mammy Luo and Mammy Xing have met!¡± Ning Qingshan could only insist on this, and said with a forced smile.

    ¡°Are you Mammy Xing?¡± Ning Xueyan gently turned to Mammy Xing. Her jet-ck eyes were like pieces of ice. Seeing that, Mammy Xing lowered her eyes, and replied in a low voice, ¡°Yes!¡±

    Mammy Xing felt regretful at this time. If she had known that the Fifth Young Lady would be so difficult to deal with, she would not have epted Nanny Luo¡¯s money and promised to deal with this matter. She looked like a hard nut to crack. Up to now, she was still calm and graceful, whichpletely overshadowed third Young Lady, who was said to be the one most likely to be the Third Prince¡¯s wife.

    Could it be that the rumors were wrong? The Fifth Young Lady standing in front of her had a legal wife¡¯s demeanor. The Third Young Lady, who always pretended to be stupid, seemed inferior, whenpared to the Fifth Young Lady.

    ¡°I heard that most of the servants in the manor were sent to the manor by you during these two years?¡± Ning Xueyan smiled and asked her gently, as if the atmosphere was not that tense.

    ¡°Yes... they were sent by me.¡± Hearing that she did not ask about what had happened before, Mammy Xing let out a sigh of relief and smiled.

    ¡°Grandmother, Xinmei did not say that she saw Mammy Xing following the Mammy. Why is Mammy Xing so sure that it¡¯s Mammy Luo? It¡¯s said that Mammy Luo went to the nunnery with Third Sister three years ago. However, Mammy Xing did business in the mansion only two years ago. How could she tell that it was Mammy Luo at a nce? She denied that she saw Mammy Luo before we spoke?¡±

    Ning Xueyan said softly. Her voice was neither loud nor harsh, but it had a hint of sarcasm.

    Her words made Mammy Xing feel uneasy and nervous. Her face was pale, and her body trembled so much that she could hardly stand.

    Madam Dowager¡¯s face darkened because she did not expect it to be like this. It was not Ning Xueyan but Ning Qingshan, who was the schemer. Ning Qingshan lured Ning Xueyan¡¯s servant out to cover up. She sent a servant to talk to Mammy Xing alone. As for what she had said before, she must have spoken to Mammy Xing.

    ¡°Grandmother, I don¡¯t know anything about Mammy Luo. I¡¯ve been in the courtyard all the time, and I don¡¯t even know when Mammy Luo left.¡± Regardless of Mammy Luo¡¯s upbringing, Ning Qingshan shifted the me squarely onto Mammy Luo¡¯s shoulders, just like what Xia¡¯er did before.

    ¡°Guards,e over and beat this older female servant¡± Ning Zu¡¯an finally could not help shouting. Two guards came over and gave her two ps. Then, they kicked her out of the room. One of the guards pulled at her clothes and went out, while the other pped and kicked her from time to time.

    Ning Qingshan¡¯s face was pale. She looked up at Ning Xueyan, who was still looking at her gently, as if what she had just done was just a farce.

    ¡°Grandmother, I...¡± Ning Qingshan raised her head and looked at Madam Dowager timidly. She wanted to make another move.

    ¡°Stop it. Go.¡± Madam Dowager was so angry that everything turned dark before her eyes. There was no doubt to this matter. First, Ning Qingshan deliberately mentioned the maid. Then, she brought Mammy Xing here, and Mammy Xing said something. Coupled with Ning Qingshan¡¯s words, how could Madam Dowager, who had lived through two dynasties, not understand?

    It was Ning Qingshan who envied Ning Xueyan and set up a trap on purpose. Otherwise, a mammy would not have dared to frame her master. This reminded Madam Dowager of the event that happened when Ning Qingshan had just returned to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. At that time, she lost a servant. Unexpectedly, she had not been smart. She thought that Ning Qingshan, who was not her biological daughter, was the most intelligent and the most promising one among her granddaughters. But now, what was going on?

    Madam Dowager never expected that Ning Qingshan would frame her. If it was not for Third Prince who supported Ning Qingshan, she would p her directly.

    ¡°Yan¡¯er, Shan¡¯er, you can leave now!¡± Ning Zu¡¯an was calm. He waved his hand at Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan, indicating that they should leave.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Ning Xueyan did not hesitate. She bowed to Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an and went out.

    Ning Qingshan wanted to say something, but when she saw the Madam Dowager¡¯s livid face, she knew that the Madam Dowager would not listen to whatever she said. Fortunately, she believed that Madam Dowager would not punish her. She was not Ning Xueyan, a good-for-nothing orphan girl. She was about to be the Third Prince¡¯s wife, which was good enough for Madam Dowager.

    But thinking of the possible consequences of this matter, she immediately turned pale. What she feared most was not Madam Dowager, but Ning Zu¡¯an. But when she saw Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s gentle but gloomy face, she felt scared. She wanted to eliminate Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s suspicion in this matter, but unexpectedly, Ning Xueyan turned the tables on her.

    Ning Xueyan was so cunning that she let the maid follow Mammy Luo. Initially, as long as Madam Dowager suspected Ning Xueyan, the maid who went to Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s study to check would be Ning Xueyan¡¯s maid. Now everything was over, and Ning Zu¡¯an would doubt her intentions. Thinking of the consequences, she was scared.

    ¡°No, I must tell my aunt about it and let her find a solution. I can¡¯t let Ning Zu¡¯an find out about anything.¡±

    Thinking of this, Ning Qingshan no longer hesitated. She hurriedly turned around and walked out. As soon as she reached the door, she heard the sound of porcin breaking. She knew that Madam Dowager was still angry and was smashing things. She dared not look back. She hurriedly took two steps and lifted the curtain to go out.

    After throwing a cup of tea, the Madam Dowager was still trembling with anger. She did not expect that a little girl would frame her. During the past few years, she treated this ungrateful granddaughter as her own and supplied her with food and other things. She did not expect that she would plot against her.

    Ning Zu¡¯an frowned andforted Madam Dowager. ¡°Mother, don¡¯t be angry. I felt strange when Mammy Xing came here and said that there was something wrong with the maids at the same time when something happened in the front yard.¡±

    ¡°Guards, beat Mammy Luo to death!¡± Madam Dowager pounded the table with a cold face and growled.

    ¡°Wait, Mother, she will soon be the Third Prince¡¯s wife.¡± Ning Zu¡¯an stopped the impulsive Madam Dowager, waved his hand, and asked Mother Qin to take other servants away.

    ¡°If so, she will think that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is easy to bully?¡± The Madam Dowager gritted her teeth and snarled. She was angry with Ning Qingshan now. Madam Dowager never thought that she treated her good intentions as maliciousness. At the thought of that, she was furious.

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s not easy to bully the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, but she came here well-prepared. But now, it¡¯s not the right time to attack her. The Third Prince and Honored Consort Ya have be her supporters.¡± Ning Zu¡¯an did not look good, but at least he could stay calm.

    This was not a simple struggle in the backyard. How could Ning Qingshan know that there was something in his study room? How did she dare to send someone to search? It seemed that Madam Dowager had chosen the maid for Ning Qingshan. If she had no supporter, how could Ning Qingshan do such a thing?

    ¡°Mother, I¡¯ll go to the study. You don¡¯t have to kill that older female servant. She will still be the daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor when she enters the Third Prince¡¯s Manor.¡±

    Thinking of the documents in the study, Ning Zu¡¯an could not calm down. He stood up and took his leave. The reason why he took her in was not because of her appearance. Instead, the person who sent her here was prestigious, so he had to ept her. Did Grand Tutor Ya have no intention?

    He said that she was an orphan of a military colleague. However, many people died in the battle. Where did Grand Tutor Ya find this child?

    Ning Zu¡¯an had never doubted these things before, but now he began to be suspicious.

    Mammy Luo¡¯s punishment was meted out when Ning Qingshan arrived at Foggy Courtyard. She would be beaten 20 times for instigating the Third Young Lady to be disrespectful toward her parents.

    The two older female servants from the Auspicious Fortune Hall were ferocious. They tied Mammy Luo down and brought her to the garden to give her a beating, without letting her say anything else.

    Initially, this kind of punishment of beating people would not be carried out in the garden, for fear of disturbing the master. But now, Mammy Luo was tied up in the yard and was beaten until she screamed. Even Caifen, who had always been acid-tongued, was so scared that her face turned pale. She twisted her handkerchief with her fingers, and could not say a word.

    ¡°Young Lady... we... we...¡± When Mammy Luo screamed for thest time, suddenly the courtyard fell silent. After a while, Caifen roused herself. She looked at Ning Qingshan nkly, and shivered as cold sweat ran down her forehead. She felt as if she were at death¡¯s door.

    ¡°Third Young Lady, we have carried out the punishment of flogging. Please check¡± The older female servants¡¯ deep voices came from outside.

    Ning Qingshan moved her almost numb legs and helped Caifen to stand up, with a gloomy face. This was Madam Dowager¡¯s warning. The crime of ¡± unfilial piety¡± was enough to make her have no room to plead for Mammy Luo. As for hitting Mammy Luo in her courtyard and the so-called check, it was the Madam Dowager¡¯s counterattack.

    Madam Dowager was telling her that as long as she was the daughter of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she had to cooperate with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Otherwise, this charge would be enough to pull her down from the high position.

    Ning Qingshan realized that her marriage with the Third Prince had something to do with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor backup. Otherwise, why did he not marry Ya Moqin? So, she could not lose Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s favor. She could not afford to break off ties with them, so she had to obey the order to check it.

    She struggled as she walked outside and saw Mammy Luo lying on the bench, with her body all bloodied. If she had not seen her move asionally, she would have thought that she was dead.

    ¡°Thank you for my grandmother¡¯s warning. Please tell her that it¡¯s all my fault. I beg her pardon for being young and ignorant. I was blinded by jealousy.¡± Ning Qingshan slipped from Caifen¡¯s hand and fell to the ground. Suddenly, she burst into tears in front of the two older female servants.

    ¡°Third Young Lady, we will inform Madam Dowager about what you have said.¡± The two older female servants did not expect Ning Qingshan to forget herself. They steadied themselves after taking two steps back. Then, they looked at each other and said this to Ning Qingshan. Finally, they left without waiting for Ning Qingshan¡¯s reply...

 Chapter 295 - Ning Qingshanâ€™s Regret

    <strong>Chapter 295 Ning Qingshan¡¯s Regret</strong>

    The news that Third Young Lady had lost her favor spread throughout the manor. Many people did not believe it before. However, they were finally convinced when they heard that Third Young Lady¡¯s wet nurse had been beaten 20 times in the garden.

    No servant had ever been beaten in the master¡¯s courtyard before. Furthermore it was the Spring Festival, which would make the master feel unlucky. So, they believed that Third Young Lady had lost favor with Madam. Some servants who were going to Foggy Courtyard in order to please her, were now thinking twice about moving over.

    But, some people thought it was fine. They were sure that Third Young Lady would soon be the Third Prince¡¯s wife. So what if she lost Madam Dowager¡¯s favor now? At her age, she would get married when she was selected. So, it did not matter whether the Madam Dowager liked her or not, at that time.

    The servants in the manor had different opinions, but they found the atmosphere was very tense. Except for Fifth Young Lady¡¯s Bright Frost Garden and First Madam¡¯s Auspicious Clouds Courtyard, the other ces were filled with gloom.

    This matter had nothing to do with Madam Ling. When she heard the news, she sat up and felt much better. She always thought that Ning Yuling was the most qualified person to be the Third Prince¡¯s wife. The reason why Ning Qingshan could take the position now was due to Ling¡¯er¡¯s ident. So, she always thought that Ning Qingshan had usurped Ning Yuling¡¯s ce. She was happy to hear that Madam Dowager had counterattacked Ning Qingshan.

    Besides, when she moved the ount books to her parents¡¯ homest time, Ning Qingshan secretly sent people to keep an eye on her. Maybe she even plotted against her behind her back. Unlike Madam Dowager, Madam Ling was aware of the aspects of Ning Qingshan¡¯s true character. She knew that Ning Qingshan even dared to poison Madam Ming when she was young. So, Madam Ling always thought that Ning Qingshan was a vicious woman.

    In the Bright Frost Garden.

    Lanning saw Qing¡¯er rushing out of the door of Bright Frost Garden, with tears in her eyes. She dusted herself off and turned back to Ning Xueyan¡¯s inner room, in a good mood.

    The environment was tranquil and peaceful. Ning Xueyan leaned back on the couch and read a book. The sunshine outside the window came in obliquely, shining on her tender face. Her ck hair, long eyshes, and the curved shadows that could be seen, made everything seem quiet.

    ¡°Did Qing¡¯er go out?¡± Ning Xueyan asked casually, flipping through the book, without raising her head.

    ¡°Yes. Qing¡¯er became anxious when she heard that someone was going to settle the matter about getting people in. She was so scared that tears streamed down her face. I tried tofort her, telling her that it would be fine. Even if someone found out about that, no one would care about it now, because it was Junior Concubine Xu who tried to put her in Bright Frost Garden. After all, Junior Concubine Xu is now the popr favorite of the marquis.¡±

    Lanning served Ning Xueyan a cup of tea, with a smile.

    There was a faint smile in Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes. She raised her lips and said with a tinge of sarcasm. ¡°Junior Concubine Xu, Xu Yulian, a maid, she thinks that she has soared up into the sky with one start. After a period of peace, won¡¯t they start to get restless? That¡¯ll be just right. Let¡¯s see what those people will do next.¡±

    The mansion was restless.

    Ning Qingshan had created such a big scene today in trying to shift Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s attention to herself. She took advantage of her people to take Mammy Luo out of the manor. She wanted Ning Xueyan to take the me for her. Ning Qingshan was so good at killing people with a borrowed knife. If she had not been prepared and had reported to Ning Zu¡¯an first, Ning Qingshan would probably have seeded.

    When she was young, she was wicked and merciless. Now, she was even more vicious. However, Ning Qingshan had always been cunning, so she could not always outdo her so easily. Therefore, when she faced Ning Qingshan, Ning Xueyan could not rx her guard even for a moment.

    However, she did not expect that Ning Qingshan would take the initiative to give her the evidence. For what had happened this time and before, Ning Qingshan had made a fool of herself and exposed her biggest secret this time. Ning Zu¡¯an would undoubtedly investigate it. With Ning Zu¡¯an holding her down, it would not be easy for Ning Qingshan to stay in the dark, like a viper.

    The reunion dinner that had been arranged was not a cheerful affair, and even the food did not taste good.

    Madam Ling did note, giving the excuse of being ill. Ning Lingyun was locked up in the Buddha Hall. Except for the most favored Junior Concubine Xu, all the other concubines were trembling with fear. They did not dare to make any loud noises. Madam Dowager¡¯s face darkened, and Junior Concubine Xu¡¯s jokes failed to make her burst intoughter. In the end, Junior Concubine Xu¡¯s voice became lower and lower, and finally died out in the end.

    There were no expressions on Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s and Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s faces. They sat at the table, eating calmly.

    Ning Qingshan looked at Madam Dowager, with tears in her eyes from time to time, looking pitiful and full of regret. She tried to beg for Madam Dowager¡¯s forgiveness. After a few mouthfuls of rice, she took the initiative to stand behind Madam Dowager, helped her to get the food and cutlery, and asked Junior Concubine Xu to have dinner, so that she could serve Madam Dowager.

    Madam Dowager did not seem to notice what she was doing. It appeared as if the one standing beside her was still Junior Concubine Xu. She enjoyed the food in the same manner, without any change in her attitude. After half a day of rest, Madam Dowager had returned to her usual state of mind. Although her face was gloomy, she seemed not to be angry at all.

    It was said that Madam Dowager Liu was also ill, so she did note out to have dinner with everyone this evening. Ning Xueyan lowered her head and ate her meal. Like the other people at the table, she did not see anything different. The atmosphere was very dull, and she did not seem to enjoy a happy reunion dinner. It was more like she was eating herst meal, not knowing when the next meal would be.

    Since Madam Ming¡¯s death, Madam Dowager Liu had rarely appeared in public.

    Of course, no one enjoyed the meal. After dinner, the concubines left hurriedly, and Ning Zu¡¯an and his son went to the study. For a while, only Ning Xueyan, Ning Qingshan, and Madam Dowager were left in the room. After the servants served tea, they quietly left, leaving only Mother Qin and Xiangmiao standing behind Madam Dowager.

    ¡°Grandmother, it¡¯s my fault. I should not be jealous that Fifth Sister has won your heart. Grandmother, please forgive me. I won¡¯t do this again!¡± After the others left, Ning Qingshan knelt on the ground and crawled forward on her knees. She put her hands on Madam Dowager¡¯s knees and cried. She looked up at Madam Dowager pitifully, and said,

    ¡°Envy your sister? I don¡¯t know why you should be jealous of your Fifth Sister?¡± Madam Dowager sneered, pushed away Ning Qingshan¡¯s hand, and shouted.

    Jealousy? Ning Xueyan sneered. Ning Qingshan dared to say that.

    Ning Xueyan had been neglected by the people of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor since she was a child. Even her biological father and grandmother were indifferent to her. Although they were her blood rtives, they never gave her any family affection. Even a passer-by would not take such an attitude toward an orphan and a widow.

    Unexpectedly, even so, some people were jealous of her. Ning Qingshan thought highly of her. She gently stroked the handle of the teacup, lowered her head, and listened to how Ning Qingshan made up her tale.

    ¡°Grandmother, I was blinded by jealousy. Although Fifth Sister has lost her biological mother now, she still has a grandmother and a father who loves her. However, I have nothing. I always regarded you as my grandmother, but... but those people in the manor don¡¯t regard me as such. They always say that... I ¡®m adopted... Grandmother, I¡¯m wrong. I thought that if something should happen to Fifth Sister, I will be the only one in your eyes.¡±

    Ning Qingshan burst into tears. She raised her swollen eyes and looked at Madam Dowager imploringly.

    ¡°Although I favor your Fifth Sister, did I not care about you? Why do you think that I love your Fifth Sister more than you? Why do you want to hurt your Fifth Sister?¡± Madam Dowager asked this coldly, with a gloomy face.

    ¡°It¡¯s... it¡¯s my fault. I¡¯ve always been self-abased. I heard some servants talking about Fifth Sister and me. I don¡¯t know why I lost my head. Grandmother, please forgive me. I won¡¯t do this again. I¡¯ll get along well with Fifth Sister. It will never happen again. When I enter the pce, I¡¯ll take care of her.¡±

    Ning Qingshan cried bitterly, she looked up at Madam Dowager with tears in her eyes. She looked sincere as if she would die if Madam Dowager did not believe her and ept her apology.

    ¡°Well, if such a thing happens again next time, I won¡¯t forgive you. Go and apologize to your Fifth Sister.¡± Seeing that Ning Qingshan was in such a pitiful state, Madam Dowager sighed and rxed a little. She finally relented and said.

    Seeing that Madam Dowager relented, Mother Qin hurried to help Ning Qingshan up. ¡°Third Young Lady, don¡¯t me Madam Dowager. She has always treated you as her biological granddaughter. Whatever those biological granddaughters have, you have too How can you be jealous of your Fifth Young Lady?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I lost my head for the time being. Fifth Sister, you... please forgive me. Otherwise, I... I can¡¯t face my grandmother. Even if I die, I can¡¯t repay her great kindness...¡± Ning Qingshan could not help crying again. In the event that Ning Xueyan did not want to forgive her, she would kneel to express her apologies.

    Both Ning Qingshan and Madam Dowager were getting better at acting. One of them regretted it so much that she almostmitted suicide, while the other was generous enough to say that there would be no next time. It was because they had to cooperate and would receive mutual benefits. Thus, Ning Qingshan could continue to act like this.

    Seeing that Ning Qingshan came to her, Ning Xueyan had a faint sarcastic smile on her face. Tears were streaming down her face, but her eyes were full of viciousness. Despite this, Ning Qingshan showed that their sisterhood ties were deep. ¡°Third Sister, you¡¯re too kind. Grandmother has forgiven you, so how could I not forgive you? After all, in Grandmother¡¯s heart, she wholeheartedly treats you as her own granddaughter.¡±

    Madam Dowager treated Ning Qingshan better than her biological granddaughters. As her granddaughter, Ning Xueyan never felt any affection from Madam Dowager! However, she loved Ning Qingshan, her fake granddaughter most. On the one hand, Ning Qingshan was sweet-tongued and talkative. On the other hand, it showed that Madam Dowager was ruthless toward Madam Ming and her daughter. She treated an outsider better than her granddaughter.

    Madam Dowager was very satisfied with Ning Xueyan¡¯s magnanimity, but her words also reminded her of her intentions. Maybe Ning Qingshan did not take it seriously at all. She was angry and waved her hand. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. You two dress up and go to Cold Mountain Temple. Don¡¯t let the other Young Ladies wait for you.¡±

 Chapter 296 - Praying at Cold Mountain Temple During the Spring Festival

    <h4>Chapter 296 Praying at Cold Mountain Temple During the Spring Festival</h4>

    When Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan arrived at the Cold Mountain Temple under Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s escort, a few carriages had already been parked in the parking lot in the courtyard.

    Although the Cold Mountain Temple was well-known, it was located in a secluded ce. Therefore, not so many noble Young Ladies had chosen toe here during the Spring Festival. As Ning Yuling preferred lively ces, Cold Mountain Temple was not her first choice, and people of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had nevere here to fight for burning the first incense in the previous years.

    It was Ning Qingshan who had proposed toe here, and she also specifically asked Ning Xueyan for her opinion. Ning Xueyan also liked this kind of quiet ce in her previous life and she felt more rxed here than those noisy ces. That was why she did not refuse when Ning Qingshan had made the proposal.

    Seeing the tworge carriagesing over, the little monks knew that there were noble guests and immediately came out to greet them. Although they were all kids, these little monks were all very smart. During the Spring Festival, these noble Young Ladies would definitely donate a lot of money, which would be enough for their temple tost for a long time.

    The courtyard had been booked for a long time. Ning Xueyan, Ning Qingshan and Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s rooms were close to each other. After tidying up, they would go to the main hall first, where the abbot of the Cold Mountain Temple would give a lectureter. After that, everyone could stay and drink tea in the wing room beside the main hall, and the little monks would add themp oil and tea for them.

    When it was at 11 o¡¯clock at night, everyone could burn incense in the hall.

    After tidying up, Ning Xueyan walked out of her room with Xinmei and Qingyu. As soon as she stepped out, she saw Ning Qingshaning out from the opposite door with Feilian and Caifen.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, would you like to take a walk with me?¡± Ning Qingshan was no longer pitiful, like she had been in front of Madam Dowager. She covered her mouth with her sleeve when she smiled, looking graceful.

    Today was the New Year¡¯s Eve. The monks knew that the noble Young Ladies and childes would stay up tonight, so they kept the road brightly lit from the guest rooms to the main hall, made it quite different from usual.

    ¡°Well, Third Sister, since you are willing to get along with me, let¡¯s go together!¡± Ning Xueyan said calmly with a faint smile.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, it¡¯s normal for sisters to have some minor conflicts. Are you really mad of me?¡± Ning Qingshan smiled gently and walked out.

    ¡°Is she hinting that as her younger sister, I shouldn¡¯t be too mean?¡± Ning Xueyan wondered. She did not know whether she should ridicule Ning Qingshan¡¯s ¡®generosity¡¯ orugh at her about this. ¡°She is so generous to me that she had forgotten that she just framed me recently and promised Madam Dowager in a pitiful manner, like a little white lotus.¡±

    However, this was not what Ning Qingshan used to say. Ning Xueyan could tell from her words that she was not as kind as she appeared. ¡°Does she want to have a falling-up with me? But this is not in keeping with her principle of pretending to be perfect. What¡¯s Ning Qingshan going to do?¡± Ning Xueyan walked forward while looking up to Ning Qingshan with a trace of cold suspicion in her eyes.

    ¡°How can I be mad of you, Third Sister? Our father and grandmother will not me you either. Third Sister, since you¡¯re not rted to our family by blood, it was normal for you to have done such a thing. But if it were me who have done this, our father and grandmother would have definitely taught me a good lesson. I don¡¯t take what happened today seriously, so Third Sister, you don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡±

    Ning Xueyan shot back leisurely. In the candlelight, her thoughtful eyes were as dark as ck jade.

    She was reminding Ning Qingshan that she was only an adopted daughter. Even if Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an did not favor Ning Xueyan, after all, she was the daughter of the principal wife of Lord Protector, so she was different from Ning Qingshan. She was hinting that even if Ning Qingshan had been adopted by Madam Ling, Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an would not really take her as their family.

    Ning Qingshan knew that Ning Xueyan was not easy to deal with, but she had not thought that she was so acrimonious. At the thought that her n fell t and she had ended up being suspected by Ning Zu¡¯an because Ning Xueyan had gotten the advantages all the time, the smile on her face disappeared.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, you¡¯re so eloquent. Thank you for your magnanimity!¡±

    It was obvious that she was sarcastic! Ning Xueyan was more certain about her judgment now. Ning Qingshan did not seem to be friendly today and she did not even hide her sarcasm when she spoke.

    As hypocritical and insidious as Ning Qingshan was, if she had not hated Ning Xueyan to the extreme and could not put up with her anymore, she would not have spoken in this way. Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyelid twitched slightly and she became even more cautious.

    Ning Qingshan had never confronted Ning Xueyan like this before. Even if she had wanted to frame her, she would have shifted the me to others. When Ning Qingshan invited her to take a walk with her just now, Ning Xueyan had thought that she wanted to exin the collusion between Mammy Xing and her. Ning Xueyan believed that she would give her countless hypocritical exnations.

    Or maybe she would shift all the me to Mammy Luo.

    Or perhaps she would tell her that Mammy Luo had misunderstood her and she had nothing to do with this matter.

    Normally, whatever way she tried to exin it, she would distance herself from the matter. However, to Ning Xueyan¡¯s surprise, instead of falsely exining what had happened, Ning Qingshan shot back at her. ¡°Is she fed up with me or is she up to something?¡±

    ¡°Or maybe she doesn¡¯t take me seriously, thinking that I won¡¯t stand in the way of her grand ns and she doesn¡¯t have to carefully maintain her hypocritical and perfect image in front of me.¡±

    There must be a reason for a person¡¯s change, especially for a person like Ning Qingshan who had always pretended to be kind in front of people. It made Ning Xueyan more suspicious about her. Unlike hot-tempered Ning Yuling, Ning Qingshan would not say anything offensive for a moment¡¯s pleasure. But if it were not for this reason, why had Ning Qingshan lost temper in front of her?

    ¡°Third Sister, you must be jealous of me because our grandmother favors me more. But what about Second Sister? It¡¯s said she is going toe back soon. It was Second Sister who was engaged to Third Prince. I wonder what will happen when she returns to our manor. Maybe Lord Protector will marry two of his daughters to Third Prince.¡±

    Ning Xueyan pretended that she did not figure out what Ning Qingshan hinted. Covering her lips with a handkerchief, she smiled gracefully and walked forward following Ning Qingshan.

    Ning Yuling loved Third Prince and wanted to marry him wholeheartedly. Even Honored Consort Ya had acquiesced to her being her daughter-inw. If nothing had happenedter, Ning Yuling would be Third Prince¡¯s wife. Although Ning Qingshan had not returned to the manor when the ident happened, Ning Xueyan did not believe that Ning Qingshan knew nothing about it.

    ¡°What happened to Second Sister is over. Fifth Sister, do you want such a notorious woman to marry Third Prince?¡± Ning Qingshan nced at Ning Xueyan from the corner of her eyes and sneered. She had to seriously take the matter, which made her lose her temper. At the thought that her carefully plotted scheme had almost fallen through because of Ning Yuling, she was in a bad mood.

    Although Ning Qingshan had followed Ning Huaiyuan and mentioned Ning Yuling in front of people, saying that she also wanted Ning Yuling to go back to the capital city, it did not mean that she liked Ning Yuling, that stupid woman.

    Sure enough, Ning Qingshan had kept an eye on the outside world during the three years when she was in the nunnery. It was said that she had been in the nunnery to meditate wholeheartedly and would not greet any visitors, even her family members. However, if she had paid no attention to what had happened outside of the nunnery, how could she know so much about Ning Yuling? Ning Xueyan remembered that it was not in the peaceful and quiet nunnery when she had met Ning Qingshan for the first time.

    Since Ning Qingshan had appeared there with her face masked, of course she could appear in other ces. Ning Xueyan even had a hunch that Ning Qingshan had gone to the nunnery for her reputation or great benefit. As for whether she had stayed in the nunnery or not, Ning Qingshan was the only one who knew.

    ¡°Third Sister, as for the reputation...¡± Ning Xueyan said with a smiling face as brilliant as a flower, as if she really cared about Ning Qingshan. ¡°It seems that the rumors about you have spread a few days ago. But don¡¯t take it seriously, Third Sister. Anyway, the rumors can¡¯t reach the imperial pce.¡±

    Everyone knew how to pretend to be innocent. Third Prince had set such a trap and Ning Qingshan had already fallen into it. Ning Xueyan was just looking on at her trouble indifferently and adding fuels to the fire asionally.

    At first, Ning Qingshan had kept a gentle smile on her face. However, what Ning Xueyan had mentioned just now had been troubling her for days. Besides, she could not help feeling that Ning Xueyan was sneering at her at the sight of the smile on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face. It reminded her of the rumor spread since that night that she had an affair with Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li and had been caught by Third Prince on spot in his suburban courtyard, and finally, she had made a maid her scapegoat.

    What was more, someone said that she had been together with Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li before she was found with her mussed-up clothes that night. It was said that as soon as she had just entered the Linjiang Restaurant, Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li came, so they had arrived at about the same time. Later, Ao Xian had defended Ning Qingshan when she had an argument with Ya Moqin, so everyone was more certain that they really had an affair.

    Ning Qingshan thought that it was all nonsense and Third Prince would not believe it. She was sure that after a few days, those people would feel bored and stop spreading rumors. However, to her surprise, after so long time, the rumors did not die down but grew stronger. That was why she had tried to set Ning Xueyan up out of anger today.

    She would not allow any rumors about her spreading and she must do everything possible to avoid Ning Zu¡¯an doubting her. Otherwise, her position as Third Prince¡¯s wife would definitely be swayed. However, Ning Xueyan had mentioned this again and again. How could she bear it?

    She suddenly turned around and red at Ning Xueyan coldly. ¡°Fifth Sister, enough!¡±

    It was obvious that she could not bear it anymore. Ning Xueyan smiled slightly and raised her head with a confused look in her eyes. ¡°Enough? Third Sister, I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about.¡±

    ¡°Fifth Sister, you must be very happy if I can¡¯t marry Third Prince. Am I right?¡± Ning Qingshan looked at Ning Xueyan fiercely with coldness and hatred in her eyes. She still remembered the special look on Third Prince¡¯s face when he mentioned Ning Xueyan. She had found that Third Prince treated Ning Xueyan differently from others when he saw Ning Xueyan for the first time, so she had been trying to stop his feelings for Ning Xueyan from escting and she would never let Ning Xueyan marry Third Prince.

    ¡°Are you trying to mess up my marriage so that you can marry Third Prince? Who do you think you are? How can a co-wife¡¯s daughter be a prince¡¯s wife? Only in our Chu Kingdom can co-wives be regarded as wives. In other countries, they are no different from concubines. How dare a concubine¡¯s daughter dream of being the distinguished Third Prince¡¯s wife?¡±

    Ning Qingshan said with disdain. She stared at Ning Xueyan gloomily with a ferocious look on her face.

 Chapter 297 - Is She Really the Princess of the Previous Dynasty?

    <strong>Chapter 297 Is She Really the Princess of the Previous Dynasty?</strong>

    ¡°What? I¡¯m trying to mess up her marriage in order to marry Third Prince?¡±

    Ning Xueyan curved up her lips with coldness in her jet-ck eyes. Looking at Ning Qingshan fearlessly, she said calmly, ¡°Third Sister, don¡¯t get me involved in the matter between you and Third Prince. I have nothing to do with Third Prince, but please respect my mother. If you look down on her, why did you call her ¡®mother¡¯ so intimately before? After she had passed away, you started calling Madam Ling ¡®mother¡¯. Third Sister, you are really something!¡±

    She did not care what had happened between Ning Qingshan and Ao Mingyu, but Ning Xueyan did not think that there was any reason for Ning Qingshan to humiliate Madam Ming.

    ¡°I¡¯m really something? Of course! If you were not jealous of me, Third Prince would have fallen in love with me,¡± Ning Qingshan said in a low voice with obvious hatred in her eyes.

    ¡°Jealousy? Third Sister, what makes you think in this way? Because you¡¯re favored by our grandmother?¡± Ning Xueyan asked calmly with a trace of smile on her lips, which was sarcasm and ridicule in Ning Qingshan¡¯s eyes. Besides, Ning Xueyan also used the same reason that she had told Madam Dowager before.

    ¡°Of course you¡¯re jealous of me! I¡¯m noble and you are no match for me. I¡¯m the perfect match for Third Prince. Besides, I¡¯m excellent in all aspects and it won¡¯t be difficult for me to rise higher in the future. However, you have always been against me and gotten me into trouble. If it weren¡¯t for you, our father wouldn¡¯t have suspected me and Third Prince would not have distanced from me.¡±

    The more Ning Qingshan said, the angrier she became. Her elegant eyes were covered with a hint of hatred because of her deep jealousy. It was hard to believe it was Ning Qingshan, who had always put a perfect and gentle smile on her face in front of people.

    It sounded that Ning Qingshan was so noble that words could not even express her nobleness. It reminded Ning Xueyan of what Ning Qingshan¡¯s maid Xia¡¯er had said when they first met. Xia¡¯er had also hinted that her master was incredible noble. It made Ning Xueyan suspect that Ning Qingshan was the princess of the previous dynasty again. If that was not the case, how could an adopted daughter think herself extremely noble? It seemed that Ning Qingshan was hinting that she would be the empress in the future.

    ¡°Third Sister, though your identity is noble, I¡¯m not worse than you. Why do you think that you fit Third Prince better than I do?¡± Ning Xueyan raised her eyebrows with a look of disapproval.

    ¡°You!? You think yourself excellent? Are you good at music, chess, calligraphy, and painting? Can youpose poems and songs? Can you be graceful and natural, born noble?¡± Ning Qingshan did not want to pretend to be gentle anymore. She looked at Ning Xueyan, biting her teeth, and shouted angrily, raising her voice unconsciously.¡±

    If it were not for the fact that they camete and there was no one in the guest rooms, many people would have gathered to watch.

    Ning Xueyan was surprised, but soon showed a cold smile on her face. She had never thought that Ning Qingshan was so narcissistic. ¡°Born noble? Is she really the princess of the previous dynasty?¡± If that was the case, it was no wonder that Ning Qingshan was so proud of herself and thought that she was born superior to others.

    Of course, it was normal for her to think that she would be empress in the future. However, since she called Ao Mingyu ¡®cousin¡¯, it was impossible for her to be the princess of the former dynasty.

    The previous regime had only been overthrown for more than a decade and there were a lot of rumors about it. It was said that thest emperor of the previous dynasty had no son and only a daughter who had been very young when he was deposed from the throne. Maybe the princess had not died in the fire in the imperial pce. Seeing Ning Qingshan¡¯s frantic look, Ning Xueyan only felt ironic.

    Even though Ning Qingshan was that princess, the former dynasty had copsed. Every new sovereign brings his own courtiers. The session of regimes affected far more than just a few families, so Ning Xueyan was confused about why Ning Qingshan thought that she would enjoy the splendor and be superior to others all the time. And she even framed others for this purpose.

    When she was still a kid, Ning Qingshan had already known how to poison others and frame others. After growing up, she was even more ruthless and vicious. Was it because she was the noble princess of the former dynasty that everyone had to give way to her and anyone who blocked her way would die?

    In a word, she was too self-righteous. Since the previous dynasty had been reced, of course the former emperor¡¯s daughter was not a princess anymore. She had been supreme before, but now she was nothing at all. As she could not even show herself in public, how could she think highly of herself? Who would still think of her as a princess?

    In the final analysis, Ning Qingshan did not know much about the current situation and still thought it was great that she was the princess of the former dynasty. She thought that she was a perfect match for Third Prince, Ao Mingyu, but never thought about whether other people thought in the say way. In the other¡¯s eyes, she was only an adopted daughter of Lord Protector. Even though she had a good reputation, she was no more than an adopted daughter. After all, except for Ning Xueyan, she was different from Lord Protector¡¯s own daughters.

    In Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s eyes, Ning Xueyan was no better than a maid of their manor.

    Ning Xueyan thought that Honored Consort Ya yed the most important role in making other people thought that Ning Qingshan would be Third Prince¡¯s wife. If Honored Consort Ya had not highly rmended her, Ning Qingshan would never be Third Prince¡¯s wife. Now since she had aroused Third Prince¡¯s suspicion, she could not marry Third Prince as his wife anymore.

    Ning Qingshan¡¯s identity was doubtful, but it was not the time to argue with her. Thinking about this, Ning Xueyan turned around and walked in another direction.

    Suddenly, she saw a figure in light yellow robe sh past her and she stopped. However, before Ning Xueyan could think about it, she was grabbed by the hand and forcibly pulled back to where she had been. Seeing that Ning Xueyan almost fell to the ground, Xinmei immediately walked over to support her. She turned her head slightly to one side, signaling Ning Xueyan that someone was in that direction.

    ¡°Third Sister, no matter how outstanding and noble you are, I don¡¯t want topete with you.¡± After standing firmly, Ning Xueyan raised her head and said calmly. Against thentern light and moonlight, her fair face looked graceful and calm. Obviously, she was not flustered by Ning Qingshan¡¯s sudden loss of control.

    ¡°Ning Xueyan, stop dreaming of marrying Third Prince. Even if you can marry him, I will trample you underfoot. If I want you die, you can¡¯t live!¡± Ning Qingshan said arrogantly.

    ¡°Third Sister, it seems you are very confident to be Third Prince¡¯s wife,¡± Ning Xueyan said emotionlessly with coldness in her eyes.

    ¡°Of course you can¡¯t guess the rtionship between Third Prince and me!¡± Speaking of Ao Mingyu, Ning Qingshan could not help feeling triumphant. As she was Honored Consort Ya¡¯s niece, whatever her reputation, Honored Consort Ya would help her. It was Honored Consort Ya who had created the opportunity for her to approach Third Prince three years ago.

    ¡°Ning Xueyan, you¡¯d better give up! I have saved Third Prince¡¯s life, so you can¡¯t rob him away from me!¡±

    Ning Xueyan was amused by Ning Qingshan¡¯s arrogance. ¡°You have saved his life? Third Sister, you must have made it with some tricks!¡± she retorted casually. When she saw Ning Qingshan¡¯s shocked look, she chuckled and continued, ¡°Third Sister, it seems I¡¯m right. Otherwise, how could a powerful prince be saved by you, a delicate Young Lady?¡±

    Ning Qingshan was stunned. ¡°You... stop talking nonsense!¡± she looked around and shouted angrily.

    ¡°I¡¯m right, am I? Third Sister, I feel sorry for you for doing anything to marry Third Prince.¡± Ning Xueyan shook her head and stopped talking to Ning Qingshan. She then walked quickly forward. Since someone in yellow was on the path, she did not want to head for that direction to avoid bumping into someone she did not want to see.

    It should be Third Prince or Fourth Prince. In the capital city, only these two princes would havee to the temple with their men and stay up at night on New Year¡¯s eve in the previous years. But neither of them had shown up by now. It was more likely to be Third Prince, because only he could be so patient. If it were Fourth Prince, he would have jumped out long ago.

    How could it be so coincident?

    Ning Xueyan was still wondering whether Ning Qingshan was the princess of the former dynasty or not. From the way Ning Qingshan acted and spoke, she should be, but in fact, it was impossible.

    Ning Qingshan was reluctant to let go of Ning Xueyan, so she took a few steps forward, but was stopped by Xinmei. Hearing someoneing, she immediately stopped walking and put on the usual gentle and peaceful look, looking even a little weak and delicate.

    Her arrogant and ferocious look had disappeared. She did not follow her until she saw Ning Xueyan turn the corner.

    Until Ning Qingshan was out of sight, a young man in light yellow robe walked out of a corner with a darkened face, followed by a guard and a eunuch.

    Ao Mingyu had never expected that he would have seen this. At the thought that Ning Qingshan was so vicious under her gentle appearance, he could not hold back his anger anymore. He clenched his fists out of anger. He had been guilty for setting up Ning Qingshan before.

    He had thought that if Ning Qingshan was not Ao Chenyi¡¯s favorite concubine, he would definitely treat her sincerely. After all, she had saved his life three years ago. But what had he heard just now? The woman was so wicked that she had set up a trap for him three years ago. It was no wonder that there had been nobody around him when he fell ill that day.

    Even the pills that he had always ced in his pocket was missing. Besides, he had been at such a remote pce at that moment. Ao Mingyu clearly remembered that Honored Consort Ya had asked him to gather some plum flowers there for her that day, saying that since nobody had usually gone to that ce, the plum flowers were the best. That was why he had gone so far.

    He was surprised that his mother had framed him for that b*tch. If Ning Qingshan had not ¡®saved his life¡¯, he would not have been so obsessed with her and given an adopted daughter of Lord Protector any opportunities to be his wife. It turned out that this b*tch had been acting all the time!

    ¡°Your Highness, shall we go to the main hall?¡± The eunuch asked him in a low voice when he saw Ao Mingyu was in a bad mood.

    ¡°Why not? Let¡¯s go!¡± Third Prince, Ao Mingyu loosened his clenched fists and said with a gloomy face. Since that b*tch dared to plot against him, he would show no mercy. ¡°Mother, since you want me to marry her, I¡¯ll follow your words. I¡¯ll definitely marry her!¡± he thought.

    Now, he had made up to marry Ning Qingshan and would not change his mind even if his mother stopped him from doing so.

    He would do this for both the bargaining chip behind Ning Qingshan and Ning Qingshan herself.

    Since she was so vicious, she should not me him for being cold-blooded!

 Chapter 298 - A Powerful Man

    <strong>Chapter 298 A Powerful Man</strong>

    The hall was dark and serene, without any light. It was empty and nobody could tell how big it was.

    When the heavy door of the hall was pushed open, a frightening sound could be heard. With the wind blowing the curtain, it was chilling. Ning Qingshan was also scared, but she still forced herself to walk into the hall, while Caifen was left at the door.

    The door of the hall was closed as instructed.

    ¡°Is... there anyone?¡± Ning Qingshan stopped, clenching the handkerchief in her hand tightly. As soon as the door closed, her surroundings were in darkness and she could not even smaee her own fingers.

    ¡°Scared?¡± The drifting voice seemed toe from all directions, but she could identify it was a man¡¯s voice. The voice sounded weird, but it reassured Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°My identity might have been found out,¡± Ning Qingshan tried to calm herself down and said. It was a mysterious woman who had contacted Mammy Luo before but never shown her face. If she had something to inform Ning Qingshan, she would have told Mammy Luo to take a message for her. However, Ning Qingshan knew that the woman had a master who was supposed to be a man. Could this man be her master?

    ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re looking for me?¡± The drifting voice came again, which made people feel a kind of irony and surprise.

    ¡°You told me that I could contact you directly for something urgent! It¡¯s really urgent!¡± After calming down, Ning Qingshan said with grievance.

    Whenever she wanted to meet that woman for something urgent, she would let the pigeon off. Before she left home today, she had let off the pigeon with a note attached to its leg, saying that she would go to the Cold Mountain Temple today and wanted to meet that woman there to discuss something important. When she had been in her own room just now, she found a note thrown through the window, informing her toe to this Buddha hall.

    Ning Qingshan was surprised that it was not the woman who hade this time, but a man, who might be the woman¡¯s master. This excited her.

    ¡°Tell me, who discovered your identity?¡± The drifting voice was cold and it seemed that its owner was not very interested in what Ning Qingshan said.

    ¡°Ning Xueyan! Fifth Young Lady, Ning Xueyan of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor found out my identity. You must get rid of her, or my identity might be exposed and it would ruin your great n,¡±

    Ning Qingshan said, gritting her teeth. She hated Ning Xueyan so much and thought that Ning Xueyan had ruined all her ns. Since she met Ning Xueyan, she had always been at a disadvantage and everything had been against her. It seemed no matter what Ning Qingshan did, Ning Xueyan could find a way to deal with her. Ning Qingshan had nned to get rid of Ning Xueyan on her own, but unexpectedly, she had aroused Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s suspicion.

    Ning Qingshan had too many secrets, so she was nervous when she knew that Ning Zu¡¯an was investigating her. However,pared to Ning Zu¡¯an, she hated Ning Xueyan more. If it were not for Ning Xueyan, Ning Zu¡¯an would not have suspected her. Therefore, she wanted Ning Xueyan dead. She must die!

    To avoid that man¡¯s refusal, she deliberately said something threatening, which meant that if he did not kill Ning Xueyan, his n would fall through once she was exposed. Although she did not know why, Ning Qingshan could tell that this man was protecting her. That meant she was important. Therefore, she thought that the man would have to put up with her even she said something threatening.

    ¡°Pa!¡± A hand reached out in the darkness and pped Ning Qingshan in the face. Ning Qingshan turned around and fell heavily to the ground. She immediately felt a burning pain in the corner of her mouth from where something warm flowing down. Being shocked and painful, Ning Qingshan covered her face with her hand subconsciously.

    ¡°Do you really think I can¡¯t do without you, so I have to protect you? Do you believe I can kill you right now?¡± The cold voice drifted from somewhere and prated Ning Qingshan¡¯s skin, which made her feel the strong killing intent instantly. Wasn¡¯t this person protecting her all the time? Why did he suddenly be so violent?

    ¡°I... I don¡¯t. I¡¯m just afraid that other people will know it.¡± Her tone softened and her eyes were filled with horror.

    Ning Qingshan was really scared. She had always thought that this man was protecting her, so she was not afraid when she heard his voice. However, now she was really frightened.

    This man was unpredictable and did not y bymon sense, so it was impossible for anyone to control him.

    ¡°Humph! You¡¯d better be careful! If your identity is discovered by that person, maybe I¡¯ll really...¡± The man warned with emotionless voice. Ning Qingshan felt someone¡¯s hand touching her swollen face and two beams of cold light fixing on her. The hand was so cold, without a trace of warmth.

    ¡°Yes, I... I¡¯ll be careful. I¡¯m going to the imperial pce to attend the Beauty Contest soon. I¡¯ll be more cautious after marrying Third Prince.¡± Ning Qingshan nodded hard and emphasized that she was useful. She did not dare to move and her body went stiff when the cold hand ran across her face and disappeared in the endless darkness.

    ¡°This man is so powerful!¡± she thought.

    ¡°Are you talking about Ning Xueyan?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s her!¡±

    ¡°I got it. I don¡¯t want this kind of thing to happen again.¡± The drifting voice was so cold that Ning Qingshan was chilled to the bone.

    It sounded that the man would deal with Ning Xueyan soon. ¡°No, no, I¡¯ll be careful not to arouse suspicion anymore.¡± Ning Qingshan felt relieved and answered subconsciously. She was so excited that she almost forgot her situation.

    Ning Qingshan believed that as long as this man took action, Ning Xueyan had little chance to survive. ¡°Ning Xueyan, how dare you go against me? You¡¯re dead!¡± she thought.

    No one responded to her in the darkness, as if that man had never been here. Ning Qingshan copsed on the ground. After a while, she could not help asking in a low voice, ¡°Are you, are you still there?¡±

    Her voice was no longer as arrogant as before, but more fearful and pitiful. Even though people could not see her face clearly, they could feel as a weak woman, how helpless and scared she was now. She even changed into a pitiful look, like a wounded little rabbit.

    Ning Qingshan had practiced this expression and movement many times in front of the bronze mirror. Although now her face was swollen and her mouth was broken, Ning Qingshan still believed that the man would pity her as long as he saw her as she was now. Men were born to pity for weak and beautiful women.

    As this man was so powerful, she wanted to capture him.

    After finishing speaking, Ning Qingshan maintained her current posture and quietly waited in the darkness with an expectant look in her eyes. She was waiting for the prey to hook. She could not see anything in the darkness, but she was sure that the man would definitely see her clearly. Otherwise, he could not have touched her face with perfect uracy.

    Unfortunately, she seemed to be wrong again. Nobody answered her at all in the darkness.

    She suddenly heard someone knocking on the door of the hall. ¡°Miss! Miss!¡± Caifen called her in a low voice.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Ning Qingshan stood up with a trace of shame and anger on her face. She had not expected that the man had gone for a long time, but she was still sitting on the ground and waiting for his reply. So stupid!

    When she pulled open the heavy door and saw Caifen standing at the door nervously, her face darkened.

    ¡°Miss, it seems that someone ising over there. Shall we hide?¡± Caifen pointed at thenterns in the distance and asked Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Ning Qingshan nodded and walked toward a path outside of the Buddha Hall. If people saw her here, gossips would rise again. She had heard just now that Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li also came. It was so annoying. It seemed that he would appear wherever she went. What a nuisance!

    ¡°Miss, your face...¡± Caifen hurried to catch up with Ning Qingshan. When she suddenly saw a trace of blood on Ning Qingshan¡¯s swollen face, she could not help screaming.

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Ning Qingshan said viciously and red at Caifen coldly as if she was going to kill her.

    Under her cold gaze, Caifen lowered her head in horror and did not dare to speak anymore. She followed behind Ning Qingshan carefully without saying a word.

    ¡°Miss, they¡¯re gone.¡± Xinmei, who was carrying thentern, stopped when she saw Ning Qingshan leaving with her maid, Caifen from a distance.

    ¡°We¡¯ll just walk around here before leaving.¡± Ning Xueyan hade here on the pretext of looking for a handkerchief. She had been walking in front of Ning Qingshan, but after a while, Xinmei had told her that Ning Qingshan was gone.

    Ning Xueyan had not taken it seriously at the beginning. However, when Xinmei told her that Ning Qingshan was not going in the direction of the hall where they were going to meet, she immediately became alert.

    Ning Xueyan had never given up on her vignce against Ning Qingshan. On the one hand, Ning Qingshan was really vicious. Like a poisonous snake always spying on people, she hid in a dark corner and waited for the right time to rush out and kill people. On the other hand, it was because of her mystery.

    Although she could not be certain of Ning Qingshan¡¯s identity yet, Ning Xueyan had a hunch that it was a big secret that had something to do with her previous life or this life.

    She asked Qingyu to go to the main hall first. She then walked around the Cold Mountain Temple casually with Xinmei, carryingnterns. Ning Qingshan had walked so fast and when Ning Xueyan wanted to catch up with her, she had already disappeared. When they arrived, before Ning Xueyan could find anything, Xinmei heard the sound of the door opening and closing. She looked carefully and found it was no other than Ning Qingshan.

    From a distance, nothing seemed to be amiss with Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°Miss, shall we go to the hall and have a look?¡± Xinmei asked in a low voice while pretending to look for something on the ground. It was impossible for Ning Qingshan to appear in a dark hall for no reason. Thinking of Ning Qingshan¡¯s mystery, everyone would want to find out what had happened.

    ¡°No! Just look for the handkerchief.¡± Ning Xueyan said in a soft and determined voice, fixing her eyes on the ground coolly.

    This ce was full of oddities, so Ning Xueyan did not think it was right to enter the hall at this time. How unwise it would be to expose herself in front of her enemies!

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, are you looking for something? Let me help you!¡± A clear and loud voice came from behind them pleasantly. Ning Xueyan looked back and saw an enchanting and extremely beautiful face as well as a pair of lovely charming eyes in thentern¡¯s light.

 Chapter 299 - The Beauty in Ao Xianâ€™s Heart

    <h4>Chapter 299 The Beauty in Ao Xian¡¯s Heart</h4>

    Ning Xueyan had not expected to see Wen Xueran here. What surprised her more was that he was being with Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, Ao Xian! Wen Xueran saw them first. Now Ao Xian was one step away from him, followed by two servants. They happened to appear in a corner behind Ning Xueyan and Xinmei.

    ¡°Greetings, Princely Heirs!¡± Ning Xueyan recovered herposure soon and bowed to them to offer her greetings. She then straightened up and asked with a smile, ¡°Princely Heirs, what are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°We were tired of listening to the monk chanting in the front hall, so we came to the backyard, thinking that we might see some beautifuldies walking on the snow in the moonlight.¡± Wen Xueran winked at Ning Xueyan frivolously, his charming and amorous eyes even more attractive and watery. If those bold young girls saw him, they would definitely scream with surprise.

    It turned out that the abbot had started to preach in the Buddha hall. Obviously, the two of them were not that kind of people who would sit there and listen to the preaching absorbedly, so it was inevitable for them to sneak out and take a stroll.

    Ao Xian nodded to Ning Xueyan from behind. He had been excited when he saw a Young Lady just now. As Wen Xueran said, beautifuldies did not like to listen to the preaching either and they would slip out as well. However, when he saw it was Ning Xueyan, he stopped fantasizing.

    Among all the Young Ladies of the capital city, Ao Xian was most afraid of the ones from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor now. Ao Xian thought no matter who she was, he should stay away from her, because he and these Young Ladies were meant not to be together. Every time he got close to them, there would be quarreling, fighting and romantic troubles.

    It was not a big deal if it was onlymon romantic troubles. Unfortunately, it was rted to Third Prince, so Ao Xian was upset recently and he felt uneasy when he heard about the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    When he found it was Ning Xueyan, he was in no mood for romance. He stood in the distance and did not even intend toe over to greet her. Seeing Wen Xueran greeting Ning Xueyan warmly, he remained unmoved. If it were not for the Young Ladies of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, he would not have had such bad luck recently. He had gotten much humiliated because of them. Besides, he had been severely punished several times by Madam Dowager and even gotten beat upst time!

    Since then, Ao Xian had been quiet for a while.

    ¡°Princely Heirs, since you are hanging about, I won¡¯t bother you.¡± Ning Xueyan did not want to get involved in their affairs, so she said goodbye with a gentle smile.

    ¡°What? Fifth Young Lady, are you going back to listen to the boring scriptures again?¡± Wen Xueran opened the valuable folding fan in his hand and waved it. Under the gaze of his amorous and enchanting eyes, any girl would blush and lower her head.

    He walked around Ning Xueyan for a while and asked with interest.

    ¡°The scripture is dull or not depends on the listener. Princely Heir, you don¡¯t want to listen to it because your mind is restless,¡± Ning Xueyan said gracefully and calmly with a smile. She looked at Wen Xueran at ease with her jet-ck eyes, neither avoiding nor shy, looking extremely natural.

    It seemed that she was looking at an ordinary person, instead of an unparalleled beautiful man.

    ¡°My mind is restless? No, no, no!¡± Wen Xueran shook his fan hard, as if to prove Ning Xueyan¡¯s mistake. He blinked at Ning Xueyan with his right eye and curved his lips into a charming smile, like a cunning fox. ¡°I have always been at peace, as I am now, with the intention of...¡±

    The more he said, the more indecent he became.

    ¡°Princely Heir, I have to leave. My third sister is waiting for me in front.¡± Ning Xueyan interrupted Wen Xueran and bowed to him again. She did not see any point in listening to him any longer, so she said goodbye and went straight ahead before Wen Xueran could say anything. Turning the corner, it would be the main road.

    ¡°Hey, hey... Fifth Young Lady! Fifth...¡± Seeing that Ning Xueyan ignored him, Wen Xueranughed and closed the folding fan in his hand, pointing at Ning Xueyan from behind with it.

    ¡°Forget it! She is gone! All the Young Ladies of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor are very strange. You¡¯d better not provoke them in the future.¡± Seeing that Ning Xueyan had left, but Wen Xueran was still calling her, Ao Xian became impatient. He had hoped that Ning Xueyan would leave soon, because he was sure that anyone who met the Young Ladies of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would be out of luck for three years!

    Unfortunately, he always bumped into them wherever he went.

    Wen Xueran turned his head and blinked his enchanting eyes. ¡°Brother Ao Xian, don¡¯t you think she is a great beauty?¡± he raised his hand casually and asked with a smile. ¡°I remember you love such kind of beautiful woman best.¡±

    ¡°Great beauty? No woman is more beautiful than the one from the previous dynasty. This one? She is too young and I don¡¯t think she is that beautiful!¡± Ao Xian said disdainfully.

    ¡°Although she has not fully developed yet, I¡¯m sure after two years, she will be the First Beauty in our country,¡± Wen Xueran affirmed with a smile.

    ¡°First Beauty? It should be the girl I saw half a year ago. She was about 15 or 16 years old at that time. So gorgeous! It was a pity that she was gone before I could see her face clearly. s, I wish I had gone after her.¡± Ao Xian recalled the beauty he had seen in the night market half a year ago. The moment the wind blew her veil, he had known what great beauty meant. He had been stunned at the first nce.

    When he came to himself, the beautiful girl had disappeared. At the thought of her, Ao Xian could not help feeling regret for having been fascinated by her that night and forgetting to chase her.

    ¡°A 15 or 16-year-old girl? Brother Ao Xian, are you kidding me? She even more beautiful than Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?¡± Hearing that Ao Xian had met such a beautiful girl before, Wen Xueran¡¯s eyes lit up, as if he were very interested.

    ¡°Third Young Lady is very beautiful, but not as beautiful as that girl.¡± At the thought that he was much luckier than Wen Xueran because he had seen that girl¡¯s face at least, Ao Xian felt proud, as if he had taken advantage of something.

    ¡°Is she really that beautiful?¡± Wen Xueran did not believe it.

    ¡°Of course! It¡¯s a pity that the beauty disappeared all of a sudden and I have never seen her again since then.¡± Ao Xian sighed, feeling sad. If such a beauty was willing to marry him, he would like to get rid of his bad habits, be loyal to her and never fool around with any other woman.

    ¡°Is there anybody beside that beauty at that moment? Maybe she was hiding in someone¡¯s house, but you didn¡¯t pay attention to it.¡± ¡°Swoosh!¡± Wen Xueran opened his fan again and shook his head slightly in an unrestrained manner, as if he was sighing for Ao Xian.

    It reminded Ao Xian of something. His eyes lit up and he suddenlyughed out loud. Without saying anything, he turned around and returned by the way they hade. He had been feeling sad that he could not see that beauty. After being reminded by Wen Xueran, he suddenly remembered that he had seen a familiar figure at that time. This person was also in the Cold Mountain Temple today!

    ¡°No! I must ask that person where the beauty is!¡± Ao Xian thought.

    Wen Xueran narrowed his eyes behind him, with a charming smile on his face.

    Ning Xueyan and her maid did not go back to the Buddha hall immediately. They were still looking for her handkerchief. Although it was just an excuse, she had to pretend to be looking for something to avoid suspicion.

    When Ning Xueyan returned to the Buddha hall where the abbot was preaching, she saw a dozen noble Young Ladies and childes sitting in the room. Ning Xueyan quietly found a ce in the corner and sat down. All the maids and servants were left outside the hall, so it was quiet inside and only the abbot was preaching.

    Ning Xueyan was far from the pulpit, so she could not hear the abbot clearly. She looked up and saw Ning Qingshan sitting not far away from her. Obviously, she had juste as well. Her position was also very far back and unremarkable. To Ning Xueyan¡¯s surprise, Wen Xueran and Ao Xian were also there. Ao Xian¡¯s mind was not on the scripture at all. He looked around, as if he was looking for somebody.

    As for Wen Xueran, he was secretly making eyes at those beautiful Young Ladies who were looking at him. Under his flirtatious nces, those Young Ladies were all blushed. It seemed only very few people were absorbed in the abbot¡¯s preaching.

    Finally, the abbot finished preaching. He stood up and bowed to everyone in the room. He then walked out with a few eminent monks, looking straight ahead. Some little monks came over and led the Young Ladies and childes to the wing room. It was still too early, so everyone could sit together and drink tea while chatting and go to sleep after burning the first incense.

    Ning Xueyan walked behind them. She walked out of the hall until everyone had left. When she arrived at the door, she suddenly heard a woman¡¯s sharp and angry voice. Ning Xueyan frowned and looked at the two in front of her. What a coincidence! She knew both of them.

    The one who was shouting was Ling Xue of the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor.

    ¡°It¡¯s your own fault. Why are you ming me? If you didn¡¯t stand in my way, I wouldn¡¯t have bumped against you and it wouldn¡¯t have broken!¡± Ling Xue said in a sharp voice.

    ¡°Miss, what you said doesn¡¯t make sense. My master has given way to you to let you go first when she saw you rushing from behind, but you didn¡¯t slow down and still knocked her against the door! Otherwise, this bracelet wouldn¡¯t have broken. Our master¡¯s grandmother gave her this valuable bracelet. You have to pay for it!¡±

    The maid who followed the delicate Young Lady said angrily, pointing at the broken jade bracelet on the ground.

    ¡°How can it be valuable? It¡¯s just an ordinary bracelet. Besides, you failed to avoid me, so you can¡¯t me me for it. Don¡¯t try to ckmail me. I¡¯m not that easy to be fooled!¡± Although a trace of panic crossed Ling Xue¡¯s face, Ling Xue immediately said with bravado.

    ¡°How shameless you are! My master is a noble Young Lady. How can she ckmail you?¡± The maid was unconvinced and said angrily, pointing at Ling Xue.

    Ning Xueyan had known what kind of person Ling Xue was when she was at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Much like Ning Yuling, Ling Xue was also very bossy. From what was happening, Ning Xueyan could tell that Ling Xue had broken that Young Lady¡¯s bracelet in order to get ahead of the others, but she refused to admit it.

    Since the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had decided to go to the Cold Mountain Temple to burn the first incense, it was no wonder that Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor, which had a marriage rtionship with it sent people here.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± A man showed up at the door with a clear and loud voice. Against the shadow behind him, he looked tall and straight.

 Chapter 300 - Accident, a Fire in the Buddha Hall

    <h4>Chapter 300 ident, a Fire in the Buddha Hall</h4>

    Ning Xueyan quietly retreated to the shadow behind her and looked at Xia Yuhang coldly.

    ¡°Elder Brother!¡± The delicate Young Lady seemed to have seen the savior and immediately cried with reddish eyes. Before she could speak, tears rolled down. She covered her mouth with a handkerchief, lowered her head and wiped her tears.

    ¡°Cousin Yuhang!¡± Ling Xue also called out in a low voice. She looked at Xia Yuhang in front of her in a daze, and then at the delicate Young Lady who stood behind him, confused.

    ¡°Eldest Young Master, our Young Lady was in poor health and could not walk too fast, so we walked behind the others slowly. However, this Young Lady suddenly rushed out from behind, bumped against our Young Lady and broke her bracelet. This is a gift from our Young Lady¡¯s grandmother and it¡¯s the first time for her to wear it today. How can she exin to her grandmother after returning to our manor?¡±

    The maid who followed the Young Lady said angrily, pointing at the bracelet that was broken into two pieces on the ground as evidence.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s nothing serious. I¡¯ll exin to our grandmother when I go back. Don¡¯t worry,¡± Looking at the bracelet on the ground, Xia Yuhang said gently to the wronged and sad Young Lady standing aside.

    The maid was still somewhat unconvinced. ¡°It¡¯s too much! How could a noble Young Lady act in this way?¡± she whispered angrily while squatting down to pick up the bracelet.

    Being used by the maid, Ling Xue¡¯s face turned pale. Looking at the delicate and weak Young Lady, who was still wiping her tears secretly, as if she had been greatly wronged, and then at the Young Ladies and childes who were watching them, she felt a little embarrassed.

    ¡°I just broke the bracelet by ident! Why are you acting like I¡¯m bullying you?¡± Ling Xue¡¯s face blushed with embarrassment and anger.

    ¡°Hey, why are you so aggressive? Did my master offend you or me you? You broke my master¡¯s bracelet, but she didn¡¯t even say anything. It¡¯s normal that she showed her grievance at the sight of our Eldest Young Master.¡± The maid was annoyed by Ling Xue¡¯s arrogance. She rose to her feet and stood in Ling Xue¡¯s way, as if she was afraid that Ling Xue was going to beat her master.

    It was humiliating for Ling Xue. She was Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s daughter. How dare the maid to treat her as a scoundrel!

    Xia Yuhang came over and patted the Young Lady on the shoulder. ¡°Well, it¡¯s all right. Leqian, don¡¯t cry. It¡¯s okay. Our grandmother won¡¯t me you,¡± heforted her softly.

    Leqian was his younger sister. She was timid since childhood and rarely showed up in front of people. She had not expected that she would have met the fierce woman, Ling Xue this time.

    ¡°Elder brother!¡± Perhaps Xia Yuhang¡¯sfort had worked. Xia Leqian raised her head with reddish eyes and walked closer to him timidly. She did not even dare to look at Ling Xue.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right. Do you want to have a rest first? I¡¯ll send someone to call you when the time is nearly up,¡± Xia Yuhang said gently.

    Xia Leqian nodded. She left the hall and walked toward the guest room, following the maid obediently.

    ¡°Miss Ling, my sister is timid. I hope you can forgive her if she did something wrong,¡± After Xia Leqian walking away, Xia Yuhang turned around and said to Ling Xue calmly.

    ¡°I, I...¡± Although Ling Xue was cheeky, she felt embarrassed now. She had bumped against Xia Leqian and broken her bracelet, but now Xia Leqian¡¯s brother was apologizing to her! Seeing the half-smiling faces of the crowd, she knew that they must beughing at her secretly.

    The look on her face kept changing. When she was in embarrassment, she suddenly saw Ning Huaiyuaning out of the wing room. She could not help crying and called Ning Huaiyuan with grievance, ¡°Cousin Huaiyuan!¡±

    Ning Huaiyuan had walked in front of the crowd just now. He had not taken it seriously when he heard something seemed to have happened behind him. However, after taking a few more steps, he heard someone talking about the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. He then stopped with a frown. He looked around and saw Ning Qingshan not far away from him, but did not find Ning Xueyan. Therefore, he turned and walked back.

    However, to his surprise, he did not see Ning Xueyan, but saw Ling Xue here. He froze for a while and turned to Xia Yuhang.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. The girls ran into each other identally.¡± Xia Yuhang nodded slightly.

    Ning Huaiyuan knew Ling Xue¡¯s character very well. ¡°Ran into each other? It must be Ling Xue¡¯s fault. And she might also have gotten the Young Lady of other manors into trouble,¡± he thought. However, Ling Xue seemed to be fine all over, so he knew that she was not hurt.

    ¡°Well, since nothing happened, let¡¯s go to the front and have a rest.¡± Ning Huaiyuan sighed. He had to meddle in this matter, because Ling Yi had hung out after sending his younger sister here and asking Ning Huaiyuan to take care of her.

    Ling Xue was too ashamed to say anything. She followed Ning Huaiyuan to the wing room with grievance.

    Since there was nothing interesting to watch, all the onlookers left. But Xia Yuhang did not move, as if he had seen Ning Xueyan in the shadow.

    Since he had seen her, Ning Xueyan did not hide, but walked out gracefully. The girl walking out from the shadow had a pale but extremely delicate face. Under her long eyshes, were a pair of jet-ck eyes that were beautiful and moist, as if being covered with ayer of mist.

    However, the smile on her lips was distant and indifferent.

    ¡°Eldest brother-inw,¡± Ning Xueyan bowed to him and smiled slightly.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, why did you stay alone in the back?¡± Xia Yuhang asked gently. The light of the hall was flickering in his eyes which made people unable to tell what he was thinking.

    ¡°How is my eldest sister? I haven¡¯t seen her sincest time.¡± Instead of answering his question, Ning Xueyan talked about Ning Ziyan with a smile. After the ident, Ning Ziyan had not shown up in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor yet.

    ¡°She is a little ufortable. Fifth Young Lady, if you are free, you cane to our manor to see her and chat with her. She is so boring.¡± Xia Yuhang invited her with a soft smile.

    ¡°I... I¡¯m not in good health, so I think I¡¯d better not go. I¡¯m afraid that I might infect my eldest sister and make her as sick as I am.¡± Ning Xueyan shook her head and refused. She did not think there was any sisterhood between her and Ning Ziyan. Of course, she did not believe that Ning Ziyan would take the initiative to invite her to the Xia manor.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You two can rx together and talk with each other. It might be good for both of you,¡± Xia Yuhang still persuaded patiently with a gentle and graceful smile, as if he did not understand what Ning Xueyan meant.

    Ning Xueyan nced at him with a slight coldness on her face. ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll visit my eldest sister when I have a chance in the future,¡± she responded casually, wondering what happened to Xia Yuhang. She did not think that she had anything to talk to him.

    With that, she lowered her head and walked toward the wing room, hiding the coldness in her eyes.

    In her previous life, she had lost herself in his gentleness. During the three years they had been together, she had thought that he loved her from the bottom of his heart. She had even told herself that she would make him happy and follow every word he said after marrying him. However, she had gotten nothing but died a miserable death. It all because she had believed the words of the wicked by mistake due tock of the experience of judging people.

    With such a painful experience, she would not make the same mistake again after rebirth. Ning Ziying had just died not long ago, but Xia Yuhang had already had both a beautiful wife and a concubine. He must have forgotten what he had promised Ning Ziying and of course, he would never know that Ning Ziying, who had been drawn into the lotus pond that day, had been reborn with hatred.

    Seeing that Ning Xueyan had already gone to the wing room, Xia Yuhang¡¯s eyes shed with something that soon disappeared. With a gentle smile on his face, he then walked toward the wing room slowly, keeping three paces behind her.

    As it was rare to have such an opportunity to rx, the people in the room were talking excitedly. Although the Young Ladies were a little shy, because their brothers were also there, they did not feel uneasy. Therefore, they were more cheerful than usual. Ning Xueyan found a chair in the corner and sat down.

    The room was very warm with a few stoves in it, people could feel the warmth as soon as they came in. Ning Xueyan sat on the chairzily. She was not in good health, so normally, she had already fallen asleep at this moment. She leaned against the back of the broad chair with her eyes closed and was going to nap for a while. When the time came, she would burn the first stick of incense and then go back to her room to sleep.

    She did not sleep well because she had the dream that had not appeared for a long time.

    In her dream, beaten ck and blue, she was pushed into the lotus pond by those evil servants under themand of Madam Ling and Ning Ziyan. Through the bloody twisted water, he clearly saw the ruthlessness in Xia Yuhang¡¯s eyes.

    Suddenly, the coldke began to burn inexplicably. In the wild fire, the pces were copsing and everyone was running wildly in horror. Ning Xueyan seemed to have seen herself running. People were running in front of her and the me almost burnt her face. She could clearly feel the heat.

    It seemed that someone was calling her and shaking her, trying to push her away anxiously. However, she felt that her body was so heavy and she could not move at all. She saw a figure in the fire, wondering what made her so sad that she could not even breathe. The heavy feeling almost crushed her.

    ¡°Miss, miss... Hurry up! Something¡¯s wrong!¡±

    ¡°Something¡¯s wrong?¡± Ning Xueyan could tell that the voice was just in her ear. She was shocked and suddenly opened her eyes. Looking at Xinmei¡¯s face in front of her, she could note back to her senses for the moment.

    Why did the scene she had never experienced suddenly appear when she was drowned in her dream. And just now, she had felt that it was not a dream, but real.

    ¡°Miss, hurry up. There¡¯s going to be a fire! Let¡¯s go!¡± Seeing that she was still in a daze, Xinmei pulled her up and hurried out.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Ning Xueyan stood up and ran out with Xinmei. Hearing the scream and seeing the Young Ladies beside her staggering out behind their maids, Ning Xueyan was really awake. She asked while running behind Xinmei.

    Xinmei was fast, but she did not exceed Ning Xueyan¡¯s limit. ¡°I don¡¯t know either. It¡¯s said an oilmp in the hall of the pce beside us fell down and caused the fire. It was toote when people found the fire and it is about to spread here now, ¡°she exined while trying to avoid bump against people.

    Qingyu followed them closely.

    It was not until they had rushed out of the pce that Ning Xueyan found that the other side of the hall, where they were going to burn the first stick of incense was on fire. The fire was very strong and had been burning for a while. Many people rushed over, trying to put out the fire, but judging by the current situation, they could neither put out the fire nor stop it from spreading.

 Chapter 301 - Danger, Night Attack

    <strong>Chapter 301 Danger, Night Attack</strong>

    ¡°Miss, let¡¯s go to the back room. It¡¯s not safe here.¡± After running to a safe ce, Xinmei stopped.

    Ning Xueyan was out of breath as she ran with Xinmei. Her pale face glowed with a faint blush, and she could not speak, but only nodded. This ce was indeed unsafe. It was too close to the fire, and everyone was running around. Now many Young Ladies were walking toward the back wing rooms under the escort of their maids.

    The Buddha hall was all burned, so of course nobody could burn the so-called first stick of incense there.

    When Ning Xueyan caught her breath, Xinmei and Qingyu escorted her to the backyard. After staying a little far away from the fire, Ning Xueyan calmed down. The guest rooms in the backyard were far away from the halls in the front, so although the front hall burned so badly, the fire could not spread to the backyard.

    After turning another corner, they would arrive at the guest room zone. Many Young Ladies hade back and waited in their own rooms, while the childes had gone to the front yard to help put out the fire with their servants.

    The fire was so strong that even though these Young Ladies had returned to their guest rooms, no one dared to sleep. They trembled by the window, hoping that the fire would go out soon. This night was bound to be a sleepless night.

    In this weird atmosphere, Ning Xueyan did not sleep either. She sat in front of the bed for a while before walking to the window to watch the fire outside.

    After sending Ning Xueyan back, Xinmei went out to inquire about information and had not returned yet, leaving Qingyu to make tea for Ning Xueyan in the outer room.

    ¡°Miss, hurry up! Something terrible happened!¡± The door was mmed open and Qingyu rushed in with a pale face. She pulled Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand and ran out. ¡°Miss, I saw some men in ck rushing into the guest rooms...¡± she whispered breathlessly.

    Before she could finish speaking, they heard a sharp screaming from the courtyard next to them.

    ¡°Miss, run!¡± Hearing the scream, Qingyu sped up and pulled Ning Xueyan out of the room. Meanwhile, all the other Young Ladies who had heard the scream also ran out. However, they suddenly saw a group of men in ck rushing to them with sharp swords in their hands. The Young Ladies immediately scattered, screaming.

    The men in ck also scattered to chase them.

    Since there were assassins in the guest rooms, no one would dare to stay here. Besides, there were only women in the backyard, and men had gone to the front yard to put up the fire.

    Holding Qingyu¡¯s hand tightly, Ning Xueyan did not escape. She hid in the shadow of the corner, and did not dare to move at all.

    Just now, she had seen Ning Qingshan rushing out of the room with her maid with a triumphant look on her face. Ning Qingshan had specially looked at the door of Ning Xueyan¡¯s room before mingling with the panicked Young Ladies who were running for their lives. At that time, an assassin had already rushed to Ning Xueyan¡¯s room. If she had not escaped early, she would have been caught by the assassin in the room.

    ¡°Miss, what, what should we do?¡± Even though Qingyu was much experienced than before, she had never seen anything like this. If Ning Xueyan had not held her hand tightly and she was not willing to leave Ning Xueyan alone, Qingyu would have run away long ago!

    Hiding in the shadow, Qingyu could not help shivering, with the upper teeth bumping against the lower teeth all the time.

    Ning Xueyan was sure that the incident was premeditated. The fire had been set in the front yard, and the noble childes and their servants as well as the guards would definitely bring people there to help put out the fire, leaving only those noble Young Ladies or the first maids in the backyard, who seldom did rough work.

    Therefore, none of them could resist the assassins¡¯ attack.

    Ning Xueyan even confirmed that these assassins had been staying here for a long time. Otherwise, how could they rush in when almost everyone had entered the guest rooms. Due to her poor health, Ning Xueyan had been walking behind everyone, so she was thest to return to the guest room.

    What did they want? Why did they wait until everyone had returned to their rooms?

    Running away was not a bad idea, but Ning Xueyan knew her own physical conditions well. She would definitely be out of energy after running for a while, so she would be caught first. That was why she had stopped, turned around and pulled Qingyu to the shadow behind the wall where there was arge fish tank. The two of them were small, so nobody would find them easily if they couched there.

    All they could do was pray that the people in the front yard would get the news ande back soon.

    As for her current situation, whether running away or staying here was actually very dangerous. However, she would definitely be caught if she ran out, and there might be a hint of vitality if she remained here. She had had a glimpse of those men in ck just now and noticed that there were dozens of them. Now most of them had gone to chase the other Young Ladies, and only a few were left.

    The danger was rtively small to stay here. As long as she held on for a while, the people in front woulde back and the few men in ck would definitely escape. Then she would be safe.

    However, sometimes, things would not go as people expected. They suddenly heard footstepsing from the rooms. Apparently someone wasing. The shadow of death fell upon them at the sound of the light footsteps. Undoubtedly, that person wasing in the direction where they were hiding.

    Ning Xueyan pinched Qingyu¡¯s sweat-stained hand, lowered her breath as smoothly as possible, trying to avoid revealing her whereabouts. At this moment, she was really nervous and her heart beat fast. The person should be not far from them, just a few steps away.

    He was approaching step by step.

    Ning Xueyan loosened Qingyu¡¯s hand, reached out and touched her own hairpin. If she remembered correctly, the hairpin on her head was the one she usually wore. What was special about this ordinary pearl hairpin was that it had a sharp end. Ning Xueyan had almost been attracted by this unremarkable hairpin as soon as she saw it.

    Because it gave her a sense of security.

    Holding the sharp hairpin tightly in her hand, she listened carefully to estimate the distance of the man from them by the footsteps. It seemed that he was very close to them, so close that almost right in front of them. She bit her slips hard with determination in her eyes, a trace of warm and fishy liquid oozing from the corner of her mouth. The footsteps were close to her ears. She could not just sit and wait for death!

    ¡°I can¡¯t die without struggling as I did in myst life!¡± she thought.

    This time, no matter who wanted to kill her, she would make that person die with her.

    However, something unexpected happened. Qingyu jumped out abruptly, bumping heavily against a man in ck, while shouting at somewhere in front, ¡°Young Lady, hurry up!¡±

    The man in ck had not thought that a daredevil maid would have suddenly jumped out. Being knocked back two steps, he tripped somewhere and fell to the ground. When he was about to stand up, he found himself pinned to the ground by the maid.

    Qingyu continued to shout at somewhere in front anxiously while holding the man in ck hard. The man suddenly jumped up and rushed forward to chase the Young Lady who was not in front at all, dragging along Qingyu.

    How could Qingyu take such a risk? If she fell into the hands of this man in ck, she would almost have no chance to survive.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s brain was almost nk. How could Qingyu do this? Subconsciously, she ran out of the shadow to chase Qingyu, who had been pulled away by that man. After running out the door in a hurry, she saw Qingyu being dragged to the backyard.

    Regardless of concealing her whereabouts, nor of her physical strength, Ning Xueyan chased her up. She would not let Qingyu be taken away by those people, and she would no longer let the people around her die for her. In herst life, she had watched Xiang¡¯er being beaten to death in order to protect her, and then drowned in the lotus pond.

    In this life, she would no longer let anyone around her die for her!

    Breathing violently, she felt heartbroken. Tears streamed down her cheeks while blood at the corner of her lips dripping to her clothes and to the ground.

    Unknowing where she got the strength, she chased after Qingyu desperately and finally arrived at the back hill.

    ¡°I almost missed someone here!¡± With a hoarse voice ringing by her ear, a man in ck appeared in front of Ning Xueyan. Looking at the beautiful girl in tears in front of him, the man was stunned, and then he became overjoyed. He had not imagined that he would have been so lucky to find such a beautiful girl here.

    Ning Xueyan focused all her attention on Qingyu now. When she saw someone blocking her way, she shouted angrily, ¡°Get out of my way!¡±

    Since all she was thinking about was Qingyu at the moment, she had no fear of the man in ck in front of her.

    ¡°Little beauty, you look so good even when you¡¯re angry. I didn¡¯t expect to meet such a beautiful girl like you. How lucky I am!¡± The man in ck said with a sh of wickedness in his eyes.

    ¡°You want to go against all the noble families? You¡¯re ying with fire!¡± Ning Xueyan knew what he meant and shouted angrily.

    ¡°Little beauty, don¡¯t worry! No one will know this. When I sell you to the brothel in the future, your family will put you to death without our help. Who will care what you have suffered?¡± the man in ck said triumphantly. The noble families valued the reputation the most. If Ning Xueyan got defiled, she would definitely die.

    No one would care how she had lost her virginity.

    Of course, this man only said this to frighten Ning Xueyan. The order they had received was that they could kill a few maids by the way. This girl was so beautiful, so he did not want to let her go. Anyway, he could excuse himself by saying that he thought it was a maid. It was normal to make mistakes in the darkness.

    Although it was a pity to destroy such a beautiful girl,pared with his own life, he still felt that it was safer to kill her after getting what he wanted.

    ¡°I¡¯m from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. I don¡¯t believe you dare to do anything to me!¡± Ning Xueyan managed to calm herself down and said, clenching the hairpin tightly again. She widened her eyes to look for opportunities while distracting the attention of the man in ck.

    ¡°Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? Which Young Lady are you?¡± The man was stunned and stopped walking to her.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m the Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.¡± Ning Xueyan had not expected that the man would have stopped at her words. She paused for a moment and said firmly.

    ¡°You look like you¡¯re only 13 or 14 years old at most. So you must be Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor! What a pity! Such a beautiful girl will be destroyed soon!¡± The man in ck sized up Ning Xueyan and suddenly understood something. He then continued with an indifferent smile, ¡°It¡¯s useless even though you¡¯re the Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, because none of you is useful except for that one.¡±

    With that, he reached out and was about to pull Ning Xueyan.

 Chapter 302 - Your Highness, Did the Third Prince Do it?

    <strong>Chapter 302 Your Highness, Did the Third Prince Do it?</strong>

    Ning Xueyan subconsciously wanted to hide, but she had no strength to do so because she was out of breath after running for such a long distance. She was immediately pulled back by someone, dragged back two steps, and stumbled into the arms of the man in ck.

    Ning Xueyan bit her lower lip hard and used her remaining strength to push the person aside. Her sleeve came apart with a tearing sound, and she stumbled to the side.

    Seeing this, the man in ck pulled a part of her sleeve and threw it away. He ran a few steps and reached out to pull Ning Xueyan again. When he reached out halfway, he suddenly felt a sharp pain. Before he could scream, his arm had been cut off.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let himmit suicide. Take him back. Cut him into pieces!¡± His voice was icy and filled with bloodthirsty hostility. The vast, ck cloak pped in the wind and enveloped the shadow. On his handsome and mysterious face, his eyes seemed to be blood-red under his long eyshes.

    ¡°Yes.¡± A shadow behind him rushed up, kicked the man in ck, who was about tomit suicide, to the ground, and punched him a few times. The man in ck spat out mouthfuls of blood and fainted.

    ¡°Your Highness.¡±

    ¡°Take her away.¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s eyes fell quietly on Ning Xueyan, who had slumped to the ground. She looked very embarrassed, with a missing sleeve, and other parts of her clothes ripped apart. The moonlight shone on her pale face, and the blood at the corners of the mouth was reflected on her face. She bit her lips tightly.

    Her long hair was in a mess. At this moment, her long ck hair, white face, red blood, and the cold light on her hands, indicated her decisiveness, cruelty, hostility, and indifference, which waspletely different from her weakness.

    Looking at Ning Xueyan for a while, Ao Chenyi slowly walked over, squatted down, took off his cloak and held her in his arms with great care. Under the moonlight, the handsome man¡¯s eyes were cold and unfathomable. As he walked, the Manjusaka from hell became more and more bloody.

    ¡°Your Highness, there are several nobledies over there. What should we do?¡± A guard appeared in the dark and knelt in front of him.

    ¡°Kill a few, leave a few.¡± With hostility in his nted eyes, he reached out to check the girl¡¯s breath. ¡°Go and save that girl.¡±

    ¡°Your Highness...¡± The guards were confused. They were here to meet trick with a trick. How could they focus on a maid? But when they saw the Prince¡¯s look, the guards sensibly shut up and turned around to find the maid from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Lotus Pond, drowning, burning, copsing, screaming, chaos, the feeling of the skin burning, painful struggles... The scenes in front of her changed again and again, like a trotting horsemp. As if she had been trapped in a circle of endless dreams, she could not escape from this cycle.

    She was almost sure that it was true. She was dreaming, but she was powerless to struggle. She seemed to be suppressed by something, so she had no strength at all. Even though she felt a piercing pain, it was still useless. Sometimes, she also thought that she was just a bystander.

    Seeing the tall tower copsing over and over again, and the mes shooting up to the sky, everyone was running away in panic. A huge pir of fire fell from the sky and hit her on the head.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Ning Xueyan suddenly opened her eyes and stared nkly at the handsome face above her head. The man was gazing at her intently. She looked into his filmy jet-ck eyes.

    Ning Xueyan stared nkly at Ao Chenyi without blinking. Her mind was nk. Then, she closed her eyes, tilted her head and fainted again.

    ¡°Imperial physician, what¡¯s wrong with her?¡± Ao Chenyi stood up and sat on the nanmu wood chair. A wild gleam came into his ck eyes. He asked Master Mingyue, who was standing by the bed, with a strange smile at the corners of his mouth.

    ¡°Prince, don¡¯t worry. The Fifth Young Lady has recovered. She has to rest for a while. It¡¯s okay.¡± The imperial physician looked at Ning Xueyan¡¯s face. Although she looked still pale, she looked much more serene. It showed that she was out of danger, so he answered carefully.

    Hearing that Ning Xueyan was fine, Ao Chenyi waved his hand casually. Then, the imperial physician sensibly left.

    Sitting in the chair, Ao Chenyi looked at Ning Xueyan, who was lying quietly on the bed. When he saw cold sweat appearing on her forehead, a trace ofplexity shed across his eyes. Then, he got up again and took out a handkerchief from under his cuff. He narrowed his eyes and gently wiped the sweat on her forehead.

    ¡°If you¡¯re not strong enough, don¡¯t risk your life. I thought you were smart, but you are so stupid.¡± Seeing her frown uneasily and her hand twitch convulsively, he snorted and reached out to hold her hand reluctantly. Even though his hand had always been cold, he could still feel the coldness in her hand.

    He lowered his head and looked at the hand in his hand. Her hand was slender and powerless. It was so transparent that he could see her veins. When ity stiffly in his thin and big hand, it was almost half the size of his hand. He held her hand in his cold palm to warm her hand.

    The hand in his palm slowly rxed.

    ¡°Prince, the Third Prince asks to see you.¡± A eunuch reported respectfully at the door of the outer room.

    ¡°Let him in!¡± Ao Chenyi slowly let go of Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand, straightened his robe sleeve, lifted the curtain, and strolled to the outer room. He sat down on the chair in the middle and looked coldly at Ao Mingyu, the Third Prince, who was walking in.

    ¡°Uncle.¡± Ao Mingyu came in and bowed to Ao Chenyi respectfully.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Ao Chenyi narrowed his eyes, picked up the tea on the table, and took a sip. His eyes were full of arrogance and bloodlust. He looked at him with disdain.

    ¡°Uncle, it¡¯s lucky that you¡¯re here today. Otherwise, all these nobledies would be dead. I want to express my gratitude to you¡±. Ao Mingyu clenched his hands tightly under his sleeves, but then he rxed. The killing intent in his eyes turned into a warm smile. When he raised his head, he was still the gentle Third Prince.

    He was the most valued son of the emperor these days.

    ¡°Mingyu, weren¡¯t you here too? What are your guards doing, leaving such a big loophole? How many people are still missing?¡± Ao Chenyi said impatiently.

    ¡°There are two or three. The road at the back of the mountain isplicated, so we can¡¯t find them in such a short time, and they may have fallen somewhere.¡± Ao Mingyu¡¯s eyes were full of respect, as if he admired Ao Chenyi.

    ¡°Then go and find them as soon as possible. Otherwise, they might die as well.¡± Ao Chenyi waved his hand impatiently, as if he was driving a fly away. His tone waszy and indifferent.

    Ao Mingyu, of course, recognized the sarcasm in Ao Chenyi¡¯s words. He could not help clenching his fists, his blue veins exposed.

    There were about ten daughters of aristocratic families who had gone to the Cold Mountain Temple to burn the first incense stick of the day. Now, only six of them had been found. Three of them were dead, and the whereabouts of four of them, were uncertain.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll ask my guards to find them now. If I get any information, I¡¯ll let you know.¡± Ao Mingyu suppressed his anger, kept his gentle smile, bowed to Ao Chenyi respectfully, and left.

    ¡°Go ahead. I hope those people are still alive.¡± Ao Chenyi had a sinister smile on his handsome face, which made Ao Mingyu¡¯s heart twitch.

    He did not know how things had turned out this way. He needed to kill only one or two nobledies. Unexpectedly, not only had three of them died, but also, some of them were missing, including the Third Young Lady and the Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, the Young Lady of Minister Xia¡¯s Manor, and a man from the Vice Minister of Justice Ling¡¯s Manor. Either way, all thedies had high statuses.

    However, they were all missing. How could Ao Mingyu not be frightened?

    Now he only hoped that all of them would be safe. Nobody could be med because this thing happened so suddenly. Everyone ran away and stood on their own merits. No one could me others. Even if he was there at that time, others could not me him. Since it was so chaotic, it was good enough that he sought to protect himself.

    But now, Ao Mingyu felt a sense of crisis. Why did Ao Chenyi suddenly appear? He even saved a few people and sent people to help put out the big fire in the main hall. Compared with Ao Chenyi, he was a good-for-nothing. However, others would onlypare him with Ao Chenyi.

    Inparison, Ao Mingyu was inferior to Ao Chenyi. How could Ao Mingyu be willing to be inferior to Ao Chenyi all the time?

    So now, he was determined to do something. He strode out and immediately led his guards to search the back of the mountain again, because most of the people had fled there.

    Seeing Ao Mingyu leave, Ao Chenyi got up and went inside. When he lifted the bead curtain, he saw Ning Xueyan leaning against the bed with a pale face.

    ¡°Your Highness, did the Third Prince do it?¡± Ning Xueyan raised her head and looked at Ao Chenyi quietly, clutching the quilt tightly.

    It sounded like a question, but there was a firm look on her face.

    Ao Chenyi suddenly chuckled. Although hisughter was pleasing, it was ice-cold, as if a sharp sword had pierced into one¡¯s heart, which was appalling. Then, he stoppedughing and said coldly, ¡°Yan¡¯er, do you know that your whole n will be implicated if you try to frame the royal family?¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t get you into trouble.¡± Ning Xueyan looked at Ao Chenyi quietly, with a hint of stubbornness on her delicate face. ¡°First, when I spoke about the Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, the man in ck was stunned. He was afraid of the youngdies of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Butter, ording to my experience, I confirmed that I was not the person they were looking for. I¡¯m the only one who came here today. Since he was not looking for me, he must be looking for Ning Qingshan.¡±

    ¡°You think he did it just because of that?¡± Ao Mingyu¡¯s eyes were as cold as ice chips.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s enough,¡± Ning Xueyan said coldly. She was hiding something. Ao Mingyu must have heard clearly that Ning Qingshan had plotted against him. Ao Mingyu, a high-ranking prince, had always thought highly of himself. Now he found that he had been framed by Ning Qingshan three years ago. How could he not be angry? Besides, when she entered the Buddha Hall, Ao Mingyu had other intentions.

 Chapter 303 - The Third Prince Ao Mingyuâ€™s Care

    <strong>Chapter 303 The Third Prince Ao Mingyu¡¯s Care</strong>

    ¡°Oh, are you sure that Ao Mingyu did it? Will you take revenge on him?¡± Ao Chenyi came over, with a faint smile on his face. He sat down beside her bed, and suddenly reached out to hold her thin and weak shoulder.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m telling you that Ao Mingyu is ambitious.¡± Ning Xueyan raised her head and looked steadily at the handsome and sly face in front of her.

    ¡°You¡¯re honest. Aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll send you to him?¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s thin lips curved slightly, revealing a hint of sarcasm.

    ¡°Prince Yi, will you?¡± Ning Xueyan asked in reply. She stared at Ao Chenyi with her jet ck eyes. Although she was nervous, she looked calm.

    ¡°Well, I like your honesty. Besides, how can my princess be bullied?¡± Ao Chenyi stretched out his hand to grab Ning Xueyan¡¯s cold little hand and warmed it in his palm. Suddenly, he smiled meaningfully.

    ¡°Prince Yi, have you seen Xinmei and Qingyu?¡± Ning Xueyan lowered her eyes to hide the darkening of her eyes, and a trace of sadness appeared on her pale face.

    Xinmei went out to find out more information, but she has note back yet. Qingyu went to her rescue and tried to draw away the men in ck. She did not know where they were, so how could she not be worried?

    ¡°These two girls are useless. Why don¡¯t you abandon them?¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s voice suddenly became cold.

    ¡°No, don¡¯t do anything to them. They are all good.¡± Hearing the killing intent in Ao Chenyi¡¯s voice, Ning Xueyan became anxious. She held Ao Chenyi¡¯s hand and said this urgently. Prince Yi was so moody that he intended to kill them all.

    ¡°Why are you so sure that they are in my hands?¡± Seeing that she took the initiative to hold his hand regardless of her fear, Ao Chenyi suddenly felt good. His sly gaze softened, as he yed with her delicate hand, in his hand.,

    Seeing his reaction, Ning Xueyan was relieved and burst into tears. How could she be sure that Qingyu and Xinmei were all right? It was just a beautiful hope. Looking at Ao Chenyi¡¯s current situation, she was both sad and happy. ¡°Thank you for saving our lives, Prince Yi.¡±

    ¡°What will you do to repay my kindness?¡± Ao Chenyi asked, a rxed smile appearing on his handsome face. ¡°Would you like to marry me?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m willing to marry you.¡± Although she blushed, Ning Xueyan did not hesitate. Her life, Qingyu¡¯s life, and even Xinmei¡¯s life had been saved by Ao Chenyi. Ning Xueyan knew how miserable her life would be if Ao Chenyi had note to her in time. So at this moment, she was sincerely grateful to Ao Chenyi.

    She agreed, not because she was scheming, but because she had no choice, no conditional exchange.

    It must be due to gratitude, as she answered without any hesitation. It must be!

    It seemed that Ning Xueyan¡¯s words pleased Ao Chenyi. He nced at herzily, pushed her hands away, and stood up. ¡°Your maids are all outside. I¡¯m tired.¡±

    Was he telling her that she could leave? Ning Xueyan understood.

    She immediately endured the dizziness in her head, and stood up by the edge of the bed. She wore the same clothes as before, with the sleeves and many parts of the clothes torn. Fortunately, it was a cold day, and she had worn an additionalyer of clothes inside, so the torn parts were not that visible at the moment.

    She moved a few steps. Except for feeling a little dizzy, she was fine. She did not suffer any injuries and immediately walked to the door.

    ¡°In the future, stay away from Ao Mingyu. You are his sister-inw. Don¡¯t let him take advantage of you.¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯snguid words came from behind, which almost made her lose her bnce.

    How could this moody and arrogant prince take this groundless thing so seriously?

    Ignoring her weakness, she sped up and rushed out, with a red face.

    Outside the door, Xinmei and Qingyu saw Ning Xueyaning out. Both of them were excited. Knowing that it was not the time to talk, they helped Ning Xueyan to the back of the mountain. At this time, it was before dawn, and the surroundings were dark. Under the guidance of the guards, they hid in a prepared ce.

    All the people had been found, and this made Ao Mingyu heave a sigh of relief. Fortunately, nothing happened to the other four. The whole thing ended with several Buddhist halls getting burned down, three nobledies dead, and dozens of maids who were killed. Although the other seven youngdies were fine, they were injured.

    One of them fell off the mountain, and broke her legs. The other had hit her head, and had not woken up from hera yet.

    Generally speaking, it was fortunate that in this incident, most of their lives and wealth were preserved.

    Because of therge number of injured people, Master Mingyue, as well as the imperial physician of Third Prince and Prince Yi, were asked to treat the wounded. After Ning Xueyan was found, she felt dizzy and ufortable when they helped her back to the guest room. Fortunately, Xinmei had prepared the pills given by Ao Chenyi. She soaked a pill in water and fed it to Ning Xueyan. After a short rest, she felt much better.

    When she was drinking water with Xinmei¡¯s help, Qingyu suddenly came in and reported that the Third Prince hade over to check on her.

    Since such a big event had happened, Ao Mingyu must havee to visit her, because he had always been a gentle prince. Ning Xueyan thought for a while and nodded. At that time, she could not be affectedly unconventional. She asked Xinmei to put down the curtain of the inner room and invited Ao Mingyu to the outer room. Then, they talked through the curtain.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, are you all right?¡± Ao Mingyu¡¯s gentle voice came from outside the curtain.

    ¡°Thank you for your concern, Third Prince. I¡¯m fine now.¡± Ning Xueyan leaned against the edge of the bed and said softly. Her eyes fell on the tall figure behind the curtain. Ao Mingyu was not sitting, but standing in front of her curtain?

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady has always been in poor health, and now you¡¯re so frightened. I have asked the imperial physician toe over and treat you.¡± Ao Mingyu¡¯s voice became softer and softer.

    ¡°Thank you, Your Highness. but Prince Yi¡¯s imperial physician came to see me already, and left some medicine for me. I¡¯m fine now.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled faintly, and looked at the figure at the other side of the curtain, coldly. If she felt grateful to Ao Chenyi, she would certainly be deeply disgusted with Ao Mingyu.

    She and her two maids had almost died, without even getting a decent burial.

    Therefore, Ning Xueyan did not like Ao Mingyu, who pretended to care about her. He plotted everything secretly, and now he pretended to care about others. Ning Xueyan hated his acting, no matter what his purpose was.

    Therefore, she was even more indifferent than before.

    Ao Mingyu did not seem to notice Ning Xueyan¡¯s attitude. He looked at the curtain in front of him with some worry, and said, ¡°Is he my uncle¡¯s imperial physician? He has excellent medical skills, but... you¡¯d better let my imperial physician check over you again. Maybe he doesn¡¯t have any suitable medicine.¡±

    ¡°Suitable medicine?¡± Ning Xueyan sneered. ¡°Ao Mingyu even brought suitable medicine.¡± Ning Xueyan was a little uncertain, but now she was sure that it was Ao Mingyu.

    ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯re too kind. Prince Yi¡¯s medicine is not bad.¡± Ning Xueyan refused again.

    Ao Mingyu did not seem to understand what she meant. He said again, ¡°Fifth Young Lady, if you don¡¯t want to see the imperial physician, I can ask my nanny from the pce to check your condition. If something is wrong, she can treat you in a timely manner.¡±

    His tone sounded concerned. If she had not known that Ao Mingyu had been the evil backstage maniptor of the disaster, Ning Xueyan would have been confused by his gentle and graceful performance, and thank him for his quick rescue. But now, she only felt disdain.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to bother you, Your Highness. If it¡¯s convenient for you, you can go and see my Third Sister. I heard that her face is swollen,¡± Ning Xueyan said softly.

    Xinmei said that Ning Qingshan was fine, when she came in to serve her. However, Ning Qingshan had hit something, and her face was swollen.

    Ning Xueyan did not believe that her face was swollen due to her hitting something. It seemed that she had been pped more than once. The so-called ¡± hit by something¡± was to avoid attracting people¡¯s attention.

    Most of the nobledies were injured because of the collision, the fall, or the hitting against hanging tree branches when they fled. However, Ning Qingshan was punched in the face by a man, which meant more than injury.

    It meant that Ning Qingshan was caught by the man in ck and fell into his hands. Was she only pped a few times? Some matters could not be said aloud, and she did not want to think about it anymore.

    Seeing that Ning Xueyan refused repeatedly, Ao Mingyu¡¯s expression changed slightly, and his eyes darkened.

    After searching the back of the mountain and finding all the missing people, he brought the imperial physician to Ning Xueyan¡¯s ce. He nned to force her to give him what he wanted, so he especially asked his servants to kill one or two maids to frighten Ning Qingshan.

    Those youngdies would get a fright, but it would not be a big problem. Who knew that such a big mistake would lead to the death of three youngdies? Even the woman he liked almost got into trouble. He could not help being angry. However, it was useless to be angry, because all those youngdies were dead.

    Thinking that Ning Xueyan had mentioned Ao Chenyi repeatedly, he felt angry that Ning Xueyan seemed to be a little grateful to, and had faith in Ao Chenyi. Did Ning Xueyan have a good impression of Ao Chenyi because the hero saved the beauty in time? Thinking of this, his eyes became darker.

    But then, he smiled and softened his expression. He gently looked at Ning Xueyan at the other side of the curtain and said,

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Your Third Sister¡¯s injuries are external. Fifth Young Lady, you¡¯re not in good health all the time. I¡¯m afraid that something bad will happen to you, so I came to your ce first. My uncle¡¯s imperial physician is always arrogant. I¡¯m afraid that you have not received good treatment.¡±

    ¡°Prince Yi¡¯s imperial physician is very arrogant?¡± Ning Xueyan asked in surprise. Although she did not think it was possible, she still asked.

 Chapter 304 - Jealousy Ning Qingshan

    <strong>Chapter 304 Jealousy Ning Qingshan</strong>

    Seeing Ning Xueyan asking, Ao Mingyu immediately thought that she was interested in Ao Chenyi. He became angry for no reason, but he said with a gentle smile, ¡°I should not be saying that. After all, he¡¯s my uncle¡¯s subordinate. But if I don¡¯t tell you, I¡¯m afraid that you would not believe me. In the past, a concubine in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor was pregnant. She asked the imperial physician to go over. But, he looked down on her status, so,ter the concubine and the unborn child died, because he took his time to treat her. However, my uncle showed no interest in it, because he trusts him too much.¡±

    ¡°Does this mean that Ao Chenyi is ruthless and regards people¡¯s lives as worthless? Or that Ao Chenyi¡¯s women are not valued, and nobody cares about them, even if they die?¡± Ning Xueyan paused for a moment. Logically speaking, she should not have enquired further into Ao Mingyu¡¯s remarks. However, she was curious about Ao Chenyi, so she hesitated for a moment.

    Seeing Ning Xueyan¡¯s hesitation, Ao Mingyu felt that he was right. He suppressed his anger and said, ¡°Fifth Young Lady, don¡¯t you believe me? My uncle never cares about women. If the imperial physician hade over a little earlier at that time, still my uncle¡¯s temper towards women...¡±

    He did not finish his words, but his meaning was quite clear.

    Everyone who had heard of Ao Chenyi¡¯s temper knew that Prince Yi was temperamental, cold-blooded, and heartless. Ao Mingyu was not wrong in saying that. However, he repeatedly said it, so this made one suspicious that Ao Mingyu, who had always been gentle and elegant in public, would speak ill of a man behind his back.

    It was not in character with the Third Prince¡¯s gentlemanly demeanor.

    ¡°Young Lady, Caifen, the Third Young Lady¡¯s maid, came over and asked if the Third Prince is here?¡± Qingyu¡¯s voice came from outside the door at the right time, interrupting the strange silence that suddenly descended in the room.

    ¡°Your Highness, please go over and visit my Third Sister first. I¡¯ll go there when I¡¯m fine,¡± Ning Xueyan said, taking the opportunity.

    ¡°Well, in that case, I¡¯ll go and see Third Young Lady first.¡± At this point, Ao Mingyu could not stay any longer. With that, he took his people with him to Ning Qingshan¡¯s ce. The men in ck he sent out were all dead, but he did not have the details.

    So, he should have been the first to rush over to Ning Qingshan. But when he came to the courtyard, he changed his direction. It seemed that he had other thoughts about Fifth Young Lady. Since he had taken a fancy to her, he would go to the imperial pce and talk to his motherter. He was worried that she would not agree. Now that something had happened to Ning Qingshan, she would agree to let Ning Xueyan enter his manor.

    He believed that his mother would not oppose his getting a concubine.

    Ao Mingyu made up his mind and stopped pestering Ning Xueyan. As soon as he came out, he saw Ning Qingshan¡¯s maid waiting anxiously at the door.

    ¡°Third Prince, our Young Lady is seriously injured. Pleasee over and have a look.¡± Ning Qingshan was indeed severely injured. Her face was swollen, and she was screaming in pain.

    Ao Mingyu nodded and looked at the imperial physician outside the door. Then, he turned around and walked toward Ning Qingshan¡¯s room, followed by the imperial physician.

    When he entered Ning Qingshan¡¯s room, he saw the curtains of the inner room were wide apart. Compared with Ning Xueyan¡¯s prudence, Ning Qingshan seemed frivolous. Ao Mingyu frowned, but then he walked in.

    ¡°Third Prince.¡± Ning Qingshan¡¯s voice was full of sadness and timidity. Tears rolled down her cheeks. She looked quite a sight with her swollen face.

    ¡°Why is it swollen like this? Who beat you up?¡± Looking at Ning Qingshan¡¯s face, Ao Mingyu was angry and asked.

    The imperial physician stayed outside the room. There were only Ning Qingshan and Feilian, who was in front of her bed in the room. Ao Mingyu¡¯s question showed that he attached great importance to her, and he did not regard her as an outsider. He asked who had hit her, as if he wanted to avenge her.

    ¡°Third Prince, I... I don¡¯t know. A man suddenly jumped out and pped me twice.¡± She felt that at least someone cared, so her eyes turned red and her tears fell. She wiped at her tears with a handkerchief.

    But she did not dare reveal the whole story. The men in ck who caught her were not just one person. When she said that she was the Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, one of them came up and pped her twice, and the other pretended to want to kill her. She pushed one of the men in ck away and escaped, but the two men did not let her go. They chased after her all the way and pped her twice. Then, she ran again, and they pped her again...

    Along the way, she was in a panic and scared. She did not even know how many times she had been pped. In the end, she was in a daze and then fainted. When she woke up, the people sent by Ao Mingyu arrived and rescued her from a tree. At that time, she was hanging on a tree.

    Of course, she could not climb up the tree by herself, so it must have been someone else who had hung her on the tree.

    She did not understand why they treated her like this. They had agreed to deal with Ning Xueyan, but why did they do this to her? Did the two men in ck get the wrong person?

    When the main temple hall was on fire, Ning Qingshan was the first to go back to the guest room with her maid. The reason why she responded so fast, was that she said that Ning Xueyan had discovered her identity. Although the mysterious person did not say that he would deal with Ning Xueyan, ording to her spection, he would do it, sooner orter.

    So, she had been getting ready.

    When the hall was on fire, she came back to wait for the next step. The appearance of the man in ck confirmed her spection. At the same time, the first to be injured was the maid. She also saw it happening. At that time, she felt that the mysterious man deliberately did so many things, targeting Ning Xueyan.

    Therefore, Ning Xueyan was bound to die!

    Therefore, she, with Caifen and Feilian, followed the others. When she escaped, she could not help smirking at Ning Xueyan. She was sure that Ning Xueyan would not survive, because she had offended her.

    She followed behind the crowd and listened to the stricken cries in front of them. She could sense the panic of those women. Only she was calm. The superiority almost made herugh out loud. Look, it was all because of her. Because of her noble status, those who offended her had no choice, but to die. Meanwhile, many people suffered along with her.

    However, she could never imagine that she would be in danger, and almost died there.

    Thinking of that terrifying moment, Ning Qingshan became sadder and could not stop crying.

    ¡°Third Young Lady, don¡¯t be afraid. It¡¯s over, and no one will hurt you. It¡¯s okay now, it¡¯s all right.¡± Looking at Ning Qingshan, whose face was swollen and crying, Ao Mingyu showed a trace of disgust in his eyes. Then he gave a gentle smile, sighed and softlyforted Ning Qingshan, who was losing her self-control.

    ¡°Third Prince, I...¡± Ning Qingshan still wanted to say something, but Ao Mingyu interrupted her softly.

    ¡°Well, stop crying. Ask the imperial physician to apply some medicine on your face and have a good sleep. Everything will be fine.¡±

    Because of Ao Mingyu¡¯s concern and gentle eyes, Ning Qingshan¡¯s eyes were filled with infatuation, and her heart was pounding. Having felt that Ao Mingyu was sincere toward her, she was very touched and nodded intently to indicate that she would listen to him.

    Ao Mingyu asked Feilian to call the imperial physician in. The imperial physician had seen Ning Qingshan¡¯s injuries. It was frightening, but it was all skin trauma. ording to the imperial physician¡¯s medical assessment, they were all minor injuries. He retreated after leaving some ointment to heal the wound and relieve the swelling.

    Ao Mingyu did not stay any longer. He said that he wanted to visit the other injured people, so he left with the imperial physician.

    Ning Qingshan applied ointment on her face and felt a little better. Then, she asked Caifen beside her, ¡°How¡¯s your wound? Is there anything wrong?¡±

    She was scared and panicky before, so she did not care much about Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°I heard that the imperial physician has attended to Fifth Young Lady earlier. She is already resting. It¡¯s said that she¡¯s fine,¡± Caifen replied.

    ¡°The Third Prince went to that bitch¡¯s room first.¡± Ning Qingshan burst out in anger, jealousy and hatred showing in her eyes.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. When I went there, the Third Prince was in Fifth Young Lady¡¯s room, and the imperial physician was waiting outside the door. I wanted the imperial physician to see you first, but the imperial physician said that the Third Prince did not say anything, and he could note over. The Fifth Young Lady must have held him back.¡± Caifen thought for a while and said angrily.

    Feilian was helping Ning Qingshan to put away the ointment boxes. She lowered her head and said nothing.

    ¡°Bitch! B*tch! B*tch!¡± Thinking that Ning Xueyan was trying to seduce Ao Mingyu, Ning Qingshan was filled with hatred. She bit her lips and thought, ¡°There must be a mistake. How could Ning Xueyan not die?¡±

    She was biting her lips hard, filled with bitter hatred, which affected the injury on her face. She felt so much pain that her face contorted in agony. She wished she could go and rip up Ning Xueyan¡¯s beautiful face right now.

    Thinking of her face, she immediately remembered her own face and calmed down. This time, her face was severely injured and swollen. It would take at least a few days for her to recover. She would soon enter the pce to join the Beauty Contest. If she went there like this, she would not dare to see anyone. Therefore, for now, she should take care of her face first.

    ¡°Master, why didn¡¯t you save her?¡± At the corner of the temple, a woman in white lowered her head and stood in front of a wall, as if she was talking to the wall in front of her.

    ¡°Save, does she need to be saved? I thought she was smart, but she was so stupid. When she was discovered, she was stupid enough to know nothing.¡± A cold snort came from the other side of the wall, with a hint of sarcasm.

    ¡°Master, would you like to remind her?¡± The woman in white hesitated and asked respectfully.

    ¡°It¡¯s not necessary. Since she thinks so, do as she likes!¡± The man said in a cold voice, with a hint of anger.

    The woman in white knew that her master was angry, so she asked cautiously, ¡°Will the Fifth Young Lady Ning...¡±

    Her master had said before that if the Fifth Young Lady found out about the Third Young Lady¡¯s secret, they should kill her. However, they had not selected a specific time. Such a thing had happened in the Cold Mountain Temple before they took action. So, she did not dare to decide whether she should take action now.

    No matter who was behind this action, it was impossible to be this delicate Fifth Young Lady. So, it must be someone else who doubted Ning Qingshan¡¯s identity.

    ¡°Don¡¯t make a move first, lest the idiot leads us in the wrong direction.¡± The man said coldly, and then he left.

 Chapter 305 - A Dispute Between Servants

    <strong>Chapter 305 A Dispute Between Servants</strong>

    This incident that happened at Cold Mountain Temple was a big disaster. More than half of the Great Buddha¡¯s Hall at Cold Mountain Temple was burned down, and the girls who had gone there to burn incense, were all injured. And, three principle wives¡¯ daughters were dead. For a time, the capital city was in a mess, and security was very tight.

    The two daughters who were about to be sent to the imperial pce were injured, especially Ning Qingshan, whose face was swollen. Madam Dowager was worried and immediately asked the doctor to treat her. She had to let her heal before entering the imperial pce. She sent precious herbs to Ning Qingshan¡¯s Foggy Courtyard.

    Madam Ling, who was in the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard, felt distressed and had not been able to eat well for a few days. She secretly cursed the older woman for giving away Yuan¡¯er¡¯s things to others.

    Although she was distressed, Madam Ling di not dare to say anything more. She was no longer the one who held the power. After so many things happened in the manor, Ning Zu¡¯an did not treat her the way he used to. He spent most of his time in Xu Yulian¡¯s ce. A few days ago, he came to see her because she had treated Xu Yulian a little gently, but then he left.

    When she thought of this, Madam Ling gritted her teeth in hatred. One day, she would take over the power of the housekeeper and sell out the seductresses. Weren¡¯t they good at hooking up with others? She would sell them all to the brothels, as they seemed to specialize in this kind of collusion.

    Of course, Yulian, Concubine Xu, and Ning Xueyan were among them.

    ¡°First Madam, don¡¯t be angry. Second Young Lady will being back soon. Although Third Young Lady is good-looking, she is not as delicate as Second Young Lady. Although Second Young Lady¡¯s reputation has been slightly tarnished, as long as she is willing to keep a low profile, no man would let a beautifuldy like the Second Young Lady, go.¡±

    Mother Chen knew why Madam Ling was angry, so she buttered her up.

    Recently, Madam Ling was always in a bad mood. The servants of Auspicious Clouds Courtyard had received countless beatings. Although Mother Chen was Madam Ling¡¯s henchman, she had been kicked twice by Madam Ling. Therefore, she spoke more carefully and paidpliments to Madam Ling.

    Hearing what she said, Madam Ling¡¯s anger subsided a little. She asked, ¡°How many more days till Ling¡¯er arrival?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, either. The Eldest Young Master said that it would be after the Lunar New Year. I guess it should be soon.¡± Mother Chen responded carefully. Since she was uncertain, she passed the buck to Ning Huaiyuan. Otherwise, Madam Ling would scold her for being ipetent and useless.

    Since the Second Young Lady had an ident, the First Madam had been moodier than before. When she was angry, she did not care who they were. She would scold people in public and even attack them directly. Mother Chen, who had suffered a lot, was cautious every time she dealt with her.

    ¡°It would better if she is disfigured. I¡¯d like to see if the Third Prince will marry my beautiful Ling¡¯er, or the ugly one.¡± Madam Ling pointed to Foggy Courtyard with disdain. When she heard that the womenfolk who went to Cold Mountain Temple had met an ident, she stood up happily and waited for the ¡°good news¡±ing from outside.

    If the two girls died in Cold Mountain Temple, Ling¡¯er, the only unmarried woman, would multiply in value. Even if her reputation was a little bit bad, it should not be a big deal, with the support of the whole Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Although Ning Yuling had already lost her virginity, Madam Ling chose to forget it.

    Anyway, as long as the Third Prince wanted the support of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, he had to marry Ling¡¯er.

    She thought so, but the truth was different from what she expected. Neither of the two girls were badly hurt. It was said that Ning Xueyan was not injured, only badly frightened. Although Ning Qingshan¡¯s face was swollen, it was only a surface trauma. It was not a big deal. The moment Madam Ling, heard this, she smashed two vases on the spot.

    She could not wait to strangle those two girls on the spot.

    Mother Chen knew that Madam Ling was talking about Ning Qingshan, so she immediately lowered her voice and said in a hurry, ¡°First Madam, this can¡¯t be said. If the Madam Dowager and Marquis know it, it will be terrible. I¡¯m afraid that even Second Young Lady will be involved.¡±

    She knew Madam Ling¡¯s n. Ning Yuling could not participate in the Beauty Contest, which meant that she could not directly enter the Third Prince¡¯s Manor. After Ning Qingshan became the wife of the Third Prince, they needed Ning Qingshan¡¯s approval if Ning Yuling wanted to enter the Third Prince¡¯s manor. So, Madam Ling could not afford to offend Ning Qingshan for the time being. At least, Madam Ling could not say anything. until Ning Yuling entered the Third Prince¡¯s Manor and defeated Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°Humph, I know. But I¡¯m so angry. These two bitches have not died yet. They¡¯re lucky.¡± When Mother Chen mentioned Ning Yuling, Madam Ling snorted and lowered her voice, because it mattered a lot. Of course, she knew that Ling¡¯er would be blocked by Ning Qingshan, when she entered the Third Prince¡¯s Manor.

    ¡°Yes, First Madam, you¡¯re right. I think you should regain the marquis¡¯s favor and not allow him to ignore you. If she gives birth to a son, there will be a dispute with the Eldest Young Master. Although he only has one son, the title of Princely Heir has not been settled yet.¡±

    The reason why Mother Chen said this was because she suffered indignities at the hands of an ordinary maid at Bright Frost Garden. She was even angrier, when she found out that the maid was Junior Concubine Xu¡¯s younger sister.

    This was how it all happened.

    This morning, Third Young Lady and Fifth Young Lady were sent back to the manor together. All the people in the mansion were busy carrying out Madam Dowager¡¯s instructions. Then, Mother Chen was preparing a bowl of treme porridge for Madam Ling. The porridge was not ready, so she chatted to a familiar, female cook, while waiting. When she came back after she finished her chat, she saw an unknown maid taking her porridge. She could not help being furious.

    She immediately came over and scolded, ¡°Little bitch, where are you from? How dare you touch First Madam¡¯s porridge? Do you want to die?¡±

    However, the maid stood firm and refused to return the porridge. She red back at Mother Chen and said, ¡°The Madam Dowager told us to take care of our Young Lady first. It¡¯s more important to make sure she recovers fully. Our Young Lady is going to join the Beauty Contest. Will the First Madam be entering the pce and joining the Beauty Contest? Does she need to maintain her beauty and keep her youth?¡±

    Her words were harsh. Mother Chen had never experienced anyone speaking to her in that way before. She was so angry that she trembled all over. She was about to p the maid, but the maid avoided her blow. So, Mother Chen fell to the ground, and the maid even stepped on her and strutted off with the hamper.

    Since she was with Madam Ling, Mother Chen had been the top dog in the manor. Mother Chen had never been beaten before. She stood up and was about to rush over, but the familiar, female cook stopped her. She told her that was Junior Concubine Xu¡¯s younger sister. The Marquis now favored junior Concubine Xu. She might give birth to a Princely Heir, so nobody dared to offend her at this time.

    To please her and convince her that Junior Concubine Xu was the favored one, she especially told her what happened before. A few days ago, someone talked about her younger sister¡¯s arrival. The Marquis was furious and ordered that if anyone dared to say her sister had been ill-gotten, he would sell them to the most inferior ce.

    Therefore, nobody in the manor dared to offend her younger sister. They dared not irritate her, for fear that she mightin to Junior Concubine Xu, which would aggravate the Marquis.

    ¡°What did you hear?¡± The title of Princely Heir had not been settled yet, which was also a thorn in Madam Ling¡¯s heart. When she heard Mother Chen¡¯s words, she immediately asked about it, discreetly.

    ¡°I...¡± Mother Chen hesitated for a moment. She wanted Madam Ling to help her vent her anger, but she was afraid to irritate Madam Ling. Looking at Madam Ling¡¯s face, she dared not say it directly.

    ¡°Tell me. I¡¯ll not take it out on you.¡± Madam Ling¡¯s face darkened, as she knew that there was something wrong.

    ¡°Yes, I heard that Junior Concubine Xu... had an idea about the Princely Heir¡¯s position. First Madam, you must be careful.¡± Mother Chen walked to the door and carefully closed it. Then, she returned to Madam Ling and said in a low voice.

    ¡°How can she, a bitch, dare to think of the Princely Heir¡¯s position? Is she tired of living?¡± Madam Ling immediately became angry.

    ¡°First Madam, please lower your voice and listen to me.¡± Mother Chen quickly reached out and pulled Madam Ling. ¡°The Marquis has always liked the Eldest Young Master, but why didn¡¯t the Marquis make him Princely Heir? Furthermore, the Marquis is in his prime now. If he has another son he likes, the consequences will be...¡±

    Mother Chen hated that maid so much that she hurt Madam Ling with her words. She knew that Madam Ling had been dissatisfied with the fact that Marquis did not appoint the Eldest Young Master as the Princely Heir. She also knew that Madam Ling cared about this, so she came straight to the point.

    ¡°Bitch, bitch, they are all bitches!¡± Madam Ling was full of hatred. She picked up the teacup next to her and wanted to throw it on the ground.

    ¡°First Madam, please don¡¯t do this. If so, the Marquis will look for the coquette more frequently.¡± Mother Chen hurriedly grabbed the teacup from Madam Ling, and tried to calm her down.

    ¡°Hmph, she wants to give birth to a Princely Heir? It¡¯s impossible.¡± Madam Ling looked ferocious. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure she has no heir.¡±

    ¡°First Madam, please don¡¯t do this. The Marquis warned you about Concubine Ma¡¯s matter. If you do this again, the consequence will be serious.¡± Mother Chen whispered in Madam Ling¡¯s ear, ¡°I have an idea...¡±

    Hearing what she said, Madam Ling turned from anger to joy. She nodded vigorously and said to Mother Chen, ¡°You can do it yourself. Get someone to keep an eye on that bitch. It will be impossible for her to give birth to a Princely Heir.¡±

    In Bright Frost Garden.

    Ning Xueyan sat on a couch, leaning back and reading a book leisurely. She was not severely injured, so she looked good after a short rest. As the sun shone on her face from the window, her face had a pale, silvery hue. Lanning made a cup of tea and put it on the table in front of the couch.

    ¡°Young Lady, Mother Chen went to the male servant¡¯s ce, and I followed her. She did not stay long before she came out.¡± Lanning reported.

    ¡°How about Qing¡¯er?¡± Ning Xueyan smiled and put down the book gracefully. Then, she took the tea and took a sip, with a hint of sarcasm in her dark jade-like eyes. When she persuaded Yulian to be the concubine, she knew that Qing¡¯er would not act dutifully. As expected, Mother Chen took a beating after someone incited her. Now, she was going to look for trouble for Madam Ling.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t Xu Yulian and Madam Ling work together to deal with me? Then let them make trouble first!¡±

    ¡°I listened to you and ttered her first.¡± Lanning was disdainful of Qing¡¯er, who used to be gentle and weak. Since the Junior Concubine Xu was in favor, Qing¡¯er seemed to get promoted after her. She usually acts like a delicatedy in the courtyard and does nothing. She even scolded the little maids in the garden. If the youngdy had not ordered her, Lanning would have driven her out of Bright Frost Garden.

    ¡°We¡¯ll enter the pce in a few days. Let Mother Han keep an eye on Auspicious Clouds Courtyard and Junior Concubine Xu. She doesn¡¯t have to intervene in anything.¡±

    Ning Xueyan was about to enter the pce, so she had to instruct them. She set up this trap to distract Madam Ling¡¯s and the ambitious Junior Concubine Xu¡¯s attention. In this way, she could finish the Beauty Contest in a better way. If she did not distract Madam Ling¡¯s attention, Mother Han would probably have an ident when she came back, like thest time she went to the Cold Mountain Temple.

    She would never be like what she was, in her previous life, not even being able to protect the people around her...

 Chapter 306 - Officially Entering the Palace and Joining the Beauty Contest

    <strong>Chapter 306 Officially Entering the Pce and Joining the Beauty Contest</strong>

    The Beauty Contest was scheduled to be held on the eighth day of the lunar month.

    In the drawing-room of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Madam Dowager looked at Ning Xueyan and Ning Qingshan with satisfaction. She could not hide the smile on her face.

    Ning Qingshan was wearing a light green garment and a peacock skirt embroidered with gold. She had on an agate belt, which was adorned with blue, small fringed beads around her waist. Her ck hair wasbed into a fashionable drifting cloud bun, which added a bit more charm to her beauty.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s dress was rtively elegant. She wore a silver-white breast-high Ru skirt, which looked ethereal. She had incredibly slender, delicate facial features, and wless, white-jade skin. There was only a dangling ornament in her simple bun, and a few strands of ck hair fell around her ears. Although her lip color was light, she looked young, innocent, and was as elegant and beautiful as a lotus.

    At first nce, it seemed that Ning Qingshan was more outstanding, but after careful observation, one could tell how beautiful Ning Xueyan would be, after she grew up.

    Therefore, Madam Dowager was very satisfied with both her granddaughters.

    ¡°Fifth Girl, why didn¡¯t you wear the hair essories that you wore thest time? Don¡¯t you like it?¡± Seeing only a golden dangling ornament on Ning Xueyan¡¯s head, Madam Dowager showed a little displeasure. She had asked someone to prepare the hair essories and sent them to the two courtyards. Ning Qingshan had a lot of ornaments on her head, while Ning Xueyan¡¯s hair looked a bit bare.

    The Beauty Contest was an important matter. If something happened unexpectedly, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would lose face.

    ¡°Grandmother, I¡¯m still young and can¡¯t wear that exquisite jewelry, so I did not use them for the time being.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled and bowed gently.

    Although the jewelry given by Madam Dowager was exquisite, Ning Xueyan did not like them, so she only picked one to wear.

    ¡°Third Young Lady, you are always sensible. After you enter the pce, you should take care of your Fifth Sister. She has rarely been to the pce. As an elder sister, you have to take some responsibilities. Even if there are problems between the two of you, it should be set aside. When you¡¯re away from home, you represent the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. You should know that you have the honor only with the support of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.¡±

    Hearing what Ning Xueyan said, Madam Dowager did not me her. Instead, she looked at Ning Qingshan, and issued a warning.

    Thest sentence meant that only with the support of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, they would have the honor. If there was no support from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, they would be nothing. No matter if it was the Third Prince or the Fourth Prince, they would not marry a woman without any background.

    The reason why Madam Dowager mentioned this to Ning Qingshan was because Ning Qingshan had schemed against Ning Xueyan. ording to Madam Dowager, no matter what Ning Qingshan¡¯s background was, she was still the Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. If something happened to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she would not be able to get any benefits.

    The Third Prince was interested in Ning Qingshan, and he was determined to marry her. The list of the Beauty Contest had already been handed in, so Ning Qingshan had no choice, but to take part in the selection. For today, Madam Dowager would not let allow any untoward incidents to take ce. There would be no entanglement between Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan.

    That would harm the interest of the whole Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Hearing the meaning behind Madam Dowager¡¯s words, Ning Qingshan felt angry and full of hate, but she did not dare to vent her anger. She forced a smile and said, ¡°Grandmother, I¡¯ll listen to you. Both Fifth Sister and I are daughters of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. It is closely rted to us. Fifth Sister, please forgive me if I did something wrong to you.¡±

    She said this to Ning Xueyan and even bowed to her. How could Ning Xueyan let her bow to her in front of Madam Dowager? She quickly reached out and said, ¡°Third Sister, how can you say that? I have already forgotten about what happened before. As sisters, we should be united. In that case, we can rely on each other.¡±

    Seeing them speaking to each other softly and bearing no grudges, Madam Dowager nodded with satisfaction, indicating that they could go out.

    They bowed to Madam Dowager and went out with their maids.

    Since they were going to the imperial pce to join the Beauty Contest, everyone could bring a few maids. Ning Xueyan took Lanning with her. Among the three maids, Lanning was the most careful. Xinmei stayed outside, so it was convenient for her to take care of Qingyu and Mother Han. If she found Madam Ling or Ning Yulinging back and making trouble when Ning Xueyan was absent, she could go to the Prince Yi¡¯s Manor to deliver a message.

    Of course, Ning Qingshan chose her closest maid, Caifen, who had been promoted to a first-ss maid.

    Both of them entered the carriage outside the door. Ning Qingshan was in the front, while Ning Xueyan was in the back. Ning Huaiyuan rode beside them and escorted them to the imperial city.

    Outside the Imperial City gate, a long queue of carriages quietly parked at the entrance of the Wuping Gate. The carriages in front formed a long line. The inspection seemed to be so rigid that the line moved very slowly.

    ¡°Young Lady, are you going to marry Prince Yi?¡± Lanning lifted the curtain and looked at the progress outside the carriage. They would not be able to enter the imperial city for a while, so she lowered the curtain, and asked in a low voice.

    Ning Xueyan had told her confidants about it.

    Ning Xueyan leaned against a cushion and her ck-jade eyes were filmy. After a while, she corrected Lanning, ¡°I¡¯m going to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.¡±

    Ao Chenyi had chosen her as the co-consort. Ning Xueyan thought that only the principal wife could have a say in that.

    ¡°Young Lady, Prince Yi may be mighty, or he might be able to be... But with your family background and moral quality, aren¡¯t you qualified to be a principal wife?¡± Ning Xueyan had mentioned it when she was dressing up this morning. At that time, her trusted subordinates were all stunned. Lanning had not quite recovered from such a piece of shocking news. For a moment, she only felt that the so-called co-consort position was an insult to Ning Xueyan.

    Her youngdy was talented and beautiful. As the daughter of a legal wife of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she was not inferior to anyone else. How could she not be the principal wife?

    ¡°Lanning, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor has nothing to do with me!¡± Ning Xueyan drawled, with coldness and contempt in her eyes.

    Ning Xueyan always felt that being the daughter of a legal wife of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was a joke. Nobody treated her like a legal daughter. She knew how all the people in the manor treated her. Even though Madam Dowager looked kind now, she only treated her as an useful pawn.

    Madam Dowager wanted to take advantage of her to get the maximum benefits for the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. They never cared whether she would live or die.

    In this respect, Madam Dowager was not evenparable to Madam Ling. Madam Ling at least cared about her children, but Madam Dowager was vicious enough to plot against her blood rtives.

    Therefore, she had never relied on the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, and she never wanted to rely on it at all. She never cared about the principal wife, Madam Dowager, and the marquis. There would be days toe, and now it was just a beginning.

    As the carriage and horses slowly entered the pce, the carriages of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor followed them into the pce gate. Seeing the carriages entering the pce gate, Ning Huaiyuan, who sat on a big horse, looked at the carriage disappearing from his sight with a gloomy andplicated expression.

    ¡°Eldest Young Master, we can go back. Madam said that Second Young Lady might arrive soon, so she asked you to pick her up outside the city.¡±

    Madam Ling had been paying attention to Ning Yuling¡¯s return for a long time. As early as two days ago, she had said that she might arrive today. Thinking about the time, she had asked someone to inform Ning Huaiyuan in advance. However, the young male servant could not help reminding him, when he saw his Eldest Young Master was still looking on.

    Ning Huaiyuan nodded, turned around, and rode out of the city with his servants.

    In the Ten-li Resting Station outside the city, a simple carriage was parked there. It were an unimpressive carriage and there were a handful of subordinates inside. A beautiful maid standing at the door of the carriage, asked in a low voice, ¡°Young Lady, the Eldest Young Master has note yet. Should we wait here or go back by ourselves?¡±

    There was silence behind the curtain. After a while, she heard a woman¡¯s gloomy voice, ¡°Wait!¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± The maid did not dare to say anything and retreated to the carriage.

    The master did not get out of the carriage to rest, so neither did the others. The cart driver was sitting at the head of the carriage, and the servants were standing around the wagon. They stood still outside the station, and in silence.

    It was a piece of enclosednd around the Wuping Gate.

    All kinds of carriages remained on this empty field. Two rows of eunuchs stood in two wing-rooms. No one dared to take this asion lightly. Even if the daughters of principal wives of aristocratic families had noble statuses, they had to bow here and consciously lowered their voices.

    When she helped Ning Xueyan get off the carriage, Lanning saw many youngdies walking out of the carriage. She even saw Heng Yuqing from a distance. She had not seen her since she fell into the water that day. Although she looked a little haggard, she was in good spirits. She nodded with a smile.

    Heng Yuqing also saw her and smiled.

    They were in the Emperor¡¯s pce and this was such a solemn moment, when the Beauty Contest was about to begin. Therefore, it was not a good time for them to gossip about the old days.

    Finally, a eunuch in red came over to dere the imperial edict. All the people knelt on the ground silently. After he finished the long sentences, all the people shouted, ¡°Long live!¡±

    The eunuch in red repeated the rules of entering the pce to all thedies. After that, they walked in with their maids. As thest person entered the gate of the inner pce, the two tall vermilion gates were slowly closed.

    Everyone followed the eunuch quietly. Only the rustling of their clothes could be heard in the high and narrow corridor.

    After walking out of the narrow corridor, they had officially entered the inner pce. The crowd followed the eunuch along this twisting passage way. Suddenly, they were stopped by a group of people.

    Ning Xueyan stood behind and looked over, only to see a gorgeous carriage with many eunuchs and pce maids standing on both sides. No one knew which pce the imperial concubine was from.

    However, at this time, what was the purpose of stopping the group meant for the Beauty Contest?

 Chapter 307 - Honored Consort Yaâ€™s Enthusiasm

    <h4>Chapter 307 Honored Consort Ya¡¯s Enthusiasm</h4>

    ¡°Are they all here for the Beauty Contest?¡± Honored Consort Ya sat on the carriage, with a smile on her face and asked gently.

    She was beautiful and refined, so she was very popr in the pce. Besides, she had a son. Compared with the Empress, who had no children, she was the most influential person in the whole pce. Of course, she was in charge of the Beauty Contest.

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness. They are all daughters of noble families.¡± The first eunuch, who led thedies into the pce, came in a hurry and answered respectfully, when he heard that the Honored Consort Ya was in front of him.

    ¡°They¡¯re beautiful. It seems that there will be more younger sisters in the pce this time.¡± Honored Consort Ya smiled gently and gazed at them with a soft look.

    ¡°They look good, but how can theypare with you, Honored Consort Ya?¡± The chief eunuch said with a smile. Everyone knew that Honored Consort Ya was the Emperor¡¯s most trusted person. Even the Empress¡¯s status was lower than Honored Consort Ya¡¯s in the pce. Besides, there was the Third Prince in the pce. People in the pce naturally knew where their ce was.

    ¡°Did the Third Young Lady from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manore?¡± Honored Consort Ya asked with a faint smile.

    ¡°Yes, yes, she came some time back!¡± The chief eunuch said, pointing at Ning Qingshan, who was standing in front of him. Everyone knew the Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would be the Third Prince¡¯s consort. So, he had to keep an eye on her. That was why he remembered her so well.

    Ning Qingshan stepped forward and bowed to Honored Consort Ya respectfully.

    ¡°It is said that the Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is also here. Come here!¡± Honored Consort Ya looked at the crowd, as if she was looking for something. At this time, when she mentioned the Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, the eunuch was stunned. He looked around carefully and searched for Ning Xueyan.

    All the portraits of these beautifuldies had been sent to the pce earlier, so the chief eunuch had seen them. Besides, all thedies were from noble families, and most of them had been to the pce, so the chief eunuch knew them. However, the Fifth Young Lady had never appeared in the chief eunuch¡¯s mind.

    For a moment, he was stunned. ¡°What does Honored Consort Ya mean?¡±

    Although Ning Xueyan stood at the back, she also heard Honored Consort Ya¡¯s question. She blinked her watery eyes, walked up to Honored Consort Ya, and bowed respectfully. ¡°I pay my respects to Honored Consort Ya. I hope that Honored Consort Ya will have good luck and good health.¡±

    ¡°She is a fabulous person. No wonder you¡¯re so valued.¡± Honored Consort Ya looked at Ning Xueyan from head to toe, as if she was seeing her for the first time. After a while, she said with a meaningful smile.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s heart jolted. She frowned slightly. ¡°Does Honored Consort Ya mean that someone is interested in me? Ao Chenyi?¡± Ning Xueyan denied the name directly. ¡°Ao Chenyi is arrogant and he could not get along well with Honored Consort Ya. Who else can that person be?¡±

    After she finished speaking, Honored Consort Ya waved her hand. Two pce maids came over with a small white jade box in their hands. When the box was opened, there was a jade bracelet inside.

    ¡°You two sisters are both delicate. I have always liked you very much. I hope that you will support each other in the future. I will reward you with this thing.¡±

    Honored Consort Ya smiled and waved to Ning Qingshan, who was standing aside. Then, she said with a smile.

    ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯m afraid to ept!¡± Ning Xueyan bowed hurriedly. As her long eyshes fluttered, she was trying to cover up her annoyance. Honored Consort Ya asked them to support each other at this time and ce, indicating that she wanted them to get along well with each other. On that day, Honored Consort Ya also intended to let Ning Qingshan and Ning Yuling live together in peace.

    She did not expect that the same thing would happen again. Honored Consort Ya wanted her and Ning Qingshan to get along well with each other.

    But at this moment, it was no longer like that day, when there were no outsiders. At that time, there was only Madam Dowager calling the shots for her. At this time, she was alone, so she could not afford to humiliate Honored Consort Ya, in any case. But if she epted it, everyone would understand what it meant. Then...

    Ning Xueyan had sharp eyes, and she had already noticed that there were two words written on the white jade boxes. One of the boxes was addressed to Ning Qingshan, ¡°First-ss,¡± while the other one had ¡°Second-ss.¡± written on it. The Beauty Contest had not been held yet, but it was already clear which one was better. At the same time, it was a hint to everyone that Ning Xueyan would also enter the Third Prince¡¯s Manor, but her status would be slightly lower.

    But Ning Xueyan did not want to ept the hint. She raised her eyes and nced at Ning Qingshan. She believed that Ning Qingshan did not want to admit that either, so she did note up to get the reward.

    ¡°Why are you afraid? Don¡¯t you like my gift?¡± Honored Consort Ya asked with a smile. She looked natural and gentle, and every smile on her face looked very tender.

    Her words were aggressive and it was clear that she would not let Ning Xueyan muddle through this. At the same time, she nced at Ning Qingshan vaguely. Ning Qingshan, who was standing beside her, lowered her head, with anger in her eyes. If it were her, she would not have done such a rude thing, but she did not appreciate it.

    However, Honored Consort Ya could not say anything before the crowd of people.

    ¡°Your Highness, please calm down. I¡¯m full of respect for you, but I did not do anything for you. That¡¯s why I did not ept your gift. If I ept your gift for no reason as soon as I enter the pce, the otherdies will have objections to the unfair treatment. I will feel uneasy here, and the others will gossip about you and ruin your reputation.¡± Ning Xueyan said with dignity and gentleness.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s words were very tactful.

    Most of it was about herself, but she mentioned Honored Consort Ya along with it. After all, it was a Beauty Contest. It was a highest-ranking contest because all the candidates were the daughters of noble families. This time, the two princes¡¯ consort and the co-consort would be selected from thepetition.

    Even Prince Yi¡¯s consort and co-consort would be selected.

    Honored Consort Ya was trying to intervene in the contest even before it started. In fact, she was interfering too much in the matter. Although she was only second to the Empress in the imperial harem, she was less justifiable than the Empress. Moreover, she was too biased. If someone took it seriously, he could even use this condition against Honored Consort Ya and the Third Prince.

    Therefore, Ning Xueyan¡¯s subtle speech could be regarded as a favor to Honored Consort Ya. She would not offend Honored Consort Ya.

    ¡°What a smart child. She is not only good-looking, but also eloquent and thoughtful. She is adorable. Well, since there is no difference between her and others at this time, I¡¯ll reward you after the contest.¡± As expected, the Honored Consort Ya looked more gentle. She looked at Ning Xueyan with a smile and waved her hand to the side.

    Two pce maids left with the boxes in their hands.

    ¡°Thank you, Your Highness.¡± Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan came forward and thanked her respectfully.

    Then, Honored Consort Ya did not stay anymore. She left in the carriage to give way to thedies. The pce maids and eunuchs lined up neatly in the two wing-rooms.

    After Honored Consort Ya¡¯s carriage went off, everyone followed the chief eunuch again. After the episode, Ning Xueyan felt the people around her giving her looks of envy and jealousy. Everyone knew that the Third Prince was the favorite son of the Emperor. It was unusual that one could marry into the Third Prince¡¯s Manor.

    Wasn¡¯t it said that the Third Prince had taken a fancy to the Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? What about the Fifth Young Lady?

    Many people¡¯s eyes wandered between Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan. However, one of them was still smiling, refined, and elegant, while the other was indifferent, cold, and beautiful. No one could tell that if anything was wrong. Because of what Honored Consort Ya had done before, they were united.

    Ning Xueyan bowed to Ning Qingshan slightly. Ning Qingshan wore an amiable smile on her face, showing no sign of unpleasantness.

    What did this mean? More eyes wandered between them as if they were trying to dig something out.

    Today, they went to the pce first, but the Beauty Contest had not started officially yet. The chief eunuch took them to Shuyu Pce and asked people to arrange amodations for them. Because there were not many people, each of them could be assigned to a room. The maids would make the beds and arrange the rooms. Thedies were told again that they were not allowed to leave at will. Without a call, they could only stay in the Jade Pce. Otherwise, no one would bear the responsibility of the nobles being disturbed.

    After his admonitory talk, everyone left and prepared to sort out their arrangements. It was said that there would be a stewardess in the pceingter.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, how did you manage to get the attention of Honored Consort Ya?¡± Ning Qingshan suddenly stopped Ning Xueyan, who was about to leave, with a smile, and asked her carelessly.

    The corners of Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes twitched. From Ning Xueyan¡¯s angle, she could see a hint of jealousy and hatred in Ning Qingshan¡¯s eyes. With Ning Qingshan¡¯s shrewdness, how could she not know what Honored Consort Ya meant just now? Was she here to denounce her publicly?

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe when I was in Cold Mountain Temple, I was with the Second Sister. I took advantage of her presence and was introduced to Honored Consort Ya.¡± Ning Xueyan said with a gentle smile, ¡°Third Sister, do you know that Second Sister will be returning to the manor today. Maybe she has arrived at the manor already. Unfortunately, we have entered the pce and missed her return.¡±

    Ning Xueyan said that she had benefited from being with Ning Yuling, which made her feel ufortable. However, there was nothing wrong with her words, which made Ning Qingshan feel embarrassed. But when she saw the curious eyes of the people around her, she immediately held back her anger and forced herself to smile a stiff smile.

    ¡°Second Sister ising back. What a coincidence. When we go out, we must meet her. We have not seen each other for three years.¡±

    She could not be angry here and give the others a chance to ruin her reputation. Anyway, she had already been in the imperial pce. She didn¡¯t believe that her aunt wanted to marry Ning Xueyan to her cousin. The Beauty Contest was beginning, and there were many variables in it. She would make a fool of Ning Xueyan again and again. In that case, she believed that her cousin would not be willing to marry Ning Xueyan, and her aunt would not like a woman who did not deserve her reputation.

    Therefore, she was not anxious. The stiffness in her eyes turned into malice. She would never let Ning Xueyan get what she wanted. She must make a fool of her...

 Chapter 308 - The Past Events Disclosed, Honored Consort Ya Conceded

    <h4>Chapter 308 The Past Events Disclosed, Honored Consort Ya Conceded</h4>

    Ning Qingshan was secretly taken away by the people of Honored Consort Ya that night.

    ¡°Aunt.¡± Seeing Honored Consort Ya sitting high in the hall, Ning Qingshan felt wronged and immediately burst into tears. She went forward and knelt in front of Honored Consort Ya¡¯s knees, tears streaming down her cheeks.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why don¡¯t youe up and talk?¡± Seeing Ning Qingshan so aggrieved, Honored Consort Ya rubbed her forehead and gestured for her to sit down. Then she waved her hand and all the other pce maids and eunuchs left, leaving only one confidant behind.

    ¡°Aunt, do... are you feel satisfied with Ning Xueyan? Don¡¯t you want me?¡± Ning Qingshan stood up obediently, and looked at Honored Consort Ya pitifully, with tears in her eyes.

    ¡°Shan¡¯er, how can I not want you? You¡¯re my closest rtive. I¡¯m relieved that the Third Prince is with you.¡± Honored Consort Ya¡¯s head ached. She sighed andforted her niece.

    One of them was her niece, and the other was her son. She hoped that they would be in love with each other. Besides, it was not just a matter of the two of them. Some of her father¡¯s arrangements and some of Ning Qingshan¡¯s means made this marriage necessary.

    Ao Mingyu did not say anything before, but he was making trouble at this point. How could Honored Consort Ya not feel worried?

    ¡°Since you want me, was it my cousin¡¯s idea today?¡± Ning Qingshan¡¯s tears were about to fall. She looked at Honored Consort Ya with a pitiful expression.

    ¡°Shan¡¯er, did you identally reveal what happened three years ago?¡± Speaking of this, Honored Consort Ya was also angry. If it were not for that, she would have not have done such a stupid thing for her son today, and left a handhold for others. It ended with nothing definite, because of Ning Xueyan¡¯s difort.

    Thinking of this, Honored Consort Ya became more annoyed, and her face darkened.

    ¡°What happened three years ago? What happened three years ago?¡± Ning Qingshan was stunned at first, and her face suddenly turned pale. Her lips trembled. ¡°Aunt...Aunt, are you saying that cousin knows about the incident that happened in the imperial pce... three... three years ago?¡±

    It was her secret and also the start of her confidence in Ao Mingyu. She had always thought that she would find a ce in her cousin¡¯s heart, if there was such a thing. But what did Honored Consort Ya mean now? Did she mean that her cousin knew that she and her aunt had schemed against him?

    What... what should she do?

    Would her cousin abandon her? Would he not marry her because of this? She was anxious and started to sweat. She looked at Honored Consort Ya nkly, hoping to hear a different answer from her. It was not the worst answer she had thought of.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Unfortunately, Honored Consort Ya dashed her hopes. She could not stand up any longer and felt weak. She hurriedly grabbed on to a chair and sat down. Her legs were trembling.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I said it was all my doing, and it was all my idea. You don¡¯t know anything about it, so it¡¯s not your fault.¡± Honored Consort Ya could not bear to see her so frightened. She sighed and stretched out her hand to hold her trembling hands.

    ¡°Aunt, you said... said it¡¯s your idea? Cousin... cousin, did he believe it?¡± Hearing that Honored Consort Ya had taken all the me, Ning Qingshan finally felt like she had been given a lifeline. She immediately held Honored Consort Ya¡¯s hand and cried with excitement. Just now, she thought it was all over with her cousin.

    Given her cousin¡¯s haughtiness, how could he allow her to lie to him?

    ¡°Although he does not trust others easily, he still trusts me like a mother. Don¡¯t worry, he won¡¯t trouble you anymore, but how did you let him find out?¡± Honored Consort Ya had a headache when she thought of this. It was not a big deal at first, but now it caused so many problems. Her son was so determined that she was caught unprepared.

    She did not know why her son thought of what happened three years ago.

    ¡°Aunt, I don¡¯t know. I did not tell anyone about it. When I was in the pce, I lived here alone. Apart from me, there were only the servants in your pce. Could it be that the people in your pce said something that my cousin found out?¡±

    Ning Qingshan said this resolutely.

    Her words were reasonable. Honored Consort Ya thought of the people who might have known about it and felt that she should handle the people in her pce. She nodded and said, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s the people in my pce. Well, I¡¯ll investigate itter. Now it¡¯s Yu¡¯er who is creating trouble for me because of this matter. He said that if he needs to marry you, he must marry Ning Xueyan.¡±

    Sure enough, the Third Prince was interested in Ning Xueyan. He threatened her aunt with this matter. Ning Qingshan was both jealous and angry, but she couldn¡¯t think of a reason to refuse.

    The incident happened three years ago, and it was because of her.

    However, she was reluctant. How could she ept that Ning Xueyan, a coquette, would be entering her cousin¡¯s Prince¡¯s Manor? No, she could not let that happen.

    ¡°Aunt, do you think the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor will marry her to Cousin?¡± Ning Qingshan asked bitterly, but she could not let it show on her face. Instead, Ning Qingshan had a look of concern for Honored Consort Ya.

    Her words brought some bad memories to Honored Consort Ya. At first, it was because the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was unwilling to marry their two daughters to Yu¡¯er. Madam Dowager of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had secretly refused. Otherwise, it might not have fueled Yu¡¯er¡¯s obsession. Now, he forced her to ept Ning Xueyan, due to the past.

    Ning Xueyan had not entered the door yet, but their mother-child rtionship was already disharmonious So, it was impossible for Honored Consort Ya to like Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. As long as the chips are enough, the old woman will let her go.¡± Honored Consort Ya sneered.

    ¡°Aunt, do you want Ning Xueyan to be a co-consort in the Prince¡¯s Manor?¡± Ning Qingshan asked in horror. She clenched her fists under her sleeves and wished she could appear in front of Ning Xueyan right now and scratch her face.

    She would never allow Ning Xueyan to marry the Third Prince, and be the co-consort.

    ¡°I think that I will not allow her to have a high status, so as not to make things difficult for you in the future. But as the daughter of the main wife of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she should be an imperial concubine at least. Shan¡¯er, how about making her a concubine?¡±

    Honored Consort Ya thought for a while and said this helplessly. Of course, she did not say it all out. Ao Mingyu was angry about the past. For her niece¡¯s sake, she even framed him, regardless of him being her son. He doubted that even if Ning Qingshan had not shown up at that time, it would not matter if he died or not.

    Because of this, the rtionship between the mother and the son was inharmonious. Honored Consort Ya tried her best to make up for it. After all, no matter how close she was to her niece, her son was the one closest to her. Besides, her son might ascend the throne, so Honored Consort Ya was worried about falling out with her son. She thought that it would be a trivial matter to take a concubine for her son.

    As long as her son did not me her because of what happened three years ago, she did not think that it would be a big problem. Even if Ao Mingyu proposed to take Ning Qingshan as his co-consort, she agreed, after thinking over it for a while.

    As for the two daughters of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, one would be a co-consort, and the other would be a concubine, which would be not suitable. As long as she gave the corresponding benefits and made some promises to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, there should be no problem with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. However, there would be a problem with Ning Qingshan because she was ted to be the principal wife of the Third Prince, but now she would only be a co-consort. Thus, Honored Consort Ya was embarrassed to tell her the truth.

    However, what her son said was also reasonable. Her niece had misbehaved. When in the yard, someone saw Ning Qingshan, not properly dressed on the bed with the dissipater Ao Xian. Then, on New Year¡¯s Eve, it was said that Ning Qingshan fought with another of her nieces because of Ao Xian. What¡¯s more, his son also said that someone in ck had caught her. And, it was hard to know what had actually happened in the darkness.

    Her son was the closest to her. Thinking that her son, a prince, had to marry Ning Qingshan, who had lost her reputation, she felt sorry for her son, who had been made a cuckold. Therefore, Honored Consort Ya agreed with Ao Mingyu¡¯s words and decided to make Ning Qingshan his co-consort.

    As long as she treated Ning Qingshan well after their marriage, it would make up for herck of status.

    After Honored Consort Ya made up her mind, she wanted to find a suitable daughter-inw. Of course, she could not say these words to Ning Qingshan right now.

    ¡°A concubine? Ning Xueyan will be a concubine?¡± Ning Qingshan was stunned.

    ¡°Yes, Yu¡¯er said that he would marry her as a concubine, instead of a co-consort. Shan¡¯er, do you feel relieved now?¡± Honored Consort Ya answered with a smile, looking gentle and calm.

    The status of a concubine was lower than that of a co-consort. Thinking that her cousin did not ask Ning Xueyan to be the co-consort, Ning Qingshan became less angry. She snorted and said, ¡°Aunt, she will gain extra advantage even as a concubine. She is a maid who does not know anything. How can she be my cousin¡¯s concubine? If she¡¯s unpresentable in the future, what will people think of him?¡±

    ¡°Unpresentable? As the daughter of the principal wife of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she can¡¯t be that bad, right?¡± Honored Consort Ya asked in surprise.

    ¡°Aunt, you don¡¯t know the truth. She has been locked up in Bright Frost Garden for so many years. Father and Grandmother looked down on them. She did not even have a Mammy to see to her upbringing, and her mother was the one who taught her. She could only write a few words. How would it be possible for her to know anything about lyre-ying, chess, calligraphy, and painting? If she enters my cousin¡¯s manor, she will disgrace him.¡±

    .Ning Qingshan¡¯s tone was disdainful at this moment.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor get anyone for her at that time? Didn¡¯t she even have an upbringing mammy ?¡± Honored Consort Ya sat up straight, her face darkening.

    ¡°Of course not. Aunt, if you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask the others. At that time, no one paid any attention to the people in Bright Frost Garden. They watched them grow and die without any interference. How could they ask someone to teach them?¡± Seeing Honored Consort Ya¡¯s hesitation, Ning Qingshan¡¯s ridicule for Ning Xueyan grew.

    ¡°But, Yu¡¯er...¡± Honored Consort Ya hesitated. Although a concubine was not as good as the consort and co-consort, she would be a concubine, which could be regarded as the daughter-inw of the royal family. She could not let Yu¡¯er lose face because of her.

    ¡°Aunt, if you don¡¯t believe me, why don¡¯t you check it out first? If you produce the evidence, my cousin will drop the idea forever. Anyway, it¡¯s not your fault, but Ning Xueyan¡¯s fault. He can¡¯t me anyone.¡±

    ¡°Check her out?¡± These words reminded Honored Consort Ya, and her eyes lit up. ¡°Well, let the youngdies gather together to perform in two days. If she¡¯s unqualified, she¡¯ll be eliminated.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Aunt! that¡¯s a good idea!¡± Ning Qingshan said with a smile. A trace of cruelty shed across her face. ¡°It¡¯s not that simple. If the news that she can¡¯t do anything gets out, Ning Xueyan will never marry well in her life!¡±

 Chapter 309 - The Hate-filled Caifen

    <h4>Chapter 309 The Hate-filled Caifen</h4>

    Once they entered the pce, they had to learn the rules and etiquette of the pce. Although all of them had studied it in their manors before, it was still not enough, ording to the imperial pce¡¯s standards. Therefore, all of them were supplied with maids who specialized in pce etiquette. They were required to be well drilled in all aspects of pce manners.

    If there was something wrong, they would have to do it all over again. They were not cut any ck because of their noble status. At the end of a day, even Ning Qingshan¡¯s knees were sore, and her legs were numb. When the maid helped her back to her room, she could not stand it. Honored Consort Ya did not take care of Ning Qingshan in this aspect. It expressed that she made no exception for anyone.

    ¡°Third Sister.¡± After walking a few steps, she saw Ning Xueyan being helped by a maid. Ning Xueyan looked pale and haggard. It was evident that she was not feeling good.

    Seeing Ning Xueyan, Ning Qingshan let go of Caifen¡¯s hand and came over, as if she was worried about Ning Xueyan. ¡°Fifth Sister, are you all right? Do you want to see an imperial physician? Don¡¯t get sick at this time. I can¡¯t bear this responsibility in ce of grandmother and father.¡±

    ¡°Third Sister, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m just a little tired.¡± Ning Xueyan sat down on a stone bench and said softly to Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°You¡¯re not in good health all the time. Don¡¯t carry on if you¡¯re not all right. Let¡¯s talk to Honored Consort Ya. Maybe she will reduce the intensity of your paces if she knows you¡¯re weak.¡± Ning Qingshan sat down on the stone bench with a sincere and kind look on her face.

    ¡°No, thanks. I heard that things will be better tomorrow. So, I won¡¯t bother you anymore.¡± Ning Xueyan shook her head and held her forehead with one hand. She looked sleepy. She did not know anything before, even if she had been practicing hard in the manor, but it was still not enough. It was inevitable that a Mammy would scold her.

    At the thought of this, Ning Qingshan was quite happy.

    Tomorrow, Ning Xueyan, do you think you will be free tomorrow? Unfortunately, you will have a hard time tomorrow. She would deliberately create problems for Ning Xueyan, so she did not believe that she would not make a fool of herself.

    ¡°Since you don¡¯t need the physician, you¡¯d better go back and have a good rest. Don¡¯t get too tired. There are other things to be done tomorrow.¡± Ning Qingshan pretended to be a good, elder sister at this time. All the youngdies who passed by, looked confused. The rtionship between the two Young Ladies of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was terribly strange.

    ¡°Third Sister, I¡¯ll go back now!¡± Ning Xueyan nodded and gave a forced smile. She seemed not to be in good spirits. Lanning carefully held her arm, and she stood up. Then, she leaned against Lanning and walked into her room.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s room was a little far, but Ning Qingshan¡¯s room was in the first row, so it was convenient for her to go in and out. Thest one was not popr among thedies, because of the long distance. They all lived in the front, so the rooms in the first two rows were upied. In thest row, there were only a few people, and several rooms were empty.

    Several people, who had been assigned to thest row, asked to be moved to the front, by all means. Ning Xueyan always liked peace and quiet, so she did not care about it.

    After turning two corners and knowing that Ning Qingshan had already disappeared, Ning Xueyan stood up straight and walked in slowly. She was not tired at all after the training. Ning Xueyan had not learned anything, but Ning Ziying knew everything. Moreover, under her mother¡¯s strict requirements, she was thoroughly aplished.

    Even the stewardess who tried to find something wrong, could not find fault with her. She let her practice by herself and did not exert any control over her. She deliberately showed signs of fatigue, when she saw Ning Qingshan, because she did not want Ning Qingshan to suspect anything. But now, it seemed that Ning Qingshan was suspicious.

    Ning Qingshan¡¯s caring attitude was indeed suspicious!

    Besides, the smugness on her face showed that Ning Qingshan must have ulterior motives.

    ¡°Lanning, you go to the Eldest Young Lady Hengter. You tell her that I asked you to go there to see if she has any silk threads because I want to embroider a handkerchief when I am free. Then, you ask her privately if she knows anything about the arrangements for these few days.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go in a minute.¡± Lanning nodded, sent Ning Xueyan back to her room, and went over to Heng Yuqing¡¯s ce.

    Heng Yuqing was in the room in front, in the second row. Ning Xueyan and Heng Yuqing had talked about it when they met before, so she knew the exact location, even though she had not visited her officially yet.

    Ning Xueyan went back to her room to have a rest, and then she heard Lanning¡¯s hasty footsteps.

    ¡°Young Lady, I heard that tomorrow, all Young Ladies will have to show their talents, be it ying a musical instrument or dancing as the first choice. Now, many youngdies have asked their families to bring their familiar traditional musical instruments and costumes to the pce.¡± Lanning was shocked when she heard the news and had hurried back.

    ¡°Tomorrow? It¡¯s so fast!¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes were calm, with a trace of coldness in her jet-ck eyes. Everyone except her, knew about it. Ning Qingshan was so exceptionally adept in trickery. She kept all the news from her, and wanted to catch her off guard tomorrow.

    ¡°Young Lady, do... do you have any familiar musical instruments or dresses that you need? Eldest Young Lady Heng told me that she asked someone to get them for her. Do you want her to take them for you...¡± When Lanning asked Ning Xueyan, Lanning¡¯s voice became softer and softer, and she even looked a little angry. After she followed Ning Xueyan, she knew that the youngdy in front of her was smart, but she had never learned anything formally.

    The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had mistreated her, so there were no instruments or dancing dresses for her.

    ¡°Lanning, go ask Eldest Young Lady Heng to tell Xinmei that I want a dancing dress.¡± Ning Xueyan stood up and looked out of the window. Her eyes were cold and dark. Was it just apetition? Ning Qingshan would not let such an opportunity go. She even felt that this suddenpetition had something to do with Ning Qingshan.

    Furthermore, on the first day, the chief eunuch had not said anything about the arrangements for these days. Why did such a thing suddenly happen?

    No matter in her previous life or this life, she had never danced in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, so no one knew that she knew how to dance. But no one knew that in the south of the Yangtze River, these were all herpulsory projects. Her mother had strict requirements on every project she had to learn.

    ¡°Young Lady, I... I don¡¯t know if you have a dancing dress.¡± Lanning blinked and asked in confusion.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know either, but Xinmei will know.¡± Ning Xueyan chuckled.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go and tell Eldest Young Lady Heng immediately.¡± Lanning was stunned at first, but then she smiled. She nodded and was about to go out when she suddenly stopped. ¡°Young Lady, can you dance?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Ning Xueyan said with certainty, with a faint smile on her face.

    Lanning did not feel relieved until Ning Xueyan gave her a firm answer. The Young Lady said she could, so she could.

    Because they would have a song-and-dancepetition, they had to rest early so as not to be short of energy tomorrow. Besides, many well-informed youngdies also knew that the performance was not only for the imperial concubines, but also for the Emperor, several Princes, and Princely Heirs.

    On such an asion, if one made a fool of herself, she would never be able to show her face again. It was not just about the failure in the Beauty Contest.

    If one performed well, she could even make a blockbuster. Thus, all the beautiful girls pulled up their socks, and prepared to make an excellent performance to gain more points for themselves.

    In the evening, the maid, Caifen, secretly returned to Ning Qingshan¡¯s room.

    ¡°How did it go?¡± Ning Qingshan asked behind a pearl curtain. She was ying the zither and practicing a little, while in the room. She felt it was not bad. Hearing the voice, she knew that Caifen hade back.

    ¡°Young Lady, everything is ready. That eunuch was not willing at first. Then, he immediately agreed with a smile, after I gave him the banknotes you prepared. At first, I thought he was a person who did not covet money.¡± Caifen lifted the bead curtain and came in with disdain.

    ¡°Does not covet money?¡± Ning Qingshan sneered. She sat down on a stool covered with brocades, lifted the teacup at the table, and took a sip. ¡°A eunuch, who¡¯s in charge of musical instruments, doesn¡¯t have much money. He seldom has such a chance to get money. How can he not be greedy for money? Does the eunuch know who you are?¡±

    ¡°He did not get a good look at me. There are a few pock-marks on my face. Even if I stand in front of him tomorrow, he will not remember who I am.¡± Caifen wiped several charcoal dots on her face with a handkerchief, and said this proudly. She believed that in the dim light, the eunuch could only see a few pock-marks on her face, and had not seen her face clearly.

    ¡°That¡¯s good. Caifen, thank you!¡± Ning Qingshan nodded with satisfaction, and then sighed helplessly. ¡°Now I only have you and Mammy Luo as my henchmen. If it weren¡¯t for my helplessness, I would not have let you take this risk. I¡¯m such an ipetent master.¡±

    ¡°Young Lady, I¡¯m not afraid. I¡¯m not afraid to do anything for you and my sister.¡± Seeing that Ning Qingshan was concerned about her, Caifen was touched, but then she gritted her teeth with hatred.

    If it weren¡¯t for Ning Xueyan, she would have been reunited with her elder sister. At that time, her elder sister said that everything had been arranged and asked her to wait for her. However, when she came over, she saw her elder sister¡¯s bloody and cold body. At the thought of this scene, Caifen was full of hatred for Ning Xueyan.

    Her sister was her only rtive in the world, but now she had been killed by Ning Xueyan. She hated her!

    Therefore, she was willing to cooperate with Ning Qingshan to frame Ning Xueyan. Was there anything better than taking revenge for her sister and bing the Young Lady¡¯s henchman?

    Dusk had fallen. In most of the rooms, the lights had been turned off. The rooms in thest row were the quietest. There were only a few people. So, there was no sound at this time. After helping Ning Xueyan to prepare for bed, Lanning blew out the lights. She went outside, frowning and sighed gently. The Young Lady had fallen asleep, but she could not sleep. The Eldest Young Lady Heng¡¯s people did not bring anything back.

    How could she not be anxious? However, the Young Lady did not seem to be worried, and had fallen asleep early.

    Nothing was ready for thepetition tomorrow. What could be done about it?

    Suddenly, she heard a slight sound. When she looked up, everything went dark. She fell on the bed, without knowing what was going on...

 Chapter 310 - The Blood Jade Bracelet

    <h4>Chapter 310 The Blood Jade Bracelet</h4>

    As the door was pushed open in the darkness, Ning Xueyan opened her eyes calmly. She looked at the slender but elegant ck figure walking to the bed. The figure seemed to be gloomy and cool wherever he went. She sighed softly like Lanning, and then she tried to get up by holding the edge of the bed.

    ¡°Well, you know I¡¯ming. Were you waiting for me?¡± Ao Chenyi lowered his head and saw Ning Xueyan calmly sitting up. His long and narrowed eyes seemed to have water flowing through them , which made it difficult for people to guess what he was thinking.

    The moonlight shone through the window, but Ning Xueyan could still see his sly eyes. She leaned back against the cushion with a slight smile on her lips. ¡°Prince Yi, you don¡¯t want me to be sifted out tomorrow!¡±

    Tomorrow would be the first round for eliminating people, which would be the most basic one. A nobledy was always good at ying Qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Even if she was not proficient in them, she was able to perform something. If she could not pass the test, how could she gain poprity among the royal family? How could she even enter Prince Yi¡¯s Manor?

    ¡°You are sincere. Aren¡¯t you afraid that I will not be able to get a dancing dress in time for you?¡± Ao Chenyi snorted and sat down beside Ning Xueyan¡¯s bed. He leaned backzily against the bed and pursed his thin lips, looking at the girl in front of him, with displeasure.

    Under the moonlight, her face was as cold as the moon. Because of the cold light, she looked paler. She revealed a bit ofziness and charm in her pale face. Her long ck hair fell to her shoulders, which made her exquisite facial features more prominent and charming.

    Under the moonlight, her watery eyes seemed to be hazy. Her moist eyes could melt people¡¯s hearts.

    The dancing dress that she had asked Xinmei to find was a fabrication. The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had never prepared a dance dress for her. So, what Ning Xueyan meant was to let Xinmei look for Ao Chenyi. She believed that Ao Chenyi would find a way to make a dance dress for her, in half a day.

    These things were not crucial to Ao Chenyi at all. Initially, he did not want to even bothering here, but he came!

    ¡°Thank you, Prince Yi.¡± Ning Xueyan felt ufortable under his gaze. She tilted her head slightly as she thanked him.

    ¡°Have you decided what your dance routine will be tomorrow? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯re good at dancing. You¡¯ve been shut up in Bright Frost Garden for so many years. How could your mother teach you how to dance when you¡¯re ill?¡± Ao Chenyi said coldly.

    ¡°My mother only taught me once or twice. Later, I thought it was fine, so I danced secretly.¡± Ning Xueyan said softly, with a faint smile on her lips, as if she had not realized that Ao Chenyi was ridiculing her before.

    She had found this reason earlier. If she were Ning Xueyan, she would know nothing. However, she was Ning Ziying, who had been strictly educated by her mother. Thus, it was not difficult for her to handle this. To deceive the public, she said so. After all, the rebirth was unimaginably queer. If she said so, people would believe her.

    ¡°If it doesn¡¯t work, I have my way to let you pass.¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s handsome face was partly hidden and partly visible under the moonlight. He casually leaned against the bed rail opposite Ning Xueyan, looking evil and enchanting. If it weren¡¯t for his cold temperament, she could almost forget that this Prince Yi was like a bloodthirsty Shura.

    Ning Xueyan shook her head and refused with a smile. ¡°I don¡¯t dare to bother you, Prince Yi. After all, it¡¯s in the imperial pce. If you interfere too much, I¡¯m afraid of being noticed.¡± Ao Chenyi had someone in the imperial pce, but these people were his spies after all. If they were discovered because of her matter, it would be a waste.

    ¡°Are you worried about me?¡± The handsome face, which was far away, suddenly appeared in front of Ning Xueyan, almost touching her white and tender forehead. She was so shocked that she could not help moving back. She blinked her long eyshes and looked into his beautiful but enchanting eyes.

    ¡°Prince Yi, I am faring as well as you. So, I¡¯m worried about you.¡± Ning Xueyan did not know what he meant, but she answered carefully for fear that he would suspect her.

    ¡°Would you like me to get you out of the pce a few dayster?¡± Ao Chenyi said with a smile on his face.

    ¡°Prince Yi, is it proper?¡± Ning Xueyan thought for a while and asked. She did not want to take part in the Beauty Contest. In the imperial pce, she felt more helpless than in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Lanning was the only one whom she could count on. There were too many people in the imperial pce who could take her life.

    If possible, Ning Xueyan would rather go out of the pce.

    ¡°I have the final say.¡± Ao Chenyi stepped away from Ning Xueyan and said listlessly.

    These words... were like what Prince Yi had said!

    ¡°I¡¯m at your disposal, Prince Yi.¡± Ning Xueyan thought for a moment and made a decision. There was a hint of joy in her watery eyes, but she still bit her lips and asked, ¡°But what do you think is the proper way to get away from the manor?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell His Majesty directly that I like you and want to marry you.¡± Ao Chenyi suddenly reached out his hand to touch Ning Xueyan¡¯s smooth hair and gave her an evil nce.

    ¡°Prince Yi, you¡¯d better not. I¡¯ll think about it again. If there¡¯s anything I need, I¡¯ll ask you for help.¡± Ning Xueyan sighed and said helplessly, while her watery eyes subconsciously looked depressed. She did not expect anything. It might be best for him to be so high-key and deal with things in this way, but she would be in the midst of the storm.

    ¡°You don¡¯t like my idea?¡± Ao Chenyi narrowed his eyes, which glowed ferociously. He said this in a neutral tone, filled with coldness.

    ¡°No. It¡¯s not suitable for me. If I agree with your idea, you¡¯ll have to bury me until then!¡± Ning Xueyan sighed and snarled, ¡°Your Highness, this will be suitable for your legal wife.¡±

    Hearing that, Ao Chenyi had a smile on his face. He nced at her listlessly. Suddenly, he turned his head and whispered in Ning Xueyan¡¯s ear, ¡°Well, since you like to keep a low profile, I¡¯ll figure out such an idea.¡±

    Because he suddenly came over, his red and thin lips touched her delicate and white face, which aroused a burning sensation in her. Besides, his gentle breath blew softly through the hair on her temples, which made her have some ambiguous feelings. Her heart thudded sharply twice.

    Suddenly, a slender and sturdy hand touched her thin wrist. Before Ning Xueyan could react, a blood-red bracelet was ced on her wrist.

    ¡°This is...¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes fell on the jade bracelet in her hand involuntarily. It was an exquisite bracelet, with a golden bell hanging below it and a pearl quivering on it. Its color was simr to that of Ning Xueyan¡¯s skin. It was beautiful and elegant, exuding a magnificent beauty.

    ¡°This is a blood bracelet, which is suitable for women. If you are in danger, you can gently press here, and there will be several poison needles which has anesthetic.¡± Ao Chenyi shook the bracelet lightly with his fingers and pointed to an inconspicuous golden button. There, Ning Xueyan found that there were three small gold buttons at the connection between the bracelet and the bell.

    Ao Chenyi pointed to the one in the middle.

    It was indeed a delicate and practical bracelet, a perfect tool for women¡¯s self-defense. In the dangerous Imperial Pce, Ning Xueyan felt that she also needed such an amulet.

    ¡°Thank you, Prince Yi.¡± Ning Xueyan turned the bracelet over, with a happy look on her face. With such a bracelet, she felt more at ease to some extent, so she did not refuse his gift.

    ¡°You like it?¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s voice was a little drawling, but he was in a good mood. At least, he was not indifferent to Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°I like it very much.¡± Ning Xueyan raised the corner of her mouth slightly, and her smile was as pure and bright as a flower. She turned the bracelet in her hand with her slender and tender fingers again.

    She liked this bracelet. She had heard from Xia Yuhang that there was such a bracelet, but she had never seen it before. After her rebirth, she also wanted to find a ce that made one. She had asked several jewelry shops, but they all said that they could not make it.

    The blood-red jade bracelet made her skin on her delicate wrist look very pure.

    Ao Chenyi narrowed his beautiful eyes slightly, with a deep and thoughtful meaning. It was rare that he did not make her feel embarrassed. He got up and stood in front of her bed.

    ¡°Wait a few more days, and when I have arranged everything, I will let you go back.¡±

    After that, he turned around and walked out. Under the moonlight, the beautiful Equinox Flower had a blood-thirsty but enchanting beauty.

    The door closed gently, and darkness enveloped everything. Ning Xueyan listened carefully and heard the sound of the door closing. Then Lanning screamed in panic. As the door suddenly opened, Lanning rxed when she saw Ning Xueyan sitting quietly in the dark.

    ¡°Young Lady, this is...¡± She held a box in her hand. From her perspective, Ning Xueyan could see nothing, but only a corner of the beautiful cloth.

    ¡°Bring it to me!¡± Ning Xueyan nodded and gestured her toe over.

    She put the box on Ning Xueyan¡¯s bed. The dress that unfolded was gorgeous and beautiful. It was silver with a light water-colored edge at the cor. The hem of the dress was embroidered with lotus flowers, and a thinyer of gauze adorned the dress, which looked very elegant.

    ¡°Young Lady, this is... a gift from Prince Yi?¡± Lanning did not see anyone just now, but when she thought of Ning Xueyan¡¯s words and saw her calm look, she guessed everything.

    She cked out just now. When she woke up, she saw such a gorgeous box on the table. There was no one in the room. She only saw that the door of the inner room was slightly closed. She had rushed over in fear.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Ning Xueyan reached out to feel the corners of the beautiful dress. Then, she felt the shining dress sliding through her fingers. It was made of excellent material. It had been an offering from the south of the Yangtze River. The embroidered lotus on it was also lifelike, which was said to be a lost needle art.

 Chapter 311 - Making Inquiries, A little Pleasing Eunuch

    <strong>Chapter 311 Making Inquiries, A little Pleasing Eunuch</strong>

    The most famous double-sided embroidery made by the imperial pce of the previous dynasty had be unique and rare, with the fall of the former dynasty. There were only a few pieces that remained in the world. She did not expect Ao Chenyi to have such an exquisite piece of embroidery in his possession. Moreover, it was embroidered on the dancing dress that she had hastily decided to wear.

    ¡°Young Lady, please try it on first. If there is any alteration to be made, I can do it immediately!¡± Lanning was not familiar with this kind of embroidery technique, but she could feel the texture of the material. The lotuses on the embroidery were all delicately done. She could not help, but want Ning Xueyan to try it on.

    ¡°No. Take it out. You should go to bed early. Maybe there could be some unexpected incidents tomorrow.¡± Ning Xueyan released the hem of her dress, and said softly.

    Ao Chenyi had sent this to her, so there would not be any issues with the dress.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take it out.¡± Lanning nodded and left.

    The next morning, all thedies got up early, because today was a significant day. No one wanted to be eliminated in the first round. In this way, not only would they lose face, but also the family they represented, would lose face. If the so-called nobledies did not even have the basic skills, they must have had a poor upbringing.

    Lanningbed Ning Xueyan¡¯s long hair. Her hair was put up in a beautiful and stylish bun, to match the dress. A strand of ck hair hung loosely on each side of her ears, which made Ning Xueyan appear more charming.

    ¡°Young Lady, won¡¯t the Third Young Lady be afraid that you will make a fool of yourself and get her into trouble?¡± Lanning asked, while helping Ning Xueyan to get ready.

    If the Young Ladies of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had not been properly educated, wouldn¡¯t Ning Qingshan lose face because of that?

    ¡°She¡¯s not only wary of me, but also of all the Young Ladies of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor,¡± Ning Xueyan smiled casually. She took a white jade hairpin from her hand, and handed it to Lanning.

    Ning Qingshan was smart. She knew clearly what Madam Ling and Madam Dowager were nning when Ning Yuling came to the capital. Ning Qingshan would take this opportunity to embarrass her in front of others, and spread the rumor that Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had been badly brought up. If Ning Yuling dared to covet the Third Prince, she stood no chance at all.

    As for herself, on the one hand, her talent was well-known. On the other hand, she was self assured and bold. She knew that the Third Prince would not dislike her. As the Third Prince¡¯s cousin and the Honored Consort Ya¡¯s niece, she would marry into the Third Prince¡¯s pce.

    As for whether she would be the wife or not, Ning Xueyan did not want to guess. Ning Qingshan still thought that everything was going nicely ording to her n. However, some things had already deviated from her original n. Otherwise, how could she have met with such misfortune at the Cold Mountain Temple?

    The venue had been chosen a long time ago. It was in the Wanhe Hall. This time, maids were allowed to apany their masters. Thedies and maids went to Wanhe Hall, and sat in rows on the right side.

    Ning Xueyan was in the second row from the back. Ning Qingshan was in front of her. When she saw Ning Xueyaning over, her eyes were gentle and warm. Because the emperor and the imperial concubines were not there yet, they were not that restricted and whispered to each other.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, what are you going to perform today? If you need anything, tell me. I don¡¯t want you to be aughing stock and lose face.¡± Ning Qingshan came over and said this, with a worried look on her face. Her words were full of concern. Those who did not know the truth would think that she cared greatly about Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Third Sister, what do you think I should perform?¡± Ning Xueyan asked lightly. She frowned slightly, looking a little helpless.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, do you know how to dance? If you do, I can borrow a pce maid¡¯s dancing dress from the imperial concubines¡¯ manor for you.¡± Hearing that Ning Xueyan was not prepared, Ning Qingshan showed a trace of malicious satisfaction in her eyes. She deliberately stopped an old maid to enquire on behalf of Ning Xueyan. As expected, Ning Xueyan was not prepared at all.

    ¡°Borrow a pce maid¡¯s dancing dress?¡± As she said that, all the girls around sneered her discreetly. There were traces of mockery in their expressions.

    Ning Qingshan seemed concerned about Ning Xueyan, but was actually thinking she was no better than an ordinary pce maid. She suggested borrowing a dancing dress from a pce maid. Ning Xueyan knew that if she agreed, the dress she borrowed would not fit her well and would be certainly be unsightly. She would be subject to more humiliation today.

    ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Third Sister. I don¡¯t know how to dance,¡± Ning Xueyan said softly. No one saw the coldness in her watery eyes.

    ¡°Then, you will need a musical instrument. I¡¯ve brought a zither that I have used since I was a child. Fifth Sister, you can use itter.¡± Ning Qingshan said enthusiastically.

    ¡°No, thank you, Third Sister. I won¡¯t bother you anymore. I¡¯ll find a zitherter.¡± Ning Xueyan seemed to be a little impatient. It was unbearable to be seen as an object of a joke by the Young Ladies around her. She did not look well.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, will you y the zither?¡± Hearing that Ning Xueyan would be using a musical instrument, Ning Qingshan asked again, in order to be certain.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve seen my mother ying it before. I¡¯ll... I¡¯ll tell youter!¡± Ning Xueyan said, biting her lips. It seemed that she was unable to make up her mind for now.

    Madam Ming had an ancient zither in the Bright Frost Garden. Ning Qingshan had seen it before, so she thought that Ning Xueyan could y the zither a little. Ning Xueyan did not want her zither, and did not confirm if she would be ying it. This was what she had observed.

    Ning Qingshan was making a guess. After she finished questioning her, she made a gesture of ying the zither to Caifen, who was standing at the side. Knowing what she meant, Caifen quietly walked out of the hall and went to a small room nearby.

    Seeing a woman dressed as a maiding over, a little eunuch who guarded the door knew that she had been brought by this group of beautifuldies. These people might be his master in the future. Of course, he dared not offend them. He immediately came up to her and said with a smile, ¡°Sister, what¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°Did you set aside any instruments here fordies, who have no musical instruments, to choose from?¡± Caifen shook her handkerchief and asked with a smile.

    ¡°Yes, yes, yes, who is your Young Lady?¡± The little eunuch was here today for this purpose. Hearing that, he kept nodding.

    ¡°Mydy is the Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. She is going to y the zitherter. She wants to choose a zither first. Mydy said that if you choose a good one for her, she will reward you well.¡± Caifen raised her head with a haughty air, as if she was rather contemptuous of these people.

    The Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? Although the little eunuch did not know who the Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was, he knew who the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was. They were the favored one of the emperor. Besides, rumors had it that the Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would soon be the Third Prince¡¯s wife.

    The Third Prince was most likely to ascend the throne. With such a background, he could not afford to offend the Fifth Young Lady in any way. He immediately pushed open the door behind him, and with much bowing and nodding to Caifen, said ¡°Pick one for yourself. No one hase to pick any yet. If you choose one for your Young Lady, I¡¯ll reserve it for you and not let anyone use it.¡±

    He wanted to tter the Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, who seemed to have powerful backing, so his words flowed out endlessly. Moreover, it was not a problem at all for him to put aside the zither that Fifth Young Lady had picked, so that no one else would choose it. The little eunuch thought it was worthwhile to win Fifth Young Lady¡¯s favor, so easily.

    ¡°Eunuch, I¡¯ll thank you on behalf of mydy... Mydy will definitely not forget your kindness.¡± Caifen waited to tell him this and she smiled, as she walked inside.

    ¡°Yes, yes, yes. I have to rely on the Fifth Young Lady to support me in the future!¡± The little eunuch bowed and followed her.

    When she entered the room, she found that the room was filled with various musical instruments. All the instruments in the pce were of good quality, and there were even several unique zithers.

    Caifen stopped in front of an ancient zither and looked at it and seemed to be very satisfied with the zither. She told the eunuch who followed her, ¡°I¡¯ll take this one. This is good. Mydy will like it, and its size and length are also suitable. Put it away for mydy first, and don¡¯t let the others use it first.¡±

    ¡°Sure, sure. Rest assured. Only the Fifth Young Lady can use this zither today. I won¡¯t give it to anyone else.¡± The little eunuch patted his chest and promised.

    ¡°Then, the Fifth Young Lady will be relying on you today. When this matter is over, we¡¯ll not only reward you, but our Third Young Lady will request the Honored Consort Ya to reward you.¡± Cai Fen promised himvish benefits, with a smile.

    Hearing that the Honored Consort Ya, who was regarded as half master of the harem, would show up, the little eunuchughed happily. He was so pleased to hear that he might be skyrocketing to fame soon.

    ¡°The Fifth Young Lady and the Third Young Lady think so highly of me, so I¡¯ll do my best, in any case. This zither belongs to the Fifth Young Lady today. Later, I¡¯ll send it to the Fifth Young Lady, when necessary. I promise that there will be no idents.¡± The little eunuch was so happy.

    When the matter was settled, Caifen went out of the room. She felt satisfied and went to the main hall. When she walked to the door of the main hall, she heard a sharp voice shouting, ¡°The emperor ising!¡±

    In and outside the hall, all the people immediately knelt.

    The emperor¡¯s carriage arrived first. Then, it was the empress¡¯s carriage. Prince Yi, the Third Prince, the Fourth Prince, and a row of imperial concubines followed. Only when all the people had passed by, were the pce maids and eunuchs standing outside, allowed to get up.

    Caifen got up and sneaked back to Ning Qingshan, from behind. She nodded to Ning Qingshan quietly, indicating that everything had been done.

    Ning Qingshan¡¯s eyes fell on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face and a trace of cruelty and pride was etched on her face.

    She did not care about a good-for-nothing, but she did not expect that Ning Xueyan was not a pushover, but even outshone her a little. She even dared to hook up with the Third Prince. Now even Ning Zu¡¯an suspected her, because of Ning Xueyan. How could she bear it? Did Ning Xueyan wish to be a concubine? She wanted Ning Xueyan to lose her reputation in front of the emperor, without the slightest hope of bouncing back.

    She wondered if the older woman, who took care of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, dared think that Ning Xueyan was a treasure...

 Chapter 312 - Drawing Jade Tablets, the Seventh and the Eighth

    <h4>Chapter 312 Drawing Jade Tablets, the Seventh and the Eighth</h4>

    Lanning followed Caifen in and came to Ning Xueyan¡¯s side. She squatted down and whispered to Ning Xueyan. At this time, some childes from noble families came in from outside the hall. After they made their obeisance to the emperor and the empress, they went to the left side of the hall.

    There were rows of male guests, and three chairs were ced at the front. One chair was covered with light yellow brocade that was simr to a bright yellow color. It was at the right side of the emperor, and located slightly below the steps where the emperor sat, and a little to the side. The handsome and cold person sitting on it was Prince Yi, the emperor¡¯s younger brother.

    Below him were the Third Prince Ao Mingyu and the Fourth Prince Ao Mingwan.

    It was an impressive scene!

    Thedies were both shocked and happy. If they managed to create an impression on such an asion, perhaps the emperor would remember them. Maybe then, this would be their chance to skyrocket to fame!

    ¡°Your Highness, when... when will we start?¡± The Emperor did not look well. He looked haggard and slightly pale, and seemed to be in poor spirits.

    Ning Xueyan looked up and felt that the emperor did not look that old. He was a thin, middle-aged man. It seemed that he had been good-looking when he was young. But now, there were ck shadows under his eyes, and his face was too pale. He appeared to be in poor health.

    The Empress was an extremely dignified, middle-aged, beautiful woman. She was well-maintained. She was dressed in a luxurious phoenix dress and had a goodplexion. However, there was a sense of gloom and coldness about her. Even in this beautiful hall, her gloom would not be dispelled.

    This was the Empress who had no children. So what if she was the Empress? Therefore, it was inevitable that the gloom in her eyes was permanently there.

    The Honored Consort Ya and the Honored Consort Shu were sitting next to her. Compared to them, she appeared much calmer.

    ¡°Your Majesty, it was all carefully coordinated by Sister Ya. Let her tell you!¡± The Empress smiled and turned to look at the Honored Consort Ya, who was sitting aside. She looked dignified and polite, as befitting her position of one who was indeed the mother of a country.

    ¡°Your Majesty, you think too highly of me. It may not be a good arrangement. Anyway, you and the emperor need to have a look. Honored Consort Shu and I dare not call the shots here!¡± The Honored Consort Ya smiled gently, as she held a handkerchief in her hands. There was no disrespect for the empress in her eyes, and she even ttered the empress.

    The Empress looked a little relieved.

    ¡°Sister Ya, you are too polite. Can we start now?¡± The Empress smiled slightly and passed on a message on behalf of the Emperor.

    ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll start immediately.¡± The Honored Consort Ya pped her hands, with a smile. Then, a eunuch standing behind her stepped forward and handed her an exquisite box. There were small jade tokens in it. The Honored Consort Ya stood up and walked up to the emperor gracefully. She bowed and held the box high.

    ¡°Your Majesty, I would like to ask you to select the first outstanding girl today, and the empress will select the next one.¡±

    ¡°My beloved imperial concubine, you are really something. Should I draw a jade tablet personally?¡± The jade tablet was drawn on the spot, and the chosendy would then perform. He was somewhat amused. He reached out to take a jade tablet, as he praised her and smiled.

    ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯m not capable. It all depends on the empress¡¯s reminder and the Honored Consort Shu¡¯s ideas. I¡¯m just a messenger.¡± The Honored Consort Ya did not take all the credit. She smiled and gave the credit to the Empress and the Honored Consort Shu. The Empress looked even more rxed. She reached out to take a jade tablet and handed it to the eunuch beside her.

    The Honored Consort Shu, who was sitting by the side, smiled happily.

    The first performer was the daughter of the Minister of Rituals. She was going to dance, and now she was changing into her dancing dress. The next one was the daughter of the Right Prime Minister. She was getting her zither ready. The maid beside her had already taken it out from a bag, on her back.

    The third person who picked out a jade tablet was Ao Chenyi. Hezily reached in and took out a tablet. The eunuch hurriedly took it and wrote down the third performer¡¯s name.

    The Third Prince, the Fourth Prince, and the Honored Consort Shu did the same. All the concubines in the imperial harem did too, ording to their ranks.

    Today, there were a lot of concubines here, but only a few beautifuldies. In this way, there were a few low-ranking concubines who did not have a chance to draw a tablet. After all the tablets were taken out, the pce maids informed each youngdy, in order for them to prepare themselves.

    Ning Xueyan looked at her number. She was the eighth one, so it was still too early for her to prepare.

    But more coincidentally, the maid who came to tell the number told Ning Qingshan first and then Ning Xueyan. Ning Xueyan had not forgotten her polite manner, when the maid talked to Ning Qingshan. It seemed that people in the imperial pce also knew that Ning Qingshan was going to be the Third Prince¡¯s wife.

    The firstdy showed her talent and from her elegant and pleasing performance, one could tell that she had put in a lot of work. The Empress was sitting in a high position, with a straight face. Now, she had a satisfied smile on her face, which meant that she enjoyed her performance.

    The second beautiful woman¡¯s dance was graceful. It was not brilliant but well performed. Her showmanship was no lesser than the others.

    Then, the third one and the fourth one came. Coincidentally, they seemed to have discussed it before. When they performed in sequence with each other, it was refreshing to watch. Whether they had known each other before, or had done this previously with each other, their coordination was perfect.

    When they came down, there were morepliments than before, because their performance garnered a whole lot of cheers. After this, several beautiful girls sitting beside Ning Xueyan, and the people sitting adjacent to her, were discussing in low voices what each of their performance was going to be, and whether they should do the same and do a joint performance.

    As soon as the thirddy and the fourthdy went off the stage, the fifth one went up. Her dance moves were not only good, but her dance music was quite lengthy. Apanied by the drumbeats, one felt as if one was in paradise. She danced enchantingly and moved her long sleeves gently to the music, which was very attractive to watch.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, why don¡¯t we work together? Let¡¯s y the zither together. If I have any shorings, you can help me remedy them. If I have any weaknesses, you can also help me. If we y together, we¡¯ll stand a better chance. Fifth Sister, what do you think?¡±

    She leaned back while watching the dance, and said this to Ning Xueyan.

    She believed that Ning Xueyan would not refuse. Ning Xueyan¡¯s skill in ying the zither was mediocre. Now that she was caught unprepared, she must be in a great state of panic. If she reached out to help her once, she would be willing to share the praise she received, with her, and take away some of her embarrassment. How could she not agree?

    So, Ning Qingshan did not expect that Ning Xueyan would not agree at all. After saying that, she was silent for a long time. She did not know if she had enough patience to let her prey slowly climb over and take the bait.

    ¡°Thank you, Third Sister. But, tit is not a good idea for both of us to y the zither...¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s gentle refusal came from behind. Everything was within Ning Qingshan¡¯s expectation. If Ning Xueyan agreed so easily, she would feel suspicious.

    She had fought against Ning Xueyan more than once. She nned before taking any action each time, which showed that Ning Xueyan was extremely cunning. It was impossible for her to believe that she would sincerely cooperate with her. Fortunately, she was well prepared.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, I¡¯m not sure about your skills in ying the zither. I¡¯ve been in the nunnery for the past three years, and I am not aware about the affairs of the world. But now that I¡¯m out, I don¡¯t want anyone to talk about the affairs of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. If you do something wrong, you¡¯ll get me into trouble. You know what happened between me and the Third Prince, so I can¡¯t make any mistakes now. So, I¡¯d better y the zither with you.¡±

    Ning Qingshan turned her head and looked at Ning Xueyan. She looked a little depressed, but she said this sincerely and vaguely. If it was not for the sake of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, or the fact that Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had a great connection with regard to her marriage, she would not have invited Ning Xueyan to y it with her.

    They had secretly fought several times, and almost all the time, it ended in failure for Ning Qingshan. How could she harbor no grudge? Ning Xueyan did not believe that Ning Qingshan had her overall interest in mind and that she cherished her sisterhood.

    She had to make a concession to Ning Xueyan, because of her marriage. If the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had a bad reputation, the Honored Consort Ya and the Third Prince would probably not agree to any marriage ns with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. In that case, she would not be the Third Prince¡¯s wife.

    It was much more credible to say such a reason. After all, it was rted to her marriage. It was normal for Ning Qingshan to make some concessions for the time being. The emperor and the empress sat high up there. If they fought against each other, the whole Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would be disgraced, which was not appropriate.

    If Ning Qingshan had not been the Honored Consort Ya¡¯s niece, and the Honored Consort Ya had agreed to let Ning Qingshan marry into the Third Prince¡¯s Manor, it was natural that Ning Qingshan had such concerns now. She would make an issue based on her status. Ning Qingshan was sure that Ning Xueyan did not know about her rtionship with the Honored Consort Ya, so she was sure that Ning Xueyan would agree.

    It was beneficial for both sides. Anyone who was smart would agree.

    Ning Qingshan did not let her know about her real purpose. She had yed the zither. As long as Ning Xueyan yed the zither with more pressure, one string would be broken. If she yed it again, it would inevitably be scratched. The emperor, the empress, and all the imperial concubines would be watching. Even if Ning Xueyan found that the string was broken, she would not dare to stop.

    She was not good at ying the zither, and if she yed a zither that scratched her hand, it would be easy to see who the better yer was. Besides, if Ning Qingshan did not stop ying the zither, Ning Xueyan would not be able to stop, either. This time, she would not only drive Ning Xueyan away, but she would be destroyed at her hands.

    For this reason, she chose a longer song.

 Chapter 313 - The Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protectorâ€™s Manorâ€™s Zither

    <h4>Chapter 313 The Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s Zither</h4>

    ¡°Okay, thank you, Third Sister.¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s lips curved, and she did not refuse her offer anymore. Since Ning Qingshan insisted on helping her with ¡°good intentions,¡± how could she refuse?

    Since they were going to perform together, it was normal for them to get ready now. After thinking for a while, Ning Xueyan quietly stood up and walked to the wing room at the side. She had to go down to prepare. Ning Xueyan saw that all thedies who were ready for their performances were waiting in the wing room, on the left side of the hall. They woulde out when the eunuch in the hall called their names.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, it¡¯s still too early. Let¡¯s go down togetherter,¡± Ning Qingshan said with a smile, when she saw Ning Xueyan going down at this moment. Although they were only going to y music, they had to change their clothes and make the necessary preparations.

    Ning Qingshan had already got her zither and dress ready. Now she deliberately dyed the time because she wanted to make Ning Xueyan panic. Then, she would make a fool of herself. Not only did Ning Xueyan not have a zither, but she certainly had no outfit ready. She was dressed in the same clothes she wore to court. To make it convenient for them to practice, everyone wore the same clothes.

    Her clothes were simr to those of the pce maids. Not only was the material not good, but it had no features at all.

    ¡°I... I have nothing to prepare. I¡¯ll go down and have a look first.¡± Ning Xueyan knew what Ning Qingshan was thinking, so she pretended to be embarrassed.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, don¡¯t tell me you did not bring any clothes with you? Do you want me to borrow a dress for you?¡± Ning Qingshan rolled her eyes and thought of a sinister n. If her clothes suddenly tore while she was sitting, Ning Xueyan would be truly embarrassed.

    ¡°Thank you, Third Sister. I¡¯ve brought my clothes.¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes had a hint of sarcasm in them. Ning Qingshan certainly was not letting go of any chance to frame her.

    Ning Qingshan knew that Ning Xueyan was wary of her, so she did not say anything more. Ning Xueyan was so sharp that she could not let her find out that she had evil intentions. Otherwise, she woulde up with other ways to get even. This time, she would not let her go so easily.

    Fortunately, everything was ready now. Even if Ning Xueyan borrowed clothes from anyone now, it would not fit her well. It was said that she had a good rtionship with Heng Yuqing. Heng Yuqing was taller than her, so she would probably wear a long skirt. If she tripped her again, she would tumble in the hall.

    So, she did not stop her right now. She curled her lips and signaled to Caifen to follow her.

    Caifen understood what Ning Qingshan meant. She nodded to Ning Qingshan and hurried to follow her.

    For fear of being discovered by Ning Xueyan and Lanning, Caifen followed them carefully. She did not dare to follow them too closely, so she stayed some distance away. Although she could see what they were doing, she could not hear what they were saying.

    From a distance, she saw Ning Xueyan and Lanning talking under the tree at the entrance of the main hall, instead of going to the dressing room. When they were there, they put all the musical instruments and clothes in the same room for them to useter. And, they changed their clothes in the inner room.

    When they came over today, Caifen noticed that Lanning was carrying a bag at that time. Now, it looked as if it did not contain a dress for Ning Xueyan to change into. The Third Young Lady was right in her prediction. Ning Xueyan was really unprepared, which could be seen from their worried looks.

    Suddenly, the two of them seemed to have something more to talk about. Ning Xueyan looked around as if she was about to do some illicit actions. She walked to a small door at the side. When Caifen came over, she also nced at it. It seemed to be a side door of the hall.

    What was Ning Xueyan going to do?

    ¡°Where are they sneaking off to right now?¡± Caifen could not stay any longer. However, they each went their own way, so she did not know who to follow. After thinking for a while, Caifen made up her mind. Lanning hastily went to the hall. Obviously, it was Ning Xueyan who went out discreetly to handle some stuff.

    In the imperial pce, Ning Xueyan did not know anyone. What was she trying to do by sneaking out now? Her heart beat faster, and she followed Ning Xueyan secretly. If she managed to find out what Ning Xueyan was going to do, she might be able to avenge her sister. This was the imperial pce, not the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Even if Ning Xueyan, the Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, made a mistake here, she would be beaten to death.

    This was such a good opportunity to find out if Ning Xueyan hadmitted a crime. How could Caifen let it go?

    Lanning was going to the main hall, but she stopped when she reached the door of the main hall. She turned her head and saw that Caifen was sneaking down with the Young Lady. She sneered silently. It seemed that the Third Young Lady had bad intentions when she sent Xia¡¯er¡¯s younger sister, Caifen, over.

    After standing at the door for a while, Lanning went to the room where spare clothes and musical instruments for thedies were ced. Its door was slightly ajar. The sixthdy, who had changed her clothes, was already waiting in the wing-room on the left side of the hall. Ning Qingshan had note down yet, her Young Lady was not here, and the others would be hereter. So, it was reasonable that no one was here at this time.

    She pushed the door open and entered the room. In the outer room, the instruments and clothes were left casually about. Lanning had followed Caifen in earlier, and had specially checked the ce where she had put them. She had paid attention to it at that time, so she quickly found the ce. She took the box of the zither outside.

    She quickly took out the zither from the inside, looked around, and casually ced it behind a big chair. The chair was the type that could be found everywhere in the Imperial Pce. It was not eye-catching. Perhaps because this ce had not been visited for a long time, it was specially covered with a dust-proof cover.

    Everything in the pce was exquisite. Even the dust-proof set was exquisitely made. There were tassels hanging on it, and it also had delicate embroidery on it. The zither that was taken out was half-hidden behind the chair. At first nce, one could not see it.

    But if one checked it carefully, it was not well hidden. It was as if it was identally ced there. It did not seem as if someone had ced it there on purpose.

    Everyone changed their clothes and took their musical instruments from this ce. Sometimes they took the wrong one, and then they forgot all about it.

    When everything was done, Lanning came out of the room. She looked around and walked to the room, where the musical instruments were kept.

    The little eunuch waszily basking in the sun, by the door. When he saw a maiding over, he narrowed his eyes. Looking at her familiar clothes, he did not remember who she was.

    ¡°Have you prepared the zither for the Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?¡± Lanning asked with a smile.

    ¡°I¡¯ve prepared it. Do you want it right away?¡± The little eunuch immediately remembered the maid, who came to pick the zither for the Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. It was no wonder that she looked familiar, because the clothes were the same. He stood up with a bow.

    ¡°Our Young Lady will be performing on the stage soon. You take the zither and put it in the first red box in the room. Be careful, and don¡¯t break it.¡± When Lanning followed Caifen, she didn¡¯t know what they said inside, but heard clearly what they talked about outside.

    ¡°Yes, yes, yes. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll do it right away!¡± The little eunuch turned around and went in obediently. As for the reason why she brought only a box without a zither, he did not care. Maybe the Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor did not like her zither, so it was normal for her to use the zither in the pce.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t twodiese to pick the zither here, because they were not satisfied with their own zithers?¡±

    After all, the zithers in the imperial pce were better than the ordinary ones!

    The eunuch thought so. He took out the zither that Caifen had seen before and carefully took it out of the box. When he found that Lanning was no longer there, he carried the zither to the room over there. As expected, he saw the zither that Lanning mentioned, was ced in the first box. It was easily found.

    He opened it, and there was no zither in the box. After gently putting it in, he closed the lid and left.

    Lanning did not leave. Standing in the shadows outside the hall, she watched the little eunuch carrying the zither and leaving.

    After waiting for a while, Ning Xueyan came back the way she hade. She walked to the tree where they talked before, and nced at Lanning, who was hiding in the dark. Lanning pretended that she just saw her and hurried over.

    ¡°Young Lady, everything is done. The zither has been delivered,¡± Lanning whispered.

    A faint smile appeared on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face. She nced at the road aside, intentionally or unintentionally, and the corners of her mouth lifted. Ning Qingshan had ordered the zither for her, so it should be okay for her to send it back. Considering how Ning Qingshan would deal with her before, she would bear the consequences of her deeds.

    No matter what happenedter, it was her fault. It had nothing to do with others. She could not me anyone else.

    In the hall, the music stopped. The fifthdy went off the stage. After a short pause, the melodious sound of the zither could be heard. It seemed that the sixth girl was ying the zither beautifully.

    Caifen felt depressed. She had followed Ning Xueyan all the way and thought that she would find something unusual. If she found something wrong with Ning Xueyan, she would be able to kill her without the help of the Young Lady. But contrary to her expectation, Ning Xueyan stopped while walking, and seemed to be enjoying the scenery along the way.

    She did not know if Ning Xueyan was silly or stupid. It was her turn to perform soon. She was not prepared, but still was in the mood toe out and enjoy the scenery. Caifen did not think that Ning Xueyan was such a stupid person, so she must have some ns. She stared at her. However, Ning Xueyan did not do anything today. She walked around for a long time with Caifen.

    Seeing Ning Xueyan talking to Lanning again, Caifen thought that she was not going out. She could not wait any longer. She sneaked into the room and shook her head at Ning Qingshan, meaning that she did not find anything.

    Time was nearly up. Caifen came back, and Ning Qingshan stood up. She was about to change her clothes and prepare for the next show. She took Caifen out of the door and saw Ning Xueyan and Lanning talking under the tree, outside the door. She deliberately raised her voice and said, ¡°Fifth Sister, let¡¯s go and change, together.¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡± Hearing Ning Qingshan¡¯s voice, Ning Xueyan nodded with a smile, and followed her to the room.

 Chapter 314 - Ensemble of Zither and Dance

    <h4>Chapter 314 Ensemble of Zither and Dance</h4>

    ¡°Fifth Sister, you don¡¯t want to y the zither?¡± Looking at Ning Xueyan¡¯s gorgeous dancing dress, Ning Qingshan turned blue in the face. Even though she was usually quick witted, she was stunned this time.

    After all kinds of calctive moves and ns, when she heard Ning Xueyan¡¯s consent in the hall, she told the pce maid earlier that she would be performing with Ning Xueyan, and even chose the longest song. Unexpectedly, Ning Xueyan would not be ying the zither, and wanted to dance at thest moment. When did she bring this gorgeous dance dress in? How could she not have known?

    Ning Xueyan said calmly, ¡°Yes. Mother taught me some dance movements previously. I decided to dance when I saw that the song you chose is suitable for dancing.¡±

    ¡°But, but, I...¡± Ning Qingshan was anxious and angry.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Third Sister, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s good?¡± Ning Xueyan looked at Ning Qingshan with her clear, ck eyes.

    ¡°It¡¯s not bad. It¡¯s always easier to y the zither. If one of us makes a slight mistake, nobody will notice it. But dancing, in front of the emperor, the empress, and several princes, it will hold things up if we make a mistake.¡± Ning Qingshan was not willing to see her grand schemeing to nothing. Now, she came to her senses and immediately tried to dissuade her.

    ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Third Sister. It¡¯s our turn soon.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled slightly, and her lips were light and rxed. She lifted her dress and walked out. Behind her, Lanning also helped her to lift it.

    ¡°Young Lady, what should we do?¡± Caifen did not expect that this would happen. Seeing Ning Xueyan go out, she asked Ning Qingshan anxiously.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think that you¡¯ll be so lucky every time.¡± Ning Qingshan gritted her teeth and tried to suppress her inner rage. Her trap failed because Ning Xueyan chose to dance. Ning Qingshan grounded her teeth and she felt helpless, as if she had dealt a heavy blow and hit against cotton, instead.

    ¡°This bitch is so lucky!¡± She was not a person who could not afford to lose. Now that it had been done, she had no way to think about it. When she heard the music slowing down and was about to end, she had no time to think anymore. She walked out of the room with a cold face and went to the wing room in the hall. ¡°Dancing? How could she dance?¡±

    She did not believe that Ning Xueyan, the bitch, could dance. At the right moment, she would speed up the rhythm of the music. She did not think that Ning Xueyan could keep up with her pace. Then, Ning Xueyan would be aughing stock.

    Thinking of this, she calmed down a little. She took a few steps forward and followed in Ning Xueyan¡¯s footsteps. The look on her face was as gentle as usual. She lookedpletely different when she was inside and outside of the room, as if she had changed her face.

    This was so unexpected. Coupled with Ning Qingshan¡¯s previous anger, Caifen rushed over hurriedly with the zither box in her hand. How dare she make her Young Lady angry?

    When the two of them entered the wing room, the music in the main hall ended. The sixth beautifuldy¡¯s music slowed down, but the melody lingered in one¡¯s ears, which was somewhat meaningful. Someone cheered. A pce maid came in and saw that both of them were already dressed. From their appearances, she knew that one would y the zither, while the other would dance. She took the box from Caifen and walked out.

    The pce maid had already taken the zither. She took it out of the box and ced it in the hall. Then, Ning Qingshan woulde out of the room to perform. After she finished her performance, the pce maid would take the zither out. As for the two maids, they did not need to go out at all.

    ¡°Uncle, how do you feel about that Young Lady earlier?¡± Ao Mingyu asked, with a gentle smile on his face. Prince Yi, Ao Chenyi, appeared to be listening, but he seemed to be resting in order to attain his mentalposure. His responsibility today was to help Ao Chenyi choose a co-consort, because the emperor had a n in mind about his wife.

    The emperor had ordered Ao Chenyi not to refuse and let his wife and consort be chosen. To treat everyone equally without discrimination, he would do the same for the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince.

    Ao Chenyi opened his evil eyes slightly and squinted at the woman who was walking out. He said with indifference in his eyes, ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her? Isn¡¯t that the censor-in-chief Lin¡¯s daughter? I heard that she is famous for her talent, elegance, and beauty. She is also regarded as an excellent beauty. If you like her, I¡¯ll tell my fatherter.¡±

    Ao Mingyu asked in confusion, because Miss Lin was indeed a beauty. She had a slender waist and a beautiful face. Moreover, she was gentle and charming. She was the best among the top few. Ao Mingyu¡¯s question was reasonable.

    ¡°Mingyu, the emperor has already decided who my wife will be. I think it¡¯s up to fate to find a co-consort!¡±

    Ao Chenyi¡¯s long and narrow eyes were slightly nted. He leaned against the chair rail, and said this with a faint smile on his face.

    ¡°How... how can you depend on fate?¡± Ao Mingyu did not give up and asked. After hesitating for a while, he said tentatively, ¡°Do you want to find a co-consort, who looks like your concubine?¡±

    ¡°No, no... The beauties look alike. I want to choose a different beauty this time. I¡¯ll ask them to visit the Small Jing¡¯an Temple tomorrow. I¡¯ll know then, if any of the girls are fated to have a rtionship with me.¡±

    The Small Jing¡¯an Temple was a Buddhist temple in the imperial pce. It was located at the edge of the pce and had been in existence since the previous dynasty. It was said that it was used by the Empress Dowager of the previous dynasty to worship the Buddha. As the previous dynasty was destroyed, more than half of the pce had burned down. However, the temple had surprisingly been preserved, and there were even several nuns still staying there.

    The previous emperor was the one who preserved the Small Jing¡¯an Temple. Now, the Empress went there most frequently. The other imperial concubines went there for enshrining and worshiping, from time to time. Then, the Empress invited a nun to live in the Small Jing¡¯an Temple, who was good at teaching Buddhist doctrines. Not only the imperial concubines believed it, but even the emperor recognized its fame. Therefore, everyone in the pce was aware of the reputation of the Small Jing¡¯an Temple.

    However, his marriage with the co-consort had to be decided by the Small Jing¡¯an Temple. Ao Mingyu felt that it was like a child¡¯s y!

    He never knew that the Small Jing¡¯an Temple could decide one¡¯s marriage. If this had been said by others, Ao Mingyu did not care about it at all. However, it was Ao Chenyi who said that. Even if Ao Mingyu did no think so, he had to go ahead. His father had already decided on Prince Yi¡¯s wife. To avoid displeasing Prince Yi, the emperor said that Prince Yi could determine who his co-consort was going to be.

    He had the right to decide whom he was fated to marry, and he had the right to ask thedies to worship Bodhisattva. Although it was absurd, he would obediently marry the principal wife, only if he got what he wanted.

    Since that was his idea, he had to tell his father. He was here to apany Ao Chenyi today. As for his principal wife, co-consort, and concubine, Ao Mingyu did not think he needed to give it more thought. Since he knew that his mother and Ning Qingshan plotted against him together, he forced the Honored Consort Ya to agree that he would take Ning Qingshan as a co-consort.

    His mother was considering the right person for his principal wife, and maybe the candidate would be selected from these nobledies. Thedies of high rank would not attend the Beauty Contest. He had chosen the co-consort, Ning Qingshan, and the concubine, Ning Xueyan, so Ao Mingyu felt that he could ept any arrangement from her mother. Anyway, his mother had always had thought about herself.

    Ao Mingyu¡¯s focus today was not on the beauties, but Ao Chenyi.

    While they were talking, the pce maid had already announced the next song. The performers were the two Young Ladies of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. One of them would y a musical instrument, while the other would dance. Immediately, the hall, which had been slightly noisy, became quiet.

    Everyone was well-informed. The Honored Consort Ya favored the Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. It was known when Ning Qingshan attended the imperial banquet for the first time. After she went back, Ning Qingshan seldom showed up in public. Many people had never seen Ning Qingshan before, so they all wanted to see her this time.

    How could the Honored Consort Ya favor her? It was the same three years ago, and three yearster. It could be seen that she must have something extraordinary. Although there were bad rumors, there was no evidence.

    As for the Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she seemed to be more low-key. She stood out conspicuously during thest half a year. Few people had seen her, but those who had seen her said that the Fifth Young Lady was gorgeous and elegant. She was not as bad as what the rumors outside had said.

    Based on curiosity about both of them, the hall became quiet.

    Ning Qingshan came out first. By now, she had calmed down and had changed her clothes. She was wearing a dark blue gradient pce dress. Her waist was pliant, and her lips were red. There were four hairpins on her head. A thinyer of golden silk with tassels was at the edge of her hair. Small round beads fell around her ears, which made her look more charming.

    She was beautiful. Her dress, coupled with her gentle and jade-like temperament, made her appear more beautiful than the other youngdies. Some childes of noble families immediately stared nkly at her. Although they knew that she was the Third Prince¡¯s concubine, it was not the right time. So, it was better to steal a few more nces at her.

    Ning Qingshan bowed to the emperor and the empress respectfully. Then, she moved delicately and gracefully to the seat and sat down. As she moved her fingers slightly, the sound of music was natural and smooth. One could tell that she had attained great heights in ying the zither. It could be seen that she had made great efforts. It was heard that the Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was talented and elegant. Now, everyone nodded, secretly.

    The sweet and lingering music yed on. After a drumbeat, Ning Xueyan appeared in front of everyone.

    Today, her get up was considered luxurious for Ning Xueyan. Inparison with Ning Qingshan¡¯s, it was less posh, like a secluded orchid in a deserted valley. With her exquisite features, although she was not grown up yet, she was still on par with Ning Qingshan. A lofty flower was no less beautiful than a gorgeous peony.

    Her bright silver dress with its long skirt and the numerous lotus flowers at the edge of the bright silver dress, made a huge impact on the audience.

    The sound of drums was apanied by the musical sound of the zither. As she twirled about lightly, the soft snow-white ribbon in her hand fluttered gracefully with her movements.

    Her figure was beautiful and graceful. Coupled with her beautiful and pale face, she looked fragile as if she would break at the slightest touch. However, her dance was not gentle, but seemed like a wild wind sweeping over delicate orchids. In the wind, the orchids were smiling with affection, which brought a sense of softness and charm, yet with a touch of coldness.

 Chapter 315 - A Sudden Change on the String

    <h4>Chapter 315 A Sudden Change on the String</h4>

    ¡°Is that the Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? Didn¡¯t they say that she was uncultured?¡±

    ¡°It must be another rumor. I heard that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s wife is jealous. It must have been said on purpose. Otherwise, the Second Young Lady won¡¯t be famous. With such a sister, the Second Young Lady will definitely have a rival.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. That must be the reason. Otherwise, the Fifth Young Lady will already be well-known.¡± Some childes from the aristocratic families whispered from the sidelines. They were sitting behind Prince Yi, Third Prince, and Fourth Prince. At this time, several of them even craned their necks to get a better look.

    Those who were not married yet nned to ask their families to propose marriage to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, when they got back. They would propose to the Fifth Young Lady. Although she was still young, everyone knew that she would be indescribably beautiful and striking in two years, with her exquisite facial features.

    Ao Mingyu was also in a daze, even though he knew that Ning Xueyan was beautiful. Ning Xueyan had always been inly-dressed, and she had never dressed so well before. At this time, he felt that his eyes were filled with her beautiful image, in front of him.

    ¡°Third Brother, do you like her?¡± The Fourth Prince, Ao Mingwan, suddenly leaned over and whispered in his ear.

    Ao Mingyu narrowed his eyes and turned to look at Ao Mingwan. The meaning in his eyes was unclear, but he said calmly, ¡°Fourth Brother, do you also want her?¡±

    ¡°Third Brother, she doesn¡¯t get along well with her. Do you want her to bully you?¡± Ao Mingwan nced at Ning Qingshan, and the meaning of his words was self-evident.

    Both of them were well-informed.

    ¡°Fourth Brother, what are you trying to say?¡± Ao Mingyu frowned and said unhappily. Although he maintained a gentle smile, his eyes twitched with anger.

    ¡°Third brother, if I let Commandery Princess Muling go, can you also let go?¡± Although he looked at thedies in the hall, he focused on Ao Mingyu. They knew each other¡¯s minds, so they spoke frankly and sincerely. Both of them wanted to marry Commandery Princess Muling, because of her status.

    Ao Mingwan said that he would give up thepetition for Muling, which sounded magnanimous. It seemed that he would give up the title Feudal Prince of Yunnan for Ning Xueyan. We must not look only at the surface of things. However, it was good to show his attitude at this time.

    ¡°Do you want to take her as your legal wife?¡± Ao Mingyu¡¯s eyes fell on Ning Xueyan, who was dancing. His eyes narrowed, and his face darkened.

    ¡°The legal wife? Third Brother, you must be joking. You can¡¯t make her a co-consort, but I can. My co-consort ranks much higher than your concubine.¡± Ao Mingwan was angry. As a prince, he was patient. He had found out that the Honored Consort Ya was going to give Ao Mingyu a legal wife and a co-consort. And, she would choose the right person for the other co-consort,ter.

    ¡°My co-consort and concubine are all concubines.¡± Compared with Ao Mingwan¡¯s anger, Ao Mingyu was much calmer.

    ¡°How can it be the same? The concubine ranks behind the co-consort.¡± Ao Mingyu treated him without proper respect. Ao Mingwan was so angry that he almost stood up in anger.

    They were talking so casually that no one around them noticed what they were doing. However, Ao Chenyi overheard their conversation. He picked up the teacup beside him and took a sip. Holding his chin with one hand, he suddenly leaned over to Ao Mingyu and looked at them with his intense eyes. His mouth sneered as it showed his indifference. He asked, ¡°My nephews are you talking about something interesting? Can you share with me?¡±

    Hearing that they were talking about Ning Xueyan and who she was going to marry, Ao Chenyi felt that he had not concealed his affairs well, and was being spied on. The issue regarding his legal wife could not be discussed so casually. The smile on his face became more charming and cold.

    ¡°Uncle... uncle, I was joking with my fourth brother.¡± Ao Mingyu turned his head in a hurry and saw Ao Chenyi¡¯s gloomy face. He immediately smiled and became cautious. He had been talking to Ao Mingwan and forgot that this person was sitting beside him.

    ¡°Just kidding?¡± The corners of Ao Chenyi¡¯s mouth curved into a smile on his Asura-like handsome face, but his eyes were cold and bloodthirsty. ¡°You two are making jokes. My brother has been watching you.¡±

    The Emperor was looking at them. Ao Mingyu and Ao Mingwan could not help looking toward the high tform at the same time. When they saw the Emperor sitting on the tform, expressionless, they did not dare to say anything more. They stared at each other and knew that this was now a matter of individual means.

    They could only wait to see who would get the beauty.

    When she appeared, everyone praised Ning Qingshan. Ning Qingshan was very self assured, as she walked to the front of the zither and sat down. When she was about to stretch out her hand, she found that the zither was not the one she usually yed on. Not only had she not used it, but she had also never seen it, before. Immediately, she felt confused.

    However, she was already in the main hall, and the emperor and the empress were sitting above her. It was impossible to change the zither. She tested it out with her fingers. It sounded good, so she was not overly concerned, and started to y it. Like floating clouds and flowing water, it sounded natural and smooth. The zither was not worse than the one she usually used. She doubted if the Honored Consort Ya had asked someone to change it for her.

    Thinking of this, Ning Qingshan calmed down a little, and then yed it carefully. Seeing that the Third Prince was staring at her, she blushed. As expected, he was listening attentively to her ying the zither. Ning Qingshan noticed that Ao Mingyu listened with a smile, when the formerdies performed. He talked with Prince Yi from time to time, which showed that he didn¡¯t care about them at all.

    Therefore, she thought that the Third Prince cared about her the most, which made her fingers more pliant when ying the zither. The rhythm was natural and smooth, making people feel mellow.

    However, as soon as Ning Xueyan appeared, the whole situation changed. Not only were the other people¡¯s eyes attracted to Ning Xueyan, but the Third Prince¡¯s eyes were also drawn to her. He did not even look at her. The difference made Ning Qingshan feel as if an ice skater¡¯s de had stabbed her heart. She trembled in pain from the heart to the body.

    How could he think highly of Ning Xueyan!

    How could he look at Ning Xueyan with such tenderness in his eyes?

    It was not the usual gentle smile he put on in front of others, but a kind of gentleness from the bottom of his heart. Three years ago, this smile belonged to her, but three yearster, it became someone else¡¯s. No matter how unwilling she was, she could not ept it!

    The hatred at the bottom of her hand turned into anger and affected her zither ying. Several strings on the zither were severely suppressed. Ning Qingshan did not notice that there was a slight scratch on the center portion of the zither. Her hand pushed the strings slightly, and the scratch widened, but it did not break. However, when she pressed her finger on it, it scratched her finger. It hurt so much that she looked pale and was momentarily confused.

    The shrill sound of music echoed in everyone¡¯s ears. All the people¡¯s eyes turned from Ning Xueyan to Ning Qingshan. They frowned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? Did she not learn how to y this tune?¡±

    ¡°How dare you y a piece of music that you have not practiced well? Shame on you!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that you don¡¯t know how to be ashamed. It is the crime of deceit. You did not y well, yet deliberately performed here. Aren¡¯t you deceiving the emperor?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. She can¡¯t even y the zither. How can she be known as a talented girl? She¡¯s just a fake!¡± Those nobledies, who were jealous that Ning Qingshan would soon be the Third Prince¡¯s consort, certainly did not want to miss such a chance to defame her. They would definitely try their best to destroy Ning Qingshan. Moreover, the position where she was performing was closer to this group of delicatedies.

    ¡°How shameless! She deceived the emperor.¡± Her hands were trembling due to the pain, but she knew that she could not stop at this time. She gritted her teeth and continued to pluck the strings with her finger. Unfortunately, her hand was already injured. No matter where her fingers passed, it was so painful that she gritted her teeth. Her fingers seemed to be broken, and the sound of the zither slowed down.

    As the sound of the zither slowed down, Ning Xueyan¡¯s dance also slowed down. Fortunately, she was not dancing fast, but a gentle sway, so she could slow down. Thus, she danced slowly. Everyone saw that she was obviously in coordination with the sound of Ning Qingshan¡¯s zither. She moved slowly from time to time. Sometimes, she turned rapidly, and even stopped deliberately.

    Unfortunately, the sound of Ning Qingshan¡¯s zither was not only slow, but unpleasant to the ears. All the beautifuldies knew how to y the zither. They knew that Ning Qingshan was good at it. The look on their faces became even more disdainful. Although they dared not speak out boldly, whisperings could be heard.

    The Honored Consort Ya¡¯s face changed, and the emperor¡¯s face darkened. He did not say anything, but his face was full of displeasure.

    ¡°Sister Honored Consort Ya, how can the Third Young Lady y the zither...?¡± The Honored Consort Shu covered her mouth with a handkerchief and smiled gently. The other concubines, who were close to her, also looked at her sardonically. He looked down at her, his face masking his real feelings. Concubinesughed at her, in twos and threes.

    Everyone knew that Ning Qingshan was going to marry into the Third Prince¡¯s manor. The Fourth Prince and the Third Prince werepetitors. The Honored Consort Shu waited to enjoy the show, so she had to strike her when she was down.

    ¡°Sister Ya, why don¡¯t you stop her?¡± There was a hint of displeasure on the empress¡¯s dignified face. The sound of the zither was intolerable to the ears. Even those who knew a little about music, yed better than her.

    ¡°Your Highness, maybe she¡¯s not in a good condition today. A pce maid said that she was not feeling well earlier. Even though she¡¯s not feeling well, she¡¯s forcing herself to perform for His Majesty and Your Grace. Let¡¯s satisfy her wish!¡± Hearing that they wanted to stop her, the Honored Consort Ya looked pale and hurriedly stopped her.

    If she was driven away without finishing a song, it meant that the emperor disliked her. How then could Ning Qingshan marry into the royal family? If the emperor said oracr words, it would be impossible for her to even be a concubine, let alone any position in the pce.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s observe her. If she can¡¯t hold on, let her go off.¡± The Empress thought for a while, and looked at Ning Qingshan, who was standing below her.

    Was she not feeling well? It could not necessarily be so. A pce maid had reported about the states of the delicate girls and did not mention that anyone was not feeling good. But since the Honored Consort Ya said so, she certainly had to give her face. After all, she had no son...

    The sound of the zither had changed, and Ning Xueyan was trying her best to go along with its rhythm. Everyone only saw that as she waved her long sleeves, she slowed down as the music slowed down, which was in line with the music. Everyone thought that the reason why Ning Xueyan slowed down was to amodate Ning Qingshan¡¯s zither sounds. No one saw a cold smile on her lips. It was vicious to even think that Ning Qingshan had such an idea.

    ¡°Ning Qingshan must have prepared this zither for me!¡± Ning Xueyan thought.

 Chapter 316 - Someone Tampered with the Zither

    <h4>Chapter 316 Someone Tampered with the Zither</h4>

    After the song ended, Ning Qingshan¡¯s hand dropped instantly. The pain in her fingertips caused her hands to spasm. The nerves of the fingertips are linked to the heart. If it was not for the fact that it was a very important asion, she would have given up earlier.

    The eunuch came down and waved to them to leave.

    Thedies looked at Ning Qingshan. Ning Xueyan came over and held Ning Qingshan. She asked in a gentle voice, ¡°Third Sister, what happened? Did you hurt your hand?¡±

    In other people¡¯s eyes, Ning Xueyan¡¯s words sounded as if she was very concerned. But from Ning Qingshan¡¯s point of view, she could only feel the coldness and ridicule that she did not even try to hide. ¡°Ning Qingshan tried to frame me. What should I do now? Otherwise, my finger would have been injured at this time, and I¡¯m the one who would be viewed with disfavor!¡±

    Honored Consort Ya protected Ning Qingshan so that she could y her song till the end, sessfully. What about Ning Xueyan? If it happened to her, nobody would be there to defend her. Then, what would happen to her?

    This matter had not been settled yet. Ning Qingshan and Honored Consort Ya would pursue this case and throw cold water on her. To avoid this, she might as well disclose it in front of the emperor and the empress. In this way, they would not be able to stir up trouble for a while. If she did not speak up now, they would have an excuse to frame her in the future...

    Her words made Ning Qingshan shift her attention from her fierce struggle to contain the pain, to Ning Xueyan. She stared at Ning Xueyan fiercely, and her voice burst forth. ¡°It¡¯s you, you vicious woman, who framed me, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Third Sister, what¡¯s wrong? Is your hand injured? Come on. Let us look for the imperial physician.¡± Ning Xueyan did not seem to notice that there was something wrong with Ning Qingshan. She pointed to a trace of blood on Ning Qingshan¡¯s sleeve and said hurriedly.

    Ning Qingshan hated Ning Xueyan so much that all the pain in her fingers converged into hatred toward Ning Xueyan. Under such circumstances, how could she keep calm and stay rational? She pushed Ning Xueyan away and shouted angrily, ¡°It¡¯s you, right? You deliberately kicked my zither so that I am not able to y it, right?¡±

    Did someone dare to tamper with the zither in front of the emperor? The whole hall was in an uproar. The emperor sat there, his eyes cold and no one could tell what he was thinking, from the expression on his face. The Empress remained dignified. Honored Consort Ya could not sit still, and there was urgency in her eyes.

    Ao Chenyi¡¯s eyes fell on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face. He cast his long, narrow and cold eyes on the calmness in Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes. He suddenly chuckled. It seemed that the little fox had not been exposed at all. Then, he wanted to watch the fun!

    Ao Mingyu¡¯s face darkened. He was not his usual gentle self. Now it was out of his control.

    ¡°Third Sister, what did you say? I don¡¯t understand? You brought the zither here. Do you think that I can ask the eunuchs in the pce to do this?¡± Ning Xueyan asked gently, slight surprise showing in her eyes. Then she smiled faintly and let go of Ning Qingshan¡¯s hand.

    Her tone was neither haughty nor humble, but it was more convincing than Ning Qingshan¡¯s scream.

    The Fifth Young Lady had been in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor for so many years. The reason why nobody had heard of her was because Madam Ling had suppressed her in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Madam Ling had almost prevented the funeral of her biological mother from taking ce. She was in a difficult situation in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. How could she do that in the pce?

    ¡°It¡¯s you. You must have bribed the eunuch in the pce with money. You sent a broken zither to me on purpose and hurt me!¡± Ning Qingshan felt dizzy, because of the pain. At this time, she did not care about the fact that she was in the main hall of the imperial pce. She pointed at Ning Xueyan and scolded angrily. It was rumored that she was all ¡°loyalty and filial piety.¡± But now, her image was ruined by her actions.

    She was not the same person who was said to be cultivating quietly in the monastery during the three years and ignored the secr world. Then, she looked calm and detached from all desires. But now, she spoke aggressively. She pointed at her younger sister and scolded her loudly in front of the emperor. She disyed no signs of observing any social etiquette at all. There was no trace of peace in her whole being.

    The Buddhist family called for ¡°Sacrificing the body to feed the tiger.¡± The current situation did not seem to be like this. After three years of meditation, she enjoyed a good reputation. It turned out that it was just a cover-up and a lie!

    Thinking about all the rumors about Ning Qingshan, many people did not believe it at that time. But now, when they saw Ning Qingshan¡¯s behavior, they could not help feeling skeptical. It seemed that the Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor won her poprity by hoodwinking the public. Even several imperial concubines started to talk about her.

    Honored Consort Ya could not sit still anymore. She looked at the emperor, who was sitting there with a gloomy face, ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯ll go down and have a look. I don¡¯t know what the two Young Ladies are doing. It must be due to the family affairs of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. How could they behave like this...¡±

    It was much less severe to ascribe it to the affairs of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Honored Consort Ya thought so, but others did not. Honored Consort Shu, who was sitting aside, said in a delicate voice, ¡°Sister Ya, this is not just about the family affairs of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. By seeking the cooperation of the eunuchs in the pce, they are able to do this kind of thing. Then, will the safety of the emperor and the empress be threatened next time?¡±

    Hearing what Honored Consort Shu said, the Emperor¡¯s face darkened.

    ¡°Yes, it doesn¡¯t... look good.¡± Honored Consort Ya looked at the emperor in embarrassment, and then she looked at the Empress with a pleading look in her eyes.

    ¡°Make them stop now. The other beautifuldies are waiting.¡± the Empress said.

    Although the Empress had no children, she was the master of the Six Pces. In such a situation, no one dared to question her words, if the emperor did not say anything. Honored Consort Shu could not say anything after hearing hermand. She could only watch as Honored Consort Ya hurried down.

    ¡°Third Sister, how do you know this so well? Since that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s find out who damaged the zither.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled at Ning Qingshan and said softly, ¡°We can also send someone to ask who the zither was sent to.¡±

    Who was the zither sent to? Ning Qingshan suddenly came to her senses, and she trembled, even though her fingers were sore. Who was the zither sent to? It was sent to Ning Xueyan. However, she did not know how it was sent to her. When Caifen bribed the eunuchst night, she had her makeup on. The eunuch might not recognize her.

    But just before that, Caifen had selected the zither, and said it was for Ning Xueyan.

    If this happened to Ning Xueyan, Ning Qingfan could pass the buck easily. Even if it was known that she sent a maid to select the zither, the little eunuch could be the witness that Caifen did nothing at that time, because she just chose a zither for Ning Xueyan. It was not a big deal that she, as a sister, chose a zither for Ning Xueyan.

    So what if Ning Xueyan felt uneasy. Nobody in the hall would believe that the Fifth Young Lady, who knew nothing, was able to y the zither. Maybe she could not y it herself, so she intentionally hurt her hands and shifted the responsibility onto her.

    Instead, she was the one who yed the zither. Moreover, she asked someone to choose a zither for Ning Xueyan. Although she did not know how she got it, she could not escape from the suspicion that she originally wanted to frame Ning Xueyan. When she thought of it, she recovered slightly from the severe pain immediately.

    This matter could not be investigated into!

    Her mind sobered up immediately as she realized the consequences and that she was in a dangerous situation. Ning Qing widened her eyes and turned to Ning Xueyan. There was a tinge of pain in her eyes. She stretched out her bloodied hand, and she murmured, ¡°Fifth Sister, it hurts.¡±

    After she spoke, her eyes rolled up and she fell to the ground.

    The maid standing beside her reached out and tried to help her up.

    ¡°Hurry up, help her up. Call the imperial physician.¡± By now, Honored Consort Ya had reached her and yelled at the eunuch standing at the side. Then, a pce maid came over. She took her away, half-supporting and half-carrying her. Ning Xueyan bowed to the emperor and the empress in the distance, and retreated respectfully.

    After she went outside, she changed into her usual clothes in the room, and returned to the main hall. Ning Qingshan¡¯s zither had been removed, and the faint bloodstains on the ground had been cleaned up. However, it was inexplicably creepy. Whether it was because they were affected by that, the rest of the beautifuldies only gave average performances.

    After all the performances were over, the emperor did not say anything. He left together with the empress and his concubines. As the key person in charge of this matter, the Honored Consort Ya had gone with the imperial physician. Seeing no one taking any notice of her, Ning Xueyan brought Lanning out of the hall.

    After leaving the hall, she saw that the eunuch who was in charge of the instrument, being flogged. Although his mouth was gagged, each time he was flogged, one could see the pain in his face.

    Ning Xueyan looked on coldly as the eunuch was being tortured. She had an indifferent look and went out of the gate of the main hall. The ce where the eunuch was being tortured was at the side of the road. Two eunuchs were flogging him viciously. No one counted the number of beatings, which meant that he would be killed by flogging.

    They would not stop if he did not die. When she passed by the doomed eunuch, the eunuch nced at Ning Xueyan, with a chilly look. Although she felt ufortable, Lan Ning stood in front of Ning Xueyan, and blocked her from the eunuch¡¯s malicious look.

    Ning Xueyan walked on, as if there was no one else present. She looked calm and unflustered. It seemed as if she had not seen the paddle with strips of flesh stuck to it, before her eyes.

    Going out of the hall and looking for the one that came before, Ning Xueyan strolled. Today was destined to be a restless day. For a while, it seemed that nothing was going to happen. Ning Qingshan wanted to frame her, so she deliberately selected a lengthy song. After it ended, her hand would be severely injured.

    Ning Qingshan¡¯s intention was for her to hurt own hands. But unfortunately, she was stewing in her own juice, now. She wondered if she would be lucky enough...

    While thinking about this, she did not stop walking. She walked casually to a quiet path. At this time, she did not want to make contact with anyone in the pce, so she was determined to go to a ce with lesser people. Lanning followed her quietly. Knowing that she was thinking about something, she did not say anything.

    It was quiet along the way. Suddenly, they heard a low sigh. How could there be anyone here? Ning Xueyan stopped immediately.

 Chapter 317 - A Strange Imperial Concubine

    <h4>Chapter 317 A Strange Imperial Concubine</h4>

    Everything in front of her was not the usual scenery which one would see in the pce.

    Ning Xueyan did not know how she stumbled upon this ce. What was this ce? The scorched weeds showed evidence of a recent fire. There were some ckened stones and half-burnt nks which had a few words on them. Unfortunately, it was too badly burned, so she could not see what the original words were.

    On the half-wall in front of her, some yellowing weeds sprouted intermittently Although it was already spring, the nts did not grow well and were all withered and dry. The crooked pirs were the only props that supported the half-ruined pce. One side had totally copsed, and the other was already crumbling to pieces.

    From the fire scars and the weeds, it was evident that this pce had been burned sometime ago. It should be the ruins of a burned pce from the previous dynasty. No one knew why it had not been repaired and appeared so run down, amidst such a prosperous pce.

    Somehow, Ning Xueyan felt an impulse to enter the rundown pce.

    ¡°Young Lady.¡± Seeing her stepping forward, Lanning hurriedly pulled at her clothes and stopped her. ¡°Young Lady, we don¡¯t know what this ce is. We¡¯d better not go in.¡±

    What was the imperial pce? It was the most imposing ce in the world. How about the pce in front of them? It only showed copse and decline, which was totally not in keeping with the image of the imperial pce. However, it was still around and seemed to have been there for many years. It would not have existed, if it was not due to some special reason.

    This kind of ce was often dangerous!

    ¡°I won¡¯t go in there. I¡¯ll take a look from the outside.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded, knowing that Lanning was right. She walked a few steps closer and frowned slightly. It was such a deste and eerie ce. Nobody could ever imagine that such a ce existed within the pce. Furthermore, what was the sigh she heard earlier?

    ¡°Your Grace, it¡¯s time for us to go back.¡± A gentle voice came from behind the wall and reached their ears. There was someone behind the wall, and it sounded like an imperial concubine.

    Ning Xueyan stopped and hid behind a pir. The pir was so big that no one could see them. The more they knew, the quicker death beckoned. Added to this was the fact that they were in the pce. In such an eerie ce, the things they encountered seemed very weird and more dangerous.

    Although she was curious, Ning Xueyan was not stupid.

    There was another sigh, so faint that it was almost lost in the wind. If she had not been listening carefully, Ning Xueyan would not have heard it. It was very slight.

    ¡°Your Grace, it¡¯s time to go back. You have not taken your medicine yet, and the emperor maye backter. When he sees that you have not taken your medicine, he will punish me.¡± The pce maid sounded a little scared, and there was a bit of pleading in her voice. One could tell that she was terrified.

    The pce maid would be punished, if the imperial concubine did not take her medicine. It was conceivable that she must be a favored imperial concubine. However, why did the imperial concubinee to such a deste ce?

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Her voice was gentle and filled with bitterness. It sounded fine, but was also a bit intriguing. Ning Xueyan shrank deeper and closer, and she peeped out furtively.

    Two women appeared at the gate of the burned down pce.

    A woman, who looked like a pce maid, was supporting anotherdy. She must be the former ¡°Your Grace.¡±

    The woman was in a light purple pce dress, with her long hair tied up high, in the popr style in the pce. Ning Xueyan hade across several imperial concubines dressing up like this, in the hall. They were both dignified and graceful. However, the woman wore a long light-colored veil to hide her face, only revealing a pair of beautiful eyes.

    From the eyes that were revealed, it was evident that the ¡°Your Grace¡± in front of her was a beauty!

    But was there a need to wear a veil in the pce? The emperor was the only man in the pce, and the other eunuchs were not ¡°actual¡± men. As for the several princes of the emperor, since she was the imperial concubine, she could be regarded as their mother. Thus, there was no need for her to hide her face.

    However, this strange imperial concubine not only hid her face behind the veil, but also walked to such a deste ce, to emit such sorrowful sighs.

    She took a few steps toward the gate of the dpidated pce and suddenly stopped. She turned to look at the empty hall and sighed again. It was the same voice Ning Xueyan heard before.

    ¡°Your Grace, it¡¯s all over. It¡¯s all over. It¡¯s all over now.¡± The pce maid seemed to be trying to coax her.

    ¡°That person in the past... is so beautiful!¡± A soft voice rang out.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true. Such a beautiful person must have been watching over Your Grace from heaven, for a long time.¡± The pce maid was a little anxious when she saw that she was reluctant to leave. Sheforted her and reminded her that the medicine was ready. If she did not take it, the emperor would be furious when he discovered that. Then the pce maids and eunuchs would be at fault.

    ¡°Right, such a beautiful person should be in heaven¡± ¡°Your Grace¡± sighed again. This time, she did not look back and walked past the path. Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes fell on her exposed eyes. Something seemed to sh through her mind, but she could not quite grasp it for a moment. She watched her holding the maid¡¯s hand, as they walked away slowly.

    After they left, Ning Xueyan came out from behind the pir, and strolled over to the front door. With an indescribable feeling, she stepped forward, unconsciously. She reached out to touch the leaning pir at the gate, and stroked it with her slender fingers. Her heart skipped a few times, subconsciously.

    Was this imperial concubine expressing her regret over someone from the previous dynasty?

    ¡°Young Lady, let¡¯s go back. Maybe the Honored Consort Ya and the Third Young Lady will be sending someone to look for youter,¡± Lanning said anxiously. Although she appeared calm, she felt that this ce was dangerous, so she subconsciously stopped Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°They won¡¯t look for me, especially at this time.¡± Ning Xueyan stood at the gate, with a sh in her eyes. She did not borate further, but there was a hint of sarcasm on her face.

    The Honored Consort Ya was looking for her? Didn¡¯t she look for her just now? She had the little eunuch beaten to death, in front of her, which seemed to serve as a warning. That was why the two eunuchs wielded the cane so viciously, in front of her. The Honored Consort Ya was a smart person. If she troubled her at this time, people would have doubts about the rtionship between Ning Qingshan and herself.

    Since Ning Qingshan had been hiding in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor for ten years, it meant that she must have devised a n. Was she doing this to get the military medallion of the previous dynasty? Grand Tutor Ya was an intelligent person. In her opinion, the Honored Consort Ya was not the kind of person who would make a fuss over such a trifling matter. How could she do something suspicious when everyone was watching?

    Therefore, she would not do it directly. Maybe she would do it in private. She was eager to leave the pce, but she could do nothing for the moment. She could only count on Ao Chenyi, and believed that he would find a solution.

    ¡°What about the Third Young Lady? I¡¯m afraid that the Third Young Lady¡¯s hands will not be healed by today. When she came down, I saw that she was severely injured, and even the bones of her finger could be seen. Fortunately, you found this out earlier. Otherwise, you would be...¡± Lanning did not finish her words, but somehow, she managed to convey her thoughts.

    If it happened as Ning Qingshan had expected, Ning Xueyan would not only lose her reputation, but would also be eliminated in the first round. Moreover, her hands would have been severely injured. Thinking of this, Lanning could not help shuddering. The Third Young Lady was so vicious!

    Ning Xueyan did not stand there for too long. In the imperial pce, they could not watch and listen, as they wished. After they came out by the only path they could see, and walked for some time, she met a pce maid and asked for the direction to the Shuyu Pce. Ning Xueyan took Lanning back. What a coincidence! Using the path, they arrived at the back of the pce in a short time.

    The ce where Ning Xueyan lived was thest one. It was good to get in through the back door, which cut her journey down by at least half of the time taken.

    After returning to Shuyu Pce, Ning Xueyan found out about Ning Qingshan, even before she sat down. One of her hands was seriously injured. Not only did she hurt the skin and flesh, but also her bones and muscles. So, she had to leave the pce and return home tor recover. As for what she had said before, it could not be taken seriously, because she was raving due to the severe pain.

    Someone had taken responsibility for this. Both the eunuchs who took charge of and maintained the musical instruments had been beaten to death. If they had discovered earlier that the strings on the zither had been damaged, this incident would not have happened. Therefore, the two eunuchs were held responsible for this.

    It was inevitable that the two eunuchs would be beaten to death.

    When such a thing happened in the imperial pce, no one mentioned the results of the knockout. Maybe those youngdies were so traumatized after the ident. All of them were not able to perform well, so they could not be included in the assessment criteria. About Ning Qingshan, opinions varied. Some of them said that due to the intense pain, of course, she could be feeling dizzy, and spouted nonsense.

    Some people retorted that if she was indeed dizzy, she would not have recognized the Fifth Young Lady standing in front of her. Everyone saw her gritting her teeth, as she cursed. Could a giddy person make such a hideous face?

    Fortunately, these discussions had nothing to do with Ning Xueyan. Everyone thought that Ning Xueyan was good when they talked about her. Although Ning Qingshan had made a mistake, Ning Xueyan tried to cooperate with her, so it showed that she had a deep affection for her sister. Later, Ning Qingshan talked nonsense, and used Ning Xueyan of being an evil maniptor. Ning Xueyan kept her cool and showed great dignity. She gave her exnation without appearing servile or bumptious.

    Although everyone looked down upon Ning Xueyan before, they thought highly of her now, because of this matter.

    It was quiet the next few days. There was almost no master here, except for the Mammy. Maybe the Honored Consort Ya had little thought for anything else, because of Ning Qingshan¡¯s matter. Perhaps she could not handle two things at the same time, because she had a lot of things to do in the pce.

    A few days passed. Suddenly one day, Ning Xueyan¡¯s Mammy came to tell her that there would be a knockout match tomorrow and asked her to make the necessary preparation. She told her that she should take a bath and change her clothes tomorrow, while waiting for the call from the front.

    These words immediately spread throughout the entire Pce and caused quite a stir. Although they did not know the rules of elimination, they made the necessary preparations. They asked the people in the pce for flower petals and prepared to take a bath. They hoped that they could stay.

    Every nobledy represented a family¡¯s interest, so they had to put in more effort. They had to dress up carefully, so the pce granted whatever was requested by thedies. Baskets of fresh flowers were sent to Shuyu Pce and scattered into buckets of hot water, allowing thedies to take a flower bath. At this moment, the pce was filled with the fragrance of flowers.

 Chapter 318 - Petals in the Bathwater

    <h4>Chapter 318 Petals in the Bathwater</h4>

    ¡°Aunt, I want that bitch dead. I want her dead.¡± Ning Qingshan had a ferocious look on her beautiful face.

    Looking at her tightly wrapped hands, Ning Qingshan felt a burst of pain, as a wave of hatred and anger surged in her eyes. Hearing the imperial physician telling her that her hand was almost crippled, Ning Qingshan had only the name ¡°Ning Xueyan.¡± on her mind. It was this bitch who had ruined her hand and the path of her promotion.

    ¡°Qing¡¯er, we can¡¯t deal with her at this time. Let¡¯s talk about itter.¡± The Honored Consort Ya sighed and tried to soothe her, holding her other hand, which was uninjured.

    ¡°Aunt, a few dayster? Isn¡¯t that when she will be married to my cousin? Aunt, I won¡¯t allow her to marry my cousin.¡± Ning Qingshan gritted her teeth and looked coldly at the Honored Consort Ya. There was an evil look on her face. She was unwilling to give up. How could she be willing? She was to be the wife of the Third Prince, but how could she be the co-consort?

    It was because Ning Xueyan, the little bitch, framed her and made the emperor look with disfavor upon her. He even ordered the Third Prince not to take her as his wife. He thought that her reputation would be a disgrace to the royal family. She could not ept it. For so many years, she had firmly believed that she was going to marry the Third Prince, and she also wanted to marry him.

    Even though she had plotted against him with the Honored Consort Ya, she just wanted to leave an impression in his heart. For his sake, she had stayed there for three years. She had lived a quiet life of inaction for three years. She only wanted to have a good reputation that would be worthy of him. But in the end, when she was so close to it, she was downgraded from being the main wife to the co-consort, instead.

    How could she ept it!

    Even the Honored Consort Ya, who was in front of her, could not suppress the anger in her heart. She felt as if she were going to explode. She would not allow the Third Prince to take another woman as his principal wife. She could not allow that. The Honored Consort Ya had intentionally or unintentionally mentioned that the Third Prince wanted to take Ning Xueyan, as a concubine.

    When she became irrational because of anger, her pretty face was almost twisted. For the first time, she refused to listen to the Honored Consort Ya, and there was a hint of madness in her eyes.

    ¡°Don¡¯t act like this, Shan¡¯er. The emperor has given an order, so we can¡¯t disobey it,¡± The Honored Consort Ya said, sounding a bit dismayed, when she saw Ning Qingshan¡¯s reaction. She was helpless. She could not say that she was the one who had requested Ning Qingshan not to be the principal wife, but the co-consort, instead. Now that she had told her, she did not expect Ning Qingshan to react so strongly.

    The Honored Consort Ya felt guilty when she saw the crazed and vicious look in Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes. She had truly wanted Ning Qingshan to be her daughter-inw. On the one hand, Ning Qingshan was her close rtive. On the other hand, Ning Qingshan was able to help her son better, with her current identity.

    There were some other reasons. So, in the Honored Consort Ya¡¯s opinion, Ning Qingshan was suited to marry Ao Mingyu in every aspect. However, Ao Mingyu did not want to marry her, and he only wanted to take her as his co-consort. All the rumors in the past became an excuse for Ao Mingyu to oppose the match.

    However, as a mother, she could not say no to Ao Mingyu. She did not want to make her son feel wronged. The Honored Consort Ya thought about it when she chose the candidate for Ao Mingyu¡¯s principal wife. She felt that Ao Mingyu¡¯s idea was not bad. In general, Muling was suitable for her son.

    Both the principal life and co-consort were suitable candidates. It would be great if both of them married her son. As for Ning Xueyan, the Honored Consort Ya did not like her, but her son loved her, didn¡¯t he? Ning Qingshan and Muling had a stake here, so it did not matter if she gave Ning Xueyan the position of a concubine.

    Even if the Honored Consort Ya did not like it, she could only let it go, for her son¡¯s sake. But now, it seemed that Ning Qingshan did not want to do it. Looking at her current situation, she vented all her anger on Ning Xueyan. The Honored Consort Ya was willing to see it, but she did not want to see it.

    Even the Honored Consort Ya did not know whether she was willing or not. Whether it happened today or not, Ning Qingshan could not be the official wife. However, she said it now. Coincidentally, Ning Xueyan had annoyed her. So, it would have been surprising if Ning Qingshan did not vent her anger on her.

    After all, she was her niece and she felt guilty about her. The Honored Consort Ya was undoubtedly willing to satisfy her at this time. After all, she did not like Ning Xueyan. As for her son, even if something happened to Ning Xueyan, he knew his priority, because Ning Qingshan was important.

    ¡°Aunt, I want this bitch toe to a bad end!¡±

    ¡°Okay, let me see if there is a chance. Take good care of yourself and wait for my news.¡±

    ¡°Here are the flowers that your youngdy wants.¡±

    ¡°Here are the flowers that your youngdy wants.¡±

    ¡°Here are the flowers that your youngdy wants.¡± After the flower baskets were sent to each Young Lady, the pce maids would utter this statement, and then leave respectfully. Perhaps this beautiful girl would be their master in the future. So, it was better to be careful.

    Lanning looked at the flowers in her hands, and then looked at those carried by the maid beside her, picked up the hem of her dress, and walked in.

    Behind the screen in the room, Ning Xueyan was bathing. She had been bathing alone, as she did not need anyone to serve her.

    ¡°Young Lady, the pce has sent some flowers. Would you like to put some in?¡± Lanning asked outside the screen, with a basket in her hand. The flower bath was nothing new among the nobledies of all the mansions. Even in winter, some nobledies would take advantage of the flowers from their greenhouses, to take a bath.

    It was already spring, and some early flowers were blooming outside. There would be more flowers in the pce. Even if more flowers were sent here, it would not be a big deal.

    ¡°No, just put it outside.¡± Ning Xueyan turned to the screen. The flowers were fragrant, and faint wisps of their fragrance drifted in. After taking a shower with such aromatic flowers, she would naturally have a scent, which would be good for tomorrow¡¯s game.

    The flowers had a faint fragrance. If Ning Xueyan had not been familiar with it, she would not have smelt it. However, she knew what it was. Her lips curled silently. It seemed that the Honored Consort Ya wanted to kill her. She did not expect that she would be so impatient.

    Ning Xueyan certainly did not know that the Honored Consort Ya had taken advantage of this matter to degrade Ning Qingshan¡¯s position to that of the co-consort. Tofort Ning Qingshan, she would help her to deal with Ning Xueyan. Fortunately, Ning Xueyan was not surprised. Ning Qingshan¡¯s hand had been severly injured, and she had made a fool of herself. It would be strange if the Honored Consort Ya, as Ning Qingshan¡¯s aunt, did not help to avenge her.

    She was worried that she could note up with a solution for the time being. This situation was perfect!

    After having a bath, Ning Xueyan got up, dried herself, and put on her clothes. Then, she called Lanning in and scattered all the flowers in the basket into the bathwater. When she finished cleaning up, Lanning helped her dry her hair and Ning Xueyan stopped in front of the bathtub.

    The hot water reflected the color of the red flowers in the bathtub, which looked enchanting and beautiful. She inexplicably thought of the ck robe embroidered with the Red Spider Lily. That flower was much more beautiful than the one in the basin. If she took a bath with the Equinox Flower that was blooming in hell, she might die directly, even without the effort of the Honored Consort Ya!

    She was thinking about it in her mind. She picked up a clean, wet handkerchief, rolled up her sleeves, and soaked the handkerchief to clean the back of her hands and wrists. Then, she put down the rag in her hand, thought for a moment, picked it up, and wiped it on her chin.

    ¡°Young Lady, is there something wrong with this flower?¡± Lanning also noticed that something was wrong and asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It doesn¡¯t matter even if there¡¯s something wrong. Ask someone to pour out the water.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled leisurely and threw the handkerchief in her hand into the water.

    Seeing her attitude, Lanning knew that Ning Xueyan had made up her mind. Lanning breathed a sigh of relief and immediately called two eunuchs in, to pour away the bathwater.

    In Shuyu Pce, several pce maids poured bathwater for all thedies. After all, every girl only brought a maid with them when they entered the pce. These first maids were usually pampered, and could not be made to move the bathwater.

    When they saw the flowers floating in the bathwater, they knew that the flowers had been soaked in the water for some time, from the color of the flowers. The two eunuchs looked at each other, and then they quickly poured the water from the bathtub into a bucket on one side. They carried the bucket and walked out.

    When the water was poured out, a eunuch sneaked out of the back door, and said a few words to a pce maid who was waiting there. The pce maid nodded and handed over a note in her hands. The eunuch epted it with a beaming countenance. He was so happy that he could obtain some profit, merely by checking if there were any petals in the bathwater.

    Early the following morning, thedies in each room were up early, and waiting. Some well-informeddies had known that today¡¯s beauty selection was of great importance. They waited in their rooms, in high spirits. As soon as the Mammy came out to call them, they all went, dressed in their best outfits.

    The stewardess took them all the way. She even brought them to walk around the Royal Garden. Along the way, the flowers on the branches had bloomed and looked so beautiful, that thedies found it hard to walk away from this sight. They looked at them, even while walking. The stewardess did not exercise any authority over them, which made them more excited, so they were unwilling to leave.

    Ning Xueyangged behind and strolled leisurely. From time to time, she would stop and look at the flowers. When she came to a pce gate, she stopped and lingered there. Ning Xueyan had never seen this scene, and she wondered what they were doing. In herst life, her mother asionally told her about the Beauty Contest. At that time, she was particrly curious and asked more questions.

    She was asking and did not expect that her mother knew anything about it. What was even more surprising was that she was sent here.

    All the mammies were here, and there were two mammies guarding the gate. Everything inside was blocked by a screen. Once, one of them entered the room, the door was closed. The heavy curtain blocked everything, so they could not see what was inside. After a while, a beautiful woman blushed and came out of the room. She did not look at anyone and followed the Mammy, with her head down.

 Chapter 319 - How Dare you! Are You Sure Youâ€™re Talking about Me?

    <h4>Chapter 319 How Dare you! Are You Sure You¡¯re Talking about Me?</h4>

    Her wrists and chin began to itch, and her tender skin began to swell at a visible speed. Hideous sores sprouted and covered her wrists and the back of her hands. Her hands were unpresentable. Several sores grew on her chin, ruining her beautiful face.

    It was painful and itchy, but Ning Xueyan knew that she should not scratch the itch. If she scratched her skin, the inmmation would inevitably spread. However, this could not be verified.

    This was from a recipe that Aunt Xiang had given to her. It took effect due to the mutual restriction between two kinds of flowers. Only the flower juice of balsamine and pollen of the Mingyang flower were effective. If she did not touch it, it would heal in a few days. But if she scratched it, it would spread out on arge scale. Even if it healed, there would be scarring.

    Even though she felt ufortable, she could only endure it, as a trace of determination shed in her eyes.

    The flower she used for bathing was balsamine. Along the way, there were many ces where the Mingyang flower grew. Now, the Mingyang Flower was in full bloom. Like the winter jasmine, the Mingyang flower was one that bloomed early. She stopped and went outside. There were a lot of Mingyang flowers along the way.

    Even the air was filled with the fragrance of the Mingyang flower. It was inevitable for her to be stained by its pollen.

    Finally, it was Ning Xueyan¡¯s turn. The Mammy who guarded the door looked at Ning Xueyan, who was walking over with her head down, and said, ¡°Go in!¡±

    Ning Xueyan entered the room. The material of the screen was also thick. There were many stoves in the room. As soon as the door was opened, one could feel the gush of hot air, warming the people who entered. When she walked around the screen, four mammies stood there and saw Ning Xueyaning over. One of them said, ¡°Take off your clothes.¡±

    ¡°Take off my outer dress?¡± Ning Xueyan raised her head silently, with a look of bewilderment. As expected, when they saw her face, the faces of the mammies immediately changed.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your face?¡± A mammy screamed.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe I did not sleep wellst night.¡± Ning Xueyan looked confused. When she stretched out her hands and lifted her big cuffs, the swellings on her hands were revealed.

    Nobody would believe that she had contracted this, due tock of sleep!

    ¡°Is this the first time you have this? Tell me the truth, or you will be charged for deceiving the emperor.¡± A mammy asked sternly.

    ¡°No, I had it before. From time to time, I get some sores.¡± Ning Xueyan answered hurriedly, with fear on her face.

    Then it was not a coincidence.

    All the four mammies came over, stared at Ning Xueyan¡¯s chin, and then looked at her hand. Their faces became darker and darker. Finally, they discussed this aside, as if they were unable toe to a decision.

    Ning Xueyan did not say a word and waited quietly for the result of their discussion. She did not understand why they needed to discuss it. They should just eliminate her. This time was different from thest time. A lot of people got knocked out, but they were not eliminated because they made a show of themselves. As long as they were not bent on fawning upon the influential people, they would not feel the stress.

    Although the four mammies discussed in low voices, Ning Xueyan still heard the words ¡°the Third Prince.¡± She did not understand what he was doing. Was he also involved in this matter and wanted to avenge Ning Qingshan?

    After the discussion, an older mammy came over and said to Ning Xueyan, ¡°You don¡¯t have to take off your clothes. Go out!¡±

    It worked. She did not expect that the Honored Consort Ya¡¯s trickery would help her. She pursed her lips and looked sad, but in fact, she was happy. She obediently took two steps back and left.

    Ning Xueyan walked out behind the screen and saw an older female servant waiting at the door, with two notebooks at hand. She took a look at Ning Xueyan, grabbed a notebook, and wrote on it. Then, she took a beaded flower from one side and gave it to her. There was only one flower on it.

    She had been eliminated from thepetition!

    Ning Xueyan went out and waited at the corridor outside. Some beautifuldies, who had the same flower as hers, sat there morosely. One of them even sobbed. Ning Xueyan looked around and found that there was only one face which was familiar. Unfortunately, this person was not only familiar to her, but also hostile toward her.

    She was Madam Ling¡¯s niece from her parents¡¯ home, Ling Xue. She was holding a beaded flower with two flowers, proudly. It was apparent that she had passed.

    Ning Xueyan did not want to interact with her, so she found a ce to sit down. She could not leave until everyone had been checked. The stewardess had told her the rule several times before.

    She did not trouble the others, but the others obviously did not intend to let her go so easily. Ling Xue walked over proudly like a peacock, and the beaded flower on her head waggled slightly. She deliberately hung around Ning Xueyan twice. Ning Xueyan did not want to talk to her, so she closed her eyes and rested a little.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re so ugly. How dare the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor send you to the pce? Is there no other beautifuldy in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? It¡¯s scary.¡±

    Ning Xueyan heard Ling Xue¡¯s masterful voice and opened her eyes. Ling Xue looked surprised and pointed at Ning Xueyan in disgust.

    Ning Xueyan did not have many sores on her chin, but there were a lot of them on her fair face. It looked quite scary, which immediately ruined the overall feeling she created initially. Now, Ning Xueyan was not beautiful, but shocking to look at.

    This was the reason why several of the mammies who were examining her, did not look at anything else. How could she join the Beauty Contest in this situation?

    ¡°As a Young Lady of the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor, you have no right to ask if there is any beautiful Young Lady in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.¡± Ning Xueyan looked at Ling Xue and said coldly. Ling Xue thought highly of herself. Everyone knew that the reason why the Vice Minister of Justice was promoted was due to Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s support.

    Now, she dared to ridicule the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Hearing their quarrel, all the beautiful girls who were waiting at the side, turned their heads and looked at them.

    ¡°You, you are so presumptuous!¡± Being taunted by the girl she despised most in front of so many people, Ling Xue suddenly blushed and immediately became angry. In her eyes, Ning Xueyan was always the idiot who had humiliated Ning Yuling and herself.

    ¡°How dare you? Miss Ling, are you sure you are talking about me?¡± Ning Xueyan raised her head slightly and looked at Ling Xue¡¯s face coldly with her jet-ck eyes, which were indescribably profound.

    This was the imperial pce. How dare Ling Xue scold the Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor in public?

    Thedies covered their mouths and chuckled. They thought that Ling Xue was self-righteous and ungrateful.

    All of them came to join the Beauty Contest. Now, everyone was the same. So, there was no such thing as being presumptuous. However, the status of the legal daughter of the General of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was much higher than that of the legal daughter of the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor.

    Ling Xue was almost driven mad by the ridicule andughter of the crowd. She almost could not control herself and wanted to rush over. Fortunately, in the end, she calmed down and red at Ning Xueyan viciously. She gritted her teeth and held back her anger. She could not be impulsive now. Ning Xueyan would definitely be eliminated. When she sessfully entered the pce, she would have a high status. There would be plenty of opportunities for her to kill this little bitch.

    There were still days toe. Ning Xueyan could not run away.

    She red at Ning Xueyan fiercely, turned around, and was about to leave angrily. She heard that her cousin would be back soon. Then, she and her cousin would have a chance to deal with Ning Xueyan.

    Suddenly, someone was pping from behind. Everyone turned around in surprise.

    It was a man dressed in a ck embroidered robe. As he walked step by step toward them, they saw that the Red Spider Lily embroidery on his attire was soaked in blood. Meanwhile, everyone lowered their heads and dared not look at his face. Even if they heard that he looked handsome, no one dared to look up, because of his gloomy and fierce manner.

    Everyone knew that Prince Yi was the one wearing the bloody Red Spider Lily. The Imperial Guards, which was under the control of Prince Yi, was the bloodiest ce. No one coulde out of there.

    ¡°How dare you all not pay your respects to Prince Yi?¡± The eunuch shouted in a sharp voice.

    Everyone immediately lowered their heads and bowed in respect, and the scene was strange and quiet.

    ¡°How interesting! Well, send them to the Small Jing¡¯an Temple to try the Buddha reason.¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s cold eyes turned from Ling Xue to Ning Xueyan, with a trace of softness in his eyes. Even if he hid it in his gloomy countenance, could his woman have been bullied by others?

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡± A eunuch came over and walked to them. He drawled, ¡°Two Young Ladies,e with me!¡±

    ¡°Where are we going...?¡± Ling Xue¡¯s body trembled. In the presence of the so-called bloodthirsty prince, how could she be arrogant? When she heard that he was going to take her away, her face immediately turned pale.

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. Go.¡± The eunuch pulled Ling Xue up impatiently and pulled her forward. Ling Xue could not help, but follow him. But when she thought that she was going to be taken away by Prince Yi¡¯s men, she immediately remembered the bloody prison of the legendary Imperial Guard. She stopped in a hurry and screamed at Ao Chenyi.

    ¡°Your Highness, I...¡±

    ¡°I?¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s grim voice was full of mockery. Before Ling Xue realized something, a eunuch came over. He sneered, grabbed Ling Xue¡¯s neck, and pped her in the face.

    ¡°How dare you address yourself like that?¡±

    Before Ling Xue could say anything, he pushed her toward the flower bed on the side forcefully that she staggered two steps back. Ling Xue stumbled backward and identally brushed against the flower bed on the side. There were flower seeds in it. Although they had not blossomed yet, there were thorns on the bushes.

    Ling Xue rushed in recklessly and immediately screamed, her hands covering her face.

    Even if she could not see them clearly, she knew that the sharp thorns had pierced her face.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know how to appreciate favors. Take her away.¡± The eunuch behind Ao Chenyi snorted, as if he did not know that Ling Xue was a nobledy who had entered the pce to join the Beauty Contest. He shouted at the two young eunuchs.

    Two eunuchs came up and grabbed her hands respectively. They dragged her out like a dead dog.

    Now it was quiet. It was so weird as if a cold hand had grabbed hold of one¡¯s neck. No one dared to breathe.

    ¡°Prince Yi, what... what should we do?¡± The eunuch nced at the crowd, and then turned his head and carefully asked Ao Chenyi, who was standing silently aside.

    ¡°The Small Jing¡¯an Temple!¡± Ao Chenyi said coldly. Then he turned around and strode down another path. The others followed him, leaving only a eunuch behind. He said to Ning Xueyan with a fake smile, ¡°Young Lady,e with me to the Small Jing¡¯an Temple to seek the Buddha reason!¡±

    Ning Xueyan raised her head and controlled her emotions well. She nodded slightly and followed the eunuch out.

 Chapter 320 - Buddha Reason in the Small Jingâ€™an Temple

    <h4>Chapter 320 Buddha Reason in the Small Jing¡¯an Temple</h4>

    ¡°Did my uncle take her away?¡± Ao Mingyu suddenly stood up and asked, as his face paled.

    ¡°Yes, I heard that it was because of the dispute with the Vice Minister of Justice Ling¡¯s daughter. Prince Yi happened to witness it, so he asked her to go to the Small Jing¡¯an Temple to seek the Buddha reason.¡± The eunuch answered carefully.

    ¡°Coincidence? He did it on the spur of the moment? So, he brought her to the Small Jing¡¯an Temple to let Senior Nun Yuming see if they werepatible with him?¡±

    Ao Mingyu frowned and asked, ¡°Did the twodies go to the Small Jing¡¯an Temple together?¡±

    ¡°The Vice Minister of Justice Ling¡¯s daughter was unwilling to go, and was thrown into the flowering shrubs, and her face was hurt.¡±

    ¡°What about the Fifth Young Lady?¡± Ao Mingyu was shocked and unconsciously clenched his fist.

    ¡°The Fifth Young Lady did not say anything to Prince Yi, and she followed the eunuch to the Small Jing¡¯an Temple,¡± the eunuch replied.

    Ao Mingyu nodded and breathed a sigh of relief in his heart. Fortunately, Ning Xueyan did not say anything. Ao Chenyi hated people who acted recklessly. The Vice Minister of Justice Ling¡¯s daughter did not know what was good for her. Even if she died, she could not me anyone. As for Ning Xueyan, since she was fine, he had to wait. He would not be distracted.

    He wanted her to be chosen first, and then he would choose her as his concubine. Even if she was not selected now, it would not be a problem. Anyway, his mother had already promised him that she would be his concubine. At the thought of that, he rxed. Ao Chenyi did not want to choose a concubine. With his character, he did everything on the spur of the moment. As for the Buddha reason in Jing¡¯an Temple, it could not be taken seriously.

    He did not want the emperor to give him too many concubines, so he told him directly.

    Fortunately, Ao Chenyi had followed the imperial decree to marry his legal wife. As for other matters, he could do as he wished.

    Ning Xueyan followed the eunuch all the way. It became quieter and quieter. When she arrived at a small Buddha hall, the eunuch led her directly to the main temple hall.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, I have to go. The nun wille and see you soon. Young Lady, you must perform well.¡± The eunuch said in a high voice.

    Ning Xueyan could not help butugh in surprise. Ao Chenyi certainly knew how to get things done. He invited a nun and asked her to perform well. How could she, a youngdy, who entered the pce to join the Beauty Contest, perform well in front of a nun?

    ¡°Thank you!¡± Ning Xueyan said politely to the eunuch.

    The door was slightly ajar. Ning Xueyan looked up at the Buddha hall, where there was a Bodhisattva. The Bodhisattva was sitting in the middle and had a kind look. In front of the Buddha¡¯s desk, the smoke from a superior incense curled up in the air. It was a peaceful world inparison with the bustle of the pce.

    Two simple futons were put in front of her, and there was nothing else. When Ning Xueyan came forward and sat cross-legged on a rush cushion, she heard light footsteps. Looking up, she saw that the side door of the side hall was open, and a nun of about forty years old, came out.

    ¡°Alms Giver, are you the person Prince Yi sent here?¡± The nun asked gently, looking at Ning Xueyan. She was pretty, with a faint light in her eyes.

    ¡°Yes. How should I address you, master?¡± Ning Xueyan looked up and asked.

    ¡°Jingkong.¡± Senior Nun Jingkong said calmly and sat down on a futon on the other side. The smile on her face was benign.

    ¡°Jingkong? She was Jingkong?¡± Ning Xueyan suddenly opened her eyes wide and looked at the nun in front of her in disbelief. She said that her name was Jingkong. Was she the Jingkong she was looking for? No wonder no one called Jingkong was in the nunneries she had inquired about, in private. It turned out that she was in the pce.

    But was this Jingkong the one that her mother asked her to look for?

    ¡°Master Jingkong, I think that I heard Sister Ziying mention your name before. Are you from the region south of the Yangtze River?¡± Ning Xueyan asked, suppressing the excitement in her heart.

    ¡°Miss Ning Ziying?¡± There was excitement in her calm eyes, but then she lowered her head and put her palms together to hide the emotion in her eyes.

    ¡°Yes, Ning Ziying. Do you know Ning Ziying, who came to reside in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? Do you know her?¡± Ning Xueyan asked further when she saw Jingkong losing herposure.

    ¡°Yes, I do. When she was young, I used to live in Ning¡¯s Mansion for a while.¡± Senior Nun Jingkong¡¯s eyelids were twitching as she closed her eyes and put her palms together.

    ¡°Do you know Sister Ziying very well? No wonder Sister Ziying was looking for you before.¡± The master looked calm, but the color of her face was abnormal. Ning Xueyan was sure that the master in front of her was the person her mother asked her to find, in her previous life.

    ¡°Where is Young Lady Ziying now?¡± the senior nun asked. She did not answer Ning Xueyan¡¯s question. After she calmed down, she raised her head and looked at Ning Xueyan, calmly.

    ¡°Sister Ziying is dead. It was rumored that she jumped into the lotus pond and died the night before her wedding.¡± Ning Xueyan said with a faint smile. She was no longer Ning Ziying, so she could not tell anyone else that she had been reborn. So, it was not easy to take things for granted.

    If Ning Ziying found Senior Nun Jingkong, she would be able to ask her any questions she had.

    But she was Ning Xueyan, so she could only make oblique references. Senior Nun Jinkong lived in the imperial pce, so she had a rare chance toe here. When she saw her, she would not let go of this opportunity.

    ¡°Is Young Lady Ziying dead?¡± Senior Nun Jing Kong suddenly opened her eyes, a fierce look appearing in her calm eyes.

    ¡°Yes, Sister Ziying died on the night before her marriage. Her husband is my brother-inw now. Everyone only knew that the legal daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was the one who united Xia Manor, by marriage. However, no one knew that Sister Ziying was the one who was engaged to Xia Yuhang.¡±

    Ning Xueyan said this slowly, with a sneer on her face.

    Ning Ziying¡¯s death was only known in the backyard of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Nobody knew who Ning Ziying was. Nobody knew that there was a Young Lady in the backyard of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, who had lived in the back garden for three years.

    ¡°Xia Yuhang betrayed her and killed her with the help of the people of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor!¡± The senior nun was not asking. Instead, she was full of anger and hatred. She could not hide the anger in her eyes anymore, and her eyes became sharp. ¡°I told Madam that Xia Yuhang was a heartless person and that she could not rely on him. In the end, Madam went ahead and hurt Young Lady!¡±

    As long as one could understand, one could appreciate Ning Xueyan¡¯s words. Everything else had a hidden meaning. The only clues left indicated something else. It was as if the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had only one engagement with the Xia Family.

    ¡°Madam, are you talking about my mother?¡±

    There was no memory of this Jingkong figure in her mind. However, she did not expect that Jingkong was so familiar with her mother.

    However, how was it that this Senior Nun Jing Kong never hid her feelings? She showed her emotions naturally, as if she did not care that she was also a Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    ¡°Master, can you tell me about Sister Ziying¡¯s background?¡± After thinking for a while, Ning Xueyan came straight to the point and looked at Senior Nun Jing Kong, without any hesitation. ¡°This is what Sister Ziying asked me to ask before she died. If you don¡¯t believe me, I can show you Sister Ziying¡¯s letters, which are still with me.¡±

    She did not have time to exin about her rtionship with Ning Ziying indirectly. She could not talk about it in a straightforward manner. She could only put everything on Ning Ziying¡¯s death. Looking at the raw sadness in Jing Kong Nun¡¯s sharp eyes, she made up her mind to state her purpose directly. Whether it was Mother Wang or Lanning, they could notpare with Senior Nun Jing Kong.

    ¡°Since my mother asked me to ask her, it must be because she knows everything.¡±

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, it¡¯s over... it¡¯s over! Some things can¡¯t be undone by human power.¡± Jingkong seemed to calm down, and stared at her. After a while, she overcame her sadness, restored her serenity, and sighed.

    Ning Xueyan narrowed her dark eyes, which were filled with coldness. She pointed at the lofty Buddha and said coldly, ¡°You mean that Sister Ziying¡¯s death was in vain. Even if it can¡¯t be saved by human power, what you respect is this kind of lofty Buddha¡¯s will. Life and death are decreed by fate. All the troubles are self-chosen.¡±

    In herst life, she had died a painful death. She was submerged forcefully into the lotus pond after being framed and cheated by people, and was beaten as well. She watched her good sister and her unmarried husband talking intimately and watched herself drown in the lotus pond. If it was the will of heaven, how could she care about it?

    She had climbed out of hell to seek revenge.

    Shocked by Ning Xueyan¡¯s cold words, Senior Nun Jing Kong could never imagine that the weak and pale girl in front of her, dared to say such disrespectful words about Buddha in the Buddha hall.

    ¡°Do you know how Sister Ziying died? They ruined her reputation and used her of having affairs with other men. After being beaten half-dead by Madam Ling and her daughter, she was held down by several evil servants and drowned in the lotus pond. Her maid Xiang¡¯er died together with her. Her blood stained the water in the lotus pond. When I sneaked over the next day, there was a strong smell of blood around the lotus pond.¡±

    Ning Xueyan continued to tell her everything, word by word. Her words were light and natural, but they contained a strong evil and sharp coldness. The so-called kindness was an excuse to allow others to take advantage of her. After her rebirth, she had already lost this excuse. She would exact an eye for an eye and a tooth for tooth revenge. If it was the will of heaven, she did not believe in heaven.

    Hearing her harsh words, Master Jingkong was no longer at peace, and then her face turned pale.

    ¡°Master, won¡¯t you tell me?¡±

    Ning Xueyan stared at Senior Nun Jing Kong¡¯s face, and asked coldly.

    ¡°How... how could this happen?¡± Senior Nun Jing Kong murmured and looked at Ning Xueyan, absent-mindedly. Ning Xueyan saw her hands twitch slightly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you believe what I said?¡± A trace of coldness shed in Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes. She stared at Senior Nun Jing Kong and sneered. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, go and investigate. If you find anything wrong, I¡¯m willing to die to pay for it.¡±

    Her words were forceful, unlike what a girl in a boudoir should sound like. However, the pale-faced girl said it so naturally, and she did not doubt it at all. Her words were absolute and sharp, filled with firm determination and perseverance.

    ¡°Forget it. Forget it. Since you want to know, I¡¯ll tell you everything!¡± Senior Nun Jing Kong¡¯s lips quivered. Her initial calm had been destroyed by Ning XueYan, and she already made up her mind.

 Chapter 321 - Who Is the Real Princess of the Previous Dynasty?

    <h4>Chapter 321 Who Is the Real Princess of the Previous Dynasty?</h4>

    ¡°Ning Ziying is the princess of the former dynasty,¡± Senior Nun Jing Kong said in a low voice with sadness and anger in her eyes.

    ¡°I was the princess of the previous dynasty in my previous life?¡± As if being struck by lightning, Ning Xueyan felt like her body almost went stiff.

    She had imagined thousands of possibilities, but not this one. If she was the princess of the previous dynasty, what was the real identity of the noble Ning Qingshan?

    Taking a deep breath, Ning Xueyan could not help but protest in spite of herposure, ¡°Master Jing Kong, you must get it wrong!¡±

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, since you¡¯re close to the princess and she also left thest words to you, you must have found she was kind of different from ordinary people.¡± Since she had revealed Ning Ziying¡¯s real identity, Senior Nun Jing Kong did not intend to keep anything from Ning Xueyan.

    It was said that the imperial harem was on fire when the former dynasty copsed. That extremely beautiful empress threw herself into the fire and turned into ashes with the imperial pce. Was the fire in her dreams the same fire burnt in the imperial pce?

    Was that why Ning Ziying had no wet nurse before she was three years old and her mother had always tried to hide her from the outsiders? Besides, her mother had made arrangements to confuse the others before she died on Ning Ziying¡¯s way to the capital city. After arriving at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Ning Ziying seldom went out as per her mother¡¯sst wishes and most time, she would wear a curtain hat even if she went out with Xia Yuhang.

    ¡°Who is Ye? Who is Tong?¡± She could not help clenching her fists tightly when she suddenly recalled the blood-stained words in the book of family names.

    ¡°The empress of the previous dynasty was called Han Suye. Since the former dynasty belonged to Xuanyuan n, its emperor was Xuanyuan Tong.¡±

    For the same reason, all the emperors¡¯ surname of the previous dynasty was Xuanyuan. Thest emperor¡¯s given name was Tong. Therefore, Ye and Tong represented Ning Ziying¡¯s biological parents.

    ¡°Neither of them... escaped the disaster, right?¡± Although Ning Xueyan managed to make herself sound calm, her voice was hollow, like floating in the air. She felt as if she was in the ice-house, and if it were not her great self-control, she would have been trembling all over. However, even she tried to keep calm, her face was still as pale as snow, and her fingers could not help but tremble slightly.

    She was clear that it was meaningless to ask such a question, but she just blurted it out anxiously.

    Everyone knew that the emperor died in the war and the empress was burnt to ashes in the fire with the imperial pce when the former dynasty fell. Though the former dynasty had been reced, rumors about them were still spreading among people.

    It was said that the emperor doted on the empress alone which led to the ruin of his country and his death.

    Someone said that the empress with stunning beauty was a sign of the fall of the country. Moreover, the emperor of the previous country gave all his love to her and left all the other women of the harem alone, so it was inevitable for his dynasty being overthrown.

    Other people said that the empress had a cruel heart beneath her beautiful face and countless imperial concubines died because of her. When the rebels captured the imperial pce and asked the emperor to turn over his empress, he would rather die than do this.

    Someone said that the empress was the evildoer who was born to bring cmity to the former dynasty.

    There were so many rumors about the previous emperor and empress. Ning Xueyan had heard many of them, but she only took them as legends and never thought that these had anything to do with her.

    ¡°It¡¯s said the empress was heartbroken at the news that the emperor was killed. She wanted tomit suicide at the beginning, but... was persuaded to change her mind. It was one of her pce maid who died for her. Other people thought that the woman in gorgeous clothes who leaped into the fire was the empress and didn¡¯t know that she had sneaked out of the imperial pce with her daughter through a secret passage.¡±

    At the moment, Senior Nun Jing Kong had calmed down. She looked at Ning Xueyan with aplicated expression.

    Ning Xueyan loosened her clenched lip while grabbing Senior Nun Jing Kong¡¯s hand. ¡°Then... where is... she?¡± she asked excitedly with a trace of blood on her pale lip as she bit it too hard just now.

    ¡°Everything was in a mess and everyone was running for their lives at that moment. The princess and herter adoptive mother got separated from the empress and lost contact with her since then. The princess¡¯ adoptive mother was a nobledy of the former dynasty and the empress¡¯ bosom friend as well. Her husband was an upright man. He was still a government official after the change of dynasties. The couple made the princess suddenly appear in their front yard and adopted her as their daughter in the name of a child lost in the tumult of war.¡±

    ¡°Since then, the princess¡¯ adoptive mother became even more reclusive. As she and the empress had never shown their rtionship in public, other people didn¡¯t know they were close to each other. Besides, she had been living in the region south of the Yangtze River, no one suspected her. As for the princess, she became her daughter Ning Ziying...¡±

    Ning Xueyan did not remember anything that Senior Nun Jing Kong told herter except for knowing that she seemed to have said something before leaving. Being in a trance, she sat there, cold all over. She neither shed tears nor felt confused, but only looked at the amiable Buddha statue on the tform nkly.

    She had no idea how long she had been sitting like this. She felt like she might sit all the time until she became a sculpture with the lotus-shaped Buddha tform.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Do you think you have be a Buddha or an immortal?¡± With a mocking voice ringing out beside her, someone pinched her chin with his slim fingers. He applied more strength to her chin and forced her head to turn to him. She then caught sight of an extremely handsome face in front of her. She made no response, but stared at the man nkly.

    ¡°What happened?¡± The smile faded away from the man¡¯s handsome face and was reced by a grim look. He narrowed his eyes and looked at Ning Xueyan with his hand on her shoulder.

    It took Ning Xueyan quite a while before realizing it was Ao Chenyi in front of her. Her stiff body rxed a little. ¡°Nothing!¡± She felt exhausted after spitting out this word. She wanted to smile at him, but the smile on her face was even no better than crying. Shivering all over, she found that it was hard to smile naturally.

    ¡°Who bullied you?¡± Ao Chenyi narrowed his eyes with a grim expression. He had never seen such an uneasy look on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face. Even he had said that he was going to kill her by the gate of the Cold Mountain Temple, she was still lively and vigorous. But now, although she was smiling, he could not see the vigor in her eyes like before, instead, he found deep sadness and heartrending pain in them.

    How could a vigorous little wild cat show such a helpless look?

    It upset Ao Chenyi and he felt his heart beat wildly. Managing to calm himself down, he wrapped around Ning Xueyan with his arms, his chin pressing against her cold forehead. Traces of warmth spread to her body from her forehead slowly along with his breathes.

    Trembling slightly, she felt like her stiff body rxed slowly. She leaned against the strong and warm arms feebly with tearful eyes. Her tears dropped on his clothes which made him feel like they were dripping silently onto his heart through his ck robe.

    At this moment, nothing was on his mind apart from hugging her.

    ¡±Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m here. Everything will be fine,¡± heforted her in a soft voice, stroking her beautiful hair and back with his slim fingers gently.

    After quite a while, Ning Xueyan recovered from her loss, confusion and grief. She raised her head and struggled to piece up the figure in front of her. Now her watery eyes had regained its brightness and she wanted to push away Ao Chenyi when she realized that she was in his arms. However, Ao Chenyi had no intention of letting go of her, but hugged her more tightly.

    ¡°Prince Yi, what are you doing here?¡± Ning Xueyan asked, sounded tired. Anyone who just knew who their own parents were would find it difficult to calm down if they were either dead or missing.

    Ao Chenyi lowered his head and sized up her, puzzled, as if he had just met her. He looked at her so long time that Ning Xueyan had totallye to her sense. ¡°Since my woman is here, of course I shoulde.¡±

    He stared at Ning Xueyan passionately with his dark and thoughtful eyes. Calm as he was, he had been a little flustered just now!

    ¡°Prince Yi, I¡¯m fine. I just, just thought of something sad,¡± Ning Xueyan said softly and pushed away Ao Chenyi¡¯s hands gently. ¡°Prince Yi, we¡¯re at the imperial pce. Other people will gossip if they see us together.¡±

    ¡°No worries. No one will know it,¡± Ao Chenyi stared at her and said coldly.

    ¡°Prince Yi...¡± Ning Xueyan bit her lips and said in a low voice expressionlessly. ¡°Can you let me go back to rest?¡±

    Since she had only dipped a little bit water at that time, the scars on her chin and wrist had be so faint now that they were almost invisible except for slight redness and swelling. She did not care if someone in the imperial pce tried to stop her from continue ying. As long as she would not be kicked out disgracefully, it would be okay for her whenever she was dered defeated in the Beauty Contest.

    She was sure that Ao Chenyi would find a way to marry her finally.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Ao Chenyi suddenly stood up with her in his arms.

    Ning Xueyan was stunned. She looked up at his handsome face in confusion, grabbing his clothes subconsciously. There was a hint of helplessness in her charming eyes under her feathery eyshes when she looked at him silently, like a lost child who could not find a way out and only hoped that the person in front of him could show her the way.

    Ao Chenyi did not move but stared at her like this with his dark and cold eyes. Then his thin lips curved up into a charming smile. ¡°Can¡¯t I even hold my wife?¡±

    With that, he strode outward. Ning Xueyan was in a panic and struggled to break free from his arms when she realized that he meant to go out with her. Even if she would marry Prince Yi in the future, her reputation would be ruined if she was found in his arms like this in public. What was more, she was also the candidate of the Beauty Contest.

    ¡°Prince Yi, put me down!¡± She slightly pursed her lips with a trace of anger in her jet-ck eyes, struggling desperately to free herself from Ao Chenyi¡¯s arms.

    Seeing the glow on her face because of anger, Ao Chenyi suddenly cheered up. He stopped and looked at herzily as he asked, ¡°Are you sure you can walk on your own?¡±

    ¡°Prince Yi, I¡¯m sure. Thank you for your kindness.¡± Ning Xueyan answered with certainty while gesturing Ao Chenyi to put her down. She was reluctant to be carried out of the Buddha Hall of the Small Jing¡¯an Temple by Ao Chenyi and became the focus of everyone¡¯s attention at the moment.

 Chapter 322 - The Result of the Beauty Contest Comes Out

    <h4>Chapter 322 The Result of the Beauty Contest Comes Out</h4>

    ¡°Okay!¡± Unexpectedly, Ao Chenyi did not make things difficult before letting her go. Although his eyes still looked thoughtful and serious, they were not as cold as before. He reached out and stroke her head gently which he had rarely done. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Nobody will bully you after you marry me.¡±

    Ning Xueyan looked up in astonishment, wondering what he meant. However, when she was still savoring his words, he had turned around and strode away.

    Not long after she sat back to the futon again, she saw a pce maiding over.

    ¡°Is it Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am!¡± Ning Xueyan stood up and answered.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, pleasee with me. All the other candidates have gone back to rest and wait for further notice. You can go back as well now,¡± the pce maid said with a smile.

    It turned out that today¡¯s activity had ended. Ning Xueyan stood up with a nod and went to Shuyu Pce following behind the pce maid.

    Aftering back from the Small Jing¡¯an Temple, Ning Xueyan sat alone quietly in the room and thought about what she had heard about the previous dynasty just now. It was said that the empress was an evil woman who brought cmity to the country. As she provoked the wrath of people, many parties of the country went to the capital city and gathered outside the imperial city. The emperor led the army in person to fight, but unfortunately, he was hit by the arrow shot by a guard of the previous prime minister and died.

    Since the emperor had died and the empress had taken her own life in the fire, everyone thought that the prime minister, who was the most powerful at that time would be the ultimate beneficiary. However, when he rushed into the imperial pce and was about to announce himself to be the new emperor, one of his subordinates, a general, was elected as the new leader with the support of the army and became the first emperor of the Chu Kingdom.

    But no matter who became the new emperor in the end, it was the prime minister who gave the order to kill the former emperor.

    Therefore, in fact, her foe was no other than the prime minister. However, he had been killed when the first emperor of the Chu Kingdom ascended the throne.

    ¡°Miss, the result of the Beauty Contest hase out just now. Someone from the front yard informed us that we coulde back to our manor.¡±

    Lanning lifted the curtain and said anxiously. Worrying that the slightness carelessness might get her master into trouble, she had been cautious in these days since they came to the imperial pce. Therefore, she was very excited at the good news that they could return and rushed back to tell Ning Xueyan about it.

    After all, it was too dangerous in the imperial pce. Third Young Lady had someone to help her, but Fifth youngdy had nobody to discuss with here. As she was the only one her master had brought to the imperial pce, Lanning had not slept well these days, worrying that something bad would happen to Ning Xueyan.

    Ning Xueyan slowly took a breath and then gently heaved a sigh of relief. After her rebirth, she was clear that no matter how hard people tried, they could not change the result of something. Even if Ning Ziying were still alive, she could not stop the previous dynasty from copsing, let alone she was already dead.

    It had been more than ten years since the establishment of the Chu Kingdom. The legends about the former dynasty were just legends. Both the founding emperor who had died or the present emperor who harbored malicious intentions to Ao Chenyi were kind of enlightened rulers, and on her way to the capital city before, Ning Xueyan had seen the people living in peace and contentment. Therefore, she was sure that none of the Chu people wanted another war in their country.

    Moreover, her mother must have wanted to keep her out of trouble for hiding her in the backyard for so many years and had never told her about the incident. ¡°Mom must have worried that those people would find me, so she had been so cautious. Before her death, she even made arrangements to confuse the others on my way to the capital city.¡±

    ¡°Mom had considered everything for me to keep me away from the danger of regime alternation!¡±

    ¡°Lanning, sort out our belongings. We¡¯ll leave soon,¡± Ning Xueyan said in a low voice after clearing up her thoughts.

    Lanning had prepared some of their belongingsst night, so they came out of the Shuyu Pce soon. The eunuch, who announced the imperial edict, was stunned when he saw theming out so soon, but he immediately put on a smile and took them out. As soon as they arrived at the gate, they saw someoneing out, crying.

    Although she was full of worries, Ning Xueyan could not help smiling at the sight of the person whose head was wrapped with thick gauze.

    Was that the aggressive Ling Xue? She had thick gauze wrapped around her head, with only two eyes exposed. Two maids were supporting her on both sides and one of them was crying, heartbroken. Ning Xueyan knew that Ao Chenyi¡¯s men had never shown mercy in dealing with others. She had seen clearly that Ling Xue had many thorns on her face that day.

    It seemed that her whole face was injured. Ning Xueyan could not tell if her injury was serious or not and whether it would leave scars on her face, but she knew that Ling Xue had no opportunity to rise high. Ling Xue and Ning Yuling had always bullied Ning Xueyan before.

    When Ling Xue saw Ning Xueyaning across from her, the grievance and sadness in her eyes immediately turned into resentment. She pushed her maids away and rushed toward Ning Xueyan. She had no guts to vent her anger on Prince Yi, so she tried to get back at Ning Xueyan. If it was not because of this b*tch in front of her, Prince Yi would not have noticed her and made her into trouble.

    It never urred to her that if she had not offended Prince Yi recklessly, she would not have looked so miserable. In fact, if Prince Yi wanted to punish someone, that person would probably die. Therefore, Ling Xue was already lucky enough to stay alive. Since she came to the imperial pce to attend the Beauty Contest, Prince Yi did not kill her for the sake of the emperor.

    Watching Ling Xue rushing over with anger, Lanning was about to stop her. Ning Xueyan pulled Lanning behind her and said to Ling Xue with a smile, looking into thetter¡¯s resentful eyes,

    ¡°Miss Ling, we¡¯re at the imperial ce now. It¡¯s much bigger than the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor.¡±

    Ling Xue immediately stopped at her words. She stared at Ning Xueyan with anger, malice and jealousy in her eyes, but dared not to take a step further. Although she hated Ning Xueyan to the utmost and even wanted to tear her into pieces, she knew that she could not behave at will in the imperial pce. Biting her teeth, she could only helplessly watch Ning Xueyan walking away.

    She swore she would never spare the b*tch, Ning Xueyan.

    Ignoring Ling Xue¡¯s hatred gaze that would pierce her from behind, Ning Xueyan followed the eunuch to the imperial pce gate with Lanning.

    Many contestants were eliminated this time. None of those who had physical defects advanced through the contest. Although Ning Xueyan looked good at the beginning, worrying that the rashes on her face might recur from time to time, people of the imperial pce dared not to keep her. The disease might be infectious, and if the royal family got infected, that would be a disaster.

    People of the imperial pce had notified the families of those Young Ladies who had been eliminated in the contest, so there were carriages waiting outside of the imperial pce. As soon as Ning Xueyan and Lanning walked out of the gate, they saw an older female servant of Madam Dowager waiting outside. At the sight of Ning Xueyan, she immediately came over.

    The carriage had been waiting outside for a long time, and it was Ning Huaiyuan who led the team to pick her up. Seeing Ning Xueyaning over with Lanning, Ning Huaiyuan strode to her in a hurry with aplicated and grim look in his eyes, but immediately, he put on a smile and greeted, ¡°Fifth Sister!¡±

    ¡°Brother Huaiyuan!¡± Ning Xueyan saluted him gently.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, how are you feeling? Do you want me to get a doctor for you?¡± Ning Huaiyuan learned from people of the imperial pce that Ning Xueyan had rashes on her face, but now he did not see anything wrong with her face apart from the faint redness on her chin.

    ¡°Thank you, Brother Huaiyuan! I¡¯m okay now. I don¡¯t know why I had the rashes all of a sudden,¡± Ning Xueyan said in a soft voice.

    Next to them, there were also some people from other manors waiting beside their carriages. Hearing what Ning Xueyan said, they became suspicious. How could she have rashes on her face for no reason? There must be something wrong! Those imperial concubines were most likely to plot against the candidates in the Beauty Contest.

    Someone might have meddled in the contest. ¡°Could that be such kind of reason that the Young Lady of our manor was kicked out from the contest?¡± People from other manors wondered at Ning Xueyan¡¯s words. Since it had something to do with their families¡¯ future prosperity, they must take it seriously.

    It was still early when Ning Xueyan returned to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. She had nned to offer her greetings to Madam Dowager, but when she just arrived at the gate of the manor, the older female servant Madam Dowager had sent to pick Ning Xueyan up told her that Madam Dowager was not feeling well today, so she could not meet her, and she told her to go back to her own courtyard.

    Obviously, she was reluctant to see Ning Xueyan or maybe she wanted to show her authority before her.

    She was hinting her dissatisfaction with Ning Xueyan as well. Madam Dowager had been dreaming of taking advantage of Ning Xueyan¡¯s marriage, but now, Ning Xueyan had been eliminated in the contest, so in her opinion, Ning Xueyan was fated not to bond to the imperial family. Of course, she would turn her back to Ning Xueyan. If she was not afraid of being used by the outsiders, Madam Dowager would not have even sent people to pick her up.

    Ning Xueyan understood what Madam Dowager meant, so after saying some polite forms, she went back to Bright Frost Garden with her maid.

    Everyone in Bright Frost Garden was cheerful when they heard that Ning Xueyan hade back. Mother Han, Qingyu and Xinmei were especially excited at the sight of her. As Ning Xueyan¡¯s henchmen, they had been nervous these days when Ning Xueyan was in the imperial pce. Since Third Young Lady, who had never been on good terms with their master, was the favorite of Honored Consort Ya, they thought that it would be easy for her to plot against their master.

    After something bad happened to Ning Qingshan which let her kicked out first, they felt a little relieved. It seemed that their master did not suffer losses even in the imperial pce.

    Although they were all eliminated, obviously, Third Young Lady came back with bad rumors. When she returned to the manor, rumors about her had spread all over, saying that Third Young Lady was not only poor in ying a musical instrument, but also ill-behaved. It seemed that she wanted to frame Fifth Young Lady.

    Some people said that after all, Ning Qingshan was only Lord Protector¡¯s adopted daughter and was not rted to him by blood. How could a person who even wanted to frame her sister be filial and loyal? What she had done before just for the sake of fame and money!

    After this incident, some of the rumors said that Third Young Lady was in a hurry at that moment and did not see clearly that it was Fifth Young Lady who was in front of her, so she said something improper which she did not mean that. However, since there were so many rumors against her, now very few people believed that Ning Qingshan was really perfect.

    Now Ning Xueyan was also eliminated as well, but the reason was quite suspicious. How could a candidate be knocked out just because of the small rashes on her face that suddenly appeared? Besides, the rashes had faded away soon. Everything these Young Ladies who came to the imperial pce to attend the Beauty Contest were given by the people of the imperial pce, so there was anything wrong, it must have something to do with people of the imperial pce.

    It seemed that Ning Xueyan had been framed!

    Therefore, before Ning Xueyan arrived at the manor, the rumor had spread out. Some of the Young Ladies, who had also been eliminated in the contest even said that it had something to do with some imperial concubine and as they had no special rtionship with that imperial concubine, they were kicked out. The rumor changed as it went around and ended up that the Honored Consort Ya was the imperial concubine they were talking about.

 Chapter 323 - What Prince Yi Meant

    <strong>Chapter 323 What Prince Yi Meant</strong>

    Honored Consort Ya had always been gentle in public, but when she heard the rumors, she was so furious that she even smashed several vases and other utensils. On the one hand, she was annoyed by the rumors. On the other hand, the rumors were consistent with the truth.

    What confused Honored Consort Ya most was that she had asked someone to put a lot of flowers in the water that had been soaked in the potion, but instead of being destroyed, Ning Xueyan only had a small amount of rash on her face. If Ning Xueyan had really bathed for a while in the water with the flower, she should have rashes all over at least. Moreover, it was impossible for the rashes to disappear in a few days and Ning Xueyan¡¯s face might have scared even after she recovered.

    What was wrong? Why was Ning Xueyan found to have only a few rashes on her face in the physical examination, but soon after the examination, there were only some faint red marks left on her chin? It was obvious that she had been framed and someone had done this on purpose to knock her out.

    At the thought of this, Honored Consort Ya gritted her teeth with hatred.

    But what annoyed her most was Ao Mingyu¡¯s attitude. After hearing about this, Ao Mingyu rushed to her pce and yelled at her in anger, saying that even if she kicked Ning Xueyan out from the candidates, he would marry her. It did not matter if she failed to be a candidate, as there were no rules in the imperial pce that all the imperial concubines had to be chosen from the candidates.

    Actually, Ao Mingyu was right. There was a rumor in the imperial pce that the noble Young Ladies who attended the Beauty Contest might be bestowed to the princes as their concubines. Therefore, those Young Ladies thought that only those who were left to thest could have the chance. But actually, most of them would be kept in the imperial pce.

    And only a few of them could marry the princes and moved to the Princes¡¯ Mansions.

    What was more, these Young Ladies were usually determined in advance, just like Ning Qingshan.

    There were also some noble Young Ladies with a title. If they were chosen by the imperial family, they did not have to attend the Beauty Contest. Of course, it was permitted if the emperor¡¯s sons and brothers wanted to choose a few Young Ladies as their consorts who were not the contest candidates. Since most of the chosen candidates would stay in the imperial pce in the future to serve the emperor, of course, they should be good enough.

    After finishing his words, Ao Mingyu turned to leave angrily. Honored Consort Ya felt her heart ache with anger. She covered her chest with her hands and recovered after quite a long time. After venting her anger on the items she smashed in her pce, she became the gentle honored consort again in front of people. She also went to the emperor to admit her guilt and ask for punishment for the rumors.

    She said that she should be med for her inadequate supervision and if the emperor thought that the contest result was not urate, he could ask those candidates back and rescreen.

    Of course, the emperor would not take Honored Consort Ya¡¯s suggestion. If he agreed to rescreen the Young Ladies, everyone would think that the imperial concubines of the imperial pce were unreliable. The emperor was the most powerful man in the country and the focus of everyone¡¯s attention, so he could not stand himself to be the butt of public ridicule. What was more, Honored Consort Ya was kneeling before him with a sad look now.

    Therefore, he immediately said that Honored Consort Ya was fair in the contest and it was because the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s Young Lady was doomed to have no connection with the imperial pce, she had rashes on her face. Nobody else should be med for that. However, since the rashes on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face were too obvious, it was hard to believe that she was not framed.

    The emperor had nned to give some gifts to Ning Xueyan aspensation so as she would notin about that. However, the empress sent someone to report to him that Master Yuming of the Small Jing¡¯an Temple said that Prince Yi favored Lord Protector¡¯s daughter and wanted to marry her to be his co-consort.

    The emperor had a headache, wondering how Prince Yi got involved with the Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    After investigation, someone reported that Prince Yi had happened to pass by when Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had a quarrel with Miss Ling of the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor. Prince Yi was amused by that, so he asked his men to bring them to the Small Jing¡¯an Temple to seek Buddhism reason. However, due to Miss Ling contradicted Prince Yi, she was kicked into the flower bed and got her face injured. Therefore, in the end, only the Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor went to the temple.

    Many people had witnessed what was happening at that time, and everything seemed to have happened naturally. But nobody could tell why Prince Yi wanted the two Young Ladies to seek Buddhism reason. Everyone knew that Prince Yi was moody, so maybe he had done this just for fun.

    The Emperor thought about it for a long time after hearing the news. He did not think that Ao Chenyi had done this on purpose, so he nodded.

    Ao Chenyi had not formally agreed to marry the Young Lady the emperor had chosen for him as his principal wife, so the emperor did not want to upset him with such trifles for the moment. Ning Xueyan was only an unfavored daughter of Lord Protector, so she was notpetent and could not make much difference. Since Ao Chenyi was interested in her, the emperor felt no need to stop him.

    As for whether she was rted to Buddha, it was not up to Ao Chenyi himself.

    In addition, in the current situation, the emperor felt it would be a making up for the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Although Ning Xueyan was eliminated from the contest, she would marry Prince Yi as his co-consort, so it would silence the rumors soon. After all, it was disgraceful for the emperor if other people thought that the contest result had been tampered with.

    Therefore, after making up his mind, the emperor sent people to inform Ao Chenyi that he had given him permission to marry Ning Xueyan, but he would announce it officially only after the Beauty Contest was over. Besides, he would discuss with Ao Chenyi about the principal wife¡¯s candidateter. It was impossible to marry the co-consort before he married his principal wife.

    It stunned everyone when they heard that Lord Protector¡¯s two daughters both lost in the contest. And what surprised them most was that Ning Qingshan, everyone agreed that it was impossible to miss, was the first one to be eliminated. Madam Dowager almost got sick when she heard the news. She had a hard time recovering, but she got another heavy blow after hearing that Ning Xueyan was also eliminated. Now she had really fallen ill with anger.

    She did not want to see anybody, no matter it was Ning Xueyan, Ning Qingshan or Ning Yuling.

    Ning Xueyan went to Foggy Courtyard in the evening after she came back to the manor. Since Ning Qingshan had been seriously injured, as her sister, of course, Ning Xueyan should visit her after getting home.

    ¡°Third Young Lady, Fifth Young Lady ising.¡± Mammy Luo¡¯s injury was almost healed. When she saw Ning Xueyaning from far away, she hurried to report to Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°Send her in,¡± Ning Qingshan said, gritting her teeth. Compared with the reason why Ning Xueyan was eliminated, her reason was so shameful. She had never thought that the b*tch was even able to escape the trap her untie set. That was why she was so angry.

    Mammy Luo let out a sigh and left.

    After a while, a maid lifted the curtain and Ning Xueyan stepped in with Xinmei.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Ning Qingshan asked with a grim look in her eyes. Since there were no outsiders in the room, she did not want to pretend to be close to Ning Xueyan. This little b*tch had even ruined her future, so she would never spare her. Even if she were only a co-consort of the prince in the future, she would trample Ning Xueyan underfoot.

    When the imperial edict was announced, she would show no mercy to destroy Ning Xueyan even if she would be despised for it.

    Since she had made up her mind, she would not go easy on Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Third Sister, it seems you¡¯re not in a good mood, but I can tell you are in high spirits.¡± Ning Xueyan looked up with a smile whileing over as if she did not see the viciousness on Ning Qingshan¡¯s face. Ning Xueyan then sat down on the chair Xinmei pulled over for her, looking at Ning Qingshan¡¯s hand which was wrapped with thick gauze with sarcasm.

    ¡°Third Sister, is your hand any better? It¡¯s not really broken, is it? I don¡¯t know if Third Prince will mind marrying an iplete beauty.¡±

    ¡°B*tch, you... how dare you...¡± Ning Qingshan was surprised that Ning Xueyan dared to say something like this. The imperial physician had told her that because her hand was cut by the strings deep to the bone, the injury was so serious that even if it recovered in the future, she could not lift heavy things with it in the future. Besides, her palm might not be able to stretch straight. And in winter, the knuckles of her fingers would hurt. At the thought of this, Ning Qingshan shivered with anger. ¡°B*tch, how dare you plot against me?¡±

    ¡°Third Sister, you must make a mistake. I didn¡¯t do anything to the strings. How about we go to the imperial pce and ask His Majesty to investigate further? I¡¯m sure he will find some clues at least!¡± Ning Xueyan smiled gently but had a sharp tongue.

    ¡°You b*tch... you¡¯re... so vicious! People will find how viperous you¡¯re one day!¡± Ning Qingshan grasped the quilt tightly with her hand and almost went mad. She bit her lip hard, trying to suppress the hatred in her chest.

    ¡°I¡¯m vicious?¡± Ning Xueyan raised her brows with a sneer. ¡°Who would have thought that a little girl would be so vicious that she not only framed her adopted mother on purpose but also put toxicant into her medicinal soup. Ning Qingshan, have you ever had a nightmare and felt guilty about this in the past years?¡±

    ¡°Framed, poisoned, adoptive mother?¡± Ning Qingshan could not help shuddering. She stared at Ning Xueyan in shock and anger, ¡°What do you... mean?¡±

    ¡°Third Sister, didn¡¯t I make it clear? You poisoned my mother years ago. Don¡¯t you remember?¡± With a sneer, Ning Xueyan stared at Ning Qingshan coldly with her jet-ck eyes.

    Ning Qingshan immediately sobered up from her anger and blurted out, ¡°You... I don¡¯t understand what you are talking about!¡±

    ¡°Really? What a pity! Third Sister, what were you looking for at our father¡¯s study that day? You must have other ns beforeing to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Am I right?¡± Ning Xueyan said coolly with a smile full of sarcasm. The aggressive aura in her words made Ning Qingshan¡¯s hand tremble subconsciously.

    ¡°What are you talking about? How could a child of several years old do such a thing?¡± Ning Qingshan protested angrily.

    ¡°Other children may be naive at that age, but you were not. A person who framed and poisoned the others may do anything terrible. I don¡¯t know if our father has found any clues. But Third Sister, don¡¯t worry. Maybe he will discover your extremely noble identity,¡±

    Ning Xueyan said calmly.

    Ning Qingshan shivered at her words, with a trace of panic and fierce look shing in her eyes. Although she was noble, she could not expose her real identity. Otherwise, she might die.

 Chapter 324 - Two Princesses from the Previous Dynasty?

    <h4>Chapter 324 Two Princesses from the Previous Dynasty?</h4>

    Ning Xueyan did not say much to Ning Qingshan. Now they both knew that they had officially broken up with each other. Since everyone present was their henchmen, it was unnecessary for them to pretend to be close sisters in front of them.

    Before, Ning Qingshan might not deliberately say something in front of others. But now she only wanted to get rid of Ning Xueyan, so she did not care that much. After Ning Xueyan left, she stared at the candlelight in a daze for a while, thinking if she had known that Ning Xueyan was so difficult to deal with, she would have killed her soon after she came to the manor.

    If she had not taken too much into consideration, she would not have let her live until now.

    After seeing Ning Xueyan off, Mammy Luo saw Ning Qingshan in a daze gloomily. ¡°Miss, you haven¡¯t recovered yet. You need to rest early,¡± she could not help persuading her master.

    ¡°Mammy Luo, will Ning Zu¡¯an find anything?¡± Ning Qingshan asked uneasily.

    ¡°Impossible! The marquis won¡¯t find any clues. That person said all the evidence had been destroyed. What¡¯s more, it was Grand Tutor Ya who asked Ning Zu¡¯an to adopt you, so it¡¯s impossible for other people to discover your real identity.¡± Mammy Luoforted Ning Qingshan in a low voice.

    ¡°Then what about Grand Tutor Ya? Ning Qingshan thought Mammy Luo¡¯s words were reasonable, but she still felt not assured. She did not want her own identity to be exposed, and she did not want the identity Grand Tutor Ya had set for her to be found out either. So she had to keep the matter about Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s granddaughter from the public.

    ¡°Miss, I don¡¯t know. But people like Grand Tutor Ya must have made some preparations. Since there are rumors about the marquis¡¯ suspicion about you, I¡¯m sure Grand Tutor Ya must have done something to deal with the problem.¡± Mammy Luo could not tell if something bad had happened to Grand Tutor Ya, so she could only say something tofort Ning Qingshan.

    Although she was arranged for Ning Qingshan by the manor, she was truly loyal to Ning Qingshan and followed her wholeheartedly after serving her so many years. Watching her growing up from a little girl to a beautiful Young Lady, she had gone through many difficulties with her together.

    Besides, Ning Qingshan really regarded her as her henchman. Not only did she tell her about her rtionship with Grand Tutor Ya, but she also told her the most secret identity that even Grand Tutor Ya didn¡¯t know. Furthermore, she also asked her to contact that woman. In Mammy Luo¡¯s opinion, this meant Ning Qingshanpletely trusted her.

    Mammy Luo had married and had a daughter. However, her husband died in the war and her daughter was gone in the chaos. Afterwards, she came to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and served as Ning Qingshan¡¯s servant. After staying with her for so many years, she almost regarded Ning Qingshan as her own daughter. In her opinion, everything Ning Qingshan had done was correct, and she framed the others because she had no other choices.

    ¡°Mammy, can you ask that woman to kill Ning Xueyan?¡± Ning Qingshan said, looking ferocious in the candlelight.

    ¡°Miss, she is still ming you for what happenedst time. She asked you to investigate it carefully before you do anything. Otherwise, they, they...¡± At the thought of that woman¡¯s cold face, Mammy Luo lowered her voice.

    Ning Qingshan had told her about what had happened in the Cold Mountain Temple. Although she did not see anything wrong with Ning Qingshan asking someone to kill Ning Xueyan, she was still shocked by Ning Qingshan¡¯s words. Obviously, those people were not easy to fool. And so it turned out that the woman in white almost killed her when she saw herst time.

    Because Ning Qingshan had told that woman that Ning Xueyan had known her real identity, she needed to kill her. But in fact, Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor knew nothing about it.

    The woman in white made it clear that if something like this happened again, Mammy Luo might lose a part of her body. When she recalled that the woman pointed at her throat with a sword, Mammy Luo could not help feeling chill. Actually, she really wanted to persuade Ning Qingshan to stop associating with those people.

    It was obvious that what those people did was an act of rebellion. If her master was involved, she might face serious consequences.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mammy. They¡¯re just bluffing and they won¡¯t do anything to me. Without me, how can they prove that their actions are justified.¡± Ning Qingshan sneered with disapproval. Although she said so, she could not help feeling scared at the thought of what had happened in the temple that day. From that man¡¯s momentum, she could tell that he was no ordinary at all.

    Ning Qingshan still did not want to give up. ¡°Mammy, tell them that I was injured because of Ning Xueyan and my current situation in the manor. Let¡¯s see what they will do!¡± she said after thinking it for a while. She was confident that since those people had a hard time to find her, they would not watch her being trampled underfoot.

    ¡°Yes. Miss, I will pass on the message to her when I see her next time.¡± Mammy Luo nodded.

    At Bright Frost Garden, Ning Xueyan was browsing the Book of Family Names which her mother asked her to carefully keep.

    Things she had not found time to think about because of confusion, sadness, and panic unfolded one by one in her mind now.

    First of all, she thought of Xia Yuhang. Did he really know nothing about Ning Ziying¡¯s identity?

    Since he had decided to marry Ning Ziyan, they must have nned it for some time. But why did they kill her only after her dowry was carried into the Xia Manor? Could Xia Yuhang had waited for so long because he had known her real identity and wanted to get something from her?

    Otherwise, he would not have rummaged through her belongings. Besides, that thing he was looking for must be t, because people could only hide something t and light in the brocade box if they did not want them to be found out. It was impossible to put something bulged like a seal in it.

    It was said that the military medallion of the previous dynasty was in Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s hand. Ning Ziying was just a down and out princess. Was it possible that the emperor of the previous dynasty had left a decree before his death? But since the regime had changed, even if there was a decree, a fugitive former princess could make no difference.

    But if Xia Yuhang did not mean that, what did he mean? Ning Xueyan felt more confused.

    Because of Ning Ziyan, Xia Yuhang had been disqualified from the spring examination in the following three years. It should be a catastrophe for a person as ambitious as Xia Yuhang. However, Ning Xueyan had met him several times and he did not seem to have been impacted by this. Could that because he had already had an opportunity to be an official?

    Could there be some secret that she did not know? After all, what happened in the imperial court were unknown for a Young Lady like her who seldom went out. Even in herst life, Ning Ziying had no opportunity to get to know something about that.

    Thinking of this, Ning Xueyan frowned slightly.

    What was more, from Ning Qingshan¡¯s attitude, Ning Xueyan was sure that she had identified herself as the princess of the former dynasty. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, what¡¯s Ning Ziying¡¯s real identity? If I was not the previous princess in myst life, why my mother left me the letter and asked me to inquire about this to Senior Nun Jing Kong? Senior Nun Jing Kong won¡¯t lie to me.¡±

    Besides, Ning Xueyan had been having nightmares these days. In her dream, she saw a fire burning. Many people were running for life while the others had died. She was soaked in cold sweat every time she woke up. She must have witnessed the scene when she was a child and now she understood her mother¡¯s strange behavior in the past.

    And that was why her mother had been strict to her on the training of her etiquette.

    That was why her mother had demanded her to be proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.

    That was why her mother had hidden her from others.

    That was why after the funeral for her mother, Ning Ziying immediately came to the capital city to visit Lord Protector to ask for shelter and lived in his manor for three years. Before that, she had never heard of Lord Protector.

    She also remembered the words in the Book of Family Names her mother left for her.

    All these had made Ning Xueyan believe what Senior Nun Jing Kong said was true. However, Ning Qingshan did not seem to be lying. Both the way she talked and what Xia¡¯er had said showed that Ning Qingshan knew her own identity.

    In fact, there were some simrities between Ning Ziying and Ning Qingshan.

    They were about the same age and they were all orphans. It was said that Ning Qingshan had been found in the south of the Yangtze River. She was the daughter of a general who died to protect Ning Zu¡¯an. To make it up to this general, Ning Zu¡¯an had adopted her as his daughter.

    It was said that beforeing to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Ning Qingshan had been living in the south of the Yangtze River.

    However, everyone knew that there was only one princess in the former dynasty. How could there be two? So one of her and Ning Qingshan must be a false princess.

    There was something else that confused Ning Xueyan. Why was the birthmark on her shoulder the same as Ning Ziying¡¯s? Was there any unknown connection between her present and past life?

    However, no matter whether she was the princess of the previous dynasty or not, she could not have anything to do with Ning Xueyan. One was in the south of the Yangtze River and another one was in the capital city. Besides, Ning Xueyan was two or three years younger than Ning Ziying. How could they have the same birthmarks on their bodies? It could not be just a coincidence.

    The candlelight in front of her flickered just like the doubts haunted in her heart. She could not find any evidence, but everything seemed to be correct. She was so confused. If she was really the princess, where was the empress of the former dynasty? Was she still alive? If so, where was she? Why had she never seen such a woman in her life?

    Xinmei came in with a snow-white pigeon in her hands. ¡°Miss, a message from Prince Yi.¡± She took out a note tied to the pigeon¡¯s leg and passed it to Ning Xueyan.

    Ning Xueyan took the note and bit her lip at the words on it, speechless.

    There were only a few simple words on the note. ¡°Come out! I¡¯m outside the wall.¡±

    This man was always so domineering and had never considered that as a noble Young Lady, it was very inconvenient for Ning Xueyan to go in and out of the manor. Even if Xinmei was with her and they could go out over the wall easily, her reputation would be ruined if they were found out by the others.

    Of course, Ning Xueyan knew it was useless to reason with him. He had sent her some news in the imperial pce, but why he was asking her out again?

    She did not dare to neglect his demand at the moment. After washing herself up briefly, she put on her garment and a curtain hat before asking Xinmei to bring her out over the wall.

    As soon as shended on the ground and before she could stand firmly, she fell into a warm, familiar embrace. Hearing a burst of flirtatiousughter, she found herself being held up. Ning Xueyan hooked that man¡¯s neck subconsciously.

 Chapter 325 - Feast, Gold Threaded Soft Leather Armor

    <h4>Chapter 325 Feast, Gold Threaded Soft Leather Armor</h4>

    The carriage was in-decorated which was quite different from Prince Yi¡¯s typical luxurious one with a ck roof and curtain. However, it was still much spacious than ordinary carriages. The floor in the carriage was covered with thick nkets and there was a couch deeper inside the carriage. Ao Chenyi leaned against the couch and naturally held Ning Xueyan¡¯s chin with one hand. He narrowed his eyes and sized her upzily.

    Ning Xueyan did not know what he was looking for on her face. She raised her jet-like, watery eyes and looked into Ao Chenyi handsome eyes, her eyshes trembling. Being so close to him, she could clearly see his delicate and handsome face now. He did not look as grim as usual, but there was an evil enchantment of aggressiveness and charming on his face.

    Even she had been calm, Ning Xueyan could not help blush facing to such an extremely handsome face and sensing his warm breath.

    ¡°Your injury has totally recovered? What was wrong with youst time?¡± Ao Chenyi asked while rubbing her fair, thin chin casually.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a big deal. Someone wanted to make me have rashes all over, so she asked her servant to send me some petals which had been specially treated. I took advantage of their plot and escaped from the contest.¡± Ning Xueyan wanted to avoid his gaze subconsciously. She still felt uneasy to be so close to a man. In herst life, even if Ning Ziying had been engaged to Xia Yuhang, she had never been so close to him.

    Her face turned even redder.

    Looking at her, Ao Chenyi curved up his lips into a vicious smile. ¡°Do you want to take revenge?¡± he asked with a hint of evilness shing in his dark eyes.

    ¡°Prince Yi, I didn¡¯t suffer losses,¡± Ning Xueyan answered gently, staring at Ao Chenyi calmly.

    In fact, she did not think that it was the right time for revenge. After rebirth, patience was thest thing she would beck of.

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯m d to hear that. You deserve to be my woman!¡± Ao Chenyi suddenly let go of her chin and leaned back with a smile. He looked at Ning Xueyan¡¯s calm face and curved up his thin lips. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let anyone bully my woman.¡±

    ¡°His woman?¡± Ning Xueyan was speechless.

    ¡°You can start preparing your dowry from now on!¡± Ao Chenyi smiled in a good mood. From the joy in his dark, thoughtful eyes, Ning Xueyan could tell that he was happy from the bottom of his heart for the first time.

    ¡°His Majesty hasn¡¯t announced the imperial edict yet. This might... not be appropriate,¡± Ning Xueyan said after hesitating for a while. Actually, she was not in a hurry to marry him!

    ¡°It¡¯s only a matter of time. To avoid missing anything, you¡¯d better make preparation in advance,¡± Ao Chenyi said with a darkened face, tapped the table with his slim fingers unpleasantly.

    ¡°Dowry? Prince Yi, don¡¯t count on me too much. I¡¯m only an unfavored daughter of Protector Lord. Besides, I¡¯ll marry you as your co-consort...¡± Ning Xueyanughed bitterly. Although she did not know why Ao Chenyi suddenly mentioned the dowry, she still wanted to tell him the truth so as not to disappoint him.

    Madam Ling and Madam Dowager had given back many of Madam Ming¡¯s dowry. It looked like a lot of stuff, but Ning Xueyan found that it was not what it seemed after checking them carefully. Most of the valuable items were missing and the rest were only some big but less valuable things. After careful calction, she found that the total value of these items might even be less than one-fifth of that of Madam Ming¡¯s dowry.

    Of course, before she getting married, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would prepare some dowry for her, but it would not be too much.

    ¡°I¡¯ll inform the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to prepare more dowry for you,¡± Ao Chenyi said, taking it for granted.

    ¡°What a strange man!¡±

    Ning Xueyan did not know what to say. She had heard of debt collectors, not dowry collectors, especially when this dowry collector seemed to take it for granted. She felt uneasy at the sight of the teasing in his thoughtful, cold eyes.

    However, this was indeed the simplest and roughest way. If he raised the request, neither Ning Zu¡¯an nor Madam Dowager dared to refuse him.

    ¡°Prince Yi, where are we going?¡± Ao Chenyi did not feel anything wrong, but Ning Xueyan could not keep up with his thinking. Pretending to be calm, she turned her head away and looked at the slightly lifted curtain. The curtain was not lifted high enough and she could only see the scenery outside vaguely.

    ¡°My nephew heard that I was getting married, so he insisted on inviting me and my extremely beautiful favorite concubine to attend his dinner party,¡± Ao Chenyi said casually with a coldness crossing his eyes. His feathery-like eyshes fluttered, leaving two shadows on his jade-like face.

    ¡°Third Prince?¡± Ning Xueyan asked with hesitation. Seeing Ao Chenyi smiling slightly, she knew she was right. ¡°Prince Yi, as noble as Third Prince, doesn¡¯t he worry it will degrade him to see your ¡®favorite concubine¡¯?¡± she asked in confusion.

    Third Prince was the most likely to inherit the throne with the highest status among the princes. Ning Xueyan wondered why he wanted to see an unremarkable concubine of Prince Yi who was much lower than him.

    ¡°Who he wants to see is only my favorite concubine.¡± Ao Chenyi looked at Ning Xueyan¡¯s fairy face with a faint smile.

    ¡°What if you refuse his request?¡± Ning Xueyan was confused about why Ao Chenyi had asked her out. As Ao Mingyu¡¯s uncle, it would be easy for Ao Chenyi to turn him down. Ning Xueyan blinked her watery eyes, looking at Ao Chenyi nkly. She looked quite different from what she used to be and it added her with a touch of girlish charm.

    ¡°My favorite concubine is so beautiful. Why should I turn him down?¡± Ao Chenyi suddenly reached out and slightly pulled a wisp of ck hair behind Ning Xueyan¡¯s ear with a slight smile. In front of him, Ning Xueyan had been calm and strong-minded. Now he was very satisfied with her girlish constraint and shyness.

    She looked even more delicate and weaker than ordinary girls. Her wless, tender skin, her beautiful eyes as moisture as dewdrops in the morning, her pale lips, her perfect facial features, and her long, ck eyshes all showed her delicacy and charming.

    Who could imagine that such a girl was that tough and tolerant.

    He was surprised when he saw her for the first time. Was this girl really the weak Fifth Young Lady who was supposed to hide in a corner of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?

    The huge difference between her appearance and personality made him involuntarily explore. Like a little wildcat, she always fought back those who wanted to trap her mercilessly before retreating back into the hidden corner without any hesitation. It was hard to believe that there would be such a girl in the world.

    Decisive, cold and strong-willed.

    What kind of experience would have made a noble Young Lady even more determined than his secret guard? At the thought of this, Ao Chenyi felt upset for no reason. With a snort in his heart, his eyelid twitched with a trace of coldness shing in his eyes.

    ¡°If someone asks you to do anythingter, just agreed with him.¡± His voice sounded gentle andzy, but his eyes had turned cold.

    ¡°Prince Yi, you mean Third Prince will persuade me to make trouble for you? Ning Xueyan was smart. Associating what had happened and what Ao Chenyi had said, she immediately understood his intention, so she put it straightforward.

    Ao Chenyi was going to marry his co-concert. Although the emperor had not permitted it officially, from what Ao Chenyi had said just now, the selection had been made. In fact, it had nothing to do with his favorite concubine, whose name was even unknown to the others, but Ao Mingyu still invited her for dinner. Therefore, his aim was obvious.

    ¡°Whatever they say, just say yes.¡± Ao Chenyi snorted with a cold and bloodthirsty look on his face. He narrowed his eyes, looked at Ning Xueyan¡¯s tender face and showed a faint smile until Ning Xueyan felt a little uneasy.

    Ning Xueyan understood what Ao Chenyi meant now. She answered with a nod, ¡°Prince Yi, don¡¯t worry I won¡¯t let you down.¡±

    ¡°Put this on under your garment.¡± Seeing that she had understood what he meant, Ao Chenyi took out a small bag. He pushed it in front of Ning Xueyan, gesturing her to open it.

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Ning Xueyan looked up at him and asked in confusion.

    ¡°Open it.¡± Ao Chenyi raised his chin with an enchanting look.

    Ning Xueyan opened the bag and saw a piece of small, vest-like clothing twinkling. She could not tell what it was. She touched it and found that it was a little hard, but the whole clothing had a soft feel.

    ¡°Prince Yi, this is...¡± Ning Xueyan could not figure out what it was, so she asked in confusion.

    ¡°Gold Threaded Soft Leather Armor. You can wear it in your garment,¡± Ao Chenyi said in azy tone.

    ¡°Why do you want me to wear it?¡± Ning Xueyan was speechless. She did not think that she needed such kind of things. It was just an ordinary dinner party. She did not believe that Ao Mingyu would dare to murder her at the banquet.

    It was said that the Gold Threaded Soft Leather Armor was made of extremely precious materials and the gold thread in it came from the gold thread silkworm that only existed in the legendary and had long been extinct. Ning Xueyan had always thought there was no Gold Threaded Soft Leather Armor in the words at all, but to her surprise, there was one in front of her now.

    ¡°Who knows? Ao Mingyu may y dirty tricks.¡± Ao Chenyi smiled coldly with a trace of bloodthirsty charm on his graceful lips. Ao Mingyu¡¯s purpose in giving the dinner party more than to abet Ao Chenyi¡¯s concubine to make trouble and fight for man¡¯s favor, as it would be too childish.

    Being enlightened by Ao Chenyi¡¯s smile, Ning Xueyan immediately became alert. She blinked her charming eyes and thought for a while. ¡°Prince Yi, will there be an assassination?¡± she asked with a serious look.

    ¡°Maybe. Who knows?¡± Ao Chenyi answered casually. He reached out, touched Ning Xueyan¡¯s head naturally and pulled out a in hairpin from her hair by the way. ¡°Can you change your hairstyle on your own?¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯m okay with a... simple one!¡± Ning Xueyan looked aside uneasily.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t know how to make it, I can help you!¡± Ao Chenyi did not seem to have noticed Ning Xueyan¡¯s embarrassment. He reached out and pulled Ning Xueyan¡¯s falling hair with great interest.

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother. I can!¡± Seeing a hint of amusement in his handsome eyes, Ning Xueyan shook her head and refused his suggestion instinctively. She did not know how Ao Chenyi had developed such a strange hobby. If Prince Yi knew how to do women¡¯s hair, even sows could climb trees! She did not want her long hair to be an experiment.

 Chapter 326 - Beautiful Lady, the Candidates for the Co-consort

    <h4>Chapter 326 Beautiful Lady, the Candidates for the Co-consort</h4>

    Ning Xueyan was wearing a gorgeous pce costume, which was a light blue dress. She had a belt around her slender waist. There was a train that trailed along the ground, behind her dress. Her hair was studded with pearls. Her face was hidden behind a long, light blue veil. No one could catch a glimpse of her beautiful face.

    However, no one could deny that she was a stunning beauty!

    Ao Chenyi sped her slender waist and more than half of her body was enveloped Ao Chenyi¡¯s arms. From afar, the delicate young girl seemed to be very pliant. The man beside her was handsome and cold. His cold face seemed as if it was carved from stone. With his cold and piercing eyes, he looked more like the legendary Asura King.

    He had a handsome yet malevolent look, and appeared cold and ruthless.

    This time, they were at the Third Prince¡¯s courtyard again. When they arrived halfway at the yard, they switched to Ao Chenyi¡¯s luxurious carriage.

    Ning Xueyan did not expect that there were not only male guests here today, but also four female guests, all holding high statuses She even knew two of them.

    They were Commandery Princess Muling and Commandery Princess Xianyun, as well as two nobledies who seemed to hold high statuses.

    There were only eight or nine people in total. It was a small banquet.

    ¡°Uncle, you¡¯rete. You should drink three cups of wine.¡± Ao Mingyu stepped forward with a smile.

    Ao Chenyi sat down in the front seat. His eyes slid past Ao Mingyu¡¯s face to those already seated. They were Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min Wen Xueran, Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li Ao Xian, Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Chen Ao Yun, Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Ying Ao Qing, Commandery Princess Muling, Commandery Princess Xianyun, Commandery Princess Mingya, and County Princess Yuanyun.

    ¡°I should be punished.¡± Ao Chenyi gave a slight smile. He reached out his hand and took the wine from Ao Mingyu¡¯s hand. It seemed that he would drink it in one gulp.

    ¡°Your Highness.¡± A pair of soft snow-white hands held his hands. From the deliberately sweet voice, one could tell that she was a seductive woman. She was dressed more garishly than the other princesses. Her head was adorned with numerous pearl and jade ornaments, which weighed heavily on her neck. When she passed by earlier, she gave off a strong and unpleasant fragrance, even when she was still a distance away.

    Even a libertine like the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, showed his disdain.

    At a nce, one could tell that such a woman must be from a humble family. Once she gained power, she was afraid that others would not know how she was favored. She could not wait to wear her pearls and jade. It was a waste of her good looks.

    Although there were not many good-looking people in this world, it was not difficult to find a few, especially the noblemen who grew up in the royal family. There were many beautiful women, even exceedingly beautiful ones. Therefore, this seductive woman, even if she was beautiful, was nothing but a ything.

    Ao Mingyu was also slightly surprised. When they metst time, Ao Chenyi¡¯s favorite concubine had not been so arrogant. How could she be so arrogant now? Did Ao Chenyi spoil her like this? Based on Ao Chenyi¡¯s cold temper, no one could believe that he would pamper a humble concubine so much.

    ¡°My beloved concubine, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Ao Chenyi was slightly surprised. He lowered his head and asked softly.

    ¡°Prince Yi, this wine smells good. I also want to drink it.¡± Regardless of the sarcasm and disdainful eyes around her, Ning Xueyan tried her best to pretend to be the favorite concubine. Whatever reason Ao Chenyi had for bringing her here today, she clearly knew that she was now only a low-status concubine.

    When she saw the colorful clothes Ao Chenyi had prepared for her, she knew that she would have to act like a coquette, who looked down her nose at everybody. For example, if no one dared to speak out, she would not feel guilty at all, when she started to stir up trouble.

    A concubine of humble status dared to speak in front of everyone. It was a provocation to the others. If it were not for Ao Chenyi, Ning Xueyan believed that she would have been thrown out of the courtyard.

    ¡°Well, drink it if you want!¡± Ao Chenyi did not seem to think that it was rude for a concubine to talk like this. Moreover, the wine was given by the Third Prince. As a concubine, she did not have the right to drink it. However, he gave it to Ning Xueyan.

    Ao Mingyu clenched his hands so tightly that the blue veins on his hands stood out. As a trace of coldness shed through his eyes, he thought that he would topple Ao Chenyi one day. He and his father hoped to do that. Ao Chenyi¡¯s power was a deterrent for them to act rashly. But now it was different. Ao Chenyi was about to get married.

    A gentle smile appeared on his face, as if he did not care at all.

    Ning Xueyan turned around slightly and lifted up part of her veil. Everyone could only see the corner of her mouth. She drank a ss of wine in one gulp.

    ¡°Uncle, my father has roughly settled your selection of concubines. I believe that soon I will be able to drink at your wedding banquet.¡± Ao Mingyu said with a smile as if there was no humble concubine drinking his wine. He looked at Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s face with a meaningful look. Commandery Princess Xianyun blushed and lowered her head.

    Ning Xueyan was keenly aware of this, but what surprised her most was that another nobledy also lowered her head shyly.

    Ning Xueyan rolled her shimmery eyes under the veil. Seeing Ao Mingyu¡¯s yful look, she suddenly understood something. She pulled at Ao Chenyi¡¯s clothes and acted coquettishly. She said in a low and affectedly sweet voice, ¡°Prince Yi, are you going to get married?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Uncle, don¡¯t the people in your manor know about that?¡± Ao Mingyu looked surprised as if he could not believe it. He looked at Ning Xueyan and then turned to Ao Chenyi, who was sitting there, with a sulky face.

    He used the term ¡®the people in your manor¡¯ to refer to Ning Xueyan. His tone was neither dismissive nor positive. In fact his tone was so admirable that people could not find fault with it.

    ¡°The decree has not been made yet, so it can¡¯t be confirmed,¡± Ao Chenyi said indifferently. He reached out his hand and patted Ning Xueyan on her back.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s my fault. Uncle, I¡¯m sorry. I thought you had already arranged it. My father asked you to prepare for it. After all, you should marry a consort first. Then, you can marry a co-consort after a while, lest there be somethingcking due to regard for precedence.¡±

    Ao Mingyu said with a smile, as if he was nning for Ao Chenyi.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Prince Yi. I heard that there would be a decree soon after the Beauty Contest. The emperor has... prepared earlier... to attend your wedding banquet.¡±

    It was Ao Xian who spoke. But then, Ao Chenyi gave him a sharp look. The Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, who was outwardly strong but inwardly weak, could not say anything more. His voice trailed off. In the end, he did not know if he heard it. Under the gaze from Ao Chenyi¡¯s cold eyes, he stopped talking.

    ¡°Are you worried about my marriage?¡± Ao Chenyi raised his eyebrows, with a hint of hostility in his beautiful and enchanting eyes. Ao Xian, the least daring of all, could not say anything. He thought that Prince Yi would be pleased to talk about the marriage, but now he found that he did not look good when the subject was brought up.

    He peeped at Commandery Princess Xianyun, who was an exceedingly beautifuldy. If it was not for the fact that she was born of the Empress Dowager¡¯s parents¡¯ home and had a noble status that ordinary people could not be matched with, she would have long been sought after. Such a beautiful, elegant and gentle beauty was in front of him. How could Prince Yi be so frozen-faced?

    And the County Princess Yuanyun, who was the niece of Great Elder Princess¡¯s husband, had long been famous for her talent. Her beauty was delicate but not pretentious.

    The Great Elder Princess was the only sister of thete emperor. The Emperor¡¯s son-inw died in the battle, so when the former emperor took the throne, he was extremely respectful toward the Great Elder Princess. Commandery Princess Mingya was the legal daughter of the Great Elder Princess. Although the County Princess Yuanyun could notpare with Commandery Princess Mingya, she was still qualified to be Prince Yi¡¯s co-consort.

    With her status, she could be anyone¡¯s principal wife, if not Prince Yi¡¯s.

    However, she was going to marry Prince Yi, who was superior to her.

    Thinking of this, Ao Xian felt wronged for the beautifuldy. However, he only dared toin in his heart. He had been unlucky in all that he did during the past few days. Thus, he did not dare to offend the bloodthirsty and cruel Prince Yi. Otherwise, he would not know how he would die. His grandmother repeatedly told him that he should never be the enemy of Prince Yi.

    Ao Xian kept these words in mind all the time, so he did not say anything at this moment. He just waited to see what would happen next.

    Although it was a private banquet of the royal family, its atmosphere was so weird. He was not smart, but he also felt that it was unusual. So, he decided to y dumb and stop talking.

    ¡°Uncle, I dare not. My father told me to ask you.¡± Ao Mingyu exined with a smile.

    Ao Chenyi said indifferently, ¡°Thank you for his kindness. I¡¯ll ask him to grant my marriage after the Beauty Contest.¡± He picked up the wine ss next to him and took a sip. Then, he narrowed his eyes slightly, which gleamed coldly.

    ¡°My father has been preparing for it. I heard that he has already made an edict,¡± Ao Mingyu said with a gentle smile. Then, he turned his eyes from Ao Chenyi to Ning Xueyan, who was hidden behind a veil. He paused for a while as if he wanted to say something more.

    ¡°Cousin Prince Yi, who... who is she?¡± A clear voice filled with some dissatisfaction, asked.

    Ning Xueyan raised her head and saw a bright face. It was the woman sitting next to Commandery Princess Xianyun. She did not know her, but she looked at her with hostility. There was another woman beside her. Although she looked delicate and beautiful, she too looked at Ning Xueyan with disdain.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun looked calm and elegant, and no one could tell what she was thinking about. However, Commandery Princess Muling did not look at anyone. She picked up her cup and took a big sip. There was a sense of sadness on her calm face, which was different from the others.

    Ao Chenyi¡¯s cousin? She had a high status!

    ¡°Mingya, this is my favorite concubine.¡± It was rare for Ao Chenyi not to show his indifference. He looked up and smiled faintly at Mingya.

    ¡°Cousin, I want to exchange four beauties for this woman. I don¡¯t know how you feel about this?¡± Commandery Princess Mingya was the daughter of the Great Elder Princess, who had raised Ao Chenyi for some time, so she was familiar with him. She pointed at Ning Xueyan and said rudely.

    How interesting! Ning Xueyan, who was in Ao Chenyi¡¯s arms, could not help but turn her head to look at this bold Commandery Princess Ming Ya. She had never seen anyone who dared to talk to Ao Chenyi in this way.

 Chapter 327 - Exchanging Four Beauties for One, Commandery Princess Mingyaâ€™s Thought

    <h4>Chapter 327 Exchanging Four Beauties for One, Commandery Princess Mingya¡¯s Thought</h4>

    ¡°No!¡± He decisively put an end to Mingya¡¯s suggestion in a drawling voice.

    ¡°Cousin, I¡¯m going to trade four unique beautiful women for a concubine of yours. Won¡¯t you agree?¡± Mingya was already prepared. She reached out and pped her hands. The door of the hall was wide open and the music was melodious. Everyone could not help but look outside the door, only to see four women appearing in front of them.

    One was holding the zither, the other was ying the flute, and another two were dancing, as they made their way in.

    The one who sat down to y the zither, the other who leaned toward one side to y the flute charmingly, as well as the other two beautiful women who danced lightly, were all very good performers. What was most surprising was that these four beauties were identical in looks. They were cute, elegant, charming and aloof. They had different facial expressions, but their facial features were the same.

    They were all beautiful, endearing, and delicate. However, they had different expressions on their simr faces. Furthermore, they were so beautiful that they were definitely worthy of what Princess Mingya meant.

    They were quadruplets.

    Twins were rare, not to mention quadruplets. The most unusual fact was that all of them were women and exceedingly beautiful, no mistake about that. It was already difficult to find a sole beauty, let alone four. Any man would be tempted to exchange four of them for one.

    Moreover, each of them was beautiful in their individual way.

    ¡°Cousin, do you think it¡¯s appropriate? Can I exchange these four for one?¡± Princess Mingya pointed at them proudly. The four beauties, who were performing exuberantly, raised their heads. In her opinion, it was cost-efficient for anyone. She did not miss the excitement in Ao Chenyi¡¯s eyes.

    All were ythings, but the four in her hands were obviously much superior to the one in Ao Chenyi¡¯s arms.

    ¡°Prince Yi...¡± Ning Xueyan, who was in Ao Chenyi¡¯s arms, seemed to be afraid. She cried piteously and raised her head. Although nobody could see her face, they could sense the sadness, fear, and panic from her voice.

    ¡°Mingya, are you going to trade these four beauties in exchange for my favorite concubine?¡± Ao Chenyi did not look at her. With a sideways nce, he looked from the beauties to Commandery Princess Mingya. He smiled slightly and drawled, ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m your cousin. I can¡¯t bear to see your reputation ruined by a humble woman. Besides, you¡¯re going to marry a consort and co-consorts, who are all on the royal list. You can¡¯t treat those real nobledies lightly just because of this woman.¡± Commandery Princess Mingya looked at Commandery Princess Xianyun and County Princess Yuanyun, who were sitting at her side. She said this as if she was deciding for others.

    She and Commandery Princess Xianyun were close friends, and County Princess Yuanyun was her cousin. Thus, she could not bear to see such a despicable woman stealing their limelight, before they got married. Now, many people were talking about Prince Yi¡¯s favorite concubine. It was said that she was spoiled. ording to Sister Xianyun and Sister Yuanyun¡¯s disposition, they would suffer losses if they entered the mansion.

    Compared to this woman who came nowhere, it would be easier to deal with these four women.

    That was why she was so generous in giving out these four beauties in her hands. She found them by ident. Now, she wanted to use them in exchange for this mysterious ¡°favorite concubine.¡± The Third Prince said that Prince Yi favored this woman very much. She did not believe it before, but now she did.

    Just look at how this woman leaned against Ao Chenyi¡¯s arms, as if she was boneless. From that, she knew that the woman was a coquette. She¡¯d better deal with such a woman as soon as possible, so that there would not be any general turmoil. And, Sister Xianyun and Sister Yuanyun would suffer losses when they confronted this woman.

    Ao Chenyi did not answer. He kept looking at the woman in his arms and the four women who were performing. He had an interesting expression on his face. It seemed as he would push his favorite concubine aside, not caring about her as much as he did when he first came.

    ¡°Prince Yi, Prince Yi,¡± Ning Xue Yan spoke with a hint of charm in her trembling voice. It was apparent that she was scared to death. If she were sent to Commandery Princess Mingya in exchange, she would not be able to live anymore. Everyone present knew this. Hearing her quaking voice and looking at her trembling shoulders, Ao Mingyu showed a trace of darkness in his eyes, but then he hid it behind his natural gentle demeanor.

    Now, it was Commandery Princess Mingya who started a revolt, which had nothing to do with him. His lips were set in a gentle smile.

    Wen Xueran turned his eyes from Commandery Princess Mingya to Ning Xueyan in Ao Chenyi¡¯s arms. There was a smile on his handsome face, which was like a woman¡¯s lovely face. With his amorous eyes, he stared unblinkingly at Ning Xueyan, whose shoulders were trembling. She was screaming in his ear. No one could see the hint of amusement in his eyes.

    It would be surprising if Ao Chenyi did not agree under the current situation. Would a man be able to resist these beautiful women who were as pretty as flowers? Mingya looked at Ao Chenyi confidently and waited for his reply. She looked at Ning Xueyan with disdain. As for the coquette in front of her, she would ask someone to kill her the moment she got her. Otherwise, her cousin would ask for her back after a few days.

    ¡°Mingya, I have to thank you for your painstaking efforts. Unfortunately, I can¡¯t bear to part with her...¡± Before Ao Chenyi could finish speaking, Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s unhappy voice could be heard.

    ¡°Sister Mingya, what are you doing? Why do you want to interfere in Prince Yi¡¯s family affairs?¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun, who was sitting by the side, seemed to realize something and asked unhappily. She was indeed a gentle beauty. Even though she was a little angry now, she still looked dignified and tender. She was indeed the best candidate to be the main wife.

    She seemed to be standing on Ao Chenyi¡¯s or Ning Xueyan¡¯s side.

    No one noticed when she spoke. It was when Ao Chenyi said, ¡°unfortunately.¡± Except for Ning Xueyan, no one noticed that because they were all talking at the same time. Wailing in Ao Chenyi¡¯s arms, Ning Xueyan, showed a faint smile on her face under the veil.

    She was the legal wife whom Ao Chenyi would marry. She seemed to be a ¡°sensible¡± and generous woman. She was much wiser than the County Princess Yuanyun, who hated Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Sister Xianyun, I...¡± Beyond Mingya¡¯s expectation, Commandery Princess Xianyun came out to stop her, so she stamped her feet and said angrily.

    ¡°Younger Sister Mingya, we should not interfere with Prince Yi¡¯s family affairs. You¡¯d better sit down and watch the show.¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun reached out and pulled Commandery Princess Mingya, who had already stood up, and interrupted her gently.

    ¡°You... you¡¯re...¡± Princess Mingya was furious. She red at her and sat down with a cold face. She waved her hand to ask the four beauties to leave. Since they could not be exchanged, she would not give them away for free.

    ording to the news from the imperial pce, it was said that Sister Xianyun was the consort, and Sister Yuanyun was the co-consort. However, she was dissatisfied with the fact that Prince Yi had a favorite concubine. Therefore, Commandery Princess Mingya decided to stand up for them. She almost seeded, but it was destroyed by Commandery Princess Xianyun. How could she not be angry? Her kindness was considered as an ill intention. She did not talk to Commandery Princess Xianyun, and she turned to chat with the County Princess Yuanyun.

    In this way, she showed her dissatisfaction with Commandery Princess Xianyun.

    The banquet went on smoothly. Ao Mingyu had arranged for singing and dancing performances. Although Ao Chenyi did not say much today, he put on a good show. He chatted with others from time to time, which made him neglect the beauty in his arms. Maybe because of the previous shock, everyone found that his favorite concubine was particrly quiet.

    She was not as impudent as when she first entered the hall, nor did she take the initiative to speak. She was much more at ease.

    After three rounds of toasting, Ning Xueyan suddenly whispered in Ao Chenyi¡¯s ear. Then, Ao Chenyi was talking to Ao Mingyu. He nodded and loosened his hands. Ning Xueyan got up and looked around. She had not brought any maid with her, so she could only look for the maid here. When she saw a maid standing in the corner, she hurried over and asked where the changing room was, in a low voice. Under the maid¡¯s guidance, she walked out of the side door.

    When she left, the County Princess Yuanyun on the other side, also got up and went out, apanied by one of her maids.

    Ning Xueyan followed the maid and took a long detour. When they arrived at the ce, the maid guided her in. After she changed and came out, Ning Xueyan found that the maid who was standing outside had already gone, so she had to go back through the previous route she took. It was notplicated. Ning Xueyan remembered that she had been walking inside all the time. She passed through a garden and then turned round a corner.

    Ning Xueyan passed by a flower rack in front of her, and suddenly heard someone talking. They seemed to mention ¡°favorite concubine¡± and so on. Ning Xueyan could not help but stop.

    ¡°Prince Yi was almost going to rece this ¡®favorite concubine¡¯ with someone else.¡± Someone teased with a hint of sarcasm.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s not the first time. Prince Yi is not a man ofsting affection. There was always some ¡®favorite concubine¡¯ from time to time in his manor. They were either sent away or missing. How could such a low-status woman be titled?¡± Another contemptuous voice could be heard, filled with disdain.

    ¡°County Princess, take it easy. He was embarrassed to say that after hearing Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s words, but Prince Yi will ask Commandery Princess Mingya to do an exchange, in private. That woman is a ything. Did she want to be His Highness¡¯ concubine? If it had been possible, she would have been his concubine. Why would she wait until now?¡±

    ¡°How dare she, a ything, dare to have such a high profile? Is she not afraid of death? Does she think that Prince Yi likes her?¡± Ning Xueyan could tell from her tone that she was the County Princess Yuanyun. It was said that she was the niece of the Great Elder Princess¡¯s husband. Her title was County Princess because her father also died in the battle with the emperor¡¯s son-inw.

    When they were talking in the seats just now, Ning Xueyan had already figured out everyone¡¯s identities.

    As soon as she left, the County Princess followed her. Her words were full of disdain for Ning Xueyan. It seemed that the County Princess was going to marry Ao Chenyi. She sighed helplessly. As expected, Ao Chenyi asked her toe here to create trouble today. However, she seemed to be here to cause trouble on purpose...

 Chapter 328 - Scheming, a Show by the County Princess Yuanyun

    <h4>Chapter 328 Scheming, a Show by the County Princess Yuanyun</h4>

    Even if she stood there and did not leave, the two people were already headed straight for her.

    Walking in front of her was the slender and graceful County Princess Yuanyun, who had been sitting beside Commandery Princess Mingya. Although she seldom spoke, she gazed at Ning Xueyan frequently. Although she had a curious look when she stared at Ning Xueyan, her slightly raised lips and mocking expression showed her disgust and disdain toward Ning Xueyan.

    The reason why County Princess Yuanyun disliked Ning Xueyan so much was because Ning Xueyan was Prince Yi¡¯s favorite concubine. The news had secretly spread from the pce that she would be one of the two co-consorts of Prince Yi. Speaking of Prince Yi, County Princess Yuanyun used to be ¡°scared.¡±

    That was what most people thought. Hearing that she was going to marry the bloodthirsty demon king, she paled on the spot. The Great Elder Princess, who came to deliver the news, told her not to be afraid. Men like Prince Yi would be so fierce to outsiders, but treated his women kindly.

    It was said that now he had a concubine whom he doted on solely. He even killed the beauty sent from the pce for her. If such a woman could win his heart, there was nothing she could not do.

    Then she talked about Ao Chenyi¡¯s appearance. Compared with the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min, Ao Chenyi was no less good looking. In terms of facial features, they were about the same. Wen Xueran was a startling gender-neutral beauty, while Ao Chenyi was a masculine beauty.

    The reason why few people liked him was that his presence was so incredible. His momentum suppressed people even before they could even see his face. How would they dare to raise their eyes to judge whether he was handsome or not?

    After hearing the Great Elder Princess¡¯s words, County Princess Yuanyun spent a whole night thinking carefully. She immediately changed from sorrow to joy. Although she was a co-consort, she felt she was as pretty as Commandery Princess Xianyun. With her talent and delicacy, she might be the only one who would be favored. Thus, she prepared her dowry happily.

    It was said that not only Prince Yi, but his favorite concubine would also be attending the banquet. The County Princess Yuanyun immediately agreed after receiving the invitation card. This mysterious favorite concubine had nothing to do with her, before but now it mattered to her. Especially when she saw this enchanting favorite concubine daring to speak without showing any respect, she immediately came to pick on her.

    She was a ything and dared to be so presumptuous. So, she must let her know who the master at Prince Yi¡¯s Manor was.

    At this time, when she turned around and saw Ning Xueyan standing at the side, her face suddenly turned cold.

    ¡°How dare you eavesdrop on my conversation with the County Princess?¡± The maid behind her saw her face and immediately stepped forward. She raised her hand and swiped at Ning Xueyan¡¯s face, cursing fiercely.

    She wanted to deal her a head-on blow at their first encounter.

    Ning Xueyan took two steps back to avoid the maid¡¯s hand and said coldly, ¡°County Princess, does this road belong to your family? If you take it, why can¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°How dare you talk to the County Princess like this? Kneel!¡± The maid did not manage to p Ning Xueyan. Seeing that Ning Xueyan dared to talk back and her master¡¯s face turning pale, she immediately came over and tried to force Ning Xueyan to kneel.

    ¡°A maid dares to speak on behalf of her master. I don¡¯t know whether you treat your master as your master or not.¡± Ning Xueyan sneered and stepped back a few steps, with a smile on her face.

    Since she was here to cause trouble, Ning Xueyan was not afraid of trouble.

    The maid was about to drag Ning Xueyan to force her to kneel. After listening to what she said, she dared not make a decision on her own. She turned around and said timidly, ¡°County Princess.¡±

    She knew her own family business. The County Princess looked delicate and was a well-known, talented woman. But if someone offended her, she would definitely deal with him or her severely. Therefore, she dared not make her own decision this time.

    ¡°Are you the ything from Prince Yi¡¯s Manor?¡± The County Princess sized Ning Xueyan up arrogantly, and sneered.

    She deliberately said ¡°a ything¡± to make Ning Xueyan aware of her status.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, County Princess. But even if I¡¯m a ything, it¡¯s much better than being an unfavored woman.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled and stared at the County Princess from head to toe.

    The County Princess Yuanyun was furious that a ¡°ything¡± dared tough at her. She always thought highly of herself, so she felt humiliated to be mocked by an unimportant ¡°ything¡±. Fortunately, she was rational and knew that Ning Xueyan was Ao Chenyi¡¯s favorite concubine.

    ¡°I believe that Prince Yi will be willing to exchange an annoying ¡®ything¡¯ for four fresh ones. Sister Mingya kept those four beautifuldies. Prince Yi said that they would be swapped in a while.¡± The County Princess Yuanyun had seen Ning Xueyan¡¯s trembling face before. She knew how this woman¡¯s heart was tied in a knot, so she sneered mercilessly.

    She did not believe that this despicable woman would not be afraid of being exchanged. If so, no one would protect her. Until then, she could do whatever she wanted.

    ¡°Impossible. It¡¯s impossible. Prince Yi won¡¯t exchange me for them.¡± Ning Xueyan became nervous. Even though she was covered with a veil, one could see her trembling slightly. Her voice unconsciously became high-pitched and excited.

    ¡°Impossible? Do you want to ask him now? When I came out, the Prince was talking about this with Sister Mingya.¡± Seeing Ning Xueyan like this, the County Princess Yuanyun squinted at her and shook the handkerchief in her hand as if Ning Xueyan had something dirty on her body. She sneered and said, ¡°From now on, you will be in Sister Mingya¡¯s hands. A woman like you who likes to seduce a man, it is better that we send you to that dirty ce.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense... you¡¯re talking nonsense.¡± Ning Xueyan seemed to be greatly agitated. She was so flustered that her hands trembled slightly. She took two steps forward and watched the County Princess Yuanyun intently, as if she wanted to force her to eat her words.

    ¡°What are you doing? Stop.¡± The maid came over and tried to pull Ning Xueyan away. A sharp hairpin in her hand dropped into Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand. Ning Xueyan was so worked up that she did not notice it. She held the hairpin tightly and looked agitated.

    ¡°Am I wrong? You¡¯re going to be sent to that dirty ce soon. Prince Yi won¡¯t want you because you¡¯re just a ything. Someone will take you away. Keep away from me. Don¡¯t contaminate me.¡± Seeing Ning Xueyan¡¯s emotions getting so worked up, the County Princess Yuanyun lowered her voice and spoke even more sinisterly.

    She stood at the back, just round the corner of the road. From a distance, she saw a few peopleing over. It seemed that the Third Prince had brought Prince Yi to the garden to have a look. How could she let this good opportunity go? Since she saw Ning Xueyan in Ao Chenyi¡¯s arms, she was both jealous and angry.

    Although he looked impassive, Ao Chenyi seemed to treat Ning Xueyan differently. He looked at her gently, so she wanted to get rid of Ning Xueyan. Anyway, she couldn¡¯t keep this coquette. She was a co-consort. If she was not favored, she would live a miserable life in the Manor, for the rest of her life.

    The first time she looked directly at Prince Yi, who was as handsome as what Great Elder Princess said, she had already fallen in love with him. She could not think about the position of the legal wife. Thus, she wanted to be doted on by Prince Yi alone. With her appearance and talent, she could quickly win Prince Yi¡¯s favor.

    When Princess Mingya proposed to exchange Ning Xueyan, she clearly heard Prince Yi¡¯s refusal.

    Therefore, she was more than eager to get rid of Ning Xueyan. Seeing the people behind her approaching, Ning Xueyan rushed in front of her. Suddenly, she slipped and pushed the hairpin in Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand.

    The maid had intentionally left the hairpin in Ning Xueyan¡¯s left hand, which was against her right chest.

    She screamed as she brushed against the hairpin in Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand. Her maid cooperated as well and shouted, ¡°How dare you hurt the County Princess? Help! Come and save our County Princess! Someone is trying to hurt our County Princess.¡±

    A few people who were not far away heard the cries and rushed over.

    In a sh, Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand fell. She threw the hairpin in her hand away to avoid scratching the County Princess Yuanyun¡¯s chest. However, she was hit and staggered back two steps and fell heavily on the stand beside her. Then, the flower stand dropped on her,yer afteryer. Ning Xueyan could not avoid it and curled her body in a ball. She only had time to protect her head and was directly buried under the shed.

    The crowd came over in the blink of an eye. The one with the gloomy face was Ao Chenyi. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Who¡¯s trying to assassinate the County Princess?¡± As the master, Ao Mingyu, the Third Prince, hurried over and asked.

    ¡°I... I...¡± The County Princess Yuanyun was stunned. She managed to avoid the attack in time, so she was uninjured, but her hair was a little messy. The current situation was beyond her control, which made her speechless for a moment. How could she frame that bitch?

    The maid was even more frightened. She pointed at a bundle of clothes lying under the flower stand, unable to speak.

    ¡°Where is my favorite concubine?¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s face turned cold, and his cold eyes fell directly on the maid. Even the County Princess Yuanyun could not stand his anger, let alone the maid.

    ¡°Bump!¡± The maid knelt and pointed at the bundle of clothes at the corner, trembling. ¡°It¡¯s... it¡¯s inside.¡±

    ¡°Hurry up and remove the flower stand.¡± Looking at Ao Chenyi¡¯s pale face, Ao Mingyu immediately gave the order to his servants. On the flower stand, there were only a few wooden racks and mats, made of reeds and straw. When he pulled away the mats, he saw Ning Xueyan sitting on the ground in a daze.

    ¡°My beloved concubine, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Ao Chenyi got up and picked Ning Xueyan who seemed to be totally dazed up. Any weak girl in the Boudoir would behave like this, in such a situation.

    Ning Xueyan seemed to be scared. As Ao Chenyi held her in his arms, she swayed slightly and then fainted.

    ¡°Take her away and investigate into this matter!¡± Ao Chenyi pointed at the maid kneeling on the ground, with a trace of bloodlust in his eyes.

    Hearing that she was about to be taken away, the maid said anxiously, ¡°Please spare my life, Your Highness!¡±

    If she was put into the prison of the Imperial Guards, she would die. The maid kowtowed to Ao Chenyi. Her head hit the ground heavily, and immediately there was blood on her forehead.

 Chapter 329 - Who Schemed Against Whom?

    <strong>Chapter 329 Who Schemed Against Whom?</strong>

    ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s going on?¡± Ao Chenyi said sternly. His cold eyes turned from the maid to the County Princess Yuanyun, who was trembling and clearly shaken. The words that came from his mouth became more and more violent. ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯ll kill your whole n.¡±

    If this threat had been said by someone else, the maid might not believe it. However, when she heard it directly from the most famous bloodthirsty devil in the capital, she believed it more than 10,000 times over.

    ¡°County Princess, save me, save me.¡± She was so frightened that she could only turn to the County Princess Yuanyun for help.

    ¡°I, this... this is my maid...¡± The County Princess Yuanyun tried her best to calm down and spoke to Ao Chenyi. However, when she saw his eyes which looked as cold as that of a poisonous snake, she stopped talking.

    ¡°She¡¯s the County Princess¡¯s maid, so she¡¯s at my disposal.¡± Ao Chenyi smiled sinisterly. ¡°Send her away.¡±

    Two tall and sturdy guards came to drag the maid away, with vicious smiles. Their hands, which were as big as cattail leaf fans, reached out for her, like an eagle catching a chicken. Seeing that her County Princess showed no intention of protecting her, the maid was so scared that she broke down.

    ¡°It¡¯s the County Princess. It¡¯s the County Princess who made me do this. It¡¯s the County Princess who asked me to hand the hairpin to her, so that she will stab the County Princess identally. It¡¯s all... it¡¯s all the County Princess¡¯s idea. It has nothing to do with me. Please forgive me, Your Highness!¡±

    If she did not confess, all the nine generations of her whole family would be implicated. No matter how loyal the maid was, she could not keep quiet now. She screamed and struggled hard. She clung on to the ground and refused to leave.

    ¡°You... you¡¯re talking nonsense. You¡¯re just a lowly maid who is trying to frame your master.¡± Seeing Ao Chenyi¡¯s cold gaze falling on her, the County Princess Yuanyun County suddenly came to her senses. She rushed over, kicked the maid hard, and shouted angrily.

    ¡°Is that the County Princess¡¯s order?¡± He asked in a gloomy voice.

    ¡°It¡¯s... it¡¯s the County Princess¡¯s order. It has nothing to do with me.¡± The maid only wanted to stay alive, so she responded frankly.

    ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense. You¡¯re talking nonsense.¡± The County Princess Yuanyun screamed hysterically, as she kicked the maid continuously. She only hoped that she would stop talking at this time. She wanted to exin that it had nothing to do with her. It was just a quarrel between the maid and the woman, and it had nothing to do with her.

    ¡°Why does the County Princess want to kill my concubine?¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, the County Princess... the County Princess is about to marry you, and does not want any woman to be favored by you.¡± The hand that was holding on to the maid released its grip, but the maid could not stand up, because the County Princess Yuanyun continued kicking her. Seeing that the County Princess Yuanyun was going berserk, the maid naturally spilled the beans.

    ¡°Good, good... So I am going to marry the County Princess Yuanyun? That¡¯s great.¡± Ao Chenyi suddenlyughed coldly and turned to look at Ao Mingyu. ¡°My good nephew, when did your father find such a good match for me? Such a vicious woman will only harm my harem.¡±

    His words were very ruthless. Ao Mingyu¡¯s face turned blue, then white. It took him a long time to calm down. Before he could say anything, a guard from the Prince Yi¡¯s Manor picked up a hairpin from the ground. It was the hairpin that Ning Xueyan had dropped before.

    Ao Chenyi picked up the hairpin and looked at the maid indifferently. Then, he went over to County Princess Yuanyun, who was still kicking away at the maid. He kicked her hard and sent her flying into a big vat behind her, which was filled with water and there were even some fish in it. She spat out a mouthful of blood, and the water in the vat was immediately stained with blood.

    The County Princess Yuanyun fainted in the vat before she could even utter a single word.

    Ao Chenyi then left with Ning Xueyan in his arms, not bothering to check if the County Princess was alive or dead. The two guards knocked out the maid and took her away.

    Ao Mingyu had no choice but to send someone to bring out the body of County Princess Yuanyun. Princess Xianyun watched the scene from a distance with two maids. The corners of her mouth lifted slightly, then immediately drooped. She spoke gently to Commandery Princess Mingya, who was standing aside, and did not know what had happened, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go and see if Sister Yuanyun has had an ident.¡±

    Although they were far away just now, they could hear some vague sounds. It seemed as if some woman was screaming hysterically, and it sounded like Yuanyun. As a distinguished County Princess, how could she scream like that? Commandery Princess Mingya could not figure it out. When she saw Xianyun going over, she hurriedly followed behind.

    Ao Chenyi held Ning Xueyan in his arms and came out, with a cold expression. He strode into his carriage, lifted his leg and kicked the wagon, indicating that they should leave. As the coachman hurriedly swung the whip, the carriage sped away. Ao Mingyu, who was chasing after him, only had time to see the dust behind the wagon.

    The anxiety on his face slowly disappeared, and a trace of coldness shed in his eyes. He did not expect that the favorite concubine held such a crucial ce in Ao Chenyi¡¯s heart. He used to think that Ao Chenyi used her as a shield. Now, it seemed that Ao Chenyi truly cared about this woman.

    Ao Chenyi had rushed in and brought the woman out hurriedly. The anxiety in his eyes could not be concealed.

    Ao Mingyu did not know what his weak point was, but now he found one. Just now, Ao Chenyi hesitated only for a while, which was evident enough. There was a pang in his heart, even though his favorite concubine had a low status.

    In the past, this concubine might be wholeheartedly loyal to Ao Chenyi. But now, it was impossible. No woman, who was almost exchanged as a cargo, would stay with a man wholeheartedly.

    What¡¯s more, Ao Mingyu felt relieved after seeing this woman today. She could not be Ning Qingshan. Just now, he saw that the woman¡¯s hands were white and tender, but Ning Qingshan¡¯s hands had suffered some injuries.

    In the carriage, Ao Chenyi put Ning Xueyan on the couch and pulled off the veil off Ning Xueyan¡¯s face. As expected, he saw a bruise on Ning Xueyan¡¯s forehead. ¡°I told you to act ording to circumstances. How could you hurt your head?¡±

    ¡°Prince Yi, if not, how would the County Princess Yuanyun be willing to leave the matter at that?¡± Ning Xueyan touched her forehead and felt a twinge of pain. She had located the position, but she did not expect that the wood would fall on her. Fortunately, she reacted quickly and shielded herself with her hands. Otherwise, her forehead might have been seriously injured.

    ¡°Stupid!¡± Ao Chenyi reached for the cab in the carriage and took out an exquisite jade bottle. He opened it, picked up some transparent ointment with his finger, and applied it on Ning Xueyan¡¯s forehead. His handsome face was gloomy. ¡°Why did you not stab her with that hairpin? You could have done it. Even if you stabbed her to death, you will not need to die.¡±

    Ning Xueyan knew what he meant. Her identity was unknown. Ao Chenyi was the only one who knew who the so-called ¡°favorite concubine.¡± was No one knew who she was when she was hidden by her veil. As long as Ao Chenyi said that the person was ¡°her,¡± the person would be used of the crime, and it would have nothing to do with her.

    ¡°If I stabbed her to death, it would be more difficult to deal with it. In this case, you¡¯re in an active position. It¡¯s up to you to decide what you want to do!¡± From his gloomy face, Ning Xueyan could see that he was unhappy. Although he was applying medicine to her, he was not gentle.

    After applying the ointment, Ning Xueyan pressed her prominent forehead forcibly. Feeling the pain, Ning Xueyan cried out softly, and her watery eyes were hazy.

    ¡°I¡¯m always in an active position. I don¡¯t need you to get injured.¡± Ao Chenyi closed the jade bottle and threw the ointment aside. Then he cleaned his hand with a handkerchief and pulled Ning Xueyan roughly into his arms. Ning Xueyan¡¯s nose was sore and painful, so she nearly burst into tears.

    ¡°Prince Yi, can you be gentler? It is painful.¡± Ning Xueyan covered her nose helplessly. She blinked her ck jade-like eyes and almost shed tears. Didn¡¯t she do her best to help him? When she entered the courtyard and saw those nobledies, Ning Xueyan knew that he brought her there, not only because of Ao Mingyu.

    ¡°It hurts. You know it hurts. It¡¯s strange. Were you not calm when the flower stand dropped earlier?¡± Ao Chenyi snorted and drawled. His evil eyes were cold.

    Ning Xueyan did not know what was wrong with him. Hearing him talking about the copse of the flower stand, she sighed helplessly.

    ¡°Prince Yi, I was wrong!¡± She looked up with her watery eyes. Under her long eyshes was a pair of beautiful, shimmery eyes. She looked sincerely at Ao Chenyi. Although she felt that this was the best situation, at least Ao Chenyi had taken the initiative, no matter what his purpose was. That was why she had intentionally bumped into the flower shed, taking advantage of County Princess Yuanyun¡¯s strength. However, Ao Chenyi did not look happy at all.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ao Chenyi looked at her, unmovingly. He leaned against the couch behind him and pushed Ning Xueyan backward. Then, Ning Xueyan was on top of him, but she could not move. The big hand on her waist held her slender waist tightly and she was pinned to his body.

    This posture looked ambiguous. Ning Xueyan blushed slightly and bit her lips, but she did not struggle. ¡°Prince Yi, do you want to frighten the other nobledies so that they will not dare to marry you again?¡±

    After thinking for a while, he found that this was the only reasonable reason. Ao Chenyi was not married yet,rgely because he needed the emperor to approve his marriage. As Prince Yi and the emperor¡¯s brother, it was reasonable that the emperor was in charge of his marriage ns. However, he did not want the emperor to interfere with his family affairs.

    Before, Ning Xueyan thought that the emperor had arranged a consort for him, and she was to be the co-consort. Now, it seemed that the emperor had arranged a consort and co-consort for him. Ao Chenyi was reluctant, so he deliberately brought an unknown favorite concubine to the hall, and unted her in front of the future princess and co-consort.

    What¡¯s more, this woman acted so coquettishly in front of everyone. In this way, no woman would be able to bear it.

    The conflict was inevitable. However, Commandery Princess Xianyun looked natural and behaved so elegantly. When she saw Ning Xueyan, she did not have any reaction. Ning Xueyan did not know if she really did not seem to care, and appeared dignified and virtuous, as everyone said. Or, she was shrewd and deep but stayed calm and collected. Now, she could not tell.

    ¡°Humph, remember it next time!¡± Ao Chenyi snorted and reached out his hand to flick her forehead heavily, which made Ning Xueyan cry in pain. She did not know why he was dissatisfied, even though she had tried her best to help him.

 Chapter 330 - Meeting Ning Yuling Again

    <strong>Chapter 330 Meeting Ning Yuling Again</strong>

    In the end, the matter of the County Princess Yuanyun was suppressed. Then, there were rumors in the capital city. Following the example of the Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, the County Princess Yuanyun would cultivate quietly in the nunnery to pray for her dead father¡¯s soul. The rumors were spread all over the capital city. People said that the County Princess Yuanyun was not only noble, but also filial.

    Compared with the Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she was a rare and good girl.

    However, another rumor gradually spread, saying that the reason why the County Princess Yuanyun went to the nunnery was that she had no choice, but to do so. Initially, she had a fianc¨¦, but she framed another woman before she got married. She was extremely vicious.

    At first, only a few people were talking about this rumor. Most of them did not believe it. But somehow, the rumor became more and more rampant and mystifying. Some people even described every detail vividly. For a time, the County Princess Yuanyun became the epitome of a vicious woman.

    After an imperial edict was released that her title as County Princess had been stripped, Ming Yuanyun¡¯s bad reputation was almost confirmed.

    After the imperial edict was released, the Great Elder Princess, who held power in the Ming Mansion, did not choose any lucky day to send Ming Yuanyun away.

    Seeing her cousin boarding an ordinary sedan chair and weeping bitterly as she left, Commandery Princess Mingya gritted her teeth in anger.

    ¡°Mother, that woman is a lowly, favored concubine. How could His Majesty treat Yuanyun like this?¡± She turned around to the Great Elder Princess, who sat high in the hall, and said angrily.

    ¡°Shut up!¡± The Great Elder Princess, who was sitting at the top, seemed to be in her fifties. She looked dignified and graceful. She red at Commandery Princess Mingya with her sharp eyes and felt helpless for her outspoken daughter.

    ¡°Mother, Ya¡¯er did not say whether anything was wrong. It doesn¡¯t matter if a hundred of such lowly women die. How could Yuanyun end up like this? Mother, can you go into the pce and plead with His Majesty. Ask him not to deprive Yuanyun of her title as a County Princess and her marriage with Cousin Yi...¡±

    ¡°How dare you say that?¡± The Great Elder Princess said angrily. She threw the teacup in her hand on the ground, and the tea sshed everywhere. Several drops of tea sshed onto Princess Mingya¡¯s hands. She was caught unaware and looked at the Great Elder Princess nkly. She did not know what she had done wrong, that made her mother so angry.

    ¡°Ya¡¯er, how can you, a young woman, talk about the marriage of the royal family?¡± Seeing her daughter¡¯s nk eyes, the Great Elder Princess took a deep breath and said, ¡°Prince Yi is not only your cousin, but also the future emperor of Chu Kingdom. You should not always call him cousin.¡±

    ¡°He isn¡¯t... Everyone says that the Third Prince is the future...¡± Commandery Princess Mingya did notplete her sentence. After being red at by the Great Elder Princess, she immediately stopped talking, and bit her lips, feeling aggrieved. Looking at the Great Elder Princess, she did not think she was wrong. Everyone said that the Third Prince would be the future emperor. Prince Yi was only the emperor¡¯s younger brother.

    But now, the emperor was still in power, and Prince Yi could not make any big trouble. How could her mother be so wary of Prince Yi?

    ¡°You¡¯re stupid. Keep your mouth shut. Don¡¯t do things ording to what others say. Remember, you¡¯re from the Princess¡¯ Mansion and closely rted to all the princes. But you don¡¯t need to seek favor from any side. You don¡¯t need to do that for the glory of the Princess¡¯ Mansion.¡± The Great Elder Princess told her that.

    The princess¡¯s mansion did not interfere with political affairs because the Great Elder Princess¡¯s husband died early. Although she would go to the pce to talk with the Empress, she basically did not care about political affairs. However, she was not ignorant, and she only said that the emperor will determine everything.

    Therefore, Prince Yi, the emperor¡¯s younger brother, would definitely be caught. The Third Prince or the Fourth Prince would probably inherit the throne. The Third Prince was more likely to seed, because of his biological mother and the emperor¡¯s favor.

    However, the Great Elder Princess had never thought so. The former emperor, who was also the elder brother of the Great Elder Princess, had thought highly of his younger son. He had cultivated Ao Chenyi wholeheartedly. Others did not know this, but the Great Elder Princess clearly knew that Ao Chenyi was not only part of the Imperial Guard.

    If Ao Chenyi was so easy to deal with, how could the emperor tolerate him sitting in the position of the emperor¡¯s younger brother? It was because the emperor could not defeat him. Now, they were either in a stalemate or had struck a bnce. So, nobody knew who would be the winner.

    Besides, both the emperor and Prince Yi were her brothers. She was a powerless princess, and had contributed to the Chu Kingdom, so both of them would not ill treat her. Therefore, the Great Elder Princess¡¯s Manor needed to keep a bnce as before, instead of supporting anyone.

    ¡°Mother, the Third Prince will be the future emperor...¡±

    Seeing that her daughter was ignorant and contradicted her, the Great Elder Princess felt utterly difited. She pounded the table and shouted angrily, ¡°Come on, bring the princess out to the yard and don¡¯t let here out.¡±

    When Ao Mingyu gave Mingya the invitation card, she thought it was improper. But she felt it was not a big deal at that time. Now she knew that it was part of Ao Mingyu¡¯s scheme. Thinking of that, the Great Elder Princess was hopping mad. Ao Mingyu wanted to drag her into a dilemma...

    A few dayster, Ning Xueyan saw Madam Dowager, who had recovered from her illness.

    The servant went in and reported to her. After a while, the servant invited her in with a smile. Meanwhile, she told her that Second Young Lady was also there.

    As the maid lifted the curtain, Ning Xueyan looked at Madam Dowager, who was sitting in the middle. Ning Xueyan had not seen her for more than half a month. Madam Dowager did not look very good, she was a little pale and thin. It seemed that she was not faking her illness.

    ¡°Grandmother.¡± Ning Xueyan came to the inner room and bowed.

    ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± Madam Dowager nced at Ning Xueyan. She pursed her lips tightly, without joy in her eyes. She rebuked, ¡°Your second sister is also here. Why don¡¯t you go and greet her? After entering the Beauty Contest in the pce for a few days, you don¡¯t know the basic etiquette now.¡±

    Madam Dowager was putting all the me on her! Madam Dowager was as snobbish as usual. The selected chess pieces were not of much value, so she fell ill from being angry.

    She raised her head to look at Ning Yuling, who was sitting on the right side of Madam Dowager. It was the first time she had seen Ning Yuling since she came back. Ning Yuling¡¯s face was delicate, without any blemishes. She was charming and had a faint smile on her face. When she saw Ning Xueyan, she did not rush over and scold her, unlike before.Read more chapter on our vip novel

    Those who did not know her would think that Ning Yuling had changed. Unfortunately, Ning Xueyan¡¯s cold eyes showed her hostility and gloom.

    ¡°Second Sister, have you recovered?¡± Ning Xueyan asked with a faint smile.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, thanks to you, my face has healed. I heard that you contracted herpes in the pce. How are you now? I have some medicine. If you need it, you can take it.¡± Ning Yuling smiled gently.

    If she had not confirmed that it was Ning Yuling in front of her, Ning Xueyan would have thought that it was another person.

    Ning Yuling never spoke to her in such a gentle tone.

    It would be even better if she did not keep giving her creepy looks from the corner of her eyes, from time to time.

    ¡°Thank you, Second Sister. I¡¯m fine.¡± Ning Xueyan said with a casual smile, but her eyes were profound. She felt that Ning Yuling did note back to talk about their sisterhood.

    Based on Ning Yuling¡¯s temperament, she could not believe it.

    ¡°Xueyan, did you have an ident in the imperial pce? Otherwise, how could you develop herpes on your face and be eliminated? Our Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was humiliated because of you.¡± As soon as she mentioned the pce, Madam Dowager was in a towering rage.

    She pounded the ground with her walking stick and red at Ning Xueyan angrily.

    The bigger the expectation was, the bigger the disappointment was. Before Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan entered the pce, she felt that they could not fail under any circumstances. Both of them would be chosen. For the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, this was a good move. But now, both of them met with idents. How could Madam Dowager not be angry?

    She vented her anger on Ning Xueyan. After Ning Qingshan had an ident, the Honored Consort Ya secretly informed Madam Dowager that her son would marry Ning Qingshan. Ning Qingshan could not be a consort, but a co-consort. Madam Dowager was so angry that she broke several vases. But at least, Ning Qingshan could be a co-consort and marry into the royal family.

    However, Ning Xueyan achieved nothing. Therefore, Madam Dowager was angry at Ning Xueyan and vented her anger on her.

    Moreover, it was not pleasant to hear the wordsing from the pce.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, it¡¯s hard to say what happened to Fifth Young Lady. I heard that all the people in the imperial pce were all very distinguished. Only those rich and great people could live in the pce. Maybe it¡¯s not suitable for Fifth Young Lady to live there.¡±

    It was an affectedly sweet voice, who said this. Ning Xueyan turned her head and found that Junior Concubine Xu was also there. She was looking at Ning Xueyan with a smile. It seemed that Junior Concubine Xu had been living a contented life recently. Her headwear and clothes were almost as good as Ning Yuling¡¯s.

    ¡°Conflict? In conflict with the imperial pce? It means that she¡¯s born without riches and honor. So, she¡¯s good for nothing.¡± Hearing Junior Concubine Xu¡¯s advice, Madam Dowager did not stop, but looked at Ning Xueyan angrily, and said this in exasperation. The more she looked at Ning Xueyan, the more she hated her. How could she be in conflict with the imperial pce and did not get any benefits from the manor? What else could she do?

    She might as well let Madam Ling find a family for her to marry, lest she would hang around her all day long. She would always be reminded that she was Madam Ming¡¯s daughter.

    She could not bring herself to like her.

    Ning Xueyan did not expect that Junior Concubine Xu would be so perky in front of Madam Dowager and provoke her. She regarded herself as a big shot. She had helped Ning Huaiyuan to suppress her, with her lips lifted casually. This Junior Concubine Xu was ambitious. Unfortunately, she thought that nobody knew about this.

    When she was away, Junior Concubine Xu used her right to make trouble for the people of the Bright Frost Garden.

 Chapter 331 - Arrogant, Junior Concubine Xuâ€™s Provocation

    <h4>Chapter 331 Arrogant, Junior Concubine Xu¡¯s Provocation</h4>

    Seeing that a concubine even though herself high and said something so offensive, Ning Xueyan sneered. ¡°Junior Concubine Xu, how do you know I was doomed to be ipatible with the imperial family? Do you mean all the Young Ladies who were eliminated in the contest were born at odds with the imperial family?¡± Although she said in a soft voice, she showed no mercy to fight back.

    Junior Concubine Xu was so embarrassed that she could not even utter a word. All the Young Ladies who had been eliminated in the contest were from noble families, of course, she did not dare to offend so many of them. Even if she were Lord Protector¡¯s wife, she would not dare to say yes, let alone she was only a concubine.

    When she heard what Ning Xueyan said, Junior Concubine Xu¡¯s face turned pale and all the words got stuck in her throat.

    ¡°Enough! Since you have offered your greetings, you can leave now. It¡¯s unnecessary to have such trifles ruin our mood.¡± Madam Dowager waved her hand impatiently as if she really did not want to see Ning Xueyan. ¡°She can¡¯t wait to throw me out! I¡®m Madam Dowager¡¯s granddaughter, but she is even kicking me out in the presence of a concubine, so obviously, she thinks I¡¯m useless,¡± Ning Xueyan thought.

    Since Madam Dowager was driving her away, Ning Xueyan did not see the point to stay. She then bowed to Madam Dowager and walked out gracefully.

    ¡°Miss, they went too far!¡± When they stepped out of Auspicious Fortune Hall, Qingyu could not help but feel indignant for Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°So what? Is everybody in the manor spreading the rumors that I was doomed not to be rted to the imperial members because of ill-matched horoscopes and that¡¯s why I was eliminated in the contest and can¡¯t enjoy the supreme splendor?¡± Ning Xueyan raised her watery eyes with an indifferent smile.

    On the next day after she returned to the manor, she had heard the rumors. As the rumors spread, she was more certain that there must be someone behind this. Otherwise, no servants of the manor would have dared to gossip the Lord Protector¡¯s daughter.

    It seemed that someone wanted to take the opportunity to stir up trouble.

    Xu Yulian was really not easy to deal with. Ning Xueyan had nned to user her against Madam Ling, but now she had be Madam Ling¡¯s aplice. With her help, Madam Ling could concentrate on plotting against Ning Xueyan behind her back. It seemed Junior Concubine Xu had already thought herself of the future hostess of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    As soon as Ning Xueyan returned to the manor, the rumors had spread wildly. It seemed that everything had been prepared in advance. Of course, Ning Xueyan did not think that the rumors would really do her any harm. At this moment, she suddenly remembered although Ning Yuling had not said much just now, there was a hint of triumph in her eyes apart from the coldness that appeared from time to time.

    She looked both vicious and joyful.

    Yes, vicious and... Ning Xueyan suddenly stopped with Ning Yuling¡¯s expression shing in her mind. Except for the coldness, there was indeed a trace of triumph in her eyes.

    Of course, Ning Xueyan did not believe that Ning Yuling became triumphant just because of Junior Concubine Xu¡¯s provocative words. In the past, Ning Yuling might do this, but now she was moreposed than before and always looked gloomy which made people feel chill.

    It seemed that what had happened to herst time was really a heavy blow to her. Or maybe something else had happened to her after she was sent to that remote ce which made her be extremer and grimmer even though her face had recovered. Ning Xueyan could even feel the great resentment from her from time to time.

    Such a person could never show the gains and losses on her face.

    ¡°People of our manor are still gossiping about me these days?¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s heart skipped a beat before she stepped forward again with a slight frown.

    ¡°Yes, Miss. A few of them have gone too far. A maid said that you¡¯re a jinx...¡± At the thought of what that maid had said on the other day, Qingyu could not hold back her anger anymore. She had rushed out angrily and pped those two maids who were gossiping, but she still felt resentful.

    ¡°What did they gossip about me?¡± Ning Xueyan asked indifferently.

    ¡°They said, they said you might be a jinx. Not long after your birth, Madam Ming was demoted from principal wife to co-consort. They also said you should be med for Madame Ming¡¯s death, for Eldest Young Lady¡¯s breaking off of her engagement and even for the haunting of the manor!¡± Qingyu said angrily. Those people were outrageous! At that moment, she really wanted to ask them now that Fifth Young Lady was a jinx, why the marquis and Madam Dowager were still alive.

    Of course, she could only feel sorry for her master inside.

    While they were talking, they came to an intersection that led to Bright Frost Garden and Madam Ling¡¯s Auspicious Clouds Courtyard. At the moment, Ning Xueyan suddenly saw Ning Huaiyuaning over from a small pavilion beside the intersection, wearing a cyan robe. He seemed to be a little surprised at the sight of Ning Xueyan and immediately stopped.

    ¡°Brother Huaiyuan!¡± Ning Xueyan knew that it was impoliteness to ignore him, so she walked over and greeted him.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, you just got back from grandmother, right?¡± Ning Huaiyuan stood still with a smile and looked at Ning Xueyan gently, assuming a posture to help her up.

    ¡°Yes, I just came back from grandmother¡¯s courtyard.¡± Ning Xueyan straightened her back and nodded with a smile. She knew Ning Huaiyuan was fighting against her secretly, but at least, they did not have any contact on the surface. Every time they met, they would only say some polite form and then parted.

    However, Ning Huaiyuan did not intend to leave so soon this time. He pointed to the pavilion aside while asking with a smile.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, can we talk there?¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡± Ning Xueyan nodded. Although she did not think that Ning Huaiyuan had anything to discuss with her, she could not turn him down.

    She then walked to the pavilion with him, followed by Qingyu.

    Ning Huaiyuan suddenly stopped and turned around. ¡°Let her wait here. I have something to tell you,¡± he said, looking at Qingyu.

    ¡°He wants to speak to me alone?¡± Ning Xueyan raised her jet-ck eyes covered under her feathery-like eyshes and looked at Ning Huaiyuan in surprise. She did not see any points for Ning Huaiyuan to talk to her privately.

    ¡°It won¡¯t take long. Fifth Sister, I want to talk to you privately.¡± Ning Huaiyuan looked very strange today and he was even not as gentle as he used to be. How strange!

    ¡°Qingyu, wait for me here. I¡¯ll talk to Brother Huaiyuan over there.¡± Since Ning Huaiyuan was her eldest brother, Ning Xueyan could not refuse his request. She then nodded and said to Qingyu.

    Qingyu was worried, but she had to obey Ning Xueyan¡¯s order and could only watch them walking towards the pavilion. Thankfully, there were no trees between them to block the view, so although she was a little far from Ning Xueyan and Ning Huaiyuan and could not hear their conversation, she could see them clearly. She kind of regretted not having Xinmei with Ning Xueyan, as Xinmei was supposed to be able to hear voices at a greater distance than she did.

    With the ending of winter and the weather getting warmer, many flowers in the garden were in bloom. Around the pavilion, there were beautiful peonies and roses as well as a sparkling stream. The green grass set the flowers and willows off beautifully, making a scene full of vitality.

    Ning Huaiyuan stood still in the pavilion, with his hands sped behind his back. He looked at the stream outside and did not speak for a while. Ning Xueyan was not in a hurry. She turned and sat down on the rail beside her, stroking a peony in bud which although had not yet in full bloom, but had already shown the amazing beauty.

    The peony with early morning dews still hanging on it looked breath breaking beautiful, but what was more charming than it was the Young Lady next to it. On her fairy face were a pair of moisture beautiful eyes covered with long eyshes. Her slightly raised, delicate chin, milk-like skin and pale lips revealed her subtle charm.

    At this point, Ning Huaiyuan had turned around. He looked at Ning Xueyan withplicated looks in his eyes and asked after quite a while.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, since you have lost in the contest, do you have any n for your future?¡±

    ¡°Brother Huaiyuan, what do you mean?¡± Ning Xueyan raised her head gracefully, with a flicker of rm in her eyes. She did not believe that Ning Huaiyuan would have said this out of concern for her although it sounded that he was worried about her future. Considering her current situation, it seemed that Ning Huaiyuan had put a lot of thought into the matter.

    Walking towards her, Ning Huaiyuan lifted the hem of his robe and sat down on a stone bench. He looked at Ning Xueyan and said, without beating around the bush, ¡°Fifth Sister, Grandmother is very upset about your loss in the contest and is nning to find a husband for you. She said she would agree with your marriage as long as that man¡¯s family was not bad.¡±

    ¡°Not bad?¡± Ning Xueyan sneered inwardly. Obviously, Madam Dowager had thought she was no use to her anymore. What did she mean ¡°not bad?¡± In Madam Dowager¡¯s opinion, if that man was powerful, even if it was Marquis of Ping¡¯an, she would agree to marry Ning Xueyan to him.

    Madam Dowager had never thought if she would lead a happy life or not or if something bad would happen to her after she got married.

    With a sneer on her lips, Ning Xueyan asked, ¡°What do you think, Brother Huaiyuan?¡±

    Since Ning Huaiyuan had specially talked to her about such a thing, he must have something else to tell her. Therefore, Ning Xueyan kicked the ball back to him to see what he meant.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, are you willing to marry a man so casually?¡± Ning Huaiyuan did not answer her question but asked back.

    ¡°As a maiden in the manor, I have no other choices apart from following my parents¡¯ order and the matchmaker¡¯s words,¡± Ning Xueyan said coolly, showing her helplessness in a straightforward way.

    Ning Huaiyuan nodded with satisfaction when he saw the slight sadness and confusion in Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes as if she really had no idea what to do in the future. He knew it was the right time to make a suggestion. ¡°Fifth Sister, if you don¡¯t want your marriage to be so casual, then I have a good candidate to rmend to you. Do you want to listen?¡±

    ¡°Brother Huaiyuan, you¡¯d better talk to grandmother about such kind of things!¡± Ning Xueyan blushed and was about to leave when she heard Ning Huaiyuan mention her marriage in front of her.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, if you leave, you¡¯ll miss the marriage and grandmother will definitely let Second Sister marry that man. Then you¡¯ll get nothing.¡± At Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s words, Ning Xueyan put down her foot subconsciously.

    When she looked up again, although there was still a glow on her face, her jet-ck eyes became even brighter and more vignt.

    ¡°Brother Huaiyuan, why don¡¯t you tell Second Sister about this, but tell me?¡±

    She was clear that it was impossible for Ning Huaiyuan to be nicer to her than to his own sister, Ning Yuling.

 Chapter 332 - Fourth Princeâ€™s Lobbyist

    <strong>Chapter 332 Fourth Prince¡¯s Lobbyist</strong>

    ¡°Fifth Sister, you¡¯re smart to say so.¡± Ning Huaiyuan tapped the table to show his admiration for Ning Xueyan. ¡°In fact, it¡¯s quite simple. I didn¡¯t offer to make a match, but someone asked me to do this, so I have to tell you. He is noble and nice, so if you can be with him, you¡¯ll have a promising future. We may need to count on youter.¡±

    ¡°Who is it?¡± Ning Xueyan asked vigntly.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, don¡¯t worry. Of course, it¡¯s Fourth Prince.¡± Ning Huaiyuanughed and gestured Ning Xueyan to sit down. Then he continued, ¡°Fifth Sister, Fourth Prince has a deep affection for you. He had made up his mind to marry you at first sight. If you could be chosen in the Beauty Contest this time, he would definitely ask His Majesty to marry you to him. With your condition, you¡¯ll be his co-consort at least.¡±

    ¡°Fourth Prince Ao Mingwan?¡± Ning Xueyan frowned. She didn¡¯t have much contact with Fourth Prince before, even less than the contact with Third Prince Ao Mingyu. She wondered where did the rumore from. At the thought of this, she could not help but sneer. Furthermore, Ning Huaiyuan said if she could ¡®be with¡¯ not ¡®marry¡¯ Fourth Prince, so obviously, in his opinion, it would be a great privilege for Ning Xueyan to be even a concubine of Fourth Prince.

    He also hinted with regret that if it were not for her loss in the contest, things would be much better.

    Anyway, she was so lucky to marry Fourth Prince.

    ¡°Brother Huaiyuan, there¡¯s no need to say anything else. At least, I¡¯m Lord Protector¡¯s wedded wife¡¯s daughter.¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes turned grim with a hint of coldness in her jet-ck eyes.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, it¡¯s only a makeshift. When Fourth Prince... as his beloved woman, you¡¯ll get everything you want. With the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor as your backing, you may even be the most powerful woman in the country.¡±

    Ning Huaiyuan thought that Ning Xueyan felt embarrassed, so he persuaded her in a soft voice.

    ¡°The most powerful woman in the country? Ning Huaiyuan really thinks ¡®highly¡¯ of me!¡± Ning Xueyan snorted inwardly. ¡°Brother Huaiyuan, I dare not consent to such a good marriage! I¡¯m busy and I have to leave.¡±

    Ning Xueyan stood up and intended to end the conversation. Obviously, Ning Huaiyuan came to her as Ao Mingwan¡¯s lobbyist. What was more, he was trying to persuade her to be Ao Mingwan¡¯s concubine. Ning Huaiyuan said he did not want to discuss it with Madam Dowager because he was afraid that Madam Dowager might marry Ning Yuling to Fourth Prince. It sounded like it was for Ning Xueyan¡¯s own good, but she knew he was egging her to elope to the Fourth Prince¡¯s Manor.

    Ning Huaiyuan did not expect that Ning Xueyan would have refused him directly. ¡°Fifth Sister, think about it over. Fourth Prince really likes you...¡±

    ¡°Brother Huaiyuan, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s improper to say something like this to your unmarried sister?¡± Ning Xueyan sneered with sarcasm in her eyes and said coldly, ¡°I know little about Fourth Prince. Please don¡¯t talk nonsense to me anymore! If other people hear this, they will think that all the Young Ladies of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor were so unruly!¡±

    Ning Xueyan shot back without mercy. She did not only me Ning Huaiyuan, but hinted that Ning Yuling was unruly as well. Ning Yuling was ill-famed because of her unruliness. Although rumors about her were limited in a certain range, everyone in the Protector¡¯s Manor was clear about this.

    Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s face turned pale at Ning Xueyan¡¯s words. Obviously, there was no room for them to negotiate. ¡°Fifth Sister, you¡¯ll regret it,¡± he said with a grim look in his eyes.

    ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Brother Huaiyuan.¡± With it, Ning Xueyan walked past him to Qingyu waiting outside without looking at him.

    When Ning Huaiyuan rose to his feet, Ning Xueyan had left. He stood still for a while and managed to calm himself down with a strange look in his eyes and a sneer on his lips. ¡°Fine! Since you turned Fourth Prince down on your own, he can¡¯t me me for it. I¡¯d like speeding it up if you want to course death,¡± he thought.

    He had given her a way out, but she ruined the chance herself.

    Flicking his sleeve, he turned and walked towards the outer courtyard. He would inform Fourth Prince about it in advance so that thetter would prepare mentally. No matter how outstanding Ning Xueyan was, he could do nothing help because she had no feeling for Fourth Prince. Ning Huaiyuan knew that he should make it clear to Fourth Prince now. Then if anything bad happened to Ning Xueyan in the future, even if Fourth Prince still loved her, he could not me him.

    That was not bad. Subconsciously, Ning Huaiyuan was unwilling to see Ning Xueyan be Ao Mingwan¡¯s woman.

    Of course, if Ning Xueyan was willing to be with Fourth Prince, she could only be his concubine. Besides, Lord Protector would not tolerate his daughter to be a concubine of Fourth Prince, so he would definitely announce to the public that Ning Xueyan died of illness. After her forever disappearance in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, people might find a concubine in the Fourth Prince¡¯s Manor who looked the same as Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. But they would be told that they just looked simr by coincidence.

    Even if Fourth Prince ascended the throne in the future, so what? It was impossible for an inferior concubine without strong family background to be a real powerful woman in the imperial pce.

    Ning Xueyan did not know exactly what Ning Huaiyuan was thinking, but she knew Ning Huaiyuan was up to no good. In herst life, Ning Ziying did not have much contact with Ning Huaiyuan. The original owner of Ning Xueyan¡¯s body did not remember much of him except for his indifference. Ning Huaiyuan was even more indifferent to her than to passers-by!

    Ning Huaiyuan had never given her a hand when Ning Yuling bullied her. But now, he came to show his siblinghood and even worried that Yuling might steal her marriage. This was obviously false. Ning Huaiyuan had done this either because he was stupid or because he had another purpose.

    Did he deliberately tempt her into rejecting Ao Mingwan so that Ao Mingwan would not me him for it? If that was the case, Ning Huaiyuan would make a move to deal with her soon.

    He was cornering her step by step. Men were really different from ordinary women in the backyard!

    Unfortunately, Ning Xueyan was a Young Lady from the backyard. If Ning Huaiyuan intended to deal with her, he would have to use the same tactics he used with the backyard women. As not all women were as prudent as him, if he cooperated them to deal with Ning Xueyan, his n might expose as something would be beyond his control.

    Ning Xueyan stood under the tree, watching Qing¡¯er walk out from behind the wall with a younger maid following her. Junior Concubine Xu even asked a maid to serve Qing¡¯er, a second-ss maid? It was obvious provocation to Ning Xueyan.

    It seemed that Junior Concubine Xu had regarded Ning Huaiyuan as her backing.

    She thought that Ning Xueyan would be get rid of soon, so she was so unscrupulous.

    ¡°Miss, during your time in the imperial pce, Junior Concubine Xu had requested a few times to Mother Han to send Qing¡¯er to her ce. Each time, Mother Han refused her on the pretext of your absence. Then it looks like this!¡± Qingyu said resentfully at the sight of Qing¡¯er, who wasn¡¯t dressed like a maid at all.Read more chapter on our vi pnovel

    In the past, Qing¡¯er was kind of obedient except for bullying the maids younger than her asionally behind the others¡¯ back. Now, she not only yelled at Mother Han in front Ning Xueyan and Xinmei, but also had a young maid waiting on her. It was said that her physical conditions were poor, so Junior Concubine Xu had sent the young maid to serve her. It seemed that she had regarded herself as the master of the manor.

    ¡°Did this young maide here in the past few days?¡± Ning Xueyan looked at the maid with a slight smile, who looked very smart, from a distance. The maid was kind of strong, so one could tell that she was in charge of rough works. Although she was only 13 or 14 years old, she seemed to have great strength which was quite different from Qing¡¯er.

    ¡°Yes. She is smart and honey-tongued. She is in charge of boiling medicinal herbs for Qing¡¯er and she would bury the dregs each time instead of throwing them away casually.¡± Qingyu had a good feeling about this young maid, so she deliberately mentioned her in front of Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Bury the residues? How did you deal with the residues before?¡± Ning Xueyan asked with a slight frown. She had never cared about this. Bright Frost Garden had thergest number of people who took medicine in the manor, so how to deal with the residues was really a big problem.

    ¡°In the past, Mother Han and I would pour all the residues on an open space in the corner of the courtyard. After some time, people would sweep them away. That young maid is very amusing. She said some of the herb residues contain harmful substances, so it was improper to pour them onto the ground. To avoid the residues harmful to your health, she suggested to bury them...¡±

    Qingyu had thought what the maid said made sense, but when she told Ning Xueyan about this, she felt something wrong for no reason. She could not figure out what it was, so she suddenly stopped and asked Ning Xueyan in confusion, ¡°Miss, do you feel something wrong with it?¡±

    Ning Xueyan looked at Qingyu appreciatively. Unlike Lanning, Qingyu had been reckless. Now she could even tell there was something wrong, so obviously, she was more experienced than before. Watching Qing¡¯er walking away, Ning Xueyan moved on and answered, ¡°Instead of paying attention to Qing¡¯er, you should keep an eye on this young maid.¡±

    A trace of a sneer appeared on her lips. Those people wanted to shift her attention, but unfortunately, they underestimated her intelligence.

    How could such a rough maid be well-educated and even know the property of a medicine?

    She even attracted more attention than the sickly Qing¡¯er, who went to Junior Concubine Xu¡¯s ce from time to time every day, wearing ostentatious clothes. It was really surprising!

    ¡°Yes, got it.¡± Qingyu was obedient to Ning Xueyan. Although she could not find anything wrong at the moment, her intuition told her that there was something wrong with the maid, so she nodded immediately.

    Her master would not suspect anyone for no reason, so she was certain that there must be something wrong with the maid. She knew she had to be more cautious and never let the others hurt her master.

    When Ning Xueyan returned to Bright Frost Garden with Qingyu, Mother Han had been waiting anxiously for a long time. She blinked at Qingyu when she saw them walking in. Qingyu understood her intention immediately, so she walked to the outer room with a nod. Then she sat down and started with needleworks. Although no outsiders were here now, they should be more cautious.

    Mother Han pulled Ning Xueyan into the inner room with an anxious look. ¡°Miss, something happened to Childe Ning!¡± As soon as she closed the door, she said, stamping her feet. She had rushed back the moment she heard the news and had been waiting for a long time. She was told that Ning Xueyan had gone to Madam Dowager¡¯s courtyard, so she did not dare to find her. It made her like a cat on hot bricks.

    She wondered what her master would do to deal with this tricky problem.

 Chapter 333 - Interlocked Stratagems, Ning Huaijing Was Caught

    <strong>Chapter 333 Interlocked Stratagems, Ning Huaijing Was Caught</strong>

    ¡°What happened to Ning Huaijing?¡± Ning Xueyan sat down and asked.

    ¡°Miss, Childe Ning is very popr in the Qingyun Academy, but he got into a fight with someone and knocked him out! That person¡¯s family is very powerful, so Childe Ning was put into prison before he could defend himself,¡± Mother Han answered anxiously.

    It had happened suddenly, so when she got the news from Han Dazhuang, Childe Ning had already been taken away.

    ¡°Ning Huaijing fought with someone? He doesn¡¯t look like a person who knows how to fight!¡± Ning Xueyan thought.

    ¡°Who was that guy that got pped?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s said he came from a rich family. As his family is wealth and power, he always bullies people. Actually, they didn¡¯t fight for anything big. That person deliberately provoked Childe Ning, calling him a b*stard, so Childe Ning beat him out of anger. Then somehow that person hit the wall and fainted.¡±

    Mother Han wiped her sweat and exined in more detail.

    ¡°A b*stard?¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She frowned slightly with a trace of enlightening shing in her jet-ck eyes. It seemed that someone began to doubt his parentage. It was no wonder that Madam Ling was so quiet these days, and she did not even meddle with the revenge of her beloved daughter. Now Ning Xueyan knew that Madam Ling had put her efforts into dealing with Ning Huaijing.

    ¡°Mother Han, send someone to the vige outside the Eastern City, tell Ning Huaijing¡¯s mother that Ning Huaijing got into trouble and ask her to find a way to help him out.¡±

    ¡°Ah? Miss, you don¡¯t intend to save him? Mother Han was surprised that Ning Xueyan did not try to save Ning Huaijing, but kicked the ball to someone else. She froze for a while, wondering what she meant.

    ¡°Mother Han, Ning Huaijing only injured someone, so it¡¯s not a big deal. Although he was in jail now, he will be okay. I¡¯m sure his mother will find a way to save him,¡± Ning Xueyan said with a slight smile. She then took the teacup from Lanning gracefully, lifted the lid and removed the tea foam.

    ¡°You mean we should have Madam Yu ask the marquis for help? But you¡¯ll lose an opportunity to have him owe you one.¡± Mother Han did not understand what Ning Xueyan was doing. Ning Xueyan had asked her to keep an eye on Ning Huaijing and said she would help him out when he was in trouble. Now she finally got a chance, so Mother Han was so confused as to why she had given it up.

    ¡°Mother Han, go ahead and inform Childe Ning¡¯s mother first. Things won¡¯t be so simple,¡± Ning Xueyan said meaningfully with a faint smile.

    It was just a beginning and would not end so soon. With Madam Ling¡¯s characteristics, she would rather kill a hundred by mistake than to spare one enemy. It seemed she had not known the fact that Ning Huaijing was Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s son. Otherwise, she would have done more than this.

    Maybe she was suspicious just because of Ning Huaijing¡¯s name, and obviously, she had no evidence now. Or the person who was beaten by Ning Huaijing would not only faint. Of course, there would be a follow-up of this matter. Madam Ling was just guessing and testing now. Once she got any evidence, she would show no mercy and immediately get rid of Ning Huaijing.

    If Ning Xueyan meddled in at this moment, she would expose herself. Then Madam Ling and Ning Huaiyuan would be more alert and much more difficult to deal with.

    Ning Xueyan was interested in Madam Yu¡¯s identity as well. Since Mother Wang made friends with Madam Yu, she had passed on all the messages Madam Yu told her to Ning Xueyan. Ning Xueyan was shocked when she heard the news aftering back from the imperial pce. She did not expect that there were so many secrets behind it. Ning Xueyan and her uncle had looked into the matter about Madam Ming for a long time but did not make much headway.

    After all, it had been a long time, and there were no clues left at all.

    It seemed that she could use some special means to deal with the problem.

    Now Madam Ling was investigating if Ning Huaijing was Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s illegitimate child and Ning Xueyan had her own n. It was really a coincidence.

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll go right now.¡± Mother Han was smart. Otherwise, she would not have protected Bright Frost Garden under that circumstance. Obviously, Ning Xueyan was implying something. She thought for a while and figured out her intention. Then she turned to leave with a nod, feeling much relieved.

    Ning Zu¡¯an rode back from the court at noon. After getting off the horse at the gate, he threw the reins to a young male servant. However, when he was about to walk in, the servant who stood beside him pulled the hem of his clothes. He looked in the direction the servant pointing at and saw a woman¡¯s pale face. A hint of disgust immediately crossed his eyes.

    The servant was Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s henchman. ¡°Marquis?¡± he called Ning Zu¡¯an in a low voice.

    ¡°Bring her to my study.¡± Although Ning Zu¡¯an was unwilling, he still ordered the servant to bring that woman in. The woman did not seem to be a trouble maker, so without anything important, she would note to him. ¡°Could that because someone deducted her money again? Even so, not much money. Ning Xueyan had investigated this matter before, but after I exined to her, she didn¡¯t mention it anymore. What this woman came here for this time?¡± Ning Zu¡¯an wondered.

    He was upset at the thought of this. Then he shook his sleeve and strode into the manor without even looking back.

    A servant followed him while another one walked to Madam Yu, who was hiding in a corner.

    ¡°Why are you here again? The Marquis is not in a good mood these days. You can¡¯t get a penny this time,¡± the servant said in a low voice. It was true that Ning Zu¡¯an was in low spirits recently as two Young Ladies of his manor had lost in the contest. It upset all his ns, so he was not in the mood to talk to Madam Yu at all.

    The servant told Madam Yu about this for her own good. From Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s attitude, he could tell he was very upset.

    Madam Yu had rushed here and waited anxiously for a long time. ¡°Please! Please bring me to the manor. I... I have something important to tell the marquis.¡± She begged with tears in her eyes.

    At the thought that her son was being tortured in the prison, Madam Yu came to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor without any hesitation following the person from the academy who took the message to her. She had been waiting for a long time before Ning Zu¡¯aning back.

    ¡°Alright, are these vegetables in your basket?¡± the servant asked, pointing at the basket on Madam Yu¡¯s back.

    ¡°Yes, I brought some vegetables here.¡± Madam Yu nodded. Although she was in a hurry, she knew she had to find an excuse if she wanted to enter the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Therefore, she picked some vegetables from the field and brought them here. Whenever she had something urgent for Ning Zu¡¯an in the past, she would have pretended that she came to send vegetables. She used the same way this time.

    ¡°Then follow me!¡± The servant nodded. He then turned and walked to the side gate. Madam Yu wiped her tears, following him.

    The servant said that the marquis found the woman¡¯s vegetables were good when he saw her selling vegetables in the street, so he asked her to send them to the manor. Since the servant was the marquis henchman, the doorman immediately let them in after hearing what he said.

    Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s study was not far from the front gate, so they arrived after a few turns. The servant took the vegetable basket for Madam Yu. Seeing her walking into the courtyard, he put the basket in the corner and then sat down by the door, bathing in the sun. When he saw a maid passing by, he asked her to take the vegetables away and left the basket there.

    In the study, Ning Zu¡¯an was sitting behind the table sullenly. He looked at Madam Yu and said impatiently, ¡°I told you not toe. I can ask people to bring you what you need.¡±

    ¡°Marquis, I didn¡¯t want to bother you, but... something bad happened to Jing¡¯er. He was caught!¡± Madam Yu burst into tears as soon as she saw Ning Zu¡¯an. She was so sad that she almost copsed onto the floor.

    ¡°Ning Huaijing?¡± Ning Zu¡¯an had never raised this illegitimate child, so he had no much affection for him. But anyway, he was his son. Besides, on the surface, Ning Huaiyuan was his only son. Ning Zu¡¯an also hoped that he could have more sons, so he never stingy in giving Madam Yu money.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t he studying in the academy? Why did they catch him? Didn¡¯t you teach him to behave himself?¡± Ning Huaijing was not only an illegitimate child but also rted to another matter, so his identity was bound to remain secret. Ning Zu¡¯an was particrly upset when he heard that Ning Huaijing made trouble.

    ¡°Marquis, Jing¡¯er shouldn¡¯t be med. He has always been gentle and never stirs troubles. If that person hadn¡¯t provoked him on purpose, he wouldn¡¯t have fought with him. Marquis, please save Jing¡¯er. He, he is my only hope.¡± Seeing that Ning Zu¡¯an did not want to help, Madam Yu knelt down and begged him, looking up with tearful eyes.

    The person who sent the message from the academy said the consequence might be serious. The injured hadn¡¯t woken up yet. If he died, her son would be sentenced to death. At the thought of this, Madam Yu could not stay calm anymore. All she could do was kneel down and beg.

    ¡°Well, get up first. I got it. Who caught him?¡± Ning Zu¡¯an had a headache. Everything was not going well recently. Now Ning Huaijing was also in trouble, so it was impossible for him to be in a good mood.

    ¡°He was taken away by Lord Mayor¡¯s men. They, they didn¡¯t even allow Jing¡¯er to exin. It¡¯s said he was beaten up as soon as he was put into jail. Jing¡¯er... Marquis, please save Jing¡¯er¡¯s life, please!¡± Madam Yu fell to the ground with tears in her eyes. Mother and son are closely rted by nature, especially Madam Yu had brought up her son alone, and so Ning Huaijing meant everything to her. She could not bear anything bad happen to him.

    Ning Zu¡¯an became even more impatient. ¡°Well, I got it. You can leave now,¡± he waved his hand and said coldly.

    Obviously, Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s patience had worn off. Madam Yu was not stupid. Now Ning Zu¡¯an had agreed, she then stood up, wiped her tears and bowed to him respectfully before leaving.

    Since the marquis had agreed to help, her son might have a chance to be rescued.

    ¡°I have asked someone to send the vegetables to the kitchen. You can go back now,¡± seeing hering out, the servant said, pointing to the empty basket.

    Madam Yu nodded and picked up the basket. She wiped tears off her cheeks and then walked out with the basket on her back. She was familiar with the courtyard, so she did not need the servant to lead the way.

    She had just turned a corner when she suddenly stumbled and tripped over something. With an ¡°ouch¡±, she fell to the ground. It seemed that the basket on her back hit somebody and another ¡°ouch¡± rang beside her.

    The servant who stood not far away turned around warily and strode to the intersection. He happened to see a sneaky older female servant who got up and ran away in a hurry without even say anything to Madam Yu when she looked up and saw the young male servant¡¯s face.

    Although it was only a nce, the young male servant saw her face clearly as well. She was First Madam¡¯s servant. ¡°The marquis had never told First Madam about this woman. Did First Madam find out something?¡± Thinking of this, he could not help but frown. He walked over and pulled Madam Yu up before picking up the basket for her and asking her to leave as soon as possible.

    It would lead to a disaster if First Madam found it out!

 Chapter 334 - Why Is He Here?

    <h4>Chapter 334 Why Is He Here?</h4>

    Madam Yu left with terror. The servant looked around before returning to the study to report to Ning Zu¡¯an. Seeing them leaving, Xinmei walked out from behind a tree. She snorted after taking a look in the direction the older female servant had left and then turned and headed for Bright Frost Garden.

    Ning Xueyan was picking cloth at Bright Frost Garden.

    Ao Chenyi had sent her the message through a pigeonst night, informing her to prepare some new clothes for him as her dowry, the more, the better.

    Ning Xueyan was surprised that Ao Chenyi had sent her a message so formally just for such a trifle. She was speechless and was about to ignore it. However, this morning, the pigeon brought another note which had the same content as yesterday. Ning Xueyan had to take it seriously.

    Worrying that he might stir up trouble, she sent back a note to tell him that she had got his message.

    It was a custom for brides in the capital to bring clothes for all seasons for bridegrooms. However, their marriage had not been announced officially, so it was improper to make clothes for this man. Besides, Ning Xueyan did not have any high-quality cloth in her hands for the moment, so she decided to prepare a few sets casually. At least, Ao Chenyi could not find an excuse to me her.

    If she did not prepare the clothes, the arrogant prince might make trouble again. Ordinary people could not figure out what this moody prince was thinking. If he was annoyed, he would not show mercy, even if she was a noble Young Lady. That County Princess Yuanyun had not only been stripped of her title, but her reputation was also ruined.

    She could only rely on the Great Elder Princess and marry an ordinary rich family in the future and it was impossible for her to enjoy the splendor she once enjoyed.

    Of course, Ning Xueyan did not feel sorry for County Princess Yuanyun at all. County Princess Yuanyun had even wanted to kill someone who met her for the first time, so obviously, she was an extremely vicious woman. After rebirth, Ning Xueyan did not want to be a kind but weak person anymore, like she used to be. If someone wanted to frame her, she would fight back without mercy.

    ¡°Miss, the marquis¡¯s servant saw Madam Yu.¡± Lifting the curtain, Xinmei walked in and reported.

    Ning Xueyan picked up a piece of light-colored brocade, thinking this color was more suitable for household clothes. Compare to Ao Chenyi¡¯s gorgeous, eye-attracting robe, the clothes made of such brocade would be much lighter and unremarkable.

    ¡°Go and ask Prince Yi to pay attention to Ning Huaijing. We must keep his safety,¡± Ning Xueyan said in a soft voice.

    She was certain that Madam Ling had just been suspicious at the beginning, but with Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s meddling in, Madam Ling had known that Ning Huaijing was his illegitimate child. It was impossible for Madam Ling to tolerate his existence, so she would definitely get rid of him.

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll leave right now.¡± Xinmei knew the seriousness and urgency of the matter, so she immediately answered with a nod and was about to leave.

    ¡°Wait! Let¡¯s go out together. You can go to Prince Yi after we get out of the manor.¡± Ning Xueyan stopped Xinmei after thinking for a moment.

    ¡°Got it,¡± Xinmei answered.

    They had no difficulty getting out now. It was Madam Ling and Junior Concubine Xu who were administrating the manor. They maintained the bnce on the surface and seemed to be harmonious with each other. To keep the peace, both of them gave way to each other and would not stir up trouble deliberately. This made it easier for Ning Xueyan to get around.

    As soon as the carriage left the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Xinmei got out of it secretly.

    After the carriage stopped at a teahouse, Ning Xueyan went upstairs with Lanning and Xinmei. The teahouse belonged to the Ming family. Ming Yuanhua had told Ning Xueyan toe for him for anything emergent. The shopkeeper here was his henchman, so she could trust him.

    When she took a seat in the box upstairs, a smart waiter immediately came over to pour tea for her and asked her to choose some snacks.

    Lanning asked the waiter to have the shopkeeper here as they had something to inquire about.

    Although the carriage Ning Xueyan took today did not look special, people could tell it was not an ordinary family could afford. Besides, the two maids beside her were well dressed. As the waiter had seen so many different people every day, he was certain this Young Lady muste from a rich family. Therefore, he immediately said yes and turned to look for the shopkeeper.

    After a short while, the shopkeeper, who was in his thirties walked in. He bowed to Ning Xueyan politely at the sight of her.

    ¡°Sir, our master is the Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. She wants to see your young master. Is it convenient?¡± Lanning asked with a smile.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, please wait for a few minutes. Our young master happened to be drinking tea here. I¡®ll tell him right away.¡± The shopkeeper was smart and immediately nodded in agreement.

    Lanning closed the door and then took off the curtain cap for Ning Xueyan. The shopkeeper had asked the waiter to serve the best tea and snacks in the teahouse.

    Ming Yuanhua came a short momentter. When he pushed open the door and saw Ning Xueyan sitting by the window, he could not help but smile. He strode over and sat down in front of her.

    ¡°Cousin Xueyan, what are you doing here? Did they make things difficult for you again?¡± Ming Yuanhua had changed his attitude to Ning Xueyan after he understood her situation and now he was full of pity and guilt for her. If he knew that his cousin had lived such a miserable life, he would have visited her before in any case.

    He thought that Ning Xueyan came for him because of the people of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor giving her a hard time for her loss in the contest. Therefore, he put it straightforwardly without any hesitation, widening his eyes.

    ¡°Cousin Mingyu, they are busy with their own business and have no time to deal with me,¡± Ning Xueyan said with a slight smile. She was moved when she saw Ming Yuanhua looking at her with concern. Raising to her feet, she poured a cup of tea for him in person and pushed it to him.

    ¡°Humph! If you don¡¯t feelfortable there, I¡¯ll ask my father to pick you up so that those people won¡¯t bully you again,¡± Ming Yuanhua said with a grim look as he thought Ning Xueyan did not dare to tell him the truth.

    With a faint smile, Ning Xueyan picked up the teacup and took a sip. ¡°Cousin Mingyu, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m fine. Have you ever heard of Qingyun Academy?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but I¡¯m not familiar with it. Why are you asking about it?¡± Ming Yuanhua asked in confusion after thinking for a while.

    ¡°Cousin Mingyu, there¡¯s a student called Ning Huaijing at the Qingyun Academy. Have you heard of him?¡± Ning Xueyan asked directly with a smile, hooking the handle of the cup with her fairy fingers.

    ¡°What¡¯s the rtionship between him and Ning Huaiyuan?¡± Since their names were so simr, Ming Yuanhua asked with a serious look.

    Even an irrelevant person like Ming Yuanhua could think of this, so obviously, Ning Huaijing¡¯s name was easily associated with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. It was no wonder that Madam Ling suspected him to be Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s illegitimate child. Ning Huaiyuan was in fact also an illegitimate child, so Ning Zu¡¯an was very likely to have another illegitimate child with another woman.

    ¡°Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s illegitimate child,¡± Ning Xueyan said leisurely, raising her eyebrows.

    Ming Yuanhua was stunned at her words. He then stood up angrily and mmed the table. ¡°What a scum! How did my aunt fall in love with such a man! What are they doing?¡±

    ¡°Cousin Yuanhua, calm down! No matter what they are doing, it has nothing to do with us,¡± Ning Xueyan said with a smile. ¡°It will be to Ning Huaijing¡¯s advantage when things get serious. Madam Ling used the same way to marry Ning Zu¡¯an years ago!¡±

    It was said that Madam Dowager had been longing for a grandson for a long time, so when she knew about the existence of Ning Huaiyuan, she immediately agreed to let Ning Zu¡¯an marry Madam Ling in spite of Madam Ming¡¯s objections. Madam Dowager despised Madam Ling for not being noble enough, but because of Ning Huaiyuan, she did not care too much about it.

    If Madam Dowager knew that she had another grandson, she must be ¡°overjoyed¡±.

    Ming Yuanhua blinked and immediately understood Ning Xueyan¡¯s intention. ¡°You want Ning Huaijing to be Lord Protector¡¯s legitimate son?¡± he sat down and asked slowly after calming himself down.

    ¡°Since there¡¯s already an illegitimate son at the manor, I don¡¯t mind another. If Madam Ling had no son, she wouldn¡¯t have the chance to marry Ning Zu¡¯an and murder my mother. What if her son can¡¯t take over the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor in the future?¡± With a trace of a sneer, her charming girlish face looked a little indifferent which was quite different from her delicate appearance.

    The situations were simr, however, Madam Ming was tolerant and had never fought back. On the contrary, Madam Ling was vicious and would not show mercy to Madam Yu and her son.

    ¡°So you want to help Ning Huaijing be the Princely Heir of your manor?¡± Ming Yuanhua asked after freezing for a while.

    Ming Yuanhua felt distressed when he saw Ning Xueyan¡¯s childish face show such a look. A noble Young Lady like her should have been lively and carefree, but not only did she have to deal with the people of the Ning Manor, but also she needed to make herself strong.

    ¡°Yes, Cousin Yuanhua, please help me!¡± Ning Xueyan smiled slightly, without saying any polite forms. Her jet-like eyes blinked, looking innocent.

    ¡°Go ahead,¡± Ming Yuanhua answered without any hesitation. No matter what his cousin wanted to do, he would help her.

    Ming Yuanhua left after they reached the agreement. Ning Xueyan remained there for a while. Since it was still early and Xinmei had note back yet, she would prefer to wait here while drinking tea and chatting. She seldom had the chance to rx, so she decided to enjoy her time.

    The teapot was empty, so Lanning went out to ask the waiter for a new pot of tea. Ning Xueyan was left alone in the box, waiting.

    The box was located right in front of the street, and it was on the second floor, so Ning Xueyan could see people bustling in the street. When she looked up subconsciously, she found it was a brocade shop opposite her. The shop was big, so there must be a variety of brocade inside. She decided to have a look there and choose some brocade for Ao Chenyi to avoid being med.

    When she was in a trance, the door suddenly opened with a loud and clear sound ringing from behind. ¡°Young Lady, sorry foringte. I was really busy just now. I¡¯m so sorry!¡±

    Hearing that, Ning Xueyan turned her head and saw a pair of familiar beautiful eyes. She blinked in a daze and it took her a long time beforeing back to her sense.

    ¡°Why... is he here?¡±

 Chapter 335 - Deal, Another Deal

    <h4>Chapter 335 Deal, Another Deal</h4>

    Wen Xueran was also surprised to see Ning Xueyan here. He took two steps back and looked at the name of thepartment above. Ning Xueyan was also surprised. Then, he shook the folding fan in his hand and walked in with a calm look. He had an amorous look in his eyes.

    Ning Xueyan was speechless at the look on his exceedingly beautiful face. She did not think that she and Wen Xueran were that familiar with each other.

    But since he hade in and was an acquaintance, she could not ignore him.

    Helplessly, she stood up and smiled at Wen Xueran, ¡°Princely Heir, are you in the wrongpartment?¡±

    ¡°Yes, the character outside looks simr. I¡¯m in the wrong ce. But it¡¯s also good, since I¡¯m lucky to have met you, Fifth Young Lady.¡± Wen Xueran raised his face, which was as beautiful as a woman¡¯s. He did not think that it was not suitable to stay alone in apartment with Ning Xueyan, who was neither his rtive nor friend.

    ¡°Princely Heir, you¡¯vee to the wrong ce. Aren¡¯t you afraid that someone will be waiting for you?¡± Ning Xueyan was stunned and asked.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Let her wait!¡± Wen Xueran said indifferently. He sat down in the chair opposite Ning Xueyan. Looking at the teacup in front of him, he had a faint smile on his face. ¡°Fifth Young Lady, are you waiting for someone?¡±

    Since he sat down without being invited, Ning Xueyan naturally could not be inhospitable. She sat down in the seat beside her chair. When he came in, the door of thepartment was open. They could not be said to have any underhanded dealings.

    ¡°I happened to meet my cousin and we had a little chat.¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s smile was natural and light.

    ¡°Ming Yuanhua?¡± It seemed that Wen Xueran could not remember who Ning Xueyan¡¯s cousin, was all of a sudden. After thinking for a while, he asked with a hint of interest in his amorous eyes. As his red lips curved up, an enchanting smile appeared on his face, which was more beautiful than any good-looking girl¡¯s.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded sincerely.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, is someone in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor giving you a hard time because of the Beauty Contest?¡± Wen Xueran shook the folding fan in his hand, and seemed oblivious to the fact he did not have the status to ask about this matter at all.

    ¡°Princely Heir, you think too much.¡± Ning Xueyan leaned back.

    She did not know what Wen Xueran wanted to do, and she felt that she was not familiar with the Princely Heir. Why did he behave so rudely when he was here? He even deliberately leaned over and was so close that she could feel his warm breath, when he was speaking to her,

    Sensing her resistance, Wen Xueran was not concerned and did not persist in his approach. He leaned back and looked idly at her slightly curved lips. There was a sh of light in his amorous eyes. He said yfully, ¡°Fifth Young Lady, you¡¯re right to find Ming Yuanhua. Back in the days, the Ming Manor had not only a high-ranking official in the imperial court, but also a military champion, who married a Commandery Princess. It was a wealthy and prestigious family.¡±

    Ning Xueyan knew that her uncle was a Martial Arts Schr, but it was the first time she heard that her aunt was the former Commandery Princess.

    Ning Xueyan thought that it was not a big deal to marry amandery princess based on the status of Ming¡¯s Mansion at that time. It was no wonder that when she first saw her aunt, she found that although her clothes and essories were not gorgeous, her temperament was excellent. At first nce, she knew that she came from a big dominant family. Such temperament could not be cultivated by a family like the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, which existed for only a dozen years.

    ¡°Unfortunately, the previous dynasty has passed. The former Number One Martial Schr must be reluctant to be ced as a subordinate under the others. Themandery princess of that year faded away from the public. The overbearing and lively daughter of the wealthy and influential family lost the position of the main wife. Though she was beautiful, she was also very unlucky.¡± Wen Xueran said.

    He spoke in a low voice as if he was whispering to his close lover. He wore a smile on his face without a trace of anger, which was an outsider¡¯s attitude. His words made Ning Xueyan clench her fists tightly.

    The so-called lively daughter of the rich and powerful family should be Madam Ming! She was the most talented girl in the world, so she developed such a character. But in her memory, Madam Ming had never smiled and there were faint traces of mncholia and deep creases between her eyebrows. Her anxiety was indeed poignant.

    All of this was caused by Ning Zu¡¯an and Madam Ling.

    ¡°Princely Heir, what do you mean?¡± Ning Xueyan took a deep breath and raised her head. The excitement in her eyes disappeared. Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes became calm again. She looked at Wen Xueran with her ck jade-like eyes and said this coldly. She did not think that Wen Xueran, an elegant childe from an aristocratic family, should say such things to her, for no reason.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, I heard that you were eliminated and forced into a strait in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. How about we make a deal?¡± Wen Xueran¡¯s amorous eyes fell on Ning Xueyan, with a trace of brilliance.

    Ning Xueyan frowned slightly. She did not feel that she had anything to do with this enchanting Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min. Although they had met several times, they did not say much. Besides, she did not think that she had what Wen Xueran needed, so there could be no deal between them.

    Although his amorous eyes seemed to be burning and passionate, Ning Xueyan saw a trace of aloofness in his eyes. Such a person could not have taken a fancy to her, so he said such words. His words needed to be considered carefully. What was he suspicious of?

    ¡°Princely Heir, I¡¯ve been doing well in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. I came here to ask about my uncle¡¯s health. Why are you thinking so much? What a coincidence. I have something to do, so I have to go first.¡± Ning Xueyan looked at the handsome childe in front of her and smiled leisurely. Then, she stood up, bowed to him, and then turned to leave.

    No matter what was in the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min¡¯s mind, and no matter who he was doing this for, Ning Xueyan felt that it was better to stay away from him. She had a feeling that this seemingly innocent and dissolute Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min was not as harmless as he looked.

    He had appeared on the scene several times during the fight between Ao Mingyu and Ao Chenyi. Although he did not say much every time, it was enough to prove that he was essential to Ao Mingyu. However, he had a good rtionship with Ao Mingwan. For a time, Ning Xueyan could not tell whom he was subject to.

    Unlike Commandery Prince Li, Commandery Prince Min had real power. As the only son of Commandery Prince Min, Wen Xueran had both a startling appearance and extraordinary strength. He was different from the yboy Ao Xian. However, when he faced Ao Chenyi, even if he did not speak, there was no difference in his behavior.

    Ning Xueyan even had a feeling that Wen Xueran must know something she did not.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, since you have something to do, let¡¯s talk about it next time.¡± It seemed that Wen Xueran was not bothered about Ning Xueyan¡¯s distant attitude. He leaned back on the chair and said goodbye to Ning Xueyan unconcernedly. He looked as if he could not be more familiar with Ning Xueyan, and even winked at her.

    Ning Xueyan was speechless.

    Looking at the slim girl¡¯s back disappearing from his sight, Wen Xueran stood up. He closed the folding fan in his hand and folded the Beauty Painting, with an elegant smile on his face.

    When he came out of the private room, he looked at the number on it, turned, and walked in the other direction. When he walked to the door of anotherpartment, he opened the door.

    The girl, who was drinking tea inside, turned around. She was about fifteen or sixteen years old. She had a timid look on her pretty face, and the handkerchief in her hand had almost been crumpled into a ball. When she saw Wen Xueran enter the door, the tension on her face disappeared. She breathed a sigh of relief and looked up at Wen Xueran.

    Such an exceedingly beautiful man could not be matched even by a woman. His enchanting, amorous eyes seemed to be full of tenderness, which made one¡¯s hearts tremble. The woman¡¯s face immediately turned red. She stared at Wen Xueran¡¯s face with zing eyes, and seemed reluctant to turn away. Was this the handsome childe?

    If Ning Xueyan were here, she would be surprised. She would be familiar with the face of the woman in front of her.

    ¡°Youngdy, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry. I had something to do, so I came a littlete. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Seeing the woman inside, Wen Xueran smiled with satisfaction. He turned over the folding fan in the air with a flirtatious look, and then itnded in his hand.

    ¡°No... it doesn¡¯t matter. It was not that long.¡± The woman felt hot with shame. She could not help lowering her head and ying with the edge of her skirt. She blushed like a rose. She did not expect that such a handsome childe wanted to see her. Was it because he took a fancy to her?

    For a moment, many thoughts shed through her mind. Her face turned redder and redder.

    She had been here for a long time. When the tall and handsome guard said that his Young Master had invited her over, she had been anxious. She did not know if she had provoked those rich yboys who acted tyrannically. Now, at first sight, she immediately felt that she was wrong.

    He was such a perfect person, so he might not be that kind of person!

    ¡°Youngdy, I wanted to ask if you are from the region south of the Yangtze River.¡± Wen Xueran said with a smile. It seemed that he was not aware that the youngdy was blushing, because of his incandescent eyes.

    ¡°Yes, I am.¡± The woman said in an affectedly sweet voice.

    ¡°Do you know the Young Lady of the Ning¡¯s Mansion, Ning Ziying?¡± Wen Xueran¡¯s smile became gentler and gentler. There was a touch of enchanting charm in his passionate eyes. He looked incredibly handsome.

    He was so handsome and sentimental. Thus, no woman could escape from his trap. The woman nodded vigorously. She was afraid that he would not believe her, so she deliberately said, ¡°Her family lives next door to ours. Young Lady Ziying does not go out normally, but I have seen her many times and became friends with her because the walls of our two mansions are next to each other.¡±

    Ning Ziying did not go out much, but the walls between the two mansions were not high. She had seen the beautiful girl several times from her own floor. They were about the same age and lived close to each other, so she was naturally interested in making friends with her. Against the wall, there was a high building on each side. The buildings were not far away from each other. After getting familiar with each other, they often went upstairs, chatting and talking across the window sill.

    ¡°Can you do me a favor?¡± Wen Xueran smiled gracefully.

    ¡°Say it.¡± The woman¡¯s eyes fell on his handsome face, and she was already infatuated with him. She felt that the young master in front of her was excellent in every aspect. She was willing to do anything that he asked of her.

    ¡°Can you help me identify if she is Young Lady Ning Ziying?¡± Wen Xueran took out a painting from his arms with a smile and handed it to the woman. The corners of his mouth curved slightly, and his eyes sparkled. The woman was fascinated again and subconsciously took it.

 Chapter 336 - Who was the One in the Portrait of Beauty with Peach Blossoms

    <h4>Chapter 336 Who was the One in the Portrait of Beauty with Peach Blossoms</h4>

    The woman in the portrait was dressed in a gorgeous pce dress. Even with theyers of clothes she had on, she still looked very slender. She had exquisite facial features and a lovely appearance. She was about twenty years old. Her watery eyes were sparkling, and her beauty was natural. She leaned on a couch, amidst the falling peach blossoms and her beauty was enhanced by the peach blossoms falling from the tree.

    ¡°Young Lady, look, is it her?¡± Wen Xueran stretched out his hand and asked, pointing at the beauty in the forest of peach trees.

    The woman looked left, then right. It seemed that she could not make up her mind at the moment. When she raised her head and saw that his beautiful, amorous eyes were fixed on her attentively, her heartbeat elerated. She hurriedly lowered her head and said in a panic, ¡°It looks... very simr, but it doesn¡¯t seem to be ... the same.¡±

    Looking carefully, she did not know what was different. She pointed to the person in the picture and said, ¡°She is older.¡±

    Ning Ziying left the regions south of the Yangtze River at the age of thirteen. At that time, she looked young and immature. How could she be as beautiful as the beauty in the painting? At first nce, she looked like Ning Ziying. But when she looked at her carefully, she felt that they were different. She knew that they were two different people.

    But when she nced at it, she felt that they looked alike.

    ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with her family. She has a brother, but he disappearedter.¡±

    Ning Xueyan did not know that Wen Xueran took this painting to search for Ning Ziying. She subconsciously felt that Wen Xueran was not as harmless as he looked. Besides, he was dissolute, so Ning Xueyan did not appreciate him. No matter what kind of purpose Wen Xueran had, it had nothing to do with her.

    Aftering out of the tea shop, Ning Xueyan entered the silk and satin shop opposite. As expected, there were many customers inside, as their materials were of good quality. There were two floors here. From Ning Xueyan¡¯s clothes, the shop assistant could tell that she was a nobledy. He immediately came over, and pointed upstairs, with a smile. ¡°Young Lady, we have some better quality materials upstairs. Would you like to go and have a look?¡±

    Ning Xueyan nodded. She did want to choose good material today. Ao Chenyi had repeatedly warned her to get his robes ready early. Ning Xueyan could not figure out why he was so moody. No matter what the reason was, it was not a big deal for her to do it.

    She could only me herself for her poor skills and slow movements. Anyway, he had said that she must do it herself. In her previous life, her craftsmanship was neither good nor bad.

    There was no good material in Bright Frost Garden. It was reasonable for her toe to this shop to pick some. He was a hard man to please, due to his fussy disposition.

    Ning Xueyan followed the shop assistant upstairs. There were a number of guests upstairs. The materials there were indeed much better than the ones below. Ning Xueyan took a fancy to an ink colored Xuanwu-textured cloth. This material was light andfortable to wear. This color was unusually light and quite rare.

    Ao Chenyi always liked to wear ink color clothes. Ning Xueyan thought that it was suitable for him.

    ¡°Is there any gray Xuanwu-textured cloth?¡± Ning Xueyan picked up the ink color cloth in order to have a closer look. Then, she looked at the other cloths and asked the servant inside.

    ¡°Gray... There seems to be no gray. Youngdy, this kind of cloth is generally not so dark. Otherwise, the fabric will not be so soft.¡± The shop assistant said in embarrassment.

    ¡°Is there any light colored cloth?¡± Ning Xueyan picked up the cloth and looked at it. The material was good. If it were for a housecoat, maybe the color would not be too dark. His clothes had always been ink colored, giving people an impression of coldness and stiffness. Maybe the light color would suit him too.

    The housecoat should not be so stiff.

    ¡°Young Lady, please wait a minute. I¡¯ll go and have a look.¡± The shop assistant saw that Ning Xueyan intended to make a purchase, so he said this with a smile.

    Ning Xueyan nodded and casually looked at the other cloths beside her.

    After a while, the man came back. He smiled apologetically and said to Ning Xueyan, ¡°Young Lady, there was one, but I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s what you want. Would you like to go to the warehouse with me? If it is not to your liking, then we don¡¯t have to take the cloth out from the bottom of the pile.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to the warehouse. Forget it!¡± Ning Xueyan frowned.

    ¡°Please be assured, Young Lady. The warehouse is right here. We¡¯ll be there in a moment. If you like it, I¡¯ll ask someone to take it out immediately.¡± The shop assistant saw Ning Xueyan¡¯s hesitation and immediately said this enthusiastically. He pointed to a short passageway behind him as he spoke. He had juste out from there.

    From here, one could see that there was a gate in the passage. It seemed that it was not far.

    Seeing that the man was so enthusiastic, Ning Xueyan thought that it would not take long. Finally, Ning Xueyan nodded and followed the man into the passageway. The man pushed the door open, and Lanning was the first one to enter, followed by Ning Xueyan.

    Lanning suddenly fell to the side and before Ning Xueyan could react, the door closed silently.

    It was a warehouse. There wereyers of cloth stacked together, from the bottom to the top. It was evident that there was enough stock. But what was wrong with this guard? Lanning fell into the guard¡¯s hands, in an unconscious state.

    ¡°How is she?¡± Ning Xueyan red at the guard who suddenly appeared and growled at him. She knew the man in front of her. Wasn¡¯t he Ao Chenyi¡¯s guard named Yu Jian?

    Although she was angry, the tension in her heart was eased.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, she¡¯s fine. She just fainted. Prince Yi is waiting for you inside.¡± Yu Jian said with a smile, as if he had not seen the anger in Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes. He pointed at the door of the inner room, as if he was making a decision for her.

    Ning Xueyan was speechless. Like master, like guard.

    Although she fainted, Lanning was not injured and was still breathing evenly. Seeing that, Ning Xueyan knew that she was fine. She bit her lips and walked inside. She did not know what Ao Chenyi was going to do.

    The door of the inner room was half-opened. There was a small window at the top of the room, and light came in through the window. The person who always liked to wear a ck robe was wearing a purple robe today. His ink-like ck hair was held back by a purple gold crown. He looked up and raised his long and narrow eyes, along with his eyebrows.

    Because of the beautiful purple robe, he did not seem as cold as usual. His handsome face was attractive beyond description.

    He seemed to be interested in the material in his hand. When he heard Ning Xueyaning over, he waved his hand and said, ¡°Come and have a look. How do you like this material?¡±

    She went over and saw the red satin in his hands, Ning Xueyan became increasingly speechless. Since when did this arrogant prince have such a hobby? He did not like inky colors now. In addition to that, he wanted the red color and even held the material against his body.

    He raised his charming eyes, pointed at the cloth in his hand, and asked Ning Xueyan, ¡°What do you think of this color for me?¡±

    ¡°Prince Yi, you look good in any color.¡± Ning Xueyan did not know what he meant. She blinked her watery eyes and answered carefully.

    Since when did this imperious prince care about other people¡¯s views?

    Ao Chenyi¡¯s eyes shed with joy. Obviously, he was satisfied with what Ning Xueyan had said. He pushed the cloth into Ning Xueyan¡¯s arms. Ning Xueyan saw something charming in his inky colored clothes and cold eyes, ¡°Make a robe for me.¡± he ordered.

    ¡°Prince Yi, do you want to wear a red robe?¡± Ning Xueyan was speechless. She looked at Ao Chenyi from head to toe, and the corners of her mouth twitched. She felt puzzled.

    ¡°What? I can¡¯t wear a red robe?¡± Seeing Ning Xueyan looking at him suspiciously, Ao Chenyi¡¯s face turned cold. He narrowed his eyes and looked at Ning Xueyan, with coldness in his eyes, which indicated that he was unhappy.

    ¡°Of course not. Prince Yi can wear it. You will look good if you wear bright red clothes.¡± Ning Xueyan immediately put on a straight face and said seriously. Ao Chenyi seemed to be in high spirits now, so she did not want to irritate him.

    ¡°Well, make two sets, one for you and the other for me.¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s attitude pleased Ao Chenyi. The coldness in his eyes faded away, and he nodded with satisfaction. Then, he took a piece of cloth from the side and handed it to Ning Xueyan. The two pieces of cloths were identical in color and material.

    Ning Xueyan took it subconsciously and blinked. She could not respond for a moment.

    ¡°What? Don¡¯t you want to wear the same clothes as me?¡± The Prince suddenly turned hostile. But now, he was moody again, and his eyes were cold. He looked at Ning Xueyan indifferently, as if he would vent his anger on Ning Xueyan if she dared to say ¡°yes.¡± He bared his teeth in anger.

    A drop of cold sweat quietly slid down her spine. Ning Xueyan woke from her trance. She looked at the cloth in her hands with a funny smile and then looked at Ao Chenyi, who seemed to be threatening her. ¡°Prince Yi, are you asking me to make you a wedding outfit?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, you are worrying over nothing. The pce will make this for you. You¡¯re Prince Yi. How can you not have a wedding gown? Until then, the pce will send you a pair of wedding clothes. Both the prince and the princess will wear them. Take it easy, Your Highness.¡±

    Ning Xueyan raised her head with an ingratiating look on her face. It seemed that the Prince was anxious to get married. Now he was eagerly preparing his wedding clothes.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like the wedding outfit made in the pce. I want you to make it. Aren¡¯t you free? You can have my wedding outfit ready. Later, I¡¯ll send you some materials to you to make more clothes for me.¡± Ao Chenyi said impatiently, with an evil smile on his face, which made her tremble with fear.

    Was he unhappy again?

    Ning Xueyan was speechless. With her watery eyes, she saw that his eyes were cold. His handsome but cold look was enviable. However, under his coldness, no one dared to look up at his face. This man was moody and unpredictable today.

    She rubbed her forehead perplexedly and said, ¡°Your Highness, your wedding outfit must match the consort¡¯s.¡±

    Prince Yi and his consort¡¯ wedding outfit should be a match. If she came to the manor as a co-consort, she would have no chance to perform the formal wedding ceremony with Ao Chenyi. Therefore, she could not dress like his consort and it was not suitable that Ao Chenyi¡¯s wedding outfit matched hers.

 Chapter 337 - Things in Those Days & an Ordinary Servant

    <h4>Chapter 337 Things in Those Days & an Ordinary Servant</h4>

    ¡°Do it because I say so. Don¡¯t talk nonsense. Remember to make it yourself. I will let you take my measurements today to avoid wastage of the material.¡± Ao Chenyi narrowed his eyes impatiently. He pulled something aside and threw it at Ning Xueyan.

    Ning Xueyan sat down subconsciously. When she saw the ruler, she was speechless. He was well-prepared. He even prepared the ruler.

    Didn¡¯t he say that he was busy every day?

    ¡°Come on. I have something to doter. Don¡¯t waste my time.¡± Ao Chenyi was pleased to see the distress in Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes. He felt good when Ning Xueyan¡¯s watery eyes blinked twice, and then sparkled nkly. Hearing that she had gone out of the manor, he immediately came over and waited for her here, and was less depressed.

    Although she was a bit wild, sometimes she was charmingly goofy, especially with her delicate appearance. He was no longer indifferent and feltfortable. He could not help reaching out and pinched her pretty nose.

    ¡°What are you thinking about? Hurry up.¡±

    Ao Chenyi had never behaved like this before. He pinched her nose a little harder so that Ning Xueyan¡¯s nose twitched. She sobered up and pped his hand away without hesitation. She said helplessly, ¡°Prince Yi, stretch out your hands. I¡¯ll take your measurements at once.¡±

    She had figured it out that Prince Yi was here to tease her. He waited to ask her to make his clothes. It was apparent that she could not wear these wedding clothes. But since he issued the orders, she could not say anything, as long as he was happy. Who would dare to go against the high-ranking Prince Yi, over a set of clothes?

    However, this thing happened to this bloodthirsty devil, which was too childish. Did the cold and arrogant Prince Yi do it intentionally? Ning Xueyan found it both funny and annoying.

    Only Prince Yi would think of sewing two sets of wedding clothes that they could not wear.

    But soon, she was relieved. Perhaps Prince Yi did not want the emperor to have a say in his marriage, so he did not want the clothes and essories sent by the imperial pce. If he insisted on wearing the wedding clothes that she made, with his wife, the emperor in the imperial pce would not say anything. No one would go against his will for such a trifling thing.

    As she thought so, she put down the cloth in her hand, picked up the ruler, and obediently took his measurements.

    Shoulder breadth, height, chest circumference, waist circumference... It was rare that Ao Chenyi was so approachable. He turned around as told, with a smile on his face. In a good mood, he looked at Ning Xueyan and smiled. When Ning Xueyan was measuring his lower hem, he suddenly lowered his head and said to Ning Xueyan, who was squatting beside him.

    ¡°I need a pair of shoes. You can make one pair as well.¡±

    He spoke naturally, without thinking that it was inappropriate to ask for so much.

    Ning Xueyan stopped measuring his lower hem. Out of his sight, she pursed her lips. Biting her lips, she stood up and stared at Ao Chenyi angrily. Although she was asked to make several sets of clothes and footwear for the bridegroom when she got married, should they not be made by the legal Wife?

    She was only a co-consort.

    ¡°I hope you can do it quickly, otherwise, humph...¡± Ao Chenyi did not seem to see Ning Xueyan¡¯s grievance. With an air ofcency, he pinched Ning Xueyan¡¯s tender face. Although he pinched her with minimal strength this time, it still left a red mark on her tender face.

    ¡°Prince Yi, I¡¯m the co-consort.¡± Staring at him, Ning Xueyan could not help but remind him.

    ¡°Rest assured. You¡¯re my chosen princess, so I won¡¯t let others bully you. The cloth is for you, so you don¡¯t have to pay for it.¡± Ao Chenyi was in a good mood and patted Ning Xueyan¡¯s head. Ning Xueyan stared at him with her dark jade-like eyes and choked with silent fury. Seeing that she was exceedingly wrathful and no longer calm, he felt happier.

    ¡°Prince Yi, Ning Huaijing¡¯s matter...¡± Ning Xueyan thought that if they continued with this subject, it would be bad for her, so she led the conversation to other matters. As she blinked her ck eyes, she remembered what had happened before, so she deliberately mentioned it.

    ¡°Take it easy. Ning Huaijing will be fine. I¡¯m here!¡± Ao Chenyi interrupted her. With an evil smile on his handsome face, he squinted at Ning Xueyan.

    He strode to the side. Then, Ning Xueyan found that there was another door at the corner. After Ao Chenyi went out, his guard followed him and disappeared.

    Ning Xueyan looked at the secret door and then at the two bolts of red cloths. She had no choice but to pick them up and walked to the entrance of the outer room. The door opened, and Lanning was standing there. Seeing Ning Xueyaning out, the servant nodded and bowed hurriedly, leading them to the front.

    Ning Xueyan did not ask about Ao Chenyi, so the male servant did not mention anything and sent her to the door, beforeing back.

    When Lanning came to, she saw the guard. Then she heard faint voicesing from the room. When she saw Ning Xueyaning out, she naturally did not ask anything. She helped Ning Xueyan to get into the carriage and they left. It was time to go back to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    When Ning Xueyan returned to Bright Frost Garden, Mother Han was already back and waiting in the room. When Ning Xueyan came in, Mother Han hurriedly reported to her, and also brought a message from Mother Wang.

    The message was sent by Han Dazhuang. He called a carriage and asked an older female servant of the Qingyun Academy to send the letter. Mother Han thumbed a lift and secretly went to see Mother Wang. Therefore, she had some news.

    ¡°Young Lady, Mother Wang said that Madam Yu has been hiding something before. She became familiar with Mother Wang recently. As expected, she used to be a maid at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. She did not say anything else. But I have not seen her before. I don¡¯t remember that there was such a maid like her in the manor.¡±

    Mother Han found it incredible. She came here when Madam Ming got married, but she had never seen or heard of Madam Yu. When Ning Xueyan mentioned her suspicions, she thought it was impossible. But now the fact was clear. Madam Yu was really a maid from the Ning¡¯s Mansion.

    ¡°Mother Han, Ning Huaijing is older than Ning Ziyan. That is to say, Ning Zu¡¯an has already had an affair with others. Whether he had one mistress or two mistresses, his behavior is still the same. Mom entered the Ning¡¯s Mansion because she did not know anything. If Mom knew it that day, would she have married him?¡± Ning Xueyan said with sarcasm.

    To marry Madam Ming, Ning Zu¡¯an took great pains to say that he would treat Madam Ming well for the rest of her life. He had raised an illegitimate child outside earlier on. Besides that, he had a sex servant in his mansion. Later, when the maid got pregnant, he sent her out so that Madam Ming would not find out.

    Ning Xueyan checked that when Madam Yu came to the manor, it was around the time when Madam Ming was about to marry him. From Madam Yu¡¯s appearance and behavior, she was clearly a maid. At that time, it should be Ning Zu¡¯an who swore that he would only marry Madam Ming in this life.

    It was also because of this promise that Madam Ming agreed to marry him.

    Now she found that it was a scam. At that time, Ning Zu¡¯an could say anything because of the power of the Ming family. As long as Madam Ming was willing to marry him, he would do anything. With the switch of dynasties, the God¡¯s favored daughter fell into the mortal world. He immediately turned his back on her.

    He said that he felt forced and could not bear to see his only son tramp the street, so he took Madam Ling back. Then, he saw Madam Ling hurting Madam Ming and toppling Madam Ming from the position of the legal wife. He turned his illegitimate children into his legitimate sons and daughters.

    His means were vicious. He had to be the most fickle and ungrateful man.

    Now that Madam Ming had died, everything in the past seemed to have been buried in time. Even the man who had framed her mother had disappeared. She and Ming Feiyong had checked it over and over again. But now, they could not find anything. If the man had not died, he would have been well hidden.

    From some clues, Ning Xueyan knew that the man was a servant of Ning Zu¡¯an.

    If he were an ordinary servant, Madam Ling and Ning Zu¡¯an would not believe it. Ning Xueyan always thought that Madam Ling became the Legal Wife so quickly because of Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s support. As a woman in the inner courtyard, Madam Ling could not have a trusted servant, unless this person was Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s trusted servant.

    However, these things could not be investigated into now, as if there was no trace left.

    Any trace left was gone with the wind. Many of the older people were already gone. However, ever since she checked the ount books for the first time, she had suspected Madam Yu. Then, she asked Mother Han to check it out secretly, but there were no results. Mother Wang went to the manor to recuperate. On the one hand, she hid from Madam Ling. On the other hand, she made friends with Madam Yu.

    However, Madam Yu¡¯s lips were sealed. Until now, she only revealed her identity. But with this identity confirmation, Ning Xueyan could take the next step.

    Since she was Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s sex servant and apanied him when he was not married yet, she must know a lot of things. Ning Xueyan would take this opportunity to investigate about what had happened in the past and seek revenge for Madam Ming.

    On the day of her rebirth, Ning Ziying and Ning Xueyan became one. She was both Ning Ziying and Ning Xueyan. So in her heart, Madam Ming was her biological mother. This love was irreceable. Even if she was not her biological mother, in her heart, she was like hers.

    Then, she would wait and see how Ning Yujing¡¯s affair woulde to light.

    ¡°Mother Han, pay more attention to the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard. If the Marquis rushes there furiously, inform me immediately.¡± Ning Xueyan asked Lanning to put down the red brocade. She took up a piece of cloth leisurely, looked at it, and said lightly.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go now.¡± Mother Han knew that her master had a n, so she nodded and was about to leave.

    ¡°Mother Han, take it easy. Go and eat first and have a rest. You¡¯ll have to wait until evening.¡± Ning Xueyan said with a slight smile and a trace of coldness on her face. Ning Zu¡¯an bullied Madam Ming, and had illegitimate children, one after another. Now, she would wait and see how they were going to find their origins.

 Chapter 338 - Being Difficult to Repress Ning Zuâ€™anâ€™s Anger

    <h4>Chapter 338 Being Difficult to Repress Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s Anger</h4>

    Lord Mayor was in charge of the security of the capital city. The official position was not a high post in the capital city, a ce full of officials. Therefore, Ning Zu¡¯an did not take it seriously when he was taken away by the Lord Mayor¡¯s subordinates. The students of the Academy had a fight. So what?

    A rich man¡¯s son fainted. When he woke up, Ning Zu¡¯an would pay a little money at most. He thought the Lord Mayor would save his face. Ning Zu¡¯an did not go there in person, but wrote a letter. He stamped the letter with a seal and asked a young male servant to send it to the Lord Mayor.

    The lord mayor¡¯s family name was Si. He was a goody-goody and did not offend anyone in daily life. Moreover, he was capable of dealing with all types of men. He had a good rtionship with Ning Zu¡¯an. When he saw his letter, he would let Ning Huaijing go. As for his son, Ning Zu¡¯an did not care, because his biological mother was only a maid.

    Madam Yu had said that he was serious about studying. If he could do well in the exams and get an official post, Ning Zu¡¯an would consider letting him regain his roots. But if he was not sessful, Ning Zu¡¯an would not think about it.

    Even if he did not care, he was still his son. He would bail his son out.

    Ning Zu¡¯an thought it would be a child¡¯s y. However, when the letter was sent to Lord Si, the injured, rich boy suddenly died. This blew up the whole incident and it could not be settled in private, because it involved the life of a human being.

    Ning Zu¡¯an could do nothing, but try to settle with the family in private. As long as the family withdrew the writtenint, it would be over. When the young male servant took Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s letter to the wealthy family, he was kicked out even before he could enter the house.

    The young male servant was very anxious because he could not enter the house. He listened to a kind-hearted passer-by and stood guard outside the gate. It was said that the Old Lord of the wealthy family would usually return to the manor during this period. At that time, he would rush directly and send the Marquis¡¯s letter to him, which could then be regarded aspleting his task.

    The servant hid in a corner anxiously and waited for the old master¡¯s sedan. But he did not see the old mastering out in the end. Instead, he saw an older female servant of First Madam sneaking out of the door, and looking around furtively. She saw that no one was paying attention to her, and left in a hurry.

    The servant was smart. In the blink of an eye, he followed the older female servant and saw her rushing to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. He entered the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor after her, and followed her all the way. After she entered the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard, he returned to Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s study and reported this to him.

    Above a tea shop outside the wealthy family¡¯s mansion, Ming Yuanhua stood at the window with his hands on his back, and saw the young male servant and older female servant leaving, one after the other. He narrowed his eyes and curled his lips in disdain. Madam Ling was vicious and could not stand that Ning Zu¡¯an had other sons. When she knew that this man was Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s son, she nned to kill him and came to negotiate with the First Madam of the wealthy family.

    By sacrificing the son of a concubine, she could befriend the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor that was favored by the Emperor. The First Madam was shrewd and quickly became partners with Madam Ling.

    His cousin was right, and Madam Ling deserved to die. He was confident that his aunt had died because Madam Ling framed her. Otherwise, his aunt would not have died at such a young age.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go to Eastern City.¡± He turned around and said to the servant who was following him.

    The young male servant nodded and ttered downstairs after him. They got on the carriage waiting outside and went out of Eastern City. The Ming Family had a small vige there. Ming Yuanhua never went there, but today he thought it would be a good foothold.

    In the outer study of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Ning Zu¡¯an listened to the servant¡¯s report with a livid face. When he mmed his hand on the desk, all the files on the desk fell to the ground.

    Ning Huaijing was his son. Although he did not care about him, he had a kinship with him. There was a difference between a son and a daughter. In public, he only had one son, Ning Huaiyuan. It was a small number. He raised Ning Huaijing and her son because he wanted his son to return to his family, once he rose to power and position.

    After all, he had only a few sons.

    When he was talking with Madam Yu in the study, the young male servant had reported that he saw Madam Ling¡¯s servant eavesdropping outside. However, he did not care. Now, he understood everything when he thought that the rich boy who fainted, died as soon as his letter was sent out, and then Madam Ling¡¯s older female servant hade out secretly from that manor.

    It was not due to the fight in the Qingyun Academy. Obviously, Madam Ling received the news and suspected that Ning Yuling was his son. When Madam Yu came to visit him, Madam Ling had already confirmed it. So, she would kill Ning Yuling.

    Since that affair with Madam Ming, Ning Zu¡¯an had not been so kind to Madam Ling. Madam Ming had been alone in the Bright Frost Garden for so many years, and Ning Zu¡¯an did not care about her. But this did not mean that Ning Zu¡¯an wanted her dead. When they were young, they yed together. When he married that God¡¯s favored daughter, he had happy memories.

    At that time, he had hooked up with Madam Ling, and Ning Huaiyuan was already born. Meanwhile, his sex servant was pregnant. But in order to marry the self-assertive girl, he drove his maid to the vige and pacified Madam Ling. He repeatedly said that he would settle her matterter. Eventually, he married Madam Ming.

    After that, the situation changed. The coddled female could not help him, but might also hinder him from getting a promotion and getting rich. Although the emperor did not say anything, she was still a remnant from the former dynasty. Although the No. 1 schr in the previous dynasty Ming Feiyong surrendered, he could not be a first-rank general.

    In this respect, Madam Ming had be an obstacle on his upward path. Moreover, she did not give birth to a boy. Besides, Madam Ling was eagerly attentive and ttering. Under his promotion, Madam Ling¡¯s elder brother had a sessful official career. Due to various reasons, Ning Zu¡¯an treated Madam Ming with indifference.

    Later, Madam Ling married to him. Madam Ling trapped Madam Ming, and Madam Ming proposed to lower her status. He knew about all these things. Then, Madam Ming went out of his life. He did not stop Madam Ling and helped her secretly, because that was what he needed.

    His sincerity became vulnerable in the face of interest.

    He needed a legal sessor and a wife who was good for his career. In any way, he did not think that he was wrong.

    Therefore, everything Madam Ling did was under his instructions and permission, but he did not ask her to kill Madam Ming. It was not entirely out of affection. He had always suspected that Madam Ming had something, but he looked around and could not find it.

    He wanted to sound Madam Ming out tactfully, but beyond his expectation, she died.

    Thinking of this, Ning Zu¡¯an was angry. Madam Ling imperiled the good reputation of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor time and again. Ning Zu¡¯an took Yu Lian as his concubine partly because he wanted to fight back against Madam Ling. As the First Madam of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she did not know that her maid served her husband in bed. It was a disgrace to her.

    After being released from the Buddha Hall, Madam Ling got along with Junior Concubine Xu. She was not estranged from Junior Concubine Xu. Their rtionship turned out to be good. Therefore, Ning Zu¡¯an went to the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard from time to time. He thought that Madam Ling had changed her mind after being locked up once.

    Unexpectedly, she dared to hurt his own son now. Thinking that this son might be promising in the future and Madam Ling wanted to kill him, Ning Zu¡¯an could not control his anger.

    After pounding the desk, he took the young male servant to the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard, and left in a rage.

    Seeing Ning Zu¡¯an entering the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard with two servants, Mother Han, who pretended to be watching the scenery, hurried back to Bright Frost Garden.

    At the entrance of the Bright Frost Garden, when Qing¡¯er was about to have dinner with Junior Concubine Xu, Ning Xueyan stopped her.

    In the past few days, Junior Concubine Xu had been asking Qing¡¯er to have lunch and dinner with her, on the excuse of seeing her younger sister.

    The food there was much better than a second-ss maid¡¯s, so Qing¡¯er did not refuse. She went there early every day, and people in the Bright Frost Garden did not stop her. But today was different. When she was gorgeously dressed and came out, she met Ning Xueyan, who was standing at the gate.

    She had no idea whether she should leave or not.

    Her elder sister told her repeatedly that the Fifth Young Lady was different. She asked her to restrain herself and wait for a while. Later, she would bring her to live with her.

    ¡°Who are you? Why are you dressed like this? Where are you going?¡± Ning Xueyan looked at Qing¡¯er coldly. It seemed that she did not recognize her for a while. She frowned, and her eyes were full of displeasure.

    ¡°Young Lady, she is Qing¡¯er, the second-ss maid in our courtyard.¡± Lanning hurriedly exined.

    ¡°As a second-ss maid, she is dressed like this. Others would think she is a Young Lady in this courtyard.¡± Ning Xueyan narrowed her eyes. Her hidden coldness made Qing¡¯er, who initially wanted to argue with her, shut up in a hurry. Looking at her cold eyes, she seemed to be drenched in ice. Even though Qing¡¯er had been arrogant these days, she was still instinctively afraid of Ning Xueyan.

    Qing¡¯er lowered her head and answered, while tugging at her handkerchief, ¡°Fifth Young... Young Lady, I¡¯m going to see my sister.¡±

    ¡°Your sister? I don¡¯t know which courtyard your sister belongs to. How can she afford to give you this silk cloth? I¡¯ll ask someone to check,¡± Ning Xueyan said calmly.

    Her words made Qing¡¯er¡¯s heart tremble. She shrank visibly and was extremely scared because she knew that she should not have worn these clothes as a maid. When she heard that Ning Xueyan was going to investigate, she wanted to discuss it with Junior Concubine Xu. However, now the Fifth Young Lady was ring at her coldly, and she had nowhere to run.

    ¡°Young Lady, Young Lady, something bad has happened. Marquis is rushing to the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard. Something terrible is about to happen!¡± Mother Han shouted as she gasped and ran over in a hurry, with sweat all over her head.

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. How could it be possible?¡± Ning Xueyan frowned.

    ¡°It¡¯s true. I am not talking nonsense. Marquis looks like he is out to seek revenge. What... what should we do?¡± Mother Han was anxious.

    It had something to do with Ning Zu¡¯an and Madam Ling, so Ning Xueyan could not make up her mind. Qing¡¯er rolled her eyes and saw that Ning Xueyan and others were in a dilemma. So, she secretly crept off with her maid. She had to tell her sister that the Fifth Young Lady said that she would be checking on her. What should she do?

 Chapter 339 - Madam Lingâ€™s Past

    <h4>Chapter 339 Madam Ling¡¯s Past</h4>

    In the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard.

    When Madam Ling came out to wee him, Ning Zu¡¯an pushed her away and sat down in the chair angrily. His face was livid and dark. He stared coldly at Madam Ling, who had been pushed to the ground.

    Seeing that the situation was unfavorable, Mother Chen hurried to help Madam Ling up.

    ¡°Marquis, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Madam Ling had been shoved for no reason. She was angry at first, but then she calmed down. She stood up with Mother Chen¡¯s help and asked softly, with a smile on her face.

    When she was talking about Ning Huaijing with Mother Chen, she felt very proud. Unexpectedly, Ning Zu¡¯an came right away. How could she not feel guilty? Even if she was angry, she did not dare give vent to her anger. Did hee here because of that?

    She did that secretly. The First Madam was Madam Ling¡¯s cousin, so outsiders did not know about it. Even if Marquis was exceptionally adept in trickery, it was impossible for him to know of it.

    That was what she thought. She calmed down a little. In any case, she could not let the marquis see her behaving abnormally.

    ¡°You have done a good thing!¡± Ning Zu¡¯an used to like this face, but now he only felt that it looked hypocritical and disgusting. He pounded the desk on one side, and shouted.

    Madam Ling was so scared that her heart trembled, and her face turned pale. Mother Chen shook her head silently, indicating that the Marquis would not know about it.

    ¡°Marquis, what are you talking about? I don¡¯t understand!¡± Madam Ling could only pretend to y dumb. She blinked her eyes and answered in a soft voice. She seemed to know nothing, and her face looked confused. Her portrayal was wless.

    ¡°How noble the Marchioness is!¡± Ning Zu¡¯an sneered. Looking at the face that seemed to know nothing, he was increasingly exasperated. ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know anything? And you can do whatever you want? Well, well, well, don¡¯t you want to harm my son? How dare you say that?¡±

    Speaking of thister, Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s eyes stared piercingly at Madam Ling.

    He was born to be a military general, and now he was angry. Madam Ling went somewhat weak under his gaze. But she also knew that she could not afford to show any weakness now. She suddenly altered the expression on her face and pretended to be delicate. Tears dripped from her eyelids. ¡°Marquis, what happened to you today? What did I do to make you so angry? You should make it clear lest I am wronged for no reason.¡±

    Whether Ning Zu¡¯an doubted or not, she would not admit it. Anyway, he was an illegitimate child. Would Ning Zu¡¯an have a dispute with her, because of an illegitimate child?

    ¡°I¡¯ve wronged you!¡± Ning Zu¡¯an sneered with a gloomy face. ¡°Look what you did to Ning Huaijing? Did you want to kill him when you found out that I had another son? ¡±

    ¡°Another son?¡± As soon as she heard this, Madam Ling was stunned at first and burst into tears. ¡°Marquis, what nonsense are you talking about? Another son? Don¡¯t you only have a son Yuan¡¯er? How could it be possible that you have another son? ... How can I, your mother, and Yuan¡¯er live in this world?¡±

    Madam Ling knew that Ning Zu¡¯an was a person who was sensitive about his reputation, so she deliberately tried to trap him, using his reputation. Besides his own, there were his son¡¯s and his mother¡¯s. She did not believe that Ning Zu¡¯an would humiliate the whole Lord Protector¡¯s Manor for that illegitimate son.

    Madam Ling had forgotten that Ning Huaiyuan and Ning Ziyan were illegitimate children when they first came to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. To initially ept another illegitimate son, one may feel a little shameful. If one got used to some things, he would not have such great psychological pressure.

    Although Ning Zu¡¯an did not like Madam Yu, she produced a son for him. Ning Zu¡¯an still wanted his son to return to his family if he had good prospects. Therefore, Ning Zu¡¯an did not object to the illegitimate child, as Madam Ling expected.

    Madam Ling thought that Ning Zu¡¯an would be embarrassed to say that Ning Huaiyuan was his son, but she was wrong.

    ¡°Madam Ling, when you first entered the manor, you were a mistress living outside with two illegitimate children, weren¡¯t you?¡± Ning Zu¡¯an said with a sneer. Hearing Madam Ling¡¯s words, Ning Zu¡¯an suddenly thought of Madam Ling¡¯s entry into the manor.

    This was heart-wrenching to Madam Ling. When she first entered the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Madam Ling was a mistress living outside, and then a concubine. It was Madam Ling¡¯s most embarrassing secret. Since she became a legal wife, these things had been banned from any discussion. Once one was found talking about it, they were severely punished.

    Over time, no one dared to talk about Madam Ling. Those who came to the manorter did not know that Madam Ling had such a dishonorable past.

    Madam Ling had selectively forgotten about the past. She felt that she gained the Legal Wife title in a proper way.

    Now that Ning Zu¡¯an touched a raw nerve in her, she was ashamed and angry. She could not help crying. ¡°Marquis, what are you talking about? How can you hurt me like this? I bore a son and two daughters for you. Each child is dignified and imposing. How can you talk about me, as if I am like a whore? If you are not satisfied with me, you can tell me. Why must you rebuke my children? They¡¯re all your natural children.¡±

    She cried so hard that she could not breathe and almost fainted. Mother Chen hurriedly held her and persuaded her in a low voice, ¡°First Madam, don¡¯t cry. The marquis knows everything about you and Young Master. How could he deliberately say that? I don¡¯t know if the marquis has heard from someone else. I believe that after you make it clear, he¡¯ll know your intention.¡±

    She secretly looked at Ning Zu¡¯an while talking. Her words were full of irony, and made people ufortable.

    Ning Zu¡¯an was still angry. Now he saw the master and servant whispering to each other, which was like putting on a show. He picked up the cup beside his hand and smashed it on Madam Ling. ¡°Don¡¯t pretend to act. Don¡¯t you want to kill Ning Huaijing? I¡¯ll tell you today that Ning Huaijing is my son. If you dare to hurt him, I won¡¯t spare you!¡±

    The teacup hit Madam Ling¡¯s feet. Fortunately, the tea inside was not hot, but it scared Madam Ling. The water from the cup soaked half of her skirt. Several pieces of broken porcin pierced her leg. Immediately, she felt a tingling in her leg, which told her that her skin had been cut.

    She did not expect Ning Zu¡¯an to be violent over an illegitimate child. Madam Ling was ashamed and angry. Shamelessly, she let out a cry and burst into tears. While crying, she pointed at Ning Zu¡¯an and said.

    ¡°Marquis, what are you talking about? Illegitimate child? In the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, I devoted myself to your family affairs. I did not expect you to have an illegitimate child outside. I¡¯m embarrassed by you. Marquis, don¡¯t you feel sorry for me and our children?¡±

    As tears fell from her pale face, she looked sad and pitiful. In normal times, Ning Zu¡¯an might have softened. But when he thought that Madam Ling wanted to hurt his son, Ning Zu¡¯an was enraged. He could not let it go, because Ning Huaijing was in prison now.

    ¡°Stop acting. Did you do that to Ning Huaijing?¡± He remained unmoved and said coldly.

    For the present situation, she had to find a way to get Ning Huaijing out.

    ¡°Marquis, what does that have to do with me? I don¡¯t know Ning Huaijing. This is the first time that I heard Ning Huaijing is your illegitimate son.¡± Madam Ling was reluctant to admit it. She sobbed, wiping her tears with a handkerchief.

    She thought that if she did not say anything, Ning Zu¡¯an would not find a way to deal with her. As long as the wealthy family insisted that Ning Huaijing had beaten their son to death, even if Ning Zu¡¯an interfered with it, he could not deliberately break thew. Moreover, Ning Zu¡¯an had not acknowledged Ning Huaijing as his son yet. After such a thing happened, it was impossible for Ning Zu¡¯an to ept this son whomitted crimes.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think that you did it perfectly? I remember that the Legal Wife of that family seems to be your cousin. What a coincidence! The son of a concubine died. I thought he fainted, so it¡¯s not a big deal. As soon as I got the news, he is dead. Now, Ning Huaijing has be the murderer. Madam Ling, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too coincidental?¡±

    Ning Zu¡¯an had not suspected Madam Ling before, so he could not remember anything. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that it was Madam Ling. It was so coincidental that he had to suspect Madam Ling.

    Everything has its cause. As for Ning Huaijing, Ning Zu¡¯an had found out privately that he was aw-abiding man. How could he argue and fight with others for no reason? Moreover, he had never fought with anyone before. How could he knock the rich boy out? He was a frail schr. How could he be powerful?

    When Ning Zu¡¯an sent the letter to the lord mayor, he also found out that the son of the concubine was not a good person. He did a lot of bad things and acted tyrannically in daily life. There were some people who followed him. How could so many people fail to defeat Ning Huaijing? And their young master was knocked out by Ning Huaijing?

    There were so many things that he felt illogical. When he associated it with Madam Ling, everything became logical!

    If Ning Zu¡¯an still could not figure it out, he would not have been the Lord Protector anymore.

    ¡°Marquis, I didn¡¯t do it. Can you tell me about Ning Huaijing? And why is there an illegitimate son? Do you remember what you said to me? What happened? Yuan¡¯er is your legitimate son. You... how can you have another illegitimate child? And he even made trouble. What will others think of our Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?¡± Madam Ling cried out loud.

    Her voice became unintentionally sharp.

    ¡°What illegitimate child? Where did you find the illegitimate child?¡± Just as they were arguing, an angry rebuke suddenly came from outside. When the two lifted their heads, they saw Madam Dowager, who had an angry look on her face, walking in angrily with Junior Concubine Xu supporting her.

    Descendants had always been the thing that Madam Dowager was most concerned about.

 Chapter 340 - My Grandson Was Going to Be Murdered

    <h4>Chapter 340 My Grandson Was Going to Be Murdered</h4>

    There was a reason for Madam Dowager¡¯s appearance in the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard.

    Seeing that Ning Xueyan did not take any notice of her, Qing¡¯er hurried to Junior Concubine Xu and told her what Mother Han had said. Hearing this, Junior Concubine Xu rolled her eyes and came up with an idea. She did not have time tofort her sister and went to Madam Dowager. She said that there was a quarrel in the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard, and asked Madam Dowager to mediate.

    Junior Concubine Xu was trying to please Madam Ling!

    A few days ago, they had a strained rtionship, but now they were on good terms. Although she did not know what happened between Madam Ling and Ning Zu¡¯an, it could not be a good thing because Ning Zu¡¯an rushed to the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard in a rage. Junior Concubine Xu wanted to save the situation, but she did not expect that the topic of ¡°illegitimate son¡± came up as soon as she entered the door.

    Her heart thumped, and she immediately felt terrible. Seeing Madam Dowager¡¯s face, she knew that she had heard it too, so she dared not say anything more. She quickly bowed her head and regretted her action. If she had known this earlier, she would not have called Madam Dowager over. This illegitimate child was what Madam Dowager was most concerned about.

    From what they said, it seemed that it was Madam Ling who had framed Ning Huaijing.

    Junior Concubine Xu was anxious, but she did not dare to say anything. When she saw Madam Dowager standing in the courtyard with a gloomy face, she knew that things would not go well. She could not save Madam Ling now, so she could only stand aside and listen obediently. Then, she followed Madam Dowager and entered the room.

    Madam Dowager did not know about Ning Huaijing. When the maid was pregnant, Ning Zu¡¯an told her not to tell anyone for fear that it would be an obstacle for his career. Otherwise, he would force her to have an abortion. So, the maid did not dare to say anything. Ning Zu¡¯an secretly arranged for her to leave the manor.

    Now that the matter was revealed, Ning Zu¡¯an also felt ashamed. When he saw Madam Dowagering in, his face turned red, and he felt embarrassed and annoyed. Meanwhile, he was not pleased with Junior Concubine Xu, who was supporting Madam Dowager. There must be someone who delivered a message to Madam Dowager.

    Madam Ling red at her with unfriendly eyes and cursed in her mind, ¡°Did the little bit*ch deliberately try to trick me by pretending to make peace with me? She wants to go against me on purpose, so she asked Madam Dowager toe here.¡±

    ¡°Mother, why are you here?¡± After all, Ning Zu¡¯an was more brazen. He calmed down and regained hisposure. He stood up and greeted Madam Dowager.

    ¡°Why am I here? If I have note now, my grandson will be killed.¡± Madam Dowager looked at Madam Ling angrily and said this with hatred in her voice. Then, she sat down in the middle chair without looking back. She knocked hard on the ground with the cane in her hand, and scolded Madam Ling, ¡°I wonder if you were jinxed when you came to our family. You did harm to the Second Young Girl. Now you want to kill my grandson. You¡¯re a vicious woman.¡±

    Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯sck of children was a point of anxiety for Madam Dowager. Unexpectedly, she had another grandson. Madam Dowager was naturally happy. But when she heard their quarrel, she knew that Madam Ling wanted to kill Ning Huaijing. How could she still dare to show her face? She pointed at Madam Ling and scolded her.

    The more she looked at Madam Ling, the more she hated Madam Ling. Now she regretted that she was the Legal Wife. However, she had borne her favorite grandson. Sometimes, no matter how much she disliked Madam Ling, she still had to put on a show. She could not let the others look down upon Ning Huaiyuan, because of this.

    On the matter of male offspring, she did not care anymore.

    This was Madam Dowager¡¯s bottom line. For her, a granddaughter was a pawn who would marry into another family. In the future, her granddaughter would be a member of another family. So, she did not care too much. However, a grandson was a member of the family. She could not let a woman hurt her grandson.

    In Madam Dowager¡¯s mind, a grandson was the most precious. As long as her granddaughter was useful, she would be treated as a pawn, whether she was of lineal descent or not.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, I... I don¡¯t know anything. How... how can you say that to me?¡± Madam Ling said, covering her face with her hands and crying. She looked delicate and pitiful.

    She thought that Ning Zu¡¯an would probablypromise in the end, if she kept crying in front of him. Due to this, Madam Ling pretended to be delicate and pitiful. Anyway, as long as she did not admit it or her cousin did not say it, she would have nothing to do with this. Unfortunately, she was wrong. Now, the person in charge of this matter was Madam Dowager.

    Madam Dowager had more insights about what had happened in the harem than Ning Zu¡¯an. She immediately realized that it was part of Madam Ling¡¯s evil n, which was targeted at getting rid of Ning Huaijing.

    ¡°What are you crying for? Go and ask your cousin to withdraw thatint. If something happens to Jing¡¯er, I¡¯ll teach you a lesson.¡± Madam Dowager was not Ning Zu¡¯an, so she would not let Madam Ling confess first. Her purpose was more definite, and she directly ordered Madam Ling to take action.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, I... I have not heard from my cousin for many years. How would she listen to me all of a sudden?¡± Madam Ling cried. She did not want the son of the lowly maid to enter the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor belonged to her son, and no one could take it away from him.

    ¡°She will not listen to you? Then why did you send people to her manor secretly? Didn¡¯t you say that you have not received any messages from her for many years?¡± Hearing Madam Ling arguing back, Ning Zu¡¯an snorted and said.

    ¡°I... I...¡± Madam Ling was anxious and sweated profusely.

    ¡°Will you write that letter? Or should I, an old woman, directly report to the Lord Mayor and ask them to help us to find out who added fuel to the fire. A rich man wants to confront the Marquis. Isn¡¯t he afraid of bing bankrupt?¡± Madam Dowager said with hatred.

    It seemed that if Madam Ling said that she did not agree, she would have a fight with Madam Dowager, in a never-ending situation.

    Although Madam Ling had fought with Madam Dowager for so many years, she knew that Madam Dowager would not do anything to her as long as Ning Huaiyuan was there. But now the problem was that the illegitimate child had made an appearance and in Madam Dowager¡¯s eyes, he was equally important. If she had known this, she would have killed him without considering whether he was Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s son or not.

    But now, Madam Dowager had asserted that she was the evil backstage maniptor and threatened her cousin¡¯s family with bankruptcy. If the matter became worse, her cousin would never cover up for her. Thinking of this, Madam Ling had to admit her mistake.

    ¡°Madam Dowager... I, I¡¯ll try now. If it doesn¡¯t work, don¡¯t me me.¡± She wiped her tears, looking both aggrieved and benevolent.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, First Madam must know nothing about it. Even if there is an illegitimate child, First Madam...¡± Junior Concubine Xu tried to help Madam Ling and tried to find a way out for her.

    ¡°You¡¯re a concubine. How dare you talk about the illegitimate child?¡± Unfortunately, she rubbed her the wrong way. Junior Concubine Xu did not know what had happened before, so her words seemed to be full of sarcasm. However, Madam Ling remembered that when she first entered the manor, everyone in the mansion said that Yuan¡¯er was an illegitimate child. So, she turned around and scolded Junior Concubine Xu.

    Being scolded for no reason, Junior Concubine Xu immediately shed tears, trying to gain sympathy. Unfortunately, Ning Zu¡¯an was deeply troubled, and he was not in the mood to see his concubine acting in such a manner. Seeing that Madam Ling was going to write a letter, he bid farewell to Madam Dowager and turned to leave. Even if the person whoined, decided to withdraw the intiff paper, it was not easy to settle this, because a man had died.

    He had to find someone to do him a favor.

    The Auspicious Clouds Courtyard was in general turmoil. No one was doing well. However, the atmosphere in Bright Frost Garden was harmonious. Ning Xueyan sat on the couch, selecting threads for making clothes, while listening to Mother Han¡¯s report.

    When Qing¡¯er left earlier, Mother Han went back to eavesdrop. They quarreled so loudly that one could hear their words from outside the wall. When Ning Zu¡¯an went out, she knew that the matter was over, so she hurried back to report to Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Young Lady, that person... is going to enter the mansion soon?¡± Ning Xueyan was carefully selecting threads, her delicate face tranquil. Her lips were paler than others, so she looked frailer than others. The nting sun shone over from the window, giving her face which was as white as snow, a natural and charming look.

    Such a woman was usually weak and tended to rely on others. Seeing the tender girl in front of her, Mother Han was sincerely convinced. If the Madam had behaved like this, she might not havee to a bad end. The Madam would not have died without first proving her innocence.

    After all, the Madam could not bepared with the Young Lady.

    The Madam looked tough, but she was tender. The Young Lady looked delicate, but she was strong. They werepletely different. So, Madam¡¯s path of life was doomed to be increasingly narrower, but the Young Lady¡¯s was the opposite.

    ¡°He won¡¯t go to the manor immediately. It¡¯ll take a few days. Mother Han, please prepare a set of superior ¡°schr¡¯s four jewels¡± for me. When my new brotheres to the manor, I¡¯ll go and congratte him.¡± Ning Xueyan said casually. She picked up a red silk string in her hand and looked at it against the window.

    The threads should be well matched with the red clothes. Otherwise, the set of clothes would be ruined. The Prince, who valued the wedding clothes, was hardly easier to deal with. The best way was not to mess up his business. As for whether he would wear it, it was beyond Ning Xueyan¡¯s consideration.

    Since she had already made up her mind to enter the Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, she decided not to think about other things.

    Now the most important thing was about Ning Yujing. Several days should be enough for her cousin!

    ¡°Young Lady, please be assured. I¡¯ll do it right away.¡± Mother Han was relieved when she saw Ning Xueyan¡¯s confident expression. Although she knew that the Young Lady would not be wrong, she felt unsure because it was about a male offspring.

    ¡°Mother Han, when you go out, go and check whether Qingyu is around or not. Ask her toe over. I need to talk to her.¡± Ning Xueyan said, as sheid down the silk thread in her hand and nodded with satisfaction.

    It was a good thing. It should be over within these few days. Qing¡¯er almost did not stay in the Bright Frost Garden these days. She only came back asionally when Ning Xueyan called her. Junior Concubine Xu did not take her seriously. She thought that Ning Xueyan¡¯s time was over!

    A concubine, who used to be a maid, was short-sighted after all!

 Chapter 341 - Madam Yuâ€™s Obsession and Heart Knot

    <h4>Chapter 341 Madam Yu¡¯s Obsession and Heart Knot</h4>

    Madam Yu was scared and knelt down to pray in a Land-temple, which was not far away from the manor.

    Since the news that Ning Huaijing had killed someone outside, she had gone crazy and ran to this small, house-sized temple to pray. No one could pacify her. She cried and muttered to herself. She knew that there was nothing she could do now, but only hoped that Ning Zu¡¯an could save her son.

    The sky outside was already dark. Those who had tried to pacify her earlier, had all gone back, leaving behind only a singlemp in front of a decrepit Buddha statue.

    This earthen temple had been built by the people here, and everything was simple and crude. It did not matter whether it would work. During normal days, if someone had something on his or her mind, he or she woulde here to pray for peace of mind. It would take several hours to reach the temple nearest to their ce, so it was inconvenient.

    Madam Yu closed her eyes, put her palms together, and recited the scriptures. After that, she opened her eyes. Looking at the Buddhist statute above, she shed tears again. She was panicky and anxious. Since she came out of the Ning Mansion, she was only concerned about her son. She did not dare to think about anything else.

    For her son, she was willing to suffer all kinds of hardship. Her Jing¡¯er was obedient and well-behaved. How could he do something like that?

    She did not ask for her son to be rich or powerful, nor did she dare to go to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, to turn to Ning Zu¡¯an. She only hoped that her son could stay by her side all the time, in the future.

    But now, such a thing happened all of a sudden. It was like a bolt from the blue. How could she stand it?

    ¡°Bodhisattva, please bless Jing¡¯er. If he can ovee his problem this time, I¡¯m willing to rebuild your golden body for you.¡± She kowtowed fervently. Under the light, Madam Yu could only see Bodhisattva¡¯s peaceful smiling face, as if she was blessing others with auspiciousness in the unseen world.

    She felt relieved for no reason. Yes, Bodhisattva must know that Jing¡¯er was wronged, and she would find a way out for him.

    This thought was in her heart, but she could not stop shedding tears. How could this happen to her Jing¡¯er?

    ¡°Yu Qing, are you praying for Ning Huaijing?¡± A voice suddenly sounded. And seemed toe from afar. Immediately, Madam Yu opened her eyes wide and looked around in horror, but she did not see anyone.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to look for me. I¡¯m right in front of you.¡±

    Madam Yu raised her head, only to see the wooden Buddha¡¯s face in the curling smoke.

    ¡°B-Bodhisattva!¡± Madam Yu shivered with fear and fell backward. She pointed at the Buddha statue in the middle and stammered. However, the fear on her face turned into surprise. She wiped away the tears on her face and knelt down again.

    ¡°Bodhisattva, I beg you to save Jing¡¯er. He really has not done anything bad. He really has not done anything bad.¡±

    The Bodhisattva made its presence felt. It must be because her sincerity touched heaven, or because Jing¡¯er¡¯s grievance had reached the emperor¡¯s ears. So, the Bodhisattva made its presence felt.

    Thinking of this, she was not afraid anymore.

    ¡°He did not do any bad things. Yu Qing, what about the evil things you have done?¡± She could not tell where the ethereal voice came from. Looking at the Buddha statue, she thought that it wasing from the Buddha statue.

    ¡°I... I have not done anything bad.¡± Madam Yu argued subconsciously.

    ¡°You have, so it rebounding on your son now. Every cause has its effect and vice versa. If there¡¯s no cause for the day, there will be no effect.¡± The Bodhisattva¡¯s voice was drifting, but Madam Yu¡¯s heart seemed to have been hit heavily.

    ¡°I... did not. Bodhisattva, you¡¯ve made a mistake.¡± She said this hurriedly, fearing that the Bodhisattva might have made a mistake and me it on her son. Initially, she heard that the man fainted, but now it was said that the man had been seriously injured and died.

    ¡°Your son¡¯s matter was originally small, but because of what you did before, the small matter has turned into a big matter. Madam Yu, do you still want to hide it? Then, your son will be beheaded.¡± The Bodhisattva did not seem to believe her words at all, and said this with a sigh.

    After hearing that her son was about to be beheaded, Madam Yu¡¯s hands began to tremble as if she saw Ning Huaijing lying in a pool of blood. She screamed and shed tears, ¡°Bodhisattva, I really can¡¯t remember. Can you... tell me what I did wrong? I¡¯ll correct myself. Even when ites to retribution, please give me retribution.¡±

    She was panicky and confused, and her mind went nk. She did not know what she had done wrong. Was it because Jing¡¯er was an illegitimate child who could not be recognized by others? However, she was a maid meant as a bedpanion, and she could not be regarded as a real mistress. She was just a poor woman who was kicked out. How could she have done something bad?

    ¡°More than ten years ago, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor... Yu Qing, Are you sure you don¡¯t remember anything?¡± Bodhisattva said quietly.

    Ten years ago, in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? Ten years ago, she returned to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Even though she was a maid serving as a bedpanion, whose status was low, she was also a decent person in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Why she was suddenly kicked out of the Ning¡¯s Manor? Why did she and the baby in her tummy live without a name, from then on?

    How could it be possible that she had noints?

    ¡°Bodhisattva, what happened that year... I... I don¡¯t know.¡± Madam Yu¡¯s pupils contracted, and she said this with tears in her eyes.

    ¡°Yu Qing, do you want to argue on that? Are you utterly ignorant about what happened that year? God is watching your every move. What goes aroundes around!¡± Bodhisattva¡¯s voice was gentle, but it made Madam Yu feel restless.

    She remembered that she used to be a little maid at that time. Later, her master took a fancy to her, and she became the maid serving him in bed. She did not dare to overthink. She only wanted to attend to the Young Master and the future Young Madam, all her life. She wanted to be a good concubine if she gave birth to a son or a daughter, in the future.

    The Young Madam did note in, so the manor prepared herbal tea. Every time, Madam Dowager would ask someone to send it to her. She drank herbal tea every time, but she did not know how she became pregnant. Although she was afraid, she was full of joy. Madam Dowager repeatedly hinted that it did not matter even if she had a child. It meant that she had to give birth to the baby!

    However, the final result was beyond her expectations. She and her baby had blocked the Young Madam¡¯s way, so the Young Madam wanted to drive her away. In that winter, she was sent to the manor outside the city without anyone with her, after she packed only two sets of clothes.

    When she gave birth to Jing¡¯er, she only had one older woman to help her. After a day and a night, she came back to life and burst into tears, when she held her newborn son in her arms.

    Initially, her son was also the young master of the mansion. But now, not only did he not have a position, but he also lived in the manor and became the most inferior person. How could she not be sad?

    This was because the Young Madam wanted to clear all the obstacles after she got married. She was one of the obstacle of the Young Madam.

    Why did this happen? Instead ofpeting with the Young Madam, she would stay in the backyard and raise her son in peace. She would not allow her son topete with the Young Madam. But even so, the Young Madam would not tolerate Jing¡¯er and her.

    A muffled cry of anguish came from Madam Yu¡¯s mouth. She stretched out on the cold ground and covered her face with her hands, trembling with tears. This was the greatest pain in her heart. This was her obsession and heart knot for years. She attributed all her hatred to Madam Ming, and she felt that Madam Ming had caused her misfortune.

    When she heard of Madam Ming¡¯s ident, she was not upset. She felt that this was her retribution.

    But what was going on now? Why did the Bodhisattva feel that she had done something wrong? Why did her son have to take the me?

    ¡°She... she hurt my son and I. Why, why...¡±

    ¡°Yu Qing, when did she hurt you and your son? It was Ning Zu¡¯an who vowed only to marry Madam Ming. He lied to her all his life, that he would only marry her. Madam Ming does not know who you are!¡±

    The faint voice, as if it had prating power, fell into Madam Yu¡¯s ears. ¡°If you refuse toe to your senses, your son will get the punishment he deserves.¡±

    After saying that, the voice of Bodhisattva seemed to disappear into the darkness.

    The voice was not loud, but it made Madam Yu wake up. She raised her head in excitement and shouted, ¡°Bodhisattva, Bodhisattva, it¡¯s my fault. However, I did not do anything, except to hide some facts. How could I havemitted such a big sin? Shouldn¡¯t the current First Madam take the me? She was the one who framed Madam Ming.¡±

    How could Madam Yu calm down when she thought of her son, whose life was uncertain?

    She had not done anything terrible. Why was the onus on her? The First Madam was the mastermind behind the scenes. Why should the retribution fall on her and Jing¡¯er?

    At the thought of her son, Madam Yu almost broke down!

    ¡°Evildoers will be punished one by one. Madam Yu, tell me what you know, and God will judge for itself.¡± There was still no anger in the Bodhisattva¡¯s voice. Madam Yu¡¯s mind was in a mess now, and she did not notice the tremor in Bodhisattva¡¯s voice at all.

    It turned out to be Madam Yu. He thought that his cousin had made a mistake. He thought that a woman who was thrown into the manor might be ignorant, but she knew the inside story. Her father checked it again and again, but he still did not find anything, as if everything at that time was true.

    Like Ning Xueyan, Ming Yuanhua¡¯s aunt, who was told by his father, could not be such a self-deprecating person. It was impossible for her to have anything to do with a servant. Moreover, Madam Ling came to power because of this matter. In any case, Madam Ling and Ning Huaiyuan would benefit the most from it.

    It would be strange if there were no dirty tricks involved.

    The reason why he hurried on with his journey overnight was that he wanted toe here. He knew that Madam Yu would break down if she knew that Ning Huaijing would pay for a life with his life. This was the best way to make a breakthrough, and it was the best time to break through her psychological line of defense.

    His cousin was right. Ming Yuanhua, who was sitting on the beam, looked at Madam Yu below, with anger in his eyes. He knew that this was the best breakthrough. A secret of more than ten years ago was about to be revealed. How could he not be excited?

    He would definitely help his cousin to get justice for his aunt after many years.

 Chapter 342 - The Truth Turned out to Be like This

    <h4>Chapter 342 The Truth Turned out to Be like This</h4>

    The whole thing was notplicated.

    In order to harm Madam Ming, Madam Ling deliberately drugged her tea. Then, she put Madam Ming and a servant from Ning Mansion together. The others saw Madam Ming lying in a disheveled state, on the same bed with the servant. After being caught by Ning Zu¡¯an, the man said that he and Madam Ming had been having an affair for a long time already.

    Ning Zu¡¯an suspected that Ning Xueyan was not his daughter, so he wanted to kill the young girl.

    Madam Ming begged hard and even gave up the position of the Legal Wife, in order to save Ning Xueyan¡¯s life. After that, she did not say anything to Ming Feiyong. She was afraid that if Ming Feiyong made an investigation, it would be harmful to Ning Xueyan. So, she refused Ming Feiyong¡¯s kindness, which made the brother and sister sever their rtionship. Therefore, Ming Feiyong went to the border area for decades.

    She did this to protect the young Ning Xueyan. Meanwhile, she was afraid that her elder brother would confront Ning Zu¡¯an head-on.

    Ning Zu¡¯an was an upstart and he was valued by the Emperor, so he had great power. Ming Feiyong was his subordinate. When facing Ning Zu¡¯an, there was no hope for Ming Feiyong to win. How could Madam Ming let her brother confront Ning Zu¡¯an? So, she had to make her brother angry, so that he would stay away from Ning Zu¡¯an. In this way, the Ming Mansion lost contact with the Ning Mansion.

    The reason why Yu Qing knew about this was because the servant who had been part of the arrangement to frame Madam Ming, was her brother.

    Yu Qing and her brother entered the Ning Mansion together. Their parents died early, so they were dependent on each other. The elder brother worked as a servant there. Ning Zu¡¯an took a fancy to his beautiful sister and took her as a maid. Seeing that Ning Zu¡¯an loved his younger sister, the elder brother did not say anything, despite the fact that he did not want his younger sister to be a concubine. At least, his younger sister looked very happy.

    Unexpectedly, after he got married, Ning Zu¡¯an drove his pregnant sister out of the mansion and threw her directly to the manor.

    Just like Yu Qing, Yu Hu, as her brother, hated Madam Ming. After all, Madam Ming had hurt his sister. However, he was just a servant, so he could not do anything, except to hide his hatred in his heart.

    Later, Yu Qing almost lost her life because of childbirth, which made his hatred grow more and more intense.

    Later, when Madam Ling wanted to deal with Madam Ming, Ning Zu¡¯an hinted that Yu Hu was his henchman and could be used. They quickly became partners and plotted against Madam Ming. Then, he insisted that Madam Ming had an affair with him. He even said that Ning Xueyan might be his child, because of his hatred for Madam Ming.

    ¡°Does Madam Ming know about you and your son?¡± Ming Yuanhua asked coldly.

    Madam Yu was already answering every question he asked. She cried, wiping her tears. She choked with sobs, ¡°No... Madam, I don¡¯t know. My brother did not talk about it, and the Marquis did not, either.¡±

    Ning Zu¡¯an repeatedly sent someone to tell her that if she revealed anything, she might not be able to save his son¡¯s life. How would she dare to say anything? Yu Hu once told her what had happened that year. With intense hatred, she also supported Yu Hu and even asked Yu Hu to avenge her.

    However, after the incident, there was a drastic change in Ning Mansion. The wife became a concubine, while the concubine became the wife. Yu Qing was afraid again. When her brother suddenly left overnight, she became extremely panicky. She had a guilty conscience. She was afraid that if she were found out, her son¡¯s life would be threatened.

    She hid in the manor wholeheartedly and did not dare to go to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. For more than ten years after that, she had gone to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor only for a limited number of times. She would never go to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor unless she had to. So, the matter of that year was gradually hidden over time. No one asked about this matter that had been settled.

    The matter was not made known. The reason why Madam Ming retreated from the position of the main wife was because she offered up her position. There was no scandal. Except for a few people involved, no one knew the truth about Madam Ming¡¯s concession. Others, who only saw the result, said that Madam Ming was confused. Or they felt that as the daughter of the former dynasty, she was estranged with the current dynasty, so that the reason why she did that.

    After Ming Yuanhua figured out everything he needed to know, he turned around and left Madam Yu, who had almost fainted from crying. He rushed to the city overnight, and entered Bright Frost Garden from the back wall, in the night.

    Seeing that his cousin¡¯s room was still lit up and the window was half-open, he silently entered Ning Xueyan¡¯s room.

    Ning Xueyan was not asleep yet. She sat by the window and casually browsed through a stack of materials. Her eyes were cold.

    These materials were sent from Ning Zu¡¯an to Ming Feiyong, and then Ming Feiyong sent them to Ning Xueyan. The details of what happened to Madam Ming in those days, were all there.

    It was a unteral conviction for Madam Ming. It described the situation when it happened, how Madam Ming and Yu Hu were found lying in bed, their clothes in disarray, how Yu Hu confessed, Madam Ming¡¯s self-invited act, Madam Ming¡¯s handprint, as well as the guarantees between Ning Zu¡¯an and Madam Ling.

    He assured her that he would not tell others the truth if she offered up the position of the legal wife. Meanwhile, he would grant her and her daughter a chance to live. Even if she became a co-wife, she would be treated as the legal wife.

    Madam Ming had done all those deeds, but he absolved her of all her crimes after she offered up her position of legal wife. No one would ask whether Ning Xueyan was Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s daughter. It seemed that Ning Zu¡¯an treated Madam Ming well. After all, a woman, who hadmitted such a crime, would be put into a river inside a pig cage. Perhaps a wealthy family or a noble family would not do that. However, she would be secretly executed, and that ¡°bastard¡± would die.

    Ning Zu¡¯an seemed to be very kind to Madam Ming by doing this.

    But if Ning Zu¡¯an knew about it, maybe he was secretly adding fuel to the fire! If so, such a man was not only worse than a beast, because he once said that he wanted to take good care of her. Ning Xueyan was almost sure that Ning Zu¡¯an had intervened in this matter.

    The thoughts of the two lives had been mixed. She was the ¡°bastard¡± who had almost been killed by Ning Zu¡¯an.

    ¡°Cousin.¡± A figure shed in front of the window. Ming Yuanhua, dressed in ck, appeared at the window.

    Ning Xueyan raised her head and hid the excitement in her eyes. She said naturally, ¡°Cousin, please sit down. Did Madam Yu say anything?¡±

    Since something had happened to Ning Huaijing, Madam Yu must be in a panicky state. It was the best time to attack.

    ¡°Were you waiting up for me?¡± Ming Yuanhua immodestly sat down on the chair opposite Ning Xueyan. Looking at her exquisite makeup, he could not help, but ask in surprise.

    ¡°Did Madam Yu confess today?¡± Ning Xueyan nodded slightly with a gentle smile. However, in the eyes of Ming Yuanhua, this smile seemed intive and indifferent. Thinking of everything that he knew, Ming Yuanhua took pity on his cousin, who had suffered so many mishaps in her life.

    For a moment, he did not know where to start.

    No one could bear this blow since her biological father was the one who framed her biological mother. His cousin was always gentle. Although she was smart, she was barely 15 years old. How could she bear this blow? He did not know whether he should say it or not.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s face was in and white. Her white skin was as smooth as an egg membrane. Under the candlelight, she looked even more fragile. Her thick eyshes were like two small brushes. As she breathed, they gently fluttered over her skin. Her exquisite facial features showed her fragileness, which made people feel sorry for her.

    ¡°Cousin, is that person rted to Madam Yu?¡± Ning Xueyan did not raise her head. She picked up a pair of scissors next to her and carefully snuffed the candle. A cold smile appeared on her face.

    ¡°Yes, how did you know?¡± Ming Yuanhua did not know how to say that, but Ning Xueyan¡¯s words helped him out of the predicament. He immediately replied.

    ¡°Yu Hu¡¯s surname is Yu, and Madam Yu¡¯s surname is Yu. I could not find Madam Yu before, because I did not know that she had an illegitimate child, and she used to be Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s bedpanion. Yu Hu insisted that he had an affair with my mother and said that I was his daughter, and he specifically mentioned it several times. If he only had an appointment with Madam Ling, he only needed to say that he had an affair with my mother. He did not need to mention or include me.¡±

    With a trace of sarcasm at the corners of her mouth, Ning Xueyan lowered her eyes and smiled gently. As long as others saw Madam Ming lying with him, his identity would inevitably be suspected. There was no need for him to mention it again and again. He had said it several times in the confession. One time it could be idental, but if was several times, then it was inevitable.

    What made the male servant bring it up again and again at the risk of his life? He did not even care if Ning Zu¡¯an, as a male master, could control his anger. Even if Madam Ming were a victim, Ning Zu¡¯an would still feel humiliated, especially in front of a servant. The reason why he did not care about Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s face was because he held a grudge.

    He held a grudge against Madam Ming, and his surname was Yu. Besides, the news from the manor suggested that the woman, who gave birth to an illegitimate child for Ning Zu¡¯an, was once a maid at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Her surname was Yu, and she had been secretly hidden by Ning Zu¡¯an before Madam Ming entered the mansion. Madam Yu was mentioned slightly in the misceneous record of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    It wrote that the maid was Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s personal maid. Before Madam Ming married into the mansion, she was seriously ill and was sent back to the manor. Then, there was nothing about her.

    Everything disappeared from the record, as if she was just an ordinary maid.

    If she had not checked the ount books and asionally found out about this manor that had always been in debt, no one would have known that this matter had something to do with the maid who had been sent away.

    ¡°Cousin, where is Yu Hu now?¡± She looked up again, and her eyes were clear and bright.

    ¡°She said that Yu Hu left the Ning Mansion at that time. Even after so many years, they have not contacted each other. Only a few years ago, Yu Hu sent a letter to inform her that everything was fine. He also told Madam Yu not to worry, and said that he woulde back to see her and his nephew in a few years.¡±

    After saying that, Ming Yuanhua took the tea from Ning Xueyan and held back his excitement, asking, ¡°Cousin, can we let Madam Yu tell the truth as a testimony to avenge Aunt?¡±

    As long as the matter of that year was exposed to the public, Ning Zu¡¯an, Madam Ling, and the whole Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would lose face. Aunt¡¯s grievance would also be cleared, and those who harmed Aunt would be punished.

 Chapter 343 - It Would Be Best If the Emperor to Grant Marriage

    <h4>Chapter 343 It Would Be Best If the Emperor to Grant Marriage</h4>

    ¡°Cousin Yuanhua, no hurry. Ning Zu¡¯an and Madam Ling won¡¯t admit it.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled slightly with coldness in her bright eyes. No one knew better than her how vicious and inhuman Madam Ling and Ning Zu¡¯an were. It was worse than a beast that a man had treated his first wife in such a cruel way.

    What a maid, who had been driven out from the manor years ago, said did not count. Besides, Madam Yu¡¯s brother, Yu Hu, was still missing. Even if he showed up again, if he could not provide evidence, he might instead be used of trying to overturn the case for Madam Ming.

    Moreover, Ning Xueyan also had another suspicion, so it was not the best time to use Madam Ling.

    Could any evidence be more convincing than Madam Ling to prove it on her own?

    ¡°Okay. Cousin Xueyan, do I need to go to Madam Yu?¡± Ming Yuanhua was not a reckless person, so hearing Ning Xueyan¡¯s words, he immediately understood her intention. Though he was unwilling, he knew that they must be patient for the moment.

    ¡°Cousin Yuanhua, you don¡¯t have to be there. I have someone else around her.¡± Ning Xueyan shook her head. If she put too many people around Madam Yu, it would arouse Madam Yu¡¯s suspicion. Madam Yu had told them everything because Ning Huaijing was put into jail and she worried about his safety so much, plus Ming Yuanhua¡¯s ambiguous words, she almost broke down. Otherwise, Ning Xueyan would not have made it so easily.

    Such a method could not be used repeatedly. Once Madam Yu came back to her senses, she would find the w in it easily. Furthermore, with Mother Wang by Madam Yu¡¯s side, it was unnecessary for Ming Yuanhua to show up in the future. It was time for Mother Wang toplete the following steps.

    Ning Xueyan seemed to be very confident. Seeing the thoughtful and calm look in her jet-ck eyes under her trembling feather-like eyeshes, Ming Yuanhua suddenly felt a strange sadness. She was only fourteen years old! Any noble Young Lady at her age would be the apple of her family¡¯s eye, but Ning Xueyan had to be strong and face all the difficulties alone.

    Since she had been kicked out from the Beauty Contest, her situation in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor must be more difficult.

    Looking at Ning Xueyan, Ming Yuanhua felt really sorry for her. Out of his mind, he suddenly reached out to hold Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand and said emotionally, ¡°Cousin Xueyan, how about I ask my mother to marry you to me. I promise after marrying me, my parents will treat you well.¡±

    He worried that his helpless cousin would be murdered by those people if she still stayed in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. He would do everything he could to protect her from those people.

    Being shocked by Ming Yuanhua¡¯s sudden words, Ning Xueyan raised her head in a hurry. When she saw the sincere concern in Ming Yuanhua¡¯s eyes, she felt like her nose was inexplicably sour at the sense of being cared for by her family. The long-lost kinship warmed her heart. She could tell that Ming Yuanhua had spoken this for her own good.

    She knew that he hade up with such an idea out of concern for her. ¡°Cousin Yuanhua, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± She patted his hand andforted him, her jet-ck eyes revealing a trace of a gentle smile.

    ¡°Cousin Xueyan, as long as you agree to marry me, those people won¡¯t dare to turn me down.¡± Ming Yuanhua thought that Ning Xueyan was afraid of Madam Ling and Ning Zu¡¯an, so he tried tofort her. Ning Zu¡¯an owned the Ming family an exnation about what had happened to Madam Ming, so Ming Yuanhua was certain that Ning Zu¡¯an would not dare to stop him from marrying Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Cousin Yuanhua, I¡¯m really fine.¡± Ning Xueyan bit her lip, feeling a little uneasy. Finally, she held back her shyness and turned her slightly blushed face to Ming Yuanhua. ¡°Cousin Yuanhua, Prince Yi said His Majesty would marry me to him after the Beauty Contest.¡±

    Although this matter was a secret and had not been done yet, her cousin, her uncle, and her aunt were all her family members who would know about it sooner orter, so it was not a big deal to give them the news in advance.

    ¡°Prince Yi?¡± Ming Yuanhua could not help eximing. Everyone knew how cold-blooded that demon king was. ¡°Does he have a special purpose in letting you marry into his manor?¡± he asked with a pale face.

    He could not help but suspect as Prince Yi, Ao Chenyi, did not look like a man who would marry a girl like Ning Xueyan!

    ¡°Cousin Yuanhua, calm down. In my current situation, it would be the best result if His Majesty bestows the marriage to me. You don¡¯t have to worry about me. Please reassure my uncle and aunt. I chose it myself. Prince Yi didn¡¯t force me to do that.¡±

    Ning Xueyan picked up the cup by her hand and took a sip of tea gracefully. She was still smiling gently when she looked up, without any reluctance or sadness on her face. However, there seemed to be an abnormal calmness in the gentleness. Under the candlelight, Ming Yuanhua saw an oddposure in her jet-ck eyes beneath her long eyshes.

    Ming Yuanhua left in despair. He did not know why he was so sad. Originally, he had just tried to help and protect his cousin, by why did he feel so disappointed when he heard that his cousin had chosen Prince Yi Ao Chenyi, who seemed to be more powerful. He turned to leave at Ning Xueyan¡¯s words, without saying anything.

    After leaping out of Ning Xueyan¡¯s window, he looked around nkly on the roof for a while before he found the direction of his own manor. He took a look at Ning Xueyan¡¯s room and took a deep breath to suppress the indescribable sadness in his heart. Anyway, she was his cousin. Whatever she thought was right, he would support her unconditionally.

    He hoped that Prince Yi was sincere to his cousin. Otherwise, in any case, he would take her away from that extremely powerful Prince Yi!

    Ning Xueyan was surprised by Ming Yuanhua¡¯s sudden leaving. When she rose to her feet, the window had already been half-closed. After thinking for a while, she felt that if it was to be said sooner orter, it was better for her to tell Ming Yuanhua in person than Ming Yuanhua to know it from anyone else. With a slight sigh, she walked to the window and was about to close it. Suddenly, a ck figurended outside the window and blocked her view. Biting her lip, she looked at the charming face in front of her with a slight frown.

    What was rare was that the man¡¯s face, which had always been cold, showed a hint of a smile. With the corners of his thin lips were slightly curved, his usually gloomy and grim face did not look that cold.

    ¡°Why is he here again?¡±

    ¡°Prince Yi, the clothes can¡¯t be done so quickly. What¡¯s more, I¡¯m not very good at needlework, so you still have to wait for some time,¡± looking into his beautiful eyes, Ning Xueyan answered consciously, pointing at the unfinished clothes on the side. The clothes had only just been cut and had not yet been sewn, but obviously, they were carefully cut as there were faint marks on the corners.

    ¡°Were you talking about me just now?¡± Ao Chenyi shifted his gaze from the clothes with satisfaction and naturally pulled her to the chair to sit down. He had been waiting outside for a while and when he heard a man¡¯s voice in the room, he almost lost his temper. Fortunately, Ning Xueyan had told Ming Yuanhua that she was willing to marry Prince Yi and nobody had forced her to do so, which made Ao Chenyi feel much relieved for no reason.

    ¡°The ugly toad lusting after the swan! How dare that guy ask Ning Xueyan to marry him without my permission? Fortunately, Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t agree,¡± Ao Chenyi had thought while hearing their conversation just now.

    So he did not do anything to Ming Yuanhua also because thetter was not a threat to him at all.

    Ning Xueyan was stunned, but she immediately understood what he meant. ¡°Prince Yi, have you been listening for a long time?¡± she asked with a blushed face, biting her lip. Obviously, that was what Prince Yi meant.

    ¡°Hmm, I have been here for a long time. Since you were chatting with Ming Yuanhua, I didn¡¯te in until he left.¡± Surprisingly, Ao Chenyi smiled when he spoke which made his extremely handsome face less serious, and more attractive. Ning Xueyan did not think that he would have exined to her for this.

    ¡°Prince Yi, you¡¯d better go back and rest early. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s inconvenient toe and go like this?¡± Ning Xueyan felt speechless, looking at Ao Chenyi who seemed to take it for granted toe back and forth at will as if he had taken the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor as his own manor. Hadn¡¯t he ever thought how improper for him to show up in a noble Young Lady¡¯s room at such a moment?

    She wondered since when this prince had been in and out of her room freely. Feeling a headache, she rubbed her forehead and tried to find a way to make it clear to this arrogant monster that he was in a maiden¡¯s room of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m going back to rest now. You should go to bed early.¡± Ao Chenyi nodded. It was rare that he did not shoot back this time. What surprised her more was that there was even a trace of joy in his voice. He did not say anything more, but he turned around and left through the window without any hesitation.

    Ning Xueyan did not expect that Ao Chenyi would be so amodating tonight. After a short moment of daze, she blinked her eyes and then closed the window.

    It was indeed veryte. Ning Huaijing¡¯s affair had not been settled yet and now what she needed to do was waiting for the news from Mother Wang. Since Ning Huaijing¡¯s identity had been exposed, no matter how reluctant Madam Ling was, Madam Dowager, who attached great importance to male offspring, would definitely let Ning Huaijing return to the Ning family.

    Ning Xueyan was not the only one who had not slept until now.

    For many people of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, it was bound to be a sleepless night.

    Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an were still calm, but Madam Ling had almost smashed up everything she could in her room. All those new appliances had been broken into pieces that scattered on the ground and it was hard to find a ce to put one¡¯s feet. Madam Ling stood in the middle of the messy floor, gasped, her hair disheveled and her face pale and ferocious.

    She had always thought herself to be Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s favorite woman. Since she had been born in an ordinary family, she knew that Madam Dowager would not allow Ning Zu¡¯an to marry her, so she had been his mistress for years and nned to find an opportunity to enter the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor after giving birth to a son for Ning Zu¡¯an.

    When the time came, Madam Dowager would have no choice but to assent to their marriage.

    However, to her surprise, in order to marry Madam Ming, Ning Zu¡¯an had not brought her and their children to his manor after years. How could Madam Ling reconcile herself to being a mistress all the time? Afterward, she pretended to leak the news by ident to Madam Dowager that she and Ning Zu¡¯an had a son. She then went to the manor and knelt in front of the gate to force Madam Ming to ept her and her children.

    Later, she framed Madam Ming secretly. Although Ning Zu¡¯an knew about it, he did not do anything. Madam Ling thought that Ning Zu¡¯an was sincere to her, so he turned a deaf ear to what she had done to Madam Ming and her daughter.

    However, the news that Ning Zu¡¯an had another illegitimate child outside was like a thunderbolt out of a clear sky for her. She calcted and found that the woman had a son with Ning Zu¡¯an when thetter was most obsessed with her. Besides, Ning Zu¡¯an also promised that he really loved her and would definitely bring her to his manor. However, to her surprise, he even had an illegitimate child with another woman!

    How could she tolerate it? Burning with jealousy and resentment, she really wished she could kill that woman and her son.

 Chapter 344 - Your Sonâ€™s Life Is in Your Own Hand

    <h4>Chapter 344 Your Son¡¯s Life Is in Your Own Hand</h4>

    After receiving the message, Ning Huaiyuan came back in a hurry. ¡°Mother, why are you still angry?¡± Ning Huaiyuan asked when he walked into the room and went round in it. At the moment, Ning Yuling was drinking tea quietly while watching Madam Ling losing her temper.

    ¡°Mother is mad at our father because he lied to her. Brother, why aren¡¯t you in a hurry? Who may be the master of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor in the future is still uncertain!¡± Finally, Ning Yuling opened her mouth, but what she said sounded sarcastic, even gloating.

    ¡°Shut up! Why are you still making sarcasticments, instead offorting our mother at this time?¡± Ning Huaiyuan shouted, frowning unconsciously. Since they had taken Ning Yuling home, he felt that she changed a lot and grew much more gloomy than before. Though she looked as same as before after regaining her appearance, her personality was quite different from before.

    In the past, if she faced the same situation, she would have definitely flown into a rage andpletely stood on her mother¡¯s side, but now she was more like a stranger who had nothing to do with Madam Ling. This annoyed Ning Huaiyuan, so he could not help but scold her.

    ¡°Is it useful to persuade her at this moment? She may p me again if I do this. Well, since you havee, I¡¯ll go back to my ce. Otherwise, I can¡¯t get up early tomorrow morning to greet our grandmother. Then she will me me again.¡± Ning Yuling stood up unconcernedly and smoothed her dress. Looking at Madam Ling¡¯s darkened face, she let out a yawnzily.

    Before Madam Ling could say anything, she had turned to leave. Trembled with anger, Madam Ling could not utter a single word, pointing at Ning Yuling from behind. Actually, she felt guilty for her pping which ruined Ning Yuling¡¯s face. Therefore, after Ning Yuling returned to the manor, she had tried every means to please her, trying to make up for the damage she had done to her.

    However, Ning Yuling turned to be moody after her return to the manor this time. Sometimes, she was very intimate with her, but sometimes she was quite indifferent. Madam Ling could not figure out the reason, but as she felt guilty for her, she did not dare to me her. Even so, she could not help getting angry when she heard Ning Yuling gloating.

    ¡°Forget it, Mother. My second sister is still bitter about the past. At least she worried about you, so she was with you just now,¡± Looking at Ning Yuling from behind, Ning Huaiyuan said with a flicker in his eyes.

    ¡°Look at her! As the Second Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, how could she say something like that? If you can¡¯t be the future master of our manor, what¡¯s in it for her?¡± Getting hurt by Ning Yuling¡¯s careless attitude, Madam Ling shouted resentfully.

    ¡°Mother, you¡¯d better tell me about Ning Huaijing!¡± As Madam Ling changed the topic, Ning Huaiyuan had to remind her helplessly.

    ¡°Hum! I¡¯ll never let that b*tch and that bastard enter the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor!¡± Madam Ling said angrily. At the thought of what Madam Dowager had said to suppress her, she wanted to smash things again out of rage.

    ¡°Mother, you didn¡¯t handle this matter properly. When you felt suspicious at the beginning, you didn¡¯t need to verify the results. Then you wouldn¡¯t have aroused my father¡¯s suspicion,¡± Ning Huaiyuan said. Before getting the message from Madam Ling, he did not know what happened, so he was not prepared mentally. He had never thought that he would have a half-brother.

    In his opinion, if Madam Ling tried to protect their own interests, she should have someone kill that bastard without talking so much nonsense.

    ¡°That old b*tch even wants them to return to the Ning family. No way! Over my dead body!¡± Madam Ling said with hatred.

    ¡°Mother, so what if they live under the same roof as us? How could a maid¡¯s son steal anything from me? Do you think a humble maid is able to rece you? Mother, what you need to do is follow my father and my grandmother¡¯s words and never try to annoy them. After all, you¡¯re the Hostess of our manor. After that woman and her sone, you can do whatever you want to them.¡±

    Ning Huaiyuan felt helpless about Madam Ling¡¯s short-sightedness.

    Ning Huaijing¡¯s mother was just a maid of the manor years ago, and even if she returned to the manor, she would be treated as a concubine of Ning Zu¡¯an at most. Ning Huaiyuan did not believe that abine¡¯s son who had no background would rece him. It was not a big deal for the manor to support two more people.

    Ning Huaiyuan thought that Madam Ling should show her generosity and keep his father on their side for the moment. Then the following steps would go much easier. Compared to his cunning Fifth Sister, Ning Huaiyuan did not think that Ning Huaijing would be big trouble for him.

    ¡°Mother, no matter how excellent Ning Huaijing is, aren¡¯t you confident that I canpare with him? Do you think my father and my grandmother will like him more than they like me? Do you think they will give up a decent inherit like me and train Ning Huaijing who didn¡¯t grow up around them and isn¡¯t close to them?¡± Seeing Madam Ling losing in thought with a darkened face, Ning Huaiyuan knew that his words worked, so he continued tofort his mother.

    Hearing this, Madam Ling felt a little better. She then sat down on a chair beside her. Though she did not want to give up, she looked much calmer. ording to his son¡¯s analysis, she felt that she had an advantage in every aspect, so she nodded, gritting her teeth.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll allow that b*tch toe back.¡±

    As Madam Ling was the Hostess of the manor, as long as that woman and the bastard returned to the manor, she could find a thousand ways to torture them.

    ¡°The b*tch, Xu Yulian, deliberately attracted that old b*tch to me today. Did she want to see me make a fool of myself? You said that she was a reliable person, but I don¡¯t think so. I wish she didn¡¯t screw up what we told her!¡± Madam Ling suddenly recalled that it was Junior Concubine Xu who led Madam Dowager to her, and she could not help but snort.

    ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. Xu Yulian won¡¯t betray us,¡± Ning Huaiyuan said with certainty.

    ¡°Are you sure that this b*tch won¡¯t do something harmful to us for the benefit? Maybe she had leaked the message to Ning Xueyan on purpose. Thus she will watch us fighting and losing both ways.¡±

    Madam Ling still felt worried. Although she had once suspected the motive that Xu Yulian would have been so obedient to her and helped her to deal with Ning Xueyan, she did not say anything because of her son¡¯s repeated assurance. At the thought that if Xu Yulian had not brought Madam Dowager here, Madam Dowager would not have known Ning Huaijing¡¯s existence, she felt more suspicious.

    ¡°Mother, calm down. Once the matter of Ning Huaijing is settled, we¡¯ll take action. After that, no one in the manor will say that you got your title as the principal wife by dishonest means,¡± Ning Huaiyuan said, trying tofort her. No one saw that his eyelids twitched while a trace of thoughtfulness shing in his eyes.

    Ning Huaiyuanforted Madam Ling for a while and until she calmed downpletely, he asked the servants to clean up Madam Ling¡¯s room. He then walked out Madam Ling¡¯s Auspicious Clouds Courtyard. When he arrived at the intersection, he thought for a short moment before turning a corner and walking to another ce of the inner courtyard.

    Since so many things had happened today, his father would definitely sleep in the study room tonight.

    When Madam Yu woke up, she found herself on her own bed. Looking at Mother Wang who was by her bed with a gentle smile, she was filled with grief and immediately burst into tears again.

    ¡°Don¡¯t cry. That madam can¡¯t tolerate you. s, you¡¯re such a poor woman!¡± Mother Wang passed her a handkerchief and said sympathetically.

    ¡°She... she can¡¯t tolerate me?¡± Madam Yu raised her head nkly and looked at Mother Wang in front of her with tears in her eyes. Since Mother Wang came to the vige to recuperate, the two of them became good friends. Mother Wang told her that she was the wet nurse of a Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Since her young master died, she had nothing to do with the manor.

    As they had no stake in each other, Madam Yu trusted Mother Wang very much.

    ¡°You still don¡¯t know? The rumors are spreading outside that the reason why your son got into trouble is that he was discovered by that woman. She tried to get rid of your son and even plotted the conflict between your son and another person,¡± Mother Wang said with a sigh.

    It was Madam Ling who did this? It turned out that Madam Ling wanted to frame her son? At the thought of this, Madam Yu felt cold all over with her head buzzing. After quite a while, she held Mother Wang¡¯s hand with her trembling hand and cried bitterly. ¡°Why? Why does Madam Ling want to deal with me? Jing¡¯er and I won¡¯t hinder her. Why? Why doesn¡¯t she spare us?¡±

    ¡°Madam Yu, you¡¯re too naive. Why can¡¯t you figure it out?¡± Mother Wang analyzed, ¡°Both your son and her son are illegitimate children. Years ago, to marry Madam Ming, the marquis hid you and Madam Ling outside. Later, Madam Ling framed Madam Ming after getting into the manor and became the marquis¡¯ principal wife. As you¡¯re in the same situation as her at that time, of course, she worries that you¡¯ll deal with her the same way she treated Madam Ming!¡±

    Her words made Madam Yu¡¯s heart tremble and reminded her what had happenedst night. The Bodhisattva had clearly said that she had done something wrong. Could it be that she and her brother really hated someone wrong? When she thought of this, her lips trembled slightly.

    Mother Wang was telling her that Madam Ming knew nothing about what had happened years ago. If it was someone else of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor who told her about it, Madam Yu would think that this person was partial to Madam Ming. However, Mother Wang had nothing to do with Madam Ming, so Madam Yu had to believe it.

    She took Mother Wang¡¯s hand and nervously said, ¡°Madam, Madam Ming really didn¡¯t know about it?¡±

    Madam Yu had always thought that it was Madam Ming who had asked Ning Zu¡¯an to drive her away, ignoring her pregnancy.

    ¡°It¡¯s said that in order to marry Madam Ming, the marquis vowed to only marry one woman. Later, to make the Ming family believe it, he sent you out. If it was Madam Ming who had done this, why didn¡¯t she get rid of you and your son just like Madam Ling had done? It would be better for her as she could save a lot of trouble forever!¡±

    Mother Wang analyzed.

    These words made Madam Yu speechless. She nkly looked at the sky for a while and suddenly burst into tears with her hands covering her face. It turned out that she really hated the wrong person. Madam Ming did not know anything, but her brother vented all his anger on her and put her and her daughter into a miserable situation. Now the retribution came, and it came to Jing¡¯er.

    This must be God¡¯s punishment for what she and her brother had done!

    ¡°Madam Yu, it was the marquis who lied to you in the past, but now it¡¯s Madam Ling who wants to kill your son. If you¡¯re not that stupid, you should find a way to save your son, but not blindlypromise. It¡¯s useless topromise. Whether you can save your son or not depends on yourself. Now your son¡¯s life is in your own hand.¡±

 Chapter 345 - The Second Young Master, Ning Huaijing

    <h4>Chapter 345 The Second Young Master, Ning Huaijing</h4>

    A lot of people crowded in front of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Some of them shook their heads while watching what was happening. There had been no end to the scandal in the family since the Second Madam of the manor died. The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was no longer an influential family with a good reputation.

    Today, it even reached a small climax.

    A woman dressed in in clothes knelt at the gate of the manor. She did not say a word, but only shed tears silently. She had been kneeling here for two hours, but no one hade out to meet her.

    What was going on? More and more people gathered watching and soon, it was too crowded that the whole street was blocked.

    ¡°Last time, it was a concubine who knelt here. Who is the woman this time? She seems not young, not younger than that concubine at least. What¡¯s going on? Is it because of thepetition between wives and concubines again? It¡¯s said that Lord Protector is a powerful general, but why can¡¯t he even settle his family affairs?¡±

    ¡°If he can¡¯t even manage his manor, how can he help His Majesty to manage our country? I¡¯m afraid that such a marquis may screw things up in the court!¡±

    The side door finally opened in the expectation and discussion of the crowd. However, it was not the master of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor who came out, but an old woman. Without even looking at the onlookers outside, she said something to the woman who knelt on the ground, as if she was persuading her. However, the woman was very persistent. She shook her head while raising her tearful eyes.

    ¡°Please help me to beg Madam Dowager to save Jing¡¯er. He... he is also the descendant of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor,¡± Madam Yu choked with sobs.

    The old woman was Mother Qin, Madam Dowager¡¯s personal servant. ¡°Get up first.¡± She persuaded after she failed to pull Madam Yu up. Madam Dowager had sent her out to deal with this problem. No matter what the reason was, they should not let the outsidersugh at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Therefore, Mother Qin had to find a way to get her into the house. Then nobody outside of the manor would know what she had said.

    However, Madam Yu was stubborn. She shook her head and said, ¡°I, I hope the marquis can promise me that he will protect Jing¡¯er from those people. After all, Jing¡¯er is his son!¡±

    At the thought that her son might have been framed by Madam Ling and he was still in prison now, Madam Yu knew what she should do. Although Mother Wang did not say that it must be Madam Ling who had set Jing¡¯er up, such a thing did not need evidence. Madam Yu absolutely believed that it was Madam Ling who had done this.

    Since Madam Ling had framed Madam Ming years ago, of course, she would not show mercy to her, a maid who had served Ning Zu¡¯an in bed. Therefore, no matter what, she would have people of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor show their attitude to her and her son.

    Although Madam Yu did not speak loudly, people who were near to her had heard their conversation. Then the crowd immediately burst into an uproar. ¡°Are they talking about the Lord Protector¡¯s illegitimate child? Another illegitimate son came?¡±

    Some of them knew that the same scene had been yed out more than ten years ago. Some elders had even watched Madam Ling enter the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. She looked quite simr to the woman kneeling in front of the manor now, and the only difference between the two was Madam Ling had taken an older child by the hand, and a younger one in her arms, but this woman was alone.

    From what the woman said, people could tell that her son had been framed!

    ¡°Could it have been the woman who brought her illegitimate children into the manor and became Lord Protector¡¯s principal wife did it?¡±

    As it had been a long time since the incident, there were not many people who knew about it. However, since there were still a few people who knew about the scandal of the current Marchioness, a lot of onlookers began to inquire about her. After hearing that this Marchioness used to be Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s mistress, people sneered at her with harsh words.

    ¡°Come on, get up first! Let¡¯s talk inside. Madam Dowager said that she would solve your problem.¡± Seeing that the tide seemed to be against the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Mother Qin hurried to pull Madam Yu.

    ¡°Jing¡¯er...¡± Madam Yu muttered tearfully.

    ¡°There will be a solution to the Second Young Master¡¯s problem. You¡¯re only a concubine and there will be no good going against Madam Ling.¡± Mother Qin warned with a darkened face.

    It sounded like that she was ming Madam Yu, but it was also the first time for Mother Qin to call Ning Huaijing the Second Young Master, which meant she had admitted Ning Huaijing¡¯s identity. Who was Mother Qin? She was Madam Dowager¡¯s favorite servant, so what she said certainly stood for what Madam Dowager meant. Though her voice was not loud, it was enough to be heard by the people around her.

    Actually, Madam Dowager had already epted Ning Huaijing and taken him as her grandson.

    That was to say, she would not leave Ning Huaijing alone. After all, he was Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s childe, so Madam Dowager would not let anything bad happen to him. Even if it was Madam Ling who was behind the case, she would protect him. Therefore, it meant that Madam Dowager had agreed to help Madam Yu.

    Madam Yu was frightened all day and night, and till now, she had been kneeling at the door for more than two hours. What was on her mind was getting her son out of the prison, so when she heard that Madam Dowager was willing to ept Ning Huaijing and help him out, she felt relieved at once. Next, she copsed to the ground and fainted.

    At the sight of this, Mother Qin immediately asked someone to carry her into the manor. Whenever talking about Lord Protector¡¯s illegitimate child, people would remember that Ning Huaiyuan, the so-called Lord Protector¡¯s wedded wife¡¯s son had used to be a bastard whose mother used to be Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s mistress. That was why the Princely Heir of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had not been named yet.

    Ning Zu¡¯an was willing to pass the title to Ning Huaiyuan. However, as Madam Ling had been used to be his mistress, although he had requested the emperor¡¯s approval, thetter did not approve it due to Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s illegitimate identity and Madam Ling¡¯s disgraceful past.

    Not long after Madam Ling became his principal wife, Ning Zu¡¯an had written a letter to the emperor and requested him to designate Ning Huaiyuan as the Princely Heir, but be turned down. Since then, the matter was put aside. As time went by, most people had forgotten it. Recently, Ning Zu¡¯an was nning to report to the emperor about it again.

    At this critical moment, Madam Yu came to him for help. It reminded people of what Madam Ling had done in the past. Everyone was talking about the past of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and under some people¡¯s deliberate guidance, in these people¡¯s eyes, Madam Ling turned out to be a mistress who stole the principal wife¡¯s title from Madam Ming, which was more difficult to ept than a concubine using evil means to gain power.

    Now not to mention themon people outside, even other noble families were discussing the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Some officials who were hostile to Ning Zu¡¯an because of political disagreement immediately requested the emperor to impeach Ning Zu¡¯an. Many officials would shift the topic to this issue after talking to Ning Zu¡¯an for a short moment, which annoyed Ning Zu¡¯an so much that he did not even want to get out of the manor.

    Ning Huaijing¡¯s problem ended up with that rich family¡¯s dropping the case. They imed that their son suffered only minor injuries after returning to their manor. Unfortunately, the doctor did not use the proper medicine and cause the injured¡¯s death. Therefore, it had nothing to do with Ning Huaijing. Since they had withdrawn their confession, Ning Huaijing was released soon.

    As Ning Huaijing¡¯s identity had been exposed and he was no longer an unknown vige boy, Ning Zu¡¯an took him to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and Madam Yu officially became Concubine Yu.

    ¡°Miss, I heard that First Madam changed another batch of porcins of her room just now.¡± Qingyu walked in with a smile, holding a basket of food. Auspicious Clouds Courtyard was quite noisy recently. Even the slightest provocation would arouse a storm there. Madam Ling¡¯s nerves seemed to be tense up, and if she felt a little upset, she would begin smashing things.

    Ning Xueyan put down the brush in her hand leisurely and looked at the words she wrote with a faint contempt on her face. It seemed that Madam Ling¡¯s patience was going to wear off. Could that because she had been repressed for too long that she smashed things to vent her anger? But it was not over yet!

    ¡°What have Concubine Yu and the Second Young Master been doing these days?¡± Ning Xueyan asked softly after cleaning her hands with a handkerchief.

    ¡°Concubine Yu has been very well-behaved these days. She does nothing except for burning joss sticks and chanting Buddhist scriptures in her room every day. She has nevere to the marquis after returning to our manor. The Second Young Master only reads books in the study apart from offering his daily greeting to Madam Dowager.¡±

    Qingyu replied.

    Ning Xueyan walked to the window and picked a flower out of it. ¡°He didn¡¯t go to the marquis either?¡± she asked with a faint smile.

    ¡°Yes. I didn¡¯t see him going to the marquis after he greeted him once since he returned the manor.¡± Qingyu nodded. ¡°He treated the Eldest Young Master the same way. So everyone in our manor said that the Second Young Master was arrogant and it was obvious that he was a tough person.¡±

    ¡°Arrogant and hard to deal with? Is he the same Ning Huaijing she met before?¡± Ning Xueyan sat by the table with a sneer. Ning Huaijing had juste back and already made that impression. It seemed that he could notpare with the gentle and amiable Ning Huaiyuan at all.

    Maybe she could have a good talk with this second brother. Coincidentally, there would be a family banquet tonight!

    The family banquet of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was also an official party to wee Ning Huaijing¡¯s returning to the Ning family. Therefore, not only Madam Ling would show up, but also Ning Lingyun, who had been restrained in the Buddha Hall for a long time, would attend it. It could be taken as a dinner party of the whole family.

    Madam Dowager sat on the principal chair with Ning Zu¡¯an was on her left side and Madam Ling on her right side. Ning Huaiyuan and Ning Huaijing were next to Ning Zu¡¯an in turn and Ning Yuling, Ning Qingshan, Ning Lingyun as well as Ning Xueyan sat one by one beside Madam Ling in the order of age. As for Concubine Yu and the other concubines, they were waiting aside to serve them during the dinner.

    Although she had one more grandson, Madam Dowager did not look happy. She nced at everyone with a fierce look. Everyone could tell that she was not in a good mood. The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s scandals had been revealed one by one, so it was no wonder that she was upset.

    Madam Ling did not look well either. Whenever she looked at Ning Huaijing and Madam Yu, she always looked sinister. Although there was a smile on her face, it was not sincere at all. Ning Zu¡¯an looked very serious. Ning Xueyan turned her head and nced at the others at the table. Ning Huaiyuan was calm and her smile was still elegant.

    Ning Qingshan was at ease. After all, it had nothing to do with her. To Ning Xueyan¡¯s surprise, Ning Lingyun seemed to be quite different from she used to be after staying in the Buddha Hall for some time, and she was timidly when she looked at the others. Even when she looked at Ning Huaijing, she showed a timid expression, as if she had been bullied badly.

    It made Ning Huaijing look at her for a few more times.

    There was not a jovial atmosphere in which the whole family ate together. People would think that it was a malicious banquet if they did not know they were the same family. The servants were even more cautious and dared not to make any sound for they were afraid that they might identally offend their masters. Everyone knew that First Madam was not in a good mood recently and was going to vent her anger on someone.

 Chapter 346 - Second Brother Met Me for the First Time

    <h4>Chapter 346</h4>

    <h4>Second Brother Met Me for the First Time</h4>

    People who held the dinner party mainly wanted Ning Huaijing to get familiar with his brother and sisters. Therefore, Ning Xueyan, Ning Huaiyuan, and their sisters did not leave after dinner. The rarest thing was that Madam Ling did not leave either. Maybe because she had figured it out just now, she did not seem to be angry when she looked at Ning Huaijing.

    If people took a closer look, they would find there was a hint of grievance in her eyes!

    ¡°How could Madam Ling feel wronged?¡± Ning Xueyan sneered inwardly, wondering what she was going to do.

    Ning Zu¡¯an and his concubines were all gone, so everyone was much more rxed. They each found a chair and sat down with Ning Xueyan on the right side of Ning Huaijing, who sat below Ning Huaiyuan, and Ning Yuling, Ning Qingshan as well as Ning Lingyun on their opposite side.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t feel well, return to your courtyard to rest early!¡± Madam Dowager said to Madam Ling coolly.

    ¡°Mother, I¡¯m fine. Do you feel a little better? Everything doesn¡¯t go smoothly recently. The outsiders always gossip about our manor, and even people from the imperial pce...¡± pinching a handkerchief between her fingers, Madam Ling let out a sigh and said sadly.

    This reminded Madam Dowager of what upset her. She frowned and shifted her gaze from Ning Qingshan to Ning Xueyan. She did not understand why what she had nned carefully turned out to be like this. Both of them lost in the contest and there was also something else that bothered Madam Dowager recently.

    What was more, having an illegitimate child was not a big deal, but it happened to have something to do with Madam Ling. Ning Zu¡¯an had told Madam Dowager that he was going to submit the application to the Imperial n Court for the Princely Heir issue but as Madam Ling¡¯s old story became the talk of the capital city again, she worried that it was not the right time for Ning Zu¡¯an to do this. He would be asking for humiliation and nobody of the Imperial n Court would take his application seriously.

    ¡°Mother, it¡¯s just the beginning of the new year, but things are going wrong. How about we invite a mage to practice and ward off evil spirits? Otherwise, we may have bad luck for the whole year.¡± Madam Ling saw Madam Dowager¡¯s face darkened, so she took the teacup from the maid and handed it to Madam Dowager while speaking.

    A whole year of bad luck? Madam Dowager was surprised. She took the cup from Madam Ling and took a sip of the tea. ¡°Yes, we really need to ward off evil spirits. You can leave and prepare for it now.¡± Madam Dowager nodded.

    Nothing went smoothly at the beginning of the year. It was really necessary to have someone do get rid of the evil for them.

    ¡°Okay, Mother. I¡¯ll ask someone to choose a powerful mage. Then please give us some advice. I want that mage to check the geomancy of our manor and see if there are some evil spirits in our house.¡± Seeing that she had reached her goal, Madam Ling showed a smile on her face and said, ¡°Mother, I¡¯m leaving now.¡±

    With that, she said good-bye to everyone before going back to her ce with her servants.

    Actually, she did not mean to ask Madam Dowager to give some advice. Normally, it was Madam Ling who made the final decision for things like inviting a mage to practice.

    Their voices were not loud, but Ning Xueyan still heard clearly. With a sneer on her lips, she suddenly understood what those she felt confused at the beginning.

    It was no wonder that Madam Ling only vented her anger through smashing things in her own courtyard after Madam Yu¡¯sing to the manor, hearing the rumors about Ning Huaiyuan and the revealing of her old disgraceful story. Now Ning Xueyan knew that Madam Ling was nning to get rid of her first before dealing with Madam Yu and her son.

    It was hard for Madam Ling to have been so patient. Ning Xueyan realized that Madam Ling would put up with it until she was got rid of. She was surprised that Madam Ling had taken her as her number one enemy.

    ¡°Jing¡¯er, are your injuries getting better?¡± Madam Dowager looked up at Ning Huaijing who was sitting on the same side as Ning Huaiyuan and asked him gently.

    Madam Dowager was happy to have another grandson, especially when she saw that Ning Huaijing was a handsome boy.

    ¡°Thank you, Grandmother. My injuries are almost healed,¡± Ning Huaijing answered, with a cold look on his face.

    Madam Dowager sighed secretly. ¡°After all, Jing¡¯er was not brought up by me, so he won¡¯t be close to me. If it were not for the fact that Zu¡¯an has too few sons, I wouldn¡¯t have Jing¡¯er return to our manor at the risk of losing the reputation of our family.¡±

    ¡°Forget it. A concubine¡¯s son can¡¯t be that useful. I should have Yuan¡¯er take in charge of the manor in the future,¡± she thought.

    ¡°Second Brother, did the Lord Mayor torture you? How could he do that without interrogation?¡± Ning Xueyan turned her jet-ck eyes to Ning Huaijing and asked in surprise.

    Even a woman of the inner courtyard knew that it was improper to torture criminals without interrogation.

    For Ning Huaijing¡¯s case, no matter what, the Lord Mayor should have interrogated him at least a few times to hear what he said. How could he ask his men to beat Ning Huaijing as soon as thetter was caught?

    ¡°They beat you without listening to your exnation?¡± Madam Dowager¡¯s face darkened after a short moment of a daze.

    ¡°Maybe he was afraid that I would lie to him, so he asked his men to give me a head-on blow!¡± Ning Huaijing answered indifferently.

    ¡°Maybe. I heard from some friends that as long as you were put into the prison, whether or not you actuallymitted a crime, they would beat you first to take you down a peg. What you heard is official, but in private it¡¯s hard to say how they treat prisoners. Many people died after being caught by the imperial guards, but no one dares toin.¡±

    Ning Huaiyuan exined at the right time with a smile.

    ¡°Second brother, you¡¯re really unlucky. The fight wasn¡¯t a big deal, but the trouble was that the guy was dead.¡±

    ¡°Enough! Now it¡¯s all over. From now on, you must get along well with each other. We are all family, so no matter what, we can discuss it. Let¡¯s bygones be bygones!¡± Madam Dowager said, waving her hand.

    ¡°Got it.¡± Everyone knew that Madam Dowager was showing her attitude to them, so they responded at the same time.

    ¡°Yuan¡¯er, Jing¡¯er, you¡¯re brothers from now on. You¡¯re all our Ning¡¯s children, so you should help and make peace with each other.¡± Madam Dowager was very satisfied with their performance and reminded the two of them.

    ¡°Grandmother, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be friendly to my second younger brother.¡± Ning Huaiyuan immediately showed his attitude, but Ning Huaijing¡¯s face was a little stiff.

    ¡°Does it mean that I should put the past behind me?¡± Ning Huaijing looked at Madam Dowager coldly and managed to suppress his anger.

    ¡°No way!¡±

    He didn¡¯t want toment on the past. He would study hard and take care of his mother even if his father did not want to admit what he had to do with her, but why were those people so vicious and tried to kill him? He would never forget that if the person in ck had not appeared in time, he would have been killed by the steel spike that almost pierced his heart.

    He and his mother had been dependent on each other for years. His mother was kind and weak and never made enemies with others. How could someone want to kill him? After thinking about it, he knew no one would have done this except for this ¡°good brother¡± in front of him and his ¡°mother¡± who looked vicious.

    Ning Huaijing was smart, or he would not have been appreciated by his teacher. He had not figured out what had happened because he had never associated these things together. Now he knew who was behind the case.

    After linking everything together, he was clear that those people meant to get rid of him. Of course, Ning Huaiyuan and his mother would benefit the most if he died. Therefore, when he saw Madam Ling for the first time, Ning Huaijing almost lost his mind and wanted to p her.

    Ning Huaijing and his mother did not covet the wealth of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. That vicious woman almost killed him, but his ¡°nice grandmother¡± was saying to write off the past. How generous she was!

    ¡°Second brother, your hand is injured too. It¡¯s better to put some medicine on it so that the injury to be healed soon.¡± Hearing the gentle voice, Ning Huaijing came back from the trance. He looked down when he found that everyone was looking at him. ¡°Grandmother, I will,¡± he answered in a low voice.

    Ning Huaijing¡¯s answer was too stiff, which made Madam Dowager unhappy. She then stopped talking to him and turned her head to Ning Yuling. While she was talking to Ning Yuling, Ning Huaiyuan, and Ning Qingshan joined them from time to time, which made Madam Dowagerugh so much that the wrinkles on her face were not obvious.

    Seeing that everyone¡¯s attention was no longer on him, Ning Huaijing heaved a sigh of relief and suppressed the anger in his eyes. Fortunately, the Fifth Young Lady reminded him in time. Otherwise, he would have lost hisposure.

    Thinking of the Fifth Young Lady, Ning Huaijing could not help but turn his head and quietly size the girl up in front of him. On her jade-like face were delicate eyebrows, feather-like, trembling eyshes, a pair of jet-like watery and thoughtful eyes and a straight small nose. The pale lips made her look even more delicate.

    She was a beautiful girl who looked both gentle and weak.

    Then he turned his head and shifted his eyes from Ning Xueyan to Lanning, who was standing behind her.

    He was stunned when he saw Lanning¡¯s face.

    He remembered that he should have seen the girl in front of him. Although he did not see her face clearly, he remembered the maid standing beside her very well. But why did shee to him at that time? At the thought of this, he showed a trace of doubt in his eyes.

    ¡°You...¡±

    ¡°Second brother, it¡¯s your first time to see me, so you may don¡¯t know who I am. I¡¯m Ning Xueyan, your fifth sister.¡± Ning Xueyan interrupted Ning Huaijing with a smile.

    Ning Zu¡¯an just pointed at everyone and told Ning Huaijing about their names just now, but said nothing else. Therefore, it was indeed the first time they met. But Ning Huaijing had a feeling that the girl in front of her was stressing ¡°the first time¡±, so it was obvious that she did not intend to let others know that he had seen her before.

    Although he did not know why she did this, he felt that he should cooperate with her just because of her kind ¡°reminding¡± just now. So he nodded slightly and said, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s indeed the first time we met. Nice to meet you, Fifth Sister!¡±

    ¡°Nice to meet you, Second Brother!¡± Ning Xueyan answered softly with a smile, her face as brilliant as a flower. Compared to Ning Huaiyuan, she felt that Ning Huaijing was more reliable. After all, she had tested him in person the other day.

    ¡°Second Brother, since you have returned to our manor, everything is quite different from before. Concubine Yu lives close to me, so you cane to me by the way when you visit her.¡±

    Ning Huaijing did not expect that Ning Xueyan would have been so kind to him. He paused for a while and nodded with a smile. ¡°Okay!¡±

    Was his fifth sister reminding him that things were different from before and after returning to the manor, his mother had to be especially wary of others? What a smart girl! He never regarded anyone in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor as his family, even though they were rted by blood. They even tried to get rid of him, so he did not have to treat them like family.

    However, the reminding from the petite, delicate and smart girl in front of him inexplicably softened his heart. ¡°Is she my... younger sister?¡±

    Ning Huaiyuan turned his head with a smile, fixing his gaze on Ning Xueyan¡¯s beautiful face with a thoughtful look in his eyes. He then turned to Ning Huaijing and said, ¡°What¡¯s so interesting? Let me join you.¡±

 Chapter 347 - The Furtive Maid

    <h4>Chapter 347 The Furtive Maid</h4>

    At this time, Ning Huaijing had cleared all his heart knots and thoughts. So, he could not face Ning Huaiyuan with a stiff expression anymore. He said naturally, ¡°I did not say anything. I want to get to know Fifth Sister.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you already know each other?¡± Ning Huaiyuan raised his eyebrows.

    ¡°Father pointed her out to me, but I did not talk to Fifth Sister,¡± Ning Huajing said with a smile. He looked at Ning Huaiyuan with a trace of contemtion in his eyes. If he remembered correctly, the Fifth Sister in front of him was not Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s biological sister.

    Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s attitude was strange! There was something indescribably strange, but for a moment, Ning Huaijing could not think of anything strange about it. Ning Huaiyuan was only Fifth Sister¡¯s half-brother, but he seemed to pay more attention to her.

    They left after talking with Madam Dowager for a while. When they walked to the intersection, Ning Huajing walked with Ning Xueyan because he wanted to go and see Madam Yu.

    Madam Yu¡¯s home was rtively remote, which was beside Ning Xueyan¡¯s. The courtyard was not big, and it was used as a storage ce for all the junk. So, it was a good ce for Madam Yu, even though it meant that she had been banished to a distant ce. However, Madam Yu did not ask for anything, so there was no problem.

    ¡°Second Brother, what are we going to do?¡± Ning Xueyan and Ning Huaijing walked in front, followed by maids and young male servants.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ning Huaijing turned his head, and his eyes sparkled under the moonlight.

    ¡°Second Brother, do you want to take the imperial examination to win a schrly honor or official rank for Concubine Yu?¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s words sounded like a joke. It was not that simple to fight for such a position. He had to at least be a high-ranking official.

    ¡°I want to take this Spring Metropolitan Examination. Let¡¯s see if I can attain it!¡± Ning Huaijing frowned.

    ¡°Mother does not have a title now. Second Brother, if you want Auntie Yu to be ennobled, you¡¯d better work hard,¡± Ning Xueyan said softly.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s words sounded casual but it made Ning Huaijing feel ufortable. The vicious woman wanted to be ennobled by him. ¡°She should not even think about it.¡± But what was his identity? When it was only his mum and himself, everything could be settled well. In this case, how could a concubine be conferred a title, instead of the legal wife?

    Initially, he did not want to have anything to do with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Since he and his mother had been driven away, he did not want to go back. If it weren¡¯t for being cornered this time, he would never let his mother go back to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to be a concubine, and be suppressed by that vicious woman all the time.

    ¡°Let¡¯s wait and see then!¡± He said with some foreboding. Nobody knew what would happen in the future.

    Hearing the sadness in his words, Ning Xueyan smiled slightly and said goodbye to Ning Huaijing. Then, she turned to another road and went to Bright Frost Garden. Some things could not be acted on with undue haste.

    Slow pration was more eptable.

    ¡°Young Lady, that little maid was not sleeping in the middle of the night. She was sneaking around in a few ces at the corner of the garden. I don¡¯t know what she was doing.¡± As soon as she entered Bright Frost Garden, Qingyu reported this to her. Ning Xueyan had asked her to keep an eye on the maid with Qing¡¯er. These days, as long as the maid turned around in the garden, Qingyu would keep an eye on her.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s long eyshes fluttered. She raised her ck jade-like eyes and looked outside. She had dinner at Madam Dowager¡¯s ce today and talked with her for a while. It was toote. Most of the people in the courtyard were already asleep. She had asked the older female servant who guarded the door to sleep first.

    ¡°Qingyu, you and Mother Han go to the ce where the maid stayed just now and start digging,¡± Ning Xueyan said to Qingyu.

    Qingyu nodded and left. After a while, she ran in with a pale face, with Mother Han.

    ¡°Young... Young Lady, it¡¯s... witchcraft.¡± Mother Han trembled with fear when she saw the four cloth dolls which were thrown on the ground. Her eyes were filled with fear. She pointed at the little cloth men, who had been pricked with needles.

    In the previous dynasty, a concubine in the imperial harem had done this kind of witchcraft, causing a bloody storm. There were more than a thousand people who died at that time. Because of this, many well-known families were exterminated overnight. For a time, everyone became jittery at the mention of witchcraft. Therefore, it was banned in all the aristocratic families¡¯ mansions. Once discovered, the person involved would not be forgiven easily.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s gaze fell on those small cloth men, which had been stained with blood and pricked with needles. Only a trace of ink could be seen at the center of their backs. It should be birthdates and names. It turned out that this was the reason why Madam Ling was able to endure it for so long. As long as someone found these things in her courtyard, it would be inexcusable.

    After such an incident happened, even her uncle could not do anything about it. Such a means was a one-off kill!

    The woman in the inner manor was not the only one who did this. Sure enough, Ning Huaiyuan had made his move!

    He sent a maid to her courtyard with the help of Junior Concubine Xu. The people in her yard had been removed once. Mother Han selected all thetter servants, and Madam Ling did not intervene. When something like this happened, it had nothing to do with Madam Ling at all. He carried out things so resolutely.

    Unfortunately, she discovered that there was something wrong with the maid.

    Even though she had already figured it out, a cold sweat broke out on her back. She looked up, and her eyes were as cold as ice. ¡°Have you seen it before? What is written on it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen it just now. It¡¯s Madam Dowager, Marquis, Madam, and Second Young Lady¡¯s names.¡± Qingyu was afraid, but she had read the names hurriedly. She had been with Ning Xueyan since she was a child. When Madam Ming taught Ning Xueyan, she also learned to read, so she knew these words.

    ¡°Witchcraft! What wonderful witchcraft!¡±

    It could kill Ning Xueyan with one stroke. Meanwhile, they could attribute Madam Ling and Ning Yuling¡¯s behavior to the witchcraft. They would push all the me onto Ning Xueyan. Then, they could kill Ning Xueyan and clear their scandal at the same time. Ning Xueyan clenched her fists and pressed her sharp nails into her palms, which made her feel a stinging pain.

    Walking in front of the little cloth men, she squatted and touched the cloth on them with her slender hand. After thinking for a while, she asked Mother Han, ¡°Mother Han, what is the difference in the material?¡±

    Mother Han had calmed down and squatted to take a closer look. She touched the cloth with her hand and said with certainty, ¡°Young Lady, this material is exactly the same as the one sent to you before.¡±

    When Ning Xueyan was about to enter the imperial pce, Madam Dowager asked the manor to make some clothes for them. There was a piece of cloth like this. The cloth was exquisite and exceptionally smooth, that was how Mother Han remembered it.

    ¡°The time when Madam Dowager made clothes for Ning Qingshan and me?¡± Ning Xueyan stood up and asked coldly.

    ¡°Yes, it is. It was only sent to you and the Third Young Lady at that time. I heard that Madam Dowager specially ordered it and it was selected from her private storeroom. It¡¯s different from the material that we bought outside.¡± Mother Han touched it again and confirmed it. To prove what she said, she deliberately ced the material under the light.

    ¡°Young Lady, look, this material has been kept for a long time. Its color is not as bright, but it is softer and matches the skin.¡±

    ¡°Only Ning Qingshan and I have it? If these little cloth men appear in my courtyard, I could be convicted of practicing witchcraft. I have the cloth. The dates of birth and the eight characters of a horoscope are of the masters of this manor. Besides, they are buried in my courtyard. I will be convicted.¡± Ning Xueyan thought.

    ¡°Xinmei, bury these things in Junior Concubine Xu¡¯s courtyard!¡± The cold stare was indifferent under the light. Since Junior Concubine Xu intervened, it would be impossible for her to keep out of the affair. Junior Concubine Xu sent her sick sister to her courtyard, and Ning Xueyan had treated her well. Ning Xueyan never thought that Junior Concubine Xu would conspire with others and kill her after she rose in power.

    She wanted to get promoted by sacrificing Ning Xueyan¡¯s life.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go right away.¡± Xinmei understood the seriousness of the matter and nodded. She walked over and picked up the little cloth dolls.

    ¡°After burying, sprinkle these on the soil, and hide this in Junior Concubine Xu¡¯s bed.¡± Walking to the dresser, she took out a small porcin bottle from a small drawer on the top. Then, she took out a piece of jade tied with a true love knot and handed it to Xinmei. Xinmei turned and left.

    The porcin bottle contained the powder of red freesia. When it was mixed with a little bit of green licorice powder, there was a subtle fragrance. It smelled faint, but it had a unique function.

    Someone seemed to have spread something at the four corners of her garden...

    As for the true love knot on the jade pendant, Ning Xueyan had asked Qing¡¯er to make it earlier, after learning about the inside story.

    ¡°Young Lady, what about Qing¡¯er?¡± Mother Han could not help but growl. Mother Han had thought that Qing¡¯er was pitiful, so she did not assign her any hard tasks before. However, Mother Han did not expect that Qing¡¯er was an ungrateful person and had made false countercharges. She almost killed the Young Lady!

    ¡°Don¡¯t deal with her first. Let¡¯s treat her like before.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled slightly, with a trace of coldness in her beautiful eyes. It was not good to alert the enemy. It would be easy to deal with Qing¡¯er, but it would be unfortunate if Madam Ling and Ning Huaiyuan were disturbed! Ning Xueyan was waiting for their next move.

    Since they wanted to kill her, she would give them a chance. Junior Concubine Xu and Madam Ling had joined hands. Moreover, Ning Qingshan red at her so fiercely. So, it would be difficult for her to deal with them. But now, she had the opportunity to do so, how could she waste it?

    ¡°Young Lady, since we won¡¯t deal with her for the time being, what about that maid?¡± Qingyu asked angrily. She had thought that the maid was good because she was not as arrogant as Qing¡¯er. However, she did not expect that the maid was a biting dog.

    ¡°Go and check if the maid is Junior Concubine Xu¡¯s,¡± Ning Xueyan said coldly. Recently, Junior Concubine Xu had be more and more arrogant in the manor. It was said that Ning Zu¡¯an spent more than half of the month with her. It seemed that Ning Zu¡¯an doted on this new favorite concubine.

    Some days ago, Madam Ling imed to be ill for a while, and Ning Xueyan had gone to the imperial pce. Junior Concubine Xu was in charge of a lot of things in the manor. So, she became more and more arrogant. She had funny notions. How could she feel that she was exceedingly beautiful in the country and everyone would throw themselves at her feet?

    She thought that she was like a fish in water, but unexpectedly, she was the stupid one.

    Ning Xueyan firmly believed that the maid was Concubine Xu¡¯s servant, and she had nothing to do with the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard. Even if something happened, the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard would not be involved.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll check it out tomorrow.¡± Looking at Ning Xueyan¡¯s calm face, Qingyu knew that her master hade up with a n, so she nodded and left.

 Chapter 348 - The So-called Favorable Climatic, Geographical, and Human Conditions

    <b>Chapter 348 The So-called Favorable Climatic, Geographical, and Human Conditions</b>

    Madam Ling invited a master toe to the manor a few dayster.

    Madam Ling apanied the master to perform a religious rite in the garden. Madam Dowager sat by the side with all her family members.

    Except for Ning Zu¡¯an, almost all the masters of the manor were there. Even Ning Lingyun, who was in the Buddha Hall, came to get rid of the bad luck.

    Ning Xueyan did note early. Bright Frost Garden was rtively remote, so it was reasonable for her toete. When she came to the garden and walked toward Madam Dowager, she stopped when she saw the Taoist priest. There was a trace of darkness in her eyes, but she immediately stood behind Madam Dowager.

    Only Madam Dowager was sitting there, and the others were standing behind her. Ning Xueyan came a littlete, so she had to stand behind her.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady,e here. You can have a better view from here.¡± Junior Concubine Xu, who stood beside Madam Dowager, saw Ning Xueyaning and immediately gave her ce to Ning Xueyan, hinting for her to hurry up.

    ¡°No, I will just stand behind,¡± Ning Xueyan shook her head and said gently.

    ¡°You can¡¯t see anything at the back. I¡¯ll block your view. We¡¯d better change positions.¡± Junior Concubine Xu seemed not to understand what Ning Xueyan meant. She reached out her hand to pull Ning Xueyan¡¯s sleeve and wanted to switch positions with her.

    Although Ning Xueyan was not short, Junior Concubine Xu was a little taller than most women, so she should stand behind Ning Xueyan. This was reasonable. What¡¯s more, Junior Concubine Xu was affable. She seemed to be kind to Ning Xueyan, which people could not find fault with.

    ¡°It means that I must go to the front!¡±

    Ning Xueyan sneered inside, but she did not let it show on her face. She followed Junior Concubine Xu¡¯s order and stood in front of her. Junior Concubine Xu retreated to the back. Their positions happened to be the front and back.

    The Taoist priest was mumbling some prayers. He took out a wooden sword with a solemn look and wore a loose robe with wide sleeves. He was in his forties and looked very sage-like. From time to time, he would make stabbing motions toward the east and west with the sword.

    After doing this, he was sweating profusely. Madam Dowager told Madam Ling to ask him to have a rest, and asked him about the luck of the manor. What had happened recently had not been smooth sailing. The reputation of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was getting worse, which gave her a headache.

    None of the granddaughters and grandsons in the manor had received any official appointment yet. With such a bad reputation, no noble family had taken a fancy to them. Thinking of this, Madam Dowager was so worried that her hair turned grey.

    ¡°Immortal Master, take a break and have a cup of tea.¡± Madam Ling smiled as she came up with a maid, and the maid brought him a bowl of tea.

    Without hesitation, the Taoist priest took the cup of tea and drank it in one gulp. It was obvious that he was tired.

    ¡°Immortal Master, how is the fate of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?¡± Seeing that he had finished his tea, Madam Ling asked the maid to take the bowl and asked with a smile.

    The Taoist priest waved his hand and said with a frown, ¡°Madam, it¡¯s hard to say! It doesn¡¯t look good.¡±

    Hearing this, Madam Dowager pulled a long face and looked at the Taoist priest piercingly. Everyone¡¯s expressions froze.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Please tell us clearly. If there is anything wrong, please help us.¡± Madam Ling asked hurriedly.

    ¡°In this mansion, the geomancy is originally excellent, but recently, it seems to be covered by dark clouds, and a lot of disasters have urred. Now it¡¯s just a warning. Next, there may be more unfortunate things happening. Madam, you need to be mentally prepared.¡± The Taoist priest shook his head and looked calm, as if he was an enlightened eminent Taoist.

    ¡°Why did the originally good geomancy suddenly be like this?¡± Madam Dowager moved and could not help asking.

    ¡°ording to the Feng-Shui theory, favorable climatic, geographical, and human conditions are indispensable. The mansion should have upied the favorable climatic and geographical conditions. So, there must be something wrong with the human condition. Now, the sun is in the middle, and the yang Qi is strong. I can¡¯t see it clearly at this moment.¡± The Taoist priest seemed to be at a loss.

    ¡°If Yang Qi is too strong during the day, what about during the night? Just at night!¡± Junior Concubine Xu¡¯s words seemed as if something had lit up. She asked this, while standing behind Ning Xueyan.

    It was extremely rude. Before Madam Dowager and Madam Ling could say anything, she, who was only a concubine, had dared to speak up. So, after she finished speaking, everyone turned to look at her. Junior Concubine Xu seemed to feel that something was wrong. Her face turned red, and she shrank back and hid behind Ning Xueyan.

    Coincidentally, the Taoist priest¡¯s gaze did not fall on Junior Concubine Xu. It fell on Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Master, please perform a religious rite for us at night to find out the source of the disaster. Our Lord Protector¡¯s Manor will reward you handsomely.¡± Madam Ling came forward and said.

    Madam Dowager was satisfied with her words and nodded secretly. In the capital, people always conducted a religious rite during the day to get rid of bad luck. Few people would do it in the evening. But today¡¯s situation was unusual. Madam Dowager thought it was best to do so, because it was necessary to remove the bane.

    ¡°Well, Madam, please stand aside and allow me to look at Madam Dowager¡¯s color. Let¡¯s perform a religious riteter. At night, we can then have a clear goal.¡± The Taoist priest promised without any hesitation, as if he was happy to relieve the anxiety of others. With a wave of his horsetail whisk, he came over and bowed at Madam Dowager.

    Then, he raised his head, picked up the three strands of whiskers in his hand, and looked at her from head to toe...

    ¡°Master, is there anything wrong with Madam Dowager?¡± Mother Qin, who was standing behind Madam Dowager, stood up and asked.

    ¡°Madam Dowager does not look good, and her be is ck. Do you feel tired and sleepy these days? Are you feeling weak?¡± The Taoist priest asked Madam Dowager with a severe look, ¡°It seems that something has offended you...¡±

    His words made Madam Dowager¡¯s flesh creep. Recently, everything was not going well. She often felt sleepy and weak. Did she really encounter some evil?

    ¡°Then Immortal Master, can you help me have a look? What about me?¡± Madam Ling also came over and asked urgently.

    The Taoist priest turned his head and looked at her face. He frowned even harder. ¡°It¡¯s strange. It¡¯s strange. It¡¯s really strange...¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Ning Yuling, who was standing beside Madam Dowager, asked.

    As soon as she spoke, the Taoist priest turned his head and met her face. Her face immediately changed. He pointed at her and said, ¡°Why is this girl¡¯splexion so bad? A disaster is imminent, and something big is about to happen.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s so strange about it, Immortality Master? What¡¯s going to happen to the Second Young Lady?¡± Madam Dowager asked with a severe look on her face.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, please don¡¯t me me. It¡¯s bizarre. As the Marchioness, a First-ss Madam, she should be protected by the vital energy. Why can¡¯t I sense anything from the Marchioness? She seems to have been touched by something unclean, just like Madam Dowager. Even the fate of the First-ss Madams like Madam Dowager and the Marchioness has been destroyed.¡±

    The Taoist priest held out a hand. He clenched his fingers and counted them one by one, with his eyes closed. After a long while, he opened his mouth and asked in confusion.

    ¡°As for this youngdy¡¯splexion, it is even worse. She almost lost her life. This... this kind of fate must be bad. Everything is not going well for her. The nobledies of your manor should have been more fortunate than the two madams. How could this happen?¡±

    The Taoist priest shook his head as if he could not figure it out. He looked deeply puzzled.

    Madam Dowager looked sullen. She had specially trained Ning Yuling and was subservient to her every wish since she was a child. Even if she tortured Ning Xueyan in the backyard, Madam Dowager would not intervene. The reason why she spoiled her was because she wanted her to soar up into the sky with one start.

    However, something strange happened. First, the Third Prince abandoned her. Then, she had an affair with the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. Later, the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li gave her up. Finally, she was sent away. Her fortune was on the decline.

    ¡°Master, why is her fortune on the decline?¡± Madam Dowager asked with a gloomy face.

    ¡°One¡¯s fortune will rise and fall, but it¡¯s not normal to rise and fall so much. In addition, Madam Dowager¡¯s, Marchioness¡¯s, and their blood grandmother and mother¡¯s are also greatly weakened. I¡¯m afraid that someone has deliberately caused the disaster of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.¡± The Taoist priest looked as if he had seen through the secrets of heaven.

    Was it man-made? Madam Dowager¡¯s cold gaze fell on the people around her. Her eyes were sharp. If she found out who had caused this disaster, she would not spare the person! How could someone dare to destroy the fate of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? ording to the immortal master, the Second Young Lady had the chance of bing a princess. But now, the chance was gone. How could Madam Dowager not be angry?

    ¡°Master, are you sure you can find the person tonight?¡± Madam Dowager asked. Her eyes were like gimlets.

    ¡°Yes. Madam Dowager, who is she?¡± The Taoist priest answered with certainty. But when his eyes fell on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face, he paused for a moment, pointed at Ning Xueyan, and asked.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her?¡± Madam Dowager looked at Ning Xueyan calmly and asked.

    ¡°This person is also very strange, very strange...¡± The Taoist priest¡¯s doubting eyes fell on Ning Xueyan as if he felt something was wrong with her. He frowned and turned to Ning Xueyan. While speaking, he circled around her. Then, he met with a pair of beautiful eyes.

    Her eyes were beautiful and seemed to be covered with a faint mist. There was a slight smile in her eyes. However, the Taoist priest shivered for no reason. Her prating eyes made him feel as if she could almost see through him. How could a girl from a boudoir have such sharp eyes? However, when he looked at them carefully, they were still a pair of beautiful eyes.

    Everything that had happened was because his vision had blurred for a moment.

    Ning Xueyan looked coldly at the interaction among Madam Ling and her daughter, as well as the Taoist priest. She saw them divert their attention to her. The reason why Junior Concubine Xu spoke up before was to let the Taoist priest register her presence. It was all linked together. No one expected that she would reveal her identity with a slip of the tongue.

    Sure enough, it was a painstaking effort.

    A pair of seductive eyes that looked strange, but they were still bright and pure. Now that they diverted the attention to her, she would see how they would try to frame her with the ¡°man-made cmity¡±.

 Chapter 349 - Nothing in the Four Corners of Wall

    <h4>Chapter 349 Nothing in the Four Corners of Wall</h4>

    ¡°What do you mean, Immortality Master? Is there anything wrong with the Fifth Young Lady? Please tell me exactly.¡± Madam Dowager asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s amazing when the twodies¡¯ fate arebined together! Thatdy had the hope to be a princess, but she is having rotten luck, and her fortune is on the decline. Now, thisdy¡¯s fortune is rising, while thatdy is having rotten luck. It seems that she is taking advantage of thatdy¡¯s power.¡±

    The Taoist priest looked at Ning Xueyan as he said this.

    ¡°Master Immortal, do you mean that I am having good luck when Second Sister is having bad luck? So I swept away my bad luck by tapping on her good fortune?¡± Ning Xueyan smiled slightly and looked at the Taoist priest. She asked this in a meaningful way, with a hint of coldness in her glistening eyes.

    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re smart.¡± The Taoist priest did not expect that Ning Xueyan would suddenly speak up, and he was not prepared. He smiled immediately. He had nned to highlight the focus on the Fifth Young Lady¡¯s taking advantage of the Second Young Lady¡¯s fortune. However, he did not expect that the Fifth Young Lady would speak up for herself. That was great.

    As long as he turned the talk on this subject, and stated that Fifth Young Lady had taken advantage of the Second Young Lady¡¯s fortune, and he took out all the ¡°prepared items¡± out of the Fifth Young Lady¡¯s courtyard, everything would be a great sess. As for how the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would deal with this Fifth Young Lady who cursed others and enhanced her luck, it was not his problem.

    ¡°What do you mean by that? If our Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is having bad luck, all of us will have bad luck. Then, the fortune of the whole manor will be on the decline. Is there no one who will have good luck and be able to save the whole manor?¡± Ning Xueyan smiled softly and looked at the Taoist priest coldly, with a hint of undisguised sarcasm.

    ¡°I... I didn¡¯t mean that...¡± How would the Taoist priest dare to say that? He immediately waved his hands and said.

    ¡°You did not mean that, but I have offended you. Master, please continue with your procedure.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled politely. It seemed that she just made an indiscreet remark. She pointed to the tform aside, indicating that the Taoist priest should go there.

    The Taoist priest did not expect such a thin girl to be so domineering and aggressive. He could only step back for a moment. He did not dare to say that the fate of the whole Lord Protector¡¯s Manor could not be saved. A Dharma Master would not say this for sure, while conducting a religious rite. There would always be a turn of events, not to mention that Madam Ling had already warned him about it.

    ¡°Grandmother...¡± Ning Yuling was about to say something, but Ning Xueyan interrupted her gently. ¡°Grandmother, don¡¯t worry. As long as Yan¡¯er is lucky, I will definitely bring good luck to the whole manor.¡±

    Madam Dowager liked Ning Xueyan¡¯s words and nodded with satisfaction.

    Ning Yuling gave Ning Xueyan a vicious look and lowered her head. Madam Dowager liked to listen to good words. If she wanted to say something else at this time, it would only annoy Madam Dowager. Fortunately, the matter was not over yet. If the thing fell upon that little bitch, she would die.

    Madam Ling could not be too obvious, lest they suspect her. So, she retreated to the side and did not say anything.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, you¡¯re a sweet talker. You know what fate means. You must teach me if you have a chance, so that I¡¯ll be luckier.¡± Some people did not notice the sharpness in Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes. One example was Junior Concubine Xu, who was socially active, and she came over to talk.

    Ning Xueyan turned her head and looked at Xu Yulian. Seeing the smugness in her eyes that could not be concealed in time, Ning Xueyan sneered coldly. She took herself seriously. At this time, even Madam Ling did not talk about her fortune, but she, a concubine, came out again.

    She did not know what the man had promised her, so that she could not tell what was going on.

    A cold smile appeared on Ning Xueyan¡¯s pale lips. She asked coldly, ¡°Are you not lucky enough? Do you want to go further?¡±

    A maid who served the master in bed and became a concubine. In some people¡¯s eyes, it was already a matter of great luck. Did she want to advance further to be a co-wife or legal wife?

    Not only did Madam Ling¡¯s face change, but Madam Dowager¡¯s face darkened as well. She gave Xu Yulian a cold look and cursed fiercely, ¡°It is important to know one¡¯s own limitations.¡±

    Although she did not specify who she was, everyone knew that she was talking about Junior Concubine Xu. Many people took pleasure in her misfortune at this moment. They all looked at Junior Concubine Xu, who suddenly looked ashamed and anxious. With such a humble origin, how dare she think of bing a legal wife?

    Recently, Xu Yulian had antagonized many people in the manor. She used to be Madam Ling¡¯s maid, but now she rode roughshod over others. Many people in the mansion were not convinced. Recently, the Junior Concubine Xu was so domineering that no one dared to provoke her. Unexpectedly, not only did the Fifth Young Lady rebut her, but Madam Dowager scolded her as well. This cheered the people greatly.

    Being looked at with contempt and ridicule by so many people, Xu Yulian felt shy and angry. She subconsciously leaned to the side. Ning Huaiyuan was standing beside her. He stood behind Madam Dowager, so he happened to stand side by side with Xu Yulian. Sensing that she was upset, he turned his head and showed a gentle smile on his handsome face.

    This smileforted Xu Yulian inexplicably. She was no longer angry and ashamed, but lowered her head. Others thought that she lowered her head because of Madam Dowager¡¯s scolding. Only Ning Xueyan, who stood in front of her and had leaned over slightly , saw her interaction with Ning Huaiyuan. Xu Yulian¡¯s blush was not caused by extreme shame turning into anger.

    A strange smile appeared on her lips. It was exactly what she had expected.

    She turned around and shifted her attention to the Taoist priest, who was performing a religious rite. The Taoist priest used all his strength to point to the east and west with his sword. From time to time, he spat a mouthful of water on the sword. He struggled to make himself resemble a real Dharma Master.

    The religious rite was fitful. Toward evening, Madam Dowager and the people in the inner courtyard had already gone off to rest. After dinner, they woulde out when the Dharma Master began the religious rites.

    When Ning Zu¡¯an returned to the manor, Madam Dowager had asked someone to tell him about it and instructed him to bring the Taoist priest thereter.

    After dinner, the masters and servants of each courtyard did not sleep. In order to ess the situation clearly, Ning Zu¡¯an would apany the Dharma Master to each yard to check out the feng shui of the ce. It was said that it was unlucky enough in the manor, and even the fate of the Marquis was being suppressed.

    It was improper for such a Taoist priest to appear in the backyard. But now, it was rted to several masters¡¯ fortunes. Moreover, with Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s apaniment, it was not a big deal.

    ¡°Young Lady, do you want to rest first? I¡¯ll call you when someonees?¡± Seeing that it was gettingte, Lanning brought a cup of tea and said to Ning Xueyan, who was reading under the light.

    ¡°No, they should being soon.¡± Ning Xueyan raised her head with a cold smile on her face. They were targeting her today. How could they note over quickly? It was just an excuse to see one yard after another. She believed that they were so anxious that they would not let her wait for too long.

    After she finished speaking, she heard noises outside the courtyard. Someone knocked on the door. Ning Xueyan came to the corridor with several maids and saw Ning Zu¡¯an, Ning Huaiyuan, Ning Huaijing, and the Taoist priesting in. As soon as the Taoist priest entered the door, he pointed his sword around the room. Suddenly, he pointed at one ce and said to Ning Zu¡¯an.

    ¡°Marquis, there seems to be something different in that direction. I can sense that there is something with a strong evil spirit, which is causing bad luck to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.¡±

    ¡°Yan¡¯er, what¡¯s over there?¡± Seeing Ning Xueyaning over, Ning Zu¡¯an raised his head and pointed to the direction indicated by the Taoist priest.

    ¡°Father, how could there be something wrong?¡± Ning Xueyan said softly. She followed the direction of Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s finger and said in a hoarse voice.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go and have a look.¡± Ning Zu¡¯an strode to the other side first, followed by arge group of people. Ning Xueyan followed them with several maids and went to the corner of the courtyard wall.

    ¡°It¡¯s here, Marquis. The aura of the Evil Spirit is strongest here.¡± The Taoist priest pointed at a corner and said this with certainty.

    Ning Zu¡¯an walked over and looked at it. Looking from the outside, he could not see anything unusual. It was just like any other ce. But when he looked carefully, he could still see that the soil had been turned. He looked up at Ning Xueyan doubtfully and ordered, ¡°Dig!¡±

    Two older female servants, who had alreadye over with shovels, dug into the ground. The soil was very loose, and after a few spadefuls, they already dug to the bottom. However, there was nothing. If they dug deeper, there would only be some soilyers. There was still nothing.

    Ning Xueyan, who was standing aside, smelled the faint fragrance of a woman¡¯s face powder and there was a meaningful smile on her face.

    The Taoist priest was a little confused. ¡°Didn¡¯t they say that there will be little cloth men inside? It should be here!¡± He panicked for a moment and pointed to another corner of the wall. ¡°Marquis, it¡¯s over there.¡±

    The group of people moved to another ce. When they dug there, they found nothing.

    Then, they turned around again. After all the four corners of the wall had been turned over, there was still nothing!

    There was cold sweat running down the Taoist priest¡¯s back, and his confident smile was gone. Not far away, Ning Huaiyuan looked gloomily at the holes that were now dusty pits. Then he looked at Ning Xueyan, who looked inexplicably confused. His gentle smile froze. Ning Huaiyuan seemed to realize something. He looked at Ning Xueyan quietly and asked in a low voice.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    Ning Xueyan shook her head and gave him an affirmative answer. Then she turned to the stunned Taoist priest and asked gently, ¡°Immortal Master, what¡¯s over here? Didn¡¯t you say that I have great luck? Why is there bad luck here? Do you mean that the flower seeds I nted here hindered the Luck of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?¡±

    ¡°I dug up the soil a few days ago. Now all the flower seeds are gone.¡± Qingyu pouted and pointed at the several ck spots that had been dug out together with the soil.

    She also added, ¡°Immortal Master, you¡¯re truly magical. How did you know that the flower seeds were sown at the four corners of our courtyard?¡±

    The master¡¯s face turned grey. Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s face was gloomy. As the Lord Protector, he did not get any sleep that night, ran to his daughter¡¯s courtyard, and brought people to dig the corners of the garden, but found nothing. How could he not be angry?

    ¡°Qingyu, don¡¯t say that. The Dharma Master has true magic skills. Otherwise, how could he be so urate? Maybe he mistook the garden.¡± Ning Xueyan said with an elegant smile, instead of hitting him when he was down.

    ¡°Yes, yes, Young Lady, you¡¯re right!¡± The Taoist priest¡¯s forehead was sweaty. As soon as he looked at the Duke¡¯s face, he knew that the situation was not good. So, he went along with Ning Xueyan¡¯s words. He did not know what to do next.

    ¡°Marquis, something eventful has happened to Junior Concubine Xu. You, you should go and have a look.¡± An older female servant rushed over and cried out loudly.

 Chapter 350 - The Weird Things in the Junior Concubine Xuâ€™s Yard

    <h4>Chapter 350 The Weird Things in the Junior Concubine Xu¡¯s Yard</h4>

    ¡°Why are you shouting? What¡¯s going on?¡± Ning Zu¡¯an snapped.

    ¡°Marquis, there¡¯s something strange going on at Junior Concubine Xu¡¯s yard. There are many ants crawling around the corners. A whole colony of dark colored ants. Marquis, please go and have a look!¡±

    An ant was not terrible. The horrible thing was that there was a big colony of ants. At the thought of so many ants gathering at one ce, the older female servant felt a sudden shiver and almost bit her tongue.

    How could there be so many ants? And they were all swarming around at the corners of the courtyard. It was frightening to look at them. Such a strange thing, coupled with the Taoist priest¡¯s words set off a heated discussion among Junior Concubine Xu¡¯s servants.

    Seeing the older female servant trembling with fear, Ning Zu¡¯an shook his sleeves. Disregarding the flower seeds in Ning Xueyan¡¯s ce, he went over to Junior Concubine Xu with his servants. No one noticed that Ning Xueyan, together with two maids, tagged along behind Ning Zu¡¯an.

    When they arrived, the entrance of the Junior Concubine Xu¡¯s courtyard was crowded. The older female servant went forward and shooed away the people at the door, in order to let Ning Zu¡¯an enter with his servants.

    The yard was not big, but it was crowded with so many people at this time. Thenterns in their hands lit up the yard and it was as bright as day. As expected, they saw four piles of ck things neatlyid out at the four corners of the courtyard wall. Looking carefully, they were not all ants. They could move, which sent a tingle into people¡¯s bones.

    ¡°Marquis!¡± Junior Concubine Xu had been hiding in the room for a long time. At this time, when she heard that Ning Zu¡¯an was here, she opened the door and rushed out shyly.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Even though Ning Zu¡¯an doted on the Junior Concubine Xu ordinarily, she was making him feel embarrassed before his two sons and many servants. He coughed and held her, as he asked in a low voice.

    ¡°Marquis, I... I don¡¯t know either. A maid went out to pour water. Then, she saw... saw this, I¡¯m scared to death.¡± Junior Concubine Xu was frightened. She struggled to stand still. She could not help bing limp and started shivering. She wanted to lean into Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s arms.

    ¡°Stand up and speak.¡± Ning Zu¡¯an reached out and pushed her away again, with an angry look on his face.

    Junior Concubine Xu wascking in propriety again, in front of so many people, which made him feel a little embarrassed.

    ¡°Is it the same as the four corners at my ce? Immortal Master, did you make a mistake about the courtyard before? Is there something wrong with this courtyard?¡± A soft voice came from behind Ning Zu¡¯an, filled with doubts.

    The Taoist priest was very embarrassed. How could there be flower seeds in the four corners of the courtyard? It was totally different from what the man told him. How could he wind this matter up? When he heard that, his eyes lit up. He immediately shouted, ¡°Yes, it should be here. The mansion is full of evil spirits because of these four corners. Marquis, take this as a warning from heaven.¡±

    Whether it was true or not, at least this colony of ants was not a good omen. He had ordered people to dig up the courtyard of the Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor before. If he did not make up for it now, how would he manage itter?

    ¡°Master Immortal, are you sure you are not wrong this time?¡± Ning Huaiyuan looked at the Taoist priest with a gloomy face and asked in a deep voice.

    ¡°No, this time I am certain. Eldest Young Master, this is an indication of bad luck. If you want the manor to have good fortune, you must dig up these four corners. Otherwise, the gods are angry and the people resentful. It¡¯s hard to say whether there are any evil spirits lingering in the manor.¡±

    The Taoist priest was grasping at a life-saving straw, so he dared to say anything.

    The older female servant had said that she was a concubine. Moreover, the Marquis did not like her affectation, because he pushed her away repeatedly. Between the Marquis¡¯s biological daughter and the concubine whom he did not like, the Taoist priest weighed and bnced the facts, time and again. He thought that he would not be wrong this time.

    ¡°You¡¯d better be right, otherwise...¡± Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s voice became more severe. He even stopped addressing him as ¡°Immortal Master¡±.

    Being shouted at by him, the Taoist priest could not help cringing in fear. He did not know how to continue. It seemed that this concubine had a good rtionship with the Eldest Young Master of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. His eyes were rolling. Should he persist or not?

    ¡°Eldest Brother and Junior Concubine Xu must have a good rtionship. When they were digging the four corners of my courtyard, you did not even put in a good word for me!¡± She pouted yfully. It sounded like a girl¡¯s joke.

    However, when it fell into the ears of others, they heard a different meaning.

    Ning Zu¡¯an looked at Ning Huaiyuan suspiciously. He did not suspect anything, but wondered when his eldest son started having a good rtionship with Junior Concubine Xu.

    Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s face froze. He forced a smile and said, ¡°Fifth Sister, what are you talking about? I asked him to be sure, to avoid making a mistake again. Otherwise, it will be a waste of time.¡±

    Ning Huaijing looked at Ning Xueyan and Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s faces and suddenly said with a smile, ¡°Eldest brother, it¡¯s still up to Father. After all, she¡¯s father¡¯s concubine. As the younger generation, we can¡¯t say anything. The four corners seem questionable! Could it be that there is an evildoer?¡±

    Although he did not know what had happened, he could tell that something was wrong. So, he decided he would stand by Ning Xueyan. He had a good impression of Fifth Sister. He had inquired about her situation in the manor and felt deeply moved, as a fellow sufferer.

    He was not the only one who had a bad time, but Fifth Sister too!

    Ning Zu¡¯an dug up her courtyard without giving it any thought, but he was hesitant to dig up his concubine¡¯s courtyard. Ning Huaijing looked down upon Ning Zu¡¯an, and was also puzzled by him.

    ¡°Dig!¡± Ning Zu¡¯an said in a low voice.

    ¡°Marquis... marquis, what about the ants?¡± The older female servant who had the shovel did not dare to go over. The ants were so dense that she felt ufortable, as if they were crawling all over her body.

    ¡°Bring a few torches first,¡± Ning Zu¡¯an said.

    The servants Immediately found several torches from the outside and threw them at the corners. Most of the ants were burned to death, and the rest scattered in all directions. In a short while, the four corners were cleared.

    At this time, Junior Concubine Xu also felt that something was wrong, so she subconsciously looked at Ning Huaiyuan. But when she saw his fierce face and cold eyes which were not looking at her, she felt even more uncertain. She reached out and grabbed Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s sleeves. ¡°Marquis, all the ants have gone. There should be nothing wrong. Forget it!¡±

    The current atmosphere made her feel uneasy, especially Ning Xueyan, who was standing aside, safe and sound. Ning Xueyan looked at her with a gentle smile on her face. Seeing that, she was frightened and her eyes twitched involuntarily.

    The Taoist priest had already been to Ning Xueyan¡¯s ce. How could she be fine and was standing here? From the Marquis¡¯s expression, she knew that nothing had happened. She knew it should have sent forth terrifying waves of fear, because she had personally arranged for people to bury the four little cloth men in Ning Xueyan¡¯s courtyard.

    As long as one found those things, Ning Xueyan would immediately be locked away, and she would not be able toe over.

    She had made the little cloth men and asked the maid to put them in Ning Xueyan¡¯s courtyard. They had been buried there for many days. The maid had also reported to her that she buried them ording to her instructions, without arousing any suspicion. Then, she asked the maid to check them out. A few days ago, the maid also said that she had secretly dug them out and looked at them. It was all fine. In order to attract more attention, the maid specially sprinkled some women¡¯s powder on them.

    The powder did not have a cloying smell, and would not be discovered when it was dug out. Only when it was dug out and carefully checked, would one be able to smell the powder. The smell of this powder was the same as that of the first maids in the manor. If something went wrong, it would indicate that Ning Xueyan had asked her maids to bury it.

    The people of the Bright Frost Garden would be in this together!

    The arrangement should have been perfect. But what was the situation now? Junior Concubine Xu originally wanted to see if there was any expression on Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s face, but Ning Huaiyuan never turned his head to look at her, and gave her no hint after he spoke. What was going on?

    The more she thought about it, the guiltier she felt. So, she had to pull Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s sleeve and try to exin. However, her words were not convincing. Ning Zu¡¯an was in doubt, but now he became suspicious when he saw her look. He pushed Junior Concubine Xu away, and personally ordered the older female servants to dig.

    The ants had been burned to death. Two older female servants walked to the corner of the courtyard. After digging for a while, a little cloth man, which was stained with blood and pricked with needles, appeared.

    The cloth man was exquisitely made. His facial features were painted with an ink brush. He also wore a robe. However, the bloodstained chest and the needles on it, gave the people a weird and cold feeling. The people around felt a sense of gloom when they saw it.

    ¡°Witchcraft!¡± The Taoist priest was the first to scream. ¡°This... this is a doll that is meant to bring about someone¡¯s death!¡±

    He pointed to the several inky words behind the little cloth doll and said this loudly.

    His words roused Ning Zu¡¯an, who was initially stunned. He pushed away Junior Concubine Xu who came over again, and picked up the little doll from the ground. After looking at it carefully, he looked at the other three corners. He gritted his teeth, saying, ¡°Go and dig around the three corners.¡±

    When they found such a strange thing, the maids and older female servants were all shocked, and no one responded for a while.

    ¡°Go and dig!¡± Ning Zu¡¯an shouted.

    Two older female servants with shovels woke from their stupor and ran to the other three corners immediately. After a while, three other simr dolls were disyed in front of Ning Zu¡¯an. They were all blood-stained, pricked with needles, and had words written on their backs. As expected, it was birthdates. Holding a small cloth man in his hand, Ning Zu¡¯an was so angry that the veins on his forehead stood out.

    He clenched his fists tightly. He did not expect that his new concubine harbored such malicious intent.

    ¡°Marquis, marquis, I... I don¡¯t know what they are... This, they are not mine, someone... someone buried them in my yard.¡±

    At this time, Junior Concubine Xu was aware that something bad was going to happen. She knelt in front of Ning Zu¡¯an and hugged his legs. She raised her pale face hurriedly and cried loudly.

 Chapter 351 - The Junior Concubine Xuâ€™s Death

    <strong>Chapter 351 The Junior Concubine Xu¡¯s Death</strong>

    Tears fell from Junior Concubine Xu¡¯s face. The timid beauty was crying so bitterly that Ning Zu¡¯an should take pity on his new beloved woman. But now he only felt hatred and anger. He went forward, grabbed her by the neck, and pulled her to her feet.

    ¡°Tell me, why did you do that?¡±

    Recently, so many bad things had happened in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Even Madam Ling, who had always been gentle, was not what she used to be. Therefore, Ning Zu¡¯an was perturbed. Xu Yulian was able to serve the master in bed, due to her good fortune. As an ignorant concubine, she always tried to please him, so Ning Zu¡¯an feltfortable.

    He had always given in to Junior Concubine Xu¡¯s requests.

    He did not expect that she would use this sort of witchcraft to kill the whole family. Besides Madam Dowager¡¯s, Madam Ling¡¯s, and Ning Yuling¡¯s, his birthdate was also written on the dolls. She wanted to ruin the foundation of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. How could he not be angry?

    ¡°Marquis... Marquis... I...¡± Junior Concubine Xu was so scared that she could not utter aplete sentence. She kept spitting out single words and her eyes rolled upwards, looking as if she was going to die.

    ¡°Father, please stop. Junior Concubine Xu can¡¯t say anything in her condition. Maybe she has a grievance.¡± Looking at Ning Huaiyuan, who was expressionless, Ning Xueyan stepped forward and persuaded him gently.

    ¡°Bi*ch! Tell me!¡± Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s sharp eyes fell on Junior Concubine Xu¡¯s pale face that had been pinched. Then, he threw her violently to the ground. He wanted to see how the little bi*ch would exin.

    Junior Concubine Xu was thrown to the ground and rolled over a few times. She could not get up for a while.

    ¡°Junior Concubine Xu, where did you get these cloth dolls from?¡± Ning Xueyan came behind Ning Zu¡¯an and spoke to Junior Concubine Xu, who had fallen hard on the ground, had a bleeding nose and her face was swollen. It seemed that she was trying to absolve Junior Concubine Xu. Ning Zu¡¯an snorted unhappily and felt that his daughter was too softhearted.

    ¡°No... it¡¯s not mine. I... I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s not me... It¡¯s true. Marquis, it¡¯s not mine.¡± Suffering such a big change in her situation, Junior Concubine Xu was in a state of confusion, as she looked for Ning Huaiyuan among the crowd, while she hastened to defend herself. Tears ran down her face, and her face was streaked with mud. She was not as beautiful as she used to be.

    In the crowd, Ning Huaiyuan looked at her indifferently and said nothing. His expression was no different from that of the people around him.

    ¡°Junior Concubine Xu, why did you curse Grandmother? I remember that the olddy was very kind to you. You have to show some evidence to convince Father to believe you.¡± Ning Xueyan followed her gaze and looked at Ning Huaiyuan. She smiled and said this meaningfully.

    Evidence. How could she have any evidence? Junior Concubine Xu was so anxious that she had no time to think about anything else. Her eyes swept across the faces, in a panic. All the people looked at her with contempt, scorn, and mirth, but no one spoke up for her. Even he stood quietly in the crowd, without saying a word.

    Junior Concubine Xu was in a panic. If such a thing happened to Ning Xueyan, as the daughter of the principal wife, she had no choice but to die. If it fell on her, she too would have no chance to live.

    All of a sudden, an idea urred to her. She had evidence! She raised her head and looked at Ning Zu¡¯an.

    ¡°Marquis, I did not do it. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can look at the cloth. I don¡¯t have this type of material at all.¡±

    She had already been thrown into confusion. Hearing Ning Xueyan¡¯s words, she only wanted to defend herself wholeheartedly. She remembered that in order to frame Ning Xueyan, they used the cloth given to Ning Xueyan by Madam Dowager. Only Ning Xueyan and Ning Qingshan had the cloth, but she did not have it at all. The Marquis would believe her if he took a look at it.

    Unexpectedly, if they dug out the so-called evidence from Ning Xueyan¡¯s courtyard, Ning Xueyan would have been exposed to mortal danger. However, if they dug them out from here, she could not prove her innocence at all. Meanwhile, she betrayed herself without meaning to.

    ¡°Junior Concubine Xu, you did not take look at the little cloth dolls yet. How do you know that you don¡¯t have the cloth?¡± Sure enough, Ning Huaijing asked her, doubtfully.

    From the moment they dug out the little cloth dolls, it was true that Junior Concubine Xu had not touched the little cloth dolls. How could she know that the cloth was not hers?

    When she heard this, Junior Concubine Xu was shocked. She opened her mouth and widened her eyes. She was speechless.

    Ning Zu¡¯an looked even gloomier.

    Ning Xueyan picked up a small cloth doll, looked at it, and pinched it. Then, she turned to Lanning and asked, ¡°Lanning, look at the material. Is this the material given by Grandmotherst time?¡±

    Hearing this, Lanning stepped forward in surprise and pinched it twice. The cloth man had been buried in the mud, so it was dirty and stained with blood. She could not even see the color. Indeed, she could not identify the cloth instantly. ¡°Young Lady, it¡¯s true. Madam Dowager has such smooth material. It seems that... only you and the Third Young Lady have it. Madam Dowager gave to you for the Beauty Contest in the imperial pce.¡±

    Lanning was also surprised. In the end, she praised Junior Concubine Xu on purpose, ¡°Junior Concubine Xu, you¡¯re so eagle-eyed. It¡¯s so dark and dirty. How can you see what this material is?¡±

    Hearing that, Ning Zu¡¯an red up. How could she see it when it was so dirty? If she had not known about it in advance, how could she know what this little doll was made of? As expected, this bi*ch had made these little cloth men. He did not expect that the woman he loved had such a murderous heart.

    ¡°Bi*ch, tell me, why did you do that?¡± Ning Zu¡¯an strode forward and kicked Junior Concubine Xu. He swore at her until his eyes nearly popped out.

    Junior Concubine Xu screamed in pain after being kicked. She crashed into a tree and huddled into a ball, with her hands on her belly.

    ¡°Father, don¡¯t be angry. Maybe there¡¯s something else.¡± Ning Huaiyuan walked out of the crowd as if he wanted to pull Ning Zu¡¯an aside.

    ¡°Father, look. Even Eldest Brother hase out to persuade you. Please take your time. Maybe Junior Concubine Xu has her difficulties.¡± Ning Xueyan came over at her convenience and coaxed him in a soft voice. Then, she lowered her body and looked at Junior Concubine Xu, who had shrunk into a ball, her face turning blue. It was apparent that she was in a bad state.

    ¡°Junior Concubine Xu, you¡¯d better tell the truth. Who asked you to do this? Grandmother and Father have always treated you well. In this mansion, you are half a master. Whom would it profit from hurting Father and Grandmother? Anyway, you should consider my father¡¯s kindness to you.¡±

    Junior Concubine Xu was in so much pain that she could not say a word. Cold sweat broke out on her forehead. She raised her head and looked at Ning Zu¡¯an with difficulty. ¡°Marquis... Marquis... I... I didn¡¯t...¡±

    At this point, she hoped that Ning Zu¡¯an would believe that she would not do such a thing and let her go, for the sake of the past.

    Unfortunately, these were all her wishful thinking. After listening to her words, not only did Ning Zu¡¯an looked more serious, but even Ning Huaiyuan showed a trace of cruelty. Junior Concubine Xu¡¯s current state was not good. She would tell the truth if Ning Xueyan continued to persuade her. If he did not take action now, Xu Yulian would not keep quiet any longer.

    ¡°Father, take it easy. I¡¯ll go and have a look. Maybe someone is behind this.¡± He lowered his voice and said this to Ning Zu¡¯an. Then, he turned around and walked over to Junior Concubine Xu.

    ¡°Eldest Brother, you¡¯re so kind to Junior Concubine Xu...¡± Ning Huaijing said in a low voice, whether consciously or not. He seemed to find that something was wrong, so he quickly kept quiet.

    ¡°Junior Concubine Xu, why are you still so stubborn? If you die for such a crime, even your family will be implicated.¡±

    Ning Xueyan said this softly. She looked at the Junior Concubine Xu gently, as if she was trying to justify for her. But in Junior Concubine Xu¡¯s eyes, she only felt cold. Under her long eyshes, there was a blood-thirsty coldness in her beautiful jade-like eyes, as if such coldness could prate her very being.

    ¡°No... Don¡¯t deal with my family... No, I...¡± She raised her head in a panic, with a trace of blood at the corner of her mouth. With droopy eyes, she was at a loss. She subconsciously looked at Ning Huaiyuan, who wasing over. She cried, ¡°Da... Gong... Gong... Ah!¡±

    Before she could finish herst sentence, she fell heavily on the ground. This time, she happened to fall down the front of the stone steps on one side. Her forehead bumped on the stone steps and her blood spurted out. She died even before she could finish her sentence.

    Herst scream was so shrill that it seemed impossible to havee from a human.

    ¡°Shut up! How dare you say that this matter has something to do with the eunuch in the pce? You¡¯re looking for death!¡± A loud shout followed. It was Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s angry rebuke.

    Before she could confess, he kicked her hard and made her fall on the stone steps. She was dead!

    For a moment, everyone was stunned. They looked at the dead Junior Concubine Xu. Some screamed, some fell in a faint, and some scurried away..

    Ning Xueyan seemed to be scared too. She cried out in a low voice and almost fell to the ground. Lanning hurried over from behind and held her. Sheforted her and said, ¡°Young Lady, it¡¯s okay. It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s the Eldest Young Master who kicked Junior Concubine Xu to death. Don¡¯t be afraid!¡±

    ¡°Father, if it involves... the people in the pce, we¡¯ll be in trouble!¡± Ning Huaiyuan turned around and walked to Ning Zu¡¯an. He frowned and said in a low voice, as if they could not continue to investigate into the matter.

    ¡°Does it have anything to do with... the pce?¡± Ning Zu¡¯an asked incredulously. He thought that it could not have anything to do with the people in the pce. But Junior Concubine Xu did mention the Eldest Eunuch just now, so he indulged in a train of thoughts for a while. If it had something to do with the pce, he could not investigate it openly.

    But what was the rtionship between the people in the pce and him? And they even used this trick of witchcraft. If some people in the pce rubbed him the wrong way, it would be better if they dealt with him directly!

    ¡°Marquis... Marquis, Da Gong... Gongzi, I... will go back first with my Young Lady!¡± Lanning seemed to have been so frightened so that she could not talk properly. She held Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand and said to Ning Zu¡¯an.

    Her words were not smooth. She paused at the Gongzi for a while, and it seemed to match Junior Concubine Xu¡¯sst words. It would not be a big deal if she said these words at ordinary times, but at this moment, the words of Junior Concubine Xu¡¯s words lingered. Everyone heard Lanning¡¯s words and looked at Ning Huaiyuan.

    This feeling felt so contrary.

    Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s face froze for a moment, but he nodded at Lanning naturally, as if he did not care at all. Although his expression changed rapidly, Ning Zu¡¯an, who was standing opposite and staring at him, saw it clearly, and a meaningful look shed through his eyes.

 Chapter 352 - The Consequence of a Love Affair

    <h4>Chapter 352 The Consequence of a Love Affair</h4>

    Junior Concubine Xu was dead. This tactful woman of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor ended up to be thrown to an old graveyard outside the city, wrapping in a worn matting. A concubine who tried to frame the master of the manor would end no better than an ordinary servant.

    As she had made such a trouble, the marquis had already shown mercy for not holding her family ountable. Who would care about her life and death? Qing¡¯er had been in Junior Concubine Xu¡¯s courtyard and watching what was happening for a while. When she found that the situation had changed after hearing that her sister tried to plot against the marquis, she said nothing and immediately ran to Bright Frost Garden quietly with a pale face.

    As for her sister¡¯s situation, she also turned a deaf ear to it.

    The other people in the courtyard had already dispersed, and the things in the room were in a mess. Looking at the pendant in his hand, Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s face was livid under the candlelight, and the veins on his forehead throbbed. He did not forget that it was the jade pendant he had given to Ning Huaiyuan when he was ten years old.

    But now it was found under the pillow of Junior Concubine Xu. What was more, there was a true lover¡¯s knot tied to it.

    The knot was very delicate, so it was obvious that the person who made up it had put a lot of effort into it. What annoyed Ning Zu¡¯an more was that he also had such a knot tied to a pendant he wore. It was also made up by Junior Concubine Xu, who promised that she would bound to him forever.

    When they were in love, Junior Concubine Xu also said that the technique for knitting such a knot was passed down from her family, which was different from that of the others. She told him that she would only make it for him.

    Ning Zu¡¯an held the jade pendant tightly and looked around with a gloomy face. Then he suddenly raised it and smashed it onto the floor before striding away.

    A lot happened after this matter and no one expected that such a thing would suddenly happen to Junior Concubine Xu. When Madam Dowager and Madam Ling came over after hearing the news, it was all over. Only Ning Huaiyuan, Ning Huaijing, and several servants were left in the courtyard.

    Junior Concubine Xu had already been dragged out. Thest trace of her life was the small pool of bloodstain on the ground.

    ¡°Where is the marquis?¡± Hearing such a thing, Madam Dowager was seriously frightened. It was terrible that someone in the manor tried to frame Lord Protector with sorcery. She looked around but did not found Ning Zu¡¯an. She immediately walked into the room on a crutch and asked Ning Huaiyuan anxiously, who was standing there in a daze, with a trembling voice.

    Madam Ling behind her was both anxious and panicked. Although she did not speak, everyone could see the panic and anxiousness in her eyes. However, thinking that she was worried about Ning Zu¡¯an, just like Madam Dowager did, nobody sensed anything wrong with her.

    Ning Huaiyuan looked gloomy and almost dull with a coldness between his brows, which waspletely different from his usual gentle appearance. When he looked up at Madam Dowager, thetter was shocked by the grim look in his eyes. ¡°Yuan¡¯er, what¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked.

    Madam Dowager¡¯s voice woke Ning Huaiyuan up. ¡°Nothing, Grandmother. My father is checking inside. Junior Concubine Xu witched our manor and it might get someone... in the imperial pce into trouble, so I kicked her to death,¡± he immediately hid the coldness and dullness in his eyes and answered.

    Now he had to exin in this way. Junior Concubine Xu¡¯sst words inspired him. If he did not kill her, Junior Concubine Xu would have told the truth in front of the others. Ning Huaiyuan had thought that everything would go well under his careful nning, but to his surprise, it was foiled by that maid.

    The puppets of witchcraft were still standing on the steps and the already bloodstained cloth got the blood of Junior Concubine Xu on now, which looked chilly and bloodthirsty. Madam Ling happened to meet the eyes outlined on one of the puppets, which seemed to be full of cold sarcasm.

    Madam Ling was so scared that she almost copsed. She took a step back with trembling. Somehow, she stepped on her skirt and was tripped to the ground. The maids on both sides felt creepy as the chilly wind blowing and was totally abstracted, so they did not notice what was happening until Madam Ling fell heavily to the ground.

    Madam Dowager had no time to care about Madam Ling who was lying on the ground awkwardly now. ¡°It may have something to do with... the higher-ups?¡± she asked anxiously.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why I kicked Junior Concubine Xu to death.¡± At this point, Ning Huaiyuan had to continue to use it as an excuse. Anyway, he could not let others find out that he was the one who was behind this case. He had been confident that a delicate noble Young Lady would never escape this time, but now, it seemed that he had underestimated Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Good, good! I didn¡¯t expect there to be such a wicked b*tch in our mansion. She deserved to be cut into pieces! This is the end of this matter. Let the Taoist leave and tell him to keep his mouth shut. Anyone in our manor who dares to talk anything about it will be beaten to death!¡±

    After all, Madam Dowager was very experienced, so she immediately ordered, looking at people present with different looks. No matter who was the one who had plotted it, as long as it was rted to the imperial pce, she had to shut those people up.

    Ning Huaiyuan calmed down a little now. ¡°Got it, Grandmother. I¡¯ll arrange for it now,¡± he answered with a nod. Since things hade to this, whether it was because of Madam Dowager¡¯smand or for his own interests, he had to cut off the clues. If his father came back to his senses and saw into this case, he might be found out.

    Ning Huaiyuan was certain that thest maid¡¯s words had already aroused his father¡¯s suspicion.

    After all, he had an affair with Xu Yulian. Although he had been very cautious to deal with all the traces, he was not sure that none of them could be found out. He did not mean to have anything to do with a maid who served his father in bed, but hepromised as Junior Concubine Xu said if he wanted her to work for him, he had to give her a title in the future.

    Xu Yulian had the intention to seduce him, while Ning Huaiyuan wanted to make use of her, so the two reached an agreement immediately. From then on, Xu Yulian was willing to work for him with all her heart and soul.

    Madam Dowager nodded as she saw that her grandson calmed down and regained hisposure.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Ning Zu¡¯an walked out of the room and shouted, staring at Ning Huaiyuan coldly.

    ¡°Yes, Father!¡± Ning Huaiyuan did not dare to meet Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s eyes, so he bowed his head and said respectfully.

    Ning Zu¡¯an walked down the stairs with a livid face and the coldness in his eyes had turned to rage.

    ¡°Zu¡¯an, what¡¯s wrong?¡± sensing something wrong, Madam Dowager asked with concern.

    Unexpectedly, Ning Zu¡¯an did not even look at her. He walked past her and came to Ning Huaiyuan, as if it was his first time to meet him. He sized him up and suddenly burst intoughter. ¡°My son, you¡¯re really filial!¡±

    With that, he raised his foot and kicked Ning Huaiyuan hard, causing Ning Huaiyuan, who had no preparation in his mind to fall to the ground.

    Before the crowd could exim, he had already left.

    As soon as Madam Ling got up from the ground, she saw Ning Huaiyuan was kicked away by Ning Zu¡¯an. She burst into tears at once and rushed to Ning Huaiyuan. ¡°Yuan¡¯er, Yuan¡¯er, are you okay?¡± When she saw a trace of blood dripping from the corner of Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s mouth, she cried out anxiously.

    ¡°Zu¡¯an, are you scared out of your wits?!¡± Madam Dowager was also confused. Seeing that her son walking away after hit her grandson, she shouted angrily behind him, knocking her cane hard on the ground.

    Hearing Madam Dowager¡¯s angry shout, Ning Zu¡¯an paused for a moment before walking out of the yard without looking back.

    In Bright Frost Garden, Ning Xueyan had finished washing up and was about to go to bed. Suddenly, she heard someoneing to find Qing¡¯er, which was followed by Qing¡¯er¡¯s crying. She knew they were going to drive Qing¡¯er away from the manor, so she asked Lanning to have a look. Then instead of going to bed, she sat down under the candlelight, picked up a book at hand and flipped through it.

    After a while, Lanning came in and reported in a low voice, ¡°Miss, Qing¡¯er has left. That old female servant said the marquis kicked the Eldest Young Master and then left the manor. Since he hasn¡¯te back yet, she asked me if we have seen him.¡±

    ¡°Ning Zu¡¯an went out of the manor?¡± No man would be willing to mention such a thing to other people. What was more, it was his own son who cuckolded him. So it was no wonder that Ning Zu¡¯an would have lost his temper when he knew that his most favored and valued son had an affair with his concubine behind him.

    It was Xinmei who found out by ident that there was an affair between Junior Concubine Xu and Ning Huaiyuan. Ning Xueyan had been confused that the two enemies, Junior Concubine Xu and Madam Ling would have stopped fighting with each other, but joined hands to deal with her. Now she understood it was because of Ning Huaiyuan. Junior Concubine Xu had been greedy for power, so she managed to marry Ning Zu¡¯an. However, Ning Zu¡¯an was too old and could notpare with the young and handsome Ning Huaiyuan, so it was no wonder that Junior Concubine Xu was more interested in the son.

    She was just a maid, but she took herself too seriously and thought that no one could do without her. Therefore, she deserved it to have ended up like this. Even if she had not plotted against Ning Xueyan, Junior Concubine Xu woulde to no good end. A maid who served her master in bed thought that she was so charming that she could have the father and the son under her control.

    ¡°Leave it alone. Just tell them that you didn¡¯t see him,¡± Ning Xueyan put down the book in her hand and said coldly with a sneer.

    She did not care where Ning Zu¡¯an would go at all, as if he had nothing to do with her. Just like Ning Zu¡¯an had never regarded her as his daughter, she had never taken him as her father either. How could she care about a scum who framed his first wife and took the use of his daughter for his own future?

    At this time, as a daughter, she needed to do nothing except for behaving cautiously. There would be someone else to take care of the rest of things.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what I told the older female servant who drove Qing¡¯er away. She said she was going to ask Second Young Lady and Third Young Lady about it,¡± Lanning nodded with a smile and answered.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t Ning Yuling go to Junior Concubine Xu¡¯s courtyard?¡± Ning Xueyannded her hand on the page and raised her bright eyes with a trace of suspicion in them. It was obvious that Ning Yuling would know what had happened in the daytime, but why didn¡¯t she go there? Didn¡¯t she want to see what would happen to Ning Xueyan? It was quite different from what she used to be.

    ¡°It seems that the Second Young Lady didn¡¯t go there. Otherwise, the old female servant wouldn¡¯t have said that she would go to her courtyard and ask her about it,¡± Lanning said after thinking for a while. She was sure that the servant said this just now. ¡°Do you want me to go to the Second Young Lady¡¯s ce to check it out now?¡±

    ¡°No, Ning Yuling changed too much after returning to the manor,¡± Ning Xueyan said with a slight sneer on the corner of her mouth. Ning Yuling seemed to have grown up suddenly and was no longer the impulsive girl aftering back this time. However, from her gloomy temperament and the hatred asionally crossing her eyes, Ning Xueyan could tell she was still bitter about the past.

    Madam Dowager wanted to cling to the imperial family through marriage, so she had valued Ning Yuling very much before. What Ning Yuling would do if she knew that she would not have a chance to marry into the imperial family? Ning Xueyan was really looking forward to it!

 Chapter 353 - The Invitation from Commandery Princess Xianyun

    <h4>Chapter 353 The Invitation from Commandery Princess Xianyun</h4>

    What happened to Junior Concubine Xu was finally suppressed in the manor. All the people in the manor received the order, so everything remained the same as before when the gate of the manor opened the next day. But nobody would mention the tactful and popr Junior Concubine Xu again, as if she had never been in the manor.

    Since Ning Zu¡¯an did not go home that day and Ning Huaiyuan wasy in bed to recuperate, the manor was unusually quiet.

    These were the internal affairs of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, and the influence had been minimized, so no outsider knew that a concubine of Lord Protector ended up dead for her use of the witchcraft in the manor.

    What caused a sensation was the news that six candidates among those Young Ladies who attended the Beauty Contest held by the imperial pce won the contest. However, to everyone¡¯s surprise, instead of being sent to the manor of the two princes and Prince Yi as the rumors said, all of them were sent to the imperial pce to serve the emperor.

    People were confused, but there were rumors in private that the emperor would issue a decree and who would be the consorts of these princes would be revealed soon.

    This led to a lot of spection. As such kind of topics was rted to this country¡¯s future, people were talking about it privately.

    Ning Xueyan did not expect that at this sensitive moment, she would have received an invitation from Commandery Princess Xianyun to enjoy flowers. She picked up the invitation and examined it carefully. With her long eyshes trembling, she was left speechless.

    The invitation was beautifully designed. Just like Commandery Princess Xianyun, it was both fresh and elegant, which made people feel like a spring breeze. The pattern was in but elegant with a cluster of grass on the green path. From the picture and the unrestrained calligraphy under it, one could tell that Commandery Princess Xianyun had put a lot of effort into the design of the invitation.

    As a matter of fact, Commandery Princess Xianyun had nothing to do with her. Except for the time when she pretended to be Ao Chenyi¡¯s favorite concubine, she had only seen her once in the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor. At that time, she only figured out that Commandery Princess Xianyun wanted to associate with the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor. However, Ning Xueyan heard nothing about it anymore and since then, she did not see her again.

    To Ning Xueyan¡¯s surprise, the invitation was not sent to Bright Frost Garden, but to Madam Dowager¡¯s Lucky Garden. It was said that Commandery Princess Xianyun wanted Madam Dowager to invite Ning Xueyan and Ning Yuling for her.

    As Ning Qingshan¡¯s injuries had not recovered yet, she was not on the list of the invitation. It sounded reasonable, but Ning Xueyan still felt something wrong. After such a long time, Ning Qingshan¡¯s injured hand should have almost healed, so it would not stop her from enjoying flowers. Why didn¡¯t Commandery Princess Xianyun invite her?

    It was abnormal that she had deliberately mentioned that Ning Qingshan¡¯s injuries had not recovered yet.

    Instead of inviting Ning Qingshan, who was about to marry Third Prince, she invited Ning Yuling, who was humiliated to the extreme.

    ¡°Miss, how about we reject her invitation on the grounds that you¡¯re not feeling well?¡± Lanning also felt something wrong, so she asked.

    Putting down the invitation in her hands, Ning Xueyan stood up and walked to the dressing mirror gracefully. ¡°It¡¯s unnecessary. Since Commandery Princess Xianyun had sent me the invitation, I have to go. Besides, it¡¯s said Ning Yuling had started preparing for some time, and she was waiting for me to go with her,¡± she said.

    Since her return to the capital city, Ning Yuling did not have the opportunity to attend the party outside. So many things had happened. Even if people did not have any evidence, there were rumors about her indiscretion. Therefore, it was rare that someone would like to invite her to attend a party. If Ning Xueyan turned down the invitation, Ning Yuling, who was supposed to go with her, would miss the opportunity. Then Madam Dowager would definitely me Ning Xueyan for that.

    Seeing that Ning Yuling¡¯s face had recovered, Madam Dowager nned to put her to good use again.

    In Madam Dowager¡¯s eyes, the role Ning Xueyan would y today was to help Ning Yuling get back to the noble Young Lady circle. Otherwise, Ning Yuling would feel embarrassed to show up in front of others.

    What was more, whatever Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s purpose, no ident would happen. Otherwise, she would not be the smart Commandery Princess Xianyun.

    Since Ning Xueyan had made up her mind, Lanning came over tob hair for her again. She put her long, ck hair into a beautiful bun and left some bangs on her forehead, which made Ning Xueyan look extremely refresh. Then Lanning put on a white dress for her, with only a pair of cuffs and the cor were decorated with delicate embroidery.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s delicate face looked more beautiful with the fresh dressing on. Her childish look seemed to have faded away and was reced by natural charming. However, there was a coldness in her watery eyes, as the cold mist under the moonlight. Except for her indescribable beauty, she looked both graceful and calm.

    After getting everything ready, Ning Xueyan walked out of Bright Frost Garden with Qingyu, heading for the gate of the manor.

    At this point, Ning Qingshan was enjoying the scenery in the pavilion on the rockery in the garden, wearing a suit of jade-green clothes. It was spring and the flowers were blooming in the garden, so it was the best season for scenery. Her hand injuries were almost healed, except for the scar on her finger and palm, which could not be removed for the moment, so it was hard to see her injuries.

    However, Ning Qingshan was clear that she had a hidden illness because of the injuries. When the weather was fine, it was not obvious, but when it was cloudy or rainy outside, her palm would be in pain. She could not lift anything a little heavier. As she had suffered from this because of Ning Xueyan, the hatred in her heart for her became stronger.

    If it were not for that b*tch, she would not have been in such a miserable situation!

    ¡°Is that the Fifth Young Lady?¡± She saw a person in a light-colored dress in the distance. With a more careful check, she found it was Ning Xueyan, who was rushing out of the manor.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Caifen, who was standing by her side, looked in the direction and nodded.

    ¡°Go ask where she is going,¡± Ning Qingshan said with a frown. She had known what had happened yesterday. After the incident of Junior Concubine Xu, the manor was extremely quiet. She was surprised that Ning Xueyan was going out at this moment. ¡°She has been cautious, but why is she rushing out of the manor at such a sensitive moment? Doesn¡¯t she worry that it will annoy Madam Dowager?¡± she wondered.

    ording to her instruction, Caifen inquired about the information and came back soon. ¡°Third Young Lady, I¡¯ve already made inquiries. It¡¯s said that Commandery Princess Xianyun invited Second Young Lady and Fifth Young Lady to enjoy flowers. The invitation was sent to Madam Dowager and the two Young Ladies left the manor after Madam Dowager¡¯s permission.¡±

    ¡°Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s invitation? Why did she only invite Ning Yuling and Ning Xueyan, but not invite me?¡± Ning Qingshan thought it was obvious that Commandery Princess Xianyun looked down upon her. She thought she was much more distinguished than the stupid Ning Yuling and the humble Ning Xueyan, so she was confused why Commandery Princess Xianyun did not invite her.

    Thinking of this, Ning Qingshan was very upset and her face immediately darkened.

    ¡°Did they say anything else?¡±

    ¡°I, I heard...¡± Caifen hesitated for a moment, but under Ning Qingshan¡¯s cold gaze, she reported in a hurry. ¡°I heard that because your hand was injured, Commandery Princess Xianyun didn¡¯t send the invitation to you. Third Young Lady, it seems she did this out of her concern for you.¡±

    ¡°Instead of sending me the invitation, she invited another two Young Ladies who are inferior to me! Besides, she especially mentioned my injuries. She is rubbing salt in my wound, isn¡¯t she?¡± Ning Qingshan thought with a gloomy look. If the inviter took her seriously, even if she could not attend the party, she would send her the invitation.

    The meaning behind this waspletely different.

    As a matter of fact, Commandery Princess Xianyun had nothing to do with Ning Qingshan. Three years ago, Ning Qingshan was very young and unremarkable. As those noble Young Ladies were busy making friends with the principal wife¡¯s daughters of other manors, nobody had time to pay attention to her, an adopted daughter of Lord Protector. Since Commandery Princess Xianyun was the daughter of Empress Dowager¡¯s family, of course she did not know Ning Qingshan.

    However, it did not make sense for her to have invited Ning Yuling and Ning Xueyan alone and forgotten Ning Qingshan. Ning Qingshan thought there might be something she did not know. Otherwise, Commandery Princess Xianyun had no reason to mess with her. After all, she would at least be the Third Prince¡¯s co-consort soon.

    Ning Qingshan was a suspicious person and now she became even more restless. She looked in the direction Ning Xueyan left with a darkened face, frowning. After quite a long time, she stood up and said to Caifen, ¡°Go get ready. If people ask, just tell them that I¡¯m going out to take a walk.¡±

    Could that because she had been in the manor for so long time and became ill-reformed?

    ¡°Miss, after that ident yesterday, Madam Dowager is still secretly investigating the cloth. If you go out at such a moment...¡± Caifen paused for a while. Mammy Luo also secretly watched on the spot when Junior Concubine Xu had her ident. When she mentioned that the cloth used on the puppets of witchcraft, Caifen felt extremely nervous.

    Only Bright Frost Garden and Foggy Courtyard had such kind of cloth.

    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m not the only one who has such cloth. Maybe Junior Concubine Xu got the cloth from Bright Frost Garden. It¡¯s impossible for Ning Xueyan to keep much the leftover material of such cloth in her ce.¡± Ning Qingshan stood up with a sneer.

    Since both the two knew that they were at odds with each other, Ning Qingshan did not care even if Ning Xueyan suspected that the cloth was taken from her ce. Junior Concubine Xu was dead, and it was said that her personal maid had been taken away from the manorst night. Until now, she had note back yet, so she might have already been executed.

    If Madam Dowager suspected her, she would also suspect Ning Xueyan!

    What was more, it sounded more reasonable if someone said that Junior Concubine Xu had asked her maid to steal the cloth. Now the cloth was made into clothes and no one knew where the leftover pieces were. Therefore, nobody could find the evidence at all.

    ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll arrange for it now. Do you want to go to that courtyard now?¡± Hearing what Ning Qingshan said, Caifen nodded and felt a little relieved. As it was her who had passed the cloth on to Junior Concubine Xu, if anyone looked into this matter, she might be found out. Therefore, she had been worrying the wholest night.

    A case like that would bring bad luck to whoever was found out!

    ¡°Yes, just go there. Since my aunt is in that courtyard, I¡¯ll go and chat with her there. Remember, pick a better dress for me,¡± Ning Qingshan said casually. She had been recuperating in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor for some time, so she was ill-informed and knew nothing about what happened outside. Now she was almost healed, so she needed to go outside to see what was going on. Besides, she must show an imposing manner in front of people today.

    She could not bear Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s deliberate neglect of her.

    If it had been in the past, Ning Qingshan would not have been so annoyed for such kind of things. However, she had been losing ground all the time, so she was no longer that confident. Therefore, she immediately burst out of anger at the news.

    In fact, Commandery Princess Xianyun did not mean to make things soplicated. Since Ning Qingshan was going to marry Third Prince, Commandery Princess Xianyun could please Ao Chenyi by suppressing her. She did not go too far with a reasonable excuse for not having invited Ning Qingshan, so anyone who was sensible would notin about this. Moreover, this Third Young Lady was well-known for her sensibleness.

    It was a pity that not everything would go the way people expected.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go and arrange for it right now.¡± Caifen nodded and then ran to the Foggy Courtyard. She had to send a message first. Otherwise, if those people did not make any preparation for Ning Qingshan¡¯s sudden arrival, Ning Qingshan would lose her temper again. Since she was driven out of the imperial pce, Ning Qingshan became moodier. Although Caifen was her henchman, she was always scolded by her.

 Chapter 354 - Confliction Between Sisters at the Flower Appreciation Party

    <h4>Chapter 354 Confliction Between Sisters at the Flower Appreciation Party</h4>

    Ning Xueyan and Ning Yuling did not take the same carriage, but each took a carriage, heading for the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor.

    ¡°Miss, there are many carriages outsides, and some noble childes hade,¡± Qingyu said to Ning Xueyan in surprise when she lifted the curtain of the carriage and had a look. They were told that only the Second Young Lady and the Fifth Young Lady were invited, but judging from the situation, it was obvious that Commandery Princess Xianyun did not only invite female guests.

    ¡°The Lord Peace¡¯s Manor is Empress Dowager¡¯s family, so the flower appreciation party held by Commandery Princess Xianyun must be different from those held by the Young Ladies of other manors. It¡¯s normal for her to invite some noble childes.¡± Ning Xueyan exined gently with a smile.

    She had heard about this in her previous life. Most noble Young Ladies only invited the Young Ladies they were familiar with to enjoy flowers, but obviously, Commandery Princess Xianyun was not one of them. Except for sending invitations to some noble Young Ladies, she also invited some male imperial family members. As she was Empress Dowager¡¯s family, all the princes and noble childes woulde at her invitation.

    Therefore, the flower appreciation party Commandery Princess Xianyun held was more lively than that of any other noble Young Lady held.

    ¡°Miss, Prince Yi is also here!¡± Qingyu looked outside and suddenly reminded her in a low voice.

    Ning Xueyan was surprised that Ao Chenyi would havee to attend such a party more for girls. However, it also showed how extraordinary Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s status was.

    ¡°Are you the Young Lady from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? Please get out of the carriage,¡± Someone outside said. Qingyu jumped out first and then she turned around to help Ning Xueyan get out of the carriage. Xinmei got out of the carriage following Ning Xueyan. Ning Yuling¡¯s carriage was ahead of Ning Xueyan¡¯s, so she had already gotten out of the carriage for some time. Ning Xueyan took several quick steps and caught up with her.

    The older female servant who came to greet them and the people outside could not help but brighten up their eyes.

    It was the parking lot of the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor, so anyone who got out the carriage or got off the horse would stop here. It was normal that the two charming Young Ladies attracted many people¡¯s attention when they showed up.

    One of them, who was wearing a bright red dress and the luxurious coat had the perfect figure and a face as beautiful as a peony. However, the gloomy look on her face much lessened her original bright temperament.

    At first nce, the other one looked a little paler than the girl in red. Both her clothes and her face looked pale. As she was too slim, she looked charming but weak. Obviously, she was too young and had not fully developed yet. However, if people looked closely, they would find that her facial features were extremely delicate and the girl in red could notpare with her at all.

    The pale color added a touch of coldness to her delicate charming.

    ¡°How beautiful the sisters are! Which manor are they from?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I never heard of a manor with such beautiful girls of such different styles!¡±

    ¡°An older female servant asked just now. She was told that the sisters were from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the Young Ladies of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor are very beautiful, but I didn¡¯t expect that any two of them would be so gorgeous. It¡¯s said none of the Young Ladies from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor won in the Beauty Contest. I couldn¡¯t imagine what kind of Young Ladies could be chosen if these two were not selected.¡± A few noble childes joked in a low voice when they saw the sisters.

    Ning Xueyan seldom showed up in public. Although Ning Yuling was favored in the backyard of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, to train her so that she could be a blockbuster in the future, Madam Dowager did not allow her to go out often. Therefore, except for attending the banquet at the Cold Mountain Temple and met some people there, very few outsiders had ever seen her.

    Ao Chenyi¡¯s carriage rushing over from behind. As soon as they saw the spacious and luxurious carriage, several servants ran over. After the carriage stopped, a servant who wanted to tter Ao Chenyi was going to serve him, but at the sight of the eunuchs with gloomy looks on both sides, he gave up the idea toe closer.

    A eunuch had knelt on the ground and waited outside, propping himself with his arms. Ao Chenyi got out of the carriage and stepped on his back beforending. He looked up at Ning Xueyan from behind, who was walking into the inner courtyard of the manor and narrowed his eyes before shifting his gaze to those noble childes who were talking about Ning Xueyan and Ning Yuling. Under his cold nce, all of them shut up and lowered their heads.

    ¡°Your Highness, this way please!¡± The Princely Heir of the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor hurried over from the crowd.

    Ao Chenyi nodded and walked into the outer courtyard of the manor.

    Ning Yuling also heard what those noble childes said just now. Her gloomy face lit up with pride finally and looked much more cheerful than before.

    After walking for a while, they suddenly heard someone calling them gently from behind, ¡°Second sister! Fifth sister!¡±

    The two stopped and looked up. It was Ning Ziyan who wasing over with a smile from behind. In a purple dress, she looked very slim. It seemed that she had just gotten out of the carriage. Ning Xueyan did not expect that they would have met Ning Ziyan here.

    Since they had seen her, they had to wait for her ande in with her.

    They greeted each other after Ning Ziyan catching up with them and then walked inside together.

    ¡°I have nned to visit Third Sister and Fifth Sister, but I was too busy and didn¡¯t have time. Don¡¯t take it so seriously about the loss in the contest. Our grandmother won¡¯t mind the trouble and she will find a good match for you,¡± Ning Ziyan said with a smile as if she cared about her younger sisters very much.

    However, the meaning behind her words was kind of vicious. She was hinting that it would be difficult for Ning Xueyan and Ning Qingshan to find an ideal husband after their loss in the contest.

    Unexpectedly, Ning Yuling, who had always been sarcastic, did not say anything this time, but Ning Ziyan, who had always pretended to be generous in front of others, said such words to stab her in the heart.

    Ning Xueyan sneered inwardly. Before she could make trouble for Ning Ziyan, thetter could not wait to provoke her. She seemed to be very happy for Ning Xueyan¡¯s loss in the contest and was trying to humiliate her.

    ¡°Thank you for your concern, Eldest Sister. It seems that I have no choice but to trouble our grandmother,¡± Ning Xueyan said indifferently, with coldness and ridicule in her eyes. ¡°It will be great if my marriage would go as well as yours.¡±

    Hearing what she said, Ning Ziyan¡¯s face turned pale and she could not even maintain her smile anymore. Her marriage became a joke in the capital city on the day of her wedding. Everyone thought that it was ominous that she got married after her elder had just died. Afterward, Madam Ling was punished by the emperor and her title as the Imperial Mandate Mrs. was also abolished. In any case, Ning Ziyan¡¯s marriage did not seem to go well.

    Ning Yuling twitched the corner of her mouth and showed a hint of sarcasm on her face. She did not say anything, but stood aside and watched them arguing.

    Like a phoenix, the queen of birds, she used to be the most favored daughter in the manor, but suddenly fell from the peak and almost lost her life. At the thought of the humiliation she had suffered, she not only hated Ning Xueyan to the extreme but also med Madam Ling and Ning Ziyan, thinking that if they tried their best to save her, she would not have been down to this.

    She used to be an outgoing person, but because of hatred, she was much more gloomy.

    Seeing that Ning Ziyan and Ning Xueyan were tit-for-tat, she did not intervene but watched aside. No matter what they were fighting for, it had nothing to do with her.

    ¡±Fifth Sister, it¡¯s said our mother is discussing your marriage. She wants to find a suitable man for you.¡± Managing to hold her anger back, Ning Ziyan put on a dignified smile and said in a gentle voice, with the demeanor of the eldest sister. However, there was a hint of threat in her words, and in her eyes, people could saw a fierce look.

    Her marriage? It seemed that Madam Ling was going to settle her marriage by taking advantage of her loss in the contest. Madam Ling and her daughter would never miss a chance to bully her and they always wanted to trample on her. However, Ning Xueyan was no more the girl who had just stepped out Bright Frost Garden.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think our mother will leave a man like Marquis of Ping¡¯an to others!¡± Ning Xueyan did not hesitate anymore. She curved up her lips with a bloodthirsty coldness in her eyes. ¡°Do you think she will marry me to a man as excellent as Minster Xia¡¯s son? It¡¯s said Sister Ziying¡¯s courtyard is haunting. How about we invite a Taoist to remove the evil spirits?¡±

    Ning Xueyan spat the words coldly, and now her delicate face had turned icy. Ning Ziyan did not expect that Ning Xueyan would have mentioned it and her face immediately became as pale as snow. If it was exposed, her marriage could only be a joke.

    She was clear that she would be sentenced to death if she was found out to have murdered people and robbed the other¡¯s fiance.

    ¡°You, you... Stop talking nonsense!¡± The smile faded away from her face and was reced by rage.

    ¡°Eldest Sister, you¡¯re clear whether I¡¯m talking nonsense or not. Do you want to go back to the Cloud Reflection Courtyard and have a look? Maybe Sister Ziying is still waiting for you to talk about your sisterhood years ago with you,¡± Ning Xueyan said with a sneer. She had been reborn for revenge and now, she did not want to pretend to be close with Ning Ziyan in front of people anymore.

    ¡°Eldest Sister, there is no need to argue with her. Fifth Sister is rising high and she is much more distinguished than us now,¡± Ning Yuling said in a strange tone. Obviously, she was mocking Ning Xueyan for her loss in the Beauty Contest.

    ¡°My sisters, to be frank, I¡¯m really indeed more distinguished than you. I only found out a few days ago that Eldest Sister used to be an illegitimate child, and Second Sister is just a concubine¡¯s daughter.¡± Since they had broken up, Ning Xueyan would not swallow her anger. They were asking for scolding, so she would not show mercy.

    She was hinting that Madam Ling used to be Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s mistress before bing his concubine and then his principal wife. No noble family would respect such a ¡®principal wife¡¯. All hostesses of those noble families had been well-educated for years by their families, so it was no wonder that they could not bear to see a mistress be a principal wife.

    The sisters felt like being pped in the face.

    Their face turned pale at the merciless words. Ning Ziyan shouted angrily, ¡°Ning Xueyan, how dare you speak in this way?¡±

    Ning Yuling had an impulse to p Ning Xueyan. She stared at Ning Xueyan, gasped. If they were at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor now, she would have rushed over and pped her.

    As they were talking loudly, people who walked ahead and behind them all turned to them, wondering what happened between the sisters. It did not look like they were getting along with each other.

    ¡°What am I afraid of? Since someone dared to do this, why should I dare not to talk about it?¡± Ning Xueyan snorted. Ning Ziyan was good at showing their sisterhood in public, but Ning Xueyan would not give her such an opportunity. She wanted to see what Ning Ziyan was going to do next.

    ¡°You, you...¡± Ning Ziyan was so angry that she felt a little dizzy. For her, her status as an illegitimate child and her marriage were taboo topics, but Ning Xueyan not only mentioned them but also repeated. Ning Ziyan knew that she should stay calm at this moment, but she could not help turning pale and trembling.

    ¡°The two sisters are bullying one! The rtionship between the sisters of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is indeed not as good as the rumors said.¡± Several Young Ladies who passed sneered and cast at them a mocking look.

 Chapter 355 - Commandery Princess Xianyunâ€™s â€˜Kindnessâ€™

    <h4>Chapter 355 Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s ¡®Kindness¡¯</h4>

    Finally, Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling strode forward angrily, leaving Ning Xueyan and her two maids walking slowly behind.

    In no hurry, Ning Xueyan followed the leading maid at a leisurely pace. When she arrived at the inner courtyard, she found that today¡¯s banquet was put in the garden, looking very special. Several waterside pavilions in the same color stood on theke, which was not far away from each other. Looking from a distance, the waterside pavilions were shaped like a flower, with thergest one in the center like a flower core.

    Each waterside pavilion was connected with a long corridor in the water, which was filled with all kinds of flowers. Except for the central pavilion with some VIP guests inside, people could move freely among the waterside pavilions and chatted with each other through the flower-decorated, fragrance lingering corridors.

    The waterside corridors of the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor were very famous. Plus the spring breeze, blooming flowers and the swaying willow branches on the shore not far away, people felt indescribable refresh and rxed.

    Thergest corridor in the middle was upied by Prince Yi, the Third Prince, and the Fourth Prince, who were apanied by Commandery Princess Xianyun and the Princely Heir of the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor.

    Ning Xueyan did not want to meet these people, so she deliberately chose a ce farthest from the central Pavilion. There were very few people here, but the scenery was very elegant. Sitting by the rail, watching the rippling water and soaking in the gentle spring breeze, she was carefree and pleasant.

    Without Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling by her side, Ning Xueyan did not have to pretend to be close with them, so she felt more rxed.

    ¡°Are you Fifth Young Lady from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?¡± a maid hurried over and asked while bowing to Ning Xueyan respectfully.

    ¡°Yes!¡± Qingyu nodded.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, my master invited you to her pavilion,¡± the maid pointed at the waterside pavilion in the middle and said politely.

    Hearing that Commandery Princess Xianyun was looking for her, Ning Xueyan turned her head and followed the direction the maid was pointing at. Commandery Princess Xianyun was looking at her gently with a smile on her face.

    ¡°Show me the way!¡± Ning Xueyan nodded with a smile. She preferred to be alone, but since the hostess had invited her politely, she had to go over to say hi at least.

    Following the maid, Ning Xueyan walked to the central pavilion with Qingyu. Along the way, she saw Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling were chatting excitedly with a group of noble Young Ladies in a waterside pavilion on the left.

    When she arrived at the pavilion in the middle, Ning Xueyan made a bow with her sleeves folded. As all the guests here were the most influential imperial family members, they were also the focus among the guests.

    ¡°Get up!¡± Ao Chenyi waved his hand and said casually, narrowing his enchanting eyes. However, he did not look at Ning Xueyan too much but still paid his attention to Commandery Princess Xianyun.

    On the contrary, Ao Mingyu said with a smile, still looking like a graceful and gentle childe, ¡°Make yourself at home. We came here just for enjoying flowers and the beautiful scenery, so you don¡¯t have to feel uneasy.¡±

    Compared with Ao Mingyu¡¯s calmness, Ao Mingwan did not look well. After blinking for a few seconds, he shifted his gaze from Ning Xueyan to Ao Chenyi, who did not even look at Ning Xueyan twice. With an awkward smile on his face, Ao Mingwan was obvious in low spirits.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady,e here and chat with us.¡± Seeing that Ning Xueyan had greeted the princes, Commandery Princess Xianyun, who was sitting by the rail on the west side with two noble Young Ladies, waved to her gently.

    Ning Xueyan walked over and saw Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s sister, Yun Luoluo, who was also there.

    When she was about to bow to them, Commandery Princess Xianyun stopped her with a smile. She took Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand and said softly, ¡°Fifth Young Lady, please take a seat. We only appreciate flowers today, so you don¡¯t have to be so polite. In spite of our identities, if only by age, I¡¯m the same age as your second sister. Do you mind if I call you sister?¡±

    Commandery Princess Xianyun was quite different from thest two times. She was so warm to her that Ning Xueyan felt a little uneasy. Hiding the trace of suspicion in her eyes, she answered with a smile, looking gentle and delicate, ¡°It¡¯s all up to you, Commandery Princess Xianyun.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t call me Commandery Princess again. There¡¯s a word ¡®Cai¡¯ in my name, so you can call me Sister Cai. Fifth Young Lady, I heard that there¡¯s a word ¡®Yan¡¯ in your name, can I call you Sister Yan?¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun said with a smile.

    Ning Xueyan nodded in agreement. She had never been so intimate with any sisters, so she felt a little ufortable. When she looked at Yun Luoluo by her side, Ning Xueyan found that although she was smiling, there was a hint of sarcasm in her eyes. How strange! This Commandery Princess Xianyun seemed to be too overenthusiastic today.

    Hearing their conversation, Ao Chenyi turned his head and looked at themzily with a carefree expression.

    ¡°I heard that Sister Yan came with your two sisters. Why weren¡¯t you with them, but stayed alone?¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun took a glimpse of Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling, who were in another pavilion, and asked with a smile.

    ¡°I wanted to be quiet, so I didn¡¯t join my sisters.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled gently.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, I heard that you were quarreling with your two sisters at the gate just now. Is that true?¡± Yun Luoluo asked, as if out of curiosity, covering her mouth with a handkerchief.

    It was disgraceful to quarrel at other people¡¯s manors. Moreover, everyone would think that they did not care about the interests of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Whatever was going on between sisters, they should maintain a semnce of peace at other people¡¯s manors.

    ¡°No, we didn¡¯t quarrel. We felt a little depressed when we were talking something about our manor,¡± Ning Xueyan said to Yun Luoluo with a smile.

    ¡°What could upset the three Young Ladies so much that you even talked loudly at the gate?¡± Yun Luoluo did not want to give up humiliating Ning Xueyan. She kept telling others that Ning Xueyan showed no respect to her sisters and had quarreled with them at the gate just now.

    ¡°Second Sister, don¡¯t talk nonsense! How could Sister Yan quarrel with her two sisters?¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun stopped her sister in a low voice when she saw everyone shift their gaze on Ning Xueyan.

    Then she said to Ning Xueyan with a smile, ¡°Sister Yan, I hope you¡¯re not offended. My second sister is not good at chatting.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Sister Cai. I¡¯m not lying. Something happened to our manorst night and my eldest sister was very upset when she heard the news just now.¡± Ning Xueyan raised her watery eyes and exined in a way neither humble nor arrogant.

    ¡°Something happened to your manorst night? What happened?¡± Yun Luoluo asked with a smile. It seemed she would not stop asking until getting to the bottom of the matter. She did not believe that Ning Xueyan coulde up with a good reason.

    ¡°Second Young Lady, I¡¯m sorry, but it¡¯s the internal affairs of our manor, so no matter how curious you¡¯re, I can¡¯t say more,¡± Ning Xueyan said coldly, her smile had faded away.

    It seemed that Yun Luoluo was sure that Ning Xueyan would not contradict her in front of so many people, so she kept on pressing her. As it was only the second time they met, Ning Xueyan wondered why she was so hostile to her.

    Yun Luoluo immediately blushed at her words. Every manor had its secrets. Since other people did not want her to know, if she kept on asking, the others would think that she was too numb. However, normally, people would not say it so bluntly as Ning Xueyan did, especially the princes were still present.

    ¡°You...¡± Yun Luoluo stared at Ning Xueyan angrily.

    Ning Xueyan looked at her with her jet-ck eyes, showing no sign ofpromising. Yun Luoluo had provoked her again and again, but her sister only reproached her a little. They were both noble Young Ladies, and Ning Zu¡¯an was a powerful marquis, so if Ning Xueyan still put up with her, she would be looked down upon by everyone. People would be more certain that she was still the timid and weak girl like the rumors said.

    As expected, they did not have any good intentions to invite her. It seemed that this Commandery Princess Xianyun had heard some news, so she was trying to teach her a lesson in advance. Now Ning Xueyan knew why she was so warm to her and even called her Sister Yan.

    ¡°Second Sister, don¡¯t joke anymore.¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun rebuked in a soft voice. Ignoring Yun Luoluo¡¯s angry look, she said to Ning Xueyan with a smile and pulled her to sit down next to her. From the warm way she talked to Ning Xueyan, everyone would think that she had really been annoyed by Yun Luoluo¡¯s provocative words toward Ning Xueyan.

    After a while, she ordered the maid beside her, ¡°Go and invite Mrs. Xia and Second Young Lady of the Ning¡¯s Manor.¡±

    The maid left at her order. After a short moment, she took Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling here. As Ning Xueyan did, they also bowed to Ao Chenyi and the other princes before Commandery Princess Xianyun asked them to join their conversation. In addition to them, Commandery Princess Mingya and another two noble Young Ladies also came. Ning Ziyan and the others were chatting around Commandery Princess Mingya just now.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, I heard that you had a dispute with Mrs. Xia and Second Young Lady?¡± Commandery Princess Mingya sized Ning Xueyan up for a while and asked.

    ¡°Your Highness, who told you that?¡± Ning Xueyan asked with a smile.

    ¡°Many people heard it. Mrs. Xia also told me that there was some misunderstanding between you and her and it was her fault to have upset you,¡± Commandery Princess Mingya said, pointing at Ning Ziyan next to her.

    Her straightforward words made Ning Ziyan blush. Ning Ziyan badmouthed Ning Xueyan a lot implicitly in front of Commandery Princess Mingya just now. To show Ning Xueyan¡¯s rudeness and contempt, she pretended to be generous by taking all the mes on herself.

    It would be okay if she just talked in this way privately. However, everyone, except for Commandery Princess Mingya, felt she was hypocritical when they heard this. Commandery Princess Mingya looked back at Ning Ziyan and said with a smile, ¡°Since the elder sister has admitted her mistake, the younger sister should let it go. Anyway, peace should be valued between sisters.¡±

    ¡°Sister Mingya, you¡¯re right. Sister Yan, even if Mrs. Xia did something wrong, you should forgive her,¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun persuaded Ning Xueyan in a soft voice.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, I¡¯m really sorry! It¡¯s all my fault to have upset you.¡± Ning Ziyan apologized gently, looking very low-key.

    In any case, she seemed to be doing this for the sake of sisterhood. As the younger sister, if Ning Xueyan refused to ept her elder sister¡¯s apology, people would think that she had gone too far, too rude and too arrogant. Since the elder sister hade down off her high horse, why couldn¡¯t the younger sister let go of her?

    Watching their fake performance, Ning Xueyan sneered inwardly. Now she understood why the feeling of something wrong had been haunting in her mind today. They were lowering the bait bit by bit, waiting for her to take the bait.

    Obviously, they were trying to force her to show that she was close to Ning Ziyan! Ning Xueyan was sure that they had plotted following-up after she showed her sisterhood with Ning Ziyan as they wished. Now she knew why she had an odd feeling about this flower appreciation party. It turned out to be a carefully designed trap for her.

    It seemed that they were very confident that she had to follow the trend to express her deep sisterhood with Ning Ziyan in front of people.

 Chapter 356 - Breakup, Ning Ziyan Falling into Water

    <h4>Chapter 356 Breakup, Ning Ziyan Falling into Water</h4>

    Ning Xueyan scrutinized Ning Ziyan¡¯s face with her eyes. There was a touch of sadness in her bright eyes. She opened her mouth slightly and said, ¡°On the day of my mother¡¯s death, nothing could be sadder than that the people managed to hold a wedding in the mansion!¡±

    As soon as these words came out, the smiles on all the faces stiffened. These words made them think a lot.

    In order that the Eldest Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor could get married, they concealed the Second Madam¡¯s death. Although Madam Ling shouldered the responsibility, there was another rumor going round that Ning Ziyan also knew what was going on. The reason why she kept the Second Madam¡¯s death under wraps was to conceal her infidelity before her marriage, and her pregnancy from having an illicit affair with Xia Yuhang.

    From this point of view, Ning Ziyan was not a virtuous woman, and she was used of being unfilial. It could be said that her reputation had been ruined. When Princess Xianyun invited her to the banquet, she felt ufortable and had already lost the integrity and decency that Princess Xianyun had always boasted about, in public.

    From Ning Xueyan¡¯s point of view, Ning Ziyan hid her biological mother¡¯s death because of her marriage, so it could not be reconciled easily. Even if she was estranged, it was reasonable. As a child, how could she bear knowing that her biological mother was despised? If they did not hold the funeral for her mother, it meant that her mother was reduced to a status of a concubine from that of a co-wife.

    Although rumors been spread before, no one dared to speak in public, due to the influence of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and Minister Xia¡¯s Manor. This matter faded from people¡¯s memories and no one took it seriously. Even Ning Ziyan thought that no one would remember it, so she epted Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s invitation and attended the Flower Appreciation Banquet.

    When she heard Ning Xueyan¡¯s words, Ning Ziyan¡¯s face turned blue immediately. She stared at Ning Xueyan with blood-red eyes and could barely control her fury.

    She would never have imagined that Ning Xueyan would dare to say something like that in such a ce.

    ¡°Commandery Princess Xianyun, do you still want to show your sisterly affection for this slutty girl?¡± A powerful and deadly momentum came from a stern and evil voice.

    It was not loud, but it sounded somewhatzy and frivolous. However, everyone felt as if a ghost lost in hell, had reached out a hand silently and pinched their throats, making the people feel suffocated and creped out.

    The malicious and handsome man had a pair of bright eyes, blood-like lips, and charming eyes. He looked cold and evil. He looked at Ning Ziyan, without any emotion.

    When Ning Xueyan said that, Commandery Princess Xianyun already felt terrible. Nobody would have thought that a delicate girl would be able to put Ning Ziyan into the abyss with only one sentence. In front of so many people from noble families, she said something like that, but Ning Ziyan seemed to be unable to exin it.

    If it was true, Ning Ziyan was an unchaste woman and an unfilial daughter. Those who were willing to make friends with such a woman of bad reputation would be regarded as tternly too. However, Commandery Princess Xianyun had issued an invitation card to her, so she suspected that Princess Xianyun might have other intentions, or that she really did not know anything about it.

    ¡°Please ask Young Madam Xia to go back!¡± In a sh, Commandery Princess Xianyun took a deep breath and made a decision. She stood up, bowed gracefully to Ao Chenyi, and then told the maid behind her.

    She intended to expel Ning Ziyan immediately.

    Ning Ziyan had been in a deadlock because of Ning Xueyan. When she heard what Princess Xianyun said, her face immediately turned livid, She felt ashamed and angry. She would never have thought that Commandery Princess Xianyun would do such a thing at this time. If Commandery Princess Xianyun drove her away today, she would feel too ashamed to attend any other aristocratic families¡¯ banquets.

    ¡°Commandery Princess...¡± Ning Ziyan said in a hoarse voice.

    ¡°Young Madam Xia, you¡¯d better go back first. If there is something wrong, I will apologize to you next time.¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun said politely. She even bowed to Ning Ziyan unhurriedly to show her sense of guilt, but she insisted that she had to drive away Ning Ziyan. Otherwise, what would the others think of her?

    What¡¯s more, she could not stand the loss of her reputation.

    ¡°You... I...¡± Seeing Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s reaction, Ning Ziyan knew that she had made up her mind. She gritted her teeth and turned to Ning Xueyan. She looked at Ning Xueyan¡¯s face, her eyes as evil as that of a viper. Then, she gritted her teeth, gasped, and turned to leave.

    She came to the banquet, but the master drove her away. She had to take revenge for such a great humiliation.

    However, before she reached the entrance of the waterside pavilion, a guard came over and kicked Ning Ziyan. Before they could even hear a ssh, they saw Ning Ziyan falling into the water and struggling.

    ¡°You¡¯re dirty. You need a wash!¡± The passive voice came from behind the crowd.

    The waterside pavilion became quiet. Ao Mingyu frowned and looked at Ao Chenyi. The corners of his eyes twitched, but he did not say a word. He turned his head and pretended not to see anything. He clenched his fingers, a trace of anger shed in his eyes. After all, he was a prince, but he could not do anything when his subordinate¡¯s wife was kicked into the water.

    Before he worked up the confidence to deal with Ao Chenyi, he could not do anything about it. He hoped that his father had a perfect n to topple Ao Chenyi.

    Ao Mingwan looked at Ning Xueyan with pity. The others, including Commandery Princess Xianyun, looked at Ning Ziyan, who was struggling in the water, withplicated expressions, and then looked at Ning Xueyan. As for Prince Yi, no one dared to look directly at his extremely handsome but sinister face.

    ¡°Commandery Princess Xianyun, can you apany me on a tour of theke?¡± It sounded like a question, but there was no room for refusal.

    Ao Chenyi stood up and swung his wide sleeves. Then, he turned around and walked to a gaily-painted pleasure-boat docked beside the waterside pavilion.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun lowered her head. She could sense Ao Chenyi¡¯s gaze falling on her head, with an inexplicable sense of scrutiny.

    She did not know what it meant, but she felt a chill running down her spine. When a handsome man like him cast his eyes on a woman, she would feel shy. However, Commandery Princess Xianyun felt terrified, as if he had seen through her.

    He could not have seen through her. Besides, she had not done anything. Even if something happened, it was Ning Ziyan who did it. The sisters did not get along with each other, and it had nothing to do with her. Besides, she did not do anything because of Ning Ziyan¡¯s off attendance.

    ¡°Prince Yi has ordered the Fifth Young Lady to board the boat with him.¡± When Ao Chenyi and Commandery Princess Xianyun boarded the boat, a eunuch suddenly appeared and shouted.

    Everyone¡¯s eyes turned toward Ning Zueyan.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun would eventually marry Prince Yi. All the aristocratic families knew it. Although there had not been an official edict yet, the decree should be issued in one or two days. So, it was reasonable that Ao Chenyi had asked Commandery Princess Xianyun to apany him. But what about the Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?

    Some well-informed people already thought that Prince Yi, like the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince, would be given a consort and a co-consort. Would the little-known Fifth Young Lady be the co-consort in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor?

    When they thought about Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s attitude toward the Fifth Young Lady and the Second Young Lady¡¯s hostility toward the Fifth Young Lady, the answer was obvious.

    Ning Xueyan bowed gracefully if she was not aware of the public¡¯s views. ¡°Thanks to Prince Yi.¡±

    Then, she followed the eunuch and walked to the boat. She felt a little relieved. When she went to attend the Flower Appreciation Meeting today, she thought that Commandery Princess Xianyun would not do anything to her. But when she saw Ning Ziyan, she felt that Commandery Princess Xianyun did not have friendly intentions today.

    The people who attended the banquet were all unmarried girls. Why did Commandery Princess Xianyun invite Ning Ziyan? Obviously, she did this to take a shot at Ning Xueyan.

    Therefore, at the gate of the courtyard, she provoked Ning Ziyan and forced her to fall out with her. At that time, there were so many people at the intersection, so she could not do anything. However, they called her a good sister and asked Ning Ziyan to apologize to her, hoping that they would show their good sisterly rtions in front of others.

    They thought that Ning Xueyan would not dare to say or do anything.

    She could not allow them to plot against her. She had a feeling that if she followed their words, she would inevitably fall into an unfavorable position, and it would be toote to say anything.

    So, she made a prompt decision and directly talked about Madam Ming¡¯s matter to eradicate Ning Ziyan.

    This matter was Ning Ziyan¡¯s stain, but it was also a stain of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. If Madam Dowager knew that she said this, she would have a tough time. Maybe she would be locked up in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor until she died, like Madam Ming.

    Madam Dowager was always cruel to those who dared to destroy the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s interests. The so-called blood kinship would only be remembered when it was useful to her. Ning Xueyan had never expected Madam Dowager to treat her like a family. When the arrow was on the bow, it had to fly.

    No matter how tough it would be in the following days, she had to solve the current situation first.

    Fortunately, Ao Chenyi had invited her to go with him. In a certain sense, he showed the crowd that she would be the co-consort in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. With Ao Chenyi as her support, Madam Dowager dared not do anything to her, no matter how unhappy she was. Ao Chenyi was always a bloodthirsty devil, who was capricious and unpredictable. No one knew when he would be provoked.

    ¡°Prince Yi, can you save Eldest Sister first?¡± Ning Xueyan did not go on board immediately when she approached the boat. Looking at Ning Ziyan, who was still struggling in the river, Ning Xueyan sighed, pity on her face. Then, she looked up at the cold and evil Ao Chenyi on the boat and asked timidly.

    The look of fear on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face made everyone sigh repeatedly. The Fifth Young Lady was obviously kind. Even though Ning Ziyan had a bad rtionship with her because of her biological mother, she did not stand aside and merely watched as she fell into the water. She was much better than Ning Ziyan¡¯s blood sister.

    Her blood sister had not said a word from the beginning to the end. She did not say anything, but stood close to the Third Prince. Did it mean that the Second Young Lady had something to do with the Third Prince¡¯s consort? They did not expect that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was so lucky to marry off two Young Ladies at once. Moreover, they would marry Prince Yi and the Third Prince.

    But it was said that the Second Young Lady seemed to have a bad reputation!

    Everyone gave Ning Yuling strange looks.

 Chapter 357 - A Pair of Sisters Were Disgraced

    <h4>Chapter 357 A Pair of Sisters Were Disgraced</h4>

    Ning Yuling did not lean on Ao Mingyu identally. Since she entered the waterside pavilion, her attention had been on Ao Mingyu. She was deeply in love with Ao Mingyu. So many things had happened because she had been unwilling. At this time, when she suddenly saw Ao Mingyu, she was intent on getting close to him. She was so excited and affectionate.

    Therefore, she had a different focus than the others. She focused on Ao Mingyu and quietly approached him. At this moment, she did not notice that she had be the focus of everyone¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Third Prince,¡± she said excitedly. She looked at Ao Mingyu, her eyes sparkling. Madam Ling had promised her that as long as she did not make any trouble, she would be sent to the Third Prince¡¯s Manor. Even if she went into the manor as a concubine, she did not care. In the future, she could fight for the position of the Legal Wife.

    It was rare to see the Third Prince. So, she must try her best to make a favorable impression on him, and let him know that she was no longer the bad-tempered Ning Yuling.

    ¡°Second Young Lady, don¡¯t you want to see to your sister? She doesn¡¯t look good.¡± Everyone was looking at him and then at her. Although he seemed gentle and elegant, Ao Mingyu felt depressed.

    No one knew about Ning Yuling¡¯s affair, but how could he not know? He would learn the truth as long as he asked Ao Xian about it. How could a woman who had already lost her virginity dare to think about him? How could he not be angry? The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor did not send Ning Xueyan to his manor, but sent a bitch? Did they think that he was collecting trash here?

    Ning Yuling felt different when she heard those words She thought Ao Mingyu was concerned about her. Immediately, her face turned red and her eyes looked very charming. She looked at Ao Chenyi shyly and said, ¡°Yes, Your Highness. I¡¯ll go and see her now.¡±

    After saying that, she turned and seemed to be looking at Ning Ziyan, who had been rescued by others. However, she slipped and stepped on her sash. She suddenly could not stand upright and fell backward with a scream. The Third Prince, Ao Mingyu, was there. In public, as long as he held her, things would be much easier.

    ording to the strength of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, the Third Prince had to give an exnation.

    She had a good n, but unexpectedly, her falling body did not drop into the expected embrace. A figure shed in front of her. Before she could react, Ning Yuling had already fallen heavily and she hit her forehead on the ground. She felt dizzy and sat on the ground, in a dazed state.

    There was a burst ofughter!

    ¡°Second Young Lady, watch your steps. There is water on the ground.¡± A smiling voice came to her ears. She raised her head and saw the Third Prince¡¯s handsome face smiling and with a strange look on his face. But when she turned her head, she saw several girls standing aside with their handkerchiefs covering their mouths,ughing at her.

    Her face turned red and then white. Finally, it turned green. There were princes and princesses. How could she remain calm and reply to Ao Mingyu¡¯s words after she had lost her dignity?

    The maid who followed her hurried to help her up, and went to Ning Ziyan, with her head down.

    On the boat, Ning Xueyan stood by the window. When she saw Ning Yuling¡¯s embarrassed and angry look, there was a cold smile on her face. The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had not dropped the idea to send Ning Yuling to the Third Prince¡¯s Manor. She did not know what Madam Dowager was thinking about. Even though Ning Yuling did have an affair secretly, Ao Xian, the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, apparently had a loose tongue.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, Prince Yi is asking if you will being in?¡± A eunuch came out of the room, looked at Ning Xueyan from head to toe, and asked calmly.

    This boat was not big. One cabin was used as an inner room. Ao Chenyi and Commandery Princess Xianyun went in, but she could not. So, she stood by the window at the bow. The scenery here was beautiful.

    When she entered the room, she saw that Ao Chenyi was seated on the only couch, with an evil smile on his beautiful face. He was leaning backzily. The blood-red Equinox Flowers were blooming in clusters, which made him look sinister and bloodthirsty. Under the powerful momentum, Commandery Princess Xianyun was sitting on a brocade bench. Although she looked gentle, she was faintly ufortable. When she saw Ning Xueyaning in, she felt relieved.

    ¡°Sit down!¡± He pointed casually with a finger and drawled. There was also a brocade stool in that position. Ning Xueyan looked down and went over to sit on it. She did not think that she needed to talk at this time.

    Ao Chenyi nced at her face and then turned his re on Commandery Princess Xianyun, unconcernedly. He raised his square chin and said coldly, ¡°I remember that you told me before that you only want to find a ce to rest, and you are not expecting anything.¡±

    ¡°Prince Yi, Cai¡¯er dares not!¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun raised her beautiful eyes and said softly. She looked a little astounded. It was beyond her expectation that Ao Chenyi would say that in front of Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°I seem to have told you that there is a person I really care about in my manor. As for you,¡± Ao Chenyi looked at Ning Xueyan and said, with a faint smile while talking. Ning Xueyan lowered her head and remained motionless, while her long eyshes fluttered, pretending that she did not exist.

    ¡°I hope you know who you are. Don¡¯t quarrel due to jealousy and make trouble for me.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness. I understand. I dare not ask for too much. I only hope to be able to live a peaceful life in a tiny space. I won¡¯t dare to have any wishful thinking.¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun nodded and said this softly, with a hint of sadness in her tone. There was a gentle and touching charm in her voice.

    Ning Xueyan did not expect that Commandery Princess Xianyun would be so humble in front of Ao Chenyi.

    ¡°That¡¯s great. There¡¯s only one person in my heart. There¡¯s no extra space for another person. As for how long I will keep her in my mind, it depends on the situation. As long as you¡¯re smart and obedient, I do not mind giving you fame and status, and these things won¡¯t change.¡± Ao Chenyi said lightly, with a smile in his voice, which was extremely cold.

    Ning Xueyan did not say a word. It was as if Ao Chenyi was only talking to Commandery Princess Xianyun, and she was just a listener.

    Hearing this, Commandery Princess Xianyun secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Initially, she thought that a man like Prince Yi would not be genuinely in love with a low-ranking concubine. It seemed that she was just a ything. For a ything, she did not mind giving her a guarantee period of being pampered.

    Ming Yuanyun was implicated because he wanted to take her away from Prince Yi when the ything was favored. Ming Yuanyun ended up like that was because he was asking for trouble and could not me anyone else.

    ¡°Yes, I got it. If you like something in the future, tell me. I¡¯ll try my best to satisfy you.¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun thought of herself as a generous principal wife. She gave a dignified and gentle smile on her face. She looked at Ning Xueyan without any trace of hatred.

    She would not act against an unfavored co-consort.

    ¡°You can leave now!¡± Ao Chenyi waved his hand.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun stood up and gave Ning Xueyan a kind smile. Then, she walked out of the room and closed the door for them.

    Two eunuchs standing at the door walked to the far-away forehold.

    The room suddenly became quiet. Ning Xueyan listened intently as if she could hear her breathing. She raised her head in surprise and was shocked when she saw a handsome and enchanting face. She almost fell from her chair. ¡°When did hee over?¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you say something?¡± Ao Chenyi bent his head down so that the tip of his nose almost touched Ning Xueyan¡¯s nose. His soft breath came from his nose to her face, which immediately gave her an ambiguous feeling.

    Ning Xueyan blushed and stepped back. ¡°Prince Yi, you did not ask me to speak. Didn¡¯t you warn us not to be jealous and let your beauty suffer losses?¡±

    Hearing what she said, Ning Xueyan almost bit her tongue. She should be imposing, but now she seemed to be grumbling in a flirty manner. Her delicate skin immediately turned red.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know who my beauty is?¡± Ao Chenyi stretched out his hand and took Ning Xueyan into his arms. Then, he walked back to the bed,id her down on the bed, and closed his eyes slightly. From Ning Xueyan¡¯s angle, she could see his long curling eyshes as beautiful as feathers, Grecian nose, and the glittering corners of his mouth, as well as a little pale face.

    ¡°Are you very tired, Prince Yi?¡± Ning Xueyan asked softly, sensing that he was tired.

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk. Let me sleep.¡± A voice filled with intense sleepiness sounded behind her ears. His hand held her waist. Ning Xueyan did not even have time to refuse. More than half of her body was held in his arms, as if he was really asleep. She could hear his even breathing.

    Ning Xueyan froze. She had never thought that Ao Chenyi, who threatened Commandery Princess Xianyun just now, would fall asleep in such a short time. ording to Ao Chenyi¡¯s temperament, if he were not sleepy, he would not fall asleep on someone else¡¯s boat at this time. It seemed that every time she saw him, he was in high spirits.

    Thinking of his identity, Ning Xueyan understood him again. For some reason, she felt pity for him. It was not easy for him to fight against the emperor, without falling into disgrace and standing with the emperor as an equal. Even if it was a marriage, he could not make the decision casually. The outsiders only said that he had great glory, but he must have exhausted a lot of his efforts.

    It was said that when thest emperor died, he was only a child. When he gained some prestige in the army, he was only an eleven or twelve-year-old child. Compared with her current age, he was one or two years younger. It was conceivable about how difficult these days were when such a small child was in the teeth of the storm.

    Maybe it was even worse than the days when she was in the Bright Frost Garden. At least, she was just a girl. Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an did not have a close rtionship with her, but they would not deliberately frame her, because she would not hurt the important essentials. She only needed to be careful of Madam Ling, and Madam Ling would not offend her openly.

    But what about him? The assassinations that he suffered in the Cold Mountain Temple and the imperial pce could be said to be bloody. However, he dealt with them easily. He must have experienced countless fights in order to reach this state. How did the child manage to survive the assassinations?

 Chapter 358 - Thatâ€™s How a Misunderstanding Happened

    <h4>Chapter 358 That¡¯s How a Misunderstanding Happened</h4>

    Ning Xueyan involuntarily touched his high nose, but when she touched him, her hand was suddenly grabbed. He opened his eyes, which sparkled with a cold and bloodthirsty light. When he saw that it was Ning Xueyan, he loosened his grip and touched his forehead. ¡°How long have I slept?¡± He asked hoarsely.

    ¡°It¡¯s only for a while.¡± Ning Xueyan touched her sore hand and said gloomily.

    ¡°Does it hurt?¡± He loosened his grip on her waist and reached out a big hand to massage her hand carefully. ¡°Why did you stretch out your hand so suddenly? Were you trying to flirt with me when you saw my handsome face?¡±

    ¡°Prince Yi, you¡¯re talking nonsense.¡± Ning Xueyan was shocked and blushed. She pulled her hand away, stood up suddenly and turned around in order to hide her blushing face. She did not know what she was up to, so she felt a little guilty.

    Seeing that Ning Xueyan was flustered, Ao Chenyi was pleased. He leaned on the couch and askedzily, ¡°Do you want me to help you deal with Ning Ziyan?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Ning Xueyan shook her head, and her blush was gone. She raised her beautiful, shimmery eyes and said firmly, ¡°Prince Yi, I believe it¡¯s better to let the matter of the inner chamber be solved with its own methods.¡±

    Going by her hatred of Ning Ziyan in the previous life and this life, death was too good for Ning Ziyan. She wanted her to live a life worse than death!

    Even if Ning Ziyan had nothing at all in the end, she doubted if Ning Ziyan regretted having robbed her of her marriage and killing her.

    Whether she regretted it or not, from the day when she climbed up from the blood pool, she was destined to have a feud with Ning Ziyan. She would avenge herself and ease her hatred. Ning Ziyan just lost face today. When she saw Ning Ziyan in a half fainting state and being sent to the shore, she could not stand it anymore!

    Then, she found it even more uneptable...

    ¡°Well, the imperial edict will be released soon. Have you got the clothes ready for me?¡± Ao Chenyi snorted and stopped asking about it. He raised his eyebrows and said with a faint smile.

    ¡°I... I¡¯m sewing a new set, but I¡¯m not doing well. Maybe... you won¡¯t be satisfied.¡± Speaking of this, Ning Xueyan felt quite guilty. She could not do it openly in front of others, so she had to do it slowly. Until now, she had not finished even one set of the wedding clothes. She nced at him secretly from under her long, fluttering eyshes. She thought that if the imperial pce gave an official order, she should work faster on it.

    What¡¯s more, there was the principal wife, who would marry into the Prince Yi¡¯s Manor a few months before the co-consort came in. As for the royal wedding between Prince Yi and his consort, it would take at least half a year for the preparations. So, Ning Xueyan was not in a hurry. She should have enough time to make one or two sets of clothes. There would be still time... right?

    ¡°That¡¯s good. The most important thing is that you should get my wedding clothes ready as soon as possible. I don¡¯t like wearing wedding clothes made by the embroidery team in the pce.¡± Ao Chenyi seemed to relish her difort. He raised his eyebrows and said this in an evil tone.

    ¡°Yes, I will try my best to make it as fast as possible, but I have to embroider some patterns on it. If I do it all by myself, I might not be able to finish it in a year.¡± His meaning was quite clear. He would be wearing the wedding clothes made by her. Ning Xueyan was quite speechless. After thinking for a while, she said helplessly, ¡°I wanted to make one randomly, which I think he will not be wearing. But now, it seems that he really wants to wear it, so I have to take it seriously.¡±

    Besides, she could not decide on the embroidery pattern. He was Prince Yi, so there were rules on the specification of his wedding clothes. She could not embroider at will.

    ¡°I have the embroidery pattern. I¡¯ll bring it to you next time, and you can make the clothes first. You should make it with the cloth I chose for you that day. Make one for a female and one for a male. It¡¯s a pair.¡± Ao Chenyi saidzily.

    He had already nned this thoroughly, so she had no excuse to refuse him. Ning Xueyan was speechless since there was no room left for any argument or feedback. In fact, he had already had an idea.

    ¡°Yes, I got it!¡± She said weakly.

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s go out first. You can talk to Xianyun as well. I¡¯ll ask them to bring us back soon.¡± Ao Chenyi rubbed his forehead with one hand, and a rare smile appeared on his beautiful lips.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun would be the next hostess of the Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, so Ning Xueyan had to go and see her. She nodded and walked to the door. She bit her lips and stopped. She could not help looking back and said, ¡°If you¡¯re tired, why don¡¯t you go to bed early?¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll go back in a minute.¡± There seemed to be a hint of banter in his smiling voice. Then, there was a deep and pleasantugh. She blushed for no reason and walked out of the door.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun stood far away from them, and looked very beautiful and regal. Ning Xueyan strolled toward her. She gradually calmed down.

    ¡°Sister Yan,e here. It¡¯s a good ce to take in the scenery.¡± Seeing Ning Xueyaning out, Commandery Princess Xianyun called out to her in a warm and intimate manner.

    Ning Xueyan nodded and walked over with a gentle smile on her face. Anyway, Commandery Princess Xianyun did not have any conflict of interest with her.

    ¡°Sister, you can have a better view from my position.¡± Seeing that Ning Xueyan was standing a little far away, Commandery Princess Xianyun smiled and reached out her hand to pull Ning Xueyan. Unexpectedly, when she touched her hand, Ning Xueyan could not help crying out in pain. She turned around in surprise and subconsciously noticed that Ning Xueyan¡¯s wrist was swollen and red.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? How did you get hurt?¡± Princess Xianyun asked with concern. She loosened her hands.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. it was an ident. It¡¯s not too painful.¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s face paled with the pain, but she endured it and gave a smile. Anyone could see that she was in great pain. She subconsciously withdrew her hand.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun remembered that she had held Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand when she was at the waterside pavilion. At that time, Ning Xueyan did not have the red and swollen marks on her hand. How could it be swollen in such a short time? It must have happened when she left the cabin just now. A smile appeared at the corner of her mouth.

    She was indeed an unfavored woman. Although she was beautiful, Ao Chenyi had seen all kinds of beauties before. How could he fall in love with a girl who had not grown up yet? Commandery Princess Xianyun thought she was over-worried.

    The so-called predestined rtionship was just a casual interest, and it did not mean anything.

    It seemed that Prince Yi taught Ning Xueyan a lesson after she left just now. Compared with his warning to her, his lesson to the Fifth Young Lady was much more severe. How could a co-consortpare with her, the would-be legal wife? Prince Yi was not patient with Ning Xueyan, so he had hurt her deliberately.

    Since Ning Xueyan did not want to talk about it, she would not ask anymore. She gently put her hand down, pulled gently on Ning Xueyan¡¯s sleeve toward the window, and said softly, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about it. Prince Yi has someone in mind, so we can¡¯t mess with it. However, I was not clear about the situation between you and your Eldest Sister. I thought you two had a good rtionship. Sorry if you were wronged.¡±

    She only needed to mention a little about the affair, and did not have to talk about it deliberately. So, she changed the topic to Ning Ziyan. She also exined the reason why she invited Ning Ziyan to the party today.

    Ning Xueyan sighed and said softly, with regret, ¡°Sister Cai, you¡¯re too polite. I did not suffer any grievance. I was too impulsive just now, so I made some outrageous remarks.¡±

    It seemed that she wanted to forgive Ning Ziyan. She had caused so much trouble just now, but now she wanted to make peace with Ning Ziyan. Ning Ziyan¡¯s eyes were full of hatred when she left earlier. Obviously, she hated Ning Xueyan so much that she wanted to tear into Ning Xueyan. Now, Ning Xueyan thought that Ning Ziyan had been wronged. Princess Xianyun thought that she was a coward and sneered in her mind. But now, she changed her mind, so she did not let it show on her face. Instead, she sighed.

    ¡°Sister Yan, don¡¯t feel sorry for her. I deliberately asked someone to investigate into her matter just now, and I found that I almost hurt you.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Ning Xueyan opened her beautiful eyes wide and asked in surprise.

    ¡°This matter...¡± Princess Xianyun seemed to be a little embarrassed. But looking at Ning Xueyan, she gritted her teeth and made up her mind. ¡°If someone else asks about this, I won¡¯t talk about it. But if Sister Yan asks, I¡¯ll tell the truth. Sister Yan, you should pay more attention to your Eldest Sister in the future. Since such a thing happened today, so I¡¯m afraid she won¡¯t let it go so easily.¡±

    ¡°Sister Cai, is there anything wrong?¡± Hearing her severe tone, Ning Xueyan blinked and asked in confusion.

    Princess Xianyun let go of Ning Xueyan¡¯s sleeves and said with a severe look, ¡°I heard that your Eldest Sister came here today to tell you that she wants to share her husband with you.¡±

    ¡°Sisterly affection, serving a husband together?¡± She clenched her hands tightly under her sleeves, and her soft palms were pressed against her sharp nails. She did not feel any pain, but only felt a sense of hatred slowly flowing from the bones to the bottom of her heart, which was cold with bloodthirstiness.

    It turned out that this was the so-called sisterhood. This was what Ning Ziyan wanted to do today. No wonder she expressed her sisterhood in front of others repeatedly today. For the quarrel at the door, she did not hesitate to put down her identity and apologized. As expected, everything had been nned. Commandery Princess Xianyun, in front of her, had added fuel to the fire.

    It was ridiculous that in her previous life, in order to grab her marriage, Ning Ziyan did not hesitate to kill her. But now, in order to suppress her forever, she even framed her with this marriage. The sisters loved each other deeply, and the sisters shared the same husband. Then, Ning Ziyan would suppress her for the rest of her life. What a good n Ning Ziyan had made.

    How could she bear to give up her ¡°Brother Yuhang¡± whom she had taken a lot of effort to get?

    Ning Xueyan narrowed her eyes and hid the mocking smile on her lips. She took a deep breath and raised her head. She looked a little angry and said, ¡°How can she be sure that others believe that I¡¯m willing to share her husband to show our sisterly love?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure either. It seems that she has some leverage on you. Sister Yan, did you lose any personal belonging that is always with you?¡±

 Chapter 359 - Plotting, Reluctance One by One

    <strong>Chapter 359 Plotting, Reluctance One by One</strong>

    After she fell into the river and was fished out, Ning Ziyan looked like a drowned rat. Ning Xueyan had been asked to go on the boat by Prince Yi. No one dared to go over to Prince Yi¡¯s boat to call her, so Ning Yuling apanied Ning Ziyan back.

    Although the older female servants rescued Ning Ziyan, the women from the inner courtyard were not the only ones present at that time. So, Ning Ziyan had been humiliated and disgraced. She was sent to the carriage, in a daze. She did not wake up until she got into the carriage. Her clothes were soaked through, and she wore a cloak given by the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor. She held a corner of the cloak, dark hatred filling her eyes.

    ¡°Eldest Sister, are you really willing to share Eldest Brother-inw with her? It took you so much effort to get him back then.¡± Ning Yuling looked calm as she sat beside her. She smiled mockingly. She knew everything about Ning Ziyan, and she gave her a dirty look.

    If she had not bullied Ning Ziying repeatedly, Ning Ziyan would not have taken Ning Ziying¡¯s lover so quickly. Until she died, the stupid woman had not expected that Xia Yuhang was the one that her mother wanted to arrange a marriage for her Eldest Sister. However, her mother heard that he had been engaged since childhood. And, the woman who was engaged to him was Ning Ziying. How could she leave the matter at that?

    However, Ning Ziying, the idiot, did not know about it at all. She and Xia Yuhang loved each other so much and acted so intimately. She was courting death. Ning Yuling certainly knew what happened that night. If Madam Ling had not forbidden her to go there, she would have had a goodugh at Ning Ziying.

    Ning Yuling thought that the little orphan girl, who was friendless and helpless, was courting for death, by looking forward to marrying into Minister Xia¡¯s Manor. If she was smart enough, she would ask to cancel the marriage.

    ¡°Second Sister, will you do me a favor?¡± Ning Ziyan asked angrily, gritting her teeth when Ning Yuling touched a raw nerve.

    ¡°Eldest Sister, I can¡¯t help you with these things. Look at me now. What else can I do?¡± Ning Yuling sneered and said this grimly. She was more than willing to watch the fun now. If her mother and Eldest Sister were ready to help her, she would not have fallen into such a situation. How could the Eldest Sister ask whether she would help or not?

    She was so miserable now. Her mother and the Eldest Sister should take on some responsibilities.

    She forgot that it was nobody¡¯s fault but her own, when things hade to such a point.

    ¡°Second Sister, don¡¯t you want to marry the Third Prince? Are you willing to be suppressed by a little bitch? Do you want to spend your whole life like this and let her trample all over you? Don¡¯t you remember who did this to you?¡± Ning Ziyan knew Ning Yuling very well, so she knew where her explosion points were.

    Her words struck a chord in Ning Yuling¡¯s heart.

    Ning Xueyan, who she despised the most in the past, would trample her underfoot and suppress her. At the thought of that, Ning Yuling suddenly became vicious and her eyes immediately turned red. She clenched her fists and gnashed her teeth in anger.

    How could she forget? She would never forget. She had returned to the capital this time specially to take revenge.

    In any case, she hated Ning Xueyan. However, she was not powerful at the moment. So, she was willing to wait and would not be as reckless as before.

    ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± Although Ning Yuling lowered her voice, it was hard to hide the sharp meaning in it. If there was a chance, she would let Ning Xueyan live a life worse than death. Since Ning Ziyan wanted her help, she was happy to do so, if she could put Ning Xueyan to death with just a little effort.

    ¡°Tomorrow, I will send out a message about my illness. Then, you and Mother only need to...¡±

    In the dark carriage, they leaned closely toward each other. They had different looks, but they were equally vicious.

    The quiet courtyard was neither big nor small. One was considered rich to be able to own three courtyards in the capital city, where an acre ofnd cost a lot. Moreover, this courtyard was next to the Imperior Tutor¡¯s Manor. It was said that those who lived here were rted to the Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s family.

    Therefore, although the people living here were not nobles, no one dared to offend them.

    In the small garden, Ning Qingshan was sitting with a 30-year-old beauty. If Ning Xueyan was here, she would find that this beauty¡¯s voice was very simr to Ya Moqin¡¯s. If she did not see her, she would think that it was Ya Moqin herself.

    ¡°Aunt Wu, what does Grandfather think? Is it...¡± Ning Qingshan asked reluctantly. It was inconvenient for her toe in and out of the Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor, so she often came here. Aunt Wu was the owner of this courtyard and was also responsible for entertaining her. In order to avoid suspicion, Ning Qingshan did note over often.

    However, she was not reconciled to what had happened this time. She went from being the Third Prince¡¯s wife to the position of co-consort, instead. How could she bear that all the years of nning hade to nothing? Although the Honored Consort Ya had made it clear, she still wanted to ask the Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s opinion. After all, the Grand Tutor Ya was her grandfather ¡°inw¡±.

    Didn¡¯t he always say they would be doubly rted? How could he watch her bing only a co-consort?

    ¡°Third Young Lady, he can¡¯t help you. In front of so many people, you behaved unruly and yed terribly. Moreover, it happened before the emperor and the empress. No matter what the reason is, the emperor will not choose you as a consort.¡±

    Aunt Wuforted her with a gentle smile. She poured a cup of tea for Ning Qingshan and behaved in a gracious manner.

    ¡°But, but grandpa, is he going to leave it at that?¡±

    ¡°Fortunately, the Grand Tutor has devised some strategies under these circumstances. Otherwise, you can¡¯t even be a co-consort. Third Young Lady, you should know that the Eldest Young Lady Ya should be the co-consort. Since she and the Third Prince were childhood sweethearts, the Grand Tutor has acquiesced in this matter. But now, we have to ensure that Eldest Young Lady Ya is wronged.¡±

    Ya Moqin liked Third Prince, which was not a secret. The consort that the Grand Tutor Ya arranged for the Third Prince was indeed Ning Qingshan. Meanwhile, he arranged for Ya Moqin to be the co-consort. Both were the Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s granddaughters. After they married to the Third Prince, no matter who gave birth to a baby, the Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor would enjoy a high position and great wealth.

    Hearing Aunt Wu¡¯s words, Ning Qingshan was still angry, but she calmed down a little. Thinking of Ya Moqin¡¯s current face, Ning Qingshan smiled. ¡°At least I can marry the Third Prince now. Ya Moqin has been thinking about it for so long, but she does not have anything. She¡¯s much unluckier than me.¡±

    ¡°The Grand Tutor asked you to stay in the manor. It will take more than half a year before you can get married. It will take a long time for the Prince to marry the main wife. Third Young Lady, stay and be at ease in the manor. Don¡¯t quarrel with the Fifth Young Lady in your manor. Otherwise, you¡¯ll lose the greater for the less.¡±

    Aunt Wu reminded Ning Qingshan again.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t I do anything to Ning Xueyan?¡± Although Ning Qingshan¡¯s face was gentle, there was a trace of resentment in her eyes. It was Ning Xueyan who had caused her to end up like this. She would never let her off so easily.

    ¡°She is Prince Yi¡¯s co-consort. If you offend her, you may offend Prince Yi.¡± Aunt Wu exined with a smile.

    ¡°What? She¡¯s Prince Yi¡¯s co-consort?¡± Ning Qingshan¡¯s face underwent a great change.

    ¡°Yes, the decree shoulde out with yours. The Grand Tutor was afraid that you might lose a great deal through trying to save a little. You should get along well with the Fifth Young Lady. You¡¯re sisters, and you¡¯ll still be sisters after you get married.¡± Seeing the resentment in Ning Qingshan¡¯s eyes, Aunt Wu did not think that what the Grand Tutor Ya said was of any use. So, she said with a smile.

    The Grand Tutor Ya wanted Ning Qingshan to get along with Ning Xueyan. After Ning Xueyan married into the Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, they might take advantage of Ning Xueyan¡¯s position. The Grand Tutor Ya had specially sent word to Ning Qingshan. Compared with Ya Moqin, the Grand Tutor Ya believed that Ning Qingshan was more outstanding.

    Otherwise, Ya Moqin would not have given up her position as the co-consort. Instead, he promoted Ning Qingshan. After all, Ning Qingshan was much better than Ya Moqin in all aspects.

    ¡°Got it. Please tell my grandfather that I won¡¯t hold things up,¡± Ning Qingshan said in a gentle voice, yet with cold hatred on her lips.

    She would not dy things, otherwise her own affairs would be dyed as well. She would offend Prince Yi if she offended Ning Xueyan. Why would Prince Yi like a little girl who had not grown up yet? It was said that he killed thedies, who were exquisitely dainty and ravishingly beautiful, sent by the pce, if he felt like it. He had nopassion for women.

    Even if she killed Ning Xueyan, she did not believe that the Prince Yi would deal with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Besides, since she was not only supported by the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she would definitely ¡°develop a good rtionship¡± with Ning Xueyan.

    When Ning Xueyan returned to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, it was not early. At least, Ning Yuling had been back for some time already. After asking at the door, she was about to go to Madam Dowager¡¯s Lucky Garden. Coincidentally, she saw Ning Qingshan getting out of the carriage. It was a rare sight, because Ning Qingshan did not go out too much, recently.

    They traded a fewpliments and then left. Ning Xueyan went to the Lucky Garden.

    As soon as she arrived at the gate of Lucky Garden, she saw Mother Qin guarding the gate to Madam Dowager¡¯s courtyard. When she saw Ning Xueyaning over, she greeted her with a smile. ¡°Fifth Young Lady, you¡¯re finally back. Madam Dowager was just asking about you. The Eldest Young Lady identally fell into theke, and the Second Young Lady had toe back as well. Madam Dowager does not know what happened and she wanted to ask you about it. Coincidentally, you are back.¡±

    ¡°Has Second Sister reported to Grandmother?¡± Ning Xueyan asked with a smile. Mother Qin seemed overly enthusiastic today. It seemed that Madam Dowager had heard something.

    ¡°The Second Young Lady was frightened by what happened to the First Young Lady. She did not tell Madam Dowager the details when she came back. She only sent a maid to let her know, but the maid¡¯s version was not clear. Madam Dowager missed you, and she was worried.¡± Mother Qin led the way with a smile. She did not ask a maid to inform Madam Dowager, so it was likely that Madam Dowager had been waiting for Ning Xueyan.

    It did not seem as if Ning Yuling had not made it clear.

 Chapter 360 - Madam Dowagerâ€™s Plot Failed

    <h4>Chapter 360 Madam Dowager¡¯s Plot Failed</h4>

    ¡°Fifth Girl, I heard that Prince Yi asked you to go with him on the boat?¡± Madam Dowager asked with a smile. Since Ning Xueyan failed to be chosen, Madam Dowager had not smiled at her. Now, she had a broad smile. She was not as gloomy as she had been a few days ago.

    ¡°Yes, Commandery Princess Xianyun was there.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded. She knew what was the meaning behind Madam Dowager¡¯s words. However, it was a foregone conclusion. Madam Dowager would know it, so she might as well reveal something first. In this way, she could offset Ning Ziyan¡¯s incident this time. After all, she mentioned what had happened in the past on purpose. From Madam Dowager¡¯s reaction, she guessed that Ning Yuling had not said anything about it.

    She did not believe that Ning Yuling deliberately covered up for her. There must be some reason why she did this. And, this reason was definitely not good for her.

    Ning Yuling was not as troublesome as she used to be, but she was depressed. At first nce, she looked gloomy. She was like a viper that was waiting for a chance to strike at people. She was more dangerous than before.

    ¡°Did Prince Yi say anything to you after you got on the boat?¡± Madam Dowager was in a good mood today and had a kind look on her face. She looked at Ning Xueyan with satisfaction. She did not expect that Prince Yi would take a fancy to the Fifth Young Lady. It was terrific.

    Madam Dowager was different from Ning Zu¡¯an. She had once thought of sending her granddaughter to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. However, Prince Yi was famous for being cold and cruel. He had nopassion for women. What¡¯s more, he was ruthless. Even for the beauties sent by the imperial pce in the name of the emperor, he killed them or beat them to death, at will.

    If her granddaughter was sent in, she would not even have a chance to live.

    Madam Dowager did not care about these things. Anyway, she had a lot of granddaughters. It did not matter whether Ning Xueyan died or not. However, the most important thing was that she was afraid when Prince Yi vented his anger on others. If so, the loss outweighed the gain.

    Therefore, no one dared to send beauties to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, except for the emperor and the empress. The reason was that Prince Yi was capricious and hard to please. What¡¯s more, Prince Yi would give the toadies no benefit, but instead vented his anger on them.

    But now, things were different. ording to the situation, Fifth Young Lady was to be the co-consort. There had been rumors in the pce that Commandery Princess Xianyun would be Prince Yi¡¯s consort, and there would be a co-consort, ording to Prince Yi¡¯s request. Nobody knew who she was for a while. If one took the initiative, it could be seen that he treated Fifth Young Lady differently.

    Thinking of this, Madam Dowager looked even more amiable. She had thought that the Third Young Lady and the Fifth Young Lady had failed to attain her hopes. Beyond her expectation, the Fifth Young Lady yed hard-to-get and managed to attract Prince Yi¡¯s attention. She had never heard of Prince Yi taking a fancy to any woman before.

    ¡°Nothing... nothing, he warned Commandery Princess Xianyun in a few words. I don¡¯t know what he meant by those words, what that has to do with me, and why he wanted me to hear that. There seems to be a favorite concubine in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Prince Yi doesn¡¯t want Commandery Princess Xianyun to hassle her.¡±

    Ning Xueyan certainly understood what Madam Dowager meant. She pretended to be confused. What she said was half true and half false, which was very in line with her current situation. She knew what Madam Dowager wanted. She did not want Madam Dowager to have too much ¡°expectations¡± on her and set about plotting.

    ¡°Warn you?¡± Madam Dowager interpreted warning Commandery Princess Xianyun as warning Commandery Princess Xianyun and Ning Xueyan. The smile on her face faded, and she asked with a serious look.

    ¡°Yes, Grandmother. Look, Prince Yi even hurt my hand.¡± Ning Xueyan aggrievedly stretched out her wrist, which had a circle of red pinched marks on it. It was evident that the person who pinched her did not show any mercy.

    ¡°What happened? Did you offend Prince Yi?¡± Seeing that, Madam Dowager¡¯s face changed. She hastily asked, with a look of disbelief on her face.

    Initially, she thought that she could hoard Ning Xueyan as a raremodity, because Prince Yi took a fancy to Ning Xueyan. But before she got any benefits, she heard the news and was shocked. Prince Yi was not easy to deal with.

    ¡°Maybe I was absent-minded when His Highness was talking.¡± Madam Dowager¡¯s face changed, which was what Ning Xueyan wanted. Seeing that, she bit her lip and exined with hesitation.

    ¡°You, why are you so ignorant? How can you not listen to Prince Yi? No matter what he says in the future, you must listen carefully. Don¡¯t irritate Prince Yi.¡± Madam Dowager growled, and she did not look well. She thought that Ning Xueyan was smart and good-looking, so perhaps she managed to win Prince Yi¡¯s favor.

    Thinking about it, how were those good things possible? He chose her as a co-consort because she was cowardly and ignorant. Only in this way, the favored concubine of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor would not suffer a loss. Thinking of this, she felt terrible.

    Initially, she wanted to ask about the happenings at that time, but now she was not in the mood. Without saying anything else to Ning Xueyan, she waved her hand and asked her to leave.

    Just now, because the Fifth Young Lady would marry into the Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, she feltfortable. But now, she heard that Ning Xueyan was not attractive to Prince Yi at all. He had given her a warning even before she married into the Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Moreover, because she was disobedient, he left a mark on her hand. Knowing that Ning Xueyan was a less favored person, she immediately became spiritless.

    What happened yesterday immediately came to her mind again. Junior Concubine Xu used witchcraft to curse others for no reason, and her son kicked her dear grandson and hurt him badly. He had just seen a doctor and taken some medicine. Initially, she was happy about Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s invitation, because the Second Young Lady had the chance to show her face again.

    However, she did not expect that the Eldest Young Lady would fall into the water, and the Second Young Lady had toe back in advance.

    In the end, she was happy that the Fifth Young Lady had gained Prince Yi¡¯s favor. But now, she did not know whether it was a blessing or a curse. Ning Xueyan had displeased Prince Yi before she even officially married Prince Yi. He even became angry and pinched her hands, causing them to swell. It was not a good sign. If she married into the Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, the Fifth Young Lady would have bad prospects.

    As a thousand thoughts came to her mind, Madam Dowager felt annoyed and confused. Even her head ached so much that she kept crying out in pain. Therefore, the Lucky Garden was in chaos again.

    When Ning Xueyan returned to the Bright Frost Garden, Mother Han had already received the message. She stood at the door and waited. When she saw that Ning Xueyan hade back safe and sound, Mother Han breathed a sigh of relief and took Ning Xueyan into the Bright Frost Garden.

    After sitting down, Ning Xueyan thought for a while and asked, ¡°Mother Han, do you know if I have ever had any personal item that went missing?¡±

    Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s words were not baseless. Ning Xueyan could not think of any of the so-called personal objects. She was confident that after her rebirth, she had not lost any of her personal stuff. Lanning handled all her things. Lanning was aware and cautious, and Xinmei was smart so that she would not lose something personal.

    Moreover, the so-called ¡°personal object¡± must not only be close to her, but there must be a mark on it. Only in this way could it be identified as hers. However, she knew that she had not lost anything. She had been thinking about it for a long time, on the way back, but she could not recall anything.

    ¡°Personal things?¡± Mother Han asked. She knew that this kind of thing could not be taken lightly. After thinking carefully, she shook her head and said, ¡°Young Lady, you do not seem to have lost anything personal. In the past, Madam dealt with all your clothes. Madam paid great attention to your clothes, so you have never lost anything.¡±

    ¡°I remember that you did not lose any of your personal stuff. Few people came to the Bright Frost Garden when Madam was alive. After Madam died, Lanning and I were in charge of your clothes. Except for us, no one else came to this room. It¡¯s impossible to lose something like that.¡±

    Qingyu thought for a while and said with certainty, ¡°All Young Lady¡¯s belongings are well-arranged. There¡¯s no way you¡¯re missing one. In the manor, no one is kind to you, and many people want to harm you. We pay special attention to this aspect, because we¡¯re afraid that someone will frame you with that.¡±

    Ning Xueyan believed Mother Han and Qingyu, but Commandery Princess Xianyun would not lie. Since Commandery Princess Xianyun had helped Ning Ziyan, she must have some evidence. Ning Ziyan showed her sisterly love toward her over and over again, so she must also have some untoward intentions.

    When she pretended to be close to Ning Xueyan, she would say that Ning Xueyan had an affair with Xia Yuhang. Moreover, she was willing to prove that by using Ning Xueyan¡¯s object. Even if Ning Xueyan was set to be Prince Yi¡¯s co-consort, the imperial edict had not been issued yet. Besides, the royal family would not marry a woman who had an affair with someone.

    At that time, she would marry Xia Yuhang as a concubine. Besides, as a notorious concubine and the daughter of the principal wife, she would not be as good as Ning Ziyan. On the one hand, Ning Ziyan could suppress her with this. On the other hand, other people¡¯s focus would be on her, rather than on Ning Ziyan.

    If Madam Ling and her daughter spread some rumors again and said something terrible about Madam Ming and her, maybe even the scandal that the funeral-to-be-wedding could be reversed.

    Ning Ziyan would never lie about such a multiple-purpose thing, so Ning Ziyan must have something of Ning Zueyan¡¯s in her hands. Moreover, this thing must be very personal, which would render her speechless as soon as Ning Ziyan took it out.

    But now, no trace could be found. She frowned slightly, hooked the handle of the cup with one finger, and touched it unconsciously. There must be something, but she could not remember what it was, at the moment.

    ¡°Young Lady... I think there is an object. It should be your personal item... If there is...¡± Lanning came in with an ointment for Ning Xueyan. Looking at the three people who were frowning as they were deep in thought, she hesitated for a while and said this uncertainly.

    Her words made all their faces change!

 Chapter 361 - Acuity, Transferring the Disaster

    <h4>Chapter 361 Acuity, Transferring the Disaster</h4>

    Lanning thought for a while and said, ¡°Young Lady, do you still remember when Madam Dowager made the clothes for you and Third Young Lady, when you went to attend the Beauty Contest? I was the one who received them, back then.¡±

    Ning Xueyan remembered that. When she and Ning Qingshan went to the imperial pce for the Beauty Contest, Madam Dowager had put in a lot of effort to ensure that they would win the favor of the people in the imperial pce. In addition to bringing some cloth materials and asking them to make clothes for themselves, she also specially ordered several sets of clothes for them from outside.

    Before she entered the pce, these clothes were sent to the Bright Frost Garden. At that time, Lanning and Qingyu checked and epted them.

    ¡°Is there anything wrong with these clothes?¡± Ning Xueyan nodded. The clothes were gorgeous, and the material was not just any ordinary type. Madam Dowager seldom showed her generosity. The imperial pce gave the cloth materials. Madam Dowager made clothes for her and Ning Qingshan. It was said that they were from other countries and were not local products. So, they were very precious.

    ¡°The set of clothes wasplete, including outer garments and underpants. I thought that was strange at that time. Thinking that it should be Madam Dowager¡¯s idea, I did not ask any more. I examined them with Qingyu, and did not find anything unusual. I did not care too much about it at that time. But now, after hearing what you said, I realized that there might be something questionable about this set of clothes.¡±

    ¡°There is no problem with the set of clothes. It is moreplete than the ordinary set of clothes. It must have been ordered by Madam Dowager. After all, our youngdy was going to join the Beauty Contest in the imperial pce. It¡¯s better to prepare aplete set of clothes.¡± Qingyu said, in surprise.

    ¡°If it was indeed aplete set of clothes, then everything should be there, from the inner to outer garments. However, there was a bellyband missing. I thought that Madam Dowager would not have asked anyone to sew such an intimate item of clothing. But now, I think if there is something missing, it must be the bellyband. When Qingyu and I checked the suit of clothes, there was no bellyband.¡±

    Lanning said this with certainty. On the way here, she had been thinking about what were the private items belonging to her Young Lady, and whether anything was missing. She had thought about all her belongings in the Bright Frost Garden, but she could not think of anything. Only this matter gave her some doubts, but she did not take it seriously. She thought it might be something else before she came to the Bright Frost Garden. After listening to Mother Han and Qingyu, she spoke out about her suspicion on this matter.

    ¡°Where is that set of clothes?¡± Ning Xueyan asked, with a sh of sternness in her eyes.

    Although the clothes were from Madam Dowager, Ning Xueyan did not like it. It was gorgeous, both in design and embroidery. She would be targeted if she wore such colorful clothing within the imperial pce. Even Ning Qingshan, who was confident enough, did not wear these clothes. How then could she wear it?

    Perhaps Ning Qingshan might wear itter. Unexpectedly, she failed to be chosen, so she had no chance to wear it.

    The clothes were quicklyid out on the table, including the colorful outer dress, underclothes, and even a handkerchief with the same embroidery. They were a set. Ning Xueyan had never seen such aplete set of clothes. She reached out to pick up the handkerchief.

    At first nce, one could see that the handkerchief was made of the same material as the clothes. Both the overlock and the pattern were extremely exquisite. It was obvious that it was the same set, which was not difficult to recognize.

    She touched the handkerchief with her hand and looked at one corner. There was a simple character, ¡°Xue.¡± sewn on it. When she turned it over, there was another character ¡°Yan¡± on the back. This was her handkerchief. Even if she had never used it before, with these two characters embroidered on it, she could not escape.

    Her long eyshes fluttered twice, and a cold smile appeared on her lips. They had nned to frame her. The so-called bellyband must have been together with the set. How could there be no bellyband, when the set of clothes was soplete? The bellyband had to be made from the same material, and it must have been embroidered with her own name.

    It turned out that this was her private item. This trap had been set up for her for a long time already. The reason why they did not go for her was that they thought that she would inevitably die of witchcraft first!

    ¡°Who was the one who delivered the clothes at that time?¡± Looking up, she touched the handkerchief in her hand and asked.

    Lanning exined, ¡°The set of clothes was sent by a maid who did some stitching work in the manor. The set of clothes had more articles than usual, so we did not expect that. We counted them and put them away. You have not worn it, so I almost forgot about it.¡±

    ¡°Young Lady, if the Eldest Young Lady has it, it will be troublesome.¡± Mother Han¡¯s face was pale with anxiety. Judging from the cloth, she knew that it could not be bought from outside. With the embroidered characters on it, the Young Lady would not be able to give a good exnation.

    ¡°Yes, Young Lady, do you want Xinmei to steal it back?¡± Qingyu also asked anxiously.

    ¡°No, there are guards in Minister Xia¡¯s Manor. Besides, Xinmei will not find it so easily. Mother Han, you go and keep an eye on Ning Yuling. Why had there been no action from Ning Yuling. How can she not say anything to Madam Dowager?¡±

    Ning Xueyan shook her head. Xinmei¡¯s martial art skills were good, but it was impossible for the Minister¡¯s Manor to be unguarded. Xinmei would not be able to find anything. However, Ning Yuling¡¯s reaction was a little strange today. With Ning Yuling¡¯s temper, how could she not tell what had happened to her today, and deliberately concealed it?

    Ning Yuling was one of those in the manor who wished for Ning Xueyan¡¯s death. What Ning Xueyan said in the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor today was a taboo for Madam Dowager. If Madam Dowager heard this, she would rebuke her, even if Ning Xueyan might be Prince Yi¡¯s co-consort.

    Ning Yuling gave up such a good opportunity to humiliate her. How could it be possible? Ning Xueyan did not believe that Ning Yuling had changed her temperament. When she saw Ning Yuling¡¯s gloomy looks, she knew that Ning Yuling would be even more difficult to deal with than before, and she hated her even more.

    ¡°Yes, Young Lady. I¡¯ll go right away.¡± Mother Han had always admired her master¡¯s judgment. Hearing that Ning Xueyan had made up her mind, she nodded and went out directly.

    ¡°Lanning, when you checked this set of clothes, did the person who sent it have any unusual reaction?¡±

    ¡°Young Lady, the person had no unusual reaction. At that time, Qingyu and I took out the clothes one by one. I was worried that there was something small that could not be worn, so I scrutinized them.¡± Lanning shook her head. She had been careful, and Madam Dowager specially made the clothes for the Young Lady, so she took it seriously. She checked them carefully twice, before epting the clothes.

    ¡°The clothes should be sent to the Foggy Courtyard first!¡± This was not a question from Ning Xueyan. She narrowed her shimmery eyes under her long eyshes. Compared with Ning Xueyan, Ning Qingshan had always been more favored than her. And, Ning Qingshan was the Third Young Lady. It was normal to send them to her first.

    ¡°Yes, I asked about this. The older female servant said that the Third Young Lady had epted it .It took a long time for the Third Young Lady¡¯s maids to check the clothes, so they made her a cup of tea and chatted with her for a while.¡± Qingyu also remembered the situation at that time. The reason why she asked this question was because she wanted to see what Ning Qingshan¡¯s clothes looked like. She wanted to see if Ning Qingshan¡¯s clothes were better than her master¡¯s, so she asked that question.

    There was no unusual reaction, which meant that the older female servant who sent the clothes, found no difference between the two sets of clothes. Lanning checked them carefully, so she believed that Ning Qingshan¡¯s maid would have done the same. The two sets of garments had been made at the same time and were sent to the two courtyards. If Ning Xueyan did not have something that Ning Qingshan had, the older female servant would definitely be surprised.

    However, there was nothing out of the ordinary.

    Perhaps the older female servant was Madam Ling¡¯s maid. However, Ning Xueyan believed that Lanning was a careful person. If she found a difference, while Lanning checked the clothes repeatedly, the older female servant would be nervous, and would not be in the mood to chat with Qingyu. Her expression would have betrayed her. Besides, Madam Dowager was dissatisfied with Madam Ling, so Madam Ling dared not do any evil openly.

    For a moment, countless thoughts shed through Ning Xueyan¡¯s mind, but her face did not show it at all. She picked up the teacup, took a sip, and smiled coldly. Now the only thing she could confirm was that her bellyband was in Ning Ziyan¡¯s hands. As for where she hid it, she could not guess.

    Moreover, it was apparent that Ning Ziyan was using this matter to create trouble in order to ruin her reputation.

    ¡°Lanning, you go to the Foggy Courtyardter and ask Ning Qingshan if she has an ointment that can relieve swelling. Tell her that I got injured in the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor, and need the ointment.¡± Ning Xueyan slowly brushed the clothes on the table with her fingers, and then put the handkerchief on the garments. With a mocking smile on her face, she asked, ¡°By the way, ask her if she has lost something?¡±

    Madam Ling and her daughter wanted to frame Ning Qingshan, as well as Ning Xueyan. Although Ning Qingshan was under Madam Ling¡¯s name now, Madam Ling would not believe Ning Qingshan either. So, she deliberately kept the bellyband to threaten her, and to keep Ning Qingshan under her control.

    If Ning Xueyan remembered correctly, she had seen Ning Qingshan at the gate of the manor, just now. The gorgeous dress she wore seemed to be the same as the set of clothes on the table now. Ning Qingshan had not worn it in the imperial pce before, but now she had it on. She should have ns to meet someone, instead of merely hanging out.

    Moreover, this person could not any ordinary person. It was apparent that today Ning Qingshan was agitated because Commandery Princess Xianyun had not sent her an invitation. That was good! The more unusual this person was, the bigger trouble Ning Qingshan would make. In the end, it would be easier for her to seed.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go right away.¡± Hearing Ning Xueyan¡¯s words, Lanning understood her meaning and nodded. Thinking that Ning Xueyan already had a n, Lanning breathed a sigh of relief, and went to the Foggy Courtyard after packing away the clothes, with Qingyu.

 Chapter 362 - The Third Prince Will Be Responsible

    <h4>Chapter 362 The Third Prince Will Be Responsible</h4>

    ¡°What? There¡¯s a bellyband in that set of clothes?¡± Ning Qingshan looked gloomy, and the anger in her heart red up. She twisted the handkerchief in her hand into a crumpled mess. ¡°How dare Madam Ling do such a thing?¡±

    Except for Madam Ling, no one else in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor could manage do such a thing without leaving a trace.

    She even thought that since she became the legal daughter through Madam Ling, Madam Ling would unite with the Third Prince through her marriage. Unexpectedly, Madam Ling had set up a trap for her. However, she was now helpless. Judging from the handkerchief in her hand, she knew that her name must be embroidered on the bellyband.

    If this piece of clothing went missing, she would be ruined!

    Thinking of this, how could Ning Qingshan not be angry? Madam Ling almost held her life in her hands, but she was not aware of it.

    ¡°Yes, Young Lady. I¡¯ve checked, but I found no bellyband. I did not expect that Madam Dowager would order the maid to make such aplete set. So when I took it, I just looked at it and did not pay much attention to it. Unexpectedly, we fell into the First Madam¡¯s trap.¡± Mammy Luo was sweating with anxiety.

    This kind of situation was severe. If something happened, the Young Lady would be ruined. She had always been loyal to Ning Qingshan, so how could she not be worried?

    Now, she felt remorseful and guilty. She also chided herself for herck of vignce. She thought that First Madam and her Young Lady were on the same side. Unexpectedly, internal contradictions urred. The First Madam had stabbed them in the back. Like Ning Qingshan, Mammy Luo immediately believed that Madam Ling was responsible for this.

    ¡°Mammy Luo, why did they say that intentionally?¡± After her outburst of anger, Ning Qingshan calmed down a little and asked in a low voice.

    Did the maid of the Bright Frost Garden say such words unconsciously? Ning Qingshan was a little uncertain. What a coincidence! She dared not look down on Ning Xueyan, after experiencing several losses. Thus, she was full of doubts about what Lanning had said.

    ¡°Young Lady, I think it¡¯s a bit of a coincidence. She may have done it deliberately.¡± Mammy Luo was well experienced in many things. After thinking about it carefully, she, too, felt that it was too coincidental.

    Fifth Young Lady¡¯s hand was injured, so she had asked Lanning to get the ointment from Third Young Lady. Seeing Third Young Lady¡¯s clothes, Lanning casually chatted with her for a while, and then mentioned about the Fifth Young Lady¡¯s clothes. She seemingly inadvertently said that someone had made aplete set of clothes, including all items from inside out, to show one¡¯s extraordinary identity.

    Ning Qingshan asked her servants to report to her about what the people of the Bright Frost Garden had said, and she would deliberate over it repeatedly. After her deliberation, she felt that something was wrong. Maybe her set of clothes had all the articles. The more she thought about it, the more likely she thought it was. Then, she realized with a start that her bellyband was not there.

    These things seemed unintentional. However, the people of the Bright Frost Garden had said it, so Mammy Luo felt that she had to think about it carefully. The Fifth Young Lady was not as simple as the Second Young Lady and the others.

    ¡°Mammy Luo, go and inquire about what happened at Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s party. I did not visit my grandmother when I came back, so I¡¯ll bring the candied fruit to her, to let her try,¡± Ning Qingshan said in a cold voice. ¡°Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand is swollen, so it must have happened in the Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s manor.¡±

    If Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand was swollen, maybe it was a coincidence. She had worn this set of clothes casually today. No matter how cunning Ning Xueyan was, she did not think that she would also put on this set of clothes today. In this respect, it might be a coincidence.

    But now, the most important thing was the bellyband in her set.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll check it outter... Caifen, you follow the Young Lady to Madam Dowager¡¯s ce. Remember to act ording to circumstances.¡± Mammy Luo nodded. After a pause, she turned to Caifen, who was standing by the side, and told her that neither of these things could be put off. She also had to find out what was the real situation pertaining to the Fifth Young Lady.

    Caifen, who was standing aside, also knew that the matter was serious. Her face turned pale, and she nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Wait a minute, Mammy Luo. Do we have any extra material left from thest time?¡± Ning Qingshan suddenly asked Mammy Luo, who was about to go out.

    ¡°The rest of the material?¡± Mammy Luo was stunned for a moment, but then she understood. She walked out of the room and looked at it before entering the room. She said in a low voice, ¡°Young Lady, there are some left, but not much. There are not many pieces of material left.¡±

    Junior Concubine Xu deliberately came to ask for those materials. Ning Qingshan was suspicious, so she asked someone to check on it. Although she did not know much about Junior Concubine Xu¡¯s matter, Ning Qingshan knew about the general situation. So, she pretended to be careless and gave the materials to Junior Concubine Xu. She knew that they were going to deal with Ning Xueyan. Ning Qingshan hated Ning Xueyan to the core, so Ning Qingshan did not mind paying some ¡°little effort¡± to deal with her. In this way, she could put Ning Xueyan to death and stay out of the affair.

    Mammy Luo had already nned for this, and deliberately kept a few pieces of materials. If someone investigated the Foggy Courtyard, they could also say that they did not lose any leftover materials.

    ¡°Take out these leftover materials and call a maid.¡± Ning Qingshan nodded with hatred in her eyes. ¡°Since Madam Ling is so ruthless, don¡¯t me me for being ungrateful.¡±

    When Ning Qingshan came to Lucky Garden, Madam Dowager had just seen a doctor. At that time, she was resting on the bed, with her head covered by a white cloth. Hearing that Ning Qingshan was asking to see her, she nodded absent-mindedly, indicating that she coulde in.

    Ning Qingshan came in, dressed in a set of gorgeous clothes, which immediately made Madam Dowager¡¯s eyes light up. But then, she felt a little depressed. She had specially asked people to make this set of clothes for the Third Young Lady and the Fifth Young Lady. She had hoped that they could make a great coup in the pce, but she did not expect that both of them would be kicked out. Now when she saw this set of clothes, she became extremely vexed.

    ¡°How is your hand? I heard that you went out today. What did you do?¡± Madam Dowager asked unhappily. She was unhappy that Ning Qingshan could not be the Third Prince¡¯s consort. Now, she still had the patience to talk to Ning Qingshan, because the Honored Consort Ya had shown her respect to Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°What a snobbish old biddy!¡± Ning Qingshan sneered in her mind, with disdain. When she just came back, Madam Dowager treated her very well. At that time, she was ted to be the Third Prince¡¯s consort, and almost everyone thought that was confirmed.

    Even she had the same thought!

    But now, the old biddy treated her coldly, after the news came from the imperial pce that she would not be the Third Prince¡¯s wife. No one went to Foggy Courtyard to ask about her for a long time. Ning Qingshan was a proud person. How could she not hold a grudge? She did not let it show on her face.

    ¡°Grandmother, I went out to relieve my boredom and brought you some candied fruit. I think you don¡¯t have a good appetite recently, so you might want to have some to improve your appetite.¡± Ning Qingshan took out a can of candied fruit from Caifen¡¯s hand, and put it on the table with a smile.

    Madam Dowager tilted her eyes and nodded indifferently. ¡°Third Girl, you are so thoughtful!¡±

    ¡°Grandmother, what a coincidence! I met the Third Prince just now. The Third Prince praised me for my beautiful clothes. Grandmother, thank you for making these new clothes for me.¡± Ning Qingshan seemed not to see Madam Dowager¡¯s impatient look. She pulled the corners of her skirt and looked very happy.

    Hearing that the Third Prince had praised her clothes, Madam Dowager rxed. She looked quite proud. ¡°The material is a tribute. It¡¯s rare even in the pce. I ordered a set of clothes for each of you so that you can...¡±

    Speaking of this, Madam Dowager was in a bad mood again. She red at Ning Qingshan gloomily. Both of them had failed to be chosen, so she felt that they were stupid.

    ¡°Grandmother, it¡¯s my fault. I disappointed you. When I saw His Royal Highness today, he said that he would give me an exnation.¡± Ning Qingshan narrowed her eyes, looked at Madam Dowager, in tears, and grumbled.

    ¡°What?¡± Madam Dowager¡¯s eyes widened, and she suddenly sat up. She was excited and asked in surprise, ¡°Do you mean that the Third Prince will be responsible?¡±

    She had given up on Ning Qingshan due to her bad reputation. The news came from the imperial pce that there would be a consort and a co-consort for the Third Prince. Since Ning Qingshan could not be his consort, she could not be the co-consort either. It had been heard that the Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s granddaughter and the Third Prince had grown up together, so she would probably be the co-consort.

    How could she not be surprised when she heard what Ning Qingshan had just said? With Ning Qingshan¡¯s status, if the Third Prince wanted to take the responsibility, she might be the Third Prince¡¯s co-consort, at any rate.

    When she thought there would be two co-consorts in the royal family from her manor, Madam Dowager suddenly felt that her head was no longer painful, and her eyes were no longer dazed, and she felt full of energy.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what His Highness said.¡± Ning Qingshan answered shyly, with a little grievance on her face. ¡°His Highness promised me the position of consort before, but now...¡±

    ¡°Well, Third Girl, you can¡¯t me anyone else for this. It¡¯s all because of your behavior in the pce. The Third Prince must be under great pressure if he is still willing to marry you, despite your past behavior. You¡¯re always the one who should be med!¡± Madam Dowager said with emotion.

    She already had a n in her mind. How could they be co-consorts when they failed to be chosen? This was great news.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what His Highness said. By the way, when he saw my clothes today, he especially asked me if they were all of a set. He asked me how you got the patterns. He said that I looked good in the clothes, and wanted to make two sets for me.¡± Ning Qingshan blushed with shyness. She seemed a little embarrassed.

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s a set of clothes from the outside garments to the inside garments. The Third Prince has good taste. I specially selected this pattern, and I have a few more patterns. If he likes it, I¡¯ll give them all to you.¡± Madam Dowager said generously and asked Mother Qin to get the patterns. She was pleased that the Third Prince cared so much about Ning Qingshan.

    Although Ning Qingshan would be only a co-consort now, no one could be sure what would happen. To marry Ning Qingshan, the Third Prince even refused his cousin, who was his childhood sweetheart. So, the Third Prince must like the Third Girl. He wanted to make clothes for her before she entered the manor. It was apparent that she would be favored. This was good news!

    ¡°It¡¯s aplete set! From inside to outside, but... but... how could it be?¡± Ning Qingshan seemed to be very frightened, and her face, which had been smiling just now, suddenly turned as pale as snow.

 Chapter 363 - There Would Be a Great Calamity

    <h4>Chapter 363 There Would Be a Great Cmity</h4>

    ¡°Why is it not aplete set? I specifically asked someone to do it. The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is not an empty shelf. You are all the legal daughters and represent the dignity of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Even though such a material is hard toe by, it was still used to makeplete outfits for both of you.¡±

    Seeing that Ning Qingshan was shocked, Madam Dowager thought that she doubted the prestige of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, so she said this unhappily.

    ¡°No, Grandmother... Did you make the bellyband?¡± Ning Qingshan asked with a pale face, her voice trembling. She twisted the handkerchief in her hand frantically.

    ¡°Yes, didn¡¯t you get it?¡± In the end, Madam Dowager stared at her with wide open eyes.

    ¡°Yes, Grandmother. I never knew that there was such a thing in it. I... I did not get it at all.¡± Ning Qingshan was so frightened that she was about to cry. Her legs were weak, her body swayed, and she almost fell. Caifen, who was standing at one side, hurriedly held her up. She helped her to a chair nearby.

    ¡°Mother Qin, go to the embroidery shop and ask someone to call the Fifth Young Lady here.¡± Madam Dowager¡¯s look had changed greatly. She might not have been so panicky before today, but it was different now. The two granddaughters would be marrying into the royal family. It would be a big deal if something like this happened.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll check it out right now.¡± Mother Qin also knew that it was a big mess. At that time, she had gone to the embroidery shop to order the clothes. If something went wrong, she would not be able to evade the responsibility. After putting down the patterns in her hands, she turned around and hurried out. When she reached the door, she ordered a maid to invite the Fifth Young Lady over.

    ¡°Young Lady, Young Lady, bad news!¡± Before Madam Dowager could calm down, a maid rushed in. When she saw Madam Dowager, she froze for a moment. She then seemed to remember that this was the Lucky Garden. Immediately, she knelt down and said, ¡°Madam Dowager, I have something to report to my Young Lady.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Madam Dowager asked in a low voice.

    ¡°Er... er, those clothes...¡± The maid stammered and looked at Ning Qingshan, who was standing beside her.

    ¡°Say it!¡± Madam Dowager shouted.

    ¡°Yes, I will speak. I heard that the little cloth men were made from the same material as the Fifth Young Lady¡¯s and my youngdy¡¯s clothes. My Young Lady was afraid, so she asked me to check it out. I found that there were only a few pieces of leftover materials, and most of them were missing. Because the cloth was good, the Third Young Lady left some for us then.¡± The maid was frightened, so she spilled everything out.

    To win Madam Dowager¡¯s trust, she deliberately held a few cloth strips in her hands and held them above her head.

    Madam Dowager had given the materials to the Foggy Courtyard and the Bright Frost Garden only, and now the materials were used to make clothes men for witchcraft. Madam Dowager was worried about it. However, Junior Concubine Xu had been taken care of by Ning Zu¡¯an, so she did not know how she could investigate into the matter. Last night, although the little cloth men were caked in blood and mud, she took one and pinched the material between her hands. It was indeed made of the material that she gave.

    At that time, she was still wondering where Junior Concubine Xu got the cloth from. She held a grudge because one of the four dolls was meant to be her. No wonder she had been feeling dizzy and down in luck recently. It was because she had an ungrateful person around her.

    ¡°Did Junior Concubine Xu¡¯s maid take it from the Foggy Courtyard?¡± Madam Dowager asked coldly, gritting her teeth.

    The maid shook her head and said, ¡°No. The Junior Concubine Xu is not close to our Young Lady. She and her servants have nevere to our garden. First Madam cares about our Young Lady, and will send people to visit her from time to time.¡±

    ¡°Grandmother, Junior Concubine Xu is a maid who serves in the bed. I don¡¯t like such a person, so I seldom have any contact with her. When I failed to be chosen, my mother knew that I was sad and sent people to visit me from time to time.¡± Ning Qingshan seemed to have calmed down at this time. She raised her head and answered.

    Almost in an instant, Madam Dowager suddenly felt that she had been enlightened. She pounded the ground with her walking stick and felt a dull pain in her chest. She could not breathe.

    This could only be rted to Madam Ling!

    After Ning Qingshan had failed to be chosen and came back, she did not even send anyone to see her. Madam Ling was not her biological mother, so why would she send anyone to visit her repeatedly? She must have an ulterior motive. When she thought of Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s reactionst night, Madam Dowager thought something was wrong.

    She thought that Ning Zu¡¯an knew that it had something to do with Madam Ling, but he could not say anything in front of so many people. So, he could only vent his anger on her grandson. Ning Huaiyuan had been implicated by his mother, so he was kicked by Ning Zu¡¯an. Otherwise, why would he suddenly hit his son?

    He had no outlet to vent his anger, so he vented all of his anger at her grandson.

    ¡°This vicious woman is hateful!¡±

    Suddenly, an idea came to her mind. Madam Ling was the one who caused the ident yesterday. What about the Third Girl¡¯s bellyband? Who in the manor was exceptionally adept in trickery? She had asked servants to send all items in the set of clothes to the two yards. Why was there one missing in the Foggy Courtyard? Even if someone liked this kind of cloth, he or she would not have dared to target this set of clothes.

    To make it easier to identify them, she deliberately asked the servants to embroider their names on it. For such an important thing, no one would have dared to take it out, except for those who had ulterior motives. And there was no one else in the manor, except Madam Ling.

    Madam Dowager was conscious that the Third Girl and Fifth Girl were not Madam Ling¡¯s daughters. Not only did the Fifth Young Lady not get along with Madam Ling, but the Third Young Lady was also not close to Madam Ling. Madam Ling was afraid that she would not be able to control them, so she deliberately stole the most intimate items from them, so that she could use them to threaten them in the future.

    ¡°Whether it is one item or two, it¡¯s still stealing.¡± Madam Dowager was sure that Madam Ling did it. She was so angry that she wanted to kill Madam Ling right now.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, the Fifth Young Lady ising.¡± A maid came in and reported.

    Madam Dowager pounded her chest with one hand, and waved her other hand to signal her toe in. Then, she coldly told the maid who was kneeling on the ground, ¡°Get out!¡±

    The maid did not dare to say anything else. She hurriedly lowered her head, bowed, and left cautiously.

    When Ning Xueyan came in, she first greeted Madam Dowager and then Ning Qingshan. Then, she raised her head and asked in surprise, ¡°Grandmother, what can I do for you?¡±

    Seeing here in, Ning Qingshan cast her eyes on her hand. When Ning Xueyan greeted her grandmother, she pulled back her sleeve slightly. Ning Qingshan could see a circle of red and swollen marks on her right hand. The marks were not light, so she could see that the marks had been caused by pinches. It seemed that Ning Xueyan was really injured.

    Ning Qingshan felt relieved and narrowed her eyes. She was d about her misfortune. ¡°Did Ning Xueyan get the invitation from Commandery Princess Xianyun? She did not seem to have been treated well.¡±

    ¡°Xueyan, is there a bellyband in the clothes I made for youst time?¡± Madam Dowager asked directly.

    Ning Xueyan shook her head nkly and turned to Lanning behind her. ¡°A bellyband? No, don¡¯t tell me that there¡¯s a bellyband in that set of clothes.¡±

    Lanning paused and said firmly, ¡°Young Lady, no. I¡¯ve checked several times at that time, but I did not see such a private item. Otherwise, I would have put it away carefully.¡±

    In the two sets of clothes, only the two bellybands, the most private female items, were missing. Everyone was clear about the meaning. Madam Dowager¡¯s face was dark.

    ¡°Is there a bellyband in it?¡± Feeling the cold atmosphere in the room, Ning Xueyan¡¯s face immediately turned white. She asked hurriedly, holding back the panic in her eyes.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, I¡¯m afraid that both of us have fallen into a trap, and we¡¯re going to be framed,¡± Ning Qingshan said with a sigh, wiping her eyes with a handkerchief. She was so anxious that she was about to cry. Both of them seemed to be filled with amon hatred.

    ¡°Third Sister, is this true? What should we do? If... if someone finds out, I¡¯m afraid all the people in the mansion will be in danger, not just us!¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s face was pale, and her voice was filled with uncontroble fear and panic.

    This fear immediately infected Madam Dowager, and she thought of Prince Yi, Ao Chenyi. Ao Chenyi killed people, depending on his mood. Ning Xueyan was Prince Yi¡¯s co-consort-to-be. It would be announced soon based on what had happened in Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s Manor today.

    If such a thing happened at this time, it would be equivalent to making a cuckold of Prince Yi, the bloodthirsty Asura King. It was frightening to think about it. Moreover, the Third Prince was also involved. The Third Prince¡¯s love for the Third Girl was evident.

    Although he was gentle, a man would not stand for this sort kind of thing.

    If it was only concerning Prince Yi, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor might have a chance to survive. But with the inclusion of the Third Prince, the future of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor seemed to be headed for a disaster. Madam Dowager had a vision of a bloody scene. The whole Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was drowning in mountains of corpses and seas of blood. It was going to be a catastrophe.

    Madam Dowager was not a coward, but she was also frightened by this scene. Her face turned pale, and her eyes were full of anger. ¡°Madam Ling, this vicious woman, she wants to harm the whole Lord Protector¡¯s Manor!¡±

    ¡°Grandmother, is it possible that... the Third Prince came to inquire about this on purpose?¡± Ning Qingshan had the same intent as Ning Xueyan at this time. She rushed about in distress, deliberately added fuel to the fire.

    No matter how bad their rtionship was, they had the same intention in this matter. Madam Ling did this to force them to die. Once ady lost her bellyband, there would be no way out.

    ¡°Is it for this reason... that he vented his anger on me today?¡± Ning Xueyan frowned, bit her lips, and looked confused. She was confused and scared. Under her drooping eyshes, there was a blood-thirsty coldness in her eyes.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s and Ning Qingshan¡¯s conjectures seemed to be groundless, but they appeared to be reliable. Madam Dowager¡¯s scale in her heart had already been tilted. At this time, she felt that everything was reasonable.

    ¡°Come on. Get Madam Ling toe here right away.¡± In a sh, Madam Dowager had made up her mind. She raised her eyebrows, and her face, which had always been kind, turned ferocious.

 Chapter 364 - Everyone Begging in the Lucky Garden

    <h4>Chapter 364 Everyone Begging in the Lucky Garden</h4>

    By the time the bellyband was sent to Bright Frost Garden, it was already night time.

    From theyout of the clothes ced on the table, it was obvious that it was aplete set, together with the bellyband. This type of clothes-making method was rarely seen. People usually made only an outer garment. But in aristocratic families, a full set of clothes would be made, and the materials used were extremely precious.

    On the one hand, it was to show respect. On the other hand, it was to show the family¡¯s extraordinary background.

    However, the foundation of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was not strong, so they had never tried it before. This time, Madam Dowager learned from the noble families how to show that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had a strong background too. She thought that the people in the imperial pce would respect them. But she did not expect that such a thing would happen in the end.

    ¡°Young Lady, I heard that First Madam was almost strangled to death by Madam Dowager. She is still kneeling at the gate of the Lucky Garden. When the Marquis came back, he did not intercede for her. He went to the study alone. He did not even pay any attention to the Second Young Lady¡¯s request.¡± Seeing the set of clothes, Mother Han finally breathed a sigh of relief and looked better.

    Her Young Lady had almost got into trouble. Now that she thought about it, Mother Han could not help breaking out in a cold sweat.

    ¡°How could I know nothing about such an important thing? It¡¯s obvious that it¡¯s dangerous.¡±

    As a cold smile appeared on her face, Ning Xueyan reached out and turned over the cloth materials. This was to be expected. Maybe Madam Dowager had no evidence. But after hearing what Ning Xueyan and Ning Qingshan said, Madam Dowager would ask her to take out the things, even if she wanted Madam Ling to die.

    There were some things that could be done without having to produce evidence, as long as you acted arbitrarily.

    Madam Ling might deny it at first. Anyway, Madam Dowager would not be able to find the evidence in such a short time. Moreover, since she had done it, Madam Ling would definitely do it secretly. No matter who looked into it, they would not be able to find the evidence. Besides, her bellyband had been sent to Ning Ziyan. So, Ning Qingshan¡¯s bellyband should be there too.

    Since the bellybands were not in the manor, there was no evidence to verify it. Even if someone leaked out the news, they could not find anything on the spot. It was not in the manor. Even if she turned it upside down, Madam Dowager could not get the evidence. That was why Madam Ling did it so openly. She plotted against Ning Xueyan and Ning Qingshan, at the same time.

    However, what Madam Ling did not expect was that Madam Dowager attached great importance to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. It would not change due to Madam Ling, who was not that significant. Even if Ning Huaiyuan knelt down with Ning Yuling to plead for her, regardless of his injuries, Madam Dowager was determined to kill Madam Ling this time, as long as Madam Ling did not take out anything.

    She would never be so softhearted all, even if Madam Ling had given birth to Ning Huaiyuan, and she was the hostess of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Madam Ling had been forced to death by Madam Dowager. With Madam Ling¡¯s temperament, how much could she resist? The final result was inevitable. Madam Dowager punished Madam Ling and made her kneel in the Lucky Garden. Compared to killing Madam Ling, the punishment was not severe.

    Ning Zu¡¯an found himself being cuckolded by his son yesterday. Today, such an awful thing urred. So, he turned a deaf ear to Madam Ling.

    ¡°What did Ning Yuling do?¡± Ning Xueyan asked thoughtfully as she put down the cloth in her hands.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been keeping an eye on the Second Young Lady. The Second Young Lady did nothing, but when she came back, she rewarded the cart driver today. Nothing else happened. Later, something happened to the First Madam. The Second Young Lady reported this to the First Young Master instantly. The two of them went to beseech Madam Dowager. Then, she secretly sent Mother Chen to Minister Xia¡¯s Manor. When the First Madam was punished and made to kneel, she went over to beg the Marquis.¡±

    Except for secretly sending Madam Ling¡¯s personal servant Mother Chen to Ning Ziyan¡¯s ce, the other things Ning Yuling did were not kept secret. Mother Han had been staring at her all the time, so she knew everything clearly.

    ¡°She rewarded the coachman?¡± Ning Xueyan frowned slightly, and there was a trace of doubt in her eyes. Ning Yuling was never such a kind person. This time when she came back, she looked even gloomier. She did not look like a person who would reward a coachman.

    ¡°Young Lady, I¡¯ve checked. The cart driver is the man who sent Mother Chen to the Eldest Young Lady¡¯s ce,¡± Mother Han exined.

    Ning Yuling could not have predicted the future. How could she know that Madam Ling would be forced by Madam Dowager to ask Mother Chen to take things from Ning Ziyan, secretly?

    ¡°Where is Ning Yuling now?¡±

    ¡°After the Marquis¡¯s refusal, the Second Young Lady went to Madam Dowager¡¯s Lucky Garden. She should be with the First Madam now.¡± Mother Han answered.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s go there now!¡± Ning Xueyan stood up and said this with a calm smile.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, you... you¡¯re going to plead for the First Madam?¡± Mother Han asked in surprise.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether I am going there to plead on her behalf or not. After all, she is the Madam of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. I have to give her face.¡± Ning Xueyan looked at her and said this with a leisurely smile. Then, she walked out, followed by Lanning.

    As long as Madam Ling was the principal wife in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Ning Xueyan had to intercede for her, for the sake of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. The reason why she had not interceded for her before was because she wanted to force Madam Ling to take out the bellybands. Now that she had received the item, Ning Xueyan should put up a good show.

    There were some things that everyone knew what the score is, while there were some things that everyone knows what it was about.

    At least on the surface, Madam Dowager was angry and scolded Madam Ling, because of something. What¡¯s worse, they encountered difficulties and had to bother the injured Ning Huaiyuan. How could Ning Xueyan, a junior, sit in the courtyard, without doing anything? Otherwise, what would others think of her in the future?

    Being scolded so mercilessly by Madam Dowager for no reason, Madam Ling did not know what was going on. What¡¯s more, the most important thing was that it happened after the matter of the witchcraft episode. Although Junior Concubine Xu had been made a scapegoat, and all the people in the manor were banned from discussing this matter, sometimes some things just could not be suppressed.

    Ning Xueyan and Ning Qingshan met at the gate of the Lucky Garden. They had only seen each other briefly, and they understood what both of them were up to. But from their movements, they knew that they were both smart. It was best for them to show their filial piety now. As for why they did note before, maybe it took sometime before they got the news or Madam Dowager did not let them know about the incident.

    However, no matter what the reason was, at least, they were all here now. So, they were all acting by filial duty.

    Under the tree at the gate of the courtyard, Madam Ling knelt on the ground, with her hair disheveled. There were even some bruises on her beautiful face. Her forehead seemed to have been hit by something, and there was a trail of dried blood on it. Her clothes were messy as if she had suffered severe indignities.

    Ning Yuling was kneeling next to her, but her appearance was immacte. She lowered her head and knelt silently behind Madam Ling. Her silence made it hard for the people to believe that she was really the arrogant Second Young Lady who had killed people at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Hearing the older female servants at the door greeting Third Young Lady and Fifth Young Lady, Ning Yuling raised her head and saw Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan, without showing any traces of surprise. When she nced at Ning Xueyan, she looked even gloomier. Her eyes were dark, and there was a trace of hatred hidden in them.

    It happened so suddenly that she did not know much about it. In the daytime, something happened in the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor. But now, it was said that her mother had stolen Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan¡¯s bellybands, and had evil intentions on her mind. Moreover, her grandmother¡¯s attitude was so determined. If her mother did not take out these two things, her grandmother would have asked people to strangle her mother, even if she was wrongfully used.

    Why was her grandmother so determined? She heard that Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan hade to the Lucky Garden together this afternoon. It was not the time to greet her grandmother in the morning, so why did theye together? When they left, her mother was asked to go over There must be something unusual happening.

    After that, her mother had weakened and asked Mother Chen to fetch the things. Mother Chen secretly asked her for help. She used the carriage to send Mother Chen to Ning Ziyan¡¯s ce and took the stuff. Her grandmother had asked someone to send the things to them, and then the two of them appeared together. She could not believe that they were not the one who had stirred up trouble.

    Ning Yuling had an intuition. Although there was no evidence, she believed firmly that the cause of this matter was Ning Xueyan.

    She did not want to defend Madam Ling against injustice, but it was more for herself. If Madam Ling fell from power and was demoted as a concubine, she would be the daughter of a concubine. Ning Yuling could not stand this anymore. She always regarded herself as a legal daughter, and thought that she was superior to Ning Xueyan.

    Even on that day, when she was disfigured, she had felt that she was nobler than Ning Xueyan.

    When she heard grandmother say that she was just the daughter of a concubine, how could Ning Yuling, who had always been proud, bear it?

    Initially, she could not decide about what Ning Ziyan had said. She thought that it was not the best time now. But now, she felt that she could not wait any longer.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s gloomy look disappeared and she looked up with a gentle smile on her face. Everyone knew how to pretend to smile gently like Ning Qingshan. Since they were all pretending, how could Ning Qingshan, an adopted daughter, be more favored than her?

    Ning Xueyan walked over to Ning Yuling as if she had not noticed the vicious look on Ning Yuling¡¯s face. Then, she knelt down beside Ning Yuling, and Ning Qingshan also did the same.

    ¡°Third Young Lady, Fifth Young Lady.¡± Mother Qin came out of the room and saw them. She hurried over to help them up.

    ¡°Mother Qin, please appeal to my grandmother on behalf of me. Please forgive my mother. No matter what she has done, she will always be our mother!¡± Ning Xueyan looked up calmly at Mother Qin with her ck jade-like eyes.

    Mother Qin had witnessed all the things that happened today. Besides, she knew that the Fifth Young Lady would soon be Prince Yi¡¯s co-consort. So, she did not dare to ept the greeting. She quickly moved aside and said, ¡°Fifth Young Lady, don¡¯t be so polite. I¡¯ll go and see Madam Dowager right away. I¡¯ll plead with Madam Dowager to forgive the First Madam this time, for the sake of the Young Ladies¡¯ filial piety.¡±

    Her words were very subtle, and she said what Ning Xueyan had said. She undoubtedly had used Madam Ling ofmitting a real crime.

    Ning Xueyan looked up, and her eyes fell on Mother Qin¡¯s face. She smiled slightly. Mother Qin was a thoughtful person.

 Chapter 365 - Suspicion, the Secret of Rebirth

    <h4>Chapter 365 Suspicion, the Secret of Rebirth</h4>

    Everyone saw Mother Qin walking in, and then they heard the sound of a teacup breaking. It was obvious that Madam Dowager was still angry. After a while, they saw Mother Qining out with a smile.

    ¡°Good news, First Madam. Madam Dowager says that you can go back now, and you do not have to kneel in the courtyard anymore.¡± Mother Qin said to Madam Ling and then turned to Ning Yuling and the others. ¡°Well, Second Young Lady, Third Young Lady, and Fifth Young Lady, you are all filial. Madam Dowager is aware of that. Go back and have a good rest now. The ground is still wet; hopefully, it will not do you any harm. We do not want Madam Dowager to feel distressed againter.¡±

    Mother Qin was indeed Madam Dowager¡¯s trusted subordinate. She had a smooth tongue, and no one could find fault with her. She even ttered the three youngdies by saying that Madam Dowager did not punish Madam Ling due to their filial piety. Meanwhile, she even showed her concern for them on behalf of Madam Dowager.

    If she had not held on with one more breath, Madam Ling would have fainted. When she heard, she released a long sigh and fell back. Her eyes rolled up as she fell into a dead faint. Mother Chen, who was kneeling behind her, hurriedly caught her and shouted hysterically. Ning Xueyan got up and had a brief discussion with the older female servant. After that, they dismantled a door nk and asked someone to carry Madam Ling back to the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard.

    The three of them followed her. However, when they arrived at the entrance of the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard, Ning Xueyan and Ning Qingshan said that they were going to change, and went back to their own rooms.

    Ning Yuling stood at the gate of Auspicious Clouds Courtyard and looked at them as they walked away. Then, she returned to her room.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, please wait!¡± Hearing some anxious criesing from behind. Ning Xueyan stopped and turned to look at the elegant man who came over. He was as handsome as before. From his eyes, she felt that he seemed to be the same Xia Yuhang, who was as affectionate as before.

    However, Ling Ziying had been dead for a long time already.

    ¡°Brother-inw, why are you here? Have you not heard that this ce is haunted?¡± Ning Xueyan looked at him coldly, being neither sad nor happy. She harbored an ingrained and bloodthirsty grudge against him. She only felt hate and ridicule for this man.

    How ridiculous! This man walked into the Cloud Reflection Courtyard and even stood by the lotus pond, with a look of deep affection and sorrow. If she did not know better, she would think that he was an obsessed lover, who was mourning the death of his lover. How fantastic the world was!

    Her fingers clutched her handkerchief tightly. She looked at the slightly opened door and the wild grass on the ground. A silent sneer appeared on her lips, which was cold and mocking.

    ¡°Why are you putting on an act when she is already dead?¡±

    She had wandered over to this ce on her own, saw that the door was slightly ajar, and entered casually. She did not expect that someone would be there before her. When she saw Xia Yuhang, she turned around to leave, but he stopped her. She did not know what he was going to do. Was it not enough for one person to recall Ning Ziying? Did he want to force her to think of Ning Ziying too?

    ¡°Haunted? Is it still haunted?¡± Xia Yuhang frowned and looked at the deste courtyard. There was a trace of bitterness at the corners of his mouth. ¡°Did shee back?¡±

    ¡°Back? Eldest Brother-inw, are you talking about Sister Ziying? How is it possible? Sister Ziying has been dead for so long that her bones should have turned into ashes already!¡± Ning Xueyan looked at a blooming flower, and said this with a faint smile.

    ¡°No, she¡¯s so beautiful. She could not just have disappeared without a trace. Perhaps she¡¯s watching us right now.¡± Xia Yuhang whispered, and his voice was full of inconceivable sadness. His eyes fell on the flower that Ning Xueyan was looking at. ¡°This is her favorite Chinese rose. It¡¯s said that there are many Chinese roses in the regions south of the Yangtze River. It¡¯s not rare, but she likes it, as it is beautiful and easy to cultivate.¡±

    ¡°Beautiful and easy to be cultivated?¡± She had said those words in her previous life. She had been so gentle when she had spoken then, but now she harbored a profound hatred. During the days when her parents had died, she had thought that the man in front of her would be someone she could depend on. However, she never thought that he would witness her drowning in the lotus pond one day.

    A blood-thirsty chill emanated from her heart and prated through her limbs and bones, her blood thickening in her anger.

    Ning Xueyan raised her head and looked at Xia Yuhang, with a sarcastic look in her dark, jade-like eyes. She did not avoid Xia Yuhang¡¯s gaze and said, ¡°Brother-inw, what¡¯s the point of talking about this? Between the skeleton and the beauty, I believe that you can distinguish which one is better!¡±

    ¡°No, you must not say that. Ziying is beautiful. She is so beautiful. How can she be a skeleton? Perhaps she has already reincarnated into a human. If I find her again, I won¡¯t let her down in this life.¡± Xia Yuhang said this sincerely, with a trace of pain and excitement in his eyes, as well as some sort ofplicated struggle.

    ¡°Reincarnate into a human? Eldest Brother-inw, you¡¯re ridiculous. If a person is dead, how can she reincarnate into a human? If you¡¯re unwilling to let it go, you can get someone to dredge the lotus pond to see if her white bones are still there. Maybe sister Ziying¡¯s white bones have not rotted yet. She¡¯s still waiting for you.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled gently, but her words were cruel.

    Such a delicate smile and elegant beauty made people feel scared.

    Xia Yuhang opened his eyes wide and felt a heavy blow in his heart. He trembled and gritted his teeth, saying, ¡°Fifth Sister, I was fooled by Ning Ziyan that day, so I misunderstood, and thought that she had an affair with another man. Otherwise... I would not have simply watched her die.¡±

    Xia Yuhang trembled when he said that. He could not hide the sadness in his eyes.

    ¡°Eldest Brother-inw, are you ming Eldest Sister?¡± Ning Xueyan sneered. She took a step back and looked at Xia Yuhang from head to toe. The smile on her face became more and more disdainful. ¡°Others may not know what happened to Eldest Sister Ziying. Don¡¯t we know what happened in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? Sister Ziying is dead. Eldest Brother-inw, why are you still putting on an act? I came here because I miss Sister Ziying, who came to a bad end, because she was not able to discern between good and evil people.¡±

    ¡°She brought trouble to herself. If she had known about it earlier, how could this happen? Since Eldest Sister and Eldest Brother-inw were in love with each other, Sister Ziying should give what is not hers. In that case, she could have saved her own life. Anyway, Eldest Brother-inw, you should know which one will benefit you more, between a Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and an orphan.¡±

    ¡°Since you¡¯re clear, what¡¯s the use of putting the me on Eldest Sister now? Eldest Brother-inw, you¡¯re so smart, how can you not understand?¡±

    He wanted to marry Ning Ziyan and gain the support of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. For this, he did not hesitate to abandon his fianc¨¦e and did not even give her a chance to live. She died so tragically. But now, he pretended to be affectionate and that everything that happened was all Ning Ziyan¡¯s fault.

    With Xia Yuhang¡¯s intelligence, it was impossible for Madam Ling and her daughter to deceive him. The reason why he pretended to be angry was that he wanted to push the boat along with the current.

    Ning Xueyan spoke out boldly to uphold justice, as a sister who had always been unfriendly toward Ning Ziyan. When Xia Yuhang stopped her, she had been vignt. She had seen Xia Yuhang only a few times before and had spoken only a few words to him. In such a lonely courtyard, Xia Yuhang should not have stopped her and told her such things.

    Although he looked sad and cut a solitary figure, Ning Xueyan noticed him observing her from time to time.

    He said that he was heartbroken, and he missed Ning Ziying. Why then did he stop her and say those words?

    Xia Yuhang¡¯s behavior today was strange. If not for the fact that only she knew the secret of her rebirth, Ning Xueyan almost thought that Xia Yuhang had guessed that. Why did he say that perhaps Ning Ziying had reincarnated to be a human, and he would not let her go? It was not as simple as it sounded.

    Ning Xueyan had sarcastically told Xia Yuhang about the incident that happened that day, in order to let Xia Yuhang understand that it was not a secret in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, and to eliminate his suspicion. She felt a sense of danger. If Xia Yuhang continued to be suspicious, it would not be a good thing.

    Xia Yuhang had not expected Ning Xueyan to be so ruthless. He looked at the young girl in a snow-white dress in surprise, sneered, turned around, and left. He restrained the sadness on his face. Was he wrong? It could not be her. No, it could not be her. How could it be her? That was impossible.

    But previously, he thought it might be true. Zi Ying was so gentle and always smiled at everyone. She never spoke ill of anyone. How could she show such a mocking look now? It was not her, and it should not be her. There was a bitter smile at the corners of his mouth. He was thinking too much.

    He stepped forward and stood in front of a stone by the pool. At that time, this was her favorite spot. Her beautiful face would be reflected, together with a flower, but it was more beautiful than the flower. Initially, he thought that she was merely a passer-by in his life and a part that could be abandoned. However, when he woke up the next day, he only felt a deep emptiness.

    Did he do something right? Had he known this would happen, he should have spared her life. At that time, as long as he stretched out his hand, he could have saved her life, right? An intense pain rose in his heart, which made him stumble and almost fall. He reached out to hold the stone, and his eyes darkened immensely.

    Was it not her? Or maybe it was her! Although this kind of thing was almost impossible, he felt that it might be true. There was always a glimmer of hope.

    If he looked at her eyes, she was almost the same as Ning Ziying, as well as the way she held her cup. He also had a sense of familiarity. Maybe, maybe there was hope.

    There was a trace of blood-red fierceness in the depths of her dark eyes. Anyway, this was just a little obsession in his mind. Since it was an obsession, he should give himself a chance, even though the possibility was small. No matter right or wrong, he would never let go of this chance...

 Chapter 366 - Choosing the Spring Clothes

    <h4>Chapter 366 Choosing the Spring Clothes</h4>

    Seeing Ning Xueyaning out, Lanning came forward to report. ¡°Young Lady, I heard that he came to see the First Young Master. Then, he went to see the First Madam. I don¡¯t know when he came here.¡±

    She was waiting at the gate of the courtyard and did not go in. Every time she came here, she would think of her dead youngdy and grieve in her heart. Therefore, she often stopped at the gate of the courtyard, but she could still see it clearly from where she was.

    So, when she saw Xia Yuhang standing there and calling out to her Young Lady. Lanning hated Xia Yuhang as much as Ning Xueyan when she saw him. Her hatred of him was equal to her Young Lady Ning Ziying¡¯s love for him. This man abandoned the gentle Young Lady Ning Ziying and married the Eldest Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Everyone knew what it meant.

    Since he had taken the initiative and gained benefits, why did he act like he loved Ning Xueyan so much now? Lanning was worried that Ning Xueyan would be deceived, so she came up to Ning Xueyan quickly.

    ¡°How¡¯s the Eldest Young Master¡¯s injury?¡± Ning Xueyan asked. She had restrained the coldness in her eyes, and was walking out of the room. She did not look back at all.

    Seeing that Ning Xueyan acted naturally, Lanning felt relieved. ¡°I heard that the Marquis¡¯s kick had seriously injured the First Young Master. Yesterday, when he interceded for the First Madam with Madam Dowager, he fainted, and he sustained some serious injuries.¡±

    When Ning Xueyan and Ning Qingshan went to the Lucky Garden to intercede for the First Madam yesterday, Ning Huaiyuan had passed out and had been carried back to his courtyard. So, Ning Xueyan had not seen him at that time.

    It seemed that what had taken ce yesterday had made Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s injury worse.

    As soon as Ning Xueyan arrived at the Bright Frost Garden, she saw Qingyu waiting at the door. When she saw Ning Xueyan walking back with Lanning, she said with a smile, ¡°Young Lady, it¡¯s a coincidence. Just now, the embroidery shop sent your spring clothes over. Come and have a look. Is there anything wrong with it?¡±

    It was the usual practice for the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to make clothes for the legal daughters like Ning Xueyan, every season. It was spring now, and they could not wear thick clothes. The people from the embroidery shop had already taken Ning Xueyan¡¯s measurements and the others as well. It was now the right time to wear thin spring clothes.

    In the room, a capable, middle-aged woman, apanied by several maids, was waiting. When she saw Ning Xueyaning over, she hurriedly greeted her with a smile. She bowed to Ning Xueyan first and said, ¡°Fifth Young Lady, these are the clothes we made for you. If you want to change anything, please tell me, and I¡¯ll bring them back to be changedter.¡±

    In the hands of several maids behind her, there was a thick stack of clothes, with rich, multicolored embroideries. They were made from the lightest and most beautiful cloth materials present.

    The maid standing at the forefront took the clothes held in her clothes and presented them respectfully to Ning Xueyan.

    Ning Xueyan looked through the suits and frowned slightly. These clothes were beautiful, but most of them were too gorgeous. They were not the style she liked at all. Both the materials and embroidery threads they used were brightly-colored, which looked quite like the ones Ning Yuling liked.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, don¡¯t you like them? Madam Dowager chose these colors for you. She said that youngdies would look old-fashioned if you wear clothes that are too in. Thus, she asked us to choose these materials for you. If you don¡¯t like them, we can make two more sets of in clothes for you. But you have to pay for these clothes yourself.¡±

    The middle-aged woman said this with a smile.

    This was indeed the rule of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Every season, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would make several sets of clothes for them. If there were any extra clothes required, they would have to pay for them by themselves. They were allowed to choose the clothes by themselves. However, Ning Xueyan and Ning Qingshan had gone to the imperial pce for the Beauty Camp, and Ning Yuling had not returned to the capital yet. So, Madam Dowager decided for them and selected these clothes.

    Because they were the ones Madam Dowager selected, Ning Xueyan could not say anything, no matter how dissatisfied she was. So, she had to take the clothes.

    ¡°Just put them there!¡± Ning Xueyan nodded. Whether they were beautiful or not, since Madam Dowager had chosen them, she could not refuse them.

    ¡°Yes,e, put the clothes there.¡± The middle-aged woman narrowed her eyes, smiled, nodded and said to the maid beside her.

    The maid came forward and put the clothes in her hands on the table in the room. Because there were too many clothes, she did not put them away tidily. Some of the clothes slipped and fell off the table, revealing a in dress.

    ¡°Young Lady, this dress is nice. It¡¯s simr to yours.¡± Qingyu¡¯s eyes were sharp, and her hands quick. When she saw it, her eyes brightened. She reached out to pick up the dress.

    The rosin colored cloth was dotted with milk-white gauze. The light-colored butterflies embroidered with silver threads were not very eye-catching, but they were beautiful. They were all of a light color, which was Ning Xueyan¡¯s favorite color. Ning Xueyan liked this set of clothes best, among the other clothes.

    ¡°It¡¯s stunning.¡± Ning Xueyan reached out and touched the clothes. The cloth material was neither too thin nor too thick, so they were very suitable for the moment. When she was still at the Bright Frost Gardenst year, Madam Ming had made many clothes for her, but they were not good clothes. She could wear them at home, but it was a little too shabby for her to wear them for going out.

    Besides, Ning Xueyan had grown taller and bigger these days. She was no longer as skinny and weak as she used to be. So, Ning Xueyan could not wear some of the clothes, and she had to make a few sets of decent clothes.

    When she went to the Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s Manor yesterday, she wore the clothes that Madam Dowager had prepared for her to join the Beauty Camp in the imperial pce. To her, these clothes were too shy, which was not suitable for ordinary social activities.

    In general, this dress, whether in terms of material or the embroidery, was well made and beautiful. Most importantly, Ning Xueyan happened to like this style.

    ¡°Young Lady, this suit is good. There was no such cloth at first, but an unknown master brought itter. I thought that you would like it because you¡¯re usually dressed inly during normal days. So, I made this suit for you. I was afraid that you would not like it.¡±

    The middle-aged woman was smart. When she saw Ning Xueyan¡¯s look, she knew that Ning Xueyan liked it and then fawned over her. The Fifth Young Lady was no longer who she used to b. All the servants in the manor were smart. Now, the First Madam had made such a mess of her life, it seemed that the Second Young Lady would soon be of no use too. Only the Third Young Lady and the Fifth Young Lady looked promising.

    Although she failed to be chosen, the Fifth Young Lady¡¯s efforts were not futile, based on her elegant manner and beautiful appearance. Although she was a servant, she was shrewder than the master of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Therefore, she knew who she should fawn over at this time, and who she should not bother with.

    ¡°Thank you. I like this suit.¡± Ning Xueyan took it from Qingyu¡¯s hand. She touched it slightly and had a faint smile on her face. Then, she turned to the clothes held by another maid. The clothes were more or less the same as Ning Xueyan¡¯s, but there were one or two pieces, which were particrly brightly colored and beautiful.

    She looked up and asked casually, ¡°Haven¡¯t you sent these clothes to Second Sister yet?¡±

    Compared to Ning Xueyan¡¯s style, these clothes were obviously more to Ning Yuling¡¯s taste. Compared with Ning Xueyan¡¯s clothes, the clothes that Madam Dowager had chosen for Ning Yuling obviously suited her taste. After all, Ning Yuling was her favorite granddaughter.

    However, Ning Yuling was no longer who she used to be. So, she might not be able to wear such fancy clothes out. Ning Xueyan unconsciously touched one of the light-colored clothes with her fingers and drew out the hem. She took out a sleeve and looked at it with a gentle smile.

    ¡°Yes. You live furthest, so we sent yours first. Later, we¡¯ll send the clothes to the other youngdies. There are the Second Young Lady¡¯s, the Third Young Lady¡¯s, and the Fourth Young Lady¡¯s clothes. We don¡¯t have to go through too many roads on the way back,¡± the middle-aged woman said with a smile.

    It was reasonable that they should send the clothes to the furthest one first, and to the nearest onest, while turning back.

    They always sent to the others first, and then, they sent Ning Xueyan¡¯s ¡°on the way.¡± But this time, they sent her first.

    She patted Ning Yuling¡¯s clothes and spoke amiably with a faint smile, ¡°Thank you so much. Qingyu, please give this older female servant a reward!¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Fifth Young Lady.¡± Unexpectedly, she managed to tter the Fifth Young Lady, and received a reward from her. The middle-aged woman was overjoyed and thanked Ning Xueyan with a smile. Then, she turned around, followed behind Qingyu, and walked out with her maids.

    Lanning came and checked the clothes on the table, and found that there was only one set of in clothes. ¡°Young Lady, it came at the right time. You can wear it for your daily outing, which takes care of your pressing need. However, there are too few of such clothes, and these clothes are not what you like.¡±

    ¡°Lanning, the materials for clothes-making in the embroidery shop are selected first. What if there is an extra piece of cloth?¡± Ning Xueyan said with a soft smile. She looked at the in and beautiful clothes with a tinge of coldness in her eyes. In her previous life, she was an outsider. In this life, she had been in the Bright Frost Garden all the time, so she did not know about such a trivial thing.

    ¡°Generally, it¡¯s impossible to have an extra piece of cloth. Each youngdy¡¯s number of clothes each season is fixed. If more clothes are made, the embroidery shop will be penalized. The cloth of this suit was not selected by Madam Dowager before, but the total number of clothes made will not change. So, it means that the original cloth has been changed.¡±

    After understanding the meaning of Ning Xueyan¡¯s words, Lanning¡¯s face changed slightly. She immediately figured out why they sent the clothes to Ning Xueyan first, instead of the nearest Second Young Lady. No matter who had made the mistake to change the original cloth into another piece of cloth, the person would feel guilty. It was not only because the Fifth Young Lady¡¯s status was different now, that the people in the embroidery shop were trying so hard to please her.

    It was because they felt guilty!

    ¡°There must be something shady about this suit!¡±

 Chapter 367 - The Vicious Ning Yuling

    <h4>Chapter 367 The Vicious Ning Yuling</h4>

    ¡°Are you saying that someone changed the material on purpose? Why would the person change the material you don¡¯t like to the material you like?¡±

    After thinking about it, Lanning felt there was something wrong, but she could not figure out what was wrong. So, she turned around and asked Ning Xueyan, who was holding the set of clothes in her hands.

    Ning Xueyan picked up the clothes, put them to the tip of her nose and sniffed them. Then, she looked at them under the sun, and a half smile crossed her lips. As expected, they had really put in a lot of effort. Under the sun, there was a faint trace in the sleeves. A person would not be able to tell if he or she did not look closely.

    Nobody would scrutinize the clothes from the embroidery shop in the sunshine, inch by inch.

    Although she did not know the specific intention, there must be a follow-up. She looked down and chuckled. It appeared that those people would not give up until she died.

    Ning Xueyan put down the clothes in her hands gracefully and picked up a cup of tea on the table. The bitter tea slipped down her throat slowly, and her smile became colder and colder. ¡°Lanning, go and ask why Xia Yuhang is here?¡±

    There must be a reason. At such a convenient time, it was such a coincidence. Some people wanted to kill her as soon as possible.

    Qingrong Courtyard

    Ning Yuling looked at the clothes on the table, which had been sent by the embroidery shop. Although she knew that the embroidery shop sent the clothes to Ning Xueyan first because they felt guilty about the change of cloth material, she still felt enraged. ¡°When did that b*tche before me?¡±

    The servants in the mansion were so snobbish that they sent the clothes to Ning Xueyan before sending hers.

    If she had known that she would be wronged now, she would have taken the b*tch¡¯s life. At that time, no one would care about the life and death of the b*tch. Her father and grandmother would only punish her with a few words at most. If Madam Ming had note quickly, this b*tch would not have lived.

    Beyond her expectation, Ning Xueyan, the b*tch who she often made fun of, was no longer what she was. Today, she was ced below Ning Xueyan. How could Ning Yuling not hate her?

    ¡°Young Lady, look at this suit. It smells good with a light fragrance, and the cloth material is also good. You can wear it tomorrow. It seems that the people in the embroidery shop know that you are the daughter of the principal wife in the manor, so they deliberately perfumed it with incense.¡±

    Seeing that she was gloomy, the maid knew that she was jealous because they sent clothes to the Fifth Young Lady before her. So, she immediately picked up a set of clothes and said this to Ning Yuling, with a smile.

    ¡°Is there anyone here from my uncle¡¯s side?¡± Ning Yuling remained unmoved and asked with a gloomy face.

    ¡°No one is here. Perhaps the Assistant Minister has not received the letter yet.¡± The maid said this in a low voice and her fingers trembled gently. She lowered her head and exined softly.

    Ning Yuling was in a bad mood right now. If she made her angry, she might be tortured to death. Others said that the Second Young Lady¡¯s personality seemed to have changed after she came back. Only she knew that Ning Yuling had not changed at all. She was still as vicious and violent, and she did evil deeds openly.

    She used to have the servants flogged to death in public. But now, she handled it secretly by using more vicious means. As soon as she returned to the Qingrong Courtyard, she broke a maid¡¯s legs because the maid went against her. Then, she threw the maid into a private whorehouse to be defiled by the lowest ranking servants. In the end, the maid was tortured to death.

    Thinking of this, the maid trembled a little. She bit her lips tightly and kept calm. She did not dare to show any fear on her face, in case it irritated Ning Yuling. Otherwise, she would not only die, but die without any good reason.

    ¡°Ask someone to remind my uncle. If he can¡¯te, get my cousin toe. Tell him that it¡¯s urgent. If he doesn¡¯te, something serious will happen.¡± Ning Yuling gritted her teeth as she said this. In the past, as long as she sent a verbal message, her aunt woulde right away, if her uncle was not free.

    Now that she lost all power and influence, her words no longer counted. She had sent someone there in the morning, but no one had responded yet. She was no longer as favored as before. She attributed all this to Ning Xueyan, this little bi*ch, so she would never let her feel better.

    Since someone wanted Ning Xueyan so badly, she would help her. Hadn¡¯t Ning Xueyan always considered herself to be a legal daughter? Yesterday when she went to the banquet held by Commandery Princess Xianyun, she also heard someone secretly talking about the reason why Ning Ziyan was so shameless was because she was only the illegitimate daughter of a mistress.

    A principal wife who was initially a mistress, was worse than a maid who served in the bed. How could she cultivate a good daughter? Minister Xia¡¯s Manor was degrading themselves to unite with such a woman. Although the people spoke sarcastically in low voices, she could still hear those words. Some people said that the daughter that the mistress-origin principal wife gave birth to was either an illegitimate daughter or a daughter of a concubine. How could she consider her as a legal daughter?

    Ning Yuling was furious and almost could not control herself.

    It was Ning Xueyan, the bi*ch. If it were not for her, no one wouldpare her to Ning Xueyan. Someone said that she was the legal wife¡¯s daughter and the heir of a hundred-year-old noble family. Someone said that Ning Yuling was just a fake, and she was a disappointment.

    ¡°Ning Xueyan, I¡¯ll let her be as humble as mud! Since Ning Ziyan is willing toe up with such a plot, it¡¯s great. How dare theypare her with me in the future?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll ask someone to send a message. Second Young Lady, your cousin has always treated you well. I believe that he wille soon.¡± The maid answered carefully.

    ¡°Humph, he¡¯s a lecher. I am the one who needs his help, otherwise...¡± Ning Yuling snorted. A trace of disgust shed in her eyes. Ling Yi was a yboy. If she managed to found someone else, she would not have asked him for help. Thinking of his sly and greasy face, Ning Yuling felt sick.

    But now, she had to ask him for help.

    The maid did not dare to reply. She lowered her head and stood to one side, looking down at her toes.

    ¡°How are the preparations in the courtyarding along?¡± She snorted and stopped thinking about it. This time, she would not lose. No matter how cunning Ning Xueyan was, she did not believe that she could escape this time. Whether Ning Xueyan died or was doomed eternally, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would be her world in the future.

    The maid answered in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯ve pressed them again and again. Hearing that it was your order, they did it immediately. Everything is ready.¡±

    ¡°Put all the clothes over there. Now that the clothes are here, I have to thank grandmother.¡± Knowing that everything was settled, Ning Yuling felt better and suppressed the hatred in her heart. No matter how outstanding Ning Xueyan was, a dead person or a low-ranking person could not bepared with her.

    It was Madam Dowager who ordered the clothes, so she had to go there. Besides, she had to inform Madam Dowager about that matter. So, she made up her mind. She took out the hair ornaments on her head, and made her hair a little messy. She took two pieces of jewelry, which made her look a bit haggard. Then, she went to Madam Dowager¡¯s Lucky Garden with a maid.

    The clothes from the embroidery shop were sent to Ning Xueyan¡¯s Bright Frost Garden, followed by the Qingrong Courtyard, and then the Foggy Courtyard. Ning Lingyun had someone send them to Concubine Xu. Ning Lingyun was in the Buddha Hall, so she could not wear new clothes. She was the daughter of a concubine, so people in the manor did not pay much attention to her.

    They would not go all the way to the Buddha Hall just for her.

    The distance was different. The clothes were sent to the furthest ce first, so Ning Xueyan was naturally the first to leave. But because the people who leftter were rtively nearer, the three of them entered the Lucky Garden at almost the same time.

    In the room, Madam Dowager was leaning weakly, her face looking pale and gloomy. It was apparent that she was not in good health. These people were all sharp-eyed. Seeing the medicine on the stove outside, they knew that Madam Dowager was very angry now. It seemed that she was sick.

    ¡°Grandmother, you¡¯re not feeling well, so you should take a rest. Don¡¯t hurt your inner source. Otherwise, Father, Mother, and we will all feel uneasy,¡± Ning Qingshan said. She was still good at talking. She turned her eyes and came up to express her concern, with a smile. People who did not know the truth would think that she was Madam Dowager¡¯s granddaughter, and she was closer to Madam Dowager than Ning Yuling and Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°I¡¯m old. I¡¯m useless. Nobody in the manor takes me seriously.¡± Madam Dowager said with a gloomy face. She looked at Ning Yuling with anger in her eyes. She was not angry at Ning Yuling, but she always remembered Madam Ling whenever she saw Ning Yuling.

    This vicious woman would ruin the whole Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Whenever Madam Dowager thought about this, she would be angry. If she had known earlier, even if Madam Ling had given birth to a grandson for her, she would never let this woman have the chance to be a principal wife. Even the sex-serving maid, Madam Yu, was better than this vicious woman.

    ¡°Grandmother, it¡¯s all mother¡¯s fault that you are angry. You have to take care of yourself. Otherwise, how can Ling¡¯er and father be assured?¡± Ning Yuling said with concern in her eyes. She bit her lips as she put the me on Madam Ling without feeling any twinge of guilt.

    In her mind, Madam Ling had disfigured her at that time. Then, everything that happened next would all be Madam Ling¡¯s fault.

    Madam Dowager was in a good mood after she heard Ning Yuling¡¯s words. She felt that although Madam Ling had given birth to Ning Yuling, she was still her granddaughter. Ning Yuling was not the same kind of person as Madam Ling, a vicious woman. Madam Dowager said kindly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about it. I know that you are different from your mother. After all, you are the legal daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. This can¡¯t be changed in any case. In the future, you should keep away from your mother, who is such a disappointment.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Grandmother. I understand. Ling¡¯er will listen to you in the future, but...¡± Ning Yuling seemed to be moved by Madam Dowager¡¯s words, and tears glistened in her eyes. In order not to be seen, she deliberately turned her head away, shifted her body, and dabbed her eyes with the handkerchief.

    When she saw that, a sneer appeared on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face. She had expected that there would be a follow-up on this matter. Looking at Ning Yuling¡¯s behavior today, she knew that there was something else she had not said. She began to speak and then hesitated, which stirred up the interests of the others. And Madam Dowager should be the one who was most eager to find out!

    She came here on purpose because she wanted to see what Ning Yuling would do.

 Chapter 368 - Whoâ€™s Playing, Caifen Was Beaten

    <strong>Chapter 368 Who¡¯s ying, Caifen Was Beaten</strong>

    ¡°If there¡¯s a problem, you can just say it.¡± Madam Dowager felt that Ning Yuling was pleasing to the eyes now, so she asked.

    ¡± Eldest Brother-inw came to see Eldest Brother just now. He said that Eldest Sister fell into the water, got injured and became ill.¡± Ning Yuling frowned slightly and looked anxious. ¡°Last time when something like that happened in our Manor, my mother said that Eldest Sister was seriously injured and could not be hurt again. But this time, I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s serious¡­¡±

    Her words were not obvious, and she deliberately avoided stating something. However, everyone present knew that it was about Ning Ziyan¡¯s abortion. Madam Dowager¡¯s eyebrows were furrowed. If a woman suffered bodily injuries, it would affect her reproduction system.

    For Madam Dowager, Ning Ziyan¡¯s reproduction status was also rted to the friendly rtionship between the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and the Minister Xia¡¯s Manor. If Ning Ziyan really had any internal injuries, she would not be able to have a child in her life. It was quite serious.

    ¡°As her younger sisters, you¡¯d better go and see Eldest Girl tomorrow. Your mother is in such a state now, so she can¡¯t go there. I¡¯ll ask Mother Qin to go with you.¡± After thinking for a while, Madam Dowager had a n. She would never let Madam Ling go there, so she asked Ning Yuling and the others to go instead. The reason why she asked Mother Qin to go along was because some things could not be said by the Young Ladies.

    Mother Qin could say the most appropriate remarks. On the one hand, she was old, so she could say those words. On the other hand, Mother Qin was Madam Dowager¡¯s henchman. If there was something wrong, Madam Dowager would know about it in advance. Therefore, she would be mentally prepared and would know how to handle it.

    ¡°Young Lady, what¡¯s wrong with you? Are you feeling sick again? Why don¡¯t we go back to our courtyard and have a rest?¡± After she finished speaking, the maid standing beside Ning Qingshan, Caifen, shouted anxiously.

    Everyone looked up and saw Ning Qingshan clutching her hands and biting her lips, her face pale as if she was suppressing her pain. She looked ghastly.

    ¡°Third Young Lady, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Madam Dowager asked in a low voice.

    ¡°Grandmother, I¡¯m fine. I am just in a little pain, and I¡¯ll be fine in a while.¡± Ning Qingshan answered with difficulty. She opened her mouth, took a deep breath and forced a smile, but everyone could see that she was struggling.

    Ning Xueyan smiled casually. The sweet smile on Ning Yuling¡¯s face was a little stiff as if she could not keep the smile there. What a coincidence! Just when Madam Dowager decided to let them go to the Xia Manor, Ning Qingshan was sick. She was reluctant to go there!

    ¡°Madam Dowager, although the Young Lady¡¯s injured hand is getting better these days, it still hurts a lot sometimes. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because her muscles and bones were injured.¡± Caifen knelt and reported this to Madam Dowager, with sorrow in her eyes, ignoring Ning Qingshan who had been pulling and winking at her.

    If one¡¯s sinews or bones were injured, it would take about 100 days to recuperate. Even if there was no sign of trauma, no one could tell at a nce, about the injuries to the bones.

    Madam Dowager nced at Ning Qingshan¡¯s hand impatiently and said, ¡°Third Girl, you stay at home tomorrow and let the injuries on your hand heal first. Let Second Girl and Fifth Girl go there. If such a thing happens again, you should see a doctor. The injuries on the hand can either be big or small. If your hand is disabled, it¡¯ will be a problem¡±

    This matter was not trivial. The Third Prince intended to marry Ning Qingshan as his co-consort and he had a deep affection for her. Because of the Third Young Lady, he did not want his cousin, who was his childhood sweetheart. But if she was disabled, Ning Qingshan would not be able to marry into the Third Prince¡¯s Mansion.

    First of all, the emperor would not let that happen. He would not allow his son to marry a girl who had a hand injury, instead of the many well-behaved, noble youngdies. The royal family could not afford to lose face. So, the Third Young Lady had to take care of her hand.

    Madam Dowager remembered that she had neglected Ning Qingshan for some time, so she had decided to ask someone to check on Ning Qingshanter. She could not let anything bad happen to her, so as not to disable her hand.

    Hearing that Madam Dowager asked Ning Xueyan to go with her, Ning Yuling was slightly relieved and her smile became more lively. She did not care if Ning Qingshan could go with her or not. The reason why she was nervous was that she was afraid that Ning Xueyan would discover something, so she would also find an excuse not to go.

    She had to deal with Ning Xueyan first. It was better not to bite off more than she could chew. Now she had made up her mind to destroy Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Yes, Grandmother, but¡­¡± Ning Xueyan seemed to have something difficult to deal with, so she paused.

    Ning Yuling was worried again. Seeing that Madam Dowager seemed to turn to look at Ning Xueyan, she hurriedly said, ¡°Fifth Sister, don¡¯t you want to go? How can you do this? Eldest Sister used to treat you well, so how can you do that? Both of you are unable to go.¡±

    Now, she only wanted to stop Ning Xueyan from finding an excuse to refuse. She did not care about whether Ning Qingshan was still there or not. She seemed to be insinuating that Ning Qingshan made such a scene because she did not want to go there.

    Her words sessfully made Ning Qingshan, who looked so fragile and seemed to be in so much pain that she could not even speak, look gloomy. But then, she immediately looked aggrieved. ¡°Second Sister, I¡­ I¡¯m not finding excuses not to visit Eldest Sister. I¡¯ll go tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Third Sister, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m not saying that you¡¯re making an excuse. Eldest Sister has been good to all of us. Now that something has happened to her, we sisters have to go and see her. We can¡¯t destroy our sisterhood. However, both of you are not able to go.¡± Although Ning Yuling knew that she had made an indiscreet remark, she could not back off now. Anyway, she could not make Ning Xueyan suspicious and find an excuse to retreat.

    ¡°Well, stop talking. Take this maid away and flog her ten times. How could she fail to serve her master well?¡± Madam Dowager thumped the ground with her walking stick, and nced from Ning Yuling¡¯s face to Ning Qingshan¡¯s face, with a sense of anger in her eyes. She had believed that Ning Qingshan was not feeling well before, but now when she heard what Ning Yuling said, she became suspicious.

    Although she did not care about the Third Girl, was this kind of thing insignificant? Why hadn¡¯t she heard the people from the Foggy Courtyard talking about it? But as the Second Girl said, she deliberately did not want to go and made such a scene. When she thought that Ning Qingshan was adopted, but she did not want to see her Eldest Sister, who was seriously ill, and made such a scene, without considering their sisterhood at all, Madam Dowager doubted if she was grateful.

    Although the gloom on Ning Qingshan¡¯s face disappeared in a sh, Madam Dowager still saw it clearly. She could not criticize Ning Qingshan directly, so she vented her anger on Ning Qingshan¡¯s maid.

    ¡°Grandmother, please forgive Caifen. It¡¯s not because she did not serve me well but I¡¯m in poor health, so you can¡¯t me others.¡± Ning Qingshan did not expect Madam Dowager to do this. Her face turned pale, and she hurriedly stood up to beg for mercy.

    Caifen, who was kneeling on the ground, was also scared out of her wits. She could not react for a moment. Originally, she was acting in ordance to what her youngdy wanted. How could Madam Dowager me her all of a sudden?

    Madam Dowager looked sullen and did not say anything. Two older female servants came over to grab hold of Caifen¡¯s arms respectively. They immediately pulled her away, without giving a thought to Ning Qingshan at all. Madam Dowager had too many things to deal with recently, so she was depressed. When she found something wrong, she vented her anger on Caifen. She thought that she had to teach Ning Qingshan a lesson to let her know who was the master of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re the Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. You don¡¯t need to say that your health is poor. And, you don¡¯t need to plead for them if your servants don¡¯t do a good job, because it¡¯s what they should do. If so, they will be punished. Third Girl, don¡¯t feel sorry for her. The servants have regarded themselves as masters and neglected the real masters. I have built up your prestige today so that they will not deceive you anymore.¡±

    Madam Dowager said in a low voice. Then she turned to Ning Xueyan and asked impatiently, ¡°Xueyan, what else do you want to say?¡±

    If Ning Xueyan dared to refuse, she would not mind beating the maid behind Ning Xueyan, as well.

    Ning Xueyan blinked and asked shyly, ¡°Grandmother, I wanted to ask which kind of clothes should I wear tomorrow to see Eldest Sister? Should it be a light-colored or a colorful one. I seldom go out, so I want you to make a decision for me. ¡±

    The flogging soundsing from outside the window did not affect her at all. She did not see Ning Qingshan¡¯s pale and embarrassed face. Some people always overestimated themselves. She did not know if Ning Qingshan thought so too.

    Ning Qingshan was ashamed and angry now. She thought that Ning Yuling behaved abnormally today, so she did not want to get into trouble. Whether it was Ning Yuling or Ning Xueyan who got into trouble, she would be happy. She would neither interfere nor allow herself to get into trouble.

    Therefore, she plotted with Caifen and created a scene. This scene was perfect. She said that she was in pain, and nobody could find the cause for the injury to the bones in such a short time. Even if the best imperial physician came, he could not say anything. After all, she had indeed hurt her hand before. It had not healed yet, so it was normal for her to have some seque.

    Unexpectedly, Madam Dowager was irritated by Ning Yuling¡¯s words and vented her anger on her maid. Since she returned to the manor, the servants around her were constantly being beaten, so she was in disgrace. Now, Madam Dowager had Caifen flogged because of such a trivial matter. It was like smacking her in the face. How could she not be angry?

    She gritted her teeth and tried to suppress her anger. She looked at Ning Yuling and Ning Xueyan with hatred. Then, it disappeared instantly! Her beautiful face showed a hint of awe.

    When she found out that Ning Xueyan was not looking for an excuse not to go, Madam Dowager felt relieved. Ning Xueyan had never gone out to visit a patient before, so it was reasonable for her to ask her now. She nodded and looked at Ning Xueyan¡¯s clothes, saying, ¡°Since you¡¯re going to visit a patient, you can wear neither colorful nor in clothes. You should dress better than what you are wearing now.¡±

 Chapter 369 - Wearing Two Coats

    <strong>Chapter 369 Wearing Two Coats</strong>

    Ning Xueyan wore a set of thick in-white clothes today, but it was a bit old. As the Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, it would be a shame for her to go out in such clothes.

    ¡°Yes, Fifth Sister, your dress is a bit old. Fortunately, Grandmother made new clothes for us. You can choose a new suit of clothes. Anyway, I¡¯ll choose one. It¡¯s shows grandmother¡¯s love for us, and I like those clothes very much.¡± Ning Yuling said with a smile.

    Her words were subtle. If she did not wear it, it seemed that she had failed to live up to Madam Dowager¡¯s good intentions. So, Ning Xueyan had to wear it.

    Ning Xueyan smiled slightly and rubbed her handkerchief with her fingers. Then she covered her mouth to hide a trace of sarcasm. As expected, there was something wrong with the clothes, and it was also rted to Ning Yuling. Ning Yuling was afraid that she would not wear the clothes, so she put pressure on her intentionally.

    Since it was so, Ning Xueyan would set her mind at rest for the time being. So what if Ning Yuling was satisfied?

    Putting the handkerchief at the corner of her mouth, Ning Xueyan smiled slightly and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Second Sister. I will choose one of those clothes sent by Grandmother.¡±

    It was getting dark as night fell. The surroundings around the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor seemed to be quiet. Even the servants in the manor did not dare to go out. Even if something happened, they had to be careful. Although they did not talk about the matter concerning Junior Concubine Xu the day before yesterday, it did not mean that they were not aware of it. Those little cloth dolls were very weird.

    Some servants could not sleep well in the middle of the night after they saw the bloody Vudu Dolls. Their screams scared the people next door, as they shivered under their quilts. Then, Junior Concubine Xu died; the First Young Master got kicked; the Marquis left in anger; the First Madam passed out after Madam Dowager punished her by forcing her to kneel. Everything seemed to be weird.

    How could the Marquis beat up the Eldest Young Master? And why did Madam Dowager want to strangle the First Madam? Maybe it was because the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was haunted. Some people thought of the incident at the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. It seemed that the Young Lady had died due to unknown reasons. What was worse, Concubine Ma had also disappeared without a trace.

    This kind of thing should not be given too much thought. The more she thought about it, the more terrified she felt. It seemed that something was hanging over the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. All the servants were trembling with fear. No one wanted to go out after night fell.

    Someone knocked lightly on the door in the Qingrong Courtyard, and the back door opened silently. The pretty maid holding thentern saw Ling Yi, who was standing outside the door, came out hurriedly to greet him, ¡°Childe, you¡¯re finally here. Pleasee in!¡±

    ¡°Well, are you missing me?¡± Ling Yi reached out and pinched Yanyue¡¯s face. He was a man who indulged in wine and women, and there was a hint ofsciviousness on his face.

    ¡°Childe Ling Yi, please go in quickly. The Second Young Lady has been waiting for you for a long time.¡± Yanyue¡¯s face turned red, but she dared not disobey his order. She pointed to the inside and said in a low voice, with a tinge of apprehension on her face. If the Second Young Lady saw this, she might get into trouble. The maid shivered at the thought of Ning Yuling¡¯s means.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll satisfy your Young Lady first, and then I¡¯ll satisfy you. I can¡¯t let you miss me too much!¡± Ling Yi mistook the timidness on the maid¡¯s face for shyness. Ling Yi said this with a proud look on his face. Then, he pinched her face again and walked in proudly. Thinking that he was going to see Ning Yuling, he felt excited.

    In the past, he did not dare to think that. But now, it was different. She had already had an affair with Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, so it did not matter if she had an affair with him. As for whether Ning Yuling agreed or not, Ling Yi did not care at all. After all, she was making demands on him, and he stopped his father for her.

    ¡°Look, you¡¯re asking me for help now. You want me to do something for you. I can¡¯t do it without getting some real benefits.¡±

    In the past, Ning Yuling might have stood high above the masses, as the Consort of Prince-to-be. He dared not dream of her. If he dared to provoke her, his father would, needless to say, break his legs. However, it was different now. She was the one who asked him for help. If he let such a great opportunity go, he would not be Ling Yi.

    His cousin¡¯s face was as beautiful as a flower. Compared with those top courtesans, she was not inferior at all. From an early age, he wanted to approach his Second Younger Female Cousin, but he had never been so bold. Now the opportunity was here...

    In the early morning of the next day, Ning Xueyan had already got up. Yesterday, she had made an appointment with Ning Yuling to go to the Xia Manor, so she could not bete today. Madam Dowager also told them not to pay their respects to her today. So, she sat in front of the dressing table. Lanning picked up theb andbed Ning Xueyan¡¯s jet ck long hair. She asked, ¡°Young Lady, what kind of bun do you want today?¡±

    Lanning had always managed Ning Xueyan¡¯s long hair. Lanning, who was clever and deft, couldb many different kinds of styles of hair buns. Now, the most popr bun in the capital was the Horse-falling bun. This kind of bun was a little bit crooked, which showed a woman¡¯s femininity.

    The nobledies of the capital loved this style because some of their hair would be drooping sideways, strands hanging that looked like it needed to be brushed up, and a general loose style. So, most of the girls who reached the hairpin stage would choose to have this hairstyle. Furthermore, nine out of ten nobledies did so. However, with this hairstyle, she had to be more careful in her movements. Otherwise, her hair would be disheveled.

    ¡°No. Just make a double bun and make it a bit firmer.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled slightly. In the mirror, the girl¡¯s beautiful ck hair, like a ck waterfall, slipped down from her head, which was beautiful. In daily life, she looked beautiful with a Horse-falling bun because of the hair quality and hair color. But today, it was inconvenient.

    There was a bun on each side. Although it was less charming, it was tightly wrapped. Even if it shook, it would not fall down. Moreover, Ning Xueyan had not reached the hairpin age, so it was not strange.

    ¡°Got it. I¡¯llb it for you right away.¡± Lanning nodded, with an amiable look on her face. Then, she used ab to separate her hair and skillfullybed it.

    Qingyu came in with two sets of clothes. One of them was the only elegant and presentable one among the new-made spring clothes yesterday. The weather was good today, so it was not suitable for her to wear thick clothes.

    ¡°Young Lady, shall I go with youter?¡± Qingyu put down the clothes in her hands, bit her lips, and said uneasily.

    Through the mirror, Ning Xueyan could see Qingyu¡¯s scowl. She could not help butugh and said, ¡°Qingyu, I¡¯m going to visit a patient, so we don¡¯t need to go in pomp. It¡¯s enough that Xinmeies with me. Or, you, in ce of Xinmei, can go with me?¡±

    ¡°Young Lady, why are you joking with me now?¡± Qingyu heard the sarcasm in Ning Xueyan¡¯s words. She stamped her feet in anger and said, ¡°I¡¯m afraid...¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be rmed about. Take it easy. I won¡¯t unt my superiority.¡± Ning Xueyan knew that Qingyu was worried about her, so she smiled softly. She looked at the two sets of clothes that Qingyu put on the bed, and a hint of coldness shed through her eyes.

    At the gate of the manor, Ning Xueyan and Ning Yuling arrived almost at the same time. Ning Yuling¡¯s clothes were simpler than usual. She looked at Ning Xueyan¡¯s clothes first. She smiled jealously when she saw the familiar color and pattern.

    But then, it turned into a trace of resentment. She would never forgive that b*tch Ning Xueyan this time. For her, she even had an affair with Ling Yi. This time, she would never give this b*tch any chance. Thinking that she had to ask Ling Yi for help in this matter, and that Ling Yi even dared to threaten her, she could not wait to rush up and tear Ning Xueyan into pieces.

    It was all because of Ning Xueyan, the bi*ch, that she had to make a deal with Ling Yi, whom she despised most. She hated Ning Xueyan. Ning Xueyan, the bi*ch who caused her misfortune. It used to be like this, and now it was the same.

    They could only talk for a while in front of Madam Dowager, so Ning Yuling ignored Ning Xueyan and went to the carriage she had taken two days ago.

    The carriages of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor were given to anyone who needed them, instead of specific persons. However, when she went to the Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s Manor that day, Madam Dowager asked her to take the inferior carriage so as to keep Ning Yuling¡¯s profile low. Compared with the carriage in front, the carriage was inferior both in appearance and design.

    However, sometimes Ning Zu¡¯an also used the carriage in front, which was more magnificent. Thetter carriage had always been used by the inner female guests, because it was rtively smaller.

    ¡°Second Sister, you¡¯re still my elder sister. Will you use the carriage in front?¡± Ning Xueyan asked politely. She reached out to stop Ning Yuling.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m still using the same one.¡± Ning Yuling refused, with a forced smile. ¡°My grandmother chose this one for you. If I use that one, it will be hard for me to exin to my grandmother.¡±

    After saying that, she pushed Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand away and took the initiative to get into the carriage behind. She did not give Ning Xueyan a chance to refuse at all.

    Before they passed by each other, Ning Xueyan saw a bruise on Ning Yuling¡¯s delicate neck, and then there was a slight smile on her face. She saw Ning Yuling entering the carriage before she got into the other carriage.

    ¡°Bi*ch!¡± Ning Yuling cursed as soon as she got on the carriage. She looked through the curtain with bleak eyes, and she looked at Ning Xueyan, who was getting into the carriage, with hatred.

    Seeing that the two Young Ladies and their maids had already entered the carriages, the cart drivers raised the long whips in their hands and turned around to head for the Xia Manor.

    Minister Xia¡¯s Manor was only two streets away from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, so it was not far. It would be faster if they took a shortcut. However, there was nothing urgent today. Besides, the two Young Ladies were with them. The coachmen drove on the main road. In order to have a smooth ride, they chose to drive on the main road of the capital.

    This main road was usually the ce where the princes and childes of the capital travelled most frequently. From time to time, groups of people came and went. Carriages came one after another, andughter could be heard from outside, from time to time. It was very lively.

    As soon as they got into the carriage, Ning Xueyan took off her outer clothes, and there was another coat inside...

 Chapter 370 - An Unexpected Accident, the Wheel Is Tumbling down

    <h4>Chapter 370 An Unexpected ident, the Wheel Is Tumbling down</h4>

    ¡°Young Lady, Fifth Young Lady has entered the carriage. Shall we go ahead of her?¡± Ning Yuling¡¯s maid, Yanyue, lifted the corner of the curtain and saw Ning Xueyan getting into the carriage in front of her. She reported to Ning Yuling in a low voice.

    ¡°No, if so, it will arouse the little bi*ch¡¯s suspicion.¡± Ning Yuling scratched her hand, feeling a little itchy.

    ¡°But what if they misjudged the target and bumped into you?¡± Yanyue put down the curtain in her hand, shifted her body, and said this uneasily. When she thought that there might be dangerter, she could not calm down. If she were not careful, she would die as well.

    ¡°It¡¯s impossible. They may bump against our carriage at most.¡± Ning Yuling sneered smugly with a trace of hatred in her eyes. She subconsciously scratched her wrist. This time, Ning Xueyan would be either dead or disabled. If she had good luck, there was still Xia Yuhang.

    This time, Ning Xueyan would not be able to find a way out.

    Nothing ventured, nothing gained. She deliberately changed the carriage to avoid being suspected, so the best way to put herself in danger. Even if the carriage was intact, Ning Yuling would pretend to be injured. She could not let seem as if Ning Xueyan was so unlucky, yet she remained safe and sound.

    She felt it worthwhile to suffer from the necessary flesh wound. In the days and nights outside the capital, she dreamed countless times of how she tortured Ning Xueyan to death. Now, it was finallying true. How could she not be proud?

    The two carriages were running smoothly on the street. After a while, they unexpectedly met Xia Yuhang. Knowing that the Ning sisters were going to the Xia Manor, they turned their horses around and followed the carriages to the Xia Manor.

    ¡°Young Lady, what¡¯s wrong with your hands? How did you get these?¡± When she heard what Ning Yuling said, Yanyue did not dare to say anything, no matter how afraid she was. She subconsciously lowered her head, only to see several surface scratches on Ning Yuling¡¯s white wrist. It seemed that there was also a red and swollen blister on her wrist, which shocked Yanyue. She could not help screaming out.

    Ning Yuling, who was itching, reached out to scratch it again. When she heard this, she lowered her head and saw that on her wrist. She suddenly became pale and looked nk. She did not feel well anymore, and her whole body began to tremble violently.

    This was her most terrible nightmare. She had a rose-face, but it was disfigured. During that period, she almost dared not meet anyone. She felt desperate and resentful. She smashed all the mirrors in the room, and she scratched the faces of all the beautiful maids that she could see.

    She did not find it any different from thest time. There were not many small blisters on her wrist, and they were not visible. Only the tiny lumps on the scratches were more noticeable.

    ¡°Young... Young Lady, what should we do?¡± Yanyue was also frightened. She trembled and stretched out to pull Ning Yuling¡¯s hand. She wanted to roll up her sleeves to see if there was something on her arm as well.

    Ning Yuling was nervous and let Yanyue roll up her sleeves. As expected, she saw some red marks on her arm. Looking carefully, she found that all of them were tiny herpes.

    ¡°Young Lady, do you want me to see if there are herpes on the other parts of your body?¡± Yanyue asked, gritting her teeth. She bore the difort in her heart and did not dare to show any expression of disgust on her face. She would never forget how those maids who showed such an expression had died so miserably.

    Ning Yuling was in a panicky state at this time. She unfastened her belt and pulled it out. Yanyue dared not neglect her duty and took off half of her clothes. Fortunately, it was spring, so the clothes she was wearing were light. When she took them off, she could see that there were several swollen herpes on the snow-white skin on Ning Yuling¡¯s chest and back. There were only a few, but it made one feel numb when they were all in a cluster.

    ¡°Young Lady, there¡¯s something at the back and the front. What... what should we do?¡± Yanyue was frightened by Ning Yuling¡¯s herpes. Meanwhile, Ning Yuling¡¯s gaze slowly became gloomy. Under such a gaze, Yanyue felt as if she was being stared at by a viper. Even if she bit her lip, she could not help trembling.

    The Young Lady felt suspicious about her. In the carriage, she did not dare to get up. She directly knelt and pulled at Ning Yuling¡¯s clothes. She was in a hurry to exin, ¡°Second Young Lady, I didn¡¯t. I really didn¡¯t. It has nothing to do with me.¡±

    Suddenly, a burst of rapid hoofbeats could be heard. Someone shouted, ¡°Look out! Get out of the way. The horse was startled!¡± The sounds came closer and closer in a second. Then, the horse pulling their carriage also seemed to be frightened. With a scream, the carriage shook twice and it suddenly dashed forward.

    ¡°Young Lady, be careful!¡± In the carriage in the front, Xinmei had been leaning against the wagon-box, and was fully alert. Now, Xinmei reached out to hold Ning Xueyan¡¯s hands, trying to keep her firmly in ce.

    On the street, a startled horse rushed in from behind, and the man on horseback screamed. Ning Xueyan and Ning Yuling¡¯s carriages were in front of the horse. First, it was Ning Yuling¡¯s. Then it was Ning Xueyan¡¯s. The man on horseback pulled the reins hard. Fortunately, the horse did not hit Ning Yuling¡¯s carriage, but brushed against it at a certain angle. Then, it ran against the front of Ning Xueyan¡¯s carriage directly.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s carriage driver was very skilful. He quickly pulled aside to avoid it. But because the startled horse ran so fast, it almost rubbed against the horse¡¯ s neck.

    Immediately, both Ning Yuling and Ning Xueyan¡¯s horses were shocked and rushed forward together. The two coachmen pulled desperately on the reins. The rushing horse had disappeared in a sh, but the two carriages ran forward uncontrobly.

    Xia Yuhang was riding a horse between the two carriages, one in the front and behind. He tugged at the horse¡¯s head and tried to avoid it. Now, he found that the two carriages were speeding uncontrobly. He immediately dashed forward from behind and shouted at the carriage in front of him, ¡°Fifth Sister, hurry and jump off the carriage. I¡¯ll catch you.¡±

    ¡°Xinmei, leave me alone. I will hold on to the carriage curtain at the back.¡± Ning Xueyan said, gritting her teeth, and gripped the carriage curtain tightly. She knew she was weak, so she deliberately entwined the long carriage curtain twice around one of her arms.

    This was the most chaotic moment.

    ¡°Young Lady, be careful. I¡¯ll be ready in a minute.¡± Xinmei knew the situation and answered hurriedly. She decisively pulled one of Ning Xueyan¡¯s arms down and turned to lift a small curtain from the back of the carriage. There was a small window there. She flicked her fingers and a small stone between her fingers was shot backward.

    It hit the eyes of the horse at the back. At that time, the horse at the back had not been too severely bumped against. However, the horse in front and the horse next to it, were shocked. So, it just ran a few steps after them and calmed down. Suddenly, it felt a pain in its eyes. It immediately speeded up and ran to the other side in a hurry.

    Ning Yuling, who was in the carriage, was suddenly jolted. She could not hold on for a moment and bumped heavily against the side of the carriage. She screamed in pain.

    Yanyue was pulling at Ning Yuling¡¯s clothes. Now, she was also hit and became confused and dizzy. The spring clothes were thin. When they fell, the front part of Ning Yuling¡¯s clothes came off, and her half-undone clothes were immediately ripped open.

    However, both of them screamed out of fear now, so they did not notice this unusual thing.

    ¡°Young Lady, I¡¯ll jump with you!¡± Xinmei quickly turned around, holding one of Ning Xueyan¡¯s hands, and said.

    ¡°Okay!¡± Ning Xueyan did not say much. She nodded and reached out to hold Xinmei¡¯s hand. The carriage suddenly jolted, as if something had fallen off. As the whole carriage lurched to one side, her eyes turned cold. As expected, the carriage had been tampered with.

    Xinmei could not wait any longer. She held Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand and jumped out in a different direction from Xia Yuhang¡¯s. Since it was the wheel on the other side that was damaged, it should be fine here.

    Ning Xueyan was pulled out of the carriage by Xinmei. Even though Xinmei had reduced most of the impact of the fall, she could not help falling to the side of the carriage.

    The neighing of horses and screams of people could be heard. People on the street could only see twodies falling out of the carriage and on to the ground. Coincidentally, the wheels on this side of the carriage flew off too. Being jolted about by such fast wheels, one would surely die.

    Xinmei stood in front of Ning Xueyan, and Ning Xueyan subconsciously clenched her teeth. At this crucial moment, she pulled Xinmei hard, so as to draw Xinmei away.

    If the wheel rolled directly into her, even if Xinmei was a skilled martial artist, she would have little chance of survival.

    Initially, she thought that Ning Yuling¡¯s carriage had a broken wheel. Unexpectedly, she did not give her a chance to live. The two wheels broke one after the other, and the carriage turned over. The men had no chance to survive.

    The carriage wheels hade straight toward her, so Ning Xueyan¡¯s mind went nk.

    Suddenly, the screams stopped. After the vast collision, dust flew in the air. The expected violent collision did not happen. She seemed to hear a loud bang in her ears. Then everything fell silent.

    Ning Xueyan raised her head and looked at the wheel that had tumbled down and the carriage, which had been smashed into pieces, with a ck gold whip hanging on its wheel.

    Ning Xueyan looked up along the tip of the whip. A pair of cold and beautiful eyes could be seen, with hostility in it. In everyone¡¯s eyes, it was the blood-red Manjusaka blooming in hell. But now, it seemed to be heaven for Ning Xueyan. She rxed her grip and let Xinmei go. She became limp but gritted her teeth, so that she would not fall on the ground.

    ¡°Fortunately, fortunately, he¡¯s here!¡±

    ¡°Fifth Sister, are you alright? Are you hurt?¡± Xia Yuhang ran over from the other side with a look of panic and anxiety in his eyes. It seemed that he cared about her, as if she was the most important person to him. With his pale eyes and flustered looks, he acted his role to perfection.

    Her beautiful eyes instantly grew cold. Then, she showed a gentle expression and said, ¡°Eldest Brother-inw, go and take a look at Second Sister. I¡¯m fine.¡±

    With a trembling voice, Ning Xueyan pointed in the direction of Ning Yuling¡¯s carriage. The carriage had ended at another road.

 Chapter 371 - The Mysterious Master Upstairs

    <h4>Chapter 371 The Mysterious Master Upstairs</h4>

    ¡°Fifth Sister...¡± Xia Yuhang wanted to say something, but was interrupted by Ning Xueyan again. ¡°Eldest Brother-inw, you should go there quickly. Otherwise, Second Sister might die.¡±

    Xia Yuhang looked at the anxious-looking Ning Xueyan, who was sitting, with one hand on the ground, and still neatly dressed. A trace of darkness shed in his eyes. He had no choice, but to mount the horse and chase after Ning Yuling¡¯s carriage.

    Ao Chenyi sat on the horse with no expression on his face, and looked coldly at the thin and weak girl who had fallen to the ground. After seeing a drop of blood next to her hand on the ground, there was a trace of anger in his cold eyes. He pulled the whip out from the wheels of the carriage, reached out his hand, and wrapped it around Ning Xueyan¡¯s slender waist, enclosing her in his hold.

    Xinmei hurriedly got up from the other side and helped Ning Xueyan up.

    The situation was critical. Even Xinmei, as a secret guard, could not react in time. She could do nothing except to protect her master behind her. In such a short moment, she also thought that she would definitely die or get hurt today.

    No matter how bloodthirsty and cold Ao Chenyi was, or how moody he was, at least he had saved her again. She clearly remembered what had happened. Xinmei was in front of her, but everyone could see that Xinmei would not be able to stop the wheel, even if she stood in front of Ning Xueyan.

    Fortunately, he appeared at such a crucial moment!

    ¡°Thank... thank you for saving me, Prince Yi!¡± Ning Xueyanposed herself and covered her injured hand with her sleeve. But everyone could see that her hand must have been injured. There were bloodstains on the ground, which showed that she had knocked against the carriage when she jumped out of it.

    Even though she fell from the horse and was in shock, she still maintained her good manners. Her hair and clothes were not messy. It was evident that she had impable manners. The onlookers were shocked at first, and then they were puzzled by her demeanor. Then, someone spotted the emblem of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor on the carriage, which made them appreciate her greatly.

    Ao Chenyi did not answer her. After she thanked him, he pulled the whip from her slender waist and looked coldly at her face. It was hard to tell whether he was happy or angry. Then, he took the guards behind him, and bypassed the carriage of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and moved forward, as if they had just met on the way.

    Prince Yi was always moody. The reason why he helped her was because he was in a good mood today.

    In a street-facing room on the left side of the street, a handsome man with rosy lips, stood by the window and watched the scene with interest. There was a hint of contemtion on his beautiful face. He looked at Ao Chenyi, who was moving away and then at Ning Xueyan, who was struggling to stand up.

    ¡°Go and check how Prince Yi happened to appear at this site?¡± He said softly and slowly.

    ¡°Yes!¡± Someone outside answered and left.

    ¡°Master, the Third Young Lady wants to invite you to assassinate the two youngdies of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor now.¡± The voice came from a hidden corner. Looking carefully, he saw a woman in white standing in a dark corner, with her head down.

    After she finished speaking, she looked at the stunning profile of her master uneasily. When she saw him turning around, she hurriedly lowered her head and dared not move.

    ¡°Does Ning Qingshan want them killed?¡± The man turned his head and gave the woman in white, a charming look. His beautiful peach-blossom eyes were full of affection, like glittering autumn waves.

    ¡°Third Young Lady said that she was always worried about what had happened in the temple thest time. She always felt that the Fifth Young Lady was not easy to deal with. Maybe she will be a mortal mdy. She is afraid that if something happens in the future, you will be involved.¡± The woman in white said uneasily. Although her master smiled, seemingly not being under any pressure, no one knew when her master would be angry again.

    In her opinion, the Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was not asking too much. Compared with the great cause of her master, it did not matter if one or two people were sacrificed. Since the Third Young Lady had said so, the Fifth Young Lady might be dangerous. Her master had always been decisive, but now he was irresolute.

    ¡°Has the man been sent back?¡± Instead of answering her question, the man asked this question with a smile. He waved the folding fan in his hand seductively showing that he was indeed an elegant young master.

    ¡°I¡¯ve sent him back, ording to your order,¡± the woman replied in a low voice.

    ¡°Did you find out anything about the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?¡± The man asked with a smile.

    ¡°Yes, I checked a few times, but I did not find anything unusual. Recently, Minister Xia¡¯s eldest son has been there several times. I did not find anything else,¡± the woman in white said respectfully.

    ¡°Go and check again. Don¡¯t miss out any clues. Since she lived there, how can there be no trace at all? I thought that the Fifth Young Lady was interesting. I seem to remember telling you that I don¡¯t want you to pay too much attention to Ning Qingshan. Why are you so concerned?¡±

    It seemed that the master was in a good mood. He drawled with a smile.

    However, the woman in white was so frightened that she knelt down. She raised her head hurriedly, and as her face paled, she said, ¡°Master, I don¡¯t dare to do that. I only obey your orders. I dare not have any other thoughts.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t dare!¡± The manughed and walked over. He unfolded the fan and lowered his head slightly. He lifted her pale face with the handle of the fan. His voice was gentle and affectionate, but his words were ruthless. ¡°Go, go to the back and get tenshes.¡±

    Upon hearing his words, the woman in white was not surprised but happy. She kowtowed hard on the ground and said, ¡°Thank you, master.¡±

    She lifted the hem of her skirt and left quietly. Her master wanted to beat her, which meant that he had not given up on her yet. It seemed that Ning Qingshan had offended her master. She did not know how Ning Qingshan made her master unhappy.

    ¡°Wait.¡± When she walked to the door, she suddenly heard a cold voice from inside. ¡°Assassination? Haha, it¡¯s interesting. Then, ask two people to carry out the assassination tonight.¡±

    ¡°Master, are you going to assassinate the Fifth Young Lady today?¡± The woman in white was stunned and suddenly raised her head. Her master had been unwilling to get involved in this matter. Why did he agree now?

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, no, it¡¯s the Third Young Lady who has been making trouble for us all the time. I¡¯ll teach her a lesson so that she will not offend the wrong people.¡± The man stood in front of the window again, and his eyes fell on the crowd below. At this time, many people had gathered around and were pointing at the broken carriage of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    He was standing at a higher level, so he saw that there was also another carriage lying on the ground at another street. Fortunately, the wheels were still intact. A group of people had gathered there. Compared with the people here, the people there seemed more scathing in their remarks. There was a ragged looking woman whose clothes were tattered and torn.

    What a coincidence! Because a horse was startled, the carriage turned over, the wheels flew off, and the wagon-box scattered. However, the people in that carriage were lucky, and nothing serious happened. The carriage over there seemed to be fine, but this person, was...

    It was clear that someone had done some maniptions on the front one, but for the one at the back, it was hard to say for sure.

    ¡°What, you want to assassinate the Third Young Lady?¡± The woman in white immediately raised her head in shock, after she understood the man¡¯s words.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you worried about her?¡± The man turned his beautiful eyes to look at her with a faint smile.

    ¡°I don¡¯t dare to do that.¡± The woman in white was shocked and lowered her head hurriedly when she saw the pair of eyes that seemed to be affectionate or ruthless.

    ¡°Her life depends on how much responsibility she can take on. It¡¯s not easy to be the princess from the previous dynasty. Did she think that the princess of the previous dynasty was sent here to enjoy a good life?¡±

    ¡°But, Master...¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to say ¡®but.¡¯ It¡¯s her fate to enjoy such a life!¡± The folding fan in his hand spun around his fingertips skillfully, and his casual voice carried a hint of a smile.

    ¡°Yes!¡± The woman in white did not dare to say anything else. She retreated to the door and gently closed it.

    The man¡¯s attention was still on the scene on the ground. His eyes fell on the pale but calm face, and he frowned slightly. Ning Ziying was gone, so the so-called princess of the previous dynasty could not possibly exist. But why did he feel a slight sense of familiarity with the 14-year-old girl below?

    And it was clear that he had never seen her before. Was the legend true? If so, it was interesting.

    Ning Xueyan was not aware that there was a person upstairs who was looking intently at her face. She was standing by the roadside, with Xinmei¡¯s help. The cart driver was agile, so he was still whole, after he jumped off the carriage with Ning Xueyan. Now, he pulled the horse with all his strength, and the horse finally stopped.

    ¡°Young Lady, would you like to have a rest?¡± Xinmei asked in a low voice, holding Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand. They had sent someone to inform the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and asked them to send another carriage here.

    Ning Xueyan shook her head and walked to the wheels, which were under the carriage. The iron chain had been tightly wrapped around the side of the carriage. But now, it had broken into two parts. The carriage Ning Xueyan was in was the best among all the carriages from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. So, it was the most solid one. But the chain, which was so thick, had broken into several pieces. It was not normal.

    Seeing Ning Xueyan taking a look, some passers-by who initially did not pay attention to it, now also noticed this.

    ¡°How is it possible that such a thick chain can drop off?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like it broke instantly. The cut on it is too t. It seems to have been cut beforehand.¡±

    ¡°Let me see. Let me see. Ah, it¡¯s true!¡± Someone picked up a piece of it and screamed. The screaming drew the attention of the people and more people came around to look.

    There was nock of smart people watching the scene. Looking at the carriage on the ground with the suspicious evidence, and the girl¡¯s delicate and pale appearance, they immediately understood a lot. It seemed that someone had done this on purpose and wanted to kill the girl.

    It was said that the First Madam of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was jealous. Was it the First Madam who had secretly plotted against her?

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, Fifth Young Lady, something bad has happened. Pleasee and see our Second Young Lady.¡± At the small intersection, Yanyue ran over in a hurry. She was so anxious and panicky that she almost fell. Before her arrival, she shouted toward Ning Xueyan¡¯s direction. It was evident from her face that something bad had happened to Ning Yuling.

 Chapter 372 - The Unlucky Ning Yuling

    <h4>Chapter 372</h4>

    <h4>The Unlucky Ning Yuling</h4>

    As expected, something terrible had happened to Ning Yuling. When she walked into the crowd with Xinmei, Ning Xueyan heard the unidentifiedughter of the onlookers. The expressions of the onlookers were quite different from those on her side. And, the crowd here was huge, much more than those on her side.

    Some people jumped on their feet and smirked as they took a look inside.

    Inside, Ning Xueyan saw that Ning Yuling had hurriedly pulled on a robe in her panic, and sat in front of the carriage. The carriage was all right and so was the horse. The cart driver was unharmed, and stood at the side. Xia Yuhang¡¯s robe was gone, and he was wearing an undergown. He stood aside and had a depressed look.

    ¡°Second Sister, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Ning Xueyan rushed to Ning Yuling and crouched down in front of her. She saw Ning Yuling biting her lips and giving her a gloomy look. Ning Yuling did not say a word, but her eyes were full of hatred.

    Seeing that she ignored her, Ning Xueyan turned her head to ask Xia Yuhang, ¡°Brother-inw, what happened?¡±

    The crowd burst intoughter. ¡°It¡¯s the Eldest Brother-inw and his wife¡¯s younger sister. This is really...¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. If Ehuang and Nvying can serve the same husband, what is the difference between this Eldest Brother-inw and his wife¡¯s younger sister?¡± Someone retorted.

    ¡°That¡¯s true. It seems that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor will be holding another wedding ceremony. They are a perfect match.¡± Someone in the crowdughed again.

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t look like an unmarried girl.¡± Some people saw it clearly and said this meaningfully.

    ¡°Could it be that there¡¯s something going on between the two of them a long time ago? So, she did this deliberately to steal her sister¡¯s husband? I¡¯ve seen a bi*ch, but I¡¯ve never seen such a bi*ch. Beyond expectation, the Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is rushing to be a concubine.¡±

    ¡°Nobody can be certain about this kind of thing. The rtionship is consensual. Mind your own business.¡± As a result, there was another burst ofughter.

    Xia Yuhang¡¯s face turned blue, purple, and then ck. He looked at Ning Xueyan with aplicated expression. Then, he took the reins from the young male servant, mounted the horse, and said to Ning Xueyan, ¡°Second Sister fell out of the carriage, and I caught her. You tend to her to see if she¡¯s hurt. I¡¯ll go back and inform your Eldest Sister first.¡±

    Without looking at Ning Yuling, he directly turned around and walked through the crowd with the young male servant.

    ¡°Are you trying to shirk your responsibility?¡± Ning Xueyan sneered secretly, covered her mouth with her sleeves, and coughed softly. She turned her head and did not say much to Ning Yuling. She asked Yanyue to hold Ning Yuling up and sit inside the carriage. So many people surrounded them. What¡¯s more, the onlookers¡¯ remarks made their hair curl.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes fell on a red bellyband hanging at the edge of the wheel. It seemed that Ning Yuling was so unlucky that even thatst piece of her clothing had been torn off.

    Ning Yuling did not struggle this time. She obediently put on Xia Yuhang¡¯s robe and got into the carriage.

    The carriage of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor came quickly, followed by two older female servants from the Lucky Garden. They helped Ning Xueyan and Ning Yuling to the carriage, and they left in a hurry, leaving someone to deal with the two carriages that had met with an ident.

    ¡°What? When the Second Young Lady jumped out of the carriage, she didn¡¯t even have a bellyband?¡± Madam Dowager said this angrily, as she looked at Yanyue, who was kneeling with a gloomy face.

    As a Young Lady, even if her clothes were slightly disheveled, it would be a disgrace if it were to be seen by others. What was even worse was that Ning Yuling jumped into the arms of her brother-inw, without any clothes on. Besides, it happened on a public street. This kind of thing could not be exined clearly.

    Madam Dowager had thought that her outstanding appearance would attract the two princes. Although she had lost her reputation before, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor did not need her to be a legal wife. She could win men¡¯s favor with her beautiful appearance.

    But now, Ning Yuling could not even get married, given what had happened.

    All of a sudden, her face turned livid with anger.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, the Second Young Lady did not know that her clothes would get caught. When she heard Master Xia asking her to jump out, she did so immediately. Unexpectedly, her clothes were hooked onto the carriage. It¡¯s an unexpected disaster.¡± Yanyue cried.

    What a coincidence! The carriage shook twice and stopped. Suddenly, the horse was startled and bolted off in a hurry. Ning Yuling and Yanyue were terrified. When they were at a loss as to what to do, they suddenly heard Xia Yuhang¡¯s voiceing from outside the carriage.

    Without thinking, Ning Yuling jumped out of the carriage.

    She had been half undressed, and Yanyue had also ripped off a piece of her clothing, so her clothes were pping and open. The most unfortunate thing was that when she jumped out, the bellyband of her upper body was hooked on the door frame. So, she literally threw herself into Xia Yuhang¡¯s arms. However, Xia Yuhang did not expect such a situation to happen.

    He held Ning Yuling and looked at her for a while. Then, he suddenly let go of her, which made Ning Yuling fall to the ground again.

    When Xia Yuhang came to his senses, he got off the horse, took off his robe, and threw it on Ning Yuling. The onlookers saw her naked body, and there were many nderous gossips about her.

    No matter how vicious Ning Yuling was, she was only a young girl. She had never encountered such a thing before. Being exposed in front of so many people, she was humiliated and angry. She reached out to hold the robe and felt confused and dull. When she came back, Madam Dowager saw that something was wrong, so she summoned her maid, Yanyue, for questioning.

    ¡°What¡¯s that bruise on the Second Young Lady?¡± Madam Dowager¡¯s lips quivered due to her anger. The older female servant had juste back and had some private words with her.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, I... I don¡¯t know.¡± Yanyue shivered and kowtowed hurriedly.

    ¡°Take this bi*ch away and have her beaten to death!¡± Madam Dowager looked at Yanyue coldly and said this fiercely. Madam Dowager was experienced, so how could she not know the cause of the bruise?

    Hearing Madam Dowager¡¯s order, two older female servants came over to take her away.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, please forgive me. Madam Dowager, please forgive me. I... I beg you to forgive me.¡± Yanyue burst into tears, stretched out her hand to grab hold of a pir on one side, and cried out.

    ¡°Say it!¡± Madam Dowager waved her hand, and the two older female servants left. The other servants also walked out when they got the hint from Mother Qin. For a time, the room was so still that it was scary.

    ¡°Madam Dowager... it¡¯s... it¡¯s...¡± Yanyue trembled with fear and could not say a word.

    ¡°Who is it?¡± Madam Dowager shouted. She pounded the ground with her walking stick.

    ¡°It¡¯s Childe Ling Yi. It¡¯s Childe Ling Yi!¡± Yanyue was so scared that she answered quickly. She straightened her neck and blurted out immediately. Last night, she had stayed outside and heard some noises inside. It seemed that the Second Young Lady was angry, and then her voice became lower.

    Later, she even saw two figures ovepping under the light. She dared not eavesdrop, so she deliberately retreated to the corner of the courtyard. After a while, she saw Ling Yiing out proudly. He walked to the door and pinched her face, before leaving.

    Later, when she went in cautiously to help Ning Yuling clean up, she saw red marks on her body. No one knew about it at first. Ling Yi came to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and left at night. So, no one cared about it. Even if she was afraid, she felt that she was being overanxious.

    Anyway, the Second Young Lady had an affair with the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, before.

    However, she did not expect that the Second Young Lady would fall out of the carriage like this. Her bellyband was hooked onto the carriage, which gave people a view of her body and those marks. Even if Yanyue wanted to hide it, she could not hide. Madam Dowager would kill her if she did not say it out.

    If she said that, then the Second Young Lady would kill her!

    She did not dare to tell the truth because she was in a dilemma. When she heard what Madam Dowager said, she had to tell the truth. After that, she kowtowed time and again. She did not dare to stop, even as her head waspletely bruised.

    ¡°Ling Yi, it¡¯s Ling Yi. Come on, go to the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor and invite Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s wife and Childe Yi here.¡± Madam Dowager was so angry that she covered the bulging blue veins on her forehead. She pounded the table heavily, and her eyes were red. ¡°How dare that good-for-nothing libertine destroy my granddaughter, whom I have carefully cultivated for so many years? I even want to kill him.¡±

    ¡°Madam Dowager, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll arrange for it right now. Do you want to inform the Marquis?¡± Mother Qin saw that Madam Dowager was extremely angry. She was afraid that something terrible would happen to Madam Dowager due to this anger, so sheforted her immediately.

    Since the incident involving Junior Concubine Xu that day, Ning Zu¡¯an had been indifferent to Madam Ling. Even if Madam Ling fainted after being punished by Madam Dowager, he had not bothered to ask about it the next day. Except for greeting Madam Dowager in the morning, he did not even enter the inner courtyard. It seemed that he did not want to care about anything in the backyard anymore.

    ¡°Tell the marquis toe here quickly.¡± Madam Dowager said with hatred, ¡°Send someone else to call the people of the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor here.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go right now. Madam Dowager, please calm down. You can¡¯t get sick. You have to take care of the whole Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.¡± Mother Qin had been at Madam Dowager¡¯s side for a long time, and had a close bond with Madam Dowager. Seeing that, she knew that Madam Dowager was extremely angry, so she tried to calm her down.

    Madam Dowager nodded and waved her hand to ask her to leave. Then, she asked someone to take Yanyue away and lock her in the woodshed.

    After a while, Ning Zu¡¯an came in furiously from the outer courtyard. After he arrived at the Lucky Garden, he and his mother closed the door and had a long discussion before making the decision.

    Ning Xueyan was informed to go back directly, when she got off the carriage. Madam Dowager would undoubtedly find out about Ning Yuling¡¯s matter. It was indeed inappropriate to go there right now. In Madam Dowager¡¯s mind, Ning Xueyan was fine, and Ning Yuling was the victim. So, she did not care about Ning Xueyan at all, and asked her to go straight to the Bright Frost Garden.

    Hearing that something had happened to her, Lanning and Qingyu was already waiting at the door for her. When they saw that she was fine, they heaved a sigh of relief and walked back with her, held in their arms.

    After walking for a while, Ning Xueyan met Mother Han, who came in a hurry. Ning Xueyan said something to her, leaving Xinmei and Mother Han behind. She came back with Lanning and Qingyu. Her hands were injured, because she had subconsciously pressed her hands on the ground when she fell down. Her palm and fingers had been scratched from the fall.

    The fingertips were linked to the heart. So, she experienced waves of pain.

 Chapter 373 - The End of the Matter

    <h4>Chapter 373 The End of the Matter</h4>

    ¡°Madam Dowager wants the Second Young Lady to marry Childe Ling Yi?¡± A low voice filled with disbelief, showed that she was shocked.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I heard that they will get married as soon as Childe Ling Yi admits to it.¡± Another older female servant¡¯s voice came. Standing between the flowers and leaves, Ning Yuling stared at a corner of the wall with a cold look. She clenched her teeth and pulled the handkerchief in her hand into pieces.

    This was not Qingrong Courtyard, but a small courtyard in a rtively remote garden.

    It was not a small courtyard because there was only one room in that small ce. There was a swing outside, and the environment was serene. Ning Yuling needed to be in a quiet ce right now. So, after changing her clothes, she hid here, without even bringing a maid.

    The first person who found this good ce was not Ning Yuling, but Ning Xueyan. Butter, Ning Yuling followed her. When she discovered that this ce was so quiet, she took over this ce and beat up Ning Xueyan, who came to this ce secretly, at times. So, this small courtyard was Ning Yuling¡¯s.

    Ning Yuling did not like to be quiet. On the one hand, the reason why she snatched away Ning Xueyan¡¯s ce was because she deliberately wanted to go against Ning Xueyan. She could not stand seeing that the b*tch was better than her. Thinking that the trembling b*tch could smile so innocently as she stood here, Ning Yuling became angry.

    On the other hand, she felt that this ce was beautiful. If she felt bored, she could hide in this quiet ce. In the past, when Ning Yuling was annoyed by Madam Ling, she would asionallye over and naturally regarded this ce as her territory.

    ¡°Mammy, will Childe Ling Yi ept it?¡± The maid who was chatting outside the wall did not notice that there was someone inside. They were curious.

    ¡°He will.¡± The older female servant hesitated for a moment, because she was uncertain.

    ¡°Will Childe Ling Yi suffer a great loss? The Second Young Lady did not have any clothes on and was together with Master Xia in broad daylight. I heard that all the people in the capital city knew about that. Can Childe Ling Yi bear it and take the Second Young Lady as his wife?¡±

    The maid asked in confusion.

    At the other side of the wall, hatred shed through Ning Yuling¡¯s eyes, and she stopped pulling the handkerchief in her hands.

    At this point, she was almost desperate. Why wasn¡¯t Ning Xueyan the one holding on to Xia Yuhang with her clothes in a mess? Why was Ning Xueyan safe and sound, even though her carriage had been tampered with? On the contrary, her reputation was ruined. This time, it was not the same as before. In broad daylight, so many people saw her naked, so how could she stop others from talking about her?

    Therefore, even though Ning Yuling hated Ling Yi, she still had some expectations at this time. In her current situation, it would be best if she could marry into her uncle¡¯s family.

    ¡°First Madam? Who said that Second Young Lady would be his wife?¡± The older female servant unconsciously raised her voice, which made Ning Yuling¡¯s heart skip a beat.

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t want to marry her? Does he want her to be his concubine? Ah, the Second Young Lady is the legal daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. The Young Master of the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor is a good-for-nothing. It¡¯s good enough if he will marry the Second Young Lady. Why...¡± She shouted in a low voice. The maid was surprised.

    ¡°When ites to this matter, don¡¯t me the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor. The Second Young Lady¡¯s reputation is ruined. Who is willing to marry a girl whose reputation has been ruined? Not to mention that the Second Young Lady is only the legal daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, even if a princess of the royal family has done such a thing, it will be difficult to deal with that. Maybe she will strangle herself to death for the sake of her reputation.¡±

    The older female servant shook her head with a sigh.

    ¡°The Second Young Lady can only be a concubine? It¡¯s a pity that the Second Young Lady is so beautiful. How can she only be a concubine? And even if she is a concubine, she should marry a talented and capable person. Childe Ling Yi does not seem to be someone who has a promising future. He¡¯s not as good as Master Xia. If I were the Second Young Lady, I would marry Master Xia. Anyway, she will be a concubine. Master Xia looks promising enough. Maybe the Second Young Lady can be the wife by using her talents and appearance.¡±

    The maid curled her lip and said something willful. Anyway, she was not talking about herself, so she had no problem there.

    ¡°Shh, shut up. Is it good to say that? Aren¡¯t you afraid that the Eldest Young Lady will pull your tongue out?¡± Hearing the maid¡¯s presumptuous words, the older female servant was shocked and hurriedly stopped her. ¡°What does it have to do with the Eldest Young Lady? If the Second Young Lady marries Master Xia, she will get the upper hand. The Eldest Young Lady is a good-tempered and good-hearted girl. We can¡¯t let her get into trouble.¡±

    ¡°It has nothing to do with Ning Ziyan? What¡¯s more, she is a good-tempered and good-hearted person?¡± Hearing the voice getting farther and farther away, Ning Yuling sneered.

    If Ning Ziyan had not asked her for help, she would not have gone out with Ning Xueyan today. How could she have encountered such a thing? How could she have fallen into such a desperate situation? She could not be the principal wife. She was the legal daughter in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, but she could not be an official wife.

    Ning Yuling had been hit hard and felt desperate. At this time, it seemed that she had found a way out. It was Ning Ziyan. It was all her fault. Ning Ziyan did this to her, so Ning Ziyan would not have an easy time. She clenched her handkerchief, as despair showed in her eyes. She would not me herself.

    She only felt that it was Ning Ziyan¡¯s idea that brought this harm to her. If Ning Ziyan had not asked her to help to set up that trap, she would not have thought of tampering with Ning Xueyan¡¯s carriage. She would not have gone with Ning Xueyan to visit the patient, let alone have such a thing happening on the road. And, Xia Yuhang would not have appeared for no reason.

    All these ideas distracted Ning Yuling¡¯s attention.

    Ning Yuling had fallen into such a situation. As a Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she could not be an official wife, but only a yboy¡¯s concubine. She was unwilling. Even her maid knew that even if she were a concubine, she would have to marry someone promising. Ling Yi was a good-for-nothing at first nce, so she would not be willing to be a concubine in the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor.

    Ning Ziyan had brought up this idea, but it turned out to be like this. She had be the final victim, and her reputation had been ruined. If she did not have an easy time, Ning Ziyan would not, either. Ning Ziyan cared about her husband, didn¡¯t she? Didn¡¯t she take someone else¡¯s husband? Ning Yuling nned to take away Ning Ziyan¡¯s husband.

    ¡°Ning Ziyan, it¡¯s all your fault, so you owe me, and the Xia Manor will be mine.¡±

    There was a sh of crazyughter in her eyes, and her lips opened silently. However, the silent and grim smile on her beautiful face had a touch of ferocity to it.

    The final result of this matter was entirely unexpected. No one could foresee that this ident would make the Second Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor be Xia Yuhang¡¯s concubine. He had held the Second Young Lady, who was naked, in his arms in broad daylight. They needed to be responsible for such behavior.

    After all, Xia Yuhang had held Ning Yuling in his arms at that time. Since they had touched each other, it could be said that they had an affair.

    Madam Ling and her son had been invited over. Ling Yi insisted that he did not have an affair with Ning Yuling. He came to see if his aunt and cousin were well at night.

    The most unexpected thing was that Ning Yuling also insisted that she did not have an affair with Ling Yi. She repeatedly tried tomit suicide and said that she was courting death.

    Unexpectedly, the two families had a new engagement. Xia Yuhang married Ning Yuling as a concubine, which could be regarded as an exnation to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Finally, the matter was solved. On the surface, Xia Yuhang had married the Eldest Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and then the Second Young Lady. It could be said that he was enjoying a happy life.

    Everyone knew that the Young Ladies of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor were famous beauties in the capital. It was lucky for them to marry off a Young Lady. Unexpectedly, he married two Young Ladies. Moreover, these two Young Ladies were the daughters of the principal wife.

    It seemed that the Xia Manor had gained lot of advantages. After all, they were the daughters of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s principal wife. But in fact, people in the capital city were all saying that the two Young Ladies of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor were dissolute. One of them became pregnant before she got married. The other one flew out of the carriage in a disheveled mess and hugged her brother-inw. It was said that Ning Yuling had spots on her body, which seemed to have appeared after a happy reunion.

    How could a pure and innocent girl have such marks on her body? Unless...

    All these imaginings alone would drive anyone crazy. The Young Ladies of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor were so mean, and the tales went on and on. These two Young Ladies with such lousy reputations were the daughters of Madam Ling, the principal wife of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Thinking about what Madam Ling had done in the past, many aristocratic families wereughing at her.

    There had been incidents of two sisters marrying the same husband. However, it had not happened to notorious sisters like them, who married into the same family! It seemed that the Xia Manor was not so good. Otherwise, why were all the dissolute women going to their manor?

    Outsiders did not know that Ning Yuling had quarreled with Ning Ziyan when she went to the Xia Manor.

    ¡°Second Sister, you are shameless. You had an affair with Ling Yi, but... you acted so shamelessly with Yuhang. You... you are so shameless.¡± Ning Ziyan pointed at Ning Yuling, trembling with anger. She never thought that her own sister would marry her husband. How could she not be angry?

    ¡°Eldest Sister, do you want me to tell Grandmother that you nned this? You wanted Ning Xueyan to be his concubine on purpose, so you came up with this n? If Grandmother knows this, will she think that you¡¯re still as virtuous?¡± Ning Yuling sat on a chair on one side and looked at Ning Ziyan, who was fuming. Ning Yuling looked calm and sneered.

    ¡°You... you... you b*tch, you...¡± Ning Ziyan was so angry that she felt dizzy. She pointed at Ning Yuling and could not speak coherently.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Eldest Sister, it will make no difference no matter who marries. Don¡¯t you want a sister to marry into Xia Manor? I married into Xia Manor at the right moment.¡± Ning Yuling sneered disdainfully, with hatred in her eyes. She was ruined, and Ning Ziyan was not going to have an easy time.

    ¡°We¡¯ll die together if I¡¯m going to die!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll... tell my mother! Just wait!¡± Ning Ziyan said. Ning Ziyan had never been a match for Ning Yuling in terms of talking glibly. Moreover, how could she dare to argue in front of Madam Dowager? If Madam Dowager found out that she had plotted this behind her back, Ning Ziyan would have a terrible time...

 Chapter 374 - The Strong Medicine in Madam Lingâ€™s Hands

    <h4>Chapter 374 The Strong Medicine in Madam Ling¡¯s Hands</h4>

    Looking at Ning Ziyan, Ning Yuling smiled crazily. She shouted out loud as if she was out of control. ¡°Tell Mother? Tell her that it¡¯s you who caused me to do this. It¡¯s you who asked me to frame Ning Xueyan. It¡¯s you who wanted to do it as a payback for the shame you experienced at the Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s Manor.¡±

    Ning Yuling pointed at Ning Ziyan and said with hatred, ¡°Ning Ziyan, you¡¯re a vicious woman. You killed Ning Ziying in order to take away Xia Yuhang, and now you¡¯ve done so much harm to me. How dare you scold me? If there is anyone else who is even viler and more vicious than me, it¡¯s you!¡±

    Ning Ziyan seemed to give a disdainful smile at all the others in the Lucky Garden. Everyone looked at her in disgust, as if they were looking at a piece of garbage. Ling Yi even deliberately leaned away from her. It seemed as if he would be infected with a virus if he sat close to her.

    Her aunt Madam Qian, Ling Yi, her grandmother, her father, Ning Ziyan, and even her mother, had ridicule all over their faces. They allughed at her because she came to this end. She was the daughter of the principal wife. Not only could she not be an official wife, but she would only be a concubine.

    ¡°You¡¯re dissolute.¡± This was what Madam Dowager said, after pping her.

    In front of so many people, Madam Dowager gave her a hard p and destroyed all her pride. It also made her feel crazy and desperate.

    ¡°You... I am not talking with you!¡± Hearing Ning Ziying¡¯s name, Ning Ziyan¡¯s face paled. She dared not stare at Ning Yuling, who was going crazy. She looked around guiltily and was relieved when she found that no one was paying any attention to them. Seeing that Ning Yuling was out of control at this time, she made some small talk and hurriedly walked out along the road.

    When she walked to Chuihua Gate, she thought for a moment, then helplessly stamped her feet and turned toward Madam Ling¡¯s Auspicious Clouds Courtyard. Madam Dowager had punished Madam Ling. But after such a big thing happened to Ning Yuling, how could she, as her mother, not be present? Therefore, Madam Dowager finally asked someone to bring Madam Ling there.

    However, in the whole process, Madam Dowager did not allow her to say a word. She had just asked someone to send her back. The mother and daughter had no time to talk in private.

    Mother Chen was walking around at the gate of Auspicious Clouds Courtyard. When she saw Ning Ziyaning over, she was relieved and hurried to greet her. ¡°Eldest Young Lady, you¡¯re finally here. Just now, First Madam was still talking about you. You¡¯d better go and have a look!¡±

    ¡°Is my mother waiting for me?¡± Ning Ziyan asked in a hoarse voice.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Eldest Young Lady, the First Madam, kept asking why things turned out like this. But I don¡¯t know. At this time, Madam Dowager cleaned out the Second Young Lady¡¯s courtyard. We did not know who to ask.¡± Mother Chen said hurriedly, as she led the way.

    Madam Ling did not know much about this matter. She could barely look after herself at this time, and had no time to frame Ning Xueyan. Suddenly, her second daughter was together with her eldest son-inw, after such a mess. She thought it was a joke, but she did not expect it to be true. Until now, Madam Ling had not regained her senses yet, and she did not know what had happened.

    Why did her noble second daughter want to be a concubine in the Xia Manor?

    ¡°Yan¡¯er, what¡¯s wrong with your sister? How could this happen?¡± Seeing Ning Ziyaning in, Madam Ling suddenly stood up and asked her hurriedly. She knew nothing about what had happened. What puzzled her was that Ning Yuling was willing to be a concubine in the Xia Manor, instead of being Ling Yi¡¯s legal wife.

    Ling Yi was a disappointment, but if she married him, she would be the official wife. Moreover, Ning Yuling was the legal daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. With Ning Zu¡¯an around, the people of the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor could not bully her at all. As long as she said that Ling Yi had an affair with her, the old Madam and the Marquis would definitely help her.

    Madam Ling also knew that the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor was attached to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. As long as the Marquis asked Ling Yi to take Ling¡¯er as his wife, the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor would not have dared to say anything, even if they were unwilling. Why did Ling¡¯er insist that she was not having an affair with Ling Yi?

    ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. She¡¯s confused. I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s thinking of. She¡¯s dead set on Xia Yuhang. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with her!¡± Ning Ziyan had calmed down by this time. She pulled Madam Ling to sit down with her. She gritted her teeth and said this with hatred. For no reason, Xia Yuhang had to take a concubine.

    And this concubine was her younger sister. She was so angry that she almost went mad. If she had not seen Ning Yuling¡¯s crazed eyes, she would have pped Ning Yuling in an attempt to wake her up.

    ¡°No, I¡¯ll go and see your sister. Did anyone instigate her?¡± Madam Ling had no right to speak out under Madam Dowager¡¯s supervision. She watched the development of the whole thing from the sidelines. Without any clues, she became more anxious.

    ¡°Mother, if you go and see Second Sister now, she will be out of control again. If something happens, Grandmother and father will me you.¡± Ning Ziyan grabbed Madam Ling¡¯s hand and said with a frown.

    In any case, Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an did not agree to Ning Yuling being a concubine. However, she went mad and tried to kill herself in the Lucky Garden, so they had no choice but to agree. If things went on like this, Madam Ling would be punished, because she had lost Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s support.

    ¡°Ask your eldest brother to talk to your father. Anyway, we can¡¯t let Ling¡¯er be a concubine.¡± Madam Ling gritted her teeth and said. She knew Ning Ziyan was right because Ning Yuling did not look normal today. Besides, ever since she came back, she felt that she was a different person. She could no longer sense the affection between mother and daughter that was there in the past. Sometimes, Madam Ling even saw some hatred in Ning Yuling¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Does my daughter hate me?¡± Thinking of this, Madam Ling trembled all over. ¡°No, no. How could Ling¡¯er hate me? I must be wrong!¡±

    ¡°Mother, Father kicked Eldest Brother on that day. If you ask him to talk with Father now, will Father be willing to listen to him?¡± Ning Ziyan said this, and had a headache. If this had happened in the past, Ning Huaiyuan would not have ended up in this situation. However, her father kicked her brother so hard that he could not get out of bed until now.

    Ning Ziyan did not know much about it. She only knew that Junior Concubine Xu was on her mother¡¯s side, at that time. Because of her eldest brother¡¯s persuasion, they conspired together to frame Ning Xueyan. She thought that they were taking what they needed, but Ning Ziyan also felt something different in her father¡¯s rage.

    ¡°Could it be that my eldest brother and Junior Concubine Xu had an affair? Otherwise, how could it make sense? My father turned around in the Junior Concubine Xu¡¯s room and kicked my eldest brother when he came out. However, my eldest brother did not dare to offer any exnation.¡±

    If something like this happened, her father would be angry when he saw her brother. Why would he listen to her brother¡¯s advice? For a moment, Ning Ziyan felt that she was at a loss, and there was no one around her who could make a decision. Looking at Madam Ling, who also had no idea what to do, Ning Ziyan did not know why she was so annoyed.

    ¡°Mother, I¡¯m going back, but you¡¯d better persuade my sister to let it go. It¡¯s not easy to marry into the Xia Manor. Even if she wants to be a concubine, she has to know what her identity is.¡± Ning Ziyan blurted out these angry words. When she saw Madam Ling¡¯s pale face, Ning Ziyan suddenly felt the thrill of revenge in her frustration.

    When she was a child, the most beloved one in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was Ning Yuling. Madam Dowager¡¯s favorite was Ning Yuling. If there were something delicious and useful, Madam Dowager thought of Ning Yuling first. She was also the daughter of Lord Protector¡¯s principal wife and had the same mother as Ning Yuling. However, they did not favor her very much.

    Just because Ning Yuling had a marriage allied with the Third Prince, and because she could be the Third Prince¡¯s consort due to her beautiful appearance, Ning Ziyan was inferior to her.

    But now, the daughter they spoiled, was eager to be a concubine. She doubted whether they regretted having put so much focus on her. She was the eldest daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Shouldn¡¯t they value her the most?

    ¡°Yan¡¯er, how... how could you say that? You are sisters!¡± Madam Ling looked at Ning Ziyan¡¯s cold and mocking face incredulously. She opened her mouth and made a sound.

    ¡°So what? Mother, as long as Second Sister is not in a hurry to be a concubine in the Xia Manor, she is still my good sister. But if she has any wishful thinking, don¡¯t me me for being rude. You taught me that a wife and a concubine will always be enemies. Either she dies, or I live. Mother, you¡¯d better think about how to dissuade Second Sister!¡±

    Ning Ziyan stood up and said this coldly. After saying that, she ignored Madam Ling¡¯s sad expression and turned to leave. The breath stuck in her chest finally came out, which made her feel much better, for no reason. No, she would never allow Ning Yuling to be Xia Yuhang¡¯s concubine.

    ¡°Yan¡¯er, Yan¡¯er!¡± Madam Ling stood up in a hurry and tried to hold on to Ning Ziyan. But because she stood up so hurriedly, she lost her bnce and fell. Fortunately, Mother Chen, who was standing on one side, had been watching her closely. When she found that something was wrong, she immediately supported her, so that she did not fall to the ground.

    Her two daughters did not have any affection for each other. It seemed that they wanted to fight against each other. How could Madam Ling not be anxious? But now she had not seen Ning Zu¡¯an, let alone attempted to persuade him. How could she amend this matter? And the only son who could speak had a strained rtionship with Ning Zu¡¯an.

    ¡°Mother Chen, go and bring the medicine here,¡± Madam Ling said, gritting her teeth. She shook Mother Chen¡¯s hand a few times before she regained her bnce.

    Mother Chen¡¯s face immediately turned pale. She hurriedly advised, ¡°First Madam, please think twice before you act. That medicine is strong! You can¡¯t take it at will.¡±

    ¡°I know, but if I don¡¯t do it now, there is no room for me to talk in the manor. Not only can¡¯t I do anything to that b*tch, but Ling¡¯er will be ruined.¡± Madam Ling gritted her teeth and said this with a cold look. She took a deep breath. ¡°Damned old woman, she did not even give me the right to speak, because Ning Zu¡¯an neglected her now.¡±

    ¡°No, I must grab the right to speak in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and make the decision for Ling¡¯er...¡±

 Chapter 375 - An Accident, an Unexpected Encounter with His Schoolmate

    <h4>Chapter 375 An ident, an Unexpected Encounter with His Schoolmate</h4>

    Ning Xueyan was sent out to the street by Madam Dowager, but she did not walk through the gate of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. She used the back entrance. Ning Huaijing apanied her. Ning Xueyan did not wear her dress, but was dressed in a Chinese-style jacket and trousers and looked very neat and tidy. No one could tell that Ning Huaijing was walking with his sister inw.

    The reason why she was asked to go out with Ning Huaijing was because no one else was avable from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Ning Huaiyuan had been seriously injured and was taking a rest. Although Ning Huajing was a male offspring of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, they did not have much affection for him, because he had just returned to his own family. Madam Dowager did not really trust him, so she left the matter to Ning Xueyan. At least in Madam Dowager¡¯s eyes, she had raised Ning Xueyan for many years. Even if she got no credit, she would be rewarded for her hard work.

    The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor gave her everything, so she had to do her best to serve it.

    As for Ning Xueyan and Madam Ming, who had been neglected and framed, Madam Dowager did not care about them at all. After all, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had raised them. The country nurtures its soldiers for a thousand days and all for one day¡¯s battle. Now it was the right time for Ning Xueyan to work for the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Their task was very simple. They were sent to listen for any rumors, secretly, and then had to go back to report to Madam Dowager. What should she do next?

    This matter happened in public. Many people had seen it, so there were bound to be rumors. Anyway, Madam Dowager was not willing to let her carefully cultivated granddaughter be a concubine. And, she also cared about the dignity of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. So, she wanted to find a way to deal with it, ording to the rumors. Therefore, this task fell on Ning Xueyan and Ning Huaijing.

    At the front entrance there were already people talking. There were a lot of people standing around and gossiping today, so it was not appropriate for her to go out like this. Ning Xueyan disguised herself as a man for convenience. She was going out to seek information about such a scandal, so she had to keep a low profile to avoid being detected.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, let¡¯s go to a teahouse, OK?¡± Ning Huaijing looked at Ning Xueyan. Ning Xueyan¡¯s dressing was too beautiful. They were going to inquire about the news now, so they could not attract any attention. Fortunately, Ning Xueyan was young, so she could pretend to be a young male servant, and kept her head low.

    In the beginning, Ning Huaijing had been resistant about the Fifth Sister. Now, he had epted her. He even felt that she was the only family he had in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. These days, it was precarious in the manor, so no one cared about Madam Yu, which saved her from a lot of suffering.

    There were no picky, older female servants sent by Madam Ling. And, she would not be summoned to the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard early in the morning to serve Madam Ling.

    Ning Huaijing had found his roots, which seemed to be glorious. However, Madam Yu¡¯s life was not as good as those in the manor. There were a lot of reasons for Madam Ling to torture her. Although Madam Ling was not as mighty as before, it was still not a problem for her to deal with a concubine.

    Moreover, Ning Zu¡¯an did not care about Madam Yu at all. Besides, Madam Ling finally relented. As for how she would treat Madam Yu next, it was beyond Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s consideration. The same went for Madam Dowager, so much that Junior Concubine Xu, who was favored at that time, would humiliate Madam Yu, whenever she met her.

    She had embezzled part of the things from Madam Yu¡¯s courtyard. Madam Yu did not have much money, so it was even more difficult for her to live after Junior Concubine Xu had taken away her stuff. However, Ning Xueyan had privately sent some silver to Madam Yu so that she could make ends meet. In general, Ning Xueyan was the only one who expressed her goodwill when Madam Yu came to the manor.

    Seeing how Ning Xueyan helped Madam Yu, Ning Huaijing subconsciously became closer to Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°The tea house? Fine, let¡¯s go there together and help Madam Dowager to check out the situation.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded to Ning Huaijing and said this with a naughty smile. She had sneaked out before. In order to avoid Xia Yuhang being med, she also wore men¡¯s clothes like this. She thought it was much more convenient to wear men¡¯s clothes than women¡¯s clothes.

    As a master and a servant, they walked forward, one in front and the other behind. In such a crowded ce, Ning Huaijing stopped to protect her, in case someone came too close to her. They turned from the back gate to the main street and passed through the front entrance of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. As expected, many people were standing around the front gate. Although they were gossiping from a distance, there was still arge group of people gathered round the front entrance.

    However, some people hade out of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to drive them away. Now, only the stragglers were gossiping, while walking on the street.

    ¡°Hey, have you heard that the Second Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor hugged her brother-inw openly on the street? And I heard that she was naked.¡± One older female servant deliberately lowered her voice. No matter how hard she tried, one could hear that she was gloating. Moreover, she deliberately emphasized the fact that Ning Yuling wore no clothes.

    ¡°Yes. The Second Young Lady is miserable. If her brother-inw doesn¡¯t want her, she¡¯ll die.¡± A passer-by sighed. ¡°I heard that the Second Young Lady was a great beauty. She was engaged to the Third Prince, but now she came to this end.¡±

    ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s going on? Why did both carriages from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor meet with idents? I heard that if Prince Yi had not passed by, the Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would have died on the spot.¡± Another person raised this question. It was rare for one carriage to have an ident, let alone both of them meeting with idents at the same time.

    ¡°An official always has three or five opponents in the court. The Lord Protector was the general at that time, so it¡¯s normal for his opponents to stir things up. Unfortunately, the beautiful Second Young Lady became a victim. How could these officials deal with a youngdy?¡±

    Some people sighed again, which attracted a new round of sighs. They took their topic too far. They talked about what Ning Zu¡¯an did before he went to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. And, they revealed that he had married the daughter of former Minister Ming. Thinking that Madam Ling, the mother of the Second Young Lady, who had an ident, was the official wife in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, more people were attracted to stop immediately.

    One by one, they continued to gossip about Ning Zu¡¯an, which made Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s story more dramatic than the tale of Pingshu.

    ¡°Pingshu?¡± Ning Xueyan narrowed her shimmery eyes and her eyebrows furrowed slightly. Something seemed to sh through her mind, but she could not grasp it for a moment.

    ¡°Here!¡± Hearing Ning Huaijing¡¯s voice, Ning Xueyan subconsciously looked up and found that there was a teahouse in front of her. It seemed that business was very brisk. There were many people sitting on the upper and lower levels. It was a good ce to chat. She nodded at once.

    There were very few seats left below. Ning Huaijing brought Ning Xueyan upstairs and went straight to the empty seats near the window, without asking the shop assistant for a private room. The ce was about half the size of a private room. It was separated by a screen as high as half a wall, so that people could hear voices, but could not see anyone.

    ¡°Hey, Brother Ning?¡± As soon as Ning Huaijing walked in with Ning Xueyan, a young man in his 20s suddenly came over. When he saw Ning Huaijing, he was stunned at first and then shouted happily.

    Ning Huaijing turned his head and found that it was one of his former ssmates surnamed Yan. He hurriedly greeted him by cupping his hands and said, ¡°Brother Yan!¡±

    After he discovered his roots, he left the academy and went to another one that Ning Zu¡¯an arranged for him. It was the first time that he had seen his former ssmates, so he felt quite happy.

    ¡°It¡¯s you. Last time when we heard that you were all right, we wanted to wait for you toe out and celebrate. However, we did not expect that you would not return. It¡¯s a pity!¡± This Brother Yan was a natural socializer. When he saw Ning Huaijing heading for the window seats, he knew that he was going to sit down and drink tea.

    Immediately, he enthusiastically invited Ning Huaijing to sit down.

    ¡°Young Master, Young Master Hua...¡± The young male servant following him spoke in a low voice as if he had something to say to him. However, Young Master Yan was in high spirits. He waved to the servant behind him and said, ¡°If Young Master Hua is here, let hime over. I¡¯ll wait for him here. Anyway, Brother Ning is not an outsider. It¡¯s livelier with a bigger group.¡±

    It seemed that he was still in high spirits and did not intend to leave.

    ¡°Yes, sir. I¡¯ll go to the stairs to keep watch.¡± The young male servant nodded and answered. Then, he turned around and went to the stairs.

    Ning Huaijing sat down, and Ning Xueyan stood behind him automatically. She dropped her hands and shoulders. She was not tall, and was quite unobtrusive when she stood behind Ning Huaijing.

    The waiter came over. The two of them ordered two cups of tea and sat together, drinking and chatting. When they talked about Ning Huaijing¡¯s fight, it was interesting. Now, many people in the Qingyun Academy knew that Ning Huaijing had been framed. And, it was said that the one who set him up was the First Madam of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    ¡°Brother Ning, how is your life at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor now?¡± This Brother Yan seemed to be a person who chatted without reserve. As he spoke, he talked about Ning Huaijing¡¯s situation. He looked at Ning Huaijing with sympathy. Everyone knew that Ning Huaijing was the son of Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s concubine, from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Before he officially entered the manor, the Marchioness had nned to kill him. So, he had to be careful after he formally entered the manor.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay! Anyway, it¡¯s not much different from the past.¡± Ning Huaijing had no idea how to tell others about the events that had happened in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Brother Yan used to be a conversable ssmate, but he was unwilling to tell him too much about such private affairs, so he immediately answered with a smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s the same as before, so you¡¯re having a rough time? To be honest, Brother Ning, do you want to do business with me and help your mother to support the family?¡± Brother Yan suggested, as if he was an experienced man. He reached out his fan and patted Ning Huaijing on the shoulder.

    Ning Xueyan, who was behind Ning Huaiyan, raised her head discreetly and looked at the Young Master Yan, who appeared too enthusiastic. Then, she scrutinized him from head to toe, secretly. When he turned his head, she immediately lowered her head. A trace of doubt shed in her eyes. ¡°Are you going to do business with Ning Huaijing? Are you going to do it now, or have you thought about it before?¡±

    ¡°Childe, Childe Hua ising!¡± The voice of the young male servant rang out. Ning Xueyan followed the gazes of the others. When she saw him, she was shocked, and her face changed greatly. ¡°This man? Is it him?¡±

 Chapter 376 - The Old Friend Is Here, Childe Yueming of the Regions South of the Yangtze River

    <h4>Chapter 376 The Old Friend Is Here, Childe Yueming of the Regions South of the Yangtze River</h4>

    In Ning Ziying¡¯s secluded life, she only knew her parents. In the regions south of the Yangtze River, she was confined to the backyard of her home, and could not go out. Apart from her rtives, she did not know anyone, only a girl from the family next door.

    But there was an exception. This person was not her family member, but he lived in her house for two years, and they were acquainted with each other for some time. However, she was still a child, and that person was four years older than her. That person was Hua Yunheng, and her parents had asked her to address him as big brother.

    For two years, she was happy because she was no longer alone. With Brother Hua apanying her, her mother did not restrict her anymore. Once, she even secretly went out to the street with Brother Hua. Although her mother punished herter, the two children became closer because of this.

    She saw him as a real brother, and he doted very much on his little sister. However, this person who was such a significant figure in her life disappeared inexplicably. Regarding this, she even went to ask her mother, but her mother only said that he needed to go home, and this was not his home.

    At that time, her mother was in poor health, and she did not dare to bother her mother regarding this matter. So, she kept this in her heart. And with the passage of time, even she herself could not remember this person. But when she saw the face in front of her, Ning Xueyan was shocked.

    Although that face was different from that of the young boy in Ning Xueyan¡¯s memory, when she saw him, Ning Xueyan was sure that he was her elder brother, Hua Yunheng. Brother Yan had addressed him as Childe Hua.

    He wore a long, lotus-colored robe, and his handsome face looked as if it had been carved out of stone. His face was white with a jade like sheen, and he had an indescribably elegant figure. There was a gentle smile in his eyes. He looked at the two people in front of him and strode forward with a big smile.

    ¡°Childe Hua, you¡¯re finally here. Please have a seat. This is the Second Young Master Ning, my ssmate.¡± Brother Yan stood up and introduced him with a smile.

    ¡°Young Master Yan, Second Young Master Ning!¡± Hua Yunheng greeted them by cupping his hands. His alluring voice sounded very pleasant. Coupled with the smile on his face, it made people feel like they were gently caressed by the spring breeze and made them feel good.

    Ning Xueyan lowered her eyes slightly to hide the bitterness in them. She bit her lips gently. Whoever Brother Hua was, she would be Ning Xueyan and had nothing to do with anyone rted to Ning Ziying. Everything in the past could only be regarded as a dream. Let bygones be bygones.

    At that time, Ning Ziying was able to pass this threshold, and now so was Ning Xueyan.

    But even though she thought so, when she heard that unforgettable voice, she could not calm down. She could not help looking secretly at Hua Yunheng.

    They had not seen each other for six years, but Brother Hua had changed a lot. But the figure in her memory was so deeply engraved in her mind, that she recognized him at a nce.

    ¡°Childe Hua, please take a seat!¡± Ning Huaijing did not know who this Childe Hua was, but he could tell that he was not an ordinary person. So, he wanted to make friends with him. He stood up as he said this.

    ¡°Brother Ning, this is Childe Hua from the regions south of the Yangtze River. Have you heard of him?¡± Brother Yan pped his hands and answered with a smile.

    ¡°Childe Hua from the regions south of the Yangtze River?¡± Ning Huaijing was stunned at first, but then he stared at him and asked in surprise, ¡°Is he Childe Yueming, who was known as a child prodigy in the regions south of the Yangtze River, when he was just 10?¡±

    ¡°No. The public overpraised me!¡± Hua Yunheng said politely, with a smile.

    ¡°Childe Yueming?¡± Ning Xueyan could not help raising her head and looked at Hua Yunheng, whom she regarded as her elder brother since she was a child. In her mind, she always thought that Hua Yunheng¡¯s family was in straitened circumstances. Otherwise, why would he suddenly appear in her family? How could he stay in her family for two years?

    The surnames of the two families were different, and they could not be of the same n. Ning Ziying was sensitive of his feelings at that time, and she was afraid that asking such a question would hurt Brother Hua, so she only suspected this in her heart. She had never asked him openly. But she secretly asked her mother about it.

    Her mother told her that the two families had ties of kinship or friendship, so he was fostered to their family. As for the others, her mother only patted her head and told her not to ask anymore. Seeing that her mother looked gloomy, Ning Ziying did not ask her anymore.

    At the same time, she also confirmed that the family background of the Hua Family was not very good, and there must be something wrong. Otherwise, her mother would not have such a look. She had a regretful and gloomy look.

    But now, she realized that many things seemed to bepletely different from what she had imagined.

    ¡°Brother Hua is Childe Yueming? How could he be Childe Yueming?¡±

    Master Yueming was the legitimate son of a big aristocratic family in the regions south of the Yangtze River. It was said that he was born with talents from birth and was good looking. Not only was his literary ability unparalleled, but he was also well-versed in music. He was the most famous young master in the area. Besides, the Hua family was a prominent family with a long history in the regions south of the Yangtze River.

    Even if the world was in chaos, the family maintained their prestige. They had a sound foundation. It was said that several royal preceptors and some of the Empresses were also from the Hua Family, in the previous dynasty. They were supposedly the representatives from the regions south of the Yangtze River. Not only in the Chu Kingdom but also other ces, such a well-known family was rare. Therefore, even in the new dynasty, it was respected.

    However, in this generation, there were not many officials in the Hua Family, especially those who came to the capital city. As for this Childe Yueming, although he did not be an official, the fate of the whole family was under his charge. He had various chambers ofmerce under hismand, which extended to all the ces. He had amazing financial resources, and the most important thing was that his financial resources were not limited to this country.

    How could such a person be a simple person? Ning Xueyan smiled bitterly. She lowered her head again to hide the bitterness in her heart. She did not know that Xia Yuhang was fickle, and she did not know that her elder brother was not a simple person. So, she ended up dead. Maybe she should not be ming anyone else.

    ¡°What do you think? Brother Ning, don¡¯t you trust Childe Hua? If our family did not have old friendship ties with the Hua family, Childe Hua would not have stayed in my house when he came to the capital. Brother Ning, what do you think of this idea? As long as Childe Hua can contribute a little, we could gain a lot from it.¡± Brother Yan happily took over the topic and tried to persuade Ning Huaijing.

    On the other side, Hua Yunheng smiled and took the teapot. He gracefully poured a cup of tea for himself, tasted the tea, and nodded.

    The servant standing by his side generously rewarded a silver ingot to the servant who was waiting by his side. The servant nodded, bowed, and thanked him profusely. The servant waved his hand and gestured for him to leave.

    Doing business? Ning Huaijing shook his head helplessly. He wanted to do it, but he did not have much money. Although he had money for the household, it was not enough for him to do business. Although he had never done business before, he was aware of that. How could he not know that sum of his capital was only about the same amount as what the big aristocratic family like the Hua family, gave to their servants as a reward?

    What¡¯s more, he was now engrossed in his studies. If he wanted to get Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s attention and give Madam Yu a good life, Ning Huaijing had to do his best. If he could pass the examination, Madam Dowager would ask Ning Zu¡¯an to promote Madam Yu to a co-consort. Ning Xueyan had helped him to analyze this privately.

    After all, there were not many male offsprings in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. If Ning Huaijing became outstanding, they would not let him be inferior to others, even though he was only the son of a concubine.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s words sounded reasonable, and Ning Huaijing was in favor of it. Therefore, he would not do this, regardless if it was in terms of wealth or mental strength.

    ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Brother Yan. But I have some problems here. And, I have just returned to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, so I can¡¯t make decisions on many things. Please forgive me, Brother Yan and Brother Hua.¡± Ning Huaijing smiled bitterly and apologized. Although he wanted to get along with this famous Childe Yueming, he did not want to rely on this kind of method.

    ¡°Brother Ning, why are you so stubborn? As long as you take out some capital, Childe Hua can help us with the turnover.¡± Hearing Ning Huaijing¡¯s refusal, Brother Yan said urgently.

    ¡°It¡¯s not necessary. Thank you, Brother Yan and Childe Hua.¡± Ning Huaijing shook his head decisively. He could not take advantage of Childe Yueming. It seemed as if he had taken advantage of him. He had just met Childe Yueming, and they had a frank talk with a slight acquaintance. To take advantage of Childe Yueming when they had only met for the first time was not what a gentleman should do. So this time, Ning Huaijing was more determined.

    ¡°Brother Ning...¡± Brother Yan did not want to give up and still wanted to persuade him.

    Childe Hua smiled and waved his hand, indicating for Brother Yan to stop. He raised the teacup in his hand slightly toward Ning Huaijing and said with a gentle smile, ¡°Since the Second Young Master Ning has made up his mind, Childe Yan, you don¡¯t need to persuade him anymore. Yueming would like to propose tea in ce of wine to Second Young Master Ning. In the future, I¡¯d like to take up the wine cup and have a good chat with Second Young Master Ning.¡±

    ¡°Okay, thank you, Childe Yueming.¡± Ning Huaijing appreciated Childe Yueming¡¯s gesture, as he wanted to stay friends with him. Since he said that he wanted to be friends with him, he nodded. He picked up the teacup in his hand, toasted Hua Yunheng, and took a big sip.

    Seeing that it was useless to persuade him, Brother Yan frowned and also drank reluctantly.

    Next, the three people began to talk about other things, ranging from the topic of poetry and calligraphy to the current issues. Hua Yunheng had just arrived in the capital city, so he was not familiar with it. In the end, he listened to them with a smile. Ning Huaijing and Brother Yan talked andughed as they chatted with each other.

    ¡°Second Young Master Ning, is there something wrong in your manor today?¡± Brother Yan suddenly looked around and asked in a low voice. Immediately, this made the splendid topic shiftier. With Brother Yan¡¯s faint smile, it seemed very shady.

    Ning Xueyan had been pretending to be mute, but now, she looked up and nced at Hua Yunheng. A trace of darkness shed in her eyes. There was a faint smile on his handsome face. But he was calm and graceful, smiling without saying anything. He waited quietly, which made Ning Huaijing feel a littlefortable.

    In any case, he was the heir of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. However, Ning Yuling had created a scene like this, which made the family suffer shame.

 Chapter 377 - The Past, the Lost Sachet

    <h4>Chapter 377 The Past, the Lost Sachet</h4>

    Although he and Ning Xueyan came here today to specifically find out about the effect of Ning Yuling¡¯s matter, it was hard for him to talk about it.

    ¡°The carriage crashed. For some reason, both carriages met with idents. One of them was smashed. As for the other one, it did not break, but...¡± Ning Huaijing could not say it. He looked embarrassed, but he could not hide these things from the others.

    ¡°I heard that the Second Young Lady and the Fifth Young Lady were in the carriages of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, and they were on their way to visit the Eldest Young Lady. They ran into the Eldest Young Lady¡¯s husband enroute. Then, something happened. The Second Young Lady and her brother-inw hugged each other. The scene was hot.¡± Brother Yan covered his face with a fan and then tilted his head forward. He lowered his voice and asked curiously.

    ¡°How did the Second Young Lady get undressed in the carriage? The Fifth Young Lady¡¯s carriage also crashed. Apart from getting a fright and nearly losing her life, she is fine!¡±

    It was hard for Ning Huaijing to answer. He did not know why Ning Yuling did such a crazy thing in the carriage. Otherwise, such a thing would not have happened when she was trying to escape from the carriage. Besides, she also had bruises on her body, so it was beyond exnation.

    ¡°Second Young Master Ning, I heard that the Eldest Young Master of Minister Xia had a marriage arrangement with the Eldest Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor since they were very young?¡± Hua Yunheng, who was sitting on one side, changed the topic at the right time, which defused Ning Huaijing¡¯s embarrassment.

    ¡°I heard that it¡¯s true. They must have been engaged for many years.¡± Ning Huaijing nodded. All the people in the manor told him about this.

    ¡°Do all the girls in the capital marry sote? I heard that the First Young Lady Ning was already 17 years old, wasn¡¯t she?¡± Hua Yunheng seemed to be quite puzzled and asked.

    Women usually got married at the age of 16, or even earlier. Such a case was rare. Ning Ziyan could even be called an old spinster.

    Speaking of this, Ning Xueyan also felt suspicious. She fluttered her long eyshes as a trace of puzzlement shed in her watery eyes. She held her breath and listened carefully. The Xia Manor and the Ning Manor had spread the news that Xia Yuhang and Ning Ziyan had been engaged for a long time. How could they not let this matter go on? Moreover, they made it seem as if Ning Ziyan was an old spinster.

    ¡°I heard that there was some kind of dispute in this matter. I¡¯m not sure about the details, but it seems...¡± Ning Huaijing spoke with some hesitation. He had only been back for a few days, so he did not really care about it at all.

    ¡°I am speaking out of turn.¡± Hua Yunheng smiled and stopped asking. He said in a gentle tone, ¡°I heard that the Eldest Young Master of the Xia family has an unusual literary talent. If possible, please introduce him to me.¡±

    Did Brother Hua want to get to know Xia Yuhang? It turned out that Brother Hua had taken a longer route in order to get to know Xia Yuhang. Ning Xueyan was deep in thought. She did not understand why Hua Yunheng wanted to get to know Xia Yuhang, and why he wanted to befriend Xia Yuhang. No wonder she felt that Brother Yan was overly enthusiastic just now.

    It seemed that he had been looking for Ning Huaijing for several days. Now, he was pleased to have found him.

    But why did Brother Hua want to get to know Xia Yuhang? Ning Xueyan frowned slightly and nced at Hua Yunheng quietly. Unexpectedly, she saw a pair of bright eyes looking back at her. Both of them seemed to be surprised. Hua Yunheng even smiled at her. Ning Xueyan opened her mouth, but she did not utter the word ¡°brother¡± in the end. She hurriedly pretended to peek at him and lowered her head in a panic.

    She was not Ning Ziying now, so she could not address Hua Yunheng as ¡°big brother.¡± Moreover, she had not figured out what Hua Yunheng wanted to do yet. Was he going to make friends with Xia Yuhang, or did he have other ns? She always thought that Hua Yunheng would not be so simple.

    The marriage between herself and Xia Yuhang had been arranged a long time ago. There were not many people who knew about it in the manor. Moreover, he should have left by that time. How could he know about this kind of thing? So, it was unlikely that he knew about it. After all, no one would tell him that sort of information, ording to his status at that time!

    ¡°Well, if there is a chance, I will introduce him to you. I believe that he will be very willing to get to know Childe Yueming, who is famous in the regions south of the Yangtze River.¡± Although Ning Huaijing and Hua Yunheng had only chatted for a while, Ning Huaijing felt that he was elegant and talented, so he deserved to be called the schr of the regions south of the Yangtze River. Xia Yuhang also had a reputation for his talent in the capital, so maybe they could be friends, so Ning Huaijing agreed immediately.

    The three people chatted for a while. Hua Yunheng then stood up and said goodbye. Brother Yan also took his leave and apanied him. Ning Huaijing stood up to see them off.

    ¡°Second Young Master Ning, your servant seems very intelligent. I wonder if you will consider giving him away.¡± When Hua Yunheng turned his head, his eyes fell on Ning Xueyan. His alluring voice was gentle and pleasing, but it frightened Ning Xueyan. She immediately hung her head and dared not to peek at him anymore.

    It was Ning Xueyan¡¯s first time to meet an old friend, and he was her elder brother, who treated her so well when she was a child. How could Ning Xueyan not look at him several times? Now, she also knew that she had peeked too often at him, which was not befitting that of a young male servant. She thought that since she was standing in Ning Huaijing¡¯s shadow, Brother Hua might not have seen her. But now, it seemed that it was impossible for Brother Hua not to notice her, because of his shrewdness.

    Ning Huaijing did not expect Hua Yunheng would suddenly talk about Ning Xueyan. His heart tightened. Heughed and politely refused, ¡°This is the servant my father arranged for me. He¡¯s very smart, but I can¡¯t give him to you.¡±

    He had never expected that the world-renowned Childe Yueming would be interested in a young male servant. If he were another young male servant, it would be fine. But it was Ning Xueyan who was in the guise of a young male servant. How could he dare to agree to that?

    ¡°He¡¯s an interesting young male servant. If you don¡¯t need him in the future, you can give him to me.¡± Hua Yunheng looked at Ning Xueyan, who was standing stiffly at the side. With a gentle smile at the corners of his mouth, he told him. Fortunately, he did not insist.

    After he finished speaking, he walked out with Brother Yan. The fellow who was on guard there nodded and bowed to him again, and then sent him downstairs.

    Ning Huaijing turned back and looked at Ning Xueyan from head to toe. He did not find anything abnormal. Ning Xueyan was as short as any young male servant now, and her head had been lowered all the time. Even if she had good looks, there should not be a problem. ¡°Did you do something just now to attract the attention of Childe Yueming?¡±

    He could not help asking.

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible. Take it easy, Second Brother. I was just standing there in a proper manner. Maybe I¡¯m too well-behaved, which made him suspicious!¡± Ning Xueyan raised her head and let out augh. She would not tell him that she and Hua Yunheng had looked at each other.

    There was too much involvement in this matter, so it was impossible for her to say it out.

    ¡°Do you still want to listen to it now?¡± Ning Huaijing asked. They had heard a lot of gossips all the way here. Now they were listening carefully. They heard the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor name being mentioned several times in the teahouse, apanied by bursts of loudughter. It could be seen that they were all talking about this matter.

    ¡°Let¡¯s listen a little longer. It¡¯s rare that we cane out.¡± Without any outsiders around, Ning Xueyan certainly would not make herself ufortable. She sat down in the chair opposite Ning Huaijing. This was where Hua Yunheng sat.

    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s this?¡± Before she sat down, she saw a sachet there. The sachet was very old and looked like it had been used for many years. The patterns on it had faded. The embroidery was not exquisite and even a little crude, but it was evident that it belonged to a woman. And the most important thing was that it looked a bit familiar.

    She reached out to pick it up. She tried hard to suppress the fear in her heart. She had applied ointment on her injured hand, and it was wrapped with ayer of bandage. She did not feel any pain, while her hands were hanging at her sides. However, when she picked up the sachet, she could not hold on to it, and it almost dropped.

    ¡°Did Childe Yueming lose something?¡± Ning Huaijing was stunned. Then, he understood and took the sachet that dropped from Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand. He turned it over, and found the embroidered ¡°Yun Heng¡± at the corner of the sachet. Obviously, it was a man¡¯s name.

    ¡°Let me see if he is still here?¡± This time, Ning Huaijing needed no answer. He picked up the sachet in his hand and looked out of the window to see if he could see Hua Yunheng.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s hands trembled slightly. She tried hard to suppress the excitement in her heart. How could she not recognize this sachet? Because she was the one who made it. She had picked out the cloth herself. She sewed it, stitch by stitch. At that time, she had just learned how to do needlework, and she was very proud of herself. She had made so many shapeless items and gave them to others.

    She had sent sachets to her father and her mother. Meanwhile, she had sent one to Brother Hua, who had always cared about her.

    However, it was not well-made. When she was more skilled at stitchwork, she even asked for it back from Hua Yunheng. But Hua Yunheng said that it had disappeared. She did not care about it at that time. But she did not expect that after a long time, the sachet was still there. How could Ning Xueyan not be excited?

    ¡°I didn¡¯t see anyone. I¡¯ll go down and have a look.¡± Ning Huaijing looked from the window, but he did not see anyone. He took the sachet and was about to leave.

    ¡°Second Brother, you don¡¯t have to go downstairs. He already left in the carriage. Let¡¯s leave it here. It won¡¯t be toote to give it back to him next time we meet Childe Yueming.¡± Ning Xueyan took a deep breath to suppress the shock in her heart. When she looked up again, she was calm and rxed. She stopped him with a smile.

    Since Brother Hua had left a token for the next time, she could not ruin his intent. No matter what his purpose of making friends with Ning Huaijing was, Ning Xueyan felt that he was not malicious toward her. She always treated Brother Hua as her family member, in the depths of her heart. Now, she had a strong feeling that Brother Hua was here with an underlying motive.

    Some things changed in subtle ways. Now, Brother Yan, who mentioned Xia Yuhang, knew about Ning Huaijing¡¯s situation in the manor. He also knew that Ning Huaijing could not do business with him. Therefore, the sachet must have been left behind with an ulterior motive in mind.

    ¡°That¡¯s okay!¡± Ning Huaijing nodded. Anyway, he wanted to make friends with Childe Yueming. Brother Yan also said that Childe Yueming was now living in his house.

    ¡°Second Brother, let¡¯s go back now. We have done what we were sent out to do.¡± At this time, Ning Xueyan was not in the mood to listen to gossip. She turned around and walked out, thinking about Hua Yunheng¡¯s purpose.

    Because she was absent-minded, she walked around the screen and lost her bnce. She felt as if she had been hit by something. Before she could speak, darkness overcame her, and she fell instantly.

 Chapter 378 - Got Her Crippled for Dispose

    <h4>Chapter 378 Got Her Crippled for Dispose</h4>

    She had a little dull ache in her head, but it was not severe. She opened her eyes and stared nkly at the snow-white mosquito hanging above her. After a while, she touched her head and did not know where she was. Suddenly, thest scene shed through her mind. She became alert, and her eyes widened. Where had she been taken to?

    ¡°You¡¯re awake? Do you want to fall again?¡± A pleasant, enchanting voice could be heard, but its tone was cold.

    When she heard the voice, Ning Xueyan rxed. Her sense of vignce disappeared without a trace, leaving only questions in her mind.

    How could it be Ao Chenyi?

    When she turned her head, she saw Ao Chenyi sitting on a chair. He was holding a dossier, and did not turn his head.

    ¡°Prince Yi, why... why am I here?¡± Ning Xueyan asked in a hoarse voice. She remembered that she had been drinking tea with Ning Huaijing.

    ¡°Yan¡¯er, are you unwilling toe and visit me?¡± The thunderous voice, together with his handsome profile, was filled with a weird coldness.

    ¡°How could it be possible? Where is this ce? This is not your Manor, right?¡± Ning Xueyan looked sideways and found nothing unusual. It should not be Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Although all items of furniture needed were ready, they were not luxurious but ordinary.

    ¡°Are you in such a hurry to enter my manor?¡± Ao Chenyi said slowly, and a faint smile rose from the corner of his lips. The cold atmosphere in the room immediately disappeared.

    ¡°Prince Yi, where is my second brother?¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s face turned red, and she deliberately ignored his words.

    ¡°Is there anyone else? When I saw you, there was only one person.¡± Ao Chenyi said casually.

    ¡°He was with me. He was at the teahouse just now.¡± Ning Xueyan was shocked. She opened her bright and shimmery eyes wide and asked hurriedly. She tried to sit up, but in a rush, she forgot that her hand was still injured. With a slight push and a powerful touch, she screamed in pain and fell to the side.

    When she jumped out of the carriage, although she was protected by Xinmei, her hand had brushed against the ground. She had abrasions all over her palm. Although it had been treated, some parts had been seriously injured. With this sudden effort, the wound reopened. It was so painful that her eyes filled with tears, and her big eyes seemed to be covered with ayer of mist.

    She looked so pitiful that it was heartbreaking.

    ¡°Well, now you know that it hurts! Didn¡¯t you jump out fast at that time? You¡¯re so lucky. Otherwise, your head would have been injured.¡± Ao Chenyi walked up to her and looked at her painful expression with genuine interest. Azy and mocking smile showed on his handsome face.

    ¡°Prince Yi, I was wrong!¡± Ning Xueyan said pitifully, holding back the pain and raising her misty eyes.

    ¡°You¡¯re wrong? I think it¡¯s good! If something like this happens in the future, you¡¯d better do it like this. How dare you fall out of the carriage, when you¡¯re so weak? You¡¯re lucky that you escaped death and a great cmity.¡± Ao Chenyi said in sepulchral tones. He stretched out his slender fingers and put them on Ning Xueyan¡¯s wrist as if he was going to break her thin and white wrist, with a little force.

    ¡°I won¡¯t do that again!¡± Ning Xueyan showed weakness because his wrist was strong. She did not know why she made him unhappy. But she knew that a wise man should not fight back when the odds were against him. Besides, she had to follow his intention.

    She really did not think about it. She guessed that Ning Yuling had tampered with the carriage, but she did not expect that Ning Yuling would be so vicious that she did not even give her a chance to live. She tampered with the clothes too, by loosening several seams and the belt. She also made the surface rough so that it would be easily torn apart, by using only a little force.

    If she jumped off the carriage using all her strength, it was enough to rip apart the new set of clothes. Her clothes would be in a mess, and she would die a violent death in the street. After her reputation was ruined, she would lose her life. Ning Yuling¡¯s mode of murder was vicious. She had responded in kind.

    When her hand touched the dress, a kind of home-made powder fell into it. Those clothes were so beautiful, and they were Ning Yuling¡¯s favorite, in the past. But now, Ning Yuling was not as arrogant as she used to be. Therefore, she had to wear this dress.

    The unique powder was not very fragrant, but aftering into contact with the skin for a period of time, it made one¡¯s skin itch. This kind of skin allergy was not serious. As long as they waited for a while, it would be fine. For others, even if they saw it, they would not have been so panic-stricken that they would directly take off their clothes in the carriage, to check.

    But for Ning Yuling, it was not like this. Ning Yuling, who had been disfigured previously, was like a startled bird. When she found a little bit of skin allergy, she was scared out of her wits. It was reasonable for her to do something extreme.

    Ning Xueyan had taken all these things into consideration, including bringing Xinmei out. However, she still underestimated Ning Yuling¡¯s viciousness, so she almost got into trouble at thest moment. Xinmei¡¯s situation was even more critical at that time. Thinking of this, Ning Xueyan genuinely showed her weakness.

    Xinmei and she had just missed being seriously injured by mere seconds.

    She had not yet avenged the blood feud in herst life, and there was already a new one in her life. There would be no chance for her to take revenge again.

    So, he saved her once more.

    ¡°Hum, I should cripple such a vicious girl.¡± Seeing that Ning Xueyan voluntarily admitted her mistake and showed her weakness, Ao Chenyi finally looked better. His pleasant voice softened a little. His hand fell on her palm as a trace of subtle gentleness shed in his long and narrow eyes.

    Her hands were still scarred and the bandage was wrapped around her whole hand. It was different from before. Besides, the cold andfortable feeling on her hand also indicated the difference in the medicine used. She had used this drug before, but she used only a little. When she injured her shoulder, she used the drug too.

    It was much better than the ointment she used yesterday. Of course, it belonged to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    She gently pinched her palm and deliberately moved it slightly to show that she was okay. She had overexerted herself just now, so there were a few cracks on it. It would naturally be much better if she rxed now. The burning pain had lessened because of the good medicine on it.

    ¡°Prince Yi, you can do that. I still have to live in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor,¡± Ning Xueyan said helplessly. This arrogant and evil prince¡¯s ideas were so straightforward.

    ¡°Well, it won¡¯t be long before I bring you into the manor.¡± Ao Chenyi seemed to sense Ning Xueyan¡¯s helplessness. He nced at her and suddenly let go of her hand. He sat down on the edge of the bed and said thiszily.

    Noticing the faint smile in his eyes and his bewitching face, Ning Xueyan turned away uneasily, and her ears became a little hot. ¡°Prince Yi, let¡¯s not talk about anything else. Will you wear the wedding clothes that I embroidered when you marry your consort? I¡¯m afraid that the Commandery Princess Xianyun has prepared one set for you. How can you wear so many wedding clothes?¡±

    When she talked with Commandery Princess Xianyun that day, Ning Xueyan knew that Commandery Princess Xianyun was also making the wedding clothes. Although they did not make it clear at that time, Ning Xueyan knew it well. She thought that Ao Chenyi, a prince, would have his wedding clothes made by the imperial pce. However, she did not expect that the bride would also be making the wedding clothes.

    As long as it was in line with the standard, it was fine!

    She had also seen the embroidered sample that Ao Chenyi had given her. It was a pattern of prosperity indicated by the dragon and the phoenix, with a red character ¡°Xi¡± hidden in it. It should be an embroidery sample from the pce. Since Ao Chenyi had repeatedly requested it, she could not refuse. However, if Commandery Princess Xianyun also made it, it would be a little different.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun was the consort. Even if Ao Chenyi did not wear the custom-made clothes by the pce, how could he not wear the clothes that she had carefully embroidered?

    It was not that she had any thoughts about Commandery Princess Xianyun. She just felt that she would be doing it in vain. Since she bothered to do it, she asked for his advice carefully.

    ¡°Take it easy. I only like your embroidery,¡± Ao Chenyi said with an evil smile. He ended his speech in a low voice, as if he suddenly became gentle. Ning Xueyan felt more and more ufortable. She secretlyined about the topic she had mentioned...

    She did not feelfortable at all. She took a deep breath. When she looked back, her face was calm.

    ¡°Prince Yi, how¡¯s my second brother? Is he all right?¡± She was now 100% sure that what Ao Chenyi had said was not true. How could he not see such a big man? Besides, would Ning Huaijing not look for her when he discovered that she was missing?

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He will not die!¡± Seeing that she changed the topic, Ao Chenyi nced at her lightly. Then, he got up and sat back in his chair.

    ¡°Then, where is my second brother now?¡± Ning Xueyan asked softly and uncertainly, her long eyshes fluttering slightly.

    ¡°He¡¯s outside.¡± He said angrily. Even the way he looked at Ning Xueyan became weird and cold again.

    It seemed that she had offended this cold-blooded demon again for some reason. Ning Xueyan smiled bitterly in her heart, but she still had to ask. If something happened to Ning Huaijing, she would be sad. Everyone knew that Prince Yi did what he wanted. If he were unhappy, he would kill Ning Huaijing.

    He would be guilt-free when dealing with people like Ning Huaijing.

    ¡°Prince Yi, can I go outside and look for my second brother, so that we can go back?¡± Ning Xueyan asked cautiously with a smile.

    ¡°Go, go!¡± Ao Chenyi waved his hand, and a haze appeared on his handsome face. But when he saw Ning Xueyan standing up obediently, he smiled sinisterly and said, ¡°Yan¡¯er, remember to make the wedding robe as soon as possible. Otherwise, you know...¡±

    ¡°Yes, Prince Yi. I won¡¯t forget!¡± Ning Xueyan promised. Since he insisted that she embroidered the wedding gown herself, she decided to do it. Whether she stitched it or not was her problem. Whether he wore it or not, it would have nothing to do with her. Why should she worry about it?

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll go back and wait for you. Embroider it right away!¡± The corners of Ao Chenyi¡¯s thin lips curved slightly on his extremely enchanting face, revealing an evil smile. He saidzily, ¡°Remember to embroider it fast. It may be sooner than I expected.¡±

    ¡°Sooner than expected?¡± Ning Xueyan was surprised. After all, they had to wait for a few months after the first wife married into the manor. The process of the imperial wedding was not simple...

 Chapter 379 - Master Was really Moved

    <h4>Chapter 379 Master Was really Moved</h4>

    The ce was located next to the teahouse. Ning Xueyan made a discreet entrance. Yu Jian was waiting outside. When he saw Ning Xueyaning out of the room, he stepped forward and greeted her respectfully. He pointed to one side, ¡°Fifth Young Lady, this way.¡±

    Ning Xueyan nodded and followed him. When she turned round a corner, she saw a hiddendder. Under his guidance, she walked to the room and saw Ning Huaijing, who was lost in thought, walking around the room.

    Ning Xueyan had been walking ahead, and there was nothing unusual about the ce. When he came out, suddenly Ning Xueyan disappeared and he was immediately dumbfounded. At this time, a person came over and whispered to him, ¡°If you want to see the Fifth Young Lady, follow me.¡±

    Ning Huaijing followed him into the room without giving it a second thought. Then, the man asked him to wait there and he left. Up till now, he had been waiting for more than two hours. Ning Huaijing was very anxious. If he still did not see Ning Xueyan after a prolonged period of time, he would go back immediately and ask someone to look for her. How could she suddenly disappear?

    Feeling anxious, he saw a square hole opening up on the floor of the room. Before he could take a closer look, he saw Ning Xueyan appearing at the entrance of the hole. He quickly pulled Ning Xueyan up and closed the opening quietly.

    ¡°Where have you been, Fifth Sister? What¡¯s down there?¡± Ning Huaijing wiped the sweat from his head and asked, as he looked at the closed hole. He had observed the room carefully, but could not find anything unusual.

    ¡°Second Brother, do you trust me?¡± Ning Xueyan stopped looking at the ground, and stared at Ning Huaijing, as she asked calmly.

    ¡°Of course, I trust you.¡± After getting along with her for such a long time, Ning Huaijing treated Ning Xueyan as his sister with sincerity. When he heard what she said, Ning Huaijing nodded without hesitation.

    ¡°If you trust me, let¡¯s forget what happened today.¡± Ning Xueyan said firmly. Considering Ning Huaijing¡¯s status, she thought he should not get involved in Ao Chenyi¡¯s affairs. Moreover, if Ning Huaijing were to let something slip out, she was not sure how Ao Chenyi would deal with him. Since Ning Huaijing regarded her as his younger sister, she did not want to lie to him.

    When he heard Ning Xueyan¡¯s words, Ning Huaijing was stunned at first, and he blinked twice. He was not stupid. Then, he gave a smile and said, ¡°Fifth Sister, let¡¯s go back. Since we have all the information we need, it has nothing to do with us. It¡¯s my pleasure to meet with Childe Hua today.¡±

    A smile appeared on Ning Xueyan¡¯s delicate face, and she nodded. Second Elder Brother was a smart man. It was easy to talk to intelligent people. He made no mention of her disappearance, which meant that he would not pursue the matter anymore. It was for the best. She believed that the guard below would tell the truth.

    Then, they did not say anything more. Ning Huaijing was still the young master, and Ning Xueyan was still the young male servant. They went out of the teahouse, one after the other.

    Although the top of the hidden building was sealed, Yu Jian was still inside the room. He heard Ning Xueyan and Ning Huaijing¡¯s conversation clearly and nodded approvingly. The woman that his master liked was not like any ordinary woman. If it were other women, they would have been shocked and frightened. However, Ning Xueyan was not only not afraid, but also cautioned her brother.

    Indeed, if he showed any signs of pursuing this matter today, Ning Huaijing would lose his life. His master would allow no room for any errors. His master had secretly arranged for this ce, so he could not let others know about it. Now, this was the best situation.

    ¡°Prince Yi, the Fifth Young Lady has already left. Second Young Master Ning has indicated that this incident had never happened!¡± When Yu Jian pushed the door open again, Ao Chenyi was sitting inside with several files that he had read. With his splendid brows slightly furrowed, he seemed to be in a dilemma.

    ¡°Second Young Master Ning is also an interesting person.¡± Ao Chenyi put down the files in his hand, as azy smile lurked at the corners of his mouth.

    ¡°The Fifth Young Lady seems to have a good rtionship with the Second Young Master Ning!¡± Yu Jian hesitated before saying this. He had been with the master for a long time, but he had never seen him being so tolerant toward any woman. Even though the Fifth Young Lady had delicate facial features, the Prince had killed such beauties before.

    All thedies sent by the imperial pce were beautiful! Even though she had slightly more delicate features, the Fifth Young Lady was still too young. She could not bepared with those lovelydies, but she was more attractive to men. Therefore, he concluded that Prince Yi treated the Fifth Young Lady differently.

    Therefore, he kindly reminded his master that since the Second Young Master Ning was smart and had a good rtionship with the Fifth Young Lady, Prince Yi should think highly of him, for her sake.

    Ao Chenyi flexed his slender fingers and tapped his forehead. His thin lips curved to reveal an enchanting smile. ¡°Don¡¯t bother about Ning Huaijing. Let¡¯s talk about Ao Mingyu. He went straight to the regions south of the Yangtze River, the Ning Mansion of regions south of the Yangtze River... It seems that he has a purpose.¡±

    Ao Mingyu¡¯s enchanting smile slowly became cold, and there was a trace of irony on his handsome and dark face. Ao Mingyu always restrained himself when he handled affairs, including that of the throne. Even if he wanted to, he did not dare to stretch out his hand to create any mischief. Ao Mingyu was ambitious, but he was not strong enough.

    But this time, his behavior was totally not the same as before. It seemed that he was going to achieve his goal directly. He was not afraid that Pince Yi would ruin his n.

    ¡°Prince Yi, is it possible that the Third Prince sent people there unscrupulously, because there is no one in the Ning Mansion?¡± Yu Jian also thought about it, as he frowned andmented on this. This time, the Third Prince¡¯s actions were so swift. Obviously, he was well prepared. How could he not be afraid that Prince Yi would take action when he heard about that? It had something to do with the people of Ning Mansion.

    However, the Third Prince was not as fast as the imperial guards. When the Third Prince¡¯s subordinates left, the imperial guards had already received information that the family had fallen. Not only were the two masters of the family dead, but most likely, the young master was gone, after seeking refuge with rtives.

    ording to the servants in the manor, when the masters¡¯ funerals were over, the Young Lady left the same night. As for where she went, there was no news at all.

    The old housekeeper, who might have known about the matter, also disappeared a few yearster. A new housekeeper was in charge of the servants who stayed there. But he did not know anything. After being investigated, it seemed that he was only a steward of the manor. Compared with the other servants in the mansion, he knew even less about the inside story.

    They lost track of it from here again!

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry about what¡¯s going on in the regions south of the Yangtze River. Let Ao Mingyu meddle with such things. The one in the imperial pce has be more and more active recently.¡± Ao Chenyi sneered, his long and narrow eyes showing a hint of coldness and bloodthirstiness.

    Yu Jian realized that his master was talking about the Emperor. His master had not issued any pre order yet, so he had to try to figure out his meaning. ¡°Go and make trouble for him again, lest he doesn¡¯t do what he should do, and do anything that he should not. He¡¯s so busy.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I will do it right away.¡± He could hear his master¡¯s anger in his voice. He nodded hurriedly. Thedies who were unsessful after attending the Beauty Camp hade out, but the promation to grant his master¡¯s marriage had yet toe. Even though his master did not say anything, it was evident that he was displeased. However, it was not because of Princess Xianyun.

    Even though thest marriage was canceled, the master had never been depressed about such things. He had never shown any mercy to those beauties, no matter who they were. All his subordinates were worried about him. What if their master was in no mood to get married?

    Now, he was finally relieved. It seemed that his master had fallen in love! Yu Jian felt happy in his heart. He must tell Eunuch Ling about it when he went back. Eunuch Ling had watched Prince Yi grow up from childhood, so he would be happy to learn that Prince Yi was eager to get married.

    He could not say that to his master. ncing at his master¡¯s handsome profile, he retreated in joy. He went out to handle the affairs with much excitement.

    When Ning Xueyan and Ning Huaijing returned to the manor, Mother Qin was already waiting at the back door. Seeing that they hade back, she hurriedly brought them to Madam Dowager¡¯s Lucky Garden. Not only was Madam Dowager waiting there, but Madam Dowager Liu, who had never been present before, was waiting there too.

    Madam Dowager Liu was less concerned about the affairs of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor now. She did not evene out to see Ning Huaijing when he came back to his ancestral home. She only sent a gift to him, saying that she lived alone and did not want to go out. Beyond all expectation, she was waiting with Madam Dowager now.

    Ning Xueyan was surprised. Although Madam Dowager Liu was there, she said nothing. Sitting next to Madam Dowager, she held a string of Buddha beads in her hands, closed her eyes, and gently fingered them, one by one. She listened to Madam Dowager¡¯s questions, without saying a word.

    Ning Huaijing reported some rumors, and Ning Xueyan added a few statements. The emphasis was on Ning Yuling and Xia Yuhang. As for Ling Yi, the people outside were not aware about him, so they did not talk about it. As long as Ning Yuling insisted, Madam Ling would not have to take on the responsibility. Anyway, this was rted to Xia Yuhang.

    ¡°Xueyan, it¡¯s fortunate that nothing bad happened to you. Otherwise, it would be more difficult to settle this problem.¡± Hearing what they said, Madam Dowager Liu slowly opened her eyes, looked at Ning Xueyan, and said this softly. She had always been nice to Ning Xueyan, and sometimes it even made Ning Xueyan wish that she was her real grandmother.

    ¡°Xueyan, I heard that it was you who asked Xia Yuhang to go over when your Second Sister had an ident. How could it be such a coincidence?¡± Madam Dowager looked sharply at Ning Xueyan, with a cold look in her eyes.

    ¡°Is she suspecting me?¡± Ning Xueyan sneered in her mind. She did not even show any concern for her after this incident urred, even though she had almost died. Instead, she questioned her as to why she did that to Ning Yuling. ¡°Grandmother is self-centered and cold-blooded.¡± Ning Xueyan thought.

 Chapter 380 - Coercion, Two Madam Dowagersâ€™ Decision

    <h4>Chapter 380 Coercion, Two Madam Dowagers¡¯ Decision</h4>

    ¡°Grandmother, I heard that something happened to the Second Sister at that time, and I was lucky to escape unhurt, so I asked Eldest Brother-inw to check it out. You must find out how Second Sister¡¯s and my carriage were tampered with. Where did the startled horsee from? Why did it suddenly rush out? If it were not for Prince Yi, I would have died on the spot.¡±

    Ning Xueyan raised her head and looked straight at Madam Dowager. Although there was no anger on her face, she could not hide the hatred in her eyes. Anyone who encountered this situation would feel angry. After she asked someone to investigate, Madam Dowager found that someone had tampered with the carriages.

    Ning Ziyan was sick, so she had a message specially delivered. Madam Dowager had asked her two granddaughters to visit her yesterday. How could someonee up with such a detailed n in two days? Was it Zu¡¯an¡¯s political enemies using every means to deliberately ruin the reputation of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?

    Madam Dowager was suspicious of Madam Ling. But if it was Madam Ling who had set up a trap, she would not harm her daughter. When dealing with Ning Yuling¡¯s matter, Madam Dowager deliberately asked Madam Ling toe over. It was not only because Madam Ling was Ning Yuling¡¯s mother, but also because she wanted to see Madam Ling¡¯s reaction. She wanted to know if it was Madam Ling who had done this.

    At that time, Madam Ling was at a loss andter, she became angry. Seeing that Ning Yuling was going to be Xia Yuhang¡¯s concubine, she felt anxious. It did not seem to be faked. If it was not Madam Ling, then who was it? Was it Ning Yuling herself? Madam Dowager had a splitting headache. But she did not expect that she was right.

    However, Ning Xueyan almost died! Besides, she would not tamper with her own carriage, unless she wanted to die.

    Thinking of this, Madam Dowager had no idea. With a pale face, she waved her hand and asked Ning Huaijing and Ning Xueyan to go out. Then, they left.

    After they went out, the room suddenly quietened down. Only the sound of Madam Dowager Liu fingering her beads could be heard, which sounded weird in the quiet room.

    Madam Dowager sighed and broke the silence. ¡°Sister, don¡¯t finger those beads anymore. Can you help to think of a way to deal with this?¡±

    When she heard this, Madam Dowager Liu opened her eyes and looked at Madam Dowager. ¡°Sister-inw, I¡¯m an outsider. I can¡¯t say anything, but...¡±

    ¡°Sister, how can you say that? Why are you an outsider? If it were not for you, I would... Ah, in short, I remember your kindness. Don¡¯t say such things.¡± Madam Dowager interrupted Madam Dowager Liu and sighed again. She touched her head and said this in a worried tone.

    ¡°Since you said so, I will not mince my words. Let bygones be bygones. I¡¯m grateful that you brought me here. Now, the best way is to let the Ling Family be responsible for the Second Young Lady is the daughter of the principal wife of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. How could she be a concubine? Although Xia Yuhang is good, he is not a prince.¡±

    Madam Dowager Liu looked up and considered her advice carefully. What she said was reasonable. Initially, Madam Dowager also thought the same. However, Ning Yuling insisted on it, which was what troubled her most. ¡°Second Young Lady, this b*tch is willing to be her brother-inw¡¯s concubine. How dare she say that in front of the people of the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor?¡±

    Speaking of this, Madam Dowager hated Ling Yi and Ning Yuling. No matter if there was nothing between them, as long as Ning Yuling insisted that it was Ling Yi, she did not believe that Ling Yi would have dared to deny it. The Ling family had been relying on the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor all the time. It was rare for them not to make a contribution! Moreover, if Ning Yuling had a hard time, the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor would be in trouble. Everyone could see Madam Qian¡¯s unwillingness at that time.

    The Ling Family would not have an easy time because they were closely linked with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Madam Dowager was angry with Madam Qian, the wife of Vice Minister of Justice Ling. She always felt that when they talked about this matter, Madam Qian did not want to admit it.

    Madam Dowager did not focus on the matter of Ning Yuling losing her virginity. Moreover, the gossip was still spreading widely. Madam Dowager thought that the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor should feel honored if Ning Yuling were to marry Ling Yi. However, they dared not disagree. They were an impoverished family. If Zu¡¯an had not promoted them for Madam Ling¡¯s sake, they would not have be what they were today.

    Madam Dowager Liu put down the Buddha beads in her hands and said in a low voice, ¡°Sister, it¡¯s not up to the Second Young Lady or the people from the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor. Don¡¯t mind the gossips. After a long time, people will forget about it. You just need to let the people from the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor agree to marry the Second Young Lady.¡±

    She had clearly heard the rumors outside concerning Xia Yuhang and Ning Yuling. It was not pleasant to hear. One was the wife¡¯s younger sister, and the other was the Eldest Brother-inw. Moreover, the most important thing was that the Second Young Lady was the daughter of the principal wife. If the sisters served the same husband, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would lose face. Even the Eldest Young Lady would lose face. Her younger sister taking away her husband was equivalent to a p in her face.

    Moreover, if this matter were settled, this palm print would be imprinted, and it would never fade away.

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother about the rumors outside?¡± Madam Dowager was stunned. She removed her hands from her forehead, sat up straight, and said with some hesitation.

    ¡°Right, the rumors will eventually go away. As long as there is nothing wrong with her in the future, this matter will diminish as time goes by. Madam Ling used to be a mistress, so what now? If it were not for Madam Yu, few people would know that Madam Ling had such a humble origin. What everyone sees is the present. Now she¡¯s the Marchioness. Who cares what she used to be?¡±

    Madam Dowager Liu nodded, as a gleam of light shed in her eyes.

    ¡°Okay, then it¡¯s settled.¡± Madam Dowager was also an experienced person. After hearing what Madam Dowager Liu said, she immediately made up her mind. She would not bother about the rumors. As long as the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor epted this matter, the Second Young Lady would be the Young Madam of the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor. Even if Ling Yi lost face, others would forget this matter after a long while. In this way, it would save the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s face.

    Ning Xueyan and Ning Huaijing exchanged farewells with each other at the intersection of the inner and outer courtyard. After returning to the Bright Frost Garden, Ning Xueyan changed her clothes again and sat down at the table. She picked up the writing brush and wrote a few words on a piece of fancy stationery. Then, she deliberately sealed the letter. After thinking for a while, she wrote a few more words on it and put it aside. Then, she asked Lanning to call Mother Han.

    Mother Han came over immediately when she heard that Ning Xueyan was looking for her.

    ¡°Mammy, throw this letter into the back door of the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor right away. Don¡¯t let anyone see you.¡± Ning Xueyan handed the letter to Mother Han as she said this. Compared with several young maids, it was more convenient for Mother Han to go out.

    ¡°Young Lady, what happened?¡± Mother Han received the letter carefully. Looking at Ning Xueyan¡¯s face, she asked uneasily. Just now, the Young Lady had gone out once. As soon as she came back, she asked her to throw a letter into the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor. It was Madam Ling¡¯s parents¡¯ home. They had always been against her Young Lady.

    ¡°Mammy, you¡¯d better leave it there. As for the details, I¡¯ll tell you when youe back.¡± Ning Xueyan raised her eyebrows slightly as a trace of coldness shed in her shimmery eyes. Now she had taken 99 steps. How could she let Madam Dowager ruin herst step?

    Thest turning point for Ning Yuling was the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor. Previously, she thought that she had a face-to-face talk with the people in the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor, but Ning Yuling insisted that it had nothing to do with Ling Yi. So, Madam Dowager thought that she had no choice, but to let Ning Yuling be a concubine. Now, it seemed that Madam Dowager had not given up.

    She specially invited Madam Dowager Liu. If she had given up, she would not have asked someone to help her. Everyone knew that it was best for Ning Yuling to marry Ling Yi. Ning Yuling was so vicious that she would not let her go. Ning Xueyan must cut her to the quick, otherwise, Ning Yuling would make a counter attack.

    She would never give Ning Yuling any chance of a buffer this time. Otherwise, she would make a false countercharge. She hoped that Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling would be at war with each other their entire lives.

    Since Madam Dowager did not give up, Ning Xueyan would make her abandon this idea. Madam Dowager thought that the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor would not dare to disagree with the marriage. Unfortunately, there were some things that could be discussed. No man would agree to such a thing. Ning Yuling used to be the treasure of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, and the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor did not dare to think about it. But now, Ling Yi got cuckolded without any solid evidence. How could Ling Yi, a young master, be willing to do that?

    Moreover, there was Madam Qian. She was not a person who could endure this sort of humiliation.

    Madam Dowager only thought that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was showing mercy to the Vice Minister of Justice. She never thought that the current Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor was no longer the same as before. At the worst, the Vice Minister of Justice was a third-grade official. Even if he dared not say it openly, how could he not be particr about it in private?

    She must act quickly. Even if she wanted to force the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor, Madam Dowager had to start making ns. Ning Xueyan could ask Mother Han to go first.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go over right away.¡± Mother Han saw Ning Xueyan¡¯s face and knew that this matter was urgent. She stopped asking and nodded. ¡°Coincidentally, I told someone that I would visit my son in the morning. Now I don¡¯t have to find an excuse.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great. You should be careful, Mammy.¡± Ning Xueyan had nned to find an excuse for Mother Han. Now that she had a reason, it would be better.

    ¡°Be assured, Young Lady. I know.¡±

    The Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor was not peaceful now. After the incident about Ning Yuling, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor summoned Madam Qian and Ling Yi over. They seldom visited the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor recently. Madam Qian felt good that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was concerned about them. But when she went there, she found that they were nning to force Ning Yuling, who had lost her virginity, to marry Ling Yi. Then, Madam Qian¡¯s face changed on the spot.

    If Ning Yuling had not insisted that it had nothing to do with Ling Yi, Madam Qian would have been furious at that time. Why had they targeted her son? Now that such a thing had happened, they wanted to put the me on her son. So, she had been angry when she returned to the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor.

    Later, Vice Minister Ling came back. When Madam Qian said this angrily, Vice Minister Ling asked her to face up to it. How could Madam Qian not be angry? When she was sitting there sulking today, she suddenly saw her personal mammy running in with a letter in her hand.

 Chapter 381 - Madam Qian Got a Written Marriage Proposal

    <h4>Chapter 381 Madam Qian Got a Written Marriage Proposal</h4>

    ¡°Madam, Madam, do you think this letter is for Childe again?¡± The older female servant was panting heavily and sweating profusely. She handed the letter to Madam Qian.

    Madam Qian took it and looked sullen. It was written on such a colorful envelope and addressed to Young Master Ling Yi.

    Thinking of this, Madam Qian felt a pain in her heart. ¡°This is my son¡¯s weak point. He always flirts with wicked women outside. After being ignored for some time, a few women will write letters to him. This letter could not be sent to the gate of the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor. They must have figured out how to send the letters to the back gate.¡±

    Some of them were thrown directly from the top of the wall, while some were thrown at the door. The older female servant who was in charge of the back door would always bring them inside. After encountering this a couple of times, Madam Qian ordered the older female servant to bring the letters to her directly. And because of this, the older female servant looking after the back door also had one additional task at hand.

    She had to put the letter away. Otherwise, if others saw it, the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor would lose face.

    With a gloomy face, Madam Qian did not reply the older female servant. She opened the envelope and took out the note inside. After reading it, Madam Qian¡¯s face immediately changed. She stood up abruptly, read it again several times, all the while gritting her teeth.

    Unexpectedly, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor wanted to force her into submission. Initially, she thought that the matter was settled. However, they were so shameless that they were now forcing her to agree. No, she must never agree. Otherwise, her son would be shamed for the rest of his life.

    Now that her daughter had be like that, she had to protect her son by all means.

    Fortunately, Ning Yuling did not want to marry Yi¡¯er, so she sent a letter and told her about Madam Dowager¡¯s n. If Madam Dowager was firm about it, her husband would agree. At that time, Yi¡¯er would be ruined.

    ¡°Go, find some jewelry in the warehouse and go over to the Qian Manor. Tell them that we want to propose marriage to the Eldest Young Lady of the Qian Family. And, bring her written marriage proposal right away.¡± For a moment, Madam Qian had made up her mind. Her sister-inw had told her more than once that she wanted to unite with the Vice Minister of Justice of the Ling Manor through marriage.

    She had always looked down upon her sister-inw, so she did not agree. But now, no matter what, her niece was better than Ning Yuling, who had lost her virginity. Swift action was the best tactic. They must secure an engagement before Madam Dowager made her intentions clear.

    ording to her master¡¯s character, as long as Madam Ling cried in front of him, he would sacrifice his son. In that case, Madam Qian would die with regrets.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go now.¡± Although the older female servant did not know what had happened, she also knew that Madam Qian was highly strung, judging from her look, so she responded immediately.

    ¡°Take the Childe¡¯s written marriage proposal with you and exchange it for Miss Qian¡¯s. Let¡¯s have dinner together tonight. It¡¯s an engagement banquet, and we can announce it directly to our rtives and friends.¡± Madam Qian was really worried. She did not care about etiquette and decided to arrange a marriage for her son.

    After the matter became legitimate, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor could not force Ling Yi to marry Ning Yuling. Would Ning Yuling be willing to be Yi¡¯er¡¯s concubine? Madam Qian believed that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would prefer to let Ning Yuling be a concubine in the Minister Xia¡¯s Manor.

    Madam Qian was very grateful to Ning Yuling for sending the message, but it was Ning Yuling who stirred up the trouble. When she thought of Ning Yuling, she was annoyed. She thought that Ning Yuling must be having an affair with Xia Yuhang. Otherwise, she would not be so willing to be his concubine.

    If Yi¡¯er married Ning Yuling, he would definitely be cuckolded time and again. When she thought of this, Madam Qian made up her mind immediately. Ling Yi was her precious child and her only son. Even if her husband loved his sister, he could not sacrifice his son.

    The engagement between Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor and the Qian Manor took Madam Dowager totally by surprise. When Madam Dowager and the people in the manor invited Madam Qian over, Madam Qian had already gone to the Qian Manor to arrange the engagement. Someone deliberately announced this news, and everyone knew that the engagement between the two families had been arranged.

    Madam Dowager was totally unprepared. What was happening waspletely out of Madam Dowager¡¯s control. Once the marriage between the two families was settled, Madam Dowager could not intervene. Moreover, in Ning Yuling¡¯s current situation, she would only be a concubine if she intervened.

    Nobody in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor wanted Ning Yuling to be Ling Yi¡¯s concubine. So, the marriage arrangements with the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor came to nothing. Therefore, Madam Dowager disliked the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor even more, and she sent someone to rebuke Madam Ling. She transferred her anger to Madam Ling and punished her by making her copy the Commandments for Women.

    Then, she made an engagement with the Xia Manor for Ning Yuling, which was the only choice left. This incident had dashed Madam Dowager¡¯s hope for Ning Yuling. ording to Ning Yuling¡¯s current situation, she could not bring any good benefits to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Madam Dowager did not bother with her anymore. That night, Madam Dowager asked someone to carry Ning Yuling into the Xia Manor in a small sedan chair. Ning Yuling became Xia Yuhang¡¯s concubine.

    Master Xia and Ning Yuling had hugged each other while she was almost in a state of undress, in the street, so the Xia Manor could not refuse. Moreover, such a thing would do more harm to the woman. If Xia Yuhang did not admit it, Ning Yuling would die. Then, the Xia Manor and the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would not be rtives, but enemies.

    Therefore, the final result was inevitable. Ning Ziyan could not change it. As long as she was the daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she had to obey it. Even if she felt humiliated, she would have to bear with it. But how could Ning Ziyan bear it?

    Xia Yuhang was her husband, whom she had worked so hard to get, but in the end, he was taken by Ning Yuling.

    On the night when Ning Yuling entered the manor, Ning Ziyan returned to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor in a small sedan chair. She had a row with Madam Ling in the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard. She argued so much that Madam Ling pped her. Then, she cried and went back. After that, Madam Ling kicked up a fuss for half a night.

    The next morning, Qingyu came to inform Ning Xueyan of the news. When she heard that they had made a scene in the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard, Qingyu came back in high spirits, to report this to Ning Xueyan, with a breakfast box in her hand.

    Ning Xueyan had already woken up and was sitting in front of a make-up mirror. She allowed Lanning tob her ck hair. Through the mirror, Ning Xueyan looked at Qingyu, with a cold sneer on her face. In the past, Ning Ziyan had tried her best to scheme against her, and she did not give Ning Xueyan a chance to live. She even humiliated Ning Xueyan before she died, because of Xia Yuhang.

    Now, her own husband had been taken away by her closest sister. This feeling was not as good as knowing that she had an affair with Xia Yuhang on that day!

    It was the start, that Ning Ziyan was being betrayed by the ones closest to her. Now, Ning Ziyan could not stand it, so what was next?

    ¡°Young Lady, I just saw Mother Chen, the First Madam¡¯s maid,ing back from outside. It did not seem as if she had just woken up.¡± Qingyu said casually, while setting the table for breakfast, ¡°It was noisy over therest night. However, the older female servant did not attend to the First Madam. She seems to have gone out.¡±

    ¡°How did you know she came back from the outside?¡± Ning Xueyan gently smiled and asked, while fiddling with a hairpin in front of the dressing table.

    ¡°Young Lady, I was not wrong. I met her at the junction of the back door. When she saw me, she usually gives me the cold shoulder. Today, she was very cordial toward me. She even stopped and talked about the Second Young Lady¡¯s affairs. She must have done something illegal, so she wanted to divert my attention to the Second Young Lady.¡± Qingyu said.

    Mother Chen was Madam Ling¡¯s henchman. She had bullied Madam Ming and the Fifth Young Lady many times in the past. But now, she was talking to her carefully. It was a reversal of fortune.

    ¡°Apart from this, what else did she say to you?¡± A faint smile appeared at the corners of Ning Xueyan¡¯s lips. She handed the hairpin to Lanning. Lanning took it and fastened her bun.

    ¡°Nothing else.¡± Qingyu stopped what she was doing, and thought for a moment. ¡°Oh, I remember. I also saw something in her hand. When I walked past, I smelled something like medicine. I did not know if it was because the First Madam was ill, so she asked her to buy medicine.¡±

    Madam Ling had been very angry recently. Not only did Madam Dowager not like her, but Ning Zu¡¯an did not visit her these days. Her son was kicked, and her daughter became a concubine. It would be strange if she was not ill. Shouldn¡¯t there be a doctor at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to make up a prescription? Even if there was none, she should send for a doctor. Then, the doctor would make up a prescription. Last night, Madam Ling had not seen a doctor.

    Madam Ling must be pretending to be ill. If she was sick, why did she conceal her illness, buy some medicine, boil and take it by herself?

    ¡°Young Lady, Eldest Young Lady Heng sent someone with an invitation card. She is requesting you to go out with her today, saying that there is something interesting going on.¡± As the curtain was lifted, Mother Han walked in with a smile. The Second Young Lady, who almost killed her Young Lady, was finally punished. Mother Han felt refreshed and rxed.

    ¡°Something interesting?¡± Ning Xueyan could not helpughing. Heng Yuqing seemed to be in a good mood after failing to be selected. Now, she was still thinking about something interesting.

    ¡°Yes. I heard that a young master, who is well-known in the regions south of the Yangtze River, bought an ind in the city. The ind is beautiful, because it is full of peach blossoms. With his permission, one can go in and enjoy the scenery. I¡¯m not very clear about that. Anyway, I heard that many people have gone there. So, you can go there too and rx.¡± Mother Han said with a smile.

    Madam Dowager treated her Young Lady indifferently after she failed to be selected. She felt that her Young Lady had been wronged. It would be good if Young Lady Heng could apany her to walk around. So, she immediately sent it to Ning Xueyan when she got the invitation card.

 Chapter 382 - Spring Outing, Peach Blossom Island in a River

    <h4>Chapter 382 Spring Outing, Peach Blossom Ind in a River</h4>

    Bought an ind? An ind in the capital city? A famous young master in the regions south of the Yangtze River? After thinking for a while, Ning Xueyan was moved and took a look at Heng Yuqing¡¯s invitation card. As expected, beside her name, there was a line with words written in small print, ¡°I heard that Childe Yueming of the regions south of the Yangtze River bought a Peach Blossom Ind, which has beautiful scenery.¡±

    After reading it twice, Ning Xueyan smiled in surprise. It seemed that this ind was not a real ind, but a ce in a courtyard. It was known as the Peach Blossom Ind, and as the name suggested, peach blossoms flourished well in the location. Since she came to the capital, she had be Heng Yuqing¡¯s confidante. Although their characters differed, they were sincerely on friendly terms with each other.

    She found that it was still some hours before the appointed time. So, she put down the invitation card and said with a smile, ¡°Tell the messenger that I will be there.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go and tell him right away.¡± Mother Han smiled and left after she received her reply.

    The garden was not in the capital city, and it was close to the city wall. Seen from afar, it was indeed arge area. Even from outside the manor, one could already smell the peach blossoms. When one was outside the courtyard walls, one could also catch sight of a few blooming peach blossoms.

    It was said that the master was not here, so the front door of the courtyard was not open. Only a few people, who had been granted permission by the master, were able to go in and appreciate the flowers. Heng Yuqing and Ning Xueyan had arranged to meet at a side door. Lanning got off first and went to the side door to ask. Someone told her that First Miss Heng had already been waiting for some time inside for her youngdy.

    After hearing that it was the Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, the older female servant who guarded the door, invited her in.

    The carriage stopped at the side door. Many carriages were already parked there. It seemed that she was not the only one who was here for a visit. So, she got off the carriage and entered the manor with Lanning.

    The moment they entered the garden, they saw peach blossoms all over the courtyard. They were brightly hued peach blossoms. asionally, they would be mixed with a few snow-white pear blossoms. The pink and snow-white flowers contrasted finely with each other. When the wind blew, fallen petalsy in profusion under the peach trees. A light shower of petals on the path made the ce look beautiful.

    Knowing that she was going to walk today, Ning Xueyan wore a pair of soft-soled shoes. When she saw the beautiful scenery in front of her, she stepped forward. When she was in the regions south of the Yangtze River, she liked the peach blossoms. Therefore, she nted a lot of peach trees in the manor, especially in her garden, which was almost full of peach trees.

    Every spring, the peach trees were in full bloom. Her father had set up a swing for her under the two trees, so she could swing under the peach trees. At that time, she never thought that one day she would die so miserably! What¡¯s more, she did not expect that she was a princess from the former dynasty. Thinking of this, she felt a pain in her heart.

    She had almost encountered all kinds of disasters, including a conquered country, a fallen family, and even a dead body. The peach blossoms in her memory had lost their original colors. They were no longer gorgeous and beautiful, but ck and white. Looking at the peach blossoms in front of her, she felt as if a whole generation had passed. But these were all true facts.

    ¡°Young Lady, Young Lady Heng is inside. We¡¯ll see her once we walk inside.¡± Noticing that Ning Xueyan was a bit morose, Lanning looked at her anxiously and pointed to the path. The older female servant had just led her into the courtyard.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± After calming herself down, she looked up with a gentle smile on her face. Now, she was Ning Xueyan again.

    After saying that, she went inside. On a path covered with pink petals, a shower of peach blossoms fell from the sky from time to time. The scenery here was as beautiful as a fairnd. Ning Xueyan put aside her sadness and focused on the beautiful view in front of her. At the end of the path, she saw a pavilion. Heng Yuqing was enjoying the view of the flowers, with her maid. When she saw hering, she stood up and waved to her excitedly.

    Without anyone else around them, they felt free and rxed at this time. Moreover, they had just gone through a strict Beauty Contest in the pce. Now, they felt happy andfortable when they were with each other.

    ¡°Xueyan,e over. Hurry up. There¡¯s Peach Blossom Wine here.¡± Heng Yuqing looked very excited. When Ning Xueyan went closer, she could not help shouting out loudly to her. She had abandoned her usual manners. Fortunately, there were no outsiders here. She looked neat and refreshing.

    ¡°Where did the winee from?¡± Ning Xueyan walked over, sniffed at it and her eyes widened. She looked at the small jar of wine on the table and asked with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t get drunk.¡±

    Heng Yuqing¡¯s maid came over and bowed to her, and then she retreated with Lanning.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We won¡¯t get drunk. The wine is sweet, and its effects are minimal and suitable for women. I specially asked for such a small jar from my cousin. Today, we¡¯ll appreciate these beautiful flowers, drink wine, and enjoy a moment of leisure in our busy lives.¡± Heng Yuqing smiled and asked Ning Xueyan to sit down, and poured a small ss of wine for her.

    The wine was amber-colored, translucent and fragrant with the aroma of peach blossoms. It was Peach Blossom Wine. Ning Xueyan, a person who never drank wine, could not help taking a sip. As expected, the wine was sweet, fragrant, and cool, which was tempting to one¡¯s pte.

    She could not help taking another sip.

    ¡°Hey, you can¡¯t drink too much. You can drink all of itter.¡± Seeing that she had taken two sips, Heng Yuqing was a little anxious. She moved the jar to her side, and it seemed that she was reluctant to let her drink too much. There was not much wine left in the jar.

    Seeing Heng Yuqing act so miserly, Ning Xueyan burst outughing. She took a deep breath and looked into the distance, only to find that there was a small river there. Across the river, she could see a peach forest, which was even lusher than the one in their current location. From afar, theke and mountains seemed shrouded by a red cloud, which was extremely beautiful.

    ¡°Look, that is Peach Blossom Ind. There are more peach blossoms over there than here. Should we go over there and have a look?¡± Heng Yuqing was very excited now. She stood up and looked over when she saw Ning Xueyan turning around and made this suggestion. This was also her first time to visit this ce. She had been interested in the flowers since she saw them from a distance. Now that Ning Xueyan was here, she wanted to have a look.

    ¡°Can we go over there?¡± Ning Xueyan pointed to the distance and asked.

    ¡°I heard that it¡¯s fascinating there. One of the ces is close to our current location, so we can go there directly. Let¡¯s go now.¡± Heng Yuqing took the lead and walked out of the pavilion first. Ning Xueyan smiled and followed her. The two maids hurriedly cleared away the wine sets on the table and followed them. It was rare for them to have such a rxing day. The two maidsughed together and followed them from a distance.

    ¡°Yuqing, how did you find this ce? And how did you get permission from the owner of the courtyard to let us enter the manor?¡± Ning Xueyan suddenly asked, while walking.

    ¡°It was my cousin¡¯s idea. I heard that he has a ssmate who was on good terms with Childe Yueming. Have you ever heard of him? It is said that he has been a prodigy since he was young. My cousin also said that he was famous in the regions south of the Yangtze River. Not only is he handsome, but he is also very talented. It¡¯s rare for my cousin to admire a person so much. He also said that this garden is gorgeous. So, I asked my cousin to think of a way to let mee in and have a look.¡±

    Heng Yuqing smiled proudly. The reason why she joined the Beauty Contest this time was because she did not want Heng Yuwan to have a chance. There was no other way. If Heng Yuwan was selected, Concubine Yun would be promoted. Then, she would push her mother to the extreme. From her father¡¯s behavior, it was likely that he would spoil his concubine and sacrifice his wife.

    This was also the main reason why Heng Yuqing insisted on taking part in the selection.

    As for whether she would be chosen or not, she thought it would be better not to be selected. Therefore, she gave only an average performance. She was neither outstanding nor did she under-perform. Since her mother was ill, she wanted to take care of her. She would feel worried if she had to leave her mother alone in the manor.

    This time, she failed to be selected, and Heng Yuwan did not have a chance either, so she could finally rx. Now, she was satisfied and happy. She felt pleased, no matter what she looked at. Initially, she was straightforward, but now she was even more rxed. She lifted the hem of her skirt and deliberately jumped on the grass.

    Ning Xueyan could not help showing a sweet and rxed smile on her face. She had never been as rxed as she was today, since her rebirth.

    ¡°You have the nerve to say that,¡± Ning Xueyan said.

    ¡°Why not? Men can go to the garden or go shopping. Why can¡¯t we women do that? We are just enjoying the scenery in the garden. My cousin and the others will be writing about it. Why don¡¯t we take a peek then?¡± Heng Yuqing said indifferently. Suddenly, her eyes lit up, as she made this suggestion.

    This was what she heard from her cousin yesterday. When she heard this news, she wanted to visit immediately. However, her cousin said that all the men would get together because of their love of literature. He did not allow her to join him, so she felt dissatisfied for a while. But if Ning Xueyan agreed, they could disguise themselves as men and go over.

    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it!¡± Looking at her eager face, Ning Xueyan suddenly understood what she meant and said with a smile, her nose wrinkling slightly.

    Speaking of this, they suddenly heard a voiceing from the side. They stopped immediately. The sound came from one side, but because the flowering trees were too dense, they could only hear the voices, but could not see the person.

    ¡°Will the Young Mastere and live here?¡± A woman¡¯s pleasantly surprised voice rang out.

    ¡°Yes. Now, the peach trees are in full bloom, and he likes peach blossoms the most. How can he note and live here now, rather than staying in someone else¡¯s room all the time?¡± The other woman replied with a gentle smile.

    ¡°But, is it because of... that person? Does he like peach blossoms because of that person?¡± The woman in front deliberately lowered her voice.

    ¡°Shut up. Do you want to die? You dare talk about that person!¡± The gentle voice turned ferocious as if filled with an evil spirit, which made Heng Yuqing confused. This girl sounded very fierce.

    Ning Xueyan stood still, with her eyes shimmering. She did not move, as a faint smile appeared on her lips. But when one took a closer look, her smile was gone.

 Chapter 383 - Peach Blossom, Flowing Water, and Fat Crucian Carps

    <h4>Chapter 383 Peach Blossom, Flowing Water, and Fat Crucian Carps</h4>

    ¡°Yes, Elder Sister Feng, I will not dare to do that anymore.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s good that you remember. Don¡¯t forget how that person diedst time... Don¡¯t you know what the Young Master¡¯s temper is like?¡± The sharp voice softened a little.

    Then an echoing sound was heard. The sound of the footsteps gradually faded away, until they could not be heard anymore.

    Heng Yuqing took a deep breath and looked at the peach blossoms. She could not see clearly from where she was. It was not far away, but she could only hear the sound of voices, but could not see the person. ¡°This maid sounds fierce. How could Childe Yueming hire such a fierce maid?¡±

    Feng Lian?

    Ning Xueyan touched a peach branch gently. The rough bark pricked her hand, and the corners of her mouth quivered slightly. Brother Hua¡¯s first maids were Feng, Hua, Xue and Yue. And the person who shouted just now should be Feng Lian.

    She did not see anyone else, except Feng Lian. She had heard Feng Lian talking about the others by chance. At that time, she even asked about them deliberately. But from Feng Lian¡¯s embarrassed look, she could tell that she had made a slip of the tongue. So, she did not continue to ask. She thought that Hua Yunheng had done something too embarrassing to mention.

    In her memory, Feng Lian was a gentle maid. She had never heard her speaking in such a harsh manner before. She did not expect her to lecture others in such an imposing way.

    She had not heard from him since Hua Yunheng left Ning¡¯s Mansion. Ning Xueyan was angry because she always treated him as her brother, but he left without saying goodbye. But now, she thought that there must be somethingplicated going on.

    Ning Ziying was the former emperor¡¯s daughter. Her adoptive parents knew that. For this reason, they grounded her deliberately. She had never been allowed to go outside. Instead, she stayed at home most of the time. But what about Brother Hua? How could prudent people like her parents raise an irrelevant person in her mansion for two years?

    It made Ning Xueyan think too much. She was even sure that Brother Hua was aware of her identity. But if so, why did they keep him in her family for two years? What was in the minds of her adoptive parents? What was going on in the Hua¡¯s Mansion, the old and well-known family in the Regions South of the Yangtze River?

    ¡°Brother Hua has been talented since he was a child. At that time, he should have been famous as well. Why did he live in the Ning Manor quietly?¡± Ning Xueyan had a feeling that this matter had something to do with her. A thousand, confused thoughts ended in her death. But she still had a lot of doubts.

    She could do nothing about the change of the dynasty, but she would find out what had happened. It was not only rted to her family background, but also her birth mother. Whether she had escaped or not at that time, where was she now? She had to find her.

    ¡°Look, it¡¯s over there.¡± Heng Yuqing was not aware that there was something strange about Ning Xueyan. She suddenly pointed to the front and said to Ning Xueyan with a smile. After passing by a few peach trees, she suddenly became excited. The ind in the middle of the river was close to this side, and they could reach it in a few steps. In the shallow river, there were a few stones. If they jumped over them, they could reach the opposite shore. There was no need to get a boat at all.

    Clear and rippling rivers and mountains, protruding smooth pebbles, and falling peach petals reflected the flourishing peach trees.

    ¡°We can just go over like that?¡± Ning Xueyan left her worries behind, and looked with surprise at the smooth stones in front of her. She looked down and found that the water was knee-deep.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. The stone is big enough. You can jump up and walk on it, one at a time.¡± Heng Yuqing took a look and said this indifferently. She looked around and found that there was no one else. So, she lifted up her skirt, dragged Ning Xueyan with one hand, and went forward.

    ¡°Let go of my hand, I¡¯ll go by myself.¡± Looking at her action, Ning Xueyan felt afraid. She hurriedly pulled her hand away. It was not stable for a person to walk on the stones alone. If they were dragging each other, wouldn¡¯t they fall into the river together?

    There were not many stepping stones. Heng Yuqing went forward nimbly, jumped on the rocks after lifting her skirt, and arrived at the opposite shore in a few steps. Then, she looked back and said to Ning Xueyan, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. Come over quickly. It¡¯s not smooth on the top. Since we¡¯re already here, we should visit this ce. This is the most beautiful ce in the Peach Blossom Ind. Otherwise, the name of the courtyard would not be this.¡±

    Looking at the peach blossoms on the opposite side and the stones on this side, Ning Xueyan was quite hesitant. She had never done such a thing. Heng Yuqing was so agile and able that she did not look like a novice at all. Looking around, she saw no one. It seemed that the two maids were still some way behind.

    Ning Xueyan calmed down and tried to ovee the fear in her heart. She followed Heng Yuqing¡¯s example, picked up a corner of her long dress, and stepped carefully on the stones in front. Maybe she was too nervous, so she swayed and almost fell. Her heart nearly jumped out of her throat. She tried hard to maintain her bnce and her forehead was covered with sweat.

    ¡°Quickly,e over, I¡¯ll pull you.¡± Heng Yuqing jumped neatly onto the stone and reached out her hand to pull her to the opposite side. After standing still, she still felt dizzy and her legs were wobbly, as if she had not stepped on the ground yet.

    ¡°Ha, ha, ha!¡± A pleasant voice rang in their ears. They looked in the direction of the sound and saw a handsome man standing under a blossoming peach tree. He had an enchanting smile on his handsome face. His face, which was more beautiful than a woman¡¯s, revealed a somewhat mischievous look.

    A pair of amorous eyes shining with affection and enchanting lips made one¡¯s face blush, and one¡¯s heart beat faster.

    With fallen flowers scattering and drifting around him, the indescribably beautiful and striking man was as handsome as a painting. Ning Xueyan, however, was stunned. She dropped the hem of her skirt and frowned slightly. What a coincidence!

    She shook the stupefied Heng Yuqing and awakened her wandering soul. It seemed that the dissolute Princely Heir of Commandery, Prince Min¡¯s charm was not to be underestimated. It had only been a while, but Heng Yuqing, who was usually efficient and able, was already blushing. She put down the hem of her skirt, seemed to be at a loss, and specially smoothed it, looking like a shy little girl.

    ¡°Princely Heir, why are you here?¡± Looking at Wen Xueran striding over, Ning Xueyan asked impatiently. It was rare for her to be in a good mood today, but she did not expect to meet this person. It was not because Wen Xueran had done something terrible, but because of his appearance, Heng Yuqing lost herposure, which made her quite ufortable.

    The dissolute Princely Heir was a wet nket. However, she could not say such words at this time. After all, this was not the backyard of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. They could not protest when Wen Xueran showed up here, as this was not their ce. However, it was unbing for the two Young Ladies to show up at someone else¡¯s house to enjoy the flowers, without a master to apany them.

    ¡°I heard that the peach blossoms here are beautiful, so I deliberately told Childe Yueming and came over to see them. I did not expect that I would meet two beautiful girls here. What a coincidence!¡± Wen Xueran raised his eyebrows as if he was a little surprised. But his amorous eyes showed that he did not seem at all surprised.

    Ning Xueyan even heard a hint of mockery in his words. It seemed as if they hade over to wait for him on purpose. He regarded himself as a sweet pastry. He thought that any Young Lady would be infatuated with him, and had deliberatelye over to wait for him.

    ¡°Can you stop being so narcissistic?¡±

    ¡°Yes. What a coincidence! If you had not spoken, we would have thought that a fairy had fallen into the mortal world!¡± Ning Xueyan did not show any weakness. Her long eyshes fluttered and there was a trace of anger in her eyes. It was a hassle to meet the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min. However, he was not aware that he was troublesome at all.

    Did this mean that he looked like a girl? A fairy? This kind of praise for a woman was mostplimentary, but for him, it was abuse! He had long known that the Fifth Young Lady, who looked so slender and delicate, was not what she looked like. It seemed that since the first time he met her, she had avoided him as if he was a snake or a scorpion.

    Women had always looked at him with admiration. However, there was no obsession or shyness, only vignce in her eyes. Yes, it was vignce! How could he cause a woman to be so vignt?

    ¡°Since we are destined to meet, let¡¯s admire the beauty of the flowers together!¡± Wen Xueran said with a rxed smile. He kept fanning himself, showing his good mood. Compared with Ning Xueyan¡¯s depression, he was truly in a good mood.

    How could he be as bold as brass, ignoring her sarcasm? Ning Xueyan was speechless. It was rare for her to be in such a good mood today. She could enjoy the flowers, walk around, and rx. She did not expect that she would meet Wen Xueran, who was intent on sticking to her like a piece of ster. She was now in a bad mood.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go together. It¡¯s rare for Princely Heir to have a walk with us together. We have some peach blossom wine. Let¡¯s have a drink togetherter?¡± Before Ning Xueyan could say anything, Heng Yuqing said this shyly, as if it was coincidental. Ning Xueyan did not know what to say.

    ¡°Thank you, Miss Heng. What a coincidence! Just now, I asked my young male servant to order some dishes, including a crucian carp. Peach blossom, flowing water, and fat crucian carps. This is the time to invite two beautifuldies to enjoy the feast.¡± Wen Xueran said, with a smile on his handsome face, and his bright eyes became more and more charming.

    ¡°We can have crucian carp. That¡¯s great. We can enjoy the flowers, the scenery, good wine, and delicious food. Xueyan, we¡¯re in luck today.¡± Hearing that there was delicious food, Heng Yuqing lost her initial suspicion of the handsome man. She swallowed hard and pulled excitedly at Ning Xueyan¡¯s sleeve.

    It seemed that she had consented on Ning Xueyan¡¯s behalf, without her permission. What else could Ning Xueyan say now?

    Since Heng Yuqing had acted so obviously, how could she refuse her?

 Chapter 384 - Princely Heir, Were You Talking About Sister Ziying?

    <h4>Chapter 384 Princely Heir, Were You Talking About Sister Ziying?</h4>

    The two maids and a young male servant were very efficient, so they prepared the feast in a short time. There were not many dishes, only three. The peach blossom wine was sweet, but not intoxicating. Moreover, Wen Xueran¡¯s young male servant had prepared some fresh fruits for them, which won over Ning Xueyan and Heng Yuqing¡¯s hearts.

    Peach blossoms, flowing water and fat crucian carps were all ideal and in addition, fresh fruits and fragrant wine, only added on to the good atmosphere.

    Sitting in a pavilion of falling petals, they had their fill of the red peach blossoms. A breeze blew from time to time and the flowers gave off a faint fragrance. The whole peach forest was a fairnd in this world, fascinating people, and intoxicating their souls.

    ¡°Come on,dies, I¡¯m here to propose a toast to you.¡± Wen Xueran¡¯s gown fluttered in the breeze, and his drawling voice sounded in the pavilion.

    ¡°Thank you, Princely Heir.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re too polite, Princely Heir!¡± The two of them picked up their cups and took a sip of the sweet and moist peach blossom wine. The faint aroma of wine was slightly intoxicating.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, I heard that Brother Huaiyuan is ill. I don¡¯t know what kind of sickness he has. How did he suddenly get ill?¡± After putting down his cup, Wen Xueran turned his beautiful eyes to Ning Xueyan and asked casually.

    Ning Zu¡¯an had kicked Ning Huaiyuan. This matter was rted to the scandal involving Junior Concubine Xu. So, they could not tell it to outsiders. They only said that Ning Huaiyuan was ill. To prevent others from learning about it, they even stopped those who came to visit him, using the excuse of the severity of the illness. Wen Xueran seemed to have been prevented from visiting him as well.

    ¡°After the study tour, my brother was not in good health. He suddenly became ill at that time.¡± Ning Xueyan said calmly. She felt that Wen Xueran was a dangerous person. In her memory from herst life, he was not the gentle and elegant Childe in front of her.

    Moreover, she remembered that at that time, he was also looking for Senior Nun Jing Kong. She had searched for Senior Nun Jing Kong to check on her origins. Why was Wen Xueran looking for Senior Nun Jing Kong, as well? Did he have some secrets that Senior Nun Jing Kong was aware of? Or, was he asking Senior Nun Jing Kong for information about his origins too.

    Thinking of this, Ning Xueyan became more vignt.

    ¡°Is Brother Huaiyuan feeling better now? I¡¯ll visit him in a few days. I used to drink and chat with him, but now I¡¯m alone. I feel lonely.¡± Wen Xueran said with a smile. He waved the fan in his hand as he spoke affectionately, but he did not seem lonely at all.

    He was not as lonely as what he made himself out to be.

    ¡°Thank you, Princely Heir. When I get back, I¡¯ll pass your message to my Eldest Brother,¡± Ning Xueyan said calmly. There was a faint smile in her shimmery eyes, which had a trace of alienation. Her words were polite, but seemed to put a distance between herself and him.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, are you not happy to see me?¡± Wen Xueran shook his folding fan, when he heard that. He turned his head and stared at Ning Xueyan for a while. Then, he frowned and asked, with a distressed look.

    Ning Xueyan was stunned by Wen Xueran¡¯s straightforward question. She did want to say that, but she could not say it out loud. She did not expect that Wen Xueran would ask so directly, which rendered her speechless for a while. She said softly, ¡°Princely Heir, you¡¯re overthinking. How could I?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s best if you don¡¯t think so. It would hurt my heart if you, such a gentle and beautiful youngdy, have been avoiding me time and again, especially when our two families are talking about marriage. Maybe the Fifth Young Lady and I...¡± Wen Xueran¡¯s distress disappeared, and as the sun shone through the peach tree, it illuminated his eyes, which looked breathtaking.

    ¡°Talking about marriage?¡± Ning Xueyan subconsciously looked up and asked in surprise.

    ¡°Yes, Fifth Young Lady, what are your thoughts on that?¡± Wen Xueran showed a trace of an evil smile on his face, and looked at Ning Xueyan affectionately. Both his words and his expression seemed to be stating a fact.

    Heng Yuqing¡¯s face changed. She looked at Ning Xueyan and Wen Xueran. She bit her lip, lowered her head, and the cup in her hand suddenly felt heavier.

    ¡°You¡¯re wrong, Princely Heir. This kind of thing is up to the elders of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and the Commandery Prince Min¡¯s Manor. As a younger generation, I can¡¯t say anything about it. Therefore, whether or not we can be rtives, is not up to me. If you¡¯re observant and conscientious, you¡¯d better ask your elders.¡±

    Ning Xueyan raised her eyes as the corners of her mouth lifted, and there was a smile in her dark jade eyes. She was no longer surprised and was not lured away by Wen Xueran¡¯s usible words.

    Discussion of marriage? Now it was only herself, Ning Qingshan, and Ning Lingyun, who were unmarried in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. With Wen Xueran¡¯s status, Ning Lingyun could not marry him. Only she and Ning Qingshan were left. Although she and Ning Qingshan had not been explicitly instructed by the imperial pce, what Ao Chenyi said was true.

    Moreover, it was rted to Commandery Princess Xianyun, so it did not seem to be groundless. Ning Xueyan did not believe that Wen Xueran, an idle Princely Heir, did not know anything about this. Therefore, it was impossible for the Commandery Prince Min¡¯s Manor to negotiate Wen Xueran¡¯s marriage with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor right now.

    Thinking about Wen Xueran¡¯s ambiguous words, she felt that he was referring to something else. She instantly figured out what Wen Xueran meant.

    After hearing what Ning Xueyan said, Heng Yuqing¡¯s color returned immediately. She looked at Wen Xueran and asked with a smile, ¡°Rtives? Who in the Commandery Prince Min¡¯s Manor is going to get married to the people of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?¡±

    Seeing that Ning Xueyan had figured it out in an instant, Wen Xueran smiled with appreciation. He leaned backzily and shook the fan in his hand, twice. He said politely, ¡°This matter is about my sister and Brother Huaiyuan. The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor has long been interested about it. I heard that Brother Huaiyuan seems to have someone else in mind, so the ns wereid aside. Fifth Young Lady, can you tell me?¡±

    The Commandery Prince Min¡¯s Manor and the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s marriage? Ning Xueyan had never heard of this, but it was possible when she thought about it. Madam Dowager had not arranged a marriage for Ning Huaiyuan because she wanted to arrange an alliance with a nobledy from a wealthy family for him. If he could marry ady from the Commandery Prince Min¡¯s household, Madam Dowager would definitely seek a marriage alliance.

    Wen Xueran was now inquiring about Ning Huaiyuan. Ning Xueyan did not want to provoke him. Maybe there was something else, so she did not want to get into trouble.

    ¡°It¡¯s not true.¡± Ning Xueyan told him firmly.

    ¡°How could it be possible? I heard that there was another Young Lady who has been staying in your back courtyard for several years. Isn¡¯t she Brother Huaiyuan¡¯s wife?¡±

    Wen Xueran stared at Ning Xueyan¡¯s beautiful face with his amorous peach blossom eyes. His lips curved into a faint smile.

    ¡°Young Lady? Did you get the wrong information?¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes shed unconsciously. She clenched her hands under the table, and a trace of doubt and vignce shed in her beautiful eyes.

    ¡°How could I get the wrong information? The Young Lady, who lived in your mansion, is surnamed Ning. Since she came in, she has been very close to Brother Huaiyuan. When Brother Huaiyuan came back from his study tour, she died. And now Brother Huaiyuan is ill. Is there...¡±

    The corners of Wen Xueran¡¯s red lips curved slightly. With a faint smile on his face, he stood up and poured a ss of wine for Ning Xueyan.

    Only the people in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor knew about Ning Ziying¡¯s death. Moreover, Ning Ziying had been a recluse and had kept a low profile in the past three years. Many people in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had never even seen this Young Lady who lived there. Moreover, Madam Dowager and Madam Ling had blocked the news of Ning Ziying¡¯s death.

    But now, she got the news about Ning Ziying from Wen Xueran. How could Ning Xueyan not be surprised? Moreover, from Wen Xueran¡¯s words, she felt that it had something to do with Ning Huaiyuan. Did Wen Xueran figure it out, or did he mean something else? What was the connection between them?

    ¡°Princely Heir, are you talking about Sister Ziying? Where did you hear about Sister Ziying?¡± In the twinkling of an eye, Ning Xueyan had made up her mind and decided not to hide this matter anymore. She bit her lips and picked up the cup in her hand uneasily. She took a sip, calmed down, and asked gently.

    No matter if Wen Xueran¡¯s purpose was to investigate Ning Ziying, he happened to have the same target as her. So, she would do as he wished. She tried to satisfy him, and she wanted to see what he was going to do next! A trace of craftiness shed across her eyes.

    Now she only knew about her origin in the previous life, and there were still many things to be investigated. But because she had no contact with Ning Ziying, it was not convenient for her to investigate into this. As for what she said about her dream, she could only tell Mother Wang and Lanning about it. She could not tell the others on the street about this, and make Xia Yuhang and others suspicious.

    ¡°Xueyan, is there really another Young Lady living in your manor? Why have I never heard of her?¡± Heng Yuqing could not help asking.

    ¡°Sister Ziying¡¯s matter... is also a taboo subject in the manor...¡± Ning Xueyan said vaguely, and even showed a hint of uneasiness on her face. It seemed that some things were hard to tell, and it was inconvenient for her to say this to others.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, I heard that you have been living with your mother in your own courtyard for a few years. I don¡¯t know if you have ever seen this Young Lady Ziying. I heard that this Young Lady was a rare beauty, and she was more beautiful than all those famous beauties in the capital city.¡± Wen Xueran asked curiously. His peach blossom eyes were even more seductive than before, and he was waving the fan in his hand, in an exceedingly fascinating and charming way.

    One could tell that he was really interested in this issue!

    She had heard that the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min was a very romantic person. He was very well-versed when it came to the topic of beauty. It was said that he had an ambiguous rtionship with several noble youngdies in the capital city in private. Looking at his excited look, everyone could see that this was exactly what he liked.

    Maybe the reason why he took a roundabout way was because he wanted to talk about this matter.

 Chapter 385 - Would You Get the Wrong Person?

    <strong>Chapter 385 Would You Get the Wrong Person?</strong>

    ¡°If it had been only a few years ago, you might have had a chance to meet Sister Ziying. But now, what¡¯s the point of talking about this?¡± Ning Xueyan sighed.

    ¡°A beautiful girl often has an unfortunate life. Fifth Young Lady, you¡¯re wrong if you say that I did not have a chance to meet Young Lady Ziying. Look at what this is.¡±

    Wen Xueran stood up with a smile. With a bang, he folded the fan in his hand. Then he put it on the table next to him, turned around, and took a scroll from the young male servant. The scroll was not big, but it was much smaller than an ordinary one, at a nce. There was also a light brown silk cover, which showed that it had been meticulously kept.

    Heng Yuqing also looked over curiously.

    When the scroll was unrolled, everyone looked sideways and saw a simple street. The peopleing and going were lively. The full moon was in the sky. On a bridge in the middle of the picture, a girl dressed in in clothes and a maid stood there. Ning Xueyan was so familiar with the beautifuldy that she almost trembled.

    She had seen that face for more than ten years, so she knew that it was Ning Ziying. As for the one behind, although it was hard to tell, it could be vaguely seen that it was Lanning. Her face suddenly became pale. How could it be possible? How could Wen Xueran have her portrait?

    In her memory, the few times when she snuck out to the night market, she was with Xia Yuhang. But when she looked at the other side of the bridge in the picture, she could not help feeling a thunderp in her head. She had a shocked look, and she subconsciously clenched her slender fingers. There was a slim figure on the other side of the bridge.

    ¡°How could it be possible? How could he know? How could Wen Xueran know about my rtionship with Xia Yuhang? Was he there at that time?¡±

    This figure looked clearer than Lanning¡¯s image. Although it was just a side view, she could tell that it was Xia Yuhang. He was raising his head and looking gently at the young girl on the bridge. Behind the handsome schr and the pretty girl, everything had be a background. Even if the two of them did not stand out, one could see them. This was the theme of the whole picture.

    ¡°A beauty can be looked at, but not touched. Even if it¡¯s just a painting, you can see that Young Lady Ziying is extremely beautiful. If I had known that there is such a beauty in your manor, I would have visited your manor more frequently.¡± Wen Xueran said with a piteous look. He pointed at the girl in the painting with the fan in his hand and sighed as if he regretted not having known her before. However, his tone was frivolous.

    ¡°Princely Heir, where did this paintinge from?¡± Although her face was still a little pale, she had basically calmed down. She raised her head and asked gently.

    ¡°The Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li gave it to me. I heard that it was Young Lady Ziying from your manor in the painting. Originally, I wanted to visit her. Butter, I heard that she had died.¡± Wen Xueran¡¯s gaze fell on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face, and he suddenly sighed.

    He meant that if Ning Ziying were still alive, he would certainly pay her a visit.

    ¡°He¡¯s an outsider, a romantic Young Master. How could he visit a youngdy in the boudoir?¡± Ning Xueyan gritted her teeth in anger. She raised her head, red at Wen Xueran, and said rudely, ¡°Sister Ziying would not have any regrets.¡±

    Heng Yuqing shifted her gaze from Wen Xueran to Ning Xueyan. Her lips moved, but she did not make any sound in the end. She lowered her head and looked carefully at the painting, as if the person in the picture attracted her.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, you¡¯re not Young Lady Ziying. How do you know Young Lady Ziying will not feel any regret?¡± It seemed that Wen Xueran did not hear the anger behind Ning Xueyan¡¯s words. He proudly raised his chin to Ning Xueyan and flicked his slender fingers on the paper, which happened to fall on Xia Yuhang.

    He turned aside, with some doubts and asked curiously, ¡°It¡¯s said that Brother Huaiyuan has a special rtionship with this Young Lady Ziying. Why does he look like Brother Yuhang rather than Brother Huaiyuan? A handsome schr and a pretty girl are a perfect couple. Does he have a special rtionship with this Young Lady Ziying?¡±

    Hearing that, Ning Xueyan could not control her anger. She suddenly stood up, grabbed the painting, and took it. She said coldly, ¡°Princely Heir, don¡¯t you think that the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li has identified the wrong person? What¡¯s more, Sister Ziying happened to have met my eldest brother only once. How could they be together?¡±

    She could not help being angry. Wen Xueran¡¯s words did not sound good. It was if he was saying that Ning Ziying was flirtatious. He was ruining Ning Ziying¡¯s reputation.

    Sensing the force in Ning Xueyan¡¯s hands, Wen Xueran suddenly loosened his grip and the painting was thrust straight to Ning Xueyan¡¯s side. Wen Xueran seemed to be frightened by Ning Xueyan¡¯s sharp words. His beautiful peach blossom eyes blinked, and he looked a little dull.

    He lookedpletely different from his usual romantic self.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, don¡¯t be angry. I heard it from the others. I¡¯m not talking nonsense. I have heard of the rtionship between Young Lady Ziying and Brother Huaiyuan from your manor. As for Brother Yuhang, I found out from this painting. Anyway, he looks like Brother Yuhang of Xia Manor.¡±

    After being frightened by Ning Xueyan¡¯s sudden burst of anger, Wen Xueran exined hastily.

    Did ite from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had ordered that no one was allowed to talk about Ning Ziying. But now, Wen Xueran, an outsider, knew about this groundless thing. Ning Xueyan suddenly smiled with a blood-thirsty chill in her eyes. Those people would not let go of her even when she had died, and they were still ruining her reputation.

    ¡°No matter where Your Excellency got this painting, I¡¯ll appreciate it for you on behalf of Sister Ziying. As for Sister Ziying, she had an arranged marriage. As for whom he is, I think you should know!¡± Ning Xueyan raised her head with sarcasm written all over her pale face. Her bright, shimmery eyes looked like ice chips. They were so cold that they made people feel timid.

    No matter who drew this painting, she was unwilling to leave it to anyone else. How could Ao Xian, the stupid Princely Heir, be able to draw such a picture? Moreover, even though she had been out before, she usually wore a veil and had never shown her face openly.

    Besides, even if Ao Xian had seen Lanning or her veil had been blown up at that time, she did not believe that in such a short time, Ao Xian could see who the maid behind her was, and what she looked like.

    The painter knew her appearance in the previous life, her maid¡¯s look, and the rtionship between herself and Xia Yuhang. Coupled with the familiar brushwork, Ning Xueyan could confirm that it was Xia Yuhang who painted it. How could he have painted it?

    Judging by the ink marks, it must have been painted not long ago. It must be Xia Yuhang who painted it.

    No matter what Xia Yuhang¡¯s purpose was, she could not tolerate the idea that the painting was out there. Just now, she intended to tear the picture apart, if he had not let go. But she did not expect that Wen Xueran would immediately let go of it. Even so, she had to take back the painting today.

    If she could not, she would destroy it!

    Lanning, who was standing behind her, had already woken up from the horror. Now, she had to hold back her tears. ¡°My Young Lady is such a good person, but there is still someone who would not let her be at peace after her death. Someone even let such a vicious rumor be spread in the manor.¡± She was filled with hatred and sadness at the moment.

    ¡°Has Young Lady Ziying ever been engaged? Is it to Brother Yuhang? How... how is this possible?¡± Wen Xueran¡¯s eyes suddenly flickered. He reached out and was about to point at Xia Yuhang in the painting. But then he found that the picture was in Ning Xueyan¡¯s hands, so he could only point to it casually in the air, looking a little embarrassed.

    ¡°Princely Heir, no matter who Sister Ziying¡¯s fianc¨¦ is, it has nothing to do with you. I thank you on behalf of Sister Ziying. I will burn the painting in front of Sister Ziying¡¯s coffin to avoid stirring up any gossip, which will ruin Sister Ziying¡¯s reputation for no reason.¡± Ning Xueyan said coldly.

    She was not in the mood to admire the flowers and drink.

    She was no longer in the mood to talk to anyone. Her voice was as icy as the cold wind in March. Although her voice was not loud, it sounded bitter.

    Heng Yuqing saw that she looked odd, so she immediately got up and said goodbye to Wen Xueran. Then, she turned around and went out with her.

    ¡°Xueyan, are you okay? Or it¡¯s not what you think.¡± Walking to the gate of the courtyard, Heng Yuqing looked at Ning Xueyan, who looked sullen, and persuaded her gently. After hesitating for a moment, she added, ¡°Or, did you get the wrong person?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Yuqing, thank you so much.¡± Looking at Heng Yuqing, Ning Xueyan smiled slightly, and nodded.

    After that, the two of them did not say anything more. They each boarded their horse carriages and returned to their own mansions. They departed unhappily.

    Under the peach tree, Wen Xueran sat alone in the pavilion, facing the peach blossoms in the courtyard. He had an enchanting smile on his handsome face. His charming peach blossom eyes curved into two crescents. He picked up the wine cup by his hand and drank it all in one gulp.

    ¡°Princely Heir, will the Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor find anything wrong if she took the painting?¡± The young male servant standing behind him suddenly asked in a low voice.

    ¡°Find something wrong? What could she find out? Anyway, I did not draw this painting. Even if she finds something wrong, it does not matter,¡± Wen Xueran said with azy smile. The corners of his mouth were as beautiful as peach blossoms. The peach blossoms in the garden drifted down slowly, but they were no match for the charming smile on his lips.

    ¡°Princely Heir, is the Fifth Young Lady rted to this matter?¡± The young male servant did not understand the profound meaning in his master¡¯s eyes, so he asked carefully.

    ¡°Maybe it has something to do with her, or it has nothing to do with her.¡± Wen Xueran raised the corner of his mouth slightly and unfolded the fan, waving it about gracefully.

    He stopped the servant from asking any more questions. The servant secretly looked at his master¡¯s handsome face and did not understand what his relieved look meant. This was not the kind of fake affection that usually appeared on his master¡¯s face. What did that mean?

 Chapter 386 - A Disaster that Was Caused by a Painting

    <strong>Chapter 386 A Disaster that Was Caused by a Painting</strong>

    Wen Xueran left Peach Blossom Ind in a good mood. He had taken the draft from Xia Yuhang, but the person in the painting was not Ning Ziying. Now, he had confirmed Ning Ziying¡¯s identity.

    In the carriage, Ning Xueyan opened the painting again. She looked at the picture with her jet-ck eyes and frowned. She was silent.

    Lanning also looked at the picture by her side. After a while, Lanning could not help saying, ¡°Young Lady... She doesn¡¯t look like Young Lady Ziying!¡± At first nce, she found that everyone in the painting looked right, so she did not pay too much attention to the woman in the painting. But when she looked at her carefully, she discovered that her features were slightly different.

    ¡°That¡¯s not Sister Ziying,¡± Ning Xueyan said with certainty.

    She might have thought that the person in the painting was her, because she was angry just now, but now she could see that they were different. The woman in the picture was very simr to Ning Ziying. Her beautiful face was 70 percent identical to Ning Ziying¡¯s. However, there were some slight differences.

    The differences were the corners of her eyes, the tip of her eyebrows, and her facial expression.

    In herst life, she was Ning Ziying, so she was familiar with her face. The reason why she did not recognize her at once was because she had been affected by other things. Xia Yuhang, Lanning, and the night market were all like their original appearances, so she immediately thought that the woman in the picture was her, in the previous life.

    When she calmed down and took a look, she immediately saw the differences in it.

    In her previous life, she was soft and did not have such a refreshing look. The woman in the painting looked like a young girl simr to Heng Yuqing. She was not gentle, but more mboyant. The smile on her lips was brighter than hers, in her previous life.

    In her previous life, Ning Ziying was reserved, gentle, and quiet.

    However, the person in the painting looked brisk, happy, and outgoing, without any trace of sadness.

    However, these two people were very simr.

    ¡°Could it be that the painting was not painted by Xia Yuhang? Did someone use Xia Yuhang¡¯s brushwork to draw someone else? And that person must know a lot of secrets...¡± Ning Xueyan thought.

    ¡°Young Lady, she¡¯s not Young Lady Ziying. Does Young Lady Ziying have any other sisters?¡± Lanning bit her lip and asked. They had such simr appearances, so there must be some connection between them. Lanning became Ning Ziying¡¯s maid when Ning Ziying came to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, so she did not know much about Ning Ziying.

    ¡°No, she does not have any sisters.¡± Ning Xueyan sighed. Everyone knew that there was only one Princess Royal in the former dynasty, but she had never heard of the other princesses. Therefore, she could not have any other sisters who were alive. Moreover, even if her sisters were alive, what was going on with this painting?

    It was Xia Yuhang¡¯s brushwork, but who was the woman he painted? Since it was not Ning Ziying, why was Lanning standing behind her? In her previous life, Xia Yuhang took her for walks around the night market, and the bridge did exist.

    ¡°Is it possible that Xia Yuhang knows another woman who looks very much like me? But how is it possible?¡±

    ¡°Lanning, when you go back, go and ask Mother Han if anything had happened in the manor recently, especially at the Cloud Reflection Courtyard.¡± Ning Xueyan folded the picture scroll in her hand neatly, with a cold smile on her face. She could not figure out about the painting now, but she had to find out what was happening in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Up till now, she had not heard any rumors about Ning Ziying, which showed that people in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor were still forbidden to talk about her. But then, how did Wen Xueran know that she was living in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor in her previous life? And he even knew that she had died. The most important thing was to connect with Ning Huaiyuan. It seemed that some people had taken action.

    ¡°Yes, Young Lady.¡± Lanning nodded. After thinking for a while, she said reluctantly, ¡°Young Lady, should we let them ruin Young Lady Ziying¡¯s reputation?¡±

    ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to worry about that. As a man sows, so shall he reap. However, it¡¯s not easy to get revenge. They owe Sister Ziying more than just one life!¡± Ning Xueyan said softly, with a smile on her face.

    There were Ning Ziying¡¯s revenge, Xiang¡¯er¡¯s revenge, Madam Ming¡¯s revenge, and Ning Xueyan¡¯s revenge. To avenge so many people, she had climbed out of the hell of the Nine Serenities. How could she let them off so easily?

    ¡°Didn¡¯t they want to ruin my reputation and close this murder case? Unfortunately, I won¡¯t let them do what they want.¡±

    Her smile was beautiful, but it made Lanning scared. The meaning of her Young Lady¡¯s words was not simple. There was even a hint of cruelty and bloodthirstiness in her words, but it made her happy. The First Madam and the others looked graceful and generous, but they were extremely vicious.

    After killing Young Lady Ziying, they wanted to humiliate her still. How could Lanning not be angry?

    At this moment, Ning Xueyan had a fierce and bloodthirsty look on her face. She should be afraid, but she did not feel afraid at all. She only thought that this was the way it should be. Otherwise, Young Lady Ziying would be angry in theher world.

    Lanning had witnessed everything about Xia Yuhang, Young Lady Ziying, and the Eldest Young Lady. She also knew that Xia Yuhang and the Eldest Young Lady deceived Young Lady Ziying. And the deception ended in such a bloody and cruel way. Anyone who saw how such a kind and gentle Young Lady ended up, would be resentful.

    After thinking for a while, Lanning asked, ¡°Young Lady, could it be that the First Madam deliberately made such a scene because she was afraid that someone would find out that Young Lady Ziying¡¯s death had something to do with Master Xia?¡±

    Ning Xueyan looked at her admiringly and handed the painting to her. With a sneer on her face, she said, ¡°Since they are willing to spread the news at this time, we might as well escte it. There was a Young Lady in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. She died the night before Xia Yuhang¡¯s wedding. Besides, with her appearance, some people may want to find out what the truth of the matter is.¡±

    Initially, she was thinking about how to dig this matter out. After all, everyone knew that she and Ning Ziying were not familiar with each other. But now, she was not the one who stirred up trouble. So, it would be better. As for whether or not someone would be willing to investigate into it, it did not matter. With her identity as the former princess of the imperial court, plus that she had sneaked into the capital city that day, she had to change her n halfway.

    She seemed to be hiding from others. If those who investigated into her knew that she entered the Lord Protector¡¯s Manorter, they would go to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to investigate. Although Madam Ling and others were vicious, they were no match for those people. Perhaps the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would be turned upside down.

    That was great. The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was going to be in chaos!

    ¡°Young Lady, are you going to show this painting in public?¡± Lanning immediately understood what Ning Xueyan meant and asked.

    ¡°Yes, but not now.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded leisurely.

    ¡°We got this painting from the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min. He¡¯ll definitely find out at that time,¡± Lanning said worriedly. The Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min was the only one who knew that the painting was in her master¡¯s hands. He did not look like a man who would keep his mouth shut. Maybe he would let everyone know about it at that time.

    If the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor found that the painting was in her hands and had appeared out of nowhere, they might have something to think of. It was not a good thing for the Young Lady.

    ¡°The Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min won¡¯t say that,¡± Ning Xueyan said confidently. The Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min was by no means a simple person. Today¡¯s encounter was indeed a coincidence. Before this day, she did not know that Heng Yuqing would invite her to see the peach blossoms. Although she did not know it, it did not mean that Heng Yuqing had not asked for an invitation from her cousin.

    This painting was well-prepared. She did not believe that Wen Xueran would have this painting with him wherever he went. Moreover, the origin of this painting was so strange. He deliberately showed such a picture in front of her, which was too much of a coincidence.

    One thing was a coincidence, and two things might be the same. But with so many of them stacked together, she would rather believe that it was intentional, just like she did not know why Wen Xueran was looking for Senior Nun Jing Kong. Now she also did not understand why Wen Xueran would say such a thing, and he deliberately took out this painting.

    There was one thing that could be proof that Wen Xueran was rted to her previous life, but she did not know what the rtionship between Wen Xueran and her was!

    ¡°Where did the painting go? Where did it go?¡± Xia Yuhang¡¯s handsome face showed a hint of anger. He mmed his hand on the table and asked sharply.

    ¡°Young Master, it¡¯s... it¡¯s Concubine Ning¡¯s staff who took it. They... they said that they knew the people in the painting and wanted to have a look at it,¡± the young male servant said timidly. He knew that the painting was his Young Master¡¯s favorite. Since the painting waspleted, it had been hung in the Young Master¡¯s study room. No one was allowed to look at it during ordinary times.

    However, the maid was Concubine Ning¡¯s, and Concubine Ning was the youngdy¡¯s younger sister. It was said that she was beautiful and would be favored when she entered the manor. He did not dare to offend her. He thought that it did not matter if she wanted to take a look at the painting. Besides, the maid said that the person in the picture was an acquaintance. Maybe it was Concubine Ning herself.

    The reason why the painting was so precious during ordinary times must be because of the person in the picture!

    And even if she was not the woman in the painting, the maid had said that she would return it early tomorrow morning. At that time, she would not let him be scolded.

    So, the young male servant allowed her to take the painting away. Today was the wedding day of the Young Master, so he should not make the bride angry. Unexpectedly, the Young Master, who should have gone to the back, returned to the study and found that the painting was missing.

    After hearing that Ning Yuling took the painting away, Xia Yuhang¡¯s face was filled with cold anger. He swung his sleeves, stood up, and then strode out. The young male servant hurriedly got up and followed him. A ce in the backyard was decorated withnterns and streamers. This was the new courtyard that Minister Xia¡¯s Manor had prepared for Ning Yuling. Ning Yuling entered the manor two days ago, but she had not consummated her marriage with Xia Yuhang yet. They were going to do that tonight.

    When the maids and older female servants saw Xia Yuhanging over, they all wanted to congratte him, with joy on their faces. But when they saw the coldness on the gentle Eldest Young Master¡¯s face, they were so scared that they did not dare to say anything.

    Not long after Xia Yuhang entered the courtyard, he left Ning Yuling¡¯s yard. Then a heartbreaking cry came from the yard.

    In the central courtyard of Xia Manor, Ning Ziyan heard that and deliberately drank an extra bowl of sweet soup and ate some fruit.

    In another simple yard, a skinny and almost withered looking woman stood outside the window, looking at the peach blossoms outside. Her eyes twitched, and a gloomy and horrible smile appeared on her face. ¡°Ning Ziyan, your good days areing to an end!¡±

 Chapter 387 - All Parties Took Actions when the Imperial Edict was Issued

    <strong>Chapter 387 All Parties Took Actions when the Imperial Edict was Issued</strong>

    There was a great uproar in the Xia Manor, and it was not peaceful in the pce. All the people in the pce were trembling in fear. It was said that the emperor had been angry with the empress, and the Honored Consort Ya and the Honored Consort Shu, who had given birth to two beloved princes, had also been scolded. He felt everyone was offensive to the eye now. Three pce people had been beaten to death in a short time. They were the emperor¡¯s favored ones, previously.

    Everyone knew that the Emperor was in a bad mood at this time. Anyone who provoked him would be in trouble.

    But fortunately, a few royal eunuchs came out of the imperial study in a short time. It was heard that they were going to grant marriages everywhere, so the people in the pce felt a little relieved. Did it mean that the emperor felt better and had time to think about this kind of happy event?

    When the imperial edict came, Madam Dowager was very happy. She set up an incense table to wee them, with her family.

    Then, amid the eunuch¡¯s congrattions in a shrill voice, she received the emperor¡¯s great favor with joy and thanks, in the direction of the Imperial Pce.

    How could Madam Dowager not be happy? She suddenly felt dizzy and thought that she was in a dream. Unexpectedly, her two useless granddaughters were set to be members of the royal family. Although Ning Qingshan had not be the principal wife of the prince, no one knew what would happen at the end of it all.

    The Third Prince¡¯s consort¡¯s arrangement was full of twists and turns. In such a bad situation, Ning Qingshan could be his co-consort, which showed that the Third Prince thought she was important. Besides, Ning Qingshan was smart. If she gave birth to a son, it was highly possible that she could be his co-consort.

    As for Ning Xueyan, it was aplete surprise. Madam Dowager thought if Ning Xueyan could be a member of the royal family, it would be the good fortune of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, regardless if she had a status or not. In this way, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would have one more chance to be rich. Madam Dowager even imagined that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would probably rise to a position of great importance.

    Therefore, at this moment, even her head did not hurt anymore. She felt full of energy. After sending the eunuch away, she deliberately asked Ning Xueyan and Ning Qingshan to stay. She told them the difference between being a daughter and a wife. She meant that they would be the daughters-inw of the royal family, so they had to pay attention to their behavior publicly, to avoid being criticized by anyone.

    The most important thing was that they could not let anyone denounce the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Madam Dowager also warned them about this. She said that the reason why they could get such glorious marriages was because the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was behind them. If the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor fell, even if they married into the royal family, they would have no family to support them. In the end, they would end up like concubines without any status.

    Therefore, they had to understand that they all rose and fell together. If they tied themselves to the family, they would enjoy endless prosperity and wealth.

    All in all, even if they married into the royal family, they should not forget the fact that they were the daughters of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. They should never do anything that would harm the family. They had to put the interests of the family ahead of themselves. In the end, Madam Dowager kindly gave them the two sets of head-ornaments that she cherished greatly.

    She especially sent one first-ss maid and two second-ss maids to help them prepare their dowries. The Honored Consort was not married yet, so the co-consort had to wait for a while. However, it was better for them to prepare in advance. She could not let the others look down on the Young Ladies of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    After Madam Dowager finished nagging, the two were allowed to go back. And they were also told that guests would be invited next. The two Young Ladies would marry into the royal family at the same time. The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was the only one who had received such a favor. Madam Dowager wanted to give enormous publicity to this matter and sweep away all the bad luck that had umted in the manor.

    They sent the invitation cards out, one by one. Everyone in the capital city had received the news that His Majesty favored the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. For a time, the courtyard was thronged with visitors, which suddenly swept away the decadence of the past days. Even the matter of Ning Yuling, the daughter of the principal wife, who had willingly abandoned herself to vice and became a concubine of Xia Manor, was forgotten.

    At this time, everyone knew that the Young Ladies of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor were all Golden Phoenixes. One or two of them were flying into the royal family. They could not spread any rumors about the other Young Ladies of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, to avoid ruining the reputation of the two Young Ladies. Otherwise, the royal family would be infamous.

    In the Riverside Pavilion of the Third Prince¡¯s Manor, Xia Yuhang was sitting in the pavilion. He picked up the gon in his hand and poured a cup for himself. Then he poured some into the empty wine cup opposite him. Xia Yuhang leisurely picked up the cup at hand and took a sip from it. He lowered his beautiful eyes, and no one could tell if he was happy or angry.

    ¡°Yuhang, what¡¯s wrong? You seem to be in a bad mood today. Didn¡¯t the Second Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor please you?¡± After practicing his sword skills, the Third Prince came back and handed the sword to the guard. He took the towel, wiped off his sweat, and strode in. He sat down in front of Xia Yuhang, picked up the wine, and drained it. He could not help saying, ¡°Good wine.¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, do you know that today¡¯s imperial edict has been issued?¡± Xia Yuhang looked up and asked with a smile.

    Ao Mingyu stopped smiling and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Didn¡¯t they say that they want to see what¡¯s going on first? Why did the Emperor suddenly give the order?¡±

    Ao Mingyu knew that the reason why his father slowed down the marriage order was because he wanted to check up on the brides and see if there was anything else. It would be better to know more.

    ¡°I heard that the emperor¡¯s subordinates got into trouble in some aspects, so they were in a muddle. As for Honored Consort Ya, Honored Consort Shu, and the Empress, I don¡¯t know why they went together to ask the emperor to grant the marriages. Everything was mixed together. The emperor was furious, but he still sent people to announce the marriages.¡±

    Xia Yuhang seemed uncertain when he said this. It seemed that his words had little connection with the matter, but Ao Mingyu obviously understood. He put down the cup in his hand and looked at Xia Yuhang seriously. ¡°Is there any news from the pce?¡±

    ¡°Yes, the news came from the pce when Your Highness was practising your sword moves.¡± Xia Yuhang nodded steadily.

    ¡°Bang!¡± The wine cup in his hand fell heavily to the ground. The fragrant wine sshed in all directions and the wine cup was smashed into pieces. ¡°There was an ident, but we still have time to plot. Why was the decree issued in such a short time? What is my mother thinking about? Why did she ask for the marriage?¡± Ao Mingyu gritted his teeth and said this with hatred.

    He did not expect that his mother would drag him down. How could he not be angry?

    ¡°Maybe someone told the news about what happened before to the Honored Consort Ya. The Honored Consort Ya suddenly asked for the imperial edict because she was afraid that Your Highness and Prince Yi would confront each other.¡± Xia Yuhang analyzed calmly. He seemed to be logical.

    ¡°Confront Ao Chenyi?¡± Ao Mingyu snorted and said, ¡°It¡¯s not only me, but also my father. Why doesn¡¯t my mother understand? It¡¯s not about the woman I will marry. As long as my father wants me to inherit the throne, there will be no harmony between Ao Chenyi and me.¡±

    Ao Mingyu said this angrily. The corners of his eyes twitched as he shouted.

    ¡°Your Highness, please lower your voice. Anyway, she will be your uncle¡¯s wife. She will have nothing to do with you. You still need to calm down, Your Highness,¡± Xia Yuhang said in a low voice.

    ¡°Humph, Ao Chenyi¡¯s wife?¡± Although Ao Mingyu lowered his voice a little bit, he still sneered. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for that idiot Ning Yuling, Ning Xueyan would have been the one who would have been in trouble. I thought as long as she entered your manor, I could have hidden her away and I did not believe that Ao Chenyi would be able to find her. But now, it was ruined by that stupid woman.¡±

    When he thought that he had almost seeded, Ao Mingyu would be angry and wanted to tear Ning Yuling apart. Thinking of the stupid and bitchy woman, Ao Mingyu looked down on her from the bottom of his heart. It was rare for him to send her to do something useful, but she even wanted to kill Ning Xueyan and stirred up so many things.

    Although he was not clear about what had happened, he was sure that Ning Yuling had done something then. As long as he thought of the reason why he had miscalcted, Ao Mingyu would think that Ning Yuling, the bitch, was his bane. If Ning Yuling was not Xia Yuhang¡¯s concubine, he might have sent someone to assassinate her to vent his anger.

    ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s over. It¡¯s useless to think about it. We¡¯ll talk about itter. If Prince Yi dies, Ning Xueyan will...¡± Xia Yuhang gracefully picked up his cup and took a sip of wine.

    When you listen to someone speaking, you have to listen to the speaker¡¯s tone of voice. Ao Mingyu was clever. He slowly calmed down and showed a slight smile.

    The servant brought a new wine cup and refilled it. After taking a sip, he had a meaningful look on his face. He nodded to Xia Yuhang to show his agreement.

    Prince Yi¡¯s Manor was erecting a new building recently. It was said that it was because Prince Yi was getting married soon. They had to reorganize everything in the garden, including what they needed and what they were going to rebuild. They did not let the new Princess have any say in it.

    Ao Chenyi was sitting in the pavilion. Most of the long gauzes were tied up, with only a few fluttering in the wind, which added a sense of elegance to the ce.

    Ao Chenyi leaned against a couch, listening to the reports from his subordinates. His beautiful, enchanting eyes were half-closed, filled with indolence and leisureness.

    ¡°Your Highness, we¡¯ve done everything ording to your instructions. Now, the decree has been issued.¡±

    ¡°Well, you did not slip up, did you?¡±

    ¡°No, everyone knows that the Honored Consort Ya does not like the Third Prince to confront you directly. If he wants topete with you, he must be asking for death. The Honored Consort Ya won¡¯t tell the emperor about this. Otherwise, the Third Prince¡¯s status will be reduced greatly in the eyes of the emperor.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good. Don¡¯t make His Majesty angry next time. Anyway, I want to get married and let him live a peaceful life with me. As for whether he wants to live a peaceful life or not, it will depend on him. I will get marriedfortably first. It¡¯s a matter of my life, so you should take it seriously.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been arranging the matters in the courtyard recently. Do you have any other requirements, Your Highness?¡± Looking at Prince Yi, who rarely had a pleasant look on his face, he rxed a little.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any requirements for the time being,¡± Ao Chenyi saidzily, propping up his face with one hand.

    What did that mean? The secret guard was at a loss. ¡°Your Highness, do you mean to change the requirements after the Princess enters the manor?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not urgent.¡± Ao Chenyi shook his hand and said, ¡°Don¡¯t act rashly these days. The imperial guards might reveal some news. We can let the Fourth Prince know about the Ning¡¯s Mansion in the regions south of the Yangtze River, so that he will not always stay behind the Third Prince.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll do it right away.¡± The secret guard understood.

    ¡°Remember, don¡¯t make too big of a move. We should win over the people and not stir things up for the time being. It¡¯s so chaotic outside. If they fight with each other, it will have nothing to do with the others.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I understand.¡±

 Chapter 388 - Ning Qingshanâ€™s Obsession

    <strong>Chapter 388 Ning Qingshan¡¯s Obsession</strong>

    Many pieces of brocade were sent to the Bright Frost Garden and the Foggy Courtyard. Some of them were gifts from the imperial pce, and some were gifts from Madam Dowager. Their two granddaughters were fawned upon by the royal members. Anyway, they could not afford to lose the dignity of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor when it came to the dowry. Besides, Ning Xueyan also got arger share.

    Although the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor supported the Third Prince secretly, the Third Prince was much inferior to Prince Yi in status and seniority. Prince Yi was the emperor¡¯s younger brother and would be the emperor in the future. Besides, he was the Third Prince¡¯s uncle. Therefore, Ning Xueyan¡¯s status was higher than Ning Qingshan¡¯s.

    Everyone in the manor thought the Fifth Young Lady was superior to the Third Young Lady. For example, the newly-added bird¡¯s nest porridge for the two Young Ladies had been arranged in sequential order. When Caifen returned with a bowl of bird¡¯s nest porridge, angrily, Ning Qingshan was also sulking, while Mammy Luo was trying to pacify her, in the room.

    It was said that the clothes from Madam Dowager¡¯s courtyard were given to Ning Xueyan to select first, before being passed to her.

    ¡°Why did youe back sote? Didn¡¯t I tell you toe back as soon as possible? I have other things to talk to you about.¡± Seeing that it was Caifen who lifted the curtain and came in, Ning Qingshan asked her unhappily.

    ¡°Third Young Lady, it¡¯s not that I was slow. It was those servants who looked down upon me and sent the bowl of bird¡¯s nest porridge to the Fifth Young Lady first. I had to wait for them.¡± Caifen took out the bird¡¯s nest porridge from the basket and exined angrily.

    ¡°Bang!¡± Ning Qingshan mmed the teacup in her hand on the table, heavily. ¡°Mammy Luo, look, they think they will suppress me all the time. Ning Xueyan is not married yet, and now they¡¯re bullying me. To be the Asura King¡¯s co-consort, she might lose her life some day...¡±

    ¡°My deardy, button your lip.¡± Hearing Ning Qingshan¡¯s words, Mammy Luo was so frightened that she put down the cloth in her hands. She hurriedly came over to cover Ning Qingshan¡¯s mouth, and her face turned pale with fear. ¡°Young Lady, how can you say that? If Prince Yi knows that, he will handle you without bothering about your identity.¡±

    Mammy Luo usually did not care how Ning Qingshan scolded Ning Xueyan. But if she provoked Prince Yi, it would not be a trivial matter. It was said that Prince Yi would kill people in the blink of an eye. What¡¯s more, what she said was not groundless. It was said that a concubine in the imperial pce had offended him and had been killed by him. And the emperor did not say anything, not forgetting the fact that Ning Qingshan was nothing, but the Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor now.

    Even if Ning Qingshan married into the Third Prince¡¯s Manor, she would only be a co-consort. In Prince Yi¡¯s eyes, she was nothing.

    Having her mouth covered by Mammy Luo, Ning Qingshan came to her senses. She pushed Mammy Luo¡¯s hand away, and her face darkened. She winked at Caifen, and Caifen understood what she meant. Caifen walked out of the room and looked around the outer room. Then, she came back and shook her head at Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°Mammy Luo, isn¡¯t there any reply about what happenedst time?¡± Ning Qingshan asked in a low voice. No one heard what she had said, so she let out a sigh of relief. But soon, a cold light shed in her eyes.

    ¡°They replied.¡± Seeing that Ning Qingshan was no longer talking about Prince Yi, Mammy Luo breathed a sigh of relief and became embarrassed again. They were not optimistic about her youngdy¡¯s situation. They were indifferent to her, which was not a good thing. ¡°They won¡¯t do this kind of thing, and they won¡¯t openly assassinate a Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, who has nothing to do with them.¡±

    Hearing that, Ning Qingshan felt extremely angry. She thought that if they followed her n, they would have assassinated Ning Xueyan when Ning Xueyan and Ning Yuling were on their way. What a great opportunity! There were startled horses, overturned carriages, and a lot of trouble. The crowd was so chaotic at that time.

    It should be easy to assassinate Ning Xueyan. Why could she not convince them? She had repeatedly said that Ning Xueyan knew her identity, so Ning Xueyan would perhaps spoil their ns. In the past, as long as she used this reason, they would kill Ning Xueyan directly without asking. Why were they evading the issue now?

    ¡°Mammy Luo, do they think that I¡¯m useless and want to abandon me?¡± Ning Qingshan felt cold all over when she thought of this. She held Mammy Luo with one hand and trembled nervously. If those people were to reveal her real identity, she would die.

    ¡°Young Lady, don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s impossible. You¡¯re distinguished. As long as those people have other ideas, they can¡¯t abandon you. Otherwise, they would not spend so much effort to send someone to solve the crisis for you several times.¡± Mammy Luoforted her in a hurry.

    ¡°Then why did they not help me to kill Ning Xueyan?¡± After hearing Mammy Luo¡¯s words, Ning Qingshan calmed down again. She thought about it and let go of Mammy Luo¡¯s hand. She gritted her teeth and said unwillingly, with coldness flickering in her eyes. If it were not for Ning Xueyan, she would be the Third Prince¡¯s consort, rather than a co-consort now.

    When she thought of this, she could not wait to see Ning Xueyan die in front of her now. Now because of this co-consort, Ning Xueyan was even superior to her.

    ¡°Young Lady, don¡¯t worry. Maybe the master has another n. Maybe the Fifth Young Lady¡¯s death is in conflict with his n. Or, the Fifth Young Lady¡¯s matter is not serious enough. It will take a severe influence to expose the master¡¯s n.¡± Mammy Luo frowned and said in a low voice, ¡°Young Lady, in a few days, maybe the master will be willing to take action. Please wait for a while.¡±

    From Mammy Luo¡¯s point of view, since the master was willing to spare no effort to find her youngdy, he must have other ns. It was impossible for him to give up on her master. The reason why he had disagreed with her youngdy¡¯s demand was that the Fifth Young Lady¡¯s affair was not a big deal. Otherwise, the master would kill Ning Xueyan, ording to his character.

    Her youngdy said that the Fifth Young Lady knew about her affairs, but she had no evidence to prove that. Did the Fifth Young Lady really know about that?

    Even Grand Tutor Ya, who thought he knew her youngdy, was not aware of it. How could the Fifth Young Lady, a humble and ignorant youngdy, know about that? The Third Young Lady¡¯s words were unconvincing, so the master did not do anything to the Fifth Young Lady!

    Mammy Luo did not say these words to her youngdy directly. Otherwise, her young master might do something that would affect her family background. Then she would be in big trouble. Her youngdy¡¯s real identity was so noble, but it could not be exposed.

    Therefore, Mammy Luo tried to find a cover story. Mammy Luo had a deep impression of her youngdy¡¯s hatred for the Fifth Young Lady. Before the Fifth Young Lady went out of the Bright Frost Garden, the Third Young Lady¡¯s path had been smooth. Everything went well based ording her n. She even knew what the Third Prince and the Honored Consort Ya were thinking of.

    But since she came back from the nunnery, she found that everything was not going so smoothly. Many things had gone wrong because of the Fifth Young Lady. Every time they faced each other, the Third Young Lady was at a disadvantage. She even lost her position as the Third Prince¡¯s wife. How could she not be angry?

    ¡°Mammy Luo, I¡¯m afraid that it will take at least half a year to perform the co-consort ceremony!¡± Ning Qingshan said with a gloomy face, as if she did not hear Mammy Luo¡¯s cajolery. The sun shone through the window, reflecting on her face.

    ¡°Young... Young Lady, what are you going to do?¡± Mammy Luo was stunned for a moment. Then she came to her senses and asked hurriedly.

    ¡°Mammy Luo, take it easy. I won¡¯t let the master kill her. It doesn¡¯t matter if he does not want to interfere. If something bad happens to that b*tch, I don¡¯t believe that Prince Yi will get angry with the Third Prince over a woman.¡± Ning Qingshan said coldly, with some hesitation.

    As soon as she said this aloud, she immediately became confident. It was said that the reason why Ning Xueyan managed to get Prince Yi¡¯s favor and be the co-consort, was because she had a dispute with Ling Xue in the pce, and then she was brought together with Prince Yi by fate. Prince Yi had casually asked someone to marry him.

    If she had been more tactful at that time, Ling Xue might have been the co-consort now. It would have nothing to do with Ning Xueyan!

    Thinking of this, Ning Qingshan could not help but secretly scold Ling Xue for being such a disappointment. Now she hade to this point because of her doings. Otherwise, Prince Yi would not choose Ning Xueyan as a co-consort. Even if something terrible happened to her, she would still be a co-consort.

    Otherwise, at this time, with her identity as the Third Prince¡¯s co-consort, if Ning Xueyan was still a nobody, her life and death would be in her hands. She would not have to scheme all the time.

    ¡°Young Lady, you¡¯re now the Third Prince¡¯s co-consort. You¡¯d better not deal with the Fifth Young Lady anymore. From now on, you and the Fifth Young Lady will be married, and you won¡¯t meet each other so much in the future. No matter how cunning the Fifth Young Lady is, she can¡¯t do anything to you!¡± At a nce, Mammy Luo could tell that Ning Qingshan could not let go of her obsession with Ning Xueyan, so she still tried to persuade her.

    In her opinion, Ning Qingshan should not have done it. Even though everything seemed to be going against the Third Young Lady because of the Fifth Young Lady, she could get something. When she married the Third Prince, she would probably be able to be the consort ording to the rtionship between herself and the Third Prince. What¡¯s more, the master¡¯s meaning was uncertain, but it seemed that he was on the Third Young Lady¡¯s side.

    With so much support, the Third Young Lady would be a consort by taking some detours. She did not have a deep hatred for the Fifth Young Lady, so she did not need to kill Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Mammy, don¡¯t try to persuade me. I¡¯ve made up my mind. Take it easy. I won¡¯t let down my guard.¡± Ning Qingshan waved her hand impatiently to stop Mammy Luo from trying to persuade her again. She turned to Caifen and said, ¡°Go get a piece of light-colored cloth. The material is simr to the one that Fifth Young Lady usually wears.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Caifen stopped what she was doing and left.

 Chapter 389 - The Ancestor Worship of the Ningâ€™s Clan

    <h4>Chapter 389 The Ancestor Worship of the Ning¡¯s n</h4>

    The two youngdies from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor respectively became Prince Yi¡¯s and the Third Prince¡¯s concubines. The news spread throughout the capital. The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had invited rtives and guests for this affair. The road leading to the gate was thronged with visitors.

    There were two royal co-consorts from the manor. Since the founding of the country, this was something that had never happened before. Even those rtives who were not closely rted to them also came to pay a visit to their house. Those people of the Ning n who were scattered throughout the capital, wereing in from all directions. Ning Zu¡¯an was not only the Lord Protector, but also the leader of the Ning n.

    Today, they would entertain their rtives and worship their ancestors.

    Although it was not the birthce of the Ning n, there was a small family temple beside the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, because Ning Zu¡¯an, the leader of the Ning n, was here. Since it ounted for only a small courtyard, and it was close to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, the gate of the family temple had never been opened. But today, the front door was wide open.

    The servants went to decorate the temple and carried sacrificial offerings in, so that Ning Zu¡¯an could worship the ancestors for a while.

    As the legitimate son of Ning Zu¡¯an, Ning Huaiyuan was required to attend such a grand event. Ning Zu¡¯an kicked Ning Huaiyuan severely, and then he had fainted once, due to Madam Ling¡¯s matter. He was young and in good health, so he had almost recovered. Although his face seemed to be pale, he still looked quite good.

    He was as gentle as he used to be. However, when one looked closer, one could see that there was a hint of darkness in his eyes, when he lowered his head.

    As the wife of the n leader, Madam Ling also got out of the bed, despite her illness. She was seriously ill. Due to Ning Huaiyuan and Ning Yuling¡¯s problems, she was hard hit. She was too thin and her face was greenish pale in color. She was by no means in good health.

    Probably because she was too thin, she looked gloomy and her eyes were sunken when she looked at the people . Several madams, who were sitting beside her, felt ufortable. However, they had tough and chat with her. Although Madam Ling did not look good, she could still force out a smile.

    They only talked about trivial household affairs, without a mention about Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling. Meanwhile, they showed their envy of the Third Young Lady and the Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. This was also the glory of the Ning n.

    In the Bright Frost Garden, Ning Xueyan got up early to dress up. Today, she did not need to be well dressed because she had to worship the ancestors. Madam Dowager had prepared line clothes for her. Today, she and Ning Qingshan were the leading actors. So, they would worship their ancestors dressed in rough sackcloth.

    ¡°Young Lady, I¡¯ve already made all the preparations in Cloud Reflection Courtyard, ording to your instructions,¡± Xinmei said as she came in. She was a female in the inner courtyard and was skilled in martial arts, so she was the best person for this. Besides, they were near the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. And, the wall that Madam Ling built before, separated the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor from the Cloud Reflection Courtyard.

    It facilitated the way for Ning Xueyan and her subordinates to enter the Cloud Reflection Courtyard, without fear of being seen.

    Since the haunting in the Cloud Reflection Courtyard, there would be no oneing here. Seeing it from afar, the servants in the mansion avoided approaching the wall. Although the people in the mansion did not dare to gossip, everyone knew that the ce was strange. It was said that Young Lady Ning Ziying had died under unusual circumstances there.

    But since the masters did not allow them to say anything, they did not dare to gossip, but spread rumors secretly.

    It had happened so long ago, and the rumors faded away. No one had gone to the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. Everyone had forgotten about the yard. It was as if there was no such yard in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Ning Xueyan nodded, as a cold and harsh light shed through her eyes. She stood up and walked to the window. She breathed a long sigh of relief, as she looked at the Cloud Reflection Courtyard.

    In this life, the secrets of the Cloud Reflection Courtyard had been well hidden. No one knew that Ning Ziying had lived in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. No one knew that Ning Ziyan had killed her in order to snatch away her marriage. At that time, there was no burial ce for her. Instead they only brought two of her clothes and buried her hastily.

    No one cried for her, so she would do it herself.

    Since she climbed out of hell, she had long been looking forward to such a day when she could bring the grievance of her previous life to light.

    She had chosen this road a long time ago. No matter how bloody it would be, she would not retreat.

    Mother Han stood at the side and looked at her youngdy. She felt both delighted and bitter. This delicate, youngdy should be gentle and pure, but she had to bear all the sufferings. If it were not for the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor which was beset with crises, how could she be like this?

    Fortunately, the Fifth Young Lady was not blindly kind-hearted, due to Madam Ming¡¯s blessings. Otherwise, she would have already been gnawed to the bones. As a lump came into her throat, she was on the verge of tears. She immediately turned her head to dry her tears.

    ¡°Mother Han, did youe here from the Lucky Garden? Did Madam Dowager send word to me?¡± She calmed down and returned to the dressing table. Her long eyshes drooped and left two uneven shadows on her pale face. She looked mysterious and peaceful, and there even seemed to be a bit of danger in this tranquility.

    ¡°Madam Dowager told me that when you go to the temple to worship and offer incense, you should walk behind the Third Young Lady. After the Third Young Lady finishes her worship, it will be your turn. She said that it has nothing to do with the Third Prince and Prince Yi. Since you are not married yet, you should follow the rules of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. The Third Young Lady is the legitimate daughter and the elder sister, so she should do it first. But yesterday, she had agreed that both of you would offer incense and worship together.

    Speaking of this, Mother Han was outraged. Both of them were co-consorts. Objectively speaking, her youngdy was superior to the Third Young Lady. Why did Madam Dowager say that the Third Young Lady was the real legitimate daughter? If so, Madam Dowager was showing that Madam Ling was the principal wife in the mansion. How could Mother Han not be angry?

    In front of the crowds, Madam Dowager once again, said that Madam Ming was a co-wife. How could she say that the Third Young Lady was the legitimate daughter? The Fifth Young Lady was the legal daughter. Was Madam Dowager trying to humiliate Madam Ming?

    ¡°Mammy, don¡¯t be angry. No matter who put forward this idea, let them have their way. Anyway, the ceremony of worship will fall into disorder. Let them run riot as they wish!¡± Ning Xueyan twitched her lips and said this with a cold smile. No matter who put forward this idea, she did not really care now.

    When she redressed a grievance for Madam Ming, she would invoke this issue. Madam Dowager repeatedly said that she had a profound affection toward Madam Ming. However, Madam Ming was ¡°inexperienced,¡± so she took no notice of her, because love beget hate. So, what was going on today?

    How could she humiliate Madam Ming in front of the nsmen? How could she not let a dead person off? She would wait and see how Madam Dowager would justify herself.

    ¡°Yes, I know. I did not say anything, but came back to report to you.¡± Mother Han nodded as she suppressed her anger.

    ¡°Mother Han, Xinmei, Qingyu, are you all ready? I¡¯ll stay with Lanning here.¡± Ning Xueyan said calmly.

    The feast today was focused on worshiping the ancestors. Most of the guests were people from the Ning n. So, the feast would naturally be ced behind the worship area. It was still early, so most of the female members of the family found some excuse to hang around the courtyard. Looking at Madam Ling¡¯s sullen face, no one could joke and chat freely.

    They felt that even the air was depressing, when they stayed with the Marchioness. They had been informed that the Marchioness was now in disfavor. The Eldest Young Lady and the Second Young Lady had both sunk into scandals. It was said that both of them were Madam Ling¡¯s daughters.

    However, the two youngdies who brought honor to the Manor were not Madam Ling¡¯s daughters.

    Looking at Madam Ling¡¯s current situation, few people sincerely wanted to be on intimate terms with Madam Ling now. On the grounds of visiting the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, they wandered around the courtyard. Some of them went to a remote ce to seek refuge.

    Suddenly, a loud noise came from a certain ce in the courtyard. Someone was shouting, which drew the attention of some of the guests. They heard that a child was missing. Thedy was very anxious as she was trying to find out where the child had gone. She had heard that the river in the Manor was quite deep. She was afraid that the child might have fallen into the river.

    Hearing that, someone said that the child had gone over there and pointed toward a direction. Thedy and some enthusiastic husbands went off in that direction. Many people on the road had seen the child, and they confirmed that the child had gone over there. However, they did not find the child along the way.

    Thedy was so anxious that she started crying. It was said that the child was her only son. If the child had met with an ident, she would not know what to do.

    Her acquaintances and some warm-hearted people went along with her to help look for the child.

    The further they walked, the closer they went toward the corner. Looking at the direction, the two maids who led the way, were not at ease and slowed down unconsciously.

    ¡°Hurry up. Why are you moving so slowly? Don¡¯t you know the urgency?¡± Someone could not help, but hasten them on.

    ¡°Madam, we suddenly recalled that we have not done something the First Madam ordered, so we will not take you there. It is not far away from the courtyard walls.¡± A tall maid stopped and looked at the distance, timidly. There had once been a wall over there. It appeared out of ce, as if a part of a courtyard had been dug out.

    However, the crowd was anxious and did not find anything unusual. They were dissatisfied with the maids.

    ¡°If we can¡¯t find the child out at the front, you should take us to find him in other ces. What is so urgent about the Marchioness¡¯s matter? Is it more important than a child¡¯s life?¡± A madam put it bluntly. She was Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s aunt, so she dared to say that.

 Chapter 390 - The Skeletons in the Lake

    <strong>Chapter 390 The Skeletons in the Lake</strong>

    ¡°I... I...¡± The maid could not speak for a moment. She pointed to the ce and shivered. The rumors about the past came to her mind. It was a dangerous ce in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Some people were injured, some were so scared that they became sick, and some even died without leaving behind a corpse.

    Usually, no one dared toe here. It was said that the master who used to live here died for no reason, so she was always haunting this ce. She had been drifting about all the time, and now she was looking for a substitute!

    ¡°What are you talking about? Why don¡¯t you show us the way? I¡¯ll talk to the Marchionesster.¡± The senior aunt said unhappily.

    The crowd began to talk all at once. Being urged by so many people, the two maids had no choice, but to move forward. However, their faces were so pale, it was as if they were transparent. Their feet felt weak. The more they thought about it, the more afraid they became.

    They moved slowly and came to the wall. After confirming that there was no one, they went forward along the wall.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Suddenly, they heard a scream beside their ears.

    The two maids were already nervous. When they heard the voice, they immediately fell to the ground before the others could react. They screamed in horror, ¡°Ah! There¡¯s a ghost! There¡¯s a ghost!¡±

    Several madams standing beside the two maids were startled by the sudden scream, and their faces turned pale. They looked around and found nothing. Then they calmed down again. An older female servant came over and pulled up a maid who went limp and fell to the ground.

    ¡°What are you talking about? There¡¯s no ghost in broad daylight!¡± The older female servant scolded.

    ¡°A ghost. There¡¯s a ghost. There¡¯s a ghost.¡± The maid was so frightened that she seemed to be in a daze. She pointed at the wall and said in a trembling voice.

    It was just a wall. The crowds did not think there was anything inside. Some bold people even knocked on it on purpose, but they did not find anything unusual.

    ¡°Nonsense. How dare you talk nonsense. I¡¯ll get the Marchioness to deal with both of youter,¡± one of the madams said angrily.

    ¡°Yes, there¡¯s a ghost. There¡¯s a ghost in the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. She will drag people into the water and kill them.¡± The maid¡¯s hands trembled and she pointed at the wall again. Because of her fear, she became panicky and she spoke incoherently.

    She wanted to say that the Cloud Reflection Courtyard was haunted, and someone had gone missing before. It was said that the Young Lady had drowned in theke.

    ¡°Yan¡¯er!¡± When she heard this, the madam, who could not find her son, became very anxious. She threw herself against the wall and burst into tears. Someone tried to pacify her, and someone came to pull her away. The scene was immediately chaotic.

    The aunt was calm enough. She let the older female servant continue to ask the maid, ¡°Where is the Cloud Reflection Courtyard? There is only a wall here. Where is the Cloud Reflection Courtyard?¡±

    The maid had long been frightened out of her wits. She answered whatever they asked. Then, the older female servant dragged her around the wall and reached the back door of the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. They entered the courtyard, which had been empty for more than half a year. As soon as they entered the courtyard, everyone was shocked by the sight of the ruined and deste courtyard.

    Was this still a courtyard in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? The weeds here were as high as one¡¯s knees. One could tell at a nce that there was no one living here, and no one was maintaining it. Thinking about the wall outside just now, they knew that the courtyard had been hidden on purpose. They wondered if something bad had happened in this yard.

    Everyone hesitated for a moment and stood at the door. No matter what happened, it was a private affair of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Although some of them were Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s seniors, Ning Zu¡¯an was still the leader of the Ning¡¯s n. Moreover, Ning Zu¡¯an was the Lord Protector, and no one couldpare with him.

    The air suddenly became strangely quiet. Everyone looked at each other. For a moment, they did not know whether they should go in or not.

    ¡°Yan¡¯er, it¡¯s Yan¡¯er¡¯s.¡± The madam, who lost her child, suddenly saw a bright shoe beside the lotus pond, not far away. She pushed away the maid who was supporting her and rushed over. When everyone saw that she was already there, they dropped everything and hurriedly followed her.

    His shoe was beside the lotus pond, and there were lotus leaves floating on the surface. They could not see anything. The madam rushed over to grab the shoe and burst into tears. While crying, she also tried to throw herself into the pond. The others around her were very anxious and tried to stop her.

    ¡°Hurry up. Ask the Marquis toe over and get someone to go down and have a look.¡± The aunt was anxious to get someone over. If they did not go down and have a look, how could they ever be assured?

    The two maids who led the way were utterly useless now. They hid behind the maids, shivering and muttering, ¡°Young Lady Ziying, she fell into the lotus pond and died at that time. It must be Young Lady Ziying, who came to capture the soul. It must be her.¡±

    Hearing that, several madams around them looked pale and felt restless. The courtyard did not look like a good ce. Perhaps it was really haunted.

    Hearing that something had happened here, Ning Zu¡¯an rushed over with some male servants. The Lord, whose child was lost, happened to be an official of the Ministry of Justice. He brought some people and several intimate officials with him, and hurried to the Cloud Reflection Courtyard with Ning Zu¡¯an.

    As soon as he saw his wife crying in front of the lotus pond, he did not wait for Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s order. He immediately asked his people to go into the water to see if there was any child.

    As these people dived into the water with sshes, the others were filled with anxiety. If the child had fallen into the pond, he would have died. The dested courtyard had not been maintained for many years. Although the lotus pond was not deep, it would not be shallow either, if the silt had not been dredged for some time. A child was not tall, so he would not be alive.

    Madam Ling also got the news at this time. She stumbled and ran over with her servants.

    When she arrived with her servants, the lotus leaves on the lotus pond had all been cleared. Many people had gone into the water. Only the madam was at the side, crying from time to time.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Why did theye here?¡± Madam Ling looked around and saw the two maids lying on the ground. With a gloomy face, she immediately asked the older female servant to bring them over.

    ¡°First Madam, Young Lady Ziying must be unwilling to stay in... in the lotus pond. She must be pulling people inside.¡± At this time, the maid saw that it was Madam Ling in front of her, and said this urgently.

    ¡°p her in the face!¡± Hearing Ning Ziying¡¯s name, Madam Ling became furious.

    An older female servant came over and pped the maid who was talking, severely. The maid¡¯s mouth was bloodied. She covered her mouth and could not speak.

    Seeing that, the other madams unconsciously kept a distance from Madam Ling. The gloomy Marchioness could not make a good impression on the others now.

    ¡°Skeleton, there are skeletons below.¡± Suddenly, a guard took out a piece of white bone from the lotus pond and shouted, as he stepped into the water.

    ¡°There are dead bodies below, there are two dead bodies.¡± Another person jumped up and said.

    There were two dead bodies down there. Everyone was stunned and turned to Ning Zu¡¯an.

    He had not expected to find two skeletons in the lotus pond. And judging from the situation, things could be severe. But no matter what, since they had discovered the skeletons, they would continue to investigate. Furthermore, the man was an official of the Ministry of Justice. So, he had to investigate into this matter.

    ¡°Come on. Drain the water!¡± Ning Zu¡¯an said in a low voice. There was no emotion on his face.

    All the people immediately came out of the water. All those who were able to help came over. Several ministers, who came from outside, all this amounted to a certain number of people. They all got to work. Soon, they saw the bottom of the pond. The man from the Ministry of Justice had already sent someone to call the coroner over.

    ¡°Yan¡¯er.¡± The madam, who was crying by the lotus pond, was supported by a maid and stood aside. Suddenly, she looked at the door and cried out in surprise.

    No one knew when a boy of three or four years old appeared at the door. He looked inside curiously, and raised his head. When he heard the familiar voice, he hurriedly flung his hands out and said, ¡°Mother!¡±

    ¡°Yan¡¯er, Yan¡¯er!¡± The madam pushed the maid¡¯s hands away and rushed over. She hugged the child and cried sadly. Anyone who suffered this sort of an ordeal, could not possibly be calm. She thought that something terrible had happened to the child, but she did not expect that the child was still alive. How could she not cry with joy?

    The man from the Ministry of Justice could not bear it any longer and ran over. He picked up his son, his eyes turning red.

    ¡°Yan¡¯er, where did you go?¡± The Madam took the child from his father and asked, with tears in her eyes.

    ¡°Mother, don¡¯t cry. Yan¡¯er is fine. I found a beautiful butterfly here, but it flew away. I wanted to find a butterfly for you.¡± The child named Yan¡¯er seemed to be a sensible boy. He reached out to wipe his mother¡¯s tears away, and exined in a childish tone.

    Everyone suddenly realized that the child must have seen a beautiful butterfly, so he chased after it. When they looked at the child¡¯s feet, they secretly rejoiced that he had only lost one of his shoes. Fortunately, the butterfly did not fly over the pond, but ran out of the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. If it had flown near the water, the child might have had an ident.

    ¡°I won¡¯t cry. Yan¡¯er, if you do this next time, please tell me first, understand?¡± When she found her son, the mother also breathed a sigh of relief. So, she had to warn her own child.

    After the pond water was drained, everyone went ashore. The skeletons were not too far away. After removing the thinyer of mud on the surface, they could see two skeletons. The coroner had gone down to check.

    ¡°Lord, the dead was a young woman, less than 18 years old. She seemed to have been beaten when she was alive. Two of her fingers were broken, and the leg bones were also cracked. She had been cruelly beaten before she died. And, the dead young woman was dragged down by a stone. She should have been thrown into the lotus pond and drowned.¡±

    ¡°The other is about the same age. This stone weighed her down and she drowned in the lotus pond.¡±

    The coroner was talking about the two stones which were attached to the two skeletons. They were tied to the bodies with cloth strips and had dropped into the mud in the lotus pond. The two pieces of cloth were almost rotten. It was clear that they had been in the water for a certain period of time. In such a scene, everyone knew that the two people who died in the lotus pond, must have been have been murdered.

    How could one exin about the stones on their backs and the strips of cloth? There were even marks of a severe beating. It was clear that someone abused them first, and then killed them.

    Madam Ling¡¯s face turned totally white. The maids who stood on both sides to support her, could feel her trembling slightly. Suddenly, a trace of panic shed in her eyes. As she bit hard on her lips, a sharp pain immediately sobered her up. It was impossible. She had asked someone to take away the stones tied to the cloths secretly. How could they still be there?

 Chapter 391 - A Past Event

    <h4>Chapter 391 A Past Event</h4>

    Madam Ling had dealt with Ning Ziying herself, so how could she not know about it?

    That night, Ning Ziying was drowned in the lotus pond, but there was no one else in the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. The next day, Madam Ming met with an ident. Madam Ming was called over by the Empress and was punished. When she came back, she did not forget to get someone to rip off the cloth tied to the stone. Even if someone found it, it could be said that Ning Ziying had drowned herself in the lotus pond.

    Originally, Madam Ling nned to retrieve their corpses from the water to be buried after Ning Ziyan got married. But because of Madam Ming¡¯s death and Ning Ziyan¡¯s marriage, Ning Ziying¡¯s death could not be revealed. Therefore, Madam Ling asked people to take Ning Ziying¡¯s clothes and buried them in a ce to avoid any new problems cropping up unexpectedly.

    Anyway, even if someone found Ning Ziying¡¯s body in the lotus pond, it could not proven that it had something to do with her. This was also the reason why Madam Ling was not afraid, even though she felt panicky. But now, what was going on with the two torn cloth strips? How could they still be there?

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t this mean that Ning Ziying¡¯s death was due to unusual circumstances?¡±

    Madam Ling¡¯s eyes were full of panic and fear. She leaned against the maid¡¯s body and did not feel so good. She was so nervous that she almost used all her strength to suppress her trembling. Madam Ling felt that she had never been so scared before. She subconsciously pricked up her ears and listened nervously to the discussion going on around her.

    She was afraid that there would be something rted to her. The scene of Ning Ziying drowning seemed to happen in front of her. Ning Ziying¡¯s ears and nose were covered with blood. Thinking of this, she could not help but shiver. ¡°Did Ning Ziying turn into a ghost to look for me?¡±

    Otherwise, how could one exin about the two strips of cloth?

    ¡°Mother, was...was Sister Ziying murdered by someone?¡± A soft sigh sounded in Madam Ling¡¯s ear. It sounded as gentle as a feather, but now it sounded like a huge crash of thunder in Madam Ling¡¯s ears. She could not suppress her panic and subconsciously screamed.

    ¡°No, she did not drown. Absolutely not!¡±

    Everyone turned around and looked at the Marchioness in surprise. Their eyes were filled with suspicion.

    ¡°Mother, what¡¯s wrong with you? Did you get a shock?¡± Ning Xueyan asked softly, after a long pause, as if she was also shocked.

    Madam Ling saw that everyone was looking at her. She immediately came to her senses and looked around gloomily. Then she looked at Ning Xueyan with a trace of hatred in her eyes. But she quickly suppressed it and said in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s all right. I was frightened just now.¡±

    ¡°Mother, since you¡¯re scared, I¡¯ll send you back to rest,¡± Ning Xueyan said with a smile. Then she turned around and walked over to Ning Zu¡¯an. She looked at Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s sullen face and bowed to him, saying, ¡°Father, Mother is frightened. Moreover, she has not recovered yet. Can I send her back?¡±

    Ning Zu¡¯an, who was angry at Madam Ling¡¯s gaffe, intended to ask Madam Ling to go back. After hearing Ning Xueyan¡¯s words, he nodded at once. He looked at Madam Ling¡¯s show of calmness and red coldly at her. Then he turned around and went back to the river bank.

    ¡°Mother, let¡¯s go back. Don¡¯t be afraid. Sister Ziying will only seek revenge on her enemy. It has nothing to do with us!¡± Seeing that Ning Zu¡¯an agreed, Ning Xueyan reached out to help Madam Ling up andforted her softly.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s words made Madam Ling tremble and she almost tripped over. The skin on her face twitched twice, and she suppressed the fear in her heart. ¡°No, it¡¯s impossible. Ning Ziying is dead. She could note back to take her revenge on me. At that time, she had not been aware. If she had given up the engagement, maybe I would have given way to her.¡±

    ¡°Ning Ziying was seeking her own death. It had nothing to do with me. Moreover, I was not the one who drowned her in the end. Even if she wanted to seek revenge, she should look for those servants. It had nothing to do with me.¡±

    At this time, Madam Ling¡¯s mind was filled with images of Ning Ziying, so she did not dare to stay. She subconsciously remembered the rumors that she had heard in the manor. In the past, she did not care about them at all. She only thought they were nonsense and threatened the servants who gossiped. But now, she felt cold all over and scared.

    It could not happen, but it happened. It meant that Ning Ziying hade to take revenge on her. Thinking of this, she was afraid.

    Seeing that Madam Ling was frightened and holding on to the Fifth Young Lady¡¯s hands, many people had some doubts in their eyes. They had heard that the Marchioness was a scheming woman. She had forced all the concubines in the manor obey her orders. She was a domineering person.

    Why did she be like this when she had just fallen ill? As the proverb says, ¡°Diseasese on horseback, but go away on foot.¡± There might be other reasons. The servants could not have built such a weird wall.

    In this joyful day, such a thing happened in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Two skeletons were found in the backyard. They died on the night before the Eldest Sister got married. It seemed that it was not what the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had said previously, that she drowned by jumping into the lotus pond.

    It was clear that she had been beaten to death by someone and thrown into the lotus pond.

    Ning Ziying¡¯s identity was revealed. She was a member of the Ning family in the regions south of the Yangtze River. She had been born in a rich and influential family. Butter, her parents died, so she was taken into the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Then, she stayed in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor for three years. At the beginning, she had been living well. However, she suddenly had an ident.

    Madam Ling did it in a very secretive way. Although they knew Ning Ziying¡¯s death was wrong, no one had evidence to prove that Madam Ling did it. As for the wall, she asked people to build it because she was afraid of being haunted after Ning Ziying¡¯s death.

    However, the matter was still under investigation, so it could not be exined for a while. The worship of ancestors was naturally put aside. After such a big thing happened, no one was willing to worship the ancestors. They let Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan make a hurried kowtow and then the matter would be temporarily settled.

    Those nsmen, who were afraid of getting into trouble, returned to their homes without even having a banquet. This case was taken over by the yamen of the Ministry of Justice, and they nned to continue with the investigation. The Ministry of Justice also closed off the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. Although they did not find out who the murderer was, it was likely that the murderer was from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. The rumors were spread far and wide.

    A woman who lived in the backyard, under other people¡¯s roof and seldom went out, could not have been enemies with others. She had been beaten to death. Coincidentally, she died at about the same time as Madam Ming. The most important thing was that it happened on the night before Ning Ziyan got married.

    It was hard to exin what had happened here, so rumors about the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was rampant in the capital city. Someone said that Madam Ling, the Marchioness of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, had done it. Someone said that Ning Ziyan was jealous of Ning Ziying¡¯s beauty. Someone even said that Ning Ziyan¡¯s marriage was cursed, so this matter was rted to Xia Yuhang.

    Anyway, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had to be involved in this matter.

    ¡°Young Lady, can¡¯t you prove that First Madam did that to Young Lady Ziying?¡± In the Bright Frost Garden, Lanning asked angrily.

    ¡°There is no evidence. Although she is a key suspect, the victim is already dead. Even if the Ministry of Justice will investigate into Ning Ziying¡¯s death, they won¡¯t do anything to Madam Ling.¡± With a slender finger hooked on the handle of the cup, and another finger gently ying with the smooth surface of the cup, Ning Xueyan showed a trace of coldness at the corners of her mouth.

    ¡°Did Young Lady Ziying die for nothing? I... I...¡± Lanning¡¯s eyes turned red. She had been suspicious about the cause of Young Lady Ziying¡¯s death. When she heard that Young Lady Ziying had been drowned to death after being beaten, she could not hold back her anger.

    ¡°Do you want to notify the local government? You can be the witness as you were Sister Ziying¡¯s old maid. You can lodge an usation against Ning Ziyan and Xia Yuhang.¡± Ning Xueyan raised her head, and her jet-ck eyes were as cold as ice. ¡°Do you think that you can make Madam Ling and Ning Ziyan admit their wrongdoings?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t I? I¡¯ll avenge Young Lady Ziying, even if I have to make a sacrifice.¡± Lanning, who had always been calm, had an excited look on her face. Anyone who saw their former master die so miserably would not be able to bear it.

    A mocking smile appeared on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face. ¡°Lanning, your life, Madam Ling¡¯s life, Ning Ziying, and even the Xia Manor are all involved. Do you think that you have a chance to tell them about this in public?¡±

    ¡°But... Do we just let it go and let those murderers slip away like this?¡± Lanning clenched her fists. She knew that her Young Lady was telling the truth, but she was unwilling to give up. Tears rolled down her face. How could Young Lady Ziying, who was so gentle and kind, be killed by others?

    ¡°Lanning, perhaps there was some evidence in front of you.¡± Ning Xueyan said coldly. A trace of malice shed in her eyes. Not to mention Lanning, how could she be willing to give in so easily? She could not get revenge immediately, but it did not mean that she could not do it in the future. She would make Madam Ling lose everything.

    To repay blood with blood, and a tooth for a tooth.

    In the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard, Madam Ling was lying on the bed, trembling. She was covered with two quilts, but she still felt cold. She clutched the quilt with both hands.

    ¡°Marquis!¡± She heard Mother Chen¡¯s voice from outside, and then a cry of surprise. It seemed that something had fallen to the ground. Madam Ling subconsciously opened her eyes and saw Ning Zu¡¯an striding furiously toward her. He pulled off her quilt and dragged her out of bed.

    Before Madam Ling could react, Ning Zu¡¯an pped her severely. She hit the edge of the bed, and blood immediately dripped from her forehead.

    ¡°Mar...marquis!¡± Madam Ling cried sadly.

    ¡°Bitch, look at what you¡¯ve done!¡± Ning Zu¡¯an stared at Madam Ling coldly as if he was going to carve out a piece of meat from Madam Ling¡¯s face. His fierce eyes made Madam Ling shrink. She had never seen him looking so ferocious ever since she followed Ning Zu¡¯an.

    ¡°Marquis... I... I didn¡¯t do this for... for...¡± Madam Ling trembled.

    ¡°Shut up, b*tch! It¡¯s all because of your selfishness. Don¡¯t me others!¡± Ning Zu¡¯an ranted at her, the blue veins popping out on his forehead. He kicked her in the chest so hard that Madam Ling only managed to hold her breath and fainted directly.

 Chapter 392 - Sounding out, Ning Huaiyuanâ€™s Suspicion

    <h4>Chapter 392 Sounding out, Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s Suspicion</h4>

    Although it was already spring, it rained in the evening, so the weather was cold. In the evening, all the courtyards closed their doors early. What happened in the backyard had already been spread throughout the manor. Now, not only was Madam Ling ill, but Madam Dowager was sick too.

    Coupled with the cold rain, all the people in the mansion felt that the atmosphere felt eerie and their hearts were chilled.

    Ning Huaiyuan stopped Ning Xueyan, who had juste back from Madam Dowager¡¯s ce. His face was sullen, and his eyes were fixed on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face, with a cold andplex expression.

    Ning Xueyan stood still and pulled Lanning, who was in front of her, behind her. She raised her eyebrows and looked at Ning Huaiyuan with her jet-ck, jade-like eyes. She did not attempt to avoid him. This was the first time she had seen him since thest time they met.

    ¡°You nned this, didn¡¯t you?¡± Ning Huaiyuan went straight to the point and said, ¡°What¡¯s the hatred between you and Second Sister? You ruined her intentionally.¡±

    Ning Huaiyuan had no evidence of this matter. But after the incident, he asked Ning Yuling about it. Ning Yuling told him that she had nned to frame Ning Xueyan, but nothing happened to Ning Xueyan. Instead, something terrible happened to her, especially the clothes. It was said that the clothes had been sent to Ning Xueyan¡¯s Bright Frost Garden first, and then to Ning Yuling.

    Considering these points, he knew that Ning Xueyan must have something to do with this matter. Moreover, he had his suspicions about what happened to Junior Concubine Xu, as well.

    Junior Concubine Xu had said that those little cloth dolls were buried in Ning Xueyan¡¯s courtyard, but they were discovered at Junior Concubine Xu¡¯s ce in the end. If no one was involved with them, then he could not figure it out. These two things had ended in the same way. How could Ning Huaiyuan not suspect Ning Xueyan?

    However, the witchcraft involved a lot, and Ning Huaiyuan could not detach himself from it, so he naturally talked about Ning Yuling¡¯s incident.

    Ning Xueyan did not answer. She gave Ning Huaiyuan a strange look. After a while, she smiled in a slightly ironical way. ¡°Eldest Brother, are you trying to say that Ning Yuling is innocent? Or should I be the one to suffer this unexpected disaster? Ning Yuling was the one who suffered that instead. So, I¡¯m the biggest culprit. Eldest Brother, are you here to make a punitive case against me?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. Don¡¯t you have a responsibility regarding Second Sister¡¯s incident?¡± Ning Huaiyuan could not answer. How could Ning Yuling be innocent? If she was innocent, she would not have done such a thing. He knew that Ning Yuling wanted to destroy Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Since you did not mean that, you don¡¯t have to ask me. There were more than a thousand people present at that time, and what they saw were no less than what I saw. As for Ning Yuling¡¯s incident, what do you want me to do? To show my sisterhood or to soothe her wounded heart? When you talked about the sisterhood, I wondered if it¡¯s the same sisterhood that almost made me lose my life several times, and even mom was injured.¡±

    Ning Xueyan sneered with a faint smile on her face. She did not know why Ning Huaiyuan med her. Outsiders did not know how Ning Yuling treated her, but everyone in the manor knew. If she had not been so lucky when she was a child, she would have died a long time ago.

    It was the most ridiculous thing in the world that Ning Yuling, who had tried to force her to die, even wanted her to show her sisterly ties.

    ¡°She was too young to know any better,¡± Ning Huaiyuan said, feeling a little embarrassed. Everyone in the manor had seen how Ning Yuling treated Ning Xueyan, but no one tried to stop her. In the past, they did not think it was a big deal, because she was a weak girl. But now, after Ning Xueyan showed her powerful means, they found that the weak girl was different from before.

    ¡°Ning Yuling was too young, so she could do such things over and over again. She asked the servants to beat me, humiliate me, and forced me to die. All the people in the manor are too young too, and have seen her trying to hasten my death? It turns out that I was wrong. Everyone in the manor is a viin.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled, and her smile was as cold as an old well.

    ¡°Ning Xueyan, don¡¯t go too far... Aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll tell my father about all these things?¡± Ning Huaiyuan threatened her in anger. He immediately lost hisposure after hearing Ning Xueyan¡¯s words.

    ¡°These things? What are you talking about? Do you have evidence that I did all these things? Did I ask Madam Ling and Ning Ziyan to steal Xia Yuhang¡¯s marriage and kill Ning Ziying?¡±

    Hearing that Ning Huaiyuan dared to threaten her, Ning Xueyan¡¯s smiling face suddenly darkened and she replied coldly to him.

    ¡°Nonsense!¡± Ning Huaiyuan snapped at her in a panic. Although he was not clear about Ning Ziying¡¯s death, he knew that Ning Xueyan was telling the truth. He was clear about the manor¡¯s ns, Ning Ziyan¡¯s ns, and Xia Yuhang¡¯s affairs. Sometimes, he even created opportunities to bring them together.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t they looking into it? Eldest Brother, some things can be investigated into without producing any evidence,¡± Ning Xueyan said with a soft smile. After that, she ignored theplicated look on Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s face and went to the Bright Frost Garden with Lanning.

    After walking for a while, Ning Huaiyuan could not seen from a distance. Lanning asked, ¡°Young Lady, what does the Eldest Young Master mean? To seek justice for the Second Young Lady?¡±

    Ning Xueyan smiled slightly and said, ¡°Justice? Now it¡¯s the fairest way. He¡¯s here to sound out the truth.¡±

    The reason why Ning Huaiyuan stopped her on purpose was not only because of this groundless thing. Except for Ning Yuling herself, he could not tell who would want to hurt her too. Even Ning Yuling herself, at most, was wondering why Ning Xueyan¡¯s clothes were not ripped off, but were only torn instead.

    As for the other things, no one could find out.

    ¡°Why does the Eldest Young Master want to know? Is he suspicious about all those happenings? Then why did you say that you knew about Young Lady Ziying¡¯s matter?¡± Lanning asked worriedly.

    ¡°Since he¡¯s suspicious, let¡¯s make him even more suspicious.¡± Ning Xueyan snorted and had a cold smile on her face. He wanted to find some evidence from her, that she had something to do with these things. Ning Huaiyuan was dreaming. The episode about Junior Concubine Xu¡¯s witchcraft and Ning Yuling¡¯s frightened horse, should be the things that Ning Huaiyuan suspected about her most.

    It was impossible for Ning Huaiyuan to know that she was the reborn Ning Ziying. When Ning Ziying entered the manor, Ning Xueyan was already in seclusion in the Bright Frost Garden. So, she did not know what had happened. However, she knew that they had tried their best to cover it up.

    If she said this at this time, it would disrupt Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s thoughts. No matter how imaginative he was, it was impossible for him to know that she was Ning Ziying. Such an impossible thing had happened, which only made Ning Huaiyuan more confused about who had set up the trap.

    She did not need to pretend to be close to Ning Yuling anymore. After all, everyone in the manor knew how Ning Yuling treated her.

    In the past, maybe Madam Dowager would punish her because she was not close to Ning Yuling. But now, Madam Dowager would feel better if Ning Yuling were dead.

    Night fell, and lights were lit everywhere in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. However, because of what happened during the day, the lights in all the courtyards were flickering.

    The lights in the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard were also on, and the lights were bright. Madam Ling was sleeping on the bed, still in a daze. After she was kicked by Ning Zu¡¯an and roused by Mother Chen, she had fallen into a light sleep. When Mother Chen retreated, she wanted to blow out the lights. However, she did not let Mother Chen blow out the lights.

    Mother Chen had to leave. Madam Ling was half-asleep and woke up with a start, from time to time. In her dream, Ning Ziying appeared with blood all over her body, and her hair was disheveled.

    Suddenly, she awoke from her dream. She opened her eyes and saw a pair of big ck eyes in front of her. Any average person could not have such ck and erged eyes. And the eyes were iid on a white face that was totally devoid of blood. However, the corners of the mouth were bloodstained, and a rivulet of bright red blood dripped from her face, and the atmosphere was icy cold.

    A ghostly face appeared, wearing a fluttering white linen dress. There were blood-stained marks on the linen garment. The faint sound seemed to be in her ears, yet at the same time, it appeared to be distant. ¡°First Madam, I¡¯m here to look for you. I was wronged!¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡± Madam Ling screamed miserably. She suddenly sat up and shrank to the corner of the bed. Then she waved her hands wildly and said, ¡°It¡¯s not me. Don¡¯t look for me. It¡¯s Xia Manor. They wanted to marry Yan¡¯er. It¡¯s none of my business. Don¡¯t look for me.¡±

    The ghost drifting in front of her suddenly chuckled. Madam Ling even felt the breeze as the ghost came toward her. She had never felt so terrified. She was so scared, it felt as if all her flesh and blood would be blown up.

    Her heart seemed to be wrapped by something. A bloodthirsty chill rushed through her bones. She waved her hands unconsciously and screamed hysterically.

    ¡°First Madam, First Madam.¡± The door was mmed open. Mother Chen rushed in and hurried to help her.

    ¡°Where... where did she go?¡± Mother Chen grabbed Madam Ling¡¯s hand. She opened her eyes dazedly and looked at the sky, with a trace of madness.

    ¡°First Madam, what are you looking for? There¡¯s nothing.¡± Mother Chen shook her hand and tried to wake her up.

    ¡°She¡¯s here! She¡¯s asking for her life! She¡¯s here!¡± Madam Ling looked at the sky nkly. Her whole body was twitching in Mother Chen¡¯s hands.

    ¡°First Madam, you¡¯re dreaming. It¡¯s not true. It¡¯s just a dream.¡± Seeing the situation, Mother Chen hurriedly shook Madam Ling¡¯s body again and said.

    ¡°Dreaming?¡± Madam Ling came to her senses. She rolled her eyes and turned to Mother Chen.

    ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s just a dream, it¡¯s not true!¡± Seeing that she was finally fully awake Mother Chen breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly reassured her.

    ¡°It was just a dream. It¡¯s not true. It¡¯s not true.¡± As soon as Madam Ling finished speaking, she fell back and fainted.

 Chapter 393 - I Will Make It Follow the Rules

    <h4>Chapter 393 I Will Make It Follow the Rules</h4>

    After such a bizarre urrence, the atmosphere in the whole Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was very depressing. All the servants were trembling with fear. They were afraid that if they were not careful, they would make their masters angry and get themselves killed.

    The news that an orphan girl had been tortured to death in the backyard of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor spread very quickly. Everyone was concerned about this matter. But there was another thing that had quietly started. Prince Yi¡¯s, the Third Prince¡¯s, and the Fourth Prince¡¯s marriage partners had already been settled. Then, they needed to go through the preparation process.

    In order to show that Prince Yi was different from the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince, Prince Yi¡¯s marriage would be held one month earlier than that of the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince. Prince Yi would get married immediately. However, the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince had to get married after one month. His two nephews could only get married after Prince Yi got married.

    Whether it was in terms of seniority or status, this was reasonable. After discussing these processes in the court, they were ready to send gifts to the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor.

    For some unknown reasons, Prince Yi¡¯s gifts had not been sent out yet. Boasting about his sister, who was about to be Prince Yi¡¯s consort, a cousin of Commandery Princess Xianyun showed off in front of others. While drinking and eating at a girlie restaurant, he fought with a guy, and he beat that guy to death on the spot.

    Initially, as long as the other party did not pursue the matter, it would be fine. However, the other party did not take this lightly. The dead man was rted to an imperial concubine. By the time the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor found about this matter, something had already happened in the imperial court. The imperial concubine cried in front of the imperial study and said that her family had only this one son for several generations in a patrilineal line of descent.

    The emperor was furious and sent people to summon Lord Peace and Prince Yi. Lord Peace came soon. However, the eunuch, who went to call Prince Yi, came back and reported that he could not find him, because Prince Yi was dealing with the rebellion in Annan State outside. The people of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor made an apology to the emperor and said that they would ask him toe to the pce after they found the Prince.

    Since the new dynasty had just been established for more than ten years, most ces had already been conquered, but Annan had always been a big threat to them. Initially, Annan had turned traitor and had gone over to the new dynasty. To subdue them at that time, the former emperor appointed the three kings of Annan, and then they surrendered.

    Unexpectedly, when thete emperor passed away, the Annan State became restless. These days, it seemed that they had secretly wanted to be independent and mightunch a rebellion. More than a decade ago, the former dynasty was wiped out. Many treasures were destroyed in the fire, and then the pce was rebuilt. The national treasury was empty, so it was tough to take action at this time. Therefore, the emperor adopted a conciliatory policy and wanted to offer amnesty and enlistment to the rebels.

    Most of these things were now under Prince Yi¡¯s control. Compared with that, the fight between yboys was indeed a minor issue. Moreover, it was not rted to Ao Chenyi. After all, Commandery Princess Xianyun was not his consort yet.

    The emperor wanted to pass the problem onto Ao Chenyi, but he could note up with an excuse. He was still not in the manor, and the servants in the mansion said that he had gone out to settle some matters, so they were unable to locate him at this time. In desperation, the emperor could only suppress his anger and deal with this matter himself, with a cold face.

    Ao Chenyi was indeed not in the manor at this time. His courtyard was not big, which was the ce he had arranged for Ning Xueyan.

    Ning Xueyan had been ¡°invited¡± by him again.

    There was a flower shelf hanging in the middle of the courtyard, which was full of blooming roses. Clusters of light blue flowers were scattered among the flowers. Some of them trailed down, which made them look very eye-catching.

    Under the flower shelf, Ao Chenyi leaned against a couch,zily basking in the sun. He nced at Ning Xueyan, who was sitting next to him, with a smile on his handsome face.

    ¡°How about your dowry? In three months, it will be time for the wedding. Don¡¯t bete.¡± The drawling voice, coupled with his leisurely appearance, made it hard for people to believe that this was Prince Yi, who was so busy that he did not even have time to go to the imperial pce.

    ¡°Prince Yi, three monthster, it will be your wedding day.¡± Ning Xueyan reminded him helplessly. She did not know why he was so persistent. He summoned her here early in the morning just to tell her about it. It was so dull.

    ¡°I know. I want you to know so you can tell me what you need.¡± Ao Chenyi nodded freely, as if he had not seen the grievance on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face. He narrowed his long and narrow eyes, and seemed to be in a good mood.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She quickly avoided his beautiful eyes and asked, ¡°Prince Yi, what do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Yan¡¯er, don¡¯t you understand what I mean?¡± Ao Chenyizily raised his eyebrows and looked at her with interest.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Ning Xueyan said quickly.

    ¡°Since you don¡¯t understand, I¡¯ll make it clear that I want to marry you and the Commandery Princess Xianyun at the same time.¡± Ao Chenyi seemed to be dissatisfied with Ning Xueyan¡¯s pretense, and his voice was filled with coldness.

    ¡°What?¡± Ning Xueyan was shocked and suddenly raised her head.

    It was the first time that one married a consort and a co-consort together. It had never happened before. Usually, one married the consort first, and then married the co-consort. When did one ever marry them together?

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Aren¡¯t you satisfied?¡± Ao Chenyi raised his eyebrows, as if he was challenging her.

    ¡°I... I¡¯m not. But Prince Yi, it¡¯s against the rules.¡± Ning Xueyan instinctively wanted to resist, but when she saw the coldness in his eyes, she had to lower her voice.

    ¡°Rules? Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll let it be ording to the rules. This time, I am just informing you and might ask you to perform another y acting by the way. After all, you¡¯re my favorite concubine, but you have not shown up in public for a long time. Others may think that you¡¯ve fallen into disfavor.¡± Ao Chenyi had a domineering look on his handsome face.

    Talking about his favorite concubine, she had not yed that role for a long time. Ao Chenyi found a garden here to serve as her transfer station in order to prevent her from being noticed, when she came out of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. However, it seemed that she had not been using it for some time already.

    This ce was empty. This should be different from Ao Chenyi¡¯s original n! Was he doing this to show that he had changed his mind?

    ¡°Prince Yi, should I put on an act for the Third Prince this time?¡± Ning Xueyan collected her thoughts uneasily and raised her head, trying hard to maintain her calmness.

    ¡°No, of course not. I¡¯m going to get married this time, and I don¡¯t have time to y with Ao Mingyu.¡± Ao Chenyi shook his head with a cold smile on his face. He suddenly turned to look at Ning Xueyan and stared at her. Ning Xueyan became more and more ufortable. She bit her lip, but did not know what to say next.

    ¡°Yan¡¯er, why don¡¯t you tell me what happened at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor recently?¡± As expected, Ao Chenyi asked about the incident that had happened in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. The most important thing should be about that incident in the Cloud Reflection Courtyard.

    ¡°Prince Yi, Sister Ziying died due to injustice.¡± Ning Xueyan gritted her teeth and suddenly raised her head to face Ao Chenyi. Her eyes turned red for no reason.

    She knew that she should give a more detailed exnation, but this was her secret. She was not willing to share this secret with anyone. Her rebirth was strange and inexplicable. She did not want others to treat her as a monster. But would Ao Chenyi, the cold-blooded Prince Yi, believe her?

    ¡°So, you¡¯re helping her to take revenge?¡± Ao Chenyi raised his eyebrows. He did not intend to ask her how she knew about it but asked her this.

    After a moment of hesitation, Ning Xueyan bit her lip and nodded. She said seriously, ¡°I¡¯m also helping myself.¡±

    She was indeed helping herself. She had always been helping herself. She could only help herself. She had no parents to protect her. She came out of self-istion and weakness. She took on a new lease of life and struggled to survive. She had no choice, but to resort to scheming, because she was weak. She had to risk danger, due to desperation.

    However, even if it was not the case, so what?

    ¡°I¡¯ll help you in the future,¡± Ao Chenyi saidzily and casually. His eyes were as gentle as drifting clouds. Her words were not clear, but he did not ask her why. He was so shrewd that he should know that it was a pretext. However, he did not ask her in his usual aggressive manner, which was different from his usual cold and fierce look.

    As a lump came into her throat, she could not help biting her pale lips. A faint fog appeared in her dark jade-like eyes. A trace of sadness that she could not control surged up in her heart. Even though she was trying hard to suppress it, she could not contain it. Moreover, it was as if there was a force that surged from her heart.

    Ning Xueyan turned her head subconsciously and felt wronged. Suddenly, her hand was caught, and a strong force pushed her forward uncontrobly, which made her fall into a firm embrace. She lowered her head and knocked into the chin of the person in front of her.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why are you crying?¡± Ao Chenyi sat up straight and asked in surprise, as he looked at the girl in his arms, who was trying hard to hold back her sadness. Her eyes were red with sorrow and grievance, and a trace of profoundness shed in her eyes.

    Ning Xueyan did not speak, but lowered her head and allowed herself to lie stiffly in Ao Chenyi¡¯s arms. She pursed her lips and subconsciously clenched her fists. She was filled with fear. In Ning Xueyan¡¯s memory, Xia Yuhang seemed to have said something like that as well. But his voice sounded much softer than that of Ao Chenyi.

    However, the man who spoke in such a soft voice was so relentless in the end, and his hands were stained with her blood.

    The person in front of her was not him, but Ao Chenyi, the bloodthirsty prince, who was said to be the Asura. His voice was always cold, which seemed to emit chills all the time. However, when he said these words, it made her feel that he was different from Xia Yuhang.

    They were not the same. They were different!

    After Ning Ziyan had that illicit affair with Xia Yuhang, they framed Ning Ziying, by proving that she was having an affair with someone else. Xia Yuhang watched Madam Ling and her daughter humiliate Ning Ziying and drowned her in the lotus pond. Both his gentleness and his love for Ning Ziyan were goal-directed. In the end, everything became what Ning Ziying saw through the bloodied water in the lotus pond.

    Tears slid down silently. No matter how strong she was, at this time, all she wanted was to find a firm embrace. After her rebirth, she was treading on thin ice. She had been careful about other people¡¯s ns. She had no choice, but to rely on others. She had never thought that someone would do this for her.

 Chapter 394 - Both the Consort and the Co-consort are Princesses, Right?

    <h4>Chapter 394 Both the Consort and the Co-consort are Princesses, Right?</h4>

    In her previous life, Xia Yuhang had uttered some words of affection. Simply to make one point clear, he would have stated ten points to her.

    But now, he had done a lot, by only saying a little.

    She did not deliberately pretend to be stupid, but she did not dare to ept it. But at this moment, she did not know, and she just wanted to cry. All she wanted to do was to pour out all the grievances and concerns in her heart. She felt inexplicably guilty.

    He seemed to be stunned by her sudden sadness, and then he took his hand off her waist. He touched her back with some unskillful tenderness, as if he was afraid of scaring her. He was so gentle, not as cold as usual, and this made her cry even more.

    ¡°Okay, don¡¯t cry. If you continue to cry, your maid will think that I am bullying you.¡± He even said that in a helpless voice, which was beyond her expectation. However, for some reason, her tears could not stop flowing, as if she was expunging all the injustices and grievances she had suffered before.

    At this time, she did not even care about Lanning standing beside her, but was blindly immersed in her sadness.

    ¡°Do you want me to bring you to exterminate the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?¡± The helpless voice suddenly had a trace of hostility in it. Hezily hooked a strand of hair around Ning Xueyan¡¯s ear with his slender fingers.

    Ning Xueyan gradually stopped crying and wiped her tears away with a handkerchief. She did not know how to deal with it for a moment. She lowered her head, and her beautiful eyes were red under her long eyshes. She had cried for no reason, and even she herself did not know what was in her mind.

    ¡°Let your maid wipe your face!¡± Ao Chenyi stood up and pulled her up, with a trace of coldness slipping unconsciously through his dark eyes.

    ¡°Young Lady, let me take you to wash your face.¡± Lanning was scared. Seeing Ning Xueyan getting up, she helped her walk to the house.

    This time, Ning Xueyan came out by using the excuse of going shopping. After the imperial edict was given, Madam Dowager ordered the people in the manor to provide all conveniences for her and Ning Qingshan. They could go out anytime, and they did not need to wait for instructions.

    As soon as Ning Xueyan entered the room, she saw the eunuching in with hot water. He said to Lanning with a smile, ¡°Prince Yi told me that it¡¯s still cold now. Don¡¯t wash with cold water.¡±

    Lanning took it obediently. Ning Xueyan lowered her head and wrung the handkerchief in her hands a few times. She bit her lip and almost could not hold it back.

    She did not know why she was so prone to tears today.

    After washing her face and redoing her make up, Ning Xueyan sat down under the rose shelf again. She lowered her head and put her delicate fingers around a handkerchief. She was speechless for a moment.

    ¡°How can your eyes be so swollen after crying? People who know the truth may think that I¡¯m talking about our wedding, but those who don¡¯t know may think that I¡¯m forcing you into this marriage,¡± Ao Chenyi said with a faint smile. He was still leaning against the couch, with his lips curled. His long eyshes fluttered, and he said this with a spurious smile.

    ¡°Prince Yi, please don¡¯tugh at me!¡± Ning Xueyan was a little embarrassed, and blinked her beautiful eyes.

    Ao Chenyi looked carefully at Ning Xueyan and suddenly said with a serious look, ¡°I won¡¯tugh. But this is good. I won¡¯t cover it up for you for a while. It¡¯s the right time to cry.¡±

    Ning Xueyan raised her head in surprise and looked into Ao Chenyi¡¯s eyes, which looked like he was trying to y tricks on her.

    ¡°Prince Yi, do you mean that it¡¯s necessary as part of the act?¡± Ning Xueyan could not say it out loud, but she still said it seriously, with no expression on her face. Her pale face gradually turned red under Ao Chenyi¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯ve prepared the balsamine juice for you. Now it seems that you don¡¯t need it anymore,¡± Ao Chenyi saidzily.

    ¡°Do you really need it?¡± Ning Xueyan asked seriously.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Will it make people misunderstand?¡± Ning Xueyan was worried.

    Ao Chenyi nced at Ning Xueyan and asked with a smile, ¡°No. Except for the people of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, no one will misunderstand. Will everything be all right when you go back to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manorter?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Ning Xueyan shook her head. She would say that she was thinking about Madam Ming. Anyway, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was in a mess now, and no one would care about her. If Ning Qingshan and the others knew about this, maybe they would be happy! Madam Dowager would not ask about this kind of thing at all.

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s go together!¡± Ao Chenyi stood up and stretched out his hand naturally. He wrapped his arm around her slender waist and walked out with her in his arms.

    The carriage was parked at the back door. It was not his incredibly gorgeous carriage, which highlighted his noble status. He arrived without pomp today.

    Ning Xueyan would pretend to be Ao Chenyi¡¯s favorite concubine, so Lanning could not follow them, but stayed in the courtyard.

    Although it was not that carriage, it was still very spacious. Ao Chenyi¡¯s favorite bed was ced in it. When Ao Chenyi went in, he habitually leaned against it, but he still held Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand. So, he pulled her up with his hand.

    He used to do this in the past. Ning Xueyan knew that it was part of the deal. Whether she liked it or not, she had to bear it. She had never resisted his actions. Since it was a deal, he had helped her several times, so she should not have a psychological barrier.

    But it seemed that after she shed tears just now, some things had changed inexplicably!

    Although her body was still tense, she was no longer so resistant but quietly let him hug her. She did not want to say anything, but he was not indifferent to her as usual. He did nothing, but held her in his arms quietly, without showing signs of his inconceivable ruthlessness like before.

    On the way, the carriage stopped. They transferred to his wide, luxurious carriage embroidered with the red Manjusaka. In the carriage, Ning Xueyan was sitting at the side. Ao Chenyi picked up a gauze kerchief next to him and wrapped it around her face. Her face was covered, and only a pair of red and swollen eyes could be seen. It was evident that her eyes were red with weeping.

    Ao Chenyi slightly lowered his head and looked at her dress with a yful look. Suddenly, he reached out and pulled out a few strands of hair around her ear. Then, he pped his hands with satisfaction and said, ¡°Okay, that¡¯s enough.¡±

    ¡°Prince Yi, are you going to meet Commandery Princess Xianyun?¡± Ning Xueyan wanted to know who the person she would be meeting, so she asked in surprise. She had not dressed like that when she went to meet the Third Prince.

    Ao Chenyi noddedzily. ¡°When you see herter, you can cry about your grievance, and you don¡¯t have to bother about her.¡±

    ¡°Princess Xianyun is in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor?¡± Ning Xueyan asked in confusion. Didn¡¯t they say that an unmarried couple was not allowed to meet before the wedding? Commandery Princess Xianyun was such a well-educated and polite youngdy. How could she not know about this kind of etiquette, but came to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor? She blinked her shimmery eyes, looking a little confused.

    ¡°Something happened in the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor?¡±

    Except for this, there seemed to be no other reason.

    ¡°Oh, a trifle thing happened in the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor. Commandery Princess Xianyun wants me to help,¡± Ao Chenyi said with a smile. After he let go of Ning Xueyan, he leaned back with a trace of coldness in his long and narrow eyes.

    ¡°Prince Yi, can you tell me more about it?¡± Ning Xueyan asked. Was it just a trifle thing? It could not just be a trifling thing. If so, how could Commandery Princess Xianyun, who looked calm,e to the Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, disregarding the rules?

    Ao Chenyi stared at her face with coldness in his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s about a storm of jealousy. Do you want to listen to it?¡±

    ¡°Prince Yi, I have to know the cause and effect of the matter. Otherwise, how can I put on a show?¡± Ning Xueyan said discontentedly. She bit her light-colored lips. Inadvertently, she felt embarrassed about her crying again.

    ¡°It does not matter. You just need to act coquettishlyter. I love it,¡± Ao Chenyi said matter-of-factly. However, Ning Xueyan could not help, but grit her teeth secretly. Everyone in the capital knew that Prince Yi was the one who did not show any mercy to women. It was said that he had beheaded nine of the beauties.

    ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯re well-known for your tenderness toward women.¡± She was gritting her back teeth and said it, word by word.

    ¡°Well, it is good that you know that!¡± He proudly answered, as if it was the truth. Ning Xueyan could not help ring at him.

    He dared to say that. When she acted with himst time, he had beheaded the beauties who were sent by the emperor. At that time, he did not show any mercy and chopped off the beauties¡¯ hands.

    ¡°Are you jealous?¡± Her look pleased Ao Chenyi. He suddenly approached her with a smile on his handsome face.

    ¡°No!¡± Ning Xueyan said tly. She turned her head to avoid his warm breath. It was a reasonable sentence, but somehow her face burned again. How could she be jealous? She wanted to know the situation. No matter what Commandery Princess Xianyun would do next, she had to cooperate.

    ¡°Prince Yi, are you suggesting that I should show that I¡¯m jealous?¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s heart began to beat fast, so she changed the topic. She thought it would be terrible if they continued to talk about it.

    Everything that happened to her today seemed to be abnormal. She did not know if it was because she cried without reason, but she did not speak as freely as she used to do.

    Ao Chenyi nced at Ning Xueyan evilly, raised his head, leaned back, and said meaningfully, ¡°Well, this is the best. I must spoil my favorite concubine. Even a legal wife can¡¯t find favor with me.¡±

    That was to say, she should try her best to be jealous, and this jealousy must be strong enough.

    ¡°You¡¯d better cooperate with my co-consort to deal with her. Both the consort and the co-consort are princesses, right? Nobody knows who will be the legal one?¡± The cold voice, which sounded good, made Ning Xueyan feel confused.

    This Asura King, who was always arrogant, encouraged the women in his backyard to fight. Could it be that he was a pervert who enjoyed seeing women fighting?

    ¡°Prince Yi, you want to see me deal with others, or you like to watch them deal with me? Or you like to watch us deal with each other purely?¡± Ning Xueyan felt that she had to make sure. After all, it was rted to what she would do next.

 Chapter 395 - Whoâ€™s Going to Deal Whom a Head-on Blow?

    <h4>Chapter 395 Who¡¯s Going to Deal Whom a Head-on Blow?</h4>

    Commandery Princess Xianyun had no choice but toe, because this trouble-causing cousin was her grandfather¡¯s favorite grandson.

    If such a thing happened, he would die for sure. Although the imperial concubine in the pce was not favored, the emperor frequently asked for her. She was not like the beauties in the cold pce, whom no one cared about.

    How could she let her grandfather¡¯s most beloved grandson be executed? And the key to this matter was Prince Yi, Ao Chenyi. After all, her cousin relied on Prince Yi¡¯s authority. If Prince Yi supported him, the imperial concubine would not be a problem. However, the problem was that Ao Chenyi did not seem to be a person who was fond of meddling in others¡¯ business.

    It created a tremendous uproar in the pce and the emperor immediately summoned the people from the two families, as well as Prince Yi. However, Prince Yi did not appear. Perhaps Prince Yi was busy, as they could not find him for a while. At the same time, it also indicated that he did not want to intervene in this matter.

    The Lord Peace¡¯s Manor was the Empress Dowager¡¯s parental family. However, the Empress Dowager was not Prince Yi¡¯s biological Mother. It could be said that it had nothing to do with Prince Yi. Although the two manors were talking about marriage, they were not properly rted yet. Besides, with Prince Yi¡¯s temper, even if Commandery Princess Xianyun married into the Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, he might not even intervene in this matter.

    Therefore, Princess Xianyun had to be shameless and secretly came to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor to ask for an audience with him.

    Hearing that the Matriarch-to-be had asked to see their master, the people in the manor were quite polite. They asked someone to take her to the living room and asked her to wait there. They said that the prince was not in the manor and mighte back in a while.

    She waited for about four hours. Commandery Princess Xianyun sat quietly in the hall. First, she felt her legs and feet go weak, and then, she felt as if her whole body was going limp.

    ¡°Commandery Princess, move and take a rest.¡± The personal maid, Xiangrong, saw her stiffness and whispered with concern.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ll wait a little longer.¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s lips lifted, as a bitter smile emerged on her face.

    Even though it was not breaking the rules for her toe here now, she was still the matriarch. However, there was nothing other than the fruits, snacks, and tea that they had brought in earlier. Later, there was no one else who came. Only two maids were standing outside the hall. She did not summon them, nor did theye in. They stood outside in a daze.

    She told herself to sit upright. She could not let others look down on her because she did note here per etiquette. Prince Yi was busy with his business. But since he had not left the capital city, there could not have been any news yet. He had been summoned to the imperial court. Anyway, he had already known about it.

    However, he was still not back yet.

    She remembered his warning to her on that day.

    He needed a dignified female master in his mansion.

    He hated jealousy the most. In that case, the whole manor would be in chaos, and his family would be in turmoil.

    If she could not do that, he had no qualms in recing her with another princess...

    She was not married to him yet. No, at that time, the emperor had not issued an imperial edict, but he showed no mercy in front of her. The vicious look told her that what he said was true. However, faced with his overbearing manner, she was speechless.

    He had never been moved by her, even though she had won all the praises in the city. Prince Yi was well-known for his ruthlessness. His former fianc¨¦e died of illness before they officially got married. It was said that he loved the woman so deeply that he had not married anyone else. However, she did not think so.

    If he was affectionate, why had she not heard that he had worshipped her? And when she was a child, she had seen the woman several times. She could not remember her clearly. The woman did not seem to be stunningly beautiful, so how could she be a perfect match for him?

    ¡°Young Lady, let me massage your neck. You¡¯re so stiff. When Prince Yies backter, he may me me for not serving you well.¡± Xiangrong suggested again. It seemed that Prince Yi cared about her. Although she knew it was meant tofort her, it also made her feel a little relieved.

    Perhaps he did not know that she had been waiting for so long, or maybe the servants in the mansion werezy and had informed himte.

    ¡°Commandery Princess, isn¡¯t that Prince Yi who is over there?¡± Another maid, Qiuhuan, suddenly pointed to the outside of the hall and said in surprise. Looking over from a distance, she saw a group of peopleing over. Among them, the handsome and cold person was none other than Prince Yi.

    She moved her stiff neck slightly, then her legs, and stood up. Somehow, there was a glimmer of hope.

    Ao Chenyi came to the living room with arge group of people, leaving most of the people outside. He took only two eunuchs and came in with Ning Xueyan. They sat down on the big chair in the middle of the hall. Ning Xueyan seemed to struggle a little, but he still held her in his arms.

    ¡°Greetings, Prince Yi.¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun lowered her head and came over to greet him. She tried hard not to focus on the woman in Prince Yi¡¯s arms. Unlikest time, she and Prince Yi were now engaged, but he did not show her any affection. In front of her, he flirted with a woman who did not even have a status.

    Ao Chenyi waved his hand, indicating that she did not have to be so polite. He asked rudely, ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    Realizing that she was in need of Prince Yi¡¯s help, Commandery Princess Xianyun breathed a sigh of relief and said softly, ¡°Please save my brother¡¯s life, Your Highness!¡±

    She did not say anything just now, but when she spoke, she remained silent for a while.

    ¡°Your brother? Does your brother have anything to do with me?¡± Ao Chenyi stared at Commandery Princess Xianyun and suddenly smiled coldly.

    His words made Commandery Princess Xianyun blush. Everyone knew that they were a couple-to-be, but she, an unmarried youngdy, could not say it. She was stunned by the question and clenched her teeth, not knowing how to exin the rtionship between them.

    ¡°Your Highness, you... you¡¯re still saying that you don¡¯t know?¡± A grumble broke the silence in the room. It sounded hoarse as well, but it was more like the sound of crying. Coupled with the beautiful eyes that she had seen earlier, it was evident that this splendid concubine had been crying before.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Was it because of Prince Yi¡¯s marriage? A hint of mockery shed in her eyes. A concubine dared to obstruct Prince Yi¡¯s wedding. She was reckless.

    ¡°All right, all right. I know. Be a good girl. It¡¯s not that I want to marry a consort and a co-consort. I¡¯ll marry two easy-going women, and no one will bully you.¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s cold face became gentle all of a sudden. He even coaxed his beautiful concubine in his arms.

    However, his words made Commandery Princess Xianyun tremble with anger. She took a deep breath to calm herself down.

    ¡°But when you keep getting married, I... feel very ufortable.¡± The delicate voice filled with some pretentious pity was heard. It could be said that she did it on purpose, especially in front of Commandery Princess Xianyun. Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s two maids felt sorry for their master.

    Their master was not only beautiful, but also gentle. Such a humble woman could not bepared with her. But why didn¡¯t Prince Yi see that? Instead, he seemed to be fascinated by this woman. He did not care about the dignity of Commandery Princess at all. It was too much for her to behave like this in front of the Commandery Princess.

    ¡°Well, I promise you that I¡¯ll marry the consort and the co-consort at the same time, so as not to make you sad. I feel bad to see you so distressed.¡± Ao Chenyi did not seem to see the expressions of the several people standing below. He coaxed the Beautiful Lady in his arms and ignored Commandery Princess Xianyun, in front of him. As for what she said, he seemed not to have heard her at all.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun still lowered her head and stood respectfully, as if she had not seen everything in front of her. Although the two maids were filled with anger, they did not dare to move because their master did not say anything.

    ¡°You¡¯ll marry the consort and the co-consort together?¡± It seemed that Ao Chenyi¡¯s words worked. His favorite concubine no longer cried. She wiped her tears with a handkerchief and asked, ¡°Can you do that?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I can. I¡¯ll go to the imperial pce and tell my brother that I¡¯ll marry them at the same time. I can¡¯t let my Beautiful Lady feel sad for me, time and again,¡± Ao Chenyi said. He raised his charming eyes and turned to Commandery Princess Xianyun gracefully. A smile appeared on his delicate lips. ¡°Commandery Princess, what do you think of my proposal?¡±

    He looked at Princess Xianyun so calmly. From time to time, a cold smile appeared on his handsome face. One could not tell if he was happy or angry. He casually asked as if he was asking Commandery Princess Xianyun if she wanted to go out for a walk with him. His tone was light and ruthless.

    He had asked her for her opinion. He wanted to marry the consort and the co-consort together. It would be a dishonor for the legal princess. How could he ask her that? It seemed that the whole room was on fire. She felt bitterness in her mouth. She looked up at the woman in Ao Chenyi¡¯s arms. The veil was fluttering in the air, and she could only see a pair of red eyes. The favorite concubine nced at her with a hint of ridicule.

    The beautiful concubine was putting on a show today, to deal her with a head-on blow.

    She looked back at Ao Chenyi¡¯s face again, which was extremely handsome, but extremely cold. Even though he had spoken tenderly, he still looked ruthless, when she looked at him carefully. His hand, which was around the beautiful concubine¡¯s body, did not tremble at all. Not only was there not a trace of softness, but it even made people feel a bit stiff.

    He did not like jealousy, which would cause a scene in the manor! His words suddenly appeared in her mind, and a glimmer of light shed in her eyes. But then, she raised her head with a slight smile on her face. She said politely and implicitly, ¡°I¡¯m at yourmand, Your Highness!¡±

    Since this humble woman dared to say that, she did not believe that people like Ao Chenyi could not hear the provocation in her words. This kind of woman abounded in the imperial pce. He was used to the ups and downs in the imperial pce and had killed many of these women. How could Ao Chenyi care about this kind of woman?

    She was a ything for the time being.

    Since this woman had cried and screamed so that she and Ning Xueyan would marry into the manor together, it was fine. She did not believe that they were not able to deal with such a low-ranking woman like her. The most important thing was that she was begging for Prince Yi¡¯s help now, so she could not go against his will.

 Chapter 396 - The Invitation from Madam Yu

    <h4>Chapter 396 The Invitation from Madam Yu</h4>

    The disaster at the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor was settled satisfactorily. It was said that the young master who had been beaten to death had spoken rudely and insulted the current Prince Yi. His words could get the whole family in trouble. When she heard that her younger brother had said such a thing, the crying beauty immediately fell silent.

    The family of the victim did not pursue the matter, and since it involved the powerful Prince Yi, it was settled quietly. They asked the Young Master of the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor to pay arge sum of money. The two families reached an agreement outside the court. Nobody knew whether the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor had promised something in private.

    However, what shocked everyone was that Commandery Princess Xianyun had proposed to enter Prince Yi¡¯s Manor together with the co-consort. The Empress rejected her proposal. However, Commandery Princess Xianyun insisted on doing so. She knelt in front of the Empress¡¯ pce and asked for the edict. Later, she fainted in front of the Empress¡¯ pce. The pce then officially approved this matter.

    For this unexpected matter, the Empress issued a decree to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. First, she praised Ning Xueyan and then expressed her approval of Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s magnanimity. In the end, she decided to let the consort and the co-consort enter Prince Yi¡¯s Manor at the same time. They were set to get married on the same day.

    This matter was obviously a p in the face for the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor. But because it was Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s proposal, it became a hot topic for discussion. But in the end, the news leaked secretly from the pce stated that the reason why Commandery Princess Xianyun brought this humiliation upon herself and proposed that the Fifth Young Lady marry on the same day, was not because Prince Yi liked the Fifth Young Lady.

    It was all because of a concubine in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. It was said that this favorite concubine, who had a low status, was arrogant and being deliberately provocative. The Commandery Princess Xianyun felt that she was at a disadvantage, so she proposed to enter the manor together with the Fifth Young Lady.

    It had nothing to do with Ning Xueyan. People had different opinions about this mysterious favorite concubine. Some people said that Prince Yi favored this favorite concubine very much, and even brought her with him in the imperial pce. Some people said that the emperor once wanted to let Prince Yi marry the County Princess Xianyun. However, the County Princess Xianyun had to leave the capital because of this woman.

    There were various rumors. However, all the gossips about the unconventional marriage were not focused on Ning Xueyan. Even if she was mentioned, people would think that she had be the victim of the struggle between Commandery Princess Xianyun and that favorite concubine. If it were not for the fact that the concubine was so aggressive, how could Commandery Princess Xianyun allow Ning Xueyan to marry into the manor together with her!

    The Bright Frost Garden.

    Ning Xueyan was sewing new clothes, together with several maids. All her previous ns had been disrupted. Initially, she was not in a hurry, but now she was busy with the work. At this time, Madam Dowager sent four beautiful maids to her, namely Chunyan, Hanxiang, Yunlong and Qianyou.

    The four maids were there not only to serve Ning Xueyan as second-ss maids, but also to apany Ning Xueyan to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. They would merely apany Ning Xueyan to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor as her dowry maids, so Qingyu and the others did not like them.

    They were not there to help with the needlework, but were sent directly to the wing room. They were to act as assistants, like sewing handkerchiefs and perfume sachets. These would be loaded with small silver ingots and sent to servants, so they did not need have to be particrly skilled in delicate work.

    In the main room, they were still making arrangements for Ning Xueyan. They worked together at a moderate rate. Ning Xueyan was relieved when she figured out that they could basically finish what they had to do, at this speed.

    ¡°Young Lady, will you be going over tonight?¡± Xinmei acted as an assistant in the room. She was a secret guard with good martial arts skills, but she could not bepared with Lanning, Qingyu, and the others in terms of needlework. They picked up the needles and threads to string the beads and thread them. When she saw that there was no one else in the room, she asked softly.

    In the past few days, Xinmei had gone out to scare Madam Ling every night. Madam Ling could not sleep well now. It was said that she was in a bad mood.

    ¡°I heard Mother Chen went to the Marquis¡¯ study today?¡± Ning Xueyan asked with a cold smile on her face, while doing the threading.

    ¡°Yes, she went there early in the morning. It is said that she knelt at the door of the Marquis¡¯ study and begged him bitterly. She said that if it went on like this, the First Madam would die. She asked the Marquis to go and see her at night, because the Marquis is a great general and does not fear any evil spirits. He will definitely be able to help the First Madam get rid of the evil spirits and save her.¡±

    Mother Han had just found out about this matter, but she did not report it, because there were four other maids in the room. At this time, she replied.

    ¡°How did the First Madam react these two days? Did she get scared?¡± Ning Xueyan nodded and lowered her gaze. Her long eyshes cast two uneven shadows under her eyes, and she looked quite serene, with her delicate facial features.

    Xinmei thought for a moment and said, ¡°I found that in the first two days, the First Madam seemed to be really frightened. But during the next few days, First Madam¡¯s condition improved considerably.¡± The First Madam looked much better than before, and she was not that afraid.

    ¡°Then you don¡¯t have to go anymore. Let¡¯s talk about it after a few days.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled coldly. Madam Ling could not be that easily destroyed in such a short time. Otherwise, she would not have been Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s mistress for so many years. She would not have risen in revolt, until she had given birth to two children.

    She did not expect to drive Madam Ling crazy instantly, but it was still possible for her to suppress her, little by little.

    Moreover, Ning Xueyan always felt that this matter was not so simple. How could Madam Ling not have prepared for it at all? Or it could be said that she should have the ¡°proofs¡± that she had been ¡°wronged¡± in her previous life. With these ¡°proofs¡±, even if they suspected her, she could retaliate. So, Ning Xueyan was not in a hurry to deal with this matter.

    ¡°Will the First Madam recover after a few days?¡± Mother Han asked worriedly. If the First Madam recovered and realized that it had something to do with her youngdy, her youngdy would suffer a lot. Mother Han clearly knew that no matter how important her youngdy was, in the eyes of the people in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she was not as important as the Eldest Young Master.

    ¡°She would not have guessed it.¡± Ning Xueyan raised her dark eyes, which held a taunting look. It had not been easy for her to ascertain through investigation, that Madam Ling had killed Ning Ziying. There was no evidence to prove that the Marchioness had done it. Even the Ministry of Justice could not punish the people around her so easily.

    It was due to this that Madam Ling gradually recovered. But because of this, she would never know that Ning Xueyan had done something to her.

    And the reason why she invited Ning Zu¡¯an over at this time was not to help her get over the shock. It seemed that Madam Ling still had a chance to turn the tables. Ning Huaiyuan was not in Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s favor at the moment. What¡¯s more, Ning Yuling had such an ident. How could Madam Ling believe that she could ever win Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s heart again?

    Or to put it another way, how did she ascertain that Ning Zu¡¯an would definitely stand up for her?

    ¡°Xinmei, you don¡¯t have to go there. Mother Han, pay more attention to the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard, especially Mother Chen. If she makes any unusual movements,e back and tell me,¡± Ning Xueyan said indifferently.

    ¡°Yes, Young Lady. I will.¡± Mother Han nodded.

    ¡°Young Lady, I got up early this morning. When I saw Mother Chening back from the outside, there seemed to be a smell of medicine about her. When she saw me, she said that she had something to do at home, so she rushed off hurriedly,¡± Qingyu said doubtfully, while she embroidered flowers with a thread.

    ¡°She came back early in the morning? You saw this clearly?¡± Ning Xueyan raised her head and asked.

    ¡°I saw it clearly. Usually, I am not up so early, but I got up a little earlier today, because I wanted to make a pot of herbal tonic for you. I did not expect that I would meet Mother Chen, when I just got out of the kitchen. I used to make medicine for you, so the smell of the medicine is very obvious. Although it¡¯s very light, it¡¯s true.¡±

    Qingyu said with certainty, but she did not care about it at that time. Now, when Ning Xueyan mentioned it, she found Mother Chen¡¯s behavior to be very fishy. As soon as she came back from outside, she hurried to the Marquis¡¯s study and pleaded with him on behalf of the First Madam.

    Ning Xueyan smiled with great interest and said, ¡°Leave her alone and just keep an eye on her.¡± Madam Ling seemed to be scheming against Ning Zu¡¯an. Since she could not drive her crazy, Ning Xueyan decided to take it slowly. By that time, she could not believe that Madam Ling could plot so many things, while several things were happening at the same time.

    ¡°Young Lady, Concubine Yu asked you to visit her if you¡¯re free. She said that she has something to tell you,¡± Lanning said. This was what Concubine Yu had told her when she met her this morning.

    Concubine Yu had been called on to serve Madam Ling when she was ill. She worked from early in the morning and did not even have time to take a breather. And it was said that if she made a mistake, Madam Ling would beat or scold her. However, Concubine Yu was able to bear it. When she fell sick recently, Madam Ling did not need herpany, so she was free.

    ¡°Did Concubine Yu say anything?¡± Ning Xueyan asked.

    ¡°Concubine Yu said that she wanted to thank you for what you did for the Second Young Master a few days ago.¡± It was not a big deal. Everyone in the manor knew that both Concubine Yu and Ning Huaijing had no money, but no one asked about it. However, a few days ago, Ning Huaijing had an ident and had privately promised to pay a sum of money.

    The money was originally to have been paid by the manor, but now things happened, one by one. Ning Zu¡¯an was so angry that he did not stay in the manor for most of the time. After going to the morning court, he returned homete. When he came back, he was drunk and directly rested in the study outside.

    This was also the reason Mother Chen rushed to Ning Zu¡¯an early in the morning to beg him.

    That person came from the manor and looked for Ning Huaijing. Ning Huaijing could not find Ning Zu¡¯an, and Madam Dowager was ill and did not care about anything. At this time, Ning Xueyan heard the news and deliberately asked Lanning to bring a sum of money to him, which helped to ease Ning Huaijing¡¯s anxiety.

    This should be what Madam Yu was referring to.

    ¡°Lanning, go prepare some fruits. Let¡¯s go to Concubine Yu¡¯s ce together.¡± Putting down the cloth in her hand, Ning Xueyan stood up. She moved her stiff legs, lifted her snow-white skirt, and walked to the window. She breathed a long sigh of relief, and a faint smile appeared on her lips. It seemed that the money was still effective. Madam Yu was going to confess.

    The sooner she was able to confess, the better it would be.

 Chapter 397 - Provocation, Concubine Yuâ€™s Fear

    <h4>Chapter 397 Provocation, Concubine Yu¡¯s Fear</h4>

    Concubine Yu¡¯s courtyard was not far away from Ning Xueyan¡¯s Bright Frost Garden. It was also at the edge, and it was smaller than an ordinary yard. When Concubine Yu first came to the manor, Madam Ling said that there was no vacant space for her, so she cleaned up a utility room for her. Therefore, the courtyard was not big.

    Hearing that Ning Xueyan wasing, Concubine Yu immediately went to the gate of the courtyard. Although Ning Xueyan had not officially married into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor yet, it was already confirmed, because the imperial edict had been issued. How could a concubine of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor neglect someone with such a high status?

    Seeing Ning Xueyan, Concubine Yu weed her into the room. She asked the maids to leave and then came back.

    Ning Xueyan looked around with a smile. It seemed that Concubine Yu was a cautious person. She had only been in the manor for a few days, and the people around her had been arranged by Madam Ling. How could they be her henchmen? It would be nice if they did not betray her.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, thank you for taking care of Jing¡¯er and me.¡± Concubine Yu came over with tears in her eyes and bowed deeply to Ning Xueyan.

    Although her status was low, Concubine Yu was still Ning Xueyan¡¯s elder. There was no need for her to make such a big bow.

    Ning Xueyan did not refuse her greeting. She epted her bow and then asked Lanning to hold her. She asked gracefully and gently, ¡°Concubine Yu, you don¡¯t have to do this. I did not spend much money. Maybe I will rely on my second brother in future. The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is my parental family. How can I ever let my family fail?¡±

    Concubine Yu picked up the handkerchief, wiped the tears from her eyes, and looked at Ning Xueyan gratefully. Concubine Yu had expected that she would have a hard time in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. But since she hade to this point, she had to endure it. Therefore, she did notin, no matter how much Madam Ling humiliated her.

    She always hoped that the First Madam would recognize her status. At least, she was the Marquis¡¯s woman, and Jing¡¯er was also his son. She hoped that the First Madam would recognize both Jing¡¯er and her identities.

    ¡°Thank you, Fifth Young Lady. I¡¯m sorry. But now... I have to ask you to help me.¡± Concubine Yu¡¯s tears suddenly fell copiously. She wiped her tears away with her handkerchief. When she reached out, her wide cuffs dropped, and a scar on her wrist was clearly visible.

    ¡°Concubine Yu, what¡¯s this?¡± Ning Xueyan did not answer her. Instead, she held her hand in surprise, refusing to let her hide it.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, nothing... nothing, I identally hit my hand against something.¡± Being pulled by Ning Xueyan, Concubine Yu was shocked. She suddenly withdrew her hand and exined hurriedly.

    It seemed that Ning Xueyan believed what she said. Ning Xueyan put her hand down and said lightly, ¡°How coincidental! I heard that my second brother also burnt his hand a few days ago.¡±

    ¡°Jing¡¯er¡¯s hand was burnt. What happened?¡± Concubine Yu was not aware of it, so she hurriedly looked up and asked. Since she entered the manor, she had not seen Ning Huaijing, unless he came in. So, she did not know anything about the happenings outside. In the mansion, no one would tell her anything about Ning Huaijing.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know either. It seemed that when the young male servant served tea to the Second Brother, he identally spilt the hot tea on Second Brother¡¯s hand, and it was scalded. Auntie, don¡¯t worry. Fortunately, Second Brother¡¯s stuff fell to the ground, and he was picking it up. If it were not for his sharp eyes, the servant would have poured a teapot of boiling water over his head. That would have disfigured his face.¡±

    Ning Xueyan said gratefully.

    ¡°All the water would have been poured over his head?¡± Concubine Yu was so frightened that her face turned pale. She murmured to herself and stared nkly.

    ¡°Yes. He was very lucky! The water was really hot. If a little bit of water touched him, the Second Young Master¡¯s hand would be scalded. If all the water was dumped over his head, even if he did not get scalded to death, I¡¯m afraid that he will not be able to be an official. I¡¯ve heard that the officials have to pay great attention to their appearances.¡±

    Lanning who was standing at the side, walked forward and continued talking to Ning Xueyan.

    Although officials did not need to look good, they had to have a basic pleasant appearance. If someone¡¯s face was burned and disfigured, his career as an official would be over. Ning Huaijing studied by a cold window for ten years in order to be sessful in the imperial examination and have a meteoric rise. If he became disfigured, there would be no way out for him.

    The head and face were still the vulnerable parts of one¡¯s body. In severe cases, one¡¯s life might even be in danger.

    Concubine Yu¡¯s face turned blue and then pale. In the end, hatred appeared on her gentle face. She pointed to the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard and growled, ¡°I don¡¯t want anything from her. Jing¡¯er does not want anything either. Why can¡¯t she let us go?¡±

    He almost poured hot water over his master¡¯s face and ruined his face. How could a servant who had been used to serving him make such a mistake? Someone must be plotting against him. After returning to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Ning Huaijing was the biggest threat to Madam Ling and Ning Huaiyuan.

    In the manor, except for Madam Ling, who could not tolerate Ning Huaijing, no one else could be so malicious toward Ning Huaijing. When Concubine Yu came to the mansion, she was already psychologically prepared. For Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s sake, she did not fight back or curse at her fate. She wanted to find a ce to settle down for her son, so that he could focus on his studies.

    Since the Marquis was willing to ept Ning Huaijing, how could Concubine Yu not be grateful? No matter how Madam Ling insulted her, she fought for nothing and said nothing for Ning Huaijing¡¯s sake. However, when she heard that her tolerance did not earn her Madam Ling¡¯s forgiveness, but instead further intensified her hatred, Concubine Yu was furious.

    ¡°Auntie, don¡¯t worry. Second Brother is fine. It¡¯s said that he has reced the young male servant. It won¡¯t happen again in the future.¡± Ning Xueyan soothed her softly.

    The more she told her, the more frightened and angry Concubine Yu became. All the people in the manor were Madam Ling¡¯s servants. If this one were reced, there would be another one. It was hard to be on their guard against them. Who knew what would happen to Jing¡¯er the next time? For so many years, Concubine Yu and her son had relied on each other. Concubine Yu thought more of her son than any ordinary mother.

    When she thought that her son would not be able to enjoy any wealth, but might even lose his life after he entered the manor with her, how could she not be anxious?

    After thinking for a while, she made up her mind. She came over and took Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand, begging with tears in her eyes, ¡°Fifth Young Lady, please save Jing¡¯er.¡±

    Concubine Yu was smart. Since she came to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she had been forbearing, but she could see that the Bright Frost Garden and the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard were not easy to deal with. Although Madam Ming in the Bright Frost Garden was dead, the Fifth Young Lady was not such a simple person. Otherwise, she could not be better off in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor under Madam Ling¡¯s control.

    Moreover, the Fifth Young Lady was good to Ning Huaijing and her. Ning Xueyan would be Prince Yi¡¯s co-consort. In any case, it was the most advantageous thing to have a good rtionship with this future Princess Yi. This was also what Concubine Yu had nned before. Therefore, she invited Ning Xueyan toe today. On the one hand, she wanted to thank Ning Xueyan. On the other hand, she wanted to be on good terms with Ning Xueyan. For Ning Huaijing and her, it was a good thing.

    She even felt that in order to show her kindness to Ning Xueyan, she nned to clear up some affairs. She also wanted to express her regret. She had a hand in Madam Ming¡¯s affair. In a word, she had misunderstood Madam Ming and felt sorry for her.

    By saying that, she wanted to express her goodwill toward Ning Xueyan. She tried to tell Ning Xueyan about the incident involving Madam Ming. She also wanted to tell Ning Xueyan that Madam Ling had framed Madam Ming, and that Madam Ming was innocent. It was different from what Madam Dowager had told her. Madam Ming had always been a person of integrity.

    But that was all. She did not dare to testify against Madam Ling, because she was afraid that Madam Ling would then not tolerate Ning Huaijing anymore.

    But now, she realized that even if she did well, Madam Ling might not let Jing¡¯er go. No matter what she did, Madam Ling would not let Jing¡¯er go so easily. This idea upied her mind constantly. As a mother, she could not bear to see her son get into trouble.

    ¡°Concubine Yu, what¡¯s wrong with you? Why are you asking me to save my second brother? Didn¡¯t my second brother always study in that study?¡± Ning Xueyanughed. She pulled Concubine Yu over and led her to the chair at the side. ¡°Now, my second brother is back. In the future, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor belongs to my eldest brother and my second brother. Maybe I¡¯ll rely on my second brother, when I¡¯m at my parental family.¡±

    ¡°No... Fifth Young Lady, please save Jing¡¯er. Please.¡± Hearing this, Concubine Yu became more and more scared. She trembled and held Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand, unwilling to let go. She looked at her imploringly. Initially, she thought if she did not ask for anything, others would not disturb her. But now, she realized that everyone still had these malicious thoughts after she entered the manor.

    The Eldest Young Master was no longer the only son in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Even if she did not do anything, others would think likewise, and so would the First Madam.

    Looking at Concubine Yu, who was crying in a panic, Ning Xueyan slowly cooled down. With a faint smile appearing on her inky eyebrows, Ning Xueyan said indifferently, ¡°Auntie, my mother is a co-wife, whose status is inferior to the First Madam. Even if she is still alive, she can only be humble in front of the First Madam. How can I have such a great ability to save my second brother? You¡¯d better not say that.¡±

    Concubine Yu clenched her hand tightly. Ning Xueyan exerted some force, but she could not get free her hand. So, she let her grip her hand so tightly that there was an intense pain on her wrist. It could be seen that Concubine Yu was holding her hand in a tight grip. Her exquisite facial features had not totally developed yet, but there was already an imposing manner in them. Raising her long eyshes, she looked at Concubine Yu quietly.

    Under such circumstances, Concubine Yu could not help but release her hand, and burst into tears, with her hands covering her face. Ning Xueyan sat quietly aside and did not say anything. She waited for her to stop crying, and a trace of a sneer appeared on her lips. Concubine Yu only wanted to take advantage of the power of others, but she did not think about giving anything back. She had even once framed Madam Ming.

    Ning Xueyan did not like this kind of person at all. She still had some real brother-sister rtionship with Ning Huaijing. At least, Ning Huaijing wanted to get along with her sincerely, and had not taken advantage of her. However, Concubine Yu was not. She wanted to exchange her kindness by paying nothing or only a small price.

    Concubine Yu¡¯s n was so good. She wanted to find apromise between herself and Madam Ling. Concubine Yu would not offend Madam Ling, but she could also make friends with Ning Xueyan. Unfortunately, there was no such thing in the world that could satisfy both sides.

 Chapter 398 - Spying on Them and Playing a Waiting Game

    <h4>Chapter 398 Spying on Them and ying a Waiting Game</h4>

    Concubine Yu did not want to pay, yet she wanted something in return! She was equally as scheming.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, I have evidence to prove that it was Madam Ling who killed your mother. She deliberately framed your mother.¡± After crying, Concubine Yu raised her head and wanted to say something more. But when she saw Ning Xueyan¡¯s cold eyes, she smiled bitterly and forced herself to say something else.

    It was not easy to fool the Fifth Young Lady. She thought that she could please the Fifth Young Lady by saying telling her this. But at the same time, she was d that only this youngdy would not be at a disadvantage when she was confronted by the First Madam. Otherwise, Jing¡¯er would be...

    Thinking of this, Concubine Yu could not help shivering. There was a hint of resolute in her eyes. She made up her mind immediately. Whether it was for Jing¡¯er or herself, she had to say it now.

    At first, she just wanted to bury this in her heart forever.

    Ning Xueyan looked up, and her jet-ck eyes fell on Concubine Yu¡¯s face. She pursed her lips and said with a faint smile, ¡°Aunt Yu, I believe that it will be good for all of us.¡±

    Ning Xueyan did not stay in Concubine Yu¡¯s room for long. After a while, she came out of Concubine Yu¡¯s courtyard. Concubine Yu sent her to the gate of the yard, and thanked her many times to show her gratitude. She repeatedly expressed that things would have been difficult for Ning Huaijing, if not for Ning Xueyan¡¯s generous help.

    After Ning Xueyan said goodbye to Concubine Yu, she went back to Bright Frost Garden with Lanning. Along the path, an older female servant sneaked out. She looked at Concubine Yu, who had just entered the door, and then looked at Ning Xueyan, who had by now walked far away. She smiled happily. After waiting for so many days, she finally found something interesting to report back.

    The older female servant saw the direction she took, and hurried off to the Foggy Courtyard. When she walked to the gate of the Foggy Courtyard, she saw Mammy Luoing out of the courtyard. She quickly whispered to Mammy Luo. Hearing this, Mammy Luo nodded and asked a few more questions. Then, she stuffed a small ingot of silver into the older female servant¡¯s sleeve.

    The older female servant thanked her and walked out.

    Mammy Luo stood at the door for a while. She looked around and saw that no one had noticed her. She turned around and went back to the yard, as if nothing had happened. She even joked with the old maid who guarded the door, and then leisurely entered the room.

    ¡°Young Lady, the Fifth Young Lady has indeed gone to Concubine Yu¡¯s ce. Concubine Yu even saw the Fifth Young Lady off, and kept thanking her. It seems that the Fifth Young Lady has done the Second Young Master a great favor. That¡¯s why Concubine Yu thanked her so profusely.¡± As soon as she entered the room, Mammy Luo said.

    Ning Qingshan was doing embroidery in the room. Like Ning Xueyan, her status had also been confirmed. Thus, the work of sewing some dowry items were on the agenda. But the difference in her situation from Ning Xueyan was that it would take her at least half a year before she could get married. At least, the first wife had to get married first, and then two or three monthster, the co-consort could marry into the family.

    Therefore, her embroidery was not hard. Now, she sewed without haste. In the room, there was nobody but Caifen. Madam Dowager had sent four second-ss maids here, and they would go with the bride. All of them were beautiful. Ning Qingshan was not used to these people being around her, so she asked them to do the embroidery in another room.

    ¡°Mommy, keep an eye on Concubine Yu,¡± Ning Qingshan said with a smug look on her face. She had already guessed that Concubine Yu would try to establish a rtionship with Ning Xueyan. As expected, they were now in cahoots. She could not deal with Ning Xueyan for the time being, but what about Concubine Yu?

    Didn¡¯t a concubine make any mistakes? She could not be anxious now. After thinking it through, she felt that the main reason why Ning Xueyan had been able to frame her was because she had been over hasty. It seemed that she had been too anxious from the start, when she saw Ning Xueyan dissing her.

    She did not know if it was due to Ning Xueyan¡¯s delicate features or her elegant and cold temperament. Anyway, she felt that Ning Xueyan was a threat to her, so she could not wait to kill her. However, she had made numerous mistakes, one after another one. She had been deprived of the position of principal wife to that of a co-consort, because of Ning Xueyan, which disrupted her n.

    Therefore, she was not in a hurry now. She hid quietly in the dark to wait for Ning Xueyan to make a mistake. She would not let her off as long Ning Xueyan made a little mistake. If there were nothing wrong with her, she would create some errors for her. Or else, to let whoever was close to Ning Xueyan make some mistakes, she could not me anyone if she was involved.

    ¡°I have already told the older female servant, and I also rewarded her. As long as Concubine Yu makes contact with the Bright Frost Garden, she will report it to you immediately.¡± Mammy Luo nodded and agreed. She was delighted with her Young Lady¡¯s calmness. From Mammy Luo¡¯s point of view, her Young Lady cared too much about the Fifth Young Lady, so she had had a knot in her heart.

    The Third Young Lady in the past was not the same as the Third Young Lady in her memory. She was anxious for quick sess and instant benefits. She did not listen to her advice at all. She dealt with the Fifth Young Lady with her mind, but she was in a disadvantageous position. Now, the Third Young Lady was the perfect Third Young Lady in her mind. She was calm, generous, patient, and organized.

    ¡°Young Lady, I could not find out if the Fifth Young Lady had something to do with what happened in the Cloud Reflection Courtyard.¡± Caifen, who was standing by the side, poured a cup of tea for Ning Qingshan. She raised her head as she said this. She had juste in, but before she could reply to Ning Qingshan, Mammy Luo came in.

    The matter of the Cloud Reflection Courtyard was now the biggest issue in the manor, which had shocked the whole mansion. After such a big incident had taken ce, the person everyone suspected was Madam Ling. However, Ning Qingshan thought that maybe it had something to do with Ning Xueyan, so she deliberately asked Caifen to pay attention to the matter regarding the Cloud Reflection Courtyard.

    Caifen¡¯s answer was beyond her expectation. She had an intuition that Ning Xueyan must have something to do with the incident that happened at the Cloud Reflection Courtyard.

    ¡°Young Lady, it¡¯s impossible that the Fifth Young Lady has something to do with the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. You must have forgotten that the Fifth Young Lady did note out of the Bright Frost Garden for many years. When Young Lady Ning Ziying moved in, she would not have met the Fifth Young Lady. Going by the days, the Young Lady died at about the same time as Madam Ming. Then, the Fifth Young Lady appeared in the public eye. Anyway, it¡¯s not rted to the Fifth Young Lady.¡±

    Mammy Luo knew about Ning Qingshan¡¯s suspicion, so she inquired about Ning Ziying¡¯s matter. Recently, the servants in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor often talked about Ning Ziying in private. It was not difficult to find out about these things.

    Like Ning Xueyan, Ning Qingshan was not familiar with Ning Ziying. Ning Ziying entered the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor after Ning Qingshan left, so there had been no interaction between them. Ning Qingshan did not have any information about Ning Ziying in her mind. Her confusion was dispelled when she heard Mammy Luo¡¯s words.

    Maybe this matter had nothing to do with Ning Xueyan. After all, just like herself, Ning Xueyan did not know Ning Ziying either. At most, what she heard from the servants was that there was once an orphan girl. From this point of view, it was Madam Ling who most likely had framed Ning Ziying.

    At that time, it was Madam Ling who was in charge. The two daughters of Madam Ling in the inner courtyard were the daughters of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. As long as the orphan daughter of the Ning family lived in the manor, it seemed impossible that she had no contact with them. Moreover, the wall was a suspicious matter¡ªa clumsy denial that resulted in self-exposure.

    ¡°If I had left a few dayster, I might have known Ning Ziying.¡± Ning Qingshan said thoughtfully. She did not really want to know Ning Ziying. She just thought that if she knew something, she might be able to seize on an incident to exaggerate on matters. She hoped to get Ning Xueyan involved in this matter so that Ning Xueyan would have an outright fight with Madam Ling.

    Then, she would attack Ning Xueyan and ruin her when she was unprepared.

    Hearing what she said, Mammy Luo seemed to feel a little regretful. After she thought for a while, her eyes suddenly lit up. ¡°Young Lady, I remember that you have not seen this person before. It seems that I might have seen her before.¡±

    In the Bright Frost Garden, Ning Xueyan sat down, took up the cup of tea made by Qingyu, and took a sip, gracefully. She did not put down the teacup, but hooked her fingers around the handle. As she meditated, there was a trace of sadness and anger in her eyes. She felt sad and angry for Madam Ming.

    They had set a well-arranged trap and a scheduled plot to ambush her, so that she had to quit her position as a legal wife. Moreover, she could neither defend herself, nor tell her brother. She had no alternative, but to force her brother to go somewhere far away.

    Madam Ling¡¯s method was vicious. She did not kill Madam Ming, but she made Madam Ming keep silent and even feel guilty about Ning Zu¡¯an. There must have been something else, which made her keep her silence. So, Madam Ming had to lower herself to end this matter. It might have something to do about Ning Xueyan.

    When she was young, people in the manor often said that she was a b*stard! On the surface, Madam Ling and Ning Zu¡¯an did not pursue this matter, but what was the real situation? Did she promise anything? Otherwise, Ning Xueyan would not have stayed in the Bright Frost Garden for so many years. Everyone in the manor would have treated her as a master and would not have dared to bully her.

    There were not only indifference, but also suspicion, that she was not a Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor at all.

    They did not make this matter public in the beginning, so even if Madam Ming wanted to protect her, there was no way to exin it. Madam Ling was so vicious. Thinking of this, Ning Xueyan felt depressed. She lowered her head slightly, and her longshes veiled her eyes. She looked quietly at the teacup in her hand with her beautiful eyes, as a sneer was revealed.

    To plot against Madam Ming and find a scapegoat, Madam Ling found Madam Yu¡¯s brother. Unfortunately, although Madam Yu¡¯s brother wanted to avenge his sister, he was not a stupid person. Everyone knew that the person who did such a secret deed was likely to be killed in the end.

    With Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s power and influence, it would be easy for him to kill a servant.

    Therefore, this matter was left. Concubine Yu¡¯s brother had been fine all the time. Ning Xueyan had already guessed that there must be some secrets behind the incident, so she deliberately used Ning Huaijing¡¯s incident to warn Concubine Yu. If Madam Ling had the power, she would not tolerate another son in the manor. This was another reason why she had schemed to let Concubine Yue into the mansion.

    If Concubine Yu wanted to satisfy both sides, it would not work with Madam Ling. If Ning Huaijing had been a female, maybe Madam Ling could tolerate her. However, she had given birth to a son, who had the same status as Ning Huaiyuan, a mistress¡¯s son. It was not only about the problem of a male offspring, but also evoked some unbearable memories for Madam Ling.

    With this, it was impossible for Concubine Yu to satisfy both sides. Since she entered the manor, Concubine Yu had no choice, but to take this step. Ning Xueyan had merely given her a push...

 Chapter 399 - The Decision to Open a Shop

    <h4>Chapter 399 The Decision to Open a Shop</h4>

    ¡°Young Lady, it¡¯s still the same tea house as thest time. Childe Hua told me that he will be there in the afternoon, and you can go there to meet him.¡± Mother Han came back from outside and hurriedly came in to report. She had sent a letter from Ning Xueyan and waited for a while to get a reply from Ming Yuanhua. It was still considered fast, although it took about four hours for her to make a round trip, even if Ming Yuanhua replied so quickly this time.

    ¡°Mother Han, is your son still at the Qingyun Academy?¡± Ning Xueyan put down the cold tea. Her long eyshes fluttered like butterfly wings. After blinking a few times, she looked up and asked thoughtfully.

    Mother Han did not know why Ning Xueyan was suddenly asking about her son, but she replied honestly, ¡°Dazhuang has nothing else to do at the moment, so he is still at the Qingyun Academy. Is there anything he can do for you?¡±

    For the sake of Ning Huaijing, Han Dazhuang had been sent to the Qingyun Academy to protect Ning Huaijing secretly. They were afraid that Madam Ling would plot against him. Now, Ning Huaijing had returned to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and was no longer studying in the Qingyun Academy. So, it did not matter if Han Dazhuang was there or not.

    Thinking for a while, Ning Xueyan came up with an idea that she had been mulling about for a long time. ¡°Mother Han, let your sone out of the Qingyun Academy. I want to open a shop, and I¡¯ll let your son be the shopkeeper. In this way, it will be convenient for me to contact my uncle and the others. If there is any news, it will be sent quickly.¡±

    Today¡¯s matter was not urgent. If one had been anxious, it would have been too slow. Although most of Madam Ming¡¯s shops had been under her control, these shops had been under Madam Ling¡¯s control for a long time already. There must be some people working for Madam Ling. For a time, as an unmarried youngdy, how could she clean them up?

    If she opened a new shop, it would be different. If she used Mother Han¡¯s son, he could be her henchman. If she needed to send messages, it would not alert the others. Ning Xueyan never doubted Mother Han¡¯s loyalty. Moreover, Mother Han had only one son.

    In order to help her, Han Dazhuang worked at odd jobs and did not have a stable job. So, he did not have much of an ie. If she opened a shop and made him the shopkeeper, she could give him more money, so that Mother Han would not have to worry about him.

    She had thought about it for some time, and today she formally made a decision.

    ¡°Young Lady, you will be opening a shop? That¡¯s great!¡± Mother Han was stunned at first, but she immediately understood Ning Xueyan¡¯s meaning. She smiled, but then her smile disappeared. She said uneasily, ¡°Young Lady, you can ask Dazhuang to help you, but you don¡¯t have to let him be the shopkeeper. I¡¯m afraid that he won¡¯t bepetent enough to be the shopkeeper and will only ruin your n.¡±

    Seeing Mother Han¡¯s consideration for her, Ning Xueyan felt warm in her heart. She smiled softly and said, ¡°Mother Han, it does not matter whether we make money or not. As long as my cousin and the others can find me directly, and I can get information anytime, that¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°But, Young Lady...¡± Mother Han still wanted to refuse.

    ¡°Mother Han, you don¡¯t have to say that. You¡¯ve dedicated your life to my mother and me. You¡¯ve been in the Bright Frost Garden for so many years. If it were not for you, maybe my mother and I would have died long ago. Speaking of which, you don¡¯t have to be concerned about the shop. If your son is the shopkeeper, I will feel more assured. Meanwhile, you don¡¯t have to worry about your son¡¯s job instability. Now, it¡¯s all right. With this store, you can go and see him at any time. Besides, your son is not young anymore. He has to save some money so that he can have a good wife in the future.¡±

    Ning Xueyan interrupted Mother Han with a smile.

    ¡°Young Lady...¡± Mother Han¡¯s eyes turned red. She wiped the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief and said in a choked voice, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll listen to you. From now on, I¡¯ll ask Dazhuang to keep your business in mind, and not to make any mistakes.¡±

    Mother Han knew that her Young Lady wanted to promote Dazhuang. Although her Young Lady¡¯s current identity was not distinguished, she would soon be Prince Yi¡¯s co-consort. Her Young Lady¡¯s shop would undoubtedly be her dowry, and her son would be the shopkeeper. Compared with the servants who worked at odd jobs, he would have a better future.

    If it were not for her, Dazhuang would not have been able to get such a good job. Mother Han secretly made up her mind that she must make sure that her son did a good job and he should never abuse her youngdy¡¯s trust.

    Since they had determined to open a shop, the master and servants would discuss what kind of shop would be best. In the end, Ning Xueyan made the final decision and opened a cosmetic shop selling rouge powder. On the one hand, the women here were all familiar with rouge powder. On the other hand, Ning Xueyan had her own way of making rouge powder.

    As long as she did some adjustments to the several prescriptions that Aunt Xiang gave her in the past, they could be readily made. When they were mixed in the powder, they would do a good job. The powder that was used to destroy Ning Yuling was the one specially added by Ning Xueyan. There was a fresh fragrant powder in it. It also proved that this kind of powder was more attractive.

    Moreover, it was spring now, and there were a lot of flowers in bloom. They could ask some people to collect different flowers, dry them, and make them into different types of fragrances. Then, they could infuse them directly into the powder and produce different effects. It would be much better than a single powder, and it would enhance the quality of the powder.

    Since the matter had been decided, Mother Han would choose a site for the shop. If she liked it, she could ask Ning Xueyan to go and check it out. Speaking of this matter, she was the one who started the business on her own. Madam Dowager would not say anything about it. Besides, she would have one more reason to go out of the manor. Otherwise, how could a youngdy, who was about to be married, go out every now and then?

    After their discussion, it was alreadyte. Qingyu brought lunch over, so Ning Xueyan ate a little. After all the maids were done, she took Xinmei and Lanning out of the manor. Madam Dowager was ill, so she did not bother her. She only asked Mother Han to tell Mother Qin what she meant.

    She hinted to Mother Qin that the reason why she wanted to open a shop before she got married, was that she hoped she did not have to worry about money after she entered Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. In that way, she would not bother the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. After hearing what Mother Qin said, Madam Dowager was very satisfied. She also said that if Ning Xueyan went out for the business of the shop in the future, she would not need to report it to her. She also asked Mother Qin to tell her that she had to speed up on the embroidery of the dowry garments.

    After all, the marriage of the two concubines in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor had exceeded Madam Dowager¡¯s budget. However, Madam Dowager was not dissatisfied with it. For whatever reason, Commandery Princess Xianyun, the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor, and the Prince Yi¡¯s Manor hade to such a decision, it was good for the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    A co-consort could marry with a consort at the same time, which would mean that the co-consort was honored. Madam Dowager had never thought of such honor in the past. So, she was delighted with Ning Xueyan. As for Ning Xueyan¡¯s opening a shop, in Madam Dowager¡¯s opinion, it was the basis of thepetition between a wife and a concubine in the future.

    Although she did not have many thoughts about Prince Yi, it was hard to say. If it was possible, the Fifth Young Lady might be...

    Thinking of this, Madam Dowager naturally gave Ning Xueyan a lot of freedom. She even asked Mother Qin to provide a sum of money to Mother Han in private. She said that it would be used as the principal for the business.

    When Ning Xueyan arrived at the tea house, the shop assistant recognized them and led them to a private room at the back. Ming Yuanhua was already sitting inside. After Ning Xueyan entered, Xinmei guarded the door, while Lanning served tea inside.

    ¡°Cousin, did the matter of the Cloud Reflection Courtyard have anything to do with you?¡± As soon as Ning Xueyan came in, Ming Yuanhua immediately asked her. Such a big event had happened in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Now, it caused a big scandal in the whole city. He and his father were worried that Ning Xueyan would be involved in that, and wanted to ask Ning Xueyan about it. However, they could not get in touch with Ning Xueyan, so they were very anxious.

    When he received the letter from Ning Xueyan, Ming Yuanhua came to the tea house early.

    Seeing Ming Yuanhua staring at her anxiously, Ning Xueyan knew that he had been worried about her. Sheforted him in a soft voice, ¡°Cousin, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m fine. When something happened to the Cloud Reflection Courtyard, I was still in the Bright Frost Garden. How could it have anything to do with me? You don¡¯t need to worry about me.¡±

    The rebirth was her biggest secret. If it had not happened to her, she would not have believed it. Therefore, she did not want to tell anyone about it. At most, she showed her connection with Ning Ziying in her dream.

    This kind of reason would not work for Ming Yuanhua. It was better for her not to say anything, lest he and his uncle worried about her.

    ¡°It must be that vicious woman in your mansion who did that. So even if you know something, you can¡¯t say it. After all, you are her junior, and your position is not strong enough. If there is a need, you¡¯d better let my father do it.¡± Seeing that she was so assertive, Ming Yuanhua felt a little relieved, but he still reminded her.

    If someone was involved in the incident of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, the person would get into trouble. Moreover, Madam Ling was the most probable suspect. However, because there was no victim, and they could not find any evidence for a while, it would be under investigation for some time, based on the current situation. Atst, when the rumors had subsided, maybe the matter would not be investigated into, anymore.

    No one would be willing to offend the Lord Protector, Ning Zu¡¯an, for Ning Ziying, who had no power and influence. Moreover, Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s two daughters were going to marry into the royal family and he would now have a closer rtionship with the royal family. So, it was unwise to offend Ning Zu¡¯an now.

    Ming Yuanhua was worried that his cousin might not be able to stand it anymore and would stand up to testify for the dead Ning Ziying. In the end, it would be a mess. Whoever got involved in such a groundless thing would be unlucky. Moreover, Ning Xueyan addressed the ¡°evil woman¡± as Mother. Whether she admitted it or not, the truth was there. If Ning Xueyan said something, others would me her for being unfilial.

    Even though she was Prince Yi¡¯s co-consort, so what? The emperor dared not disobey the former emperor¡¯s will and dared not to bear thebel of ¡°unfilial.¡± It could be seen that the crime was severe.

 Chapter 400 - The Account Books Sent to the Vice Minister of Justiceâ€™s Manor

    <h4>Chapter 400 The ount Books Sent to the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor</h4>

    ¡°Cousin, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t act rashly. I¡¯ll have to trouble you to give these to my uncle.¡± Ning Xueyan opened the small bag in her hand, took out a few outdated pieces of paper, and handed them to Ming Yuanhua. There was a hint of hatred in her eyes. This was the reason why she had deliberately asked Ming Yuanhua for help today.

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Ming Yuanhua asked, while opening the papers. The smile on his face froze, and the corners of his eyes twitched. He looked a bit more solemn. He read through them rapidly. When he could see it clearly, he clenched his teeth and said, ¡°How vicious Madam Ling is!¡±

    After he had promised to frame Madam Ming, Concubine Yu¡¯s older brother had kept a piece of paper for his safety. It was a banknote for 1,000 taels of silver with Madam Ling¡¯s signature. The date of signature was also written on it, which was the day before Madam Ming was framed.

    The other piece of paper was the written proof of his role in framing Madam Ming. He wrote that Madam Ling asked Mammy Yun to get him to frame Madam Ming. Madam Ming was drugged and put on the bed together with him. Ning Zu¡¯an saw them. He even enclosed Madam Ling¡¯s promise and banknotes at that time. In the end, Auntie Concubine Yu¡¯s brother left his fingerprint on it.

    It could be said that this was a piece of irrefutable evidence.

    As he looked at them carefully, Ming Yuanhua looked very solemn. The blue veins at the corner of his eyes twitched violently. He stood up suddenly and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to give this to my father now. I¡¯m going to ask him to redress an injustice for my aunt.¡±

    Seeing that he was about to leave in a rage, Ning Xueyan quickly reached out and held Ming Yuanhua¡¯s hand. She said softly, ¡°Cousin, wait a minute. It¡¯s not enough. We only have the evidence, but no witness. Then, Madam Ling may make a false countercharge. We can¡¯t clear this in a short time. Instead, people will suspect my mother¡¯s reputation.¡±

    About Madam Ming¡¯s affair, they would either not mention it or blow it up. Therefore, Ning Xueyan was more than willing to wait. After all, so many years had passed. She did not mind waiting any longer. Then, she would strike Madam Ling in a single stroke, so that she would not be able to stand up again.

    ¡°Witness, there is no witness. No matter how hard my father tried, he could not find that person. He has not shown up for so many years. Maybe he has already died. Even if we find this person, will he be the witness for my aunt? After all, he is involved in this matter. If Madam Ling admits her guilt, he will not be able to escape the me.¡±

    Ming Yuanhua also knew that these two pieces of paper alone, would not solve all the problems. Just like what had happened in the Cloud Reflection Courtyard, everyone suspected the vicious woman, but no one could produce any credible evidence. So, Madam Ling went unpunished. Maybe one and a half yearster, when everyone forgot about it, Madam Ling would still be the Marchioness and remain unharmed.

    Ming Yuanhua could not calm down whenever he thought about this. His aunt had been wronged, and his father had been sent to another ce for more than ten years. Moreover, his cousin had been mistreated in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, and all the people in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor treated her coldly. All these made him angry.

    ¡°Cousin, don¡¯t worry. Concubine Yu has promised to find her brother as soon as possible. If her brotheres back, she will get him to provide the evidence for my mom.¡± Ning Xueyan said calmly. Her light blue satin dress made her look even more delicate. However, such a delicate girl gave people a sense of calm and elegance, with a poise quite different from most people of her age.

    Looking at the girl¡¯s delicate and beautiful features, the colored zedplexion, and the faint smile on her beautiful face, Ming Yuanhua gradually calmed down and sat down again. He even felt a kind of pride in her. The girl in front of him was not an ordinary woman who lived in a boudoir and shed tears over the changes of seasons. She was smart.

    However, he was also a little sad. He lowered his eyshes to cover up theplexity in his eyes. He calmed down and thought over what Ning Xueyan had said just now. Then he raised his head again and said, ¡°Cousin, you mean that person is still in contact with her now, and is willing to be a witness.¡±

    ¡°Yes, besides him, there is another person who is willing to be the witness. So, you and my uncle don¡¯t have to worry about the witnesses. The only thing we need to do is wait a little longer. Auntie Yu¡¯s elder brother can¡¯te right away. It will take at least one month or so. During this period of time, we can¡¯t act rashly, in case Madam Ling finds out about it.¡±

    Ning Xueyan smiled calmly, and a cold sneer shed in her eyes. Madam Ling could not be as shrewd as she used to be. About what had happened in the Cloud Reflection Courtyard, nobody could denounce her. However, Madam Ling had been caught unprepared. Even if Madam Ling wanted to keep an eye on her, she would not find anything unusual.

    Ning Xueyan was quite sure about this, which was also the reason why she came out openly today. Madam Ling was busy enough with her own affairs, or was busy plotting against Ning Zu¡¯an. So, Madam Ling was strong in will, but weak in power. Even the people of the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard were polite to the people of the Bright Frost Garden.

    It was Madam Ling¡¯s stalling tactic. After people forgot the incident of the Cloud Reflection Courtyard, the first one that Madam Ling would deal with was Ning Xueyan. Madam Ling and her daughter would me Ning Xueyan for what had happened to Ning Yuling. In their minds, only they could harm others. If others did not surrender, it would be wrong!

    Unfortunately, Madam Ling would never get round to deal with Ning Xueyan again.

    Madam Ling had harmed so many people, and now Ning Xueyan was asking for payment of her debt, step by step. At that time, she would see if Madam Ling could withstand all the attacks. Sometimes, a person could suffer another kind of torture, even if she was alive.

    ¡°Well, since you¡¯ve made up your mind, my father and I will wait for your message. As long as you say yes, my father will go directly to the Hall of Golden Chime to file a suit. We will wait for the Ning Mansion to exin to our Ming Mansion.¡± Ming Yuanhua said with anger on his face.

    The people of the Ming Manor were the descendants of the former dynasty. It could not bepared with the upstart Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. However, there were still a lot of people left from the previous dynasty like the Ming Manor. Most of these people had official positions now, and they also had many interpersonal connections in the new dynasty. If the current emperor favored the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, it would be impossible.

    If the emperor did not act with justice, it would not only be about the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. The emperor should be clear about what was important and what mattered less.

    ¡°Okay, cousin. That¡¯s settled.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled and nodded. Then she said slowly, ¡°Cousin, there¡¯s one more thing I need to trouble you with.¡±

    She mentioned it lightly, but Ming Yuanhua felt that it was not something small from Ning Xueyan¡¯s serious attitude. He immediately nodded.

    ¡°We¡¯re family. Let¡¯s dispense with the formalities. If there¡¯s anything, just say it, my cousin!¡±

    ¡°Cousin, the ount books from my mother¡¯s stores were in Madam Ling¡¯s hands, and then they were sent to the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor. If we can find those books, it can show that Madam Ling had deliberately framed my mother in order to get my mother¡¯s position and property. Moreover, with these things in hand, Madam Ling will not be able to escape.¡±

    Ning Xueyan took the cup and traced the pattern on it with her finger, with a cold smile on her face.

    Madam Ling had secretly sent those ount books to the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor in a carriage that day. If those ount books were discovered in the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor, it would mean that Madam Ling had framed Madam Ming. Madam Ling relied on the intervention of the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor. She did those things for Ning Huaiyuan and the Ling Manor. Now, the Ling Manor was the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor. If they could get the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor into trouble because of these ount books, it would be better.

    Some shops in those ount books had been under her control, while some had be Ning Ziyan¡¯s dowry. At that time, Ning Ziyan would once again be involved in Madam Ling¡¯s scandal. Even if it was slow, the end was the same based on the frog-boiling effect.

    ¡°I¡¯ll send someone to check where Madam Ling¡¯s ount books are. Since the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor is not the Ning Manor, nobody will care about the ount books. At most, the ount books will be ced somewhere. They won¡¯t be hidden as well if it had been at Ning Manor.¡± Ming Yuanhua immediately understood Ning Xueyan¡¯s meaning and nodded.

    Since it was not a good time to alert the enemy, they should only investigate this discreetly. It was said that the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor was busy with the son¡¯s engagement recently. It should not be a problem for someone to sneak in.

    ¡°Thank you, Cousin.¡± Ning Xueyan knew that Ming Yuanhua understood what she meant, so she smiled gently.

    Then, Ning Xueyan asked about her uncle and her aunt¡¯s health conditions. Because Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an did not allow her tomunicate with the people in the Ming Manor, she could not go against their will openly. Only when she saw Ming Yuanhua privately, did she have the opportunity to greet them. Ming Feiyong and others understood her position.

    But it was good. If they filed a suit, Ning Xueyan could keep out of the affair. So, Ming Feiyong was not too bothered. He would not havee to visit Ning Xueyan if he had nothing, which made it seem as if he had a general rtionship with Ning Xueyan. After all, Ming Feiyong had not seen his niece Ning Xueyan for ten years. There was a difference between a male and a female. Besides, the rtionship between them was less intimate than that between Ming Feiyong and Madam Ming. Everyone would think so at that time.

    This was what Ming Feiyong needed. So, even if Ning Xueyan wanted to see him, he would usually ask his son to go in his stead. After all, Ming Yuanhua did not have an official position, so he would not draw the attention of others.

    After chatting for a while, Ning Xueyan found it waste, so she had to leave. She had to check the address of the new shopter. When she was in the manor, Mother Han had provided two of them. This time, she came out for that reason, so she had to go and take a look.

    ¡°Yan¡¯er, you... are really going to marry into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.¡± Seeing Ning Xueyan putting on her veiled hat and was about to leave, Ming Yuanhua stood up, opened his mouth, and said this with difficulty. There was a hint of hesitation in his eyes.

    ¡°Cousin, don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s all right.¡± Seeing Ming Yuanhua¡¯s anxiety, Ning Xueyan said softly with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s for the best. Otherwise, I will not have the opportunity toe out now, and it will not be so convenient.¡±

    There were some other reasons that Ning Xueyan had not told him. If Ao Chenyi had not been there, she would have been defeated in the first round with Madam Ling. She could not take advantage of his power to fight back repeatedly. So now, she was not afraid of marrying into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    ¡°Are you... really willing to do that?¡± It seemed that Ming Yuanhua did not hear what Ning Xueyan said. He stared at Ning Xueyan and asked again, his face turning red.

    ¡°I am!¡± This time, Ning Xueyan did not hesitate. With a gentle and firm smile on her face, she looked into Ming Yuanhua¡¯splicated and dark eyes.

    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s good!¡± Ming Yuanhua clenched his fists and listened to his misgivings with a faint smile. One could not tell what his emotions were from his smile. There was an indescribable smile on his lips, a sense of rxation, and also an uncontroble pain...

 Chapter 401 - Another FiancÃ©

    <h4>Chapter 401 Another Fianc¨¦</h4>

    Ning Xueyan did not stay out for too long. She was just taking a look today. After all, she had to ask Han Dazhuang to recheck the location of the shop. She had chosen some streets that looked good, but she would have to inquire if there were any suitable shops there. Such things did not happen by chance. It was better to choose a suitable one.

    After she explored the surroundings for a while, Ning Xueyan¡¯s carriage returned to the manor. When she got off the carriage, she suddenly saw another carriage at the side. She looked at it carefully and found that the carriage was not from the manor. She winked at Lanning, who was standing beside her. Lanning understood and went out to make some enquiries. Then, she caught up with Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Young Lady, I heard that Childe Yueming from the regions south of the Yangtze River, came to visit the Marquis. He is now at the Marquis¡¯s ce.¡± Lanning took a breath, walked to Ning Xueyan, and whispered to her.

    ¡°Childe Yueming? Hua Yunheng?¡± Ning Xueyan stopped for a while, but then she went on. She really did not know what had happened that year. Hua Yunheng had stayed and then left her family for no explicable reasons. It seemed that everything wasplicated and confusing. But no matter what, Hua Yunheng was only Childe Yueming, and he had nothing to do with her previous life. So, he could not directly intervene in the affairs of the Cloud Reflection Courtyard.

    So what if Brother Hua knew that she was dead? Perhaps he still remembered his younger sister. He came especially to visit and inquire about her. She had been a loser in her previous life. She neither knew who her biological parents were, nor what went on in her foster parents¡¯ minds. She did not even know about her brother, who had appeared so suddenly out of nowhere, in their family.

    In the past, she had gone along with this elder brother wholeheartedly. She had even been sad for a long while after his departure. In her heart, she had med him. Even if he had to leave in a hurry, he should have written a letter to exin it to her. However, he had been gone for so many years, and it was as if she did not exist.

    In this life, she knew that this was not all she was not aware of. Childe Yueming was a man of talent and came from a wealthy family. Why did he live in an ordinary mansion for two years? Could it be because of her real identity in her previous life, the Great Elder Princess of the previous dynasty?

    Seeing that Ning Xueyan¡¯s expression changed a little, Lanning suggested, ¡°Young Lady, do you want me to see what Childe Yueming is doing here?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother. It has nothing to do with us.¡± After taking a deep breath, Ning Xueyan smiled faintly and felt a little bitter. Anyway, she had died in her previous life. No matter how many people were pursuing the Great Elder Princess, it hade to an end. People died as the lights went out. So, she should cut off all the karmas from her previous life.

    She was the Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor now, not Ning Ziying, who had a mysterious identity and had been plotted against, by many people.

    ¡°Young Lady, that childe is looking at you.¡± Xinmei suddenly reached out and pulled Ning Xueyan¡¯s sleeve, alerting her as a handsome young master came out from a moon gate on the right side. He was dressed in a snow-white robe, which made him look handsome and tall. There was a sash the color of jade tied around his waist. His starry eyes were slightly narrowed, and he exuded an air of elegance and nobility.

    He was really from a millennium family with a profound background in the regions south of the Yangtze River City. He could bepared to an actual member of the royal family.

    Two beautifuldies apanied him. One was gentle, while the other was charming, and they greatly enhanced the gentle and elegant image of the young master. The gentle maid was Fenglian, whom Ning Xueyan knew. When they were in her manor, she was the one who served Hua Yunheng, and she was the only one. As for the other one behind him, she must be one of Hua Yunheng¡¯s four maids. Ning Xueyan suddenly remembered what had happened on Peach Blossom Ind.

    She bowed to Hua Yunheng, who was still some distance away, and went inside. Lanning and Xinmei followed closely behind her.

    ¡°Are you the Fifth Young Lady? Our childe asks to see you.¡± After walking a few steps, she heard someone chasing after her and speaking in a gentle voice.

    Ning Xueyan had to stop. She turned her head and saw Fenglian panting, and greeting her with a smile. Somewhere in the distance, Hua Yunheng was strolling toward her, as if he had something to tell her.

    ¡°What can I do for your Childe?¡± Ning Xueyan asked. She did not think that she had any connection with Hua Yunheng in this life. Besides, they had not seen each other officially.

    ¡°Yes. Fifth Young Lady, when you came to Peach Blossom Ind that day, Childe was there as well, but he came back a littleter. Later, he spoke with the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min for a while, but he did not see you.¡± Fenglian exined with a smile.

    Ning Xueyan was unhappy that she had been observed by so many people, when she went to admire the flowers that day. A trace of anger shed in her dark jade-like eyes. Since she had died in her previous life, she did not think it was necessary for her to meet Hua Yunheng. After the excitement she experienced after seeing him for the first time that day, now she only felt unhappy and upset.

    After all, she sincerely regarded Hua Yunheng as her big brother. Except for her parents, he was the one who was closest to her at that time. He was not an adult, so she could tell him everything. Sometimes when he was reading under the tree, she would have an afternoon nap, next to him.

    But now, Ning Ziying was dead. Whether it was right or wrong, or if there was a conspiracy, shouldn¡¯t it be over?

    ¡°I just visited the garden with Eldest Young Lady Heng that day. I did not expect that I disturbed your master. It¡¯s really our fault,¡± Ning Xueyan said politely, but Fenglian looked uneasy.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, you¡¯re too polite. That day, I wanted you to do me a favor, so I am here to disturb you again. If there is something I did wrong, please forgive me.¡± He said this in a gentle voice, followed by an elegant smile. When she looked up, Hua Yunheng had alreadye over and was looking at her with a smile.

    Since he was already here, what else could she say?

    They greeted each other again. After Hua Yunheng returned her greeting, they began to talk again. ¡°Fifth Young Lady, did the Second Young Master pick up something that belonged to me that day?¡± Hua Yunheng asked with a smile. He did not beat around the bush, but went straight to the point.

    Ning Xueyan subconsciously wanted to avoid this question, but when she saw Hua Yunheng¡¯s faint smile, she knew that it was useless to cover it up. Maybe Hua Yunheng was already aware of her identity that day, so she no longer tried to cover it up and said frankly, ¡°Is it a sachet?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Hua Yunheng had a dazzling smile on his face, and his tone was soft and gentle. ¡°Someone who meant a lot to me, gave it to me. So, I searched for it for a long time that day. Later, I thought that maybe it could have fallen into you and your brother¡¯s hands. I happened to see youing over, so I came to ask you.¡±

    ¡°Did Childe Yueming visit my second brother?¡± Since he mentioned about herself and her brother, it seemed that Hua Yunheng had seen through her disguise at that time. Ning Xueyan did not hide anymore, but asked with a smile. Her beautiful eyes met with Hua Yunheng¡¯s nice eyes, without any hesitation.

    Hua Yunheng¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, but then he shook his head and said, ¡°I just asked the servants in your manor. They said the Second Young Master had gone out, so they don¡¯t know the exact whereabouts of the sachet. When I saw you, I came to ask you. I¡¯m sorry if I was impolite.¡±

    ¡°My second brother is not here today?¡± Ning Xueyan really did not know about it. At first, she wanted Xinmei to go to Ning Huaijing¡¯s ce to get the stuff, but now Ning Huaijing was not there. ¡°When my second brotheres back, I¡¯ll tell him to make another appointment and return the sachet to you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much, Young Lady.¡± Hua Yunheng bowed deeply to Ning Xueyan, with a hint of gratitude in his eyes. He had greeted her like this several times in her memory. He did it whenever she was angry. When he apologized to her, he gave her a sincere bow, which felt as warm as jade. Then, he tried to amuse her.

    He had never been angry and impatient, as if he was always the elder brother. However, she was always the one to create problems.

    As if she was in a trance, Ning Xueyan then asked, ¡°Who gave you the sachet? That sachet should have been quite old, but you still can¡¯t forget about it.¡±

    Her question was abrupt, and there was a trace of surprise in Hua Yunheng¡¯s eyes. Even Lanning and Xinmei, who were standing aside, stole nces at her.

    ¡°I was rude. I was just a little curious, so you don¡¯t have to tell me.¡± Ning Xueyan came to her senses and gently exined. As a Young Lady from a respectable family, she should not have asked that kind of question, not to mention that they were not even familiar with each other. Even if she was a Young Lady from a noble family, she should not have asked that question.

    It was obvious that this sachet was a woman¡¯s personal item. It was rude to ask a strange man this sort of question, so she immediately changed the topic.

    ¡°There is nothing that I can¡¯t tell you. My fianc¨¦e gave it to me, so I kept it by my side. This time I lost it, so I was anxious.¡± A trace of sadness shed through Heng Yunheng¡¯s eyes. Ning Xueyan, who was standing opposite him, could see the pain in his gentle and elegant eyes.

    ¡°Oh, you should keep it well, then.¡± Ning Xueyan said dryly, unconsciously clenching her fists. If she could, she really wanted to ask Hua Yunheng, ¡°Aren¡¯t you my elder brother? When did you be my fiance?? Xia Yuhang has always been my only fiance?. When did I be your fiance?e?¡±

    She knew that this was not what she should ask at the moment. She was not in the position to ask about the rtionship between Hua Yunheng and Ning Ziying.

    Hua Yunheng could not have been her fiance? in her previous life. But why did he say that? With Hua Yunheng¡¯s personality, he did not seem the type to utter an untruth. Even if he had evidence, Ning Xueyan did not believe it. Her mother had never told her anything.

    When her mother was about to die, she asked her to go to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. She did not talk about Hua Yunheng, who had been missing for several years. It was if he had never appeared in their manor.

    After exchanging a few conventional remarks with Hua Yunheng, they separated. Ning Xueyan went inside with a slight frown, feeling that there might be something she was not aware of. She took two steps forward and decisively told Lanning, ¡°During these days, try to find an opportunity to get Mother Wang sneak into the manor. You tell her that I want to ask about Sister Ziying.¡±

    Mother Wang might not know her real identity in her previous life, but she should know what had happened afterwards!

 Chapter 402 - Vice Minister Lingâ€™s Fluster

    <h4>Chapter 402 Vice Minister Ling¡¯s Fluster</h4>

    Vice Minister Ling was very annoyed these days. His sister and his family affairs were the cause of the annoyance. His son was engaged to the Qian Manor. Going by the status and appearance, Madam Qian¡¯s niece could not bepared with Ning Yuling. Besides, his son¡¯s engagement with the Qian Manor had offended the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Ning Yuling was the daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s principal wife. Besides, she was his niece. In any case, he had to protect her. He felt it would be better to ask his son to marry her and bring her into his manor. If his son felt wronged, he could also marry a co-wife in the future. Her son and daughter were the principal wife¡¯s children. It was not a big deal in his manor.

    Moreover, in this case, if he promised to let his son marry Ning Yuling, all the people in the Ning Manor would thank him. Recently, he had been teased by his colleagues, because of his daughter. Adding to that, the emperor did not attach great importance to him, which made him very anxious. He wanted to take this opportunity to let Ning Zu¡¯an put in a good word for him in front of the emperor.

    With such an opportunity to cover up Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s embarrassment, Ning Zu¡¯an was bound to be grateful and would spare no effort to put in a good word for him in front of the emperor. Even if Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s current situation was not good, he was still much better off than him, and his two daughters had also brought him additional glory.

    However, all his ns had been ruined by Madam Qian. She said that she would never let her only son be wronged or cuckolded. With Ning Yuling¡¯s appearance, how could her son be wronged? In the future, he could marry whoever he wanted!

    However, his son was now engaged to the daughter of the Qian Manor. It was inferior to his manor in every aspect, and it was not helpful to him. Instead, they offended the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Since the engagement was settled, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had not sent anyone here. And, they had not sent anyone to attend his son¡¯s wedding banquet.

    Vice Minister Ling was anxious because of this. He had nned to send gifts and attend the banquet, while the two youngdies in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor worshipped the ancestors. However, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor returned the gifts and said that the guests were all rtives of the Ning family, so there was no need for other rtives toe.

    The words were pleasant, but in fact, everyone could understand the alienation behind it. Even if only the people from the Ning family were present, why did they give back the gifts? Courtesy costs nothing. When Ning Huaijing returned to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, the people from the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor did not send their people there, but they still sent gifts. At that time, Lord Protector¡¯s Manor did not return the gifts.

    It was said that the youngdy, who was lodging in the Cloud Reflection Courtyard of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, had been killed by others. These rumors asionally made Vice Minister Ling worried. He did not know about the youngdy¡¯s exact situation, but he knew that his sister had nned to rob her of her marriage. In the end, Ning Ziyan married Xia Yuhang. From this point of view, it seemed that his sister had a hand in the murder of the youngdy.

    It was highly likely that his sister was the murderer.

    Thinking of this, Vice Minister Ling had a headache. Then, the matter was made known to the public suddenly. Everyone said that his sister did it. Although there was no evidence, everyone suspected Madam Ling now. In the court, some officials brought up this matter in an ambiguous way. When they talked about it, many people stared at him as if he knew the truth.

    Vice Minister Ling was upset when he thought of this and wanted to get in touch with his sister. However, Madam Ling did not send him any message. After Ling Yi¡¯s marriage, it was inconvenient for him to visit his sister. Therefore, he was anxious like an ant on a hot pot. He tried to find a way to meet Madam Ling to ask her about the situation.

    Such a matter could have either a great or slight influence. If it was not handled properly, it could implicate the entire Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor.

    ¡°Your Excellency, the male servant is back.¡± Just as he was starting to feel anxious, the housekeeper knocked on the door and came in to report. He could do nothing, except to send some medicinal herbs to Madam Ling. He wanted to see Madam Ling in person, but he did not see her the day before yesterday. It was said that Madam Ling had been sleeping the whole of yesterday. He did not know what was going on today.

    ¡°Let him in.¡± Vice Minister Ling said quickly, when he heard that the young male servant had returned. He turned around and sat behind the table. He took a sip of tea to quell his anger.

    ¡°Your Excellency, I did not see the Marchioness, but I saw her maid today.¡± After he came in, the young male servant bowed to Vice Minister Ling, and then wiped his sweat away. Today, he finally saw the people who served the Marchioness. During the first two times, he could not even get to see the people around the Marchioness, let alone the Marchioness.

    Vice Minister Ling was thrilled when he heard that the young male servant managed to meet the people around her. He asked anxiously, ¡°Did you convey my message to her?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve passed on the message. One of the maids wasing out of the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard. She was gorgeously dressed, so I knew that she was not just any ordinary maid. I deliberately asked the older female servant behind me about the maid. She told me that the maid was a first-ss maid. So, I followed her secretly.¡±

    The first-ss maid of the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard must be the Marchioness¡¯s henchman. The young male servant said happily. He was anxious about not being able to get into the room, but he did not dare to ask a maid to convey his master¡¯s message. The first maid looked exceptional, so he guessed that the Marchioness must value her greatly. This was also the reason why the young male servant followed her to a ce where no one was around, and caught hold of the maid.

    The rtionship between the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor and the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was not good. Therefore, the young male servant did not dare to talk openly about his master¡¯s order.

    Vice Minster Ling nodded and asked, ¡°What did that maid say?¡±

    ¡°I told her your message and asked for the Marchioness¡¯s opinion about what to do next. The maid returned to the main house on purpose and then came out to convey the Marchioness¡¯s thoughts on that.¡± The young male servant replied respectfully.

    ¡°Just say it.¡± Vice Minister Ling asked immediately.

    ¡°The Marchioness did not talk about the other things. She only asked you not to panic, but to keep the ount books she sent before. Although those things are not important now, it will cause a serious impact once they are found. She asked you to pay attention to them and make sure they do not get stolen.¡±

    The young male servant reported the whole thing clearly.

    ¡°The ount books?¡± Vice Minister Ling was lost for a moment. After a while, he remembered that those ount books belonged to Ning Xueyan¡¯s mother, Madam Ming. Thest time when his sister came out of the Buddha Hall, she asked for the carriage of his manor to pick her up. After that, he did not pay attention to them, but threw them directly into the woodshed behind. He thought that Madam Ling put them there, because she had no space for them.

    Now, he knew that they would make a significant impact once they were discovered.

    ¡°Have you made an appointment with that maid?¡± Vice Minister Ling asked, after thinking for a while.

    ¡°I told the maid to wait for the reply in the afternoon. Then, I¡¯ll pass your message to her.¡± The young male servant was smart. He knew his master had been anxious to talk with the Marchioness. It was rare to be able to get in touch with a maid, so he would not let her go. Now, he said this hurriedly.

    ¡°Your Excellency, if you have any other orders, I will go and tell the maid in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.¡±

    ¡°You go and tell the maid that I will check on the ount books, so that she will be assured. How is she? Does she need my help? I have some things that she sent to me a long time ago. If Ning Zu¡¯an does not want to help her, should I take out these things and send them directly to Ning Zu¡¯an?¡±

    His face darkened as Vice Minister Ling said this ambiguously. Only he and Madam Ling knew the details. He believed that his sister would understand after hearing what he said. This matter was so crucial that even Madam Qian did not know about it at all. Madam Dowager did not agree to Madam Ling bing the legal wife.

    However, she had to agreeter, partly because of this.

    In the past, Madam Ling had also instructed that these items should not be taken out unless it was critical. But now, it could be considered as a critical moment. Without Madam Ling¡¯s instructions, Vice Minister Ling could not make a decision. He did not dare to take these things lightly because they could matter a lot. Every time he thought of them, a chill swept over him.

    How could he, a lowly Vice Minister of Justice, have such things?

    Although Vice Minister Ling¡¯s words were given in detail the young male servant was smart. He nodded vigorously and then left. After that, he had a light meal in the manor. It was gettingte, so he went to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. This time, he went through the back door instead of the front door, because he had already made an appointment with the maid there.

    When he sneakily appeared at the back door after sometime, he saw another figure lurking furtively there. When he saw the figure, he found that it was the maid he had made an appointment with, before. He jumped out of the corner, waved his hand vigorously, and beckoned to the maid silently.

    The maid looked to be a smart type. Seeing the young male servant¡¯s figure, she ran over in a hurry. They huddled in the corner and talked for a while. Then, the young male servant left in a hurry. Seeing the young male servant leaving, Qingyu was no longer panicky, and entered through the backyard door. She had told them that one of her cousins would being to see her.

    So now, she was back after seeing her cousin.

    What a coincidence! Today, Ning Xueyan ordered her to send some things to Madam Ling. Unexpectedly, she met the young male servant from Vice Minister of Justice Ling¡¯s Manor. The male servant treated her as if she was a maid from the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard, so Qingyu went to Madam Ling¡¯s room again, in order to gain the young male servant¡¯s trust.

    She made an appointment with the young male servant to inquire about the news of the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor. Now, she found out everything she wanted to know, so she immediately went to the Bright Frost Garden. As soon as she arrived at the door, she suddenly met Lanning, who wasing out in a hurry. Both of them were in such a rush that they almost bumped into each other, at the corner of the wall.

    Fortunately, both their reflexes were good, and they moved away from each other, in a timely manner.

    ¡°Qingyu, you are back just in time. You go and serve the Young Lady first. Madam Dowager asked one of us from the Bright Frost Garden to go over and said that there is something urgent. Mother Han is not here, so I¡¯ll go¡± Lanning said in a low voice, holding Qingyu¡¯s hand as soon as she saw hering back.

    ¡°Is there anything wrong?¡± Madam Dowager was sick, so why did she suddenly summon one of them? Qingyu asked in surprise.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Something must have happened. She did not summon the Young Lady, so it must have something to do with the Young Lady.¡± Although Lanning was calm, she was worried because Madam Dowager had summoned one of them who served the Young Lady, rather than the Young Lady, in a hurry. She realized that there must be something wrong, so she felt flustered.

    ¡°It¡¯s OK. I¡¯ll ask the Young Lady about it. You go first. If there¡¯s something wrong, inform me immediately. Be careful,¡± Qingyu said.

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll go first.¡± ¡°Okay!¡±

 Chapter 403 - Meeting Trick with Trick, Being Suspicious Step by Step

    <h4>Chapter 403 Meeting Trick with Trick, Being Suspicious Step by Step</h4>

    In the Bright Frost Garden, Ning Xueyan took out a small parcel. There were really not many things in it. In addition to a letter enclosed within, there were some things her mother had kept for her. They were all broken stuff, including a set of clothes that she had worn when she was a child. It seemed that the clothes had been worn by a child of about two or three years old. Although they were clean, there were some tattered parts around the hem and even some scorch marks.

    ¡°Could this be the clothes she wore when she first came to the Ning Manor?¡± Ning Xueyan thought.

    Ning Xueyan wondered under what circumstances did she get lost and how her parents had adopted her at once. Although her mother¡¯s letter to her was not detailed, even her mother did not seem to know her true identity, Ning Xueyan believed that her mother knew it. Otherwise, her mother would not have asked her to look for Senior Nun Jing Kong.

    She told her that Senior Nun Jing Kong would solve her doubts. ¡°What did she mean by saying that she got lost and ended up at the Ning Mansion, and then they adopted her because she looked so pitiful? At that time, there were so many orphans every day. She believed that she was not the only child who was lost. How could her mother be sure that she was the princess from the previous dynasty?¡±

    ¡°Or maybe my mother brought me into Ning¡¯s Mansion on purpose. My father should know about it! Otherwise, how could my mother, a woman, hide such a big thing from him? As for Hua Yunheng, if he did not get my parents¡¯ permission, he would not have been able to see me hiding in the backyard.¡±

    ¡°Why did my parents allow him to see me? I¡¯m the former emperor¡¯s princess. They should keep it a secret and not let anyone know. In her memory, the Hua Family in the regions south of the Yangtze River, seemed to have nothing to do with the Ning Mansion. They seldom met the people of the Hua Family, so how could they leave the most outstanding child of the Hua Family in the Ning Mansion?¡±

    ¡°He stayed there for a few years. There must be some reasons that I am not aware about.¡±

    Her slender fingers caressed her clothes subconsciously. She frowned slightly. She had too many knots in her mind, which seemed to be about her identity in her previous life. It seemed that she was the only one who was not aware of her so-called secret identity in her previous life. She did not know that many people were spying on her, secretly.

    Fianc¨¦e? Her marriage with Xia Yuhang had been discussed a long time ago. Because of this, the Xia Manor hade to her manor several times, but it had not been confirmed. When the engagement was confirmed, she should still be quite young. At that time, Hua Yunheng had left. Was there any connection between them?

    ¡°Young Lady, I¡¯m back.¡± Qingyu¡¯s voice came from outside the door. Ning Xueyan collected her thoughts, and put away the package while saying to the people outside, ¡°Come in!¡±

    She knew that Qingyu had been mistaken by the servant of the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor, so she should havee back to report something to Ning Xueyan, at this time.

    When the curtain was lifted, Qingyu came in and said, ¡°Young Lady, someone in Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor said that His Lordship will be checking into the ount books, ording to the First Madam¡¯s order. There will be no mistakes. It seems that the First Madam has several things kept at the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor. His master told the First Madam that he would send them to the Marquis, if necessary. ¡±

    Qingyu subconsciously lowered her voice when she finished her sentence. After that, she walked to the window and took a quick look outside. She was relieved when she found no one there. What she had just said sounded highly suspicious.

    Madam Ling¡¯s things could instill fear in Ning Zu¡¯an. Ning Xueyan slightly lowered her eyshes, with a trace of doubt in her shimmery eyes. Madam Ling waspletely dependent on Ning Zu¡¯an for her entry to the manor. Then, she framed Madam Ming and made such a scene. It could be said that she became the legal wifergely due to Ning Zu¡¯an. But what about Madam Dowager? It was certain that Madam Dowager did not like Madam Ling. Why would Madam Dowager merely watch Madam Ling ascend to the position of legal wife?

    If it was all for Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s sake, Ning Xueyan did not believe it. After all, Ning Zu¡¯an was not old at that time, and he was an upstart. It would not be difficult for him to marry another official wife and have a legal son. Although Madam Dowager hated her, she did not oppose her.

    Moreover, she deliberately stayed behind to eavesdrop on the Marquis of Ping¡¯ An¡¯s matter. She heard about the jade pendant. It seemed that Madam Dowager agreed to have Ning Xueyan married to the Marquis of Ping¡¯ an, because of the jade pendant. After that, the Marquis of Ping¡¯an said that it was Madam Ling who gave it to him. It seemed that the things in Madam Ling¡¯s hands also had a deterrent effect on Madam Dowager.

    Ning Xueyan thought that there was only one piece, but it seemed that there were a few more pieces. They were hidden in Madam Ling¡¯s hands. So, Madam Dowager was willing to give in to Madam Ling time and again?

    Thinking about all this, Ning Xueyan became more preupied. It seemed that Madam Ling had more than one life saving means. Thus, she was so strong-willed that she could even recover after being frightened by Xinmei for two days. Madam Ling believed that she would eventually get away with it. However, her brother did not seem to be optimistic about her.

    Cold sarcasm appeared in Ning Xueyan¡¯s ck, jade-like eyes. Unfortunately, sometimes nobody could predict what Heaven wills. Madam Ling did not expect that the people from the Vice Minister of Justice would think that her maid was Madam Ling¡¯s first maid and even sent a secret message through Qingyu.

    ¡°Qingyu, tell Mother Han to inform my cousin that Vice Minister Ling may check the ount books today. Ask him to send someone to stir up trouble at night.¡± Ning Xueyan said with a profound look in her eyes.

    ¡°Yes. Mother Han is in charge of the courtyard. I¡¯ll go and tell her right away.¡± Qingyu nodded and said. After a pause, she looked at Ning Xueyan and asked with concern, ¡°Young Lady, why did Lanning go out just now?¡±

    Lanning had left in a hurry without saying anything, which made Qingyu quite worried. Lanning was always prudent, but today she looked quite different, which made Qingyu a bit panicky. Without knowing what was happening at Madam Dowager¡¯s, she was worried that her youngdy would be involved again.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Nothing serious will happen there.¡± Ning Xueyan frowned. Just now, the people of the Auspicious Fortune Hall came in a hurry and only asked to speak to one of her maids. Madam Dowager was sick a few days ago. At this point, they could not make any trouble. They called the maid instead of the master, perhaps because they were investigating something.

    Anyway, it should not be a big deal with Lanning¡¯s alertness.

    ¡°Young Lady, do you want me to go to the Auspicious Fortune Hall to wait for Lanning?¡± Qingyu asked uneasily.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to go there. If we go there now, it will seem as if we are guilty. You¡¯d better go to the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor tomorrow and find the young male servant secretly. You can tell him that the First Madam asks you to go there and is asking the Vice Minister of Justice to hide the things in his hands. No loopholes are allowed. Otherwise, something serious will happen.¡±

    Ning Xueyan smiled slightly. She patted the small package in her hands, as the corners of her mouth lifted. If her cousin made any noise tonight, what would Vice Minister Ling, who had always been timid, do?

    ¡°Yes, I know.¡± Qingyu understood. When she saw her youngdy calming down, her uneasiness subsided. Now that her youngdy knew everything, it must have nothing to do with her youngdy. Besides, nothing happened in the Bright Frost Garden recently. Thus, Madam Dowager could not have something on her youngdy.

    Lanning came back soon. As expected, she was safe and sound. She said that Madam Dowager had called all the first maids of each courtyard to ask if there was anything strange going on in each manor. If so, they had to report it to Madam Dowager as soon as possible. And, Madam Dowager would then deal with it.

    ¡°Did Madam Dowager ask you these questions?¡± Ning Xueyan sat under the window and wrote a few words. She picked the paper up and looked at the words, apparently dissatisfied. She crumpled the paper into a ball and threw it into a wastepaper basket. Her long eyshes fluttered twice, with a trace of darkness in her shimmery eyes. Then, she asked Lanning casually.

    ¡°Madam Dowager also said that if we encountered something strange, we should not talk about it and let it spread. If we encounter something evil, we may even get our whole family into trouble. Besides, she asked us to restrain the people in our courtyard, when wee back. We should watch our words to avoid courting disaster.¡±

    Lanning replied with a trace of anger on her face.

    Now, even Qingyu could tell that. ¡°Is Madam Dowager warning people in the manor not to gossip about Young Lady Ning Ziying?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what Madam Dowager meant. The day before yesterday, the people of the Ministry of Justice wanted to interview the servants of our manor. Today, Madam Dowager got hold of this news and called us over in a hurry. She deliberately warned us not to get the First Madam involved.¡± Lanning growled. Thinking of Young Lady Ziying¡¯s tragic death, Lanning was sad and angered because no one tried to get justice for her, and Madam Dowager even wanted to hide the truth.

    ¡°Young Lady, does Madam Dowager also know about this?¡± Qingyu suddenly asked.

    Did Madam Dowager know about it? How could she not know about such a big thing? Like Ning Zu¡¯an, Madam Dowager only stood behind and talked about it. She shirked from any responsibility by saying that she knew nothing. An orphan girl who sought refuge with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor died in the backyard. She only said that she knew nothing.

    Just like the situation now, even if everything that happened showed that someone killed her, the case would not have made any progress. They said that they wanted to check with the servants. Before that, the servants had been warned to mind their words. How could they get any useful information?

    Madam Ling was a vicious woman, and Madam Dowager had always been sinister and selfish. She said that she did not know about it, but there were only a few people in the manor who did not know about it. However, they turned a blind eye to it.

    Seeing Ning Xueyan¡¯s face darkening, Qingyu changed the topic automatically and asked, ¡°Young Lady, do we need to speak for Young Lady Ziying?¡±

    ¡°No, even Madam Dowager has said that. If we speak for her, the others will suspect us. Lanning, please follow Madam Dowager¡¯s instructions.¡± Ning Xueyanughed grimly. Since the matter of the Cloud Reflection Courtyard had been exposed, Madam Dowager could not control what would happen next.

    She thought that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor could easily handle an orphan without any background. Nobody would care about an orphan girl. Even if there was a mystery about her death, it would have nothing to do with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    However, she was not an orphan girl with nothing, in her previous life.

 Chapter 404 - The Betrothal Gifts from Prince Yiâ€™s Manor

    <h4>Chapter 404 The Betrothal Gifts from Prince Yi¡¯s Manor</h4>

    In the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard, most of the people were asleep, but Madam Ling¡¯s room was flooded with flickering lights. It was evident that the people inside were not asleep yet. Madam Ling had been in poor health for a long time. After the incident at the Cloud Reflection Courtyard, she had been screaming in the night, which frightened all the people in the courtyard so much that they could not sleep well.

    Later, the Marquis came over and stayed for a night. The First Madam seemed to have made a miraculous recovery. As if she had taken a magic drug, the First Madam stopped taking her medicine. Although she looked weak and could not get up for a while, she obviously felt much better than before.

    However, Mother Chen, who had always served the First Madam, sometimes did not show up in the morning. It was said that she had a lot of things to do, and the First Madam allowed her to go out. Rumors among some of the older female servants said that Mother Chen brought back some medicine every time she came back. She even smelt of medicine.

    However, the First Madam took it directly without brewing it. They were curious about her medicine, because the First Madam¡¯s mental state was much better than before. When several older female servants asked about it, Mother Chen scolded them. They secretly scoffed at her bullying ways, but they did not dare to ask her face to face.

    ¡°First Madam, does this medicine work?¡± Mother Chen secretly took out a pack of fine powder and carefully handed it to Madam Ling. The powder looked like ordinary powder and was light yellow in color. At a nce, one could tell that it had been mixed with other drugs. It had a strong smell of medicine. After carefully smelling it, one could detect a fishy odoring from it.

    If there were no strong smell of medicine, the fishy smell alone would make people sick.

    Madam Ling tried hard to suppress her nausea. She raised her head and poured all the powder from the medicine sachet into her mouth. Then, she hurriedly took the cup of water handed over by Mother Chen and drank it in one gulp. After that, she covered her mouth with a handkerchief, panting for breath and coughing hard. She was afraid that she would cough out the powder, so she closed her mouth tightly. It was more inconvenient for her to cough like this, so her cheeks flushed a bright red.

    ¡°First Madam, please slow down. Be careful not to choke.¡± Seeing Madam Ling¡¯s situation, Mother Chen hurriedly reached out to pat her on the back.

    Finally, Madam Ling recovered. After she drank some water, she stopped coughing. Then, she wiped the tears from her eyes with a handkerchief. A trace of hatred shed through her eyes. After gasping for a while, she said, ¡°I¡¯m all right. I¡¯m all right. I¡¯ve been taking this medicine for a while. It should be effective, right?¡±

    She subconsciously reached out her hand to touch her belly and said this unambiguously.

    ¡°It must be effective. First Madam, but... but if something goes wrong, it will hurt your health. You¡¯re doing this...¡± Mother Chen persuaded. She looked at Madam Ling¡¯s face fearfully. Under the light, Madam Ling¡¯s face looked pale and also a little unhealthy.

    Thinking of what the man who gave her the powder said, she did not dare to say anything.

    ¡°That¡¯s good. It¡¯s best if I can give birth. If not, I must ce the me on that little bi*ch. How can Madam Dowager protect her if she kills her biological brother?¡± Madam Ling gritted her teeth and said. The medicine was strong enough, but as long as it worked, she would take it.

    If she was pregnant at this time, no matter what happened, Madam Dowager would ask the Marquis to protect her. If she gave birth to a son again, he would be another male offspring of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Madam Dowager attached great importance to the inheritance. As for whether she could give birth, Madam Ling did not care much about it.

    Anyway, she had Yuan¡¯er. So what if she could not give birth to a baby? If not, she would ce the me on Ning Xueyan. So what if she was about to be Prince Yi¡¯s co-consort? How could the royal family let such a vicious woman be one of their family member?

    She had heard that Prince Yi was engaged to a co-consort, but there were no more specifics. The co-consort was cruel and ruthless because she murdered a concubine. Prince Yi broke off their engagement. If Ning Xueyan killed the child in her belly, it would be much worse than killing a concubine.

    ¡°The efficacy is really... First Madam, you can¡¯t stand it.¡± Mother Chen was sweating when she mentioned this. She tried to persuade Madam Ling again in a low voice. She had said these words countless times, but Madam Ling was stubborn. It was difficult for her to get pregnant based on her health condition.

    However, it was said that the medicine was effective. One could be pregnant by taking it, but one could not keep the child safe and might even give birth to a monster. Mother Chen dared not to tell Madam Ling about it. She only told Madam Ling that the drug was harmful, and she might lose the child.

    But even so, Madam Ling decided to take it. Mother Chen feared that she would shoulder the responsibility. Therefore, she sometimes tried to advise Madam Ling to show that she was sincerely doing this for Madam Ling. If anything happened in the future, it would have nothing to do with her.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this. You should go to the Marquis¡¯s ce tomorrow and tell him that I have been feeling better since he came herest time. Invite him to see me again.¡± Madam Ling said with a gloomy face. She reached out to stop Mother Chen from speaking. As long as she could kill Ning Xueyan, it did not matter if she hurt herself a little bit.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go tomorrow.¡± Mother Chen nodded and took out a bag of fragrant sandalwood from a hidden corner of the table. Madam Ling suffered patiently and silently. She nodded and beckoned to Mother Chen to put it away.

    When Mother Chen put it back in the hidden corner, Madam Ling stopped holding her nose and said, ¡°Put it in the incense as before. Light it as soon as the Marquises in.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Mother Chen nodded in tacit understanding. Under the dim light, the two heads separated for a while and got together again. Although no sounds filtered out of the window, their behavior was weird. One could tell that they were plotting something.

    When the betrothal gifts were sent from Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, Ning Xueyan was doing embroidery in the Bright Frost Garden. Hearing that Madam Dowager had sent someone to invite her, Ning Xueyan tidied up her clothes and went to the Lucky Garden. All the betrothal gifts were in Madam Dowager¡¯s courtyard, among which there were silks, satins, and jewelry. Everything was exquisite.

    They were royal treasures. Although they were not big, Madam Dowager could not hide her smile when she saw so many precious things. Today was the day when Prince Yi sent betrothal gifts to Commandery Princess Xianyun of the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor. Since he would marry the consort and the co-consort at the same time, he also sent betrothal gifts to Ning Xueyan.

    Although they could not bepared with Princess Xianyun¡¯s, Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was honored because the consort and the co-consort would marry into the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor at the same time. Madam Dowager felt worthwhile to exchange a granddaughter she had never thought highly of, for this glory. Thus, she asked all youngdies of the manor toe over.

    Ning Lingyun had been released recently. Madam Dowager thought that both Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan had won honors for the manor. Although Ning Lingyun was a concubine¡¯s daughter, she might also have a good chance. So, Madam Dowager treated her well.

    Ning Xueyan, the most good-for-nothing and the one who was the most timid, who was even inferior to a concubine¡¯s daughter, had managed to secure such a good marriage. Perhaps Ning Lingyun could have such a good chance as well. Although she was inferior in status and appearance, Ning Lingyun would rise in status, once both youngdies got married into the royal family.

    Many people proposed to Ning Lingyun, whom no one showed any interest in before. The Ministry of Justice could not be sure that the incident at the Cloud Reflection Courtyard was rted to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Moreover, the Third Young Lady and the Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would be royal members. Because of this, many people wanted to unite with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor through marriage.

    Madam Dowager selectively forgot about Ning Yuling, who was self-abandoned. She thought of her as a cat or a dog raised by the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Madam Ling was stupid, and all her daughters were stupid. In the past, she thought that the Eldest Young Lady was good, but now she felt that she was also stupid. It was said that the Xia Manor was in a mess, merely after a few days.

    It had only been a while since that happened. But now, Ning Yuling and Ning Ziyan fought fiercely. They were a disgrace to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Madam Dowager decided to let them go. Even if they fought to the death, it would have nothing to do with her. Anyway, they were both members of the Xia Manor now.

    ¡°Xueyan,e here. This is Mother Ruan, the steward of the inner courtyard of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Come and meet her.¡± Seeing Ning Xueyaning in, Madam Dowager pointed to a middle-aged woman standing in the middle, with a kind face.

    Although she was a steward of the inner courtyard, she looked shrewd andpetent. She dressed even better than Ning Lingyu, who was standing aside. The glittering dress material had been given as a reward by the imperial pce. One could tell that the steward, Mother Ruan, was definitely not just any ordinary servant in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    ¡°Nice to meet you, Mother Ruan.¡± Ning Xueyan bowed to her respectfully and greeted her gently.

    ¡°You are the Fifth Young Lady. You look like a fairy. How can you bow to me? It is not right. I should return your bow.¡± Seeing Ning Xueyan¡¯s greeting, Mother Ruan immediately returned it with a smile, after looking at Ning Xueyan from head to toe.

    No matter how high her status was in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, she was still a servant. When she married into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, Ning Xueyan would be the co-consort. She would be issued a certificate by the imperial pce, so she would be the master of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Thus, the steward of the inner courtyard should think highly of Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Mother Ruan, you¡¯re too polite. When she enters the manor, you need to take care of her. She is just a child and seldom leaves the manor. If there is anything that she does not understand, please give her some advice.¡± Seeing that Mother Ruan valued Ning Xueyan so much, Madam Dowager smiled with her eyes crinkling, but she said this politely.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, you¡¯re too polite. Fifth Young Lady is so smart. She won¡¯t need my advice. As long as she and Commandery Princess gets along well with our Prince, I¡¯m willing to do anything.¡± Mother Ruan said politely with a smile. She was quite satisfied with Ning Xueyan.

    Mother Ruan looked amiable, and the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes were gentle. Nobody could believe that there was such a kind person in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    Everyone¡¯s attention was focused on Mother Ruan. They did not notice that Ning Qingshan, who was sitting next to Madam Dowager, had a sh of intense jealousy in her eyes.

 Chapter 405 - Consort Dowager Chenâ€™s Old Object

    <h4>Chapter 405 Consort Dowager Chen¡¯s Old Object</h4>

    How could Ning Qingshan not be jealous?

    Both of them were co-consorts. She felt that she should be nobler than Ning Xueyan. But how could Ning Xueyan gain such honors just because Prince Yi would be marrying the consort and the co-consort at the same time? Even though she tried to worship the ancestors ahead of Ning Xueyan before the nsmen, it came to naught because of the incident at the Cloud Reflection Courtyard.

    Those people did not pay any attention to her at all. She entered the ancestral temple and worshipped the ancestors first. When she came out, nobody noticed her. Instead, they were whispering to each other and talking about the affairs at the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. So, no one cared about her.

    But now, Prince Yi had sent the betrothal gifts before the Third Prince. Ning Qingshan had privately requested the Third Prince to pay the bride-price earlier, but she received no response at all.

    She twirled her handkerchief between her fingers, with a trace of hatred in her eyes. If it were not for Ning Xueyan, she would have been a consort. Her betrothal presents would have caused a sensation in the manor and aroused the envy of all the sisters. In that case, Madam Dowager would think highly of her. And, she could stand high above the others to see how they envied her.

    However, all her ns had been ruined because of Ning Xueyan. Every time she thought of this, Ning Qingshan would grit her teeth in anger, even in her dreams.

    ¡°Third Sister, Fifth Sister¡¯s betrothal presents are so beautiful. I¡¯ve never seen anything so exquisite.¡± Ning Lingyun said with a naive smile. Since she had been released from Buddha Hall, the Fourth Young Lady, who had once been tart and mean, had be obedient and childish. She hardly seemed to notice the coldness in Ning Qingshan¡¯s eyes.

    She said this in a low voice, but it could still be heard.

    ¡°Fifth Sister¡¯s betrothal presents are indeed beautiful. I saw something simr when I was at Honored Consort Ya¡¯s pce.¡± Hearing Ning Lingyun¡¯s words, everyone turned to look at her. There was a gentle smile on her face. Seeing Mother Ruan turning her head, she also nodded politely to her and praised the gifts.

    Her words sounded appropriate. Not only did she express her gratitude to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, but she also pointed out that the presents were precious. Ning Xueyan narrowed her eyes slightly, and a trace of coldness shed in her eyes.

    ¡°You¡¯re too polite, Third Young Lady. How can the things in our manor to bepared with those in Honored Consort Ya¡¯s pce? However, you¡¯re sharp-eyed. There are some old objects which belong to our Consort Dowager Chen.¡± Mother Ruan said politely.

    Prince Yi, Ao Chenyi, was the son of Consort Dowager Chen. In the previous dynasty, Consort Dowager Chen was thete emperor¡¯s favorite concubine. So, it was reasonable that she had one or two old objects which were better than Honored Consort Ya¡¯s. Compared with Honored Consort Ya now, Consort Dowager Chen had been much more favored at that time. Consort Dowager Chen had been in poor health, so she died a few years after she gave birth to Ao Chenyi. Otherwise, she could have been enthroned to be the empress.

    There had been rumors that the childless Empress from the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor could be promoted to be the Empress Dowager because Consort Dowager Chen died early. If she died a few yearster, Prince Yi would be the legitimate son in just ways. At that time, no matter how powerful the Emperor was, he would not be able topare with Prince Yi.

    But even under such circumstances, the former emperor still appointed Ao Chenyi as the emperor¡¯s younger brother. From the twists and turns of the matter, people were aware that the deceased emperor favored Consort Dowager Chen very much. How could Honored Consort Yapare with her now?

    Madam Dowager smiled in embarrassment. She gave Ning Qingshan a quiet stare.

    ¡°Mother Ruan, you¡¯re right. What I said was wrong. I wanted to say that these things are good. They¡¯reparable to those in the pce. Fifth Sister is not married yet, but Prince Yi is already showering so much attention on her. Their future will be very harmonious.¡± Ning Qingshan immediately said this, after she heard what Mother Ruan said. With a gentle smile, she changed her words, as if she had not meant that Prince Yi¡¯s Manor was as rich as the imperial pce.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, congrattions!¡± After that, she turned her head and smiled at Ning Xueyan, without showing any grudges. Her face only showed a trace of envy, which appropriately reflected her jealousy of Ning Xueyan. Seeing so many betrothal gifts and that Prince Yi attached such great importance toward Ning Xueyan, any woman would be jealous.

    It was human nature to be envious. As long as one did not harbor jealousy or hatred, that was fine. If one deliberately pretended not to be moved, others would think that one was being shrewd.

    Madam Dowager rxed and looked at Ning Qingshan with a smile in her eyes. It showed that she was satisfied with Ning Qingshan¡¯s response. Even Mother Ruan looked at Ning Qingshan gently, because she thought that the Third Young Lady was gentle, dignified, and generous. She found her worthy of her reputation.

    ¡°Thank you for your kind words, Third Sister.¡± Ning Xueyan said politely, with a gentle smile. Her long eyshes fluttered, and her jet-ck eyes were as clear as if they could read one¡¯s mind. With just a few words, Ning Qingshan managed to please Madam Dowager and Mother Ruan. Few Young Ladies would readily admit their faults.

    Ning Qingshan did not show any sign of stagnation, which would give people a good impression. Besides, she admitted her mistake to a servant, which would indicate that she was dignified and generous.

    Looking into Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes, Ning Qingshan tilted her head slightly. She felt as if someone had seen through her, which made her ufortable. She snorted secretly. She knew that she could not show it now. So, she gave a kind smile to Ning Xueyan again.

    Mother Ruan did not stay for long. After the people of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had checked the list of betrothal gifts, she left with the people from Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. It was said that there were more betrothal gifts given to Commandery Princess Xianyun. She was afraid that there would not be enough people there, so she had to go over to the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor to see if the betrothal gifts had been checked.

    Ning Xueyan sent Madam Yuan to the gate of the courtyard, on behalf of Madam Dowager. After she left, Ning Xueyan took Lanning back to her room.

    Now there was no one else but Madam Dowager, Ning Qingshan, Ning Lingyun, and Ning Xueyan in the room. Madam Dowager warned them again that no matter where they went, they should not forget that they were youngdies from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Whether they were consort or co-consort, no one could bully them, with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor behind them.

    The implication was that if they lost the protection of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, which was powerful and influential, anyone could bully them.

    Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan were not stupid. Ning Lingyun nodded obediently. She repeatedly said that they were all sisters of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, so they would rise and fall together, which made Madam Dowager satisfied.

    ¡°Grandmother, how about Second Sister and Eldest Sister...¡± Ning Qingshan suddenly frowned and looked embarrassed.

    All the people present understood the meaning behind her words. There were only a few henchmen left in the room, and the other servants had already been sent out.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about them. Anyway, they¡¯re both in the Xia Manor. When you go there, you can only visit your Eldest Sister. As for the Second Young Lady, how could a concubine have decent rtives?¡± Thinking of Ning Yuling, Madam Dowager became angry. She pounded the table with her hand and growled.

    If Ning Yuling had not ruined the reputation of the Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Madam Dowager thought that Ning Qingshan would not merely be a co-consort. Ning Qingshan did not perform well in the imperial pce, but Ning Yuling was her elder sister, so what she had done must have implicated Ning Qingshan.

    Madam Dowager did not say that directly in front of Ning Qingshan. However, it was evident that she despised Ning Yuling. Madam Dowager did not approve of Ning Yuling¡¯s marriage to Xia Yuhang. The reason why it went through, was because there was no other way out.

    Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor could have taken on the responsibility. Unexpectedly, they announced that they already had arranged for an engagement. Otherwise, Madam Dowager would force Ning Yuling to board the sedan chair to the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor. However, a legal daughter was now a concubine. Madam Dowager felt that Ning Yuling had brought disgrace to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. How could she not hate her now?

    ¡°Grandmother, it¡¯s not good. We are all sisters. Even if Second Sister did something wrong, she will eventually realize that in the future.¡± Although Ning Xueyan did not know why Ning Qingshan brought up the topic of Ning Yuling, she remained calm and said this magnanimously.

    ¡°Yes, Grandmother. Second Sister is innocent. Nobody knew that such a thing would happen!¡± Seeing that Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan were sharing their views, Ning Lingyun immediately added her remarks. She was indignant as if she was defending Ning Yuling against an injustice. She seemed to have a close attachment with Ning Yuling and felt sorry for her.

    ¡°Innocent! I gave her a chance to get herself out of this, but she insisted on doing otherwise. How could she find a way out? If Minister Xia was simple, how could your Eldest Sister be abortive? Xia Yuhang was a promising man, but now he can¡¯t even pass the Spring Metropolitan Examination. He may not even be able to take it in three years¡¯ time. There¡¯s no hope.¡±

    Speaking of this, Madam Dowager became angry. If Madam Ling had not repeatedly said that Xia Yuhang would be a good son-inw and have a meteoric rise, she would not have agreed to the match. It was said that he was a talented man, and even the emperor knew that. The emperor personally assessed him and appointed him as the Number One Schr. Unfortunately, he was disqualified from the Spring Metropolitan Examination this year, because of his marriage.

    He was talented, and the emperor might change his mind in three years. Moreover, even though Xia Yuhang was gifted and passed the final imperial examination, the emperor would eliminate him, upon thinking of his scandal. Now, Madam Dowager felt regretful.

    ¡°How could I have thought that Xia Yuhang was good and decided to unite with Xia Manor through marriage? The Eldest Young Lady would probably have a better marriage and the matter of the Cloud Reflection Courtyard would not be exposed. Now, it has not ended yet. I hope that time can dilute everything. Fortunately, that¡¯s an orphan. Otherwise, there will be no way to deal with it.¡±

    Thinking of this, Madam Dowager pounded her chest and stamped her feet in regret. She felt that Madam Ling had cheated her. Madam Ling was shortsighted, but she had followed her advice, so now she vented her anger on Madam Ling. Thinking that Madam Ling was the one who taught Ning Yuling, she felt that Madam Ling was a jinx.

    While they were talking, a young male servant suddenly reported, ¡°Madam Dowager, the Third Prince asked to see you. He¡¯sing over. The Marquis asked me to inform you first.¡±

    As soon as he finished speaking, everyone in the room was stunned. ¡°Why did Ao Mingyu suddenlye to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? And he headed straight for the backyard. Was there something urgent? It was not in line with the usual etiquette!¡±

 Chapter 406 - The Third Princeâ€™s Purpose in Coming

    <h4>Chapter 406 The Third Prince¡¯s Purpose in Coming</h4>

    Third Prince, Ao Mingyu, had reallye over in a hurry. It was urgent, and he had something to ask the family members in the inner courtyard of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Therefore, after exchanging a few words with Ning Zu¡¯an, he requested to see Madam Dowager in the inner courtyard.

    Ning Zu¡¯an saw that although the Third Prince was still calm, there was a little impatience in his eyes. Knowing that it was urgent, he did not say anything more. He asked the young male servant to run into the inner courtyard to inform Madam Dowager, while he apanied the Third Prince directly to the backyard. The Third Prince hade to the backyard of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor many times. Besides, Ning Qingshan was going to marry into the Third Prince¡¯s Manor soon, so he was closer to them than anyone else.

    Therefore, although it was not in line with the rules of etiquette, Ning Zu¡¯an did not care about it. Anyway, sooner orter, they would be a family.

    Ao Mingyu followed Ning Zu¡¯an into the courtyard. When he saw all the betrothal gifts in the yard, he was stunned. Suddenly, he remembered that today was the day that Prince Yi, Ao Chenyi, paid the bride-price. He narrowed his eyes and went straight into the courtyard without looking at them. Then, he went up the stairs and pulled Ning Zu¡¯an, who wanted to exin, behind him.

    For a moment, Ning Zu¡¯an thought Ao Mingyu had something urgent to tell him, so he followed him into Madam Dowager¡¯s room, without saying more.

    Madam Dowager was already aware of that. She brought Ning Qingshan and her sisters, who could not leave in time, to wee them in the room.

    After greeting each other, the hosts and guests sat down. The maids made tea for them.

    ¡°Third Prince and Grandmother have something to discuss, so we¡¯d better leave now.¡± Ning Xueyan bowed to Ao Mingyu gently and said this politely. From Ao Mingyu¡¯s look, she knew that something had happened. So, it was better for them not to stay here. Originally, Ning Qingshan should have said that. Seeing Ning Qingshan¡¯s delicate smile, Ning Xueyan knew that Ning Qingshan would never have said it, if she did not say it.

    Although she did not look at the Third Prince as directly as before, with an obsessive look, Ning Lingyun peeped at the Third Prince secretly, which showed that she was still unwilling to let go. Even though she had stayed in Buddha Hall for a period of time, Ning Lingyun did not seem to have changed her mind.

    She had no choice, but to rise up to speak. No matter what Ao Mingyu came here for, he must have something serious to discuss with them. It was indeed inappropriate for them to stay here.

    Madam Dowager also thought the same. Seeing that Ning Xueyan was sensible, she smiled and was about to agree, but was stopped by Ao Mingyu.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, please wait for a moment. I have something to ask you. Maybe I have to ask the three of you to answer my questions.¡±

    ¡°Third Prince, what can they do for you?¡± Madam Dowager was stunned and asked, after a pause. She did not think Ao Mingyu would have anything significant to do with Ning Xueyan and the others.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Madam Dowager. Take a look at this first. Do you recognize this?¡± Ao Mingyu took out a piece of paper unhurriedly, unfolded it, and handed it to Madam Dowager. Then, he turned to Ning Xueyan and asked politely, ¡°Young Ladies, please help me to identify this. Have you ever seen it?¡±

    Ao Mingyu seemed to be afraid that they would not understand for a while, so he added, ¡°Tell me, have you ever seen this girl from the Cloud Reflection Courtyard?¡±

    Madam Dowager¡¯s face turned pale. If others did not know what had happened in Cloud Reflection Courtyard, how could she not know? It was Madam Ling who did it. The reason why she just stood idly by, was because she wanted to let Ning Ziyan marry into the Xia Manor, so she allowed Madam Ling to do whatever she wanted in the backyard.

    A bitter smile appeared on her face. ¡°Third Prince, Ziying lived a miserable life. First, she lost her father. Then, she lost her mother. Later, she was also a lost soul. Anyway, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was not aware of the situation, which led to such a disaster. Who would have thought that such a good Young Lady would die inexplicably in the courtyard?¡±

    Madam Dowager showed a trace of sadness on her face and wiped the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief. ¡°It¡¯s said that shemitted suicide by jumping into theke. The people in the manor treated her well, so I wondered why she took things so hard. Now, I know that she was murdered. How could such a gooddy die in such a way?¡±

    ¡°Madam Dowager, don¡¯t say that. When Young Lady Ziying was alive, we treated her as a Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. She had what the other Young Ladies had. Madam Dowager once said that when she grew older, she would arrange a good marriage for her and hold a splendid wedding for her. But who would have thought that something like this would happen? I don¡¯t know what Young Lady Ziying has done outside... Madam Dowager, don¡¯t be so sad. You have been ill all the time and should not be crying anymore.¡±

    Mother Qin glibly answered. She portrayed Madam Dowager as a kind-hearted, nobledy. It seemed that Ning Ziying died because she had misbehaved. Ning Xueyan looked on coldly, and a hint of anger shed in her dark jade-like eyes.

    It was said as if it were true that the people of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor treated her as a family member. It seemed as if the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was supporting her. She remembered that when she first came, the housekeeper said that arge sum of money had been sent directly to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. The housekeeper also told her that with this money, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would definitely treat her as a real Young Lady.

    It was certainly not a small amount of money in order for the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to ept her. But even so, she could notpete with Ning Yuling and the others, when it came to food and clothing, when she came to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Most of the time, she paid for things out of her own pocket. Fortunately, she was rich, so she did not live in poverty.

    However, all the servants in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor felt that everything she ate and used were from Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. No one knew that she had personally paid for it, out of her pocket. They thought that she was dependent on Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to support her life, and seek shelter. Therefore, she could not order people about. As the real master of the inner courtyard of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Madam Dowager only gave her attention to her, halfheartedly.

    What¡¯s more, she had now confirmed those rumors. But now, after she died, she went round telling others that she regarded her as a Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. It was quite disheartening when she heard this.

    ¡°Did that Young Lady Ziying like going out very much?¡± Ao Mingyu did not put the paper into Madam Dowager¡¯s hand, but stopped midway.

    ¡°That¡¯s not the case. A Young Lady might feel lonely for a while, so it¡¯s normal for her to sneak out. She came here after her mother¡¯s death, so she had been in mourning. I heard that her mother made a three-year mourning agreement with her, so she did not attend any parties.¡±

    Madam Dowager had already stretched out her hand. At this time, Ao Mingyu still did not hand over the note, which made her quite embarrassed. But then she pretended to reach out to fetch the tea and eliminate the embarrassment, with a smile on her face.

    ¡°Would Young Lady Ziying sneak out? Did Madam Dowager not control her?¡± Ao Mingyu asked calmly. Nobody could figure out what he meant.

    ¡°I tried to control her movements, but it was not easy. After all, she¡¯s a young girl, and her parents died. She was so pitiful. When she went out once in a while, I would turn a blind eye to what she did.¡± Madam Dowager sighed. ¡°She¡¯s also a gentle girl. She¡¯s not like a troublemaker, so I let her go out once in a while. Unexpectedly, I was wrong...¡±

    ¡°Was Young Lady Ning Ziying beautiful?¡± Ao Chenyi rapped on the table with his fingers, and then raised his head and asked in confusion.

    Before Madam Dowager could answer his question, a trace of grievance and sadness appeared on Ning Qingshan¡¯s face. She raised her beautiful eyes and looked at Ao Mingyu, with tears in her eyes. In her presence, her fiance had asked if another woman was beautiful. Anyone would feel sad.

    Ning Qingshan felt wronged, but she endured it, which would make a man feel pity for her. Ao Mingyu nced gently at Ning Qingshan.

    Madam Dowager did not expect Ao Mingyu to ask such a question. After a moment of hesitation, she said, ¡°Ziying is very beautiful and has a good temperament. She never fights with anyone.¡±

    Whenever Madam Dowager mentioned Ning Ziying, there were always some words of praise. When the topic was changed, others would then have a different view. She meant that Ning Ziying was deceitful and indulged in extra-marital rtions. Although the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor took good care of her, she did not repay them with gratitude. She ran out of the manor and did something unknown.

    She was full of praise for her, so it was not quite clear what she had done.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s cold eyes were aze with anger, and her hands were clenched into fists. If she had not suppressed her anger, she would have raised her head and quarreled with Madam Dowager directly. What Madam Dowager said was even better than her singing. All the good things were said about the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s, and all the bad things were her doing. As for her death, it was also her own fault, ording to Madam Dowager.

    Maybe it had something to do with her appearance. Madam Dowager¡¯s words were full of nder. Ning Xueyan sneered coldly. Madam Dowager and Madam Ling were of one mind. Madam Ling ruined her reputation before she died, while Madam Dowager ruined her reputation after she died. How vicious and selfish both mother-inw and daughter-inw were! They were a family.

    ¡°Do you know anything about Young Lady Ning Ziying?¡± Ao Mingyu did not look at Madam Dowager anymore. He blinked his eyes and turned to Ning Qingshan and the others.

    ¡°Third Prince, this Young Lady Ziying was not at the manor yet, when I went to the nunnery. I¡¯ve been gone for three years, and she has been here for three years. I just missed her.¡± Ning Qingshan said in a soft voice. She knew that there was something wrong, so she said that she had nothing to do with Ning Ziying. At the same time, she exined to Ao Mingyu that she had been cultivating hard in the nunnery for three years.

    After hearing what she said, Ao Mingyu looked at her with a softer look.

    ¡°Third Prince, I have note out of the Bright Frost Garden in recent years, so I have not met Sister Ziying. I came out of the Bright Frost Garden recently, after my mom¡¯s death. It seems that Sister Ziying died at that time.¡± Controlling her excitement and anger, Ning Xueyan raised her head, with a trace of sadness in her beautiful eyes. This was the truth. Besides, she did not think it was necessary to say anything before she figured out why Ao Mingyu came here.

    However, Ao Mingyu looked at her thoughtfully. What did that mean?

    ¡°Third Prince, I... I have seen Sister Ziying.¡± The timid voice came from Ning Lingyun. However, Ao Mingyu seemed not to be interested in her, so he did not answer her. He directly handed the paper to Madam Dowager and pointed to a mark on it.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, have you ever seen this clearly?¡±

    Seeing that everyone went forward to have a look, Ning Xueyan also went ahead. When she saw the mark on it, her vision blurred, and her brain was buzzing ... and she felt muddled!

 Chapter 407 - A Mark, See It Again

    <h4>Chapter 407 A Mark, See It Again</h4>

    She was familiar with the mark in front of her eyes, because she had it in her previous and present life.

    The mark on her shoulder was the same as the one Ao Mingyu was showing to them now.

    In her previous life, her mother had repeatedly warned her that she could not show the mark to anyone. When she was a child, her mother bathed her. When she grew up, she bathed herself. Even her maid had never seen the mark. Now, she still maintained that habit.

    Fortunately, Ning Xueyan did not like to be bathed by her maids. Neither Qingyu nor Lanning felt that it was wrong for her to bathe herself. Xinmei was disguised as a maid, but she was a secret guard, so she had never done this kind of thing. She also did not think that it was wrong for Ning Xueyan to take a bath alone.

    Only she knew that this was all due to her mother¡¯s order, and the reason for this order was because of the ¡°mark¡± on her body.

    She had kept it a secret in her previous and present life, but now it had been discovered. Even if she was calm, Ning Xueyan was startled and subconsciously stepped backward.

    ¡°Butterfly pattern.¡± Instead of Ning Xueyan, Madam Dowager eximed. She suddenly stood up, held the table and stared at the pattern on the paper in horror.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, do you know anything about that?¡± Ao Mingyu was confident about it. He shifted his gaze from Ning Qingshan to Ning Xueyan, and even to Ning Lingyun.

    Sensing his searching look, Ning Xueyan immediately calmed down and pretended to be at a loss. With her jet-ck, jade-like eyes, she looked curiously at the so-called butterfly pattern. Then, she looked up at Madam Dowager.

    ¡°It¡¯s really a butterfly pattern!¡± Madam Dowager sat back feebly on the couch. After a pause, she turned to Ao Mingyu as if she had used up all her strength. She forced a smile on her face and said, ¡°Was that on Ning Ziying¡¯s body?¡±

    ¡°Maybe!¡± Ao Mingyu nodded and said this seriously. His eyes turned to Ning Xueyan and the others, and finally fell on Ning Lingyun. Among the three of them, the other two had no contact with Ning Ziying. ¡°Fourth Young Lady,e and have a look. Have you seen such a mark on Ning Ziying¡¯s body?¡±

    ¡°I... I have not seen that before.¡± Hearing his question, Ning Lingyun shook her head with a confused look. An undetectable profoundness appeared in her eyes. However, Ning Xueyan, who had been paying attention to her all the time, detected that. Suddenly, she remembered a past event and her pupils shrank.

    ¡°Third Prince, what¡¯s this so-called butterfly pattern?¡± Ning Qingshan had never seen this before. She looked around, but could not find anything. She raised her head and asked Ao Mingyu in a soft voice.

    ¡°Third Young Lady, have you seen it before? Or on someone else¡¯s body?¡± Ao Mingyu did not answer Ning Qingshan¡¯s question. Instead, he asked her a question in return. He looked at Ning Qingshan with a scrutinizing look.

    Ning Qingshan shook her head without any hesitation, and then frowned. She had an intuition that this thing should be significant, but she had never seen it before. She even had a feeling that she had seen it before. ¡°Did Ning Ziying have some secrets?¡± she wondered.

    ¡°What secrets can an orphan girl have? Besides, she¡¯s dead now.¡± Ning Qingshan thought disapprovingly and pushed the paper aside. Since the Third Prince did not want to tell her, she would not insist on asking. Otherwise, he would be unhappy. However, she wanted to know, too. So, she took a step back, as if she did not really care about it, but listened to them intently.

    ¡°It¡¯s impossible. She¡¯s just an orphan girl. She can¡¯t have such a butterfly mark.¡± Madam Dowager was silent for a while. At this time, she seemed to calm down again, and said firmly.

    ¡°An orphan girl? Madam Dowager, don¡¯t you know that she is already an orphan? They are of the same age and have the same family background. As far as I know, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is respected by the Ning family, so the Lord Protector is also the leader of the family. The one in regions south of the Yangtze River is also an official family, but it can¡¯tpare with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.¡±

    Ao Mingyu picked up a cup of tea beside him, took a sip, and said.

    ¡°But the Ning Mansion in regions south of the Yangtze River seems to be rich. It is said that when this Young Lady came to the capital city, she brought a lot of boxes, which wereparable to the dowries of the rich families in the capital city. With such abundant money, some people would think that this Young Lady Ziying came to the capital city to get married.¡±

    ¡°The property, he found that from that property?¡± Ning Xueyan had to admit that Ao Mingyu had a unique vision. Indeed, when she came here from regions south of the Yangtze River, she brought a great deal of property with her too. However, when she changed the direction halfway, she traveled only with light luggage and a few attendants. At least, more than half of the boxes were gone.

    Ning Xueyan had never paid attention to those boxes. Since her mother had arranged a route for her to the capital, she must have had a n. The so-called money should be for her, to avoid being noticed. Since she was the princess of the previous dynasty, it was reasonable for her mother to do these things.

    However, she did not expect that now it had be the evidence of Ao Mingyu¡¯s investigation. So, this so-called butterfly pattern should also be a mark on the former princess¡¯s body.

    But after thinking about it, she felt that there was something wrong. Why did Ning Xueyan have the mark of the former emperor¡¯s princess? It was certain that Ning Ziying was the former emperor¡¯s princess. But what about Ning Xueyan? The two of them were totally unrted. They did not know each other and they had never met. Now, how could Ning Xueyan have the same mark of a butterfly on her body?

    ¡°Third Prince, the Nings built up a family fortune in the regions south of the Yangtze River.¡± Although her face was a little pale, Madam Dowager had basically calmed down. After thinking for a while, she exined.

    Since he did not get a satisfactory answer from Madam Dowager, Ao Mingyu picked up the paper on the table and asked, ¡°Madam Dowager, can you let someone apany me to the Cloud Reflection Courtyard to have a look?¡±

    This request was not too much, and Madam Dowager could not refuse it. Besides, there were people from the Ministry of Justice in the manor these days. ¡°Please feel free to do as you wish, Third Prince. I¡¯ll ask someone to take you there.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so polite. I heard that the Fifth Young Lady¡¯s courtyard is in that area. Fifth Young Lady, please take me there!¡± Ao Mingyu smiled, stood up, and said to Madam Dowager.

    ¡°Well, alright!¡± Although it was not very polite, it was along the way. Besides, there were maids following them. Madam Dowager thought for a while, then nodded and agreed.

    Ning Qingshan wanted to speak up to offer to take them there. Since they were an unmarried couple, they should not be meeting. Ning Qingshan thought she was being natural, graceful, well-behaved, and propriety-minded. Thus, she could not let Third Prince think she was an impolite person, so she did not say anything in the end.

    Ning Lingyun looked at Ao Mingyu with aplicated expression in her eyes, and then stepped aside, with her head down. It was evident that she knew her identity better than before, after being punished by Madam Dowager.

    Ning Xueyan did not want to go with Ao Mingyu, but now that he had requested and Madam Dowager agreed with him, she could not refuse him. Therefore, she nodded and said goodbye to Madam Dowager, who was obviously still in a daze. Then, she followed Ao Mingyu and left the courtyard.

    Ning Qingshan and Ning Lingyun also came out together. But because their courtyards were in different directions, they separated at the gate of the yard.

    After the Third Prince and Ning Xueyan left, Ning Lingyun looked back at the betrothal gifts in the courtyard and said to Ning Qingshan, with a look of envy, ¡°Third Sister, Fifth Sister is indeed lucky. Since Prince Yi thinks so highly of her, maybe the consort will give way to her after she bes Prince Yi¡¯s co-consort.¡±

    ¡°Princess? Fourth Sister, you¡¯re so funny. How can a co-consortpare with a consort? Prince Yi has seen all kinds of beautifuldies. How could he embarrass his legal wife for Fifth Sister? Besides, Commandery Princess Xianyun is from the Empress Dowager¡¯s parental family. It¡¯s said that when the Empress Dowager first came to the imperial pce, she was not the most distinguished one. However, she was the victor.¡±

    There was no one else here, so Ning Qingshan did not have to hide her dislike of Ning Xueyan. She looked at the gorgeous betrothal gifts and snorted. She did not believe that Prince Yi would like a young girl who had not grown up. Commandery Princess Xianyun was also not that easy to deal with.

    To marry the consort and the co-consort together? She thought it was a good thing. Before she married into the mansion, the legal wife would already have held a grudge against her. She would suffer a lot in the future.

    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right, Third Sister. I was wrong and made youugh at me. Compared with Prince Yi, the Third Prince is a real gentleman. He¡¯s still polite to our Fifth Sister now. When you marry into the Third Prince¡¯s manor, he¡¯ll regard you as a jewel of the greatest value.¡±

    Ning Lingyun ttered her, with a smile on her face.

    Her words made Ning Qingshan happy at first, and the corners of her mouth curved slightly. But at thest moment, she froze and looked sharply at the direction where Ning Xueyan had gone. Her eyes were filled with uncontroble jealousy and hatred. Ning Lingyun¡¯s words reminded her that Ao Mingyu seemed to treat the Fifth Sister differently.

    She had not thought about why the Third Prince would ask Ning Xueyan to go with him, but now she regretted it very much. She was so jealous that she gnashed her teeth secretly. She had not expected that, otherwise, she would have said that she wanted to go with them. She was angry and anxious, when thinking that Ning Xueyan might seduce the Third Prince on the road.

    At this time, Ning Qingshan was in no mood to talk. Her face was as cold as ice, and a trace of maliciousness shed in her eyes. She stared at Ning Lingyun coldly, and then went directly to her courtyard with her maids, ignoring Ning Lingyun. ¡°Ning Xueyan, this bitch, how dare she seduce the Third Prince in front of me?¡± Ning Qingshan thought.

    No one saw that Ning Lingyun, who stayed behind, left the Lucky Garden with a meaningful smile on her face. Instead, she went to another road with her maid. That direction was not to her courtyard, but to Concubine Xu¡¯s courtyard, which had been neglected for a long time. Recently, the manor was in a mess, but Concubine Xu¡¯s ce was very quiet.

    ¡°Third Prince, do you have something to tell me?¡± Ning Xueyan followed the Third Prince and walked a few steps behind. When she saw Ao Mingyu standing under a tree, she realized that he was waiting for her. She took two steps forward and put aside all her thoughts. Her long eyshes fluttered as she asked him, with a calm look in her eyes.

 Chapter 408 - The Third Prince, Beat One to It

    <h4>Chapter 408 The Third Prince, Beat One to It</h4>

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, you and I are fated.¡± Looking at Ning Xueyaning over, Ao Mingyu suddenly smiled gently at her. With his bright eyes, he had a gentle look, which made people feel at ease with him.

    ¡°Fated?¡± Ning Xueyan frowned slightly. She did not think that she and Ao Mingyu were fated. It seemed that Ao Mingyu was like a piece of sweet candy from the beginning. He had plotted, but she was not involved in the plots. She did not know where the so-called fate came from.

    Ao Mingyu did not seem to wait for Ning Xueyan¡¯s answer. He looked at her delicate and beautiful face and said slowly, ¡°In Cold Mountain Temple, when I first saw you, you looked much worse than now. I did not expect that the Fifth Young Lady, who was unknown to the public and quite timid then, would look like this today.¡±

    Without the deliberate cover of her thick bangs, one could clearly see her beautiful face. The most attractive feature on her face was her shimmery eyes, which held a bit of tenderness and charm, but also had a trace of coldness like ice and snow. When one looked directly into her eyes, there seemed to be ayer of mist in her ck jade-like eyes.

    The face was still the same as it used to be. At first sight, one would think that her looks were average. Her figure was even more slender and weaker than her peers. One could tell that she was sickly. Her face was pale, and her hair wasbed into a bun that was not outstanding. No matter how one looked at her, it was not enough to attract anyone¡¯s attention.

    But now, she had be a beautiful and smart girl. Ao Mingyu¡¯s gaze became more intense.

    ¡°Third Prince, what do you want to say?¡± Ning Xueyan smiled slightly and interrupted Ao Mingyu¡¯s thoughts impolitely. She did not think there was anything between herself and Ao Mingyu. No matter who they were in the past, present or in the future, they should not be able to speak their minds.

    Moreover, a distinction should be made between males and females. She could bring him along the way, but if they stopped and talked for a long time, it would not look good.

    Ao Mingyu¡¯s eyes shed as if he was surprised by Ning Xueyan¡¯s sudden rudeness. No nobledy had ever shown such an impatient look in his presence. Fortunately, he was always good-tempered, so he did not care about it. He shifted his gaze from Ning Xueyan to Lanning.

    ¡°I heard that your maid used to be Ning Ziying¡¯s maid, right?¡±

    Ao Mingyu¡¯s target was Lanning. When Ao Mingyu stopped them from leaving , he had swept his eyes over Lanning, as if nothing had happened, Ning Xueyan had already thought of this point. Since he was here because of what had happened in Cloud Reflection Courtyard, Ao Mingyu was able to find out Lanning¡¯s previous identity.

    Later, Ao Mingyu asked her to lead the way in an unconventional way, which showed that he wanted to talk to her alone, and this matter was rted to the Cloud Reflection Courtyard.

    ¡°Yes. Lanning used to be Sister Ziying¡¯s maid. She was assigned to Sister Ziying by the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. I heard that when Sister Ziying came here, she only had one maid and one wet nurse,¡± Ning Xueyan said frankly. This matter could not be hidden from others. Ao Mingyu would find out about it as long as he gave it more thought.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, may I question your maid?¡± Ao Mingyu asked gently, with his hands sped behind his back.

    ¡°Third Prince, please go ahead!¡± Ning Xueyan stepped aside and made room for Ao Mingyu. Since Ao Mingyu hade prepared, so what if she stopped him? Ao Mingyu must have not wanted more people to know about this, so he came with her alone. Otherwise, he could have asked her directly in Madam Dowager¡¯s ce.

    ¡°Have you seen this mark before?¡± Ao Mingyu looked at Lanning from head to toe. Lowering her head and standing there, she looked a little timid. She was not any different from an ordinary maid. Then, he took out the paper with satisfaction and pointed at the mark.

    When Ning Xueyan and the other masters had gathered around, Lanning and the other maids stood by the side, but no one peeked at it. So, Lanning had only heard, but did not see anything. This time, she looked carefully at the paper and shook her head nkly. ¡°Third Prince, I have not seen this before.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t Ning Ziying have this mark?¡± Ao Mingyu frowned and checked the maid¡¯s expression carefully. He did not find anything unusual.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Lanning said honestly. When they went out, Ning Xueyan had already told her in a low voice that she could speak freely. So, she did not hide anything.

    ¡°What do you mean you don¡¯t know? Aren¡¯t you her maid?¡± Ao Mingyu¡¯s face became cold. He took back the paper in his hand and asked in a low voice. He was almost certain that Ning Ziying was the former princess. But now, Lanning¡¯s words made him a little suspicious.

    ¡°Yes, I am Young Lady Ziying¡¯s personal maid, but Young Lady Ziying¡¯s other personal maid was Xiang¡¯er, who died with her. Every time she bathed, she was alone. If she needed a maid asionally, Xiang¡¯er would go in. So, I don¡¯t know if Young Lady Ziying has this mark on her body.¡±

    Lanning answered obediently and told him the whole story. When Ning Ziying was bathing, she was usually alone, but asionally she would ask Xiang¡¯er to add some hot water to the bath. However, this kind of situation was rare. For most of the time, she bathed alone.

    At first, Lanning also felt that this was strange. Later, when she saw that Xiang¡¯er acting normally, she thought it was Ning Ziying¡¯s preference. So, she did not find it odd when Ning Xueyan bathed alone. Now when she heard the Third Prince¡¯s question, she spoke frankly.

    Ao Mingyu frowned and asked again, ¡°She bathed herself most of the time. asionally, she would ask for her personal maid, wouldn¡¯t she?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Lanning answered respectfully.

    Ao Mingyu was silent. He frowned slightly and looked at a small cluster of flowers not far away. He seemed to be thinking about something, and was speechless for a moment.

    Since he did not say anything, Ning Xueyan kept quiet too. She gazed at the empty courtyard at the side, out of boredom. In this courtyard, Madam Ling had framed her at that time. However, it was not Ning Xueyan who lost face. Instead, it was her good daughter who had tried to frame her.

    Madam Ling and her daughter were selfish and vicious. Everyone who stood in their way had a bad ending. All of them were framed and even killed. They thought that the officials of the Ministry of Justice would not investigate into it, at the risk of offending Ning Zu¡¯an for an orphan girl who had no one to rely on. Even if they found that she had been persecuted to death, they had no clear evidence.

    But what if her identity was not that simple?

    This matter was beyond Madam Dowager¡¯s and Madam Ling¡¯s control. More than half of the reason why Madam Dowager¡¯s face changed considerably just now, was because of this. Even if the selfish Madam Dowager did not directly get her hands stained with blood, she was closely connected to it. But this time, she had also miscalcted, like Madam Ling.

    Ning Xueyan did not know that she had been the former princess in her previous life, so she felt muddled all the time. She did not know that she was already a pawn in the game, and she could not control it. There was a trace of cold sarcasm and ridicule at the corners of her mouth. Anyway, the former princess was dead now.

    Some things were considered to havee to an end!

    But it did not seem to be the case now. The reason why the Third Prince came here in such a hurry was neither for her death nor her own grievances. So what else did he want?

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, take me to her courtyard.¡± Ao Mingyu finally came to his senses and took a look at Ning Xueyan, who was standing aside.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded. Then she got up and led the way to the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. When the Third Prince entered the Cloud Reflection Courtyard, Ning Xueyan left.

    Ao Mingyu did not ask her to stay. He took his men to the gate of Cloud Reflection Courtyard.

    ¡°Young Lady, is there anything wrong with Young Lady Ziying¡¯s courtyard?¡± Seeing Third Prince enter, Lanning raised her head, looked at the slightly closed door of Cloud Reflection Courtyard, and asked uneasily, in a low voice.

    ¡°It does not matter. If they want to check, just let them do it. Anyway, there is nothing important inside.¡± Ning Xueyan said lightly and turned to the Bright Frost Garden. Everything in her previous life was misty. She only knew her identity as the princess of the previous dynasty, but she could not find anything else. Since someone was willing to check, she would let them do so.

    In this chaos, the affairs of Cloud Reflection Courtyard would gradually be revealed. If more people investigated it, then things would be messier. She wanted to stand by and see how Madam Ling and her daughter would end up. How could Xia Yuhang justify to himself that she was an orphan girl?

    ¡°Lanning, you don¡¯t have to follow me. Go to the front and see what¡¯s going on. Just report to me if anything happens. I¡¯ll walk back by myself.¡± Ning Xueyan said with a faint smile on her face. The matter of Cloud Reflection Courtyard was not a secret. If the Third Prince could find out, so too could the others. However, the Third Prince held the chance. They only had to see who would be the next one.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go and see if there¡¯s anything I can do.¡± Lanning nodded in agreement. Then she turned toward another path.

    Ning Xueyan went to her Bright Frost Garden alone, but she did not expect that she would meet a maid from the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard, after walking a few steps. She said that Madam Ling asked her toe over and told her to be quick about it. She had something urgent to deal with.

    Ning Xueyan calmly listened to the maid till she finished speaking, nodded, and then continued walking forward elegantly.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, the First Madam asked you to go over quickly.¡± Seeing that Ning Xueyan only nodded, but did not turn around, the maid ran to Ning Xueyan and shouted loudly.

    ¡°Go and tell her I¡¯ll be there in a minute.¡± Ning Xueyan nced at the maid who looked familiar and smiled coldly. Her cold eyes fell on the maid who came to block her way. The maid, who had been arrogant, shivered and dared not stand in front of Ning Xueyan anymore.

 Chapter 409 - Lotus Pond, Ning Xueyan pushed Ning Yuling into the Water This Time

    <h4>Chapter 409 Lotus Pond, Ning Xueyan pushed Ning Yuling into the Water This Time</h4>

    Ning Xueyan went to the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard with Qingyu. Before she arrived at the gate of the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard, she saw the maid, who had blocked her way previously, running away quickly. Ning Xueyan recognized this maid because she was Ning Ziyan¡¯s second-ss maid. She had seen her before when she went to Ning Ziyan¡¯s courtyard. Later, she heard that the maid had gone to the Xia Manor with Ning Ziyan.

    Madam Ling wanted to see Ning Xueyan, but she asked Ning Ziyan¡¯s maid toe over and stopped Ning Xueyan in a rude manner. However, she was not like the Fifth Young Lady from before.

    Standing by the lotus pond in the corridor of the courtyard, Ning Ziyan raised her head and stood there, with two maids. She was dressed in an outfit with a bright red phoenix pattern. She looked at Ning Xueyan with an unfriendly face.

    ¡°Is this Fifth Sister? It¡¯s so hard to invite you here. Mother is ill, but you were still wandering about with the Third Prince. You are really a perfect couple. I don¡¯t know what Prince Yi will think if he sees that. Will he think all the Young Ladies in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor are the same as you?¡±

    Seeing the beautiful, elegant, and refined Ning Xueyaning over with a calm face, Ning Ziyan showed a trace of malice on her face. She stared at Ning Xueyan and scolded her in a strange voice.

    Her words were harsh. She used Ning Xueyan of not serving her mother well, but also of talking to other men when her mother was sick. The most important thing was that this man was not the one she was going to marry. Facing such a bad attitude and such aggressive words, Qingyu was so angry that she almost rushed forward. Ning Xueyan looked back and stopped her.

    Ning Xueyan stood still and looked Ning Ziyan from head to toe. Although she was dressed in gorgeous clothes, her eyes were haggard. Even if she used thick powder, it could not cover the dullness of Ning Ziyan¡¯s face. It had only been half a year, but Ning Ziyan, who used to be called Beautiful Lady, had be like this. How interesting!

    The gentle and beautiful girl who used to call ¡°Brother Yuhang¡±, now only made people notice her fierce and harsh demeanor. However, her attitude had be more and more offensive. Because of Ning Yuling¡¯s matter, Ning Ziyan went about looking for her. She thought that she was being righteous and reasonable.

    She looked for her in a fury, because she failed in her attempt to frame others. Such a person was selfish and vicious, but she seemed to take it for granted.

    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s a blessing that there are a few more Young Ladies like you and Second Sister in our manor?¡± Ning Xueyan said calmly. Her eyes looked calm and cold. Ning Ziyan had killed her, and she had not done anything bad to her, but she still wanted to hurt her.

    She eventually brought harm to herself, so she vented all the anger on her. Ning Xueyan did not know if Ning Ziyan became more stupid after she got married, or Ning Ziyan thought Ning Xueyan was used to being bullied by them. Now Ning Yuling could not be arrogant, instead it was Ning Ziyan.

    Ning Ziyan had pretended to be softhearted in front of her. But now, she looked like a shrew who was making a punitive attempt against her. It seemed that Ning Ziyan was having a hard time in Xia Manor recently. Ning Yuling was not good at being a concubine. Even if Ning Ziyan was her own sister, so what?

    One was arrogant, while the other was selfish. Both were equally vicious and sinister. Ning Ziyan was not necessarily a match for Ning Yuling when they fought against each other. So now, Ning Ziyan vented her anger on Ning Xueyan. Unfortunately, she was no longer a pushover now.

    ¡°You... you b*tch, how dare you say that...¡± Hearing Ning Xueyan¡¯s calm and mocking words, Ning Ziyan turned pale. She pointed at Ning Xueyan and cursed.

    But before she could finish scolding her, Ning Xueyan pped her twice. Feeling a sharp pain on her face, Ning Ziyan subconsciously covered her face with her hands.

    ¡°Eldest Sister, shall I tell you how stupid you are? You tried to frame me. As long as you stay in Xia Manor, I can¡¯t do anything to you. Unfortunately, you came over here to get beaten up. If I don¡¯t hit you, Heaven will not tolerate it.¡±

    Ning Xueyan withdrew her hand as if nothing had happened. She looked straight at Ning Ziyan and said coldly.

    ¡°You... you b*tch, how dare you...¡± Ning Ziyan was furious. She covered her face with her hands and shouted at the two old female servants standing on both sides, ¡°Beat her! Beat her to death! Beat her hard!¡±

    These two older female servants were from Madam Ling¡¯s manor. In the past, even if Ning Ziyan had not said anything, they would have rushed directly to beat up Ning Xueyan. They did not care that Ning Xueyan was a master and the Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. But now, so many things had happened and even Madam Ling had fallen into disfavor. Besides, the Fifth Young Lady¡¯s status was rising, so the two older female servants did not dare to touch her.

    The two of them looked at each other and hesitated.

    ¡°Hurry up, go over there. Beat this little bitch to death. If you don¡¯t take any action, I¡¯ll ask my mother to kill you directly.¡± Seeing that the two older female servants were hesitant and did not dare to take action, Ning Ziyan became angrier. She stared at the two older female servants and said this with hatred.

    After all, Madam Ling was the Marchioness of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. It would not be a big problem for her to kill these two servants. The two older female servants looked at each other again and could only rush over.

    ¡°How dare you! Our Young Lady is about to be Prince Yi¡¯s co-consort. Aren¡¯t you afraid that Prince Yi will kill your whole family?¡± Seeing that things were not going well, Qingyu rushed forward to defend Ning Xueyan, and shouted at the two older female servants.

    Hearing this, the two older female servants did not dare to do anything. They could not offend both the First Madam and Prince Yi. So, they threw away the sticks in their hands and directly knelt on the ground.

    ¡°You... you...¡± Ning Ziyan was so angry that her face turned red. She did not expect that in her mother¡¯s courtyard, she could not even order the two older female servants to beat up Ning Xueyan.

    Seeing that the two older female servants did not move, she rushed over to Ning Xueyan, regardless of the situation. She wanted to knock Ning Xueyan into the water. As Ning Xueyan moved to the side, Ning Ziyan rushed forward too quickly and staggered across the corridor. Under her feet was the lotus pond. She could not help screaming in fear.

    Ning Ziyan¡¯s two maids rushed over and tried to pull her out.

    Ning Xueyan took a step forward, turned around, and ced her hand on Ning Ziyan¡¯s shoulder. She pushed her slightly, with a trace of coldness in her eyes.

    Ning Ziyan could not stand steadily on her feet. With Ning Xueyan pushing her shoulder, she lost her bnce and fell into the pool with a ¡°plop¡±.

    The pond in Auspicious Clouds Courtyard was not massive or deep, so Ning Ziyan could at least get up, after she fell into the pond. However, when she got up, her head and face were covered with muddy water. There was also some mud on Ning Ziyan¡¯s face, which smeared her delicate makeup and made her feel very embarrassed.

    Both Ning Ziyan¡¯s former maid and the two older female servants in the corridor were stunned. They looked at Ning Ziyan, who had fallen into the lotus pond, and then at Ning Xueyan, who had a fierce look on her face. They did not know what to do next. Will the situation change?

    ¡°Ning Ziyan, what can I do even if I pushed you into the lotus pond today? Will Madam Dowager do anything to me for you? Or can your mother, who is lying on the bed, do anything to me? Or can you and Ning Yuling humiliate me like before?¡± Ning Xueyan stepped forward and stood along the corridor, looking coldly at Ning Ziyan, who was struggling. A hint of coldness and sarcasm shed through her ck jade-like eyes.

    When she heard Ning Xueyan¡¯s words, Ning Ziyan¡¯s imposing manner was gone. Although the weather was getting warmer in spring, it was not really warm yet. After being drenched in cold water, Ning Ziyan seemed to awaken at this time. Her face was blue and white. She looked at Ning Xueyan and could not say a word.

    Recently, her life in the manor had be more and more miserable. When Ning Yuling became Xia Yuhang¡¯s concubine, the first few days had been quite peaceful. But recently, Ning Yuling had made a lot of noise, so Ning Ziyan almost had no time to rx. Like Madam Ling, Ning Ziyan also believed that this matter had something to do with Ning Xueyan. Today, Xia Yuhang happened toe to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, so she came with him.

    She asked people to call Ning Xueyan as soon as they arrived, so that she could humiliate Ning Xueyan and vent her anger.

    Now she sobered up. Ning Xueyan was Prince Yi¡¯s Manor¡¯s co-consort. Although she had not married Prince Yi yet, nobody dared to offend her, because Prince Yi¡¯s Manor thought highly of her. Moreover, Prince Yi would marry the consort and the co-consort at the same time. Nobody dared to offend her, because of the fierce prince.

    Therefore, the fact Ning Xueyan pushed her into the lotus pond today, even if Ning Xueyan went too far, the people in the manor would not say anything about it. With the support of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, Ning Xueyan was no longer the loser she used to be, who had been bullied almost to death by Ning Yuling!

    Thinking of this, she became paler. She was soaked in cold water, but nobody came to pull her out, so she trembled all over. It seemed that the situation was not good.

    ¡°Ning Ziyan, the Third Prince has already gone to the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. I heard that Sister Ziying¡¯s status is very noble and even the royal family will intervene in the case. Do you really think that Madam can cover up this matter? If I were you, I would not dare toe here to make trouble these days. I heard that the Cloud Reflection Courtyard is haunted. Do you really think that no one knows that you took her husband?¡±

    Ning Xueyan did not intend to let Ning Ziyan go. She said this coldly. There was no trace of mockery at the corners of her mouth. Her eyes were like a me burning on ck ice, filled with a kind of suffocating coldness.

    ¡°The matter of Cloud Reflection Courtyard, Ning Ziying, the ghost haunting, grabbing Ning Ziying¡¯s husband, and the intervention of the royal family...¡± Thinking of what Xia Yuhang had said, Ning Ziying felt terrible. She trembled all over and felt cold and scared. Her body sank and dropped deeper into the water. She inhaled the water, and then coughed hard with her hands covering her chest. There were a few mud stters on her face, which gave off a rotten smell.

    Looking at the embarrassed Ning Ziyan in front of her, Ning Xueyan sneered and walked into the courtyard with Qingyu. Madam Ling had already known about this big happening in the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard. ording to her temperament, Madam Ling would surely not put up with this. But it seemed that nothing had happened to her, and she did not even send an older female servant to check.

    This situation was really weird. If she remembered correctly, it was said thatst night, her ¡°good father¡± had been invited over to help Madam Ling suppress evil spirits.

 Chapter 410 - The Strange Fragrance in Madam Lingâ€™s House

    <h4>Chapter 410 The Strange Fragrance in Madam Ling¡¯s House</h4>

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, you¡¯re finally here. The First Madam has been talking about you these days, saying that you have not been here for a long time.¡± Mother Chen came out and weed Ning Xueyan with a smile, before she stepped into the room.

    Madam Ling was sick. Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan were both her daughters, so they should be taking care of her when she was in bed. However, Madam Dowager did not like Madam Ling. She only said that the two Young Ladies were going to marry into the royal family and now had noble statuses. They were also in a hurry to prepare their dowries, so they did not have time to apany her. She was even afraid that they would get sick, so she told them not to go to the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard.

    Madam Dowager was the oldest person in the manor, so they had to listen to her. Besides, Madam Ling did not like Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan. She felt annoyed when she saw them, because her two biological daughters were a disappointment to her. And, there was one daughter whom she wanted to get rid of.

    Although Ning Qingshan was under Madam Ling¡¯s name, she had no rtionship with Madam Ling at all. Madam Ling had nothing to do with her. In the past, she had tried to please Madam Ling because she wanted to be under Madam Ling¡¯s name. But now, Madam Ling was useless. So, she pretended to obey Madam Dowager¡¯s order and did not go to the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard to serve her.

    Like Ning Xueyan, she would asionally send someone to ask about her health. Anyway, Madam Dowager had been telling them not to go to the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard, so as not to get sick. Both of them obeyed Madam Dowager¡¯s order. In this way, Madam Ling could not say that they were unfilial.

    ¡°Has Mother recovered from her illness? What is she doing now?¡± Ning Xueyan stopped and looked at Mother Chen, who was being overly enthusiastic and asked. Her shimmery eyes swept over the half-closed door with some doubts. It was so strange that Madam Ling pretended not to see Ning Ziyan, who was suffering such a great loss.

    ¡°First Madam has recovered a lot these days. She can¡¯t sleep at night but sleeps more during the day. She just had some porridge. Now she is sleeping. If Fifth Young Lady wants to see her, you need to wait for a while. I¡¯ll let you know when she wakes up.¡±

    Mother Chen sighed. She looked sad and her eyes were slightly red. She deliberately wiped the corner of her eyes with her handkerchief.

    ¡°Is Madam Ling still sleeping? She did not hear themotion outside? I pushed Ning Ziyan into the lotus pond. Mother Chen is just an older female servant. How could she not report this matter to Madam Ling? ording to Madam Ling¡¯s temperament, if Mother Chen dares to hide this matter, she does not have to stay in the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard anymore.¡±

    Therefore, Ning Xueyan was sure that Madam Ling, who was in the room, was not asleep. Madam Ling was also aware of the incident earlier. It was Madam Ling who had asked Mother Chen toe out. Why was Madam Ling hiding in the room, and did not want to see her?

    ¡°Mother Chen, I don¡¯t want to wake my mother up. The Third Prince came here earlier to check about the incident at the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. He asked me a lot of questions. Maybe someone else wille and see my motherter. After all, my mother is the hostess of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, but my mother is still sleeping, so... forget it!¡±

    Ning Xueyan raised her head and frowned. She seemed to be a little worried. After she finished speaking, she felt that since Madam Ling did not sleep well at night and was sleeping at this time, she would not disturb her. So, she decided to go back first. She moved her feet slightly and pretended that she was going back.

    The Third Prince was investigating into the matter of the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. They might find the Auspicious Clouds Courtyardter. Mother Chen¡¯s forehead was wet with sweat, and there was a hint of panic in her eyes. It meant that the matter of Cloud Reflection Courtyard would get serious. Such a big thing must be reported to the First Madam right away. Otherwise, if something really happenedter, no one could afford it.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, wait a minute. I¡¯m going to check whether the First Madam is awake or not. The First Madam can¡¯t eat and sleep well because of the Cloud Reflection Courtyard incident. Fifth Young Lady, you must tell her what¡¯s going on. Young Lady Ziying is a good Young Lady. How can something like this happen?¡±

    Mammy Chen was anxious. She reached out to stop Ning Xueyan and said with a smile.

    ¡°She, she¡¯s still sleeping, isn¡¯t she? It¡¯s rare for her to fall asleep. It¡¯s not good to wake her up.¡± Ning Xueyan waved her hand and kept walking. She seemed to think of something and hurried out. ¡°Mother Chen, I will not bother my mother. Just now, I told the Third Prince that I wanted to have a rest because I was feeling ufortable. If the Third Princees here and sees meter, it won¡¯t be good.¡±

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, it¡¯s okay. You came here to see First Madam and you are fulfilling your filial duty. Even if the Third Prince sees you here, he will only say that you are filial. It¡¯s not bad.¡±

    Seeing that she was determined to leave, Mother Chen winked at the maid standing beside her and stopped Ning Xueyan.

    The matter of Cloud Reflection Courtyard was so serious that she dared not dy. Besides, the Fifth Young Lady, an unmarried girl, knew nothing. Even if she was allowed to go in, she could not find anything. Just now, she was afraid that the First Madam would be against the Fifth Young Lady because of the Eldest Young Lady¡¯s matter, so she deliberately exaggerated her condition.

    She asked First Madam to pretend to be asleep and not to see her. On the one hand, it was not suitable to have a conflict with the Fifth Young Lady. On the other hand, she was afraid that the Fifth Young Lady would find something. But now thinking about it, it was really worrying.

    The maid standing beside them was also clever. When she saw Mother Chen¡¯s wink, she hurried in and reported to Madam Ling. Everyone in their courtyard knew that the Eldest Young Lady was talking to the First Madam just now. It had only been a while. How could she fall asleep?

    ¡°Is there nothing wrong?¡±

    Ning Xueyan seemed to be persuaded by Mother Chen. She stopped and frowned, looking hesitant.

    ¡°There is nothing wrong. Instead, the Third Prince will praise you for being filial. You¡¯re not feeling well, yet you still thought about the First Madam.¡± Mother Chen wanted to ask Ning Xueyan to stay. So, she had to say something pleasant.

    While they were talking, the maid came out and walked to Ning Xueyan with a smile. She bowed to Ning Xueyan and said, ¡°Fifth Young Lady, the First Madam is awake. She heard that you¡¯re here, so she asked me to invite you to go in.¡±

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, you see. The First Madam will ask for you when she is awake. Fifth Young Lady, please.¡± The maid¡¯s words helped Mother Chen out of the predicament. She immediately smiled at Ning Xueyan politely.

    ¡°Since my mother is awake, I have to see her.¡± Ning Xueyan turned around, went up the steps, and went inside. Qingyu followed her.

    When the maid lifted the curtain, a rush of hot and fragrant air came out. It was too strong and made people feel nauseated. Ning Xueyan herself could blend the fragrance of flowers, so she was sensitive to all kinds of scents. Immediately, she smelled something else, like a medicinal or fishy smell. But when she sniffed the air again, she could not smell anything now.

    Madam Ling slept in the inner room because she was sick. The maid led Ning Xueyan into the inner room. Ning Xueyan helped Qingyu to enter the room. The smell in the room was stronger, but she could smell herbal medicines. Madam Ling was sick, so it was normal to have the scent of medicine in her room. But after entering the room, Ning Xueyan¡¯s sensitive nose again smelled that fishy smell, which was much stronger, and not as faint as before.

    Ning Xueyan had been here before when Madam Ling was sick. At that time, although there was a smell of medicine in the room, it was not fragrant. How could a sick person be in the mood to make the room so fragrant? Moreover, it was three or four times stronger than that of an ordinary fragrance.

    Ning Xueyan pressed Qingyu¡¯s shoulder silently. With her bright eyes, she nced at a censer in the corner. There was an incense stick in it, but it had been extinguished. Qingyu got Ning Xueyan¡¯s hint and also saw the censer. She pressed Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand a little forcefully, indicating that she understood.

    ¡°Fifth Girl, there you are. Sit down. I¡¯m not in good health, and I feel the smell of medicine is too strong, so I scented the room. It may not smell good.¡±

    Madam Ling was wearing underclothes and leaning against the bed. She did not look good. With her hair hanging down loosely, she looked to be in low spirits. When she saw Ning Xueyaning in, she forced a smile.

    ¡°Mother, you¡¯ve been taking medicine in this room all the time, so the smell of the medicine is naturally strong. You can use the fragrance to lessen some of the smell. It¡¯s a good idea.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled and said. Then she sat down on a chair that Mother Chen had pulled over. Qingyu stood behind Ning Xueyan.

    Seeing a maiding in with the tea, she hurriedly reached out to pick it up and said, ¡°Sister Qingyu, be careful, the tea is hot.¡±

    The maid who served the tea said in a low voice.

    Qingyu nodded with a smile, indicating that she understood. She took the tea and handed it to Ning Xueyan. Somehow, she tripped and poured out all the tea. Ning Xueyan stood up in a panic, took a step back, and brought down the chair she was sitting on. The table behind the chair was also knocked down.

    For a time, some of the scattered things on the table fell. With the tea that had been poured just now, the room was in a mess. The incident came as a surprise to all of them. When they saw it, it was toote to stop it.

    Ning Xueyan took Qingyu¡¯s hand and took two steps backward. Then she apologized to Madam Ling, who was sitting up, ¡°Mother, my maid is ignorant. Please forgive her, Mother.¡±

    ¡°First Madam, it¡¯s my fault. I¡¯ll clean it up for you immediately.¡± Qingyu was so scared that her face turned pale. She hurriedly turned around, took a rag from the side, and went to deal with the things on the ground.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Let Mother Chen get her servants to deal with it!¡± The veins on Madam Ling¡¯s forehead twitched. She tried not to throw the teacup she had drunk from before, at Ning Xueyan. She said this with a forced smile on her face.

    ¡°Yes, Fifth Young Lady. Pleasee here and talk to First Madam first. I¡¯ll do it.¡± Mother Chen also came to her senses at this time. She took the rag from Qingyu and asked the maid who delivered the water to bring Ning Xueyan a brocade stool. Then, she requested Ning Xueyan to sit down. She and her maid hurried to deal with the things on the ground.

    Qingyu was helping them at the side, and she also seemed to be at a loss. The scene was a bit messy.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, the maid said that you met the Third Prince just now. Isn¡¯t he going to marry the Third Young Lady soon? Howe he cannot wait and had toe and see the Third Young Lady?¡± Madam Ling forced herself to pay attention to this matter and said, with a fake smile. This was the reason why she asked Ning Xueyan toe in.

 Chapter 411 - The Aggrieved Madam Ling

    <h4>Chapter 411 The Aggrieved Madam Ling</h4>

    ¡°The Third Prince seemed strange today. He asked about Sister Ziying of the Cloud Reflection Courtyard and took out a picture scroll. He asked us if we had seen Sister Ziying before. Later, he went over there by himself and said that he was going to check something out. He also asked Lanning about it just now.¡±

    Ning Xueyan smiled indifferently, but her beautiful eyes fell on Madam Ling¡¯s face.

    As expected, Madam Ling¡¯s face paled. She clutched the quilt and then loosened her grip intermittently. ¡°A picture scroll? What is it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not too sure either. My grandmother looked very surprised. She even said that it¡¯s a ¡®butterfly pattern.¡¯ It was indeed a butterfly-shaped birthmark. I have never seen Sister Ziying before. Although Lanning used to be her maid, she was not her personal maid. She had never bathed her, so she said that she had never seen it before.¡±

    Ning Xueyan replied. This matter could not be hidden from others. Although there were not many people in the room at that time, Ning Qingshan and Ning Lingyun were there, so what she said would inevitably be made known to the others. However, there was another reason why she said this. It meant that Lanning had never been close to Ning Ziying before. Moreover, the Third Prince had already asked about it. What should be said and what should not be said, had already been said. It was useless for Madam Ling to be cautious.

    She did not need to focus on Lanning any more. ording to her character, Madam Ling would likely create some problems in order to deal with Lanning. So, Ning Xueyan desisted Madam Ling¡¯s thoughts.

    ¡°Has he asked about it?¡± Madam Ling¡¯s hands trembled. She paid close attention to this matter. Ning Xueyan noticed that she did not pay much attention to the so-called ¡°butterfly pattern¡±. Ning Xueyan thought that Madam Ling did not know anything about it. Thinking about it, Ning Xueyan had never heard of it herself. So, only a few knew about the birthmark.

    At first, she wanted to ask Madam Ling about this matter. But now, it seemed that Madam Ling did not know anything about it. Otherwise, she would be shocked like Madam Dowager.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Ning Xueyan said with certainty.

    ¡°Has he asked about... your Eldest Sister and Eldest Brother-inw?¡± Madam Ling¡¯s voice trembled. She stared at Ning Xueyan and swallowed her saliva. Although she still had evidence of Ning Ziying¡¯s losing her chastity, she did not want to bring it up until the end. It would only harm others without benefiting herself. Besides, it was not true. Even if she was stupid, she knew she could not do it.

    Besides, no matter why Ning Ziying died, even if she lost her chastity, she could not let Ning Ziyan marry into the Xia Manor, on her behalf. And Xia Manor did not respond to it at all. Did this mean that there was something wrong? Madam Ling felt guilty and panicky, so she could not help asking Ning Xueyan.

    There was a sh of gloomy regret in the First Madam¡¯s eyes. If she had known that, she would not have cared about anything. She would have killed Lanning directly, so as not to create so much trouble. Except for Lanning, there was no one else in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor who knew about the marriage between Ning Ziying and Xia Yuhang.

    Madam Ling wanted to kill Lanning at that time. However, her n was ruined by Ning Xueyan. Then, Lanning followed Ning Xueyan to the Cold Mountain Temple. When they came back, many things happened and Madam Ling did not have time to do any further plotting. Then, Madam Ling also went to the Buddha Hall. She had really been too busy to attend to anything else.

    Then, Madam Ling gradually forgot about it. When the matter of the Cloud Reflection Courtyard was discovered, Madam Ling also wanted to deal with Lanning severely. But now, she was no longer the First Madam, who was able to rally multitudes at her call. She only had Mother Chen as her henchman. Even the people in the manor did not handle things for her, wholeheartedly.

    Madam Ling¡¯s two daughters were not in the manor, and her son was still injured, so she could not find anyone who could help her. Lanning was also very sly. Most of the time, it was Qingyu who came to visit her. Even if she wanted to find an excuse to punish Lanning, she could not do it directly. Thinking of this, Madam Ling¡¯s eyes were filled with hate.

    So what if Lanning had said it? She did not believe that a maid¡¯s words could be credible without any evidence. If the little bi*ch in front of her dared to ask her maid to say that, she would get her into the trouble. It was said that she deliberately instigated her maid to say that, to ruin her sister¡¯s reputation.

    ¡°The matter about Eldest Sister and Eldest Brother-inw? He also asked about it, but Lanning did not say anything. The Third Prince did not focus on it. He said that Sister Ziying seemed to have a great background, and it seemed that our family could not afford to offend her.¡± Seeing that Madam Ling was looking at her coldly at her with a gleam in her eyes, Ning Xueyan knew what she was up to. She sneered secretly.

    Lanning, a maid, did not have the final say about that marriage. So, she had to do it little by little. Now it seemed that she did not need to do anything to make the whole situation worse. She did not expect that Xia Yuhang and Ning Ziyan woulde just as the Third Prince was there. It was aplete coincidence.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t that girl mention the marriage?¡± Madam Ling was stunned and looked at Ning Xueyan with a gloomy look. She did not believe what Ning Xueyan had said. Ning Ziying was an orphan, and her parents died early. She was just an ordinary person staying with Madam Ning. If Ning Ziying¡¯s mother had not sent her arge sum of money from regions south of the Yangtze River when she was still alive, she would not have taken her in.

    Ning Ziying did have a wealthy family background, but most of the money was now with Minister Xia. Madam Ling still felt distressed when she talked about it today. Initially, she wanted Ning Ziyan to return some to her. Ning Ziying¡¯s dowry was plentiful, but the damned girl had turned her down, because of the Xia family.

    Thinking of this, Madam Ling felt ufortable again and thought that she had suffered a great loss. If she had killed Ning Ziying earlier, she could have kept most of the dowry, before sending it to Xia Manor. She would not have sent all the dowry to Xia Manor. However, Ning Ziyan did not agree and insisted on taking action at that time.

    ¡°She does not have any background. She is just from an official family of the Jiang family and might be one of the best families in regions south of the Yangtze River. But when she came to the capital, every family was superior to hers! Moreover, they are all dead. Among the Ning family, our Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is the most noble one.¡±

    Madam Ling snorted and leaned back. She waved her hand and said coldly, ¡°I¡¯m tired. Fifth Young Lady, you should go and have a rest. Your Eldest Sister hase to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. You can meet herter. Even if you marry into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor in the future, you can¡¯t let others think that you do not have a good rtionship with your sisters. In the future, you will be a co-consort in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. You can¡¯t contend with others.¡±

    Did she want to drive her away? When she left, she defended Ning Ziyan against injustice. It was a threat to her. Ning Xueyan sneered secretly. Ning Ziyan killed her, so she did not have any sisterly ties with her. It was funny to tell her that they were sisters.

    In the past, when Ning Yuling and the others bullied her, she had never said that they were sisters. But now, she took it as a matter of course.

    ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. When I came in, my Eldest Sister identally fell into the lotus pond. I¡¯m afraid that she won¡¯t have time to talk with me at this time.¡± Ning Xueyan stopped talking and stood up. She looked peaceful, and her voice was polite, but there was no respect in her look. Her jet-ck jade-like eyes even made people feel as if they were being ridiculed.

    ¡°You...¡± Madam Ling was furious. It seemed that she was going to get up.

    ¡°First Madam, don¡¯t be angry. You have to take care of yourself. The Eldest Young Lady is fine now. She is safe and sound after changing her clothes.¡± Mother Chen had just finished tidying up. When she saw Madam Ling suddenly rise, she quickly ran over and held Madam Ling in her arms, to persuade her.

    ¡°Mother, if there¡¯s nothing important, I¡¯m leaving now.¡± Ning Xueyan narrowed her eyes, as if she did not see Madam Ling¡¯s eyes which looked as if she wanted to eat Ning Xueyan. With a hint of undisguised provocation in her shimmery eyes, she said this coldly. Then, she left without looking back, and Qingyu hurriedly followed her.

    ¡°You... Look at this bi*ch. How dare she, how dare she talk to me like this?¡± Madam Ling was held by Mother Chen and could not get up. She pounded the bed hard, and her eyes turned green with anger.

    ¡°First Madam, Prince Yi¡¯s Manor sent betrothal gifts just now. Not only will Prince Yi marry the consort and the co-consort at the same time, but he has also sent the betrothal gifts to them at the same time. The Fifth Young Lady is not the same as the Fifth Young Lady she used to be. You had better calm down and don¡¯t go against her. Otherwise, Madam Dowager will me you again. And you have to take care of your health!¡±

    Mother Chen looked at Madam Ling in a meaningful way, patted her on the back, andforted her.

    Madam Ling coughed twice. Although her face was still pale, she looked calm. Her eyes were full of hatred, like a poisonous snake. ¡°I know that this little bi*ch is a treasure in that damned old woman¡¯s eyes. And my Ling¡¯er is no better than grass. She sent her to the Xia Manor without any dowry.¡±

    She knew that it was not the best time to argue with Ning Xueyan now. If she could not keep the baby in her belly, she would definitely frame that little bi*ch.

    ¡°Yes, First Madam. Don¡¯t worry. As long as you can bear with it, the Fifth Young Lady will be punished, no matter what happens next.¡± Seeing that Madam Ling had calmed down, Mother Chen let go of her hand.

    ¡°How is Yan¡¯er?¡± Madam Ling leaned back and asked, gritting her teeth. There was a trace of ferociousness on her pale face. In the dark room, she looked like a ghost. Her precious daughter had been pushed into the lotus pond by the little bi*ch. As long as she thought of this, she could not suppress the anger in her heart. Just now, she was almost irritated and wanted to p Ning Xueyan twice.

    ¡°First Madam, don¡¯t worry. The Eldest Young Lady is fine. She was just frightened. She sat quietly in the room and did not go anywhere.¡± Mother Chen was afraid that Madam Ling would ask about it, so she went to check on Ning Ziyan. After seeing that Ning Ziyan was fine, she came back to report to Madam Ling.

    ¡°Ask Marquis toe here tonight. Tell him that the Eldest Young Lady is here. Ask him toe over for dinner. You also need to inquire about the Third Prince.¡± Sess or failure depended on these days, so she had to wait. In any case, she could not ck off. As for the Cloud Reflection Courtyard, she did not believe that Ning Ziying had any noble identity.

 Chapter 412 - All Appeared in the Lord Protectorâ€™s Manor

    <h4>Chapter 412 All Appeared in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor</h4>

    When Ning Xueyan came out of the room, there was no one in the lotus pond. Knowing that Ning Ziyan had been helped out, she went out along the corridor. When the older female servant at the gate of the courtyard saw Ning Xueyan, she nodded and bowed to her with great respect. She even made way for Qingyu.

    ¡°Young Lady, I got it.¡± When they went outside and looked around, Qingyu stepped forward, took out her handkerchief, and spread it in front of Ning Xueyan. There was a small piece of joss stick in it. Qingyu had secretly broken off a piece, when everyone was busy and hid it in the handkerchief.

    Before entering the manor, Ning Xueyan had hinted to her to do that.

    The incense was not lit, but when one came close to it, it still had a strong fragrance. Smelling the scent made one flush and have palpitations. ¡°Pick it up, wrap it up, and send it to the pharmacy outside to get someone to check what it is.¡±

    Although Ning Xueyan had made a guess about the contents of the incense stick, she was not sure. So, it was better to get someone to identify the item.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll take it to Mother Han and ask her to send it for an appraisal.¡± Qingyu nodded and carefully wrapped up the small piece of joss stick in her hand. In order to choose a ce for her shop, it was much more convenient for Mother Han to go in and out these days. There was only one useful older female servant staying with Ning Xueyan. It would be better for her to do this kind of thing, and Madam Dowager had also made it convenient for her.

    After putting away the joss stick, Qingyu followed Ning Xueyan and could not help asking, ¡°Why did you suddenly provoke First Madam just now, Young Lady?¡± She could tell that her youngdy had deliberately provoked the First Madam when she came out. Besides uttering those words, her youngdy did not usually have that kind of provocative attitude.

    ¡°Did the First Madam get angry?¡± Ning Xueyan asked leisurely, with a smile.

    ¡°No!¡± Qingyu was confused and shook her head, ¡°It is so strange. Given her character, how could the First Madam not be angry? Besides, you pushed the Eldest Young Lady into the lotus pond before that!¡±

    ¡°First Madam is gentler now after her illness.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled, as she walked on the path. This time, they walked on a side path instead of the road, when they went back to the Bright Frost Garden. The path was a shortcut, with many flowers growing on both sides. Now, the flowers were in bloom. Ning Xueyan pushed aside a horizontal branch in front of her and walked over.

    ¡°It¡¯s impossible. How could the First Madam have such a mild temper?¡± Qingyu shook her head decisively and looked at Ning Xueyan doubtfully. She pushed the branch aside for Ning Xueyan and turned around. ¡°The First Madam is always looking to find some evidence to frame you. Why did she not do that today?¡±

    Since Madam Ming¡¯s death, Madam Ling had been after Ning Xueyan more than once. Qingyu was with Ning Xueyan, so she knew very well that Madam Ling had caused a lot of trouble. Now, how could she just stand aside when the Eldest Young Lady had been pushed into the lotus pond, without saying a word? It was almost impossible.

    Qingyu immediately thought of another possibility and hurriedly said, ¡°Young Lady, is the First Madam going to find another way to torment you, so that is why she put up with it?¡±

    When she heard what Qingyu said, Ning Xueyan turned back and looked at Qingyu with a faint gleam in her jet-ck eyes. ¡°Even you are telling me this. It seems that she is really out to hurt me.¡±

    Hearing Ning Xueyan¡¯s praise, Qingyu was happy at first, but then her face turned bitter. ¡°Young Lady, the First Madam wants to frame you again. How can you still be happy?¡±

    Ning Xueyan turned around and stood under a flowering tree. She looked up leisurely and said, ¡°So, you will give the joss stick to Mother Han so she can find out what it is. Then, ask her to inquire discreetly if there is any prescription that is good for pregnancy.¡±

    There was a faint fishy smell, which gave people a strange sensation as soon as they smelt it. Besides that, there was also a strong fragrance. It was as if it was there to mask the fishy smell, rather than the smell of medicine. A patient¡¯s health was poor, but her room was fragrant, which was very strange indeed. Ning Xueyan had deliberately provoked Madam Ling just now, which was also a kind of a test.

    Madam Ling could not be that good-natured. It seemed that this had something to do with the faint fishy smell.

    The two returned to the Bright Frost Garden. Before they took a sip of tea, Lanning came over. Not only did she bring some news, but also a message from Madam Dowager, asking her to apany Prince Yi.

    ¡°Young Lady, as soon as I arrived at the front, I heard that the Fourth Prince hade over. After saying a few words to Madam Dowager, he went to the Cloud Reflection Courtyard with the Second Young Master at his side. At that time, the Third Prince had alreadye out of the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. He ran into the Eldest Childe-inw. Later, they happened to meet the Third Young Lady, and talked in the pavilion. Later, the Fourth Prince also went over there. After that, Madam Dowager asked the Fourth Young Lady to go with them.¡±

    ¡°Third Prince, Fourth Prince, Xia Yuhang, they are all here at the same time! It seems that the ex-princess has attracted a lot of people!¡± Ning Xueyan sneered in her mind.

    ¡°What is the matter with Prince Yi?¡± Ning Xueyan asked. She did not believe that Ao Chenyi was thest to know about this matter. The incident at Cloud Reflection Courtyard had happened for a period of time. ording to his character, Ao Chenyi would have been the first one to know. However, he was thest one to show up today. How could she not suspect him?

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. It is said that there are some problems with the betrothal gifts. Prince Yi came over to check, so Madam Dowager asked me to invite you to go over. After all, the betrothal gifts have something to do with you. But I always feel that it is against the rules. You are going to marry him soon. How can you meet him?¡± Lanning asked.

    Ning Xueyan had a mocking smile at the corners of her mouth. Even Lanning, a maid, knew the rules. How could Madam Dowager not understand? She just wanted to please the Third Prince and Prince Yi. She did not care about the youngdies¡¯ reputations. Since Ning Qingshan had gone to apany the Third Prince, she and Ao Chenyi could meet.

    Madam Dowager always talked about the rules of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. However, there were no rules in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor at all. If so, Ning Ziyan would not have been able to have an illicit rtionship with Xia Yuhang. It was the same when the Third Prince came over just now. If Madam Dowager really cared about the rules, she would have asked Ning Qingshan to hide behind the screen. Now, she pretended to overlook this and let Ning Qingshan and Ao Mingyu meet each other by chance.

    As for Ning Lingyun, she met Ao Mingwan coincidentally too.

    Now it was her turn, so she did not dare to say ¡°no.¡± Even if Ao Chenyi was here regarding the betrothal gifts, he could still see Ning Xueyan. Madam Dowager¡¯s rules were meant for the others.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about this. Since Madam Dowager is agreeable, let¡¯s go and have a look. Where is Prince Yi?¡± Ning Xueyan stood up and straightened her clothes. They were all at Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. It could not be a mere ¡°coincidence.¡±

    ¡°Prince Yi ising over. I thought it would be bad to let Prince Yi go directly to the courtyard, so I walked ahead. At this time, he should be in the garden. So, you should head straight to the garden to meet Prince Yi,¡± Lanning told her. Madam Dowager had suggested that Prince Yi should go directly to the Bright Frost Garden, but Lanning felt bad after thinking about this, after some time.

    ¡°Anyway, you have not married into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor yet. If you let Prince Yi in, you would lose your reputation.¡±

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded and walked out. Indeed, she could not let Ao Chenyi enter her courtyard. Otherwise, it might bring about scathing remarks. Madam Dowager was intent on pleasing Ao Chenyi, so she did not care about her reputation at all. She could not let Madam Dowager ruin her reputation.

    This time, she brought Lanning with her. Qingyu had gone to see Mother Han.

    When they found Ao Chenyi, he was still in the garden. In a pavilion beside a quiet rockery, Ao Chenyi stood there with his hands sped behind his back. On hisrge ck robe, there was a bright and eye-catching Equinox Flower, which always gave people a shock.

    Hearing voices, he turned his head and looked at Ning Xueyan, with a faint seductive smile on his face. His usual coldness contained a sense of evil, which was extremely beautiful and unparalleled.

    When the two eunuchs saw Ning Xueyaning over, they stepped aside and respectfully retreated a dozen steps back. Then they turned around and stood there. After looking at the two eunuchs, Lanning did not follow Ning Xueyan. After they stopped, she stood with them.

    ¡°Prince Yi, why are you here?¡± After greeting him, Ning Xueyan raised her head and asked in surprise, her long eyshes fluttering.

    ¡°I¡¯m here for the betrothal gifts today. Why can¡¯t Ie here?¡± Ao Chenyi said with azy smile. He sat down on the stone bench and there were tea and snacksid out on it. Looking at the steaming tea and snacks, Ning Xueyan felt a little warm, as her heart skipped a beat.

    She had thought that Ao Chenyi was always arrogant and unrestrained, and would not usually care about other peoples¡¯ opinions. Since Madam Dowager had agreed to let hime to see her, he did not need to be concerned about anything. But now, the steaming tea showed that he did not intend to rush directly to the Bright Frost Garden, because he cared about her reputation.

    Moreover, the prince only needed to send the betrothal gifts to the consort. Ning Xueyan had never heard of any prince sending the betrothal gifts to the co-consort, in person...

    ¡°Prince Yi, is there anything wrong with your betrothal gifts?¡± Ning Xueyan sat down in front of Ao Chenyi and looked up at him with a smile. The manor had selected the betrothal gifts, so how could there be something wrong?

    ¡°Nothing wrong. I just misced something I needed, so I came here to have a look,¡± Ao Chenyi said matter-of-factly. He poured a cup of tea for Ning Xueyan and pushed it in front of her.

    Misced something he needed? He dared to say that. Ning Xueyan¡¯s lips curled discreetly. This excuse... was fake!

    ¡°What¡¯s the thing that is missing? I will ask someone to find it for you right away,¡± Ning Xueyan said seriously. Since he talked about the betrothal gifts, she too brought that up.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve changed it now. But I heard that there has been news about the princess of the previous dynasty, in your manor. I¡¯ll stay here and have a look.¡± Ao Chenyi said in a light voice. He casually brought up the subject that Ao Mingyu had not spoken of.

 Chapter 413 - Whereâ€™s the Military Medallion of the Former Dynasty?

    <h4>Chapter 413 Where¡¯s the Military Medallion of the Former Dynasty?</h4>

    ¡°Prince Yi, are you also looking for the former princess?¡± Ning Xueyan looked up and asked with a smile. Since he had no intention of hiding it from her, she asked him directly, without attempting to hide anything as well.

    ¡°I heard about the news of the former Great Elder Princess in regions south of the Yangtze River. Everyone thought that she had been in regions south of the Yangtze River all that time. Nobody expected that she hade to the capital and lived here for three years. The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s protection was very adequate. My two nephews have made a great effort to try and find her.¡±

    The corners of Ao Chenyi¡¯s thin lips lifted slightly. His gaze fell on Ning Xueyan. He said those words figuratively.

    ¡°Does this have anything to do with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and her long eyshes fluttered like a feather fan. She asked in surprise, ¡°Isn¡¯t this something that no one should be aware of?¡± Could it be that the emperor was making trouble for the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?

    Ao Chenyi looked at her and suddenly asked, with a faint smile on his face, ¡°Yan¡¯er, are you worried for the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not worried.¡± Ning Xueyan looked at Ao Chenyi¡¯s narrow eyes, and said this clearly. Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had never given her the impression of being her family. Even in this so-called ¡°disciplined¡± ce, the blood of the weak flowed everywhere. The weak included herself, Xiang¡¯er, Madam Ming, and other people.

    The first thing she wanted to do after her rebirth was to destroy this ce. This ce was full of schemes and ruthlessness. There was a trace of sadness in her eyes for no reason.

    ¡°Everything will be fine. Ning Zu¡¯an will be reprimanded at most,¡± Ao Chenyi saidzily.

    ¡°Why are they all looking for her? Was there something of interest there?¡± Ning Xueyan asked. Ao Chenyi raised his eyebrows. When he was about to say something, she suddenly stopped him. ¡°Prince Yi, do you want to see the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince? They¡¯re in our manor now.¡±

    ¡°No, they will being over.¡± Ao Chenyi said with an evil smile. He raised his eyebrows and looked at Ning Xueyan with interest. He did not ask her why she suddenly changed the topic, but his eyes were cold.

    Ning Xueyan raised her head and looked at him with some hesitation. Then, she looked down because she saw that he was unhappy. However, she could not really ask about some things and did not dare to ask further. She bit her lips and did not know how to continue. It was not because she did not want to ask, but she did not know how to talk about her previous life.

    Even in her previous life, she had her pride and also had reasons for not being to speak out.

    She did not dare to and was not able to casually say anything about it. She did not know what to say. She did not dare to let others discover her biggest secret¨C her rebirth. She was afraid of being seen as a demon, and she did not want others to perceive her as a demon. She could investigate into the matter about Ning Ziying slowly, but she could not let others find out that she was Ning Ziying.

    ¡°Prince, do you want to go to the Cloud Reflection Courtyard to have a look?¡± She unexpectedly asked him this.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to!¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s lips curved coldly, and he refused her directly. A trace of gloom shed across his beautiful eyes.

    ¡°Prince Yi, why don¡¯t you want to have a look? The Third Prince and the others have already been there.¡± Ning Xueyan asked in puzzlement, with a trace of doubt in her shimmery eyes. Although she could not directly tell what it was, she knew that it should be a crucial matter. Otherwise, Ao Mingyu and Ao Mingwan would not have gone there.

    ¡°Only they will fight for that thing. Do you believe that it does not matter whether I get it or not?¡± Ao Chenyi suddenly smiled in disdain and said this proudly. His eyes were like the flowing clouds in the sky, which were hard to grasp for a moment, and could not be understood.

    If anyone else had said it, Ning Xueyan would not have believed it. But when he said it, she believed it, because that was what a man like him was like. Ning Xueyan felt relieved for no reason, and unconsciously had a soft smile in her eyes.

    ¡°I believe you!¡± She answered, without any hesitation.

    Looking at Ning Xueyan, Ao Chenyi became less cold. He picked up the cup at hand and took a sip gracefully. Then he turned his head and looked at her. Suddenly, he asked, ¡°Do you want me to help you?¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Prince Yi. I can do it!¡± Ning Xueyan knew that there must be a reason behind his words, but she still shook her head. Whether it was about Madam Ling or the shop outside, she felt that she could handle it.

    ¡°Prince Yi, have you ever thought that the Lord Protector might not have the military medallion from the former dynasty?¡± Ning Xueyan suddenly remembered something and asked, after thinking for a while. This was the first agreement she made with Ao Chenyi. It seemed that she had not revealed anything until now. She only knew that Ning Qingshan shared the same interest in the military medallion.

    And she did not know who the person behind Ning Qingshan was, yet.

    ¡°Oh, why do you say that?¡± Ao Chenyi raised his beautiful eyes and asked. He did not take the military medallion seriously. At that time, he was just interested in Ning Xueyan. He wanted to see how far this delicate girl could go with his support. It was just an excuse.

    Otherwise, he would not have brought up this matterter, as if he had forgotten about it.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t Prince Yi bring me to visit my mom¡¯s old house before? My mom was the daughter of the former Minister of War. Prince Yi, have you thought that maybe Ning Zu¡¯an does not have the military medallion at all? Could it be with my mom?¡±

    Ning Xueyan frowned and asked. She had this idea, but she did not find anything simr to a military medallion after she searched through all of Madam Ming¡¯s things. So until now, it was just a guess, and it had not been proven yet. Only in this way, could it exin why Ning Zu¡¯an did not sleep in the middle of the night. Instead, he went to search Madam Ming¡¯s old house.

    Ning Zu¡¯an did not seem to have a deep affection for Madam Ming.

    ¡°It¡¯s possible, or...¡± As he spoke, Ao Chenyi leaned closer to Ning Xueyan and dropped the cup in his hand. As if identally touching Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand on the table, he said, ¡°Does Yan¡¯er want to use this military medallion as a dowry and marry me now?¡±

    As his slender fingers slid across the delicate skin on her fingers, she was seized with a sudden fear. Ning Xueyan withdrew her hand and subconsciously pushed his away. But when she touched his hand again, she felt hot, and her face was tinged with a faint blush. Feeling embarrassed, she wanted to push his approaching figure away. She was the Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor now, not the favorite concubine she had been pretending to be.

    ¡°Your Highness, I don¡¯t have that.¡±

    She thought that she was being very earnest, but she did not expect that her coldness had a certain charm, which seemed even more enchanting than usual.

    Looking at her shy but angry look, Ao Chenyi was no longer indifferent. He leaned back with satisfaction and said with a smile, ¡°Take it easy. If you can find it, you can give it to me. If you can¡¯t find it, it does not matter.¡±

    A trace of malice shed through his beautiful eyes, and a strange smile appeared on his lips. Ning Xueyan¡¯s words reminded him of something.

    Maybe that was the reason. It was a certainty that the military medallion was in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. However, Ning Zu¡¯an was very loyal to his royal brother. If he had the military medallion, he would have given it to his royal brother. He would not have dared to hide the military medallion. It seemed that Ning Xueyan¡¯s words were credible.

    He had asked someone to check Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s study many times, but they did not find anything amiss. Thinking of Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s furtiveness instead of sleeping at night, he was sure that Ning Zu¡¯an was looking for something. And that item should have belonged to Madam Ming. As the legal daughter of the former Minister of War, it would make sense that Madam Ming had the military medallion.

    Madam Ming had been demoted and stayed in the Bright Frost Garden all the time, and since she was so low-key, no one had ever given her a second look. No one had expected that there was such a person in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. If Ning Xueyan had note out of the Bright Frost Garden, many people would have forgotten about that former arrogant nobledy.

    Since Ning Zu¡¯an had done such a thorough search, he must have searched through Madam Ming¡¯s things, but he could not find it. So, it must not be an easy task to look for it.

    ¡°Prince Yi, I¡¯ll search through my mother¡¯s things again, or I¡¯ll search for it at Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s ce. I¡¯m afraid that it might be toote.¡± Ning Xueyan lowered her head and covered her unnatural blush.

    ¡°I am really in no hurry. Recently, I have been busy. Taking a wife is a big event in my life, and it¡¯s rare for me to take a wife. I don¡¯t have time to deal with such a trivial thing for the moment.¡± Looking at Ning Xueyan¡¯s uneasy look, Ao Chenyi became gentler. Suddenly, he smiled and answered gravely.

    Was it such a big deal for him to take a wife? Why didn¡¯t she think so? He was very casual, but it seemed that he could not find anyone to marry. He was so solemn and even said that it was a big event in his life. It sounded annoying. It sounded like the words of a yboy who was flirting with a girl.

    Ning Xueyan gritted her teeth secretly. Nobody would expect the fierce and ruthless Asura King, Ao Chenyi, to say such words, which gave her a strange feeling. However, this feeling made her heart beat faster. She blinked her long eyshes and secretly peeked at him, only to see his incredibly handsome face. Shocked, she hurriedly lowered her head and pinched her hand. She felt inexplicably annoyed.

    While they were talking, the Third Prince, the Fourth Prince, and Ning Huaijing came over. Ning Xueyan calmed down, got up gracefully and made way for them.

    After all the greetings were made, the stone table was upied by the two nephews and one uncle. Ning Huaijing and her sisters were sitting on the fence of the pavilion. The pavilion was not big, so when the seven of them sat down, it seemed a little overcrowded. Except for the two eunuchs serving Ao Chenyi, the other maids and the young male servants who followed them, stood outside the pavilion.

    Fortunately, at this time, the weather was just right. It was neither hot nor cold, with the spring breeze gently brushing their faces from time to time. They did not think that it was a little stuffy with so many people in the pavilion. However, the atmosphere was frosty. Ning Lingyun¡¯s face was pale, and she did not dare to raise her head. She even trembled with fear.

    Even Ning Qingshan and Ning Huaijing kept their heads down, not daring to look at Ao Chenyi, who was sitting in the upper position. Everyone knew that the most terrifying person in the capital city was the relentless and ruthless Prince Yi. Now, the frosty atmosphere engulfed them, so nobody dared to look at him as usual.

 Chapter 414 - How Dare You!

    <h4>Chapter 414 How Dare You!</h4>

    The air suddenly became frosty, as if something was weighing on their minds. It was frigid and frightening. Ning Xueyan pulled at the corner of her sleeve with her hands, and then she became silent, together with the others.

    Ning Qingshan felt as if she was sitting on pins and needles. She felt a cold gaze falling on her, and the blood vessels all over her body seemed to have been constricted.

    ¡°Is she the co-consort you have chosen?¡± His decadent sound was pleasing, but it made people shiver for no reason, especially when he questioned Ning Qingshan. Ning Qingshan held the fan in her hand tightly, not daring to move. Beads of sweat appeared on her forehead. She did not think that it was unusual to lower her head, but now she felt so weighed down.

    She wanted to see Ning Xueyan¡¯s reaction, but it was hard for her to turn her head sideways.

    ¡°Yes, she is the co-consort my father chose for me,¡± Ao Mingyu answered, with a gentle smile on his face. Nobody noticed that he suddenly froze. He looked at Ning Qingshan, and there was a trace of killing intent in his eyes.

    Every time he saw Ao Chenyi, he felt a tremendous psychological burden. It seemed that no matter where he went, he would always be the focus of attention. Even if he did not speak, he was still the center of attention. Just like when his father became the emperor, he rarely talked about the emperor¡¯s younger brother, nor did he proim this in writing. But even so, everyone still knew that he was the emperor¡¯s younger brother, the next emperor who had been chosen by thete emperor.

    However, he, the real Prince, was embarrassed because of his identity. This was the shame of the current emperor¡¯s sons. Therefore, as long as it was possible, he would take the throne back from Ao Chenyi...

    ¡°Come here and let me have a look at you.¡± Ao Chenyi nodded and looked at Ning Qingshan coldly.

    Ning Qingshan and everyone else had greeted him , but now he was asking her to go to him alone, with such a casual attitude. Ao Mingyu¡¯s face did not change, but his hands in his sleeves were clenched, and the veins were bulging.

    Ning Qingshan felt that she should have stood up and responded gracefully, but she could not help tensing up instead. She certainly knew Prince Yi. She had seen him from a distance at the party. However, he could kill without batting an eyelid, and was moody. She might get into big trouble if she was not careful.

    She suppressed her fear, lowered her head, and came toward Ao Chenyi. She knelt and greeted him. Even though she had greeted him earlier she did not dare to greet him casually this time.

    It was rare to see Ning Qingshan being so staid. Ning Xueyan secretly nced at him, and looked into his long and narrow eyes. Although his eyes were still cold, Ning Xueyan could see a trace of sarcasm in them. She lowered her head hurriedly. This man was good at making mischief.

    ¡°I heard that the Third Young Lady Ning is as beautiful as a flower. She is gentle, elegant, and filial. Please raise your head and let me have a look to see if the rumor is true,¡± Ao Chenyi said coldly.

    Ning Qingshan held the fan tightly and raised her head stiffly. She also wanted to show her bravery so that the Third Prince would think highly of her. But it was good enough for her not to tremble when facing Prince Yi¡¯s imposing manner. She had lived in the pce for a period of time and had seen the emperor. But now, she felt that Prince Yi was even more aggressive than the emperor.

    She straightened her body to make herself appear natural and raised her head slightly, sitting quietly without looking sideways. It was already best to keep still. If she wanted to put on an act again, her cowardice would be evident.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re good-looking. Mingyu, she looks better than the two you gave mest time.¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s long and narrow eyes fell on Ning Qingshan¡¯s face. He seemed to look at her from head to toe, with some curiosity. Finally, he turned to Ao Mingyu, who was standing beside him, and said this.

    Ao Mingyu¡¯s eyes shed with rage as Prince Yipared the third Prince¡¯s future co-consort to a dancing whore. From her perspective, Ning Xueyan could see that Ao Mingyu clenched his fists wiithin his drooping sleeves. But soon, he unclenched his fists, as if Ning Xueyan had been mistaken earlier.

    Ao Mingwan sat on one side and seemed to be interested in the teacup in his hand. He was looking at the patterns on his cup intently. He looked repeatedly at it and did not seem to notice anything unusual.

    Ning Lingyun was so scared that she did not dare to breathe. Ning Huaijing also lowered his head, so one could not see his facial expression. But at least, he looked his usual self.

    ¡°Yes, thank you for your praise, Uncle.¡± Ao Mingyu had calmed down, ignoring the grievance on Ning Qingshan¡¯s face, and said this lightly.

    ¡°Well, I should go. Mingyu and Mingwan, do you want to stay in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor for a while, or go back with me.¡± Ao Chenyi stood up, with a faint smile in his dark eyes. He waved his wide sleeves, and the blooming Manjusaka seemed toe alive, revealing a kind of bloodthirsty evilness.

    He hardly seemed to notice that Ning Qingshan, the Third Prince¡¯s co-consort-to-be, was still kneeling.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go back with you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m willing to go back with you.¡± The Third Prince and the Fourth Prince answered.

    Seeing that they wanted to go back with him, Ao Chenyi nodded with satisfaction. He waved his wide sleeves and was about to go out, but stopped when he passed by Ning Xueyan. He turned his head to look at Ning Xueyan and said disapprovingly, ¡°This pair of jade Ruyi Sceptre among the betrothal gifts is a gift from me to the consort. The servants sent it to the wrong ce. I have to go to Lord Peace¡¯s Manor now.¡±

    Ning Xueyan knew that he was talking to her, because he wanted to exin why he suddenly appeared in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor today. Immediately, Ning Xueyan calmed down, lowered her head, and said lightly, ¡°Yes!¡±

    Seeing that he was about to leave, Ning Xueyan reminded him again, ¡°Prince Yi, My Third Sister...¡±

    ¡°Oh, Third Young Lady, you can get up now!¡± Ao Chenyi seemed to have noticed only now that Ning Qingshan was still kneeling, so he waved his hand in azy but elegant way.

    His cavalier attitude made Ning Qingshan feel like an ant. She bit her lip subconsciously. She had always thought that she was superior to others. If she did not need those in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she would not have to pretend to be so polite andpliant. Now, she was suppressed by Ao Chenyi and did not even dare to look at his eyes.

    How could Ning Xueyan speak so quietly and even dare to remind the bloodthirsty childe? Why couldn¡¯t she have done that? What¡¯s more, she even needed Ning Xueyan to remind him that she was still kneeling. What would the Third Prince think of her? He would feel that she was timid and ipetent.

    She could not be so useless.

    She could not let the Third Prince look down on her, and she could not let Ning Xueyan, the bi*ch, surpass her. Both of them were co-consorts. In terms of status, she was not much lower than Ning Xueyan.

    She gritted her teeth and raised her eyes, trying to look straight at Prince Yi. However, she could not help, but shiver the moment she raised her head. She could not control herself and let out a low cry.

    She had secretly seen Prince Yi from a distance. She only felt that he was a very handsome young man, but was extremely grim. However, observing from a distance was notparable to looking directly at him.

    His facial features were extremely delicate. He was handsome and a little enchanting, but his looks were weird and grim. His long and narrow eyes were so profound that they seemed to absorb all the light, so people dared not look directly at him. Even if he did not say anything, Ning Qingshan felt stifled.

    She could not help turning her head, and subconsciously clutched the fan in her hand. However, because she was too scared, she could not hold on to it firmly. With a hiss, the fan in her hand was torn apart. The beautiful face of the youngdy on the fan was shredded from the middle, and showed an inexplicable sly expression.

    Ning Qingshan had acted recklessly. She suddenly lowered her head and touched the ground with her forehead hard, and said in a trembling voice, ¡°Prince Yi, please forgive me for my rudeness!¡±

    ¡°How dare you!¡± Ao Chenyi said casually. He looked at Ning Qingshan with dark eyes, lifted the corners of his mouth, and strode away. Ao Mingyu followed him and looked at Ning Qingshan, with anger in his eyes. He did not expect Ning Qingshan to be able to face up to Ao Chenyi, but at least she did not need to be in such a panicky state. She could not even hold herposure and even tore the fan in her hand.

    She looked panic-stricken, which was even worse than Ning Lingyun, who had been trembling slightly beside her. She made him lose face in front of Ao Chenyi.

    His gaze flickered and fell on Ning Xueyan, who stood at the side. Although she lowered her head and narrowed her eyes, she looked calm. Her eyes were full ofplicated emotions. She might not have a good temperament, but at least she was able to face it calmly. Ao Chenyi¡¯s words just now not only showed why he came to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, but also showed his contempt for Ning Xueyan.

    He was taking back the betrothal gifts he had already given at will. He even said that he would send it to the Commandery Princess Xianyun of the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor. No matter what it was, it was a great shame for a woman. She had calmly epted the fact without any show of anger or grievance.

    She was graceful and did not forget to remind Ao Chenyi about Ning Qingshan, who was kneeling at the side and had been ignored.

    Even a man could not remain so calm in front of Ao Chenyi. No official could truly say that he was not afraid of Ao Chenyi and could bepletely calm in front of him.

    But a woman like her was ignored by Ao Chenyi. Not only was she isted, but she had also been humiliated. The betrothal gifts sent to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor were taken back. He felt angry. How could he treat her like this? How could he put her in such an awkward situation?

    Initially, he wondered if Ao Chenyi was interested in Ning Xueyan. Now, he felt aggrieved and angry for her. A woman like her deserved better, and he could have given it to her.

    Ao Mingyu gritted his teeth and followed Ao Chenyi out, with a trace of gloom in his eyes. Ao Mingwan stopped at Ning Xueyan¡¯s feet, ignored her, and walked out.

    When the three masters left, arge crowd of people outside left with them. The pavilion suddenly quieted down.

 Chapter 415 - The Delicate and Poor Fourth Young Lady

    <h4>Chapter 415 The Delicate and Poor Fourth Young Lady</h4>

    ¡°Third Sister, get up. The princes have gone,¡± Ning Huaijing, the only man there, said to Ning Qingshan, who was still kneeling on the ground.

    Ning Qingshan stood up silently. But when she stood up, her legs seemed to weaken and she almost fell. She did not get up until she held on to a pir beside her. She looked gloomy, and exuded an air of strong malice. Having suffered such a great shame for no reason, Ning Qingshan was overwhelmed with hatred now.

    She did not expect that her fear would be exposed in front of these people whom she despised the most, ordinarily. Moreover, she had torn the fan in her hand. How could she not be angry? She would vent her anger on Ning Xueyan. If there was nothing wrong with Ning Xueyan¡¯s betrothal gifts, this high-ranking Prince Yi would not have appeared in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    She could not make a fool of herself in front of the Third Prince and the others.

    ¡°Third Sister, it has nothing to do with Fifth Sister. She...¡± Seeing Ning Xueyan ring at Ning Xueyan with an irrepressible hatred, Ning Huaijing hastily went forward to exin. This was the first time he had seen Prince Yi. He did not expect Prince Yi¡¯s manner to be so imposing. His eyes alone could make people shiver from head to toe.

    He was also sad for Ning Xueyan. Obviously, Prince Yi did not have anypassion for womanhood. Not only did he take away the original betrothal gifts mercilessly, but he also stated that in front of everyone, which would have directly embarrassed Ning Xueyan. It seemed that the rumors that Prince Yi had a good impression of his Fifth Sister, were all hearsay and really unreliable.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, don¡¯t be sad. It¡¯s just a pair of jade Ruyi Sceptre. Grandmother gave me a pair of jade Ruyi Sceptre. If you like them, I¡¯ll bring them to you.¡± At this time, Ning Lingyun finally returned to her normal self. She raised her head and looked to be in a good mood. She also took the initiative tofort Ning Xueyan.

    Seeing Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan having a hard time, she was so happy. Recently, everyone in the manor treated them as treasures. The two princes did not treat them as treasures at all. They were just fooling themselves. She mentioned the jade Ruyi Sceptre now in order to get Ning Xueyan worked up.

    Now she did not dare to irritate Ning Xueyan anymore. After being taught a lesson by Madam Dowager and seeing Ning Xueyan¡¯s strength, she would not be as reckless as before. No matter what she did, she would pretend to be slightly timid, as if she had been punished and had changed. Because of this, Madam Dowager¡¯s attitude toward her was much better than before, and she did not seem to be indifferent to her anymore.

    Ning Xueyan raised her head and turned her shimmery eyes. She saw the resentment in Ning Qingshan¡¯s eyes, Ning Huaijing¡¯s sigh, and the pride in Ning Lingyun¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Thank you, Second Brother and Fourth Sister. I¡¯m fine. It is my grandmother who is in charge of the betrothal gifts. She will not let me suffer any losses.¡± She smiled as if she had not been wronged at all. She looked calm and said, ¡°Third Sister, what is wrong with this fan? It¡¯s too bad.¡±

    ¡°Yes, it broke.¡± Ning Qingshan gritted her teeth and followed what Ning Xueyan had said. She threw the fan on the floor and stamped on it. Although her reason was not adequate, it exined why she was so timid just now.

    Anyway, she had lost face just now. She was about to be a co-consort, but she was scared to such an extent by the mere act of ncing at Prince Yi. It was a scandal to the royal family. Besides, there were so many servants at that time, so they would inevitably spread the news out. At that time, her reputation would be ruined.

    Not only did she have a noble status, but she felt that her manners were better than Ning Xueyan¡¯s. However, she had embarrassed herself in front of Ning Xueyan and the Third Prince, whom she cared most about, was witness to that. She was so angry and resentful that the brocade in her sleeves had been crumpled into a ball, as if it was Ning Xueyan she was dealing with.

    ¡°Third Sister, just now...¡± Ning Lingyun came up and said timidly.

    ¡°I have something to do, so I have to go now!¡± Ning Qingshan red at Ning Lingyun and said coldly. Then she turned around and left with her maid, ignoring the gazes from the others behind her. She was afraid that if she stayed any longer, she would lose control of herself.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Third Sister? Is it because of what happened just now?¡± Ning Lingyun turned to Ning Xueyan behind her, as if she was confused. She wanted to get sympathy from Ning Xueyan.

    Ning Xueyan nced at her and there was a slight sneer on her lips. She thought that Ning Lingyun had been quiet for a while. It seemed that under Concubine Xu¡¯s teaching, Ning Lingyun would not be quiet anymore. Among the Young Ladies in the manor, she was the only one left.

    With the family background of the two co-consorts, it would not be difficult for Ning Lingyun to find a good husband. In the capital city, there were many people who wanted totch on the rich and powerful.

    This time, Ning Lingyun seemed to be gentle and harmless, but she was always provoking others. She looked much smarter than before. But weren¡¯t Ning Ziyan and Ning Qingshan also the same kind of persons?

    However, Ning Lingyun looked more pitiful.

    ¡°Second Brother, Eldest Sister and Eldest Brother-inw are here. Do you want to see them?¡± Ignoring Ning Lingyun, who looked pitiful and seemed about to cry, Ning Xueyan turned to Ning Huaijing and asked. It was said that Xia Yuhang was with the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince, but they did not see him just now. It was surprising.

    ¡°I won¡¯t go there. I have seen Eldest Brother-inw. He was here earlier. He heard from the people in the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard that Eldest Sister fell into the lotus pond. So, he left first to have a look,¡± Ning Huaijing said this meaningfully, with a smile on his face.

    ¡°Did they say that I pushed her?¡± Ning Xueyan thought for a moment and understood what he meant. As a trace of sarcasm shed in her ck jade-like eyes, she asked this matter-of-factly.

    Madam Ling and Ning Ziyan would not miss an opportunity to ruin Ning Xueyan¡¯s reputation in front of the two princes.

    ¡°They did not state it so clearly. It was said that there was a little conflict between you sisters, when Eldest Sister was with you, so she fell into the lotus pond. Fifth Sister, did you push her into the lotus pond?¡± Ning Huaijing initially thought that Madam Ling was deliberately trying to ruin Ning Xueyan¡¯s reputation, but he did not expect Ning Xueyan to confirm the fact. He was silent for a while and thenughed.

    If only Madam Ling was aware that most of the people present at that time thought that it was Madam Ling who deliberately tried to frame Ning Xueyan. They did not know whether she would be so angry that she would spit out blood. If it had been told by someone else, it might be somewhat credible. However, it was Madam Ling who sent people to spread the news. The older female servant, who passed the message, gazed about her, rolling her eyes. Besides, it was said that Madam Ling killed the one in the Cloud Reflection Courtyard.

    Anyway, Madam Ling was not the kind of person who would bear insults. If something like this happened, Madam Ling would create a scene. How could she deliberately hide the truth for Ning Xueyan? And what¡¯s more, she deliberately did not give the details.

    Therefore, after Ning Xueyan admitted it, Ning Huaijing could not helpughing.

    It was something that really happened, but everyone did not believe it because of Madam Ling herself. She asked people to invite Xia Yuhang over. as if something terrible had happened. Furthermore, she did not give the details, which made people even more suspicious. If she knew that, Madam Ling would certainly spit out blood.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, you really pushed her. Fifth Sister, you...¡± Ning Lingyun cried out in surprise and raised her voice. She seemed to be frightened. She covered her mouth with a handkerchief and looked at Ning Xueyan in disbelief. She was going to reason things out.

    But after Ning Xueyan nced at her coldly, she immediately closed her mouth uneasily. Then she looked at Ning Xueyan with tears in her eyes, as if she was too scared to cry. Although she trembled slightly because of Ao Chenyi¡¯s imposing manner, she had not cried at all. Being red at by Ning Xueyan, she was scared to death.

    Ning Xueyan did not know if it was because she was too fierce or Ning Lingyun was too ¡°weak¡± recently.

    ¡°Second Brother, Fourth Sister, I have something to do. I have to go now.¡± Ning Xueyan had something to ask Ning Huaijing, but it was obviously inappropriate at this time. She was not in a good mood to deal with Ning Lingyun.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, do you want to go to my ce to have a look? I have a couple of Ruyi Sceptres too. After all, the wedding should go on smoothly.¡±

    Ning Huaijing reached out to stop Ning Xueyan and said this with some embarrassment. When a couple got married, the betrothal gifts made of jade would indicate good luck. Generally, ordinary families would send such a betrothal gift. The royal family not only sent it, but also cared about the quality of jade. The betrothal gifts from Prince Yi¡¯s Manor contained a jade Ruyi Sceptre. Now that they had been removed, it was not only due to a matter of face.

    Ning Huaijing cared about Ning Xueyan. It was normal for him to ask such a question. If Prince Yi had talked about something else, it would not be a big deal. But this jade Ruyi was a significant gift. If there was no jade Ruyi, there would be sarcastic remarks made. Meanwhile, it also showed that Prince Yi did not care about Ning Xueyan at all. As expected, it was just a rumor.

    ¡°Second Brother, don¡¯t worry. I also have a jade Ruyi Sceptre. I won¡¯t bother you.¡± Ning Xueyan refused with a smile. No matter why Ao Chenyi came to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, he must have achieved his goal. As for the jade Ruyi Sceptre, Ning Xueyan believed that it was just an excuse.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, please go back first.¡± Ning Huaijing nodded with a smile. Seeing that there was no grievance or anger on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face, he nodded slightly and felt relieved. If Ning Xueyan was angry and made a scene about the jade Ruyi, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would be in great trouble. Having lived there daily recently, Ning Huaijing had already regarded the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor as his real home.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, I¡¯ll go with you,¡± Ning Lingyun, who had been looking for an opportunity to talk to Ning Xueyan, immediately said this when she saw that Ning Xueyan was about to leave.

    ¡°Fourth Sister, you can go back by yourself. I may go to the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard to have a lookter. It may not be convenient for you to follow me.¡± Ning Xueyan stood still and raised her eyebrows with a smile.

    ¡°Then I... you¡¯d better go first. I still have something to doter.¡± Hearing that she was going to the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard, Ning Lingyun breathed a sigh of relief. She did not want to go there at all. If Madam Ling got angry, she would be scolded or could even be beaten up. Initially, she tried to establish a rtionship with Ning Xueyan, but it was not easy to get along with her, when she saw that Ning Xueyan was standoffish.

 Chapter 416 - The Replaced Jade Ruyi Sceptre

    <h4>Chapter 416 The Reced Jade Ruyi Sceptre</h4>

    In Foggy Courtyard.

    Ning Qingshan came back with a cold face. As soon as she entered the room, she picked up the flower vase and smashed it on the ground. The vase shattered into pieces.

    Hearing the noise, Mammy Luo came out of the room and saw Feilian, who was with Ning Qingshan. Feilian frowned and hurriedly followed Ning Qingshan into the room.

    ¡°Bi*ch! Bi*ch!¡± Ning Qingshan cursed in a low voice, with a ferocious look on her face. She tore off a section of the beaded curtain in the inner room. The crystal beads scattered all over the floor. Mammy Luo followed her into the room. After thinking for a while, Feilian stayed outside. She picked up all the beads on the ground, but at the same time, listened attentively to what they were saying inside.

    ¡°Young Lady, what happened? When you left, you were in such a good mood. Why did youe back in such a bad mood?¡± Ning Qingshan dressed up so beautifully and had rushed out excitedly. Mammy Luo did not understand how she became so angry in such a short time. Since the incident at the imperial pcest time, Ning Qingshan had seldom been so emotional.

    Ning Qingshan sat down on the couch and in a furious tone, said, ¡°Mother Han, it is that b*tch Ning Xueyan who brought Prince Yi here. However, I suffered a disaster.¡± As soon as she thought of what had happened earlier, her hatred of Ning Xueyan rose in her heart.

    ¡°Young Lady, don¡¯t worry. What was wrong with Fifth Young Lady?¡± Mammy Luo was totally confused. She tried to pacify Ning Qingshan first.

    Ning Qingshan angrily narrated the whole story. When it came to the most humiliating part, her eyes seemed to ze with anger.

    ¡°Young Lady, don¡¯t be angry. I think that even if you were frightened and made a gaffe today, the Fifth Young Lady will not get any benefits.¡± Mammy Luo suddenly smiled, after she heard what Ning Qingshan said.

    ¡°Why?¡± Ning Qingshan asked, gritting her teeth. Then she turned around to Mammy Luo.

    ¡°Young Lady, only the people in the manor knew what happened to you today. It is no big deal, even if others know about it in the future. Everyone is afraid of Prince Yi. So what if you, a girl from a boudoir, were so frightened that you identally tore the fan? However, a pair of jade Ruyi Sceptre was taken away from the Fifth Young Lady¡¯s betrothal gifts. Byparison, it is not a serious matter.¡±

    Mammy Luo gave her view on the matter, with a happy smirk on her face.

    ¡°You just said that Prince Yi would proceed to the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor, after taking away the jade Ruyi Sceptre. This matter will soon be spread to the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor. Princess Xianyun of the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor will be the consort. She wants to suppress the Fifth Young Lady. She will make use of such a good opportunity to spread it. With the deliberate publicity from the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor, the Fifth Young Lady will be disgraced.¡±

    ¡°But I can¡¯t stand it. In front of that bitch and the Third Prince...¡± Ning Qingshan said angrily. Her identity and status were much higher than Ning Xueyan¡¯s, so she had never thought highly of Ning Xueyan before. But now, she had been humiliated in front of Ning Xueyan. How could she bear it?

    So, even though she knew that Ning Xueyan did not ask Prince Yi toe over, she still med Ning Xueyan. She felt that if it were not for her, she would not have felt so humiliated.

    ¡°Young Lady, please wait for a moment.¡± Seeing that Ning Qingshan still wanted to say something, Mammy Luo waved at her and turned toward the bead curtain. ¡°Feiyue, you go out first. I have something to say to the Young Lady.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Under the bead curtain, Feiyue stood up respectfully and left.

    ¡°Mammy, you don¡¯t have to worry about it. She will not say anything,¡± Ning Qingshan said with certainty. Both Feiyue and Feilian belonged to Madam Dowager, but they had been serving her for a long time already. Since Feiyue had met with an ident, Feilian had be more cautious. Ning Qingshan did not think that she needed to be on her guard against her. She did not believe that Feilian would dare to betray her, when she alternated kindness with severity.

    ¡°Young Lady, it is better not to let others know about your affairs. The lesser the people who know about it, the safer it is. It is better to be cautious.¡± Mammy Luo frowned helplessly at Ning Qingshan¡¯s arrogance. It was not because she did not believe her, but because what she said next might reveal her master¡¯s background. This background was too shocking. When she first heard about it, she was shocked and could note to terms with it for a few days. If she had not been that loyal to her master, maybe she would have had other ideas.

    Therefore, it was better not to say something like this in Feilian¡¯s presence.

    ¡°Young Lady, do you feel sad and angry because you were wronged today?¡± Mammy Luo said to Ning Qingshan, with a serious look when she saw that Feilian had exited the room obediently, and closed the door.

    ¡°Yes, she is just a concubine¡¯s daughter. How dare shepete with me? What¡¯s more...¡± Ning Qingshan¡¯s face blushed in mortification. Of course, she cared about it. What she cared more about was that Ning Xueyan had been treated differently by Ao Mingyu. When she thought that Ning Xueyan dared to seduce Ao Mingyu, Ning Qingshan wished that she could eat Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Young Lady, you are noble, but the others do not know you. In the eyes of others, you are a young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. What¡¯s more, you are an adopted daughter, and you are not that much superior to the Fifth Young Lady. Maybe people think the Fifth Young Lady is closer to Marquis.¡± Mammy Luo knew what Ning Qingshan was worried about, so she decided to get to the root of the problem.

    ¡°Humph, she is just the daughter of a minister. How dare shepete with me?¡± Thinking of her identity, Ning Qingshan looked up and raised her chin in disdain.

    ¡°Young Lady, the Fifth Young Lady cannot bepared to you. You are a phoenix in the sky, but she is merely mud under your feet. You are not at the same level at all. And as you can see, the Third Prince is affectionate toward you. Even though you did not do well in the pce, he still wanted to marry you. However, Prince Yi did not take the Fifth Young Lady as his wife. How could he ask her to return the betrothal gift in public? And the Fifth Young Lady did not dare to say anything more. She may have a hard time when she marries into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor?¡±

    To quell Ning Qingshan¡¯s anger, Mammy Luo said something soothing at this time. The anger on Ning Qingshan¡¯s face slowly subsided. Finally, she calmed down and nodded. After thinking for a while, she asked, ¡°Mammy Luo, do you know anything about a butterfly pattern?¡±

    When Mammy Luo appeased her, she remembered that the Third Prince had visited with a strange purpose today. Could there be a mark of the ¡°butterfly¡± on Ning Ziying from the Cloud Reflection Courtyard? What was that? How was it that she had never heard of it?

    ¡°What is a butterfly pattern?¡± Mammy Luo was stunned and replied.

    ¡°It¡¯s just like... a birthmark in the shape of a butterfly. Since it was on the body, it should be a birthmark. It looks like a butterfly. Madam Dowager¡¯s face changed greatly, so she must know something about it. Besides, it is just not any ordinary mark. The Third Prince and the Fourth Prince seemed to havee over today solely for that, in the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. It¡¯s bizarre!¡±

    Ning Qingshan¡¯s voice was low as if she was talking to herself. Her brows furrowed in a frown. She felt that the ¡°butterfly pattern¡± was significant, but she did not know anything about it at all.

    ¡°Young Lady, I don¡¯t know, either. I... I don¡¯t seem to have heard of this before. Could it be that Young Lady Ziying¡¯s status is unusual?¡± Mammy Luo said with a wry smile. She was only a maid in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Although she had more experience, she did not know anything about this ¡°butterfly-pattern¡±.

    ¡°But I think it¡¯s important,¡± Ning Qingshan said thoughtfully.

    ¡°Young Lady, do you want to ask the master over there? He should know more about it. Maybe you can ask him about it.¡± Mammy Luo hesitated and suggested this. She could not ask anyone about such things at will, so the mysterious master was the best candidate.

    Since Madam Dowager, the Third Prince, and the Fourth Prince knew about it, it seemed that there should be a lot of people who were aware of it. Even if they did not know about it, it would not be a problem for them to send people to inquire about it, because there were a lot of people there.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s do it.¡± Ning Qingshan thought for a while and nodded. It seemed to be the best way.

    ¡°Young Lady, are you going to visit the Eldest Young Masterter?¡± Since she had made up her mind, Ning Qingshan calmed down as well. Mammy Luo breathed a sigh of relief.

    ¡°Yes. Things will be happening soon. How can I wait?¡± Ning Qingshan sneered coldly. She could not be angry for the time being, because she knew that Ning Xueyan would not be getting any benefits. Co-consort? She had to be alive to be married into the manor. ording to Prince Yi¡¯s character, he would kill Ning Xueyan directly, once he received the news.

    In the Bright Frost Garden.

    Looking at the pair of white jade Ruyi Sceptre in front of her, Ning Xueyan was speechless for a moment.

    The white jade Ruyi Sceptre was crystal clear. At first nce, one could already tell that it was a pair of superior jade. They were identical and could be called an heirloom. However, this pair of jade Ruyi Sceptre was in exchange for a pair of inferior ones. Therefore, when Ao Chenyi told Madam Dowager about it, Madam Dowager changed them without any hesitation.

    And it was said that the pair of jade Ruyi Sceptre, which had been reced, had been sent to the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor.

    Madam Dowager also warned her not to let any outsiders know about it. As long as they were aware of it, it was okay. The inferior Jade Ruyi Sceptre had been reced with a superior one. It seemed that Prince Yi attached great importance to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. This was the first time that Prince Yi had showed any goodwill to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Madam Dowager hurriedly sent it to Ning Xueyan to let her know that Prince Yi favored her.

    Mother Qin also repeatedly told Madam Dowager that when Ning Xueyan married into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, she had to respect Prince Yi and Princess Xianyun. She could not make any trouble for the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, let alone upset Prince Yi. Otherwise, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would also be involved.

    Mother Qin¡¯s words were very courteous. She smiled at all the people in the Bright Frost Garden, as if she was a goody-goody. However, everyone knew that Mother Qin was Madam Dowager¡¯s henchman and the most important stewardess in the manor. Even Ning Zu¡¯an had to show her some respect.

    ¡°Well, put it away, Young Lady. It is still part of your dowry. Anyway, it is yours from now on. You can look at it whenever you want.¡± Lanning smiled and closed the delicate box with the jade Ruyi inside, for Ning Xueyan. She was very happy for Ning Xueyan. In the pavilion earlier, everything went well at first. Later on, Prince Yi¡¯s momentum was so cold that Lanning did not dare to move, when she stood outside.

    Anyway, Prince Yi¡¯s momentum was obviously not directed at her youngdy. When they were in the pavilion, Lanning felt indignant at the injustice brought about by the jade Ruyi. She thought that Prince Yi had gone too far. How could he say that in front of so many people? Her Young Lady had been humiliated. Now, she was full of joy. As expected, Prince Yi treated her youngdy in a different manner.

    ¡°Wait a minute. I want to look at it again.¡± When she closed the lid, something shed in her eyes. Ning Xueyan stopped Lanning¡¯s hand in a hurry.

 Chapter 417 - An Exquisite Box with an Interlayer

    <h4>Chapter 417 An Exquisite Box with an Inteyer</h4>

    On the beautifully carved box, there was something that looked like anotheryer. It was very thin, and it was also an open tier that had a folded note enclosed within.

    If this note had not been only half-hidden outside, one would not have been able to see that there was such a thin tier there. It was unexpected that there was such an inteyer in such a delicate box. It was something out of the blue.

    When Ning Xueyan took the note, she was not in a hurry to read it. Instead, she took out the pair of jade Ruyi Sceptre from the box and looked at the box with interest. The jade Ruyi Sceptre was not very big, and it fitted well in the box. The box was not thick when she touched it. The end of the inteyer was carefully set at the edge of the box.

    There were two dark sides, and the patterns on both sides of the dark side looked exactly the same. However, the opening of the inteyer was right there. Who would have thought that this flower pattern was iplete? It was at the opening, and the opening was right there.

    ¡°Young Lady, this box is really exquisite. If you did not tell me, I would not have noticed it.¡± Lanning also came over, and looked at it with interest. She looked at Ning Xueyan, as she said this with a smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s so exquisite.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded. There was something shing in her eyes, but she did not grasp it for a moment. It seemed that she had forgotten something important. She put her hand on the lid and thought of it, with a frown.

    ¡°Young Lady, do you want to take a look at the note first?¡± Seeing that she was in a daze, Lanning was afraid that she would recall that Prince Yi had not given her face in front of everyone. So she quickly changed the topic.

    Ning Xueyan nodded, put down the box, and opened the note. There were actually a lot of words written on it, and she could tell it was his handwriting at first nce. His calligraphy was lively and bold, with a kind of imposing manner. ¡°Sit on top of the mountain to watch the tigers fight.¡±

    Sit on top of the mountain to watch the tigers fight? Was it to remind her not to get involved in the affairs of the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince? In other words, it was to tell her to stay out of the affairs of the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. Or it could also be that he did not want her to have anything to do with the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. The corners of her lips curved slightly with a trace of bitterness. She did not want to get involved, but she was already involved in the game.

    How could she not get involved in the matter of the Cloud Reflection Courtyard? How could she forget her hatred of Madam Ling, her daughter, and Xia Yuhang? She had nightmares for a period of time after her rebirth, because of that bloody night.

    ¡°Young Lady, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Seeing Ning Xueyan¡¯s glowering look, Lanning asked anxiously. She stole a nce at the note in Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand. She doubted if Prince Yi had said something terrible to her Young Lady. Otherwise, why was there such sadness in her Young Lady¡¯s eyes? She did not look very good.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Ning Xueyan sat down and threw the note into a cup at one side. She watched the note being soaked by the water in the cup. In the end, the whole note would be soaked in the water. No one would know what was written on it anymore. ¡°Lanning, do you believe in the paranormal theory?¡±

    ¡°Young Lady, why do you ask this question?¡± Lanning was stunned. She did not expect that Ning Xueyan would suddenly ask such a question.

    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s possible? Ning Ziying has been watching and waiting for those people to be punished?¡± It seemed that Ning Xueyan did not see the confusion on Lanning¡¯s face. She stared into the distance as she said this calmly. Her long eyshes fluttered, leaving two uneven shadows. However, her delicate facial features seemed to be gloomy and forlorn.

    Although she was sitting there, and the window was covered with colorful flowers, the flowers seemed to make her even more mncholy. She was seated right in front of Lanning, but Lanning felt that her youngdy was far away from her. An inexplicable sorrow surged in Lanning¡¯s heart.

    In the past, Young Lady Ziying was also very beautiful. Compared with this childish youngdy in front of her, she was more attractive. But in the end, Young Lady Ziying, who was exceedingly beautiful, died in the lotus pond at the Cloud Reflection Courtyard for no reason. Moreover, she seemed to have been abused before being killed at that time.

    She could have been married when she was at her prime, but Young Lady Ziying ended up in this manner.

    ¡°Young Lady, there is no such thing in the world...¡± Lanning forced a smile, in order tofort Ning Xueyan, but she could not say the words. Who would have thought that such a gentle and kind Young Lady Ziying would die in this manner?

    ¡°Are there no ghosts in this world? Then those bad guys do not have to suffer retribution?¡± It seemed that Ning Xueyan was asking Lanning, but Lanning knew that she was not talking to her. She sat there gracefully. She raised her eyes slightly, with a glimmer of light in her beautiful eyes, which otherwise had a veryplicated expression in them.

    Even though her lips were lighter in color than anyone else, she appeared more delicate. With the fiery peach blossoms in the background, she had a cold and disdainful look, which was scary.

    Lanning subconsciously clenched her fists and said, while gritting her teeth, ¡°How could those people not get their retribution? It¡¯s just that it is not the right time.¡±

    ¡°It is not the right time yet? When the time is right, they will get their retribution. This is the nature of the world.¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes were ck and bright and filled with coldness. Lanning could see it this time. The coldness seemed to be the only glimmer of light in her ck eyes, which shocked Lanning so much that she could not speak.

    Ning Xueyan was so bitter, so unwilling, so cold, and even seemed a little cruel. This made Lanning feel that the Young Lady in front of her was weird and dangerous. However, she felt that such a youngdy was safe and told herself that such a youngdy was the most reliable.

    ¡°Young Lady, Prince Yi came here today regarding the matter of Cloud Reflection Courtyard?¡± Lanning suddenly dared not look at her youngdy. She smiled hurriedly and changed the topic.

    ¡°No!¡± Ning Xueyan took hold of herself. She reached out and closed the box. She asked Lanning to put it aside.

    With Ao Chenyi¡¯s ability, it was not difficult to find out if Ning Ziying had been living in the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. He had been paying attention to the military medallion in Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s study, and he was familiar with the courtyard of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. If he had not shown her the way, she would not have known which courtyard Madam Ming had lived in, before she came to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Ning Ziying had stayed in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor for three years. Even if others did not know, it was impossible for him not to know.

    Maybe he did not care about it before, but if he wanted to investigate, he would be able to get more information than the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince. Now even the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince were rmed. How could he not know anything about it?

    ¡°So Prince Yi came here to see you?¡± Lanning suddenly understood and said this in surprise. She was really happy for Ning Xueyan.

    She did not know about the rtionship between Prince Yi and her Young Lady, until ater time. With such a high status, Prince Yi still thought highly of her youngdy. It must be because she was different from others. Besides, he even gave her a pigeon which could be used to send messages. Although Ning Xueyanter felt that it was too eye-catching, and was afraid it would be intercepted by someone, she simply asked Xinmei to give it back to Prince Yi.

    But no matter what, it could be seen that Prince Yi treated her youngdy differently. As Ning Xueyan¡¯s henchman, she certainly hoped that Ning Xueyan would live a good life. As her fear of the future gradually subsided, a faint smile appeared at the corners of her mouth. She was happy for Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°No!¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s answer made her smile stiffly. She blinked, looked at the box, and then looked at Ning Xueyan. She was confused for a moment.

    ¡°Both the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince came to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. If Prince Yi did not turn up as well, it would show that he had known about it earlier. Now that he is here, the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince would not know why he came over. After all, the thing about Sister Ziying has rmed many people. It would be strange if Prince Yi does not know about it. Besides, he has not taken any action. It was likely that he knew or has already taken action.¡±

    Ning Xueyan analyzed this calmly. She used a barely reasonable excuse to show his purpose ining here. Besides, he deliberately did not go to the Cloud Reflection Courtyard to check. It seemed that he was not interested in that ce at all. Such an action would definitely make the two princes and the emperor behind them, unable to keep track of his movements.

    On the other hand, he also saved her from trouble. Anyway, the reason he gave was reasonable. He would marry the consort and the co-consort at the same time, which gave her great glory. However, she was at the center of a dispute. Although Commandery Princess Xianyun proposed this, Commandery Princess had been forced to do so at that time, so she had to agree.

    The request was put forward by Ao Chenyi¡¯s ¡°favorite concubine,¡±, and it seemed to have nothing to do with Ning Xueyan. Commandery Princess Xianyun would make trouble for that ¡°favorite concubine.¡± However, in this world, the human heart was most elusive. Hearing that both consort and co-consort were to be married to Prince Yi at the same time, how could Commandery Princess Xianyun not be jealous? What would others think? How could people in the pce not be suspicious about this?

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s self-protection ability was a little weaker than that of the royal family. If the person in the imperial pce had doubts about something, even the slightest suspicion might lead to a fatal disaster. The reason why Ao Chenyi could do such a thing in such a disrespectful way today was because he wanted to help her.

    She was relieved for a while.

    ¡°How¡¯s Mother Wang?¡± Seeing Lanning packing up the box, Ning Xueyan stood up and walked to the window. She looked at the flowers outside the window and took a deep breath. There was a trace of seriousness in her shimmery eyes. Since Concubine Yu came to the manor, Mother Wang still lived there and did not leave.

    On the one hand, that ce was indeed habitable, and it was not far away. If something happened, she just needed to call. But now that the matter of Cloud Reflection Courtyard had been exposed, Ning Ziying¡¯s past events had been in the limelight. Now that Third Prince and Fourth Prince had intervened, they believed that Mother Wang¡¯s matter would be investigated into by them.

    She was not afraid that Mother Wang would talk about Ning Ziying, but she was worried that the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince would focus on her. It was easy to draw the attention of others, when she kept Lanning around. If they found out about Mother Wang, she woulde under more suspicion. After all, most of the people in the royal family were very shrewd.

    ¡°Young Lady, don¡¯t worry. Mother Wang has already moved to a safe ce. I went with her that day. I told the others that Mother Wang was feeling better and has gone back to her hometown.¡±

    Lanning said this, as she looked admiringly at Ning Xueyan¡¯s slender figure. She also knew that Mother Wang could not appear in front of others now. Thinking about how her Young Lady had suddenly asked her to take Mother Wang away a few days ago, Lanning still could not figure it out at the moment. After seeing the Third Prince¡¯s and the Fourth Prince¡¯s behavior today, she suddenly understood.

 Chapter 418 - Being Ferocious, Slapping the Maid

    <h4>Chapter 418 Being Ferocious, pping the Maid</h4>

    ¡°Have you arranged everything else? Don¡¯t let them find the whereabouts of Mother Wang. Tell her not to act rashly, or she will be killed,¡± Ning Xueyan ordered lightly.

    ¡°Yes, I have arranged everything. That maid will continue to serve Mother Wang. After all, she is an orphan who had been bought. She has been with Mother Wang for a long time, and is willing to serve Mother Wang. Besides, she does not know what happened to Mother Wang. When Mother Wang was in the garden, she did her work well. So, it is reasonable for her to say that she wishes to go back to her hometown.¡±

    Lanning nodded and lowered her voice.

    Because her youngdy had ordered this to be done earlier, the matter was carried out in an orderly way. All things went as nned. She did not leave suddenly. So, even if they found out about the mansion, no one would think that there was something wrong. Mother Wang had gone to the manor, because she had been knocked down by her youngdy¡¯s carriage.

    She had agreed to send Mother Wang away after she recovered. Now that she was well, it had nothing to do with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Besides, Mother Wang had been away from her hometown for a long time, so it was normal for her to go back. As soon as she left the capital city, nobody would be able to find the truth about a servant, who was unknown to the public.

    ¡°Well, you ask Mother Wang not to be anxious. Sister Ziying will be avenged, but we have to take it slowly,¡± Ning Xueyan said leisurely. She walked back to the table, picked up the cup of tea freshly brewed by Lanning, and took a sip, gracefully. She stared at the floating tea leaves in the cup with her jet-ck eyes, with a slight sneer on her face.

    In the beginning, she wanted to resolve the matter of Cloud Reflection Courtyard as soon as possible, and do it within three months. Now it seemed that she could not settle it in such a short time. The Third Prince and the Fourth Prince¡¯s intervention could mean that her identity in her previous life had been revealed. No matter what the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince asked for, this matter would not be settled that easily.

    If she showed up at this time, it would only arouse suspicion and expose her identity.

    Therefore, she decided not to take any action for the time being. Anyway, many people wanted to take action now. She wanted to see how many things that had happened in her past life would be discovered. And, she could take advantage of them to find the answers that she wanted to know. There were too many secrets in her past life and this life. She wanted to let go of some things, but when she saw the same ¡°butterfly pattern¡± on her body, she knew that there were things that she could not let go, even if she wanted to.

    Why did she have such a birthmark on her arms in her previous life and this life? Besides, it seemed that she could not let anyone see it. Both Madam Ming and her mother were careful not to let anyone see her birthmark. Why? She did not believe that it was all by chance.

    Ning Ziyan¡¯s former courtyard, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor

    In the main room, Ning Ziyan pped the maid hard, with a cold expression on her face. The two maids knelt on the ground and begged for mercy, but they did not dare to escape. They allowed her to p them hard. Their faces had swollen to twice their normal sizes, and they barely see. Their faces and the corners of their mouths were all bloodied.

    The other one had already passed out and was lying on the ground beside Ning Ziyan. No one knew whether she was dead or alive.

    ¡°Young Madam, please spare my life. Please spare my life.¡± Her screams for mercy were continuous. However, neither the servants in the courtyard nor the gatekeeper at the door seemed to have heard the cries. They went about their own business. They only peeked at the main room carefully from time to time, and kept their mouths closed.

    People in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor were only aware that the Second Young Lady was vicious. Not only did she beat people to death but also sold them to the immoral ces. However, they did not know that the Eldest Young Lady did not show mercy, when she was beating people. It wasmon for her to have people beaten to death. Butpared with the Second Young Lady¡¯s high profile, the Eldest Young Lady was much more low-key.

    Even if she had beaten a maid to death, she would ask people to drag her out overnight. She also told the outsiders that she had sent her out and struck her name off. The outsiders only knew that the Eldest Young Lady was kind, but they did not know that she was vicious. Fortunately, that did not happen too often. The Eldest Young Lady wanted to maintain her gentle and gracious demeanor in front of the Eldest Young Master. How could she ever make the Eldest Young Master suspicious?

    But today, Ning Ziyan was angry. She had suffered a great loss and had been framed by Ning Xueyan, whom she despised most. In front of so many people, she dared to push her into the lotus pond. However, no one supported her. Even her mother had tried to coax her to calm down.

    She had to agree at that time and knew that it was the best way. Ning Xueyan was not the same person she used to be. She could not deal with her at will. But she could not stand it. On the one hand, she regretted that she had not let Ning Yuling torture her to death, when Ning Xueyan had not fully developed yet. On the other hand, she vented her anger on the two maids who apanied her.

    Why did the two maids not pull her away in order to prevent Ning Xueyan from pushing her down? So, when she woke up, she began to torture the two maids. When she saw that the two maids were in a panic, she felt that she could vent her anger a little.

    ¡°You b*tch! Why didn¡¯t you cry out just now? Now you can¡¯t stop screaming. Don¡¯t stop screaming! Go on!¡± Seeing the maid¡¯s head all bloodied, Ning Ziyan felt as if she was hitting Ning Xueyan. She immediately vented her anger and said this with great hatred.

    ¡°Young Madam, I... I did not make it in time...¡± The maid stuttered and pleaded. From time to time, she looked behind her, hoping that someone would suddenly appear and save her. Otherwise, she would soon be killed by the Young Madam.

    ¡°Not yet? It¡¯s not toote now. Now you¡¯re screaming. Do you want to attract the attention of the other people here? Unfortunately, it is only my people here. You can¡¯t save yourself, no matter how hard you scream.¡± Ning Ziyan said sharply, ¡°You¡¯re like that little b*tch Ning Ziying, thinking that someone wille to save you, right? You are hoping that someone would suddenly appear and save you.¡±

    ¡°Young Madam, I would not dare. I really don¡¯t dare!¡± The maid cried and did not dare to look back anymore.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you pass a message to the Eldest Young Master on behalf of my Second Sister? Why don¡¯t you dare to do that now? Didn¡¯t you send a message to the Eldest Young Master, saying that my Second Sister was feeling ufortable?¡± Looking at the maid crying, Ning Ziyan suddenly remembered what had happened in the manor before, and pped her hard again.

    Thinking that Ning Yuling said that she was sick while she was having dinner with Xia Yuhang, she was furious. Ning Yuling was in good health. How could she be sick? Besides, she was so delicate. Upon thinking of this, she hated her even more.

    ¡°And the maid in front of me was the one who sent the message at that time, wasn¡¯t she?¡± Thinking of this, Ning Ziyan wanted to p her again, but her hand stopped in mid air.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± The angry voice came from the door. With an imposing appearance, Xia Yuhang stood at the door and looked at Ning Ziyan coldly.

    ¡°I... I, I was pushed into the lotus pond by Ning Xueyan just now.¡± Ning Ziyan did not expect that Xia Yuhang would appear so suddenly. Shouldn¡¯t he be with the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince now? Why would he suddenlye back? After a moment of hesitation, she quickly lowered her hands. With that thought in her mind, she hurriedly exined and wanted to let the matter go.

    ¡°You hit her?¡± Xia Yuhang stared at Ning Ziyan coldly, as if he were looking at a stranger. This made Ning Ziyan panic as if something was about to disappear. She hurriedly stood up, wiped her tears with a handkerchief, and rushed over to him with an aggrieved look, ¡°Yuhang, I did not do it on purpose. I... I have been wronged. Fifth Sister, why is she so vicious? I¡¯m her sister!¡±

    Xia Yuhang moved aside to avoid Ning Ziying. He looked at the two maids on the ground with their bloodied faces. Suddenly, another bloody face shed in front of his eyes. He was shocked. He looked at Ning Ziyan more and more coldly, and there was even a hint of sarcasm lurking the corners of his mouth.

    ¡°I did not expect that such a person was the Eldest Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Ning Ziyan, who used to be gentle and virtuous. I was wrong.¡±

    ¡°No, Yuhang, I did not do it on purpose. I was too angry just now. I... I was too angry, so I did something wrong. Please forgive me, please forgive me. I will not do this again.¡± Seeing Xia Yuhang¡¯s gloomy face, Ning Ziyan had a bad feeling. She pulled his sleeve and pleaded sadly with him, tears streaming down her face.

    Since they got married, Xia Yuhang had treated her less kindly than before. Not only did he ignore her, but sometimes he even looked at her with a cold gaze, making her feel as if she was sitting on pins and needles. He also disregarded her wishes and promoted Chen Hexiang, who had caused her to lose her baby, to be a concubine. It seemed that the gentle and graceful childe had suddenly changed into another person.

    She was careful and dared not do anything wrong. Because of her, Xia Yuhang¡¯s schrly honor was affected. Her parents-inw scolded her in the Xia Manor. She acted more carefully and did not dare to disobey Xia Yuhang. To keep Xia Yuhang¡¯s heart, she also did whatever he wantedter. She even agreed to y a trick.

    It was not only her idea to get Ning Xueyan to marry into the Xia Manor, but also Xia Yuhang¡¯s. She wanted to make Ning Xueyan be a concubine as what Madam Ling suggested. Thus, she could control her life and death in the future. At first, it was Xia Yuhang¡¯s idea. She could understand what he said, but she had to ept it, because she dared not to go against his will.

    She did not expect that her sister, who had conspired with her, to marry into the Xia family, instead of Ning Xueyan. And for Xia Yuhang¡¯s sake, she did not dare to refuse to let her sister marry into the Xia family. Who could she tell about this grievance?

    ¡°You did not do it on purpose, did you?¡± Xia Yuhang did not look at her. Instead, he looked at the hand in his hand and suddenly pushed her away.

    Ning Ziyan was caught unawares. She staggered a few steps back and could not stand up straight. She immediately fell to the ground and hit herself hard on the corner of the chair. She cried out in pain, and everything turned ck before her eyes. It took her a long time to recover from the shock.

    When she raised her head again, there was no one at the door. Xia Yuhang had already disappeared. Her husband, whom she had tried so hard to get, was so indifferent to her. She could not help bursting into tears. She picked up the things around her and smashed them fiercely...

 Chapter 419 - He had to Confess His Crime

    <h4>Chapter 419 He had to Confess His Crime</h4>

    Ning Ziyan cried and made a lot of noise in her courtyard. It was said that she had beaten the two maids to a pulp. After a while, Ning Xueyan heard about it too. Ning Xueyan had just woken up from a nap and was about to get up with Lanning¡¯s help, when Qingyu came to report to her in a hurry.

    ¡°Young Lady, will Madam Dowager admonish you?¡± Lanning asked uneasily. Her Young Lady had pushed the Eldest Young Lady into the lotus pond, and now the Eldest Young Lady was in her courtyard, making a scene. This matter could not be hidden from others, and Madam Dowager would soon know about it.

    ¡°No, she won¡¯t.¡± Ning Xueyan raised her head and shook it, with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

    Now, Ning Ziyan was no longer the Eldest Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, who was well known and virtuous. She had no filial piety as she had ignored the death of her elders. She became pregnant by Xia Yuhang before their marriage, which could be said to be a loss of her virginity. If this happened in some family who valued the rules, she would be punished directly, and would not be allowed to appear in front of others.

    This was also because Ning Zu¡¯an was Lord Protector and had real power. Otherwise, Ning Ziyan would have died of a fabricated illness long ago. Every noble family had its own way of dealing with this kind of woman. They could deal with her quietly. But even if Xia Manor did not deal with Ning Ziyan for Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s sake, it was all because of him.

    What¡¯s more, she had been directly driven away by Commandery Princess Xianyun from the banquet that day. No one would invite her again in the future.

    Fundamentally speaking, she had lost the role of a marriage alliance with Xia Manor. She was of no help to the Xia Manor, but also implicated Xia Yuhang¡¯s reputation. It was lucky that she had not been abandoned or ¡°died of illness.¡± What else could she do for the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?

    Therefore, for Madam Dowager, who attached great importance to the benefits of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Ning Ziyan was utterly useless. For a good-for-nothing, she would not offend Ning Xueyan, who was about to marry into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. For Madam Dowager, it was not worth the loss. Only Ning Ziyan could not recognize the current situation, and she thought that she was still the Eldest Young Lady who had been favored in the past.

    When she was in the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard, she wanted to use Madam Ling to suppress Ning Xueyan and provoke her intentionally. Unexpectedly, Ning Xueyan pushed her directly into the lotus pond. Now she was crying and making a scene in her courtyard, because she wanted to attract Madam Dowager¡¯s attention and let her vent her anger. Unfortunately, she thought too highly of herself, and no one took her seriously now.

    Even if Madam Dowager knew, she would pretend that she did not know. How could she care about Ning Qingshan¡¯s crying and raging in the courtyard? She might even ask someone to warn her to behave herself.

    Lanning was frightened because she was worried for Ning Xueyan, but now she was relieved when she heard what Ning Xueyan said. Thinking about it, it made sense. It seemed useless for the Eldest Young Lady to make such a scene in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, no matter how fierce it was.

    ¡°Has there been any movement in the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard?¡± Ning Xueyan asked with a smile.

    ¡°I¡¯ve gone to the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard as well. It¡¯s tranquil there. There are only a few servants, and they don¡¯t dare to make any big moves. It is said that the First Madam is sick. She is resting and cannot be disturbed. However, I also saw someoneing from the Eldest Young Lady¡¯s ce. They entered the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard and talked with Mother Chen in private. Young Lady, is the First Madam so sick that she does not care about the Eldest Young Lady?¡±

    Qingyu stayed in Ning Ziyan¡¯s courtyard after hearing Ning Ziyan crying and making a scene. She saw the man who came out of Eldest Young Lady¡¯s courtyard hurriedly and followed him secretly. As expected, she saw the man and Mother Chen meeting each other. So, she felt it was strange. How could the First Madam bear it?

    ¡°The First Madam seems to be in good spirits. So it can¡¯t by anything serious. Did Mother Chen deliberately hide it?¡± Qingyu guessed. The First Madam¡¯s behavior was really abnormal and quite unusual.

    Madam Dowager valued the interests of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Ning Ziyan did not bring in any profit, so she would not care about her. What about Madam Ling? Ning Xueyan did not think Madam Ling would ignore Ning Ziyan unless she had to. The room was too fragrant, with the fishy smell of medicine, and the scent of incense. And, there had been a quarrel in the courtyard. However, Madam Ling seemed to know nothing about it.

    Lanning thought for a while and said with certainty, ¡°Mother Chen could not hide it. If it¡¯s hidden, the First Madam will kill Mother Chen. Besides, this kind of thing can¡¯t be hidden from others. As long as the First Young Lady says it, the First Madam will know about it. Besides, it¡¯s not just one or two people who know about it.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about Ning Ziyan. Let her do whatever she wants. You just need to handle your own affairs well. If there is any news about Concubine Yu, you need to inform me immediately.¡± Ning Xueyan took a sip of the tea Qingyu handed to her, and got up with her ck hair cascading over her shoulders.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, will Concubine Yu change her mind?¡± Lanning asked. She helped Ning Xueyan to the dressing table and sat down.

    Ning Xueyan smiled as her fingers twirled around a pearl flower. She said with certainty, ¡°Concubine Yu will not. She may not care about herself, but she can¡¯t ignore my second brother.¡±

    Now the two of them were tied together. The reason why Ning Xueyan wanted to topple Madam Ling was to take revenge on Madam Ling. Concubine Yu wanted to topple Madam Ling for Ning Huaijing¡¯s sake. She was afraid that Ning Huaijing would fall into Madam Ling¡¯s trap if he was not careful. Being different from Madam Ling, Concubine Yu regarded Ning Huaijing as her lifeblood. Thinking that Madam Ling dared to frame him, she could not calm down.

    That was why she was more desperate than Ning Xueyan to topple Madam Ling. Only in this way could Madam Ling not be a threat to her son.

    ¡°Will the Second Young Master...¡± Lanning looked at Ning Xueyan in the mirror and asked uneasily.

    Ning Xueyan smiled, gratified by Lanning¡¯s sensitivity and shrewdness. ¡°My second brother is a kind-hearted person. Unlike his mother, he is a gentleman.¡±

    She knew what Lanning meant. She had a good personal rtionship with her second brother, Ning Huaijing. Would she make him unhappy if she framed his mom like this?

    Ning Xueyan was not worried about this. Ning Huaijing was really scalded. Madam Ling had indeed wanted to kill Ning Huaijing. At that time, she happened to ask Xinmei to send a few things to him. If Xinmei had not moved fast and knocked the pot of boiling tea away with a stone, Ning Huaijing might have been in big trouble.

    Ning Huaijing knew about this and thanked Ning Xueyan sincerely. He did not tell Concubine Yu about the incident, because he was afraid that she would worry about him.

    Although it was not Concubine Yu¡¯s fault, what happened to Madam Ming had definitely been caused by her. Ning Xueyan saved her son¡¯s life. From this point of view, Ning Xueyan did not think that she had done anything wrong. Even if she was a little scheming, it was only because Concubine Yu owed Madam Ming.

    Her brother toppled Madam Ming from the position of the Legal Wife because of her. Now that she and Ning Xueyan had exposed Madam Ling¡¯s scandal, Ning Xueyan did not think there was anything wrong with it. Even if Ning Huaijing knew it, it did not matter. This was what Concubine Yu should do.

    Furthermore, Concubine Yu should be more anxious than her right now, and she wanted to topple Madam Ling. As long as Madam Ling was the legal wife, Ning Huaijing would not be safe. Now, she was ill. If she recovered in the future, Ning Huaijing would be in great danger. Concubine Yu understood this, so she agreed with Ning Xueyan.

    It was a matter of mutual benefit. If Concubine Yu still wanted to live in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and wanted Ning Huaijing to study safely, she had to do so urgently. Ning Xueyan¡¯s current proposal struck home. If she cooperated with Ning Xueyan, her brother must appear. Otherwise, how could she set Ning Xueyan¡¯s mind at rest?

    Therefore, Concubine Yu would not tell Ning Huaijing anything, and she would not tell him either.

    ¡°Young Lady, will Concubine Yu¡¯s elder brother really show up?¡± Qingyu was worried about something else.

    ¡°Take it easy. Concubine Yu¡¯s elder brother will appear.¡± The two maids were so nervous because they were worried about her. Seeing that, Ning Xueyan smiled gently and with certainty. However, looking at the confident look on Concubine Yu¡¯s face that day, she knew that Concubine Yu was quite certain about this matter. So even if this person did not show up, Concubine Yu should have found a way to contact him.

    ¡°Qingyu, when you¡¯re free, you had better go to Auspicious Clouds Courtyard to have a look and chat with Mother Chen. Tell her something funny and interesting. Recently she rarelyes out. She must be lonely just apanying the patient. Just tell her whatever you want to say.

    Ning Xueyan suddenly changed the topic. She turned her head sideways, looked at Qingyu, and said with a smile.

    Qingyu widened her eyes and asked in confusion, ¡°Tell Mother Chen about any fresh news and the new people I saw?¡±

    ¡°If it were not Mother Chen, other people would be fine. Anyway, you don¡¯t have to rush back. It is rare for me to let you go out to see the matriarch of the manor. I can¡¯t let youe back in a hurry.¡± Seeing her like this, Ning Xueyan had to make it clear. ¡°Since Concubine Yu¡¯s elder brother is back, this kind of thing is something new in the manor.¡±

    ¡°Young Lady, are you going to tell them about Concubine Yu¡¯s brother¡¯s return? Is it true or not?¡± Qingyu was shocked and asked in a hurry.

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s true. You can chat with them first. In a few days, you can spread the news. I heard that they have not forgotten about it. Marquis also sent people there, but they have not found him yet.¡± A trace of contempt shed in Ning Xueyan¡¯s dark jade-like eyes.

    When her uncle had just returned to the capital, Ning Zu¡¯an had said that he would investigate. Later, he said that he did not find anything. Ning Xueyan believed that he did not even try to find out. Otherwise, with Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s character, he would not leave any stone unturned. Concubine Yu¡¯s brother did not seem to be easy to deal with, either. Otherwise, he could not have escaped from Madam Ling¡¯s grasp. Madam Ling was sophisticated, treacherous, and malicious. She would try hard to achieve her goal.

    So what if he had the two pieces of paper? If no one stood up for him, everything would be in vain.

    Therefore, it should not be Madam Ling who did not take action at that time. It was just that this person reacted very quickly, as he was a cautious person. He disappeared before Madam Ling could take action. Since then, no one had heard from him. He had been gone for so many years. And Concubine Yu entered the trap, because of Ning Huaijing.

    Then, did this person still care about the brotherhood? If what Concubine Yu said was true that her brother was willing to do anything for her, it would include confessing his crime. Would he tell others that Madam Ling had worked together with him to frame Madam Ming? However, he would not be fine after confessing that he framed Madam Ming, by ganging up with Madam Ling.

    Ning Xueyan would not put this matter to God¡¯s will. As long as Concubine Yu¡¯s brother appeared, she would force him to confess his crime...

 Chapter 420 - Commandery Princess was the Best

    <h4>Chapter 420 Commandery Princess was the Best</h4>

    Today, the backyard of the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor was full of betrothal gifts. Based on the protocol observed by princes marrying their consorts, the betrothal gifts had been raised a level. His betrothal gifts were more sizeable than an ordinary prince¡¯s and a little lessvish than the Crown Prince¡¯s.

    These betrothal gifts made many people feel uncertain and more hesitant.

    ording to the actual status of Prince Yi, he should provide the betrothal gifts based on the Crown Prince¡¯s share. But now, his betrothal gifts were less than the Crown Prince¡¯s. However, it was justifiable, as his betrothal gifts were more than an ordinary prince¡¯s. Thus, it was hard to quibble on that. After all, he was the emperor¡¯s younger brother, and the emperor had acknowledged that.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, what¡¯s wrong? Is His Highness Prince Yiing again?¡± Yun Luoluo apanied Commandery Princess Xianyun. When she saw a little maid rushing over, she asked her excitedly. She even gave Commandery Princess Xianyun, who was standing beside her, a meaningful look, filled with a bit of pride. Commandery Princess Xianyun blushed under her gaze and lowered her head, but she did not say anything.

    Seeing that she did not stop her as she usually did, in her serious manner, Yun Luoluo felt even more proud.

    ¡°Commandery Princess, Second Young Lady, Prince Yi really came here in person. He said that a pair of good jade Ruyi Sceptre was mistakenly sent to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Then he deliberately changed it and sent the betrothal gifts to you again.¡± The maid wiped away her sweat, and said with a smile.

    Hearing that Prince Yi¡¯s Manor had also sent betrothal gifts to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor today, they were in low spirits. Now, the maids following Commandery Princess Xianyun and Yun Luoluo smiled.

    ¡°Is Prince Yi still here?¡± Yun Luoluo asked excitedly.

    ¡°He just went back. I heard that Prince Yi had something else to deal with. If it were not for the fact that the jade Ruyi is very important, he would not havee here in person, because the people from the pce could have sent it to you.¡± The maid said with a smile.

    For the people of ordinary families, it was the groom who sent the betrothal gifts. However, Prince Yi was not an ordinary person. The pce would send representatives to send the betrothal gifts, together with the steward of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. In this way, they gave a face to the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor. This time, Prince Yi sent the jade Ruyi in person, which meant that he valued the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor.

    Perhaps it was because he valued Commandery Princess Xianyun. All the people present felt relieved. They were worried that Commandery Princess Xianyun would be in disfavor once she married into Prince Yi¡¯s manor. Now it seemed that the Fifth Young Lady of Ning was not favored by Prince Yi at all. Prince Yi sent the betrothal gifts at the same time because he thought it was troublesome.

    It would be much easier if he sent the betrothal gifts to the consort and co-consort at the same time.

    It was not because Prince Yi thought highly of the Fifth Young Lady that he deliberately showed respect to the co-consort when he presented the betrothal gifts to the consort. No matter who took the pair of jade Ruyi, they would feel ashamed. There had been rumors that Commandery Princess Xianyun was not favored, and the Fifth Young Lady of Ning was already one ahead of the Commandery Princess Xianyun, even before she entered the manor.

    Now, because of this pair of jade Ruyi Sceptre, all the rumors were quashed. Everyone was in a good mood.

    ¡°Eldest Sister, Prince Yi is still attentive toward you. He knew that this jade Ruyi was yours, so he could not let it fall into someone else¡¯s hands. He was busy, but he still came here specially for you. Eldest Sister, it seems that Prince Yi...¡± Yun Luoluo said joyfully. When she said this, Commandery Princess Xianyun red at her. She knew that her sister was embarrassed, so she immediately covered her mouth and giggled.

    She could not see how it was possible that Prince Yi disliked her beautiful and gentle Eldest Sister. Even if Prince Yi were blind, he should understand that an ignorant young girl could not be the Hostess of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Not to mention other things, her identity was also a problem.

    To put it in a nice way, the daughter of a co-wife was the daughter of the principal wife. To put it crudely, she was the daughter of a concubine. How could she bepared to her Eldest Sister?

    ¡°Prince Yi has gone back? Did my father thank him?¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun raised her head and asked, biting her lips. There was a hint of shyness on her slightly flushed face.

    ¡°Marquis walked Prince Yi to the door. Then Prince Yi left. Later, people in the hall said that the pair of jade Ruyi was perfect and decorative. It must be a treasure in the pce, so Prince Yi came here specially for that.¡± The little maid peeped at Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s face and added.

    ¡°What did my father and Prince Yi talk about?¡± Yun Luoluo asked curiously.

    ¡°This...¡± The maid could not answer for a moment. She had seen them from a distance and did not know what Prince Yi and Marquis talked about. Beyond her expectation, Commandery Princess Xianyun asked that, so she was tongue-tied. It seemed that she could not say anything.

    ¡°Eldest Sister, shall we let her make some enquiries?¡± Yun Luoluo suggested.

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother.¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun said softly, looking both considerate and gentle. ¡°Even if she runs back and forth, she will not get an answer, and will only make the people feel bad. They will think I have gone too far, if I am in the inner courtyard, but still want to interfere in the affairs of the outer courtyard. The man is in charge of the outer courtyard, while the woman is in charge of the inner courtyard. Men and women need to have good cooperation. They must be in perfect harmony.¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun said with a smile.

    ¡°Eldest Sister, you will bring grief on yourself again. How could you ask the Empress to agree to your request to marry into Prince Yi¡¯s manor together with Ning Xueyan? Why did you not think it through first, instead of being so muddle headed? If she gets married into the manor with you, you will suffer a loss of status, as the principal wife.¡±

    Yun Luoluo stamped her feet to show her dissatisfaction.

    ¡°Prince Yi is a person who is afraid of trouble. If he marries both the consort and co-consort at the same time, it will save a lot of trouble for him. Besides, even if we enter the manor at the same time, it does not matter. After all, I am Prince Yi¡¯s consort, and she can¡¯t take my ce.¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun exined happily. This was the first time that she had stated it so clearly.

    Everyone immediately looked at her with admiration.

    She must have a lot of trust that she agreed for both the consort and co-consort to marry into the Prince¡¯s Manor at the same time. The Commandery Princess was a very virtuousdy. In order not to make trouble for Prince Yi, she would rather suffer herself.

    ¡°Your Highness, you are too magnanimous.¡± The crowd praised her.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go. Don¡¯t gather here.¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun turned around and walked out of the room with measured footsteps, without even looking at the betrothal gifts. It was as if the exquisite jewelry and gorgeous brocade were not enough to attract her attention.

    ¡°Commandery Princess is indeed the best.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Commandery Princess is the best. How can the Fifth Young Lady of Ning bepared to our Commandery Princess? Prince Yi personally sent such a good jade Ruyi to her, but Commandery Princess did not care about it at all. She did not even take a look at it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Commandery Princess cannot bepared with those ignorant people.¡±...

    The crowd kept discussing this, and they sided with Commandery Princess Xianyun, unreservedly. On the one hand, it was because Commandery Princess Xianyun was their master. On the other hand, what happened today showed that Prince Yi thought highly of Commandery Princess Xianyun. The rumors about the matter of the consort and the co-consort marrying into Prince Yi at the same time had been quashed.

    Everyone, including Yun Luoluo, went to look at the betrothal gifts. After all, those gifts surpassed that of any ordinary princes¡¯, so they wanted to expand their horizon. No one noticed that there was a faint smile on Princess Xianyun¡¯s face when she turned around. She whispered, ¡°As expected, you¡¯re just so-so.¡±

    The consort and the co-consort would marry into Prince Yi¡¯s manor at the same time. He sent the betrothal gifts to them at the same time. And because of the sudden incident regarding the Jade Ruyi Sceptre, the follow-up of this matter had been influenced. After all, from thisst incident, one could tell that Prince Yi, Ao Chenyi, did not value the Fifth Young Lady at all. He even asked for the Jade Ruyi Sceptre to be sent back, regardless of her feelings.

    Such a shameful thing could not be carried out by ordinary people, but it was in ordance with Prince Yi¡¯s character. Others might be wary about hurting the co-consort-to-be¡¯s feelings. Prince Yi would certainly not be bothered about this. After all, Prince Yi was well-known for not showing mercy to women.

    It was said that Prince Yi was going to marry this co-consort because they were linked by fate. Then, the consort and the co-consort would marry into Prince Yi¡¯s manor at the same time. Although it was Princess Xianyun who proposed it, it was enough to set peoples¡¯ tongues wagging. They wondered if there was something more to it that they were not aware of.

    Now that everything was gone, Prince Yi did not care about her feelings. Prince Yi chose the Fifth Young Lady because of what had happened in the imperial pce. The Fifth Young Lady had an argument with Vice Minister Ling¡¯s daughter. They happened to meet Prince Yi and Prince Yi asked them to go to the Small Jing¡¯an Temple together.

    However, the Young Lady of Vice Minister of Justice Ling did not seize this opportunity, which made Prince Yi so angry that she ended up like that. As for Fifth Young Lady of Ning, she was lucky. She said nothing, and was granted the position of a co-consort. It could only be said that she was lucky. If the Young Lady of Vice Minister of Justice was obedient and had not said anything, it was hard to say who would have be the co-consort.

    It seemed that the reason why Prince Yi married the Fifth Young Lady was because she was obedient.

    He wanted to marry her because she was obedient. He arranged to marry the consort and the co-consort together, to avoid any problems. What¡¯s more, he had no regard for her face, when it came to the incident of the misced jade Ruyi.

    Combined with these points, the reason why the Fifth Young Lady was able to marry into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, together with the consort, might be that she was lucky.

    Then what about Commandery Princess Xianyun of the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor? They had always felt that Commandery Princess Xianyun had been wronged. However, she took the initiative to ask for that. Moreover, she knelt in front of the Empress¡¯s pce and fainted. They thought that she might lose the favor before she got married. How could one exin the matter of the jade Ruyi?

    ¡°Is she ying tricks?¡±

    Why did the consort request a reward for the co-consort before getting married? Did she deliberately put Fifth Young Lady at the center of a dispute? If Prince Yi had not sent the jade Ruyi in person, everyone would think Commandery Princess Xianyun was the one who was out of favor.

    Some people were smart, and they would have different ideas if they thought about it a bit...

    Most of the time, fights within the royal family were always not obvious. What did this mean now? Many people were guessing the reason for Prince Yi to give back the jade Ruyi. Most of them were thinking about this matter between Commandery Princess Xianyun and Prince Yi. As for Fifth Young Lady, most of them no longer gave any thought to her.

    She was not only a co-consort, but also an unfavored one. So, she was a good-for-nothing. There was no need to treat her as a target.

 Chapter 421 - A Strange Scent of Medicine

    <h4>Chapter 421 A Strange Scent of Medicine</h4>

    When Mother Han returned to the manor, the lights were already on. She greeted the gatekeeper and hurried into the Bright Frost Garden. Ning Xueyan was having her dinner. When she saw Mother Haning in, she nodded and asked her to rest first, and then kept quiet while she ate and rested. Therefore, it was not convenient for her to talk for the time being.

    Qingyu handed Mother Han a cup of tea, obediently. Looking at Mother Han¡¯s face, she asked in a low voice, ¡°Is there any news?¡±

    Mother Han nodded joyfully, indicating that she would talkter. Qingyu retreated to Ning Xueyan¡¯s side and served Ning Xueyan a meal, with Lanning.

    Ning Xueyan did not eat much, so she wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, after she ate a little. Then, Lanning and Qingyu began to clear up the dishes on the table.

    ¡°Mother Han, have you found out about that prescription?¡± Ning Xueyan looked at Mother Han¡¯s happy face and asked with a smile. The matter of the incense had been made clear. It was the other kind of medicine with a fishy smell that Mother Han could not find out about, for some time.

    ¡°Young Lady, what a coincidence! When I went out to select a site for the shop, I saw a clinic. Due to some urgent matters at home, the doctor was in a hurry to go home. He asked me to check at the store. I casually asked him if there was any prescription for pregnancy, and I actually found it.¡±

    Mother Han took out a prescription from her pocket and handed it to Ning Xueyan. Then she told her what the old doctor had said to her.

    ¡°Young Lady, the old doctor said that this prescription was actually not a good prescription for pregnancy. Most people do not dare to use it. Although the prescription can greatly increase the possibility of conceiving, the child¡¯s life would be at risk. If something goes wrong, the expectant mother may have a miscarriage. Even if she lies in bed for ten months and gives birth to a baby, the child might turn out to be stupid or even die. There are even two-head monsters.¡±

    ¡°Did she make a mistake? It¡¯s so extreme. How could the First Madam use this medicine?¡± Qingyu gasped and asked in surprise. Anyway, the prescription did not seem to be used by normal people. Even if the First Madam wanted to have a child, she would not have wanted a deformed or a dead child.

    Moreover, there were monsters with two heads.

    Seeing Ning Xueyan looking at her with a puzzled look, after she heard what Qingyu said, Mother Han added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Young Lady. To make it clear, I specially asked about the smell of medicine. It is said that it has a fishy smell because there is a woman¡¯s human centa in it. It smells worse than the general prescription. Moreover, with the human centa, it may have been ced there for a long time and could be rotten, and it will have a fishier smell.¡±

    The human centa was the afterbirth of a newborn baby.

    ¡°No wonder the smell was so strong that day, and the smell in the room was so fragrant.¡± Qingyu was suddenly enlightened.

    The heavy fragrance was to cover the fishy smell of Madam Ling¡¯s medicine. Ning Xueyan had figured out why Madam Ling did not care about Ning Ziyan at all, when she pushed Ning Ziyan into the lotus pond. One of the reasons was that Ning Xueyan was no longer who she was before.

    The most important reason was that she did not dare to get out of bed, because she could be pregnant and feared a miscarriage. Therefore, she would not be angry with Ning Xueyan because of Ning Ziyan. About the incense in the room, Ning Xueyan had already known that it was an aphrodisiac, on that day.

    No wonder Mother Chen had invited Ning Zu¡¯an toe over to suppress the evil spirits for Madam Ling, time and again. It turned out that she wanted to trick Ning Zu¡¯an into sleeping with Madam Ling, so that she could have a baby. So many things had happened in the manor. It was said that Ning Zu¡¯an had not visited Madam Ling¡¯s Auspicious Clouds Courtyard for a long time, and the rtionship between the two had fallen to a freezing point, because of what had happened in Cloud Reflection Courtyard. So, she used this method to trick Ning Zu¡¯an into staying in the manor.

    Mother Chen brought back the medicine from outside early in the morning, which made sense. Since the medicine was potent, the ordinary clinics would not be able to fill such a prescription. Even if they could, they had to do it secretly. Mother Chen could not get the medicine openly. Early in the morning was the best, because no one would notice as everyone would be sleeping. It was a good time to get the medicine.

    ¡°Young Lady, does the First Madam want to hurt you by using this medicine?¡± Lanning thought quickly and grasped the key point. She put down the bowl and chopsticks in her hands, and asked worriedly.

    By reason, Madam Ling would not use this kind of medicine for herself. However, she was using it now. Madam Ling already had two daughters and one son, so she should not be too anxious to have a child. Moreover, even if she gave birth to a child like this, it was useless. The reason why she did this seemed to be obvious.

    Ning Xueyan sneered in her mind. With so many things linked, Madam Ling¡¯s meaning was obvious. She was using the baby in her belly to ease the rtionship with Ning Zu¡¯an. If she had a baby in her belly, Ning Zu¡¯an could not ignore her. So did Madam Dowager. Ning Zu¡¯an would try his best to protect her, even if there was something wrong in Cloud Reflection Courtyard.

    This child would not be born. How could Madam Ling bring a child that was destined to be abnormal into the light of day? So this child would be aborted at a certain time. For this child who could be aborted merely by a slight movement, Madam Ling just needed to find a scapegoat.

    Obviously, Ning Xueyan was the scapegoat Madam Ling was looking for.

    If she med Ning Xueyan for her abortion, her reputation would be ruined, even if she was Prince Yi¡¯s co-consort. How could the royal family tolerate such a person?

    Madam Ling was really vicious!

    ¡°Qingyu, have you spread the news these days?¡± Ning Xueyan lowered her head slightly, and there was a hint of anger in her cold eyes. Madam Ling was always out to frame her.

    ¡°I have not mentioned anything yet. These days, I have been getting acquainted with a few older female servants in Auspicious Clouds Courtyard, and I just talked a little. I said that I heard about it from others that they saw a young male servant, who worked here more than a decade ago. It was said that he disappeared for no reason.¡± Qingyu went to Auspicious Clouds Courtyard almost every day these days to get close to those old female servants guarding the door and those doing heavy manualbor.

    These people were all looked down upon by Madam Ling, so they were not Madam Ling¡¯s henchmen. When Madam Ling was in a good position, they did not get any benefits. Now that Madam Ling was not in a good position, they were not under her tight control any more. Madam Ling was in bed all day long, and Mother Chen attended to all her needs.

    Mother Chen needed to see to Madam Ling, so she did not have the energy to manage the courtyard. Most of the people becamezy and idle. Usually, they chatted and gossiped with each other, when they had nothing to do.

    ¡°Oh, take it easy. You can spread the news in the next couple of days.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded. She counted the days. Concubine Yu¡¯s older brother should be returning soon, and he would definitelye over to see Concubine Yu. Concubine Yu was only a concubine, and she came from the new manor. She only had one serving girl, who was said to have been brought from the manor.

    This girl was unfamiliar with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. But these days, it was said that she had a good rtionship with the older female servant, who guarded the door of the backyard. The two of them were eager to be godmother and goddaughter. It seemed that Concubine Yu was going to take action. In this way, she could meet her brother through the door of the backyard.

    ¡°Mother Han, will the doctor be leaving soon?¡± After giving instructions to Qingyu, Ning Xueyan raised her head and looked at Mother Han with her jet-ck eyes.

    ¡°Yes, it was said that he had something urgent to attend to at home, in the countryside. He was about to leave, but he did not have time to bring his family away. So he left in a hurry.¡± Mother Han nodded.

    ¡°He did not bring his family along?¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes lit up, and an idea immediately came to her mind.

    ¡°What? Is that person reallying back?¡± Madam Ling was shocked. She suddenly sat up from the bed and asked Mother Chen, who had juste in with her meal, with a pale face.

    ¡°It¡¯s true. I heard from an older female servant who was guarding the door. It is said that someone from her family saw that person at the ce outside the manor¡¯s door.¡± Mother Chen did not look good either. The bad things in the manor happened one after another. Before the incident at Cloud Reflection Courtyard could be settled, the evil person had reappeared. They would be forced to their deaths.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t they say that they could not find him that very year? Maybe he drowned in the river?¡± Under the light, Madam Ling looked very ill. However, when one took a closer look, one could see that her lips had turned livid.

    When the matter broke out, it was beyond her expectation. Madam Ming did not even defend herself and looked at Ning Zu¡¯an and her serenely, as if she was not the one who was ¡°caught in the act of adultery in the bed¡± with the young male servant, but herself and Ning Zu¡¯an.

    She had hoped that Ning Zu¡¯an would execute Madam Ming in anger. However, she did not expect that Madam Ming would give up her position as the Legal Wife. Even if she tried to provoke and make trouble in front of Ning Zu¡¯an, she did not seed. Ning Zu¡¯an did not want to kill Madam Ming at all.

    After everything was done, she searched for the young male servant named Fu Gui, but he was nowhere to be seen. Therefore, she asked two of her trusted subordinates, Mother Yun and Mother Chen to look for him, for a long time. However, the young male servant had disappeared without a trace. It was as if he had never existed.

    There were rumors that the young male servant fell into the river and drowned. Someone found his clothes and shoes by the river, but nothing else was found. Madam Ling wanted to see his body, be it alive or dead, but that person just disappeared.

    In the next one or two years, Madam Ling did not give up searching, but she could not find anything. Gradually, Madam Ling epted that the young male servant had unfortunately fallen into the river and died. That was the best. Otherwise, she had to take action. As long as she thought that there was a piece of ¡°evidence¡± in the young male servant¡¯s hands at that time, she felt terrible.

    Sheter checked the note, but no one had withdrawn the money. That was to say, the note with her signature and handprint was still there. As long as she thought of this, she would feel shivers all over her body. Therefore, she was more convinced that he had drowned in the river. Otherwise, he would have withdrawn the money, without keeping the note.

    But now, the man had turned up again. How could Madam Ming not be shocked and scared? She moved her body uneasily.

    ¡°First Madam, don¡¯t worry. You should take care of yourself. You might be pregnant now. In two days, I¡¯ll ask a doctor to check it out. Then, you will get Madam Dowager¡¯s and Marquis¡¯s attention again.¡± Mother Chen thought she was going to get up, so she put down the things in her hands, and rushed over tofort her.

    The baby that might appear in the First Madam¡¯s belly would be her trump card. She could not afford to make any mistakes at this time. If something terrible happened because of this, she could not afford it!

 Chapter 422 - An Old Event Triggered by a Murder

    <h4>Chapter 422 An Old Event Triggered by a Murder</h4>

    ¡°Find some servants who know him and keep an eye outside the manor gate. If they see that person appear, report to me immediately. We can¡¯t let him escape this time.¡± Madam Ling knew that she could not move at this time. If she was not careful, the child in her belly might die, so she could only grit her teeth and state this fiercely.

    Ten years ago, that person managed to escape. This time, no matter what happened, she would never let him go. As long as he appeared in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she would not let him escape this time.

    ¡°Yes, I know. First Madam, you had better lie down. Now, your health is the most important matter. Once that person appears, I will report it to you immediately. I will not let him have the chance to escape again.¡± Mother Chen knew Madam Ling¡¯s mind best, so she helped her to lie down andforted her.

    ¡°Has anyone from the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manore over recently?¡± Madam Ling suddenly remembered something and asked, as she held on to Mother Chen¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Yes. Several days ago, Lord Ling asked someone to send some medicine. When I saw that you were still asleep, I did not want to bother you. So I rewarded them and told them go back.¡± Mother Chen answered. It was a young male servant who sent the medicine at that time. Knowing that Madam Ling¡¯s brother had sent him, she did not think too much about it.

    Mother Chen did not mind that Madam Qian was not the one who sent the medicine to Madam Ling. When Madam Qian arranged the marriage for her son and abandoned the Second Young Lady, the rtionship between the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor was not close anymore. However, Lord Ling was the First Madam¡¯s elder brother. If it had been Madam Qian who sent the medicine here, Mother Chen would have asked someone to throw all the things away.

    Mother Chen did not like the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor at all, so she did not bother too much about the young male servant who sent the medicine here. She gave him several copper coins as a reward, and then sent him away on the pretext that Madam Ling was ill, and could not see any outsiders.

    ¡°Go to my elder brother¡¯s manor and see if he can find some people. If they find that person, have him secretly executed.¡± Madam Ling said ruthlessly. She had let him live for so many years, and she would not allow him to stay alive any longer.

    Go to the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor and ask Vice Minister Ling to look for someone? If this had been the case before, Mother Chen would have gone to the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor to look for the person, without any hesitation.

    However, Madam Ling¡¯s words made her feel guilty and ufortable, after the way she treated the person from the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor. When they came to visit her, she did not treat them well and even sent them away like a beggar. Now, she had to suffer the consequences. Even if Lord Ling did not mind, what about Madam Qian?

    ¡°First Madam, please don¡¯t bother Lord Ling. As for this matter, the lesser people who know about it, the better. First Madam, rest assured. I will go and look for the Eldest Young Master in a moment, and he must have a few subordinates. We will have this person punished discreetly. In this way, there is no need to make trouble in the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor, to avoid having Madam Qian looking down on you again.¡±

    Mother Chen was reluctant, but she had to say something that was pleasing to Madam Ling¡¯s ears. As for Madam Qian, the First Madam had been estranged from Madam Qian since thest incident. Therefore, Mother Chen knew that saying this at this time would inevitably arouse First Madam¡¯s resentment.

    As soon as Madam Ling heard that Madam Qian would look down on her, she frowned unhappily, closed her mouth fiercely, and snorted. Madam Qian had rejected Ling¡¯er and asked her son to marry her stupid niece instead. She thought that her niece was better than Ling¡¯er. If Ling¡¯er did not have that ident, her good-for-nothing son would not be worthy of Ling¡¯er.

    Madam Ling was willing to marry Ling¡¯er off to Ling Yi. Unexpectedly, Madam Qian did not agree. When she thought of that, Madam Ling was filled with hatred. She felt that it was Madam Qian¡¯s fault that made Ning Yuling end up as a concubine. Besides, Ning Yuling and Ning Ziyan were now married to the same husband, and fought incessantly.

    From this point of view, Madam Ling would never forgive Madam Qian. When she recovered, she would send two beautiful concubines to her brother to provoke Madam Qian.

    ¡°Then, you can ask Yuan¡¯er for help.¡± Thinking about it, she made up her mind. Madam Ling nodded and then asked about Ning Huaiyuan.

    Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s injury had almost healed, but now he was ordered by Ning Zu¡¯an to study in the study room. Ning Zu¡¯an did not allow him to go out of the study room, when he was free. He said that he was going to take part in the Spring Metropolitan Examination soon, so he had to focus on studying. After all, Madam Ling did not know why Ning Zu¡¯an would kick Ning Huaiyuan. She only thought that Ning Zu¡¯an must have been in an extremely bad mood, to have kicked his only legal son.

    She was very dissatisfied with Ning Zu¡¯an, but this was not the time to argue about it now. She had to endure it.

    However, she also had a guilty conscience. She wondered whether it was because Yuan¡¯er had schemed against that b*tch, which made Ning Zu¡¯an so angry. But when did Ning Zu¡¯an treat that b*tch so well?

    In the following days, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was peaceful. The matter of Cloud Reflection Courtyard could not be settled in a short time. Although someone came to investigate from time to time, they found no evidence. The servants only knew that she was an orphan girl and had been raised in Cloud Reflection Courtyard. In the past, Ning Ziying did not have much contact with them, so they did not know what the actual situation was like.

    It was said that Young Lady Ning Ziying died for no reason. After that, everyone thought she threw herself into the lotus pond because she fretted over trifling matters. Some people said that it could be due to the funeral of Second Madam in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, First Madam had no time to deal with it. So she only buried her dress in the coffin.

    So to be honest, no one knew what was going on.

    No one would know that Young Lady Ning Ziying died for nothing, and that she had been murdered.

    There was no witness, no evidence, and no victim. Since there was nothing, the matter was left in abeyance, but it had to be done. It was said that even the princes in the pce had been alerted. The Third Prince, the Fourth Prince, and even Prince Yi had sent people to inquire about it. It showed that many people paid attention to this case, and the Ministry of Justice could not afford to offend any of them.

    Therefore, the verdict could not be settled. Even if they were familiar with the affair at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, they still had to check it from time to time, indicating that the people of the Ministry of Justice were seriously looking into this case, and they were not passive in their work. Whether it was for the princes with noble statuses or for others, the people of the Ministry of Justice did not dare to close the case casually.

    It was inevitable that the people of the Ministry of Justice woulde to investigate the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, because it was the scene of the crime. And even after such a thorough investigation, they did not manage to find out what had happened in Cloud Reflection Courtyard. Instead the people of the Ministry of Justice discovered another attempted murder, which happened in an alley outside the back door of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    After the investigation, an officer was seening out with guards from the back door of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. When he heard someone shouting not far away, he immediately brought his men over, in an attempt to save a man. Fortunately, the officer was close to the crime scene. So, he got there on time. Although the assants escaped, at least he managed to save the man.

    The man, who had been saved, cried out his grievances on the spot. It was said that Madam Ling had sent people to kill him. And he was a servant of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, more than a decade ago. The reason why Madam Ling wanted to kill him was because he had been involved in Madam Ling¡¯s plot to take over the position of the principal wife, ten years ago.

    Many people knew that the principal wife of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor became a concubine, and the concubine took the ce of the principal wife. However, many people had forgotten about this incident which happened more than a decade ago. But a few days ago, this matter was brought up as another concubine came back. Thus, many people knew about it.

    A concubine tried to hurt the principal wife, so that the principal wife could only be a concubine. This was much more serious than a favorite concubine killing a wife. It was not long after the establishment of the new imperial court, so the rules were really strict. The royal members wanted to show that they were real nobles, so they would give favorable publicity to tradition. What was more important, they tried to fight for the rights of the principal wife and the legitimate son. Therefore, when such a thing was discovered, it would never be tolerated.

    Although this matter was rted to Marchioness Madam Ling, the officer of the Ministry of Justice dared not take it lightly. He took the man back to the Ministry of Justice for questioning, overnight. He wanted to suppress this matter in order to find a way to solve the problem, without offending Ning Zu¡¯an. After all, Ning Zu¡¯an was not only Lord Protector. His two daughters would soon be marrying into the royal family. Even if they were only the co-consorts, it would be a great honor.

    However, to the surprise of the people of the Ministry of Justice, General Ming Feiyong submitted a writtenint to the Emperor the next morning. He said that the person, who had been saved by the Ministry of Justice, was the suspect whom he had been looking for, during the past ten years. The man was an aplice, and together with his sister, had been responsible for framing Madam Ming, so she had to give up her position as the main wife.

    He used Madam Ling of sabotaging the principal wife, and he used Ning Zu¡¯an of killing his wife for the sake of a favorite concubine, ording to circumstances.

    What was the circumstance? It was the destruction of the former dynasty. Now, it was not far away from the destruction of the former dynasty. Some ministers in the court were old ministers, and some were married to the nobledies of the previous dynasty. Although they generally did not appear in public now, it did not mean that they could not do something.

    Everyone guessed that the reason why Ning Zu¡¯an favored his concubine and killed his wife was that Madam Ming was no longer the noble daughter of the previous dynasty. He was afraid that the emperor would care about this. However, as a husband, he turned a blind eye to it. For a while, the memorial to the throne that impeached Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s flooded the imperial study.

    The Emperor was furious and ordered a thorough investigation into the matter. As a result, the Ministry of Justice started to question the servant who imed to be Fugui. The note and the paper describing the case were all presented. At this moment, a servant who imed to be Madam Ling¡¯s henchman, Mother Yun, also appeared in front of everyone.

    At that time, she was the one who contacted the man Fugui. She used Marchioness Ling of being vicious. Once she was outside the manor, she had deliberately nned this. She knelt in front of the door of the Ning Manor, after giving birth to a son and a daughter with Ning Zu¡¯an. At that time, Marchioness Ming was so soft-hearted that she took her in for the sake of the two children. However, she was so vicious and plotted against the legal wife.

    She set up a trap, put some drugs into Madam Ming¡¯s food, and then sent the servant to Madam Ming¡¯s bed. She framed Madam Ming, by stating that she was having an affair with a servant, and even imed that her daughter was not Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s. She wanted to execute the Fifth Young Lady, who was still a child. Madam Ming had no choice, but to give up her position of being the legal wife to protect the child.

    Such a sensational case of a favorite concubine killing a legal wife stirred up the city. For a time, all the people were on Madam Ming¡¯s side, saying that Madam Ling, the vicious woman, should be cut into pieces.

 Chapter 423 - Injustice Undone, Cutting off the Thread of Love

    <h4>Chapter 423 Injustice Undone, Cutting off the Thread of Love</h4>

    Everyone thought Madam Ling was doomed. Unexpectedly, things changed again. When Ning Zu¡¯an rushed back to the manor and wanted to drag Madam Ling out to take the me, Madam Ling fainted. After a check, it was found that Madam Ling was pregnant and extremely weak, so she could not go out for a while.

    Since things hade to this point, there was no difference whether Madam Ling went to the court or not. The emperor personally ordered that Madam Ling would be demoted to a maid in name and concubine in reality. All her children would be deemed illegitimate. Moreover, they were now not on par with a concubine¡¯s children. That was to say, Ning Huaijing¡¯s status was higher than Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s now. The emperor restored Madam Ming¡¯s status. As Madam Ming¡¯s only daughter, Ning Xueyan was now the only legal daughter of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Given that Madam Ling was pregnant and could not move, she was spared from the penalty of death, but she would be severely punished. She was asked to move to a broken courtyard at the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard. As a concubine without any status, she did not even have the title of a concubine, which meant she would live like a servant.

    When the imperial pce issued the order for Madam Ling to move out, Ning Xueyan was drawing in Bright Frost Garden. What she drew was Madam Ming from her memory. She was dressed in in clothes and looked very weak. But even so, Madam Ming still looked calm and gentle, and there was a hint of kindness in her eyes.

    Several maids apanied Ning Xueyan and did not say anything. They quietly watched Ning Xueyan drawing Madam Ming on paper, stroke by stroke. But when it came to applying color, Ning Xueyan thought about it. She had not used the color red, which symbolized the legal wife, on Madam Ming¡¯s clothes. Instead, she used the in colors that she used to wear.

    Seeing the familiar face in the painting, Mother Han shed tears. She wiped her tears away and choked with sobs. She put her palms together from time to time and whispered, ¡°Madam Ming, the Fifth Young Lady has avenged your death. No one will look down on you. You will be gratified even in theherworld.¡±

    After praying, she wiped away her tears. Mother Han looked at the painting and asked, ¡°Young Lady, why don¡¯t you apply red on Madam Ming¡¯s clothes? She is the main wife, so she has to be in red.¡±

    When Madam Ming was still a youngdy, she had a vibrant nature and had always liked this shade of bright red. She wore red colors and looked glorious, extraordinarily refined, and beautiful. In the circle of nobledies, she was famous for her radiant beauty. Red was Madam Ling¡¯s favorite color. Butter, when Madam Ling married Ning Zu¡¯an, she no longer wore any red clothes.

    ¡°Did my mother like bright red colors?¡± Ning Xueyan put down the brush in her hand to hide the sadness in her eyes. She walked to the window, looked at the blooming flowers outside, and asked softly.

    Mother Han said angrily, ¡°Madam likes it. Madam likes the color red the most. But since Madam Ling entered the manor, Madam Ming did not wear it again. She even cut up all her red clothes. The rtionship between Marquis and her was getting worse, day by day. It was because Marquis brought a mistress into the manor and forced Madam to agree to it.¡±

    Madam Ming was an enchanting woman, who loved the color red. She was the daughter of a noble family. She could be said to be the blessed daughter of God. She had married her cousin, who was her childhood sweetheart. She had thought that she would be fine from then on. Unexpectedly, this wretched man had a mistress outside. He even had a son and a daughter with that woman. Maybe when Madam Ling married into the manor, Madam Ming, a proud woman, was still in love with Ning Zu¡¯an.

    That was why all her red clothes had been cut into pieces. The red clothes indicated that the main wife¡¯s love had already turned into ashes, when the love faded.

    She was only the Marchioness in name, but received no affection. Therefore, when Madam Ling plotted against her, she did not put up a fight. She decisively took Ning Xueyan to the Bright Frost Garden, and never appeared in front of Ning Zu¡¯an again. If the love was gone, the heart would be broken. So, she cut off all the threads of love. How could she wear her red clothes? As a strong woman, it would be a like a mockery.

    Madam Ling fought desperately for the position, but this proud nobledy was not bothered about it. Since Madam Ling had tried so hard to get it, she was willing to give it away.

    ¡°Did my mother be indifferent to Marquis after Madam Ling came to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?¡± Ning Xueyan looked up at the clouds in the sky, and asked calmly.

    ¡°Yes, for a period, Madam and Marquis avoided each other. Even if she saw Marquis walking along the way, Madam would ignore him and just walk on by. Even if Marquis fawned on her, Madam would not pay any attention to him, but...¡± Mother Han paused and hesitated for a moment. She seemed to find this difficult to say.

    ¡°But... how did they have me?¡± Ning Xueyan asked softly. Her face was facing the window, and no one could see her face clearly.

    ¡°It¡¯s... it was an ident. Once, Marquis came to the courtyard and said he missed Madam. Madam was in a bad mood, so she drank two more cups of wine, and then... she gave birth to you.¡± Mother Han lowered her head uneasily, when she said that.

    Ning Xueyan turned her head and looked at Mother Han quietly. Her jet-ck eyes fell on Mother Han for a long time. When Mother Han felt ufortable, Ning Xueyan showed a faint smile on her face. ¡°Mother Han, don¡¯t worry. Some things may be God¡¯s will.¡±

    Since this was God¡¯s will, it meant that she would no longer ask. However, it did not mean that she would never ask again.

    Mother Han could not help letting out a sigh of relief. It had only been a short while, but her hands were already drenched in cold sweat. ¡°The Young Lady is getting more and more awe-inspiring. I could not say anything when she merely looked at me a few times.¡±

    Lanning looked at Ning Xueyan thoughtfully and then looked at Mother Han, without saying anything.

    ¡°Young Lady, why did they not find the ount books from the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor?¡± Qingyu did not find anything unusual in the air. She was still immersed in the joy of Madam Ling¡¯s downfall. Suddenly, she remembered something and asked in confusion. The ount books could topple the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor. Why didn¡¯t her Young Lady reveal anything about them, when they were so well-prepared?

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Anyway, these things can also get the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor into trouble,¡± Ning Xueyan said calmly. Thinking of the message from her cousin, Ning Xueyan was lost in thought. It seemed that the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor could not be handled for the time being. Otherwise, there would be a lot more that would be involved in this matter. It was not as simple as she thought.

    There were some things that she thought she could escape after her rebirth. But now, it seemed that she was still in the trap...

    The dpidated courtyard, the table that was almost overturned, the bed that was merely a block, a quilt with cotton fibers exposed, and a stool with a broken leg, tied with string, were almost all that Madam Ling had now. Looking at everything in front of her, Madam Ling looked ferocious, and she firmly grabbed the quilt covering her body.

    She pulled out all the cotton fibers. How could she bear to lose the things that she had been fighting for, for more than ten years? The servants in the manor openly gossiped about her when she moved here just now. How could she bear it?

    She was the Marchioness, the actual Marchioness. She had given birth to two daughters and one son for the Marquis. What did the bi*ch Madam Ming have? She just gave birth to a daughter. Why should she be the principal wife? I was only a concubine. I was with the Marquis much longer than her. Why did those people not see these things, but only thought of Madam Ming as the hostess of the manor?

    Then what was I? I worked hard for Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and gave him a son, his only son.

    ¡°First Madam, it is time to take your medicine.¡± Mother Chen came in from outside, and sighed when she saw Madam Ling gritting her teeth, with a look of hatred.

    Madam Ling sat up and did not say anything more. She took the tocolytic agent and drank it in one breath. Then, there was a ck stain at the corner of her mouth. On her evil face, there was a sneer of extreme hatred. Her son and daughters had be illegitimate, even worse than a concubine¡¯s status. Ning Xueyan, who was Madam Ming¡¯s daughter, had be the daughter of the principal wife of Lord Protector. She was unwilling to give it up; she was absolutely unwilling to give it up.

    She grabbed the empty bowl and smashed it on the ground. Her hands twitched and she clenched it twice. In the dingy room, her face was cold and pale.

    ¡°Mammy, please invite Fifth Young Lady here and tell her that I wish to make an apology to her and ask her to forgive me.¡± Madam Ling felt dizzy, but she still tried to hold back her anger. Since she wanted to frame Ning Xueyan, the b*tch, using the child in her belly, this was the best time for her to do that.

    ¡°Madam, what if the Fifth Young Lady does not want toe?¡± Mother Chen shivered and said in a low voice. She clearly knew that Madam Ling was no longer the glorious Marchioness in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. It was not possible for Madam Ling to see the Fifth Young Lady, whenever she wanted to.

    ¡°If she does not want toe, you can say that I will go to her personally and apologize. She will not dare to force me at this time. After all, I am still pregnant.¡± Madam Ling said coldly. She stared at Mother Chen fiercely and she shivered for a moment. She did not dare to refuse and immediately agreed.

    ¡°Remember to invite the Marquis here by the way, when you go out. At this time, he should be in the study, right?¡± Madam Ling ordered again. Every day at this time, Ning Zu¡¯an would deal with official business in the study, but this was only under normal circumstances. Madam Ling did not know that if it were not for this child, Ning Zu¡¯an would have torn Madam Ling apart, because she had done so many evil things. These days, he was even scolded by the emperor, so he was in no mood to deal with the business.

    ¡°Yes, Marquis likes to deal with official affairs in the study at this time.¡± Seeing Madam Ling, who was like the devil, Mother Chen quickly lowered her head and dared not say anything more. Madam Ling, who was hot-tempered, had pped her in the face just now. Until now, there was still a buzzing in her head, so she dared not disobey Madam Ling¡¯s orders.

    She was Madam Ling¡¯s trusted subordinate. When Madam Ling was in power, she had offended many people in the manor. Now that Madam Ling had lost her power, she did not dare to show off. There were many people who were against her in the manor. Now she could only hope that Madam Ling would be better, so that she could have her day. Therefore, she still acted ording to Madam Ling¡¯s words.

    ¡°Then hurry up and invite Madam Dowager here. Tell her that I want to apologize to Ning Xueyan personally. Ask Madam Dowager to be the witness, and then secretly invite my elder brother here,¡± Madam Ling said, gritting her teeth. She wanted more people to see Ning Xueyan viciously push the child in her belly and ruin Ning Xueyan¡¯s reputation.

    With her elder brother around, even if the damned older woman cared about Ning Xueyan, she would not let here to a good end.

 Chapter 424 - She Was not even a Concubine

    <h4>Chapter 424 She Was not even a Concubine</h4>

    After leaving the dpidated house, Mother Chen did not hurry to find Ning Xueyan first. She found an older female servant, gave her some money, and asked her to send a message to the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor that Madam Ling wanted her brother toe over. Although Madam Ling had been driven out of Auspicious Clouds Courtyard, there was still the Eldest Young Master. Besides the new Second Young Master, the Eldest Young Master was the future master, in these servants¡¯ minds.

    Even though Madam Ling had lost power and influence, nobody dared to do anything to her. Furthermore, she could go to the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor. With Vice Minister Ling¡¯s Manor and Eldest Young Master, Madam Ling might still have a chance to turn the tables. After all, Concubine Yu did not have much help, even though she had given birth to the Second Young Master. It was impossible for him to be the future Marquis, without any help.

    There was no need to mention Concubine Xu. Although she was a senior in the manor, she was a maid and only had a daughter. As for the other concubines, there was no need to talk about them at all. They had no children, and the marquis did not like them. So from this point of view, it was hard to say whether Madam Ling would be able to see the light of the day again, in the future.

    Therefore, the older female servant did not hesitate. She took the money and went to Vice Minister Ling¡¯s Manor to pass the message. Mother Chen found a maid to send a message to Madam Dowager. Madam Dowager¡¯s Lucky Garden was quite a distance away. Madam Dowager was so old that she could note over that easily.

    After all these things were settled, Mother Chen went to Bright Frost Garden. The First Madam asked her to go to the study room to invite the Marquis, after she invited the Fifth Young Lady. In this way, it would be just right. Then, the Marquis, Madam Dowager and Lord Ling would witness the First Madam having a miscarriage, because of the Fifth Young Lady. They would me it on the Fifth Young Lady.

    Like Madam Ling, Mother Chen was not worried that the Fifth Young Lady would note. Madam Ling had fallen into disgrace, and she wanted to apologize sincerely to the Fifth Young Lady. If the Fifth Young Lady wanted to maintain a good reputation, she had toe. Anyway, she could not let Madam Ling kneel in her Bright Frost Garden!

    Anyway, Madam Ling was Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s woman. Ning Xueyan was destined to be her daughter, so she could not do such a thing.

    As long as Ning Xueyan was here, she would be med. No one would doubt that Madam Ling would do such a thing. Everyone knew that it was important for Madam Ling to have a child now.

    Madam Ling had a malicious n, but she did not know that Ning Xueyan was already aware of her ns.

    Ning Zu¡¯an was enjoying the view of the flowers in the garden, with his hands sped behind his back. He usually worked in the study at this time. Because of Madam Ling¡¯s matter, he was stuck with a penalty. Meanwhile, he had been scolded by the emperor. The emperor asked him to deal with his family affairs first, beforeing back to work.

    He had been suspended from his duties. He would not be reinstated until he dealt with his family affairs. The emperor remarked, ¡°If you are not able to keep your own house orderly, how can you set an ambitious goal to rule the world?¡±

    It meant that if he, the Lord Protector, could not even control the women in his house, how could he handle the official business outside? His words were extremely ruthless, and he said that before all the people present. When they left the court, several officialsughed and pointed at him. The mockery on their faces could be seen clearly.

    Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s political opponent, who had never been on good terms with Ning Zu¡¯an, seemed not to have seen him. From time to time, they would say things like a concubine; mud on the wall does not help; vicious. Although all these words were about his concubine, he knew that they were talking about him from their nces, mockingughs, and empathic looks.

    Ning Zu¡¯an was so angry that he felt suffocated, but he could not vent his anger. They were not talking about him, so why should he me them?

    When he returned to the manor, his face was glum, as he wandered in the garden with a young male servant behind him, to let off some steam. He thought that it was his fault to have married Madam Ling. She was a stupid woman. Why did he think that this woman was considerate, gentle and kind at the beginning?

    While he was depressed, he suddenly saw an older female servant walking ahead, apanied by a man. The corners of his eyes twitched. Since something happened to Junior Concubine Xu, he had been a little nervous. He nodded to the young male servant, and the young male servant hurriedly caught up with the two people in front of him. Hearing that the Marquis was questioning them, the older female servant immediately answered. Then, she stood there with the man and waited for Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s order.

    ¡°Marquis, it is said that Madam Dowager is in poor health and has been taking the medicine from the doctor in the manor. The curative effect was not so effective, so she asked for a doctor from outside. This is the doctor who is treating Madam Dowager.¡± After asking, the young male servant came to report.

    Madam Dowager was indeed ill these days. After such a big incident, where the principal wife became a concubine, while the concubine became the principal wife, it was too sudden a change for Madam Dowager. Before she could react, the emperor had ordered that Madam Ling¡¯s position as the Marchioness to be taken away.

    Madam Dowager did not regret the removal of Madam Ling¡¯s status as the Marchioness, but because of Madam Ling, her favorite grandson had be inferior and also illegitimate. Although Ning Huaiyuan and Ning Huaijing were both her grandsons, she had raised Ning Huaiyuan since his childhood, doted on him, and treated him as the Princely Heir of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. However, Ning Huaijing was already grown up when he came back to his roots, so she was not close to him.

    Madam Dowager was concerned about Ning Huaiyuan. Due to Madam Ling, Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s identity had be precarious, all of a sudden. How could Madam Dowager not be shocked and angry? She could not stand it, so she became ill. She had been in poor health before. Later, because of Ning Qingshan¡¯s and Ning Xueyan¡¯s marriages, she was much happier, and her health improved. But now, she could not bear it anymore.

    Ning Zu¡¯an knew what had happened to Madam Dowager. However, he had been deeply troubled recently, so he did not have time to see her. When he heard that the doctor was going to treat Madam Dowager, he nodded and asked the older female servant to lead the way. He followed her and was ready to visit Madam Dowager.

    Before he took a few steps, he suddenly saw Ning Xueyan approaching with a maid, from the side. All sorts of feelings welled up in his heart. He did not know what to say. He stopped and his face darkened.

    ¡°Father.¡± At this time, Ning Xueyan also noticed Ning Zu¡¯an. She stopped and looked at Ning Zu¡¯an as if she had just seen him. Just now, Mother Chen came over to invite her to meet Madam Ling and expressed Madam Ling¡¯s apology. She knew that Madam Ling must be ill-disposed.

    Madam Ling was going to frame Ning Xueyan, using the child in her belly. However, Madam Ling had wanted to wait for a period to fight for more chips for herself. Now, because she had been toppled from the position of legal wife, she had decided to take action immediately.

    Ning Xueyan asked Qingyu to tell Mother Chen that she was not there and she went out to the garden. Then, she requested Qingyu to take Mother Chen to the garden to look for her. She took Lanning to the garden, using another path. Madam Ling was ill informed these days. She thought that everything was still normal for Ning Zu¡¯an. However, Ning Xueyan knew that Ning Zu¡¯an was not at ease now and was definitely not in the study.

    Fearing that Madam Ling wouldunch an attack, Ning Xueyan asked Xinmei to look for Ning Zu¡¯an. Therefore, she knew that Ning Zu¡¯an was in the garden, as soon as he came back.

    ¡°Where are you going in such a hurry?¡± Ning Zu¡¯an waved to her, to free her from having to curtsy to him. He looked at Ning Xueyan with aplicated expression and asked.

    ¡°I am going to see my Grandmother. I heard that her health is deteriorating. I am worried about her,¡± Ning Xueyan said gently, with a trace of concern in her eyes.

    Looking at Ning Xueyan, who looked as if nothing had happened, Ning Zu¡¯an felt a trace of bitterness. His daughters, whom he raised and loved ardently over the years, were disappointing. In the end, they entered the Xia Manor together. Moreover, they could not live together peacefully. The rumors from outside were unpleasant to hear.

    Ning Zu¡¯an had never cared about the Fifth Young Lady before, but now she appeared beautiful and gentle. This was the image of a Young Lady of a noble family. Was it really because of Madam Ling¡¯s low status that his two daughters had been spoiled? At the thought of this, Ning Zu¡¯an felt very ufortable, and felt that Ning Xueyan was giving him a p in the face.

    ¡°Go and see your Grandmother if you are free. Filial piety is the most basic trait of a moral character,¡± Ning Zu¡¯an said with a cold voice. He did not know what was on his mind, but his face turned cold. After he finished speaking, he felt embarrassed.

    It was proven that Ning Xueyan¡¯s mother, Madam Ming, had been murdered by Madam Ling. He would only make Ning Xueyan hate Madam Ling.

    ¡°Yes, Father. Yan¡¯er will.¡± Ning Xueyan pretended not to understand Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s words and smiled gently.

    ¡°Your mother,¡± Ning Zu¡¯an finally felt that he had to exin to Ning Xueyan. He coughed and found that his words came out wrongly. Madam Ling was no longer the hostess of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. ¡°Although Madam Ling hurt your mother, she did not kill her and has done nothing to you. You... you don¡¯t have to hate her too much.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to hate Madam Ling? She just tried to harm Madam Ming, but did not kill you and your mother?¡± Ning Xueyan sneered in her mind, because she knew Ning Zu¡¯an was biased. ¡°How can you say that? Do you want Madam Ming and I to thank Madam Ling for not killing us and letting us live?¡±

    Ning Xueyan did not believe that Ning Zu¡¯an did not understand how Madam Ming died. And she almost died because of Ning Yuling, several times. Did Ning Zu¡¯an really know nothing? When Madam Ling and her daughter framed Madam Ming and herself, Ning Zu¡¯an did not say a word. Now Madam Ling¡¯s viciousness was exposed, but he still asked her not to hate her.

    It turned out that the one could also be so biased to this extent.

    Sure enough, Ning Zu¡¯an was an extreme jerk. He was unfaithful and heartless. Such a person was unworthy of being a father.

    Ning Xueyan raised her head calmly to look at Ning Zu¡¯an, hiding the sarcasm on her face. ¡°Father, Madam Ling is not even a concubine now. I am the legal wife¡¯s daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. I am going to marry Prince Yi. How can I care about her? You are being over-scrupulous.¡±

    ¡°She is not even a concubine?¡± She was referring to Madam Ling. If she could, Ning Xueyan would rather say that she was an animal that was even lower than pigs or dogs. She looked at Ning Zu¡¯an in a cold and firm way.

    Ning Zu¡¯an opened his mouth and wanted to rebuke her. Ning Xueyan¡¯s words sounded unpleasant, but he stopped when he heard Ning Xueyan saying that she was a legal daughter, who was going to get married. He looked at Ning Xueyan with aplicated expression in his eyes and frowned. ¡°Let us go and see your grandmother!¡±

    Ning Xueyan was to marry Prince Yi, who had always been moody. Although it did not mean that he did not care about Ning Xueyan, it was not wise to offend Ning Xueyan now. Ning Zu¡¯an had a clear mind. It was Madam Ling¡¯s fault. Otherwise, he would not have been in such a dilemma. So, he became angrier with Madam Ling.

 Chapter 425 - Implacable Hatred, and Madam Ling Made a Plan Again

    <h4>Chapter 425 Imcable Hatred, and Madam Ling Made a n Again</h4>

    Before they had gone much farther, they met Qingyu, who had brought Mother Chen to look for Ning Xueyan. Seeing that Ning Xueyan and Ning Zu¡¯an were together, Mother Chen hesitated for a moment. She and Madam Ling nned to lure Ning Xueyan in first, and then let Ning Zu¡¯an witness Madam Ling¡¯s miscarriage. Then, whether she did it or not, Ning Xueyan would not be able to exin it.

    ¡°Qingyu, the Fifth Young Lady is talking with Marquis. Let us wait for a while, so we will not interfere with the affairs of the masters.¡± Mother Chen reached out to stop Qingyu, who was about to go over. Mother Chen said this with a smile.

    ¡°Mother Chen, didn¡¯t youe to see my Young Lady? Is this not important? Did Madam Ling ask you toe here to tease my Young Lady?¡± Qingyu said coldly, as her face darkened.

    Mother Chen was struck dumb by her question. Moreover, the undisguised disdain on Qingyu¡¯s face and theck of respect she had for Madam Ling, were like a p in Mother Chen¡¯s face. She had always been Madam Ling¡¯s trusted subordinate and was one of the most influential people in the inner courtyard. She had never been mocked like this by a maid.

    She forced a smile and said, ¡°What are you talking about, Miss Qingyu? My Madam will not slight the Fifth Young Lady. She really wants to apologize to the Fifth Young Lady.¡±

    ¡°Since you sincerely want to apologize, you do not need to worry about getting in their way. And Mother Chen, remember that Madam Ling is not the Marchioness now. She is just a maid in name and a concubine in reality, so she does not deserve to be called a madam. You are doited, so you should remember it next time. Otherwise, if someone else finds out, they will think that our Marquis is dissatisfied with His Majesty¡¯s order.¡±

    After being scolded, Mother Chen¡¯s face changed color, and became both spiteful and angry.

    Qingyu rebuked her impolitely. She intentionally raised her voice, which attracted Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s attention. He frowned and his face darkened. He walked toward them. He was dissatisfied with the emperor¡¯s order; this was something that could not be said casually.

    Ning Xueyan walked over with him.

    ¡°Marquis and Young Lady.¡± Qingyu, who had taken note of their arrival, hurriedly greeted them, when she saw Ning Zu¡¯an and Ning Xueyaning over. Only then did Mother Chene to her senses and bowed to them.

    ¡°What is the matter?¡± Ning Zu¡¯an asked, with a gloomy face. Ning Xueyan stood behind him and looked at Mother Chen. Although she kept her head low, Ning Xueyan could tell that she was anxious, as she kept kneading her hands. Ning Xueyan wore a cold sneer on her face. ¡°So Madam Ling is trying to frame me again.¡±

    ¡°Marquis, Mother Chen said that Madam Ling is the Marchioness. I told Mother Chen that she should be careful about what she said. Otherwise, she will arouse others¡¯ suspicions,¡± Qingyu said archly. She was no longer the timid little maid who had followed Ning Xueyan and shivered, because she was being bullied by others.

    ¡°If you address Madam Ling as such next time, you will be punished!¡± Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s voice suddenly became sharper as he stared at Mother Chen coldly.

    When Madam Ling¡¯s scandal was exposed, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had been rebuked again. Ning Zu¡¯an put all the me on Madam Ling and even disliked the people around Madam Ling. If Madam Ling had not been pregnant now, he would have sent her away and forbidden her toe back.

    ¡°Yes... yes, I know.¡± Being stared at by Ning Zu¡¯an, Mother Chen immediately nodded, as her body trembled. She only hoped that Ning Zu¡¯an would let her go now, and then leave first, so that she could talk to the Fifth Young Lady and try to trick her.

    However, she was not as good as Ning Xueyan at scheming. Seeing Mother Chen gritting her teeth and not revealing her intention, Ning Xueyan, who stood behind Ning Zu¡¯an, took the initiative to ask softly.

    ¡°Mother Chen, did youe here with Qingyu to look for me?¡±

    Mother Chen thought that if she did not mention it, she would not ask about it!

    ¡°Yes... yes. Madam... Madam Ling wants to see the Fifth Young Lady to apologize to her. Madam Ling sincerely regrets what she did this time, and is asking the Fifth Young Lady to give her a chance. Otherwise, she will go to the Bright Frost Garden and kneel to apologize to the Fifth Young Lady.¡± Mother Chen stammered.

    She did not mention Ning Zu¡¯an at all. It seemed to concern Madam Ling and Ning Xueyan, and had nothing to do with Ning Zu¡¯an at all. Ning Zu¡¯an did not want to interfere with Madam Ling¡¯s affairs now. He looked at Mother Chen and wanted to leave. But the next moment, he stopped.

    ¡°Father, shall we go and visit Madam Ling together? I heard that she has always been in poor health, and she is pregnant. If something bad happens to her, my grandmother will feel distressed.¡±

    Ning Xueyan said this tactfully. She only mentioned Madam Dowager, instead of Ning Zu¡¯an. Everyone in the manor knew how much Madam Dowager valued the offsprings. Now, Madam Dowager was in poor health, but if she knew that something had happened to the child in Madam Ling¡¯s belly, it would be worse. So Ning Zu¡¯an could not help, but stop.

    ¡°Let us go together!¡± Hearing this, Mother Chen lifted her face in shock and looked at Ning Xueyan in surprise. The two of them were going there together, and how could Madam Ling act?

    ¡°Father, shall we take this doctor with us? Maybe something bad could have happened to Madam Ling, because she has moved to another ce,¡± Ning Xueyan asked lightly. She did not show too much intimacy or hatred, as if she was just suggesting this to Ning Zu¡¯an, without any subjective emotion.

    If one knew that Madam Ling had harmed his or her biological mother, they would not be happy. What Ning Xueyan did was the best.

    Looking at Ning Xueyan, Ning Zu¡¯an felt guilty for no reason. Although he did not say anything, he noticed the kindness in Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes. Madam Ming did not do him any harm, but he... was annoyed. He nodded to the doctor standing by the side, and then looked coldly at Mother Chen and said, ¡°Lead the way.¡±

    Madam Ling was in disgrace now, and the people around her were responsible too. Madam Ling¡¯s affairs made Ning Zu¡¯an feel ashamed to go out, and even His Majesty had rebuked him. He vented all his anger on Madam Ling, feeling that it was Madam Ling, the idiot, who brought about this situation.

    So, Ning Zu¡¯an did not ask where Madam Ling was locked up. It was Madam Dowager who had asked her people to move her there directly.

    Hearing that the Marquis would go over with the Fifth Young Lady, Mother Chen was so anxious that she broke out in a cold sweat. How would it end if they went there together? Thinking of this, she stopped and opened her mouth. It seemed that Mother Chen wanted to say something, but was interrupted by Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Mother Chen, why are you still waiting? Are you not in a hurry now?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I will show you the way.¡± Under the gaze of Ning Xueyan¡¯s jet-ck eyes, Mother Chen could not y any tricks. She only felt that Ning Xueyan seemed to be able to prate people¡¯s hearts with her eyes. Her eyes were cold and looked a bit stern, which scared Mother Chen so much that she broke out in a cold sweat. She did not dare to say anything and hurriedly left.

    ¡°At best, I can act ording to circumstances. Anyway, there will be a next time. Marquis can¡¯t always be with Fifth Young Lady,¡± She thought. She did not dare to stop walking. She walked past Ning Zu¡¯an and led the way, with fear. Qingyu nimbly followed Ning Xueyan.

    Madam Ling lived in a remote ce now. Madam Dowager hated her so much that she did not want to see her at all. So, she only sent someone to clean up a courtyard, which had been used to store misceneous items. Madam Ling lived there now. Except for Mother Chen, she did not ask anyone in Auspicious Clouds Courtyard toe over and serve her.

    Therefore, the ce looked deste and decadent. When the wind blew, the sound of the branches rustling could be heard. It was so deserted that there was not a single person to be seen. Only the footsteps of Ning Zu¡¯an and the others could be heard.

    The askew courtyard door was in front of her. Mother Chen wanted to jump in through the door to send a message to Madam Ling first. She wanted to say that the Fifth Young Lady and Marquis were here together, and wanted to tell Madam Ling to be careful. However, when she was about to go inside, Qingyu, who was standing beside her, suddenly tripped on some debris and fell over.

    Subconsciously, Mother Chen reached out her hand to break her fall. However, how could she stop a person from falling? Qingyu and Ning Xueyan fell toward the side of the broken door together, and the wood from the broken door scattered on one side. Mother Chen was at the bottom of the pile.

    She was so old, and Qingyu was sitting directly on her waist, so she could not get up. She covered her waist with her hands, and her face turned pale, because of the pain.

    ¡°Qingyu, help Mother Chen up.¡± Ning Xueyan took two steps forward and instructed her. Ning Zu¡¯an did not enter immediately. He stopped and looked at the ruined courtyard, with his hands sped behind his back. He was speechless.

    ¡°Yes, I will get up right away.¡± Qingyu stood up in a flurry. She stepped on something again, and then she, who had just stood up, fell heavily again. Mother Chen, who tried hard to get up, fell to the ground again.

    ¡°Mother Chen, are you all right? Hurry up. Get up and sit over there. Don¡¯t hurt your waist. Otherwise, you will be paralyzed.¡± Qingyu went to pull her up hurriedly. Hearing that she might be paralyzed, Mother Chen did not care about anything else. She tried her best to hold Qingyu¡¯s hand and stand up. She covered her waist with one hand and began to moan, afraid that there was something wrong with her. Then, the rest of her life would be over.

    Lanning took advantage of this opportunity to walk into the house with Ning Xueyan.

    Since Mother Chen left, Madam Ling had been listening carefully, in the room. At this time, she seemed to hear something being knocked down outside, followed by a maid¡¯s clear voice. Although she could not hear clearly, she thought that no one else would be here at this time, except for Ning Xueyan. So, she was immediately in high spirits.

    She sat up suddenly from the bed and exerted too much strength. There was a pain in her stomach. Cold sweat immediately appeared on her forehead. She usually sat up andy down carefully, afraid of inducing a miscarriage.

    Footsteps could be heard by Madam Ling. Madam Ling got out of bed, clutching her belly with one hand, and walked to the door with a hint of ferocity in her nting eyes. As long as Ning Xueyan stepped into this door, she would not be able to escape from this disaster...

 Chapter 426 - Thatâ€™s how the Misunderstanding Occurred

    <h4>Chapter 426 That¡¯s how the Misunderstanding urred</h4>

    The half-closed door was pushed open. Madam Ling struggled to hold back a burst of pain and looked at the door. What appeared in front of her was indeed Ning Xueyan¡¯s face. She lifted her leg as if she was about toe in. Madam Ling gritted her teeth and sat down on the ground heavily. She only felt a terrible paining from her lower abdomen. The pain made her scream and roll to the ground. Red blood immediately spread from the lower part of her body.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, you... how can you do this...¡± The shout turned into a scream. Not only at the entrance of the room, but also outside the courtyard, there was a sound. Outside the courtyard, Vice Minister Ling also heard it and hurriedly came in after a servant, apanied by Mother Qin, who was Madam Dowager¡¯s henchman.

    When Vice Minister Ling Huanian came to the manor, the messenger could not find the Marquis, so he reported to Madam Dowager. No matter what happened to Madam Ling, Ling Huanian was still the assistant minister. Besides, Madam Ling was pregnant. Madam Dowager was worried that Madam Ling might talk nonsense, so she asked Mother Qin to apany Ling Huanian.

    As soon as they arrived at the gate of the courtyard, they heard Madam Ling¡¯s screams and a cry of pain. Ling Huanian¡¯s face changed instantly. He immediately rushed into the courtyard. When he arrived, he saw Ning Xueyan standing at the gate with her maid, while Ning Zu¡¯an was inside, with his hands sped behind his back, looking gloomy.

    Then, he looked inside and saw his sister rolling on the ground in pain, amidst a pool of blood. He immediately became furious and rushed over to push Ning Zu¡¯an away. He picked Madam Ling up from the pool of blood and shouted, ¡°Doctor, call the doctor quickly.¡±

    The doctor, who was also scared to death, came over hurriedly. He asked Ling Huanian to put Madam Ling on the bed first, and then he felt her pulse.

    ¡°Marquis, your Young Lady is so vicious and heartless. She did not even think of her baby. This... this is unreasonable.¡± Putting down Madam Ling, Ling Huanian red at Ning Xueyan angrily. Then he turned to Ning Zu¡¯an and pointed at Ning Xueyan.

    Although he did not see what happened just now, the scene in front of him and the words he heard outside the courtyard gate, were enough to tell that Ning Xueyan had pushed Madam Ling down to the ground, so that the child in her belly could not be saved. Looking at Madam Ling¡¯s current appearance, he knew that the situation was not good.

    ¡°Your Excellency, did you see me push Madam Ling just now?¡± Before Ning Zu¡¯an could speak, Ning Xueyan asked him coldly. There was a hint of sarcasm in her ck jade-like eyes. Madam Ling and her brother really had a tacit understanding. As soon as Madam Ling had an ident, Ling Huanian instantly put all the me on her.

    If she had lifted her leg and gone in, she would have found it hard to clear herself. Unfortunately, Madam Ling did not see this clearly. Ning Zu¡¯an was behind Ning Xueyan at that time. Before she could lift her feet, Madam Ling had already fallen to the ground. Then, Ning Zu¡¯an pushed her away and entered first.

    Ning Zu¡¯an saw that she did not touch Madam Ling at all. How could it be possible for her to have pushed Madam Ling? So, Ning Zu¡¯an did not say anything when he saw Madam Ling falling to the ground. He just looked at her with a gloomy face, to see what was going on. Coincidentally, Ling Huanian thought that Ning Zu¡¯an had just arrived, so he did not pick Madam Ling up immediately.

    That was how the misunderstanding urred.

    If Mother Chen had not fallen at the door, she would definitely havee in first to inform Madam Ling. Then, Madam Ling would know that Ning Zu¡¯an and Ning Xueyan were here together, and would not have done such a dangerous thing. If Madam Ling had not seen Ning Xueyan lifting her leg, Madam Ling would not have thought that Ning Xueyan wasing in.

    Beyond her expectation, Ning Zu¡¯an followed closely behind Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Madam, Madam, what is wrong with you? What is wrong with you?¡± Mother Chen also heard the scream. She suddenly realized something. Ignoring the pain in her waist, she hurriedly pushed Qingyu¡¯s hands away, sped her waist with one hand, and rushed in. When she saw Madam Ling lying on the bed, without knowing whether she was alive or not, she immediately cried in an exaggerated manner.

    After crying for a while, she immediately turned to Ning Xueyan. Suddenly, she knelt down in front of Ning Xueyan and kowtowed. ¡°Fifth Young Lady, please spare Madam Ling¡¯s life. Although Madam Ling made mistakes, the child in her belly is innocent. She wants to apologize to you. Why can¡¯t you tolerate Marquis¡¯s child? That is the Marquis¡¯s child.¡±

    Although she was asking Ning Xueyan for help, she managed to say it in such a way as if Ning Xueyan had deliberately pushed Madam Ling and made her miscarry.

    Mother Qin looked at Ning Zu¡¯an, who was standing at one side with a gloomy face, and then at Ning Xueyan, who was not panicking at all. She did note up to make trouble. Instead, she stood in a corner. Unlike Ning Zu¡¯an, Madam Dowager hated Madam Ling to the core. It was not because Madam Ling had harmed Madam Ming, but because she thought Madam Ling was stupid.

    Since Madam Ling could not be the Marchioness, the grandson that Madam Dowager cared about most had be a concubine¡¯s son. Would a concubine¡¯s son inherit the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? It was not necessary to have a legal son to inherit the title. However, if a concubine¡¯s son inherited the title, the same aristocratic families would look down on them. He would be lower than the sons of other noble families.

    At the thought of this, Madam Dowager wanted nothing more than to beat Madam Ling to death, so as not to harm her grandson. Madam Dowager did not like Madam Ling, and Mother Qin was Madam Dowager¡¯s henchman. Therefore, she did not like Madam Ling either. Seeing Ning Zu¡¯an there, she stood there for a while. After thinking for a moment, she hurriedly left to report this to Madam Dowager.

    Even though Madam Dowager did not care about Madam Ling, she still cared about the child in Madam Ling¡¯s belly.

    ¡°You mean I intended to kill the child in Madam Ling¡¯s belly?¡± Ning Xueyan looked at Ling Huanian, who had been silenced just now, and then looked at Mother Chen, with sarcasm on her face.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, I know that Madam has done something wrong and harmed Madam Ming. It happened so long ago. Even if Madam Ling made some mistakes, she did not kill Madam Ming. She has always been kind to Madam Ming. Our Madam provided for whatever the Bright Frost Garden needed. Fifth Young Lady, your things are as good as the other Young Ladies¡¯. Why can¡¯t you tolerate Madam Ling and the child in her belly?¡±

    Mother Chen raised her head and burst into tears. Her face was full of grief and indignation, as if she was defending Madam Ling against an injustice. She did not see what had happened in the room before she heard Madam Ling¡¯s scream. She thought that it must be the Fifth Young Lady who entered the room first. When she was at the gate of the courtyard, she saw that Marquis was still outside the gate.

    As long as the Fifth Young Lady entered the room and Marquis was still at the gate of the courtyard, it would be convenient for Madam Ling to act. She did not have enough time to inform her of the Marquis¡¯s arrival before, so she felt quite guilty. She was afraid that Madam Ling would find trouble with her when she woke up. Therefore, she put in all her efforts to make a scene and perform at this time.

    As Marquis and the Vice Minister were there, the Fifth Young Lady could not do anything to her. She said that Ning Xueyan deliberately pushed Madam Ling and wanted to kill the child in Madam Ling¡¯s belly.

    Ning Xueyan looked down and waited for Mother Chen to stop speaking. Then she ordered coldly, ¡°Qingyu, p her in the face!¡±

    Qingyu, who was furious, took two steps forward and pped Mother Chen in the face. Mother Chen was stunned. She covered her face in shock and looked at Ning Xueyan in disbelief. How dare the Fifth Young Lady p her in front of the Marquis?

    ¡°How dare you! Marquis, your daughter is too vicious. If you don¡¯t give us justice today, let us go and see His Majesty now, and tell him how harshly the people of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor have treated Madam Ling. Now, you even could not let go of a child who has not been born yet.¡±

    Seeing that Ning Xueyan had beaten Mother Chen, who was trying to redress an injustice for Madam Ling in front of him, Ling Huanian became furious. Although he had always listened to Ning Zu¡¯an, he did not care about anything else at this time. He retorted and nced at Ning Xueyan with contempt. The evidence was there. He did not believe that the emperor would support the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    With such a thing today, it was possible that his sister could return to the position of Marchioness because of this disaster. How could Ling Huanian let such a rare opportunity go? He immediately had an idea that it could not be settled privately. He must let the Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor take the me.

    Ling Huanian had thought whether he would offend Prince Yi because of the Fifth Young Lady, who was about to be Prince Yi¡¯s co-consort. Prince Yi had no tenderness toward women, and he had killed countless, beautiful pce maids. Ning Xueyan was so vicious. If this affair was exposed, it would be impossible for her to marry into the royal family. Maybe Prince Yi, who was capricious, would kill Ning Xueyan directly.

    His words only made Ning Xueyan sneer. ¡°Lord Ling, what is justice? Madam Ling toppled my mother from the position of the Legal Wife and plotted with others to harm my mother. How could she say that she has always cared about us in the Bright Frost Garden? If so, why did my mom not have a funeral when she died? She almost treated my mom as if she was an ordinary concubine?¡±

    ¡°Your Excellency, do you want to know how Madam Ling plotted to murder my mom? My mom died for no reason. She was in good health. Why did she not recover after she entered Bright Frost Garden? How could a person, who used to be healthy, get sick all of a sudden and die in the end? Your Excellency, do you have something to exin to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?¡±

    Ning Xueyan pressed on at every stage. Madam Ming¡¯s death must be due to unnatural causes. However, she could not find the cause. Anyway, she must have been poisoned.

    ¡°Intoxicating Peach Blossom, the Beautiful Lady gets drunk on the peach blossom. Lord Ling, I wonder if you have ever heard of it.¡±

    Ning Xueyan stared into Ling Huanian¡¯s eyes as she said this, word by word. She did not believe that Madam Ling did it alone. Not everyone could get hold of this kind of poison. ording to Madam Ling¡¯s behavior, this poison must have been sent to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor through Lord Ling.

    ording to Madam Ling¡¯s character, it was inevitable for her to do this. Some things that she could not and would not show would be done by the people of the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor for her. Nobody would know that Madam Qian hade with the other things when she went to the manor.

 Chapter 427 - Leaving no Means Untried, and Who Will Give An Account to Whom?

    <h4>Chapter 427 Leaving no Means Untried, and Who Will Give An ount to Whom?</h4>

    ¡°You are talking nonsense!¡± Ling Huanian¡¯s body trembled when he heard about the Intoxicating Peach Blossom Wine. He hurriedly cried out in a stern voice.

    Ning Zu¡¯an, standing on one side, looked at Ling Huanian¡¯s face suspiciously, and his eyes were filled with coldness and anger.

    ¡°You will know whether it is nonsense or not. God is watching your every move. Do you think you and Madam Ling can get away from the retribution?¡± Ning Xueyan said coldly and lightly. She took two steps inside and looked at Madam Ling, who was lying on the bed with a pale face. There was a sneer at the corner of her mouth.

    Ling Huanian did not want to talk about the past, so he changed the topic and said angrily, while pointing to Madam Ling, who was lying on the bed, ¡°Well, let¡¯s not talk about anything else. It is about the fact that you pushed your mother today.¡±

    ¡°Who saw that?¡± Ning Xueyan asked lightly.

    ¡°I... there is no need to say anything more. Why did the First Madam suddenly fall down at the door when she was inside? And she said that. If it was not you, why would the First Madam say that? The First Madam must have heard youing and hurriedly got up from the bed to greet you. I can¡¯t believe that you were so vicious.¡±

    Mother Chen also collected her breath now and pointed at Ning Xueyan angrily. Today, it seemed that the child in Madam Ling¡¯s belly could not be saved anymore. If she did not try her best, she might be beaten to death by Madam Ling. Therefore, she tried her best to frame Ning Xueyan. Anyway, the Fifth Young Lady could not exin the current situation clearly.

    ¡°Shut up! Stop arguing!¡± Before Ning Xueyan could say anything, Ning Zu¡¯an suddenly became furious and kicked Mother Chen to the ground. He looked at the doctor who stood up from the bed and asked, ¡°How is she?¡±

    Mother Chen was kicked so hard that she did not have time to say anything. She fell directly, hit a pir on one side, and fainted.

    ¡°Doctor, how is my sister? Can the child be saved?¡± Ling Huanian also rushed over and asked urgently.

    ¡°The child can¡¯t be saved anymore,¡± the doctor stood up and replied.

    ¡°How can this child...¡± Ling Huanian looked more sorrowful than Ning Zu¡¯an. ¡°If she can give birth to a baby, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor will have one more offspring. The child can share some of the responsibility of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor in the future.¡±

    ¡°Marquis... Marquis, it is all my fault. It is me. The Fifth Young Lady, the Fifth Young Lady...¡± Madam Ling tried her best to hold back the pain, as her tears dripped down her face. In the past, Ning Zu¡¯an might have been affected. Seeing what had happened just now, he had not regained his senses yet. But now, he seemed to calm down. He looked at Madam Ling... without any response.

    This made Madam Ling feel inexplicably guilty. Usually, Ning Zu¡¯an would not be so calm. Children had always been a big issue in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. The baby was gone, but Ning Zu¡¯an stood by the side and said nothing. He looked at Madam Ling with a gloomy face.

    ¡°Is he ming me for not protecting the child well? Or did he discover something...¡±

    Lanning took a step forward and asked inadvertently, ¡°Doctor, why was it so easy for her to have a miscarriage? Her baby was gone after she was lying on the ground for a while.¡±

    ¡°Well...¡± The doctor hesitated for a moment as if he could not say anything for a while.

    ¡°What is the reason? Tell me quickly.¡± Ling Huanian thought that the doctor would say that she had been pushed, so he shouted at him hurriedly.

    ¡°This... this madam... had fetal deterioration, so...¡± The doctor said this in a vague manner. It was not that he did not want to say it, but he was afraid of being responsible for it. When his father went to the countryside, he told him to try not to get involved in this kind of affairs. Otherwise, he would not know how he would die in the end.

    What¡¯s more, judging from the scene in front of him, he also knew that this matter would not be that easy to resolve.

    ¡°How could it be possible? My sister has given birth to several children, and she never had any fetal deterioration. Even if she fell down identally, it would not have been a big deal. Why can¡¯t my sister keep the baby in her belly as soon as the Fifth Young Lady came today?¡±

    Like Madam Ling, Ling Huanian wanted to me Ning Xueyan. She had been fine when she fell to the ground, but now that something like this happened, she must have been pushed. The result would be different if one was pushed or had fallen identally on the ground.

    ¡°Well...¡± The doctor raised his head and looked at Ning Zu¡¯an. Then, he looked at Ning Xueyan, who was so calm, on the other side. In the end, he looked at Ling Huanian, who was so anxious. He could not say a word. At first nce, one could tell that there was some reservation in his words. He did not dare to say or could not say some words.

    Seeing that the doctor was still hesitating, Ning Zu¡¯an said in a cold voice, impatiently, ¡°Take him to the yamen and punish him for murdering the child of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.¡±

    Was he going to be punished for murdering the child of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? The doctor was shocked, so he did not care about anything else at this time. He shook his hands quickly and shouted, ¡°Marquis, please spare my life. I will tell you. This madam¡¯s fetus was abnormal.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by abnormal?¡± Ning Xueyan asked.

    Now, the doctor did not care about anything else. He exined, as sweat dripped from his head, ¡°This madam must have used some folk prescription before she got pregnant, so she conceived in an abnormal way.¡±

    Hearing this, Madam Ling, who was lying on the bed, could not help trembling. Regardless of her belly, she pointed at the doctor and screamed, ¡°You are talking nonsense!¡± Then, she seemed to want to get up from the bed. Her ferocious look scared the doctor so much that his face turned pale. He stuttered, and could not say anything.

    ¡°If you talk nonsense, you will be sent to the feudal office,¡± Ning Xueyan said coldly.

    ¡°There is a folk prescription. People who use this prescription can almost always get pregnant, but this child can¡¯t be born. Not to mention having a fall, even if she gets up abruptly, she will have a miscarriage. Moreover, even if she gives birth to a child, the child will either die or be a durd. The child is useless. Ordinary people will not use such a prescription to get pregnant. Generally, the First Madam in the manor will secretly give this kind of prescription to a concubine.¡±

    As soon as he heard that he would be sent to the feudal officials, the doctor immediately told them everything.

    ¡°No, I did not use any folk prescriptions. Marquis, he was sent by the Fifth Young Lady to frame me. He wanted to help the Fifth Young Lady to get rid of the bad thing she did, Marquis.¡± At this time, Madam Ling did not care about anything else. She jumped down from the bed and hugged Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s thigh, crying loudly.

    ¡°It is true. The reason why I know is because there is a human centa in this medicine. The person who used this medicine will have a fishy smell for a while. The fragrance can¡¯t suppress it. Madam should not have stopped using this medicine for a long time, as she still has this kind of fishy smell.¡± Hearing Madam Ling said that he was colluding with others, the doctor immediately shouted.

    When he entered the room, he smelled something strange, but he did not dare to say anything. At this time, when he heard that Madam Ling was trying to frame him, he did not care about it anymore and revealed everything.

    The fishy smell could not be covered up by any fragrance. Ning Zu¡¯an immediately thought of Madam Ling¡¯s stuffy room. The smell inside was very fragrant, but even if it was very fragrant, Ning Zu¡¯an could still smell a fishy smell when he just walked in.

    Madam Ling said that she ate some fish, so there was a fishy smell. The reason why the odor had not faded was that Madam Ling was afraid of catching a cold. Such a contrast made Ning Zu¡¯an realize immediately that the doctor was telling the truth. Otherwise, at such an old age, how could Madam Ling be pregnant?

    From the fragrance, Ning Zu¡¯an thought of something else. Every time he went to Madam Ling¡¯s room, he would feel hot when he sat there for a while. Then he would sleep with Madam Ling. At first, he wondered if he still had feelings for Madam Ling. Otherwise, why couldn¡¯t he control himself every time he saw Madam Ling?

    He suddenly thought that since Madam Ling could get this kind of folk prescription, she also could have given him a drug.

    Upon thinking that he, as the Lord Protector, had been framed by such a vicious woman, Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s face turned green, then white. Ignoring Madam Ling¡¯s physical condition, he kicked her hard and cursed, ¡°Bi*ch!¡±

    Madam Ling did not expect that Ning Zu¡¯an would be so heartless. She was kicked back violently. If it had not been for Ling Huanian, who was behind her, Madam Ling would have been kicked to the side of the bed and would have hit against it.

    ¡°Marquis, what do you mean?¡± Seeing that Ning Zu¡¯an did not care about his sister, who was in such a bad condition, Ling Huanian also became furious. He shouted at him, while trying to protect her.

    At this time, Ning Zu¡¯an wanted to devour Madam Ling. He stared at Madam Ling, who was lying behind Ling Huanian, with an evil eye. If Ling Huanian had not been standing in front of Madam Ling, he would have kicked Madam Ling to death. He clenched his teeth in bitter hatred.

    What did this mean? He, a Lord Protector, had been framed by a woman, and also drugged by her. If this matter was made known publicly, he would be ashamed and could not show his face at the imperial court.

    ¡°What do I mean? Your good sister fell to the ground herself. Yan¡¯er had not entered the door yet, and I entered first. How could it be Yan¡¯er who pushed her? Yan¡¯er was still outside the door at that time. How could she push her? This vicious woman, she did not want the baby in her belly, so she tried to frame Yan¡¯er. Well, well, do you want to go with me to meet the emperor? Let us go now and see how you, Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor, can give us an exnation.¡±

    Ning Zu¡¯an could not talk about that matter. Now, he could only talk about the thing in front of him. He reached out to point at Madam Ling and reproached her harshly. Veins stood out on his forehead, and his face darkened.

    Ning Zu¡¯an entered the door first, and Ning Xueyan had not entered yet. Madam Ling and Ling Huanian were both stunned. Ling Huanian did not know what to say for a while. All the evidence in front of them showed that Ning Xueyan pushed Madam Ling and made her miscarry. However, Ning Zu¡¯an, who should have stood up for Madam Ling, had given his version of the event.

    Suddenly, Madam Ling screamed, ¡°It is impossible. It is impossible. It can¡¯t be like this.¡±

    She had done everything she could to wait for Ning Xueyan to fall into her trap. She had bet everything on a single throw of the dice, but she ended up like this. For a moment, she could not bear it. Her voice was sharp and horrible. She sat up with her hair disheveled, threw herself at Ning Xueyan, and grabbed her face with both hands.

    How could this happen? How could it be like this? She had nned this for such a long time. How could it end like this? No, she would never let Ning Xueyan off. She would never let her go.

 Chapter 428 - Madam Dowagerâ€™s Anxiety

    <h4>Chapter 428 Madam Dowager¡¯s Anxiety</h4>

    In the end, Madam Ling¡¯s matter was settled quietly. It was announced that Madam Ling had been sent to Mingyuan Temple outside the city to cultivate.

    As for the child in her belly, Madam Ling had only herself to me. Ning Zu¡¯an had proved that she directed and acted by herself to frame Ning Xueyan. By chance, Ning Zu¡¯an saw the whole process. It could be said that the entire y happened under Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s nose.

    When Ning Zu¡¯an thought of this child who could not be born at all, and the drug that Madam Ling used on him in Auspicious Clouds Courtyard, it was as if he had swallowed a fly, and he could not even talk about it. He almost took Madam Ling¡¯s life on the spot. If Ning Huaiyuan and Ling Huanian had not begged him for mercy then, Madam Ling would not have survived this time.

    Ning Xueyan went back early. After Madam Dowager came, she knew that this matter had nothing to do with her, so she asked Mother Qin to send Lanning and her back. As for the follow-up of the question, it was given by Madam Dowager, when she went to greet Madam Dowager the next day. Madam Dowager said that the issue was based on the fact that Madam Ling wanted to frame her. Anyway, she had to give Ning Xueyan an exnation.

    If Ning Xueyan had not had something to do with Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, Madam Dowager would not have done such a thing. In her opinion, Ning Xueyan did not have the right to know what she wanted to do. But that day, Prince Yi sent a pair of jade Ruyi Sceptre to rece the previous one. Madam Dowager still felt that Prince Yi treated Ning Xueyan differently.

    The jade Ruyi was better than the one before. He had not sent it to the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor as a betrothal gift. Instead, he sent it to Ning Xueyan on the excuse that he would send the better jade Ruyi to Commandery Princess Xianyun.

    This matter was weird. If it had been any ordinary person, Madam Dowager could be quite sure that this person cared more for Ning Xueyan than Commandery Princess Xianyun. However, it was Prince Yi who did it, so she was not convinced. Everyone knew that Prince Yi was temperamental. He might like someone, and then maybe he would destroy her.

    Therefore, Madam Dowager did not dare to show off. She only hoped that Ning Xueyan had truly won Prince Yi¡¯s favor. In consideration of the possibility that Ning Xueyan could be favored, Madam Dowager thought that she had to give an ount to Ning Xueyan about Madam Ling¡¯s matter. She had never been close to Ning Xueyan before. If she had a knot in her mind due to this matter, Ning Xueyan might not be willing to help her when she was in trouble in the future.

    After she paid her respects to Madam Dowager, Ning Xueyan was sent back. Madam Dowager asked her to spend more time to embroider her dowry. She only had two months left, so she had to embroider as much as possible. For this reason, Madam Dowager also sent several female embroiderers from the embroidery workshop to Ning Xueyan. If there were some good embroidery threads, she would also send them to Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, take it easy. The Fifth Young Lady will remember your kindness. Because of her marriage, the Third Young Lady has fewer female embroiderers now. You have always treated the Third Young Lady and the Fifth Young Lady equally before.¡± Seeing that Madam Dowager sat there without saying a word, after the Fifth Young Lady left, Mother Qin knew what she was worried about, so sheforted her.

    ¡°Was I really wrong? If I had known that Madam Ling was such a vicious woman, I would not have let her marry into our manor.¡± Madam Dowager leaned against the cushion behind her and said with a sigh. She did not expect that Madam Ling would be so crazy that she dared to sacrifice herself to frame Ning Xueyan.

    She was really crazy, really crazy. This vicious woman really caused a lot of trouble in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. She and her two daughters were vicious. All of them were shameful.

    ¡°It is not your fault, Madam Dowager. Marquis wanted his own way. If it were not for Marquis, how could you abandon your niece? We should me Madam Ling for being vicious. She did such a bad thing behind your back. Now she is being punished.¡±

    Mother Qin persuaded Madam Dowager carefully. Then she secretly looked at Madam Dowager¡¯s face. Although Mother Qin also knew that Madam Dowager was not innocent, she only spoke nice words to Madam Dowager.

    Madam Dowager sighed again and said calmly, ¡°Xiann was too wilful at that time. I asked her not to pay attention to the other side, but she... What is done cannot be undone. What could a girl like her do? Did she think of any ideas... I persuaded her to do so many times in private, but she still did not listen to me. What happened in the end... was because she followed her bigoted course.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Madam Ming was very stubborn. You told her that over and over again, and I was worried about her. However, she still behaved like that. Look at what she has done now. If it were not for her... If it were not for her... the Vice Minister of Justice would not have any evidence against us now. Therefore, it would be even more impossible for Madam Ling to be the legal wife. Madam Ming, s!¡±

    Mother Qin sighed after Madam Dowager. She repeatedly said that Madam Ming had only herself to me. Madam Dowager did this because she had her difficulties. She could not me Madam Dowager. Madam Dowager was able to protect her because she cared about the family affection.

    These words were what Madam Dowager liked to hear. The more she listened, the more she felt that they were reasonable. She thought that she was trying her best to protect the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, but Madam Ming did not appreciate it. As a result, Madam Dowager ended up like this. As an aunt and mother-inw, Madam Dowager could do nothing.

    ¡°Madam Ming was so stubborn. She quarreled with Zu¡¯an. The couple acted as if they were enemies. She could not me Ning Zu¡¯an for being disloyal to her. However, Madam Ling was vicious. When she first entered the manor, she was so delicate and pitiful that Zu¡¯an was fooled. In the end, she even took away those things. If so, I will kill her this time.¡±

    As her walking stick hit the ground heavily, Madam Dowager said this with hatred. Ning Zu¡¯an gave those things to Madam Ling regardless of her objection. Thus, she had to choose Madam Ling as his legal wifeter. When she thought of that, she gritted her teeth in hatred. However, her son could not be wrong. It must be someone else¡¯s fault.

    Madam Ling and Ning Zu¡¯an had an affair before Madam Ming came to the manor, which was not like what she said. Because Madam Ming and Ning Zu¡¯an had a quarrel, he had an affair with Madam Ling outside. Although she knew this, Mother Qin dared not say it out. Instead, sheforted Madam Dowager along with her words.

    ¡°Yes, Madam Dowager is also a kind-hearted person. Otherwise, Madam Ming would have died a long time ago. Madam Dowager always cares about the blood rtionship with Madam Ming. Otherwise, with Madam Ming¡¯s stubborn character, she would not have died.¡±

    ¡°Well, in a word, it is my fault. When she was a child, I, as her aunt, did not guide her. She was so wild and arrogant that she refused to listen to any advice.¡± At this time, Madam Dowager certainly wanted to show herself as a kind-hearted person. Madam Ming only had herself to me.

    Many things were beyond her expectation. Did she not see or turned a blind eye, or added fuel to the fire?

    ¡°Madam Ming was arrogant at that time. Even if you wanted to, you could not control her.¡± Mother Qin knew what Madam Dowager liked to hear, so she just followed what she said.

    These words pleased Madam Dowager. She could not help revealing a slight smile on her face, but then her smile faded and her face darkened again. ¡°What do you think we should do with Yuan¡¯er now? Originally, Zu¡¯an was going to ask for His Excellency¡¯s permission to confer the Princely Heir title on Yuan¡¯er. Now it seems that Jing¡¯er¡¯s status is higher than his. What should we do?¡±

    At the thought of this, Madam Dowager had a headache these days. If something terrible happened to Madam Ling, she would not mind, even if she died. However, Ning Huaiyuan was involved in this matter. If Ning Huaiyuan could not be the legal son, he could only be ennobled as a concubine¡¯s son. In the future, Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would get along in the name of a concubine¡¯s son. It was a shameful thing for Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Recently, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had experienced many shameful things. However, this shameful thing would forever be kept in the records of the aristocratic family and be a stain. As soon as Madam Dowager thought of this, she wanted to tear Madam Ling up. How could there be such a stupid woman? How could she not consider her children before doing anything?

    ¡°Madam Dowager, Xia Manor sent people to say that Eldest Young Lady is jealous by nature and she can¡¯t tolerate the Second Young Lady.¡± Mother Qin had forgotten about it, after talking hypocritically to Madam Dowager for a while. At this time, when the Eldest Young Master was mentioned, she suddenly remembered this matter and said this to Madam Dowager.

    ¡°It is just because something happened to our manor that Xia Manor said that. Why did they not say this before? What¡¯s more, the Second Young Lady is mean. It is necessary for the Eldest Young Lady, as her elder sister, to punish her. Is Xia Manor even going to meddle in such things?¡±

    Now when Madam Dowager mentioned Ning Yuling, she felt disgusted. She only wished that she would never hear her name again.

    Hearing Madam Dowager saying that thepetition between the wife and the concubine of Xia Manor was like apetition between sisters, Mother Qin could not help feeling that she had nothing to say, even though she had always been ttering Madam Dowager. It was so unreasonable. No matter whether the Eldest Young Lady and the Second Young Lady were sisters or not in the past, they had married into the same family. Now they had married the same person, so they had to treat each other as the wife and the concubine.

    How could it be that the older sister should teach her younger sister a lesson? But of course, Mother Qin did not dare to say that. Besides, it showed that the two Young Ladies were foolish. The manor was in general turmoil. Their biological mother, as the legal wife, had been toppled. However, they did not cooperate, but continued to fight against each other.

    ¡°As for Xia Manor, you do not have to mind them. As the saying goes, ¡°a married daughter ¡ª spilt water. The Eldest Young Lady married into Xia Manor for a reason. If we can¡¯t get any benefits, then neither can the Xia Manor. If they really want to make things difficult for us, they will find themselves in serious trouble, due to the event in the Cloud Reflection Courtyard.¡±

    Thinking of the butterfly pattern, Madam Dowager was shocked. She felt that things were not going well. If there was a butterfly pattern, it was not something that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor could suppress easily. Now the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and Xia Manor were like two grasshoppers tied to the same rope. No one could escape, and no one could abandon the other side.

    ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Mother Qin nodded and said, ¡°What should we do with the Eldest Young Master?¡± This was the focus of the conversation between Madam Dowager and her today, so she changed the topic carefully.

 Chapter 429 - Scheme, Each of them Has Their Own Scheme

    <h4>Chapter 429 Scheme, Each of them Has Their Own Scheme</h4>

    ¡°Zu¡¯an was going to request the emperor to bestow on him the title of Princely Heir. How could it be possible now? It is Madam Ling, that bi*ch, who harmed Yuan¡¯er,¡± Madam Dowager said with hatred. She had always looked down on Madam Ling¡¯s background, so since Madam Ling came to the manor, she had kept Ning Huaiyuan by her side. She had gone through a lot of trouble for Ning Huaiyuan. She always gave him the best because he was the next master of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Now that such a thing had happened, Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s status was not even equal to that of Ning Huaijing¡¯s. How could Madam Dowager not be angry? Her words were full of anger and directed at Madam Ling. Of course, her anger was because she med Madam Ling for being a disappointment. She did not me Madam Ling for doing such a thing, but only that she did not do it discreetly enough so that it would not implicate her grandson.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, what should we do now? It is not appropriate to ask the marquis to request the emperor to ennoble the Eldest Young Master now.¡± Mother Qin asked cautiously. As a servant, she should not have brought up this topic. But since Madam Dowager asked, she had to answer. As for the other meaning to Madam Dowager¡¯s words, she could only pretend that she did not hear them.

    ¡°Yuan¡¯er¡¯s current status has be like this because of that evil woman. So, it is indeed not the best time.¡± Madam Dowager frowned and raised her eyelids. She was speechless for a moment.

    ¡°Do you want to ask Madam Dowager Liu? I think it has been a long time since Madam Dowager went to Madam Dowager Liu¡¯s ce. Maybe she might have a good idea.¡± Mother Qin suggested in a low voice.

    Her words reminded Madam Dowager. Her furrowed brows rxed a little, then she nodded and stood up. ¡°Let us go and see her. She has not been out for a long time.¡±

    Mother Qin helped Madam Dowager and said with a smile, ¡°Madam Dowager Liu¡¯s ce is getting quieter and quieter. A few days ago, I sent fresh fruit to her per your order. The whole courtyard was quiet. A few older female servants were tiptoeing around because they did not want to disturb Madam Dowager Liu¡¯s cultivation.¡±

    ¡°She is bing quieter. She used toe out and talk to me from time to time, but now...¡± Madam Dowager sighed. Madam Dowager Liu seldom appeared in public, since she was taken into the manor by Ning Zu¡¯an. Even when there were banquets in the mansion, she would not attend any, as far as possible.

    Therefore, few people outside the manor knew that there was such a Madam Dowager in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Recently, Madam Dowager Liu did not like crowds. Therefore, even though so many things happened in the manor recently, Madam Dowager Liu knew nothing about it. She was immersed in her cultivation. Usually, she chanted and prayed her Buddhist mantras. Her cultivation was much quieter than when she was cultivating in the nunnery.

    Madam Dowager initially thought that she had gone too far. Sometimes, she wanted to send someone to look for her, but out of a period of ten asions, it was rare for her toe even once or twice. Madam Dowager knew that she had made up her mind to undergo cultivation, so she did not bother her anymore. But today, she really could not find anyone to discuss the matter about Ning Huaiyuan. After thinking for a while, she decided to talk to Madam Dowager Liu.

    In the Bright Frost Garden, when Ning Xueyan heard that Madam Dowager had gone to Madam Dowager Liu¡¯s courtyard, her lips curved into a smile, and her long eyshes flickered. There was a trace of darkness in her jet-ck jade-like eyes, but it disappeared in a sh.

    Madam Dowager was not just going over to chat with Madam Dowager Liu at this time. Usually, Madam Dowager would invite Madam Dowager Liu to talk to her, because she heard that Madam Dowager thought that Madam Dowager Liu lived in a quiet courtyard. This time however, she went directly to see Madam Dowager Liu.

    Compared with the hustle and bustle in Madam Dowager¡¯s courtyard, Madam Dowager Liu¡¯s was quiet. However, the quiet ce had its benefits. Without any outsidersing in, it was a good ce to talk.

    ¡°Young Lady, do you want me to look in on Madam Dowager Liu, as well?¡± Qingyu asked.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that. If you go there now, you will be discovered. Then we can¡¯t give a clear exnation.¡± Ning Xueyan shook her head. If it were Madam Dowager¡¯s Lucky Garden, where many people came and went, one would not be easily noticed from the outside. However, there were few maids and older female servants in Madam Dowager Liu¡¯s courtyard. Usually, no one could be seen there daily. If Qingyu went there, she would inevitably be under suspicion. Madam Dowager had never trusted Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°What are Madam Dowager and Madam Dowager Liu going to discuss about this time? Will they harm you?¡± Qingyu asked uneasily. She was very sharp now. If Madam Dowager went out at this time, it must have something to do with her Young Lady. But she could not hear anything.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to go. It must be about Ning Huaiyuan. Ning Huaiyuan is not qualified to be a Princely Heir now!¡± Ning Xueyan smiled and waved her hand.

    ¡°Young Lady, Madam Dowager won¡¯t let it go so easily.¡± Lanning interrupted. Everyone there knew that Madam Dowager attached great importance to Ning Huaiyuan.

    ¡°So what if Madam Dowager does not want to let it go? It is all Madam Ling¡¯s fault. Can Madam Dowager suppress what Madam Ling has done?¡± Thinking of her own Young Lady and Madam Ming¡¯s suffering, Qingyu said this angrily. Madam Ling was treacherous and malicious. Ning Yuling had almost put her Young Lady to death several times. In the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, there was only one person who spoke up for her Young Lady.

    ¡°It is impossible. Madam Ling¡¯s incident was judged by the Ministry of Justice,¡± Ning Xueyan said lightly. ¡°Lanning, how is Concubine Yu doing?¡±

    The matter about Madam Ling could not be suppressed. Moreover, Madam Ling was able to survive this time, because Ning Zu¡¯an and the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor hade to an agreement.

    ¡°Concubine Yu even sent me to thank Young Lady. She said that it was lucky that you discovered it early. Otherwise, her brother would have died this time. He will be imprisoned for several years, but it would be better than death. She said that she is grateful to you. There are also two pairs of shoes she made for you. She came to give them to me in the morning.¡±

    Lanning took out two exquisite pairs of shoes from the sewing basket, and showed them to Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Be it so. Please thank Concubine Yu for me. If she wants to see my Second Brother, you can deliver a message for her.¡± Ning Xueyan looked at the shoes, with a faint smile on her lips. Concubine Yu¡¯s elder brother was willing to confess everything directly for two reasons. On the one hand, it was because of Concubine Yu. On the other hand, it was because Madam Ling almost killed him.

    As a servant, he worked with Madam Ling to frame the then hostess. Thus, he would be put in jail. Fortunately, he had a good attitude toward the admission of guilt. And, he took the initiative to confess everything. Madam Ling, the main culprit, was not dead. As an aplice, he would be sentenced for a few years. What would happen next had nothing to do with him.

    ¡°Yes, I know.¡± Lanning always understood Ning Xueyan¡¯s order. At this time, she certainly understood Ning Xueyan¡¯s meaning. She nodded and agreed. It could be said that the case of Concubine Yu and Ning Xueyan had been solved.

    ¡°What will Madam Dowager do? Will she vent her anger on Young Lady because the Eldest Young Master could not be ennobled as Princely Heir?¡± Qingyu thought of Madam Dowager¡¯s behavior before and asked uneasily. Madam Dowager did not seem to be the kind of person who would ept her fate. The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had lost a sessor. For Madam Dowager, it was a great blow. She did not believe Madam Dowager would be so calm.

    ¡°Qingyu, Lanning, prepare the sacrificial offerings for me. Tomorrow, we will go to Cold Mountain Temple to pray for my mom. After all, my mother has been vindicated. Thus, I shouldfort her in heaven to show my filial piety, before I enter Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.¡± Ning Xueyan had made up her mind at this time and suddenly said this. Since Madam Ling¡¯s matters were now known to the public, it was reasonable for her to perform a sacrificial ceremony. Even if Madam Dowager wanted to stop her, she had no reason to do that.

    This kind of thing should have been done randomly, but it seemed that Lord Protector¡¯s Manor did not want to do it. Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an did not say anything about it, as if they had forgotten about it. They wanted to deliberately reduce the bad effect of this matter, so that peoples¡¯ attention would be diverted from Madam Ling¡¯s plot against Madam Ming.

    But now, she wanted to conduct a religious rite for Madam Ming, before she married into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Madam Dowager could not refuse her. So if Madam Dowager had any objections, she would purposely make things difficult for her tomorrow morning. No matter how Madam Dowager and Madam Dowager Liu discussed about this, they just wanted Ning Xueyan to agree.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Young Lady. We will start the preparations soon.¡± Qingyu and Lanning nodded and were about to leave when they were stopped by Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°You two wait for a while. Xinmei, go to my uncle¡¯s mansion immediately and ask them to go to the Cold Mountain Temple today. Tomorrow, I will ask them to invite me to the Cold Mountain Temple to worship my mother. It is better to ask the emperor for a favor.¡±

    Anyway, she was still a member of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, so it was not appropriate for her to offend Madam Dowager openly. If her uncle and cousin invited her, Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an could not refuse. Anyway, the Lord Protector Manor owed the Ming Manor a lot now. It was generous of the Ming Manor to spare Madam Ling.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s persuasion and negotiation were involved in this matter. Madam Ling had killed so many people, so it was too easy for her to die easily...

    ¡°Okay, I will leave now.¡± Xinmei knew that it was better not to dy. Theter the people in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor knew about the preparations, the harder it would be to guard against. So, she nodded and left.

    The next morning, Ning Xueyan did not have breakfast, so she went to Madam Dowager¡¯s Lucky Garden first. She usually went there at this time and paid her respects to Madam Dowager. After a few greetings, she came back to have breakfast again. However, today was different from ordinary days.

    First of all, she did not see Ning Qingshan and Ning Lingyun. Usually, at this time, one of them would be there.

    Secondly, when she went in, Madam Dowager was having her meal. Xiangmiao, who served her, moved a chair for her and invited her to sit down. Then, she apanied Madam Dowager to have some porridge.

    The imperial pce gave them this fragrant rice. It was said that it was from Annan City, and was also rare there. Ning Zu¡¯an received some, so he gave all of it to Madam Dowager¡¯s Lucky Garden. Because there was not much, it was only enough for Madam Dowager to have porridge in the morning. However, Madam Dowager seldom asked the youngdies to drink with her. Ning Huaiyuan would have breakfast with her from time to time.

    ¡°Grandmother, thank you. I had better go back and eat!¡± Ning Xueyan refused with a smile.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, you don¡¯t have to be so polite. Madam Dowager was just talking about you. After all, you are the closest one to Madam Dowager now, and you will leave the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor soon. Madam Dowager really does not want you to leave.¡± Xiangmiao was good at talking. She gently pressed Ning Xueyan¡¯s shoulder, and smiled. She seemed to imply that Madam Dowager loved Ning Xueyan most and treated her as the apple of her eye.

 Chapter 430 - Coercion, Tit-for-tat

    <h4>Chapter 430 Coercion, Tit-for-tat</h4>

    ¡°Sure enough, she is asking for something. That is why Madam Dowager treats me so kindly now. She is trying to show that we have a close rtionship.¡± Ning Xueyan sneered in her mind, but she did not let it show on her face. She sat down where Xiangmiao¡¯s hand indicated. Since Madam Dowager was trying to get her to sit down, she could not leave even if she wanted to. Anyway, she did not intend to go right away.

    ording to the rules of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, one should not speak while eating. Ning Xueyan had a little porridge, while Madam Dowager had already finished her breakfast. So, she put down the bowl and chopsticks in her hands, then rinsed and wiped her mouth.

    The maids cleared the table and withdrew.

    Xiangmiao had already sent someone to serve tea to Madam Dowager and Ning Xueyan.

    Madam Dowager did not look well today. There was a light-colored cloth band on her head. She sat there with one hand supporting her head, looking ill. When she saw Ning Xueyan sitting down, she smiled kindly at her and gestured to Xiangmiao, who was standing at one side. Xiangmiao understood and took out an exquisite jewelry box.

    ¡°Xueyan, you are going to marry into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor soon, so you will have to stay in the backyard of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. We are just a Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. However, we are in such a mess because of that vicious woman Madam Ling. After this incident, your mother lost her position as the principal wife. Your life in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor should be even harder. There is some jewelry here. You can take them with you. With this money, it will be more convenient for you if you need to do anything.¡±

    Madam Dowager pushed the jewelry box in front of Ning Xueyan. As soon as she opened it, she found it was filled with jewelry. Each of the pieces looked exquisite, which was totally different from the jewelry that Madam Dowager had given her previously.

    ¡°Thank you, Grandmother.¡± Ning Xueyan turned her eyes to Madam Dowager¡¯s face, pretending not to understand her words, and smiled.

    Madam Dowager¡¯s advice sounded interesting. It seemed that she and Madam Ling were both in the same position. Although the royal family permitted her to be the co-consort, she was not the legal wife. She wanted to tell Ning Xueyan that Madam Ling had no choice on this.

    She deliberately used Madam Ling of framing Madam Ming and toppling her from the position of the Legal Wife. However, she did not mention how she treated them at Bright Frost Garden, and how she had almost been killed by Ning Yuling several times. Madam Ling killed Madam Ming. Although Ning Zu¡¯an said that the whole thing had been done by a maid, everyone knew that no servant would have dared do this without her master¡¯s order.

    ¡°Madam Ling has received what she deserved. She will not be able to return to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, after she is sent away this time. It is all the fault of this vicious woman. As your grandmother, I hope that you and your siblings can get along well with each other. After all, we are of one blood. In the future, no matter if you marry someone or take a wife, you always hope that there will be someone to help you out, should anything happen.¡±

    Madam Dowager put all the me on Madam Ling, with a look of regret and exmation, as if she really thought so. As for the matter about Ning Yuling bullying Ning Xueyan, Madam Dowager pretended that nothing happened. Then, she spoke about family affection and helping one another, indicating that no one would help her in the future, if Ning Xueyan did not care about family affection.

    ¡°Will she help me if something bad happens?¡± Ning Xueyan sneered in her mind. It was a bold attempt for her to get married to Prince Yi. If something terrible happened to Ao Chenyi, she was not sure if the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would even help her, or even agree to be dragged down with her.

    ¡°Grandmother, Madam Ling not only framed my mom, but also turned my mom from a wife into a concubine, and then killed her. My father heard what Madam Ling said, and sent a maid over, saying that the maid was the one who hurt my mom. Do you think a maid would dare to kill her master? What¡¯s more, the ¡®Peach Blossom Wine¡¯ is costly.¡±

    Ning Xueyan raised her head and looked at Madam Dowager. She was not Madam Ming, so she would not step back. What Madam Ling had done was not just to topple Madam Ming from the position of the Legal Wife. She knew what Madam Dowager wanted. For Ning Xueyan, the so-called gentleness would not work.

    Speaking of this, Madam Dowager naturally knew about it, but at that time, no one really did investigate into it. She thought that Ning Xueyan epted it because she did not say anything at that time. Unexpectedly, Ning Xueyan put it forward at this critical moment, which rendered Madam Dowager speechless. She stretched her neck and did not know what to say.

    She did not know? That was impossible. Ning Zu¡¯an had checked it. How could she not know anything about it? Such a big thing was rted to the life and death of Madam Ming, who had the closest blood rtionship with her. How could she not have asked?

    She knew it. However, why did she not stand up for Madam Ming at that time? She passed the buck to a maid. How could she say that they were blood rtives? Her performance just now was a waste of time.

    ¡°No one will ever get to the bottom of the matter. But the maid was insistent. She did not confess, even though she was beaten to death. Later, she said it was because she had no choice.¡± Madam Dowager forced a smile and tried to change the topic. ¡°But there is no other way. Anyway, I have to give you an exnation and avenge your mother.¡±

    Qingrui was dead, so there was no testimony from the witness. As for what Qingrui said at that time, it did not matter. Anyway, Ning Xueyan could not prove that Madam Ling killed Madam Ming. Madam Dowager talked vaguely about this, and pretended that she did not understand Ning Xueyan¡¯s words. She wanted to use the ¡°hard to express it clearly¡± sentiment, to shirk responsibility.

    A hint of fierceness shed in Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Grandma, on that day, Mammy Yun, Madam Ling¡¯s trusted older female servant, mentioned to my uncle and cousin that the ¡®Intoxicating Peach Blossom¡¯ in my mom¡¯s body was brought in by Madam Ling. If you do not believe it, you can go to the prison to ask Mammy Yun about it.¡±

    Mammy Yun sneaked out of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor at that time and thought that no one had seen her. Then she hid in her sister¡¯s house. This time, Ning Xueyan asked Ming Feiyong to get someone to arrest her there. The facts were all there, so Mammy Yun dared not conceal the truth. Besides, on that day, she had almost been killed by Madam Ling, so she hated Madam Ling intensely. She answered all the questions.

    Madam Dowager¡¯s face darkened. She had nned to resort to using both mild and severe measures so that Ning Xueyan would agree to it. Unexpectedly, Ning Xueyan did not give way, and did not want to forgive Madam Ling. Madam Dowager thought that Ning Xueyan had no sense of appreciating favors.

    ¡°All those things about Madam Ling have passed. No matter what she has done, she is being punished now. No matter how wrong she is, she is still your elder. What¡¯s more, what an older female servant says, can¡¯t prove anything. You do not need to mention these things anymore. After all, you are the Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. If something bad happens to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, you will not have it any better.¡± Madam Dowager threatened, shaking her hands with a gloomy face and rolling her eyes.

    As mild measures did not work, Madam Dowager took stern measures, saying that Madam Ling was her elder. Xueyan¡¯s eyes were cold. How could she mention bonds of kinship? How could she talk about being the closest rtive? As expected, they were the most selfish excuses. When she did not need you, Madam Dowager would not care whether you were alive or dead. And when she needed you, she would tell you about blood ties, as if she cared more about you than anyone else.

    It was rare to find such a selfish person. But in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, there were many people like her. One was more vicious and thick-skinned than the other.

    ¡°Grandmother, an imperial physician in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor diagnosed that my mother was poisoned by ¡®Intoxicating Peach Blossom¡¯ that day. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can go to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor to ask for confirmation.¡± Ning Xueyan looked down, with her long eyshes fluttering, and the coldness in her eyes disappeared.

    If she went to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor to seek confirmation, that would blow up the affair. Madam Ling framed Madam Ming and forced Madam Ming to give up her position as the legal wife. Because his favorite concubine toppled his legal wife, Ning Zu¡¯an was impeached by the censor-in-chief, and he could not even go to court these two days. If the murder of his wife was brought up again, Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s official position woulde to an end, and he might not even be able to keep the title of Lord Protector.

    Regarding this, Madam Dowager would not dare to stir up trouble, neither would she dare to confirm it.

    ¡°Xueyan, are you going to stir up trouble? Do you know that you are still a Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? Our interests are closely linked. If you do not have the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, do you think you can marry into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor?¡± Madam Dowager¡¯s face darkened, and her eyes were cold. She stared at Ning Xueyan fiercely.

    ¡°Grandmother, don¡¯t worry. I will persuade my uncle. I will not forget that I am a Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, let alone that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and I are closely entwined.¡± This time, Ning Xueyan did not refute her. She even showed a faint smile on her face. Of course, Madam Dowager did not notice the coldness behind her smile.

    If what had happened to Madam Ming was revealed, Madam Ling would only pay for a life with a life. However, what she wanted was to make her suffer a fate worse than death.

    When all that she was going after was destroyed, she believed that Madam Ling would think that death was the best relief.

    It was not appropriate for her to reveal everything now. In that case, both Ning Zu¡¯an and the entire Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would not meet a good end. Even if she wanted to avenge her biological mother, there would be people who thought that she was being unfilial to her biological father, and her reputation would be ruined.

    The bead curtain in Madam Dowager¡¯s inner room shook as if it had been blown by a breeze. Obviously, there was no breeze in Madam Dowager¡¯s room, but Ning Xueyan¡¯s attention was focused on Madam Dowager, so she did not see it. Lanning, who was standing aside, looked at the shaking bead curtain quietly, and shifted her attention.

    ¡°Does your uncle know about this?¡± Although Madam Dowager felt a little better because of Ning Xueyan¡¯s euphemistic words, her face still looked bad, when she thought about it.

    ¡°Yes, it was my uncle who told me these things. However, he can¡¯t make up his mind because you and I are here.¡± Seeing this, Ning Xueyan opened her mouth again. She showed that Ming Feiyong had deliberately concealed Madam Ling¡¯s matter, because of Madam Dowager and Ning Xueyan.

    Of course, it meant that Ming Feiyong was still giving consideration to Madam Dowager.

    For a while, the room became quiet. Madam Dowager¡¯s face turned green and pale, and her eyebrows were tightly knitted in a frown. She looked at Ning Xueyan suspiciously. If Ming Feiyong knew that Madam Ling had murdered Madam Ming, Madam Dowager could not state that Ning Huaiyuan was adopted by Madam Ming, as it would not work.

    This was not a simple case of framing Madam Ming to topple her from the position of the main wife. The murderer of her mother was absolutely irreconcble. If she really wanted to force Ning Xueyan, maybe she would be pushed too hard. If so, Ming Feiyong would reveal the truth. An older female servant might not be able to prove anything, but if the imperial physician of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor was the witness, it would be true evidence.

 Chapter 431 - Be Patient

    <h4>Chapter 431 Be Patient</h4>

    Moreover, the attitude of Prince Yi was unclear. After the matter of changing the jade Ruyi, Madam Dowager couldn¡¯t dare to say that Prince Yi didn¡¯t care about Ning Xueyan at all.

    But if she couldn¡¯t record Ning Huaiyuan as Madam Ming¡¯s son, Ning Huaiyuan wouldn¡¯t be able to be the Princely Heir of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Madam Dowager had prepared this for Ning Huaiyuan for a long time.

    Since Madam Ming had passed away, if Ning Huaiyuan wanted to be recognized as Madam Ming¡¯s son, he had to win Ning Xueyan¡¯s approval. On behalf of her mother, Ning Xueyan could drink the tea offered by Ning Huaiyuan, which meant that they had officially acknowledged Ning Huaiyuan. Then he would be Madam Ming¡¯s son as well as the eldest son of the Lord Protector. It was natural for him to be the Princely Heir of the Lord Protector.

    At first, Madam Dowager thought that it was a piece of cake. As long as she revealed some of her intentions, Ning Xueyan dared not disobey. However, the current situation was far from what she had expected. Madam Dowager even thought that Ning Xueyan had known her thoughts because she could always make the key points.

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t agree nor disagree with her. For a moment, Madam Dowager couldn¡¯t figure out whether Ning Xueyan understood her or not. So she couldn¡¯t make up her mind.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, the Ming¡¯s Manor sent an invitation. They invited the Fifth Young Lady to pay homage to Madam Ming in Cold Mountain Temple.¡± An older female servant suddenly came in from outside and respectfully presented Madam Dowager an invitation card.

    ¡°What?¡± Madam Dowager¡¯s face darkened as she asked in a hurry, and then her face turned gloomy.

    The older female servant was so scared that she didn¡¯t dare to hide anything. She replied in a hurry, ¡°Madam Dowager, it¡¯s from the Ming¡¯s Manor. They said that they are holding a memorial ceremony for Madam Ming at Cold Mountain Temple. So theye here to invite Fifth Young Lady to pay homage to Madam Ming.¡±

    Of course, biological children were the best choices for holding a memorial ceremony. Aside from Ning Xueyan, Madam Ming had no other children.

    Madam Dowager¡¯s hands went limp, and she almost fell forward because she was unable to hold her walking stick in her hand. Ning Xueyan, who was standing beside her, hurriedly reached out to support her and help her stabilize herself.

    ¡°They... are going to hold a memorial ceremony for your mother?¡± Madam Dowager¡¯s face was as ck as the bottom of a pot, and her eyes looked very vicious. She stared daggers at Ning Xueyan and asked her through gritted teeth. If Ning Xueyan was involved in this matter, she would never forgive her.

    At first, Madam Dowager wanted to minimize the impact of Madam Ling¡¯s scandal. Although she hadmitted a crime and had been demoted to a concubine, as long as Madam Dowager kept it a secret, she could suppress the scandal to the minimum extent. Of course, it was for Ning Huaiyuan because she wanted to record Ning Huaiyuan as Madam Ming¡¯s son in the family tree before everyone knew it.

    By that time, Ning Huaiyuan would have be Madam Ming¡¯s son. As for the mistakes that Madam Ling made, since Ning Xueyan could recognize Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s identity on behalf of Madam Ming, it meant that Madam Ling¡¯s matter had nothing to do with Ning Huaiyuan. Ning Huaiyuan had to be a good person. Otherwise, why would Ning Xueyan ept him on behalf of Madam Ming?

    Since he was good, and he had been recognized as Madam Ming¡¯s son, he was able to inherit the title of Princely Heir in every way. The emperor couldn¡¯t bring up this matter again because the victim didn¡¯tin but would have to admit that Ning Huaiyuan was a good person. Moreover, when Madam Ling framed Madam Ming, Ning Huaiyuan was a kid who knew nothing about it. It was impossible for him to get involved.

    Therefore, Madam Dowager summoned Ning Xueyan here in a hurry, trying her best to persuade Ning Xueyan to agree. However, no matter what she did, Ning Xueyan refused to ept her proposal. Ning Xueyan also mentioned that Madam Ling was involved in not only framing Madam Ming but also killing her. Moreover, Ning Xueyan was not the only one who knew about this matter.

    Madam Dowager came to her wits¡¯ end when she heard that the Ming¡¯s Manor brought it up again. How could she not be angry? Now she naturally med it all on Ning Xueyan. As long as Ning Xueyan dared to say ¡°no¡±, she would make her suffer. If Ning Xueyan really didn¡¯t care about the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor at all, once she married into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor in the future, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would get no benefits. She might hurt them.

    Madam Dowager would never show mercy to those who harmed the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    As if she didn¡¯t see Madam Dowager¡¯s grim eyes, Ning Xueyan turned to the maid aside and asked, ¡°Why does my uncle suddenly want to hold a memorial ceremony for my mother?¡± It sounded like she didn¡¯t know it at all. People like Madam Dowager couldn¡¯t be pushed too hard, otherwise, they would fight back in desperation.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, either. They seemed to mention that it was the emperor¡¯s order,¡± the maid answered in a trembling voice. She looked pale because she was frightened by Madam Dowager.

    It turned out to be the emperor¡¯s order. Madam Dowager¡¯s body softened, and the anger in her eyes faded away. She only felt that she had no strength, and her head hurt. She waved her hand to Ning Xueyan powerlessly and said, ¡°Go. You should concentrate on your mother¡¯s memorial ceremony.¡±

    How could Madam Dowager dare to disobey this since it was the emperor¡¯s order? Moreover, since the emperor had interfered, she could never record Ning Huaiyuan as Madam Ming¡¯s son. Otherwise, it would be the crime of deceiving the emperor. After thinking about it carefully, the so-called ceremony was really unusual.

    ¡°Grandmother, I¡¯ll help you go in to have a rest before I leave. You look pale. Have you been feeling tired recently? Do you need a doctor to have a look at you? Now Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is in such a bad situation, if you fall ill, my father will be so anxious.¡±

    At this time, Ning Xueyan was in no hurry to leave. She held Madam Dowager¡¯s elbow, pretending to send her to the inner room.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Xueyan, help me burn a stick of incense for your mother. It was my fault that I didn¡¯t discover Madam Ling¡¯s viciousness at that time so your mother was bullied and died of depression,¡± Madam Dowager said listlessly. Of course, she avoided talking about the fact that Madam Ling had poisoned Madam Ming. Thinking that Ming Feiyong took her into consideration at least and didn¡¯t make it public, Madam Dowager spoke gently.

    ¡°Judging by her reaction, she seems to have some affection for Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. However, for Madam Ling, who killed her mother, she will never forgive her. They are absolutely irreconcble. Madam Ling is so stupid. How could she be discovered to have done such a bad thing and let it develop to such an extent?¡±

    If she knew that Madam Ling would do such a thing, Madam Dowager would never have allowed her to enter the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Now the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was in a terrible situation. Madam Dowager really hated Madam Ling so much that she just wanted to trample her to death right now because she felt that everything was her fault.

    ¡°Grandmother, are you really okay?¡± Ning Xueyan asked anxiously when she saw that Madam Dowager didn¡¯t want her help.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. You can leave now.¡± Madam Dowager waved her hand and leaned back weakly. She closed her eyes as if she didn¡¯t want to talk. Xiangmiao, who was standing beside her, hurriedly took out a cushion and put it under her body.

    Seeing Madam Dowager closing her eyes, Ning Xueyan knew that Madam Dowager really didn¡¯t want to talk anymore. She smiled at Xiangmiao, who was standing aside, and then quietly left. Taking Lanning with her, she admired her uncle very much in her heart. Her uncle¡¯s action was so fast, and he even got the emperor¡¯s decree. Even though she didn¡¯t know if the decree was oral, as long as the emperor talked about it, it was a decree.

    Ning Xueyan had already packed up her luggage, and she couldn¡¯t show her anxiety at this time, so she asked a maid to reply to the person from the Ming¡¯s Manor outside while going back to Bright Frost Garden, preparing to go to Cold Mountain Temple. No matter what Madam Dowager wanted to do to her mother, Ning Huaiyuan was unable to be recognized as her mother¡¯s son after this.

    Madam Dowager had gone through a lot of things and experienced two emperors¡¯ government. She knew the crime of deceiving the emperor was unforgivable and could bring disaster to the whole family. The struggle between Madam Ming and Madam Ling was no longer the conflict in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. After Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s punishment of dismissal, even though Madam Dowager wanted to take advantage of the situation, she found no chance at all.

    ¡°Grandmother, are you all right? You should take care of yourself. As for my business... it¡¯s really not important. As long as you¡¯re well, I wouldn¡¯t care even if I had nothing.¡± The curtain in the inner room was lifted, and Ning Huaiyuan knelt behind Madam Dowager. He held Madam Dowager¡¯s hand with both hands, wearing a sad smile on his face.

    ¡°Yuan¡¯er!¡± Looking at her beloved grandson who looked so miserable, Madam Dowager¡¯s nose twitched and her eyes turned red. She hugged Ning Huaiyuan and cried. ¡°It¡¯s all your vicious mother¡¯s fault. She¡¯s so stupid. How could she do such a thing? What should your father and I do?¡± Madam Dowager said.

    On one hand, she was worried about the future of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor; on the other hand, it was because of Ning Huaiyuan. Ning Huaiyuan was not a yboy. He was smart and had a good education. He even had no personal maids so far. He was leading a clean life. He was a really promising childe in the capital. Besides, he grew up under Madam Dowager¡¯s care, so he had a special rtionship with her.

    It could be said that Madam Dowager was very satisfied with Ning Huaiyuan. Although Ning Huaijing was also a child of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, in Madam Dowager¡¯s eyes, he was raised by a maid. He could notpare to the elegant childe who was raised by her. So even though Ning Huaijing had lived in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an never thought about letting him be the heir of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    But now, the best candidate had lost all the chances. When Madam Dowager saw Ning Huaiyuan, she felt sad and burst into tears.

    Although he was a man, Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t help bing red as well.

    ¡°Grandmother, you can¡¯t cry like this. It will damage your health. Elder brother doesn¡¯t have a chance now, but it doesn¡¯t mean that he won¡¯t have a chance in the future. Grandmother, you can¡¯t be in a hurry now.¡± Ning Qingshan lifted the curtain and walked in. She walked to Madam Dowager¡¯s side and tried to persuade her.

    Xiangmiao was good at observing people. When she saw theming in, she left immediately. Although she was Madam Dowager¡¯s henchwoman, she was different from Mother Qin. After all, she had not experienced many things with Madam Dowager. So she carefully retreated outside the room and closed the door for them, waiting outside.

    When the Fifth Young Lady came over, Ning Huaiyuan and Ning Qingshan hid in the inner room, eavesdropping on the conversation between Ning Xueyan and Madam Dowager. This kind of thing was so disgraceful for a noble gentleman ordy to do. However, Madam Dowager said nothing, and Ning Huaiyuan and Ning Qingshan also took it for granted.

    Xiangmiao felt that she was just a maid, and this kind of thing was really not what she should think about.

 Chapter 432 - Indecisiveness Leads to Disaster

    <h4>Chapter 432 Indecisiveness Leads to Disaster</h4>

    Ning Huaiyuan and Ning Qingshan separated at the gate of Lucky Garden and went back to their own ces, looking normal. However,pared with the calm Ning Qingshan, Ning Huaiyuan looked more worried. He had not fully recovered from his injury and Ning Zu¡¯an was still angry with him. Plus his biological mother was exposed to have created a big scandal¡ªshe made a huge mistake¡ªto frame Ning Xueyan in front of Ning Zu¡¯an.

    His status had also changed from a legitimate eldest son to a concubine¡¯s eldest son, and he had no idea when he could be the Princely Heir. How could he take it lying down?

    ¡°Elder brother, are you really not going to avenge my mother? Is it really a coincidence that she has fallen into such a dilemma? Not to mention the other things, no matter how stupid our mother was, she could not have done such a stupid thing. Is there anything more impossible than ndering Fifth Sister in front of our father? Although she did this, don¡¯t you think there is something fishy about it?¡±

    He felt like Ning Qingshan¡¯s words were still resounding in his ears. She spoke to him ironically while looking at him when they were eavesdropping on Madam Dowager and Ning Xueyan. Ning Qingshan¡¯s warm and soft breath was almost in his ears. Her charming eyes were full of ridicule like a graceful temptation.

    It was just like the seemingly pure girl in the past days who affectionately called him ¡°brother¡±, with full affection and temptation in her eyes. Although he was a naive young boy who couldn¡¯t understand the affection in her eyes, he despised her feeling.

    Even though Ning Qingshan was not his biological sister, she was the daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, which meant that she was his sister. It was also because he had always arrogantly ignored the affection in Ning Qingshan¡¯s eyes and her intimacy that he was relieved when she demanded to go to the nunnery. He only regarded Ning Qingshan as his third sister.

    He thought that he was noble and unsullied, so he didn¡¯t like what Ning Qingshan had done. But he didn¡¯t expect that the feeling he despised most had unconsciously grown in his heart.

    The charming girl under the plum tree not only amazed the Fourth Prince but also him. It might be because he believed that she was Ning Qingshan that he didn¡¯t feel much burden in his heart. Instead, he even felt relieved. Since Ning Xueyan was not his biological sister but had feelings toward him...

    However, it had never urred to him that the girl under the plum tree was not the affectionate and gentle Ning Qingshan, but Ning Xueyan, who had been hiding in Bright Frost Garden. She was so unknown to the public and mediocre that he would not have thought that the Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was the most amazing one in his whole life.

    And his heart had fallen into depravity!

    The most important reason for helping his mother deal with Ning Xueyan was to destroy her. In order to cover up his ugly mentality, the best way was to make Ning Xueyan disappear from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Therefore, he made full use of Junior Concubine Xu in the trick of the witchcraft. He even had an affair with her, which was something he had never dared to imagine before.

    Unfortunately, in the end, nothing happened to Ning Xueyan, but Junior Concubine Xu was exposed. Later, his father found out about the affair between him and Junior Concubine Xu. When his father came over and kicked him, he knew it clearly. He was trembling all over. His father knew it. How could his father know it? Because he had been so careful, he didn¡¯t believe that his father could find some evidence.

    Then his father detested him, and everything that happenedter caught him off guard. Ning Qingshan imitated Ning Xueyan¡¯s handwriting and wrote him a letter, making a date with him. He thought for a long time with the letter in his hand, struggling. In any case, it was inappropriate for him to go, but he still did in the end.

    Under the dim light of the moon, looking at the white figure, he was overwhelmed by mixed feelings. When he could not help revealing his emotion, he realized that it was not Ning Xueyan, but Ning Qingshan.

    Sitting in his study, he looked up dazedly with gloomy eyes. There were several points that Ning Qingshan was right about. Everyone believed that he would be the future Princely Heir of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Even though his father detested him recently, he had never said that he would make his second brother the Princely Heir. Therefore, the position would be his and could not be taken away by others.

    The existence of Ning Xueyan not only made him realize how despicable he was but also became his biggest obstacle. Ning Qingshan was right. He should not allow Ning Xueyan to be alive, ever.

    ¡°Eldest Young Master, Third Young Lady sends this fabric to you. She wants you to choose one and she will make clothes for you,¡± a young male servant came in with a maid and said. Ning Huaiyuan knew this maid. She served Ning Qingshan. His eyes fell on the tray in her hands.

    Indecisiveness leads to disaster. Ning Qingshan was reminding him not to be soft-hearted.

    He randomly chose a piece of fabric and nodded to signal the servant girl to leave. He thought with a gloomy face and angry eyes as he called a servant in. He spoke to the servant, who dared not disobey him and left with a nod.

    Ning Xueyan got into the carriage with Qingyu. This time, she would avoid the whirlpool of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor when she held a memorial ceremony for her mother. Since she was about to marry into the Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, so it was reasonable for her to do such a thing for her biological mother. Now Madam Ming¡¯s reputation was rehabilitated and she was the real Marchioness, so the memorial ceremony should be upgraded.

    There were some things that she couldn¡¯t prepare well before, so she left Xinmei behind, who would send these things to Cold Mountain Templeter.

    The scandals about the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor happened one after another, so it was natural for Ning Xueyan to take a low profile to go out at this time. Therefore, in addition to the two older female servants in the second carriage, only Qingyu and Ning Xueyan were in the front one. Although Qingyu was not as dependable as Lanning, she had be clever.

    This time, the worshiping ceremony was for Madam Ming, so Qingyu naturally had to be at present. She had also asked Lanning to inform Mother Han since they had a master-servant rtionship after all. If Mother Han and Qingyu had not protected Madam Ming and Ning Xueyan in Bright Frost Garden at that time, they would have had an even harder time or had died early. Mother Han and Lanning were all loyal.

    ¡°Young Lady, Madam has finally rehabilitated her reputation. Madam Ling, that vicious woman, should have been punished. She should have been sent to hell long ago,¡± Qingyu said with red-rimmed eyes.

    She had witnessed Madam Ling and her daughter torture Madam Ming and Ning Xueyan. At that time, in the manor, no one spoke up for them. They all pretended that nothing had happened. Even when she sought help in Madam Dowager¡¯s yard, crying, to report that the Second Young Lady wanted to push Ning Xueyan into the water to drown her, no one paid attention to her.

    Before she could see Madam Dowager, she was beaten away by two older female servants with sticks. They said that she was talking nonsense and if she kept doing this, Madam Dowager would beat her to death. The words were not empty threats because she could see the cruelty in the two older female servants¡¯ eyes. They were in charge of punishment in the courtyard and they had beaten many servants to death.

    Madam Dowager sent them away because it was obvious that nobody in the manor cared about Ning Xueyan¡¯s life. So many people saw it, but none of them cared. They all pretended to be blind. If Ning Xueyan had not gotten lucky, she would have died many times.

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t answer her. She just lowered her head, feeling peaceful inside. She was reborn in order to seek revenge on Madam Ling and her daughter. She had foreseen the result. In thest life and this life, Madam Ling and her daughter didn¡¯t only owe her one life, so even if she had to lose her life again, she would seek revenge from them.

    She was not a saint and couldn¡¯t return good for evil. Since she climbed up from hell, she was both Ning Ziying and Ning Xueyan. In any case, she had toplete her mission. It was for Ning Ziying, for Ning Xueyan, and for Madam Ming. At the moment of her rebirth, she was the real Ning Xueyan.

    Seeing that Ning Xueyan did not speak, Qingyu wiped her tears away and asked worriedly, ¡°Young Lady, will Madam Dowager still send people to the temple to force you to record Eldest Young Master as Madam¡¯s son?¡±

    Not only Ning Xueyan but also her maids knew Madam Dowager¡¯s purpose of summoning her to Lucky Garden just now. At this point, this was the only reason that Madam Dowager treated Ning Xueyan so well. Ning Xueyan couldn¡¯t find anything else except for this reason, but she wouldn¡¯t agree to this anyway.

    Although Ning Huaiyuan did not directly interfere in this matter of Madam Ling and her daughter torturing Madam Ling and Ning Xueyan, he sat back and looked on coldly as a bystander time and time again. Wasn¡¯t he a helper? Madam Dowager was asking too much if she wanted to record Ning Huaiyuan as the son of Madam Ling. Of course, the people of Bright Frost Garden stood on Ning Xueyan¡¯s side unanimously.

    ¡°No, she won¡¯t. No matter how shameless she is, she doesn¡¯t dare to say such things in front of Uncle, and...¡± Ning Xueyan sneered and looked up with coldness in her eyes. ¡°And Madam Ling had poisoned Madam Ming. If this matter leaked out, Ning Zu¡¯an would not be able to keep his title. Even if Madam Dowager wants Ning Huaiyuan to inherit the title, she doesn¡¯t dare to risk losing it.

    ¡°If she irritates Uncle because of this, she will lose more than she¡¯ll gain.¡±

    Qingyu was relieved when she heard Ning Xueyan¡¯s words. Butter on, another thing hit her. When she got into the carriage, Lanning had said something to her and she almost forgot about it. She said, ¡°Young Lady, Lanning said that someone was inside Madam Dowager¡¯s room just now. It seemed that someone was eavesdropping.¡±

    ¡°Someone was in the room?¡± It reminded Ning Xueyan. She was a little confused just now, but she didn¡¯t pay attention to it for a moment. Qingyu reminded her and she suddenly remembered that if there was someone else in the room, it couldn¡¯t be anyone but Ning Huaiyuan. Madam Dowager would only let Ning Huaiyuan stay in the room and eavesdrop.

    Maybe Ning Qingshan was there as well. She heard that recently Ning Qingshan always stayed with Ning Huaiyuan. Thinking about it, Ning Xueyan¡¯s face suddenly changed. She opened her mouth and wanted to say something when she only felt that the carriage had suddenly sped up. She heard the carter pulling the horse, crying, and some hurried hoofs. ¡°Are the horses frightened?¡±

    Before Ning Xueyan could react, the carriage seemed to have been hit by something. It suddenly fell to the ground and then heavily stood back up. Then it shook violently for a while as someone screamed. Ning Xueyan was pushed out from behind before she could say anything as Qingyu cried out in her ear.

 Chapter 433 - A Sudden Change and a Sudden Shock

    <h4>Chapter 433 A Sudden Change and a Sudden Shock</h4>

    At the critical moment, Ning Xueyan grabbed the half-open door with her hand. She pulled her body forward with all her strength. Fortunately, she managed to stabilize herself at thest moment.

    At this time, Qingyu also freed one hand to pull Ning Xueyan¡¯s hard into the carriage so that thetter, who had half of her body thrown outside, could return when the carriage suddenly stopped.

    ¡°Young Lady, what... what happened?¡± Qingyu was still in shock. She held Ning Xueyan¡¯s hands tightly and asked in a panic.

    They had walked along this road several times before. Regarding the time, they should be on the road leading to Cold Mountain Temple. Since there were more people going to the temple for incense, the road up to the mountain was rtivelyrge, and no ident should happen normally. However, when Ning Xueyan was thrown out of the carriage just now, she saw her carriage bumping into a tree on the wayside. The carter must have fainted, sitting on the shaft. Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t know if he was dead or alive, but in a sh, she saw two men outside, who looked very suspicious.

    Judging from their clothes, they didn¡¯t seem to belong to a decent family.

    ¡°There¡¯s someone outside.¡± Cold sweat appeared on Ning Xueyan¡¯s forehead. She pinched Qingyu¡¯s hand as she bit her lower lip. At this time, she couldn¡¯t be chaotic. Although she had two carriages with her, after hers had run for a while, they must have deviated from the original road. There were two older female servants sitting in the second carriage, but they might not catch up with them.

    Qingyu and Ning Xueyan were both vulnerable, and the only male was the carter, who was lying on the ground, not knowing whether he was alive or dead. The situation in front of her was extremely dangerous. Her horses were startled and her carriage was smashed for no reason. What¡¯s more, some strange men were watching her. It seemed that something wrong was happening.

    Before she could say anything, she heard the sound of footsteps. She took Qingyu¡¯s hand and dragged her down toy down in the carriage as if she had been knocked unconscious. Qingyu was not stupid. When she received Ning Xueyan¡¯s hint, even though she was in a panic, she immediatelyy down next to Ning Xueyan and rested half of her body on Ning Xueyan¡¯s, covering most of her body.

    ¡°How are they? Are they dead?¡± A hand reached out and opened the door. A man with fair skin stood at the door, with his chest half-revealed. He looked like a ruffian, like one of the mostmon ruffians on the street.

    ¡°Not dead, I think.¡± Another voice sounding cleverer came from behind him. It was a short man with a sharp mouth who was dressed the same as the former one. He looked like a rogue who was wearing the words ¡°I am a bad person¡± on his face. Looking from his point of view, he could only see Qingyu¡¯s face. Ning Xueyan was pressed down by Qingyu, so her face could not be seen clearly.

    When Ning Xueyan fell down, she covered her face with half of her sleeve. Looking from the outside, they could only see a long sleeve and her beautiful hair. The inside was dark, so it was not clear when they looked into the carriage under the sun.

    ¡°Do you want to kill them now?¡± The taller one looked at Qingyu and touched her face with his hand. He said with a lecherous smile, ¡°She¡¯s quite beautiful. It¡¯s a pity for her to die in this way.¡±

    ¡°Why a pity? The people behind areing soon. It will be troublesome if we are seen by others. We¡¯d better hurry up and get them out of there so that we can get the money, and not be discovered by others.¡± The shorter guy impatiently pushed the tall man¡¯s hand away and looked at the road behind him as he spoke.

    The purpose of their action today was to kill the people inside. If others found out that the two women did not die in the ident, the two rogues would be in real trouble. The man who ordered them had said that if they were discovered, no one could protect them.

    ¡°It¡¯s a pity that both thedy and the maid are so beautiful. The maid is so pretty, so thedy should not be ugly. Why don¡¯t we take them away first? Anyway, the carriage had turned over. If they disappear, who would know?¡± the tall man suggested. Looking at Qingyu¡¯s face, he seemed to be reluctant to give up.

    The maid looked as beautiful as the No.1 prostitute in the brothel whom he was unable to have a look at on ordinary days. Looking at the hillside beside the carriage, they found that it was not very precipitous, but they couldn¡¯t see the bottom. If the carriage rushed down, even if it didn¡¯t slide down very fast at first, it would definitely crash in the end.

    This was much more convenient than a cliff. At least, it would look more like they had identally slipped down.

    ¡°Once we get money, we can have any woman we like. If there is no one in the carriage, it will be troublesome. Look at her dress, it ispletely different from our clothes. If anyone sees that we have ady from a noble family with us, they will definitely find us in less than three days. You think we can touch her?¡± The short man scolded him.

    The tall man smiled and refused to give up. He said, ¡°So what if she¡¯s from a noble family? We¡¯ve yed with girls like her before. That family also could not do anything to usst time. The girl¡¯s reputation had been ruined, and her family would rather she had died than find her and take her back.¡±

    ¡°Bullsh*t, how could it be the same? That family was just an ordinary rich family. This one is different. They have a noble title. We might lose our lives. No matter how good-looking they are, our lives are more important than that.¡± The short man sneered.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re going to push them down?¡± the tall man asked reluctantly.

    ¡°Hurry up,e on and help.¡± The short man became more and more impatient. He turned and left the carriage. It seemed that he wanted to turn to the back and push it down the slope.

    Under the long sleeves, Ning Xueyan narrowed her eyes and watched the movement of the two people. Since she was in the dark while they were under the sun and she had the long sleeves on her face, the two people outside didn¡¯t notice that she was looking at them with her eyes open all the time. She didn¡¯t dare to move rashly because she was afraid that the two people would take more extreme measures after discovering that.

    From the conversation between the two people, she knew that today¡¯s matter was by no means idental. Someone secretly nned to kill her. Except for those in Madam Dowager¡¯s courtyard, only the people in her courtyard knew that she was going to Cold Mountain Temple. She had asked Lanning to check out Bright Frost Garden again and again, so it was unlikely that her people had spread the news.

    So it had to be from Madam Dowager¡¯s people. But Madam Dowager was relying on her, so it was impossible for Madam Dowager to do anything to her because there was no conflict of interest between them. In this case, Ning Huaiyuan and Ning Qingshan were the only ones who could arrange everything in such a short period of time. It was by no means possible for an ordinary woman like Ning Qingshan to do such a thing.

    She thought Ning Huaiyuan was the only one who had hidden in Madam Dowager¡¯s courtyard before. Even if Ning Huaiyuan wanted to deal with her, he would not take action so fast. But what if Ning Qingshan was involved? What if she had fanned the mes of this? Ning Qingshan and Ning Huaiyuan had been close to each other recently, so Ning Qingshan would go to Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s when she was free, iming that she wanted to check Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s injury.

    Now Madam Ling was inferior to a concubine since she had been demoted. It not only impaired Ning Huaiyuan but also Ning Qingshan, who was recorded as Madam Ling¡¯s daughter. Ning Qingshan made herself the Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor in order to fight for the position of Third Prince¡¯s wife. But in the end, Ning Xueyan fought back and Ning Qingshan had to be a co-consort instead of a wife. As the daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she was truly wronged.

    But now, Ning Qingshan was no longer the Marchioness¡¯s daughter because of Madam Ling. Could a co-consort¡¯s daughter be a prince¡¯s concubine? So Ning Huaiyuan or Ning Qingshan should be responsible for this, or they did it together. However, she had no time to figure out who had plotted against her at the moment.

    The tall man looked at them reluctantly when he saw the short man walking ahead. Just as he was about to leave, Ning Xueyan let out a soft moaning sound as her longshes fluttered. The long sleeves covering her face moved away and then she lifted her head slightly. She looked at the tall man, who was standing at the carriage in a daze, and asked, ¡°What... what happened?¡±

    Her voice sounded delicate and she looked exceedingly beautiful. Her long eyshes as well as her watery eyes looked girly. The tall man, who was about to leave, immediately felt shocked and couldn¡¯t move. He didn¡¯t expect such a gorgeous little beauty to be in the carriage.

    As if she had seen everything clearly, Ning Xueyan blinked as her face turned paler. She looked at the man in front of her timidly, but no one noticed her raised hand and the fierce look hidden in her eyes. At this time, the only one she could rely on was herself. Her enemies were two males, so she was no match for them. She had to be waiting for this moment.

    ¡°If I can¡¯t take them down by force, I have to do it by using a strategy!¡±

    Even though she had been reborn, Ning Xueyan had never experienced something like this. Although she was confident, her hands and feet trembled a little unconsciously. In the current situation, if she could not save herself, she would have to die. If someone else nned to kill her, of course, she would not wait to die.

    ¡°Who... who are you?¡± the girl asked in a sweet voice, sounding confused and scared, which was exactly in line with Ning Xueyan¡¯s current identity and situation. Which Young Lady could stay calm in such a situation?

    The girl was as beautiful as jade, sweet, and delicate. Ning Xueyan was trying to get up with her arms, but it was difficult because most of her body was pressed under Qingyu¡¯s. When she supported herself with her elbow, timidly, she looked like a lotus in the wind, which made people feel sorry for her.

    ¡°Little beauty, do you want to get up? Let me help you.¡± At this time, the tall man had already been fascinated by Ning Xueyan¡¯s beauty. He reached out to push Qingyu away, trying to pull the little beauty toward him. The carriage was not big and Qingyu was lying at the door. Although she was very thin, she still weighed dozens of pounds. It would take him a lot of effort to push Qingyu away.

    The tall man squatted down subconsciously and pushed Qingyu hard with his hands. His attention was all on Qingyu, but he didn¡¯t forget to flirt with Ning Xueyan. He said dissolutely, ¡°Little beauty, wait a minute. I¡¯ll push the maid off, and then I¡¯ll take good care of you.¡±

    In the carriage, Ning Xueyan coldly looked at the tall man. Under her sleeves, she slightly raised one hand and leaned against the brocade bench inside the carriage. Then she found the gold button on the blood bracelet with the other hand and pressed it down hard.

 Chapter 434 - A Decisive Survival Escape

    <h4>Chapter 434 A Decisive Survival Escape</h4>

    A few poisonous needles were directly shot out from Ning Xueyan¡¯s blood bracelet, which all hit the tall man¡¯s face. This attack surprised him. He hadn¡¯t expected that a delicate Young Lady like her would have been a danger to him. Moreover, he just happened to be in a stooped posture, so he fell down by the carriage door without saying a word. His upper body was hanging in the carriage and he lost consciousness.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, what should we do now?¡± At this time, Qingyu opened her eyes. She grabbed Ning Xueyan¡¯s sleeve nervously and asked with a little quiver. Although she had been motionless on the ground just now, she had kept secretly watching. Once she realized that something was wrong, she would immediately sit up to protect Ning Xueyan. It was not until after seeing that Ning Xueyan got rid of the tall man that she breathed a sigh of relief.

    She really regretted it. If she had known then, she would have stayed behind and asked Xinmei to follow Fifth Young Lady. Then such a dangerous thing would not have happened.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Come over here, or I¡¯ll push you down with the carriage.¡± Before Ning Xueyan could say a word, the short man¡¯s curses came from outside. After waiting for a while behind the carriage just now, he still didn¡¯t see the tall man there. He thought he must have been taking advantage of Ning Xueyan in the carriage because of his lust for her beauty. So he couldn¡¯t help cursing and turned around at the same time.

    He just tried to push the carriage a little on his own, and it was now on the edge of the highest slope. With a little bit of force, it would slide down the slope. After that, they would throw the coachman down and then no one would know about it. No matter who would investigate this matter in the future, they would not be able to figure out that it was a murder, but would only take it as an ident.

    Hearing the sound outside, Ning Xueyan estimated the distance with her eyes. Because of the tall man¡¯s neglect and the close distance, she could kill the tall man with one strike just now. Even if he had noticed it, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to avoid it in time. So now in the face of the short man, who was smarter, the distance was even more crucial.

    She bit her lower lip and suppressed her fear. There was a trace of fierceness shing in her eyes. She pulled Qingyu¡¯s hand, then motioned her to turn away and get off of her. Otherwise, she would be unable to move her body flexibly enough and the short man might escape.

    Qingyu nodded and looked to the left. She found that it was a slightlyrger distance over that way, then she stepped aside. At this time, Ning Xueyan¡¯s blood bracelet was theirst hope, so she had to shoot him with one strike.

    Pushing the half-closed door open, the short man came to pull the tall man¡¯s half-hanging clothes and said unhappily, ¡°Come out quickly! They will be dead soon, so you don¡¯t have to see them. After we go down the mountainter, I¡¯ll take you to find other Young Ladies. Don¡¯t look like you¡¯ve never seen the world.¡±

    The tall man¡¯s upper body was in the carriage. From the outside, it looked like he was taking advantage of the Young Lady inside. In particr, he heard something moving inside, then a Young Lady lowered her voice and asked nervously, ¡°Who, you... you... what do you want to do? Let me go!¡±

    It sounded as if someone was struggling to be dragged. Then he looked at the tall man¡¯s body outside shaking with the carriage. He knew that he had to be doing something dirty. The short man¡¯s face darkened with anger. If the people in the carriage were knocked unconscious, no matter whether they died or not, it had nothing to do with them. But now, this stupid man actually exposed himself.

    If the people inside had a narrow escape from death, then it would be really bad!

    The gliding slope looked like a dead end. But if the people inside were really not fated to die this time, they also just might break their arms and legs. Because they didn¡¯t know who was outside the carriage. Even if the people inside didn¡¯t die, they also wouldn¡¯t know what they did to them.

    But in the current situation, it was clear that the people inside were awake. He angrily came to pull the tall man out and cursed him, ¡°You are killing yourself. One night of romance with a gorgeous girl, a happy death thus deserves. You don¡¯t have to wait until now, and just court death yourself.¡±

    He indignantly scolded the tall man here, but he didn¡¯t know that he had already be a ghost.

    When he reached out to pull him, Qingyu got Ning Xueyan¡¯s signal and then grabbed the tall man¡¯s hand firmly. The short man didn¡¯t expect that someone inside would pull hard but he didn¡¯t let it go. He thought that the tall man didn¡¯t care about anything because of his lust for beauty. Then he took two more steps forward and tried to pull him out.

    At this time, he used much more strength. He gritted his teeth, stepped on the ground, and used all his strength to pull him. The door was half-covered and tilted down a little. When he exerted greater strength, the carriage started to move, as if it was sliding down. The short man was terribly frightened and looked up.

    His face and neck happened to be exposed at the carriage door, and his attention was all focused on the rear.

    Finally, this was the opportunity that Ning Xueyan had waited for. She was right next to the carriage door. At this time, she reached out to press down hard on the gold button and aimed at the short man¡¯s face. With a scream, he fell down and then happened to hit the tall man, who was half-exposed outside.

    The carriage was top-heavy. Moreover, the short man just tampered with the carriage and even ced something under it. With a little more force, it would slide down the slope. When he pulled just now, there was downward momentum. At this time, after the short man hit his body on it heavily, the carriage started to move.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, it¡¯s over now!¡± Seeing that the short man was hit by a poisonous needle and fell down directly, Qingyu breathed a sigh of relief, loosened her hands, and then immediately softly slumped into the carriage.

    ¡°No!¡± Ning Xueyan had originally been rxed and took a breath, but she was suddenly shocked by the carriage¡¯s shaking. She immediately realized that something was wrong. She tore down the curtain at the door and could clearly feel that it was slipping down. Now it just started to move, so its speed was not very fast. However, when she saw that the slope below was suddenly steep, she knew that it was a bad thing.

    After listening to their conversation just now, she had thought that there still would have been some time left. But now it seemed that everything was all set except for one thing. They actually did not want to make a deal with her at all. They had a strong desire to kill her.

    ¡°Qingyu, jump out now!¡± She had no time to care about anything else, so she decisively pulled up Qingyu next to her and jumped out hand in hand...

    On the other mountain road, several horses galloped over. The man sitting on the first horse had a handsome face full of shadiness, and his whole body exuded a bloodthirsty momentum, as if it came from hell. His loose ck robe was fluttering in the wind. It was embroidered with bright red manjusaka, dancing in the wind, but it made people feel tremble for no reason.

    Even if it was a seasoned general, he couldn¡¯t have such a cold rage.

    The horses ran very fast, and they soon arrived at the ce where Ning Xueyan¡¯s carriage had fallen. The coachman fell down under the tree and his forehead was bleeding. A guard jumped down and touched his pulse. Then he shook his head at Ao Chenyi, and replied, ¡°Prince Yi, the coachman is dead.¡±

    Ao Chenyi¡¯s eyes fell on the two tracks left by the shaft of the carriage on the ramp. It was obvious that the carriage should have fallen down here. Then he looked at the dark valley below and found that the slope wasn¡¯t very steep at first. But the farther down it went, the harder it was to see. So it was very deep down there.

    If one did not see the two men on the ground down beside the slope, others might only take it as an ident. The carriage bashed into a nearby tree, then the coachman died in this ident, and the carriage fell down the hill. As for the people inside, the state of their lives was uncertain.

    ¡°Prince Yi, they died from poisonous needles.¡± The other guard had already gone over to investigate the two men who had fallen upon the slope and found that they were also dead.

    Ao Chenyi didn¡¯t say a word. A trace of bloodthirsty rage shed in his handsome phoenix eyes, as if they had been poisoned. Whoever met with his cold eyes would feel frightened, lower their head, and kneel on the ground motionless. The people present all knew that Prince Yi got angry.

    His co-consort, who did not enter the mansion yet, had met with an ident before marriage. This was a p in Prince Yi¡¯s face.

    ¡°Bring her to me, dead or alive!¡± Ao Chenyi said in a gloomy voice. In an instant, he pinched off the gorgeous golden painted horsewhip in his hand.

    They dared to make Prince Yi angry, so they would have to pay for it in blood.

    The people present did not dare to neglect him and replied in unison respectfully, ¡°Yes!¡±

    Immediately, all these people dispersed and chased down the carriage¡¯s traces. No matter who did it today, if Prince Yi found it out, they would die.

    ¡°Prince Yi, don¡¯t worry. Fifth Young Lady is a lucky girl, and it seems like she hasn¡¯t been knocked out of the carriage. These two men must have been killed by Fifth Young Lady.¡± Only Yu Jian didn¡¯t leave Ao Chenyi¡¯s side. He also knew that Ao Chenyi had given Ning Xueyan a blood bracelet.

    It was obvious that these two people didn¡¯te from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. At this time, their deaths could only show that they had bad intentions toward Ning Xueyan. But now, they had died here due to the poisonous needles on their faces. These needles were shot out from the blood bracelet that Prince Yi sent her, so Yu Jian did not say these wordspletely for the sake of letting Ao Chenyi feel rxed.

    This slope wasn¡¯t steep at first. If Fifth Young Lady was more decisive and directly jumped out, it would be nothing serious. However, ordinary Young Ladies were timid. Although Fifth Young Lady seemed to be braver than others, he didn¡¯t know whether she had the courage to jump out. If she jumped toote, then she might not die but would be seriously injured.

    Ao Chenyi¡¯s handsome face was gloomy. He jumped off his horse and stood there with his hands sped behind his back. His body emanated a strong sense of bloodthirstiness. However, Yu Jian, who had been following him, could not help taking two steps back. He had never seen Prince Yi get so angry because of a woman. It seemed that Fifth Young Lady was special in Prince Yi¡¯s heart.

    It was toote to say anything now. He only hoped that Fifth Young Lady was more decisive and would not allow anything bad to happen to herself.

    ¡°Prince Yi, do you want to investigate the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?¡± Being shrouded by his cold breath and infected by his bloody smell, Ning Xueyan had to speak carefully and tried to change the subject.

    Fifth Young Lady was going to Cold Mountain Temple. Prince Yi had heard it from the people of the Ming Manor. But they wouldn¡¯t harm Ning Xueyan, so it had to be the people of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to do it. Thinking about what had happened in the end, he found that there should be more than one person to be reluctant to see Fifth Young Lady live well.

    ¡°You¡¯ll investigate thest people to go in and out of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. By the way, check the Xia Manor and Ao Mingyu¡¯s Manor,¡± Ao Chenyi said coldly. How dare they hurt his woman! No matter who they were, they should be ready to bear his anger and revenge. Even if Ning Xueyan hadn¡¯t married into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor yet, she was still his woman.

 Chapter 435 - Running into an Old Acquaintance in the Mountains

    <h4>Chapter 435 Running into an Old Acquaintance in the Mountains</h4>

    Ning Xueyan felt that her head was heavy. It was so heavy that she could hardly lift it. She had a sudden burst of fuzzy awareness, and after a long while, she remembered what had happened just now. She took Qingyu to jump out of the carriage. Although the carriage¡¯s speed was not fast, they really still could not resist itpared to the twodies with weak strength. Especially for Ning Xueyan, she had never kept a good body since childhood.

    Being pulled by the sharp speed, how could she grab Qingyu? Her hand was released and she fell to the ground heavily, rolling around quickly. Then she didn¡¯t know what she had bumped into and passed out. Now she only felt pain all over her body, and also wondered whether her bones were broken or not after being hit.

    She looked at the sky over her head quietly. There were still white fluffy clouds floating in the very blue sky¡ªhow beautiful it was! She tried her best to move, but during this period of time, the strength she had recovered was only enough to allow her to move a little. This body was still too weak. She turned her head slightly and looked at the surroundings.

    Fortunately, this ce was fairly t and it was also a meadow. With the summer¡¯s arrival, the grass and trees were flourishing. However, the reason why she paused was that she was blocked by a lush bush. But even so, she still felt light-headed and her vision was dark, as if she had been stepped on by someone fiercely.

    Seen from afar, it was full of verdant trees and Ning Xueyan could not see above it. When she looked down, it was very deep. She wondered why the hillside was so deep, and she could not helpughing bitterly inside. If there was not a bush here, she perhaps would have rolled down and lost her life.

    Ning Xueyan looked around, but she didn¡¯t see Qingyu. Now she wondered where Qingyu was! Butpared to Ning Xueyan, Qingyu¡¯s body was at least a little better, so her life wouldn¡¯t be in any danger. There were so many trees here, so something should have stopped Qingyu from falling down the hillside directly.

    However, if an overweight carriage rolled down, these bushes and trees would not be able to hold it up. It would definitely roll to the bottom of the hillside. With such weight and speed, it would be difficult for the people in the carriage to survive. This was the reason why those people had schemed against her.

    After umting some strength with difficulty, this time Ning Xueyan supported herself with one hand and struggled to sit up. She tried to move her hands and feet, and found nowhere that had any unusual pain, so she could not help sighing in relief. There should not be any ce on her body that was broken. She picked up a branch on the ground to support herself and walked a few steps forward.

    When she descended the mountain, it was still early, but now, the sun was setting in the west. She looked up and found that it was a steep road here. With her current body, it was impossible for her to climb up. However, she didn¡¯t dare to move under her feet. If her feet slipped a little, she might fall down directly.

    She sat on the ground again and looked at her surroundings, then knitted her brows. She couldn¡¯t go up or down, so she could only try to walk sideways.

    After being certain of the direction, Ning Xueyan propped herself up again and walked to the right. That hillside road seemed to be tter and only some shallow grass grew on it. She could stay light on her feet, so she wouldn¡¯t miss a step and fall down. If she fell and rolled down again with this body, she would really die.

    After walking along the road carefully for a while and turning around a big tree, Ning Xueyan was dumbfounded to look at everything in sight and froze there for a moment. She never expected that there would be a household in such a wilderness that touched neither the sky nor the ground.

    This ce looked more like it was on a mountain rock. The protruding mountain rock was lying in the middle with green grass growing on it, while the hut was above the mountain rock. It was big, but looked very elegant. An old tree grew strongly there, with more than half of its roots exposed. Now it just had luxuriant foliage and matched the spotless hut, giving people a sense of elegance with simplicity.

    It was really weird for such a hut to be located in such a ce. However, what made Ning Xueyan even more uneasy was that there seemed to be human footprints here. But seeing that the yard surrounded by a bamboo fence was cleaned up and several blooming orchids were ced on the windowsill in the sun, Ning Xueyan knew that this hut had to have an owner.

    With Ning Xueyan¡¯s nature, she would never walk close to such a strange ce, but now, she had to get close. Although everything in sight had an owner, she could see that the hut¡¯s owner had to be an elegant person. Maybe she could ask the owner to deliver a message for her and have Ao Chenyie to save her.

    Thinking of this, Ning Xueyan¡¯s nerves eased a little, but she still didn¡¯t walk over immediately. She thought that she had to see the inexplicable danger clearly, so she took a few more steps forward and got behind the big tree. She couldn¡¯t hold on any longer and then sat down to rest with her back against the tree trunk. With that, she turned her head and observed the area. She tried to see the hut¡¯s ownere out and then she would find a way after seeing the situation clearly.

    She had just narrowly escaped death, so she certainly was more cautious at this time.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, why are you here?¡± A chuckle with some lightness came from behind, and a hand reached over to pat her on the shoulder. Ning Xueyan suddenly turned around in shock and her watery eyes widened immediately.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, how can you not recognize me?¡± A man in splendid clothes was standing behind her smiling more brilliantly than a flower. He was Wen Xueran, the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min. Now he was looking at Ning Xueyan with his amorous eyes, as if he was happy to see her here.

    ¡°You... Why are you here?¡± Ning Xueyan asked alertly and slightly drew back her body.

    She knew distinctly that Wen Xueran was absolutely not so innocent before her eyes. At this time and in this ce, if he really held hostility against her, then she would not know how she would die.

    Wen Xueran seemed to be amused by her alertness. As he looked at her ck-ink, jade-like eyes full of carefulness and caution, she had the alertness and loveliness of an animal that had been captured by someone. He waved the folding fan in his hand twice, and the smile on his handsome face became more gentle. ¡°Fifth Young Lady, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m a vegetarian.¡±

    A hint of surprise shed in Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes. She didn¡¯t understand what he meant by this and her long eyshes blinked, looking like she failed to understand.

    Wen Xueran couldn¡¯t helpughing, then said, ¡°Fifth Young Lady, why do you look like I am going to eat you? This is a hut in Cold Mountain Temple, and I¡¯vee here to study in peace and quiet for a few days. I won¡¯t do anything bad to you. But what¡¯s wrong with you, Fifth Young Lady? You can¡¯t get yourself into this even if you wanted to search for seclusion and to explore beautiful sceneries.¡±

    Wen Xueran looked Ning Xueyan up and down a few times as he spoke. Ning Xueyan really looked bedraggled now. Her skirt was torn in serial ces and was like a torn-off piece of cloth. Fortunately, her underskirt inside looked fine. Otherwise, Ning Xueyan would have been even more ashamed by that.

    ¡°Is this the meditation ce of Cold Mountain Temple?¡± At this point, Ning Xueyan¡¯s face certainly turned red, but she caught a break from the bottom of her heart and her whole person calmed down. She had heard before that there were several meditation ces in Cold Mountain Temple, and the ces built were to be very quiet to provide peace for others to enjoy.

    However, Cold Mountain Temple did not open these few ces to ordinary people. When Xia Yuhang talked to her about it before, he expressed that if he could study in such a quiet ce, he would get twice the results with half the effort.

    Ning Xueyan thought to herself that it was certainly the best to meditate and study in such a ce, especially now that the Spring Metropolitan Examination wasing. Reading books in a calm and stationary manner here without being disturbed by others was still close to the time to get the book. But could the man before her eyes really calm down to have a read?

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t help falling on the fancy clothes he wore. The clothes were not only gorgeous, but there were also a few jade pendants hanging on his white jade belt. At first nce, she could tell that they were treasures. The folding fan in his hand was waved to dance in the air. What¡¯s more, he had a handsome appearance like that of a good girl. No matter where she looked at him, she felt that he looked like a colorful butterfly and not like a person who was quiet and stationary that would study hard here.

    ¡°This ce certainly is a meditating ce of Cold Mountain Temple. I¡¯d already read a book for a while and then came out for a walk, but I didn¡¯t expect to run into a beautiful woman here. I¡¯m really so lucky!¡± Seeing the doubt on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face, Wen Xueran was unhappy. He snapped the folding fan in his hand closed and smilingly moved his face over with an ambiguous look.

    With such a stunning appearance and a pair of smiling and charming eyes that were so affectionate, no matter which Young Lady ran into him, she would involuntary blush. There was a rumor in the capital city that the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min was the most beautiful man.

    ¡°Princely Heir, can you help me to send a letter to people outside to notify them that I¡¯m here now? Please make my family rest assured.¡± Ning Xueyan seemed to not see his handsome face and affectionate eyes. She blinked her long eyshes and fell down feebly to lean against the tree trunk behind her. She showed a weak smile and spoke faintly.

    She thought that even if she had not gotten hurt earlier, it would also be useless for her to fight with the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Wen.

    ¡°Since the beautifuldy has said so, I don¡¯t dare disagree. But Fifth Young Lady, are you sure you want to rest here? If I go up to deliver a message, I won¡¯t be able toe down soon.¡± Wen Xueyan knocked the fan on his palm and tilted his head to look at Ning Xueyan. Seeing that her face was not red and she was not breathless, he didn¡¯t lean over to tease her anymore but replied with some embarrassment.

    Ning Xueyan looked around at this ce. Indeed, for her to sit here for a while was not a solution. She gnashed her teeth and propped herself up with a tree branch. Her body swayed, and she almost lost her footing for a moment. Wen Xueran subconsciously reached out to help her, but he retracted his hand under Ning Xueyan¡¯s watchful eyes.

    In the past, when the Young Ladies saw him, they only wanted to suck up to him. Once upon a time, he was actually rejected by a Young Lady like that. It really broke this handsome man¡¯s heart.

    ¡°Princely Heir, I¡¯ll go ahead and have a rest. You... you help me to send a message quickly, otherwise, my uncle will be worried there.¡± Ning Xueyan gritted her teeth and struggled to support her body. Although her face was pale, Wen Xueran could still see her tenacity. When she fell from above, she did not break her bones, but she had received many other pains. Wen Xueran distinctly saw a trace of blood seeping out from beneath her pale skirt on her wrist where she was holding the tree branch, and his eyes became darker involuntarily.

    Such a weak youngdy with a body full of misfortune, she must have been through some hardships. But until now, she hadn¡¯t mentioned anything. Looking at herplexion, he knew that she was not doing very good. But even so, she still stood there alone, and showed a faint smile on her face.

    Wen Xueran had never seen another Young Lady that looked like this. If she were not really standing in front of him with an injured body, then he even would have thought that she had just returned to her own courtyard after hanging out in the garden. She was as indifferent as a colored ze, but she was as delicate as a spring flower. But even so, he could still find her persistence from her delicateness like a spring flower.

    She was a strange woman, but she made his heart palpitate inexplicably. The pair of his charming eyes with love slowly started to exercise restraint...

 Chapter 436 - Find Qingyu

    <h4>Chapter 436 Find Qingyu</h4>

    The imperial guards almost surrounded the hillside. Ao Chenyi¡¯s broad carriage was parked on the hillside, and he sat in it. Blood was all over the ce. Those were the punks on the street, together with the two punks before. However, they were all alive when they came, but now none of them was alive. All of them were killed by Ao Chenyi.

    ¡°Your Highness, they still haven¡¯t found her. But they found a few pieces of cloth just now, and they seem to belong to the Fifth Young Lady.¡± Eunuch Zhu reported cautiously, while lowering his head without daring to breathe heavily. Despite his master¡¯s calm look, after serving his master for this long, how could he be unaware that his master had been extremely angry at this moment?

    ¡°Keep searching.¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s cold voice came from the carriage. Although Eunuch Zhu didn¡¯t see his face, he could feel his bloodthirstiness.

    ¡°Your Highness, His Majesty asked you to go back to the pce a moment ago. Do you want to go back first and allow me to stay and lead them to keep searching?¡± Eunuch Zhu said with his head covered with sweat. Even so, he had to say that. The emperor had issued an imperial decree. His master would definitely enrage the emperor if he didn¡¯t go this time. Last time his master didn¡¯t go to meet Xianyun Commandery Princess on purpose and thus to displease the emperor at the end.

    ¡°I¡¯m upied with official business and have no time to go there,¡± Ao Chenyi said impatiently.

    ¡°Your Highness, but His Majesty...¡± Eunuch Zhu wanted to persuade Ao Chenyi to go, but was interrupted again by him. Ao Chenyi¡¯s voice was soft with a trace of gloomy coldness, ¡°Eunuch Zhu, you¡¯re my servant. If you keep saying this, I won¡¯t allow you to continue serving me.¡±

    ¡°Plop!¡± Eunuch Zhu knelt with fear and said with big sweat dripping off his forehead, ¡°Your Highness, I don¡¯t dare. I don¡¯t dare!¡±

    Of course, he knew there were some things that he could say, while there were some things that he couldn¡¯t. However, Seeing the Prince insist on staying here, he found it useless to feel anxious, so he tried to persuade the Prince to go back. Now thinking about it, he had certainly offended the Prince. As someone serving the Prince, how could he say something like that?

    He was Prince Yi¡¯s servant as well as Prince Yi¡¯s henchman. In normal times, even the eunuchs serving the emperor were respectful to him. Of course, they did that because of Prince Yi. If it were not for Prince Yi, he would be nothing. So he said, ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s my fault. I¡¯ll stop mentioning it. Please forgive me.¡±

    He could remind the prince of being careful of displeasing the emperor, but he didn¡¯t need to persuade him to do anything. The prince had his own idea of handling it.

    ¡°Humph! Get whipped ten times after returning,¡± Ao Chenyi said coldly.

    ¡°Okay, got it.¡± Eunuch Zhu secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Prince Yi had shown mercy to him by punishing him in this way, so he didn¡¯t dare to have any other thoughts.

    ¡°Your Highness, we¡¯ve found a girl dressed up as a maid. She seems to be the Fifth Young Lady¡¯s maid. She¡¯s down the hill, and other guards were bringing her up with a stretcher.¡± A guard climbed up in a hurry, came up to the carriage, and knelt down.

    Between males and females there should be a prudent reserve. Although she was a maid, her master might be the Fifth Young Lady Ning. Thus, the imperial guards were particrly cautious. In order not to ruin her reputation, they didn¡¯t dare to directly hold her in arms, but found two pieces of wood, made a stretcher by putting them together and put her on it. The guards behind were bringing her here. This guard ran fast and came to report the news in advance.

    ¡°Is she alright?¡± Ao Chenyi nodded and blinked his deep eyes.

    ¡°Nothing serious. Only her legs have been injured. Except for this, she¡¯s fine,¡± the guard replied. Meanwhile, two guards came over, carrying a simple stretcher on which a girl dressed as a maid was lying. Eunuch Zhu took a careful look and saw Qingyu¡¯s face. He had seen Qingyu before, so he immediately eximed in surprise.

    ¡°Your Highness, she¡¯s really the Fifth Young Lady¡¯s maid.¡±

    ¡°Bring her here and sprinkle the water on her to wake her up.¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s voice was pleasant but chilling, without a trace of warmth.

    The imperial guard didn¡¯t dare to treat his order lightly and asked someone to get some water in a hurry. After getting water, he poured it on the fainted maid recklessly.

    Such a big basin of water was poured on her abruptly, and it was not summer. Qingyu shivered with cold and immediately woke up. Receiving Ao Chenyi¡¯s hint, Eunuch Zhu threw his cloak to Qingyu, and she subconsciously wrapped herself in the cloak tightly.

    ¡°Where¡¯s your master?¡± Before she could realize what was going on, she heard a cold and treacherous voice from above. Qingyu raised her head with a pale face and looked into a pair of cold and charming eyes. The coldness in them made her shiver again.

    But she immediately screamed, ¡°Master, my master...¡± After looking around in panic but finding no one else rescued, she turned her head hurriedly with her face instantly turningpletely pale. ¡°Your Highness, save my master. My master jumped out of the carriage with me just now, but we failed to keep holding our handster.¡±

    She had bepletely clear-minded at this moment. Pointing at the track of the carriage rushing downward, she said anxiously, ¡°It should be the spot where my master and I jumped out of the carriage.¡±

    The Fifth Young Lady jump out of the carriage with this maid? Eunuch Zhu sighed with relief on the side. The Fifth Young Lady¡¯s life should not be in danger. Nevertheless, the maid was not seriously injured, but just had a few bruises on her body. Besides, she didn¡¯t show any sign of suffocation when sitting up suddenly. It could be seen that she shouldn¡¯t be injured in the sinews or bones.

    It seemed that the Fifth Young Lady was a decisive person. She must have jumped out of the carriage with her maid after finding there was something wrong with the carriage. Otherwise, the maid couldn¡¯t have been injured so slightly. It was normal that they failed to hold on to each other and fall down to different ces. After all, as two weak girls, it was normal for them to loosen their grip in that situation.

    Thinking of this, Eunuch Zhu wiped the cold sweat on his head and even showed a faint relieved smile. Suddenly he realized something, looked up hurriedly and looked into the Prince¡¯s cold eyes. He immediately lowered his head and dared not look around. Fortunately, the Prince seemed to be more tolerant than before. Otherwise, he would receive more punishment after returning.

    That was what Eunuch Zhu was thinking. He secretly attributed the credit to the Fifth Young Lady Ning. Although the Fifth Young Lady Ning hadn¡¯t been found yet, he could tell that she was very likely to be alright based on the maid¡¯s good condition.

    Mammy Luo hurried into the courtyard and lifted the curtain. She saw Ning Qingshan embroidering by the window, apanied by Feilian and Caifen.

    Hearing the door curtain lifted, Ning Qingshan looked up. Seeing that it was Mammy Luo, she waved to Caifen and Feilian beside her. They put down their needlework and left. After they went out, Mammy Luo walked up to Ning Qingshan and whispered in her ear, ¡°Young Lady, it¡¯s done. I heard that the area has been blockaded.¡±

    ¡°Did she really fall to her death?¡± Ning Qingshan showed delight on her face, but asked with uncertainty. Ning Xueyan, who had been suppressing her all the time, finally died so easily. She didn¡¯t dare to believe it, so she asked again.

    ¡°It¡¯s true. The imperial guards have been sent out. I heard that Prince Yi happened to pass by there, and he went to investigate it in person after hearing about it. Therefore, ourckeys could only watch from a distance. But there is still no news of finding her yet, so something terrible must have happened to her. It has been a long while since she fell down. If she is really alright, how can they still not find her yet?¡±

    Mammy Luo said with a smile. The Fifth Young Lady had fallen from the mountain in her carriage, and she had passed out in the carriage before. How could she survive? Nevertheless, in order to get more precise information, she had asked someone to watch the imperial guards from a distance and thus to figure out the situation. Since the Fifth Young Lady hadn¡¯t been found yet, it could only mean that something terrible had happened to her.

    ¡°Great, that¡¯s great!¡± Ning Qingshan was stunned for a moment, and then suddenly burst intoughter. She couldn¡¯t hold back herughter for a moment, and even clutched her stomach and crouched down, out of breath.

    Caifen and Feilian couldn¡¯t hear their conversation inside. Nevertheless, after hearing Ning Qingshan¡¯sughter suddenly, they looked at each other, lowered their heads and continued doing their work, as if they didn¡¯t hear anything.

    ¡°Young Lady, Young Lady, what¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t scare me!¡± Seeing that Ning Qingshan lost control andughed out loud without caring about decency as if suffering from hysteria, Mammy Luo was startled and anxiously reached out to pull Ning Qingshan in a hurry. In her memory, Ning Qingshan had never lost herposure like this.

    ¡°Mammy Luo... I¡¯m... I¡¯m fine... I just think... it¡¯s too funny... That little bitch Ning Xueyan... She¡¯s said to be... equivalent to... the consort... since she could marry into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor together with the consort... The damned old hag... treats her as a treasure. But now she died... in my hands... Go against me? She¡¯s seeking her doom!¡±

    Ning Qingshan stood up with a smile. As she gradually calmed down, she wiped her tearsing fromughing with her handkerchief and showed a trace of scornful sarcasm and viciousness. She easily killed Ning Xueyan by making use of Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s immoral thoughts and provoking him with a few words. How could she not think it simple?

    The little bitch Ning Xueyan finally died. Sometimeter, she could give Madam Dowager advice to find a few witnesses to reverse what had happened to Madam Ming. After all, Madam Ming and Ning Xueyan were both dead. No matter how powerful Ming Manor was, they were outsiders and had always been in a tangle with Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. As long as she could provide a few witnesses who could prove that Madam Ling had been framed, they could do nothing about it.

    After Madam Ling be the Marchioness again, she would certainly be the legitimate daughter of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor again. Who would remember Ning Xueyan, the dead bitch? Moreover, even if Madam Ling¡¯s status was promoted again in the future, it was impossible for her to have any status in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. The two daughters of Madam Ling werepletely not promising. So she would be the most distinguished Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor in the future.

    When the time came, the damned hag would have to curry favor with her and the entire Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would fully support her. With the support of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor on the surface, the support of Grand Tutor Ya and Honored Consort Ya in secret as well as some power of that one, it would even be not difficult for her to be the Empress in the future, not to mention to be the consort of the Third Prince. Thinking of the bright future, Ning Qingshan couldn¡¯t help feelingcent.

    Ning Xueyan was dead, and everything would be under her control from now on!

    ¡°Young Lady, do you want me to inform the Eldest Young Master now?¡± Mammy Luo asked after Ning Qingshan calmed down.

    ¡°No, thanks. I¡¯ll go to meet my good brother soon. After all, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor will be under our control from now on. As brother and sister, we should talk it over, right?¡± Ning Qingshan raised her eyebrowscently and sat in front of the dressing table. After instructing Caifen to help her freshen up and dress up again and changing a new dress, she walked slowly to Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s study.

    She should certainly get such a piece of good news from her ¡°good brother¡±, otherwise, Ning Huaiyuan would doubt why she got the news so soon. Of course, Ning Qingshan didn¡¯t expect that Ning Huaiyuan would ¡°take actions¡± so quickly. She had thought that he would do it on Ning Xueyan¡¯s way back. Unexpectedly, he made Ning Xueyan smashed to pieces in such a short time.

    It seemed that her ¡°good brother¡± was quite powerful! It was quite beneficial for her to keep in touch with him. Although Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was in the charge of Ning Zu¡¯an now, the sessor would definitely be Ning Huaiyuan...

 Chapter 437 - Being Rescued and Fed with Medicine

    <h4>Chapter 437 Being Rescued and Fed with Medicine</h4>

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t expect that Ao Chenyi woulde back earlier than Wen Xueran who went to deliver the message.

    At that time, she was leaning against the couch by the window in a daze. She felt as if she had fallen apart and felt pain all over. She knew that some parts of her body had been scraped, but it was inappropriate to treat such minor injuries here.

    This ce belonged to Wen Xueran. Although he had gone out to deliver the message at this moment, she could be considered staying in a man¡¯s ce. If she was not cautious enough, there would be some rumors which would ruin her reputation.

    Therefore, she could not treat those injuries and had to keep them the way they were, otherwise, she would be unable to exin it.

    Suddenly, the half-closed door was pushed open, and Ao Chenyi appeared at the door. He saw Ning Xueyan lying sideways on the couch and curling up like a wounded animal, with a hint of tenderness across his deep eyes. When he saw the bloodstains on Ning Xueyan¡¯s body, his handsome face suddenly became cold.

    He waved, and the imperial guardsing down with him quickly dispersed and looked around vigntly.

    When Ning Xueyan was half conscious, she felt that someone was looking at her. With her long eyshes fluttering, she subconsciously opened her dim eyes and looked into the pair of long and cold eyes. She blinked, and then woke up from her daze and tried to sit up with her arms.

    As she exerted herself with her arms, a trace of bloodstain became faintly visible on her wrist.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been seriously injured and still try to move,¡± Ao Chenyi said impatiently. He came over, picked her up, took off the cloak on his back and covered her with it. After that, he turned and walked out of the room with her in his arms. Seeing hime out, the imperial guards outside hurriedly approached him.

    Ning Xueyan had been struggling for staying awake before. Even if Wen Xueran left, she didn¡¯t allow herself to lose consciousness due to her inexplicable vignce against Wen Xueran. Now seeing Ao Chenyi¡¯s cold and deep eyes, she inexplicably rxed. She could smell his unique scent which was clean and cold.

    Standing by this guy, she felt the colder atmosphere than others did, and he had chilling aura. Others were frightened even in the range of his aura, not to mention to look at him. However, Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t feel the same way. Unable to refuse him, she let out a long sigh of relief and then fell into darkness again.

    Ao Chenyi wasn¡¯t Wen Xueran. Although Ao Chenyi held her in his arms, no one could say anything about it since they were about to get married.

    It was evening when she woke up again. She felt stiff all over as if she was tied up by something, extremely ufortable. She moved her limbs slightly and frowned with no idea where she was at the moment.

    ¡°Young Lady... Young Lady, you wake up finally!¡± Hearing the sound from the bed, Lanning put down the medicine bowl in her hands, walked to the bed, and lifted the gauze curtain. She looked at Ning Xueyan inside with her eyes turning red. Although she was steady, she was still a teenage girl. Seeing her master seriously injured, she had secretly shed tears.

    Ning Xueyan thought the same as Qingyu did. If she had known it earlier, she would have let Xinmei attend upon their master. Qingyu had told her everything. If Xinmei went with their master, their master wouldn¡¯t fall into such a situation.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± Ning Xueyan said in a hoarse voice and forced a smile, ¡°How¡¯s Qingyu?¡±

    ¡°Young Lady, Qingyu is fine. She said that she wille to see youter.¡± Lanning hurriedly wiped her tears and answered, for fear of making their master sad.

    Their master was so badly injured, but was still concerned about Qingyu at this moment. How could she not be moved? Moreover, Qingyu said that it was their master who dragged her to jump off the carriage at that time. Otherwise, how could she still be alive now? It was also their master who got rid of the two punks. Speaking of this, as a maid, she couldn¡¯t do anything to help their master survive the ident. Because of this, Qingyu med herself and felt sad. She had been cried in the wing room since she woke up.

    Later, Mother Han managed to persuade her to calm down. But she still intended to struggle toe and see their master. Lanning stopped Qingyu on the excuse that their master was still unconscious and needed to have a good rest.

    ¡°That¡¯s good. I¡¯m fine.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded with difficulty. She squinted at the room and found that she was not in her room, ¡°Where, where is it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the wing room of Cold Mountain Temple. Prince Yi brought you here, and then instructed someone to bring me and Mother Han here for taking care of you.¡± Lanning walked over and touched the medicine bowl. Feeling the temperature appropriate, she brought the medicine bowl to the bed and intended to feed Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Has Yan¡¯er woken up?¡± Ao Chenyi came in through the door. Lanning hurried to take a few steps back and replied with a bow.

    ¡°You can leave now.¡± Ao Chenyi waved with a trace of smile across his handsome face. However, seeing his smile, Lanning couldn¡¯t help being frightened. But she didn¡¯t want to leave as he instructed, so she pointed at the medicine bowl on the bedside and said, ¡°Your Highness, I still need to help my master take medicine.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll help your master. Leave now!¡± Ao Chenyi said impatiently. He directly walked past Lanning, sat down beside Ning Xueyan¡¯s bed and reached out to pick up the medicine bowl on the side.

    Lanning hesitated for a moment. She was really worried about leaving her master alone.

    ¡°Leave!¡± Ning Xueyan said to Lanning in a hoarse voice. She hadn¡¯t spoken for a long time. Besides, she had lost too much blood. So she talked in a voice a little bit hoarse than usual.

    Lanning didn¡¯t leave until Ning Xueyan instructed her to.

    Ao Chenyi reached out to help Ning Xueyan, who was tied up and could not move, up and let her nestled in his arms. After that, he picked up the medicine bowl and carefully fed the medicine to Ning Xueyan spoon by spoon.

    It was quiet in the room, and only the smoke of sandalwoods was curling up from the corner of the room. When the spoon approached, Ning Xueyan opened her mouth subconsciously and looked at Ao Chenyi¡¯s handsome face with her eyes like dark jade. With no coldness in his eyes, Ao Chenyi looked increasingly gentle and handsome like jade, totally different from his usual impression on others.

    His nose was like a porcine galldder, and his lips were bright red. His curling ck long eyshes made him look gorgeous and charming.

    Compared with Wen Xueran, who was as pretty as a girl, Ao Chenyi now gave the impression that he was handsome and wicked. In terms of the delicacy of their facial features, Wen Xueran and Ao Chenyi could be considered equally matched like Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang (two famous ancient handsome men). However, people in the capital only talked about how handsome Wen Xueran was because Prince Yi was ¡°known for being fierce¡±.

    No one dared to talk about Prince Yi¡¯s appearance.

    ¡°Am I good-looking?¡± Ao Chenyi suddenly put down the spoon in his hand, raised the corners of his mouth and looked at Ning Xueyan with a faint smile, but a hint of coldness rose in his eyes. She could tell that he was still angry at this moment. Although she didn¡¯t know why he was angry, she could at least avoid annoying him.

    This guy seemed to be looking at her, but was actually very dangerous.

    She blinked as if she suddenly realized that she was being impolite. However, she did not take her eyes off him, but said with a smile instead, ¡°Of course, Your Highness is good-looking. You are the best-looking person I¡¯ve ever seen.¡±

    The best-looking person she had ever seen! It meant that no one couldpare with him. In the past, if such ament on his appearance went out, he would definitely not let go of the one who said this. But now, it was Ning Xueyan who said this. For the sake that she was still injured, he just let it go.

    As a noble prince, he should certainly tolerate a sick little girl so as not to beneath his dignity.

    Seeing his reflection in Ning Xueyan¡¯s watery eyes like belonging to a little beast, he felt his heart softened inexplicably. He snorted to indicate that he was somewhat satisfied. After that, he scooped up another spoonful of medicine and gently fed it to Ning Xueyan. It was very bitter, but Ning Xueyan could stand it after taking medicine so many years.

    Nevertheless, didn¡¯t he know that it was more unbearable to drink it mouthful by mouthful than to drink it all at once?

    ¡°Your Highness, can I drink it all at once?¡± Ning Xueyan bit her lip and said reluctantly. Although she had been used to the bitter medicine, she still found it unbearable to drink it mouthful by mouthful. One should be beheaded no mater he stretched out his head or shrank his head. She would rather drink it all at once and suffer once.

    Ao Chenyi looked at the medicine bowl in his hand, and then watched Ning Xueyan frown because of the bitter medicine. He also frowned and muttered unhappily. After that, he put down the spoon in his hand, carefully put it in front of Ning Xueyan¡¯s mouth, and slowly poured it down. Ning Xueyan quickly opened her mouth and drank the medicine obediently.

    Although he said it in a light voice just now, she could hear it clearly.

    ¡°It takes a lot of work to feed the medicine!¡± Hearing his voice, she knew that he had never served anyone, so she drank it hurriedly. This guy had never got a good temper.

    Putting down the bowl in his hand, Ao Chenyi unnaturally took out a piece of preserved fruit from the jar beside him and put it into Ning Xueyan¡¯s mouth. After that, he took the handkerchief Ning Xueyan had put aside, wiped Ning Xueyan¡¯s mouth with it and then threw it aside.

    He did it neither too quickly nor too slowly, and his movements could even be considered quite elegant. However, Prince Yi, who was arrogant and chilling with the Dynasty¡¯s fate in his hands, did it in an extremely unnatural way. With the preserved fruit in her mouth, Ning Xueyan couldn¡¯t help showing a yful smile. Unexpectedly, Ao Chenyi could be so unnatural, which waspletely different from his aura as Prince Yi.

    ¡°The two punks are dead. They look like two ordinary punks on the street, but are more highly-skilled in martial arts than ordinary punks. As a Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, how did you offend ordinary punks? What¡¯s more, they intended to kill you.¡± Ao Chenyi patted Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand and deliberately pressed the wound on her wrist. Ning Xueyan couldn¡¯t help crying out in pain. The mocking smile on her face turned into a bitter smile immediately. She intended to press her wrist with a miserable look.

    However, since plenty of parts of her body were tied up, it was not so convenient for her to move for a moment. She actually felt the wounds on other parts of her body hurt. With an urge to cry rising in her crystal-like eyes, she became tearful like an abandoned little beast which looked very pitiful. However, Prince Yi was still unmoved. He looked at her coldly and showed no intention of letting her go.

    ¡°Of course I wouldn¡¯t offend such punks. We are in totally different worlds, unless someone instructed them to kill me,¡± Ning Xueyan said discontentedly. She was the most unlucky one. She was scared to death and almost died. Now she had to be tied up and lying on the bed like this, and this guy seemed to be interrogating her.

 Chapter 438 - Another Accident

    <h4>Chapter 438 Another ident</h4>

    ¡°It should be either my good eldest brother or my good third sister, or both of them,¡± Ning Xueyan answered with certainty. This was the question she had been thinking over before, and this should be the correct answer.

    ¡°There should be someone else!¡± Ao Chenyi raised the corners of his mouth with a trace of sanguinary ferociousness in his eyes. He slowly appeased Ning Xueyan who was injured and then gently put her down, as if he was putting down a rare treasure.

    ¡°Who else intervened in this matter?¡± Ning Xueyan asked curiously. It was not long before she went out. She had been intercepted before arriving at Cold Mountain Temple. Who was so well-informed? Besides, there was someone else intervening in it. They had quite formidable connections.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about it. Take a good rest for recovery. I don¡¯t want to have ame consort,¡± Ao Chenyi said coldly, and then looked at Ning Xueyan with his charming eyes and stood up. The rage in his eyes was gone in a sh.

    ¡°Where are you going? I¡¯ll go with you.¡± His robe was gently dragged by a little hand. After a moment of being in a daze, Ning Xueyan immediately grabbed his robe.

    ¡°Where can you go in your current state?¡± Ao Chenyi turned to Ning Xueyan and asked.

    Speaking of this, Ning Xueyan could only put down her hands helplessly. Now she was wrapped tightly all over, so she could only make slight movements. She remembered that she had not been so seriously injured before. Howe she was wrapped so tightly that she could not move at this moment? It looked like all her bones had been injured. She even felt worse than when she was in the thatched cottage.

    ¡°Where is Princely Heir Wen?¡± Thinking of the thatched cottage, Ning Xueyan immediately thought of Wen Xueran, who went to deliver the message for her. So she blinked her watery eyes and asked.

    ¡°He waste. By the time hees back to save you, you might have been dead,¡± Ao Chenyi said impolitely. At the thought that Wen Xueran came to ask about her condition just now, he became increasingly sullen.

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t know how she had offended Prince Yi again, but she still carefully avoided the subject. She moved inside a little and said, ¡°My uncle and cousin are still on the mountain. Can I meet them and tell them I¡¯m all right now?¡±

    She had to ask her uncle and cousin about something.

    ¡°How can you meet other men from outside in your current status?¡± Ao Chenyi said with a trace of anger across his cold eyes. Both Wen Xueran and her cousin cared so much about his co-consort. The rtionship between a cousin brother and a cousin sister was the most annoying.

    ¡°My uncle and cousin are not from outside!¡± Sensing the slight anger in Ao Chenyi¡¯s words, Ning Xueyan defended herself in a low voice.

    ¡°Even if they are not from outside, do you think that they cane here to meet you?¡± Ao Chenyi turned his head, stood in front of the bed with his hands crossed before him, and narrowed his eyes slightly.

    ¡°Of course not, but I can get up.¡± Ning Xueyan exerted herself to straighten her back in an attempt to show that she was not as weak as she looked. However, it was extremely weird that she couldn¡¯t move the parts which were wrapped up. She managed to straighten her back a little, but was still lying there helplessly.

    ¡°Do you want me to break your bones so that you can lie down obediently?¡± Ao Chenyi asked softly with a dangerous smile.

    ¡°No, my bones have been broken now, and I can¡¯t get up for the moment. So I hope that Your Highness can tell my uncle and cousin that I may have to rest for some time.¡± Ning Xueyan realized something and immediatelyy down. With an obedient smile in her eyes like dark jade, she didn¡¯t dare to move.

    With a satisfied smile in his eyes, Ao Chenyi put down his arms and reached out to touch her long dark hair gently. After thinking for a while, he sat down again and helped her put her long hair, which was straggling around her ears, behind her ears. ¡°Rest assured. I¡¯ll avenge you.¡±

    Thest trace of smile became cold. Having ame consort, it was quite a good idea.

    ¡°Your Highness, what are you going to do?¡± Ning Xueyan opened her beautiful eyes wide and looked at Ao Chenyi curiously.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to do anything. But it¡¯s an unlucky year for your Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. The members of your Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had idents one after another. Speaking of this, my co-consort and Ao Mingyu¡¯s co-consort are both from your manor.¡± Ao Chenyi said with a smile. He stood up again elegantly, and then walked out.

    ¡°Be obedient and lie in bed. If you want to eat something, just ask Lanning to make it for you. Nursing your body well is the most important thing for you now. Everything else has nothing to do with you.¡±

    Watching the proud and straight figure vanish in her view, Ning Xueyan blinked and bit her lip with a trace of delight in her watery eyes.

    ¡°Young Lady, both your uncle and your cousin havee to see you just now, but were stopped by the Prince. He said that you are seriously injured and even your bones are broken. It¡¯s estimated that it will take some time for you to recover, so it¡¯s inconvenient for you to meet them now.¡± Lanning came in with a fruit bowl. Seeing Ning Xueyan smiling, she let out a sigh of relief.

    She was really afraid of Prince Yi, because of his overwhelming aura. Even if he just stood aside without saying anything, he could make her feel inexplicably fearful and timid.

    Ning Xueyan took a bite of the fruit fed by Lanning and said with a smile, ¡°Since His Highness imed that I¡¯m seriously injured, I should lie in bed for longer. I can¡¯t let it go for nothing.¡±

    She knew about her condition well. She wasn¡¯t so seriously injured, but the bandages wrapping her up all over made her look horrible. If others saw her at this moment, they would think that she had been broken into pieces. It was quite scary. But since Ao Chenyi imed that she was seriously injured, she had to cooperate with him.

    Anyway, only Wen Xueran and Ao Chenyi had seen her injury before. Wen Xueran should not be willing to get involved in this matter no matter for what reason. Thus, what Ao Chenyi said was the truth.

    ¡°Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min hase once, but was stopped by Prince Yi. After that, he has nevere again.¡± Lanning fed a piece of fruit to Ning Xueyan with a fork. She was the one binding up Ning Xueyan¡¯s wounds. Of course, she knew that Ning Xueyan¡¯s injuries were not as serious as they looked.

    Wen Xueran intended to draw a clear line between him and her so as to avoid getting involved in this matter? It was as she expected. Ning Xueyan nodded. ¡°There¡¯s no need to pay attention to Princely Heir Wen. He has nothing to do with this matter.¡±

    If it had something to do with him, it would be that he found that she had fallen from the mountain when studying in privacy. However, it was obvious that he pretended that he didn¡¯t know it, but just came to see her because Ao Chenyi was here. He managed to stay out of this matter in this way. Needless to say, this Princely Heir Wen was really a smart person.

    ¡°Okay, got it. I got the news from our manor that the Third Young Lady and Madam Dowager are going to see you together,¡± Lanning said.

    She was brought here by Ao Chenyi¡¯sckeys. Hearing that Fifth Young Lady had an ident, the manor fell in chaos at that time, and it even disturbed Madam Dowager, who had always been recuperating in the backyard. When Lanning and Mother Han came here, Madam Dowager had sent Mother Qin here to tell them that she would go up the mountain with the Third Young Lady to see the Fifth Young Lady after finishing packing her stuff, and ask them to take good care of the Fifth Young Lady.

    At that time, she and Mother Han didn¡¯t know about Ning Xueyan¡¯s specific situation, and the person sent by Prince Yi¡¯s Manor didn¡¯t make it clear. He only said that Ning Xueyan was seriously injured and there might be a big problem without mentioning any details. So Lanning and Mother Han didn¡¯t have time to pack their stuffs, and came to Cold Mountain Temple with him with some medicinal materials. They didn¡¯t know how chaotic the manor was.

    Ning Qingshan wasing, too? Was sheing to show the sisterhood between them? She really would not let go of any chance to promote her reputation.

    ¡°Did the person sent by His Highness tell our manor that I¡¯m seriously injured?¡± Ning Xueyan shook her head to indicate that she didn¡¯t want more fruit.

    ¡°Yes, Mother Han and I were scared to death at that time. Mother Han almost couldn¡¯t get in the carriage. The person from Prince Yi¡¯s Manor not only didn¡¯t make it clear but also indicated that something terrible happened to you and you will probably die. He said that he didn¡¯t make it clear, for fear of making the members of our manor nervous and scared.¡±

    Lanning said after thinking for a while. At that time, she felt the same way Mother Han did, feeling her legs went weak with fear. If it hadn¡¯t been for the thought that her master was so smart that she couldn¡¯t get killed so easily, Lanning would have been even unable to walk at that time like Mother Han.

    So it meant that everyone in the manor thought that she was going to die? Ning Xueyan remained silent for a long while and frowned slightly. Madam Dowager intended toe here to see if she could marry into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor safely and thus to seek benefits for Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Ning Qingshan intended toe here to show the sisterhood. Of course, on the other hand, it meant that she had nothing to do with this matter.

    So what about Ning Huaiyuan?

    ¡°Young Lady, His Highness asked you not to think too much and have a good rest. You¡¯ve shed a lot of blood and taken the medicine. Fortunately, you¡¯re not seriously injured. You should get more sleep. His Highness will handle it. No matter what happens, it has nothing to do with you.¡± Seeing that Ning Xueyan got lost in thought again, Lanning involuntarily said. Although Prince Yi looked fierce, Lanning considered his words quite thoughtful.

    Anyway, she was sure that His Highness cared about her master!

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll get some more sleep.¡± It hadn¡¯t been long since Ning Xueyan woke up, and she did feel tired after talking for a while. She had experienced such a dangerous situation where she jumped off the falling carriage and rolled down the mountain. Although she survived a great disaster, there were still numerous small cuts on her body. Now she had been extremely tired after raising her spirits to say these.

    She felt dizzy. With her long eyshes fluttering, she closed her eyes obediently. She was really tired. She vaguely thought that no matter what other things happened, they really had nothing to do with her. She was only a patient now, a seriously injured patient who almost died...

    There really came another ident. People in the capital all thought that Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had really offended Taisui. They just intended to worship the Marchioness who had passed away, but the two future co-consorts, who were going to marry into the imperial family, had serious idents. One of them fell from the mountain with the carriage because of the startled horses. Now she was still unconscious, and no one knew whether she could survive.

    The other one hurried to the mountain to see her sister with Madam Dowager. Unexpectedly, the horses ran so fast that the coachman failed to stop the carriage when taking a sudden turning and the carriage directly crashed into a big tree on the side. The Young Lady inside the carriage fell out of it, and it was said that she had broken her leg.

    It was said that Madam Dowager, who had always been tough, directly passed out in the front carriage.

    Later, they were sent to the Cold Mountain Temple on the mountain. For a time, there were various opinions. Everyone said that Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had done too many evil things, and now they were punished and got into trouble one after another.

    This rumor was supposed to be spread for a long time. However, another sudden incident attracted everyone¡¯s attention.

 Chapter 439 - Catch Fire, Another Accident

    <h4>Chapter 439 Catch Fire, Another ident</h4>

    The Third Prince¡¯s Manor was on fire!

    The fire started in the evening, and it was said that it started in the kitchen of the Third Prince¡¯s Manor. At that time, the Third Prince was receiving guests, so there were plenty of people bustling in the kitchen. No one knew of which pot the oil spilled out, and then others pots were ignited and the fire rose to the sky at the moment.

    The sky above the Third Prince¡¯s Manor became burning red. Even in the distant Cold Mountain Temple, Ning Xueyan, who was leaning against Ao Chenyi¡¯s shoulder and sitting on the couch in front of the window, could clearly see the burning red sky in the distance. Because she had slept a lot during the day, it was not easy for her to fall asleep after waking up this time.

    ¡°Is the Third Prince also one of those behind the ident?¡± Looking at the flickering sky in the distance, Ning Xueyan slightly closed her eyes, bit her lip and asked softly.

    Ao Chenyi reached out to pull the quilt on her. Under the moonlight, his handsome features were less cold but gentler than usual, ¡°Ning Huaiyuan found the two punks, but they actually worked for Ao Mingyu. They usually perform some tasks in secret, and seemed to have nothing to do with Ao Mingyu.¡±

    Ning Huaiyuan might think that hisckeys were capable of setting up such a trap in such a short period of time, but Ao Chenyi was not naive enough to think so. Startling the horses, Ning Xueyan¡¯s carriage crashing into trees, the coachman passing out, and the carriage being pushed down the mountain deliberately, all of these indicated that this trap for Ning Xueyan was not that simple.

    Moreover, it could not be aplished by only two people.

    It could be said that punks were at the lowest level of society. How could they set up such a well-organized trap? If Ning Xueyan hadn¡¯t saved herself, she would have been smashed to pieces. No one would doubt it, because it was so coincidental that no one could find any trace.

    As long as the two punks pushed the carriage down and cleaned up all the traces, coupled with the old maid in the carriage behind as the witness, no one would consider it a murder. They could only sigh that Ning Xueyan had an unfortunate life.

    In other words, if it weren¡¯t for Ao Mingyu¡¯s intervention, they couldn¡¯t have done it so perfectly. Ning Huaiyuan was incapable of dealing with it in such a short time. Ning Huaiyuan had worked for Ao Mingwan before. Although Ao Mingwan considered him a trusted subordinate at that time, Ao Mingwan had not exposed all his strength to Ning Huaiyuan. Ning Huaiyuan could protect himself, but he could not be so capable.

    ¡°Did you burn Ao Mingyu¡¯s manor to avenge me?¡± In the dark, only the sky outside the window flickered in the distance, and the wind whipped across the night sky from time to time. Nevertheless, Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t feel cold, because she was wrapped in a thick quilt, and most of her body was in Ao Chenyi¡¯s arms.

    Perhaps because the quilt was a little too thick, she felt her face burning and her heart warm. Fortunately, in the darkness, no one would see her blushing face. She bit her lip, trying to suppress the melting emotion in her heart.

    In herst life, she had been blindly obedient to Xia Yuhang because she had been engaged to him long ago. She considered Xia Yuhang her beloved and was devoted to him. At the thought that Xia Manor did not show any regret when she met with a misfortune, valued her wholeheartedly and sincerely allowed her to marry into their manor, she thought that she should be more virtuous.

    Therefore, she gave priority to Xia Yuhang in everything and usually would not deny every request made by Xia Yuhang.

    She could even ept that Chen Hexiang pushed her into the water.

    Xia Yuhang seemed to have acquiesced to her tolerance and made her give up in everything. Thinking of it now, she was just blindly devoted to Xia Yuhang at that time, while Xia Yuhang epted the love and affection from her and others. How could such a person really value her in his heart?

    It could be said that since her mother passed away, no one had really cared about her, cared about her ideas and stood up for her. Now even if Ao Chenyi didn¡¯t say anything, she could clearly feel the trace of concern. How stupid she was in herst life! She considered her concession Xia Yuhang¡¯s true affection for her.

    She felt a dull pain and inexplicably aggrieved in her heart. She bit her lip hard, but still couldn¡¯t suppress the sadness in her heart. She shed tears inexplicably. It seemed that since she met Ao Chenyi, she had cried more often. She exerted herself to clench her fists, tried hard to stop her shoulders from trembling and cried silently in the dark.

    Seeming to have noticed that Ning Xueyan was acting strangely, Ao Chenyi reached out to wipe her face. Her tender face was wet. He involuntarily sighed, pressed her head into his arms and patted her on her back gently.

    ¡°It¡¯s interesting that Ao Mingyu¡¯s manor caught fire. Today he invited guests to his manor. Among the guests, there were several ministers on good terms with Ao Mingwan.¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s voice sounded cold and treacherous in the dark, but it made Ning Xueyan feel at ease.

    She put away her tears little by little, but didn¡¯t get up from his arms hurriedly. After thinking for a while, she asked in a muffled voice, ¡°Did those people show their support to the Fourth Prince before?¡±

    Everyone knew that both the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince were the emperor¡¯s sons and wanted to take Ao Chenyi¡¯s position. The emperor didn¡¯t want Prince Yi to seed the throne. However, the deceased emperor issued his decree in public, so the emperor couldn¡¯t deny it. During so many years, he could only make others forget Ao Chenyi¡¯s identity as the emperor¡¯s younger brother and call him Prince Yi. His intention was obvious.

    Unfortunately, Prince Yi had grown up now. Moreover, there were two talented princes, the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince. When confronting Prince Yi, they had the same interests. However, when confronting each other, they were against each other. So there were the party of the Third Prince and the party of the Fourth Prince in the imperial court, and each of them was independent.

    Of course, the party of the Fourth Prince supported the Fourth Prince. They followed the Fourth Prince¡¯s lead and would never blend with the members of the Third Prince¡¯s party. But now, the Fourth Prince saw the members of his party run out from the Third Prince¡¯s manor. What would he think?

    ¡°Those people usually support the Fourth Prince indeed, and repeatedly express their loyalty to him. It was supposed to be a secret that the Third Prince invited them to the banquet today, and few people knew it. But now the situation is different. The Third Prince¡¯s Manor was on fire, and no one would be stupid enough to stay there.¡±

    Ao Chenyi said with a smile and patted Ning Xueyan¡¯s back gracefully, as if he wasforting a child. Ning Xueyan blushed again. She really didn¡¯t think that she was a child.

    ¡°The Fourth Prince won¡¯t give in.¡± Ning Xueyan rolled her watery eyes and said.

    Ao Mingwan drew those people to his side with painstaking efforts, but Ao Mingyu drew them over in this stealthy way and seemed to intend to make them work as spies in Ao Mingwan¡¯s party. Ao Mingwan certainly would not give in. Honored Consort Ya was powerful, but it was said that Honored Consort Shu was also capable. Otherwise, her son would have not grown up safely.

    Capable of bringing her son up in the imperial pce, she couldn¡¯t be stupid. Honored Consort Shu couldn¡¯tpare with Honored Consort Ya, but it was said that she was close to the Empress with no son. Moreover, Ao Mingyu and Ao Mingwan were both the emperor¡¯s sons. The emperor must be impartial before determining the final heir.

    ¡°In this case, will they suspect you?¡± Ning Xueyan asked uneasily. The battle in her backyard couldn¡¯tpare with that in the imperial family. She really had no idea about these things. Although she had lived two lives, she still couldn¡¯tpare with them in plotting. Although she had vented her spleen, she didn¡¯t want the emperor to be suspicious of Ao Chenyi.

    The emperor had always been suspicious of him. If the emperor found out that he had intervened in secret, he would probably do something to trap him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m in Cold Mountain Temple, sent imperial guards to save my co-consort and went up and down the mountain. I didn¡¯t have time to intervene in their affairs. It¡¯s their own fault that they made such a scene. It has nothing to do with anyone else,¡± Ao Chenyi said with gloomy eyes. In the dark, his cold eyes were as dark as the night.

    In fact, he didn¡¯t care whether the emperor was suspicious of him or not. As long as he existed, he would be suspected forever. Even if he didn¡¯t do anything, the emperor could be suspicious of him as long as he wanted to. Nevertheless, as long as the emperor couldn¡¯t find any evidence against him, he could do nothing no matter how much he suspected him. Now he could watch from a distance the fight between the two brothers and see what scene they would make.

    With a trace of delight in her eyes, Ning Xueyan slightly tilted her head, but didn¡¯t get out of his arms. She looked at the flickering sky beneath. It seemed that the fire was still strong and looked so bright from a distance. It could be seen how strong the fire was in that area. Such a big fire didn¡¯t seem to be set by human beings.

    ¡°The Third Prince will think that it was the Fourth Prince who instructed someone to set his manor on fire in order to teach him a lesson. Meanwhile, seeing that the Third Prince invited the members of his party to the feast, the Fourth Prince will not let it go at that.¡± Ning Xueyan yawned slightly. Thinking of something, she was relieved and said with a smile.

    Nobody could tell what was going on now. Ao Chenyi, who was supposed to be the suspect, was on the mountain. What was more, it was such a coincidence that Ning Xueyan almost died and had been close to death during this period of time. If they investigated it, they could find out the cause of her carriage crash which was weird. She should have been trapped.

    In order to hold Ao Chenyi back, both the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince were likely to set up the trap. Even if both of them imed that they had been wronged, the emperor might not believe them. After all, the ident was weird.

    As the wind blew over, Ning Xueyan coughed in a low voice. Although she couldn¡¯t fall asleep and was in low spirits, the night seemed to have magnified the pain on her, and she felt it unbearable. She looked back at another brightly-lit courtyard.

    That was the courtyard where Ning Qingshan lived after going up the mountain. It was said that several physicians had been asked to treat her. Ning Xueyan had heard a girl scream harshly out of control from there a moment ago. Ning Qingshan had always set herself up as a fairdy, but now she failed to keep her dignity. She shouted and screamed in the temple, totally out of control.

    Did she break her leg? The Third Prince¡¯s Manor was on fire, and the imperial pce was in a mess. Even if they wanted to ask an imperial physician to treat her, they could find no one...

    Qing Xueyan showed a cold smile. Ning Qingshan was vicious and selfish like a viper and tried every means to kill her. Unexpectedly, Ning Qingshan fell down on the same road. When she finally showed up in front of Ning Qingshan safe and sound, she wondered whether Ning Qingshan could control herself!

 Chapter 440 - Accidents, All Are Accidents

    <h4>Chapter 440 idents, All Are idents</h4>

    As Ning Xueyan expected, Ning Qingshan lost control and got angry.

    At first, when a doctor said that her leg was broken, she was still hopeful. However, all other doctors said that her leg was broken, which triggered her emotional outbursts. After finishing feeling her pulse, thest old doctor stroked his beard hard and was about to issue a long statement to show that he was a doctor of noble character and high prestige.

    ¡°Is my leg broken?¡± Ning Qingshan asked with a gloomy face. She looked nervous and expectant at the same time.

    ¡°Young Lady, your leg bone has been broken and needs to be set. But I¡¯m not professional at bone setting.¡± The old doctor was a man of wide knowledge and experience. After the youngdy was injured, so many doctors were asked toe over at once. It could be seen that this Young Lady was not an ordinary person. So he dared not to guarantee that he could cure her.

    If he failed to handle it well, he would have to risk his life and family possessions. Therefore, the old doctor made an excuse.

    ¡°So you can¡¯t set it?¡± Ning Qingshan asked calmly.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that. I may be able to set it, but I¡¯m not sure that I can do it perfectly. If you really want to have it set now, I... may give it a try.¡± The old doctor thought that his words were very appropriate. With his implicit and vague words, even if he really failed to set it well, he wouldn¡¯t get into trouble.

    ¡°Get away! How dare youe to fool me since you are incapable of bone setting! Get away!¡± The calmness on Ning Qingshan¡¯s face suddenly broke. She picked up the cup by her hand and threw it at the old doctor, while screaming harshly. She looked ferocious and horrible like a ghost.

    The old doctor didn¡¯t expect that the youngdy, who had been calm and gentle just now, would suddenly swear at him like a shrew as if possessed by an evil spirit. He was caught off guard by a cup of chilling tea she threw at him. Fortunately, the tea had been put aside for some time, so he didn¡¯t feel hot. Nevertheless, anyone cursed by someone else, who pointed at his nose and threw a cup of a tea at him, would feel ufortable.

    ¡°Well, well, well. I¡¯m incapable of treating this youngdy. Please find someone better qualified than me!¡± The old doctor had self-esteem. He stood up angrily, carried his medicine chest, and wiped away the tea on his face, while pushing away the old maid intending to hold him. He got exasperated and involuntarily raised his voice.

    There were two more doctors thinking over their prescriptions outside the room. Seeing the old doctore out with tea on his face and several tea leaves on his eyebrows, they wondered what had happened for a moment. They were all stunned for a while and looked at the old doctor.

    ¡°Doctor Chen, what happened? What¡¯s the matter...¡± The old doctor was highly respected among this group of doctors, so someone couldn¡¯t help asking.

    ¡°Everyone, I¡¯m leaving now. I thought the patient is a Young Lady from an aristocratic family. Unexpectedly, she¡¯s no match for a shrew in the market. Humph!¡± The old doctor felt disgraced and degraded at the same time. He removed a tea leaf on his head and walked away directly without saying anything else. After getting out of the yard, he asked the carriage, which had driven him to go up the mountain, to leave immediately without staying in the temple for a minute.

    He could be considered a famous doctor in the capital. Although he was no match for the imperial physician, he was prestigious among the doctors outside. Today after someone threw a cup of tea at him, he felt too disgraced to stay. Thinking that the Third Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor turned out to be such a shrew, he felt increasingly annoyed.

    Why would he meet with such a misfortune?

    After the old doctor went down the mountain in rage, Ning Qingshan threw out all items beside her in anger. Caifen and Feilian were beaten by her many times. She seemed to be mad and made a scene by crying and screaming without caring about her dignity as a Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Mammy Luo, who came in hurriedly after getting the news, was also pped by her.

    ¡°Young Lady, master, we are still outside. You should be careful! Don¡¯t damage your reputation!¡± Mammy Luo was anxious. She tightly held Ning Qingshan, who seemed to be mad, in her arms and shouted. On the other side, Caifen and Feilian also came to help her drag Ning Qingshan. The three of them worked together and finally suppressed her.

    ¡°Reputation? I don¡¯t need reputation. Why do I need reputation in current status!¡± Ning Qingshan cried out loud. If it were not for her injured leg making her unable to move, she would have run out. She felt as if her heart was about to burst. She had broken her leg. How could the imperial family tolerate a co-consort with a broken leg?

    All the painstaking efforts she had made in these years were wasted. She had schemed for so many years. Since she was a child, she had known that she must be stronger. Otherwise, anyone could bully her. In order to be stronger, she could pay a lot.

    She could not remember clearly about her childhood. She only knew that after she entered Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling were the noblest Young Ladies of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, while she was just an adopted daughter and an orphan. To put it bluntly, she was even inferior to a maid in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. So she had to seek wholehearted care from someone else.

    Madam Ming had her own daughter, so she wouldn¡¯t treat her sincerely. Therefore, she drugged Ning Xueyan, who was still a child in order to slow down her recovery. Afterwards, she joined herself to Madam Ling¡¯s side and trapped Madam Ming once, and then moved out from Bright Frost Garden. She tried to please Madam Dowager and maintained an ambiguous rtionship with Ning Huaiyuan in order to live a good life in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and live like a real Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Even so, Madam Ling was kind to her on the surface, and Ning Huaiyuan kept a distance from her. She felt that she had tried hard, but was not rewarded. So she bore profound hatred in her heart. For a period of time, she felt that everything she did was meaningless. However, she learned that she was Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s granddaughter and Honored Consort Ya¡¯s nieceter. Moreover, Honored Consort Ya and Grand Tutor Ya intended to marry her to the Third Prince, so she cheered up.

    Afterwards, Honored Consort Ya gave her advice and gave her the chance to save the Third Prince. Grand Tutor Ya told her to make concessions in order to gain advantages. So she went to the nunnery and got a good reputation. For a time, everyone praised her. Even she thought that she would definitely be the Third Prince¡¯s wife in the future, and her cousin had a deep affection for her.

    After that, she found out that she was the Great Elder Princess from the previous dynasty. She had a noble status and was not Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s real granddaughter. However, Grand Tutor Ya didn¡¯t find out about it. Someone inexplicably showed up around her and helped her solve problems from time to time, which made her feel that she had really be a royal princess.

    She was the real princess, superior and noble. Even the current princess couldn¡¯tpare with her. She felt proud and considered herself noble because of this.

    Unexpectedly, there came twists and turns. At first, her cousin became weird and paid more attention to Ning Xueyan, which gave her a sense of crisis. She then failed to plot against Ning Xueyan repeatedly, andmitted a breach of etiquette in the Beauty Contest in the pce and thus to descend from a consort to a co-consort in the end.

    She had nned to seek help from the person with her beauty. In this way, after her cousin seeded in inheriting the throne, she could definitely be the empress, the noblestdy around the world. However, she broke her leg at this time. How could she be qualified to be an empress with her broken leg?

    If she could not marry the Third Prince and be the empress, how could she live up to her status as the supreme princess of the former dynasty? How could she live up to her so many years¡¯ nning? She felt that all her painstaking efforts over these years were wasted. This was the reason why Ning Qingshan made such a scene.

    ¡°Young Lady, your bone can not necessarily be set. As long as it is set properly, it will be as fine as it used to be. There is an imperial physician in the pce who is good at this. I heard that there was a nobledy in the pce who fell from the rockery and broke her leg. But her bone was set properly and as fine as it used to be.¡±

    Holding Ning Qingshan in her arms, Mammy Luo endured being beat by Ning Qingshan on her back and tried to console her in a low voice. Except for Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, there were the members of other manors in Cold Mountain Temple. The old doctor¡¯s curses on his way out were unpleasant enough. If Ning Qingshan made another scene, her reputation would be ruined.

    ¡°Can it be set properly?¡± Mammy Luo hit the nail on the head, and her words worked immediately. On hearing that there was still hope, Ning Qingshan immediately stopped crying. With no time to wipe her tears, she looked at Mammy Luo with eagerness in her dark eyes and asked, hoping to get a more urate answer from Mammy Luo.

    ¡°Yes. Young Lady, I¡¯ve just sent someone to the Third Prince and ask him to send the imperial physician here for setting your bone. Rest assured. The Third Prince and Honored Consort Ya will definitely send the imperial physician here as soon as they know that you had an ident,¡± Mammy Luo answered with certainty.

    On hearing that Mammy Luo had sent someone over and the imperial physician might be on his way here now, Ning Qingshan felt relieved. She had heard about the incident in the imperial pce, so there was indeed such an imperial physician in the imperial pce. The Third Prince and Honored Consort Ya would be extremely worried if they knew what had happened to her, so it was reasonable for them to send the imperial physician here right away.

    ¡°Mammy, I¡¯m sorry! I was really desperate just now, so I...¡± Ning Qingshan cried in a low voice at this moment and looked at Mammy Luo, who got two bruises on her face after being beaten by Ning Qingshan, with guilt. She said with guilt and sadness on her face, ¡°Mammy, I... I¡¯m sorry. You... You can beat me to vent your anger!¡±

    ¡°Young Lady, I won¡¯t me you. As long as you¡¯re fine, I¡¯m willing to do anything for you.¡± Seeing that Ning Qingshan stopped making a scene, Mammy Luo let go of her. She straightened up and felt pain all over at once. After all, she was old. Besides, Ning Qingshan kept beating her like crazy and bit her. Several parts of her wrists even bled because of Ning Qingshan¡¯s biting.

    ¡°Caifen, get some ointment and put it on Mammy. Mammy did this for me, such a disappointing master. Rest assured. As long as I exist, I will never allow you to suffer. I... I¡¯ll pay you back.¡± At this moment, Ning Qingshan had returned to a nobledy. Watching the bruises on Mammy Luo¡¯s body, she burst into tears sadly.

    Her words were so touching that Caifen, Feilian and Mammy Luo were moved to tears. They only felt that their Young Lady was not bad-minded, and she hurt them because she had lost control just now.

    They thought that as long as the Third Prince got the message, he would definitely send the imperial physician here or evene here in person to see their master. Not only Mammy Luo and others but also Ning Qingshan thought so. Thus, they became cheerful for the moment. They asked the doctor outside to put some ointment on Ning Qingshan and gave a prescription. Meanwhile, they waited for the Third Prince toe here with the imperial physician and see Ning Qingshan.

    They didn¡¯t expect that the Third Prince Ao Mingyu was busy enough with his own affairs and had no time to go to see Ning Qingshan, not to mention to enter the imperial pce to find the imperial physician. The Third Prince¡¯s manor was full of billowing smoke and burning fire. Obviously the fire couldn¡¯t be controlled in a short time.

    idents. All were idents, a series of idents...

 Chapter 441 - A Lot of Trouble

    <h4>Chapter 441 A Lot of Trouble</h4>

    Ning Xueyan guessed right. The Third Prince held a great feast in his own manor for the ministers who supported the Fourth Prince, but suddenly there was a zing fire there. This news was sent to the pce urgently and the emperor was rudely awakened from his sleep. He immediately summoned the two princes to his side and scolded them severely. To be specific, his lecture was divided into three aspects: their country, their father and son, the emperor and his minister.

    The Third Prince said that he had done nothing except for talking and drinking with those ministers. Unexpectedly, someone could not stand it and deliberately set fire to his manor. Hence, he aired his grievances in front of the emperor and kept begging him to find the arsonist to seek justice.

    However, the Fourth Prince said that he did not know anything. He even had no idea that his people were invited by the Third Prince to have a drink. How would he know that it had something to do with him? It was so unfair.

    Both of them imed to be in the right about that. Later, Honored Consort Ya and Honored Consort Shu also heard about it. They hurried to kneel in the Imperial Study together with their sons. They cried andined of being wronged, which gave the emperor a headache. In the end, the result was that the emperor only issued symbolic punishments for these two princes.

    After that, the emperor scolded both Honored Consort Ya and Honored Consort Shu, then went straight to the Qiongfeng Pce of Honored Consort Xia.

    After this farce, it was already midnight when Ao Mingyu returned to his manor. The servant sent by Mammy Luo was waiting for him at the door. When he saw Ao Mingyu getting off the carriage, he ran over and reported to him. However, after getting through the fire event and the emperor¡¯s scolding, Ao Mingyu, an even-tempered man, was almost incandescent with rage now.

    Ao Mingyu could not maintain his gentle smile anymore. When he heard that Ning Qingshan got into trouble again, he threw a cold nce at the servant, then ignored him and turned to go inside. Although the fire had been put out, there was still a lot of work to be done and everything was still in a mess.

    When the servant of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor saw that the Third Prince ignored him and went straight into his manor, he hurriedly grabbed a person behind him and asked, ¡°Your Highness, does he... agree or not? Our Third Young Lady¡¯s leg is broken. If it is not looked into soon, her situation might worsen.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. She won¡¯t die soon. Now the pce gate is closed, so wait until tomorrow!¡± The man said sourly. If it were not for his master who had once cared about the Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, he would not have talked to him at this time. Did he not see what was going on? He actually came here to cause more trouble.

    After saying that, the man pulled his sleeve aside and hurriedly followed the Third Prince into the manor. Finally, they left that servant alone there.

    The closed pce gate meant that the Imperial Physicians on duty were locked up in the pce, but not all the Imperial Physicians were there, on duty. The other Imperial Physicians lived outside the manor. Even if the servant of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor knew it was an excuse, he could not do anything about it.

    It was messy at the gate of the Third Prince¡¯s manor. A crowd of people were handling all kinds of affairs that night and the scene was chaotic. Nobody paid any attention to him. Only when it was dawn, did someonee out and take him to the doctor who was good at setting bones. Then they hurried to Cold Mountain Temple in the early morning to set Ning Qingshan¡¯s bones.

    In Cold Mountain Temple, Ning Xueyan woke up from her sleep and found that it was already bright outside. Lanning and Xinmei had been waiting by her bed for a long time. Hearing the sounds from the bed, they hurriedly lifted the curtain. When they saw that Ning Xueyan looked fine as sheid in bed, they smiled happily.

    Ning Xueyan did not even know when she fell asleepst night. She only remembered having a talk with Ao Chenyi, but now she found that she was lying on the bed. She should have been carried over by Ao Chenyi.

    After washing up and finishing breakfast, shey back on the bed, then Lanning and Xinmei carefully applied the ointment on her body.

    Xinmei was better at dealing with wounds than Lanning. She said reassuringly, while applying ointment on Ning Xueyan, ¡°Fifth Young Lady, there should be no problem with your wounds. The ointment will prevent scarring, so you just need to have a good rest for a while.¡±

    After a night¡¯s sleep, Ning Xueyan really felt that she was fine. Her whole person had recovered a lot in strength. What¡¯s more, she had breakfast by herself just now. Some wounds on her body were caused by scratches from tree branches. After applying the ointment and a night¡¯s rest, she did not feel any burning pain now.

    ¡°How is it going over there?¡± Ning Xueyan pointed out of the window. That was exactly the direction of Ning Qingshan¡¯s courtyard.

    ¡°She kicked up a fuss for a while. Later, I have heard that she is better, but the light over there has not been extinguished yet. In the morning, the Imperial Physician came to set the bone for Third Young Lady and Madam Dowager was also there then. Now it should have been done already. As for the rest, I am really not clear.¡± Although Lanning paid attention to Ning Qingshan¡¯s movements, she had no reason to inquire about her news directly. Besides, Fifth Young Lady was still in a state of ¡°being alive or dead¡±. As a personal maid of the Fifth Young Lady, it was really not convenient for her to go to the Third Young Lady¡¯s courtyard.

    Ning Qingshan¡¯s foot was hurt yesterday. At that time, the sun was just setting and it was not thatte, but the Imperial Physician had juste over in the morning. It seemed that the Third Prince had behaved perfunctorily toward Ning Qingshan because of the big firest night. He ignored her condition and put it off till this morning. After all the dys, Ning Qingshan¡¯s leg would take a longer time to recover.

    Xinmei put down the ointment so she could wash her hands in the water basin by her side, then said in a low voice, ¡°Fifth Young Lady, Prince Yi has told you to have a good rest these days. You don¡¯t have to worry about anything else. The sacrificial ceremony on Granduncle¡¯s side has already begun, but the opening ceremony will be held at the end. There is still about half a month or so, so you just need to show up then.¡±

    Because of her special situation, it was reasonable to hold the opening ceremony at the end. Anyway, it was not so urgent now. Since Ao Chenyi asked Xinmei to tell her that, he probably wanted to say that he had already dealt with those things, so she just needed to take care of herself.

    ¡°Has Madam Dowager¡¯s servant been stopped by Prince Yi?¡± Ning Xueyan thought for a while and said. She was injured and even if she could not be healed, Madam Dowager would definitelye to see her in person.

    ¡°Granduncle and Madam Dowager¡¯s people were all stopped by Prince Yi. Later, Madam Dowager came in person again when Prince Yi was severely scolding Granduncle. Heined that Granduncle did not take good care of Fifth Young Lady and caused you to be injured. If he had not happened to go up the mountain, your body might not even have been found. Madam Dowager stood in the courtyard and listened for a while, then she left.¡±

    Lanning made a cup of tea for Ning Xueyan with a smile, and also moved the back cushion for her, then said this saucily. She was in a good mood as she said that. At that time, Madam Dowager was outside the courtyard with a sullen face, which made Lanning very happy, when she saw that.

    Granduncle did not take good care of Fifth Young Lady. She had grown up in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, but they did not pay much attention to her and only let her go up the mountain with a few servants. Hence, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor took main responsibility for the Fifth Young Lady¡¯s injury. At this time, they came here and would definitely have to face Prince Yi¡¯s wrath. What¡¯s more, Prince Yi¡¯s imposing manner was astonishing. When Madam Dowager stood outside and heard the conversation, she was frightened and then left in disgrace.

    She had seen Madam Dowager bullying Fifth Young Lady in the past, but now they finally had a chance to stand up with their heads held high at this time.

    When Ning Xueyan thought of Madam Dowager being hesitant if she shoulde in or leave, she could not helpughing out loud. Madam Dowager was sinister and selfish and was also good at stabbing someone in the back. But now, she did not dare to say anything when she encountered this sort of happening.

    She was the Madam Dowager of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and also Ning Xueyan¡¯s grandmother, but Ao Chenyi who was so powerful and decisive would not care about this. What¡¯s more, if Madam Dowager really made Ao Chenyi angry, even if he did not bother about her, what would he do with Ning Zu¡¯an?

    With such scruples, Madam Dowager did not dare to offend Ao Chenyi. Since he did not allow her to visit Ning Xueyan, she would note over again. So Ning Xueyan led an easy life for the next few days. During these days, Ao Chenyi had been here all along. He seemed to be very busy and only came to apany Ning Xueyan at night.

    Because they dered that Ning Xueyan was still in aa, the doctors in the courtyard were busy writing out prescriptions and brewing medicine, which made the whole courtyard reek with the smell of medicine. At the gate of the courtyard, Ao Chenyi sent two guards over to stop those ¡°irrelevant people¡±. Of course, the so-called ¡°irrelevant people¡± referred to everyone else, except him.

    Ming Feiyong was an official, so he could not stay long on the mountain. Fortunately, Ming Yuanhua was in charge of the sacrificial ceremony, so there was nothing amiss. Now that Madam Dowager was here, she could not pretend not to know about it. She had intended to feign illness, but Ning Xueyan was in aa and Ning Qingshan could not move. If she, the only female who was in a normal state, pretended to be sick, the whole Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would lose their dignity.

    For the sake of Madam Ming, Ning Zu¡¯an had already been punished by being made housebound by the emperor. Madam Dowager did not dare to make trouble about those kinds of things, so as not to make the emperor angry. Since she came here, she would offer incense to Madam Ming tomorrow to express her sincerity. Now Madam Dowager did not intend to hide it anymore.

    There was no way to hide it. Many people had known about the Cold Mountain Temple¡¯s dojo. What¡¯s more, Ning Xueyan and Ning Qingshan met with an ident on the way to Cold Mountain Temple, one after another. At the moment, people in the capital city were talking about the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. They all knew that Madam Ling had framed the real Marchioness-Madam Ming, while Ning Zu¡¯an was as blind as a bat and kept this wicked woman beside him.

    It was a joke in the capital city that the principal wife had been treated as a concubine in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Many people even wanted to wait just to see this good show. Somehow the Xia Manor was also involved. In fact, it was very easy to figure it out because the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had married off two daughters of the principal wife to the Xia Manor. At that time, everyone had thought that the Xia Manor had gained a great advantage.

    But now, they all felt that the Xia Manor had suffered a great loss. In fact, they were two daughters of the concubine and one of them was Xia Yuhang¡¯s principal wife. Anyway, the Xia Manor was a victim. Besides, Xia Yuhang used to be known as a genius, but now he could not even take part in the Spring Metropolitan Examination because of the marriage with Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    For the sake of a concubine¡¯s daughter, his reputation and future were ruined. It was not just simple bad luck. Xia Yuhang was the most promising son of Xia Manor, but he became so miserable because of his marriage with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Originally, he thought that he would have a better life after marrying a principal wife¡¯s daughter. However, now he found that she was not only a principal wife¡¯s daughter, but also a concubine¡¯s daughter who had a vicious birth mother.

    With such a birth mother, how could her daughter be a kind-hearted Young Lady, which set off a storm in the Xia Manor.

 Chapter 442 - Encountering a Fight Again

    <h4>Chapter 442 Encountering a Fight Again</h4>

    These days, Ning Ziyan really had a hard time and was more miserable than ever. She took her maid¡¯s hand and returned to her courtyard, then found that her knees had swelled and resembled steamed buns. In the morning, she had not served Madam Xia well, so Madam Xia ordered her to kneel till now as a punishment. After such a long time, it would be odd if her knees were not swollen.

    ¡°Young Madam, don¡¯t be sad, it will all be better soon. A few days ago, the Eldest Young Master sent you a letter. He told you to take it easy and to hold on for a few more days.¡± Ning Ziyan¡¯s personal older female servant was her wet nurse¨CMammy Shen, who had taken care of her from childhood. She hade to the Xia Manor with Ning Ziyan. At the moment, when she saw her precious Eldest Young Lady being tortured like this, she was very angry.

    ¡°The Eldest Young Lady is not a principal wife¡¯s daughter now, so Madam Xia intentionally tortured her and said the Eldest Young Lady did not serve her well. However, when the First Madam was still in charge of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor in the past, why have I never heard Madam Xia saying that?¡± Madam Shen thought.

    Ning Ziyan had seen enough of the various aspects of life these days, so now she did not rush to scold others. There was a flicker of gloom in her eyes. She gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mammy. I am not in a hurry. Anyway, she is still on the mountain and her life is uncertain so far. Since she has not woken up yet, maybe she will be asleep forever. However, my father and Grandmother will take care of it for my brother¡¯s sake.¡±

    ¡°Young Madam, it is really nice to hear you saying that. Anyhow, the Eldest Young Master is handling the affair, so we just need to wait for his message. Maybe it wille soon.¡± Seeing that her Eldest Young Lady was so sensible, Mammy Shen could not help shedding tears. The Eldest Young Lady had always been bullying others, but when did she have to suffer to this extent?

    ¡°Where is he?¡± Ning Ziyan looked around and asked the maid beside her. Here the ¡°he¡± referred to ¡°Xia Yuhang¡±.

    ¡°The Eldest Young Master has been in the study all the time and has note out. Just now, a young male servant came and left a message. The Eldest Young Master needs to study hard, so he will not be here for lunch today and Young Madam will have her meal alone.¡±

    Was he going to read a book in the study room again? A trace of anger shed in Ning Ziyan¡¯s eyes. After Ning Yuling came to the manor, Xia Yuhang had been more and more indifferent to her. In the past, he had meals with her asionally, but now, he did note here even for a day. Even if she sent her people to invite him every day, his replies were all like this. Whether it was for lunch or for dinner, he just gave the same reply.

    Did he say ¡°study hard¡±? He could not even participate in the Spring Metropolitan Examination, so he did not need to study hard at all.

    ¡°Let us go and send lunch to the Eldest Young Master.¡± Ning Ziyan gritted her teeth and said while looking at the food basket beside her. She wanted to see how hard at work Xia Yuhang was in the study room.

    ¡°Young Madam, your legs are still swollen, so you don¡¯t have to go there. Just take a good rest.¡± Mammy Shen asked the maid to apply ointment to her leg, whileforting her.

    ¡°No, I must go there today,¡± Ning Ziyan said coldly. Since she married into the Xia Manor, she had never lived afortable life. She had thought that they had shared the same feelings before marriage and would be a happy couple after marriage. Unexpectedly, he had snubbed her early in the marriage. He said that he wanted to study, but in fact, he went to Cold Mountain Temple and had an affair with that bitch secretly.

    After that, the bitch came to the Xia Manor and finally she even lost her unborn child because of her. Ning Ziyan had thought that Xia Yuhang would have punished the bitch this time, but in the end, he actually took her as his concubine and also gave her an official title. Afterwards, Ning Ziyan¡¯s sister also came to the Xia Manor. At the thought of this, Ning Ziyan almost vomited blood in anger.

    ¡°My marriage seems to be a joke. The scandal has not ended since I got married. Everything is rted to my marriage. I have always thought that Xia Yuhang and I have feelings for each other. But now he is getting farther and farther away from me.¡±

    ¡°When did this start? Perhaps it was on the day I got married or after I punished Ning Ziying.¡± Ning Xueyan thought as she twisted the handkerchief in her hand into a ball...

    Seeing that she was bent on going, Mammy Shen did not stop her. After a quick make-up, she did not have lunch and directly rushed to the study room outside with two maids.

    Xia Yuhang¡¯s study room was not far from the Chuihua Gate. He chose a quiet site as his study room. It was the best location in the manor and its environment was elegant. Now it was the time for the spring flowers to be in bloom and the courtyard where Xia Yuhang¡¯s study was located, was full of flowers. There were rows of potted flowers and nts at the door. At first nce, Ning Xueyan knew that those flowers had been carefully arranged and they numbered more than the ones she ced there before.

    Originally, there were a fixed number of potted flowers and nts sent to each courtyard. Especially for a ce like a man¡¯s study room, there should only be a small quantity of flowers, but how could it be like a garden now?

    ¡°Where did you get these flowers?¡± Ning Ziyan stood at the door and asked the young male servant who was in a state of panic and wanted to report to his master.

    When the young male servant saw the Young Madam walking over, he wanted to deliver a message, but was stopped by her. At this moment, he noticed the Young Madam¡¯s face and knew that she was in a bad mood, then answered carefully, ¡°Young Madam, these were all sent by Concubine Ning. She said that the Eldest Young Master studies hard and seldom goes out of the study in his daily life, so he needs to enjoy the scenery more, so as not to hurt his mind and eyes. Then she asked the servants to move all the flowers from her courtyard over.¡±

    Of course, Concubine Ning here was Ning Yuling.

    Ning Yuling actually sent those flowers here. Hearing this, Ning Ziyan¡®s hands trembled with anger. Ning Yuling sent things to Xia Yuhang¡¯s study room without telling her own sister¨Cthe principal wife. It seemed as if Ning Ziyan as the principal wife did not want Xia Yuhang to live well on purpose, so she did it in a subtle way. What would other people think of her as the principal wife?

    Suddenly, a burst ofughter flowed into Ning Xueyan¡¯s ears. The woman inside seemed to be saying something, but it sounded muffled because of her low voice. Even though Ning Ziyan could not hear clearly, she still knew that the voice was Ning Yuling¡¯s. They had been sisters for more than ten years. How could she not recognize Ning Yuling¡¯s voice?

    Ning Yuling was trying to please someone with this voice. It sounded sweet and cute. In the past, she usually made up to Madam Dowager by using this voice, which Madam Dowager loved to hear. So Madam Dowager preferred Ning Yuling more than her eldest sister.

    All of a sudden, Ning Ziyan asked coldly, ¡°Why is Concubine Ning in the room?¡±

    ¡°Concubine Ning just arrived and heard that the Eldest Young Master has not had lunch yet. She specially cooked several dishes and brought them here to eat with the Eldest Young Master.¡± The young male servant saw the big food basket in the hands of the maid behind Ning Ziyan. His face changed a little and he said this with some hesitation.

    It was obvious that the Young Madam was also here to send lunch to the Eldest Young Master. How could he handle this? Concubine Ning had already been in and was having lunch with the Eldest Young Master. If the Young Madam came in now and saw them together, she would definitely get angry. If he had known that the Young Madam wasing, then he would never have let Concubine Ning in.

    Ning Ziyan heard that Ning Yuling was still in the study room, which meant that she was having a meal with Xia Yuhang. When she thought that she was alone in the backyard, not only had she been humiliated by Xia Yuhang¡¯s mother, but she also had meals alone after going back. However, they were here eating affectionately together, so how could she keep her anger under control?

    She pushed away her maid who was supporting her and rushed into the room angrily.

    ¡°Young Madam, take it easy. Let me report this to the Eldest Young Master first.¡± When the young male servant saw that Ning Ziyan rushed in without saying a word, he suddenly realized that it was not good, and then could not help shouting loudly.

    ¡°How dare you! If you dare to shout again, you will scare the Young Madam, then I will definitely break your legs.¡± One of Ning Ziyan¡¯s maids stopped and reproached him coldly.

    Hearing this, the young male servant dared not shout to warn the Eldest Young Master and Concubine Ning in the room. He only hoped that they heard his voice just now and could restrain themselves a little. Otherwise, in case Young Madam happened to see the intimacy between them, she might lose her temper and then they as servants would be implicated as well.

    In the room, Xia Yuhang sat expressionless and was eating his meal quietly. It was hard to tell whether he was happy or angry.

    ¡°Try this. I specially asked the kitchen to cook with these new bamboo shoots. The bamboo shoots in the manor are not good, so I have sent people to find them outside. I heard that the bamboo shoots there are very good and some of the noble families also order from them, but they may not be able to get them all the time.¡±

    Ning Yuling was wearing a light pink dress, which made her delicate appearance more beautiful. She was a natural beauty and after dressing up, she looked charming and stylish. Coupled with her slightly pouted lips and bewitching eyes, any man would be lost in her charm.

    What¡¯s more, she leaned closer to Xia Yuhang from time to time. When she picked up the dish for him, she touched him and then sat down shyly. She looked gentle and charming and also took care of him wholeheartedly. Seeing this, Xia Yuhang¡¯s eyes became more gentle, and sometimes he even listened to her seriously. Although he did not say anything, Ning Yuling was satisfied with that.

    This was much better than when she first came to the Xia Manor. At that time, Xia Yuhang had humiliated her on the first day because of that painting. Now she certainly knew that she had been cheated by someone, and this cheater was her good sister. Ning Yuling was also clear about her own identity now. If she wanted to gain a foothold in the Xia Manor, she had to rely on Xia Yuhang.

    Hence, she certainly tried her best to please Xia Yuhang. As for Ning Ziyan, she never took her seriously. She had heard what happened to Madam Ling recently, but she did not think it had anything to do with her. As early as the day when her face was disfigured due to Madam Ling¡¯s p and she had been sent away, she felt that Madam Ling had abandoned her.

    So now, how could she feel sad and anxious for her? Anyway, she was just a concubine and finally only Ning Ziyan would lose face. They were both concubines¡¯ daughters, but Ning Ziyan was the Principal Wife. It was not only Ning Ziyan but also the whole Xia Manor who had lost face. Therefore, Madam Xia had been making Ning Ziyan pay for it these days. Ning Yuling was very happy to see that.

    Ning Yuling made good use of these days. Seeing that Ning Ziyan did not have time, she came to Xia Yuhang¡¯s study room the whole day. Now it seemed that she had managed a great achievement by this. Xia Yuhang no longer treated her like how he did before.

    Suddenly, Ning Yuling heard a cry from the young male servant outside and frowned. She did not expect that Ning Ziyan would have the strength toe to the study room now. However, it was no use even if she was here. They were both the daughters of a concubine, so no one was more noble than the other. Since Ning Ziyan was here, it would be good to let her see who the most beloved woman was.

    She made up her mind silently and said, ¡°Eldest Young Master, try this. I made it for you, just have a taste.¡±

    Ning Yuling stood up again and picked up another dish. Since the dish te was a little far away, she had to stand on tiptoe. When she put the dish in front of Xia Yuhang, she was a little unsteady on her feet and then leaned over Xia Yuhang. He immediately stretched his hands to hold her and asked gently, ¡°Be careful, are you hurt?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Ning Yuling answered shyly. She did not leave Xia Yuhang¡¯s arms, but leaned on him bashfully.

    The door was suddenly pushed open. Ning Ziyan stood at the door with a pale face and stared angrily at the two people who were hugging each other inside. She could not help rushing in and pulling Ning Yuling up. Then she suddenly pped her hard...

 Chapter 443 - Madam Dowagerâ€™s Tentative Questions

    <h4>Chapter 443 Madam Dowager¡¯s Tentative Questions</h4>

    Ning Xueyan was allowed to meet guests a few dayster. Of course, Ao Chenyi had left early, but he left two guards there. They stood there like two pirs in front of the door with a fierce look, and looked at anyone else with cold eyes as if looking at a dead person. Madam Dowager was deeply rmed after ncing at them. Such guards must have fought on the battlefield and were iparable to those from an ordinary family.

    A nce from them seemed to make others feel cold from the bones and feel gloomy all over.

    In the room, Ning Xueyan leaned on the bed with a pale face. Her lips were originally much paler than those of an ordinary person, and they looked ashen at the moment.

    Seeing Madam Dowagere in, she struggled to get up. However, as soon as she straightened up, she fell down heavily again. Two maids hurriedly helped her up. There was a thinyer of cold sweat on her forehead, indicating that she was so weak.

    ¡°Xueyan, don¡¯t get up. Lie in bed!¡± Madam Dowager said with a distressed look.

    ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m fine. I just need to rest for a period of time.¡± Ning Xueyan said softly with a trace of unhealthy weakness in her voice and forced a smile on her pale face, ¡°Lanning, help grandma sit down. I¡¯m sorry that I can¡¯t get up now and have to bother grandma toe and see me.¡±

    ¡°Good girl, don¡¯t regard me as an outsider. You¡¯re so seriously injured now. Don¡¯t worry about something like that. I¡¯ve been really worried about you these days and waited outside every day. Thank god, you finally woke up. If you haven¡¯t woken up, I... I really don¡¯t know what I should do!¡±

    Madam Dowager sat down and wiped her tears with her handkerchief. Her eyes had turned red.

    ¡°Exactly. On hearing that you had an ident, Madam Dowager came to see you that day regardless of her poor health. On hearing that you had not woken up, she knelt in front of the Buddha for a long time. If you didn¡¯t wake up, she wouldn¡¯t be able to hold on any longer.¡±

    Mother Qin had a way with words. She picked up on the topic so smartly that she just told how Madam Dowager concerned about Ning Xueyan with all her heart and didn¡¯t mention what had happened to Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°Thank you, Grandma. I¡¯m sorry to trouble you,¡± Ning Xueyan said with a forced smile.

    ¡°What did the imperial physician say? Will there be any sequ?¡± Madam Dowager nced at the medicine bowl on the side and asked anxiously.

    Ning Xueyan was treated by the imperial physician working for Ao Chenyi, so Madam Dowager couldn¡¯t inquire about the specific information.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, my master¡¯s internal organs have been injured. So she won¡¯t be able to recover soon and needs to rest for a period of time. There¡¯s nothing serious except for this. She can get up and move in a few days.¡± Seeing that it baffled Ning Xueyan to answer, Lanning picked up on the topic sweetly.

    It could be a big deal that Ning Xueyan¡¯s internal organs were injured. Madam Dowager was shocked at first, but after hearing that Ning Xueyan could get up after a few days, she was relieved. Prince Yi was going to marry Ning Xueyan in around a month. If Ning Xueyan still couldn¡¯t move at that time, it would be a trouble.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t her bones get hurt?¡± Madam Dowager kept asking.

    ¡°No. My master is very lucky,¡± Lanning said, showing a delighted smile.

    ¡°That¡¯s good. That¡¯s good!¡± Madam Dowager said with a smile and looked relieved. She looked around and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Prince Yi? Why didn¡¯t I see him?¡±

    ¡°Madam Dowager, His Highness was here when the imperial physician treated Young Lady. Later, His Highness got some business, so His Highness left, leaving two guards to protect Young Lady and the order that Young Lady is only allowed to meet guests after she wakes up,¡± Lanning answered for Ning Xueyan. Finding it even hard for Ning Xueyan to smile, Madam Dowager certainly wouldn¡¯t mind Ning Xueyan¡¯s breach of etiquette at this moment.

    Prince Yi was not here? Did it mean that Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t find favor with Prince Yi as she thought? Madam Dowager looked at Ning Xueyan thoughtfully. Did she get it wrong?

    ¡°Did His Highness... say what it was?¡± Madam Dowager should not have asked about it. Besides, she had always been cautious. But today she had to ask.

    Hearing her question, the two maids exchanged nces with embarrassment which vanished in a sh but was seen by Madam Dowager, who kept staring at them. There seemed to be another mystery behind it, and Prince Yi definitely didn¡¯t leave because of some business as they said.

    ¡°His Highness... said... he got some business in the manor... Someone got sick, so he went back.¡± Ning Xueyan bit her lip and lowered her eyes slightly. Madam Dowager couldn¡¯t see her pretty eyes, but could feel her sadness.

    She was vague about that, but everyone knew that there were no other masters in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, except for only a few concubines with no status, and they were all given by others. Who could attract Prince Yi¡¯s attention so that he hurried back even when he didn¡¯t know whether his co-consort could survive?

    ¡°Is it... the concubine he likes best?¡± Madam Dowager thought for a moment and immediately figured out who it was. She became sullen at once and said in displeasure. All other manors had known that Prince Yi had a favorite concubine in his manor. In particr, it was said that he intended to marry the consort and the co-consort at the same time because of his favorite concubine.

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t answer, but just lowered her head. Although she didn¡¯t say it, she obviously referred to Prince Yi¡¯s favorite concubine.

    ¡°Favorite concubine? She¡¯s just a bitch with no status. You should develop a good rtionship with Commandery Princess Xianyun after marrying into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. In any case, you two are the consort and co-consort granted by the emperor, the real masters of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.¡± Madam Dowager snorted. She had been secretly d that Prince Yi thought highly of Ning Xueyan.

    Seeing that he had left two guards in Cold Mountain Temple and the imperial physician was upied with treating Ning Xueyan, she thought that Prince Yi had put Ning Xueyan in mind. The more Prince Yi valued Ning Xueyan, the more beneficial it was to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. This was the reason why Madam Dowager passed out at once on hearing that Ning Xueyan had an ident.

    Given the current state, Lord Protector¡¯s Manor needed strong support. The Third Prince was supposed to be an excellent choice. However, Ning Qingshan had broken her leg this time, but the Third Prince¡¯s manor even didn¡¯t send anyone to show his concern for her. Despite the fire crash happening in the Third Prince¡¯s Manor made it impossible for him toe here in a short time, he should at least send someone here on behalf of him. How could he send no one here to show his concern?

    In the past, even when Ning Qingshan was in the nunnery, the Third Prince sent someone to show his concern and bring her gifts every year. But now he became so frigid. What was more, Madam Dowager had secretly asked the servant asking the imperial physician toe. The servant said that the imperial physician camete because the Third Prince just ignored him and left him outside that night. There was even no servant receiving him.

    Madam Dowager was not optimistic about this situation. Ning Qingshan had been treated so coldly even before marrying the Third Prince. Madam Dowager didn¡¯t know what kind of life Ning Qingshan would live after marrying him. Besides, Ning Qingshan could beme because the imperial physician camete. Of course, Madam Dowager had heard it from the imperial physician, but she didn¡¯t tell anyone else about it.

    Under normal circumstances, the Third Prince didn¡¯t care about Ning Qingshan much. If Ning Qingshan really becameme in the future, how could he value her? If he didn¡¯t care about her, he certainly wouldn¡¯t get close to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, let alone helping Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. These two days Madam Dowager felt extremely worried at the thought of this.

    Compared with the Third Prince who was frigid, at least Prince Yi had shown up in Ning Xueyan¡¯s yard. In particr, seeing that Ning Xueyan was protected by guards, Prince Yi rebuked Ming Feiyong and sent all the precious medicinal materials to Ning Xueyan¡¯s yard, thinking of the pair of jade Ruyi Sceptres Prince Yi gave, Madam Dowager felt that Ning Xueyan was important in Prince Yi¡¯s mind.

    Therefore, she was very attentive to Ning Xueyan. In the past few days, she would rather spare time to see Ning Xueyan than to see Ning Qingshan. Ning Xueyan had been in aa before and finally woke up now. After getting the news, she came here in a hurry even without having lunch. She did this in order to show that she valued Ning Xueyan and faintly tter Prince Yi.

    Unexpectedly, Prince Yi was not here, and it was because of a humble concubine of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Madam Dowager only felt furious. Of course, it was not because Ning Xueyan was seriously injured, but because Prince Yi didn¡¯t care about Ning Xueyan much but was captivated by a bitch instead.

    Now she bet her greatest hope on Ning Xueyan. On hearing Ning Xueyan¡¯s words, she immediately gave Ning Xueyan a piece of advice. She didn¡¯t believe that two consorts granted by the emperor couldn¡¯t beat a concubine with no status.

    ¡°Okay, grandma, I¡¯ll follow your advice. I¡¯ll get along well with Commandery Princess Xianyun.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded weakly and coughed in a low voice.

    ¡°Young Lady, you¡¯d better take the medicine now. Otherwise, it¡¯ll get cold and lose efficacy when you take itter.¡± Xinmei brought the medicine from the table and said softly. On the other side, Lanning hurriedly helped Ning Xueyan up a little more and put a cushion behind her.

    ¡°Did His Highness say when he wille again?¡± Madam Dowager continued asking as if she didn¡¯t see what the two maids were doing.

    ¡°His Highness didn¡¯t tell. He mighte back after... that one recovers!¡± Ning Xueyan said weakly, seeming to make it vague and reluctant to talk. She closed her eyes for a while and then opened them again, and said with a forced smile.

    Such was human nature. Anyone would feel upset and sad when finding that she was less important than a humble concubine in her future husband¡¯s heart. In particr, he seemed to care about her so much in the past few days.

    Madam Dowager¡¯s face darkened for a moment, but she immediately showed an amicable smile again, as if they just saw the gloom in her eyes in a blur. She stood up, walked to the bed, and patted Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand. ¡°Xueyan, it¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t be sad. You¡¯re the legitimate daughter of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor andpletely different from those humble women. As long as our Lord Protector¡¯s Manor exists, you¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    She said that solemnly, as if Prince Yi really thought highly of Ning Xueyan because of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. What was more, she implied that if Ning Xueyan wanted to live a better life, she must be associated with Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Without Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s support, she would be nothing.

    Madam Dowager really wouldn¡¯t let go of any opportunity to show the power of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Ning Xueyan¡¯s long eyshes fluttered and covered the sarcasm in her eyes. She looked up, showed a trace of delight in her eyes like dark jade, nodded and said, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll follow your advice!¡±

    Seeing that Ning Xueyan was so obedient, Madam Dowager nodded with satisfaction. She had thought that Ning Xueyan was hard to control, but now Ning Xueyan seemed to be easier to control than Ning Qingshan, who was unpredictable. After all, Ning Xueyan was her biological granddaughter and different from the adopted one. Despite some minor contradictions, she still stood by the side of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor when it was necessary.

    Now that she had found the answer, she wanted to leave Ning Xueyan alone to take the medicine. So she intended to leave afterforting Ning Xueyan kindly.

    However, she just intended to. When Madam Dowager saw arge group of people outside the courtyard and the one in the middle of them, her face darkened.

 Chapter 444 - Cordial Commandery Princess Xianyun

    <h4>Chapter 444 Cordial Commandery Princess Xianyun</h4>

    She was dressed in a light blue peacock dress embroidered with morning glow patterns, and the hem was embroidered with patterns as gorgeous as clouds. The hem moved with her as she walked, making her look extremely beautiful. In addition, she had a fair and elegant figure, a gentle smile and a face as bright as a piece of nice jade. Commandery Princess Xianyun was undoubtedly a pretty girl who was demure and gentle with impressive bearing.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, I heard that sister Yan was injured. I wonder if she has got better now.¡± After saluting Madam Dowager, Commandery Princess Xianyun asked softly, ¡°May I go to see sister Yan now?¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your concern. Xueyan is taking medicine now. Please wait for a moment and go in after she finishes taking medicine and the smell of medicine is gone,¡± Madam Dowager said politely with a smile.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun was the future consort of Prince Yi. It was strange that she came to see Ning Xueyan at this time.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll wait for a moment.¡± With a smile, Commandery Princess Xianyun looked up at Madam Dowager and measured her with the eye. After that, she asked gently, ¡°Madam Dowager, have you felt sick recently? Have you suffered from insomnia and dreamful sleep, lost your appetite and felt all kinds of dishes tasted lighter than before?¡±

    ¡°How do you tell that? Do you have a good understanding of nursing health?¡± Madam Dowager asked in surprise. She had felt increasingly exhausted recently and suffered a lot from the symptoms Commandery Princess Xianyun said. She didn¡¯t expect that Commandery Princess Xianyun could tell that at a nce. How could Madam Dowager not be surprised?

    ¡°Not exactly. Madam Dowager, your pale face reminded me of my grandma¡¯s simr symptoms, so I asked about that. Unexpectedly, you are in the same state as my grandma is. Next time I¡¯ll send someone to bring you the prescription of the herbal dishes for my grandma. My grandma said that they taste good and do no harm to her health.¡±

    Commandery Princess Xianyun said with a smile.

    ¡°Thank you very much!¡± Madam Dowager expressed her sincere gratitude.

    While they were talking, Lanning came out from the room. She saluted Madam Dowager, and then saluted Commandery Princess Xianyun, ¡°On hearing that Commandery Princess hase, my master took the medicine right away. Now she invites Commandery Princess toe over.¡±

    Commandery Princess Xianyun didn¡¯t refuse. She left most of her maids and old maids outside and went in with only an intimate maid. Madam Dowager decided to stay this time, and went into Ning Xueyan¡¯s room with Commandery Princess Xianyun.

    The room was full of a strong smell of medicine. On the table, there was a medicine bowl that hadn¡¯t been cleaned up in time, and the pungent smell of medicine wasing out from it. Although the window was open, such a strong medicine smell couldn¡¯t disperse in a short time. Madam Dowager didn¡¯t mean it literally by saying that they shoulde in after the smell of medicine was gone. No one knew how long it would take to wait till then.

    On the bed, Ning Xueyan struggled to sit up. With her ck hair straggling over her shoulders, she looked extremely weak with ack of energy. In addition to her pale lips, she looked out of spirits, and even her dark and clear eyes were full of weakness.

    ¡°Sister Yan, stay in bed. I happened toe to Cold Mountain Temple to offer incense to Buddha. On hearing that you are injured, I hurried toe and see you. You¡¯d better lie down now. If you hurt yourself because of me,ing to see you would even be a worse choice than noting.¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun stepped forward hurriedly and reached out to hold Ning Xueyan on one side before Lanning held Ning Xueyan. After that, she didn¡¯t sit down on the brocade stool prepared for her on the side, but sat down by the bed.

    ¡°Thank you, Commandery Princess!¡± Ning Xueyan coughed with her hand covering her mouth and then looked up again with a smile.

    Madam Dowager walked in after Commandery Princess Xianyun, and had sat down on a chair on the side. She looked at Ning Xueyan¡¯s face carefully and then breathed a sigh of relief, as if she really came over to have a look out of her concern for Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Stop calling me Commandery Princess. I¡¯ve asked you to call me sister,¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun said reproachfully and reached out to hold Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand intimately.

    ¡°Sister Cai!¡± Ning Xueyan agreed. Although they hadn¡¯t been officially introduced to each other as Prince Yi¡¯s consort and co-consort, Commandery Princess Xianyun had been on intimate terms with her. Now that the decree had been issued and they were going to marry Prince Yi soon, Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t need to be over polite. Otherwise, she would be a little hypocritical.

    ¡°Why are you so seriously injured? Can you recover in such a short time?¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun smiled and then involuntarily frowned. Ning Xueyan was going to get married in a month or so, but she didn¡¯t look very well now.

    ¡°The imperial physician said that I should nurse my health well. It¡¯s easy to cure external injuries, but it¡¯s hard to recover from internal injuries,¡± Ning Xueyan said in a low voice. She withdrew her hand from Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s hand quietly, picked up her handkerchief, turned her body sideways and coughed again.

    In other words, her external injuries were not serious, but her internal injuries were. Moreover, most of the internal organs couldn¡¯t be cured by medicine. So she couldn¡¯t recover in a short time. Commandery Princess Xianyun blinked and reached out to pat Ning Xueyan on the shoulder. ¡°Does His Highness know that you¡¯re so seriously injured? Maybe we should inform him. He may have some good medicinal materials which could help you recover faster.¡±

    ¡°His Highness hase, but left in a hurry after hearing that a concubine he likes best got sick,¡± Madam Dowager said with a faint smile.

    ¡°A favorite concubine got sick? Which sick concubine could be more important than Sister Yan¡¯s health?¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun asked in surprise.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I heard that it¡¯s Prince Yi¡¯s favorite concubine. s, Xueyan hasn¡¯t married into the manor...¡± Madam Dowager sighed and didn¡¯t say anything more. She just looked at Ning Xueyan with pity and looked very regretful. ¡°If I¡¯ve known it before, I would have risked my reputation to prevent the emperor from granting the marriage between Prince Yi and Xueyan.¡±

    ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m fine!¡± After coughing, Ning Xueyan raised her pale face and said.

    ¡°Xueyan, I just feel sorry for you!¡± Madam Dowager said, and then looked towards Commandery Princess Xianyun solemnly, ¡°Commandery Princess, I¡¯ll have to trouble you to take care of Xueyan in the future. If she does anything wrong, please give her some advice. I only have a biological granddaughter, so I¡¯ve treasured her as a jewel of inestimable value and always worried that she would suffer any loss.¡±

    Madam Dowager said so sincerely that those who didn¡¯t know the truth might really believe that she thought everything for Ning Xueyan and was even willing to disobey the imperial edict for Ning Xueyan. Both her tone and her expression indicated her deep affection for Ning Xueyan. Who could think that Madam Dowager had been indifferent to Ning Xueyan for so many years?

    Even when Ning Xueyan was going to die, she had never defended her. But now at the sight that she pretended to be such an amiable grandma, Ning Xueyan sneered coldly in her heart. Fortunately, the one beside her was also good at acting. Commandery Princess Xianyun answered Madam Dowager with extremely sincere and touching words.

    ¡°Rest assured, Madam Dowager. Sister Yan and I will definitely unite and work as one in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor and never be bullied by those people.¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun promised while patting her chest. She looked at Ning Xueyan with increasing gentleness and pity in her eyes.

    They talked for a while, but as the hostess, Ning Xueyan could not keep holding on. Her falling body and her forehead covered with sweat indicated that she didn¡¯t feel very well. Although she forced herself to hold on without saying anything, she looked worse and worse. At the sight of this, Madam Dowager naturally suggested that Commandery Princess Xianyun should go to her ce to have a chat.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun also agreed that they should not disturb Ning Xueyan¡¯s rest. So she said goodbye to Ning Xueyan, and then left with Madam Dowager.

    Lanning sent them to the door of the courtyard on behalf of Ning Xueyan, and then came back after seeing them walk away. In the room, Ning Xueyan was indeed a little tired, so she slightly closed her eyes.

    ¡°Young Lady, why did Commandery Princess Xianyune here?¡± Lanning came over and cautiously rubbed the middle of Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyebrows, asking in a low voice. Commandery Princess Xianyun was going to marry Prince Yi as his consort. At this time, she should stay in her manor and embroider all kinds of dowry, and shouldn¡¯t have time toe to the Cold Mountain Temple.

    ¡°She¡¯s worried!¡± Ning Xueyan closed her eyes and raised the corners of her mouth to show a smile. ¡°Hearing that Prince Yi is in my ce and thinking that she and I are going to marry Prince Yi at the same time, she felt indignant, so she came here to see me deliberately.¡±

    She told Commandery Princess Xianyun what the imperial physician had said, but Commandery Princess Xianyun pretended that she didn¡¯t hear it. The imperial physician either came from the imperial pce or worked for Prince Yi. Moreover, the news that Prince Yi had searched the mountain and she had an ident should have spread around. Even if Commandery Princess Xianyun stayed in her boudoir, it was impossible for her to know nothing about it.

    However, she pretended that she had just known it and even mentioned the medicinal materials of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor on purpose. She tried to sound out Ning Xueyan on the real situation.

    Later, hearing from Madam Dowager that Prince Yi went back because his favorite concubine got sick, Commandery Princess Xianyun immediately acted like a good sister. It seemed that Commandery Princess Xianyun did not do any substantive harm to her, but Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t forget that Commandery Princess Xianyun had made Ning Ziyan ruin her reputation at the banquet Commandery Princess Xianyun held.

    However, Commandery Princess Xianyun was rebuked by Ao Chenyi before seeding. At that time, the imperial edict had not been issued. But even so, Commandery Princess Xianyun had nned to get rid of her. Moreover, she was set up by Ao Chenyi and had to agree that both of them got married at the same time. She was obviously displeased with that.

    ¡°Is Commandery Princess Xianyun totally relieved now?¡± Lanning asked with worry. Commandery Princess Xianyun came to the Cold Mountain Temple on purpose and seemed to be hostile.

    ¡°No!¡± Ning Xueyan shook her head with a smile. ¡°But at least more than half of her suspicion has been dispelled. For the time being, she doesn¡¯t pay attention to me. In the next few days, she will probably watch the situation. She won¡¯t believe everything we said.¡±

    She could tell that Commandery Princess Xianyun was obviously not a person who believed others easily from the fact that Commandery Princess Xianyun held her hand and thus to feel her pulse repeatedly. Commandery Princess Xianyun seemed to know about some medical skills. Fortunately, although her injuries were not as serious as they looked, she was really injured.

    Besides, it was impossible for Commandery Princess Xianyun to cross the line and really feel her pulse. The two points meant that Commandery Princess Xianyun couldn¡¯t see through the serious injuries she feigned in a while. It was not an emergency to deal with Commandery Princess Xianyun, at least for the time being. There was still a month before she entered Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. If something terrible happened to her, Commandery Princess Xianyun, who was also on the mountain, would certainly be suspected. So Commandery Princess Xianyun certainly wouldn¡¯t do such an obvious thing.

    So she had another emergency. Madam Dowager happened to be in the Cold Mountain Temple, so it was a great opportunity for her to get to the bottom of something.

    ¡°Xinmei, go and find out where Madam Dowager lives. Tell me after making sure of it.¡± Ning Xueyan opened her eyes which were dark and deep. Since she was Ning Xueyan now, she had to take on some responsibilities.

 Chapter 445 - The Jade Pendant Which Appeared Suddenly

    <h4>Chapter 445 The Jade Pendant Which Appeared Suddenly</h4>

    Both of her granddaughters, whom she had bet great hope on, were seriously injured. Fortunately, they were out of danger now. Nevertheless, Madam Dowager was still worried. One of them had internal injuries, and the other one had broken her leg. Now it was hard to tell which one was in a worse state, but they were both in a wretched state anyway. Thinking of this, Madam Dowager felt worried.

    There came Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s message after investigation from the bottom of the mountain. He only said that those involved in the idents were all dead. No one knew what had happened. Maybe they were really idents. It was hard to believe that both of her granddaughters had such idents. But so what? With the facts in front of her, Madam Dowager had to ept bad luck withoutint.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun had only stayed at the Cold Mountain Temple for a night. After all, she was going to get married soon, so it was impossible for her to stay here longer. Therefore, after seeing Ning Xueyan and Ning Qingshan the next day, she went back home with the servants of Lord Peace¡¯s Manor.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, you can go back now. It¡¯s gettingte.¡± Mother Qin went to hold Madam Dowager in an attempt to help her up. It had been a long while since Madam Dowager began to kneel in the hall and worship the Buddha in the morning.

    The hall was remote and quiet. These days Madam Dowager likeding here to worship the Buddha and chant scriptures quietly. She looked more rxed than she was in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, which made Mother Qin feel relieved. Since a series of things happened to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Madam Dowager had been in poor health and got a headache from time to time.

    ¡°It¡¯s still early. We are in no rush.¡± Madam Dowager opened her eyes and gently pushed away Mother Qin¡¯s hands. She counted the Buddha beads in her hand one by one, looking quite peaceful.

    ¡°It¡¯s about time for lunch. The Fifth Young Lady has sent someone to ask if you would like to go to her yard and have lunch with her?¡± Mother Qin advised Madam Dowager. She thought it enough for Madam Dowager to chant scriptures for the whole morning as an olddy, and was worried that Madam Dowager would be physically and mentally exhausted if she kept kneeling.

    ¡°What about the Third Young Lady?¡± Madam Dowager still asked with her head down.

    Mother Qin paused for a while and said, ¡°The Third Young Lady has been in a bad mood these days. The imperial physician came a littlete, so there might be some problem with her leg. As a youngdy, she naturally finds it unbearable.¡±

    Ning Qingshan had been in bad temper these days indeed. She lost her temper from time to time and got furious easily. When the imperial physician from the imperial pce offered medical treatment for her, he told her that it was a littlete and the dy in treatment might result in minormeness. Of course, she was also likely to be cured. Anyway the situation was not optimistic, and she needed to prepare herself for a bad result.

    ¡°She mes me for not having invited the imperial physician here for her. But I¡¯m not qualified to invite the imperial physician here. The Third Prince was responsible for all this. She should vent her anger on the Third Prince. I thought that as a smart and pretty girl, she could definitely find favor with the Third Prince. Now she seems to be no match for Xueyan. She¡¯s not my biological granddaughter after all, so she can¡¯t be really close to me. I¡¯ve raised her for all these years and treated her better than I treated Xueyan. But now she mes me for all this. What an ungrateful person!¡±

    Madam Dowager snorted, opened her eyes, and said angrily. At the thought that she went to see Ning Qingshan yesterday but was treated coldly by her, Madam Dowager got furious. Compared with Ning Xueyan, she had paid more attention to Ning Qingshan and treated Ning Qingshan even better than she did to Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, the Third Young Lady is young and not sensible. She just lost her mind after encountering such a sudden misfortune. Besides, didn¡¯t the Third Prince send the imperial physician over? I heard that the Third Prince¡¯s Manor was on fire and in chaos that night, and the imperial pce was probably rmed. In this case, the Third Prince still remembered the Third Young Lady. It can be seen that he actually cares about her.¡±

    Seeing Madam Dowager open her eyes, Mother Qin knew that Madam Dowager had finished her worship today. She helped Madam Dowager up andforted her.

    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the Third Prince, how could she, an adopted daughter, could be even more arrogant than a legitimate daughter in the manor?¡± Madam Dowager snorted and said, ncing at the Buddha in front of her. Behind the curling up smoke, the Buddha statue looked merciful andposed. So she put her palms together devoutly and kowtowed to the Buddha again.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, would you like to go to the Fifth Young Lady¡¯s courtyard and have lunch with her?¡± Mother Han asked as she helped Madam Dowager turn around and walk out of the hall.

    Now Madam Dowager would most like to reconcile with Ning Xueyan. However, Ning Xueyan¡¯s room was full of peculiar smell of medicine even when she was not taking the medicine. Madam Dowager really didn¡¯t like this smell.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going. Tell Xueyan that I¡¯m praying for her in front of the Buddha and might go backter, and ask her to have lunch first. When I¡¯m done, I¡¯ll go to see her.¡± Madam Dowager shook her head. The smell of medicine in Ning Xueyan¡¯s room was so strong that she had no appetite. Although she would like to get close to Ning Xueyan, she felt extremely ufortable to have lunch there.

    Anyway, there was no difference to go there after lunch.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll send someone to tell the Fifth Young Ladyter.¡± Mother Qin knew Madam Dowager¡¯s mood, so she nodded at once.

    ¡°Instruct the embroidery girls to speed up their work. It¡¯s impossible for Xueyan to make any embroidery in her current state. She can¡¯t be belittled by others after marrying into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. We should prepare more kinds of stuff like pouches and sachets which she can grant to the servants in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Xueyan is a co-consort after all, suppressed by the consort. So we should prepare more these kinds of stuff for her.¡±

    Madam Dowager said with a sparkle in her eyes. As a shrewd olddy, she could definitely see through why Commandery Princess Xianyun came to Cold Mountain Temple on purpose. Commandery Princess Xianyun was afraid that Xueyan was favored by Prince Yi, so she specially came here regardless of her identity as a bride, who was about to get married, and felt relieved after hearing that Prince Yi had returned to his manor.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun wanted to work with Ning Xueyan to deal with Prince Yi¡¯s favorite concubine, but was afraid that Ning Xueyan would win favor with Prince Yi at the same time. So she came to Cold Mountain Temple on purpose at this time. Commandery Princess Xianyun deserved to be the most outstanding Young Lady of the Empress Dowager¡¯s original family. She was such a scheming and capable girl that she would definitely be Ning Xueyan¡¯s formidable enemy at the end.

    ¡°I think the same way. A few days ago, I¡¯ve sent someone back to our manor to instruct the embroidery girls to speed up their work. We can¡¯t put the Fifth Young Lady in a disadvantageous position when she just marries into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.¡± Mother Qin knew about Madam Dowager¡¯s thought of putting Lord Protector¡¯s Manor in the first ce. Since the Fifth Young Lady now seemed to be the most helpful to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Madam Dowager would definitely put the Fifth Young Lady in the first ce.

    Madam Dowager had treated the Second Young Lady in the same way when she did all she could to cultivate the Second Young Lady before. Every time the Second Young Lady needed anything, she just needed to say it and could get all she wanted ahead of anyone else. Regarding the thoughts of the other Young Ladies, they were not in Madam Dowager¡¯s consideration. Whoever could bring the greatest benefit to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was the greatest master of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    It was the reason why the Second Young Lady humiliated the Fifth Young Lady and even almost killed the Fifth Young Lady several times, but Madam Dowager said nothing about that. In Madam Dowager¡¯s opinion, the Second Young Lady would marry into the royal family in the future. She couldn¡¯t be too kind, or she would be suppressed by other women. The Fifth Young Lady was a grindstone for the Second Young Lady, which could teach the Second Young Lady many things.

    Regarding whether the grindstone would be destroyed or not, it was definitely not in Madam Dowager¡¯s consideration. Besides, there was another important reason. Madam Dowager kept avoiding mentioning it, but it didn¡¯t mean that she didn¡¯t care about it. Mother Qin had witnessed what had happened that year. But as Madam Dowager¡¯s loyal servant, she certainly stood on the side of Madam Dowager wholeheartedly.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, what¡¯s that?¡± Suddenly, there was a sh of light across the corner of her eyes. Mother Qin helped Madam Dowager stand still and pointed to a corner of the wall.

    The two of them had just left the hall and were about to turn to the other side, but they saw a glimmer in the corner of the hall. It was not bright, but the sun happened to be hanging above their heads and some light was bent and happened to shine upon the ce where they stood. If they stood in other ces, they might not have been able to see it.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go and have a look. Is it dropped by someone?¡± Madam Dowager asked. From a distance, it looked like an essory hanging on a small bush in a corner of the hall.

    Hearing Madam Dowager¡¯s words, Mother Qin went over and picked up the jade pendant hanging on it. She examined it, and her face changed dramatically. She presented it to Madam Dowager and said, ¡°Madam Dowager, look at it. I¡¯m not sure. This jade pendant seems...¡±

    She was so scared that she said in a trembling voice, could not finish her sentence and almost loosened her grip of the jade pendant.

    It was a nice piece of jade. Looking at it, it was crystal clear without any ws. The essory hung on it was a bit old and light yellow, looking a little dim. Nevertheless, it couldn¡¯t hide the value of the jade pendant. Everyone could tell that it was a nice piece of jade with an exquisite essory. It could only be carved with extraordinary skills.

    It was just like the double-sided embroidery of the previous dynasty, which had disappeared now.

    ¡°Is it... the one belonging to Marquis of Ping¡¯an?¡± Madam Dowager grabbed the jade pendant and looked at it carefully with her face as pale as snow.

    ¡°I also think that it looks that one, but I¡¯m not sure.¡± Mother Qin looked at it carefully again and said in a low voice. She felt that it looked like that one just now, but she couldn¡¯t make sure for a moment. The jade pendant in Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s hand should have been taken back. At that time, she took a look at it in Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s hand, but couldn¡¯t see it clearly.

    So she didn¡¯t dare to be certain at this moment.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that one belonging to him!¡± Madam Dowager looked at it again and said with certainty. Madam Ling had given the jade pendant to Marquis of Ping¡¯an before. However, Marquis of Ping¡¯an and Madam Ling met in secretter and were caught by her in the Buddha Hall. Neither Marquis of Ping¡¯an nor Madam Ling dared to mention it anymore. Afterwards, Marquis of Ping¡¯an handed over the jade pendant, and then it fell into Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s hands from then on. It was impossible for it to be dropped here.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, does it mean that it has nothing to do with us?¡± Mother Qin breathed a sigh of relief. She was scared out of her wits with her forehead covered with cold sweat just now.

    ¡°Not necessarily...¡± Madam Dowager gnashed her teeth and looked around quickly. Seeing that no one was paying attention to them, she held Mother Qin¡¯s hand to signal her to go back.

    They were in a Buddha hall where people hurried back and forth. No one knew who would show up in the next moment. If the conversation between them was heard, they would get into trouble. Madam Dowager certainly would not disclose her secret here, so she did not say anything else. Mother Qin understood and continued helping Madam Dowager walk toward her yard as if nothing had happened.

    Because of the jade pendant which appeared suddenly, both Madam Dowager and Mother Qin left in a hurry, so they didn¡¯t notice someone standing at the door of the diagonally opposite hall.

 Chapter 446 - The Jewel She Got from Vice Minister Lingâ€™s Manor

    <h4>Chapter 446 The Jewel She Got from Vice Minister Ling¡¯s Manor</h4>

    In fact, the door of the hall was not close to them. Nevertheless, as olddies, Madam Dowager and Mother Qin couldn¡¯t see something nearby clearly, but could see something from a distance clearly. If they paid more attention, they would find that it was Xinmei, Ning Xueyan¡¯s maid, who stood at the door of the hall. But even if they saw her, they wouldn¡¯t believe that Xinmei could see what they had done.

    It was because it was impossible for an ordinary person to see something clearly from such a distance. However, as a martial arts practitioner, Xinmei had better eyesight than ordinary people. So everything Madam Dowager and Mother Qin had done after they got out of the hall came into her view. She saw Mother Qin pick up the jade pendant in a panic, Madam Dowager¡¯s face change and then them leave in a hurry.

    She waited for another while. As she expected, she saw a maid, who served Madam Dowager, show up there, look around carefully and leave after finding no one around. As Ning Xueyan expected, Madam Dowager was extremely suspicious. She instructed someone to check it out after leaving.

    Xinmei didn¡¯t enter the hall to clean up her stuffs until the maid had left. After that, she walked to another hall with a basket. She came to offer incense to the Buddha on behalf of Ning Xueyan and had visited several halls. It was not until she found it was about time that she returned to the courtyard, where Ning Xueyan lived temporarily, with the basket containing incense and candles.

    Seeing hering, the guards at the door didn¡¯t stop her and let her in.

    She got in the outer room, put down the incense and candles in her hands, and washed her hands. After that, she entered the inner room. Ning Xueyan had not had her lunch yet. Since she had sent Xinmei to invite Madam Dowager here for lunch, she certainly couldn¡¯t have lunch before Madam Dowager refused. Fortunately, she got upte and had her breakfastte in the morning these days. So she hadn¡¯t felt hungry now.

    Before Xinmei said anything, a maid came up to Ning Xueyan and reported, ¡°Fifth Young Lady, Madam Dowager told you to have lunch on your own. She has just returned from worshiping the Buddha and doesn¡¯t have much appetite, so she wants to have a rest.¡±

    Ning Xueyan nodded with a smile, instructed Lanning to reward the maid and then instructed the maid to leave.

    ¡°Young Lady, it was taken by Madam Dowager!¡± Seeing Madam Dowager¡¯s maid leave, Xinmei, who had stood in front of the window, walked back to Ning Xueyan and said to her in a low voice.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t she recognize it?¡± Ning Xueyan put down the needlework in her hands and said. She had nursed her health well these days, and most of her injuries had been healed and didn¡¯t influence her movements at all. Nevertheless, in order to show that she was seriously injured, she certainly had to stay in bed every day.

    ¡°From a distance, I only saw Madam Dowager and Mother Qin talk for a while, and then Madam Dowager put the jade pendant in her sleeve and leave. But Madam Dowager sent someone to check it again as we expected.¡± Xinmei stood so far away as Ning Xueyan asked. She would like to get close to them as much as possible. Anyway, they were just two olddies. It was impossible for them to be perceptive enough to discover her.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Ning Xueyan said meaningfully with a smile. They were in a temple. Maybe Madam Dowager didn¡¯t discover Xinmei, but what about other people? Maybe someone else happened to see them somewhere else. The Buddha statues in Cold Mountain Temple were quite famous, so there were numerous pilgrimsing and going every day.

    The halls were next to one another. They might not be able to see others, but others could see them!

    Sometimes there were such coincidence. Anyway, it was not the end of this incident. She didn¡¯t have to eavesdrop on the conversation between Madam Dowager and Mother Qin at the risk of exposing Xinmei. After all, Madam Dowager and Mother Qin wouldn¡¯t talk about anything important in that ce.

    Of course, she swindled Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor out of the jade pendant that day. Since Vice Minister Ling¡¯s male servant thought that Qingyu was Madam Ling¡¯s personal first maid, she certainly asked Qingyu to go to Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor, found the male servant in secret and said that Madam Ling wanted to get the stuff she left in Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor back.

    As she expected, Vice Minister Ling took out some pieces of stuff without saying a word, and the jade pendant was among them at that time. The reason why she tricked Madam Dowager with this jade pendant was that Marquis of Ping¡¯an had threatened Madam Dowager with it before.

    The jade pendant contained a secret, and it was a secret that Ning Xueyan had no choice but to investigate.

    She had seen various essories! It was said that the knitting pattern of this essory was unique. In herst life, she had seen her mother knitting. Of course, her mother didn¡¯t knit with bright yellow or yellow threads, because only the royal family could use that kind of color.

    The packet given by Vice Minister Ling included pendants, rings, earrings and nes. Among them, there were several pieces of essories all of which were that kind of yellow. Although the old yellow essories looked no longer bright and gorgeous, they must have been dazzling bright yellow many years ago. How could Madam Ling possess these kinds of stuff? Or it should be said that how could Ning Zu¡¯an possess these kinds of stuff belonging to the imperial family of the previous dynasty?

    Such kinds of stuff muste from the imperial harem. It was extraordinary to get a piece of them. However, there were at least seven or eight pieces of them in that pile of stuffs. There were so many pieces of jewel handed down from the imperial family of the previous dynasty. An observant person should have removed all the essories of them long ago.

    From this pile of stuff, she could tell that Ning Zu¡¯an definitely didn¡¯t get them asionally. There were plenty of jewels, and only one of them was priceless. Moreover, there were so many of them. If these pieces of stuff could be exposed in public, Madam Ling would have never hidden them from others and even left them in her parents¡¯ home.

    Now only one thing could be proved. Madam Dowager must know the existence of these pieces of stuff.

    Since she knew it, it would be a much easier job.

    ¡°Xinmei, do you know the guards at the door?¡± Ning Xueyan asked with a smile.

    ¡°I¡¯m a secret guard, so I¡¯m little acquainted with ordinary guards. But the chief guard protecting Prince Yi beside him knows me.¡± Xinmei answered. Unlike ordinary guards, secret guards were more mysterious. Some secret tasks were performed by secret guards, so the identities of secret guards were confidential.

    Therefore, the guards at the door only knew that Xinmei was the Fifth Young Lady¡¯s first maid, but did not know that she was a secret guard of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Of course, it was the reason why Xinmei could show up in public without being afraid of being recognized by others.

    It seemed that it couldn¡¯t be rushed. Fortunately, both she and Ning Qingshan were injured, so they couldn¡¯t go down the mountain. Of course, Madam Dowager couldn¡¯t go down the mountain at this time. So she decided to wait and see what Madam Dowager would do next. She had intended to instruct the guards to do something for her, but since Xinmei was little acquainted with them, she couldn¡¯t expose Xinmei¡¯s identity.

    ¡°Young Lady, why did Lord Protector¡¯s Manor hide these pieces of stuff? I heard that the imperial pce was on fire at that time, and the pce servants, who failed to escape, all died. Could these pieces of stuff be taken away by a certain pce servant when she ran away?¡± Lanning had seen these pieces of stuff when Qingyu brought them back, so she asked in confusion.

    They were only a few pieces of jewelry fordies. Why did Madam Ling threaten marquis and Madam Dowager with them? Why did they give in obediently? In Lanning¡¯s view, it was unbelievable. Even if these pieces of jewelry were really from the imperial pce, so what? Madam Ling could only say that Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had caught a pce maid running away from the imperial pce.

    Were they really taken away by someone from the imperial pce when she escaped? Ning Xueyan raised the corners of her mouth slightly to show a faintly sarcastic smile and covered her mouth with a handkerchief. Each of the jewels was a treasure. Where did Lord Protector¡¯s Manor get these treasures? How could they get these treasures?

    If they were really taken away by a pce maid when she escaped, who was the pce maid so that she could get such precious jewelry? Even ordinary imperial concubines couldn¡¯t possess such jewelry. The only one capable of possessing them Ning Xueyan could imagine should be the Empress.

    It was said that in herst life, her birth mother was an unparalleled beauty who was the emperor¡¯s favorite. In the imperial harem, no one else couldpare with her mother. Her father loved her mother deeply, so they had a child, the only Eldest Princess, her. However, it was strange that her mother ran away from the imperial pce without leaving her any essories.

    If her mother really escaped from the imperial pce, she didn¡¯t believe that her mother didn¡¯t take anything. If her mother did, she thought that her mother was most likely to take the packet of stuff she got from Vice Minister of Justice Ling¡¯s Manor. No one could possess so many precious pieces of stuff except for the Empress.

    But why didn¡¯t these pieces of stuffs show up in her manor in thest life? She even didn¡¯t find any of them after moving to the capital and rummaging through everything. However, they showed up in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor which had nothing to do with her and even in Madam Ling¡¯s hands. In thest life, her mother wrote a letter to Madam Ming. If so, it should be Madam Ming who was well acquainted with her mother.

    Madam Ling didn¡¯te from a noble family, so she shouldn¡¯t be acquainted with her mother. However, things went wrong in such a strange direction that Ning Xueyan couldn¡¯t figure it out for a moment. Something seemed to havee across her mind, but when she intended to grasp it, she always failed.

    She had an intuition that as long as she discovered this secret, some of her questions could be solved.

    Maybe she should enter the imperial pce again to see Senior Nun Jing Kong. She had always thought that Senior Nun Jing Kong didn¡¯t tell her everything and seemed to have hidden some key parts from her so that she found everything she knew incoherent and it was difficult to connect them.

    Suddenly there came some noise from outside the door. Lanning put down the needlework and went out. After a while, she came in with someone else. It turned out to be Caifen, who served Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, my master wanted toe to see you, but she couldn¡¯t get up. So she asked me toe to ask if you¡¯ve got better. If you need any medicinal materials, please tell my master. We got some precious medicinal materials sent by the Third Prince. If you need any of them, just tell us.¡±

    Caifen said in a polite and respectful manner with a smile, and didn¡¯t show the grudges she bore against Ning Xueyan when they first met.

    Ning Qingshan sent someone to say that at this time. Of course, it was not just because she wanted to show her concern for Ning Xueyan or showed how much the Third Prince valued her. On hearing Caifen¡¯s words, Ning Xueyan smiled lightly. She had always thought that Ning Qingshan had been too quiet these days. She heard that Ning Qingshan lost her temper in her yard from time to time, but it was wired that Ning Qingshan didn¡¯te to mess with her.

    Did Ning Qingshan imply that she should go to see her?

    Ning Xueyan had imed that she had internal injuries. In this case, it should have little influence on her movements. Meanwhile, Ning Qingshan couldn¡¯t move freely now. Moreover, in other people¡¯s opinion, Ning Qingshan got injured because she hurried to see Ning Xueyan who was injured. So Ning Xueyan got every reason to go to see her.

    ¡°Tell the Third Sister that I¡¯m grateful to her for her kindness. I¡¯ve almost recovered and can walk now. I¡¯ll visit her after lunch.¡± Ning Xueyan coughed in a low voice, covered her mouth with a handkerchief, and then said with a gentle smile. No matter what trouble Ning Qingshan was going to make, she would handle it.

    Moreover, she had always been suspicious of Ning Qingshan¡¯s unpredictable identity. How did Ning Qingshan know that she was the princess of the previous dynasty?

 Chapter 447 - Being Forced, But There Was No Way to Retreat

    <h4>Chapter 447 Being Forced, But There Was No Way to Retreat</h4>

    After having lunch and resting for a while, Ning Xueyan went to Ning Qingshan¡¯s yard with Xinmei. It was Ao Chenyi¡¯s request that she should take Xinmei with her wherever she went in order to avoid any other idents.

    The courtyard, where a patient lived, was usually very quiet. Like Ning Xueyan¡¯s courtyard, Ning Qingshan¡¯s courtyard was full of the smell of medicine. As soon as Ning Xueyan entered the courtyard, the strong smell of medicine came to her nose. Seeing the four guards in the courtyard, Ning Xueyan frowned and stopped. Ao Mingyu was here?

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, you¡¯ve just arrived. My master has asked me about it several times. I was thinking abouting over to help you in. Unexpectedly, you¡¯ve arrived.¡±

    Mammy Luo came out from the room. Seeing Ning Xueyan standing in the courtyard, she immediately came over affectionately and reached out in an attempt to help Ning Xueyan in, seeming to afraid that Ning Xueyan would leave.

    ¡°Mammy Luo, stay there. My master is weak and can¡¯t bear to be dragged. Let her walk slowly.¡± Xinmei reached out to stop Mammy Luo, but her words made Mammy Luo blush in embarrassment.

    What she had done just now made others feel that she seemed to be so afraid that Ning Xueyan would run away that she tried to drag Ning Xueyan inside.

    ¡°How¡¯s Third Sister¡¯s leg injury? Does she need another diagnosis? The imperial physician treating me got excellent medical skills. It¡¯s said that he¡¯s highly skilled in bone setting. Should I ask him toe over and make a diagnosis and give treatment for Third Sister?¡± Ning Xueyan stopped and asked gently with faint delight in her extremely delicate eyes.

    ¡°Thank you, Fifth Young Lady. Please ask the imperial physician toe over a momentter. After you.¡± On hearing that there was another imperial physician capable of setting bones, Mammy Luo was overjoyed and said hurriedly. She made a gesture of inviting Ning Xueyan inside and couldn¡¯t hide the delight in her eyes.

    ¡°Mammy Luo, the imperial physician has worked in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor and enjoyed a high status there. It might be better for me to ask him toe over and make a diagnosis and give treatment for Third Sister. I can chat with Third Sister after that,¡± Ning Xueyan said in a soft voice after thinking for a while. She turned around and intended to go out instead of walking inside.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, you are weak. Go inside and have a rest. I¡¯ll run this errand. Otherwise, my master will feel worried. We can¡¯t let your injuries worsen because of inviting the imperial physician here to treat my master, right?¡± Seeing that Ning Xueyan was leaving, Mammy Luo came over to stop her in a hurry.

    Since when had Ning Qingshan been so considerate? Ning Xueyan looked up coldly. After ncing at the four guards, who didn¡¯t look sideways, and ncing at the door of the main room, she turned to Xinmei and said with a cold smile, ¡°Xinmei, why don¡¯t you go to invite the imperial physician here? I¡¯ll go inside to see my Third Sister now.¡±

    Ning Xueyan stressed the three characters ¡°my Third Sister¡± on purpose and nced at the door with obvious meaning.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Xinmei, please run this errand. We don¡¯t want to trouble the Fifth Young Lady to go back again. Otherwise, my master will feel sorry.¡± Mammy Luo beamed with joy and reached out to help Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Mammy Luo, let go. My master is weak, so leave her alone. If something terrible happens to her, no one can take the responsibility.¡± Xinmei reached out to pushed Mammy Luo¡¯s hand away rudely again and said with a trace of anger on her face, ¡°My master is weak, and can¡¯t bear to be dragged by you. Since the Third Young Lady isn¡¯t in the room, we can go back now ande overter with the imperial physician.¡±

    Ning Qingshan was not in the room as she expected? Ning Xueyan¡¯s shimmery eyes became sharp. Mammy Luo acted abnormally today. She kept inviting Ning Xueyan to get into the room. If it were Ning Qingshan who was in the room, on hearing that the imperial physician treating Ning Xueyan was skilled in bone setting, she would definitely ask Ning Xueyan to invite him right away regardless of Ning Xueyan¡¯s health condition.

    On the contrary, Mammy Luo seemed to only care about Ning Xueyan without mentioning her injured master in the room. Everything she said showed her concern for Ning Xueyan. She would rather cause a dy in her master¡¯s treatment than make Ning Xueyan suffer grievance. She was so enthusiastic as if Ning Xueyan was her master.

    However, Ning Qingshan had always been a selfish and vicious person, and Mammy Luo had only one master which was Ning Qingshan.

    If it was true that Ning Qingshan was in the room, the Third Prince must be in the room as well, and Ning Qingshan intended to show her gentle and amiable demeanor in front of Ao Mingyu.

    The reason why Ning Xueyan gave a hint to Xinmei was that Xinmei was a martial arts practitioner. Last time, she heard from Xinmei that Xinmei could distinguish whether someone was a martial arts practitioner through his breath.

    Ao Mingyu was definitely a martial arts practitioner, but Ning Qingshan wasn¡¯t. So they must breathe in different ways. Since Xinmei gave such a hint, it meant that Ao Mingyu must be the only one in the room. Otherwise, it was impossible for Ning Qingshan to stop breathing.

    Ao Mingyu was in the room. If Ning Xueyan got in the room with Xinmei, it would be impossible to exin why she and Ao Mingyu stayed in the same room. If Ning Qingshan came back at this moment, she and Ao Mingyu would be considered a couple mitting adultery caught in the room¡±. She was going to marry Ao Chenyi soon. If she stayed with Ao Mingyu at this time, it would be impossible to exin it, and the development of this matter would be out of her control.

    Ning Qingshan, who had been busy enough with her own affairs, dared to set her up. As she thought, a trace of anger in her eyes turned into rage.

    Before Mammy Luo came to her sense, she said with her face turning cold, ¡°Since Third Sister is not in the room, what do I get in for?¡±

    ¡°My, my master is really in the room. Fifth Young Lady, if you don¡¯t believe it,e in and check it out yourself.¡± Mammy Luo became anxious, pointing inside and saying. She then reached out to grab Ning Xueyan¡¯s sleeve in an attempt to exert herself drag Ning Xueyan in, as if she wanted Ning Xueyan to get in the room and verify it in person.

    She intended to drag Ning Xueyan in regardless of anything.

    ¡°Let go!¡± Ning Xueyan got furious. She, who had been weak, was dragged by Mammy Luo and involuntarily took a few steps with her. After that, she staggered and almost fell down.

    ¡°Let go!¡± Xinmei got furious. She reached out and was about to beat Mammy Luo¡¯s wrist.

    However, Ning Xueyan held Xinmei¡¯s hand. Ao Mingyu was in the room, and his four guards were outside. How could Xinmei hide her movements from them? Besides, if Ao Mingyu really used force against them, Xinmei couldn¡¯t deal with them by herself. In the twinkling of an eye, Ning Xueyan hade up with a solution. She leaned on Xinmei and fell on her as if she had used up all her strength.

    Xinmei immediately understood what Ning Xueyan meant. She reached out to hold more than half of Ning Xueyan¡¯s body and said angrily, ¡°Mammy Luo, what are you doing? You hurt my master. Let her go!¡±

    As she said, she reached out to grab Mammy Luo¡¯s wrist hard. She didn¡¯t carry out any martial arts, but she was younger than Mammy Luo anyway. Although she didn¡¯t carry out any martial arts, she was still stronger than Mammy Luo. Seeing that Ning Xueyan fell to Xinmei weakly, Mammy Luo let go of Ning Xueyan.

    Grabbed by Xinmei hard, Mammy Luo was immediately forced to loosen her grip of Ning Xueyan¡¯s wrist. After that, Xinmei stepped forward to protect Ning Xueyan and looked at Mammy Luo alertly, as if she was ready to protect Ning Xueyan at any time.

    ¡°Mammy Luo, have you always served Third Sister in this way? I want to ask grandma where did you learn the rules?¡± With most of her body leaning against Xinmei, Ning Xueyan looked extremely weak, but she sounded tough and furious. She blushed with anger, and her watery eyes were full of anger.

    Anyone, who was dragged inside desperately by an old maid, would get furious. It was reasonable for Ning Xueyan to lose her temper at this time. No one noticed that Ning Xueyan stepped aside. There was a small rockery right behind her and happened to be a big stone between the small rockery and her.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s target was this uneven big stone.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, a straightforward person doesn¡¯t resort to insinuations. My master is indeed waiting for you in the room. She has been waiting for a long time. If you get into the room on your own initiative, I won¡¯t have to make you do this. If you refuse to get into the room, don¡¯t me me for being rude.¡± Mammy Luo sneered. At this moment, she stopped pretending to be kind, took two steps forward and approached them.

    In order to prevent others from disturbing Ning Qingshan¡¯s recuperation, Madam Dowager specially chose a remote courtyard for Ning Qingshan. The few neighboring courtyards were empty, and no one lived there in the past few days. Even if Ning Xueyan made a scene here, no one would know it. Madam Dowager didn¡¯t like to live in such a remote courtyard, so her courtyard was far away from here.

    So in any case, Ning Xueyan would surely lose if they used force against her.

    Ning Xueyan took two more steps back, seeming to be forced to retreat by Mammy Luo. Xinmei also stepped back with her. In the current situation, Mammy Luo intended to force her to get into the room. She had to get into the room no matter she was willing to do that or not. Besides, she was sure that Ao Mingyu stayed in the room alone.

    No matter it was Ao Mingyu or Ning Qingshan who hade up with this idea, Ning Xueyan seemed to have fallen into a dilemma.

    If Xinmei carried out martial arts, she couldn¡¯t stop the four guards. Besides, Ao Mingyu would discover that her personal maid had extraordinary skills and couldn¡¯t be an ordinary person, and thus to suspect Ao Chenyi. But if Xinmei didn¡¯t carry out martial arts, she wouldn¡¯t stand a chance at all and would definitely be forced to enter the room.

    As long as she was forced to enter the room, her fate was up to them. They could kill her or leave her alone as they wanted.

    It was impossible to call for help, because there was no one else around! It was also impossible to save themselves, because they couldn¡¯t. Xinmei became so anxious that she began to hold Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand hard. The current situation was totally under someone else¡¯s control. Xinmei even saw thecent smile on Mammy Luo¡¯s face. If Ning Xueyan hadn¡¯t held her hand tightly, Xinmei would have lost control and smashed the old woman¡¯s face with her fists.

    It seemed that there was no way for them to retreat!

    Ao Mingyu had been standing quietly in front of the window, behaving elegantly and leisurely. As soon as Ning Xueyan stepped into the courtyard, he had focused on her.

    Dressed in a in white dress, she looked increasingly fragile and pitiful.

    Her ck hair was bound up in a double phoenix bun, while the rest was straggling behind casually, revealing a pure and charming face. Her skin was made of ice jade and her bones were made of jade. Her eyshes were long and thick, as ck as the feathers of a crow. Only the light red lips showed her weakness, but they made her a beauty deserving others¡¯ pity and distress.

    She, who survived a catastrophe, looked even more fragile. Nevertheless, she, who was so fragile, gave an impression of hiding her sharpness. Although she had taken several steps backward and been forced to retreat to the rockery by Mammy Luo, she still looked calm. No one knew when the anger in her eyes had vanished and only a trace of calmness was left.

    How could she be so attractive? In the sunshine, the girl¡¯s fragile body and the pride in her eyes made up a great attraction to him. At this moment, Ao Mingyu almost felt that his heart was feverish as if out of control. Throne was what he wanted, and so was this girl!

 Chapter 448 - Confronting Calmly and Talking Cheerfully

    <h4>Chapter 448 Confronting Calmly and Talking Cheerfully</h4>

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, please, His Highness has been waiting for you in the house for a long time. Fifth Young Lady, you are just ying hard to get and it only makes things difficult for the old servant.¡± Outside the house, Mammy Luo now stopped putting on an act. Her words even skimmed past Ning Qingshan and directly mentioned Ao Mingyu, with added disdain, which tightly pressured her with every word. In her opinion, Ning Xueyan now had no choice but to enter.

    Ning Xueyan stood up straight. Behind her was a protruding stone amongst the fake mountains, and she reached out for the stone. Herplexion was calm, and her vision leisurelynded on the stone. ¡°Mammy Luo, if I was forced to hurt myself with the stone in Third Sister¡¯s courtyard, what would happen to her?¡±

    A dainty youngdy, with a flowery smile and a gentle voice, disregarded the four unsightly imperial bodyguards and the older female servant who followed her closely, as if she did not realize that she had already sunk into a hopeless situation. She smiled faintly, as a faint ripple of obedience that was hidden in her charm slowly emerged in her eyes.

    However, such words were able to send chills down one¡¯s spine. If Ning Xueyan were to die here in this manner, forget about Ning Qingshan, not even the Third Prince would be able to escape unscathed. Although there was no one in this courtyard, Ning Xueyan¡¯s courtyard had two imperial bodyguards from Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, and Prince Yi was never known to be a reasonable person.

    Mammy Luo did not expect Ning Xueyan to be so determined, and she looked back immediately after feeling frightened all of a sudden. That direction was where the house was, but there were no signs of activity at all. The fright on her face deepened and her tone involuntarily softened. ¡°Fifth Young Lady, there is no need for this. You and our Young Lady are good sisters. We are just inviting you over for a visit, not to harm you.¡±

    Her eyes nced sideways as she signaled to the imperial bodyguards. The four imperial bodyguards all surrounded Ning Xueyan, while Xinmei cautiously went forward and stopped in front of Ning Xueyan. Inside her sleeve, her fingers had held on to a dart. No matter what, she was not going to let her Young Lady meet with any mishaps, even if it meant that her identity would be exposed.

    She was a secret guard. Since the moment she was offered to Ning Xueyan, she had been prepared to die for Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Mammy Luo, do you think that these imperial bodyguards are faster than me, so I¡¯d be unable to kill myself in time?¡± Ning Xueyan realized Mammy Luo¡¯s intention and suddenly smiled enchantingly at her. Her slim fingers were quick to pull a hairpin out from her hands, as she pointed it at her throat with a smile. ¡°What if I add this? Who do you think will be faster?¡±

    She skimmed over the faces of the four imperial bodyguards, and eventually stopped on the shocked face of Mammy Luo.

    The tapered hairpin was pointed at and was slightly pressed against her jade-like skin. If more force was exerted, the hairpin would definitely slit her throat. From Mammy Luo¡¯s point of view, she could see a faint shade of red slowly, but clearly appearing in front of her eyes. A trace of blood slowly dispersed from the tip of the hairpin.

    Such a weak-minded youngdy could still remain unexpectedlyposed. From Ning Xueyan¡¯s pale and thin face, one could not see her fierce determination. She was still all smiles, as if she was admiring flowers with other youngdies, rxed and natural, without a trace of fear and reluctance!

    However, Mammy Luo shuddered in fear. People being ruthless to others does not mean that they are capable of being ruthless to themselves. However, this delicate and weak Fifth Young Lady could actually do this to herself, so she wondered if Third Young Lady was really her match.

    If Fifth Young Lady were to really enter the Third Prince¡¯s Manor, given how much the Third Prince cared about her, in addition to her firm and ruthless decisiveness, could the Third Young Lady still capture the Third Prince¡¯s heart and attain that high position? At this moment, Mammy Luo hesitated. Furthermore, if something were to really happen, the Third Young Lady would also reach a dead end, so she did not dare to force and test it.

    Previously, she pushed Ning Xueyan to desperation, but now, it was Ning Xueyan who pushed her to the brink of desperation.

    ¡°Fifth... Fifth Young Lady, please release your hand. This... this would hurt you...¡± Mammy Luo looked at the house in a fluster, her face pale from fear. She did not dare to take on a gamble; no matter how fast the imperial bodyguards were, they would not be as fast as the hairpin that was already pressed against Fifth Young Lady¡¯s throat. It was so tight that a trace of blood had slowly flowed from her delicate, pale neck.

    ¡°Your Highness, can I return now?¡± While looking at the outwardly strong Mammy Luo, who was obviously at aplete loss, Ning Xueyan suddenly smiled sweetly as her gaze nced past Mammy Luo andnded on the house. Her pitch was slightly elevated, but the gentle smile on her face still remained.

    She definitely knew that Mammy Luo was not the person in charge; it was naturally Ao Mingyu, who was still hidden in the house.

    After being exposed, Ao Mingyu stopped trying to hide. Whileughing, he pushed the door open from the inside, as a refined smile appeared on his handsome face. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this, Fifth Young Lady. I just have something to ask you, but it seems that I have misled you.¡±

    With a wave of his hand, the four imperial bodyguards retreated without saying a word. Seeing Ao Mingyue out himself, Mammy Luo heaved a sigh of relief. After greeting him, she took a quick nce at Ning Xueyan and retreated to one of the side rooms. Ning Xueyan had previously noticed that position, and there was someone peering out from the curtains. That should be Ning Qingshan there.

    She purposely hid in a corner and waited for Ning Xueyan to enter the house so that she would confirm the ¡°fact¡± that Ning Xueyan and Ao Mingyu were meeting alone. As she watched her beloved man meeting other girls in private, Ning Qingshan became more gloomy.

    Inside the house, Ning Qingshan was sitting on a couch near the window overlooking outside, with Caifen and Feilian by her side. Upon seeing how Ning Xueyan had forced Mammy Luo to retreat and even lured Ao Mingyu out of the house, she begrudgingly rolled the handkerchief in her hand into a ball, as a sinister look appeared on her beautiful face. How could she just let such a slut like Ning Xueyan ruin this situation?

    After knowing that Ning Xueyan was all right, Ning Qingshan desperately wanted to strangle her. In the beginning, she had already hated Ning Xueyan in her bones, and this only made her want to disrupt the peaceful look on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face even more. After hearing Mammy Luo entering the room, she did not hesitate to pick up a teacup from the table beside her and throw it in her direction.

    Mammy Luo had just entered the room when she saw something sh past her eyes, and she ducked instinctively. The teacup heavily smashed against the wall behind her, followed by the sound of the teacup shattering, with a few drops of tea sttering on and scalding her in the process. She looked up with her pale eyes and was stunned to see the gloomy-looking Ning Qingshan, who was sitting by the window. Her face twitched, and she was momentarily at a loss for words.

    This was the Third Young Lady that she had wholeheartedly protected since young. And Mammy Luo would not be as close to anyone, no matter who it was, as she was with Third Young Lady. She watched her grow up from a small, chubby little girl into who she had be now. No matter what the circumstances, she would wholeheartedly stay by her side and do anything, as long as it was beneficial for her.

    But what had happened to the Young Lady now? Was she taking her anger out on her? Mammy Luo felt devastated. The young girl whom she wanted to protect wholeheartedly did not want her and disliked her? Tears welled up and involuntarily blurred her vision, and she could not tell if it was malevolence on Ning Qingshan¡¯s face.

    ¡°Sorry, Mammy Luo, I did not notice you entering the room just now. Quickly help Mammy Luo to have a seat here, Caifen.¡± The gloomy look on Ning Qingshan¡¯s face turned into a smile as she warmly gestured for Caifen to go over, as if she really threw the teacup in a fit of anger instead of deliberately aiming it at Mammy Luo.

    ¡°Mammy Luo, please have a seat. The Young Lady did not notice you entering just now.¡± Caifen fearfully looked at Ning Qingshan, as she witnessed how quick her attitude had changed and the uncontroble look of evilness on her face when Mammy Luo entered. At this moment, she did not dare to look at Ning Qingshan, except to immediately force a smile andply with her words, as she went to help Mammy Luo.

    ¡°Young Lady, I am all right. So, what do we do now?¡± Mammy Luo wiped her tears with her hands, with slight happiness appearing on her face. She long knew that the Third Young Lady that she had brought up herself would not be so heartless to deliberately throw the teacup at her. It was nothing but a coincidence, and with drastic changes urring outside, it was no wonder that her Young Lady would get angry.

    ¡°What do we do now?¡± This sentence almost sent Ning Qingshan out of control, as she reached out to touch her injured leg and could only wish that it was Ning Xueyan who had broken her leg instead. How could Ning Xueyan manage to keep unscathed when the force of the carriage plummeting was greater than crashing into a tree? How could her injury be even less serious than hers?

    ¡°Isn¡¯t she supposed to be dead? Wasn¡¯t she supposed to die horribly, without a trace of her left? Why was it only me who had met with a mishap?¡± And upon thinking that she might have some resulting disability in the future, Ning Qingshan desperately wanted to tear Ning Xueyan apart.

    As she ignored Mammy Luo¡¯s words, her hateful gaze fell on Ning Xueyan, who was standing outside the window. Her haggard, yet attractive-looking face gave Ning Qingshan an impulse to go outside and scratch her face. Ning Qingshan¡¯s fingersnded on the window, as she fiercely pulled the curtains that were hanging from above.

    ¡°Feel free to speak your mind, Your Highness.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled, as she calmly kept the hairpin that was in her hand. If not for the small red dot and the faint trace of blood on her pale and tender neck, no one would believe that what had happened earlier on was true.

    Ao Mingyu smiled as his gazended on her, paying extra attention to her neck, saying, ¡°It¡¯s nothing much. I just wanted to ask you about what happened that day. It was said that it was a setup, and if you need my help, feel free toe to me.¡±

    Ning Xueyan bowed slightly and gently said, ¡°Thank you, Your Highness, for your kind intentions. His Highness Prince Yi has already checked and it was really just an ident. Or maybe I was in a hurry and that¡¯s why I met with the ident. Third sister was also met with the same incident, right? Is it possible that she was being set up?¡±

    Inside the house, Ning Qingshan tightly grasped on to the window ledge, as she unknowingly broke a few of her long, well-maintained fingernails.

    Such a clear rejection and even mentioning Ning Qingshan only meant that the rtionship they had had only improved because Ning Qingshan was set to marry into the Third Prince¡¯s Manor. There was nothing else, and Ao Mingyu¡¯s face slowly turned solemn.

    ¡°Mingyu is considerate. It¡¯s just that if anything happened to my side consort, I would take care of it by myself. There is no need for Mingyu to worry about her.¡±

    His cold, yet charming and maic voice could be heard. At this moment, Ning Xueyan genuinely began to rx, as she looked toward the handsome man who was currently walking toward them. His face looked cold and scary, yet in her eyes, it was surprisingly warm and peaceful.

 Chapter 449 - Cruelly Point Arrows at His Head

    <h4>Chapter 449 Cruelly Point Arrows at His Head</h4>

    Ning Xueyan involuntarily shook a little, and felt a surge of weakness after rxing. A moment ago, she struggled to confront Mammy Luo and the four hostile guards, for fear that any slight rxation in will would put her in that catastrophic situation. At this moment, as soon as she rxed, she felt everything in front of her went ck and she went weak and limp.

    Xinmei intended to reach out, but saw a dark figure sh in front of her. She took two steps back and stood aside with her hands down. Feeling relived, she put the flying needles back into her sleeves and secretly wiped the sweat on her forehead. Prince Yi hade. It didn¡¯t matter even if the Third Prince yed others tricks.

    She was at present and certainly knew that the crunch was on the verge of breaking out just now. If Ning Xueyan hadn¡¯t threatened with her life, the Third Prince never would havee out to meet her. Of course, even if the Third Prince came out, it didn¡¯t mean that they had got through it. As long as Ning Xueyan hesitated a little, the result would bepletely different.

    The moment was so dangerous that it could evenpare with a battlefield shing with knives and swords!

    At the thought of this, she felt increasingly appreciative of Ning Xueyan. In the situation a moment ago, no weakdy from a noble family could do better than Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Uncle, it turns out that you¡¯re here. I heard that you were here before, so I intended to pay you a visit. Unexpectedly, you went back, so I intended to ask the Fifth Young Lady Ning about it. Unexpectedly, she got me wrong. Uncle...¡±

    Ao Mingyu didn¡¯t expect that Ao Chenyi would show up here suddenly. He had heard that Ao Chenyi¡¯s favorite concubine was still sick, so he came to Cold Mountain Temple with hisckeys. He didn¡¯t expect that he would see Ao Chenyi at this moment. Although he was in a panic, he calmed down at once, and then stepped forward and saluted Ao Chenyi with a smile.

    No matter what he intended to do, he didn¡¯t really do it. Besides, he was in the courtyard with plenty of people around at this moment. Apart from the four guards, there were also Ning Qingshan and her maids and old maids in the room. In fact, he didn¡¯tmit a breach of etiquette and stay in the room only with Ning Xueyan, so Ao Chenyi couldn¡¯t find fault with him.

    However, when he found that the sharp arrows were pointed at him, he narrowed his eyes and could not say anything.

    Ao Chenyi showed a smile, a very gentle smile. However, his cold eyes were filled with thick darkness, making him look like a ghost that sucked people¡¯s bone marrow. His eyes also contained bloodthirsty rage and gloom as well as suffocating coldness and emptiness, seeming to show no feelings and carry a sense of indifference.

    Ao Mingyu knew that Ao Chenyi would get angry, but he didn¡¯t expect that Ao Chenyi would do this to him. He became stiff. Two guards pointed two arrows in their sleeves at him directly, and Ao Chenyi, who was standing in the middle, showed a smile. But Ao Mingyu could feel the cold murderous intent from him.

    How, how dare he instruct the guards to point the arrows at him! Ao Mingyu clenched his fists under his sleeves with his veins protruding.

    ¡°Mingyu, if your father knows that you died an unnatural death because ofpeting for a girl with me, I wonder if he will tell the whole world about it and avenge you?¡± Ao Chenyi said in a calm voice, but showed a smile surprisingly. However, Ao Mingyu felt so cold that he failed to maintain his gentleness and elegance and his face turned pale at once.

    Ao Chenyi could do something likepeting for a girl, but he couldn¡¯t, because he was the gentle and elegant Third Prince, who was totally different from the arrogant and overbearing Prince Yi. Moreover, the girl theypeted for was the co-consort granted to Ao Chenyi by the emperor. If it were known by others, he would be considered disloyal, unfilial, heartless and unrighteous. All his reputation would be ruined.

    It could be said that the mask he had worn in front of others for so many years would be immediately torn apart.

    Under the threat of two arrows, he didn¡¯t dare to move. He could sense the murderous intent in Ao Chenyi¡¯s eyes, which was treacherous and gloomy. However, his four guards were taken by surprise and couldn¡¯t help him. They could only look at them vigntly, but couldn¡¯t do anything.

    In the wing room, Ning Qingshan was also stunned. She knew that Ao Mingyu would be at a disadvantageous position when confronting Ao Chenyi. In terms of both status and seniority, Ao Chenyi was superior to Ao Mingyu. Nevertheless, she had never expected that Ao Mingyu would be subdued even before he met Ao Chenyi.

    She gnashed her teeth and was frightened at this moment. If Ning Xueyan really ¡°had a private date¡± with Ao Mingyu in the room just now and was caught by Prince Yi, would they have been shot to death at Prince Yi¡¯smand even before they said anything? As a witness, she certainly would have no way out as well.

    Everyone would be killed. Thinking of this, Ning Qingshan trembled all over. How could she underestimate the cruelty of Prince Yi? If his future co-consort had an affair with the Third Prince, how could a man like Prince Yi tolerate being cuckolded in this way? Of course, he would kill everyone present.

    Although Ao Mingyu was the son of the emperor, it seemed that Ao Chenyi didn¡¯t take him seriously and directly instructed the guards to point arrows at his head. Ning Qingshan had never expected that this man could be so formidable and cruel.

    Ao Chenyi rolled his deep and dark eyes and stared fixedly at Ao Mingyu¡¯s pale face, while walking over with Ning Xueyan in one hand. Suddenly, his eyes turned cold, and he raised the other hand to p Ao Mingyu fiercely and said gloomily, ¡°How dare you covet my girl!¡±

    Ao Mingyu was beaten so hard that he staggered and almost fell down awkwardly. He was ashamed and angry of being beaten in front of his guards. With dark mist in his eyes, he nced at Ning Xueyan, who was held by Ao Chenyi, with extremelyplicated feelings. But he immediately lowered his head to hide his anger and shame.

    Of course, he couldn¡¯t confront Ao Chenyi directly at this moment. No one knew if this madman would really instruct the guards to kill him. Murderous intent! He saw obvious fierceness and murderous intent from Ao Chenyi¡¯s long nted eyes.

    ¡°Uncle, I won¡¯t do that again!¡± Ao Mingyu wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and looked at Ao Chenyi withposure. He had to give in and tell the truth. Since Ao Chenyi had known his intention, he could only make Ao Chenyi angrier by keeping pretending. So he said, ¡°I¡¯ve fallen in love with the Fifth Young Lady Ning and wanted to ask father for an imperial edict to grant the marriage between her and me, but I didn¡¯t expect that you would do it ahead of me.¡±

    He would rather describe it an uncontrolled behavior due to his affection for Ning Xueyan than describe it a plot against Ning Xueyan, because the former was obviously much less serious than thetter. It was normal for a teenage boy to fall in love with a teenage girl. Besides, when the Third Prince was acquainted with Ning Xueyan, the emperor hadn¡¯t issued the imperial edict to grant the marriage between Ning Xueyan and Prince Yi. So it was nothing serious even if he fell in love with her at that time.

    He did this today just in order to ruin Ning Xueyan¡¯s reputation so that she could only marry him.

    Meanwhile, he promised Ao Chenyi that such a thing would never happen again and he would stay away from her and take her as an elder and cut off all thoughts for her. From now on, he was only the Third Prince, and she was the co-consort of Prince Yi.

    ¡°If your co-consort, who¡¯s in the room now, is not good enough, I can take her to my manor.¡± Ao Chenyi raised his chin with malicious mockery and gave Ao Mingyu a hint by ncing at the wing room beside him.

    Ao Chenyi only said that he could take her to his manor without mentioning her status, which was obviously a humiliation. With the corners of his eyes twitching, Ao Mingyu finally lowered his head and said, ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m at yourmand.¡±

    Ning Qingshan sat in front of the couch, feeling cold all over. If it weren¡¯t for being supported by Caifen beside her, she would have be weak. Prince Yi said that he could take her to his manor and make her a concubine with no status, but Ao Mingyu didn¡¯t object at all. He even lowered his head and seemed to go to leave her at Prince Yi¡¯s disposal.

    How could he treat her like this? She had waited for him wholeheartedly and devoted herself to him. How could he turn a cold shoulder to her?

    Thinking of his gentle words, she now only considered them a joke. Prince Yi asked to take her away from him, but he made no objection at all. Even if he just pretended to object, he could ease her anxiety. With her eyes filled with tears, she broke off all her nails. She was the co-consort the emperor granted to him.

    ¡°I¡¯m really not into such a malicious daughter of a concubine. Feel free to keep her. I think that she¡¯s a perfect match for you.¡± Ao Chenyi said with a faint smile. After that, he ignored him and turned to leave with Ning Xueyan in his arms. The two guards of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor withdrew their arrows and walked behind him.

    After the two guards withdrew their arrows, the four guards of the Third Prince¡¯s Manor immediately rushed over and stood in front of Ao Mingyu to protect him.

    Ao Chenyi suddenly turned around and said to Ao Mingyu with a wicked smile, ¡°Mingyu, why are you still here? I heard that Honored Consort Shu and Mingwan are asking Senior Grand Tutor Ya to marry his granddaughter to Mingwan in the imperial pce at this moment.¡±

    He seemed to show no grudges, but the deeper meaning in his words made Ao Mingyu shiver with fear.

    Ao Mingwan was going to marry Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s granddaughter. However, there was no other girl of the right age in Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s family except for Ya Moqin. The reason why Ya Moqin didn¡¯t marry Ao Mingyu this time was that she had given Ning Qingshan the chance to marry him. However, it didn¡¯t mean that Ya Moqin had lost the chance to marry him. When Ya Moqin got an appropriate chanceter, she would definitely marry into his manor.

    Although Ao Mingyu didn¡¯t like Ya Moqin, the marriage between him and Ya Moqin meant the furtherbination of the forces of the Ya family and his, so he would like to see that. Ning Qingshan was also the daughter of the Ya family, but her identity was confidential. The outsiders only saw thebination of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and him. The Ya family certainly needed a more stable marriage, and Ya Moqin was an important part of it.

    Ya Moqin was arrogant, and Ao Mingwan had never liked her, so Ao Mingyu didn¡¯t expect that Ao Mingwan would ask father for an imperial edict for Ya Moqin one day.

    ¡°Get me a horse. I¡¯m going down the mountain.¡± He gnashed his teeth and said. At this moment, he must go down the mountain and enter the imperial pce to prevent this from happening. Otherwise, after Ya Moqin gave birth to a son, he and the Ya family would definitely separate from each other.

    ¡°Third Prince, my master invites you in for a talk.¡± After receiving Ning Qingshan¡¯s order, Caifen hurriedly rushed out in an attempt to stop Ao Mingyu and ask him to enter the room and have a talk with Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°Get out!¡± Ao Mingyu lifted his leg to kick her aside and then strode away with hisckeys. He was so anxious at this moment that he was in no mood to care about Ning Qingshan¡¯s emotions. Compared with a concubine¡¯s daughter of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor with a ruined reputation, Ya Moqin was much more important now.

    In the room, with a livid face, Ning Qingshan clenched her fists, trembled all over and shouted at Mammy Luo with a sharp voice, ¡°I want to meet him!¡±

 Chapter 450 - Have Been Engaged More Than Once

    <h4>Chapter 450 Have Been Engaged More Than Once</h4>

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t pass out for long. She just felt weak and everything in front of her went ck, and then fell down. When she woke up, she was nestled in the familiar arms. She looked up and saw a face that looked even more handsome because of being close to her, and the cold eyes on the face were closed at the moment.

    Both of them were lying on the bed. Ning Xueyan moved slightly and looked sideways at him.

    He closed his eyes quietly, with a strand of ck hair on his face. His long nted eyes were closed slightly. His features were as pretty as a picture, and his lips were as red as blood. His dark and long eyshes were thick and long, without the cold and vicious vibe he usually exuded. He, who was in his quiet sleep, showed a hint of indifference on his handsome face.

    ¡°Do you want to kill him?¡± With his long eyshes fluttering, he put his slender fingers on Ning Xueyan¡¯s neck where there was a small wound to which the ointment had been applied. Nevertheless, Ning Xueyan still felt pain when he pressed it hard. She frowned subconsciously and shook her head, ¡°No!¡±

    She knew that he was talking about killing Ao Mingyu. In any case, Ao Mingyu should not get killed now, let alone get killed because of this matter. If ady got involved in thepetition for imperial power and became the major cause of it, she would definitelye to no good end. No matter what Ao Mingyu had done, he was still the emperor¡¯s favorite son.

    She could recognize her identity, so of course she could clearly understand the difference between the two.

    ¡°Why?¡± Ao Chenyi closed his eyes slightly and reached out to pat her on the back, as if tofort her.

    ¡°No why. Your Highness, you don¡¯t need to care about it. Anyway I¡¯m not the one who suffered a loss.¡± Ning Xueyan raised her eyebrows slightly, showing a soft smile with a trace of delight across her watery eyes. Since Ao Chenyi had shown up, Ao Mingyu definitely couldn¡¯t take an advantageous position. No matter what Ao Mingyu had intended to do, someone smart didn¡¯t need evidence.

    ¡°Rest assured. I¡¯ll make him pay for it.¡± Ao Chenyi held her in his arms, resting his head on her hair with a trace of rage across his eyes. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t kill Ao Mingyu now, but he wouldn¡¯t allow Ao Mingyu to bully her.

    He said that in an extremely light voice. If Ning Xueyan hadn¡¯t been listening to him all the time, she wouldn¡¯t have heard his words. Nevertheless, his words made her felt warm. She slowly closed her watery eyes and felt inexplicably bittersweet.

    It was not that she didn¡¯t want to think about something, but she couldn¡¯t. After all, she was just a girl living in the inner courtyard.

    She had locked her heart tightly. She died in the lotus pond in herst life. At the moment of being reborn, she repeatedly warned herself that she didn¡¯t need love anymore. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that she trusted Xia Yuhang too much, how could she fail to tell that Xia Yuhang and Ning Ziyan exchanged amorous nces in front of her? How could she fail to realize that Xia Yuhang didn¡¯t treat her as she did to him?

    She would never have hidden the fact that she was set up by Chen Hexiang, who lived in Cold Mountain Temple temporarily, from Xia Yuhang, for fear that he would consider her jealous without the decency of a Legal Wife. Because of this, she and Xiang¡¯er ended up with a tragedy. If you trusted the wrong person, you could only walk into a blind alley.

    Therefore, in this life, she was unwilling to entrust herself to a rtionship. If she could marry a simple man and live a simple life, she did not care about feelings. It was happiness to live a safe and peaceful life.

    However, something was not under her control. In order to gain a firm foothold in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and avenge, she had to find a powerful helper, and Ao Chenyi showed up at that time. They had made a deal to get what they needed. Butpared with him, her ¡°need¡± was the most urgent.

    Everything after that seemed to happen naturally. Even when he suggested that she should be his co-consort, she didn¡¯t have many feelings. Ao Chenyi had helped her too much, so it was reasonable for her to help him straighten out his harem. From the fact that the imperial harem kept granting girls to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, she could tell that the backyard of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor was in an unstable situation, which was a major taboo.

    Therefore, she did not refuse and epted it naturally. In her mind, she had always regarded it as a deal. She would marry into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor and help him manage his backyard so that he could give full y to his talents in the imperial court without being held back by the affairs of the backyard.

    However, she didn¡¯t know when she seemed to have some special feelings for him and felt inexplicably warm because of what he did for her.

    ¡°Your Highness, do you know the real identity of Sister Ning Ziying, who lived in Cloud Reflection Courtyard?¡± For some unknown reason, Ning Xueyan involuntarily blurted out the unknown things. She was a little perturbed, a little uneasy and even a little regretful. However, she would not withdraw her words once she said that. It was the biggest secret in her life.

    However, these things were too mysterious. Even if she said it, who could believe that someone would be reborn as another person after she died, and there seemed to be aplicated rtionship between the two people? The strangest thing was that she knew nothing about the other her.

    If she said it, she wouldn¡¯t even believe it herself, not to mention others. They would definitely think it absurd and that she had seen a ghost. She would probably be burnt to death as a monster.

    ¡°Ning Ziying¡¯s identity is not simple and rted to the former imperial court. It got involved in too many things.¡± Ao Chenyi reached out to hold her hand with gentle and moderate strength.

    ¡°I heard that Sister Ziying had been engaged before her death.¡± Ning Xueyan bit her lip.

    ¡°Ning Ziying had been engaged more than once,¡± Ao Chenyi said lightly.

    Ning Xueyan suddenly opened her unwearied watery eyes wide in tremendous shock, but found that she couldn¡¯t make a sound at all and becamepletely stiff at the moment. In herst life, she had been engaged to Xia Yuhang. In her memory, the Xia family was the only family her parents chose for her to marry into. What did Ao Chenyi mean by saying that Ning Ziying had been engaged for more than once?

    She just asked about Ning Ziying randomly, but didn¡¯t expect to sound out such a big secret. Meanwhile, as the person concerned, she actually knew nothing about it.

    ¡°How could a girl have been engaged for a few times?¡± She suppressed the shock in her heart. Fortunately, Ao Chenyi¡¯s head was above hers at the moment. Otherwise, she definitely could not hide the shock in her eyes. She just blurted it out.

    How many things was she ignorant of in herst life? How could she even be ignorant of this thing?

    ¡°It may be impossible for other girls, but Ning Ziying was in a different situation. Yan¡¯er, these things have nothing to do with you. Do you want me to help you deal with the troublemaker in your Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?¡± Ao Chenyi pulled her out of his arms, reached out to lift her chin, and asked with a delighted and sly smile.

    They were close to each other, so all his warm breath almost sprayed on her face. With a touch of faint blush appearing on her pale face at once, Ning Xueyan leaned back uneasily in an attempt to get away from his arms. Unfortunately, as soon as she moved, he reached out to hold her. No matter how hard she tried, he didn¡¯t let her go.

    ¡°I¡¯ll deal with the troublemaker in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Don¡¯t do anything now.¡± Ning Xueyan stared at him helplessly. Both of them knew clearly that he was talking about Ning Huaiyuan.

    What had happened to Ning Xueyan was set by Ning Huaiyuan. Of course, the Third Prince had helped him in secret and Ning Qingshan had fomented discord. It could be said that all three of them participated in it. Capable of staying alive in the ident the three of them cooperated to set, Ning Xueyan could be considered surviving a catastrophe.

    Now among the three of them, Ning Qingshan had broken her leg, and the Third Prince¡¯s Manor was set on fire at midnight and he had been even more ipatible with the Fourth Prince. Only Ning Huaiyuan was fine. Of course, Ning Xueyan was going to make Ning Huaiyuan pay for it. Ao Chenyi had taken actions twice, so Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t want to trouble him again.

    The emperor had been keeping an eye on him. Although he was not likely to make mistakes with a thorough n, others might be more skeptical that he was the one behind it. Ning Xueyan had a way of dealing with someone in the backyard. She didn¡¯t think that she couldn¡¯t deal with Ning Huaiyuan without Ao Chenyi¡¯s help. There was something that she¡¯d better handle by herself. Even if it was found out, it was just a strife within the backyard of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    It was originally caused by Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s failure in regting the family, and had nothing to do with thepetition for royal power. In this case, even if they made a big scene, the emperor would just indulge them. The emperor needed to worry about too many things. If he even had to intervene in the affairs of a minister¡¯s inner courtyard, he would be an overbusy emperor.

    Ning Huaiyuan was a man, but since he had intervened in the strife of the inner courtyard, he should be under the management of the inner courtyard. Besides, Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t think that she was incapable of dealing with Ning Huaiyuan. If she was even incapable of this, she would only walk into a blind alley in the bigger and more unpredictable Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll wait and see!¡± Seeing the persistence in her watery eyes, Ao Chenyi slowly rubbed her nose with his fingers with a smile. Suddenly he changed the subject. ¡°Have you finishing making the wedding robe for me?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s very close.¡± Ning Xueyan felt a little guilty when saying that. She had almost finished making it. However, many things had been dyed by the ident, so she couldn¡¯t finish it in a short time. She made the robe by herself without anyone¡¯s help. Although she thought it impossible for him to wear it, she still made it by herself. After spending this period of time on the mountain, she definitely couldn¡¯t finish it quickly.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t have enough time, just instruct the maids in your manor to make it. Remember to send it to my manor on the day before our wedding. Otherwise, I won¡¯t spare you.¡± Ao Chenyi raised the corners of his pretty mouth to show a smile and squinted at Ning Xueyan. He was warning her obviously.

    ¡°I got it.¡± Ning Xueyan curled her lip secretly. She really didn¡¯t know why he was so persistent in this. Suddenly, she pulled his sleeve and asked curiously, ¡°What should you do to your favorite concubine since you¡¯vee here? I heard that she¡¯s seriously sick, and you hurried down the mountain to see her?¡±

    She still thought it strange. When he left, he told her that he might not be able toe here in a short time. Why did he suddenly appear in Ning Qingshan¡¯s courtyard? She didn¡¯t think it was idental.

    ¡°In the morning, I heard that Ao Mingyu went up to the mountain in a hurry. It¡¯s said that he came to see his future co-consort. He didn¡¯te to see her when she just broke her leg. After so many days, he finally thought of it and came to see her in a hurry,¡± Ao Chenyi said casually. He stretched out a finger to twist a strand of Ning Xueyan¡¯s dark hair and said sarcastically, ¡°Could it be possible that Ao Mingyu finally found that his co-consort was great after so many days?¡±

    Ning Xueyan agreed with him, but she then said in disapproval, ¡°So you leave your favorite concubine aside ande here?¡±

    Was he going to ce her above the stove? Ao Chenyi had just rescued her a few days ago, but Commandery Princess Xianyun left her dowry aside and came to the mountain hurriedly. If Commandery Princess Xianyun found that she meant something special to Ao Chenyi, she would be a target in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

 Chapter 451 - I Didnâ€™t Do Anythingv

    <h4>Chapter 451 I Didn¡¯t Do Anythingv</h4>

    ¡°Rest assured. I came up to the mountain today with my favorite concubine to pray for blessings. Unexpectedly, I saw Ao Mingyu bully my girl. It¡¯s unbearable to any man. I just pped him, which is light punishment,¡± Ao Chenyi said listlessly with a hint of coldness across his eyes.

    ¡°Your Highness¡¯s favorite concubine has alsoe. Where is she?¡± Ning Xueyan blinked her watery eyes and understood what Ao Chenyi meant. She hurriedly got up, looked around, and asked in confusion.

    ¡°Rest assured. Of course, my favorite concubine is in my courtyard. Yan¡¯er, I¡¯m sorry for making you feel aggrieved.¡± She moved her eyes to look around, looking quite cute and cunning. At the sight of this, Ao Chenyi also raised his face andzily pinched her ear.

    It meant that the person pretending to be Ao Chenyi¡¯s favorite concubine was not here, but in the courtyard where Ao Chenyi usually lived aftering up the mountain. Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t live in the courtyard, where Ao Chenyi usually lived, when recovering from her wounds, although Ao Chenyi spent most of his time in Ning Xueyan¡¯s courtyard.

    Of course Ning Xueyan knew that the so-called Ao Chenyi¡¯s favorite concubine was meant to attract others¡¯ attention, and thedy was actually her. She certainly wouldn¡¯t have any trouble with herself, and even got a lot of benefits because of this ¡°Ao Chenyi¡¯s favorite concubine¡±ing out of nowhere. Even the fact that she and Commandery Princess Xianyun were going to marry Ao Chenyi at the same time didn¡¯t put her in the spotlight. But now, she suddenly had some worries.

    ¡°Your Highness, do you really think that we should let your favorite concubine exist all the time?¡± With a light sigh, Ning Xueyan unconsciously blurted it out. In the past, no one was in charge of the backyard of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Although there were numerous women, none of them had status. Moreover, Ao Chenyi showed no tenderness toward women. He was ruthless, and would directly kill the enemies as soon as he found anything unusual.

    Thus, even if some people wanted to mess up Ao Chenyi¡¯s backyard, they didn¡¯t dare to act rashly, so his backyard was in a stable situation. Later, ¡®his favorite concubine¡¯ showed up, and they got a target. However, this target was protected so well that no one could see her. Even if those people wanted to deal with her, they couldn¡¯t. Besides, those women had no right to say something bad to the favorite concubine.

    But now Ao Chenyi was getting married and would have a consort and a co-consort at the same time. Obviously Commandery Princess Xianyun definitely would not leave ¡°Ao Chenyi¡¯s favorite concubine¡± alone, but this so-called ¡°Ao Chenyi¡¯s favorite concubine¡± was fictional. They were in the same manor, so it was impossible for Ning Xueyan to y two roles.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have my n,¡± Ao Chenyi said with anguid smile and looked at leisure. It was obvious that he had a n. ¡°Do you want to know where Ao Mingyu is now?¡±

    Where was Ao Mingyu? Wasn¡¯t he in Cold Mountain Temple? Had he gone back in a hurry after being scolded by Ao Chenyi? Ning Xueyan thought it impossible. Ao Mingyu was the Third Prince and had always enjoyed a good reputation. If he really went back in a hurry because of Ao Chenyi and the news went out, it would be a scandal.

    If someone observant investigated into it, he might suspect something. It would definitely disgrace Ao Mingyu. So in any case, he should stay in Cold Mountain Temple for at least one day. Besides, he should show his concern for Ning Qingshan gently. But since Ao Chenyi asked this, his meaning should be different.

    ¡°Did the Third Prince leave Cold Mountain Temple for an emergency?¡± Ning Xueyan moved her eyes which were like dark jade, turned her head sideways and asked with curiosity. She really couldn¡¯t figure out what was so important that Ao Mingyu even went down the mountain in a hurry regardless of his good reputation. He hade to Cold Mountain Temple in the name of seeing Ning Qingshan.

    Seeing her show less coldness and more childishness and innocence of a girl, Ao Chenyi couldn¡¯t help reaching out to touch her head again. When he met her for the first time, he just looked at her from a distance. He only found that the little girl was so cruel to herself. She bit herself and made her arm drenched with blood. After that, she could still frame someone else in an extremely natural way as if nothing had happened.

    At that moment, her ruthlessness and decisiveness inexplicably made him feel that she was like him.

    What did she look like when he met her for the second time? She seemed to be piteous with stratagems that were inconsistent with her age. Even when the poisoning incident was exposed in front of her mother¡¯s temporary memorial tablet, she could make use of him cleverly and say what she wanted to say and thus to make Ning Zu¡¯an investigate into the matter and give her an exnation.

    He had always been the one plotting against others. Since when there was someone who was not afraid of him and made use of him? He found it interesting at that time, so he gave her a chance to go over to him. In fact, everything or everyone he took a fancy to must belong to him, no matter the one was willing to belong to him or not.

    Even if she rejected the chance to go over to him, he would definitely give the chance to her. He just wanted to see how far she could go.

    As he expected, she had never let him down and waspletely different from other girls. Most of the girls trembled with fear when meeting him, while a few of them were shy with other intentions. Only she was calm, neither humble nor pushy. She was obviously so scared, but she still managed to straighten her weak body to confront him and make a deal with him without the slightestpromise.

    She was like a little wild cat who was on the alert and ready to escape at any time, while reaching out her sharp ws in an attempt to bluff.

    With more than coldness and gloom on his handsome face, he lifted the corners of his mouth, then he let out augh and said, ¡°He had to go back!¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, tell me why he had to go back?¡± With her long eyshes fluttering, Ning Xueyan was a little interested. She didn¡¯t really want to know what Ao Mingyu wanted to do, but she thought it might be useful for her. She was very interested in something that Ao Mingyu cared about.

    Ao Chenyi raised his eyebrows and looked at Ning Xueyan, who was raising her curious face in his arms, with interest. He casually stroked her long hair, which was hanging down from her head to her back, and felt that it was silky and warm, ¡°Of course there is a story. The Eldest Young Lady of Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor is going to marry Ao Mingwan. How can he not be anxious?¡±

    Ning Xueyan raised her eyebrows. It was really a result she didn¡¯t expect. ¡°How could Grand Tutor Ya agree with it?¡±

    Grand Tutor Ya was tightly tied to Ao Mingyu¡¯s party. How could he think of going over to Ao Mingwan¡¯s party? After all, Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor was different from Lord Protector¡¯s Manor that could seek backing from both parties.

    ¡°Every emperor has a cabposed of his own favorites, so does the master of a family. Grand Tutor Ya is old!¡± Ao Chenyi said listlessly, with his slender and white fingers across her dark hair.

    What he said was vague, but Ning Xueyan understood it all. After thinking for a moment, she asked in a low voice, ¡°Does the Eldest Young Lady¡¯s father wants to marry her to the Fourth Prince?¡±

    ¡°Although Grand Tutor Ya is in a high position, he has little real power. Now he is old. On the side of Ao Mingyu, the Third Prince who is highly regarded by the emperor, he has gradually dropped out of the power center of the imperial court on his own initiative. Most of the time, he doesn¡¯t say much in the imperial court so as to avoid suspicion.¡±

    ¡°But Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s son is different. He is young and strong with great ambitions. Ya Moqin was supposed to be the Third Prince¡¯s co-consort. It¡¯s fine, and the two families are closer to each other. However, because of Ning Qingshan, Ya Moqin was implicated and lost the position of co-consort. In the future, she will be at a disadvantageous position even if she can be the Third Prince¡¯s co-consort...¡±

    Ao Chenyi said lightly and sounded cold. He lifted the corners of his pretty mouth to show a sarcastic smile. He was not the only one who could clearly see through the stratagem of Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor, so could the emperor. Someone really interfered too much. No matter who was the emperor, he couldn¡¯t tolerate this kind of recalcitrant maternal rtives.

    ¡°Your Highness, did you reveal some of the Third Prince¡¯s deeds to the emperor?¡± Ning Xueyan blinked twice, looked up with a sparkle in her dark eyes and asked softly. She got up from Ao Chenyi¡¯s arms and sat on the bed on knees. With her long ck hair streaming loose from her head down to her slender body, she squinted charmingly at Ao Chenyi. The fact that the emperor thought of this thing meant that there was something behind it.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything!¡± Ao Chenyi said with a serious look. However, the faint delight in his nted eyes obviously looked a little sarcastic. He said that to show that he was innocent, but he failed.

    ¡°Your Highness, does Grand Preceptor Ya¡¯s Mansion have something to do with the former dynasty?¡± She just blurted it out. After that, she pressed the edge of the bed with her hands on both sides and raised her watery eyes at leisure, still seeming to be curious.

    In thest life, the girl, who had a voice simr to Ya Moqin¡¯s, had appeared in her home and lived there for a period of time. Her mother was so cautious that she wouldn¡¯t allow someone she was unacquainted with to live in their home. Moreover, they seemed to be intimate friends.

    Ao Chenyi stared at Ning Xueyan with his deep eyes. There was a beam of dim light across his nted eyes, making him look a little blurred and dark. He showed azy smile on his handsome face and motioned for Ning Xueyan to fetch a cushion. After that, he leant against it to make himself feel morefortable.

    ¡°Yan¡¯er, are you asking whether Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor has something to do with Ning Ziying who lived in your manor?¡±

    He was so straightforward that Ning Xueyan felt her heart skipped a beat. Looking at his deep eyes, she couldn¡¯t help clenching her fists. It was rted to the secret of her rebirth. There was something she really didn¡¯t know how to tell him. She bit her lips and looked straight into Ao Chenyi¡¯s eyes without dodging his eyes. ¡°Yes, I really want to know.¡±

    She didn¡¯t think that she could hide her unusual reactions in front of Ao Chenyi. So she just went straight to the point and said it directly. There was something that she couldn¡¯t check out easily. If it was so easy to investigate into the affairs of Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor, it would be impossible for it to remain influential in two dynasties.

    ¡°Grand Tutor Ya was the Minister of Personnel of the previous dynasty. He won the favor of the emperor of the previous dynasty, but betrayed the previous dynasty afterwards and joined himself to my father¡¯s side. Honored Consort Ya was a nobledy of the previous dynasty as well as a nobledy of the current dynasty. Compared with other old ministers of the previous dynasty, Grand Tutor Ya is the greatest winner.¡±

    Ao Chenyi¡¯s voice was faint and distant. He seemed to mention it inadvertently. However, his light voice made Ning Xueyan felt inexplicably cold and gloomy. She subconsciously reached out to hold Ao Chenyi¡¯s hand and almost unconsciously grabbed his hand firmly. She felt a part of her heart was stabbed by something and unconsciously clenched her fists.

    At this moment, Ao Chenyi made her feel that he was far away from her, so far that she almost felt that he was the only one traveling alone in the vast world. With some coldness in his icy and bloodthirsty eyes, he slightly squinted at an unknown ce outside the window.

 Chapter 452 - The Most Crucial Part of It

    <h4>Chapter 452 The Most Crucial Part of It</h4>

    There was no sorrow or joy on his handsome face, but somehow made her feel that he was gloomy and lonely.

    He was the only one traveling alone in the secr world. In the empty wilderness, there was only the rolled dark brocade robe and the bright red flowers reflected on it which looked like a touch of darkness wandering in the bloody red hell.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you afraid?¡± She didn¡¯t know when Ao Chenyi withdrew his gaze, lowered his head to look at her unwearied eyes and lifted the corners of his mouth to show a faint smile.

    Suddenly, Ning Xueyan shook her head solemnly, blinked her watery eyes and finally looked at Ao Chenyi¡¯s face. ¡°Your Highness, rest assured. I¡¯m not afraid!¡±

    Her words sounded strange and even not corresponding to Ao Chenyi¡¯s question. Nevertheless, her stubborn gaze and her active action of holding Ao Chenyi¡¯s hand firmly inexplicably convinced him that the fragile girl in front of him was telling the truth. She was not afraid, or it was more like her promise to not be afraid.

    Even if she was afraid, she would stand by his side and never waver because of anything else. Just like that day, although she was afraid of him, she still stood firm in front of him and talked over the terms of their trade with ease and fluency. She seemed to have forgotten that the person in front of her could kill her as long as he raised his fingers.

    Ao Chenyi¡¯s dim eyes almost became bright in an instant. He grasped her hand backhand and pulled it hard, and then Ning Xueyan involuntarily fell on him. Her dark and bright hair was hanging loose, making an extremely small space where the two of them could only feel the warm breath of each other.

    Pulled by him, Ning Xueyan subconsciously cried in a low voice. When she stabilized herself, she hadin prone on him with her forehead pressed against his, which was quite ambiguous. Looking at the deep sparkle across his handsome eyes, she suddenly blushed and pushed him away with her hands.

    However, she was so weak when confronting him that she could only be held by him tightly. He, who usually had a cold smile, showed a gentle and soft smile and slightly raised his eyebrows. Watching Ning Xueyan timidly rolling her bright watery eyes which were full of rosy ripples, he showed a more joyful smile and held Ning Xueyan tightly.

    ¡°Your Highness, you can go now. If you keep staying here, Commandery Princess Xianyun will find out that you¡¯ve stayed in my courtyard all the time ande up the mountain again. It will cause a big trouble.¡± His gaze made Ning Xueyan feel ashamed and annoyed. She pushed him hard. Her current movement made her seem to be closer to him than she was when pretending to be his favorite concubine.

    ¡°Yan¡¯er, are you jealous?¡± Ao Chenyi chuckled and said, seeming to be in a good mood.

    ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯m serious. With your favorite concubine as the shield, of course I would like to hide myself from the limelight as much as I can,¡± Ning Xueyan said seriously and gave him a helpless look.

    She actually didn¡¯t think so. However, these days she had an ident, and Commandery Princess Xianyun hade up the mountain once. Although Ao Chenyi hade here twice for good reasons, anyway his presence attracted others¡¯ attention. She didn¡¯t want to be the target of all women in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor before marrying into the manor, let alone the target of Ao Chenyi¡¯s opponents.

    For example, she still couldn¡¯t figure out why Ao Mingyu did that today. Nevertheless, it must have something to do with Ao Chenyi. After all, she was Ao Chenyi¡¯s future co-consort granted by the imperial edict. If something disgraceful happened to her, Ao Chenyi would be the disgraced one.

    ¡°Okay, I got it.¡± Ao Chenyi had to let go of Ning Xueyan. He stood up and tidied his clothes. Looking at the sky, he found that he did have stayed here for a long time. Fortunately, he had got prepared. He turned around and patted Ning Xueyan, who got up after him.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t recovered yet. Take a rest for another while.¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, please kick the door violently when you leave!¡± Ning Xueyan smiled slyly, pointed to the door of her room and blinked her watery eyes under her long eyshes, showing some naughtiness of a girl.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m angry now, so of course I¡¯ll kick the door violently.¡± Ao Chenyi almost understood Ning Xueyan¡¯s meaning at once and said with a wicked smile. A trace of rage shed across his eyes which were still icy cold. The superior Prince Yi showed more gloom and elusiveness on his handsome face.

    He took a few steps and got out of the inner room. At the door of the outer room, he violently kicked the wooden door, and it shook twice and almost fell down from the frame. After that, there came a series of suppressed sobs from the inner room. Although they were low, it could still be heard that a girl was crying.

    Walking to the door and seeing Ao Chenyiing out with a cold face, Lanning hurriedly lowered her head and leant to one side to give way to him. However, seeing him leave with a cold face, she showed a trace of suspicion in her eyes and couldn¡¯t figure out what had happened in a short time. She had seen Prince Yie in with her master in his arms.

    The Prince Yi, who looked cautious and gentle before, lookedpletely different from the current Prince Yi.

    Suddenly, Ning Xueyan¡¯s suppressed sobs came to Lanning¡¯s ears. With no time to think much, she hurriedly walked in with the tray in her hands. Because she walked fast in anxiety, several grapes on top fell from the branches, rolled on the tray and then fell to the ground. But Lanning had no time to care about it at the moment and hurried to walk inside.

    Her master had never been so out of control before. Could it be that something had happened but she didn¡¯t know?

    She lifted the bead curtain of the inner room. After clearly seeing that Ning Xueyan, who was sitting in front of the window, was secretly looking out of the window while wiping the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief, she couldn¡¯t help bursting intoughter and became capable of holding the tray in her hands firmly again.

    ¡°Young Lady, what are you doing?¡± Lanning certainly knew that her master would not do anything meaningless. So she put the fruit bowl in front of Ning Xueyan, while asking with a smile.

    Ning Xueyan wiped her mouth with a handkerchief and showed a smile. Looking at the crystal-like grapes in the fruit bowl, she couldn¡¯t help feeling hungry. So she took one, peeled it and put it in her mouth. It tasted quite sweet. There should be no grapes at this time. She wondered where Lanning got these which were to her taste.

    ¡°These are sent here by Prince Yi¡¯s servants. I heard that they are tributes for the imperial pce. There are just a few clusters of them, and His Highness left all of them here,¡± Lanning said with a smile. She thought that Ning Xueyan was quarreling with Prince Yi, so of course she should remind Ning Xueyan how nice Prince Yi was at this moment.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. If I don¡¯t make a scene, how can I make others know that I¡¯m in trouble with Prince Yi at present? Anyway Ao Mingyu intended to plot against me. Although he failed, it will definitely incur Prince Yi¡¯s anger.¡± After eating another two grapes, Ning Xueyan took over the handkerchief from Lanning, wiped her hands with it, and said with a leisurely smile.

    A man did not necessarily need evidence to lose his temper for discovering a secret meeting between another man and his girl. Any man would be upset after discovering the ambiguous rtionship between another man and his girl. Although they didn¡¯t actually do anything immoral, so what? No man could swallow it.

    Moreover, Ao Chenyi was Prince Yi who had always been arrogant, despotic and unreasonable.

    ¡°Young Lady, I heard that the Third Prince was pped by Prince Yi in the Third Young Lady¡¯s courtyard. Of course, at the moment, nobody cares whether he is the Third Prince or not. Although he is a member of the royal family, he can¡¯t do something like that. Prince Yi is not only the Third Prince¡¯s uncle, but also the future emperor.¡±

    Lanning immediately understood what Ning Xueyan meant, so she immediately told Ning Xueyan what she had inquired about. Her master was really the smartest person. Although her master didn¡¯t hear anything before, her master could handle it properly.

    The Third Prince had suffered a p for nothing. How could the Third Prince tell others what he had done? Besides, Ning Xueyan had been punished by Prince Yi. In any case, Prince Yi seemed to be the one who suffered a loss. Under these circumstances, it was light punishment to p the Third Prince. Even if someone found out anything about it, Prince Yi had every reason to do that.

    ¡°Go to the templeter and ask if they got any ointment. If they do, get some for me. Just tell them that I need it and don¡¯t need to say anything else.¡±

    Ning Xueyan leaned back and noddedfortably. Lanning understood her better and better now. There was something that she didn¡¯t need to tell Lanning in detail, but Lanning could immediately understand her thoughts and put them together and even infer other things from them. Lanning was really her good helper.

    ¡°Yes, I got it. Maybe there isn¡¯t any ointment in the temple, then I can go to Madam Dowager¡¯s courtyard and ask them. After all, the Third Young Lady has broken her leg, so they should have some ointment for promoting blood cirction and removing blood stasis. Besides, this incident was caused by the Third Young Lady. You can¡¯t suffer a loss for nothing.¡±

    Lanning didn¡¯t let Ning Xueyan down, and immediately understood what Ning Xueyan meant. Of course, they couldn¡¯t just let it go like this. Ning Qingshan harbored such a treacherous intention that she dared to ruin Ning Xueyan¡¯s reputation. Ning Xueyan certainly wouldn¡¯t let her get away with it. Besides, she could also spread the news that Ning Xueyan had been beaten by Prince Yi.

    Madam Dowager had attached much more importance to Ning Xueyan because of Ao Chenyi. If Madam Dowager knew that her other granddaughter intended to trap Ning Xueyan and ruin her reputation because of some unknown reasons, Madam Dowager would definitely not allow her to do that.

    Seeing that Lanning had thoroughly understood what she meant as she expected, Ning Xueyan showed a slight smile. She squinted her watery eyes and waved to Lanning. Lanning understood her meaning, put down the stuff in her hands, came over and lowered her head.

    ¡°Ask Xinmei to keep an eye on Ning Qingshan and notice who she¡¯s going to meet. If she meets any danger, ask her to stay away from it and just watch it from a distance. I suspect that there¡¯s another expert behind Ning Qingshan.¡± Ning Xueyan had made several guesses about it.

    Ning Qingshan had a strange origin and was presumptuous, and there was someone who inexplicably came out to help her out. Ning Xueyan had thought it was Ao Mingyu, but now she realized that it was almost impossible. If Ao Mingyu wanted to protect Ning Qingshan, he didn¡¯t have to do it secretly.

    Moreover, she thought that Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor was strange, because almost everything had something to do with Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor. In herst life, the one she had encountered must be someone from Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor. After her rebirth, she found that both Honored Consort Ya and the Third Prince, and even Ning Qingshan, all had something to do with Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor on the surface or in secret.

    Taking Ning Qingshan as an example, if she really was the descendant of Grand Tutor Ya, why did she grow up in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? Obviously Ning Zu¡¯an knew nothing about it. What did Grand Tutor Ya intend to do? After going through the previous dynasty and the current dynasty and working for not a few emperors, he remained powerful. Did he really keep his position because of his loyalty?

    He had been ¡°loyal¡± in the previous dynasty and was ¡°loyal¡± in the current dynasty. So who was he loyal to? What was Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor plotting? Ning Xueyan only thought it extremelyplicated. Perhaps Ning Qingshan was really the most crucial part of it. If Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t make use of such an obvious key point, it would be a waste.

    Besides, Ning Qingshan had never kept to her own line. She had poisoned Madam Ming before and now trapped Ning Xueyan again and again

 Chapter 453 - Madam Dowager Came Aggressively to Denounce Ning Qingshan

    <h4>Chapter 453 Madam Dowager Came Aggressively to Denounce Ning Qingshan</h4>

    ¡°What? The Third Young Lady got the Fifth Young Lady involved in trouble?¡± Madam Dowager beat the table hard and stood up suddenly with the support of her walking stick. She was so angry that her face turned ashen. She had bet all her hope on the Fifth Young Lady, but she didn¡¯t expect that the Third Young Lady would do this to the Fifth Young Lady.

    She was originally delighted to hear that the Third Prince finally came to see Ning Qingshan, and specially told others not to disturb them. Based on the Third Prince¡¯s previous attitude, she could tell that he didn¡¯t care about Ning Qingshan at all. She had thought that Ning Qingshan had be useless in her n. Unexpectedly, the Third Prince came here in person. How could Madam Dowager not be overjoyed?

    However, Madam Dowager didn¡¯t expect that things woulde to this. Ning Qingshan intended to trap her sister by making the ¡°ambiguous rtionship¡± between the Third Prince and Ning Xueyan discovered. She even attempted to drag Ning Xueyan into the room and thus to make the secret meeting between them a fact.

    ¡°She¡¯s such a mean girl. Who on earth gave her the courage to plot against her sister like that!¡± Madam Dowager walked around the room twice with hatred. At present, Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan were the only two decent Young Ladies who could seek benefits for Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Madam Dowager considered that the Third Prince was more likely to inherit the throne. Nevertheless, Madam Dowager had experienced the former dynasty. Before the current dynasty was established, who could have thought that the powerful and prosperous former dynasty would suddenly copse? Who could have thought that the winner was not the most powerful person at that time but the Ao family?

    Thus, Madam Dowager thought that she couldn¡¯t put all her chips in the same bowl.

    She had considered the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince most promising before, so she intended to marry a granddaughter to each of them. Now that the Third Prince took a fancy to Ning Qingshan, and the Fourth Prince took a fancy to Ning Xueyan, it was perfect. No matter who became the new emperor in the future, Lord Protector¡¯s Manor could remain wealthy. Regarding Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, it was not that she had never thought about it, but she just didn¡¯t dare to think about it.

    It was known to all that Prince Yi showed no tenderness toward girls at all. There were at least dozens of girls dying in his manor. If a chess piece died before winning his favor, it was not a good chess piece.

    Madam Dowager didn¡¯t expect that Ning Xueyan would be granted to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Moreover, Prince Yi seemed to treat Ning Xueyan differently. It aroused Madam Dowager¡¯s other thoughts. In Madam Dowager¡¯s opinion, the Third Prince and Prince Yi were the biggest opponents for the throne, unless something unexpected happens.

    It would be better to marry one of her granddaughters into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor than into the Fourth Prince¡¯s Manor.

    How could such a good n ruined by Ning Qingshan? Now Prince Yi had vented his anger on Ning Xueyan, which meant that Lord Protector¡¯s Manor must give Prince Yi¡¯s Manor an exnation. Thinking of Prince Yi¡¯s horrible character, Madam Dowager gnashed her teeth in hatred. Prince Yi was so tough that he even pped the Third Prince. So Lord Protector¡¯s Manor definitely couldn¡¯t turn a blind eye.

    ¡°Lanning, go back and serve your master well. Tell your master to be more open-minded and not to get angry with Prince Yi. Speaking of this, she can¡¯t me Prince Yi for being angry. After all, a member of our Lord Protector¡¯s Manor has offended him. After your master gets over it, tell her to apologize to Prince Yi.¡±

    After walking two rounds, Madam Dowager came to Lanning, who was kneeling on the ground, and said in a deep voice.

    It was not her master who had done anything wrong. How could Madam Dowager ask her master to apologize to Prince Yi in such a humble way? Lanning couldn¡¯t help feeling indignant for her master. Madam Dowager wanted to attach herself to Prince Yi so terribly that she didn¡¯t even care about dignity.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, Prince Yi brought his favorite concubine here with him. If my master goes to apologize at this moment, others may think that she apologizes to that concubine. In the future, after my master marries into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor...¡± Lanning reminded Madam Dowager in a low voice.

    She didn¡¯t finish her words, but her meaning was obvious. Ning Xueyan was the co-consort of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, while the concubine had no status. If Ning Xueyan went to apologize to Ao Chenyi today without caring about her dignity, she could never hold up her head in front of those concubines.

    Besides, if it became significant, it would disgrace the entire Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. What a big scandal that the elder sister made her younger sister meet her husband in secret! With this scandal, no matter the Third Prince or Prince Yi inherited the throne in the future, neither Ning Qingshan nor Ning Xueyan could be the empress.

    After thinking for a while, Madam Dowager understood what Lanning meant. She gnashed her teeth with increasing hatred for Ning Qingshan and said, ¡°Tell your master to take a good rest. I¡¯ll send a gift to Prince Yiter.¡±

    ¡°Okay, Your Grace. I¡¯m leaving.¡± Lanning nodded and stood up. She didn¡¯t ask any more questions and left obediently.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go to see the Third Young Lady.¡± After Lanning left, Madam Dowager also went to the door with the help of her walking stick and said to Mother Qin on the side with hatred.

    She then walked out a wave of anger before Mother Qin answered. She was so furious that she took a few steps hurriedly and caught up with Lanning, who had left just now. Lanning immediately stepped aside and gave way to Madam Dowager. Mother Qin immediately instructed several maids and old maids to follow her.

    Seeing Madam Dowager and her servants walking aggressively toward the Third Young Lady¡¯s courtyard, Lanning slowly followed them. The two courtyards were not far from each other, and she could go back to Ning Xueyan¡¯s courtyard by way of Ning Qingshan¡¯s courtyard. So there was nothing wrong with her route.

    Ning Qingshan had returned to the main room. Hearing that Madam Dowager had entered the courtyard, Mammy Luo hurriedly got out of the inner room to receive Madam Dowager. When she just came up to Madam Dowager, she was hit by a walking stick. She staggered, couldn¡¯t stand still, fell to the ground and couldn¡¯t get up in a short time.

    ¡°She acted so rashly that she bumped into Madam Dowager. Drag her aside and make her kneel down.¡± Mother Qin understood Madam Dowager¡¯s intention, so she took two steps forward and said with a fierce look.

    She bumped into Madam Dowager? It was obvious that Madam Dowager hit her with a walking stick. Mammy Luo hurriedly raised her head and wanted to defend herself. However, seeing Madam Dowager¡¯s gloomy face, she became speechless. It was not about whether she had bumped into Madam Dowager, but about that what the Third Young Lady did was exposed.

    The trap was set by the Third Young Lady, but she didn¡¯t aplish anything. In the end, it was discovered by Prince Yi, and even the Third Prince was pped. At the thought of this, Mammy Luo didn¡¯t dare to say anything. She was pulled aside by two inferior old maids and punished to kneel aside.

    Madam Dowager went inside with her face darkening. Mother Qin instructed the others to stay in the courtyard, and then hurriedly went forward to help Madam Dowager in.

    ¡°Grandma!¡± Seeing Madam Dowagering in, Ning Qingshan greeted her intimately with a gentle smile.

    However, she was pped by Madam Dowager violently. Ning Qingshan didn¡¯t expect that Madam Dowager would directly p her without saying a word. She was unprepared at the moment and suffered the ppletely. She then fell backward and fell heavily on the bed frame, making a clear sound of ¡°bang¡±.

    She felt a sharp pain at the back of her head.

    Seeing this in astonishment, Caifen and Feilian intended toe over to help Ning Qingshan up. However, Mother Qin gave them a hard look and shouted harshly, ¡°How dare you offend Madam Dowager! Go out and kneel down!¡±

    Mother Qin was the most respectable servant in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Even Ning Zu¡¯an usually showed her some respect for the sake of Madam Dowager. Seeing her getting angry and Madam Dowager¡¯s cold eyes, they dared not say anything else. After ncing at Ning Qingshan secretly, they left obediently. As soon as they retreated to the door, they were pulled aside by several old maids and knelt together with Mammy Luo.

    It was very quiet in the courtyard. All the maids and old maids stood still and did not dare to move.

    In the room, Ning Qingshan managed to recover from the pain. She exerted herself to sit up, looked at Madam Dowager with tears in her eyes and said in an injured tone, ¡°Grandma, I... I didn¡¯t mean to do that. How dare I do something like that?¡±

    Before Madam Dowager came here, Ning Qingshan had already figured out an exnation. She couldn¡¯t bear the responsibility herself, otherwise, Madam Dowager certainly wouldn¡¯t spare her. Thus, she certainly wouldn¡¯t insist on arguing with Madam Dowager.

    ¡°If you didn¡¯t mean to do that, why didn¡¯t you send someone to deliver a message to Xueyan? How dare you instruct the old hen to pull Xueyan in person? Even if you¡¯re seeking death, don¡¯t implicate Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. I didn¡¯t expect that you would return kindness with ingratitude when adopting you at that time. If I had known you were an ungrateful person, I would have thrown you into a brothel when I brought you back, lest you implicate the entire Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.¡±

    Madam Dowager pointed at Ning Qingshan and scolded her in a low voice with burning hatred in her eyes. If Ning Qingshan¡¯s n worked, the entire Lord Protector¡¯s Manor wouldn¡¯t be able to bear Prince Yi¡¯s anger. Thinking of this, she really thought so and scolded Ning Qingshan even more harshly than she did to a servant.

    No matter it was the Third Prince¡¯s idea or not, was Ning Qingshan a dead person? In any case, Ning Qingshan should secretly instruct someone to deliver a message to Ning Xueyan. Even if Ning Qingshan couldn¡¯t deliver a message to Ning Xueyan, Ning Qingshan could deliver a message to her. She had sent some pastries to Ning Qingshan¡¯s courtyard before, but Ning Qingshan didn¡¯t give any hints at that time.

    Thinking of this, how could Madam Dowager not hate Ning Qingshan? She even spoke without thinking and had forgotten her identity as the Madam Dowager of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. If it weren¡¯t for her sanity which made her know that she couldn¡¯t make a big deal of the matter at this moment, she would have torn Ning Qingshan apart.

    How could this mean girl have this thought and even ignore the safety of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?

    ¡°Grandma, I really didn¡¯t mean to do that. It was not I didn¡¯t want to deliver a message, but I didn¡¯t dare to with the Third Prince keeping an eye on me. I didn¡¯t expect that His Highness would be so obsessed with Fifth Sister that he even did this. Grandma, trust me. I even wanted to die at that time.¡±

    Ning Qingshan jumped down from the bed and knelt down in front of Madam Dowager regardless of her injured leg. Holding Madam Dowager¡¯s leg, she cried in an injured tone, ¡°If I lie to you, I¡¯ll definitely die a tragic death in the future! Grandma, trust me. If Fifth Sister gets into trouble, I¡¯ll definitely be implicated. I won¡¯t be so stupid to do such a thing!¡±

    At this moment, Ning Qingshan just wanted to convince Madam Dowager, so she kept swearing as if she felt extremely aggrieved. It was unexpected that Prince Yi woulde and the Third Prince had to take actions. ording to her original n, she didn¡¯t mean to make Ning Xueyan marry into the Third Prince¡¯s Manor. Instead, she intended to threaten Ning Xueyan with the secret meeting between Ning Xueyan and the Third Prince.

    In this way, she could determine Ning Xueyan¡¯s fate from now on. Unexpectedly, Ning Xueyan found out something and refused to enter the room. Prince Yi then showed up and ruined her perfect n. At this moment, she secretlyined of Ning Xueyan¡¯s great luck, but she had to pretend to be innocent and extremely aggrieved in front of Madam Dowager.

    From Madam Dowager¡¯s present state, she could tell that Madam Dowager came with nothing good andpletely ruined her original n. At this moment, she certainly should put on the best show to convince Madam Dowager.

 Chapter 454 - With Scruple, She Cannot Afford to Gamble

    <h4>Chapter 454 With Scruple, She Cannot Afford to Gamble</h4>

    Ning Qingshan knew this matter was a big deal, so she tried her best to pretend that she had nothing to do with this. Regardless of her injured leg, she knelt on the ground with it. With her nose running and tearsing out, she was desperate to show her sincere feeling toward Ning Xueyan. By swearing up and down that she did nothing wrong, she tried to make Madam Dowager believe her, which was her only purpose.

    Perhaps it was because Ning Qingshan¡¯s expression was too sincere, Madam Dowager¡®s manner rxed a little. Though her face was still dark, she looked slightly different now.

    ¡°Grandmother, no matter how stupid I am, I know that we sisters are closely linked, and we all rise and fall together. I clearly know that if anything happens to Fifth Sister, Prince Yi will never forgive the people of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. I¡¯m the co-consort appointed by the emperor, but I¡¯m nothing in Prince Yi¡¯s eyes. Besides, I haven¡¯t yet married. If the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is in trouble, I also can¡¯t get away with that. Grandmother, do you think I don¡¯t want to live?¡±

    Ning Qingshan cried with greater sincerity. One by one, her tears fell. Plus her wounded leg, she made her bad condition appear more and more apparent.

    With her gloomy eyes, Madam Dowager nced at Ning Qingshan¡¯s leg, turned around, and walked over to the chair on the other side. Seeing this, Mother Qin quickly helped Ning Qingshan up and said, ¡°Third Young Lady, it¡¯s not that Madam Dowager wants to punish you. No one can bear the consequences of such a serious matter. Prince Yi is not someone to be trifled with.¡±

    What she said was true. Ning Qingshan, who also thought that Prince Yi and Third Prince were equal in strength, had never expected that Prince Yi would p Third Prince so violently. In her mind, even if there was any mistake, Third Prince could protect her. However, what happened shocked her and brought her hatred.

    ¡°Why could Prince Yi smack the Third Prince? After that, the Third Prince didn¡¯t even dare to say a word!¡± Ning Qingshan thought.

    At that moment, she was frightened, fearing that Prince Yi would track down to her and kill her. If the Third Prince could not even defend his dignity, what could he do to protect her?

    ¡°Mother Qin, I know. I know that Grandmother did all of this for our good. Only by uniting together can we assure the peace and glory of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor forever. If we are not united, there will be no need to talk about wealth and glory,¡± said Ning Qingshan when Mother Qin helped her go to bed. At this point, Ning Qingshanpletely ignored the pain in her legs and concentrated only on saying sweet words that Madam Dowager liked.

    As she had expected, Madam Dowager¡¯s face softened. ¡°Sure enough, she is a smart girl, so she would never do something stupid that could ruin both her sister and her. It seems that it was the Third Prince who did it.¡± Thinking of this, Madam Dowager secretly med the Third Prince. ¡°Since you took a fancy to the Fifth Girl, why didn¡¯t you ask the emperor to make her your wife earlier? And now, see, you have got yourself into such a plight!¡±

    It was not up to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to decide. After all, it was the marriage of Prince Yi, who held the imperial edict. Thus, no one dared to break up his marriage.

    ¡°At the beginning, if the Third Prince had insisted on marrying the Fifth Girl, I surely would have married her to him. But now, I could no longer do that. The Fifth Girl will marry Prince Yi soon. If her reputation as an unmarried girl is ruined, Prince Yi will transfer his anger to the entire Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.¡± She thought. With so many scruples, she couldn¡¯t afford to gamble.

    ¡°Third Girl, your Fifth Sister is going to get married next month so that she can be considered as a person in the Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. No matter how the Third Prince feels about your Fifth Sister, who will be his senior once she marries Prince Yi, you have to persuade him not to do anything dangerous. It stands to no reason for him to be with her. If things like this happen again, the Third Prince will be badly discredited even though he is the son of the emperor.¡±

    Madam Dowager sighed and said. These were the sincere words from the bottom of her heart. With her experience, she certainly knew why the Third Prince was at a disadvantage. Prince Yi was much powerful than the Third Prince. Beyond that, it was the Third Prince who was in the wrong. He liked his aunt-to-be, which was offensive to all established values.

    Fortunately, it seemed that Prince Yi didn¡¯t want to be discussed. After all, any man who got into such trouble would feel disgraced.

    Because both of them had scruples, this scandal was hushed up in an effort to save face, which gave the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor a way out. Now Madam Dowager thanked Buddha secretly, feeling extremely lucky. She had given vent to her anger such that she stopped reproaching. After all, the Third Prince was also involved in this matter.

    They couldn¡¯t afford to offend Prince Yi, but the Third Prince also couldn¡¯t be provoked, wasn¡¯t he?

    ¡°Grandmother, I understood. I promise that I¡¯ll convince the Third Prince not to do stupid things like this in the future. Before he left, he assured me that he wouldn¡¯t act like that again. Don¡¯t worry, Grandmother.¡± Ning Qingshan promised with tears in her eyes.

    By saying all of this, Ning Qingshan was actually collecting the credit for herself. Of course, she was sure that Ao Mingyu would never do such a thing again. After going through the matter about Prince Yi, Ao Mingyu would be stupid if he acted rashly again.

    Now that the matter hade to this point, Madam Dowager had no choice but to let it go. Anyway, nobody wanted to make a big deal out of it. Since Prince Yi and the Third Prince didn¡¯t pursue the matter, so would she. At most, she would just punish the few servants severely. Beyond that, she could do nothing else.

    Ning Qingshan had broken her leg so that she couldn¡¯t punish her again. Therefore, Madam Dowager just gave Ning Qingshan a few words of admonishment before she left with her servants.

    As for Mammy Luo and the other two people who were kneeling in the courtyard, they were ordered to remain on their knees for six hours. Before that, no one was allowed to get up without permission.

    When Mammy Luo and the other two got up and limped into the inner room, the time for lunch had passed. Therefore, Ning Qingshan didn¡¯t even have lunch.

    Ning Qingshan sent the two maids to the kitchen of Cold Mountain Temple to ask if there was something to eat and asked Mammy Luo to stay there with her.

    ¡°Mammy Luo, has anyone from that cee over yet?¡± At this time, Ning Qingshan, who didn¡¯t look as pitiful as she used to be, asked in a cold voice. Mammy Luo was now tapping lightly against Ning Qingshan¡¯s legs. In previous, she had fallen from the bed, and her legs had knocked against the bed. Then, she focused on pleasing Madam Dowager. However, after Madam Dowager left, she found that her leg was getting more painful. But since her three servants were ordered to kneel in the courtyard as a punishment, she had no choice but to bear it, lest Madam Dowager think that she was going to y some tricks again.

    Though medicine had been reapplied on her wound, she still felt a faint pain. Sitting on the edge of her bed, Mammy Luo gave her a gentle massage. The imperial physician had told them that Ning Qingshan should be treated like this every day. Yesterday, the wound didn¡¯t hurt much. But today, Ning Qingshan felt that it became much more painful. However, the imperial physician was not here now, so she couldn¡¯t let him see her for the time being.

    ¡°Young Lady, there should be an answer soon. Don¡¯t worry. They won¡¯t let anything bad happen to you because of your noble status. I heard that the master is nearby. Maybe you¡¯ll see him in a while.¡± Mammy Luoforted her.

    Ning Qingshan was relieved when she heard the news. But then, while gritting her teeth, she asked with hatred, ¡°How about Ning Xueyan?¡± If Ning Xueyan had not been so clever at that time, nothing bad would have happened next. Even if Prince Yi came here, he wouldn¡¯t have noticed it as long as she told him that she didn¡¯t see Ning Xueyan.

    At this time, Ning Qingshan hated Ning Xueyan more. But she never thought the fact that it was she who wanted to harm others. Even in such a situation, she didn¡¯t allow Ning Xueyan to protect herself after detecting her conspiracies.

    ¡°I heard that Prince Yi left after staying at the ce of the Fifth Young Lady for a while. When he left, he kicked the door and nearly broke it. Then there came a cry. Just now, in the courtyard, I saw Lanning passing the gate of our courtyard in a hurry, carrying a jar of ointment in her hand. She didn¡¯t even cast a nce at us, so I suppose that she must have been in a hurry.¡±

    Mammy Luo said in a low voice as if she was afraid that Prince Yi would hear what she said. Unconsciously, she moved closer to Ning Qingshan. Even now, she was in fear. After all, Prince Yi looked exceedingly ferocious at that time so that she almost believed that Prince Yi would kill the Third Prince for real. Standing in the room, she felt ice-cold because if anything happened to the Third Prince, Ning Qingshan would die.

    For a moment, Ning Qingshan was startled and then burst outughing, even her tearsing out. Enfolding her tummy, she just couldn¡¯t stopughing now.

    ¡°Young Lady, what¡¯s wrong with you? Don¡¯t get into any trouble at this time. What, what should I do?¡± Mammy Luo was shocked and stretched out her hand to grab Ning Qingshan¡¯s. She didn¡¯t know what was wrong with Ning Qingshan that she suddenly smiled crazily like this.

    ¡°I... thought... how she is valued by Prince Yi, who is going marry the consort and the co-consort together. What a... joke... See, even before she marries Prince Yi, she has been beaten and Prince Yi even broke her door... This was really good... Ah, Grandmother... she actually thinks that Ning Xueyan... is so great...¡±

    Ning Qingshan wasughing so hard that she couldn¡¯t stop herself from shedding tears. She said in broken ents while holding Mammy Luo¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Young Lady, please keep your voice down a little. If Madam Dowager knows this, she will punish you again!¡± Mammy Luo was in a great hurry and quickly reached out to cover Ning Qingshan¡¯s mouth. Madam Dowager had punished Ning Qingshan and the servants in her courtyard because she thought that Ning Qingshan was heartless to treat her sister. If she knew that Ning Qingshan took pleasure in her sister¡¯s misfortune, she would punish them again.

    Today, Mammy Luo had experienced too many ups and downs and suffered a lot. She couldn¡¯t stand any more trouble. Otherwise, she would die here.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mammy Luo. I... I know... I won¡¯t let anyone... know it!¡± Ning Qingshan stoppedughing and wiped her tears with her handkerchief. There was a trace of mockery on her face. ¡°Even before she marries into the Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, she came across such a miserable situation. I¡¯d like to see how tragic her life would be after she enters the manor in the future.¡±

    Although she had not seeded today, she still felt that it was worthwhile. After all, Prince Yi started to hate Ning Xueyan. Besides, it appeared to Ning Qingshan that Ning Xueyan¡¯s wedding, which will be held together with the consort¡¯s, turned out to be a joke. Ning Xueyan had been hurt so badly, but Prince Yi was apanying his favorite concubine, who had no status. Well, this was a p in Ning Xueyan¡¯s face.

    When Mammy Luo saw that Ning Qingshan didn¡¯t continue tough wildly, she was relieved and exhorted her in a low voice, ¡°Young Lady, you¡¯d better be more careful.¡±

    ¡°Is there any letter from my eldest brother?¡± When Ning Qingshan stoppedughing at Ning Xueyan, her face fell.

    ¡°Eldest Young Master asked a young male servant to sneak in here and send you a letter again today. He told you to write a letter to him. He is in a nervous state because he doesn¡¯t know what is going on about us on the mountain.¡± Mammy Luo whispered in Ning Qingshan¡¯s ears. Then, she leaned over and asked with a much deeper voice. ¡°Third Young Lady, do you want to reply to Eldest Young Master?¡±

    In previous, Ning Xueyan¡¯s life was said to be uncertain, so Ning Qingshan decided to go up to the mountain with Madam Dowager. Now that a few days had passed, Ning Qingshan thought that Ning Huaiyuan must have known that Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t die. But since he didn¡¯t know what exactly had happened, he was in such a hurry. As long as she remembered that Ning Huaiyuan failed to kill Ning Xueyan, she couldn¡¯t help snorting coldly.

    ¡°If Ning Xueyan died when I went up to the mountain, there would be no such troublesome thing, and I wouldn¡¯t lose face before the Third Prince.¡± Ning Qingshan secretly med and turned furious. While gritting her teeth, she snarled, ¡°Later on, bring me the writing brush and inkstick. Of course, I have to write a letter to ask my capable eldest brother why he would choose such a useless person who didn¡¯t kill Ning Xueyan even in such a favorable condition.¡±

    After what had happened, Ning Xueyan deserved more than ever to die!

 Chapter 455 - Someone Delivered the Message, Someone Went into action

    <h4>Chapter 455 Someone Delivered the Message, Someone Went into action</h4>

    As a matter of fact, Lanning didn¡¯t leave until she saw all that had happened. Although she couldn¡¯t see what was going on inside, she clearly saw Mammy Luo and the others kneel in the courtyard. After Madam Dowager went far away, she held the ointment in her hands, pretending to be in a hurry. Then she passed by their courtyard without ncing at them.

    Inside the room, Ning Xueyan was staring nkly at the rack of wisteria flowers outside the window.

    When they were chatting casually that day, Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t get into lengthy conversations with Ao Chenyi. She just couldn¡¯t understand why he would say that Ning Ziying had been engaged more than once. Sure enough, he wouldn¡¯t utter nonsense. But she didn¡¯t know this matter at all. Could there be anything else involved in this matter?

    Ning Xueyan had always thought that Grand Tutor Ya was powerful. Now, more and more, she felt that Grand Tutor Ya couldn¡¯t be underestimated. He was almost the only official who remained in a position of great power in both the preceding and present dynasty. The others were at most ordinary officials when they were in the former dynasty. Almost all those who were truly in power at that time were dead.

    But how could he always keep his glories and be favored by different emperors in his life?

    Why would the emperor of the new dynasty trust him, a powerful official in the previous dynasty, so much? How did Grand Tutor Ya manage to do this?

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s mind was full of numerous clouds of suspicion. Though those clouds of doubts were extremely thin, she found that she had already been caught in them and couldn¡¯t see everything clearly once she stretched out to touch them.

    ¡°Young Lady, Madam Dowager gave Third Young Lady a good scolding. I couldn¡¯t hear what they were talking about but heard something falling. It was a loud sound. I don¡¯t know if Third Young Lady had fallen off the bed,¡± Lanning said with a smile when she came in with the ointment. She seemed to feel happy and relieved about what had happened.

    Just now, someone in Ning Qingshan¡¯s courtyard made a tearful scene. It seemed that they had had a lot of trouble.

    ¡°Madam Dowager and Mother Qin entered the room together. My Third Sister cried and made a terrible scene inside. Was there even a sound of falling?¡± After putting the host of thoughts in her mind, Ning Xueyan slightly lifted the corner of her mouth and said unconcernedly.

    Lanning¡¯s eyes suddenly widened. ¡°Young Lady, you guessed right! It was just like that. It seems that the Third Young Lady had said something while crying. At first, Madam Dowager scolded her a few times, but then she gradually lowered her voice. After that, there was almost no sound.¡±

    Lanning didn¡¯t dare to go closer, so she just wandered around the back garden and found a ce near the backyard to listen. However, nobody spoke loudly in the room. Therefore, she only heard a few words. By contrast, the sound of falling was so loud that it was hard to miss it.

    ¡°Did Ning Qingshan fell off from the bed?¡± Ning Xueyan thought, her eyes full of sarcasm. Of course, she would fall from the bed. Only by doing that could she increase the credibility of her words. Since Madam Dowager went over there aggressively, Ning Qingshan wouldn¡¯t be able to get away with this matter if she didn¡¯t do something to show her sincerity.

    She fell from the bed with her injured legs. The more pitiful she was, the better. Then Madam Dowager¡¯s heart would be softhearted. At this point, if she med everything on Ao Mingyu, she would be the most innocent one. However, even though she was ¡°innocent¡±, it was the truth that Mammy Luo and Ao Mingyu had to cooperate to pressure Ning Xueyan tightly. Thus, Madam Dowager showed her attitude by ordering Mammy Luo and two maids to kneel as punishment.

    Ning Xueyan believed that if Ning Qingshan¡¯s leg hadn¡¯t been injured, Madam Dowager would have asked Ning Qingshan to kneel in the courtyard.

    ¡°Young Lady, when Madam Dowager left, she looked much better than before. Did Third Young Lady talk some nonsense again and put the me on someone else? Did she sessfully pass the buck?¡± Lanning asked, having realized the meaning of Ning Xueyan¡¯s words.

    Ning Xueyan smiled, knowing everything. She stood up and walked to the window. Stretching out, she picked a flower from the clinging vine of the wisteria outside the window and twirled it between her fingers. Then she said meaningfully, ¡°She must be in trouble this time!¡±

    The condition of Ning Qingshan¡¯s injury was not good because the imperial physician came a littlete at that time. It was said that her foot might not be fully recovered. Of course, at first, it was just possible. But after she fell off the bed, the possibility turned into certainty. After all, Ning Qingshan was too focused on showing her loyalty and sympathy to Madam Dowager to care for her leg.

    Ning Qingshan thought that since her leg was hurt, Madam Dowager wouldn¡¯t do anything to punish her. So she certainly would take advantage of her injured leg. However, she had never thought that her leg would never recoverpletely after such a violent shake happened to her leg that hadn¡¯t yet got well. Ning Qingshan pretended to be pitiful to escape the punishment, but she didn¡¯t know that everything has a price.

    Now she was on the mountain. Even if she invited the imperial physician again, going there to invite him and bringing him back would cause long dys.

    Ning Xueyan specially told Lanning to ask Madam Dowager for the ointment because she wanted her to tell Madam Dowager the truth and infuriate her in passing. Then Madam Dowager would definitely go to Ning Qingshan¡¯s courtyard, and Ning Qingshan would pretend to be pitiful and try to gain sympathy. Since she had to act and make it appear real, she had to suffer for it. Normally, Ning Qingshan would never do such a thing, but to evade the responsibility, she must do it.

    Xinmei came back at dinner time, bringing back a letter that Ning Qingshan asked someone to bring down the mountain. After knocking the young monk of the temple who sent the letter for Ning Qingshan unconscious and putting him in the storage room on one side, she took the letter.

    What was written in the letter was what had happened to her. Of course, in an extremely sarcastic tone, Ning Qingshan also described in vivid detail that Prince Yi ¡°pped¡± Ning Xueyan. Sure enough, in the letter, Ning Qingshan made Ning Xueyan a disloyal woman who seduced the Third Prince. However, Prince Yi found out what she had done and gave her a p.

    Ning Xueyan was despised by Prince Yi even before she married him. Even a concubine without status in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor lived much better than her! And there was a lot more content like that.

    At the end of the letter, she asked about what happened on the mountain before and why Ning Huaiyuan didn¡¯t arrange everything well and made such a huge mistake. Beyond these, she told him that even if Ning Xueyan really died, Prince Yi wouldn¡¯t say anything about it. This time, Prince Yi just came across her by chance.

    Prince Yi was still in the Cold Mountain Temple, but he didn¡¯t stay here for Ning Xueyan but for his favorite concubine, who was sick. It was said that Prince Yi doted on this concubine a lot. When they went out, he usually let her put on a veil and asked eight maids to serve her. Whenever these maids saw peopleing toward from a distance, they would keep these people away from Prince Yi¡¯s favorite concubine as if they were afraid that they would disturb her.

    She wrote numerous things like that. Even after finishing writing two pages, she added thest few lines to the end as if she hadn¡¯t yet given full expression to her views.

    Ning Xueyan read the letter calmly. She smiled and handed it to Xinmei, asking Lanning and Xinmei to take a look.

    ¡°Young Lady, do you want me to kill her directly to revenge for you?¡± Xinmei asked with anger after viewing the letter. In the letter, Ning Qingshan deliberately misrepresented the fact. It was she who framed up Ning Xueyan, but instead, she used Ning Xueyan of hitting on the Third Prince. In fact, since long ago, she loathed Third Young Lady, who appeared to be a delicate, sweet girl but was actually a vicious woman.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that.¡± Ning Xueyan shook her head with a smile. Of course, she wouldn¡¯t use such an extreme way. No matter what, Ning Qingshan would marry into the Third Prince¡¯s Manor soon. Moreover, those people, who wanted to know the truth, could certainly find it out after what had just happened. Since they all had scruples about what had happened today, every one of them chose to button up the mouth.

    But it didn¡¯t mean that the truth couldn¡¯t be found out. If Ning Qingshan died just after the incident, wouldn¡¯t it mean that it had something to do with Ao Chenyi and Ning Xueyan?

    Ning Xueyan took the letter from Lanning and put it back into the envelope. After sealing the envelope, she handed it to Xinmei, saying, ¡°Send it back to the young monk. Has he woken up already at this time?¡±

    ¡°Young Lady, don¡¯t worry. I knew what I was doing. He can¡¯t wake up at this time. Do you still want this letter to be sent to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? Should we keep this letter? In the future, it will be evidence to prove that Ning Qingshan framed you,¡± Xinmei said with worry.

    ¡°No need.¡± Ning Xueyan waved her hand, a trace of coldness shing in her eyes. ¡°Go and send the letter to the monk quickly, lest Ning Qingshan should be alert. Since she¡¯s so eager to send such a meaningful letter, let¡¯s help her send it out as soon as possible.¡±

    Ning Qingshan was a cautious person, so this letter could still end up in the hands of Ning Huaiyuan.

    ¡°Yes, Young Lady. I¡¯ll do it right now.¡± Since Ning Xueyan had made up her mind, Xinmei knew that she should not wait any longer. Thus, after taking the letter, she nodded to Ning Xueyan, turned around, and left.

    ¡°Young Lady, are there some other meanings in the letter of Third Young Lady?¡± Lanning asked with a frown. Just now, she read the letter carefully and somehow felt that something was wrong. But she couldn¡¯t figure it out at the moment, so she couldn¡¯t help asking.

    ¡°She deliberately exaggerated everything that happened to me. In the letter, it looks as if Prince Yi is going to abandon me. And that even if I die here, it will have nothing to do with Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. As long as our manor can smooth the thing about my death over, no one will pursue the matter further. Is that what you mean?¡±

    Ning Xueyan said with aposed look.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s words reminded Lanning, and she knew it was exactly what she¡¯d like to say. After all, the letter was not like Third Young Lady¡¯s usual style.

    ¡°Young Lady, what on earth is she hinting at?¡± Lanning asked, her eyes shining.

    ¡°She implies that I am not that important. Even if I die, no one will investigate my death. Therefore, if anyone wants to kill me, just feel free to do it as soon as possible. Prince Yi, who lives in the Cold Mountain Temple, is actually with another beautiful woman now,¡± Ning Xueyan sneered and said casually. It was the main idea of the letter that Ning Qingshan wrote. From all aspects, she indicated that Prince Yi felt dissatisfied with Ning Xueyan and showed little respect to her. Even worse, Prince Yi cared much more about his favorite concubine than Ning Xueyan, who was going to marry him soon.

    ¡°Young Lady, does Third Young Lady want to do anything harmful to you again?¡± Lanning¡¯s face became serious, and she asked.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. What must be, must be.¡± Looking at the brilliant sea of purple flowers outside the window, Ning Xueyan said indifferently, her pupils ever cold.

    ¡°After someone sent the message secretly, someone else will go into action. Throughout the letter, Ning Qingshan tried her best to cheapen me, which looked more likely a signal to ask others to kill me. How great the efforts she took to deal with me!¡± Ning Xueyan thought.

    ¡°Lanning, invite my cousin overter. Tell him that I want to put several sacrificial offerings for my mom in the sacrificial altar and let masters conduct a religious rite. In this way, my mom can rest in peace in theherworld. Tomorrow, I will also go to pay respects to my mom. If there is anything that I should do, please tell my cousin to notify me in advance so that I can make some preparations.¡±

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s dark eyesnded on the purple flowers on the opposite side. The beautiful flowers were blooming, making a lively scene and giving out the fresh aura of spring. Even though these flowers were in the cold corner of the temple, they were in full bloom. Such a bustling scene of these flowers demonstrated the vitality of life. However, to human beings, a busy scene didn¡¯t always represent the vitality of life.

    With Ning Qingshan¡¯s letter, it seemed that the Cold Mountain Temple was really beginning to hum! Of course, Ning Xueyan thought that she also should be well prepared for theing busy scene.

 Chapter 456 - The Princess of the Previous Dynasty

    <h4>Chapter 456 The Princess of the Previous Dynasty</h4>

    ¡°What can I do for you?¡± The curtains of the window fluttered, blown into the room by the fierce wind swirling around the hillside. ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± From time to time, the curtains hit the wooden frames, making the very loud sounds. Such constant noise gave people the creeps.

    It was especially terrifying when a figure was standing still on the windowsill in the dark, moonless night.

    All of a sudden, Ning Qingshan woke up from her dream. Before she could scream, she heard a cold and weird voiceing from the window. In the darkness, the figure there was facing her. However, she could see nothing except the outline of the figure.

    ¡°That¡¯s the one I¡¯m waiting for!¡± Ning Qingshan nearly cried out with surprise. She raised her head, touched her swollen feet, and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°I want Ning Xueyan to die!¡±

    ¡°You? Just with what?¡± The person in the dark sneered with unconcealed sarcasm. Ning Qingshan seemed to have sensed that the person¡¯s cold eyes were on her, and so she shivered a little. But then, she said, ¡°I¡¯m the princess. Isn¡¯t that enough to give you such an order?¡±

    In fact, Ning Qingshan didn¡¯t know who the person was. Nevertheless, she was clear that he was powerful. It was him who told her that she was the princess of the previous dynasty and that he was willing to help her. However, Ning Qingshan was quite annoyed because he offered scarcely any help after that.

    In her heart, she had guessed the identity of ¡°him¡± several times. ¡°It is most likely that he was an official in the previous dynasty. Otherwise, why would he help her?¡± Thinking of this, she was full of courage. As long as this person still thought of his old master, she would be the master of ¡°him¡±. No matter what his purpose was, he must follow her orders.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough! But what can you do as a princess of the previous dynasty?¡± In the dark, Ning Qingshan heard the sarcasm in his voice, feeling humiliated and resentful.

    ¡°As the princess of the former dynasty,¡± she thought, ¡°I, who is even nobler than the present princess, can be proud enough to look down on everyone.¡± And she said, ¡°If you help me, I will do anything I can to help you in the future. You know, I will marry into the Third Prince¡¯s Manor soon.¡±

    These words came straight out of her mouth.

    ¡°Oh? But what is the use of that?¡± The person in the darkness responded with an enchanting sneer.

    ¡°Help me. Once I be the empress, even the dynasty can be changed.¡± Ning Qingshan gritted her teeth and said. She couldn¡¯t help confiding these words hidden deep in her heart to the person who kept sneering in the dark.

    As if he were frightened by her ambition, the person in the dark remained silent for quite a long time. When Ning Qingshan nearly lost patience in waiting, he asked, ¡°You want to be the empress, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Ning Qingshan gave him a firm answer. ¡°Of course, I will be the empress.¡± She thought.

    ¡°I can help you, but now I can¡¯t kill Ning Xueyan for you because if I do that, you may not marry into the Third Prince¡¯s Manor without hindrance. But I certainly can help you kill her if you think it¡¯s worthwhile for you to change the position of the empress for Ning Xueyan¡¯s life,¡± The person said with ease as if he were not talking about taking someone¡¯s life but something extremelymon. Though there was no murderous intention in his m tongue, it made Ning Qingshan¡¯s blood run cold.

    ¡°Exchange my position of the empress for Ning Xueyan¡¯s life! No way! The high status can guarantee my extraordinary life. How can I be so stupid to ruin my way up because of such a humble bitch?¡± She thought to herself.

    From her long silence, the person had known her answer so that he didn¡¯t ask it again. Instead, he, who was in the dark, came up with another question in his airy tongue. ¡°Have you found the military medallion from the previous dynasty?¡±

    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t. It was not in the study of Ning Zu¡¯an nor in any other ces that I have searched,¡± Ning Qingshan said with embarrassment. He asked her to deal with this matter a long time ago, but she hadn¡¯t done it well until now. Last time, she even lost her people. Thus, Ning Qingshan felt a little guilty when this person moved on to this topic.

    ¡°You¡¯d better find out the truth about the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. As for the position of the empress, we¡¯ll talk about it after you marry the Third Prince. I¡¯lle to you if something happens in the future. Don¡¯t ask me toe at will,¡± said the person in a cold voice, which sent Ning Qingshan a chill down her spine. In the dark, his shadow turned longer and much weirder as if it was going to envelop Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care how many tricks you¡¯ve yed. Remember that your identity as the former princess is a secret, and don¡¯t let anyone know it.¡± The person gave her a warning that sounded so devoid of feeling. Suddenly, the ck figure approached her, putting his ice-cold hands around Ning Qingshan¡¯s neck and squeezing it a little. Subconsciously, Ning Qingshan reached out, trying to pull the pair of hands away. The feeling of suffocation told her that she would die if this man tightened his hands a little more.

    A cold sweat started to break out on her forehead. She regretted what she had done¡ªasking Mammy Luo to contact this person on impulse. However, it seemed that that person really didn¡¯t care about her. ¡°But how can it be possible? This person must need me because I am the princess of the previous dynasty. If not, he wouldn¡¯t have spared so much effort to find me and helped me more than once.¡± Ning Qingshan thought in her mind.

    ¡°Let go of me! I¡¯m the princesses from the previous dynasty, and I can help you!¡± With her throat in his hands, Ning Qingshan shouted in a hurry for fear that he would strangle her for real.

    ¡°Yes, my honorable and beautiful princess!¡± There followed low, soothingughter. He whispered in her ear, but she couldn¡¯t hear his voice clearly. His muffled voice was like ayer of mist that separated him from her. Sometimes, Ning Qingshan felt he was close to her, but sometimes, he seemed to be far away. The voice continued, ¡°Military medallion. Keep the military medallion from the preceding dynasty in mind. Check Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s wife and Madam Ming¡¯s Bright Frost Garden. Perhaps, you can get something unexpected from them.¡±

    ¡°As for your request, I¡¯ll consider it. When Fifth Young Lady bes worthless, I¡¯ll kill her as you want!¡± A burst of creepyughter rang in her ear, and then the feeling of being smothered around her neck disappeared. After waking up from the sensation of faint dizziness, Ning Qingshan limped to the window and closed it hard, as if she wanted to leave all the bad things outside the window.

    Leaning against the window, Ning Qingshan wiped away the cold sweat on her head and then calmed down. It seemed that she could not turn against Ning Xueyan now, for she was of some use to them. She could deduce from his words that the military medallion from the preceding dynasty should have something to do with the Bright Frost Garden that Ning Xueyan was living in. Thus, she could noty hands on Ning Xueyan for the time being.

    Fortunately, Ning Qingshan didn¡¯t have the impulse to offend Ning Xueyan openly. Secretly, she thought, ¡°Since she is still valuable, I may as well let someone else handle her.¡±

    Ning Xueyan was now dreaming. In her dream, lofty pces copsed one after another in the fire. Meanwhile, a tremendous crash came from a distance. She looked back and saw that everyone was running. There were a few people beside her, who also seemed to be running. Her hand was in someone¡¯s hand, but she couldn¡¯t see clearly who was pulling her along.

    What she could see was a pair of tender, snow-white hands holding her tightly.

    Quite a number of people were there. Many pce maids walked past her, and beside her, there were several eunuchs. All of them gathered together, trying to prevent her and the person who was pulling her from something.

    ¡°Your Grace,e here. Hurry up! Come here!¡± Someone was shouting. The sound was so clear as if the person was right beside her. Ning Xueyan looked back suddenly but found no one. She only saw that the huge pce fell down in front of her, and the flying mes fell on her...

    ¡°Ah!¡± Ning Xueyan screamed and woke up. Abruptly, she sat up, covering her wildly thumping heart. A trace of nkness shed in her eyes. For a moment, she didn¡¯t know where she was. She only felt that in her mind still remained the lights of the mes, which were burning brightly.

    Suddenly, she consciously turned to a corner of the room, and a figure sitting on a chair by the window jumped into her eyes. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    Ning Xueyan lowered her voice and asked, and the nkness in her eyes turned into vignce. She was sure that this man was not Ao Chenyi. But how could he appear in her room without a sound?

    ¡°Ie here to see you!¡± The voice of theer was very erratic, so Ning Xueyan could not recognize this voice at all. Nevertheless, it sounded familiar to her. ¡°I heard that you have been seriously injured. Would you like me to feel your pulse to see where you have been injured?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen the doctor, but thank you anyway.¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes slightly narrowed and fixed on the person in the dark.

    ¡°Do you need my help? Or maybe I can help you investigate the matter about your Sister Ziying. You want to revenge for her, don¡¯t you? I know something about her. Do you want to know that?¡± the man said with a smile. It seemed that he was friendly to Ning Xueyan. Also, his voice was full of temptation.

    But since he appeared in the room of Ning Xueyan with such an imagete at night, she would undoubtedly be on the alert.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± There was no free lunch in the world, so Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t think that she could let a strange, mysterious persone over to help her.

    She blinked her watery eyes in the darkness and did not let down her guard the slightest.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, don¡¯t worry. I have no evil intention. Well, forget it. It seems that you won¡¯t believe me for the time being. Let¡¯s see if we have any chance to cooperate in the future. If you want to know what happened to Ning Ziying, you can ask me. I believe I¡¯m the most suitable one to answer such a question. Maybe I cane up with an unexpected answer.¡±

    The man in the dark said with a smile.

    ¡°Who is Sister Ziying?¡± Ning Xueyan could not help but ask. Since he thought that she just wanted to revenge for Ning Ziying, she was willing to make him misunderstand. After all, in Ning Xueyan¡¯s opinion, no one could figure out the secret of rebirth...

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, if you want to know it, shouldn¡¯t you show some sincerity?¡± The voice was gentle, and the person still seemed to smile, which made him appear stranger.

    ¡°What kind of sincerity do you want to see?¡± Ning Xueyan bit her lip, being fully aware of the fact that this person would never simply tell her the answer. Nevertheless, since her rebirth, he was the only one who took the initiative to tell her that he knew everything about Ning Ziying.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, I heard that your mother was the daughter of the former Minister of War. Did your maternal grandfather leave your mother anything? Or did your mom give you something? If there is anything, I can tell you all the information I know about Ning Ziying, including some private things about her.¡±

    ¡°Something left by the former Minister of War... Military medallion?¡± These two words jumped into and exploded in her mind all of a sudden. ¡°This person wants military medallion, too. Besides, he knew everything about Ning Ziying! What was Ning Ziying¡¯s identity? The princess of the former dynasty? But few people in the world knew this secret. How could this person know? Who exactly is he?¡± Ning Xueyan thought in her mind.

    ¡°Moreover, judging from his words, he seems to know quite a lot. He may even know some private matters that even I don¡¯t know about.¡±

    ¡°What are the secret things?¡± Totally shocked, she finally managed to utter a simple question, her hands clenching the sheets under the bed tight. She had a faint suspicion that there must be someone who knew all of this and the secret about herst life. ¡°Can it be the person before me?¡± She guessed.

 Chapter 457 - Your Grandfatherâ€™s Thing

    <h4>Chapter 457 Your Grandfather¡¯s Thing</h4>

    ¡°If you have anything from your grandfather, you exchange it with me.¡± But this time, after saying that, the man in ck suddenly stood up as if he had felt something. He listened carefully and then decisively pushed open the window. His figure shed away, leaving only his voice in the air.

    The wind blew in through the window, and it was cold.

    ¡°Miss, are you alright?¡± Another ck shadow shed into the room in a panic. Before she arrived, her voice came through. It was Xinmei.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± Ning Xueyan had already calmed down and waved to Xinmei, who appeared by the window.

    Xinmei breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that Ning Xueyan was fine and closed the window for her. Then she stopped at the window and listened carefully before wiping her sweat anding over. Just now, when she saw a ck shadowing to Ning Xueyan¡¯s ce, she was so scared that she almost lost her wits. She almost couldn¡¯t control herself from rushing in immediately.

    Fortunately, the man in ck didn¡¯t stay long. Otherwise, she couldn¡¯t wait any longer. Her lord sent her to protect this Young Lady, so she couldn¡¯t let anything go wrong with Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Did hee from Ning Qingshan¡¯s ce?¡± Ning Xueyan asked. At the sight of Xinmei, she had figured out who the man in ck was. She had sent Xinmei to keep an eye on Ning Qingshan, but Xinmei hade to her ce instead of Ning Qingshan¡¯s, which meant that there must be some connection between the man and Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°Yes, Young Lady. I¡¯ve been keeping a close watch on Third Young Lady this evening. She sleptte. I heard that her legs were painful so that she couldn¡¯t fall asleep. Later, she asked everyone to leave, but she was still awake. I thought it was strange that she had been upte into the night. After all, she was sick. Thus, I stayed there for a while longer. When the candles in Third Young Lady¡¯s room were out, I decided to go back. Just then, I saw this person enter Third Young Lady¡¯s room.¡±

    Xinmei wanted to go over and listen in on their conversations, but she noticed that the man¡¯s Lightness Skill was much better than hers. Therefore, she just chose to stay outside and didn¡¯t dare to make any further move. Later, the man came out. But to her surprise, he turned and came to Ning Xueyan¡¯s ce. Greatly panicked, she immediately came after him and rushed over.

    Ning Xueyan slightly lowered her eyes, which then blinked along with her long eyshes. It seemed that she was deep in thought. ¡°It looked that Ning Qingshan was really waiting for someone, and she should have been waiting for this person. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have had the strength to stay up until the end of the troubled day.¡± She knew it long ago that someone was backing Ning Qingshan secretly.

    Otherwise, Ning Qingshan wouldn¡¯t have been out of danger several times. In previous, Ning Xueyan was not sure what Ning Qingshan was doing in the study of Ning Zu¡¯an. But she was convinced that Ning Qingshan also came to the study for the military medallion from the preceding dynasty. After connecting these things, everything became much clearer in the eyes of Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Ning Qingshan also wanted to get the military medallion from the previous dynasty, of course, for this person. This man must have promised great benefits to Ning Qingshan, or it was because of some other reasons that Ning Qingshan showed great interest in the study of Ning Zu¡¯an. That person knew that the military medallion from the previous dynasty is in the hands of Ning Zu¡¯an and that things happened to me in my previous life.¡±

    ¡°Judging by the way he spoke, he even knew some private things of mine. Then who was this man? The person was a man, a young one. Aside from this, there was nothing particr about him. Except for Xia Yuhang, Hua Yunheng, who knew nothing about martial arts, was the only young man that I knew in myst life. It seems that both of them can¡¯t be that person.¡±

    ¡°Then, a young man that I was familiar with in my past life but that I didn¡¯t know about him at all, who else can it be?¡± Ning Xueyan tried to figure it out.

    ¡°You can have a rest now. Lanning can go and keep watch on Ning Qingshan. You should act the same as before. Even if I ask you to inquire about the news, you shouldn¡¯t let anyone find out that you¡¯re a martial arts practitioner,¡± Ning Xueyan said decisively. In her view, this person was dangerous, so she couldn¡¯t let him find out that there was something wrong with her.

    ¡°Yes, I got it.¡± Xinmei nodded and left.

    In the dark, Ning Xueyan sat on the bed, frowning and thinking about everything for a long time before she fell asleep again.

    In the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor located at the foot of the mountain, Ning Huaiyuan was staring at the letter in front of him. Perhaps, it was because he hadn¡¯t slept for a long time that a malicious and insidious look emerged on his usually peaceful and handsome face. His lips were tightly closed, and no one knew what was in his mind.

    ¡°Anyone! Come in.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Eldest Young Master.¡± A young male servant hurriedly came in and answered.

    ¡°Send this letter to the Xia Manor tomorrow, telling them that I invite my eldest sister and second sister to go back, for I have something to discuss with them.¡± Then he put the letter into the envelope and handed it to the servant. Under the light, a shadow would cross Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s face from time to time, and it looked as if his face was covered withyers of dark clouds.

    ¡°Yes, Eldest Young Master, do you want to have a rest first?¡± The servant took the letter and asked with concern after hesitating for a while. He had been waiting outside for a long time and knew that his master had stayed there in a daze for a long time. He couldn¡¯t understand why his master would stare at a letter from Third Young Lady for such a long time.

    ¡°Where did my father sleep?¡± Ning Huaiyuan asked with a gloomy face. Ning Zu¡¯an also had not been out in the past few days, so the emperor just told him that he didn¡¯t even need to go to court. Of course, he was too ashamed to go out and so stayed at home every day during this period.

    ¡°Marquis must be sleeping in his study at this time. I heard that he had drunk a lot of wine tonight, so I suppose that he slept early.¡± Seeing that Ning Huaiyuan seemed to want to go over there, the servant reminded him.

    ¡°You can leave now!¡± Ning Huaiyuan nodded and waved his hand, signaling his servant to leave.

    The servant left with the letter. In the room, Ning Huaiyuan carefully took out a jewelry box from the drawer, opened it, and looked at it. The corner of his eyes twitched, which then showed a trace of viciousness.

    He couldn¡¯t be a concubine¡¯s son who was inferior to Ning Huaijing, and he couldn¡¯t live on as an illegitimate son. Otherwise, everything about him would be ruined, and even he himself would be trampled by others. He would be the son of the evil woman, the illegitimate son of a bastard, and a worthless son of a concubine. How could he be willing to live with these cheap titles?

    At first, he thought that it was easy to deal with Ning Xueyan. To end all the troubles that Ning Xueyan might bring to him, he pushed her down the mountain with her carriage. However, he didn¡¯t expect her to be so lucky that she survived, though being treated in such a brutal way.

    The scandal of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was publicized widely, and now everyone knew about it. His mother was sure toe to this sticky end, and his father suffered too. These days, Ning Zu¡¯an took to drinking to forget his sorrows and was drunk every day. It was not that he didn¡¯t know that, but since no one liked it, there would still be opportunities.

    The people of Xia Manor arrived at Cold Mountain Temple two dayster. It was said that they came here to pay respects to Madam Ming. Of course, the persons from Xia Manor were Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling. As the Young Ladies of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and the daughters of Madam Ling, it seemed very natural for them toe here.

    When there came the message that Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling arrived at Cold Mountain Temple, Ning Xueyan was ying chess with Ao Chenyi.

    Ning Xueyan was not good at chess, so she just ced her chess pieces freely to kill time. Today, Ao Chenyi came here with his favorite concubine to show off, and the few personal maids of Ning Xueyan were also driven out of the door, buttoning up their mouths and standing there submissively. Compared with the eight maids of Ao Chenyi¡¯s favorite concubine, Ning Xueyan¡¯s maids were a small and underprivileged minority.

    It seemed that this co-consort that hadn¡¯t yet married Ao Chenyi was far inferior to his favorite concubine.

    Of course, these people outside didn¡¯t know the person who attended upon Ao Chenyi and Ning Xueyan when they were ying chess was precisely the favorite concubine, who was actually a secret guard like Xinmei.

    ¡°Do you want me to help you?¡± Ao Chenyi said with an evil smile. After he ced the chess piece in his hands, arge ring of encirclement was formed¡ªhe cut off all the possible ways out for Ning Xueyan¡¯s chess pieces. No matter how she studies the situation, there was no way out. Depressed, Ning Xueyan threw the chess piece in her hand into the chess basket aside. She didn¡¯t want to y chess with him anymore. Just by a few steps, he left no way out for Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°There is no need to do this. Anyway, all of this is about the backyard. Xinmei alone is enough to help me. You can go back now. I can¡¯t let your favorite concubine alwayse here to bully me. After all, as the daughter of the principal wife of Lord Protector, I feel a little shamed when bullied by your favorite concubine. Besides, between men and women, there should be a prudent reserve. We shouldn¡¯t meet each other often before we get married.¡±

    Ning Xueyan said justly and severely. Hearing what she said, the private guard standing aside felt upset. How could she be the one who bullied Ning Xueyan? Obviously, she came here to be bullied.

    Ao Chenyi nced at her sideways, and an evil but charming smile emerged on his beautiful lips. He put down the chess piecezily and waved to her. On the alert, Ning Xueyan leaned back and blushed for no reason. Then she simply stood up and walked to the window. While biting her lips, she had her back to him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you really need my help?¡± Ao Chenyi asked, narrowing his deep and cold eyes. He turned gloomy, and his ice-cold but powerful auraing from above covered Ning Xueyan. Ning Xueyan knew clearly that he was unhappy now!

    The female secret guard acted as if she didn¡¯t exist. She hid in a corner and stood there silently like a statue, eyes on the ground.

    Ao Chenyi had asked this question before. Ning Xueyan turned around, looking at him. She was still biting her lips, faltering for she really didn¡¯t know how to say it. But with his clever mind, how could he not doubt about it at all? However, even if he had a suspicion, she couldn¡¯t say it out loud. After all, rebirth was such a weird thing. Who would believe it?

    If she told him the truth, what would he think of her?

    ¡°My, my mom had something to do with Ning Ziying¡¯s mom... I want to know what happened between them. Besides, I want to find out the reason why Ning Zu¡¯an would marry my mom. I have a bad feeling about some of the things. Also, the military medallion, which is said to be my grandfather¡¯s, how could it end up in the hands of Ning Zu¡¯an?¡± Ning Xueyan said, eyes blinking. Her long eyshes covered half of her eyes, which made her look a little disengaged.

    Ning Xueyan was telling the truth, and she really wanted to know the answer. Except for the secret of rebirth, she had told him almost all the matters of great concern to her. Whenever she thought of the life of Madam Ming, who was originally a well-knowndy but died without rhyme or reason, her heart ached. She seemed to have already regarded Madam Ming as her mother.

    The overall mood of the room was downbeat, and Ning Xueyan could almost hear her heart beating. Even though she hesitated, she said it. But she did not know if Ao Chenyi would believe her or not. After a long time of dull silence, she almost confirmed that he did not believe her. A hint of bitterness welled up in her heart while a faint smile appeared on her lips. ¡°That¡¯s good!¡± She thought.

    ¡°Since it¡¯s a matter of the back courtyard, you can handle it yourself. If you need anything, send Xinmei to tell me. I will go down the mountain soon, so should you. Remember to send the wedding robe to me earlier.¡± The man¡¯s pleasant voice sounded a little enchanting. Ning Xueyan did not know when he reached out his hand and lifted her chin.

    His sharp nted eyes didn¡¯t look as ferocious as Ning Xueyan had imagined. Her weakness that he sensed softened his heart. Then, Ao Chenyi took his beloved youngdy into his arms and whispered gently in her ears, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯m here!¡± Heforted her.

 Chapter 458 - The â€œDeep Affectionâ€ Between Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling

    <h4>Chapter 458 The ¡°Deep Affection¡± Between Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling</h4>

    Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling went up the mountain together. They arrived at the mountain and paid homage to Madam Ming when they heard that Prince Yi had left with his favorite concubine. As Ning Ziyan stood on the high hall and watched Prince Yi¡¯s magnificent carriage disappear, a trace of coldness shed through her eyes. She turned to Ning Yuling and said gently, ¡°Yuling, let¡¯s go to see grandmother together now. Then we have to see Third Sister and Fifth Sisterter.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll listen to you, my eldest sister,¡± Ning Yuling said quietly. Anyone who knew Ning Yuling would never believe that this obedient person was the Second Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor who used to be arrogant and domineering.

    Ming Yuanhua, who was standing on the other side of the hall, quietly nced at the pair of girls with cold eyes. He didn¡¯t like the people from Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, especially these two well-matched sisters. They were both vicious, but they pretended to be good sisters in front of people.

    If he hadn¡¯t held the memorial ceremony in ce of Ning Xueyan, he wouldn¡¯t have seen these two sisters acting at this time.

    ¡°Childe Ming, how is my Fifth Sister? I heard that she was badly hurt and her organs were injured. Is this true?¡± However, Ning Ziyan went over to bow to him purposely. Her face was full of worry, looking as if she didn¡¯t know anything.

    ¡°Thank you for your concern, Young Madam Xia. If there¡¯s nothing else, I have to leave first,¡± Ming Yuanhua said in a calm voice.

    He sounded so impolite. Ning Ziyan flushed and bit her lips awkwardly. She still wanted to say something, but Ming Yuanhua didn¡¯t want to wait for her any longer. He turned around and walked to the other side of the Buddha Hall to talk about something regarding the ritual with the eminent monks over there. He informed them that Ning Xueyan woulde to pay her respectster.

    ¡°Eldest Sister, let¡¯s go! We can go to grandmother¡¯s ce to ask about it.¡± Seeing that Ning Ziyan was humiliated, Ning Yuling smiled slightly, but she sounded as though she was standing on Ning Ziyan¡¯s side. She stared daggers at Ming Yuanhua¡¯s back and lowered her voice to defend Ning Ziyan.

    But even though she said so, Ning Yuling didn¡¯t have time to hide the smile in her eyes before Ning Ziyan saw it. The corners of Ning Ziyan¡¯s eyes twisted and she gritted her teeth secretly. She still needed Ning Yuling, or she would never have brought this fool here. As long as she thought about the close attitude between Ning Yuling and Xia Yuhang, she couldn¡¯t wait to rush up and p Ning Yuling.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go. We have to see our grandmother and two younger sisters.¡± Suppressing the jealousy in her heart, Ning Ziyan raised her head and smiled gently. Then she turned around and walked to Madam Dowager¡¯s room. Several maids hurried to follow her, leaving Ning Yuling and her maid behind.

    It was obvious who the winner was between the two. Ning Yuling was so angry that she was about to rip up the handkerchief in her hand. ¡°Ning Ziyan, you b*tch, always wanting to be superior to me. Do you think you can be so conceited just because you are a Legal Wife? When I be the Legal Wife in the future, you will suffer.¡± She looked at Ning Ziyan¡¯s figure angrily and smiled silently.

    She was no longer the impetuous Second Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    They went to Madam Dowager¡¯s courtyard to pay their respects. When she looked at these two granddaughters whom she used to pay the most attention to, her face darkened. If these two granddaughters had performed better, her beloved grandson would have been able to be the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li already.

    She had been so disappointed in Ning Ziyan. The butterfly pattern had be Madam Dowager¡¯s fear. As long as she thought that Ning Ziying might be the princess of the former dynasty, Madam Dowager would never be at ease. Since Third Prince had shown her the butterfly pattern, she had been in fear about what had happened in Cloud Reflection Courtyard.

    This time, when she saw Ning Ziyan, she couldn¡¯t help recalling the past at that time. She was so regretful. It was Madam Ling who had repeatedly said to her that marrying Xia Yuhang was a good thing. She also said that Ning Ziyan and Xia Yuhang fell in love with each other. If it weren¡¯t for Ning Ziying, the two families would have been well-matched, and they would have been rtives by marriage long ago.

    Madam Ling¡¯s words were pleasing to her ears, and she also felt regret at that time. Therefore, she didn¡¯t show any mercy to the girl who lived in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. She turned a blind eye to what happenedter for the benefits of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Ning Ziyan¡¯s marriage was beneficial to the whole Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    However, there was an unexpected turn of events. Not only was there a scandal on the first day of their marriage, but what happened next was also getting more and more outrageous.

    As for Ning Yuling, when Madam Dowager saw her, she mmed the table and was going to swear. ¡°This b*tch, this was not a marriage, but a shame. She even disgraced the whole Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.¡±

    ¡°Grandmother, don¡¯t me Yuling. It was really not her fault. She was forced to do this. Grandmother, she was also framed by others. Otherwise, how could she be drugged for no reason? How could she feel itchy and take off her clothes? Fortunately, Grandmother, there is a way to cover up her scandal.¡±

    Ning Ziyan saw Madam Dowager¡¯s expression and knew that she was going to get angry, so she hurriedly came over and exined to Madam Dowager for Ning Yuling¡¯s sake.

    ¡°Grandmother, Ling¡¯er was plotted against. Grandmother, no matter how self-abandoning I am, I couldn¡¯t do such a thing. If I was into my husband before, how could Eldest Sister and you be unaware of it?¡± Ning Yuling had learned how to observe others¡¯ expressions. She knelt down at Madam Dowager¡¯s feet with a loud thud, hugging Madam Dowager¡¯s leg. She cried piteously, looking very distressed.

    ¡°How dare you say that! If you didn¡¯t insist on being a concubine, you would have been Ling Yi¡¯s wife now.¡± Madam Dowager was extremely angry. She lifted her leg and was going to kick Ning Yuling over. However, Ning Yuling was holding on to her leg tightly. And because Madam Dowager was so old, she couldn¡¯t get rid of her.

    ¡°Grandmother, Ling Yi is a waste. How could I live a happy life if I married him? Maybe he would be a burden to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor in the future. It¡¯s better for me to live with my sister. At least, we can have a better rtionship with the Xia Family. Now, Eldest Sister is having a difficult time in Xia Manor because a few days ago, her mother-inw said that she wanted her son to divorce my sister and marry another noble Young Lady of a noble family.¡±

    Ning Yuling cried first, and then she changed the subject. She came here today to speak up for Ning Ziyan, so of course, she had to inform Madam Dowager.

    ¡°What? How dare they...¡± Madam Dowager was furious and knocked on the ground with her walking stick. ¡°They were willing to do so at that time. Now they dislike Ziyan. Do they really think that we have no one in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?¡±

    ¡°Grandmother, Madam Xia said that my sister is just a concubine¡¯s daughter now. How can she be the Legal Wife?¡± Ning Yuling cried loudly.

    ¡°Yuling, please don¡¯t make Grandmother angry. Grandmother, I¡¯m fine,¡± Ning Ziyan raised her pale face and said with tears in her eyes. She reached out to pull Ning Yuling, as if she really didn¡¯t want to hear Ning Yuling mention this.

    ¡°Eldest Sister!¡± Ning Yuling was pushed away and fell to the ground. Ning Ziyan hurried to help her, but she couldn¡¯t stand still and fell to the ground as well. They burst into tears together.

    Seeing this, Madam Dowager was both angry and resentful. She felt sad when looking at them. She wiped her tears away and cursed in rage, ¡°You! Why did such a cursed thing happen to you?¡±

    While they were crying, a sound came from outside. ¡°The Fifth Young Lady is here!¡±

    Madam Dowager wiped her tears away and asked Mother Qin to lead Ning Xueyan in. Ning Ziyan also helped Ning Yuling stand up.

    With the help of Xinmei, Ning Xueyan walked in step by step. Obviously, she didn¡¯t look very good. In just a few steps, she barely walked. After she greeted Madam Dowager with difficulties, Madam Dowager urged her to sit down aside.

    ¡°Xueyan, what are you doing here? Didn¡¯t I tell you to have a good rest?¡± Madam Dowager reached out her hand to touch Ning Xueyan¡¯s and said intimately.

    ¡°Grandmother, it doesn¡¯t matter. I have to pay homage to my mom. As her child, if I can¡¯t do this, I would not be a filial daughter,¡± Ning Xueyan said in a low voice.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, Fifth Sister. Your Second Sister and I apologize to you. It¡¯s all our mother¡¯s fault. She did that all because she loves us. I¡¯m sorry your mother was wronged, and I¡¯m really sorry for you, Fifth Sister.¡± Ning Ziyan pulled Ning Yuling down as they were going to bow to Ning Xueyan.

    Madam Ling had plotted against Madam Ming. But they blurred this and tried to defend her by saying that it was due to her affection for her children. Ning Xueyan sneered in her mind. Ning Ziyan and her sister didn¡¯te with good intentions.

    ¡°Eldest Sister, that¡¯s too much. But my mother is your mother now, and that woman is just a maid whose surname was Ling,¡± Ning Xueyan said coldly but didn¡¯t ask anyone to help Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling up.

    ¡°I...¡± Ning Ziyan didn¡¯t expect Ning Xueyan to say something like that in front of Madam Dowager, so her face turned pale. She had to concern herself with the whole picture, otherwise, she would have rushed over to p Ning Xueyan because she almost could not bear it. She gritted her teeth and bowed slightly, regarding this as a salute. She raised her head and said gently, ¡°Fifth Sister, don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s all her fault. You have reasons to hate us. We won¡¯t fight back or answer back.¡±

    ¡°Yes. If you want to vent your anger, I¡¯ll let you. After all, we are all both Young Ladies of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. After getting married, we are still sisters. How can we be alienated because of Maid Ling?¡± Ning Yuling also said sincerely, and there were even tears in her eyes. Ning Xueyan even felt that these two people came here to please her deliberately.

    Madam Dowager couldn¡¯t help saying, ¡°Well, since they are sisters, no one needs to vent her anger. No matter what, you are siblings. Xueyan, don¡¯t embarrass them. Let them sit down first!¡±

    A sh of coldness crossed Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes. Madam Dowager did dote on her two granddaughters. They had done so many bad things, but she still wanted to protect them. She said that Ning Xueyan was making them embarrassed, which sounded as if Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t allow them to sit down.

    Before Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling could sit down, Ning Xueyan, holding Xinmei¡¯s hand, stood up and said with a small smile on her face, ¡°Grandmother, I¡¯m going to pay homage to my mother now, so I cannot apany you here!¡±

    Ning Ziyan hurriedly said, ¡°Fifth Sister, you¡¯re not strong enough. I¡¯ll go with you since you only have one maid to serve you. If something happens, you¡¯ll be in trouble. We can¡¯t let outsiders know that you¡¯re ill! It would be difficult to exin to Prince Yi!¡±

    This reminded Madam Dowager that Ning Xueyan was going to marry into the royal family. It was not a piece of good news that she got injured at the sacrificial ceremony. Prince Yi seemed to treat Fifth Young Lady well before, but after the ident, he became very indifferent. Maybe it was because of this problem.

    The so-called internal injury wouldn¡¯t hurt her ability to give birth, would it? Thinking of this, Madam Dowager couldn¡¯t sit still.

 Chapter 459 - The Teacup Was Broken

    <h4>Chapter 459 The Teacup Was Broken</h4>

    Ning Xueyan knelt in front of the figure of the Buddha, worshipping in silence with her eyes closed. Her long and thick eyshes left shadows on her tender face. In front of the sacrificial table, there were some ornaments that belonged to Madam Ming, as well as some bowls and cups, tes of fruit and a big censer.

    The sounds of chanting, apanied by the rhythmical drumming on the wooden fish, was soothing and calmed one down. It felt quiet and distant in this smoke-filled room.

    Ning Ziyan knelt with Ning Xueyan for a long time. At this time, she whispered with a smile on her face, ¡°Xueyan, have a rest. You are still so weak. If you keep doing this, you will pass out and I am sure Mother will be heartbroken.¡±

    Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s Legal Wife was Madam Ming, so she was the mother of all his children.

    Ning Xueyan nodded. Holding Xinmei¡¯s hand, she stood up and rested in the side hall. Ning Xueyan took a sip of the tea that a young monk had prepared for them and gradually recovered. Slight color came back to her face and she looked a little better.

    ¡°Eldest Sister, you can go back now. I will stay here and take care of everything,¡± Ning Xueyan said softly with a smile.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, we are sisters. You do not have to be so polite. You are not in good health now. How could I just sit back and leave everything to you?¡± Ning Ziyan said with a smile.

    She sounded so affectionate! People who did not know her would think that the sisters were really close. Ning Xueyan sneered secretly. It seemed that Ning Ziyan was going all out to put on a good show of their sisterhood today. She felt funny when she saw Ning Yuling and Ning Ziyan acting like this just now.

    What kind of person was Ning Yuling? How could she be so willing to be suppressed by Ning Ziyan? When they went to Xia Manor, Ning Ziyan would never be the same good sister as she was now. So Ning Ziyan was determined to show her temperament and the deep affection between them.

    Of course, Ning Ziyan would not do this for no reason. Ning Xueyan had seen how attentive and gentle she was in herst life and in the end, Ning Ziyan killed her. It was only at thest moment that she discovered Ning Ziyan¡¯s vicious intention. If Ning Xueyan had died unexpectedly in the previous ident, she would never know how vicious Ning Ziyan could be.

    Now Ning Ziyan was again plotting against Ning Xueyan, which meant that Ning Ziyan was going to kill her. Before doing that, Ning Ziyan tried to pretend to be a good sister, so that others would not suspect her after something happened to Ning Xueyan. It was exactly the same thing that happened to Ning Ziying in herst life.

    It seemed that Ning Qingshan¡¯s letter really gave Ning Ziyan an idea.

    ¡°Xueyan, look, these are your favorite cherries and strawberries. I brought them from the foot of the mountain. There aren¡¯t too many of these in the manor, so you can have a taste of them. When you were young, you ate them all every time they were sent to Bright Frost Garden.¡± Ning Ziyan smiled and pushed the two fruit bowls to Ning Xueyan.

    Her favorite strawberries and cherries? Ning Xueyan raised her shimmery eyes and pushed the fruit tes back to Ning Ziyan. She covered her nose with a handkerchief and said, ¡°Times have changed. At that time, we had no fruits in Bright Frost Garden, let alone cherries and strawberries. But now, I am going to disappoint you because I really do not like eating them anymore.¡±

    It sounded like she was clearly disgusted with them rather than merely disliking them.

    Ning Ziyan¡¯s eyes zed, but she immediately replied with a smile, as if she did not notice the sarcasm in Ning Xueyan¡¯s words. ¡°Since you do not like them, then you do not have to eat them. Later, I will ask them to cook some dishes that you used to like before. You need extra nutrition. You were seriously injured, so you should take care of yourself.¡±

    The fruits and dishes she liked, as well as her attentive attitude, made Ning Xueyan sneer in her heart. Ning Ziyan must surely be plotting against her. This morning, when Ning Ziyan went up to the mountain and saw Ao Chenyi leaving, she must have thought that it was safe and was now trying every means to test Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Eldest Sister, but I do not have a good appetite recently. I do not like what I used to eat in Bright Frost Garden. Maybe I am a little different after I am out of Bright Frost Garden,¡± Ning Xueyan said lightly. She was not lying. When she was Ning Ziying, the things she liked were naturally different from those of the actual Ning Xueyan.

    When Ning Xueyan lived in Bright Frost Garden, most of the time, she was unable to choose what she ate and whether she liked it or not. Madam Ling was very strict with Bright Frost Garden. The things Ning Xueyan had and the food she ate were much worse than what the ordinary servants had in the manor. People would only send the leftovers or things they did not like to Bright Frost Garden.

    Therefore, Ning Xueyan was not picky about food since she could not tell which dishes were her favorites. When it came to her favorite food, Mother Han was not sure what Ning Xueyan liked or disliked when she was in Bright Frost Garden.

    The one who had favorite dishes was Ning Xueyan. What she liked and disliked were obvious now. Since she moved out of Bright Frost Garden, she was no longer the obedient Fifth Young Lady. So the kitchen would prepare some dishes she liked, ording to her preferences.

    This was not a secret in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s kitchen!

    Under what circumstances would a person who did not have any preferences before, suddenly change and reject the fruit that she used to eat.

    ¡°Eldest Young Lady, when Fifth Young Lady was in Bright Frost Garden, she could only eat what she was given. Now it is different from before and her circumstance is better now. She no longer favors the things that she was able to eat before.¡± Xinmei said immediately after Ning Xueyan¡¯s remarks, as if she was trying to smooth out the situation.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand holding the handkerchief froze as if she wanted to cover up something. She said, ¡°Yes, things are different now from the time when we were in Bright Frost Garden.¡±

    Hearing Xinmei¡¯s hurried exnation as well as Ning Xueyan¡¯s constraint, Ning Ziyan was d and said, ¡°Fifth Sister, you are right. It is different from the time when you were isted in Bright Frost Garden. It is normal for you to change your taste. It is my fault.¡±

    Ning Xueyan nodded wearily, as if she did not want to say any more. She rested her head on her hands and closed her eyes.

    Ning Ziyan blinked and asked in a low voice, ¡°Fifth Sister, are you tired?¡±

    ¡°Emm...¡± Ning Xueyan murmured softly without opening her eyes.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, you can rest here for a while. I will go and apany Grandmother. If you want anything to eat, just send someone to tell me. I have a lot of people with me now. Maybe they can cook the food that you like.¡±

    This time, Ning Xueyan did not even reply. She just nodded slightly and kept silent.

    A hint of coldness shed in Ning Ziyan¡¯s eyes. But when Xinmei turned around, Ning Ziyan showed her a smiling face and left the side hall with her maid. It was just as she had expected. She felt it was strange that a person could be so different for no reason.

    Ning Xueyan used to be so timid that she did not dare to say anything, but now she was cunning and clever. Even if it was due to Madam Ming¡¯s death, she could not have undergone such a big change unless there was another reason.

    Behind her, Ning Xueyan opened her eyes silently, looking at Ning Ziyan¡¯s back coldly with a sneer. She pointed at Ning Ziyan¡¯s back. Seeing this, Xinmei rushed out and followed Ning Ziyan silently. Lanning walked out from the back of the pce and stood by Ning Xueyan¡¯s side.

    ¡°Young Lady, the kitchen nearest here is not far from the main hall, but people do not cook there because it is close to the main hall. Usually, when people hold memorial ceremonies, they will find only tableware in the kitchen. It is regarded as the storage room for kitchen utensils.¡±

    Before Lanning came over, she had already found out what she wanted to know.

    ¡°Where do they get the water?¡± Ning Xueyan looked up at the Buddha statue. Because it was at the side hall, the Buddha statue was not big. Xinmei¡¯s tea was brought in from the side door.

    ¡°The water was boiled in the big kitchen. It was sent up to the mountain in kettles for the pilgrims. It is said that it is taken from a well from Cold Mountain Temple. The water is very sweet and clean and all of Cold Mountain Temple drinks it.¡± It was the information that Lanning had obtained from the young monk.

    It was the best water source in Cold Mountain Temple, so its safety could be guaranteed. Moreover, it was not that easy to put poison in it. So it had to be the bowls. These bowls and chopsticks were ced near at hand so that pilgrims could find them whenever they needed them, especially for a memorial ceremony like this. Ning Xueyan had checked and found that those fruit tes had been changed before they came.

    Otherwise, after half a month, the fruit tes would be so dirty and not fit to be used by the public.

    Ning Xueyan sat up straight and looked at the teacup in her hand. After taking a sip of tea, her hands suddenly trembled and she could not hold on to the cup. The teacup in her hand fell onto the ground with a loud sound. ¡°Bang!¡± The teacup was smashed into pieces. Ning Xueyan and Lanning were prepared, so only a few drops of water sshed on the hem of Ning Xueyan¡¯s skirt.

    The door of the side hall opened and an acolyte in charge of doing odd jobs in the hall looked inside. Seeing that Lanning was squatting down to pick up the shattered pieces of the teacup, the acolyte hurriedly came over with a broom in his hand. He said, ¡°Amitabha. Benefactor, let me do it.¡±

    He looked chubby and was about seven or eight years old. He was very capable and when he smiled, his eyes narrowed into slits.

    ¡°There is no need to bother you. I will do it.¡± Lanning took his big broom and said with a smile.

    ¡°Then I will prepare more tea for you.¡± The young monk was shrewd and knew that Ning Xueyan was the Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, who had been holding a memorial ceremony in the temple for more than half a month. She was a major guest in the temple. When he saw that the broom was taken away by Lanning, he immediately went to prepare fresh tea for Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Young monk, wait a minute. Where did you get this cup?¡± Ning Xueyan stopped him, looking at the debris on the ground and asked with a smile, as if it was just a casual question.

    The young monk was smart. Seeing that Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes were on the broken pieces on the ground, he thought for a while and said, ¡°Benefactor, these teapots are from the small kitchen. You can be assured. The teapots in our kitchen are clean. We clean them every day. You do not have to worry about that.¡±

    Looking at Ning Xueyan¡¯s expression, he thought that Ning Xueyan felt that their teacups were not clean, so he exined hurriedly.

 Chapter 460 - The Medicinal Powder on the Bowl

    <h4>Chapter 460 The Medicinal Powder on the Bowl</h4>

    ¡°Can¡¯t you get the teapots from the big kitchen?¡± Ning Xueyan frowned as she persisted in questioning him.

    ¡°The bowls in the big kitchen are different and getting bowls from there is not very convenient. Although the color of the teacups taken from the small kitchens is different, it does not mean that their quality are no better than the ones in the big kitchen. Moreover, some guests will perform rites here, so the teacups you use are even better and they are cleaned frequently. Benefactor, it is perfectly safe for you to use them.¡±

    The young monk exined in a quick-witted manner.

    ¡°Are there a lot of bowls here?¡± Ning Xueyan asked curiously.

    ¡°No, not too many, but there are still dozens of them. That is why we clean them very carefully so they are even cleaner than those in the big kitchen.¡± The young monk replied. Moreover, he also felt that this girl was very kind. He was still a child so it was natural for him to tell her everything he knew, especially when someone made small talk with him.

    ¡°Well, thank you. Please give us another one!¡± Ning Xueyan was satisfied with the answer, so she stopped making things difficult for the little monk and nodded with a smile.

    The teacup was reced and Lanning finished cleaning up the debris. The clever acolyte also received a te of fruit from Ning Xueyan before he happily went back to the main hall to carry out his duties.

    When Ming Yuanhua arrived, Ning Xueyan was drinking tea. He first checked on Ning Xueyan¡¯s condition. Although she did not look very well, she was in good spirits. She sat and chatted leisurely with Lanning. When Lanning saw himing in, she greeted him and then went out by the side door. After a while, she returned and served him a cup of tea.

    Ming Yuanhua sat down, took the tea from Lanning, drank it and put it down. He looked at Ning Xueyan and asked worriedly, ¡°Have you really recovered?¡±

    ¡°I am fine. It is just some minor injuries. I happened to run into the bushes and was not badly hurt,¡± Ning Xueyan said with a smile. She knew that Ao Chenyi had told everyone that she was in a critical condition after he saved her, even though he knew she was fine. So even though she exined this to her cousin and uncle, they were still worried about her.

    ¡°Really? Do you need a second examination? If you were injured internally and we are not aware of it now, there could be a big problem in the future.¡± Ming Yuanhua frowned and said. He carefully observed Ning Xueyan¡¯s expression for a while and still felt a little worried. Prince Yi said that Ning Xueyan was seriously injured, but Ning Xueyan insisted that she was fine. He had gone to the ce where the ident happened afterward and he knew that if Ning Xueyan had not been that alert, she would really have died.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, cousin. I am fine. I am just putting on a show for others to see. If there was something wrong, how could I survive?¡± Ning Xueyan said with a smile. She deliberately stretched out her arms and legs to prove that she was fine.

    Although Ning Xueyan just moved a little, Ming Yuanhua could tell that she was totally fine after he saw that. He felt a little relieved and signaled his servant who was with him. Upon receiving his order, the servant immediately went to stand guard in the hall.

    ¡°They wanted to kill you?¡± After the young male servant left, Ming Yuanhua¡¯s face was filled with anger. They nned to kill her with one move. It was obvious that they hated Ning Xueyan immensely. Ning Xueyan was a woman who seldom came out of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Except for her rtives at home, she could not have offended anyone.

    There were only a few people who wanted to hurt his cousin. Besides Madam Ling, only her children had a motive. Furthermore, it was said that a few rascals had been involved, so it could not have been an ordinary n that a woman could work out. Maybe Ning Huaiyuan was also involved. Whenever he thought about those people of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor who almost killed Ning Xueyan, Ming Yuanhua was filled with rage.

    The people of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor were really despicable and vicious. In the past, they treated Madam Ling badly and even took away her title because of that wicked woman. And now her children wanted to kill his cousin. How could Ming Yuanhua not be angry? If Ming Feiyong had not stopped him, he would have rushed to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor the moment he got the news.

    Seeing Ming Yuanhua¡¯s furious face, Ning Xueyan suddenly felt warm in her heart and the smile on her face became a little softer. ¡°Cousin, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t let them go this time, but I need your help!¡±

    ¡°How can I help you?¡± Ming Yuanhua asked anxiously.

    ¡°Cousin, do you still remember my mother¡¯s jewelry that I sent over?¡± Ning Xueyan asked with a smile.

    She had especially brought a box of jewelry that Madam Ming had used. She needed it for her n.

    ¡°The jewelry you brought a few days ago? I know. How do you want to use it?¡± Ming Yuanhua thought for a while. At that time, he still wondered why Ning Xueyan suddenly brought these things up here.

    ¡°No, keep them where they are. But you had better ask someone to dust them every day in case they get dirty. Can you send a young male servant to clean the jewelry in the small kitchen every morning before putting them on my mother¡¯s temporary memorial tablet?¡±

    Ning Xueyan took out a small paper bag from her clothes with a smile and pushed it to Ming Yuanhua. ¡°As for this, you can ask the servant to wipe this on the bowls by the way.¡± She got the powder from Ao Chenyi. It was of some special use beyond people¡¯s imagination. She could choose not to use it, but she somehow felt that she would be more relieved if she used it.

    ¡°What is this?¡± Looking at the odorless white powder in the small package, Ming Yuanhua¡¯s face changed and he asked in surprise.

    ¡°Cousin, don¡¯t worry. It is not poisonous. No traces of it can be found in the bowls after we wipe them on the bowls. It just has some special effects. I suspect that Ning Ziyan and her sister came to the mountain this time to deal with me. They may think of using bowls. It is better to be prepared. If they don¡¯t want to scheme against me, nothing will happen. If they do, the powder will be effective,¡± Ning Xueyan smiled and said.

    Ning Ziyan had expressly asked about her preferences today. Of course, it was not without purpose. The water was from the well-known well and the bowls were also provided by Cold Mountain Temple. There was nothing fishy about it. So the conclusion was certainly correct.

    ¡°Okay, I will ask my servant to do itter.¡± Ming Yuanhua rxed when he heard that it was not poisonous. He nodded, wrapped up the powder and put it in his sleeve.

    ¡°Do they want to stir up trouble again? Do you need me to do something?¡± Ming Yuanhua asked. He was very impressed with his delicate cousin, so he did not ask her for the specific purpose of the powder. It was said that the two sisters of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had bullied his cousin before in the manor, so they must have some evil intentions at this time.

    ¡°Not yet. If there is anything, I will ask Xinmei to look for you. Cousin, you just need to remember this and don¡¯t forget about it.¡± Ning Xueyan reminded him again since the powder was the key to the whole n.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will never forget. If you are still worried, I will do it myself.¡± Ming Yuanhua patted his chest directly to make Ning Xueyan feel assured. Thinking that Ning Xueyan had to cover this matter by using the excuse of asking his young male servant to wipe the jewelry, Ming Yuanhua knew that it was very important for her. So he promised Ning Xueyan that everything would be fine.

    Ning Xueyan talked to Ming Yuanhua about some other things before she left. Ming Yuanhua wanted to see her off but Ning Xueyan refused. She walked out of the hall with Lanning.

    It was spring and the sun was shining brightly. Cold Mountain Temple was a famous temple, so from the side hall to the main hall, there was a continuous stream of pilgrims. Some noble madams anddies were strolling at the back of the mountain with their own servants. Ning Xueyan had lived here for a period of time before, so she was familiar with this ce.

    Passing through a moon gate, Ning Xueyan saw the courtyard where she used to live. A well-dressed man with a young male servant came out of the moon gate and almost bumped into Ning Xueyan. Lanning hurried forward to stop them, but Ning Xueyan frowned.

    The person opposite her was a man in his middle twenties and wore a royal blue robe. He looked decent and fit with bright eyes and well-shaped eyebrows. When he saw Ning Xueyan, he was stunned and stared at her as if he was looking for something on her face.

    ¡°How dare you!¡± Lanning shouted angrily. Ning Xueyan looked at the man coldly. She pulled Lanning¡¯s hand and was about to leave when several pilgrims came along the wall. They seemed to be some madams walking together Seeing that something was happening, they stopped and looked over.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, why are you here? I have been looking for you for a long time.¡± Ning Ziyan ran over from a side door. She was panting, shaking the handkerchief in her hand as if she had chased after Ning Xueyan, with sweat all over her head.

    At this moment, Ning Xueyan almost bumped into a man and she had not left yet. Ning Ziyan ran over and said that she had been looking for Ning Xueyan for a long time, which seemed as if Ning Xueyan came here on purpose.

    ¡°Eldest Sister, I have been in the Buddha Hall all the time. How long have you been looking for me?¡± Ning Xueyan said in a low voice, severely. ¡°So she has been waiting for me here for a long time.¡±

    Ning Ziyan did not expect Ning Xueyan to get to the point at once. She felt embarrassed and then smiled again. She came over and took Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Fifth Sister. Let¡¯s go to the back mountain and have a look. We went back too earlyst time and we did not have time to enjoy the beautiful scenery.¡±

    She came over in a hurry and purposely moved closer to the man. The man had to take a few steps back.

    Seeing the man step back, Ning Ziyan took Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand and went to the back. The two maids followed them,pletely ignoring the man and his young male servant beside them.

    When they had walked some distance away, the man was still standing there, staring at them. His eyes fell on Ning Xueyan¡¯s slim back and he was still in a daze.

    ¡°Master, we can leave now.¡± The servant pulled his sleeve and reminded him.

    ¡°She is so beautiful. She is indeed a stunning beauty. What a startlingly beautiful woman! She is even prettier than the painting.¡± He hit his palm hard with his fan. He did not even realize that his palm had turned bloody. He would have no regrets in his life to be able to get such a beautiful woman! Initially, he was in doubt, whether such a stunning beauty actually existed. He did not expect that there was such a beautiful person in the world. How could he not be tempted?

    He had seen a lot of women and he had countless beauties in his yard, but he had never met such a beautiful woman. Although she still looked immature, her beautiful face showed that she would be a gorgeous Belle.

    ¡°Master, do you need to go home and discuss it with the family? This girl does not seem to be from an ordinary family,¡± The servant said worriedly. He had seen that clearly just now and he was sure that she was a nobledy ording to her character. Would it be fine for his master to do that in this way?

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. No matter who she is, I am not inferior. Do you think she will be wronged? She will only benefit from it if she is with me.¡± The man said proudly. He thought it was just a joke, but he actually saw a beautiful girl. Now his heart was full of enthusiasm and even his head was heated up.

 Chapter 461 - Trouble the Novice Monks

    <h4>Chapter 461 Trouble the Novice Monks</h4>

    After walking for a while at the back of the mountain, Ning Xueyan returned to her courtyard with the excuse of feeling ufortable. When she just sat down and took a few sips of tea, Xinmei came back. She had instructed Xinmei to keep an eye on Ning Ziyan. Now that she hade back, Ning Ziyan must have gone back as well, so it was reasonable for Xinmei toe back at this time.

    ¡°Young Lady, I saw that the maid serving the Eldest Young Lady talked to the man for a while and then the man went round to your front. After waiting a while, I heard the man mention a portrait. It seems that a portrait of yours has fallen into the man¡¯s hands.¡±

    Portrait? Ning Xueyan¡¯s face changed slightly. The so-called portrait reminded her of the several portraits with which she was set up in thest life. These portraits, which were simr to the portraits that disgraced Ning Yulingter, were the evidence of her affair. Madam Ling and Ning Ziyan killed her with these portraits.

    Now how could she remain calm on hearing someone mention the portrait again?

    ¡°Young Lady, what does the Eldest Young Lady intend to do? Does she intend to use you of having an affair with this man with this portrait?¡± Lanning asked, and her face also changed dramatically. It was fatal to any unmarried Young Lady. Moreover, given that Ning Xueyan was going to marry into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor as a co-consort soon, such a scandal could be a catastrophe for her.

    What would Prince Yi think of it? What would the royal family think of it?

    Ning Xueyan slightly frowned and her watery eyes became cold. It should not be the kind of indecent portrait like those portraits before. If it was, the man would definitely behave frivolously when he saw her. However, when Ning Ziyan came over, the man stepped back a little. He should know that Ning Xueyan was a Young Lady from a decent family, rather than a prostitute who had an indecent portrait.

    Reasoning in this way, she thought that it should be an ordinary portrait. But even if it was an ordinary portrait, it was unlikely to be in possession of any other man.

    As she expected, Ning Ziyan had set more than a trap for her. If her reputation was damaged, coupled with the fact that Prince Yi had treated her coldly before, no one would care about her life and death. If there came such a scandal at this time, both her reputation and her mother¡¯s would be ruined.

    As long as her mother¡¯s reputation was ruined, Madam Ling¡¯s reputation would naturally improve. In addition, if Ning Zu¡¯an or Madam Dowager came out to speak for Madam Ling at this time, Madam Ling would be the Legal Wife of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor again, and Ning Ziyan and her siblings would be the legal wife¡¯s children again.

    Considering the reputation of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Ning Zu¡¯an and Madam Dowager didn¡¯t say anything about what had happened between Madam Ming and Madam Ling. People only knew that Madam Ling set up Madam Ming and managed to take the position of the legal wife from Madam Ming, but didn¡¯t know other details. Meanwhile, the masters of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor didn¡¯te forward to say anything about it. Except for rectifying Madam Ming¡¯s reputation, everything else was settled in private.

    If Ning Zu¡¯an and Madam Dowager spoke for Madam Ling at this time, it would bepletely credible.

    That was to say, it was inevitable that they would reverse the verdict for Madam Ling.

    ¡°Lanning, bring me writing brushes, ink sticks, paper, and inkstones.¡± Ning Xueyan stood up and ordered.

    Lanning answered and left. After a short while, she brought the stuff that Ning Xueyan asked for, and Xinmei spread the paper. Ning Xueyan took up the writing brush, dipped it in the ink that Lanning ground, and started painting after thinking for a while. In thest life, she had dabbled in lyre-ying, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Although she was not excellent in them, she had grasped basic skills.

    In particr, she was the best at painting the portraits ofdies. The reason why she was the best at it was that she couldn¡¯t go out usually and had always been kept in the courtyard by her mother. Fortunately, she was a quiet girl, and it was simple to paint portraits, so she was quite interested in it. Therefore,pared with the other three art skills, she could be considered fairly good at this.

    Ning Ziyan¡¯s face had always been deeply imprinted in Ning Xueyan¡¯s memory. Dying in Ning Ziyan¡¯s hands in thest life, how could Ning Xueyan forget her enemy¡¯s face? But in this life, Ning Ziyan married Xia Yuhang, which greatly decreased her charm in both her face and her expressions instead of increasing it. Ning Xueyan was just contemptuous of her.

    After trying every way to kill Ning Xueyan, Ning Ziyan found that Ning Xueyan was not the only woman that the man loved. The man had a mistress in Cold Mountain Temple. Afterward, Ning Ziyan had a miscarriage because of being trapped by Chen Hexiang. Even if Ning Ziyan married the man she wanted to marry, she was not necessarily happy!

    Since Ning Xueyan intended to paint a portrait, she would certainly make it as perfect as possible. After appropriate modifications, a vivid portrait of Ning Ziyan appeared in front of everyone. Ning Ziyan¡¯s image was more charming than herself,pletely conforming with the Eldest Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, who was quiet and generous with a gentle look, in Ning Xueyan¡¯s memory.

    Ning Xueyan put down the writing brush and left the portrait for a while to dry. After that, she folded the portrait and handed it to Xinmei, ¡°Change the portrait to this one.¡±

    In any case, she could not leave her portrait to any other man. Since Ning Ziyan had contacted the man, she decided to give Ning Ziyan¡¯s portrait to him.

    ¡°By the way, find out who this man is.¡± Everyone in the capital knew that the Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was going to marry into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor as a co-consort, but this man seemed to be ignorant of it. If Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t guess wrong, this man should have just arrived in the capital. From his clothes and the jade pendant hanging around his waist, she could tell that he was from a powerful family.

    If Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t guess wrong, this man shoulde from that direction. Thus, Ning Ziyan shouldn¡¯t be the only one behind this plot. Ning Huaiyuan was definitely also behind it, and perhaps Xia Yuhang also got involved in it. Otherwise, as ady in the backyard, how could Ning Ziyan find this man and send Ning Xueyan¡¯s portrait to him?

    Only a powerful man could make Prince Yi treat the scandal as a taboo after it was spread!

    Such a man appeared in the capital city at this time. It was not difficult to figure out who he was. She asked Xinmei to inquire about it so as to confirm it.

    Xinmei came back very quickly this time and brought the answer Ning Xueyan expected. Ning Xueyan instructed Lanning to call Mother Han back. They talked for a while in the room, and Mother Han left in a hurry. Now she had chosen a store for Ning Xueyan. Ning Xueyan had asked Ming Yuanhua to have a look, and he said that it was not bad. At this moment, Mother Han was having the store decorated.

    Qingyu had been sent back to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor for recuperation. Mother Han spent most of her time in the decorating store. These days, because of Ning Xueyan¡¯s poor health and Madam Ming¡¯s liberation ritual, Mother Han usually assisted Ming Yuanhua in the front and got acquainted with some monks in the temple.

    After all, as Madam Ming¡¯s daughter, despite her poor health, Ning Xueyan couldn¡¯t allow others to treat Madam Ming¡¯s liberation ritual lightly.

    Mother Han had been in charge of the liberation ritual in the past few days, so she seldom served Ning Xueyan beside her. But at this moment, she angrily stopped a novice monk, who was about to deliver food, on a path not far from the big kitchen. The path led to the ce where the pilgrims lived.

    There were two novice monks delivering food. The one in front carried a huge food box, and the one behind held a jar of wine which was obvious for male guests.

    ¡°Benefactor, that benefactor is of noble status. You can¡¯t just meet him at will. It¡¯s not up to me.¡± The novice monk in front was a little older. At this moment, he was looking at Mother Han, who was blocking their way, with a reluctant look. He put down the food box in his hand, wiped his sweat, and said with a wry smile.

    ¡°What do you mean by saying that he¡¯s of noble status and I can¡¯t just meet him at will? He offended our Young Lady today by staring at her like a lecher. If our Eldest Young Lady hasn¡¯t stopped him in time, he might have said something offensive. Why can¡¯t I meet him? I just want to meet him and ask him whether he knows about the courtesy of a schr. How could he be so offensive?¡±

    Mother Han said angrily and refused to let them pass with one of her hands on her waist. She seemed to focus on the two novice monks, but no one knew that she saw a familiar hem behind a tree diagonally opposite out of the corner of her eye. The hem was towards the Third Young Lady¡¯s courtyard. Like Ning Xueyan¡¯s courtyard, the courtyard was rtively remote, so most people were unlikely to get there by mistake.

    The old maids of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had their own clothes, and the maids had their own clothes. The same kind of maids usually wore the same clothes. She came here at the right time as Ning Xueyan asked. Now it was time for everyone to have meals. In Cold Mountain Temple, there was only a big kitchen providing food.

    The medicine for Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan needed to be boiled here, so they didn¡¯t bother the monks in the temple, but sent their old maids to bring the medicine back.

    ¡°Benefactor, it¡¯s really not that we¡¯re unwilling to make it convenient for you. The benefactor is of special status indeed so that you can¡¯t just meet him at will. Please forgive us.¡± The novice monk said with a hard look. He looked back but didn¡¯t see any monke out. Seeing that Mother Han was still arguing, he could only point in the other direction and said to Mother Han.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t believe it, you can ask our abbot. Our abbot specially met the benefactor in the morning. After that, he specially told us not to disturb the benefactor if unnecessary. Otherwise, we¡¯ll be punished in ordance with the rules of our temple. Please don¡¯t put me in a difficult situation. The meals will get cold if we fail to deliver them in time, and we will be punished by the masterster.¡±

    The novice monks kept making a bow with hands folded in front pitifully. The two children, who were about eight or nine years old, made a proper apology like adults. Mother Han couldn¡¯t lose her temper no matter how furious she was. She could only wave to signal that they could leave. Seeing the two novice monks carry the food with difficulty and walk away, Mother Han sighed helplessly and went to the kitchen to take Ning Xueyan¡¯s food and medicine.

    After she walked away, an old maid dressed in simr clothes came out from behind the tree. It was Mammy Luo. Looking at the direction where the two novice monks went and the direction where Mother Han went, she frowned thoughtfully.

    After Mammy Luo came back with the food box and medicine, Feilian opened the food box and began to set the table. Mammy Luo didn¡¯t leave as usual, but said to Feilian, ¡°Go out and wait outside. I¡¯ll set the table.¡±

    Mammy Luo was Ning Qingshan¡¯s most trusted henchman. Feilian was sent by Madam Dowager to serve Ning Qingshan. Because of this, although Feilian devoted herself to Ning Qingshanter, she was not as important as Mammy Luo. Hearing Mammy Luo¡¯s words, she immediately put down the lid of the food box and left quietly.

    Caifen took over Feilian¡¯s work and started to set the table for Ning Qingshan.

 Chapter 462 - The News Ning Qingshan Got

    <h4>Chapter 462 The News Ning Qingshan Got</h4>

    ¡°Young Lady, I heard Mother Han stop two novice monks there just now. She said that she wanted to meet the man for whom they delivered the food in an aggressive manner. It was obvious that she was really angry. I didn¡¯t hear their conversation clearly in a distance. The incident seemed to be caused by the fact that the man stared fixedly at the Fifth Young Lady, and the Eldest Young Lady was also there at that time.¡±

    Mammy Luo went straight to the point. Seeing Mother Han stop the two novice monks and talk to them, she hid herself subconsciously. She had forced the Fifth Young Lady into the room before, so she dared not meet anyone in the Fifth Young Lady¡¯s courtyard at this moment. Moreover, Mother Han was extremely protective towards the Fifth Young Lady, so Mother Han would probably beat her up at the sight of her.

    After kneeling and being beaten up for punishment, she was definitely weaker than Mother Han. She was reluctant to be beaten up by Mother Han, so she hid herself. She didn¡¯t expect to hear such news. She subconsciously thought that the news might be useful to her master, so she reported it to Ning Qingshan hurriedly.

    ¡°Was the Eldest Sister also there?¡± Ning Qingshan didn¡¯t care about it at first, but upon hearing that Ning Ziyan was also there, she froze for a moment. With the bowl in one hand, she stopped moving the other hand holding the chopsticks. Ning Ziyan went up the mountain purposefully. How could she wander around with Ning Xueyan aimlessly?

    ¡°Yes, I heard that the man didn¡¯t say anything to the Fifth Young Lady because the Eldest Young Lady was there. Mother Han came to denounce the man for his staring at the Fifth Young Lady dumbfounded.¡± Mammy Luo thought for a moment and said.

    ¡°Who¡¯s the man?¡± With an intuition that there was something behind it, Ning Qingshan blinked and asked. Although she knew that Ning Ziyan would deal with Ning Xueyan, she didn¡¯t know what Ning Ziyan would do. Now she had figured out that the man must have something to do with Ning Ziyan, so she thought that Ning Ziyan should act in collusion with this man. She immediately paid attention to it.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know either. I heard that this man is of noble status. The abbot of Cold Mountain Temple ordered the monks to serve him well and brooked no mistakes. Stopped by Mother Han, the two novice monks were extremely anxious and begged Mother Han desperately. It seems that the man really has a powerful background.¡± Mammy Luo thought about what had happened a moment ago and was quite suspicious, so she deliberately lowered her voice and asked, ¡°Does the man the Eldest Young Lady found for the Fifth Young Lady have a decent identity?¡±

    Of course, she thought the same way as Ning Qingshan, so she hurried back to tell Ning Qingshan about it.

    ¡°Mother Luo, I¡¯ll trouble you to go and ask who the man is.¡± Ning Qingshan said decisively. A high-status man with a decent identity? How could she allow Ning Xueyan to have anything to do with such a man? She secretly cursed that Ning Ziyan was so useless. Why didn¡¯t Ning Ziyan just find an ordinary man to ruin Ning Xueyan¡¯s reputation? There were some ruffians around the temple.

    They wandered around here on purpose in order to take liberties with those Young Ladies who came here to offer incense. It was so easy to find an ordinary man. Why did Ning Ziyan find a man of extraordinary status?

    ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll go right now.¡± Knowing that it was urgent, Mammy Luo ran out immediately. After a while, she came back with her head covered with sweat. Ning Qingshan had finished her meal and was drinking tea.

    ¡°Young Lady, the man does have an extraordinary identity. It is said that he is a noble childe from the capital city. I didn¡¯t see him, but I saw the Eldest Young Lady¡¯s maid sneak in and thene out. It seems that the Eldest Young Lady really has something to do with this man.¡± Mammy Luo wiped her sweat and said.

    Ning Ziyan was such an idiot that she found such a man to destroy Ning Xueyan¡¯s reputation. Ning Ziyan was extremely stupid. If this man was really capable and finally left a way out for Ning Xueyan, she would get into trouble. They should destroy Ning Xueyan at once. Although Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t see her that day, Ning Xueyan must have had grudges against her for what had happened that day.

    Now Ning Qingshan got a chance to destroy Ning Xueyanpletely, and there was no need to do it herself. How could she let go of this chance? Touching her aching leg and thinking for a while, she whispered in Mammy Luo¡¯s ear. After that, Mammy Luo turned around and went out even before having her meal.

    ¡°Young Lady, is there anything serious with your leg?¡± Caifen put down the dishes that she was cleaning up, came over to massage Ning Qingshan¡¯s leg, and asked. Ning Qingshan¡¯s leg had been aching all night and all day that day. The imperial physician came by the next afternoon to reapply the ointment to her leg. At that time, he shook his head while applying the ointment. He didn¡¯t say anything in front of Ning Qingshan.

    Nevertheless, Mammy Luo and she both knew that Ning Qingshan¡¯s leg injury might have worsened because she had knelt and fallen down this time.

    Of course, no one dared to say that to Ning Qingshan. The imperial physician only told them to take good care of Ning Qingshan and repeatedly emphasized that she must be more careful of her leg. After that, he left after leaving them some medicine.

    Thus, seeing Ning Qingshan rubbing her leg at this moment, Caifen involuntarily put down the dishes and asked with concern.

    ¡°Help me massage it.¡± Ning Qingshan closed her eyes and leaned back, beginning to think over the way of dealing with Ning Xueyan. If her n worked well, Ning Xueyan would have no way out. Even if Prince Yi could let it go, she would be too ashamed to go on living. Besides, the man, who ruined her reputation, had no power and status so that he wouldn¡¯t be able to save her life. Thinking of this, Ning Qingshan couldn¡¯t help showing acent smile with jealousy and hatred.

    Moreover, even if someone investigated into it in private, he couldn¡¯t find her out. Everything was done by Ning Ziyan, and she had just incited Ning Ziyan slightly.

    She was socent and excited that she didn¡¯t notice that her maid looked upset when gently massaging her leg.

    When Ning Xueyan went to pay her respects to Madam Dowager the next morning, she not only saw Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling but also saw Ning Qingshan, who was injured. It was rare to see such a lively scene in Madam Dowager¡¯s courtyard. Before entering the courtyard, she heard them talking noisily inside.

    Seeing Ning Xueyane in, Madam Dowager instructed someone to prepare a brocade stool for her, and took her hand and asked with concern, ¡°Should we ask another doctor to make a diagnosis? Anyway, a doctor probably would not be able to make a precise diagnosis all the time. Although the doctor is from the imperial pce, I think you had better see another doctor, in case other injured parts of yours are missed and cause big problems in the future.¡±

    Madam Dowager said in a euphemistic way. Of course, she was most afraid that Ning Xueyan¡¯s reproductive organs were injured, while not caring about other internal injuries. Ning Xueyan¡¯s reproductive capability was rted to the future prosperity of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Madam Dowager could only show concern about it even if she didn¡¯t want to. Thinking of the change of Prince Yi¡¯s attitude, Madam Dowager couldn¡¯t rest assured.

    The wealth of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was always the most important issue for Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an. Of course, Ning Xueyan was nonessential. If she met with misfortune and implicated Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would give up her, who was just a pawn and was much less useful than Ning Huaiyuan and his sister, without hesitation.

    In other words, it was not that difficult to make Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯ane out and speak for her. As long as she grasped their biggest concern, she could make them say whatever she wanted them to say. Thinking of this, she felt even colder in her heart. Although she had never expected more from them, at the thought that they were so indifferent to kinship, she couldn¡¯t help sneering in her heart.

    ¡°Grandma, thank you. I¡¯m fine. The imperial physician has promised me time and again.¡± Ning Xueyan slightly lowered her head to cover up the coldness in her eyes.

    ¡°Grandma, rest assured. God blesses the good. Nothing terrible will happen to Fifth Sister. She¡¯s fine after falling down from such a steep slope. Her good days areing. Grandma, you could rest assuredpletely and enjoy the bright future brought by Fifth Sister.¡±

    Ning Qingshan sat aside and teased in an amicable tone. It was hard to tell that she had set up Ning Xueyan before, and today it was the first time for her to show up in front of Ning Xueyan after that. At that time, it was Mammy Luo, her old maid, who forced Ning Xueyan into the room. But now she acted as if nothing had happened before.

    She was just extremely shameless. Unfortunately, Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t want to pretend to be her dear sister at this moment. With her face darkening, Ning Xueyan ignored Ning Qingshan and said to Madam Dowager, ¡°Grandma, if you have nothing else to talk to me, I¡¯ll go to attend the memorial ceremony for my mother. Excuse my absence.¡±

    Ning Xueyan¡¯spletely disregardful attitude seemed to be a p on Ning Qingshan¡¯s face, making her look embarrassed. With a stiff smile, she was too embarrassed to say a word. She didn¡¯t expect that Ning Xueyan would ignore her in this way right before Madam Dowager. She involuntarily showed a trace of viciousness in her eyes.

    However, it immediately turned into an awkward smile. She didn¡¯t have to argue with Ning Xueyan now, because it was unnecessary to argue with someone who was going to die. Ning Ziyan and her sister came up the mountain this time with evil intentions. She could just sit aside to watch them fight and see what miserable situation Ning Xueyan would fall into.

    She had heard that Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling came to show their deep affection for Ning Xueyan, so she came to join them. In any case, she couldn¡¯t let others suspect that she was the one behind it. In particr, she had just helped the Third Prince trap Ning Xueyan a few days. Thus, she deliberately detached herself from it, in case Madam Dowager thought it was her plot.

    Ning Qingshan knew clearly that in Madam Dowager¡¯s mind, she couldn¡¯tpare with Ning Xueyan at all.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, are you going there now? Let¡¯s go together. Anyway, I should attend the memorial ceremony for mother as well.¡± Ning Ziyan said with a smile. She turned her head and said to Ning Yuling, ¡°Second Sister,e with us. You¡¯ve spent some time with grandma yesterday. Now leave this task to Third Sister.¡±

    There was a hint of intimacy in her words as if the sisters present bore no grudges against each other. She seemed to not mind calling Madam Ming ¡°mother¡± at all and said that naturally. People ignorant of it would think that she had always called Madam Ming mother.

    ¡°Go ahead. Apany your Fifth Sister to see your mother. After all, your mother was unfortunate and bad-tempered so that she ended up with such a tragedy. I¡¯ming overter.¡± Madam Dowager said with a sigh. She reached out to pat Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand, looking so sad at the moment.

    She thought that what Ning Ziyan said was right and she should go to attend the memorial ceremony for Madam Ming for Ning Xueyan¡¯s sake.

    All of them were so good at pretending. Madam Dowager¡¯s words shifted all the me onto Madam Ming, as if the reason why Madam Ming was deprived of the position of the Legal Wife and finally ended up with such a tragedy was that Madam Ming was so fierce that she didn¡¯t exin it clearly.

    With a trace of sharp coldness across her eyes, she showed a faint smile, stood up calmly, and clenched her fists tightly in her sleeves. They came here to feign their affection for her to detach themselves from what happened to her!

 Chapter 463 - Maids Are the Same Human Beings as Us

    <h4>Chapter 463 Maids Are the Same Human Beings as Us</h4>

    Seeing that Ning Xueyan and the others had left, Ning Qingshan winked at Mammy Luo. Mammy Luo made an excuse and hurried out of Madam Dowager¡¯s courtyard to another courtyard.

    Madam Dowager liked bustling joy, so she lived in a quite lively courtyard. Madam Ming¡¯s memorial ceremony was set in a remote ce which was a little far away from here. It was rare that Ning Yuling behaved well today. She actually acted like a gentle Young Lady. On the halfway, she even pointed to a pavilion on the side and said.

    ¡°Sister, Fifth Sister is in poor health. Let¡¯s take a rest over there, in case she gets tiredter. It will do harm to her health.¡± Ning Yuling said with a smile, pointing to a pavilion with blooming flowers around. Of course, the reason why so many pilgrims came to Cold Mountain Temple was not only that it was famous for holding memorial ceremonies but also that the environment here was famous.

    In particr, in this season, people could often see all kinds of flowers in the temple. It was the time when flowers bloomed, so the small pavilion in the temple became a ce where people enjoyed the view leisurely.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, let¡¯s have a rest. We are still halfway there and need to kneel during the memorial ceremony for motherter.¡± Ning Ziyan said with concern. She took Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand and went to the pavilion with a smile. A maid behind her quietly left.

    The maid beside Ning Yuling served various pastries and tea. The newly brewed tea distributed light fragrance which prated the pavilion.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, have a taste. This is the snow from the plum blossomsst year. It has been stored underground and just taken out yesterday. This is the fresh tea of this year. It¡¯s not of a particrly good variety, but it¡¯s quite fresh.¡±

    Ning Ziyan poured a cup of tea for Ning Xueyan and pushed it to Ning Xueyan with a smile.

    Ning Xueyan picked it up, took a sip, and said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s clear and fragrant. Eldest Sister, your tea tastes so good. I should have collected some fresh plum blossom snowst year for making tea.¡±

    ¡°Fifth Sister, if you like it, I still have a pot of it. After you go down the mountain, I¡¯ll instruct someone in my manor to send it to you.¡± Ning Ziyan said with a smile and pushed a box of pastries to Ning Xueyan, ¡°These pastries are not bad either. They are made by a pastry chef in my manor. Everyone who has tasted them says that they are even better than those made by the chefs of restaurants. Have a try.¡±

    Ning Xueyan had tasted the pastries before, but now she didn¡¯t feel like tasting them at all. She waved her hand and said, ¡°Thank you, Eldest Sister. I have had breakfast just now and I¡¯m not hungry yet.¡±

    ¡°Well, we can give the pastries to them as rewards. They have served us since the morning and must be tired now.¡± Ning Ziyan smiled indifferently and instructed the maid beside her to distribute the pastries.

    In fact, there were not many servants. Ning Yuling brought one, Ning Ziyan brought one, while Ning Xueyan brought two. A te of pastries was not many, so each of them got two pastries.

    Xinmei and Lanning nced at the pastries in their hands, and then nced at the two maids who were sitting aside and enjoying the pastries. Finding no reason to put the pastries away, they looked at Ning Xueyan with embarrassment.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, they are just two pieces of pastries. Just tell them to eat the pastries. Look at the poor girls. People who are ignorant of it might think that you are so stern that you don¡¯t allow the maids to eat the pastries!¡±

    Ning Yuling interrupted disapprovingly with a smile.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, maids are the same human beings as us. We can¡¯t even deprive them of pastries despite their hard work.¡± On hearing Ning Yuling¡¯s words, Ning Ziyan said. Her words made others think that Ning Xueyan was harsh and she deliberately treated the two maids harshly if she didn¡¯t agree to let them eat the pastries.

    Not a few people died in Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling¡¯s hands. Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t know since when they considered maids were the same human beings as them! Ning Xueyan sneered in her heart but didn¡¯t show it on her face. She pretended to think for a moment and then nodded to Xinmei and Lanning. The two maids looked delighted and stepped aside to eat the pastries.

    Ning Yuling and Ning Ziyan exchanged nces with a trace ofcence in their eyes.

    No one noticed that the two maids quickly threw the pastries into their sleeves little by little and only put some crumbs of the pastries on their lips.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, my master asks you not to go to the main hall now. He says that he needs you to go to the courtyard there.¡± A maid came over in a hurry from a path, looking anxious and flustered. From her clothes, Ning Xueyan could tell that she was the maid of Ming¡¯s Manor. Ning Xueyan had seen that kind of clothes more than once before.

    ¡°What does Cousin ask me to go there for?¡± Ning Xueyan stood up, blinked her watery eyes, and asked, Xinmei and Lanning had finished the pastries and stood behind Ning Xueyan after wiping their faces.

    The maid looked at Ning Ziyan and her sister but still said after hesitating for a moment, ¡°My master was about to go to attend the memorial ceremony just now. Unexpectedly, he walked in a hurry, so he took an infirm step and broke his leg.¡±

    ¡°What? Has my Cousin broken his leg?¡± Ning Xueyan was anxious. She lifted the hem of her clothes and was about to walk out, but Ning Ziyan grabbed her sleeve.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, take it easy. Let¡¯s go there together.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Eldest Sister. I can go there by myself. You two can go to attend the memorial ceremony for mother.¡± Ning Xueyan frowned and refused. Everyone knew that Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was on bad terms with Ming¡¯s Manor. Of course, it was because Madam Ling had set up Madam Ming. Now it was definitely inappropriate for the two daughters of Madam Ling to go to see Ming Yuanhua. So Ning Xueyan refused without hesitation.

    Ning Ziyan seemed to have thought of this as well, so she didn¡¯t insist on it. She nodded and said, ¡°Well, Fifth Sister, be quick about it. We¡¯ll go to the hall to attend the memorial ceremony for mother. Come and join uster!¡±

    Ning Xueyan nodded and didn¡¯t say anything else. She then left with two maids behind the maid of Ming¡¯s Manor in a hurry.

    Seeing Ning Xueyan walk away, Ning Ziyan showed a sinister andcent look. She sat down at the table again and took a sip of her tea, seeming to be in a good mood.

    ¡°Eldest Sister, there won¡¯t be any w in your n, right? Will the b*tch find a way out again and make it a false dawn?¡± Ning Yuling seemed to be ufortable with Ning Ziyan¡¯s leisurely state, so she also picked up the teacup at her hand, took a sip of it, and said with a snort.

    ¡°Rest assured. She won¡¯t be able to escape from it this time. Second Sister, we¡¯re on the same boat now. It didn¡¯t matter how you made trouble in the past. But now, if you make trouble again, there¡¯ll be no room in the Xia Manor for you. If we don¡¯t knock Ning Xueyan off, neither our mother nor the two of us have a way out. Even if I¡¯m deprived of the position of the legal wife, you won¡¯t get a chance. You should have a clear mind and work out what you should do.¡±

    With her face turning cold and gloomy, Ning Ziyan rebuked her sister.

    Ning Yuling was chocked by Ning Ziyan¡¯s words. She couldn¡¯t refute it even if she wanted to. Madam Ling was her nominal mother. Although Ning Ziyan had been downgraded to a concubine from the legal wife, she wouldn¡¯t get a chance to be the legal wife in the future. How could she, who was proud and arrogant, be willing to just be a concubine? So Ning Ziyan¡¯s words actually touched her tender spot.

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll go to the main hall now to attend the memorial ceremony for the little b*tch¡¯s mother who died from wrongful treatment and make her mother die with greater grievances.¡± Ning Yuling put down the cup in her hand heavily and sneered. She didn¡¯t doubt that Ning Xueyan would end up with a tragedy this time.

    She said that just now was because she couldn¡¯t bear to see Ning Ziyan¡¯scent look.

    In the past few days, she had lived a joyful life in the Xia Manor and felt that she won more favor with Xia Yuhang than Ning Ziyan. So she attached great importance to the position of Xia Yuhang¡¯s Legal Wife. She thought that she just needed to put on a spurt, and the position of the Legal Wife could only belong to her. Ning Ziyan was inferior to her in all aspects and couldn¡¯tpare with her.

    Of course, now she knew that if Madam Ling could not regain her position, even if she won Xia Yuhang¡¯s favor, she would not be able to turn around the situation. This was the reason why she cooperated with Ning Ziyan obediently this time. She wanted to make Madam Ling regain her position and thus to get the chance to be the Legal Wife.

    ¡°Stay down at the moment. I¡¯ll instruct someone to tell you when the time is right. Instruct your maid to arrange it. Don¡¯t take any action until you get a message from me. We work together this time, and she will be unable to escape.¡± Ning Ziyan ordered methodically.

    ¡°Well, well, rest assured. I know. I won¡¯t act rashly. You are so wordy that no wonder he doesn¡¯t like you.¡± Ning Yuling said impatiently.

    ¡°What did you say?¡± With her face changing drastically, Ning Ziyan beat the table heavily and stood up abruptly.

    ¡°Take it easy. I didn¡¯t say anything. I was just telling the truth. Why do you refuse to ept the truth? If he likes you, why doesn¡¯t he go to your courtyard?¡± Ning Yuling seemed to have not seen that the anger was out of control on Ning Ziyan¡¯s face and continued provoking her. After that, she walked awaycently without looking at Ning Ziyan whose face turned ashen because of anger.

    Having been in the Xia Manor for so many days, she had found that Xia Yuhang didn¡¯t treat Ning Ziyan as well as she had imagined. Although he didn¡¯t speak to Ning Ziyan harshly, everyone could tell that he did treat Ning Ziyan coldly. When they were in the studyst time, Ning Ziyan could do nothing although she rushed in. With Xia Yuhang protecting her, what could Ning Ziyan do to her?

    Thinking of this, she became increasingly disdainful of Ning Ziyan and thought that Ning Ziyan should give up the position of the legal wife obediently if she was smart enough. Anyway, Xia Yuhang didn¡¯t like Ning Ziyan. In the past, when Ning Ziyan took a fancy to Xia Yuhang, she kept calling him ¡°Brother Yuhang¡± as if she was the apple of Xia Yuhang¡¯s eye.

    Now she found out that the situation was not as she had imagined. After aplishing the n today, she would still be the legitimate Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor when returning to the Xia Manor. It would be extremely simple for her to be the Legal Wife.

    Thinking of this, she walked in an increasingly graceful manner. At the sight of this, Ning Ziyan behind her got so furious that she almost spat blood. Ning Ziyan grabbed the cup in her hand, threw it at Ning Yuling¡¯s back and cursed, ¡°B*tch! B*tch! Both of you are b*tches!¡±

    Of course, the teacup didn¡¯t hit Ning Yuling¡¯s back. It was smashed into pieces on the stone stairs beside her. Hearing the sound behind, Ning Yuling stopped. She looked at Ning Ziyan provocatively andughed loudly before leaving with her maid.

    Ning Ziyan grabbed another cup angrily and was about to throw it at Ning Yuling with her eyes full of shame, anger, and hatred. It reminded her of the day. When she rushed into the study, Ning Yuling feigned a delicate look and hid behind Xia Yuhang and looked at her in such a provocative way.

    No. After returning to the manor, she would poison Ning Yuling to sterilize her. This method was passed on to her by her mother. As a concubine with no children, Ning Yuling could neverpete with her, who was the legal wife. A trace of viciousness shed across her face. ¡°Ning Yuling, you ask for it.¡±

 Chapter 464 - A Maid in Two Coats

    <h4>Chapter 464 A Maid in Two Coats</h4>

    ¡°Young Madam, don¡¯t be angry. The Second Young Lady is really not sensible.¡± The maid came to coax her. She was the maid who apanied Ning Ziyan when she married into the Xia Manor, so she was used to calling Ning Yuling Second Young Lady.

    With a ¡°p¡±, the maid received a hard p and staggered two steps back. She hurriedly covered her face and looked at Ning Ziyan with tears in her eyes.

    Ning Ziyan screamed, ¡°Do not address her as Second Young Lady! She is only a concubine!¡±

    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s... Concubine Ning. Young Madam, don¡¯t be angry. You are the principal wife and Concubine Ning already lost her reputation when she came to the manor, so how can shepare with you?¡± The maid knew where the problemy merely by seeing Ning Xueyan¡¯s look. She put down her hand covering her face and hurriedly echoed Ning Ziyan¡¯s words.

    Others were not aware about the previous scandal between Ning Yuling and Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, but many people in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor knew about it. Naturally, Ning Ziyan and her trusted subordinates were also very clear about it. Everyone knew that Ning Yuling had already lost her virginity when she came to the Xia Manor. But if the maid talked about it in front of Ning Yuling, Ning Yuling would never let her go.

    But now there was only Ning Ziyan here. When she heard this, Ning Ziyan felt relieved. Ning Yuling was a bitch, because she had an affair with Ao Xian. Moreover, it was said that she and the Marquis of Ping¡¯an were not fully dressed when they were hugging each other. Even if they failed to do anything, Ning Yuling could not prove her innocence. Thinking of this, Ning Ziyan was going to tell Yuhang about this matterter and let him know how disgusting his Concubine Ning was.

    Madam Ling had told Ning Ziyan about it in private before, but considering that the family shame should not be made public, she did not tell Xia Yuhang. However, if she did not mention it now, Ning Yuling would be more arrogant and try to climb over her head. Ning Yuling really thought that they allowed her to marry into the Xia Manor and wanted her to be the principal wife.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Ning Ziyan calmed down, let out a long sigh and recovered her equanimity. It was not the right time for her to fight for this. After going back, she would fix Ning Yuling properly.

    ¡°Young Madam, shall I clean up here?¡± She was the only maid around and had to clean up such arge ce. Looking at the debris on the ground, she knew she could not get it clean in such a short time.

    Ning Ziyan frowned at the sight of the broken teacup. She was angry with Ning Yuling and had not taken the broken teacup into ount. If it was not cleared away, it would be a w after the disclosure of the plotter. Now she was acting as she had deep feelings for her sister, so what was the point of smashing the teacup?

    ¡°You clean up here ande over as soon as you finish.¡± Ning Ziyan looked at the time and found that she could not wait any longer. She asked the maid to stay and then walked outside. She had to catch the adulterers on the scene. In a short while, someone woulde to the garden. A hundred-year-old peach tree was blooming over there. It was a scenic spot in the temple, so a lot of people came to enjoy it.

    But if one went through from the back door, it would be extremely quiet and no one would discover it.

    At this time, she went in through the front door. As long as she gave a shout, therge group of people who were enjoying the flowers in front would certainly be drawn here.

    At the thought of this, she did not have time to wait for her maid. Therefore, she ordered the maid to clean up the ce and then went out to the pavilion alone. Anyway, after things were blown upter, the maid would have finished cleaning up and woulde to her.

    She was afraid that the situation would change, so she had no time to bother about the fact that she did not have a maid with her, even if she was a madam. On the way, several madams looked at her and frowned disapprovingly. Judging by her attire, she did not seem to be from a family who could not afford a maid. However, there was no maid behind her.

    Ning Ziyan never expected that this wrong move would lead to a direct consequence. It was because she would not be able to exin clearly and the evidence would be certain.

    Mother Han did not leave with Ning Xueyan and guarded the yard gate with two of Prince Yi¡¯s guards. After a while, she saw a maid beside Ning Ziyan sneaking out. The maid looked around furtively as she walked. When she arrived at the gate, she knocked on the door lightly.

    A servant immediately popped his head out from the door and saw the familiar face of the maid. Then they lowered their heads and whispered together. After a while, the servant nodded and the maid left. The guards looked at Mother Han, but she waved to indicate that they did not have to follow. The most important person was inside.

    A few momentster, a young man dressed in an azure gown showed up at the door. He was tidying his clothes while walking out, with a folding fan in his hand. Just as he walked forward hastily, the servant hurried to catch up with him.

    Mother Han pointed at the young man in front and made a knocking gesture to alert the guards. Hence, one guard was left to follow that young man, while Mother Han turned to the other side with the other guard. That ce was the back door of the temple. During the weekdays, some local ruffians and lechers would show up and conducted their affairs with women here.

    Ning Xueyan, with Lanning and Xinmei, followed the maid from the Ming Manor. They were hurrying to see Ming Yuanhua, but the road became more and more secluded and they seemed to be entering from the back.

    ¡°Sister, why is this road so remote?¡± Lanning clutched her stomach. She seemed to sense that the situation was not good and slowed down subconsciously.

    ¡°This road is nearer. Sister, what¡¯s wrong with you? There are beads of sweat on your forehead, are you feeling unwell?¡± The maid turned and said. Seeing the sweat on Lanning¡¯s forehead, she seemed to be scared, then stopped and asked anxiously.

    ¡°Lanning, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Hearing what she said, Ning Xueyan also turned to look at Lanning and saw that beads of sweat stood out on her pale forehead and she looked very weak.

    ¡°Mydy, I... I have a stomachache.¡± Lanning seemed unable to bear it anymore. She held on to the wall and whispered. It was obvious she was in a bad condition from her looks. Ning Xueyan frowned slightly.

    ¡°Mydy, you go first. I will send Lanning back and thene back to you,¡± Xinmei stood nearby, also with a pale face and said.

    Under the current situation, Lanning could not walk anymore. Then she looked at Xinmei. Although there was no sweat on her forehead, her face was pale as well. Ning Xueyan nodded helplessly and said, ¡°Xinmei, you help Lanning back ande to me in the hallter. I¡¯ll meet you after visiting my cousin.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I see,¡± Xinmei and Lanning answered together. After that, Xinmei held Lanning¡¯s hand and left in a hurry.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, follow me and let¡¯s go through from here. After another yard, we will arrive there.¡± Seeing the two maids supporting each other and walking far away, the maid of the Ming Manor immediately becamecent, turned to Ning Xueyan and said worriedly, ¡°Our childe is badly hurt. There were outsiders just now, so I did not tell you in detail. Fifth Young Lady, you had better go and have a look!¡±

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s hurry then.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded and followed the maid to walk forward. Because they took such a deserted road, they did not meet anyone on the way. When they arrived at a back door, the maid stopped, pointed to the door and said, ¡°Fifth Young Lady, our childe is in the room. You go in first and I will go and make tea for you.¡±

    Ning Xueyan nodded and was about to walk in. Just as the maid behind her smirked, she suddenly felt a pain in her head, cked out and then fell. Xinmei came up from behind the maid and caught her in her arms silently, while Ning Xueyan no longer stepped forward but retreated to the side.

    A guard silently appeared behind the yard gate. He carried a woman, took two steps forward to push the door open and then sent her in. After a while, he retreated quietly and so did Ning Xueyan and Xinmei.

    Xinmei lowered her voice, pointed at the maid in her arms and whispered, ¡°Mydy, what shall we do with her?¡±

    This maid was now a problem. Wearing the clothes of the Ming Manor, it was easy for others to think of her as a maid from the Ming Manor. If this matter was exposed, some people would suspect that the Ming Manor was behind this, as their maid was involved. After all, it was not appropriate to drag the Ming Manor into this matter.

    ¡°Tear off her coat!¡± Ning Xueyan looked at the maid and a trace of a sneer shed in her eyes. When the maid was at her side, she knew that she was not from the Ming Manor. Ming Yuanhua had gone up the mountain at this time, so the servants around him were all young males and older females, and definitely not a maid.

    Although the maid was wearing the clothes of the Ming Manor, Ning Ziyan must have brought her here. Moreover, Ning Xueyan had never seen her before, so she must be from the Xia Manor. Ning Ziyan must have taken her as her trusted subordinate aftering to the Xia Manor!

    This maid was supposed to lure Ning Xueyan over, so Ning Ziyan would not let her wear the clothes of the Ming Manor after the incident, for fear that Ning Xueyan would look for loopholes. Therefore, most probably this maid would be wearing another coat inside that should be the clothes of the Xia Manor.

    Only in this way could Ning Ziyan ensure that Ning Xueyan would not be able to find the maid afterward. Then, no one could prove what Ning Xueyan said and she also would not be able to give a clear exnation. In that case, others would think that she was talking nonsense and the missing maid was just a fake witness for her private meeting. In order to frame her, Ning Ziyan was painstakingly detailed and went to great lengths to do it.

    When she heard what Ning Xueyan said, Xinmei pulled off the maid¡¯s coat and saw another coat inside that was the same as the coat of Ning Ziyan¡¯s maid. She was a maid from the Xia Manor.

    ¡°Throw her into the room and wake her upter. People outside would be able to hear her screams.¡± Ning Xueyan asked Xinmei to give the maid to the guards from Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, because she wanted to stay and enjoy a good show with Xinmei. Later, they were going to the hall where the ashram was held. Ning Xueyan believed that there would be another show over there which Ning Yuling was about to perform, so she could not afford to miss it.

    Ning Ziyan had set a series of traps for her, so Ning Xueyan certainly had to take a good look at it.

    In the yard, the peach blossoms were in full bloom. It was a hundred-year-old peach tree. Among its branches and trunk, the bright and charming peach blossoms bloomed singly and in clusters. This was the most scenic spot of Cold Mountain Temple in spring. Almost all the madams anddies would enjoy it once they arrived.

    At this time, there were several madams standing under the tree. Judging by the number of maids and older female servants around them, one could tell that these madams had strong backgrounds and came from rich and powerful families. It was not possible that their graces could be cultivated from poor and humble families.

    They were appreciating the peach blossoms and talking at the same time. While speaking, they suddenly heard a woman¡¯s screaming from the opposite room, and then a ¡°plop¡± sound, as if something had fallen to the ground.

    These madams looked at each other doubtfully and walked to the door together. Immediately, two older female servants went to kick violently at the closed door and it was kicked open at once.

    A woman¡¯s scream rang out sharply...

 Chapter 465 - Being Caught in Bed

    <h4>Chapter 465 Being Caught in Bed</h4>

    The door was opened. People looked inside together and saw a maid falling to the ground. On the wide bed, a woman with her clothes in a disheveled state was in a man¡¯s arms. The man was running his hands all over her, while half of the woman¡¯s fair arm was exposed. They stood at the door and were stunned.

    ¡°Who is she? She is so shameless.¡± One madam could not help saying in disgust. She understood instantly when she took in the scene. It was certain that this woman had a private date with this man in the temple, but her maid discovered it somehow, gave a scream and then startled them.

    This man lookedscivious. Even though he saw so many peopleing in, he still touched the woman several times. So, he was definitely not a decent guy. However, for such a good woman to actually have a private meeting with him, she had to be really cheap.

    ¡°This... isn¡¯t that the Eldest Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and now the Young Madam of the Xia Manor?¡± Someone recognized Ning Ziyan. Before she married into the Xia Manor, she was a famous talented woman in the capital. When the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor received invitation letters, she was the usually the one who attended on behalf of her family, so many people knew who she was.

    It was only when she married Xia Yuhang that she lost her reputation. Slowly no one invited her to any banquets and then she stayed out of the public eye.

    Ning Ziyan felt that she was going crazy. She had rushed over without a maid and wanted to catch Ning Xueyan in bed. However, before she arrived at the ce, she felt a pain at the back of her head and then cked out. When she woke up again, she found a pair of hands groping her body before she could respond.

    Then, the maid let out an earth-shattering scream and the back door was suddenly kicked open. Arge crowd of people stood at the door and looked at her, stunned. Just as she tried to struggle to get up, someone dragged her down so that she was unable to get up. She looked back and saw the man¡¯s extremely obscene face close to her own. He was smiling cheekily and shamelessly hugged her in front of so many people outside.

    Feeling ashamed and annoyed, Ning Ziyan fiercely pushed the man away and rushed out without pulling on her clothes. How could this happen? How could this happen? Shouldn¡¯t it be Ning Xueyan? And who was this ruffian? This wasn¡¯t the man she had arranged in advance. Although the man she arranged was a yboy, at least Prince Yi could not deal with him at will.

    Ning Ziyan struggled hard and said, ¡°Who are you? Let me go, I don¡¯t know you.¡±

    ¡°Who am I? Didn¡¯t you invite me here for a private meeting? After taking advantage of me, don¡¯t you want to admit that now? You specifically asked your maid to bring me in and wanted to meet me to relieve your lovesickness! Why don¡¯t you admit it now?¡± The man was indeed a ruffian. He was also not very sure why he showed up here inexplicably and there was another woman in the bed.

    He was originally a ruffian from the back mountain and often flirted with women in daily life. Now such a beautiful woman popped up in his bed, so he could not bear it anymore and got close to touch her, regardless of anything. Unexpectedly, the door was kicked open before he could do anything to her. Now he knew things were in a bad way, so he attached himself closer to Ning Ziyan.

    If he was said to have a private meeting with her, he would lose his reputation at most. Anyway, he had little to lose. As a ruffian, it was a romantic and glorious thing for him to have an affair with such a beautiful woman. But if he was used of trying to rape her, he would be sent to jail, so this ruffian was very clear about this.

    At this time, he certainly caught Ning Ziyan off guard and insistently said that she specially asked him to see her in private.

    ¡°You are talking nonsense! I am not such a person, I am not!¡± Ning Ziyan was very anxious. When she saw the ruffian extending his hand to touch her so publicly, she became furious at once. She kicked and pushed him hard and at the same time, yelled at the maid sitting on the ground, ¡°Hey,e and help me!¡±

    The maid was in a daze. When she woke up and saw a man and a woman entangled together before her, she shouted subconsciously. After that, she became frightened again. Why was the woman in bed her Young Madam? Why was it not the Fifth Young Lady, but her Young Madam?

    She couldn¡¯te to herself for a moment and looked nkly at Ning Ziyan and the ruffian tussling back and forth. Hearing Ning Ziyan¡¯s angry curse, she jumped up to help Ning Ziyan and pulled her out of the ruffian¡¯s arms.

    Because of the panic, the maid protected Ning Ziyan and pushed her behind her back, then turned to the ruffian and angrily rebuked him, ¡°Let go of our Young Madam. Do you know who she is? Our Young Madam is the daughter-inw of Minister Xia, so she will never have been with you. It must be that you deliberately framed our Young Madam and I will send you to courtter.¡±

    When he heard this, the ruffian became anxious and had a guilty expression. A ruffian like him was most afraid of going to the court. He nced around and wanted to escape, but there were so many people blocking the doorway. It was impossible for him to escape.

    The ruffian looked around and suddenly saw a paper roll at hand. He picked it up casually, took a look and immediately became excited. He pointed to the portrait on the paper roll and said with a smug smile, ¡°It sounds impossible, but take a look at what this is. It is clear that she asked me toe here. How is it possible for me to frame her? And this is a gift from her. Although I am of low status, my skills in bed are much better than her man in her home, so she said she likes me.¡±

    People present looked at the picture on the ground and found that it was really a woman¡¯s portrait. Although it was only a head portrait, they could clearly see that it was Young Madam Xia in distress, before them.

    ¡°You are really shameless!¡± Someone spat at Ning Ziyan.

    ¡°No wonder she walked in such a hurry without a maid before. It turns out that she was in a hurry for her rendezvous. What a bitch!¡±

    ¡°It is really a pity for her to be the Young Madam of the Xia Manor. Now it seems that she is not as good as those women in the brothel.¡± Several madams originally had some doubts, but were totally convinced when they saw the portrait.

    ¡°Like mother, like daughter. Her biological mother is not a good person. Have you heard about what happened in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor recently? Before her biological mother came to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she had a ndestine affair with the Lord Protector. Speaking of it, she was really ill-behaved and vicious. She came up with an evil plot to make the principal wife into a concubine.¡±

    A madam mentioned what had happened in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Before this, someone had already gossiped and spread it out on purpose. Of course, Madam Ling was the main character of this scandal, while her two daughters added more color to the scandal.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard before that Young Madam Xia and Eldest Young Master Xia also had a love affair like this, so it¡¯s not strange that she had an affair with another man. However, Eldest Young Master Xia is so pitiful. Such a gifted youth was ruined by such a bitch...¡±

    The more they talked, the harsher it sounded. Those madams who blocked the doorway seemed not to see Ning Ziyan in a dilemma, and turned around with sneers, one after another. They actually ignored Ning Ziyan andughed away, but no one reached out to help her.

    Ning Ziyan huddled up and started shaking violently. She looked at the ce where the madams left, in despair. She wanted to rush to stop them and tell them that she had been framed. However, she did not know how she showed up here with this man and she also did not know who he was.

    But now, she could not utter a single word. She pulled on her clothes and her eyes were red with tears. As long as these madams went out of the yard, she would lose her reputation. After that, she would not be able to exin clearly anymore in the future. No, no, this was not what she wanted. She was innocent! She was really innocent!

    However, she had no evidence. She was not able to exin it clearly and also did not know why she was here, so no one would believe her.

    At this time, the ruffian dressed himself, came over and squatted down frivolously. He pinched Ning Ziyan¡¯s face and said proudly, ¡°Hey, Young Madam Xia, how about having a private date with me again? Next time we will find an empty ce to have fun, so that others will not disturb us.¡±

    Although he failed to sleep with her today, he met such a beautiful woman at least. This could be regarded as his proud romantic affair. In any case, others would envy him after he told them about it. She was also Young Madam Xia. He must make it clear to his brothers, lest they thought he was telling a lie.

    ¡°There is evidence for this matter, so it is not me making up a story casually.¡± The ruffian thought.

    He stood up andughed proudly a few times. After that, he ignored Ning Ziyan squatting on the ground,ughed heartily and left. No matter how this happened, he did not lose out, did he?

    ¡°Young Madam, put on your clothes first. We will go back and tell madam that someone tried to frame you. It was not your real intention.¡± At this moment, the maid was extremely frightened and came over, shivering. Young Madam had gotten into trouble when she was at her side, so after going back, the madam in the manor would not let her go.

    Ning Ziyan¡¯s brain was in a mess and she felt dizzy. The maid helped her to stand up and get dressed. Her eyes were zed. How did this happen? Shouldn¡¯t Ning Xueyan be the one who was supposed to be here? Shouldn¡¯t Ning Xueyan be the one to have been discovered having an affair with a man? Once this happened, Prince Yi would never care about her anymore.

    After that, it was much easier to vindicate her mother¡¯s reputation. Ning Xueyan would be a woman abandoned by Prince Yi, and would also lose her reputation, then who would be willing to stand up for her?

    Ning Ziyan chose a man in advance, because she was afraid that Prince Yi would have some doubts. Once he discovered the truth, it would be a big disaster. With such a man standing in front, Prince Yi would not do him any harm and she would be safe, so she chose this man. In order to find him, her elder brother also did a lot of work.

    But how did things turn out like this now? Who was this ruffian? Why was he here?

    Ning Ziyan turned her nk eyes and met a pair of ck jade-like eyes. There was a youngdy standing under the peach tree. She was beautiful and cold. When she looked at Ning Ziyan, it was as if Ning Ziyan was just a pile of rubbish and there was a hint of ridicule and sarcasm in her cold eyes.

    She was mocking her over-confidence, the failure of her n and the mess she was in. Ning Ziyan could not bear it anymore and fell down feebly. The maid beside her screamed in fear and hurried to hold her.

    ¡°Mydy, do you want to go in and have a look?¡± Xinmei and Ning Xueyan had watched the show for a long time. At this time, when she saw Ning Xueyan stopping there, she thought she wanted to go inside, so she asked softly.

    ¡°No, now I¡¯m going to see what my good Second Sister has prepared for me!¡± Ning Xueyan revealed a cold smile and thought, ¡°Ning Ziyan has set a trap for me and it is not over. The following show should be more amazing and lively!¡±

 Chapter 466 - Ning Yulingâ€™s Unexpected Encounter with a Lecher

    <h4>Chapter 466 Ning Yuling¡¯s Unexpected Encounter with a Lecher</h4>

    Ning Yuling did not go to the great hall in a hurry because she still had a lot of time. Anyway, she had to wait for Ning Ziyan to finish her task. First, Ning Ziyan nned to destroy Ning Xueyan¡¯s chastity reputation and would then work out ways to deal with her. If so, Prince Yi, whose power could overwhelm the whole kingdom, would no longer care about her. Well, who would take a woman who had lost her chastity reputation seriously?

    Of course, this was the idea of Ning Ziyan, but Ning Yuling thought that it waspletely unnecessary for Ning Ziyan to cause so much trouble. Ning Xueyan had long fallen from grace. Since Prince Yi left with a beautiful woman and paid no mind to Ning Xueyan, who was about to be his co-consort right away, it was fair to say that she did not hold an important position in Prince Yi¡¯s heart.

    So, Ning Yuling thought that Ning Ziyan¡¯s current move waspletely unnecessary. Since it was still so early now, it was not bad to take a leisurely walk and appreciate the scenery. As for worshiping the dead Madam Ming, she didn¡¯t think it was wise. In her opinion, Madam Ming¡¯s reputation would go bad right now, so she did not need to worship her, and she would only need to pray as a show by then.

    ¡°Did we go the wrong way, Concubine Ning?¡± her maid asked timidly. Ning Yuling was asked to go to the Xia Manor straight. Since Madam Dowager was angry and Madam Ling was in that situation, no one paid attention to her. Therefore, she was only given a young maid, who, however, could not be used in that ce. Now, the one who served her was a maid given by the Xia Manor.

    The ¡°Concubine Ning¡± address made her feel more and more annoyed, but this was the rule. After giving an unhappy cold snort, she ignored the maid and went willfully to the courtyard in another direction. Surely, she was unwilling to visit the Buddha Hall at this time.

    She turned so fast that she did not see someoneing from the opposite direction. When she saw the person, it was toote to turn, and so she ran straight into the man, who was also walking fast and suddenly turned as Ning Yuling did. Then, the two of them, who had no time to avoid each other, ran heavily into each other.

    Seeing that Ning Yuling was about to fall to the side due to the sh, the man from the opposite direction, who found that this was a beautiful girl, immediately held her with his hand. Instantly, the two people fell to one side together.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you, Concubine Ning?¡± The maid following her was shocked and hurriedly went over to help her up. The truth was that Concubine Ning was habitually skilled at acting in the mansion. She usually behaved like a soft, weak woman in front of Eldest Young Master, as if a gust of wind could make her fall, but she was cruel in private. She had only been married into the mansion for a short while, but she had almost beaten the maid who served her previously to death.

    ¡°Is this a concubine? She is so beautiful. Although she is notparable to the woman in the painting I saw in the past, she is a rarely-seen nice woman.¡± Inexplicably, he did not see the woman, but he was battered unconscious and thrown away. Now, he was very depressed and saw such a pretty woman appear in front of him with rare luck. With an itch in his heart, he extended his hand to Ning Yunling, especially touched her white, tender face, and asked in a seemingly concerned tone, ¡°Are you okay, this concubine? Did you get hurt? Or let me ask a physician to give you an examination. You can¡¯t get hurt.¡±

    As a well-behaved daughter of a prestigious family, Ning Yuling had never experienced such a situation. Instantly, she was stunned and flew into a rage, raising her eyebrows. As she raised her hand, she aimed a p at the man. ¡°How could you dare to harass me, lecher from nowhere?¡±

    But her hand was caught by the man¡¯s hand, and the man especially gave her hand a squeeze and smiled in an oily and frivolous manner. ¡°So fragrant!¡±

    ¡°Let go of our concubine. If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll shout and ask others toe.¡± At this time, the maid saw the man harassing Ning Yuling. Anxiously, she cried out and came over to take the man¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Presumptuous! Where do youe from, savage maid? How could you dare to take our Childe¡¯s hand? Step back!¡± A little page came over, stood in front of the man, and reprimanded her as if the maid had offended his master.

    The maid was timid. Immediately, she did not dare toe over, but seeing that Ning Yuling was half-pressed on the ground, she had toe over but only extended her hand to pull Ning Yuling. Although she did not dare to fight directly, she did not submit to him in words.

    ¡°Where do you guyse from? Our concubine is from Xia Manor. If you offend our concubine, you will find yourselves in serious trouble.¡±

    ¡°Minister Xia¡¯s concubine?¡± the man raised his eyebrows and said with some interest.

    ¡°No, she is our Eldest Young Master¡¯s concubine. Let go of her, will you?¡± the maid rebuked.

    At this time, the man had put down his hands. Ning Yuling broke free from his grip, took her maid¡¯s hand, and stood up hurriedly. Falling together with a man and having no ability to get up in this ce was something that would damage her chastity reputation. Ning Yuling suffered such a loss before. Now, she was exceptionally sensitive about this kind of thing, so she had no mind to argue with this man.

    After dusting the dirt off, she was about to turn to one side.

    Unfortunately, the man in front of her seemed to have turned into her shadow. When she walked left, he would stop her from the left; when she turned right, he would stop her from the right, as if he was deliberately setting himself against her.

    Ning Yuling was never a person who swallowed insult and humiliation silently. Initially, she was thinking about her chastity reputation, not wanting to squabble with the man anymore. Previously, she quarreled with Ao Xian in the Cold Mountain Temple. As a result, she lost the consort¡¯s position of Third Prince, so she nned to grit her teeth to stand it this time.

    But she could not stand it anymore. After being provoked a few times by this man, she could no longer restrain herself and went furiouspletely.

    She raised her eyes to look straight at this man and scolded him angrily. ¡°Get out of my way, lecher from nowhere!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your surname, this concubine?¡± Surprisingly, the man bowed very politely to Ning Yuling, but his words gave her anger. Ning Yuling was so angry that her lungs had almost exploded, and her face skin even trembled. Never had a man behaved so rudely before her, and even Ao Xian would not treat her like this.

    ¡°Will you get out of my way or not?¡± she said angrily.

    ¡°Concubine, if you tell me your surname, I will get out of your way.¡± The man did want to match his strength with her. He smiled cheekily and did not give in, as if he would really not let Ning Yuling go if she did not tell him.

    The maid rushed over, hoping to help Ning Yuling push the man away, but the little page on the side red at her. When she studied this Childe¡¯s dressing, she found that he was not like an ordinary person. Then, she really had no guts. Now, seeing that they were in a deadlock, she said weakly, ¡°Our concubine¡¯s surname is Ning. Now, you can let us go, right?!¡±

    ¡°Concubine Ning? Concubine Ning of Eldest Young Master Xia?¡± The man had a little strange expression and especially looked at Ning Yuling. At this time, he did put down his hands, walked to the side, and made way for Ning Yuling. ¡°It turns out you are Concubine Ning! No wonder! I¡¯ve long heard that Childe Xia has great luck in love affairs. Two sisters serve the same husband. It will be a good story.¡±

    These words made Ning Yuling¡¯s expression turn stiff. The so-called ¡°Two sisters serve the same husband¡± was not a good story, butpletely a scandal. Previously, she did not care about it, but Madam Xia had recently said these words a few times, and she herself felt ashamed. Besides, when she now remembered the scene that happened on the street that day, she still felt ashamed and indignant.

    Without looking at this man, she walked ashamedly and indignantly away with her maid. Talking with an unknown man in a quiet ce at this time was definitely not good. Xia Yuhang¡¯s mother had warned her that if she got any more trouble, she would not let her off. Ning Yuling had suffered a loss before, so she was surely very careful now.

    When they walked through a moon gate, Ning Yuling¡¯s maid scuttled over, looked at her face, and found that they were walking farther and farther, so she could not help asking, ¡°Shall we go to the Buddha Hall, mydy?¡±

    ¡°We shall, we shall, we shall...go there right now, lest that the cunt Ning Xueyan¡¯s mother should not die in peace.¡± Ning Yuling was ashamed and annoyed at this time. Suddenly, she stopped and wanted to vent all her anger on Madam Ming, and she was very upset now. When she thought about the time, she realized that the thing must have been done, anyway.

    She turned around and went to another direction, from which she should also be able to reach the Buddha Hall. Since she was not happy now, the maid did not dare to ask any more questions and went gingerly after her.

    As expected, they could turn in that ce. After walking through a few great halls, they saw their destination. Before they walked over, they saw a maiding from the side. ¡°Concubine Ning, young madam says to you that it¡¯s okay.¡±

    These words were unclear, but Ning Yuling knew their meaning and waved her hand impatiently, saying, ¡°I see, I see. Tell my Eldest Sister that don¡¯t think I can¡¯t do anything. Now, the thing has been passed to me, so don¡¯t try to show that it¡¯s all her contribution.¡±

    She was angry now, so anything she saw was not pleasing to her eye. In addition, she had been married into the Xia Manor, and the rtionship between her and Ning Ziyan was surely not the previous rtionship between sisters, but the one between a wife and a concubine, who all wanted to win the favor of their husband, so how could they get on peacefully with each other. She thought that if this matter was done sessfully this time, Ning Ziyan would probably take this as the result of her ability. Therefore, she became even more inexplicably irritable.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go and report to the young madam now.¡± This maid seemed to be timid. Without the guts to raise her head, she turned around and walked away. The maid behind Ning Yuling did not clearly see who she was. She blinked and followed Ning Yuling. ¡°I think she should be one of the young madam¡¯s two maids. I¡¯ve heard that the young madam is not as kind as she looks, so the maid is as timid as I am!¡± the maid thought silently.

    .

    The Buddha Hall was just in front of her. Ning Yuling slowed down her steps and calmed herself down. Anyway, she had a sense of proportion. ¡°If my mother can¡¯t bring about an upswing, I will only be a concubine in my lifetime.¡± Of course, she was unwilling to remain so, and she always thought that she should be the one whom others respected and loved. As a result, she was now only a concubine, and her position was even inferior to Ning Ziyan¡¯s. Therefore, she resisted this situation very much in her mind.

    In whatever sense, she should get the wife¡¯s position, and today¡¯s move was essential.

    When she calmed down, her expression regained some kindness, and she even exposed a touch of sadness in her eyes and pulled her in-colored clothes, which she hated most and werepletely different from the splendid ones she liked, but she had to wear them now. She stepped forward, and her eyes fell on a middle-aged woman at the diagonal corner.

    This woman seemed in her 30s or 40s. At first nce, she knew that this woman was aborer because her knuckles were wide and big, and she had a weathered face. She stood there timidly, but her eyes were flexible and turned left and right in an unbridled manner. When she saw Ning Yulinging over, she was happy at first, but then lowered her head, showing that she didn¡¯t know her.

    Ning Yuling pretended that she had not seen the middle-aged woman and went inside without turning her head, but when she walked past the middle-aged woman, she winked at her imperceptibly.

    ¡°Do we go in now, girl?¡± Not far behind her, Ning Xueyan happened to appear with Xinmei. When she saw Ning Yuling, she especially paused and moved to the side to hide.

    ¡°No, let¡¯s wait for our grandma first.¡± Ning Xueyan had a smile that showed that she was thinking about something. She stood outside the door, but her ck jade-like watery eyes fell on the middle-aged woman¡¯s face. Since the middle-aged woman¡¯s full attention was on Ning Yuling, she didn¡¯t notice at all that someone was looking at her not far behind.

    She had met this woman before, just on the first day of Ning Ziyan¡¯s arrival...

 Chapter 467 - Claiming a Family Connection in an Unbelievable Way

    <h4>Chapter 467 iming a Family Connection in an Unbelievable Way</h4>

    When Ning Yuling entered the great hall, Ming Yuanhua, who got the information from the side hall, walked out but did not talk with her. Instead, he only indifferently asked someone to pass a bunch of incense sticks to her, and he himself merely walked to the side.

    Although Ning Yuling was very impatient in her mind, she had to make a show. Respectfully, she received the incense sticks, lighted them with a little sad expression, knelt down before the tablet of the deceased Madam Ming with sadness, and kowtowed hard twice.

    As soon as she had almost finished her performance, a noise came from outside. Madam Dowager and several older female servants and maids who supported her walked in.

    Ming Yuanhua did not like the people of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, but Madam Dowager was his senior on the surface, so he certainly had toe over and salute her at this time. Madam Dowager smiled and sat down. Looking at Ming Yuanhua, she nodded in much gratification.

    Ming Yuanhua also took the path of learning martial arts, but it was unclear if he was influenced by his father.

    He was about to take the examination right away and seemed to have a chance to pass the examination. Anyway, he was a member of Madam Dowager¡¯s parents¡¯ family. On the premise of not harming her interests, Madam Dowager was very willing to see the member of her parents¡¯ family have a promising future.

    ¡°Yuanhua, your cousin doesn¡¯t have good health, and you did so much work for your aunt¡¯s religious sin-expiating event.¡± Madam Dowager took Ming Yuanhua¡¯s hand and heaved a sigh, ¡°Your aunt had a miserable fate and was very stubborn. If not so, she would have still been the marchioness and would not have been like this now.¡±

    Madam Dowager¡¯s eyes turned red as she spoke, and her tears were about to fall. Mother Qin, who was on her side, immediately persuaded her by saying, ¡°Madam Dowager, don¡¯t talk like this. The madam knew you loved her and also knew you had no choice. How could anyone have known... this! The madam did not defend herself at all. Madam Dowager, even if you wanted to help her, you could not!¡±

    ¡°Right, grandma, don¡¯t be sad. If my mother learned it in the lower world, she would be unwilling to see you so sad at such an old age.¡± Ning Yuling interrupted at the right time, but her frivolous tone made others feel angrier. The original cause of this matter was Madam Ling, so how could this be pleasing to the eye of Ming Yuanhua?

    ¡°Right, grandma, please stop being sad!¡± Ming Yuanhua said indifferently by following their tone.

    While they were talking, they heard someone¡¯s noiseing from outside, and the voice became loud at once. It seemed that someone was quarreling.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Go and take a look.¡± Madam Dowager became serious, asking Xiangmiao to take a look.

    In a short while, Xiangmiao came back.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why did such trouble ur while we are holding a religious sin-expiating event in the Cold Mountain Temple? It is said that this Buddha hall is very quiet, isn¡¯t it?¡± Madam Dowager said unhappily. Now, she was expressing her deep and sincere love of Madam Ming to Ming Yuanhua, but she did not expect someone toe to disturb her, so she looked a little unhappy.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, it is a middle-aged woman. She said...¡± Xiangmiao hesitated and looked at Ming Yuanhua on one side.

    ¡°What is it? Say it!¡± Madam Dowager shouted angrily as she heard the words.

    Madam Dowager looked determined, and Xiangmiao had to tell her. ¡°The middle-aged woman said that Fifth Young Lady is her child.¡±

    ¡°How is this possible?!¡± Madam Dowager yelled in wrath and made two thuds on the ground with her walking stick.

    ¡°Grandma, it¡¯s hard to send word clearly. Let here in and say it first, lest that she should make a loud noise outside. It¡¯s easy to talk about this, but it¡¯s unpleasant to the ear,¡± Ning Yuling immediately came over and suggested.

    ¡°My cousin is the only daughter of Lord Protector¡¯s wife in the manor. If she is not my aunt¡¯s daughter, is she an adopted one? Grandma, do you want to see the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor be a joke again? Grandma, if you ask her toe in, do you wish to prove that what she said is true and my cousin is an adopted daughter?¡± Ming Yuanhua sneered and interrupted Ning Yuling.

    ¡°This...¡± Madam Dowager instantly fell into a dilemma. If she did not ask her toe in, it would be indeed unpleasant to the ear if she made a noise outside. Many madamsing here to burn incense to worship gods were from aristocratic families. If this news was spread, it would be hard to make a clear exnation; if she asked her toe in, as Ming Yuanhua said, she appeared a little guilty. Then, it showed in another respect that Ning Xueyan¡¯s life experience was indeed problematic.

    In this way, the Ming Manor and the Marquis¡¯s Manor were bound to have enmity. Now she especially came to worship Madam Ming because she wanted to have a good rtionship with the Ming Manor. However, when the current problem appeared, it was a little hard to repair the rtionship. For a while, it was difficult to make a decision, so she frowned and didn¡¯t know what to say.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, I also went to see the scene just now. Arge group of people was in the doorway. The woman shouted so loudly that the pilgrims in the surroundings went to her. Madam Dowager, if you don¡¯t ask her toe in, I¡¯m afraid that all the people in the temple would know that Fifth Young Lady¡¯s life experience is problematic.¡±

    The maid who followed Ning Yuling got the hint of Ning Yuling just now and went out with that maid to take a look. At this time, she answered cleverly. Although she was not bold, she said very clearly. It seemed that if Madam Dowager did not ask the woman toe in now, this matter would immediately turn into a great scandal of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    At the thought of this possibility, Madam Dowager had a serious headache. ¡°Lord Protector¡¯s Manor really can¡¯t bear the impact of anything troublesome anymore!¡±

    ¡°Grandma, ask the person toe in. I do want to see what the trouble is. Is this another scheme used to hurt me?¡± Words with a smile came from the doorway. Everyone looked up and saw that Ning Xueyan naturally walked in with Xinmei. When she went to Madam Dowager, she especially bowed in a woman¡¯s manner to salute her.

    Her expression was natural and calm as if she had never heard a quarrel from someone about her life experience when she was at the door.

    ¡°Why is Ning Xueyan here at this time?¡± Ning Yuling frowned secretly and subconsciously looked at the side. Just now when she saw Ning Xueyan¡¯s ink-ck eyes inadvertently, she seemed to feel that an icy cold feeling entered her eyes. Immediately, she had a bad hunch.

    ¡°How could Ning Xueyan appear here safe and sound? Ning Ziyan set a tryst for her and someone, didn¡¯t she? Did Ning Xueyan see it through and escape? Or did she just not meet the person under the wrong circumstances? Or...¡± As she thought this way, Ning Yuling could not help turning her eyes to watch Ning Xueyan¡¯s expression.

    Her expression was rtively natural, but why did she hold her handkerchief so tightly? There was a stain at the corner of her skirt, but she could not judge where Ning Xueyan got it. She always thought that thetter was calm and did everything calmly, but why did she get a stain at this time?

    And her maid Xinmei had been hanging her head timidly, so she could not see her expression. Ning Yuling was not familiar with this maid, but when she returned, she asked about her information. It was said that she was a maid sent by the Ming Manor, and she should be Ning Xueyan¡¯s confidant.

    But this confidant seemed not to have done anything that suited her position today, and she even looked a little panicky.

    Byparing the expressions of the mistress and her servant, Ning Yuling formed a judgment in her mind that something must have happened, but the thing was perhaps not among the unexpected situations as Ning Ziyan had expected. Fortunately, Ning Xueyan¡¯s tryst should have be a fact, though there were some unexpected situations.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Ning Yuling was a little relieved. Even if he did not have factual proof, Prince Yi, who had a suspicious nature and was arrogant, would get something if he did a careful investigation when he met this situation. With this experience, Ning Xueyan must be very worried, though no one knew it now and she looked calm.

    After thinking about it like this, Ning Yuling was rxed, and her expression even became much more natural. When Ning Ziyan came in a while, Ning Xueyan would not be able to take care of two situations at the same time. Then, she would only need to say a few words to stir up trouble. Next, she could watch the fun.

    Since Ning Xueyan had said it, Madam Dowager was naturally happy to do it. Instantly, she nodded and said to Xiangmiao, ¡°Go and ask her toe in.¡±

    In a short while, a middle-aged woman, who was in her 30s or 40s in ordinary clothes, was taken in. At first nce, one would think that she was no different from ordinary women, but if one looked at her carefully, he could find that her eyes were much more flexible than those of ordinary women.

    When she came in, she was timid, but her eyeballs turned in an unbridled manner.

    When she got inside and saw Madam Dowager sitting at the front, she immediately knelt down with a thud and cried, ¡°Madam Dowager, please have mercy and give my daughter to me. I only have this daughter. For so many years, I¡¯ve only gotten this daughter. If you take her away, you will make me die!¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? What daughter? What does your daughter have to do with our Marquis¡¯s Manor?¡± Madam Dowager knitted her brows and said unhappily.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, I am from Taiyuan, Shanxi. My husband¡¯s family name is Li, and my father¡¯s family name is Chen. My husband died early, and we only had one daughter. She and I had been living together, and I treated her as my treasure, but this child disappeared two years ago. Initially, I wished to end my life, but I was saved by others. Helplessly, I came to the capital to visit my rtives, but I did not expect that I saw your respected mansion¡¯s Fifth Young Lady. Then, I knew that my daughter was not dead. Instead, she went to a rich family to enjoy her life.¡±

    The middle-aged woman spoke tearfully. She shed tears and had a runny nose, looking desperate.

    ¡°What are you talking about? How could my cousin be your daughter?¡± Ming Yuanhua shouted angrily as he heard these words at this moment.

    ¡°This Childe, I¡¯m not talking nonsense. My daughter was very bright and beautiful and looked the same as this girl in your mansion. The saying goes that a daughter is a piece of meat in her mother¡¯s heart. Although I haven¡¯t seen her for two years, I can still know that this is my daughter. I beg of you, Madam Dowager. Please give my daughter back to me, and I will make a longevity tablet for you and pray for good fortune for you.¡±

    The woman shed more tears. ¡°My daughter was well-behaved and clever, and people in the towns around us knew that our family raised a little ¡®fairy,¡¯ but no one expected that she had been cheated and taken to the capital. Madam Dowager, I beg you to let my daughter off. Everyone says that your mansion¡¯s Fifth Young Lady was very pudding-headed in the past. How could she be as clever as my daughter?¡±

    Initially, Madam Dowager was dubious about it, but when she heard these words now, her heart couldn¡¯t help beating violently once. The previous reputation of Ning Xueyan was not good ¨C she was timid and overcautious. Even when she met servants in the past, she was timid, and she was never such a properly-mannered daughter of a prestigious family that she presented now.

    No one had been in charge of the Bright Frost Garden, and Madam Ming and Ning Xueyan had almost been isted from the public¡¯s sight, but when she reappeared in front of the public, Ning Xueyan waspletely different from the previous herself in both character and behavior. Was it untrue that she got a clear mind because she was stimted by Madam Ming¡¯s death?

    Her eyes falling on Ning Xueyan, somehow, Madam Dowager wanted to survey her.

    ¡°Can it be true that Fifth Sister is not real, grandma?¡± Ning Yuling pulled Madam Dowager¡¯s sleeve at the right moment and asked in a whisper.

    Previously, Ning Xueyan was confused about a few things, but certainly not everything. Now, she was really clear about them and then hung her head slightly to cover the coldness in her eyes. It seemed that the next scene would be what she had guessed...

 Chapter 468 - Ignore the Difference between the Legitimate and Illegitimate Children

    <h4>Chapter 468 Ignore the Difference between the Legitimate and Illegitimate Children</h4>

    Their blood dripped into the water in the bowl. At first, they respectively floated in the east and west, but after a while, they slowly approached the edge of the bowl and merged in the end.

    Since Ning Yuling felt her arm pricked by a needle unexpectedly, she had looked disconcerted. She had expected that their blood could not merge, because Ning Ziyan had told her that the little bitch Ning Xueyan had changed a lot and might actually be someone else. Otherwise, it made no sense that such a cowardly and timid person would be like this.

    Ning Xueyan waspletely different as if she was reborn in mes.

    In the past, Ning Xueyan had never fought back or talked back and always allowed Ning Yuling to humiliate her. She could only tremble and even be unable to utter aplete sentence when forced into a corner by Ning Yuling. However, the current Ning Xueyan seemed to bepletely different. Perhaps she was a fake indeed...

    Ning Yuling had expected such a result that she had been looking at the two drops of blood in the water with her eyes widely opened. At the moment when the two drops of blood merged, she heard a buzz in her head. Ning Xueyan¡¯s identity turned out to be real! How could it be real since she had changed dramatically in such a short time?

    Madam Dowager also looked sullen. She stared nkly at the two drops of blood in the water and didn¡¯t know which result she had been expecting. She had mixed feelings, both disappointed and delighted.

    ¡°The water is from the well and used by everyone in Cold Mountain Temple, and the bowl is cleaned every day. Second Sister, do you believe that we are biologically rted now?¡± Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t look at Ning Yuling. She lowered her eyes and focused on the bowl of water. It seemed that only the bowl of water was what she cared most about.

    Meanwhile, the so-called rtives present, such as Ning Yuling, Madam Dowager and others, were less important than this bowl of water.

    Her grief almost infected everyone present. They involuntarily looked towards Madam Dowager on hearing her words.

    Her words were abrupt, but didn¡¯t seem abruptpared with what Ning Yuling had done before. Thinking of Madam Dowager¡¯s ambiguous attitude before, they felt pity for Ning Xueyan.

    Verifying blood affinity by dripping the blood into the water to see if the two drops of blood merged meant that Ning Xueyan was distrusted, and it was a shame for her to be forced to do so. Moreover, it happened in front of the solemn memorial tablet. As her grandma, Madam Dowager didn¡¯t even try to stop it and just let Ning Yuling kept stirring it up with her words.

    The Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was forced to have a blood test by her family members. Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was so callous that love and respect among their sisters were just bullshit. Even Madam Dowager, as an elder, was unkind and not protective towards this granddaughter at all.

    Thinking of the rumors before, people doubted that the Fifth Young Lady Ning, who was said to be the only legitimate daughter of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, was even inferior to a servant in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor! Ning Zu¡¯an hounded his legal wife (Ning Xueyan¡¯s mother, Madam Ming) to death because of his favorite concubine, Madam Ling who was so vicious, so even if she was a legitimate daughter, she lived such a miserable life.

    There was no one in the manor protecting her. More and more people felt pity for Ning Xueyan, while considering Lord Protector¡¯s Manor unkind. Such a family deserved so many scandals. They made a concubine the legal wife and a son born out of wedlock the legitimate son. They could do anything absurd.

    ¡°Xueyan,e here. I know that you¡¯ve been wronged. It¡¯s not anyone else¡¯s fault, but hers. Come and turn her over to the court. Daring to set up the legitimate daughter of our manor, she¡¯s seeking death.¡± Madam Dowager said amiably to Ning Xueyan, and then harshly shouted at the middle-aged woman kneeling on the ground.

    Of course, Madam Dowager was standing by Ning Xueyan¡¯s side with a clear-cut stand at this moment. The gaze at her of several madams, who were standing at the door to watch the farce, made her realize that something was wrong. If she hadn¡¯t some expectations just now, she would have stopped it. Now she probably had been considered unamiable, so she certainly felt anxious now.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to do that. Grandma, is it really important who set me up?¡± Ning Xueyan still didn¡¯t look up, but she seemed to have lost all interest in life and showed deep tiredness in her soft voice. She pushed the bowl containing blood towards Ning Yuling, and then carefully looked at the blood in the bowl.

    She didn¡¯t cry or make any scene. She was extremely quiet and gentle, but it made people feel more pity for her.

    She intended to stand up with Xinmei¡¯s help, but when she just stood up, she suddenly became limp.

    ¡°Young Lady, Young Lady!¡± Xinmei reached out to hold Ning Xueyan in a hurry and cried out anxiously.

    ¡°Hurry up and help my cousin to the side for a rest.¡± Ming Yuanhua hurriedly came over, supported her from the side, pointed to the door of the side hall and said. A novice monk had already walked over and opened the door. The two of them, together with several servants, ignored Madam Dowager¡¯s presence as an elder and helped Ning Xueyan to the side hall on their own.

    It was supposed to be ack of etiquette. Both Ming Yuanhua and Ning Xueyan were Madam Dowager¡¯s juniors, so they had to report to Madam Dowager before doing that. But at this moment, no one felt anything wrong. Madam Dowager treated her granddaughter so indifferently and heartlessly that it really chilled everyone¡¯s heart.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, I didn¡¯t mean it. It has nothing to do with me. I...¡± Ning Yuling exined, flustered. The development greatly went against her expectation. Their plot went wrong in thest step. Looking at the scared middle-aged woman, she found that they had missed a link.

    ording to her and Ning Ziyan¡¯s n, it would be found out that Ning Xueyan was not the biological daughter of their manor. At this moment, the middle-aged woman would im that Ning Xueyan had a birthmark, but Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t have it. That was to say, Ning Xueyan was still Madam Ming¡¯s daughter. However, since she was Madam Ming¡¯s daughter but her blood and Ning Yuling¡¯s blood couldn¡¯t merge, it only meant that there was something wrong with Ning Xueyan¡¯s identity.

    In this way, Madam Ming would be proved to be unfaithful, while the middle-aged woman could get away from it. The plot was closely linked and almost wless.

    However, the most important link of the plot went wrong, so the following links all went wrong. If the middle-aged woman was sent to the government, she would inevitably give up her and Ning Ziyan¡¯s names. At the thought of this, Ning Yuling became extremely anxious and looked out unconsciously.

    She hoped that Ning Ziyan could show up at this moment and at least bring the news that Ning Xueyan had a private meeting with a man. By the time such news came, at least Ning Xueyan¡¯s reputation would be ruined. At that time, no one would notice what the middle-aged woman had done.

    As she expected, someone came in and should bring the news from Ning Ziyan. As long as Ning Xueyan¡¯s scandal was exposed, what she had done here would be left aside. At the thought of this, she felt relieved and calmed down, and then stopped Madam Dowager, who also looked sullen and intended to get up to see Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Grandma, look, someone elsees from outside. I¡¯m wondering if Eldest Sister has anything to tell us. Let¡¯s wait for a while.¡±

    Ning Yuling suggested that they should leave Ning Xueyan, the decent legitimate daughter of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor who had passed out, aside and wait for a maid of Ning Ziyan, the daughter of a concubine. Madam Dowager felt embarrassed with no need to look at other mesdames¡¯ faces. She knew that what had happened before had driven a wedge between her and Ning Xueyan. Now she was eager to draw Ning Xueyan over to her side.

    Throwing away Ning Yuling¡¯s hand, Madam Dowager said with an unpleasant look, ¡°I don¡¯t think that she has anything important to tell us. You can wait here. I¡¯ll go to see Xueyan now.¡±

    ¡°Grandma, wait a minute. Maybe Eldest Sister really has something important to tell us.¡± How could Ning Yuling let Madam Dowager go at this moment? She reached out again anxiously to drag Madam Dowager¡¯s sleeve.

    ¡°Grandaunt, please wait and see what the Eldest Young Lady and the Second Young Lady are up to. You should handle the elder sisters¡¯ business first. Xueyan won¡¯t be able to have a rest peacefully until they finish their farce.¡± No one knew when Ming Yuanhua showed up at the door of the side hall. He coldly watched what was going on in the hall, and said with cold eyes.

    He said politely and suggested that Madam Dowager should handle the elder sisters¡¯ business first. His words seemed to be reasonable, but thinking them over, people would find that they were not reasonable actually. Aristocratic familiesid stress on treating the legitimate children and illegitimate children differently. In the entire Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Ning Xueyan was the only legitimate daughter at the moment, while Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling were not even ordinary illegitimate daughters.

    How could they be so bold to make trouble? Now the legitimate daughter had passed out and was lying inside. The maid sent by an illegitimate daughter was even more important than the fainted legitimate daughter? How much Lord Protector¡¯s Manor ignored the difference between the legitimate and illegitimate children and disobeyed proper rules so that the two outrageous sisters could be so bumptious?

    ¡°How dare you stop me! If you think that Ziyan has something important to tell you, just wait here on your own.¡± Embarrassed by others¡¯ gaze, Madam Dowager rebuked Ning Yuling harshly with a p of her sleeve, while her face turned red. She just heard a few of the words in low voices at the gate of the main hall, though she did not hear clearly, even so, she still blushed unconsciously.

    She had felt displeased with the fact that Ning Yuling set her mind on being someone¡¯s concubine. Now she became even more displeased. She only felt that Ning Yuling was not only shameless but also brainless. Stirred up by Ning Yuling, she let Ning Xueyan have the blood test in front of so many people. Others must consider her unamiable.

    Thinking of this, with her veins protruding, Madam Dowager intended to walk away regardless of Ning Yuling. She really hated that Ning Yuling decided all by herself. Of course, she chose to forget her expectation that the two drops of blood wouldn¡¯t merge. If so, Huaiyuan would be the legitimate son of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor again.

    Compared with the legitimate son, the legitimate daughter was much less important.

    Therefore, Madam Dowager did not stop Ning Yuling just now. But now, things went contrary to her wishes. Not only did she fail to get the result she had expected, but she was also considered an unamiable elder. How could she not be angry?

    ¡°Grandma, eldest sister really has something important to tell us. Please wait for a while,¡± Ning Yuling said in a low voice. Seeing that the maid, who ran over, was about to enter the hall, she was afraid that Madam Dowager would really leave and then there would be no one influential enough here. So she revealed a hint in her words.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Madam Dowager immediately understood what Ning Yuling meant. She stopped and raised her eyebrows with a cold sparkle in her eyes.

    ¡°Grandma, please leave, leave after hearing it...¡± Ning Yuling said eagerly, while involuntarily showing a joyful andcent look.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, Madam Dowager, something happened. Something serious happened!¡± The maid ran over with sweat all over her face. She pushed away the crowd in the hall and shouted in panic beforeing up to Madam Dowager.

    ¡°What happened? Say it!¡± For fear that Madam Dowager would not ask, Ning Yuling asked hastily before Madam Dowager said anything. Madam Dowager clearly saw the delight in her eyes.

    ¡°The Eldest Young Lady has done wrong. Madam Dowager, please go and have a look. The Eldest Young Lady has been caught in the private meeting with another man.¡± As expected, asked by Ning Yuling, the maid only focused on answering without noticing the volume of her voice. On hearing her words, the whole hall fell into silence.

    Ning Yuling was shocked and stunned. She felt cold all over as if she had been poured by cold water from her head to her toe. Before she could react, she was pped violently, making her stagger and fall to the ground heavily...

 Chapter 469 - Iâ€™m Going to Reject the Marriage

    <h4>Chapter 469 I¡¯m Going to Reject the Marriage</h4>

    In the cage in front of the corridor, a gorgeous parrot was jumping up and down on the pole, pecking at the food by its side from time to time. Suddenly, it heard some sounds and turned around to listen carefully, and then excitedly flew in the cage and screamed in a strange tone, ¡°Hurry up. His Highness hase. Lackeys,e and serve His Highness.¡±

    In the corner of the corridor, Ao Chenyi, who showed sly coldness on his handsome face, came over with a few servants behind him. On hearing the cry of the parrot in the corridor, he stopped with his hands sped behind his back and turned around leisurely.

    ¡°Your Highness, Your Highness!¡± The parrot turned towards Ao Chenyi obsequiously. Showing no fear of Prince Yi, who had a poker face, it screamed again, ¡°Lackeys,e and serve His Highness.¡±

    ¡°This parrot is quite bold.¡± With an evil smile on his face, Ao Chenyi lifted the corners of his red lips and reached out to y with the parrot. The parrot in the cage became increasingly excited, pping its wings and flying in the cage.

    ¡°Your Highness, you fed this parrot before, so it has kept your kindness in mind!¡± Eunuch Ling, the general director of the inner courtyard, stepped behind Ao Chenyi and said with a smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s not necessarily true,¡± Ao Chenyi said with a faint smile, ¡°How¡¯s the matter over there going?¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, rest assured. I¡¯ve got rid of the man.¡± Yu Jian replied from behind.

    ¡°Just leave the affairs of the Ministry of War aside for the time being. How is it going in the imperial pce?¡± Ao Chenyi said with a light smile. His clear voice sounded extremely cold.

    Eunuch Ling implicitly replied, ¡°On hearing the scandals of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, His Majesty had another bowl of rice that day and went to Honored Consort Ya¡¯s pce at night.¡±

    ¡°It seems that my royal brother is very satisfied that I¡¯m going to marry such a co-consort soon,¡± Ao Chenyi said lightly. He lifted the corners of his red lips to show a light and sharp smile, and reached out to y with the gorgeous parrot in the cage again. The parrot flew excitedly and kept shouting, ¡°Your Highness, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, would you like to go to the imperial pce and tell His Majesty about this?¡± Eunuch Ling asked with a smile. It was really a shame for Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to have such a scandal. Of course, Minster Xia¡¯s Manor also got involved in this. The scandal was about Minster Xia¡¯s daughter-inw, the Eldest Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    She was caught in the private meeting with a man in the temple. Moreover, the man was a ruffian, and the affair between them was described as extremely disgraceful. At that time, several mesdames, who had heard it, all imed that they had never seen such a shameless couple. What was more, the Second Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, a concubine of the Xia Manor with ceaseless scandals, even forced her legitimate younger sister to kneel in front of her legal mother¡¯s memorial tablet and have a blood test.

    They were extremely overbearing and shameless, which caused public anger.

    ¡°Of course, I would like to do that, lest my royal brother be overjoyed.¡± Ao Chenyi raised his eyebrows and suddenlyughed meaningfully. His extremely handsome face immediately showed a sort of sly coldness.

    ¡°Your Highness, are you going to tell His Majesty about what you did to the Third Prince at the same time?¡± Eunuch Ling reminded him. Ao Chenyi had pped the Third Prince. Despite the Third Prince¡¯s improper behavior, Ao Chenyi couldn¡¯t p him without giving an exnation. After all, he was the favorite son of the emperor.

    Ao Chenyi flicked the cage with his finger. The cage shook, and the parrot inside pped its wings and shouted harshly, ¡°Your Highness! Your Highness! Come and serve His Highness!¡±

    ¡°Of course. I can¡¯t marry a co-consort who keeps dragging me down easily.¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, what do you mean?¡± Watching Ao Chenyi raise his delicate eyebrows, Eunuch Ling didn¡¯t think that he wasining, so he couldn¡¯t help asking.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to reject the marriage!¡± Ao Chenyi suddenly said with a meaningful smile, ¡°Since the marriage is not ideal and Ao Mingyu gets involved in it, it¡¯s reasonable for me to reject it!¡±

    Eunuch Ling and Yu Jian became speechless for a while. They thought, ¡°Your Highness, you seem to be overjoyed as a man who is going to reject the marriage! People aware of it understand that you are going to go against His Majesty, while people ignorant of it may think that you got great news. You just look socent!¡±

    Ao Chenyi was going to the imperial pce to reject the marriage, while knowing that he wouldn¡¯t seed. What made him socent? Since the marriage was granted by the imperial edict issued by the emperor, how could it be withdrawn? Besides, the Third Prince interfered in it. If it was known to all that the Third Prince molested his future aunt-inw, his reputation would be totally ruined.

    The emperor would not agree on it for the sake of the Third Prince¡¯s reputation. Moreover, the marriage between the Third Prince and the Third Young Lady was a done deal. If Ao Chenyi did not marry the Fifth Young Lady, Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would bet all their hope on the Third Prince. Therefore, the emperor would never agree on Ao Chenyi¡¯s refusal of the marriage.

    ¡°Your Highness, the Fifth Young Lady¡¯s biological mother, Madam Ming, seems to be rted to the former dynasty. Do you think it necessary to think it over?¡± Eunuch Ling had watched Ao Chenyi grow up, so he involuntarily reminded him at this moment. Everything about the former dynasty was a taboo. There were some things that everyone took seriously but didn¡¯t bring to the table.

    Anyway it wasplicated. Eunuch Ling said this out of kindness, fearing that Ao Chenyi would be set up by the Emperor. Thinking of this, Eunuch Ling felt indignant. Ao Chenyi¡¯s identity as the emperor¡¯s younger brother was originally designated by the former emperor, and the imperial edict was ced together with the one designating the current emperor.

    At that time, with so many ministers as notaries, all knew that it was true.

    But now the emperor had inherited the throne, but blurred Ao Chenyi¡¯s identity as the former emperor¡¯s younger brother intentionally or unintentionally, as if Ao Chenyi was only Prince Yi, the former emperor¡¯s son, instead of the emperor¡¯s younger brother, who was going to take over the country as the supreme man in the future.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about it. Since she¡¯s the girl I choose, I don¡¯t care about it even if she¡¯s the princess of the previous dynasty!¡± Ao Chenyi raised his gorgeous nted eyes, and his cold tone contained indubitable arrogance and aggressiveness.

    Ning Ziyan was caught in Cold Mountain Temple. With arge number of people as witnesses and the portrait as the evidence, everyone believed that Ning Ziyan was unfortunately caught in the private meeting with a man. Later, what Ning Yuling did showed everyone how shameless and overbearing she was.

    Because Ning Xueyan had passed out, she was brought to the Ming Manor by Ming Yuanhua for recuperation. Madam Dowager would haven¡¯t allowed it, but the discovery of Ning Ziyan¡¯s private meeting with a man caused chaos. She was so flustered at the moment that she ignored Ning Xueyan. By the time she found that Ning Xueyan was missing, Ning Xueyan had already arrived at the Ming Manor.

    Ning Xueyan had been forced to have a blood test in front of Madam Ming¡¯s memorial tablet just now, so now Madam Dowager didn¡¯t dare to directly go to the Ming Manor and ask them to send Ning Xueyan back to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Madam Dowager bore the reputation as an unamiable elder because of this. If she kept hounding Ning Xueyan, she would probably undermine her rtionship with Ning Xueyan.

    In the past, Madam Dowager didn¡¯t care about Ning Xueyan¡¯s presence at all. But now the entire manor could only rely on Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan. Moreover, Madam Dowager felt that Prince Yi seemed to value Ning Xueyan more, so she didn¡¯t dare to hound Ning Xueyan too much at this moment. Although it didn¡¯t conform to etiquette, the Ming Manor was the home of Ning Xueyan¡¯s uncle anyway. It was reasonable for her to live there for a period of time.

    Madam Dowager was too ashamed to stay in Cold Mountain Temple. She hastily packed up some things, went down the mountain that day and returned to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Regarding Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling, Madam Dowager didn¡¯t want to clean up their mess. So when Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling followed her and intended to enter the manor, Madam Dowager shut the door on them.

    The married daughter was like spilled water. Madam Dowager now wished she could chock both of them to death. A scandal was not enough, and it was followed by one another. Madam Dowager finally understood this time that the reputations of her two granddaughters were totally ruined. They became useless now, so she certainly wouldn¡¯t be kind to them. Hearing that Ning Huaiyuan secretly let them in, she sent some servants to kick them out directly.

    Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling didn¡¯t expect Madam Dowager to be so heartless. They had intended to suppress it in the name of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, but now it was obvious that Madam Dowager didn¡¯t want to clean up their mess anymore. They had no choice but to go back to the Xia Manor in disgrace. As soon as they arrived at the Xia Manor, they were called to Madam Xia¡¯s courtyard by an old maid.

    Madam Xia rebuked them harshly in front of all the servants and instructed them to kneel in the courtyard for punishment. They knelt till they passed out. The next day, Madam Xia went to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to ask to meet Madam Dowager. After talking with Madam Dowager in Lucky Garden for a while, she returned to the Xia Manor and instructed Ning Ziyan to move from her original courtyard to Ning Yuling¡¯s courtyard and live with Ning Yuling.

    In fact, it was very simple to turn Ning Ziyan from the legal wife into a concubine. They only needed to im that she married into the Xia Manor during the funeral of the legal Madam of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, so her marriage shouldn¡¯t be taken seriously. Besides, as the daughter of a concubine, she was unqualified to be the legal wife. Meanwhile, no one from Lord Protector¡¯s Manor spoke for her. In this way, it could be considered agreed by the two manors after negotiation.

    The legal wife¡¯s infidelity and a concubine¡¯s infidelity were totally different. Besides, the Xia Manor didn¡¯t kill Ning Ziyan. Madam Dowager intended to ignore them, so she consented to Madam Xia¡¯s request. In this way, they kept Ning Ziyan alive and kept the reputations of the two manors.

    Madam Dowager didn¡¯t care about whether Ning Ziyan was the Legal Wife. In her opinion, since Ning Yuling was a concubine, she didn¡¯t care about Ning Ziyan¡¯s bing another concubine.

    Ning Ziyan didn¡¯t respect herself, screwed around with a ruffian and was caught. It was nobody else¡¯s fault.

    Since Lord Protector¡¯s Manor didn¡¯t say anything about it, others wouldn¡¯t care about it. Besides, the exnation they came up with made it reasonable. So the position of the legal wife, which originally belonged to Ning Ziyan, was vacant.

    Hearing that she had been turned into a concubine from the legal wife, Ning Ziyan fainted again. When she woke up again, she went to the study to beg Xia Yuhang tearfully. However, no matter how sadly she cried, the door of the study remained closed. In the study, Xia Yuhang seemed to not hear Ning Ziyan wail at all.

    Finally it was warm-hearted Concubine Chen who had tidied up Ning Ziyan¡¯s clothes and helped her move out of the main courtyard where she hadn¡¯t lived long.

    At that time, she married into the Xia Manor with a magnificent wedding and five-kilometer red dowry. For the sake of the brilliant husband and a perfect marriage, she even killed Ning Ziying. In the end, she found that she had done everything in vain. Carrying out the scheme one and another, she could only be a concubine in the end.

    When the news came to the Ming¡¯s Manor, Ning Xueyan showed a smile as pleasant and bright as a flower in spring. She then bent down and got on a small sedan chair.

 Chapter 470 - A Suspicion Generated in the Nunnery of a Barren Mountain

    <h4>Chapter 470 A Suspicion Generated in the Nunnery of a Barren Mountain</h4>

    The small sedan chair was the most ordinary one, and the person standing beside it was only Xinmei. The sedan chair was moving along the winding mountain path that stretched far, and the path became remoter as they traveled. After a long time, it stopped in front of a small temple. The barren mountain path, the dpidated nunnery gate, and the various weeds all showed that this remote ce was rarely visited.

    On top of the gate were written ¡°Qingming Nunnery¡±. These characters looked quite old, and some of their strokes had even fallen off, showing that they were much too broken, but they were in great harmony with the dpidated gate.

    Xinmei went over to knock on the door, and an old nun then came out. After exchanging a few words with her, Xinmei came back. Next, Ning Xueyan got out of the sedan chair and went with Xinmei after the old nun. They didn¡¯t stop until they reached a dpidated room. Then, the old nun bowed respectfully to Ning Xueyan and retired.

    Dressed in old clothes, Mother Chen came out from inside. When she saw Ning Xueyan, she bowed hurriedly. She was the one who had been asked to serve Madam Ling.

    Ning Xueyan waved her hand but did not look at her at all, and went straight through the entrance, where there was some weed on the door.

    Xinmei signaled Mother Chen to go outside with her, staying far away from the door. If this had happened in the past, Mother Chen would not have listened to her, but now she did not dare to utter a word to protest and went out silently.

    The outside was bright with sunlight, while the inside of the room was dim. Madam Ling was sitting on the bed, pale-faced and shaggy-haired. Ning Xueyan had not seen her for only a few days, but she had be so old that the former could almost not recognize her at first nce. She had aged more than a dozen years in just a short time.

    Seeing Ning Xueyane in from the door, Madam Ling immediately widened her eyes to study her as if she could almost not recognize her, clearly showing shock in her eyes.

    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s so unbelievable to see me still stand here alive now?¡± Ning Xueyan raised her brows, and her eyes and brows were filled with coldness.

    ¡°Little bitch, you...¡± Madam Ling, who was awake suddenly, immediately pointed at Ning Xueyan and shouted angrily.

    ¡°Since you now still have the strength to shout, shout for a few more moments. Don¡¯t you want to know the result of your two daughters who had plotted against me?¡± Ning Xueyan interrupted her after a sneer.

    ¡°What, what have you done to them?¡± Madam Ling, whose face turned pale and who could not care about shouting, looked up and asked in a trembling voice.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that what I have done to them, but that they were hoisted by their own petard. Madam Ling, when you went to grab this marriage, did you expect that your daughter would be a concubine someday and get abandoned by Xia Yuhang?¡± Ning Xueyan said coldly and could not help exposing hatred in her eyes.

    The blood was so bright that day. She, who could almost not feel herself because of the pain, was heavily pressed into the water. Forced by suffocation, she struggled painfully, but everything she did was useless. Finally, she could only see a corner of the pale sky through the bright-red water. At that moment, all the people¡¯s faces were pale and also bright-red.

    ¡°You, you are lying. This would not happen to Yan¡¯er. Yuhang loves Yan¡¯er, and he would never do the thing of turning a wife to a concubine.¡± A touch of ferociousness appeared on Madam Ling¡¯s face and then vanished as if she was persuading herself.

    ¡°Someone could favor a concubine and kill his wife, and someone could kill a human for the sake of grabbing a marriage from someone else, so how could it not be possible for Ning Ziyan¡¯s position to be lowered to a concubine? She wanted to degenerate and had a tryst with someone, but she was found. This is much more serious than the crime Ning Ziyingmitted in the past! Since there is irrefutable evidence, even if Ning Ziyan wants to defend herself, she can¡¯t make herself clean.¡±

    Ning Xueyan gave a cold smile and looked at Madam Ling mockingly. At that time, Madam Ling used the former¡¯s painting to dere her guilty and then drowned her in the lotus pond, making her fall into the fate of death with a false charge. In contrast, Ning Ziyan¡¯s life was now speared by the Xia Manor even after she was found on the bed with an adulterer, and this could be an exnation to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    ¡°How, how could you know that?¡± At first, Madam Ling was sad and then became terrified, looking at Ning Xueyan in horror. As for Ning Ziying¡¯s case, no one but she and her two confidants knew it. Many people went there at that time, but apart from Mother Yun, Mother Chen, and Ning Ziyan, they were all killed by her with different meanster.

    ¡°Is, is it Mother Yun, the old fucking woman, who did it?¡± Madam Ling suddenly came to her senses and screamed.

    ¡°Madam Ling, you deliberately framed Ning Ziying and killed her, but God knows what you did. Now, your daughters¡¯ result is what they deserve. You wanted your two daughters to frame me so that you could be the marchioness again. Unfortunately, not only did this n fail, but your two daughter¡¯s future has also been affected.¡±

    Ning Xueyan raised her brows and pressed step by step. ¡°The event of testing family connections with blood drops was arranged. Did you think that I am not Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s daughter? Unfortunately, my blood and your second daughter¡¯s merged into each other.¡±

    ¡°Impossible, impossible, how was it possible?¡± Madam Ling shook her head sorrowfully, looking like a lunatic. Clutching the tattered cotton wool under her, she kept screaming.

    ¡°How was it not possible? Madam Ling, your daughter has lost all standing and reputation, your son will never have the chance to seed the Lord Protector¡¯s position, and your descendants will be the children of the concubines forever, so what could you use topare with me, the daughter of the marquis and his wife? Now, I am the biological daughter of my father and his wife, and your two daughters are a concubine¡¯s valueless daughters and worthless concubines.¡±

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s voice gave off an eerily chill that prevented people from breathing in the dim room. Each and every word she said just hit Madam Ling in the heart.

    ¡°No, how could it be like this? My daughter is the wife¡¯s daughter, my son will be the future marquis, and I should be the person who enjoys the honor.¡± Madam Ling shook her head frantically, showing the unusual cruelty and viciousness in her eyes.

    ¡°You are not... You are not the daughter of the marquis and his wife, and Yan¡¯er and Ling¡¯er are. You are not! Blood-dropping was not urate, and it was false. It must be false! Ah, it might not necessarily be false. Your blood merged with Ling¡¯er¡¯s, but it is not necessarily to say you are the daughter of the marquis. You are the daughter of Madam Ming, and Madam Ming and the marquis are cousins. This blood test is not urate, not urate!¡±

    Madam Ming¡¯s wild voice was with a sharp crying tone, and her hair was hung loosely behind her head, looking quite unkempt. She shook her head madly like a lunatic, and her words were vague and illogical, but she still seemed to see light suddenly, lookingpletely crazy.

    Ning Xueyan looked at her quietly. When she saw that Madam Ling¡¯s hair became unkempt due to her head-shaking, looking more like a crazy old woman, she said, ¡°Madam Ling, today¡¯s situation is the result of the cause you made yesterday. Or perhaps you can wait and see how more miserably your daughters will die then!¡±

    After finishing these words, she did not look at her anymore. She turned around and walked out of the room, but she heard the high-pitched frantic voiceing from behind. ¡°Ning Xueyan, Ning Xueyan,e back,e back!¡±

    Ning Xueyan walked out of the room without a pause. Seeing that Mother Chen hung her head and shoulders standing under the porch, she stopped.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady.¡± Mother Chen gently came over to salute her, and the nursemaid¡¯s clothes were no longer those shining ones she wore when she was in the Marquis¡¯s Manor in the past.

    ¡°Mother Chen, when someone from the marquis¡¯s manor came here several days ago, how long did the person talk with Madam Ling?¡± Ning Xueyan stood at a high spot and looked at Mother Chen coldly.

    ¡°For, for a while, a short while. Eldest Young Master asked someone... to send some clothes.¡± Hearing Ning Xueyan¡¯s question, Mother Chen knew that Ning Xueyan must have learned something, and then she answered in a stuttering tone.

    Madam Ling asked her to go outside and chat with the older female servant for a while at that time, and Mother Chen then knew that it might not be simply a matter of sending clothes.

    As expected, Fifth Young Lady came today. Although she was not in the room, she heard Madam Ling¡¯s words said with a high-pitched voice. The information they contained was never only a little, so when she saw Ning Xueyan now, she felt quite guilty, working hard to curl up and not daring to look at Ning Xueyan¡¯s ck jade-like eyes that seemed to be able to see everything through.

    ¡°The environment here is not bad, and you can live here for a lifetime, Mother Chen,¡± Ning Xueyan said gently, seemingly referring to something. As soon as she finished these words, she walked outside. Xinmei turned around and followed her silently. The two of them left Qingming Nunnery silently, just as they came here a while ago.

    ¡°Live here for a lifetime?¡± Mother Chen suddenly turned ashen. Since she came here, her life had changedpletely. This was a barren and very broken courtyard, so how could she be willing to spend her whole life here? When she served Madam Ling previously, she was her confidant and could get a rtively handsome sry.

    If she could leave here, it was enough for her to live well and peacefully for the rest of her life with the money, and she would not need to serve others, but now she had been punished foring here to stay with Madam Ling. Of course, the marquis¡¯s manor meant that she should serve Madam Ling. If Madam Ling could go back, she would surely have the chance to get a promising future, but what if she could not go back?

    Mother Chen did not dare to think about it. Just now, she concealed the real situation of Eldest Young Master sending someone here so that Fifth Young Lady got angry. If Madam Ling would never be in power, she would really have to die with her in the deserted wild mountain.

    She was not willing to end like this. She had money and a nephew who was filial to her, so why should she endure hardships here? Why should she live with Madam Ling to death here?

    She gritted her teeth and shot a look at the doors that were merely closed, giving off a kind of insidious light. If Madam Ling had a chance, she would follow her; if Madam Ling did not have a chance, she would do her best to atone for her crime by doing good deeds to absolutely make Fifth Young Lady satisfied...

    The sedan chair was raised and started moving. In the sedan chair, Ning Xueyan closed her eyes slightly and knitted her thin and curved brows. Of course, she did note here today only for stimting Madam Ling. Surely, Madam Ling contributed most to the idea of setting the trap by Ning Ziyan, but what she was confused about was that why Madam Ling had gotten the idea of asking her to test family connections with blood drops.

    So, she did her best to stimte Madam Ling with words. Expectedly, the illogical words of Madam Ling seemed to reveal another piece of information, which she had never thought about before. ¡°If that is true, how could this... be possible!¡±

    With her face turning slightly pale, she looked a little tired, trying her best to remove the little suspicion on her mind. ¡°Possibly, I thought too much, and then I had this feeling. That fact hardly exists. In my memory, Madam Ming was sedate, but the words of others say that Madam Ming was proud and shining. It¡¯s impossible for such a woman to do such a thing.¡±

    Nine Xueyan instantly vetoed this idea because that was bringing disgrace to her...

    ¡°Xinmei, let¡¯s go and see Mother Wang,¡± Ning Xueyan stamped her foot lightly on the floor of the sedan chair and said softly. A touch of light appeared and vanished in her ck jade-like eyes. ¡°Mother Wang should perhaps have information!¡±

 Chapter 471 - Ning Xueyan Returns to Lord Protectorâ€™s Manor

    <h4>Chapter 471 Ning Xueyan Returns to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor</h4>

    Initially, Ning Xueyan wanted to visit Mother Wang and ask her, but she did not expect to meet Ming Yuanhuaing here with his men as soon as she went down the mountain slope. He said that some items from the pce would be granted to her as a reward and asked her to go back.

    When she hurried back to the Ming Manor, the eunuch from the pce rewarded her with a few items in the name of the empress and then left politely.

    This was an inexplicable reward. Not to mention that Ning Xueyan had not done anything good recently, as long as the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor with its current condition was not reprimanded, it was a good situation.

    Besides that, even if she was rewarded, the reward should be sent to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Anyway, Ning Xueyan was a girl of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, but why had the reward been carried to the Ming Manor?

    ¡°What do you think this means, aunt?¡± Ning Xueyan frowned and asked with confusion.

    Madam Ming counted the items of reward on the side, which were many indeed. Then, she put down the bolt of satin in her hands. ¡°Maybe the pce thinks that your mansion went through so many bad things, afraid that the marriage between you and Prince Yi wille to nothing, so it tries to bring some grace to you.¡±

    The words were said with an extremely deep meaning. Everyone could see the tit for tat between Prince Yi and the emperor. For the emperor, he was surely most willing to see that Prince Yi¡¯s mansion was not in a good situation. The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had already be the burden of Ning Xueyan, and the emperor was happiest to see Ning Xueyan marry Prince Yi with this burden.

    ¡°But you don¡¯t have to worry about anything. Anyway, you are a woman and can¡¯t make a decision. Since the pce has rewarded you, you just take it. In any case, this is good for you.¡± Madam Ming heaved a light sigh and touched Ning Xueyan¡¯s head with her hand and asked worriedly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you get hurt this time? Do you need to nurse your health carefully? For a girl, health is the most important thing.¡±

    ¡°Aunt-inw, I¡¯m truly fine. I was only scratched by a few twigs. Apart from that, I¡¯m fine. The injuries to the internal organs are only used to cheat others, of course.¡± Ning Xueyan liked this kind and gentle aunt-inw very much. When she felt the warmth of her palm, she also had warmth in her heart.

    ¡°Did the imperial physician from Prince Yi say so because he did get the instruction of the prince?¡± Madam Ming asked again.

    ¡°Yes, Prince Yi and I discussed it and made the decision. Don¡¯t worry, aunt-inw!¡± Ning Xueyan nodded and confirmed it again and again.

    Seeing that Ning Xueyan was so sure, Madam Ming rxed her expression slightly. ¡°Although marrying two consorts at the same time is an honor, you are put into a very difficult situation, in fact. But since Prince Yi could think of the method of letting you show weakness, it proves that Prince Yi is not as cold-blooded as he is rumored. Anyway, he always tries to protect you.¡±

    Madam Ming was indeed worried about Ning Xueyan. For her, the so-called honor was not much too beneficial. Instead, it had made her a thorn in the flesh of Commandery Princess Xianyun even before she was married into the mansion. Commandery Princess Xianyun was the consort and also a family member of the parents of the Empress Dowager, and she also had a rtionship with the emperor. Since she had a distinguished status, Madam Ming worried that Ning Xueyan would suffer losses if she confronted her.

    Madam Dowager of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was truly happy about marrying two consorts at the same time, thinking that this was the greatest honor to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, but she did not think of the hidden trouble of it. It was not to say that Madam Dowager was not clear about the trouble in it, but that she had not sincerely cared about Ning Xueyan and only regarded her as a tool for getting promotions.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine now, aunt. My internal organs are injured, and this is likely to hurt the baby during pregnancy. Surely, Commandery Princess Xianyun will have no worries,¡± Ning Xueyan held Madam Ming¡¯s hand and said with a smile, referring to something.

    Madam Ming turned her own hand and then held her hand. She patted it and said with gratification, ¡°That¡¯s best. I guess that the pce rewarded you with these items also because of this reason, so just rest assured to receive them. You will be getting married soon, and you should go back after staying here for a few more days. Anyway, you are the daughter of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Coming to stay here this time without getting the permission of Madam Dowager is against the rule. If you stay here any longer, it is really not good.¡±

    In fact, it was wrong for Ning Xueyan to still stay in another mansion before she got married, but after the Cold Mountain Temple¡¯s incident, everyone stood on her side temporarily, thinking that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had forced this Fifth Young Lady too much. Therefore, it was reasonable for her to stay outside for a few days, but if she kept staying there, it¡¯d be really not so good.

    ¡°Aunt, I see. I¡¯ll go back tomorrow.¡± Ning Xueyan also knew this principle. Besides that, she did have many things to do, including a few things on embroidery and other things, so she would be very busy in the following days. The reason why she pretended to faint and came to the Ming Manor was that she wanted people to see that Madam Dowager was not amicable and deliberately make this matter influential.

    Now her goal had been reached. Of course, she should go back to the manor because going beyond the limit was bad and it was good to stop at a proper degree.

    The Cold Mountain Temple¡¯s incident was almost over, and the rest would be handed to Ming Yuanhua to deal with. What Ning Xueyan only needed to do was go up to the mountain to do worship again on thest day.

    In the next period of time, she could not go out of the mansion anymore because she would have to concentrate on preparing for getting married.

    So, before returning to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Ning Xueyan especially went outside and took a look at the shop she had chosen. The decoration of the shop was almost finished. As for the goods, only a small portion of them was made by Ning Xueyan herself, and the rest had all been purchased and stocked. The only thing left was to officially open the shop in a few days.

    Ning Xueyan observed it and felt satisfied, and then she still entrusted Mother Han with the management. She, however, returned to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor after lunch the next day.

    Just when she arrived at the gate of the mansion, she found that Mother Qin had been there. Seeing the horse-drawn carriage of the Ming Manoring over, she hurriedly raised the curtain, inviting Ning Xueyan to get off.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, you are finally back. Madam Dowager has been waiting for you for a long time. Madam Dowager has not slept well these days only because she was worried about you. Now, it¡¯s good. Fifth Young Lady, you are finally back!¡± Mother Qin smiled and mentioned ¡°Madam Dowager¡± again and again as if Ning Xueyan was the favorite granddaughter of Madam Dowager. The servant looked quite solicitous.

    ¡°How about the health of my grandma? I passed out that day, but when I woke up, I was in my uncle¡¯s mansion. Today I feel a little better, but I heard that my grandma was unwell, so I immediately came back to see her.¡± They were at the gate, and Mother Qin was expressing the kindness and love of Madam Dowager. Of course, Ning Xueyan could not let her wish fulfilled.

    These days, Madam Dowager sent people to ask her to go back every day, saying that she was unwell.

    Everyone knew that the so-called ¡°unwell¡± was only an excuse. When the reward from the pce was sent to the Ming Manor, the situation became particrly bad, for it was more like a p in the face of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. At a time, Madam Dowager sent three older female servants to Ning Xueyan, meaning that she should know that staying in the Ming Manor at this time was not right.

    Of course, Ning Xueyan did not intend to hide this fact for Madam Dowager. On the one hand, Madam Dowager forced Ning Xueyan to go back from the Ming Manor; one the other hand, she wanted to show her love and kindness through acting.

    Sure enough, Mother Qin had an embarrassed expression for a moment and did not dare to show off Madam Dowager¡¯s love and kindness at the gate anymore. Immediately, she smiled and invited Ning Xueyan to go in.

    These people went to Madam Dowager¡¯s Lucky Garden together.

    When they reached Madam Dowager¡¯s ce, surely, Madam Dowager also made a show, saying with red eyes that Ning Xueyan suffered from injustice and also repetitively expressing that the future affairs of Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling would have nothing to do with the marquis¡¯s manor. Since they had been married into the Minster Xia¡¯s manor, they should be the members of the Xia Manor. If they had nothing serious to do, they would not be allowed toe back to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    And she also specially said that Ning Ziyan was now only Xia Yuhang¡¯s concubine, for she meant to vent Ning Xueyan¡¯s anger. As for the Cold Mountain Temple¡¯s incident, Madam Dowager naturally learned that it should be Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling who had plotted against Ning Xueyan after she pondered the development of this matter. Since that middle-aged woman did not have tight lips, she could get the truth just by bringing her and asking her.

    But Madam Dowager could not make it public. Ning Xueyan was surnamed Ning, and so were Ning Yuling and Ning Ziyan. They shared the same surname Ning, so others all knew that they were girls of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Although everyone thought that Ning Yuling was arrogant, it was much better than the fact that she set a trap to hurt Ning Xueyan.

    With these words said, she also meant that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor did not stand in line with Ning Ziyan.

    Both parties knew some things but did not have to say them. Ostensibly, Ning Xueyan said that she would not ask about it anymore. After saying a few words, she made an excuse that she had not fully recovered. Of course, Madam Dowager allowed her to go back to the Bright Frost Garden and rest.

    Back at the Bright Frost Garden, Qingyu had been waiting there for a long time. When she saw Ning Xueyan, she became sad. Like Ning Xueyan, Qingyu was not seriously injured, either, and she was in better health than Ning Xueyan was, so she had long recovered recently. Seeing Ning Xueyan was safe and sound, Qingyu was finally relieved.

    When she finishedbing her hair and washing her face and hands, she rested for a while. Then, an older female servant came, saying that Ning Zu¡¯an invited Fifth Young Lady to the study to talk.

    Ning Xueyan did not know what Ning Zu¡¯an asked her for at this time, but she still nodded and went with Lanning after the older female servant to the study of Ning Zu¡¯an.

    When the young male servant at the door of the study saw Ning Xueyan, he asked her to go in straight. Ning Xueyan stopped for a short moment at the door, looked at another servant standing quietly with a bowed head at the entrance of the yard and the window of the inner chamber with an unknown meaning, and then walked in.

    In the study, Ning Zu¡¯an looked with knitted brows at his fifth daughter slowly walking in, his eyes glinting with aplicated expression.

    He had not really liked this daughter since she was born. Later, he even ignored her so much, but he did not expect that she had the chance to make a sudden amazing achievement. In contrast, the other two beautiful and charming daughters he had brought up ended up in such a way. Indeed, he had never thought about it.

    Ning Xueyan came in and saluted him with a woman¡¯s bow. ¡°Father!¡±

    ¡°Sit down!¡± Ning Zu¡¯an waved his hand and said with an unclear attitude and a sullen face.

    Ning Xueyan nodded and sat down on his right-hand seat. When she was in the Ming Manor previously, this ¡°father¡± did not go there and ask her about anything, nor did he visit her and ask about her injuries. Unexpectedly, when she came back to the mansion this time, he received the information and immediately summoned her here.

    This action seemed not to be what a father should do when he wanted to care about his daughter.

    ¡°How about your health? Are you all right?¡± Ning Zu¡¯an looked Ning Xueyan up and down twice. Seeing that she was as pale as ever before, he could not help frowning. ¡°She has been unhealthy with the weak body since she was young. Now, it is said that her internal organs are injured. If she enters Prince Yi¡¯s Manor in the future, I¡¯m afraid that she will have difficulty in giving birth to children.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your care, father, but my injuries are not a problem now. After a period of careful recuperation, I will be fine.¡± Ning Ziyan said gently. Her long and thick eyshes pped, bringing a trace of light cold ridicule. If these words were said by the other ¡°fathers¡±, this must be their sincere care of their daughter.

    But these words were said by Ning Zu¡¯an, and the object of his speech was her, so Ning Xueyan had to feel the ridicule. ¡°Ning Zu¡¯an has always been the kind father of Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling, and when did he have time to ask about my condition?

    ¡°Ning Zu¡¯an will care about me?¡± From the bottom of her heart, she thought this was ridiculous. ¡°There is no free lunch, so he must be up to something.¡±

 Chapter 472 - The Person in the Inner Chamber of Ning Zuâ€™anâ€™s Study

    <h4>Chapter 472 The Person in the Inner Chamber of Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s Study</h4>

    When he looked at Ning Xueyan¡¯s thin figure and pale face and the gentle expression with magnanimity, he had a littleplicated expression, but it then vanished.

    ¡°The Cold Mountain Temple¡¯s dispute was caused because of an outsider, after all. Since we are family members, testing family connections with blood drops would not have a problem. Anyway, we have the same bone and flesh. If we have any disputes, others will simply see us as aughingstock.¡± Ning Zu¡¯an rxed his expression and said as dim light glittered in his eyes.

    Hearing these words, Ning Xueyan only thought it was funny. When Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling framed her, no one uttered a word to defend her. Now when the two people got their retribution, Ning Zu¡¯an talked about the love of sisters and the bone-and-flesh affection with her. Did it mean that she needed to visit the Xia Manor to show her sisterly love to prove that she truly cared about the love of sisters?

    ¡°I¡¯ll bear this in mind, father,¡± Ning Xueyan gave a small smile and said with a seemingly generous attitude, but then she changed her tone. ¡°Where is that middle-aged woman? ording to my cousin, after I fainted that day, the middle-aged woman was brought back to our mansion by my grandma. Who on earth wanted to smear my mother¡¯s reputation and make the Ming Manor and the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor be enemies?¡±

    ¡°Make the Ming Manor and the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor be enemies?¡± Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s expression became stiff and unnatural. Of course, Madam Dowager spoke of the middle-aged woman¡¯s affair with Ning Zu¡¯anter. ¡°I thought that the scene was so chaotic at that time that no one would notice the middle-aged woman, but I never expected that Ming Yuanhua had been keeping an eye on her and also saw that this person was taken to the Marquis¡¯s Manor.¡±

    The words he would have wanted to say were temporarily stopped at his throat and could not be spoken. He looked somewhat annoyed and coughed twice ufortably. When he wanted to puff it off with words, but he heard Ning Xueyan gently continue her talk, ¡°In the beginning, my uncle said that he wanted toe here straight to talk about it with you, father. He wanted to send the middle-aged woman who had framed me straight to the officials¡¯ office, but I persuaded my uncle by saying that you and my grandma loved me most and would also take the reputation of the Marquis¡¯s Manor into ount, so you would downy this matter, but would never let the one who framed me off. Thank you for helping me do this, father.¡±

    After finishing speaking, Ning Xueyan rose again and knelt down to Ning Zu¡¯an solemnly, looking like she thanked him deeply.

    Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s face turned blue and then white and repeated these expressions, but he finally waved his hand to Ning Xueyan and said in low spirits, ¡°Get up. You¡¯ve juste back and should have a good rest, and don¡¯t get yourself tired. You will get married soon, and you have to build up your health by rest.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m going back now. Thank you for worrying about me, father.¡± The less Ning Zu¡¯an was in the mood, the more softly and gently Ning Xueyan smiled. From time to time, her words revealed some gratitude as if she truly thanked Ning Zu¡¯an for venting her anger. As for the matter of the middle-aged woman, she mentioned it more briefly.

    Although she just mentioned it briefly, her meaning was directly expressed. Not only did she know the whole story, but the Ming Manor also knew it clearly. Why did the manor¡¯s people note to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to make trouble? Of course, they took Ning Xueyan into consideration; on the other hand, they showed their satisfaction with the fact that Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had driven away Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling.

    Ning Zu¡¯an could not continue to tell her his words at all. Initially, he prepared a bellyful of words, but when he heard the repetitive words of gratitude such as ¡°Thank you for caring about me, father¡± and ¡°You love me most, father¡±, he could not say anything anymore.

    Sullenly watching Ning Xueyan courteously bid goodbye to him, he could not find a single w from her. She behaved naturally, more showing that she was gentle, calm, and polite.

    ¡°Why not say it, father?¡± The curtain at the back of the room was raised, and Ning Huaiyuan in a light blue robe stood at the door, looking at Ning Zu¡¯an with a gentle smile. He was not different from the past, but the corner of his eye twitched with a trace of viciousness and depression.

    ¡°Yuan¡¯er, we have to give this matter further thought.¡± Ning Zu¡¯an sighed and touched his forehead with his hand. Today he especially asked Ning Xueyan toe, but surely, he did not do it only for asking about her condition. But before he could open his mouth, Ning Xueyan had shown a good enough attitude, which prevented him from saying what he wanted to say. ¡°Ming Manor has learned this matter. Anyway, it¡¯s your two sisters who didn¡¯t know how to do things.¡±

    ¡°Father, you are not willing to help me, are you? This is my mother¡¯s only hope now. Are you willing to pass the Marquis¡¯s Mansion to the son of a bedroom maid or concubine, father?¡± Ning Huaiyuan gave a cold smile. The warmth on the face had already broken, and a trace of ridicule appeared there.

    ¡°Or you think that when Fifth Sister is married into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, she can sessfully give birth to the heir of Prince Yi and Prince Yi can sessfully seed the throne of the emperor, father?¡±

    Ning Xueyan had a weak body. Previously, she was poisoned by Madam Ling, and that had damaged her reproducing ability. Later, she recovered a little, but how could she fully recover suddenly after going through this suffering? This time her internal organs were injured, and then Prince Yi did not care about her and left. No matter how she was evaluated, Ning Xueyan could not give birth to children sessfully in this life.

    Then there was the matter of Prince Yi. Ning Zu¡¯an stood in line with the emperor. He thought that as long as the emperor did not give his word, Prince Yi could not seed the throne in whatever condition. So, the throne would finally have to fall into the hands of Third Prince or Fourth Prince. Even if the best situation appeared that Ning Xueyan gave birth to a child sessfully, the child would not bring wealth and honor to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    ¡°I see, but let me think it over. Anyway, we must get rid of your mother¡¯s current bad name first,¡± Ning Zu¡¯an knitted his brows tightly and said unhappily as he felt the pressure from Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s words.

    Ning Huaijing was always not with him, and he was exceptionally dissatisfied, but it was quite unsuitable for Ning Huaiyuan with the current identity to appear in public. Even if he pushed him to the position, he would be taken down by others.

    ¡°Father, you need to act sooner; otherwise, if Fifth Sister enters Prince Yi¡¯s Mansion, she will be farther beyond your grasp in the future. At that time, Prince Yi might even interfere with our marquis¡¯s manor¡¯s family affairs. More surely, the emperor would me you for yourx management of the family, and much trouble will appear,¡± Ning Huaiyuan suddenly said in a whisper.

    ¡°Make the emperor dissatisfied?¡± Ning Zu¡¯an could not help tightening his lips and felt agitated for a moment. He had just been reprimanded by the emperor. If he made the emperor dissatisfied again and got reprimanded again, he would definitely lose the favor of the emperor.

    Ning Zu¡¯an stood up, and the corner of his eye twitched. He walked around the room a few times and said a bit irritably, ¡°I see, and you can leave now!¡±

    ¡°Thank you, father.¡± Ning Huaiyuan bowed to Ning Zu¡¯an solemnly, but he sneered, turned around, and strode away. Now, his father should worry about the inheritance of the title of nobility. Initially, he didn¡¯t think he had hope, but he did not expect to see that there was another opportunity. Surprisingly, the emperor interfered secretly.

    After finishing speaking, Ning Huaiyuan no longer cared about Ning Zu¡¯an who had a troubled expression. He just went out of the door and walked away.

    ¡°That¡¯s best!¡± In fact, now he was not in such a hurry to get the title of nobility as he was previously.

    Remembering that his and his two sisters¡¯ calction finally ended up in such a scene, Ning Huaiyuan was very critical of Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling. It was such a simple thing, but they messed it up. Fortunately, only Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling appeared in public at that time, and what he did was provide clues.

    Mu Yunfei, who had just arrived in the capital city, was provided by him, but he couldn¡¯t imagine why it was not Mu Yunfei and Ning Xueyan¡¯s tryst. Instead, it became a scene of Ning Ziyan and a local ruffian being together, and it was found by others, but Ning Huaiyuan would not believe it in any case.

    The scheme was originally made to trap Ning Xueyan, but Ning Ziyan was trapped. Either Ning Xueyan discovered it and struck back, or Mu Yunfei found it out and did it this way. With her condition at that time, Ning Xueyan could not have such a quick response. It seemed that Mu Yunfei was more likely to have done this.

    After that, Ning Yuling¡¯s failure made this matter further move in the opposite direction of what was expected. It was indeed far beyond Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s n. ¡°Why was it so coincident? How could it be so?¡±

    As for the Cold Mountain Temple¡¯s incident, Ning Huaiyuan was not clear about it now. It happened so suddenly that before the young male servant he sent found Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling, an ident appeared. Then, Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling wanted to enter the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, and he secretly let them in, but he did not expect that Madam Dowager even ordered to drive them out.

    Later, he sent someone to the Xia Manor. Unexpectedly, Xia Manor¡¯s people shut the doors straight and did not allow the person he sent to go in.

    ¡°Is Ning Xueyan indeed so treacherous and cunning as Ning Qingshan said so that she not only escaped and but also made my two sisters in such a mess? Perhaps I have to find someone to ask about it, but it¡¯s not suitable for me to ask someone to do this, so I have to entrust others with this matter.¡±

    Ning Huaiyuan took a few paces at the outer entrance and suddenly turned with his young male servant in another direction, which led to the Chuihua Gate of the inner courtyard.

    After walking through the Chuihua Gate, Ning Huaiyuan took vigorous strides toward Ning Qingshan¡¯s Foggy Courtyard. The people of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor all left the Cold Mountain Temple, and Ning Qingshan also followed Madam Dowager back to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor on that day. Her leg was injured, and before that, she fell to the ground and dislocated the joints a little, so she was now still lying in bed to recuperate.

    Seeing Ning Huaiyuan go in the direction of the Foggy Courtyard, Lanning stopped and turned back to the Bright Frost Garden.

    When Ning Xueyan went out of Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s study just now, she left but asked Lanning to stay there.

    Back in the Bright Frost Garden, she saw Ning Xueyan embroidering something. Of course, she was doing embroidery on the wedding robe that Prince Yi had stressed many times. In fact, it was almost finished. What Ning Xueyan was now doing were thest few decorative patterns.

    ¡°Dear Lady, Eldest Young Master was inside indeed. I found Eldest Young Master looked rxed and natural when he came out, and then he walked toward the outer courtyard, but after taking a few steps, he suddenly turned around and went to Third Young Lady¡¯s Foggy Courtyard,¡± Lanning came in and reported.

    There was someone else in the study of Ning Zu¡¯an, and Ning Xueyan had already found that when she entered the room. The curtain of the inner chamber moved a little. Besides that, the young male servant standing at the door of Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s study was clever, deliberately trying to talk with her as if he was hiding something, while the other hung his head, looking dull.

    Since she was suspicious about the moving of the curtain of the inner chamber, she especially looked at the young male servant hiding behind the front young male servant and vaguely felt that he was the servant of Ning Huaiyuan, so she especially asked Lanning to stay when she left.

    When she viewed it now, she thought that Ning Zu¡¯an did have premeditation just now. He spoke of family love and then talked about great righteousness, hoping to let her make a concession. Of course, he aimed to get the Princely Heir¡¯s position for Ning Huaiyuan. Unfortunately, the words he was about to say were stopped by her.

 Chapter 473 - I Went to the Palace to Ask for the Dissolution of the Betrothal

    <h4>Chapter 473 I Went to the Pce to Ask for the Dissolution of the Betrothal</h4>

    Previously, Ning Xueyan already thought that the two of them should have joined hands. Since Ning Huaiyuan went to Ning Qingshan¡¯s ce now, next they would probably make all efforts to deal with her. Testing family connections with blood drops in the Cold Mountain Temple had eliminated the opportunity to frame Madam Ming. Therefore, in order to turn Ning Huaiyuan into a wife¡¯s son again, they would have to make Madam Ling a co-wife.

    This was almost impossible. As for the current situation of Madam Ling, as long as she did not give the word, the woman would have no chance to be a co-wife. It was not that as a daughter, she could interfere with the affairs of his father¡¯s wives and concubines, but mainly that Madam Ling murdered Madam Ming and she was the only daughter of thetter.

    So, if she came out to say a few words, these words would be more useful than the words of anyone.

    As long as she allowed Madam Ling to be a co-wife by iming that Madam Ling was also hoodwinked at that time and family love should be taken into consideration, Ning Huaiyuan would still be a wife¡¯s son and could still justly be the Princely Heir of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Of course, she should admit in the name of Madam Ming that what Ning Huaiyuan said was what Madam Ming said, but she previously refused Madam Dowager¡¯s proposal, so this proposal should not be mentioned again.

    ¡°But what else apart from this? Are there not any other solutions?¡± Ning Xueyan rolled her watery eyes and faintly felt that there was another possibility...

    Prince Yi arrived extremely suddenly, and Ning Zu¡¯an was just in his study at that time. Hearing Prince Yi¡¯s arrival, he was shocked and hurriedly went out to wee him. At the same time, he also asked someone to inform Madam Dowager.

    When Ning Xueyan arrived at Madam Dowager¡¯s invitation, Ao Chenyi had already been in the great hall of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, upying the most distinguished head seat with a few eunuchs and royal guards standing behind him. On the resplendent reddish-ck brocade robe were spider lily patterns of the beautiful blood-red color, which dazzled the eyes of Madam Dowager so much that although she was on the right-hand seat, her heart could not help shivering a few times.

    Deterred by this mboyant blood-red prince¡¯s robe, both Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an would not dare to look at the beautiful but gloomy and cold face of Ao Chenyi.

    He leaned against the back of the wide main seat as if nothing had happened, so that the owner of the Marquis¡¯s Manor and the Madam Dowager of the inner courtyard all had to sit on the right-hand seats, but he seemed not to know that the two of them were seniors of his co-consort. He nced at the two people carelessly but did not say a word for a short moment, making the parlor¡¯s atmosphere be so solemn and serious that the people¡¯s heartbeats could almost be heard.

    When she came in, Ning Xueyan saluted Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an first and then naturally went to the center of the parlor to salute Ao Chenyi. ¡°Prince Yi.¡±

    As her voice sounded in the solemn and serious great hall, the sense of terror that the people¡¯s heartbeats could almost only be heard then disappeared. Madam Dowager wiped her forehead unconsciously. In only a short while, she had a sweat on her forehead. Although Prince Yi did not say anything, she seemed to sit on pins and needles.

    Since Prince Yi had that kind of imposing manner, Third Prince was much lessparable to him in imposing manners.

    ¡°Did he mean just now that our mansion¡¯s people offended him?¡± Madam Dowager¡¯s heart could not help shivering. ¡°Those who dare to offend Prince Yi will surely end up in bloody death. No one in this... Marquis¡¯s Mansion should have offended him, right? Is it Ning Xueyan¡¯s affair?¡±

    Madam Dowager was hesitant.

    ¡°I went to the pce to ask for the dissolution of the betrothal the day before yesterday.¡± Sure enough, Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an instantly could not keep sitting anymore as they heard the first few words of Ao Chenyi, and they looked up suddenly. ¡°You are about to marry, but why did you go to break off the betrothal? This, this is too much!¡±

    If someone else said these words, Ning Zu¡¯an would dare to punch him. The emperor had issued the imperial edict, and the date had been set so near the present time. Who dared to go to the pce to ask for the dissolution of the betrothal? Did he want to die? But it was Prince Yi who said these words. Ning Zu¡¯an did not dare to utter a single word, but his face turned quite red.

    He just felt ashamed and helpless. The daughter of his Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would only be the co-consort, and even so, the betrothal was still asked to dissolve. How ashamed he was! Not to mention that Ning Xueyan would be ashamed to show herself in public due to the breaking of the betrothal, he, the Lord Protector, would feel too ashamed to appear in public in the future.

    These few eunuchs became more silent and breathed more lightly, imagining that they were not there. Only Ning Zu¡¯an and Madam Dowager stood there inharmoniously, looking ridiculous. At this moment, even Madam Dowager¡¯s face had turned red.

    Only Ning Xueyan still stood there naturally, and her thick eyshes were slightly drooped as if she did not hear the deterrence from Ao Chenyi¡¯s words.

    ¡°You have an opinion, Madam Dowager and Marquis Ning?¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s beautiful eyes gave off a chill of evil, which fell on the two people.

    Anyone would have opinions on such a thing. This was absolutely a humiliation to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, but either Madam Dowager or Ning Zu¡¯an could not say a word when they felt the cold, bloodthirsty momentum of Ao Chenyi. They were not only speechless but also bowed their heads. Truly, they had been suppressed.

    ¡°Later, the emperor repeatedly told me that Fifth Young Lady of your mansion was generous, gentle, pleasant, and talented. He told me that it was difficult to find such a talented and beautifuldy and anyway I could not miss such a gooddy because of something.¡± Ao Chenyi didn¡¯t want their answer and willfully continued his talk with a smile in his beautiful eyes, but his icy cold momentum was rxed.

    Atst, he even said to Ning Zu¡¯an politely, ¡°Why not Madam Dowager and the marquis sit down and talk?¡±

    He had no sense of being a guest and simply regarded the great hall as his Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    Ning Xueyan put on a light smile as she rolled her watery eyes. ¡°This person... is extremely arrogant indeed.¡±

    Ning Zu¡¯an and Madam Dowager had already felt that it was ufortable to stand there, but they two had stood up on their own, so they felt too embarrassed to sit down at once. Now when they heard the words of Ao Chenyi, they did not have to stand so conspicuously anymore. Immediately, they sat down and said with a ttering smile, ¡°Yes, yes, thank you, Prince Yi.¡±

    As for the something Prince Yi mentioned, they pretended not to hear it.

    ¡°Since my elder brother, the emperor, tried his best to persuade me and I also took the gentle and generous characteristics of Fifth Young Lady into ount, I gave up my request. Of course, I came here today specifically to see my co-consort and also hope that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor will not make ¡°something¡± happen again, or it will be regarded as a deliberate act of setting your manor against my elder brother, the emperor. Disobeying the imperial edict will end up with the whole family or n killed.

    The prince was about to marry, but he even came here to see Ning Xueyan and imed her to be his co-consort as if Ning Xueyan had been married into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. If the speaker had not been Prince Yi who had overwhelming power in the imperial court, Ning Zu¡¯an would have broken the table with his fist, but when directly facing this one, he did not dare.

    Just now, Ao Chenyi¡¯s handsome face was still with a genial expression, but it suddenly turned cold. He drew up his thin, long eyes, showing a trace of anger. Especially when he said thest few words, the kind of faint bloodthirsty momentum made Madam Dowager lightly shudder involuntarily. No matter how rich her experience was, she was a woman of inner chambers, after all.

    Surely, the so-called ¡°something¡± referred to the thing that Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling plotted against Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°There won¡¯t, won¡¯t be such things again.¡± Stared at by Ao Chenyi with a cruel look, Ning Zu¡¯an had to show his attitude. Now, he ended his initial small npletely, for he clearly understood what Ao Chenyi said: If anything unpleasant happened to Ning Xueyan again before she got married, that was as an act of looking down upon the emperor and the imperial edict. If anyone had such a crime, it was enough to get his house searched, his properties confiscated, and his n exterminated.

    Compared with his and his family¡¯s possessions and lives, getting Princely Heir¡¯s position for his son was not an urgent business.

    ¡°Very good, then I ept the apology of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Now please let my co-consort walk with me, and let me see if I need to visit the pce again to ask for the dissolution of the betrothal,¡± Ao Chen Yi took it for granted and said.

    Ning Zu¡¯an almost spat a mouthful of blood and died on the spot.

    ¡°Apology? When did I express my apology? What does the Cold Mountain Temple¡¯s incident have to do with me? It is his married daughters¡¯ incident. It should have rtions with the Xia Manor. Why was I dragged into it? If anyone should apologize, it should be Xia Tian of the Xia Manor. They are all his son¡¯s concubines, aren¡¯t they?¡±

    However, Ning Zu¡¯an didn¡¯t dare to say these words, and he had long learned that this Prince Yi before him was moody and unpredictable. By referring to the thing that he boldly visited the pce to ask for the dissolution of the betrothal, he could see that the prince did things outside of the box. Even though others were dissatisfied, they would not say it. After all, this was a marriage granted by the emperor. Can anyone ask the emperor to take back his order and p himself in the face?

    Unexpectedly, this person was simply very dissatisfied and went straight to the pce to trouble the emperor, and the emperor seemed to have no way to handle him but to coax him by nicely saying that Ning Xueyan was gentle, generous, and talented, but how could he, her father, not know about it?

    The emperor had persuaded him, right? This problem had been solved, hadn¡¯t it? Why did he have toe and see her himself as if he would have to make trouble in the pce again if he was not satisfied? He knew that the emperor had been dissatisfied with him. If Prince Yi went to the pce again to ask for the dissolution of the betrothal, he believed that the emperor would kill him.

    Ning Zu¡¯an thought that he would better spit blood and die.

    No matter what Ao Chenyi said now, Ning Zu¡¯an thought he was right, as long as this prince would not go to the pce to ask for the dissolution of the betrothal and make the emperor p himself in the face.

    ¡°Yan¡¯er, you apany the prince to see the few precious peonies newly sent in our yard.¡± Ning Zu¡¯an started talking nonsense. Although those peonies did exist, they were ordinary peonies. Therefore, Ning Zu¡¯an regretted it as soon as he said these words. Most importantly, these flowers were nted in Ning Qingshan¡¯s ce, and it was she who had asked for them from Honored Consort Ya.

    ¡°Let Prince Yi go to the Foggy Courtyard of Ning Qingshan? What does this mean?¡± Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s face turned blue and white repetitively, and he could not continue his talk anymore.

    ¡°Okay, I like peonies best. You truly know what I want, Lord Protector! Then let Fifth Young Lady lead the way.¡± Ao Chenyi stood up, looked at Ning Zu¡¯an with a faint smile, and said with some interest.

    Ning Zu¡¯an was dumbfounded. ¡°How can I deal with this?¡± It was easy to let Ao Chenyi enter the garden of Ning Qingshan, but these words were not good to her reputation if they were spread. Unfortunately, this was what he proposed, so he did not dare to change his words and only had to nce at Ning Xueyan, hoping that she could propose to change it to another ce, but Ning Xueyan kept her head down at the moment and never saw Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s hint.

    He thought about it reluctantly, and a cold sweat had appeared on his forehead.

    Madam Dowager stood aside. Seeing that Prince Yi had stood up, she also knew that he could not change his words anymore because he had said them. Now the most important thing was that they could not provoke Prince Yi, for fear of arousing the matter of dissolving the betrothal again, so they could no longer care about other things.

    Like Ning Zu¡¯an, Madam Dowager also valued the honor and wealth of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. As for the reputation of Ning Qingshan, it was not important than the safety of the whole Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, right?

    Madam Dowager deserved to be a senior of rich experience. Immediately, she thought of a new way, then she turned around, and said to Mother Qin who was standing on the side in a low tone, ¡°Go! Let Third Young Lady hurriedly leave the Foggy Courtyard and go to my Lucky Garden to rest.¡±

    Mother Qin nodded and ran away swiftly.

 Chapter 474 - The Peonies in the Foggy Courtyard

    <h4>Chapter 474 The Peonies in the Foggy Courtyard</h4>

    The scenery in the garden was very beautiful. All the way, there were peach blossoms, green willows, rockeries, and flowing water. Although it was not extremely big, it had its elegance. Lanning led the way, Ao Chen Yi and Ning Xueyan followed her, and the few eunuchs with a serious expression walked after them, but they were seven or eight steps away.

    Anyway, it looked strange, but if this action was done by Prince Yi, everyone could only smile and say this wasmon.

    ¡°I just asked you to send a few things here, but why did youe here yourself?¡± Ning Xueyan looked at these few eunuchs behind her and deliberately said in a whisper. Originally, she wanted to use Ao Chenyi to suppress the evil people in the mansion. As long as he sent a few things here to show that he backed her, that was enough.

    Unexpectedly, this man dide here in person.

    Ning Xueyan said these words extremely naturally, but after she said them, she felt a little inexplicably awkward, and her heart beat faster involuntarily. She hurriedly hung her head, pretending to be serious, but she turned her ck jade-like eyes around. Surprisingly, she felt a little ufortable.

    ncing at the youngdy, who hung her head but whose snow-white ear helixes had turned slightly red, Ao Chenyi slowly adjusted his clothes and robe and said with a faint smile, ¡°It¡¯s said that your Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is not in order, so I specially came here to take a look. If I can¡¯t get married nicely, I would rather not do it, and no one should have a good experience.¡±

    The voice was not low. Although he said these words with a smile, they had fierceness. Ning Xueyan knew that he was saying this to Ning Zu¡¯an and Madam Dowager, in fact. So, she could not help having a light smile in her lowered eyes. Of course, she didn¡¯t think he came here only for this purpose, but she feltfortable to hear these words.

    Ning Zu¡¯an, Madam Dowager, and theirpanions had been behaving quite improperly because of Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s affair, but since Ao Chenyi said these words today, they should behave themselves much better in the following days. Anyway, they would marry her into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, lest that Ao Chenyi should denounce them for their crime on this matter. And the tone of his words sounded really bad in any sense.

    What was the meaning of ¡°no one should have a good experience¡±?!

    It meant that if he didn¡¯t have a good experience, no one else should think about it! This tone sounded extremely fierce, but she inexplicably thought that it should be like this. To deal with the cold-natured and selfish Madam Dowager, it was best to control evil with evil; otherwise, they would never stop.

    It was not that Ning Xueyan was afraid they would not stop so that she could not deal with them, but that her wedding was around the corner, so she would not have time to always keep an eye on them. Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was truly an awful mess, where there was the cold-natured Madam Dowager, the less righteous Ning Zu¡¯an of the deep mind, and Ning Huaiyuan and Ning Qingshan, who had been waiting for the right moment to move.

    The Foggy Courtyard was not far away. Ning Qingshan, who had been enjoying the favor, lived in the courtyard, which was close to the center of the mansion. They didn¡¯t cover a long distance before entering the inner courtyard from the parlor outside, and they headed for the path of the Foggy Courtyard. Walking together with Ao Chenyi, Ning Xueyan naturally took the smooth main paths.

    Turning from the trail before reaching the door of the Foggy Courtyard, they saw a few maids in the distance. Supported by the older female servants, Ning Qingshan went out of the door of the Foggy Courtyard in an embarrassed manner. When she seemed to feel the look from Ning Xueyan, Ning Qingshan looked up and saw two peopleing from the distance, and then she had some hatred in her eyes.

    ¡°This is my courtyard, and my leg is still injured and I can¡¯t move, but I have to leave because of Ning Xueyan, and I seem to be driven away. We are all co-consorts of the royal family, but why can the little bitch Ning Xueyan do this way?¡± Thinking of the hateful part, she wished to rush over and cut Ning Xueyan¡¯s calm face with her nails.

    She didn¡¯t dare to get angry with Prince Yi. Naturally, she thought that the reason why Prince Yi hade to her Foggy Courtyard was Ning Xueyan¡¯s instigation, so she vented her evil anger on Ning Xueyan.

    She red at Ning Xueyan and had some fierceness in her eyes. Holding Mammy Luo¡¯s hand, she turned to another direction helplessly.

    ¡°Do you need me to kill her?¡± Ao Chenyi stood still, looked at the Ning Qingshan who had gone far away, narrowed his eyes slightly, and had a bloodthirsty chill at the corner of his beautiful mouth.

    ¡°Prince, that¡¯s the future co-consort of Third Prince!¡± Ning Xueyan had a faintly discernible smile and whispered. This was the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, and she was now still the girl of the manor. Of course, she had to speak from the standpoint of the manor. Indeed, Ning Qingshan¡¯s identity was not ordinary.

    ¡°What¡¯s the point of being the co-consort of Third Prince? I would not have said so if she were not a co-consort!¡± Ao Chenyiughed evilly and coldly and went into the Foggy Courtyard with Ning Xueyan. ¡°You all stay here.¡±

    These few eunuchs guarded the door with four in a row and stood respectfully with their heads bowed. Lanning hesitated for a moment, wanting to follow them in, but she heard Ning Xueyan lightly say, ¡°You stay here too!¡±

    She stopped involuntarily and stood aside.

    The Foggy Courtyard was even bigger than the Bright Frost Garden. Anyway, the Bright Frost Garden was too remote and deserted. Even the trees, flowers, and grasses in it were extremely simple, and no one could find a few outstanding ones. On the contrary, flowers and grasses were everywhere in the Foggy Courtyard. It was spring now. Flowers were flourishing here, showing a thriving scene.

    Madam Ming was a co-wife previously, and she was a wife now, but she was even notparable to an adopted orphan girl. Looking at everything in front of her, Ning Xueyan inexplicably remembered the ruined garden, where only a few servants were sluggishly sweeping the fallen leaves and Mother Han was listening to the cough in the room while boiling herbs in the winding corridor and frowned with worries.

    Biting her lip, she suppressed the sadness in her heart and took a deep breath, but she suddenly felt that her hand was held by someone¡¯s hand. The big hand with a sense of coolness just held her hand gently. Since their hands were under the wide folded sleeves and the two of them also stood close, even if someone saw them, he could not momentarily find that they were holding hands.

    She did not feel warm in her heart because what Ao Chenyi gave others was an icy cold feeling as if he gave off cold air every moment. That kind of cold and eerie feeling with his strong momentum was enough to make everyone who saw him involuntarily lower their heads and lose their guts to spy on his look.

    But Ning Xueyan felt slight warmthing from his hand at this moment. Although it was very light, it was warm. The feeling was a little hard for her to exin. She curled her fingers somewhat, seemingly wanting to break away from his hand or hook his hand. At the next moment, her hand was grasped, and she took a few steps forward involuntarily as if she was being dragged.

    His steps were so wide that Ning Xueyan had to jog for a while to keep up. After running for a while, Ning Xueyan panted a bit and pulled his hand subconsciously.

    ¡°What? You are tired?¡± Ao Chenyi nced at her and had a little faint smile on his beautiful face. Without feeling unsuitable, he extended his hand to pull Ning Xueyan closer to him again and stopped slightly.

    ¡°I¡¯m a little tired. Please walk slowly, prince.¡± Ning Xueyan said honestly and pointed her finger to the corner of the wall on the right. ¡°They are the peonies newly transnted by my Third Sister. They were granted by Honored Consort Ya of the pce.¡±

    At the corner of the wall on the right, the few carefully cultivated peonies were in the blooming season, looking straight and gorgeous. Besides that, they were from the pce, representing an extraordinary favor. Ning Qingshan was about to be a co-consort, and it was said that she had been the consort candidate of Third Prince in the past. She was so much favored by Honored Consort Ya. It was rumored that Third Prince had been loving her since three years ago.

    No matter how Ning Qingshan was viewed, no ordinary co-consort wasparable to her.

    ¡°They grow so well. I didn¡¯t expect that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor could cultivate the pce peonies so nicely. The manor didn¡¯t waste my emperor brother¡¯s good wish.¡± Ao Chenyi ncedzily at these few blooming peonies.

    ¡°Prince, do you mean...¡± Ning Xueyan turned her watery eyes and asked with confusion as she felt that Ao Chenyi¡¯s words meant something else.

    ¡°Was the Cloud Reflection Courtyard¡¯s case not investigatedter?¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s thin and long beautiful eyes had a trace of deepness for an instant, and then his cold fingers caught Ning Xueyan¡¯s fingers on and off.

    ¡°Sister Ziying¡¯s case?¡± Ning Xueyan hesitated for a moment. ¡°Why did Sister Ziying¡¯s case attract the attention of Third Prince and Fourth Prince?¡±

    ¡°Yan¡¯er, have you heard about the story of the princess of the former dynasty?¡± Ao Chenyi suddenly smiled with pleasure and interest. ¡°Don¡¯t you think that the story of the princess of the former dynasty is very interesting?¡±

    Ning Xueyan had a shiver in her heart and suddenly opened her ck jade-like eyes to look at Ao Chenyi, and her heart beat in disorder for an instant. ¡°The fact Third Prince and Fourth Prince try to cover up was even spoken out so directly by him.¡±

    ¡°Sister Ziying is the princess of the former dynasty?¡± she asked this question naturally.

    ¡°Yes, who would have thought that the eldest princess of the former dynasty would end up in such a way? She died so unclearly. I¡¯m afraid that Ning Zu¡¯an would never have dreamed that the person his master is anxiously looking for had been hiding in his mansion for three years.¡± Ao Chenyi put on a sarcastic smile at the corner of his mouth.

    ¡°The emperor will me the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?¡± Ning Xueyan was shocked. No matter how much she disliked the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she still knew that if something happened to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor at this time, she would not have a good experience, either. A married daughter is a member of another family just like the sshed water, which cannot return to the basin anymore. But she had to wait for her wedding. After that, she would not have such a close rtionship with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    ¡°No, for the time being. Anyway, the former princess¡¯s case will only be investigated in the dark.¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s long and gorgeous feather-like eyshes fell on his eyes, and he looked at Ning Xueyan with a little yfulness and leisureliness and smiled lightly. ¡°Since Ning Zu¡¯an murdered the princess of the former dynasty for no reason, he can¡¯t go through the problem so easily.¡±

    ¡°What does the emperor want to get from Sister Ziying?¡± Ning Xueyan bit her lips and suddenly asked. No matter what, a dead princess of the former dynasty could not attract so much attention of the current emperor, unless that there were tricks in it. Ning Xueyan had been investigating it in the past, but she could not find the reason.

    ¡°Why do so many people try their best to probe into my previous life? Such as Xia Yuhang and others, who also have suspicions?¡± Ning Xueyan never thought that her previous life was important. Apart from the identity of being the princess of the former dynasty, she was almost nothing. Not like a prince, she could notmand the whole country. Since the former dynasty had disappeared, it was of no importance for her, the princess of the former dynasty, to exist.

    ¡°She has something that my elder brother, the emperor, badly needs,¡± Ao Chenyi saidzily. ¡°My brother tried his best to search the country for the thing in her hands. What he wants are really many! He has also desired themander¡¯s tally of the former dynasty for a long time.¡±

    Stricken by some idea, Ning Xueyan suddenly asked, ¡°If Ning Zu¡¯an has themander¡¯s tally, is he going to hand it over to offset his guilt?¡±

 Chapter 475 - Gift from Prince Yi

    <h4>Chapter 475 Gift from Prince Yi</h4>

    ¡°If he has, he will. This is the only way to make his master quickly release his anger,¡± Ao Chenyi said with a faint smile, but he suddenly changed the subject. ¡°Want to raise such flowers?¡±

    ¡°Flowers?¡± Ning Xueyan was still thinking about the military medallion. Now when she looked at the flourishing peonies in front of her, she realized it after a long time, but she shook her head, blinked nimbly, and suddenly said with a smile, ¡°These are my Third Sister¡¯s flowers, not mine.¡±

    Ning Qingshan liked to show in this way that she was favored, indicating that she was different from others in the eyes of Honored Consort Ya and Third Prince.

    Unlike Ning Qingshan who liked a high-profile, Ning Xueyan preferred to be low-key.

    A co-consort should behave in the manner of a co-consort, but if she threatened the position of the consort and the consort was powerful, she would bring herself a disaster.

    ¡°Since you don¡¯t like them, you can manage the garden by yourself and nt whatever you like,¡± Ao Chenyi looked at Ning Xueyan with interest and said. Suddenly, he let go of Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand he had clenched and lightly flicked on Ning Xueyan¡¯s forehead with his thin, long finger. ¡°What about the garment?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been made and only needs some edge trimming.¡± Ning Xueyan picked her eyebrows and raised her eyes a little helplessly. ¡°Why did he have to mention this while talking about real business? This has made the initial meaningful words be shallow, even with a little romance.¡±

    ¡°Well, hurry up and then send it to me. Just go straight to Eunuch Zhu then.¡± Ao Chenyi nodded with satisfaction, picked up a beautiful flourishing peony on the branch at will, and observed it in his hand. As if he didn¡¯t think it was pretty, he threw it away and went to pick another one.

    Looking at his quite naive behavior, Ning Xueyan became speechless. ¡°Is this what the cold, bloodthirsty Prince Yi who has the overwhelming power in the country should do?¡±

    After he picked the flowers a few times and only several were left on the branches, Ao Chenyi finally turned around and looking at Ning Xueyan, said with a light smile, ¡°Which flower do you think is more beautiful, Yan¡¯er?¡±

    ¡°I think they are all good, prince!¡± Ning Xueyan, who did not expect to be named, looked at those few flowers thrown on the ground helplessly with her ck jade-like eyes and said helplessly.

    ¡°Then pick them all.¡± Ao Chenyi narrowed his eyes slightly, revealing an evil spirit and threw the flower in his hand to the ground again. It seemed that he would never give up if he did not pick all the flowers of Ning Qingshan today.

    ¡°Prince!¡± Ning Xueyan opened his eyes wide and said with dissatisfaction. ¡°Just tell me about the military medallion. Is it not in the hands of the Lord Protector?¡±

    ¡°Another purpose he came here today is to tell me that the military medallion of the former dynasty is not in Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s hands. This is reasonable. Otherwise, if Ning Zu¡¯an with his current situation has the military medallion of the former dynasty, he will have to docilely hand it over, or if the emperor finds it out, no one in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor will have a good result.¡±

    ¡°It should not be in his hands.¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s eyes were like deep springs, which were limpid and imprable. At will, he plucked the rest few peonies on the branches and then threw them all over the ground like throwing garbage. Atst, he cleaned his hands by pping and smiled evilly and seductively. ¡°Well, I have finished appreciating the flowers. Let¡¯s go!¡±

    Looking at the flowers all over the ground, Ning Xueyan was speechless for a moment. These peonies were precious in the eyes of Ning Qingshan, and they were granted by the Honored Consort Ya. However, only the branches and green leaves were left now. Truly, it was impossible for one to imagine that these flowers were the king of flowers in this season.

    When Ning Qingshan saw this scene in a while, she would be crazy!

    Peony appreciation was over! Ao Chenyi sent Ning Xueyan away and slowly came with those few eunuchs to the parlor, where Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an had been waiting.

    ¡°Thank you very much for your hospitality today, Lord Protector. I will go back with great pleasure. I didn¡¯t expect that the peonies nted by Third Miss Ning were so good. Initially, I wanted to thank her directly, but I didn¡¯t see her. What a pity! Now let me leave my gift to show my gratitude. Please pass it to her, Lord Protector.¡±

    Ao Chenyi was very polite, but this was rare. He specially asked a eunuch to take a decoration box to Ning Zu¡¯an and then left with his servants, leaving Ning Zu¡¯an standing there with a troubled expression.

    ¡°It is undesirable for a man to give ornaments to a woman, not to mention that the man is the future elder of the woman. Is it really suitable to give these ornaments to Ning Qingshan?¡±

    Seeing Ao Chenyi leave with his servants, Ning Zu¡¯an showed the feeling that he did not know how to describe on his face.

    ¡°Do I need to give this to Shan¡¯er, mother?¡±

    ¡°This, this is unsuitable. How can you give this kind of thing to your third daughter? If Third Prince learns it, he will think that Prince Yi and your third daughter have a rtionship!¡± Madam Dowager banged the table with her palm and said hatefully.

    ¡°What shall I do now?¡± Ning Zu¡¯an turned around twice on the spot. This was granted by Ao Chenyi, and he had to send it, but if he sent it, Ning Qingshan¡¯s image would be smeared. Anyway, today¡¯s flower appreciation happened in the courtyard of Ning Qingshan. Although it was Ning Xueyan who led the way, the reward was finally given to Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°If this news is spread, others will gossip!¡±

    Thedy, who was about to marry Prince Yi and be his co-consort, did not receive anything valuable, but Ning Qingshan, who only had a distant rtionship with him, got his appreciation. Besides, Prince Yi said that he would dissolve the betrothal a short time ago, but after touring around the Foggy Courtyard, he did not even mention it anymore. Instead, he rewarded Ning Qingshan with something before leaving.

    In whatever sense, it was easy to talk about it, but it would affect her reputation if others heard it.

    ¡°What can you do? This is a thing given by Prince Yi. Can you not give it to your third daughter and keep it yourself?¡± Madam Dowager said gloomily. ¡°Since Prince Yi has a moody character, if this happens, it might be a big problem in his eyes, so we can¡¯t offend him for such a small matter.¡±

    ¡°Do I have to really give it to Shan¡¯er?¡± It was not that Ning Zu¡¯an was loath to part with it, but that he did think that this action would give others suspicions and damage Ning Qingshan¡¯s reputation.

    ¡°Yes, of course, and you will have to send it in the presence of Third Prince.¡± Madam Dowager got an idea at this time and sighed, ¡°You should do it naturally and can¡¯t let Third Prince suspect anything. At least, we have to let Prince Yi rest at ease, and we can¡¯t make any more trouble during this time. First, we have to get your fifth daughter married into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor,¡± Madam Dowager said.

    ¡°Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling are hopeless. Now what can be expected is Ning Xueyan, the granddaughter who was mostly ignored before. As for Ning Qingshan, her current identity is a bit low. If only I¡¯d known earlier, I would not have changed her identity of being Madam Ming¡¯s daughter. If so, she would be a wife¡¯s daughter at least. Since her identity has been changed for only a few days, it is so unsuitable to change it back now.¡±

    ¡°I should send it naturally?¡± Ning Zu¡¯an was stunned for a moment.

    ¡°You are not a qualified marquis. The gift from Prince Yi must be sent naturally. Do you really want people to think that Prince Yi¡¯s gift to your third daughter is not fit to be seen and can only be seen in private? How will others think about your third daughter, then? How can your third daughter show herself up when she bes a co-consort of Third Prince¡¯s Mansion in the future?¡± Madam Dowager said angrily.

    Hearing Madam Dowager¡¯s insightful analysis, Ning Zu¡¯an suddenly understood it and immediately felt ashamed, saying, ¡°Yes, mother, I will invite Third Prince toe in a moment and also ask Shan¡¯er to keep himpany for a while, and then I will give the gift out.¡±

    Now they could not care about the rules anymore. Anyway, when Prince Yi was here, he didn¡¯t follow any rules, so how could they ask Third Prince to follow the rules? He would have to pass Prince Yi¡¯s gift to Ning Qingshan in the presence of Third Prince. This showed not only Ning Qingshan¡¯s attitude but also that of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, so he could not be careless.

    Madam Dowager nodded with satisfaction and stood up without much talk, but she shook her head helplessly, sighed, and being supported by Xiangmiao, went back to the inner courtyard.

    ¡°How could this happen? How could it be so?¡± Seeing flowers all over the ground, Ning Qingshan trembled with anger.

    ¡°Miss, let¡¯s go in and have a rest. I¡¯ll deal with the flowerster.¡± Caifen knew that it was unsuitable for Ning Qingshan to see these flowers now, so she hurriedly supported her, wanting to take her away from here.

    ¡°Crack!¡± pped hard in the face, Caifen almost fell to the ground. A trace of viciousness appeared on Ning Qingshan¡¯s angry face instantly. ¡°Deal with? How will you deal with them? How can such a lowly person like you deal with these flowers?¡±

    Now she was angry and sorry for the flowers, thinking that if Ning Xueyan was here at this time, she would tear her into pieces. ¡°Why could the slut pick my flowers and throw them on the ground? Why could the slut throw my painstaking efforts and the wish of Honored Consort Ya all on the ground like this?¡±

    Seeing that she was not in a good mood, Mammy Luo on the side hurriedly gave a hint to the other maids with her eyes, and then these few people supported Ning Qingshan and moved her to the room, letting her sit down.

    Ning Qingshan sat there sullenly. She couldn¡¯t help picking up a vase at hand and smashed it on the ground, and then she seemed to find some way to vent her anger. Suddenly, she stood up, jumped on one leg, picked up the decorative porcins, and smashed them on the ground one by one...

    None of these few maids and older female servants had ever seen Third Young Lady, who had always been gentle and elegant, go crazy like this in front of so many people, so they were dazed on the spot, staring at her foolishly.

    ¡°Miss, please calm down first. Although you feel sorry for these flowers, it was Prince Yi who picked them, and Madam Dowager and the marquis can¡¯t do anything about it.¡± Finding that the situation was going worse, Mammy Luo hurriedly came over to persuade her. Ning Qingshan¡¯s current identity was much lower than her previous one. She had be a concubine¡¯s daughter and was not the biological daughter of the marquis, so she should not do anything wrong at this time.

    Ning Qingshan had released her anger at this time, but she felt that she had lost her strength and panted. After sitting still, she stared at these few maids sullenly and did not say anything for a long time.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Miss. I ran after the cat who slipped into the room, and the cat broke these porcins, but Miss, you have a kind heart and didn¡¯t punish me,¡± Feilian said cleverly. Just now, Ning Qingshan got out of control and smashed so many porcins. Surely, others in the mansion would know it. For the sake of her reputation, it must be covered up.

    Ning Qingshan nodded, rxed with satisfaction. ¡°Clean them up.¡±

    At once, these few maids began their cleaning nimbly.

    Ning Qingshan reclined on the low bed with the help of Mammy Luo. ¡°It is Ning Xueyan again this time. She has repeatedly ruined my affairs and stood in my way, and I can¡¯t let her off like this without paying a price.¡±

    ¡°Miss, Madam Dowager said that no trouble should be made before Fifth Young Lady¡¯s wedding.¡± Seeing her abnormal expression, Mammy Luo whispered to her hurriedly.

    This was repeatedly stressed by Mother Qin when she came here to tell Madam Dowager¡¯s instruction, but Ning Qingshan hated her even more because of this. ¡°How can I torture this little bitch to death?¡± The corner of her eye twitched. She suddenly remembered a person, and then an insidious smile appeared in her eyes...

 Chapter 476 - The Smashed Porcelain Items

    <h4>Chapter 476 The Smashed Porcin Items</h4>

    ¡°Miss, when Third Young Lady returned to her courtyard, it is said that she had smashed all the porcin items in the room.¡± Qingyu walked in happily. She had a stronger body than Ning Xueyan had, so she had long recovered as of now.

    When she saw that the peonies that she had carefully prepared and was ready to use to show off were all plucked and thrown on the ground, no matter how shrewd Ning Qingshan was, she could not stand it this time and smashed all the porcin items in the room. When she was in the mansion, Ning Qingshan liked to pretend to be cool-headed, generous, and gentle most, but why didn¡¯t she pretend now?

    ¡°Qingyu, keep a close eye on the affairs of the Foggy Courtyard.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled and folded the wedding robe in her hand carefully. The robe was officially finished, and she had finished her task.

    ¡°Since Prince Yi has said so, does Third Young Lady still dare to do harm to you?¡± Qingyu asked with bewilderment.

    The arrival of Ao Chenyi might have broken the n of Ning Zu¡¯an or even Ning Huaiyuan, but did not break Ning Qingshan¡¯s n. The two men always considered issues from the standpoint of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, but Ning Qingshan would not. By relying on the situation that she was not only the youngdy of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she did a few things fearlessly.

    Of course, Ning Qingshan would not be so hot-headed to destroy the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor at once. After all, she was now a member and youngdy of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. No matter who she thought she was, she could not say it, so for the sake of her own good, she could not let the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor fall into serious trouble.

    She could not let it fall into serious trouble, but what about small trouble?

    Of course, what Ao Chen Yi said meant that he did not want to hear any bad rumors about himself that would prevent the wedding from being held, but what about the thing that was done but was not spread? Speaking of such a thing specifically, Ning Qingshan could really do it.

    When she put down the folded wedding robe in her hand, she picked up the box at hand and looked at the women¡¯s wedding robe on the side, which had the same patterns, essories, and embroidery patterns. At first nce, one could know that they were from the same set. After thinking about it, Ning Xueyan also folded this one and put it on the side. Or Ao Chenyi just wanted to see the wedding robe she had tailored, but did not really want to wear it.

    ¡°My Third Sister¡¯s peonies were plucked today, and she also suffered so much injustice, so she will go to my grandma and talk. It¡¯s unavoidable that she will make some trouble.¡±

    ¡°Like Ning Huaiyuan and hispanions, Ning Qingshan should also be eager to kill me, but since I am alive, don¡¯t think about making aeback in this life, Madam Ling!¡±

    ¡°Okay, I see. By the way, just now when I went to the kitchen to fetch the bird¡¯s nest made for you by the kitchen staff, I heard them say that Third Prince wille here to have dinner tonight. Now the kitchen staff is busy in a din,¡± Qingyu nodded as a reply and hurriedly said as she suddenly remembered another thing.

    As soon as Ao Chenyi left, Third Prince arrived. Ning Xueyan pondered, ¡°This should never be a coincidence. If it is not that Ao Mingyu wanted toe himself, it should be that Ning Zu¡¯an invited him toe.

    ¡°Since such a thing happened in the Cold Mountain Temple, no matter how thick-skinned Ao Mingyu is, he will note here straight, so it should be that Ning Zu¡¯an invited him here.

    ¡°Ning Zu¡¯an is a sinner himself, but why did he invite Ao Mingyu toe here? What does he want him toe here for? Before now, I never heard that he woulde, but he came here after Ao Chenyi went home. It is probably rted to Ao Chenyi. Is it about these few peonies?¡±

    Ning Xueyan shook her head in the dark. ¡°This is too much of a fuss. Anyway, it can¡¯t be rted to those few peonies. No matter what, Ning Zu¡¯an is a marquis.

    ¡°So, what happened after I left? And it also has connections with Ao Chenyi.¡± After closing the brocade box, Ning Xueyan turned around and asked, ¡°Where is Xinmei?¡±

    ¡°Xinmei had something to do just now and went out, and she has juste back and is outside. Let me call her in,¡± Qingyu said. She turned around and went out. After a while, Xinmei lifted the door curtain and walked in.

    ¡°Send this box to Prince Yi and also find out what Prince Yi said to Madam Dowager at that time,¡± Ning Xueyan said as she put the box into Xinmei¡¯s hands. Speaking of going to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, Xinmei was the most suitable person, of course, for it was much easier for her to go to someone. Certainly, she could choose not to go through the main entrance and sent the thing directly. After all, Ning Xueyan did not want more people to know that she had also tailored a wedding robe for Ao Chenyi.

    Therefore, she disliked the idea of going straight to Ao Chenyi and sending the wedding robe very much.

    Xinmei took the brocade box and looked at the women¡¯s robe Ning Xueyan had put aside, and then she knew that what was in the box was the prince¡¯s wedding garment, so she said with a smile, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go right away. You just wait, Miss.¡± And she also specially blinked at Ning Xueyan, and thetter red at her fiercely, but somehow, she blushed a little for no reason.

    No sooner Xinmei left than Qingyu came in and reported, ¡°Miss, Housekeeper Ruan wants to see you.¡±

    The inner courtyard was originally managed by Housekeeper Lu, the confidant of Madam Ling and also her older female servant who came here with her after she got married. Previously, Ning Xueyan suffered great losses in her hands. Many items in the Bright Frost Garden were obtained by her through embezzling, but after Madam Ling lost power, the clever Housekeeper Lu immediately went to Madam Dowager, saying that she was old and was getting clumsy, so she was willing to buy herself out and requested to resign and go home.

    Madam Dowager did not like her to be in charge of housekeeping, but she let her because she was the servant of Madam Ling. Since she was so wise, Madam Dowager did not deliberately put obstacles in her way. She found her indenture from Madam Ling¡¯s ce and released her and all her family members, so Ms. Ruan became the housekeeper of the inner courtyard.

    Housekeeper Ruan was smart. When she was free, she liked to visit the Bright Frost Garden and asked about what the Garden needed orcked. At the same time, she would ask Ning Xueyan about how to handle some things. It seemed that she wanted to treat Ning Xueyan as her mistress wholeheartedly. If she met difficulties, she would also send someone to ask Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Although Madam Dowager is still the person in charge of the inner court of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she is old and can¡¯t live for too long, but if I can follow Fifth Young Lady to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor and be a housekeeper when she gets married in the future, it will be much better than being the housekeeper of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.¡±

    Housekeeper Ruan thought so. Of course, she was particrly attentive to the affairs of the Bright Frost Garden.

    When Ning Xueyan let her in, she saluted her respectfully and then stood with her hands and shoulders down on the right-hand side of Ning Xueyan, looking extremely well-behaved and extremely submissive.

    Since she was attentive to Ning Xueyan, Ning Xueyan naturally let her have dignity. Wearing a smile, she asked Qingyu to fetch a stool for her. When she let her sit down, she asked, ¡°Is there anything I can do for you, Housekeeper Ruan?¡±

    Housekeeper Ruan said a few words politely and finally sat down on the edge of the stool. Then, she heaved a sigh before Ning Xueyan and said awkwardly, ¡°Fifth Young Lady, Third Young Lady smashed all the precious porcin items in her room. I thought that the mansion was preparing the dowry for you, so I put many good porcin items in your ce. Now I don¡¯t know what porcin items I can use to refill the room of Third Young Lady. If I don¡¯t use good items, I¡¯m afraid Third Young Lady will be angry.¡±

    Housekeeper Ruan showed that she was at a loss.

    Ning Xueyan picked up the teacup and took a sip. She rolled her eyes leisurely but did not say anything, and listened quietly as Housekeeper Ruan went on. ¡°Ning Qingshan smashed the porcin items in her room. It seems that she was quite angry. Ao Chenyi picked these few peony flowers and threw them all on the ground. Sure enough, she was infuriated.¡±

    ¡°It is said that a cat slipped into the room, and her maids ran after the cat, so all the porcin items were broken. However, Third Young Lady was kind and didn¡¯t punish these few maids, so she sent someone to me to get new porcin items, saying that if the items ced in her room don¡¯t have a good quality, our Lord Protector¡¯s Manor will lose face, when Third Prince visits Third Young Lady in a while.¡±

    Housekeeper Ruan puffed as she spoke, looking aggrieved and depressed.

    Of course, people in the mansion got things by quota, especially for a person like Ning Qingshan, who was notparable to the previous First Young Lady and Second Young Lady. If the two broke many pieces previously, Madam Ling would open her private treasury; even Fourth Young Lady could rely on Concubine Xu, who had some private collections. But Third Young Lady was different because she was an adopted daughter, and no one would provide so many pieces for her, so she had to get them from the public treasury of the mansion.

    If it was one or two pieces, Housekeeper Ruan would not be in a dilemma, but it was a roomful of items, which were ten pieces of porcin at least. Besides, what Third Young Lady meant that she wanted the few best ones, but they had all been appropriated into the dowry of Fifth Young Lady, and Housekeeper Ruan could not make the decision? After thinking about it, she remembered Fifth Young Lady, so she immediately came to the Bright Frost Garden to deliver the message. Housekeeper Ruan became shrewd as she aged. She could see that Third Young Lady and Fifth Young Lady were not in harmony as they seemed.

    When she came to the mansion in the beginning, Third Young Lady wanted to bully Fifth Young Lady and framed herter.

    Third Prince Ao Mingyu wasing here today, so Ning Qingshan took this as an opportunity to ask the storehouse to prepare a roomful of new good quality porcin items. Unfortunately, Madam Dowager wanted to curry favor with Prince Yi previously, so she asked Ning Xueyan to pick the few best pieces. What Ning Qingshan meant was that she took a fancy to the pieces Ning Xueyan had chosen, so she especially threatened Housekeeper Ruan, wanting topete for them with her.

    She never thought that many things in her ce were part of Madam Ming¡¯s dowry, in fact, but Madam Dowager pampered her wholeheartedly and did not put these things in the Bright Frost Garden. Instead, she put them in her Foggy Courtyard...

    Ning Xueyan leaned back, raised her lips slightly, and said as if nothing had happened, ¡°Housekeeper Ruan, please go back first, and I can¡¯t make the decision for this matter. In a while, you can just go to my grandma and report. If the few porcin items in my hands are required, please let Madam Dowager give me an indication, but my grandma is still taking the afternoon nap. Anyhow, you have to wait for my grandma to wake up and then go and report. Anyway, I¡¯m also going to see my grandma in a while, and you maye by then.¡±

    Since Ning Qingshan used the arrival of Ao Mingyu as her excuse, then it was up to her to show her usual gentleness and calmness in front of Ao Mingyu.

    Housekeeper Ruan was smart. Although she did not find out Ning Xueyan¡¯s n by guessing, she stood up and said respectfully, ¡°Yes, I see.¡± After finishing these words, she left.

    After Housekeeper Ruan left, Lanning came over to clean up the needle and thread on the table for Ning Xueyan, and she couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Will Madam Dowager not want to care about this matter in the presence of Third Prince, Miss?¡±

    As for the character of Ning Qingshan, these few maids in the Bright Frost Garden knew it the most clearly. Remembering that Ning Qingshan even had the idea of letting her Miss meet Third Prince privately so as to control her Miss, Lanning just thought that the lesson to Third Young Lady was not enough. Now that there was such a good opportunity, no matter what, her Miss must expose Third Young Lady¡¯s real image, lest that she, who always put on a gentle and kind expression in the mansion but was so vicious in private, should have a chance to act again.

    ¡°Well, Madam Dowager will!¡± Ning Xueyan showed a slight sarcasm on her face. ¡°Madam Dowager usually won¡¯t care about it, but if something unexpected happens...¡±

 Chapter 477 - A Dispute and Competition among Sisters

    <h4>Chapter 477 A Dispute and Competition among Sisters</h4>

    As expected, when Third Prince Ao Mingyu arrived, Madam Dowager asked a servant to the Bright Frost Garden to summon Ning Xueyan.

    Madam Dowager¡¯s so-called manners and rules were always vulnerable in front of the royal family members. Fortunately, Ning Xueyan did want to go there today, so after changing a dress, she went there with Lanning from the Bright Frost Garden. Unexpectedly, she met Ning Lingyun on the way.

    Seeing Ning Xueyaning, Ning Lingyun stopped at once and called her gently, ¡°Are you also going to grandma, Fifth Sister?¡±

    There seemed to be some nervousness and anticipation on her face, and she seemed to want to go together with Ning Xueyan very much, but she was afraid that Ning Xueyan would not want to.

    Compared with her previous image, Ning Lingyun¡¯s current image was indeed something reborn. The delicate and timid Ning Lingyun in front of her waspletely different from the one in her memory¡ªshe was tart and mean, only tried to rely on the powerful Madam Ling, and followed Ning Yuling when she was free, working with her to persecute Ning Xueyan. But it was unclear when that person had disappeared.

    Seen from her appearance, Ning Lingyun really didn¡¯t have her previous image now, and she had timidity in her eyes as if she was timid and pitiful and did not dare to take the lead in doing anything, but was that the real situation?

    The saying goes: You can¡¯t teach a crab to walk straight.

    Moreover, was the change from one person to another a real change or a just show prepared for the public?

    That Concubine Xu was different from Junior Concubine Xu who had died. Since she could give birth to a daughter under the nose of Madam Ling and could also bring her up, it meant a kind of ability. Previously, Ning Zu¡¯an got new favorites, Concubine Ma and Junior Concubine Xu, but the two women died atst. In contrast, Concubine Xu always held her position and was still alive.

    She seemed to show respect and politeness to everyone, and she seemed to smile at and be kind to everyone...

    ¡°Are you also going to our grandma, Fourth Sister? Then let us go!¡± Ning Xueyan smiled lightly and said softly.

    Hearing Ning Xueyan¡¯s invitation, Ning Lingyun had a rxed smile and replied as she nodded, ¡°Okay, let me go with you, Fifth Sister.¡±

    In fact, she made the look that she had great relief and was afraid that Ning Xueyan would be unwilling a little exaggerated, so that people felt ufortable from the bottom of their heart. As if she had been used to being bullied by others, she would even bow her head when she looked at others, cautious and panicky.

    Ning Xueyan nced at Ning Lingyun¡¯s face silently and saw that she had made her face charming and wore light yellow clothes, which were not showy and even made her look tender and delicate. Among her several sisters, she was not beautiful, but she was still a rare beauty. Coupled with her delicate state, she was very attractive.

    Sure enough, no one was easy to deal with, but she did not want to be a stepping stone for someone¡¯s n.

    The two remained quite silent while walking down the following part of the path. Ning Lingyun seemed to have something to say, but when she saw Ning Xueyan¡¯s imperturbable face every time, she could not say it and blinked twice because she was afraid of Ning Xueyan. Then, she opened her mouth twice, but she still closed it atst.

    ¡°Why are you all here, Fifth Sister, Fourth Sister? Let us go!¡± Ning Qingshan appeared at the fork, and she was also dressed up. Wearing a peacock blue dress, she looked beautiful and brilliant. Since she was beautiful, she became more shining after dressing herself up.

    But her leg was injured, so she took her maid Caifen as her stick, but her paces looked a bit stiff as she walked.

    Initially, Ning Qingshan mainly focused on recuperation, but when she heard that Third Prince had arrived, she could not rest anymore. Of course, Madam Dowager had also specially invited her to go. Naturally, she dressed herself up carefully, but she had not recovered from her injury. Although she was mainly supported by Caifen, she had to maintain her image along the way, so she had a sweat on her forehead.

    ¡°Why are you also here, Third Sister? Let me help you.¡± Seeing Ning Qingshan, Ning Lingyun immediately went to her enthusiastically, wanting to support her from the other side.

    ¡°Thanks for your kindness, Fourth Sister. But if you support me like this, I will look more like a disabled woman!¡± Ning Qingshan smiled, but there was a trace of anger in her eyes. Since she wanted to look a little normal, she only asked Caifen to support her because she would not look seriously injured in this way.

    If two people supported her, she would look like someone who was seriously injured and was dying, let alone her image. As long as Ning Qingshan remembered that her image would be ruined if Ning Lingyun supported her, she would look a little unhappy, so she spoke impolitely.

    ¡°Yes, Third Sister, it¡¯s my fault. I thought... I thought that you were seriously injured and needed someone to help you.¡± Hearing Ning Qingshan¡¯s words, Ning Lingyun was aggrieved and stopped, looking at Ning Qingshan tearfully. It seemed that she had been bullied, and her eyes had immediately turned red.

    Seeing that look, Ning Xueyan would really think that Ning Lingyun had been seriously bullied by Ning Qingshan if she was not present. Blinking her watery eyes, she did not advance and even took two steps back. Then, she turned around and seemed to say something to Lanning as if she did not notice their situation at all.

    Then a light smile appeared at her stunning mouth. No matter what the two people in front of her were going to do, she did not want to get herself involved.

    ¡°What do you mean, Fourth Sister? Is it that I bully you if I don¡¯t let you help me?¡± Ning Qingshan said angrily as she saw the aggrieved look of Ning Lingyun. Nothing went smoothly when she confronted Ning Xueyan these days. Now, even Ning Lingyun wanted to step on her, so how could she not get angry?

    ¡°Third Sister, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, I... I did not know you didn¡¯t want me to touch you, and I... I won¡¯t do it again.¡± Slightly reprimanded, Ning Lingyun became sadder and shook her head vigorously, her tears running down drop by drop.

    ¡°Ning Lingyun is indeed crying with great grievances!¡± Ning Xueyan thought affirmatively. ¡°She is changing her way!¡±

    ¡°Fourth Sister, you don¡¯t have to say sorry, but it¡¯s just inconvenient for me to let you help me, and you seem to look like I have bulled you.¡± Ning Qingshan¡¯s face had turned cold. She was in a bad mood, so how could she have patience? So, as she spoke, she did not look at Ning Lingyun anymore. Turning around, she took steps forward.

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t seem to notice what was happening here. She talked to Lanning while walking forward, heading for Madam Dowager¡¯s Auspicious Fortune Hall.

    Ning Lingyun was in tears, looking at Ning Xueyan walk past her pathetically, and then the tears in her eyes fell drop by drop. Being sad, she looked as pathetic as one could imagine and stared at Ning Xueyan with anticipation, but Ning Xueyan seemed not to see her. She kept turning around to chat with Lanning and did not notice Ning Lingyun standing on the roadside at all.

    Seeing that Ning Xueyan walked past her brazenly, Ning Lingyun realized that Ning Xueyan was truly not going to care about her, so she did not dare to make any more trouble. After wiping her tears, she followed Ning Xueyan and left for their grandmother¡¯s ce with her.

    In Madam Dowager¡¯s room, Third Prince Ao Mingyu was sitting on the main seat, but when he came to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor previously, he always imed that he was young and would only take a less important seat, but this time, he went straight to the seat of honor even without showing empty courtesy.

    Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an kept himpany on the side. Ning Huaiyuan sat on the right-hand seat of Ning Zu¡¯an and bowed his head slightly, and no one knew what he was thinking. Ning Xueyan nced at him and moved quietly forward to salute Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an and then Third prince Ao Mingyu.

    After the salute, Third Prince waved his hand and Ning Xueyan retired with regr manners, and a maid had already carried a brocade-covered stool to her and let her sit down.

    Ning Qingshan came a little earlier than her. At this time, she had already finished saluting and upied Ning Xueyan¡¯s left-hand seat. When she saw Ning Xueyaning, she smiled at her gently, and no trace of her anger that appeared just now could be seen.

    Ning Lingyun was thest to arrive. After making her salute, she sat down on the right-hand seat of Ning Xueyan. Since she had just cried, her eyes were still red. Coupled with a pitiful look, she was very eye-catching. Seeing the tear marks at the corners of her eyes, Madam Dowager was displeased and gave her a fierce nce. Today she invited Third Prince toe for a serious business, not for the little dispute of girls.

    When she sensed the anger of Madam Dowager, Ning Lingyun bowed her head so low that her forehead almost touched the ground and twisted her handkerchief, bing more afraid of seeing others. Truly, she was quite pathetic!

    Ao Mingyu couldn¡¯t help but take one more look at the concubine¡¯s daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. As a matter of fact, he had a little impression of her. When he was once with Marquis of Ping¡¯an, he saw that Ning Lingyun was very arrogant and almost made Ning Xueyan fall with her face down. He remembered that he didn¡¯t like this concubine¡¯s daughter very much at that time.

    ¡°Why is she like this now?¡±

    He turned his thoughtful eyes from Ning Qingshan to Ning Xueyan, then to Ning Lingyun, and finally to Ning Xueyan again. After his eyes twitched twice slightly, he withdrew his gaze and became calm.

    ¡°Your Highness, I invited you toe here today because I wanted you to appreciate the peonies in my garden, but the peonies were... by Prince Yi, so you had a wasted trip.¡± Ning Qingshan, who had already received the hint of Madam Dowager, now apologized with a smile, but she had light grievances in her eyes, so anyone who knew this matter knew that Ning Qingshan had suffered injustice indeed.

    Ning Xueyan kept silent and bowed her head like Ning Lingyun. ¡°Anyway, that was not done by me, and let me see what they will do next.¡±

    ¡°My uncle doesn¡¯t like peonies, and you suffered indeed!¡± Ao Mingyu said gently. Prince Yi always behaved very arrogantly. Now everyone knew that he had been to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Remembering that Prince Yi pped him one time in front of Ning Xueyan before, he couldn¡¯t help but have some fierceness in his eyes.

    He had always been the noblest prince, and he had never suffered such humiliation.

    ¡°She didn¡¯t really suffer from grievances. Prince Yi also especially gave a reward to my third granddaughter, and it is also a reward to those peonies,¡± Madam Dowager said smilingly. Then, she pped her hands, and Mother Qin immediately brought a tray with a beautiful decorative box on it. By only seeing the exquisite box, anyone could know how precious the item in the box was.

    Ning Xueyan smiled. Before now, she had learned this from Xinmei.

    Ao Mingyu looked a little unhappy, and the veins on his forehead seemed to bulge a bit. Ao Chenyi implied the thing that he had done to Ning Xueyan, so after he pped him, he also went to the garden of Ning Qingshan and gave Ning Qingshan an ornament, so how could Ao Mingyu not be angry?

    This was different from what happened at the Cold Mountain Temple, for those few people who knew it were all his henchmen. If this news was spread, not only would Ning Qingshan be ashamed, but he would alsopletely lose face...

 Chapter 478 - The Purple-gold and Sapphire Glazed Vases

    <h4>Chapter 478 The Purple-gold and Sapphire zed Vases</h4>

    ¡°Third Prince, look at this ornament...¡± Ning Zu¡¯an said hesitantly as he saw Third Prince¡¯s face sink. Now when this matter was put before Third Prince, although he knew that Ning Qingshan could not have a rtionship with Prince Yi, he was still so angry. If he did not know about this matter, it would cause much trouble.

    ¡°This is the ornament I left with my uncle¡¯s care. As for my uncle giving it to Third Young Lady, this is my idea. Just take it, Third Young Lady Ning.¡± Ao Mingyu took a deep breath, and then his expression gradually calmed down, and a gentle smile even appeared on his face.

    No one in this room believed these words, but for the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, the aim of asking Third Prince toe was to take out the ornament Prince Yi granted to Ning Qingshan in his presence to get rid of his suspicions. Now that Third Prince gave such a reason, everyone just took it as a fact.

    This meant that the most critical part of this problem was solved. Since Third Prince had reluctantly admitted that this was his idea, it would have nothing to do with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor in the future, and Third Prince could not use this as an excuse to make trouble. Then, Ning Zu¡¯an and Madam Dowager were relieved.

    ¡°This turns out to be your gift. Thank you, Third Prince.¡± Ning Qingshan stood up with the support of Caifen¡¯s hand, bent with difficulty to bow, and then raised her head, showing her affection.

    ¡°It¡¯s still early for supper. Would you like to go to the Foggy Courtyard to stay awhile and take a break, prince?¡± Madam Dowager proposed with a smile, but she had a wry smile in her mind. She did not want to be so against the rules, but Prince Yi had been to the Foggy Courtyard of Ning Qingshan. Therefore, if Third Prince, the future husband of Ning Qingshan, had not been there, it would be quite reasonable.

    Moreover, although Third Prince was smiling, Madam Dowager could still feel that he was unhappy, so she was willing to make him happy. Anyway, Ning Qingshan would be married into Third Prince¡¯s manor in the future. Although this was against the rules, this was better than making Third Prince get angry and hate the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Of course, Madam Dowager had said to Ning Qingshan before that she must please Third Prince in a while.

    ¡°Is... is it convenient to go to my courtyard, grandma?¡± Ning Qingshan said in a dilemma as she heard the proposal of Madam Dowager. She also blinked, a bit at a loss. ¡°A cat has broken the porcin in my room.¡±

    ¡°Sure enough, she is trying to trap me in this way,¡± Ning Xueyan sneered inwardly. Ning Qingshan was the adopted daughter of the Marquis¡¯s Manor. Previously, she was put under the name of Madam Ming, and Madam Ming should provide a dowry for her, so when Madam Dowager decorated the Foggy Courtyard previously, she took a few things from Madam Ming¡¯s dowry there, ready to let Ning Qingshan take them away in the future.

    The reason was that she was about to be Third Prince¡¯s consort in the beginning, so the good items had all been sent to the Foggy Courtyard. On the contrary, Ning Xueyan, the biological daughter, did not get anything. Although she retrieved dowry itemster, she did not touch those items in the Foggy Courtyard. After that, when Ning Qingshan was put under the name of Madam Ling, those items were still not touched.

    Initially, Ning Xueyan never thought about taking back these things, but now Ning Qingshan was obviously too greedy. After the porcin items in her room were broken, she even wanted to get porcin from her. Why did she mention this in front of so many people? The reason was that she wanted to take Third Prince¡¯s presence as her advantage so that Madam Dowager or Ning Xueyan could not refuse her.

    ¡°You want to square ounts in every detail, Ning Qingshan? Okay, let¡¯s square ounts carefully, and let people see how ¡®generous¡¯ this gentle and generous Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is!¡±

    She raised her ck jade-like eyes, and her bright watery eyes moved slightly. She looked at Ning Qingshan in surprise and covered her mouth with her handkerchief. ¡°You smashed all the items of my mother, Third Sister?¡±

    ¡°The items of my mother?¡± Madam Dowager had a shiver in her heart, and her expression became unnatural. The words of Ning Xueyan reminded her that those things in the Foggy Courtyard belonged to Madam Ming. ording to the current situation, all the dowry items of Madam Ming were Ning Xueyan¡¯s, and Ning Qingshan should not possess them at all.

    Seeing that Ning Xueyan hade out, Ning Qingshan felt that something bad might happen, so she shook her head hurriedly. ¡°Fifth Sister, you heard the wrong thing. It is the items in my room, not the items of mother.¡±

    ¡°Third Sister, most of the items in your room are my mother¡¯s. When did they be Madam Ling¡¯s? Third Sister, when you came back, I remember I told you that. Have you forgotten about it?¡± Ning Xueyan deliberately tried to misunderstand what Ning Qingshan said. Previously, they all called Madam Ling mother. Of course, Ning Xueyan was now using Madam Ling to make trouble, and she also meant that Ning Qingshan was not the daughter of Madam Ming, the wife of the marquis, so she had no right to take Madam Ming¡¯s things.

    Everything in the mansion had a record. Moreover, a dowry incident urred in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor previously, and many items in Ning Qingshan¡¯s courtyard were from the dowry list, so there was evidence.

    Even if Ning Qingshan wanted to deny it, she could not.

    ¡°I... Just a few pieces of porcin were broken in my room, and I want to get a few new ones. It¡¯s not a big deal... but why did you say that, Fifth Sister?¡± Hearing these questions, Ning Qingshan blushed because she seemed to be ashamed. Since something like that happened before, she did not expect that Ning Xueyan even had the courage to make trouble in the presence of Third Prince. Instantly, her face turned crimson.

    Ao Mingyu raised his eyebrows. Now he seemed to have released so much depression and was drinking tea leisurely on the head seat, as if he had not seen the two youngdies of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor making a scene.

    ¡°Fifth Granddaughter, all right, that¡¯s not a big deal,¡± Madam Dowager interrupted and said to Ning Xueyan with displeasure. ¡°Being broken is not a big deal. Just ask someone to refill in a while.¡±

    She still wanted Ning Qingshan to make Third Prince happy, so she didn¡¯t want Ning Qingshan to have any trouble at this time. As for the matter of the porcin, no matter what, it was not very suitable to investigate it at this time.

    ¡°Grandma, it¡¯s not that I wanted to mention it, but, but...¡± Ning Xueyan bit her lips, blinked, and muttered in a dilemma.

    But then she looked at Madam Dowager, stood up, bowed gracefully, and said, ¡°Do you still remember the pair of Purple-gold and Sapphire zed Vases, grandma?¡±

    In the past, the owner of the Ming Manor loved his daughter very much, so he put the pair of Purple-gold and Sapphire zed Vases into Madam Ming¡¯s dowry. For others, they were perhaps only a pair of valuable things, but for Madam Dowager, their meaning was somewhat unusual.

    It was said that the pair of Purple-gold and Sapphire zed Vases were the dowry items that Madam Dowager¡¯s mother got from her parents¡¯ home in the past. At that time, they were favorites of Madam Dowager¡¯s mother. Later, she did not pass them to her daughter, but to her granddaughter, and then they were brought by Madam Ming to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Then, Madam Ming fell from her wife¡¯s position, and the dowry items were divided and taken by Madam Dowager and Madam Ling.

    This pair of Purple-gold and Sapphire zed Vases fell into the hands of Madam Dowager again, but when she decorated the Foggy Courtyard, she generously let Ning Xueyan pick a few items and put them into the Foggy Courtyard, and Ning Xueyan just put the vases there.

    ¡°Are the pair of Purple-gold and Sapphire zed Vases also in the Foggy Courtyard?¡± Madam Dowager was stunned, suddenly sat straight, banged the table with her hand, and asked hurriedly.

    ¡°When I decorated the Foggy Courtyard, grandma, you said that I should pick good ones for Third Sister, and I just specially picked the good ones... At that time, the pair of Purple-gold and Sapphire zed Vases were part of my mother¡¯s dowry, but I thought that Third Sister was also my mother¡¯s daughter, after all. When she got married, my mother would give her a few things, so I put the pair of Purple-gold and Sapphire zed Vases and a few other rarities all into the Foggy Courtyard, but I didn¡¯t expect that Third Sister would smash them.¡±

    Ning Xueyan looked aggrieved.

    Remembering that her mother¡¯s most precious Purple-gold and Sapphire zed Vases were destroyed by Ning Qingshan, Madam Dowager felt quite distressed. When she heard Ning Xueyan¡¯s words now, she couldn¡¯t help but shout at her, ¡°Although these things were given to your third sister, your third sister is now the daughter of Madam Ling. Afterward, why didn¡¯t you send someone to take all of them back and rece them with another batch?¡±

    This time, she only had the mind to care about the pair of Purple-gold and Sapphire zed Vases, so she had no mind to care about Ning Qingshan¡¯s dignity.

    They were treasures of their Ming Manor. Back to her youth, she wanted to take the pair of treasures as her dowry, but her mother did not allow it. Due to this reason, she got so angry secretly. Later, when Madam Ming fell into trouble, she simply took away these Purple-gold and Sapphire zed Vases at once also because of this reason, but now someone told her that the pair of treasures were gone, so how could she not be angry?

    Standing on the side, Ning Qingshan blushed, and her face turned pale. ¡°This is clearly the p in the face. What¡¯s the meaning of the words that these things should have been reced with another batch after I became the daughter of Madam Ling? Is this a reminder of my identity? Madam Ling is now a famous vicious woman. Now I have be a concubine¡¯s daughter because of her, the daughter of a vicious concubine.¡±

    Third Prince was on still the head seat. Although he kept silent, he had been watching them coldly.

    ¡°Yes, grandma, I... I will ask our servants to take down the things of my mother, and such things will never happen in the future,¡± Ning Xueyan nodded and said gently but worriedly.

    ¡°Grandma, I didn¡¯t mean to...¡± Hiding the hatred in her eyes, Ning Qingshan looked aggrieved, and tears had fallen down the corners of her eyes. She sobbed and said, ¡°Grandma, I... really didn¡¯t know. It was only when a wild cat came... this, this then happened.¡±

    Now she hated Ning Xueyan very much. Of course, she would vent all the humiliation she suffered from Prince Yi on Ning Xueyan, so after smashing the porcin, she especially sent someone to ask for a few best porcin items. Surely, she knew that these few good porcin items had been put into Ning Xueyan¡¯s dowry, but in the presence of Third Prince, she did not believe that Madam Dowager would refuse her, or Ning Xueyan dared to refuse her.

    ¡°What¡¯s the big deal of having put them into her dowry? The dowry has not been sent yet!

    ¡°As long as they are brought into my courtyard, will Madam Dowager not feel embarrassed to take them away from me at once?¡±

    But she did not expect the pair of ordinary-looking Purple-gold and Sapphire zed Vases to be the most precious treasures for Madam Dowager. At that time when she began smashing the porcin, the first ones she picked were the pair of Purple-gold and Sapphire zed Vases at her hand. What was even harder for her to imagine was that Madam Dowager even said that she would take away all those high-quality items in her room.

    Now Ning Qingshan hated Ning Xueyan so much. When such words had been said, she had to give her reply. The trouble was caused by her, and the topic was brought up by her. It seemed that she just rushed into all these things, but she ended up with a bad result, so it was impossible for her not to grit her teeth with hatred.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, Housekeeper Ruan says that she wants to see you and talk about the matter of the porcin,¡± Mother Qin suddenly came in and whispered to Madam Dowager.

 Chapter 479 - The Maid Is Talking Sheer Nonsense

    <h4>Chapter 479 The Maid Is Talking Sheer Nonsense</h4>

    If it had been any normal day, Madam Dowager would never have let Housekeeper Ruan in. But now she had a distressed look on her face because she was very sensitive about the porcin issue. Without thinking too much about it, she waved her hand and said, ¡°Go and ask her toe in. Why does she want to report about the porcin? Is there someone else¡¯s porcin in the manor that has also been smashed by the cat?¡±

    After saying that, she found that Third Prince was also here. However, if she retracted what she said earlier, it might seem obvious and would be somewhat embarrassing.

    Ao Mingyu said with an easy-going smile, ¡°Madam Dowager, please go ahead with what you have to do. I am not doing anything anyway.¡±

    Originally, he did not want to visit Ning Qingshan¡¯s courtyard. In the Cold Mountain Temple, at the time when he was pped by Ao Chenyi, Ning Qingshan was in the room and must have witnessed it. When he thought that he had lost face with Ning Xueyan and this act had been witnessed by Ning Qingshan as well, he decided to distance himself a little from Ning Qingshan.

    The moment he saw her, it seemed to remind him of his disgrace. Thinking back to that day, it was also because of Ning Qingshan¡¯s instigation that he made such a decision. She told him to do something that would give him a hold on Ning Xueyan and then Ning Xueyan would be beholden to him after she entered Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    At that time, he might have some other hidden agenda, but now he thought that it was all Ning Qingshan¡¯s fault. If she had not said that it would benefit him to do so, he would not have been so disgraced. Not only had he been pped by Ao Chenyi, but he even received a scolding from his father in the imperial pce.

    His mother reprimanded him as well. When he came to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and heard Ao Chenyi humiliating Ning Qingshan, but he could not do anything. And he still had to help Ao Chenyi cover up the lie and said that he gave those ornaments to Ning Qingshan. Ao Mingyu felt like such a wimp and was very furious inside.

    He knew that he could not offend Ao Chenyi openly now. Besides, he was in the wrong. If they really tore apart his image because of this, the reputation that he had taken great pains to build up would be gone. In that case, how could he ascend the throne in the future?

    Therefore, he had to endure it. However, it was obvious that he exercised excessive patience with Ao Chenyi. Now when he remembered that Ning Qingshan caused all this, the more he looked at her, the more resentful he felt. On that day, what Ning Qingshan said seemed like she was thinking about him all the time. Now when he recalled what she said, did she really mean that? Was Ning Qingshan really such a selfless person?

    Hence, Ao Mingyu sat down at one side and did not say anything at all.

    After Housekeeper Ruan came in, she greeted Third Prince first and then the other masters, one by one in order. In the end, she came to Madam Dowager and reported, ¡°Some time ago, the maid from Foggy Courtyard told me that a wildcat broke into Third Young Lady¡¯s room and several maids chased after it. They smashed the porcin identally and asked me to send some fine porcin over.¡±

    ¡°I did not dare to make a decision about this, so I came here to ask for instructions from Madam Dowager. Arge number of porcin was smashed and they were all of excellent quality. Previously Madam Dowager allowed Fifth Young Lady to select some of the fine porcin. They are now with Fifth Young Lady, so we will have to change the list for her dowry.¡±

    Housekeeper Ruan did not say much, but it sounded very methodical. She pointedly reminded them that she had no choice but toe to Madam Dowager¡¯s Lucky Garden at this time. Moreover, she also revealed that Ning Qingshan wanted Ning Xueyan to take out some porcin from her dowry in order topensate her. The dowry had not been sent out yet, but the dowry list was already drawn up, so how was it possible to change it at will?

    Ning Qingshan almost spat out blood in anger. Just now, Madam Dowager wanted to move the things in her courtyard and now Housekeeper Ruan was here now to say that she wanted to take away Ning Xueyan¡¯s dowry. Although it was her original intention, she just wanted to take advantage of Third Prince¡¯s power to suppress Ning Xueyan, so that Ning Xueyan would suffer a loss in silence.

    Unexpectedly, it all came out in the open. For the previous matter, it could be said to be an ident, but now! This not only ruined her n, but also her reputation!

    Suddenly an idea shed into her mind. She curtailed her act of trying to appear pitiful, wiped her tears and then hurriedly raised her head to ask, ¡°Housekeeper Ruan, who said that? Who said I want to change my Fifth Sister¡¯s dowry?¡±

    ¡°It is... it is Maid Caifen who is with Third Young Lady. She told me that there were several other maids and older female servants in the room then. Third Young Lady, if you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask her.¡± When she heard this, Housekeeper Ruan hastily answered and stretched out her hand to point at Caifen, who was standing beside Ning Qingshan.

    Ning Xueyan frowned slightly and looked at Housekeeper Ruan with some uncertainty.

    ¡°The maid beside Third Sister is really outstanding!¡± Ning Lingyun muttered in a low voice, as if she did not intend to let the others hear what she said. However, her murmur was very obvious because the room was so quiet at this time.

    ¡°How dare a maid ask for items from her master¡¯s dowry¡±. And at the thought of Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan¡¯s private conflict, Madam Dowager trembled with anger. At this moment, a mixture of anger, hate and distress rushed into Madam Dowager¡¯s mind. She stared at Ning Qingshan fiercely, but could not say a word.

    But even if she was angry now, she had to take into consideration Third Prince, who was present. So she directed her anger at Caifen and said, ¡°Guards,e in. Take this babbling maid out and give her 20shes.¡±

    Ning Qingshan¡¯s heart skipped a beat and she hurriedly pleaded with Madam Dowager, ¡°Grandmother, maybe my maid misunderstood what I meant. I just wanted to change some of the porcin, so I beg Grandmother to forgive this ignorant maid.¡±

    Ning Qingshan sounded kind and generous. Although she said that the maid was ignorant and must have passed on the wrong message, she took it as a minor mistake and forgave her.

    There were only a few people avable to her now. Mammy Luo was one and so was Caifen. Even Feilian was not her loyal confidant, so she could not afford to lose any more confidants. What¡¯s more, if something bad happened to the people around her one after another, it would not reflect well on her and also make those serving her feel apprehensive.

    Therefore, Ning Qingshan had to intercede for Caifen.

    With a ¡°flop¡± sound, Caifen went down on her knees in fear. Hearing Ning Qingshan pleading for her, she felt a little relieved. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and stole a nce at Fifth Young Lady who was frowning slightly and then became more confident. In her opinion, Third Young Lady was capable and smart. Besides, Third Prince was also here, so it was certain that Third Young Lady could protect her.

    Moreover, she did not think that there were many people who heard her when she uttered those words. At this time, with Ning Qingshan backing her up, she immediately rxed, turned to Housekeeper Ruan and said in a clear voice, ¡°Housekeeper Ruan, you cannot say that. The wildcat jumped in and ran around, so we identally broke the porcin. I asked Housekeeper Ruan if there were any fine porcin that could be exchanged for our Young Lady, but I would not have dared to say anything else!¡±

    The more she said, the more she felt that there was nothing to it. She was giving Housekeeper Ruan a hint, but did not say it outright. Generally speaking, this could not be counted as a wrongdoing because the evidence was clearly inadequate. And Third Prince was still here, so she did not believe that Madam Dowager would not give face to Third Prince and let her Young Lady be embarrassed.

    As for Fifth Young Lady, she was nothing but merely a disy only. With Third Young Lady and Third Prince here, nothing could happen to her today anyway.

    Ning Zu¡¯an stood aside and looked at Caifen in disgust. In the past, he never cared about the maids from Ning Qingshan¡¯s courtyard, so he did not notice that there was such an arrogant and unconstrained maid at Ning Qingshan¡¯s side. Although he did not pay much attention to the purple sapphire ze, he thought that the room was really full of the fine porcin from Madam Ming¡¯s dowry.

    At the very least, it was worth tens of thousands of taels of silver, but she actually dared to speak so lightly about it, even though she was only a maid. When was a maid able to say such a thing? She still wanted to change it into a roomful of fine porcin. Did she really think that he was too rich and had nothing else to spend his money on and could easily afford to throw tens of thousands of taels of silver at will?

    In fact, Ning Zu¡¯an did not have much affection for his adopted daughter. He only thought that she was smart and obedient. She also had a good reputation outside and usually showed him respect in the manor. In addition, Madam Dowager had repeatedly told him that Ning Qingshan was a promising girl and the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor could rely on her in the future, so he paid a little attention to her.

    If there was something good for his own daughters, he did not forget her and also gave her a share.

    But now, Ning Zu¡¯an increasingly found something wrong with his adopted daughter. What happened in the study became a needle in Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s heart. No matter how he saw it, he felt strange and thought there was something fishy about the whole affair. However, he could not find anything wrong for the moment and thought he was being overly suspicious.

    Ning Qingshan was still the gentle and charming Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and conducted herself well.

    But what was going on now? If he remembered correctly, Ning Qingshan found this cunning maid from outside by herself and even brought her directly into her courtyard without the backyard¡¯s permission.

    For a moment, his disgust at this maid blended with the recollection of previous bad memories and made Ning Zu¡¯an look gloomy.

    ¡°Is that what you said to Housekeeper Ruan then? Did you say those words after so many of the porcin were smashed?¡± Ning Xueyan asked, as if Caifen should have put it more bluntly to Housekeeper Ruan.

    Of course, Caifen would not admit to what Ning Xueyan just said. As soon as she thought that she had said too much at that time, she immediately dered righteously, ¡°Yes, this is what I said to Housekeeper Ruan. I said nothing except that the porcin were broken and needed to be changed for a batch of new ones and also urged Housekeeper Ruan to change it for Third Young Lady. I¡¯m afraid that it will bring shame to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor if someonees to Third Young Lady¡¯s courtyard and does not see any decent porcin ornaments.¡±

    As Caifen spoke, she looked meaningfully at Third Prince and it was easy to see what she was implying.

    Thinking that Third Prince was passionate about her Young Lady, he would certainly not let her Young Lady be sad and would take this chance to stand up for her Young Lady.

    Seeing Caifen¡¯s look, Ning Qingshan felt uneasy. Before she could ask her to stop, Ning Zu¡¯an could not bear it anymore.

    When Ning Zu¡¯an heard the maid talking sheer nonsense so boldly and also saw that she peeked discreetly at Third Prince, he was ready to explode with rage. He pounded the table heavily and said, ¡°As a maid, you dare to bully your master. You really dare to bully your master. You bring shame to your Young Lady. Guards,e and take this bad maid away.¡±

 Chapter 480 - The Whole Household Took a Beating

    <h4>Chapter 480 The Whole Household Took a Beating</h4>

    ¡°Father, my maid is not sensible. Please forgive her for my sake!¡± Ning Qingshan had to plead for Caifen. Indeed, she had to do it because she was the one who smashed the porcin and had asked Caifen to pass on a message. If pushed to the extreme, Caifen might start to talk nonsense.

    ¡°Third Sister, don¡¯t beg for mercy for them. Look at the people around you, they were just chasing a wildcat and ended up breaking all the fine porcin in your room. Later, in order to shirk responsibility, they deliberately stirred up trouble. How did Mammy Luo discipline them? If you do not punish such a maid severely and if all the people in the manor were to follow what they do, what will we do then?¡±

    Ning Xueyan showed a bit of anger, as if she was defending Ning Qingshan. Then she continued, ¡°Third Sister, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t let anyone bully you. She did not even listen to you, took the opportunity to stir up trouble and her attitude is so impertinent. She even thought that the fine porcin could simply be reced by her uttering a single sentence. Even a noble Young Lady from an aristocratic family is not so generous, so such a maid is really detestable. If she is not beaten now, then how can our Grandmother uphold her image to the public in the future?¡±

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s remarks turned over what Ning Qingshan just said. It sounded as if Ning Qingshan did not want Madam Dowager to punish Caifen, yet on the one hand, it came across as if her decision was too weak and it would surely harm Madam Dowager¡¯s prestige. Even if it was only the inner courtyard, one still needed to maintain one¡¯s prestige.

    When one gave it deeper thought, it seemed as if Ning Qingshan was purposely going against Madam Dowager!

    Hearing these words, Ning Zu¡¯an had a thought that if a maid could talk about tens of thousands of taels of silver so easily, then what did other people think of him? Would they think that there was so much money in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor because even a maid was so frivolous when it came to money matters. But where did he get the money?

    Ning Zu¡¯an thought deeper and felt a shiver in his heart. Then he stared at Caifen and water seemed to be dripping from his cold eyes.

    Ning Xueyan was really very sharp-tongued and actually rendered Ning Qingshan speechless with just a few words. There was a hint of hatred shing in Ning Qingshan¡¯s eyes. Caifen was her trusted confidant, so she had to plead for mercy. However, she would fall into Ning Xueyan¡¯s trap as soon as she did it. ¡°This bitch has gone too far in bullying others!¡± she thought.

    Madam Dowager was already very dissatisfied with her because of the incident regarding the pair of purple sapphire ze and she would make Madam Dowager angry again because of Caifen. Ning Qingshan knew it was unwise to do so, but she really could not let Madam Dowager punish Caifen by flogging her.

    ¡°Grandmother, Caifen made a mistake, this was just her misconception at that moment. Besides, it did not bring about any bad results, I beg Grandmother to forgive her,¡± Ning Qingshan implored her grandmother again..

    ¡°Third Sister, you are still pleading for her. This maid dared to say these words to Housekeeper Ruan. Maybe that wildcat was also a made up story. s! It is a pity that Grandmother¡¯s purple sapphire ze was smashed by several maids, but this maid even dared to stir things up in order to manipte her master¡¯s affairs.¡±

    Ning Xueyan frowned and said this softly to show that she was always on Madam Dowager¡¯s side.

    At this time, Ning Qingshan¡¯s voice was extremely loud because she was anxious. Although she was pleading, it sounded very aggressive. On the contrary, Ning Xueyan spoke in a lower tone and looked at Madam Dowager from time to time, as if she could not make up her mind.

    Ning Xueyan brought up the subject of that pair of purple sapphire zes when Madam Dowager was in this frame of mind. With that, Madam Dowager thought that her beloved purple sapphire zes might have really been smashed by the maids of Foggy Courtyard. Madam Dowager could not vent her anger, so she did not want to listen any longer and issued amand to Housekeeper Ruan.

    ¡°Take this girl down and flog her twenty times with a stick and ten times each for the other servants of Foggy Courtyard. If they can¡¯t even serve a master well, what else can they do? If it happens again, then all the servants of Foggy Courtyard will be sold.¡±

    Madam Dowager did not want to say anything more at this time. No matter what Ning Qingshan had done in private, Third Prince was here after all. She had to give face to Third Prince, so she made a direct decision in a sweeping manner. Originally, she wanted to make Third Prince happy, however, Ning Qingshan was such a disappointment. At this moment, Madam Dowager had a massive headache.

    ¡°Am I really going to get a beating?¡± Caifen thought. With a ¡°hum¡± sound in her head, she subconsciously held on to Ning Qingshan¡¯s dress. Two older female servants came over and tried to pull Caifen away. Her hands were still resting on Ning Qingshan¡¯s skirt, as Ning Qingshan had difficulty in walking and could only stand with Caifen¡¯s help before. At this time, she was a little unsteady on her feet, but after being pulled by Caifen, she could not keep her bnce and fell heavily to the floor.

    Because she was so unstable on her feet, she fell to the ground. Besides, the force on Caifen¡¯s side was stronger, so most of her bodynded on top of Caifen when she flopped down. However, because of herck of strength, she fell t on her back and was in an extremely awkward predicament.

    In front of so many people, including Third Prince, Ning Qingshan had a terrible fall. It was so humiliating. The hairpins on her head came off and her bun unraveled. This resulted in messy strands of hair covering her eyes. She looked nothing like a noble Young Lady from an aristocratic family.

    Anger spread across Madam Dowager¡¯s face. She knocked on the ground heavily with the crutch in her hand and said, ¡°Quick, pull this bitch off, hurry up and pull her away!¡±

    When Caifen saw Ning Qingshan being pulled down by her, her head began to ¡°buzz¡±. Then she quickly let go of Ning Qingshan¡¯s skirt horn and wanted to help her up. The two older female servants heard Madam Dowager¡¯s angry tone and did not dare to slight her, so they hurriedly dragged Caifen away. With that, two more maids hurried over to help Ning Qingshan who was lying in an awkward position, up.

    After being humiliated in front of so many people, Ning Qingshan blushed with shame and did not dare to look at Third Prince¡¯s face.

    At this time, she was naturally in no mood to plead for Caifen and even could not wait to cut Caifen into pieces in her heart. Why did this bitch stretch her hand out? How dare she hold on to her skirt? If she had known earlier, she should have kicked her away so that she would not feel so humiliated in front of Third Prince.¡±

    Ning Qingshan was not the only one who blushed, but Madam Dowager was embarrassed too. She never expected that the most outstanding person in her heart, Ning Qingshan, would make such a mistake. She nced at Third Prince and found that he was watching the show calmly, but there was a trace of disgust in his eyes and it could not be hidden from such an experienced person as Madam Dowager.

    Previously when Ning Qingshan just came back, Madam Dowager remembered clearly that Third Prince looked at Ning Qingshan with adoration in his eyes and his smile was gentle with a trace of joy from his heart. However, after a short time, there was none of the initial joy in Third Prince¡¯s eyes, but instead there was a hint of disgust.

    Madam Dowager originally wanted Ning Qingshan to please Third Prince, but after seeing Ning Qingshan¡¯s current situation, she did not think she could find favor with Third Prince. Madam Dowager felt angry and resentful. In the future, they still had to rely on Third Prince to gain wealth and honor. Would Ning Qingshan really be able to help the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to gain wealth and honor?

    ¡°Your Highness, dinner is ready, let me apany you to have your meal.¡± Ning Zu¡¯an really deserved his title as a courtier and was the first one to recover his wits in the face of such an awkward situation. He stood up, bowed to Third Prince and Ning Huaiyuan stood up as well.

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s go together!¡± Ao Mingyu said gently. There was no displeasure on his face, as if it was really just a farce of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and had nothing to do with him at all. He got up and said goodbye to Madam Dowager. Having done that, he turned his eyes on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face and strode away.

    As for Ning Qingshan, he did not even spare a nce at her.

    Ning Zu¡¯an and his son followed behind him as they left together and at this moment, there was a strange hush in the room.

    Ning Qingshan looked up at Third Prince¡¯s departing back with sadness. Madam Dowager stared at Ning Qingshan coldly while Ning Lingyun hid herself as if she was afraid of being discovered. She looked timidly at Madam Dowager and Ning Qingshan from time to time. Ning Xueyan felt her action was very familiar, as Ning Lingyun¡¯s behavior became more intentional and affected.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes swept across Ning Lingyun and she smiled inwardly. It seemed that Fourth Young Lady had a new n.

    As long as she did not step on her to carry out her n, she did not care about watching a good show or two.

    ¡°Grandmother, I was so careless just now... I...¡± Ning Qingshan finally overcame her shame and resentment and tried to exin to Madam Dowager, with tears in her eyes.

    ¡°Well, you go back first. Third Prince won¡¯t be happy to see you now. Go back and have an early rest.¡± Madam Dowager coldly interrupted her and abruptly said, ¡°Come and take Third Young Lady back to Foggy Courtyard. And bring two more older female servants to beat all the servants who have no sense of propriety in the courtyard, ten times.¡±

    ¡°Grandmother...¡± Ning Qingshan turned pale and cried out hurriedly But Madam Dowager had already turned to talk to Mother Qin and ignored her.

    The two maids supported Ning Qingshan and helped her out. With that, two older female servants in Lucky Garden took the punishment sticks and followed her to Foggy Courtyard. What Madam Dowager meant was that all the servants in Foggy Courtyard were to be beaten, so they went there to carry out the punishment.

    This time, Ning Qingshan went for wool and came back shorn. Not only did she fail to get Third Prince to help her keep up her appearance, but also caused all the servants in the courtyard to be beaten. For a moment,ints were heard everywhere in the courtyard. They loudlymented that before it seemed to be better to stay by Third Young Lady¡¯s side, but unexpectedly, Fifth Young Lady would have been the best choice.

    That night, wails rang out in Foggy Courtyard. Caifen was the most seriously injured. Although she was still alive, she was unconscious. When she was carried back to Foggy Courtyard, she was covered in blood. Fortunately, the other people in the courtyard were still well and could move, except for Mammy Luo, who was unable to get up due to being beaten at such an old age.

    Led by Feilian, people in the courtyard were busy boiling water, cleaning up their wounds and applying ointment on them.

    However, Third Prince did not evene to visit her. What made Ning Qingshan angrier was that Housekeeper Ruan sent some fine porcin over and rearranged it for her. But some treasures like the screens were taken back and exchanged formon ones.

    Madam Dowager had said that Madam Ming¡¯s things would be taken back and Third Young Lady was now Madam Ling¡¯s daughter so she could not keep Madam Ming¡¯s things. Ning Qingshan was so angry that she almost fainted when she saw several older female servants moving her things with broad smiles. She had never been humiliated like this before.

    The nasty little girl, Ning Xueyan was really so vicious. The bad thing about today was that Ning Xueyan did not directly use her of being the mastermind behind it, so she failed to exin it well and even made Madam Dowager suspect her. Then she dealt her a p in the face when she brought up the situation between Madam Ling and Madam Ming.

    This was to let everyone know that she, Ning Qingshan was just a concubine¡¯s daughter now and also registered as the daughter of the vicious woman, Madam Ling.

    ¡°Good, Ning Xueyan, you are really good! I will not spare you. Bad little girl, watch out!¡± Ning Xueyan thought.

 Chapter 481 - The Secret Affairs in the Study

    <h4>Chapter 481 The Secret Affairs in the Study</h4>

    It was really quiet during the next few days. Apart from the fact that the servants gossiped among themselves for a long time because the things in Foggy Courtyard were moved away, there was really nothing much happening.

    Foggy Courtyard¡¯s furniture had been rearranged, but everyone knew that the new ones were of a lower quality than the original ones. The original ones had been taken out from Madam Ming¡¯s inventory and used to decorate Foggy Courtyard; however, they were all removed. No one had any information about the quality or value of the new furniture that was sent over.

    All of a sudden, the servants who had originally been optimistic about Ning Qingshan became more and more attentive to the affairs in Bright Frost Garden. It was whispered that Fifth Young Lady was still Marquis¡¯s biological daughter even though she had a bad time before, while Third Young Lady was not his biological daughter, even though she was very strong.

    The one who was biologically rted was naturally different from the one who was not.

    Of course, these were all secretly spread by the servants in the manor. Ning Xueyan led a leisurely life now and went to Cold Mountain Temple again for thest day of performing a Taoist rite for Madam Ming. She had not been there at the opening sacrificial ceremony, so she went there to make up for it and then returned to the manor.

    The dowry had all been settled. Maybe Ning Qingshan behaved badly before, so Madam Dowager put all the things she took from Ning Qingshan into Ning Xueyan¡¯s dowry. With that, her dowry had an additional two more loads, but she was a Co-consort after all and her dowry could not exceed that of the actual consort.

    Ning Xueyan had Madam Ming¡¯s dowry and naturally, all of them were added into the dowry list. It was not that Ning Zu¡¯an and Madam Dowager were out to embezzle the items, but Prince Yi, Ao Chenyi was the one who saw to it. It was enough to make them think it over. How could they afford to offend Ao Chenyi? It was not worth doing that just for a few loads of property.

    ¡°If I lose my life, I will not have any money!¡± Madam Dowager was clear about that.

    Maybe Ao Chenyi¡¯s warning had worked. In the following days, almost no one dared to embarrass her over anything and all was peaceful in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Besides helping her to prepare her dowry, Madam Dowager also prepared for Ning Qingshan. After all, Ning Qingshan was going to marry Third Prince and could not appear too shabby.

    For this reason, Madam Dowager had to subsidize arge amount, which could be regarded as paving the way to be on good terms with Third Prince.

    When a Young Lady was about to get married, several sets of clothes were required to be sewn for her. Although she was not the principal wife, the marriage partner was from the royal family after all, so they had to prepare everything suitable enough for a principal wife in an ordinary family. Although Ning Qingshan had at least half a year¡¯s time to prepare, she still needed to do it now.

    Therefore, Ning Qingshan would go out from time to time and buy some suitable material back.

    Since what had happened in Lucky Garden was exposed, Ning Qingshan seemed to have forgotten about it and sometimes, she would go to Bright Frost Garden. Her legs were almost healed, but because her medical treatment was dyed and she got injured againter, she walked with a slight limp. Of course, only her trusted subordinates knew about it.

    If she took her time to walk, it was hardly discernible.

    After greeting Madam Dowager, Ning Qingshan came back, but her gentle smiling face immediately darkened as soon as she entered the door. It was a rapid reversal of expression and any ordinary person could not have done that. Feilian supported her carefully and helped her to sit down.

    She frowned and took the tea from Feilian. She narrowed her eyes, put down the teacup in her hand and said coldly, ¡°Go and see my eldest brother.¡±

    Ning Huaiyuan was not in his own courtyard, but in the study room of the outer courtyard. After getting the news, Ning Qingshan went out with Caifen. Compared with Feilian, she trusted Caifen more. So many days had gone by and although Caifen¡¯s injury had not healedpletely, at least she was alive and able to walk.

    The door of Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s study was half open. The moment the young servant saw Ning Qingshaning from afar, he hurried in to report it. When Ning Qingshan arrived at the door, he came out to wee her. ¡°Third Young Lady, please. Eldest Young Master is reading inside.¡±

    There were still three or four days before the Spring Metropolitan Examination. Ning Huaiyuan would be taking part this time, so he had been spending his days reading in the study.

    Ning Qingshan asked Caifen to stay outside and then went into Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s study alone.

    The lighting of the study was very good and its back window faced a pond of lotus flowers. Although it was not in season, a pond filled with greenery was pleasant and beautiful. Ning Huaiyuan sat at the desk under the window. There were two thick stacks of books on the table and one of them wasid open in front of him. When Ning Huaiyuan heard Ning Qingshaning in, he looked up at her calmly.

    ¡°Brother, you are really hard working. But even if you try so hard, the title of marquis may not necessarily belong to you. Brother, can you really stand it?¡± Ning Qingshan walked to the chair opposite him with a smile and sat down. With that, she tilted her head and looked at him with a yful look as she said this meaningfully.

    Looking at Ning Qingshan, Ning Huaiyuan frowned slightly and said unhappily, ¡°Third Sister, I am very busy these days. Maybe I have no time to talk to you about matters of the inner courtyard.¡±

    Ning Qingshan did not seem to see Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s cold face, and her smile was like a flower in bloom. She observed his face carefully and asked, ¡°Brother, do you really not want it anymore? Or is it because you have no time at the moment? Perhaps I can help you, or are you reluctant to do it?¡±

    She did not believe that Ning Huaiyuan could really put it aside. At that time, Ning Huaiyuan had schemed against Ning Xueyan and pushed her into the hillside together with the carriage. Even if Ning Huaiyuan really did not want to do so, she still had something on him.

    With a ¡°Pa¡±, he mmed his pen heavily to the other side. Ning Huaiyuan looked at Ning Qingshan coldly. It was unbelievable for such an extremely sinister expression to appear on his face.

    ¡°Third Sister, what are you trying to say?¡±

    ¡°Brother, don¡¯t deny it. Whether you admit it or not, I know perfectly well what is on your mind. That day, when you saw me from the back in a dress simr to Fifth Sister¡¯s, you called out so affectionately. Unfortunately, you are deeply in love with her, but Fifth Sister is heartless. She is not soft-hearted toward Madam Ling at all. Up till now, have you not woken up to reality, brother?¡±

    Ning Qingshan sighed sadly and her smile disappeared. She put on another sad look and said with mournful eyes, ¡°Brother, have you forgotten? I am your young sister, but Fifth Sister, she is nothing!¡±

    Ning Qingshan¡¯s words sounded sad and aggrieved. In addition, her eyes were red, so it showed that she was really sad. The beauty was as pretty as a piece of jade and also seemed to be affectionate, which really made people feel sorry for her. In this way, she wanted to arouse Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s childhood memories.

    Ning Huaiyuan narrowed his eyes and said, ¡°Both Third Sister and Fifth Sister are my younger sisters, so it is unnecessary to talk about this. Third Sister, you are going to get married soon. You¡¯d better start to embroider some wedding clothes, so as not to be looked down upon and seized by others in Third Prince¡¯s Manorter.¡±

    Third Prince just stood by and watched what happened to Ning Qingshan that day, which revealed his attitude. Ning Huaiyuan and Third Prince were familiar with each other. When he saw Third Prince turning a blind eye to it and leaving directly, he already sensed his displeasure. Otherwise, Third Prince would have intervened even for the sake of showing face.

    After all, Ning Qingshan was his Co-consort to be and what was discovered that day was all because of Foggy Courtyard. But from beginning to end, Third Prince had not stepped up to defend Ning Qingshan at all. This implied that Third Prince had lost his enthusiasm for Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°Brother, you... how can you say that to me?¡± Ning Qingshan could not hold back her tears anymore. Her tears began to fall one by one and she wiped them with her handkerchief.

    When she heard Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s words, Ning Qingshan burst into tears and started to sob. Originally, she was delicate and beautiful, but now she became a weeping beauty. It made her look even more charming and adorable!

    Ning Huaiyuan looked at her quietly and gave a bitter smile suddenly. ¡°What are you nning again? Third Sister, don¡¯t you want to marry Third Prince?¡±

    ¡°I am not!¡± Ning Qingshan quickly looked up and said.

    ¡°Since you did not, don¡¯t act like that. If Third Prince sees you crying like this in front of another man, maybe he will really consider if he should marry you or he will go to the emperor and ask to break off your engagement like Prince Yi,¡± Ning Huaiyuan said mercilessly.

    As for his Third Sister, the beautiful figure in his memory had already changed. He did not care about her when she was beautiful, let alone now. Ning Qingshan and he were not rted by blood. To be honest, even if they were brother and sister, it was also inconvenient for them to meet frequently. However, Ning Qingshan came to him more often these days.

    In view that she was the Co-consort conferred by the emperor, Ning Huaiyuan thought it was necessary for him to stay away from her. However, Ning Qingshan did not seem to feel his alienation and kept trying to get closer to him, which made Ning Huaiyuan feel even more unhappy. Besides, his heart¡¯s secret was revealed in Ning Qingshan¡¯s words.

    Under the plum tree, it was not only Fourth Prince, Ao Mingwan, but Ning Huaiyuan who loved her at first sight. At that time, he had thought that it was Ning Qingshan. He had no blood rtionship with her. Moreover, she had shown her affection for him on several asions before going to the nunnery.

    He did not want others to make idle talk, so he deliberately stayed away from Ning Qingshan. Unexpectedly, he fell in love with her when they met again under the plum tree that day.

    What happenedter was beyond his expectation. The beauty under the plum tree was not Ning Qingshan, who had no blood rtionship with him, but his younger sister, Ning Xueyan. It made him feel embarrassed, so he had to keep this unbearable secret to himself. However, he was in a bad mood and drank some wine that day and then happened to see Ning Xueyan¡¯s figure.

    Ning Huaiyuan could not help pouring out some of his feelings, but he did not expect that it was actually Ning Qingshan who turned around. Therefore, Ning Qingshan knew the unconventional secret, which made Ning Huaiyuan feel angry and embarrassed because his secret had been exposed.

    ¡°Brother, how can you say that to me? I came here to see you and I am your young sister!¡± Ning Qingshan did not expect Ning Huaiyuan to say that and was so stricken that she forgot to wipe away her tears. She stared nkly at Ning Huaiyuan.

    ¡°I think so, but will the others or Third Prince think so? Third Sister, please go back. It is not good for your reputation or my forting imperial exam. Please forgive me for having no time to receive you these days. Please go back, Third Sister!¡±

    Ning Huaiyuan did not want to talk to Ning Qingshan anymore. After maintaining frequent contacts with Ning Qingshan these days, he knew that Ning Qingshan was absolutely not as weak and innocent as she looked. It was Ning Qingshan who provoked him to push Ning Xueyan down the hillside. Besides, he could not be distracted to deal with Ning Xueyan now.

    Looking at Ning Qingshan¡¯s back, he made himself calm down and could not help narrowing his evil eyes. Besides, there was still Prince Yi¡¯s warning. Of course, he would not neglect Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and act rashly.

    Ning Qingshan wanted him to deal with Ning Xueyan, but he did not want to do that for the time being.

 Chapter 482 - Burying the Hatchet and Ning Qingshanâ€™s Visit

    <h4>Chapter 482 Burying the Hatchet and Ning Qingshan¡¯s Visit</h4>

    ¡°Young Lady, what shall we do now?¡± Caifen held Ning Qingshan¡¯s arm and walked very slowly. After leaving Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s study, Caifen could not help but ask.

    Caifen had identally caused Ning Qingshan to fall down and be aughing stock in front of Third Prince, so she felt very guilty about the incident. When she recovered and was able to move slightly, she immediately came to serve Ning Qingshan and stayed at Ning Qingshan¡¯s side all the time.

    ¡°Humph! Ning Huaiyuan, you are really thinking about that bad girl!¡± Ning Qingshan stood still under a tree and snorted coldly. Then she turned to look at the study room and cursed bitterly. Her eyes were full of jealousy and hatred. She pulled down a branch hanging before her, tugging it so hard that a few green leaves fluttered to the ground.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go to Bright Frost Garden. It is a nice day today, so I will have a walk with my good sister,¡± Ning Qingshan collected herself and strolled slowly. Luckily, she was not expecting any help from Ning Huaiyuan and had just gone to sound him out. It turned out that her guess was right.

    If such a thing was made known, she wanted to see how Ning Huaiyuan would react! Of course, it was also unwise to do so because both of them would incur a loss. Compared to Ning Xueyan, it was easier for the others to suspect her. After all, she was Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s younger sister and had no blood rtionship with him. Otherwise, Ning Qingshan would have revealed all this long ago.

    ¡°Young Lady, you want to ask Fifth Young Lady to go for an outing together. Would you like to inform Second Young Master of Xia¡¯s Manor?¡± Caifen immediately understood what Ning Qingshan meant. When she looked around and found that no one paid any attention to them, she asked in a low voice.

    ¡°Inform him? Why not do that? There is always someone who loves Fifth Sister at first sight and then finds it hard to forget her when they meet again. As her elder sister, I have toe up with a good idea to give her a hand,¡± Ning Qingshan said with a sarcastic and evil smile on her face.

    She did not dare to deal with Ning Xueyan openly. Madam Dowager had already warned her and repeatedly said that if anything happened to Ning Xueyan, Prince Yi would never spare the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. And if the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was in trouble, her marriage might go up in smoke. God only knew what the arrogant and domineering Prince Yi would do.

    Madam Dowager specially called Ning Qingshan over and told her these words. What Madam Dowager meant was enough to make Ning Qingshan feel humiliated and angry, but she had to promise that she would not stir up any trouble during this period of time. Although there were not many people present at that time, she was forced tomit herself in front of Madam Dowager.

    Yet it was also a great shame for Ning Qingshan because it showed that Madam Dowager doubted and did not trust her.

    She really had difficulty in walking, so she endured it silently for the past few days. Of course, she was also looking for opportunities, and definitely would not cause Ning Xueyan to have an ident openly. At this time, as long as something happened to Ning Xueyan, Madam Dowager would suspect her.

    She could not meet with an ident openly, but what if it was something in her heart? What if Ning Xueyan was still in love with another man after marrying into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor? If such a thing was in her heart, it was impossible to find anything wrong with Ning Xueyan seemingly. Even if Prince Yi wanted to investigate, he could not do it.

    As for the future... After Ning Xueyan married into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, as long as she revealed a little of it to Prince Yi, Ning Xueyan would be finished. At that time, Ning Xueyan had already entered Prince Yi¡¯s Manor and even if she had an ident, it would have nothing to do with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and herself. ording to Prince Yi¡¯s character, even if he liked Ning Xueyan, she would still be cut to pieces and suffer a fate worse than death once she dared to betray him.

    In the past, Ning Qingshan had already secretly inquired about the kind of person Ning Xueyan liked. She first thought of Xia Yudong, but she found that it did not work at allter, because Xia Yudong was not Ning Xueyan¡¯s type. And now since the imperial examination was fast approaching, all the talents in the world would being to the capital.

    Ning Qingshan had not taken any action previously because she could not find a suitable talent, but now she found them all.

    Xia Yudong, as a former partner, had plotted against Ning Xueyan together with her, but failed. As an unsuitable candidate, Xia Yudong had to give up his pursuit of Ning Xueyan and instead became Ning Qingshan¡¯s agent outside. They nned this together in private and the mastermind was certainly Ning Qingshan.

    As for finding suitable candidates and all the other peripheral matters, Ning Qingshan entrusted these to Xia Yudong.

    Xia Yudong had always been a low-status concubine¡¯s son in the Xia family. No matter how aggressive he was, he was just a concubine¡¯s son. Even if something bad happened to Xia Yuhang and he could not even participate in the imperial examination this year, Minister Xia still thought that Xia Yuhang was his most promising legitimate son. He did not pay much attention to his other sons in the manor.

    If Xia Yudong wanted to be promising and be sessful, he had to find another way. As for the imperial examination, Xia Yudong knew himself well. Although he was good, it was far from enough. Minister Xia also had no interest in him, but if Xia Yuhang had the opportunity to participate in the imperial examination this time, it would be different.

    Xia Yudong wanted to be promising and make himself sessful. Now that there was a chance for him to y up to Third Prince¡¯s Consort, he definitely would not let this opportunity go. Besides, Ning Qingshan needed a person who could deal with the peripheral matters, so the two of them hit it off instantly.

    Ning Qingshan was in charge of inquiring about Ning Xueyan¡¯s preferences and then Xia Yudong would look for a candidate who could meet the requirements. Now whether it was time or candidates, everything was ready.

    When Ning Qingshan arrived at Bright Frost Garden, Ning Xueyan had just returned from Madam Dowager¡¯s Lucky Garden after her morning greeting. Ning Xueyan just finished her breakfast, while Lanning and Qingyu were clearing away the dishes. Ning Xueyan sat aside, washed her hands and then casually picked up a book to read.

    The dowry was ready and the wedding gown that Ao Chenyi had asked for had also been secretly sent over. These days Ning Xueyan had a lot of leisure time and would read books whenever she was free. Moreover, no one from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor came to bother her, so she was much more at ease than before.

    As soon as Ning Xueyan heard Ning Qingshaning, she sat up from the couch and a strange feeling rose in her heart. Ning Qingshan had been very well-behaved these days and had hardly made trouble for her. They even had no chance to meet each other in their daily lives. Even when Ning Qingshan went to greet Madam Dowager, she usually went earlier to greet her and then went back.

    As for the scandal that happened on the day in Third Prince¡¯s presence, she did not seem to care about it. Later, she asked someone to move Madam Ming¡¯s things and specially arranged some new ones for her. Those new ones were not as good as the original ones, but no one at Foggy Courtyard came to say anything, as if Ning Qingshan really epted it.

    Was Ning Qingshan that kind of person? Of course, the answer was no. Since Ning Qingshan came back to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor from the nunnery, she had been fighting fiercely with the others. How could she have such a weak character? Unless she did so to let others see! Why would she do that for the others? She must have an axe to grind.

    Ning Xueyan was very sure that Ning Qingshan must hate her, but of course, she was not afraid of that. Since Ning Qingshan repeatedly targeted her reputation and life, they had be enemies. Whether it was due to Ning Qingshan poisoning and framing Madam Ming at a young age, or now that she was trying to frame her, Ning Xueyan did not think that she would let her go.

    If she thought this way, then Ning Qingshan¡¯s visit would not be so simple today!

    ¡°Quick, invite Third Sister in and have a seat,¡± Ning Xueyan said softly. Since Ning Qingshan came here, she certainly had to do the honors. No matter what Ning Qingshan had in mind today, she needed to find out slowly.

    Lanning hurriedly opened the curtain, while Qingyu brought the food basket with dishes to one side and quickly tidied up the table.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, do you feel better now?¡± Ning Qingshan walked in with a smile and waved a round fan in her hand. She lookedposed andfortable and walked slowly. Her action was even a little more dignified and steady because of her slow pace.

    ¡°I am much better now. What about Third Sister?¡± Ning Xueyan askedughingly. Seeing that Ning Qingshan walked slower than before, she gave a thoughtful smile. Now that there was no one else here, Ning Qingshan did not have to show her modesty and steadiness. Neither of them brought up the subject, but it did not mean that they had forgotten about it.

    However, both of them had other thoughts, but they let it rest for the time being.

    ¡°My foot is totally healed, but I still cannot walk fast. I am afraid that my bones have not mended well and I easily get injured. There is nothing else.¡± Ning Qingshan seemed to be in a good mood. She specially turned around in front of Ning Xueyan so that Ning Xueyan could see her clearly.

    ¡°Third Sister, you made a quick recovery! The imperial physician from the imperial pce really has excellent medical skills.¡± Ning Xueyan sincerely praised.

    ¡°Yes. Luckily, Third Prince asked the imperial physician toe in time. Otherwise, I may have some problemster on. I never expected such a thing to happen on the way to Cold Mountain Temple. First it happened to Fifth Sister and then to me. Maybe no one will dare to go to Cold Mountain Temple in the future,¡± Ning Qingshan sat down at one side and keptining. Ning Xueyan could tell that she was in a good mood because her legs had almost recovered. Although she wasining, there was a smile on her face.

    ¡°That¡¯s true. Last time I went to Cold Mountain Temple, I saw some people widening and repairing the road,¡± Ning Xueyan spoke about the same topic with a calm smile. She wanted to know what Ning Qingshan had up her sleeves.

    ¡°Yes, it should be repaired. That such a thing happened on the road leading to the mountain is terrible! As soon as I heard that Fifth Sister had an ident at that time, I immediately went up to the mountain with our Grandmother. But who knew that I had to lie down in the Cold Mountain Temple. For some time, I felt dizzy and had to take medicine all day long. With that, I was in low spirits.¡±

    Ning Qingshan sighed with emotion as she said this. Of course, her words also showed her concern for Ning Xueyan. She even exined why Third Prince bullied Ning Xueyan in her courtyard. Because she was dizzy and listless at that time, she did not know what had happened between Third Prince and Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Is Ning Qingshaning to bury the hatchet with me? It¡¯s so strange. Our rtionship is almost like walking on a tight rope, but Ning Qingshan is actually here to exin things to me at this time. It is really not like her usual behavior ¡± Ning Xueyan thought and narrowed her eyes. There was a touch of coldness and sarcasm in her eyes, hidden under her long eyshes.

    Maybe others did not know what kind of person Ning Qingshan was, but Ning Xueyan was very clear about her. She was a person who never got up early if there were no benefits. Besides, she was mean, malicious and would never flog a dead horse. In this way, she really came to please herself today, or maybe she came to bury the hatchet with her, temporarily.

    Ning Qingshan should not be able to bear it, or it could be said that Ning Qingshan had everything in ce!

    It seemed that Ning Qingshan was going to take action today!

 Chapter 483 - Going on a Tour and Their Sisters Get along Well

    <h4>Chapter 483 Going on a Tour and Their Sisters Get along Well</h4>

    ¡°Third Sister, thanks for your concern. I am rather unlucky. I did not expect that I would slide down the slope and at the same time you were almost involved in an ident, because you were rushing over to check on me.¡± Ning Xueyan did not look as if she was in high spirits, but her smile was much softer than before.

    Seeing that her exnation worked, Ning Qingshan immediately smiled widely and said, ¡°We can¡¯t me anyone else and it is always because of our sisters¡¯ bad luck. Fifth Sister, you are going to get married soon and the gate of a noble manor is as inessible as the ocean. Besides, now that Fifth Sister is going to enter Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, I am afraid that it will be not easy to meet even if I want to see Fifth Sister in the future.¡±

    As she said thest sentence, she sighed deeply, as if she was really sorry about that. As for what she said previously, she did not dig any further. It was inconvenient to further specte on what Third Prince had done in Cold Mountain Temple. Otherwise, it was illogical for Ning Qingshan to say that she became dizzy and did not know what was going on. If she did not know, then what was wrong with Mammy Luo?

    ¡°Third Sister, you are going to marry into Third Prince¡¯s manor in the future!¡± Speaking about her marriage ns, Ning Xueyan suddenly became very coy.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, how about going out for a walk today? Since I came back from the nunnery, we sisters have not had a good reunion yet. Fifth Sister, you rarely have time, so why don¡¯t we ask Fourth Sister toe along as well?¡± Ning Qingshan suggested with a smile. She asked Ning Lingyun to tag along because she was afraid that Ning Xueyan would be too cautious and did not want to go out with her.

    Anyway, Ning Lingyun was so useless and it did not really matter if she did it with or without her. If something bad happened, she could be used as a scapegoat. So why not enjoy doing it?

    ¡°Er, I¡¯m going to get married soon, so I¡¯m afraid...¡± Ning Xueyan said with embarrassment.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, it is because you are going to get married and it will not be so easy for us to get together in the future that you have to go out with Fourth Sister and me today. Even though there were some unpleasant incidents that happened between us sisters, we will each lead our respective livester. Even if you want to be as ignorant as before, you will not be able to do it.¡±

    Ning Xueyan was in a dilemma, but she did not refuse her directly. Seeing this, Ning Qingshan immediately continued to persuade her with sorrow and sincerity. Even what had happened between them was said as if it were just trifling matters between sisters and her enthusiasm appeared boundless.

    ¡°Well, okay. Maybe Fourth Sister does not want to go? And a few days ago, Grandmother told me that I should just stay in my courtyard and not to go anywhere else.¡± Ning Xueyan seemed to be swayed by her insistence, but she was still a little hesitant.

    ¡°It is not a big deal. Once Grandmother knows that we are in such a good rtionship, she will definitely let us out, let alone Fourth Sister. She has been staying in the manor for a long time and must be bored. Today, it is rare for the three of us to go out together, so Fourth Sister is bound to be happy.¡±

    Ning Qingshan immediately stood up and said with a smile. Before Ning Xueyan could refuse her, she asked Caifen to consult Madam Dowager and inform Ning Lingyun to dress up for going outter. She then said she would go back to Foggy Courtyard to change first and then go out together.

    And she repeatedly reminded Ning Xueyan to dress more beautifully. The sisters rarely had a chance to go out together, so they should put on beautiful clothes for this outing. Of course, for the sake of travel convenience, they had to bring veiled caps and other things.

    Ning Xueyan agreed with a smile and walked her to the door. After seeing Ning Qingshan walking off far away with Caifen, she turned back.

    ¡°Young Lady, there¡¯s something strange about Third Young Lady¡¯s visit today. Recently, her Foggy Courtyard has little interaction with our Bright Frost Garden, so why is she so enthusiastic today? You just nodded slightly, but she seemed to be afraid that you would not go and immediately arranged everything.¡±

    When Ning Xueyan came back to the room, Lanning asked her anxiously with a frown on her face.

    A cold smile appeared on Ning Xueyan¡¯s pale lips. She picked up the book again, flipped through two pages and then said casually, ¡°When someone is courteous toward another, she must be asking for something. But as for her, I¡¯m sure what she wants will not be good for me.¡±

    ¡°What should we do? Young Lady, you¡¯d better not go. I¡¯ll tell Third Young Ladyter that you are not feeling well and cannot go out,¡± Qingyu said anxiously.

    ¡°No. Let¡¯s go and see first.¡± Ning Xueyan shook her head and a trace of confusion shed in her eyes. She knew that Ning Qingshan had only ill-intentions when she tried to coax her out now, but she could not figure out what Ning Qingshan was going to do to her. Ao Chenyi had warned the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor before, so she believed that Madam Dowager had already conveyed this message to others.

    In the past, Madam Dowager might not have said anything directly to Ning Qingshan. But Madam Dowager must have known what happened before and that her rtionship with Ning Qingshan was definitely unharmonious, so she must have given Ning Qingshan a warning.

    With Ning Qingshan¡¯s character, she would not dare to think up of any wicked ideas to plot against her in such a short time.

    Although Ning Qingshan had other ideas and also an unusual identity, she was still the Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor on the surface. Therefore, she could not tantly disobey Madam Dowager¡¯s order. Besides, if Ao Chenyi transferred his anger to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Ning Qingshan being the one who brought her out would be in trouble.

    Even if Ning Qingshan wanted to harm her, she could not do it in this way. So it was safe for her to go for an outing this time.

    ¡°But if nothing is going to happen, why did Ning Qingshan do her utmost to please me?¡± she wondered.

    ¡°Or I might think that Ning Qingshan will never let me meet with an ident openly, but what about discreetly? There could be something bad happening secretly and it would be inconvenient for me to tell the others about it, once it happens? Thinking more deeply, I feel that Ao Chenyi will definitely not know about it.¡± Ning Xueyan thought.

    So by then, no one would me Ning Qingshan even if it was exposed to the public.

    ¡°Qingyu, is the veiled cap that I worest time still avable?¡± Ning Xueyan suddenly thought of something and looked up at Qingyu beside her.

    ¡°Of course, Young Lady¡¯s hat is still here. I have kept it carefully, is there anything wrong?¡± Qingyu was in charge of keeping Ning Xueyan¡¯s things. Hearing her question, Qingyu asked in confusion. That hat was an ordinary one, which was bought from outside before.

    All the noble youngdies wore this kind of cap for an outing and its veil was beautiful. Ning Xueyan usually went out with this veiled cap, but it also had a w. Although the hat was big enough, its edges were not stitched up.

    In other words, if the wind was a little strong, the veil might be lifted up to reveal the woman¡¯s face. It was spring now. The spring breeze was not strong, but it was also possible for it to cause the veil to fly up if one was standing in a high ce.

    ¡°There is nothing wrong. Take my veiled hat over and sew up the veil edges for me, so that it will not be lifted up by the wind.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled slightly. Anyway, she should not be appearing in front of others now. She was about to get married, but she still ventured outside. If others saw her, they would likely say something bad about her.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll do it right away.¡± Although Qingyu did not know why Ning Xueyan suddenly asked for it, she still obeyed and left. It was an easy task to stitch up the veil edges and Qingyu brought it over in a short time.

    The long hanging veil did not seem to be stitched up at all. Looking from the outside, others could only see the hat¡¯s veil below and no one could see the location where the veil had been carefully stitched up.

    As soon as she dealt with the veiled hat, Madam Dowager sent an older female servant with a message. She allowed them to go out for leisure, but they could not be frivolous and should not be homete. Ning Xueyan agreed to it.

    Of course, Ning Xueyan understood what Madam Dowager meant. She and Ning Qingshan were going to marry into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor and Third Prince¡¯s Manor soon. Madam Dowager certainly hoped that their sisters could get along well with each other. In this way, it would be more helpful to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Or it would be more convenient to make some sacrifices for the benefit of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    However, something happened between Ning Qingshan and her in the past and Madam Dowager was aware of it. These were all the things that Madam Dowager did not want to see. Now that Ning Qingshan promised to make peace with her, Madam Dowager would definitely agree even if it was inconvenient for her to go out now.

    Madam Dowager was delighted to hear and see that the sisters could get along with each other before they got married.

    Lanning ushered Ning Xueyan to the mirror and dressed her. Ning Xueyan tapped her fingers on the table and pointed at a light-colored dress.

    Lanning picked up the clothes that were left at the side, shook it out and said, ¡°Young Lady, let Xinmei go with you, then I will feel more assured at home.¡±

    Xinmei always escorted Ning Huaiyuan these days since something happened at the Cold Mountain Temple.

    ¡°No. This time, I will not encounter any obvious danger and Ning Qingshan will not dare to do that, so I will be fine. Lanning cane with me.¡± Ning Xueyan stood up as she put on her clothes. Xinmei¡¯s skills were indeed the best among the maids, but she was a secret guard. She could protect Ning Xueyan well, but she was not sensitive to other things.

    When there was no potential safety hazard, it was not necessary to take Xinmei with her. Moreover, it would attract others¡¯ attention if she went out with Xinmei.

    Ning Xueyan preferred to keep Xinmei hidden so that she could y a key role at unexpected junctures. Besides, Lanning was more suitable than Xinmei in other aspects, except in martial arts skills.

    Lanning had no objection to such an arrangement. Originally, she did not feel relieved and thought it would be better for her to go together, so she nodded at once.

    When she was done with her dressing, Ning Qingshan already sent someone to hurry them. The servant said that Ning Lingyun was also ready and they were all waiting for Ning Xueyan.

    When Ning Xueyan arrived at the door, Ning Qingshan and Ning Lingyun were already waiting there.

    Ning Qingshan had changed into an ordinary pinkish-purple dress. What was more surprising was that Ning Lingyun who had always liked to show off in public, was dressed in a simple but elegant dress. It was white and the only embroidery were plum blossoms at the edges, which looked very light.

    Ning Xueyan nced at Ning Lingyun thoughtfully and a slight profound look shed across her eyes. It seemed that Ning Lingyun had changed a lot not only in her behavioral habits, but also her taste in clothes as well. In the past, Ning Lingyun would never have worn this color that could almost be regarded as ¡°pale¡±.

 Chapter 484 - A Four-bay Bookstore

    <h4>Chapter 484 A Four-bay Bookstore</h4>

    Ning Lingyun used to tag along with Ning Yuling. Ning Yuling liked extremely beautiful clothes and because she hung out with Ning Yuling, she naturally had simr preferences. Although she did not dare topete with Ning Yuling in public, she had many of these kind of bright clothes tailored for herself privately. As for such light colors, she had never worn it before.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, you are here. Third Sister and I have been waiting for a while, shall we go out now?¡± Seeing Ning Xueyaning, Ning Lingyun came up to her with a smile and spoke in a very loving manner. Although she stated that she had already waited for Ning Xueyan for a while, Ning Lingyun felt that her face was kind and her smile was quite sincere .

    ¡°Let¡¯s go. I only asked for one carriage for our use. It will be nice for us to talk in the carriage. We rarely have such a chance, so we should not waste it.¡± Ning Qingshan had never been so kind. She held Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand intimately and walked to the door.

    The carriage stopped outside and was indeed thergest one in the manor. In fact, it had been tailored after Ning Yuling¡¯s ident. They got inside and found that there were three windows in the carriage, which were distributed in the back, left and right. The three of them happened to sit in three directions. The windows were open, but the gauze curtains were in ce. They could see the view clearly from the inside, but they could not be seen when one looked in from the outside.

    With that, the maids got on the carriage and sat at the door. The carriage drove out slowly and travelled around the street casually, because they had no fixed destination for the time being. They nned to get off after seeing anything good and the carriage slowly passed by some shops along the way. The cart driver was very rxed because they were not in a hurry for their journey.

    The three of them chatted and asionally looked at the scenery. Anyway, others could not see the people in the carriage from the outside as the gauze curtains blocked their view.

    Suddenly, Ning Qingshan pointed to a certain ce nearby and asked, ¡°Fifth Sister, our brother is going to take part in the imperial examination. Shall we get off and buy some gifts for him? We hope he can win the title and be a champion for Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.¡±

    Ning Xueyan sat opposite her and also happened to see the bookstore. Ning Huaiyuan was going to take the imperial examination. As his younger sister, she could not say that she did not want him to be a champion, so she immediately nodded with a smile. Seeing that both of them agreed, Ning Lingyun certainly had no objection and then the carriage stopped in the alley next to the bookstore.

    The maids helped the three of them out of the carriage.

    Ning Qingshan sat near the outside, so she was the first one to get out of the carriage. After that, she turned to help Lanning hold Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Third Young Lady, please step aside. Your Fifth Sister is going to get off and it will not be good if she were to bump into Third Young Lady!¡± Lanning took her time to help Ning Xueyan onto the shaft of the carriage as she smiled at Ning Qingshan and said.

    Ning Qingshan was standing so close to the shaft that Ning Xueyan would not be able to alight if she did not hold on to her shoulder. At such a close distance, if she stepped back a little, Ning Xueyan who had just alighted from the carriage would have no time to stand firmly and would fall down easily.

    Fifth Young Lady said before that she would not be in any danger. Although Lanning believed her, she did not know whether Third Young Lady would y any dirty tricks or not. There were a lot of peopleing and going about in the street and it would be a big embarrassment if Fifth Young Lady fell on her back.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll step back. I wanted to give Fifth Sister a hand, but I did not expect that I was crowding into her space.¡± Seemingly, Ning Qingshan just realized that she was standing too close, so she stepped back with a smile and made way for Lanning.

    Ning Xueyan got out of the carriage with Lanning¡¯s help and then Ning Lingyun also helped her maid to get off.

    The three of them wore veiled hats and their maids followed behind. They made a turn in the alley and headed for the bookstore together.

    This bookstore was extremelyrge and was twice the size of ordinary bookstores. There were four bays from left to right, as well as two rooms upstairs. It was thergest bookstore in the capital. Besides, many unique books and rare books that were hard toe by could all be found here, so it was very popr among the schrs in the capital.

    Now it was time for thepetition and all the schrs converged into the capital to take the imperial examinations. There were many customers even for such arge bookstore. From time to time, they saw a schrly-looking young man walking in from the outside.

    The calligraphy stationery section was located downstairs. All kinds of good writing brushes and ink sticks, as well as rare papers and inkstones, were sold here. Upstairs, there was a collection of books and the bookshelves were packed with books. In the private room on the third floor, if you made a cup of good tea, you could sit and read books for a while.

    It was on a noisy street and the environment was not quiet. Although it was not a good ce for reading, the schrs could sit inside and browse leisurely at least, which was also a favorite past time for the schrs.

    The three of them began to walk around in the bookstore and each chose a gift for Ning Huaiyuan. When they came to a bookshelf with ink sticks, Ning Xueyan looked at the ink on one side with Lanning. On the other side, Ning Qingshan and Ning Lingyun also separated to choose their favorite calligraphy stationery.

    ¡°Young Lady, look.¡± Lanning gently pulled Ning Xueyan¡¯s dress just as she picked up a piece of ink and was examining it.

    Ning Xueyan looked up and saw Ning Qingshan standing between the two bookshelves in front of her through the gap between the ink items and the bookshelf. Because it was meant to house books here, there was still gaps between the bookshelves, which was also why Ning Xueyan managed to bypass them specially. She had been in the bookshelf in front of Ning Qingshan before.

    Ning Qingshan was holding a writing brush and looking at it carefully, as if all her attention was really focused on it. From time to time, she tried to hold the brush to write, while Caifen followed behind her quietly, just like the other two maids.

    Ning Xueyan frowned because she certainly did not believe that Ning Qingshan really wanted to be close to her.

    ¡°Watch them closely and I¡¯ll check over there.¡± After putting down the ink, Ning Xueyan walked forward. After taking a few more steps, she picked up a piece of flower-based ink and had a careful look. From her current position, she could not see Ning Qingshan, but Lanning did note up behind her.

    On the contrary, she stepped back. There was another bookshelf. After stepping back, her slender figure happened to squeeze behind another row of books. If others did not look carefully, they could not find her.

    After putting down the brush, Ning Qingshan looked back and happened to see Ning Xueyan¡¯s skirt appearing in that space. Ning Xueyan could not see her from where she was. With that, Ning Qingshan sneered and tossed her head to hint to Caifen, who had been following behind her.

    After understanding what Ning Qingshan meant, Caifen hurriedly walked toward thending of the first floor and then disappeared in the blink of an eye.

    After a short time, Caifen came down silently from the second floor. Because her movements were very fast and light, no one paid any attention to her, except Lanning, who was keeping an eye on her.

    Seeing hering down, Lanning quickly came to Ning Xueyan and said in a low voice, ¡°Young Lady, Caifen just went upstairs.¡±

    Ning Xueyan rolled her eyes. Caifen had gone upstairs and then came down again, but she did not let her see it. If she guessed right, there was a trap waiting for her upstairs.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, how about we go upstairs and look at the books together? I heard that there is arge collection of books which are only avable there, so let¡¯s go up and have a look!¡± Ning Qingshan¡¯s voice rang in her ear. She looked up and found that Ning Qingshan had appeared at the bookshelf opposite her at some time and was talking to her through the gap between the bookshelves.

    A trace of coldness shed in her jet-ck eyes. Sure enough, Ning Qingshan knew that she was behind her just now. She had bypassed Ning Qingshan from the front and then detoured behind her carefully, but Ning Qingshan was able to locate her directly. This only meant that Ning Qingshan was looking at the brush and the same time carefully noticing her whereabouts.

    Therefore, only when she stepped back a little, did she ask Caifen to go upstairs immediately.

    ¡°Where is Fourth Sister? Let¡¯s go there together!¡± Ning Xueyan nodded, put down the ink and said with a smile.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask Caifen to call her over, then we three can go up and broaden our horizons together. Maybe we¡¯ll find a unique one and our brother will like it.¡± Ning Qingshan pointed upstairs with an excited look. Although she wore a veiled hat and her expression could not be seen, Ning Xueyan could still sense her excitement.

    As long as it was bought from this bookstore, it should be a gift for Ning Huaiyuan!

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s go upstairs together!¡± Ning Xueyan said with a gentle smile. At this moment, Ning Lingyun came over with her maid. Ning Qingshan pulled Ning Xueyan forward, so Ning Lingyun followed behind them and then the three of them went up the stairs together.

    The stairway that led to the second floor was on the right side of the bookstore. Looking from the ce where Ning Xueyan was at before, it could not be seen and even Lanning could only see several steps on the stairway. But because she kept an eye on Caifen, she knew that Caifen had secretly gone up once just now.

    The stairs were not big, and two people could walk up side by side. Ning Xueyan and Ning Qingshan went up together, while Ning Lingyun and the maids followed them. Unexpectedly, Ning Qingshan slipped and nearly fell off the stairs when she just walked up two flights of stairs. Seeing this, Ning Lingyun in the rear jumped with fright and hurriedly reached out to help her.

    In their panic, they almost slipped a few steps down the stairs together. After standing still, Ning Qingshan held Ning Lingyun¡¯s hands in horror and steadied herself.

    ¡°Third Sister, how are you? Are you all right? Did you hit yourself? Does it hurt?¡± Ning Lingyun was so scared that she almost wanted to cry. The maid behind her supported her with her hand and she in turn held on to Ning Qingshan. Although Ning Xueyan could not see her face, she knew that her face must be pale.

    ¡°I... I¡¯m fine...¡± Ning Qingshan¡¯s voice was very weak. Obviously, she was too scared to say anything. She grabbed Ning Lingyun¡¯s shoulder with one hand uneasily and hung on to the railing with the other hand nervously.

    ¡°Third Sister, do you need to go down to rest?¡± Ning Xueyan stopped and turned to ask Ning Qingshan. Ning Qingshan¡¯s movement was too fast just now. When she trembled, Lanning held Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand for fear that she would be dragged down by Ning Qingshan. But unexpectedly, Ning Qingshan actually pulled Ning Lingyun, but Ning Lingyun managed to keep her bnce because she was standing in a lower position.

    ¡°No. Fifth Sister, you go up first. I¡¯ll take a break and thene up.¡± Ning Qingshan shook her head and said this more quickly than before. Obviously, she was not as frightened now. She loosened her grip on the railing, gave Ning Xueyan a gentle push and motioned her to go up. ¡°You go up and I will have more space here. Just let me stand still for a while and I will be fine.¡±

    The two of them came up together before and it was indeed a bit crowded. Since she said that, Ning Xueyan could no longer stand beside her. ¡°Third Sister and Fourth Sister, I¡¯ll go up first.¡±

    Ning Xueyan stepped up again. Lanning followed behind her and guarded her carefully. But unexpectedly, when she just walked up to the second floor and before she had time to take in the scene before her eyes, a strong gust of wind blew toward her...

 Chapter 485 - Their Tricks Frightened the Beautiful Lady

    <h4>Chapter 485 Their Tricks Frightened the Beautiful Lady</h4>

    Cheng Yu was a well-known noble childe from the regions south of the Yangtze River. Although he could notpare with the most famous Childe Yueming, he was rtively well known there. Moreover, he was romantic, handsome and talented. In the past examinations, he had won the first ce, so he was very confident about thising imperial examination.

    ¡°Win a title, make it to the list and select a husband from the list¡± was the popr adage.

    This was the way that many noble families in the capital chose worthy husbands for their daughters. Because his parents wanted it this way, Cheng Yu was not engaged yet. In his parents¡¯ view, their son was so outstanding and if he could win a title and marry a noble youngdy, in this way they would get more help.

    However, Cheng Yu did not think so. He had always been very indifferent to women. Some said that he was proud and insolent because of his talent and some said that he was romantic and unrestrained. But no matter what, in the regions south of the Yangtze River, he had once announced that he would not marry a woman who did not have a good appearance. Not only must she be from a good family and conduct herself well, but she must be good-looking. It was really hard to look for such a candidate.

    Moreover, a Young Lady usually grew up in her boudoir, so it was impossible for men outside to meet her.

    Therefore, his marriage was put on hold. Fortunately, his parents wanted him to marry a noble youngdy in the capital after winning a title. At this moment he had yet to find a woman whom he loved at first sight.

    The imperial examination wasing soon. More and more people hid in their rooms and reviewed the books. Everyone hoped that they could read more books at this time. Even if they were unwilling to read at ordinary times, they had to concentrate on it now. The more they read, the better they would be. Although making franticst-minute efforts had only a little effect, it was the best they could do.

    Cheng Yu had a bit of leisure time and went to the bookstore with Xia Yudong, the second son of Minister Xia. He got to know him several days ago. Xia Yudong had a good reputation in the capital and they met at a poetry recital event and took to each other instantly. As for Xia Yuhang, he was Xia Yudong¡¯s eldest brother, had a good reputation and talent, but Cheng Yu had never seen him before.

    Although Chengyu had never met Xia Yuhang, he highly disapproved of this gifted schr because he was once famous for a while, but in the end, he was punished over an affair with a woman. In Chengyu¡¯s opinion, so what if Xia Yuhang loved a woman and had a secret rtionship with her? In the end, Xia Yuhang still married her! It was not a big mistake from a morality point of view. Chengyu himself was eager to meet a beautiful noble youngdy and eventually marry her.

    He stood on the second floor and casually flipped through the books. At the same time, he had a chat with Xia Yudong who was standing at the stairs. Suddenly, they heard a flurry of footstepsing from the stairs. Before their arrival, the youngdies¡¯ voices could clearly be heard. It was as if something had happened and there was a woman moaning.

    ¡°Brother Cheng, there is a rare beautying from downstairs. Would you like to see her?¡± Xia Yudong suddenly leaned closer and said this jokingly in a low voice, ¡°She is the most famous beauty in the capital and is known to be both virtuous and talented.¡±

    ¡°Is she a famous noble youngdy who has both virtue and talent in the capital?¡± Cheng Yu¡¯s eyes lit up and he whispered, his heart pounding in anticipation.

    Xia Yudong lowered his voice and said, ¡°Of course. Young Ladies of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor are all beautiful, especially her. Moreover, she is the daughter of the principal wife of Lord Protector and is even more beautiful. Although she is still young, no one canpare to her graceful bearing in the capital.¡±

    ¡°What should I do?¡± Cheng Yu was a little moved. He shook the folding fan with a flower-and-bird pattern vigorously as his eyes turned in anticipation.

    Since he came to the capital, he had seen several noble Young Ladies, but he always felt that they were not good enough. What he came to the capital for was to win a title and marry an excellent woman who would fall in love with him. Besides, he was a romantic by nature, so when he heard that the Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had such a graceful bearing, how could he not take an interest in her?

    However, the noble youngdies in the capital often wore veiled hats on their outings, so it was not easy to see their faces. If there was a breeze, it could lift up a corner of the veiled hat for one to sneak a peek. But this was a bookstore, so how could there be a breeze drifting in?

    ¡°Come on, give this to them.¡± Xia Yudong took the fan in Cheng Yuyu¡¯s hand and handed it to the servant standing beside Cheng Yuyu. With that, Xia Yudong handed the monstrous folding fan to his servant, winked at Cheng Yu strangely and jokingly said with a smile, ¡°You just wait and see the beauty!¡±

    After getting their masters¡¯ implicit meanings, the two servants each held a big folding fan and walked slightly to the top of the stairs.

    At this time, there was another sound on the stairs. A youngdy dressed in elegant clothes came up, followed by a maid. Judging from her slim figure and her maid¡¯s beautiful face, he knew that thisdy should be a stunning beauty, otherwise she would not have dared to have such a beautiful personal maid.

    Cheng Yu felt excited even before he caught a glimpse of her.

    When the woman went upstairs, the two servants standing on both sides had already picked up their big folding fans and fanned vigorously in Ning Xueyan¡¯s direction. These two fans were very big, especially Xia Yudong¡¯s. He came here with a purpose and naturally chose a particrly big and useful one.

    As for Cheng Yu, he had asked him to bring arge folding fan.

    When the two folding fans were waved forcibly, Ning Xueyan felt the strong wind blowing before her and immediately stopped in shock. The veil under the cap was blown against her face. Fortunately, Qingyu had sewn up the veil fork below, or it would have blown aside and exposed her whole face.

    But even so, the wind brushed aside the veil from her chin and revealed her light cherry lips. Set against her creamy white skin, it was a pure vision of beauty that shone in the sunlight. Even though it was just a passing glimpse, it was still amazing.

    The wind ceased and the veil dropped down again. Under the veil, Ning Xueyan¡¯s jet-ck eyes were now wide open, when it was previously closed against the strong wind. She looked coldly at Xia Yudong who stood at a near distance and the other young man who was looking directly at her.

    ¡°Second Young Master Xia, what are you doing?¡± Lanning came from behind Ning Xueyan and stood in front of her and addressed him angrily.

    ¡°Ah, it is Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. I am sorry. I never expected that Fifth Young Lady woulde up. I was ying a joke on Brother Cheng just now and wanted to see which brother woulde up and frighten him. I am really sorry to have scared you, Fifth Young Lady!¡±

    Xia Yudongughingly stepped up to make a deep obeisance and apologized profusely.

    ¡°He said that he was ying a joke on his Brother Cheng and thought that it was another maning upstairs.¡± Ning Xueyan sneered in her mind. Qingshan almost fell when she made her way upstairs just now. Ning Qingshan, Ning Lingyun and even their maids were screaming, so how could the people at the stairs not hear it?

    Seemingly, Caifen should havee up to Xia Yudong a moment ago. Ning Qingshan wanted to get Xia Yudong to ¡°save her like a hero¡±. However, she, Third Prince and Fourth Prince saw Xia Yudong and Ning Ziyan togetherter, so this n was in vain.

    It seemed that today¡¯s ploy was quite simr to that one. She thought that Xia Yudong had lost contact with Ning Qingshan because of this, but now, it seemed they were really in cahoots with each other.

    She shifted her gaze from Xia Yudong¡¯s face to the other person and then gave a slight frown. That young man looked handsome and had excellent facial features. Besides, he was dressed decently, so she knew at a nce that he must be from a noble family. He exuded a natural and elegant aura.

    There was a trace of faint irony on her eyebrows. No wonder Ning Qingshan had made a joke in private and asked what kind of man she liked before. She had curtly said that she appreciated a natural and elegant man, but she did not expect that Ning Qingshan had actually taken great pains to find such a man for her.

    Seeing that Cheng Yu was still in a daze, Xia Yudong pulled hard at his sleeves and he immediately came out of his reverie. In the regions south of the Yangtze River, Cheng Yu was a romantic schr and had certainlye across many beautifuldies, so he was good at judging what a Beautiful Lady should be like. Now when he saw Ning Xueyan, he immediately felt that Xia Yudong did not lie to him.

    The veil flew up in the air and revealed half of her face. It was just a fleeting glimpse, but it haunted him. How could he not be tempted by such a beautifuldy?

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, I am Cheng Yu from the regions south of the Yangtze River. Brother Xia and I were rude to you just now and I beg your pardon.¡± After fixing his clothes, Cheng Yu followed Xia Yudong and apologized. He tucked up his sleeves and bowed deeply to Ning Xueyan, seeming to be extremely polite, except that he looked straight at Ning Xueyan first. Now he behaved normally and did not sneak a peep at Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, what¡¯s wrong? What happened?¡± Ning Qingshan came up at the right time. When she saw Ning Xueyan standing at the stairs and Xia Yudong was also there, she asked in surprise, ¡°Second Young Master Xia, why are you here?¡±

    ¡°Third Young Lady and Fourth Young Lady, I was joking with Brother Cheng just now, but startled Fifth Young Lady. I am apologizing to Fifth Young Lady. Third Young Lady, please help us. We really did not know that Fifth Young Lady wasing up. If we knew, why would we be rude to Fifth Young Lady?¡±

    Xia Yudong repeatedly bowed to Ning Qingshan and Ning Lingyun with a ttering smile, as if he regretted what he had done.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, forget it. Second Young Master Xia and Childe Cheng did not mean to do that,¡± Ning Qingshan turned around and smiled at Ning Xueyan. She pulled Ning Xueyan aside and pointed at the books on the bookshelf. ¡°Look, there are so many books. We are sure to find the books we want. Don¡¯t be unhappy. It was just an ident. Our Fifth Young Lady is always gentle, so you will not really be angry with them, will you?¡±

    She spat out thetter words softly, which was not like the way that she deliberately ridiculed Ning Xueyan in daily life. It seemed that she really thought that Ning Xueyan had a good temper.

    Ning Lingyun, who had been standing behind them, looked up at Cheng Yu and then stared at Ning Qingshan¡¯s back. With that, she lowered her head thoughtfully.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go there and read!¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s gaze lingered on Chengyu and she had a faint cold smile under the veiled hat. She did not say anything more to Xia Yudong, but just made a slight bow and turned to walk inside. Since she was here, of course she would choose some books and take them back.

 Chapter 486 - The Romantic Talent from Jiangnan

    <h4>Chapter 486 The Romantic Talent from Jiangnan</h4>

    The bookshelves upstairs were bigger than those downstairs, so when she, who was not tall, wanted to take the book on the topyer of a shelf, she could not reach it, though it was close. Now she could only watch it but could not do anything. Lanning, who was about the same height as her, tried a few times but could not reach it, either.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, let me help you.¡± A gentle, smiling voice came from the side. Next, a hand came, and the person easily took down a book from theyer of the bookshelf above Ning Xueyan.

    Looking up, she saw that it was Cheng Yu¡¯s gentle face with somewhat romance and elegance. When passing the book, he was extremely respectful and never stared at her as if it was no bother indeed.

    When they came upstairs just now, Ning Xueyan parted with Ning Qingshan and Ning Lingyun. At this time, she did not know where they had gone. Beside the tall bookshelf were only she, her servant, and Cheng Yu. Although Cheng Yu behaved respectfully, if she and he were seen by those who had bad intentions, they would seem to hide behind the bookshelf on purpose.

    But Cheng Yu¡¯s behavior was quite favorable. He did not stare at Ning Xueyan like a lecher. Although he passed the book in his hand to Ning Xueyan, he took two steps back after passing it without behaving rudely, and he also smiled gently. Besides, he just did it in the most suitable manner, expressing his heart and feeling a little guilty about his improper behavior toward Ning Xueyan just now.

    Facing such a well-behaved young gentleman, few people would refuse his kindness. In fact, taking one book and passing it was not a big deal. Since daughters of aristocratic families visited the bookshop, they would encounter young males unavoidably. Now, this was not the inner courtyard of the Marquis¡¯s Manor and she also wore a Chinese veiled hat, so she could exchange a few words with him.

    But the environment was inappropriate. With tall bookshelves before them, it seemed that they could not see the outside, but when books were put on the shelves, a chink would be left outside on each of the shelves, after all. Although Ning Xueyan could perhaps not see the outside from where she was, what if someone pushed his or her eye against the chink from the outside!

    Ning Xueyan was sure that Ning Qingshan would do it.

    ¡°Thank you, Childe Cheng, but I don¡¯t need it. Just now I thought it was the book I like, but now I find it is not what I want.¡± Ning Xueyan took two steps back to stand behind Lanning, bowed in the manner of a woman, and refused him directly.

    Hearing the beautifuldy¡¯s soft and a little exceptionally sweet voice, Cheng Yu thought that even if she asked him to do something, he would be willing. His heart beat much faster than usual, and his face even turned reddish. ¡°The youngdy before me is indeed the fairy in my dream.¡±

    Although he had not clearly seen her face yet, he could feel her beautiful looks through the swift nce he gave just now.

    ¡°I never expected to meet ady who can so much stir the string of my heart in the capital.¡± Cheng Yu could almost not control his feelings. Hearing Ning Xueyan¡¯s refusal, he looked up at her affectionately and then put the book in his hand back to the high ce.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady Ning, if you can¡¯t reach any books you want, I¡¯ll be willing to help you,¡± Cheng Yu said gently. Looking at Ning Xueyan turn sideways, he had a trace of obsession in his eyes.

    After that, Ning Xueyan felt quite ufortable because almost no matter where she went, Cheng Yu followed her, but he would not stay too near or too far. If Ning Xueyan needed any books, he would immediately appear before her to take the book and handed it to her.

    But Ning Xueyan refused him every time.

    When she turned away from the bookshelf and saw that Ning Lingyun was there, she moved to her lightly.

    Ning Xueyan did not expect that this man came along like this, standing not too far or too near from her. He was randomly flipping through a book, but his eyes and eyebrows showed that his attention had been on her.

    This was not the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, so Ning Xueyan could not drive him away. Anyway, this was a bookshop. When everyone read and selected books, they stayed at the so many bookshelves, and picking books to quickly read was normal. Besides, Cheng Yu was not close to her. If he did anything rudely, it was that he helped her take books from time to time.

    This man looked guilty as if he was afraid of scaring Ning Xueyan and could not let go of this feeling, and he was also gentle with shyness. Although it was obvious that he liked Ning Xueyan, he still kept a distance from her courteously, so how could anyone feel sick about him?

    If such a romantic, well-behaved handsome young man could take a fancy to someone, for many girls, they would be quite moved, and for most girls, their vanity could also be satisfied. More importantly, he respected her very much.

    But Ning Xueyan was never one of the ¡°many girls¡±. Standing beside Ning Lingyun, she did not hide anymore this time. Through the fine gauze of the Chinese veiled hat, she looked at the young man who thought himself romantic, and put on a cold smile. Originally, this was the idea of Ning Qingshan.

    After inquiring about Ning Xueyan¡¯s preferences, she then found a man, but this man seemed not to be someone who had neither learning nor skill. On the one hand, he had no idea about the marriage granted by the emperor; on the other hand, he appeared among the children of the aristocratic families in the capital. Remembering this, Ning Xueyan knew that he should be a young student who had achieved something in learning. Seeing the man¡¯s manners and natural demeanor, she knew that he should be a quite famous talent.

    When she was in Jiangnan in the past, she was the gooddy of a big family who rarely went out tomunicate with others. As for the case of Childe Yueming, Ning Xueyan just learned itter, so she had no idea about Cheng Yu, the talent of Jiangnan who was slightly less famous. Of course, whether she knew about it or not, it was not important. She only knew that this was a man Ning Qingshan had brought to trap her.

    In fact, it was easy for the unmarried youngdies to fall in love with such a man because he was knowledgeable, behaved with manners though he liked her, and had a gentle, graceful smile. No matter how Ning Xueyan refused him, he was always gentle to her as if he seemed to have no temper. From time to time, his eyes fell on the youngdy, burning youngdy¡¯s heart.

    Compared with Prince Yi, who was arrogant, cold-blooded, and ruthless, did not ask about Ning Xueyan¡¯s condition after she went through a hardship, and also brought his beloved concubine to her, this young man was quite good.

    Looking at Ning Xueyan through the chink of a bookshelf, Ning Qingshan had a proud smile, for she did not believe that Ning Xueyan could not be moved.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s marriage was decided by the emperor¡¯s order, and she was never asked about it. Of course,pared with Prince Yi, who had overwhelming power in the court, Ning Xueyan was so unimportant, and no one would care about her opinion.

    Surely, Ning Qingshan had no guts to plot against Prince Yi. Although she had met him at a pce banquet, Ning Qingshan did not think that she had ever seen him through and only vaguely thought that he was very cold with somewhat ferociousness. Suppressed by Ao Chenyi¡¯s strong imposing manner, Ning Qingshan did not dare to take one more look at him.

    Even she was in such a situation, so Ning Xueyan should be more so. It was obvious that Ning Xueyan was about to be a consort, but a rumor from Prince Yi¡¯s Manor imed that Prince Yi only favored an unknown concubine. For Ning Xueyan, this was no good news, and she was different from Commandery Princess Xianyun. Even if thetter lost the favor of the prince, she could still use her wife¡¯s title to defend herself.

    Therefore, Ning Xueyan was helpless and sad at this time, and it was even fair to say that she was unwilling to marry but had to marry because the imperial edict had been issued. If she did not marry, it meant that she disobeyed the imperial edict, but she could not bear such a charge, nor could the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    When Prince Yi came to the manorst time, he clearly told Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an that he was going to ask for the dissolution of the betrothal!

    He was so arrogant, so rude, and so ruthless and never cared that if this requirement was approved by the emperor, Ning Xueyan would be too ashamed to live.

    Compared with the affectionate, well-behaved talent Cheng Yu in her presence, Prince Yi was much too undesirable!

    Therefore, she did not believe that Ning Xueyan would not fall into her trap. As for the romantic talent, he would fall in love with her when he saw her face. Although she did not want to admit that after having gradually recovered, Ning Xueyan waspletely different from the previous fragile image in the Bright Frost Garden, she had to admit it.

    She seemed to be the phoenix getting reborn from the fire. Her delicate facial features gradually matured, showing that she would be a stunning woman. In contrast, she was more beautiful than the previous Ning Yuling. Besides that, her lips that were lighter than the others¡¯ made her look like a graceful fairying out of andscape painting, pure without filth.

    When she turned her eyes, a kind of enchanting charm appeared in this purity. When he saw such ady, how could the romantic talent not love her? At first nce, he could possibly get obsessed with her. Such a romantic talent, who was quite gifted and very unruly, would perhaps do something against the rules.

    Anyway, he was a talent!

    Whether it was Ning Xueyan taking a fancy to Cheng Yu or the opposite, it was good for her. As for this kind of thing, as long as no one talked about it, it could not be found, and Prince Yi would never expect that his consort-to-be had another man in her heart. By that time, she could only need to tell him this secret. Since she had made him such a cuckold, Ning Xueyan would have no chance to live.

    Surely, this had nothing to do with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, so it meant that it had nothing to do with her, either.

    Who would have expected that she deliberately brought Cheng Yu here and let them fall in love at first sight!

    For Ning Xueyan, it was difficult for her not to remember such a man. With Prince Yi being a reference, Ning Qingshan did not believe that Ning Xueyan did not like this gentle, affectionate, and talented young man.

    Silently, she nodded to Xia Yudong who was not far away, and thetter narrowed his eyes into a slit and agreed.

    Xia Yudong stood on the other side of the bookshelf. Seeing that Ning Qingshan nodded to him, he was full of pride. ¡°Third Young Lady will be the consort of Third Prince, and I¡¯ve heard that Third Prince has long been in love with her. If something had not happened, she would get the princess¡¯s position this time.

    ¡°If I can build ties with Third Young Lady, I will have glory and wealth in the future. Maybe even my eldest brother will have to fall into my hands.¡± Thinking of the proud moment, he became even happier, of course.

    The two of them, who thought that they had put Ning Xueyan and Cheng Yu into their trap, were now silently reading, leaving the time and space for Ning Xueyan and Cheng Yu and hoping that they could develop deeper love, so that their n could be more perfect. If this romantic talent could visit her in the back garden at midnight, climb over the wall to secretly meet her, or disguise as a family servant to slip into the mansion, it would be much better.

    Then they might get deeper love.

    ¡°Crack!¡± A hard p came from another bookshelf. At first, Ning Qingshan was stunned, but then she had a little panic in her eyes and quickly turned away from this bookshelf. The p shoulde from the direction where Ning Xueyan and Cheng Yu were standing together just now.

 Chapter 487 - Softened Words Uttered in a Disadvantageous Situation

    <h4>Chapter 487 Softened Words Uttered in a Disadvantageous Situation</h4>

    Behind the bookshelf, Ning Lingyun stared dumbfounded at the scene in front of her, almost unable to realize it for a moment.

    Cheng Yu was pale, almost unbelievably looking at the girl wearing a Chinese veiled hat in front of him. He leaned against the bookshelf in the back, and there was slight anger in his eyes. As a talented person, he was always proud and had never been pped in front of so many people.

    Even the beautiful woman he liked could not do this way. Besides, shouldn¡¯t the beautiful woman he liked look at him gently and shyly!

    ¡°What¡¯s going on, Brother Cheng?¡± Xia Yudong turned around, saw the scene before him, and asked with astonishment.

    The manners Cheng Yu showed just now did not seem to mean that he would offend Ning Xueyan. Although he was not married, he was not called the romantic talented man for no reason. To thedies he had a crush on, he would never act too rudely.

    ¡°Second Childe Xia, this Childe¡¯s behavior is not suitable. Our Miss is about to marry into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. If Prince Yi learns the current behavior of this Childe, this Childe will have to die. Our Miss kindly asked him not to follow her, but he did not listen. Our Miss saved his life by doing so.¡±

    Lanning stood in front of Ning Xueyan. She spoke politely, but the coldness on her face was clearly shown. Of course, the message these words carried was that the man was pped rudely by Ning Xueyan, for Cheng Yu¡¯s red, swollen face that had turned from the white, tender one proved that Ning Xueyan had pped him hard.

    As soon as Lanning opened her mouth, Ning Qingshan felt that the situation was going bad, but when she wanted to stop her, it was toote. Lanning talked sharply without showing any kindness, leaving no room for maneuver.

    ¡°Prince Yi¡¯s Manor?¡± No matter how lecherous he was, Cheng Yu knew what Prince Yi¡¯s Manor was and more clearly knew what kind of person Prince Yi was. If he offended Prince Yi, not only would he die mysteriously, but his family and n could also be dragged in and killed. For Prince Yi, the words ¡°sentencing the whole n to death¡± were never a joke.

    ¡°What? Don¡¯t you know that our Miss is going to marry into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, Childe Cheng? This is strange. Everyone in the capital knows it. Prince Yi asked to marry our Miss, and the emperor issued the imperial edict. This will happen in a few days. Even if you take anyone from the street, he or she knows that Prince Yi is going to marry the fifth youngdy of our Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Childe Cheng, you know too little! Or is it that someone hid it from you on purpose?¡±

    As she spoke with a hint in her words, Lanning raised her eyebrows to look at Xia Yudong, who was standing on the side.

    No doubt, talented people were smart, and Cheng Yu was a famous talented man, so he was never stupid. Although he imed to be romantic, he had to measure his strength. He always thought that he was extraordinary, so he did not think that he could not match thedies of the noble families in the capital. Due to this reason, he took a fancy to Ning Xueyan and followed her wholeheartedly, aiming to get her favor and make her happy.

    He never thought that the family background was a problem. Even if his family background was slightly not as good as hers, when his examination result was announced this time, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was sure to value him, and marrying Fifth Young Lady Ning to him would not be something difficult. Always, Cheng Yu was confident in his charm.

    This was the reason why he followed Ning Xueyan again and again, but he did not expect that the gentle, sweet girl before him was such a cold person. When he handed a book to her again, she did not take the book but gave him a hard p.

    What made Cheng Yu more surprised was what the maid said.

    ¡°Everyone knows about the marriage, but why didn¡¯t Xia Yudong say anything about it just now?¡± Since the imperial edict had been issued, he did not believe that Xia Yudong didn¡¯t know about it. He also remembered thating to the bookshop today was the proposal of Xia Yudong, and the reason why he brought the big folding fan here was that Xia Yudong said that big fans were popr in the capital.

    If Cheng Yu still didn¡¯t know what was going on after all these things were mentioned by Lanning and he had pondered them over, he was no longer a talented man but a fool!

    ¡°Good, very good, Second Young Master Xia, it¡¯s really good. You even plotted against me. It¡¯s my fault that I didn¡¯t see you clearly and mistook fish eyes for beautiful gems.¡± Putting down his hands that covered his face, Cheng Yu looked coldly at Xia Yudong and did not show him any respect. Although Xia Yudong was the son of Minister Xia, this kind of talented person, who was proud of his gift and regarded things with contempt, did not think much of him.

    This time, Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t have to drive him away because he just walked away directly.

    ¡°Brother Cheng, Brother Cheng, listen to me...¡± Xia Yudong looked at the three sisters of the Ning Family who were standing their ground and knew that it was unsuitable for him to stay here anymore, so he immediately went to follow Cheng Yu. In his eyes, Cheng Yu was the most popr examinee in this year¡¯s examination. He was knowledgeable and had handsome looks, so it seemed not difficult for him to be appointed the champion of this examination. If Xia Yudong really offended this man, it was not good for him.

    And it was no longer suitable for him to stand there in the current situation.

    But Cheng Yu walked so fast that when he went downstairs, the former had already disappeared.

    The noise Ning Xueyan made was a little loud so that some people who bought books upstairs heard the sound and came over, but they only saw three youngdies with their maids standing there as if nothing had happened. And almost all of those upstairs were men, who felt too embarrassed to look at these few youngdies closely, so every one of them just took a nce and then left.

    The area of the bookshelf became quiet, and Ning Lingyun stepped back anxiously, leaving the space to Ning Qingshan. She, however, just hid carefully in the corner on the side with her maid, as if she knew nothing.

    ¡°Third Sister, I never expected to meet a man of such rare quality in this bookshop. Fortunately, you let me get out of the carriage, and then I broadened my horizon.¡± Ning Xueyan narrowed her eyes slightly to look at Ning Qingshan and sneered.

    This tour was proposed by Ning Qingshan; getting out of the carriage was also her idea; evening upstairs was her request. Later, when they read books beside the bookshelf upstairs, she subconsciously moved away from Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°You are ming me, Fifth Sister? I didn¡¯t know that such a terrible person would appear.¡± Ning Qingshan was now not panicky anymore and raised her head at this time, as if she really didn¡¯t know anything. ¡°It¡¯s true I proposed toe out ande upstairs, but I didn¡¯t expect to meet something like this, Fifth Sister. If you are angry, just hit me a few times.¡±

    Now that she had opened her mouth, she must say it clearly. Ning Qingshan hated Ning Xueyan silently. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Ning Xueyan to be so decisive, and her heart was as hard as iron, and she didn¡¯t even show any feelings of a girl. Even such a gentle and handsome young man could not shake her will, then what should I do!¡±

    Initially, she thought that this would be a sure sess, but Ning Xueyan suddenlyunched an attack, making her fall into such an embarrassing situation now.

    ¡°Third Sister, we are sisters anyway. No matter which family¡¯s daughter you were or how noble your identity was, you have been raised in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor in the past years and were not different from the daughters of our Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Let me say something unpleasant. As a wife¡¯s daughter, I lived far less happily andfortably than you in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, but if you have it in for me again and again... ¡±

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s words did not show any respect to Ning Qingshan, and there was a fierce chill in her eyes. Although Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes were behind her veil, Ning Qingshan did not dare to stare at them. At this moment, Ning Xueyan showed her sharpness to the full extent.

    Ning Qingshan¡¯s biggest secret was the identity of the princess of the previous dynasty she relied on. Now when Ning Xueyan said it with such a tone, she was quite frightened. She raised her eyes to subconsciously but nervously look at Ning Xueyan and thought, ¡°Ning Xueyan has learned it, hasn¡¯t she?¡±

    But then she shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s impossible for others to know this. That person should be reliable. On my side, only Caifen and Mammy Luo know it clearly, and a few words were even kept from Feilian because it was Madam Dowager who sent her to me and I don¡¯t trust her that much.¡±

    Her words were full of anger. Ning Lingyun in the corner was afraid that they would see her, so she bowed her head even lower to read the book in her hands, but she had not found that she held the book upside down after flipping it through for a long time. Instead, Ning Xueyan saw that she held the book in her hand upside down and had a slightly cold smile.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, I know I might be med, but I really didn¡¯t know that such a thing would happen. Fifth Sister, no matter how much you hate me, I can only bear it. Of course, I¡¯m a daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. When the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor has an honor, then I can have an honor. Speaking offortably living, Fifth Sister, when Eldest Sister and Second Sister were in the manor previously, which one of us livedfortably?¡±

    Ning Qingshan heaved a sigh, looking sad, and she softened her words. If this n had been finished, Ning Qingshan would not be afraid of Ning Xueyan, but it failed, so now she could not run counter to Ning Xueyan, and she had be more and more afraid of Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°I know that you won¡¯t perhaps believe these words I said, Fifth Sister. But seriously speaking, if you are good, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is good, and I will also be good when I be a member of Third Prince¡¯s Manor in the future, so you and I have no conflicts of interest. Then, why should I plot against you? Anyway, we had an unlucky tour this time, and I didn¡¯t expect that we would meet such a person. Second Young Master Xia seems not a good man, but I thought that he has a good reputation because he is the brother of our eldest sister¡¯s husband...¡±

    Looking sincere, Ning Qingshan lifted the veil of her Chinese veiled hat and showed a sad appearance. She put all the me on Xia Yudong and even implied that Ning Ziyan was also involved. Since there was Madam Ling, Ning Ziyan and Ning Xueyan should be enemies.

    She had said that they were close sisters and hinted that both she and Nine Xueyan were bullied by Ning Yuling and Ning Ziyan in the past. In fact, she had vaguely shown her weakness.

    In the corner, Ning Lingyun was facing a shelf of books, but she had a trace of irony in her eyes. As for what happened today, she learned the whole story. When she came upstairs, she did not know that Ning Qingshan plotted against Ning Xueyan, but her plot was seen through by thetter; but she learned it just now. And now Ning Qingshan was showing her weakness to Ning Xueyan through her words.

    Ning Qingshan always thought much too highly of herself. She had a very good rtionship with Ning Yuling and Ning Ziyan, but she looked down upon Ning Lingyun so much. More importantly, since she was about to marry into Third Prince¡¯s Manor, she looked down upon Ning Lingyun even more. Besides, now Ning Lingyun had a different idea, very happy to see Ning Qingshan suffer a setback in Ning Xueyan¡¯s hands.

    She had witnessed Ning Xueyan¡¯s fierceness, so she made a mockery of Ning Qingshan¡¯s behavior. If Ning Xueyan could be easily trapped, Ning Yuling and Madam Ling would not be in such an end now...

 Chapter 488 - The Three Sisters Act Differently

    <h4>Chapter 488 The Three Sisters Act Differently</h4>

    The three peopleing out together was a show of sisterhood. But after this incident, Ning Xueyan did not want to express any true feelings of sisters anymore. Anyway, those words were used to fool Madam Dowager. In fact, even Ning Lingyun did not take it seriously, so the three of them parted at the door of the bookshop.

    Ning Xueyan simply took the carriage away, saying that she wanted to go to her newly opened shop, and she did not invite the two of them to go there. As for where Ning Qingshan and Ning Lingyun were going next, it had nothing to do with her.

    Ning Qingshan never wanted to give her carriage to Ning Xueyan, but what happened just now was unsessful, and it had been found by Ning Xueyan, so she could only watch Ning Xueyan get on the carriage, make her handkerchief into a ball in her hand, re at Ning Xueyan¡¯s leaving with her carriage, and kick the ground hard.

    Unexpectedly, she kicked the ground with her injured leg, and then she screamed in pain and holding her leg, squatted down involuntarily.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Third Sister? Did you hurt your foot? Do you need to go inside and rest for a few more moments and let me get a carriage?¡± As for Ning Xueyan taking the carriage away alone, Ning Lingyun was unwilling to ept it, either. Compared with following Ning Xueyan, she preferred to follow Ning Qingshan. Now she immediately squatted down with Ning Qingshan and asked her with concern.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± Ning Qingshan stood up with Caifen¡¯s hand in support, having a trace of coldness in her eyes. ¡°You go by yourself. I still have something to do, and I need to walk around, so I might go hometer.¡±

    It was rare for her toe out from home once. Of course, she would not go back so simply. These days, problems appeared one after another, and she had to go to see Aunt Wu and ask about the situations of Grand Tutor Ya and Honored Consort Ya. As for the matter that they thought she was the child of the Ya Family, Ning Qingshan was very happy that this misunderstanding would continue to exist.

    ¡°Can I go with you, Third Sister? Your leg is injured, and Caifen can¡¯t support you alone,¡± Ning Lingyun also stood up with her, hesitated for a moment, but still said.

    ¡°No, the same as Fifth Sister, I don¡¯t like people following me, either. Besides, my leg is very healthy, and I don¡¯t need you to support me. I¡¯m not Ning Yuling or our grandmother, and you¡¯d better put away your performance!¡± Although the sequ of her foot injury was not found by others, it had be Ning Qingshan¡¯s emotional entanglement. When Ning Lingyun mentioned this, Ning Qingshan sharpened her tone immediately.

    Seeing that Ning Qingshan got angry, Ning Lingyun became more and more aggrieved. ¡°Third Sister, I just want to help you, not to want to do anything. Are you so unwilling to be with me, Third Sister? I have no ce to go now. Initially, I wanted to follow you, Third Sister. At least, I can take a walk with you.¡±

    ¡°You are ying the poor creature again.¡± In the past, Ning Qingshan had witnessed the mean look of Ning Lingyun when Ning Lingyun followed Ning Yuling. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that the mean look has been disguised in such a manner now. Sure enough, she is the daughter of a concubine and can¡¯t show herself in public.¡± She snorted coldly, ¡°Ning Lingyun, you really don¡¯t have to act in front of me. Just like what Fifth Sister said just now, let us separate. What do you want to do? As long as you don¡¯t bother me, you can do whatever you want, but if you bother me...¡±

    Ning Qingshan sneered twice, nced at Ning Lingyun disdainfully, and turned around and walked away with Caifen¡¯s shoulder in support.

    ¡°Miss, Third Young Lady bullied you to the extreme,¡± Ning Lingyun¡¯s maid Caiyun said indignantly after she saw Third Young Lady humiliate her Miss like this.

    ¡°Go and find out where she has gone, Caiyun.¡± Looking at the direction in which Ning Qingshan had disappeared, Ning Lingyun had already removed the grievances in her voice. It seemed that the direction that Ning Qingshan had gone in was not a busy street.

    ¡°What will you do if I go to follow Third Young Lady, Miss?¡± Caiyun said worriedly.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere and will only read books in the bookshop. When you go after Third Young Lady and find out where she has gone, you can return. I am here waiting for you,¡± Ning Lingyun pointed to the bookshop that they came out from just now and said.

    She really could not leave alone.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m going right away.¡± Caiyun nodded and went to do the following job.

    The carriage was indeed going to Ning Xueyan¡¯s shop. Yesterday, Mother Han said that the shop was almost ready and she was about to start a trial operation, asking Ning Xueyan to take a look if she had free time. Once she was married into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor in the future, she would have to face the princess who had a higher position than her. Possibly, it would be more inconvenient for her toe out.

    ¡°Third Young Lady has left, Miss.¡± Lan Ning had been sitting at the back window and saw that Ning Qingshan exchanged a few words with Ning Lingyun and then went away with Caifen, leaving Ning Lingyun there.

    ¡°Of course, she would leave.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled leisurely and casually threw the Chinese veiled hat in her hand aside. ¡°She always looks down upon Ning Lingyun. Today, she took Ning Lingyun out just to fool public opinion. Now she does not need to fool public opinion, so Ning Lingyun is useless.¡±

    ¡°The direction Third Young Lady headed in seems not the direction to the street.¡± The carriage didn¡¯t move fast, so now Lanning could still discern Ning Qingshan¡¯s figure.

    ¡°Lanning, don¡¯t care about her because Ning Lingyun will!¡± After a smile, she pulled Lanning¡¯s hand, indicating that Lanning should sit upright, but her eyes were deep.

    ¡°When Ning Qingshan plotted against me, she did not notice that another person was watching her with hostility. Ning Lingyun is never a good person, but recently, she behaved very kindly. The different expression she has now is clearly what I had in the past.

    ¡°She even wears the clothes I used to wear.

    ¡°She does want to imitate the previous me wholeheartedly.¡± Ning Xueyan felt very ufortable about this, but she would not intervene in this matter. Since both Madam Dowager and Ning Lingyun had this intention and the person who was dealt with was Ning Qingshan, surely, she would not do anything to intervene.

    After rebirth, she was no longer a submissive person and could no longer be bullied by anyone. Ning Qingshan went to hurt her again and again, and Ning Lingyun added fuel to the mes at the appropriate time.

    For Ning Lingyun, Ning Qingshan was now only the daughter of a concubine.

    For Madam Dowager, Ning Lingyun was more reliable than Ning Qingshan, anyway. Besides, Ning Qingshan¡¯s behavior had be more and more unreasonable now, and even Third Prince became unhappy.

    The carriage stopped at Yuyan Shop. Mother Han got the news and rushed out with her son. Ning Xueyan got out of her carriage, walked around, and found that the shop was tidied up. The shop was not big, but it looked bright and exquisite, and some perfumes and rouges were on sale now. Several youngdies were browsing them and picked them up to take closer looks from time to time.

    Ning Xueyan also went in and picked out a box of fragrant powder, which was very delicate and had a very bright color. At first sight, she knew that it was a very good product. She did not expect that Mother Han could get such a good product when she stocked with goods for the first time. This made Ning Xueyan surprised.

    ¡°Where did you get the goods, Mother Han?¡± Ning Xueyan put down the powder and asked with a smile.

    ¡°I brought them from Anyun Trading Firm, and these are newly arrived goods. Previously, the firm did not give the word, but when it heard that these goods would be brought to your shop, it agreed to send the goods.¡± Mother Han smiled cheerfully. Previously, she did a lot of work about this deal. She had long known that Anyun¡¯s goods were good, but its goods were not enough, and she could not get goods from it, but she did not expect that the firm gave her goods when she mentioned her youngdy¡¯s name. The conditions were the same as those offered to the other few old customers taking goods from Anyun Trading Firm.

    ¡°This is really wonderful!¡±

    ¡°Anyun Trading Firm?¡± Ning Xueyan frowned and didn¡¯t think her name was so useful. ¡°Do I know anyone in it? But none of the people I know seems to have any connections with this firm.¡±

    ¡°Mother Han, these goods are good, but when the shop officially opens, you should not purchase any goods before almost all the goods are sold.¡± It was not that she was overly careful, but that she did feel that this was strange. When facing some strange things, Ning Xueyan thought that she still needed to think carefully. Anyway, it didn¡¯t matter even if she could not make money with the shop for the time being.

    Originally, she did this for the sake of contacting her cousin more conveniently and also facilitating her travel. Of course, it was best if she could make money with it. When she became a member of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor in the future, she would have trouble if she had no money at hand.

    Although the dowry items from her mother¡¯s dowry were valuable, she could not turn them into cash.

    After saying a few more words with Mother Han, Ning Xueyan got back on the carriage. The carriage moved slowly on the way, but it arrived at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor in a while. When she got off the carriage and asked the doorkeeper, she then knew that Ning Qingshan and Ning Lingyun had not returned yet, and she went to greet Madam Dowager first.

    Seeing that she was the only oneing back, Madam Dowager asked about the reason and learned that Ning Xueyan was unwell and wanted toe back earlier and Ning Qingshan and Ning Lingyun still needed to take a walk, so she did not say anything and asked Ning Xueyan to go back to rest earlier, saying that she should take more rest these days.

    Ning Xueyan nodded at all the words Madam Dowagers said and then took Lanning back to the Bright Frost Garden.

    On the day of the imperial examination, Ning Huaiyuan packed his things early and went to say goodbye to Madam Dowager. Ning Zu¡¯an was in Madam Dowager¡¯s ce, and even Ning Qingshan, Ning Lingyun, and Ning Xueyan had been there waiting for him for a long time. This was the first time Ning Huaiyuan had taken the imperial examination. Of course, Ning Zu¡¯an gave him kind instructions, and Madam Dowager¡¯s eyes almost turned red because she felt sorry for him.

    After walking through the gate, he would have to look after himself and could not bring his young male servant to serve him. Remembering that Ning Huaiyuan had never gone through such suffering since he was young, Madam Dowager felt so sorry for him.

    Ning Huaiyuanforted Madam Dowager with a few words, saying that he was fine, and said goodbye to Ning Zu¡¯an. When he was ready to leave, Ning Qingshan, Ning Lingyun, and Ning Xueyan came over.

    ¡°Eldest brother, this is the ink I selected for you. I hope you can pass the examination.¡± Ning Qingshan smiled and took an ink stick from the hands of Caifen and handed it to Ning Huaiyuan.

    ¡°I hope you can have good luck after good luck, Eldest Brother.¡± Ning Xueyan asked Lanning to pass a Chinese brush pen, and the young male servant next to Ning Huaiyuan took it.

    ¡°Eldest Brother, this is mine.¡± After seeing the performances of Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan, Ning Lingyun finally asked her maid to pass the stack of paper in her hand over.

    These items were what the three of them randomly selected in the bookshop yesterday. Anyway, this was only a show of their hearts. As for whether Ning Huaiyuan would use them or not, they did not need to worry about it. After passing the brush pen, Ning Xueyan retired and had some quietness in her lowered eyes, but she squinted over the ink stick Ning Qingshan offered.

    She handed it over, but did not let go, and Ning Huaiyuan held it with his hand. Time seemed to freeze for a while. After a long time, Ning Qingshan slowly let go.

    ¡°Thank you, Third Sister.¡± Ning Huaiyuan took the ink stick quietly and passed it to the young male servant standing aside. His eyes passed over the faces of the threedies. Finally, he smiled and extended his gratitude. No one found that the smile was reced by the maliciousness in his eyes when he turned around.

    Ning Xueyan would get married in three days. By that time, he would still be on the examination site...

 Chapter 489 - It Turns out That This Isâ€¦

    <h4>Chapter 489 It Turns out That This Is...</h4>

    Surely, the auspicious date chosen by the pce would not be dyed by the fact that the elder brother of a consort would take an examination, so Ning Xueyan¡¯s wedding would not be dyed by Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s taking the imperial examination.

    The dowry would be sent the day before. Since Ning Xueyan was a consort, she did not need to put up pageantry as Commandery Princess Xianyun did, but all the rtives and friends had been informed. Today was not the wedding date, so only a few close marital rtives came to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Ning Xueyan got up rtively early and visited Madam Dowager to send her morning greeting. Rarely, Madam Dowager asked Ning Xueyan to have breakfast with her, and Ning Xueyan also chatted with Madam Dowager for a while. Ning Qingshan and Ning Lingyun were also there. Ostensibly, the three of them were in harmony, and Madam Dowager was very satisfied with it.

    The rare scene was that Madam Dowager Liu even came out to chat for a while. After a while, a guest came. Since Ning Xueyan was a bride-to-be, it was not suitable for her to stay here, so she went back.

    On the way, Ning Xueyan drove Lanning back to the Bright Frost Garden. At this time, the Bright Frost Garden was in a mess. Although all the people of the Bright Frost Garden were there, they still thought that it was toote to do the sorting and counting, and the maids and older female servants from the other courtyards who temporarily came to help them were many. So, Ning Xueyan did not want to go back and only wanted to go around alone.

    There was no one around her, and many servants in the backyard had gone to the Bright Frost Garden or Madam Dowager¡¯s Lucky Garden to help others. The whole backyard was empty. She walked slowly and remembered that it was not the first time to send the dowry, but now she thought it was only a joke.

    At that time, she was quite excited, thinking that the man she married was her beloved man, to whom she gave her heart and love!

    With three years of waiting and three years of love, she had secret joy, imagining the harmonious and happy days of being a married woman.

    At that time, the dowry was what it was when she moved in. The dowry items had been counted a few days before, and she just needed to ask some people to take them out. At that time, she didn¡¯t know anything. Madam Ling said that her courtyard was not big enough to hold these items, they should be moved to Ning Ziyan¡¯s ce for the time being, and Ning Ziyan would send the dowry, lest that her ce should be so noisy that her quietness was disturbed.

    So, she stupidly believed Madam Ling. Then, she let her carry the dowry to Ning Ziyan¡¯s courtyard, and then it was sent from Ning Ziyan¡¯s courtyard under the eyes of everyone. Recalling it now, she thought that she was so stupid. Others only saw that the dowry was carried out from Ning Ziyan¡¯s courtyard, so they naturally thought that it was Ning Ziyan who was about to marry.

    But no one knew that the dowry was carried out from her courtyard previously. Those who carried the dowry were not many: these few confidants of Madam Ling and those of the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. And they carried it away in the night. The night when Ning Ziyan¡¯s dowry was sent was the time she died miserably.

    After Ning Ziying lost all her value, her death was inevitable. The man who once told her that he would be good to her wholeheartedly watched her be drowned in the lotus pond...

    She could not help but walk to the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. After the incident of the Cloud Reflection Courtyard broke out, the staff of the Ministry of Justice once lived here for some time, but now when the case gradually became less important, the staff of the Ministry of Justice rarely came here, and the door of the Cloud Reflection Courtyard had been sealed with a strip of red paper.

    When all the people saw the two skeletons, they knew that the original owner of this ce was gone.

    Standing under a tree, she bit her lips and inexplicably felt sad. Not only the life of a young girl but also all her kindness and beauty were buried here.

    Ning Ziying, who had been growing up under her father¡¯s pampering, would never have thought of being viciously calcted by so many people, so she ended up in death. If it wasn¡¯t for the inexplicable rebirth, she would have already fallen into the underworld, and the hatred would never be repaid.

    ¡°Why did you...e here?¡± A voice came from somewhere not far away. Ning Xueyan turned around, and her ck jade-like eyes fell on Xia Yuhang indifferently and calmly, but she did not know when he appeared there.

    This person once made her feel caring after her mother died. At that time, she was very scared and terrified. The people in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor were not friendly. On the day she came here, Madam Dowager never met her, and even Madam Ling only allowed her to kowtow to her once and then coolly assigned the remote Cloud Reflection Courtyard to her.

    Therefore, Xia Yuhang¡¯s care at that time was so important to her that she felt that she was no longer alone in the world. In this world, there was still a person who really thought about her and cared about her.

    Unexpectedly, everything was so cruel atst, and she would rather never know this person.

    ¡°Why did youe here, Eldest Brother-inw? Did you alsoe here to miss Sister Ziying!¡± A mocking smile appeared at her light-colored but perfect lips. She slowly turned around to look at the tightly sealed Cloud Reflection Courtyard again.

    Some memories in her mind had be blurred, and she had long forgotten the scene when they met the first time. When she was still Ning Ziying at that time, she remembered their first meeting firmly, but now she only had the memory of watching the sky that was dyed red from the bottom of the river. When she was just reborn, she was awakened by such nightmares many times.

    The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor sent the dowry today. Although Ning Ziyan was no longer a wife, the Xia¡¯s Manor was the marital rtive of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, in general, but no matter what, she didn¡¯t think that Xia Yuhang should be here now.

    And today¡¯s Xia Yuhang was no longer the image in her memory. The gentle and elegant person had long be vague. Except that she had been remembering him when she was just reborn, she had almost no memory of him now. It seemed that he did not live a good life. His wife became his concubine, and Ning Yuling was still making trouble.

    Besides, now he should have taken the imperial examination and realized his ambition, but his path to the high positions in the officialdom was destroyed because of this marriage.

    ¡°Are you... all right?¡± Xia Yuhang looked at Ning Xueyan with hisplicated eyes, and there was a pain in his eyes for a moment, as if he had not seen the mockery on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face.

    ¡°Eldest Brother-inw, your question is so strange. How could I not be all right? I¡¯m not Sister Ziying. Just after her dowry was sent away, she died. But she did not see someone clearly, and this led to her death. Whom could she me?¡± Ning Xueyan said lightly. Maybe her former tone sounded a little cold, but this one did not contain any sarcasm.

    She said these words sincerely!

    She just viewed this from the perspective of someone else. She had no sadness or happiness, and she had no hatred or love. In her previous life, she lost her life for Xia Yuhang, but in this life, she would never have any connections with him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t, don¡¯t say that about her. I treated her wrongly. I thought that she really had a rtionship with another man, and I did not want her to die... but I just wanted to use that to suppress... her,¡± Xia Yuhang said with difficulty and also turned his eyes to Cloud Reflection Courtyard. The pain in his eyes was clearly shown, and nothing was concealed now.

    ¡°Use that to suppress her? Let her be a concubine?¡± Ning Xueyan suddenly looked at Xia Yuhang, having a trace of disgust in her eyes. ¡°It turns out that this is Xia Yuhang¡¯s idea. He imed that he thought that she really had a rtionship with another man? Can the portrait of beauty really prove anything?

    ¡°Anyway, Madam Ling and her daughter could not hoodwink the smart Xia Yuhang. A portrait of beauty could not prove anything, but he watched Madam Ling and her daughter kill her. At that time, he also supported Ning Ziyan affectionately, but it turns out that this is what he wanted.

    ¡°Turn a wife into a concubine. This is what he wanted. It turns out that it is so...

    What she could not figure out in the past suddenly became clear. ¡°How greedy this man was! He wanted to turn his wife into his concubine, so he framed her by saying that she had a rtionship with someone. He watched Madam Ling and her daughter persecute her and then sink her into the lotus pond. But all this was just the man¡¯s self-righteous idea.

    ¡°Even if Madam Ling had let me off at that time, what¡¯s the point of that? How could I be willing to be a concubine? I was betrayed by the man I wholeheartedly loved and the sister who had the best rtionship with me, so that I finally fell to the position of a concubine. Although I was gentle, I was not spineless.

    ¡°In a marriage, two people betrayed me. Finally, he even had such a goal.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled coldly.

    The wind lifted her dress, and her in colored dress danced gently. The wind was not cold, and the momentum of the whole space was cold, but the coldness did not reach the bottom of her heart, but reached her ck jade-like eyes. As early as she was reborn, she had gotten rid of the persistence in her previous life.

    ¡°How could you make her your wife, Eldest Young Master Xia! You and Ning Ziyan are the real couple.¡±

    ¡°Vicious, selfish, and self-righteous.

    ¡°It seems that no matter what you wanted, you could get it. You did not care about others¡¯ lives, and you even cared less about others¡¯ wills.

    ¡°As long as you got it, that¡¯s enough!¡±

    ¡°I, I, I also had a helpless difficulty!¡± Xia Yuhang moved his lips twice, looking a little pale because he was hurt by Ning Xueyan¡¯s merciless words. ¡°If she had been willing to serve me, her husband, with another woman and lived with me in peace, she would not have ended up like that.¡±

    ¡°Two women to serve one husband? You are a scum indeed, Eldest Young Master Xia! So, all this was her fault, only because she did not clearly tell you beforehand that she was willing to marry you as a concubine and serve you with your wife Ning Ziyan. But you could give up the original betrothal, she should obediently hand what you wanted to you, and then you could spare her life. Anyway, she was just an orphan. Where she died or not, it was not a big deal.¡±

    Ning Xueyan sneered mercilessly. She did think this was funny. In her previous life when she was still alive, she thought that she could see him through, but when she died, she then found that this man so selfish and self-righteous. Although he was quite talented, what was the point of that? Such a person who had such behavior did not even deserve to be a human.

    She felt that this face was disgusting. In the previous life, she was so blind that she felt that he was a nice gentleman and would not disappoint her, so she was nice to him wholeheartedly and sincerely wanted to marry him, but now she did not want to see this face anymore. After finishing speaking, she turned around and did not stop, but gave an ice-cold smile.

    ¡°Ziying, is that you? Is that really you! I... I didn¡¯t want that, and I didn¡¯t know that she would kill you. Initially, I made a deal with Madam Ling that you would not die and she would only make a show. How could I... I bear to...¡± Xia Yuhang¡¯s somewhat frantic and anxious voice came from behind. With the pain of being at a loss, he hurriedly ran after her, and she could almost sense his eagerness.

    He was about toe and catch her!

 Chapter 490 - Iâ€™m Just a Passerby

    <h4>Chapter 490 I¡¯m Just a Passerby</h4>

    ¡°This person is really puzzling. When happiness should be his, he could not take it, but after I died, now he bes desperate and is regretful.¡±

    Ning Xueyan could not tell what this feeling was and only felt that this was very boring. ¡°In this world, it is useless to only have regrets about many things.¡±

    And she was no longer the same Ning Ziying who was so obedient to Xia Yuhang back then.

    She turned around and happened to avoid Xia Yuhang¡¯s eagerly stretched hand. With clear watery eyes, she looked at Xia Yuhang extremely coldly, and the look in her eyes could be called piercing cold. ¡°What are you doing, Eldest Brother-inw? Do you still have the vain hope of getting the consort of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor? Ning Ziying is already dead. Didn¡¯t you see the dead bones in the lotus pond, Eldest Brother-inw?¡±

    These words sessfully stopped Xia Yuhang¡¯s hand. Immediately, the impulse caused by his excitement was frozen as if he had been drenched in snow. He shivered in coldness and suddenly came to his senses, but he took two steps back in panic before he could stand firm. With a bit of pleading in his eyes, he looked at Ning Xueyan and opened his mouth wide, but he could not utter a word for a while.

    ¡°You really need to wake up, Eldest Brother-inw. I¡¯m Ning Xueyan, the wife¡¯s daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, and I¡¯m going to marry Prince Yi. Sister Ning Ziying has already been a pile of dead bones. If you didn¡¯t see the pile of dead bones, you can go to the Ministry of Justice to take a closer look.¡±

    Ning Xueyan looked at Xia Yuhang coldly and spoke. Her watery eyes were cold, without a trace of gentleness.

    ¡°Although this pair of eyes are simr to hers, she is not her. That pair of eyes were gentle and soft, and I could always see another affectionate me in them, but this pair of eyes are so cold that they can almost freeze all my blood, and I can only see an almost wretched me in this pair of eyes.

    ¡°A pale face and a haggard look!

    ¡°No, it can¡¯t be her! How could it be her? How could I feel that those ridiculous small movements are like hers and so she is her? I am really crazy!¡±

    He felt so much pain in his heart that he could not even breathe. In those eyes that had awakened him many times, there was no affection for him, but only bloody hatred, which could almost tear his heart into pieces. He firmly grasped the trunk on the side, and the rough tree bark stuck into his palm, but he did not feel the pain.

    The stunning, gentle girl in his memory had be a dead skeleton, so how could he be willing to ept it?

    He was not willing to ept it. How could she be gone like this? She was sure to be reborn in this world, and he would never leave her. Ning Xueyan had eyes simr to hers and the same small movements as hers, so she should be her rebirth. He thought she was her.

    He could not use any reason to prove it, but he could feel that she was the person in his heart, and she was always there!

    Therefore, he plotted against her in Ning Yuling¡¯s incident by taking the opportunity to help Third Prince handle his affairs. He wanted her desperately. As long as she entered the Xia Manor and became his woman, no matter how much Third Prince wanted her, he would work out ways to hide her and never let anyone find her all his life.

    She belonged to him, she would never die, and the dead skeleton must be fake. How could his Ying¡¯er die? How could she, who was so beautiful and lovely and also treated him well, leave him and go away...

    ¡°Eldest Brother-inw, I don¡¯t want to know what you want to do. The affairs between you and Ning Ziyan and Ning Ziying are all yours, and they have nothing to do with me. What I do is justin about the grievances of Sister Ziying. I believe that Sister Ziying will regret that she wrongly believed you in the underworld. ¡®A wolf with a wicked heart¡¯ is just used to address your character, right? I heard my grandmother say that Ziying¡¯s identity was extraordinary, and you made the betrothal with her probably because of this reason, right?¡±

    Ning Xueyan nced sideways at Xia Yuhang. Beneath the long eyshes were clear and peaceful watery eyes, which were extremely cold, and every word she said was more like a wedge that was being driven into his heart.

    ¡°Will she regret making the betrothal with me? So she regrets it!¡± Thinking that such a beautiful woman would truly leave him, he had an iparable panic. ¡°How can it be? It can¡¯t be! She will never leave me. She will never be willing to leave me, so she should always be by my side.¡±

    ¡°No... not because of this reason... I did love her, I...¡± Xia Yuhang shook his head vigorously and could almost not restrain himself from wanting to refute Ning Xueyan¡¯s usation.

    ¡°What¡¯s the use of telling me these words, Eldest Brother-inw? I¡¯m just a passerby!¡± Ning Xueyan looked at Xia Yuhang¡¯s face proudly. After saying these words softly, she nced at Xia Yuhang contemptuously this time, then she smiled at him and turned away.

    ¡°No matter what kind of mood you have now, regret or sadness, they are all gone. Now you are just a passerby.¡±

    ¡°Since Xia Yuhang looked at me with unclear intentions a few times before, I have felt that Xia Yuhang probably suspected me. But what¡¯s the big deal of suspecting me? I am still Ning Xueyan. Who can imagine that the previous Ning Ziying would get reborn from the newly dead Ning Xueyan when she died? This idea is too weird. No one will believe it.¡±

    ¡°The reason why Xia Yuhang feels that I am Ning Ziying is only his wishful thinking.¡± What Xia Yuhang said just now made her see him more clearly. When he wanted to marry Ning Ziyan, Ning Ziying was the stone in his way. Perhaps he did not think about kicking the stone to pieces, but he would kick her away, so whether she would live or die, he did not care as much as he did now.

    Three years passed. Maybe he had some feelings about her, but these small feelings were notparable to taking the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor as his backer, so when she lost her value, he simply kicked her away.

    Now Xia Yuhang just didn¡¯t think that he lived happily, so he remembered the past again. Then, those small feelings were infinitely amplified so that he thought Ning Xueyan was Ning Ziying, but he would only think so wildly when he had an unclear mind.

    Although he had an unclear mind, he guessed it right. But Ning Xueyan would never tell it to him.

    But strangely, Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t think that Xia Yuhang knew Ning Ziying¡¯s identity; otherwise, he would have cared about her meaningful words. She never denied that Xia Yuhang was a smart, scheming person. Today it was the first time she had witnessed such an emotionally disturbed Xia Yuhang.

    Previously, Ning Xueyan had a little doubt. If Xia Yuhang had known her real identity, he should not have simply asked Madam Ling and her daughter to kill her. After all, the identity of the former dynasty¡¯s princess she had in her previous life would perhaps bring him unexpected gains.

    After thinking like this, she made some things clear to herself. Xia Yuhang probably didn¡¯t know the identity of Ning Ziying, or the betrothal was just made by mistake, and her father was still alive at that time. Although he could not be counted as a senior official in the capital, he and Minister Xia were good friends, and the two families also kept a close rtionship.

    That should be the reason why the betrothal was made. Since the two families maintained a close rtionship, the Xia Family also knew that her mother and the empress of the former dynasty were close and then suspected that there were some things in her hands. That was the reason why Xia Yuhang rummaged through her belongings, and it was even the biggest reason for sending her dowry to the Xia Manor first.

    After thinking it through, she could not help but have a small knowing smile and slowly exhaled the air she had been holding in her chest.

    She became rxed bit by bit, stood still, and looked up at her Bright Frost Garden, which was not far away. In it, people came and went and carried her dowry items out one by one, and red ribbons were tied to each of them. She saw that Lanning and her few partners were busy with something, and every one of them had a smile. Although they were busy, they were happy.

    Now she was Ning Xueyan, and she was no longer Ning Ziying who could not even protect those around her. In this life, since God pitied her and let her get reborn, she would never live so ipetently and timidly as she used to, and she would never die so miserably as she used to. To those who harmed her, she would never show mercy.

    In this life, she would never be at the mercy of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and lose her life.

    Mother Han was asking the servants to put strips of red silk on the dowry items. When she saw Ning Xueyan standing there from a distance, she hurriedly left the others, ran over with a smile, and asked with concern, ¡°You are back, Miss. Go in and have a rest. Lunch will be ready in a while. Now you must be tired from going around.¡±

    When Lanning came here just now, she asked her and learned that Ning Xueyan had sent her back because she wanted to be quiet for a while. Then, she was a little worried. Now when she saw Ning Xueyane back in a good condition, she was happy.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll go in now.¡± Looking at Mother Han¡¯s smiling face, Ning Xueyan had a gentle smile and felt the warmth in her heart. The chill at that moment seemed to have passed away. All this was not a dream, and she was Ning Xueyan indeed. Everything that happened in the past had really passed...

    Xia Yuhang calmed down after Ning Xueyan had gone for a while. Looking at the direction where she was going, he put his hand down from the tree trunk slowly. The rough bark made several holes in his hand, and blood dropped down from a few ces. When he raised his hand and stared at it quietly, he had a wry smile.

    ¡°After all, I just had a dream. She is gone!

    ¡°If it were her, how could she have been willing to see that I was so sad? Once before, I was identally stabbed by a thorn on the branch, she carefully picked it out for me, but now, even when I was stabbed like this, she did not appear!¡±

    Some hope in his heart was lost, and he slowly fell into a quiet, cold realm. ¡°If everything could go back to the past now, I would only want to have her. To have her, I can give up everything.¡±

    ¡°Eldest Young Master, His Highness invited you to go hurriedly for something urgent and asked you if you could go out now.¡± The young male servant quickly ran over. When he saw Xia Yuhang standing there, he was relieved. Just now, Eldest Young Master asked him to leave with an excuse. He did not know where Xia Yuhang had gone. After looking for him for a long time, he suddenly had a brain wave and remembered this ce.

    He did not know why the Eldest Young Master would visit here every time he came to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    When he looked for him and came here, he found him as he expected. The Eldest Young Master happened to be standing here.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Xia Yuhang turned around, and his expression had returned to his usual calmness. No one could expect that a person like him would also lose control of his emotions like this. ¡°Go and say goodbye to Lord Protector in a while, and tell him that I left for something.¡±

    ¡°Will this make the marquis unhappy, Eldest Young Master?¡± the young male servant said uneasily.

    ¡°Why should he be unhappy? This is the family of my concubines¡¯ parents, not the family of my wife¡¯s parents. I came here today because my two concubines are from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Coming or noting is reasonable!¡±

    Xia Yuhang spoke lightly, and his eyes were cold.

    ¡°How could we exin it to the two concubines?¡± the young male servant touched his head and asked. Since Xia Yuhang came here this time as a marital rtive, Ning Yuling and Ning Ziyan also came with him. In fact, the young male servant did not understand his master. Since the wife of his master had be a concubine, even if Eldest Young Master did note, no one would gossip, but unexpectedly, Eldest Young Master came.

    But when he came, he didn¡¯t even have lunch, and what he said sounded extremely unpleasant. ¡°What do you mean, Eldest Young Master?¡±

 Chapter 491 - Planning, and Responses of Different Parties

    <h4>Chapter 491 nning, and Responses of Different Parties</h4>

    Of the several princes, only Third and Fourth Princes had grown up and had their own mansions outside. It was said that in a period of time, the emperor would officially give them titles. Anyway, he must let them have official titles before they got married.

    Previously, Third Prince¡¯s house had a fire, and the main fire site was in the front yard. Although urgent repairs were done at this time, the house had not beenpletely repaired yet. Therefore, Ao Mingyu¡¯s meeting ce was moved to the backyard. Fortunately, these few women who lived in his inner courtyard did not have titles, so he did not feel this action was reckless.

    Ao Mingyu and Xia Yuhang sat in the new study. Xia Yuhang was fiddling with the cdon teacup in his hand, absorbed in thought, and his uncontroble and excited look that appeared just now had already gone. Instead, he was calm and elegant and even had a smile, but Ao Mingyu walked around twice in the room, looking angry.

    ¡°Yuhang, it is said that he went to the Marquis¡¯s Manor to ask for the dissolution of the betrothal, didn¡¯t he? Why did he give it upter?¡± After walking around a few times, he finally stood in front of Xia Yuhang with a sneer on his face.

    ¡°Are you asking so for the good of Fifth Young Lady Ning or the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Your Highness?¡± Xia Yuhang put down the teacup in his hand, raised his head, and asked gently.

    ¡°Is there any difference? They are the same!¡± Ao Mingyu said unhappily, just feeling exceptionally upset. He sat down angrily, picked up the teacup at hand, and drained it. ¡°Now Ning Xueyan is the wife¡¯s daughter of the Lord Protector Manor, and she is about to marry my uncle. Compared with Ning Qingshan who married me, she is much more important.¡±

    He wanted to marry Ning Yuling in the beginning, but Ning Qingshan in the end. Since he would build a marriage bond with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Ning Qingshan was put under the name of Madam Ling. But God¡¯s way is higher than man¡¯s. Atst, affected by Madam Ling¡¯s incident, Ning Qingshan had a much lower status than Ning Xueyan.

    She became a concubine¡¯s adopted daughter. Then, Ning Zu¡¯an would not spend much time on her.

    Compared with the status of the wife¡¯s daughter Ning Xueyan, Ning Qingshan¡¯s status was much lower. Besides that, what made Ning Qingshan a joke was the matter that she took Madam Ling as her foster mother. Originally, she was the wife¡¯s daughter of the Marquis¡¯s Manor, for she was put under the name of Madam Ming, though notparable to the daughter under the name of the official wife.

    Therefore, Ning Qingshan had been striving to change her identity and be the daughter of Madam Ling in so many years of the past.

    If nothing bad had happened to Madam Ling, Ning Qingshan would have done the right thing. Although she would have unavoidably been gossiped about by others, she, the consort of Third Prince, would have gotten her social status raised by the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Even though some would have thought that she was too snobbish, they would not have been too harsh on her. But it was different now because Madam Ling had be a well-known venomous woman.

    Then Ning Qingshan ended up with a funny result that she chose the wrong person. She, who was the wife¡¯s high-ranking daughter previously, became a concubine¡¯s daughter, who was even more lowly than the fake daughter of the wife. More seriously, she had this result due to her own decision, and others would attribute all the ridiculous results to her. Now the outsiders were joking about this matter of Ning Qingshan that she wanted to climb high but fell.

    And words about this news became even a little more unpleasant to the ear on the streets.

    ¡°It is said that Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is stupid; otherwise, how could ady with her identity be the daughter of a concubine!¡±

    Remembering what he heard outside these days, Ao Mingyu felt very angry and thought that all his face was lost. Of course, the fact that she became the daughter of a concubine and was not taken seriously was also a reason for it.

    ¡°Your Highness, if it¡¯s just because of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, you can rest assured because the Lord Protector has never paid any attention to this Fifth Young Lady. When I went to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor in the past, I only heard of this Fifth Young Lady, but I never met her. It is said that she has not been out of the Bright Frost Garden for several years, and neither Madam Dowager nor the Lord Protector takes her seriously.¡±

    Xia Yuhang spoke with a nonchnt smile. No unsettled feelings could be seen in the depths of his eyes as if he was truly talking about something that had no connections to him. Completely being an outsider, he talked soberly.

    ¡°Compared with Fifth Young Lady Ning, Third Young Lady Ning is much more valued. Your Highness, if you are still not satisfied, it is said that Fourth Young Lady...¡± Xia Yuhang did not finish his words, only gave Ao Mingyu a smile that thetter knew what he meant, and nced at Ao Mingyu with ridicule, ¡°Your Highness, if you are willing, this is a good opportunity. Anyway, two are better than one!¡±

    ¡°You are talking about yourself, right? You married the two daughters that the Lord Protector doted on the most.¡± Angered by Xia Yuhang¡¯s leisurely attitude, Ao Mingyu was pleased and could not help making fun of him. Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling, the two greatly favored daughters of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor in the past, were all married into Xia Yuhang¡¯s mansion, and they were all concubines, but he had never thought about it.

    When he remembered that Ning Yuling almost became his princess, Ao Mingyu suddenly remembered Ning Xueyan¡¯s look he saw for the first time that day when he was in the Cold Mountain Temple, and then the smile on his lips faded a bit. If he had determined to directly get rid of Ning Yuling that day and wholeheartedly asked for marrying her, perhaps she would marry him today.

    ¡°What are you worried about then, Your Highness? I have two, and so do you. Fifth Young Lady Ning is one person, but you have a higher quantity. Even if the Lord Protector could not count numbers, he would know what is important. Besides, lots of people in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor are dissatisfied with Madam Ming¡¯s upying the official wife¡¯s position.¡±

    Seeing Ao Mingyu¡¯s smiling face be serious, Xia Yuhang picked up the teapot at hand, poured another cup for him, and spoke nonchntly.

    ¡°You mean Ning Huaiyuan...¡± Ao Mingyu¡¯s eyes brightened suddenly.

    ¡°Your Highness, so don¡¯t be anxious!¡± Xia Yuhang smiled but did not say it clearly.

    Ao Mingyu nodded, tapped the table a few times with his fingers, and then snorted coldly, ¡°But I can¡¯t let my uncle enjoy the benefit of getting two spouses at the same time, huh!¡±

    Although he knew that Ning Zu¡¯an should still be on his side, when he remembered the clearly soft, delicate face that was so stubborn that he felt sorry, he had an indescribable feeling¡ªhe was a little angry and ufortable and also had some unknown emotions, so that it was difficult for him to maintain the peaceful attitude he always had in front of others.

    ¡°Prince, if it is because of this Fifth Young Lady Ning, it¡¯s not that it¡¯s impossible...¡± Xia Yuhang smiled.

    ¡°What to do? Tell me, can we rece her with Fourth Young Lady Ning?¡± Ao Mingyu asked immediately as his eyes brightened.

    ¡°Your Highness, you are too fanciful. Even if Ning Lingyun is willing, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor will not be. A few days ago, Prince Yi went to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor in person. He said that if any more trouble appeared, the entire Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would be punished as the criminal. Under such circumstances, it¡¯s impossible for Ning Lingyun to smoothly get on the bridal sedan chair.¡± Xia Yuhang smiled and leaned back.

    Also knowing that he was too fanciful, Ao Mingyu had an embarrassed smile, which contained some ridicule and some unspeakable meanings. ¡°What do you think we should do, Yuhang?¡±

    ¡°Tomorrow is the day when Prince Yi marries twodies at the same time. Prince, you can ask a few people to take action on the way from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor and take this Fifth Young Lady straight away. Since she is only a consort, the bridegroom will not go and take her from her home, and those who will keep herpany on the way are not people of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. The bridal sedan chair will have left the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, so even if anything happens, it will have nothing to do with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Xia Yuhang spoke lightly, still looking gentle and elegant.

    ¡°Take her straight away? Hide her?¡± Ao Mingyu said with a face full of shock. The idea of taking Ao Chenyi¡¯s consort away under his nose was bold indeed.

    ¡°Your Highness, if you find it troublesome, you can directly perform the assassination. After killing her with a single blow, the assassin can go thousands of miles away. Although Prince Yi is an able person, he can¡¯t catch the man in ck who broke in because the incident happens suddenly,¡± Xia Yuhang said with a smile, and his eyes glistened.

    ¡°No, I¡¯d better take her away. Anyway, she is just a weak female, and it won¡¯t take much effort.¡± When marrying twodies at the same time, Ao Chenyi would be in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor to entertain guests. The bridal sedan chair had not arrived yet, so the guards of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor would surely not escort Ning Xueyan, let alone she was only a consort.

    The Moon-embracing Tower in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    The Moon-embracing Tower in the moonlight was extremely beautiful. Decorated by the light of the huge full moon that hung high in the sky, the Moon-embracing Tower became even more peaceful. On the highest floor of the Moon-embracing Tower, Ao Chenyi was lying on arge low bed. With his eyes closed, he was listening to the report of Yu Jian, but his long hair fell randomly as if he was a personage in ancient times. One strand of dark hair fell from his head to his iparably exquisite eyebrow, making his handsome face more and more bewitching.

    Although Yu Jian was a man, he did not dare to look at his extremely handsome face and lowered his head, for fear that he would be affected by him. Fortunately, the prince always had a strong imposing manner, so not many people dared to look at this face. Otherwise, lots of women would gather at his house gate to see him and he would not be able to get out.

    ¡°Both Ao Mingyu and Ao Mingwan want to meddle in my marriage. For the sake of doing something for my marriage, the two of them have consumed lots of energy. As their senior, I am not qualified,¡± Ao Chenyi didn¡¯t even open his eyes and saidzily as he heard Yu Jian finish his report. And his long eyshes pped, making a few jagged shadows on his eyes.

    ¡°I heard that Ao Mingwan asked for marrying the niece of Grand Tutor Ya a short time ago. Unexpectedly, he made it in the end, and Ao Mingyu, who went with him to also ask for marrying her, fell into a shameful situation.¡±

    ¡°Prince, you mean...¡± Yu Jian asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mean anything, and I just want to get married nicely. This is a lifetime event, so I am very cautious.¡± Ao Chenyizily leaned back, supported his neck with his hand, and changed into a morefortable posture, but the smile on his lips was creepy and cold.

    ¡°You guys really don¡¯t want to remain in peace. Since you don¡¯t want to remain in peace and even want to make my marriage lively, that¡¯s fine, but I can¡¯t allow you to take away all the lively atmosphere, and I also need to get involved in this lively scene.¡±

    Early the next morning, Ning Xueyan was woken up. She was directly pulled up and dressed up by the bridesmaids for a long time. Fortunately, Ning Xueyan was not in a hurry. Not to mention she was only a consort, even the princess would not be taken from her home by Prince Yi, so as long as she arrived at Prince Yi¡¯s Manor before the auspicious moment, it was okay.

    After putting her makeup on and then washing her face,bing her hair, and putting clothes on her, the two bridesmaids smacked their lips and said that they had never seen such a beautifuldy, and such a beautiful bride was just like a fairying down to earth.

 Chapter 492 - The Auspicious Moment Missed on the Wedding Day

    <h4>Chapter 492 The Auspicious Moment Missed on the Wedding Day</h4>

    ¡°Fifth Sister, you are really beautiful. I¡¯ve never seen anyone more beautiful than you, and you are even more beautiful than the fairies in heaven,¡± Ning Lingyun, who came to give her gifts to the bride, sat on the side to see Ning Xueyan being dressed and given makeup and said with a smile in the tone of the bridesmaids.

    ¡°The Marquis¡¯s Manor is indeed a nice ce for people to live in. Thedies herepete with each other in looks.¡± The bridesmaid was a sweet talker and took a quick look at them. ¡°The twodies of the Marquis¡¯s Manor are also extremely excellent. Without Fifth Young Lady Ning, the stunning beauty, as aparison, the twodies are rare beauties, especially Third Young Lady Ning who is said to be the consort of Third Prince soon. She is charming and graceful.¡±

    So, she blurted out these nice words.

    Due to the fact that Ning Yuling and Ning Ziyanmitted wrongdoings time after time these days, Madam Dowager did not let theme here. The two people were now concubines. They would not add grace to the Marquis¡¯s Manor, and others would remember their terrible deeds if they showed up, so only Ning Qingshan and her sister Ning Lingyun were in Ning Xueyan¡¯s ce now.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, you are the most beautiful one!¡± Ning Qingshan¡¯s eyes and brows were full of smiles, showing no trace of guilt on her face that she once plotted against Ning Xueyan.

    Since Ning Xueyan had a painted color on her lips, it was not convenient for her to talk now, so she just gave a faintly discernible smile at Ning Qingshan.

    Lanning sent over the wedding dress, which was embroidered by Ning Xueyan herself and was a pair with Ao Chenyi¡¯s. The patterns were taken by Ao Chenyi from the pce, and the chosen color of the material was bright red. Since Ning Xueyan¡¯s name had been registered on the royal list and she was a perfectly justifiable consort, she was allowed to put on the bright red wedding dress this day.

    Of course, she could wear it this day only.

    Ning Xueyan was dressed in the gorgeous robe. The gorgeous bright red color made her skin more snow-white and her waist slenderer. No one would have thought that when she wore such a bright red color dress, her overall momentum was not suppressed by it. Instead, she looked like a fairy because of it.

    The small and exquisite golden crown on her head was not as grand as that of the princess, but it was more charming. At the ck hair bun, the phoenix hairpin made of gold threads had many small golden tassels, which hung at the snow-white, pink, and tender cheek of Ning Xueyan, making her look more charming and stunning. Her long eyshes quivered a few times, and a faint mist came out of the eyes that were as cold as the ice and snow. Truly, her beauty was breathtaking.

    Seeing this, Ning Qingshan was jealous. Ning Xueyan never dressed herself up in normal times. She only wore in clothes, but it made others feel that she was more like an immortal. Now when she dressed herself up, she looked so alluring.

    Ning Lingyun was stunned by this dazzling beauty of Ning Xueyan. Previously, she thought that Ning Xueyan was just a little more beautiful than she was, but now she found that she was far from her. Momentarily, she rubbed her handkerchief. It was unclear whether she had a hatred or she was angry.

    ¡°You are just like a fairying down to earth. I used to think that thement of a fairying down to earth was an exaggeration, but now I even don¡¯t think that the fairying down to earth can be so beautiful.¡± Seeing that Ning Xueyan was dressed up, the bridesmaid could not help smacking her lips to praise her. This time, she did not intend to curry favor with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, but that she did feel so.

    She had never met such a beautiful bride yet.

    The bright red veil had been fetched. The auspicious moment that had been set had arrived. Since no one from the bridegroom¡¯s home woulde to take the bride, there were not many taboos about entering the bride¡¯s room. Now there was no official wife in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, so only Concubine Xu assisted Madam Dowager in handling affairs. Now when Junior Concubine Xu was missing, everyone had changed their call of Senior Concubine Xu to Concubine Xu.

    The other concubines in the mansion were not favored, and only Concubine Xu was special. Although she could not be counted as someone who won the favor, she did not lose the favor. Besides, she also gave birth to Fourth Young Lady Ning Lingyun. In normal times, she kept a very low profile, but she handled affairs well.

    ¡°The time hase, Miss,¡± Qingyu, who came to urge Ning Xueyan to begin the marriage ceremony, whispered to remind her.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll get up at once.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded. Wearing the red veil, she, who was supported by Qingyu and Lanning, went out of the inner room.

    In the outer room, Madam Dowager was sitting there, smiling with joy. Madam Dowager Liu kept herpany, and a few old imperial mandatedies were also there. They chatted andughed, bringing a roomful of joy.

    Ning Xueyan came out, knelt on the ground, and kowtowed hard to Madam Dowager twice.

    Madam Dowager gave her a few instructions: When you be a member of Prince Yi¡¯s Mansion, you should be amiable, virtuous, and generous. After saying that, she asked two maids to help her up.

    Something unforeseen happened at this time. No sooner Ning Xueyan was helped up than she suddenly lost her strength and fell back. If it had not been for the two maids who had been supporting her, she would have fallen straight to the ground.

    Theughter in the whole room stopped in an instant. Madam Dowager stood up abruptly and asked Qingyu and Lanning angrily, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Madam Dowager, maybe because our Miss went to bed tootest night and got up too early this morning. Madam Dowager, please allow our Miss to take a rest. Our Miss has a weak body,¡± Lanning said anxiously while supporting Ning Xueyan.

    She was going to get married today, so it was normal for her to lose her sleep the night before. Early this morning, she was woken up to dress up. Indeed, she was a little tired, but the other youngdies were fine. Only this Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor passed out like this.

    It had long been said that Fifth Young Lady was not in good health, and she had a bad experience a month ago. It seemed that her health was so unexpected. In the future, it might be very difficult for her to be the first one to bear the child of Prince Yi.

    ¡°First, take your Miss to the inner room for a rest.¡± When Madam Dowager witnessed such a big w, her face turned blue out of anger. ¡°The auspicious moment ising right now, but we have to dy and miss it. The bride has fainted. How can we put her in the bridal sedan chair and carry her away?¡±

    Madam Dowager clearly knew Ning Xueyan¡¯s physical condition. Ning Xueyan had a weak body, and her internal organs had also been injured. In addition, she, who was going to get married, was very excited and could not fall asleep the night before, but still got up early, so it was possible for her to pass out. Madam Dowager thought that she should take the me because she did not think of it. The night before, she should have asked maids to watch her go to bed early.

    Since Ning Xueyan had fainted, the bridal sedan chair team that blew suona horns and beat drums and gongs had to let the bridal sedan chair stay in the yard. The steward of the prince¡¯s mansion came and asked about it. After learning that the consort was not well and needed to have a rest, he could not say anything anymore. He was just a servant of the prince¡¯s mansion, so how could he manage the business of his mistress? Even if the auspicious moment was missed, he could not do anything about it.

    The wedding ceremony here had to be stopped because of Ning Xueyan¡¯s affair.

    At the gate of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, a group of people, who also apanied a bridal sedan chair, beat drums and walked past. It was a bright red bridal sedan chair apanied by bridesmaids and maids on both sides. At the end of it, there was also a group of people who blew suona horns and beat drums and gongs. Beaming with joy, they came over from the road next to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. They happened to pass by the gate of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and then moved toward the street entrance in front.

    That ce was the only main road leading from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    The bridal sedan chair was carried all the way to the street entrance when several people in ck appeared from the roofs on both sides and suddenly rushed to the bridal sedan chair. Surprisingly, the things that glistened coldly in their hands were all sabers and swords.

    The maids and bridesmaids guarding the bridal sedan chair were all frightened and only had time to scream, and then they fled to all directions. After that, the servants who blew suona horns and beat drums and gongs were scared and turned pale. Seeing that all the bridesmaids and maids had fled, they would not stand their ground. With an uproar, they escaped without leaving any traces. As they ran away, they shouted, ¡°Help, some people are working to take the bride!¡±

    When the leader of the men in ck saw the lonely sedan chair that had been left, his eyes glistened. ¡°This goes so smoothly.¡±

    But this was not the time for him to think about other things. When he lifted the curtain of the sedan chair with his hand and found that the bride in the sedan chair was frightened and fainted, he picked her up, carried her on his back, and turned around and left with her.

    This happened suddenly. When the people on the street realized it, the person in ck had disappeared with the bride, and then they began to shout.

    And some ran to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and Prince Yi¡¯s Manor to report.

    There were so many people in this part of the street today because they heard that Prince Yi was going to get married. The bridal sedan chair of the consort would be carried away from here, so they especially came here to watch the lively scene, but they did not expect to see something like this¡ªthe sedan chair of Prince Yi¡¯s consort was hijacked and Prince Yi¡¯s consort was taken away in the public eye.

    Even if she could be taken back, her reputation would be ruined.

    Many people did not expect that a happy thing was likely to be a funeral. Thinking of this, they felt sorry for the consort of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. For a short while, they had various talks, iming that the consort did not have a good fate. They said they heard that the Lord Protector had not been paying much attention to her since she was young and her biological mother became a co-wife after she was framed by the former Marchioness and lost her lifeter.

    It was fair to say that the consort had not been living well since she was a child. Now when such a thing happened, she had no choice to die.

    The women of ordinary families would die to save her reputation, let alone the daughter-inw of the royal family.

    Everyone on the street shook their heads and sighed. ¡°Fifth Young Lady Ning really has a poor woman¡¯s life.¡±

    When the news reached the ears of Ning Zu¡¯an, the Lord Protector, he was entertaining guests in the front yard. When he heard the news, the wine cup in his hand fell and turned to pieces. He stood up in shock, looking ashen, ¡°How, how could this happen?¡±

    ¡°I... I don¡¯t know. The people in front were talking about it, and several groups of people were saying that our Fifth Young Lady had been taken away.¡± The young male servant who reported the news was terrified and still shook all over even at this time.

    ¡°Where was she taken from?¡± Ning Zu¡¯an subconsciously felt that something was wrong and asked with a serious face. ¡°Why don¡¯t I know it when the people outside have learned it?¡±

    ¡°The street entrance not far from our house. They said that our Fifth Young Lady¡¯s sedan chair had not gone too far from our mansion when it was hijacked, but they did not see these people clearly because they were all dressed in ck,¡± the young male servant said.

    ¡°The street entrance not far from our house?¡± Ning Zu¡¯an knitted his brows tightly and suddenly turned to ask the housekeeper behind him, ¡°When was the bridal sedan chair carried out?¡±

    ¡°When the bridal sedan chair is carried out, I, her father, have to be informed. But it was clear that just now, no one told me that the bridal sedan chair had started its tour. But how could it be that the bridal sedan chair has gone out of the house and arrived at the street entrance at this time?¡± Ning Zu¡¯an was acutely aware that something was wrong. ¡°Just now, Madam Dowager sent word that Ning Xueyan passed out and missed the auspicious moment, and the bridal sedan chair would be carried out in a while, right?¡±

    ¡°Marquis, the sedan chair hasn¡¯t been carried out yet, and Fifth Young Lady is still resting in the backyard. It will take a while before she can go there,¡± the housekeeper came to his senses at this time, sorted out his thoughts, and replied hurriedly.

    Hearing this, Ning Zu¡¯an set his mind at rest, sat down again, and sent an older female servant to go inside to ask for information.

 Chapter 493 - The Wedding Sedan Is Here; Letâ€™s Welcome the Bride

    <h4>Chapter 493 The Wedding Sedan Is Here; Let¡¯s Wee the Bride</h4>

    The upants of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor realized that it was just a false rm and the incident had nothing to do with them. Only God knew whose family¡¯s marriage sedan did those ck-clothed men hijack. When Ning Xueyan woke up and rested for a while, the porters started carrying the sedan as normal. The incident left Ning Zu¡¯an so nervous that he dispatched several of the manor¡¯s guards to protect Ning Xueyan¡¯s wedding entourage.

    Prince Yi¡¯s Manor also received news of the sedan hijacking but Prince Yi didn¡¯t stay out to receive the guests. His magnificent wedding robe appeared to be the handiwork of the pce, but it was the same one that Ning Xueyan had embroidered. It had the design as the robe that the pce had embroidered for him.

    Ao Chenyi stood in front of the mirror in his wedding robe and looked at his reflection with satisfaction. When he heard voices outside his door, henguidly walked out with his long hair draped over his shoulders. He found the Third and Fourth Princes pacing back and forth in the corridor. Seeing him, they immediately walked over to him and said, ¡°Uncle, something serious happened! The marriage sedan has been hijacked!¡±

    Both princes hade to the manor to receive the guests in their uncle¡¯s ce. After hearing about the sedan incident, they rushed here to inform Ao Chenyi.

    ¡°The sedan has been hijacked?¡± They couldn¡¯t see even a trace of anxiousness on Ao Chenyi¡¯s expression. His elongated, narrow eyes appeared amused. His handsome face looked unperturbed; rather, he appeared to have heard something interesting instead. He turned his slender body around and returned to his room serenely. ¡°I wonder who has fallen for my consort and wants to steal her for himself.¡±

    ¡°Uncle, we still don¡¯t know that yet. I heard the culprits are a group of men in ck. They escaped as soon as they kidnapped the bride. There are still no clues about them at the moment,¡± Ao Mingyu said, following closely after his uncle into the room.

    ¡°Uncle, you should send your men to see what¡¯s going on. Maybe they¡¯re still somewhere nearby. After all, it¡¯s not easy to go on the run with a hostage,¡± Ao Mingwan added, sounding just as worried. He also followed behind Ao Chenyi.

    ¡°Don¡¯t panic. What¡¯s the point when the kidnapping has already happened? Being hasty doesn¡¯t help.¡± Ao Chenyi sat down on a wide chair, looking calm. He looked like he was watching a show, a show that had nothing to do with him.

    ¡°Uncle, aren¡¯t you going to look for her?¡± Ao Mingwan was so panicked that his forehead was sweating. He looked at his uncle in disbelief, despite knowing that his uncle didn¡¯t regard this marriage highly and even tried to break off the engagement. He had been overjoyed at the news then, vowing to protect her if her engagement was broken.

    Little did he imagine that the engagement remained firm and she had no choice but to marry his uncle. What upset him most was his uncle¡¯sck of concern at this point in time. He felt both sympathy and anger. A woman as fine as she was should marry a man who would treat her better; his uncle didn¡¯t deserve the position!

    ¡°That goes without saying, but only one sedan has been hijacked. Isn¡¯t there still another one? You¡¯ll have to at least let me finish my wedding before I go looking for that hostage!¡± Ao Chenyi replied, sounding unconcerned. His handsome face appeared somewhat solemn as he patted Ao Mingwan¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Marriage is an important event in one¡¯s life. I¡¯ve been waiting too many years for this.¡±

    This time, even Ao Mingyu wanted to scold his uncle. What was the point of the wedding now that the bride had been kidnapped? Here he was, worrying that Ao Chenyi would find out about his involvement in the kidnapping, but it seemed that Ao Chenyi didn¡¯t care at all. That suited him; his concern alone was enough. Although he couldn¡¯t give her an official title, he would surely treat her well topensate her.

    Ao Chenyi¡¯s gaze turned imperceptibly colder as he looked at his nephews¡¯ conflicted expressions. The cold smile on his face made him look like a hungry and ferocious beast.

    ¡°Come and help me. I want to see my bride now,¡± he ordered Eunuch Zhuzily. It wasn¡¯t until he stood up that he noticed that his hair had yet to bebed. It seemed that aside from putting on the wedding robe, he hadn¡¯t done anything of substance.

    A group of servants came in, helping him wash up. When he sat down again, he finally found the free time to ask Ao Mingyu, ¡°Which of my brides did someone fall for and kidnap?¡±

    He looked like someone who was on the shore calmly watching a drowning person; it made Ao Mingyu deeply resentful of him.

    Ao Mingyu¡¯s expression had returned to its usual tranquility as he replied respectfully, ¡°It¡¯s Fifth Young Lady Ning. Her sedan was hijacked as soon as they left the manor.¡± Since his uncle was still so calm, there wasn¡¯t any point for an ¡°outsider¡± like him to panic. After all, they only came here to entertain the guests.

    At that moment, a servant of the manor came running in and knelt in front of Ao Chenyi. ¡°Your Highness, Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s sedan has arrived. The auspicious hour is here as well. They¡¯re inviting you to start the wedding.¡±

    Commandery Princess Xianyun was the princess, so her wedding time was set a little earlier than Ning Xueyan. The auspicious time had arrived, so Ao Chenyi was invited to kick down the sedan¡¯s door, wee the bride, and start the wedding ceremony.

    ¡°Let them wait. I¡¯m going to find my consort. How could I face others if I just let someone kidnap her?¡± Ao Chenyi said earnestly and stood up as if a realization had suddenly dawned on him. However, his inattentive expression had betrayed his true feelings.

    ¡°Uncle, I¡¯ll go and take a look,¡± Ao Mingwan said, biding Ao Chenyi farewell. He couldn¡¯t stay here any longer; he wanted to check the situation with the guards that he had brought over. Ning Xueyan might be far gone by the time his uncle finally did something.

    ¡°Uncle, I¡¯ll take my leave as well.¡± Ao Mingyu had given up on his uncle as well. He followed Ao Mingwan out of the room. Either way, he had already ryed the letter; it was Ao Chenyi¡¯s decision that counted from here on. In fact, he wished that Ao Chenyi disliked Ning Xueyan even more. That way, his men would be able to take her farther away without Ao Chenyi ever finding out.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s marriage sedan stopped in front of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor all by itself.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun was crestfallen; she had stayed in the sedan for far too long, so long that the cheers that resounded when she had first arrived were gone.

    Her mouth felt dry as she hadn¡¯t had anything to drink the entire day, but she didn¡¯t have much appetite despite her empty stomach. All she felt was a sense of mncholy, making her feel so ufortable that she wanted to yell.

    The bright red veil before her eyes and the swaying golden and silver pearls in her hair symbolized her new status as a married woman. Most importantly, her groom was Prince Yi. However, why hadn¡¯t hee and kick down the door to wee her? Before leaving home, her mother had reminded her that the auspicious time was about to arrive and even ordered the sedan porters to increase their speed so as not to miss the timing and ruin her life.

    What was happening? The auspicious hour had long passed and Prince Yi was still nowhere to be seen.

    After staying in the sedan for God knows how long, the matron of honor knocked on the door and said softly, ¡°His Highness is here!¡±

    Before she could regain herposure, someone kicked the sedan door so hard that she nearly fell. She immediately grabbed the sides of the chair to stabilize herself. Her heart was racing and for a moment, she was filled with fear.

    She instinctively grabbed the strip of red silk cloth that the matron of honor was handing her and borrowed the matron¡¯s strength to get on her feet. The porters let down the sedan and the matron helped her step out. It was so quiet outside that she didn¡¯t feel like they were celebrating a happy asion.

    She didn¡¯t know why things would turn out this way. Shouldn¡¯t happy asions be celebrated with excitement?

    The ceremony went on as it was supposed to. Of course, she was the only one who kowtowed during the husband-and-wife kneeling ritual. As a prince, Ao Chenyi couldn¡¯t possibly kowtow to her.

    He didn¡¯t send her off to the bridal chamber either; it was two wedding matrons who helped her walk to the inner courtyard. No one would inconvenience Prince Yi with such a matter and he also wasn¡¯t the kind to send Commandery Princess Xianyun to the bridal chamber properly.

    Sitting on the spacious bed, all Commandery Princess Xianyun could see was still the red veil that prevented her from seeing her surroundings. Until the veil was removed, she had to sit still on the bed.

    The wry smile on her face reflected her sadness. She neither knew what was going on outside nor when Prince Yi woulde in. This wedding wasn¡¯t at all joyous. She felt frustration building up inside her. Inexplicably, she gritted her teeth as the rim of her eyes turned as red as the veil that covered them.

    ¡°Commandery Princess... Princess, please get some rest. They¡¯ve sent word that it¡¯ll be a long time before His Highness wille here, so you may rest. Don¡¯t tire yourself out,¡± her personal maid, Xiangrong said softly.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun dragged the veil off her head with force, causing the golden and jade pearls to sway wildly as if trying to escape. Ultimately, the pearlsnded on the red brocaded veil, scattered but still together.

    ¡°Princess, why are you... You should be careful.¡± Xiangrong and her fellow maid, Qiuhuan, were frightened.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun straightened her aching back and looked at the pair of red candles in front of her. Half of the wax had already melted, leaving tear-like droplets around them. The sky outside had also darkened. She had been busy for nearly the whole day.

    ¡°What about... the other side?¡± Having stayed silent the entire day, Princess Commandery Xianyun¡¯s voice appeared somewhat hoarse.

    ¡°The Consort¡¯s side said that something was wrong, only to say that they were fer. His Highness is personally checking on them.¡± Xiangrong didn¡¯t dare to say that Prince Yi was still staying in Consort Ning¡¯s ce.

    Earlier, when rumors were rife that Consort Ning¡¯s marriage sedan had been hijacked the moment that they left the manor, Xiangrong had been overjoyed for her mistress. The fact that the prince was marrying both consorts at the same time was ridiculous in the first ce. Look, even heaven was punishing Consort Ning for daring to marry the prince on the same day as her mistress.

    After such amotion on Consort Ning¡¯s side, the kicking of Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s sedan door was naturally dyed and she had to spent nearly four hours waiting outside the manor. It was said that Prince Yi had spent the time looking for his unwedded consort. Of course, Xiangrong and Qiuhuan dared not to tell her this.

    There were both deferred and urgent matters. Although Ning Xueyan was a consort, it made sense for Prince Yi to search for her after she was kidnapped.

    Still, there was no exnation as to what happened afterward...

 Chapter 494 - Theyâ€™re Married, Theyâ€™re Married

    <h4>Chapter 494 They¡¯re Married, They¡¯re Married</h4>

    Although Consort Ning was fine, she had suffered some shock, so Prince Yi had gone to her ce tofort her. However, her mistress was his princess, so why wasn¡¯t he visiting her instead?

    ¡°Where is His Highness?¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun directly asked, lowering her eyes.

    ¡°Princess, I heard that Consort Ning has fainted. Her health has always been poor and she also suffered a great shock today. His Highness is worried, so he has gone to check on her.¡± A sympathetic Qiuhuan reached out to massage her mistress¡¯ legs. Her mistress had been sitting for so long that her legs and feet must have gone numb.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun had kept her body very still from the moment she sat on the marital bed. It had been such a long time since. Moving her legs and feet now brought on a wave of numbness that nearly made her cry out in pain.

    ¡°She fainted? On the first day of her marriage?¡± A sneer appeared on Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s face. Holding onto Qiuhuan¡¯s hand, she stood up and moved her feet with difficulty. Her legs felt weak and ufortable, but she felt even worse on the inside. It was as if there was a fire burning in her heart. If she wasn¡¯t so patient, she would have screamed by now.

    ¡°Princess, don¡¯t worry. It doesn¡¯t matter how charming she is. Don¡¯t forget that His Highness nearly went to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to break off their engagement. I¡¯m sure she pulled this trick because she¡¯s worried that he wouldn¡¯t favor her even after marrying her. What kind of beautiful women hadn¡¯t His Highness see? You¡¯re his principal wife, the one and only.¡±

    Xiangrong tried to persuade her mistress in a soft voice while helping her walk slowly.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Princess. Don¡¯t take this to heart. His Highness will feel sorry for you if he sees you like this,¡± Qiuhuan added.

    ¡°Enough talking. I want to take a nap.¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun waved her hand andid down on the bed. She flicked her long sleeve onto her face, covering the tears pooling in her eyes at that moment.

    How could she not be angry? She was the Empress Dowager¡¯s maternal niece and a rtive of the Empress. Who would dare belittle someone of her status? Moreover, she believed that her beauty was unquestionable. Regardless of status or appearance, she was a great match for Prince Yi. She even felt that no other woman aside from her could match up to him.

    Even so, he had never shown her any warmth. Never mind that, he even visited Ning Xueyan¡¯s ce on the first night of their marriage.

    She had heard about Ning Xueyan¡¯s poor health. Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t have much status in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor in the past; everything she consumed and used there was worse than a maid¡¯s. Her health had never been nursed well since young, and today¡¯s incident seemed to have brought her a great deal of damage.

    Still, no matter how weak Ning Xueyan was, she couldn¡¯t have possibly fainted at the moment of the wedding ceremony and marital night. It was obvious that Ning Xueyan was trying to humiliate her. More outrageously, Prince Yi actually fell for it. How could Commandery Princess not be angry?

    Whether it was talent, reputation, family background, status, or appearance, she believed that she was better than Ning Xueyan. So how could Prince Yi neglect her for Ning Xueyan?

    How could a pale, weak, barely adult Ning Xueyanpare to her? She might even have a problem giving birth to an heir in the future.

    She was a magnificent Commandery Princess with the support of the Empress and Lord Peace¡¯s Manor. She was also close to the Emperor. Compared to Ning Xueyan who had nothing to her name, she was so much better. Anyone with a discerning eye could see her advantages. She had even endured the fact that Prince Yi had a favored concubine at his manor.

    What more did he want from her? What did he want her to do...

    Commandery Princess Xianyun had her face covered as sheid on the bed, her unhappiness apparent to everyone. She was so quiet that the sound of the maids¡¯ feet was barely audible.

    It was just as quiet in the Pear Flower Garden, if only because Ning Xueyan was sleeping. It was much simpler for her to enter Prince Yi¡¯s manor, but since she was an officially mandated consort, she had to undergo a wedding ceremony in the side courtyard. After Ao Chenyi finished his ceremony with Commandery Princess Xianyun, he immediately went to Ning Xueyan¡¯s courtyard for their wedding.

    By now, everyone had realized that the consort¡¯s kidnapping was a misunderstanding. No one knew which bride¡¯s sedan was hijacked at the same auspicious hour. If it wasn¡¯t for Consort Ning¡¯s sudden dy, she might be the unfortunate one.

    Everyone was intrigued. Those men in ck had clearlye for Consort Ning, only to identally kidnap another bride. It seemed that she was quite lucky.

    Still, Consort Ning was rumored to be frail and weak. It was said that she had missed the auspicious timing because of a sudden fainting spell. She had to force herself to go through the wedding rituals, only to suddenly faint again and sending Prince Yi¡¯s manor into a state of chaos. Fortunately, Prince Yi had always kept a physician nearby and everyone was finally able to calm down. Later, they learned that Consort Ning didn¡¯t faint because of her weak health but because someone had told her about the kidnapping incident.

    It was only normal for a weak woman like her to faint after hearing that someone was targeting her.

    That was how Consort Ning had to recuperate in the Pear Flower Garden shortly after entering Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    Naturally, Prince Yi had to entertain the guests. Regardless of everything that happened, today was his day of celebration and he even married two brides at once. This indeed earned the admiration of many. As a prince, he didn¡¯t have to toast anyone but that didn¡¯t stop people from toasting him. So, as Commandery Princess Xianyun had guessed, he was currently sumbing to Ning Xueyan¡¯s charms at the moment.

    Ning Xueyan had been sleeping for a while. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t sleep wellst night; it didn¡¯t take more than a few tosses in bed for her to drift to dreand. Moreover, she had slept surprisingly well and woke up at dawn. It was a little early, but it wasn¡¯t unbearable. She ended uppleting the wedding ceremony at Prince Yi¡¯s Manor and did as Ao Chenyi had ordered: pretending to faint and lie down to sleep.

    She had already taken off her extravagantly ornate and heavy headdress, so she felt light all over.

    After sleeping for so long, however, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to sleep any longer. She stood up and looked out the window, where the sky had darkened. It must be nighttime now.

    ¡°Get someone to tidy up and send some food over. You guys eat too. Once we¡¯re done, we can rest,¡± Ning Xueyan said, waving her hand with an exhausted look on her face. Since this was a dual wedding ceremony, it was only fair for Prince Yi to visit Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s courtyard first.

    ¡°What about His Highness?¡± Qingyu asked hesitantly. Prince Yi had ordered her to carefully serve Ning Xueyan, saying that he woulde over soon. Now that the doors were closed, how could he enter?

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. His Highness will visit the Great Wisdom Garden first.¡± Ning Xueyan shook her head and looked out of the window. She lowered her head and felt lost.

    Suddenly, she didn¡¯t know how to interact with Ao Chenyi anymore. She had only agreed to this marriage because she didn¡¯t care about anything. Back then, her sole objective was revenge. To avenge herself and repay her debt of gratitude, she had agreed to his proposal. It didn¡¯t matter to her whom she married.

    She had been badly hurt by love in her past life; in this life, she dared not to harbor any hope or expectation.

    She bit her lower lip and suppressed the sense of confusion that she was feeling. She was in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, not the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor anymore. There were some things that she could do, and some that she couldn¡¯t. She was well-aware that she didn¡¯te here to battle Commandery Princess Xianyun for Prince Yi¡¯s affection.

    Last night, she had received a letter from Ao Chenyi warning her that someone would ambush her on her way to the manor. Thus, she pretended to faint so that she would miss the auspicious timing. The auspicious timing had been chosen by the imperial astronomers specifically for her; few people knew about this.

    She didn¡¯t know why Ao Chenyi told her to pretend to faint earlier, but she did as he had ordered. It allowed her to rest and rx as well. It was better than sitting still on the bed and wait like a fool.

    There were maids from Prince Yi¡¯s Manor waiting outside her room, so once they heard that she wanted to dine, they immediately served dishes that they had prepared in advance. They had long heard about Consort Ning¡¯s weak health and her fainting spells today. If she ended up fainting because she didn¡¯t have any dinner, it would be their burden to bear.

    Since they still didn¡¯t know Prince Yi¡¯s opinion about Consort Ning, they could only serve her faithfully.

    The dishes were hot when they were served. There were six dishes and a soup, with four vorful and two nd dishes making a tastybination. Although vorful, the dishes were made much lighter-tasting. Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t like greasy food and all of these dishes happened to her favorites.

    The color of the soup was pale, but that didn¡¯t affect its strong fragrance. The soup would have to be boiled for several hours to produce such a fragrance.

    Seeing these dishes made Ning Xueyan hungry. She took the bowl that Lanning handed her and started digging in. She even added more rice after emptying her bowl, eating more than her usual amount. This put Lanning and the other maids at ease at longst.

    After Ning Xueyan finished her dinner, the maids ate some as well before asking the servants to take away the tes.

    The servants hadn¡¯t gone far before they heard someone shout outside the courtyard, ¡°His Highness is here!¡±

    Ao Chenyi had arrived before Ning Xueyan could close the doors. She stood up and walked to the door with her maids, toote to put on her pearl headdress.

    Ao Chenyi lifted the curtain and strode into the room. His ornate wedding robe was a brilliant red that made him look even more handsome. The red spider lily pattern on his usual ck robe had always given Ning Xueyan a sinister feeling, so he appeared like a proper gentleman to her in these clothes.

    There was a slight smile on his delicate face as he stepped into the room and looked at her. An emotion that could even be described as gentleness could be seen in his eyes.

    ¡°Have you finished dinner? Is it to your taste?¡± Ao Chenyi waved his hand when he entered the room, indicating for the others to leave. Ning Xueyan¡¯s personal maids hesitated for a moment and looked at her. Ao Chenyi had also turned his body towards Ning Xueyan with a slight smile, forcing her to wave her hand at her maids. They had no choice but to retreat and wait outside the room.

    They knew that their mistress shared some secrets with Prince Yi, so they waited outside to guard against the manor¡¯s servants.

    ¡°Yan¡¯er, do you know who¡¯s targeting you?¡± Ao Chenyi reached out and pulled Ning Xueyan into his arms matter-of-factly before plunging towards the bed. Caught off guard by his action, she fell on him on the bed. She could hear his yfulughter in her ears.

    Feeling a fit of sudden anger, she pushed him in vain, only to have him pin down her hands. She looked up at him, frustration and resentment coloring her bright eyes.

 Chapter 495 - Fright on the Wedding Night

    <h4>Chapter 495 Fright on the Wedding Night</h4>

    ¡°Who¡¯s targeting me? You can give me your opinion, prince.¡± Biting her lips, she suppressed the ufortable feeling in her eyes and looked to the side as if she was distracted by something. Now she always felt that something was different from the past, so that she had the feeling that she was a little lowlier in momentum, but she did not know if it was because she and he now had a perfectly justifiable rtionship.

    ¡°Ao Mingyu is so good! He even dares to take a fancy to my woman.¡± Ao Chenyi snorted coldly. Today¡¯s jubnt color made him look more superbly handsome.

    Although he had an unpleasant expression, Ning Xueyan realized something inexplicably, feeling a little ufortable. Although it was true that she was married to him now and could be counted as a member of his... mansion, she still felt that this was a little... different.

    ¡°Who was the person in the sedan chair?¡± Lying in Ao Chenyi¡¯s arms, she blinked her watery eyes and asked. She had already realized that this had something to do with peolpe around Ao Chenyi, so she was not so surprised. The auspicious moment of departure was not what anyone who wanted to know it could know.

    The message bearing the auspicious moment predicted by the Bureau of Astronomy was directly sent to the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor and the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. During this time, if tricks were not practiced, even the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor would not know the time of departure of the bridal sedan chair of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    ¡°That¡¯s not important. It was just a gift for Ao Mingyu!¡± Ao Chenyi barely closed his eyes, but a wicked smile appeared on his lips. Getting married was a lifelong event. Since Ao Mingyu gave him such a generous gift, he had to return a gift to him, of course.

    Ao Chenyi was never a man who would keep silent after suffering losses. Today Ao Mingyu dared to trap him at this time, and Ning Xueyan believed that Ao Mingyu would never get a nice result. Realizing this, she had an inexplicable feeling of relief, and a bit of contemtion appeared in her ck jade-like eyes. ¡°It seems that the person in the sedan chair is closely rted to Ao Mingyu.¡±

    ¡°What? You are stunned by my handsome looks, Yan¡¯er?¡± Ao Chenyi, who seemed to be in a good mood today, was no longer like the one who was full of coldness and ferociousness he used to be. Observing that Ning Xueyan was stunned gazing at his face, he suddenly opened his thin, long eyes and spoke to herzily.

    Having no time to take back her gaze, Ning Xueyan was instantly shocked, blushed, and turned her head hurriedly. Just now, Ao Chenyi closed his eyes, and she did take a few more looks at him and then even stared at him in a daze, thinking about her own things.

    ¡°Prince, it is unsuitable for you not to go to Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s ce, isn¡¯t it?¡± Ning Xueyan said in shame.

    ¡°I won¡¯t go. When she was married into my prince¡¯s mansion and lived here on the first day, she even dared to plot against me.¡± Ao Chenyi coldly snorted and had a trace of evil coldness in his eyes, but then he held Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand with his hand and threw another hand around her waist, so that she could not get up for a while.

    ¡°This... has something to do with her?¡± Ning Xueyan widened her eyes suddenly and looked at Ao Chenyi in shock.

    ¡°I heard that the message bearing the auspicious moment was sent to the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor first,¡± Ao Chenyi lightly tore the dark hair on Ning Xueyan¡¯s body with his fingers and saidzily.

    The message bearing the auspicious moment came from the Bureau of Astronomy in the pce. Of course, the first one whom it should be sent to was the princess, Commandery Princess Xianyun of the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor, and then the consort, Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Anyway, this rule was not wrong: the princess first, and then the consort.

    If anyone else would know it, apart from someone of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, it was someone of the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor. After all, when the message was brought in, the people of the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor would ask the messenger of the Bureau of Astronomy to sit for a while and have a rest. During this short time, it was not difficult for someone to peek at the auspicious moment.

    Silent, Ning Xueyan snuggled up in his arms casually and closed her eyes rather tiredly. ¡°Sure enough, Prince Yi¡¯s Manor is not afortable ce. Commandery Princess Xianyun is here, and this is the main reason why Ao Chenyi wanted to bring me into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor!¡±

    ¡°It is said that he has overwhelming power in the realm. Now he is the crown younger brother of the emperor, and he will be the emperor in the future. But he, Prince Yi, is not as honorable as he seems, right?

    ¡°The emperor has suspicions about Ao Chenyi, so he can¡¯t even make the decision about his marriage so easily, right?¡± She was even a little inexplicably sad.

    The air was quiet. In the room, only the violently jumping me of the red candle made a sound, and the candle tears ran down with it. What was left were Ao Chenyi¡¯s hands, with which he took down the hairpins from her head slowly and threw them aside at random. Then all her hair fell down, as ck as satin.

    And his hands touched her hair on and off.

    ¡°What are you going to do, prince?¡± Ning Xueyan sighed. No matter what Commandery Princess Xianyun would do, she knew very well that she stood in line with Ao Chenyi.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to do anything for the time being. As long as she behaves herself, I don¡¯t even mind that she continues to stay in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.¡± Ao Chenyi snorted coldly. The hand that pressed Ning Xueyan¡¯s hair paused, and some bloody coldness appeared in his eyes. ¡°For so many years, the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor has not woken up from their ambitious dream that they want a female of their family to be an emperor¡¯s wife. It is ridiculous indeed!¡±

    ¡°To be an emperor¡¯s wife!¡± Ning Xueyan was horrified and suddenly looked up at Ao Chenyi. ¡°The Lord Peace¡¯s Manor even has such a big ambition, and it is fair to say that even Commandery Princess Xianyun has such a big ambition.¡±

    The previous empress dowager was the one who once ruled the nation, but her real ruling days did notst long. The current emperor was not a person who could stand the life of living under someone else¡¯s power for so long. The final result was that the empress dowager died of illness early, and the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor became weak and declined into an ordinary aristocratic family.

    After that, Commandery Princess Xianyun, the most prestigious and gentle, kind-hearted, and reasonabledy in the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor, appeared in the public eye. Everyone knew that Commandery Princess Xianyun was sure to marry into the royal family. Otherwise, this marriage would have not been dyed again and again until now. Some even said that Commandery Princess Xianyun would enter the pce directly. After all, the current empress was childless.

    If Commandery Princess Xianyun entered the pce to be the emperor¡¯s concubine and gave birth to a son for the emperor, it was perhaps not a big problem for her to be the emperor¡¯s wife who ruled the nation in the future.

    Of course, this was just a guess, and the guess was not the fact.

    ¡°The people in Lord Peace¡¯s Manor seem to have a very good and leisurely life. I did underestimate them previously. They even dared to plot against me.¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s eyes were stained with a trace of bloodiness.

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t say anything. At this moment, she did not know what to say, and it seemed that saying anything was wrong, so she bit her lip.

    After a long while, she made a sound. ¡°Maybe Commandery Princess Xianyun even doesn¡¯t know about it.¡±

    She said this very hesitantly, and even she herself did not really believe it. As for the character of Commandery Princess Xianyun, she had witnessed it a few times. Not just one thing could arouse her suspicion, but the thing that happened in the Manor of the Duke of State, the affair of County Princess Yuanyun, and the banquet at which Ning Ziyan was invited that day, all could arouse her suspicion.

    There were always her traces in them, but when she thought about them carefully, she could not find concrete evidence about her wrongdoings. She could only admit that it was not easy to deal with Commandery Princess Xianyun.

    ¡°Well, don¡¯t care about the business of others. Let¡¯s talk about the business between you and me!¡± Ao Chenyi waved his hand, skewed her head to look at her, and put on azy smile on his beautiful lips.

    Ning Xueyan was inexplicably nervous, subconsciously wanting toe down from him.

    There was always some coldness in her looks, but her face was a little red at this time, making her a little more seductively charming. With a soft look in her eyes, she was gorgeous. Maybe because she was still young, her delicate, beautiful facial features would not instantly amaze the onlookers, but when they tasted them carefully, they would find that there were charms in her lucid and elegant beauty.

    When she grew mature in a few years, she, who had those looks with her charming figure, would be quite seductive.

    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s do what we should do.¡± Ao Chenyi squinted at the petite woman in his arms, with a touch of softness in his eyes.

    ¡°Our, our business.¡± It was obvious that Ning Xueyan was frightened. She turned stiff, did not dare to move at all, and could not raise her head because she did not know how to behave herself. Today Ao Chenyi was obviously different from the past. Surprisingly, she found a bit of warmth in the cold look his eyes always showed.

    She did not know what to do and only felt that she seemed to have forgotten a few things. Subconsciously, she grasped Ao Chenyi¡¯s robe. A trace of fear shed across her face, and her mind went nk. Without knowing what to do, she looked at Ao Chenyi with the guide of consciousness. For the first time in front of him, she exposed a timid, dazed expression.

    Under his big hands, she trembled all over, like a falling leaf in the wind. The bright eyes she used to have were more like a small frightened beast. Now she was not herself at all. The red color on her face faded bit by bit, and what was left was the trace of paleness.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Seeing that something was wrong with her, Ao Chenyi frowned, sat up, lowered his head, held her hand with his, opened her clenched fist, and frowned slightly.

    Ning Xueyan was still in his arms. He held her tightly with one hand and went to open her clenched fist with the other hand. The two were close together. Ning Xueyan could clearly hear the strong heartbeat in his chest and feel the hot breath at her forehead.

    As her heart beat violently once, she seemed to almost unconsciously hold his hand with her opened fist, not letting go.

    The wedding bed was bright red, and so were the mosquito, the clothes, and the candles. Right, everything was bright red. But this reminded her of the time when she looked at the bright red sky through the water.

    The suffocation-like pain and despair made her breath involuntarily disordered. Her heart beat frantically, and her teeth sank hard into her lip, almost with all her strength, as if she was the girl struggling in the lotus pond that day. She struggled desperately, but she still died a tragic death in the end.

    On her wedding night, she could get the thing that she had asked for but could not get in her previous life. But for that reason, she died at only 16 back then.

    Hears fell drop by drop, blurring her vision. What appeared in front of her was the gentle and elegant face, but then it gradually became hideous and evil, as if to choose someone to eat. She turned stiff and cold. Under the long eyshes, the pair of eyes became so beautiful that they seemed to be covered with ayer of mist, but they were also filled with despair and sorrow. She trembled in Ao Chenyi¡¯s arms, and some light color blood oozed out of the corner of her pale mouth.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you?¡± Ao Chenyi frowned, and his thin, long eyes fell on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face. He put down the hand that clenched hers, used it to push away the teeth that bit the corner of her lips tightly, and looking at the watery eyes that were as dazed and horrified as a little beast, said gently, ¡°Afraid? Right? Don¡¯t worry. Although I¡¯m not tender to women, I¡¯m not cruel to destroy them.¡±

 Chapter 496 - Moving from One Place to Another on the Wedding Night

    <h4>Chapter 496 Moving from One ce to Another on the Wedding Night</h4>

    Ning Xueyan did not expect that she did not spend her wedding night in the Pear Flower Garden, but in the Fragrance Garden, which was the courtyard of the mysterious favored concubine of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. No one but Ao Chenyi and his henchmen could enter this ce.

    As for the princess and the consort who stayed in the bridal chambers of the Great Wisdom Garden and the Pear Flower Garden respectively, both of them lost the favor, and the lonely candles in their chambers were on throughout the night.

    Others only saw that Ao Chenyi left before staying too long in the Pear Flower Garden. Although Prince Yi did not go to the Great Wisdom Garden of Commandery Princess Xianyun, there was nothing to be proud of for the Pear Flower Garden that Prince Yi visited but left. In contrast, the Fragrance Garden, where the most mysterious favored concubine of Prince Yi lived, was said to be brightly lit. Aftering out of the Pear Flower Garden, Prince Yi went straight to the Fragrance Garden.

    It was obvious that he went tofort his favored concubine, so that the other concubines paid a special visit to the Pear Flower Garden because of their quarrel, but the lodgers had already gone and the courtyard was empty.

    Ning Xueyan was secretly taken here and there by Ao Chenyi. The so-called favored concubine was her, and she was the favored concubine, so she did not feel embarrassed about living in the Fragrance Garden, and before she had time to say anything at that time, she had been wrapped in the quilt and carried out by Ao Chenyi. When she was out, she subconsciously held Ao Chenyi¡¯s neck and waist tightly, of course.

    The decoration in the Fragrance Garden was indeed the same as that of the Pear Flower Garden¡ªa pair of bright red dragon and phoenix candles, bright red double happiness characters, a bright red bed, bright red quilts...

    Everything was bright red, and some parts of the decoration were even more beautiful than the decoration of the Pear Flower Garden. If Ning Xueyan had not clearly known that this favored concubine did not exist, even she herself would have felt sad, for it was shocking that a favored concubine without an honorary title could also get a ¡°bridal chamber¡± of the same ceremony the day when the twodies got married as the emperor¡¯s imperial edict required.

    Surely, Ao Chenyi¡¯s love for this beloved concubine had already reached the point of ignoring the decorum.

    It was indeed an act of arousing hatred.

    ¡°What? You are not sad anymore?¡± Ao Chenyi put Ning Xueyan on the bed. Ning Xueyan sat wrapped in the quilt on the bed, looking nk. She was really cute in this state, and the stiffness and fright she had just now had long disappeared at this moment. Satisfied, Ao Chenyi touched Ning Xueyan¡¯s delicate face with his hand.

    Looking at his beautiful, charming face, Ning Xueyan couldn¡¯t help having a weird sense of disharmony. She blinked her watery eyes and then saw the environment on this side clearly. ¡°Prince, this is the ce of your ¡®favored concubine¡¯, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Although Ning Xueyan did not know that this was the Fragrance Garden, her brain had returned to the normal way of thinking and begun working. After looking at the surrounding environment, she asked gently after a long time.

    The teardrop that was shed just now when she was excited was still on her face and glistened in the candlelight, making her white and tender skin look more lovable.

    ¡°Yes, so sleep now. I heard that you didn¡¯t sleep wellst night but woke up early in the morning, and then you fainted twice. Now you can sleep, and let me take a bath first. Do you want to bathe together with me?¡± As he spoke, Ao Chenyi took off the bright red wedding robe on the bed. There was a small mark on the corner of the robe, which was specially left by Ning Xueyan when she made the robe.

    She bit her lip, blushed again, and turned her eyes away ufortably.

    ¡°You do it first, prince!¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s face turned quite red.

    ¡°Well, let me do it first, and let Xinmei serve you in a while.¡± Ao Chenyi did not force her and swiftly nced at her face that had a little embarrassment with his faintly smiling beautiful eyes. He went out from the side door and entered the bathroom on the side.

    As soon as he left, Xinmei lifted the door curtain and walked in with two cups of tea. ¡°Mistress, you drink tea first, and let me help you get prepared and bathe in a while.¡±

    ¡°Where can I get clothes to change?¡± Ning Xueyan was silent for a moment, but still couldn¡¯t help asking.

    Xinmei put down the teacup in her hand with a smile and pointed to a set of clothes on the side. ¡°The prince has asked me to bring the clothes you need to change with. In a while, I will just need to send back the clothes you take off, mistress.¡±

    ¡°It turns out that they have been all prepared.¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes glittered, and she silently wiped away the tear marks on her face with her handkerchief. She even cried on the wedding night. Now she felt a little ashamed. ¡°Are there any books? Let me read them.¡±

    The sound of water came from the bathroom. It seemed that he would not finish bathing in a short time. Ning Xueyan did not think that she should always sit without doing anything, so she asked her maid.

    When books were fetched and she looked at them, Ning Xueyan waspletely speechless. ¡°Aren¡¯t these books the ones I loved to read when I was at home previously?¡±

    When Ning Xueyan had flipped through half of a book, Ao Chenyi came out, and Eunuch Zhu who served him bathing left the room. Now it was the turn of Xinmei and Ning Xueyan to go in.

    When Ning Xueyan came out of the bathroom, Ao Chenyi was leaning against the outside of the bed. Dressed in a white shirt, he put away the grimness and ruthlessness he used to have, looking as nice as jade and as gentle and elegant as water. If this was not revealed, who would expect that the man present, who was almost as handsome as the immortaling down from heaven, turned out to be the legendary bloody and ferocious King Ashura?

    He was so elegant, and his handsome look was unparalleled.

    Ning Xueyan suddenly realized that if he were willing to show up in public in this way, he would be more shining and elegant than Ao Mingyu.

    Ao Chenyi leaned against the bedside, flipping through the book she had just read. When he saw hering, he waved to her, signaling to her toe.

    Xinmei retired silently. Ning Xueyan had no choice but to step forward. As he pulled her hand, half of her body fell into his arms. Ning Xueyan blushed. It seemed that when the two were together, there were few normal situations because they were always close together. It used to be like this, and it was still the case now.

    ¡°Well,e in and sleep.¡± Ao Chenyi threw away the book in his hand, pointed to the inside, and barely closed his eyes. In the candlelight, his expression was gentle and harmless.

    Ning Xueyan propped up herself slightly with her hand and measured the distance with her eyes. If she wanted to go in, she would have to climb over him. Of course, she could not cross over him. But now her hand was tightly held by his, so it was impossible for her to climb in. Helplessly, she shook her hand and then looked inside, signaling to him to let go of her hand.

    Seeing that she waspletely rxed and she no longer stiffened or trembled, Ao Chenyi suddenly smiled, lowered his head to her side, and firmly held her waist with the other hand. Before she eximed, Ning Xueyan had been turned over and happened to fall on the inner part of the bed, and then she was pulled down and just partlyy prone on him.

    Hearing the heartbeat in his chest, Ning Xueyan stiffened once again subconsciously.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m very tired now. I need to have a good sleep.¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s faintly smiling voice came from above her head. ¡°Last night, when I remembered that I was going to get married, I didn¡¯t sleep most of the night.¡±

    He seemed to be talking seriously, and he also specially heaved a sigh, but when his words came to Ning Xueyan¡¯s ears, she felt that they had an unspeakable meaning. She blushed, a little ashamed and annoyed. ¡°What a man he is! I do want to bite him!¡±

    Unable to answer him for a moment, she simply closed her eyes, ready to sleep. After such a toss, she was tired indeed. For a while, she did not have time to think about fear. Instead, she felt at ease. Yawning a little, she was really sleepy.

    ¡°Do you feel it is hot?¡± Semi-consciously, she was pushed by someone and opened her eyes, staring nkly at the magnified handsome face in front of her eyes. Now she did not know where she was.

    She answered subconsciously, ¡°No!¡±

    ¡°I feel it is hot. Go a little further inside.¡± Looking at her dazed watery eyes, Ao Chenyi suddenly felt that the depression of just now was totally gone. He raised his thin, long eyes and spoke leisurely. When his eyes fell on the corner of her mouth she had bitten just now, his eyes became a little deep, and he touched the scar there gently.

    The scar was extremely deep. Even now, it still had some faint bloodstains.

    Climbing out of bed and sitting up, he pulled the semi-conscious Ning Xueyan to sit up with him. ¡°Put some ointment here.¡±

    As he spoke, he let go of Ning Xueyan, ready to look for the ointment.

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother like this. It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯ll cover it with rouge tomorrow. That¡¯s enough,¡± Ning Xueyan held Ao Chenyi¡¯s hand with hers and said. She could not see her scar, so she did not think that it was big and it was necessary to care about it so much.

    Suddenly, Ao Chenyi no longer insisted and smiled wickedly. ¡°If you don¡¯t feel too much pain, we don¡¯t have to put any ointment there. Anyway, you will have to go to the pce tomorrow.¡±

    Now Ning Xueyan was confused about what he said and opened her misty eyes, staring at Ao Chenyi nkly. She did not know what he meant by saying so.

    Seeing her obediently sitting on the bed with confusion in her beautiful eyes, Ao Chenyi said with a smile, ¡°If those in the ce see that you are in this state, they should be happy.¡±

    There was some evil coldness in hiszy voice. He sat down on the bed again and touched Ning Xueyan¡¯s head with his hand.

    ¡°Should I have to pretend to be in this state? Or is it that those in the pce do not even want him to enjoy himself in this kind of thing?¡± Inexplicably having such ideas, she extended her hand involuntarily and took his hand. ¡°Okay, I will go to the pce like this tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Does it hurt? Put some ointment on it first, okay? It won¡¯t cause a lot of trouble.¡± Extending her hand to him was a behavior that pleased Ao Chenyi so much that the coldness on his face disappearedpletely. When he felt that behavior of hers, he looked at the scar at Ning Xueyan¡¯s lips again but with uncertainty and asked her.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t. I¡¯m fine. I am young and ignorant, and I¡¯m not generous enough. It¡¯s normal for me with resentment to cause some trouble,¡± Ning Xueyan smiled and said softly. Taking the handkerchief handed by Ao Chenyi, she lightly touched the corner of her mouth with it and looked at the light red color. Fortunately, she rubbed it again, and the color became much lighter.

    Just now, she did not know why she was so scared.

    Just like when she woke up from a nightmare. Previously, she thought that she hadpletely forgotten this experience of the past, but now she found that the fear caused by it had not beenpletely eliminated.

    ¡°It¡¯s swollen!¡± Ao Chenyi looked at her deeply.

    ¡°It¡¯s good that it¡¯s swollen, and they¡¯ll believe that we¡¯re not acting.¡± Ning Xueyan put on a faint smile on her light-colored lips. She was soft and a little embarrassed, but she was very determined. Since she married him for the sake of helping him, of course, she needed to do small matters such as acting.

    ¡°Then go to sleep!¡± Ao Chenyiy down first, pulled Ning Xueyan down with his hand, took her to his arms, and closed his eyes.

    ¡°Prince, you said it was hot just now, didn¡¯t you?¡± He held Ning Xueyan so tightly that she felt a little ufortable. Just now, she dozed off for a while, so she did not feel so tired now. She moved a little bit and could not help asking him in a whisper.

    ¡°It¡¯s not hot now. This is just right. Don¡¯t move around,¡± Ao Chenyi saidzily, showing a bit of evilness and enchantment. ¡°But if you keep moving around, I can¡¯t guarantee that I can fall asleep. Maybe I will do something that I do when I can¡¯t sleep.¡±

    With these words said, everything went quiet!

 Chapter 497 - The Farce in the Third Princeâ€™s Other Courtyard

    <h4>Chapter 497 The Farce in the Third Prince¡¯s Other Courtyard</h4>

    It was a sleepless night in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    Having married two brides simultaneously, one would usually visit the princess¡¯ ce at night, but Prince Yi was no ordinary person. No one knew which bride he would visit. When they saw him head to Ning Xueyan¡¯s courtyard, they thought that he would be staying there instead of Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s ce.

    To their surprise, the so-called favorite concubine of Prince Yi sent her maid to Consort Ning¡¯s ce to invite Prince Yi. That left the candles in the two bridal chambers lit all night. On the contrary, it was the concubine¡¯s courtyard that looked like it had just celebrated a joyous asion.

    It was said that several concubines argued so much that they even kicked up a fuss at Consort Ning¡¯s ce. Consort Ning¡¯s maid had to chase them away. Later, a housekeeper came and punished the trouble-making concubines with 20 rod-beatings. If the manor wasn¡¯t having a celebration, they would have been beaten to death.

    The other person destined for a sleepless night was Ao Mingyu. He hadn¡¯t expected to kidnap Ya Moqin instead of Ning Xueyan. To make things worse, the Emperor had already granted Ao Mingwan¡¯s marriage request by making Ya Moqin his consort.

    It wasn¡¯t a secret whom Ya Moqin had loved. She had wanted to check out the festivities on the day of Prince Yi¡¯s wedding with her maid, only to knocked unconscious. By the time she regained consciousness, she found herself in her cousin¡¯s side courtyard. Others might not recognize the ce, but she knew everything here like the back of her palm.

    She was overjoyed, thinking that her cousin bringing her here meant that he couldn¡¯t bear to let her go. The brilliant bridal robe that she was wearing had surely been prepared by her cousin as well. She was so ted that she stayed quiet and waited for Ao Mingyu to return at night without kicking up a fuss.

    The idea of marrying her cousin before other women made her so happy that she ate an additional half a bowl of lunch. Then, with a red face and a happy mood, she bashfully waited for Ao Mingyu¡¯s return with a red veil over her head. She had been unsatisfied with her wedding in the first ce and had been making a racket in the manor for the past few days.

    It was Grand Tutor Ya who finally calmed her down. He told her that they would just send her to the Fourth Prince¡¯s Manor as a lowly concubine without a title instead of as a consort. Her life or death would have nothing to do with Manor Ya from then on.

    His words gave Ya Moqin a bad fright. She had been pampered since young, even often bullying his father¡¯s concubines in the manor. Once, she had even beat a concubine pregnant with her father¡¯s child to death. Naturally, she dared not to make a fuss anymore after considering that she might be experiencing such days.

    However, it wasn¡¯t her that was causing trouble but her cousin. This meant that it had nothing to do with her!

    His cousin must still love her to secretly bring her here to marry her. She believed that he would surely request a title for her in the future. Never mind a consort, she might even be his princess. Thus, she wasn¡¯t at all worried. Her cousin wouldn¡¯t let her suffer.

    She was over the moon and terribly bashful, too. That made her unusually quiet as she sat by the bedhead and waited for Ao Mingyu toe back and lift her veil.

    Unexpectedly, she found Ao Mingyu indignant.

    Ao Mingyu had already heard that Ning Xueyan was safe at Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Knowing that an unknown hup had urred, he drank only a few cups of alcohol before excusing himself and rushing to his secondary courtyard outside the city. When he came down from the carriage, he discovered that the person inside the hijacked marriage sedan was his cousin, Ya Moqin.

    Had it been an ordinary woman, he would have silenced her with murder, but he couldn¡¯t do anything to Ya Moqin. So much time had passed as well. He had to secretly send Ya Moqin back as quickly as possible to prevent the matter from blowing up.

    He rushed into the courtyard and found Ya Moqin sitting upright on the bed. She was dressed in a crimson bridal robe and wore a veil over her head. He walked over to her, tore the veil away, and grabbed her hand to take her out. ¡°Cousin, you should go home now. Grandfather must be worried sick about you.¡±

    Ya Moqin wasn¡¯t just Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s granddaughter, but also the Fourth Prince¡¯s future consort. It was scandalous to have her dressed in a bridal robe and sitting on his bed.

    Ya Moqin had been overjoyed and bashful when she heard the sound of Ao Mingyu¡¯s footsteps. The moment he had pulled her veil away, she was calling him in a sweet voice, ¡°Cousin.¡±

    To her surprise, the next thing Ao Mingyu did was drag her out of the room. She staggered and nearly fell.

    She grabbed Ao Mingyu¡¯s hand and said in a panicked voice, ¡°Cousin, what¡¯s wrong? I¡¯m Qin¡¯er.¡±

    ¡°I know. You should go home. Grandfather and Aunt must beside themselves with worry at home,¡± Ao Mingyu replied without stopping down. The carriage was already waiting for them outside the door, ready to take Ya Moqin home. It was still early now, and he had Grand Tutor Ya for support too. Even if they had discovered Ya Moqin¡¯s disappearance, they wouldn¡¯t publicize it.

    ¡°Let them worry if they want to. I¡¯ll only listen to you, Cousin. I¡¯ll yours from now on and I¡¯ll never go back to Manor Ya anymore.¡± Ya Moqin didn¡¯t understand Ao Mingyu at all; she thought that her family was pressuring him. She immediately put up a struggle to express her loyalty to him. Raising her blushing face, she looked at him with determination.

    ¡°You¡¯re betrothed to my Fourth Brother,¡± Ao Mingyu said.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll follow you from now on. Even if Grandfather wants to forcefully take me home, I¡¯ll still stay with you. Cousin, I¡¯m sure Grandfather wouldn¡¯t break us apart when we love each other. In the past, Grandmother used to say that she wants us to get married.¡± Ya Moqin hugged a nearby pir with all her might, refusing to leave this ce.

    Ao Mingyu couldn¡¯t just forcefully pull her away, so he stopped and tried to persuade her. ¡°Cousin, it¡¯s up to our parents to determine an important matter like our marriages. How can we decide ourselves? Besides, you¡¯re betrothed to my Fourth Brother now. You must never say simr words again.¡±

    ¡°But, I really like you, Cousin! And you love me too. Let¡¯s enter the pce and beg Aunt. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll let us get married,¡± Ya Moqin said with certainty, thinking that she had found a leeway for her cousin. Either way, she wasn¡¯t willing to marry the Fourth Prince and her cousin returned her feelings. So why couldn¡¯t she marry her cousin instead? She didn¡¯t want to give up the spot to that slut from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor!

    Her words were getting increasingly excessive. Ao Mingyu looked at the sky impatiently and knew that he couldn¡¯t afford to wait anymore. The longer he waited, the more likely a problem would ur.

    ¡°Cousin, go home first. When this matter passes, we¡¯ll talk about this again. If you truly want the best for me, I won¡¯t forget about you either.¡± Knowing Ya Moqin¡¯s temper, he had no choice but to patiently persuade her.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m staying here! I want to be with you forever and ever. I want to marry you! I don¡¯t want anyone else,¡± Ya Moqin stubbornly insisted. She turned around, giving up the pir, and tugged onto Ao Mingyu¡¯s sleeve to please him.

    Seeing that she still didn¡¯t understand the situation, a look of disgust crossed Ao Mingyu¡¯s eyes. He pulled Ya Moqin¡¯s away from his sleeve. ¡°Cousin, someone sent you to my ce. If we let others find about our rtionship, it¡¯ll really be the end of you. Father would just scold me, but you¡¯ll be drowned for your infidelity and your reputation will also be ruined. You¡¯ll also affect Uncle and Aunt,¡± Ao Mingyu said, sneering.

    Drowned for infidelity? These words were like a bolt of lightning striking Ya Moqin¡¯s head and her face instantly turned pale. ¡°Cousin, is someone targeting us?¡±

    ¡°Yes, so leave now. You have to return to Manor Ya as quickly as possible, and you also must not let anyone know that you came to my ce.¡± Ao Mingyu was also panicking himself. Everything had happened so suddenly that his n was ruined. Never in a million years would he imagine that Ya Moqin would appear in his courtyard, which exined why he was so desperate to send her off.

    Ya Moqin had finally realized how grave the situation was. Not daring to say anything else, she hastily followed Ao Mingyu to the backdoor.

    A carriage was waiting outside the backdoor. Ao Mingyu helped Ya Moqin remove her headdress and outer bridal robe before stuffing her inside the carriage, not caring that her messy hair and attire looked as if she had been raped.

    He let out a sigh after seeing the carriage disappear from his sight, relieved that he had finally sent Ya Moqin away.

    The carriage entered the city and stopped outside Manor Ya¡¯s backdoor. Ya Moqin sneaked down the carriage with her clothes in disorder and knocked on the door. When a female servant heard the knock, she was about to swear but upon seeing that it was her first mistress, she immediately opened the door and let Ya Moqin in.

    The coachman looked around outside the door. When he didn¡¯t see anyone else, he drove the carriage away to inform the Third Prince.

    No one noticed the other carriage at the corner of the street opposite. Looking in from the half-open window, one would see Ao Mingwan sitting inside. His eyes were colored with hatred and disgust as he watched Ya Moqin leave the carriage. Sure enough, this slut was having an affair with Ao Mingyu. To think that these two dared to meet outside the city on the day of their uncle¡¯s wedding.

    He had noticed how Ao Mingyu had left the banquet in a rush. Judging from Ya Moqin¡¯s messy clothes and hair, it was obvious that they had just returned from a ndestine meeting.

    ¡°Your Highness, should we report this to the Emperor?¡± his trusted eunuch asked in a low voice.

    ¡°No. We¡¯ll keep this a secret for now.¡± Ao Mingyu sneered. What he needed now was Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s power. Even if he couldn¡¯t get Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s support, he must eliminate their manor¡¯s support for Ao Mingyu. That way, he would be able to reduce Ao Mingyu¡¯s power.

    As for Ya Moqin that slut, well, he would be sure to take his revenge.

    He pulled the curtain down. ¡°Return to the manor!¡±

    Under the dark sky, the carriage gradually pulled away. No one noticed the ordinary-looking carriage, that had been waiting near Manor Ya¡¯s backdoor for almost two hours, leave quietly.

    An unusually handsome man sat on the second floor of the manor opposite Manor Ya, sipping his wine as he watched the Fourth Prince¡¯s carriage leave. His thin lips curved into a faint smile, his smiling expression making his face all that more beautiful.

 Chapter 498 - His Mission

    <h4>Chapter 498 His Mission</h4>

    A woman in white stood behind the man. Having seen everything that had urred from the window, she lowered her waist and carefully asked, ¡°Master, should I infiltrate Manor Ya and find out what¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°No need. As expected, it was Ao Mingwan¡¯s handiwork. Unfortunately, he inadvertently became a victim of his own ingenuity and dragged his own cousin in.¡± A beautiful, enchanting smile appeared on the man¡¯s face as he picked up a cup of wine and drained it. He then reached out for the jar of wine.

    ¡°Master, drinking too much alcohol is bad for your health,¡± the woman in white said cautiously, ncing at the jar of wine with a worried look.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right. I¡¯m happy today.¡± He grabbed the jar and poured the wine into his cup, sshing some on the table and leaving some stains on it.

    ¡°Master, do we still have to protect Third Young Lady Ning?¡± The woman in white didn¡¯t dare to persuade her master anymore. She lowered her head and looked at her own feet. His master didn¡¯t look at all happy, so she became even more careful with her words.

    ¡°Let her do whatever she wants as long as she¡¯s not in danger. We have to keep her alive for now; I still have a need for her.¡± This time, her master didn¡¯t finish the wine in his cup in one go. His charming eyes were pointed outside the window, seemingly both sentimental and ruthless.

    ¡°Then... What about Fifth Young Lady Ning...¡± The woman in white sneaked a look at her master¡¯s face all. Her voice gradually became quieter and quieter. She couldn¡¯t understand her master¡¯s mind at all. It was apparent that Fifth Young Lady Ning wasn¡¯t the person that her master was looking for, so why was he still treating her so differently?

    Could there be a secret that she wasn¡¯t privy to?

    But, she was her master¡¯s trusted aide. How could there a secret that she didn¡¯t know about?

    ¡°Don¡¯t interfere with her matters. All you have to do is keep an eye on Ning Qingshan. Don¡¯t let me see anyone interfere with things that they had no business interfering with.¡± The man¡¯s scoff was light but thanks to his domineering aura, it was enough to make the woman¡¯s legs turn soft and cause her to kneel.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± She lowered her head and suppressed the faint stench of blood in her chest. She knew that he was warning her about her excessive meddling in certain matters.

    ¡°You may excuse yourself.¡± On his alluring face, his eyes appeared deeply emotional yetpletely ruthless at the same time. He nced at the bloodstain on the corner of the woman¡¯s mouth and waved his hand.

    ¡°Yes, please excuse me.¡± The woman in white forced herself to stand up and said nothing else out of fear. She exited the room with her head lowered, only secretly raising her head after reaching the door. She saw that he was standing near the window with his body askew. From where she was standing, she could see the cold expression on his seemingly amorous face.

    He stood there with his devastatingly handsome face. Even just standing there, one could keenly feel his innate air of nobility. She stared at his beautiful side profile almost infatuatedly. After hearing a scoff, she snapped back to her senses and concealed the adoration in her eyes. Yet, she couldn¡¯t suppress the astringent feeling in her heart.

    She slowly walked out of the room and stopped at the flight of the stairs in dejection.

    She was the person who had stayed by his side the longest. Why had he never paid her any attention? It had been Ning Ziying first, then Ning Qingshan, and now Ning Xueyan...

    She especially couldn¡¯t understand why her master would give Ning Xueyan any attention. She was neither a princess from the previous dynasty nor had much to do with that era. So what if her mother was a nobledy from the previous dynasty and she had a rtionship with the Empress of the previous dynasty? There was no shortage of nobledies from the previous dynasty!

    Why was it her? What was so good about her? She was just a frail youngdy ignorant about everything. What could she do for her master? Why did her master suddenly try to kidnap Ning Xueyan the day before yesterday, and even wanted to recall his servants? Had the strategists around him persuade him with all their might, he might have...

    A deep resentment and jealousy emerged in her heart. She looked at the half-closed door with a sorrowful expression before walking down the stairs quietly.

    Inside the room, the handsome man looked out the window for a while before a smile gradually crept onto his face again. This time, the smile made him look gentle and soft. If youngdies were to see this, their hearts would surely race and return his smile. However, if one were to look closely, one would recognize that it was a pained smile.

    The man walked up to the table and sat down. He picked up his cup and drained all the wine in it.

    He was forced to do certain things¡ªthat was his duty!

    Ning Xueyan woke up in the Pear Flower Garden the next day. She had no idea when she had fallen asleep.

    Hearing a noise from the bed, Lanning walked over and lifted the veil. She quietly said, ¡°Master, you¡¯re up. The Princess has sent her servants several times to invite you over.¡±

    Ning Xueyan blinked several times before looking at her surroundings. Once she was sure that she was in the Pear Flower Garden, she sighed in relief. Although she knew that she wouldn¡¯t be in the Fragrance Garden, she couldn¡¯t help but be nervous. The favorited concubine was a secret between her and Ao Chenyi that mustn¡¯t be discovered by Commandery Princess Xianyun, especially at this time.

    She was still not used to be called ¡°master¡±. She had to sit up and think for a moment when she heard herself being called as such just as she woke up. The manor¡¯s servants seemed to have called her such when they led her to the bridal chamber. She felt weird about it too. Shouldn¡¯t they call her Consort Ning instead?

    Still, ¡°master¡± was indeed nicer-sounding than ¡°Consort Ning¡±.

    ¡°What did you tell the Princess¡¯ servants?¡± Ning Xueyan asked, standing up.

    ¡°I told them that you went to bedtest night, so you¡¯re still not up. I asked them to tell the Princess that you¡¯ll go over as soon as you wake up.¡± Lanning supported Ning Xueyan¡¯s arm as she walked to the dressing table. Naturally, Lanning and Qingyu were aware that Ning Xueyan wasn¡¯t herest night. As her private maids, it didn¡¯t look strange for them to stay outside the room and stand guard all night.

    The maids that the manor had dispatched were outside the room as well. Nobody knew that Ning Xueyan wasn¡¯t in the Pear Flower Gardenst night.

    The woman in the reflection appeared pale and weak. Ning Xueyan hadn¡¯t slept wellst night, if only because she had to sleep on a different bed and beside someone else at that. That made her look a little pale. Moreover, there was also a faint swelling on the corner of her mouth and torn skin that had scabbed by now.

    It was apparent that she had bitten her own lips yesterday.

    Anyone would have been heartbroken and bitter to learn that her new husband had gone to his favored concubine¡¯s ce on their wedding night.

    After washing up and getting her hair styled in a bun with a jade lily hairpin, Ning Xueyan exchanged her bright bridal robe to a pale purple dress. The dress was elegant yet low-profile. She couldn¡¯t very well wear clothes that were too in when she was still celebrating her marriage, so she chose something moderate.

    When Qingyu returned after dumping the water outside, she quietly informed Ning Xueyan, ¡°His Highness went to the Princess¡¯ ce after bringing you back. He¡¯s probably still there.¡±

    Ning Xueyan nodded and sat down on the table to have some breakfast. Then, she went to Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s Great Wisdom Garden with Qingyu.

    Her own courtyard was still a mess, so she left Lanning, Xinmei, and Mother Han to tidy up the ce. Mother Han was currently the housekeeper of the Pear Flower Garden and oversaw the management of the ce with Lanning. With a familiar person like Xinmei around, she believed that she would be able to control the courtyard well.

    Two eunuchs were waiting outside the courtyard. When they saw Ning Xueyan, they immediately walked over and saluted her. ¡°Greetings, Consort Ning. Are you heading to the Princess¡¯ ce?¡±

    Seeing Ning Xueyan nod, the two eunuchs immediately led the way. On their way there, Ning Xueyan realized that the Pear Flower Garden was so far away from the Great Wisdom Garden that there was arge courtyard in between. She felt that it wasn¡¯t any shorter than the distance between the Bright Frost Garden and the Madam Dowager¡¯s Lucky Garden.

    Perhaps, it might be farther still.

    Judging from theyout, Prince Yi¡¯s Manor was several timesrger than the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Even though the Great Wisdom Garden was so far from the Pear Flower Garden, they were still walking in the same direction. That meant that both gardens were in the same central area.

    Ning Xueyan found that the manor was very quiet. The maids, servants, and eunuchs that she saw along the way had their heads lowered as they stood in a line and greeted her respectfully, unlike in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. They looked down on her just because she was neglected on her first day of marriage.

    This feelingforted Ning Xueyan greatly. Regardless of everything, Prince Yi¡¯s inner courtyard was kept in decent order. It was much better than her expectations.

    Great Wisdom Garden was also very quiet, with only a few maids waiting outside the door. Some were dressed in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor¡¯s servant attire while some weren¡¯t; those were likely Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s personal maids. When they saw Ning Xueyan and Qingyuing over, the maid on the innermost wanted to go in and inform her master, only to be stopped by another maid.

    ¡°The Prince and Princess are inside. Please go in, Consort Ning.¡± Xiangrong stepped forward and greeted Ning Xueyan with a bright smile. She sneaked a nce at Ning Xueyan before pointing to the room with hanging pearl curtains.

    Ning Xueyan looked around. Seeing that no one was following her, she instructed Qingyu to wait outside the room. She had seen this maid before and recognized her to be the Princess¡¯ personal maid. Since the maid had to wait outside, it went without saying that it wasn¡¯t convenient for Qingyu to enter with her.

    The two eunuchs waited outside the courtyard, having not entered the ce at all.

    Ning Xueyan lifted the pearl curtains and entered the room. Instead of seeing two chairs ced side by side, she saw Ao Chenyi seated in the central seat with Commandery Princess Xianyun standing beside him, telling him something. When the Princess saw Ning Xueyaning in, her gaze fell on thetter¡¯s haggard face. She deliberately looked at the wound on the corner of her mouth and joy flickered in her eyes.

    ¡°Sis...¡± Before the Princess could finish her sentence, Ao Chenyi impatiently interrupted her.

    ¡°How annoying. I¡¯m busy, so make it quick.¡± Ao Chenyi smiled faintly at the Princess, his lips curved into an unnatural, sinister-looking arc. The temperature in the room seemed to have immediately fallen by several degrees.

 Chapter 499 - Confrontation; Commandery Princess Xianyunâ€™s Weakness

    <h4>Chapter 499 Confrontation; Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s Weakness</h4>

    Commandery Princess Xianyun looked at Ao Chenyi while biting her lower lip, feeling ashamed and furious. What had just happened made her too embarrassed to see anyone. It was humiliating to have her, a prince¡¯s consort, and wedding night stolen by an untitled concubine.

    Ao Chenyi came this morning and casually tossed the bridal veil that the pce was supposed to retrieve on her bed while she was sleeping. When she was awakened drowsily by her maid and saw that veil thrown carelessly, she felt wronged, ashamed, and resentful.

    ¡°Bring that cup of tea to the Princess!¡± Ao Chenyi raised his chin, his delicate lips curving into a flippant smile that was enchanting but frighteningly cold at the same time.

    Ning Xueyan looked around in confusion before discovering the said cup of tea on the table. There was no steaming from the tea as if it had been ced there for a while. It didn¡¯t feel right to offer the Princess such tea. After thinking about it, she walked up to the table and filled an empty cup instead.

    ¡°Fill my cup too.¡± Ao Chenyi rapped the table to draw her attention. She turned her head and nced at the cup beside him.

    She lowered her head and carried the pot of tea over to fill his cup until it was half full.

    When he didn¡¯t say anything, she turned around to offer a fresh cup of tea to Commandery Princess Xianyun. This was her first formal visit to the Princess and this ritual couldn¡¯t be skipped.

    To her surprise, Ao Chenyi opened his mouth again just as she was about to reach the Princess. ¡°Just put it there!¡± He pointed to the table in front of the Princess.

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t know what he was up to this time, but whatever it was, she would y along. She put down the cup of tea in front of the Princess with a smile.

    ¡°The Empress especially sent this tea from the pce. Try it. If you like it, I¡¯ll see if they still have any left when we enter the pce.¡± Ao Chenyi raised his eyebrow with a cold expression. He gracefully picked up the cup and tasted the tea.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun never expected such words from Ao Chenyi. She looked at him in surprise before ncing at Ning Xueyan, who had her head lowered obediently and expression hidden. She picked up the cup from the table and took a sip. A smile gradually appeared on her face as she nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right, Your Highness. I¡¯ll have to trouble you to ask for more tea.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble. We¡¯ll be visiting the pce soon anyway.¡± An enchanting smile appeared on Ao Chenyi¡¯s handsome face. He waved at Ning Xueyan. ¡°You can return. It¡¯s still too early. I¡¯ll call you when it¡¯s time to enter the pce to pay our greetings.¡±

    No matter how strange it was, the ceremony wasplete now that the Princess had drunk her tea. Seeing as it wasn¡¯t time to enter the pce, Ning Xueyan excused herself.

    Qingyu, who was waiting outside the door, followed her mistress quietly when she came out. The same two eunuchs led them back to their courtyard.

    The room fell eerily silent after Ning Xueyan was gone. Commandery Princess Xianyun looked uneasily at the red wedding robe that she had been wearing since yesterday. She hadn¡¯t had time to change before Ao Chenyi arrived and the robe was now wrinkly all over.

    ¡°Your Highness, I brought some maids and older female servants with me. Would you like to meet them?¡± she asked, finally breaking the strange silence. Even without looking at Ao Chenyi, she could sense the coldness in the room. It gave her the same dangerous feeling as he did.

    ¡°What? Are you that impatient to send your dowry maids to my bed?¡± Ao Chenyi retorted with a cheerful voice.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun instinctively looked up and met his beautiful but unfeeling eyes. In their beauty was undisguisable slyness and coldness. It was as if he was always sneering at her. Her heart skipped a beat after realizing what she had just said. Her cheeks reddened and she felt a fire burning inside her.

    Once again, she felt angry and ashamed.

    She must not be in the right mind when she said such things. Some of her dowry maids were indeed chosen for that reason, but it was humiliating for a new bride to suggest sending her maids to her husband¡¯s bed on the first day of her marriage.

    ¡°Why did you marry me if you don¡¯t like me, Your Highness? What do you propose that I do in a situation like this?¡± She could no longer take it. She had felt more despair and dejection in these two days than her entire life added together.

    ¡°If I remember correctly, it was the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor that insisted that I marry you. Aunt told me that you¡¯ve always been in love with me. She advised me to treasure your heartfelt feelings and not to waste your youth. I also remember you saying that you¡¯re willing to suffer any grievances as long as you can be with me. Was I mistaken?¡±

    Ao Chenyi raised an eyebrow with a sneer. His sharp, elongated eyes were directed at the Princess.

    She understood his meaning well, which was why she was burning red on the face.

    She had been the one who told the empress about her heartfelt feelings for Ao Chenyi, saying that she would rather die a bachelorette if she couldn¡¯t marry him. She even went so far as to stop him at a banquet and express her determination to marry him.

    Still, he shouldn¡¯t treat her like this regardless of what she had said! She hadpromised by allowing him to marry her and a consort on the same day, yet he had run to his concubine¡¯s ce on their wedding night. When he showed up in the morning, he threw a veil stained with unknown blood on her so that it could be sent to the pce.

    This was unprecedented humiliation for her, one that she couldn¡¯t tell anyone about.

    ¡°You¡¯re not mistaken, Your Highness. I... I just don¡¯t want people to think that you favor your concubines over your wife and get subject to simr gossip as the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor,¡± she said righteously with a blushing face. She didn¡¯t want to keep onpromising like this.

    She tried to pressure Ao Chenyi with the Emperor¡¯s name by bringing up the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. She also wanted to demonstrate her concern and willingness to endure everything for him. Having expressed her feelings for him before, she was sure that he would take pity on her.

    Her inability to keep him in her room for their wedding night had affected her position in the manor. It was only natural for her to improve it.

    ¡°You¡¯d like to help me?¡± Ao Chenyi asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll do anything to help you, Your Highness,¡± she said, her solemn expression recing the fragility reflected in her eyes.

    Ao Chenyi smiled, appearing pleased with herpleteck of hesitation. He said, with rare intimateness, ¡°As the legal wife¡¯s daughter of the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor, your status is a better match for me and my brother. That¡¯s why it¡¯s inconvenient for you to marry my nephews. And if you don¡¯t marry me, you¡¯ll have to enter the pce. With the Empress around, it wouldn¡¯t matter even if you can earn the Emperor¡¯s favor and safely give birth to a son. Your son will be far too young and your family will be doomed to decline.¡±

    His words weren¡¯t harsh and could even be considered as gentlepared to before. Had the Princess fail to read between the lines, she would have thought that he was speaking up for her. However, this was Prince Yi. Her hands and feet turned cold and her face became pale. She looked nkly at him, unable to say anything. Even her hands by her sides were trembling.

    She had always known him to be arrogant, violent, and despotic. Even the Emperor was wary about him. Even if the Emperor wanted to leave his throne to his own son, he couldn¡¯t make his intention public and had to keep dying matters.

    Even so, she never thought that Ao Chenyi would dare to say such disgraceful and disrespectful words.

    He had even pointed out her family¡¯s intention. While she could set out to do it, she could never speak or even think too hard about it.

    His words were full of ridicule. He sounded as if he wasn¡¯t talking about her or the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor but pork freely sold at the market.

    She was beginning to regret marrying Ao Chenyi and entering Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. He wasn¡¯t a person that she could exploit! She felt even more stupid after thinking about how she used the Emperor to pressure him. Was he someone who would worry about that? Would he even care that she had the Empress and the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor for support?

    Sheposed herself and lowered her gaze to calm her raging emotions. She heard herself saying with much difficulty, ¡°Your Highness, now that I¡¯ve married you, I¡¯ll put my entire heart into managing the household for you.¡± Now that things hade to this, she had no choice but to bow her head. For her family¡¯s sake, she couldn¡¯t afford to anger him.

    ¡°That¡¯s naturally the best. From now on, the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor will be able to lean onto Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. But if you do any more things to upset me, I wouldn¡¯t mind severing ties.¡± Ao Chenyi stood up and gently patted the hem of his robe. His enchanting eyes were narrowed and his gaze was so sharp that he appeared almost bloodthirsty when ncing at the Princess. After speaking his mind, he turned around and strode out of the room.

    It wasn¡¯t until the Princess heard the crisp rustling of the pearl curtain as it was lowered that she recovered her senses. It was almost summer and the weather ought to be warm, yet her entire body was shivering.

    Did he just say ¡°do any more things¡± that upset him? The word ¡°any¡± had expressed his meaning loud and clear.

    Was he referring to yesterday? Had he found out? He must have found out that she was the one who leaked the auspicious timing!

    What did he mean at the end? Severing ties?

    Commandery Princess Xianyun was truly regretting everything. His words were gentle but she had no doubt that it woulde true if she didn¡¯t take him seriously. It wasn¡¯t a secret that Prince Yi was a bloodthirsty devil; he had even exterminated entire families in the past. He wouldn¡¯t feel bad about something like ¡°severing ties¡±.

    Perhaps, she should really reevaluate her and her family¡¯s position...

 Chapter 500 - Schemes of the Harem

    <h4>Chapter 500 Schemes of the Harem</h4>

    Ning Xueyan met the reigning Emperor for the first time in the Empress¡¯ pce.

    She kowtowed to the Emperor and Empress together with Commandery Princess Xianyun, with Ao Chenyi following suit with ackadaisical attitude. The Princess was dressed in a bright red robe while Ning Xueyan was dressed in purple. Ao Chenyi wore his usual ck gown embroidered with crimson red spider lily patterns.

    Ning Xueyan took care to take a step back when the Princess was greeting the Emperor and Empress and knelt behind her.

    Ao Chenyi had long found a seat for himself on the sidelines. He had only bent his waist ever so slightly earlier, having been stopped by the Emperor when he tried to kneel.

    The Emperor, seated high on the tform, was smiling. He didn¡¯t look as solemn and dignified as expected, but his attention wasn¡¯t on the women. After casually nodding, he waited for Ao Chenyi to speak.

    The Empress appeared to be in her thirties. She wasn¡¯t a beautiful woman but her dignity was palpable. She stood upright as she received greetings from Commandery Princess Xianyun and Ning Xueyan before raising her head and saying, ¡°You may rise.¡±

    The rules of etiquette in the pce wereplicated and one was expected to perform them wlessly. Unless they had learned these rules, many neers to the pce would inevitably embarrass themselves. The only reason Ning Xueyan was so familiar with these rules was her past life. She hadn¡¯t learned much in her current life, only when Madam Dowager hired a newly-retired pce servant and taught her a few hasty lessons while she was in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    The Princess and Empress were naturally familiar with these rules. So when they were seated and the Princess was beginning to prattle on about her life, Ning Xueyan lowered her head and sat quietly, minding her own business. There were a few imperial consorts with good rtionships with the Empress present too. They would asionally exchange a few words with them.

    ¡°Huh?¡± an imperial consort asked in a quiet voice, ¡°Consort Ning, yourplexion looks poor. Are you perhaps feeling unwell?¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. I¡¯m feeling well.¡± Ning Xueyan raised her head and looked at the surprised-looking young imperial consort. The imperial consort was gripping her handkerchief while biting her lower lip and widening her eyes at the sight of Ning Xueyan¡¯s mouth. She looked as if something serious had happened.

    Ning Xueyan sighed. Why couldn¡¯t people let her finish this whole thing peacefully?

    The imperial consort¡¯s voice was neither loud nor quiet but it drew everyone¡¯s attention towards Ning Xueyan¡¯s face, especially the scar on the corner of her mouth that could not be hidden by lipstick. Several of the older imperial consorts had an understanding smile on their faces and stopped pursuing the matter. Unfortunately, there were quite a few younger imperial consorts with the Empress today; all of them were newly drafted into the harem this year.

    These youngdies were at the peak of their beauty and easily earned the favor of the Emperor.

    ¡°Are you all right, Consort Ning? It¡¯s your wedding, after all. How did you... Don¡¯t tell me you suffer some grievances? What made you so unhappy? You have only just got married.¡± A favored imperial consort naturally didn¡¯t use her brain before speaking. She looked at Ning Xueyan with a look of schadenfreude.

    Ning Xueyan had met these two consorts at the Beauty Contest. She hadn¡¯t offended them before, so she wasn¡¯t sure why they were targeting her and suggesting that she suffered grievances on her first day at Prince Yi¡¯s manor. What grievances could she suffer and whose fault were those grievances?

    Their words were so suggestive that one couldn¡¯t help thinking about them.

    ¡°Thank you both for your concern, Your Highness. To be honest, it¡¯s because of my poor health...¡± Ning Xueyan said tly, a cold glint shing in her clear eyes. The smile on her face appeared indifferent as well.

    The young imperial consorts felt humiliated after being ignored by a mere prince¡¯s consort. One of them scoffed and said, ¡°You have poor health, Consort Ning? That¡¯s a matter concerning the Prince¡¯s heir. We should invite the imperial physician to examine you lest we harm a royal heir in any way!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Consort Ning, you¡¯re really pitiful. For all your beauty and youth, your health is...¡± The other imperial consort immediately followed suit. These two had always been fighting for the Emperor¡¯s favor. They always argued whenever they met, yet at a moment like this, they seemed determined to embarrass Ning Xueyan together.

    They made it sound as if Ning Xueyan was so ill that she couldn¡¯t bear any heirs at all!

    Commandery Princess Xianyun appeared to be fully concentrated on the Empress and would reply to anything that she asked. She seemed to have heard nothing of the imperial consorts¡¯ conversation at all. On the contrary, the Empress was looking at Ning Xueyan with her eyebrow raised. She looked calm but didn¡¯t say anything.

    Crash! A loud noise emerged from the sidelines. Frightened, everyone turned their heads and saw Ao Chenyi¡¯s fierce expression. His anger was almost palpable. His almost-shaped eyes appeared to be dripping with venom as he stared at the two imperial consorts. ¡°I don¡¯t need outsiders worrying about my heirs. Are you both worried and concerned about me?¡±

    His handsome face was marred with almost sinister coldness. His words didn¡¯t sound harsh and even appeared like emotionless ridicule, but his meaning was clearly different when he was targeting the Emperor¡¯s women.

    Moreover, it wasn¡¯t an imperial consort¡¯s business to worry or show concern about him!

    The two young imperial consorts were terrified after hearing his words and immediately exined, ¡°Your Highness, that¡¯s not what we mean. We¡¯re just saying that your heirs are important...¡±

    ¡°My heirs are indeed important, but I don¡¯t think I need to inform anyone as to who I want to bear heirs with!¡± Ao Chenyi retorted without any politeness.

    The more they spoke, the more the imperial consorts seemed to make things worse for themselves. They hastily tried to exin themselves with a blushed face, ¡°No, I mean...¡±

    ¡°I understand, so save it. I have received your kind intentions but remember your position. You¡¯re the Emperor¡¯s women. You can¡¯t pay any more attention to me!¡± Ao Chenyi saidnguidly with a smirk. The instantaneous smile was almost blinding.

    At that moment, he seemed to have shed off his usual sharpness. His handsome face inexplicably turned gentle and emotional as he looked at the imperial consorts. His voice had also be subconsciously slower as if he was speaking to his lover.

    The two imperial consorts had never heard Prince Yi speaking to them so gently before. Suddenly, all they could see was his handsome, noble face and his gentle, graceful smile. They were so affected that they couldn¡¯t even process his words properly.

    They appeared infatuated by his smile and smiled along with him. They even subconsciously nodded as if they truly had an affair with him in the past.

    In his seat, the Emperor was grim-faced. He was so angry that blue veins were protruding from his forehead. He could barely restrain himself. Naturally, he knew that it was impossible for Ao Chenyi to have any rtionship with these two women. The problem was that the women were openly expressing their infatuation with Ao Chenyi.

    How could he not be angry? It didn¡¯t matter how much or little he liked these women. The fact that they were behaving like this was humiliating for him as a man, never mind as the Emperor.

    Thump! He rapped the table hard, looking gloomy. ¡°Servants! Drag these two women who have offended Prince Yi and throw them into the Cold Pce.¡±

    The loud sound frightened the two young consorts so much that they snapped out of their infatuation. But before they could fully recover their senses, their fate had already been decided. To newly favored consorts like them, who had neither power nor influence, being sent to the Cold Pce was equivalent to being sent to their death.

    ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯m innocent.¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, please spare my life!¡± The two consorts were so terrified that they knelt. Unfortunately for them, two eunuchs approached them and directly stuffed their mouths with a piece of cloth. Several more eunuchs appeared and dragged them out of the room.

    The fate of those two women, as well as their families, had been decided in just a split second.

    The older consorts secretly nced in Ao Chenyi¡¯s direction but were too frightened to look at his face. They mocked the two young consorts on the inside for daring to offend Ao Chenyi. Didn¡¯t they know who he was? Not even the Emperor or Empress would meddle in his household affairs, yet those two insignificant imperial consorts dared to ridicule his consort.

    Even if one wanted to hit a dog, one had to discern who its owner was. Although Consort Ning was rumored to be unfavored, she was nevertheless Prince Yi¡¯s consort and the only one at that. On the other hand, there were more than a hundred consorts and concubines in the pce, and losing one or two wouldn¡¯t matter at all.

    The Emperor appeared to be fuming in silence at the thought of executing two of his beloved consorts. Although he was talking with Ao Chenyi about something else, everyone could tell that he was in a bad mood. It was the point that the Empress and Commandery Princess Xianyun subconsciously softened their voices during their conversation.

    After a while, the Emperor and Ao Chenyi seemed to have touched an important topic and both of them left the harem for the imperial study. When Ao Chenyi walked past Ning Xueyan, he deliberately shed her anguid smile and patted his ck robe embroidered with red spider lily patterns before leaving.

    As soon as the Emperor and Ao Chenyi left, the atmosphere in the hall immediately eased. Even the Empress looked more rxed.

    Ning Xueyan sneaked a nce at the Empress. It was said that the childless Empress didn¡¯te from an influential n of court officials but a nouveau riche family that couldn¡¯t even bepared to Honored Consort Ya¡¯s family. At best, her family was on par with Honored Consort Shu¡¯s family. Yet, those two honored consorts had given birth to princes.

    Although the Empress would be promoted to the title of the Empress Dowager no matter which prince inherited the throne, would an Emperor honor his stepmother when his mother was still alive? Honored Consort Ya and Honored Consort Shu didn¡¯t look like the type to bow to someone else. In fact, neither of them could be seen in the harem today and the Empress looked as ordinary and powerless as rumored!

    Still, how could a childless woman of moderate status like her reign firmly as the Empress if she was truly ordinary and powerless? Would she really be willing to eke out a living under the nose of Honored Consort Ya or Honored Consort Shu in the future?

    At that moment, the Empress noticed that she had been so engrossed in her conversation with Commandery Princess Xianyun that she had neglected Ning Xueyan. She raised her head and smiled at Ning Xueyan. ¡°I heard that you got into an ident and fainted yesterday. Are you feeling better now? If you feel unwell, feel free to let me know.¡±

    ¡°I will. Thank you, Your Highness,¡± Ning Xueyan answered respectfully. Since this was their first meeting, she couldn¡¯t quite grasp the Empress¡¯ intention, so she chose to say as little as possible.

 Chapter 501 - Encountering Honored Consort Xia

    <h4>Chapter 501 Encountering Honored Consort Xia</h4>

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t stay long in the Empress¡¯ pce before being excused. The Empress told her to drop the courtesy and take a stroll around the pce on this rare visit.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun lowered her head and nced sideways at her, asking if she needed to be apanied.

    Despite her offer, Ning Xueyan knew that she couldn¡¯t leave with the Princess in the middle of her happy conversation with the Empress. Moreover, she was a consort while the Princess was the legal wife. It didn¡¯t make sense for the Princess to keep a mere consortpany while she strolled around the pce.

    Ning Xueyan tactfully declined the offer and walked out of the Empress¡¯ pce, where Lanning had been waiting at the door all along. Seeing her, Lanning naturally walked behind her. Ning Xueyan had told the Empress that she was just taking a walk, so the Empress didn¡¯t assign any servants to her.

    Hundreds of flowers in the imperial garden were in full bloom in spring, proudly exhibiting their vivid and beautiful colors. Ning Xueyan had stayed in the pce briefly during the Beauty Contest, but as a candidate, her movements had been restricted in every way. She wasn¡¯t even allowed to walk around the imperial garden and take in the sights.

    Moreover, the location of the Beauty Contest was some distance away from the Empress¡¯ Pce, so she hadn¡¯t seen the scenery here before.

    Looking at the scenery was a far superior experience than ying politics in the imperial harem.

    Ning Xueyan walked wherever her feet took her until she eventually came up to aparatively narrow passage. The flowers here were weaved like brocade, withrge branches and fresh petals swaying gently in the wind, and were much lovelier than the ones she had seen earlier. There were red, yellow, purple, white, and even rare pale blue flowers.

    ¡°Young Lady, there are people over there.¡± Lanning reached out to grab Ning Xueyan¡¯s sleeve all of a sudden and pointed to a corner behind a flowering tree.

    Ning Xueyan stopped in her tracks. She could hear a soft whining sound as if someone was crying. Her long, shapely eyebrows knitted. How could someone be crying out in the pce? Although this ce was quite secluded and she couldn¡¯t see who it was, she was doubtful that there was truly a secret ce in the imperial garden of the pce.

    She turned around, wanting to leave. Whoever the crying person was, it had nothing to do with her. Her current identity was Prince Yi¡¯s consort.

    Amidst the crying noise, a woman¡¯s voice suddenly rang out. ¡°Senior Nun, I... Can I really...?¡±

    Senior Nun? Ning Xueyan¡¯s heart skipped a beat and her footsteps hesitated. She knew about a senior nun named Jing Kong who lived in the Small Jing¡¯an Temple in the pce. She had the intention to meet the nun on her trip to the pce this time. There were some doubts about her past life that she hoped the nun could rify for her.

    ¡°Your Highness, let the past stay in the past. What¡¯s the point of harping on it?¡±

    That was indeed Jing Kong¡¯s voice. Ning Xueyan¡¯s ink-like eyes became unreadable. Senior Nun Jing Kong¡¯s voice was particrly recognizable, with a distinct and deliberate slowness. Her voice would only be quick at moments of agitation or excitement or when she couldn¡¯t control herself. Right now, her words sounded even more stretched out than ever.

    The people inside were Senior Nun Jing Kong and an imperial consort. Judging from their conversation, they appeared to be close. Moreover, she couldn¡¯t even understand some of their words.

    ¡°Senior Nun, will she forgive me? Have they forgiven me? I... I really didn¡¯t want things to turn out this way.¡± Although the woman¡¯s sobbing noise was soft, Ning Xueyan could hear how lost and sad she felt.

    They were obviously discussing a secret, and even an unnotable secret in the pce could be life-endangering! Her mother had given her this advice in her past life. Right now, she could only repeat it to herself and shift her foot. It seemed that today wasn¡¯t a suitable day to speak to Senior Nun Jing Kong.

    She had just turned around when someone suddenly shouted, ¡°Who is it?¡±

    Ning Xueyan smiled helplessly. Unfortunately, someone had discovered her. She turned around again and respectfully greeted the people behind the blossoming branches, ¡°I¡¯m Prince Yi¡¯s consort, strolling around the garden under the Empress¡¯ orders. If I¡¯ve identally offended you, please forgive me, Your Highness.¡±

    A stern-looking older female servant emerged from behind the flower tree and walked up to Ning Xueyan. She looked her up and down before saying haughtily, ¡°The person inside is Honored Consort Xia from Qiongfeng Pce.¡±

    Honored Consort Xia from Qiongfeng Pce! It took Ning Xueyan a second to react. She titled her head before remembering Heng Yuqing¡¯s words. The mysterious Honored Consort Xia, was the most favored consort from the previous dynasty.

    Ning Xueyan took a couple of steps backward quietly, looking humbler than ever. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that the person is Honored Consort Xia. I apologize for disturbing you, Your Highness. I¡¯ll excuse myself immediately.¡±

    Her demeanor was so humble and innocent that it greatly pleased the female servant. She waved her hand, indicating for Ning Xueyan to leave, only to hear a delicate voiceing from behind. ¡°Bring Consort Ning here!¡±

    That voice was delicate, so much so that it felt like the owner was as frail as porcin. This made Ning Xueyan even warier.

    To think that a nobledy from the previous dynasty would have the chance to enter the pce! Moreover, she was also an imperial consort from the previous dynasty that was able to gain the favor of the current Emperor. This proved that Honored Consort Xia couldn¡¯t be provoked.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare to disturb you, Your Highness. I have something to attend to, so please excuse me.¡± Ning Xueyan felt instinctive defiance against Honored Consort Xia. Whether this consort truly wanted to see her or mentioned it on a whim, it didn¡¯t feel right especially since she had identally overheard the consort crying earlier.

    ¡°Her Highness is asking for you. Hurry up and go over,¡± the female servant said impatiently. She reached out as if she was going to be rude and grab Ning Xueyan¡¯s arm. Lanning immediately stepped forward to stop her.

    ¡°Mammy, please excuse us. The Prince will be unhappy if he learns that the consort is ying around.¡±

    Lanning had mentioned Ao Chenyi in hopes that they would consider the Prince and stop making things difficult for Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°I¡¯ll send someone to exin to the Prince. Consort Ning,e over here!¡± A soft voice came from behind. Evidently, Honored Consort Xia had heard Ning Xueyan¡¯s words. Having said that much, Ning Xueyan had no reason not to stay. Either way, whatever secret that they were discussing previously, they wouldn¡¯t be bringing it up in front of her.

    Lanning led the way so she could remove the branches that blocked their path. After passing by the sprigs of nts, what Ning Xueyan saw was a space nearly independent from the imperial garden.

    The peach blossoms were in full bloom, their petals fluttering in the wind as they fell to the ground. In a pavilion in the middle of a peach blossom forest sat a woman in a pink pce gown. She looked like she was in her early twenties. The pink gown that she was wearing made her look as lovely and beautiful as snow.

    Ning Xueyan had seen quite a few imperial consorts. Both Honored Consort Ya and Honored Consort Shu were rare beauties with their own charms, but the beauty in front of her gave her the impression of fragility at first nce. Although she wasn¡¯t as thin and weak as Ning Xueyan, her temperament was gentle.

    Standing behind her was Jing Kong dressed in a in gray cotton clothing.

    Be it their clothes or conduct, they couldn¡¯t look less harmonious if they tried. Compared to Honored Consort Xia¡¯s gentleness, Jing Kong appeared terribly cold.

    Jing Kong raised her head and watched Ning Xueyan as she walked over. She put her palms together in greeting before stepping to one side. She didn¡¯t leave.

    ¡°Greetings, Honored Consort Xia,¡± Ning Xueyan said, paying her greetings.

    ¡°You¡¯re Prince Yi¡¯s new consort? Another pitiful one! Sit down and talk!¡± Honored Consort Xia waved her hand, indicating for her to stop her curtsy. She looked Ning Xueyan up and down before smiling gently. If it wasn¡¯t for the tear stains on the corner of her eyes, no one would think that this mysterious and favored consort would cry here.

    Strangely, instead of crying to the Emperor, she was crying to a nun. Ning Xueyan felt as if she had been misled by her first impression of the consort.

    There was a stone table and several chairs inside the pavilion, with two cups of tea on it. Although Honored Consort Xia was seated, Jing Kong was standing and her cup of tea wasn¡¯t touched at all. On the contrary, the consort¡¯s cup was only half full.

    The two pce maids behind the consort swiftly fetched another cup and poured tea for Ning Xueyan before retreating to one side.

    ¡°Your Highness, please allow me to excuse myself,¡± Senior Nun Jing Kong said, raising her head.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to sit down and discuss Buddhist teachings with me? I still have a lot of questions about our previous discussion that I need you to rify,¡± Honored Consort Xia said softly, her delicate brows knitted into a frown and her eyes filled with gentleness.

    ¡°You¡¯re already proficient in Buddhist teachings, Your Highness, but that¡¯s all it is: proficiency. It doesn¡¯t mean anything. You must understand that whatsts,sts; what doesn¡¯t, doesn¡¯t. One mustn¡¯t force it,¡± Senior Nun Jing Kong said tly. Without saying another word to the consort, she put her palms together in greeting to Ning Xueyan and said, ¡°Consort Ning, you were still Fifth Young Lady Ning when you came here. Unexpectedly, so much has changed since west met. If you have any questions about Buddha¡¯s teachings, feel free toe to me. Until then, peace be upon you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you kindly, Senior Nun.¡± Ning Xueyan stood up and respectfully curtsied to Senior Nun Jing Kong.

    She had a lot of respect for this nun. Whether it was because of her mother¡¯s repeated warnings in her past life or what Senior Nun Jing Kong had told her in her current life, she felt that Senior Nun Jing Kong was a trustworthy person.

    In her past life, she was Ning Ziying, the Great Elder Princess. This was her greatest secret, as well as an earth-shattering one. Senior Nun Jing Kong knew her secret, yet she had never told anyone. This was enough to prove her trustworthiness.

    Senior Nun Jing Kong nodded and said no more. She rposed her expression, turned around, and left. She left behind a long shadow as she walked away under a light showering of petals. When the petalsnded on her grey nun garbs, they unexpectedly made her look even colder.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s ink-like eyes glinted as she watched Senior Nun Jing Kong disappear from her sight. She bit her pink lips as a moment of bewilderment filled her watery eyes. When she overheard their conversation earlier, she thought that their rtionship would be a lot closer. But why did Senior Nun Jing Kong¡¯s words sound strangely taboo?

    ¡°Please sit down, Consort Ning!¡± A soft voice reached Ning Xueyan¡¯s ears and she turned around to see Honored Consort Xia¡¯s lovely face beside her. Her gentle voice was imbued with mirth and her attitude was intimate too, lending her the charm of a lovely, delicate woman.

 Chapter 502 - She So Resembles the Person Indeed

    <h4>Chapter 502 She So Resembles the Person Indeed</h4>

    After finishing speaking, Honored Consort Xia turned her head sideways, had two low coughs, covered her face with her handkerchief, and spoke with a little embarrassment to Ning Xueyan. ¡°Please don¡¯tugh at me, Consort Ning.¡±

    ¡°You are in poor health, Your Highness?¡± Ning Xueyan herself was a person who had been ill for a long time. At this time, she found that theplexion of Honored Consort Xia was indeed not good, and her eyebrows and eyes were even a little paler.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been unhealthy. No matter how much medicine I take in normal times, it is useless. This is an old illness,¡± Honored Consort Xia exposed somewhat self-ridicule and said softly.

    ¡°Were you discussing Buddha dharma with Senior Nun Jing Kong just now, Your Highness?¡± Honored Consort Xia did not seem to want to further continue this topic, and Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t think that it was good to have a deep talk with someone unfamiliar, so she raised another topic cleverly.

    ¡°You know Senior Nun Jing Kong, Consort Ning?¡± Honored Consort Xia had two more low coughs, then she raised her head, and asked with some interest smilingly, ¡°Not everyone in the pce knows Senior Nun Jing Kong!¡±

    ¡°I participated in the Beauty Contest held in the pce previously, and I met Senior Nun Jing Kong at that time,¡± Ning Xueyan said with a light smile. She could not hide it from others because many people knew it. Besides, the fate of marriage between Ao Chenyi and her seemed to have been raised by Senior Nun Jing Kong first.

    ¡°Senior Nun Jing Kong is proficient in Buddha dharma. When I came here today, I suddenly remembered a few past experiences. I was very sad, so I especially invited Senior Nun Jing Kong toe here and asked her to straighten out my wrong thinking, but I didn¡¯t expect to meet you by chance, Consort Ning. Indeed, we have a very strong predestined rtionship.¡±

    As gentle as ever, Honored Consort Xia made a soft sound with a smile in it, which could give others a very good impression.

    As for the predestined rtionship, Ning Xueyan felt very speechless. Others always said that Honored Consort Xia was very mysterious and almost never appeared in the public eye. She had never attended the festivals of the pce or the birthday of the emperor, and even not every one of the other concubines in the pce might have met her.

    Therefore, she was said to be mysterious.

    But it was so coincidental today. When she came to the pce to extend her gratitude for kindness for the first time, she met her identally. It was fair to im that the power of fate was truly so great.

    She pped her long eyshes once and had a trace of confusion in her eyes, but when she raised her head again, she had put on a smile and said with some respect politely, ¡°Your Highness, you have too many worries on your mind, but if you can let go of some obsessions, maybe this illness will be much eased.¡±

    She took this matter on its merits, so these words could not be counted as something so close. Anyone could see that although Honored Consort Xia was smiling, she curled her eyebrows from time to time as if she was heaving sighs and had emotional entanglements. When she also recalled that the consort had paid a special visit to Senior Nun Jing Kong, she could find that thisdy¡¯s worries were exceptionally many.

    ¡°As for some things, it¡¯s not that as long as you want to let go of them, you can let them go.¡± Honored Consort Xia did not deny it, nor did she admit it. Instead, she only heaved a light sigh, with bitterness in it.

    Ning Xueyan did not know how to answer her. No matter what past experience Honored Consort Xia cared about was, it did not seem that she, who had just met her for the first time, should say anything about it. Besides, this was the pce. Ning Xueyan always thought that she could never get involved in the past experiences of a favored concubine who could survive in the pce and live unharmed in it to this day.

    She¡¯d better not interfere, so as to avoid those unnecessary troubles.

    If she were herself in the previous life, maybe she would further ask about it unconsciously after hearing these few words of Honored Consort Xia.

    But if she was still so naive after going through such a miserable death, she would perhaps end up 100 times more miserable in this life than in her previous life.

    So, after entering the pce, she had been keeping alert, trying to avoid talking. Now she still held this idea. Therefore, when she appeared to be servile and submissive, she only gave a light smile, pretended to listen carefully, rubbed the handkerchief in her hand, but did not say anything anymore.

    Honored Consort Xia did not seem to expect that Ning Xueyan would stop asking further. For a while, it was quiet. In this small quiet ce, only wind swept past, and the falling sound of petals was heard.

    An awkward silence appeared between the two of them.

    ¡°You¡¯d better go back and take a rest, Your Highness. By now, the herbs must have been boiled well. If you don¡¯t take the herb soup when it is warm, its effect won¡¯t be good,¡± a pce maid standing beside Honored Consort Xia took two steps forward and persuaded in a whisper in her ear.

    ¡°I¡¯m not in a hurry. Let me chat with Consort Ning for a few more moments and then leave,¡± Honored Consort Xia coughed twice in a low sound and said.

    ¡°Your Highness, if you go back to take the medicine in a while, the emperor will punish me when he asks about it.¡± The pce maid was worried and had anxieties on her face, looking panicky and fearful. It was indeed terrifying for the present emperor to daily ask about a concubine¡¯s condition of taking medicine.

    ¡°You¡¯d better go back and take the medicine first, Your Highness. Your health is the most important thing. If there is an opportunity in the future, we can meet again.¡± Ning Xueyan had to persuade her. Anyway, she did not want to hear the charge that this favored consort dyed taking medicine because of her. Remembering the nervous look of the emperor, she knew that Honored Consort Xia deserved the title of the favored consort.

    ¡°All right, then!¡± Facing the persuasion of the two people, Honored Consort Xia, who seemed to be a person of soft character, rose to her feet helplessly. ¡°I don¡¯t know why when I see you, Consort Ning, I seem to see an old friend of the past. Your eyes so resemble the eyes of the person. If you have free time in the future, Consort Ning, you cane to see me. Few people visit my ce in normal times, and I feel very lonely.¡±

    Honored Consort Xia looked at Ning Xueyan gently and smiled softly, looking quite cordial.

    ¡°Definitely. If I have a chance, I will surelye to visit you, Your Highness.¡± Since thedy had said so, Ning Xueyan certainly could not refuse her anymore. She stood up and spoke politely.

    ¡°Then I¡¯m going back now. If you are free, you cane to see me. Consort Ning, chatting with you is very interesting, but you also seem to have problems with your health. I have many herbs in my ce, and you can pick up some you can use and take them back by then.¡± Honored Consort Xia seemed very satisfied with the answer of Ning Xueyan and then especially added a few more words before she left with the pce maids and mammies.

    Another little eunuch removed the tea set on the stone table nimbly.

    This small ce became quiet immediately.

    ¡°Mistress, Her Highness Honored Consort Xia looks very nice!¡± Without outsiders present, Lanning could not help whispering, ¡°If she were not in the pce, I would not believe that she is also an imperial consort.¡±

    It seemed that every imperial consort in the pce was very arrogant, including the two young imperial consorts who were thrown into the Cold Pce previously, these few imperial consorts who treated them coldly, as well as the empress who had been focusing on chatting with Commandery Princess Xianyun, and even Honored Consort Ya and Honored Consort Shu whom Lanning saw at the party she attended with Ning Xueyan previously.

    These women seemed not good-natured, and only Honored Consort Xia was amiable and approachable. She talked softly and had been smiling, looking so gentle that she got a good temperament.

    Ning Xueyan sat down heavily, had swells of light beneath her long eyshes, raised the corners of the light-colored lips slightly, and whispered, ¡°Do you think Honored Consort Xia can get the favor and live unharmed in the pce if she is indeed in poor health and is so soft and gentle?¡±

    In her previous life, she was very soft, willing to believe everything and thinking that everything was true, but what was her final result?

    Even those outside the pce were like this, so what about those inside it? It was a ce where so many beautifuldies gathered topete for looks, and then why did she live unharmed only as an imperial consort from the previous dynasty?

    And what made Ning Xueyan suspect most were the words of Senior Nun Jing Kong. She, who had met Senior Nun Jing Kong, would never believe that the nun talked irresponsibly. If so, the meaning of her words was really worth much pondering.

    ¡°Shall we go back, Mistress? It¡¯ste now.¡± Lanning reminded her. Just now, both the mistress and her servant talked about it briefly. Since this was the pce, if they were heard talking about imperial consorts wantonly, the news would be unpleasant to the ear if it was spread. And this ce seemed not to be so closed as they imagined.

    Looking out from here, they seemed to only see branches full of flowers, which blocked the road that they hade from, but just now, they clearly heard the cry of Honored Consort Xia and whispersing from this side.

    This was truly a good ce¡ªvoices could be heard, but no souls could be seen.

    ¡°Go, let¡¯s go back.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded. When they came all the way here, they spent a lot of time. Then, they came here and exchanged a few words with Honored Consort Xia. If the empress and Commandery Princess Xianyun had anything intimate to say to each other, they should have finished. Lunchtime wasing soon. Perhaps, the empress had sent someone to look for her.

    The two of them returned from the path where they hade from. When she had left the small unique ce, Ning Xueyan looked back and realized that she could not see it from here. Unexpectedly, there was a hidden ce in here. If she had not been guided just now, Ning Xueyan did not think that she would have found it, and she would only have thought that she had just reached the end of the path.

    Stricken by some idea, she could not help taking one more look at it before she walked away with Lanning slowly.

    In the depths of the peach grove, Honored Consort Xia, who did not leave, leaned on the branches of a peach tree, having two low coughs and looking thoughtfully at Ning Xueyan¡¯s leaving back with an unknown meaning.

    ¡°Your Highness, let¡¯s go back to the pce to take the medicine first. These days, your illness has not improved, and it has even be a bit more serious. If this continues, what should we do about your health!¡± Her close pce maid Yan Zhen, who felt sorry for her, put on a cloak on her and persuaded her.

    ¡°She so resembles the person indeed!¡± As if she had not heard the persuasion, Honored Consort Xia still firmly stared at the direction where Ning Xueyan had disappeared, and mumbled.

    ¡°You¡¯d better go back first, Your Highness. Whether she resembles anyone or not, it has nothing to do with us. Your health is the most important thing, Your Highness. If the emperor finds that you haven¡¯t taken the medicine in a while, he will definitely get angry!¡± Yan Zhen didn¡¯t understand what Honored Consort Xia was talking about. After looking at the direction where Ning Xueyan had disappeared, she still couldn¡¯t help persuading her earnestly.

    ¡°I can¡¯t live vigorously or die, so what¡¯s the meaning of living!¡± Honored Consort Xia gave a wry smile and had a little pain on her face, but then she could not bear it and bend down to cough severely. Immediately, Yan Zhen stroked her back to ease her coughing.

    Finally, she regained her normal breath and rubbed the corner of her mouth with her handkerchief. ¡°Go and investigate Consort Ning and her family situation.¡±

    Having been living in the forbidden pce, she hardly knew anything about the previous dynasty!

 Chapter 503 - The Relationship Between the Empress and Commandery Princess Xianyun

    <strong>Chapter 503 The Rtionship Between the Empress and Commandery Princess Xianyun</strong>

    When Ning Xueyan returned to the Chenyuan Pce of the empress with Lanning, she happened to meet the pce servant sent by the empress to look for her.

    When it was eating time, the emperor reappeared in the Chenyuan Pce with Ao Chenyi. Everyone took their seats, and a happy family banquet was held. This time, not only Honored Consort Ya and Honored Consort Shu but also Third Prince and Fourth Prince hade here.

    Rarely, Honored Consort Ya and Honored Consort Shu were cordial this time. Not only did Commandery Princess Xianyun receive their kindness, but even Ning Xueyan also received lots of kindness from them. If it were not for the fact that Ning Xueyan had met Honored Consort Ya and Honored Consort Shu before and knew that they did not like her, now she would think that she was truly agreeable.

    After the banquet, Ao Chenyi took her and Commandery Princess Xianyun to bid goodbye to the emperor and the empress and then left.

    Their carriages were parked outside just in the same order they used when they came here. The carriage at the head was Ao Chenyi¡¯s, which had arge frame and ornate curtains, and the carriages that followed were Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s and Ning Xueyan¡¯s. Compared with Ao Chenyi¡¯s carriage, theirs were much more inconspicuous but still quite ornate.

    Ao Chenyi stopped in front of his carriage, and the two followers stopped involuntarily and looked up at him.

    ¡°I heard you came across Honored Consort Xia?¡± Ao Chenyi nced at Ning Xueyan and asked.

    Ning Xueyan blinked her watery eyes and nodded nkly, but she did not ask Ao Chenyi about how he had learned it. If he did not even know such things, he would not be able to match the present emperor in strength.

    ¡°You, get on the carriage.¡± Ao Chenyi narrowed his eyes, turned around, stepped on the back of the little eunuch, and got on the carriage.

    ¡°Get on the carriage?¡± Ning Xueyan looked around and just saw the suspicious ck jade-like eyes of Commandery Princess Xianyun, which were full of trances just like Ning Xueyan¡¯s.

    ¡°Get on quickly!¡± An impatient cold snort came from the carriage. Ning Xueyan could not wait any longer this time and had to slightly step on the back of the little eunuch kneeing by the carriage with the help of Lanning¡¯s hand.

    She was really not used to stepping on the person¡¯s back, but this carriage of Ao Chenyi was so tall and sorge, much taller than other carriages. Without the help of external forces, she really couldn¡¯t get on the carriage. Besides, the man in the carriage seemed very impatient.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun was standing by the carriage. When she looked up and saw Ning Xueyan get on the carriage of Ao Chenyi, she had suspicions in her eyes again. No wonder, Prince Yi asking Ning Xueyan to him at this time was for the thing that Ning Xueyan came across Honored Consort Xia. For Commandery Princess Xianyun, she only heard of this favored mysterious consort in the pce but had never met her.

    Even when she mentioned this person to the empress out of curiosity in the past, the empress changed the topic every time. This showed how mysterious Honored Consort Xia was! But Ning Xueyan met such a mysterious person the first time she entered the pce. Indeed, this was unspeakably weird. So, Prince Yi had summoned Ning Xueyan and went to ask about the situation and interrogate her!

    As she thought about it, Commandery Princess Xianyun turned around and went to the carriage behind this one, got on the carriage, and leaned against the side of the carriage box, pondering it quietly. ¡°What does the appearance of Honored Consort Xia mean? Does the empress know it? I heard that Honored Consort Xia has extraordinary life experience, but those in the ce don¡¯t know about her or just avoid talking about her...¡±

    Inside the carriage in front, Ning Xueyan was not being interrogated by Ao Chenyi as Commandery Princess Xianyun had thought.

    In therge carriage box almost twice the size of a regr one, Ao Chenyi sat reclining on the couch and instantly took Ning Xueyan who had juste to his arms. Ning Xueyan struggled a little but did not break free, and then she blushed and stopped struggling.

    ¡°Tell me about Honored Consort Xia!¡± Ao Chenyi was satisfied to see Ning Xueyan¡¯s obedient and likable look. Since the ¡°little wild cat¡± was married to him, such behavior had indeed be more and more natural, and she did not make the previous threatening gestures anymore. With the soft, warm, and enticing beauty in his arms now, he was naturally quite satisfied.

    ¡°Have you met Honored Consort Xia, prince?¡± Ning Xueyan asked unconsciously.

    ¡°Not in the pce, but I know her.¡± Ao Chenyi raised his eyebrows and said without caring about it so much. Then he took out a few dishes of exquisite desserts from under the table beside the couch and put them on the table. ¡°You didn¡¯t eat much just now. If you are hungry, you can have some more of these things, lest that you should not eat enough and get your health damaged.¡±

    Ning Xueyan really didn¡¯t eat enough in the pce just now. Since the emperor and the empress sat there and so many imperial consorts watched her, how could she eat well? She just picked a few things with her chopsticks to show that she ate something, and then she just silently sat there, listening to them.

    At that time, Ao Chenyi and the emperor were discussing the affair of Annan, and he seemed to have a small dispute with the emperor. So, she did not expect that he would notice her at that time. Thus, she had a trace of warm softness in her heart.

    She raised her head involuntarily and just saw the pair of thin, long beautiful eyes, where her reflection was clearly seen. Suddenly, ripples appeared in the water there. She could hardly believe that such a light smile would appear in this pair of eyes, which were no longer bitterly cold or mercilessly bloodthirsty, or contained any ferociousness.

    She had an inexplicable panic and subconsciously turned away from the ck jade-like watery eyes as if she had discovered some secret. Her long eyshes were slightly shaken twice, and her jade-white ears turned red. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know what Honored Consort Xia said to me, prince?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not anxious to know what Honored Consort Xia said, but I think it should be that she befriended you!¡± Ao Chenyi moved her palm and raised her head, with a smile in his half-narrowed eyes, showing that he felt veryfortable, both physically and mentally.

    Forced, Ning Xueyan had to see his handsome face, and the joking expression with a faint smile on that face really made her feel very ufortable. Although she was ashamed and annoyed, she was unusually bold. She pushed away his handsome face and said seriously on purpose, ¡°We are talking about serious business, prince!¡±

    Ao Chenyi held her moving hand with his hand and looked at her evilly. Knowing that she was ashamed and annoyed, he did not provoke her anymore. ¡°I am listening. Had the empress been cold to you in the pce today?¡±

    Seeing that he did not especially force her to raise her eyes again this time, Ning Xueyan became a little normal, blinking her watery eyes and slightly frowning. ¡°Prince, I heard that the empress and Commandery Princess Xianyun are rtives, and the princess is a family member of Empress Dowager¡¯s parents, so it is normal for the empress to be a little close to her, but the empress seems not to be a talkative person.¡±

    The person did not talk much, but she and Commandery Princess Xianyun conversed for so long, and the others could not even intervene. Ning Xueyan felt that it was strange subconsciously. ¡°Although Commandery Princess Xianyun is a family member of Empress Dowager¡¯s parents and she and the empress are rtives, it is impossible for Her Highness the Empress to be so close to her.¡±

    ¡°What kind of person do you think the empress is?¡± Ao Chenyi chuckled lightly and rxed his restraint on Ning Xueyan, which made her heave a sigh of relief. Hurriedly, she went to the side and sat down. The feeling of being close to him was never like the one he usually had with his cold personality. When she was held to his chest just now, his heartbeat appeared calmly in her ears, causing her entire face to burn.

    Seeing that she instantly left him in a panic like a small frightened deer, Ao Chenyi did not force her and handed her a piece of cake. He could not act too anxiously, lest that she should be scared away. Anyway, she had married him and could not escape at all. He did not have to be anxious.

    These words freed Ning Xueyan from her ashamed and annoyed emotions. She brushed away the ck hair that fell on her face, subconsciously took the cake that Ao Chenyi handed over, bit it lightly, and muttered while pondering it, ¡°The empress should be a dignified, sedate person, and she should be someone who is impartial to others, at least on the surface.¡±

    ¡°Will such a person be so affectionate with Xianyun in front of others but treat you indifferently?¡± Ao Chenyi reminded her.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes brightened as if she had thought some things through. She swallowed the cake in her mouth, ready to say something, but she coughed severely because she swallowed it too quickly. Suddenly, a long hand appeared before her eyes with a cup of tea in it. This was what she needed. Then, she took the teacup and instantly took two mouthfuls before she breathed normally.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so fast! Speak slowly!¡± Ao Chenyi took the empty cup from her hand, touched her head by taking the chance, and said with a faint smile.

    Ning Xueyan blushed again and even felt that she did not dare to look at those deep eyes. Hurriedly, she had two low coughs again and then raising her head, said, ¡°Do you mean that Commandery Princess Xianyun and the empress have a very close rtionship and this close rtionship is not just the one we see on the surface, prince?¡±

    ¡°Otherwise, how can the thing that the empress treated me coldly for the good of Princess Xianyun be exined?

    ¡°If the empress had such a calm character, she would have exchanged a few more words with me, at least on the surface, and she would not have sent me out to visit the garden. Anyone with a discerning eye will know whether this treatment was close or not at first nce. It is almost clear that she stood in line with Commandery Princess Xianyun.¡±

    Ning Xueyan was a cautious person. Previously, the matter of the two young imperial consorts had given her a few suspicions. ¡°At first nce, anyone would know that the two imperial consorts who newly arrived in the pce were those who were unable to see the fitness of things. Theoretically, such people should not have appeared in the pce of the empress today.¡±

    ¡°But they did appear. Not only did they appear, but they also satirized me. If Ao Chenyi had not protected me, I would have been the one who was bombarded speechless by their questions. If I had had such a w the first time I entered the ce to visit the emperor and empress, I would always be ashamed when I go to the pce in the future.

    ¡°It seems that the empress did not mean to intervene at all and only focused on conversing with Commandery Princess Xianyun, so she paid little attention to me. Due to this reason, the two imperial consorts satirized me unscrupulously. Of course, Commandery Princess Xianyun did not have time to defend me also for the same reason. That was the imperial pce. Even if I had really been humiliated so much that I could not show my face, others would not me Commandery Princess Xianyun.¡±

    Besides, Ning Xueyan believed that Commandery Princess Xianyun would have made a pointless exnation for her in the end. But if she had been humiliated, it would have made no difference whether these words had been said or not.

    ¡°The rtionship between the empress and Xianyun is indeed unusual. From now on, I will leave all the affairs of the inner courtyard to you. Yan¡¯er, I hope you won¡¯t let me down.¡± Seeing that Ning Xueyan had thought it through, Ao Chenyi smiled and looked at her with a deep meaning.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, prince. I will guard the backyard of the prince¡¯s mansion for you carefully,¡± Ning Xueyan said immediately.

    ¡°Not for me, but for us...for the two of us...¡± Ao Chenyi narrowed his eyes slightly and had afortable smile as the corners of his handsome lips were raised. Then he reached out his hand, but before Ning Xueyan realized it, he had again taken her to his arms, and his clear, happyughter sounded in her ears.

 Chapter 504 - Telling Hearts by Interlocking Fingers

    <h4>Chapter 504 Telling Hearts by Interlocking Fingers</h4>

    ¡°Are you afraid of staying with me?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s... tolerable!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯m with you!¡± There was a touch of light pampering in thezy voice, giving her ears an extremity andfortable numbness, which were light, but Ning Xueyan could make them out because they were the feelings that she desired but could not get, so she was exceptionally sensitive to them. Inexplicably, she did not avoid his hand but held it this time.

    As for the situation of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, she had already made a guess before getting married: As a backyard where there was no mistress but there were so many concubines sent from the pce or even a few others taken in by Ao Chenyi, it was impossible for it to be not messy; besides, Commandery Princess Xianyun, who had bad intent, would also be here, so all the things in this ce would bepletely messed up.

    No matter how much she wanted to keep them in order, she could not make it, so she had a little pain in her heart inexplicably. It was said that his mother died quite early. After thete emperor died, he had been living alone until now!

    Lying in his arms, she raised her head to look at him and saw some smiles in the pair of cold eyes where there seemed to be ripples. His eyes were extremely beautiful, and he stared at her with a slightly pampering attitude, which even softened her flesh and soul somewhat so that her long eyshes quivered twice.

    ¡°From now on, the prince¡¯s mansion will be our home. It is yours and also mine! Are you willing to be with me forever?¡± The pitch of Ao Chenyi¡¯s voice was not high. At this moment, he no longer needed to call himself Prince of Yours, and he even had a light smile, but Ning Xueyan knew he was sincere.

    In her previous life, she loved Xia Yuhang silently, relied on him, and wanted to marry him with great joy, for as soon as she entered the capital and met him, she clearly knew that she would spend the rest of her life with this man, and he was also gentle to her. Just at that time, that was what Ning Ziying, who had lost all her family members, needed most.

    When her parents died, Ning Ziying, who was simple-minded and had been living in the backyard, immediately lost the direction in life. So, Xia Yuhang, who appeared at this time, was just like the lighthouse on her way, and the two of them also had a betrothal. The moment she met Xia Yuhang, Ning Xueyan thought that she had found a family member.

    Then she naturally stayed with Xia Yuhang wholeheartedly. To keep the little warmth the family member gave her, she, who had felt that the rtionship between Chen Hexiang and Xia Yuhang was not ordinary, did not say anything. Even when she was pushed into the water by Chen Hexiangter and almost lost her life, she did not have the slightest wish to me Xia Yuhang.

    Unexpectedly, she gave all her feelings to the wrong person in her previous life.

    Having gone through the experience in her previous life, she originally thought that she would not love anyone anymore and only wanted to spend the rest of her life peacefully after taking revenge.

    But she had no choice but to bring herself to him, and she even seemed to have gradually fallen in love with the man opposite her.

    Arrogant and domineering, he, Prince Yi, had a reputation for Bloodthirsty Ashura.

    He had overwhelming power in the realm, and he was cold, but now he made her have some warmth.

    Marrying twodies at the same time was aimed at raising her status. After that, he used the nonexistent favored concubine to stop her from being the target of others. Surely, this was the overall situation he had dealt with.

    Just now in the pce of the empress, when he conversed with the emperor, he did not even forget to keep an eye on her and see whether she ate enough or not. This was one of the small aspects...

    She knew that she did have an interest in him. She did not know when this man had gradually entered her heart with his evilness, craziness, coldness, and harshness.

    She knew that falling in love with such a man would bring her more troubles. It was fair to im that she would be treading on thin ice.

    He was Prince Yi, who was the crown younger brother of the emperor but did not have the real power he deserved. More seriously, even the crown younger brother¡¯s identity was not approved by the emperor, for he wanted to choose one of his sons to seed to the throne, but Prince Yi was his obstacle. That was to say, Prince Yi must be eliminated first before the emperor¡¯s son could seed to the throne.

    So, his status was at stake!

    If he failed, he woulde to a bad end.

    But now she had be a member of his Prince Yi¡¯s Manor and fallen in love with him. No matter how rational she was, she could not control this feeling.

    She bit her lips, lowered her eyes, and nodded imperceptibly. The look in her eyes was so shy that she did not dare to look at him, and she only felt that she was burning in his arms.

    Ao Chenyi¡¯s eyes brightened instantly. A splendid smile appeared in his thin, long beautiful eyes. Although he said it quite naturally just now as if he had everything in control, he could not suppress the desire from the bottom of his heart at this moment. Finally, his ¡°little wild cat¡± was willing to sincerely build a family with him.

    He held Ning Xueyan¡¯s slim waist tightly, and his lips moved down lightly, in a way that waspletely different from his usual arrogant and ferocious manner. Instead, he moved quite gently and lightly as if she were a fragile piece of porcin. Quite lovingly, he kissed her face, then her lips...

    Ning Xueyan did not know what kind of feeling this was. In the previous life, she and Xia Yuhang abided by the feudal code of ethics quite seriously. Even holding hands was only asional, so she had never experienced such a thing. She only felt that her heartbeat was quickening so much that her heart could almost rush out of her chest uncontrobly, and his heart also beat in the same way.

    It also beat fanatically, violently...

    After a long time, he finally let go of Ning Xueyan, kissed her softly on the cheek, and then fell back with her onto the couch. Suddenly, heughed. Although theughter was not high-pitched, it was extremely joyful. The sound suggested that he was in an extremely good mood, while Ning Xueyan blushed, not daring to look at his evil eyes.

    Red-faced, she pushed him and pretending to be solemn, said, ¡°Tell me about Honored Consort Xia, prince.¡±

    ¡°Honored Consort Xia? You have to be on your guard against her, quite cautiously.¡± Ao Chenyi stoppedughing and suddenly became serious, a trace of coldness appearing and vanishing in his eyes. Then he held her hand with his and interlocked his fingers with hers.

    ¡°Stay away from her. Try not to care about anything that is rted to her. A damned woman! Does she really think that I don¡¯t know her?¡± Ao Chenyi snorted coldly.

    ¡°You know Honored Consort Xia?¡± Ning Xueyan asked curiously. Ao Chenyi had said before that he had never met Honored Consort Xia. But how could he be so cold to a person whom he had never met? She had already known that Honored Consort Xia was not ordinary, but she did not expect her to have a rtionship with Ao Chenyi, so she was curious.

    ¡°It¡¯s just a damned woman. It¡¯s a pity that the woman still calcted it wrong, and she got nothing in the end.¡± As his chilly attitude turned into ridicule with a faint smile, Ao Chenyi said disdainfully, ¡°When I have timeter, I will tell you about her affairs bit by bit, but I hope you won¡¯t feel disgusted after hearing them.¡±

    ¡°She did invite me to be a guest at her pce today. She asked me to visit her if I had time in the future. She also told me that she was always lonely in her deserted ce, but I heard from the words of the pce maid that the emperor seemed to visit her all the time. She is so favored, but she still talked about emptiness and loneliness.¡±

    Ning Xueyan was really curious. She had never met a woman whom Ao Chenyi gave such ament to. For Ao Chenyi, he always had two choices about dealing with women: killing or not killing. How could he have such a feeling of disgust? Of course, she could see that Ao Chenyi truly disliked Honored Consort Xia.

    ¡°Don¡¯t care about her. She is lonely in her rarely visited room, but she will naturally find ways to solve it. I don¡¯t care what she thinks, but she can¡¯t think about doing anything to you in the end. Otherwise, I will let her die a very terrible death though she is a favored imperial consort,¡± Ao Chenyi said grimly with a fierce look in his eyes.

    These words were terribly unpleasant to the ear, as if to say that Honored Consort Xia did not obey the rules set for women. As for the fierce look on Ao Chenyi¡¯s face, Ning Xueyan was not afraid of it now, and she even gave a smile while listening to him. ¡°What he said is indeed unpleasant to the ear.¡±

    She pulled his hand, showing that she knew it, and she even had a little joy. At first nce, she knew that Honored Consort Xia had some intention. How could someone who never showed up met her and treated her so kindly? She remembered that when she left with Lanning at that time, they met a few pce servants, who said that the scenery there was better...

    ¡°What should I do about the affairs of the mansion?¡± There was no hurry about handling Honored Consort Xia. Anyway, she did not need to go to the pce frequently, and the top priority now was to deal with the affairs of the mansion.

    ¡°Don¡¯t deal with this matter in a hurry. Xianyun won¡¯t bear it.¡± Ao Chenyi touched Ning Xueyan¡¯s dark hair and then patted her on the head. Of course, he would let Ning Xueyan manage the affairs of the house, but now Xianyun was much more justified for it than Ning Xueyan.

    He slightly narrowed his eyes, threw his arm around Ning Xueyan¡¯s waist, and leaned his head against her hair, but a cold tyranny glistened in his eyes. ¡°Xianyun doesn¡¯t think that I know what she did secretly, and she did bad things again and again to my marriage. Pitifully, this marriage is never something that she could get through plots.

    ¡°The reason why I allowed her to be my family member is that if it was not her, it would be someone else who has rtions with the emperor. The status of the person in my fancy is far from enough, and the emperor clearly expressed his idea of intervening in my marriage. Certainly, I can¡¯t expose the person I like to the sunlight.

    ¡°Since someone is willing to stand in front of Yan¡¯er, then let the person be there. Anyway, only one more person lives in the mansion, and only a few more pairs of chopsticks are needed, and Prince Yi¡¯s Mansion can afford to raise the person.

    ¡°But the precondition is that Xianyun must be well-behaved, but look at her now!

    ¡°She even dared to conspire with the empress. It is obvious that my emperor brother likes to see this kind of conspiracy, so he did not intervene at all as if he knew nothing about it.

    ¡°Xianyun really has an ambitious heart! In other words, the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor, the family of Empress Dowager¡¯s parents, has never given up...¡±

    The carriage stopped steadily. With the support of Lanning¡¯s hand, Ning Xueyan got off the carriage. The little eunuch had already knelt beside the carriage, so Ning Xueyan had to lightly step on his back to walk down. Looking back at Ao Chenyi, who stepped down leisurely after her, she thought that she would never want to get on this extremely eye-catching carriage of his next time no matter what happened.

    Not only was the carriage showy, but getting on or off the carriage was also extremely inconvenient.

    When he got out of his carriage, Ao Chenyi, who did not even wait for Commandery Princess Xianyun toe over from behind, strode into the house with a flick of his wide sleeves and an extremely cold smile that appeared on his exquisite lips, followed by arge group of eunuchs and guards. But Ning Xueyan, Lanning, and Commandery Princess Xianyun who had just got off the carriage behind his and looked at him with grievances, were left behind by him.

    Ning Xueyan had to stay. Anyway, Commandery Princess Xianyun was Ao Chenyi¡¯s princess, and it was not good for her to enter with him in this way.

    ¡°Sister, let¡¯s go in.¡± Seeing that Ning Xueyan was waiting for her on the side, Commandery Princess Xianyun was happy. As her eyes glistened, she walked over to affectionately take her hand.

 Chapter 505 - Mother Ruan: Housekeeper of the Inner Courtyard

    <h4>Chapter 505 Mother Ruan: Housekeeper of the Inner Courtyard</h4>

    Ning Xueyan avoided her quietly, smiled, and stepped aside. ¡°Please go first, princess.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. Since we are now members of the prince¡¯s mansion, we should naturally call each other sister, and there is no need to show so much courtesy. During the time you left, I was afraid that you would go the wrong way and especially asked Her Highness the Empress to look for you.¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun, who seemed to be in a good mood, showed that she did not care about what happenedst night at all and deliberately talked to her with a friendly attitude. Her eyes and brows were rxed, and her manner was dignified and generous.

    ¡°Thank you, princess.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded meekly. Knowing that Commandery Princess Xianyun had something to tell her, she walked side by side with Commandery Princess Xianyun sensibly.

    Seeing hering in with her sensibly, Commandery Princess Xianyun showed a slight satisfaction on her face. ¡°Fifth Young Lady Ning seems to have a little good vision. Although I, the princess, did not get a good resultst night, she, the consort, was also defeated by a concubine. Since she bit the corner of her lips so deeply, she must have had so much hatred; otherwise, she would not have bitten herself so hard.

    ¡°It¡¯s good she has anger!¡±

    For Commandery Princess Xianyun, she had made up her mind to deal with this concubine before being married into the mansion. ¡°In the prince¡¯s mansion of mine, I will not allow other women to have a higher position than mine, so I can never let this woman live.

    ¡°Although I can¡¯t let her live, I can¡¯t say it myself. Now it¡¯s good because there is this consort who has ¡®anger¡¯. No matter what happens, I can make her my scapegoat. I canpletely take her as my tool. Since she could even show up in front of others calmly today, I know she is not easy to deal with.

    ¡°That¡¯s just what I want. Let the favored concubine confront Ning Xueyan. I¡¯ll only need to add fuel to the me on the side.¡±

    The two entered the mansion with their own minds, but Ao Chenyi did not leave. Instead, he stayed at the mansion gate, with his hands sped behind his back, waiting there coldly. He looked calm and had luxuries in his elegance, but the look in his eyes was a little cold.

    The two, who did not expect that he had not left, had to take one step forward to respectively salute him and say ¡°prince¡±.

    Ao Chenyi¡¯s narrowed eyes fell on Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s face, making her heart shudder involuntarily. Instantly, she remembered the words of this morning and bowed her head hurriedly.

    ¡°You may stop caring about the affairs of the Fragrance Garden.¡± Ao Chenyi lowered his eyes coldly and looked at Commandery Princess Xianyun, but the corners of his eyes were raised slightly.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun only felt that she had anger in her chest, which she wanted to let out but could not. ¡°I am the princess of the prince¡¯s mansion, but on the first night of my wedding, I could only watch a concubine tantly challenge my authority and take Ao Chenyi away, leaving me, such a princess, to stay alone in the wedding chamber.

    ¡°This is a living example of pping me in the face.

    ¡°How could a woman from a humble background have a higher position than mine?

    ¡°Now Ao Chenyi is even telling me not to care about the affairs of that courtyard.¡±

    ¡°Prince, the Fragrance Garden is part of the inner courtyard of the prince¡¯s mansion, so why don¡¯t you let me manage it? Sister Ning and I have just been married into the prince¡¯s mansion, and we are not clear about so many things in it, but some things can perhaps be rted to the Fragrance Garden. If something is rted to it, do you want me and Sister Ning to care about it or not, prince?¡±

    Commandery Princess Xianyun raised her head and asked as if she did not care. But she had mentioned Ning Xueyan many times in her words, so it seemed that Ao Chenyi now wanted the two of them to lose face.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the affairs of the Fragrance Garden, and just put them into the affairs of the outer courtyard!¡± Ao Chenyi interrupted herzily and then turned and left, even without looking at her, showing that he condescended to stay here only for the sake of defending that concubine and deterring Commandery Princess Xianyun.

    After thinking this through, Commandery Princess Xianyun shook with anger and suddenly became pale and unhappy, but she did not dare to lose her temper. ¡°The man I¡¯m facing is Prince Yi, who has overwhelming power in the realm. Of course, I was married into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor not only because he is Ao Chenyi. If it was only because he is Ao Chenyi, I would perhaps be willing to marry him, but the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor must have been unwilling.

    ¡°Now I have realized my dream, anyway. As a lowly woman, she can¡¯t be sessful. As long as I suppress my anger, it¡¯s okay. Besides, there is Fifth Young Lady Ning! Just now I also put her name into my words.

    ¡°Because of a woman, Ao Chenyi pays little attention to us. Not only I but also Ning Xueyan, the consort, is ashamed, let alone she was obviously ignored by Ao Chenyi just now. With her disposition, Ning Xueyan doesn¡¯t seem like a person who can suppress her angerpletely. Of course, even if she can, there will be times when she can¡¯t.

    ¡°I¡¯m not in a hurry! I don¡¯t believe that with my conditions and scheming, I can¡¯t make Prince Yi fall in love with me.¡±

    ¡°Sister Ning, look, prince, he, s... it¡¯s the two of us who are not lucky after all...¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun turned around and smiled quietly at Ning Xueyan, with a sad expression. ¡°Initially, I thought that sister, you were chosen by the prince himself, so he will love and cherish you a bit, but I did not expect you and me to be the same, s!¡±

    Some quietness appeared and vanished in Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes. ¡°Since we returned to the mansion, Commandery Princess Xianyun has mentioned me again and again in all her words. This was the case just now, and now it is like this again. At first nce, I know what she has been thinking about. She wants to use me as her tool, but I don¡¯t want to jump into the troubled waters.¡± Who was that ¡°concubine¡±? No one knew it better than her.

    ¡°Sister Ning, if you meet anything unsatisfactory in the future, let us sisters solve it together, but the prince... Sister Ning, if you don¡¯t mind, go to my ce and stay there for a while. Chatting will be good for us, and maybe we can let go of our worries.¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun invited her with a smile.

    Anyone who saw this would know that this princess lived a life of grievances. Thinking about it, they would know it was true. Unexpectedly, her wedding night was destroyed by a concubine. No matter who met this condition, she would feel depressed, and she and Ning Xueyan were now in the same pitiful situation. The arrogant and domineering Prince Yi did not sleep in the courtyard of his princess, and of course, he did not sleep in the courtyard of this consort, either.

    And Commandery Princess Xianyun put her in the same position as herself at every moment. Surely, she not only expressed that they were in the same pitiful situation, but also told her that she herself was the princess. Even if she was a little less favored, it was not a big deal in this house, but Ning Xueyan was different because she was only a consort. If she also lost the favor of Prince Yi, it might be a little difficult for her to even do anything in the house.

    Therefore, although both of them were ignored by Ao Chenyi, she, the princess, would obviously live a little better than Ning Xueyan, the consort.

    ¡°Thank you, princess. I went to bedtest night, and I am still a little sleepy now. I will definitely visit you when I have time next time, princess.¡± Ning Xueyan had onlye to the prince¡¯s mansion and knew nothing about it. Besides, she did not want to stay with Commandery Princess Xianyun and be used as a tool by her.

    ¡°Then you may go to rest first, sister. When you are not tired after taking a rest, let¡¯s talk again.¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun did not expect Ning Xueyan to refuse her so simply and became unhappy, but she did not show it on her face. Instead, she nodded with a smile and spoke with a look of concern.

    They would have a lot of time in the future, and this was just the beginning. She did remember these few sisters in the family of Ning Xueyan¡¯s parents. It seemed that none of them behaved themselves, and they did not have good rtionships with her, so the fact should be that they could be easily used...

    When Ning Xueyan returned to the Pear Flower Garden, Mother Han and her fewpanions had cleaned up all her things, and those that should be sorted out had been sorted out. The courtyard had been made spotless.

    Not many servants had been sent to the Pear Flower Garden, and those who managed the courtyard were still those few first maids who followed Mother Han and Ning Xueyan here when Ning Xueyan got married. Those who had been sent here by Prince Yi¡¯s Manor were maids who only did menial jobs. As for these few maids Ning Xueyan brought from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor were maids with a ¡°special profound meaning¡± given by Madam Dowager. They served as the second-ss maids and could not enter Ning Xueyan¡¯s room as they pleased.

    Therefore, when Mother Han told her about the manpower arrangement, Ning Xueyan was very satisfied. Moreover, this ce was far from the courtyard of Commandery Princess Xianyun. For her, this was truly a little more convenient. Since she had just arrived in the prince¡¯s mansion, she could not try to do anything too anxiously. Instead, she had to learn about the situation before doing anything.

    Now she was listening to Mother Han and her fewpanions talking about the affairs of the mansion as she drank the tea made by Qingyu. Mother Han had great achievements today. When they went to the pce before now, Mother Han had already been outside to ask about the situation of the mansion with various excuses. She learned that originally, the housekeeper who managed the inner courtyard of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor was called Mother Ruan. It was said that she was a person released from the pce.

    She seemed to have some rtions with Ao Chenyi¡¯s mother. Since she was released from the pce, she had been managing the inner courtyard for Ao Chenyi.

    Ning Xueyan nodded as she listened. Everyone said that the inner courtyard of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor was in a mess, but the current situation showed that it was not exactly so. Otherwise, how could nothing have had happened when so many beautifuldies of the pce were sent here? Mother Ruan, who managed the domestic affairs, should be Ao Chenyi¡¯s confidant.

    While they were talking, someone outside reported, ¡°Mother Ruan is here.¡±

    Ning Xueyan put down her teacup and said with a smile, ¡°Let her in.¡±

    Qingyu hurriedly went out to invite the guest. After a while, an older female servant, who looked like an older female servant in her 40s or 50s, came in and looked at Ning Xueyan. First, she called her ¡°mistress¡± cordially, and then she was about to kowtow.

    But Ning Xueyan hurriedly reached out her hands and stopped her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t stand on ceremony, Mother Ruan. I am a neer to the prince¡¯s mansion, and I have no knowledge of so many things. If I did anything wrong, please point it out for me, Mother Ruan. I will correct it.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled softly and asked Qingyu to bring a brocade-covered stool to Mother Ruan. Since she was the confidant of Ao Chenyi, Ning Xueyan could not aggrieve her, of course.

    ¡°Mistress, you are so courteous. My master has told me, your old ve, that no matter what you want to eat or use, just tell me, and I will make your wishes fulfilled. I also beg you not to be so courteous, mistress. From on now, this will be your home. The prince is busy, so sometimes he may not notice what you need. If that happens, please don¡¯t mind.¡±

    Mother Ruan looked at Ning Xueyan with satisfaction. After looking her up and down, she became even happier for her prince. Her prince had shown a very gentle air, though she did not know when he started it. Although the air was very light, she, who watched Ao Chenyi grow up, could see that her prince¡¯s attitude to this consort was different, so she called Ning Xueyan ¡°mistress¡± as soon as she came to her.

    In her heart, Mother Ruan never identified with the princess who had evil intentions.

    Initially, she thought that the prince had been taking the past experiences to heart, so he remained unmarried, and Mother Ruan was extremely worried. Eunuch Ling¡¯s hair and hers had almost turned white because of the worry.

    Now it was okay. The prince finally thought it through a little bit, and he even reminded her of paying more attention to the Pear Flower Garden and checking what it wascking in. After thinking about it for a long time, Mother Ruan and Housekeeper Ling finally realized it. Now when she saw Ning Xueyan, how could she not beam with joy?

 Chapter 506 - Commandery Princess Xianyunâ€™s Invitation

    <h4>Chapter 506 Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s Invitation</h4>

    Mother Ruan didn¡¯t stay long in the Pear Flower Garden. Having stopped by Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s Great Wisdom Garden earlier, visiting Ning Xueyan¡¯s courtyard was considered part of her job as the steward of the inner courtyard. Today, she had managed to meet the two new mistresses of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    Everything in the manor had been taken care of and there was nothing wrong with the inner courtyard either. Besides, with the Princess around, Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t think that any task wouldnd on her hands. She decided to hide in her room and take afortable nap.

    She thought that she might develop insomnia after moving to a new ce but she quickly got used to her new environment and was able to sleep well. Back when she was nursing her health in the Bright Frost Garden, her doctor had advised her to take frequent naps. Sleeping more would help her regte her already weak body.

    So, Ning Xueyan developed a napping habit!

    To her surprise, she slept particrly soundly after just turning over the pillow once or twice.

    Two hours had passed by the time she woke up.

    ¡°Master, the Princess has sent her maid to invite you to her ce. I told her that you¡¯re taking your nap because of your poor health. Surprisingly, she¡¯s very understanding and said that you can head to the Great Wisdom Garden once you¡¯re awake. The Princess wants to discuss some household matters with you.¡±

    Lanning came over to help her stand and freshen up.

    Princess Commandery Xianyun wanted to talk to her about some household matters? Ning Xueyan frowned. It was her first day in the manor and she was still unfamiliar with many things. She didn¡¯t want to y along with the Princess and waste her time and effort.

    ¡°Was that all her maid said?¡± Ning Xueyan asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Lanning hesitated for a moment before putting a smile on her face. ¡°The maid didn¡¯t actuallye in. She was stopped at the door by the two eunuchs, who told her that you¡¯re usually sleeping at this hour. They said that this is the master¡¯s rule and that no maid is allowed to enter and disturb you. There was a little argument between them and I had to go out to talk to the maid.¡±

    There was such a rule at the manor? Ning Xueyan was initially dumbstruck but a smile soon appeared on her face. Before she and the Princess entered the manor, he was the only master of the manor. To think that he would just lie about having a napping habit. Even if the Princess wanted to kick up a fuss about this matter, she couldn¡¯t.

    Now that she thought about it, would Ao Chenyi have such a habit? He was such a busy person, with so many departments under his control to boot. He didn¡¯t seem like a person who would have a napping habit. Still, he had already admitted as such, so the Princess naturally wouldn¡¯t doubt him.

    ¡°Tell her that I¡¯m unwell and need more rest. Once I feel better, I¡¯ll visit the Princess again,¡± Ning Xueyan said expressionlessly. After allowing Lanning to put her hair up in a simple bun, she leaned sideways on the couch and started reading a book.

    No matter what the Princess was up to, she knew it wasn¡¯t a good idea to get involved at this time. Although she had promised Ao Chenyi to help him manage his inner courtyard, now was clearly not the best time.

    After all, she had just fainted before entering the manor yesterday, making itpletely reasonable for her to be in poor health. It might be an excuse if it came out of others¡¯ mouths, but if it came from her, people would just say that she was frail.

    Lanning was the one who went to the Great Wisdom Garden to pass on the message. After entering the courtyard, she stood in the corridor as per the rules and waited for the Princess to summon her. She didn¡¯t wait for long before a maid invited her in.

    Inside the room, an elegant-looking Commandery Princess Xianyun was sitting in a chair while drinking tea. When she saw Lanninging in, she went out of her way to ask after Ning Xueyan¡¯s health in a kind manner.

    ¡°Your Highness, yesterday... my mistress has truly hurt her health yesterday. She woke up early this morning too, and she can longer take it anymore. She is a little out of it after napping and we have to feed her pills that we¡¯ve prepared. She won¡¯t being here this time so as to not spread the illness to you. Once she feels better, she¡¯ll surelye here to greet you, Your Highness.¡±

    Lanning¡¯s words were polite. Although she had stammered a little, it was only natural that a maid was hesitant to speak about her mistress¡¯ affairs so openly. Ning Xueyan had even fainted before her wedding ceremony yesterday. It was quite a shameful thing to happen right before her marriage.

    Naturally, the Princess was well-aware of yesterday¡¯s event as well. Upon hearing that Ning Xueyan was too ill toe over, she frowned. ¡°To think that Sister Ning¡¯s health would have deteriorated to this point. Should we summon the manor¡¯s physician?¡±

    There were two physicians in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. One of them stayed with Ao Chenyi at all times, following him wherever he went, to ensure that he wouldn¡¯t suffer from a sudden illness outbreak. The other stayed in the manor.

    The two imperial physicians were awarded by the previous Emperor when he was still alive.

    ¡°My mistress said that there¡¯s no need to trouble you, Your Highness. It¡¯s her old illness acting up and she¡¯s been having these problems since her childhood. She has recovered from a lot of her illnesses, but she still often feels weak. She¡¯ll be devoid of energy if she tires herself even just a little, but she¡¯ll get better after a few days of rest,¡± Lanning said, repeating Ning Xueyan¡¯s response.

    When she nced at the Princess¡¯ expression, she felt surprised that her mistress was right. The Princess was indeed determined to force her mistress toe out.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s response left the Princess with no room to argue. Ning Xueyan¡¯s health was notoriously poor, and after what had happened yesterday, everyone in the manor understood that the mistress of the Pear Flower Garden was a frail one. The Princess had also seen her earlier.

    Although Ning Xueyan¡¯splexion had improved, her face and even her lips were still paler than most people. It took just one nce at her to know that her health was poor.

    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll let Sister Ning have a good rest then. Go back and tell your mistress that she muste to my ce once she recovers. That¡¯ll put my heart to ease, too,¡± the Princess said softly, appearing as if she was truly concerned about Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± Lanning nodded and respectfully curtsied to the Princess before leaving the room. Xiangrong went out of her way to see her off at the door.

    After leaving Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s Great Wisdom Garden, she slowly disappeared at the intersection of the road under Xiangrong¡¯s watchful eyes.

    Once she had disappeared out of sight, Xiangrong returned to the room and found her mistress contemting while sipping the cup of tea in her hand.

    ¡°Your Highness, Consort Ning isn¡¯t willing toe here. What should we do next?¡± Xiangrong asked quietly, taking a careful look at the Princess¡¯ face. Consort Ning had neither a proper status in the manor nor the favor of the prince. Since it was the Princess¡¯ invitation, she thought that the unwell consort would surelye, even if she had to crawl here.

    After all, the Princess had extended an olive branch to her!

    Unexpectedly, the consort didn¡¯t know how to appreciate such favor and ended up ruining the Princess¡¯ ns instead.

    Qiuhuan couldn¡¯t help but try to persuade her mistress. ¡°Your Highness, why don¡¯t we wait for a while? These things can¡¯t be rushed. Who knows, the Prince mighte over tonight. By then, you can do whatever you want with justification.¡±

    The fact that Ao Chenyi had visited his concubine in the Fragrance Garden instead of the Princess on their wedding night had made her position in the manor rocky, but she would be to reaffirm her status if he came here tonight.

    Ao Chenyiing over? The Princess¡¯ eyes became filled with anger. Judging from Ao Chenyi¡¯s words this morning, she knew that he wouldn¡¯t being over. She had also spoken privately to the Empress today; the Empress told her that once someone like Ao Chenyi developed malice towards someone, it would take some time for him to change his mind.

    He was suspecting her just because she was Commandery Princess Xianyun, ady from the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor and the Empress¡¯ niece! This made her feel both helpless and furious.

    In the past, she was very satisfied with her title of Commandery Princess. Although her family was declining, it didn¡¯t mean that they wouldn¡¯t rise again in the future. They had once flourished when the Empress Dowager was still around, but such good times didn¡¯tst. She passed away just a few years after bing the Empress Dowager. Later, the honor of her family gradually faded after failing to produce any outstanding talents.

    They were a marquis¡¯ family and the maternal family of the Empress Dowager at that. Few families couldpare to them. As the most outstandingdy of her generation in the family, it was only natural for her to inherit the duty of honoring the family.

    She had married into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor out of her own will. It was also a ce where her family was willing to let her marry into.

    She knew that Ao Chenyi would have misgivings about her identity and that he was disgusted with her because of her confession to the Empress. Still, she truly wanted to marry him. She didn¡¯t want to enter the imperial harem and marry the elderly Emperor.

    Although she was confident that Ao Chenyi would slowly change his mind and fall for her, the process was too long for her. She couldn¡¯t afford to wait anymore upon realizing that everything was an endless loop.

    If she wanted to win Ao Chenyi¡¯s heart, she must let him discover how great she was, such as her generosity and management methods. She would make him feel that she was the only one worthy of standing beside him, taking on the world side by side with him. Only she could keep his inner courtyard, even his harem, harmonious for him.

    The first step was the most important, and this step had been perfectly delivered to her. How could she not ept it?

    If she didn¡¯t take this chance, would Ao Chenyi think that she had no means or ability? Would he think that she couldn¡¯t even manage the inner courtyard, much less aplish other things?

    It had only been a day that Ao Chenyi hadn¡¯t visited her courtyard. The people in the manor were still watching and wouldn¡¯t dare to ignore her. She decided that she must use this chance to demonstrate her might and earn the respect of the manor¡¯s servants. That way, even if Ao Chenyi would never visit her again, the servants wouldn¡¯t dare to disrespect her.

    This would also allow Ao Chenyi to witness her capabilities. She believed that he had seen many beauties in his life and wasn¡¯t so shallow that he would judge someone by their appearance. As a person who was ambitious for the world, what hecked the most was a woman who was capable, courageous, and skillful.

    As long as Ao Chenyi wasn¡¯t blind, she believed that he would find her more suitablepared to the consort who was so weak that she would faint at the first sign of tiredness. Moreover, she was also very confident in her appearance. Ning Xueyan was undoubtedly beautiful, but she was still young and so pale too. There was no way that she would win Prince Yi¡¯s favor.

 Chapter 507 - Targeting the Weakest

    <h4>Chapter 507 Targeting the Weakest</h4>

    That was what Commandery Princess Xianyun thought and firmly believed. So, even if Ao Chenyi had been so cold to her this morning, she felt that she had an absolute chance at victory upon calming down.

    She didn¡¯t want to let go of the chance this time. The reason she wanted to get Ning Xueyan involved was so that she would have a scapegoat. If she had gone against Ao Chenyi¡¯s intention, she would pin the me on Ning Xueyan. Besides, he didn¡¯t like the consort anyway. Compared to the Princess that he had just married, it would be easier for him to punish his unfavored consort.

    Of course, if she managed to satisfy Ao Chenyi, she would take all the credit without any guilt. She was the person who proposed the n, after all, and Ning Xueyan was just an observer.

    ¡°Go! Bring the person here so I can hear the story again,¡± she said, gritting her teeth. Things had gone too far. Even if Ning Xueyan wouldn¡¯te, she had no choice but to investigate. The incident had just happened before her eyes and she had allowed too much to pass. If she dragged it out any further, it would make her look incapable. If her investigation bore fruit, she would be able to gain a little more of Ao Chenyi¡¯s respect. Simultaneously, she could also make him recognize his consort as an idle person who would only eat and wait to die¡ªnot at all someone who could benefit him.

    ¡°Your Highness, why don¡¯t we wait a little longer?¡± Qiuhuan was the more careful person of the two. Although it was normal for the Princess to get involved, everything about the manor was unusual. She thought that the Emperor and Empress would admonish Prince Yi for not visiting the Princess yesterday at the pce, but they didn¡¯t even mention a word about it until the very end. Qiuhuan felt that things were different than she had imagined, so she felt the need to remind the Princess.

    ¡°We can¡¯t afford to wait anymore. Bring the person here,¡± the Princess resolutely said, lowering her gaze.

    Seeing her like this, the two maids knew that she had made up her mind and dared not to say anything. Xiangrong stepped aside while Qiuhuan headed to the right wing of the courtyard.

    When Qiuhuan opened the door, she saw a woman dressed in servant clothing sitting anxiously inside. The woman looked up after hearing a noise. Upon seeing Qiuhuan, she immediately stood up and said, ¡°Miss Qiuhuan!¡±

    ¡°Come with me. The Princess has questions for you,¡± Qiuhuan said and led the way. The woman nodded and followed her.

    Lanning watched the older female servant leave with her own eyes. The reason why she noticed the womaning out of the Great Wisdom Garden was that she was far too polite. She kept nodding and bowing to the servants guarding the door as if she didn¡¯t know how to fawn over them.

    She saw that the servants guarding the door were also smiling. Taking special notice of this, she decided to follow the woman.

    She couldn¡¯t very well navigate Prince Yi¡¯s Manor the way she did Lord Protector¡¯s Manor as she was still unfamiliar with the ce. Fortunately, she had always been smart. She pulled aside a maid that was walking past and pointed to the older female servant in front of them. ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± she asked, her voice tinted with surprise. ¡°Why is she discussing our master with other people?¡±

    The young maid that she had stopped appeared to be only 12 or 13 years old. She looked at the older female servant in front and then at Lanning. A look of suspicion appeared on her face as she kept quiet.

    Seeing this, Lanning immediately exined with a smile, ¡°Our master is the Fifth Young Lady Ning from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. She had just married into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.¡±

    The maid immediately understood that Lanning was referring to the consort who had just entered the manor. She saluted Lanning before saying with a smile, ¡°So, you serve Consort Ning. Thatdy in front is a servant in the Bright Garden.¡±

    No one knew what the Prince truly felt about his new consort, so the servants dared not to slight her. Who knew if this consort would earn his favor? Working in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor demanded high intelligence. The most undesirable thing for a servant was to take the wrong stance. A clever servant wouldn¡¯t do so.

    ¡°Who lives in the Bright Garden?¡± Lanning asked in confusion. Her confusion wasn¡¯t a pretense; she truly didn¡¯t know about past events in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. After all, not anyone could inquire about things happening here.

    ¡°The Bright Garden, Jade Garden, and Graceful Garden are homes to the Prince¡¯s concubines. Some were sent by the pce, some by other people, and some chosen by the Prince himself. Either way, all the concubines live in that area. Mother Ruan usually takes care of all of them.¡±

    The concubines that were under the charge of Mother Ruan? Lanning¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°Are all the concubines who kicked up a fuss at the Pear Flower Garden yesterday from the Bright Garden?¡±

    This was her own spection. The incident yesterday wasn¡¯t much trouble as their master had already left with the Prince, leaving only a few of them behind.

    Those concubines made up a fuss in tears all while pushing the me on each other. In the end, it was the Prince who had to settle the matter. Lanning had only received a vague exnation that several concubines were causing trouble but heard nothing more of it. She purposely asked around this morning and heard that the concubines were hit as punishment.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s meeting with the older female servant must be rted to the incident yesterday.

    Lanning appeared so certain that the maid thought that she had already known everything. She looked around with a thoughtful expression before pulling Lanning behind a nearby bush and started exining things to her in a low voice.

    Lanning nodded as she listened, her guard slowly rising.

    After chatting with the maid for a little longer, she hurried back to the Pear Flower Garden.

    She opened the curtain and entered the room to see Ning Xueyan sitting idly inside, knitting pendants with Qingyu with a bored expression.

    In her past life as Ning Ziying, Ning Xueyan knew how to make knotted pendants. She spent most of her life locked in the inner courtyard and had nothing to do better than knot pendants with her maids. It was better than embroidering all day, after all. Ning Ziying personally found knotting pendants much more interesting as well. Right now, she was resuming her old hobby because she was bored and had nothing better to do.

    As soon as Lanning entered the room, she told Ning Xueyan what she had found out. ¡°Master, the Princess met with an older female servant from the Bright Garden earlier. She serves the women who made a fuss at our courtyard yesterday.¡±

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s long eyshes drooped as she knotted her pendant as quietly as a fluttering butterfly. She would only stop moving her hands asionally. When she blinked, hershes would sweep her cheeks like two small fans.

    Qingyu¡¯s hands stopped moving ever since Lanning started speaking, her eyes widened in surprise. She quietly listened to Lanning¡¯s words but her face turned redder the more she listened. She appeared furious. By the time Lanning finally finished her exnation, she said in anger, ¡°Master, they¡¯re indeed targeting the weakest. Why are they so sure that you can¡¯t do anything about them?¡±

    Compared to them, Ning Xueyan¡¯s reaction was much calmer. She continued moving her hands with a smile. She had long known that something was going on with the Princess or she wouldn¡¯t have been summoned there again and again. Sure enough, the Princess had a good reason for the invitation. She had been so busy all morning and none of her maids had the chance to tell her about the incident yesterday.

    This was her first time hearing about what had happenedst night.

    ¡°Are the concubines lying in the Bright Garden right now?¡± Ning Xueyan asked without even looking up.

    ¡°Yes. I heard that they couldn¡¯t get up after being beaten by the Prince. I¡¯ve only heard about it this morning and didn¡¯t think to tell you as the incident had already passed. I didn¡¯t expect there to be follow-up,¡± Qingyu said angrily. She hadn¡¯t gone to the imperial pce with Ning Xueyan and Lanning, so she and Mother Han did hear about the incident.

    Those concubines caused trouble at the consort¡¯s Pear Flower Garden instead of the Princess¡¯ Great Wisdom Garden; they were obviously bullying Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°They must have caused trouble at my ce, thinking that the Prince would be staying in the Princess¡¯ courtyard. They probably wouldn¡¯t dare to cause such a fuss on most days, but the Prince¡¯s wedding must have given them courage. They must think thating here to give me trouble wouldn¡¯t affect the Prince.¡±

    The politics in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor were asplex as she had expected. She didn¡¯t think that those concubines would dare to cause such trouble without anyone¡¯s instructions. She had visited the manor once under the guise of Ao Chenyi¡¯s favored concubine. At that time, he had directly beheaded the two beauties that the pce sent.

    If that wasn¡¯t enough to scare those concubines, she must admit that they were a courageous bunch. Perhaps, they simply believed that Ao Chenyi wouldn¡¯t ruin his good mood on his wedding day for a mere consort.

    Meanwhile, she would be a joke to everyone.

    She had made enough of a fool of herself yesterday, having fainted once in the sedan and then again after arriving at the manor. Not only did Ao Chenyi not visit her courtyard at night, but his concubines even gave her trouble. It was indeed a tremendous ¡°humiliation¡± for a newly-married consort who hadn¡¯t even seen her husband¡¯s face.

    It seemed that there was more than one person who tried to attack her yesterday, and the newly-married Commandery Princess Xianyun apparently thought that this was a great opportunity for her.

    The Prince¡¯s consort had been humiliated by several concubines shortly after entering the manor. As the Princess, she had every right to handle the matter and avenge the consort. This would not only allow her to demonstrate her power but also show Ao Chenyi how clever and tolerant she was. Naturally, the Princess wouldn¡¯t miss the chance to trample on Ning Xueyan further either.

    The incident wasn¡¯t widely known seeing as it had happened in Prince¡¯s Manor, but if the Princess were to investigate it with great fanfare, everyone would know how she was humiliated by a few nameless concubines. And it would be apparent to the world just what kind of status she had as Prince Yi¡¯s consort.

    Of course, the Princess would have liked it better if she were to join her. That way, everyone would see how the Princess spared no effort in protecting an unfavored consort. They would marvel that only a virtuous, generous, and courageous wife like her was worthy of being Princess Yi. Of course, this matter would be blown out of proportions and spread far and wide...

    Ning Xueyan sneered. What a cowardly and ipetent woman. The Princess had stripped her off any housekeeping duties in one fell swoop. Madam Ling had used this tactic on her before, and the Princess clearly had the same idea.

    ¡°Master, what should we do now?¡± Qingyu asked anxiously. She never thought that her master would cause such amotion on her first day in the manor and amotion incited by the Princess at that. The Princess was going to use her master as a stepping stone. She would make everyone think that Ning Xueyan was weak and ipetent while parading herself as the embodiment of magnanimity and elegance, who would help the Prince¡¯s useless consort...

 Chapter 508 - Devastating Failure

    <h4>Chapter 508 Devastating Failure</h4>

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Let¡¯s watch and see how it goes. I¡¯m sure that we¡¯ll hear something by dinnertime!¡± A rxed Ning Xueyan finished a knot on her pendant and continued knotting downward. There was a cold smile on her face. This matter wasn¡¯t so simple and Ao Chenyi probably wouldn¡¯t want her to make her move now.

    That was why the Prince suppressed the matter without informing her. If he had other intentions, he wouldn¡¯t have told her not to rush things in the carriage. It was apparent that there was a deeper meaning to his words.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun was too impatient this time, unlike her usual calm temperament.

    Even if she wanted to suppress the consort, she shouldn¡¯t have done it in these two days. She should have focused on maintaining the peace of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Truth to be told, she probably had a million ways to deal with a consort who was rightfully below her!

    Ning Xueyan suspected that it was because Ao Chenyi didn¡¯t sleep with herst night and because the tea ceremony this morning was far too strange. When she entered the room, she immediately sensed that something was wrong with them. The tea ceremony was also odd, though she couldn¡¯t really pinpoint what was wrong about it. She was sure that these events had something to do with the Princess¡¯ aggressive stance.

    As she had expected, the news indeed came in the evening. The content of the news was divided into two paragraphs. The first described how the Princess had stormed into the Bright Garden in anger and interrogated several lowly concubines about offending Consort Ning. The concubines who had been beaten had apparently insisted that they didn¡¯t know who caused trouble at the time and pushed the me onto each other.

    Believing their actions to be justified, the concubines felt so aggrieved that they dissolved into a crying mess. It was so bad that people even thought that someone had died in the Bright Garden.

    As for why they had gone to the consort¡¯s courtyard, they said that they wanted the consort to be their judge. Their exnation could also be considered a form of ttery on the Princess. They said that they didn¡¯t dare to disturb the Prince and Princess¡¯ wedding and the only person with any authority left was Consort Ning.

    When Ning Xueyan read the paragraph, she merely smiled without saying anything. These concubines had truly overestimated her, calling her their only master except for Ao Chenyi and Commandery Princess Xianyun.

    Since things hade to this point, the matter would just continue in a cycle without any room for an investigation. It seemed that everyone was at fault in some way yet not at the same time. Moreover, they had given such a fair reason that was even ttering to the Princess. It could be said that the Princess wouldn¡¯t be making any difference whether or not she continues her investigation.

    After going through some trouble, the Princess had found herself back at square one. Naturally, she wouldn¡¯t be reconciled with this result. Thus there came the older female servant who served the concubines at the Bright Garden. She brought up a matter that she had witnessed yesterday, saying that she found two concubines discussing the matter in the rock garden outside the Bright Garden.

    Following these words, chaos ensued. The two concubines, who had been punished earlier, turned a deathly shade of white on the face. It was obvious that the older female servant was telling the truth.

    Further investigation showed that this was no ident but a deliberate n. Still, the Princess had just entered the manor. She couldn¡¯t very well beat the concubines with a stick and leave herself a reputation for being inhuman. Moreover, the two concubines had already beaten hard enough that they couldn¡¯t even move. Hitting them anymore might just im their lives.

    Thus, the Princess wanted to send the two concubines back where they came from. It was said that those two were gifts to Ao Chenyi.

    Unexpectedly, the concubines hade from the pce and from the Emperor, at that. Ao Chenyi could directly kill them or beat them to death, but the Princess didn¡¯t dare to do so. She fell into a dilemma, not knowing whether to punish them. The matter was put aside, or in other words, put in the backburner.

    The Princess had stormed into the Bright Garden with her entourage in a fit of anger, so she couldn¡¯t just drop the investigation just like that. After all, she had rmed the entire manor. There was no way that she could just end things on such an awkward note.

    However, she would kill the concubines if she hit them anymore. What if she didn¡¯t hit them and send them back to the pce? But how could the Emperor take back things or people that he had gifted? Even if the Princess wanted to demonstrate her powers, she wouldn¡¯t dare to do it in front of the Emperor! At this point, she had obviously lost. She had no choice but to send someone to the Moon-embracing Tower and ask Ao Chenyi for help.

    Thus, the second half of the matter arrived. After Ao Chenyi found out, he merely sent a eunuch to take charge and punish the concubines with another 20 beatings until they die. He didn¡¯t care in the slightest that it was the day after his wedding. Since the Princess was the one who found about the matter, she was naturally asked to witness the punishment.

    It was said that the two concubines were executed right in front of the Princess, along with the rest of the concubines. It was such a bloody scene that a few of the concubines even fainted.

    By the time this news reached Ning Xueyan, the Princess had already returned to the Great Wisdom Garden. The Princess had clearly lost this time. She had caused such amotion ying the role of a strict Princess in charge of the household, investigating and searching the concubines. She even magically produced a witness from the Bright Garden as if everything was within her control.

    Things had indeed gone the way she had nned, but for all the trouble she could cause, she couldn¡¯t solve any of them. She even had to ask Ao Chenyi for help. It truly cast doubt on her ability to manage the household as the Princess.

    ¡°Master, doesn¡¯t the Princess know that many of the concubines were sent from the pce?¡± Qingyu asked, confused. She truly found the Princess¡¯ actions strange. The Princess could very well bear the consequences, so why didn¡¯t she punish the concubines in the end? Why didn¡¯t she dare to?

    ¡°Naturally, she only made her move because she saw iting. Otherwise, she would have actedst night. When we entered the pce and met the Empress today, she must have asked about the matter as well. As long as the Empress agrees, she can do anything to the women sent from the pce, be it from Honored Consort Ya or Honored Consort Shu,¡± Ning Xueyan said indifferently. After asking Lanning to fetch a piece of jade for her, she carefully weaved it into the knot that she had formed.

    She had only just finished her dinner. Right now, she was fully focused on knotting her pendant on the couch. Thenterns were lit as it was getting dark outside. Her ck hair was currently draped casually over her shoulders. Under the light from thentern, her ink-like pupils moved energetically as she focused on her knotting work. She looked carefree and at ease.

    She didn¡¯t even notice that she was morefortable and leisurely here than when she was in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    ¡°You¡¯re saying that the Princess acted this aggressive today because she had the support of the Empress, but what she didn¡¯t expect was that although the culprits were from the pce, they weren¡¯t people that the Empress had control over. Those were sent by the Emperor!¡±

    Qingyu finally understood what was going on after hearing Ning Xueyan¡¯s reminder.

    ¡°Master, the Princess sure has a good rtionship with the Empress for her to help even in this kind of matter. Could it be that their rtionship is more intricate than they appear? Otherwise, how could you exin why the Empress is showing so much support for the Princess? You have to be more careful in the future, Master,¡± Lanning said as she prepared a cup of tea for Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. After this lesson, the Princess will definitely stay quiet for a while. Either way, I¡¯m just a weak consort who can faint anytime and anywhere. No matter what, she won¡¯te here to give me trouble.¡± Ning Xueyan raised her head, revealing a pair of gleaming eyes and a small smile. What she needed to do now was getting familiar with the entire manor, not abruptly intervening in the manor¡¯s affairs.

    The courtyards housing the concubines weren¡¯t as simple as they looked. Ao Chenyi could just execute them all, but the web ofworks behind them was massive. Ning Xueyan thought that they shouldn¡¯t rush things and take things one at a time.

    ¡°Master, are you not going to help the Prince manage things anymore?¡± Xinmei immediately asked, evidently worried.

    ¡°Of course not. Now just isn¡¯t the time.¡± Ning Xueyan picked up the cup and sipped some tea with a smile. She looked at Xinmei with a smile and said, ¡°Mother Ruan has been managing the inner courtyard for so long without any hup. Do you think she¡¯ll just sit idly when the manor turns into a mess so soon after the Princess and I move in?¡±

    ¡°Oh, right. Things will just continue as before. The only difference is the addition of a few people. Besides, neither you nor the Princess has the Prince¡¯s favor. Her servants wouldn¡¯t dare to say anything.¡± After being reminded by Ning Xueyan, Xinmei¡¯s eyes lit up with newfound realization.

    Before this, she had been roped into the Princess¡¯ agenda. It was as if the manor had turned into a mess because the Princess and Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t care about managing matters. Only now did she remember that Mother Ruan had been managing Prince Yi¡¯s Manor well all along. Mother Ruan was a capable person who had also watched the Prince grew up. She could firmly keep the inner courtyard under control.

    The Princess interfered with the matter, having mistakenly thought that there wasn¡¯t a proper housekeeper in the inner courtyard. She never expected things to turn out so wildly out of her control.

    ¡°His Highness is here!¡± Suddenly, the shrill voice of a eunuch came from outside. Even Ning Xueyan was surprised this time. Was it really okay for him to openly show up at the Pear Flower Garden at this time?

    The maids quickly stepped forward and lifted the beaded curtain. By the time Ning Xueyan put aside the knotted pendant in her hand and stood up, Ao Chenyi was already standing in front of the curtain.

    He was dressed in a ck imperial robe dotted with spider lilies that seemed to have turned red from the blood that they absorbed. Although an ostentatious color, it often gave the impression of sinister violence. Despite his handsome face, everyone knew that Prince Yi was a moody, cold-blooded, and ruthless person.

    Few people would dare to look directly at his face when they met him. It was as if he was the embodiment of madness and coldness.

    However, all Ning Xueyan could see on his sinister-looking face wasziness and carefreeness. She waved a hand and her three maids stepped back in an orderly manner, putting down the beaded curtain for them.

    ¡°What kind of pendant is this? Is it for me?¡± When Ao Chenyi stepped inside, the first thing he saw was Ning Xueyan with her hair draped over her shoulders and her beautiful eyes looking clouded over, like mist covering a pool of water. Her pink lips were curved into a refreshingly beautiful smile. Seeing her immediately put him in a better mood.

    He satnguidly on the chair beside the couch before curiously pointing to the unfinished pendant in Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand and asking about it.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t very well done. I¡¯m just ying around to relieve my boredom. Are you here to solve my confusion? Who on earth is trying to make everyone look down on me on my first day here?¡± Ning Xueyan put down the pendant in her hand and sat on her legs on the couch. Her beautiful, soft hair draped over her shoulders, lending her a bit of charm and spirit.

    She appearedpletely defenseless this way, with an air offort and serenity that she had never shown before. It was as if she hadpletely integrated with the manor. The corners of Ao Chenyi¡¯s lips were slightly raised. It felt so nice not to be rejected by someone.

 Chapter 509 - Wasnâ€™t That Gratifying?

    <h4>Chapter 509 Wasn¡¯t That Gratifying?</h4>

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It wasn¡¯t targeted at you.¡± Thenguid smile on Ao Chenyi¡¯s face didn¡¯tst long as his thin lips curved into a cold sneer. Both his nephews had given him trouble, refusing to let him marry Yan¡¯er in peace. Fortunately, a single stumbling block in the form of Ya Moqin was enough to deepen the conflict between the two.

    Of course, he wouldn¡¯t let Yan¡¯er know about this. He felt a fire rising up in him just at the thought that those two daring to secretly covet her. It seemed that he should let Yan¡¯er attend more banquets to make them give up on her. He wasn¡¯t the kind who would have qualms about showing off his belongings to others.

    Those would dare to try and steal his belongings should at least think about whether they had the life to enjoy it!

    After hearing his reply, Ning Xueyan thought that the perpetrator must be in the Emperor¡¯s camp and didn¡¯t question him any further. Instead, she asked, ¡°Is that older female servant one of yours?¡±

    ¡°No, I wouldn¡¯t have such a stupid servant working under me. Ha, and Xianyun thought she found a treasure. If it weren¡¯t for me, how could she have found the source and the two women so easily?¡± Ao Chenyi raised an eyebrow with a cold but alluring smile.

    Xianyun must truly think of herself as an important person, wanting to subdue the people in his manor on her first day here.

    After hearing Ao Chenyi¡¯s words and thinking about the cause and consequences of the matter, Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes slowly widened as realization dawned on her. She couldn¡¯t help butugh and ask, ¡°Your Highness, it was your trap just as I expected. I knew such a coincidence wouldn¡¯t be possible. How could the Princess just stumble upon the woman and find out everything so easily?¡±

    Seeing herugh so much that tears were beginning to flow down her face, Ao Chenyi raised his eyebrow ever so slightly. The mirth in his eyes blossomed like flowers in the spring. As expected of the woman whom she liked. She wasn¡¯t just courageous but clever as well. She could immediately pinpoint the key to the matter. Xianyun, on the other hand, was self-righteous and self-important; she even dared to use someone from his manor.

    He remembered the first time he saw her. Her decisiveness and ruthlessness weren¡¯t something that a weak woman like her was capable of. He had been shocked then, thinking that he was mistaken. It turned out that this wild kitten had just been hiding her ws all along, onlyshing out when her enemies weren¡¯t paying attention and killing them with one blow.

    His eyes turned gentle as he recalled the past. He reached out to grab her hand. ¡°Wasn¡¯t that gratifying?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s reply was immediate. Although Commandery Princess Xianyun made herself out to be a gentle and generous person, the Princess had never held any kind intentions towards her. It would have been strange if Ning Xueyan actually liked her. Seeing the Princess lose, especially because of a mere servant, naturally made her happy. Her watery eyes were filled with joy as she nodded vigorously.

    ¡°You¡¯d better watch out for her then. Who knows if she¡¯ll make a counterattack?¡± Ao Chenyi pinched her nose and warned her.

    ¡°Rx. I¡¯m not really a pushover. I wouldn¡¯t let someone bully me just because they want to.¡± Ning Xueyan rolled her eyes and pped his hand away. Either way, the Princess would keep a low-profile for a while after today¡¯s incident. This gave her the chance to get rid of some trouble during this time.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll wait and see!¡± Ao Chenyi said with a wicked smile and a raised eyebrow.

    ¡°Rest assured, Your Highness,¡± Ning Xueyan said in agreement.

    Upon seeing the vibrant smile on her pale face, Ao Chenyi patted her head with satisfaction and asked, ¡°Do you still need any more helping hands in your courtyard?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need any more people in my courtyard, but can I trust the people that you¡¯ve sent me?¡± Ning Xueyan asked after thinking about it, the smile on her face gone. There were a lot of people working in her courtyard, but more manpower didn¡¯t necessarily mean more help. She could use the people that she brought with her, and there was Xinmei too. She didn¡¯t think that she needed any more subordinates.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry and just use those people as you wish. If you need it, you can tell your maids to ask them about the manor¡¯s affairs. Besides, after yesterday¡¯s incident, those women would stop making trouble for the time being and wouldn¡¯t do anything too outrageous. But if there¡¯s a need, you can also use them,¡± Ao Chenyi said, a trace of hostility shing in his eyes.

    This was his reminder to Ning Xueyan; he believed that she would be able to understand his meaning.

    ¡°I will, Your Highness, but it¡¯s best if you don¡¯t intervene with the matters of the inner courtyard.¡± Ning Xueyan raised her eyebrow with a meaningful smile.

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m too busy to pay attention to such trivial things. But since the Princess that I¡¯ve married is useless, someone has to manage my inner courtyard for me.¡± Ao Chenyi narrowed his eyes slightly, his beautiful eyes looking enchanting.

    He had never interfered with the matters in the inner courtyard, allowing Mother Ruan and Steward Ling to handle everything. Besides, those concubines didn¡¯t have a proper title and he himself was awless person. If they offended him, he would just kill them without caring if they came from the Emperor or the Empress. That was why even if there were a lot of women in his inner courtyard, they didn¡¯t dare to make trouble.

    Things were different after the Empress sent him Commandery Princess Xianyun. On the surface, the Princess¡¯ position was higher than Mother Ruan and the others. It seemed that there was no shortage of people who wanted to make a mess of his inner courtyard.

    ¡°If you find it hard to act, you can send Xinmei to tell me privately. Just remember that I won¡¯t let anyone bully you. Even if you¡¯re in the pce, you have nothing to be worried about. I¡¯ll protect you.¡± Ao Chenyi reached out and pulled Ning Xueyan into his arms. He traced his slender fingers down her beautiful, silky long hair.

    Although she couldn¡¯t see his expression, she could feel his sincerity. A person like him had no need to lie to a woman.

    She couldn¡¯t help but smile as she leaned on his chest obediently and closed her eyes assuredly. Her heart was soft and mushy. She never thought that someone would protect her with all his heart and tell her that she had no need to fear in the pce because he would be there to protect her.

    ¡°Do you need me to apany you on your visit back to your maternal home?¡± Hisnguid voice, carrying a hint of mirth, reached her ears. Itcked the usual sharpness and coldness that would sometimes color his voice. She didn¡¯t know since when he became so easily approachable; of course, she realized that she was the only one who could approach him.

    Lanning, Qingyu, and the rest had seen Ao Chenyi several times and knew that he treated her well. Even so, every time they saw him, they would still stop far away from him and dared not to even raise their heads.

    This thought turned her heart even softer. She shook her head vigorously in Ao Chenyi¡¯s embrace and couldn¡¯t help but tease him. ¡°You should just apany the Princess back to the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor. The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor has never been my home, so you don¡¯t have to show them such respect. Besides, they have quite a lot of schemes when ites to our marriage.¡±

    The so-called twin weddings had shown much respect to not only her but the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor as well. But, she didn¡¯t think that this respect was enough to stop Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an from exploiting her.

    Between the Third Prince and Ao Chenyi, the one that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor prioritized had always been the former. And she had always been a sacrificialmb to them. This fact was true in the past and present and would continue to be in the future.

    Since her rebirth, Ning Xueyan had little affection for the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Whether as Ning Ziying or Ning Xueyan, she never felt like she belonged because the manor did nothing but exploit them both. The so-called blood rtions were nothingpared to glory and wealth.

    She had watched Madam Dowager spoil one grandchild one day, and another the next. Her actions were obviously driven by profit. Ning Yuling was the granddaughter that she had doted on for more than ten years, but now that Ning Yuling was no longer useful, she immediately kicked her to the curb. Judging by how Ning Yuling was sent off to the Xia Manor in a small sedan without any dowry, it was obvious how cruel Madam Dowager could be.

    And then there was Madam Ning as well. How could Madam Dowager watch her own niece get framed and eventually killed without doing anything? Ning Xueyan refused to believe that Madam Dowager, who had been reigning over the inner courtyard for so many years, would truly be in the dark about it.

    As for Ning Zu¡¯an, Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t think about him at all. That bastard had rebuilt his n on the back of his wife¡¯s family. He swore not to marry a second wife to convince Madam Ming. The truth was that he had been in cahoots with his mistress, Madam Ling, a long time ago and they even had children together. Later on, in order to give Madam Ling a proper title, he didn¡¯t hesitate to secretly lend a hand in framing Madam Ming up.

    Although Madam Ling was ultimately responsible for all those things, it was impossible that Ning Zu¡¯an didn¡¯t know. Madam Yu¡¯s eldest brother was even his subordinate.

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t see a ce like the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor as her home at all. The only emotions in a ce full of calctions and betrayals like that were cold-bloodiness and ruthlessness as well as an endless cycle of exploitation.

    Noticing Ning Xueyan¡¯s souring mood, Ao Chenyi reached out and hugged her tighter. The person in his arms was so thin that she barely weighed anything at all. He couldn¡¯t help but feel ufortable. He understood what she was thinking about without her saying anything. ¡°It¡¯s all right. From now on, this is your home, our home.¡±

    Ao Chenyi had told her this yesterday, and hearing it again today gave her the urge to cry. She bit her lower lip and suppress the tartness in her heart as she nodded firmly.

    Ao Chenyi spent the night in the Pear Flower Garden. Naturally, there was a reason for it. How could the ever-arrogant Prince Yi ept the Princess causing such trouble on her first day at the manor? It was only normal for him to spend the night with his consort. In the first ce, he had visited an unnamed concubine on his wedding night with the Princess.

    No one would have thought that this was excessiveing from him. Even if the Princess gritted her teeth so hard that she almost broke them, she couldn¡¯t do anything about it. She could only hope that Ning Xueyan would faint several more times until she eventually died.

    The return trip to their family home took ce on the third day after the wedding. Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t wake up early for it. In these two days, aside from the time when Ao Chenyi spent the night at the Pear Flower Garden with her, he had been spending time alone in the Moon-embracing Tower as per his usual routine.

    When Lanning was helping Ning Xueyan wash up, she said, ¡°Master, the Princess sent someone over before heading to the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor with the Prince. When she learned that you¡¯re unwell and still sleeping, she told you to rest more.¡±

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s reflection in the dressing table¡¯s mirror raised an eyebrow. The Princess truly didn¡¯t give up any opportunity to show off her generosity and virtuosity. But did she truly want the best for Ning Xueyan when she told her to rest more and visit her family homete?

 Chapter 510 - The Return Home Draws Scheming Hearts

    <h4>Chapter 510 The Return Home Draws Scheming Hearts</h4>

    Sleeping in and returning to the family homete!

    If she was an ordinary married woman who needed her maiden home¡¯s protection, doing so would surely be a great act of disrespect. In her ¡°current¡± situation, she was unfavored in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor and had poor health to boot. Neglecting her maiden family would mean losing their support if something were to happen.

    Of course, this only applied to ordinary married women. Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t expect the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to protect her, so things were the same either way.

    Ning Xueyan was neitherte nor early when she arrived at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Mother Qin, who had been waiting at the entrance, had been looking around several times. When she saw Ning Xueyan finally arriving, she checked the back of the carriage and saw no one else following. Though disappointed, she still walked up to the carriage and greeted Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°You¡¯re here, Consort Ning. Please enter quickly. Madam Dowager and thedies are waiting for you inside!¡± Mother Qin was using Ning Xueyan¡¯s official title this time; this was a treatment that she had never enjoyed before.

    Naturally, her words also implied that Ning Xueyan waste and had been keeping Madam Dowager waiting for a long time.

    After entering the manor, Ning Xueyan hadn¡¯t gone very far before she saw Ning Lingyun walking over with her maid. She looked to be in a rush. She was still dressed inly as always and she looked haggard. She lookedpletely different from how she looked a few days ago. Just about anyone could tell that Ning Lingyun looked off at this moment.

    It was reasonable for Mother Qin to meet a married woman like her, but there was no need for Ning Lingyun to rush here just to greet her at the door.

    ¡°You¡¯re here, Fifth Sister. Grandmother asked if you¡¯ve arrived, so I came here to have a look,¡± Ning Lingyun said, smiling. If it weren¡¯t for her overly pale face and obviously haggard expression, one would truly be fooled.

    Ning Xueyan looked at Ning Lingyun calmly with a slight smile. ¡°Have you been unwell, Fourth Sister? How did you end up looking like this after just two days? I heard that a lot of people caught a cold and fell sick recently. You have to be careful, Fourth Sister.¡±

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s question made Ning Lingyun nce at the smiling Mother Qin out of instinct. She immediately lowered her head and said in a low voice, ¡°I... I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m just coughing a little, but I¡¯ve seen the doctor a while back. He said it¡¯s nothing serious. I just need some rest.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯ve really fallen ill. What a coincidence. I still have some medicinal ingredients left in the Bright Frost Garden. If you need them, you can get them from meter,¡± Ning Xueyan said.

    Since this was her trip to her maiden home, she couldn¡¯t very well leave quickly. Madam Dowager told her that she would keep the Bright Frost Garden for her, saying that she must want to keep the courtyard around after living there with Madam Ming for so many years. There weren¡¯t many masters left in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor now, so the courtyard could remain empty. She told Ning Xueyan that she could stay there whenever shees back.

    Of course, Madam Dowager only told her that because she thought that she was still useful. Knowing Madam Dowager¡¯s character, she believed that she would make the same promise to Ning Qingshan or be even more generous. After all, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had always seen more potential in the Third Prince and was also closer to him.

    She had already made intention as clearly as she could and it was left to Ning Lingyun to decide what to do. However, she believed that Ning Lingyun could understand her meaning.

    Sure enough, Ning Lingyun replied, ¡°That¡¯s great. Thank you, Fifth Sister. We do have the ingredients in my courtyard, but some of them have been kept for too long. It¡¯s naturally for the best that you have them. I¡¯lle and get them from youter.¡±

    ¡°Consort Ning, Fourth Young Lady, let¡¯s drop the conversation for now. We should hurry up and go in to meet Madam Dowager. She must be anxious from all the waiting. Third Young Lady is still keeping herpany.¡± Mother Qin interrupted with a smile.

    The three of them arrived at Lucky Garden in no time at all. The moment they entered the door, they saw Madam Dowager and Ning Qingshan talking andughing. They looked so happy that the bit of grudge between them a while ago had disappeared, making the scene appear joyful and harmonious.

    Ning Xueyan entered the room and curtsied to Madam Dowager. Madam Dowager immediately asked Mother Qin to support her arm and led her to a nearby chair to sit down.

    ¡°Who said that Fifth Sister received a fright that day and that her health is poor? Look at her now. She looks even healthier than before.¡± Ning Qingshan sized up Ning Xueyan with a bright smile before turning around to speak to Madam Dowager in a yful voice, ¡°Grandmother, I told you that you don¡¯t have to worry about Fifth Sister. You haven¡¯t eaten or slept well these days worrying that she¡¯ll be bullied in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. You can rest assured now!¡±

    Ning Xueyan was also looking at Ning Qingshan. It had just been a few days since shest saw Ning Qingshan, but her changes were significant. When she came in, she thought that she was looking at Ning Yuling. In the past, Ning Yuling would also act this coquettish in front of Madam Dowager! This gave her the urge to sneer.

    The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had be truly abnormal.

    It seemed that Ning Qingshan had firmly filled the role of Ning Yuling after thetter went to Manor Xia. Now, she was Madam Dowager¡¯s ¡°dearest¡± granddaughter. The way she spoke, as well as her unbridled teasing, was exactly the same as Ning Yuling.

    Ning Qingshan was truly capable to change Madam Dowager¡¯s attitude toward her in just a few days.

    On the other hand, Ning Lingyun was dressed in clothes so in that it was almost white,parable to those that she wore to express her filial piety to Madam Ming. A trace of coldness flitted across her pupils as she misunderstood something that only she herself knew.

    Ning Qingshan lived well while Ning Lingyun clearly didn¡¯t. This was the conclusion that she had made after returning to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    It seemed that today¡¯s banquet wasn¡¯t just to celebrate her return to her maiden home.

    As expected, Madam Dowager¡¯s smile vanished and she looked at Ning Xueyan with a frown. ¡°Xueyan, have the past few days been kind to you? How do the Prince and Princess treat you? How is your health? I heard you fainted again that day. What should we do with you? Really!¡±

    The news of Ning Xueyan fainting a second time after reaching Prince Yi¡¯s Manor had reached the ears of every guest present. Madam Dowager was so anxious that day that she broke out in cold sweat. Fainting in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and missing the auspicious time could be excused as a sign from heaven, as that ident prevented her from getting kidnapped. But how could they exin her fainting at Prince Yi¡¯s Manor?

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Grandmother. The Prince and Princess are very kind to me, and my health is fine too. I was hurt before, and I was also too nervous and flustered that day, which resulted in a little ident. There¡¯s nothing else wrong with me. You can rest assured, Grandmother.¡±

    Ning Xueyan exined with a soft voice, smiling.

    Madam Dowager gave Mother Qin a look, prompting thetter to wave her hand. All the maids and older female servants exited the room. The maid that Ning Xueyan brought with her this time was Lanning. She followed suit after seeing all the servants, including Mother Qin, leave the room and stood outside the door with Mother Qin.

    Ning Lingyun and Ning Qingshan¡¯s maids left well, leaving only a few of them in the room.

    ¡°Qingshan, Lingyun, go to the kitchen and find out when the food will be ready. Tell me if they¡¯re ready. I¡¯ve prepared bird¡¯s nest soup for Xueyan,¡± Madam Dowager told Ning Qingshan and Ning Lingyun.

    Madam Dowager was expelling the two from the room. Ning Xueyan smiled and watched everything unfold calmly.

    Sure enough, Ning Qingshan and Ning Lingyun understood their grandmother¡¯s meaning as well. They stood up and bade her farewell before walking out one after another.

    Ning Lingyun, who was walking at the end, suddenly turned around to look at Ning Xueyan. Her nce contained too deep a meaning¡ªbegging, longing, and expectation. Her expression made her look even more haggard.

    It seemed that Ning Lingyun¡¯s problem had something to do with her and whatever Madam Dowager wanted to tell had something to do with it as well. Otherwise, why would Ning Lingyun give her that look?

    When Ning Xueyan arrived at Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, she could clearly see Ning Lingyun¡¯s crush on Ao Mingyu and her feelings seemed to have received Madam Dowager¡¯s tacit approval. She also noticed that Madam Dowager appeared very interested in revealing Ning Lingyun¡¯s feelings for Ao Mingyu.

    Ning Xueyan fully understood Madam Dowager¡¯s approach. Everyone was well-aware that Ning Lingyun liked Ao Mingyu, and it was apparent that Ning Qingshan couldn¡¯t win Ao Mingyu¡¯s heart anymore. The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was standing firmly behind the Third Prince, so if one daughter wasn¡¯t enough, they would just marry off two to him.

    Besides, Ning Lingyun was willing to ept this arrangement and she was much better to control than the cunning Ning Qingshan. Moreover, Ning Lingyun was a genuine daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, not someone with a superficial title like Ning Qingshan. If something went wrong, Ning Qingshan might very well n for something else.

    That was why Ning Lingyun went through such a shockingly huge transformation in all aspects. It was as if she had be someonepletely different.

    However, her n seemed to be failing.

    Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be looking so wan while Ning Qingshan looked like she was the ¡°new favorite¡± of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    After seeing that the twodies had left, Mother Qin personally stood by the door to stand watch. Madam Dowager cleared her throat and looked at Ning Xueyan with a serious expression. ¡°Xueyan, tell me the truth. Does Prince Yi treat you well? Is he sincere about marrying you?¡±

    ¡°Of course he treats me well. Grandmother... Why do you ask so?¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s attitude was absolutely in line with her status as a newlywed. She appeared coquettish and bashful. Her usually pale face was flushed with a faint red and her expression was gentle.

    Her current gentleness was unlike anything that she had shown in the past. Such expression could easily draw the sympathy of onlookers. Her hairstyle was also different from before. Although her hair was still lightly essorized, her tall bun was still fastened by a phoenix-shaped hairpin with a dangling droplet-shaped gem at an angle. A hairpin like that wasn¡¯t something one can just purchase with money.

    Seeing such an exquisite phoenix-shaped hairpin as well as the happy smile on Ning Xueyan¡¯s beautiful face made Madam Dowager feel that her spection was wrong. This wasn¡¯t the appearance of someone who had been neglected by Prince Yi. Could she be mistaken? With Ning Xueyan¡¯s beauty, it was impossible for her to be neglected without ever earning the Prince¡¯s favor.

    ¡°Has the Prince visited you these past few days?¡± Madam Dowager asked carefully. She shouldn¡¯t be asking this question, as it had only been three days since the wedding and it was normal even if Ao Chenyi spent the entire time with Commandery Princess Xianyun. Still, she felt uneasy if she didn¡¯t ask.

 Chapter 511 - The Beautiesâ€™ Death by Beating Incident

    <h4>Chapter 511 The Beauties¡¯ Death by Beating Incident</h4>

    ¡°Grandmother, the Prince treats me very well,¡± Ning Xueyan said, her face lit up with embarrassment. She toyed with her handkerchief with a flushed face, looking too embarrassed to speak. Her words weren¡¯t explicit, but the obvious joy on her face indicated that Prince Yi had indeed visited her courtyard.

    Madam Dowager felt the rock in her heart fall heavily to the ground, having been feeling uneasy ever since Ning Xueyan fainted on her wedding day. She was afraid that Ning Xueyan would be in trouble as soon as she entered Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Prince Yi wasn¡¯t a generous man and any careless mistake could easily implicate the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    She could still remember Prince Yi personally visiting their manor and warning them against any schemes. He had even nearly withdrawn his marriage proposal. The fact that he could make such a provocation made her feel deeply uneasy.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t the Prince ask you why you fainted?¡± Madam Dowager repeated her question in another manner.

    She had always been concerned about Ning Xueyan¡¯s poor health, and was worried that Prince Yi would take offense to this. Although it wasn¡¯t terribly likely, the possibility of angering Prince Yi still made her uneasy.

    ¡°He did, but I told him I was just too tired. Don¡¯t worry, Grandmother. I¡¯m in good health. The imperial physician in the manor examined my pulse and said I¡¯m fine. All I have to do is take care of my health.¡± Ning Xueyan stopped beating around the bush and gave Madam Dowager the answer that she wanted. Although her cheeks were still pink, her expression was certain.

    ¡°The imperial physician in the manor examined your pulse?¡± Madam Dowager was stunned.

    ¡°Yes, and it was the Prince who sent him to examine my pulse and health. He said it was because I was nearly assassinated in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. He was worried that the incident left any issues with my body,¡± Ning Xueyan said, chuckling softly. When she looked down, her eyelids appeared like two fluttering butterflies but conveniently concealed the iciness of her pupils.

    Madam Dowager¡¯s concern about her health was truly baffling.

    ¡°That¡¯s great. I¡¯m d you¡¯re fine.¡± Madam Dowager became relieved after hearing that Ning Xueyan wouldn¡¯t have any problem conceiving.

    ¡°Grandmother, I saw Fourth and Third Sisters earlier. What¡¯s wrong with them? Why is Third Sister smiling so happily, yet Fourth Sister is looking so downtrodden? Did something happen to her?¡± Not wanting to continue talking about herself, Ning Xueyan decisively changed the topic and redirected the conversation to Ning Lingyun and Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. Lingyun just has something on her mind,¡± Madam Dowager said hesitantly with a sigh. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to say her prepared speech. She thought Ning Xueyan would be neglected in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor and wouldn¡¯t be bearing the Prince any heirs either. Her future was dark, and she might as well have not married Prince Yi at all. So, she had other ns.

    But now, she found out that Prince Yi treated Ning Xueyan well, and even visited her courtyard within three days of marrying the Princess. Moreover, Ning Xueyan¡¯s health was fine and giving birth to an heir didn¡¯t seem to be a problem if she could receive the Prince¡¯s favor. Saying what she wanted to say was like pping her own face.

    But, she couldn¡¯t just decide against sending the person over, not when she had already prepared the candidate. She had also discussed with Ning Qingshan and thought that this was the best way. Suddenly, she couldn¡¯t make up her mind.

    Ning Xueyan sneered secretly when she saw that Madam Dowager wasn¡¯t going to bring up the matter immediately. She smiled and asked, ¡°Grandmother, did you know that something happened in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor on our wedding day?¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± Madam Dowager became spirited as soon as she heard that the matter urred on the wedding day. She looked at Ning Xueyan, full of vigor, fearing that her granddaughter had caused even more trouble that day.

    ¡°An argument broke out between a few concubines and it got so bad that they even kicked up a fuss in my courtyard. I was still ill, so I didn¡¯t get up from bed. It was the Prince who threw them out and gave them twenty beatings. Afterward, the Princess investigated the matter and learned that it was the work of two concubines. But the concubines were sent by the Emperor, so she didn¡¯t know if she should punish them, and let the Prince decide. In the end, he ended up beating the concubines to death.¡±

    Ning Xueyan appeared to be treating the whole incident as a joke, looking as if she hadn¡¯t noticed Madam Dowager¡¯s face turning pale in an instant.

    The Prince dared to beat women sent by the Emperor to death! Who else wouldn¡¯t he dare to kill? Besides, him shedding blood as a newlywed showed that he didn¡¯t care for taboos!

    ¡°The pce has sent the manor too many beauties to count. Grandmother, I personally visited them the other day. There are all sorts of beauties there. I heard some were sent by the Empress, some by Honored Consort Ya, and some by other consorts in the pce. What a feast for the eyes! I thought thedies in our family were pretty, but after seeing so many beauties in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, I realized that his manor is the true haven of beauties. You can find any beauty you want there.¡±

    Ning Xueyan looked curious and amazed, but quickly sighed. ¡°Speaking of which, these beauties are pitiful creatures. Not only are they without a title, the Prince even can beat and kill them as he likes. I heard that the two concubines this time weren¡¯t the only ones that he killed; he had even beheaded several concubines before.¡±

    Madam Dowager was speechless. To think that Prince Yi would behead and beat to death concubines sent by the pce! Her expression turned gloomy and her eyes became filled with fear. There were so many beauties in his manor that they became disposable. From the looks of it, he would kill them the minute that they displeased him. Most importantly, he didn¡¯t even grant concubines sent by the pce any title, so what more of those sent by the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? Even if they send him a concubine, the only oue awaiting the concubine was death.

    Although Ning Lingyun was born from a concubine mother, she was nevertheless a valuabledy from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Madam Dowager didn¡¯t want to lose this chess piece in vain.

    The two of them continued talking until Ning Qingshan and Ning Lingyun returned. The first thing that they noticed was Ning Xueyan¡¯s bright smile. On the contrary, Madam Dowager¡¯s smile appeared forced and she would frown from time to time. Herplexion seemed poor, too.

    It was soon time for lunch, and a maid invited Ning Zu¡¯an to eat together. No one waited for Ao Chenyi, knowing that he wouldn¡¯te. After lunch, Ning Xueyan decided to take a nap in the Bright Frost Garden. She had nothing to do today, so there was no need to rush back to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    Mother Han had gone to the Bright Frost Garden in advance. By the time Ning Xueyan arrived, everything was ready for her.

    She walked up to the garden before stopping and looking at the que reading ¡°Bright Frost Garden¡± while biting her lower lip.

    She found herself in the Bright Frost Garden at the moment of her rebirth, and Ning Xueyan¡¯s memories gradually surfaced on her mind. This small courtyard upied nearly every part of Ning Xueyan¡¯s memory. Her few rare excursions outside the courtyard had ended in humiliation.

    Since then, the timid and cowardly little girl slowly stopped appearing in front of everyone in the manor.

    After Madam Ming¡¯s death, everyone neglected the poor girl. She eventually cried herself to death in front of Madam Ming¡¯s grave, in a state of hunger and depression.

    Then, she was reborn in the body of the newly-dead Ning Xueyan. She became the new Ning Xueyan and walked out of the Bright Frost Garden, appearing in the world again. After being reborn from fire, she was no longer the cowardly and useless Ning Xueyan who would only hide and secretly cry after being bullied, too afraid of leaving her courtyard.

    ¡°Master, the Fourth Young Lady is here!¡± Lanning reminded her in a soft voice.

    Ning Xueyan turned her head and stared at Ning Lingyun as she rushed over, her eyes a picture of calm and indifference.

    Ning Lingyun had basically run here. When she saw Ning Xueyan, she couldn¡¯t help but raise her head and meet her sister¡¯s jet-ck eyes¡ªeyes that looked as if they could see through anyone. She subconsciously lowered her head, not daring to look at Ning Xueyan again.

    ¡°Fifth Sister,¡± she said timidly.

    ¡°Fourth Sister, pleasee in. We¡¯ll talk inside,¡± Ning Xueyan said calmly, turning her head and stepping through the door of the Bright Frost Garden. Ning Lingyun hesitated for a moment but ultimately followed her in along with her maid.

    The room had been tidied, and everything was left the same way as the day she had moved out. Nothing here had changed. It was as if the past three days were an illusion and she was still the same Fifth Young Lady of that day.

    ¡°Grandmother has kept this ce exactly the same for you, Fifth Sister. Nothing has changed. She¡¯s so kind to you,¡± Ning Lingyun said enviously, emotion briefly flickering in her eyes.

    ¡°You¡¯ll enjoy the same treatment if you get a good marriage that Grandmother approves of. Perhaps you can even go further. I heard she promised Third Sister that she¡¯ll continue sending precious items to the Foggy Courtyard in the future.¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s long eyshes fluttered as she entered the room and sat down on a chair indifferently.

    Lanning had cleverly retreated after serving them tea. Mother Han hade here ahead of time, so the tea was already ready.

    ¡°She promised Third Sister something like that?¡± Ning Lingyun was shocked. Although she knew Madam Dowager favored Ning Qingshan, she didn¡¯t expect it to be to this extent. Madam Dowager treated Ning Qingshan so well that not even her treatment of her actual granddaughter, Ning Xueyan, couldpare. They were both consorts, so why was Ning Qingshan¡¯s treatment much superior to Ning Xueyan¡¯s?

    ¡°The Third Prince has always been gentle, and he treats people respectfully, too. If she marries him, her future will certainly be bright. If she bears a son and a daughter in the future, she might even... There¡¯s still hope for her, but Prince Yi¡¯s Manor is different. Haven¡¯t you heard, Fourth Sister? The beauties in the manor have precarious lives. They never know when they¡¯ll die. A few days ago, two beauties sent by the Emperor were even beaten to death.¡±

    Ning Xueyan spoke softly, all while relishing in Ning Lingyun¡¯s changing expression as she battled her surprise. It had only been three days since shest saw Madam Dowager, but that old woman was scheming against her again. Fortunately, she was no longer the same Ning Xueyan that could only endure it if Madam Dowager wanted to send a few concubines to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    She had grasped nearly the extent of Madam Dowager¡¯s intentions now. That old woman wanted Ning Lingyun to return to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor with her, wanting to use Ning Lingyun to consolidate the rtionship between Prince Yi¡¯s Manor and Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. If she died of illness, it was only natural for Ning Lingyun to continue the alliance marriage with Prince Yi. Perhaps, Ning Lingyun could even be his consort in the end.

    Ning Xueyan slowly picked up the cup of tea nearby and took a sip. Her alluring eyes fell on Ning Lingyun¡¯s fair and tender neck. She purposefully let her gaze linger before smiling meaningfully at Ning Lingyun. ¡°Prince Yi loves beheading people. In the past, he even killed two incredibly beautiful women with his sword. The neck of beauties...¡±

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t finish her sentence, but it was enough to scare Ning Lingyun. Ning Lingyun felt her neck turn cold as if there was a sword swinging near her. Her legs became soft and she fell to the floor with a resounding thud.

 Chapter 512 - Ning Lingyunâ€™s Fear

    <h4>Chapter 512 Ning Lingyun¡¯s Fear</h4>

    ¡°Fifth Sister, save me! You have to save me! I don¡¯t want to go to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor! I want to go to the Third Prince¡¯s Manor! Fifth Sister, please help me!¡± Ning Lingyun was so horrified that she burst into tears on the floor. She held onto Ning Xueyan¡¯s sleeve and cried so hard that her body was trembling.

    She wanted to enter the Third Prince¡¯s Manor, not Prince Yi¡¯s Manor! Even the beauties sent by the pce suffered such horrible deaths! Their fate was even worse than a maid. How would she dare to enter such a ce?

    The Third Prince¡¯s Manor was heavenpared to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Moreover, the Third Prince was gentle and his words were always kind. Whenever he visited the manor recently, he would always look at her with particrly kind eyes.

    The Third Prince liked her, and he surely did. She was sure that she would be favored after entering his manor. If she was lucky enough to give birth to a son, she might rise in ranks above Ning Qingshan. This had been on her mind ever since she came out of the Buddha hall.

    Because of this, Concubine Xu had repeatedly warned her to know her ce and refrain from making the same mistake. Even an official wife¡¯s daughter like Ning Yuling had ended up like that. If she were to make the same mistake, she might die without knowing anything. Madam Dowager had always been a merciless person.

    If Ning Lingyun were told such things in the past, she would have ignored them. However, after everything that had happened and after seeing Ning Yuling¡¯s ending, she was especially receptive to Concubine Xu¡¯s warnings and would do everything that Concubine Xu said. She yed her role as a concubine¡¯s daughter obediently, and even subconsciously dressed as Ning Xueyan had before.

    It was Ning Xueyan that the Third Prince wanted to marry. When Ning Yuling became the Princess, Honored Consort Ya was said to have brought up the matter with Madam Dowager. However, Madam Dowager turned her down and a series of incidents also took ce after. Not many knew about this, and Ning Lingyun only heard about it from Concubine Xu.

    She didn¡¯t expect that the Third Prince would actually want to marry Ning Xueyan and even promised her the consort¡¯s position. After finding out about this, Ning Lingyun recalled how the Third Prince would look at Ning Xueyan in the past. His gaze was obviously different from how he looked at other people. It seemed that he did like Ning Xueyan, which was why she began mimicking Ning Xueyan¡¯s way of dressing.

    Ning Xueyan used to be timid when she was in the Bright Frost Garden. As a concubine¡¯s daughter herself, it was only natural for Ning Lingyun to be timid as well. Her current personality was very close to that of the former Ning Xueyan, all so she could attract the Third Prince¡¯s attention.

    Sure enough, the Third Prince started looking at her more often. Sometimes, she would even go so far as to describe his gaze as gentle.

    Madam Dowager had given her the good news as well, promising to support her if she could enter the Third Prince¡¯s Manor. Therefore, Ning Lingyun started working harder at imitating Ning Xueyan.

    Unexpectedly, at the most crucial point, just as she was about to reveal her feelings, Madam Dowager summoned her and earnestly told her the advantages of entering Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. She said that Ning Xueyan was unlikely to recover from her illness and once she was dead, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would do everything in its power to make her Prince Yi¡¯s new consort.

    Ning Lingyun had a very little impression of Prince Yi. She had only heard that he was a murderous demon who had killed countless people. Few in the capital would be able to look calm at the mention of his name.

    The thought of living with such a murderous demon in the future frightened her so much that she nearly fainted then. However, Madam Dowager kept reassuring her that it was fine, and that no matter how fierce Prince Yi was, he wouldn¡¯t kill the people around him. Madam Dowager also promised to heighten Concubine Xu¡¯s status in the family if she were to enter Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    Of course, Madam Dowager also made it clear that if Ning Lingyun refused to obey, she would marry her off to just anyone. She would be married off to an ordinary man or even somewhere far away, where her life and death would have nothing to do with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Madam Dowager told her to return and consider her words carefully.

    In the past few days, Ning Lingyun hadn¡¯t been able to eat or sleep well. She became worried all day long. She didn¡¯t want to marry into a family outside the capital and leave behind the glory and wealth of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Thus, she started considering Prince Yi¡¯s Manor seriously. Perhaps, Prince Yi might just gradually fall for her the way the Third Prince did. Once Ning Xueyan died, she would be Prince Yi¡¯s consort. She didn¡¯t think there was any difference from bing the Third Prince¡¯s consort.

    Aside from the frightening Prince Yi, she didn¡¯t think that the glory and wealth that he could give her was any different from what the Third Prince could give her. Slowly, she began to ept the idea of entering Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. More importantly,pared to Ning Qingshan, Ning Xueyan looked more short-lived.

    Neither Ning Qingshan nor Ning Xueyan were easy opponents.

    However, the sickly Ning Xueyan appeared to be her best choice. Even if Ning Xueyan wouldn¡¯t be dying so soon, she could feed her some medicine and kill her. Considering Ning Xueyan¡¯s health, no one would question her death. No one would even blink an eye at the passing of an ill person. And she would be the new consort with the support of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    If Prince Yi favored her even a little, Commandery Princess Xianyun might not even be able to do anything to her.

    These thoughts made her panicked heart calm down, just in time for Ning Xueyan¡¯s return to her family home. Under Madam Dowager¡¯s orders, she hade to the door to personally receive Ning Xueyan in an attempt to please and show weakness, hoping that Ning Xueyan would take her back to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    Though afraid, she inexplicably looked forward to it too. She didn¡¯t know what exactly she wanted, which was why she was so worried when she was told to leave with Ning Qingshan. She thought that she would get a clear answer after returning from the kitchen. Whether or not Ning Xueyan agreed, the matter was as good as decided.

    With Madam Dowager exerting her pressure, she was sure that Ning Xueyan wouldn¡¯t say anything about it.

    However, the oue was out of her expectations and Madam Dowager didn¡¯t say a word about it during lunch. Ning Xueyan appeared calm and no emotion could be glimpsed from her face. She observed Ning Xueyan¡¯s face for a long time but couldn¡¯t see anything. Madam Dowager said nothing even after the lunch was over and just sent them away.

    When Ning Xueyan shot her a fleeting nce when she walked past, Ning Lingyun felt as restless as an ant on a hot surface. She waited for a moment before going to the Bright Frost Garden. After all, when she received Ning Xueyan at the door earlier, Ning Xueyan had told her to collect some medicinal ingredients at her ce.

    She had just been going along with Ning Xueyan¡¯s words earlier. Only now did she realize how timely her words were. They had given her the perfect excuse toe over.

    Hearing Ning Xueyan¡¯s words now made her feel cold all over. She had little chance of survival after entering Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Never mind glory and wealth, she might even die. Rather than enjoying riches, Ning Lingyun would rather keep her life. That was why Ning Lingyun was holding onto Ning Xueyan¡¯s sleeve in despair. How could Prince Yi¡¯s Manor evenpare to the Third Prince¡¯s Manor?

    ¡°Where is it that you want to go, Fourth Sister?¡± Ning Xueyan reached out to pull Ning Lingyun to her feet. With Lanning¡¯s help, she helped Ning Lingyun sit down on a chair nearby.

    ¡°The Third Prince¡¯s Manor! I want to marry the Third Prince and enter his manor.¡± Ning Lingyun appeared to have lost her soul. She looked at Ning Xueyan with tears brimming in her eyes, obediently blurting out the answer to Ning Xueyan¡¯s every question.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you going there then? Hadn¡¯t Grandmother given her approval?¡± Ning Xueyan asked, blinking in confusion.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I have no idea why things turned out this way. Grandmother sent someone to ry her approval. She said that as long as I could enter the Third Prince¡¯s Manor, she would support me,¡± Ning Lingyun replied, looking like she was close to a mental breakdown. Her hands shook weakly in the air, her eyes looking lifeless.

    She had no idea what had happened. Things were still fine before Ning Xueyan got married, so why did Madam Dowager suddenly change her mind? She was so close to seeding, too. All Madam Dowager had to do was give the Third Prince a hint. If the Prince stayed silent, she would have seeded. Why did things turn out like this?

    ¡°Does Third Sister know that you intend to enter the Third Prince¡¯s Manor?¡± Ning Xueyan asked, reminding her.

    Did Ning Qingshan know? Ning Lingyun stopped crying all of a sudden as realization dawned on her. She covered her mouth with a handkerchief and looked at Ning Xueyan in amazement. ¡°Does Third Sister know? How would she know? I¡¯ve never mentioned it.¡±

    Her voice was flustered and wrought with emotion. Ning Qingshan wasn¡¯t an easy opponent. Concubine Xu had repeatedly warned her to stay away from Ning Qingshan while Ning Qingshan was still in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Thus, while she didn¡¯t like Ning Qingshan, she didn¡¯t dare to provoke her either.

    Not even Ning Yuling could do anything about Ning Qingshan! What could a concubine¡¯s daughter like her do?

    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t she know? Did you think she¡¯s stupid or idiotic?¡± The corner of Ning Xueyan¡¯s mouth curved into a slight smile and her eyes became filled with derision.

    Ning Qingshan was surely a restless one. It had just been three days since they met, but Ning Qingshan was already scheming against her and even pushing Ning Lingyun to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Ning Qingshan wanted her to lose both her face and husband. This might even draw Prince Yi¡¯s ire, enough to make him kill them both in one fell swoop. It was indeed a smart trick.

    As expected of an expert like Ning Qingshan to kill three birds with one stone. Ning Qingshan had also considered Madam Dowager in her n. Without her, Ning Qingshan would naturally be Madam Dowager¡¯s most favored granddaughter, if only on the surface, and enjoy the so-called happy life that Ning Yuling had once experienced. She would get everything she wanted in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    As always, Ning Qingshan had overestimated herself. She was too conceited and took herself too seriously. It seemed that her identity as the ¡°princess of the previous dynasty¡± had given her a sense of superiority whether psychologically or behaviorally.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s words weren¡¯t harsh but they were like a bucket of cold water over Ning Lingyun¡¯s head. Ning Lingyun was no fool. Knowing the cause and effect of things, she immediately understood that Ning Qingshan was the mastermind behind everything. When she thought about how she could have entered the Third Prince¡¯s Manor for a life of glory and wealth, only to possibly lose her life in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, she gritted her teeth.

    It was obvious that she would be treated better in the Third Prince¡¯s Manor than in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. It wasn¡¯t just the difference in their status but their treatment from Madam Dowager as well. Ning Xueyan and Ning Qingshan were both consorts, but Madam Dowager still treated them differently. From this, Ning Lingyun knew that her future with the Third Prince would be brighter while only death awaited her in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    She refused to enter Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. She wanted to enter the Third Prince¡¯s Manor. She must...

 Chapter 513 - The Third Princeâ€™s Meeting Request at the Lord Protectorâ€™s Manor

    <strong>Chapter 513 The Third Prince¡¯s Meeting Request at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor</strong>

    After hearing Ning Xueyan had fainted twice on her wedding day, first at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and then at Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, Ning Qingshan became quite happy in the past few days.

    Making use of the incident to get rid of Ning Lingyun was naturally another source of happiness for Ning Qingshan.

    Ning Qingshan had immediately noticed Ning Lingyun¡¯s affection and gentle demeanor in front of the Third Prince. She herself had faked such a performance when trying to earn the Prince¡¯s favor. Speaking of which, Ning Lingyun wasn¡¯t as good as she was. At least, most people wouldn¡¯t suspect her when she was faking it back then.

    Ning Lingyun was different. Her current temperament contrasted her previous temperament so starkly that it would be weirder not to notice it. Particrly, she would be even ¡°timider¡± and ¡°gentler¡± in her expression, manner, and overall demeanor every time the Third Prince came over. Few people would be able to miss it when she made it so obvious that she was suffering grievances.

    What worried Ning Qingshan the most was that the clever and experienced Madam Dowager appeared to be blind toward Ning Lingyun¡¯s obviously abnormal change. Upon closer inspection, she realized that Ning Lingyun would be around nearly every time the Third Prince visited.

    Ning Lingyun was just a concubine¡¯s daughter, and a concubine¡¯s daughter who had annoyed Madam Dowager a while ago at that. What ability or right did she have to appear in front of the Third Prince nearly every time? The only exnation was that she had received Madam Dowager¡¯s permission.

    Madam Dowager had allowed Ning Lingyun to approach the Third Prince and would even help Ning Lingyun appear in front of him. This showed that Madam Dowager was unhappy about her, and this immediately put her on her guard.

    She kept losing out to Ning Xueyan a while ago, and even lost the Third Prince¡¯s favor after the Cold Mountain Temple incident. She could clearly sense that his feelings for her had changed. Later on, Prince Yi went to her courtyard to admire the peonies, which was akin to pping herself on the face.

    And when the Third Prince arrived, he didn¡¯t have any intention of siding with her. Everything that had happened must have motivated Madam Dowager to support Ning Lingyun.

    How could she ept this? It wasn¡¯t her first day or two trying to win over the Third Prince. Ning Xueyan had cost her the princess position, and if Ning Lingyun came barging in, Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would never support her again. Although Ning Lingyun was just a concubine¡¯s daughter, she was still Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s biological daughter. Compared to an adopted daughter, Madam Dowager would surely be more at ease with Ning Lingyun.

    She knew that she must kick Ning Lingyun out. How dare Ning Lingyun covet the person that she liked! Ning Lingyun wasn¡¯t qualified enough.

    Coincidentally, Ning Xueyan had fainted twice. Sure enough, when she told Madam Dowager about her n, Madam Dowager agreed at once. Unlike a healthy person like her, Ning Xueyan could die at any time. Her marriage was the one that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor needed to reinforce.

    With Madam Dowager convinced, persuading Ning Lingyun was no trouble at all. She was pleased to see Ning Lingyun panicking and not daring to meet her eyes. She might not be able to do anything to Ning Xueyan, but she was still capable enough to deal with Ning Lingyun. Besides, with Ning Lingyun around, Ning Xueyan wouldn¡¯t be resting easy either.

    Prince Yi had always been moody and unpredictable. If a wife returned from her family home with a concubine in tow, any other man would have been overjoyed but Prince Yi might not be. And the moment he became unhappy, he might want to see blood. She had once heard from the Third Prince that Prince Yi would even kill beauties sent by the Emperor.

    Never mind Ning Lingyun. Not even Ning Xueyan would be spared if Prince Yi was angered. So what if the Prince killed Ning Xueyan? The Emperor wouldn¡¯t punish him for a mere consort!

    Besides, even if Prince Yi wasn¡¯t angered, it was still a good idea to send Ning Lingyun over to Ning Xueyan¡¯s side to disgust her. Ning Xueyan¡¯s health was so poor that she might just die all of a sudden. If she could kill a few birds with one stone, she would dly do so.

    Her happinesssted right up until Ning Xueyan returned to the family home. What went wrong? Why didn¡¯t the promised showdown between Madam Dowager and Ning Xueyan happen? Moreover, Madam Dowager looked like she wouldn¡¯t bring up the matter with Ning Xueyan. This made her feel both anxious and furious. More than ever, she felt that Madam Dowager was an old and useless woman.

    Madam Dowager had the final say when it came to sending a concubine to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, yet she looked like she didn¡¯t know how to mention the matter.

    What surprised Ning Qingshan the most was the Third Prince¡¯s sudden appearance at the manor!

    Today was the day of Ning Xueyan¡¯s return to her family home. What was the Third Prince doing here?

    Her suspicion didn¡¯t just ur to her today. She had been suspecting it for a long time. The Third Prince truly treated Ning Xueyan differently. What happenedst time, what happenedter, coupled with her observation, she had the feeling that she had found the answer. She couldn¡¯t help but feel jealous and resentful. How could a bitch like Ning Xueyan win the Third Prince¡¯s heart so easily?

    On the contrary, she had to spend several years plotting and trying her hardest to win his favor. To improve her reputation and make herself a better partner for the Third Prince, she even spent three arduous years in the nunnery.

    She crumpled and twisted the handkerchief in her hand so hard that she nearly tore it apart. That bitch! That bitch...

    ¡°Young Lady, would you like to go and meet the Third Prince?¡± Caifen was confused. She didn¡¯t understand why Ning Qingshan, who had always looked so happy after hearing that the Third Prince hade, would look so resentful. She couldn¡¯t understand Ning Qingshan¡¯s intentions, so she couldn¡¯t help but ask her in a low voice.

    ¡°Have they all gone to meet him?¡± Ning Qingshan gritted her teeth. She didn¡¯t believe that the Third Prince would just appear there out of coincidence. She could still remember what happened at the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. That courtyard was so much closer to Ning Xueyan¡¯s Bright Frost Garden than to her residence.

    The Cloud Reflection Courtyard incident caused quite amotion, but it slowly faded into obscurity. It was said that the matter had been investigated, but no clues were found and everything was shelved. Ning Qingshan wasn¡¯t at all curious about Ning Ziying of the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. That woman just happened to havee to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor in the three years that she was away.

    She only heard about the incident from someone else and wasn¡¯t too concerned if it was true. What she cared about was the Third Prince.

    ¡°Madam Dowager has invited the Third Prince for a chat in the Lucky Garden. She has invited Fourth and Fifth Young Ladies as well. If you don¡¯t go... Well, Fourth Young Lady isn¡¯t as beautiful as Second Young Lady, but she still won that marriage in the end...¡± Caifen knew about what happened to Ning Lingyun. She also knew that Ning Lingyun was determined to seduce the Third Prince, so she thought that Ning Qingshan had to make a trip to the Lucky Garden at a time like this.

    Caifen didn¡¯t finish her sentence, but her meaning was clear. Ning Lingyun was the most ordinary-looking one out of all thedies in the manor, but she still managed to steal the Second Young Lady¡¯s marriage to the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li back then. It was said that the Prince even scolded the Second Young Lady because of Ning Lingyun.

    That said, Ning Lingyun even pretended to be weak and timid. Her seduction skills were truly exemry.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go over right now.¡± Ning Qingshan gritted her teeth, a cold light shing in her pupils. She stood up and walked out of her room.

    Ao Mingyu had indeede for Ning Xueyan, but not because he missed her as Ning Qingshan suspected. After his men inexplicably kidnapped Ya Moqin instead of Ning Xueyan, he had safely sent Ya Moqin back to Manor Ya. Even so, he continued to feel uneasy.

    He felt like he had missed an important detail.

    Having thought over it over and over for two days, he still couldn¡¯te up with an answer. He had no choice but toe here and see if he could learn anything from Ning Xueyan.

    He knew that Ning Xueyan had poor health, but no matter how sickly she was, she couldn¡¯t have fainted twice on her wedding day. In the past, he hadn¡¯t heard Ning Qingshan mention that Ning Xueyan had such a problem. How could something like that happen that day, and so coincidentally too?

    If Ning Xueyan hadn¡¯t fainted and her marriage sedan departed on time, his men would have sessfully kidnapped her. With her in his hands, Ao Chenyi wouldn¡¯t be able to find her even after overturning the world. His n was wless, until this coincidence happened.

    Ao Mingyu didn¡¯t believe in such coincidences, and nor did he believe that Ning Xueyan would be so lucky as to perfectly thwart his precise n. That was why he visited the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor under the guise of the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. Of course, he was also sure that his uncle wouldn¡¯t apany Ning Xueyan back to her family home.

    He put down the cup of tea in his hand with a frown, annoyed with Madam Dowager¡¯s persistent questioning about the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. He had other ns, and his mind wasn¡¯t on the courtyard at all.

    ¡°Your Highness, does Ziying really have that butterfly-shaped birthmark on her body? Could there be a mistake?¡± Madam Dowager appeared curious. If he hadn¡¯t noticed the slight trembling of her hands, he would have thought that she was simply curious.

    ¡°I suppose so,¡± Ao Mingyu said, sounding uncertain. He raised his head and decided not to use the Cloud Reflection Courtyard matter to beat around the bush with Madam Dowager. ¡°Madam Dowager, I heard that my uncle¡¯s consort is returning home today. Why don¡¯t I see her? She¡¯s my aunt from now on. Since I¡¯m here, I must greet her so as not to be rude.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re far too polite, Your Highness. What¡¯s that about greeting her? We¡¯re not outsiders. Of course, you should see her,¡± Madam Dowager replied, looking distracted. The Cloud Reflection Courtyard incident was a thorn in her heart. She didn¡¯t feel anything when Ning Ziying was still a nobody, but she was filled with fear now.

    When going along with the Third Prince¡¯s words, her smile appeared forced and insincere.

    Being a princess of the previous dynasty was noughing matter. Madam Dowager was a woman presiding over a backyard and wasn¡¯t clear about the matters of the court. From what she heard from her son, the Emperor had no intention to kill the princess of the previous dynasty. If the Emperor learned that Ning Ziying was the princess, and was killed by Madam Ling at that, their crime would be grave.

    She wanted to continue questioning the Third Prince about the Cloud Reflection Courtyard, but she had to give in to his demand. She didn¡¯t think that a consort like Ning Xueyan was superior to the Prince in terms of status or position. Although Ning Xueyan¡¯s status was of a generation above the Prince, she was no princess. There was no need for the Third Prince to greet Ning Xueyan so solemnly.

    All of her attention was on the Cloud Reflection Courtyard, so much so that she didn¡¯t notice that the Prince was asking to see Ning Xueyan. In the first ce, the request was a strange one.

 Chapter 514 - Something Suddenly Happened, and Ning Lingyun Made a Conspiration Again

    <h4>Chapter 514 Something Suddenly Happened, and Ning Lingyun Made a Conspiration Again</h4>

    Ning Xueyan did not immediatelye because she said that she was unwell and mighte a littlete. Now the excuse worked every time she used it. Anyway, she could not keep it from others. All the people knew that she was unhealthy so that when she got married, she passed out once in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and Prince Yi¡¯s Manor respectively.

    Theer was Ning Lingyun, who had happened to be chatting with Ning Xueyan in the Bright Frost Garden, so she came to apologize to Third Prince in the name of Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady hasn¡¯t recovered yet?¡± Ao Mingyu said with a smile, looking peaceful.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that she hasn¡¯t fully recovered, but that she is a little...¡± Ning Lingyun seemed to find that what she said was somewhat unsuitable, so she hurriedly bowed her head and did not try to finish her words.

    Ao Mingyu knitted his eyebrows silently. This meant that Ning Xueyan¡¯s health was not as poor as the rumors imed, or this was the reason for her to avoid meeting him. Indeed, what happened that day was too weird. Ao Mingyu always felt that he had been trapped by someone, so he could not let go of it.

    It was never possible to go to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor to inquire about it. Then, he had to start with Ning Xueyan. For Ao Mingyu, he did not know when he would meet her alone next time apart from this time she hade back to the family of her parents.

    ¡°Since Fifth Young Lady is still unwell, Fourth Young Lady, please lead the way, and let¡¯s visit Fifth Young Lady together and also take a look at the Cloud Reflection Courtyard.¡± Ao Mingyu still kept calling her ¡°Fifth Young Lady¡± repetitively as if nothing had changed and Ning Xueyan still seemed to be the previous unmarried fifth youngdy.

    Madam Dowager frowned. Truly, these words sounded quite unsuitable, but she could not refuse the requirement of Third Prince.

    ¡°Fourth Young Lady, you apany Third Prince to the Cloud Reflection Courtyard, then.¡± Madam Dowager could only say so. After finishing her words, she looked at Ning Lingyun with a profound meaning.

    After she was scared by Ning Xueyan previously, Madam Dowager naturally became partial again to Third Prince, but she could not make up her mind temporarily. Now she took a look at Ning Lingyun subconsciously and had to follow Ning Lingyun¡¯s topic to talk. Of course, what she was saying was the matter of the Cloud Reflection Courtyard.

    Ning Lingyu had changed her clothes. The in and nice jacket was blue, and so was the skirt. At the corner of the skirt, there were many red plum flower patterns. This dressing was neither strong nor light, making Ning Lingyun look slender and weak. Clearly, a kind of delicate beauty of a weak woman was shown, and one could not help wanting to take care of her because of it.

    Different from her usual excessively in style or the brightly beautiful style of the past, this dressing was most suitable for Ning Lingyun, in fact.

    Madam Dowager looked at Third Prince and found that his look at Ning Lingyun was warm even with a light smile and he did not even mind the fact that she avoided talking about Ning Xueyan. Instead, he rose to his feet and looked up at Ning Lingyun a few times gracefully. ¡°Fourth Young Lady, please lead the way.¡±

    Whether to go to the Cloud Reflection Courtyard was just a topic. If he wanted to enter the Bright Frost Garden when he arrived there, could the daughter of a concubine prevent him from entering it? Anyway, today he had entered the mansion by using the excuse of wanting to visit Ning Xueyan. No matter what, Ning Xueyan was now his senior although he resisted epting this idea so much that he avoided the word ¡°consort¡± subconsciously.

    ¡°Yes, Third Prince.¡± Seeing that Third Prince spoke to her so politely and gently, Ning Lingyun felt that she was drunk. Before walking outside, she looked at him quite shyly. Sure enough, what Ning Xueyan said was right. This dressing of hers was the most lovable one.

    Of course, such a little love was not enough. Although she was so afraid of Ning Qingshan, when she remembered that this was her only chance to change her fate, she should never let it go. If she retreated, she would have to enter Prince Yi¡¯s Manor and die; if she charged, she would enter Third Prince¡¯s manor and enjoy a happy life. As for this, she had learned it through what Ning Xueyan said just now.

    Hearing Ning Xueyan said that she would not go out, leaving the chance to her, Ning Lingyun knew that this was her chance.

    ¡°Ning Qingshan will never allow me and her to enter Third Prince¡¯s Manor together as his women, but what if Third Prince is willing, and my grandma is willing too?!

    ¡°Previously, Ning Xueyan said that Madam Dowager did not mean that I must marry into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, but that I only needed to choose to marry into either of them. Sure enough, Madam Dowager¡¯s attitude was like that just now. Otherwise, she would not have asked me, an unmarried girl, to apany Third Prince alone there.

    ¡°Asking a maid or an older female servant would have been more suitable than asking me!¡±

    Since she had Ning Xueyan¡¯s words as an endorsement in her mind, the more she thought, the more reasonable she thought it was. After she looked sideways at Third Prince who was walking on her left, her face turned even redder. As for conspiring to get married, Ning Lingyu did not have the slightest mental burden in doing it. Besides, Third Prince seemed to be much nicer to her than before, and he even especially spoke to her politely.

    In the past, Third Prince treated her indifferently, almost ignoring her.

    She made her decision as she thought so. As she purposefully sprained her foot, she yelled ¡°Ouch¡± in a low voice and fell to the side.

    Ao Mingyu had encountered such things before, his reaction was always quite quick, and he would have avoided it subconsciously.

    But this time of today, he was fully thinking about what happened that day and wasck of concentration, and he did not even notice that unknowingly, Ning Lingyun had been walking side by side with him. More coincidentally, the two of them had just arrived at the entrance of the courtyard. Since this ce was so small, Ao Mingyu had no time to avoid her at that moment and extended his hands subconsciously.

    Therefore, Ning Lingyun fell into the arms of Ao Mingyu straight in this way. What was more coincidental was that Ning Lingyun was dressed in gauze clothes. It was unclear where her clothes were hooked. With only a ¡°hiss¡±, the shoulder part of the gauze clothes was broken, and her snow-white arm and arge part of the snow-white skin on her neck were exposed.

    Ning Lingyun screamed and blushed, and her tears had even run down. With a ¡°soft whine¡±, she hid into Ao Mingyu¡¯s arms and began to shiver.

    Ao Mingyu did not expect such a scene. He looked at Ning Lingyun in his arms with a frown, and his eyes fell on her half-exposed shoulder as if he did not know what he should do so that his reaction was a little slow.

    A youngdy who was not properly dressed was held by Ao Mingyu in his arms, looking bashful. At the entrance of the courtyard, the maids and older female servants were stunned. It was fair to say that this happened in the public eye, but no one knew how such a thing could have happened. Before everyone realized it, Fourth Young Lady had fallen into the arms of Third Prince. The two of them just tightly held each other subconsciously.

    This scene happened to be witnessed by Ning Qingshan who hurriedly came here. Seeing Ning Lingyun snuggling up in Ao Mingyu¡¯s arms like a timid but lovable little bird with a shy look, Ning Qingshan got angry, and all kinds of envies and hatreds filled her chest immediately. She quickened her steps and came to the two stunned people.

    She instantly took Ning Lingyun out of Ao Mingyu¡¯s arms and then pped her hard twice. ¡°Slut!¡±

    Now she even wished to swallow up Ning Lingyun.

    Ning Lingyu was baffled by the sudden change of the situation. She only felt that something passed by her eyes, and then she felt great pain on her face and could not help letting out a cry. When she saw that the one in front of her was Ning Qingshan, her feet lost strength, and she knelt before Ning Qingshan involuntarily. Covering the broken part of her clothes with one hand, she cried, ¡°Third Sister, I, I didn¡¯t do this on purpose.¡±

    ¡°If you didn¡¯t do this on purpose, how could you have made yourself look like this to stay with His Highness? Previously, you also dressed improperly...¡± Now Ning Qingshan hated Ning Lingyun to the bones, so how could she care about her reputation? She wanted to tell the past story between Ning Lingyun and Ao Xian. Back then, many people in the mansion knew it. Although Ning Qingshan was absent at that time, she learned itter from Mammy Luo.

    Ning Lingyun also stayed with Ao Xian in such improper dressing, and then Commandery Prince Li¡¯s Manor approved of that marriage.

    Hearing Ning Qingshan¡¯s mention of the ¡°improper dressing¡± event, Ning Lingyun immediately felt that something was wrong, and her face suddenly turned pale. ¡°If Third Prince learns this, I will have no chance to enter his manor and be his woman.¡±

    ¡°Third Sister, Fourth Sister, what¡¯s wrong with you? Why are you quarreling at the entrance of our grandma¡¯s courtyard?¡± A soft and calm voice with a little surprise came from outside. Ao Mingyu raised his head and found that Ning Xueyan had stood outside the entrance with her maid, but he did not know when she hade here. Subconsciously, he took a few steps back to the side, just leaving the entrance he had blocked open.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? All of you,e in and exin it. Fourth Young Lady, go and change your clothes.¡± Madam Dowager also learned it and took her maids and older female servants over. When she saw the improper scene at the entrance, her expression turned gloomy.

    Someone had already gone over and helped Ning Lingyun to her feet. Indeed, she could not show up in public with this appearance now. She was escorted to the wing-room on the side to change her clothes. Turning around, Madam Dowager entered her room, and Ao Mingyu and the other visitors also entered the room.

    Looking at Ning Xueyan who calmly came over, Ning Qingshan almost gritted her teeth into pieces, and her eyes, which seemed to have poison, fell on Ning Xueyan straight. The handkerchief in her hands had been messily made into a ball. ¡°Such a thing would not have happened without Ning Xueyan¡¯s arrival. When she came, such a thing then happened. Just now, I arranged Ning Lingyun for Ning Xueyan, but now Ning Xueyan has attacked my weakness immediately.¡±

    If someone said that this had nothing to do with Ning Xueyan, she would never believe it.

    ¡°Third Sister, our grandma is waiting for us. You don¡¯t allow me to go in?¡± Ning Xueyan raised her head and asked with a smile.

    When Ning Qingshan turned around to look at Ning Xueyan just now, she happened to stand in Ning Xueyan¡¯s way, making her stop at the door of Madam Dowager. At first sight, it seemed to be true that Ning Qingshan prevented Ning Xueyan from entering the room.

    Madam Dowager¡¯s expression turned even gloomier. ¡°Third Young Lady, let Fifth Young Ladye in. Today she is the guesting back to the family of her parents.¡±

    Madam Dowager was reminding Ning Qingshan that now Ning Xueyan was no longer the previous Ning Xueyan, for she was now the consort of Prince Yi, not the one Ning Qingshan could stop whenever she wanted to. Madam Dowager said these words also with a hidden threat in them, warning Ning Qingshan that she could not afford to offend the current Ning Xueyan.

    Just now, Ning Qingshan pped Ning Lingyun in the public eye, which made her very angry indeed.

    No matter how serious Ning Lingyun¡¯s mistake was, she was her biological granddaughter, but Ning Qingshan even dared to p Ning Lingyun at the entrance of her courtyard. It did make her feel that she had lost face.

    Third Prince sat on the side indifferently watching all this, as if everything in front of him had nothing to do with him. Only when he turned his eyes to Ning Xueyan¡¯s smiling face did the look in his eyes lingered slightly.

    After being reminded by Madam Dowager with a serious expression, now Ning Qingshan realized that she had overreacted. But when she saw Ning Lingyun lying coyly in Ao Mingyu¡¯s arms just now, she could not suppress her anger. Now when she saw Madam Dowager¡¯s angry face, she came back to her senses at once.

    First, she let Ning Xueyan pass; then she went to Madam Dowager, knelt down with a heavy thud, and said tearfully with a trembling voice, ¡°Grandma, please get justice for your Shan¡¯er.¡±

 Chapter 515 - The Explanation to Lord Protectorâ€™s Manor

    <strong>Chapter 515 The Exnation to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor</strong>

    Madam Dowager immediately became silent because it was not easy to give a proper answer, especially when she had promised Ning Qingshan previously that she would send Ning Lingyun to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    Ning Xueyan went to the chair opposite Ao Mingyu, silently sat down, and slightly lowered her eyes, avoiding the look in the deep eyes of Ao Mingyu.

    ¡°Grandma, how could Fourth Sister do such a thing? Previously, she...¡± Seeing Madam Dowager remained silent, Ning Qingshan became quite anxious and said tearfully as she raised her head. ¡°I can¡¯t let Ning Lingyun marry into Third Prince¡¯s Manor. The bitch even dares to take Third Prince from me.¡± Although she saw Ao Mingyu holding Ning Lingyun in his arms just now, she never believed that Third Prince would hug Ning Lingyun first.

    ¡°It must have been the bitch Ning Lingyun who arranged it on purpose. I heard that Ning Lingyun had done this before I came back.¡±

    ¡°Third Sister, is it useful for you to embarrass our grandma like this? Since this... is the affair between Third Prince and Fourth Sister, we¡¯d better ask Third Prince to make an exnation to our Lord Protector¡¯s Manor!¡±

    The light but graceful voice entered the sharp voice of Ning Qingshan, sounding even sweeter, and stopped her talk directly. Ning Xueyan raised her ck jade-like eyes and looked at Ao Mingyu.

    These words helped Madam Dowager out of her predicament, and she red at Ning Qingshan with a dark face. ¡°Third Young Lady, you can¡¯t make a final word about this, and nor can I, but His Highness can. If His Highness is not willing, it doesn¡¯t matter. Anyway, she is the daughter of the Marquis¡¯s Manor. Her unmarried woman¡¯s reputation is more important. Naturally, the Marquis¡¯s Manor will not give His Highness a dilemma. Third Young Lady, stand up. You and Fourth Young Lady are sisters. When one has honor, both of you have honor. As your grandma, I know you worry about this.¡±

    If Ning Qingshan publicized the previous marriage between Ning Lingyun and Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, Ning Lingyun¡¯s reputation would be ruined. How could Madam Dowager not know the meaning of Ning Qingshan? So, she said these words to her with a cold face. If Ning Lingyun had a bad time, she should not think about having a good time, for Madam Dowager did not want a good ¡°chess piece¡± to be ruined by Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°Since Prince Yi¡¯s Manor is a dangerous ce, Fourth Young Lady would better marry into Third Prince¡¯s Manor. Look at the ferocious behavior and the look of aiming to kill Ning Lingyun of Ning Qingshan! She is not easy to control in the future. Besides, she is not my blood, after all. So, the family rtionship built on blood between us is very light. Who knows when I will lose control of her!¡±

    Madam Dowager hadpletely changed her mind this time, feeling that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor could only maintain a close rtionship with Third Prince by sending one more woman, Ning Lingyun, to Third Prince¡¯s Manor.

    She looked at Ning Qingshan coldly. If she had known that this girl was an ungrateful one, she would have never adopted her. The fact was that she had doted on her again and again when she found that she behaved well. Originally, she thought that with her talent, good looks, and good behavior, she would give the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor help no matter what family she would marry into.

    Only now did she find that since the girl was an adopted one, she would never be her family member. No matter how kindly she treated her, the girl and she would never share the same mind.

    Madam Dowager said these words indirectly, without the slightest idea of forcing Third Prince. This was Madam Dowager¡¯s sophistication. She did want to build a marriage bond with Third Prince, not to have grudges with him. If Third Prince was really forced to ept Ning Lingyun and had an antipathy, she would rather not send her.

    As for thest half of Madam Dowager¡¯s words, they just showed the attitude of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. If Third Prince insisted that he did not want Ning Lingyun, Ning Lingyun would have to fulfill her good reputation by death.

    In the back hall, Ning Lingyun was scared to have a cold sweat. Now she had changed her clothes and been led to the back hall. Just now, she had been listening there.

    Hearing Madam Dowager¡¯s words, Ning Qingshan understood what Madam Dowager meant. Immediately, her face turned ashen, and she began to sway so that she could hardly kneel and sat on the ground directly. Turning her head, she looked at Ao Mingyu pleadingly with her tears falling down drop by drop and said sadly, ¡°Third Prince!¡±

    She did not have unnecessary words, but the grievance and sadness on her face showed all her thoughts. Of course, she was unwilling to marry into Third Prince¡¯s Manor together with Ning Lingyun, but when facing Madam Dowager, she could not say anything and only expected that Third Prince would not allow Ning Lingyun to enter his manor for her sake and directly treated what Madam Dowager, the bitchy old woman, said as a piece of unheeded advice.

    She believed that as long as Third Prince gave his word, Madam Dowager would never dare to say anything anymore. That Madam Dowager curried favor with Third Prince was a fact, about which Ning Qingshan had been knowing because she kept an eye on it.

    Ning Xueyan did not say anything. She just picked up the tea served by a maid, took a quiet sip, and put on a light smile on her lips.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, so be it. When Third Young Lady Ning marries into my manor, bring her too!¡± Seeing that Ning Xueyan raised her head to look at him with a light smile in her watery eyes,pletely showing an air of watching the fun, Ao Mingyu suddenly felt that this was so boring. He waved his hand and spoke with an indifferent expression.

    Although he was still smiling, anyone could see that he was impatient.

    Hearing that he epted the offer, both Ning Lingyun who was inside and Madam Dowager who was outside could not help but feel relieved. The thing had been solved perfectly. Anyway, Ning Lingyun was sure to enter Third Prince¡¯s Manor as his woman. This could be counted as the second insurance made for the rtionship between the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and Third Prince¡¯s Manor.

    As for whether Ning Lingyun would have status or not when she entered the manor as the prince¡¯s woman, people of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor thought that for the sake of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Third Prince was bound to give her the concubine¡¯s status of the lowest ss at least. Anyway, statuses such as concubines and madams would not be recorded on the royal list in Third Prince¡¯s Manor.

    Madam Dowager and Ning Lingyun did not have a high requirement. As long as thetter could enter Third Prince¡¯s Manor as the prince¡¯s woman, other things could be conspired to get bit by bit.

    The hidden bitterness and grievance on her face stiffened immediately, but a trace of viciousness appeared and vanished in her eyes. But she knew that the matter had been decided. Since Third Prince had given his word, she could not object. She gritted her teeth, turned her eyes around silently, and bowed her head, showing a look that she had been wronged but could not say anything.

    She looked aggrieved and pathetic.

    Ning Xueyan nced mockingly at Ning Qingshan, with somewhat coldness in her watery eyes. ¡°Ning Qingshan reacted really fast. Just now, she still acted like an official wife, but after a while, now she looks so pathetic. Those who don¡¯t know about the situation will think that Ning Qingshan is the victim who suffered most. Sure enough, Ning Qingshan is very difficult to deal with.

    ¡°She wanted to let Ning Lingyun bring vexation to me or deal with me, but she did not expect that she ended up with the fate of being hurt by her own scheme.¡±

    Since the matter had been decided, now Madam Dowager felt so sorry about what she had done to her when she saw this appearance of Ning Qingshan. Instantly, she gently asked Mother Qin to help Ning Qingshan to her feet and let her sit on the chair beside Ao Mingyu.

    ¡°Third Young Lady, Fourth Young Lady can only be your follower in the future. By then, as her elder sister and the consort, you will need to take a little more care of her,¡± Madam Dowager said earnestly. At the same time, she hinted to Ning Qingshan that she was the consort of Third Prince anyway, and Ning Lingyun would only be her assistant even when she married into Third Prince¡¯s Manor in the future and would not trouble her.

    Madam Dowager was trying to set Ning Qingshan¡¯s mind at rest.

    Now Ning Qingshan was at a loss as to what to do. Since Third Prince had agreed, what else could she do? Although she had so much hatred in her heart that she could crush her teeth, she had to put on a little dejected expression. Just now when she was impulsive, she overreacted, so now she could not show that she did not mind it at all.

    ¡°Grandma, don¡¯t talk about it anymore. I know everything! Fourth Sister is clever. I... I may rely on her in the future.¡± When Ning Qingshan spoke of this, it seemed that she could not continue her talk any longer. She lowered her head, wipe away her tears with her handkerchief, and then turned to Ao Mingyu. As expected, she saw that Ao Mingyu had changed his expression slightly.

    ¡°Third Young Lady, don¡¯t take it to heart. You are my consort, and others are irrelevant.¡± At this moment, Ao Mingyu surely knew that he had been tricked by Ning Lingyun. When he saw that Ning Qingshan was now aggrieved, his expression became a little gentle. This was the first time that Third Prince had shown sincere kindness to Ning Qingshan since the incident of the Cold Mountain Temple took ce.

    When Ning Qingshan heard Third Prince clearly say that Ning Lingyun was just an irrelevant person, the resentment in her chest was somewhat relieved. When she looked at Ao Mingyu again and found that his attitude was quite different from his previous attitude, she was stricken by a surprise.

    ¡°Third Prince... I don¡¯t mind, but I¡¯m afraid that Third Prince... you will mind. It¡¯s all my fault, and then you had such serious trouble.¡± Then, Ning Qingshan was about to say something but forced herself not to say it, and she was on the verge of crying. Apparently, she was aggrieved because allowing her younger sister, the daughter of a concubine, to marry into Third Prince¡¯s Manor together with her was like pping her in the face, but she was worrying about Third Prince.

    This also gave an exnation for her behavior of fury that happened just now. It was not that she was worried that she would be wronged. Most importantly, she was worried about Third Prince.

    Compared with her behavior, Ning Lingyun¡¯s behavior was quite questionable. He thought that her behavior, which was frivolous, was indeed against the code of conduct of women.

    Ning Lingyun, who had been inside, had a dark expression and had almost crushed the handkerchief in her hands.

    Ning Xueyan watched the scene in front of her quietly. Ning Lingyun had just been confirmed to enter Third Prince¡¯s Manor as the prince¡¯s woman, but now she could not wait to deal with Ning Lingyun. She was really a little too impatient. Although she won the favor of Third Prince, Madam Dowager was so unhappy.

    Others might not know what these words meant, but how could a person like Madam Dowager who had been living in the backyard for many years not know their meaning? Ning Qingshan said that Ning Lingyun did not abide by the code of conduct of women and had seduced Third Prince, but this happened in her Lucky Garden. That was to say, Ning Qingshan used her too. Moments ago, Madam Dowager felt so sorry about what she had done to Ning Qingshan, but when hearing these words, she frowned and looked at Ning Qingshan a little coldly.

    Ao Mingyu nodded at Ning Qingshan but was not going to respond to what she said and do credit to her. Instead, he turned to Ning Xueyan and said gently, ¡°Fifth Young Lady, it¡¯s really gratifying to hear that you escaped a catastrophe you fell into a few days ago.¡±

    This was his main aim ofing here today. Now when he saw Ning Xueyan, he would raise this topic, of course. After saying it, he stared attentively at Ning Xueyan, observing her reaction.

    First, Ning Xueyan had an astounded expression; then she seemed to remember the event that she passed out. Next, her face turned a little red, and she was a little ashamed and annoyed. For anyone, this kind of thing was a shame, especially when it happened on the wedding day.

    ¡°Thank you, Third Prince.¡± Ning Xueyan curved her brows as she smiled, but her smile was alienated and cold, in a way that she did not want to mention it again.

    ¡°Do you know who wanted to hijack your bridal sedan chair, Fifth Young Lady?¡± Ao Mingyu pressed as if he had not found the ashamed and annoyed expression on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face because he did not n to stop at this point.

 Chapter 516 - Ning Qingshan Was Rebuked Again

    <h4>Chapter 516 Ning Qingshan Was Rebuked Again</h4>

    Seeing that Ao Mingyu was ignoring her show ofpromise and focusing on Ning Xueyan instead, Ning Qingshan concealed her resentful expression behind her handkerchief. What an immoral woman. How disgusting of her to seduce the Third Prince after she had married Prince Yi.

    ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯m a woman who remains in the boudoir all day long. The only people I meet are those living in the inner courtyard. How would I know who wants to hijack my sedan? Do you happen to know? If you do, please let me know, Your Highness,¡± Ning Xueyan said, standing up to give Ao Mingyu a solemn salute.

    She acted so naturally that she showed not even an ounce of pretense. Her ashamed and indignant expression dyed her pale face with an attractive and vivid red color. Under her long eyshes, her beautiful eyes were filled with anger. Of course, anyone who would be furious to have barely escaped such a huge disaster.

    ¡°Your Highness...¡± When Ao Mingyu stared nkly at her, Ning Xueyan started bing impatient and raised her voice.

    ¡°I¡¯m not too sure myself. I just find it strange that a weak woman hidden away in the boudoir would offend anyone. Has Uncle learned anything?¡± Ao Mingyu coughed quietly after snapping out of it, and quickly redirected the attention to Ao Chenyi.

    He couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling that something was strange about all of these. He didn¡¯t believe that Ao Chenyi would just let things go.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Xueyan. Has Prince Yi asked you about it?¡± Madam Dowager was concerned about this as well. It was such a close shave, after all. It would be disastrous if Ning Xueyan were kidnapped. How would she exin it to Prince Yi?

    ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about Prince Yi¡¯s investigation.¡± Ning Xueyan shook her head and looked down.

    ¡°Did you hear anyone talk about it?¡± Ao Mingyu had never expected to learn about Ao Chenyi¡¯s ns from her in the first ce.

    ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with the manor¡¯s affairs as I have been staying in the Pear Flower Garden these days. If you¡¯re interested, you may ask the Prince.¡± Ning Xueyan looked up and replied in a courteously distant manner, indicating she wasn¡¯t interested in continuing the topic. It was obvious that Ao Mingyu was inquiring about affairs in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, and this made her unhappy.

    Ning Xueyan only came here to ¡°help¡± Ning Lingyun. Since the Third Prince had shown up at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor at this time, it was only natural for her to ¡°help¡± Ning Lingyun achieve her objective. Now that Ning Lingyun¡¯s fate was as good as sealed, she didn¡¯t have the mood to stay here and keep talking with Ao Mingyu.

    Thus, she stood up and returned to the Bright Frost Garden with Lanning with the excuse that she was unwell.

    She came here out of worry that Ning Lingyun wouldn¡¯t be able to exin herself and end up offending the Third Prince instead. Now that her role was over, it was only natural for her to leave with her maid.

    Ao Mingyu had already asked what he wanted to ask of Ning Xueyan. Seeing that she didn¡¯t know anything, it seemed that the matter didn¡¯t cause much of amotion. He wasn¡¯t surprised at Ao Chenyi¡¯s response either, as the incident didn¡¯t cause much of a difference in the end. His men were far out of reach as well, so even if Ao Chenyi wanted to investigate, he wouldn¡¯t find out anything.

    Therefore, the incident was basically over.

    Since his concern was solved, he decided to excuse himself. Meanwhile, he had promised to take Ning Lingyun along when marrying Ning Qingshan. He would give her a status then, so that she wouldn¡¯t be a concubine without any title. It was also his show of respect to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Besides, his manor was huge and feeding another person wouldn¡¯t be a problem at all. And keeping someone like Ning Lingyun around wasn¡¯tpletely useless.

    Although this was humiliating for Ning Qingshan, he thought it was nothingpared to how she had humiliated him before. He would just treat her better in the future and gradually suppress the consequences of the Cold Mountain Temple incident.

    That was why he asked Ning Qingshan to see him out. Madam Dowager was also feeling guilty about Ning Qingshan, so she agreed to give them some private time without any fuss.

    Lanning was walking behind Ning Xueyan. Noticing that she was being quiet, Lanning thought that she was upset about the Third Prince¡¯s aggressive interrogation and proposed, ¡°Master, should we return now?¡±

    The way she saw it, her mistress hadpleted the homing ceremony and dealt with Ning Lingyun¡¯s matter. There was no point in staying here any longer. Although it had just been three days since she left, she had already stopped thinking about this ce as her home.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to rush. We have to at least have dinner before going back,¡± Ning Xueyan said calmly. She stopped walking and stared at the nearby Cloud Reflection Courtyard. She had been there just three days ago, but she realized that she had returned with a fresh perspective. Her previous life was like wisps of smoke in the air; it had be duller and duller in her memory.

    ¡°You should get some sleep then, Master. You weren¡¯t able to take a nap earlier because of the Fourth Young Lady,¡± Lanning suggested.

    Ning Xueyan nodded. She was so used to taking afternoon naps that now that she wasn¡¯t asleep at this hour, she was a little sleepy. She had nothing better to do and it was her nap hour anyway. So, she slowly turned around and walked toward the Bright Frost Garden. ¡°Go and find Mother Wangter. Take her to the vige that I received as part of my dowry and tell them she¡¯s your rtive. Once she has settled down, I¡¯ll see her soon.¡±

    No matter what, she had to bring the matters of her previous life to a closure. Although those memories were as faint as smoke, she had to end things at the right time.

    It would be inconvenient to leave once she returned to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. She was still in the dark about many things there, and Commandery Princess Xianyun would be watching her every move. She mustn¡¯t reveal any of her weaknesses to the Princess. She should do as few things as possible to minimize her mistakes.

    ¡°Yes. Once you¡¯re asleep, I¡¯ll leave immediately,¡± Lanning said, although with a moment of hesitation.

    ¡°What do you want to say?¡± Ning Xueyan asked, as if she had a second pair of eyes behind her back.

    ¡°Master, don¡¯t you have to watch the Third Young Lady anymore?¡± Lanning felt that Ning Qingshan wouldn¡¯t just give up after suffering such a big loss and being forced to take Ning Lingyun with her to the Third Prince¡¯s Manor. No matter how she looked at it, Ning Qingshan wasn¡¯t someone who would suffer in silence.

    ¡°Of course she wouldn¡¯t suffer in silence.¡± Ning Xueyan chuckled. The corners of her lips upturned with barely-detectable coldness. Ever since Ning Qingshan returned to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, the two of them were like born nemeses who had to fight now and then. She was no saint either, so she wouldn¡¯t just let Ning Qingshan go after plotting against her.

    Ning Qingshan must be angry enough to eat her alive now. That happened to serve her well. Since Ning Qingshan wanted to harm her, she might as well let Ning Qingshan make a quicker move.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have toe with me. Find my Fourth Sister and tell her that she has ultimately wronged Third Sister. Tell her that an apology is necessary at times and she mustn¡¯t let something like this affect their rtionship. After all, they can take care of each other in the Third Prince¡¯s Manor. That ce isn¡¯t like home, after all. It¡¯s a ce that pays even stricter attention to rules.¡±

    ncing at the gate of the nearby Bright Frost Garden, Ning Xueyan¡¯s ink-like eyes gleamed with a strange coldness as she gave Lanning her order in a calm voice.

    ¡°Master, I¡¯ll be on my way immediately.¡± Lanning had been serving Ning Xueyan for a long time, and naturally understood how intelligent her mistress was. She couldn¡¯t just take Ning Xueyan¡¯s words at face value. After carefully thinking about it, she understood Ning Xueyan¡¯s intention. Without any hesitation, she bade Ning Xueyan goodbye and left.

    Ning Lingyun wanted to have the easy way out as well as a morous life. Given such an opportunity, she would surely meet Ning Qingshan to express her sisterly love, especially after offending thetter today. They would be entering the Third Prince¡¯s Manor together and she would have to depend on Ning Qingshan in many ways in the future. There was no doubt that Ning Lingyun would agree to apologize to Ning Qingshan.

    Lanning had witnessed Ning Qingshan¡¯s attitude at the gate of the courtyard as clear as day. If there weren¡¯t any outsiders around, Ning Qingshan would have torn Ning Lingyun apart. Ning Qingshan must still be fuming, and if Ning Lingyun were to see her at this time, her anger would surely explode.

    Of course, her thoughts mirrored that of Ning Xueyan. The angrier Ning Qingshan was, the better. Only then would Ning Qingshan panic more, fall prey to her emotions, and make a mistake. Since she happened to be here today, she would be able to find out what has happened. That way, if Ning Qingshan were to do anything in the future, this knowledge would be able to help her mistress do something about it.

    After taking a couple of steps away, Lanning stopped walking and turned around. ¡°Master, I¡¯m going to leave. Is that all right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, go ahead. I¡¯ll get Mother Han to go around the manor for a bit. She won¡¯t be working in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor anymore, so it¡¯ll be nice if she can talk to her friends.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled, immediately grasping Lanning¡¯s meaning. Lanning returned her smile as well.

    Lanning went to talk to Ning Lingyun. Ning Lingyun had suffered quite a fright earlier, but the dust had settled now. Since the Third Prince had epted her, that was another one of Madam Dowager¡¯s concerns settled. Madam Dowager treated her quite well as well, even asking her servants to send her back to her yard and bestowing her with gifts. When she was still picking out the gifts, she heard that Ning Xueyan¡¯s maid Lanning hade.

    After thinking about it, she put down the thing in her hand and went out to receive the maid personally.

    Currently, neither she nor Ning Xueyan had a stake in each other. If she could get on the good side of Prince Yi¡¯s consort, there would surely only be pros and no cons.

    Lanning didn¡¯t spend much time in Ning Lingyun¡¯s yard. After rying her mistress¡¯ message to Ning Lingyun in a few sentences, she excused herself and left the manor. She was now a servant of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor apanying Ning Xueyan on her visit home, so she was naturally free to leave any time she wanted.

    After Lanning left, Ning Lingyun changed into fresh clothes. Madam Dowager had prepared these new clothes for her. With only a maid forpany, she rushed toward Ning Qingshan¡¯s Foggy Courtyard.

    Thus, anothermotion broke out in the Foggy Courtyard and the incident even reached Madam Dowager¡¯s ears. She summoned them to her ce and questioned them. Apparently, Ning Lingyun had visited Ning Qingshan to apologize and ended up drawing thetter¡¯s wrath, resulting in a fight. Madam Dowager was very unhappy with Ning Qingshan about this.

    To her, Ning Lingyun¡¯s oue was also her intention. Ning Qingshan¡¯s dissatisfaction with Ning Lingyun was also Ning Qingshan¡¯s dissatisfaction with her. This made Madam Dowager¡¯s expression even uglier. Since the Third Prince wasn¡¯t around and she had no need to worry about showing him respect, she gave Ning Qingshan a harsh reprimanding. She even ordered Ning Qingshan to return to her yard and read the Principles for Women book more often so that Ning Qingshan would understand how a decentdy would behave.

    Then, Ning Lingyun returned to her yard timidly while Ning Qingshan left the Lucky Garden with a pale and angry face.

    The matter was supposed to be over, but...

 Chapter 517 - Please Grant My Wish, Consort Ning

    <h4>Chapter 517 Please Grant My Wish, Consort Ning</h4>

    Ning Xueyan left in the evening, after having a few bites of dinner.

    Knowing that she would be leaving, dinner took ce much earlier than usual at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Since this was her homing ceremony, it was only right for the family to have a ¡°warm¡± dinner at Lucky Garden.

    Ning Zu¡¯an appeared normal but said little. But, now and then, he would nce at Ning Xueyan out of the corner of his eye with an unpleasant sense of scrutiny. It was fortunate that she never felt anything for this scumbag of a father. Let him stare all he wanted; it wasn¡¯t like he could stare a hole in her.

    Ning Zu¡¯an wouldn¡¯t do anything to her, now that she possessed a little value. Although he couldn¡¯t make his beloved son his heir at the moment, he wasn¡¯t in a hurry either. He was at the peak of his life. He could even marry another woman and bear a new heir. Thinking about this made his heart skip a beat.

    Madam Dowager was as ¡°kind¡± as always. She continued to persuade Ning Xueyan to win Prince Yi¡¯s favor and develop a good rtionship with the Princess. She also advised Ning Xueyan not to throw a tantrum there because life was different for a married woman. Ning Xueyan could no longer be a maiden without any worries or concerns, who would demand anything she wanted when she wanted.

    These words felt like ridicule to Ning Xueyan. Did Madam Dowager really say that to her? Did Madam Dowager think that Ning Xueyan was pampered while living here? Throwing a tantrum? Bah!

    Ning Lingyun was missing from the dinner. It was such a public incident, after all. Even though she had manipted the Third Prince on purpose, even though the Prince had agreed in the end, she was nheless ady. She was too ashamed to see anyone now. Moreover, she had even caused more trouble by visiting Ning Qingshan at the Foggy Courtyard and causing a fight. So, she only sent a maid over with the excuse that she had fallen ill.

    The avoidance in her excuse was obvious, but fortunately, Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an permitted it without another word. On the other hand, Ning Qingshan might be smiling but she was staring daggers at Ning Xueyan. Now and then, she would give Ning Xueyan an icy stare.

    But under the weight of Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s scrutiny, her coldness didn¡¯t matter at all. This meal was nothing more than a show of the closeness of the Lord Protector¡¯s family.

    Ning Xueyan had performed her role, and how effective that performance was up to everyone¡¯s perception. She didn¡¯t try to provoke Ning Qingshan any further. After having a few bites of dinner, she stood up and excused herself back to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Outside, the sky was still bright.

    Mother Han followed Ning Xueyan into the carriage. She had only just returned, having been away from Ning Xueyan all this while.

    ¡°Master, I saw Third Young Lady¡¯s maid Feilian went out through the back door. I followed her and saw her entering the Eldest Young Master¡¯s Xia Manor. I waited outside since I couldn¡¯t either, but I never saw here out. I stopped waiting when it got toote and rushed back.¡±

    Mother Han took the cup of tea from Ning Xueyan¡¯s hands, took a sip, and wiped her sweat while telling her mistress what she had seen.

    Mother Han had practically run here for fear of missing the time, so she hadn¡¯t even had her dinner yet. Ning Xueyan knew this, so she took out the boxes of pastries that she had put in the carriage and handed them to Mother Han to fill her stomach. The masters of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor were all out today, and getting the servants to prepare a meal as soon as they returned would be quite a hassle.

    Mother Han ate a pastry and eased her breathing before asking with confusion, ¡°Master, when did the Third Young Lady be so close with the Eldest and Second Young Ladies? She even sent her maid to contact them.¡±

    Everyone in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor knew that the Eldest and Second Young Ladies were biological sisters with a close rtionship. With their mother being Madam Ling, it went without saying that they looked down on otherdies in the manor. Even an outstandingdy like Ning Qingshan was just an outsider to them. They might not do anything to her, owing to Madam Dowager¡¯s protection, but their indifference to her was inevitable.

    Mother Han never thought that Ning Qingshan would be so close to Ning Yuling and her sister.

    ¡°It might not be Ning Yuling and her sister that she was contacting.¡± Ning Xueyan shook her head. After everything that had happened to them, Ning Yuling and Ning Ziyan didn¡¯t seem like they could offer Ning Qingshan any help. They were probably not the ones that Ning Qingshan was so desperately looking for, as they were in a difficult position themselves.

    ¡°No way. Is it the Eldest Young Master? But... That¡¯s impossible. When the Third Young Lady left, he hadn¡¯te to the manor yet. And by the time she returned three yearster, he had already married the Eldest Young Lady. Other than during festivities, they probably don¡¯t have any chance to meet. There¡¯s no way they would be close!¡±

    On the surface, Ning Qingshan didn¡¯t seem to know anyone else in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor except for Ning Yuling, Ning Ziyan, and Xia Yuhang. But Ning Xueyan knew that Ning Qingshan was close with Xia Yudong¡ªthe same Xia Yudong who had been conspiring with Ning Qingshan to harm her. The same Xia Yudong who had been licking his wounds in the Xia Manor!

    Xia Yudong, who was desperate to get on the good side of the future Third Prince¡¯s consort, ought to be able to deal with inconvenient things in her ce.

    It appeared that this was an inconvenient matter for Ning Qingshan, or more urately, this had something to do with the Xia Manor.

    It was indeed strange for Ning Qingshan to send someone to Xia Manor so anxiously after today¡¯s incident. This must have something to do with her as well. After all, Ning Qingshan had been ring at her throughout the dinner, even giving up her usual pretense.

    It was obvious how furious Ning Qingshan was.

    Ning Qingshan had Xia Yudong to help her deal with matters outside the manor, but Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t have any. It seemed that she must return and ask Ao Chenyi for some manpower, so if anything were to happen outside, she wouldn¡¯t bepletely in the dark like what happened in the bookstore thest time.

    The thought of the bookstore reminded Ning Xueyan of the store that she had opened. Since it was still early, she told the chauffeur to take the other direction and head toward her store, the Yuyan Shop.

    After the chauffeur stopped the carriage in a side alley, Mother Han helped Ning Xueyan exit the carriage. Suddenly, someone cried, ¡°Fifth Young Lady Ning!¡±

    Ning Xueyan turned around and saw Hua Yunheng walking out of the alley.

    Hua Yunheng was dressed in a in white brocade. The slight smile on his face made him look as elegant as jade. His handsome face, coupled with his gentle smile, could easily gain one¡¯s favor. Standing beside him was a pretty maid. Upon seeing Hua Yunheng calling Ning Xueyan, she wisely took two steps backward.

    Ning Xueyan turned to look into the alley and noticed that it was a long one. Nothing immediately stood out to her, but she had the feeling that there was a back door down this alley.

    ¡°Consort Ning!¡± As if realizing his gaffe, Hua Yunheng smiled again. This time, the emotion in his eyes was as pale as spring flowers.

    For a while, Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t know how she should deal with Hua Yunheng. She had regarded this man like her biological brother in the past, but she never knew why he had been living in her manor, and for two long years at that. Even until the moment she died, she never learned his true identity. He was a mysterious person to her.

    Now that he was standing in front of her, she still couldn¡¯t see through him. He was friendly, yet distant at the same time.

    ¡°Childe Yueming.¡± Ning Xueyan took a deep breath and lowered her body in greeting. No matter what Hua Yunheng¡¯s n was in the past, it was over now. She was Ning Xueyan now, not the Ning Ziying who had struggled in vain to learn her true identity.

    ¡°Have you just returned from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Consort Ning?¡± Hua Yunheng asked, smiling. He looked ready to have a long chat with her.

    ¡°Yes, I just left the manor. I¡¯m about to buy something before going home.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded.

    ¡°Do you mind letting me know the next time you¡¯re visiting the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?¡± Hua Yunheng asked politely, with a smile. His voice sounded almost hopeful and his handsome face looked more elegant than ever. Even Ning Xueyan had to admire him. No wonder there was a legend in Jiangnan that Childe Yueming was as beautiful as jade.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Childe Yueming?¡± Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t think that she was close enough with him that she had to purposefully tell him about returning to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    ¡°I had a chat with the Second Young Master some time ago, and we got along quite well. We agreed that I would visit him in a few days but to my surprise, I was told that he had left on a study trip. It just so happened that I want to check something out at the Cloud Reflection Courtyard, but it¡¯s not too convenient for me to visit. So I¡¯d like to take advantage of your visit home.¡±

    Ning Yujing was indeed away from home. Ning Zu¡¯an didn¡¯t make him take the test this time, sending him away with the exnation that he was still young and his knowledge wasn¡¯t solid enough. This just happened the day before yesterday, which was why Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t see Ning Yujing on her return home this time.

    ¡°Childe Yueming, why would you want to visit the Cloud Reflection Courtyard? That incident has yet to clear up. What are you doing, going there at this time?¡± Ning Xueyan asked with a smile, meeting his eyes with her ink-like pupils.

    Her long eyshes flickered, concealing the trace of doubt in her eyes. She didn¡¯t think she had much of a connection with Hua Yunheng in her previous life. Now that she was dead, there was nothing between them whatsoever.

    ¡°Consort Ning, Ning Ziying used to be my fiancee. To be exact, she still is. I must pay my respects to her, even if she¡¯s no longer here.¡± Hua Yunheng¡¯s voice was very soft. There was genuine sorrow on his face, as evidenced by his wry smile and the pain in his eyes.

    Ning Xueyan was so shocked that she nearly fell. She felt like she was struck by lightning. Inside her sleeves, her fingers were clenched into fists. She looked at him with disbelief, unable to even hide the shock reflected in her eyes.

    That, that was impossible!

    ¡°Childe Yueming, you must be joking. Sister Ziying... You¡¯re not her fiance. How could you be?¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s voice was faint and her beautiful eyes were filled with astonishment. If she weren¡¯t Ning Ziying herself, she would have thought that he was talking about a different Ning Ziying altogether.

    ¡°Consort Ning... It¡¯s a long story, but either way, I was her first fiance... and things changed because of other reasonster on... But regardless, since she was unmarried, she would forever be my fiancee. I looked for her everywhere after her parents died, but she unexpectedly appeared in the capital and even entered the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. In the end, she was...¡±

    The pain in Hua Yunheng¡¯s eyes was obvious and even his face had turned pale. His handsome brows were furrowed as he stared into the distance. Finally, he sighed heavily and faked a smile. He bowed to Ning Xueyan deeply and said, ¡°I hope you¡¯ll grant my wish, Consort Ning.¡±

 Chapter 518 - Was I That Obvious?

    <strong>Chapter 518 Was I That Obvious?</strong>

    Ning Xueyan stayed only briefly in the Yuyan Shop and left soon after.

    On her way home, all she could think about was Hua Yunheng¡¯s words. How could it be true? How could it be? Her betrothed in her past life was Xia Yuhang. When did it be Hua Yunheng? Why didn¡¯t she know anything about this?

    Back then, he was only eleven or twelve, and she was only about seven or eight. Now that she thought about it, she was about ten when she learned about her engagement with Xia Yuhang. Her parents had merely told her that her engagement with Xia Manor was decided a long time ago.

    Could there be a misunderstanding?

    Was Hua Yunheng lying? But, Ning Xueyan swiftly discarded this thought. He didn¡¯t have any reason to deceive her. She was nobody to Ning Ziying; she wouldn¡¯t know anything about Ning Ziying. She appearedpletely innocent in all of these.

    Was Hua Yunheng really going to pay his respects to her? Or was he looking for something in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? She sank into confusion. She wanted to cut off everything about her past life, but she realized now that it was impossible. The more she learned, the more confusing things became, so much so that she didn¡¯t even know where to start making sense of everything. Stringing her past together had simply forced her to continue investigating the truth.

    Hua Yunheng watched Ning Xueyan¡¯s carriage leave from the teahouse opposite the Yuyan Shop.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you find her suspicious?¡± A voice, filled with enchanting mirth, resounded clearly behind him. He turned his head and looked calmly at Wen Xueran who sat at the table.

    ¡°Do you think Ning Ziying is really dead?¡± He walked over and sat down opposite him. He picked up a cup of tea and took a sip. He lowered his gaze, concealing the emotions in the depth of his pupils.

    ¡°You... You¡¯re kidding!¡± Wen Xueran wore a look of disbelief, his handsome and elegant face dyed with ridicule. He guffawed while rapping the table. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you think Ning Ziying is still alive or that you came to the capital to marry her! All she knew was that her fiance was Xia Yuhang! No one knows about you!¡±

    Hua Yunheng looked up and stared quietly at Wen Xueran. Wen Xueranughed so hard that the sides of his mouth nearly cracked. He touched his handsome face helplessly until his smile gradually faded. ¡°Yunheng, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re for real,¡± he said solemnly.

    ¡°She¡¯s a very good girl. Very quiet, very obedient,¡± Hua Yunheng said softly.

    ¡°So what? Back then, your family set a different engagement for you. Even if the marriage didn¡¯t happen, it had nothing to do with you. Besides, have you forgotten about me? To be precise, not even you and Xia Yuhang could be considered her fiance! I was her original match!¡±

    Wen Xueranughed again, this time with such beauty that it was almost demon-like. He picked up the folding fan on the table and opened it with a snap, shaking it lightly.

    Hua Yunheng turned his head to look out of the window. After a long time, he finally asked, ¡°Was she murdered by Madam Ling and her daughters?¡±

    ¡°I guarantee it. Who would have thought that the eldest princess of the former dynasty, who had hidden so well, would die in such a sorrowful way. She had actually died so miserably after having her fiance stolen from her,¡± Wen Xueran said, sounding so aloof that it was as if he was talking about someone else¡¯s affairs altogether. He leaned back on his chair, looking terribly at ease.

    ¡°You were in the capital at that time, weren¡¯t you? Didn¡¯t you know her identity? How could you watch her die like that?¡± Hua Yunheng¡¯s expression darkened.

    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be mad. I really didn¡¯t know, or I would have helped her, even if it¡¯s not for her sake. I can¡¯t just watch a descendant of the previous dynasty die just like that!¡± Wen Xueran said, sounding rather regretful. He looked quite sorry and sad, but his smiling face made it hard for anyone to think that he was being sincere.

    ¡°She didn¡¯t know that she was engaged to you,¡± Hua Yunheng said.

    ¡°Right. Who would care about our engagement? It had always been a verbal promise anyway. Besides my mother, I don¡¯t think anyone cared about it,¡± Wen Xueran replied aloofly. He quickly changed his tune, asking, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you n to avenge her? I heard Xia Manor is inplete chaos now. It seems that Consort Ning doesn¡¯t merely have a good impression of Ning Ziying.¡±

    ¡°Is that why you told me to start with her and use her to visit the Cloud Reflection Courtyard?¡± Hua Yunheng asked, his expression tainted with a trace of fury.

    ¡°Hey, stop. I was just suggesting it. It¡¯s your choice whether to pay your respects or not. You¡¯re not familiar with anyone else in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor but you¡¯ve at least met Consort Ning. Isn¡¯t it the best n to enter the manor through her? What, did you think I¡¯m exploiting you?¡±

    Wen Xueran shook the folding fan in his hand, looking aggrieved. His enchanting, almond-shaped eyes seemed almost pitiful. If those rich youngdies were to see him like this, they would have cried with excitement.

    ¡°Are you curious about Consort Ning?¡± Hua Yunheng was unmoved by his expression and went straight to the heart of the matter.

    Wen Xueran closed the folding fan in his hand with a snap, his enchanting expression vanishing almost instantly. His face looked unkind now. ¡°What? Are you going to interfere in my business as well?¡±

    ¡°Xueran, you¡¯re getting agitated!¡± Hua Yunheng said calmly, patting the table beside him.

    Thud! He brought his hand down on the table with so much force that the two cups of tea nearly jumped and fell to the ground. The young servant and maid outside exchanged looks, but lowered their heads and said nothing.

    ¡°Hua Yunheng, everything about Ning Ziying is in past tense now. Don¡¯t act like you¡¯ve really lost your wife. The previous dynasty is in the past, and you have nothing to do with them anymore. Your father chose to rebel against the previous dynasty, so what¡¯s the point of expressing your loyalty now? It had always been impossible between you and Ning Ziying. Your engagement has always been a scheme by your family.¡±

    Wen Xueran¡¯s voice was cold.

    ¡°The previous dynasty is dead. Talk all you want about them, but they have already fallen. And did you really think that the current Emperor has no misgivings about Annan?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s very concerned about us.¡± Hua Yunheng was stating a fact in a voice that was neither high nor low, just enough to reach Wen Xueran¡¯s ears clearly.

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t just have misgivings about Annan! Annan has be a thorn in his heart. As long as your family doesn¡¯t give up your military and political power, he¡¯ll never be at peace. The Ao n imed the world through military force, and it has only been a few years since the country was founded. Even though he ced his soldiers and horses in Nanshan, he can easily reim them. With Annan around, he wouldn¡¯t dare to neglect his troops!¡±

    ¡°So, are you saying that we should wait to be captured with our hands tied?¡± Hua Yunheng leaned back on his chair and looked at Wen Xueran with his eyebrows raised.

    ¡°Well, if you want to see your family exterminated, I don¡¯t care either way. It has nothing to do with me.¡± Wen Xueran¡¯s expression regained its calmness. He smiled alluringly as he nced at Hua Yunheng. ¡°We¡¯re still friends. If your family in Annan is exterminated, I promise to go up there and collect your corpse. If I happen to be in a kind mood, I¡¯ll even bury you beside your beloved Lady Ziying. Don¡¯t be too grateful. I have always been kind.¡±

    Wen Xueran looked like an aloof hooligan. He shook his sleeve and started shaking his folding fan again.

    ¡°Can you get your hands on her bones?¡± Hua Yunheng acted as if he didn¡¯t hear the mockery in his words.

    ¡°You¡¯re kidding me. You really want to be buried with her?¡± Wen Xueran¡¯s eyes widened. His face, as beautiful as that of a woman, was full of astonishment.

    ¡°She was a good girl!¡± Hua Yunheng lowered his head, looking a little deste.

    Seeing his expression, Wen Xueran shook his head helplessly and said, ¡°All right, all right. I¡¯ll definitely help you look for it if I get the chance.¡±

    ¡°Thank you!¡± With a solemn expression, Hua Yunheng stood up and gave Wen Xueran a deep bow. ¡°I don¡¯t have much manpower here, but you¡¯re different. So, I need your help. As for your suggestion, I¡¯ll consider it for a while longer.¡±

    Since Hua Yunheng had said this, Wen Xueran knew that he couldn¡¯t be hasty for an answer now. He nodded helplessly. ¡°All right. Consider it all you want, but act quickly. I don¡¯t want you to implicate me.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Hua Yunheng said dismissively. He turned around and walked out. When he reached the door, with his one hand on the handle, he suddenly said, ¡°Ao Chenyi isn¡¯t an easy opponent. Don¡¯t mess with Consort Ning.¡±

    With half of his back against the chair, Wen Xueran said with a rather exaggeratedugh, ¡°Hey! When did you see me messing with her? She¡¯s just ady from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Why would I mess with her? Besides, even if I want to, I would have already done so. I wouldn¡¯t have been patient to wait until now.¡±

    ¡°You know it best! That¡¯s all I¡¯m going to say. Think hard about it.¡± Hua Yunheng opened the door and walked out.

    Wen Xueran sat straight on the chair, the enchanting smile on his face gradually disappearing. His delicate brows knitted tightly. Was he that obvious?

    When did that girl enter his heart? Was it that guarded look in her eyes or her wary expression? No woman had ever treated him like that and that made him curious about her. How could such a weak, childish girl have such a tenacious look in her eyes?

    And gradually, little by little, he would deliberately get involved with her.

    But, she was still her, and he was still him. They would never be on the same parallel line, so this was the best oue...

    He stood up, his enchanting smile back on his face. Under his long eyshes, his almond-shaped eyes gleamed and his expression was carefree. When he stood up again, he was still that unruly and fearless Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min. The changing of dynasties had nothing to do with a yboy childe like him.

    He pushed the door open and walked forward carelessly. But, when he reached the end of the stairs and passed by a woman wearing a veiled hat, he stood still. He closed his folding fan and knocked it twice on his palm. He raised his head and looked at the private room where the woman had disappeared in, a meaningful smile on his lips.

    Things were getting more and more interesting. Little did he expect that he would encounter thest person who should show up here?

    Oh, all right! He was just here to watch the show. After thinking about it, he walked upstairs again.

 Chapter 519 - The Marriage of Ning Huaiyuan

    <h4>Chapter 519 The Marriage of Ning Huaiyuan</h4>

    When returning to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, Ning Xueyan even happened to meet the carriage of Commandery Princess Xianyun, but the carriage of Ao Chenyi was not there.

    With the help of her maid¡¯s hand, she got off the carriage and looked at the other side, finding that Commandery Princess Xianyun had juste down from her carriage. Since the two had met each other, she, the consort, had to wait for the princess, of course.

    ¡°You¡¯ve also just returned, Sister Ning? How is your health? Do you feel unwell?¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun, who seemed to be in a good mood, walked smilingly to her and said affectionately.

    Did she really only want to show their ¡°seamless closeness¡± by saying that in front of so many people at the gate of the house?

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Thank you, Princess,¡± Ning Xueyan said gently after she happened to avoid Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s hand by taking a step back and then bowed low in a woman¡¯s manner.

    Then the two went inside together.

    ¡°After having lunch in Marquis¡¯s Manor, the prince couldn¡¯t bear to stay there anymore. I don¡¯t know where he has gone now, and I¡¯m really worried. It¡¯s unknown whether he has had lunch or not,¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun said, looking like an official wife who was not relived, and she hadpletely forgotten that Ao Chenyi made her embarrassed and aggrieved earlier.

    Ning Xueyan made a sound with a smile and said a few words at random, but did not ask further. When the two crossed the Chuihua Gate in the distance, each asked for a sedan chair, and the older female servants then carried them to the inner courtyard. Indeed, Prince Yi¡¯s Manor was a little big. It was a little too far to go on foot from here to the inside, so sedan chairs were newly arranged at the Chuihua Gate. Of course, they were prepared for the two new mistresses of the mansion and the female visitorsing to the inner courtyard in the future.

    This preparation bore the concern that thesedies might get tired. Yet, if ady had the idea of touring around here, she¡¯d better not take the sedan chair.

    Previously, Prince Yi¡¯s Manor did not have the habit of arranging sedan chairs at the Chuihua Gate. Anyway, there was no mistress with a distinguished status in the backyard.

    There was a fork lying ahead, and different paths led to the courtyards of the two women.

    ¡°Princess, I can¡¯t apany you to your ce because now I have to take a rest first,¡± Ning Xueyan lifted the curtain of her sedan chair and said to Commandery Princess Xianyun in the sedan chair softly.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun also lifted the curtain of her sedan chair, looked around, and said with a smile, ¡°Sister, I might as well visit your Pear Flower Garden. It is said that your Pear Flower Garden is very quiet and has a good environment, but I have never been there yet!¡±

    Since she had said so, Ning Xueyan had no fair reason to refuse her and instantly said politely, ¡°Princess, if you don¡¯t mind,e with me!¡±

    As the sedan chair curtains were lowered, the two sedan chairs headed for the Pear Flower Garden together and finally stopped in the Pear Flower Garden.

    Ning Xueyan and Commandery Princess Xianyun walked out one after the other.

    ¡°Sister, your courtyard is really big. It even looks a little more exquisite than mine, and it is quiet,¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun said with high appreciation as she stepped out of her sedan chair and saw the surrounding environment.

    ¡°Possibly, it is a little remote, so it looks quiet.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled and invited Commandery Princess Xianyun to sit inside.

    Mother Han asked the bearers to carry the sedan chair back. Commandery Princess Xianyun said at one moment that she wanted to take a walk and look around, unwilling to sit in the sedan chair and imed at another moment that she did not even know the way to the Pear Flower Garden.

    After entering the room, Commandery Princess Xianyun praised the furnishings in Ning Xueyan¡¯s room first, then she sat down, took the tea made by Qingyu, and asked with a smile, ¡°Sister Ning, I heard that your eldest brother has also attended this imperial examination, right?¡±

    Ning Xueyan did not know what Commandery Princess Xianyun hade here for. Anyway, she was just chatting with her casually to be cooperative. When hearing this question, she nodded. ¡°My eldest brother is indeed on the imperial examination site, and I¡¯m wondering about his examination result.¡±

    Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s eyes glistened. ¡°Sister, I heard that your eldest brother¡¯s reputation and schrship have been good, but I don¡¯t know if he has been betrothed?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about... it.¡± Ning Xueyan put on an embarrassed expression.

    In fact, this could not be regarded as her evasive statement. At least on the surface, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had not made Ning Huaiyuan betrothed, but she did not know if the private situation was also like this.

    ¡°Could you help me ask your Madam Dowager about it, Sister Ning? If your eldest brother is not betrothed, then I want to rmend him a good marriage,¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun said with quiet a mysterious smile.

    ¡°Rmend a girl to Ning Huaiyuan?¡± Some profoundness appeared and vanished in the eyes of Ning Xueyan. ¡°It seems that when Commandery Princess Xianyun went back to her parents¡¯ home today, she was provided with a new strategy. Previously, the wretched affair of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was made known to the whole capital. I don¡¯t believe that Commandery Princess Xianyun doesn¡¯t know about it, but she is now putting on an air of rmending a girl to my eldest brother, showing that she really wants to build a good rtionship with me.

    ¡°Everyone knows the fact that Madam Ling murdered Madam Ming. Due to this matter, Ning Huaiyuan and I can¡¯t be affable brother and sister without grudges.¡±

    ¡°As his sister, it¡¯s really not suitable for me to talk about it. Commandery Princess Xianyun, if you do want to help rmend a girl to my eldest brother, go straight to my grandma and ask her. Maybe that¡¯s a little better.¡± Ning Xueyan gave a small smile but refused her directly. No matter what Commandery Princess Xianyun wanted to do, she was unwilling to interfere.

    ¡°Sister Ning, it is a little more euphemistic for you, her granddaughter, to raise this subject, anyway. Sister Ning, if you don¡¯t help me talk about it and I am refused by your mansion¡¯s Madam Dowager, I will seriously lose face,¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun said sweetly and softly, making her rtionship with Ning Xueyan closer silently. ¡°Anyway, when the thing is done sessfully, we two will be the matchmakers together. Then, we will have done something good.¡±

    ¡°I really can¡¯t go, princess,¡± Ning Xueyan said with a wry smile. ¡°Princess, you should know the affairs of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. The grudges between my eldest brother, his mother, and my mother remained for so many years until my mother died in the end. No matter what rtionship built on blood between us it is, my mother¡¯s kindness to me is greater, right?¡±

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s words were extremely gentle, and slight ripples appeared in her eyes. At first sight, one would know that she was quite emotional, but in the depths of her eyes, there was only coldness. ¡°Commandery Princess Xianyun, you are working to force me to say this, then let your wish fulfill, and let me see what on earth you want to do.¡±

    ¡°Sister Ning, you are wrong. A mother¡¯s kindness is extremely great, but in the aristocratic families like ours, even we ourselves will be sacrificed sometimes. The rtionship built on blood is something that we can¡¯t deny, and this rtionship is inseparable. Sister Ning, it¡¯s really not right for you to be so indifferent to your eldest brother. Anyway, you brother and sister cannot remain not visiting each other all your lives or even not caring about each other at all only because of a few small errors of your parents.¡±

    Commandery Princess Xianyun spoke solemnly as if she was the one who upied themanding heights of morality. She never thought that she was the one who talked with eloquence but did not consider the problem by standing in the shoes of her listener.

    ¡°Which one would you like to rmend, princess?¡± Ning Xueyan raised her eyes and did not want her to act anymore. Today in a whole day, she went outside and returned, and this tour had tired her indeed. Initially, she nned to rest early when Commandery Princess Xianyun left, but now it seemed that Commandery Princess Xianyun did not want to leave right now.

    ¡°She is a younger sister of mine, the daughter of a concubine. Sister, you don¡¯t have to worry about her conduct and morality because she always behaves well. And she is beautiful. The reason why she hasn¡¯t gotten betrothed is that her conditions are good in all aspects, but she was too picky, so her marriage has been dyed.¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun did not expect Ning Xueyan to change the subject so quickly. After being absent-minded for a moment, she replied flexibly at once.

    ¡°The daughter of a concubine who is beautiful but was too picky?¡± Ning Xueyan really didn¡¯t know if she should feel sorry about the poor performance of Commandery Princess Xianyun or her bad speaking skills. ¡°Does the daughter of a concubine have the qualification to be too picky? Since you, amandery princess, was not too picky, how could the daughter of a concubine be too picky?

    ¡°Anyway, Ning Huaiyuan had been raised like the son of an official wife previously. Either in etiquette or in other aspects, Ning Huaiyuan is not bad. When working to get a wife for him in the past, the family made selections from the daughters of official wives. The reason why the decision has not been made should be that he wants to marry ady with both ability and morality from a renowned family. So, he never needs to consider those daughters of concubines.

    ¡°Although he has now been reduced to the son of a concubine because of Madam Ling, Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an do not think so. Therefore, that Commandery Princess Xianyun asks me to rmend her sister, the daughter of a concubine, to him is clearly aimed at humiliating the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor through me.

    ¡°Madam Dowager might think that I rmend the daughter of a concubine to Ning Huaiyuan for the sake of humiliating him.

    ¡°If I make the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor unhappy, I, a married daughter, will lose some confidence. It seems that Commandery Princess Xianyun hase with a very unkind purpose today.¡±

    ¡°Princess, my eldest brother was the son of an official wife previously, so he will never marry anyone but the daughter of an official wife!¡± Although Ning Xueyan was smiling, her expression became a little cold, and she simply gave up the indirect talk with Commandery Princess Xianyun. ¡°Princess, no matter how good your sister is, she is only the daughter of a concubine. If you rmended Second Young Lady Yun, I would be happy to go back and say it.¡±

    ¡°Since Commandery Princess Xianyun pretended not to understand what I said, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s necessary for me to feign ignorance anymore. As for some things, if I don¡¯t talk about them, Commandery Princess Xianyun will really think that I am a pushover and she can abuse me as she wishes. Besides, I promised Ao Chenyi previously that I would manage the backyard for him. If Commandery Princess Xianyun continues to keep a strong attitude, I will have no chance to interfere.¡±

    So, Ning Xueyan thought that it was very necessary to show her strong attitude appropriately.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun really didn¡¯t expect Ning Xueyan to talk so directly. ¡°She even says that my sister, the daughter of a concubine, does not have a high enough status and she wants my younger sister, the daughter of an official wife, to marry her brother.¡± Then, Commandery Princess Xianyun could not help but stop smiling. Today she went out together with Ao Chenyi, but the prince left on the way.

    Then, returning to the home of her parents for the first time as a married woman became the lonely business of her own. When she went back to her Lord Peace¡¯s Manor, she just felt that she had lost face and was angry. Later, she had a discussion with her mother and decided to start her plot with Ning Xueyan. ¡°Since I, the princess, have had a bad time, I cannot let the woman of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor who seduces men have a good time.

    ¡°Anyway, I have to make the woman forsaken by her rtives and friends. Without the favor of Prince Yi and the support of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Ning Xueyan will have to rely on me in the end. By then, Ning Xueyan will turn into my most powerful weapon, and giving the daughter of a concubine to Ning Huaiyuan is part of my n.¡±

    Commandery Princess Xianyun thought that using the daughter of a concubine to anger the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was quite worth it, so she came to Ning Xueyan¡¯s Pear Flower Garden to raise this subject in spite of the tiring trip.

    She did not have much contact with Ning Xueyan. ¡°Although I know that Ning Xueyan is smart, but what¡¯s the use of the smartest woman? Without the favor of her husband, she will have a much more terrible time than I, the princess, have. If Ning Xueyan is smart, she will not simply refuse my proposal and make me unhappy.¡±

    But she never expected Ning Xueyan to refuse her so simply, in a way of almost refusing her mercilessly in her face. Although Ning Xueyan¡¯s smile was gentler, Commandery Princess Xianyun still felt that she herself had flown into a rage. Instantly, she put down the cup in her hand heavily and looked at Ning Xueyan coldly.

 Chapter 520 - The Proposal of Commandery Princess Xianyun

    <h4>Chapter 520 The Proposal of Commandery Princess Xianyun</h4>

    Since being proimed as themandery princess, Commandery Princess Xianyun had never been so rebutted by a person who was much inferior to her.

    ¡°What do you mean, Consort Ning?¡± she said word by word as she stared at Ning Xueyan with some sharpness in her eyes.

    Ning Xueyan raised her head to look at Commandery Princess Xianyun, with unseen light running in her eyes, had a small smile, and said, ¡°Princess, my grandma has already made the rule about the marriage of my eldest brother. I¡¯m afraid that she will take an official wife¡¯s daughter as his wife.¡±

    ¡°He...the son of a concubine who is nothing even has a delusion of marrying an official wife¡¯s daughter. The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor daydreams so wildly!¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun pursed her lips and had apparent ridicule in her eyes.

    ¡°My grandma thinks like that. As her granddaughter, I can¡¯t do anything about it!¡± Ning Xueyan said smilingly with her peaceful watery eyes.

    As if she had not seen the wrath in the eyes of Commandery Princess Xianyun, she still spoke gently, looking neither humble nor arrogant, and behaved generously. She said these words extremely reasonably, giving Commandery Princess Xianyun a powerless feeling that she had punched cotton with a powerful fist.

    It was not fair to im that Ning Xueyan looked down upon the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor, the family of the Empress Dowager¡¯s parents. After all, this was the idea of Madam Dowager of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, and the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor also knew that Ning Huaiyuan had been the son of the official wife of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and was an official wife¡¯s outstanding son. Of course, he would marry an official wife¡¯s daughter.

    Speaking of the current powers, the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor without the support of the Empress Dowager was notparable to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, the new rising star. It was unsuitable to build a marriage bond between a concubine¡¯s daughter of the declining Lord Peace¡¯s Manor and the son of the previous official wife of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Although the son of an official wife had now be the son of a concubine, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would not easily give up such an outstanding child when the situation of the manor was taken into consideration. Thus, the daughter of a concubine was far from qualified to match this son.

    It was fair to say that if Commandery Princess Xianyun had not been proimed as themandery princess and had not won the favor of the emperor and the Empress Dowager, she would have had no chance to secure her position of being the princess of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Compared with Commandery Princess Xianyun, Ning Xueyan, who was now the daughter of the official wife of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, was even more suitable than Commandery Princess Xianyun for serving as the princess of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor if factors, apart from the situation that she was not amandery princess, were taken into ount.

    ¡°Sister Ning, could you go and say it for me?¡± Suppressing her anger forcefully, Commandery Princess Xianyun calmed down again.

    ¡°Sister, I¡¯m really sorry. The previous candidates in my grandma¡¯s ce were all daughters of the official wives of the officials on the fourth rank or above. If...¡± Ning Xueyan said with an embarrassed expression.

    Speaking of the officials on the fourth rank or above, the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor had already failed to meet the standard. Now all those in the same generation as Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s father only held the positions with very little to do, and none of them was on the chief fourth rank.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun almost spurted blood when hearing these words, which meant that the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor had not reached a certain high level, but Ning Xueyan still maintained an embarrassed expression. Commandery Princess Xianyun felt that if she continued her talk, she was likely to truly spurt blood. Instantly, a little bit of sharp coldness appeared and vanished in her eyes.

    Then she did not want to talk about it anymore. ¡°Sister Ning, tomorrow is the end of the imperial examination. One of my younger brothers is also on the examination site. When the list of sessful candidates is published in a few days, let¡¯s go and take a look.¡±

    This was very normal. In a family, if someone was an imperial examination attendee, those who cared about him would naturally pay attention to the publishing of the list of sessful candidates. So, if Ning Xueyan had not heard the words that were said just now, she would think that Commandery Princess Xianyun especially invited her to see the list of sessful candidates because she did care about her younger brother.

    But now, her behavior was really suspicious.

    ¡°Okay, princess, you may notify me by sending someone to me by then!¡± Ning Xueyan said with a smile.

    Since she had said what she wanted to say, Commandery Princess Xianyun stood up, and her expression had regained the peacefulness and quietness she had a while ago. ¡°Then I¡¯m going back now, Sister Ning. When I get the news, let¡¯s go out together.¡±

    Ning Xueyan also stood up and saw her off to the entrance of the courtyard. Seeing that Commandery Princess Xianyun had left with her retinue, she returned to her room and sat down.

    ¡°Is the prince back?¡± Ning Xueyan took the tea newly brought by Xinmei and asked.

    ¡°The prince returned after lunch. Now he is in the Moon-embracing Tower. Mistress, you want to see the prince for something, right?¡± Xinmei had been paying attention to the affairs of Ao Chenyi. Originally serving as the secret guard of Ao Chenyi, she was very familiar with these few secret guards of Ao Chenyi. Of course, she was not like Commandery Princess Xianyun, who had no people to use other than her servants when she came to live in the mansion in the beginning.

    This was the reason why Commandery Princess Xianyun believed so eagerly in the older female servant of the Bright Garden at that time. If no one told her this, she would really have no clue about the whereabouts of Ao Chenyi.

    Ning Xueyan looked outside and found that it was dark at this time. After thinking for a while, she stood up and making up her mind, said, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the Moon-embracing Tower and take a look.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to see the prince, mistress?¡± Xinmei said with a smile.

    ¡°Yes, I want to see him for something.¡± She had to ask him for a guard. Truly, Xinmei alone was a little not enough for her to use, and she had to get someone to manage the external affairs.

    ¡°Mistress, please sit down first. The prince said he wasing in a while. Today you went out and returned for a whole day, and you¡¯d better rest for a while. The prince is afraid that you haven¡¯t eaten your fill and especially asked the little kitchen staff to prepare a few dishes. Mistress, if you are hungry, let me ask someone to prepare a few more for you,¡± Xinmei said with a look of joy.

    She had never seen the prince treat any woman differently until now. Treated like this, her mistress waspletely different from other women, of course. Seeing that her mistress could be loved by the prince, she was surely happy. After living with Ning Xueyan for a long time, now she had already regarded herself as her real maid.

    No doubt, she was happy that her mistress and the prince got on well with each other.

    ¡°Indeed, I didn¡¯t eat well at the ¡®family feast¡¯ held in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Of course, the so-called perfect happiness was done to show to others. Ao Chenyi is very clear about that, so he prepared new dishes for me?¡± Feeling warmth in her heart, she lowered her eyes and sat down again. ¡°No need. Now I¡¯m not hungry yet. When the princees, ask him if he is hungry, and then we will eat together.¡±

    Both in her courtyard and the courtyard of Commandery Princess Xianyun, there were little kitchens, which were built by those sent by Ao Chenyi when the courtyards were whitewashed in the past.

    ¡°Okay, let me ask the kitchen staff to wait a little more while. When the princees, let¡¯s order again,¡± Xinmei replied with a smile and then retired to pass on the message.

    When Ao Chenyi came, Ning Xueyan was reading something in the candlelight. It was a few pieces of spice recipes, which were passed to her by Aunt Xiang from the pce before her wedding. In the past, she always had no time to read them. Now when she picked them up, she made records as she read them. It was extremely good to put the fragrances recorded on these few pieces of recipes into the balsam.

    This was what Ning Xueyan wanted to make in the new powder.

    The only problem was that although the flowers recorded on them were many in the season, there would almost be no such flowers in the following two seasons after the summer. Possibly, it would be hard to find the flowers recorded in the recipes. Even if they could be found, the amount would not be much. Then she was afraid that she would not be able to make so much face powder in a short time.

    A dark shadow merged into the shade of the candlelight. Ning Xueyan raised her head and saw Ao Chenyi¡¯s handsome face that looked a little enchanting and tempting. He cast a sidelong nce at the paper in her hands and asked, ¡°What? You have problems?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. It¡¯s things for women to make fragrances.¡± Ning Xueyan did not think that Ao Chenyi would pay attention to such things and folded the recipes.

    ¡°Let me take a look.¡± Ao Chenyi snatched them from her. When he came in just now, he saw Ning Xueyan with beautiful knitted curved brows, who looked irresolute.

    ¡°It¡¯s not worth looking,¡± Ning Xueyan said coyly. She extended her hand and wanted to take them back subconsciously. Unexpectedly, his arms were a little too long indeed. No matter how high her hand reached, she could not reach them. On the contrary, the corner of her sleeve was hooked by the chair on the side. Instantly, she fell into the arms of Ao Chenyi in a way that she seemed to have thrown herself into his arms.

    ¡°What? You miss me?¡± Ao Chenyi raised his brows and held the thin waist of Ning Xueyan, with an arrogant smile, looking a littlecent.

    ¡°Prince!¡± Remembering the posture she took just now, Ning Xueyan truly blushed. When she tried to tear away the hand on her waist, she could not get rid of it. Then she raised her ck jade-like eyes and red at Ao Chenyi unhappily. The expression looked lovely and also aggrieved in a way that she had been bullied. Her long eyshes pped twice, making her look more charming and beautiful.

    Ao Chenyi touched Ning Xueyan¡¯s delicate face with his hand as if it had its senses. He tore her face gently and then directly sat in the chair Ning Xueyan upied just now while holding her in his arms. A room of maids had already left the moment he waved his hand as he entered the room.

    Holding Ning Xueyan tightly, he pushed her head into his arms. Seeing that she was pouting slightly unhappily and looking at him with her beady eyes, he could not help but kiss her lips lightly and then turned his eyes to the paper in his hands.

    ¡°Is it that you want to make these few kinds of fragrances butck materials?¡± he saidzily with a smile after ncing sideways at Ning Xueyan.

    Ning Xueyan was bashful. The moment Ao Chenyi finished kissing her, she became bashful. Now she was sitting dazed in Ao Chenyi¡¯s arms with her hand covering her mouth, only feeling that she was burning from head to toe so that she did not even know how to react. At this time, she could only re at Ao Chenyi with a red face, which made him have a stronger idea of wanting to bully her.

    ¡°What? You don¡¯t want to make them?¡± When Ao Chenyi saw that Ning Xueyan did not reply and even looked like she had been bullied, his heart became softer. He bowed his head with his forehead almost reaching hers and had a joking smile on his thin lips.

    ¡°There, there are no flowers during the two seasons.¡± Ning Xueyan suddenly turned her head and avoided the handsome faceing to her. She always knew that he was iparably handsome, but when this extremely handsome face came to her face so near that she could even see his eyshes clearly, Ning Xueyan only felt that her heart was almost about to slip out of her chest, and she even had difficulty in breathing.

    She turned her head hurriedly, changed the subject, and cursed inwardly, ¡°Sure enough, you are an evildoer. You are so handsome, but you came to me so near. How can I bear the temptation?¡±

    Fortunately, he usually wore a cold sullen face that others did not dare to look at him; otherwise, he would have attracted so many beautiful women with this face. Not to mention it was Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, even if it was a ce twice as big, it could not have amodated them. Of course, Ning Xueyan knew that if Prince Yi had not killed a few of those concubines who did not act dutifully in the current Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, she was afraid that this manor could truly not have amodated all his concubines.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. There are many courtyards in my manor. Find one near the Pear Flower Garden and build a greenhouse in it. Even if it is in the whole winter, you can have whatever flower you want.¡± Ao Chenyi caressed Ning Xueyan¡¯s beautiful hair very naturally, with some smiles in his thin, long eyes. The unvented resentment he got earlier when he had to apany Xianyun back to her parents¡¯ home, the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor waspletely gone.

    Of course, he was unwilling to apany Ning Xueyan to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, either, because he clearly knew how the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had treated Ning Xueyan. He found it in him to think that since Ning Xueyan had married him, she would be his woman from now on, that relying on his protection, she would have no rtions to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, and that she¡¯d better end the rtionshippletely.

 Chapter 521 - The Secret of the Hua and Ning Manors

    <h4>Chapter 521 The Secret of the Hua and Ning Manors</h4>

    After hearing that Ao Chenyi would be building a greenhouse and nting flowers in the manor, Ning Xueyan put aside her embarrassment and looked up. ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯re picking a garden to build a greenhouse in the manor?¡± she asked in surprise. That meant that she wouldn¡¯t have trouble making her face powder anymore. She could procure the flowers necessary to make powders to match every season.

    ¡°Yes, just do whatever you want in my manor. Even if you want to demolish the neighboring few gardens to expand your Pear Flower Garden because it¡¯s too small for you, I won¡¯t say a word about it,¡± Ao Chenyi nodded and said earnestly.

    ¡°No thanks.¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s beautiful eyes flickered as an idea came to her. ¡°I only want a person from you.¡±

    ¡°Who is it?¡±

    ¡°A man!¡±

    ¡°Me?¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s half-squinted eyes were filled with mirth and his voice sounded more yful than usual. ¡°If it¡¯s me that you want, all you have to do is tell me. I¡¯ll serve you well.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want you!¡± When Ao Chenyi leaned in, Ning Xueyan pushed his face away. Her cheeks were red from embarrassment.

    ¡°Who is it if not me?¡± Ao Chenyi became unhappy, and his expression darkened as well. Immediately, he was surrounded by a cold aura.

    Ning Xueyan was speechless. This man was so unpredictable! His mood would change quicker than the turn of a page. She reached out to hold hisrge hand and drew a big circle on his palm. ¡°Your Highness, I want a guard from you. I want a male guard to help me with matters outside the manor. Xinmei is a girl working in the inner courtyard; some matters are inconvenient for her to deal with.¡±

    ¡°All right!¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s mood improved greatly after feeling the numbness in his palm. It was rare that she would be this proactive. His face was full of smiles again as he agreed to her request.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask about my ns?¡± Ning Xueyan asked curiously.

    ¡°Just do whatever you want!¡± Ao Chenyi raised an eyebrow. His charming, almond-shaped eyes carried a touch of softness yet mostly exuded an inherent domineering air. ¡°My woman can do whatever she wants.¡±

    He didn¡¯t seem at all concerned that she would flout thew.

    Ning Xueyan stared at his handsome face, momentarily speechless. How could he trust her not to get up to some tricks, such as doing something to Commandery Princess Xianyun? Not only did she have Xinmei on her side, but she would have another aide soon. She was much more powerful in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor than the Princess.

    ¡°What¡¯s on your mind? Remember that you¡¯re the one that I married willingly. Don¡¯t worry about other women.¡± Ao Chenyi reached out to pinch Ning Xueyan¡¯s nose sweetly and carried her to her feet. ¡°I¡¯ll head to the Fragrance Garden first. Come with Xinmeiter,¡± he said, letting her go.

    ¡°You still need me there tonight?¡± Ning Xueyan asked, blushing.

    ¡°If not? It¡¯s not like you¡¯re willing to let me stay here.¡± Ao Chenyi raised an eyebrow. A look of realization suddenly crossed his face, and he acted as if he would sit down again.

    ¡°Your Highness, please go ahead. I¡¯ll join you in a while.¡± Ning Xueyan decisively gave up trying to persuade him. Judging from the Princess¡¯ expression today, she knew that the Princess wouldn¡¯t let her live easy if Ao Chenyi dared to sleep at her ce again.

    ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± Ao Chenyi didn¡¯t feel like leaving anymore. He tugged Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand so that she would sit down, looking like a hooligan who refused to leave until he was fed. Such a cheeky Prince made her speechless indeed, so much so that she began to wonder if she had misunderstood him all along. Was this that arrogant, powerful, and cold-blooded Asura, Prince Ao Chenyi, who would im lives each time heshed out?

    Why was he making her question her previous judgment of him?

    Not only was he no longer cold and ruthless, but he even had a childish and shameless side!

    ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯ll tell the servants to fetch you some food. It¡¯s been prepared a long time ago.¡± A helpless Ning Xueyan gave him a little push, indicating for him to let her stand up.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. They¡¯re bringing it over.¡± Ao Chenyi wasn¡¯t ready to let her go. The woman in his arms was so soft and gentle. His onlyint was that she was too thin. His eyes were half-squinted as an idea came to him. This made him look enchanting and seductive.

    His gaze made Ning Xueyan¡¯s heartbeat quicken. She red at him.

    A knock came outside the curtain, followed by Lanning¡¯s voice. ¡°Your Highness, Master, the food is ready. Should I serve them?¡±

    ¡°Bring them in!¡± Ning Xueyan said, giving Ao Chenyi a push.

    Ao Chenyi was more obedient this time. He let go of her, allowing her to sit down opposite him. Lanning entered the room, carrying a box of food.

    The dishes were simple, but they were all Ning Xueyan¡¯s favorites. The taste was exquisite too. Perhaps the meal at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was so horrible that these dishes seemed particrly ptable to her. She ate enough to fill a small bowl, the same amount of food she usually consumed for lunch.

    Ao Chenyi didn¡¯t linger in the Pear Flower Garden. After putting down his bowl and chopsticks, he stood up and headed to the Fragrance Garden with his servants.

    By the time Ning Xueyan was ready to leave, the light in the main and wing buildings had been extinguished. She put on a cloak and left through the backdoor, where she made her way to the Fragrance Garden. She used a small path that few used but had neat paving. Using the path, she was able to reach the backdoor of the Fragrance Garden quickly.

    Ning Xueyan was carried back to the Pear Flower Garden early the next morning by Ao Chenyi, nketed and all, and woke up in her courtyard. After getting out of bed and washing up, Lanning brought Mother Wang in to see her. Lanning had brought Mother Wang into the manorst night, but with Ao Chenyi around, it wasn¡¯t convenient for Ning Xueyan to ask questions.

    The moment Mother Wang entered the room, she rushed up to Ning Xueyan with her wizened eyes filled with tears. Her lips trembled for a long time before she finally said, ¡°Fifth Young Lady, had mydy really died so horribly?¡±

    It had been a while since Ning Xueyanst saw Mother Wang. Seeing Mother Wang again, she noticed that this elderly woman had be thinner. Mother Wang¡¯s eyes were red and swollen; it was obvious that she hadn¡¯t slept wellst night. She was still referring to Ning Xueyan as the Fifth Young Lady as well.

    ¡°Mother Wang, please sit down and talk.¡± Ning Xueyan sighed. What happened in the Cloud Reflection Courtyard wasn¡¯t a secret in the capital. Everyone knew that a youngdy had died with grievances in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Even now, her murderer had yet to be found, resulting in plenty of gossips.

    Despite trying her best not to let this news reach Mother Wang, it appeared that Mother Wang had heard about it. Ning Xueyan requested for Mother Wang to be relocated yesterday, but Mother Wang insisted that Lanning take her to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. She must have heard about the incident.

    Lanning carried a brocade-covered stool over and helped Mother Wang sit on it. Her eyes were framed with tears as well. She looked away and used a handkerchief to wipe the corner of her eyes before standing next to Ning Xueyan.

    Mother Wang raised her head and looked at Ning Xueyan. Her voice trembled as she asked, ¡°Fifth Young Lady, did mydy really die in the lotus pond? Had she really been abused?¡±

    Ning Xueyan nodded quietly. She opened her mouth, but words escaped her. Mother Wang had been very kind to her in her previous life. Back when she had just lost her mother, Mother Wang was the only one who kept herpany,forted her, and apanied her to the capital. When Mother Wang realized that something was wrong with Xia Yuhang, she had warned her as well.

    But at that time, she was firm in her belief that Xia Yuhang was sincere about her. She thought that she must return the favor, and paid no attention to Mother Wang¡¯s suspicion. Thinking about it now, Mother Wang was the one who treated her sincerely and truly. She had such mixed feelings seeing Mother Wang grieving for her, so much so that her heart hurt.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, Madam Ling must have killed mydy! And how did the Eldest Young Lady be the first wife all of a sudden? There must be a conspiracy! They must have wanted mydy¡¯s fiance! That was why they killed her and sent the Eldest Young Lady from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor in her ce! And mydy used to say that the Eldest Young Lady is a good person. What... What a despicable act! They¡¯re worse than animals!¡±

    Mother Wang could no longer hold her tears back after receiving Ning Xueyan¡¯s affirmative answer. Tears fell from her red and swollen eyes as she eximed in anger.

    ¡°Sister Ziying might be gone now, but we must avenge her. Mother Wang, do you know someone called Hua Yunheng?¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes had turned red as well. She took her handkerchief and dabbed it on the corner of her eyes. When she looked up again, her expression was calm as she changed the topic.

    ¡°Hua Yunheng? Young Master Hua?¡± Mother Wang stopped crying and wiped her eyes with her handkerchief. Her face was filled with astonishment.

    ¡°Yes. Young Master Hua said he was once engaged to Sister Ziying. What¡¯s going on?¡± Ning Xueyan asked, staring closely at Mother Wang. ¡°Mother Wang, if you wish to avenge yourdy, tell me everything you know. She¡¯s gone now, and her secrets have been buried in the soil with her. Sister Ziying died so miserably too...¡±

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, rest assured. I¡¯ll tell you everything I know,¡± Mother Wang said decisively, gritting her teeth. With her Young Lady Ning Ziying gone, she was just a lonesome old woman. What else wouldn¡¯t she dare to say? She had no more secrets to keep.

    ¡°Young Master Hua used to be fostered in the Ning Manor. Madam told me that his family had ns for him to marry mydy. He stayed at the manor so that they could cultivate a rtionship. It was said that the young master¡¯s grandfather brought the matter up.¡±

    Mother Wang, as a nanny concerned about herdy, went to see Young Master Hua when he first arrived at the Ning Manor. He was a beautiful young man decked out in beautiful clothes, seemingly a gentleman with great manners. It was obvious that he had been well-educated. Even though Mother Wang didn¡¯t know that he was Childe Yueming, she found him to be a fitting partner for herdy.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t they get married in the end?¡± Ning Xueyan asked, confused. Since both families appeared interested in match-making their children, so much so that they were willing to raise them together, it was evident that they intended for Hua Yunheng to marry her. However, the oue was that she didn¡¯t even know about this engagement at all.

    ¡°It was said that the engagement was about to happen, and the Hua Manor had even delivered the engagement gifts. But, mydy still didn¡¯t know. They wanted to talk to her about it one fine day, but who knew... A hup happened out of the blue. The Hua Manor sent someone over, saying that Young Master Hua¡¯s father didn¡¯t approve of the engagement.¡±

 Chapter 522 - Mrs. Ningâ€™s Cousin

    <h4>Chapter 522 Mrs. Ning¡¯s Cousin</h4>

    This topic fanned Mother Wang¡¯s anger. The children¡¯s birth charts had been proven to be a match, yet the Hua family turned back on their word and sent someone to rescind the engagement. To think that a fine young woman like herdy would have her engagement rescinded! Thinking about it now still made Mother Wang furious.

    ¡°The person that the Hua family sent was a domineering one who insisted on breaking the engagement. My Lord was still around then. He got so angry that he agreed to break the engagement immediately, even sending back the bridal gifts. Young Master Hua also left with the person and never appeared again. So, Young Master Hua was never mydy¡¯s fiance. Their engagement was broken some eight to ten years ago.¡±

    To think that there was an incident like this! Ning Xueyan had no memory of this. All she knew was Hua Yunheng¡¯s inexplicable departure. He never showed up in her life again, so what was he doing, appearing right now?

    ¡°Did the engagement with Xia Yuhang happened after that?¡±

    ¡°Yes. In a fit of anger, my Lord came to an agreement with his old friend Xia in the capital, promising her hand to Young Master Xia. Everyone was worried that mydy would feel upset over her rescinded engagement, so the mention of Young Master Hua was forbidden. They told her that her engagement with Young Master Xia had been decided since they were children. And the Xia and Ning Manors had always been close. Master Xia would asionally bring his son to the manor as well. That was why mydy didn¡¯t know about it,¡± Mother Wang said.

    ¡°Minister Xia was at Jiangnan at that time? And he brought Xia Yuhang with him? Who suggested the engagement? The Xia or Ning Manor?¡± Ning Xueyan asked, her beautiful eyes looking indifferent.

    Mother Wang thought it over before saying with certainty, ¡°It was the Xia Manor that brought it up with my Lord. Back then, he was furious at the Hua Manor for breaking their promise and wasn¡¯t in the mood to entertain Minister Xia. It was Minister Xia who asked around and suggested that his son marry mydy. I remember Madam telling me that my Lord was in a bad mood then. Young Master Xia was there as well. I heard he expressed his opinion himself, saying that he liked mydy¡¯s quiet and gentle temper.¡±

    She looked furious again. ¡°Minister Xia and Young Master Xia promised the world in the beginning, repeatedly saying that they¡¯ll treat mydy right once they got married. They sounded like they were going to put her on a pedestal! Who would have thought that they would look down on mydy in the end... and do something not even a beast would do.¡±

    Mother Wang¡¯s tears fell again at the thought of her beloveddy suffering such a fate. How could it not give her heartache?

    So, it was the Xia Manor that suggested the engagement and even promised the world to make it possible. Ning Xueyan frowned. She had the feeling that something was wrong.

    Minister Xia had been appointed for several years by then, which was to say that he was already a minister when he brought up the engagement. Xia Yuhang had a great reputation since he was a child and it wouldn¡¯t be hard for him to marry a distinguisheddy who would suit his status. Why did they insist on marrying a girl from an ordinary family in Jiangnan like her?

    ¡°Minister Xia and Young Master Xia would visit Jiangnan asionally. Whenever theye, they would stay in the Ning Manor.¡±

    Ning Xueyan couldn¡¯t remember when she first saw Xia Yuhang anymore. Her delicate brows knitted ever so slightly. This meant that she was fairly young when Minister Xia brought Xia Yuhang to see her. Afterward, the Xia family would visit nearly once a year. Now that she thought about it, Minister Xia never visited again after the engagement with Ning Ziying was determined.

    Xia Yuhang had always visited by himself.

    This was pretty strange. Before their engagement, Minister Xia would visit Jiangnan with Xia Yuhang no matter how busy he was. After the engagement, Minister Xia became so preupied that he couldn¡¯t evene and could only send Xia Yuhang alone. There seemed to be a certain meaning to his action. Ning Xueyan couldn¡¯t help wondering if the Xia Manor knew Ning Ziying¡¯s identity.

    That was even stranger. Even she only learned her identity after dying. This proved that her adoptive parents in her past life were the careful character. Looking at Mother Wang¡¯s reaction now, Mother Wang probably didn¡¯t know her identity either. How did the Xia Manor find out?

    They couldn¡¯t have found out about her identity as a princess from the previous dynasty just by visiting Jiangnan and seeing Ning Ziying a few times!

    ¡°Mother Wang, aside from Hua Yunheng staying in the Ning Manor for half a year, did any outsider stay there as well?¡±

    Ning Xueyan was tactful with her question. Her long eyshes fluttered but her eyes were as cold as iced water.

    ¡°Let me think,¡± Mother Wang said. She was determined to avenge herdy, so she was keen to tell everything she knew right now. After thinking about it, her eyes lit up. ¡°Yes! There was another woman who stayed in the manor for about half a year. She was Madam¡¯s younger maternal cousin. She wasn¡¯t from Jiangnan. She stayed there briefly while passing by before returning to the capital.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s her surname?¡± Was it the woman whose voice sounded like Ya Moqin?

    ¡°Her surname was Wu. Madam told me that in a private conversation. I only remembered because she shared the same surname with Mother Wu, who also served Madam. I think she married someone from the capital. She was supposed to head to the capital, but decided to stay for a while after running into Madam.¡±

    Mother Wang didn¡¯t remember Madam¡¯s cousin very well. Her impression was that the cousin was a gentlewoman who was kind to both Madam and herdy. With her forpany and conversation, Madam also became much healthier than before. After she left, Madam¡¯s illness got worse. Now that she thought about it, Mother Wang even told the housekeeper that their Madam¡¯s illness would probably be cured if Madam Wu were to stay longer.

    ¡°Lanning, take Mother Wang to see Mother Han. Tell her that Mother Wang will be staying in the Pear Flower Garden from now on. They¡¯ll run this ce together,¡± Ning Xueyan said softly. ¡°Inform Aunt Ruan as well. Tell her I have another older female servant serving me.¡±

    She didn¡¯t know what else she could question Mother Wang about now that she had gone so far. Her mind was a mess, with thoughts of all kind yet no clear conclusion. Right now, all she wanted was to ponder over everything in peace.

    Lanning could read her mind, so she led Mother Wang out of the room and took her to report to those in the manor.

    Qingyu entered the room to fill her cup with fresh tea. Ning Xueyan waved her hand and Qingyu retreated.

    There must be a reason why Hua Yunheng was being raised in the Ning Manor, but this purpose ended up not being met. After the engagement between the Ning and Hua Manors fell through and Hua Yunheng left, the Xia family entered the picture and she became engaged with Xia Yuhang. The ¡°cousin¡± with a simr voice as Ya Moqin then appeared and married someone from the capital.

    Ning Xueyan was certain that Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor in the capital had something to do with this.

    They were just an ordinary family in Jiangnan. Even if her adoptive father was a court official who seemed presentable in their local area, his low position was insignificant in the eyes of Minister Xia and Grand Tutor Ya in the capital. Why were Minister Xia and her adoptive father so close, to the point that he would make time in his busy schedule to visit Jiangnan?

    This was too unbelievable!

    The only usible exnation was that they suspected her identity. Why would they repeatedly visit the Ning Manor in Jiangnan otherwise, and even betrothing Xia Yuhang to her?

    And what game was the Hua Manor ying? Did they order Hua Yunheng to avoid her after discovering her identity? Ning Xueyan couldn¡¯t figure it out. The Hua family was truly distinguished in Jiangnan. Even if the eldest princess of the previous dynasty sought refuge in their manor, they would be able to protect her!

    They were unmistakably distinguished in Jiangnan, with a hundred years of heritage. They could stay unscathed even with the changing of dynasties. How could they be affected by a useless princess from a fallen royal family?

    ¡°Xinmei,e in!¡± She touched her aching head, feeling light-headed. She felt that there was a clue or two in this information yet she felt like she was grasping at straws at the same time.

    ¡°Master, I¡¯m here.¡± Xinmei, who was outside the room, lifted the curtain and walked in.

    ¡°Tell Liu Feng to investigate the Xia Manor for me. See if he can find any of Ning Ziying¡¯s dowries that were sent there,¡± Ning Xueyan said, frowning. Since those items were delivered to the Xia Manor alongside Ning Ziyan¡¯s dowries, they should still be with Ning Ziyan. Even though Ning Ziyan was a concubine now, the Xia Manor probably wouldn¡¯t covet her dowries!

    Of course, this was excluding the possibility that there was something important among her dowries!

    ¡°Tell him to find Ning Ziyan. Those dowries should be with her. No, wait a minute. Go to Mother Wang and get a copy of Ning Ziying¡¯s list of dowries. Get Liu Feng to check the dowries secretly and see if anything is missing,¡± Ning Xueyan said.

    She suddenly remembered something. When Ning Ziying got married, a list of dowries was brought to the Xia Manor and another was left in Mother Wang¡¯s hands. However, Mother Wang hadn¡¯t received the list for long before she identally fell into the lotus pond. By the time she was rescued, her entire body was drenched and the writing on the list became muddled.

    Fortunately, Mother Wang had an excellent memory. Based on the muddled writing on the list and her guesswork, she re-wrote a list of dowries. Now that Ning Xueyan thought about it, someone must have plotted for Mother Wang to fall into the pond. Why would Mother Wang suddenly slip into the faraway lotus pond otherwise?

    Liu Feng was a secret guard that Ao Chenyi gave Ning Xueyanst night. He lived in the outer courtyard, but she could summon him any time she needed him.

    ¡°Master, what should we do if the Xia Manor has already taken all these dowries?¡± Xinmei asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine if we can¡¯t find it. Let¡¯s just check and see. Oh, and see what Concubine Chen is doing,¡± Ning Xueyan muttered, her beautiful eyes glinting. The possibility that Xinmei mentioned existed, of course. A majority of Ning Ziyan¡¯s dowries were hers, and Madam Ling added a lot more to it. Ning Ziyan¡¯s dowries were quite a spectacr sight, but now that she had been demoted to a concubine, the ownership of her dowries was anyone¡¯s guess.

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll go and tell him now,¡± Xinmei said. She nodded and retreated from the room.

    Both she and Liu Feng knew each other, so the task was best left for her. Meanwhile, she remembered that Chen Hexiang had some so-called ¡°evidence¡± that could frighten Xia Yuhang. Perhaps it was time for her to meet Concubine Chen now...

 Chapter 523 - The Bustling Lives of the Concubines in Xia Manor

    <h4>Chapter 523 The Bustling Lives of the Concubines in Xia Manor</h4>

    There was a loud knock on the door, prompting the maid to look at Ning Ziyan timidly. Then, under her cold gaze, the maid walked to the door and opened it.

    ¡°Oh my, Eldest Concubine, what¡¯s up with you? Now that you¡¯re no longer the Young Mistress, you¡¯re slow in opening the door as well. What¡¯s wrong? Your delicate and spoiled temper isn¡¯t fixed yet?¡± Standing in front of the door and leaningnguidly against the frame was the Eldest Young Master Xia¡¯s third concubine, Chen Hexiang.

    Xia Yuhang had three concubines. Of the three, Ning Ziyan had the highest authority, Ning Yuling was the second, and Chen Hexiang the third.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Ning Ziyan replied coldly. Her face was so thin that it was almost misshapen. Her eyes were filled with hatred. Judging from herplexion, she looked at least thirty years old. Who would have thought that she was a young woman in her twenties?

    ¡°Oh, I heard your younger sister went out to y again. Why isn¡¯t she taking you along? I heard the imperial examination will take ce in a few days. The entire city is so very lively.¡± Chen Hexiang blew at her freshly-colored nails casually and nced at Ning Ziyan out of the corner of her eye, looking like she was in a good mood.

    Ning Ziyan ignored her words. She remained looking at Chen Hexiang coldly, unmoved.

    ¡°Eldest Concubine, don¡¯t look at me like that! It¡¯s quite scary! I heard you¡¯ve been keeping to yourself these few days. Look at that pretty face of yours. It was once loved by the Eldest Young Master. How did it get so ruined like this? It¡¯s really... How do I put it? It¡¯s a shame!¡±

    Naturally, Chen Hexiang wouldn¡¯t give up such a rare opportunity to mock Ning Ziyan. She only came here after hearing that Ning Yuling was away. Although the sisters would get into epic fights, Ning Yuling would throw her out whenever she came over.

    ¡°Get out!¡± Ning Ziyan cried coldly. Her heart was aching with pain and resentment. She picked up a nearby teapot and abruptly stood up. Without even thinking about it, she smashed it at Chen Hexiang¡¯s head. The water in the teapot was still burning hot. Half of it was sshed alongside her movement.

    Chen Hexiang¡¯s response was quick. Realizing that she was in danger, she drew back and pulled away most of her body. Still, she didn¡¯t manage to withdraw her arm. The hot water burned her, causing her to scream in pain. She swung her hand so hard that she fell to the ground. The young maid behind her was startled and immediately ran over to help her.

    ¡°Chen Hexiang, don¡¯t you dare think that I¡¯m a pushover! I¡¯m not someone you can bully! Yuhang will never make a bitch who has harmed him his wife!¡± Ning Ziyan walked over and kicked Chen Hexiang¡¯s legs hard, eliciting another pained scream from her. Chen Hexiang reached out to grab Ning Ziyan¡¯s leg, wanting to trip her as well.

    To her surprise, Ning Ziyan reacted quickly too. Ning Ziyan took two steps back, foiling Chen Hexiang¡¯s n.

    Ning Ziyan stood inside the room and stared coldly at Chen Hexiang. She closed the door with force, shutting Chen Hexiang outside.

    Seeing that she wouldn¡¯t be winning today, Chen Hexiang stood up all while cursing Ning Ziyan out. She pinched her maid twice, ming her for not protecting her. She hurt the maid so much that she started crying for her parents. Only then did she walk back to her courtyard with the help of her maid.

    Ning Ziyan shared a courtyard with her sister Ning Yuling, while Chen Hexiang stayed in another. It was Ning Ziyan who arranged the amodation for her. It was originally an old courtyard used to store sundries and it was near the fringes of the manor too. It was the ce thatmanded the least attention in the entire manor.

    Ning Yuling¡¯s courtyard was one of the better ones in the manor. When she first joined the manor, she was still the first wife¡¯s daughter from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and the Xia Manor couldn¡¯t very well mistreat her. Now Ning Ziyan moved here too. On the one hand, it was so the sisters could live together. On the other hand, it was because they were Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s daughters no matter what.

    Minister Xia wouldn¡¯t be too cruel to them, and neither would he dare to.

    Xia Yuhang hadn¡¯t visited her since she moved to this courtyard. On the contrary, Chen Hexiang would ¡°travel from afar¡± just to visit and kick up a fuss now and then. Her presence added a lot of ¡°liveliness¡± to this ordinary courtyard. Of course, the ones arguing were usually Ning Yuling and Chen Hexiang while Ning Ziyan would daze out inside the room.

    She would think a lot, and the person that upied her thoughts the most was Ning Ziying. She would think about how terrible Ning Ziying looked when she died. She thought that as long as Ning Ziying was dead, Ning Ziying¡¯s everything¡ªincluding her marriage, husband, dowries, and even the child in her womb¡ªwould be hers. With the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor as her support, Xia Yuhang would never mistreat her.

    Who would have thought that in such a short time, she would end up like this? Had she known that this would be her fate, she wouldn¡¯t have snatched Ning Ziying¡¯s engagement then. She wouldn¡¯t fall for Xia Yuhang so hard that she became blind to his true feelings.

    Tears, cold and without a trace of temperature, fell down her face. She looked nkly at the sky, her eyes sluggish and resentful. Xia Yuhang had agreed to execute that woman, yet expressed his deep affection for that woman after her death. Meanwhile, he became increasingly cold and indifferent to her.

    He hid a portrait of Ning Ziying in his study and treated it like his biggest treasure. If she hadn¡¯t gone in to clean up the study while he was away, and identally opened a hiddenpartment under his desk, she wouldn¡¯t have seen the woman on the portrait. How ridiculous for him to put up a show of affection after that woman was dead.

    Had he expressed such a deep love and decisively rejected her in the beginning, she might not have fallen to such a state...

    ¡°Where¡¯s Ning Yuling?¡± After keeping quiet for a long time, her voice sounded a little hoarse, no longer as soft and gentle as before. There was even a hint of sharpness and darkness in it.

    Naturally, the person she was questioning was the maid waiting on her. Even though this maid came to the manor as part of her dowry, she was just a third-ss servant. She hadn¡¯t served her master so closely before and she was timid as well. The incident with Chen Hexiang had already frightened her. After hearing Ning Ziyan¡¯s voice resounding in this cold room, she couldn¡¯t help feeling startled.

    The maid looked up and met Ning Ziyan¡¯s cold, dead-like eyes. She immediately lowered her head and said timidly, ¡°Second Concubine said she needs to go home to attend to some business and might not return tonight. Before she left, she asked if you¡¯re interested in going home with her.¡±

    After hearing the maid¡¯s reply, Ning Ziyan recalled that Ning Yuling had indeed said something like that outside her door before leaving.

    Ning Yuling had gone outst night, and tonight as well. Thinking about it, this was incredibly improper for a concubine. A sneer appeared on Ning Ziyan¡¯s face. But who would care now? With an eerie smile, she copsed on the bed.

    ¡°Go out and get me some food. I¡¯m hungry.¡± She was different from Ning Yuling, so she couldn¡¯t be as unscrupulous as her sister. She was Xia Yuhang¡¯s legally married wife; he wouldn¡¯t just abandon her!

    She wasn¡¯tpletely without hope, but there was nothing that she could do now. So, she would listen to her elder brother and wait...

    On her way home, Ning Yuling found herself being stopped by Xia Yudong.

    Looking at Ning Yuling¡¯s tender face, Xia Yudong touched her face rather yfully. He teased, ¡°Second Concubine, where did you go? Just look at your face. Don¡¯t tell me you went to see your lover behind my brother¡¯s back.¡±

    ¡°How dare you touch me!¡± A furious Ning Yuling pped Xia Yudong¡¯s hand away. She would never put up appearances in front of people that she looked down on.

    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I dare? You¡¯re no longer the Second Young Lady from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. How can youe back thiste at night? Does my brother know?¡±

    Xia Yudong wasn¡¯t agitated. He crossed his arms in front of his chest and looked at her with a smile.

    Ning Yuling felt a stab of guilt after hearing his words. She clutched her handkerchief, stewing in silence for some time, before gathering her courage. ¡°What nonsense are you saying? I just went back to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor for a look. Can you control me? You¡¯re just an insignificant illegitimate son. How dare you meddle in my affairs! Are you that idle in the manor that you want to cause some trouble?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised, Ning Yuling. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be so arrogant even now. Did you think that this is the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? Too bad for you, they can¡¯t protect you anymore. Come on! Let¡¯s go to my brother and see who¡¯s right: a concubine dressing up and going out every day, or me informing my brother because I couldn¡¯t stand you acting like this.¡±

    Xia Yudong was about to pull Ning Yuling¡¯s hand.

    Ning Yuling was panicking now. How would she dare to see Xia Yuhang now? She immediately grabbed a nearby tree, refusing to let go, all while pping Xia Yudong¡¯s outstretched hand away. She said angrily, ¡°I¡¯m going to shout if you keep pulling me! Let¡¯s see if your brother believes me or you.¡±

    ¡°Sure. It just so happens that I saw the Princely Heir of the Mu family. I heard he¡¯s here to meet my sister and will be staying until the Third Prince¡¯s wedding. I once saw him having a tryst with a beautiful woman. The woman had half of her face covered, but looking at you now, you resemble her quite a bit.¡±

    Xia Yudong put down his hand and turned his head. He sized her up as if he was seeing her for the first time and sighed. ¡°Now that I look at you like this, you really do resemble her. The heir of the Feudal Prince of Yunnan has a lover that he secretly meets in the capital. Looking at her figure and stature, I think she¡¯s an exact match for you.¡±

    Xia Yudong was about to leave after speaking. He looked like he couldn¡¯t wait to tell Xia Yuhang everything.

    Ning Yuling¡¯s forehead was beaded with sweat. She tugged at Xia Yudong¡¯s sleeve and lowered her voice. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    Although Mu Yunfei had agreed to find a way to get her from Xia Yuhang, the matter wasn¡¯t aplished yet. It would be disastrous if the Xia Manor found out about this. Before marrying Xia Yuhang, she thought he was a gentleman. It wasn¡¯t until marrying him that she realized his fickleness.

    She knew her situation well. Now that she didn¡¯t have the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to fall back on, no one would help her if Xia Yuhang were to do anything to her.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want anything. Let¡¯s do something that will benefit us both. I¡¯m sure you¡¯d be more than happy to do so.¡± Seeing that Ning Yuling was giving in and that his aim had been achieved, Xia Yudong¡¯s attitude swiftly became calm. He pulled Ning Yuling aside and whispered to her.

 Chapter 524 - Mother and Daughter Made a Malicious Plot Again in Mingyuan Temple

    <strong>Chapter 524 Mother and Daughter Made a Malicious Plot Again in Mingyuan Temple</strong>

    ¡°Mistress, Liu Feng says that the eldest concubine of the Xia Manor basically doesn¡¯t leave her room. On the whole, she is in the room all day long. Only a maid waiting on her stays with her. As for her trousseau, Liu Feng looked around but did not seem to find it in her ce,¡± Xinmei entered the room and reported.

    Liu Feng visited Minster Xia¡¯s Manorst night and came back today.

    Later, Ning Xueyan thought of the fact that the trousseau was not in Ning Ziyan¡¯s ce. Ning Ziyan was now the concubine of Xia Yuhang, so she had to move to another courtyard. But no matter where she moved, she was still Xia Yuan¡¯s woman, so the trousseau sent to the Xia Manor was unlikely to be moved to another ce.

    Based on this way of thinking, the trousseau should still be in its original ce. Most likely, it was in the courtyard where Ning Ziyan lived previously. Although Xia Yuhang had lowered Ning Ziyan to a concubine¡¯s status, now he did not have a wife yet and would not empty the courtyard for his wife, so the trousseau should still be there.

    ¡°Where does Ning Ziyan live now?¡± Ning Xueyan put down the powder she had mixed in her hand and asked without even raising her head.

    ¡°I should have thought that Xia Yuhang, who looks gentle and cherishes love, is heartless, in fact. Since he could kill his fianc¨¦e he had worked to get, how much could he love Ning Ziyan who was rted to his interests? Now Ning Ziyan has lost her value, so it is a must to drive her away from the courtyard of the official wife.

    ¡°And the reason is eptable ¨C how could a concubine upy the courtyard of the official wife? So, in whatever aspect, Xia Yuhang will not suffer losses. The truth is that it is not a big deal to have a concubine or lose her in the backyard.

    ¡°But Ning Ziyan, who has be a concubine from a wife, will probably never be so willing to give up, so her current forbearance is quite strange!

    ¡°Ning Ziyan doesn¡¯t seem to be someone who can bear it. One reason for her to have be a concubine is that Madam Ling was reduced to a concubine, and the other is that she plotted against me in the Cold Mountain Temple, but her plot was found by me, and then she was locked up with a rogue. So, fundamentally speaking, Ning Ziyan shouldn¡¯t be so calm and willunch a fightback, for sure.

    ¡°But strangely, she can still stay in the room all day long and doesn¡¯t go anywhere!¡±

    ¡°Ning Ziyan now lives with Ning Yuling. Mistress, Liu Feng says that Ning Yuling returned verytest night. When she came in, she was stopped by the Second Young Master of the Xia Manor. The two talked for a while. In the beginning, Liu Feng did not notice them;ter, he found that they had been hiding in the shade of the tree talking secretively in a way that they avoided being seen by others. So, he walked over to eavesdrop, but he went sote that he did not hear anything.¡±

    Remembering what Liu Feng had told her repetitively earlier, Xinmei said that although he did not hear them, he did feel that there was a trick in it. Therefore, he especially asked her to tell this to her mistress.

    The thing was that Xia Yudong and Ning Yuling talked with each other in a stealthy way.

    Ning Xueyan frowned, walked to the basin on the side, washed her hands, and then cleaned the water stains on her hands gently and slowly with her handkerchief. ¡°The two people huddling together strongly gives me a feeling that there is something wrong with it.

    ¡°Xia Yudong is the son of Minister Xia¡¯s concubine. With a character like hers, Ning Yuling will never take a fancy to him, so it is impossible for her to have any rtionship with him. Besides, the two did it stealthily, looking like the thing could not be put on the table. The collusion of the two shows that Ning Qingshan and Ning Yuling have colluded.

    ¡°Of course, Ning Yuling never knows this. Being so prudent, Ning Qingshan will never allow Ning Yuling to find that she is the person behind Xia Yudong.

    ¡°This should be the method Ning Qingshan has thought of to deal with me. That day she asked someone to hurriedly send a letter to the Xia Manor, and the person who received it must have been Xia Yudong. As for some event he and Ning Yuling are scheming to do, I prefer to believe that Ning Yuling has been cheated by Ning Qingshan and Xia Yudong.¡±

    She put on an indifferent smile on her lips. ¡°What did the two say?¡±

    ¡°Liu Feng says that he only heard something like ¡®Mingyuan¡¯ and then the words ¡®without further ado¡¯ and ¡®do it quickly¡¯ Xia Yudong used to urge Ning Yuling.¡±

    Thinking for a moment, Xinmei answered. After finishing speaking, she asked, ¡°Did they mean ¡®Mingyuan Temple¡¯, mistress?¡±

    ¡°It should be so!¡± Ning Xueyan nodded and put down her handkerchief. The reason why the mistress and her maid could remember Mingyuan Temple so clearly was surely that it was the ce where Madam Ling lived. The current situation obviously showed that Madam Ling was an indispensable part of it.

    ¡°Xinmei, pay a visit to Mingyuan Temple today and secretly see how Madam Ling lives. You¡¯d better use an excuse to bring Mother Chen back.¡±

    ¡°What do you want Mother Chen for, mistress? Will Mother Chene back with me?¡± Xinmei nodded as she heard the first few words. The affair of Ning Yuling was rted to Madam Ling. Of course, asking a maid to see Madam Ling was to ease her mind, but as for going to Mother Chen, the maid did not know what Ning Xueyan meant. Besides, as a sworn follower of Madam Ling, Mother Chen never looked like a person who could reveal something easily.

    ¡°You tell her that her nephew of her parents¡¯ family has been thrown into prison, and let her hurriedlye and see him for thest time,¡± Ning Xueyan said in a carefree manner. ¡°As for Chen Qing who painted the portrait of the beauty for me, it¡¯s hard for me not to know him.

    ¡°In my previous life, a few of his paintings became the evidence of my immoral sexual rtionships with other men, with which Madam Ling and her daughter drowned me in the lotus pond; in this life, Madam Ling resorted to her previous plot. In the Cold Mountain Temple, she let the portrait he had finished fall into the hands of Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, but she did not expect that her daughter ended up in losing face and being ashamed.¡±

    After that, Ning Xueyan asked some people to look for him, but she did not expect that the person had long escaped to a farawaynd. But it was obvious that the person returned to the capital in the end. A few days ago, Mother Han still imed that she saw him standing at the gate of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Being alone, he wanted to have a secret meeting with Mother Chen.

    Ning Xueyan knew that Mother Chen did not have children, and Chen Qing should be her only younger family member, so Mother Chen was less likely to give up such a nephew!

    Mingyuan Temple

    Madam Ling was half lying at the window. She was very thin, almost as thin as a skeleton. Her face, which was beautiful in the past, did not have any trace of beautifulness due to this bony thinness. The pair of eyes were like hung triangles. When she looked at others, the white part of her eyes was more than the ck part. No matter how people viewed her eyes, they gave people unhappy feelings.

    At this time, she nced at Ning Yuling with the eyes where the white part was the most, and the look in her eyes was gloomy and cruel, showing a gray unexinable color.

    ¡°What do you think of my idea, mother?¡± Sitting beside her, Ning Yuling was feeding her small mouthful after small mouthful with the few pastries she had brought from the Xia Manor. In this ce, Madam Ling had nothing to eat but the light vor congee. When she saw the fragrant and sweet pastries, she could not help eating a few more mouthfuls so that she almost choked instantly.

    Mother Chen hurriedly poured a cup of boiled water and sent it over. Ning Yuling took it, fed Madam Ling the water carefully, then she put down the cup, and rubbed her mouth a few times gently with her handkerchief.

    ¡°Mother, this is what I especially saved for you to eat. But taking my current status into ount, the Xia Manor does not allow me to leave the manor at will. My eldest sister wears a look of being neither dead nor alive, saying that because of you, we will only be the daughters of a concubine, serve as concubines, and will never have hope,¡± Ning Yuling said with a grievance. As she spoke, her eye sockets had even turned red.

    Madam Ling stopped eating the pastries, took a nce with her hung triangr eyes at Mother Chen who was standing beside her waiting on her, and waved her hand. Then, Mother Chen left and closed the door behind her carefully. Ning Yuling¡¯s maid was standing outside the door, and she was the maid of the Xia Manor. Seeing that Mother Chen dressed in those earthy gray clothes came out with a bent back from inside, she turned around disdainfully and did not even look at her.

    Mother Chen gritted her teeth angrily. Previously, when little maids like this one saw her, none of them would not behave themselves and would call her Mother Chen respectively because everyone knew that she was the favored servant of the eldest madam and could be half the eldest madam, but no one expected her to even fall into such a situation now, and she had to follow her madam here.

    When she served the eldest madam previously, she offended many people. If she had not followed her madam here, she would not have had a good time in the days toe.

    But she really didn¡¯t like such a life! Now Madam Ling did not even utter a few words during the day. Most of the time, she would stare at her gloomily, and no one could bear it. No matter where she went, the pair of eyes would fall on her with the look in the eyes of a dead fish. Seeing the current appearance of Madam Ling, she did feel that she was being watched by a ghost so that she was horrified in her bones.

    Such a life would truly drive her crazy.

    Mother Chen felt that if Madam Ling did not be crazy, she would really be crazy. Now she did not have other wishes but one that she could go down the mountain safely.

    In the room, Madam Ling¡¯s eyes fell on Ning Yuling. She looked at her in a daze, and the look made thetter have coldness in her heart. The look in Madam Ling¡¯s eyes was indeed so weird as if she was looking at someone through her. The eyes were nk without focus.

    ¡°What do you think we should do, mother?¡± she swallowed hard subconsciously and asked again.

    ¡°Kill that bitch?¡± Madam Ling turned her eyes and had a faint smiling expression on the skull-like face, making the onlooker have no choice but to feel cold in the heart.

    ¡°Right, otherwise, it is never possible for my eldest brother to keep the Princely Heir¡¯s position, and this is rted to the benefit of us. Mother, as long as my eldest brother holds the Princely Heir¡¯s position, he will surelye and save you in the end. My eldest brother has filial piety, and you loved him most in the past, so he will not forget it. When I came here today, I went to visit my eldest brother. He was skinny almost out of shape, and he said that Madam Dowager no longer values him in the mansion now.¡±

    Ning Yuling saw that Madam Ling had a reaction and nodded hurriedly.

    ¡°Yuan¡¯er...¡± Madam Ling turned her eyes a few times and mumbled. Now she looked much more animated than she was just now, looking a little alive.

    Seeing that there was hope, Ning Yuling immediately made more efforts, putting on a more mncholy and sadder expression, and rubbed the corners of her eyes with her handkerchief. ¡°Mother, my eldest brother is really good. If it were not for your case, my father would have long asked the emperor to make him the Princely Heir. Almost, just almost, my eldest brother would have been the future Lord Protector, but now... my eldest brother doesn¡¯t have anything. He, he is really pathetic!¡±

    Ning Yuling sobbed as she spoke.

    ¡°Go ahead, I got it, and do it as you said. Have you brought all the things?¡± Madam Ling nodded slowly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, mother. I¡¯ve prepared all the things you need.¡± On hearing Madam Ling¡¯s promise, Ning Yuling immediately burst into a smile and patted Madam Ling¡¯s hand hard. The sadness on her face disappearedpletely, and what was left was a broad smile. ¡°Mother, I¡¯ming to see you together with my eldest brother and others in a few days.¡±

 Chapter 525 - A Recollection of the Past: The Secrets of the Cloud Reflection Courtyard

    <h4>Chapter 525 A Recollection of the Past: The Secrets of the Cloud Reflection Courtyard</h4>

    When Chen Qing¡¯s situation was mentioned, Mother Chen followed Xinmei down the mountain as expected. She just had such a younger family member, and she nned to ask him to nourish her in her old age and bury her dead body. If something bad happened to Chen Qing, she would die of sadness, so without wasting any time, she simply abandoned the more-dead-than-alive Madam Ling lying on the bed and went down the mountain.

    It was not suitable for Ning Xueyan to meet people in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, so she informed Ao Chenyi of her tour very early and then went to meet Mother Chen in Yuyan Shop.

    In the shopkeeper¡¯s room of Yuyan Shop, Mother Chen met Ning Xueyan. Although she found that Ning Xueyan was still in and neat, she looked proud and refreshed. Mother Chen had bitterness in her heart. No one could expect that Fifth Young Lady Ning, who could not even save her life at that time, would trample on Madam Ling someday.

    And now the quite noble Eldest Young Lady and Second Young Lady could only live in the Xia Manor and serve as concubines who were never valued or favored.

    When Second Young Lady came in the morning, she clearly noticed that Second Young Lady was not favored; otherwise, how could she just have one maid with her? More terribly, Second Young Lady became a concubine of the Xia Manor that way. Not to mention that the people of the Xia Manor did not appreciate her, even those of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor depreciated her. Therefore, Mother Chen thought that for Ning Yuling, giving up the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor and being a concubine of Xia Yuhang at that time waspletely an act of ending her future. Besides, she also had a rtionship with Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li in the past.

    No matter howscivious a man is, if someone else has a rtionship with his wife, he will not bear it for too long.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, let your old ve salute you!¡± Mother Chen heaved a sigh and then knelt down with a thud before Ning Xueyan. Now it was not time to sigh with emotion about the experiences of First Young Lady and Second Young Lady. ¡°Please save my nephew, Fifth Young Lady.¡±

    Just now, Xinmei had made it clear that if she wanted to save Chen Qing, she would have to beseech Ning Xueyan, so when she saw Ning Xueyan after she entered the room, Mother Chen dropped to her knees straight away.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think there seems to be no such kindness between you and me, Mother Chen?¡± Ning Xueyan said indifferently when she saw Mother Chen in such a state.

    Madam Ling had been with an overwhelming advantage in her struggle with Madam Ming almost since she married into the mansion. She framed her opponent time after time and suppressed her again and again, so the people of the Bright Frost Garden and the members of the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard did not like each other at all. It was kind to say that there was still no enmity between them.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, I know you won¡¯t believe anything I say now, but I had nomand over myself back then, and it was all my madam¡¯s idea. What could I do as a servant? Could I disobey the orders of my madam?¡± Mother Chen said with a grievance and kowtowed hard a few times on the ground before she raised her head again and said solemnly, ¡°What do you want to know, Fifth Young Lady? I will tell you everything I know.¡±

    She knew that it was impossible for Ning Xueyan to have brought her down Mingyuan Temple for no reason, so when she said this, she was a little confident. At least, she was notpletely useless.

    ¡°I know what you know.¡± Ning Xueyan gave a small smile and cast a nce at Mother Chenpletely indifferently, but when Mother Chen became dumbfounded, she added, ¡°Ning Ziying¡¯s marriage was taken by Ning Ziyan. After that, the night before the wedding, Madam Ling and Ning Ziyan drowned her in the lotus pond with their people, and you, Mother Yun, and a few others were all their aplices. Of course, your nephew also contributed to it. Those stunning portraits of the beauty should be your nephew¡¯s works, right?¡±

    ¡°Fifth...Fifth Young Lady, you...¡± Mother Chen did not expect that what Ning Xueyan was speaking of was the affair of the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. Instantly, she was tongue-tied, and what made her more horrified was that Ning Xueyan seemed to have been on-site at that time. ¡°Even if someone knew the drowning of Ning Ziying, nobody but I, Madam, and Eldest Young Lady know the drawing of the erotic paintings. Apart from us, even Eldest Young Lady¡¯s husband has no idea about it, so how could Fifth Young Lady know it?

    ¡°Of course, Madam and Eldest Young Lady would not tell it to Fifth Young Lady, and I have never spoken of it before, for sure.¡±

    ¡°You think it¡¯s very strange, right? You may wonder how could I know such a secret matter? Mother Chen, do you really think that I know nothing?¡± When Ning Xueyan saw Mother Chen staring at her with her eyes wide open in horror and shock, her smile became lighter.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady knows it. Fifth Young Lady even knows such a secret matter.¡± Mother Chen swallowed hard subconsciously, and she was indeed in a panic. Just now, she thought that she had a bargaining chip to negotiate with Fifth Young Lady, but now she found in surprise that Fifth Young Lady knew everything, so how could she not feel panicky?

    When she came down the mountain earlier, she thought so much on the way. ¡°No doubt, Fifth Young Lady asks me to go to her for questions about something. If I behave cleverly, maybe I can use this chance to leave Madam Ling and take my nephew to anywhere we want to escape to, and we will nevere back to the capital. Anyway, I have dealt with so many things for Madam Ling over the years and umted lots of taels of silver. Unquestionably, I can live well with them for the rest of my life.¡±

    But now Fifth Young Lady even knew such things, so how could she not feel panicky? At this time, she had forgotten to negotiate with Ning Xueyan and only wanted to give her a good impression so that thetter could let her off.

    ¡°Tell me a few things of the Cloud Reflection Courtyard, and let me see if they are the same as what I have learned.¡± Seeing that Mother Chen was ashen in shock, looking like she was frightened out of her wits, Ning Xueyan smiled with a little ridicule on her face. ¡°Of course, if you don¡¯t think you can tell them, you don¡¯t have to tell, Mother Chen.¡±

    ¡°I can, I can, your old ve can tell anything,¡± Mother Chen said in a panic. ¡°Young Lady Ziying was betrothed to Eldest Young Master Xia in the beginning. It is said that she had been betrothed since she was a child. When she came to live in our Marquis¡¯s Manor, Eldest Young Lady took the fancy to Eldest Young Master Xia. The family backgrounds of the two matched each other quite well, and Madam and the marquis also thought that the one who could really match Eldest Young Master Xia was Eldest Young Lady, so Young Lady Ziying was murdered.¡±

    ¡°It is Madam who asked me to get someone to draw the paintings. It happened that my nephew could draw. For the sake of not wanting more people to know it, Madam asked me to take my nephew to Young Lady Ziying and observe her face stealthily, and then he added another woman¡¯s body. In this way, the paintings would look like the erotic portraits of Young Lady Ziying.¡±

    Mother Chen wiped away her sweat as she spoke, and she tried her best to let Madam Ling take responsibility for all the things. After finishing speaking, she especially looked at Ning Xueyan and saw that she lowered her eyes slightly, having a peaceful expression: without joy or anger. And she could still keep calm when she heard such things.

    This meant that she must have known them. That was to say, the current words of Mother Chen werepletely valueless.

    Mother Chen was anxious and decided to disclose something shocking. ¡°The marriage of Eldest Young Master Xia and Eldest Young Lady was silently approved by the two families, but they just kept it from the people of the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. In the beginning, Madam wanted to drive Young Lady Ziying away, but Eldest Young Master Xia didn¡¯t agree, saying that he wanted to look for a few things, and these things were in the trousseau of Young Lady Ziying. He said that he could marry Eldest Young Lady and also take Young Lady Ziying as his concubine at the same time.¡±

    ¡°Take Ning Ziying as his concubine?¡± Ning Xueyan was not angry butughed. ¡°Xia Yuhang¡¯s ¡®passionate love¡¯ is ¡®true love¡¯ indeed!

    ¡°He got the marriage by beseeching with all efforts, but when I became an orphan, he had long gotten betrothed to another woman. If it was just so, it doesn¡¯t matter. But what is the fact? On the one hand, he wanted to seek connections with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor; on the other hand, he could not give up my trousseau, wanting me to be his concubine.

    ¡°The previous fianc¨¦e to be a concubine! An ordinary person can¡¯t afford to have such ¡®deep love¡¯. Of course, an ordinary person can¡¯t think of such an idea.¡±

    ¡°What happenedter?¡± Ning Xueyan asked with an indifferent look in her eyes.

    ¡°Later, when he saw the paintings sent by Madam to him, Eldest Young Master Xia was truly angry. I still remember that when he flipped through them piece by piece, he was so angry that his face even turned dark. I never saw Eldest Young Master Xia be so angry. After throwing the paintings on the ground, he picked them up again and looked at them one by one. He looked at them for a whole hour before throwing them at my feet and then going straight back to the Xia Manor.¡±

    Mother Chen remembered that she was terrified at that time because the ¡°erotic paintings¡± her madam had asked her to send were all unreal. Seeing the look of Eldest Young Master Xia, she knew that if he found they were fabricated, he would kill her. So, she remained quiet at that time, regarding herself as a piece of wood. After keeping this state for an hour or so, she heard the sound of Eldest Young Master Xia who had calmed down, but he threw the paintings on the ground. ¡°Do as the marchioness said!¡±

    Then she nodded with sweat, and the thing was done!

    ¡°Looked at the paintings again and again? Threw them, picked them up, looked at them again, and then threw them again?¡± Ning Xueyan frowned. Xia Yuhang¡¯s behavior was very strange, but she knew that he was always gentle, and she had rarely seen him in such anger. With a character like his, if Xia Yuhang had truly had suspicions, he would have never thrown them away recklessly.

    ¡°This reaction shows that he was furious and shocked because he had lost hope.

    ¡°Besides, when such a thing happened, he should have immediatelye to question me, right? Why did he go straight back to the Xia Manor and then reappear when Madam Ling and her daughter dealt with me? What did Xia Yuhang do during this time? He got angry? He was angry, but he had agreed to this plot, so what did hee back for?¡±

    ording to her understanding of Xia Yuhang, Ning Xueyan felt with her intuition that there was something in it.

    ¡°Since Eldest Young Master Xia had agreed to the Madam Ling¡¯s treatment of Sister Ziying, why did he have toe back?¡± Ning Xueyan asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Both Madam and Eldest Young Lady thought that Eldest Young Master Xia would note back that night, but he came unexpectedly. But when he arrived, he just stood on the side watching Eldest Young Lady ask some people to drown Young Lady Ziying, butter, he suddenly rushed over like mad and pushed away those few servants executing her, but, but Young Lady Ziying had already died,¡± Mother Chen swallowed hard and stuttered.

    ¡°Xia Yuhang even came to save me?¡± Ning Xueyan did think that it was funny and had cold ridicule on her lips. ¡°What does this mean? He regretted? He regretted killing me? It¡¯s so funny. When I took thest look in that world at that time, I saw that person through theke surface stained red with blood.¡±

    ¡°Then you should also know my mother¡¯s affairs, right?¡± She made an indifferent sound, which had no ups or downs. Looking at Mother Chen who had an expression of showing off her contributions, Ning Xueyan pursed her lips. After all, Ning Xueyan herself knew most things that happened in the Cloud Reflection Courtyard, but now what she was going to ask was Madam Ming¡¯s affairs because she could not figure out a few things. No doubt, there must be secrets about her, too.

 Chapter 526 - Madam Mingâ€™s Secret

    <h4>Chapter 526 Madam Ming¡¯s Secret</h4>

    ¡°Madam Ming¡¯s matter, Madam Ming... is the daughter of the minister of the previous dynasty... was married to... to the marquis and gave birth to Fifth Young Lady...¡± Mother Chen stuttered.

    ¡°Mother Chen, if you just know such things, then you¡¯d better go back!¡± Ning Xueyan said with a cold smile. The ck jade-like eyes were so deep that they could seem to swallow humans up. Seeing that, Mother Chen trembled and did not dare to hide anything anymore. Now she found that Fifth Young Lady was the most scaring one. ¡°How could the people of the mansion of the past think Fifth Young Lady was the timidest one?¡±

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, Madam Ling has some ornaments, which were Madam Ming¡¯s in the past. It is said that they are from the pce of the previous dynasty.¡± She gritted her teeth and knew that she had no choice but to disclose important information because Fifth Young Lady seemed not a soft-hearted person. ¡°If I don¡¯t tell her anything useful today, it is possible that Fifth Young Lady will dispose of my nephew in the prison directly.

    ¡°Now Fifth Young Lady is not only Fifth Young Lady but also the consort of Prince Yi.¡±

    ¡°Ornaments? Jade pieces? The valueless ornaments taken from Vice Minister Ling¡¯s home?¡± Ning Xueyan looked at Mother Chen without showing her feelings, but thetter began to sweat when she saw the look in her eyes. Thinking that Ning Xueyan did not believe her, she said hurriedly, ¡°They are truly from the pce of the previous dynasty. It is said that Madam Ming had an exceptionally good rtionship with the empress of the previous dynasty, and those things were granted to her by the empress of the previous dynasty.¡±

    ¡°The empress of the previous dynasty? My biological mother in my previous life? My biological mother in my previous life had a very good rtionship with Madam Ming. This is not something valuable. Since one was the empress and the other was the daughter of a noble family, having connections for the two of them was a must, so it was quite normal for the empress to grant a few things at that time.

    ¡°But why did she grant so many things and all of them were treasures? Is it that the rtionship between Madam Ming and my biological mother was so good at that time? But no one has ever mentioned it before.¡±

    ¡°Ostensibly, Madam Ming didn¡¯t have a good rtionship with the empress of the previous dynasty, so when the previous dynasty was endedter, no one knew about it. Later, I heard that when the empress of the previous dynasty escaped with the princess of the previous dynasty, those who had connections with the princess of the previous dynasty in the past were all investigated, but Madam Ming was not,¡± Mother Chen whispered in a trembling voice.

    This was a secret about the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. In order to catch the empress and princess of the previous dynasty at that time, many rted people were thrown into prison, and even many families were murdered. In fact, people who were murdered were mainly those who had good rtionships with the empress of the previous dynasty formerly.

    Instantly, the whole capital was in turbulence, and people panicked as the investigation was carried out.

    And topics about the empress of the previous dynasty became a taboo. Those who had connections with the empress of the previous dynasty all tried their best to hide, and no one dared to get involved in the case because it would lead to the death of the whole family.

    ¡°So my mother didn¡¯t tell others that she had a close rtionship with the empress of the previous dynasty, right?¡± Ning Xueyan thought about it, rubbed the teacup twice with her fingers, and then asked in a seemingly casual way, ¡°The thing has passed for so many years now, and things of the previous dynasty have also passed, in fact. So, even if we speak of them, it doesn¡¯t matter!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s to say, whether I know this or not, it¡¯s not important. Mother Chen, you¡¯d better pick up something useful to tell me. If you continue to say anything useless, I will have to go because I am busy.¡± Looking bored, Ning Xueyan put down the cup in her hand as if she was about to leave.

    Mother Chen became anxious when she saw that Ning Xueyan was about to leave. ¡°Fifth Young Lady, these things can¡¯t prove that Madam Ming and the empress of the previous dynasty must have had any rtionships, but some things are real. The day the pce was on fire, I, your old servant, saw a carriagee to the back gate of Ning Manor. The carriage rider didn¡¯t get off but asked to meet Madam Ming. When Madam Ming came outter, she got on the carriage and left stealthily. She left for a long time that night, but the marquis didn¡¯te back that night, so he didn¡¯t know Madam Ming returned veryte.¡±

    ¡°A carriage rider met her stealthily, and the carriage then returned to the back gate.¡± Ning Xueyan bit her lips, concealed the excitement in her eyes, and held the teacup tightly, but she asked peacefully and indifferently as if she was not very interested.

    ¡°What does it prove?¡±

    ¡°The person who apanied Madam Ming back was a man, and he also helped Madam Ming carry a bag of things. When he went to the back gate, he handed the things to Madam Ming and went back.¡± Mother Chen swallowed hard as if she saw how Madam Ming dressed in a cloak gingerly go in from the back gate that night.

    She did not go with a maid or an older female servant, and the carriage driver was a man. Although she did not see him clearly, Mother Chen felt that he was not an ordinary coachman because he had a very imposing appearance. He talked with Madam Ming at the gate for a while before thetter entered the house with the things.

    Of course, she told what she had seen at that time to Madam Ling. This situation clearly showed that Madam Ming had an affair with someone!

    But when Madam Ling hurried over there, she saw no soul outside the backyard, and she would not get anything even if she conducted an investigation.

    ¡°What happened next?¡± Ning Xueyan pressed calmly. If there were only such things, it was not enough to prove anything. Such things without proof should not have the power to prove anything.

    ¡°Later, Madam Ming got pregnant!¡± Mother Chen took a look at Ning Xueyan, with fear in her eyes for a moment.

    ¡°Pregnant?¡± Ning Xueyan suddenly opened her eyes wide.

    ¡°After that, Madam Ming and the marquis had a dispute because of Lord Ming¡¯s matter. Out of anger, Madam Ming went straight to her manor outside the city and stayed there for some time, and the marquis did not even go there to see her. Later after her return, it was said that Madam Ming fell carelessly on one asion, and then Fifth Young Lady was born prematurely.¡±

    Mother Chen¡¯s voice became lower and lower, and she looked at Ning Xueyan¡¯s face anxiously. Madam Ming came back at night with a man previously and then got pregnant. After she was pregnant, the child was born prematurely in her manor. At that time, Mother Chen proved again and again in front of the marquis that the child Madam Ming conceived was probably not the child of the marquis.

    Of course, what she said was what Madam Ling had asked her to say.

    ¡°So, you women thought that I was not my father¡¯s child! And Madam Ling took down my mother from her position because of this!¡± Something shed across her mind, and Ning Xueyan almost felt that she was about to catch it. She stared at Mother Chen with her cold watery eyes and an eerily cold smile on her lips. ¡°It turns out this is the truth of the matter.

    ¡°So, Ning Zu¡¯an shows no fatherly feeling toward me and didn¡¯t have the slightest wish to help his daughter when she was bullied by Ning Yuling in her childhood. The truth is that in his heart, I am not the daughter of him and Madam Ming. Later when Madam Ling plotted against Madam Ming, he then let it happen so willingly.

    ¡°On the one hand, he wanted his son to be the son of an official wife; on the other hand, he wanted to take away the status of the suspiciously unchaste woman! Due to this suspicion, he neither cared to inquire nor to hear anything about the Bright Frost Garden. Even when the woman died, he did not care.¡±

    ¡°Why did those ornaments of my mother that are said to have been granted by the empress of the previous dynasty fall into the hands of Madam Ling?¡± Ning Xueyan forcefully suppressed the excitement churning in her chest, took a sip of tea, and holding the teacup in her hands, asked with lowered brows.

    ¡°When the marquis investigated the man¡¯s information in the madam¡¯s ce, he found such a big bag of things and took the bag away directly, and he also warned Madam Ming that if someone learned that she and the empress of the previous dynasty had such a good rtionship, the whole family would get into trouble because of her. So, Madam Ming didn¡¯t say anything. When those things were brought back, they fell into Madam Ling¡¯s hands.¡±

    Mother Chen took a stealthy look at Ning Xueyan and found that she had a calmplexion without any feelings in it, as if she did not care a bit whether she was the marquis¡¯s daughter or not. Then Mother Chen was confused about what she meant, but she answered more carefully and clearly, afraid that Ning Xueyan would suspect that she had covered something up.

    Gradually, things were put in neat order in her mind.

    Later, these things fell into the hands of Madam Ling, who then gave most of them to her elder brother. The whole Protector¡¯s Manor were afraid that others would know that Madam Ming and the empress had a close rtionship, so they tried their best to cover it up. Since Madam Ling had learned this secret, Madam Dowager had to let her be the marchioness. For Madam Dowager, no matter who became the official wife, it was not important, as long as the Ning Manor was not affected.

    This was an important reason for Madam Dowager to agree that Madam Ling became the official wife in the past, although she did not appreciate Madam Ling, thinking that she was not noble-spirited or well-educated.

    As for the jade piece Madam Ling gave the Marquis of Ping¡¯anter, this surely meant that she had told the secret to the Marquis of Ping¡¯an so that Madam Dowager had to let Ning Xueyan marry the Marquis of Ping¡¯an, but her strategy was not good enough, after all, and she was tricked by Ning Xueyan. In the end, she and the Marquis of Ping¡¯an had a bad result. Of course, due to the same reason, the Marquis of Ping¡¯an built a marriage bond with a n rtive of the Ning Manor.

    Anyway, Madam Ling and Madam Dowager were in the same boat. Of course, Ning Xueyan believed that Madam Ling would not truly tell this to the Marquis of Ping¡¯an and she only wanted to scare Madam Dowager and force her to let Ning Xuayan marry into the Marquis of Ping¡¯an¡¯s Manor. But Ning Xueyan was sure that Vice Minister Ling should have learned it; otherwise, he would not have been greatly upset that day.

    ¡°Mother Chen, I¡¯ve been suspecting the things you mentioned, in fact, but all these are not what I want to know now. Whether I am the daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor or not, it is not a problem at present. What I want to know now is what on earth Ning Yuling went up the mountain for today?¡± She raised her eyes lightly and looked at Mother Chen who had an uneasy expression.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, I, your old servant, really don¡¯t know about it. After Second Young Lady entered the room, Madam Ling just asked me to go out. Later, I went in and poured the water away, but Madam Ling didn¡¯t say anything, and I only heard that Second Young Lady seemed to ask Madam Ling to promise something. After that, Madam Ling asked me to go out again. Inside, they talked in low voices, and I couldn¡¯t hear anything.¡±

    Mother Chen spoke in distress. She did want to listen at that time, but Madam Ling, who always asked the old servant to wait on her in her presence, even asked her to go out directly at that time, and she did not even let her stay the second time she went inside. The door was closed, and she stood outside with Ning Yuling¡¯s maid, so she could not hear anything even if she wanted to eavesdrop.

    ¡°You may go back now, but you will need to pay attention to Madam Ling¡¯s behavior. I will ask Xinmei to go there often. If anything unnatural happens, you can simply tell her. As for your nephew, he is fine. Don¡¯t worry,¡± Ning Xueyan rose to her feet and said lightly after she had now almost asked all the questions she wanted to ask.

    ¡°Okay, thank you, thank you, Fifth Young Lady. Fifth Young Lady, please rest assured. I, your old servant, will always keep an eye on Madam Ling and will never let her make any trouble.¡± Mother Chen heaved a sigh of relief and nodded again and again.

 Chapter 527 - Ning Yulingâ€™s Tryst at the Teahouse

    <h4>Chapter 527 Ning Yuling¡¯s Tryst at the Teahouse</h4>

    Ning Xueyan did not return right away but went to the teahouse of the Ming Manor. But Ming Yuanhua was not there and she was free, so she simply asked for a box and sat in it, drinking tea quietly and pondering things.

    Mother Chen had told her lots of things, but she could not think them through in a short time. She had been feeling that she seemed to have neglected something important in them.

    Sitting at the window with her thin, curved brows knitted, she was carefully thinking as she fiddled with the teacup at her hand.

    ¡°The reason why Ning Zu¡¯an was so merciless toward Madam Ming is that he suspected that I was not his child. Of course, this is also because Madam Ming had lost the value she once had. If Madam Ming¡¯s father had still been Minister Ming, Ning Zu¡¯an would have never treated her so mercilessly.

    ¡°Surely, Ning Zu¡¯an was not a good man in the past. In fact, he had raised Madam Ling as his woman outside the family, and he and Madam Ling had also given birth to Ning Huaiyuan, but he still pretended that he had a deep love and sincerely wanted to marry his cousin. He even swore that he would not marry another woman and would live with Madam Ming wholeheartedly. By cheating so, he made Madam Ming marry him, who, however, had a lower status back then.

    ¡°Later, Madam Ling with her two children cried and screamed, wanting to enter the family and live in it. Since Madam Ling had children, Madam Ming was forced to allow her to live in the mansion. After that, concubines sitting in sedan chairs were carried into the house one after another, and then they gave birth to Ning Yuling and Ning Lingyun.

    ¡°Not to mention that Madam Ming was the proud daughter of an aristocratic family, even if she had been the daughter of an ordinary family, she could not have borne such cheating, but he even suspected the child in her belly.¡± Ning Xueyan did feel that this was ridiculous. ¡°How could a noble daughter of an aristocratic family take a fancy to a person casually and have children just after going outside with the person for once inexplicably?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if Ning Zu¡¯an is despicable himself, so when he treats others, he always feels that others will hide something from him on purpose.¡± As for treating such a person, Ning Xueyan thought that even if she had had the character of Ning Ziying in her previous life, she would have been cold toward him and despised him, and she would rather have lived alone than with him.

    Suddenly, Madam Ming¡¯s look of being indifferent to fame and wealth appeared in her mind. ¡°She always held a light attitude, and her smile was also like this.¡±

    ¡°Since I had memories, I had been feeling that Madam Ming was unwilling to go out of the Bright Frost Garden. It seemed that everything in the Bright Frost Garden was independent of the outside, and what the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor gave to the Bright Frost Garden was the most basic living needs. If the Garden needed anything else, Madam Ming would have to buy them with her silver, but most of her trousseau was taken away by Madam Ling.

    ¡°Her life became more and more difficult, but even so, Madam Ming did not show any demands on Ning Zu¡¯an. Was it really because there was nothing to ask for or was she frustrated?¡±

    Ning Xueyan had a memory of the scene when Madam Ming was dying, where she smiled, but the smile made Ning Xueyan shed copious tears at that time. Watching Madam Ming spit blood mouthful after mouthful, she panicked, kept crying, and fell on her knees on Madam Ming¡¯s bedside.

    At that time, there were no others in the room. Madam Ming caressed her head as she smiled, looking as gentle as ever.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Yan¡¯er. If you can¡¯t go on living here, you can leave here and should never return. Over the years, no one has evere... or really couldn¡¯te. If I had known this, I would have left here with you that day.¡± Madam Ming heaved a sigh, stopped smiling, and caressed Ning Xueyan¡¯s beautiful hair, and thetter could not understand the obscure look in her eyes.

    Ning Xueyan was only afraid at that time. Madam Ming was her only support, but now the support was about to fall, so how could she not be frightened? She wept miserably and holding Madam Ming¡¯s hand tightly, did not let go of it in whatever condition.

    ¡°At that time, I just thought that Madam Ming gave me such an idea because she pitied me for being a weak girl with no one to rely on. Now when I think about it, I realize that Madam Ming meant something else. What¡¯s the meaning of ¡®no one has evere¡¯? Was Madam Ming waiting for someone¡¯sing?¡± Her fingers trembled, and the teacup slipped out of her hands and fell heavily on the ground, making a crisp breaking sound. Since the water was the newly brought boiling water, when a few drops were sshed on Ning Xueyan¡¯s foot, she hurriedly took her feet back in pain.

    ¡°What¡¯s up, mistress? Were you burned?¡± Lanning asked hurriedly when she pushed the door open and saw the teacup on the ground.

    ¡°Nothing, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Ning Xueyan shook her head, looked at the door Lanning had half-opened just now, and frowned. Just now, she seemed to have seen Ning Yuling.

    ¡°Strange! What is Ning Yuling doing here at this time? She seems not a person who can gain peace in her mind and sit quietly drinking tea.¡±

    ¡°Mistress, mistress...¡± Lanning called Ning Xueyan twice before thetter woke up from her dazed state.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°Mistress, please raise your feet a bit, and let me clean the shards at your feet,¡± Lanning said.

    ¡°Leave this alone. Lanning, go and ask the shopkeeper if he has seen such a beautifuldy like Ning Yuling?¡± Ning Xueyan held Lanning¡¯s hand, helped her up, and pointed at the outside. ¡°The person I saw just now should be Ning Yuling, right? Unfortunately, I only saw a back but did not see the person clearly.¡±

    ¡°You saw Second Young Lady, mistress? Okay, let me go and ask now.¡± Lanning stood up and looked outside in surprise. She only saw boxes outside but didn¡¯t see people outside the corridor, but she usually believed Ning Xueyan¡¯s judgment, so she nodded, turned and left the box, and closed the door carefully behind her for Ning Xueyan.

    She returned soon. When she closed the door, she whispered to Ning Xueyan, ¡°Mistress, the shopkeeper asks us to change to another box.¡±

    Ning Xueyan nodded, stood up, and left the box after Lanning. Outside the box, a shop boy was waiting. When he saw the two of theming out, he walked past a bend with them, came to another box, and said with a grin, ¡°Please go inside first, you two, and let me go and make some tea for you.¡±

    ¡°Go!¡± Lanning replied and entered the box after Ning Xueyan.

    Compared with the box they were in just now, this one, which was more inside but was not on the same side as the previous one, was one of the few quite covert boxes in the teahouse and also Ming Feiyong¡¯s private box. Although one side of it still had a window view, there were a few moreyers of light gauzes in the window, and their arrangement was exceptionally elegant.

    When she closed the door, Lanning pointed at the painting on the right, which was named Cold River Fishing Painting. Ning Xueyan nodded, walked to the side of the painting, reached out to the protruding spot of the old fisherman¡¯s fishing pole, and pressed it. Then the painting silently indented to both sides. Immediately, that part of the wall seemed to be missing.

    From the empty space, human voices could be faintly heard.

    Lanning eavesdropped and then whispered in Ning Xueyan¡¯s ear, ¡°It is Second Young Lady!¡±

    Right, the person on the other side was Ning Yuling, but the voice was just different from Ning Yuling¡¯s arrogant and domineering voice in her memory. Instead, it was soft and alluring. If Ning Xueyan had not been quite familiar with Ning Yuling¡¯s voice, she would not have believed that the woman who had made the extremely soft and alluring voice really was Ning Yuling.

    Sitting quietly in the chair beneath the painting, Ning Xueyan propped her head with her hand, sat still, and eavesdropped peacefully with closed eyes.

    This teahouse belonged to Ming Feiyong, so it was not difficult to look for a person, especially when the person was Ning Yuling who was so beautiful.

    But Ning Yuling did not expect that she was in the box beside Ming Feiyong¡¯s. What a coincidence!

    ¡°Princely Heir, I have to go home. If I don¡¯t go home now and I am found, I will again...¡± Ning Yuling made a soft, alluring, and aggrieved sound, giving others a feeling that she was quite pathetic.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, and this won¡¯tst long. When the timees, I will think of a way to take you away, lest that you should be bullied in the Xia Manor all the time.¡± A man¡¯s clear voice came, but Ning Xueyan was not familiar with it. Yet, this showed that the person inside was a man, though she did not know how Ning Yuling had hooked up with this ¡°Princely Heir¡±.

    Hearing this sound, she knew that the rtionship between the two was by no means ordinary.

    ¡°But I... I am afraid that they will find... I am still afraid.¡± There was timidity in Ning Yuling¡¯s tender voice, making others pity her very much.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t be afraid, and I¡¯ll help you. I¡¯ll lend a guard you need to you and get the thing done,¡± the man said with a consoling tone.

    ¡°Thank you, Princely Heir. Then I¡¯m going home.¡± Ning Yuling made a sound of not wishing to part.

    ¡°When can youe out again, then?¡± The man didn¡¯t seem to want to let her go home like this and affectionately asked her the time of meeting her next time.

    ¡°Princely Heir, don¡¯t worry, and I should be able toe out in a few days. Could you ask your guard to stay at the gate of the Xia Manor these few days? When he sees mee out of the Xia Manor, he will protect me secretly. When I reach the ce, I will ask him toe out and help me. By doing so, a sudden effect can be shown,¡± Ning Yuling said coquettishly.

    ¡°Okay, rest assured. I¡¯ll ask him to stay at the gate of your Xia Manor in a while,¡± the man promised instantly.

    After that, it seemed that Ning Yuling opened the door and left.

    Lanning was hoping to tell Ning Xueyan with a signal to put the painting together when another voice suddenly came from the other side, ¡°Do you really want this woman, Princely Heir?¡±

    It turned out that there was another person in the room.

    ¡°Yes, why not? I haven¡¯t enjoyed such a beautiful woman enough. I heard that she almost became Third Prince¡¯s woman sometime in the past, but I don¡¯t know how he will react when he finds that the woman who almost became his princess bes my concubine in the future?¡± the man said with a little frivolous smile, and the affectionate look he held just now when he talked with Ning Yuling had already disappeared.

    ¡°Do you really want to take her away, Princely Heir? The princess will be angry.¡±

    ¡°This is just a game, and I won¡¯t take it seriously. I, your prince, just heard that this woman is quite dissolute. Not only did she have a rtionship with Third Prince, but she also hooked up with Ao Xian. After that, she even dared to strip off and seduce her elder sister¡¯s husband on the street. I, your princely heir, have never met a woman who is even bolder than the women in the brothel, so I need to y with her enjoyably.¡±

    The man made lewdughter without caring about anything, but then he stoppedughing and his voice turned a little gloomy. ¡°The capital is quite aplicated society, and I don¡¯t want to do anything but y with beautiful women. This won¡¯t affect anyone¡¯s business, so I don¡¯t think I am so useless that the emperor wants to detain me in the capital!¡±

    ¡°Yes, I see.¡±

    ¡°You just go and stay outside the gate of the Xia Manor these few days. When this womanes out, you should secretly protect her and do whatever she asks you to do. Anyway, I¡¯m just a libertine, and it¡¯s quite normal for me to break a few rules ofw for women. Asking my guard to help a woman kill someone ormit a crime is not a big deal, but due to my dissolute way of living, my subordinates can¡¯t do anything great,¡± the man instructed.

    ¡°Commit a crime and kill someone?¡± Ning Xueyan knitted her brows tightly. ¡°Whom does Ning Yuling hate most? There seems to be no one but me, so Ning Yuling should want to deal with me by borrowing the guard this time.

    ¡°Besides, Ning Qingshan and Madam Ling have also made contributions to it. It seems that this is a big trap Ning Yuling has set for me. Even if she can¡¯t kill me with an attack, she will ruin my reputation, for sure.¡±

 Chapter 528 - The So-called Princely Heir of the Feudal Prince of Yunnan

    <h4>Chapter 528 The So-called Princely Heir of the Feudal Prince of Yunnan</h4>

    Ning Xueyan clearly knew that she was now

    the consort of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. If she died of an attack, no matter whether Ao Chenyi liked her or not, he would investigate the case undoubtedly. No one could dare to confidently say that they had the ability to not let Ao Chenyi find their responsibility for the crime. If he found their responsibility, he would make a move even if he just aimed to save the reputation of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    If he made a move, it would be possible that blood would be shed and people would die, so Ning Xueyan believed that even the emperor was afraid of Ao Chenyi. Then it was impossible for them to kill her with an attack. When thinking in this way, she found that apart from making her lose her status and ruining her reputation, they didn¡¯t seem to have a second choice.

    Due to this reason, it was not easy for them to destroy her because she was now the concubine of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. When she went out in normal times, maids and older female servants would protect her. If this was also rted to Madam Ling, Ning Xueyan was a little clear about what this meant.

    ¡°I, your prince, heard that you burned your foot, Yan¡¯er. What happened?¡± In the evening, Ao Chenyi appeared in the Pear Flower Garden.

    Sitting on the couch at the window, Ning Xueyan had just removed her socks but had not clearly seen how many blisters were on her foot and hurriedly put her foot under her dress. When the teacup fell earlier, she did not feel the pain and only had a burning feeling for a few moments, but when she returned to her room just now, she felt so much pain, so she stripped off her socks, but she had not inspected her foot carefully.

    When she looked up and saw Ao Chenyiing in, she found that the ink-ck robe made him look handsome and graceful with fierceness. The blood-red spider lily print embroidered on his robe seemed to begin to move as he walked. Besides, he had wide sleeves, a thin waist, and a beautiful face with evil charms, so it was fair to say that no matter where Ao Chenyi went, he was the key figure in the public eye.

    But the key figure just meant that people saw his back, not that anyone could dare to look steadily at his matchless beautiful face.

    Fortunately, Ning Xueyan did not care about it now. When she saw his eyes fall on the hem of her dress, she blushed. ¡°Why are you here again, prince?¡±

    ¡°Is it that I can¡¯te to your Pear Flower Garden, Yan¡¯er?¡± Ao Chenyi went to the couch extremely naturally, sat still, smiledzily, and extended his hand. ¡°Come here.¡±

    ¡°What do you want to do?¡± Ning Xueyan said on alert.

    ¡°What else do I want to do but put ointment on your foot? I heard that you smashed a teacup today. Tell me who offended you, and let me take you back and do a smash.¡± Ao Chenyi held her foot. As he pulled hard, Ning Xueyan could not hide the foot hidden under her dress anymore and her foot was instantly taken out.

    ¡°Prince, let me do it myself.¡± Ning Xueyan blushed and hurriedly wanted to cover her foot up.

    ¡°You do it? But you¡¯ve made your foot look like this!¡± Ao Chenyi raised his eyebrows.

    Ning Xueyan realized that his words suggested that he was unhappy, so she pped her long eyshes, looking at him with anticipation. Seeing that he didn¡¯t give up and still held her foot, she had to helplessly surrender.

    Feeling that Ning Xueyan was not stiff anymore, Ao Chenyi bowed his head in satisfaction. Seeing Ning Xueyan¡¯s small, thin, nice, and exquisite foot that was so much like something made of white jade, he had tender affection in his heart, but when he saw these few blisters on her foot, the usual coldness appeared in his eyes.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move. Let me put ointment on your foot, and then you tell me what happened.¡± Ao Chenyi held her foot and took down the scalding injury ointment on the table Lanning had asked Mother Ruan to bring here for her just now.

    As soon as her foot was held by her big hand, a warm feeling entered her foot. Subconsciously, Ning Xueyan wanted to take her foot back, but her foot was in his big hand. As he spread the ointment lightly on it, a little cool feeling came to her foot, making Ning Xueyan feel sofortable that she looked up at Ao Chenyi unconsciously.

    Looking at him from her angle, she could just see his long eyshes pping, making two irregr shades on his beautiful face, but it was obvious that he was extremely serious. However, he was always evilly charming, wild, and fierce, giving others a feeling that he came from the darkher world.

    But at this moment, he gave others a feeling that he was extremely serious as if what he was serious about was not Ning Xueyan¡¯s foot, but something quite precious.

    With her face beginning to inexplicably burn again, Ning Xueyan changed to another subject. ¡°Has any unusual person arrived in the capital? It is a man. He is a princely heir or something, and he looks dissolute and fools around with a few women from time to time, but his unshown power should be great. Prince, do you think such a person has recently appeared in the capital?¡±

    This person was not Ao Xian because Ao Xian was a real libertine and he was useless, but this person was different. Although Ning Xueyan did not see him, she knew that the words he said in the end were enough to prove that he was not a man who could easily act crazily for a woman. This person should be someone of schemes, and he now stayed with Ning Yuling, so she felt the danger.

    ¡°You mean Mu Yunfei, the son of the Feudal Prince of Yunnan? He just came to the capital a while ago because he will attend Third Prince and Mu Ling¡¯s wedding. Mu Ling is about to marry Third Prince, and he, the brother from her parents¡¯ home, shoulde and send her trousseau off. The reason why he came a little earlier at this time was that he heard that the capital is prosperous and full of beautiful women.¡±

    Ao Chenyi spoke as he put the ointment carefully on Ning Xueyan¡¯s foot, and the light of shrewdness shed in his thin, long eyes. Suddenly, he raised his head and had some quite evil charms and enchantment at the corners of his eyes. ¡°What? He offended you?¡±

    There was killing intent in his handsome eyes. Ning Xueyan saw it through, but she hurriedly shook her hands and said, ¡°No, not me, but Ning Yuling. He seems to have hooked up with Ning Yuling, and Ning Yuling wants to deal with me, so I want to learn about the real information of the Princely Heir of the Feudal Prince of Yunnan clearly.¡±

    ¡°Since he didn¡¯t offend you, that¡¯s fine. Otherwise, I would have had an itch to beat him! I don¡¯t care if he acts like an overlord in Yunnan, but if he wants to harm my woman in the capital, I will let him leave here on a stretcher,¡± Ao Chenyi said with a mirthless smile. Although he was smiling, his voice was ice-cold.

    This was a sign before he got angry. Ning Xueyan was shocked and held his hand hurriedly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He takes a fancy to Ning Yuling, and I¡¯ll never have any connections with such people.¡±

    When Ning Xueyan finished these words, her face had turned even redder. Her watery eyes glistened, and she was even a little too ashamed to look at him, for what she said did seem to promise him something. As if she was afraid that he did not believe her, she even especially said this by holding his hand. Now she let go of his hand hurriedly and picking up another subject randomly, said, ¡°Compared with the Princely Heir of the Feudal Prince of Annan, what do you think of the Princely Heir of the Feudal Prince of Yunnan? I heard that the Princely Heir of the Feudal Prince of Annan is truly capable.¡±

    Recently, the rtionship between Annan and the capital had been a little tense. Many people were talking about the Feudal Prince of Annan. It was said that the Feudal Prince of Annan was an important official of the previous dynasty in the past, but he surrendered to the new dynastyter. Since all his power was in Annan, the new emperor felt helpless and had to make him Feudal Prince of Annan, letting him manage all the affairs of Annan.

    Of course, the reason for making him Feudal Prince of Annan was that his power was strong even at that time, so that the new emperor had no choice but to mainly resort to the appeasing strategy. Unexpectedly, after recuperating and building up strength for more than 10 years, now Annan began to move again, for it seemed to think that its rtionship with the imperial court was bad again. There had been rumors in the capital that the Feudal Prince of Annan was going to rebel with his troops again.

    For a while, everyone became most concerned about Annan¡¯s news. Today Ning Xueyan had heard many people talk about the Feudal Prince of Annan, especially about his son, a man who was full of wisdom and strategy. Hoping to change the subject at this moment, she raised this question at random.

    ¡°Whether it is the Princely Heir of the Feudal Prince of Yunnan or the Princely Heir of the Feudal Prince of Annan, Yan¡¯er, please remember, I am your husband.¡± Ao Chenyi put down the ointment in his hand, raised his thin lips slightly, and had banter and somewhat seriousness in his handsome eyes. When Ning Xueyan saw that, her heart trembled involuntarily and turned a little soft unconsciously.

    ¡°He is obviously arrogant and overbearing, and he is always the cold-blooded and unreasonable Prince Yi, but now he makes me feel that he is a little childishly quarrelsome!¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Ning Xueyan said unhesitatingly, though she blushed and hung her head.

    Held by a powerful arm, she fell into the familiar hard arms. Ao Chenyi stared at Ning Xueyan and her charming face, which was lowered slightly. Even if he had suddenly taken her into his arms just now, she would have only turned stiff slightly. Now she turned soft in his arms, making him clearly feel her tenderness.

    His breathing suddenly became a bit rapid. He, who always had excellent self-control ability, felt that he could not control himself. First, his eyes fell on her snowy face and then the corners of her diamond-shaped lips, which were pink, tender, and captivating. When smelling her faint natural fragrance, he felt that his heart beat frantically but unconsciously a few times. ¡°But she... is too young. The imperial physician says that bedding her at such a young age is harmful to her health, and I have to wait until she has here-of-age ceremony.¡±

    Sensing the heat of Ao Chenyi¡¯s body, Ning Xueyan twisted her body uneasily, wanting to get a morefortable way to lean against him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t twist!¡± She was held tightly, and his usually ice-cold voice turned low and hoarse, with a little heat that made Ning Xueyan¡¯s face turn red. Subconsciously, Ning Xueyan did not dare to move anymore, blushing and leaning close against his chest. Hearing his strong and powerful heartbeat, she felt that she had lost strength as if she had been softened by his heat.

    ¡°s, you are still too young!¡±

    She heard a light sigh, which had some zing temperature and a very light pampering feeling. If Ning Xueyan had not been listening attentively, she was afraid that she could not have heard it. When the sigh came into her ears, she then felt that she was about to burn, and she pushed him hard and asked seriously on purpose, ¡°Prince, if I do something to Ning Yuling, the Princely Heir of the Feudal Prince of Yunnan will not do something to me, will he?¡±

    ¡°He won¡¯t dare! If he dares to do harm to my woman, he wants to die!¡± Ao Chenyi snorted coldly. ¡°Do you want me to imprison him now so that he won¡¯t be able to fool around with Ning Yuling?¡±

    ¡°No need now because I¡¯m still waiting for Ning Yuling to make a show!¡± Ning Xueyan said hurriedly and pushed Ao Chenyi a bit, signaling to him that he was on the verge of pinching her foot.

    ¡°Without the Princely Heir of the Feudal Prince of Yunnan, Ning Yuling might not dare to act rashly, so just let her do it. Now she and I are not in the same mansion, and I can¡¯t ask someone to keep an eye on her all the time. Since she wants to do something, let me give her a push. Now it is time to settle the revenge between me and Madam Ling and her daughter.¡±

    ¡°As you wish, as long as you don¡¯t hurt yourself!¡±

    When hearing his words, Ning Xueyan raised her eyebrows and looked at the indolence with a faint smile on Ao Chenyi¡¯s unparalleled beautiful face. She found that there were coldness and affection in his usually bloodthirsty eyes. He was so cold toward love, but he treated her like this, so the strong defense in her heart was breaking bit by bit...

 Chapter 529 - The Beauty Whom He Takes Fancy to

    <h4>Chapter 529 The Beauty Whom He Takes Fancy to</h4>

    Ning Xueyan did not expect that she could even so soon meet the Princely Heir of the Feudal Prince of Yunnan, who had an affair with Ning Yuling but was the future brother-inw of Third Prince.

    Commandery Princess Mu Ling was the princess of Third Prince during this granted marriage. Ning Xueyan still had an impression of Commandery Princess Mu Ling, whose previous wish showed that she was deeply in love with Wen Xueran. Unexpectedly, she was granted to Third Prince as his princess.

    Later, when Ning Xueyan, a favored concubine, met Commandery Princess Mu Ling, although the decree of the emperor had not been announced, the princess should have known the situation, so she was depressed that day and did not have the slightest wish to get involved, not in the mood at all.

    Commandery Princess Mu Ling came together with her eldest brother, Princely Heir Mu. When Ao Chenyi sent someone to invite Ning Xueyan to go over, she was even stunned for a moment, but then she dressed up a bit and went there with Lanning.

    In the living room, the one who upied the head seat was surely Ao Chenyi, who was asking Mu Yunfei questionszily and casually. Commandery Princess Mu Ling sat beside him, with a natural and graceful smile on her face, and added a few words from time to time. It was a very harmonious scene, which was difficult to meet indeed.

    Of course, this was the scene before Ning Xueyan heard what they had said.

    ¡°I heard that there are so many beautiful women in Yunnan, but I don¡¯t know if the princely heir has found any women of more beautiful looks in the capital this time?¡± Ao Chenyi raised his eyebrows in an evilly charming manner and asked.

    When Mu Yunfei heard this question, his heart even trembled. When he looked at Ao Chenyi gingerly but did not see anything unusual, then he said with a ttering smile, ¡°Prince, you must be joking. How could beautiful women be found in a ce like Yunnan? The truth is that the capital is the ce where beautiful women gather. Compared with the beautiful women in the capital, the beautiful women in Yunnan show up in public.¡±

    He did not know what Prince Yi really meant, so he answered the question mainly in a slick and sly manner. The Feudal Prince of Yunnan had many sons. Since he could stand head and shoulders above so many others, naturally he was not truly so lecherous and useless as he seemed.

    ¡°Oh, it turns out there are no beautiful women in Yunnan. That¡¯s why you couldn¡¯t wait to hunt for beautiful women as soon as you arrived in the capital, but have you found anyone? If you haven¡¯t, let me pick up several from the beautiful women in my mansion and help you relieve your tiredness on this trip,¡± Ao Chenyi asked smilingly.

    ¡°I can¡¯t say it was a tiring trip. Anyway, this is what I should do.¡± Mu Yunfei refused hurriedly. This was not a joke. Most of the beautiful women in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor were granted by the pce ruler, so how could he dare to take any of them indirectly. Not to mention that they were now the women of Prince Yi, even when he remembered that they were sent out from the pce, he lost interest.

    Different from Annan, Yunnan was not big. The Feudal Prince of Yunnan did not have much military power, so he did not dare to fight against the imperial court. What he wanted to show was just his loyalty, and he did not dare to think about other things. For the Feudal Prince of Yunnan, he was very happy with the result of having won the favor of Third Prince this time, so he asked his son toe here early. Indeed, he wanted to build good ties with Third Prince.

    The so-called future rtionship between the brother and his sister¡¯s husband was built in this way.

    But when he arrived in the capital, Mu Yunfei did not visit Third Prince¡¯s Manor hurriedly. After all, his younger sister had not married him yet, and now he could not so obviously show that he wanted to curry favor with Third Prince. Therefore, he prepared his gifts, hoping to visit the manors of Third Prince, Fourth Prince, and Prince Yi one by one. By doing so, he meant to show the loyalty of the Feudal Prince of Yunnan.

    Of course, the first one he should visit was naturally Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Compared with visiting Third Prince, visiting Prince Yi was more justifiable.

    This was the reason why he came to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor today. Of course, he would do his best not to talk about politics. His younger sister was about to marry Third Prince, and he would finally be Prince Yi¡¯s enemy, so talking too much would make Prince Yi suspect him. Since the prince was not afraid of anything, he talked very carefully.

    ¡°What? You don¡¯t like beautiful women now?¡± Facing Mu Yunfei¡¯s ck and sly refusal, Ao Chenyi was confused and especially asked in surprise. Simultaneously, he raised his eyebrows, showing that he did not truly believe him.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like,¡± Mu Yunfei said with a ttering smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that you don¡¯t like, so it means that you don¡¯t like the women I give you, right? Is it that you, Princely Heir Mu, have an opinion on me, the prince?¡± Sure enough, it was fair to say that Ao Chenyi was subject to changing moods. A moment ago, he was so nice to his visitor that they could even exchange beautiful women, but the next moment, he turned hostile and put on an eerie air. With his eyebrows raised high, he had a look that if Mu Yunfei did not exin it clearly, he would fly into a rage.

    Sitting beside him, Commandery Princess Mu Ling was frightened. Although she was still smiling, her smile was a little stiff. She stared at Ao Chenyi nervously, afraid that he would make some trouble.

    Mu Yunfei never expected this prince to turn hostile so quickly. He opened his mouth and persuaded with a helpless wry smile, ¡°Prince, really, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like what you give me, but truly that I, I can¡¯t enjoy what you give me. The pce has a record of the number of beauties it gave you. Is it really suitable for you, the prince, to give them to others?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, and I will give several to you in a while. All of them were selected by the pce concubines. Not only are they coquettish and alluring, but every one of them is beautiful. Anyway, my backyard is almost too small to amodate them. If you can take several away, you help me make room, and the pce won¡¯t me you.¡± Ao Chenyi had a small smile and tapped on the corner of the table totally unconcerned, in a way that he was responsible for the decision.

    It was really not easy for the listener to answer when he heard this.

    Ning Xueyan just came at this time and bowed gracefully in a woman¡¯s manner to Ao Chenyi first.

    ¡°Yan¡¯er,e here. I am here listening to the Princely Heir of the Feudal Prince of Yunnan talking about the local customs and practices of Yunnan.¡± Ao Chenyi tapped on the chair beside him, closed his beautiful eyes a bit, and said in a little carefree manner.

    Ning Xueyan gave a small smile, sat in the chair beside Ao Chenyi, then she smiled at Commandery Princess Mu Ling, and asked gently and curiously with Ao Chenyi¡¯s cue, ¡°Commandery Princess, is it that the local customs and practices of Yunnan are quite different from the ones here? I¡¯ve been living in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Not to mention the ones in Yunnan, even I have so little knowledge of the capital.¡±

    Ning Xueyan spoke very politely with a delicate look, so it was very easy for others to have a good impression of her.

    But Mu Yunfei was shocked when he saw her. ¡°Thedy before me is obviously the woman in the portrait of a beauty I¡¯ve hidden.¡± As soon as he arrived in the capital, he got such a portrait of a beautiful woman. Thedy in the painting was too young, but she was stunning. He knew that the source of the portrait was strange, but he epted it and especially visited the Cold Mountain Temple to meet the beauty.

    As expected, he met thedy, who was so beautiful and refined, just like a fairy falling down to the secr world. Then he became quite restless. ¡°No matter who this beauty is, I¡¯ve been lured into the trap of others, anyway. Even if I approach her beautiful looks and I am found, what¡¯s the trouble of it? At most, I will have to make her my woman. Being able to get such a beauty is an unexpected joy for my stay in the capital.¡±

    So, he pretended that he knew nothing and did not ask anyone to investigate her. As a neer in the capital, if he asked someone to investigate this and that, it was very easy to draw others¡¯ attention. With his identity and status, he would never allow his men to do anything. He would rather let others mistakenly think that he had been trapped by someone. In whatever sense, he would not suffer losses to get such a beauty.

    Therefore, he pretended to be a fool. No matter who set the trap, when the time came, he would only need to make an excuse that he knew nothing. As long as he could get the beauty, why not do it?

    But he did not expect to meet something unexpected that he was battered unconscious and thrown randomly to a ce. As a smart person, of course, he would not try to get involved when he woke up. The beauty was rare, but his life was more important. ¡°The capital is such aplicated society, and I really shouldn¡¯t offend anyone whom I can¡¯t afford to offend.¡±

    Then he wanted to leave, and he met Ning Yulingter. Although the one before him was not as nice and attractive as thedy in the painting, she was beautiful and so charming. No doubt, he would not lose the chance to lure her because he did not want his special visit to the Cold Mountain Temple to be in vain.

    More importantly, he learned that she was just the concubine of Xia Yuhang. Then he got such an idea.

    When he went down the mountain, initially he wanted to think of an idea to meet her again. He was lonely in the capital and also famous for being dissolute, so this was not something shameful for him, and he was happy to do it.

    When he went out one day, he met Ning Yuling again unexpectedly, so he ran into her on purpose and knocked her down. Surely, what happened next was quite natural. One did want to tter, and the other epted him indirectly. Then, the two hooked up with each other. Of course, due to this reason, he learned that this woman was Ning Yuling, who was the daughter of the official wife in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor originally and the quite famous Second Young Lady in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor in the capital previously.

    When Ning Yuling asked him to lend her a guard, he agreed generously. Anyway, even if anything happened, he would have no rtions to it, for he was just a dissolute Childe. For a woman, this kind of thing was a disaster, but for him, this was not something so terrible. Since he was dissolute, doing something like luring a woman was nothing serious indeed.

    Anyway, his status was higher than Xia Yuhang¡¯s. Even if Minister Xia wanted to do something, he did not go to his home to seduce Ning Yuling. When that happened, as long as he imed that Ning Yuling must take full responsibility, he could get rid of trouble unharmed.

    He had such a n, but he never expected to meet Ning Xueyan here. He kept the painting from then to now. She was a beautiful woman he wanted but could not get, but he always remembered the beauty, with the only concern that this might attract others¡¯ attention. Originally, he decided not to look for her until others stopped keeping an eye on his whereabouts. He didn¡¯t believe that he would not find the beauty whom he took fancy to.

    But what was happening now? Who could tell him why the beauty whom he took fancy to was Prince Yi¡¯s woman? Seeing her look and demeanor, he knew that she was not an ordinary concubine, who was either Prince Yi¡¯s princess or his newly married consort. Now he had unapparent sweat on his forehead, and his bright smile that appeared just now turned stiff and was a little likely to disappear.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Princely Heir? Is it because you don¡¯t think you have ever met a beautifuldy like my dear consort?¡± Ao Chenyi asked yfully, but no one could tell if he was happy or angry by looking at his deep eyes.

    ¡°No, I really haven¡¯t met anyone like her, but I don¡¯t know this...¡± Feeling that Ao Chenyi¡¯s eerily cold eyes fell on him, Mu Yunfei stopped looking at Ning Xueyan and did not dare to look straight at her anymore. ¡°This prince seems to be angry, but why? Is it because I stared at his woman a little too long?¡±

    Mu Yunfei suddenly felt that there was cold air around his neck. ¡°If I had done something to the beautifuldy that day, I would have lost my life, wouldn¡¯t I?¡±

    After thinking in this way, he instantly felt that he was a little ufortable from head to foot, much in a restless state.

    ¡°That is my newly married consort. Princely Heir Mu, you haven¡¯t met her, right?¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s voice that seemed to have some evil coldness sounded in his ears, giving him a weird feeling.

 Chapter 530 - The Consort: A Woman the Prince â€œMarriedâ€

    <h4>Chapter 530 The Consort: A Woman the Prince ¡°Married¡±</h4>

    The princess was the official wife. Surely, he married this one, but the consort was different. Although her name was also on the royal list, she was not the official wife, so how could he use the word ¡°marry¡±?

    Commandery Princess Mu Ling knew Ning Xueyan¡¯s status. Now she could not help looking at her a little longer. Since the prince used the word ¡°marry¡±, he didn¡¯t seem to only treat her as his consort. Initially, she thought that the one who came out to receive her from the prince¡¯s manor would be Commandery Princess Xianyun, but she did not expect that it was Ning Xueyan, who was said to have passed out twice on her wedding day and would possibly pass away sometime in the future.

    As for the character of her brother, others might not know it, but she knew it. Never before had he been forced to smile a little stiffly when he only uttered a few words.

    ¡°Consort Ning, I¡¯m happy to hear you like the customs and practices of Yunnan. When I came to the capital this time, I¡¯ve brought a few little things from Yunnan, and I¡¯ve just asked people to send them to your mansion. Consort Ning, it¡¯s great to hear you like them,¡± Mu Ling said with a smile, trying to free her eldest brother from the awkward situation.

    ¡°Thank you, Commandery Princess Mu Ling!¡± Ning Xueyan had a broad smile and extended her gratitude.

    ¡°Yan¡¯er, Commandery Princess Mu Ling seldomes to our pce, and you can take her to the courtyard. The princely heir and I are talking happily, and we should chat a little longer.¡± Ning Xueyan did not sit here for too long before Ao Chenyi began to drive her away. She rose to her feet helplessly and invited Commandery Princess Mu Ling smilingly.

    ¡°Commandery Princess, you¡¯ve nevere here, and then let me be the owner today and ask you to tour around the courtyard of the prince¡¯s house.¡±

    Mu Yunfei was bitter-faced. He also wanted to tour around the courtyard and did not want to ¡°talk so happily¡± with Prince Yi. The prince¡¯s words seemed to contain other meanings so that he had to keep up more than all his spirit to continue the dialogue. Then, how could he be happy? The beauty he had been missing but could not get became Prince Yi¡¯s consort, and now he did not dare to even look at her for too long. Mu Yunfei felt that for so many years, he had never been so frustrated.

    Prince Yi had given an oral instruction, and Ning Xueyan, the consort, had also invited her, so Commandery Princess Mu Ling would not disrespect or refuse them, of course. The purpose of theiring to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor today was to make friends with Prince Yi. Now she seemed to find that the consort of Prince Yi didn¡¯t seem to be the one who was not so favored or loved and waspletely waiting to die in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor as the rumors outside imed.

    ¡°Consort Ning, your face looks much healthier than before! Previously, I heard that you passed out twice on your wedding day and your health would be even a little worse,¡± Commandery Princess Mu Ling said directly with a smile as they two strolled in the courtyard.

    Seeing Ning Xueyan¡¯s face, she found that it was much healthier than what she saw in the Cold Mountain Temple previously. Either her figure or her cheeks or other aspects all suggested that she seemed to bepletely different from her previous self. Although her face was paler than those of the ordinary people, it was as nice as white jade. Her light-color lips were not ugly, and they even gave others a feeling that she was pure and soft.

    Beneath the long, curling eyebrows were a pair of water-like eyes. When she smiled, she was stunning.

    She was almost like a butterflying out of its cocoon. The previous inconspicuous, extremely thin and weak girl had grown into a beautiful woman.

    ¡°I have a weak body and I was frightened on my wedding day, so I passed out. It¡¯s not that I was so unhealthy that I could not stand the tiredness of getting married,¡± Ning Xueyan said with a smile. Then she pointed at the octagonal pavilion in front and asked smilingly, ¡°Commandery Princess, let¡¯s go there and sit for a while, shall we?¡±

    Walking in and out all the way here, she did feel that her feet were a little sore.

    This was Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. As a guest, Commandery Princess Mu Ling surely epted her hostess¡¯s suggestion. She nodded, went together with Ning Xueyan into the pavilion, and sat down there. The maids brought snacks and tea, then they went outside the pavilion, and waited there.

    The pavilion enjoyed a good location by ake. There were willows on the bank, which half-screened a pond of dense lotus leaves in theke and made them more beautiful. Although the lotus flowers were not in full bloom yet, the lotus leaves were fully grown and round. When water drops fell on the emerald leaves, each one of them was crystal and shining just like pearls. With a gust of wind sweeping past, thousands of lotus leaves moved like a group of youngdies in green dancing.

    The scenery was quite beautiful.

    ¡°Sister Xianyun has made Prince Yi¡¯s Manor really beautiful. Previously, I saw the lotus in the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor where she once lived. Now when I look at the lotus in this pond, I can see that she has spent a lot of time and effort on this. I also nted a pond of lotus in the pce in Yunnan, but it was not as beautiful as the one in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.¡±

    Commandery Princess Mu Ling seemed to be attracted by the beautiful scenery in front of her andplimented the lotus leaves a lot. After finishing speaking, she seemed to have suddenly remembered something and turned and asked Ning Xueyan, ¡°Why didn¡¯t your princesse out, Consort Ning? Is it that she has got married and puts on so great airs that others will have to go to her door and see her?¡±

    What she said seemed to be just yful, but Ning Xueyan knew that she was deliberately mentioning Commandery Princess Xianyun, especially when she was talking to herself just now, she used the title ¡°Commandery Princess Xianyun¡±. But now she used the title ¡°princess¡±. This showed that she thought that Commandery Princess Xianyun, the princess, was only qualified to receive her or she looked down upon Ning Xueyan, the consort, in her heart.

    Ning Xueyan just smiled as if she understood the deep meaning of Commandery Princess Mu Ling¡¯s words, curled her lips, and looked at the woman in front of her. ¡°Commandery Princess, you are wrong about the princess. She investigated something for the prince earlier and found that something is rted to the pce, so she has been busy these few days. When she is free someday, she will visit you, themandery princess, for sure. Commandery Princess, you are about to get married, and it will be more convenient to see youter.¡±

    Commandery Princess Mu Ling used to have a good personal rtionship with Commandery Princess Xianyun. Of course, she stood in line with Commandery Princess Xianyun. Moreover, both of them would all be princesses in the future, so she was very displeased with the consorts like Ning Xueyan and Ning Qingshan. Just now in the living room, she would surely not say anything because Ao Chenyi was there.

    ¡°Sister Xianyun found that something is rted to the pce?¡± Commandery Princess Mu Ling narrowed her eyes and asked subconsciously as she frowned.

    Ning Xueyan smiled more gently, nodded, picked up the teacup at hand, and took a sip. ¡°Something has happened in the mansion... Commandery Princess, you know that our prince¡¯s mansion and the future mansion of Third Prince all belong to the royal family. When facing some things, we can¡¯t judge them with themon principle. Of course, Commandery Princess Mu Ling, if you must see our princess, I¡¯ll take you to disturb her now.¡±

    Ning Xueyan said it politely. As she spoke, she stood up, with the air of taking Commandery Princess Mu Ling to Commandery Princess Xianyun.

    ¡°Since Sister Xianyun is busy, I dare not bother you, consort.¡± Prince Yi did not ask Commandery Princess Xianyun toe out, but if she insisted that she should see her, no one knew what Prince Yi, a man with a special character, would do. Commandery Princess Mu Ling clearly knew that she came to the mansion for the sake of making friends with Prince Yi, so she could not do something like this¡ªshe failed to make friends with Prince Yi but offended him.

    Therefore, she immediately reached out and stopped Ning Xueyan. Commandery Princess Mu Ling had her own n. ¡°Ning Xueyan mentioned that Commandery Princess Xianyun investigated something and found that something is rted to the pce, so it is not a trivial matter. Even if I have married Third Prince now, I must not step into it easily.¡±

    As for the ideas of Third Prince and Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, anyone who had a little careful heart would know them quite clearly.

    ¡°Commandery Princess, since you don¡¯t want to disturb the princess, you¡¯ll have to wait for the princess to visit you next time she is not so busy,¡± Ning Xueyan said with a gentle smile and sat down again.

    ¡°Consort Ning, I heard that Prince Yi has a favored concubine, who is the most favored one in the backyard. I don¡¯t know what kind of beautiful woman can make Prince Yi¡¯s heart settle down. I want to know if you can introduce me to her, Consort Ning?¡± Commandery Princess Mu Ling asked curiously, but sarcasm appeared and vanished in her eyes.

    She really despised Ning Xueyan. ¡°Every daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is willing to be lowly. The two elder daughters were gooddies, but they went to be concubines. The third and fifth daughters are all consorts. To put it unpleasantly, they are also concubines. All the daughters of the manor are concubines, so how could the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor have any grace?¡±

    Now when she could not meet Commandery Princess Xianyun, Commandery Princess Mu Ling could not help ridiculing her.

    Ning Xueyan was a concubine, one who was not favored or was better than a concubine without status, so she didn¡¯t think that Ning Xueyan could still smile.

    Everyone outside the mansion held the rumor that on his wedding night, Prince Yi was not in the courtyard of the princess or the courtyard of the consort. Instead, he spent one more ¡°wedding night¡± happily with his favored concubine, and the two women he married at the same time all became a joke. No doubt, the princess bore greater shame.

    Commandery Princess Mu Ling was fighting for the justice for Commandery Princess Xianyun. ¡°When something like this happened, the consort still doesn¡¯t feel ashamed to show up, but why does the princess seem to be unable to afford to lose face? Then it seems that Prince Yi treats the consort nicely. As for the princess, she doesn¡¯t seem to be all right, anyway!¡±

    Therefore, she meant to use these words to mock and frustrate Ning Xueyan and also inquire about Commandery Princess Xianyun. After finishing speaking, she stared at Ning Xueyan without blinking, hoping to see something problematic from her face.

    But Ning Xueyan was not an ordinarydy. How could she tell her true heart just when she heard a simple question? With her watery eyes raised, she smiled and had an answer. ¡°Commandery Princess, you really care about the affairs of our prince¡¯s house and even know who our prince¡¯s favored concubine is, but I really don¡¯t know. Could you please give me a reminder so that I can ask someone to go to these few courtyards and make an investigation about our prince¡¯s favored concubine? If I find her, I will bring her here and let you take a look.¡±

    Hearing this answer, Commandery Princess Mu Ling blushed.

    As a consort of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, Ning Xueyan did not even know the thing of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, but how could she, the future wife of a nephew, know it so clearly? Was it that she had been keeping an eye on the affairs of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor? But why did she do so? Others would guess whether there were other hidden secrets in this. Previously, the young prince and the youngdy were unmarried, and it was possible that they had some rtionship, but finally due to some errors, one married another woman, and the one married another man.

    If this guess was spread, Commandery Princess Mu Ling would be too ashamed to live.

    She hit the table hard with her palm, turned serious, and reprimanded, ¡°Consort Ning, don¡¯t you know that some things are unspeakable!¡±

    Ning Xueyan was waiting for her to say so. Since entering the courtyard, Commandery Princess Mu Ling had been showing that Ning Xueyan was unpleasant to her eye, and she put hidden meanings in all she said. But now Ning Xueyan was no longer the Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor whom anyone could bully as they wished. In this ce, she was the representative of Ao Chenyi¡¯s honor, so she could not let Commandery Princess Mu Ling defeat her.

    Now when she raised her face, her smile was cold and alienated. As her ck jade-like eyes fell on the face of Commandery Princess Mu Ling, she gave her a reminder. ¡°Commandery Princess, this is Prince Yi¡¯s Manor!¡±

    These words sessfully made the power on the face of Commandery Princess Mu Ling disappear, and her face turned blue and red...

 Chapter 531 - Who Welcomed Commandery Princess Muling

    <h4>Chapter 531 Who Weed Commandery Princess Muling</h4>

    This was Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, not her homnd of Yunnan. She couldn¡¯t just do whatever she wanted here.

    This was Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Even if she married the Third Prince in the future, this was still his uncle¡¯s manor. The people here were ranked higher than her.

    This was Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Only they had ever caused trouble for others, never someone else troubling them.

    This was Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, a ce that had always represented power. Although the status of a Commandery Princess was high, a princess with a foreign surname was still beneath the rank of Prince Yi¡¯s consort, so why was she scolding the consort?

    ...

    One simple sentence, yet its meaning was multitude. It was enough to render Commandery Princess Muling speechless. No matter what, it seemed that she had no right to scold Ning Xueyan. The person in front of her wasn¡¯t just the unfavored Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Who knew if she would end up offending Prince Yi today? When they were at the front hall earlier, she noticed her older brother was trembling in front of the Prince.

    They were on disagreeable terms with each other and she wasn¡¯t in the mood to enjoy the scenery with Ning Xueyan. After a brief conversation, she excused herself saying that she didn¡¯t want to be a bother. Coincidentally, his brother Mu Yunfei¡ªwho had been busy dealing with Ao Chenyi¡ªalso excused himself in a hurry.

    When Mu Yunfei came out of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, he entered his sister¡¯s carriage instead of riding his horse.

    ¡°Brother, how did you meet Ning Xueyan?¡± Commandery Princess Muling asked, her expression darkening when she saw her brother. Mu Yunfei didn¡¯t react much when Ning Xueyan showed up, but as his sister, she noticed his huge emotional turbulence.

    ¡°Who? Oh, you meant Consort Ning. It¡¯s nothing. We don¡¯t know each other.¡± Mu Yunfei shook his head vigorously and wiped the cold sweat on his face. He had no desire to be gentle now. Remembering the Prince who made him feel cold down to his very core, whose every sentence clung onto the word ¡®beauty¡¯, he felt a deep fear.

    Fortunately, he didn¡¯t do anything else afterward nor did he investigate Consort Ning¡¯s identity. Had he left any trace behind, he wouldn¡¯t be able to leave the manor so easily.

    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing, why are you panicking?¡± Commandery Princess Muling didn¡¯t believe him.

    Mu Yunfei didn¡¯t want his sister to know his true emotions, so he changed the topic to focus on her. He retorted angrily, ¡°Panicking? Speak for yourself. I told you not to interact with Wen Xueran, but you even became his penpal. Are you hell-bent on bringing the Mu Manor to ruin?¡±

    Commandery Princess Muling fell quiet at the mention of Wen Xueran. After a while, she finally said quietly, ¡°Brother, I won¡¯t! Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not going to do anything. I just want to make things clear with Brother Ran.¡± In the past, she really believed that she would marry Wen Xueran.

    ¡°Brother Ran! Brother Ran! What would the Third Prince think if he hears? You¡¯re going to be his wife soon! Stay away from the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min from now on. If any unpleasant rumorse out of it, it¡¯ll be toote for you to regret,¡± Mu Yunfei scolded her, annoyed at her attitude.

    ¡°Enough, Brother. I get it. Please don¡¯t interfere with my business.¡± Her eyes turned red at his scolding.

    ¡°Even if you don¡¯t want me to interfere, I have to. I¡¯m your brother. You know very well that Yunnan isn¡¯t like Annan. We¡¯re not as powerful as they are. So, don¡¯t do anything that will incur suspicion and jealousy and just behave properly as the Third Princess. Your duty is to bear a son. And if the Third Prince has the chance to ascend the throne, you giving birth to a son is so much more effective than you marrying a Princely Heir.¡±

    Mu Yunfei lowered his voice to educate her on the opportunities what her uing marriage could bring her. It was quite the convoluted matter, so the Mu Manor prioritized the marriage greatly. That was also why he, as the eldest son, was dispatched here to send his sister¡¯s dowries first. Unexpectedly, his sister was still longing to marry Wen Xueran. The thought of it filled him with anger.

    He thought that his sister wasn¡¯t sensible enough.

    ¡°I get it, Brother, so please drop the topic. Let me think about it in peace,¡± Commandery Princess Muling said, unable to stop her tears from falling. She covered her eyes with a handkerchief and leaned on the carriage wall. Her voice sounded choked with emotion.

    Mu Yunfei gave up talking to her when he saw that he had made her cry. He sighed. He was upset as well. Was Prince Yi aware that he had once coveted Consort Ning? He decided that as soon as he returned home, he would destroy the Consort Ning¡¯s portrait. If the truth was uncovered, he wouldn¡¯t be able to deny it and said that he didn¡¯t know the consort. He could still excuse himself now, saying that he had inadvertently run into and offended her.

    All of his thoughts were on whether Ao Chenyi had found his secret. He never asked who Consort Ning was, so naturally, he didn¡¯t realize that she was Ning Yuling¡¯s target. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been so stupid as to let his guard act with Ning Yuling.

    After Commandery Princess Muling¡¯s attention was diverted by her brother, she was in such a bad mood that she didn¡¯t have the mind to think about Ning Xueyan anymore.

    At the entrance of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s older female servant watched Commandery Princess Muling enter the carriage. She then looked into the manor, surprised that she didn¡¯t see her master anywhere. She turned around and looked at Commandery Princess Muling¡¯s carriage in confusion. This carriage had been to the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor more than once, and both Commandery Princesses had always gotten along. Back in the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor, her master would always see Commandery Princess Muling out, but she didn¡¯t this time!

    The Princess had sent her to the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor to fetch something. She saw no one even after looking around at the entrance for a while, so she returned to the Great Wisdom Garden. When she saw the Princess¡¯ maid Xiangrong at the gate of the garden, she immediately asked, ¡°Did Commandery Princess Muling just visit?¡±

    ¡°She came? Where is she?¡± Xiangrong looked out the gate but didn¡¯t see anyone.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t she just leave? I saw the carriage at the entrance earlier. Isn¡¯t she here to visit the Princess? That doesn¡¯t make sense. Commandery Princess Muling is still unmarried, so if she¡¯s here at the manor, she has to be received by the female owner,¡± the older female servant said, puzzled. Toward the end, she sounded as if she was talking to herself.

    Commandery Princess Muling hade, but the one who received her wasn¡¯t their Princess. This made Xiangrong frown. She summoned a little maid over and told her something. The maid immediately ran out to find out what had happened. She returned when Xiangrong was delivering a bowl of white fungus soup to the Princess.

    Panting, she secretly beckoned Xiangrong who was inside the room.

    Xiangrong nodded and stepped out quietly. Commandery Princess Xianyun raised an eyebrow and looked at the sneaky maid outside. She picked up the bowl of white fungus soup and started drinking it gracefully. When she was done, she put down the spoon. At that moment, Xiangrong returned to the room with an unpleasant expression.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± the Princess asked, wiping her mouth with a handkerchief.

    ¡°Princess, Commandery Princess Muling has just visited,¡± Xiangrong said, lowering her head. She knew she couldn¡¯t hide this matter.

    ¡°Sister Muling is here? When did that happen?¡± The Princess stopped wiping the corner of her mouth midway.

    ¡°An older servant watched her leave. I sent someone to find out what happened earlier. Apparently, the Prince told Consort Ning to receive Commandery Princess Muling. But you¡¯re his Princess. Why did the Prince ask Consort Ning to wee Commandery Princess Muling instead of you?¡±

    Xiangrong was indignant on the Princess¡¯ behalf. Thinking about it, her master was the rightful Princess of the manor and Commandery Princess Muling was an honorable guest as well. Why did the Prince let Consort Ning receive Commandery Princess Muling? Why didn¡¯t he ask the Princess to wee the guest, when she was right at home? This didn¡¯t make any sense.

    ¡°Did you find out the news yourself?¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun asked, appearing calm.

    ¡°Yes. If I didn¡¯t ask, no one would have told us anything. The older servant happened to be out today, or we wouldn¡¯t have known what had happened in the front hall.¡± The more Xiangrong spoke, the angrier she became for her master. Her master was the rightful Princess!

    The Princess lowered her head and looked at the floor quietly, her eyes filled with anger. She clutched the handkerchief in her hands with force. Both she and the consort were abandoned by Ao Chenyi on their wedding night, so how did Ning Xueyan end up winning his favor? And yet she couldn¡¯t?

    Had she really inadvertentlymitted a mistake?

    But, she had simply wanted to straighten out his harem for him! She didn¡¯t expect the troublemaker to be someone that the Emperor sent. How could she be med? It wasn¡¯t like she could stop halfway. That was the Emperor! How would she dare to offend him?

    The Prince had actually pinned the entire me on her, and started to dote on that sickly, do-nothing Ning Xueyan.

    The more you do, the more mistakes youmit; the lesser you do, the fewer mistakes you make¡ªthere was indeed truth in this saying!

    But, she was the Princess! Shouldn¡¯t she interfere in this matter? Shouldn¡¯t the Princess help him manage his harem? Any instances of mismanagement were simply because she hadn¡¯t figured out the situation. Did he have to neglect her? Did he have to uphold Ning Xueyan just to suppress her?

    The thought of it made the Princess both wronged and upset. She had been holed-up in her garden for the past few days to show Ao Chenyi that she was regretting her actions. It was also to show that she was giving in into him. Who knew that this wasn¡¯t enough to cate him? He even went so far as to use Ning Xueyan to humiliate her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. If the Prince doesn¡¯t summon us, we¡¯ll spend our days here quietly. Don¡¯t ask about the Pear Flower Garden¡¯s affairs either. I don¡¯t want the Prince to think that I¡¯m nning anything.¡± By the time the Princess looked up, she was once again calm. No one could see any trace of her previous fury.

    ¡°But, Princess, you¡¯re the rightful Princess of this manor!¡± Xiangrong said angrily.

    ¡°What does it matter? Those who act brashly here aren¡¯t the masters anyway. Tell everyone in the Great Wisdom Garden to be careful. Don¡¯t let them act out. If anything happens, it won¡¯t be our fault.¡± The Princess¡¯ smile was ice-cold. Since the Prince didn¡¯t want her to interfere with the manor¡¯s affairs, then she would just stay put.

    If he wanted to use that sickly woman to anger her, let him be. He still had that precious concubine that he wouldn¡¯t let anyone touch, didn¡¯t he? That concubine even had him stay over on their wedding night. From this, she could tell how pampered and proud the concubine was. From the look of things, Consort Ning seemed more loved than the rightful Princess was.

    She didn¡¯t have to resort to any tricks at all. All she had to do was make Ning Xueyan and that favored concubine meet each other. The corner of her lips curved into a mocking, satisfied smile. She could just stay in her garden and watch all the drama unfold. She would wait until enough of a ruckus had urred to step out. At that time, the Prince would definitely realize that she was the most capable and knowledgeable one...

    She would definitely get the chance to repay all the humiliation that she had suffered today!

 Chapter 532 - The New Princely Heir Is a New Threat From Annan

    <h4>Chapter 532 The New Princely Heir Is a New Threat From Annan</h4>

    Ning Xueyan was having lunch when she received Madam Dowager¡¯s letter.

    She pulled out the letter and read it with a thoughtful smile. She would be checking out the Imperial Examination Ranking tomorrow and visiting the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor while she was at it. This was a good excuse to gather the family and worship their ancestors together. Even though the excuse was somewhat forceful, it made sense.

    She put down the letter with a slight smile and a calm expression. ¡°Qingyu, reward the messenger. Tell her I¡¯ll check out Brother¡¯s ranking tomorrow and will return to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor in the afternoon to worship the ancestors together.¡±

    The Imperial Examination Ranking was usually announced in the morning. If she wanted to check it out, she would have to visit at that time. Many impatient people would keep watch outside the building, while the bigwigs in the capital would choose to visit during the morning.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Qingyu answered, and ushered Madam Dowager¡¯s older female servant out of the garden.

    ¡°Master, have the Princess spoken to you about checking out the Ranking together?¡± Lanning asked.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun did mention that she would check out the Imperial Examination Ranking with Ning Xueyan. Lanning was worried that Ning Xueyan would forget about it.

    ¡°I know. The Princess will probably send her maid over in a while. If the maides, you don¡¯t have to let her in. Just say yes, but tell her that I¡¯ll be returning to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor in the afternoon and that my sisters will be checking out the Ranking as well.¡±

    Since Madam Dowager had said as such, she wouldn¡¯t be the only one who would check out the Ranking. Whether or not Ning Lingyun would show up, Ning Qingshan would definitely be there as she wouldn¡¯t let go of such a good chance to demonstrate sisterly love. And even if Ning Yuling wouldn¡¯t personally view the Ranking, she would be waiting at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Ning Xueyan was a changed person after marrying Ao Chenyi. It wouldn¡¯t be so easy for Ning Qingshan to find a chance to use Ning Yuling to entrap her. Tomorrow would probably be their best opportunity.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s purpose wasn¡¯t so pure either!

    ¡°Master, do you mean to tell the Princess that the Third Young Lady ising as well?¡± Lanning had always been a smart one. When Ning Xueyan purposefully pointed it out, she immediately understood her master¡¯s intention.

    ¡°Of course. We have to put the Princess at ease.¡± Ning Xueyan lookedcent.

    Whatever purpose the Princess had, the so-called viewing of the Ranking was just an excuse. The likeliest reason was this. Even though she didn¡¯t know if she was right, there wasn¡¯t any harm in testing it out. It didn¡¯t matter what the Princess was up to; all she had to do was counter it carefully.

    With that said, Lanning understood everything. She tacitly helped Ning Xueyan take her nap.

    Lanning tucked Ning Xueyan in once she was in bed, but Ning Xueyan opened her eyes again.

    ¡°Where is Xinmei?¡± she asked softly.

    ¡°Mother Chao sent her to pick some peonies from the garden. You said you wanted to collect some peony pollen, didn¡¯t you? Aunt Ruan said there¡¯s a peony garden in the west with the most beautiful flowers, so she told Xinmei to get them from there,¡± Lanning said, smiling.

    Ning Xueyan nodded. She closed her eyes and ordered, ¡°When she¡¯s back, ask her to leave the manor and tell Liu Feng to get ready, because Ning Yuling would surely show up tomorrow.¡±

    Liu Feng, who was hiding in the dark, had discovered the guard outside Xia Manor. He stayed still to prevent rming the guard.

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll inform Xinmeiter. Please get some rest, Master,¡± Lanning replied softly. When she saw that Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t speak after closing her eyes this time, she left the room quietly.

    ¡°Is our Master asleep?¡± Mother Han was walking over when she saw Lanning. She knew from seeing Lanning¡¯s behavior that Ning Xueyan was taking her nap, so she kept her voice low.

    ¡°She just fell asleep. What¡¯s the matter, Mother Han?¡± Lanning nodded. They walked out of the house together.

    ¡°The Princess sent her maid over to ask if our Master wants to leave the manor tomorrow. The Ranking will be announced tomorrow. She said that they won¡¯t get bored if they have each other forpany.¡± Outside the house, Mother Han stopped lowering her voice on purpose.

    ¡°Is that her?¡± Lanning pointed to a smiling older female servant in the yard.

    ¡°That¡¯s her. I was about to leave when she came. I thought of asking our Master if she¡¯s still awake, but...¡± Mother Han frowned, looking conflicted. The Princess had picked a terrible timing to send someone over. It didn¡¯t feel right to wake their master from her nap. Ning Xueyan had always been a light sleeper; she likely wouldn¡¯t be able to fall asleep again if they were to wake her.

    But they couldn¡¯t just let her sleep and leave the Princess¡¯ servant waiting just like that.

    ¡°Mother Han, our Master has given me her order. I¡¯ll talk to the servant,¡± Lanning said, and walked down the stairs.

    ¡°Please ry to the Princess that our Master has agreed to her request. But she might be going with thedies from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor as well. Madam Dowager said that they¡¯ll be worshipping the ancestors for the Eldest Young Master during lunch. Our Master will have to return to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor then. So, she requests for leave of absence from the Princess.¡±

    Lanning was very polite with her words. Even though the Princess didn¡¯t have the authority to manage Prince Yi¡¯s harem and was neglected in the Great Wisdom Garden because of the fiasco before, she was nheless the Princess. Since Ning Xueyan would be going out with the Princess, they had to respect her even if only on the surface.

    Seeing that the servants at the Pear Flower Garden were polite, the older female servant smiled and said just as politely, ¡°The Consort is too polite. Our Princess will surely agree. Then, I shall return to the Great Wisdom Garden and inform her.¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun was neglected as soon as she entered Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, so the servants from the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor couldn¡¯t afford to put up airs at the moment.

    ¡°Thank you kindly.¡± Lanning bowed with a smile. She quietly passed the servant a purse full of money.

    It was evident that the Consort was a tactful and sophisticated person who knew how to manage rtionships. She was respectful to the Princess as well. The older female servant epted the purse happily and left after saying goodbye to Lanning.

    ¡°Did our Master already know that the Princess would send someone over?¡± Mother Han walked down the stairs and joined Lanning¡¯s side. Her master had indeed grown up now. She felt both ted and disappointed. Her master was no longer the young girl who needed her protection.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mother Han. Our Master has long predicted that the Princess would send someone over and has given me her order. She¡¯ll be visiting the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor tomorrow to worship the ancestors on Madam Dowager¡¯s request. What do you think we should prepare, Mother Han?¡±

    Lanning said.

    ¡°The ancestral ceremony at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor has always been on the in side. I¡¯ll get the things ready right away. We can¡¯t give them any reason to criticize our Master¡¯s etiquette.¡± Upon hearing that Ning Xueyan had tasks for her, Mother Han immediately became happy and energetic. Her master was still the same young girl from before; she still needed her help to prepare everything.

    ¡°We¡¯ll trouble you then, Mother Han. Prepare everything that we might need. When our Master wakes up, she can decide what she wants to bring,¡± Lanning said with a grin. Even without her master¡¯s direct order, she knew she would leave this task to Mother Han. The only reason her master was employing Mother Han less was out of consideration for her old age.

    ¡°Of course, of course. It¡¯s no trouble at all. I¡¯ll get things ready immediately.¡± Mother Han left happily. No matter what, the fact that she could still help her youngdy and was still helpful made her feel truly happy. She had promised the Madam at her deathbed that she would protect her youngdy even at the expense of her life.

    Of course, she also promised the Madam something else at her deathbed. The thought of the promise filled her with guilt. Simultaneously, she also vowed that if... She would tell her youngdy everything, absolutely everything that she knew.

    But now wasn¡¯t the time!

    Inside the imperial pce, Ao Chenyi was sittingnguidly in the imperial study. He reclined against the handle of the chair, with his elbow propping up his face. His eyes were partially shut with a satisfied look on his face. It looked like he was here for tea instead of a discussion.

    The Emperor, who was seated in front, and the Third Prince, who was seated opposite, were frowning.

    ¡°Uncle, what do you think we should do?¡± Ao Mingyu couldn¡¯t help speaking up after seeing that his uncle was on the verge of falling asleep. They had been discussing Annan, yet Ao Chenyi looked like the matter waspletely none of his business.

    ¡°They haven¡¯t revolted, have they?¡± Ao Chenyi retortedzily, looking at him.

    The Emperor, who was seated in the central spot, nearly coughed up blood upon hearing this. A rebellion was about to break out in Annan, yet Ao Chenyi looked perfectly fine. It was almost as if Ao Chenyi was actually waiting for Annan to rebel.

    There were three princes in Annan, with the Feudal Prince of Annan as the head. To appease them and prevent another war, the previous Emperor appointed them as the three princes of Annan. That was when the dynasty was just on its infancy. If they were to go to war with Annan at that time, even a victory would be a great loss to them. They might even let other parties take advantage of their loss.

    That was why they came to an agreement with the Feudal Prince of Annan. The Prince would rule over Annan as an autonomous region, while submitting to the dynasty. The political and military systems of Annan were virtually independent. In recent years, it seemed that Annan was eager to rebel. This made the Emperor uneasy.

    An emergency message had just reached them, saying that the Feudal Prince of Annan had just named an heir. The position of the Princely Heir had been vacated for a long time, as the Feudal Prince of Annan appeared to have no sons. It was a mystery whether the Princely Heir that had popped out of nowhere was the Feudal Prince¡¯s biological son. By the time the news from Annan reached the capital, it had be at least 40% or 50% inurate.

    Before, the Feudal Prince of Annan didn¡¯t have any sons, so the Emperor wasn¡¯t pressured. Even if an heirless Feudal Prince fought him and benefited from it, he had no one to pass it to. The Emperor might be wary about Annan, but he never truly saw them as a threat.

    The two other princes had sons, and quite a number of them too. But, the one who could onlymand Annan was the Feudal Prince of Annan.

    Things had changed now that the Feudal Prince of Annan had an heir. Moreover, there was a special exception in that he could appoint his heir without the court¡¯s approval. All he had to do was write a statement and report it to the court. Thus, the Emperor waspletely clueless when he got the news that the Feudal Prince of Annan had named an heir. Neither did he have a way of finding out anything. He didn¡¯t know where the heir came from, nor who he was.

    Most importantly, he didn¡¯t have a reason to send someone to question the Feudal Prince of Annan. All the Feudal Prince said was that he would make a report, but that report coulde any time. Even if the Feudal Prince waited to send the report after his death, he still couldn¡¯t say anything. He realized that there was a new threat to him, which was why he summoned Ao Chenyi and the Third Prince here to discuss the matter.

 Chapter 533 - The Palace Maid Who Rushed Over

    <strong>Chapter 533 The Pce Maid Who Rushed Over</strong>

    The Emperor had summoned Ao Chenyi to discuss Annan. Little did he expect Ao Chenyi to be so irresponsible as to suggest that Annan hadn¡¯t revolted yet. He was so angry that he was on the verge of coughing up blood.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be toote by the time they revolt.¡± He looked at Ao Chenyi with a sullen expression.

    ¡°It won¡¯t be toote. Brother, they¡¯ll naturally retreat if we kill enough of them,¡± Ao Chenyi said nonchntly. His almond-shaped eyes carried a trace of hostility.

    His words sounded so blood-thirsty that Ao Mingyu, who sat opposite him, shot him a cautious look and kept quiet.

    ¡°All right. You two should return. If you have any news, inform me immediately.¡± The Emperor waved his hand to indicate for them to leave. He could feel his head hurting. This discussion had beenpletely pointless.

    ¡°Excuse me then.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me, Imperial Father.¡±

    The two of them left.

    After leaving the imperial study, Ao Mingyu stood at the steps and bade Ao Chenyi farewell. ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m going to visit my mother, so I won¡¯t be leaving the pce with you.¡±

    Ao Chenyi raised his head to look at the sky, azy smile appearing on his face. He suggested, ¡°It¡¯s still too early to leave the pce. Why don¡¯t you walk around with me? You can meet your motherter.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take a rain check, Uncle. I¡¯ve made an appointment with my mother to discuss my uing wedding. If our discussion drags on toote, it won¡¯t be convenient for me to leave the pce.¡± Ao Chenyi rejected the suggestion with a gloomy expression. Back in the imperial study, his father didn¡¯t mention the death of the pce maid that he had sent.

    To think that his father would endure such a thing time and again. He truly couldn¡¯t understand his father¡¯s intentions. His father could have used this opportunity to punish Ao Chenyi for the crime of deceiving and disrespecting the Emperor, yet he said nothing in front of Ao Chenyi. It was as if he didn¡¯t care at all.

    Ao Chenyi was merely Prince Yi. Even if he was the Emperor¡¯s youngest brother with the highest authority, he stillmitted a crime against the Emperor with his actions. His father could very well punish him.

    But why didn¡¯t his father mention it at all? It was as if he was unwilling to make things difficult for Ao Chenyi at all. Right now, all he wanted to was talk to Honored Consort Ya about this. He had no mood to stroll in the garden with Ao Chenyi.

    ¡°You really won¡¯t walk around with me?¡±

    ¡°I really can¡¯t. I¡¯ll be sure to join you next time. It¡¯s still early, so please stroll around as you wish.¡± Ao Chenyi was determined to discuss the matter with Honored Consort Ya, so he naturally gave a firm answer.

    ¡°All right then. Since you¡¯re determined to leave, I¡¯ll walk around on my own.¡± With a helpless look, Ao Chenyi turned around and walked away. It seemed that he was indeed heading toward the imperial garden. What was he doing there at this time? Was he really so bored that he wanted to visit the garden?

    Ao Mingyu stared at Ao Chenyi¡¯s back for a while but when he didn¡¯t notice anything unusual, he turned around and left for Honored Consort Ya¡¯s pce.

    ¡°Your Highness, are we really visiting the garden?¡± Eunuch Zhu almost had to trot to keep up with Ao Chenyi.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Can¡¯t I visit the garden?¡± Hearing the melodious but sinister voice, several eunuchs and courtdies who ran into Ao Chenyi immediately knelt and kowtowed. They didn¡¯t even have to look at his face to recognize that it was Prince Yi. If they were to anger Prince Yi in the pce, they would really end up dying.

    ¡°Of course not. It¡¯s just gettingte. Perhaps everyone in the manor is waiting for you, Your Highness.¡± Eunuch Zhu dared not to be explicit in front of outsiders, but his meaning was evident.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go back then!¡± Ao Chenyi suddenly turned around into another path, moving so quickly that Eunuch Zhu nearly ran into him. The eunuchs and courtdies who were kneeling on the side of the road didn¡¯t even dare to breathe too loudly. If they identally looked at Prince Yi for a little too long, they could very well lose their lives.

    No one noticed that there was a woman dressed as a pce maid rushing down the same path that Ao Chenyi previously took, looking panicked. It wasn¡¯t until she got close that she discovered that a few eunuchs and courtdies were slowly climbing to their feet.

    ¡°Where¡¯s His Highness Prince Yi?¡± she couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    A eunuch who appeared to be ranked higher than those around him observed the pce maid¡¯s pretty face and stared her up and down. Unable to recognize where she came from, he asked, ¡°His Highness is far gone. Which pce are you from? What business do you have with him?¡±

    His tone was quite polite. The pce maid was quite beautiful and was even fact prettier than some of the Honored Consorts that he had seen. Although she was still a maid and seemed a little older than ideal, she might very well earn the Emperor¡¯s favor someday and soar into prosperity.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter which pce I¡¯m from. Honored Consort Xia sent me,¡± the pce maid said coldly. Knowing that her n had failed today, she turned around and returned. She rushed here as soon as she got the letter, but she didn¡¯t manage to meet Prince Yi. Even if she failed this time, there was still another chance. Since she had made up her mind, everything would change...

    Inside the carriage.

    Eunuch Zhu reported, ¡°Your Highness, the secret guard said he saw her. There was indeed a pce maiding over. She looks like...¡± He couldn¡¯t continue anymore. He stole a nce at Ao Chenyi, who was leaning against the seat with his eyes closed in rest. He didn¡¯t know if he should say those words.

    ¡°Does she look like that person?¡± said an indifferent, cold voice.

    Eunuch Zhu immediately nodded after hearing his question. ¡°Yes. She does indeed look like that person.¡±

    ¡°I think she doesn¡¯t just resemble her. She¡¯s probably her!¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s voice was melodious but often exuded a deep coldness, particrly when he wasn¡¯t smiling. That sinister coldness appeared to be enveloped in dark bloodthirstiness. Those who were cowardly would tremble just from hearing a few words from him.

    ¡°Yes... Exactly!¡± Eunuch Zhu forced himself to answer.

    ¡°All right. If she wants to meet me in a chance encounter, I don¡¯t mind it,¡± Ao Chenyi said nonchntly.

    ¡°But, but she¡¯s...¡± Eunuch Zhu¡¯s forehead was covered with sweat. He didn¡¯t dare to continue his sentence, but he must.

    ¡°Does it matter who she is? If it weren¡¯t because she¡¯s somewhat useful now, I would¡¯ve drained her blood and wiped it on my brother¡¯s crown,¡± Ao Chenyi said coldly. His expression, however, remained neutral. In his inherent elegance was a strange coldness.

    ¡°Your Highness, will Consort Ning be in danger when she enters the pce in the future?¡± Eunuch Zhu dared not to continue this topic anymore, so he chose to avert the conversation a little. His master¡¯s aura had only gotten fiercer over the years. It was safer for him to mention Consort Ning instead.

    ¡°She wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± Ao Chenyi snorted. He opened his almond-shaped eyes ever so slightly, revealing a pair of deep pupils that seemed to be emitting red light. It was as if there was a red beast hidden in his eyes. No one who looked at him would dare to doubt his words.

    It seemed that Consort Ning was quite an important person to his master. Eunuch Zhu immediately said fawningly, ¡°Should we arrange a few more guards for Consort Ning?¡± He had never seen Ao Chenyi defend anyone except Consort Ning. It appeared that he treated her rather differently.

    Ao Chenyi shook his head and closed his eyes again as if he had fallen asleep. Just when Eunuch Zhu thought he had drifted to sleep, he said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. But let me know right away if she requests it.¡± Then, his long eyshes fluttered as he closed his eyes tightly.

    Eunuch Zhu could see a faint smile on his face, a smile that seemed to carry a trace of gentleness.

    Eunuch Zhu was so frightened that he immediately lowered his head, not daring to look at Ao Chenyi anymore. He felt as excited as if he had uncovered a huge secret. Sure enough, his master treated Consort Ning differently from others. It seemed that Prince Yi¡¯s Manor would soon have an heir. That was great! Once a son was born, his master would have a sessor. And those people wouldn¡¯t be able to criticize his master for not having an heir.

    After returning to the manor, Ao Chenyi started writing letters. He didn¡¯t visit Ning Xueyan¡¯s Pear Flower Garden but went to the Moon-embracing Tower to handle some matters. He then sent a messenger to tell Ning Xueyan not to wait for him; he would be staying the night at the tower.

    There were still many outsiders in his manor. He couldn¡¯t afford to let people know that the person he cared for was Ning Xueyan at the moment.

    A silent night passed. When Ning Xueyan woke up early the next morning, she freshened up and had breakfast. She had just finished when Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s maid arrived, saying that the Princess was waiting for her. She asked if Ning Xueyan was ready to leave.

    On behalf of her master, Lanning told the maid that Ning Xueyan was ready and they would be leaving immediately.

    When Ning Xueyan and Xinmei reached the gate of the manor, she found the Princess waiting as expected. The Princess looked so gentle and magnanimous that she easily left a good impression on people, particrly when she approached Ning Xueyan affectionately with a gentle, caring expression.

    ¡°Sister Ning, have you been feeling well? If you really can¡¯t bear it, you should just stay home and rest.¡±

    What hypocritical words. The Princess would have seemed sincere had she asked before Ning Xueyan came out, but Ning Xueyan was now outside and had even told her yesterday that she would be visiting the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Asking now seemed so hypocritical.

    Fortunately, Ning Xueyan never needed sincerity from the Princess. She curtsied with a smile. ¡°Thank you for your concern, Princess. I¡¯m feeling much better today. There¡¯s nothing wrong with me.¡±

    The Princess appeared relieved at Ning Xueyan¡¯s reply. She pointed to the two carriages outside the gate with a smile and said, ¡°That¡¯s for the best. Sister Ning, why don¡¯t we take the same carriage today? We can have a chat too. At least, we wouldn¡¯t feel so bored waiting there.¡±

    Two carriages were waiting for them. Since Ning Xueyan would be going to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, naturally there couldn¡¯t just be one carriage.

    ¡°Sure!¡± Ning Xueyan said softly. She couldn¡¯t refuse the Princess¡¯ direct request. No matter what, they would be leaving the same ce together and the Princess was no Ning Yuling. The Princess wouldn¡¯t do something as reckless as harming her on the spot. So she didn¡¯t have to worry about the Princess doing anything to the carriage.

    The carriages in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor were of therger variety. It was still spacious even with both of them bringing a maid each. The carriage moved slowly. Since they weren¡¯t in a hurry, the coachman drove the carriage at a steady pace. It was still early, after all.

    ¡°Sister Ning, do you think your brother will make the ranking?¡± the Princess asked, smiling. She looked as if she had forgotten that their rtionship had soured over Ning Huaiyuan.

    ¡°My elder brother is quite talented at his studies, but an ordinary woman like me can¡¯t predict if he¡¯ll seed in the examination,¡± Ning Xueyan replied wlessly, not giving the Princess a chance to catch her mistake.

    She had not only expressed her respect for her brother but also said that there would always be more talented people around. She also made it clear that she was just an ordinary woman who wouldn¡¯t dare to carelesslyment on the affairs of the court.

 Chapter 534 - Different Schemes in the Teahouse

    <h4>Chapter 534 Different Schemes in the Teahouse</h4>

    The carriage stopped in front of the Literature Recourse Institution. Most people who wanted to see the Imperial Examination Ranking would wait here as this ce offered amazing tea and liquor. It was still early when they arrived. Since it didn¡¯t make sense to wait inside the carriage, they exited the carriage with their maids and entered a nearby teahouse. They wanted to go upstairs and request a private room directly opposite where the ranking would be announced.

    They had just entered the teahouse when they heard a voice from behind. ¡°Fifth Sister.¡±

    Ning Xueyan stopped walking and turned around. She saw a surprised-looking Ning Qingshan standing beside a carriage with Caifen. She was surprised that Ning Qingshan woulde so early. She noticed that there weren¡¯t many carriages on their way here, and Ning Qingshan¡¯s carriage had been stopped before they got here. It seemed that Ning Qingshan had been waiting here a long time ago.

    ¡°You¡¯re here too, Third Sister. What a coincidence.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled, stopping in ce to wait for Ning Qingshan to approach. Since Ning Qingshan had deliberately waited for her here, she would naturally walk with her.

    When Ning Qingshan came close, she introduced her to Commandery Princess Xianyun. She didn¡¯t know if they already knew each other, but Ning Qingshan hadn¡¯t had a chance to meet the Princess after returning to the capital. The Princess didn¡¯t show up at the pce banquet thest time; so she must have other business to attend to and didn¡¯te. The two of them exchanged greetings gently, looking like perfectly well-mannered youngdies. Then, they went upstairs together.

    A maid went ahead to request a private room. When they entered the room, they saw that they could see the list from their window, as expected. It was fortunate that they came early, for they were able to book such a nice ce.

    ¡°What an amazing coincidence. I was still wondering if I should exit the carriage when your carriage arrived at just the right time,¡± Ning Qingshan said, smiling. Her words easily concealed the fact that the carriage from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had arrived ahead of the carriage from Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    A cold glint shed in Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes. Ning Qingshan had always been the cautious sort, who left nothing up to chance. Her words suggested that she had arrived early, but didn¡¯t get off the carriage. Ning Qingshan easily hid the slipup that she only left the carriage because Ning Xueyan had arrived.

    ¡°It¡¯s indeed a coincidence to meet Miss Qingshan here. We met briefly in the pce three years ago, didn¡¯t we? You stayed in Honored Consort Ya¡¯s pce then and received much of her favor. I thought that you were fated with the Third Prince, and I was indeed proven right three yearster. Your fate with the Third Prince is still the same after three years.¡±

    Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯spliment made Ning Qingshan blush. She lowered her head, looking abashed.

    ¡°It¡¯s not as wonderful as you suggest, Princess.¡±

    ¡°You must be kidding. It¡¯s rare for anyone to rival the Third Prince¡¯s feelings for you. Three yearster, you were nearly made the Third Princess. It¡¯s evident that he has never changed his feelings for you.¡± The Princess looked envious.

    It was indeed enviable to receive such affection from a man, especially from a prince. No matter how she looked at it, Ning Qingshan was still quite pleased with such an arrangement. Of course, this was putting aside the fact that she had lost her original position of the princess.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun had long found out that Honored Consort Ya and the Third Prince initially wanted Ning Qingshan as the Third Princess, but an ident happened during the selection process and Ning Qingshan ended up embarrassing herself in front of everyone. And Ning Xueyan was involved in this ident. Although they couldn¡¯t find out anything concerning her, there was no doubt that Ning Xueyan was part of the reason.

    This was enough for her!

    The change of status from a princess to a consort wasn¡¯t just a matter of title difference.

    The Princess¡¯ words were a stab in Ning Qingshan¡¯s heart. She had indeed fallen for Ning Xueyan¡¯s trap at that time. Otherwise, Ning Xueyan wouldn¡¯t have escaped the trap meant for her while the mastermind got into trouble instead. She would even say that she had not only humiliated and hurt herself, but also lost the position of princess destined for her. How could she not feel resentful?

    A trace of jealousy flitted across her pupils, but she maintained a shy smile on her face. She wouldn¡¯t count this against her for now. Attempting to settle things with a despicable person like her would just make her look bad.

    ¡°You¡¯re too polite, Princess. Whose name are you hoping to see in the ranking today?¡± Ning Qingshan smiled, feigning bashfulness as she changed the topic.

    ¡°A younger cousin of mine has taken the examination as well. I¡¯m worried, so I came here to check the ranking with Sister Ning.¡± The Princess smiled with an easygoing expression. She even deliberately looked out of the window as if she was really anxious for her family member.

    Of course, she had to put on a wless act, for she had used this excuse to request a leave of absence from the prince. She didn¡¯t know if he would let her leave otherwise. After all, other than the time when he walked around her courtyard on the second day after their wedding, he never visited her again.

    Yet, he had visited Ning Xueyan at the Pear Flower Garden several times. Although he didn¡¯t like his consort all that much either, Ning Xueyan still received a much better treatmentpared to the rightful princess.

    Naturally, she had to be prepared for certain matters. She was confident that it was only a matter of time before her means and talents would slowly win Ao Chenyi over. The only reason why Ao Chenyi disliked her was that she had proimed her love for him in front of the Empress, forcing him to marry her. He felt so disrespected and humiliated that he chose to ignore her.

    She had already been ignored on his wedding night. Andter, she was foiled in her attempt to manage his harem.

    That only happened because she was new to the manor and didn¡¯t understand the situation inside. She would slowly change the prince¡¯s opinion of her. She would let him know that she was the one who suits him the most and that whether from a talent or appearance aspect, she was far better than the sickly Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°I¡¯m very anxious myself, Princess. I have no idea how my elder brother did in the examination. Our family has already prepared an ancestral ceremony for him. We¡¯ll continue with the ceremony whether or not he makes it, but I hope he¡¯ll make the ranking this time. At least, he¡¯ll be able to bring glory to our ancestors.¡± Ning Qingshan sighed. Her expression made it difficult for others to distinguish whether it wasmentation or sadness.

    Ning Huaiyuan could have skipped the examination if he were the heir to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, but he never officially bore the title despite being recognized as such. After such a fiasco in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, it was all the more important for him to take the examination. Although Ning Qingshan said little, her sad expression was enough to express her meaning.

    Madam Ling¡¯s incident forced Ning Huaiyuan to start with the preliminary imperial examination. Once again, Ning Xueyan had an unmistakable responsibility for this.

    The Princess was pleased that Ning Qingshan understood this. The enemy of an enemy was a friend, after all. She hadn¡¯t forgotten that Ning Qingshan was fostered under Madam Ling. With a mother like her, Ning Qingshan would be hard-pressed to be the Third Princess even if she was given such an opportunity.

    The Princess had been observing Ning Qingshan for three years. She couldn¡¯t help but be curious as to how an adopted daughter from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor won the favor of Honored Consort Ya, so much so that the consort intended to have the Third Prince marry her. How could an adopted daughter be more favored than a biological daughter, and be more famous as well?

    Ning Qingshan¡¯s move to enter the nunnery at the height of her fame was a masterful one that sessfully pushed her reputation to the peak. Even Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s reputation fell short of hers at that time. Someone like her wouldn¡¯t be a pushover, so the Princess was more than happy to join hands with her.

    The two of them could work together to suppress Ning Xueyan at a time of her need.

    Ning Xueyan had been sitting in silence all this while, listening to them getting on with each other. Her expression was gentle and unassuming. Suddenly, her well-shaped brows knitted into a frown and she bent her body ever so slightly.

    ¡°Master, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Xinmei, who had been watching her all along, immediately reached out to support her arm. She was so panicked that she identally knocked over Ning Xueyan¡¯s cup on the table. Fortunately, the tea spilled on the other side and didn¡¯t wet her clothes.

    Themotion rmed the Princess and Ning Qingshan as well.

    ¡°Sister Ning, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Fifth Sister, are you feeling unwell?¡± The two of them immediately expressed their concern.

    ¡°I¡¯m... I¡¯m feeling dizzy... I¡¯ll be fine in a while.¡± Ning Xueyan leaned against Xinmei¡¯s embrace. It was obvious from her expression that she was unwell. Her eyes were partially closed and the corners of her mouth were pale.

    ¡°Master, this won¡¯t do. You¡¯re about to faint. I won¡¯t be able to exin to His Highness if you faint. Let¡¯s go back to the manor and have the physician examine you,¡± Xinmei said, panicked. She got ready to help Ning Xueyan stand up.

    Everyone had learned about Ning Xueyan¡¯s illness since the day of her wedding. Ning Qingshan was somewhat skeptical, but the Princess already believed her. She knew that if Ning Xueyan were to return to the manor because of her illness, she would be forced to return as well. She had only just met Ning Qingshan and started a friendly conversation with her. If she were to leave now, she would be giving up on a rare opportunity.

    ¡°Take a break here before you go, Sister Ning. The ranking will be released soon.¡± She tried to persuade Ning Xueyan in a soft voice.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, it won¡¯t take long. We¡¯ll be returning to the manor soon as well. Let¡¯s have the physician there examine you. Grandmother has been missing you. You have no idea how sad she¡¯ll get if you don¡¯t go back.¡± Ning Qingshan appeared worried, but she was secretly panicking. She couldn¡¯t afford to let Ning Xueyan return at this time or her n would be for nothing.

    ¡°Princess, Third Sister, I... I really can¡¯t hold on anymore. Why don¡¯t I return to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor for some rest first? I¡¯ll leave you to check our brother¡¯s results.¡± Ning Xueyan forced a smile on her pale face. Everyone could tell that she wasn¡¯t in a good state.

    Her suggestion pleased them both. The Princess was happy that she would have time to get close to Ning Qingshan and develop a stronger rtionship, while Ning Qingshan was d that Ning Xueyan wouldn¡¯t be getting away this time. Ning Yuling was still waiting in the manor anyway. All she had to do was watch the fire from a safe spot. She had evidence that Ning Yuling was having an affair and this matter was indeed beneficial to Ning Yuling. With Ning Yuling doing her dirty work, she didn¡¯t have to do anything at all.

    She threatened Ning Yuling with evidence of her affair because she thought that Ning Yuling would be reluctant to act. Little did she expect that Ning Yuling wouldn¡¯t hesitate at all.

    Since Ning Xueyan¡¯s suggestion had satisfied them both, they easily agreed and even watched her enter the carriage. When the carriage had driven away, they returned to the teahouse and continued their ¡°happy conversation¡±.

    Ning Xueyan wiped away her pained expression inside the carriage. She took the handkerchief from Xinmei¡¯s hand and wiped her face leisurely.

    ¡°Master, should we keep an eye on them?¡± Xinmei looked out of the carriage window uneasily. From here, she could see the Princess and Ning Qingshan walking into the teahouse.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right. They won¡¯t do anything now.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled. Both the Princess and Ning Qingshan were careful and secretive people, who preferred to take advantage when their enemies were fighting against one another. They wouldn¡¯t trust each other and conspire wholeheartedly during their first meeting.

    Right now, the person she had to watch out for was Ning Yuling. She would likely catch Ning Yuling off guard by returning to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor in advance.

 Chapter 535 - Madam Mingâ€™s Former Residence

    <h4>Chapter 535 Madam Ming¡¯s Former Residence</h4>

    Ning Yuling was feeling smug as she took a carriage to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor with her maid.

    Of course, the manor wouldn¡¯t have invited a mere concubine like her, but she was Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s biological sister, and the manor didn¡¯t say that it would kick her out of the family records. Even if Madam Dowager wasn¡¯t happy with her attending the ancestral ceremony, she wouldn¡¯t say anything in front of everyone. On the surface, at least, she was still ady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Moreover, she had someone backing her up now. When she left her manor earlier, a man dressed as a guard respectfully saluted her by the road. She immediately rxed. With a guard who knew martial arts, there were no other possibilities for what she was about to do next.

    Today would be the day of Ning Xueyan¡¯s ruin.

    She returned to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor in high spirits. Even if the guards at the gate weren¡¯t enthusiastic about her return and Madam Dowager didn¡¯t send anyone to pick her up, she didn¡¯t care. She went straight to the Qingrong Courtyard. Her courtyard had remained the same as there weren¡¯t new people in the manor. Although it was dusty from neglect, it was still a livable space with a little cleaning.

    She brought two maids with her this time; one of them an actual maid and the other not. The guard had followed her into the manor disguised as a maid. Fortunately, the guard at the gate didn¡¯t seem to approve of her, once the Second Young Lady of the manor. He had merely looked at her for a little while before letting her in. It was the day of the ancestral ceremony, so he dared not to let Ning Yuling in.

    Even an infamously vicious woman like Madam Ling was allowed to return. Ady who willingly epted a depraved life like her didn¡¯t seem so unforgivable byparison.

    When Ning Yuling arrived, Madam Ling was at the Qingrong Courtyard. She was no longer the First Madam of the manor, so naturally, she couldn¡¯t live in the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard anymore. Madam Dowager had only taken her back in out of consideration for Ning Huaiyuan; either way, Madam Ling would be sent away in the future. The servants at the manor knew that Madam Ling had little future left, so they left her aside without arranging amodation for her. Having nowhere to go, Madam Ling ended up at Ning Yuling¡¯s Qingrong Courtyard.

    ¡°You¡¯re early, Mother. Why didn¡¯t you go in and have a seat?¡± Ning Yuling¡¯s eyes gleamed when she found Madam Ling already there. She then affectionately helped Madam Ling into the house while instructing her maid, ¡°Go and see if the kitchen has any water. Bring a pot of water back and clean the teacups as well. Make a pot of tea from the tea leaves she brought.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± her maid answered from behind her and stepped away.

    The guard disguised as a maid stood behind Ning Yuling with his head lowered. The three of them entered the house together.

    No one had lived in the house for such a long time that there was indeed dust everywhere. Not caring if it was dirty, Ning Yuling picked up a nearby rag and wiped a stool clean before graciously helping Madam Ling sit down.

    Something flickered in Madam Ling¡¯s gloomy, dull eyes and they regained some of their former lusters. The rim of her eyes turned red as she watched Ning Yuling¡¯s well-practiced movements. ¡°Ling¡¯er, how have you been doing?¡±

    She knew her daughter best. How could a once-spoiled girl do something like this, and be so proficient at it too?

    ¡°It¡¯s all right, Mother. I became a concubine when I got married and all this hard work is inevitable. I wasn¡¯t able to recognize people for who they are and didn¡¯t listen to you, Mother. This oue is my punishment. It¡¯s just that Elder Sister...¡± Ning Yuling¡¯s eyes started turning red as she spoke. ¡°She got married as the official wife... but they treated her so badly and demoted her... making her a concubine.¡±

    Ning Yuling wiped her eyes with a handkerchief as she spoke, looking as if she was too sad to continue.

    ¡°It¡¯s that bitch¡¯s fault,¡± Madam Ling said resentfully. Concubine? Had she known earlier, she would have been more ruthless. Things wouldn¡¯t have turned out like this had she poisoned that bitch to death. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ling¡¯er. Even if it means death, I swear I¡¯ll kill that bitch.¡±

    She gritted her teeth and her ashen face appeared malevolent.

    ¡°I understand, Mother. Eldest Brother still needs your help. You can¡¯t afford to make any mistakes now. Look, I prepared this for you. With him around, dealing with that sickly Ning Xueyan would be as easy as pie.¡± Ning Yuling wiped away her non-existent tears and pointed to the guard disguised as a maid behind her with a sad expression.

    The guard stepped forward and saluted them.

    ¡°A man?¡± Madam Ling asked hesitantly, sizing the man up.

    ¡°Yes. He¡¯s a guard that Eldest Brother sent. You can use him with ease.¡± She had to push the responsibility to Ning Huaiyuan, for she couldn¡¯t exin how a concubine like her would have a guard.

    ¡°All right. Let¡¯s do it then.¡± Madam Ling gnashed her teeth as she made up her mind. For the sake of her son and daughters, she must kill Ning Xueyan. Otherwise, her children would never have a future. They had already lost the position of the heir and the first wife of a manor. All of her children were suffering all because of the bitch that Madam Ming gave birth to.

    The words that Ning Yuling said at the mountain temple that day strangely ovepped with her words now, causing Madam Ling to be short of breath. What little hesitation that she had was now gone. She looked at Ning Yuling and felt a deep ache in her heart.

    She had spoiled her daughters for more than ten years. One of them suffered a terrible fate, while the son that she had the highest hopes for lost a good background. It was as if a demon was dancing in the cusp of her heart and moring. This was all that bitch, Ning Xueyan¡¯s fault. Her children would only be able to get ahead if that bitch died.

    This was for her children¡¯s sake. Even if it meant putting her life on the line, she swore she would kill that bitch.

    A myriad of thoughts overwhelmed her, making her expression look increasingly malicious. Ning Yuling watched this all quietly. She motioned to the guard on the side, who nodded silently in return.

    When Ning Xueyan arrived at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, the first ce she visited was the Lucky Garden. Madam Dowager was surprised that she came so early, and upon questioning, learned that Ning Xueyan came back early because she was feeling unwell. So, Madam Dowager told her to get some rest at the Bright Frost Garden before the announcement of the Imperial Examination Ranking and the start of the ancestral ceremony.

    No one knew if Ning Huaiyuan managed to make the ranking, so they kept the ancestral ceremony between the family members and didn¡¯t invite other rtives. It was a small ceremony, so there weren¡¯t outsiders around.

    After returning to the Bright Frost Garden, Xinmei went out and came back shortly. She whispered a few words to Ning Xueyan, who nodded.

    The matter had been handled, so all she had to do was wait for Ning Yuling.

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady is already home?¡± Ning Yuling looked at the maid fetching water in surprise and stood up abruptly.

    ¡°Yes. The kitchen is preparing pastries for the Bright Frost Garden, saying that the Fifth Young Lady is unwell and has returned early. She¡¯s currently resting in the Bright Frost Garden. The Third Young Lady is still waiting for the ranking to be announced,¡± the maid replied.

    That meant Ning Xueyan was the only one at home and Ning Qingshan wouldn¡¯t be getting in the way. This made Ning Yuling feel even more confident that her n would work. Although Ning Qingshan was adopted under her mother¡¯s name, Ning Yuling had always been wary about her. It would be best not to be in contact with her.

    Ning Qingshan was incredibly shrewd; she might just cause some trouble in the middle of her n.

    So excited that she spun around in ce twice, Ning Yuling asked, ¡°Mother, where did Mother Chen go?¡± Mother Chen was a key figure in her n. Her presence was vital.

    ¡°I told her to check on the situation over there. She¡¯ll be back soon.¡± The light in Madam Ling¡¯s eyes flickered twice.

    ¡°Mother, why don¡¯t we go over now? Ning Qingshan isn¡¯t here. As long as everyone in the manor takes our side, no one will say anything even if Ning Xueyan dies. She can¡¯t me anyone for her carelessness. I¡¯ll say that you¡¯ve been with me all along. There¡¯s no one around anyway. If I say you¡¯re here, then you¡¯re here.¡±

    Ning Yuling said excitedly.

    ¡°All right. Let¡¯s strike while the iron is hot. I¡¯ll go out and find Mother Chen now.¡± Moved by her daughter¡¯s suggestion, Madam Ling stood up and nodded. She would put everything on the line to make use of this chance and kill that bitch as soon as possible.

    Xinmei looked at the unfamiliar-looking maid in front of her and frowned. ¡°Are you here for our Master?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I heard that they found some of Madam Ming¡¯s things that they have never seen before. Madam Dowager wants Consort Ning to see if those things are important,¡± the maid replied wittily.

    ¡°All right then. My Master and I will go over and inspect the things right away,¡± Xinmei said, nodding. Since they had discovered Madam Ming¡¯s things, they had every reason to check it out.

    ¡°Should I show you the way?¡± The maid looked like she wanted to get on Xinmei¡¯s good side.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I know the way. Go back and tell Madam Dowager our answer.¡± Xinmei shook her head.

    This was within expectation. As a former maid at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, it was only natural for Xinmei to know the way. Moreover, Ning Xueyan¡¯s rtionship with Madam Dowager had indeed soured. If the maid were to lead the way, they wouldn¡¯t be able to have an honest conversation.

    The maid nodded, a joyful expression flitting across her face. She was able to earn ten taels of silver just by passing on such a message. She had requested leave from Madam Dowager to handle a family problem. She returned to her room and left with a bag of clothes. It would be at least half a month before she would return. Whatever happened during that time was none of her business.

    She had just turned around, ready to walk, when a sharp pain stabbed the back of her head. Her vision turned ck and she fell unconscious.

    When Madam Ming first got married, she stayed in the main residence. Out of all the inner courtyards, it wasn¡¯t a ce where the Bright Frost Garden could ever hope topare. But ever since Madam Ming requested a divorce, that residence didn¡¯t go to Madam Ling either. It remained empty for more than ten years, perfectly fine until it was abruptly burned down one day.

    With most of the bricks and gravel cleared, all that was left was arge vacant lot and a few courtyard walls that had escaped the fire.

    Looking in from the outside, one couldn¡¯t tell that there were still things inside the residence.

    The door creaked when it was pushed open. Ning Xueyan entered the residence with Xinmei in tow. In the empty courtyard that had been scorched ck in the fire, a particr well appeared particrly conspicuous. People used to draw water from this well. Now, there were only some copsed rocks around it. Even the mouth of the well was iplete.

    Perhaps people had identally ruined the tform in their hurry to draw water and extinguish the fire back then.

    Ning Xueyan once came here with Ao Chenyi. Back then, the courtyard was old but decent. It wasn¡¯t at all like its current ruined state.

    Ning Xueyan picked up the hem of her skirt and jumped over a few of the scattered rocks on the ground. Subconsciously, she walked toward the well. Everything in this courtyard was evident at first nce. There was nothing here except for copsed rock next to the well tform. On the rock were a few dark, shiny things. From a distance, she couldn¡¯t make out what they were...

 Chapter 536 - Madam Lingâ€™s Death in the Water

    <h4>Chapter 536 Madam Ling¡¯s Death in the Water</h4>

    All of Ning Xueyan and Xinmei¡¯s attention was on the dark, indistinguishable objects. There seemed to be words written on them.

    They walked until they were about five steps away from the well tform and stopped moving forward. They started at the well from a distance for a while before turning around and walking away in disinterest.

    Someone abruptly emerged from a big rock on their left and charged at Ning Xueyan. Everyone was well aware of how weak Ning Xueyan was. If she were knocked over, she would surely fall on the well tform. Even if she didn¡¯t fall into the well, she would still fall on the side of it and wouldn¡¯t be able to get up.

    If someone else pushed her again at this time, she would fall directly into the well.

    The other silhouette who charged at Xinmei didn¡¯t try to bump into her but reached out to lift her. If Xinmei were just a regr maid, she wouldn¡¯t be able to dodge the figure but she wasn¡¯t. She evaded the figure and looked up to see that it was a man, a man dressed as a maid. She blocked the man with her hand and a fight broke out between them.

    The silhouette on the other side was about to knock into Ning Xueyan again when she suddenly staggered. She merely brushed past Ning Xueyan before copsing on the side of the well. She was so petite that she ended up falling into the well.

    One of Madam Ling¡¯s feet was caught inside the well and she was clinging onto the stone wall of the wall. Had she not panicked, she would have been able to climb up with a little force. But she was panicking so hard that she didn¡¯t dare to move at all. She looked at the guard disguised as a maid and pleaded, ¡°Save me!¡±

    Her cry rmed the two people who were in the middle of a fight, separating them at once. Xinmei retreated and stood in front of Ning Xueyan, protecting her. The guard leaped to Madam Ling¡¯s side.

    Madam Ling was overjoyed. She reached out a hand to the guard and impatiently cried, ¡°Help me up! After you deal with that bitch, I¡¯ll push her into the well.¡±

    Everything had been going ording to the n until Ning Xueyan suddenly stopped walking and looked as if she was going to leave. Madam Ling had no choice but to rush out. Just as she was rejoicing, thinking that she was about to knock into Ning Xueyan, she suddenly tripped over something, brushed past Ning Xueyan, and copsed next to the well. To make things worse, she slid off and ended up having one of her legs stuck inside the well.

    She was now grateful that Ning Yuling had nned so well for her. It was fortunate that she had a guard who knew martial arts. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t be able to deal with that bitch¡¯s damned maid who knew martial arts.

    But, she already knew what to do. The guard would deal with the maid and she would handle that sickly bitch. There wouldn¡¯t be any problem at all. She would drag the bitch over and push her down and it would all be over. She would simply slip away since Ling¡¯er said she would testify for her anyway.

    That bitch came here out of longing for her deceased mother and died after slipping into the well. Her death would have nothing to do with other people.

    She had everything nned out. Now, all she had to do was put up a struggle and reach out for the guard.

    Unexpectedly, the guard didn¡¯t grab her hand and pull her up.

    ¡°Madam Ling, your darling daughter never nned to let you live. What a miserable death you will have, to be betrayed by your daughter and pushed into the well.¡± Ning Xueyan stepped out from behind Xinmei with a calm expression and a sneer on her face.

    Stunned, Madam Ling instinctively retorted, ¡°Bitch, you¡¯re lying!¡±

    ¡°Am I? You¡¯ll find out very soon. When you pushed someone else into the lotus pond and caused her to drown all those years ago, have you ever thought that you¡¯ll die in the hands of your darling daughter? When you reach the underworld, you¡¯ll be punished in the deepest level of hell, unable to ever reincarnate.¡±

    Ning Xueyan wore a gentle smile, but her words were cold and frightening. The guard who was standing by the well couldn¡¯t help but raise his head to look at her. He hesitated, frowning. Things seemed to have developed beyond his expectation. Why did a delicate woman, who was about to fall into a trap, lookpletely unafraid?

    ¡°You¡¯re lying! You¡¯re lying!¡± Madam Ling started to struggle fiercely, swinging her hands and legs around to climb out of the well. She red at Ning Xueyan with a vicious expression, panting all the way. She looked like she wanted to devour Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°You know very well if I¡¯m lying. Did you think you¡¯ll be safe after pushing me down the well? What a pity. Whether or not you seed today, only death awaits you. You should be well-aware that your darling daughter is as vicious as you. She¡¯s willing to do whatever it takes to achieve her goal. You, her biological daughter, have been chosen as her sacrificial piece.¡±

    Ning Xueyan watched Madam Ling struggle with all her might with augh. She turned around, wanting to leave with Xinmei.

    If Ning Xueyan were to leave with Xinmei now, one would be hard-pressed to rte what would happen next to her. The Princely Heir had instructed him to assist that woman, and whatever that would happen had nothing to do with him. The guard extended his leg and swiftlynded a heavy kick on Madam Ling.

    He was far too strong for someone like Madam Ling. She let go and fell straight down with a scream, sshing water everywhere as she crashed into the water with a plop.

    ¡°Do you know who our Master is? How dare you attack someone from Prince Yi¡¯s Manor! Is your Master bored of his carefree life in the capital?¡± Xinmei snorted and stared coldly at the guard dressed in female clothing. Her eyes were brimming with murderous intent. She was a secret guard who had killed countless people before bing Ning Xueyan¡¯s maid.

    They were from Prince Yi¡¯s Manor? Moreover, judging from their tone, they seemed to be aware of his master. The guard¡¯s forehead began to sweat. Wasn¡¯t this ady from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? When did she be someone from Prince Yi¡¯s Manor? After returning from Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, the Princely Heir had repeatedly told him not to mess with those from Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    ¡°Who¡¯s your Master?¡± the guard couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    ¡°The Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor has married into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor! Don¡¯t tell me your Master doesn¡¯t know this!¡± Xinmei said coldly.

    As soon as the guard-in-disguise heard Xinmei¡¯s reply, more sweat dripped from his forehead. The person the Princely Heir feared the most in the capital was Prince Yi; he was always careful whenever he met Prince Yi. Little did he expect that, for all of his cautiousness, he managed to offend Prince Yi and harm his woman. The thought of it made him shiver. No wonder this weak-looking woman would remain so calm in this situation.

    How could Prince Yi¡¯s woman be a simple person?

    The guard thought that using Madam Ling¡¯s death to frame Prince Yi¡¯s woman wasn¡¯t a smart idea at all.

    ¡°Would you like to pull her up?¡± The guard couldn¡¯t be bothered with wiping the sweat on his forehead now. His expression had be a lot humbler. He had just kicked Madam Ling, so she was probably still alive. He could hear the sshing of water as she struggled in the well.

    ¡°No need. Tell your Princely Heir that this is the second time.¡± Ning Xueyan warned coldly. Her meaning was obvious enough that the guard dared not to stay anymore. He turned around and quickly vanished. Whatever trick the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was up to, it had nothing to do with the Mu Manor. The guard had already recognized that the woman before him was the one that the Princely Heir had longed for.

    To think that the woman that the Princely Heir nearly obtained at the Cold Mountain Temple had be Prince Yi¡¯s woman! The guard felt shivers all over. He was d that his master didn¡¯t seed back then, or the consequences would be unthinkable. But, one thing for sure, his master wouldn¡¯t return unscathed.

    If something were to happen to the Princely Heir, none of his bodyguards would be spared.

    Who was the one who told the Princely Heir that he couldn¡¯t investigate news in the capital at will and just be an ignorant, prodigal young master?

    To think that they didn¡¯t even know about the marriage alliance between the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and Prince Yi¡¯s Manor! The strategists around the Princely Heir should just die.

    Inside the well, Madam Ling was still struggling and crying for help. Her voice was small but audible. Ning Xueyan slowly walked up to the well and looked inside.

    Madam Ling was putting up a desperate struggle as she tried to float in the water. She was in a dire situation indeed. When she saw a shadow above, she reached out and begged, ¡°Fifth Young Lady, save me. Pull me up. I¡¯ll do whatever you ask.¡±

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll save a venomous snake?¡± Ning Xueyanughed.

    In her previous life, she had struggled simrly before death, but those evil servants pinned her down under the orders of Madam Ling and Ning Ziyan and drowned her wounded self in the lotus pond. Now, Madam Ling was asking her to save her. Hadn¡¯t Madam Ling expressed her willingness to die with her before?

    Hadn¡¯t Madam Ling told Ning Yuling that she would even put her life on the line for her children¡¯s sake?

    This vicious woman behaved just as cruelly and selfishly as her children.

    ¡°Madam Ling, you haven¡¯t experienced it, have you? Having everyone turn a blind eye to your cries and being betrayed by your dearest people?¡±

    ¡°On the day you drowned Ning Ziying, have you ever thought that you would one day die in the water yourself?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you hate that you¡¯re drowned in the well by your darling daughter as a sacrificial piece? Don¡¯t you feel pain?¡±

    Her words sounded calm but cold. She looked on serenely as Madam Ling scrambled to live, looking pained and despairing. Then, she slowly sank in the water with a resentful expression. A few bubbles came up to the surface before the water became still again.

    Ning Xueyan stood by the well, watching on for a little longer, before turning around and told her maid, ¡°It¡¯s time. Bring that person here.¡±

    Another guard appeared from behind another boulder, a hidden bodyguard called Liu Feng that Ao Chenyi had given her. When Madam Ling charged at Ning Xueyan, he was the one who flicked a stone at Madam Ling and caused her body to fall sideways.

    He was carrying two people in both arms¡ªNing Yuling and her maid. Both slumped over limply, having lost consciousness.

    A trembling Mother Chen trailed behind them. The scene earlier frightened her so much that she was shaking all over. She never imagined that the typically weak Fifth Young Lady would just watch Madam Ling be kicked into the well and drown.

    More importantly, why didn¡¯t anyone know that the Fifth Young Lady¡¯s maid knew martial arts? It had been a while since this maid started serving the Fifth Young Lady, yet no one found out her martial skills. It was evident from the current situation that the maid was from Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. That meant that Prince Yi had been in contact with the Fifth Young Lady for a long time.

    The thought of this possibility caused a chill to run down Mother Chen¡¯s spine. What little left of her hesitation turned into determination after feeling this chill. No one would be able to save her if Prince Yi wanted her life. Right now, if she wanted to save herself, she must follow the Fifth Young Lady closely...

 Chapter 537 - Threats at Every Turn

    <h4>Chapter 537 Threats at Every Turn</h4>

    A scream emerged from the dpidated courtyard, rming everyone. Ning Zu¡¯an was the first to arrive as his study was the closest to this ce. Looking at the well amidst the ruined stones and broken tiles, he saw Ning Yuling holding onto the side of the well and crying so hard that she was about to faint, as well as Ning Xueyan watching everything unfold quietly with her maid.

    ¡°Father! Father, please save Mother! Please save her! She pushed Mother into the well! Please save her,¡± Ning Yuling sobbed, kowtowing to Ning Zu¡¯an with a face full of tears and snot. She looked panicked, fearful, and sad.

    Ning Xueyan pushed Madam Ling into the well? Ning Zu¡¯an was shocked but now wasn¡¯t the time to worry about that. He turned around and ordered the servants to save Madam Ling.

    A flurry of turmoilter, the servants managed to get Madam Ling out of the well. However, there was no more life left in her. Sheid on the wet ground, cold and stiff. Ning Zu¡¯an felt a rare sense of loss as he looked at her pale face. He suddenly felt that he had wronged her.

    In his memory, the woman with that soft, coquettish face had spent so many wonderful days with him. He could still remember her bashfulness at having borne him a son. But right now, all that was left was her pale, lifeless, and aged face that he could barely recognize. Was this truly the woman that he couldn¡¯t let go of back then?

    If it weren¡¯t for him indulging her, she likely wouldn¡¯t have dared to treat Madam Ming like that!

    ¡°Father, Father, please avenge Mother. Even... Even if she had done something wrong, she¡¯s still the mother of your son and two daughters. You... You can¡¯t just let Ning Xueyan kill her and do nothing. Father, please return justice to Mother!¡±

    Ning Yuling seemed to have gone mad. She clung onto her mother¡¯s body as she cried, before kowtowing to Ning Zu¡¯an with tears streaming down her face.

    Whoever saw her would have thought that she was heartbroken and her wanting to avenge her mother was natural.

    ¡°You unfilial daughter, kneel!¡± Ning Zu¡¯an was so angry that he was trembling all over and his face was green. He stared daggers at Ning Xueyan. His facial muscles were throbbing violently as if there was an invisible hand kneading his face.

    Ning Xueyan continued to look calm and unperturbed even in the face of his re. She met his eyes and smiled. In a rather mocking voice, she said, ¡°You must have treated my mother the same way in the past, haven¡¯t you? You made it so that she couldn¡¯t even argue for herself.¡±

    Her words, simple as they might sound, were a direct stab at his Achilles¡¯ heel.

    The past incident resurfaced in his mind like a curtain of water. When Madam Ling took her to catch Madam Ming in bed with her ¡°lover¡±, she looked as calm as Ning Xueyan did now. Even her words back then sounded like ridicule. It was as if she was mocking him for his self-orchestrated show.

    Those eyes contained the mockery of a person who had seen through everything, and he was so pathetic that he couldn¡¯t say a word to refute. He could only watch as she asked for a divorce and everything unfolded in his desired direction. However, the process was so calm that even now, he still thought that Madam Ming had seen through him. It made him feel like someone had discovered his sordid side.

    That was also why he refused to see Madam Ming after.

    Just at the sight of her, he would be reminded of his despicableness, treachery, the promises that he had once given her. This was despite him telling himself over and over that she was the one who had betrayed her. Her child was of unknown origins, but he still raised her. To him, it was enough repayment for the Ming family¡¯s protection in the past.

    However, even with all that said, he still couldn¡¯t face Madam Ming confidently.

    Right now, almost the same look had appeared on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face. Blue veins popped up violently on his forehead like there were earthworm squirmings under the surface. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you think you¡¯re justified in killing her.¡±

    ¡°Killing her? Did you see or hear that happen?¡± Ning Xueyan sneered, facing Ning Zu¡¯an head-on. This was her first time looking at him so coldly since her rebirth. This man and Madam Ling were truly a match made in heaven; they were equally as selfish and despicable. Madam Ming must have given up on this man a long time ago.

    That would exin why Madam Ming would so calmly ept the betrayal and take her away from this man.

    Ning Zu¡¯an was stunned, but quickly turned around to tell Ning Yuling, ¡°Ling¡¯er, tell her who saw her.¡±

    ¡°It was her! It was definitely her! I was strolling around with Mother but when we got here, Mother said she wanted to take a look inside. I didn¡¯t want toe in, so I waited in the pavilion outside. Suddenly, I heard Mother¡¯s scream and immediately came in with my maid. I saw her and her maid push Mother into the well.¡±

    Ning Yuling wailed loudly while pointing at Ning Xueyan, looking like she wanted to tear her apart. She was indeed outside when she heard the sound of fighting in the courtyard and even Madam Ling¡¯s scream. She had juste in, ready to y the witness, when she was abruptly knocked in the back of her head after taking a few steps and fainted.

    By the time she woke up, she was already in the courtyard. Sure enough, Ning Xueyan was still around. She immediately yelled, threw herself at the side of the well, and began to wail.

    ¡°Both the evidence and a witness are present.¡± A furious Ning Zu¡¯an cried, ¡°Unfilial daughter! What do you have to say for yourself? Servants! Capture her! I won¡¯t protect you anymore! I¡¯ll send you directly to the governmental office.¡±

    Two older female servants rushed over to grab Ning Xueyan.

    Xinmei immediately stepped in front of Ning Xueyan. ¡°Marquis, my Master is now a member of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. She¡¯s the prince¡¯s consort. Even if you have your prestige as the marquis, I don¡¯t think you have the right to tie up my Master.¡±

    The two older female servants immediately held their breath, realizing that the Fifth Young Lady wasn¡¯t just a meredy from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor anymore.

    ¡°Unfilial daughter! Unfilial daughter!¡± Seeing that the servants refused to listen to his order, Ning Zu¡¯an became so furious that he yelled, ¡°Very well, very well! Just because you have the support of Prince Yi, you even dared tomit the wicked act of killing your mother. I¡¯ll send someone to invite Prince Yi over and show him your true wicked side!¡±

    ¡°What are you implying about Prince Yi¡¯s Manor?¡± Ning Xueyan asked coldly.

    Ning Zu¡¯an nearly coughed up blood upon hearing this. Implying something about Prince Yi¡¯s Manor? How would he dare! He began to cough violently.

    ¡°Killing my mother? You must be kidding, Marquis. This woman killed my mother, yet you dare call her my mother? Don¡¯t tell me you still think of her as your wife. You¡¯re sure devoted to a vicious woman who had killed so many people. You still see her as your wife deep inside. What about my mother? Who was she to you? This woman ruined her life and took everything from her. My mother, who had supported you through all your hardship, who died an untimely and violent death, who was she to you?¡±

    Ning Xueyan mocked coldly.

    It was only a matter of time before she cut ties with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor for good. The manor had always supported the Third Prince, and from now on, they would likely continue to use her and repeatedly frame her to drag Ao Chenyi down. Since it was a matter of time, she might as well do it now. Ning Yuling had given her an opportunity, so they might as well end all superficiality and argue seriously for once.

    She didn¡¯t want the people at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor frame as they please, thinking that she was kind and easily bullied.

    Without waiting for a reply from Ning Zu¡¯an, Ning Xueyan continued, ¡°When my mother died, I told you that she was poisoned to death. Prince Yi happened to have his physician tag along when he came to offer prayers and the physician examined her body then. My mother was poisoned, and who else in the manor wanted so desperately for her to die? Yet, in the end, the me was put on a maid. Marquis, you were too biased.¡±

    Remembering what happened that day, Ning Xueyan felt rage rising in her. It had been proven that Madam Ming was poisoned with the Beauty Intoxicated by Peach Blossom, but only a maid bore the me.

    ¡°Since you feel like going to the governmental office, why don¡¯t we head there right now and see if Madam Ling had poisoned my mother and me, killed Ning Ziying of the Cloud Reflection Courtyard, stole her marriage, and facilitated the early marriage contract between the Xia and Ning Manors.¡±

    Ning Xueyan stepped forward and stared at Ning Zu¡¯an confidently.

    Her unyielding stare made Ning Zu¡¯an feel cold all over. He felt a significantck of confidence and subconsciously took a step backward. When he realized this a secondter, he was both ashamed and angry. He stared at Ning Xueyan and said angrily, ¡°You¡¯ve gone mad! You¡¯ve really gone mad! What... What are you even saying? Servants, arrest her! We¡¯ll wait for Prince Yi toe and judge the situation.¡±

    The fact that Ning Xueyan was able to make a correct conjecture about the Cloud Reflection Courtyard caught Ning Zu¡¯an off guard. If this information were to spread, he wouldn¡¯t have the face to see anyone anymore. Moreover, the Emperor had kept an ambiguous stance on the princess of the previous dynasty.

    He was regretting it now. Had he known Ning Ziying was the princess of the previous dynasty, he would have never allowed Madam Ling and her daughters to do what they did. It was toote now, and all he could do was pretend that he didn¡¯t know anything. Besides, everyone was merely guessing Ning Ziying¡¯s identity and it had not been authenticated.

    Even so, he couldn¡¯t let others know that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor plotted to steal Ning Ziying¡¯s marriage. Ning Xueyan had caused a chill to run down his spine.

    ¡°Ning Xueyan, you pushed my mother down the well because you misunderstood her, didn¡¯t you?¡± Ning Yuling yelled. She was ted, thinking that she was seizing a wonderful opportunity.

    She had been worried about falling for a trap when she inexplicably woke up here, but an idea came to her as she watched Ning Xueyan and Ning Zu¡¯an argue. The guard must have brought her here or there was no exnation for what happened earlier.

    Her courage immediately puffed up and a smug look appeared in her eyes. She pointed at Ning Xueyan, refusing to give in.

    Quite a few people hade to the courtyard. Ning Zu¡¯an had rushed over here with his servants as soon as he heard themotion, andter ran into the maids and older female servants who wereing over. Everyone heard them loud and clear. Stumped and not knowing who to believe, they began to whisper among themselves.

    ¡°All of you, shut up!¡± A yell came from outside the door. Everyone turned around and saw a gloomy-looking Madam Dowager and a few maids and older female servants standing at the door. She flew into a rage when she saw the crowd in the courtyard whispering and gossiping.

    Even though she hade from a considerable distance away, it was quiet when Ning Xueyan spoke, so she heard everything. She became so panicked and furious that she nearly fainted. How could those words be spoken in front of other people?

    Those words could harm the entire Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

 Chapter 538 - The Viciousness of Oneâ€™s So-Called Dearest Family

    <strong>Chapter 538 The Viciousness of One¡¯s So-Called Dearest Family</strong>

    ¡°Fifth Young Lady, have you gone mad? What nonsense are you saying? Servants! Bring the physician here so he can find out what disease she has, to be saying such crazy nonsense andmitting such insane acts. This is terrifying!¡± A calm-faced Madam Dowager immediately pinned the me on Ning Xueyan as soon as she showed up.

    They couldn¡¯t afford to care about offending Prince Yi¡¯s Manor now. Ning Xueyan was dangerous to leave alive.

    Besides, Ning Xueyan hadmitted the crime of killing Madam Ling and they had Ning Yuling as a witness too. She was a criminal. After killing her, they could excuse it as her taking her life out of fear of punishment. All they had to do was produce a body dead by suicide when the representatives of Prince Yi¡¯s Manore.

    It didn¡¯t seem like Prince Yi was sincerely in love with Ning Xueyan anyway. He must have preferred his concubine or he wouldn¡¯t have abandoned Ning Xueyan at the Cold Mountain Temple and sought a physician for a titleless concubine. Her resolution became firmer at this thought.

    All she needed was a reasonable exnation. They were the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor after all. No matter how overbearing Prince Yi was, he wouldn¡¯t say a word about it.

    Ning Zu¡¯an had also recovered his senses. He exchanged a look with Madam Dowager and immediately understood her intention. He nodded and said, ¡°Servants! Take the Fifth Young Lady away and examine her. We¡¯ll talk again when she snaps out of it.¡±

    He had already convicted Ning Xueyan of her crime: Madam Ling¡¯s death and her rebellious nonsense were the results of her frantic attack.

    The older female servants looked at each other after receiving Ning Zu¡¯an and Madam Dowager¡¯s orders. They had no choice but to approach Ning Xueyan. Their family, their everything, was tied to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    ¡°Stop there. Who dares to touch my master?¡± Xinmei said coldly, putting herself in front of Ning Xueyan. ¡°Marquis, Madam Dowager, are you trying to kill my master before Prince Yi realizes? Too bad for you. My master has invited the prince here in advance. Right now, he¡¯s probably at the door!¡±

    Just as she was talking, a servant rushed in and immediately found Ning Zu¡¯an. He hurried over and reported, ¡°Marquis, Prince Yi is here.¡±

    Ao Chenyi hade? Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an were stunned. They never expected him toe. How should they wrap things up now?

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you not wee me?¡± A frosty voice emerged from the crowd, immediately dispersing everyone. The person who appeared in the middle of an entourage was undoubtedly Prince Yi, Ao Chenyi. His eyes, so dark they appeared bottomless, forced anyone he looked at to lower their heads, turn pale, and dare not to breathe a word.

    Xinmei immediately stepped forward and respectfully knelt to Ao Chenyi. ¡°Your Highness, someone has framed my master. The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is shielding the true criminal and even tried to put my master to death in front of so many people,¡± she said, putting the me on everyone present.

    Ning Zu¡¯an shuddered from anger. An insignificant maid dared to speak such tant lies! It was no wonder Ning Xueyan was so audacious.

    He was so furious that he put aside his fear. He stepped forward to point at Ning Xueyan and said sharply, ¡°Your Highness, this is a family shame. She... She pushed Madam Ling into the well and drowned her. We have both evidence and witness, but she refuses to admit it.¡±

    A look of surprise crossed Ning Xueyan¡¯s beautiful eyes. She remembered telling Yu Jian toe and help her using Ao Chenyi¡¯s authority. After all, she had reason and evidence to protect herself if Ning Zu¡¯an and Madam Dowager were not driven to desperate action. Who would have thought that Ao Chenyi would personallye here?

    Her heart suddenly turned warm. She watched as he slowly walked over and grabbed her cold hand.

    ¡°Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, how dare you say you have evidence and witness when my woman hasn¡¯t said a word in defense. Very well. If you produce wrongful evidence today, we shall be seeing the Emperor.¡± Ao Chenyi gave her a reassuring look before redirecting his almond-shaped eyes at Ning Zu¡¯an. A cold glint shed in his deep, dark pupils. It was as if a bloodthirsty creature had quietly slipped by.

    Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s heart began to race.

    A eunuch came over, produced a chair out of nowhere, and put it behind Ao Chenyi. Ao Chenyi sat downnguidly and cried, ¡°Come on. Who¡¯s the witness? Show us!¡± He continued to hold Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand, pulling her beside him so that their hands would be tightly bound.

    She could feel a warmthing from him and her nose felt tart. The coldness and stiffness of her body were slowly leaving her. She had experienced simr interrogation in her past life, where she had faced Xia Yuhang¡¯s cold and disgusted face. But now, she could even glimpse some warmth from Ao Chenyi¡¯s usually frosty face.

    People were ultimately different after all.

    Xinmei quietly said a few words to the guard beside her, who retreated without alerting anyone.

    ¡°Your Highness, this is my second daughter. She saw Ning Xueyan pushed Madam Ling down the well.¡± Ning Zu¡¯an had to bite the bullet at this rate. He could only pray that no one would refute Ning Yuling¡¯s words.

    ¡°Bring her here.¡± Ao Chenyi directed a frosty stare at Ning Yuling. His eyes were so cold that they appeared bloodthirsty. Ning Yuling sneakily raised her head to look at him but trembled with fright upon meeting his gaze, unable to utter a word. She allowed a guard to approach her and take her to kneel in front of Ao Chenyi.

    ¡°You saw everything?¡± asked a melodious but cold voice.

    ¡°Yes... Yes, I did,¡± Ning Yuling stammered. To sound more convincing, she added, ¡°I saw Ning Xueyan push my mother into the well with my own eyes. My mother cried and pleaded for her life, but Ning Xueyan ignored her. Please uphold justice for us, Your Highness.¡± She began to sob at the end of it.

    ¡°Shut up. If you cry again, I¡¯ll throw you into the well,¡± Ao Chenyi said coldly. His voice made Ning Yuling feel like she had been licked by a venomous snake and she immediately fell silent.

    His words weren¡¯t just empty threats. How could this man be so terrifying?

    Ao Chenyi didn¡¯t even look at the embarrassed expressions that Ning Zu¡¯an and Madam Dowager had. He softened his voice and asked Ning Xueyan who was standing beside him, ¡°Yan¡¯er, what do you have to say?¡±

    ¡°Bring her here.¡± Ning Xueyan pointed at a person who had been ignored by everyone.

    Only then did everyone notice the person standing behind a crushed stone. It was Madam Ling¡¯s personal servant, Mother Chen.

    Ao Chenyi shot his guard a look, and the guard immediately understood his intention. He walked over, carried a limp Mother Chen back, and tossed her in front of Ao Chenyi.

    ¡°If you can¡¯t exin clearly, I don¡¯t mind using torture,¡± Ao Chenyi saidzily, leaning against the chair with ease. The bloodiness of his words, however, was enough to make everyone shudder.

    Madam Chen slumped to the ground. She looked at the trembling Ning Yuling and then at Ning Zu¡¯an and Madam Dowager. Finally, she sneaked a nce at Ao Chenyi. She knocked her head to the ground, as if she had made up her mind, and cried loudly, ¡°It¡¯s the Second Young Lady... She pushed Madam Ling and framed the Fifth Young Lady.¡±

    Her words stunned everyone. Had Ning Yuling killed her own mother to frame Ning Xueyan? Was she even human?

    Ning Yuling was taken aback but her face quickly turned pale. She pointed to Mother Chen and yelled hoarsely, ¡°Liar! Ning Xueyan must have bribed you into speaking up for her!¡±

    ¡°Second Young Lady, you were the one who bribed me. You said you¡¯d give me money if I speak up for you, and you¡¯d even help me retirefortably. I was so afraid that I didn¡¯t dare to use the money. I have been keeping it with me all along,¡± Mother Chen defended herself. She took out a small pouch from her arms.

    When she opened it, everyone was shocked to see four or five silver paper notes worth a few hundred taels inside.

    ¡°Go and investigate!¡± Ao Chenyi said coldly. A guard grabbed the pouch and left. The cirction of every paper note was well-documented and the marks on each note represented different meanings.

    Ning Yuling¡¯s expression changed. She never imagined Mother Chen to keep the money with her, and even take them out at this time. The paper notes were all hers. When she was sent to Xia Manor, she brought nothing except her own savings and those paper notes were part of them.

    A quick investigation would tell them what they needed to know.

    ¡°Your Highness, this was the maid who lured Consort Ning here. I knocked her out at the Bright Frost Garden earlier. I¡¯ll bring her in now.¡± Before Ning Yuling could recover her senses, another guard carried a maid in. It was the same maid that tricked Ning Xueyan intoing here. She had also been bribed by Ning Yuling.

    Ning Zu¡¯an and Madam Dowager felt a bad premonition after seeing Ning Yuling¡¯s panicked face. It was apparent that she had framed Ning Xueyan. Their so-called witnesses were now evidence for Ning Xueyan.

    Sure enough, when the maid woke up and realized that the person in front of her was Prince Yi, she revealed the truth without having to be threatened. She immediately pointed to Ning Yuling and exposed her. She said Ning Yuling helped her apply for leave in return for a favor. She would leave and visit her dying father at home after tricking the Fifth Young Lady intoing here. There would be no proof once she was gone.

    The whole incident had pretty much cleared up. The vicious one was obviously the Second Young Lady, Ning Yuling. She killed her own mother, brought the Fifth Young Lady over, and made a fuss all so she could frame her. The whole thing was her self-orchestrated show to harm the Fifth Young Lady.

    ¡°Servants! She said she saw everything, didn¡¯t she? Since her eyes are useless, let¡¯s dig them out!¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s voice was strangely cold, making Ning Yuling feel as if something had slipped down her throat. It was an eerie and terrifying sensation.

    Even more terrifying was the guard who came over and pressed down the corners of her eyes with great skill. A sharp scream resounded, horrifying everyone so much that they felt their legs turn soft. A cowardly one even fainted.

    Ning Yuling rolled over the empty ground while covering her eyes and bloody face. She was in so much pain that she kept screaming, every sound sharp and piercing like the wailing of a ghost. Unable to stomach it, the Madam Dowager tilted over and fainted. She copsed on Mother Qin beside her when she lost consciousness, causing Mother Qin to nearly fall as well. It took her and a few other female servants to support her weight.

    Ning Zu¡¯an looked pale and the veins on his sweaty forehead protruded, but he couldn¡¯t say anything. He looked at the Ning Yuling who was rolling on the ground with a conflicted expression, feeling resentful and furious. He didn¡¯t care if she died, but the problem was that Prince Yi didn¡¯t look like he would spare him.

    Ning Xueyan watched Ning Yuling¡¯s miserable state coldly, without any trace of mercy in her eyes...

 Chapter 539 - Effortless Confession

    <h4>Chapter 539 Effortless Confession</h4>

    ¡°Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, it seems you won¡¯t be able to give my dear consort justice seeing as you¡¯ve wronged her in the first ce. Follow me to the pce, then. I need to give my dear consort an exnation.¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s sinisterly cold voice sounded like the whisper of a ghost from hell amidst Ning Yuling¡¯s screams.

    Enter the pce and meet the Emperor?

    Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s expression changed. Speaking about the cause and effect, this was no longer about Ning Yuling framing Ning Xueyan. It was also about Ning Ziying. Now that situation had deteriorated to this state, both manors had practically mucked up their rtionship. Ning Xueyan wouldn¡¯t conceal the matter from the Emperor. And if the truth about Ning Ziying was revealed, he didn¡¯t know how far things would go out of his control.

    They could have forcibly killed Ning Xueyan earlier, but they couldn¡¯t do anything anymore with Prince Yi protecting her.

    He hated Ning Yuling to death. If she wasn¡¯t good at conspiracies, she shouldn¡¯t have attempted them. Not only did she fail to put Ning Xueyan to death, but she even forced Ning Xueyan into showing them no mercy. Her failure had put the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor at a disadvantage.

    Left without a choice, Ning Zu¡¯an forced himself to step forward and pleaded, ¡°Your Highness, please forgive my crimes of failing to educate my children and giving birth to such an evil daughter. I never thought she¡¯d be so wicked that she wouldn¡¯t even spare her mother. Rest assured that we¡¯ll give you an exnation, Your Highness. We wouldn¡¯t let Yan¡¯er suffer.¡±

    Ao Chenyi knocked on the hand rest of the chair while looking at Ning Zu¡¯an with anguid expression. He hadn¡¯t expressed his stance yet.

    When Ning Zu¡¯an didn¡¯t get any response from Ao Chenyi, he turned toward Ning Xueyan. ¡°Yan¡¯er, this is my fault. I apologize to you and I swear I¡¯ll give you an exnation. I won¡¯t let you be wronged. This is a private family matter after all. It wouldn¡¯t be nice if rumors spread.¡±

    This was his guarantee, as well as a promise that he must make. Ao Chenyi was here and the truth wasid open for everyone to see. He wouldn¡¯t benefit even if he was in front of the Emperor and he might even lose his reputation for it. Right now, all he felt for Ning Yuling was hatred. He dared not breathe a word about Ning Yuling¡¯s usation of Ning Xueyan.

    Of course, he wouldn¡¯t dare to admit that at the moment Ning Yuling used Ning Xueyan, he was ready to punish Ning Xueyan without caring for the facts. That way, he could at least protect his son and his two daughters would be able to be first wives as well. Compared to Ning Huaiyuan and Ning Ziyan, Ning Xueyan was significantly less important to him.

    Still, he couldn¡¯t have seen thising. Prince Yi had shown up much earlier than expected and Ning Yuling had also failed far too quickly,pletely catching him off guard. Having witnessed how cruel Prince Yi was, he knew there was no hope for his son anymore. His son would never be the heir again.

    Ning Xueyan and the enmity between Madam Ming and Madam Ling had made it impossible.

    ¡°Father, I¡¯d like to get some rest. You can summon me at the Bright Frost Garden when the people from Xia Manor arrive.¡± A hint of coldness shed in Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes as she watched Ning Zu¡¯an go from wanting to tear her apart in rage to wanting to patch things up. She knew very well what he was thinking earlier.

    He wanted to call her a madwoman and make her die unjustly. It wouldn¡¯t even take long before they would deliver a letter to Prince Yi, iming that she had ¡°taken her life out of fear of punishment¡±.

    With her dead, there would be no one to tell the truth. And there was Ning Yuling as the sole witness of her pushing Madam Ling into the well. Even if Ao Chenyi tried to speak up for her, the facts were indisputable.

    She was disappointed in Ning Zu¡¯an and Lord Protector¡¯s Manor but fortunately, that was the extent of her feelings. Since her rebirth, she had few expectations for this ce.

    But there was no need to rush things now.

    ¡°Okay. Go and rest. I¡¯ll invite people from Xia Manorter. We can¡¯t let you feel wronged. You¡¯re the first wife¡¯s daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. We can let everyone feel wronged, but you.¡±

    What intentional words. Ning Zu¡¯an was implying what he had repeatedly said before: the family was harmonious and all was well.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be resting at Yan¡¯er¡¯s courtyard as well.¡± Ao Chenyi stood upzily and looked at a dying Ning Yuling who couldn¡¯t even find the strength to roll on the ground anymore. ¡°Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, you have to watch over the criminal. I don¡¯t want a dead witness.¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course. We¡¯ll definitely keep an eye on her and won¡¯t let anything happen to her.¡± Ning Zu¡¯an nodded vigorously. He truly hated Ning Yuling and wanted nothing more than for her to die on the spot. However, if she really died, they wouldn¡¯t be able to exin this anymore and would even anger Prince Yi into bringing up the matter to the Emperor.

    His gaze went from Ning Yuling to Madam Ling¡¯s face. He felt no sorrow anymore. He simply thought that Madam Ling was a useless and troublesome person.

    Everyone abruptly dispersed, leaving only a few servants behind to clean up the scene. Madam Dowager had long been aided by the servants to leave the ce. Ning Xueyan and Ao Chenyi walked along the path leading to the Bright Frost Garden, with the eunuchs and guards trailing behind at a distance of ten steps away.

    The handful of maids and older female servants that they met along the way kept their distance. They waited until Ning Xueyan and Ao Chenyi were far away before leaving tremblingly. This gave Ning Xueyan a deep sense of irony. In the past, she was the trembling one. If she didn¡¯t hide when she saw Ning Yuling, she would definitely be humiliated and beaten.

    She would be punished for even the most insignificant matters. Sometimes, it was because the stalk of grass that she identally stepped on was an exotic nt that Ning Yuling had ¡°carefully cultivated.¡± Sometimes, it was because a particr tree that she knocked into was a special tree that Ning Yuling had brought from outside the manor. Sometimes, it was because she ran into a maid, and the maid¡¯s clothes were a treasure that Ning Yuling had personally bestowed.

    Ning Yuling would find every reason possible as ¡°evidence¡± to humiliate Ning Xueyan. The kinder ones of her so-called siblings would watch her like a joke and not act personally. The ones with a better rtionship with Ning Yuling would even join the bullying.

    The first wife¡¯s daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? Ning Zu¡¯an even used this title to euphemistically remind her that she was the first wife¡¯s daughter of the manor and shouldn¡¯t ostracize the manor. But she had never cared for this title. Back then, Madam Ming threw away the title of the first wife without hesitation, and simrly, she wouldn¡¯t care less about removing the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor from her life.

    This manor looked glorious on the surface and itsdies appeared gentle, but they were all rotten to the bones. The entire manor was a vacated nest. With very little effort, it would fall apart. There was no need for a ce like this to exist.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you unhappy?¡± Ao Chenyi looked at Ning Xueyan from the corner of his eye and noticed the faint unhappiness in her pupils. He quietly reached out his hand from inside of his sleeve and grabbed her cold hand. Her hand was especially cold today, exuding no warmth even in such weather. Her health had always been poor. Feeling distressed, a cold look soon appeared on his face.

    ¡°Should I spread rumors and destroy the legacy of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Now isn¡¯t the time.¡± Ning Xueyan shook her head. She could feel a trace of warmth in her fingers that seemed to reach deep into her heart. It made her feel like her cold heart wasn¡¯t so cold anymore.

    She raised her head and exhaled deeply, feeling an inexplicable urge to confide in him. She stopped walking and pointed to a pavilion nearby. ¡°When I was young, it was fun enough for me toe here to y and look around. Even if my mother refused to let me out, I would still sneak out. But, I¡¯d meet Ning Yuling every time. Every time, she would either beat or scold me. Back then, I wondered why she would treat me that way when we were sisters anddies of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.¡±

    ¡°Sometimes, I¡¯d see the Marquis from a distance. I¡¯d always hope that he would see me as well. I was fine with even a nce from him. But whenever he saw me from afar, he would always turn around and take another road, pretending that he didn¡¯t see Ning Yuling humiliating me. Did he even have so-called fatherly love for me?¡±

    Ning Xueyan sneered. In her memory, little Ning Xueyan had always been bullied. Apart from Madam Ming who had showered her with love, no one in the manor saw her as family.

    Ao Chenyi stopped walking as well. He looked at her slender body and suddenly reached out to pull her into his arms. He patted her thin shoulders and said with rare gentleness, ¡°Don¡¯t be sad. You have me.¡±

    In his embrace, Ning Xueyan could feel the powerful beating of his heart. She closed her eyes and asked sulkily, ¡°What if I wasn¡¯t ady from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t marry you because of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Ao Mingyu and the others fought desperately just for the little power the Marquis had, but I couldn¡¯t care less. I married you because you¡¯re you.¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s words carried his usual coldness yet they inexplicably softened her heart.

    ¡°I married you because you¡¯re you!¡±

    It wasn¡¯t for other external factors or conditions. It was simply because she was the one he wanted to marry.

    His answer was short, but his meaning was enough to make Ning Xueyan want to cry. In her past life, Xia Yuhang had married her because of their childhood engagement. Of course, she discoveredter on that there were many secrets and conspiracies behind it, enough to prove that his purpose in marrying her wasn¡¯t pure.

    Xia Yuhang had searched her things and even dealt with her only after bringing her dowry to the manor. It seemed that he was looking for something.

    ¡°What... What if I¡¯m involved with the previous dynasty?¡± she identally blurted out in the midst of his gentle breath. Her longshes fluttered twice and her beautiful eyes appeared to be shrouded in mist. She opened them slightly and sneaked a nce at him expectantly.

    She held tightly onto his sleeve with inadvertent tension and fear in her eyes.

    She was a princess from the previous dynasty. Even if that was her previous life, everything that happened told her that the past was repeating itself. She was still connected to the previous dynasty as her current self.

    The same butterfly birthmark, the inexplicable birth, and the close rtionship between Madam Ming and the Empress of the former dynasty. And that carriage that appeared at the pce that day... Put together, everything seemed to be telling her that her origin wasn¡¯t so simple.

    She didn¡¯t know her origin in her past life, but Xia Yuhang did. Everything that happened after their engagement was nothing more than a show, a web of lies to steal something from her dowry. She was afraid of being caught in such a scene again.

    Her heart subconsciously trembled and two crystal clear tears fell down from her beautiful eyes. She wanted to hear Ao Chenyi¡¯s answer but was also afraid of it. If she was truly right in the mind, she wouldn¡¯t have asked such a question. But in his warm embrace, those words just naturally left her mouth...

 Chapter 540 - Who Is Ning Qingshan?

    <strong>Chapter 540 Who Is Ning Qingshan?</strong>

    ¡°Even if you¡¯re a princess of the previous dynasty, you¡¯re still the only I want.¡± His warm breath was right beside her ear, bringing with it a temperature that made her heart race. Unable to hold back her tears anymore, they fell down her face. Her body trembled, but Ao Chenyi simply held her even tighter, giving her the impression that she was being truly and deeply loved.

    She had been so worriedtely, fearful of reliving her past. She was afraid that she would suffer yet another tragic end after she lost her worth. Even if a voice in her head kept telling her that Ao Chenyi wasn¡¯t Xia Yuhang, it couldn¡¯t calm her panic and anxiety.

    Ao Chenyi sighed when he felt the woman in his arms tremble. He led her behind a tree for privacy and gently caressed her hair. His thin lips curved into a smile and gentleness surfaced in his unfathomable eyes. ¡°If there¡¯s something I want, I¡¯ll fight for it myself. I won¡¯t exploit my woman for it.¡±

    Something in Ning Xueyan¡¯s heart fell after hearing his words and she felt as if she had escaped something. She rxed. ¡°Will... Will I bring you any trouble?¡±

    Ao Chenyi¡¯s smile deepened. He moved his hand from her hair to her face, gently rubbing her delicate skin and wiping away her tears. His voice was so gentle it was almost a whisper. ¡°Yan¡¯er, are you worried about me?¡±

    Ning Xueyan bit her lower lip and leaned her head on his chest. She lifted her hands from the sides of her body and wrapped his thin but robust waist. This was such a cold-hearted man, and yet his warmth was zing hot at this moment. So hot, it was as if there was a zing fire threatening to burn them both.

    Was she worried about him? Naturally. Whether in the past or present, her life seemed gued with troubles.

    ¡°I... I¡¯m worried.¡± Her voice was so soft that Ao Chenyi wouldn¡¯t even hear it if he wasn¡¯t listening attentively. His smile widened uncontrobly. She was as weak as a flower in his arms, yet she was able to easily soften his heart into mush. Before, all women were the same to him.

    She was the only difference. She was the only one who could pique his interest from their first meeting. That thin girl, so young that she couldn¡¯t even be called a teen, immediately caught his eye and slowly entered his heart.

    ¡°Yan¡¯er,¡± he whispered gently. It was as if a voice any louder than this would scare her. His unfathomable eyes burned with intensity. Sunlight fell on Ao Chenyi through the gaps in the leaves,nding on his unbelievably handsome face. A few strands of ck hair danced in the wind, blowing across his beautiful and elegant face.

    His extremely mesmerizing facecked its usual coldness and bloodthirstiness. His lips were curved into a beautiful arc, making him look not like Asura from hell, but as beautiful as God.

    He used to think that he would never fall for any woman. Everyone assumed that he kept dying his marriage because of his heartbreak over his previous engagement. Nobody knew that he never had eyes on any woman and the dy had his handiwork in it.

    Things were different now. This young woman, so delicate that she seemed like she would break without even touching, had entered his heart in her tenacious, decisive way.

    ¡°Your Highness, I...¡± His embrace was so tight that Ning Xueyan was getting out of breath. She twisted slightly in his arms, indicating for him to rx.

    ¡°Call me Chenyi!¡± he whispered in her ear, making her entire body burn and turning her face red.

    ¡°... Chen... Yi...¡± she uttered, albeit with difficulty. She buried her head deep in his arms afterward. She wasn¡¯t a dense person. Ever since he married both his princess and consort on the same day for her sake, she had the inkling that he had different feelings for her. But, she never dared to hope for anything.

    In her past life, her heart was set on marrying Xia Yuhang. She thought that he was the gentlest and kindest person on earth, the person who treated her the best. The end¡ªthe bloodstained sky by the lotus pond¡ªproved otherwise. Her heart had died at that moment. Even after she was reborn, she kept warning herself that all she should do was protect the people she wanted to protect and avenge herself.

    Even so, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder about his intentions and thoughts sometimes.

    Did he really not care about the many worries and troubles in her heart? Did he not have other considerations?

    But at this moment, his clear answer made nearly all of her worries vanish. She could only hear his low, warm voice in her ears. ¡°Yan¡¯er!¡±

    His voice carried an indescribable sentiment.

    He raised her chin lightly, but powerfully and a burning kiss fell on her face. First, her forehead, and then her cheek. Finally, her pale lips...

    Under the willow tree caressed by the spring breeze, a beautiful couple embraced and kissed...

    After the kiss, they continued to stand behind the tree, still locked in an embrace. Ning Xueyan closed her eyes slightly, her longshes sweeping her cheeks and leaving two jagged shadows. Her pale lips had been dyed with a fiery red. Ao Chenyi¡¯s smile became even gentler and more charming.

    The beautiful man with shapely brows raised his almond-shaped eyes, revealing a pair of deep pupils that carried traces of affection and love as he looked at the young woman in his embrace. His lips were curved into a smile. Every feature on his face was exquisite. When he looked up again, his frighteningly dark eyes became as sharp as a de. They carried a terrifying coldness.

    The guards and eunuchs had already stopped a distance away a long time ago, keeping to themselves as they pretended to be invisible.

    Neither Ning Xueyan nor Ao Chenyi said anything. It felt as if no words were necessary and it was enough to snuggle up to each other.

    It was the peak of spring, with bright colors everywhere that lent everyone ayer of charm.

    Ao Chenyi, in his ink-ck clothes, and Ning Xueyan, in her light pink clothes, were like a beautiful pair amidst a paradise of mountains and rivers. Willow leaves would flutter by now and then, making the scenery look all that more breathtaking. The haziness was enough to make one feel drunk. For a long time, neither could calm their racing hearts.

    After a long time, Ning Xueyan finally raised her head from Ao Chenyi¡¯s chest and looked at him with her beautiful watery eyes. ¡°I... I think I¡¯m really not Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s biological daughter.¡±

    She thought she would never be able to bring herself to say this, and yet it felt so natural to tell him now. It was as if the words had merely slipped out from her mouth. She didn¡¯t have to rack her mind to test the other person, nor tentatively sounding the other person out after a long consideration.

    Ao Chenyi sighed. He looked at her shapely brows knitted into a frown and said softly, ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°How... How did you know?¡± Ning Xueyan asked, dumbfounded. A trace of confusion flitted across her vibrant eyes, making her look a little dazed. Ao Chenyi found her to be too adorable for words and gently kissed her hair.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know the specifics. All I know is that your mother was very close to the Empress of the previous dynasty until she suddenly broke off contact. When the fire started at the former pce, someone saw the fleeing Empress onceing to your manor to meet your mother. She went missing after.¡±

    Ao Chenyi had no ns to keep the truth from her. Even so, he kept holding her in his arms, greedily taking in her softness and gentleness as sheid in his embrace. He told her everything because he knew that she was investigating this. He didn¡¯t want her to know the full story at first, but since she had gotten involved, he didn¡¯t want to hide from her anymore.

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t stay surprised about Ao Chenyi knowing this for long. Even though it was difficult, he was capable enough to find out a clue or two.

    ¡°Do you think that I¡¯m my mother¡¯s...¡± Ning Xueyan gulped. She didn¡¯t think Madam Ming would have children with other men. Such a prouddy from a distinguished family would nevermit herself to a man so easily. And that man seemed to have appeared only once in the Ning Manor.

    ¡°Yan¡¯er, don¡¯t think about it anymore. Your mother wasn¡¯t a person like that. How could a daughter of a noble family in the previous dynasty, a true and properdy, do something so unruly? Only someone like Ning Zu¡¯an would judge another person with his perception. He kept thinking that Madam Ming would inevitably betray him, which made him constantly suspicious of you both. That was why he allowed you and your mother to fend for yourselves without any concern.¡±

    Ao Chenyi sneered. A trace of coldness appeared in his deep eyes.

    Ning Zu¡¯an was truly a fool. He would rather abandon his wife and treat his mistress as his treasure. In the end, he even went so far as to pamper his mistress so much that he ruined his wife. Ao Chenyi still had a lot of incriminating evidence against him.

    ¡°Should I ruin Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s Lord Protector¡¯s Manor so that he¡¯ll never make aeback again?¡± His cold voice was filled with sinister anger. Anyone would be able to tell that he wasn¡¯t making an empty threat.

    ¡°Not for now. Ning Qingshan wants to rely on the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to marry the Third Prince, doesn¡¯t she? We¡¯ll let her get married first,¡± Ning Xueyan said softly, shaking his arm. ¡°Help me investigate her identity. She seems to be rted to Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s family. And she seems to think that she¡¯s the eldest princess of the previous dynasty.¡±

    This made Ning Xueyan really confused. She was the actual princess of the previous dynasty in her past life, so why did Ning Qingshan firmly believe that she was the one?

    Although Ning Yuling appeared to be fully responsible for trying to frame her this time, the mastermind was definitely Ning Qingshan. Ning Qingshan had simply acted behind the scenes. Naturally, Ning Xueyan wouldn¡¯t just let her go.

    And now wasn¡¯t the time to spread rumors about Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s affairs. She was the first wife¡¯s daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor after all. Ning Zu¡¯an was right; a married daughter like her wouldn¡¯t be implicated in the event that the manor was punished, but it would be incredibly detrimental to her. Commandery Princess Xianyun would definitely use this opportunity to give her trouble. She must not inconvenience Ao Chenyi further.

    Besides, she had evidence against Ning Zu¡¯an. She could ruin him any time she wanted. It was to the point that he wouldn¡¯t even dare to offend her now.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help you investigate Ning Qingshan. You don¡¯t have to ask Yu Jian if you need anything. Juste to me. Don¡¯t make me worried. If you¡¯re ever unhappy or troubled, you can tell me.¡± She felt her soft hand fall into hisrge, warm hand. In his voice, she could hear gentleness and mirth.

    Who would have thought the arrogant and overbearing Prince Yi would have such a gentle side to him? Ning Xueyan obediently let him stroke her hand gently.

    ¡°All right. I¡¯ll deal with the petty things and leave the big ones to you.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded. Her heart was warm.

 Chapter 541 - Tender Exchange of Feelings

    <h4>Chapter 541 Tender Exchange of Feelings</h4>

    ¡°The affairs of the previous dynasty... Yan¡¯er, if you¡¯re rted to them, would you think that I¡¯m your enemy?¡±

    Even though his voice was soft, Ning Xueyan heard him loud and clear. She shook her head. ¡°Your family didn¡¯t destroy the previous dynasty.¡±

    Ning Xueyan had investigated the previous dynasty quite well. Regardless of how the dynasty ended, the initiator was said to be the then Right Minister, whom the Ao family had won the throne from. She didn¡¯t think that this made Ao Chenyi her enemy.

    But so what if there was indeed enmity between them? Her biological mother went missing after entrusting her to her adoptive parents. Even though they did their best to raise her, they also kept her origin a secret. This showed that they didn¡¯t want her involved with the past.

    The previous dynasty had been destroyed. How could a mere princess hope to revive her fallen country?

    This must be her adoptive parents¡¯ intention as well. They must have kept her origin a secret to give her a peaceful life. Yet, they couldn¡¯t hide their biggest secret and were tricked by the Xia family. Their early deaths had also forced her toe to the capital and seek shelter with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    ¡°Ning Ziying was the eldest princess of the previous dynasty, but she didn¡¯t know anything. With her gone, all the grudges and grievances about the past and present dynasty have nothing to do with us,¡± she said softly.

    Ning Ziying was dead. Whatever left of her¡ªthis remnant soul¡ªwas proof of that. Her death meant the end of the bloodline of the previous imperial family. Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t wish toment over things so much that they became her obsession. She didn¡¯t hope for much. She just wished to protect the people she wished to protect and live peacefully.

    National affairs were never something a young woman like her could hope to control.

    Her heart was very small; there wasn¡¯t enough space for the grandiose, worldly matters. She was just a young woman raised in the depths of the boudoir and all she could see was the corner of the sky from the backyard. A young woman as weak and slender as she could neither kill enemies in the battlefield nor spar verbally in the court.

    No matter who she was, she was still an ordinary young woman.

    ¡°I¡¯m d that you think that way.¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s voice was as steady as ever, but Ning Xueyan could still sense his relief. The corners of her mouth curved yet there was a mild stinging in her eyes. She felt as if there was finally someone who cared for her. She was no longer the orphan abandoned at the Bright Frost Garden whom nobody loved nor wanted.

    ¡°My mother was the Imperial Father¡¯s concubine. She was lovely, but her beauty didn¡¯t bring her much happiness. She died from blood loss after giving birth to me. Afterward, I started following my father to the battlefield out of fear of being murdered. He hadn¡¯t be the Emperor then. I have continued to stay in the army since.¡±

    Ao Chenyi¡¯s voice was t but Ning Xueyan could hear a trace of sadness in his indifference.

    No wonder he became famous at such a young age. He was heralded as a man with the power to overwhelm the world and rumored to be arrogant and domineering. He was still a child when he joined the army and entered the battlefield. If he wasn¡¯t capable, he would have been dead a long time ago.

    It was said that thete Emperor had taken care of him, but how could that be possible? Thete Emperor was a man, and a man caught in a war at that. The world was in chaos then, so where would he find the time and energy to take care of his child? There seemed to be a huge age gap between Ao Chenyi and the current Emperor, too.

    He had an elderly, busy father and a much older brother that he wasn¡¯t close to. There was also the endless fighting. If he couldn¡¯t remain strong in such days, he would have died without even leaving a corpse behind. Even a group of adults would easily die without a trace in the chaos of war, never mind a child.

    Ao Chenyi must have suffered a lot at that time!

    ¡°You... You must have been very afraid and tired at that time!¡±

    He must have been just as terrified, worried, and helpless as she was when she first arrived at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor in her past life.

    Ao Chenyi watched as Ning Xueyan looked up at him with a gentle, pitying gaze. Her bright eyes were watery as if all of the gentleness and love in the world was contained in them. He felt as if his heart was being soaked in a hot spring. He squeezed her hand. ¡°It was okay. It wasn¡¯t as bad as you think. As long as you¡¯re strong, much stronger than others, no one can do anything to you. Honor is utmost in the army, and everyone respects the strong there.¡±

    The gentleness in his voice swiftly turned into a deep hatred. ¡°When I investigatedter, I learned that someone had fed my mother and caused her death by blood loss. They wanted both of us dead, but I was lucky enough to survive. The masterminds were so powerful that my father had no choice but to take me with him.¡±

    An idea struck Ning Xueyan, making her ask, ¡°Was it the Empress Dowager and Lord Protector¡¯s Manor?¡±

    ¡°Yes. To be the Empress Dowager, she took great pains to promote her chosen person to a position of power. She wanted to enjoy the honors of the world, but what a pity. Even the one she supported wasn¡¯t loyal to her. Once the throne was firmly in grasp, he settled the score with her. Just as the sky can¡¯t have two suns, the country can¡¯t have two masters. She wanted to be the puppet master, but she didn¡¯t check if the puppet was willing!¡±

    Coldness and bloodthirstiness glinted in Ao Chenyi¡¯s beautiful eyes. For the throne, that old hag dared to murder his father and cost him his only family in the world.

    Ning Xueyan fell silent. Ao Chenyi had grown up in the army without his mother, but he at least had his father. Yet, he lost even his father in the end. This must have been a huge blow to the young Ao Chenyi. And after his older brother ascended the throne, he was viewed in suspicion. This was obvious judging from the many concubines sent from the pce.

    He didn¡¯t have an official mistress for his harem, only a group of concubines. Even if everything was fine, they could still cause trouble out of nothing. That was, indeed, their goal in the first ce. Fortunately, Ao Chenyi was ruthless enough to keep his harem in check. This reminded Ning Xueyan of the time she entered the manor disguised as his beloved concubine.

    Back then, his concubines only quieted down after watching two beauties sent by the two Emperors die.

    Even though her origin wasplicated, her life seemed considerably less miserable than Ao Chenyi. Her adoptive parents had truly loved her in her past life. In this life, Madam Ming had loved her dearly as well.

    Suddenly, she looked up and asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t the Emperor say anything after you beat his pce maids to death?¡± Logically speaking, Ao Chenyi couldn¡¯t kill pce maids sent by the Emperor.

    ¡°Of course he wouldn¡¯t say anything. I stopped seeing my fiancee because of him. He had always felt apologetic, so naturally, he wouldn¡¯t reprimand me. If people knew that he stole his younger brother¡¯s woman, his reputation would be ruined in the history records.¡±

    Ao Chenyi mocked.

    Fiancee? Ning Xueyan was stunned. She heard that Ao Chenyi¡¯s fiancee died of illness a long time ago. It was said that he stayed a bachelor out of love for his deceased fiancee and dyed his marriage for the longest time. She was surprised by the truth behind this.

    ¡°Forget it. I wouldn¡¯t want that woman even if you gave her to me. It suited me just fine. Let him keep her if he wants her.¡± Ao Chenyi raised his browsnguidly without any trace of sadness on his face. Instead, Ning Xueyan realized a gleam of interest in his wicked, handsome eyes.

    ¡°Don¡¯t spare her any mind. Yan¡¯er, all you have to remember is that she has always been a passerby in my life.¡± Ao Chenyi reached out to touch her soft face with a smile. When he saw her face turning an unusual red, he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone but you, Yan¡¯er. You can disregard other women, especially Xianyun. The Lord Peace¡¯s Manor tried to rise again after the Empress Dowager died, but what a pity. Neither I nor the Emperor had the intention to let them do so. And you¡¯re the only mistress of my manor. You¡¯re the only one I want!¡± Ao Chenyi lowered his head and looked at Ning Xueyan. His voice was soft but his tone was sincere.

    After he finished speaking, he deliberately squeezed her soft cheek.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s face turned even redder. She reached out to pat his hand away and protested yfully. ¡°Speak properly.¡±

    ¡°Am I not speaking properly now? What, am I not speaking properly if I¡¯m holding my wife?¡± Ao Chenyi teased, chuckling. He continued to look at her with a yful look. He pinched her again with a loving expression.

    ¡°You... We¡¯re talking about your childhood here. You must have been very tired then...¡± She once again patted his hand away. It seemed like she was deliberately changing the topic instead of being truly concerned about him. Her beautiful eyes carried a hint of feigned annoyance, making him feel even more in love with her.

    ¡°Treat me better in the future then,¡± Ao Chenyi said seriously. He nodded, going along with Ning Xueyan¡¯s topic. His words were straightforward but somehow, his earnest expression made her feel embarrassed. Thenguid, mirthful look in his eyes, in particr, gave her the feeling that he was doing it on purpose.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Ning Xueyan was speechless. She pulled his hand and moved forward. She used her beautiful eyes to re at him, making his typically cold, dangerous eyes to be dyed with dazzling happiness. His face became all that more handsome with a rxed smile. Even she couldn¡¯t help but be mesmerized by his rare smile.

    What a wicked man! He was better off not smiling! He should keep a straight face all the time so no one could see this side of him.

    But, seeing his rxed expression and sunny smile filled her heart with unspeakable softness and warmth. The corners of her mouth curled up.

    Ao Chenyi let down one of his hands and wrapped it gently around her slender waist. Then, he slowly walked forward.

    The moment they started walking, the people behind them immediately followed suit.

    After taking two steps, Ao Chenyi suddenly looked at Ning Xueyan and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I married you for you!¡±

    Ning Xueyan had asked this question before, and he had indeed answered it. Repeating it only made his answer feel more solemn. Her lips subconsciously curved into a beautiful smile and she even took the initiative to lean into his arms.

    Ao Chenyi smiled in satisfaction at the feeling of having a beautiful, gentle woman in his embrace. He stared at the pretty woman in his arms with fiery intensity and whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll keep you safe for the rest of your life.¡± His voice was so soft that it was barely audible to him. He had always been someone who knew exactly what he wanted.

    Therefore, at this moment, he knew very well that this was his wife, someone that he wished to protect for the rest of his life.

 Chapter 542 - Opening and Reregistering in the Family Records

    <h4>Chapter 542 Opening and Reregistering in the Family Records</h4>

    Inside the reception hall of the Madam Dowager¡¯s Lucky Garden, Ao Chenyi looked at Xia Yuhang with a cold stare. ¡°Eldest Young Master Xia, don¡¯t you think you owe me an exnation for the framing of my consort?¡± he asked, wearing a faint smile as he tapped his fingers on the table.

    Xia Yuhang frowned and the smile on his gentle face nearly faltered. ¡°Your Highness, rest assured that both the Xia and Ning Manors won¡¯t let Consort Ning suffer in vain.¡±

    ¡°Oh, what will you do?¡± Ao Chenyi asked curiously.

    ¡°The honor of the imperial family must not be defiled,¡± Xia Yuhang replied firmly, raising his eyes slightly.

    He seemed ready to execute Ning Yuling. It was no difficult matter to kill a mere concubine like her, especially when her crime had threatened the honor of the imperial family. Death was inevitable.

    Ning Zu¡¯an hated Ning Yuling for giving him so much trouble but seeing Xia Yuhang deciding to kill her so easily still made him ufortable. She was, after all, a daughter that he had carefully raised and spoiled. Yet, he had to watch someone else deciding her life and death in front of him.

    Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t find any reasons to refute him. Ning Yuling was currently a concubine in Xia Manor. Never mind the fact that she had offended Prince Yi. Even if she hadn¡¯t, Xia Yuhang could still easily sentence a mere concubine like her to death.

    Ning Huaiyuan, who sat next to his father, wanted to speak up after hearing Xia Yuhang¡¯s words. After receiving his father¡¯s fierce stare, he gritted his teeth and looked away, only to meet a pair of beautiful but sinister eyes. Those unfathomable pupils carried a trace of bloodthirsty mirth, making him lower his head immediately.

    ¡°Very well. I admire your temperament, Eldest Young Master Xia.¡± A strange smile appeared on Ao Chenyi¡¯s face as he moved his hand, causing the sleeve of his gorgeous robe embroidered with spider lilies to rustle. With an almost tangible murderous intent, he said, ¡°But that woman killed her mother. I don¡¯t think we have settled that yet.¡±

    Xia Yuhang¡¯s brows were knitted. He knew that Prince Yi was reminding him that Ning Yuling couldpensate for killing Madam Ling with her death, but that had nothing to do with her framing Ning Xueyan. In other words, Ning Yuling¡¯s life alone wasn¡¯t enough to repay her crimes.

    Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s face turned pale. At the end of his cuffs, his hands were so tightly clenched that he didn¡¯t realize that his fingers were cutting into his palms. His mother had died in the hands of his biological sister, and yet he was the one with the least authority to speak here. He was only allowed to be here because he had the closest rtionship to the two people involved.

    Feeling resentful and irritated, his eyes subconsciously turned dark. He was still too weak. That was why he had no right to speak in a situation like this.

    Ning Zu¡¯an knew Prince Yi wouldn¡¯t let him off if he couldn¡¯t give him a proper exnation today. He had no choice but to say, ¡°Yan¡¯er is the only first wife¡¯s daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Ning Yuling will be removed from our family records. As for Madam Ling...¡± He deliberately put on a guilty expression as he nced at Ning Huaiyuan beside him.

    Then, he said cruelly, ¡°Madam Ling was just a mistress. Even if she joined the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor afterward, she was still just a concubine. I will open the family records and re-register her name.¡±

    ¡°Father...¡± Ning Huaiyuan jumped to his feet, gasping. On his pale face, one could see the blue veins on his forehead throbbing.

    Reopening the family records and re-registering Madam Ling meant that her status would be refreshed. In the past, Ning Zu¡¯an had deliberately changed the records to give Ning Huaiyuan a legitimate status. Madam Ling¡¯s records were edited to look like she had entered the manor a few years earlier than she actually did, and Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s birth was made to look like it happened in the manor as well.

    Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s intention to re-register Madam Ling meant that Ning Huaiyuan would go from a concubine-born son to an illegitimate child.

    A concubine-born son could still hope to be the first wife¡¯s son and inherit the position of the heir of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, but an illegitimate child would never have this opportunity.

    Ning Zu¡¯an was denying Ning Huaiyuan of his chance to inherit the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    For many years, everyone in the family told him that he would be the future heir of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Since he was a child, they told him that everything in the manor was his. This allowed him to enjoy all of his privileges with a peaceful mind. As Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s only son, he took everything for granted.

    After enjoying many years of such privileges, he was told that the manor had nothing to do with him anymore and he was just a lowly illegitimate son. How could he take this blow?

    Ning Zu¡¯an sighed andforted his son, saying, ¡°Yuan¡¯er, I¡¯ll send you to an academy outside soon. You cane back after three years and retake the examination. Who knows, you might even score better in the uing rankings.¡± He had no choice but to give up his distinguished son. If they couldn¡¯tpensate for Ning Yuling¡¯s crimes satisfactorily, he would surely suffer in the end.

    He had no choice either.

    Even though Ning Huaiyuan had always been clever and studious, he never thought he would have to take the imperial examination. It was well within expectations that he had failed the examination this time. If he studied hard over the next three years, he would surely seed. When that time came, Ning Zu¡¯an would work harder to help him.

    ¡°Father, do you think I¡¯ll be able to enter the court as an official with such a status?¡± Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s tears were about to fall. His face was as pale as snow as he confronted his irresponsible father.

    So what if he passed the examination? All it would take was someone mentioning his illegitimate child status to the Emperor and his future would be wiped out. His future, his ambitions, were all gone.

    Languid mirth appeared in Ao Chenyi¡¯s deep pupils, making him look as unfathomable as ever. ¡°Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, I¡¯m pleased with your decision. As for the matters between you and your son, you may discuss it among yourselves. Excuse me, I still have business at home,¡± he interjectedzily. He got up and strode out.

    He was quite delighted with the tit-for-tat scene between father and son toward the end, but of course, he didn¡¯t have the luxury of time to watch such a good show.

    Inside the side room of the Lucky Garden, Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan were sitting with Madam Dowager.

    Never in a million years did Ning Qingshan think that things would change so drastically. The biggest surprise was that the good-for-nothing Ning Yuling had even allowed Ning Xueyan to find evidence against her. Recalling that maid, she became so furious that her nose nearly became crooked.

    Why was Ning Yuling so stupid? Didn¡¯t she have a guard? Didn¡¯t she know to ask the guard to knock Ning Xueyan unconscious and throw her next to the well? No one would have found out. And Mother Chen, who betrayed Ning Yuling on the spot, looked unreliable at first nce. Yet Ning Yuling still bribed her to testify against Ning Xueyan.

    That meant that Ning Yuling had to guard against the possibility of Mother Chen betraying her.

    Ning Qingshan thought someone like her should be pushed down the well alongside Madam Ling. So what if they didn¡¯t have witnesses? As long as someone discovered that the victim was Madam Ling and someone else saw Ning Xueyan returning from the yard, it would be all over. There was no need for such aplicated n at all. A simple trick was enough to make Ning Xueyan¡¯s life unbearable.

    But look at things now. Not only was Ning Xueyan fine, but the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had to face Prince Yi¡¯s wrath because of Ning Yuling.

    Ning Qingshan¡¯s eyes were burning with rage. She gritted her teeth and peeked at Ning Xueyan. This little bitch was way too lucky. And why would Prince Yi suddenly show up here? Wasn¡¯t it said that he didn¡¯t even enter Ning Xueyan¡¯s bridal chamber on their wedding night?

    ¡°Fifth Sister, now that things havee to this point, our Second Sister has received her rightful punishment. She has evenpensated for her crime against you with her eyes. Can¡¯t you give her a chance to live? We¡¯re all the sisters from the same family. Please go and say something nice in front of Prince Yi. Have him let go of our Second Sister and the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor!¡±

    When Ning Qingshan raised her head again, she appeared worried about the future of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor as she looked at Ning Xueyan in tears.

    Madam Dowager moved her body slightly. She had been trying to bring this up since a while ago. If the well incident hadn¡¯t happened, she would have been able to demand Ning Xueyan to protect the manor with righteousness, but Ning Xueyan¡¯s stern words at the well made her consciously aware that the granddaughter in front of her was no longer the bullied Fifth Young Lady.

    So, when she spoke up, her tone was softer andcked her previous arrogance. ¡°Xueyan, Qingshan is right. Yuling hasmitted a crime against you, but this is your home after all. If Prince Yi is too aggressive, it¡¯s not... It¡¯s not too good, is it?!¡±

    She felt a stab of guilt. Earlier, she was determined to kill Ning Xueyan with the excuse that she had gone mad. Even though she didn¡¯t say it clearly, she believed Ning Xueyan understood her intention. Ning Xueyan had sat here quietly sinceing here, and she could only fidget without knowing how to speak up.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, are you asking me to plead with His Highness?¡± Ignoring Ning Qingshan¡¯s pretentiousness, Ning Xueyan looked up calmly and addressed Madam Dowager directly.

    ¡°Yes, Xueyan. That¡¯s for the best. We can¡¯t let your father suffer. That¡¯s your father, after all. What Yuling did has nothing to do with him. Had we known how vicious she is, we would have never let her into the manor again,¡± Madam Dowager shamelessly said.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, do you think my words will be useful? Today¡¯s incident isn¡¯t just an internal matter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. People will only gossip that the Second Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor has framed Prince Yi¡¯s consort. If this rumor spreads, do you think everything will be over with just a word or two from me?¡±

    Ning Xueyan smiled mockingly at her. This matter had now gotten Xia Manor and Prince Yi¡¯s Manor involved, but Madam Dowager still wanted to manipte their family rtionship to pretend that this was an internal struggle between sisters in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. She thought that if they were to keep it a secret tacitly like they often did, no one would be able to find out.

    Before Madam Dowager could say anything, Ning Qingshan, who appeared determined to show off her presence, chimed in. In a rather sad tone, she said, ¡°Fifth Sister, is this really non-negotiable? Look at how angry you made Madam Dowager.¡± Her words suggested that Ning Xueyan was being unfilial by disagreeing to help.

    Annoyed that Ning Qingshan had made herself look like the most filial person in the world, Ning Xueyan gave her a cold look and mercilessly retorted, ¡°I heard you¡¯ve been exchanging letters with Minister Xia¡¯s second son recently, Third Sister. Could it be that you¡¯re more interested in Second Young Master Xia than the prince now?¡±

    Her simple question was like a p across Ning Qingshan¡¯s face, turning it a green color.

 Chapter 543 - Unmasking Ning Qingshan

    <h4>Chapter 543 Unmasking Ning Qingshan</h4>

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s words left Madam Dowager stunned. She abruptly raised her head to look at Ning Qingshan with an increasingly displeased expression. Finally, her face turned as dark as the night.

    Everyone knew Ning Qingshan¡¯s intentions about the Third Prince, so she couldn¡¯t have fallen for Xia Yudong, a man inferior to the prince in many ways. Her mysterious rtionship with the Second Young Master Xia at a time like this suggested that they were having an affair.

    Coincidentally, Ning Yuling had just murdered her mother to frame Ning Xueyan.

    Everyone in the manor was well aware of the kind of person Ning Yuling was. She was a selfish and impulsive person who would be easily provoked into action. In other words, she was aplete idiot. Madam Dowager recalled that it was Ning Qingshan who suggested that they held the ancestral ceremony for Ning Huaiyuan. She wouldn¡¯t have thought of performing the ceremony without knowing whether Ning Huaiyuan had seeded in the examination.

    Ning Qingshan¡¯s face turned increasingly pale. She never thought that Ning Xueyan would know about this, and even brought it up at this point. Most importantly, Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t seem to have suggested much. She had no reason to argue even if she wanted to. She looked up at Ning Xueyan, who acted as if nothing had happened after dropping such a bomb. Ning Xueyan was looking out of the door in silence.

    But Ning Qingshan knew that Madam Dowager had already begun to doubt her.

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t produce any factual evidence to use her, but this was even worse. Her simple question had cost her Madam Dowager¡¯s favor.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, where did you hear such nonsense? I¡¯m not close to Second Young Master Xia. Why would I have contact with him? Much less exchanging letters.¡± With a pale face and gritted teeth, she tried to make it seem like Ning Xueyan was wronging her. Unfortunately, the sudden change in the situation had caught her off guard and her delicate, pitiful expression didn¡¯t appear quite right. It made her look more nervous instead.

    Madam Dowager watched Ning Qingshan closely. She could tell from Ning Qingshan¡¯s face that she was furious.

    ¡°Third Sister, should we invite Second Young Master Xia here and ask him about it? I believe that His Highness has many tricks to make him speak.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled gently.

    Prince Yi¡¯s tricks? Ning Qingshan felt cold all over. If the prince were to use his cruel methods against Xia Yudong, thetter would surely answer everything that was asked of him and all of her ns with him would be exposed to the world. If Madam Dowager found out that she had harmed Ning Xueyan behind her back just to win over the Third Prince, and even imed the lives of Ning Yuling and Madam Ling in the process...

    She didn¡¯t dare to think further. If the truth was exposed, she could onlypensate for her wrongdoings with death.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, don¡¯t, don¡¯t speak nonsense. Second Young Master Xia is the younger brother of a court official. His Highness would never... treat him like that.¡± Her smile was stiff and she was even stammering.

    Madam Dowager felt as if a fire was rampaging in her chest and she had the urge to vomit blood. ¡°Enough!¡± she cried, mming the table with her hand so hard that the cups were shaking. They looked as if they would crash to the ground.

    The mood in the room immediately turned tense.

    Ning Xueyan looked at Ning Qingshan with a fleeting smile and stopped talking.

    Madam Dowager stared hard at Ning Qingshan. The more she thought about it, the more resentful she became. She swept her hand across the table, flinging the tumbling cups to the ground. The cups made a crisp sound as they fell. She started raging at Ning Qingshan. ¡°Very well... Very well! I never thought we¡¯d be raising a traitor in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor!¡±

    Her words were sharp and her stare on Ning Qingshan was cold. Everyone could tell who the recipient of her anger was. Silence fell over the room.

    Ning Qingshan never imagined that the scheme that she had been orchestrating from behind the scenes would one day be brought to her face. Madam Dowager appeared furious at her and even called her a traitor. She was still living in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor now. Following Madam Ling¡¯s death and Ning Yuling¡¯s actions, she was destined to live as a concubine-born daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Not only did she have such a status, but she was also not a biological child of this family. If she couldn¡¯t win back Madam Dowager¡¯s favor, she could already see how badly she would be suppressed in the Third Prince¡¯s harem. She had a low status in the first ce. Without a strong family backing her up, she couldn¡¯t even match up to Ya Moqin.

    Part of the reason Honored Consort Ya chose her instead of her niece, Ya Moqin, was the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor behind her. Now, however, her status as ady from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor not only did not raise her, but appeared to be dragging her down instead.

    Moreover, she hadn¡¯t married the Third Prince yet and had to seek a living under Madam Dowager. If she angered Madam Dowager, she might not even be able to marry the Third Prince.

    She gritted her teeth and allowed tears to well up in her eyes. She knelt with a thud. ¡°Madam Dowager, believe me when I say that I have no contact with Second Young Master Xia. I¡¯m always around and rarely leave the manor. Aftering back, I didn¡¯t even know this Second Young Master Xia. So how could we exchange letters? Fifth Sister must have misunderstood me. Maybe a maid in the manor is using my name to have an affair with him.¡±

    She appeared sad and timid as tears fell down her face continuously. She sounded both wronged and upset as she tried to argue for herself.

    Her exnation sounded reasonable. Xia Manor and Lord Protector¡¯s Manor were not in contact three years ago. Never mind Xia Yudong, thedies in the manor didn¡¯t even know Xia Yuhang. Three years after that, Ning Qingshan didn¡¯t think she had the chance to meet Xia Yudong.

    Of course, she wouldn¡¯t mention that Ning Ziyan was the one who helped her meet Xia Yudong.

    Her words were intended to direct the me onto her maid. The death of a maid was nothing if it meant her salvation. Whether or not the maid would expose her behavior before death, it didn¡¯t matter. She could just excuse it as the maid being grudgeful and making up stories to hurt her.

    With such reasoning and evidence, coupled with her performance, Ning Qingshan believed that Madam Dowager would just kill her maid at most.

    Caifen widened her eyes at Ning Qingshan after hearing her mention her maids. Her pupils were filled with disbelief. Was this the Third Young Lady that she wanted so desperately to protect? What did she mean? Was Ning Qingshan nning to make her a scapegoat? But the consequences for this crime weren¡¯t something a mere maid like her could bear!

    She didn¡¯t understand it before, but she slowly began to understand after living in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor for a while. A crime like this wasn¡¯t something a maid could bear. When something like this happened, only death awaited.

    Did her sister die under such circumstances as well? The Third Young Lady told her that her sister died because of the Fifth Young Lady. If she were to die here, could this be med on the Fifth Young Lady as well? But the real murderer was the Third Young Lady.

    Ning Qingshan couldn¡¯t care less about Caifen now. She even made an oath, saying, ¡°Madam Dowager, let heaven strike me with lightning and give me tragic death if I have an affair with Xia Yudong!

    Her exnation and oath didn¡¯t diminish the anger on Madam Dowager¡¯s face. She had thought today¡¯s events over in her head earlier. She felt that Ning Yuling couldn¡¯t have possibly done this. Ning Yuling was never smart, and it would be impossible for her toe up with such a n to frame Ning Xueyan.

    And if things didn¡¯t work out, she would be the one to die.

    She was a mere concubine at Xia Manor, but she was nheless no longer living at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Even if Madam Ling¡¯s status improved, only Ning Ziyan¡¯s status would be better. It had very little to do with her. When did Ning Yuling start being so considerate of others to the point of sacrificing herself to frame Ning Xueyan?

    To the point ofmitting such a vicious act that vited human ethics?

    Unless someone provoked her, Madam Dowager was sure that Ning Yuling wouldn¡¯t dare to do such a thing.

    Ning Yuling had intended to frame Ning Xueyan, so both of them weren¡¯t suspects. That made Ning Qingshan, the bystander in this event, the most suspicious of them all. Madam Dowager could vividly remember that Ning Qingshan was the one who brought up having an ancestral ceremony. Bringing up such a matter out of nowhere was just her way of tricking Ning Xueyan intoing back.

    Therefore, no matter how reasonable Ning Qingshan¡¯s exnation was, Madam Dowager wouldn¡¯t believe her anymore. She had also heard Ning Qingshan¡¯s oath loud and clear. Ning Qingshan vowed that she didn¡¯t have an affair with Xia Yudong, not that she had nothing to do with this incident. Naturally, there was no affair between them, but a conspiracy.

    Madam Dowager was so angry that she nearly vomited blood.

    ¡°Go back to your courtyard. Don¡¯t leave unless you have any business. Stay there, copy scriptures, and pray for Madam Ling¡¯s well-being in the afterlife,¡± Madam Dowager said, every word leaving her mouth with difficulty. She looked at Ning Qingshan as if she was going to devour her but didn¡¯t respond to her words.

    Ning Qingshan was currently not only the adopted daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor but also their link to the Third Prince¡¯s Manor. Even if Madam Dowager was angry, she couldn¡¯t expose Ning Qingshan. They had already offended Prince Yi; they couldn¡¯t afford to anger the Third Prince as well.

    Ning Qingshan nearly fainted after hearing Madam Dowager¡¯s words. That was as good as convicting and imprisoning her! Wasn¡¯t it enough to have a maid take the me? Why should she still be implicated?

    Saying such words in front of so many, particrly under such circumstances, was akin to pping Ning Qingshan in the face. Her face turned increasingly pale, but she had no choice but to ept this.

    Facing Ning Qingshan¡¯s bloodless, pale face and vaguely furious eyes, a mocking smile appeared on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face. Ning Qingshan must be furious right now, but she couldn¡¯t show it. Offending Madam Dowager would make her life more unbearable than hell.

    ¡°Yes, Madam Dowager!¡± Ning Qingshan had no choice but to bow and put on a submissive expression on her face.

    ¡°Madam Dowager, is the conversation over? His Highness wants to know if Consort Ning can leave.¡± A voice, carrying a hint of malice, came from the door.

    Everyone looked up and saw a eunuch at the door. He was staring at them with cold eyes.

 Chapter 544 - The One Who Had a Piece of His Heart

    <h4>Chapter 544 The One Who Had a Piece of His Heart</h4>

    ¡°Yes, we¡¯re almost done here.¡± Shocked by the eunuch¡¯s stare, Madam Dowager immediately put on a kind expression and turned to Ning Xueyan. ¡°You should go home first, Xueyan. Prince Yi still needs an exnation, but don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t let you suffer in vain.¡±

    She was filled with guilt toward Ning Xueyan. When she remembered that Ning Qingshan had caused all of these, she became furious but had nowhere to vent her feelings. As expected of a traitor who didn¡¯t share their blood! Fortunately, there was still Ning Lingyun. Fortunately, the Third Prince had already agreed to ept Ning Lingyun.

    Even though Ning Lingyun couldn¡¯t be included in the imperial family records, she had their full support. If she were to give birth to a son in the future, it wouldn¡¯t be hard for her to improve her position. Since Ning Qingshan was so unreliable, they would turn her into a stepping stone for Ning Lingyun!

    ¡°Excuse me then, Madam Dowager.¡± Ning Xueyan stood up and curtsied to Madam Dowager before following the eunuch out of the house.

    Outside the door, she found Ao Chenyi standing under a flowering tree with his hands behind his back.

    Gorgeous and colorful flowers were in full bloom on the tree. But, no matter how carefully they were cared for, they were no match for the man in the ink-ck robe. The red spider lilies on his robe were said to grow only in hell. These flowers were steeped in blood, born from blood, and grew from blood.

    People like him were always decisive and firm. He was particrly resolute when it came to matters of the harem. Rather than engaging in this battle of wits, he would rather have offenders beaten or cut to death as an example to the rest.

    Her heart inexplicably softened. The blood-soaked red spider lilies were no longer just charming and bloodthirsty.

    Hearing footsteps behind him, Ao Chenyi turned his head and azy smile appeared on his face. His eyes were dark and unreadable as he beckoned Ning Xueyannguidly. When she finally reached him, the two of them walked out of Lucky Garden together with their entourage of guards and eunuchs following behind them.

    Xia Yuhang watched Ning Xueyan leave from a nearby corridor and exhaled heavily, venting the aching pain in his heart.

    Was she really not her?

    But she really seemed to be her!

    There were so many simrities between them. He didn¡¯t notice them before because he wasn¡¯t paying attention, but every time he saw that familiar pair of eyes, the sense of control that had always been his pride would nearly fail him.

    She had died then. There was no mistaking it and he had confirmed it himself. But in his heart, he thought that maybe, just maybe, she had been reborn.

    When she died, Ning Xueyan was still living in the Bright Frost Garden and they hadn¡¯t met yet.

    After she died, Ning Xueyan who came out of the Bright Frost Garden appeared to havepletely changed. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t think that someone else had taken Ning Xueyan¡¯s ce. But if there was even the smallest shred of possibility that a remnant of her soul was still alive, was there a chance that she had been reborn in Ning Xueyan¡¯s body?

    That was the only usible exnation. The two of them had simr eyes and gestures. They also shared a grudge against Madam Ling.

    After hearing that she had nearly gotten into an ident, the first thing he did uponing here was checking on her. He was only relieved after seeing her sit there, alive and well as if nothing had happened. Meanwhile, he felt nothing when he heard that Ning Yuling had passed out from her tremendous pain. In the first ce, it was only an ident that he ended up epting her into his manor.

    The one that he had his eye on was Ning Xueyan. In her, he could see the shadow of another girl¡ªthe gentle girl from Jiangnan who would make him feel at ease with just a soft smile. It wasn¡¯t until he lost her that he realized that the girl he thought he could live without already owned a piece of his heart.

    He couldn¡¯t find the slightest bit of resemnce in both Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling. Ning Xueyan was the only exception. Every time he saw those dark eyes, he would feel that Ning Xueyan was another her, staring at him in disdain, mocking him for his past failure to appreciate her and his current pain and despair.

    Had he known at that time how deeply he cared for her, he would have married her no matter what. Even as a concubine or maid who served him in bed, he would have kept her by his side.

    That was his n, so he epted her dowry with a peace of mind. He might find what he had been looking for in her dowry, but so many years had passed and no one could be sure that she was truly the eldest princess. His investigation stopped there so he decided to marry her and slowly continue from there.

    He had been happy that day, happy that he could finally be with her. So what if her position was weaker than Ning Ziyan? He would pamper her more. Besides the title of his first wife, he was willing to give her everything she liked and wanted.

    The marriage between the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and Xia Manor was an alliance of powers. Marrying the eldestdy of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was a mutually beneficial matter. Xia Manor had nothing more to ask for when the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor expressed their intent for the alliance marriage and their disregard for the fact that he had a former fiancee. Requesting Ning Ziying¡¯s hand in marriage had been an expedient tactic in the first ce.

    The engagement was only made because they thought that Ning Ziying was very likely the eldest princess of the former dynasty. Now that her dowry was about to enter their manor, his parents thought that he needed a wife that would be more beneficial to them. Since Ning Ziyan liked him and was willing to marry him, the alliance marriage between both manors was not a problem at all.

    He was quite satisfied with Ning Ziyan carefully trying to win him over. She treated him well as well. With her temperament, she was most suited to be the mistress of his manor. They were close too, having mostly grown up together. She wouldn¡¯t suffer hardship after marrying him.

    That was his hope, so naturally, that was what he felt he saw. Afterward, they went along with the mood and had a child together. It was also a guarantee to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor that he would marry Ning Ziyan. He thought this was only a matter of course. After all, he was supposed to marry Ning Ziying at first.

    This also worked to calm Ning Ziyan. At least, she would be reassured in the knowledge that she had given birth earlier than a concubine.

    Everything fell into ce as if it was meant to be. It was only a matter of time. Ning Ziyan would marry him, and she would be a concubine as part of the dowry. From then on, she would be together with him forever.

    As long as she was with him, he would be able to find out if she was the eldest princess. The eldest princess had a butterfly-shaped birthmark on her body. It wasn¡¯t a secret among the nobles of the previous dynasty that the eldest princess of the imperial family had a butterfly-shaped birthmark.

    Although he didn¡¯t find exactly what he wanted in her dowry, news from Jiangnan indicated that she was still the most likely candidate to be the missing eldest princess. If he could confirm her identity and report the news to the Emperor, he would surely have made huge merit.

    The search for the eldest princess had continued even after so many years. It was clear how important she was.

    Once they got married, he would be able to clearly report her identity as the eldest princess of the previous dynasty to the Emperor. This merit would be a major step up for him. If he could make the imperial ranking, it wouldn¡¯t be a dream for him to reach great heights in the court.

    But what was with that painting? That beautiful painting was clearly a portrait of a prostitute in the brothel. To think she was dressed in such clothes when she was painted. When he saw that painting, all of his blood rushed to his head. How could she do something so shameless?

    Even so, he remained sober and went out of his way to check the authenticity of the painting. The person in the painting had an unmarked skin without the butterfly-shaped birthmark.

    That was to say, she wasn¡¯t the eldest princess of the previous dynasty. Not only was she not the princess, but she was so depraved as to meet with a lover and give away such a portrait. Rage consumed all of his sanity. When the Ning Manor asked him how this matter should be handled, he angrily said, ¡°Let them deal with this.¡±

    But afterward, he couldn¡¯t help himself from paying the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor a visit. He felt gratified when he saw how badly she was beaten. It was her fault for being promiscuous and not waiting to be married in the manor like a properdy. To think that she would have a lover and even have such a portrait painted!

    He hated her!

    He thought that he had been wholeheartedly thinking about her, but this audacious woman dared to disrespect him. Very well then. He didn¡¯t want this slut either.

    So, he watched coldly as someone drowned her in the icy pond. He felt immense gratification when he saw the blood that surfaced on the water as she struggled to breathe. Then, she stopped struggling. Watching the gradually calming pond, he suddenly felt that he was about to lose something. He pushed away Ning Ziyan beside him and rushed toward the pond.

    When he pulled her out of the water, she was no longer breathing.

    Sheid there, pale and stiff. Her face was bloodless but her tightly-pressed lips appeared almost mocking. That was an expression that had never appeared on her gentle face. That smile seemed to be her biggest ridicule for him.

    A hole appeared in his heart. He called her name like a madman, wanting to wake her up.

    At that moment, he suddenly understood that a woman as gentle as she would never do such a thing. How could she have an affair with another man? There were no men beside her aside from him. What pained him the most was that he only realized this by looking at her lifeless face?

    He liked her, and he really did. It wasn¡¯t just because she might be the eldest princess of the previous dynasty and could boost his career. It was simply because of who she was. Before he knew it, she had already entered his heart. Her beautiful face, always apanied with gentleness and a hint of bashfulness, had turned pale.

    He didn¡¯t know how he got home that day. He sat there in a daze all night. When he woke up the next day, he thought that it had all been a dream, a nightmare. Perhaps she would be following a small carriage with her usual gentle smile today, so he got up in a hurry and changed his clothes with the wedding chaperon¡¯s help. He stormed out and happily led his servants to wee his bride.

    It was fake. It was all fake. All that had happened yesterday was fake...

    But in the end, he never did wake up from that nightmare. She was dead. She had died that night, drowned in the lotus pond right before his very eyes!

 Chapter 545 - The Sound of Zither in the Courtyard

    <h4>Chapter 545 The Sound of Zither in the Courtyard</h4>

    He still couldn¡¯t believe that she was truly dead. How could such a wonderful and gentle woman like her die?

    Thus, when he saw Ning Xueyan¡ªthe Fifth Young Lady who had been kept away from the eyes of the public¡ªappeared in front of him, he thought it was her!

    Even if this didn¡¯t seem possible, he gradually began to think that Ning Xueyan was really her!

    ¡°Yuhang, someone must have bewitched my Second Sister. She wouldn¡¯t do something like this. Can... Can you really bring yourself to kill her?¡± Ning Huaiyuan said, appearing out of nowhere.

    Could he not bring himself to kill Ning Yuling? A bitter, almost mocking smile appeared on Xia Yuhang¡¯s face. His heart was empty now without anything that he cared about. A heartless person didn¡¯t care for anyone. Even if he did, he wouldn¡¯t care for a despicable woman like Ning Yuling.

    ¡°Huaiyuan, if she¡¯s pitiful, what does that make your mother? If people know that she killed her mother to frame another person, it wouldn¡¯t be excessive for them to demand her die by a thousand cuts.¡±

    Xia Yuhang looked calmly at Ning Huaiyuan.

    No matter how terrible Madam Ling was, Ning Yuling¡¯s deeds were even more vicious. Moreover, shemitted murder to frame someone else. No matter how one looked at it, there was no reason to spare her life.

    Ning Huaiyuan fell silent, his malicious stare directed forward. They remained quiet even after they disappeared out of view...

    Not even Xia Yuhang could not see through Ning Huaiyuan...

    The entire family worked together to conceal Ning Yuling¡¯s crime, saying that Madam Ling fell into the well and drowned while strolling the garden with her. The maid who followed Ning Yuling had died as well.

    Mother Chen didn¡¯t die, but became mute after receiving a cup of medicated wine from Madam Dowager. Madam Dowager only let her live for Ning Xueyan¡¯s sake.

    And the family records of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had been reopened under the witness of several elders. The time at which Madam Ling had entered the manor had been reverified and amended. When Ning Huaiyuan and Ning Ziyan were born, Madam Ling had yet to be a concubine at the manor. Children born from a mistress couldn¡¯t be considered legitimate. At worst, they were named bastards.

    On the contrary, Concubine Yu, the maid who served Ning Zu¡¯an in bed. Her son was well-documented as a son of a concubine.

    Ning Qingshan was imprisoned under Madam Dowager¡¯s orders while Ning Huaiyuan disappeared one rainy night.

    Some said that he left in despair after the sudden death of his mother and sister. Others said that he left because he couldn¡¯t stand the humiliation of being an illegitimate son. But no matter what the real reason was, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor couldn¡¯t find him anywhere.

    Madam Dowager dispatched men everywhere to look for Ning Huaiyuan, but he was nowhere to be found. She had no choice but to give up after several nights of tears. They still had another heir. Even though she wasn¡¯t close to him, he still had the blood of the Ning family in him. This was much better than the extinction of their bloodline.

    Ning Xueyan became ¡°ill¡± again after returning to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Apparently, what happened that day had given her a scare. It was only natural for someone as weakly as her to be intimidated. Who would have thought that she would encounter such a thing on a simple return back to her family manor?

    Great Wisdom Garden.

    A seated Commandery Princess Xianyun was enjoying a cup of floral tea with a leisurely expression on her face. This tea was Xiangrong¡¯s best handiwork. Xiangrong picked fresh flowers and sprinkled the best ingredients on them. When she soaked them in tea, there would be a pleasant whiff of fresh flower scent.

    When the Princess appeared rxed after sipping the tea, Xiangrong sweetly asked, ¡°Princess, how¡¯s the tea? Aren¡¯t the flowers fragrant?¡±

    ¡°Not bad. These flowers aren¡¯t like the ones in our manor.¡± The Princess nodded. She liked floral tea very much. Particrly, she liked to have her maid pick budding flowers at the height of spring, dry them for a while, and make them into tea.

    ¡°I heard that these flowers can¡¯t be found in our manor; apparently, Annan sent them as a tribute. There are only a few nts in the entire manor. They only bloomed a few days ago, and they¡¯re so fragrant you can smell them from a mile away! I was drawn toward them because of the smell. The servant at the flower garden said that Consort Ning likes the potted flowers too, but I think the flowers are better used as tea for you, Princess.¡±

    Xiangrong felt happy when she remembered the servant¡¯s conflicted expression. Her Princess was the real mistress of the manor. What did the servant mean that the consort wanted the flowers as well? Which manor would have the mistress give way to the consort? Thus, she purposely picked all the blooming flowers, leaving not even a bud behind.

    ¡°Since Sister Ning wants the flowers, we should at least give her some. Do we still have some left? Wrap a few flowers and send them to herter. Make them more fragrant so she can enjoy them too. She has always been sickly; only by living inly can she live a life free of disaster and disease.¡±

    The Princess blew at the petal resting on the surface of the tea and took a sip leisurely. She appeared calm and magnanimous.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll send Consort Ning a messageter. You¡¯re so generous. You¡¯d even send such precious flowers to the consort. I thank you on her behalf, Princess.¡± Xiangrong was a maid who knew how to please her master. Making the Princess appear like the most magnanimous person in the world managed to put a little smile on the Princess¡¯ face.

    Make the flowers more fragrant? As the Princess¡¯ maid, Xiangrong naturally understood what her master meant. The Princess hadn¡¯t given birth to an heir yet, so the consort naturally could not have children.

    The Princess was satisfied when she saw Xiangrong getting her meaning immediately. Remembering the delightful conversation she had with Ning Qingshan that day, they had both carefully avoided the topic of Ning Xueyan several times. But they were both clever people. She could still keenly sense that Ning Qingshan didn¡¯t like Ning Xueyan.

    If there was a chance, the two of them could cooperate very well.

    She couldn¡¯t make it too direct as it was their first meeting and could only be vague about it. Nevertheless, she was quite happy with the result. The enemy of an enemy was a friend; this was something she was well aware of from a very young age.

    ¡°Go and send the flowers over then. Oh, and tell Sister Ning that I¡¯m not feeling quite welltely so I want her to take care of the affairs in the backyard,¡± the Princess said meaningfully, putting down her cup of tea. She looked out of the window. From this direction, she ought to be looking at the residence of Prince Yi¡¯s concubines.

    That mysterious favored concubine had always concerned her.

    What kind of woman was she that she could receive such protection from Ao Chenyi? She had been asking around privately since entering the manor, but the people in the manor seemed afraid of talking about her. It was said that Ao Chenyi once ordered for anyone that dared to speak about his beloved concubine to be killed.

    Compared to their own lives, the money and rewards that the Princess offered were far from enough. It was nice to have money, but that was if they were alive to enjoy it.

    The Princess was unreconciled.

    She was the Princess of the Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. She had used every trick up her sleeve to enter this manor just so she could enjoy the honor of being the princess. She also believed that she would win Ao Chenyi¡¯s heart. No matter from which aspect¡ªtalent, appearance, or reputation¡ªshe was undoubtedly the most outstanding nobledy in the capital.

    She was much better than Ao Chenyi¡¯s previous fiancee, so he couldn¡¯t be still longing for that woman so much that he overlooked her virtues.

    Now, who could exin to her what was going on with that beloved concubine who didn¡¯t have an official position? More than one person had seen that concubine. It was said that Ao Chenyi had once ignored etiquette and brought her to the pce banquet. But why was it that she couldn¡¯t investigate anything about the concubine?

    She would never let that woman live. Even if that woman was just a beloved concubine without any position, that woman was a threat to her future for as long as she had Ao Chenyi¡¯s heart. No matter what, her dream was to be the Mother of the Nation. Others were optimistic about the Third Prince, but she and the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor had pinned their hopes on Ao Chenyi.

    If Ao Chenyi was really that easy to deal with, the Emperor wouldn¡¯t have just let him be for so many years without being able to do anything.

    The fact that Ao Chenyi could make the Emperor helpless against him was proof of the strength behind him. She became his princess just so she could be the Mother of the Nation, and this was a position that the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor was fighting for as well. If the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor could push the current Emperor to the throne back then, they could also help Prince Yi ascend the throne.

    And she would be the well-deserved Empress, and the future Empress Dowager.

    ¡°Princess, that woman never leaves her room. She only has one maid serving her and others can¡¯t approach her at all. But the sound of zither can be asionally heard when you pass by her ce. I secretly went there today and listened. She¡¯s much worsepared to you, Princess. She¡¯s not a properly educated woman if she can¡¯t even y the zither well.¡±

    Qiuhuan couldn¡¯t help but speak up. Even though no one dared to speak about Prince Yi¡¯s beloved concubine, money could do wonders and the Princess was able to at least find a direction. Qiuhuan had secretly observed the concubine¡¯s courtyard for two days and concluded that the Prince had protected the concubine very well.

    The gates of the courtyard were almost always closed, with only one maiding in and out. The concubine had almost nevere out. Only the sound of zither would asionally drift out of the courtyard, indicating that she was ying the zither. Qiuhuan thought that she wasn¡¯t purposely deriding that woman, for her zither ying was truly poor.

    ¡°All right. Xiangrong, you can send the flowers to Sister Ning now. See how she¡¯s doing and chat with her about the manor¡¯s affairs. I¡¯m not feeling welltely, so she¡¯ll have to bear the burden with me. Once I¡¯m feeling better, I¡¯ll definitely visit her.¡± The Princess put down her cup of tea and smiled.

    She was currently the most unfavored person in the entire manor, but it wasn¡¯t entirely bad. No matter how bad the infighting got, it wouldn¡¯t be her fault. Once those two fought so hard that they ended up in a lose-lose situation, she would show up and clean up their mess. Those who should be beaten, punished, or sold would be dealt with ordingly. Either way, she would have to return peace to the manor.

    When that time came, Prince Yi would find out that she was the only princess that could aid him.

    ¡°Yes, I understand,¡± Xiangrong said, understanding her meaning tacitly. She picked a few dried flowers out of their pile and some tea leaves. Then, she fished out a small sachet from under the Princess¡¯ dressing box, took out some powder, and sprinkled some on the tea leaves. She gave it a shake and indeed, the floral tea became even more fragrant. Even though these light powders had a scent of their own, their smell was concealed by the fragrance of the flowers.

    Moreover, the powder was so fine that they couldn¡¯t be seen in the tea leaves.

    Xiangrong carefully wrapped up the tea leaves and brought them to the Pear Flower Garden.

 Chapter 546 - Heng Yuqingâ€™s Urgent Letter

    <strong>Chapter 546 Heng Yuqing¡¯s Urgent Letter</strong>

    When Xiangrong arrived at the Pear Flower Garden, Ning Xueyan was about to leave with Lanning and Qingyu. She stopped her footsteps when she saw Xiangrong.

    ¡°Consort Ning, the Princess said that she has been feeling under the weathertely and asks that you take care of any business in the manor. The matters at the Fragrance Garden, in particr, can¡¯t be taken lightly. If they need anything at all, you should help procure them. In a nutshell, we can¡¯t go against the Prince¡¯s intentions. Here are some floral tea leaves that the Princess personally prepared. It¡¯s a small amount, but please try them, Consort.¡±

    Xiangrong came up with a smile and spoke respectfully as she presented the teabag in her hand.

    Qingyu stepped forward and took the teabag before retreating to Ning Xueyan¡¯s side.

    ¡°Please ry my thanks to the Princess. But I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be much help to the Fragrance Garden. I heard that the Prince manages that ce himself!¡±

    Ning Xueyan smiled, her eyes icy when ncing at the teabag.

    Ao Chenyi had already made himself clear about his ¡°beloved concubine¡±. Ning Xueyan believed that Commandery Princess Xianyun understood his meaning well.

    ¡°The Princess said the Prince is, after all, a man and may not be so attentive and meticulous. There might be some things that he didn¡¯t expect. So, she asks that you help him. We should try our best to offer the best food and items to the Fragrance Garden. The Prince is so busy, and that¡¯s his only interest, so we must do our best to serve him well.¡±

    The Princess¡¯ words sounded so magnanimous that anyone who heard her would have thought that she was a truly virtuous person. There were no ws in her words and she appeared very humble.

    However, if Ning Xueyan was truly just a consort, she would have been unhappy after hearing this. She was the prince¡¯s consort, not the maid of a nameless concubine. It sounded as if she had to immediately serve whatever needs the concubine demanded of her. Moreover, the Princess even specifically pointed out that the concubine at the Fragrance Garden was Ao Chenyi¡¯s favorite.

    It was as if Ning Xueyan was nothing at all, just someone that the Prince married to be a wallflower and deal with these errands.

    No woman would be happy to hear such words, especially after that ¡°beloved concubine¡± appeared to have acted so spoiled and invited Ao Chenyi over on his wedding night. She had caused Ao Chenyi to abandon his princess and consort, turning them into a joke. It would have been normal had Ao Chenyi spent the night with Commandery Princess Xianyun instead of Ning Xueyan.

    However, the one he spent the night with was someone with lesser status and position than her.

    Now, the Princess was asking her to ¡°serve¡± the nameless concubine with her heart. No matter how well-tempered she was, any nobledy wouldn¡¯t be able to bear this humiliation.

    Ning Xueyan nodded casually, looking as if she was so eager to leave to attend to her business that she didn¡¯t hear Xiangrong at all, and said perfunctorily with a smile, ¡°Please tell the Princess that if I¡¯m feeling well, I would surely help her take care of the affairs at the Fragrance Garden.¡±

    ¡°Consort Ning...¡± Xiangrong wanted to exin even clearly.

    Lanning walked over and held her hand, saying affectionately, ¡°Sister Xiangrong, how is this floral tea made? When my master heard that you all picked flowers for tea, she was quite intrigued and asked us about it. But we weren¡¯t very smart and didn¡¯t know anything. This is great. Since you¡¯re here today, why don¡¯t you teach me? At least we won¡¯t bepletely clueless when our master asks us again.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not very difficult. The next time Ie, I¡¯ll...¡± A panicked Xiangrong rejected Lanning when she saw that Ning Xueyan was about to leave with Qingyu. She was too vague with her words earlier, and Consort Ning didn¡¯t look a smart one, seeing as she didn¡¯t grasp her meaning. She must chase after Consort Ning and rify herself.

    Lanning looked overjoyed. She pulled Xiangrong¡¯s hand, pointed to a bunch of flowers on her right, and eagerly asked, ¡°Great! Sister Xiangrong, look at those flowers. Do you think they can be turned into tea?¡±

    ¡°I...¡± Ning Xueyan and Qingyu had reached the gates of the courtyard. ¡°I... No...¡±

    ¡°No? What a pity. Do the flowers over there work? I heard these flowers are quite rare in the capital,¡± Lanning asked, pointing to another bunch of flowers. She had confused Xiangrong.

    By the time Xiangrong recovered her senses, Ning Xueyan and Qingyu had already left the courtyard.

    ¡°Master, these flowers are the ones that we had chosen. We were the ones who saw them first. You liked their fragrance and especially asked the servant there to keep them for you. But the Princess said that she liked them as well and wanted them for tea. They didn¡¯t even leave a single one for you and now they said they¡¯re sending you floral tea?¡±

    Qingyu spoke angrily as she opened the tea bag and peeked at the tea leaves inside.

    The Princess was obviously trying to exert pressure on Ning Xueyan. She had gone to the garden afterward and saw the perfectly fine nt robbed of all its blooming flowers. It was obvious that they had plucked every flower without even leaving a bud behind.

    Now, they were even provoking her master under the guise of sending her floral tea. It could be seen that the Princess with a gentle smile was also a hypocrite who would behave differently from her words.

    ¡°Qingyu, throw the tea leaves away,¡± Ning Xueyan said indifferently. There was a peculiar smelling from the teabag. Others might not notice but she was very familiar with it. They had added a contraceptive incense into the mix. If one were to take in this fragrance continually for a month, she wouldn¡¯t be able to have children anymore.

    Of course, the incense would be even more effective if consumed orally. A few times were all it took. That small amount was enough to render her childless for life.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun wasn¡¯t just trying to suppress her with the gift of floral tea; the Princess was making her infertile and provoking her into action in one fell swoop as well.

    ¡°Master, why are we throwing it away? The flowers are gone, you know. They¡¯ve picked everything the other day.¡± Qingyu was reluctant.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t throw them away and really make tea with them, you can forget about having children in your life,¡± Ning Xueyan said indifferently.

    Qingyu was so taken aback that the teabag in her hands fell to the ground. She immediately closed the bag with a pale face. ¡°Master, there¡¯s something else in this?¡±

    Ning Xueyan looked down and said calmly, ¡°Yes. So, just burn it.¡±

    Qingyu was stunned, but a look of rage quickly appeared on her face. ¡°Master! She¡¯s too much! You really can¡¯t tell she¡¯s like this from her appearance.¡±

    ¡°She has done even worse things,¡± Ning Xueyan said coldly. She had already investigated the kind of person the Princess was. The Princess had appeared calm and indifferent when she was in the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor, but there was a coincidence too great to ignore. On the day that Heng Yuwan wanted to harm Heng Yuqing, after the Princess heard that she would be marrying into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor with her, she immediately tried to ruin her reputation.

    Remembering what Ao Chenyi had told her past stories about Lord Peace¡¯s Manor, Ning Xueyan had guessed that they were mainly in the work of producing Empress Dowagers. This ought to be their biggest desire as well. Even though they had already promoted one of their own into the Empress Dowager position and became descendants of one, the Empress Dowager nevertheless died too soon. They didn¡¯t even have the chance to enjoy power before they went on the decline.

    How could such an ambitious family really decline into an ordinary family? Therefore, when the bestdy of the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor, Commandery Princess Xianyun, appeared in the world, her purpose was self-evident.

    ¡°Master, what should we do?¡± Qingyu asked anxiously.

    ¡°I¡¯m not too worried about the matters of the backyards at the moment. I have always been sickly, so I can¡¯t interfere even if I want to. Besides, the Princess is still around.¡± Ning Xueyan walked forward.

    ¡°Oh, yes. Your health is poor and you can¡¯t interfere with other matters.¡± Upon hearing Ning Xueyan¡¯s reminder, Qingyu¡¯s eyes immediately lit up.

    The truth was that Ning Xueyan¡¯s health was fine. She was frail as a child, so her lips appeared paler than normal, but she was otherwise healthy. Of course, such aplexion was most conducive for her to pretend to be sick. She would appear sick if she was lying down, and perfectly fine if she was standing up.

    She could be ill and healthy whenever she wanted to.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t the Eldest Young Lady Heng say anything else?¡± Ning Xueyan frowned, not wanting to discuss Commandery Princess Xianyun with Qingyu anymore. She was rushing out because of Heng Yuqing¡¯s letter. Heng Yuqing had invited her out, saying that there was something important to tell her.

    She hadn¡¯t seen Heng Yuqing since their meeting at Hua Yunheng¡¯s Peach Blossom Ind. Heng Yuqing had merely sent a maid bearing a gift to her wedding and said nothing else. She was worried, so she had Lanning ask. It seemed that Heng Yuqing¡¯s mother wasn¡¯t in good health so she had to stand by her bed.

    ¡°No, all she said was that you must take the time to meet her. The maid who ryed the message seemed to be in a rush. She didn¡¯t even give me a chance to talk to her.¡± Qingyu put the teabag in a sachet and wrapped it tightly for fear that even a little bit of the aroma would leak.

    Since her master said that the scent was harmful, she certainly couldn¡¯t let even a whiff reach her master¡¯s nose. Her master had always been frailer than most; she couldn¡¯t afford any mishaps.

    After walking a few steps, they saw that the two older female servants responsible for carrying the sedan chair that another maid had summoned earlier had arrived. Ning Xueyan got on the sedan chair, while Qingyu walked beside her. They went straight to Chuihua Gate. When they arrived, Ning Xueyan got off the sedan chair and went to the outer courtyard. She had already reported her whereabouts to Ao Chenyi, so she went directly to the manor gates and boarded the carriage parked there.

    Inside the carriage, Ning Xueyan leaned against the warm, soft couch with a slight frown. It must be no trivial matter if Heng Yuqing was forced to call her out so anxiously, especially since she was now in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor instead of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Everyone knew how bad-tempered Prince Yi was. Had Heng Yuqing gotten into trouble?

    Was this rted to the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor or Prince Yi¡¯s Manor? Or did it have something to do with her? She couldn¡¯t think of anything.

    It was inconvenient for her to travel after marrying into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, so she had Qingyu tell the maid from the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor to ask Heng Yuqing to meet her in her Yuyan Shop. She had mentioned her new store to Heng Yuqing while they were viewing the peach blossoms before, so she had the carriage take her straight to Yuyan Shop.

    She closed her eyes slightly, pondering over and over...

 Chapter 547 - News from Heng Yuqing

    Chapter 547 News from Heng Yuqing

    An anxious-looking Heng Yuqing was pacing around the shopkeeper¡¯s room in Yuyan Shop. When she saw Ning Xueyan push the door and enter, she immediately pulled her to the chairs on the side and made her sit still.

    ¡°My family is going to send me to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.¡± Heng Yuqing was so panicked that her eyes had turned red.

    Heng Yuqing would be entering Prince Yi¡¯s Manor? Ning Xueyan was stunned for a moment. Ao Chenyi had only gotten married, and no matter how one put it, Heng Yuqing ought to be thest person to be sent to him.

    ¡°Yuqing, calm down and tell me what is going on.¡± Ning Xueyan took the anxious Heng Yuqing¡¯s hand and pulled her to the chair beside her.

    Lanning retreated from the room, closed the doors, and guarded outside with Heng Yuqing¡¯s maid.

    ¡°Concubine Yun told my father that Prince Yi looked at me a few more times thest time he saw me. She said that he seemed interested in me and that his current princess and consort weren¡¯t to his liking. If I can win his heart, it¡¯ll be beneficial for the entire Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor.¡±

    Heng Yuqing was so anxious that she was about to cry. The rim of her eyes was red as she looked at Ning Xueyan eagerly, hoping that she would be able to help her.

    Just because Prince Yi took a second look at her, her father wanted to use her to please the prince without even caring for her status as the first wife¡¯s daughter of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor. He decided to send her to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor with just a word or two from Concubine Yun. Prince Yi was infamous for his ruthlessness. Who knew if she would lose her life out of nowhere for upsetting him?

    Heng Yuqing knew that this was Concubine Yun¡¯s suggestion. Concubine Yun wanted her to get into an ident at Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, and then her severely ill mother would die along with her. Even if Prince Yi spared her life, it wouldn¡¯t be easy for her to return to the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor in the future.

    Her mother was sick in bed at the moment. If it wasn¡¯t for her protection, who knew what that bitch would do? Sooner orter, her mother would die in Concubine Yun¡¯s hands. Worst of all, her father blindly favored Concubine Yun. Concubine Yun was in charge of the manor¡¯s affairs at the moment. It could be said that she had everything except for the title of the mistress of the manor.

    Heng Yuqing¡¯s concubine-born sister, Heng Yuwan, was raised more like a first wife¡¯s daughter than she was.

    Even so, Concubine Yun refused to let her live. She went so far as to say that Prince Yi¡¯s interest in her was a blessing to the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor, and that if they didn¡¯t send her to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, they would invoke his anger and bring ruin to the manor. Remembering this, Heng Yuqing wanted nothing more than to tear that bitch to pieces.

    Unfortunately, her father would only listen to Concubine Yun now. Everything she said fell on deaf ears. Besides, she couldn¡¯t argue because parents had the right to arrange their children¡¯s marriage. With her mother sick in bed, no one was there to help her. She became so desperate that she thought of Ning Xueyan and immediately sent her a letter to seek her help.

    No matter what, Ning Xueyan was Prince Yi¡¯s consort and would know the situation better than she did.

    ¡°Your family¡¯s Concubine Yun wants to send you to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor?¡± Ning Xueyan frowned, finding this to be strange.

    ¡°Yes. She said that since we¡¯re close, we¡¯ll be able to stick together and look out for each other once we¡¯re in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.¡±

    Heng Yuqing replied.

    ¡°What did she say about your mother¡¯s illness?¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s longshes fluttered. When she looked up again, her eyes appeared calm and unreadable.

    Heng Yuqing was inexplicably relieved after seeing how calm Ning Xueyan was. She thought for a while before saying, ¡°Concubine Yun said to leave my mother¡¯s illness to her because she¡¯ll cure my mother. She said that as long as I do well in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor in the future, she¡¯d take good care of my mother and not let anything happen to her.¡±

    Heng Yuqing could still remember how certain and sincere Concubine Yun sounded when she said this. This had never happened before.

    ¡°Would Concubine Yun be this concerned about your mother¡¯s illness before?¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s beautiful brows formed a frown. She felt that there was something off about this, but she couldn¡¯t quite grasp it at the moment.

    ¡°She has never cared for my mother¡¯s illness before. There were a few times that my mother needed some good medicinal ingredients for her medicine, but the housekeeper said there weren¡¯t any good ones and gave me some bad ones. I knew that the housekeeper was acting on Concubine Yun¡¯s orders, for a servant wouldn¡¯t dare to speak to me like this. The internal affairs of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor had been handed to Concubine Yun ever since my mother fell ill.¡±

    Heng Yuqing sounded angry as she spoke.

    When her mother fell ill, it was only natural that the internal affairs of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor were left in Concubine Yun¡¯s hands. After all, she still had to take care of her mother and didn¡¯t have the time to manage household affairs.

    ¡°What kind of person is Concubine Yun?¡± Ning Xueyan asked.

    Ning Xueyan believed that Concubine Yun was a tricky person. Most of the guests at the banquet were daughters of aristocratic families and Heng Yuqing¡¯s humiliation ended up being Heng Yuwan¡¯s humiliation instead. Yet, Concubine Yun never said anything.

    Remembering this, Ning Xueyan suddenly thought of Commandery Princess Xianyun. That was the first time she met the Princess, and the Princess was likely not there just to attend the banquet. Had Heng Yuwan fell into the water at that time, then the Princess would have be a credible witness.

    There were so manydies as witnesses, and there was Commandery Princess Xianyun as well. Heng Yuqing¡¯s reputation was nearly ruined.

    From the look of things, Concubine Yun must have known the Princess for they came from the same family. Not only did they know each other, but they must have been close too.

    A trace of confusion crossed her eyes. ¡°Did Commandery Princess Xianyun visit the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor afterward?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Heng Yuqing said with certainty. ¡°Commandery Princess Xianyun never came again afterward. After all, Second Sister got into trouble that day and everyone saw how arrogant she was. People also know that she¡¯s just a concubine-born daughter and somehow found out that Commandery Princess Xianyun is rted to Concubine Yun. Since then, the Princess never visited again.¡±

    She remembered this well thanks to Ning Xueyan¡¯s reminder that day. It was a surprise that Commandery Princess Xianyun, who had never interacted with the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor, would show up at the banquet. If the Princess hade with a purpose, her goal must be malicious toward her. So, she ordered her servants to inform her as soon as they heard that the Princess wasing.

    Even though Concubine Yun had her people controlling the household, there were still some of her mother¡¯s people managing other matters. It was quite easy for her to find out if Commandery Princess Xianyun had visited the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor.

    She heard that Concubine Yun sent several invites to the Princesster, but was tactfully rejected each time.

    Ning Xueyan could understand why Commandery Princess refused to visit the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor. Heng Yuwan¡¯s reputation had been ruined and worse of all, she was just a concubine-born daughter. It was natural that the Princess wouldn¡¯t bother building respect for her and would want to avoid her if she could. If Heng Yuwan¡¯s reputation were to improve, the Princess wouldn¡¯t have minded getting closer to the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor.

    ¡°Did people from the Lord Peace¡¯s Manore recently? Or did they visit on the guise of delivering gifts?¡± Ning Xueyan felt that things couldn¡¯t be so simple.

    After hearing Ning Xueyan¡¯s question, Heng Yuqing couldn¡¯t help but lower her head and ponder seriously. Concubine Yun wasn¡¯t a popr person. Other official wives wouldn¡¯t bother associating with a concubine like her. Even if she was her husband¡¯s favorite, her position was too low.

    A bright idea came to mind and Heng Yuqing abruptly raised her head. ¡°People from the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor dide not too long ago.¡±

    Heng Yuqing remembered this because of Heng Yuwan. Heng Yuwan had dressed up beautifully in new clothes that Concubine Yun ordered for her and even visited her ce to show off.

    Her mother was still unwell, so Heng Yuqing had no mood to argue with her. She ignored Heng Yuwan when thetter came in, pretending that she didn¡¯t see her. She even went to the corridor to check on her mother¡¯s medicine herself.

    Even though Heng Yuqing ignored her, Heng Yuwan wasn¡¯t going to let her go. She stepped in front of Heng Yuqing, picked up her skirt, and posed in front of her a few times. She even deliberately asked her maids if she looked good.

    It went without saying that the two maids were incredibly ttering and praising Heng Yuwan to the high heaven. Heng Yuwan was so smug that she nearly knocked over the pot of medicine. Heng Yuqing became so angry that she pushed Heng Yuwan away, and directly knocked her onto the ground. The dress ended up getting dirtied.

    This caused Heng Yuwan to kick up a huge fuss at the courtyard of the mistress of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor. Not only did she smash the pot of medicine, but she also demanded that Heng Yuqing shouldpensate her for the dress. Heng Yuqing was furious as well. The medicine was almost ready, but it was all ruined by Heng Yuwan. The two of them ended up fighting, neither of them prepared to let go of each other.

    Just as they were about to bring their fight to their father, Concubine Yun showed up. She first reprimanded Heng Yuwan for being insensible and then scolded Heng Yuqing a little, though not as harshly as she usually would. In the past, she wouldn¡¯t even spare Heng Yuqing for every little mistake she made. In the end, she could even calm down the situation and have the servants prepare another pot of medicine.

    Heng Yuqingmitted this to memory after seeing the two of them leave in a hurry and even sent someone to ask around. Only then did she find out that people from the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor hade. The reason Heng Yuwan was so well-dressed was that she would be meeting people from the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor.

    Concubine Yun was just a distant rtive of the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor; she couldn¡¯t bepared to a direct descendant of the family.

    ¡°Did Concubine Yun suggest that you enter Prince Yi¡¯s Manor after that? Did she also begin to pay attention to your mother as well?¡± Ning Xueyan knew something was wrong as soon as she heard Heng Yuqing¡¯s answer.

    Heng Yuqing nodded after thinking about it. ¡°Now that you mention it, that¡¯s what happened. Concubine Yun never cared about my mother¡¯s illness before. She always pretended like she didn¡¯t have any rtionship with her so that even if something happens to my mother, it would have nothing to do with her. But the day after the incident, she visited my mother and even brought a lot of good medicinal ingredients. She acted as if she was going to take care of my mother.¡±

    Concubine Yun hadn¡¯t cared before, so this was abnormal of her. After being reminded by Ning Xueyan, Heng Yuqing realized that these two matters were somewhat rted. Concubine Yun was behaving strangely indeed. On the one hand, Concubine Yun wanted to send her to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. On the other hand, Concubine Yun behaved as if she wanted to take care of her mother so she could be rid of all of her worries.

    It seemed that this matter truly had something to do with Commandery Princess Xianyun. Ning Xueyan was now certain that this was a scheme that the Princess had cooked up. The first wife¡¯s daughter of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor was surely more valuable than her. Joining the Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, Commandery Princess Xianyun, herself...

    There appeared to be an invisible string connecting all of these factors.

    It seemed that this matter wasn¡¯t as simple as it looked!

 Chapter 548 - I Donâ€™t Want to Go to Prince Yiâ€™s Manor

    <h4>Chapter 548 I Don¡¯t Want to Go to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor</h4>

    ¡°What do you mean now...¡± Ning Xueyan thought for a while, raised her jet-ck eyes to look at Heng Yuqing and asked.

    Before she figured out what Heng Yuqing was thinking about, she did not think that she should voice her opinion first.

    Now that things had developed to this point, everyone could see that there was something fishy about it. Heng Yuqing was straightforward, but she was not stupid. Concubine Yun¡¯s behavior was so different. After thinking about it for a while, Ning Xueyan could sense that there was something going on. Commandery Princess Xianyun stayed in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor every day as if she did not care about anything. Ao Chenyi had apparently neglected her.

    She was neither happy nor angry, but remained calm andposed. However, inwardly she was not as cool as she looked.

    Since Ao Chenyi told her about Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s family background, as well as the matter about the Empress Dowager and the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor, Ning Xueyan knew that Commandery Princess Xianyun was definitely not a person who was willing to submit to others.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to marry into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.¡± Heng Yuqing looked up at Ning Xueyan with a severe look on her face.

    She did not want to marry into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. On the one hand, Prince Yi had always been cold-blooded. On the other hand, she did not want to be someone else¡¯s pawn. After she thought over it, she also felt that there was something wrong with it. What¡¯s more, she was the daughter of the principal wife of Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor. She had her own pride.

    It seemed that she would be sent to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, like a delivery item.

    Furthermore, her mother was involved in this matter. In a word, she did not believe in Concubine Yun, nor did she believe her father.

    Her father hardly visited her mother now. Since her mother was ill, he did not even ask about her. He stayed at Concubine Yun¡¯s ce all day long. People in the manor almost forgot about Madam of Duke who was ill. They only knew that the one who was now in charge of Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor was Concubine Yun.

    ¡°How is it going?¡± Ning Xueyan asked after pondering for a while. After thinking about the incident, people would always feel that it was a conspiracy.

    ¡°Father said that he had sent an invitation letter to the pce. He begged the Empress to approve my marriage and send me to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. If Concubine Yun had note to ask about my mother, I would not have known that there was something amiss. Or I would still be kept in the dark until now. I would not have known until the imperial edict arrives.¡±

    Heng Yuqing¡¯s eyes were full of grievance and sadness. Their parents and matchmakers often arranged children¡¯s marriages. However, she still had to take care of her mother when she was sick in bed. At this time, her father was indifferent and even wanted to send her to the imperial pce. Thinking of this, how could she not feel aggrieved?

    She was the Young Lady of Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor, so she had a noble status. But now, her father wanted to secretly send her to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor as if she was unable get married.

    ¡°That is to say, the Empress already knows about it. Perhaps the decree will be issued in the next few days. This is also the reason why Concubine Yun talks to you like this!¡± Ning Xueyan thought for a while and said, ¡°Have you ever thought about Concubine Yun¡¯s deliberate ttery or her protecting your mother¡¯s behavior? Does it mean that Concubine Yun knows about your mother¡¯s illness?¡±

    When she heard what Ning Xueyan said, Heng Yuqing frowned.

    Her mother¡¯s illness had been recrudescent. She had been in bad health for a long time. The doctor only said that she was weak and should not overtire herself. She had to have a good rest. She could not get agitated or lose her temper. She should try to be calm so that she could remain healthy. Therefore, her mother did not care about anything now.

    But even so, she was increasingly getting weaker. The doctor said that she did not have much time left.

    Not to mention what Concubine Yun¡¯s purpose was, why did she dare to guarantee that her mother would recover?

    Suddenly, an idea shed across her mind. She raised her eyes and said, ¡°Xueyan, do you think my mother¡¯s illness has something to do with Concubine Yun?¡±

    ¡°If your Concubine Yun dares to say that, it must have something to do with her. Otherwise, how will she control you? Now, Commandery Princess Xianyun is the consort of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor and Concubine Yun will definitely be on Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s side. At this time, she sent you to the pce and used your biological mother as evidence to deal with you. You can do something that is inconvenient for Commandery Princess Xianyun to do, so...¡±

    Ning Xueyan paused for a while and looked at Heng Yuqing with a meaningful look.

    ¡°So, I became Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s weapon. I have to stab and hit wherever she wants. As long as I care about my mother, I have to listen to Concubine Yun. Concubine Yun seems to listen to Commandery Princess Xianyun. No wonder she wanted to send me to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor and she assured me that my mother would be fine.¡± Heng Yuqing gritted her teeth and said.

    In fact, she had always suspected that her mother¡¯s illness had something to do with Concubine Yun. But no matter how hard she investigated, she could not find anything. She even secretly took out the medicine used by her mother to let people identify it. However, there was no evidence to prove that there was anything wrong with the medicine. The people she had asked told her with certainty that there was no problem with the medicine.

    But in this situation, it was evident that there was something wrong with Concubine Yun. She caused her mother¡¯s illness. She thought of her mother, who used to be so healthy, but now became so thin and withered. How could she not be angry? No matter how much she said, her father would not believe it if there was no evidence.

    Compared to her mother, her father believed in Concubine Yun more now.

    ¡°Yuqing, don¡¯t worry. Since the imperial pce hasn¡¯t issued an order yet, there is still a chance of a turnaround. Some things can¡¯t be done as they wish.¡± Ning Xueyan analyzed for her. Since Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor had agreed and asked for an imperial edict, the Empress must know about it. Thinking of the apparent intimacy between Commandery Princess Xianyun and the Empressst time, it was not a problem for the Emperor to agree.

    The problem here should be Ao Chenyi. Even if it was Commandery Princess Xianyun who had wanted to marry Ao Chenyi in the past, she could not do anything about it if he had not agreed. So, now, how could the Empress secretly issue an edict? Ao Chenyi had never been an obedient person. This was the reason why the decree had not been issued directly.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. If you ask Prince Yi to turn her down, I won¡¯t have to marry into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.¡± Heng Yuqing misunderstood what she meant. Her eyes lit up and she looked at Ning Xueyan anxiously and expectantly.

    ¡°He has no reason to refuse it now.¡± Ning Xueyan shook her head, with a trace of coldness shing in her eyes. She did not expect that she would even consider this. If it was before Ao Chenyi¡¯s marriage, he could say that the former marriage was not harmonious, and he missed his former fianc¨¦e so he did not want to get married.

    However, the problem was that he had been engaged to one princess and two consorts. Among them, County Princess Yuanyun could not marry Ao Chenyi because of thest incident, so he had lost one of his consorts. Now, it was normal for him to have another consort. Besides, with Heng Yuqing¡¯s family background and character, it was not a big deal for her to be a princess, let alone a consort.

    Although the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor was a first-ss noble household, it was just a mere facade. She would not be of any help to Ao Chenyi if she married him.

    In this view, he could not use the same reason.

    Ning Xueyan guessed that the empress would ask Ao Chenyi about it. Even the Emperor could not decide on Ao Chenyi¡¯s marriage, so the empress had to ask about it. Maybe she did not have the opportunity to ask about it, or perhaps she could not find a good reason, so the decree of the marriage had not been issued.

    Heng Yuqing did not know what was going on here at first, but Ning Xueyan¡¯s words immediately brought her back to reality. She was from a noble family, so she knew what was going on.

    ¡°What should I do? Maybe the decree will be issued in the next few days. If the empress gives the decree, I can¡¯t refuse to get married even if I want to. Besides, my mother is in their hands, so I can¡¯t go against their will.¡± Heng Yuqing stood up hurriedly and stamped her feet, feeling both angry and anxious.

    Ning Xueyan frowned slightly. Heng Yuqing should be more anxious than her on this matter. But for some reason, she felt that she was the one who was feeling even more anxious.

    Ao Chenyi had never been a good-tempered person. In his opinion, it was not a big deal for him to have one more woman or one less woman in his manor. Anyway, if one did not make trouble, he would let her stay. If one did, he would beat and kill those who caused any trouble. The way he dealt with them would always be so simple and violent. If the Empress wanted him to take another one, he would do it.

    He would definitely not refuse her. In his opinion, it was just a woman.

    However, Ning Xueyan could not allow him to do that. If she married into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, Heng Yuqing would be a pawn, an involuntary pawn. In the end, she would either be hit by Ao Chenyi or killed by Commandery Princess Xianyun.

    She did not want to see her good friend get into such a situation. After she entered Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, if she had to stand on Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s side, she would go against her and Ao Chenyi. Helping her was helping herself. Inparison, Ning Xueyan felt that she would rather fight an enemy who was not her friend.

    Ning Xueyan thought hard about it. She could dy Ao Chenyi for a while. But what about the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor? Concubine Yun was not aw-abiding person. Maybe she deliberately leaked it out to sound out Heng Yuqing and probably the reason why she leaked it out in advance.

    This meant that she attached great importance to this marriage. It was also possible that she thought that even if Heng Yuqing knew about it, she would not be able to do anything about it. In the end, Heng Yuqing had to ept it willingly. After all, if she wanted Heng Yuqing to obey Commandery Princess Xianyun, Heng Yuqing had to take the initiative to cooperate with her.

    ¡°Is your sister engaged?¡± Ning Xueyan suddenly had an idea. Maybe now it was an opportunity.

    ¡°No, Concubine Yun said that she would arrange a noble family for her, but she did not do so, so it was dyed.¡± Heng Yuqing sneered. She had never liked her younger sister, who was a concubine¡¯s daughter. When they met, they often sniped at each other. She was very clear about Concubine Yun¡¯s mentality of making a concubine¡¯s daughter a principal wife¡¯s daughter.

    Ning Xueyan was silent for a while. She thought of Ning Lingyun, who always wanted to seek a good match. If her mother was a concubine who was favored and capable, she would certainly not think highly of ordinary families. She would also want to marry someone from a noble family. The best one was, of course, the royal family.

    ording to Heng Yuqing¡¯s words, Heng Yuwan was an enhanced version of Ning Lingyun!

    ¡°Yuqing, if you trust me, go back first and wait for my invitation. As for the other matters, I will take care of them. Don¡¯t worry about the marriage. For the time being, our Prince Yi will not be thinking about getting married. The affairs of the mansion is too messy. There are all kinds of women in it. We have to deal with some of them before we can settle down.¡±

 Chapter 549 - The Dispute in Front of the Lord Guardianâ€™s Manor

    <h4>Chapter 549 The Dispute in Front of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor</h4>

    When Heng Yuqing returned to the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor, she met Heng Yuwan, who had just returned from outside.

    Heng Yuwan was wearing a light yellow top, which came with a long pink skirt. She was beautiful and was more graceful than Heng Yuqing. Her charming eyes made her look gentle, but her coquettish behavior made people feel that she was somewhat frivolous.

    Just like now, when she saw Heng Yuqinging back, she stood at the door and fanned her face with her handkerchief, looking enchanting. She did not look like the Young Lady of a noble family, the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor, at all.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s my eldest sister? Didn¡¯t they say that you have been taking care of your mother in bed and is very filial? Why did you sneak out to y? Is there something fun going on that is so tempting that you even left your mother, who was ill in bed?¡±

    Heng Yuqing did not expect to see Heng Yuwan at the door. When she heard what she said, her face immediately turned pale with anger. What she said was too flippant. She even insinuated that even though she was supposed to be serving her mother, she had in fact, sneaked out. It appeared as if she was involved in some shady affair.

    ¡°Heng Yuwan, what are you doing?¡± she asked coldly, a look of anger on her face.

    Seeing that Heng Yuqing was angry, Heng Yuwan became more excited and her eyes widened. ¡°Eldest Sister, what¡¯s wrong with you? I was just joking with you. Why are you so angry? Are you looking down on our small manor because you¡¯re about to be a consort?¡±

    Her words became even more exaggerated and even seemed somewhat sarcastic. Heng Yuqing was furious, anxious and vexed at the same time. She blushed and said, ¡°What are you talking about? When did our manor be small? And even if it¡¯s small, you are not allowed to say that.¡±

    She had hit Heng Yuwan¡¯s vulnerable spot. It meant that she was not qualified to say the words ¡°our manor¡± as a concubine¡¯s daughter. It irritated Heng Yuwan immediately.

    What Heng Yuwan cared most about was her identity. She felt that she was better than Heng Yuqing in all aspects, but people always put Heng Yuqing first, which made her angry. Last time, she wanted to y a trick to ruin Heng Yuqing¡¯s reputation and it would be better if Heng Yuqing¡¯s mother were to die.

    Then, her mother could be promoted to the position of legal wife. The Lord Peace¡¯s Manor also said that if that happened, they would promote her mother and make the Lord of the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor acknowledge her as an immediate rtive. Then, she and her mother would have the support of the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor. But now, they were only distant rtives of the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor. They were so distant that they could not even take advantage of the power.

    If the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor recognized her mother and her father were to promote her mother to be the principal wife, there would be no obstacle even if her mother had a bad family background. Meanwhile, she could be the legitimate daughter of the Lord Guardian. However, things had changed. In the end, not only did she not ruin Heng Yuqing¡¯s reputation, but she also created trouble for herself. The n for her mother to be the principal wife of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor was also ruined.

    So what if Heng Yuqing was the Young Lady of Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor? In the end, she had to marry into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Prince Yi was not an easy-going person. It was said that he did not like Commandery Princess Xianyun, who was beautiful and noble. How could he like Heng Yuqing? In Heng Yuwan¡¯s mind, if Heng Yuqing married into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, she would only be an abandoned woman.

    So what if she was the consort of the royal family? She would also be an abandoned woman. There was still a Cold Pce in the pce. It was said that a woman who had been neglected like this would not have a good ending in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    ¡°Eldest Sister, why can¡¯t I say that? Maybe I will have more say than you in the future. When you go to Prince Yi¡¯s manor, you will not have any say in anything in the manor, even if you want to!¡± Heng Yuwan could not help stomping her feet and said.

    ¡°Second Sister, does my father know what you¡¯re saying? Does the empress know? Do you have a say, Second Sister? Can it be that you are also deciding on the affairs of the royal family?¡± Seeing Heng Yuwan getting angry, Heng Yuqing calmed down and even had a faint smile on her face.

    No matter how bold Heng Yuwan was, she did not dare to admit what she had said. If her words were spread to the imperial pce, the whole Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor would be in trouble, not to mention herself. Besides, they were at the gate. Someone had stopped and looked over. It seemed that they wanted to see the fun.

    Heng Yuwan was speechless and her face darkened. When had Heng Yuqing be so sharp-tongued?

    After saying that, Heng Yuqing ignored Heng Yuwan and went inside with her maid. However, when she passed by Heng Yuwan, she sneered in a low voice and said, ¡°Second Sister, if I¡¯m really favored, I must thank you and your mother for your kindness.¡±

    She said it softly at the moment when they passed each other. Only Heng Yuwan could hear what she said clearly. She was immediately annoyed. Seeing Heng Yuqing leaving, she stomped her feet with hatred and went straight to Concubine Yun with her maid.

    She suddenly felt that she could not let Heng Yuqing marry into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Maybe Prince Yi would like her. This kind of thing was uncertain. If she received Prince Yi¡¯s favor, not to mention her mother, even her father would not dare to disobey her. No one dared to offend Prince Yi, especially a powerless noble like her father.

    Thinking that Heng Yuqing might suppress her for the rest of her life, Heng Yuwan felt that things were not going well. No, she could not let Heng Yuqing be so proud. Heng Yuqing seemed to have a well-thought-out n. Did she secretly meet with Prince Yi just now? That was why she was so presumptuous.

    Thinking about this, she felt that she could not let Heng Yuqing get away with this...

    After returning to the manor, Ning Xueyan went directly to Moon-embracing Tower. This matter should not be dyed. Maybe the Empress would tell Ao Chenyi about it at any time. If Ao Chenyi agreed to it, it would ruin Heng Yuqing¡¯s life.

    However, Ao Chenyi happened to be absent, but Yu Jian was there. He did not exin much to Ning Xueyan and led her to the third floor. The first floor was for meeting guests, the second floor was for him to deal with official business and the third floor was his living space. Usually, he was alone in Moon-embracing Tower and lived on the 3rd floor.

    Yu Jian led her to the room, served tea for her and then went downstairs. This was Ao Chenyi¡¯s ce. Maybe there was something important. Ning Xueyan asked Qingyu to stand guard downstairs. It was not because she did not believe in Qingyu, but she wanted to show her respect for Ao Chenyi. After all, she was still an unfavored consort.

    Ning Xueyan sat on the couch by the window. She picked up a book and flipped through it casually. Time passed slowly and she felt a little sleepy. She leaned against the couch and subconsciously put down her hands. Her beautiful eyes were slightly closed.

    Suddenly, a cool breeze blew and she wanted to look up subconsciously. Only then did she realize that she had fallen asleep. Then, she felt her body be light and being taken into his arms. The familiar warm breath with his usual smell made her realize who it was before she woke up.

    When she suddenly opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was his delicate chin with its beautiful curve and then his thin red lips. Unlike Ning Xueyan¡¯s pale lips, Ao Chenyi¡¯s lips were extremely bright, as if they had been dyed with a bright color. At this time, his slightly evil eyes were looking at Ning Xueyanzily.

    There was a hint of a gorgeous dark light in the depths of his eyes, with a touch of gentleness.

    ¡°Why did you suddenlye to me today? Did you miss me?¡± Ao Chenyi reached out to help her brush aside the hair on her temples, with a sh of brilliance in his eyes. He felt that Ning Xueyan was very cute as she was half-awake and so defenseless in front of him. She felt dazed and confused for a moment, which aroused his tender affection.

    ¡°Did you go to the pce?¡± Ning Xueyan blinked her shimmery eyes a few times and was now fully awake. She was held tightly by him, so she did not refuse him. She leaned back in his arms and asked. Usually, he was in the manor at this time.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s said that he will give me another consort. He can¡¯t make me suffer from injustice because of County Princess Yuanyun¡¯s incident.¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s voice sounded weird, with a hint of sarcasm.

    Ning Xueyan was shocked. She suddenly raised her head, but because she was in a hurry, she bumped into Ao Chenyi¡¯s chin. She hurriedly reached out to touch his chin and asked, ¡°Does it hurt?¡±

    She gently stroked his chin with her tender hand and he enjoyed the feeling. So, he simply fell on the couch with Ning Xueyan in his arms and vaguely said, ¡°It hurts. It hurts.¡±

    Ning Xueyan had no choice but to lean on him and rub his chin. She was asking him for help now, so she could not make him angry.

    ¡°Did you agree to take another consort?¡± Seeing that he narrowed his charming eyes and looked to be in a good mood, Ning Xueyan could not help asking.

    ¡°Yan¡¯er, are you jealous?¡± Ao Chenyi was very satisfied and narrowed his eyes slightly.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m afraid that you¡¯ll be framed!¡± Ning Xueyan nced at him and said coyly. She put down the hand that rubbed his chin and pushed at him. ¡°Do you agree?¡±

    ¡°Are you worried about Heng Yuqing or me?¡± Ao Chenyi did not seem to intend to let her go easily. He wrapped his arms around her waist and gently caressed her a few times.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s face turned red involuntarily. ¡°I¡¯m worried about you.¡±

    She was also worried about Heng Yuqing, but she could only keep these words in her mind. When she saw the smile on Ao Chenyi¡¯s face, she knew that he was in a good mood now.

    Ao Chenyi was very satisfied with Ning Xueyan¡¯s answer. He generously said that he would let her go and loosened his grip. Ning Xueyan immediately rolled off him, sat up, poured a cup of tea for him from the teapot at the side and presented it to him.

    ¡°Chenyi, tell me, did the Empress ask about your marriage and ask you to marry Heng Yuqing of Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor?¡± Ning Xueyan blinked and asked, as she handed the tea to Ao Chenyi.

    ¡°You¡¯re well-informed. Did you go out to see Heng Yuqing, or did someone else send you the message?¡± Ao Chenyi took the tea, took a sip gracefully and raised his eyebrows. In the steam, he looked a little evil and cold.

 Chapter 550 - Being Surprised at the Empressâ€™s Stance

    <h4>Chapter 550 Being Surprised at the Empress¡¯s Stance</h4>

    ¡°No one has sent me any message. I went to see Heng Yuqing. She was very anxious. Her father¡¯s concubine had no good intentions.¡± Thinking of Heng Yuqing¡¯s situation, Ning Xueyan sighed. She was in the same situation that she used to be in. At least, her mother was ill, but she could protect her. What happened in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was more terrible.

    ¡°It seems that Xianyun is really anxious!¡± Ao Chenyi said with a faint look in his eyes, ¡°If it were not for Xianyun stirring up trouble behind our backs, how could a concubine dare to mention such a thing?¡±

    Ning Xueyan poured herself a cup of tea and took a sip. Her long eyshes fluttered and she asked in confusion, ¡°Why is the Empress so kind to Commandery Princess Xianyun? Why did she help her with such a thing?¡±

    Thepetition between a wife and a concubine was a taboo for all families. As the Empress, who had no children, she should be dignified and self-respected. A motherly model in the pce should be unbiased. Ning Xueyan had never heard that the Empress was partial to the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince. That was to say, the Empress had always done a good job.

    She had never interfered in the struggle between consorts and concubines in the pce. No matter what happened in the fights in the imperial harem, she was still the Empress. Whoever would win or lose had nothing to do with her. Or perhaps, one could say that no matter who would win or lose, she would be the Empress of the pce because she did not have a son. And, she would be the Empress Dowager in the future.

    As long as she was still the Empress, her position as the Empress Dowager would be stable. Therefore, she did not have topete like Honored Consort Ya and Honored Consort Shu.

    However, the Empress, who had always been fair, seemed to bepletely out-of-line now. She meddled in the affairs of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor out of turn and helped Commandery Princess Xianyun to frame Ning Xueyan. She could not figure it out. No matter what happened in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, it had nothing to do with the Empress.

    ¡°Help Xianyun?¡± Ao Chenyi raised his eyebrows evilly and a cold light appeared in his eyes. ¡°Her parents¡¯ family is weak. So what if she bes the Empress Dowager in the harem in the future? Neither Honored Consort Ya nor Honored Consort Shu are easy to get along with. No one will care about an empress who has no child. Besides, her parents¡¯ family have a close rtionship with Lord Peace¡¯s Manor. She and Xianyun should be considered as rtives...¡±

    Ning Xueyan was surprised, as a thought shed through her mind. ¡°So, she is on Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s side?¡±

    The words came out of her mouth in a low voice. After that, Ning Xueyan subconsciously covered her cherry lips and stared at Ao Chenyi in astonishment.

    No wonder the rtionship between Commandery Princess Xianyun and the Empress was so good. The rtionship between the emperor and Ao Chenyi was not harmonious. Everyone just did superficial things. Everyone knew that the rtionship between the emperor and Ao Chenyi was not harmonious, but the Empress loved Commandery Princess Xianyun very much.

    From Ao Chenyi¡¯s reaction, she could tell that Commandery Princess Xianyun had spent a lot of effort to marry into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. In the end, she was granted marriage. The Empress¡¯s role was unquestionable. Commandery Princess Xianyun was an ambitious woman. She came to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor for the supreme position.

    She had confidence in Ao Chenyi, or the whole Lord Peace¡¯s Manor had confidence in Ao Chenyi. Then what about the Empress?

    This answer gave her the creeps. Unexpectedly, the Empress¡¯s trump card was not ced on her husband, whom she had married for so many years. Instead, she put it on someone else.

    ¡°Does His Majesty know...?¡± She could not help saying.

    ¡°He...¡± Ao Chenyi waved listlessly at her. When Ning Xueyan leaned a little closer to him, Ao Chenyi reached out and held her on hisp. ¡°He is busy with the matter of his two sons now. He is making them exhaust my attention. As for the imperial harem, without any children, there won¡¯t be any trouble. Besides, the Empress has always been dignified. He thinks that the Empress is closer to Xianyun because the two families are rtives and that they have always had a good rtionship.¡±

    Being held so closely in his arms, Ning Xueyan blushed. A warm blush rose on her white jade-like face, which made her look even more charming and gentle. However, the news she had just received was so shocking that she did not care about shyness for a moment. She raised her shimmery eyes and looked at Ao Chenyi in surprise.

    ¡°She... Will she get burnt for ying with fire?¡±

    Even though the Emperor did not care about her, so what about it? As long as she was a little contrary-minded to the Emperor, even the family behind her would not have a good ending, not to mention her, the Empress. Although she did not have a son, she could only be a nominal Empress Dowager in the future. But now, it could be said that she almost stood on the opposite side of the Emperor.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with ying with fire? I enjoy watching people ying with fire very much. Since she likes dancing on the tip of the de with Xianyun, I¡¯ll give them this opportunity so they will not have any regrets. If no one is scheming, it¡¯s not fun. My road has never been a smooth one.¡±

    Ao Chenyi paused for a while and sped Ning Xueyan¡¯s head into his arms, with a bloodthirsty dark coldness in his eyes. ¡°They got above themselves and schemed secretly. They thought that they were about to approach their goal, but found that they were unable to reach their goal at thest moment. Their switch from being extremely happy to being desperate is just what I want,¡± he said slowly.

    His voice was not loud, but the coldness in his eyes was clear. Ning Xueyan was speechless. She reached out and touched his handsome and cold face gently. She knew that he was ruthless and even bloodthirsty. He watched his opponent step slowly to his death.

    Prince Yi was the representative of the Asura.

    But if not, could he be at the mercy of others? Compared with being trampled, Ning Xueyan would rather he was Asura, who trampled other people¡¯s lives and dignity. The tragedy of her previous life told her that if she did not want others to trample on her life and dignity, she had to be stronger.

    She should be fiercer, bloodier and more cold-blooded than her opponent.

    Humans were selfish. She did not want to make the same mistake she did in her previous life.

    ¡°Be careful. With the addition of the Empress, the situation will be even more dangerous. Remember what you said. You will protect me!¡± She raised her head and looked at him with her eyes full of tenacity. She was not as weak and harmless as she looked.

    When he saw the tenacity on her youthful face, the darkness in his eyes slowly faded away and finally, there was a touch of tenderness. As the sun shone through the window, he could see her delicate and beautiful facial features. Together with this tenacity, she showed a heroic spirit.

    Such a charming person, but with such a temperament, was so attractive. However, she was not aware of it. She raised her face and looked at him seriously as if she wanted him to remember this promise forever. His cold heart softened and his kiss fell gently on her white and tender forehead.

    His voice was filled with tenderness as he said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll always protect you.¡±

    She was the only woman he really wanted in his life. Therefore, he would protect her.

    He could y with all the people in the world, but she was the only one whom he was willing to treat sincerely.

    ¡°Remember what you said. If you forget what you said, I¡¯ll be doomed eternally. I¡¯ll die miserably and be cut into pieces.¡±

    Ning Xueyan cursed herself in her gentlest voice. She said it word by word as if she was cursing others. She looked into Ao Chenyi¡¯s charming eyes without flinching.

    After being with him, she discovered that he had a casual temperament. He was not afraid of death; it was as if he could give up everything, including his own life. Ning Xueyan was very afraid that he would leave her and sacrifice himself one day. If so, she would rather relive the tragedy of her previous life.

    Looking at Ning Xueyan who was behaving in this manner, Ao Chenyi was inexplicably angry, but then he softened. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. There won¡¯t be such a day.¡±

    Whether it was a sess or a failure, he didn¡¯t care. He just wanted to live a free life. But now, it was different. He had worries in his heart and could not do that. In his eyes, this woman was still a girl. She was so fragile that she would be easily broken at a touch. However, she warned him so firmly and every word pierced his heart.

    He sighed helplessly and hugged her even tighter. There was a sh of light in his eyes. She was indeed the one who understood him the most. She knew that it would irritate him immensely if she cursed herself like that.

    Ning Xueyan looked up at him. Her cold eyes were full of tenderness and light. She fluttered her long eyshes twice and there was a hint of beseeching softness on her face. ¡°No matter what happens in the future, remember me. You live, I live! You die, I die.¡±

    Her eyes were as dark as ink. At first, they looked as cold as ice and snow. When one looked at them carefully, one could feel the fluidity of her gaze. They were charming and attractive beyond words. Her long eyshes fluttered slightly and her small mouth was slightly parted. The skin on her attractive oval face was delicate. She looked at him with an unspeakably gentle gaze.

    Ao Chenyi had never seen Ning Xueyan express her feelings so clearly. She was so soft but so decisive. His heart rippled with tenderness. Unexpectedly, such a delicate girl could be so fierce and determined. The kiss fell on her lips again and this time, it was like a precious treasure.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will live or die with you! If anyone threatens my life, I¡¯ll kill them, be it gods or devils.¡±

    It was his promise, the only promise he had made in his life. He would not let anything happen to her, who was so weak, so he could not let anything happen to him!

    He held her tightly in his arms with self-mockery and his chin was against her ck hair. He really did not expect that such a heartless person like himself would be so distressed. He really did not know whether it was her disaster or his disaster when he saw her upstairs at that time. Now it seemed that he was the one who had more cmity.

    If he had not been too free at that time, he would not have gone to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor...

    If it were not for the boredom, he would not have gone upstairs to rest...

    If he had not seen that scene at that time...

    If she had not pretended to be strong and taken advantage of him in the mourning hall...

    He believed that he would regret it. Such a woman would be his only disaster in this life, but he was also willing to sink for her. The person in his arms was so soft that it made him feel like he was in the mortal world, no longer cold and dull.

 Chapter 551 - The Scheme of Commandery Princess Xianyun

    <h4>Chapter 551 The Scheme of Commandery Princess Xianyun</h4>

    Ning Xueyan leaned against his chest, listening to his powerful heartbeats and feeling his hands gently stroking her hair, and then she had an uncontroble smile on her lips.

    People always have greedy hearts. In her previous life, she died so miserably, so she didn¡¯t want to mention love anymore.

    But when he loved so passionately that she had to respond, she then realized that he was not doing this attentively alone.

    She said that if he lived, she lived!

    He said that he would not leave her in life or death!

    Both of them understood the meaning of it. They just cuddled together like this silently for a long time. A wind came inside through the window, making some of her hair fall. He extended his thin long hand over, gently rolling up her...

    Thissted for a long time, and then there was a knock on the door, which finally brought the two hugging people back to reality.

    Eunuch Zhu stood at the door carrying a big food box, with an uncontroble smile on his slightly lowered face. ¡°My master finally has someone he loves.¡± So, as his ve, he was very happy for his master, of course. If his prince hadn¡¯t asked someone to cook the dinner and send it here, he wouldn¡¯t disturb them so stupidly.

    ¡°Bring it in.¡± Ao Chenyi rxed his hands slightly and saidzily, but he didn¡¯t mean to let Ning Xueyan leave.

    Ning Xueyan simply buried her head in his arms, motionless.

    Seeing that she cutely deceived herself with the idea that others would not be able to see her if she did this, Ao Chenyi raised the corners of his beautiful mouth slightly. ¡°Howe there is such a cute little girl!¡±

    After taking out the food lightly and quickly, Eunuch Zhu left hurriedly and closed the door for them on purpose. Although this was the third floor of the Moon-embracing Tower and it was impossible for anyone else toe up, Eunuch Zhu thought that his mistress seemed to be a shy person, so he could not make her angry from embarrassment or anything.

    But if that time came, his master would vent his anger on no one but him.

    In order to make her feel at ease and protect himself, he knew that closing the door was his best choice. Next, he listened at the door happily for a while but did not hear anything. Yet, he still went downstairs with a smile.

    In whatever sense, the smile was like the one a cat who stole something wore, so that Yu Jian at the door pulled him over, wanting to take him to the side to ask about the situation upstairs. Of course, Eunuch Zhu refused him and simply left with the excuse ¡°No one should inquire about the prince¡¯s affairs.¡± Standing on the side, Qingyu looked at the pair in front of her curiously.

    Upstairs, Ao Chenyi released Ning Xueyan, letting her sit down beside him, served her a bowl of rice, and pushed the red bean cakes she liked to her. She was physically weak, and the physician instructed that she needed to eat more red beans, but Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t want to eat red beans, so red bean cakes were made in the style of mung bean cakes. Unexpectedly, their taste was quite good, and she had even fallen in love with this way of eating.

    But why did Ao Chenyi have such things? Seeing that he pushed the red bean cakes to her, she knew that he knew she liked eating them, so she couldn¡¯t help having a smile, obediently took the red bean cakes he had pushed over, picked one up, and tasted it slowly. It was fragrant and sweet, and its taste was indeed the same as the one made in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor previously. No, it was a little better, in fact.

    ¡°She gave you the scented tea that can sterilize a person?¡± Ao Chenyi suddenly sneered as his gentle expression disappeared.

    Ning Xueyan was taken aback but immediately remembered the scented tea sent by Commandery Princess Xianyun when she went out earlier. Knowing that what he said was this matter, she shook her head and said with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I know everything about the face powder used to hurt people in the pce. Aunt Xiang taught me that, and she seemed to have a good rtionship with my mother previously.¡±

    Ning Xueyan felt that she didn¡¯t need to talk about things that happened in her previous life. The past was like the wind that had gone. Besides, she couldn¡¯t exin those things clearly.

    So, she took Aunt Xiang as her defense, and it was indeed the truth. Although Aunt Xiang had been serving Honored Consort Ya in the pce, she treated her with all her heart and always brought her some spice recipes, especially those recipes rted to reproduction and health. Ning Xueyan was sure that the recipes publicly known in the pce were not as many as those in the hands of Aunt Xiang.

    ¡°I will ask someone to send the scented tea to her so that she can enjoy the scented tea alone in the yard.¡± A vicious look appeared and vanished in the eyes of Ao Chenyi.

    This meant that he wanted to lock up Commandery Princess Xianyun.

    ¡°Don¡¯t do that now. After all, this scented tea has been passed from hand to hand several times. If she doesn¡¯t admit it, you will not be able to show other evidence. Or perhaps someone will use this to nder me. Don¡¯t worry. As long as you back me up, she dare not really do anything to me. As for the matters in the backyard, you had better let us deal with them ourselves!¡±

    Seeing that he was angry, Ning Xueyan pulled his sleeve and spoke coyly.

    The identity of Commandery Princess Xianyun was special. Not only was she from the family of Empress Dowager¡¯s parents, but she also had a close rtionship with the empress, and now she was also the princess of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. If there was no real evidence, it was unjustifiable for Ao Chenyi to deal with her. Of course, if Ao Chenyi were his previous self, he would never care about other people¡¯s opinions and would lock her up as he wished.

    Feeling very satisfied with her attitude that she relied on him wholeheartedly, Ao Chenyi eased his expression a bit. Truly, he had more than one method to deal with Xianyun, but these methods were a bit too simple and too rude. ¡°Since I back up Yan¡¯er, she is extremely cautious, and this is my mansion, do I need to fear that Commandery Princess Xianyun will do unruly things?

    ¡°Moreover, it is truly not the best time to deal with Xianyun now. I haven¡¯t handled the matter of the ¡®favored concubine¡¯ properly. When it is the right time, it will be impossible for Commandery Princess Xianyun to refuse to be locked up. Although she got the princess¡¯s position by using all kinds of schemes, it is very easy for me to take it from her whenever I want.¡±

    ¡°Did you promise the Empress in the pce?¡± Ning Xueyan remembered another thing and asked with a smile.

    ¡°No!¡± Ao Chenyi saidzily. Then he extended his hand, pulled the strand of Ning Xueyan¡¯s fallen hair, squinted at her, and said with an unpleasant look, ¡°My mansion is not essible to anyone who wants to enter.¡±

    ¡°You refused?¡± Ning Xueyan widened her eyes suddenly, shocked.

    ¡°What do you mean? Is it that you want me to marry one more person and bring her to the mansion?¡± Ao Chenyi said with a faint smile. His expression seemed to mean that if Ning Xueyan dared to say ¡°yes¡±, he would never let her off.

    ¡°The man is so conceited,¡± Ning Xueyan pursed her lips secretly.

    ¡°I mean, if you hadn¡¯t directly refused, I could think of other ways to let them reap what they have sown.¡± Seeing his proud look, Ning Xueyan decided to use the ways he could ept to deal with him. To deal with such a conceited person, she really couldn¡¯t refute him directly.

    ¡°You have other ways?¡± Ao Chenyi raised his eyebrows and asked with a faint smile.

    ¡°Of course, since they spent so much energy harming me, making me ufortable, I have to harm back, lest that one or two of them should always think I am a person they can easily bully.¡±

    Ning Xueyan spoke softly and raised the corners of her light-colored mouth slightly. When he saw this, Ao Chenyi thought that it waspletely her coquettish manner.

    ¡°Good, then I¡¯ll wait and see.¡± Ao Chenyi looked at her calmly with a light pampering feeling in his eyes. ¡°If you need my help, just say it. Don¡¯t lock it up in your heart.¡±

    He remembered that she who looked soft and weak was extremely tough inside.

    Ning Xueyan instantly put on an extremely beautiful smile, nodded, looked at his alluring face, and said softly, ¡°I only rely on you now.¡±

    She only had him now, no Lord Protector¡¯s Manor or anyone else. Now he was the only one who cared about her in this world, and she was willing tough happily for him alone.

    After rebirth, she had been relying on herself and only using others, but now she was willing to open her heart and ept him...

    After dinner, Ning Xueyan took Qingyu back alone. Ao Chenyi did not go to her Pear Flower Garden or the Fragrance Garden of that ¡°favored concubine¡±. It was said that since Ning Xueyan left, Ao Chenyi had been very angry and even thrown a few pieces of precious porcin out of the window.

    When the news reached the Great Wisdom Garden, Commandery Princess Xianyun was having dinner. Sitting there with a serious face, she listened to Qiuhuan¡¯s report and had a small smile gradually. ¡°I thought that Ning Xueyan is a little different from me, but now I find that she is the same as me, and she has also lost favor. Like me, she is not valued by Ao Chenyi.¡±

    ¡°She thinks she is so much favored and even dared to visit the Moon-embracing Tower to win his favor. As a result, she didn¡¯t get favor and even angered the prince, and she was then driven out by the prince. She is unaware of her limitations indeed! If Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor can do the thing nicely, I will be able to use Heng Yuqing when she gets married and is brought to the mansion in the future.

    ¡°No matter whether Heng Yuqing can be favored or not, Ning Xueyan is hopeless. At most, I will only need to sacrifice a pawn to kill the woman in the Fragrance Garden. When the timees, I wille out to preside over the overall situation fairly. No matter how angry the prince is, he won¡¯t be angry with me.

    ¡°Because nothing has connections to me.¡±

    ¡°Give me another bowl of rice,¡± Princess Xianyun ordered as she suddenly had a good mood.

    ¡°When Ning Xueyan couldn¡¯t give birth to a child and couldn¡¯t win his favor, she, who has such poor health, will lose her life after several times of punishment, so I really don¡¯t need to be angry with a dying person.¡±

    ¡°Okay, let me scoop rice for you now, princess.¡± Seeing that Commandery Princess Xianyun became happy, Qiuhuan smiled and hurriedly served her another small bowl of rice.

    Xiangrong brought a few items in at this time. When she sneaked a peek and saw that Commandery Princess Xianyun had calmed down, she was relieved. When she went to the Pear Flower Garden earlier, she didn¡¯t find out what Consort Ning was going to do, so she had been anxious when she came back, afraid that the princess would me her. Now when she saw her happy face, she knew she wouldn¡¯t have trouble.

    ¡°Princess, Consort Ning of the Pear Flower Garden has sent someone over,¡± Xiangrong reported after stepping forward and saluting.

    ¡°What is she up to by sending someone here now?¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun frowned. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Ning Xueyan to be so stupid that as soon as she was punished by the prince, she went to my ce to make trouble. Sure enough, she is not smart, but this is good. With such an extremely stupid Ning Xueyan present, I can be seen as a generous and smart person.¡±

    ¡°Let her in!¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun nodded with a mocking andcent smile, put down the bowl and chopsticks in her hands, and cleaned her mouth with a handkerchief.

    She just wanted to see what Ning Xueyan would do next.

    It happened that she was being coldly treated by the prince now, so she couldn¡¯t intervene in so many things in the mansion. ¡°Then let the mansion be messed up. The more chaotic, the better. When the chaos is out of control, the prince willpare the stupid Ning Xueyan with me and remember that he still has me, his princess. Then he will need me, his princess, to handle affairs.¡±

 Chapter 552 - Is Your Third Young Lady Coming Here?

    <h4>Chapter 552 Is Your Third Young Lady Coming Here?</h4>

    ¡°What? Consort Ning will invite several good youngdies having close rtionships with her to a banquet held in the mansion tomorrow?¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun hardly believed what she heard. She suddenly put down the handkerchief in her hand and red at Qingyu in front of her, shocked.

    She only had one thing in her mind. ¡°Ning Xueyan is crazy. She was reprimanded by Ao Chenyi when she went to the Moon-embracing Tower, but she even dared to do this. This is really crazy!¡±

    ¡°Outsiders do not know about the situation of Prince Yi¡¯s newly married princess and consort, but don¡¯t we know about it ourselves?

    ¡°All the people in the mansion know that the prince really doesn¡¯t have much interest in me, his princess, and Ning Xueyan, his consort. Besides, we have just been in the mansion for a few days. Before she gets familiar with all the people here, she even wants to think about holding banquets. What on earth does she want to do?

    ¡°To challenge the cold treatment from Ao Chenyi? She really wants to die!¡±

    What was so important for her to be a consort? Commandery Princess Xianyun was sure that Ao Chenyi had thousands of ways to deal with her. Although he could not simply kill her publicly, a thing like imprisoning her was of no difficulty for him to do. She had the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor as her backer, but what was the point of that?

    ¡°Princess, it is actually not a banquet but a party with one dining table to be held in the Pear Flower Garden, and a few girls who have good rtionships with my mistress will be invited toe to chat and relieve boredom. It¡¯s not a formal banquet. Our mistress says nothing will exceed the fixed requirements. Please rest assured, princess.¡±

    Now, Qingyu was no longer the one who was timid before anyone she met. She stood with her head respectfully bowed in front of Commandery Princess Xianyun, talking properly and fluently.

    ¡°Your master has gone to invite them?¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun felt that she was so powerless.

    ¡°Not yet, for she is waiting for you to agree, princess. Our mistress will invite them tomorrow morning. It¡¯s toote tonight, and it¡¯s not convenient to go out.¡± Qingyu acted in a manner that the thing should be done ording to the rules.

    ¡°It¡¯s not convenient to go out?¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun turned up her nose at it. ¡°Ning Xueyan angered Ao Chenyi not long ago. If she dares to tease him again, she is doomed to suffer.¡±

    ¡°Whom will Sister Ning invite?¡± She did want to agree so casually. ¡°Anyway, Ning Xueyan has taken the matter to heart. The more troublesome she bes, the more generous and smarter I appear to be. When we arepared, it is clear who is better and who is inferior by just taking a nce.¡± She was suddenly stricken by the idea and asked casually.

    ¡°Our mistress hasn¡¯t fully decided yet, but thedy of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor is sure to be invited. First Young Lady Heng and ourdy have always been close friends. When ourdy was married and brought here, First Young Lady Heng even came and gave a gift to ourdy. And the others should also be those who did this!¡±

    Qingyu was not quite sure about this, so she just gave an embarrassed smile.

    ¡°Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor?¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun became serious as she heard this. As for Heng Yuqing¡¯s matter, she had almost gotten it done. As long as Ao Chenyi agreed, Heng Yuqing could get married and be brought to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, bing a consort like Ning Xueyan. Generally speaking, Ao Chenyi, a person with the title Prince Yi, should have a princess, two consorts, and two concubines of lower status.

    But now he evencked one consort.

    ¡°Before getting married, Ao Chenyi could not say it, but now when he is married, it is nothing for him to have one more consort orck one. Now it seems that he is so dissatisfied with both me, his princess, and Ning Xueyan, his consort, so I believe that as long as the empress brings it up, Ao Chenyi will agree and will not care about what it is.

    ¡°But why does Ning Xueyan want to invite Heng Yuqing to the house to chat at this critical moment?

    ¡°Does she really just want to invite those good friends of hers who gave her gifts previously to the house to y?¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun frowned. She suddenly thought that she was wrong. ¡°Maybe I was truly wrong.

    ¡°I was careless, or perhaps my eyes and ears lost their functions and then I made a wrong judgment because I have been in the Great Wisdom Garden since I was married and came to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. How could I think that Ning Xueyan is extremely stupid? Maybe she is not smart in a few aspects, such as her visit to the Moon-embracing Tower today.

    ¡°But what about the other aspects? That is not sure. That day Ning Qingshan used every word to indicate that I should be wary of Ning Xueyan, saying that Ning Xueyan¡¯s character and performance arepletely inconsistent. When she spoke of the case of Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling, she suggested that Ning Xueyan¡¯s traces could be found in it.¡±

    ¡°Is your Third Young Ladying here?¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun asked suddenly when remembering Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°Speaking of giving gifts, the elder sister Ning Qingshan must have also done it.¡±

    ¡°Possibly, but I don¡¯t know if Third Young Lady will have time tomorrow. Surely, Fourth Young Lady must have no time because she was sick the day before yesterday,¡± Qingyu said with a smile that covered up the affair of Ning Lingyun and Third Prince. Although Third Prince admitted it, he had done an unfair thing to Ning Qingshan.

    The necessary punishment of being locked up at home was done to show to Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°Okay, let Sister Ning prepare for it. Tomorrow I might also go and bother Sister Ning.¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun paused a bit and said smilingly as she nodded, ¡°It happens that I¡¯m also getting bored these days, and let me go and join in the fun in Sister Ning¡¯s ce.¡±

    ¡°Yes, princess. Let me leave.¡± With her goal reached, Qingyu bowed respectfully and retired after Commandery Princess Xianyun waved to her.

    ¡°What does Consort Ning mean, princess?¡± Xiangrong couldn¡¯t help asking after Qingyu went out.

    ¡°Tomorrow morning, you should go to the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor and tell Concubine Yun that no matter what measures she takes, she must ask Heng Yuwan to follow Heng Yuqing there,¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun now already had a n and instructed.

    No matter what Ning Xueyan wanted to do, it was suitable for Heng Yuwan who followed Heng Yuqing to keep an eye on Ning Xueyan¡¯s actions, though it might not be suitable for her, the princess, to do it! She knew that Ning Xueyan and Heng Yuqing had a good rtionship. Last time in the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor, she found that Ning Xueyan came on Heng Yuqing¡¯s invitation.

    Now Heng Yuqing¡¯s matter was a pressing matter, so she so much wanted to know if Ning Xueyan had learned some tidings before she went to Heng Yuqing, but no matter what, it was unsuitable for her, the princess, to keep an eye on Ning Xueyan, especially when the two of them wanted to have a private conversation on the side.

    She would have no fair reason to follow them all the time.

    Therefore, Heng Yuwan was her best candidate. She was a youngerdy visiting Prince Yi¡¯s Manor for the first time, so it was not wrong at all for her to only have the mind to follow her sister. ¡°As long as she watches Ning Xueyan and Heng Yuqing, I will know whether Ning Xueyan holds this banquet for a purpose or not.

    ¡°And when Ning Qingshanes, I can also ask her about Ning Xueyan. I don¡¯t know whether what she said in the past is true or not, but maybe I can find some clues from her talk.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I am going out early tomorrow morning and will reach there before the people of the Pear Flower Garden can.¡± Xiangrong heard clearly just now, so she understood what Commandery Princess Xianyun meant and nodded immediately.

    It was toote at this time. When the evening lights were lit, people had to get the travel certificate first before going out, but the travel certificates were now not in the hands of Commandery Princess Xianyun, but in the hands of Eunuch Ling. If someone wanted to go out, he would inevitably rm him, or maybe Prince Yi would even know it. Since Ning Xueyan did not dare to send someone out at this time, surely, Commandery Princess Xianyun was more cautious.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s invitations were sent out in the morning. The people she invited were not many, including a few close rtives of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and her good friend Heng Yuqing. Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t know other people, so this was reasonable, but since the invitation was hasty, those close friends were busy and couldn¡¯te.

    Besides, this was a visit to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, and they heard that Prince Yi didn¡¯t treat Ning Xueyan well, so one or two guests who had time also imed that they had no time toe.

    Therefore, only Heng Yuqing and her sister were present in the end.

    The reason why Ning Qingshan couldn¡¯te was simply that she made Madam Dowager angry. Ning Xueyan said a few words and left that day, and Madam Dowager thought about them again and again, feeling that they were not ordinary words, but she couldn¡¯t temporarily do anything to Ning Qingshan but to punish her by asking her to copy the Buddhist sutra, saying that she would not be allowed to go out of the courtyard before finishing copying 100 times.

    This punishment was even more serious than that given to Ning Lingyun. It was possible that Ning Qingshan might not be able to finish copying the 100 times even when she married.

    This meant that Ning Qingshan would be simply locked up until she married and Ning Lingyun was also taken to the Third Prince¡¯s Manor.

    Commander Princess Xianyun came shortly after the Heng sisters entered Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    After the four people had a conversation, Commander Princess Xianyun left early but asked them to enjoy their time freely because there were only two guests. Anyway, Heng Yuwan was with them, so she didn¡¯t have to show that she watched Ning Xueyan closely.

    Then she just gave them freedom. Ning Qingshan didn¡¯te, and she didn¡¯t have much to say. ¡°But the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is strange, and all their girls are sick. Previously there was the case that Ning Xueyan had been sick, and now even the other two unmarried girls are also sick. Thest time I saw Ning Qingshan, she did not look sick.

    ¡°It seems that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor has its problems.¡±

    ¡°Xueyan, your ce is more imposing than mine. This courtyard is big, as big as two of mine,¡± Heng Yuqing stood up, walked to the window, looked around, and said with a smile.

    ¡°The courtyards of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor are all big, and this one of mine is not a big one. The courtyard of the princess is really big, and the other vacant courtyards are also big. It is said that they are to be used by the future consort and concubines of lower status.¡± Ning Xueyan also smiled walking over and talked with Heng Yuqing affectionately at the window.

    In fact, what she said was a little untrue. The Pear Flower Garden was truly not the biggest, but it was the most exquisite, for every piece of decoration was made with a lot of thought and it was fair to say every nt was so stylish. When he picked this garden for Ning Xueyan in the past, Ao Chenyi had the idea that she was not his princess, so she could not exceed the standards Commandery Princess Xianyun had, but in fact, theyout inside was beyond the reach of that of the Great Wisdom Garden.

    ¡°Prince Yi... He is fierce, isn¡¯t he?¡± Heng Yuqing¡¯s expression became a little unnatural, and she lowered her head slightly.

    Heng Yuwan, who was sitting beside them, listened even more attentively. Today, she deliberately went to Heng Yuqing¡¯s courtyard, desperately asking to follow her here simply because she wanted to listen to the private conversation of Ning Xueyan and Heng Yuqing, so she just held her handkerchief silently as if she was in a daze, but in fact, her ears were fully used to receive information from Ning Xueyan and Heng Yuqing.

    Since they were in the same room, she could hear them clearly though their voices were not loud.

    Sure enough, Heng Yuwan was here today to get the information about the affairs of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, and she just came at the right time.

 Chapter 553 - The Right Crossroad of the Three

    <h4>Chapter 553 The Right Crossroad of the Three</h4>

    She remembered how she had been scolded when she tried to stop Concubine Yun from letting Heng Yuqing marry into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Concubine Yun said that a man of Prince Yi¡¯s temper would never fall for Heng Yuqing. Now that she had seen what great beauties Commandery Princess Xianyun and Consort Ning were, it was obvious that Heng Yuqing was far inferior to them.

    If even such charming and beautiful women failed to win Prince Yi¡¯s heart, Heng Yuqing wouldn¡¯t stand a chance.

    Still, she was worried. Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor was a great example. Heng Yuqing¡¯s mother was much prettier than Concubine Yun, but thetter still won Lord Guardian¡¯s favor. She had once overheard her nanny secretly telling others that appearances were important when it came to liking someone, but other factors were too.

    Who knew if Heng Yuqing would somehow get Prince Yi to fall for her?

    Thus, upon receiving Concubine Yun¡¯s order to follow Heng Yuqing to the Prince Yi¡¯s Manor and watch her closely, Heng Yuwan agreed without hesitation. She watched Heng Yuqing enter without a word. She, too, was curious about the kind of person Prince Yi was and whether he would be interested in Heng Yuqing.

    ording to the maids in the manor, their father decided to give Heng Yuqing to Prince Yi after hearing that he liked her. This meant that Heng Yuqing might have very likely earned the prince¡¯s favor. If Heng Yuqing were able to win the prince¡¯s heart, it would spell disaster to her and Concubine Yun.

    No, she must watch Heng Yuqing closely and go home to warn Concubine Yun. She must not let Heng Yuqing hit this jackpot.

    In order for her and her mother to flourish, Heng Yuqing and her mother must be doomed.

    Thus, Heng Yuqing¡¯s bashful and timid question was particrly noteworthy to Heng Yuwan. She was curious if Prince Yi would treat Heng Yuqing differently.

    ¡°Prince Yi treats us very well. Look, we haven¡¯t even been here for long but we¡¯re allowed to invite guests. He even said that when he¡¯s free, he would take the Princess and me for a stroll in the pce and meet the royal consorts there. After all, we can¡¯t harm the reputation of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.¡±

    Ning Xueyan wore a bright smile when she spoke in a very soft voice. From where Heng Yuwan was, she could see Ning Xueyan lowering her head with a bashful expression.

    She was stunned.

    Wasn¡¯t it said that both the princess and consort weren¡¯t favored? How much more was expected from the prince if this level of concern wasn¡¯t satisfactory?

    ¡°His Highness is so kind to you two,¡± Heng Yuqing said enviously.

    ¡°Well, yes. It wasn¡¯t until I married him that I found out how well he treats his family. The time I returned to my family manor... Well, you know what happened...¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s voice became softer toward the end. Heng Yuwan stole a nce at her and noticed that the two of them were almost whispering into each other¡¯s ears. Still, she could hear their conversation because of their proximity.

    The maids weren¡¯t around so only three of them were in the room. She could still hear them if she strained her ears.

    ¡°Do you know what my second sister did? When I went home the other day, she tried to cook up a scheme to restore her mother¡¯s position. My grandmother and father had her beaten up and sent back to Xia Manor like the embarrassment that she was. Later, I heard that... she was gone!¡±

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s words were soft and cheerful even, but they managed to elicit cold sweat from Heng Yuwan.

    What happened to Ning Yuling was a scandal among the nobledies and Heng Yuwan was no stranger to it. The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had caused so many scandals that it was hard not to notice. The woman that Ning Xueyan was talking about was Madam Ling, Ning Yuling¡¯s biological mother and the former mistress of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. It was said that she was removed from her position because of her malicious plot to frame her predecessor.

    Judging from Ning Xueyan¡¯s words, it seemed that Ning Yuling had aided Madam Ling in harming Ning Xueyan. But since Ning Xueyan had Prince Yi¡¯s support, not only did Ning Yuling fail but she even lost her life for it.

    How could Heng Yuwan not be shocked? She put herself in their shoes. If Heng Yuqing was Ning Xueyan, Concubine Yun would be Madam Ling and she would be Ning Yuling. Perhaps she couldn¡¯t even bepared to the likes of Ning Yuling, for thetter was once the first wife¡¯s daughter and quite famous among the nobledies in the capital too.

    Yet... Yet, such a woman met with such an end.

    Some things were better left untouched, for the more she thought about it, the more terrified she became. It was said that Ning Xueyan¡¯s biological mother was born frail. Simrly, Heng Yuqing¡¯s mother was also battling an illness. Thanks to Prince Yi¡¯s support, Ning Xueyan was able to avenge her deceased mother and remove Madam Ling from her position. Madam Ling¡¯s children weren¡¯t spared either. Even her son, originally meant to be the first wife¡¯s son, had no future now.

    Concubine Yun had no sons, only a daughter. Even after Madam of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor passed away and Concubine Yun became the new madam, Heng Yuqing could still drag thetter down upon gaining power. And she might suffer a fate worse than Ning Yuling.

    Upon realizing this, Heng Yuwan was so terrified that she broke out in a sweat and her face turned greenish as she clutched her handkerchief.

    ¡°Second Young Lady, Second Young Lady...¡± A voice suddenly entered her ears. A moment of surpriseter, she immediately raised her head and saw Ning Xueyan smiling gently at her.

    ¡°What is it, Consort Ning?¡± Heng Yuwan calmed down and forced a smile. Her thoughts were a mess.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we go on a walk? Our garden is quite nice. We have a variety of flowers here, many of which were brought from other ces and only avable in the pce. Would you like to take a look?¡± Ning Xueyan invited, smiling.

    A restless Heng Yuwan stood up and forced augh. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go and have a look!¡±

    The three of them walked out of the courtyard and walked down a path. Initially, they were chatting andughing side by side, but the path gradually became too small for them to walk together. Moreover, Heng Yuwan was so lost in her thoughts that she wasn¡¯t in the mood to chat with them. She gradually fell behind them by seven or eight steps.

    Their maids followed them from a distance for fear of disturbing them.

    ¡°Xueyan, do you think she heard it?¡± Heng Yuqing asked quietly, stealing an uneasy nce at Heng Yuwan. Ning Xueyan had spoken so softly earlier that she was afraid that Heng Yuwan didn¡¯t hear her.

    ¡°Of course! Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled, shooting a seemingly inadvertent nce at Heng Yuwan. When Heng Yuwan first reached the manor, she behaved so arrogantly that it was as if she was afraid that people wouldn¡¯t know she was the most adored daughter of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor. She kept bringing up her father and biological mother, showing no respect whatsoever to Heng Yuqing.

    Heng Yuwan was so well-behaved now as if nothing had happened. Judging by her solemn expression, she must have heard Ning Xueyan and Heng Yuqing¡¯s conversation earlier. Ning Xueyan was aware of the close rtionship between Commandery Princess Xianyun and Concubine Yun of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor. As expected, her letterst night had indeed summoned another guest along with Heng Yuqing.

    Of course, this was her goal all along.

    Since Commandery Princess Xianyun had schemed to get Heng Yuqing into the manor and turn her into a pawn, she had to return the favor as well. If Concubine Yun were to gain power, the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor would surely side with the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor and Heng Yuqing and her mother would be the sacrificialmbs. This reminded her of herself.

    After turning the corner, several forks in the road appeared. Ning Xueyan pointed at one of them and said, ¡°Let¡¯s sit there and talk.¡±

    Heng Yuqing nodded. She didn¡¯t care either way. She had only said such things to Heng Yuwan yesterday because Ning Xueyan told her to anger Heng Yuwan. Since they had run into each other at the door, she would provoke Heng Yuwan even if thetter ignored her. Her mother was still bedridden; she must not let Heng Yuwan and her mother do anything to her.

    After taking one of the roads, they came to another turn. Ning Xueyan led Heng Yuqing out of Heng Yuwan¡¯s line of sight. Heng Yuwan had been preupied with her thoughts, racking her brain for a way to stop Heng Yuqing from marrying into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Concubine Yun told her that this matter had already been reported to the Empress, which was to say that their family couldn¡¯t just rescind the offer even if they wanted to.

    What should she do? She must not let Heng Yuqing win Prince Yi¡¯s support or she and her mother would be doomed. Just look at Madam Ling and Ning Yuling. Not only did they die, but they lost their reputation as well. Heng Yuwan felt terrified at the thought of such a fate awaiting her and her mother.

    No, she must not let Heng Yuqing marry into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    She continued to walk with such thoughts in mind. It wasn¡¯t until she arrived at the crossroads that she noticed the two were missing. She looked around and found that she was all alone. She stopped walking and waited for the maids to catch up.

    There were three maids following them. It so happened that she and Heng Yuqing brought a maid each. Lanning had chatted andughed with them the entire time as their masters weren¡¯t around. The maids had rxed as well, especially since the view at Prince Yi¡¯s Manor was spectacr. With Lanning livening up the situation, the three of them got along quite well.

    They stopped when they saw Heng Yuwan standing at the crossroads.

    ¡°Second Young Lady, why did you stop?¡± Lanning asked, grinning.

    ¡°I was so engrossed with the view that I fell behind. When I got here, I found that Eldest Sister and Consort Ning were gone. Did you see which road they took?¡± Heng Yuwan asked, frowning.

    There were three forks at the road, with one leading to the left and the other leading right. It was a mystery as to which road those two had taken!

    Heng Yuwan became increasingly frustrated. It was apparent that Ning Xueyan got along with Heng Yuwan wonderfully. If Heng Yuqing were to enter the manor, they would surely be close friends and Ning Xueyan would help her. If Ning Xueyan used the same tactics she used at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor against her and Concubine Yun, coupled with Prince Yi¡¯s support, Heng Yuwan believed that she and her mother would surely be ruined and killed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Second Young Lady. I¡¯lle over and take a look!¡± Lanning said. She walked past Heng Yuwan, stepping forward to take a closer look while muttering to herself.

    ¡°The middle road leads to the Prince¡¯s study. He would be resting there at this hour, so they wouldn¡¯t take this road. The road on the right leads to the Princess¡¯ courtyard, so this isn¡¯t it either.¡±

    After muttering to herself, Lanning turned her head and smiled at Heng Yuwan. She pointed to the road on the left and said with certainty, ¡°Second Young Lady, I think my master and the First Young Lady must have taken this road. There¡¯s a flower garden up ahead, with exotic flowers and nts that our Prince gathered from all over the world. I¡¯m sure this is the right one.¡±

 Chapter 554 - Who Is This Man?

    <h4>Chapter 554 Who Is This Man?</h4>

    Ning Xueyan and Heng Yuqing took the left road, where the flower garden was. The road to the right led to the Princess¡¯ courtyard while the middle road led to the Prince¡¯s study.

    Heng Yuwan¡¯s forehead was sweating again.

    She stared squarely at the middle road. For a moment, she couldn¡¯t move her feet.

    ¡°Second Young Lady, let¡¯s go. We don¡¯t want to let my master and the First Young Lady wait for too long,¡± Lanning said politely, smiling.

    ¡°You all can go ahead. I need to take a break. My feet hurt.¡± Unexpectedly, Heng Yuwan shook her head and held onto a nearby tree to stand still.

    ¡°I¡¯ll stay here and apany you then, Young Lady.¡± Seeing that Heng Yuwan couldn¡¯t walk anymore, it went without saying that her maid would stay with her.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right. You can go first. I¡¯ll join you after a short break.¡± Heng Yuwan shook her head, rejecting the maid¡¯s offer. She didn¡¯t want anyone to follow her.

    After thinking about it, Lanning suggested, ¡°Second Young Lady, why don¡¯t I stay here with you? I don¡¯t want you to be lost.¡± This was Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. It wouldn¡¯t be appropriate to just leave Heng Yuwan alone here.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Go ahead. I don¡¯t want Consort Ning and my sister to be unable to find you when they need you.¡± Heng Yuwan was smiling but her tone was firm.

    Seeing that Heng Yuwan was determined not to let anyone stay with her, the three maids had no choice but to continue down the road by themselves. They took the road to the left, made a turn, and disappeared out of view. Once Heng Yuwan couldn¡¯t see them anymore, she gritted her teeth and took the middle road.

    She was much better than Heng Yuqing. Since Prince Yi treated his women well, she might as well im this marriage for herself. She was one of thedies of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor, after all. They could just ask the Empress to change the bride¡¯s name when bestowing the marriage order. She was superior to Heng Yuqing anyway. If Prince Yi was willing to marry Heng Yuqing, he would surely be willing to marry her.

    It was said that Prince Yi took a second look at Heng Yuqing upon meeting her. She believed that it was because Prince Yi hadn¡¯t met her yet. If they were to meet, Prince Yi would do more than just taking a second look at her.

    Summoning her courage, Heng Yuwan walked down the middle road with firm determination.

    It didn¡¯t take long for her to arrive at Chuihua Gate. She stood not far away from the gate and saw two older female servants sitting under a flowering tree on the other side, watching the door from a distance. They were chatting and not paying attention to the door, allowing Heng Yuwan to sneak in. Fortunately, the servants were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn¡¯t notice anyone walking out of Chuihua Gate.

    There was only one road outside the gate. After walking a short distance, Heng Yuwan saw a courtyard with two young eunuchs standing on the other side. She immediately hid behind a tree.

    ¡°Hurry up with the Prince¡¯s tea. He went to bedtest night, so he wants to take a nap in the right-most wing. You¡¯ll be punished if you don¡¯t move quickly,¡± a eunuch yelled at another eunuch in a high-pitched voice.

    ¡°Yes! Yes! I¡¯ll get it ready right away. Eunuch Wang, why is His Highness resting in the right-most wing instead of the study?¡± the other eunuch asked curiously.

    There was usually a room inside the study, allowing one to go in for a rest whenever one was tired from reading.

    ¡°That¡¯s not something a little eunuch like you should ask about. There¡¯ll be visitors at the study in a while. We can¡¯t let them stay in the wing. Hurry up, won¡¯t you? When youe in, use the side door on the right. Walk quietly so you don¡¯t disturb the Prince¡¯s rest,¡± the eunuch scolded.

    ¡°Yes! Yes! I¡¯ll go right away!¡± the other eunuch replied, turning around and breaking into a run.

    The first eunuch also turned around and entered the courtyard, likely going in to serve Prince Yi.

    Prince Yi was right here, in the right-wing of this courtyard. Heng Yuwan¡¯s heart was beating so hard that it threatened to jump out of her throat. She calmed down and turned right. She heard that there was a side door here, where it would lead her right to the first room in the right-wing. She must meet Prince Yi no matter what.

    If Prince Yi were to look a few more times at her, that meant her n was a sess. That meant that she was at least more attractive to the prince than Heng Yuqing was.

    If Prince Yi wouldn¡¯t look at her, she could just say that she took the wrong road. She was sure that he wouldn¡¯t make things difficult for her.

    She began to calm down. No matter how she looked at it, she wouldn¡¯t get into trouble.

    With such a thought in mind, she turned around and found a door on the right. She gave it a slight push and found that it was indeed merely shut. What made her even happier was that the right-wing was quite far from the main building. Although a few eunuchs and guards were standing there, no one was looking in her direction.

    A few stepster, she found herself in front of the door of the room on the far right. When she saw that a eunuch at the main building was about to look her way, she couldn¡¯t afford to think twice before opening the door and slipping in.

    She tried to regte her breathing at the door before walking past the screen. As expected, she found a young man in his twenties sleeping on the couch behind the screen. The young man had a rather majestic look and she was certain that he was Prince Yi.

    Everyone said that Prince Yi was a cold-blooded and terrifying man. Now that he was asleep, he looked just a little sterner than most people.

    Heng Yuwan slowly approached him, but she didn¡¯t know what to do. Should she wake him up? But she wouldn¡¯t dare. If she were to anger him, she was sure that her father wouldn¡¯t be able to protect her.

    But if she didn¡¯t wake him, how would he know that she was here? How would she know if he would be interested in her?

    She was still weighing her options when she squatted beside the bed and put her hands on it. To her surprise, a pair of powerful hands immediately grabbed hers and violently pulled her forward. She found herself being flung forward...

    Commandery Princess Xianyun had just gotten back to her courtyard when she heard that Prince Yi was summoning her. Not knowing what was going on, she immediately went to the study with her maid.

    Ao Chenyi¡¯s study wasn¡¯t located in the Moon-embracing Tower, but in the outer courtyard near the second gate. It was, in actuality, a ce for him to rest. Whenever he didn¡¯t want to rest in the Moon-embracing Tower, he would stay in the study instead. He would spend most of the day there.

    Not being in the inner courtyard was incredibly convenient for him.

    While following the little eunuch into the study, she realized that quite a few people hade to the manor today. Not only did she see the Third and Fourth Princes at the outer courtyard, but she noticed a few Princely Heirs as well. Surprisingly, they were standing outside the courtyard instead of waiting in the study itself. Several eunuchs were guarding a building next to the study with their heads lowered, pretending that they didn¡¯t know anything.

    Ao Chenyi was sitting on arge chair made out of Phoebe Zhennan wood. There were fruits and light refreshments on the long table beside him. He lookednguid and his handsome face carried no trace of anger as hezily picked up a nearby cup of tea. He took a sip, making his red lips look all that more enchanting.

    His eyes, however, were as cold and fierce as ever. The light in his eyes made his emotion difficult to grasp.

    No matter how one looked at it, it was a bad situation.

    ¡°Did something happen, Your Highness?¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun carefully asked.

    ¡°Go in and see for yourself!¡± Ao Chenyi said casually, pointing at the right-wing.

    What had just happened? The Princess looked around and saw the Princely Heirs turning their heads, pretending that they hadn¡¯t heard their conversation. Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min, Wen Xueran, was knocking his fan on his hand and chatting breezily with the Fourth Prince. The Third Prince, on the other hand, looked gloomy and his eyebrows were tightly knitted.

    The reaction of everyone here was proof that something had happened here.

    The Princess thought about it briefly before walking to the right-wing with Xiangrong. Since the Prince had told her to look, this must have something to do with her. She waspletely in the dark now, so she didn¡¯t know what had happened inside.

    The eunuchs stepped back and gave way when they saw her. When Xiangrong opened the door for her, the first thing that entered their ears was loud crying. She walked past the screen and saw a disheveled woman hugging her head and sobbing on the floor next to the bed.

    The woman looked up when she heard the door open and met the Princess¡¯ eyes.

    ¡°Second Young Lady Heng!¡± The Princess was taken aback. She was shocked when she recognized the woman to be Second Young Lady Heng. Wasn¡¯t Heng Yuwan supposed to be keeping an eye on Ning Xueyan and Heng Yuqing? Why did shee to the outer courtyard all by herself and appear inside Ao Chenyi¡¯s study with such an appearance?

    ¡°Princess, Princess, please save me.¡± Heng Yuwan immediately threw herself at the Princess upon seeing her. She burst into tears as she hugged the Princess¡¯ leg.

    She didn¡¯t know how things ended up like this. That man suddenly woke up and tried to do the unspeakable to her, so she subconsciously fought back. Even though she had intended to seduce him, she didn¡¯t want it to happen while he was half-awake. Her mother had warned her that she shouldn¡¯t trust a man¡¯s words at a time like this. She must earn Prince Yi¡¯s support if she wanted to enter his manor as his consort.

    If she allowed Prince Yi to sleep with her so casually, she would eventually be escorted into the manor in a small sedan as one of his many concubines. This was not her n.

    Fortunately, it seemed that Prince Yi didn¡¯t expect such fierce resistance from her. They fell from the bed to the ground, knocking down a nearby stool. Soon, the door flung open and a bunch of people rushed in. The two of them, still holding to each other, immediately froze.

    When Heng Yuwan saw a handsome, grim-looking man standing among the people, she became dumbstruck.

    That ink-ck robe covered in embroidered red spider lilies, that cold and blood-thirsty nobleman... That was undoubtedly Prince Yi... Then, who was the man who was still hugging her?

    A few men came and dragged the man away. Then, they shut her here and paid her no attention. She was terrified and panicking. So many people had rushed in and saw her hugging another man in a disheveled state. Her reputation waspletely ruined.

    She thought she would be able to use this incident to make Prince Yi feel guilty. She would threaten to kill herself to preserve her chastity, forcing him to make her his consort. But look at the situation now! Why wasn¡¯t the man on the bed Prince Yi?

    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun asked anxiously. Her mind was aplete mess at the moment.

    She must ask about this. Concubine Yun was determined to befriend the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, and even said that once she became the mistress of the family, the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor would follow the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor¡¯s lead.

    ¡°I... I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know anything. I couldn¡¯t find Elder Sister and Consort Ning, so I chose one of the roads and came here. The door was open, so I came in. I didn¡¯t know the man would pounce at me...¡± Heng Yuwan wailed. Right now, all she could do was insist that everything was a misunderstanding.

    She must me it all on a misunderstanding so that she would appear faultless in this matter.

 Chapter 555 - Princess, You Meanâ€¦

    <h4>Chapter 555 Princess, You Mean...</h4>

    ¡°Consort Ning brought you here, right?¡± A thought sparked in Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s mind as she immediately caught the key message in her words.

    ¡°Yes. After she brought me here and vanished, I identally came in here,¡± Heng Yuwan insisted.

    Regardless of what Ning Xueyan and Heng Yuqing¡¯s maids would say, she was convinced that her maid would eventually side with her and corroborate her testimony once she was out. They could insist that Ning Xueyan and Heng Yuqing had tricked her intoing here.

    ¡°Straighten your clothes first. I¡¯ll go inform His Highness.¡± The Princess nodded after hearing the certainty in Heng Yuwan¡¯s words and led Xiangrong out of the room.

    Appearing before Ao Chenyi once again, the Princess saluted and said, ¡°Your Highness, it was Consort Ning who invited Second Young Lady Heng to the manor today. ording to Second Young Lady Heng, she came here with Consort Ning earlier but Consort Ning and First Young Lady Heng vanished on their way here. That was how she ended up trespassing on this ce.¡±

    It didn¡¯t seem like the Princess was using Ning Xueyan but the implication that it had something to do with her was clear. It sounded as if Ning Xueyan had tricked Heng Yuwan intoing here so that the scandal could happen.

    ¡°Is this Consort Ning¡¯s doing? And did she leave her guest behind so that the guest broke into my study by mistake?¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s voice was quiet and cold.

    ¡°Yes. That was what Second Young Lady Heng said,¡± the Princess said in a forcefully calm voice.

    ¡°What do you think we should do, Princess?¡± Ao Chenyi asked, tapping on the table with a smile.

    ¡°I... I¡¯ll leave that up to you, Your Highness!¡± The Princess indicated that this had nothing to do with her.

    ¡°You¡¯re my princess, aren¡¯t you? Shouldn¡¯t you deal with any matters arising in my harem?¡± Ao Chenyi chuckled, sounding rather intrigued.

    The elegant man with a devastatingly handsome face was smiling at the Princess, but she felt as if she was about to be eaten alive.

    She had to deal with the matters in his harem. Really? She smiled wryly. Even so, she couldn¡¯t go against Ao Chenyi¡¯s express order. He must have summoned her here to make her handle this. Otherwise, this wouldn¡¯t have anything to do with her at all.

    Understanding this, she stopped trying to get out of this task. She thought for a moment before saying, ¡°Your Highness, although this matter happened because of Consort Ning, it¡¯s not really her fault. She¡¯s unfamiliar with the directions because she has just entered the manor, leading to her taking the wrong road. I think we can just remind her to be more careful not to take her guest out of Chuihua Gate next time. As for Second Young Lady Heng...¡±

    She stopped talking at this point. Heng Yuwan¡¯s matter was indeed tricky. She imed that she was caught in a situation while in a disheveled state. Yet this man was certainly not Ao Chenyi, or things wouldn¡¯t havee out like this. Who was that man?

    Her gaze swept the faces of the princes here beforending on the Third Prince. Judging by their reaction, the Third Prince looked the grimmest. She immediately knew that he was involved in this matter, but based on his neat clothes, he didn¡¯t seem to be the man holding Heng Yuwan.

    Moreover, the Third Prince had always been gentle and well-mannered. He would never directly pull a woman to him.

    Was it his servant? That didn¡¯t seem like it either. How could the Third Prince¡¯s servant be allowed to rest in the wing?

    For a while, the Princess couldn¡¯t make up her mind.

    The Princess sounded magnanimous on the surface. Heng Yuwan¡¯s reputation had been thoroughly ruined after such a major incident, but the perpetrator wasn¡¯t punished even in the slightest. It could be seen that she was very biased toward Consort Ning.

    However, her words also suggested that Ning Xueyan was the biggest perpetrator of this incident. Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor might have fallen, but it was still a noble family. Something this serious had happened to one of their daughters, and it was Ning Xueyan¡¯s fault too. Ao Chenyi must give them an exnation.

    He would be going against a first-ss noble household otherwise. Therefore, Ning Xueyan would be inevitably punished. A heavy one awaited her just because she embarrassed him.

    The Princess pretended as if she was protecting Ning Xueyan when she was really pushing her to the cusp of the storm...

    ¡°Princess, what¡¯s concerning you?¡± Ao Chenyi asked, ying with the tea cup in his hand with a smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m just thinking about Second Young Lady Heng. It¡¯ll have to depend on what that man thinks. Her status is quite high and we can¡¯t just humiliate the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor. We must give her an official title.¡± The Princess decided to phrase things this way after some thought. It was an eptable agreement no matter the identity of the Third Prince¡¯s servant.

    Although Heng Yuwan was a concubine-born daughter, she was different than your ordinary concubine-born daughter. Since the mysterious man couldn¡¯t have been the Third Prince, it was only right for her to be given the wife position as a show of respect to the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor. After all, the youngdy did just ruin her reputation after visiting Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    Her words make it sound like the faulty squarely with Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    Ao Chenyi appeared even more intrigued. He raised his handsome eyes and asked, ¡°But what if... that man is already married?¡±

    ¡°He should marry her as his co-wife!¡± the Princess replied calmly and decisively.

    No matter who the man was, she must take Heng Yuwan¡¯s side. Concubine Yun was a loyal supporter of the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor. Even though the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor was of minimal help, it was still quite influential among the first-ss noble households. She couldn¡¯t afford to make Concubine Yun displeased with her.

    ¡°Nice! Nicely said, Princess! You¡¯re fair indeed. I¡¯ll leave it up to you to uphold justice for Second Young Lady Heng then. But, I must ask, how are you so sure that she¡¯s telling the truth? Or should I say, how are you so sure that Consort Ning tricked her intoing here?¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s gorgeous lips curved into a smile.

    Without waiting for a reply from the Princess, he pped his hands gently.

    Three guards immediately appeared with a maid each.

    The guards had gone out to interrogate each of the maids. After obtaining the answer, they made the maids repeat it in front of everyone one by one.

    Heng Yuwan¡¯s maid was the first to speak. She still had no idea what was going on, so she honestly told everyone what she knew. When she saw Prince Yi from a distance earlier, she became so frightened that she didn¡¯t even dare to lift her head. Upon hearing his questioning, she repeated her testimony right away.

    Heng Yuqing¡¯s maid was next and finally, Lanning.

    Their testimonies were roughly the same. The guards nodded lightly as well, indicating that the maids had said the same thing earlier.

    The Princess¡¯ expression immediately changed.

    The maids¡¯ testimonies werepletely different from what Heng Yuwan told her. Heng Yuwan said that it was Ning Xueyan who brought her out of the inner courtyard, out of the Chuihua Gate toward the second gate even. She made it clear that she was innocent and that Ning Xueyan had tricked her here, suggesting that everything might have been Ning Xueyan¡¯s trap for her.

    However, the maids told an entirely different story.

    Heng Yuwan had fallen behind Ning Xueyan and Heng Yuqing until she eventually stopped at a three-way intersection. She waited until the three maids to catch up before asking about the roads. She was aware that the middle road led to the prince¡¯s study outside the inner courtyard. She didn¡¯t leave immediately after, choosing to dismiss the maids instead. At that time, her own maid and Ning Xueyan¡¯s maid offered to stay behind with her.

    But, she refused them both.

    That meant that she hade here on her own, knowing that the second gate was ahead and that Prince Yi would be resting here. She came with a purpose.

    At this point, everyone present began to understand that Heng Yuwan was trying to climb into the prince¡¯s bed and rise beyond her station. She deliberately came to his study by herself just to hook up with him. And as for why she would be caught up with another man in the wing...

    It was likely because she hid in the room to avoid other people in the wing and happened to run into the man resting inside. The two started tousling about, resulting in the previous incident.

    Judging from the maids¡¯ testimonies, it was clear that Heng Yuwan was a promiscuous woman who tried to seduce Prince Yi. It just so happened that she climbed into the wrong person¡¯s bed. Quite a few people appeared disdainful. They had long heard that the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor was growing increasingly worse. How did they educate their daughter that she turned out to be so debaucherous?

    ¡°Princess, what do you think about this matter...¡± Ao Chenyi askedzily, tossing the Princess a nonchnt nce.

    The Princess¡¯ face was pale and her hands were tightly clenched under the cover of her sleeves. She could barely maintain the smile on her face. She had just said that this matter was Ning Xueyan¡¯s fault, firmly putting the me on her. Who would have thought that the maids¡¯ testimonies would not only erase any of Ning Xueyan¡¯s guilt but cast doubt on her intentions instead?

    It was true that she had been trying to imply Ning Xueyan¡¯s guilt. But allowing her to express herself freely in front of everyone only to mercilessly turn on her made her feel humiliated all the same.

    If one were to exaggerate this matter, one could say that she was jealous of her husband¡¯s consort. After such a major incident, she didn¡¯t even ask for an exnation before ming it all on the consort. But even putting it mildly, she had failed to handle the harem matters as the rightful princess. One could argue that being the ipetent person she was, she had no right to be the princess.

    Thinking about it again, if Ao Chenyi really ended up winning the throne, her position as the empress wouldn¡¯t be stable either. All it took was someone bringing up how she couldn¡¯t even handle the harem matters when she was a mere princess. How would she be able to deal with the muchrger pce harem?

    Now, put this and the previous incident together. She couldn¡¯t fully manage the previous incident until the very end, having to turn to Ao Chenyi. She dared not to deal with the concubine bestowed by the Emperor himself. It was because of her failure to handle a matter that she poked her nose that Ao Chenyi left her on her own in her courtyard.

    What about now? How should she handle this now?

    ¡°Your Highness, since this is Second Young Lady Heng¡¯s fault, it¡¯ll be left to the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor of course. I¡¯ll send a messenger and tell them to pick her up.¡± These words left the Princess¡¯ mouth with such difficulty that it was almost painful. When she finished speaking, however, she felt cold all over.

    It was ultimately her fault that Heng Yuwan ended up like this. Had she not tell Heng Yuwan to tail Heng Yuqing, how could things get this bad? The close rtionship between Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor and Lord Peace¡¯s Manor was as good as over!

 Chapter 556 - Marriage Between Concubine-born Children

    <h4>Chapter 556 Marriage Between Concubine-born Children</h4>

    ¡°Very well. Men, go invite Lord Guardian. Tell him toe and take his daughter away. As for our next step... Mingyu, look. My princess thinks that the man should take full responsibility,¡± Ao Chenyi said leisurely, casting a sidelong nce at the Third Prince with anguid expression.

    Not only did Commandery Princess Xianyun hear her name mentioned, but she also heard Ao Chenyi using her words earlier to force the Third Prince. She felt a bad premonition and yet there was nothing she could say.

    ¡°We¡¯ll go with the Princess¡¯ suggestion.¡± Ao Mingyu was also looking at the Princess. His emotions were finally under his control, making his face expressionless as he bowed to her.

    ¡°Princess, Yun Li is already there. I¡¯ll have to trouble you to take Yun Li awayter. Look at what a mess my study turned out. Mingyu, don¡¯t just bring anyone to my manor anymore. You¡¯re lucky that it was just some other woman this time. It¡¯d be troublesome if it were one of my concubines.¡±

    Ao Chenyi said with a slight smile.

    Yun Li? The Princess widened her eyes in astonishment. Her eyes were round as she gave Ao Chenyi a disbelieving look before turning toward Ao Mingyu.

    How could it be Yun Li, her concubine-born older brother?

    Yun Li of the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor was a child of few achievements among his siblings. He had the handsome, aloof appearance befitting of a son of a noble family, but a book must not be judged by its cover. He was, in fact, a yboy that drew the contempt of everyone in the manor. Any woman near him who was prettiest in the slightest would inevitably be tainted by him.

    However, he was a master at ttery, so the former Lord Peace was very fond of him. This was the same person that the Princess had to bow her head to before. For this reason, the Marquis¡¯ Manor was even more upset with him.

    Although he was favored by the former Lord Peace, thetter was too old to manage the household anymore. The current Lord Peace was the Princess¡¯ father, who despised him. Thus, Yun Li was considered the ck sheep of the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor.

    Out of a blue, he started getting close with the Third Prince a few months ago. It was as if he was the Third Prince¡¯s advisor as he followed the prince in and out of ces. The Lord Peace¡¯s Manor didn¡¯t pay him any attention. An unambitious concubine-born son like him could serve anyone he liked as long as he didn¡¯t cause any trouble.

    ¡°Your Highness, why did Yun Lie to our manor?¡± the Princess asked incredulously.

    ¡°Mingyu brought him along. If you have any questions, you can ask him yourselfter. Coming to my manor to find a woman is sure a novel idea. It looks like my harem has gotten famous for having many beautiful women.¡± Ao Chenyi stood up and flicking hisrge ck robe. He went to the study, leaving behind everyone in the courtyard.

    He sounded so sarcastic that not only did the Third Prince look chastized, but the other princes looked ufortable as well. It sounded as if they hade to the manor to hook up with the beauties in his harem. The only exception was Wen Xueran, the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min, who was smiling the whole time.

    The constant smile on his face was enchanting, making it obvious that he was watching everything like a show. It was as if he hadn¡¯t heard the meaning behind Ao Chenyi¡¯s words.

    To discuss this, one had to mentionst night¡¯s incident. It was said that a few men in ck broke into Prince Yi¡¯s Manorst night. After getting wind of the news, the Third and Fourth Princes came here to check the situation. Who sent those men? What were the results? To prevent Ao Chenyi from getting suspicious, they deliberately brought a few men with them.

    The only reason Yun Li was allowed to enter was his identity as the Princess¡¯ cousin. Although his status was low, he was still rted to her. It didn¡¯t feel out of ce for him toe in, especially when he was with the Third Prince.

    The eunuch led them to the outer study. There was nothing unusual about this. Ao Chenyi would sometimes meet them in the Moon-embracing Tower, and other times in the outer study. Their conversation hadn¡¯t gone very far before Yun Li started feeling ufortable. Ao Chenyi ordered his servant to bring him to one of the rooms in the wing to get some rest.

    Who would have thought that they would hear the sound of impact from the room shortly after leaving? When they came over and kicked the door down, they saw Yun Li and Heng Yuwan hugging each other with their clothes disheveled...

    Ao Mingyu was the one who brought him in. The matter urred in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor and involved its female guest. Ao Mingyu was thoroughly humiliated in front of everyone. He had stayed quiet earlier to avoid suspicion. Since it was the Princess who suggested the solution, he naturally wouldn¡¯t object.

    As for how the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor would deal with Heng Yuwan, it didn¡¯t have the slightest to do with him.

    He was regretting it. How could the man he brought in casually pull a woman from Prince Yi¡¯s Manor and actually dare to do anything to her? He didn¡¯t know if he was just unlucky or if Yun Li was so unbelievably senseless and brazen. One couldn¡¯t just do whatever one wanted to someone from Prince Yi¡¯s Manor!

    Of course, he didn¡¯t feel sorry for Second Young Lady Heng at all. It was obvious that this woman came here to seduce Ao Chenyi. A promiscuous woman like her and Yun Li was a match made in heaven.

    Seeing that Ao Chenyi had returned to the study, he was also too embarrassed to stay here. He turned around and left with his men.

    The rest left one after another.

    Everyone felt just as embarrassed to be present. After all, Yun Li had entered the manor with them. It was truly rare to meet someone as stupid as Yun Li. Although beauties were enchanting, he must have had a death wish to hook up with a woman in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Of course, they were secretly d at this too.

    Fortunately, the woman involved wasn¡¯t from Prince Yi¡¯s harem or things wouldn¡¯t just end so simply.

    In conclusion, this incident had humiliated everyone. Each generation of Lord Peace¡¯s Manor was getting worse than the one before it. Look at their descendants! How dare they let such people out and cause so much trouble! Everyone shook their heads and sighed as they walked out.

    ¡°Sister Xianyun.¡± At that moment, Yun Li was escorted out of the side room by a guard. He still looked disheveled. He was truly terrified. Earlier, he was resting when he felt the presence of a woman. When he opened his eyes and saw a beautiful woman, he instinctively grabbed her.

    He was in such a thick post-sleep daze that he thought that he was in his own manor.

    When he finally sobered up, he started trembling nonstop. Although he wasscivious, he didn¡¯t want to lose his life over lust. Seeing Commandery Princess Xianyun now made him feel like seeing a loved one. He let out a huge sigh of relief, looking animated.

    The Princess looked at him with red-rimmed eyes and said coldly, ¡°Take him away.¡± She turned around and left.

    The incident at Prince Yi¡¯s Manor left everyone so embarrassed that no one spoke about it. Outsiders didn¡¯t know what exactly happened and said that the second daughter of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor and Yun Li of the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor were engaged. Since it was a marriage between concubine-born children, no one suspected anything.

    The issue was that Yun Li was too popr a figure. Fewdies from good families would be willing to marry him, resulting in him unable to find a fiancee for a long time. Everyone pitied Second Young Lady Heng for marrying such a man. It couldn¡¯t be considered a good match.

    Such news was circted publicly, but the truth was a different story. Ao Chenyi had entered the pce the very same day and informed the Empress of the matter. He made it known that he wouldn¡¯t get into an alliance marriage with the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor that could raise such a promiscuous woman. Naturally, the Empress was speechless after hearing this.

    Thus, the matter of sending Heng Yuqing to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor was scrapped.

    When servants from the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor came to pick up Heng Yuwan, Ning Xueyan had already sent Heng Yuqing home. It was Heng Yuwan who insisted on following Heng Yuqing to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor despite thetter¡¯s disagreement. The fight eventually went all the way to Lord Guardian. In the end, Concubine Yun said Heng Yuwan should tag along with her sister to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor to broaden her horizons.

    Lord Guardian only approved after being persuaded by Concubine Yun. Such a major incident couldn¡¯t be med on Heng Yuqing. The humiliation was so great that Lord Guardian flew into a rage. Not only did he berate Heng Yuwan, but he also scolded Concubine Yun.

    This was precisely what Ning Xueyan had nned for. Heng Yuqing¡¯s mother was still ill, after all. If Lord Peace¡¯s anger was directed at Heng Yuqing, her mother might very well lose her life in a fit of anger. That would have been disastrous.

    Fortunately, the impact of the incident was greatly minimized. It also concerned the reputation of Prince Yi, Third Prince, Fourth Prince, and the Princely Heirs. Every one of the families was berated repeatedly, making it so that few people knew about Heng Yuqing¡¯s lost reputation.

    However, Heng Yuqing¡¯s mother was gravely ill and she wasn¡¯t interested in getting married in the first ce. This allowed her to dy her marriage, which was what she needed the most.

    After repeatedly thanking Ning Xueyan, she returned to the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun was the one who epted the representative from Lord Peace¡¯s Manor. It was one of her aunts, the Second Madam of Lord Peace¡¯s Manor and Yun Li¡¯s non-biological mother.

    ¡°Commandery Princess, Marquis said that you should take more responsibility for this matter. Although he was irresponsible, he was nheless a son of Lord Peace¡¯s Manor. We can¡¯t just let him be. If there are any good posts under the prince, please try persuading him. He was serving the Third Prince before, but after such an incident, the Third Prince will surely not want him anymore.¡±

    The Second Madam of Lord Peace¡¯s Manor shook the fan in her hand. She sounded like she was rying a message to the Princess, pleading her to let Yun Li off, but her mocking expression said otherwise.

    Of course, no first wife would feelfortable having a concubine-born child gaining the favor of the former Lord Peace and getting ahead of her own son. Her sarcastic way of speaking was only to be expected.

    ¡°Aunt, please go back and tell Grandpa to forget about protecting Yun Li if he wants the family to prosper. I was forced to get married alongside a consort thest time. Would I have to be removed from my position as the princess because of him the next time?¡± The Princess stood in front of the window, looking outside with cold eyes.

    Her voice wasn¡¯t loud but extremely cold. This was herstpromise. If Yun Li wasn¡¯t her grandfather¡¯s favorite grandchild, she would have asked Ao Chenyi to lock him directly. She could at least gain Ao Chenyi¡¯s favor that way, but she ultimately said nothing.

    She took a deep breath and exhaled it again to suppress her anger.

    She was also struggling in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Not only did her family fail to help her, but even gave her more trouble. Although Ao Chenyi didn¡¯t use her directly, she understood the meaning behind his words.

    She endured it when he went to a titleless concubine on their wedding night! She endured it when he left her out in the cold here! She endured it when she wasn¡¯t allowed to manage the household despite being the princess! She thought that as long as she moved forward step by step steadily, Prince Yi¡¯s Manor would eventually belong to her.

    But now, her family was still holding her back. Grandpa used to be wise but had be more muddle-headed as he aged. He treated a prodigal yboy as his treasure and even told her to get him an official post from Prince Yi. Thinking about this, she wanted nothing more than to kill that prodigal son who had humiliated her!

    She wanted to wait but her family couldn¡¯t anymore. Perhaps she needed to act soon...

 Chapter 559 - The Woman Who Plays the Favored Concubine

    <h4>Chapter 559 The Woman Who ys the Favored Concubine</h4>

    ¡°You are Consort Ning, aren¡¯t you?¡± A delicate voice came from a woman wearing a white gauze dress. The strangest thing was that the woman wore a veil. Although her face could not be seen, it was sure that she was a stunningdy. Most importantly, her face was covered.

    The person who could show up with her face veiled in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor was no one but the mysterious favored concubine, whom Prince Yi regarded as his precious and exclusive property.

    ¡°You are...¡± Ning Xueyan was speechless first, but then smiled leisurely and asked naturally.

    ¡°A person without title or status, in whatever condition, she is notparable to you, Consort Ning. I heard that you are from a renowned family, and the prince is sure to dote on you dearly in the future.¡±

    These words were put gently, but they carried quite a sarcastic meaning. No doubt, this veileddy was ridiculing Ning Xueyan by hinting that Ao Chenyi considered Lord Protector¡¯s Manor behind her, so he made her his consort, not because he truly loved her.

    Seeing the delicatedy who could almost turn into pieces once she was touched, Ning Xueyan had to lower her eyes to hide the ridicule in them, wondering where Commandery Princess Xianyun had found this woman because every word she said was to imitate the tone of the mysterious favored concubine of Ao Chenyi, and her words were so wisely organized that there was almost nothing meaningful in them.

    When these words were carefully analyzed, they showed that she seemed to have said nothing.

    It meant that even if Ao Chenyi found it out, her words almost couldn¡¯t prove that she had spoken of her identity, and the so-called favored concubine¡¯s identity was just Ning Xueyan¡¯s imagination.

    Without title or status! It could mean that the favored concubine without title or status was the most famous favored concubine in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, and it could also mean that it was just a modest way to introduce herself. After saying so, she would not need to exin her identity further.

    But the problem was that when people heard these ambiguous words and learned that she was mysteriously dressed, they were sure to misunderstand her identity.

    But the person she met now was Ning Xueyan. Others might not know the real identity of that favored concubine of Ao Chenyi, but she knew.

    ¡°Even so, I am still Prince Yi¡¯s consort, whose name is on the royal list,¡± Ning Xueyan said with a smile, looking calm as if she did not hear the ridicule in what this ¡°favored concubine¡± present said.

    The veileddy didn¡¯t expect Ning Xueyan to be so calm, and she said even more directly, ¡°What is the point of being a consort? Do you think the prince will like your broken look? On the wedding night, the prince didn¡¯t even enter your courtyard.¡±

    She believed that now Ning Xueyan must think that she was that favored concubine of Ao Chenyi. With such a title, she thought that Ning Xueyan would never dare to do anything to her, so she talked sharply and unkindly at this moment.

    ¡°Is it that the prince didn¡¯t enter my courtyard because he went to stay with you?¡± Ning Xueyan refuted calmly. Since the woman hade to y the favored concubine but did not say anything sure, then she had to force her to open her mouth to admit her identity.

    ¡°You...¡± The veileddy didn¡¯t expect to haveunched a pointless attack ¡ª she did not hurt Ning Xueyan, but made herself so angry. ¡°Sure enough, Ning Xueyan is not easy to deal with.¡±

    ¡°Consort Ning, you are just a consort, who doesn¡¯t have the princess¡¯s position and is not favored by the prince. Is it that you want to wait until your death day in the prince¡¯s mansion? Do you want me to give you a favor, pleading with the prince to release you directly? Then you won¡¯t have to spend your whole life in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor suffering or being bullied.¡±

    The veileddyposed herself and raised her neck a bit, showing a proud, scornful look.

    These words were full of insult. A concubine with nothing even dared to point at a consort and say such words! This was so unruly!

    Qingyu jumped out of anger, pushed the veileddy away, and shouted, ¡°Where are you from? You talked so unwisely. The prince will never listen to you.¡±

    She was so angry that she talked quickly and loudly, and those few women in the pavilion not far away even faintly heard a few words and then watched the scene with more interest. ¡°Unexpectedly, the mysterious concubine whom the prince favors to the bones is confronting his consort. Let me watch the scene carefully. Maybe there is something quite valuable in it.¡±

    They were all sent here by the heads of various pces in the imperial pce. These heads had long been curious about this mysterious concubine in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, but the trouble was that Ao Chenyi had been watching her closely, so they didn¡¯t get any information. It was rare to have such an opportunity to watch this mysterious concubine. Of course, these women wanted to watch her to their hearts¡¯ content.

    Only by doing so could they give their leaders an exnation.

    The veileddy took a few steps back unconsciously because of the push from Qingyu, then hit a tree hard, and said delicately in a crying tone, ¡°You... you women have gone too far, and I... I¡¯m going to tell the prince.¡±

    As she finished talking, she turned with her face covered as if she cried while running.

    After taking a talk anding here, she did not need to walk farther. Initially, she wanted to drive her cares away, but now she offended the favored concubine of Prince Yi. It was said that another consort of Prince Yi, who pushed the favored concubine previously, could not enter Prince Yi¡¯s Manor and be his consort afterward, and she even lost the County Princess¡¯s position.

    ¡°Consort Ning is going to have bad luck.¡±

    ¡°Right, she even dared to touch her. Surely she wants to die.¡±

    ¡°Then the mansion will be in a mess in the days toe. That¡¯s fine. Anyway, it¡¯s boring to stay in the mansion.¡± Those fewdies watching the fun were people who desired to stir up trouble. When they saw a quarrel down there, theyughed enjoyably, and one of them even took out her fan to rudely point at Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Look! Now she is still a decent consort, but she will be nothing in a while. Hope she can live.¡±

    Theyughed loudly,pletely ignoring the consort¡¯s identity of Ning Xueyan.

    In their view, Ning Xueyan was doomed to suffer this time because she had offended the favored concubine Prince Yi loved dearly. Even if she did not die, she would not have the hope to live for.

    Therefore, now no one treated her as the consort of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, but as a dying person. ¡°Anyway, many beautifuldies have died of Prince Yi¡¯s wrath in the mansion! What is the point for Ning Xueyan to be so iparably beautiful?¡± They pointed at her and ridiculed her,pletely in the way of watching someone suffer for joy.

    They dare not offend the favored concubine, but they had guts to provoke a consort who had lost favor. Anyway, she was a dying person. Would they, the women granted by the pce, be afraid of a consort?

    ¡°Mistress!¡± Qingyu looked up at those presumptuous women up there angrily.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go. We can¡¯t appreciate flowers anymore, so let¡¯s go back the same way.¡± Ning Xueyan turned around and looked back calmly. Initially, she just wanted to y a consort in a bad mood who came out to walk around and coldly treat Commandery Princess Xianyun for a while at the same time, but she did not expect thetter to have such a trick.

    Regardless of those concubines watching the fun, Ning Xueyan turned around and went back from where she hade from, with Qingyu walking behind her indignantly.

    Before they arrived at the door of the Pear Flower Garden, Xinmei walked over anxiously. Only when she saw Ning Xueyan did she seem to get relieved, saying, ¡°Mistress, the princess is here.¡±

    ¡°When did shee?¡± Ning Xueyan said with indifferent eyes.

    ¡°Not long after you left just now, the princess came with her maid. Lanning went to serve the princess, and I came out to look for you, mistress,¡± Xinmei answered. She looked quite anxious, but when she thought about this matter carefully, she found this was not the truth.

    It didn¡¯t take much time walking from here to the Pear Flower Garden, and Ning Xueyan spoke of her whereabouts at the door when Xinmei walked out.

    ¡°Xinmei, do an investigation and find out who came to visit the princess today,¡± Ning Xueyan said leisurely. She was sure that the woman who appeared just now was never the concubine in the mansion. Maybe some of the concubines in the mansion were sent by the empress and they stood in line with Commandery Princess Xianyun in the dark, but they never dared to disguise as the favored concubine of Ao Chenyi publicly.

    If she was found, she would have to die. In Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, if Ao Chenyi was intended to do an investigation, he would find out the truth.

    Only an outsider would think that it was nothing serious to say a few ambiguous words even if Ao Chenyi found her. Anyway, she did not directly say that she was the favored concubine of Ao Chenyi.

    Then, Ning Xueyan did not go back to her courtyard hurriedly. Instead, she walked even more slowly. When she was almost at the door of the Pear Flower Garden, Xinmei returned.

    ¡°Mistress, someone visited Commandery Princess Xianyun today, and she is the younger sister of Commandery Princess Xianyun, the second youngdy of Lord Peace¡¯s Manor. It is said that she paid a special visit to Commandery Princess Xianyun for the thing that happened earlier.¡±

    It was Yun Luoluo, the second youngdy of Lord Peace¡¯s Manor. The result was the same as her guess. For Commandery Princess Xianyun, no one but her close rtive could help her do this. It was impossible to use someone in the mansion, so she had to bring someone in from outside. Moreover, no ordinary people dared to do such things. Previously, Ning Xueyan met Yun Luoluo, who was so proud of the fact that the family of Empress Dowager¡¯s parents was her family and thought that she herself was quite noble.

    But Yun Luoluo deliberately changed her voice just now, and she also wore a veil, so Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t instantly recognize her but guessed that the person and Commandery Princess Xianyun must have a close rtionship.

    ¡°Xinmei, go to Yu Jian and tell him...¡± Ning Xueyan lowered her voice and whispered. In the mansion, the fastest-moving person was no one but Xinmei. Even if the other maids ran, they might not save much time, but Xinmei was different. She was a secret guard, so it was most suitable for her to do such tasks.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a long time after Yun Luoluo left me. This ce is near my Pear Flower Garden but a little far away from the Great Wisdom Garden of Commandery Princess Xianyun.¡±

    After hearing Ning Xueyan finish speaking, Xinmei fully understood her and nodded. Without saying anything anymore, she turned around and went to a narrow shortcut. As a secret guard of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, she knew these paths better than Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Qingyu, let¡¯s go in!¡± After Xinmei left, Ning Xueyan smiled, but her smile was quite indifferent. ¡°Since Commandery Princess Xianyun has repetitively shown that I¡¯ve blocked her path to the bright future and she wants to kick me, the roadblock, away, then I won¡¯t just sit and wait for her to frame me.¡±

    No matter what Commandery Princess Xianyun was here for, she would face and deal with it. Anyway, she could not let the princesse here in vain.

    ¡°The location where those few concubines stayed just now is beside the only path leading from my Pear Flower Garden to the courtyard. Would they have especially been there to watch me without the reminder of someone?¡±

    Ning Xueyan put a small cold smile on her exquisite face. ¡°Let me see what performance Commandery Princess Xianyun will give next!¡±

 Chapter 558 - The Incident Sparked By an Errand Maid

    <h4>Chapter 558 The Incident Sparked By an Errand Maid</h4>

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s watery eyes glinted with intelligence as she pulled thepel of his clothes. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯ll leave the inner courtyard matters to me? Why won¡¯t you let me step in now?¡±

    She understood his intention but she didn¡¯t want him to intervene in this kind of thing. After all, if she were involved, it would be at most a dispute between the wife and consort. But if he were to do it, he might cause other problems. There was no shortage of spies among the many nameless concubines living here.

    It was apparent from the incident on their wedding night that the inner courtyard of the Prince Yi¡¯s Manor was an unsteady one. The only reason why those people didn¡¯t even dare to take action was Ao Chenyi¡¯s ruthlessness. However, the inner courtyard was ultimately still a harem. If Ao Chenyi were to intervene, it might give the Emperor an excuse to do the same.

    Since she married him with the intention of helping him solve his problems, she wouldn¡¯t just sit around and watch.

    She would naturally help him straighten out his inner courtyard as he intended. This way, they could stop the people from the pce from getting a chance to harming them.

    Ao Chenyi lowered his head and gently stroked the hair on her temples. Raising an eyebrow, he looked at her sullenly. ¡°All right but don¡¯t you dare put yourself in danger. With me around, there¡¯s no need for you to take any risks.¡±

    Knowing that he was referring to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Ning Xueyan pouted yfully. ¡°You gave me two guards, remember? I¡¯mpletely safe with them around.¡±

    With Xinmei protecting her in the open and Liufeng guarding her in secret, she believed that Ning Yuling wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything to her. It didn¡¯t matter even if any of Ning Yuling¡¯s guards try to attack her recklessly. Truth to be told, she was in no danger at all.

    Seeing her coquettish expression, Ao Chenyi lowered his head so that their foreheads would be pressed together. ¡°Remember. Never put yourself in danger,¡± he said warmly.

    Leaving the matters of the inner courtyard to her would be for the best. That was his intention when he first asked her to be his consort. Their deal waspletely fair. Since he had helped her, it was only right for her to return the favor.

    Right now, however, he was willing to remove all obstacles for her.

    Before he knew it, she had already walked into his heart. She was no longer just a stranger that he had taken an interest in.

    ¡°All right. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Ning Xueyan blushed when she felt his gentle kiss on her cheek. She pressed her face into his chest and said impatiently, ¡°Rx. Nothing will happen to me.¡±

    Some time ago, she asked Ao Chenyi to get her someone. To her surprise, he found her someone from the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor. It was said that the man was the dearest grandson of the former Lord Peace and the same son of the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor who forced Commandery Princess Xianyun to agree to their co-wedding.

    The thought of Ao Chenyi being so sly gave her the urge tough.

    Ao Chenyi ate dinner at her ce. Of course, he didn¡¯t forget to throw two vases in her room out of the window, making a huge racket of broken porcin noises, before leaving in a rage. When Commandery Princess Xianyun heard this, her dark expression gradually improved. She believed that Ning Xueyan wouldn¡¯t just get offpletely unscathed.

    Although the matter didn¡¯t have much to do with Ning Xueyan, Heng Yuwan had indeede to see her. It was Heng Yuwan¡¯s ill intentions that led her to her current state, but Ning Xueyan was nheless a poor hostess. How could she have left her guest alone just like that, only noticing the disappearance at the second gate?

    Seeing as Ning Xueyan had gotten implicated as well, it seemed that Prince Yi was quite unhappy with his consort. That meant that she was free to take certain actions.

    These thoughts improved her mood considerably. After discussing with her two maids, she decided to start with that matter. Although her courtyard was far from the Pear Flower Garden, she had been paying attention to everything going on there!

    This was how it happened.

    The Princess had discovered an errand maid who had apparently spoken to others about the happenings in the Pear Flower Garden. The maid was reprimanded and punished to kneel at the entrance of the Great Wisdom Garden. Commandery Princess Xianyun was the princess and her courtyard was in the center of the inner courtyard of the manor. Many people would pass by the ce. Several of the nameless concubines even secretly ran over to catch a glimpse of themotion.

    Lanning, who went to the kitchen to fetch some ingredients, also checked out the situation on the way. Ning Xueyan usually dined in the small kitchen, so the maids tend to fetch ingredients from the main kitchen. There wasn¡¯t a need to pass by the Great Wisdom Garden to the kitchen but after hearing that a maid from the Pear Flower Garden was being punished, she had to take a look.

    She told Ning Xueyan the incident upon returning.

    ¡°Master, what does the Princess wants to do by punishing one of our maids? Even if the maid did something wrong, shouldn¡¯t you be the one to punish her?¡±

    A maid would indeed be punished for carelessly discussing her master. One could say that the Princess punishing the maid was a form of venting for Ning Xueyan¡¯s sake. However, she wasn¡¯t just humiliating the maid when she made the maid kneel at the entrance.

    This was so conspicuous that it waspletely unlike the Princess¡¯ usual behavior. That wasn¡¯t to say that she had never acted in a high-profile manner before. Some time ago, she conspicuously tried to interfere in the matters of the inner courtyard and punish the concubines who disturbed Ning Xueyan during their co-wedding night. She acted so boldly that she drew the attention of all the concubines.

    The difference was that she was using Ning Xueyan¡¯s name to vent her anger and straighten out the inner courtyard at that time. Now, she appeared to be standing up for Ning Xueyan, but the truth was...

    ¡°Are there many onlookers?¡± Ning Xueyan asked nonchntly, raising an eyebrow.

    ¡°The crowd is enormous! I went there myself and saw so many maids and older female servants gossiping among themselves as they came from that direction. When I got there, I saw a few concubines strolling in the rock garden outside the courtyard. They looked like they were there coincidentally, but I have never even seen them before.¡±

    The rules at Prince Yi¡¯s Manor used to be so strict that the concubines weren¡¯t allowed to leave their courtyards as they pleased. But ever since Ao Chenyi got married, this rule started bing obsolete. While no concubine would evere out in the past, you could now see one or two of the brave ones outdoors.

    Ao Chenyi smashing two vases bestowed by the pce was terrible gossip but there were maids and older female servants who would discuss it privately. They thought that there were many more ways to punish Ning Xueyan if the prince truly wanted to; such fanfare waspletely unnecessary.

    ¡°Tell Mother Han to warn everyone in our courtyard to control their tongue. If something like this happens again, I can¡¯t guarantee that they¡¯ll be able to keep their lives,¡± Ning Xueyan said with a faint expression. It seemed that the Princess had finally run out of patience and was beginning to attack her.

    It was just an errand maid. If the Princess was upset and wanted to punish the maid, she would just let her.

    No matter how you cut it, it was the Princess who was kind-hearted enough to stand up for the fragile consort. If she spoke up for the errand maid, she would look like the unreasonable one instead.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s indifference prompted Lanning to ask, ¡°The Princess is starting to take charge of the inner courtyard, right?¡± The Princess had done something simr before.

    Ning Xueyan shook her head. After suffering such a lossst time, the Princess wouldn¡¯t make the same mistake. But, an errand maid from her courtyard couldn¡¯t bepared to concubines bestowed by the Emperor. The Princess wouldn¡¯t find it difficult to deal with a mere errand maid.

    Starting her attack with an errand maid was a hundred times easier than dealing with the concubines from the Emperor.

    The Princess was a smart person who would never make the same mistake twice.

    ¡°If the Princesses overter, tell her to wait for me toe back from my stroll.¡± Ning Xueyan put down the book in her hands with a mocking smile. This was, of course, the first step. The follow-up had yet toe. To demonstrate how virtuous and generous she was, the Princess woulde here personally.

    ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Lanning grasped her meaning.

    Ning Xueyan stood up, allowing Lanning to straighten out her skirt, before going out with Qingyu. She would go on a walk to clear her mind, as befitting of an emotionally frustrated consort.

    Walking from the Pear Flower Garden to the flower garden, Ning Xueyan traveled the same path she took with Heng Yuqing that day. She hadn¡¯t stayed in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor for long so there were many ces that she had not been to. The view along the path was quite decent, but they were preupied with Heng Yuwan¡¯s matter that day. After Lanning and the two maids were summoned, she and Heng Yuqing had to return to wait for news.

    The beautiful scenery here, particrly certain flowers, left a deep impression on her mind. Feeling quite optimistic, she was wondering how she could bring them to the newly-opened flower field that Ao Chenyi built for her. The flower field was located behind her courtyard and all the necessary items were ready. She could set up the conservatory whenever she wanted to.

    The flowers inside could bloom well even in winter, but there were too few varieties inside right now. She was quite interested in finding more exotic flowers.

    The maids and older female servants who saw her from afar would lower their heads, stand by the road, and salute her.

    Several concubines were sitting in a pavilion not far ahead with fans in their hands. When they saw Ning Xueyan walking by below, they poked their heads out for a better look.

    They were pretty much locked up a while ago, forbidden from even walking around the courtyard, leaving them feeling cramped. They were finally able to rx recently and even sneak out for a stroll. Their life was so much better than before. This was apparently the Princess¡¯ intention. It was said that the Princess pleaded with Prince Yi to let them out. Thus, they were quite pleased with her.

    ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that the new consort?¡± a beautiful woman dressed in a pink dress asked, pointing to Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Right, right. She¡¯s so thin! And herplexion...¡± another woman in a green dress said disdainfully, curling her lips.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s face was typically pale and her faint lip color often gave people the impression that she had poor health.

    ¡°It¡¯s no wonder that she can¡¯t even control an errand maid. She would have lost her life if she were in the pce.¡± Most of these women came from the pce, so they were bolder than the average woman. They also dared to go to the Great Wisdom Garden to join the excitement. Having just returned from there, they were resting and chatting. It was their rare moment of rxation and they didn¡¯t want to go back so soon.

    ¡°Tsk. Does she want to enter the pce looking like this? She¡¯d probably die without even knowing it.¡± Another couldn¡¯t help but ridicule Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. What¡¯s the use of looking pretty? If she¡¯s that sickly, she¡¯ll die without anyone doing anything to her.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Who¡¯s that?¡± A woman leaning against the entrance of the pavilion, who was sizing up Ning Xueyan, suddenly pointed her fan in Ning Xueyan¡¯s direction.

    ¡°Let me see. Let me see.¡± The moment they heard that there was a show waiting for them, the other women immediately rushed over in surprise. They opened their eyes wide and looked down together.

 Chapter 559 - The Woman Who Plays the Favored Concubine

    <h4>Chapter 559 The Woman Who ys the Favored Concubine</h4>

    ¡°You are Consort Ning, aren¡¯t you?¡± A delicate voice came from a woman wearing a white gauze dress. The strangest thing was that the woman wore a veil. Although her face could not be seen, it was sure that she was a stunningdy. Most importantly, her face was covered.

    The person who could show up with her face veiled in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor was no one but the mysterious favored concubine, whom Prince Yi regarded as his precious and exclusive property.

    ¡°You are...¡± Ning Xueyan was speechless first, but then smiled leisurely and asked naturally.

    ¡°A person without title or status, in whatever condition, she is notparable to you, Consort Ning. I heard that you are from a renowned family, and the prince is sure to dote on you dearly in the future.¡±

    These words were put gently, but they carried quite a sarcastic meaning. No doubt, this veileddy was ridiculing Ning Xueyan by hinting that Ao Chenyi considered Lord Protector¡¯s Manor behind her, so he made her his consort, not because he truly loved her.

    Seeing the delicatedy who could almost turn into pieces once she was touched, Ning Xueyan had to lower her eyes to hide the ridicule in them, wondering where Commandery Princess Xianyun had found this woman because every word she said was to imitate the tone of the mysterious favored concubine of Ao Chenyi, and her words were so wisely organized that there was almost nothing meaningful in them.

    When these words were carefully analyzed, they showed that she seemed to have said nothing.

    It meant that even if Ao Chenyi found it out, her words almost couldn¡¯t prove that she had spoken of her identity, and the so-called favored concubine¡¯s identity was just Ning Xueyan¡¯s imagination.

    Without title or status! It could mean that the favored concubine without title or status was the most famous favored concubine in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, and it could also mean that it was just a modest way to introduce herself. After saying so, she would not need to exin her identity further.

    But the problem was that when people heard these ambiguous words and learned that she was mysteriously dressed, they were sure to misunderstand her identity.

    But the person she met now was Ning Xueyan. Others might not know the real identity of that favored concubine of Ao Chenyi, but she knew.

    ¡°Even so, I am still Prince Yi¡¯s consort, whose name is on the royal list,¡± Ning Xueyan said with a smile, looking calm as if she did not hear the ridicule in what this ¡°favored concubine¡± present said.

    The veileddy didn¡¯t expect Ning Xueyan to be so calm, and she said even more directly, ¡°What is the point of being a consort? Do you think the prince will like your broken look? On the wedding night, the prince didn¡¯t even enter your courtyard.¡±

    She believed that now Ning Xueyan must think that she was that favored concubine of Ao Chenyi. With such a title, she thought that Ning Xueyan would never dare to do anything to her, so she talked sharply and unkindly at this moment.

    ¡°Is it that the prince didn¡¯t enter my courtyard because he went to stay with you?¡± Ning Xueyan refuted calmly. Since the woman hade to y the favored concubine but did not say anything sure, then she had to force her to open her mouth to admit her identity.

    ¡°You...¡± The veileddy didn¡¯t expect to haveunched a pointless attack ¡ª she did not hurt Ning Xueyan, but made herself so angry. ¡°Sure enough, Ning Xueyan is not easy to deal with.¡±

    ¡°Consort Ning, you are just a consort, who doesn¡¯t have the princess¡¯s position and is not favored by the prince. Is it that you want to wait until your death day in the prince¡¯s mansion? Do you want me to give you a favor, pleading with the prince to release you directly? Then you won¡¯t have to spend your whole life in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor suffering or being bullied.¡±

    The veileddyposed herself and raised her neck a bit, showing a proud, scornful look.

    These words were full of insult. A concubine with nothing even dared to point at a consort and say such words! This was so unruly!

    Qingyu jumped out of anger, pushed the veileddy away, and shouted, ¡°Where are you from? You talked so unwisely. The prince will never listen to you.¡±

    She was so angry that she talked quickly and loudly, and those few women in the pavilion not far away even faintly heard a few words and then watched the scene with more interest. ¡°Unexpectedly, the mysterious concubine whom the prince favors to the bones is confronting his consort. Let me watch the scene carefully. Maybe there is something quite valuable in it.¡±

    They were all sent here by the heads of various pces in the imperial pce. These heads had long been curious about this mysterious concubine in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, but the trouble was that Ao Chenyi had been watching her closely, so they didn¡¯t get any information. It was rare to have such an opportunity to watch this mysterious concubine. Of course, these women wanted to watch her to their hearts¡¯ content.

    Only by doing so could they give their leaders an exnation.

    The veileddy took a few steps back unconsciously because of the push from Qingyu, then hit a tree hard, and said delicately in a crying tone, ¡°You... you women have gone too far, and I... I¡¯m going to tell the prince.¡±

    As she finished talking, she turned with her face covered as if she cried while running.

    After taking a talk anding here, she did not need to walk farther. Initially, she wanted to drive her cares away, but now she offended the favored concubine of Prince Yi. It was said that another consort of Prince Yi, who pushed the favored concubine previously, could not enter Prince Yi¡¯s Manor and be his consort afterward, and she even lost the County Princess¡¯s position.

    ¡°Consort Ning is going to have bad luck.¡±

    ¡°Right, she even dared to touch her. Surely she wants to die.¡±

    ¡°Then the mansion will be in a mess in the days toe. That¡¯s fine. Anyway, it¡¯s boring to stay in the mansion.¡± Those fewdies watching the fun were people who desired to stir up trouble. When they saw a quarrel down there, theyughed enjoyably, and one of them even took out her fan to rudely point at Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Look! Now she is still a decent consort, but she will be nothing in a while. Hope she can live.¡±

    Theyughed loudly,pletely ignoring the consort¡¯s identity of Ning Xueyan.

    In their view, Ning Xueyan was doomed to suffer this time because she had offended the favored concubine Prince Yi loved dearly. Even if she did not die, she would not have the hope to live for.

    Therefore, now no one treated her as the consort of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, but as a dying person. ¡°Anyway, many beautifuldies have died of Prince Yi¡¯s wrath in the mansion! What is the point for Ning Xueyan to be so iparably beautiful?¡± They pointed at her and ridiculed her,pletely in the way of watching someone suffer for joy.

    They dare not offend the favored concubine, but they had guts to provoke a consort who had lost favor. Anyway, she was a dying person. Would they, the women granted by the pce, be afraid of a consort?

    ¡°Mistress!¡± Qingyu looked up at those presumptuous women up there angrily.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go. We can¡¯t appreciate flowers anymore, so let¡¯s go back the same way.¡± Ning Xueyan turned around and looked back calmly. Initially, she just wanted to y a consort in a bad mood who came out to walk around and coldly treat Commandery Princess Xianyun for a while at the same time, but she did not expect thetter to have such a trick.

    Regardless of those concubines watching the fun, Ning Xueyan turned around and went back from where she hade from, with Qingyu walking behind her indignantly.

    Before they arrived at the door of the Pear Flower Garden, Xinmei walked over anxiously. Only when she saw Ning Xueyan did she seem to get relieved, saying, ¡°Mistress, the princess is here.¡±

    ¡°When did shee?¡± Ning Xueyan said with indifferent eyes.

    ¡°Not long after you left just now, the princess came with her maid. Lanning went to serve the princess, and I came out to look for you, mistress,¡± Xinmei answered. She looked quite anxious, but when she thought about this matter carefully, she found this was not the truth.

    It didn¡¯t take much time walking from here to the Pear Flower Garden, and Ning Xueyan spoke of her whereabouts at the door when Xinmei walked out.

    ¡°Xinmei, do an investigation and find out who came to visit the princess today,¡± Ning Xueyan said leisurely. She was sure that the woman who appeared just now was never the concubine in the mansion. Maybe some of the concubines in the mansion were sent by the empress and they stood in line with Commandery Princess Xianyun in the dark, but they never dared to disguise as the favored concubine of Ao Chenyi publicly.

    If she was found, she would have to die. In Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, if Ao Chenyi was intended to do an investigation, he would find out the truth.

    Only an outsider would think that it was nothing serious to say a few ambiguous words even if Ao Chenyi found her. Anyway, she did not directly say that she was the favored concubine of Ao Chenyi.

    Then, Ning Xueyan did not go back to her courtyard hurriedly. Instead, she walked even more slowly. When she was almost at the door of the Pear Flower Garden, Xinmei returned.

    ¡°Mistress, someone visited Commandery Princess Xianyun today, and she is the younger sister of Commandery Princess Xianyun, the second youngdy of Lord Peace¡¯s Manor. It is said that she paid a special visit to Commandery Princess Xianyun for the thing that happened earlier.¡±

    It was Yun Luoluo, the second youngdy of Lord Peace¡¯s Manor. The result was the same as her guess. For Commandery Princess Xianyun, no one but her close rtive could help her do this. It was impossible to use someone in the mansion, so she had to bring someone in from outside. Moreover, no ordinary people dared to do such things. Previously, Ning Xueyan met Yun Luoluo, who was so proud of the fact that the family of Empress Dowager¡¯s parents was her family and thought that she herself was quite noble.

    But Yun Luoluo deliberately changed her voice just now, and she also wore a veil, so Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t instantly recognize her but guessed that the person and Commandery Princess Xianyun must have a close rtionship.

    ¡°Xinmei, go to Yu Jian and tell him...¡± Ning Xueyan lowered her voice and whispered. In the mansion, the fastest-moving person was no one but Xinmei. Even if the other maids ran, they might not save much time, but Xinmei was different. She was a secret guard, so it was most suitable for her to do such tasks.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a long time after Yun Luoluo left me. This ce is near my Pear Flower Garden but a little far away from the Great Wisdom Garden of Commandery Princess Xianyun.¡±

    After hearing Ning Xueyan finish speaking, Xinmei fully understood her and nodded. Without saying anything anymore, she turned around and went to a narrow shortcut. As a secret guard of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, she knew these paths better than Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Qingyu, let¡¯s go in!¡± After Xinmei left, Ning Xueyan smiled, but her smile was quite indifferent. ¡°Since Commandery Princess Xianyun has repetitively shown that I¡¯ve blocked her path to the bright future and she wants to kick me, the roadblock, away, then I won¡¯t just sit and wait for her to frame me.¡±

    No matter what Commandery Princess Xianyun was here for, she would face and deal with it. Anyway, she could not let the princesse here in vain.

    ¡°The location where those few concubines stayed just now is beside the only path leading from my Pear Flower Garden to the courtyard. Would they have especially been there to watch me without the reminder of someone?¡±

    Ning Xueyan put a small cold smile on her exquisite face. ¡°Let me see what performance Commandery Princess Xianyun will give next!¡±

 Chapter 560 - Panicky Again and Again

    <h4>Chapter 560 Panicky Again and Again</h4>

    Commandery Princess Xianyun sat in the room of the Pear Flower Garden with a gentle smile, waiting for Ning Xueyan¡¯s return. Ostensibly, she behaved gracefully and smiled lightly while chatting casually with Lanning with a teacup in her hand. Of course, what she asked about was Ning Xueyan¡¯s daily life. She orally cared about her living from time to time and instructed that if anything was needed here, they should go and tell her.

    As soon as she finished talking, Ning Xueyan walked in with Qingyu.

    When she saw that Ning Xueyan frowned slightly with depression in her heart although she looked calm and Qingyu was behind her with an angry face, she knew very well what had happened but pretended to show that she knew nothing and said with a smile, ¡°Sister Ning, I was bored staying in my ce, so I came here to bother you. I hope you forgive me.¡±

    ¡°Princess, you are so courteous. Please sit down.¡± Ning Xueyan sat down and asked Lanning to renew Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s tea when she found that the tea in the princess¡¯s hand did not have much hot steam.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun received the teacup and drank the tea. When she looked up, her eyes were a little red. ¡°Sister Ning, I¡¯m sorry about your suffering from injustice. I was so... useless, and then you lost so much face.¡±

    She said these words quite implicitly. Coupled with her current look, she seemed to be reproaching herself.

    ¡°What are you talking about, princess? This... this has nothing to do with you. It is I who didn¡¯t manage my courtyard well so that a servant told tales here and there, so I need to thank you for helping me punish her,¡± Ning Xueyan bit her lips and said, with her voice being a bit dismal.

    Apparently, she was ashamed and sad because a maid who did menial jobs told others that Ao Chenyi was angryst night and smashed two vases granted by the pce while venting his anger.

    No matter who was disliked by her husband and this fact was spread, she would not be able to bear it because it was so shameful. Naturally, Ning Xueyan was gloomy.

    Of course, not many people knew this in the beginning, but when the princess punished the maid by forcing her to kneel at the door of the courtyard for such a long time, then the whole mansion probably learned it. No doubt, this was one of her aims. With so much face lost, Ning Xueyan would naturally go out and take a walk.

    The princess heard that Ning Xueyan did have this habit.

    ¡°Let me stop it. Anyway, it was I, your elder sister, who was incapable and couldn¡¯t deal with things in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, and you got harmed... s, that¡¯s why those nameless concubines have been trying to bully us. Previously in my Great Wisdom Garden, some of those who knew nothing about worldly affairs even came to snoop and make jokes, taking us not seriously at all.¡±

    Commandery Princess Xianyun heaved a deep sigh and rubbed her eyes with her handkerchief, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t know what the prince thinks. Sister, you are as nice as jade, but he doesn¡¯t love you. Instead, he goes to love the bitch who is nothing and doesn¡¯t have a title. And County Princess Yuanyun was even harmed previously.¡±

    ¡°County Princess Yuanyun?¡± Ning Xueyan asked in a slight shock after pping her eyshes twice.

    ¡°Sister Ning, I¡¯m afraid you still don¡¯t know about it! At that time, the emperor wanted to grant marriage by issuing an imperial edict, and County Princess Yuanyun was one of the chosen consorts. Then, Third Prince and these Princely Heirs invited the prince, me, Commandery Princess Muling, County Princess Yuanyun, and Commandery Princess Mingya to a banquet, and the prince brought the woman with him. Later, no one knew what happened and County Princess Yuanyun pushed the woman so that she fell to the ground.¡±

    ¡°After that, County Princess Yuanyun was not among the consorts inexplicably and was then driven out of the capital, so this marriage was postponed. It is said that those who are like her will have to marry the local slightly rich men at most and can¡¯t return to the capital anymore. She was such a nobledy of an aristocratic family, but since she was careless and touched that woman...¡±

    Commandery Princess Xianyun shook her head with a look that she felt it hard to continue the talk and also heaved a sigh heavily.

    Indeed, these words were used to reflect Ning Xueyan¡¯s plight that appeared just now. Right, her maid did push the favored concubine! When she was in anger, such behavior was inevitable. Of course, Ning Xueyan was sure that even if that push had not happened, the veileddy would havee over, thrown herself at her, and fallen the same.

    Therefore, no matter what, Ning Xueyan was sure to ¡°offend¡± the favored concubine of Ao Chenyi. Her status was not low, butpared with County Princess who had a title conferred upon by the emperor, she was a little inferior. Since County Princess Yuanyun had to marry in a remote area because of this favored concubine and could no longere back to the capital in her whole life, then what about Ning Xueyan...

    After hearing Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s words and recalling the words said earlier, Ning Xueyan learned her scheme ¡ª she wanted to force her to have to deal with the favored concubine of Ao Chenyi.

    When things had reached this point, if she wanted to continue to stay in the mansion, then she had to deal with the favored concubine first; otherwise, if the favored concubine went to cry andin in front of Ao Chenyi, she, the unfavored consort, would probably have to live in this small courtyard until her death day. Of course, Ao Chenyi, a man of special character, was likely to do it even more mercilessly.

    He was likely to send her back to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor with the reason that she was evil and envious. If the consort Ning Xueyan with such a reputation was sent back to her parents¡¯ home, she would have no choice but to die. Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was bound to kill her with the reason ¡°You shouldmit suicide to redeem your crime¡±. This would be a way to protect the honor of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and give Prince Yi¡¯s Manor an exnation.

    Such things were not rarely seen in the circle of the aristocratic families in the capital.

    In such a way, she was weeded off, and so was Ao Chenyi¡¯s favored concubine.

    ¡°County Princess Yuanyun has been reduced to such an end,¡± Ning Xueyan mumbled and looked a bit pale as if she was shocked.

    Seeing this, Commandery Princess Xianyun felt that Ning Xueyan was pretending to keep calm and thought that she was quite anxious and panicky this time. Surely, she continued to put salt on her wound, saying, ¡°Right, if I had run into the woman identally at that time, I would probably not be in the mansion now, and I would have been banished to a remote corner. The prince is partial.¡±

    ¡°Partial? So, Commandery Princess Xianyun wants to make him be fair and just. Naturally, she needs to sacrifice the roadblock like me.¡± She lowered her long eyshes, and her eyes became quite cold. ¡°Today Commandery Princess Xianyun didn¡¯t even hesitate to let her sister do such a performance, for she just wanted to force me to have to deal with the ¡®favored concubine.¡¯¡±

    ¡°I thought that Princess Xianyun would wait for a while before taking action. Anyway, we have just been in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor for a few days as married women. Now it seems that she was forced by Heng Yuwan¡¯s matter, which made her speed up her move when she was fidgety. And she hoped to remove the roadblock like me and instantly be the only mistress of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.¡±

    Ning Xueyan was quite clear about this idea of Commandery Princess Xianyun. Previously, she gave Ning Xueyan the scented tea because she was afraid that Ning Xueyan would get pregnant before her. Now she simply wanted to drive Ning Xueyan away. Once this was done, she would be able to make sure that her child was Ao Chenyi¡¯s only child, so that Lord Peace¡¯s Manor and she herself could have a flourishing future when she became the empress of the kingdom.

    In the beginning, Ning Xueyan had no connection to such things, but since she agreed to make a deal with Ao Chenyi that she woulde to the backyard of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor to help him, she and the princess had been destined to confront each other due to their different aims.

    It used to be like this when she and the prince had a deal. Now when the two of them were soul mates, it was even more so, of course. No matter what, Ning Xueyan stood in line with Ao Chenyi, so she was even more unwilling to let Commandery Princess Xianyun stir up trouble in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    Since their talk hade to this point, Ning Xueyan simply looked up at Commandery Princess Xianyun and said directly, ¡°Princess, I met that favored concubine just now. I pushed her, and she fell.¡±

    ¡°What? You... you touched her just now and pushed her!¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun changed her expression and almost stood up in shock.

    ¡°Yes, it happened just now. When I went out to walk in a bad mood, I met her, who made impertinent remarks,¡± Ning Xueyan said quite at a loss, with her hand supporting her head.

    ¡°You... you need to go and apologize to the prince hurriedly, hurriedly... go before it is toote. If the prince hears the woman¡¯s nder, you... you are done.¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun said in a panic. As she spoke, she stood up and pulled Ning Xueyan up, showing that she was worried and panicky about her situation.

    ¡°Princess, it is that woman who swore at my mistress first, speaking ill of her,¡± Qingyu couldn¡¯t help bute out and said indignantly.

    ¡°You were so stupid! Even if she said something unpleasant, just let her say it, and you wouldn¡¯t get your flesh missing. After all, if she is in the mansion, the two of us can¡¯t be counted as mistresses. If you still don¡¯t go to the prince, maybe he will simply send someone to take you away.¡±

    Commandery Princess Xianyun stamped her feet anxiously, showing that she was disappointed.

    ¡°She... she is not so vicious, is she?¡± Ning Xueyan still looked hesitant.

    ¡°She is! Now the situation is that either you or she will die. She has been finding fault with us two in the dark. No matter what, we were married with the emperor¡¯s edicts and we have just been married for just a few days, so she can¡¯t deal with us at will in whatever condition, but you pushed her just now. This... this is quite eventful. We know the prince¡¯s temper. If he is angry, he is likely to kill you. Do you really think Lord Protector¡¯s Manor will set itself against the prince for you?¡±

    Commandery Princess Xianyun was trying to say more frightening things. It seemed that if Ning Xueyan did not think of a countermeasure now, maybe Ao Chenyi wasing here with a sword right away and would kill Ning Xueyan with one swing.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun and Ning Xueyan all knew that it was a joke to expect Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to set itself against Prince Yi because of her.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun had already heard Ning Qingshan speak of Ning Xueyan¡¯s status in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. The two of them had exchanged messages secretly, so the princess surely knew that Ning Xueyan was not favored there. Neither Madam Dowager nor Ning Zu¡¯an had ever taken her seriously. It used to be like this, and it was still like this now. What they only cared about was that she was a consort.

    It meant that if Ning Xueyan had not been a consort, her life would not have been as good as that of a maid or servant in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Undoubtedly, what Ning Qingshan said was a little exaggerated, but Commandery Princess Xianyun still could find from her words how Ning Xueyan had been poorly treated in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. The princess mentioned the possibility that Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would set itself against Prince Yi, and her purpose was to hurt Ning Xueyan¡¯s feelings.

    ¡°No matter how calm Ning Xueyan is, can she, who has been wounded again and again by my words, still deal with problems with a clear mind?¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun smiled a bit with ridicule, but it then vanished in an instant. ¡°Ning Xueyan will be manipted by me right away...¡±

 Chapter 561 - The Mysterious Mistress of the Fragrance Garden

    <strong>Chapter 561 The Mysterious Mistress of the Fragrance Garden</strong>

    ¡°Sister Ning, let¡¯s meet the prince first and plead with him. Who knows, he might spare you on the ount that we nevermitted any major mistakes.¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun grabbed Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand eagerly and attempted to pull her out.

    Ning Xueyan pulled away from her grip with force and said with a terrified voice, ¡°I... I¡¯m not going. I¡¯m... afraid of meeting the prince.¡±

    There was nothing unexpected about her words. Never mind a woman like Ning Xueyan, few court officials could say that they weren¡¯t afraid of Prince Yi. The Princess, an ambitious woman who believed that she would rule as an Empress in the future, was much braver but even she was cautious in front of him.

    Ning Xueyan was born frail and it was obvious to everyone that she was just a weak, slender woman. Even if she was more courageous than most people, how much braver could she be? Besides, Ao Chenyi had stormed out of her room in angerst night. She probably didn¡¯t have the guts to meet him now.

    ¡°Well... What should we do... Sister Ning, you really...¡± The Princess looked beside herself with worry. She spun around in ce before suddenly stopping and gritting her teeth as if she was making the biggestpromise. ¡°Let¡¯s do this then, Sister Ning. I¡¯ll visit the Fragrance Garden with you and ask that woman to spare you. I¡¯m still the Princess of this manor. I¡¯m willing to do anything it takes to protect you.¡±

    She was right. Compared to the ruthless Ao Chenyi, dealing with his favored concubine seemed easier. If the Princess could promise her something, she might agree not toin to the prince. Not only did she sound loyal and righteous, but reasonable as well.

    As expected, the Princess had indeed steered the conversation in this direction. Ning Xueyan sneered on the inside. The Princess was truly doing her utmost just to trick her into going to the Fragrance Garden.

    If that was the case, she would check out the garden herself.

    ¡°Then... I¡¯ll have to trouble you, Princess.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded and stopped arguing. She looked listless as if she was prepared to rely on the Princess on the matter.

    Thus, Ning Xueyan and Qingyu followed Commandery Princess Xianyun to the Fragrance Garden in a hurry. Their goal was, of course, to beg the ¡°favored concubine¡± to ¡°forgive¡± Ning Xueyan before she couldin to Ao Chenyi.

    Naturally, now was the best time. It was said that the favored concubine was a mysterious person who rarely took the initiative to visit Ao Chenyi¡¯s study or Moon-embracing Tower. Even if she wanted toin, she would have to send someone to invite him over. It was still early, and he was usually away from the manor at this hour.

    Thus, no matter how one looked at it, they could still make it if they went over now.

    Ning Xueyan wanted Lanning to go with her, but the Princess thought it would better to take Qingyu as she was also present at the scene then. If necessary, Qingyu could prove that Ning Xueyan was unintentional at that time.

    After hearing the Princess¡¯ exnation, Ning Xueyan left the calm-headed Lanning behind in the yard and went with Qingyu.

    The two guards who were guarding the gate of the Fragrance Garden were taken aback when they saw the Princess and Ning Xueyan. The two new mistresses of the manor had never visited them before. Still, they quickly bowed their heads and saluted them respectfully.

    ¡°Greetings, Your Highnesses.¡±

    The Princess nudged Ning Xueyan, indicating for her to speak. This was a problem that she had caused, after all. It was only normal for her to step up and speak. Ning Xueyan looked at the closely-shut doors and said, ¡°Open the door and let us in.¡±

    ¡°Um... Consort Ning, His Highness said that my master¡¯s courtyard cannot be entered at will,¡± the two eunuchs said awkwardly. Had it been anyone else, they would have just started scolding. The Prince had once ordered them to chase everyone away, whoever it was. However, the prince hadn¡¯t married the two mistresses when he gave the order.

    They didn¡¯t know if the two mistresses were exempted from the prince¡¯s order.

    Unable to make up their minds at the moment, they had no choice but to respond politely.

    Qingyu became furious when the two eunuchs stopped her master. She stepped forward protectively and red at them. ¡°My master is the consort of this manor. Why do you have so many excuses when she¡¯s just trying to meet someone? Or are you telling me that the person staying in this yard is nobler than my master?¡±

    Qingyu had been serving Ning Xueyan since she was young and was most protective of her as well. She couldn¡¯t stand anyone criticizing Ning Xueyan. Moreover, she had a straightforward character and a quick temper. Naturally, this was also why the Princess asked Ning Xueyan to bring her along. The angrier Qingyu became, the better. Only then things would get even more chaotic. The more chaotic it was, the easier it was to cause trouble.

    ¡°The prince has ordered that no one is to be let in,¡± the eunuchs said, gritting their teeth. They could lose their lives if they went against the prince¡¯s will. He was much more formidable than this less favored consort.

    ¡°I...¡± Ning Xueyan was stunned speechless. She was so angry that her face turned increasingly pale.

    To think that two lowly eunuchs dared to stop a mistress of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor! Anyone else would have fainted from anger. They weren¡¯t treating her like their master at all. Any steward with some influence wouldn¡¯t have been treated this way.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Sister Ning. Let me speak to them.¡± The Princess stepped forward generously, stopping Ning Xueyan who seemed to be close to losing her temper. ¡°Qingyu, stop your master. We didn¡¯te here to argue but to chat with thedy inside. We haven¡¯t met her even though we¡¯ve been in the manor for a while.¡±

    Since the Princess had said as much, a simrly furious Qingyu had no choice but to tug at Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand.

    The Princess¡¯ words were polite and her status was also much higher than a consort like Ning Xueyan. The two eunuchs exchanged hesitant looks, unable to decide if they should let them in.

    ¡°All right, we won¡¯t make things difficult for you. Go and report to your master that Sister Ning and I are here to pay her a visit. If she¡¯s inside, please tell her to invite us in for a chat. We¡¯re sisters, so we shouldn¡¯t be so wary about each other. Who knows, when we enter the pce in the future, we can show the Empress how united us sisters in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor can be.¡±

    The Princess spoke with a smile.

    Her words were incredibly suggestive. No matter how favored the concubine was, she was still a concubine without a title. This was something that everyone knew. If the concubine was smart, she would know to earn a title for herself while she still had the prince¡¯s favor. And Commandery Princess Xianyun, the actual princes, was a good stepping stone.

    As long as the Princess agrees to ept her and praise her in front of the Empress in the pce, getting a title wouldn¡¯t be difficult at all. Pleasing the wife had always been the duty of the concubines.

    Of course, the Princess knew the concubine was a wise person. After all, Ao Chenyi had favored her for so long and protected her so well.

    If the concubine were smart, she would understand her meaning and let her and Ning Xueyan in.

    Therefore, the Princess was rxed after rying her message. She stood there, waiting for a response with a dignified and peaceful smile.

    Sure enough, the eunuchs felt that they had no authority to stop it anymore, especially since it was the Princess who had said as much. The Princess wasn¡¯t an unfavored consort like Ning Xueyan; she was the rightful Princess Yi. Moreover, she wasn¡¯t demanding anything rudely and arrogantly. She was simply making a request to see their master.

    It was their master¡¯s decision whether to meet them.

    One of the eunuchs immediately nodded and ran inside to make the report. The other smiled and told the Princess, ¡°Please wait for a moment. We¡¯ll have to ask our master. If she¡¯s free, she¡¯ll likely meet Your Highness and Consort Ning.¡±

    He felt that the Princess was much more magnanimous than Consort Ning. Just look at how arrogant and rude Consort Ning was, angrily demanding the door to be opened as soon as she arrived. She didn¡¯t look like she was paying a visit at all.

    Since he was guarding the Fragrance Garden, he naturally thought of the favored concubine living here as his master. He never considered the fact that a consort had no need to formally request to meet an anonymous favored concubine without a title.

    It must be said that Ao Chenyi favored this concubine so much that even the people at the manor believed that it was only a matter of time before he would give her a title. When it came down to it, even the princess and consort had to admit defeat to the concubine.

    That was why the two eunuchs dared to stop the Princess and Ning Xueyan from entering.

    Looking at the Princess¡¯ gentle and generous act, Ning Xueyan sneered on the inside. She had disyed anger when she ordered the door to be opened. Even her maid couldn¡¯t stop herself from getting mad. On the contrary, the Princess continued to look gentle and magnanimous.

    The two eunuchs at the door could y witness. Moreover, she also noticed earlier that a few concubines were stealing nces in their direction. It was evident that they noticed that something was happening here.

    That meant she had even more witnesses now.

    Her longshes flickered as she lowered her watery eyes to look at the Princess¡¯ sleeves. She noticed earlier that the Princess had held her with her left hand. That was odd. Whenever the Princess tried to fake affection with her, she would always use her right hand to hold hers. Yet, today, the Princess was using her left hand.

    Most importantly, the Princess¡¯ left hand wasn¡¯t the hand nearest to hers...

    On their way here, she remained close to the Princess. The Princess was dressed quite warmly today. Even though Ning Xueyan¡¯s clothes weren¡¯t thin either, she had always been sensitive to the cold. She would always wear thicker clothes than most. She remembered that the Princess tended to dress lighter than she would.

    Their clothes were equally as thick today. Was she also ill?

    However, the Princess didn¡¯t seem like she would wear thicker clothes just because she was ill.

    Her clothes were wide, with a wide skirt and wide cuffs. When her clothes fluttered in the wind, she looked like a fairy. They fitted her well, making her look gorgeous.

    However, the wind was a little harsh on the way here. One of her sleeves danced in the wind, while the other seemed rtively still. She even pinched her sleeves together so that it wouldn¡¯t billow and open up in the wind.

    A faint sneer appeared on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face. As expected, Ning Xueyan hade here with a purpose under the guise of helping her.

    The door opened, revealing the eunuch earlier. He came out with a grin and greeted, ¡°Princess, Consort Ning, my master invites you in.¡±

    He pushed the door open, exposing a quiet and elegant courtyard to everyone¡¯s eyes. Looking over, they saw a woman standing at the door with the support of a maid. She wore a white veil that thwarted any prying eyes...

 Chapter 562 - A Sudden Bloody Dagger

    Chapter 562 A Sudden Bloody Dagger

    Ning Xueyan followed Commandery Princess Xianyun into the courtyard. The eunuchs closed the door behind them. After all, the prince had ordered that people couldn¡¯t easily meet thedy in this yard. Of course, their master agreed to meet the Princess and Consort Ning herself, so the responsibility wasn¡¯t theirs to bear.

    ¡°Greetings, Your Highnesses.¡± The woman with the white veil seemed pretty courteous. She saluted them both at the door of her room.

    ¡°I¡¯m free today, so I thought I¡¯d visit you with Sister Ning. If you need anything in your yard, feel free to tell me. We can¡¯t keep troubling the prince for matters of the inner courtyard or I¡¯d be too embarrassed to call myself the princess,¡± the Princess said affectionately.

    She didn¡¯t mention a word abouting here to help Ning Xueyan apologize.

    That had been her sister in disguise and had nothing to do with thisdy in front of her. Naturally, the less that was said about it, the better.

    ¡°Thank you, Your Highnesses. Pleasee in for a chat.¡± The woman in the white veil politely gestured for them to enter the room.

    ¡°Sure. Sister Ning, we can talk about it inside.¡± The Princess turned around and indicated for Ning Xueyan to go in. They could discuss everything inside; they should at least remain polite on the surface.

    Ning Xueyan nodded and walked in as instructed. The woman in the white veil stood on the left of the door to wee her guests in. Naturally, she wouldn¡¯t enter until her guests were inside.

    The Princess, having spoken to the woman earlier, stood on her right and near the door. That made it impossible for Ning Xueyan to enter from the right, so she had to enter from the Princess¡¯ left. Meanwhile, Qingyu and Xiangrong stood on the other side of the door.

    It was all too sudden. The moment Ning Xueyan walked past the woman and raised her foot to enter the room, someone knocked into her and she couldn¡¯t stop herself from falling on the veiled woman by the door. She instinctively reached out to hold herself steady.

    A scream rang out at that moment. Before Ning Xueyan could react, she felt something being stuffed in her hand and someone grabbing her other elbow to steady her.

    ¡°B-Blood... Sister Ning... How can you kill her?¡± The Princess¡¯ horrified exmation was apanied by Xiangrong¡¯s scream.

    When Ning Xueyan calmed down, she saw that the veiled woman was lying on the floor with her clothes soaked in blood. In her hand was a dagger. A few drops of blood dripped from the dagger andnded on her clothes. She was so surprised that she let go of the dagger and let it fall.

    A crisp ng resounded.

    ¡°Murder! Murder! Everyone,e quick! Consort Ning murdered someone!¡± Xiangrong seemed to have lost her mind from the shock. She was yelling at the top of her lungs as she staggered backward, knocking into a nearby pir and falling.

    The two eunuchs who were guarding the door had just closed the doors and stood aside. They hadn¡¯t even stood firm before they heard Xiangrong¡¯s scream from the yard. They froze for a second before pushing the shut door open. Their expressions changed drastically when they saw the veiled woman lying in a pool of blood and the dagger in front of Ning Xueyan.

    One of them immediately closed the door while the other anxiously ran to inform Prince Yi. To think that his consort killed his favored concubine! What a disaster...

    The Fragrance Garden was located near Bright Garden and Jade Garden. The few concubines were wandering outside, hoping to catch some of the excitement. When they heard that something major had happened¡ªthe consort who had fallen out of favor had killed the favored concubine as soon as she entered the courtyard¡ªthey immediately became frenzied. Although they didn¡¯t dare to go over, they could still look in the same direction.

    With that woman dead, would they be next?

    ¡°Why, Princess?¡± Ning Xueyan looked up and at the Princess quietly. Her face was pale but her eyes were cold.

    ¡°What do you mean, why? I¡¯d like to ask you why did you kill her. She invited us in kindly, yet you... How could you do such a thing?¡± A smug Commandery Princess Xianyun nced at the veiled woman, whose life or death was unknown, with a look of confusion and anger. She looked like she was truly angry that Ning Xueyan would do something like this. Only the faint mockery in her eyes betrayed her true emotions.

    Ning Xueyan seemed calm, but unfortunately, she was still no match for her.

    ¡°The dagger isn¡¯t mine,¡± Ning Xueyan said coldly.

    ¡°Whose is it if not yours? Sister Ning, you should admit your mistake to the prince. How can you do this because of a concubine without any title? They would never match up to us. You¡¯re just too ruthless and vicious. You couldn¡¯t stand someone else having the prince¡¯s favor, so you did this. I... I¡¯ve misjudged you.¡±

    The Princess felt that Ning Xueyan was done for. Even though she was expressing how disappointed she was in Ning Xueyan, her mocking smile was getting more and more apparent.

    Ning Xueyan looked at her coldly, taking in the unabashed ridicule on her face. Commandery Princess Xianyun was indeed an ambitious woman to be so ruthless. Many people saw how she had entered this yard in anger, while the Princess had appeared calm.

    Thus, she was the most likely suspect for killing the concubine. Moreover, the dagger had fallen in front of her. With Xiangrong¡¯s sharp scream and her insistence that the consort had killed someone, the people outside would surely think that she was the one who killed the veiled woman.

    Xiangrong must have been the one who pushed her while she was entering the door, while the Princess acted at the same time, piercing the veiled woman with the dagger hidden in her sleeve. The Princess then put the dagger in her hand. She was in such a haste to grab something to steady her body that she instinctively grabbed what was stuffed into her hand.

    It went without saying that the dagger would fall in front of her.

    Thus, this was all the Princess¡¯ scheme.

    ¡°Commandery Princess, if something happens to you, I wonder if the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor would protect you. Can a vicious woman who killed someone and tried to frame another for it be the Princess of a manor?¡± Ning Xueyan asked calmly.

    This time, she was referring to Commandery Princess Xianyun as the Commandery Princess, and not the Princess.

    ¡°What do you mean? You...¡± The Princess¡¯ expression changed.

    It was abnormal for Ning Xueyan to say such things at a time like this. Shouldn¡¯t Ning Xueyan be scared out of her wits? Shouldn¡¯t she helplessly shout and defend herself? Shouldn¡¯t she try to convince the Princess that she was innocent? How could she say such things so calmly and even somewhat coldly?

    Ning Xueyan could very well suspect her for the dagger wasn¡¯t hers and the Princess, being closest to her, was the most suspicious. However, Ning Xueyan appeared absolutely sure that she was the killer. The Princess didn¡¯t think that any of the words she said or any actions that she made along the way gave Ning Xueyan any room for suspicion.

    But why was Ning Xueyan not only looking calm but mocking as well? She appeared as if she was looking at a clown putting on a show. What right did Ning Xueyan to think of her as a clown...

    The doors flung open with force as a handsome, gloomy Ao Chenyi appeared in the courtyard with a group of men.

    Immediately, the courtyard was enveloped in thick pressure. The Princess subconsciously felt short of breath as she watched the tall, sturdy man walk over.

    Giving up arguing with Ning Xueyan, she turned around and walked toward Ao Chenyi. Facing him at the corridor, she knelt with a loud thud.

    ¡°Your Highness, please spare Sister Ning. She... She didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡±

    Her seemingly pleading words were no more than a conviction for Ning Xueyan, which would surely make Ao Chenyi feel rage building up inside him. How could this be unintentional? A woman carrying a dagger to another person¡¯s yard and killing her, only to say that she didn¡¯t do it on purpose? No one would believe it.

    Moreover, the victim was Ao Chenyi¡¯s dearest concubine.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun was trying to anger Ao Chenyi. She hoped that Ao Chenyi would be so furious that he would sentence Ning Xueyan to death without saying a word. Qingyu was the only one who could bear witness to the so-called argument with the veiled woman now. In a fit of anger, Ao Chenyi would even kill the maid of a woman who killed his dearest concubine.

    Of course, there was a possibility that Ao Chenyi would question Ning Xueyan. But so what? At the time of the incident, only Ning Xueyan and Qingyu were there. They would surely try to get Ning Xueyan out of it but the problem was, Ao Chenyi¡¯s favorite concubine was dead and he had never liked Ning Xueyan in the first ce. He would only get angrier and refuse to listen to their exnation.

    Even if Ning Xueyan¡¯s life was spared, she would surely be sent back to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor for her family to deal with her. Ao Chenyi had always been this cruel.

    Of course, the former oue was the better one. It was best if Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t even have the time to say anything. The Princess wanted Ning Xueyan to die a murderer. Besides, the people outside were listening. Even with Ning Xueyan dead, she would still be known as a vicious woman.

    Ao Chenyi lowered his head to look at Commandery Princess Xianyun and asked in an especially cold voice, ¡°You think that she¡¯s the one who killed my favored concubine?¡±

    His voice was very nice, yet sounded ice-cold to the Princess. It felt as if there was a ghost¡¯s hand crawling out of the underworld and sliding over her throat. It gave her goosebumps. Her heart couldn¡¯t help but tremble. Why was he asking her? Shouldn¡¯t he be questioning Ning Xueyan?

    ¡°Your Highness, don¡¯t, don¡¯t be angry. Sister Ning really didn¡¯t do it on purpose. She... She said she wanted to visit thisdy here out of the kindness of her heart. She just wanted to see her. She even invited me along for this.¡±

    The Princess sounded as if she was standing on Ning Xueyan¡¯s side but every word was dragging Ning Xueyan closer to her death.

    She wasn¡¯t lying but she had taken everything out of context. Put together, it sounded as if Ning Xueyan had nned to kill the favored concubine, so she deliberately invited the Princess along.

    If Ning Xueyan tried to defend herself at this time and used the Princess instead, all the better. Then, the Princess could exin that Ning Xueyan invited her to meet the concubine not to have her witness the assassination but to shoulder the me for her.

    If Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t defend herself, she would have tacitly epted her punishment.

    Ning Xueyan sneered inwardly. Commandery Princess Xianyun had forced her to a path of no return where she could neither advance nor retreat. It was all a dead end for her.

 Chapter 563 - Who Told the Truth?

    <h4>Chapter 563 Who Told the Truth?</h4>

    ¡°How did she kill my dear concubine?¡± Ao Chenyi asked, locking his dark, bottomless pupils on Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s face.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know either. When we came in, we hadn¡¯t gone very far before thisdy suddenly screamed and copsed while clutching her chest. And Sister Ning... She was also scared. This dagger fell from her hand,¡± the Princess immediately replied, looking disturbed.

    Whoever had experienced such a thing would have such an expression.

    ¡°What... say you?¡± Ao Chenyi looked up and stared at Ning Xueyan calmly.

    ¡°Your Highness, please get her out of here for treatment first. If she can still speak, I won¡¯t have to go through the trouble of exining myself,¡± she replied nonchntly.

    Ao Chenyi raised his hand nomittally and an imperial physician hurried over. He squatted down and immediately treated the veiled woman.

    The moment the imperial physician felt the woman¡¯s pulse, he eximed with joy, ¡°Your Highness, she¡¯s, she¡¯s still alive.¡±

    Alive? Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s expression changed ever so slightly. Even so, she moved so quickly earlier that she didn¡¯t think the concubine would be able to tell that who stabbed her.

    The physician inserted a needle into the woman somewhere and the unconscious woman who had been lying on the floor, whose life or death was unknown, suddenly moved and cried, ¡°Your... Your Highness.¡±

    ¡°She... She... She... Why isn¡¯t she dead? Shouldn¡¯t... Shouldn¡¯t she be dead?!¡± Xiangrong cried in panic. She had knocked into a pir in the chaos earlier. At that moment, she was so terrified that she kept retreating as she pointed at the concubine.

    Ao Chenyi walked past the Princess and squatted down in front of the veiled woman. ¡°Tell me who hurt you.¡±

    The woman waved a trembling hand in the air, pointing at Ning Xueyan. Just as the Princess watched on with a smug expression, she suddenly turned her finger toward the former instead.

    ¡°Your Highness, it was the Princess. She... She stabbed me and stuffed the dagger into Consort Ning¡¯s hand,¡± the veiled woman said with difficulty, but her every word was brimming with resentment.

    Ao Chenyi brought quite a lot of men with him. Not only were there eunuchs, but there were guards as well. They stood in two lines opposite each other aftering in, leaving the door ajar. Several concubines were leaning on the door, trying to peek inside. When they heard that it wasn¡¯t Ning Xueyan but the Princess who stabbed the woman, they were stunned.

    The Princess was also shocked, looking as if she had seen a ghost. She stared at the woman on the floor in astonishment. She never expected the woman to say this.

    She... She... Shouldn¡¯t she be clueless? Shouldn¡¯t she believe that Ning Xueyan was the criminal after waking up? Everything had happened so quickly earlier, and Ning Xueyan copsed on her as well. How could a frightened person remain so clear-headed in that short span of time?

    How could this woman pinpoint her involvement so urately?

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it the consort?¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s gaze fell on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face before turning to the Princess.

    ¡°It... It was the Princess. Only the Princess could do it from her position,¡± the woman replied, speaking intermittently and difficultly.

    ¡°Your Highness, my master and I ran into a woman in white when we were in the garden earlier. The woman insisted that she was this... and even said she would ask you to throw my master out. Then, the Princess said she wanted to plead with this woman for my master, so my master agreed toe here. Who knew that the Princess would try to kill this woman and frame my master? I can stand witness. The woman that we met in the garden wasn¡¯t this woman.¡±

    Qingyu gave an eloquent answer before the Princess could even speak, exining the cause and effect of the matter.

    The Princess felt a bad premonition after hearing Qingyu speak. How could Ning Xueyan¡¯s maid be so daring as to speak the truth so inly? Wasn¡¯t she afraid that Ao Chenyi would be increasingly sure of Ning Xueyan¡¯s crime?

    Ao Chenyi stood up and said coldly, ¡°Men, go find out... if there was anyone in the garden wearing white clothes and a white veil today.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± the two guards at the door answered. They turned around and disappeared outside the door.

    The Princess felt cold all over and for the first time, there was a frightened expression on her face. However, she quickly concealed her emotions. Her second sister must have changed out of the clothes by now and wouldn¡¯t be captured. If the guards couldn¡¯t capture her second sister, then Ning Xueyan would be seen as lying. She could argue that Ning Xueyan was saying nonsense to avoid being convicted of her crime.

    Having calmed down, she got up from the floor and walked toward Ao Chenyi. She persuaded him in a calm voice, ¡°Your Highness, Sister Ning is scared out of her wits. No matter what she has done, she¡¯s still the daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. She¡¯s not someone that... this woman can hold a candle to. We can¡¯t very well let Sister Ningpensate the woman with her life!¡±

    She acted as if she hadn¡¯t heard Qingyu¡¯s testimony at all and continued to try to speak up for Ning Xueyan. In reality, she was reminding Ao Chenyi that he could directly kill Ning Xueyan to avenge his concubine. In the past, Ao Chenyi had sent County Princess Yuanyun away for this woman¡¯s sake. After such a major incident, he would never let Ning Xueyan live.

    When the guards fail to find her second sister, Ao Chenyi could then choke Ning Xueyan to death.

    No matter how one looked at it, Commandery Princess Xianyun behaved like a kind and magnanimous legal wife.

    Ning Xueyan nced at the Princess in disgust. She couldn¡¯t believe that the Princess was refusing to give up even at this point. The Princess kept insisting that she was the murderer and provoking Ao Chenyi¡¯s anger, reminding him to kill her. If the woman lying on the floor was indeed Ao Chenyi¡¯s beloved concubine, then she would really die here.

    ¡°Princess, I wasn¡¯t the only one who saw the woman. The other concubines did, too.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled at the Princess who was working hard at putting on a show with her red-rimmed eyes.

    ¡°No way. Sister Ning, hardly anyone ever visits your ce. How could anyone see her? If you really have witnesses, please point them out.¡± The Princess could barely conceal the smugness in her eyes. She had prepared those people for precisely this moment.

    If something went awry and Ning Xueyan imed she had witnesses, Ning Xueyan would be ying right into her hands. Those concubines from the pce had been arranged by her. They would deny it, refusing to help Ning Xueyan prove her words. That would make Ning Xueyan a certified liar.

    Otherwise, why would the concubines coincidentally visit Ning Xueyan¡¯s Pear Flower Garden?

    ¡°Men, bring all the concubines here,¡± a stricken-faced Ao Chenyi said.

    This ce was close to the other three courtyards that housed the rest of the concubines. The guards returned soon enough, bringing in the concubines who were watching the show nearby and making them kneel in the garden.

    Ning Xueyan looked up and stared at the plethora of plump and thin beauties here. One could find any type of woman he liked here. They were all gorgeous; a few could even be considered great beauties.

    ¡°Qingyu, go down and take a look. Point out the women you saw,¡± Ning Xueyan ordered Qingyu.

    Qingyu clenched her fists and nodded before walking down the steps. She deliberately paid attention to the concubines when she was in the garden because her master had told her to memorize their faces lest she couldn¡¯t point out the women after the incident. There were so many women that recognizing the ones she saw was quite hard.

    She slowly pointed out each and every woman she saw in the garden. There were five in total. The women knelt in a row in front of Ao Chenyi.

    Eunuch Zhu walked out from behind Ao Chenyi with a cold face and asked in his high-pitched voice, ¡°Did you visit the garden earlier today?¡±

    ¡°Yes... We... We went together.¡± The matter could no longer be concealed. Quite a few people saw them on their way there.

    ¡°Did you see Consort Ning getting into an argument with a white-veiled woman?¡± Eunuch Zhu continued to ask with a stern expression.

    The women nced at each other before saying in unison, ¡°We didn¡¯t.¡±

    A smug look appeared on the Princess¡¯ face but was quickly reced with a dignified, virtuous one. She nced at Ning Xueyan before sighing softly. ¡°Sister Ning, how could anyone believe what you¡¯re saying? The more you lie, the angrier His Highness will be. You should just admit to it. I¡¯ll definitely plead with His Highness for your safety.¡±

    She continued to act the very picture of a magnanimous legal wife, refusing to give up any chance to demonstrate her virtuousness. She insisted that Ning Xueyan was lying to get herself out of this crime.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask again. Did you see Consort Ning arguing and even fighting with a white-veiled woman?¡± Eunuch Zhu snorted coldly, his sharp voice sounding sinister. ¡°Your testimonies will be reported to the Emperor and Empresster on. You¡¯re digging your grave if you dare to lie.¡±

    His sharp-pitched voice resounded far and wide in the courtyard, sounding so sinister that everyone in the packed courtyard felt a chill.

    After serving his master for so long, Eunuch Zhu had learned to sound like his master. The concubines looked around; a few of them even looked up at the Princess. When they saw herposed and graceful expression, they gritted their teeth and replied again, ¡°We didn¡¯t see it.¡±

    ¡°We really didn¡¯t see it.¡±

    ¡°We stayed upstairs the entire time. All we saw was Consort Ning walking around with her maid. We didn¡¯t see anyone else...¡±

    The Princess had given them a promise. If they were to stand on her side this time and insist that they didn¡¯t see anyone, she would think of a way to give them a proper title. It had been a year or more since they entered Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Never mind meeting Prince Yi, they would be chased away even after seeing him from afar. There was no chance for them to serve him at all.

    They weren¡¯t given the opportunity to please Prince Yi. If this continued, they would die from old age in this manor. They were still young and beautiful now, but after a few years, Prince Yi wouldn¡¯t fall for them even if they get the chance to meet him.

    Since the Princess had given them a promise, they would surely hold onto this chance. No matter what, they wanted to find a chance to have the prince look at them. They were all so beautiful. Given the chance, the prince would surely dote on them. They refused to be neglected forever and die of old age in this ce.

    Even if they couldn¡¯t win Prince Yi¡¯s favor, they could still aim to get close to him. If they could hear some news from him, they would be able to earn rich rewards from their original masters.

    In a nutshell, all they had to do was frame an unfavored consort. Looking at the current situation, the Princess had the upper hand and there was no better time than now to get on her good side. Thus, they became surer of their words as time passed.

    ¡°Men! Get them to write down their testimonies and sign off on them!¡± The smile on Ao Chenyi¡¯s face grew increasingly sullen. In the eyes of the concubines, his smile looked like the blood-colored red spider lilies blooming on his ck robe.

 Chapter 564 - Whoâ€™s the Murderer?

    <strong>Chapter 564 Who¡¯s the Murderer?</strong>

    Commandery Princess Xianyun was still smiling as gently as ever, appearingpletely normal on the surface. Her heart, however, was inexplicably pounding in nervousness. She didn¡¯t expect Ao Chenyi to take the testimonies of mere concubines so seriously as if he was in court. He even had them sign off on their testimonies.

    Since when would Ao Chenyi get signed testimonies from people he wanted to deal with?

    The Princess watched as a eunuch walk over and get the concubines to sign off their testimonies before turning to the other women kneeling in the courtyard.

    As the concubines ced their fingerprints on their testimonies one by one, the Princess¡¯ expression changed drastically.

    He didn¡¯t have to go so far if all he wanted was to execute Ning Xueyan!

    The door swung open with force and two guards entered, dragging a woman wearing white clothes and a white veil in with them.

    The Princess was shocked to see that veiled woman.

    Xiangrong, who had climbed up from the floor and walked behind the Princess, looked like she had seen a ghost. Her body began to tremble. She didn¡¯t even have to look at the veiled woman¡¯s face to know that it was the Second Young Lady. In fact, she had been the one to dress the Second Young Lady this morning with Qiu Huan.

    The concubines kneeling in front turned their heads when they heard themotion. They were scared out of their wits after seeing the scene before them. One of them was so horrified that she couldn¡¯t even kneel anymore; she fell to the ground and curled herself up as she trembled. Didn¡¯t the Princess say that this woman wouldn¡¯t show up anymore? Why was she captured by the prince at this time?

    They fell into despair almost instantly.

    No matter where they hade from, only death awaited them now that they had been caught trying to deceive the prince.

    Ning Xueyan watched everything coldly. Xinmei had acted quickly, managing to knock Yun Luoluo unconscious before thetter could change out of her clothes. Naturally, Ao Chenyi¡¯s guards would have no problem getting Yun Luoluo from her hands.

    ¡°Xianyun, would you like to see who it is?¡± Ao Chenyi askedzily.

    ¡°She... She... She looks familiar.¡± The Princess suppressed her panic and obediently looked up and down the veiled woman. She looked confused as if she really didn¡¯t know anything. She held tightly onto her cuffs, reminding herself over and over not to panic and mess everything up.

    ¡°Tear off her veil!¡± Ao Chenyi said coldly.

    A guard walked over to a kneeling Yun Luoluo and tore the veil off her face.

    ¡°Should I strip her naked and send her back to Lord Peace¡¯s Manor?¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s thin lips were curled up and his eyes appeared cold and unreadable.

    ¡°Don¡¯t... Don¡¯t. This has nothing to do with me. I¡¯m not...¡± Yun Luoluo, whose veil had just been torn off, screamed in shock. She was so frightened that tears streamed down her face.

    Yun Luoluo was usually prideful and arrogant when she was with other nobledies. Not only was she pretty, but she also belonged to the same lineage as the Empress Dowager. Moreover, she was close to the family of the current Empress. Even so, she didn¡¯t dare to go against Prince Yi. She knew very well that he would definitely do that sort of thing mercilessly without caring if she came from Lord Peace¡¯s Manor.

    A chill ran down her spine when she looked at the prince¡¯s icy face.

    She was so frightened that she curled herself up into a ball. Didn¡¯t Xiangrong say that everything would be fine? Didn¡¯t Xiangrong say that Ning Xueyan was just an unfavored consort who the prince could kill anytime? Didn¡¯t Xiangrong say that Prince Yi wouldn¡¯t investigate the people in the manor for her sake? Xiangrong also said that the concubines who watched everything would insist that they didn¡¯t see Ning Xueyan arguing with her.

    But, why was everything different from Xiangrong¡¯s words?

    Why was she knocked unconscious shortly after returning? She hadn¡¯t even walked that far! By the time she woke up, she found herself locked up. Before she could think of a way to escape, she found herself being dragged here by two guards.

    ¡°What do you mean, don¡¯t? You call yourself my beloved concubine, didn¡¯t you? Or are you saying that I have to get the approval of Lord Peace¡¯s Manor to do whatever I want to my concubine?¡± Ao Chenyi sped his hands behind his backnguidly as he gave Yun Luoluo a cold nce.

    His cold nce felt like a terrible chill piercing her heart. Just from the nce alone, Yun Luoluo felt as if she had fallen into hell. She was cold all over and a voice continued to resound in her head, telling that she was done for. She was truly done for!

    Ao Chenyi waved his hand silently. Two guards came over and dragged her away without saying anything. She knew that once she was dragged out, she would never get the chance to defend herself. Prince Yi wouldn¡¯t give her a chance to argue anymore. If she had to be stripped naked and sent back to her family manor, she might as well die now. At least it wouldn¡¯t be as shameful.

    Summoning strength that she didn¡¯t even know she had, Yun Luoluo pushed the guards¡¯ hands away and immediately stumbled her way over to Ao Chenyi. She knelt in front of him and cried hoarsely, ¡°It wasn¡¯t me! It was my sister¡¯s maid Xiangrong who told me to pretend to be your favored concubine. She gave me the clothes as well. It was all her n.¡±

    ¡°Second Sister, what are you saying? How... How can you say that about me?¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun raised her head abruptly and stared at Yun Luoluo in disbelief. She looked as if she was terribly offended. Her voice was trembling and there were tears welling up in her eyes.

    ¡°It was Xiangrong! Xiangrong told me to pretend to be the prince¡¯s favored concubine. She said this would cause a fight between the concubine and Consort Ning. Only when those two aren¡¯t around would my sister gain the prince¡¯s favor. They never respected my sister as the princess. They were so annoying...¡±

    Yun Luoluo couldn¡¯t afford to care about anything now. She spoke incoherently while crying her eyes out.

    ¡°You... Shut up!¡± The Princess walked over and pped Yun Luoluo hard, effectively cutting off words that thetter still had to say. Yun Luoluo immediately stopped sobbing. Holding her cheek, she looked at the Princess in shock. Her eyes were filled with disbelief.

    ¡°Eldest Sister... You... You hit me... You actually hit me...¡±

    She couldn¡¯t believe this that her eldest sister, always gentle and kind, would treat her this way. As far as she could remember, her eldest sister was the one who treated her the best. Not only was her sister pretty, but she was pretty and generous. No matter what she wanted, her sister would give her what she had. Her eldest sister had always been her best sister.

    However, her kind sister was neglected upon arriving in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Everyone said that Prince Yi visited a concubine¡¯s courtyard on their wedding night. The prince didn¡¯t return to Lord Peace¡¯s Manor with her sister either. It was said that he returned halfway to the manor. Her eldest sister looked calm, but her smile seemed woeful.

    She was angry on her sister¡¯s behalf!

    How could her sweet and kind sister be treated like this?

    Just yesterday, she met Xiangrong who had returned to Lord Peace¡¯s Manor and asked about her sister¡¯s situation. Xiangrong wasn¡¯t willing to answer at first but in the end she said that Consort Ning and the favored concubine not only disrespected her sister, but keptining about her sister to the prince. Her sister had no choice but to hide in her courtyard and cry.

    She felt angry on her sister¡¯s behalf and wanted to stand up for her sister, so she came up with an idea with Xiangrong. After visiting her sister this morning, she imed that she was tired and wanted some rest. Xiangrong then helped her get dressed up and had another maid lead her to the garden. Xiangrong said it was fine even if someone saw her because those people were there to be their witnesses in the first ce.

    After pping Yun Luoluo, an anxious-looking Commandery Princess Xianyun scolded, ¡°Second Sister, you... What have you done? How can you... do such a thing?¡±

    Xiangrong, losing the strength to stand, knelt down with a loud thud and kept kowtowing at Ao Chenyi.

    ¡°It... It was this maid who told us the Princess has promised to give us a proper title if we say that we didn¡¯t see Consort Ning arguing with another person.¡±

    ¡°Yes, it was her. She was the one who said it. She said that the Princess has given her promise.¡±

    ¡°The Princess said she would help us in the future if we do well this time...¡±

    The concubines were also pointing to Xiangrong, loudly defending themselves while crying.

    Though they were referring to Xiangrong, they were looking at the Princess. A mere maid wouldn¡¯t be capable of such a thing. The Princess was definitely involved in this great scheme implicating so many people.

    The situation in this courtyard was good evidence. The Princess insisted that Consort Ning had killed the prince¡¯s favored concubine, yet the favored concubine said it was the Princess instead.

    Smack! This time, the pnded on Xiangrong¡¯s face. The Princess looked at Xiangrong in tears and said angrily, ¡°How... How can you do such a thing? Doing something like this... Don¡¯t you feel sorry for me? Don¡¯t you feel sorry for your parents? Why are you so foolish? Why would I need a maid like you to stand up for me? You... You even got so many people involved!¡±

    Xiangrong stopped kowtowing and looked at the Princess with tears falling down her face. She knew that she couldn¡¯t say that this was all the Princess¡¯ n or her parents and siblings would lose their lives. ¡°Princess, I... I was wrong. I thought Consort Ning has been bullying you, so I wanted to vent anger on your behalf. That was why... I asked Second Young Lady to pretend to be the favored concubine and provoke Consort Ning.¡±

    ¡°You... You¡¯re foolish!¡± The Princess sounded both furious and resentful as tears continued to stream down her face. She appeared pained and sorrowful.

    ¡°Princess, who¡¯s the murderer then? Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s her too!¡± Ning Xueyan lowered her head and sneered after seeing this scene. They made it sound as if she had been the one who caused everything; that Xiangrong framed her was just due to that she disrespected the Princess. How many times had she even meet the Princess? When had she not treat the Princess respectfully in their few meetings? The two of them seemed like a pair of master and servant being forced to a dead end by her. They were crying so much that some were looking at them sympathetically.

    The Princess was also condemning her with every word.

    Even now, the Princess continued to put herself on a pedestal, looking like a virtuous and sincere person. Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t want to continue this show with them. She raised her watery eyes and went straight to the point.

    The key was the identity of the murderer.

    Her words sessfully stopped the Princess from crying. That position made it impossible for Xiangrong to be the murderer. How could it be Xiangrong? The nearest persons were Ning Xueyan and the Princess. The favored concubine had fainted again, but she had directly used the Princess earlier.

    ¡°It was me! I was the one who tried to harm you, Consort Ning,¡± Xiangrong shouted. She knew she would die soon. For the sake of giving her family a better life, she tried to pin all the me on herself.

    The Princess would be grateful for her actions; the Princess would definitely take care of her family for her sake. Thus, after saying this, Xiangrong abruptly stood up and mmed into one of the pirs nearby.

 Chapter 565 - A Big Storm Is about to Sweep into the Mansion

    <h4>Chapter 565 A Big Storm Is about to Sweep into the Mansion</h4>

    But she was just a maid. No matter how fast she was, she was not faster than the guard¡¯s hand. A guard beside Yun Luoluo instantly caught her sleeve, took her back, and threw her on the ground.

    ¡°Guards, take them.¡± Ao Chenyi put on an evilly cold expression. As he waved his hand, a few ferocious guards came and took away these concubines who came here to give testimonies, Yun Luoluo, and Xiangrong. Commandery Princess Xianyun was about to say something when two eunuchs came over.

    ¡°Princess, please go back to your courtyard.¡± A eunuch raised his wooden face, looking at Commandery Princess Xianyun expressionlessly. The expression was not respectful at all and even aggressive.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun had been used to being respected, so she became sullen, ready to fly into a rage.

    ¡°Please go back to your courtyard, princess.¡± Another one looked at Commandery Princess Xianyun with the same wooden expression as if he was looking at a lifeless log.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun was shocked and looked up at Ao Chenyi. When she saw his deep, cold, and fierce eyes, she instantly felt a chill pouring into her body from her head. She bit her lips and turned and left. If she stood up to Ao Chenyi at this time, she was sure to suffer.

    First, the other concubines in the courtyard saw that Commandery Princess Xianyun was taken away by two eunuchs, and then they were released and driven back to their courtyards. Seeing that the two eunuchs were at the door of the courtyard, they knew that their life had returned to their previous situation that they would not be easily allowed to leave their ces.

    It was certainly not over when the thing hade to this point. Many of these women were given by the pce, so they were quite clear that although this didn¡¯t seem to have so much to do with the princess ostensibly, this was not true, was it? The favored concubine of Prince Yi was assassinated. Now it was still unknown whether she was alive or dead. Most importantly, Lord Peace¡¯s Manor and Second Young Lady were involved in it. Then anyone knew that the princess would never be innocent.

    A ¡°big storm¡± was about to sweep into the mansion...

    When the others left and the door of the courtyard was closed, the badly wounded favored concubine who passed out just now stood up.

    ¡°What about her wound?¡± Ao Chenyi asked the imperial physician.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that serious. The attack was with great force, but she avoided it, so her vital organs were not harmed. Although she is a female and was wounded, her condition is not serious,¡± the imperial physician answered. The person disguising as the favored concubine was a secret guard. As soon as Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s hand moved, she had known it. But for the sake of doing a vivid show, she just tried to avoid her vital organs being harmed. Although she bled so much, her wound was not as serious as the others imagined.

    ¡°Go and rest first.¡± Ao Chenyi nodded. After looking at Ning Xueyan, he eased his expression and said, ¡°Come in. Let¡¯s talk inside.¡±

    Ning Xueyan nodded and walked into the house with Ao Chenyi.

    This was Ning Xueyan¡¯s house. Although the secret guard ying the ¡°favored concubine¡± lived here, she did not live in the main room but in a wing room.

    ¡°Afraid or not?¡± Ao Chenyi extended his hand gently over and taking her lightly to the couch beside them, sat down with her.

    ¡°No!¡± Ning Xueyan answered firmly as her eyshes trembled twice slightly. If this had happened in her previous life, she must have been afraid. But in this life, she had hardened her heart so much that she was no longer Ning Ziying who knew nothing at that time. She knew very well that once she came to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor as a married woman, she would never be able to live a life at ease.

    Since Ao Chenyi was now disliked by the emperor, such things would surely happen.

    ¡°You will help me manage the backyard of the prince¡¯s mansion in the future.¡± Ao Chenyi had been holding her hand, which was a little cold. Many times, her hands were so cold, and so were his hands. However, her hands were a bit colder than his.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded. This was her promise to him. Of course, this was also what she was willing to do for him now, for she was willing to stand in line with him.

    Too many concubines lived in the backyard of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, so there was no choice but to lock them up. But after this incident, part of them would be removed for a proper reason. And she knew that Ao Chenyi was sure to catch this opportunity.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to the pce right now. You just go back to the Pear Flower Garden first. When I havee back from the pce, I¡¯ming here to see you again.¡± Ao Chenyi stared at her quietly, his beautiful eyes bing gentler and gentler. After a long while, he reached out to put a strand of her fallen hair into ce and pulled her hard, and then she fell into his arms.

    ¡°Oh, I will be waiting for you!¡± Leaning against his chest, Ning Xueyan nodded and asked, ¡°Go to the empress first or the emperor first?¡±

    Going to the pce was not that simple. She knew that this was not over yet. What came next would be a tug of war over it, and the problem was how much the emperor would be willing topromise.

    ¡°Go to my elder brother first. Anyway, it is he who gave this princess to me. No matter what, I must let him know about this incident. As for the empress, she will being.¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s lips curled up, and the look in his eyes was deep. Since such a thing had happened, the empress would being without being noticed.

    ¡°You won¡¯t deal with the princess so soon, will you?¡± Ning Xueyan hesitated for a moment and asked.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun would be dragged in this matter in whatever condition, but Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t think now was the best time. On the one hand, the princess was a member of Empress Dowager¡¯s family and amandery princess conferred on by the emperor; on the other hand, this marriage was arranged by the emperor. If she was punished or something, it was equal to pping the emperor in the face.

    If Ao Chen did act arbitrarily, maybe he would make the situation worse.

    ¡°I won¡¯t deal with her for now, but I won¡¯t allow her to wrong you anymore in the future.¡± Ao Chenyi nodded and curled up her lips slightly, showing a bitzy manner.

    Ning Xueyan became silent and nodded. Then the two of them just sat hugging each other quietly for a while.

    After that, Ao Chenyi rose to his feet and left. And it was not suitable for Ning Xueyan to stay here any longer, so she took Qingyu back to the Pear Flower Garden. With the situation having reached this state, she surely knew what he meant. The ¡°favored concubine¡± in the Fragrance Garden should not ¡°live¡± anymore, so she had to leave to avoid arousing suspicion.

    Inside the study of the imperial pce.

    The testimonies of those concubines wereid out in front of the emperor so naturally. On them, there were not only names but also fingerprints of his many concubines.

    Most of the concubines granted by the pce were literate.

    ¡°Emperor, a few of these concubines were given by the empress, one was from Concubine Han, and another one was from Honored Consort Ya. Brother, you need to back me up. As for these given women, one is more deceitful than the other. They even worked together to deceive me, your courtier. In this case, let those in the backyard of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor be sent to the imperial pce.¡±

    Ao Chenyi raised his eyebrows and spoke frivolously and treacherously. These words seemed to be quite ordinary, but when he said them, they seemed to be with a little ridicule, especially the words ¡°sent to the imperial pce¡±, which simply meant that the given concubines in his mansion were sent by the women in the pce on purpose. They did so because they wanted to see his mansion be messed up.

    The emperor¡¯s face turned dark. He gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Kill all these women with heavy sticks.¡±

    ¡°Only these women? Emperor, only these few women did this way this time, but others may imitate them next time, so I, your younger brother, really don¡¯t dare to ept the women conferred on by the pce, for fear that this might get some pce consorts or other concubines involved. I am timid. If something like this happens, it might cause big trouble.¡±

    Ao Chenyi smiled faintly but leaned against the back of the armchair beside the emperorzily, showing no sign ofing here to make an indignantint.

    The emperor felt quite sick when hearing such untrue words. ¡°He even ims he is timid. How could he dare to say so? He also embedded something in his words. What does ¡®it might cause big trouble¡¯ mean? What does ¡®this might get some imperial consorts involved¡¯ mean? He is warning me that if the given women make trouble again, he will drag the pce into it and make bigger trouble.¡±

    Of course, these women were dispatched to Prince Yi¡¯s Mansion with some other missions. It was even fair to say that it was the emperor¡¯s will that got these women picked up and sent to Prince Yi¡¯s Mansion, but it was unsuitable to take all of them there in the name of the emperor. Therefore, they were from the consorts of different pces. In fact, a few consorts had no guts to send people to Prince Yi¡¯s Mansion.

    ¡°I will ask people to take away all the women conferred on by the other pces.¡± Forced to this point, he had to give his word.

    ¡°Then in the future...¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t have women given by the pce anymore in the future, and you will just need to take care of your daily life, but many concubines have been in your mansion from then to now. Anyway, you have to promote a few of them; otherwise, your concubines are too few only with one princess and one consort. Years ago, when our emperor father was still alive, he wanted you to marry early, give birth to many children, and live a life at ease.¡±

    The emperor had to agree.

    ¡°Brother, please rest assured. I will promote a few good ones. Brother, since you mentioned the matter of arranging marriages for me, I think you made me suffer so much.¡± Now Ao Chenyi became greedy even after he had achieved his goal. He pressed step by step and ridiculed mercilessly, ¡°Then let¡¯s talk about Xianyun. Emperor, you said you would give me a gentle and quietdy from a respectable family, but look at her now. She is a ck sheep!¡±

    ¡°This is just a mess caused by a maid. It doesn¡¯t have much to do with Xianyun,¡± the emperor summoned up his courage and said.

    ¡°You even believe this, emperor?¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s ink-ck eyes had a horrifying and cold look, which then disappeared instantly. ¡°Or I¡¯ll torture the maid with the 81 torturing methods of the Imperial Guards when I go back in a while, and let me see if the maid still admits she is the only criminal. Emperor, if a pce maid murdered your Honored Consort Xia, when she was found, she just said that it was a mistake and she killed the wrong person, would you believe her?¡±

    When a woman without title or status waspared to the favored Honored Consort Xia in the pce, the emperor should be angry, but his reaction at this moment was suspicious.

    The emperor¡¯s eyes had a bit alert when he narrowed his eyes. He looked at Ao Chenyi but just saw his curled evil but charming mouth. ¡°It seems he is sneering indeed and did not mention Honored Consort Xia on purpose. Torture? Needless to say, once the methods of the Imperial Guard are used a few times, the maid is bound to expose Xianyun.¡±

    ¡°No matter what, Xianyun is the biological niece of Empress Dowager and can be counted as your cousin. Don¡¯t let outsiders watch the fun, let alone the maid made the matter like this anyway, though maybe Xianyun is the cause of it,¡± the emperor said with a gentler voice as he massaged his forehead, showing this was a headache for him, so he wanted to use these words to persuade Ao Chenyi.

    As for this matter, he hadpletely fallen into a disadvantageous situation and couldn¡¯t help but hate Commandery Princess Xianyun in his mind. ¡°Why were you so stupid? You made such trouble just after getting married for a few days. You were so stupid that Ao Chenyi found you at the crime scene.¡±

    ¡°This woman is so vicious. Brother, take her back, please. She even went to kill my favored concubine and framed Consort Ning. If she continues to stay in my mansion, all my mansion members will have to die. Brother, I don¡¯t think you will agree she does this way!¡± Ao Chenyi talked in a way of asking for an answer, which made the emperor so angry that he felt a bloody taste rushing up from his chest.

    ¡°He is threatening me, but I have to ept it. When I gave the marriage to him with an edict order, I did say that Commandery Princess Xianyun has both political integrity and ability. Besides, I got the throne because of Empress Dowager¡¯s help, so I can¡¯t let my officials think I am an ungrateful person.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t make Xianyun¡¯s matter go public for now. Just lock her up in her courtyard. After all, she is the biological niece of Empress Dowager. As for the other two, I will have them rewarded in a while.¡±

    ¡°Let the consort be a co-princess; as for the other, if she can survive, let her be a consort!¡± Ao Chenyi made the decision as if he didn¡¯t know how shocking his words were.

    The emperor was truly about to spit blood this time. Holding his chest, he red at Ao Chenyi¡¯s arrogant but handsome face, silent for a long time. Not the same as an ordinary family, the royal family did not have the ¡°co-wife¡± title.

    ¡°The empress ising!¡± A eunuch¡¯s loud voice came from the distance outside.

 Chapter 566 - The Edict of the Emperor

    <h4>Chapter 566 The Edict of the Emperor</h4>

    ¡°Blessed by God, the emperor says in his edict, ¡®Consort Ning of Prince Yi is humble, virtuous, pure, and graceful... so she is specially granted the title ¡®Princess of Prince Yi¡¯. Over!¡±

    A eunuch finished reading the imperial edict with a long voice. First, he took a look at Consort Ning, who was kowtowing to express her gratitude on the ground. No, she should be called Princess of Prince Yi now. But then he concentrated on the extremely handsome Prince Yi sitting on the only chair in the great hall.

    Thete emperor gave the order that Ao Chenyi could choose not to kneel to the incumbent emperor when seeing him. Since he didn¡¯t need to kneel to the emperor himself, he didn¡¯t have to stand respectfully when meeting such an imperial edict. Moreover, he even had a seat either in the emperor¡¯s study or the throne hall.

    ¡°Prince, do you think...¡± the eunuch said with a ttering smile, afraid that the prince was not satisfied. However, the imperial pce had turned into an angry zone because of this matter. Even the empress was reprimanded by the emperor. In the imperial pce, the one who had never been scolded loudly by the emperor was the empress living in the middle pce. But that day, when the eunuch stood trembling outside in waiting, he heard the angry shouts of the emperor and the low crying sound of the empress.

    He was just a little eunuch on duty in the emperor¡¯s study, so he had to cower at the corner, pretending that he had not heard anything. Later, when the empress left, the chief eunuch asked them to go in and sweep the floor, they saw debris all over the floor and could hardly believe that the emperor, who was always calm, would re up to such an extent.

    Butter, the chief eunuch warned these eunuchs and pce maids that if any rumors flew around, they were sure to die.

    Therefore, the little eunuch bringing the imperial edict buried such things in his heart, but he also grew in awe of Prince Yi from his heart, for the prince dared to refute the emperor, but thetter was speechless. Atst, he had to agree to promote Consort Ning to the princess¡¯ position, without even mentioning the so-called co-wife¡¯s or co-princess¡¯ title.

    But two princesses will appear in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor from now on. They were Princess Yun and Princess Ning.

    If there was any difference, the difference should be that rtively speaking, Princess Yun had a higher status because the emperor issued the marriage edict to her first and she came to this mansion with the princess¡¯ title. But now the situation was different¡ªthe real ruler of the backyard of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor was Princess Ning.

    From today on, Princess Ning would be the real princess, who was a consort in the beginning but became a princess because of these things.

    This was great luck!

    ¡°Well, someone, take the rewards!¡± Ao Chenyi looked satisfied. Leaning against the big Phoebe Nanmu chairzily, he skewed his body slightly, revealing the white shirt under the loose ink-colored brocade robe and even faintly showing a bit of his solid white chest. As a matter of fact, he looked a bit alluring and evil.

    Eunuch Zhu came over with a smile, took the imperial edict, and also took out a bulging sachet from his sleeve, passing it over.

    The little eunuch took it and understood what Ao Chenyi meant. After kowtowing to him from a distance, he turned and left with his followers.

    ¡°No matter how the emperor and Prince Yi fight each other, this has nothing to do with the unimportant people like us. Although I am a subordinate nurtured by the chief eunuch and need to be loyal to the emperor, it is hard to predict Prince Yi¡¯s future. The chief eunuch is old, but I am young, just like the situation of the emperor and Prince Yi.

    ¡°No one can foresee the future!

    ¡°People can see that the case of princess and co-princess ended up with Prince Yi¡¯s wish fulfilled, and even Consort Ning has been promoted to the princess¡¯ position. In fact, Consort Ning does have very good luck. Previously, Commandery Princess Xianyun wanted to show that she was generous and virtuous, so she proposed to allow two concubines to marry and enter Prince Yi¡¯s Manor at the same time.

    ¡°Not long after that, Commandery Princess Xianyun was forbidden to leave her courtyard due to her conflicts with the favored concubine. Now the favored concubine is dead, but Consort Ning, who is said to have been framed, survived the disaster and even became a princess. More importantly, the emperor has announced her title to the public with an edict.

    ¡°The princess¡¯s title is not what it means on the surface, but it is rted to her future children. From now on, the children of Consort Ning will be the real sons and daughters of an official wife, and they will be different from the sons and daughters of an ordinary co-wife. In truth, this is an example of ¡®Even the dog swaggers when its master wins favor¡¯.

    ¡°She... is so lucky...¡±

    After thinking in this way, the little eunuch was stricken by something¡ªhe suddenly felt that he had learned something extraordinary. Immediately, he stopped thinking about it and took a few quick steps. ¡°Anyway, these things are for those respected lords to consider. As a little eunuch, I had better known as little as I can.¡±

    Ning Xueyan rose to her feet and saw the little eunuch walking hurriedly away even with somewhat panic. Momentarily, she did not know what had happened to him. ¡°He just came to announce the imperial edict, but why does he seem to be running away?¡± She did feel that this eunuch walked too fast. Just now, she even saw that he was almost tripped over and fell.

    ¡°I ask you to manage my mansion from the moment on! What do you think, Yan¡¯er?¡± Ao Chenyi looked at her, but suddenly raised his eyebrows a bit and narrowed his eyes, without hiding his anticipation on the face, making her feel that all he did just seemed to win a smile from her. Violently, her heart beat twice, and then it softened. She was moved.

    Truly, the so-called ¡°favored concubine¡± was used to deal with those concubines given by the pce in the very beginning. Everyone knew the battle between the emperor and Prince Yi. Under such circumstances, the concubines sent to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor would never be pure in mind, so he needed a ¡°favored concubine¡± to live in the backyard.

    This one was used to suppress those given concubines. In the past, a few of them were even killed because they pushed the ¡°favored concubine¡±. After that, the backyard became much more peaceful. But now, the death of the ¡°favored concubine¡± was the result of his will, for he did not want his consort to get aggrieved. This was what he told Ning Xueyan when he returned from the pce.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will take good care of the backyard,¡± Ning Xueyan promised.

    Ao Chenyi had been watching her. First, she blushed, but then she answered seriously. It was not the surprise and coyness he expected, so he was a little dissatisfied and raised his eyebrows. Suddenly, he stood up and simply extended his hands over as if he was about to pull her into his arms.

    Ning Xueyan was startled because this was the great hall. Although the maids and eunuchs beside them dare not stare at their master and mistress, this was the great hall after all. So, she took two steps back to avoid his hands and could not help but blush. ¡°This man has be eviler and eviler.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m very happy, very happy.¡± She bit her lips, turned her eyes nimbly, making beautiful ripples, and looked at his slightly sullen face. ¡°I¡¯ve never noticed that Ao Chenyi could be so naive.¡±

    ¡°And...¡± Ao Chenyi was quite dissatisfied. He felt that the words of the ¡°little wild cat¡± he raised were still notpletely what he wanted.

    Ning Xueyan did not really know whether tough or cry when seeing his intense pursuit and bright eyes. ¡°He is ice-cold and keeps people thousands of miles away. Is that a joke? How could he be so proud and want to be praised? Is such an emotional thing what Ao Chenyi should do?¡±

    But she felt the sweetness in the heart.

    In her previous life or this life, she had never been so valued by anyone. With her watery eyes raised gracefully, Ning Xueyan looked at the pair of beautiful eyes, which were as splendid as the most beautiful starlight in the sky. Unconsciously, she felt that she seemed to be absorbed by the thin, long eyes. Inexplicably, she became a little nervous.

    After raising his hand with a smile, Eunuch Zhu was the first one to walk outside the great hall.

    Lanning followed him, and these few maids and little eunuchs in waiting went out after them hurriedly. Now, anyone who had slightly sharp eyes would know that the master and mistress were unwilling to be disturbed by others.

    When Lanning arrived at the spot under the eaves, Eunuch Zhu, who was standing outside, whispered his congrattions to her with a smile. ¡°Congrattions, Mistress Ning.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Eunuch Zhu.¡± Now Lanning felt that she had never had such a good mood before. Her mistress had be a princess. From the moment on, her mistress would also be the princess of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, and no one would be so silly to look down upon her anymore by iming that she was just a consort.

    In the beginning, the fifth youngdy was despised by all the people in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, but she was now the princess of Prince Yi. All the way from then to now, her mistress had gone through numerous trials and hardships. Others might not know that, but she knew. If her mistress were not smart, not to mention taking the princess¡¯ position, even saving her own life would have been impossible.

    In Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, no one loved her mistress sincerely. Who had ever treated her as their family member? Madam Ling, Ning Ziyan, Ning Yuling, Ning Qingshan, Ning Lingyun, Madam Dowager, or the marquis? What they always did was upholding interests, without showing the slightest love of this family member.

    But now it was all right. Her mistress was no longer alone but had the prince. As her personal maid, she had witnessed his love of her mistress, but she hoped that he could treat her mistress nicely forever because she had suffered so much. Finally, she had a man who loved her sincerely.

    Thinking about this, Lanning felt the difort in her nose, and then her eyes had tears. No one knew how the youngdy below 15 hade to her present-day by oveing difficulties.

    She walked over, closed the door for them again, and then smiled joyfully under the eaves at Eunuch Zhu on the other side.

    In the hall room

    Ning Xueyan stared at Ao Chenyi quietly, then she blinked her eyes twice, put a smile on her mouth, walked over, and threw herself into his arms. At this moment, her sense could not control her sensibility.

    ¡°Chenyi, I love you!¡±

    Stunned first but then surprised, Ao Chenyi held her tightly. Never had he been a man of rules, so his excited eyes became brighter now. He lifted her face with his hand, kissed her gently, and couldn¡¯t wait to show his joy.

    ¡°This little creature has always been introverted. I thought she will never say it, but she is the brave one after all.¡± Now she expressed her love of him so clearly. Then how could he not feel overjoyed?

    This poor but lovely little creature was his personal property. No one should take her from him.

    He held her thin waist with his hot hand, which almost burned. He was no longer the superior Prince Yi who overlooked the lives of others with pride, but a man with real blood and flesh, holding his beloved woman in his arms...

 Chapter 567 - Ning Huaijingâ€™s Choice

    <h4>Chapter 567 Ning Huaijing¡¯s Choice</h4>

    The favored concubine of Prince Yi was assassinated. Besides, the princess, the consort, the second youngdy of Lord Peace¡¯s Manor, and a few concubines given by the pce were involved. When this news was spread, almost no one believed it.

    But the major move Prince Yi¡¯s Manor conducted next made all the people so shocked that their jaws almost dropped.

    At first, the concubines of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor given by the pce died or were sent back to the pce. No Beautiful Lady given by the pce was left in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. After that, Commandery Princess Xianyun got sick. To better help her recuperate, Prince Yi moved her to the quieter Bright Mind Garden.

    Most people had no idea about theyout of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. The Bright Mind Garden, which even sounded quite abnormal, was indeed a bit quiet and secluded ce. It was said that the day when Commandery Princess Xianyun was married into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, Prince Yi did not spend the wedding night in her ce. Then, people became even more suspicious.

    As for the second youngdy of Lord Peace¡¯s Manor, the news had it that she also went to live in the Bright Mind Garden because she cared about her elder sister¡¯s health. By doing so, she could take care of her elder sister near at hand.

    The most surprising thing was that the emperor even issued an edict to promote Consort Ning to be an official wife. Commandery Princess Xianyun was still the official wife, but another one was promoted to be a princess. This was beyond everyone¡¯s expectations. Although Commandery Princess Xianyun was unarguably the one with the highest status, the prince now did have two princesses.

    But now she was ill and had to live in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor peacefully to recover from her illness. Of course, the newly promoted Princess Ning would be the only one to manage all the affairs, big or small, of the mansion. In this point of view, Princess Ning was more like the princess of Prince Yi than Commandery Princess Xianyun. How could the emperor issue such an edict?

    Many people were quite suspicious about it.

    Some said that Commandery Princess Xianyun had done something that angered Prince Yi.

    Some said that Consort Ning bewitched Prince Yi with her looks.

    Others said that the second youngdy of Lord Peace¡¯s Manor also loved Prince Yi, so she stayed in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Surely, these words were a little unpleasant to the ear...

    No matter what guess was correct, people could not find out the specific situation. After all, it was Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, the den of the imperial guards, which meant that not anyone could find the answer by doing a simple investigation.

    After that, Princess Ning, who was said to be virtuous, promoted a few of those left concubines to be senior concubines one after another. Thus, the basic structure of the inner courtyard of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor had been decided.

    In the beginning, people could not ept the fact that there were two princesses. In an ordinary family, there was a co-wife, but a co-wife was just a co-wife, who could not be called an official wife, but it was obvious that Prince Yi also regarded Madam Ning as a princess this time. However, this was decided by the emperor, who also issued an edict, so people just talked about it.

    And they gradually epted this fact. Anyway, Prince Yi was the younger brother of the emperor! He was different from ordinary princes. Now he had married two princesses, with one being superior and one being inferior. If he became an emperor in the future, his two princesses would just be an empress and an imperial consort. That was still reasonable.

    Even the thing that two empresses existed at the same time had also happened in history, but the matter of two princesses had never been heard of.

    But this was Prince Yi¡¯s family affair, which had been approved by the emperor with an edict. In this case, no one would be so stupid to impeach him. Instead, all of them just shut their mouths tightly. Not anyone who wanted to criticize Prince Yi¡¯s affairs could do that. No matter what, they must be quite careful.

    Some people wanted to visit Lord Peace¡¯s Manor and inquire about it. All in all, not only Commandery Princess Xianyun but also the second youngdy was now in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Perhaps some news mighte out, but the people of Lord Peace¡¯s Manor held their tongues. When this question was raised, they would just say that the younger sister was worried about her elder sister and their sisterly love was deep. Apart from that, they refused to say anything else.

    Some careful people found that the handling of affairs of Lord Peace¡¯s Manor had be more and more low-key.

    Compared with Lord Peace¡¯s Manor, which kept silent and was rarely visited, Lord Protector¡¯s Manor waspletely different. When the imperial edict was issued and the news was spread to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Madam Dowager immediately climbed out of her sickbed, feeling that she was quite energetic and all her difort was gone.

    Finally, Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had a princess.

    Initially, she thought that Ning Qingshan was hopeful and Ning Xueyan was just a tret, but she didn¡¯t expect Ning Xueyan to be so lucky that the emperor had promoted her status. For Madam Dowager, she never dared to imagine such a good event.

    Being so happy, she asked someone to invite Ning Xueyan with an invitation. To celebrate such a good event, she surely needed to invite others to have a feast or something in the home of Ning Xueyan¡¯s parents. Of course, she had to discuss the details with the fifth youngdy. Now thetter was a princess with an exceptionally high status, not the previous inferior consort.

    Although ¡°princess¡± and ¡°consort¡± were just two different words, their meanings were quite different from each other!

    Madam Dowager immediately asked someone to prepare paper and a writing brush. Indeed, the person she invited was Ning Xueyan, but what if Prince Yi also came? If that happened, it would be great and bring honor to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. It was said that Prince Yi did not apany the princess when she returned to her home Lord Peace¡¯s Manor for the first time after getting married. Then, if the prince coulde here with the fifth youngdy, Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was sure to have a higher reputation.

    Whether Ning Huaiyuan could be the Princely Heir of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor or not, it was not important anymore. Madam Dowager had thought it through this time. Anyway, Ning Zu¡¯an was not old, so she could get him another wife. When this wife gave birth to a son, he would undoubtedly be the heir of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Of course, if Ning Zu¡¯an could not father a son, it would not be a big deal because Ning Huaijing was still there!

    In this way, the children of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor were not few!

    Madam Dowager instantly thought it through when thinking in this way. No doubt, now she was ready to invite Ning Xueyan to return to the mansion with joy. As this happened, everyone in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor became happy, and their earlier gloom was gone in an instant.

    Madam Dowager was not hesitant at this moment. A few days ago, she was still wondering whether to ask Ning Huaijing toe back or not, but she lost her interest now because she wholeheartedly wanted the thing of Ning Xueyan¡¯s return to the mansion to be done nicely. Ning Xueyan returned previously, but something terrible happened at that time. For Madam Dowager, she didn¡¯t want to recall it again in this life.

    Anyway, now Madam Ling and Ning Yuling were all dead. It was impossible for another Ning Yuling toe out to frame Ning Xueyan. Now, even the ill-intentioned Ning Qingshan had been locked up, so nothing troublesome could happen next.

    What she didn¡¯t know was that Ning Huaijing had alreadye back.

    But he was taken away by the people of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor the moment he walked into the city. Now he was in Ao Chenyi¡¯s study.

    ¡°If you be the Princely Heir of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, will you do harm to Yan¡¯er?¡± Ao Chenyi asked darkly while looking at Ning Huaijing.

    This question was so direct that Ning Huaijing almost didn¡¯t know how to answer, but he knew that he could not disobey Prince Yi. More importantly, he had no evil intention toward Ning Xueyan. At once, he said unhesitatingly, ¡°If I can, I will not do harm to Fifth Sister.¡±

    In the entire Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, he only agreed with Ning Xueyan. Although he didn¡¯t know why Prince Yi had brought him here, he still talked as his heart guided him.

    Before now, he had been on a study tour outside and was unclear about what had happened in the capital. Now he happened to go home, but he was stopped by the people of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor before entering the city, so now he still hadn¡¯t figured out Prince Yi¡¯s attempt.

    He did not know whether the prince wanted him to set himself against his Fifth Sister or not. In fact, he wanted to tell the prince¡¯s attempt by observing his expression, but the prince¡¯s momentum was so great that he could not even raise his head.

    ¡°Okay, you will inherit Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.¡± Ao Chenyi simply said so and leaned backzily. He could bring Ning Huaijing here as soon as he arrived at the city gate just because he had already asked his men to keep an eye on him. No matter when he entered the city through the city gate, he would be brought to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor first.

    If Ning Huaijing had the slightest hesitation, he would never show mercy.

    ¡°Prince, I am the son of a concubine,¡± Ning Huaijing couldn¡¯t help but reply.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that? If I think you can, you can,¡± Ao Chenyi waved his hand impatiently and said in a nice but cold voice. His aim was to confirm Ning Huaijing¡¯s intention. It seemed that he was indeed like what Yan¡¯er said¡ªhe treated her well.

    That was best. Otherwise, he would pick up a tamed one from the non-immediate family members of Ning Zu¡¯an. As for dealing with Ning Huaijing, he had many ways to let him disappear silently.

    A eunuch came over and said to him politely, ¡°Second Young Master, please!¡±

    Ning Huaijing had to follow him out. When he was outside, he then felt that his forehead had been covered with cold sweat. Although Prince Yi had just said a few words, the amount of pressure he gave Ning Huaijing was excessive. The momentum was never the same as what Third Prince and Fourth Prince had that Ning Huaijing had sensed. Besides, this one also contained faint killing intent. It seemed that if he had made one wrong answer, he would have been in a desperate situation.

    ¡°Sir, how is my Fifth Sister¡¯s life in the prince¡¯s mansion?¡± Ning Huaijing wiped away the cold sweat on his forehead, turned around, and said smilingly to the kind-looking eunuch. Truly, he wanted to know Ning Xueyan¡¯s life here.

    ¡°Second Young Master, don¡¯t worry. Our princess lives a very good life. You just rest assured,¡± the eunuch said politely. Now, Prince Ning was in charge of the inner courtyard, so he didn¡¯t dare to be rude.

    ¡°Princess?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m asking about Consort Ning,¡± Ning Huaijing had a cough and said with a reminder.

    ¡°Your ve is about talking about Princess Ning. Second Young Master, you still don¡¯t know that the emperor has issued an edict to promote Consort Ning to be Princess Ning, right? From now on, there will only be Princess Ning in our mansion,¡± the eunuch exined in a stuttering tone.

    ¡°Fifth Sister has be the princess of Prince Yi? From a consort to a princess? This is almost impossible.¡±

    ¡°Where is Princess Yun?¡± Ning Huaijing stopped for a moment and asked.

    ¡°Princess Yun is ill. Now everything in the mansion is managed by Princess Ning. Second Young Master, don¡¯t worry. Princess Ning takes good care of the backyard,¡± the eunuch, who did not find Ning Huaijing¡¯s unusual reaction, still answered in his slightly sharp voice.

    Ning Huaijing shuddered and felt a lot of sweat on his back. ¡°If I had answered a bit hesitatingly just now, would I not be treated like this?¡±

    At that moment, he did sense the bloody killing intent in the air. After that, he was asked to leave the room without being questioned further. Ning Huaijing knew what this meant, so how could he not have cold sweat all over?

    ¡°Fortunately, fortunately, I was not hesitant at that time. Also, fortunately, I do treat Ning Xueyan like my sister. No matter what Madam Dowager and my father will do in the future, at least, I won¡¯t change...¡±

 Chapter 568 - Unexpectedly, Someone Asks to Meet Her

    <strong>Chapter 568 Unexpectedly, Someone Asks to Meet Her</strong>

    ¡°What? She has be a princess? That woman has even be a princess?¡± In the Bright Mind Garden, Commandery Princess Xianyun hit the table hard with her palm, and her face had turned dark. Only two days passed since she showed up thest time. But all her momentum and air seemed to have changed¡ªshe was no longer the gentle and charming woman.

    ¡°You are unwilling to ept the fact that she has be a princess, right? This is what you deserve. You harmed others as well as yourself. If you hadn¡¯t thought of such a thing, would Lord Peace¡¯s Manor have forced and sent me here? You were bitchy, and you dragged me down. Look at your ¡®good end¡¯ now! Why don¡¯t you go to die? If you are dead, I don¡¯t have toe here anymore.¡±

    Yun Luoluo, who was sitting at the other end of the table, stared at Commandery Princess Xianyun with a sullen face, her eyes showing faint insanity and despair.

    She hade to her senses this time, and she wished to tear Commandery Princess Xianyun into pieces.

    She realized that she was truly finished. She was imprisoned in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor because of such a reason, which meant that if Xianyun was to be ¡°ill¡± all the time, she would have no choice but to stay with her. If she, an unmarried youngdy, stayed in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor for such a long time, people would be able to find something out with their guesses. Even if she had an opportunity to leave here in the future, her whole life would be ruined.

    When she thought about such things, how could she not hate Xianyun? She even wished Xianyun died now. If she died, she could go back at least. Since she had just stayed here for a short time, her reputation would not be so bad. Maybe it could be saved with the help of the power of Lord Peace¡¯s Manor.

    But why didn¡¯t she go to die!

    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? You are the youngdy of Lord Peace¡¯s Manor. Howe you¡¯ve be such a shrew? You talk about death all the time,¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun scolded coldly while ring at Yun Luoluo coldly.

    Yun Luoluo let out a sharpugh, ¡°Shrew? You are a vicious shrew. You even thought of such a vicious plot of destroying someone¡¯s reproduction ability. Not only did you harm yourself, but you also dragged me down! You bitch!¡±

    Shouted at by Yun Luoluo like this, Commandery Princess Xianyun felt too ashamed to remain silent. She suddenly stood up and said angrily, ¡°Yun Luoluo, this is Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, not Lord Peace¡¯s Manor.¡±

    ¡°So what? Is it that you still think you are still the princess in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor? Look at the people at the door! You can¡¯t even step out of the house. You still think about the princess¡¯s title! In a short time, you may perish in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. By the time, I may still have a chance to live.¡± Yun Luoluo red at Commandery Princess Xianyun fiercely.

    She was ready to risk everything. Because of Xianyun, she had been reduced to the present state. If it weren¡¯t for her, now she would still be the youngdy of Lord Peace¡¯s Manor, safe and sound, and also the respected bloodline rtive of Empress Dowager. Anyway, she would not have been abandoned by Lord Peace¡¯s Manor. If she had not been abandoned, she would not have to be imprisoned in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor because of this incident.

    ¡°You still want to leave here? Don¡¯t think about it. You can leave here only if I¡¯m out of here. You had better stay peacefully in the courtyard. When I have a way to leave, I¡¯ll help you leave here.¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s face turned dark when she heard the provocation, and her eyes were burning with anger. When had she been so contradicted by someone she always looked down upon?

    ¡°Leave here? You are dreaming! Xianyun, let me tell you something. Don¡¯t think you still have a chance. You are so vicious and even went to kill others. Don¡¯t think about having a good life in this life.¡± Yun Luoluo had tears in her eyes, which had quite a sharp look. She did hate Commandery Princess Xianyun so much. Once she remembered that she quite stupidly got herself into this matterpletely because of thetter¡¯s lies, she wished to strangle her to death.

    After a hard p, Yun Luoluo¡¯s face turned to the side.

    ¡°Yun Luoluo, if you want to die, just scream hard here! This is Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. If you disturb the peace here, you¡¯ll be dead.¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun looked at Yun Luoluo¡¯s eyes as if she was looking at a dead person. The gruesome feeling immediately silenced Yun Luoluo.

    This was Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. She really couldn¡¯t be shrewish and make a scene. If Prince Yi was angered, she should not think about leaving here all her life. She still needed to get married, she was the official wife¡¯s daughter in Lord Peace¡¯s Manor, she could not die in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor for no clear reason...

    Qiu Huan stood gingerly behind Commandery Princess Xianyun with her head bowed, motionless. Only her slightly trembling hands hinted that she was not calm. When Xiangrong died, she was taken to watch the execution. She saw a bloody and unrecognizable body, which was her previous colleague Xiangrong.

    She vomited at that time and passed out. When she woke up, she was already here. She was afraid, and she was really afraid. This matter was instructed by the princess, who was also on the scene at that time. But now the princess did not admit that she had done anything. She only said that it was Xiangrong¡¯s personal idea, so Xiangrong died so miserably.

    She knew why Xiangrong chose to be the scapegoat. After all, Xiangrong¡¯s parents and her parents were all in Lord Peace¡¯s Manor, so Xiangrong had no choice. This time, it was Xiangrong who took the me, but what about the next time?

    Later yesterday, she heard the words ¡°I confess, I confess everything...¡± clearly from Xiangrong¡¯s miserable cry, but no one cared about her, which meant that her testimony was no longer important. It could also mean that she could not bear the pain anymore. But what happened in the end? Even if she wanted to confess, it was useless.

    Xiangrong died.

    Xiangrong, who worked wholeheartedly for the princess, was dead! Buzzes sounded in her ears. Mechanically, she kept hearing the constant vicious quarrel between Yun Luoluo and her sister. ¡°The two harmonious sisters are no longer the graceful and beautifuldies of Lord Peace¡¯s Manor in my memory, but just two shrews on the street.¡±

    That night, Ning Xueyan learned that Ning Huaijing had returned to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. After thinking a bit, she asked someone in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor to inform Hua Yunheng. Previously, Hua Yunheng said that he wanted to visit the Cloud Reflection Courtyard and worship Ning Ziying. He asked her to inform him of the time she went to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor because he could use the chance to enter the manor.

    As for this statement, Ning Xueyan truly thought that it was not well-intentioned, so she didn¡¯t inform him when she went back to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor thest time. Now Ning Huaijing had returned. The two of them should have contacted each other a long time ago because Hua Yunheng lost his sachet at that time.

    If Hua Yunheng wanted to enter Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and visit the Cloud Reflection Courtyard to worship Ning Ziying, it was more convenient for him to go to Ning Huaijing.

    Now she was Ning Xueyan, and she didn¡¯t want to have a rtionship with him anymore. The man who was as close as her elder brother at that time had long gone. Besides, all kinds of thoughts and the moves of different parties had happened. Maybe only she did not know that after many years of separation, the love they had when they were young had be light a long time ago. Therefore, in her view, the so-called worship was more like an act with ulterior motives.

    No matter what Hua Yunheng wanted to do, Ning Ziying was already dead. Now she was Ning Xueyan, one who just met him several times and exchanged a few words with him. No doubt, she was not his friend.

    Therefore, the person she used to send the message was just someone whom she asked Lanning to get from Mother Ruan.

    The person she used was from Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, and the message she sent was quite normal, which meant that even if someone wanted to make an issue of it, he could not do that. Not many people paid attention to the fifth youngdy of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, but now she was not only the fifth youngdy of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor but also the princess of Prince Yi. Inevitably, some people with bad intentions would pay attention to her. Sometimes they would also use this matter as an excuse.

    When Madam Dowager¡¯s invitation came, Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t want to care about it at all, for she was quite clear about Madam Dowager¡¯s intention and had no mood to cooperate with her to fulfill her will, so she just put the invitation aside, intending to ignore her for some time before making a reply.

    But she changed her mind when she received Mother Han¡¯s message at night.

    What did the words ¡°If you want to know Ning Ziying¡¯s old stories, pleasee to Yuyan Shop tomorrow and have a chat¡± mean!

    Yuyan Shop was her rogue and powder shop. The business here had been good recently. Mother Han¡¯s son Han Dazhuang served as the shopkeeper and was also her loyal subordinate. Since her fragrance types were special, she could let the fragrances stay in the rogue and powder with special methods, and she could add different kinds of face powder ording to different demands, then many youngdies from the rich and powerful families in the capital paid much attention to the shop.

    The slip of paper was found in a powder box.

    This powder box fell to the floor behind the counter at that time. The shop boy thought that it was the shop¡¯s powder box that had fallen. But when he picked it up, he saw the slip of paper and found that the addressee was Prince Ning. He dare not neglect it and took it to Han Dazhuang hurriedly. At this time, Mother Han happened toe here. Then, the slip of paper was brought inside.

    Only these words were written on it, even without a sender, but there was a light, vague addressee ¡°Princess Ning¡± on the top. Without it, no one would know who this letter was for.

    Yuyan Shop had just opened for a short time, so no others would know she was the owner, but the slip of paper before her showed that someone knew it.

    ¡°Mistress, let¡¯s not go there. It is unknown who wrote it. Maybe this is just a joke. I, your old ve, went there many times. Possibly some people know me,¡± Mother Han said gingerly. This was quite strange in her eyes, and she didn¡¯t want her mistress to go.

    Ning Xueyan took one more look at the slip of paper in her hand, thought a bit, and said, ¡°Go and reply to Madam Dowager first in a while. Just say that I will go to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Why? Mistress, maybe this is a trap set by someone on purpose,¡± Mother Han said worriedly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. This is my shop. Even if I appear there, no one could say anything about it. If I meet someone by chance and have a short chat, that¡¯s not a big deal,¡± Ning Xueyan said lightly. ¡°Fortunately, this is my shop, and I will bring Xinmei with me. It is almost impossible for anyone to trap me.

    ¡°I do pay much attention to her previous life, but what does the person want? Why does he use such a reason to ask me out? It seems that this reason is so convincing that I will go once I see the message.

    ¡°Ostensibly, I was the youngdy of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, while Ning Ziying was just someone lodging in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. More importantly, both of us have no connections. Even if I am a little concerned about the Cloud Reflection Courtyard, it means at most that simrly afflicted people pity each other, but why is the person sure that I will go as soon as I receive the message about Ning Ziying?

    ¡°Is anyone suspecting me? No, it is impossible. No one will know the secret of my rebirth because this is so strange. If it had not happened to me, I would not believe it.

    ¡°But if not so, how can this person be so sure that I will hurry there once I receive the message about Ning Ziying? Why does the person think so?

    ¡°It seems that I have to meet the person and see what he wants!¡±

 Chapter 569 - Xia Yuhangâ€™s Obsession

    <h4>Chapter 569 Xia Yuhang¡¯s Obsession</h4>

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t expect to see Xia Yuhang, much less here in front of her store. She was speechless when she saw Xia Yuhang turned his head around in astonishment. How could she run into him so coincidentally?

    She didn¡¯t think he had a hobby of buying cosmetics.

    ¡°Princess Ning.¡± Xia Yuhang saluted her with aplicated look in his eyes. This woman was no longer the neglected Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor nor the consort with rtively low status in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. The Emperor¡¯s imperial decree had made her Prince Yi¡¯s princess. Princess Xianyun might still be around, but she had fallen ill and couldn¡¯t handle any of harem¡¯s matters anymore.

    It was clear who wielded true power in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t think Xia Yuhang had anything to say to her. Ning Ziyan was just a concubine now. As inws, they couldn¡¯t be considered proper rtives. It was inappropriate for her to call him brother-inw either, so she merely smiled and nodded. She said politely and distantly, ¡°Eldest Young Master Xia.¡±

    Without waiting for his reply, she then entered the store with her maids.

    Xia Yuhang opened his mouth but couldn¡¯t make any sound. He watched helplessly as Ning Xueyan leave. He lingered outside the door for a while, staring at the storefront with a sullen expression, before turning around and leaving in low spirits.

    He walked past several stores before reaching the entrance of a restaurant. He looked at the store sign before entering with his young servant. The servant blocked a waiter froming over to serve them, allowing Xia Yuhang to walk upstairs by himself. He took a turn and arrived at the door of a private room. A servant who had been waiting there immediately opened the door for him.

    With a shrill voice unlike his peers, the servant lowered his voice and said, ¡°Please enter quickly, Eldest Young Master. His Highness has been waiting for you for a while.¡±

    It was still quite early. Those who went to bedst night would only be having their breakfast at this time. The business at this restaurant wasn¡¯t good at this hour. When Xia Yuhang entered earlier, he noticed that there was barely anyone downstairs.

    Behind the door, the Third Prince was pacing inside the room, looking obviously agitated. When he saw Xia Yuhanging in, he immediately said, ¡°Yuhang, you¡¯re finally here. I¡¯m going to die from the stress if youe anyter.¡±

    He then settled down on a chair by the table.

    Xia Yuhang had regained his usual calm and elegance by now. He sat down on the other end of the table.

    There were some pastries on the table, but not any wine or dishes. It was evident that the Third Prince had rushed to their appointment without having breakfast.

    Xia Yuhang hade out to meet the Third Prince. He just didn¡¯t expect to run into Ning Xueyan on his way here. He was momentarily mesmerized after seeing her familiar, indifferent eyes, but he waspletely calm now.

    He poured a cup of tea for himself and took a sip before raising his head. ¡°Your Highness, what¡¯s stressing you out so badly?¡±

    ¡°The concubines at Prince Yi¡¯s Manor got into trouble the other day. Some of them came from my mother. Father was so furious that he punished the Empress and scolded my mother as well. My mother said that Father is very upset with her and refuses to even see her. On the contrary, Honored Consort Shu kept sending things over and those at the imperial study have epted them as well. Yuhang, what do you think Father has in mind? Does he think that Ao Mingwan is more suitable than I am?¡±

    The Third Prince was terribly frustrated. His mother said that she only sent those concubines over after receiving a hint from his father. But the moment there was trouble, all the me fell on her. Not only did his father not console his mother, but he even threw a temper at her. This matter could be squashed just as easily as it could be blown up.

    The only reason he could be the noblest of princes was Honored Consort Ya, whose authority was only below the Empress in the imperial harem. Her status was also slightly higher than the others because she had given birth to him. But if his mother ended up angering his father, his status would be in peril.

    No matter how he thought about it, he couldn¡¯t figure it out. Thus, he summoned Xia Yuhang over early in the morning.

    Xia Yuhang¡¯s heart throbbed but his expression was unchanged. He raised his eyes and asked calmly, ¡°What happened in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor?¡±

    ¡°The concubines there hurt my uncle¡¯s favored concubine and even got Ning Xueyan involved. I heard that the two of them got harmed. I¡¯m sure Commandery Princess Xianyun was involved too. The favored concubine died after the incident, so my uncle took it up to Father. Naturally, the matter was dealt with by beating the concubines to death.¡±

    The Emperor and Empress had handled the matter personally, while Honored Consort Ya was inexplicably punished. She didn¡¯t even know what was really going on, but one thing for sure, the favored concubine was truly dead. That was why Prince Yi exposed the matter and made a huge fuss.

    ¡°Why would Honored Consort Ya gift pce maids to Prince Yi?¡± Prince Yi¡¯s famous favored concubine was dead? Xia Yuhang was stunned but still managed to grasp the key point. It was reasonable for the Emperor and Empress to gift women to Prince Yi, but it was unnatural for other consorts in the pce to do the same.

    Quite a few consorts were said to have sent women to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Honored Consort Ya was just one of the many.

    ¡°My mother was going along with Father¡¯s intention. She wouldn¡¯t have sent women to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor otherwise. You know how my uncle is. He¡¯s not someone that you can easily get along with. If you send him women randomly, you¡¯re deliberately offending him.¡± Ao Mingyu sighed. He ced his head on his hands, looking vexed.

    ¡°If that was the Emperor¡¯s intention, you don¡¯t have to worry, Your Highness. Since something went wrong with the women that Honored Consort Ya sent, it¡¯s only natural for the Emperor to punish her a little and neglect her for a few days. Just wait, Your Highness. Soon, the Emperor will likely bestow a title on you and the Fourth Prince.¡±

    Xia Yuhang thought about it before answering the prince calmly.

    The pce had announced its intention to confer the titles of Princes to both the Third and Fourth Princes (T/N: A simr rank of princedom as Prince Yi). The conferment would likely happen in these few days. If the Emperor did not truly me Honored Consort Ya, the matter would still proceed as nned. If the Emperor followed his n, then he would be treating the Third Prince the same as Honored Consort Ya.

    That meant that the Emperor was merely putting on a show for Prince Yi.

    The Third Prince calmed down after hearing Xia Yuhang¡¯s exnation. He thought about it before finally nodding, his expression looking rxed. ¡°I think you¡¯re right. When I ran into the eunuch serving Father yesterday, he even congratted me with a big smile. He didn¡¯t look any different than usual.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly it. It means that the Emperor isn¡¯t going to punish you for this matter at all. You can rest assured, Your Highness.¡± Xia Yuhang nodded.

    ¡°Good to hear, good to hear.¡± The Third Prince sighed in relief after seeing Xia Yuhang¡¯s calm and rxed expression. He picked up the cup of tea nearby and took a sip. Suddenly, he raised his head and told Xia Yuhang, ¡°That dead concubine was my uncle¡¯s favorite. I heard he only agreed to marry his princess and consort together because of her. He even visited her courtyard on his wedding night. Now that she¡¯s dead, do you think something big will happen?¡±

    Was she neglected on her wedding night itself? But after thinking about it, it was quite normal. It was said that she only received the consort position with a careless remark from Prince Yi. And Prince Yi must have made her his princess aspensation for getting framed along with his favored concubine.

    Following this line of thought, Xia Yuhang immediately felt that she had merely found it inconvenient to speak too much with him. She had brought quite a few maids with her today, after all. Knowing Prince Yi¡¯s horrible temper, another terrible incident might happen if he were to hear anything about it.

    In his mind, Ning Xueyan immediately became a weak woman forced to makepromises at every turn.

    He couldn¡¯t let Prince Yi bully her...

    ¡°Your Highness, since Prince Yi doted on his favored concubine so much, why don¡¯t you send him a simr beauty tofort his grief?¡± Since Prince Yi adored his favored concubine so much, sending him a simr woman would likely distract him. Ning Xueyan, even with her status as the princess, would still continue to be neglected in the manor.

    That way, when an opportunity presented itself and he was able to take her away, he would be considered as rescuing her and she would have noints either.

    Ao Mingyu immediately shook his hand after hearing this. ¡°That won¡¯t work. His favored concubine never showed her face to others. No one knows what she looks like. Where would I even find a simr woman?¡±

    ¡°Just find a prettier one?¡± Xia Yuhang suggested.

    ¡°All the women that the pce sent were beautiful in their own ways, but they were all still driven away.¡± Ao Mingyu sighed and spread his hands helplessly. Suddenly, he looked at Xia Yuhang with a smile. ¡°I heard the princess from the previous dynasty was a great beauty. Why didn¡¯t you watch her properly and allow that wicked pair of mother and daughter to kill her?¡±

    Xia Yuhang had confessed his past with Ning Ziying to the Third Prince a long time ago. Naturally, he didn¡¯t say that he suspected Ning Ziying¡¯s identity. All he said was that his father met an old friend when traveling in Jiangnan and the two families decided to get the two children engaged. He said that he didn¡¯t know that Ning Ziying was a princess from the former dynasty.

    It was impossible to hide this from the Third Prince in the first ce, so Xia Yuhang confessed his rtionship with Ning Ziying before the truth could be revealed in its entirety. This allowed him to earn the Third Prince¡¯s trust.

    But he didn¡¯t want to hear such words now. His heart throbbed with agony and the light in his eyes dimmed. He quickly recovered his usualposure and elegance. ¡°Your Highness, have you ever considered using the favored concubine¡¯s incident against Prince Yi?¡±

    Ao Mingyu loved hearing such words. He was all too happy to y along if it meant giving Ao Chenyi some trouble. He immediately leaned in and whispered, ¡°How should we do it?¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, you must...¡±

    Inside the private room, their voices gradually became lower until the servant and eunuch at the door could only gather a few shreds of gossip.

    Ning Xueyan walked into the store openly. Han Dazhuang, who had been waiting inside, was overjoyed to see her and hurried over to bow to her.

    ¡°Master, you¡¯re finally here!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Am Ite?¡± Ning Xueyan looked around and threw out a rhetorical question.

    ¡°Of course not. You¡¯re just on time. I was just worried that something happened to you on the way here, so I was a little nervous,¡± Han Dazhuang said with great embarrassment as he rubbed his hands.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go to your room. If anyonees,e in and let me know.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded. It was still quite early now and there weren¡¯t many customers at the store. Leaving Han Dazhuang behind to man the shop, she walked through the passageway to reach the backdoor. There was a small courtyard where Han Dazhuang lived, allowing him to watch the store with ease.

    Ning Xueyan left her maids outside so she could enter the courtyard by herself. She pushed the door open and closed it. The moment she turned around, she stopped in astonishment.

 Chapter 570 - Sheâ€™s Your Biological Sister

    <strong>Chapter 570 She¡¯s Your Biological Sister</strong>

    Sapphire-colored embroidered brocade, white jade crown atop the head, handsome and elegant appearance, an amorous smile¡ªthis man was the very picture of a bewitching demon when he curled his lips. When he smiled enchantingly at her, his almond-shaped eyes were slightly narrowed.

    Though stunned, Ning Xueyan quickly calmed down. She walked to the table in the room and sat down. ¡°Princely Heir, why did you invite me here? Do you have business with me?¡±

    She was certain that the one who summoned her was the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min. In her past life, she had seen how extraordinarily ruthless this man could be.

    In the beginning, she was perplexed as to who would want to meet her, and in such a mysterious way too. When she ran into Xia Yuhang outside the store, she nearly thought it was him. She quickly dispelled the idea because Xia Yuhang wasn¡¯t that capable and he wouldn¡¯t act so mysteriously either.

    It was evident from his method and secretive summoning of herself that the person was powerful.

    Xinmei was outside. Seeing as he could appear in this room without rming anyone, his martial arts should be better than Xinmei. She knew it wouldn¡¯t be a wise idea to summon Xinmei in now, so she sat down and waited to see what he would do.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to call for help?¡± Wen Xueran raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Would I be able to call for help faster than your movement?¡± Ning Xueyan retorted calmly.

    ¡°How heartless of you, Fifth Young Lady. When you fell down the cliff, I was the one who called help for you, you know.¡± Wen Xueran looked aggrieved. That expression, coupled with his handsome face, would have induced guilt in others but Ning Xueyan continued to look at him with a poker face.

    ¡°You were really slow in calling for help,¡± she said with a smile.

    To be honest, Wen Xueran couldn¡¯t be med for beingte in getting help. Ao Chenyi was simply too quick ining down the cliff. She didn¡¯t inquire if Wen Xueran brought help afterward. The fact was that Ao Chenyi had rescued her.

    ¡°I was a bit slow, I admit. When I arrived, I saw the backs of Prince Yi and his guards. I was just a teeny bitte,¡± Wen Xueran said with a grin.

    Ning Xueyan abruptly stood up and said earnestly, ¡°Thank you for your help, Princely Heir. It has been a long timeing.¡± Her watery eyes gleamed. She raised her head and said seriously, ¡°Please call me Princess Ning in the future. I¡¯ve stopped using the title of Fifth Young Lady a long time ago.¡±

    She was now married to Prince Yi, so outsiders shouldn¡¯t refer her as Fifth Young Lady Ning anymore. Even so, certain people continued to make the same mistake.

    Wen Xueran epted her curtsy with a smile. Watching her sit down again, he turned the folding fan in his hands in a circle. Amusement lit up his handsome face as he asked softly, ¡°Why don¡¯t I call you Yan¡¯er?¡±

    ¡°Princely Heir, you called me here to talk to me about Sister Ziying, didn¡¯t you? I don¡¯t think I have anything to do with her matter. At most, you can consider that I dislike Madam Ling and her daughters and feel upset on Sister Ziying¡¯s behalf. Why would you think her matter has anything to do with me?¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes were cold. She didn¡¯t want to discuss her title with him anymore.

    The Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min was quite ¡°famous¡± in the capital. There was no shortage of women who would throw themselves at him, but fortunately, he wasn¡¯t as unscrupulous as Ao Xian and never forced women to do anything they didn¡¯t want to. Even so, he was still known to be a yboy. She didn¡¯t want to be the shield for this man¡¯s yboy reputation.

    ¡°Of course it has something to do with you. She was your biological sister.¡± Wen Xueran stopped smiling. When his usual amorous and suggestive smile left his face, he immediately exuded a tremendous coldness that made people feel a chill in their hearts. His aura hadpletely changed.

    Sure enough, this man¡¯s so-called love affairs had always been a facade.

    What made Ning Xueyan feel so horrified that she couldn¡¯t even sit still was his words. Her body became stiff even as she trembled all over, unable to even say anything.

    She had always suspected it. They had the same butterfly mark and the same habit of never letting anyone watch them bathe. She learned the rumor that the butterfly mark could be found on descendants of the former imperial family. Then, there was her origin. Everything was all her spection. She thought it was her own secret and that it was all in the past. She was no longer Ning Ziying of her past life. Their only connection was theirmon surname of Ning and their apparent rtionship as girls from the same n.

    ¡°Princely Heir, there are some matters that you can¡¯t say nonsense about.¡± In her ears, her voice was low and gloomy as if it belonged to a stranger.

    There wasn¡¯t any emotion in her voice but it was cold enough to make its listeners shiver. There was a shred of tremor that she had suppressed with all her might.

    ¡°I know you must have investigated the matter of your mother losing her legal wife position. Even if Ning Zu¡¯an hated your mother and wanted to make Ning Huaiyuan his heir, he could have just named Madam Ling as his wife. He didn¡¯t have to treat your mother so cruelly. Madam Dowager was your mother¡¯s aunt. Even for appearances¡¯ sake, she wouldn¡¯t have let her niece lose her position as the legal wife. Does this sound reasonable to you?¡±

    Wen Xueran stared at her calmly without his usual shy smile. This was the true Wen Xueran and it ovepped with the man in his memory perfectly.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re also a former princess.¡±

    His next sentence was almost a whisper, but it nearly made Ning Xueyan tremble. She pressed the corner of the table with great force so that she wouldn¡¯t lose herposure entirely. She didn¡¯t want to be the princess of the former dynasty at all. That title gave her nothing but an endless nightmare. She couldn¡¯t keep anyone around her alive. In the end, even she was drowned in the bloody lotus pond.

    She bit her lip and raised her head sharply. She stared at Wen Xueran with a stern expression and said clearly, ¡°I¡¯m not. I¡¯m a daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. My mother was the madam of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether or not you admit to it. It¡¯s a fact.¡± Wen Xueran narrowed his eyes, refusing to let her off. ¡°No matter how hard you deny it, you can¡¯t hide the fact that you¡¯re the princess. You have the same butterfly mark on your body.¡±

    Ning Xueyan was barely able to analyze his words to retort, ¡°There was only one Great Elder Princess in the previous dynasty, so wherees another one? And my age doesn¡¯t match up either.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no doubt that Ning Ziying was also the Great Elder Princess, but people don¡¯t know that the Empress was pregnant when she was fleeing. After she escaped from the pce, she went to her close friend, the then-madam of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Madam Ming then hid the Empress in a courtyard in the countryside. And the child that the Empress gave birth to was you.¡±

    Wen Xueran looked at her with clear eyes. She could even see her pale, panicked face in his pupils.

    That was part of her spection too. She believed that Madam Ming wasn¡¯t someone like that. No matter how disappointed she was in Ning Zu¡¯an, she wouldn¡¯t have an affair with another man. A proud woman like her would nevermit such a hideous mistake. Few upstarts would be able to experience a nobledy of the previous dynasty bearing a family heritage spanning hundreds of years.

    Manor Ning in Jiangnan was also a noble family rooted in the previous dynasty, but a rtively small one. Thus, it survived the war and ended up in Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s hands.

    Ning Lingyun had once called Ning Xueyan a ¡°mutt¡± in front of Madam Ming¡¯s altar; there was surely a reason for it. It seemed that Concubine Xu knew something. She suddenly thought of how she and Ao Chenyi secretly saw Ning Zu¡¯an ransacking Madam Ming¡¯s room. She didn¡¯t know who the woman outside was at that time, but the answer was clear now.

    It was Concubine Xu. To think that it was Concubine Xu! This meant that Concubine Xu was aware of many things. She might even know more than Madam Ling.

    That was why Ning Zu¡¯an and Madam Dowager would be so ruthless. It wasn¡¯t just because Madam Ling gave birth to the only heir, but also because of her mysterious origin. That was why she lived a life worse than a servant¡¯s with Madam Ling in the manor. That was why no one cared even when Ning Yuling nearly killed her. Those people had never saw them as family.

    No matter how much Ning Zu¡¯an disliked her, he would at least intervene when his biological daughter was nearly killed by another daughter. Yet, he only watched from a distance before taking another road. It was because he suspected that she wasn¡¯t his biological daughter.

    Her body began to shudder. She bit her lips hard as she red at Wen Xueran. He was also staring at her quietly, allowing her to think in silence.

    ¡°Ning Qingshan was said to be the former princess, no?¡± She gritted her teeth to restrain her urge to scream. Her beautiful eyes were steeped in ice.

    ¡°How could it be her? It was just a rumor. When I saw that she owned a hairpin from the previous dynasty, I had someone remark that the hairpin was a mark of the former Great Elder Princess and tell her that she can look for me when she¡¯s in trouble. In order to protect the real princess, it¡¯s necessary to fake one.¡±

    Wen Xueran replied nonchntly. Ning Qingshan¡¯s incident was purely a coincidence. When he ran into her and saw her hairpin, he thought that she was truly the princess. Numerous unannounced visitster, he realized that she wasn¡¯t the princess but Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s granddaughter. When her father passed away, she was sent to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to be taken care of.

    Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s purpose was, of course, impure. It was fine with him because his purpose wasn¡¯t pure either.

    Ning Xueyan was finally able to control her emotions. She sat down with a pair of cold eyes and said, ¡°I¡¯m not the former princess. You¡¯ve made a mistake, Princely Heir. I¡¯m just the Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. I don¡¯t know anything else. Neither do I want to learn anything about Sister Ziying. Please go back.¡±

    No matter what Wen Xueran¡¯s purpose was, she didn¡¯t want to get involved with him. She would rather pretend that he was just joking about her being a former princess.

    ¡°Do you simply not dare to admit to being the princess or are you unwilling to face the truth? It doesn¡¯t matter whether or not you¡¯re willing to. Blood is thicker than water. The truth will always prevail. No matter how much you refuse to acknowledge it, you¡¯re still the princess. Are you just going to watch the blood of the former imperial family be shed in vain?¡± Wen Xueran softened his voice but didn¡¯t stand up.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Ning Xueran raised her head abruptly and met his eyes. Her beautiful, unfathomable eyes were filled with turbulent emotions.

 Chapter 571 - If I Canâ€™t Escape It, Iâ€™ll Face It

    <h4>Chapter 571 If I Can¡¯t Escape It, I¡¯ll Face It</h4>

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    That was Ning Xueyan¡¯s biggest question today. What he said was true, but they weren¡¯t things that he should be privy to. How old was he then? He must have been fairly young, so he wouldn¡¯t be so clear about it, especially about her mother¡¯s rtionship with the Empress.

    If he was merely the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min, she didn¡¯t think he had any reason to know all these secrets.

    Moreover, she was the only one specting about this matter. She hadn¡¯t told anyone, not even Lanning and Qingyu.

    It wasn¡¯t because she didn¡¯t trust them; she simply preferred they didn¡¯t get involved. The more people knew about it, the more troublesome things would be. She was roped into this unwillingly and didn¡¯t want the people around her to get involved.

    ¡°I¡¯m your maternal cousin. You can also call me your paternal cousin,¡± Wen Xueran said, looking calmly at Ning Xueyan. He didn¡¯t give her any chance to avoid the matter. ¡°Our mothers are maternal cousins. Our fathers are paternal cousins who share the same grandfather.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re also a descendant of the former royal family!¡± Ning Xueyan muttered to herself. After a moment of astonishment, she immediately calmed down. ¡°Princely Heir Wen, I don¡¯t care who you were or are. It has nothing to do with me. I¡¯m just me, ady from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and the current Princess of the Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. You should leave!¡±

    Her mind was a mess. There seemed to be a hint of enlightenment, but also of entanglement. She couldn¡¯t exin it, let alone understand it. But when Wen Xueran opened his mouth to speak, she looked up at him. ¡°Princely Heir Wen, please leave!¡±

    She stood up and walked to the door as if she was going to open it for him.

    Wen Xueran understood that he couldn¡¯t be hasty at this moment. He nodded and stood up. Giving Ning Xueyan a meaningful stare, he said, ¡°The only reason I came here today was to tell you your true identity. No matter what, you¡¯re the princess of the former dynasty and a descendant of the former royal family. We belong to the same family. I don¡¯t want you to live without ever knowing your identity.¡±

    Without waiting for her reply, he pushed the window by the back door and turned his head to look at Ning Xueyan who was standing there with her head down. ¡°Cousin, the two of us are the only remaining descendants of the former royal family. I hope we can help each other instead of distrusting and being hostile to each other.¡±

    His figure then disappeared outside the window. If it weren¡¯t for the shaking window frame, she would have thought it was all a dream, an unbelievable dream.

    Ning Xueyan returned to the table and sat heavily on the chair. She stared nkly at the pastries on the table, her eyes looking dull under her longshes.

    She didn¡¯t believe what he said. There was only ever one princess in the former royal family and it was impossible for another to appear. Besides, she had never heard that the former Empress was pregnant and left behind another daughter. Yet, she had a feeling that he was telling the truth.

    Wen Xueran¡¯s words ought to be true.

    With his exnation, everything that she could never exin in the past suddenly made sense.

    The birthmark on her body, the strange circumstances in which Madam Ming gave birth to her, the carriage who came for Madam Ming on the night the pce burnt, Ning Zu¡¯an and Madam Dowager¡¯splete disregard for her... Everything was proof that Wen Xueran¡¯s words were true.

    These words weigh so heavily on her heart that she could hardly breathe.

    Was Ning Ziying her biological sister from the same parents? That meant that she had been reborn in her own sister¡¯s body.

    Both sisters were tragic in their own ways: one drowned in the lotus pond and the other cried to death in the mourning hall. Their time of death was nearly identical too. She felt so suffocated that she felt the urge to cry andugh at the same time. But she could neither bring herself to cry orugh. She was still stupefied.

    Underneath her lowered head, something icy seemed to have fallen on her skirt.

    Both sisters suffered such sad and tragic fates. The mothers that she truly wanted to acknowledge weren¡¯t her own, but what about her biological mother?

    She hadn¡¯t heard of any other news about the former Empress. Everyone said that the former Empress was martyred in the end, but why was she born then? Shouldn¡¯t she have died for her country as well?

    Earlier, she had wanted to ask about the Empress. Wen Xueran seemed to know something about her. But she couldn¡¯t bring herself to actually ask.

    A fear had grasped her heart then, stopping her from asking.

    She was afraid to learn that she had been abandoned. Both her past and current selves were orphans that had been abandoned. They were still so young then and one was even newly born. Yet, both suffered the same fate. How could she not feel hurt?

    ¡°Greetings, Your Highness.¡± The maid¡¯s voice came from outside the door. She listened nkly without any expression.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the Princess?¡± asked a cold voice.

    ¡°She¡¯s inside.¡±

    The sound of footsteps resounded and the door soon swung open. When the devastatingly handsome man saw Ning Xueyan looking at him nkly, he paused. He closed the door and strode toward her. After lowering his head to look at her sullen expression, he carried her up.

    Ning Xueyan was immediately surrounded by his familiar breath and a pleasant smell.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t panic. You¡¯re fine. I¡¯m here with you!¡±

    She was trembling all over. It wasn¡¯t until she was in his embrace that she felt safe and warm.

    ¡°What happened? Don¡¯t be scared. I¡¯m here.¡± Ao Chenyi lowered his head to look at her. Her tears were falling like a broken string of pearls yet she was still quiet. It made him feel even more distressed. He knew that Ning Xueyan would be returning to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor today. After thinking about it, he decided to chase after her so he could keep herpany.

    Since the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would eventually end up in Ning Huaijing¡¯s hands, it was only reasonable for him to show them some respect. Having a powerful family would only benefit Ning Xueyan.

    He ced his chin on her head as he gently held her. He reached out to pat her back, gently soothing her like she was a baby. A trace of hostility crossed his eyes. Ning Xueyan looked like she had suffered a tremendous shock. Why would this happen here out of nowhere? The woman in his arms had never shown any measure of fragility, so this made him furious.

    ¡°I... If I¡¯m rted to the former royal family, what should I do?¡± Ning Xueyan asked, uttering the words with immense difficulty. She had once asked him a simr question, but she was even more unsure this time.

    Ao Chenyi reached out to lift her chin and stared deeply into her eyes. ¡°Even if you¡¯re the former princess, you¡¯re still you.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t like you more because you¡¯re the former princess and neither would I like you less because you¡¯re the former princess. You¡¯re just you. That¡¯s all that matters to me.¡±

    Ning Xueyan struggled hard to understand what he meant. When she finally did, she slowly regained her sanity. She leaned against his chest as tears streamed down her face.

    He treated her as he usually did, so why should she suspect him?

    Yet at that moment earlier, she truly felt like she was all alone in this world, and someone who was abandoned by the whole world at that.

    He trusted her, he really did. He even hinted to her that even if she was the former princess, he would believe in her like he always did. She was sure that he had investigated her before. Knowing his skills, he would have surely learned something.

    He had always trodden cautiously because of his dealings with the Emperor. He lived every day like he was walking on a tightrope. Therefore, he would solve her issue satisfactorily. Since she couldn¡¯t avoid this anymore, she would choose to face it! It was better than her past life, when she died without knowing anything.

    Outside the yard, Lanning and the other maids listened to quiet, suppressed crying inside the room with pale faces. They didn¡¯t know what to say. They didn¡¯t know what happened in the room or why their master would cry so sorrowfully, but they couldn¡¯t enter and check on her. They could only wait outside, worrying by themselves.

    They hoped that nothing bad had happened.

    When Ao Chenyi sensed that the woman in his arms was beginning to calm down, he caressed her head indulgently andforted her in a soft voice. ¡°All right, don¡¯t cry anymore. If you have any problems, let me solve it for you, okay? Just leave it to me.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ll do it myself. I¡¯ll find out what happened,¡± Ning Xueyan said resolutely, shaking her head. ¡°You¡¯ve already given me two men. With them around, I think I can find out what¡¯s going on in the backyard.¡±

    She didn¡¯t investigate thoroughly before because she was doubtful about certain matters. She herself was uncertain about it. Now that the veil had been lifted and she had no choice but to investigate, she might as well do a proper job. She must learn the truth, whether it be about Ning Ziying or Ning Xueyan.

    The two biological sisters had dwindled to one now.

    Ao Chenyi read her mind almost instantly. He held her gently and watched her use his robe as her handkerchief to wipe her tears. He said rather helplessly, ¡°Okay, go ahead and investigate. Tell me if you need anything. It won¡¯t bother me.¡±

    He had just changed into a new robe to apany her to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. But after this episode, his new robe was a goner.

    Even so, he couldn¡¯t bear to even criticize her.

    ¡°The flower embroideries are so rough. It¡¯s notfortable using to wipe my tears at all,¡± she said with some annoyance. The red spider lily embroideries on the cuff of his robe had poked her in the face.

    ¡°All right. I¡¯ll wear a softer robe next time so you¡¯ll feel morefortable using it to wipe your face, okay?¡± Ao Chenyi coaxed her.

    She nodded in satisfaction but soon discovered a problem. She raised her head in astonishment and asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡± Her movement was so sudden that she hit his lower jaw. She immediately reached out to stroke his lower jaw and even blew on it.

    Her action was childish but it made his heart turn into mush. ¡°I came here to apany you to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. I want them to respect you.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have toe. They have enough to be proud of even without you there.¡± Ning Xueyan snorted. She didn¡¯t want to see Madam Dowager¡¯s hypocritical smile.

    ¡°Their good reputation is also yours. Besides, the manor will go to Ning Huaijing anyway. He thinks of you as his sister and he also promised me that he¡¯ll take care of you. He said he¡¯ll never ignore you when you need him,¡± Ao Chenyi said with a triumphant smile.

    ¡°You met him?¡± Ning Xueyan was startled.

    ¡°Yeah. I had him brought to the manor as soon as he reached the city. If he treats you poorly, I wouldn¡¯t let him inherit the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. I have to choose someone who treats you well and won¡¯t act against your interests, don¡¯t I? I need someone who will back you up. I think Ning Huaijing is a clever person.¡±

    He nced enchantingly at her as he spoke softly.

    For her, he purposefully had his men keep an eye on Ning Huaijing and bring him to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor as soon as he reached the capital. He even threatened Ning Huaijing for her sake... Thinking about everything he had done for her, Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes turned red again. She leaned into his arms, stretched out her hands from behind him, and hugged his slender waist tightly.

    There was indeed someone who cared for her, someone who would consider her wellbeing wholeheartedly! She was no longer all alone and helpless in this world!

 Chapter 572 - A Letter from Aunt Xiang

    <strong>Chapter 572 A Letter from Aunt Xiang</strong>

    Ao Chenyi left Yuyan Shop ahead of Ning Xueyan. He had no choice but to leave because his robe was dirty from being used as a handkerchief for her tears. Besides, even if he wanted to show some respect to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, he couldn¡¯t let Madam Dowager and the rest obtain it so easily. When it came so easily, it wouldck solemnness.

    It was best to show the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor grace and majesty at the same time.

    Ning Xueyan stayed behind a little longer to calm her emotions. Lanning and the other maids only rxed after they saw Ao Chenyi walk out with a calm expression. When they heard Ning Xueyan summoning them, they went in to help her freshen up.

    ¡°Young Lady, Shopkeeper Han brought this earlier. Aunt Xiang sent it from the pce. I think it¡¯s a prescription.¡± Once Ning Xueyan was all cleaned up, Lanning took out a letter from her bosom. Such letters woulde from the pce every once in a while.

    This was a prescription that Aunt Xiang passed on to her master. Before Ning Xueyan opened her own shop, the letter would be delivered to Han Dazhuang first. Mother Han would then bring it into the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. It was much more convenient now. The letter needed only to be delivered to Yuyan Shop to reach Han Dazhuang.

    Ning Xueyan took the letter with a frown. She was quite skeptical. Thest time Aunt Xiang sent her a prescription, she said that she was preupied with pce matters and might not send her anything for a while. And that Honored Consort Ya was even more preupied.

    It hadn¡¯t been so long since thest letter, so why was there another one?

    She opened the sealed letter and pulled out the paper inside. She raised her eyes and read it. The more she read, the harder she frowned. What did Aunt Xiang mean by this?

    Firstly, Aunt Xiang said that Honored Consort Ya was now a Buddhist. Whenever Honored Consort Ya was free, she would listen to Buddhist teachings at the small Jing¡¯an Temple. She was close to Senior Nun Jing Kong, too. Through her friendship with Senior Nun Jing Kong, she also met the Emperor¡¯s mysterious favored concubine, Honored Consort Xia, and both hit it off right away...

    The letter was short and sounded full of gibberish too.

    First of all, Ning Xueyan was Prince Yi¡¯s Princess and didn¡¯t have much connection with Honored Consort Ya. She had also benefitted from the same incident that gave Honored Consort Ya misfortune. And she had only met Senior Nun Jing Kong two times. Honored Consort Xia? She didn¡¯t think that she had any connection to her either.

    They had met by coincidence that day. Even though Honored Consort Xia politely invited her over afterward, she instinctively felt that there was something wrong with the consort, and a major problem at that. But it didn¡¯t have anything to do with her.

    Out of the three people mentioned in the letter, she had seen Honored Consort Ya the most. But so what? They belonged to different camps. Besides, she wouldn¡¯t assume that she would be able to do anything to restrain Honored Consort Ya. So what did Aunt Xiang mean?

    This letter hade from the pce. It wouldn¡¯t be easy to slip it past so many pair of eyes and deliver it to her hands. Aunt Xiang had once said that it was incredibly inconvenient for her to send a prescription each time. After all, she was Honored Consort Ya¡¯s servant and the consort had always watched over her servants carefully.

    This meant that Aunt Xiang¡¯s letter was certainly purposeful. What exactly was it that she wanted to say?

    Ning Xueyan read the letter again before putting it back in the envelope. Her longshes fluttered as she gently bit her lower lip. She felt like she had missed out on some important information.

    She was still a child when she first met Aunt Xiang. Back then, Honored Consort Ya hade to meet Madam Ming and intended to leave Aunt Xiang to her, but she refused. For this, Aunt Xiang even kowtowed several times to Madam Ming before leaving reluctantly.

    Honored Consort Ya and Madam Ming were both noble daughters of the former dynasty. They were of simr ages and simr statuses. Back in the previous dynasty, they ought to be friends as close as sisters. Later on, Honored Consort Ya married the current Emperor and Madam Ming married Ning Zu¡¯an. Both could have been considered to have undergone a tribtion.

    Meeting a familiar face after facing hardship would surely give rise to another kind of affection.

    But that was the only time Honored Consort Ya visited Madam Ming. She never came again afterward.

    If they were truly close friends, how could Honored Consort Ya not pay attention to the affairs of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? How could she not be clueless about Madam Ming¡¯s predicament? Even if she didn¡¯t know the real reason why Madam Ling killed Madam Ming, she could have stepped forward and spoken up for Madam Ming. Back then, she was greatly favored by the Emperor and could have done anything she liked.

    Even if Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an didn¡¯t like Madam Ming, they wouldn¡¯t have treated her so harshly if she had the support of Honored Consort Ya. Neither would they have watched and done nothing as Madam Ling killed her.

    That meant that Honored Consort Ya had no intention whatsoever to support Madam Ming.

    That would make Honored Consort Ya¡¯s intention in bringing Aunt Xiang to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor highly suspicious. Since she wasn¡¯t there to support Madam Ming, why did shee to find her? Why did she purposely try to leave Aunt Xiang with Madam Ming? Since when did Honored Consort Ya care so much about Madam Ming that she would leave her most important female servant with her?

    The Third Prince was the Emperor¡¯s oldest son, followed by the Fourth Prince. The princes and former Empresses before them had died, an evidence of how intense the pce infighting was. Aunt Xiang was an expert at making incense and familiar with every type of incense. She would easily uncover scents that would harm one¡¯s life.

    This must also be the reason why the Third Prince could survive in the pce!

    Honored Consort Ya would never give away such an important person to Madam Ming, and she had insisted on it too. It was Madam Ming who refused in the end, and Aunt Xiang had no choice but to leave in tears. In the past, Ning Xueyan believed that Honored Consort Ya was Madam Ming¡¯s close friend but she realized now how terribly mistaken she had been.

    As far as she remembered, Honored Consort Ya seemed affectionate but was in fact terribly arrogant. She wasn¡¯t sincerely trying to send someone to help Madam Ming gain a better foothold in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. The fact was, a word from her was all that was needed. She would have never sent away an important person like Aunt Xiang.

    Yet, she did and even insisted on it. She even sent Aunt Xiang to Madam Ming directly, indicating that all Madam Ming had to say was yes and Aunt Xiang would be her servant from then on.

    A buzzing sound set off in Ning Xueyan¡¯s head and some memories suddenly became clear.

    She had been peeping from a little corner, so she saw the trace of mockery on Honored Consort Ya¡¯s face as she watched Aunt Xiang kneel down in tears.

    So, it was all for show...

    A show meant for others to see.

    It might be for Aunt Xiang¡¯s sake or some other people. Either way, Honored Consort Ya knew very well that Madam Ming would never take in Aunt Xiang. With Madam Ming¡¯s intelligence, she naturally knew that Honored Consort Ya wasn¡¯t sincerely trying to help her and Aunt Xiang was important to her. Had she agreed to take in Aunt Xiang, she would surely offend Honored Consort Ya.

    Her life in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was difficult as it was. If Honored Consort Ya became another of her enemies, the consequences would be dire.

    Therefore, she couldn¡¯t ept Aunt Xiang.

    She was still young then, so she wasn¡¯t able to see it. But were Madam Ming and Aunt Xiang blind to it too? Aunt Xiang ultimately left in tears when Madam Ming didn¡¯t take her in. Did this mean both of them understood it well that Honored Consort Ya was putting on a show?

    Therefore, even though Aunt Xiang followed Honored Consort Ya into the pce, she still stood on her and Madam Ming¡¯s side.

    To ordinary people, Aunt Xiang¡¯s ability would be no more than making and selling incense. But in the imperial family? The real benefit of her abilities wasn¡¯t so simple.

    Suddenly, Ning Xueyan remembered her first meeting with Aunt Xiang. She had invited Aunt Xiang over and Aunt Xiang looked like she had seen a ghost before appearing both excited and sorrowful. Recalling Wen Xueran¡¯s words today, if she was Ning Ziying¡¯s biological sister, that would make her the child of the former Empress...

    In the end, she concluded that Aunt Xiang was a servant of the Empress of the previous dynasty. That was how she knew Madam Ming. Seeing how dedicated Aunt Xiang was to teaching herselfter on, Aunt Xiang might have recognized her identity.

    Ning Xueyan picked up the letter in her hand and looked at it again. She was sure that this letter seemingly filled with idle chatter was in fact a warning letter.

    Was Aunt Xiang saying that Honored Consort Ya was beginning to suspect Senior Nun Jing Kong? Or that Honored Consort Ya and Honored Consort Xia were colluding? Or that the two of them were going to target her?

    Regardless of what Aunt Xiang was trying to express, one thing was for sure. She must be very careful when dealing with Honored Consort Ya and Honored Consort Xia. Those two must have known each other. It was said that Honored Consort Xia was also an imperial consort of the previous dynasty, but her young age didn¡¯t give the rumor much leg to stand on.

    Honored Consort Xia ought to be still young when the previous dynasty was still around, so how could she enter the pce as an imperial consort?

    Ning Xueyan raised her bright and beautiful eyes and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s the person that Aunt Xiang sent? Is she still here?¡±

    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s still here. She said she wants to buy some makeup. She¡¯s still choosing,¡± Lanning answered. She paid special care to ask Han Dazhuang to keep the messenger around. In the past, they would only receive Aunt Xiang¡¯s letter and never the messenger. Since her master was here today, she might have something to ask the messenger.

    ¡°Bring her here secretly,¡± Ning Xueyan ordered. There were some things that she had to verify.

    Lanning nodded and exited the room. A short whileter, she returned with a well-dressed woman in her twenties. Ning Xueyan waved a hand and Lanning left the room to stand guard outside. Even though this was the backyard, it waspletely essible through the back door of the frontyard.

    It didn¡¯t take long for the woman to leave the room, turn around, and walk out of the yard. It wasn¡¯t until Lanning saw the woman join the ordinary customers and casually select the makeup items in the shop that she felt relieved.

    Ning Xueyan stayed in the room for a while longer. Her eyes were first clouded with confusion but soon turned into determination and finally, serenity. She stood up and walked out of the room, and spoke to her maids.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.¡±

    Since she had made up her mind to face her past, she wouldn¡¯t run from it anymore. The past was shrouded in mystery and greatly affecting her current life. She even felt that she would be led by the nose if she didn¡¯t investigate everything as soon as possible.

    In the end, she might not be the only one affected; she might even drag Ao Chenyi down with her.

    If so, she would just face it...

 Chapter 573 - Guaranteed to Be More Reliable

    <strong>Chapter 573 Guaranteed to Be More Reliable</strong>

    ¡°Xueyan, you¡¯re here. Come here,e here so I can take a look at you and see if you¡¯ve gotten thinner.¡± The moment Madam Dowager saw Ning Xueyan step in, her face was immediately full of smiles as she beckoned her over. Ning Xueyan had never experienced such a warm wee from her before.

    Moreover, they had indirectly turned their backs on each other because of Ning Yuling¡¯s incident.

    She wasn¡¯t very polite when she left thest time, but Madam Dowager¡¯s big smile was devoid of any grudges as if she was truly just returning to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. It was like the previous incident had vanished like smoke and no one cared about it.

    Madam Dowager was indeed snobbish.

    Suppressing the coldness in her eyes, Ning Xueyan put on a slight smile as she walked over to Madam Dowager and gave her a deep bow. She still needed the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor at the moment. Ao Chenyi had arranged for this manor to be her backer and this manor seemed to be inextricably linked to what she wanted to investigate.

    When Madam Dowager saw Ning Xueyan smiling and bowing to her without any trace of anger, she sighed in relief. It would be best if Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t pursue Ning Yuling¡¯s matter. Ning Yuling was dead anyway and they could just pretend that she never existed. Madam Dowager¡¯s smile became even warmer as she took Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand and made her sit beside her.

    ¡°Xueyan, why didn¡¯t Prince Yie with you?¡± Madam Dowager asked with a smile. She was disappointed when the maid came and reported that only Ning Xueyan would be returning. Even though Ning Xueyan was Princess Yi now, true honor would be him apanying her to their manor.

    ¡°His Highness might be busy. He didn¡¯t say anything when I left.¡± Ning Xueyan lowered her head and fiddled with her handkerchief somewhat helplessly. It was evident that she couldn¡¯t decide for Prince Yi.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. His Highness has so many matters to attend to. He wouldn¡¯t have the time to walk around with you.¡± Even though Madam Dowager was disappointed, she knew she had to persuade Ning Xueyan. They weren¡¯t close to Ning Xueyan before, and their rtionship was honestly quite poor, but now was the time to win her over.

    ¡°I can¡¯t ask him. Why don¡¯t you ask him?¡± Ning Xueyan said softly, her eyes glinting.

    This reminded Madam Dowager. She immediately pped her hands and told Mother Qin, ¡°Hurry up and tell the Marquis to invite Prince Yi here.¡±

    Even though Ning Xueyan had be Princess Yi, Prince Yi must have given her the position because of her family. Thus, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor might be able to do things that Ning Xueyan couldn¡¯t. The thought of it made Madam Dowager smile even more widely. As expected, Prince Yi had only promoted Ning Xueyan because of them.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Mother Qin said. She stepped out of the room to look for Ning Zu¡¯an so he could send someone to invite Prince Yi.

    ¡°Xueyan, has your health improved? You fainted for two days when you got married. Why don¡¯t you ask the Prince to invite a few imperial physicians from the pce to examine you? We should eliminate problems at the root, after all. You must not let it affect the Prince¡¯s future heirs. It¡¯s a major event in your life, so you must not let any mistakes happen.¡±

    Madam Dowager spoke affectionately and even reached out to caress Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand. She looked as if she was terribly concerned about Ning Xueyan. Her every word suggested how much she cared for her.

    It was natural that Madam Dowager would be so concerned about their heirs. Madam Ling had poisoned Ning Xueyan in the past and it was found out that the poison would ruin her fertility. From then on, Madam Dowager stopped having big expectations for her. She never mentioned heirs even when Ning Xueyan married Prince Yi as a consortter on.

    On the one hand, it was because Ning Xueyan¡¯s health had greatly improved and should be fine. On the other hand, it was because Madam Dowager was betting on the Third Prince. Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan were both consorts, but the former had a much greater chance. Moreover, Ning Qingshan was personally selected by the Third Prince and Honored Consort Ya. It was only natural for her to be favored. Ning Xueyan was just chosen by Prince Yi on a whim.

    Even the timing of her marriage was a coincidence. It was said that it was thanks to a suggestion from an unknown favored concubine that Ning Xueyan was given the honor of marrying into the manor at the same time as the princess.

    Madam Dowager didn¡¯t think Ning Xueyan had any hope of gaining Prince Yi¡¯s favor after entering the manor. Later, she even fainted twice on her wedding day. On their wedding night, Prince Yi would rather enter a titleless concubine¡¯s courtyard than sleep with Ning Xueyan. These pieces of evidence made it clear that Ning Xueyan wasn¡¯t favored in any way.

    Thus, the matter of heirs was more of a pipe dream.

    Things were different now. Ning Xueyan had be the princess. Even if she wasn¡¯t favored, her status in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor would be unshakeable as long as she gave birth to an heir.

    Thus, nothing must happen to Ning Xueyan¡¯s fertility. The importance of her giving birth had be much more important than before.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been examined by a physician. He said that I¡¯m fine and should recuperate slowly. I don¡¯t think there¡¯ll be any problems.¡± Ning Xueyan sounded uncertain, especially because she was frowning. No matter how one looked at her, she didn¡¯t inspire much confidence.

    Madam Dowager¡¯s frown deepened. Suddenly, however, her eyes brightened.

    ¡°What about your dowry maids?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re fine. They¡¯re waiting outside,¡± Ning Xueyan replied indifferently.

    ¡°Why are they waiting outside? Tell them toe in. Don¡¯t be angry. All wives experience this. If they give birth to a son, you can raise the son as your own. A son that you raise personally is no different than your biological son. At least, you¡¯ll have someone to depend on when you¡¯re old.¡±

    Madam Dowager said in a lowered voice.

    ¡°The first maid has been chosen, so I can¡¯t add more maids at the moment. We can discuss thister.¡± Ning Xueyan couldn¡¯t stand Madam Dowager looking like she was some brothel keeper, so she casually changed the topic.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Fourth Sister? Why didn¡¯t shee? When she gets married in the future, it¡¯ll be inconvenient of us to meet.¡± She redirected the conversation to Ning Lingyun. Out of the people that she wanted to meet today, an important one was Ning Lingyun.

    She didn¡¯t see Ning Lingyun thest time she came. Seeing as Ning Lingyun was still not around this time, she must have been put on house arrest.

    Madam Dowager was very unhappy at Ning Xueyan deliberately changing the topic away from the matter of heirs. Her expression sank and she was about reprimand Ning Xueyan as she typically would. Then, she immediately realized that Ning Xueyan was no longer the same Ning Xueyan as before; she couldn¡¯t just scold or beat Ning Xueyan as she liked anymore.

    Unable to vent her anger, Madam Dowager replied impatiently, ¡°Your Fourth Sister is still grounded because of the Third Prince¡¯s incident.¡±

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s beautiful eyes gleamed as an idea came to her, but she sighed. ¡°Fourth Sister is still grounded? When she enters the Third Prince¡¯s Manor in the future, would she think of you as biased?¡±

    ¡°How am I biased?¡± Madam Dowager asked, stunned.

    ¡°She¡¯s also marrying the Third Prince, but she¡¯s grounded just because he agreed to marry her. Besides, the Third Prince was the one who agreed to the marriage in front of Third Sister. Things always happen for a reason. Since the Third Prince has agreed, that means he has a good impression of Fourth Sister.¡±

    Ning Xueyan smiled as she spoke softly.

    Rendered speechless, Madam Dowager¡¯s eyes glinted several times. She felt that Ning Xueyan¡¯s words made a lot of sense. Whether or not Ning Lingyun had exploited the Third Prince, the Third Prince had nheless agreed on his own conviction in front of Ning Qingshan. That meant that he was interested in Ning Lingyun and was willing to protect her.

    This showed that Ning Lingyun had a chance of being favored.

    Madam Dowager was initially betting on Ning Qingshan, but Ning Qingshan was getting increasingly out of their control and even dared to mess with Ning Yuling and Ning Xueyan. It was her fault that Ning Xueyan was growing estranged from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Ning Xueyan was never close with them in the first ce, and the incident not only cost Ning Yuling and Madam Ling¡¯s lives but also cost Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s heir position.

    The main thing was that the incident brought them no benefit.

    Madam Dowager truly loathed Ning Qingshan now, but no matter how terrible Ning Qingshan was, she was still the Third Prince¡¯s consort. They had to show him respect. But Ning Lingyun? If Ning Lingyun was able to win his heart, she still stood a chance. At the end of the day, Ning Lingyun was truly of their blood.

    Ning Lingyun was much more dependable than Ning Qingshan, and she couldn¡¯t hurt her family because of Ning Qingshan.

    The thought of it filled Madam Dowager with energy and calmed her expression. She told a servant nearby, ¡°Invite Lingyun here. Tell her that Xueyan is back and that she should have a good chat with Xueyan. They¡¯re sisters, after all. Getting married will take them on different paths and it won¡¯t be easy to meet again.¡±

    ¡°Madam Dowager, allow me. Perhaps I¡¯ll have to develop a good rtionship with Fourth Sister in the future,¡± Ning Xueyan said, standing up with a smile.

    ¡°All right. Go and see her then. You¡¯re sisters, after all. How can you not have a good rtionship with her?¡± Madam Dowager was overjoyed when she saw that Ning Xueyan intended to have close ties with Ning Lingyun. If the two sisters could work together for the good of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, that would be for the best. So, she easily agreed.

    After leaving Madam Dowager¡¯s Lucky Garden, Ning Xueyan and Xinmei went to Ning Lingyun¡¯s courtyard. Lanning brought a few maids from Prince Yi¡¯s Manor to clean up the Bright Frost Garden because Ning Xueyan would be going there to restter. It had been a while since anyone upied the yard, so a clean-up was in order.

    Caiyun ran into Ning Lingyun¡¯s room panting and saying excitedly, ¡°Fourth Young Lady, Fourth Young Lady! The Fifth Young Lady is really here.¡±

    ¡°Ning Xueyan is here?¡± Ning Lingyun stood up abruptly in excitement. She had been cooped up here for so many days. Aside from Concubine Xu sending someone over every now and then, she didn¡¯t have anyone writing her letters.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s really her. I heard that she has be Princess Yi. Concubine Xu says that you should deal with her with care and that you can¡¯t ever be willful anymore if you want to leave this yard,¡± Caiyun said, lowering her voice to pass on Concubine Xu¡¯s message.

    ¡°Yes, I get it!¡± Ning Lingyun gritted her teeth but emotions were going haywire inside her. Ning Xueyan had be the princess! She really did it! It hadn¡¯t been long since she entered Prince Yi¡¯s Manor and yet she managed to be the princess. How could Ning Lingyun, who was desperate to climb up the ranks, not feel shocked?

    It also made her feel surer of her loyalty. Compared to Ning Qingshan¡¯s guarantee, Ning Xueyan was more reliable.

 Chapter 574 - Giving up Ya Moqin, Reason for Saving Ning Qingshan

    <strong>Chapter 574 Giving up Ya Moqin, Reason for Saving Ning Qingshan</strong>

    Ning Lingyun had fought with both Ning Xueyan and Ning Qingshan. One time was her fighting Ning Xueyan on her own and the other time was colluding with Ning Qingshan to frame Ning Xueyan. Thest time was when she plotted against Ning Qingshan with Ning Xueyan¡¯s help.

    She lost the first time. Despite getting her marriage with Ao Xian approved, she lost the second time and therefore lost the marriage. The third time, she worked with Ning Xueyan and ended up getting her marriage with the Third Prince approved...

    ¡°Fourth Young Lady, the Fifth Young Lady is here.¡± A maid¡¯s voice came from outside.

    ¡°Hurry up and invite her in.¡± Ning Lingyunposed herself before tidying her clothes with Caiyun¡¯s help and rushing out.

    Ning Xueyan strode in through the gate of the courtyard. Most people at the manor had already received news that the Fifth Young Lady had be Princess Yi and nobody dared to slight her. Everyone bent over backwards to serve her with a smile.

    Ning Xueyan nced at the servants in the yard. Although this yard was smaller than the Bright Frost Garden, it was a much prettier building. Other than the older female servants watching the gate, there were quite a lot of servants here, no less than the ones in the courtyard of a wife¡¯s daughter like her. In fact, they had more people here than the Bright Frost Garden of yesterday.

    Concubine Xu was indeed extraordinary to be able to protect her daughter so well. She was able to obtain such a good courtyard and so many servants to take care of Ning Lingyun even under Madam Ling¡¯s control.

    In the past, she thought that Madam Ling allowed Ning Yuling to live peacefully on the basis of Concubine Xu¡¯s honesty and loyalty to her. She didn¡¯t think so now. Concubine Xu was no ordinary woman. A cold smile appeared on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face. It seemed that she had underestimated Concubine Xu.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, have a seat.¡± Seeing Ning Xueyan enter the room, Ning Lingyun beamed as she gave her the main seat. There was a slight timidity in her eyes.

    She was a little afraid to see Ning Xueyan.

    Ning Xueyan wasn¡¯t courteous with her. She calmly sat down on one of the chairs and smiled. ¡°Fourth Sister, how have you been doing?¡±

    ¡°I, I¡¯m okay. I¡¯ve been writing and copying Buddhist scriptures. Grandmother told me to copy them.¡± Under Ning Xueyan¡¯s gaze, Ning Lingyun pinched the hem of her clothes uneasily. Even though she was older than Ning Xueyan, she felt like she was being seen through by those clear, watery eyes.

    ¡°Fourth Sister, when do you n on entering the Third Prince¡¯s Manor?¡± Ning Xueyan raised an eyebrow.

    Stunned, Ning Lingyun raised her head anxiously and asked, ¡°I thought I¡¯m supposed to go with Third Sister?¡±

    ¡°What if Third Sister doesn¡¯t want to? I heard Honored Consort Ya likes her very much. If she tells Honored Consort Ya, we don¡¯t know if the Third Prince will listen to Honored Consort Ya and give you up.¡± Ning Xueyan put on an apologetic look as if Ning Qingshan had really told Honored Consort Ya about the matter.

    ¡°She... She wouldn¡¯t. Isn¡¯t Third Sister locked up in her yard right now, not allowed to leave?¡± Ning Lingyun shook her head with force but her face was already pale. She knew that Ning Xueyan¡¯s words might be true. That day, Ning Qingshan looked like she would swallow her alive.

    Watching Ning Lingyun put on a strong appearance, Ning Xueyan leaned backwards serenely and asked, ¡°Even though you¡¯re grounded in your yard, you can send a letter to Concubine Xu through a maid if you need anything, don¡¯t you?¡±

    These words set off an explosion in Ning Lingyun¡¯s head and her face immediately turned pale.

    She was locked up too. Even though she couldn¡¯t leave and her servants couldn¡¯t go out freely, they could secretly do so if they wanted to. She herself often sent Caiyun to see Concubine Xu and Ning Qingshan¡¯s maid Feilian hade here several times too.

    The secret message bore Ning Qingshan¡¯s goodwill; she expressed her willingness to get along as sisters in the future.

    That was to say, it wouldn¡¯t be all that difficult for Ning Qingshan to send someone out to send a message! Knowing how jealous Ning Qingshan was toward her thest time, she felt that it wasn¡¯t entirely impossible that Ning Qingshan would persuade the Third Prince to not marry her. So, whatever Ning Qingshan said about reconciliation between sisters was a lie to deceive her.

    ¡°Fifth Sister, what, what should I do?¡± Ning Lingyun¡¯s expression changed drastically after understanding this. She respectfully bowed to Ning Xueyan and pleaded, ¡°Please save me, Fifth Sister.¡±

    ¡°Save you? Fourth Sister, that¡¯s the Third Prince¡¯s Manor that you¡¯re talking about. What could I do?¡± Ning Xueyan sighed and shook her head, looking helpless.

    ¡°You¡¯re the princess now, the Third Prince¡¯s aunt. I¡¯m sure you have a way.¡± Ning Lingyun¡¯s expression changed greatly after seeing Ning Xueyan shake her head.

    ¡°So what? You won¡¯t be so naive as to think that Prince Yi is more persuasive than Honored Consort Ya, do you? Third Sister has always been a favorite of Honored Consort Ya and I heard that they have a very good rtionship. I don¡¯t believe that they just get on very well. Perhaps, Third Sister was connected with the Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor before she came to our manor.¡±

    Ning Xueyan sighed as she spoke nonchntly. A cold glint shed in her beautiful, watery eyes. Whether it was because of Ning Qingshan¡¯s poisoning of Madam Ming or Ning Qingshan¡¯s repeated attempts to harm her, her grudge against Ning Qingshan was well-formed. Since that was the case, she must eliminate Ning Qingshan¡¯s aplices and made it so that Ning Qingshan could never make aeback again.

    To the Third Prince, Prince Yi would never be more persuasive than Honored Consort Ya! Ning Lingyun¡¯s face was a deathly shade of white. Ning Qingshan was Honored Consort Ya¡¯s favorite and even caught her exploiting the Third Prince. Even if she managed to enter the Third Prince¡¯s Manor, Ning Qingshan could easily kill her using her status as the consort and Honored Consort Ya¡¯s support.

    Ning Lingyun was truly afraid this time!

    When Ning Qingshan sent Feilian over to express her sisterly goodwill, did she intend to kill her before she could enter Third Prince¡¯s Manor?

    ¡°I heard that the Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor wanted to make their eldest daughter the Third Prince¡¯s consort. But when Third Sister became the concubine, they had no choice but to withdraw. Honored Consort Ya forsake her own niece just for Third Sister¡¯s sake. Eldest Young Lady Ya grew up with the Third Prince and they had a really good rtionship, you know. But she had no choice but to marry the Fourth Prince instead.¡±

    Seeing Ning Lingyun¡¯s increasingly pale face, Ning Xueyan fanned the mes again.

    After hearing this, Ning Lingyun couldn¡¯t stand straight anymore. She held onto the edge of the table and sat down weakly. Of course, she knew about Ya Moqin. She also knew about Ya Moqin¡¯s deep affection for the Third Prince. She never thought deeply about it before, so she didn¡¯t realize that Ning Qingshan had stolen the title of the consort from Ya Moqin¡¯s hands.

    ¡°She... Why would Honored Consort Ya help her so much?¡± she said, almost muttering to herself.

    Ning Xueyan smiled and said serenely, ¡°I¡¯m not too sure. Perhaps Third Sister is simply closer to Honored Consort Ya than Eldest Young Lady Ya is.¡±

    Judging by the fact that Ning Zu¡¯an brought Concubine Xu along when ransacking Madam Ming¡¯s things, it was evident that Concubine Xu was his confidant. Since Ning Zu¡¯an had failed to learn anything about Ning Qingshan¡¯s origin until now, she didn¡¯t mind giving him a hand. It was just like the incident at the study thest time. Once someone started to get suspicious about something, it would be much easier for them to start investigating.

    ¡°Fourth Sister, don¡¯t be so worried. Madam Dowager told me to inform you that you¡¯re no longer grounded. But Third Sister still is. If you keep a close eye on her, perhaps it wouldn¡¯t happen and you can still safely follow her into the Third Prince¡¯s Manor.¡±

    Ning Xueyan sounded as if she wasforting Ning Lingyun, but it made thetter even more worried instead.

    She wasn¡¯t worried about not being able to marry the Third Prince now. Rather, she was worried about losing her life as soon as she did. If the Third Prince couldn¡¯t even marry the cousin that he grew up with, she would just die in vain if she married him as a concubine alongside Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°Fourth Sister, since I have already passed on my message, I¡¯ll be going back to the Bright Frost Garden. If you have more to say, you can find me thereter.¡± Ning Xueyan stood up. She had said everything as inly as she could. Ning Lingyun wasn¡¯t stupid and Concubine Xu appeared to be a mysterious and cunning person; they would undoubtedly understand the implication of her words.

    In a nutshell, Ning Lingyun would surely die if she entered the Third Prince¡¯s Manor with Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°I understand. Thank you, Fifth Sister.¡± Ning Lingyun was so restless that she couldn¡¯t even be excited that Madam Dowager had released her from house arrest. She could only feel nervous and afraid now. She stood on the chair in a daze, not realizing when Ning Xueyan had left. The more she thought about it, the more terrified she became. She became more certain that Ning Qingshan was tricking her just to kill her.

    She stood up abruptly and told the nearby Caiyun, ¡°Let¡¯s go and meet Concubine Xu.¡±

    No, this wouldn¡¯t do. She must tell these things to Concubine Xu personally and ask her to think of a solution. Between her and Ning Qingshan, only one must enter the Third Prince¡¯s Manor. She hoped that it would be her.

    And why was Honored Consort Ya so nice to Ning Qingshan? Shouldn¡¯t she treat her own niece better? She knew that her niece liked her son but gave the consort position to Ning Qingshan. There must be a secret involved or it wouldn¡¯t have happened.

    Everyone knew that Ya Moqin had been bestowed to the Fourth Prince, but it was also no secret that she had always been in love with the Third Prince. Just what was it that made Honored Consort Ya sacrifice her niece for Ning Qingshan¡¯s sake? Ning Lingyun felt that there was a secret behind this.

    Madam Dowager was now overseeing much of the affairs in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, but the actual legwork was given to Concubine Xu. Concubine Xu was well-behaved and would ask Madam Dowager¡¯s opinion on every major issue. Thus, Madam Dowager was very satisfied with the current way of managing the household.

    Because of this, Concubine Xu was very busy. She was particrly preupied today, the day when Ning Xueyan would return. It was also said that Prince Yi mighteter.

    Concubine Xu was in the kitchen at the moment, watching the servants preparing a meal. When Ning Lingyun rushed over, Concubine Xu was about to go to Bright Frost Garden to ask Ning Xueyan whether Prince Yi preferred braised or steamed fish.

    After Ning Lingyun pulled her aside for a few words, her expression changed. Ning Lingyun was her only daughter and only hope. She would rather believe her biological daughter than Ning Zu¡¯an. She was willing to tell Ning Xueyan some secrets in exchange for Ning Xueyan helping her daughter.

    She gritted her teeth and whispered a few words in Ning Lingyun¡¯s ears. A terrified expression gradually appeared on Ning Lingyun¡¯s face as she listened and nodded vigorously. She never thought that something like this would happen at the manor...

 Chapter 575 - What Kind of Troops Were Mobilized?

    <h4>Chapter 575 What Kind of Troops Were Mobilized?</h4>

    Ao Chenyi would onlye after lunch and everyone in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had no choice but to wait for the arrival of such an important figure. Thus, it wasn¡¯t until he arrived at the outer courtyard and dined with Ning Zu¡¯an and Ning Huaijing that lunch for the women was finally served in Madam Dowager¡¯s Lucky Garden.

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t leave immediately after lunch. On the contrary, news came that Prince Yi was leaving.

    This was normal. The fact that Prince Yi was able toe was enough to excite everyone in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. They had lost the Emperor¡¯s favor following the string of events caused by Madam Ling and her daughters. Even a once-great general like Ning Zu¡¯an was merely given an insignificant role at the Ministry of War and couldn¡¯t even meet the Emperor.

    The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had truly fallen out of favor. Everyone knew this, but fortunately for them, they still had Princess Yi. At this moment, Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an were so desperate to hold onto this grace that they prioritized it above all else. For this, Madam Dowager and Ning Xueyan also discussed about it.

    Ning Xueyan decided to hold a flower-viewing banquet at Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, though the real purpose was to announce her official status as Princess Yi. Even though an imperial decree had been issued, an announcement was necessary. That was Ao Chenyi¡¯s intention in the first ce; Ning Xueyan merely disagreed because she found it annoying.

    However, Madam Dowager had requested as such and she also had things to straighten out. This banquet would indeed give her a good opportunity.

    Female rtives didn¡¯t exist in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor in the past, but there was now a proper mistress in ce. She could also attend banquets for female rtives.

    Even though spring was nearing its end, there were still flowers blooming at this time and flower-viewing banquets were amon urrence. It was just that Prince Yi¡¯s Manor had never thrown any.

    After lunch, Ning Xueyan returned to the Bright Frost Garden. Lanning helped take off her hairpins as Ning Xueyan preferred to keep her long hair down and untied while sleeping. She climbed onto the bed. Lanning tucked her in before exiting the room carefully and waited outside.

    The room was quiet but Ning Xueyan was restless. The news that she received from Ning Lingyun made her heart tremble even now.

    She knew that Concubine Xu was a smart person and that Concubine Xu had only a daughter. No matter how much loyal Concubine Xu was to Ning Zu¡¯an, she wouldn¡¯t look the other way and not save her daughter. Besides, in Ning Xueyan¡¯s opinion, Ning Zu¡¯an was a scumbag. If Concubine Xu was smart, she would rely on her daughter more than that man.

    Only Ning Lingyun would be Concubine Xu¡¯s lifelong support. Ning Zu¡¯an could never be trusted. Even Madam Ming, who married beneath her status for him, was abandoned by him; there was nothing that he couldn¡¯t forsake.

    Therefore, Concubine Xu would definitely understand her meaning and divulge some secrets in exchange for her helping Ning Lingyun.

    The so-called military medallion of the previous dynasty was said to be among Madam Ming¡¯s dowry. Ning Zu¡¯an had heard this from an official in Manor Ming by chance. When he asked Madam Ming about it, she refused to say anything and even said that the military medallion was in her father¡¯s hands.

    Later, Madam Ming was framed by Madam Ling. Part of the reason Ning Zu¡¯an fanned the mes then was because of this. Madam Ming was demoted from her official wife position and forced to move to the remote Bright Frost Garden. Madam Ling tricked Madam Ming¡¯s dowry out of her hands, but Ning Zu¡¯an didn¡¯t find anything even after searching everything.

    He thought that the medallion was in Madam Ming¡¯s former yard, but after searching everything, he still found nothing. He refused to give up and would get back at it every so often. He even dug out a few corners of the room just to find the medallion.

    He wanted the military medallion of the previous dynasty because it was said that the medallion could mobilize the former imperial family¡¯s brigade of secret guards.

    The brigade of secret guards was said to be unique to the former imperial family and under the direct order of its direct descendants. They were supposed to protect the Emperor of the previous dynasty until all of them died in battle, but an ident seemed to have happened. That was to say, they weren¡¯t with the Emperor when he died.

    With the Emperor¡¯s death, the hidden guards were left on their own. No one knew for sure when the rumor started but it was said that they were incredibly powerful. If not for the ident preventing them from being with the Emperor, he wouldn¡¯t have died. And the only thing that could mobilize them was the military medallion of the previous dynasty.

    It went without saying that the medallion would be in the hands of the Ministry of War of the previous dynasty, Madam Ming¡¯s family. However, after the Minister of War was martyred, the medallion went missing, perhaps among the people.

    There was also a rumor about the missing Great Elder Princess of the previous dynasty. It said that the circumstances were so urgent that the Empress transferred the medallion from the Minister of War to the then-young princess and that the hidden guards didn¡¯t appear on the battlefield because they were protecting her. So, if they find the Great Elder Princess, they might be able to obtain the hidden guards.

    The more convincing of the two rumors was thetter. After all, the mutiny of subordinates happened so suddenly at the time that the pce couldn¡¯t immediately control the situation. It was normal for the Empress to deploy a brigade of soldiers to escort the princess safely out. For a child to escape such chaos without anyone noticing, she surely must have had people protecting her.

    The most likely candidates were the hidden guards.

    Thus, everyone began to search for the missing Great Elder Princess in secret. The Emperor even decreed that anyone who could locate the princess or the medallion would be rewarded handsomely. Those in court would be promoted, those not in court would be made nobles, and if one was an exemry court, one could even pass his title to his descendants.

    Such a great reward sent everyone into a frenzy. Everyone¡¯s attention was on the former Great Elder Princess, thinking that they would be able to find the medallion once they find the princess.

    Yet Ning Zu¡¯an believed that the medallion was in his manor. He would ask Madam Ming patiently every time, but Madam Ming would inly say that she didn¡¯t have it every time. Later on, she would even tly refuse him. That was also one of the reasons why Ning Zu¡¯an would be so resolute in dealing with Madam Ming. Of course, he didn¡¯t want her dead. With Madam Ling around, she would never be able to live well anyway.

    Once she couldn¡¯t bear living such a life anymore, she would naturally plead for mercy and take out the medallion. When that time came, he would allow her to live a better life.

    Medallion? Medallion? Ning Xueyan opened her eyes abruptly and got out of bed. She suddenly remembered the things that she brought back from the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. Madam Dowager agreed to keep the yard as it was even after she entered Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, so she didn¡¯t take those things with her.

    She picked up a hairpin from the dressing table and casually pinned her hair on top of her head. She walked past the mahogany bed to its back, where she had Xinmei dig a hole at the bottom. The small package fitted the hole perfectly, hidden behind a nk of wood.

    If she didn¡¯t know any better, she would have thought the nk of wood was just a textural part of the wooden bed leg.

    After prying the wooden nk down, she took out the small package inside the hole and put the nk back up. She would take this package to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor with her. It wasn¡¯t safe to leave it here.

    She opened the package and took out a letter in it, a letter from her mother in Jiangnan to Madam Ming. When she found the letter, Madam Ming was already dead. She left the letter untouched because she didn¡¯t want to ruin her belongings, but she had no choice but to read it now. The letter might contain unexpected information.

    She believed most of Wen Xueran¡¯s words but she was still in the dark about some details.

    Sitting cross-legged on the bed, she opened the letter with trembling hands.

    The letter began by greeting Xiann. It was indeed addressed to Madam Ming, whose maiden name was Ming Xiann. Signed at the end of the letter was the maiden name of her adoptive mother in her previous life.

    The letter was pretty short. Her adoptive mother asked that Madam Ming take more care of Ning Ziying and even repeatedly reminded Madam Ming not to let anyone find out Ning Ziying¡¯s identity. And while Madam Ming¡¯s daughter Ning Xueyan could never know that Ning Ziying was her biological sister, they could at least live together temporarily.

    Toward the end, the letter expressed that though the previous dynasty was no longer and traitors were in power, they would eventuallye to a ruin in the new dynasty. Technically speaking, the previous and current dynasties weren¡¯t true enemies. Ning Ziying and Ning Xueyan were both girls and had no need to rejuvenate their country. All they had to do was be an ordinary person and marry a good husband.

    They had no need to ask for more.

    The pair of earrings was considered a hint for the sisters. It would be great if they could recognize each other through the earrings but it didn¡¯t really matter if they couldn¡¯t.

    Mother¡¯s letter was full of peace and protectiveness of Ning Ziying. She kept mentioning that Ning Ziying was pure and kind and required Madam Ming¡¯s care lest she was cheated. Mother asked that Madam Ming help reject Xia Yuhang¡¯s marriage offer if Xia Manor was merely pitying Ning Ziying for being an orphan with a tragic life.

    Mother never liked Xia Manor; she felt that Minister Xia had ulterior motives. However, at that time, Hua Manor used the engagement as a bargaining chip and bore ulterior motives, making Father angry. It so happened that Minister Xia was interested in forming a marriage alliance, so they hastily agreed on the engagement. Mother was very concerned. Xia Yuhang looked like a gentleman but he might not be truly trustworthy; it was very likely he had other objectives.

    Reading the letter made Ning Xueyan feel like she could see her adoptive mother¡¯s gentle and soothing smile. It gave her the urge to cry, and tears really did steam down her face. She closed the letter and put it away. She knew that she couldn¡¯t keep the letter but she couldn¡¯t bear to destroy it now. Besides, she was still in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and the Bright Frost Garden was now without its owner. If people were to smell the smoke, they would inevitably be suspicious. It was better to return to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor to deal with the letter.

    She put the letter back and put down the small package under her pillow before taking out of her hairpin and continuing her nap.

    After sleeping for two hours, Ning Xueyan woke up and took the small package with her. She said goodbye to Madam Dowager before returning to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Naturally, before going home, she deliberately left a message for Ning Lingyun. It was her repayment of Concubine Xu¡¯s favor.

    The message was a name written in codes...

 Chapter 576 - Concubine Xuâ€™s Implication

    Chapter 576 Concubine Xu¡¯s Implication

    Ao Xian.

    Ao Xian, the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, was the one who was trapped by Ning Lingyun previously, took fancy to her, and firmly asked to get himself and her betrothed.

    When he broke off the engagementter, it all seemed that he treated Ning Lingyun unjustly.

    Although he had now broken off the engagement, he still had a good opinion of her because he had been thinking that she was a good youngdy, but Ning Qingshan was the one he hated so much...

    Ning Lingyun looked at the slip of paper in her hand for a long time and then went to the courtyard of Concubine Xu. The two women closed the door and talked for a while. After that, Ning Lingyun returned to her courtyard, and Concubine Xu went to Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s study.

    Ning Zu¡¯an frowned in his study. Just now, Prince Yi said again and again that he appreciated Ning Huaijing. As for what the prince meant, he was clear: The prince thought that only Ning Huaijing had the qualification to inherit his Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    He dare not disobey the prince¡¯s idea, but when he remembered his eldest son Ning Huaiyuan, whom he had raised for so many years, how could he not feel sad? Although they had estrangement because of Junior Concubine Xu in the past, he was the son he appreciated most after all and the Princely Heir in his eyes, but now he was missing.

    He had put all his hopes on the son since the son¡¯s childhood, but he didn¡¯t grant him the Princely Heir¡¯s title because he wanted to toughen him so much. It was fair to say that the son was absolutely an important reason for him to take Madam Ming down from the official wife¡¯s position at that time. He thought that as long as he turned Madam Ling into his official wife, the son would naturally be the son of an official wife.

    Unexpectedly, Madam Ling was the cause of sess and failure. In the end, she disgraced and ruined herself. In this period, Ning Zu¡¯an suffered a series of mental attacks and quite felt that he had aged a lot.

    ¡°Marquis, I¡¯ve stewed sweet soup and brought it here.¡± A light knock came from the door. Concubine Xu stood gently and docilely at the door, with a food basket in her hand. Seeing Ning Zu¡¯an nod slightly, she walked in with a smile, put the food basket aside, and took out a small blue and white porcin lidded Chinese teacup from it.

    Ning Zu¡¯an preferred sweet soup. Since Concubine Xu had served him for so many years, she naturally knew this habit of his. Seeing her face, Ning Zu¡¯an heaved a sigh inexplicably and remembered Madam Ming, who also stewed sweet soup so attentively for him when she just married him back then, butter...

    ¡°Prince Yi thinks Jing¡¯er is suitable to be the Princely Heir.¡± Seeing Concubine Xu busying herself serving him, he blurted out these words without knowing why.

    Concubine Xu stopped for a moment and then looking up with a smile, said softly, ¡°Marquis, I have no knowledge of political affairs, but the second young master is now the only offspring in the Marquis¡¯s Manor who has been approved, and this was proposed by Prince Yi. If we disagree, I¡¯m afraid Prince Yi will be angry.¡±

    The whole capital knew that Prince Yi was not easy to provoke.

    ¡°I know.¡± Ning Zu¡¯an closed his eyes and leaned against the back of the chair, feeling strengthless from head to toe. For so many years, he seemed to have never been so strengthless. As for some words in his heart, he had to say them. If he didn¡¯t, he would feel ufortable, so he said, ¡°Yan¡¯er is now the princess of Prince Yi. That is the honor Prince Yi gave her, but Jing¡¯er is not the Princely Heir I want most after all.¡±

    He dare not too much hope that Ning Xueyan became a princess due to Prince Yi¡¯s favor of her. Although now he was not in charge, he made a few good friends in the past. They said that the inside information imed that good luck was the reason why Ning Xueyan could be the princess of Prince Yi. It happened that someone had harmed the favored concubine of Prince Yi and also Ning Xueyan at the same time. And this incident had connections with Commandery Princess Xianyun, the princess of Prince Yi.

    After that, the favored concubine died. As the one framed together with that favored concubine, Ning Xueyan then got the profit and became a princess of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    In a word, Ning Xueyan was quite lucky!

    ¡°Marquis, the current situation is the best. We can¡¯t make decisions about some things. Take Third Young Lady for example. Previously, it was said that she would be the princess, but what is the result now? She can just be a consort. Fortunately, Honored Consort Ya is congenial to her. To make her a consort, Honored Consort Ya was even willing to take her niece down from the consort¡¯s position; otherwise, how would she be able to find such a good marriage now?¡±

    Concubine Xu persuaded him softly. Then, she pushed the sweet soup to him and sorted out the messy documents on the table for him.

    ¡°Honored Consort Ya refused to help Eldest Young Lady Ya be a consort but rmended Shan¡¯er?¡± Ning Zu¡¯an was stunned for a moment and asked.

    ¡°Right, it is said that Eldest Young Lady Ya and Third Prince have been brought up together. Everyone in the capital knows that she will marry Third Prince. Earlier, it was said that our Third Young Lady would be the princess of Third Prince and Eldest Young Lady Ya the consort, but no one expected that something happened to Third Young Lady during the Beauty Contest. In the end, she had to rece the consort¡¯s position of Eldest Young Lady Ya. Now Eldest Young Lady Ya is the consort of Fourth Prince.¡±

    Concubine Xu pretended that she didn¡¯t see Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s unusual look while saying these words to him without his notice. At the same time, she said jokingly, ¡°Marquis, our Third Young Lady and Honored Consort Ya do have a predestined rtionship. Maybe the biological parents of Third Young Lady and Honored Consort Ya really have some other rtionships.¡±

    Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s expression changed. When he adopted this child at that time, Grand Tutor Ya told him that she was an orphan in war, the daughter of a deceased sergeant under hismand. If he adopted her, it was easiest to win people¡¯s hearts, so he adopted Ning Qingshan without saying anything.

    When he thought about it now, he felt that something was wrong. Honored Consort Ya cared about Ning Qingshan too much, even asking her niece to step aside. After learning this, he could deduce that the two women had a very close rtionship. Since the rtionship was so close, why didn¡¯t Grand Tutor Ya take the child himself back then? Instead, he sent the child to him.

    Then he remembered the incident that took ce in his studyst time. It was obvious that the maid was looking for something in his study.

    ¡°You may leave now. I will sort them out in a while.¡± The look in Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s eyes became indignant and dark, and the hand that held the sweet soup dropped with great force. It seemed that he investigated the case in the wrong way earlier. He didn¡¯t think about Grand Tutor Ya. After all, thetter was now behind the scenes most of the time, showing that he was about to leave the officialdom right away.

    Unexpectedly, Grand Tutor Ya set a trap for him as early as 10 years ago. He did underestimate this old fox. What he could now confirm was that Ning Qingshan was sure to have an inevitable connection with Grand Tutor Ya, and the connection was quite deep. But he had beenpletely used by Grand Tutor Ya.

    Seeing that Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s expression changed from darkness to fury, Concubine Xu dare not say anything anymore. She lowered her head and left cautiously without making any noise. When she reached the door, she closed the door for him and then turned around, looking in the direction where the Foggy Courtyard was located. Her lips, which were meek just now, had a little ridicule now. Then she turned and left.

    Now let¡¯s talk about Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Although Ning Xueyan came backter, she got home earlier. The eunuch brought a message to the Pear Flower Garden, saying that Prince Yi would possiblye back veryte because of something, asking Princess Ning not to wait for him.

    Ning Xueyan was now an officially approved princess in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, and everyone more or less knew the case of Commandery Princess Xianyun, so no one went to find fault in her. Besides,rge numbers of concubines had been sent away. Only five of those left had been officially promoted to be senior concubines, and they had a little higher status.

    But in the eyes of most people, concubines with this identity who could never be recorded in the royal name list were almost the same as those without the title, but they were a little better than those without a title.

    The Fragrance Garden, Brightness Garden, Jade Garden, and Garden of Beautiful Scenery, which were once filled with concubines, were all vacant at this time. And those who were left had been asked to stay in one courtyard.

    These few senior concubines and the two princesses were now all the women Prince Yi had in the mansion. Commandery Princess Xianyun was locked up and watched, and these few senior concubines were not allowed toe out without permission. Now Prince Yi¡¯s Manor got the peace it had never experienced before. Mother Ruan, who was in charge of the backyard, was the confidant of Ao Chenyi, and Eunuch Ling, the general housekeeper responsible for the affairs of the front of the house, was cooperative, so it was easy for Ning Xueyan to manage the house.

    There was basically nothing for her to do. After simply dealing with these few things left over during the day, she asked someone to invite Mother Han toe in.

    ¡°Mother Han, I am not the biological daughter of my mother, right?¡± As soon as Mother Han came in, she signaled to her to close the door and then asked directly.

    Mother Han¡¯s feet lost strength and she almost fell as she heard these words, but she kept herself steady by clinging to the table and called out hastily, ¡°Mistress.¡±

    ¡°Someone has told me.¡± Ning Xueyan stared at Mother Han with her beautiful eyes, but there was heart-chilling air in the cold eyes.

    ¡°Mistress, I, your old ve...¡± Mother Han opened her mouth a few times, but she didn¡¯t know what to say at the moment.

    ¡°I am someone else¡¯s daughter, but I was treated as my mother¡¯s daughter, so the marquis always suspected if I am his biological daughter. Due to this reason, he was extremely indifferent and cold-blooded to my mother and me,¡± Ning Xueyan said calmly. Except for her eyes that were still moving, she looked like someone who waspletely indifferent from head to foot, as if she was talking about the affair of someone else. But every one of her words was like something hammering Mother Han¡¯s heart so hard that she could not utter the words on the tip of her tongue at all.

    ¡°If you are unwilling to tell the truth, you can leave.¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s face was peaceful, and her tone was calm, but her words contained sadness and coldness, which Mother Han could not stand at this moment.

    So she suddenly knelt down and held Ning Xueyan¡¯s dress, saying, ¡°Miss, it¡¯s not that I, your old ve, don¡¯t want to tell you, but that the madam told me that I can¡¯t tell you!¡±

    She said these words in a whisper. After finishing speaking, she wept bitterly and choked with sobs. At the moment she was anxious, she simply called her ¡°Miss¡±, feeling guilty about her. A few times, she wanted to tell her when she saw her knitted brows, but her madam had told her that she should never let her miss know her family background, so she held her tongue every time the words were on the tip of her tongue.

    It was not that she didn¡¯t want to tell Ning Xueyan, but that she couldn¡¯t; otherwise, her miss would possibly not be happy in this life.

    For the good of her miss, her madam bore disgrace and a heavy burden and didn¡¯t say anything. That year, she gave up the official wife¡¯s position without saying anything for a reason: She was afraid that if their first scheme failed, Madam Ling and Ning Zu¡¯an would work out another one, which would make her daughter fall into fatal danger if it was used on her. Once her madam thought about this, she wanted to avoid this kind of harm at any cost.

    ¡°On what conditions can you tell me the truth!¡± Ning Xueyan lowered her head, hearing that she asked in an extremely indifferent voice. Mother Han was pulling the part of her dress at her feet, but she just felt the dull pain in her heart.

 Chapter 577 - She Saw the Past More Clearly

    <strong>Chapter 577 She Saw the Past More Clearly</strong>

    She really didn¡¯t feel that she was protected so well that she could not be hurt.

    In her previous life, she was so well protected by her parents. When she was in the regions south of the Yangtze River, she had almost no worries. Being carefree, she thought that as long as she was kind to others, others would also be kind to her, but the reality was that she ended up dead because she was too kind and believed others too much.

    ¡°Or my mother thought that I will have the right to know my family background only when I am killed.¡± She looked up at Mother Han with her slightly red eyes while biting her lips.

    ¡°Miss, Miss, I, your old ve, will tell you all. I¡¯ll tell you all, okay?¡± Seeing that Ning Xueyan was so sad, Mother Han had great grief and cried so sadly that she couldn¡¯t get up.

    ¡°Mother Han, I know my mother made the decision for my good, but will I be really happy if I don¡¯t know about it? What if the marquis has learned it? Or what if there is something else about my family background? Mother Han, you know there was a fierce war at that time, so would the baby hidden in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor like this be really ordinary?¡±

    Ning Xueyan helped Mother Han up, but her eyes were peaceful and sad.

    Seeing her look, Mother Han became sadder and sadder. Her miss had been going through suffering. Although her madam wanted to protect her wholeheartedly, she could not even take care of herself in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, so how could she keep her miss safe? Since her miss was young, she had been bullied so much by the second youngdy and even despised by the servants of the mansion. Maybe her madam was really wrong.

    So, she didn¡¯t conceal the past anymore. After sitting steady with the help of Ning Xueyan, she told all the past affairs as they had happened.

    Regarding the specific matters, Mother Han could not remember them very clearly, but she knew that after her madam met someone stealthily that day, she took her to the manor outside the city. After arriving there, her madam told her that she wanted to pretend to be pregnant and a child should be brought to herter. At that time, she was quite shocked and almost fainted. How could one do the thing of taking a stranger as a family¡¯s offspring?

    But she couldn¡¯t hold her stance when facing Madam Ming¡¯s persuasion. Madam Ming said that Ning Zu¡¯an had disappointed her. At that time, Madam Ling had been brought to the mansion, showing that she was closely allied in opinion and feelings with Ning Zu¡¯an in every aspect, as if Madam Ming was the one who made them break up. She always found fault in Madam Ming, but Ning Zu¡¯an didn¡¯t even ask about it. Sometimes, he even directly said that he stood in line with Madam Ling.

    Therefore, the matter was settled in this way. As for the pregnant woman who was raised in the back of the manor, Madam Ming asked Mother Han to pay more attention to her, just saying that this was one of her old friends and her husband was a nobleman from the previous dynasty, but now it was not convenient for her to show up in public. As a weak woman, she could not take her child with her during wartime, so she agreed to leave the child to her.

    That was what Madam Ming had said, but Mother Han was still worried and visited the woman secretly. At first nce, she knew that the two people waiting on her outside were from a great family because they treated people very politely, but she never saw the madam, who seemed to have been nourishing her fetus in poor health.

    Later, the child was born and sent directly to Madam Ming, who then returned the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    ¡°Mistress, my madam said to me again and again that I should never leak the information of this matter. Mistress, you are from a noble family of the previous dynasty, but I don¡¯t know if your biological parents still have any enemies now. If your identity is found, you might fall into a deadly situation.¡±

    ¡°So I have been keeping the madam¡¯s words in mind. Even when you asked me, I dare not disclose a bit of it,¡± Mother Han said as she wiped away his tears.

    ¡°Where did those, those people goter?¡± Ning Xueyan had already known that Mother Han probably didn¡¯t know the whole of the inside story; otherwise, she would have been so surprised after hearing what she had said and would not have been just sad.

    ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure. When we returned to the mansion, I had lots of things to face, but I couldn¡¯t let the marquis know about this. I just exined the premature birth of the madam. After all this was done, I went to the manor secretly again, but the people there told me that those few people had left a long time ago.¡±

    Mother Han wiped away her tears and recalled.

    She thought that the thing was over at the time. The leaving of those people was the best result; otherwise, if Ning Zu¡¯an found it out, it would be a disaster.

    ¡°So many years have passed. Haven¡¯t you collected any information about them?¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s heart suddenly became cold, and a faint wry smile appeared on her lips, but she didn¡¯t know what she was expecting.

    ¡°No. I even worked out a secret n, asking the manor keeper to keep an eye on it. I told him that if he saw those few people again, he muste and tell me, but no news came to me after so many years passed,¡± Mother Han shook her head and said with slight guilt. She was really worried that the matter of her madam and her miss would be found, so she had been watching that ce.

    ¡°Did my mother leave... anything... like a keepsake?¡± Ning Xueyan looked at Mother Han with her very deep eyes, where there was some sadness that could not be hidden.

    ¡°Yes... yes, mistress, wait. Let me bring it to you.¡± Mother Han stood up, wiped away her tears, and walked out.

    After a while, she came in from outside, closed the door again, and took out a small sachet from her chest.

    She looked at Ning Xueyan solemnly and said, ¡°Mistress, the madam said that if you¡¯ve learned your family background and known you are not her biological daughter... I should, should give this to you. I haven¡¯t checked out what is inside, so I don¡¯t know what it is.¡±

    The sachet was sealed. The silk thread outside of the sealed opening was very old. Ning Xueyan loosened it and saw that the inner part was rtively new and had a much brighter color. Seeing these traces, she knew that what Mother Han said was true.

    After all, what happened back then had connections with too many things. If it was not handled properly, it was likely to cause a disaster, so it was excusable for Madam Ming not to have told Mother Han the whole story.

    ¡°Mother Han, you may go back now. I want to be quiet for a while.¡± Holding this half-opened sachet, Ning Xueyan stopped opening it and bit her lips, feeling excited and sad, but she couldn¡¯t tell what exactly it was. She just felt the difort and bitterness in her nose.

    Now she was sure that she was the daughter of the empress of the previous dynasty. Who could have imagined that after turns and twists happened, she was still the daughter of the empress of the previous dynasty, even had a rtionship with the previous dynasty, and she and Ning Ziying were even biological sisters?

    ¡°Mistress, then I¡¯m leaving now. Please take a good rest. No matter what, you must remember that the madam always loved you most.¡± Mother Han¡¯s eyes were red again, and she went back to her memory: Her madam brought her mistress up from such a little child; for her good, her madam even directly epted the usation of having an affair with someone without arguing with Madam Ling, which led to her giving up of the official wife¡¯s position.

    If it weren¡¯t for her little mistress, her madam would have defended herself and would not have refused her eldest brother¡¯s wish to help her out. But she chose to give up because she was worried that if this matter was further investigated, it might get something involved and expose the thing she had done earlier, so she bore all the suffering alone.

    Mother Han thought that her little mistress could grow up safe and sound only with such protection, but no one expected Madam Ling and her daughter to be so vicious. Whenever they had a chance, they wanted to kill her little mistress. If her madam had not tried her best to protect her, she might have died a long time ago. Remembering the sadness, Mother Han couldn¡¯t control herself, but she was afraid that this would affect Ning Xueyan¡¯s mood, so she turned and left.

    The sachet was not big. No matter how slowly Ning Xueyan went to open it, she finally opened it. The sachet was delicate. As for the embroidery method, her mother had rted it to her in the regions south of the Yangtze River. It was the one that was popr in the pce of the previous dynasty. Since the empress liked it, it became fashionable at that time, but the fire in the pce burned many buildings and also killed lots of embroidery women.

    Nowadays, not many people knew this embroidery method, but her mother happened to be one of them. Ning Ziying knew a little of it, but her skill was not refined. The sachet was the sample that her mother used to teach Ning Ziying to learn embroidery methods. At that time, she embroidered a simr one, the one in Hua Yunheng¡¯s hands.

    It looked almost the same as this one, but it was too rough to match this one. She could only find a trace of faint simrity from this one.

    ¡°Wait, simrity!¡±

    Ning Xueyan was stunned. That sachet, which Hua Yunheng asked for and took away, was the same as the one in her hands, the one her mother had given her as a sample. At that time, Hua Yunheng was still living in her home, but he was indifferent to her when he just came.

    Later, she gave him a sachet. It seemed that from that time on, Hua Yunheng began to treat her more and more nicely, not the one looking at her coldly with somewhat disdain and indifference anymore. Then she treated him as her biological brother, and her rtionship with him became better and better.

    But now there was a chill in her heart, and a sharp look appeared and vanished in her eyes. It was not that she wanted to think like this, but that she had to think about a few things like this.

    It turned out that the Hua Family guessed her identity, the princess of the previous dynasty, first before deciding whether to get betrothed with her or not.

    In fact, Hua Yunheng¡¯s so-called deep love was just a joke. She remembered that when she left him at the time, she was just 8, and he was only about 12. Would he keep missing that little girl?

    The so-called previous engagement might just be a verbal agreement. Later, the Hua Family discarded the engagement for unknown reasons. As a matter of fact, Hua Yunheng and the Hua Family had been plotting against her and Ning Manor.

    Sure enough, the deep love and the deep meaning were just a joke. Even the repetitively mentioned matter of going to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor for worship was just a drama of deep affection. Maybe the drama was performed for her to watch or some right people in the eyes of Hua Yunheng. The person had died, so he could say anything he wanted because no one would object.

    What people saw was the affectionate childe who remained faithful unto the end, but no one would expect that this was just a show for everyone to watch.

    But this was fine. At least, she saw the past more clearly. Then, the bitterness on her lips turned into a fierce taunt. As she pulled hard, the sachet was opened. She suddenly opened her eyes wide, seeing an extremely familiar essory.

 Chapter 578 - The Third Daughter of Chief Hua of the Imperial Academy

    <h4>Chapter 578 The Third Daughter of Chief Hua of the Imperial Academy</h4>

    An eardrop!

    A jade eardrop with rubies at the bottom!

    The phoenix pattern on the eardrop with a golden hook could be seen clearly!

    The pattern on this one looked clearer than that on the one she got from Mother Wang, and there were no other traces on this one. Now it was lying quietly in the sachet.

    It really was that eardrop.

    Now they were a pair in her hands, looking exactly the same.

    This meant that what Wen Xueran said was right. She and Ning Ziying really were biological sisters, with the same mark and eardrops as well as two adoptive mothers who concealed their family backgrounds...

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s room was quiet for a long time. Mother Han waited outside her room in fear, and Lanning and Qingyu also waited outside. After a long while, they heard a peaceful voice from the room, ¡°Qingyu.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± Qingyu walked in hurriedly when she heard Ning Xueyan¡¯s call.

    In the room, Ning Xueyan sat peacefully with a natural expression. Although her mistress was still a little pale, she was usually like this, so Qingyu was relieved secretly.

    ¡°Go and ask Eunuch Ling, if I want to treat others to dinner, are there any families I must invite?¡± Ning Xueyan said lightly.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m going to ask right now.¡± Qingyu knew that her mistress did this for the banquet, so she nodded and replied, ready to leave. When Mother Han came out with red eyes, she and Lanning were startled, wishing to go in and take a look, but she asked them not to and said that they should stay outside with her.

    Seeing Mother Han¡¯s look, she knew something was wrong. Now when she found her mistress was the same as usual, she was finally relieved.

    ¡°Ask Lanning toe in.¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s voice came from behind.

    ¡°Okay, I see.¡±

    Ning Xueyan was now calm again, but a chill appeared and vanished in her eyes. No matter what happened in the past, that was just her life experience. She would investigate a few things bit by bit, but she had no interest in serving as others¡¯ stepping-stone.

    So many people plotted against her in her previous life, but she knew nothing about that, so she ended up in that situation. Although some people still wanted to plot against her in this life, she was no longer the one she had been.

    No one should want to plot against her!

    When Lanning came in, she especially brought Ning Xueyan a cup of tea, then she put the teacup in front of her, and observed herplexion before she was also relieved. She observed a little more carefully than Qingyu and found that the look of her mistress was sharp, which meant that she had made her decision.

    Lanning admired her mistress so much. Since she served as her servant, her mistress had been advancing gradually and entrenching herself at every step until today. Since she had witnessed the whole process, she even more believed and admired her mistress. No matter what Mother Han had said to her mistress, her mistress must have made her decision, so she just needed to stand on the side of her mistress wholeheartedly.

    ¡°Lanning, go to the Bright Mind Garden in a while. Say I will hold a flower-admiring banquet, and ask if Princess Xun has anything to instruct me.¡± Ning Xueyan picked up the teacup and took a sip, looking indifferent. Although Commandery Princess Xianyun was now forbidden to leave her ce by Ao Chenyi, the princess¡¯s position of Ning Xueyan was not as justifiable as hers on the surface, so it was normal to notice her.

    Besides, Yun Luoluo was also in the mansion. Although Yun Luoluo came to stay in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor with the excuse of serving Commandery Princess Xianyun, she was a guest anyway. Thus, Ning Xueyan had to invite her.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m going there right now.¡± Lanning nodded. Although the flower-admiring banquet was not to be held tomorrow, giving notice was a way to show enough courtesy. Even if others wanted to pick holes in courtesyter, they would not be able to get anything.

    ¡°Mistress, we might as well invite Mother Ruan toe here. She knows best about this backyard.¡± Lanning suggested after taking a few steps away.

    ¡°Okay. Invite Mother Ran toe here. I have something to tell her.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded and looked at Lanning with appreciation because she also had this idea. Mother Ruan was the confidant of Ao Chenyi, and she had been in charge of the backyard for so many years and knew quite well about the backyard of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. If something unusual happened in this period, she really needed Mother Ruan to give her notice.

    After all, she had just married into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor and was not very clear about many things. With Mother Ruan helping her watch the backyard, the effect would be much more obvious.

    This was the first time she had held the flower-admiring feast. Many people were watching her, even including some of those in the pce. Naturally, she had to be more careful.

    Qingyu returned after a short time, with a few words of Eunuch Ling.

    ¡°An invitation must be sent to the home of Chief Hua of the Imperial Academy. If the prince treats guests to dinner, he is sure to invite Chief Hua.¡±

    ¡°Chief Hua of the Imperial Academy?¡± Ning Xueyan pondered the name and felt that it was a bit familiar. If she remembered right, the fianc¨¦e of Ao Chenyi, the woman who didn¡¯t marry him, was the daughter of the Hua Family. So many years after that, Ao Chenyi remained single just because of this reason. It was said that Chief Hua usually kept quite a low profile.

    ¡°Miss, Eunuch Ling means that most of those are to be invited to the flower-admiring banquet are surely youngdies, and you need to take care of the third daughter of Chief Hua of the Imperial Academy. In the past, it was his second daughter who was betrothed to the prince,¡± Qingyu said unhappily. No doubt, no matter who heard that her mistress had to take care of the younger sister of the prince¡¯s previous fianc¨¦e, she would be unhappy.

    ¡°Is this what Eunuch Ling emphasized?¡± Ning Xueyan frowned slightly as her eyes glistened.

    ¡°Yes, Eunuch Ling said that it has been done this way in the past years, so he especially told you this, afraid that you might neglect it,¡± Qingyu said with a straight face, for she really didn¡¯t like this proposal.

    ¡°Ask Mother Han to inquire about the third daughter of Chief Hua and see what kind of person she is. Just ask about it in the mansion.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded, and her watery eyes brightened. Thedy was betrothed but didn¡¯t marry her fianc¨¦, but the general housekeeper of Prince¡¯s Yi Manor bore the younger sister of Ao Chenyi¡¯s ex-fianc¨¦e in mind, which meant that this was really unusual.

    In the beginning, she didn¡¯t mind the previous engagement of Ao Chenyi. After all, the youngdy was said to have died of disease before getting on the bridal sedan chair. Truly, she was destined not to marry him! After that, Ao Chenyi used it as an excuse to dodge marriage, only because he was unwilling to let the emperor directly meddle in all his affairs. Therefore, people outside spread the rumor that Ao Chenyi loved this youngdy so much that he remained single for so many years.

    But Ning Xueyan now knew best about the real nature of Ao Chenyi!

    If he had truly fallen in love with that youngdy, he would have married her memorial tablet, and the princess¡¯s position would have surely been her. On the one hand, this would stop the emperor from naming a princess for him; on the other hand, he would be able to leave a ce for thedy in his heart. With a crazy disposition, he could absolutely do such a thing.

    Therefore, there was no reason for Ao Chenyi to continue to take care of the daughter of Chief Hua, but how did Eunuch Ling know about the Third Young Lady? Besides, his tone sounded very warm toward her. In other words, the Third Daughter of the Hua Family should have even been in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor more than once.

    The death of the second daughter of the Hua Family was actually the end of her engagement with Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Then, why did the Third Young Lady Huae to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor? After savoring it a few times, Ning Xueyan found some other meanings.

    Bright Mind Garden

    ¡°What? Your princess is going to hold a flower-admiring banquet?¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s face was not only cold but also faintly hideous. In her opinion, she was the princess of Prince Yi, so only she could hold the flower-admiring banquet in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. However, it was Ning Xueyan who was now in charge of the event, so how could she not have hatred or get angry? Only by refraining herself so hard did she not forget her manners at the scene.

    ¡°Yes, our princess is going to hold a flower-admiring banquet. We also want Second Young Lady Yun to attend it,¡± Lanning said calmly.

    ¡°I see!¡± These words almost came out of the slit between her teeth. She didn¡¯t expect that her calction finally benefited Ning Xueyan. Remembering this, Commandery Princess Xianyun gritted her teeth with so much hatred and had a freezing look in her eyes.

    Pretending not to see her furious look, Lanning bowed respectfully and then left.

    Ao Chenyi¡¯s favored concubine was dead, and she was the one who had done the life-and-death struggle with the favored concubine. As a result, Ning Xueyan got profits, so how could she be willing to remain silent? She should have benefited from it. Even if Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t die, she should be hated by Ao Chenyi for a lifetime and never win his favor.

    No, she should never let Ning Xueyan hold the banquet peacefully, giving people an impression that Ning Xueyan was the most official mistress of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. But in fact, Ning Xueyan was just a consort. She was the mistress of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor! How could Ning Xueyan take away her honor and dignity?

    Ning Xueyan should never think about taking away the most official princess¡¯s position she held!

    ¡°Qiu Huan, go to Second Young Lady, and say I have something to tell her.¡± Yun Luoluo was quite at odds with her now. It was diamond cut diamond when the two stayed together, and each time they parted unhappily, so Yun Luoluo usually stayed in her room.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m going now.¡± Qiu Huan nodded. Not daring to trifle with it, she walked out hurriedly.

    After a while, Yun Luoluo walked into the room of Commandery Princess Xianyun with unwillingness and an acrid smile and said, ¡°Oh, what¡¯s the matter with my eldest sister today? Why should my eldest sister want to see me? Didn¡¯t you say that you don¡¯t want to see my face again!¡±

    As soon as she came in, Yun Luoluo began her ridicule. Commandery Princess Xianyun almost couldn¡¯t suppress her anger, but she still tried to suppress it. This was an idiot, and she shouldn¡¯t bother about her in case she lost her dignity.

    ¡°Luoluo, what happened in the past was my fault. In the current situation, no matter how much you hate me, what can you do? The result is this. We might as well think carefully about how to get you out of trouble. Anyway, my situation is just like this. This is Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, and I am the princess of Prince Yi. He can¡¯t do anything to me!¡±

    Commandery Princess Xianyun put somewhat loneliness and sadness on her face, sighed, and even had a bitter smile on her lips.

    Yun Luoluo was taken aback and didn¡¯t know what was going on at the moment.

    ¡°Second sister, sit down. I have a n. Maybe it can help you out of trouble, but I don¡¯t know whether it will work or not. Even if it doesn¡¯t work, it doesn¡¯t matter. You just let me take the me. Anyway, I am your elder sister. You just take this as my apology to you this time.¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun spoke more and more sincerely and looked up at Yun Luoluo with her tearful eyes, where there was only sadness.

    ¡°Eldest Sister...¡± Although she still showed a little vignce on her face, Yun Luoluo had rxed her expression and sat down slowly.

 Chapter 579 - Infuriated, and Feilian Asked to Send Buddhist Sutra Copies

    <h4>Chapter 579 Infuriated, and Feilian Asked to Send Buddhist Sutra Copies</h4>

    ¡°What? Ning Xueyan is even to hold a flower-admiring banquet! She has officially be the princess of Prince Yi?¡± In the Foggy Courtyard of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, the dark-faced Ning Qingshan could not remain seated anymore and turned around a few times on the spot.

    ¡°Yes, this is what I heard. Fifth Young Lady is so lucky and has even be the princess of Prince Yi,¡± Mammy Luo sighed. In her opinion, her miss was the best, but why did the Fifth Young Lady be the princess of Prince Yi before her mistress became a princess?

    ¡°No, I never allow Ning Xueyan to be so easily approved by others as the princess of Prince Yi.¡± Ning Qingshan stopped turning and said hatefully.

    ¡°Miss, that is Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. You still want to meddle in!¡± Mammy Luo was worried. No matter how capable her miss was, she should not meddle in the affairs of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. If Prince Yi was offended, it might cause other problems. That was not worth it. Now her miss¡¯s situation was no longer that good in the mansion.

    ¡°Has anyone recentlye from that side, Mammy Luo?¡± Ning Qingshan asked with a sullen expression.

    Mammy Luo knew what she was asking about and said with a wry smile, ¡°Miss, that side is really not reliable. Since they affirmed your identity 3 years ago, they have been good to you. Sometimes they would even deal with a few things for you, but they seem to have be more and more indifferent to you recently. Previously, they came to visit you once half a month, but now they haven¡¯t shown up for a long time.¡±

    The appearance of these people was unexpected. They suddenly appeared, suddenly told her miss her family background, and even fully exined the family background Honored Consort Ya had told her miss earlier. They imed that the reason why they appeared in Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s mansion and affirmed that she was the granddaughter of Grand Tutor Ya was that they reced Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s biological granddaughter with someone secretly, in order to provide her miss with a safe and suitable identity.

    But things changedter. After Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s son died in the battle, her miss was sent to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor by Grand Tutor Ya with a smart strategy, so her miss became the daughter of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    For Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Ning Qingshan was the daughter of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    For Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor, she was the biological daughter of Grand Tutor Ya.

    In the eyes of those people, she was the noblest Great Elder Princess of the previous dynasty.

    But why did these people treat her miss more and more indifferently now? Previously, all parties curried favor with her miss so much, didn¡¯t they? The woman in white who kepting here even said many times that the identity of her miss was exceptionally noble and she was likely to be the one who was inferior to one but superior to all others.

    The great and wonderful country belonged to her miss¡¯s family in the past. Although the new dynasty had now reced the old one, it was still the property of her miss¡¯s family. When her miss had be the empress and her child had been chosen as the heir, she would have taken the country back, to some extent. But why were things like this now?

    ¡°Can we ask her toe here?¡± Ning Qingshan gritted her teeth and said. Now her situation was really not good. After Ning Yuling¡¯s incident, Madam Dowager locked her up even without asking anything or giving a reason. She prepared lots of exnations, but she didn¡¯t see Madam Dowager, so she had no chance to exin.

    Fortunately, she showed her kindness repetitively to Ning Lingyun after that, so Concubine Xu, who helped Madam Dowager manage the family affairs, did not treat her so severely. Except that she could not leave her ce, the others in the Foggy Courtyard could go outside.

    ¡°Miss, I¡¯m afraid we can¡¯t. When she was invited and camest time, she was very unhappy,¡± Mammy Luo said with a dilemma. Previously, she always thought that as long as her miss was alive, those people would listen to her miss no matter what they wanted, but now the situation seemed to be far from what her miss thought.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mammy Luo. They won¡¯t give me up. They spent such great mental and physical efforts to find me, never for the sake of helping me deal with a few unimportant people.¡± Ning Qingshan bit her teeth. No matter what, she didn¡¯t believe that those people were going to discard her. Maybe they did this just for the aim of better achieving their goal.

    Since this way didn¡¯t work, she should think of another one. Anyway, there was more than one way. No matter what, she must attend Ning Xueyan¡¯s banquet. She took a deep breath, walked to the window, and took a look. All the people in the mansion now knew that the people in the Foggy Courtyard were forbidden to leave their ce by Madam Dowager, so no outsiders visited the courtyard. Then, it had be deste.

    Ning Qingshan¡¯s eyes fell on Feilian under the corridor. Feilian and Feiyue were given to Ning Qingshan by Madam Dowager. Although she had brought them under her control and Feiyue had died for her, Ning Qingshan always didn¡¯t trust Feilian that much and tried not to let her know about many things. Of course, Feilian would be her cannon fodder when necessary.

    ¡°Mammy Luo. Ask Feilian to send the pieces of Buddhist sutra I copied during these few days to Madam Dowager, and say that I made these copies to pray for Madam Dowager, but I am afraid my copies are not good, so I want Madam Dowager to take a look. If anywhere is not good, she must ask Madam Dowager to point it out and correct it. If I go to Third Prince¡¯s Manor in the future, I will make a few more copies for her.¡±

    Ning Qingshan¡¯s eyes glistened, having an eerily sharp look.

    Mammy Luo was startled and said, ¡°Miss, you, you can¡¯t say that! If you say so, Madam Dowager will think you use Third Prince to threaten her. She will be angrier.¡±

    If these words were spread, not only the maid who sent the message but also her miss would be punished.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter even if she is angry. I want to remind her that no matter what, I will marry into Third Prince¡¯s Manor. If she forbids me to go out like this and this news is spread, I will lose face, and so will Third Prince. She still wants to curry favor with Third Prince, doesn¡¯t she? If Third Prince learns this, let me see how she can curry favor.¡±

    Ning Qingshan gritted her teeth and spoke coldly. What a damn old woman! On the one hand, she curried favor with Prince Yi; on the other hand, she went to fawn on Third Prince. She bet on both sides, but she didn¡¯t dare to offend either of them. More importantly, this was the family¡¯s skeleton in the closet, which could not be spread to the outside. This damn old woman should know that clearly.

    Therefore, even if she was angry and even beat Feilian up, she was sure to know that if Ning Xueyan¡¯s elder sister didn¡¯t attend Ning Xueyan¡¯s banquet, the elder sister would not be the only one to lose face. Then, it was quite worth it for the elder sister to send a maid to her door to get beaten up in exchange for her freedom.

    ¡°But Madam Dowager will treat you...¡± Mammy Luo was more worried after hearing her words.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. You may go to Aunt Wu in a while and tell her my situation, asking her to tell my cousin, the Third Prince. Give me a sketch map of the inner courtyard of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, and ask my cousin¡¯s eunuch to wait for me at the Chuihua Gate in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor on the day of admiring the flowers.¡±

    Ning Qingshan spoke insidiously, with a little fierceness in her eyes. She must weed off Xia Yudong. If he was weeded off, no matter how Ning Yuling¡¯s case was investigated, she would not be found having connections with it. If she sent the message to the Third Prince, not only could she ask him to save her, but also borrow guards from him to kill Xia Yudong.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m going out in a while.¡± Mammy Luo nodded. She believed that with the help of Concubine Xu, it was not difficult for her to go outside.

    Feilian was summoned toe in, but she went out pale-faced because she had to be the messenger. As early as the time Feiyue died, she had learned Ning Qingshan¡¯s viciousness, but she had to send the message. If she didn¡¯t, she would die the way she didn¡¯t know.

    Hearing Ning Qingshan¡¯s words brought by her, Madam Dowager did go furious, especially when she found that the messenger was even the maid she gave Ning Qingshan. Instantly, she asked people to punish Feilian with heavy sticks, but as Ning Qingshan had expected, Madam Dowager calmed down after venting her anger.

    She asked someone to inform Ning Qingshan, saying that the Buddhist sutra copies were good and she was freed. Besides, she also told her that Ning Xueyan was going to hold a banquet soon, and she should be prudent in words and action.

    Of course, Ning Qingshan agreed with great joy. After that, Mammy Luo went outside, but she didn¡¯t notice that an older female servant was after her.

    Since Fifth Young Lady was not in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor anymore, there were no other important female mistresses but Madam Dowager in the mansion. Especially this time, Madam Dowager did as her miss had expected. Therefore, Mammy Luo was quite relieved and didn¡¯t go here and there for safety¡¯s concern, but went straight to Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor.

    Thedy Wu Yao lived next to Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s house...

    When receiving the message in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, Ning Xueyan had just finished lunch. The messenger was sent here by Concubine Xu secretly. Of course, the messenger clearly saw that Mammy Luo didn¡¯t enter Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s house but the little house next to it. It was said that one of Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor¡¯s rtives lived in it, and the rtive was a widow.

    This was all the information Concubine Xu had collected. Of course, she had betrayed all of it to Ning Xueyan. Indeed, this was a way to win thetter¡¯s favor.

    ¡°You tell the older female servant I thank Concubine Xu for the information and hope she can tell me more of the information she gets in the future. I will invite so many people to my banquet this time. Since this is the first time I have held the flower-admiring banquet in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, a few noble young men anddies will be here. As for my Fourth Sister, she will have to be more cautious, trying not to go to ces where there are few people.¡±

    Ning Xueyan put down the book in her hand and spoke casually. Now she was going to sleep and had taken off her outer garment, so she didn¡¯t go straight to meet Concubine Xu¡¯s messenger.

    ¡°Okay, I see.¡± Surely, Lanning knew what Ning Xueyan meant: She asked Ning Lingyun to be more careful. After all, now she was betrothed to Third Prince. If any rumors flew around, not only she but also Ning Xueyan would lose face.

    ¡°But Third Young Lady will be here too. Mistress, do I need to ask someone to keep watching her?¡± Lanning asked worriedly. Earlier, the older female servant sent by Concubine Xu told her that the Third Young Lady had been freed¡ªMadam Dowager red up but had to free her, which meant that she allowed her to attend her mistress¡¯s banquet.

    Different from the Fourth Young Lady, the Third Young Lady had quite a scheming heart.

    ¡°No need. This is Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Even if Ning Qingshan wants to make waves here, she is not so capable.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled coldly and had a little ridicule in her eyes. Ning Qingshan was sure toe out. No doubt, she would not lose the chance to disgrace her. If so, it happened that not only she had this idea!

    Ning Xueyan was really not afraid of losing face!

    Yun Luoluo had apologized to her yesterday! Since Yun Luoluo, who always looked down upon her, coulde to apologize to her, this showed that Commandery Princess Xianyun had made enough efforts!

 Chapter 580 - The Fallen Handkerchief

    <h4>Chapter 580 The Fallen Handkerchief</h4>

    Sure enough, Yun Luoluo got the timing right¡ªshe waited until Ning Xueyan woke up from her afternoon nap toe over.

    She brought only a maid with her. Yesterday, she had formally apologized to Ning Xueyan with the excuse of being deceived and even indignantly expressed that her sister had gone too far this time. Thus, she was able to visit today without any burden.

    Since Yun Luoluo was a guest at Prince Yi¡¯s Manor and they had also agreed to put the past behind them, Ning Xueyan had to respect her. After receiving her master¡¯s order, Lanning invited Yun Luoluo in with a bright smile.

    ¡°Princess Ning, I hope you won¡¯t find me a nuisance for visiting you again!¡± Yun Luoluo saw Ning Xueyan the moment she entered and her face was immediately full of smiles.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s room was so well-decorated that even an experienced person like Yun Luoluo couldn¡¯t help being envious after seeing the decorations inside. Her elder sister¡¯s room was so simple that it couldn¡¯t bepared to this ce at all. Even the decorations in the Great Wisdom Garden were notably inferior to the ones here. It seemed that her sister had truly angered Prince Yi this time, resulting in him making greatpensations to Ning Xueyan.

    What envy-inducing luck! How could Ning Xueyan be so fortunate? Prince Yi¡¯s favored concubine was dead, yet herpensation was left in Ning Xueyan¡¯s hands.

    Everything came down to luck! How nice would it be if this luck was hers?

    ¡°You¡¯re too polite, Young Lady Yun. How could you be a nuisance when you¡¯re such a rare guest?¡± Ning Xueyan went along with Yun Luoluo¡¯s words politely while indicating Lanning to prepare a seat for her guest.

    ¡°Princess Ning, the decorations in your room are so pretty. They¡¯re from the pce, aren¡¯t they? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen them even in the Empress¡¯ pce.¡± Yun Luoluo shook the circr fan in her hand with a wholehearted smile, sounding like a cultured young woman.

    ¡°I heard that these decorations have gone out of style, but they¡¯re from the pce, after all. The Prince said that they might as well be put to use here rather than staying in the storeroom. The Empress wouldn¡¯t be using such old-fashioned decorations,¡± Ning Xueyan replied calmly with a smile.

    As expected, these decorations were only given to Ning Xueyan because they were out of style! All that glitters was not gold. It seemed that her sister was right. Ning Xueyan was only glorious thanks to the luck of that unnamed favored concubine. That woman¡¯s death had unexpectedly blessed Ning Xueyan instead.

    Ning Xueyan was still nothing to the Prince!

    These old and unwanted decorations were dumped on the Pear Flower Garden. Fortunately, they were quite pretty, or Ning Xueyan would be humiliated. Yun Luoluo curled her lip in the dark, though she didn¡¯t show her disdain on her face. She continued to be polite to Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°What are you saying? The Prince treats you so well. Why would he leave secondhand decorations that couldn¡¯t be kept in the storeroom to you? There must have been a misunderstanding, Princess Ning.¡±

    She sounded like she was praising Ning Xueyan but her words brought no actual joy. The well-educated Ning Xueyan pretended not to notice the innuendo and showed no embarrassment on her face. She maintained her smile as if she didn¡¯t hear the mockery in Yun Luoluo¡¯s words.

    This made Yun Luoluo look down on her even more. How could such a stupid woman be so lucky?

    ¡°Princess Ning, the weather is pretty nice today. Why don¡¯t we go on a walk?¡± Yun Luoluo suggested.

    ¡°Sure.¡± Ning Xueyan stood up with a smile. Taking Xinmei with her, she followed Yun Luoluo to the courtyard. She was about to throw a flower-viewing banquet and it so happened that she hadn¡¯t been able to visit a few parts of the courtyard. She could take this chance to visit them. Of course, she was curious to see what was up Yun Luoluo¡¯s sleeve.

    The two of them chatted about insignificant things as they walked.

    Yun Luoluo was half a step faster, so Ning Xueyan was inadvertently following her pace. They didn¡¯t have a destination in mind, so Ning Xueyan paid no attention to it. Besides, Ning Xueyan¡¯s expression made it look like she hadn¡¯t noticed anything.

    Somehow, the two of them ended up arriving in front of the Moon-embracing Tower. Yun Luoluo stopped walking and looked up at the tower that was much taller than other buildings in the manor. ¡°Princess Ning, is this Prince Yi¡¯s Moon-embracing Tower? It¡¯s so tall.¡±

    Ao Chenyi¡¯s Moon-embracing Tower was located in the inner courtyard. As the only male master of the manor, it was only normal for him to have a private courtyard here.

    ¡°This tower is indeed the tallest building in the manor. It looks much taller than other buildings,¡± Ning Xueyan replied softly, looking up as well.

    A thought came to Yun Luoluo, prompting her to ask, ¡°You haven¡¯t gone in before, Princess Ning?¡±

    ¡°Not the top floor. I¡¯ve entered the ground floor when receiving the Prince¡¯s message.¡± Ning Xueyan lowered her head and appeared somewhat awkward when saying this. Any woman would feel humiliated if she was treated like an outsider by her husband, forbidden from visiting the top floor.

    Her sister was spot-on, Yun Luoluo thought. Ning Xueyan wasn¡¯t favored at all. Looking at the woman who looked so frail that she would copse from the slightest breeze, Yun Luoluo was increasingly certain that she wouldn¡¯t bear any heirs. Besides, her elder sister also said that Ning Xueyan had been poisoned by her stepmother while she was still in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    No one knew if she could even give birth.

    Yun Luoluo¡¯s confidence immediately swelled. She was about to say something when the gate of the Moon-embracing Tower opened, revealing a group of people. The extraordinarily handsome young man right in the middle was none other than Prince Yi.

    In the past, Yun Luoluo was so terrified of Prince Yi that she wouldn¡¯t dare to take more than one look at him. The Prince had such a strong murderous aura that she would feel frightened looking at him even from a distance. His long, narrow, almond-shaped eyes would invoke a chill in everyone who looked into them. Thus, she never gave his face a good look.

    Today, however, she deliberately paid attention to his appearance. Prince Yi¡¯s eyes were cold and sharp, but even so, he was still as handsome as a god. Moreover, he didn¡¯t look as murderous and sinister as usual at this moment. Even the usual bloodthirstiness and gloominess that graced his expression were gone.

    At this moment, Prince Yi was so handsome that Yun Luoluo¡¯s heart skipped several beats. She became filled with excitement. She stared so hard that she fell into a daze. To think that Prince Yi would look so beautifully cold! Compared to Wen Xueran¡¯s devastating beauty and elegance, Prince Yi was even better at making her heart race.

    She had never noticed that Prince Yi would be so handsome. For a moment, she forgot the propriety between men and women and stared nkly as Ao Chenyi walked over to them. When she saw him giving her a cold stare, she immediately shivered and lowered her head, not daring to look into his cold and enchanting eyes.

    Still, her heart was thumping wildly. She felt as if she had discovered a big secret that was only known to her. Prince Yi was gorgeous, and yet no one in the capital ever mentioned his looks. It was a great pity, but all the better because it meant that no one dared to covet him.

    She pinched her circr fan with her head lowered. Her cheeks were flushed with a faint pink.

    This was an once-in-a-lifetime chance to leave a deep impression on Prince Yi¡¯s mind. She didn¡¯t want to lose it.

    Ao Chenyi gave Yun Luoluo an impatient look. As a vicious glint shed in his beautiful eyes, he strode toward Ning Xueyan without giving Yun Luoluo any attention. Only when he reached Ning Xueyan that his expression eased, though he still spoke in a slightly admonitory tone. ¡°It gets hot in the courtyard at noon. If you wanted to take a walk, you should¡¯ve chosen to do it in the morning.¡±

    ¡°Second Young Lady Yun is a rare guest, after all. I wanted to check out the courtyard to decorate it anyway, so I came out with her. I just didn¡¯t think that we¡¯d end up in your ce,¡± Ning Xueyan said, smiling.

    Yun Luoluo immediately took the chance to join the conversation. Standing next to Prince Yi, she bowed at him and said softly, ¡°Greetings, Your Highness. I¡¯m Yun Luoluo.¡±

    Ao Chenyi finally bothered to look at her. Her bashful and timid expression disgusted him, so he ignored her. ¡°Mother Ruan is almost done with her preparation for the courtyard. You can take a lookter. If something isn¡¯t to your liking, you can just tell her. You don¡¯t have toe out on your own.¡±

    He waspletely disregarding Yun Luoluo. It was obvious that he didn¡¯t n on paying her any attention.

    Yun Luoluo looked embarrassed. She raised her head and shot Ning Xueyan a sidelong re. Prince Yi must have found it awkward to express anything because of this woman¡¯s presence. Had she known earlier that she would run into Prince Yi, she would have nevere with Ning Xueyan.

    If Prince Yi wasn¡¯t around, she would have borrowed Ning Xueyan¡¯s power to enter and tour the Moon-embracing Tower. That was her reason for looking for Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll return now.¡± Ning Xueyan looked gentle and deferential.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be having dinner at your ce tonight. Prepare a few of my favorite dishes.¡± Ao Chenyi nodded. He had been so busytely that it had been several days since he spent the night at the Pear Flower Garden. Of course, it wasn¡¯t just because he was busy. He was also following the physician¡¯s advice to leave Ning Xueyan alone until she was fifteen or her body might get hurt.

    But if he were just to look at her without being able to do anything intimate, his body would suffer as well!

    s! If he could only look at her without being able to do anything, he might as well not look at her.

    Even so, whenever he was free during the day, he would surely visit her. Sometimes he woulde early in the morning, sometimes at noon, sometimes in the evening. He would even drop by while she was taking a nap and leave after taking a look at her.

    ¡°I understand.¡± Ning Xueyan pretended to be a princess who observed proper etiquette and saluted him. But when she saw him winking repeatedly at her as if praising her good acting, she nearly broke character andughed out loud.

    She immediately lowered her head to conceal the mirth in her eyes before straightening her back. She turned around with a poker face, intending to leave with Yun Luoluo.

    However, Yun Luoluo refused to give up such a good chance. She deliberately took up the rear like a sweet and harmless girl, allowing her circr fan to fall to the ground. She pretended to panic when it happened. She nced at Ao Chenyi, who was looking at her coldly, with a pitiful expression before hastily picking up the fan.

    With red cheeks, she hurriedly walked away to catch up with Ning Xueyan.

    A small handkerchief was left in her standing ce. It was of a striking red color.

    Ao Chenyi frowned and his eyes turned cold. He indicated Eunuch Zhu to pick it up before leading his men to the outer courtyard.

    At the turn of the road, Yun Luoluo saw Eunuch Zhu picking up her handkerchief and a smug smile appeared on her face. It seemed that Prince Yi did have some feelings for her. That would make the rest of the matters easier...

 Chapter 581 - Lanning Isnâ€™t as Good at It as I Am

    <strong>Chapter 581 Lanning Isn¡¯t as Good at It as I Am</strong>

    It was still early when Ao Chenyi came over, but he must have stopped somewhere else for his face was covered in sweat. The first thing he did upon arriving was taking a quick bath and then changing into an ordinary home attire. Before marrying him, Ning Xueyan sewed several home attires for him and kept them in the Pear Flower Garden.

    He had been moving those attires to the Moon-embracing Tower, so there weren¡¯t many left here.

    Thus, aside from running her errands, Ning Xueyan had been sewing more attires for him. This was, of course, the part that made him the happiest.

    She was rather speechless as she watched him step out of the bathroom with his ck hair scattered over his shoulders. She put down her needle and thread, stood up, and grabbed the clean towel that Eunuch Zhu was handing her. After pulling Ao Chenyi toward the couch in front of the bed, she began to dry his hair.

    ¡°If Xianyun stirs up any more trouble, you can kill her.¡± He indicated Eunuch Zhu to throw the handkerchief to the floor. His thin lips were curved into a sinister smile.

    That was Yun Luoluo¡¯s handkerchief! Ning Xueyan noticed the handkerchief as well when she turned the corner and it went without saying that she saw Eunuch Zhu picking it up. An idea came to her, lighting up her beautiful watery eyes. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you keep it yourself? It smells so nice!¡±

    If she could smell it from such a distance, that could only mean that the handkerchief was heavily perfumed. She could even smell something familiar; it was a popr scent sold in her very own Yuyan Shop. She had requested Lanning to formte the scent and sold it at the highest price, too. It seemed that Yun Luoluo had poured an entire box of fragrant powder on the handkerchief.

    However, putting too much was as bad as not putting enough. The handkerchief was so heavily perfumed that what was supposed to be a light pleasant scent became suffocating.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you jealous?¡± Ao Chenyi askedzily, casting her a sidelong nce.

    ¡°Why would I be? I just think it¡¯s a great waste to use so much fragrant powder! She poured it all on the handkerchief. If she uses it a little every day, it could havested her an entire month. What a waste,¡± Ning Xueyan said regretfully. She put more force into wringing the towel so she could drain more water from Ao Chenyi¡¯s hair.

    Unfortunately, she was weak. Two wrings were enough to consume all of her energy. She nced at the man who was leaning against her with a satisfied expression and his eyes closed, somewhat speechless.

    Lately, whenever he took a bath at her ce, he would inexplicably make her dry his hair.

    Ning Xueyan had no choice but to say, ¡°Chenyi, I don¡¯t have any strength anymore!¡± She pouted where he couldn¡¯t see her.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not in a hurry.¡± He was songuid that he didn¡¯t even open his eyes; he looked like he was deeply enjoying this.

    Watching him look so satisfied and cozy that he didn¡¯t even feel like talking, a mischievous idea struck Ning Xueyan. Since he was sofortable, she would reduce that enjoyment for him. She would like to see if he would let her dry his hair in the future after her little trick.

    She loosened her grip and grabbed several strands of his hair in the towel, ready to pull it to the side. Suddenly, the demon with his eyes still closed saidzily, ¡°Don¡¯t hurt my scalp or the next time I help you...¡±

    The strength in her hand rxed. She continued to wipe his hair without betraying her emotion while nonchntly answering, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about my hair. Lanning will help me.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not as strong as I am!¡± Ao Chenyi insisted.

    ¡°Who needs your strength? You don¡¯t know how to serve a person at all yet you insist on drying my hair.¡± Ning Xueyan secretly gritted her teeth. Even though he only hurt her scalp the first time, he would make a mess of her hair every time since. When Lanning styled her hair afterward, she would alwaysin that her hair couldn¡¯t bebed well. It was quite annoying but this man found great pleasure in it.

    He said that he had to return the favor. Since she helped dry his hair, he would do the same as well. The problem was, he was the one requesting her to dry his hair.

    Ning Xueyan faked augh and blinked before saying earnestly, ¡°Heh. You don¡¯t have to go through the trouble. Let Lanning do it.¡±

    ¡°Lanning isn¡¯t as good at it as I am!¡± he insisted. He felt that this was his right and must not be stolen by other people.

    ¡°Good? Are you kidding me?¡± Ning Xueyan nearly scolded him out loud. Her hair might be dry by the end of it, but he would make it all tangled and messy.

    ¡°You still have room for improvement!¡± No matter how one looked at it, she seemed to be grinding her teeth while she smiled. Ao Chenyi¡¯s mood improved when he saw her looking like a kitten who was about to go crazy. He reached out to rub her head. ¡°Good girl. Don¡¯t act like you¡¯re a cat that has gone crazy. I¡¯ll be careful next time and won¡¯t mess up your long hair.¡±

    Ning Xueyan rolled her eyes at him. She would have to be pretty dumb to believe him. Every time he would promise not to repeat his blunder but he would continue to do the same thing. Don¡¯t be mad? That was her hair, not cat¡¯s fur!

    When another thought struck her, she decided to stop arguing with him on this topic; she had no way of winning against him anyway. She looked at the handkerchief on the floor and a sly look crossed her eyes. ¡°Do you want to marry Yun Luoluo too?¡±

    ¡°Who? Yun Luoluo? Please spare me!¡± Ao Chenyi firmly rejected the idea. He looked at her with a slight smile. ¡°Are you socking in jealousy that you want someone to provide you with some?¡±

    ¡°No, I mean Chief Hua¡¯s third daughter.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled and raised an eyebrow at him as if provoking him.

    She wouldn¡¯t have known if she didn¡¯t investigate Third Young Lady Hua. She learned that the unmarried Third Young Lady Hua was quite familiar with Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. The youngdy often visited the manor before her second sister¡¯s death and could be considered a frequent visitor. More importantly, she was only eight at that time and no one would expect her to observe the propriety between men and women.

    Since Prince Yi was about to marry her second sister at that time, they even prepared a courtyard for her to make it convenient for her to visit her sister in the future. Prince Yi¡¯s Manor had so many empty courtyards anyway that it wasn¡¯t a big deal to give her one.

    Things changed after Second Young Lady Hua died of illness and the engagement between both families was dropped. The matter was supposed to end there.

    However, Second Young Lady Hua would continue to visit the manor now and then. Everyone in the manor was familiar with her and even Senior Eunuch Zhu liked her adorableness. Seeing as Ao Chenyi didn¡¯t say anything, she would continue to stay in the manor asionally.

    This continued until she was about thirteen. She would continue to visit Senior Eunuch Zhu from time to time and even spend the asional night at the manor. It became so habitual that Ao Chenyi didn¡¯t pay it any mind, especially since she didn¡¯t appear in front of him. However, one day, she identally entered the Moon-embracing Tower and ran into Ao Chenyi inside. This enraged him so much that he banned her from the manor, citing propriety between men and women.

    That incident finally put the matter to rest. In the past, her nonchnt visits to the manor prompted many to think that Ao Chenyi would marry his former fiancee¡¯s sister. It wasmonce for a younger sister toplete the engagement following her elder sister¡¯s death.

    ¡°They¡¯re no more than a family of lowly scum. Ignore them.¡± Ao Chenyi opened his eyes ever so slightly to look at Ning Xueyan. A strange gleam shed in his pupils.

    Ning Xueyan was stunned. Though she expected him to be annoyed with Third Young Lady Hua¡¯s actions, she didn¡¯t anticipate hearing such an evaluation from him. She blinked, unable to immediately react. This waspletely different from the rumors outside.

    Wasn¡¯t it said that Prince Yi was deeply in love?

    Wasn¡¯t it said that Prince Yi would surely invite members from the Hua family to any of his banquets?

    Wasn¡¯t it said that Prince Yi was so in love with his former fiancee that he remained a bachelor for many years? That he was forced to marry Commandery Princess Xianyun and consort?

    After a moment of surprise, she said, ¡°Senior Eunuch Zhu said it¡¯s best to invite her.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s gotten old!¡± Ao Chenyi said impolitely, curling his lips into a mocking smile. ¡°They believed they can easily marry into the manor once they have Senior Eunuch Zhu¡¯s approval, but what a pity. Some things never go along with their expectations. Did they think they can make me marry whoever they want? The moment they see me doing well, they start scheming to send women into my manor.¡±

    He looked down on the Hua family from the depth of his heart. If it wasn¡¯t for the Emperor¡¯s decree back then, he would have never agreed to marry that woman. The oue, however, was what he wanted.

    ¡°Oh, all right. Forget about them. All of them want to enter my manor! They must think that my manor is a rubbish bin!¡± He picked up her hand and caressed it with his own callused hand. His hand was somewhat rough but put her at ease. She was truly at ease. Although she knew that he wouldn¡¯t pay any attention to Third Young Lady Hua, hearing the certainty in his words nheless made her smile.

    She knew that he was saying this to give her the confidence to do whatever she wanted and not mind Third Young Lady Hua or other women. The one that Senior Eunuch Zhu liked wasn¡¯t who he liked. Naturally, she understood that he was standing up for her.

    Mimicking him, she raised her long and shapely brow as well. Herrge, glistening eyes gleamed as she smiled and asked confidently, ¡°It¡¯ll be up to me then. You keep yelling bloody murder every day; aren¡¯t you worried about scaring away all those frail beauties?¡± She then leaned in and whispered into his ear with a smile.

    Since this was a backyard matter, she felt that it would be more convenient to use backyard methods.

    Physical punishment or murder would work against court officials, but too excessive for women living in the backyard!

    After hearing her words, Ao Chenyi¡¯s eyes shed with a sinister glint. He found it too cumbersome but since Yan¡¯er wanted to brandish her ws, he would just watch her have fun. Besides, her methods were ingenious indeed. He found her adorable as she stared at him with her eyes bright and glistening, her expression looking like she was fishing forpliments.

    He couldn¡¯t help but raise the corner of his delicate lips and chuckle. His eyes were marked with a trace of indulgence. ¡°Fine. We¡¯ll go with your way, but promise me you¡¯ll be careful.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If there¡¯s anything I can¡¯t handle, I¡¯ll immediately ask you for help. You won¡¯t ignore me at that time, would you?¡± Ning Xueyan protested coquettishly.

    After considering it, he replied earnestly, ¡°I¡¯m not going to help!¡± He nced at her before adding, ¡°Unless you...¡± He then leaned in and whispered into her ear. Her pale face immediately turned red and she pushed away his handsome face.

    ¡°What a shameless person! How can he say something like that? Who says that Prince Yi is a cold and sharp person who doesn¡¯t smile...?¡±

 Chapter 582 - Everyone at the Banquet Has Their Schemes

    <h4>Chapter 582 Everyone at the Banquet Has Their Schemes</h4>

    When Princess Ning of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor sent invitations to her banquet, news spread and caused amotion.

    Some were curious, some spective, some intending to get on her good side... Many manors wanted to get their hands on the invitation.

    But everyone knew that the banquet was Princess Ning¡¯s first official event after being promoted and would thus be a rtively small affair. Priority would be given to youngdies and mistresses from aristocratic families as well as Princely Heirs. After all, Princess Ning was still young and this was the first official banquet thrown in her name.

    Not many invitations would be sent. Having too many guests would make it hard for Princess Ning to manage the banquet.

    After the invitations were sent, everyone who received one expressed that they would surely attend.

    Who would dare to reject an invitation from Prince Yi¡¯s Manor? Even if one was without curiosity, not attending might incur that demon¡¯s wrath. Besides, everyone was quite curious about Princess Ning, a woman who was promoted from a consort to a princess in such a short amount of time.

    She even pioneered the status of co-princesses! What capable was she that she could win the heart of the coldhearted, demonic prince on her own?

    The hustle and bustle at Prince Yi¡¯s Manor began early in the morning. The guests were all youngdies or young mistresses who had never visited the manor. They were so curious that they arrived early. Outside the manor, Ao Mingwan was receiving guests at his uncle¡¯s behest while thetter yed the idle host.

    Still, the children of nobility had all heard of Ao Chenyi¡¯s ¡°vicious reputation¡±, so it was most appropriate to have Ao Mingwan receive the guests. The guests were able to rx as well, chatting andughing as they strolled the courtyard. It went without saying that Ao Chenyi¡¯s Eunuch Zhu was currently serving the Fourth Prince. This was Prince Yi¡¯s Manor and there were many things that Ao Mingwan was unclear about.

    Numerous cushioned sedans were waiting near Chuihua Gate of the backyard; they were readied for the youngdy and mistresses who were tired from walking. Not many took them, for they wanted to make use of this rare chance to tour Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. It was said that even thete Emperor had praised the beauty of the manor. After all, this manor was once a second home to the Emperor of the previous dynasty. It was given that this ce would be beautiful.

    The maids that they saw on their way were very polite. They would retreat to one side when they saw the guests and make respectful salutes, apletely one-eighty from Prince Yi, who was reputed to be arrogant and unbridled. Many experienced mistresses nodded approvingly in secret. It seemed that Princess Ning was a capable one. It hadn¡¯t been long but she was already able tomand over the household.

    Yun Luoluo came to the Pear Flower Garden first thing in the morning, with Heng Yuqing arriving shortly after. Then came Ning Qingshan and Ning Lingyun, followed by several mistresses. Ning Xueyan led them on a walk around the courtyard. Since this was a flower-viewing banquet, it went without saying that they would be walking around and admiring the flowers.

    Prince Yi¡¯s Manor was separated into four regions, named Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter respectively. The Spring region was decorated with mostly peonies with other flowers ying a supporting role. Lotus was central in the Summer region, osmanthus flowers in the Autumn region, and plum blossoms and springtime flowers in the Winter region.

    The venue of the banquet this time was the Peony Pavilion, a building in the Spring region. Rather than housing anyone here, the building was used for banquets. Two reception pavilions divided the space, with a peony flowerbed separating them from the courtyard outside.

    People on both sides could see but not hear one another. It was the best ce to separate the male and female guests at the banquet.

    Numerous maids walked back and forth the venue, arranging the banquet calmly and neatly. Opposite the seats for the male and female guests sat a makeshift tform. The tform wasn¡¯t big but was surrounded by flowers of all kinds at the bottom, making for a beautiful sight. Many who arrived at the venue guessed that it was the stage for the showter, but began to wonder which performance troupe was invited and if there would be an interesting show.

    The tform was taller than most, so it was immediately visible from a distance.

    Ning Qingshan raised her head and saw the tall tform from afar. She asked curiously, ¡°Fifth Sister, are you putting on an opera?¡±

    She dressed gorgeously in an autumn lotus-colored top and a peacock-blue skirt today. The raindrop-like pearl hairpin hanging from the side of her temples added a touch of gentleness to her pretty face. Her beauty was already remarkable but dressed like this, she made Yun Luoluo and Ning Lingyun pale byparison. This earned her several resentful res from Yun Luoluo.

    Her sister told her to befriend Third Young Lady Ning but thetter didn¡¯t seem like a good woman judging by her vixen-like appearance. She threw the idea to the back of her mind because she herself was of the frail beauty kind.

    On the contrary, Heng Yuqing was quite different and gave off a confident air. Even though she wasn¡¯t quite as pretty, her unique charm made her not any worse than thedies here.

    ¡°You¡¯ll find outter,¡± Ning Xueyan said mysteriously.

    ¡°Yeah. Sister Ning has been preparing for this for a long time. How can she let you know just like that?¡± Yun Luoluo said, aiming her barb at Ning Qingshan. The more she looked at Ning Qingshan, the more she hated her. She felt that Ning Qingshan waspeting with her. While speaking, she ran forward by a couple of steps and pointed to several people in front. Her eyes were gleaming.

    ¡°Sister Ning,e on! Let¡¯s go over there and have a look! Isn¡¯t that Third Young Lady Hua?¡± She then leaned in and whispered into Ning Xueyan¡¯s ear, ¡°I heard that she has feelings for Prince Yi. You have to watch out for her.¡±

    Ning Xueyan was quite speechless to hear Yun Luoluo repeatedly calling her sister. Yun Luoluo was clearly the older one, but she kept pretending to be an innocent child and calling her sister at every turn. It wasn¡¯t entirely wrong because of Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s existence, but it was still strange to be called sister by a girl one or two years older than herself.

    This was especially since there used to be a ¡°grudge¡± between them. Watching that girl put on that innocent look made her feel helpless.

    ¡°Sister Ning, quick, let¡¯s go over and have a look.¡± Yun Luoluo tugged onto Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand with force, forcing thetter to take two steps forward. Seeing this, Heng Yuqing immediately followed after them. Ning Lingyun wanted to follow suit, but Ning Qingshan pulled her sleeve to stop her.

    ¡°Fourth Sister, let¡¯s slow down. It¡¯s so beautiful here that we should enjoy ourselves while we walk. Why should we go after them and make them annoyed?¡± She was referring to Yun Luoluo but her eyes were on Ning Xueyan. It was obvious that she meant that Ning Xueyan was so close with Yun Luoluo because she was annoyed with them.

    Ning Lingyun stopped walking and said, in a conflicted tone, ¡°It¡¯s... not good, is it!¡± She looked at Ning Qingshan¡¯s feet. Everyone in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor knew that Ning Qingshan had a problem with her foot and couldn¡¯t walk quickly. She would beme whenever she walked quickly, and obviously at that.

    Ning Qingshan¡¯s face turned dark when she noticed Ning Lingyun¡¯s gaze on her foot and a sinister glint gleamed in her eyes. But she immediately smiled as if she didn¡¯t care about Ning Lingyun¡¯s gaze. She even put out her foot and said, ¡°Fourth Sister, you know my foot doesn¡¯t work too well and I can¡¯t walk too much. Can you sit with me over there?¡±

    She couldn¡¯t think of an excuse to take Ning Lingyun away, but this gave her the perfect chance. Since Ning Lingyun stared at her foot, she would use it as an excuse.

    She then leaned in and said with a bashful expression, ¡°The Third Prince¡¯s eunuch sent me a message saying that the prince woulde and see uster. It¡¯ll be inconvenient if we stay with Fifth Sister and the other youngdies.¡±

    ¡°His Highness ising to see us?¡± As expected, a trace of joy appeared on Ning Lingyun¡¯s face.

    ¡°Of course. His Highness said he hasn¡¯t seen us in a while and quite misses us. He¡¯s about to get married soon, so he won¡¯t be able to see us for some time. Who knows? He may have something private to tell us.¡± Ning Qingshan cursed Ning Lingyun for being shameless in her head but maintained an affectionate smile on her face, looking like a closer sister to Ning Lingyun.

    ¡°Should we tell Fifth Sister?¡± Ning Lingyun hesitated when she saw that Ning Xueyan and the others had reached the fork of the path.

    ¡°What¡¯s the point? Do you think Fifth Sister is interested in entertaining us? She¡¯s so busy fawning on Princess Yun that she has no time for us.¡± Ning Qingshan cast a sidelong nce at Ning Xueyan, her eyes filled with coldness and resentment. In her opinion, Ning Xueyan must have gotten her position by fawning on Commandery Princess Xianyun.

    It was the same with Prince Yi marrying his princess and consort at the same time. It was all thanks to Commandery Princess Xianyun pleading with the Empress. The co-princesses incident probably happened the same way. Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s illness had given Ning Xueyan a chance to show off. That woman was surely lucky. Seeing how Yun Luoluo kept calling Ning Xueyan her sister, thetter must have cajoled the sisters into being submissive.

    She knew Ning Xueyan was cunning, but not this cunning.

    Thest time she met Commandery Princess Xianyun, the two of them were clearly at odds with each other. It hadn¡¯t been that long but Commandery Princess Xianyun had already changed her mind. Ning Xueyan was indeed capable.

    Unfortunately, she was not Commandery Princess Xianyun. Since she had schemed her way intoing here, she would definitely ruin this banquet. Once a scandal urs at this banquet, no one would dare to attend banquets at Prince Yi¡¯s Manor in the future.

    Naturally, Ning Lingyun was the best candidate. It was her fault for daring to covet the Third Prince, daring to look at her foot, and exploiting the Third Prince. A slut like this should die with her reputation ruined at Ning Xueyan¡¯s banquet...

    ¡°Oh, all right then!¡± Ning Lingyun nodded, seemingly convinced by her words. She turned around and followed Ning Qingshan. But the moment she turned around, she winked at a maid standing at a corner as a hint. The maid nodded and quickly ran away.

    Yun Luoluo was pleased when she noticed that Ning Qingshan and Ning Lingyun were gone. After running forward happily, she suddenly crouched down to clutch her leg and yelp in pain. ¡°Ouch!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What happened?¡± Ning Xueyan immediately asked.

    ¡°I... I sprained my ankle!¡± Yun Luoluo replied, tears welling in her eyes.

    Ning Xueyan looked around before pointing at an octagonal pavilion in front. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll take you there for a rest. I¡¯ll get the physician to examine you.¡±

 Chapter 583 - Is Brother Yi Inside?

    <h4>Chapter 583 Is Brother Yi Inside?</h4>

    A young eunuch stood in an inconspicuous spot by Chuihua Gate, watching youngdies and mistresses walking down the road, sometimes in groups of three or four. It was a lively sight. No one noticed the young eunuch standing in a corner.

    A maid walked out of the gate, looking all around. There were many guests at the manor today, and many maids kepting in and out. Thus, she was equally as inconspicuous.

    Suddenly, her eyes brightened when she potted the young eunuch. She immediately walked over to him. This wasn¡¯t their first meeting; both knew each other well.

    One was Ning Qingshan¡¯s maid Caifen and the other was Ao Mingyu¡¯s personal eunuch.

    The two of them exchanged a few words under the tree before going their separate ways. One entered the backyard while the other entered the outer courtyard.

    On the other side, a dainty youngdy found her way to the Moon-embracing Tower like she had been there many times. Seeing the imperial guards at the door, she walked up to them with a smile and asked politely, ¡°Excuse me. Is Brother Yi inside?¡±

    The guards noticed that she didn¡¯te too close and used a rather familiar tone with them. Although they hadn¡¯t seen her before, they didn¡¯t dare to offend her. ¡°His Highness isn¡¯t here!¡±

    ¡°Where did Brother Yi go?¡± the youngdy asked, still smiling.

    ¡°Do you have business with him?¡± The guards began to look stern when they heard her asking about the prince¡¯s whereabouts.

    ¡°Housekeeper Ling sent me here to meet Brother Yi. I¡¯ve been to the Moon-embracing Tower before. Can I wait for him inside? Housekeeper Ling said if Brother Yi isn¡¯t here, he¡¯ll send someone to find him. He told me to wait here first,¡± the youngdy exined softly. Her delicate smile was enough to gain the favor of the guards.

    The Head Housekeeper sent her here? The two guards exchanged conflicted looks. This had never happened before. Surely, the Head Housekeeper knew that the prince didn¡¯t like having outsiders in the Moon-embracing Tower but this youngdy kept referring to the prince as Brother Yi as if she was particrly close to him.

    For a moment, they couldn¡¯t decide.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just sit in the garden and wait. I won¡¯t go inside. Is that okay?¡± the woman said softly, pointing to a spot inside the courtyard. There were a stone table and a few chairs under a tree inside; it was indeed a resting spot. It was quite a distance away from the door of the main building and within the supervision of the guards as well.

    If the woman tried anything, they would notice it immediately.

    Seeing the guards¡¯ hesitation, the woman pointed outside the gate and said rather coquettishly, ¡°There isn¡¯t anywhere to rest here. The nearest pavilion is probably several crossroads away. If Housekeeper Ling sends Brother Yi over, he won¡¯t be able to see me.¡±

    It was true that there weren¡¯t any pavilions near the Moon-embracing Tower where the woman could rest. Ao Chenyi never nned on having anyone over to disturb him in the first ce, so the existing pavilions were demolished.

    ¡°Okay, you can rest in the courtyard. You must leave if His Highness doesn¡¯te.¡± Since the woman had said as much, the guards had no room to refuse her. Even so, they made their stance clear.

    They didn¡¯t want her to go in and refuse to leave.

    ¡°Okay, I will. If I don¡¯t see Brother Yiter, I¡¯ll go and find him myself.¡± The woman nodded sweetly, looking agreeable. The guards couldn¡¯t even feel any malice about her.

    They exchanged helpless looks before letting her in.

    The woman entered the courtyard gracefully and sat on the stone chair as she promised she would. She didn¡¯t approach the building.

    Seeing that she was observing proper etiquette, the guards rxed and turned around to guard the gate. They were stationed at the gate to prevent people from entering the Moon-embracing Tower as they wished.

    However, it became evident that the Moon-embracing Tower wouldn¡¯t be peaceful today. It hadn¡¯t been long since the woman entered before another person walked slowly over...

    The guards looked at each other. Their initially dull faces turned sharp for a second but quickly looked stiff and stupefied again. They watched the woman who was slowly making her way in confusion, seemingly truly surprised.

    ¡°Master, Third Young Lady is bringing Fourth Young Lady over,¡± Lanning whispered, leaning into Ning Xueyan¡¯s ear. Ning Xueyan nodded with a faint but cold smile.

    ¡°Get them ready. Remind Ning Qingshan that she can¡¯t go there, but let her if she insists.¡±

    Ning Xueyan knew Ning Qingshan would definitely go. Since Ning Qingshan had conspired with the Third Prince¡¯s eunuch to say the same thing, it meant that the prince was in on this as well.

    Ning Qingshan¡¯s target was her, but Ao Mingyu¡¯s target was Ao Chenyi!

    Unfortunately for them, this was Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Both of them were truly underestimating Prince Yi¡¯s Manor...

    Ning Qingshan quietly led Ning Lingyun to the other side, wanting to find a resting ce. After walking for a long time, they finally found a secluded courtyard.

    ¡°Fourth Sister, why don¡¯t we get some rest inside?¡± Ning Qingshan asked with a smile.

    ¡°Inside? I... I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea!¡± Ning Lingyun shook her head. ¡°This is Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. It¡¯s not appropriate for us to go in without asking.¡±

    ¡°Of course not. Fifth Sister is the mistress of this ce and we¡¯re rtives of Prince Yi. It¡¯s not a big deal for us to find a ce to rest,¡± Ning Qingshan insisted.

    ¡°But...¡± Ning Lingyun continued to hesitate.

    ¡°No buts. Let¡¯s go in first. If you¡¯re worried, we can sneak outter. Since this ce is secluded, I¡¯m sure they just treat it as a storeroom. We¡¯ll just rest for a while. No one will know. No one will think that we moved anything in the manor,¡± Ning Qingshan teased, interrupting her.

    Ning Lingyun nodded and said cautiously, ¡°All right, we¡¯ll go in and rest for a while. We should keep up with Fifth Sisterter. We¡¯re not familiar with this ce, after all. It¡¯ll be bad if we enter any forbidden ces.¡±

    ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll do as you say. We¡¯ll go in and rest for a while. My foot is really starting to hurt.¡± Ning Qingshan would say anything right now just to make Ning Lingyun go in.

    They took so many twists and turns in the road earlier that they were actually near the outer courtyard at this moment. Few people had ever visited Prince Yi¡¯s Manor but the Third Prince was a frequent visitor. Although he wasn¡¯t very familiar with every part of the ce, he could still draw a simple map. Back in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Ning Qingshan had pored over the map and repeatedly thought of a way toe here.

    The courtyard in front of them was her destination. This ce was close to the outer courtyard but was still located in the inner courtyard; it was akin to a dividing line between the inner and outer courtyards. The gate that they passed by earlier was the gate separating both sides. This was, of course, only privy to someone in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Sometimes, when Prince Yi was entertaining one too many male guests, this courtyard would be treated as a guestroom as well.

    There were quite a lot of guests at the manor today, so this courtyard would also be put to use.

    The Third Prince had told her earlier that there were two guests staying at this courtyard, and their reputation was also quite poor. Once Ning Lingyun enters one of the rooms here, she would surely scream and draw other people over. The Third Prince would likelye here to rest, so he would witness everything as well.

    If Ning Lingyun was found spending time with another man in a room, she could forget about ever marrying the Third Prince.

    And Ning Xueyan would also be thoroughly humiliated to have such a scandal happen at her very first banquet. It would be all the better if news of the scandal spread even further. The pce knew that Ning Lingyun was acknowledged as the Third Prince¡¯s concubine, and the Third Prince was rivals with Prince Yi. This could give the Third Prince a leg up to suppress Prince Yi.

    The scandal would be happening in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, after all, and the Third Prince would be losing a concubine. How would something like this happen out of the blue? Wasn¡¯t this an attempt to disgrace the Third Prince? If one were to think further, one could imagine that it was Prince Yi causing this scandal to attack the Third Prince. This incident didn¡¯t seem significant but when it became connected to the fight over the throne, it could very well trigger a bigger problem.

    ¡°Fourth Sister, can you go in and see if there are any chairs inside? If there are, move one out so I can have a seat. I really can¡¯t walk anymore.¡± Ning Qingshan held onto the gate of the courtyard, holding one foot up to show that she really couldn¡¯t go on anymore.

    The two of them brought their personal maids when they came, but sent them off to find a way. The maids hadn¡¯t returned even now. Since Ning Qingshan was in such a condition, Ning Lingyun had no choice but to go in herself.

    Ning Qingshan watched Ning Lingyun nod, walk into the courtyard, and open the door that she pointed to earlier. A smug smile appeared on her face. Once Ning Lingyun enters that room, she wouldn¡¯t be able to find a way out so easily. The Third Prince had deliberately led a yboy into that room. Upon seeing an unmarried woman in his room, the yboy would never let Ning Lingyun out.

    Once the two of them start getting handsy with each other, all she had to do was walk in and scream. This would surely attract even more people toe.

    Suddenly, a mocking voice came from behind her. ¡°Ha, woman! How can you be so desperate for men that you woulde here and peep at a man¡¯s courtyard? What¡¯s wrong? Were you hoping to see if there are any men to your liking inside? You¡¯re really shameless!¡±

    Ning Qingshan immediately turned around and saw Ao Xian standing a short distance away. Her pupils shrunk in shock.

    ¡°What? I caught you red-handed this time, hadn¡¯t I, Third Young Lady Ning? You¡¯re such a slut! You wouldn¡¯t say I¡¯m being inexplicable and say that you climbed onto someone¡¯s bed because you didn¡¯t know anything, would you?¡±

    Ao Xian hade here bearing anger. He once received Ning Lingyun¡¯s letter expressing her regret at their failed engagement. She even hinted that the failure was because of Ning Qingshan. Ning Qingshan had done so because she didn¡¯t want Ning Lingyun to obtain happiness.

    Ao Xian was the one who suggested the engagement with Ning Lingyun. He could still remember that gentle, pitiful woman that he lost because he was found in bed with Ning Qingshan. In the beginning, he believed that it was all an ident but Ning Lingyun¡¯s hint in the letter sent him raging.

    After hearing that Ning Qingshan was going to frame Ning Lingyun again, he immediately came over in righteous indignation to teach Ning Qingshan a lesson. In his opinion, a woman as malicious as Ning Qingshan was unworthy of the Third Prince.

    Naturally, he wasn¡¯t going to be polite to Ning Qingshan. He had been here for a while, hiding in a corner. He overheard what Ning Qingshan told Ning Lingyun and even saw the door Ning Qingshan pointed at. That immediately sent him into a rage. Sure enough, that slut was a wicked bitch! He swore he would expose her true evil side today.

    Ning Qingshan¡¯s face immediately sank when she saw it was Ao Xian. She retorted coldly, ¡°Princely Heir, what nonsense are you saying?!¡± Her brows were knitted tightly. She couldn¡¯t help but panic. Why was Ao Xian here? What did he see? Did he hear anything?

 Chapter 584 - What Are You Doing Here?

    <h4>Chapter 584 What Are You Doing Here?</h4>

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Third Young Lady Ning, you really know how to act. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯d run all the way here to find men on yourme foot. You should¡¯ve told me earlier; I could have prepared you eight or ten for you so you could fulfill your lust.¡± Ao Xian looked Ning Qingshan up and down while clicking his tongue twice. He spoke bluntly without giving her any face.

    When he remembered that Ning Qingshan had ruined an engagement that he was happy with and harmed the woman that he wanted to marry to the point that their engagement was broken off, he felt anger rise in him. Having learned about Ning Qingshan¡¯s handicapped foot from Ning Lingyun, he held no qualms about saying whatever he could to hurt Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°What are you saying, you yboy?¡± His words sent Ning Qingshan panicking. If such a rumor about her were spread, she wouldn¡¯t be able to hold her head high again.

    ¡°Did I say something wrong? Hadn¡¯t the Third Prince catch us red-handed on the bed? Was I wrong? Well, we haven¡¯t exactly done it then, have we? Why don¡¯t we do it now? There¡¯s an empty room inside. We¡¯ll make our rendezvous a reality so there¡¯s at least a reason why I have this bad reputation.¡±

    Ao Xian spoke sinisterly while pointing to a room inside the courtyard. He then reached out as if trying to grab Ning Qingshan¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Ridiculous!¡± She became so furious that she dropped all pretenses. She swung her hand and pped Ao Xian hard across the face. She was so mad that her face was bright red. She had only ever dealt with gentlemen who would never resort to such dirty speech. For a moment, she was shaking with rage.

    Ao Xian wasn¡¯t a man who would suffer his losses quietly, especially from a woman who had once harmed him. He got so angry that his face turned stern. He grabbed the hand that pped him and yanked it downward while saying furiously, ¡°Slut! You have some nerve to p me! Do you dare to tell everyone that you never shared my bed and slept with me?¡±

    Ning Qingshan was, naturally, no match for him. He dragged her down with so much force that she fell to the ground right next to his feet. She was in so much pain that she yelped. She instinctively tried to get up, only to hear Ao Xian drone on about that incident. That incident was her nightmare.

    To think that the Third Prince saw her being with Ao Xian! Although the Third Prince didn¡¯t say anything about it afterward, she saw clearly the trace of resentment in his eyes at that time. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to recall his expression then. She consoled herself with the thought that the Third Prince would surely know that she was framed, so that trace of resentment wasn¡¯t targeted at her but the perpetrator Ning Xueyan.

    She didn¡¯t dare to think about the incident and nor was she willing to. She just wanted to treat it like a nightmare. Since the Third Prince didn¡¯t say anything, it meant that the incident was in the past. Besides, the few people present at the scene wouldn¡¯t say anything about it and no one would know that something like that had once happened between her and Ao Xian. That incident was now hidden deep in her heart.

    That incident became a trauma and a weakness that she didn¡¯t dare to think about. But now, Ao Xian was bringing up the matter and his words hammered down on her heart. No matter how well she could control herself, the repeated attacks were enough to damage her self-control.

    The color of her face alternated between red and green as a crazy thought took hold of her mind: Ao Xian wanted to expose the matter in front of everyone; he wanted to cause her to lose her standing. No! Impossible! She didn¡¯t want this! Suddenly, she grabbed Ao Xian¡¯s foot and yanked him downward with a strength that even she didn¡¯t know she had.

    ¡°Shut up! You¡¯re lying! You¡¯re lying!¡±

    Ao Xian never imagined that a weak woman would exhibit such great strength or that a young nobledy who would appear bashful in front of men would dare to hug his leg and yank him. Caught off guard, he ended up falling with his limbs t on the ground. He screamed in pain.

    ¡°Third Sister... What... What are you and the Princely Heir doing?¡± Ning Qingshan was startled by Ao Xian¡¯s scream when she suddenly heard Ning Lingyun¡¯s voice. She instinctively turned her head and saw Ning Lingyun standing at the gate of the courtyard, looking at them in astonishment.

    ¡°Huh? Isn¡¯t that Third Young Lady Ning? What¡¯s going on with her and Ao Xian?¡± Another voice resounded. Ning Qingshan watched in shock as arge group of noble young men emerged from the road outside the courtyard. Among the group were the Third Prince Ao Mingyu and Fourth Prince Ao Mingwan.

    ¡°Are... Are they fighting?¡± One of the noble young men couldn¡¯t hold back his surprise when looking at the two people who had fallen to the ground. Ning Qingshan was still hugging one of Ao Xian¡¯s legs while Ao Xian was lying on the ground with his face up. One of Ning Qingshan¡¯s legsid under Ao Xian¡¯s foot and her neat hair was now aplete mess, with a few strands of hair hanging in front of her forehead.

    Those two looked like they had just fought. It wasn¡¯t strange for the hot-tempered Ao Xian to get into a fight but wasn¡¯t Third Young Lady Ning said to be the most courteous and gentle of alldies? How would she dare to fight with Ao Xian? Even Ya Moqin from Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor, who was considered ill-tempered, would argue with Ao Xian at most and not fight him like a shrew.

    Was... Was she even a noble youngdy?!

    Following their astonished gazes, Ning Qingshan lowered her head to look at herself. She cried out when she saw that she was holding onto Ao Xian¡¯s leg. She immediately pushed his leg away and hastily exined, ¡°I... I identally tripped Princely Heir Ao. I... I didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡±

    ¡°Third Sister... How... How did you get into a fight with Princely Heir Ao?¡±

    The two sisters spoke at the same time. When Ning Lingyun finished her question, Ning Qingshan immediately turned her head and red at her in anger. She looked like she wanted to eat Ning Lingyun alive, scaring Ning Lingyun so much that she took two steps backward. Ning Lingyun shook her head timidly and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Third Sister. I... I¡¯ve misspoken.¡±

    Both had such contrasting expressions that no matter how one looked at it, it seemed that Ning Lingyun was the one getting bullied. This astonished everyone once again.

    ¡°Hey, how can an elder sister be so fierce? No wonder you even tripped me and fought with me earlier! So this is how you bully your younger sister behind everyone¡¯s back,¡± said a provoking voice. It went without saying that it came from the man who fell on his back earlier. Ao Xian stood up and spoke in a deliberately provoking voice while pressing the back of his head.

    The Fourth Prince nced at the Third Prince before asking, ¡°What exactly happened?¡± He was responsible for entertaining the guests today on Ao Chenyi¡¯s behalf so he had to rify the matter.

    ¡°How would I know? God knows what¡¯s wrong with her. Hiding here and peeping into the courtyard was one thing, but when she saw me, she tried to hit me out of shame and anger! She probably ate the wrong medicine! The Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is really violent. Consider this my defeat!¡±

    Naturally, Ao Xian knew what he could say and what he couldn¡¯t now that the Third Prince was here. He rubbed the back of his head in pain, his expression carrying a trace of fear. He looked as if he had been bullied. It was enough to make people take several more looks at Ning Qingshan.

    Third Young Lady Ning even managed to hit Ao Xian until heid t on his back! Just how violent was she?

    Wasn¡¯t she said to be gentle, kind, and well-reputed? The woman before them had clearly gotten into a fight with someone! Who was this woman, who had several strands of hair hanging down?

    ¡°Third Sister, let¡¯s stand up.¡± Seeing that Ao Xian had gotten to his feet, Ning Lingyun immediately tried to help Ning Qingshan stand up.

    Perhaps Ning Qingshan was too heavy or perhaps Ning Lingyun didn¡¯t have much strength. Ning Lingyun hadn¡¯t propped Ning Qingshan fully before she staggered and caused both of them to fall. Ning Lingyun was fine and immediately got back on her feet. On the contrary, Ning Qingshan, who had a problem with her foot, couldn¡¯t get up anymore after falling down a second time.

    The idea that she had embarrassed herself again in front of everyone, and because of Ning Lingyun at that, Ning Qingshan looked chagrined and furious. She was pretty sure that Ning Lingyun had deliberately humiliated her earlier. When Ning Lingyun extended her hand again, Ning Qingshan shook it away with a cold face and stood up by herself while holding onto the gate of the courtyard.

    ¡°Third Sister.¡± Ning Lingyun appeared timid as she nced at Ning Qingshan before looking at everyone. She lowered her head and obediently stood behind Ning Qingshan.

    Her expression and demeanor made Ning Qingshan even more resentful. Wasn¡¯t Ning Lingyun making it obvious that she was bullying her?!

    She took a deep breath. She knew that she couldn¡¯t argue with Ning Lingyun about this now. Although she wanted to tear Ning Lingyun apart at this moment, she had to put on a smile to show that all was well between them.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± the Third Prince asked, his expression gloomy. He couldn¡¯t keep quiet anymore. After all, everyone knew that Ning Qingshan was his soon-to-be consort.

    ¡°I... I came here with Fourth Sister to get some rest. We saw that there¡¯s a courtyard here so we stopped here.¡± Ning Qingshan immediately understood that the Third Prince was giving her a chance to step out of this situation. She immediately put on a gentle and graceful demeanor to show that she was just a frail woman. Usually, this was her most effective expression.

    With this expression, Ning Qingshan believed that everyone would think that she had, at most, made a mistake in trespassing here. It was her first timeing to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor so it wouldn¡¯t be a big deal to identally enter a ce that she shouldn¡¯t. Unfortunately, she had forgotten her circumstances and inappropriate words earlier.

    Her angry, stricken face waspletely gone with a turn of conversation; she looked like a different person altogether. The change came so quickly that everyone looked at her speechlessly. Third Young Lady Ning was sure a capable one, to change herself in front of so many people without even blinking.

    ¡°Are you saying that you identally came here? What a joke! Then why did you get so ashamed and resentful from just a few words from me? You even tripped me! It¡¯s obvious that you¡¯re guilty of something.¡± Ao Xian couldn¡¯t help but sneer after seeing Ning Qingshan wear such an expression in such a short time. He refused to believe that she had identallye here.

    ¡°I... I tripped you by ident,¡± Ning Qingshan exined tearfully. But her aggrieved expression wasn¡¯t quite so persuasive with her messy hair.

    Ao Xian got even angrier at the thought of the incidentst time and retorted furiously, ¡°You always have so many excuses! Last time was an ident, so is this time. Wouldn¡¯t you im the same next time...¡±

    ¡°Enough. Stop arguing. Let¡¯s go. Third Young Lady Ning, you should return with your sister. This is close to the outer courtyard, after all.¡± Seeing that Ao Xian had more to say, Ao Mingyu immediately interrupted him. If this incident was linked to Ning Qingshan and Ao Xian, Ning Qingshan wouldn¡¯t be the only one humiliated. He would be cuckolded too.

    His chiding meant that he wouldn¡¯t pursue this matter anymore.

    ¡°Huh? Third Young Lady Ning? Fourth Young Lady Ning? Hadn¡¯t I told you that this leads to the outer courtyard, Third Young Lady Ning? Why did you stille here?¡± A bbergasted voice resounded, causing everyone to turn their heads.

 Chapter 585 - A Lame Beauty Is Still a Beauty

    <h4>Chapter 585 A Lame Beauty Is Still a Beauty</h4>

    Everyone saw a surprised-looking maid of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor behind them.

    Seeing that Third Young Lady Ning had been warned earlier, it became apparent that her motive ining here wasn¡¯t so pure. There was also the fact that the Third Prince decided to return in the middle of their stroll. Could it be that they had nned for a rendezvous?

    And at the Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, at that! The Third Prince wasn¡¯t acting in a way that befitted his status.

    ¡°Third Sister insisted oning here, saying that there might be a ce we can rest in. She said her foot isn¡¯t well,¡± Ning Lingyun exined on her sister¡¯s behalf. Her exnation, however, made everyone look at Ning Qingshan¡¯s legs and made thetter feel like her secret had been exposed. She even felt that they were giving her extra nces because they noticed that her foot wasme.

    ¡°Shut up! Stop talking!¡± Ning Qingshan retorted angrily. She wanted to strangle Ning Lingyun to death but her excessive reaction made everyone think she had a poor character. She was apletely different person behind everyone¡¯s back. To think that the Third Prince treated such a woman as his treasure and even met her privately. It seemed that he didn¡¯t have a good eye for people.

    This made it seem like the Third Prince, ever the gentleman, was also a two-faced person.

    The rest looked at Ning Qingshan and then at Ao Mingyu. Although they didn¡¯t say anything, it was obvious what they were thinking.

    Ao Mingyu was so angry that he wanted to blow up. He never imagined that Ning Qingshan would be so stupid. In her letter, she said she would ruin Ning Xueyan¡¯s banquet. He didn¡¯t believe that she could create much trouble in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor but she sounded so certain that he couldn¡¯t help but trust her.

    Thus, he went along with her n. To him, Ning Lingyun was an insignificant sacrificial piece. Being able to suppress Ao Chenyi was too much of an advantageous move.

    Little did he imagine that when he rushed over, he would see Ning Qingshan hugging Ao Xian¡¯s leg and the two of them falling over after fighting. The others were giving him strange looks, too. Veins throbbed on his forehead. How could he not be angry when this n had even affected his reputation? He stared at Ning Qingshan with intense hatred in his eyes.

    He wanted to be the Crown Prince, so he tried his best to appear gentle and graceful to everyone and everything. He wanted others to think of him as a modest gentleman so he could earn the support of the court officials. Could someone tell him what was going on now? Where did that idiotic Ning Qingshan find the nerve to fight with Ao Xian?

    The Fourth Prince stepped forward to ease the situation. ¡°Take thedies of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor away. This is a rest area for male guests.¡± Although Ao Mingyu was his rival, they were at Prince Yi¡¯s Manor after all. Prince Yi was their biggestpetitor; they had to defeat him in order to stand a chance.

    ¡°Let¡¯s break it up. We should be checking out the flowers in the manor. This is a flower-viewing banquet, after all. It wouldn¡¯t be nice to tire ourselves from walking around before getting a drink, would it? If Uncle finds out, he¡¯ll criticize me for not entertaining you well.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s go! We should check out the flowers!¡±

    ¡°The flowers in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor are gorgeous. Come on, let¡¯s go and take a look.¡±

    Since Ao Mingwan had said as much, the other Princely Heirs knew better than to say anything else. They yed along and pretended as if they didn¡¯t see the miserable Ning Qingshan. They did what they should, be it turning their heads, looking behind them, or stepping aside, to open up a path for thedies.

    Ning Qingshan also knew that it was time to leave. She immediately stood up and walked away.

    Suddenly, someone in the crowd made a quiet, mocking sound ofughter. It was barely audible but Ning Qingshan was riled up upon hearing it. She sped up, almost as if she was fleeing. All she wanted was to leave this ce and not hear anyone mocking her.

    ¡°Oh my, she¡¯sme?¡± someonemented in a quiet voice.

    ¡°You¡¯re right! So she¡¯s ame beauty.¡±

    ¡°She might beme, but she¡¯s still beautiful.¡±

    These words, and their mocking intention, were said softly but managed to turn Ning Qingshan¡¯s pale and ashen. If it weren¡¯t for what little rationality she had left, she would have screamed. She had to grit her teeth to suppress the hatred she was feeling. Without turning her head, she walked out of the crowd.

    Ning Lingyun chased after her with quick steps.

    What a farce, indeed! It wasn¡¯t because of a rendezvous but because the well-behaved and elegant Third Young Lady Ning got into a fight with the bratty Ao Xian! What a shocking event!

    Some of the Princely Heirs had even heard their elders praising this youngdy to high heavens and making her sound perfectly unrivaled. It was as if she was some kind and gentle fairy descending from heaven! If there were quite a few of them wanted to marry her, were it not for the Third Prince... A few of them started to look at the Third Prince in reverence.

    Good thing there was the Third Prince! If they were to marry her, she might just fight with them every day. The rumors about her couldn¡¯t be believed! Moreover, she was ame person too! There was not one good thing about her, so it was a wonder that the cultured and refined Third Prince would want someone like her. Perhaps... the taste of a royal was different than most people!

    ¡°Was that the Third Prince¡¯s consort?¡± someone mocked. The rest was wondering who was so foolish to voice that out, only to realize that he had every right to say that. It was the elder brother of the Third Prince¡¯s soon-to-be princess Commandery Princess Mu Ling, Feudal Prince of Yunnan Mu Yunfei.

    Marrying such a consort would inevitably put immense pressure on the legitimate princess. The Third Prince¡¯s messy rtionship with Third Young Lady Ning was still an existing affair. Who knew if he would end up favoring his consort so much that he would belittle his princess?

    ¡°It was the Emperor who bestowed her as my consort! Let¡¯s go out lest Uncle can¡¯t find us when he shows up.¡± Had it been anyone else who spoke, Ao Mingyu wouldn¡¯t have replied. He was too furious to speak. However, the speaker was Mu Yunfei and he couldn¡¯t ignore him. Still, he made sure to emphasize the fact that it was the Emperor who granted the marriage.

    Mu Yunfei didn¡¯t care if Ao Mingyu didn¡¯t want to continue this conversation. He looked in the direction where Ning Qingshan disappeared in and said worriedly, ¡°I hope she won¡¯t harm my sister when she enters your manor! My sister is a proper youngdy who grew up in a wealthy family; she has never seen such rowdy actions before.¡±

    Ao Mingyu¡¯s eyes turned cold as he clenched his fists under his sleeves. Then, he said calmly, ¡°It won¡¯t happen. She¡¯s just a consort.¡±

    ¡°Good to know, good to know.¡± Mu Yunfei looked relieved but soon appeared frustrated as if he was deeply worried. ¡°But there¡¯s only a slight difference between a princess and a consort. If she ever tries to... My sister won¡¯t be able to win against her.¡±

    ¡°No, she¡¯s far beneath the Commandery Princess,¡± Ao Chenyi said and left it at that. He turned around and strode away. The group of men followed after him, all looking at each other with pensive smiles.

    It seemed that Third Young Lady Ning wouldn¡¯t be able to keep her position as the Third Prince¡¯s consort anymore!

    Although it was the Emperor who ordered the engagement and it was a certainty that the two manors would be allied through marriage, Third Young Lady Ning wasn¡¯t the only unmarrieddy from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. It was fine in the past, back when Third Young Lady Ning was the wife¡¯s daughter and the other was a concubine¡¯s daughter. Now, both were concubine-born, so it didn¡¯t matter anymore. All it mattered was approval from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Since the Third Prince had said as much in front of everyone, it meant that he had given Feudal Prince of Yunnan¡¯s Manor his promise.

    In other words, the Third Prince had promised the Feudal Prince of Yunnan¡¯s Manor that Third Young Lady Ning wouldn¡¯t retain her position as his consort.

    Honored Consort Ya adored Ning Qingshan. It was said that the Third Prince had some feelings for her too, and she lost her position as his princess because of a mishap at the imperial harem drafting. Many people thought that she would have a bitter rivalry with Commandery Princess Mu Ling after entering the Third Prince¡¯s Manor.

    Now, however, it seemed that Third Young Lady Ning had lost allpetitiveness.

    One of the mistresses pointed at the significantly taller Moon-embracing Tower in surprise and asked, ¡°Huh, isn¡¯t that Prince Yi¡¯s Moon-embracing Tower in front? Princess Ning, do you think we can go there and have a look?¡±

    On their way here, Ning Xueyan found herself surrounded by many mistresses and youngdies. The mistress who spoke was introduced earlier as Censor-in-chief Chen¡¯s wife. Censor-in-chief Chen¡¯s first wife died early; this was his second wife. Heng Yuqing had already quietly told her this earlier.

    Since the guest had asked as much, even going as far as saying that she would only stand at the gate and look from a distance, Ning Xueyan couldn¡¯t very well refuse. She nodded. ¡°Sure. Let¡¯s go there and take a look. But Moon-embracing Tower is where His Highness usually rests in and not even I can go in whenever I wish. I¡¯m sorry but we can only look at it from the outside.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all right. We just want to take a look.¡±

    ¡°I heard the Moon-embracing Tower is quite tall even among other buildings in the capital. Aside from the stairs in the pce, I¡¯ve never seen anything taller than this tower. I¡¯m d to even have a look at it.¡±

    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go together...¡±

    The mistresses knew that Prince Yi was a cold-blooded one and that not anyone could enter his ce. It was good enough that they could look at the building from outside the courtyard. Since even Princess Ning couldn¡¯t enter as she wished, no one made any excessive requests. The group headed toward the Moon-embracing Tower, chatting andughing along the way as if they were just going to admire the building.

    Ning Xueyan took up the rear, stopping to sneer on the inside. It seemed that these people deliberately giving her trouble, and it wasn¡¯t just one of them. It was obvious from the way they were rushing to look at the tower.

    Xinmei quietly walked up to Ning Xueyan and whispered, ¡°Master, the two of them are back.¡± The group was moving forward and no one noticed that Ning Xueyan had fallen behind them.

    ¡°Help them tidy up before bringing them over. They¡¯re from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, after all. We can¡¯t have them lose their dignity at my banquet.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded and then went after everyone. She knew that Xinmei was referring to Ning Qingshan and Ning Lingyun.

    Ning Qingshan wasn¡¯t just trying to harm Ning Lingyun but her as well. Ao Mingyu was naturally going along with Ning Qingshan¡¯s n to frame Ao Chenyi. Unfortunately for them, their scheme was destined to fail. Prince Yi¡¯s Manor wasn¡¯t as rxed as it appeared. Ning Qingshan thought she had seeded, but she had fallen for her and Ning Lingyun¡¯s plot.

    Still, regardless of how embarrassing Ning Qingshan was, Ning Xueyan had the sisterly duty to preserve her dignity. It was a futile attempt but she still had to keep up appearances. At least, she wouldn¡¯t let anyone point out any problems from Ning Qingshan¡¯s appearance.

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll help them look presentable again.¡± Understanding her intention, Xinmei nodded. ¡°Then the things here...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Nothing will go wrong here.¡± An indistinct, cold smile appeared on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face as the gate of the distant Moon-embracing Tower came into view. So many people were trying to disrupt her flower-viewing banquet or taking advantage of the chaos to cause trouble. They must think of her as a pushover who they could manipte!

 Chapter 586 - Power Demonstration; Madam Censor-in-chief Chen Gets Humiliated

    Chapter 586 Power Demonstration; Madam Censor-in-chief Chen Gets Humiliated

    ¡°Is Second Young Lady inside?¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun stood at the window and looked in the direction of the Moon-embracing Tower. From here, she could see the tall building in the distance.

    ¡°She¡¯s inside. I saw her saying something to the guards before going in. I waited outside for a while but didn¡¯t see here out,¡± Qiuhuan said, bowing her head.

    A gloomy smile appeared on Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s face. ¡°Is the Prince inside?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The Prince went out early in the morning but came back. He hasn¡¯te out since.¡± Qiuhuan had asked a few people and got the same answer.

    ¡°Good!¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun said. Her face, which had been gloomy for the past few days, revealed a sinister, smug look.

    It didn¡¯t matter if Yun Luoluo truly entered Ao Chenyi¡¯s room. As long as Ao Chenyi was in the Moon-embracing Tower, as long as Yun Luoluoe out with her clothes disheveled, he would have no choice but to bear this responsibility.

    Everyone stopped in front of the Moon-embracing Tower, with many raising their heads and looking at the famous tower. Suddenly, a woman appeared at the gate with her clothes disheveled and several strands of hair hanging from her neck. Her cor was loose and several sharp-eyed mistresses noticed the red marks on her neck. They couldn¡¯t help but exchange looks.

    Her belt was loose as if she had tied it up in a hurry. It was clear that there was something wrong with her.

    She seemed surprised to see so many people as well. She got so frightened that she cried out and widened her eyes. For a moment, she seemed unsure if she should go in or out. Her eyes were wide with panic as she faced everyone.

    ¡°Is that Second Young Lady Yun?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Second Young Lady Yun! Didn¡¯t someone say that she¡¯s apanying Princess Yun right now? Why is she here in Prince Yi¡¯s ce...¡± The person speaking couldn¡¯t finish her sentence. She blushed, as if realizing something, and stopped speaking.

    Instead of apanying her sickly sister, Second Young Lady Ning came to her brother-inw¡¯s ce and appeared in such a state. One couldn¡¯t help but suspect what had happened. Had Prince Yi taken a liking to Yun Luoluo from the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor? Considering Yun Luoluo¡¯s status, she would at least deserve a consort position...

    Many people had the same thought.

    They didn¡¯t expect to run into Yun Luoluo after her rendezvous with Prince Yi. Most importantly, this banquet was organized by the new Princess Ning. Many mistresses and youngdies who had always looked on Ning Xueyan let out quiet, sarcasticughter. They waited to see what she would do next.

    Regardless of how she would handle this, having such a scandal at her banquet was undoubtedly humiliating. Princess Ning was thoroughly disgraced this time; she couldn¡¯t even hold a banquet properly! She even let others stumble into such a matter at her manor. It seemed that she was an incapable one. They had long heard that the Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was a cowardly and useless person.

    ¡°Second Young Lady Yun, why are you here?¡± Ning Xueyan emerged from the crowd with a smile. She walked over and looked Yun Luoluo up and down as if she didn¡¯t notice thetter¡¯s panicked expression and obvious red marks on her neck. She might have had an excuse when she was standing far away, but now that she was so close to Yun Luoluo, it was impossible to miss.

    ¡°I... I...¡± Yun Luoluo looked flustered as if she had been caught red-handed. She couldn¡¯t even voice a proper reply. She even grabbed her neck as if subconsciously. Realizing that one of her cor buttons was unfastened, she immediately panicked and covered it with her hand. She looked so flustered that her face was bright red.

    ¡°Second Young Lady Yun, did something happen inside?¡± Ning Xueyan asked, her voice still as gentle and calm as ever. She seemed like she didn¡¯t think much of Yun Luoluo covering her red marks in a panic.

    ¡°I... His Highness...¡± Yun Luoluo looked like Ning Xueyan was pushing her to the edge of tears. She backed up until she was behind the gate as if she was trying to shrink herself.

    The two guards standing at the gate saluted Ning Xueyan without sparing Yun Luoluo a look.

    ¡°Princess Ning, stop asking. Look at her state... What can a youngdy like her say?¡± a mistress beside Ning Xueyan said in a low voice. It was Censor-in-chief Chen¡¯s wife from before.

    Her voice wasn¡¯t loud but everyone was watching quietly in a tightly-packed group. Everyone heard what she said well and immediately shot Ning Xueyan mocking looks. Some even looked as if they were ready to watch a good show. They didn¡¯t think that they would witness something like this at Prince Yi¡¯s Manor today.

    Heng Yuqing could tell that something was off. She reached out to pull Ning Xueyan¡¯s sleeve, hinting at her to pay attention to Yun Luoluo¡¯s abnormality. She was the only one truly on Ning Xueyan¡¯s side here.

    ¡°Madam Chen, do you think that there¡¯s something she came to Prince Yi¡¯s courtyard for that she can¡¯t speak about? Ning Xueyan turned her head and nced at Censor-in-chief Chen¡¯s wife coldly. Her expression looked sharper than before.

    Since these people had served themselves up on a tter to let her demonstrate her power, she would be disappointing their intentions if she didn¡¯t make use of this chance.

    This was her first banquet and first chance to demonstrate her power. She would let everyone know that she wasn¡¯t easily bullied.

    Madam Censor-in-chief Chen didn¡¯t expect Ning Xueyan, who was said to be cowardly and so sickly that she was on the edge of death, would be this sharp-tongued. Everything that she prepared to say was stuck in her mouth. She blushed and stammered, ¡°That¡¯s... not what I meant.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s not what you meant, what is it that you meant? Or are you going to interrupt me when I¡¯m asking Second Young Lady Yun something? Are you trying to make it so that I can¡¯t find out anything?¡±

    Ning Xueyan wasn¡¯t going to let her off today. She held this banquet to demonstrate her power. Since these people hade here to let her step on them, she would surely step on them with every bit of strength she could muster. She would step on them until their faces hurt.

    She was Princess Yi and arguably the Crown Princess. One could even say that aside from the Empress, the imperial concubines in the pce couldn¡¯t evenpare to her in terms of status. Madam Censor-in-chief Chen had greatly disrespected her by speaking without permission; she was also ignoring her status. Ning Xueyan had every right to berate her.

    Madam Censor-in-chief Chen was ashamed to be berated by Ning Xueyan. With a red face, she muttered quietly, ¡°I... I just think that Second Young Lady Yun is in an awkward situation, so I wanted to help resolve the dispute between you two.¡±

    ¡°Helping me resolve a dispute? What dispute do I need to resolve? Besides, since when is Second Young Lady Yun¡¯s statusparable to mine? Or do you think that Second Young Lady Yun is also a princess of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor now? Are you making that decision on the prince¡¯s behalf?¡± Ning Xueyan said coldly.

    ...

    Her words were very sarcastic. Even if Yun Luoluo truly had an affair with Prince Yi, she would never be the princess. The fact that Prince Yi had two princesses was unprecedented enough. Besides, Yun Luoluo was in such a state; she was discovered to be in an ambiguous rtionship. She could never a legitimate wife.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯sst sentence, in particr, made Madam Censor-in-chief Chen¡¯s face turn deathly pale in an instant. Making a decision on Prince Yi¡¯s behalf? Not even a million years would she dare to do so. She was regretting it now. Had she known earlier that the new Prince Ning would be so difficult to handle, she would never agree to do as Commandery Princess Xianyun said. Didn¡¯t Commandery Princess Xianyun said that Princess Ning was cowardly and unfavored? That she only got her position out of sheer luck?

    Why did she feel like Princess Ning was more imposing than Commandery Princess Xianyun? Moreover, Princess Ning was also so cold that she made a shiver run down her back! Was Princess Ning truly a youngdy who wasn¡¯t even fully fifteen yet?

    ¡°Princess Ning, I... I¡¯ve overstepped my ce!¡± Madam Censor-in-chief Chen was forced to apologize with a red face.

    At that moment, Xinmei had one of the guards bring out a chair. Ning Xueyan sat at the gate of the courtyard and stared at Yun Luoluo, whose expression had somewhat changed. Yun Luoluo was indeed shocked to see this. Ning Xueyan had been so kind and obedient to her the past few days that it was as if she had no temper at all, yet she was being so imposing now.

    She believed that her indistinct exnation and the fact that everyone saw hering out of the Moon-embracing Tower in a disheveled state would be enough. Her sister told her that Prince Yi was still inside the tower, so this incident could never be fully exined. The Lord Peace¡¯s Manor could be considered rtives of the Emperor and couldn¡¯t be disgraced in such a way. The Emperor would surely make Prince Yi take responsibility, and she would be able to be his consort.

    Initially, she wasn¡¯t happy with her sister¡¯s arrangement but she had no other choice. Now that she had entered Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, her reputation would surely be ruined by the time she left. She wouldn¡¯t be able to find a husband from an influential noble family anymore. Marrying Prince Yi was her best option. Who knew? She might even be an Empress in the future.

    This n could be considered a solution to her current predicament. Besides, after taking a clear look at Ao Chenyi that day, she waspletely starstruck. She hesitated to ruin her reputation at first, but her determination became firm right after.

    She didn¡¯t care for Ning Xueyan¡¯s reaction. She truly looked down on Ning Xueyan; Ning Xueyan was just a consort who got lucky and became the princess. Once she enters the manor, she would rob Ning Xueyan¡¯s position and be Prince Yi¡¯s consort. Ning Xueyan was nothing to her.

    For the past two days, she had been observing Ning Xueyan. She noticed that Ning Xueyan was even-tempered, sickly, frail, and obviously a useless person. Once she appeared in front of everyone with her messy clothes, Ning Xueyan would surely get so shocked that she couldn¡¯t even speak straight and decide her status without another word. When that timees, even if Prince Yi got angry, he would only me Ning Xueyan.

    But what was with Ning Xueyan¡¯s reaction? Ning Xueyan was so calm that she even got someone to fetch her a chair. This...

    ¡°Second Young Lady Yun, is there something you¡¯re feeling awkward about? Can you tell me about it? Shouldn¡¯t you visiting Sister Yun at this time?¡± Although Ning Xueyan was smiling, her eyes were cold. Anyone could tell that she was truly furious.

    No one dared to say anything, especially after seeing Madam Censor-in-chief Chen get berated so badly that she didn¡¯t dare to raise her head.

    ¡°I... I did something wrong! Please forgive me, Sister Ning!¡± An idea struck Yun Luoluo, prompting her to kneel in front of Ning Xueyan. She bit her lip, looking pitiful.

    Ning Xueyan nced at Yun Luoluo from high above. Her ink-like, cold pupils met Yun Luoluo¡¯s aggrieved eyes. Her face suddenly turned stern. ¡°Since when did I be your older sister, Second Young Lady Yun? I don¡¯t remember ever having a younger sister like you!¡±

    Ning Xueyan emphasized the words ¡°younger sister¡± with force, making them sound even more sarcastic.

    ¡°I... I... with His Highness... We... We didn¡¯t do it... on purpose...¡± Now that things havee to this, Yun Luoluo had no choice to continue her act even though she felt that a major mishap had urred. No matter what, she had to force Ning Xueyan to acknowledge her ¡°affair¡±.

 Chapter 587 - Yun Luoluo Goes All Out

    <h4>Chapter 587 Yun Luoluo Goes All Out</h4>

    The more Yun Luoluo spoke, the more ambiguous she made things seem. It was as if she had admitted to her affair with Prince Yi. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have referred to herself as a younger sister when she was older than Ning Xueyan. And look at her flustered state; she looked so weak and pitiful when kneeling to Ning Xueyan.

    But none of the youngdies and mistresses present dared to say anything. They had heard how Ning Xueyan reprimanded Madam Censor-in-chief Chen. Princess Ning wasn¡¯t as even-tempered and easily bullied as rumored. Her cold face was enough to tell them that anyone who spoke now would be in for a bad time.

    Thus, all of them pretended that they didn¡¯t see how pitiful Yun Luoluo looked and allowed Ning Xueyan to punish Yun Luoluo as she wished. They wondered if Ning Xueyan was just putting up a fierce front but not actually achieve anything.

    ¡°Third Young Lady Yun, why are you bringing up His Highness? Are you going to make him your witness? The Moon-embracing Tower is his office and resting ce! There are many documents inside. Second Young Lady Yun, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re here for those documents?¡± Ning Xueyan asked coldly.

    Her words shocked everyone. A few of them, who couldn¡¯t help but want to speak, immediately shut their mouths. If Prince Yi had lost his documents, someone would surely die today.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t! I didn¡¯t... take those things!¡± Yun Luoluo also panicked after hearing Ning Xueyan¡¯s words.

    ¡°Then, why are you here? Why did you put on such an appearance?¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s gaze turned increasingly sharp.

    ¡°I... I... I was...¡± Yun Luoluo opened her mouth, her face was so red that it was almost blood-like. A trace of resentment and anger crossed her eyes. How could she bring herself to say what happened between her and Prince Yi? She thought she had made it clear enough, so how could Ning Xueyan still not understand?

    ¡°Second Young Lady Yun, we invited you here to take care of your sister, not for you to sneak into the Moon-embracing Tower. Since you didn¡¯te to steal documents, then tell me. What are you doing here?¡± Ning Xueyan acted as if she didn¡¯t see that Yun Luoluo was on the verge of a breakdown.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s words were incredibly clever. Several of the sharp-mindeddies sighed nearly at the same time. Second Young Lady Yun was done for. Whether or not she had an affair with Prince Yi, it didn¡¯t matter after Princess Ning put her on the spot. Unless she was shameless enough to admit that she had an affair with Prince Yi, she would be admitting that she was in her current state because she was trying to steal Prince Yi¡¯s documents.

    In such a matter, everyone involved would be unlucky. It might even implicate her sickly sister.

    Who said that Princess Ning was useless? Who said that she was weak and ipetent? That she was so sickly that she was on the verge of death? Look at her current state. Although she was a little thin and paler than most people, she seemed so spirited that she was far from a person on her deathbed. Her sharp words couldn¡¯te out of just anyone.

    Princess Ning was no simple person! She had the imposing manner of Prince Yi! Many of thedies nodded to themselves secretly.

    Yun Luoluo nced at the mockery in Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes and knew that she was forced into a disadvantageous position. She clenched her teeth and said loudly, ¡°I... It was His Highness... who told me toe here.¡± She didn¡¯t believe that Ning Xueyan would still refuse to acknowledge their affair after saying as much and spout nonsense about hering to the Moon-embracing Tower to steal documents.

    To think that Yun Luoluo would be shameless to admit this! Everyone looked at her in shock. Was she truly the first wife¡¯s daughter of the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor? How could she be so brazen? Even a low-ss woman wouldn¡¯t say such things. Moreover, she had entered the manor to serve her sickly sister, only to turn around and have an affair with her brother-inw. She even had the cheek to admit this in front of everyone.

    The education of the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor, the family behind the Empress Dowager, was truly... shocking.

    Out of thedies here, quite a few had the intention to ally with the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor through marriage. They immediately dispelled the idea. Once they get home, they would immediately withdraw the marriage offer. Who would dare marry a woman with such education? Second Young Lady Yun was simply too shameless for words!

    ¡°When did His Highness tell you toe here?¡± Ning Xueyan asked calmly.

    ¡°Just now, when I was strolling with you. His Highness ordered someone to call me here. He told me to find an excuse to leave. Did you forget, Princess Ning?¡± Having been forced to say such brazen words, Yun Luoluo truly hated Ning Xueyan at this moment. She looked at Ning Xueyan provocatively and mocked, ¡°Princess Ning, you¡¯re such a terrible princesspared to my sister. Even my sister knows His Highness¡¯ intentions.¡±

    Commandery Princess Xianyun knew about the affair between Yun Luoluo and Prince Yi? Everyone was astonished and became even more speechless. Wasn¡¯t Commandery Princess Xianyun a knowledgeable and graceful person? How could she let her sister have an affair with her own husband? If Prince Yi truly had feelings for Yun Luoluo, he could just propose marriage.

    If Prince Yi had the intention, the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor would never disagree!

    How could things develop so brazenly? It seemed that Commandery Princess Xianyun wasn¡¯t so smart. Perhaps no one in the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor was clever. This could have resolved satisfactorily, yet they had to make such a scandal. No one knew what to say.

    ¡°Sister Yun... knows about you?¡± Ning Xueyan smiled, looking not at all startled. She looked Yun Luoluo up and down with an intrigued expression as if she was looking at a clown.

    Her gaze agitated Yun Luoluo, making her even angrier. She stopped looking at other people. She was so angry and ashamed that all she could see was Ning Xueyan¡¯s mocking gaze. She felt as if Ning Xueyan was targeting her. ¡°Yes, my sister knows. She¡¯s the one who decided this for me. She¡¯s the princess of this manor. Everything is fine as long as she approves.¡±

    Yun Luoluo spoke bluntly out of her desire to suppress Ning Xueyan. She didn¡¯t care what she said as long as she could quell Ning Xueyan¡¯s arrogance.

    She hated Ning Xueyan for making her say such brazen words, so she said as much to upset Ning Xueyan. She wanted everyone to know that Ning Xueyan, as the princess, was nothing and that her sister was the true princess. Everything that her sister decided, Ning Xueyan had neither the reason nor the status to deny.

    To think that Commandery Princess Xianyun was the one who set up the affair! This... This was truly disgraceful. How could she let her husband sneak around with her own sister? So this was the education in the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor! Everyone looked at a furious and stubborn-looking Yun Luoluo in shock.

    Wasn¡¯t Commandery Princess Xianyun said to be gentle and generous? How... How could she do something like this? How could she be so shameless?

    What everyone was most concerned with wasn¡¯t the fact that Commandery Princess Xianyun had a more legitimate im to the princess status than Ning Xueyan, but the fact that Commandery Princess Xianyun set up the affair between her sister and her husband. No one capable of this would be innocent!

    Could it be that Commandery Princess Xianyun had done something like this before? That was why she was so good at this now!

    Some of thedies suddenly recalled some secret rumors from the pce in the past. It was said that Commandery Princess Xianyun nearly entered the pce as an imperial concubine. Could it be that she had an affair with the Emperor? That would be truly shocking!

    Some people¡¯s thoughts went even further. Could this be rted to the Emperor? Did the Emperor ask Commandery Princess Xianyun to cause a scandal at Princess Ning¡¯s banquet?

    Madam Censor-in-chief Chen¡¯s face turned pale and ashen. Getting involved in such a thing meant death!

    She regretted it so much that she nearly passed out. She thought Commandery Princess Xianyun was just unhappy with the new princess, but it seemed that she had gotten embroiled in the battle for the throne. Her husband, Censor-in-chief Chen, had repeatedly warned her not to get involved in such things.

    ¡°What¡¯s there to see at my ce?¡± A cold snort resounded behind everyone, carrying a light and indistinct coldness in it.

    Everyone turned around and saw Ao Chenyi in his ornate ck brocade. His handsome face wasced with ice-cold bloodthirstiness. When he looked at the crowd, everyone who met his eyes became so frightened that they lowered their heads. Everyone felt a shiver down their spines as if they were being swept by a sinister, cold aura.

    Yun Luoluo started shuddering all over. Wasn¡¯t the Prince supposed to be inside? Why was heing from the outside?

    Ning Xueyan stood up gracefully and saluted Ao Chenyi. The rest immediately recovered their senses and nted their bodies to salute him. Before Ao Chenyi said they could stand, all of them maintained their posture and dared not move.

    ¡°Your Highness, these are youngdies and mistresses from other noble families. Let them stand up. Second Young Lady Yun said you sent someone to call her here, so... so she ended up in such a state?¡± Ning Xueyan smiled calmly. First, she pleaded for thedies before bringing up Yun Luoluo. She acted in an orderly manner.

    Behind Ao Chenyi, Eunuch Zhu said loudly in his high-pitched voice, ¡°You can stand up!¡± Only then did everyone stand up. They secretly nced at Ning Xueyan in gratitude. Without Ning Xueyan¡¯s reminder, Prince Yi would likely not pay attention to such details. In the past, a mistress once saluted Prince Yi but ended up fainting when he didn¡¯t excuse her after a long time.

    It was one thing to faint, but she angered Prince Yi and got punished by the Emperorter on.

    ¡°I sent someone to call her here? So it¡¯s my fault that she looks like she just slept with a few men?¡± Ao Chenyi raised an eyebrow. His dark, unreadable eyes turned as his gaze fell and locked onto Yun Luoluo. ¡°So it¡¯s my fault now. Very well. I was having a meeting with the Emperor in the pce earlier. Since when did I sleep with this woman?¡±

    Ao Chenyi spoke so bluntly that he didn¡¯t spare Yun Luoluo any dignity. When he was done speaking, he waved his hand at the guards without giving Yun Luoluo a chance to exin. ¡°Send her back to the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor like this! Tell them that she had a tryst with the servants in my manor and even dared to me it on me.¡±

    He spared her thest time because Yan¡¯er was able to use the chance to be his princess. That didn¡¯t mean that he was going to let her off. He would never let her off for daring to harm Yan¡¯er.

    ¡°Your Highness, what about Sister Yun...¡± Ning Xueyan asked, frowning gracefully.

    ¡°Since she nned this for her sister, I¡¯m sure she knows. You don¡¯t have to inform her,¡± Ao Chenyi said coldly. He then strode inside the courtyard impatiently. His group of eunuchs separated and took their spots on both sides of the gate. They stared at the crowd coldly, making them feel afraid.

    Two guards walked over and pulled up Yun Luoluo, who had copsed feebly on the ground. Without saying anything, they dragged her out...

 Chapter 588 - Jealousy and the Previous Engagement

    <h4>Chapter 588 Jealousy and the Previous Engagement</h4>

    Yun Luoluo were in tears, who looked intive and seemed to have forgotten to struggle, but no one present was sympathetic to her while seeing that.

    Prince Yi was not in the courtyard but in the pce, where he was being with the emperor. Earlier, Yun Luoluo had said that Prince Yi had specially asked her toe here. What did that mean? Besides, her clothes were so in disarray, and there were red marks seemingly caused by intimate touches on her neck. What did this suggest? Moreover, just now, she had said righteously that all this was the idea of Commandery Princess Xianyun. What was the meaning of it then?

    Yun Luoluo would surely not have illicit intercourse with a servant, nor would she have rtions with Prince Yi.

    The most possible reason was that Commandery Princess Xianyun and Yun Luoluo had intentionally made such a show, aiming to force Prince Yi to ept the im that he had rtions with Yun Luoluo, but Prince Yi was never a person for others to force. Not to mention Commandery Princess Xianyun and her sister Yun Luoluo, could the emperor force him?

    Some thought that the emperor was perhaps the troublemaker in this matter, but what was the use of that? The fact was clear that Prince Yi had never had an affair with Yun Luoluo and herpanion, but Yun Luoluo had used him firmly. With him provoked, this result she got served her right.

    Under such circumstances, no one dared to meddle in it.

    ¡°There¡¯s still so much time before the banquet opens. Youdies can walk around for a few more moments. I¡¯ll ask our maids to lead you. Now the prince and I still have something to do, so I won¡¯t keep youpany,¡± Ning Xueyan said politely with a smile while standing still at the door of the Moon-embracing Tower.

    When such a bad thing had happened, it was normal for the couple to have a discussion, and no one would be so stupid to deny her proposal. They were all smiling as if nothing had happened. After saying goodbye to her, they left directly for the garden under Lanning¡¯s guidance.

    About Princess Ning, who had always been unreasonable and ipetent, these few smartdies had already formed a view: Prince Ning had a decisive character without procrastination and was never like what the outside rumors described. Earlier, she had intentionally turned Yun Luoluo¡¯s case to the paperwork, lest that Yun Luoluo should speak more disgraceful words and the people present should be more embarrassed.

    At that time, a few unmarried youngdies had been on site. In that situation, neither leaving nor staying would have been suitable, so they had fallen into an extremely embarrassing situation. But Ning Xueyan had changed the subject to the paperwork, easily directing the matter of an illicit sexual rtionship to a different topic. At least, she had saved those fewdies present from being embarrassed.

    And her reprimand of Censor-in-chief Chen¡¯s wife had been with more convincing evidence. If she hadn¡¯t reprimanded her in that situation, more people would have gossiped, and the scene would have been too difficult to control then. However, she had made all the others afraid to talk casually by scolding Censor-in-chief Chen¡¯s wife. Immediately, the audience had been suppressed.

    No doubt, this princess of Prince Yi was more like Prince Yi¡¯s princess than Commandery Princess Xianyun!

    And her reply to Prince Yi had never shown that she had lost favor as the outside rumors imed. The rumors were unreliable!

    Seeing these people leaving, Ning Xueyan turned around and walked to the yard. The door of the yard was open. Ao Chenyi had entered the room, but a inly dressingdy was standing in the yard. When she saw Ning Xueyan entering, she bowed to her gracefully and said, ¡°Sister Princess Ning!¡±

    ¡°Third Young Lady Hua?¡± Ning Xueyan said with a smile.

    ¡°Sister Princess Ning, it turns out you also know me. Is it Brother Prince Yi who spoke of me?¡± Hua Qiuying said with a soft smile as her eyes brightened.

    ¡°Third Young Lady Hua, you are so courteous. You just call me Princess Ning! Second Young Lady Yun also called me Sister Princess just now. It is really an ufortable address,¡± Ning Xueyan said with a leisurely smile. Then she studied her from head to toe as if she didn¡¯t see that Hua Qiuying¡¯s face suddenly stiffened when hearing her words.

    ¡°It is certainly not our prince who spoke of you. It is that I did an investigation and found you. Why are you here at this time, Third Young Lady?¡±

    Ning Xueyan spoke extremely impolitely, making the smiling Hua Qiuying feel a little difficult to reply. After a moment of silence, she then said with somewhat uneasiness, ¡°I came here to see... Brother Prince Yi! When my elder sister was still alive, I often came to Brother Prince Yi¡¯s ce.¡±

    ¡°But the current princesses are Sister Yun and me.¡± Ning Xueyan looked at Hua Qiuying quietly, but her stunning watery eyes were giving off a bit of gloomy coldness.

    ¡°I... I did juste to see Brother Prince Yi.¡± Hua Qiuying¡¯s eyes turned red. Being so aggrieved, she almost shed tears. ¡°It is Eunuch Ling who asked me to wait here. Just now, when Second Young Lady Yun came in, in order not to cause trouble or damage Brother Prince Yi¡¯s reputation, I went to hide deliberately.¡±

    No matter what, Hua Qiuying looked extremelypliant and considerate.

    ¡°Third Young Lady Hua, our prince says you¡¯d better go home. After such a thing happened, we are afraid another woman may go out and say that she has rtions with our prince, which will make our princess fall into a difficult situation,¡± Eunuch Zhu scuttled out of the opened door and said to Hua Qiuying in a shrill, rhythmic, and measured tone.

    ¡°Brother Prince Yi doesn¡¯t want to see me?¡± Hua Qiuying was sad and bit her lips as if she was trying to suppress the grief in her heart, but she nodded, bowed to Ning Xueyan again, took one more look at the opened door, and turned and left with unwillingness. When she reached the entrance of the yard, she looked back again in tears.

    In the end, she covered her mouth, making a low sob, and rushed away.

    In the room, Ao Chenyi was reclining on the couch indifferently. Seeing Ning Xueyaning in, he waved to her, signaling to her toe over.

    But Ning Xueyan sat still in the chair beside him and said seriously, ¡°Prince, this delicatedy misses you wholeheartedly, but you really don¡¯t have any interest in her? It is said that she doesn¡¯t take after her elder sister that much, but they are biological sisters at least, so they resemble each other a bit, anyway.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Yan¡¯er, you mean...¡± Ao Chenyi raised his eyebrows, having a small smile in his eyes.

    ¡°Is what I mean useful? If you have an interest, that¡¯s enough, prince. Since she has taken a frequenter¡¯s route ande here, she loves you deeply. Prince, don¡¯t make her disappointed. She is so delicate, but she became so aggrieved after only saying a few words to me. Prince, why not go andfort her with your sincere heart?¡±

    ¡°You are jealous?¡± Ao Chenyi was startled first and then found the key point. A smile that couldn¡¯t be hidden appeared on his thin lips. Seeing that his ¡°little cat¡± was not as gentle and quiet as she was in public, he had quite a good mood. Rising from the couch, he went over to pull her.

    Ning Xueyan was inexplicably angry and made him take his hand away by hitting it with hers. ¡°I¡¯m not jealous. I¡¯m afraid that you can¡¯t forget her elder sister so that you begin to love her, prince.¡±

    She said these words with so much fury that she couldn¡¯t even control it herself, but her sense told her that Ao Chenyi was not a person like that. However, when she had seen her staying safe and sound in the yard just now, she couldn¡¯t have suppressed the anger in her chest.

    Ao Chenyiughed in quite a good mood, with his lips upturned to the extent that was never seen in normal times. Eunuch Zhu retired cleverly because he knew that his prince never wanted to see him here at this moment.

    ¡°Go and tell Housekeeper Ling, don¡¯t let Hua Qiuying enter the mansion anymore in the future.¡± When he had just reached the door, his prince¡¯s indifferent voice came to his ears. Eunuch Zhu nodded yes hurriedly and then took steps back to the doorway.

    He thought about it at the door and heaved a sigh. ¡°Eunuch Ling is naturally loyal to the prince, but he is so old that he hasn¡¯t found who the prince loves!¡± Many years ago, when Eunuch Zhu had still been the real Little Zhu, he had found that his prince had no interest in Second Young Lady Hua.

    ¡°As for the rumor flying aroundter, it is the prince who let it out. How could Eunuch Ling really think that the prince can¡¯t forget his former fianc¨¦e! It seems that I have to tell it to him lest that the prince should be unhappy.¡±

    In the room, Ao Chenyi pulled Ning Xueyan up andforted this ¡°little wild cat¡± with her hair standing on end gently, ¡°Hua Qiuying came because Eunuch Ling let her in. Of course, Eunuch Ling was unlikely to let her enter my courtyard casually. She must have used usible words. All members of the Hua Family are best at acting.¡±

    Ning Xueyan rolled her eyes at him secretly, but she softened her body, leaned against his chest by following his gesture, and questioned, ¡°Acting?¡±

    ¡°Yan¡¯er, be a bit cautious. That¡¯s enough. None of the Hua Family¡¯s members is good,¡± Ao Chenyi said with a cold snort. Then, somewhat bloodthirsty fierceness appeared and vanished in his eyes. If he didn¡¯t need them to be self-righteous for the time being, surely, Hua Qiuying wouldn¡¯t have been able to walk through the entrance of his courtyard in whatever condition.

    ¡°Is there a problem with the Hua Family?¡± Ning Xueyan reacted quite fast and pointed out the key problem as her watery eyes brightened.

    ¡°I can¡¯t deal with the Hua Family for now, but I¡¯ll do it soon!¡± Ao Chenyi narrowed his cold but handsome eyes evilly and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Hua Qiuying won¡¯te to bother you anymore. If she doesn¡¯t know how to behave herself, I might as well kill her first! Then, the Hua Family won¡¯t have to dream about something impractical again.¡±

    ¡°Chenyi!¡± Ning Xueyan paused, raised her watery eyes with a slight frown, and said, ¡°You¡¯d better not deal with her for the time being. She can¡¯t provoke me.¡±

    She felt that the engagement between the daughter of Chief Hua of the Imperial Academy and Ao Chenyi in those years might not be as simple as it had been on the surface. When this matter was spoken of every time, Ao Chenyi just detested it. Since Ao Chenyi didn¡¯t wish to handle them temporarily, she didn¡¯t have to do it herself and make the Hua Family vignt, for she believed that this was more beneficial to Ao Chenyi.

    Earlier, she had suddenly be jealous because she had seen Hua Qiuying standing safe and sound in the yard, not being driven out. Then, she had be angry inexplicably.

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to see her, do you?¡± Ao Chenyi touched herzily and suddenly chuckled.

    ¡°Right, but I have a stronger wish to help you!¡± Ning Xueyan turned her watery eyes, poked her hard chest, and said, ¡°As long as I know you won¡¯t remember her elder sister because of her!¡±

    ¡°You are worried about me?¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s smile became even more beautiful and enchanting.

    ¡°I¡¯m not. I just don¡¯t want to see a woman be superior to me,¡± Ning Xueyan grumbled coyly, her face slightly red.

    ¡°Do you think I am too bloodthirsty, Yan¡¯er?¡± Ao Chenyi suddenly raised her nice pointed chin, nced at her, and asked.

    ¡°Whether you are bloodthirsty, arrogant, or fierce and merciless, as long as you are yourself, that¡¯s fine.¡± Seeing the pair of deep handsome eyes, Ning Xueyan whispered and caressed his face subconsciously, with a firm will in her clear eyes.

    She had experienced lots of things and seen what he had done for her clearly. Unconsciously, she had taken him to her heart, so no matter what he did, she would keep on going with him together.

 Chapter 589 - Commandery Princess Xianyun Suddenly Goes Furious

    Chapter 589 Commandery Princess Xianyun Suddenly Goes Furious

    Having felt her reliance and trust, Ao Chenyi took her hand away from his face, held it gently in his hand, and had a small doting smile in his constantly eerie, cold eyes.

    He loved to see that she was like a little wild cat with her hair standing on end and that she relied on him wholeheartedly, and he more loved that she trusted him absolutely. It seemed that no matter what she was like, he loved her, so he reached out to hold her tightly in his arms, feeling her softness.

    Previously, he had thought that no woman could enter his heart, but he hadn¡¯t expected that he had be interested in such a small woman so silently...

    Prince Yi¡¯s Manor had held the banquet quite smoothly, so all the people thought that Princess Ning had behaved naturally. Although she was still young, either her bearing or her words or other aspects of her had shown that she was like the real princess of Prince Yi. In contrast, due to the matter of Yun Luoluo, all mansions had be full of scorn toward Lord Peace¡¯s Manor. In the past, they had thought that Commandery Princess Xianyun was an unfairly treated woman, but now they thought that the treatment served herpletely right.

    No matter what aim she had held when directing this drama with Yun Luoluo in it, she hadn¡¯t considered the profit of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor or stood on the side of it. Compared with her, Ning Xueyan had reacted resolutely, stopping the nder about this matter immediately and making Yun Luoluo fail to defend herself with just a few words. With that, the matter hadn¡¯t developed into a scandal.

    And it had been proven that Prince Yi had returned from the pce at that time.

    These things seemed to show that Commandery Princess Xianyun couldn¡¯t be a princess anymore. She had dared to plot against Prince Yi in the public eye, but it was not what the princess of Prince Yi should do, and it also reflected that the family education of Lord Peace¡¯s Manor was really much too filthy.

    After the banquet, these visitors didn¡¯t linger anymore. They knew that this incident was sure to have sequels because Prince Yi was not a person who was willing to simply suffer losses. Some had sensitively felt that the glory of Lord Peace¡¯s Manor in Empress Dowager¡¯s period might nevere back.

    Compared with Yun Luoluo¡¯s event, the fight between the third youngdy of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and Ao Xian, Commandery Princess¡¯s princely heir, made people quite look down upon Third Young Lady Ning, who showed proper manners in public but behaved so impolitely behind people¡¯s backs, but it didn¡¯t have connections with politics on the whole and only a few parties cared about it, so its influence was a bit less.

    Ning Qingshan and Ning Lingyun had left the prince¡¯s mansion early, but it was not that they had taken the initiative to go back, but that Madam Dowager had sent people to receive them. Ning Xueyan had sent a message to Madam Dowager a long time ago, and Madam Dowager had been so angry that she had sent a carriage here.

    Third Prince¡¯s carriage went into Lord Protector¡¯s Manor together with the carriage of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. After getting off, he didn¡¯t care about Ning Qingshan¡¯s loving voice but went straight to see Ning Zu¡¯an. After a long time of talk with Ning Zu¡¯an in his study, he then left.

    As soon as she stepped into the courtyard, Ning Qingshan was forbidden to go anywhere. After a short time, two etiquette-teaching Mammies came from the pce, teaching her to talk and behave. If she did anything slightly improper, she would be punished. It was said that they had been specially invited here by Third Prince, in case Ning Qingshan was disgraceful after marrying into Third Prince¡¯s Manor.

    When such a thing had happened, Ning Qingshan thought that it was worth it for her to be just punished like this, so she gritted her teeth to bear it, but what she didn¡¯t know was that she, who was supposed to be a consort ording to the original n, had now been lowered to a senior concubine, and the consort¡¯s position had been given to Ning Lingyun.

    For Ning Zu¡¯an, this was the best solution. Recently, he had been doing investigations and finally found from the numerous clues that Ning Qingshan probably kept in touch with Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor. When he had been quite angry, Third Prince had proposed such a suggestion, which matched his wish so perfectly.

    Therefore, he had agreed directly without saying anything and given Ning Qingshan¡¯s consort¡¯s position to Ning Lingyun. As for Ning Qingshan, who could marry as a senior concubine when Ning Lingyun married, she could go to live in her husband¡¯s house first. Anyway, she was just in the lowest ss of the senior concubines, and a small sedan chair used to carry her was enough to match her status.

    As for how to handle the imperial pce, Ao Mingyu had said that he could visit the pce and make an exnation: when such an improper thing had happened, Ning Qingshan would only smear his image if she married into his mansion like this.

    So, Ao Mingyu went straight to the pce of Honored Consort Ya after entering the imperial pce.

    ¡°What? You want your cousin to be an ordinary concubine?¡± Honored Consort Ya hit the table hard with her palm and went furious after hearing Ao Mingyu¡¯s words.

    ¡°Mother, she is not my cousin. She is the daughter of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and Madam Ling, the vicious woman. In either identity or status, she can¡¯t match me. Besides, she had a fight with Ao Xian, leaving her clothes in disarray and her lying with Ao Xian on the same spot. Mother, do you really think she helps me if she marries into my mansion like this?¡±

    Sullen-faced, Ao Mingyu looked at Honored Consort Ya firmly.

    As her eyes glistened, Honored Consort Ya barely closed her eyes and said, ¡°But... she is your cousin after all!¡±

    ¡°Mother, she is not. Qin¡¯er is your real niece. She is but an adopted daughter of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Now she disgraces Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, but it has nothing to do with Grand Tutor¡¯s Manor. If you let her be my consort, of course, it has connections with us,¡± Ao Mingyu said coldly.

    Honored Consort Ya lowered her head and had a bit of pain in her eyes, remembering her elder brother who had died young. ¡°If my father hadn¡¯t sent Ning Qingshan to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor at that time, maybe Ning Qingshan would be in a different condition now. He gave our child to others to raise, but she has been brought up to be like this. Was my father really wrong?¡±

    ¡°Then... let her go to live in your mansion first. Anyway, she is but a senior concubine,¡± Honored Consort Ya leaned back and said, feeling powerless. This was thest thing she could do for Ning Qingshan.

    Now the princess hadn¡¯t married into the mansion yet, so it was not a big deal for her, a senior concubine, toe to live in the mansion first. In fact, there were already a few lowly concubines of this kind in Third Prince¡¯s Manor. She hoped that her niece could be a little smart this time, wouldn¡¯t make any trouble, and could win her son¡¯s heart soon and then give birth to a child. That was best. Then, she might have the chance to make aeback.

    Now, this was the only thing she could do as her aunt!

    Her son did hate her!

    ¡°All right, but please tell this to my father for me, mother. Lord Protector has also agreed, so as long as my father approves of this, there won¡¯t be any other bad influence,¡± Ao Mingyu nodded and said. This was what he could ept. He had thought that her mother would make such a condition. With the two Mammies of the imperial pce being with Ning Qingshan, no matter how stupid she was, it was almost impossible for her to do such a shameful thing again. For him, only one more woman would have joined his mansion.

    ¡°What? My second sister has been carried back to Lord Peace¡¯s Manor?¡± The teacup in her hand fell heavily on the floor, and the burning hot tea water was sshed on the hem of her skirt, but she had no mind to care about it.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun was greatly frightened in the Bright Mind Garden.

    ¡°Right, I heard a few people talk like that just now, and I also paid a special visit to the Moon-embracing Tower. People there all said that our second youngdy was shameless and even dared to frame the prince after having fooled around with some man. Then, the prince went furious and asked people to take the second youngdy back to Lord Peace¡¯s Manor like that,¡± Qiu Huan exined in fear.

    ¡°Was the prince not in the mansion?¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun found the key point in quite a short time.

    ¡°Prin-prince had been in the pce... with... the emperor previously, but he then... came back,¡± Qiu Huan said timidly.

    ¡°Trash, slut!¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun was stunned for a moment, then she red up, rose to her feet, and pped Qiu Huan hard, making her shake and fall to the ground. Then, she strode over and kicked her face and body crazily and ceaselessly.

    ¡°Bitch, idiot, you said that the prince was in the mansion and had been in the Moon-embracing Tower, but now, why do you say that he was in the imperial pce?¡±

    ¡°Princess, spare my life. I don¡¯t know why the prince wasn¡¯t in the Moon-embracing Tower, but the people of the mansion clearly said that the prince was in the mansion!¡± Qiu Huan was beaten and cried loudly, but she dare not avoid the beating.

    ¡°How could my mistress be so ferocious?¡± Now her mind went nk. ¡°Is the shrew-like woman before me really my virtuous and gentle mistress?¡±

    Those few maids and older female servants outside the room were uneasy and looked at one another when hearing the cries from the room, but they didn¡¯t go in to stop their mistress. Their princess had made an order that anyone who was not summoned but dared to go into her room would be beaten and punished.

    These few people were those who had been brought here by Commandery Princess Xianyun, but they were not the close maids and older female servants of the princess, so no one went there. Instead, they could only listen outside in fear, but they all knew that Qiu Huan was now in a bad condition.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun had not vented her anger by kicking like that, then she picked up ampstand made of nanmu wood at hand, and aimed at Qiu Huan¡¯s head with it while scolding, ¡°Slut, I asked you to ask about the information, but you couldn¡¯t get it. You are so useless to me!¡±

    As soon as she finished speaking, she gritted her teeth with a sinister expression and went to hit her hard with the thing in her hands.

    ¡°Princess, please spare my life. I won¡¯t dare any more next time.¡±

    ¡°Why were you stupid like that?¡±

    ¡°Princess, princess, please have mercy on me. I won¡¯t be like that anymore in the future!¡±

    First, there were shouts and cries, then there was the ¡°cracking¡± muffled sound, and finally, the cry of begging for mercy turned into a moan and gradually went to nothingness.

    Those few maids and older female servants Commandery Princess Xianyun had brought here from her parents¡¯ home all turned ashen and trembled.

    The door was suddenly opened. Commandery Princess Xianyun stood at the door with disheveled hair, and her jade-white skirt of thin silk was dotted with bloodstains. She was cold-faced and had a fierce look in her eyes. Seeing that, those who stood at the door bent their backs and stared at the ground, without the courage to move an inch.

    ¡°What did you hear?¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun asked coldly.

    ¡°Nothing,¡± they said in unison.

    ¡°Nothing?¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s voice contained a kind of strange evilness. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear that Qiu Huan couldn¡¯t think it through at the moment, hit the wall, and died after I scolded her?¡±

    ¡°Died? She died in such a short time?¡± A few timid servants almost lost their strength and fell, but they gritted their teeth to force themselves to stand still.

    ¡°We heard it.¡±

    ¡°Since you heard it,e in and clean the room,¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun said coldly. She turned gracefully and walked inside, but her bloodstained skirt still moved a few times in front of everyone and then disappeared into the room...

 Chapter 590 - I Never Want You to Be My Princess

    <h4>Chapter 590 I Never Want You to Be My Princess</h4>

    ¡°Qiu Huan, Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s maid, hit the wall and killed herself?¡± Ning Xueyan looked at Eunuch Zhu, astounded.

    ¡°Yes, it happened just now. Princess Yun sent a servant here to report, but I didn¡¯t see her,¡± Eunuch Zhu answered respectfully. Ao Chenyi sat at the table, leaned back against the back of the chair, showed a little meaningful coldness, but didn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡°Why did she end her life by hitting the wall?¡± Ning Xueyan had to ask further.

    ¡°I heard that it is rted to Second Young Lady Yun¡¯s matter. It seems that such a thing happened to the second youngdy because of Qiu Huan¡¯s instigation, but I don¡¯t know the detail. That maiding to report trembled and didn¡¯t say it clearly.¡±

    Ning Xueyan was speechless. She really felt quite speechless. Last time, Yun Luoluo¡¯s case had ended up with Xiangrong¡¯s death; this time, Yun Luoluo¡¯s case had made Qiu Huan dead. The two maids Commandery Princess Xianyun had brought here had all been used as scapegoats, but she, Commandery Princess Xianyun, was still pure and innocent, knowing nothing.

    ¡°She used to be very gentle and demure, didn¡¯t she?¡± Ning Xueyan sighed. It was unknown whether these words were said for Ao Chenyi to hear or for herself to hear.

    ¡°She did it just for others to see. She thinks she has quite a distinguished status, and she is also ambitious. When plotting against others, she never thought about what the words ¡®one has to reap what he has sown¡¯ mean. When she can¡¯t bear the setback, she bes crazy.¡± Ao Chenyi put an ice-cold smile on his lips and waved his hand to Eunuch Zhu, saying, ¡°Go. Since she wants to see me, bring her here.¡±

    ording to their original n, they were about to visit the imperial pce at this time. Of course, Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s matter would not end so simply.

    Unexpectedly, Commandery Princess Xianyun had resorted to such a method, for she wanted to stop the matter from developing further before Ao Chenyi went to the imperial pce, but it was unknown what kind of trick she was going to y.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun came quite soon. As soon as she entered the room, she saw Ao Chenyi. Immediately, she looked at him in tears, sad, aggrieved, and even a little guilty of herself.

    Ning Xueyan saw her silently, ready to rise. No matter what, Commandery Princess Xianyun was indeed a bit higher than she was in status, but her hand on the table was held by Ao Chenyi¡¯s hand on the other side. Now, the two were sitting across a table.

    Since Ao Chenyi insisted, Ning Xueyan surely didn¡¯t think that she must stand up. Commandery Princess Xianyun wanted to harm her most, so she, Ning Xueyan, was not that tolerant.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun looked quite pathetic. Her expression was even more touching, with faintly seen tear marks on her face; behind the exquisite makeup was an even more intive face; a few hairs of her hair bun fell, but they were not in a mess. Instead, they made others think that she was so apprehensive and pathetic because of being frightened.

    And her clothes were slightly disheveled, but this disheveled dressing seemed to be the result of a careful design. It didn¡¯t make her look disheveled but made her look even slenderer and more graceful.

    It was fair to say that every part of her dressing was beautiful and had been carefully designed. Besides, she had a bit of panic and miserableness on her face. Then, it was suitable to im that she was even more beautiful and more charming than usual! The words ¡°when ady just awakes, she looks as beautiful as the Chinese flowering apple, and she has better charms at this time¡± were perfect to describe her beauty at the moment.

    Ning Xueyan lowered her head, picked up the teacup at hand, and took a light sip. Under her long eyshes were the eyes which were giving off slight ridicule. She used a maid¡¯s death to exchange for Ao Chenyi¡¯s forgiveness, with the help of such careful makeup. For Ning Xueyan, she really didn¡¯t know what Commandery Princess Xianyun thought.

    ¡°Prince!¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun looked quite panicky and ignored Ning Xueyan sitting beside herpletely, but she looked at Ao Chenyi tearfully.

    ¡°Anything to say?¡± Ao Chenyi said casually and coldly. He narrowed his eyes slightly, but there was a strange viciousness there.

    As her heart beat panickily, Commandery Princess Xianyun almost exposed her fright on the face. She took steps back unconsciously, but then she gritted her teeth and half looked up at Ao Chenyi in a trance, ready to open her mouth, but saw that he frowned and waved his hand in front of his tall, handsome nose.

    ¡°Don¡¯te so close! I¡¯m allergic to such a cheap and unpleasant scent!¡±

    Ning Xueyan was speechless and bit her lips. ¡°This man really dares to say anything. That fragrance of Commandery Princess Xianyun is obviously the best and the most elegant and pleasant, but how could it be like that in his words?¡±

    Commandery Princess Xianyun was a little embarrassed. As the noblest daughter of an official wife from an aristocratic family, she had been using the best one of any kind of thing since she was young, and she had never been despised like this before. However, she had to swallow the embarrassment and grievance now, and she also took one step back and said, ¡°Prince, I... I want to say that it is Qiu Huan who instigated my second sister and used her love of you. I didn¡¯t expect my second sister to do something so shameless.¡±

    ¡°That is something shameless? But you still learned it. I heard that it is you who asked Yun Luoluo toe here,¡± Ao Chenyi raised his eyebrows and said quite impatiently.

    ¡°He didn¡¯t save Commandery Princess Xianyun any face.¡± Ning Xueyan lost her words about it and fiddled with the handkerchief in her hands.

    ¡°Prince, I really don¡¯t know about this. If I had known, I would have never let my second sister do such a thing to ruin the reputations of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor and Lord Peace¡¯s Manor. This is bad for both you and me, so how could I do something so stupid?¡±

    Commandery Princess Xianyun looked at Ao Chenyi sadly, with two drops of tears dangling at the corners of her eyes and her red lips trembling slightly. No matter how she was viewed, she was so beautiful that the beholder would feel the pain in his heart, let alone she had affectionate love in her tears. Then, what kind of man could resist it?

    And her words were extremely reasonable, with every word showing that she would never do this because she was not stupid, and no one had ever said that Commandery Princess Xianyun was stupid.

    After hearing these words and seeing such an expression, almost every normal man would soften his heart.

    Unfortunately, this man was Ao Chenyi.

    Ning Xueyan cast a sidelong nce at him and surely saw an evil and cold small smile on his handsome face and impatience in his eyes.

    ¡°Xianyun, I don¡¯t care whether your servants die or not. Even if you killed all the people you brought here as part of your dowry, I would let you do it, but don¡¯t treat me like an idiot, and don¡¯t think about doing anything to me. Yun Luoluo is not so tight-lipped. She must have already told everything in Lord Peace¡¯s Manor now!¡± Ao Chenyi said coldly, with his handsome face full of maliciousness and disgust.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s face instantly turned pale. Ao Chenyi¡¯s words were almost a sharp warning. She had just thought that no matter how insolent Ao Chenyi was, he could not punish Yun Luoluo, and as long as Yun Luoluo didn¡¯t expose her, she could say whatever she wanted. But she had forgotten Yun Luoluo¡¯s character. Under such circumstances, she was sure to let her, Commandery Princess Xianyun, take all the me even if no one asked her.

    ¡°Prince, I was really wronged,¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun cried out sadly. Her cry was so miserable that a little desperation appeared and vanished in her eyes, and her tears ran down drop by drop. ¡°I... I don¡¯t know why my second sister said so. Does she still hate me for the thing I did to her in the past? Prince, how could I... I do something so vicious that would harm others but wouldn¡¯t benefit me?¡±

    Now she was really anxious. Being agitated all over, she shook, looking at Ao Chenyi with wide-open eyes.

    ¡°None of those wicked things was done by you, right? You wanted to kill my favored concubine but let Yan¡¯er take the me. Next, you wanted to spread the rumor about me and Yun Luoluo at Yan¡¯er¡¯s banquet, which would make Yan¡¯er lose face in public and me disgraceful and even make me feel guilty about Lord Peace¡¯s Manor. Then, whatever you wanted to do, I would have to turn a blind eye!¡±

    Ao Chenyi nced sideways at her, with ice-cold bloodthirst beneath his beautiful long eyshes. ¡°You want me to kill the whole Lord Peace¡¯s Manor, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Commandery Princess Xianyun was truly desperate. She widened her eyes to show her anger and desperation and could no longer take care of her appearance, letting the tears run out of her eyes and mix with the powder on her face.

    ¡°Prince, why do you do this to me? I am the princess given to you with the imperial edict, the official princess with a marriage granted by the emperor, but who is she? She was but a consort, a casually appointed consort. Then how could she be a princess, have the same status as me, and have also taken my position? Now she even held a banquet in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor! Prince, how could I bear this? I am your official wife!¡±

    Commandery Princess Xianyun was so agitated that she shook violently. She wiped away her tears with her sleeve and spoke while pointing at Ning Xueyan.

    Ning Xueyan looked up at her calmly, her eyes cold and indifferent. She had been vignt to Commandery Princess Xianyun. From her unmarried period to the time after her marriage, thetter had plotted against her numerous times, so she couldn¡¯t persuade herself to have sympathy for her no matter how pathetic she seemed to be now.

    If Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s scheme had seeded each time, she, Ning Xueyan, would have doomed eternally!

    Since she hadn¡¯t dealt with this woman with deadly means, it meant that she was kind enough.

    The room was very quiet. Both Lanning and Eunuch Zhu maintained the posture of looking down quietly, showing that they were well-behaved servants, and they were oblivious to the indignation of Commandery Princess Xianyun.

    ¡°You really don¡¯t know or you pretend to be ignorant? In my heart, I never want you to be my princess. If you hadn¡¯t begged the empress to issue an edict, why did I have to let Yan¡¯er take the inferior position of a consort? Initially, I thought that if you could behave yourself, I would not mind raising one more person in my house.¡±

    ¡°She, she is different? Why, why does she have the qualification? Isn¡¯t she the one granted by the imperial pce like me?¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun pointed at Ning Xueyan and shouted.

    ¡°She was given by the imperial pce, but she was also the woman I chose. I have someone in my heart. You can give up now!¡± Ao Chenyi said coldly with fierce eyes. With all his patience spent, he rose to his feet and said, ¡°Guard, take her back to the Bright Mind Garden. I¡¯ll deal with her when I havee back from the imperial pce.¡±

    ¡°She is different? She turns out to be his beloved woman. Favored concubine, favored concubine? Perhaps this is just a trap!¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun suddenly felt that she had learned everything. She instantly got rid of the guarding to take her and crazily wanted to charge at Ning Xueyan. ¡°Sure enough, my guess is with proof. She is really different.¡±

    ¡°Let me go. Ning Xueyan, you, you turn out to be so contemptible and so vicious!¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun shouted crazily and hit the guard¡¯s hand hard with hers. This look showed that she was almost crazy, and she yelled hysterically. What was in her eyes was all venomous jealousy. She was no longer the previous gentle and nobledy of an aristocratic family.

    Ning Xueyan looked at her indifferently, and the watery eyes beneath the long eyshes were eerily cold, but she ignored the crazily roaring Commandery Princess Xianyun. It seemed that she was really about to be crazy; otherwise, how could the official wife¡¯s daughter of Empress Dowager¡¯s parents¡¯ family do such an impropriate thing?

    Yun Luoluo¡¯s case had almost ruined the reputation of the entire Lord Peace¡¯s Manor. As the schemer of it, Commandery Princess Xianyun would make every one of Lord Peace¡¯s Manor angry, so she was sure to be abandoned by the manor, but what about the empress? The empress of the imperial pce and she were of one mind.

    Then, going to the imperial pce didn¡¯t seem to be something easy to deal with.

 Chapter 591 - Trickery in Chenyuan Palace

    <h4>Chapter 591 Trickery in Chenyuan Pce</h4>

    The pce had heard of the news by the time Prince Yi¡¯s carriage arrived. Yun Luoluo was escorted out of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, but brought to the pce by the Empress¡¯ servants on her way home.

    Ning Xueyan and Ao Chenyi separated on their way to the pce, with the former heading to Chenyuan Pce and thetter to the Emperor¡¯s study.

    One of the Empress¡¯ old eunuchs received Ning Xueyan at the door and led her in with a smiling face. Xinmei walked beside her.

    The old eunuch appeared to be an easygoing one. While leading the way, he said, ¡°Princess Yi, I heard Second Young Lady Yun got into trouble at your manor today. She¡¯s just young and reckless. I once met her when she was still a child, when Empress Dowager was still around. She has a lot of growing up to do, it seems.¡±

    A thought urred to Ning Xueyan and she asked, ¡°You¡¯ve served the Empress Dowager in the past?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I served in the Empress Dowager in the past. After she passed away, the Empress asked for me and so I started serving her instead. In the past, the Empress Dowager was the most respected person in the pce. Even the Emperor listened to her. Now that she was gone, even her maternal family had withered.¡±

    The eunuch sounded regretful like he felt sorry for Lord Peace¡¯s Manor.

    ¡°Was the Empress chosen by the Empress Dowager?¡± Ning Xueyan asked curiously.

    ¡°This, I¡¯m not too sure. The Empress is a filial person and had a good rtionship with the Empress Dowager when she was still alive. She would help her manage the harem. Even the Emperor praises the Empress highly. Nowadays, there are only a handful of notable youngdies in the Empress Dowager¡¯s family yet they caused such trouble. Sigh! The Empress feels terrible indeed!¡±

    The eunuch sighed again.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes gleamed twice with a thoughtful expression. It seemed that the Empress was implying that she would be protecting Yun Luoluo. Ning Xueyan¡¯s lips curved into a cold smile. She stopped going along with the eunuch¡¯s words and walked quietly as if she didn¡¯t notice his hints.

    The eunuch tried speaking up for Yun Luoluo, Commandery Princess Xianyun, and Lord Peace¡¯s Manor. He became upset when he saw Ning Xueyan walking calmly without going along with the conversation. What an insensible person! He had given Ning Xueyan several hints yet she refused to y along. She would definitely suffer when she met the Empresster.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s tactlessness made the eunuch¡¯s expression turn grim and he stopped speaking to her. He snorted in disdain and continued walking.

    This was perfect for Ning Xueyan. She was tired of listening to his babbling.

    Inside Chenyuan Pce, the Empress upied the central seat on the tform. She looked quite upset. Sitting beneath her was a middle-aged woman who red at Ning Xueyan the moment she came in. The woman¡¯s eyes seemed to be burning with fire and her expression was indignant.

    After Ning Xueyan curtsied, the Empress told her to sit down without any warmth in her voice.

    ¡°Princess Ning, Second Young Lady Yun entered Prince Yi¡¯s Manor to care for her sickly sister. How could something like this happen in just a few days? Is this how you take care of guests at Prince Yi¡¯s Manor? How can you let a youngdy be so badly shamed? She¡¯s still trying tomit suicide in my pce now.¡±

    Once Ning Xueyan took her seat, the Empress immediately chided her with a cold expression.

    She made it sound as if Yun Luoluo¡¯s current state was Ning Xueyan¡¯s fault. Even if she hadn¡¯t harmed Yun Luoluo, it was her fault for failing to manage the situation and letting it worsen.

    ¡°Exactly. Our Luo¡¯er is such an obedient child. She¡¯d never do something like that out of nowhere. She¡¯d never dare to do that unless someone instigated her to do so. Xianyun is now ill, so the entire household is under your supervision, Princess Ning. Are you going to watch our Luo¡¯er lose her face in front of everyone like this?¡±

    The middle-aged woman spoke indignantly while ring at Ning Xueyan, making it seem as though it was all Ning Xueyan¡¯s fault if she couldn¡¯t exin everything.

    This woman ought to be Lord Peace¡¯s wife and mother of Commandery Princess Xianyun and Yun Luoluo.

    Ning Xueyan listened to the Empress and Lord Peace¡¯s Madam targeting her with their words.

    No wonder the old eunuch would say such things earlier. So, this was waiting for her! They wanted to make her give in to them.

    ¡°You¡¯re mistaken, Your Highness. Everyone heard Second Young Lady Yun lying about having an affair with our prince. The madams there also heard that it was all Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s n. I wonder what she means by doing this. Does she want to embarrass Prince Yi¡¯s Manor? She¡¯s also Princess Yi, so that seems unlikely. But what if someone has told her to do so?¡±

    ¡°Besides, Commandery Princess Xianyun isn¡¯t really sick. Shouldn¡¯t you know better if she really needs someone to take care of her, Your Highness?¡± Ning Xueyan raised her head and looked coldly at the Empress. Although her voice was respectful, her words showed no sign of relenting.

    The Empress thought that her chiding would make Ning Xueyan admit defeat. She never thought that such a delicate woman would refuse to admit her mistake and this angered her immensely. Ning Xueyan¡¯sst sentence about Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s ¡°illness¡±, in particr, irritated her. The illness was a lie for other people¡¯s sake.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun was put on house arrest for making a mistake. Saying that she was ill was just a way of saving face for everyone. Yun Luoluo serving her sick sister was really because of her previous mistake.

    ¡°Ning Xueyan, I once said that you¡¯re in charge of the matters in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. You can¡¯t escape responsibility for such a major incident. Hearing your exnation, do you perhaps haveints about Commandery Princess Xianyun and Lord Peace¡¯s Manor? You should remember your status! You were originally just a concubine!¡±

    The Empress said coldly, while wearing an air of moral integrity.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s expression turned cold in the face of the Empress¡¯ pressure. She raised her head and met her eyes straight on. ¡°Your Highness, are you going to say that I instigated Second Young Lady Yun next? That because I manage the inner courtyard of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, Second Young Lady Yun¡¯s actions are my problem? Doesn¡¯t this mean that you¡¯ll also consider everything that happens in the pce as your responsibility, Your Highness?¡±

    It was obvious from the Empress¡¯ attempt to suppress Ning Xueyan that she was taking the side of Yun Luoluo, Commandery Princess Xianyun, and even Lord Peace¡¯s Manor. Once Ning Xueyan gave in, Ao Chenyi wouldn¡¯t be able to say anything about it. This was why Ning Xueyan would never bow her head. She must not let anyone use her to suppress Ao Chenyi.

    ¡°Your Highness, so many people saw and heard Second Young Lady Yun¡¯s words. Why don¡¯t you invite them and hear what they have to say? If I¡¯m lying, I¡¯ll resign from my position as the princess. But if I¡¯m telling the truth, how will you make Lord Peace¡¯s Manorpensate our manor, Your Highness?¡±

    ¡°This girl is going too far!¡± The Empress¡¯ face turned grim. She wished she could get her servants to drag Ning Xueyan out for a beating. Ning Xueyan was just a consort-turned-princess; how dare she speak to her like this? She truly didn¡¯t know her ce.

    Had Ning Xueyan been the wife of other princes, the Empress would have indicted her on the crime of contradicting her elder. Unfortunately, Ning Xueyan was Princess Yi. Despite knowing that Ao Chenyi didn¡¯t favor Ning Xueyan, she was nheless his princess on the surface. If the Empress punished Ning Xueyan, she would be going against Ao Chenyi. Knowing his temper, he would surely retaliate viciously.

    ¡°Princess Ning, watch how you¡¯re speaking to the Empress!¡± Lord Peace¡¯s Madam chided in a stern voice.

    ¡°Marchioness, I respect you as a madam only because you¡¯re older than me. Did you think that there¡¯s a ce for you to speak while the Empress and I are discussing a bet?¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes were ice-cold as she looked at Lord Peace¡¯s Madam. Her pupils carried a hint of sarcasm.

    If Lord Peace¡¯s Manor wasn¡¯t the Empress Dowager¡¯s family, they would be no match for Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Lord Peace¡¯s Manor appeared honorable and glorious when the Empress Dowager was still alive, but she was gone now. ording to Ao Chenyi, the Empress Dowager was no simple character. She was likely an ambitious woman, seeing how she kept the heir apparent close. A woman like this, especially when she wasn¡¯t the current Emperor¡¯s biological mother, would surely cause a conflict.

    There was likely another reason why she died so early in life.

    And the only reason why Lord Peace¡¯s Manor could maintain their glory was that the Emperor had to protect his reputation for being a filial son.

    At the root of it all, the Emperor probably didn¡¯t like Lord Peace¡¯s Manor.

    The Empress and Lord Peace Madam didn¡¯t expect that Ning Xueyan, infamous for being ipetent, would be so sharp-tongued. They looked down on her immensely, considering her to be a mere sickly woman, and thought that she would give in with just a few chiding words. They never expected her to be so aggressive.

    Lord Peace Madam trembled all over after hearing Ning Xueyan scold her. ¡°You... How dare you say such things! You¡¯re just a consort, a concubine! My daughter is the princess! How dare a concubine speak to me like this! You¡¯re rebelling! Rebelling!¡±

    She turned around and knelt in front of the Empress with tears streaming down her face. ¡°Your Highness, I... I¡¯m too ashamed to live. A lowly concubine dares to go against my words! When the Empress Dowager was still around, no one would have dared to say such things. Could it be that after the Empress Dowager was gone, even a mere concubine would dare to humiliate Lord Peace¡¯s Manor?¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, if this is how low we¡¯ve fallen, there¡¯, there¡¯s no reason for me to live anymore!¡± Lord Peace Madam said. She raised her sleeve to her head, stood up, and knocked into a nearby pir, all while loudly crying, ¡°Empress Dowager, our Lord Peace¡¯s Manor has been humiliated!¡±

    ¡°Hurry up and stop her!¡± The panicked Empress stood up abruptly.

    A nearby eunuch immediately stopped Lord Peace¡¯s Madam. The farce finally stopped with Lord Peace¡¯s Madam weeping loudly and shouting for the Empress Dowager over and over.

    The pce was in a mess.

    The Empress sat down again and looked at Ning Xueyan gloomily. Through it all, Ning Xueyan continued to sit in her ce expressionlessly as if she wasn¡¯t disturbed by Lord Peace¡¯s Madam in the slightest. She was even smiling gracefully.

    Compared to Lord Peace¡¯s Madam, Ning Xueyan looked even more like an educateddy sitting there confidently. The Empress¡¯ angry expression gradually disappeared as a trace of surprise crossed her eyes.

 Chapter 592 - The Prince Is Coming

    Chapter 592 The Prince Is Coming

    Ning Xueyan bing Prince Yi¡¯s consort could be said as aplete ident. The Empress recalled that there was anotherdy that Prince Yi favored, but the unluckydy had the nerve to upset him. Ning Xueyan ended up being the only choice left.

    Ning Xueyan bing Princess Yi was even more incidental. The Emperor agreed to promote Ning Xueyan to calm Prince Yi¡¯s anger as well as to punish Commandery Princess Xianyun. It had nothing to do with her as a person. It could only be said that Ning Xueyan was a very lucky person to not only escape unscathed after the death of Prince Yi¡¯s favorite concubine, but also gain benefit.

    A princess who got her position purely from luck and didn¡¯t have Ao Chenyi¡¯s love shouldn¡¯t be this confident. Where did Ning Xueyan find the confidence to confront Lord Peace¡¯s Madam so aggressively?

    ¡°Princess Ning, now that things havee to this, we have toe up with a solution, don¡¯t we? Yun Luoluo has undoubtedly made a mistake but we can¡¯t let the incident be known and hurt everyone¡¯s reputation,¡± the Empress said. Although her expression was anything but warm, she had subconsciously eased her tone. She didn¡¯t try to suppress Ning Xueyan as she did earlier, as if Ning Xueyan would be immediately indicted if she didn¡¯t agree.

    ¡°The Prince will be handling this personally. It was he who had Yun Luoluo dragged out in front of everyone. If you can persuade him to ept her, I wouldn¡¯t dare say a word in protest,¡± Ning Xueyan said softly, half rising out of her seat.

    Persuade Ao Chenyi to ept Yun Luoluo? The Empress¡¯s face turned cold and several wrinkles appeared between her eyebrows. Yun Luoluo had shown up in front of everyone with her clothes disheveled and her neck marked with hickeys. It was obvious that she had been caught up with a man. Yet, Ao Chenyi happened to have returned from elsewhere at that time.

    If he were to ept her, wouldn¡¯t he be admitting to being cuckolded? It was impossible to make him agree to this!

    The Empress fell silent. Lord Peace¡¯s Manor was undoubtedly humiliated by this incident. Yun Luoluo was done for and Commandery Princess Xianyun would suffer as well. They wanted Ning Xueyan to take responsibility but didn¡¯t expect her to be unmoved by either force or persuasion. The Empress nced at Lord Peace¡¯s Madam, who was ncing at Ning Xueyan now and then despite weeping, and felt helpless.

    Ao Chenyi was a stubborn mule and Ning Xueyan was no pushover either. This matter couldn¡¯t be wrapped up so easily. The Empress gave a pce maid a look, and the maid nodded in understanding. She exited the room and headed to the Emperor¡¯s study.

    The Empress wanted to tell the Emperor that Ning Xueyan wasn¡¯t an easy person to deal with and that he should be prepared for when they couldn¡¯t make her do anything.

    The Empress turned to Lord Peace¡¯s Madam and sighed. She said rather helplessly, ¡°Marchioness, Princess Ning is right.¡±

    Lord Peace¡¯s Madam, who was still weeping sadly, stood up and walked up to Ning Xueyan. She knelt down abruptly. ¡°Princess Ning, please spare Luoluo¡¯s life! She¡¯s young and inexperienced!¡±

    Ning Xueyan stood up and took two steps to the side to avoid her bow. With a cold expression, she replied, ¡°What do you mean, Marchioness? It all depends on the prince. If you have anything to say, please say them to him. I can¡¯t ept your bow.¡±

    Regardless of what they had done, Lord Peace¡¯s Manor was still the Empress Dowager¡¯s family, and Lord Peace¡¯s Madam was of the same generation as the Empress Dowager. Ning Xueyan wouldn¡¯t dare ept her bow. Since they couldn¡¯t force her, they were trying to persuade her. Naturally, Ning Xueyan noticed how the Empress reminded Lord Peace¡¯s Madam but she couldn¡¯t get angry at the Empress. She could only confront Lord Peace¡¯s Madam coldly.

    The mockery in her words made Lord Peace¡¯s Madam, who was bowing at an empty chair, turn purple in the face. She wouldn¡¯t do something so shameless if it wasn¡¯t for her two daughters. Even so, she understood her daughters well, especially the prideful Xianyun. She couldn¡¯t watch her beloved daughter fall into an impasse without doing anything.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Madam! You don¡¯t have to go this far. You¡¯re a respected madam in your own right. You must not lose your dignity. This matter will be solved. Let¡¯s sit down and talk!¡± the Empress said, taking the initiative to mend the situation.

    A pce maid helped Lord Peace¡¯s Madam get on her feet and return to her seat. Ning Xueyan sat down as well, her beautiful eyes turning around under her longshes as she watched the situation develop. She wondered what the Empress woulde up with next.

    It wasn¡¯t until now that the pce maids arrived with tea. The Empress had immediately confronted Ning Xueyan the moment she came in and hadn¡¯t let anyone bring her tea.

    The tea had a light, sweet fragrance. Ning Xueyan looked at the lid of the cup. She could smell a light fragrance mixed with the smell of the tea, so light it was barely discernible. With a raised eyebrow, she lowered her head and took a sip before putting the cup down. She wiped the corner of her mouth with a handkerchief before looking up again.

    ¡°How is the tea?¡± The Empress also took a sip of the tea with a gentle expression, aplete transformation from her sharp and gloomy expression earlier.

    ¡°Your tea is very aromatic, Your Highness. It¡¯s something I¡¯ve never tried before. It¡¯d be nice if the prince tries this when hees overter. I¡¯m interested to know how the tea herepares to the tea at the Emperor¡¯s pce.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled, her gazending on Lord Peace¡¯s Madam opposite her.

    Lord Peace¡¯s Madam¡¯s face lit up the moment she drank the tea earlier. For a moment, her dark expression became agitated, excited, and smug.

    ¡°Prince Yi will being here?¡± The Empress was stunned.

    ¡°Yes, he¡¯ll be here very soon. He said he¡¯ll visit the Emperor first and thene here to see you. As for what we should do with Second Young Lady Yun, the prince thinks it¡¯s better to discuss it with the Emperor and you. This is a matter of the inner courtyard, after all. You¡¯d know best. You can also help him decide.¡±

    Ning Xueyan leaned back against the chair weakly and blinked her eyes as if she was a little drowsy.

    The Empress¡¯ expression turned ugly. Ao Chenyi was on his way here? Shouldn¡¯t he be negotiating with the Emperor in the study right now? Why would hee over now? Was he about to reach the pce gate? She nced at the drowsy-looking Ning Xueyan, panicking so much that she was scowling.

    Lord Peace¡¯s Madam immediately stood up and asked, ¡°Princess Ning, are you tired? Do you need to rest?¡±

    Ning Xueyan appeared to be in a poor condition. She lookedpletely dispirited as if she propped her head with one hand. She could barely keep her eyes open and looked as if she was seconds away from falling asleep.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right. I¡¯m not that tired. I just need to sit down. The Prince will reach at any time now.¡± Under her longshes, her glistening eyes flickered with a faint light. She didn¡¯t open her eyes as she responded in an absent-minded manner. Everyone could see that she was so tired that she could barely speak.

    ¡°Your Highness, Princess Ning is always frail. I heard she even fainted on her wedding day. Is she ill? Why don¡¯t we take her somewhere she can rest?¡± Lord Peace¡¯s Madam suggested to the Empress, looking concerned. If she hadn¡¯t scolded Ning Xueyan so harshly earlier, one would have believed that she truly cared for Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Not now. She can rest here. Prince Yi will be here soon anyway.¡± The Empress hesitated for a moment and rejected the suggestion after looking at Ning Xueyan. She ordered the maids behind her, ¡°Maids, fetch Princess Ning a cup of rejuvenating tea that can freshen her spirits.¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, what good is the tea when Princess Ning looks like this? She should get some rest. What if Prince Yi gets here and sees that she has fainted? It¡¯ll be our fault!¡± Lord Peace¡¯s Manor had the nerve to go against the Empress¡¯ words.

    Through her narrowed eyes and dense, curled longshes, Ning Xueyan watched the scene before her quietly. The corners of her lips were curved into a slight sneer. As expected, these two were trying to harm her. They had added something to her tea to make her drowsy. The drug carried a faint scent and was barely detectable when mixed in the tea.

    Yet, it was very effective. Had she really swallowed that sip of tea earlier, she would be so drowsy now that she couldn¡¯t keep her eyes open and they would be able to do anything they wanted to her. But once she mentioned that Ao Chenyi wouldn¡¯t be wasting time arguing with the Emperor and would being to Chenyuan Pce, the Empress began to have misgivings. It seemed that she wouldn¡¯t be making her move.

    Lord Peace¡¯s Madam, on the other hand, wasn¡¯t so concerned. She was hell-bent on forcing the Empress to act against Ning Xueyan.

    Ning Xueyan wasn¡¯t ready to defy the Empress openly, so she wouldn¡¯t target the Empress now. She would y the role of an observer for now.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that, Madam. Princess Ning can rest here. She¡¯ll recover with some rejuvenating tea,¡± the Empress said.

    ¡°Your Highness, Princess Ning has poor health.¡± Lord Peace¡¯s Madam was still trying to stop the Empress.

    Seeing that Lord Peace¡¯s Madam was repeatedly trying to stop her and seemed to be trying to force her, the Empress¡¯ expression sank. ¡°If anything happens to Princess Ning, I¡¯ll deal with it. I don¡¯t need you to worry about it,¡± she said unhappily. Although she wanted to help Xianyun, she wouldn¡¯t do it at her own expense.

    Ao Chenyi would be arriving soon. If he noticed something wrong, he would surely turn Chenyuan Pce upside down. Never mind other things, the chaos alone would have thoroughly humiliated her as the Empress of the nation. She wouldn¡¯t be able to be the Mother of the Nation anymore or rule over the harem of three thousand concubines with an iron fist anymore.

    ¡°Your Highness...¡± Lord Peace¡¯s Madam wailed.

    ¡°Enough, Madam. Maids, bring Princess Ning her tea.¡± The Empress waved a hand with a cold, grim face. She couldn¡¯t afford to take this risk. Lord Peace¡¯s Madam could stake everything on this, but she couldn¡¯t.

    ¡°What good tea are you serving my dear princess? Can I have a try as well? I got quite thirsty talking to my brother earlier. It seems that I need a drink at your pce, Your Highness.¡± A sinister voice, carrying a hint of malice and coldness, resounded.

    Standing at the door was a devastatingly beautiful young man dressed in a dark brocade. He walked in slowly as if he was treading on a sea of blooming red spider lilies in hell.

    The Empress turned pale and Lord Peace¡¯s Madam looked despairing. Only Ning Xueyan looked at the door with a soft smile. He hade right on time!

 Chapter 593 - Everyone Bears Their Schemes About Lord Peaceâ€™s Manorâ€™s Trouble

    <h4>Chapter 593 Everyone Bears Their Schemes About Lord Peace¡¯s Manor¡¯s Trouble</h4>

    The Emperor arrived shortly after Ao Chenyi. Lord Peace¡¯s Madam had lost all right to discuss her family¡¯s fate; all she could do was kneel on the side and await punishment.

    Ning Xueyan was in much better spirits after drinking a cup of rejuvenating tea. Although she still looked drowsy, she didn¡¯t look like she would fall asleep at a moment¡¯s notice like before.

    The Empress spoke very little and maintained a gentle expression. From time to time, she would get the maids to fill the teacups for the Emperor and Prince Yi while she listened to their discussion quietly. Ning Xueyan was even quieter. Her head was lowered, looking docile and polite.

    The men¡¯s discussion had almost reached a conclusion in the study, but Ao Chenyi suggested to visit the Empress¡¯ pce out of the blue, saying that he heard that Lord Peace¡¯s Madam was there. He had something to tell her, so he came.

    With the Emperor and Prince Yi here, Lord Peace¡¯s Madam dared not to make any ruckus anymore. She could only tremble and weep after hearing the Emperor¡¯s decree.

    Yun Luoluo was destined to die after causing such an incident. She was given a cup of poisoned wine at the Empress¡¯ pce. Her demise was covered up as a case of sudden death.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun was demoted from her position as the princess to consort.

    With all the punishments set, the situation was as good as over. Ao Chenyi stood up, bade the Emperor farewell, and led Ning Xueyan out of the pce.

    The Empress sighed in relief after seeing Ao Chenyi leave. She looked at the Emperor, who upied the central seat, and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Your Majesty, Xianyun¡¯s marriage was granted through imperial decree. Is it really fine to demote her to the consort position?¡±

    Wary about Ning Xueyan, the Empress didn¡¯t dare to speak for Commandery Princess Xianyun. She was worried that Ning Xueyan would say something and draw Ao Chenyi¡¯s ire toward herself. She had stopped seeing Ning Xueyan as an ignorant and weak woman. The fact that Ning Xueyan could hold her and Lord Peace¡¯s Madam off before Ao Chenyi¡¯s arrival showed that Ning Xueyan wasn¡¯t an easy opponent.

    The Emperor¡¯s smile vanished the moment Ao Chenyi left. He pped the railing of the chair with force and opened his eyes wide. ¡°When Yun Luoluo got into trouble, I heard that she said Xianyun was the one provoking the situation. Outsiders would definitely suspect this to be true.¡±

    The Empress¡¯ expression turned ugly as she digested the Emperor¡¯s words. After Yun Luoluo caused such an incident out of nowhere, not only did Commandery Princess Xianyun not suppress the matter in her capacity as Princess Yi, but she even turned out to be the main instigator. What would people think? And in such sensitive times, too! People would surely think that it was the Emperor instigating Xianyun to do so.

    That would exin why Yun Luoluo would be so fearless as to give Prince Yi a cuckolded reputation. Whether or not it was Prince Yi¡¯s doing, this matter would be a great disgrace to him if it couldn¡¯t be exined. And in the entire country, who was the one who wanted to strip Prince Yi¡¯s influence the most?

    It was an easy guess: the current Emperor!

    The Emperor did it because he didn¡¯t want to give Ao Chenyi the throne, but to his own son.

    That was why the Emperor couldn¡¯t speak up for Xianyun excessively. The more he tried to speak up for her, the more suspicion he would provoke. Although Ao Chenyi was ruthless, hemanded tough soldiers and nearly half of the imperial army was in his hands. Even if the court officials were on the Emperor¡¯s side, the Emperor couldn¡¯t target Ao Chenyi as he pleased out of fear for thetter¡¯s troops.

    Moreover, there were several old ministers loyal to the former Emperor whomanded quite a significant influence in court. If they were to notice something off about the incident in the Prince Yi¡¯s inner courtyard and cause a bloody feud in the court, the Emperor believed that Ao Chenyi would surely act viciously and he might lose many of his loyal court officials at Ao Chenyi¡¯s hands.

    Therefore, he had no choice but to cate Ao Chenyi in this matter. Even though demoting Commandery Princess Xianyun as a consort was akin to pping himself in the face, he had no choice but to endure it.

    ¡°What about... Xianyun?¡± The Empress looked at the Emperor with a worried expression.

    ¡°Let her be. She¡¯s just a woman!¡± A look of malice appeared on the Emperor¡¯s face. He didn¡¯t have the mood to pay attention to a woman who had given him so much trouble. He thought that Xianyun would be his secret weapon after she married Ao Chenyi. Who knew that she would cause such an incident shortly after entering Prince Yi¡¯s Manor?

    He hadn¡¯t even asked her to do anything before she started despairing on her own. Had he known earlier, he would have never chosen her as Ao Chenyi¡¯s marriage partner. He would have picked someone more useful.

    The Empress could tell that the Emperor was unhappy, but after a moment of silence, she still asked, ¡°Then... what about Lord Peace¡¯s Manor?¡±

    Lord Peace¡¯s Madam screamed and fainted after hearing that Yun Luoluo was ordered to die by suicide. The eunuchs had carried her out.

    The Emperor stood up and flung his wide sleeves. A cold glint shed in his eyes and he said coldly, ¡°What, am I supposed to give them some sort of guarantee?¡±

    Not bothering to speak to the Empress anymore, he stood up and walked out. He had to summon his two sons to the pce. Compared to him, his sons had a better right to fight with Ao Chenyi. It was more convenient for them to take actionpared to him...

    The Empress followed after him as if she didn¡¯t notice the sharp look in his eyes. After sending him to the door and watching him leave in the imperial chariot, she stopped smiling and a gloomy expression appeared on her face.

    It was said that the Emperor was a filial son to the Empress Dowager, but the reality was that Empress Dowager was desperately trying to control her son while the Emperor was desperately breaking away from his fate as a puppet monarch. Even a biological pair of mother and son would be nemeses in such a situation, never mind a non-rted pair. For them, it was a case whether one could only live if the other died.

    So what if the Empress Dowager helped the Emperor rob the throne from the young Prince Yi? The Empress Dowager died just a few years after getting her new position. And the Empress, who was rtives with Lord Peace¡¯s Manor, would always be insignificant to the Emperor.

    So what if she could get as strong as thete Empress Dowager? She was still unloved by the Emperor and without a child. Even thete Empress Dowager was killed by the heir that she adopted. And with her death, her family immediately dwindled until they were just a second-ss aristocratic family. Who would remember how much Lord Peace¡¯s Manor had contributed to the Emperor¡¯s rise to the throne?

    So many people in Lord Peace¡¯s Manor died in the fight for the throne, nearly all of them the most remarkable members. That was why the only remaining descendants were some madams and useless members. Even so, the Emperor never considered their contributions enough to lend them a hand.

    She didn¡¯t want to follow in thete Empress Dowager¡¯s footsteps, so she didn¡¯t need an heir!

    Compared to the other concubines in the pce, she was merely a woman with the title of the Empress. She had nothing else. Remembering her current situation, the malice in her eyes deepened. She turned around and walked back into the pce. ¡°Is Lord Peace¡¯s Madam awake yet?¡±

    ¡°She woke up a little while ago. She¡¯s still crying now,¡± the Empress¡¯ personal maid said in a low voice. She had checked on Lord Peace¡¯s Madam earlier.

    ¡°Tell her to stop crying! She just lost two daughters. It¡¯s not like she doesn¡¯t have any other children. She can keep crying if she wants to see everyone in Lord Peace¡¯s Manor die one by one, but if that¡¯s the case, she might as well go home now and have everyone hang themselves,¡± the Empress said coldly.

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll ry the message to Lord Peace¡¯s Madam now,¡± the maid said, nodding.

    ¡°Go. Once she stops crying, send her home safely. Tell her that I¡¯m tired and don¡¯t have the mood to see her anymore,¡± the Empress said calmly. Her family was true of no help to her; her father was just a minor government official. That was also why the Emperor agreed to make her the Empress. Without a powerful family nor children, she was an Empress in name only.

    The Emperor didn¡¯t like her because she came from the Empress Dowager¡¯s family and was even wary about her. The Empress, the mother of a nation? What a joke. A malevolent expression appeared on her face.

    There was no one she could rely on her, so she relied on Lord Peace¡¯s Manor. And Lord Peace¡¯s Manor didn¡¯t have anyone in the pce, so they could only rely on her...

    The first thing Ao Chenyi did after bringing Ning Xueyan home was getting the imperial physician to examine her.

    Prince Yi¡¯s physician was a trusted aide that thete Emperor had bestowed him. And that wasn¡¯t the only imperial physician that he had. The Emperor chose to turn a blind eye to this vition of the norm for no one would care about such trifle things.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, I promise. It¡¯s just a drug that makes me sleepy. The Empress wouldn¡¯t dare let anything happen to me in her pce.¡± Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t want to waste the physician¡¯s time because she truly thought that it was no big deal. Most people wouldn¡¯t be able to detect the scent of the drug but a specialist like her could easily recognize it. Even so, Ao Chenyi insisted on summoning the physician over.

    ¡°It¡¯s better to get you examined. We don¡¯t want you to be fine now, only to fall illter,¡± Ao Chenyi said with a gloomy expression. He had been in a poor mood ever since he heard that Ning Xueyan felt dizzy after drinking the tea in the Empress¡¯ pce. Ning Xueyan believed that if she was even the slightest bit unwell, he would definitely storm the pce again.

    His groundless nervousness made her rather helpless but happy at the same time. So, she allowed him to do as he pleased. She watched him from the side, taking in thenguid way he leaned against the arm of the chair. Even so, the brief flicker of nervousness in his eyes didn¡¯t escape her attention.

    The second the physician retrieved his hand, Ao Chenyi immediately opened his eyes wide.

    The physician stood up and said deferentially, ¡°Your Highness, the Princess is fine. She¡¯s just frail since young but with proper treatment, she has be more or less as healthy as the ordinary person. She¡¯ll bepletely fine after nursing her health for a while longer.¡±

    ¡°Then why do herplexion and lips still look paler than most people?¡± Ao Chenyi frowned, his gaze falling on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face.

    ¡°Your Highness, the Princess looks pale because herplexion is lighter than most people. Look at herplexion. Isn¡¯t it much brighter than before? As for the color of her lips, she has been frail since young and it¡¯s a direct result of that. It¡¯s not because she has a disease.¡±

    The imperial physician said deferentially.

    ¡°Then... When can the thing between husband and wife... happen?¡± Ao Chenyi was being very vague with his words as an enchanting smile appeared on his face. Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t get it at first. Several seconds of stunned silenceter, her pale face turned red and she red at him angrily. She lifted the curtain and walked in without him.

    ¡°That guy! He¡¯ll say whatever he wants to say!¡± Ning Xueyan believed that he would question the physician more openly if she wasn¡¯t around. Even with such a vague question, the physician was able to understand him tacitly. It was obvious that Ao Chenyi often asked such questions.

    ¡°It hasn¡¯t been that long since the Princess started her recovery and she¡¯s still young. Just wait a little longer, Your Highness.¡± The physician¡¯s replying from behind her still sounded as deferential as ever, but for some reason, she could hear a trace of mirth in it.

    ¡°How long more do I have to wait?¡± replied a rather vexed, worried voice. Then came the sound of something hitting the arm of the chair. Ning Xueyan would rather she didn¡¯t hear anything at all!

    ¡°Can¡¯t this guy be a little less shameless...¡±

 Chapter 594 - Thereâ€™s Something Important. Do You Want to Know It?

    <h4>Chapter 594 There¡¯s Something Important. Do You Want to Know It?</h4>

    The emperor¡¯s edict was sent directly to the Bright Mind Garden.

    In fact, its meaning was very simple: Due to the ws in her personal virtue, Commandery Princess Xianyun shall be demoted from a princess to a consort! This was the whole meaning of the imperial edict. Not long after marrying into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, she had be a consort from a princess. And the situation showed that she was not favored and was even a consort that was watched. The eunuch, who had brought the edict, looked at those few eunuchs guarding the entrance of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, shook his head, heaved a sigh, and went straight back to the imperial pce.

    Before getting married, Commandery Princess Xianyun had been among the top nobledies in the capital. Even the ordinary princesses had not beenparable to her. After all, she was the youngdy of Lord Peace¡¯s Manor, the parents¡¯ home of the Empress Dowager, which had had its heyday in the past. If it hadn¡¯t been for the early death of the Empress Dowager, Lord Peace¡¯s Manor would not be in this situation now.

    Unexpectedly, such a nobledy with a good reputation had been demoted to a consort not long after marrying into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. More importantly, this was what the edict of the emperor meant, but nothing like this was heard to have happened in the past dynasties. What a poor soul!

    Of course, a eunuch¡¯s sympathy would not improve Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s situation at all. She was looking at the imperial edict in the center of the room in a daze, with tears in her eyes, but with a smile on her face. Although she had known that her case would never be closed so easily, she had never expected the emperor to demote her status.

    Compared with Ao Chenyi¡¯s demoting of her, the edict of the emperor was more ridiculous in her eyes.

    ¡°It is he who granted the marriage! It is he who demoted me! It¡¯s just been a few days, but he has issued two edicts to me. I am really lucky! I am useless, so he demoted me to a consort without hesitation. He is so practical! No wonder he kept suppressing Lord Peace¡¯s Manor as soon as my aunt had an ident, only because it was useless for him...¡±

    The room was quiet, where she was sitting straight alone. The maids and the older female servants, who hade to live here as part of her dowry, had been asked to stay outside, and the two close maids of hers had all died. Although the room had been cleaned up, she still felt a strong smell of blood, making anyone who smelled it feel sick.

    Her smile suddenly became crazy. ¡°Emperor, emperor, do you know you¡¯ve been listening to Ao Chenyi blindly?

    ¡°He saw Ning Xueyan by chance? He appointed a consort casually? He married two concubines at the same time for the good of the ¡®favored concubine¡¯? And also County Princess Yuanyun, who had been forced to go away before marrying into the mansion. All these things were done for Ning Xueyan. Lord, all was done for her!

    ¡°Who could expect the woman Ao Chenyi truly loves to be her, one who seems to die at any moment because of her disease?

    ¡°My plots look so ridiculous!¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun had quite a clear mind at this time.

    ¡°What does it mean to say that the ¡®favored concubine¡¯ was dead, so Ning Xueyan, who was also framed by me, became the final winner? I thought I nned everything nicely, but I was digging a pitfall for myself to fall in. Yet, I went to jump into it stupidly.

    ¡°He did everything for the woman!

    ¡°Therefore, she rose to the princess¡¯s position from a consort fast, though the marriage had been granted to both of us. Then, I, who could not get his true love, had to move down from a princess¡¯s position to a consort¡¯s position!

    ¡°I thought that Ao Chenyi would never love, and he was heartless and merciless, but it didn¡¯t matter. As his official wife, as long as I got his respect, it was enough. Anyway, I held the official wife¡¯s position, and I had enough wisdom that could make me get his respect, so I would never lose my status in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    ¡°The so-called ¡®favored concubine¡¯ was just a tale that has passed. If he had really favored her, why wouldn¡¯t he have given her a title? Ao Chenyi, who is evil and crazy, could ask for a consort¡¯s position and get it approved. Anyway, the emperor didn¡¯t care if he would be useless. Since he wanted to get a status for a lowly concubine, the emperor would say yes. No matter what, the emperor would not lose face.

    ¡°But Ao Chenyi did nothing, which means that he didn¡¯t love the woman at all but only used her as his excuse, so he allowed her to live in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor with no worry.

    ¡°But no one could guess that he was ¡®paving the way¡¯ for Ning Xueyan!

    ¡°He loves Ning Xueyan sincerely, so he was unwilling to let her be his consort. Due to this reason, he has forced me into this situation step by step and given the official wife¡¯s position to her beloved woman.

    ¡°He plotted like that and has been carrying it out step by step to now, but the emperor even doesn¡¯t know anything about it but ended up pping himself in the face. He went back on his word and lowered my position. He is so ridiculous!

    ¡°It is the bitch Ning Xueyan who took Ao Chenyi¡¯s heart, but she is still watching my embarrassment. If I have another chance, I will never let the bitch off...¡±

    ¡°Consort Yun, the prince asked me to bring one thing to you.¡± A eunuch walked in with a box in his hand, but even the one responsible for taking it was not in the room. He looked around, put it on the table in the room, and left.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun stood up mechanically, walked over to the table, and opened the lid of the box. No doubt, Ao Chenyi would not send her anything good at this time. No matter what it was, she would have to endure the suffering. Only by enduring it could she have the chance. She should never be subbed like this and die old in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    When the box was opened, she saw the bloody and hideous face of Yun Luoluo.

    ¡°Ah!¡± With a scream, she took two steps back and sat heavily down on the floor, shaking...

    The imperial edict, which bore the news of officially making two sons of the emperor princes, had been issued the day when Commandery Princess Xianyun had been demoted.

    Compared with Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s affair, this one was a little more powerful.

    When Yun Luoluo¡¯s matter had been spread, everyone knew that Commandery Princess Xianyun would definitely be punished. But no one had ever imagined that she would be demoted to a consort directly. After all, the marriage edict had been issued by the emperor. Not long after that, he had changed his words. Were these words the unshakable promise of the monarch of the kingdom!

    Of course, people only dared to have such doubts inwardly. Actually, the shocking event was that the two sons of the emperor had been made princes.

    Third Prince, Ao Mingyu, was made Prince Xiang, and Fourth Prince, Ao Mingwan, was made Prince Fu.

    Third Prince¡¯s Manor and Fourth Prince¡¯s Manor were renamed Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor and Prince Fu¡¯s Manor.

    In fact, when the two sons of the emperor had grown up, they had already had the idea of bing princes, so their manors had been built in the style of a prince¡¯s manor. Now when they had be princes, they only needed to change the names of their manors. It was no trouble.

    Since the two sons of the emperor had moved out of the imperial pce, the unconfirmed statement of making them princes had been spread. But the matter of giving them the prince¡¯s position had been postponed time after time until now the imperial edict was truly issued. And many who thought the two would have a promising future had been watching the situation for a long time.

    Having gotten this news at this time, they instantly became excited and lively, as if either of the two princes would be the crown prince of the Eastern Pce with one more promotion. Therefore, some subtle changes appeared in the imperial court.

    Although these changes were quite subtle, they had influenced different people differently. For example, Ning Qingshan had been carried in a sedan chair to Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor three dayster as agreed and be a concubine of Prince Xiang¡¯s Mansion.

    Bringing a concubine into a house was not considered a marriage. This was the agreement between Prince Xiang, Ao Mingyu, and Honored Consort Ya. For the sake of Honored Consort Ya, the prince had given Ning Qingshan a chance. As for whether she really had a chance or not, it was hard to tell.

    Looking at the familiar courtyard before her, Ning Xueyan stood still at the entrance of the courtyard, her eyes cold. The reason why she was here was that Ning Qingshan had written a letter to her. In the letter, she said that she had something important to tell Ning Xueyan and that Ning Xueyan would regret it for a lifetime if she didn¡¯te.

    Initially, Ning Xueyan had cared little about the intentionally mystified words of Ning Qingshan, but thetter had been demoted time after time, from a princess to a consort and finally to a concubine. And she was also inferior to Ning Lingyun. Therefore, she, who had been superior to others, had uncontroble emotions now. But this was fine. Ning Xueyan thought that she had a few things to ask her.

    Since Ning Qingshan had asked her toe, then she dropped by.

    Seeing Ning Xueyan, the older female servant at the door of the courtyard came over while nodding and bowing, but Xinmei stopped her when she was two steps away.

    Ning Xueyan ignored the older female servant who was currying favor and took Lanning to stroll inside.

    Others had already gone out to avoid her, and even the two mammies of the imperial pce Prince Xiang had invited bowed to her respectfully and left.

    Only Ning Qingshan was left, sitting in the room, where there was no Mammy Luo, Caifen, or Feilian.

    ¡°You¡¯re here!¡± Ning Qingshan said with an eerily cold expression as she saw Ning Xueyaning in. Only a few days had passed, but Ning Qingshan seemed to have aged a few years. Her face was no longer gentle and graceful but was giving off gloomy and cold air.

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t go in but sat in the chair beside the door, with Xinmei and Lanning standing behind.

    ¡°I¡¯m here!¡± Ning Xueyan said lightly. Surely, she didn¡¯t think that Ning Qingshan had especially asked her toe here for such nonsense, so she said, ¡°If you have anything to say, just say it!¡±

    After Ning Qingshan said it, she would have things to say.

    ¡°Do you want to know how your dead mother died, Ning Xueyan? Do you want to know when she was poisoned the first time? I sincerely regarded her as my biological mother at that time, but she was indifferent to me but quite good to you. She even wanted to try the poison herself. What a pity! I put the poison in the infusion because she was not nice to me. I was the one who had lost my parents. You had your parents, but why did you take her from me?¡±

    Ning Qingshan had a treacherous smile, and her expression became twisted because of it, even showing a bit of insanity.

    ¡°So, you poisoned my mother? It is you who put the ¡®Beauty Intoxicated by Peach Blossom¡¯ the first time?¡± Ning Xueyan cupped her hands into fists tightly, her face ice-cold.

    Knowing it was one thing, but hearing Ning Qingshan say it clearly was another. Madam Ming had been poisoned quite early. Later, she had asked the imperial physician of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor and learned that her mother would not have been so fragrant without being hurt by the poison for more than ten years. At that time, anyone who had walked closer would have smelled the fragrance from the coffin.

    Madam Ming, with her health damaged by the poison day after day, had been sure to die.

    ¡°So what? Her fault was that she didn¡¯t like me, the nice girl, but liked you, a wimpy child who only knew crying,¡± Ning Qingshan said disdainfully with a bit crazy smile. Remembering that she hade to live in Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor as a concubine she had despised most in the past, she felt she was going crazy.

    As the noblest, she was nobler than anyone else and deserved everyone¡¯s favor most, but why did she end up like this? It was Ning Xueyan who had hurt her! Ning Xueyan had tried to take Madam Ming¡¯s favor from her since they had been young, and she had done the same whey they had grown up.

    If she hadn¡¯t counterattacked her in the imperial pce that day, she would be the princess of Prince Xiang now!

    Ning Xueyan suddenly stood up, but her eyes were fierce. She walked over, looking down at Ning Qingshan, and said coldly and gloomily, ¡°Ning Qingshan, you will be the lowliest one among the senior concubines in Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor. If Prince Xiang doesn¡¯t like you in the future, he can give you to others. What can you use topare with me!¡±

    She pointed out Ning Qingshan¡¯s weakness with these words.

 Chapter 595 - Wu Yao Who Lives Next Door to Grand Tutor Yaâ€™s Manor

    <h4>Chapter 595 Wu Yao Who Lives Next Door to Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor</h4>

    Senior concubines were lowly in all mansions, especially in the home of a royal n like a prince¡¯s mansion. If their names were not recorded on the Royal List, they were the same as the ordinary concubines in the mansion. Although they had the lowliest title, it was still nothing in the eyes of the real royal family.

    Therefore, giving the concubines without titles or those with the senior concubine¡¯s title to each other was nothing eventful for the royal ns.

    Ning Qingshan was now to enter and live in Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor, but she would only be a senior concubine, even without a madam¡¯s position, so she was most likely to be given to others.

    ¡°You are now put under the name of Madam Ling. I remember Madam Ling is now a concubine in the lowest ss in the mansion, so her biological daughter can only serve as a concubine now. Then what about you? Do you still expect to be promoted with such a background? You are so lowly, and you also did the lowly thing of picking a fight with a man. More seriously, the man and you once... Do you think Prince Xiang can approve of the thing that he is a cuckold?¡±

    Ning Xueyan continued speaking coldly. Seeing the fierceness and a bit of pain on Ning Qingshan¡¯s face, she spoke word by word.

    For Ning Qingshan, the biggest taboo was that she and Ao Xian had had sex previously. Now, Ning Xueyan would speak anything that gave her the most sadness.

    She only had hatred toward Ning Qingshan. As expected, it was she who had poisoned Madam Ming, and the reason was so ridiculous. What kind of selfish and vicious person would think like that? She had hated a mother who treated her daughter nicely but didn¡¯t treat her as nicely as she did to her daughter, so she had poisoned her. How venomous she had been! How twisted her mind had been!

    She really didn¡¯t know where Ning Qingshan had picked the idea that the whole world must revolve around her. If others were not as nice to her as she imagined, she would not hesitate to kill them.

    ¡°Ning Xueyan, you...¡± Ning Qingshan sprang up angrily.

    ¡°Xinmei, p her!¡± Ning Xueyan took one step back, and Xinmei answered yes and went forward, striking Ning Qingshan¡¯s face hard twice. Although Xinmei was well-informed and had lots of experiences, it was the first time she had seen a person who had be so vicious at such a young age. And she learned how vicious she was.

    Ning Qingshan was pped so hard that she went back and sat heavily down in the chair, and her beautiful face swelled immediately. As she gritted her teeth, she spat out a tooth. Instantly, her expression turned savage.

    Xinmei had a martial arts-practicing experience. When she struck Ning Qingshan, thetter couldn¡¯t bear it, of course.

    ¡°Ning Xueyan, how could you... you dare to strike me?¡± Ning Qingshan covered her mouth, looking at Ning Xueyan with venomous hatred.

    ¡°I not only struck you but also want you to see your current status clearly and know if anyone can help you. At the same time, I want you to have a clear mind,¡± Ning Xueyan looked at Ning Qingshan coldly and said severely.

    Standing at the door, Lanning asked the older female servant outside to bring a big pail of water. Xinmei pulled Ning Qingshan up and pressed her head into the water. Instantly, the strong suffocating feeling made Ning Qingshan struggle desperately. She screamed, trying to resist it, but cold water rushed into her mouth time after time, making her almost pass out.

    Her chest almost burst. Just when she was about to faint and fall, Xinmei pulled her up.

    ¡°Ning Xueyan, you are a bitch...¡±

    Her head was pressed down forcefully again, and she felt the pain again. After this was repeated several times and she was finally pulled up, Ning Qingshan was like a dead dog, lying on the floor. When she saw Ning Xueyaning over bit by bit, she couldn¡¯t help moving back while shaking. In her eyes, there were not only envy and hatred but also fear.

    ¡°Do you see yourself clearly now, Ning Qingshan? If I want to kill you now, it seems no one wille and help you.¡± With a little hatred in her eyes, Ning Xueyan was looking down at Ning Qingshan, who was drenched in a mess.

    Madam Ming had sacrificed so much for her, and that was almost all she had had all her life. Ning Xueyan clearly knew that she had wanted to treat such a woman like her biological mother.

    Ning Qingshan was really afraid. Looking at such cruelty, she was extremely afraid. Now she said in a trembling voice, ¡°I... I am the senior concubine of Prince Xiang!¡±

    ¡°So what? Do you believe that I can ask for you and take you out even after you enter Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor and live there? Do you want toe to our Prince Yi¡¯s Manor? Maybe Prince Xiang is quite willing to let you enter Prince Yi¡¯s Manor,¡± Ning Xueyan said indifferently.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want... I don¡¯t want!¡± Ning Qingshan was so frightened that she shook from head to toe. If someone could enter Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, and the person was his cousin, who would stand in line with him, Ao Mingyu would be very happy and agree unhesitatingly. But she knew that she would die if she went there.

    Ning Xueyan would not let her off. She would never let her off!

    ¡°Who is the woman living next door to Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor?¡± Ning Xueyan asked with a sneer.

    ¡°She is, is Wu Yao, the second aunt of Ya Moqin. After her husband died, she lived there. But she was away for a period of time and then returned to the capital three years ago... If I have anything, I will go to her. She has a close rtionship with Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor. Maybe there are still many secrets... you, you should go to her!¡±

    Although Ning Qingshan didn¡¯t know why Ning Xueyan had changed the subject so suddenly, now she was really afraid of seeing her, so when she heard this at the moment, she said whatever she knew, only hoping Ning Xueyan, the demon, to leave and not to torture her here. She knew in despair that no one in the mansion would help her; otherwise, a few messages of Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an would have been brought here, and someone would havee to take a look.

    ¡°This Madam Wu¡¯s voice is so simr to Ya Moqin¡¯s!¡± This was an ice-cold sigh.

    ¡°Yes, yes, their voices are very simr. When I saw Ya Moqin the first time, I was shocked. Their voices were so simr that they were almost from the same person.¡± Ning Qingshan didn¡¯t know why Ning Xueyan was so clear about it, but now she told her whatever she knew. Just now, Ning Xueyan had been quite cruel. Now, she was very scared and didn¡¯t dare to refute Ning Xueyan.

    Anyway, it was the affair of Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor. Now she hated Grand Tutor Ya.

    ¡°Since they think I am the child of Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor, why didn¡¯t they adopt me? Why didn¡¯t they let me be the youngdy of Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor? I was born to be the cousin of Third Prince, but I was given to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. If it had not been for the so-called plots of Grand Tutor Ya, I would be living in Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor, safe and sound, and I wouldn¡¯t have met Ning Xueyan or been reduced to a senior concubine.¡±

    She hated Grand Tutor Ya and Honored Consort Ya. It was they who had wronged her. She was the Great Elder Princess of the previous dynasty, with an exceptionally noble identity. She had been to live in their Ya Manor. It was an honor she had given them, but they hadn¡¯t been grateful. Instead, they had shifted the responsibility, carrying her to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Therefore, she had such an end.

    ¡°Wu Yao is a member of Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor?¡± Ning Xueyan barely closed her eyes. When she opened her eyes again, they were still ice-cold. Now, she was almost sure that Wu Yao was the woman who had been with her mother in her previous life and had lived in the Ning Manor for some time and then disappeared.

    Later, her mother had died, and she hade to the capital in a hurry. Probably, it had connections with the woman, which meant that it had rtions with Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor.

    ¡°On the surface, Wu Yao was the rtive of Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor, but in fact, she had an affair with Ya Moqin¡¯s father. I saw him in Wu Yao¡¯s ce more than once. He was a brother-inw, but he appeared in her wife¡¯s younger sister¡¯s house from time to time. No matter what, it was abnormal. And the two held an intimate attitude toward each other. Maybe they only kept it from Ya Moqin¡¯s mother.¡±

    Now, Ning Qingshan answered every question asked. As for those Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t ask, she would also confess them.

    Out of the Foggy Courtyard, Ning Xueyan told Xinmei to ask Madam Dowager for leave, and she went to her Bright Frost Garden. Now, she was Prince Yi¡¯s princess, the only one of his. Although Madam Dowager was dissatisfied with her for noting here to pay her greetings after return, she could not do anything to her due to this reason.

    Now she didn¡¯t have the mood to show her ¡°filial piety¡± to Madam Dowager.

    In her previous and present lives, her two adoptive mothers had been quite nice to her. They had almost sacrificed all their lives for her, hoping she could grow up safely. Without knowing each other, the two of them had done the same thing of hiding everything from her and hadn¡¯t told her real family background. She knew that they had done it with goodwill and for her good.

    But now, the fact had been pushed to her, so she had to know the fact clearly.

    Wen Xueran, the Princely Heir of Commandery Princess Min who almost knew everything and was clearer about it than she was, was never a yboy who was good for nothing.

    She always thought that he was a dangerous man. In her previous life, he had been so, and now he was even more like that. More importantly, he didn¡¯t seem to stay behind the scenes anymore, and he was approaching her step by step.

    In her previous life, he had been looking for Senior Nun Jing Kong. Presumably, he had also been looking for her¡ªNing Ziying. In this life, she didn¡¯t know how Wen Xueran had found her, but she thought that he should be quite clear about her identity now. As for Ning Qingshan, it was possible that he had truly mistaken her for someone else previously. Of course, another possibility was that she was the one he had trained on purpose.

    He was fathomless! So, she didn¡¯t want to have any connections with him. No matter what he was intended to do, she didn¡¯t want to have rtions with him. She was just a woman. Since her two adoptive mothers had chosen to hide her family background, there must be the most important reason, so she preferred to believe the two adoptive mothers who had made sacrifices for her.

    ¡°Prince Yi¡¯s princess, what a coincidence! I didn¡¯t expect to meet you here.¡± Two people appeared from the crossing ahead, with one being Wen Xueran Ning Xueyan had remembered just now and the other beside him being Ning Huaijing. This was the first time Ning Xueyan had met with Wen Xueran since thest time.

    When the seductive and stunning young man looked at any woman with his tender eyes, the woman¡¯s face would turn hot, and her heart would beat fast. Ning Xueyan¡¯s heart beat fast, but her face was not hot. Instead, she felt it had be a little cold. In her eyes, that beautiful smile had no romance.

    ¡°How could you get the time toe to our Lord Protector¡¯s Manor today, Princely Heir Wen?¡± Ning Xueyan asked gently as she stood still. Her eyes were indifferent and calm as if the words Wen Xueran had just said hadn¡¯t affected her at all.

    ¡°I apanied Yunheng here, but he wanted to remain alone in the Cloud Reflection Courtyard for a while, so I asked the Second Young Master to keep mepany walking around in the mansion. I didn¡¯t expect you toe back, Prince Yi¡¯s princess. This is our fate.¡± Wen Xueran had a smile, showing the usual affection in his seductive eyes, and pointed at the pavilion beside them.

    ¡°Our meeting is rare. Let¡¯s go there and sit for a while, shall we?¡±

    ¡°OK!¡± Ning Xueyan took a deep breath and nodded. As for a few things, she had to face them. Since she was not going to avoid them, she had made her decision.

 Chapter 596 - You Can Be the Empress

    <h4>Chapter 596 You Can Be the Empress</h4>

    The three of them sat still in the pavilion, and the servants brought them tea and retreated to the outside. Ning Huaijing nced at Ning Xueyan and asked with somewhat concern, ¡°Fifth Sister, you don¡¯t look well. You are ill again, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Ning Xueyan said with a small smile, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Thank you for your care, second brother. Did our father get any news?¡±

    What she was asking about was that Ning Zu¡¯an had written a memorial to ask the emperor to make Ning Huaijing a princely heir. About this, Ao Chenyi had already told her, saying that the memorial had been sent and the news should be announced in one day or two.

    ¡°Our father says it might take a few days.¡± Ning Huaijing smiled and shook his head. He was not anxious about it because he knew that Ning Zu¡¯an had done thispletely for the sake of Ao Chenyi; otherwise, it would have never been his turn.

    It was not that he really liked this title, but to better protect his mother and fifth sister, he must get it. The reality was that Ning Zu¡¯an had sent the memorial for asking the emperor to grant Concubine Yu the co-wife¡¯s title together with that memorial. Having seen Concubine Yu¡¯s tears of joy that day, he had learned the few words before anyone had said them.

    With hardships endured, she had brought him up alone and sent him to school herself. Concubine Yu, who had the wish to get outstanding, wanted him to strive for sess and let Ning Zu¡¯an regret and bring him back home. Regarding this, he, her son, respected his mother, of course.

    But his mother bore guilt toward his fifth sister, and the guilt had deepened when he had been helped by his fifth sister on the matter of entering the mansion. As for this, he would keep it in mind all the time. He would be the good princely heir of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and serve as the good supporter of his fifth sister. Whenever she needed him, he would stand on her side.

    This was what his mother owed her and also what he owed her.

    Wen Xueran patted the table smilingly with his fan. As he blinked his seductively beautiful eyes, he said with a bit of ridicule, ¡°The matter of asking for the princely heir¡¯s title and the co-wife¡¯s title for your mother? Don¡¯t worry about it. The imperial edict should be issued in two days. Now there is only one son in your Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. If the princely heir¡¯s position is not passed to you, whom it should be passed to!¡±

    Ning Xueyan narrowed her eyes and thought, ¡°As expected, he is so well-informed. Apart from the few persons concerned, it is almost impossible for others to know such a thing. In fact, such a thing is just a matter of fulfilling the procedure. It¡¯s not eventful, so it won¡¯t be taken out to discuss. The current situation of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor is that Ning Huaijing is the only son. If the title is not ryed to him, whom can it be ryed to?

    ¡°Unless Ning Zu¡¯an doesn¡¯t send the memorial and wants to put it off until he has a son. It will be the same as the time Ning Huaiyuan was the only son previously.

    ¡°Now, since Ning Zu¡¯an has taken the initiative to send the memorial and Ning Huaijing has no records ofmitting blunders, then it is basically a matter of fulfilling the procedure.¡±

    ¡°You knew Childe Yueming before today, right?¡± Ning Xueyan smiled and turned to look at Wen Xueran.

    ¡°I¡¯ve known him since I was young. As a rule-bound man, he insisted oning here to worship Ning Ziying, saying that she was his fianc¨¦e. But they are merely words. It is said that Ning Ziying¡¯s fianc¨¦ was not him, but now he still imagines himself so much as the favored man of her,¡± Wen Xueran said quite disapprovingly, having a smile on his stunning face.

    ¡°Sister Ziying¡¯s fianc¨¦?¡± Ning Xueyan was surprised and mumbled, but Ning Huaijing¡¯s eyebrows furrowed.

    ¡°This is just his own statement, and you can¡¯t take it seriously. The affairs of Ning Ziying¡¯s mansion were quite messy, and the marriage was also messy. She was just one woman, but lots of men wanted to marry her. Maybe every suitor thought that he was the only one.¡± Wen Xueran gave Ning Xueyan a sidelong nce, which contained somewhat yfulness and unrestraint.

    Ning Xueyan disliked his frivolous tone. She believed that she hadn¡¯t done anything wrong in her previous life, and the real engagement had been the one with Xia Manor. As for Hua Yunheng, he had only been her elder brother in her memory about her previous life, a brother who had left her inexplicably. Apart from that, others were not worth mentioning. But she had found a strong hint of romance in Wen Xueran¡¯s words.

    It seemed that her mansion had been unfaithful and even had wanted to keep rtionships with multiple suitors.

    ¡°You are so clear about the matter between Hua Manor and Sister Ziying, Princely Heir Wen?¡± Ning Xueyan looked up at the constantly gentle and affectionate eyes, without the slightest wish to avert them, let alone have the smallest blush because she had seen such a stunning man smiling at her so romantically.

    ¡°I know a little. Princess, if you want to know, I can tell you a bit.¡± Wen Xueran didn¡¯t seem to find the unfriendliness of Ning Xueyan¡¯s words, and there was still a splendid smile in his seductively beautiful eyes. He patted his palm lusciously with the folding fan in his hand, but he stared at Ning Xueyan without a blink.

    ¡°Second brother, go and see Childe Yueming. If he has finished the worship, ask him toe and sit for a while,¡± Ning Xueyan said with a smile after taking a deep breath.

    ¡°OK, then I¡¯ll go and see Childe Hua. Please sit for a while, Princely Heir Wen.¡± Ning Huaijing nodded and stood up. Of course, he knew that his fifth sister wanted to talk to Wen Xueran, so he had replied naturally before leaving the pavilion.

    When Ning Huaijing had left, Ning Xueyan took a deep breath and looked at Wen Xueran indifferently, saying, ¡°Is it that you have any misunderstanding about Ning Ziying, Princely Heir?¡± Since her identity was not a secret to Wen Xueran, her question did not sound strange.

    Wen Xueran smiled softly, his mouth alluring. Although Ning Xueyan was not seduced, she had topliment inwardly, ¡°When a man is so strikingly beautiful, no wonder all the people¡¯s first impression of him was that he was romantic when they spoke of him. With such a face decorated by the seductively beautiful eyes and the affectionate look in them, he is surely a living romantic young descendent of a noble family!¡±

    ¡°I have no misunderstanding about Young Lady Ziying, but Ning Manor got her betrothed time after time back then. That was not a good taste!¡± Wen Xueran sighed slightly. ¡°Although she was gorgeous, the family should not let others stand in a line to wait!¡±

    ¡°What do you want to tell me, Princely Heir?¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes glistened with a bit of darkness, and some coldness appeared on her stunning face. She didn¡¯t like the way Wen Xueran used to talk to her, though he was dangerous.

    ¡°What¡¯s your n for dealing with it, cousin?¡± Wen Xueran didn¡¯t answer her but looked at her, referring to something. In his charming eyes, there was an eerie smile. This time, he didn¡¯t address her as ¡°princess¡±.

    ¡°I have no n. I am fine now!¡± Ning Xueyan pursed her red lips and said seriously.

    ¡°Cousin, your identity is on the opposite side of Prince Yi¡¯s.¡± Wen Xueran raised his brows, without taking it seriously. He picked up the teacup at hand with his thin, long fingers, took a sip, and smiled even more eerily.

    ¡°So what? Now I am Prince Yi¡¯s princess. Previously I was the daughter of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. I grew up with my mother¡¯s protection, and she only wanted me to live peacefully.¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes glistened with a light smile. It was light, but it was quite firm.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to think it over? Maybe you can have a higher position, right?¡± Wen Xueran was still smiling with great charms, but his casual words were with somewhat seriousness. In his heart which Ning Xueyan couldn¡¯t see, this stunning man felt irritated. For him, he could stop caring about Ning Ziying, but Ning Xueyan before him...

    He had a feeling that the thing was out of his control, but he had somewhat inexplicable anticipation because of it.

    ¡°Something happened at one point in the past. I saw the arrogant and overbearing Ning Yuling chasing to beat the thin and weak girl, but she got herself out of the bad situation with such a smart method. Or is it that the eyes that fell on me with an alert from time to time at that time, though her vignce was little, were enough to make me feel curious?¡±

    He had always been known as someone romantic, and no woman had ever looked at him with such vignce, as if he would have brought her danger if she had approached him.

    After that, he had begun to pay more attention to her gradually and had been unwilling to hurt her without knowing why. When he had learned that she was the daughter of the empress of the previous dynasty, he had almost gone straight to her, for he had had the most convincing reason to go to her and take her away, but he had suppressed the impulse. Indeed, letting her enter Prince Yi¡¯s Manor had been the best thing to do.

    Among all the manors, Prince Yi¡¯s Manor had been the most difficult one for him to put someone in. If Ning Xueyan could have stayed there, it might have been more beneficial for him.

    But he regretted it a little now. Seeing the clean and faintly deep love in her stunning eyes, he felt that somece in his heart seemed to be stabbed hard by something. It was quite painful and did not stop. Something was out of his control as if he would no longer catch it.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need to have such a high position. I only want to get a man¡¯s heart, and we will never separate even when we are old!¡± Ning Xueyan smiled, and her long eyshes pped down, leaving two irregr shadows on her white face.

    With the words uttered, she suddenly felt quite relieved. The ¡°boulder¡± that seemed to have been on her chest recently had gone with these few words.

    It turned out to be so simple that a few words would do.

    ¡°You have forgotten your family¡¯s and the nation¡¯s hatreds, haven¡¯t you?¡± Wen Xueran became serious and had a little coldness in his seductive eyes.

    ¡°The change of dynasty has never been women¡¯s responsibility. Besides, do you really think that my father was killed by the Aos?¡± Ning Xueyan pped her eyshes and raised her beautiful eyes to look at Wen Xueran quietly.

    Regarding the affairs of the previous dynasty, she had especially investigated them. The first emperor of the previous dynasty had died in the hands of the powerful troublemaking official, but the Aos had not been the main opposition party at that time. It was fair to say that the throne of the Aos had not been taken from the emperor of the previous dynasty, but from those initial powerful troublemaking officials, so Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t think that she, who was in this situation, had a grudge against the Aos.

    ¡°But the throne was finally taken by the Aos. Shouldn¡¯t you, who has the blood of the former emperor, take it back?¡± Wen Xueran looked at her deeply and quite seriously.

    ¡°If I want to take it back and be the empress, I will get the people¡¯s lives and property ruined, won¡¯t I? Is this what I and the people really need? I remember that women have no right of session in the previous dynasty or the present one.¡± Ning Xueyan was unexpectedly calm and didn¡¯t ask who Wen Xueran was because she didn¡¯t want to know too much.

    Since her two adoptive mothers had chosen to let her forget this part of history, she would!

    ¡°You... can be the empress! Then you can restore the monarchy of the Xuanyuans!¡± Wen Xueran lowered his voice a bit unconsciously, but his expectation was shown in his eyes, with some affection that Ning Xueyan could understand. It was not the romance on the surface he had used to show, but the strong affection she could truly see.

    Ning Xueyan was really stunned and suddenly widened her watery eyes, looking at Wen Xueran. Anyway, she hadn¡¯t expected Wen Xueran to speak something like this.

 Chapter 597 - You Donâ€™t Mind, But I Do

    <h4>Chapter 597 You Don¡¯t Mind, But I Do</h4>

    ¡°You¡¯ll be the emperor, and I¡¯ll be the empress?¡± Ning Xueyan smiled extremely lightly.

    ¡°Right, I¡¯ll be the emperor, and you¡¯ll be the empress!¡± Wen Xueran had a stunning smile, which had a little gentleness and sincerity. It was enough to warm and soften all women¡¯s hearts.

    But Ning Xueyan was not among them.

    ¡°Do you believe that the military medallion can mobilize the squad of guards of the previous dynasty?¡± Ning Xueyan asked, with a bit scoff in her eyes.

    ¡°I don¡¯t!¡± Wen Xueran said calmly.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes seemed to be peaceful, but there were tornadoes in the depths of them, in fact. ¡°He doesn¡¯t even believe that military medallion, the one which is said to have probably fallen into the hands of the Great Elder Princess. He doesn¡¯t even believe it, or this is a snare as I thought.¡±

    ¡°But why do you want to marry me? I¡¯m a married woman!¡± Ning Xueyan stared attentively at Wen Xueran. She always thought that Wen Xueran was no ordinary person. When all the people, including Third Prince, who represented the emperor, in fact, were searching for the military medallion of the previous dynasty, someone said unhesitatingly that the rumors about the Great Elder Princess and the military medallion were untrue.

    So, how could Ning Xueyan not be astonished?

    Of course, she didn¡¯t think that she had other things that could attract Wen Xueran apart from this.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind!¡± Wen Xueran said with a leisurely smile. In his stunningly seductive eyes, there was a joyful smile.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes instantly turned cold. Watching the smile at Wen Xueran¡¯s mouth, she said, ¡°I mind!¡±

    Shocked, Wen Xueran suddenly had a wry smile and exined, ¡°This is not what I mean. I¡¯m saying that I marry you maybe because of your identity, but more because of you. Whenever you want to leave Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, I can help you. You don¡¯t have to mind that some people will know this in the future.¡±

    Initially, he hadn¡¯t meant to say this. Since Ning Xueyan had entered Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, he could ask her to do a few things, but when he had decided to say these words, they had inexplicably be something that he would take her to leave Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. ¡°The whole world knows that Prince Yi is cold-blooded and merciless, so her life in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor should be like treading on thin ice!¡°

    ¡°If she is willing to leave, let her leave! It¡¯s not that I can only aplish my great cause with the help of the woman I care.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not willing to leave. In this life, I¡¯m Ao Chenyi¡¯s woman. When I am alive, I am his woman; when I¡¯m dead, I will be his ghost wife. The affairs of the previous dynasty have nothing to do with me, the little woman.¡± Ning Xueyan rose to her feet and arched her eyebrows, where there was only coldness. Looking at Wen Xueran firmly, she said, ¡°Princely Heir, no matter who you are, and no matter what you want to do, they all have nothing to do with me. In the future, please don¡¯te to tell me the so-called truth. If necessary, I will find it out in person.¡±

    After that, she turned and walked outside before Wen Xueran could say anything else. For her personal good or the good of the overall situation, she didn¡¯t think that it was necessary to struggle for the ¡°previous dynasty¡±, making efforts to take the throne back from the Aos. Anyway, she was just a little woman without so many demands.

    In her previous life, she had died miserably, but the so-called person of the ¡°previous dynasty¡± hadn¡¯te to save her the moment when she had died. Until death, she hadn¡¯t known about her true identity. In this life, there were Hua Yunheng and Wen Xueran. It seemed that they all could help her get out of the hot water.

    But she didn¡¯t need them now!

    When she had been in need, no one hade to help her. Since Wen Xueran had been able to find out her family background before her, she didn¡¯t believe that he had really known nothing about her or the predicament of her and Madam Ming in the Bright Frost Garden previously?

    As for now, since she had married into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, she would follow Prince Yi wholeheartedly. Although she was fully willing to live there, outsiders thought that it was a den of wolves.

    ¡°At that time, Wen Xueran didn¡¯t say anything but watched me marry into the mansion. When I entered Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, he then told me my identity. Its meaning is not as simple as it is shown on the surface. Would anything be so coincidental? As soon as I married into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, he then found out my identity.

    ¡°There is only one exnation: plotting, but I don¡¯t like the plotting with me assessed.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind being the empress?¡± A handsome but insidious face shed across her mind inexplicably. ¡°I only need him to treat me well. Whether others dislike it or not, it has nothing to do with me.¡±

    Seeing Ning Xueyan like this, Wen Xueran suddenly widened his eyes and felt so much pain in his heart, and his eyes twitched slightly. Seeing that she was about to leave the pavilion, he also stood up but felt irritable without knowing why. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that Ao Chenyi learns your identity?¡±

    ¡°So what? I have nothing, and it is even someone who told me about my identity. I am the princess of the previous dynasty, but I have expired. Do you think Ao Chenyi will care about that!¡±

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t look back but only paused for a moment. She looked at the sky outside coldly, with ridicule at her mouth.

    No matter what Wen Xueran¡¯s scheme was, she didn¡¯t want to get involved. It was decades since the Chu Kingdom had been founded. The people of the country had been living and working in peace and happiness for a long time. Either the former emperor or the current one had seized the state power in war and knew that the people were the base of the kingdom. Therefore, both of them had implemented good measures in governing the people. Even the incumbent emperor, who kept dealing with Ao Chenyi, knew it.

    So, he hadn¡¯t sent people to search the whole kingdom for the Great Elder Princess of the previous dynasty, making the people panicky, though he knew this statement.

    Were people who had gone through the war really willing to go into a rebellion! Were they really willing to restore the glory of the previous dynasty regardless of life and death! The people had been living and working in peace and happiness for decades, so no one was willing to leave his hometown, bing homeless or separate from his wife and children!

    And she didn¡¯t think that restoring the previous dynasty was her responsibility!

    Since this was the wish of the masses, she should let everything go!

    Seeing Ning Xueyan go away, the woman dressed like a maid raised her head, came in with a few steps, and asked, ¡°Do I need to stop her, master?¡± She was the one who hade here with Wen Xueran and been standing outside and the one in white who appeared in the previous chapters.

    Wen Xueran suddenly had a smile and shook his head, saying, ¡°No!¡±

    ¡°But she has learned your n, master. Will she speak it to others?¡± the woman in white asked worriedly.

    ¡°What? If she speaks it to others, you will help me solve the problem and kill her, right?¡± Wen Xueran nced at the woman and burst out smiling.

    ¡°No... I dare not!¡± Indulged in his smile first, the woman was dazed for a moment, but then she realized it and lowered her head hurriedly. In fact, there was already cold sweat on her forehead.

    ¡°This is not my master¡¯s happy expression.¡±

    A cold snort sounded in her ears, ¡°I don¡¯t want anything dangerous to happen to her, or...¡±

    ¡°Yes, I see. I won¡¯t dare without your order, master!¡± The woman lowered her head farther, motionless. She just felt that a pair of eyes were scrutinizing her coldly as if her little trick had instantly appeared in his eyes, so she began sweating from head to toe.

    ¡°Go back and get your punishment!¡±

    ¡°Yes, master!¡±

    When the figure in the distance had turned at the road junction and disappeared, Wen Xueran exhaled a heavy breath, and a joyful smile reappeared on his face. He still had a chance. He hadn¡¯t cared about the engagement previously, and when he had done an investigation and found Ning Ziying¡¯s death, he had even had a sense of relief and irony. But now, he was willing to ept the arrangement of the engagement.

    Ning Ziying was dead. Then, he should focus on Ning Xueyan. In the past, the two families had made an engagement...

    ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± Wen Xueran tapped his palm with his fan, regaining his romantic and lively image, and took steps to go out.

    ¡°We¡¯re not waiting for Childe Hua, aren¡¯t we?¡± the woman took a few quick steps forward and couldn¡¯t help asking.

    ¡°He wille.¡± Wen Xueran had a smile as if he was thinking about something. ¡°Hua Manor offered such a big chip, wanting to take Ning Ziying as their daughter-inw. Unfortunately, the thing went off the track in the end because they heard that the Great Elder Princess was found somewhere else, so Hua Manor broke up the engagement with Ning Manor at thest moment.

    ¡°But no one could expect that one to be fake, and Hua Yunheng missed the chance to marry Ning Ziying.

    ¡°The scheme of Hua Manor¡¯s old fox failed. When he found out the truth, Ning Ziying had entered the capital, but he was still looking for her in the regions south of the Yangtze River so that only after Ning Ziying died did Hua Yunheng arrive in the capital. Now, so many years have passed. The original n has failed, but the affair in Annan can¡¯t be dyed anymore.

    ¡°The situation has be critical, and it has to be handled. The situation in Annan is on the verge of breaking out.¡±

    ¡°When Childe Huaes to find me, bring him to me.¡±

    ¡°This is the best time for me to get involved...¡±

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t rest for so long in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor before going back. When Madam Dowager hurried over, she saw no one but heard that Prince Yi had suddenly asked Ning Xueyan to go back for something. In this case, Madam Dowager couldn¡¯tin at all but nod and return to the Lucky Garden. As for what had happened in the Foggy Courtyard, its detail was still unknown, but Ning Qingshan must have suffered losses.

    Speaking of Ning Qingshan, Madam Dowager had hated her so much since Ning Zu¡¯an had found that she might have connections with Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor. ¡°I¡¯ve loved her dearly for so many years, but I didn¡¯t expect to have brought up an ungrateful woman. Grand Tutor Ya especially sent her to Lord Protector¡¯s Manor probably for the legendary ¡®military medallion¡¯¡±.

    Someone had spread rumors that it was in Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Of course, Madam Dowager and Ning Zu¡¯an had learned it, so they had searched Madam Ming¡¯s ce for it but found nothing. But Grand Tutor Ya had plotted against her even when she had found nothing, so she had gone furious! To her relief, the consort¡¯s position had finally been given to Ning Lingyun, while Ning Qingshan could only be one of the lowliest senior concubines now.

    Therefore, Madam Dowager had given Ning Qingshan nothing when she had been sent into Third Prince¡¯s Manor. Instead, she had just brought a little sedan chair to carry her away, but she hadn¡¯t kept any of her maids, so Mammy Luo, Caifen, and Feilian had all followed Ning Qingshan to Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor. As for the Foggy Courtyard, it had no longer been a ce for Ning Qingshan to return to since the moment she had left it.

    Madam Dowager hated Ning Qingshan so much. Once she remembered that it was Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor that had sent her here as a chess piece plotting against Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she even wished to kill her. But now, Ning Qingshan was only a senior concubine of Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor that Prince Xiang disliked, so Madam Dowager believed that she couldn¡¯t make waves anymore.

    At the back door of Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor, a little sedan chair stopped, and Ning Qingshan dressed in light pink clothes walked out with a dark face. Standing at the door of the house, she clenched her fists in her sleeves tightly and had hatred in her eyes, thinking, ¡°Senior concubine, I can only enter from the backdoor. In the beginning, I was to be the princess, Prince Xiang¡¯s princess, never the so-called senior concubine!¡±

    ¡°Senior Concubine Ning, pleasee in!¡± An older female servant came to her, looked at her lightly, pointed inside, and simply went inside before Ning Qingshan came over.

    In the prince¡¯s mansion, a senior concubine¡¯s position was so low.

 Chapter 598 - Things in Those Days and Numerous Schemes

    <h4>Chapter 598 Things in Those Days and Numerous Schemes</h4>

    As expected, the imperial edict announcing Ning Huaijing to be the princely heir of Lord Protector was issued the following day. Immediately, Lord Protector¡¯s Manor held a banquet. Ning Xueyan paid a visit here but left early with the excuse that she was not well. Therefore, Madam Dowager, who wanted toe here and chat more with her, had no chance to do so.

    When Ning Xueyan came to see Ao Chenyi, thetter was discussing something with his aides and staff on the second floor, so she went to wait for him on the third floor.

    The third floor was Ao Chenyi¡¯s living room. After leading her to the ce, Eunuch Zhu retreated. Sitting on the couch, Ning Xueyan casually picked up a book and read it at the table, but she put it down after only leafing through a few pages and frowned. The room was quiet. Lanning brought her tea and stepped aside.

    When Ao Chenyi came upstairs after a while, he saw her leaning there with barely closed eyes as if she was asleep.

    He walked over, touched her head, and asked softly, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Is there anything wrong with you?¡± Ning Xueyan rarely visited his Moon-embracing Tower.

    ¡°You¡¯vee!¡± Ning Xueyan was half asleep indeed. Now when she heard Ao Chenyi¡¯s voice, she immediately woke up and suddenly opened her eyes. When she saw Ao Chenyi, she sat up.

    ¡°Is there anything from the pce that gives you a dilemma?¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s evil-looking eyes were deep. He observed Ning Xueyan¡¯s face carefully but didn¡¯t find that she was so different from usual, and then he heaved a sigh of relief. Just now, he had received the news that someone hade from the imperial pce for Prince Yi¡¯s princess, and the servant of the mansion had taken the messenger straight to the Pear Flower Garden.

    ¡°Chenyi, how much do you know... that Ning Ziying was the princess of the previous dynasty?¡± Ning Xueyan asked softly and coyly, tearing the edge of his clothes.

    ¡°She was the Great Elder Princess of the previous dynasty, who fled to the Ning Manor in the regions south of the Yangtze River and was taken in by the madam of the manor and renamed Ning Ziying. To find out the legend of the ¡°military medallion of the previous dynasty¡±, all the people were looking for her. Since the hometown of the king of Annan is in the regions south of the Yangtze River, Hua Manor found Ning Ziying. Guessing that she was probably the princess of the previous dynasty, they wanted to build a marriage bond with her, so as to get the ¡®military medallion of the previous dynasty¡¯. But after a strangebination of circumstances urred, they thought that she was the wrong person, so they broke up the engagement.¡±

    ¡°Then Xia Manor picked up a treasure by taking the chance. Of course, their aim was also to get the military medallion of the previous dynasty or please the emperor. Later, it should be that Xia Yuhang didn¡¯t think she was the one and acquiesced in Madam Ling and her daughter¡¯s killing of her.¡± Ao Chenyi sat beside her, caressing her beautiful hairzily, but the long eyshes, which left two irregr shadows beneath his eyes, stopped the beholder from seeing his eyes clearly.

    Ning Xueyan remained silent for a moment and realized that Ao Chenyi should know so much about this.

    She took a deep breath and asked, ¡°Do you know if the Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor also made schemes in it?¡± Although her investigation of it hadn¡¯t yielded a clear result, she believed that Ao Chenyi should have an answer. Now she and Ao Chenyi were one. Except for the secret of rebirth that she was unwilling to share with him, there were no other things that she couldn¡¯t reveal.

    But she still didn¡¯t know how to talk about some things at the moment.

    Ao Chenyi raised his long eyshes, and his handsome eyes glistened. He had a small smile and reached out, taking her soft hand in his and squeezing it a bit. Obviously, he had a good mood. At least, he was a little sunnier than the moment he had been up here just now. He liked the feeling that Ning Xueyan relied on him.

    ¡°Ya Rui is an old fox. He has been looking for the Great Elder Princess for years. His wife¡¯s younger sister is a widow, but she was a nobledy in the previous dynasty at least. Back then, she had good rtionships with a few nobledies, who were good friends of the empress of the previous dynasty, so she was responsible for searching for thosedies. Ya Rui thought that the Great Elder Princess was most likely to be hidden in the ces of thosedies.¡±

    Ao Chenyi spokezily, leaned back, put his arm around her shoulder, and pulled. Instantly, Ning Xueyan fell into his arms.

    ¡°You mean Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor was also plotting against the Great Elder Princess?¡± Ning Xueyan turned andid prostrate on him. With her watery eyes glistening, she had a brainwave, pondered it over, and couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Is the military medallion really so attractive?¡±

    ¡°Not only the military medallion. It is said that there are also some treasures of the previous dynasty.¡± Ao Chenyi arched his eyebrows and showed somewhat ridicule on his handsome face. ¡°Every time a dynasty falls, there will be such a rumor, and some treasure legends have been handed down.¡±

    ¡°Treasure legends? It is really this way!

    ¡°Really, this was not only for fawning on the emperor but also for luring people with money. If there had only been a few guards with excellent martial arts, it wouldn¡¯t have been so attractive, and so many people wouldn¡¯t have been lured into the trap.

    ¡°In it, Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor has many schemes, and their strength influenced lots of people, including Honored Consort Ya, Madam Ming, the mother of my previous life, and the aunt of Ya Moqin. Besides, the strength also influenced Ning Qingshan¡¯s entering into Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and the current emperor¡¯s ascending of the throne. Otherwise, Honored Consort Ya couldn¡¯t have been noble because of her husband, and her son couldn¡¯t have be the prince.

    ¡°Can those be... true?¡± Ning Xueyan asked with doubts on her face. She needed to know the clearest fact.

    ¡°No!¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s eerie and cold voice sounded in her ears. ¡°The so-called ¡®military medallion of the previous dynasty¡¯ is untrue. My father, the former emperor, found those treasures a long time ago and used them as military pay. Otherwise, how could the Aos with so little manpower back then, have been able to take the throne? But only my father and a few of his close senior officials know it, and my brother, the emperor, even has no idea about it.¡±

    Ning Xueyan was shocked and asked, ¡°The others don¡¯t know, but why was the news not announced at that time?¡±

    ¡°Why was it necessary to announce it? Since so many people were so greedy and wanted to get the treasures, let them think that they still had hope, and when they got them, they could have the throne. How good!¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s voice sounded so insidious that Ning Xueyan could even feel it clearly.

    He caressed Ning Xueyan¡¯s face with his thin, long fingers, which were cold and bloodthirsty. ¡°To find out the rumor of the treasures, the old woman vilified my mother with this and forced her to death when my father went out to war. If I had not been lucky, I would have died a long time ago. Since so many people wanted to struggle for them, let them do it!¡±

    ¡°Yichen¡¯s mother died like this, but the rumors outside say that she died of a disease.¡± Subconsciously, she held his slightly cold hands, wanting to warm his hands with hers. ¡°Surely, he must have been young at that time, so he had been in the army since that young age. When he got used to killing in the army, his heart naturally became as hard as iron.

    ¡°Without scruples in doing things, he kills whenever he wants to kill and talks ruthlessly. He doesn¡¯t care about himself, let alone caring about others.¡±

    She should be honored to have be his biggest concern because this would stop him from bingpletely insane.

    As long as he was himself, she didn¡¯t care whether he would go insane or not. She could sense that when he was with her, he was no longer the ice-cold Ao Chenyi.

    ¡°You have been working so hard these years, right?¡± Ning Xueyan asked softly. Step by step, he had grown into today¡¯s man who wasparable to the emperor from a little boy, so the hardships in it were never anything that others could imagine.

    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t. Since I lost my mother, let those who coveted the treasures die with her or be homeless, and let the blood run like rivers.¡± Ao Chenyi was so soothed that he held Ning Xueyan¡¯s hands in turn, but his eyes were freezing, fierce, and bloodthirsty.

    ¡°Of course, the hatred between me and those who forced my mother to death is irreconcble. It seems that there are some hidden facts in it. The Empress Dowager should be the main murderer. That is to say, Lord Peace¡¯s Manor is actually on the side of those who forced my mother, Honored Consort, to death. In fact, she was not Honored Consort Chen at that time. It should be a posthumous title that my father, the former emperor, gave her after his enthronement.¡±

    No matter what, she, Ning Xueyan, would always be with him.

    After feeling his fierceness and evil, Ning Xueyan became silent, bit her lips, and took the initiative to rest her head on his chest, while her other hand reached his chest secretly. She already had her decision, and then she picked up a topic, ¡°The message that came from the pce just now is: the pce is going to hold a banquet to celebrate the event that the two sons of the emperor have been honored as princes.¡±

    When a son of the emperor was honored as a prince, the celebration just needed to be held in the prince¡¯s mansion. But now, it was going to be held in the imperial pce, so what it meant appeared not to be simple.

    Ao Chenyi was the crown brother of the emperor, but the emperor had been working to make it ambiguous deliberately. This time, he decided to hold a banquet to celebrate the event that his two sons had been made princes. Under such circumstances, others would unavoidably think that the emperor thought highly of the two sons, wanting to make either of them the crown prince, so he had done such a thing.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He has such a hint, and I will naturally add fuel to the me to help him.¡± Ao Chenyi narrowed his eyes slightly and gave her an evil sidelong nce. Although his tone was fierce, he softened his voice unconsciously. When he sensed that she felt distressed for him, he even smiled slightly.

    ¡°Do you want to disclose the incident of Ning Ziying? It is said that Xia Yuhang keeps quite a close rtionship with Ao Mingyu now. After losing his position in the officialdom for three years, Xia Yuhang has chosen a new master, ready to make surprising achievements. Indeed, he is a man who can endure suffering.¡±

    The engagement between Ning Ziying and Xia Yuhang was the most important cause of Ning Ziying¡¯s death.

    ¡°Well, I still have some evidence about Xia Yuhang¡¯s concubine.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded unhesitatingly. This time, she hade here to tell Ao Chenyi about the banquet that was to be held in the pce. Since Ao Chenyi had a countermeasure, and it was Ning Ziying¡¯s case, that was best.

    She always had a wish to make the cause of her death in her previous life known to the world and bring herself justice.

    Yet, she was not powerful enough. If she were just an ordinary woman, this would be easy, but the problem was that she was the Great Elder Princess of the previous dynasty. Since so many things were involved, she couldn¡¯t get it done only with her strength in the inner courtyard.

    But now she had Ao Chenyi!

    Since Ao Chenyi had the wish, she would naturally join him. On the one hand, she could avenge herself and end her obsession in this rebirth; on the other hand, because of Ao Chenyi, she was willing to advance and retreat with him. Even if they couldn¡¯t retreat in the end, she was willing to die with him.

    ¡°We need to publicize this incident, but don¡¯t use your methods now. The situation of Xia Manor¡¯s inner courtyard is very unstable, and you should ask someone to go and take a look first,¡± Ning Xueyan said softly. If Ao Chenyi made a move, he would get an effect directly in a sweeping manner. But Ning Xueyan thought that it was better to use the means of the inner courtyard. Although this was soft, the emperor would never find Ao Chenyi¡¯s connections with it.

    He was not afraid to be found by the emperor, but subconsciously, Ning Xueyan still didn¡¯t want others to guess that he was the one behind this. Doubt was one thing, but factual evidence was another.

    ¡°OK!¡± Sensing Ning Xueyan¡¯s sincere care of him, Ao Chenyi smiled broadly. The previous insidious look in his eyes was gone, and now it was with some tenderness and pampering. He couldn¡¯t help hugging her even more tightly, almost wishing to squeeze her into him. He didn¡¯t care how unreasonable the girl before him was, and he wanted her, only her.

 Chapter 599 - Was Ning Ziyanâ€™s Miscarriage an Accident?

    <h4>Chapter 599 Was Ning Ziyan¡¯s Miscarriage an ident?</h4>

    Chen Hexiang stood up with a jolt and anxiously asked her maid, ¡°What? Ning Ziyan is pregnant?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I heard it loud and clear. Concubine Ning¡¯s maid went to the backdoor to retrieve prenatal medicine. When I followed her, I saw her preparing the medicinal soup and giving it to Concubine Ning. She came out to wash the bowl afterward, but I didn¡¯t see Concubine Ninging out.¡±

    The maid replied in a quiet voice.

    It was no wonder that Ning Ziyang was behaving strangely these days. When she first fell from her pedestal as the official wife, she would go to the main courtyard and wail loudly. She stopped making such a fuss afterward and didn¡¯t even visit her biological sister Ning Yuling anymore. She didn¡¯t even question anything when Ning Yuling inexplicably died in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, choosing to stay out of trouble.

    Every time Chen Hexiang went to provoke her, she would give her the cold shoulder and recuperate in her room. Chen Hexiang gradually got bored and stopped giving her trouble. If she hadn¡¯t learned this piece of news, she would be fooled and remain ignorant even after Ning Ziyan gave birth.

    No, she mustn¡¯t let Ning Ziyan give birth sessfully. Xia Yuhang was still without a son now. It would be disastrous if Ning Ziyan bore him a son. She was the wife-born daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and married Xia Yuhang as his wife. It was said that one of her younger sisters became Princess Yi and another would be Prince Xiang¡¯s consort very soon.

    With so many conditions on her side, Ning Ziyan might very well return to her position as the wife. No, she mustn¡¯t let Ning Ziyan be the wife again. Chen Hexiang knew how poorly she had treated Ning Ziyan a while ago, what was with all the sarcasm and mockery. She even bullied Ning Ziyan to vent her anger, all of which Ning Ziyan had endured. Ning Ziyan must be suffocating from all her emotions now. If Ning Ziyan became the wife again, she would surely kill her.

    Chen Hexiang understood this, so she panicked. She had lost favor ever since the incidentst time, but fortunately, she had always kept a low-profile and tried her best to stay out of trouble. Ning Ziyan¡¯s fear of Xia Yuhang also helped her survive without incident.

    Things were different now. Ning Ziyan would surely kill her.

    No, she mustn¡¯t let Ning Ziyan give birth to Xia Yuhang¡¯s son safely.

    After turning around twice in her room, Chen Hexiang suddenly asked, ¡°Who sent her the medicine?¡±

    ¡°I think Concubine Ning must have found a way to contact the drugstore and get them to send the medicine. Concubine Ning is ill and she¡¯s also using her money for the medicine, so Madam wouldn¡¯t say anything about it. Moreover, I heard that Madam is treating Concubine Ning much better ever since Junior Concubine Ning passed away and that Madam would send something to her courtyard from time to time.¡±

    The maid said indignantly.

    ¡°Then how did you find out that it was prenatal medicine?¡±

    Chen Hexiang asked, immediately grasping the key point.

    ¡°It was the gatekeeping servant who told me. She had experience with it, so she immediately knew it was prenatal medicine after just a whiff. So, she told me that Concubine Ning is nurturing her pregnancy,¡± the maid answered in a deliberately low voice.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go and take a look.¡± Chen Hexiang gritted her teeth. Regardless of what it was, she must first confirm it. She knew it was likely true but she still hoped that it wasn¡¯t.

    Together with her maid, she rushed to Ning Ziyan¡¯s courtyard. Ning Yuling used to stay in this courtyard too, but Ning Ziyan was the only upant now. Chen Hexiang shouldn¡¯t have bothereding at all. The servant guarding the door took one nce at her, ignored her, and continued chatting with another servant.

    It was merely a feud between two unfavored concubines, so the two servants watched it y out like a joke. They had seen Chen Hexianging over often to provoke and mock Ning Ziyan. Since Ning Ziyan was just a concubine now, the servants watched the provocation as if it was a show and turned a deaf ear.

    It didn¡¯t matter to them who was getting bullied. They were just watching the feud for amusement.

    Thus, they didn¡¯t say anything even after seeing Chen Hexiang enter the courtyard. Two older female servants, who were chatting earlier, even turned around to give her a contemptuous look. Chen Hexiang was also an unfavored concubine. It was said that she had been hooking up with their young master even before marrying him; she was nobody virtuous.

    Sure enough, there was a small pot of decoction outside the door of Ning Ziyan¡¯s room. Chen Hexiang had seen it before. In the past, she thought that Ning Ziyan had fallen ill from her negative emotions from getting demoted from the official wife position and that the pot was for making medicine. Now that she thought about it, Ning Ziyan must have already found out about her pregnancy at that time.

    Ning Ziyan had just been enduring it in silence.

    When the young maid guarding the door saw Chen Hexianging over with an angry momentum, she became so scared that she hid inside the room.

    ¡°Is Concubine Ning ill? It¡¯s no wonder that she keeps lying in bed all day long. We can¡¯t let that happen. She¡¯ll only get better once she gets some sun.¡± Chen Hexiang entered the room and immediately made her way toward Ning Ziyan¡¯s bed with a smile. She reached out as if she wanted to drag Ning Ziyan up.

    ¡°Let go!¡± Ning Ziyan pped her hand away and red at her.

    She could endure all of Chen Hexiang¡¯s remarks, but she would never let this woman touch her. The one in her womb was her hope to reim her glory. Xia Manor would never mistreat her, even if only because of her son. No matter how terrible she was, she was still the eldest daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Once she regained her honor, she would exact revenge on Ning Xueyan. But for now, she would endure it!

    She would never let Ning Xueyan, that little bitch, off. The moment Prince Yi got bored with ying with that slut, she would make that slut wish she was dead.

    ¡°Concubine Ning, you¡¯re so unhealthy. You need more sun. If you stay in such a dark room all day long, you¡¯ll get sick if you aren¡¯t already. Listen to me. Let¡¯s take a walk in the garden and get some sun. It¡¯s better than staying cooped up here, no?¡±

    Chen Hexiang was so well-mannered today and kept a smile on her face at all times. She sounded as if she was truly concerned for Ning Ziyan. She reached out and grabbed Ning Ziyan¡¯s hand forcefully, wanting to drag her outside. She was determined to see if Ning Ziyan was pregnant so she could think of countermeasures.

    If Ning Ziyan was pregnant, she ought to show signs by now.

    Ning Ziyan pped Chen Hexiang¡¯s hand with her other hand and said angrily, ¡°I¡¯m not going!¡±

    She used so much force that a blue mark immediately formed on Chen Hexiang¡¯s hand. It then turned red and swollen.

    Feeling the stinging pain on her hand, Chen Hexiang couldn¡¯t maintain her smile anymore. She had always been a cruel woman, or she wouldn¡¯t have pushed the weak Ning Ziying into the water and nearly killed her to win Xia Yuhang over. She was truly angry, so angry that she shoved aside the maid who tried to protect Ning Ziyan.

    This time, she grabbed Ning Ziyan¡¯s hands with both hands and dragged her out with force.

    Compared to Chen Hexiang, Ning Ziyan had grown up spoiled and pampered. She didn¡¯t have much strength in her hands. Moreover, she was pregnant and caught up in a tense situation. She was no match for Chen Hexiang at all. Chen Hexiang¡¯s force dragged her out of bed and sent her crashing to the floor.

    With a yelp, Ning Ziyan fell to the floor along with her quilt. She covered her stomach with her hands and started groaning in pain as she rolled into a ball. Blood seeped from under her skirt and slowly formed a pool.

    ¡°Ahh! Someone, pleasee! Concubine Ning has a miscarriage! Concubine Chen pushed her and made her miscarry her child!¡± Ning Ziyan¡¯s maid, who knew about her master¡¯s condition, immediately cried out loud. She ran outside and yelled for the other servants toe.

    Chen Hexiang was stunned. She didn¡¯t think she could drag Ning Ziyan out of bed and even cause her to miscarry. She started to tremble. She came here to verify Ning Ziyan¡¯s pregnancy, not to make her miscarry in front of everyone.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me... It wasn¡¯t me...¡± she muttered to herself, watching Ning Ziyan cry in pain while holding her stomach. Her face was pale from fright.

    Xia Yuhang had been childless all this while, so Xia Manor ced great importance on the matter of his heirs. They would kill her if they found out that she caused the death of Xia Yuhang¡¯s child.

    ¡°Concubine, hurry up and run! Are you going to wait here for death?¡± Someone tugged at her sleeve. Chen Hexiang was so frightened that she didn¡¯t notice that it was her maid until several tugster. The maid looked shocked too. She pulled Chen Hexiang¡¯s hem with force and said, ¡°Concubine, wake up! Let¡¯s run immediately. Once the others get here, both of us will surely die.¡±

    Yes, run! They must run before others notice.

    In just minutes, the older female servants outside rushed in. It was one thing to neglect Ning Ziyan, but Ning Ziyan¡¯s child was another. The child, the most important heir to Xia Manor, was dying. No one would dare to dy the matter. Someone immediately helped Ning Ziyan get back to her feet, someone summoned a physician, while another ran to inform the Madam. The courtyard was a mess.

    No one noticed Concubine Chen, the instigator of the incident, sneaking away with her maid.

    Madam Xia rushed to Ning Ziyan¡¯s courtyard immediately, as did the physician in the manor. Still, they failed to save the child. Madam Xia turned red from anger. She sent servants to bring Chen Hexiang over after hearing that it was her fault, only to hear that she was gone. Chen Hexiang had run away through the back door.

    Madam Xia became so agitated that she nearly fainted. She ordered the servants to send a letter to the Ministry of Justice, requesting them to arrest a fugitive concubine.

    How could Madam Xia not be angry? Ning Ziyan had married her son as his official wife. The pressure from Madam Ling¡¯s incident was so great that they had to remove Ning Ziyan from her position but Madam Xia had privately promised Ning Ziyan that she would restore her position, provided that the public pressure ceased and no one pursued it anymore.

    After all, her son was currently under punishment. It would be difficult for him to marry ady with high status.

    Moreover, the Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor had be Princess Yi, and the Fourth Young Lady would soon be Prince Xiang¡¯s consort. The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor seemed invincible. Even though the Fifth Young Lady appeared to be on bad terms with Ning Ziyan because of Madam Ling, blood would always be thicker than water. Even if Princess Yi disliked Ning Ziyan, other people wouldn¡¯t dare to mistreat Ning Ziyan because of her.

    Thus, restoring Ning Ziyan¡¯s wife position was the best choice and the child in her womb provide the ultimate excuse. Even if only for her child¡¯s sake, Ning Ziyan should be Xia Yuhang¡¯s wife again.

    However, Chen Hexiang had ruined this perfect excuse. How could Madam Xia not be angry? She swore to capture Chen Hexiang to vent anger for the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Capturing a concubine who didn¡¯t know her way around the city ought to be quite a quick affair.

    Little did she expect that Chen Hexiang would exit Xia Manor through the back door, get into a carriage that someone had prepared for her, and vanished from the capital. The officials from the Ministry of Justice couldn¡¯t have imagined that Chen Hexiang¡¯s escape was an important segment of a bigger n.

 Chapter 600 - He Was My Real Lover

    Chapter 600 He Was My Real Lover

    The weather was gradually turning warm in Prince Yi¡¯s secondary manor outside the city. Ning Xueyan had left the manor with the excuse of recreation. When she reached the secondary manor, she entered a courtyard near the backdoor and settled down inside a unique room.

    The room was divided in half, with a special curtain separating the front and back of the room. The curtain allowed Ning Xueyan to see the people opposite her, but the people opposite her wouldn¡¯t be able to see the other side of the room.

    ¡°Master, can we begin?¡± Xinmei asked. Ning Xueyan nodded. This was why she hade out today. It so happened that there would be a banquet at the pce tomorrow to celebrate the two princes.

    That left just enough time for her n.

    Seeing Ning Xueyan nod, Xinmei left the room. Lanning served Ning Xueyan tea and then stood behind her. Shortly after, Xinmei reentered the room and stood on the other side of Ning Xueyan.

    On the other side of the curtain, a guard brought a blindfolded woman in. He pulled off her blindfold and forced her to kneel.

    ¡°Are you Chen Hexiang, Eldest Young Master Xia¡¯s concubine?¡± A sharp glint shed in Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes as she stared at this familiar face.

    ¡°Ye... Yes, I¡¯m Eldest Young Master Xia¡¯s concubine... Who... Who are you... Why did you catch me... Once the Eldest Young Master finds out, he, he won¡¯t let you off.¡±

    Chen Hexiang didn¡¯t know why she was inexplicably brought here. She had escaped through the backdoor yesterday out of panic, only to be knocked unconscious after stepping out of the door. After she regained consciousness, she found herself in an unfamiliar ce all by herself. She spent the night in fright and the intense fear kept herpletely tense at this moment.

    She tried to use Xia Yuhang¡¯s name to scare her kidnappers.

    ¡°Won¡¯t let me off? I heard that one of the concubines in Xia Manor became a fugitive yesterday and it has been reported to the Ministry of Justice. You¡¯re that fugitive concubine, aren¡¯t you?¡± Ning Xueyan chuckled humorlessly as she looked at the pale and panicking Chen Hexiang.

    Fugitive concubine? ording to thews of the Chu Kingdom, a fugitive concubine could be directly killed once caught.

    Even if a fugitive concubine wasn¡¯t killed, she would be demoted to be a prostitute, never allowed to regain honor ever again.

    Chen Hexiang had escaped out of pure panic. When the words ¡°fugitive concubine¡± entered her ears, fear and despair filled her eyes. No matter what, her life was as good as over and she would die most terribly, too.

    ¡°Madam, save me. Please save my life. I¡¯m willing to do anything to repay your great kindness.¡± Even though she didn¡¯t know who was talking to, there was no harm in calling her madam. She mmed her forehead on the floor, desperate to survive this ordeal.

    She stopped referring to herself as a concubine, but a ve, to express her willingness to serve Ning Xueyan with her whole heart.

    It took no time at all for this woman to switch gears. The minute she realized she was in trouble, she immediately put on a different appearance like the day she pushed her into the water. When Xia Yuhang found out, Chen Hexiang admitted to her fault but insisted that it was an ident. Chen Hexiang tried to jump into the water to save her, only to dy Xia Yuhang from saving her. That worsened her injury and nearly killed her.

    But, this was precisely what Ning Xueyan needed now. Talking to a person like this required minimal effort; all she had to was make her understand her situation clearly.

    ¡°It¡¯s not hard to save your life, but you will have to avenge Yudong.¡± When Chen Hexiang heard a cold, resentful voice from the other side of the curtain, she froze and didn¡¯t immediately understand who Yudong was.

    ¡°Surely you must know who Xia Yudong was, Concubine Chen?¡± The voice behind the curtain became even colder.

    Xia Yudong? Second Young Master Xia? Wasn¡¯t it said that he fell into the river and drowned a few days ago? There wasn¡¯t a major funeral at the manor as he was a concubine-son and the banquet to celebrate the princes¡¯ promotion would be happening soon. Xia Manor had buried him in a simple thin coffin. Other people might not know this, but Chen Hexiang knew.

    ¡°I know him, I know him. But, didn¡¯t Second Young Master Xia drown in the river?¡± She nodded with force, but couldn¡¯t help voicing her doubt.

    ¡°He drowned? Ha! Those people killed him. He colluded with the Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor to harm Princess Yi, so the Third Young Lady assassinated him. Not only did Xia Manor not avenge him, but they even buried him without asking any questions. It was all because thedy wanted to marry Prince Xiang.¡±

    The voice behind the curtain carried a trace of indignance. The resentment in it was as clear as day.

    Chen Hexiang was sure that the person behind the curtain had a close rtionship with Xia Yudong, so much so that she wanted to avenge him. This matter even implicated Prince Xiang. Thoughts and ideas ran back and forth in her mind. She felt that this was a wonderful opportunity. Ning Ziyan was her enemy, and Third Young Lady Ning was the enemy of the person behind the curtain.

    It didn¡¯t matter that their enemies weren¡¯t the same person, as long as their target was the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Now that she thought about it, she and the person behind the curtain shared a simr fate. Hers was worse, though. She couldn¡¯t just go out now; if she was caught, dying would be the easy way out for her.

    ¡°Madam, if you need me, please let me know. I¡¯ll be grateful and repay you,¡± Chen Hexiang said, patting her chest with confidence.

    ¡°Do you have the courage to report this?¡± Ning Xueyan dropped her angry act after seeing Chen Hexiang behaving like this. Her voice, however, turned colder.

    ¡°I do! Give me the evidence and I¡¯ll head to the Ministry of Justice right now to avenge Second Young Master Xia.¡± Chen Hexiang would say anything it took to save herself. She knew that if she refused to do so, she would be sent to the Ministry of Justice for the crime of being a ¡°fugitive concubine.¡±

    She would do anything to survive.

    ¡°There¡¯s no evidence.¡± Ning Xueyan smirked. Of course, she didn¡¯t have any evidence. She had only heard about it from Ao Chenyi. It was best to connect it with Chen Hexiang¡¯s matter. One, she could hide her identity from Chen Hexiang, and second, she could lure Chen Hexiang into her trap.

    ¡°No... No evidence!¡± Chen Hexiang was dumbfounded. If she reported the matter without any evidence, it would be just another dead-end for her. She stammered, ¡°Ma-Madam, how do I report it without any evidence?¡±

    ¡°Tell them that Xia Yudong died without any exnation. Since Xia Manor didn¡¯t publicize it, it must have something to do with Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor. Say that you want them to investigate it.¡± Ning Xueyan sounded self-righteous and confident, but her words only made Chen Hexiang smile wryly. Ignorant of the rules she might be, she knew that evidence was necessary. This woman could only offer her spection; the people at the Ministry of Justice would never pay her any heed.

    If she went there to file aint, she would be sending herself to her death. She would never be able to return alive.

    It was so difficult for her to escape. She didn¡¯t want to die here for no reason. However, this woman seemed determined to make her use Xia Manor.

    ¡°You¡¯re not willing to go?¡± A cold snort came from behind the curtain. The guard beside Chen Hexiang moved his feet as if he was going toe over and drag her out.

    ¡°No... I¡¯m willing to, but I just thought of some other things that I can use Xia Manor of. I have evidence for those things. I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll draw the attention of the Ministry of Justice then. When I bring up Second Young Master Xia¡¯s death, it¡¯ll be much easier to handle.¡± Chen Hexiang was also anxious. She did keep some evidence to deal with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and Xia Manor in the past.

    She had left the evidence in Cold Mountain Temple, but someone inexplicably sent it to her. She carefully hid it out of fear that Xia Yuhang would find out. Though the evidence was left in Xia Manor, only she knew its hiding ce.

    The woman behind the curtain seemed reluctant, but she still asked after some hesitation, ¡°Was any deaths involved?¡±

    ¡°Ye... Yes, Eldest Young Master Xia¡¯s fiancee was supposed to be anotherdy, and thisdy was surely killed by those in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. If we connect this to the collusion between Second Young Master Xia and Third Young Lady Ning, we¡¯ll surely gain the trust of the Ministry of Justice. I¡¯m sure we can avenge Second Young Master Xia then.¡±

    Chen Hexiang didn¡¯t know if they could avenge Xia Yudong but she realized that she might be able to live if she used Ning Ziying¡¯s death as the starting point. If this matter was revealed, Xia Manor and Ning Ziyan would be in great trouble. Who knew, Xia Manor might be so desperate to draw a line from Ning Ziyan that they would divorce her. Her causing Ning Ziyan¡¯s miscarriage would be a nonissue then!

    Thus, she was able to answer the woman¡¯s question with certainty.

    Once she was sure that she would be safe, she would also mention Xia Yudong¡¯s death. After all, this woman seemed quite powerful.

    With her help, she would have a ce to stay after leaving the Ministry of Justice. She might even gain additional rewards.

    ¡°Where is it?¡± Ning Xueyan asked, sounding rather thoughtful. She only kept Chen Hexiang alive because she wanted to find out about the past from her. Other people refused to speak about the past but Chen Hexiang was different. She was neither from Xia Manor nor from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Moreover, she knew quite a lot about the past. She was the best candidate.

    When Chen Hexiang realized that the woman was giving her a chance, she immediately said with excitement, ¡°It¡¯s hidden under my bed, under the third brick next to the right leg of the bed. You can send someone to fetch the item, Madam. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll go to the Ministry of Justice and make aint.¡±

    ¡°In what capacity will you make theint?¡± Ning Xueyan asked. This was a question that the officials at the Justice Department would ask any user.

    ¡°In my capacity as Ning Ziying¡¯s best friend and sister. I can even say that I entered Xia Manor and suffered humiliation to avenge Sister Ziying,¡± Chen Hexiang said self-righteously. ¡°Ning Ziyan caused the death of such a gentledy. Someone has to avenge her!¡±

    ¡°Then, how did you find out about Xia Yudong¡¯s death? How did you know about the collusion between Xia Yudong and Third Young Lady Ning? And you have no evidence!¡± Ning Xueyan looked at Chen Hexiang, who was kneeling, with contempt.

    ¡°I... I¡¯ll say that Xia Yudong was my actual lover. And about Third Young Lady Ning... I¡¯ll say that Second Young Master Xia told me about it. Madam, I¡¯m willing to do whatever it takes to repay you.¡± All Chen Hexiang wanted was to win this woman¡¯s trust. She would admit to everything. Either way, it was a matter of bringing up Xia Yudong¡¯s death. She had undeniable facts about Ning Ziying¡¯s death, after all. She could mention Xia Yudong as a favor to this woman.

    She must let this woman know that she was only going this far because of her. She was even doing this at the expense of her reputation!

    Chen Hexiang had never cared for her reputation as a virtuous woman. Her affair with Xia Yuhang in the temple only happened because she had seduced him and drugged his wine. Otherwise, someone like Xia Yuhang would never lose his mind so thoroughly.

    Of course, she would only keep this to herself. In front of this woman, she had to pretend that she was willing to go through hell for her. She must show how much of a sacrifice she was making for this matter.

 Chapter 601 - The Appearance of the Original Fiancee

    <h4>Chapter 601 The Appearance of the Original Fiancee</h4>

    Watching Chen Hexiang get blindfolded again and taken out of the room, Ning Xueyan led Xinmei and Lanning back to the main building and sat down.

    Xinmei made a cup of tea for Ning Xueyan and asked rather worriedly, ¡°Master, will Chen Hexiang go back on her word when she gets to the Justice Department?¡± It was evident that Chen Hexiang wasn¡¯t a good woman; she looked like she had so many ideas when she was kneeling on the floor earlier.

    ¡°She won¡¯t.¡± Ning Xueyan took a sip of tea and said leisurely, ¡°She might even be worried that we won¡¯t let her go.¡±

    Chen Hexiang had be a fugitive concubine after causing Ning Ziyan¡¯s miscarriage. If she didn¡¯t make herself useful, the mysterious Madam wouldn¡¯t keep her. Besides, herining about Ning Ziying¡¯s death was a much bigger problem than her causing a fellow concubine¡¯s miscarriage.

    When that time came, all eyes would be on Ning Ziying. No one would care if she had pushed Ning Ziyan and caused her miscarriage. She was also an important witness in this matter. Xia Manor and the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor could kill her but once theint was filed at the Ministry of Justice, it would be the biggest guarantor of her safety.

    ¡°What time should we send her to the Ministry of Justice tomorrow?¡± Lanning asked.

    ¡°After lunch tomorrow. We have to let the pce banquet happen smoothly, lest people think His Highness has issues with Prince Xiang and Prince Fu and deliberately caused trouble at the banquet.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled. She had the whole nid out in her head. There would be many eyes watching at the banquet for Prince Xiang and Prince Fu. If something were to happen at the banquet, and rted to Prince Xiang at that, people would surely suspect Ao Chenyi.

    Post-banquet, it shall be! The matter would be exposed eventually anyway. There was no need to rush it.

    Tomorrow would also be the day that she truly avenged herself, the day where her grievances in her past life would be revealed to the world. Xia Yuhang and Ning Ziyan had an affair early on and both their manors already had ns for an alliance marriage. They hid everything from her and even cruelly drowned her in the lotus pond.

    Everything happened because of that marriage.

    The alliance marriage between Xia and Ning Manors had long been rumored, and the ones involved were undoubtedly Xia Yuhang and Ning Ziyan. Who would have thought that the original fiancee was still alive in this world, only that she was fooled by everyone in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and Xia Yuhang?

    Later on, Xia Yuhang and Ning Ziyan were punished because of Madam Ming¡¯s death. But no one protested their marriage because both families spread rumors that their engagement had been decided when they were merely children.

    She suddenly recalled Xia Yuhang¡¯s seemingly affectionate words that day. To treat a concubine like a wife; what a ¡°loving¡± remark! Perhaps even Xia Yuhang himself thought he was loving. He might have thought that he had been fooled by Madam Ling and her daughters into causing her death and put the me on everyone but himself. This was the true face of the ¡°noble¡± Xia Yuhang.

    His gentleness and affection in front of her in the past were all just a pretense.

    Ning Ziyan and her mother¡¯s viciousness was even more horrible to think about. Not only did they steal her fiance, but they even made sure she had no way out. They ruined her reputation, had people beat her up, and finally drowned her and Xiang¡¯er in the lotus pond.

    When she was reborn, she told her in no unclear terms that she would seek her revenge!

    Ning Xueyan rested in the secondary manor for a while before returning to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor for lunch. There was a pce banquet tomorrow. If she spent the night outside, she wouldn¡¯t be able to make the banquet.

    In a certain courtyard in the pce, the doors were lightly shut and the room was lit up with candlesticks. Under the light of the candles sat a lovely, twenty-something woman on the left. Women were most beautiful at such an age. When she looked around, she revealed a face of utmost beauty.

    ¡°Is he still angry at me?¡± She looked sad and there was a trace of destion in her expression.

    The woman sitting opposite her was also a beauty in her own right. She said, dissatisfied, ¡°Second Sister, he pretended not to see me. It¡¯s obvious he still holds a grudge about what happened in the past. He used to treat me very well, you know. That would exin why he¡¯d be so cruel to me now. Second Sister, is he still unable to forget about you? How can you treat him like that back then?¡±

    ¡°There wasn¡¯t any room for me to decide back then. Father had the final say and as a daughter, I have no right to say anything. Under those circumstances, the Emperor¡¯s ession was inevitable. He had the Empress and Lord Peace¡¯s Manor on his side. I heard the Emperor¡¯s decree had already been written. If it¡¯s true... once the Emperor reviews the ledger, our entire family will be implicated.¡±

    The woman on the left sighed with a sad expression. With tears welling in her beautiful eyes, she looked extremely pitiful and moving.

    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for this family, why... Why would I do that? I couldn¡¯t marry the person I wanted to and had to conceal my name to marry the Emperor.¡±

    Hearing this, the woman on the right sighed loudly. ¡°You¡¯re right. Who would have thought it? Who would have thought that the Emperor would be helpless against him even after ascending the throne? And judging by the current situation, I don¡¯t think Prince Xiang and Prince Fu are a match for him either. Second Sister, Father wants you toe up with a solution. We have to establish a rtionship with Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.¡±

    ¡°I... Why is it me again? What solutions do I have? I¡¯m an imperial consort now, the Emperor¡¯s consort. How would I dare have anything to do with him?¡± The woman on the left got angry. She picked up the cup of tea beside her and threw it to the floor, causing a crisp sound as the cup broke.

    The noise traveled far in the empty hall, even causing an echo. However, the pce maids and eunuchs outside had received orders to stay outside. They dared not to enter even after hearing the noise.

    ¡°Second Sister, I want to get involved with him but he¡¯s ignoring him.¡± The woman on the right reached out to take her sister¡¯s hand. With a firm expression, she said, ¡°Second Sister, can you think of a way to send me to his manor? Father said that there¡¯s room for improvement as long as we can send me to his manor. Maybe in the future, he¡¯ll be the Emperor and you can be with him again.¡±

    Be with him again? The woman on the left sat there with a nk expression. The muscles in her face twitched twice. She gritted her teeth. As long as he still liked her, they could be together again. Knowing his arrogant temper, he could even immediately make her his empress.

    Such a thought filled her with excitement and her eyes lit up. Yes, she knew his temper well. He might just do that.

    ¡°Okay... I¡¯ll try and help you. But don¡¯t me me if it doesn¡¯t work!¡± She gritted her teeth as if she was making a tremendous determination. The woman on the left nodded. ¡°Tomorrow, tomorrow, I¡¯ll find you an opportunity. You have to seize it yourself. If it doesn¡¯t work, you have to exin it to Father yourself.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Second Sister. Don¡¯t worry. He treated me very well in the past. I doubt I can¡¯t win over that sickly woman on her deathbed. Besides, that weakling got her position from Commandery Princess Xianyun. There¡¯s nothing wrong with me stealing the position from her.¡±

    The woman on the right smiled smugly, lookingpletely different from her depressed expression earlier.

    ¡°Go back first. The Emperor might have agreed for you to visit me in the pce, but it¡¯s still not a good idea to stay thiste. And I need time to think about what¡¯s the best thing to do tomorrow.¡± The woman on the left started to make her guest leave. Indeed, she had to consider carefully how to mend her rtionship with him.

    She thought about doing the same thest time. When she heard that he would be entering the pce, she tried to have a chance encounter with him under the guise of a maid. She would then put all the me on other people, and she would remain that gentle and beautiful woman.

    Because of the past incident, she was unable to show herself publicly in the pce. What she wanted was to be the mother of the nation, not live on with a shameful identity. She thought that she didn¡¯t have any hope anymore, but it seemed that there was still a big chance. After all, that man was able to be evenly-matched with the Emperor.

    She was his original fiancee, and everyone else was merely his concubine. Therefore, she was the likeliest person to be the Empress. Since young, she had always considered the position of Empress as her own. Only someone like her was worthy of bing the Empress. And she looked down on the current upant of the position from the bottom of her heart.

    Had she known that he had such a good future ahead of him, she would have never listened to her father and made such a decision. She also regretted it now. She wanted it to steal him back. As for her sister¡¯s proposal, she could onlyugh at it. Still, it didn¡¯t matter if her sister wanted to enter Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Her sister could always check out the situation for her first.

    With her third younger sister, who shared simrities with her, entering the manor in the first ce, she would make a bigger impact once she married Prince Yi.

    Everyone knew that he didn¡¯t get married for many years out of deep love for her. One of her princesses was bestowed by the Empress, and the other was simply chosen by him. Neither of them couldpare to her. She believed that he was bound to be excited the moment she showed up in front of him. When that time came, she would just have to remove the current princess from her position.

    She had seen that woman before. That woman was a gentle, timid, and useless kind. Although that woman was pretty, she was still too young and her face still carried a trace of childishness. That woman wasn¡¯t as morous as she was.

    A smug expression appeared on her face as she thought this. After watching her sister leave, she ordered the maids to prepare a bath of petal flowers again. She wanted to bathe and change her clothes.

    She was looking forward to tomorrow...

    The one in the pce wasn¡¯t the only one looking forward to tomorrow. So was Ning Xueyan. She had returned from outside the city. After having an early dinner and bath, she climbed onto her bed. Ao Chenyi¡¯s visits were always uncertain, so she couldn¡¯t be sure if he woulde today. However, he would ask Ning Xueyan to sleep on time and not wait for him. He woulde himself if he wanted to.

    She had been sleeping for a while when she felt the vague presence of someone beside her. She subconsciously hugged him tight, leaned in, and fell asleep again in contentment. Watching Ning Xueyan hug him like she was an octopus, Ao Chenyi felt a tad bit helpless. Still, he reached out and hugged her.

    She found the mostfortable position to sleep all by herself and drifted to dreand with her mouth slightly pouted. Staring at her cute and defenseless little face, as well as her rare sleep-induced ruddiness, Ao Chenyi gently tucked her hair in. He sighed deeply before closing his handsome, almond-shaped eyes.

    Tomorrow, there would be more than one troublemaker running around.

 Chapter 602 - Is Honored Consort Xia Very Gentle?

    Chapter 602 Is Honored Consort Xia Very Gentle?

    It went without saying that the pce banquet, especially one held to congratte the two princes, had invited many people.

    Not only did the officialse, but they brought their wives and daughters as well. The weather had been growing warmtely, but the air was fresh thanks to the rainst night.

    The imperial garden was particrly lively. The pce servants had prepared a variety of fruits and pastries as appetizers for the guests while they enjoyed the scenery. Even though it was the beginning of summer, there were still many flowers blooming in the garden. Coupled with the greenery that lined the paths of the yards, the entire ce was brimming with vitality.

    Ning Xueyan and Ao Chenyi entered the pce together, though thetter was summoned by the Emperor the minute he got there. Ning Xueyan was left to stroll in the imperial garden with Xinmei. There were so many maids and eunuchs all over the pce today that the rules were quitex.

    From time to time, they could see several youngdies chatting and enjoying the view with young aristocrats, looking leisurely and cozy. There were also several people reciting poems and painting in the pavilions nearby. It was the very picture of elegance. Ning Xueyan took in everything from a distance; she didn¡¯t want to join such gatherings.

    A pce maid appeared from the corner of the wall. When she saw Ning Xueyan, she walked over and bowed respectfully to her. ¡°Princess Yi?¡±

    Thoughts ran through Ning Xueyan¡¯s mind as she looked up and down the beautiful pce maid. She asked curiously, ¡°You¡¯re...¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you remember me anymore, Your Highness? I¡¯m Yan Zhen, Honored Consort Xia¡¯s maid. We met thest time.¡± Yan Zhen raised her head ever so slightly.

    ¡°You¡¯re Honored Consort Xia¡¯s maid, yes. We did meet thest time. Do you have business with me?¡± Realization dawned on Ning Xueyan after she sized up the pce maid.

    She had indeed met this maid, Honored Consort Xia¡¯s maid, thest time. But she was only a consort then, so there wasn¡¯t much respect in this maid¡¯s eyes. Now, however, the maid was altogether a different person from her expression to gesture.

    ¡°Her Highness wants to know if you¡¯re free. If you¡¯re free, she wants to meet you at the cest time. Her Highness has always been timid and an introvert, yet she found you to be an easypanion after meeting you thest time. When she heard that you¡¯ll being to the pce today, she sent me here to invite you.¡±

    Yan Zhen lowered her head again and spoke softly.

    Honored Consort Xia, who had never shown her face in public, found her to be an easypanion? A trace of coldness crossed Ning Xueyan¡¯s glistening eyes. Few people had ever seen the Emperor¡¯s favored consort, who seemed to be hidden behindyers of mist. Even her name or family was unknown.

    She was the Emperor¡¯s favored consort, and a greatly adored one too. How could she be a nobody? After all, she was able to enter the pce and earn the Emperor¡¯s favor. It would be a great advantage for her family, so it felt unnatural for her to hide behind the scenes.

    It was either Honored Consort Xia had a secret that kept her from appearing in public or her identity was problematic in itself. Ao Chenyi had repeatedly warned her to be careful of Honored Consort Xia, so she couldn¡¯t recklessly ept the invitation.

    The fact that Honored Consort Xia, who had never interacted with others, would be able to send someone to meet her the minute she entered the pce, showed that she was no ordinary consort. Of course, it could also be exined as Honored Consort Xia having her servant wait at the door and ry the news as soon as she came.

    However, Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t think she was so important that she could make Honored Consort Xia, who had always hidden from everyone and never appear in public, gain such a great interest in her.

    ¡°Does she want to see me now?¡± Ning Xueyan seemed conflicted. ¡°Before entering the pce, His Highness told me to wait for him here. He¡¯ll being back from the Emperor¡¯s pce soon.¡±

    Yan Zhen fell silent for a moment before suggesting in an enthusiastic voice, ¡°Well... Why don¡¯t you go over first? I¡¯ll have someone stay here. Once Prince Yies here, we¡¯ll let him know that you¡¯re at Her Highness¡¯ ce.¡±

    Ning Xueyan was still smiling but her eyes had gone cold. These words might be fine for other people, but who in the pce didn¡¯t know that Prince Yi couldn¡¯t be refuted? If she went off to meet another person despite being told to stay here, she would surely draw his ire.

    Since Honored Consort Xia was able to station her servant here to wait for her, she must have known that about Prince Yi. The fact that Honored Consort Xia was trying to get her into trouble in such an elusive way showed that she was lying about befriending her.

    ¡°No thanks. Please tell Her Highness that I¡¯ll tell His Highness when heester before visiting her,¡± Ning Xueyan replied, following the usual procedure to the tee. Knowing Ao Chenyi¡¯s temper, this was the right way to proceed. Otherwise, she would just anger him.

    ¡°Princess, my master is the Emperor¡¯s most beloved Honored Consort Xia. It¡¯s rare that she is in a good mood to meet you, but you¡¯re making her wait for you until you¡¯re free to see her? Since when can a princess ignore our Honored Consort Xia?¡±

    Yan Zhen didn¡¯t expect Ning Xueyan to reject her. Her expression sank as she looked up at Ning Xueyan, looking a bit more arrogant. In her opinion, her master could even be the Empress if it weren¡¯t for the problem with her identity. Now, her master was kindly inviting thisdy, originally Prince Yi¡¯s consort, over as an act of utmost grace, yet she dared to reject her.

    Seeing the pce maid raise her head out of arrogance, Ning Xueyan smiled and maintained a neutral expression. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare to ignore Her Highness but neither do I dare ignore His Highness¡¯ order. The order of the husband is absolute. Besides, he has given me the order in the first ce. Or is it that Honored Consort Xia¡¯s status is higher than His Highness? Or, instead of wanting to befriend me, Honored Consort Xia wants me to anger His Highness instead?¡±

    A wife should always be faithful to her husband, the way a minister should be loyal to his emperor!

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t voice thest sentence but the implication was as clear as day. Yan Zhen¡¯s expression changed. No matter how favored Honored Consort Xia was, she was ultimately still a consort. In terms of status, she certainly couldn¡¯t bepared with Prince Yi who had the power to rule over the world. Besides, everyone knew that Prince Yi could very well be the future emperor, so no one dared to put on airs of seniority in front of him.

    If they were to annoy the Demon King, the consequences would be disastrous.

    This gentle and weak Princess Yi was an unexpectedly difficult opponent. Moreover, she spoke rather loudly earlier and caused quite a few passersby to stop and look in their direction.

    ¡°It¡¯s my mistake. Pleasee over after you meet Prince Yi.¡± Yan Zhen gritted her teeth with an ugly expression. Naturally, the fact that Honored Consort Xia¡¯s invitation to Princess Yi couldn¡¯t be revealed. If news of it was to reach the Emperor¡¯s ears, it would cause a scandal. The Emperor might even be infuriated.

    Thus, she had no choice but to retreat. Besides, her master had already made ns for when she couldn¡¯t get Princess Ning toe...

    ¡°All right.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled and nodded calmly. She watched Yan Zhen leave using the same small path that she came from with a trace of contemtion in her eyes.

    They had caused quite a bit of amotion earlier. Ning Xueyan¡¯s words at the end even carried a trace of anger. Although she was standing in a quiet ce, her loud voice still drew the attention of others, especially when she mentioned Honored Consort Xia. A few of the married women who were walking by exchanged looks and went to greet Ning Xueyan.

    Ning Xueyan greeted them in return with a smile.

    ¡°Who were you talking to, Your Highness? Had a pce maid offend you?¡± one of the married women asked curiously.

    ¡°Honored Consort Xia wanted me to see her. I¡¯m still waiting for the Prince, but when he gets here, I¡¯ll go and see her,¡± Ning Xueyan replied without even thinking, still with a smile on her face. Under normal circumstances, one couldn¡¯t discuss this particr consort so easily.

    The most mysterious Honored Consort Xia? And the most favored one of the lot? The married women looked at each other in surprise.

    ¡°You¡¯ve seen her, Your Highness?¡± another married woman asked expectantly. Quite a few people were curious about the Emperor¡¯s beloved consort. Since Princess Yi was willing to answer, they would surely keep throwing questions at her. Nearly no one had seen the Emperor¡¯s beloved consort. Anyone they asked would just shake their head, which just fueled their curiosity.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen her once. Honored Consort Xia is very beautiful.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled meaningfully. ¡°Maybe she¡¯s drawn by the excitement today and wants to join in the fun.¡±

    So, Princess Yi had truly met Honored Consort Xia before! The married women became filled with excitement. It was an impressive feat indeed. It was their first time hearing such a clear reply from someone in so many years. They couldn¡¯t help but feel excited. Never mind these married women; even the consorts at the pce said that they had never seen Honored Consort Xia before. This showed how mysterious she was.

    ¡°How old is Honored Consort Xia?¡±

    ¡°Is Honored Consort Xia really that beautiful?¡±

    ¡°Is Honored Consort Xia very gentle?¡±

    ¡°Did Honored Consort Xia say when she wants to meet you? Can you take us with you?¡± ...

    The married women were still quite young, so they were particrly enthusiastic. They looked at Ning Xueyan expectantly, hoping that she would take them to see her. It was the most mysterious Honored Consort Xia! Few could hope to even learn anything about her.

    ¡°Princess Yi!¡± A cold voice emerged from the crowd. Everyone turned their heads and saw the pce maid who had left earlier. This was apparently Honored Consort Xia¡¯s maid. Her expression wasn¡¯t pretty at the moment as she looked at the women in anger. It was obvious that she was furious.

    The married women immediately shut up. This was the pce and some words naturally couldn¡¯t be said here.

    ¡°Do you have more to say?¡± Ning Xueyan raised an eyebrow as if she had only just seen her.

    ¡°Princess Yi, Her Highness invited you because she thinks you can be her friend. It¡¯s very inappropriate for you to speak unscrupulously about Her Highness with others,¡± Yan Zhen said angrily. It went without saying that she didn¡¯t leave earlier. She waited on one side for Ning Xueyan. Her master had said that if Ning Xueyan was unwilling toe, she could invite her againter. If that didn¡¯t work, she could keep inviting her. They believed that Ning Xueyan would eventuallye.

    Little did she expect that Ning Xueyan would tell others that her master had invited her. How could others find out about her master? So, she listened until she couldn¡¯t endure it anymore and stepped out.

 Chapter 603 - The Low-Profile Honored Consort Xia

    Chapter 603 The Low-Profile Honored Consort Xia

    Xinmei stepped forward, cing herself in front of Yan Zhen, and said coldly, ¡°What do you mean? Don¡¯t tell me, you¡¯re reprimanding our Princess?¡±

    A mere pce maid, even if she was the personal attendant of the most favored Honored Consort Xia, had no right to reprimand Princess Yi. Honored Consort Xia didn¡¯t have a high status. She wasn¡¯t one of the four main consorts, so she was much lower-ranked than Honored Consort Shu and Honored Consort Ya. At most, she was the Emperor¡¯s beloved consort.

    No matter how loved she was, she was still a consort. More importantly, her maid was going against Princess Yi. Prince Yi was the sort who wouldn¡¯t give in even out of respect for the Emperor, and the offender was just the Emperor¡¯s consort. Honored Consort Xia had no right to reprimand Princess Yi, never mind her maid.

    Facing Xinmei¡¯s stern expression, Yan Zhen¡¯s face turned red and white from anger and shame.

    She had been putting on airs ever since following Honored Consort Xia into the pce. The other consorts had been warned to stay away from them, so they would be polite to her whenever they met. This made her arrogant. Yet, a tactless maid dared to go against her. She wouldn¡¯t have said anything had these wordse from someone in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor; even if she was furious, she would endure it.

    But, the speaker was merely one of Princess Yi¡¯s maids. Since when did a maid have the nerve to reprimand her? Yan Zhen was so furious that she nearly lost her temper. She looked coldly at Xinmei. ¡°Does a maid like you have the right to speak here?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a maid who serves the Princess, which is why I can¡¯t stand a pce maid reprimanding her. Or are you saying that a mere pce maid has the right to reprimand Her Highness in the pce? What do you take Prince Yi¡¯s Manor for?¡± Xinmei wasn¡¯t a real maid, so she didn¡¯t hold back in front of the furious Yan Zhen.

    Noticing more and more people around them, Yan Zhen knew that this wasn¡¯t the time to argue. She suppressed her anger, took a deep breath, and respectfully saluted Ning Xueyan once again. ¡°Princess Yi, I¡¯m sorry. I was a little harsh with my tone because I was worried about Her Highness. I ask that you don¡¯t spread stories about Her Highness everywhere.¡±

    Her words sounded like an apology but were in actuality an usation that Ning Xueyan was in the wrong. Everyone knew that Honored Consort Xia was the most mysterious consort in the pce and no one should be discussing her so casually.

    It wasn¡¯t a direct rebuke, but it was no different than one. Ning Xueyan smiled, unperturbed. She pulled Xinmei behind her and said softly, with a hint of apology in her voice, ¡°I wasn¡¯t the one who wanted to discuss Honored Consort Xia. Thedies asked me about it, so I told them that Honored Consort Xia wanted to see me. I didn¡¯t mention anything else.¡±

    The married women on the side kept quiet but their expressions were unpleasant.

    Yan Zhen could barely hold in her anger. She stared at Ning Xueyan but couldn¡¯t say anything in return. The group of married women was now involved in this, and something serious might happen. Honored Consort Xia instructed her to quietly lead Princess Yi to her. Little did she expect that not only did she fail to do so, but she also attracted so many people¡¯s attention.

    If she refused to let things be, even more people would witness their argument. There were a few people nearby that had noticed themotion. From the looks of it, they seemed to be making their way over.

    ¡°Princess Yi, Her Highness sincerely thinks that she¡¯s fated with you, but forget it if you¡¯re unwilling. I¡¯ll return and ry your answer to her.¡± Yan Zhen seemed sad as if Ning Xueyan had disappointed Honored Consort Xia. Right now, she didn¡¯t want to continue this conversation with Ning Xueyan anymore. She used this excuse to turn around and leave.

    Besides, Honored Consort Xia still had another trick up her sleeve. They didn¡¯t necessarily have to invite Princess Yi.

    ¡°Yan Zhen, wait a minute. If, if that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll go! I¡¯ll apologize to Her Highness in person. This is a misunderstanding. Thesedies only asked about Her Highness out of admiration. They didn¡¯t intend to offend Her Highness.¡±

    Ning Xueyan smiled. Naturally, she wouldn¡¯t let Yan Zhen return just like that.

    Hearing her words, the married women nodded and expressed that they admired Honored Consort Xia and didn¡¯t have the intention to offend her. A few of them even suggested that they would send apology gifts. This was the Emperor¡¯s beloved consort, after all! They couldn¡¯t possibly offend her. Out of everyone here, Princess Yi was perhaps the only one who could afford to offend Honored Consort Xia. When they saw that Honored Consort Xia¡¯s maid was angry, they immediately sought forgiveness. They were so sincere that they sounded like maids themselves, all simply out of fear of Honored Consort Xia.

    No matter how upset Yan Zhen was, she couldn¡¯t harp about it anymore, not with so manydies apologizing to her. These married women weren¡¯t necessarily prominent but put in a group, they were quite themendable force. Honored Consort Xia had been keeping a low-profile and enduring for so many years. She couldn¡¯t let bad rumors about Honored Consort Xia spread at such a critical point!

    ¡°It¡¯s all right. Her Highness is gentle and magnanimous. She won¡¯t care about this. Pleasee with me, Princess Yi!¡± Since Yan Zhen couldn¡¯t argue with these married women, there was all the more reason she couldn¡¯t argue with Ning Xueyan. Moreover, more and more people wereing over. She wanted to leave this ce as quickly as possible, so she had no choice but to smile at Ning Xueyan.

    No matter what, she hadpleted her task of bringing Princess Yi over.

    This time, Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t give any excuses. She smiled and nodded at the married women before following Yan Zhen along with Xinmei.

    A few married women didn¡¯t arrive until they were gone and thus missed the show. All they saw was a pce maid leading Ning Xueyan away, so they asked curiously, ¡°Where is Princess Yi going?¡±

    ¡°Honored Consort Xia has invited Princess Yi for a meeting,¡± one of the married women from earlier said.

    ¡°Honored Consort Xia? The... most favored consort in the pce?¡± another woman eximed in excitement. She wasn¡¯t the only one interested in Honored Consort Xia. One reason was that Honored Consort Xia was rumored to be linked to the previous dynasty and the other reason was her many years of retaining the Emperor¡¯s favor.

    ¡°Yes, her. I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d be so close to Princess Yi. She even sent someone to invite Princess Yi over,¡± another married woman said enviously.

    ¡°Honored Consort Xia! It¡¯s her! I wish I could meet her. I heard she¡¯s a real beauty,¡± another married woman couldn¡¯t help but whisper.

    There was no doubt that Honored Consort Xia was a stunning beauty, seeing as she was able to retain the Emperor¡¯s favor for such a long time. However, there was never anyck of beautiful women in the pce. Just how gorgeous was Honored Consort Xia that she was able to keep the Emperor¡¯s heart?

    Following such words, the other married women and youngdies became excited. The crowd dispersed in groups of threes and twos. Honored Consort Xia, usually the least popr conversation topic, would be mentioned from time to time...

    Ao Chenyi left the imperial study, having just discussed Annan with the Emperor, and was prepared to meet Ning Xueyan in the imperial garden. He had told her to wait for him there.

    The imperial garden was sorge that it still looked rather empty with so many guests scattered throughout. The area near the imperial study was even quieter, with few people on most days. It was deserted even on such a lively asion today.

    The banquet was quite far from where Ao Chenyi was and few woulde all the way here.

    Ao Chenyi and Eunuch Zhu entered the imperial garden from the entrance near the imperial study. To his surprise, he didn¡¯t go very far before he heard a timid voice. ¡°Brother Yi!¡±

    He turned around and looked at a young woman in a purple dress standing at the bottom of the steps. Hua Qiuying, dressed in a purple pce maid costume, was standing at the bottom of the steps of a pavilion. Near the steps was a huge tree with most of its flowers fallen to the ground. Its branches were luxuriant but now and then, flowers would fall andnd on her purple pce maid dress, lending her a bashful lovely aura.

    The tension, anticipation, and panic on the young woman¡¯s beautiful face were unmistakable.

    ¡°Brother Yi, do, do you not recognize me?¡± Hua Qiuying moved, looking as if she wanted to lean in but dared not to. She looked at him tenderly and timidly, with tears seemingly pooling in her eyes.

    ¡°Third Young Lady Hua.¡± Ao Chenyi looked at her. A trace of coldness flickered in his pupils.

    ¡°Brother Yi, I knew you¡¯d remember me. I¡¯m... I¡¯m so happy...¡± Hua Qiuying¡¯s face lit up. She took a few steps forward until she was in front of Ao Chenyi. She looked up at him and said, ¡°Brother Yi, I¡¯m Qiuying. I... I thought you didn¡¯t recognize me anymore. That day at Prince Yi¡¯s Manor... You, you ignored me.¡±

    Hua Qiuying seemed overjoyed. She raised her beautiful eyes and looked at him with a loving expression. She called his name again, ¡°Brother Yi...¡±

    She seemed as if she had so many words to say but couldn¡¯t bring herself to speak at the moment. Perhaps out of excitement, her body went limp and nearly fell on Ao Chenyi.

    In front of such a charming woman, any other man would have subconsciously reached out and prevented her fall, especially when she had such clear affection in her gaze. They would have cherished such a beautiful woman. Few would be cruel enough to watch a harmless beauty fall.

    Thus, a smug smile appeared on Hua Qiuying¡¯s face when she felt someone hug her. She knew she would seed! She knew it; Ao Chenyi did have feelings for her. Her father was right. Prince Yi wouldn¡¯t reject her as long as she revealed her feelings for him.

    ¡°Your Highness, what should we do? Third Young Lady Hua has fainted.¡± A shrill voice rang next to Hua Qiuying¡¯s ears. Such a high-pitched voice wasn¡¯t umon in the pce. It was undoubtedly the voice of a eunuch in the pce, likely the one next to Prince Yi. Hua Qiuying analyzed this with her eyes closed.

    Naturally, she couldn¡¯t wake up now. She pretended to be unconscious and leaned into the man¡¯s chest without opening her eyes.

    ¡°Let¡¯s put her down somewhere so she could rest.¡± As expected, Ao Chenyi¡¯s voice was close to her ears. Seeing as he was carrying her, it was only natural that his voice was close to her. Thinking about his enchantingly handsome face, Hua Qiuying¡¯s breathing turned heavy before she even realized it and a slight redness filled her cheeks.

    ¡°Your Highness, let¡¯s go up. Look, there¡¯s a courtyard there. Why don¡¯t we ce Third Young Lady Hua there and I¡¯ll summon a doctor to examine her?¡± said the eunuch.

    The courtyard ahead? Great!

    A strange and dangerous smile appeared on Ao Chenyi¡¯s face as he stared at Hua Qiuying¡¯s bashful expression. Hua Qiuying naturally missed this as she kept her eyes tightly shut; she didn¡¯t at all realize that the one carrying her was Ao Chenyi¡¯s eunuch. She thought that everything was going ording to n...

 Chapter 604 - Iâ€™m Referring to Second Young Lady Hua

    Chapter 604 I¡¯m Referring to Second Young Lady Hua

    ¡°Put her on the bed. Go and fetch the imperial physician, have him take a look.¡± Hua Qiuying rxed after hearing Ao Chenyi¡¯s voice next to her ears. Under such circumstances, one would have to fetch the physician while the other stayed behind; and naturally, the one fetching the physician couldn¡¯t be Ao Chenyi himself.

    Therefore, it was for certain that Ao Chenyi would stay here and take care of her while the eunuch looked for a physician. Everything was going ording to her second sister¡¯s n.

    Though she couldn¡¯t open her eyes, she could feel that everything was within her grasp. She perked up her ears and listened carefully to the movement around her. She wished she could see what he was doing. Was he just staring at her quietly? This thought turned her face even redder.

    She immediately shut her eyelids tightly. She mustn¡¯t let him know that she was just faking unconsciousness.

    She had no idea how much time passed¡ªperhaps a long time, perhaps a little while¡ªbefore she felt someone lying down beside her. The masculine scent excited her so much that her soul nearly escaped her body. He... Heid down beside her! He really didy down next to her.

    The strong stench of alcohol, however, made Hua Qiuying frown. He didn¡¯t look like he had consumed any wine earlier, so where did such a strong smelle from? Upon second thought, she might have missed it because she was too excited earlier. It was likely that he had some wine with the Emperor in the study earlier. This exnation made her rx once again.

    The man beside her subconsciously extended his hand. When he touched her, he reached out and held her tightly in his arms. Her face was pressed against his chest. She dared not move for fear of disturbing him.

    Shortly after, she heard voices outside, seemingly that of arge group of women. The women were heading into the room amid chatter andughter. Hua Qiuying had been waiting quietly all along. When the voices got closer, she raised her head as if she had been awakened and nudged the man beside her. ¡°Brother Yi,¡± she said eagerly. ¡°Brother Yi, hurry up. People areing. Hurry up and hide.¡±

    The voices were right outside the door but Ao Chenyi was tipsy. Even if he heard the noise, he couldn¡¯t have reacted so quickly. She mustn¡¯t let him notice that she had designed this trap for him, so she had to pretend like she didn¡¯t want to implicate him and ¡°wake up¡± promptly.

    ¡°What is it? Let¡¯s sleep in a little longer,¡± murmured a dazed voice. The man reached out and pulled Hua Qiuying back into his arms.

    Looking at the erged, unfamiliar face in front of him, Hua Qiuying couldn¡¯t help but scream, ¡°Ahh! Who... Who are you?¡±

    The door fell with a hard kick, revealing a crowd outside, staring at the man and woman embracing each other in the bed in shock.

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t meet Honored Consort Xia because she ran into Ao Chenyi on her way there.

    ¡°Your Highness.¡± Her glistening eyes blinked as she stood still. Out of the corner of her eye, she looked at Yan Zhen who had been walking in front of her. Yan Zhen was so shocked that she forgot to salute. It was clear that she was a sharp-witted one, judging from the way she dealt with the married women earlier, but she was beyond horrified now.

    Could it be that Ao Chenyi shouldn¡¯t be here at this time?

    ¡°Yan¡¯er, where are you going? The banquet is about to start.¡± Ao Chenyi gave the pce maid in front of him a cold nce. Yan Zhen shivered after receiving his cold, murderous gaze and immediately recovered her senses. She knelt and saluted him, but after the first nce, Ao Chenyi never looked at her again.

    ¡°Honored Consort Xia sent me an invitation. I wanted to wait for you but she¡¯s been waiting for me, so I left in a rush,¡± Ning Xueyan exined softly.

    ¡°Well,e back soon.¡± Ao Chenyi nodded indifferently before walking away with Eunuch Zhu.

    Ning Xueyan stepped aside. It wasn¡¯t until Ao Chenyi and Eunuch Zhu were some distance away that Yan Zhen stood up. Without another word, she led Ning Xueyan down the path with rushed steps. She would speak to Ning Xueyan now and then earlier, but it seemed that she had lost all interest now. There was even a deathly stern expression on her face.

    Sure enough, they were up to something. Under her longshes, Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes flickered with a trace of coldness.

    They took the same hidden path into the empty peach blossom forest from before. The peach blossom flowers had all withered, leaving behind lush greenness that gave a sense of serenity. This was indeed a nice recreational ce. Without a lead, one would be hard-pressed to stumble into this ce.

    Honored Consort Xia picked up the teapot at hand and affectionately poured a cup of tea for Ning Xueyan. She pushed it to Ning Xueyan with a touch of gentleness on her beautiful face. She was elegant and lovely, like the most serenedy captured in a Jiangnan painting.

    Yan Zhen had regained her calm by now. She stood beside Xinmei with aposed expression, ready to serve her master.

    ¡°Princess Ning, please enjoy it. I made the tea myself, so I don¡¯t know if it¡¯ll suit your taste.¡±

    Ning Xueyan picked up the cup, sniffed it, and then took a sip. She couldn¡¯t help but praise, ¡°This is a great tea. Your tea is as wonderful as I imagined, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡°The water is collected from the snowkes on the plum blossoms above before being buried in the ground, but I grew and took care of the tea leaves myself. I put some peach blossom petals inside, all of which had to be plucked before dawn. I chose the one carrying dew because it¡¯s said that they¡¯ll have a purer taste that way.¡±

    Honored Consort Xia took a sip of the tea while looking at the peach blossom tree in front of her. She had a nk expression that carried a touch of sadness.

    ¡°You¡¯re so dedicated, Your Highness. I didn¡¯t think you would make your own tea. It¡¯s rare indeed.¡± Ning Xueyanplimented her.

    ¡°I can¡¯t im credit for it. This was a method that an old friend of mine came up with. Back then, she was so clever, ingenious, and beautiful. She had such a good fiance too, and both were in love with each other. Who would have thought they would be separated by death? The dead were gone, but the living was the pitiful one!¡±

    Honored Consort Xia seemed gloomy as if she was full of sorrow that she couldn¡¯t vent. She would sigh now and then mid-conversation and her delicate brows were caught in a persistent frown.

    ¡°You mean...¡± Her words were meant to draw follow-up questions and naturally, Ning Xueyan yed along with a curious expression.

    ¡°I¡¯m referring to Second Young Lady Hua.¡± Honored Consort Xia looked as if she had just noticed that Ning Xueyan was Princess Yi after she finished talking. Her smile turned a little awkward. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Princess Ning. I was thinking about an old friend and identally mentioned something so rude. Please don¡¯t mind it. She isn¡¯t here anymore, so it doesn¡¯t matter how much Prince Yi still thinks about her. You¡¯re his princess now.¡±

    She sounded like she wasforting Ning Xueyan but she might as well have said nothing at all. She made it seem as though Second Young Lady Hua was the one that Ao Chenyi could never forget while Ning Xueyan was just a recement that he casually married. There was even a faint implication that Ning Xueyan would be nothing at all if Second Young Lady Hua was still alive.

    It was a very unpleasant feeling.

    ¡°You knew Second Young Lady Hua, Your Highness?¡±

    Ning Xueyan seemed unhappy and her smile appeared stiff, too. Although she was still smiling, she seemed to be forcing it. No woman would be happy to know that her husband yearned for another woman, especially when this woman had every right to upy his heart.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s reaction was only to be expected.

    ¡°I do know her. Second Young Lady Hua was such a gentledy. All she wanted was to marry Prince Yi, and both of them were in love with each other. I thought she would be the happiest woman in the world, being able to marry someone she loved, but who would have thought? Fate never goes ording to one¡¯s wishes. A union as wonderful as theirs was broken just like that. No matter where both of them were, their hearts were broken.¡±

    Honored Consort Xia told Ning Xueyan not to mind it, but kept emphasizing what a match made in heaven Ao Chenyi and Second Young Lady Hua were. Her final remark, in particr, was peculiar to Ning Xueyan. What did she mean, no matter where the both of them were? Where else could they be? One was alive, the other was dead.

    Honored Consort Xia kept saying to her face that Ao Chenyi¡¯s true love was another woman and that they had no choice but to separate. As Ao Chenyi¡¯s legal wife, Ning Xueyan felt deeply ufortable and so ufortable that she didn¡¯t even have to fake it. There was even a look of displeasure on her face.

    ¡°Honored Consort Xia, did you invite me here to talk about Second Young Lady Hua?¡± The smile on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face faded until it was barely there.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Princess Ning. I only thought about her because you mentioned tea. I¡¯m sorry to make you ufortable. But don¡¯t you worry. Prince Yi only thinks about you now. He¡¯d never consider anyone else. It¡¯s been so long, after all. His feelings have likely faded. I¡¯m sure you can win over someone who is no longer here!¡±

    Honored Consort Xia looked like she had just realized what she had been saying and regretted it. She stood up and poured more tea into Ning Xueyan¡¯s cup as an apology. Naturally, she was trying to put her words more nicely.

    However, for some reason, her words tend to make people think deeper about it. Second Young Lady Hua might be dead, but if she had truly entered Ao Chenyi¡¯s heart, she would be a tougher opponent than a living woman. Ning Xueyan could snatch Ao Chenyi¡¯s heart from a living person, but how should she do that with a dead woman? A dead person was invincible in that sense.

    This was especially true for Ning Xueyan¡¯s circumstances. She was a consort-turned-princess, and her promotion waspletely inexplicable. It could be said that she had no ce at all in Ao Chenyi¡¯s heart. Knowing Ao Chenyi¡¯s temper, he could easily demote her the moment he was dissatisfied with her. It didn¡¯t matter that their marriage was granted by the Emperor. After all, Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s hand in marriage was also granted by the Emperor but she still ended up like that.

    Thus, if Ning Xueyan wanted to keep her position as the princess, she would have to win Ao Chenyi¡¯s heart. How she should do to get that? Naturally, she would have to act ording to his preferences, such as Second Young Lady Hua.

    Thus, Honored Consort Xia seemed unperturbed even in the face of Ning Xueyan¡¯s anger. She looked at Ning Xueyan with a smile. She didn¡¯t believe that a woman, who was desperate to win her husband¡¯s favor, wouldn¡¯t try to find out more about Second Young Lady Hua. After all, she had been emphasizing Ao Chenyi¡¯s deep love for Hua Yueying.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s anger was just a pretense to reach her goal. Although she couldn¡¯t let Ning Xueyan see her and Ao Chenyi together, she could nt a seed of doubt in Ning Xueyan. This was also a way to constantly remind Ao Chenyi of her so that when the time was right, she could...

    Sure enough, the slight anger on Ning Xueyan¡¯s expression disappeared. She frowned and asked, rather reluctantly, ¡°Your Highness, can you tell me more about Second Young Lady Hua?¡±

 Chapter 605 - The Voyeurs Behind the Grove

    <strong>Chapter 605 The Voyeurs Behind the Grove</strong>

    ¡°Is that Honored Consort Xia? She¡¯s really beautiful.¡± A young woman carefully peeped from behind the bushes. Though there was quite a distance between them, her good eyesight allowed her to see the mysterious Honored Consort Xia. It went without saying that she was overjoyed as she whispered to the people around her.

    The few of them had secretly gone after Ning Xueyan. They had been worried that the people in front would notice them, but it went surprisingly well. One time, one of thedies identally stepped on a small branch and made some noise. The others became too afraid to even move.

    To their surprise, Princess Yi and her maid didn¡¯t hear it, as was the smart-looking pce maid. The pce maid appeared out of it, looking deep in thought. This allowed thedies to follow them and discover such a secret ce.

    Thesedies were more curious than most. Themotion that Princess Yi caused was quite loud but by the time they reached, it was all over. All they knew was that Princess Yi was going to meet Honored Consort Xia. They immediately teamed up and secretly followed her.

    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you think that Honored Consort Xia looks familiar?¡± One of thedies grabbed the arm of herpanion and shook it.

    ¡°She does seem familiar. The look in her eye, why does it look so familiar?¡± Herpanion frowned and fell into deep thought.

    Right at that moment, Honored Consort Xia stood up and poured more tea into Ning Xueyan¡¯s cup. Her entire face instantly came into view.

    ¡°Oh my, she looks so simr to Third Young Lady Hua!¡± One of thedies eximed before immediately covering her mouth.

    Thedy from earlier carefully identified Honored Consort Xia¡¯s face before nodding and said with certainty, ¡°Right, right. She looks just like Third Young Lady Hua. I didn¡¯t realize it until you mentioned it, but once you did, I think she looks like her. The consort looks prettier, but her eyes and nose are simr to Third Young Lady Hua.¡±

    ¡°Does Third Young Lady Hua have a sister?¡± anotherdy, who didn¡¯t know Third Young Lady Hua well, asked.

    Anotherdy who was familiar with Third Young Lady Hua shook her head and said, ¡°No. First Young Lady Hua died in the war, Second Young Lady Hua died from a disease. Third Young Lady Hua can¡¯t have a sister.¡±

    ¡°But... they look so simr!¡±

    ¡°Sigh, can we go back now? We¡¯ll be in trouble if Honored Consort Xia discovers us.¡± One timid youngdy among them couldn¡¯t help but speak up. She had been telling them not to go the entire time, but herpanions were so curious that she had to follow them.

    ¡°All right. Since we¡¯ve seen her, let¡¯s go back.¡± Thedies¡¯ curiosity had been satisfied. They weren¡¯t fools, so they knew they must not be discovered. Thus, they secretly returned using the same path.

    Behind a tree somewhere else, two people were also quietly retreating.

    No one noticed them. After themotion that Ning Xueyan caused earlier, many people learned that she was off to meet the mysterious Honored Consort Xia and they were all curious about it. In particr, the younger guests were unable to control curiosity and secretly followed Ning Xueyan. Thedies weren¡¯t the only group doing so. Besides, everyone was here to tour the imperial garden and no rules were forbidding them from particr ces.

    Inside the pavilion, Honored Consort Xia was carefully teaching Ning Xueyan about Second Young Lady Hua¡¯s preferences back in the day. Perhaps, it was more urate to say that she was teaching Ning Xueyan how to act more like Second Young Lady Hua. She was so focused that she didn¡¯t notice several voyeurs slipping away behind the swaying branches. Meanwhile, Yan Zhen¡¯s expression had returned to normal.

    Still, she felt rather uneasy.

    Where was the maid who was supposed to bring Prince Yi here? Hadn¡¯t she told her to sneakily invite Prince Yi here while he was with the Third Young Lady and tell him that he would fall into a trap if he stayed any longer? They were supposed to rescue him from his incident with Third Young Lady Hua and then bring him here!

    Why did they run into Prince Yi along the way? Did that maid fall to find Prince Yi? Or did something happen to the maid?

    Otherwise, Princess Ning would be witnessing her master and Prince Yi hugging each other in a joyous reunion at this moment.

    How did things turn out this way? Although her master looked at ease, Yan Zhen knew that she was very unhappy. She was so focused on this that she failed to pay attention to certain matters.

    Xinmei¡¯s hearing was excellent. Since she was originally a martial artist, her hearing was much sharper than most people. She heard a little of the whispered conversations. She lowered her head, standing there like a respectful maid, but all of her attention was on the other side. However, her master had hinted to her not to stay a word if Honored Consort Xia didn¡¯t notice it.

    Naturally, she acted as if she didn¡¯t hear anything at all.

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t chat with Honored Consort Xia for very long. She had achieved her goal and also learned Honored Consort Xia¡¯s objective. Using the excuse that Ao Chenyi wanted her to return early, she bade farewell to Honored Consort Xia. Honored Consort Xia didn¡¯t try to keep Ning Xueyan. Instead, she politely told Ning Xueyan to enter the pce to meet her often, for she enjoyed talking to her very much.

    Of course, Ning Xueyan agreed to this. She stepped out of the pavilion and walked out with Xinmei. She hadn¡¯t gone very far before she ran into the eunuch that Ao Chenyi sent. After the eunuch saw her, he led the way for her. She wasn¡¯t familiar with the pce so it was much easier to have someone who knew theyout well. It didn¡¯t take her very long to reach the same location as before.

    The banquet meant to celebrate Prince Xiang and Prince Fu was destined to be a restless one.

    First, the third daughter of Chief Hua of the Imperial Academy was found lying in bed with a drunken man. They imed not to know each other; one was resting in bed after fainting while the other was simply resting after getting drunk. The drunken man had witnesses that proved that he was indeed reciting poems with them earlier. The man lost, so he drank more wine than the rest and had to look for a ce to rest.

    Meanwhile, Hua Qiuying had be dizzy from walking and had her maid help her aside to rest.

    Hua Qiuying didn¡¯t dare to mention anything about Ao Chenyi. How could a proper youngdy like her stop Ao Chenyi without even bringing a maid? If people were to know about this, the entire Hua Manor would be humiliated and their n would be even more unpredictable.

    Everyone knew the kind of person Ao Chenyi was! If she insisted on getting him involved without his agreement, he might get so angry as to kill her. She dared not test his temper.

    At this rate, no one could tell what the truth was anymore. It might just be a misunderstanding but it still had to be resolved. Fortunately, both parties were not married. They could just get married to conceal such an embarrassing incident. It would be a glorious reunion, even if only on the surface.

    With that settled, Hua Qiuying didn¡¯t have the face to linger around anymore and left the pce early. In such circumstances, the woman would inevitably suffer more. Moreover, she was the only surviving daughter of Chief Hua of the Imperial Academy. She was said to be beautiful and charming and had reached the age of marriage. The only reason she didn¡¯t have an engagement was that the bachelors around her had either too high or too low of a status.

    Right now, she had no choice but to marry a random man at will. It was only natural for her to feel upset about it.

    It was said that all the youngdies from the Hua family had great fiances. The eldest was engaged to someone from the previous dynasty, but that was still the son of an aristocratic family. Unfortunately, their entire family perished in the war. The second daughter was engaged to Prince Yi but died of a disease. As for the third daughter, everyone had been specting that she wouldn¡¯t be engaged to an ordinary nobleman.

    Who would have thought that things would turn out this way?

    News about Hua Qiuying spread very quickly, despite the Empress concluding the matter swiftly and decisively. Hua Qiuying could onlyment her unluckiness. Meanwhile, another gossip in connection with Hua Qiuying was being spread among the women.

    To think that the mysterious Honored Consort Xia looked very simr to Hua Qiuying! It seemed that she was rted to the Hua family, but no one could think of any other youngdy in that family.

    Suddenly, guesses of all kinds were everywhere!

    Some said that she was a distant rtive of the Hua family, which was why the Chief Hua of the Imperial Academy didn¡¯t know who Honored Consort Xia was. Some said that she was Hua Qiuying¡¯s younger cousin; cousins could still resemble each other no matter how distant they were. Even so, their distant rtionship meant that Hua Manor in the capital wasn¡¯t aware of Honored Consort Xia.

    There was another spection of the most curious kind. Some thought that Honored Consort Xia was Chief Hua¡¯s illegitimate daughter, born during the war. He raised the daughter outside out of fear of his wife. After meeting the Emperor, he brought her to the pce. Honored Consort Xia was kept in the dark because of her shameful identity as an illegitimate daughter.

    Although this spection seemed far-fetched, it seemed to carry a trace of truth upon second thought. How would they exin the simrities between Honored Consort Xia and Hua Qiuying otherwise? They looked just like sisters. It was only natural for them to be connected by blood, and intimately at that.

    For the moment, everyone¡¯s curiosity about the mysterious Honored Consort Xia reached its peak.

    At the banquet, everyone¡¯s attention wasn¡¯t on Prince Xiang or Prince Fu. They were too busy discussing Honored Consort Xia and Third Young Lady Hua¡¯s marriage.

    ¡°Honored Consort Xia?¡± Over at the banquet for thedies, Honored Consort Ya who upied the central seat turned toward the Empress. With a frown, she said, ¡°Your Highness, everyone is asking about Honored Consort Xia. Do you think you should forbid them to talk about her? How can people discuss a consort of the pce so casually!¡±

    An imperial concubine, who had just entered the harem, blinked. With a confused expression, she asked curiously, ¡°Your Highness, who is Honored Consort Xia? Why hasn¡¯t anyone seen her before? Even now, I have only ever heard of her. Does she not like to meet people?¡±

    ¡°Forget it. Not even I have seen her. She doesn¡¯t attend any kind of banquets at all.¡± An older imperial concubine shook the fan in her hand with a smile.

    ¡°What¡¯s the reason? Does she also not attend the Emperor and Empress¡¯ banquets? That¡¯s... That¡¯s too...¡± The new imperial concubine looked surprised. She sneaked a nce at the Empress and, upon seeing no anger on her face, added, ¡°Has she be so arrogant because of His Majesty¡¯s favor that she doesn¡¯t even respect the Empress anymore?¡± There was a hint of provocation in her words. No one in this pce was a fool.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough. Let¡¯s drop this topic. His Majesty knows what he¡¯s doing,¡± the Empress couldn¡¯t help but say. ¡°Servants, let it be known that people cannot discuss this matter as they wish.¡±

    While giving her order, a pce servant suddenly rushed over with a panicked expression. Ning Xueyan, who had been paying attention to them, noticed this. There wasn¡¯t much emotion in her eyes but she was smiling. ¡°Here ites...¡±

 Chapter 606 - Chaos Breakout, Inexplicable Eastern Pearls

    <h4>Chapter 606 Chaos Breakout, Inexplicable Eastern Pearls</h4>

    The banquet celebrating Prince Xiang and Prince Fu ended without fanfare.

    The nned performances and stages were scrapped, and the guests excused themselves as soon as they were finished with their meals. It was obvious that the Emperor and Empresses weren¡¯t pleased; the former looked gloomy while thetter frowned. No matter how one looked at it, this was a bad situation. Despite not knowing what was going on, they were all smart people who were in tune with other people¡¯s expressions.

    It wasn¡¯t until the guests left the pce that they asked around and learned that something had happened.

    Someone had beat the drum in the hall of the Ministry of Justice and used Xia Manor and the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor of stealing another person¡¯s marriage and murdering people. The two skeletons found in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor were the murdered young women, and one of them had been betrothed to Xia Yuhang since they were children.

    Madam Ling had substituted the young woman with her daughter, letting her daughter enter the marriage sedan, and then killed her.

    Xia Manor was, of course, her aplice. They couldn¡¯t have not known who their young master was betrothed to.

    And in the midst of this was another murder, the murder of the concubine-born son of Xia Manor, Xia Yudong. His death was rted to Prince Xiang¡¯s new concubine, Ning Qingshan.

    The two princes, having just been promoted to a higher princely rank, were the most popr people in the capital. The interest of everyone was piqued after hearing that the incidents were rted to Prince Xiang. Ning Qingshan was the third youngdy of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and shared quite a history with Prince Xiang. She was first appointed as his princess, then consort before inexplicably being demoted to concubine status. Regardless of what happened, she was a part of Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor now that she had married him.

    Ning Qingshan and Prince Xiang had been linked a long time ago, so it was likely that Xia Yudong¡¯s death was rted to other incidents. All of a sudden, many who considered Prince Xiang a good person and stood on his side started to doubt him. Discussions were everywhere as people debated the possibilities of the incidents as well as the consequences.

    Not only did they steal someone¡¯s marriage, but they even killed her! This reminded many of the skeletons found in the lotus pond in a courtyard in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Many married women were present at the time. It was said that the two deceased were tortured before being drowned in the lotus pond.

    Madam Ling had pleaded ignorance at that time; she implied that the drowned young woman had behaved improperly with inappropriate folks, resulting in her state. It was only now that people realized how cruel she was. It was her and her daughter who killed that young woman, but they turned around and used the young woman of suicide.

    The snobby Xia Manor didn¡¯t want to marry an orphaneddy, so they immediately agreed to the proposal from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Their behavior was equally vicious.

    This matter and the rest of the events added together raised a furor in the capital. People could be seen discussing this everywhere and the Ministry of Justice was also heavily scrutinized. Many were secretly anxious as many matters were implicated and the impact would be disastrous. No one wanted to be embroiled in it.

    Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor, Ling Manor.

    Ever since Madam Ling was convicted, the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor had been a lot quieter and also stopped allmunication with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    ¡°Sir, what¡¯s the matter? This has nothing to do with us. Your wicked sister is also dead. I told you back then, didn¡¯t I? Your sister was so wicked that she was bound to get into trouble. Look at what she had done! She stole the official wife¡¯s position, killed people, stole someone¡¯s marriage, and drowned her in the lotus pond! I told you not to contact her anymore because I knew she would harm you one day!¡±

    Madam Qian mmed the table and spoke angrily in a sharp voice.

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Ling Huanian rebuked in annoyance. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I hear that from you back then? Whenever you received her gifts, the gifts always came in piles and piles. But now you¡¯re enlightened?¡±

    Madam Qian looked ashamed. She red at him and retorted, ¡°What do you mean, I received her gifts? She was thanking me for helping her! Did you think I took her gifts for nothing? I ran many of her errands for her. How could she be the Lord Protector¡¯s wife so quickly otherwise?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s to say, you¡¯re also involved in this!¡± Ling Huanian red at Madam Qian, his gaze so fierce that it was like he wanted to devour her.

    ¡°I... I wouldn¡¯t be involved... I just... lent your sister a hand on several asions. I did it because of you! You were the one who told me that she was your sister and wanted me to take care of her. And didn¡¯t you get your position as thanks from your sister back then?¡± Madam Qian was initially guilty, but soon stared back at Ling Huanian and mocked him.

    She had indeed run many errands for Madam Ling, but only because she had Ling Huanian¡¯s tacit agreement. Yet, he was now ring at her like he was some upright man. He should be reflecting on himself. If she hadn¡¯t done this for Madam Ling, he would have never gotten his position.

    Now that the deal had soured, he wanted to push all the me onto her. She would never let it happen.

    Ling Huanian¡¯s face went from red to white and then to green. He slumped onto the chair, picked up a cup of tea on the table, and downed half of it. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He grabbed the teacup and threw it on the floor. The tea sshed everywhere, causing Madam Qian to scream.

    ¡°Sir, it¡¯s toote to worry about that now. We should destroy everything your sister left in our manor right away. Who knew if they would search our manor? We can¡¯t let them find any evidence here and implicate us. Geez, Xia Manor is a piece of work! They threw aside their betrothed and insisted on an alliance marriage with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Look at all the harm they have caused!¡±

    Madam Qian was panting but hit the table again after calming down.

    She felt quite guilty about all these. It was her who proposed the idea of making up the portrait, humiliating the young woman, and ruining her reputation to Madam Ling. That way, her marriage could be transferred to Ning Ziyan.

    Her words reminded Ling Huanian, who nodded and said, ¡°Yes, pack up everything that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor gave us and send them to our courtyard outside the city.¡±

    ¡°By the way, we still have some of Madam Ming¡¯s ount books here. Put them in a box and take them away as well. They¡¯re just a burden here. The housekeeper episode might be over now, but it¡¯s still not a good idea to keep them around. It¡¯s inconvenient to burn such arge box too.¡±

    Madam Qian remembered this all of a sudden and warned Ling Huanian.

    ¡°I know. We¡¯ll do as you say for now. Get and sort out the things. Take away everything that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor sent and everything that couldn¡¯t be revealed to others.¡±

    Over the years, Madam Ling had sent many gifts to Ling Manor and Ling Huanian would ept them matter-of-factly. He had ¡°helped¡± his sister often in the past but he didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor now. He was d that the prohibited items from the previous dynasty had been returned to Madam Ling or he might get involved in even more misfortune.

    ¡°Yes, I understand. I¡¯ll pack everything right away. Sir, make sure the carriages are ready. Once I¡¯m done, we¡¯ll send everything to the most secluded courtyard outside the city. There aren¡¯t many people there, so nobody will know.¡±

    Madam Qian knew that the matter couldn¡¯t be dyed. She nodded, turned around, and walked to the rear of the yard to look for her trusted servants to help pack the things. With Madam Ling in trouble, they were automatically the next suspects. Ling Huanian, the Vice Minister of Justice, hadn¡¯t been able to hold his head high because of his sister. He had the protection of Ning Zu¡¯an in the past, but Ning Zu¡¯an was in trouble himself now; he wouldn¡¯t have the luxury of mind to protect him again.

    In the evening, a carriage exited the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor through the backdoor and left the streets. The moment the city gates were about to be closed, the carriage sped out of the city and headed for the outskirts.

    On the heel of the carriage was a man on a horse following it out of the city. The carriage driver was so preupied with heading to the courtyard in the outskirts and finishing his task that he didn¡¯t notice the horse behind him, following him at the right distance to the courtyard. Only after the carriage entered the courtyard did the man on the horse disappear.

    Pear Flower Garden in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t wake up early. There were no elders in the manor, so there wasn¡¯t the need to give anyone morning greetings. She was the one with the highest authority in the backyard so she could wake up any time she wanted. After she had her breakfast, Xinmei came in to give her report.

    ¡°Master, Ling Manor sent everything to a secluded courtyard in the outskirts. I went in and took a look yesterday. I found the ount books that you have been looking for, the ones that Madam personally recorded in the past. There¡¯s also her signature on them, so they are clearly hers. There are also some other personal belongings. I even saw arge box of eastern pearls; there are about thirty to forty of them.¡±

    Chen Hexiang¡¯sints at the Ministry of Justice would inevitably trigger amotion in Ling Manor. To draw a line from Madam Ling, they would dispose of everything rted to Madam Ling as cleanly as possible. There must be quite arge amount of it, which couldn¡¯t be conveniently destroyed now. The best solution was sending them away.

    Thus, Ning Xueyan had Xinmei watch the backdoor of Ling Manor. Sure enough, they found the things that Ling Manor wanted to dispose of.

    Eastern pearls were an imperial offering. They were precious items. If Ling Manor had one or two, they could exin it as gifts from the Emperor. An entire box of eastern pearls couldn¡¯t have been a reward by the pce. Seeing as Ling Manor had quietly sent them away, those pearls must have been a gift from Madam Ling. And how could Madam Ling have so many eastern pearls?

    There weren¡¯t so many pearls in Madam Ming¡¯s dowry nor Ning Ziying¡¯s dowry. These pearls were simply too conspicuous and the only way to receive them was to be rewarded by the pce. It could be said that only the Emperor, Empress, and a few favored consorts had so many pearls in hand, but that was about it.

    Madam Ling wasn¡¯t close to anyone in the pce, so who could have bestowed her with so many eastern pearls? There were so many pearls, too! It didn¡¯t seem like someone had rewarded her with the pearls, a few at a time over the years. Most importantly, Ning Zu¡¯an and Madam Dowager would have known about it if she had been bestowed with so many pearls. It was unlikely for them to allow Madam Ling to send that many pearls to Ling Manor.

    That meant these eastern pearls had a shameful origin. Perhaps Madam Ling had obtained these pearls with despicable methods. That would exin why she hid them in Ling Manor.

    Of course, these eastern pearls must have originated from the pce. In the previous dynasty, Madam Ling was just an anonymous woman without any rtionship with the imperial family then. That meant that these pearls came from the present dynasty. Out of everyone in the pce, who could have gifted Madam Ling so many pearls? Perhaps, who could have asked Madam Ling to deal with things on their behalf...

    It seemed that there was a mastermind behind Madam Ling, and this mastermind was living in the pce...

 Chapter 607 - Iâ€™m the Princess of the Previous Dynasty

    <strong>Chapter 607 I¡¯m the Princess of the Previous Dynasty</strong>

    If Chen Hexiang hadn¡¯t blown up the matter, Ning Xueyan would have overlooked some suspicious people.

    Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t toote...

    There were traces of crime that couldn¡¯t be removed immediately, but she had to prevent the perpetrators from taking excessive action out of desperation. Under such circumstances, there wasn¡¯t just one person being anxious for a butterfly that had just pped its wings...

    ¡°Get ready. We¡¯re going to the Ministry of Justice¡¯s prison.¡± She must act quickly. Fortunately, her actions were considered quick enough.

    Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor.

    ¡°Xia Yudong? Ning Qingshan, you¡¯re really capable. You even hooked up with Xia Yudong. Is Ao Xian not enough for you that you need another Xia Yudong?¡± A hard pnded on Ning Qingshan¡¯s face, making her stumble backward and crash into the back of a chair. She felt like she was suffocating.

    ¡°Cousin, I didn¡¯t. I have nothing to do with Xia Yudong! I did ask him to do something for me, but there¡¯s nothing between us.¡± Ning Qingshan shook her head with force as her tears fell. Her hair was an unsightly mess, with a few strands hanging over her eyes from shaking her head.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter?! You¡¯ll just make me kill him. It¡¯s fine. How did you meet him? Speak. When did you start hooking up with him?¡± Ao Mingyu looked gloomily at the woman who had fallen to the floor without any trace of sympathy. ¡°And remember, you¡¯re just a lowly concubine now. You¡¯ve never been my cousin. Otherwise, I can¡¯t keep you here.¡±

    ¡°Cou... Your Highness, I... I wouldn¡¯t dare. I¡¯ll keep it in mind.¡± Ning Qingshan felt humiliated to receive such treatment from her lover but she had no choice but to lower her head. She was once the noblest of all aristocraticdies but was reduced to her current state because of Ning Xueyan. Her hatred was driving her insane.

    ¡°Your Highness, Concubine Ning has never had an affair. She has always dedicated herself to you, waiting for you. Those three years were long but she never found them painful whenever she thought of you. As for Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li and Xia Yudong, it must be the Fifth Young Lady harming Concubine Ning again. The Fifth Young Lady hated Concubine Ning even back in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, but who knew that she would be so cruel now, refusing to stop until Concubine Ning dies?¡±

    Two maids were kneeling on the side and keeping quiet out of fear. Mother Luo kept knocking her head on the floor, pleading with the prince. She threw all caution to the wind and brought up the enmity between Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan to save her master.

    Earlier, Ao Mingyu came in and kicked Ning Qingshan without saying anything. He berated her and then pped her. From the look of things, he seemed determined to kill her.

    ¡°You mean Princess Yi is responsible for the Xia Manor concubine¡¯s usations? What a capable woman! Had I known how capable she is, I should have chosen her instead of you. You¡¯re good for nothing. You¡¯re just an idiot who gave me so much trouble!¡±

    Ao Mingyu lowered his head and reached out to lift Ning Qingshan¡¯s chin. He stared coldly at her teary face.

    He wondered why he had hesitated at that time. Even though his mother opposed it, he could have insisted on his ways and married Ning Xueyan. Whether or not Ning Xueyan was as clever as this idiot imed, at least she wouldn¡¯t drag him down and get him involved in such a dishonorable matter.

    He had just been promoted to a higher rank and it was the perfect time for him to show his governance capabilities. Little did he expect that something like this would blow up before the banquet was even over. In the end, the matter even implicated him. Whether or not it was true, the rumors were still detrimental to him. In such matters, one would be deemed guilty just by association.

    If it weren¡¯t for his many reservations back then, he could have married Ning Xueyan. Whenever he thought about how he had missed out on that woman, he would be filled with rage. He gritted his teeth and suppressed his anger. He couldn¡¯t kill Ning Qingshan now. He still had use for her.

    ¡°Your Highness, I swear I didn¡¯t collude with Xia Yudong. I... I just wanted his help to harm Ning Xueyan. She¡¯s Prince Yi¡¯s woman. Her poor reputation would also affect Prince Yi¡¯s reputation... Your Highness, I did everything for your sake!¡±

    Ning Qingshan exined in tears. It went without saying that she knew that Ao Mingyu was fighting over the throne with Prince Yi, so she rebranded her private enmity with Ning Xueyan as her single-minded consideration for Ao Mingyu.

    ¡°You did it for my sake?¡± Sure enough, Ao Mingyu¡¯s expression eased.

    ¡°Yes... Yes... I did it all for you. If it¡¯s for you, I¡¯m willing to go through hell for you. All I ask is that you don¡¯t misunderstand me... I did everything for you. I¡¯ve never spent much time with Fifth Sister, so how could there be any deep grudge between us? It¡¯s because of you. You... You¡¯re the only one in my heart! I¡¯m willing to serve you even without a title.¡±

    Ao Mingyu¡¯s expression improved. Although he still looked gloomy, his expression was a bit warmer. Ning Qingshan immediately reached out to pull his wrist while weeping sorrowfully.

    ¡°You¡¯re willing to go through hell for me?¡± Ao Mingyu asked coldly.

    ¡°Yes... I¡¯m willing to do anything for you. I¡¯ll send Ning Xueyan to hell so that she can never reincarnate again,¡± Ning Qingshan said viciously, gritting her teeth. Her pretty face was a mess, marred by tears and messy hair. Right now, it looked even more distorted and hideous.

    A trace of disgust surfaced in Ao Mingyu¡¯s eyes but his expression betrayed nothing. He retrieved his hand slowly from Ning Qingshan¡¯s grasp and stood up. He looked down at her and said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll be watching your next step. Don¡¯t worry. If you do this well, I might just restore your position and allow you to give birth to my heirs before the rest.¡±

    Ning Qingshan was a concubine and a concubine who entered the manor before the wife did at that. Thus, she would be given a contraception decoction after every lovemaking session to prevent concubines from giving birth ahead of the wife. That had been her n when she entered the manor, only to realize that there were no loopholes to be exploited. A servant would almost always watch her finish the contraception decoction before leaving.

    Even before entering the manor, Ning Qingshan knew that such decoction would prevent future pregnancies. By the time the wife gave birth to the heirs, her body would have been ruined to the point of being infertile. This was her greatest worry as ofte. Neither rewards nor threats worked against the servant serving her the decoction. There was nothing that she could do.

    Now, Ao Mingyu was telling her that she would be allowed to give birth to his heirs and live a life of luxury if she did her job well. Such good news caused her eyes to lit up and filled her with excitement. She still had a chance. She had the chance to live an honorable life as a mother to his children and to reim her position as his wife in the future.

    After watching Ao Mingyu flick his sleeves and leave, Ning Qingshan stood up with Mother Luo¡¯s help. Her teary face was gloomy and cold. ¡°Mother Luo, I want to meet that woman. The sooner, the better.¡±

    Had she known earlier, she wouldn¡¯t have let Ao Mingyu¡¯s men act. No matter how humiliated she would be, she should have let those people act; at least, Ao Mingyu wouldn¡¯t have doubted her innocence. It was toote to regret now, but this wasn¡¯t the end for her. She was a princess of the previous dynasty, so those people couldn¡¯t truly abandon her.

    And Ao Mingyu¡¯s words suggested that Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor would also help her aplish her task.

    That would be the best. This time, no matter what, she would get those people to act for her. She hade to a critical point in her life. She refused to believe that those people would truly let her die.

    ¡°Concubine Ning, I¡¯ve told you earlier. It has been a while since she contacted me...¡± Mother Luo looked conflicted, mostly because the woman in white looked very vicious.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care. Just tell them I¡¯m about to die. If they don¡¯t act this time, they should just wait to collect my corpse! The secrets of the previous dynasty will die with me, as will thest kin of the previous imperial family. I¡¯ll also announce that I¡¯m the princess of the previous dynasty so that they can never use me in their future plots.¡±

    Ning Qingshan gritted her teeth, her voice bitter. She would force them to show up. They surely would. They wouldn¡¯t let their previous efforts go to waste.

    She couldn¡¯t use anyone from Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor now. She must show Ao Mingyu that she wasn¡¯t an idiot and that she deserved to be his princess. The foolish Muling wasn¡¯t a match for her. Ning Xueyan¡¯s demise would be a congrattory gift for her regaining her position. Her death would be her contribution to Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor. Most importantly, that slut must die, and die of torture at that...

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go right away!¡± Seeing Ning Qingshan¡¯s determined face, Mother Luo knew that there was no persuading her. So, she left sheepishly.

    This was Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor, not the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Even though she had the gift of the gab, she was nheless a servant of concubine. She wasn¡¯t at all respected in the manor. It was sometimes challenging for her to run Ning Qingshan¡¯s errands but she had to try for her master¡¯s sake.

    Her master had such an honorable identity but could only be a concubine here. This made her feel bad for her. She couldn¡¯t let her master fall to such a state, so she was willing to do anything for her sake.

    Ao Mingyu went straight to his outer study after leaving Ning Qingshan¡¯s courtyard. By the time he reached the entrance of his study, he didn¡¯t look angry anymore, though still gloomy. The two eunuchs guarding the door immediately stepped aside after seeing him.

    He strode in.

    ¡°Your Highness, have you questioned her?¡± The moment he stepped in, he heard a voiceing from inside. He looked up and saw Xia Yuhang sitting inside.

    ¡°Yes. She probably conspired with your second brother to harm Ning Xueyan but was exposed by one of your concubines. Yuhang, what¡¯s with your concubine? Why didn¡¯t you kill her earlier? Why did you let her hook up with your second brother?¡±

    Ao Mingyu settled down behind the table, looking unhappy. The matter was only so damaging because it had blown up from within Xia Manor. It was all that woman¡¯s fault. Not only was she familiar with Xia Yuhang, but she even had an affair with Xia Yudong. Now that he thought about it, that woman had cuckolded Xia Yuhang.

 Chapter 608 - Prison, Gradual Descent into Temptation

    <h4>Chapter 608 Prison, Gradual Descent into Temptation</h4>

    ¡°Yuhang, why don¡¯t I send someone to kill that woman?¡± Ao Mingyu said coldly.

    ¡°Your Highness, the Ministry of Justice is keeping a tight watch on her. It¡¯ll be hard for your men to kill her. Even if they can, we¡¯ll be the immediate suspects. It¡¯s a bad move for us. You¡¯ve only just been promoted; now is the time for you to improve your reputation so we can strategize further.¡±

    Xia Yuhang waved his hand. He still looked gentle and elegant but his brows were tightly knitted.

    ¡°What should we do then? That idiotic Ning Qingshan sent my men to kill Xia Yudong. I thought it wasn¡¯t a big deal, but I wasn¡¯t expecting him to have an affair with your concubine or your concubine to expose everything because of him. She even brought up Ning Ziying¡¯s death.¡±

    Ao Mingyu sounded angry. It was all beyond his expectations. He thought it was Ao Chenyi or Ao Mingwan¡¯s doing but upon investigation, everything turned out to be a coincidence, with one matter linking to another. The reason the concubine was forced to leave Xia Manor in the first ce was a dispute with a fellow concubine. And now, this was still a matter between two concubines.

    In Ao Mingyu¡¯s opinion, these were all trivial matters until that damned woman reported it to the Ministry of Justice. She even aired her grievances right at the door and the officers couldn¡¯t stop her even if they wanted to. Moreover, Ao Chenyi had his men working in the Ministry of Justice so this matter could never be kept under wraps.

    ¡°Yuhang, will you get implicated entirely?¡± Remembering this, Ao Mingyu expressed concern for Xia Yuhang. Xia Yuhang was his main strategist and a loyal subordinate. He didn¡¯t want to lose him over something so trivial.

    ¡°Madam Ling is dead and so are most of her attending servants then. I could brush off any responsibility in Ning Ziying¡¯s death in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor as I was preparing for my marriage at that time. That leaves only Ning Ziyan...¡±

    A flicker of coldness shed in Xia Yuhang¡¯s eyes. As long as Ning Ziyan said that the matter had nothing to do with him, he could then put all the me on the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. They were the ones who spread a rumor about a childhood engagement with Xia Manor. Xia Manor acquiesced because they thought the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was referring to Ning Ziying.

    It was easy to exin the wrong bride on the wedding night, too. He was so drunk that he didn¡¯t realize that his bride had been switched. By the next day, it was toote. He had no choice but to admit his mistake as he couldn¡¯t send Ning Ziyan home. As for Ning Ziying, he could say that he thought that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would send her back to their hometown. He didn¡¯t have the time to investigate Ning Ziying¡¯s incident anymore after the reveal of Madam Ming¡¯s incident.

    ¡°Are we abandoning Ning Zu¡¯an?¡± After listening to Xia Yuhang¡¯s exnation, Ao Mingyu picked up the teacup on the table and took a sip with some annoyance. Ning Zu¡¯an had little authority now but his former subordinates were still in the army. Their force was the key to Ao Mingyu¡¯s coup.

    ¡°Your Highness, someone has to take the me for such a huge issue. Madam Ling might be dead but this happened in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and they must have something to do with it. Still, Madam Ling was the perpetrator and the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor should plead ignorance as much as possible. Ning Zu¡¯an will lose his position at most, but his household will survive. He¡¯ll still have his former subordinates in the army. You can also marry two wives at the same time, Your Highness. That will give Ning Zu¡¯an some reassurance.¡±

    Xia Yuhang spoke meaningfully as he tapped the table with his fingers. By now, there was a clear answer in his mind.

    The biggest problem at the moment was Ning Ziyan, not Chen Hexiang. His engagement with Ning Ziying was real, so it made sense that Chen Hexiang had evidence of it. At that time, Ning Ziying was his legal fiancee. When he took her on an excursion at the Cold Mountain Temple, they had met Chen Hexiang a few times.

    Chen Hexiang knew Ning Ziying¡¯s identity then, but thetter didn¡¯t know anything. She had always been an innocent and gentledy who would never think the worst of people. He felt a stab of pain at the thought of her.

    But now wasn¡¯t the time to think about this. No matter what, they must suppress this matter.

    ¡°All right, that¡¯s it then.¡± Ao Mingyu nodded, understanding that this was the best-case scenario for them. Xia Yuhang bing his subordinate meant that Xia Manor was on his side, and a very useful ally at that. If something were to happen to Xia Manor, he would lose strong support.

    Inparison, he could afford to let Ning Zu¡¯an lose power. If he tried his best to please Ning Zu¡¯an in the future, the force in the army could still be his.

    Besides, he and Xia Yuhang still had a trick up their sleeve. Ning Qingshan wasn¡¯tpletely useless. Using the carrot-and-stick approach on her, she might be able to give them a surprise. That was also why he had to marry her in the first ce.

    In the prison of the Ministry of Justice, Ning Ziyan sat nkly amid a pile of firewood with her back against the wall. She had been arrested at Xia Manor and imprisoned shortly after Chen Hexiang reported Madam Ling¡¯s crimes. Now that Madam Ling was dead, she was the main defendant, so she had to be locked up.

    She had just lost her long-awaited child the day before yesterday, only to be jailed today. She was still groggy over everything.

    She had been doing poorly recently, having been demoted from her position as the official wife overnight. Everyone ridiculed and looked down on her, and it nearly drove her mad. Fortunately, she found out that she was pregnant. She carefully protected the child in her womb in hopes of reiming what was hers, to the point that she didn¡¯t even care about the death of Madam Ling and Ning Yuling.

    She despised Madam Ling. She hated her for sending Ning Yuling, that bitch, to Xia Manor and giving her trouble. That slut should have been killed for causing such a scene on the street at that time. Why did they send her to Xia Manor? Everything that happened afterward made her resent Madam Ling even more.

    Madam Ling should have been more thorough when murdering Madam Ming. How could she let someone find evidence of her wrongdoing? How could she let people bring up something that had happened so long ago? She was a fool.

    That was why Ning Ziyan wasn¡¯t at all sad about the passing of Madam Ling and Ning Yuling. They deserved it, she thought. If it weren¡¯t for them, she would still be Xia Yuhang¡¯s wife. She wouldn¡¯t be in this miserable state where she lost her position. She had been biding her time, waiting to give birth and regain her position justifiably.

    Xia Yuhang¡¯s mother secretly sent her food after hearing she was pregnant, didn¡¯t she? That meant that there was still hope for her.

    But now, her hope had been extinguished. Chen Hexiang, that slut, caused her to miscarry her child. Even with her mind muddled, the thought of Chen Hexiang still made her grit her teeth with hatred. This wasn¡¯t the first time; Chen Hexiang had done the same in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    Had she known earlier, she would have risked everything to kill Chen Hexiang. She had given in when Xia Yuhang said it wasn¡¯t the right time to kill Chen Hexiang, especially with her increasingly poor reputation. She couldn¡¯t let people think that she couldn¡¯t tolerate her husband¡¯s concubine, so she let Chen Hexiang live. But had she known what she knew today, she would have sent someone to kill that slut.

    It was toote now. Who would have thought that the first wife¡¯s daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, one of the most popr aristocraticdies of yesterday, would end up like this?

    Suddenly, she wondered if she would be so miserable if she hadn¡¯t fallen in love with Xia Yuhang at first sight, shared mutual feelings with him, and drowned Ning Ziying in the lotus pond? Would she still be that first wife¡¯s daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and that beautiful, glorious Ning Ziyan?

    A stern-faced older woman appeared at the door of the prison cell and peered in while shaking the keys in her hand. ¡°Ning Ziyan,e out! Someone¡¯s here to see you!¡± she yelled fiercely. She opened the door, entered the cell, and dragged a still-confused Ning Ziyan out.

    After being dragged for a few steps, Ning Ziyan became excited all of a sudden. ¡°Is, is it Yuhang? Did hee to see me?¡±

    ¡°Yuhang? Who¡¯s that?¡± the servant said impatiently.

    Ning Ziyan¡¯s eyes were filled with excitement and she became much more energetic. Although she couldn¡¯t keep up with the older woman, she quickened her pace and asked expectantly, ¡°My husband! Is it my husband? Did Eldest Young Master Xiae to see me?¡±

    ¡°Eldest or Second Young Master Xia or whatever, I don¡¯t know who you¡¯re talking about. But I heard Eldest Young Master Xia is getting married again very soon. He¡¯s marrying the daughter of Chief Hua of the Imperial Academy. Apparently, they slept together during a pce banquet. You should wake up and stop dreaming.¡±

    The daughter of Chief Hua of the Imperial Academy? Hua Qiuying? Ning Ziyan knew her. Everyone in the capital knew that the Huadies were only allowed to marry nobles. Was Xia Yuhang about to marry Hua Qiuying? How... How could he do this? How could he marry another woman while she was still imprisoned? He once told her that she was the one and only person who could be his wife.

    Ning Ziyan trembled all over and nearly fell.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be too upset. There isn¡¯t anything unusual about a man preferring fresh faces. Look at you right now. What do you have that you think you canpete with that youngdy? Besides, I heard that your case has something to do with your husband. It¡¯s murder, you know! It¡¯s not a trivial matter. Your husband is just looking for another backer by abandoning you and marrying another woman.¡±

    The head of the female prison softened her voice, as if she pitied Ning Ziyan, and even slowed down to help her.

    ¡°But... what... what should I do?¡± Ning Ziyan wailed like a ghost.

    ¡°What else can you do? Just ept your tragic life! Seeing how your husband is acting, he¡¯s probably going to push all the me on you and have his backer act. He¡¯ll be free of all me. I pity you. You¡¯re still so young and pretty. I heard you¡¯re from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? You¡¯re going to die in prison. How sad.¡±

    The head of the female prison sighed. She wasmenting over Ning Ziyan¡¯s situation, as well as persuading her to admit her fate.

    While she was about to be killed for her crimes, Xia Yuhang was off to marry another woman! This was all Ning Ziyan could think about. Her head was buzzing so loudly that she felt sick. She clenched her fists. No, she didn¡¯t want this oue. She didn¡¯t want her husband to marry another woman and forget about her. She didn¡¯t want to end up like this, never ever...

    Ning Xueyan sat in a cedar chair in the middle of the room, watching a dazed and unkempt Ning Ziyan being dragged in. Her eyes were serene and cold.

    In the past, they had beaten her bloody to force her to admit that she was having an affair. They knew that it was fake, that it was all a plot to frame her, and yet they continued with such righteousness as if their framing represented justice...

 Chapter 609 - Past Cause, Present Effect

    <strong>Chapter 609 Past Cause, Present Effect</strong>

    The head of the female prison brought Ning Ziyan in and bowed respectfully to Ning Xueyan before leaving.

    Sensing that she had arrived at her destination, Ning Ziyan raised her head and revealed a pair of bloodshot eyes. She stared nkly at Ning Xueyan, who looked noble and calm in her chair. Ning Xueyan was, as always, wearing a in dress with minimal essories. There was only a small embroidery of a moon on her dress, carrying a touch of greenery.

    The dress made Ning Xueyan¡¯s face look as bright and smooth as jade. Her delicate facial features were beginning to reveal what a devastating beauty she would be. She looked a little quiet, a little cold. With unreadable emotion in her ink-ck eyes, she stared at Ning Ziyan without saying anything.

    All of a sudden, Ning Ziyan found those eyes to be very familiar. She muttered to herself subconsciously, ¡°Ning... Ziying!¡±

    The name had been buried in her heart for a long time; she almost thought that she had forgotten about that idiotic woman who dared to reach above her station. How dare that orphan get engaged with an outstanding man like Xia Yuhang! She was the only woman worthy of such a gentle, handsome man.

    Ning Ziying was unworthy.

    ¡°You stole her marriage and killed her. Ning Ziyan, you only have yourself to me for your oue,¡± Ning Xueyan said coldly, with a slight smile.

    ¡°Ning Ziying, you¡¯re here for me. You¡¯ve finallye to find me!¡± Ning Ziyan stared at Ning Xueyan. Unbeknownst to herself, she was shouting. She pointed at Ning Xueyan all of a sudden, seemingly above to rush at her. Lanning, who was standing behind Ning Xueyan, stepped forward and stopped her. Ning Ziyan didn¡¯t have much strength, so she stopped moving forward after being stopped.

    ¡°Ning Ziying, it¡¯s useless toe for me. It¡¯s your fault for being engaged with Brother Yuhang. The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was kind enough to take an orphan like you in, yet you dare to covet Brother Yuhang and want to marry him. You should look into the mirror and see if you¡¯re worthy of him.¡±

    The familiar eyes in front of Ning Ziyan turned into the eyes of a gentle, lovely young woman. The sight of Ning Ziying¡¯s eyes brimming with tears after getting reprimanded gave Ning Ziyan a sense of satisfaction. The more she spoke, the more vicious her words became. It was as if this was the only way she could see the desired submission in those beautiful eyes.

    Ning Ziying should have submitted to her. She was the eldest daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and a youngdy of distinguished status. Ning Ziying was just a vige orphan. She wanted Ning Ziying to die for daring to steal her Brother Yuhang.

    ¡°If you have some wits with you, you¡¯ll give me Brother Yuhang, throw yourself in a river, and die lest you give me and Brother Yuhang trouble.¡±

    The gentle eyes before her turned resentful, with blood spreading over it. There was so much blood that Ning Ziyan felt that even her surroundings had been dyed red. Amid the blood, that beautiful girl copsed on the ground, still stubbornly refusing to lower her head. She went up and kicked her several times in resentment. How dare that slut charge at her and bite her.

    What a slut, indeed. Ning Ziying even smeared her nasty blood on her.

    ¡°Get out of my way, slut. Brother Yuhang doesn¡¯t want you. I¡¯m the one he wants to marry,¡± she shouted.

    ¡°Ning Ziyan, are you insane? Well, this is apt. Xia Yuhang is about to marry his sweet bride, so a demoted wife like you can die now. But don¡¯t drag the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor down before dying.¡± A cold and hostile voice entered Ning Ziyan¡¯s ears while she was muddle-headed, causing her to subconsciously widen her eyes.

    She looked at the lovely pair of cold and ruthless eyes. Those eyes were very beautiful, very familiar, but also very cold. They were not at all the ones in her memory. Suddenly, she recovered her senses and looked at Ning Xueyan in shock. She held onto the wall beside her to stabilize her footing.

    ¡°Ning Ziyan, no one is going to stop you from going mad but listen well if you want to upy the position of Xia Yuhang¡¯s wife.¡± Ning Xueyan looked at Ning Ziyan with a grim expression and a sneer. Ning Ziyan was indeed as selfish and wicked as she thought; not only did Ning Ziyan steal Ning Ziying¡¯s marriage, but she even med Ning Ziying for reaching above her station.

    How can a person be so selfish and wicked? Everything that she had her eye on could only be hers. If others didn¡¯t give in to her, it would be their fault for being inferior and they deserved to die by her hands. Madam Ling¡¯s two daughters were indeed her very own; all three were just as malicious.

    Only they could mistreat others and never the other way around. That was just perfect for Ning Xueyan. This was what she needed at this time.

    ¡°Xia Yuhang is going to marry that slut, Hua Qiuying!¡± Ning Ziyan scolded with gritted teeth. ¡°I¡¯m Xia Yuhang¡¯s official wife, not her! That slut shouldn¡¯t even dream about it.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯ve heard about it. Unfortunately, it doesn¡¯t matter how much you¡¯re against it. Xia Yuhang mighte here very soon to coax you into taking all the me. He¡¯ll say that he¡¯ll try to rescue you. No matter what happens to you, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor doesn¡¯t intend to care. But think carefully, Ning Ziyan. Ning Ziying was the princess of the previous dynasty. You¡¯ll never survive after killing the princess.¡±

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s lips curved into a sneer. She didn¡¯t give Ning Ziyan any opportunity, lest Xia Yuhang should arrive shortly and coax Ning Ziyan into changing her mind with nice-sounding lies. She must let Ning Ziyan know that no one could save her now and extinguish Ning Ziyan¡¯s hope of leaving this ce.

    Ning Ziyan was taken aback but immediately, she shook her head and shouted, ¡°The Great Elder Princess of the previous dynasty? Impossible! Impossible! Ning Ziying was a slut from the countryside! How could she be the Great Elder Princess?¡± She believed that there was still hope for her to get out of prison. After all, Madam Ling was dead and no one could prove her wrongdoing. She could put all the me on her servants or Madam Ling¡¯s servants.

    If someone were to help her out, she stood a good chance of leaving this ce. And although Xia Yuhang wasn¡¯t at the manor when she was arrested, her mother-inw sneaked a message to her, saying that she would help rescue her. Once she was saved, she would still be Xia Yuhang¡¯s wife.

    ¡°I heard the Emperor has been looking everywhere for the Great Elder Princess because she has something very important concerning the previous dynasty. This is very important to His Majesty, so he has been looking for many years. But now, she¡¯s dead by your hands. How could His Majesty spare you after you ruined his ns? Never mind you, even Xia Yuhang wouldn¡¯t be let off easily. That¡¯s why he¡¯s so anxious to get married and find a powerful family-inw,¡± Ning Xueyan said coldly.

    ¡°Do you know why he¡¯d set out a trap for the Hua family? Did you think it¡¯s such a coincidence that he¡¯ll run into Third Young Lady Hua and get discovered in the same bed with her? That he¡¯s forced to take responsibility and marry her? You must know that Second Young Lady Hua was Prince Yi¡¯s fiancee in the past. With such a connection in ce, Prince Yi would never watch Third Young Lady Hua be a widow before even getting married and do nothing.¡±

    Ning Ziyan wouldn¡¯t have believed Ning Xueyan¡¯s words if she hadn¡¯t heard what the head of the female prison said earlier. Ning Xueyan sounded even more believable with her cold tone. Moreover, after marrying Xia Yuhang, she came to realize that he wasn¡¯t such a simple man. It wasn¡¯t out of character for him toy out such a trap.

    Ning Xueyan even mentioned Prince Yi. Everyone knew that Prince Yi stayed a bachelor for many years because of his deep love for his former fiancee, Second Young Lady Hua. It was natural for him to help Xia Yuhang, who was about to marry Third Young Lady Hua. Moreover, he was also the only person who could save someone from the Emperor¡¯s wrath.

    It was within reason for Xia Yuhang to turn around and ask for Prince Yi¡¯s help. Everything was beginning to make sense.

    He was really going to marry another woman. He was really going to get another wife while she died here all by herself. This thought nearly drove her insane.

    ¡°I won¡¯t let him get married! I¡¯m his only wife! Me! No one else is worthy of him!¡± Ning Ziyan screamed, gritting her teeth.

    ¡°That¡¯s what I came here for. I wouldn¡¯t have bothered otherwise. If you take all the me, you¡¯ll die without leaving an intact corpse. Grandmother said that you¡¯ll end up a ghost without a home. Of course, you can forget about Xia Manor iming your body. Did you think Xia Yuhang will let Third Young Lady Hua be the second wife of a widower and make her salute your tablet for the rest of her life? He¡¯ll divorce you.¡±

    Ning Xueyan was warning Ning Ziyan against taking all of the me. If Ning Ziyan dared to do so, she would be implicating the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would then remove her name from their genealogy records and Xia Manor would naturally abandon her. That meant she would die a lonely ghost without even a resting ce, let alone be given a chance to reincarnate.

    Of course, Ning Xueyan¡¯s warning could also be understood as such: if Ning Ziyan med Xia Yuhang, Xia Manor wouldn¡¯t be able to divorce her so easily and she would remain Xia Yuhang¡¯s official wife. Even with her dead, Xia Yuhang¡¯s new wife could only be his second and would forever be suppressed by Ning Ziyan. And the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would still care for her in her death.

    This was the condition that the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor offered. That was indeed what Madam Dowager said when Ning Xueyan sent a messenger to get her opinion.

    If all the me was put on the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, they were as good as done for. Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t care for the title of the Lord Protector before, and even wished that Ning Zu¡¯an was stripped from his title, but the current heir was Ning Huaijing. She had to consider Ning Huaijing¡¯s welfare, and of course, she also wanted to hurt Xia Yuhang.

    That heartless man who harmed her yet pretended to be affection; she would never let him off so easily.

    She would never allow him to push all the me onto Ning Ziyan...

    Ning Ziyan knew that these words came from Madam Dowager, but still, her heart turned cold. She liked Brother Yuhang so much, so she could never let anyone upy her ce. Only she could be Brother Yuhang¡¯s official wife. Even if she died, it could only be her.

    ¡°Go and tell Grandmother that I¡¯m the only one who could be Brother Yuhang¡¯s official wife!¡± Ning Ziyan said, gritting her teeth. Her face looked grim. No matter what Xia Yuhang thinks, she wanted to be tied to him for life. Even if she died, she wanted to upy the position of his official wife. She wouldn¡¯t let go even in her death...

    That was what she deserved. It was also what Xia Yuhang had promised her back then...

 Chapter 610 - Honored Consort Xia Is an Ugly Woman

    Chapter 610 Honored Consort Xia Is an Ugly Woman

    Back home, Ning Xueyan went straight to Ao Chenyi¡¯s Moon-embracing Tower. Although Ao Chenyi was not there, she still went up to the third floor. Reclining on the couch at the window and looking at the sky outside the window, she felt she was empty but couldn¡¯t tell what the feeling was.

    In her previous life, thest scene was a sky stained with blood and the fierce and smug smile of Madam Ling and Ning Ziyan. At that moment, thest moment before her suffocation, she bore great hatred¡ªshe hated the reality that the world was so unfair. And she asked herself why she couldn¡¯t see through the ugly looks of those deceivers but believed them so much that she thought all their intents were kind.

    In the end, these people even wanted to kill her!

    The moment she was reborn, she only wanted to take revenge and let the blood debt paid with blood. She told herself that she would never be as stupid as she was in her previous life, where she believed everyone wholeheartedly and regarded their ¡°wolves¡¯ hearts¡± as sincere hearts.

    ¡°Is it that all will end now! The evil and selfish Ning Ziyan and Xia Yuhang, who plotted against me and is selfish but showed that he was affectionate, will all be left off!

    ¡°In fact, the two of them are a perfect match!

    ¡°The woman would certainly make Xia Yuhang her man and has viciously weeded out all the women that prevented her from bing his woman. Of course, their surplus values must be fully used. No doubt, this was also Xia Yuhang¡¯s own idea; otherwise, he would have plotted against Ning Manor and me in vain.¡±

    As for the so-called painting, she had thought it through now. Xia Yuhang thought that she had a rtionship with another man and they were the people in the painting. But that was not so important for him. In his eyes, the most important reason was: Madam Ling and Ning Ziyan didn¡¯t know that there should be a ¡°butterfly¡± birthmark on her, the Great Elder Princess of the previous dynasty.

    So, they used a random woman¡¯s body and then put her head on the body, forming an erotic painting. In their eyes, it was enough as long as the excuse was founded on something, for they could make a reasonable exnation for their drowning of her in the end. But Xia Yuhang thought that it was the w of Xia Manor¡¯s plot.

    Xia Manor must have found from other channels that she was probably the Great Elder Princess, so they made an engagement with Ning Manor. Otherwise, he would have easily married someone else. As a young man with high status, he was famous in the capital, lots of people there wished to let their daughters marry him. And Ning Ziyan¡¯ster performance had made this clear.

    ¡°But such a man made an engagement with me, and it was a hasty engagement. At that time, Hua Yunheng must have just left, and the discussion with Hua Manor on the marriage affair was on the way. It was an awkward situation. And Hua Manor had a strong wish to break the engagement, so my father was quite angry. Then, when Minster Xia spoke of building a marriage bond, and my father found that Xia Yuhang was quite promising at such a young age, he immediately agreed.

    ¡°That was as a show for Hua Manor to watch: it was not that I couldn¡¯t have a better marriage without Hua Yunheng!

    ¡°Unexpectedly, not only Hua Manor but also Xia Manor made the engagement with me for a purpose. The reason why, in the end, Xia Yuhang watched me drowned in the lotus pond was that he didn¡¯t find the ¡®butterfly¡¯ birthmark on me. Years of scheming was finally proven done for nothing. Instantly, he vented all his fury and great hatred on me.

    ¡°Initially, he might only want to lower my wife¡¯s position to a concubine¡¯s position and would not kill me, but he watched me die in front of him in the end. The main reason is that I made him quite disappointed. All his plots were in vain. All those years, he had taken every step carefully without making any mistakes, or he could almost be sure that I am the princess of the previous dynasty, and he could ¡®sell¡¯ me at a good price.

    ¡°But when he went to go for his final goal, he was told that thedy he had been keeping with a scheme was just a fake one. Of course, Xia Yuhang, a man who is so selfish and self-righteous, couldn¡¯t bear the failure. As for me, the proof of his failure had better disappear from the world.¡±

    Feeling a bit sore in her nose, she barely closed her watery eyes, suppressing the sadness there. ¡°All will be gone soon!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Tired?¡± A man¡¯s slightly cold but quite nice voice came, then the upper half of her body was lifted and put into the hard and familiar arms, and the man¡¯s clear and cold air finally surrounded her.

    ¡°Oh, not very tired!¡± Ning Xueyan saidzily, in a little coquettish manner. She leaned closer against him but didn¡¯t open her eyes. Truly, she was not very tired because it was just a visit to the prison.

    ¡°Anyone bullied you, then? Someone even bullied you! Go! Take me to see who did it!¡± An insidious voice with a bloodthirsty tone sounded, showing that he would go and kill the person if Ning Xueyan gave the name.

    Seeing such arrogance and such insanity and coldness, Ning Xueyan smiled and felt the softness in her heart as if her unspeakable gloominess and bitterness had all gone. ¡°Someone else would mainlyfort me if he met something like this! Who would be so unruly like him to take me to kill someone?¡±

    But it had untied the numerous emotional entanglements she had.

    Her long eyshes were pped. When she looked up again, her watery eyes with ripples had be limpid. In the eyes, there was only the image of the nice and handsome man opposite.

    ¡°If someone bullies me next time, I¡¯ll take you there! But I solved the problem this time!¡± Ning Xueyan skewed her head and nced at him, feeling a little proud.

    ¡°You solved it?¡± Ao Chenyi arched his eyebrows as if he didn¡¯t believe her.

    ¡°I solved it. At least, the problem, Ning Ziyan, was solved. Presumably, she won¡¯t let go of Xia Yuhang.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded prudently, and there seemed to be a rxed smile in her eyes. The worry she had been having after her rebirth seemed to be gone.

    ¡°In fact, you can let me deal with Xia Yuhang.¡± Ao Chenyi kissed her on the forehead in an evilly charming manner and went to the cushion Ning Xueyan had leaned against just now, but he still held her thin waist tightly, so they fell on the couch together.

    She knew that he was sure to guess something. Indeed, she always paid a little too much attention to Xia Yuhang¡¯s affairs. As for her rebirth, that was a secret she couldn¡¯t reveal. Now, she blinked her watery eyes, turned to the side, rested her head in his arms, and held his thin but strong waist with her arms.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell youter, okay?¡±

    These words didn¡¯t seem to refer to anything, but Ao Chenyi surely knew what she meant. Although she couldn¡¯t tell him about her rebirth, she would reveal her current identity to him in the future. Since she was the younger sister of Ning Ziying, it was quite understandable for her to get revenge for her previous self.

    ¡°No problem. Anytime you want. I¡¯ll wait!¡± Ao Chenyi knew what she meant indeed. Rarely, he put a radiant smile on his face and caressed her hair a bit dotingly.

    He, a man who controlled the Imperial Guards, definitely knew that Ning Xueyan paid excessive attention to the affairs of Xia Yuhang of Xia Manor. But his Yan¡¯er had scruples and didn¡¯t want to tell him, so he didn¡¯t mind. At least, she didn¡¯t cheat him and had even said without reservation that she did care about Xia Yuhang¡¯s affairs. Now she was so happy that her thin, long eyes turned misty and smiled.

    With grave sadness, he held the thin and weak woman in his arms, who was light, soft, and always so thin.

    ¡°Did Honored Consort Xia also visit you that day when you were in the imperial pce?¡± Ning Xueyan asked. That day, after she left the pce, Ao Chenyi was then summoned to the pce by the emperor, and Prince Xiang and Prince Fu were also summoned there. That night, they had a long discussion in the study of the emperor. When Ao Chenyi was home, Ning Xueyan had fallen asleep.

    And Ao Chenyi left early this morning, so Ning Xueyan still didn¡¯t know about it now.

    ¡°Yes, she dispatched a pce maid, but I asked someone to throw her to the empress¡¯s ce.¡± Ao Chenyi arched his eyebrows coldly with disgust.

    ¡°The maid of Honored Consort Xia was thrown to the empress¡¯s ce? Although the situation was messy that day, it would cause suspicions if a maid of another pce appeared in the pce of the empress!

    ¡°Honored Consort Xia is a favored consort, but the empress is the mistress of the imperial harem. No matter what, she would not simply allow the maid of another pce to do eavesdropping.

    ¡°This seems wrong! Is it so simple?¡±

    She blinked and looked up at Ao Chenyi in surprise, asking, ¡°You killed her?¡±

    ¡°Well, to a servant sent out to plot against me by a bitch with delusions, I would not show mercy.¡± Ao Chenyi put a smile on his lips, but it was a little cold.

    ¡°He killed the maid and threw her into the empress¡¯s pce. Now the imperial pce is definitely in a great disturbance. And this has connections with the empress and Honored Consort Xia. One is the official wife of the emperor, and the other is the consort who has been favored by the emperor for years. More importantly, the favored consort never shows up in public. But when she meets something like this, will she choose toe out?¡±

    Remembering that Honored Consort Xia was a woman who did things stealthily, tried to remain mysterious, and didn¡¯t want others to see her, Ning Xueyan just felt speechless. ¡°Honored Consort Xia is never a good person.¡±

    ¡°She wanted me to see you were with her, right?¡± Ning Xueyan thought about it and asked while blinking. With a faint smile, she looked at the treacherous but handsome eyes of Ao Chenyi.

    ¡°Not only her. Some others covet the gains ahead but forget the danger behind. An ugly woman who regards herself as wise. Does she really think she is the treasure that everyone wants topete to get?¡±

    ¡°Honored Consort Xia is an ugly woman?¡± Ning Xueyan was speechless. ¡°If Honored Consort Xia is ugly, which woman can say she herself is beautiful?¡± She turned her jade-ck eyes. ¡°Surely, no one is beautiful in his eyes, but it is understandable. He is used to seeing his unparalleled beautiful face in the mirror, so almost everyone is ugly in his view.¡±

    ¡°Of course, you are the most beautiful treasure of mine, Yan¡¯er!¡± he added, when he saw the slightly pouted pinkish lips of Ning Xueyan. Besides, he also kissed her pretty nose.

    Ning Xueyan burst out smiling. At the moment, Ao Chenyi was no longer the bloodthirsty devil. Instead, he was just a young child. After talking, he even behaved a little like someone currying favor. He was like a child wanting to get rewards from the adults after doing something good. Anyway, he looked cute.

    ¡°Was the imperial pce in a great mess today?¡± Ning Xueyan asked curiously. ¡°With that style, Honored Consort Xia doesn¡¯t seem to be willing to see others easily. Then how can this case be investigated? The emperor will investigate it himself? That will be quite interesting. As the emperor of a nation, he doesn¡¯t go to deal with the military and state affairs in the court but worries so much about the trivial matters of the imperial harem. Then, he is so pathetic!¡±

    ¡°Messy, quite messy! I¡¯m going to the imperial pce again in a while. Are you going with me, Yan¡¯er?¡± Ao Chenyi said with a cold smile. At the moment, his eyes turned cold, and his lips looked bloodthirsty with a strong dangerous air.

    Ning Xueyan was not afraid of him. Under the long eyshes, her bright eyes were turned flexibly. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m going with you.¡±

    She had a strong wish to see Senior Nun Jing Kong in the imperial pce.

 Chapter 611 - But Honored Consort Xia Is Timid by Natureâ€¦

    <strong>Chapter 611 But Honored Consort Xia Is Timid by Nature...</strong>

    This time Ning Xueyan apanied Ao Chenyi to the emperor¡¯s study, where there were many people. Not only the emperor but also the empress, Honored Consort Ya, and Honored Consort Shu were there.

    Ning Xueyan went in after Ao Chenyi. Thetter didn¡¯t kowtow to the emperor, and she didn¡¯t do it, either, because her hand had been in Ao Chenyi¡¯s hand. Fortunately, the emperor didn¡¯t seem to have the mood to care about it. On his right side, the empress, Honored Consort Ya, and Honored Consort Shu sat ording to their status.

    Ao Chenyi sat down at his left side, and Ning Xueyan took the seat at the right side of Ao Chenyi. She sat there quietly with her eyelids slightly lowered, looking like a tamed newly married wife.

    ¡°Emperor, Prince Yi is already here. Please let Prince Yi help us with the trial. This case can¡¯t be dyed like this. A normal person died, and we should give an exnation to the others in the pce.¡±

    Now, the empress, Honored Consort Ya, and Honored Consort Shu were in charge of the affairs in the inner pce, so it was normal for the three of them to appear here after this incident happened.

    Honored Consort Ya looked a little pale. Inparison, Honored Consort Shu looked quite fresh and energetic. What happened in the pce didn¡¯t affect her at all. As for Honored Consort Ya, she was like this probably because what happened outside the pce had something to do with Prince Xiang.

    Ning Xueyan nced at the crowd quietly and then kept drooping her eyelids, but her ears were still working.

    ¡°Nonsense! How can we leave it all to Prince Yi? Anyway, this is the affair of the inner pce, and the empress should be the chief judge.¡± The emperor shook his head and vetoed the proposal directly.

    ¡°I¡¯m the chief judge? Your Majesty, the problem is that I haven¡¯t seen Honored Consort Xia yet, so I don¡¯t know how to inquire about it. And I even don¡¯t know whether the maid came out with the order of Honored Consort Xia or not? How can I deal with this matter, Your Majesty?¡± The empress looked a little aggrieved as if she was really helpless.

    ¡°Right, Your Majesty. Sister Xia has note forward to rify, and this is really hard to exin. Now all the other sisters in the pce are saying that there¡¯s no need to investigate because there¡¯s no way to do it!¡±

    Honored Consort Shu supported her with an exnation.

    ¡°Your Majesty, no matter whoes to investigate this case, the empress or Prince Yi, the most important thing is that Sister Xia cane out to testify and say a few words, making everyone know where the maid was going and what she wanted to do. Only in this way can we continue the investigation. Many people know about the matter that happened that day, and they all say that those who wille to live in the pce in the future should be really careful.¡±

    Honored Consort Ya looked up, frowned, and spoke worriedly. Rarely, the three of them had one voice: they wanted Honored Consort Xia toe forward and make it clear. These words were not offensive. Anyway, the speaker was not saying that Honored Consort Xia was the murderer, but that she should be summoned and asked. However, Honored Consort Xia was mysterious. Then, the small matter had be the focus of the entire imperial pce and made the three women in the pce stand on the same side.

    ¡°Your Majesty, your attitude is...¡± Finally, the case came back to the empress¡¯s hands.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask someone to go to Honored Consort Xia¡¯s pce in a while and bring her senior maid. If you have anything to ask, just ask her. As the senior maid of Honored Consort Xia, she knows everything about Honored Consort Xia¡¯s affairs. It should be her who sent the maid, so it¡¯s better to ask her.¡±

    The emperor frowned. He didn¡¯t want to do the investigation ording to this proposal, so he denied it directly.

    ¡°Your Majesty, but...¡± The empress still wanted to say something, but she was interrupted impatiently by the Emperor. ¡°Let¡¯s handle it like this. Empress, you don¡¯t have to be so anxious. It¡¯s just the murder of a pce maid. Maybe it¡¯s an assassin from the outside who identally met her and killed her when he came in. From now on, people in all the pces should be more careful.¡±

    The emperor¡¯s look showed that he didn¡¯t want the empress and her twopanions to continue demanding it.

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Although her expression was stiff, the empress nodded. As for Honored Consort Ya and Honored Consort Shu, they lowered their heads at the same time. The atmosphere in the room was a little still. The emperor¡¯s downying of Honored Consort Xia¡¯s matter had made thesedies in power unhappy.

    ¡°Your Majesty, in fact, this is not difficult. Although Honored Consort Xia doesn¡¯t want to see others, it should be fine for the empress to summon and ask her alone. No matter how you dote on Honored Consort Xia, it¡¯s understandable. But now something has happened, and she has to make an exnation in front of the empress. Otherwise, how could you let the empress convince the public?¡± Ao Chenyi smiled and said.

    Surely, it was the emperor¡¯s business no matter how he doted on Honored Consort Xia. Since she was unwell, she could choose not to attend any pce banquet. That was no problem. But now the problem was that something had happened, and she had toe out. With the empress being the investigator, Honored Consort Xia had to give her face no matter how unwilling toe out she was. Anyway, it was the empress who ruled the imperial harem and was the official wife of the emperor.

    Ao Chenyi¡¯s words were reasonable, and things that happened in the pce were never trivial matters. More importantly, if a pce maid could be assassinated now, an imperial concubine or the empress could be assassinated in the future. After that, the assassin might go straight to the bed of the emperor. No matter how the matter was viewed, it was not trivial, and it was not so unimportant as the emperor hinted.

    ¡°But Honored Consort Xia is timid by nature...¡± The emperor frowned. But this was what Ao Chenyi said, so he had to make a reply.

    ¡°So what, brother? Are you afraid that the empress will be unfair to Honored Consort Xia?¡± Ao Chenyi saidzily as he looked at the emperor.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Your Majesty. I¡¯ll be a fair judge. If you don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be just if I handle it alone, you can let Sister Honored Consort Ya and Sister Honored Consort Shu be the jury,¡± the empress said resolutely. This was a big issue about her justice as the head of the imperial harem, so she should never be careless.

    Since she had no son, she had a more urgent need to set up a just image in front of the public.

    ¡°We are willing to do it with the empress,¡± Honored Consort Ya and Honored Consort Shu said in unison. Now they stood on the side of the empress unhesitatingly,pletely different from their usual style ofpeting with one another, both openly and secretly. It was not that they had given up theirpetition, but that they had sensed the threat from Honored Consort Xia. At this time, the emperor was still protecting her. Then, it was clear how much Honored Consort Xia was favored.

    If Honored Consort Xia spoke something to the emperor on the bed during their sleep, it was sure to cause a great disturbance.

    They both had sons. Previously, they didn¡¯t care whether Honored Consort Xia was favored or not. Anyway, they had sons and didn¡¯t believe a favored consort without a son could do anything. At most, the emperor would care more about her. The so-called care was that he visited her two or three times a month only, but people in the pce thought that she had been a favored consort. The main reason was that it had been so every month since hering to the pce.

    The duration of each stay was not the point, and the point was that the emperor had been visiting there all these years. In a certain period, a few consorts had enjoyed more favor than Honored Consort Xia had, but thetter had been treated like that all these years. This was the real enduring favor.

    The empress and the consorts could bear all these things. Now, the most unbearable thing was that for Honored Consort Xia¡¯s good, the emperor even understated the seriousness of such an assassination, which made the three of them feel dangerous. Did it mean that the emperor would not deal with Honored Consort Xia if she assassinated them but failed?

    Therefore, they spoke with one voice to deal with Honored Consort Xia first.

    After hearing these words, the emperor couldn¡¯t say anything else. He shook his sleeve and said, ¡°Then I agree. Since you all want to ask Honored Consort Xia directly, I¡¯ll let her go to the empress¡¯s pce shortly, but fewer other people should be allowed to stay in the empress¡¯s pce. Honored Consort Xia is timid and has poor health!¡± After all, this was a matter of the inner pce. In theory, the empress could handle such a thing directly, and there was no need to report to him.

    ¡°Honored Consort Xia is timid, but why is she in poor health?¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s bright eyes moved under her long eyshes. She didn¡¯t think that Honored Consort Xia was timid. ¡°How could she be timid? Although Honored Consort Xia talks gently, she doesn¡¯t seem to be in poor health. At least, she looks much healthier than me. The emperor really favors her so much that he has almost confronted the empress, Honored Consort Ya, and Honored Consort Shu!¡±

    Inexplicably, she seemed to feel that something was wrong, and she pped her long eyshes twice. ¡°Anyway, I feel this is so strange, but I can¡¯t figure it out at the moment. The emperor seems to be too nice to Honored Consort Xia. Has it reached the degree that he can even ignore his safety?¡±

    Now that the matter was settled, the empress, Honored Consort Ya, and Honored Consort Shu stood up and said, ¡°We¡¯re leaving!¡±

    ¡°You can leave!¡± the emperor said indifferently.

    ¡°Prince Yi¡¯s princess,e with us to my pce, will you?¡± the empress said politely to Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Empress, you just go yourself. You still have something to do in your ce. What does Prince Yi¡¯s princess go there for?¡± The emperor became stern and nced at her coldly. ¡°Empress, you don¡¯t have to worry about Prince Yi¡¯s princess!¡±

    He said these words even with a little anger. The empress was puzzled. She looked at the emperor first and then at Ao Chenyi sitting nearby. Seeing his treacherous, cold, and unfathomable eyes, she lowered her head involuntarily and didn¡¯t dare to say anything anymore, but left respectfully.

    The empress still remembered that the imperial concubine, who was to be executed by Ao Chenyi back then, begged her and the emperor, but Ao Chenyi ordered people to beat her in front of the emperor and her. She saw the twisted smile on the emperor¡¯s face, but the emperor couldn¡¯t do anything about him. Then, he even had to shout, ¡°Good beating! Good killing!¡±

    That was a show for all the concubines: anyone who dared to disrespect Prince Yi would end up that way.

    So, everyone in the pce, including the empress, was quite afraid of Ao Chenyi. No one dared to put on airs in front of him. This could be proven by one thing. Previously, Ning Xueyan was poisoned in the pce of the empress, but when the one who poisoned her heard that Ao Chenyi wasing, she rescued her hurriedly.

    When the empress and the two consorts had left, Ao Chenyi said with a small smile, ¡°Emperor, it¡¯s boring for Yan¡¯er to sit here. She likes quietness by nature, so let her go to the Small Jing¡¯an Temple and worship the Buddha. I¡¯ll tell you about the case of Xia Manor further.¡± The emperor didn¡¯t want Ning Xueyan to go to the hearing with the empress and herpanions, and he didn¡¯t want her to get involved in this matter.

    ¡°Okay. Someone, take Princess Yi to the Small Jing¡¯an Temple.¡± As long as Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t go with the empress, the emperor didn¡¯t think there was anything wrong to go to the Small Jing¡¯an Temple. He looked at Ning Xueyan, but he couldn¡¯t see anything dangerous in her, because she had been sitting there quietly in a tamed manner and at first sight, he could conclude that she knew how to behave herself.

    The emperor thought, ¡°Maybe she will make me more relieved than Xianyun in serving as Princess Yi! It is much easier to deal with such a weak Princess Yi than handling the ambitious Xianyun.¡±

 Chapter 612 - Small Jingâ€™an Temple; Who Are You?

    <h4>Chapter 612 Small Jing¡¯an Temple; Who Are You?</h4>

    The Small Jing¡¯an Temple was as quiet and peaceful as ever. Tucked behind trees, the out-of-view prayer hall seemed even more serene.

    Ning Xueyan lit three incense sticks in front of the Buddha statue and knelt on a prayer mat. She put her palms together in prayer and closed her eyes.

    Lanning stepped out of the hall.

    ¡°Princess Yi!¡± The sound of the door opening shattered the serenity of the prayer hall. Then came the sound of someone entering the hall and addressing Ning Xueyan in a soft voice.

    When Ning Xueyan opened her eyes, she saw Senior Nun Jing Kong standing in front of her with a kind smile.

    Still kneeling, she put on a nonchnt smile. ¡°Senior Nun Jing Kong!¡±

    Senior Nun Jing Kong nodded. After respectfully saluting the statue of Buddha, she settled down on a prayer mat beside Ning Xueyan. She looked at her without wavering. ¡°Princess Yi, have youe here for me?¡±

    Her expression was amiable as if she expected no other answer from Ning Xueyan. The mirth in her gentle gaze could easily elicit the feeling of intimacy from another. She seemedpletely different from how she looked in front of Honored Consort Xia before.

    Ning Xueyan nodded. After a brief pause, she asked, ¡°Senior Nun, do you know who I am?¡±

    Instead of replying, Senior Nun Jing Kong asked, ¡°Have you found out who you are, Princess Yi?¡±

    This time, Ning Xueyan nodded as a reply.

    ¡°Since you have found out who you are, you should also understand why I told you about Ning Ziying¡¯s origins. I only told you because I knew you have found out about it.¡± Senior Nun Jing Kong sighed. She looked at the empty ground outside, fleeting grief crossing her eyes.

    When Ning Xueyan came here to ask about Ning Ziying¡¯s origins in the past, Senior Nun Jing Kong gave her very little trouble and answered nearly every question she had about Ning Ziying¡¯s life. This was at a time where everyone in the country was looking for the former Grand Elder Princess, who possessed the military medallion and treasures of the previous dynasty. Even the Emperor was desperate to find her.

    However, after Ning Ziying was discovered, she was ced in the capital for three years without anyone ever realizing it. This was an enormous secret and yet, Senior Nun Jing Kong honestly answered every one of Ning Xueyan¡¯s questions. This was strange¡ªunless she thought Ning Xueyan was trustworthy.

    And the reason for this trust was her identity as Ning Ziying¡¯s biological sister and daughter of the former Empress, the other princess.

    This meant that Senior Nun Jing Kong not only knew about Ning Ziying¡¯s identity, but she was also aware of Ning Xueyan¡¯s origins.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Ning Xueyan raised her head and sized up the nun in front of her quietly. The nun¡¯s face was unremarkable but it gave off a feeling of peacefulness.

    ¡°I once served the previous dynasty as a pce maid. I was one of the people who escaped the pce with the Empress, but I eventually left her and entered a monastery.¡± Senior Nun Jing Kong¡¯s reluctance to discuss this was apparent. ¡°Let the past stay in the past. You¡¯re Princess Yi now.¡±

    ¡°Was Honored Consort Xia an imperial consort from the previous dynasty?¡± Ning Xueyan changed the topics. This was what Heng Yuqing had told her, and also what other people were saying.

    ¡°She was selected as a consort candidate but she never slept with the Emperor. The Emperor treated the Empress very well, so the triennial draft of new consorts was never held during his reign. The so-called consort candidates were the doing of ministers forcefully sending their daughters to the harem. They imed that they would rather have their daughters serve the Empress, than have the harem look empty.¡±

    Senior Nun Jing Kong replied in a low voice.

    Those ministers would rather send their daughters¡ªyoungdies of aristocracy¡ªinto the harem as pce maids serving the Empress than have the harem look empty. This made Ning Xueyan sneer. What a perfectly irrefutable excuse. They made it seem like they were being considerate to the Emperor and Empress when they were merely greedy for wealth. Only shameless, immoral people could bring themselves to say such things.

    What did they mean, the harem looking empty? Did they forget about the pce maids in the harem that they had to send aristocratic youngdies who didn¡¯t know how to serve anyone to the pce? Their intention was as clear as day. Sure enough, Honored Consort Xia¡¯s origin wasn¡¯t so simple. Even so, Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t think this was the reason why Honored Consort Xia was able to stay in the pce for so long.

    After hearing about Honored Consort Xia¡¯s origin, she was certain that a woman like her wouldn¡¯t be satisfied with being a mysterious favored consort who couldn¡¯t unt herself in front of everyone.

    The changing of dynasties often saw virgin consort candidates bing imperial consorts of the new Emperor. The ministers wouldn¡¯t be concerned, for many of them would also be aristocrats of the new dynasty. Neither of their pasts was clean, so they didn¡¯t care whether each other came from.

    Everything could be exined away as history.

    ¡°Honored Consort Xia keeps to herself in the pce, but she¡¯ll summon me now and then. She¡¯ll take me to the former Empress¡¯ burnt pce and even weep in front of it,¡± Senior Nun Jing Kong said.

    ¡°She weeps in front of the former Empress¡¯ burnt pce?¡± Recalling the weeping she heard back at the drafting of new consorts, a strange look appeared on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face. Honored Consort Xia didn¡¯t seem to be close to the former Empress. Considering what she entered the manor for, she couldn¡¯t have had a good rtionship with the former Empress.

    ¡°Everyone in the pce says that Honored Consort Xia is a nostalgic and gentle person who would pay her respects to the former Empress, whom she doesn¡¯t even know. She would also make herself look pious by summoning me to discuss Buddha¡¯s teachings with her.¡± Senior Nun Jing Kong sneered. ¡°Even if barely anyone in the pce has seen her, they have nothing but praise for her.¡±

    She was angling for fame! Ning Xueyan was sure that Honored Consort Xia was trying to establish a good reputation for herself.

    To think that a mysterious imperial consort, seemingly untouched by worldly affairs, would seek fame for so many years! She seemed to have grand ambitions. Perhaps this was why the Empress, Honored Consort Ya, and Honored Consort Shu worked together to force her out of the shadows this time. Such an ambitious and tricky imperial consort would threaten everyone in the harem.

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t chat with Senior Nun Jing Kong for very long. Thetter respectfully stepped out of the hall through the side door after giving her several pointers. Though Ning Xueyan still had questions, the nun shook her head at her with a smile. Still, when Senior Nun Jing Kong reached the side door, she warned Ning Xueyan, ¡°Be careful of Honored Consort Xia.¡±

    She left it at that.

    Be careful of Honored Consort Xia? The warning was clear even in Senior Nun Jing Kong¡¯s words and yet she still chose to voice it at the end. Ning Xueyan was grateful to her. To her, Senior Nun Jing Kong was a trustworthy person. Had Senior Nun Jing Kong revealed the origin of her and Ning Ziying, they would have been discovered a long time ago.

    Yet, Senior Nun Jing Kong didn¡¯t say anything. This proved that she was an aide of the former Empress, an aide worthy of trust at that. That was why she not only knew about Ning Ziying¡¯s existence but Ning Xueyan¡¯s existence as well.

    Ning Xueyan walked slowly along the path paved with cobblestones outside the hall, her brows knitted. When she reached a crossroad, she stopped. To her surprise, Ao Mingyu was walking toward her from the other path.

    Why would he show up at the pce at this time?

    ¡°Why are you here, Princess Yi?¡± Ao Mingyu seemed surprised to see her here as well. He stopped walking in astonishment before walking toward her again, a strange gleam crossing his eyes.

    Ning Xueyan turned her body sideways to salute him before replying, ¡°I just finished offering my prayers at Small Jing¡¯an Temple.¡± She moved out of his way. ¡°Are you going to Small Jing¡¯an Temple as well, Your Highness?¡±

    Small Jing¡¯an Temple was the only ce that this path led to. Even though she didn¡¯t think a man like Ao Mingyu would pray at Small Jing¡¯an Temple in the pce, she still gave way politely.

    ¡°I was on my way to Small Jing¡¯an Temple. Since you came out from there, you must have seen Shan¡¯er. When we entered the pce earlier, she said she wanted to offer her prayers here. I told her toe here first.¡±

    Ao Mingyu¡¯s gentle gaze fell on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face. Like always, she was dressed simply but elegantly. This simplicity would have looked in on other women but lent an otherworldly air to her instead. Her thin and weak body had fleshed out after bouts of recuperation and looked slender and beautiful. Coupled with her slight coldness, she appeared quiet and aloof.

    Her small face was as fair as jade, and her facial features were beautifully delicate. Under her long, jet-ckshes, her eyes were positively gleaming. To Ao Mingyu, no part of her wasn¡¯t beautiful and attractive. The desire that he could never control burned in his pupils. Compared to Ning Xueyan, theme Ning Qingshan not only incurred his resentment but disgust as well.

    Before he knew it, he was already leaning toward Ning Xueyan.

    Ning Xueyan blinked, having not expected him to do so. She took a step backward and said, with absolute politeness, ¡°Your Highness, I didn¡¯t see Third Sister inside. I don¡¯t think she¡¯s here yet. Maybe she went the wrong way. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can take a look inside yourself.¡±

    She didn¡¯t notice anyone in the Small Jing¡¯an Temple earlier, but even if someone was eavesdropping on them, Senior Nun Jing Kong¡¯s voice was quiet. They didn¡¯t say anything concrete either; at most, they were just gossiping about Honored Consort Xia. Besides, she didn¡¯t think Ning Qingshan would have the luxury of mind to enter the pce at this time.

    ¡°That¡¯s possible. Do you know where she could have gone, Princess Yi? I¡¯m not familiar with the area around Small Jing¡¯an Temple. Why don¡¯t you take me around and find Shan¡¯er?¡± Ao Mingyu suggested, smiling.

    ¡°I won¡¯t be able to go with you, Your Highness. Prince Yi told me to wait for him outside the imperial study. I¡¯m afraid he¡¯ll punish me if I make him wait.¡± Ning Xueyan was smiling too, but her smile was very cold. She shook her head and took another two steps back, leaving the path wide open for Ao Mingyu.

    Ao Mingyu seemed not to notice Ning Xueyan¡¯s coldness. He looked at her with a frown. Just as a trace of gentleness crossed his eyes, he gently asked, ¡°Does... Does he punish you often?¡±

    Ning Xueyan was so taken aback that she nearlyughed out loud. Did Ao Mingyu truly not know or was he ying the fool? How could a prince ask such a thing? If anyone heard him, they would have thought something fishy was going on between them. Besides, she didn¡¯t think they were close enough for him to ask something so personal.

    Why was he refusing to let her leave? What was he up to?!

 Chapter 613 - An Ardent Obsession; Take Her Away

    <strong>Chapter 613 An Ardent Obsession; Take Her Away</strong>

    Ning Xueyan looked at him coldly, her brows knitted into a frown, and said unhappily, ¡°Your Highness, I should be leaving.¡±

    ¡°Yan¡¯er, if he treats you so poorly, you cane to me. I¡¯ll protect you!¡± Ao Mingyu seemed determined to express all of his feelings. He even ignored Ning Xueyan¡¯s displeasure and reached out to grab her hand with the look of a man who couldn¡¯t control his emotions anymore. Excitement flitted across his pupils.

    ¡°I can treat you better than he can. I would never let you spend your wedding night alone nor would I let those lowly concubines bully you. I wouldn¡¯t let you return to your home all by yourself. I¡¯ll dote on you, I¡¯ll make you the happiest woman in the world!¡±

    Ao Mingyu looked at Ning Xueyan with desire burning in his eyes. The more he spoke, the more touched he was. He didn¡¯t think that he, a prince, would have such deep feelings for a woman. He didn¡¯t care that she was a married woman. He could even promise her that he would make her the happiest woman in the world. No woman would be immune to such a promise.

    He was determined to win over the woman in front of him!

    He came here for Ning Xueyan. Ning Qingshan was just an excuse. Ning Qingshan was busy looking for someone at the moment, and he had also given her the leeway to do so. If Ning Qingshan proved herself to be useful, he didn¡¯t mind giving her a higher position. That way, he could also pacify his maternal grandfather and mother.

    Ning Qingshan would just be another woman in his backyard. It made no difference to him.

    Xia Yuhang wanted to meet Ning Ziyan in the prison, so after their discussion, he visited the pce to snoop around. When he arrived at the imperial study, a eunuch told him that Prince Yi was inside but Ning Xueyan was at the Small Jing¡¯an Temple. Before he knew it, he was already walking toward the temple.

    Ever since Ning Xueyan married Ao Chenyi, he hadn¡¯t seen much of her. Even if he did see her, it was a fleeting glimpse of her from a distance. He couldn¡¯t tell what this made him feel.

    Even so, he had the sudden urge to see her. While Ao Chenyi was still in the imperial study, he changed directions and headed for the Small Jing¡¯an Temple. Sure enough, he happened to catch her just as she was leaving and stopped her.

    Ning Xueyan was livid. She looked at Ao Mingyu, who must have thought his gaze was affectionate, and felt so angry that she nearly pped him. She wanted him to sober up. Who did he think he was? He wouldn¡¯t let her spend her wedding night alone? He would make her the happiest woman in the world? He made it sound as if these words came from the bottom of his heart.

    The reality was, there was nothing between them. What right did he have to say such things to her?

    ¡°Your Highness, why would you say that to me? I¡¯m your imperial aunt now, your uncle¡¯s wife. Don¡¯t you think you are overstepping your authority?¡±

    Unable to maintain her smile, Ning Xueyan looked at him even more coldly.

    ¡°Are you afraid that he¡¯d find out? It¡¯s all right. I¡¯ll have someone take you away in a while. Since you¡¯ll be going missing in the pce, he won¡¯t pin it on me. Besides, he doesn¡¯t care for you. Who cares if he can¡¯t find you? Stay with me from now on. I¡¯ll take good care of you. I won¡¯t ever let anyone bully you. No one can.¡±

    Ao Mingyu said, his voice deep with emotion.

    Perhaps, any other woman who heard this would be very touched, but this was Ning Xueyan. She looked at him icily, her gaze menacingly cold. Lanning stepped forward, putting herself in between Ning Xueyan and Ao Mingyu.

    ¡°Your Highness, I don¡¯t care what you¡¯re up to. I just want you to know that our Prince will be here very soon. Do you think you can let him see you like this?¡±

    These words were ice-cold. Ning Xueyan¡¯s face was without any smile as she looked at Ao Mingyu coldly. It was obvious that she wasn¡¯t at all moved by his words.

    Ao Mingyu looked at her in disbelief. How could she not be touched at all? It was always the women who chased him around, never the other way around. They loved his noble identity, gentleman¡¯s demeanor, handsome face. Coupled with his emotional speech, any other woman would have been so moved that they would look at him bashfully.

    But why was Ning Xueyan reacting like this? Never mind being moved, she was even looking at him so coldly. Feeling like he was mocked, his face flushed with color. He felt resentful, and a trace of anger crossed his eyes.

    No woman had ever rejected him and yet she did, and repeatedly at that. Their past affair was no more than several ambiguous exchanges between their elders, where her opinion was insignificant. He could have forgiven that, but not this time. Not only did she not respond to his emotional words, but she even showed such an expression. Ao Mingyu was furious.

    ¡°Yan¡¯er, you must be terrified of Ao Chenyi! You don¡¯t have to be. I¡¯ll take you away now,¡± he said, reaching out to grab Ning Xueyan.

    Lanning stepped forward and blocked Ao Chenyi¡¯s outreached hand. She red at him. ¡°Prince Xiang, please show some respect!¡±

    ¡°Get out of my way!¡± A furious Ao Mingyu flung Lanning away. Unlike Xinmei, Lanning wasn¡¯t a martial artist and was no match for him. She was knocked so hard into a nearby tree trunk that she fainted.

    ¡°Lanning!¡± Ning Xueyan was shocked. She immediately turned around to run toward her maid. She never expected Ao Mingyu to be so mad as to do such a thing.

    ¡°Yan¡¯er,e with me...¡± Ao Mingyu reached out to grab Ning Xueyan again, his gaze looking sharp. He wanted this woman, desperately so. In the beginning, he thought he wouldn¡¯t miss this woman so much after she married Ao Chenyi. He thought that he would make her kneel and beg him in the future.

    Yet, looking at her apathetic expression, he felt hurt. All he wanted now was to take her away and hide her somewhere, never letting Ao Chenyi find her again. He even thought that it was worth confronting Ao Chenyi for her sake. Of course, knowing how little Ao Chenyi cared for her, he would at most investigate her disappearance and leave it at that.

    Perhaps, Ao Chenyi would use this incident to threaten the Emperor into making concessions. He could endure this.

    At this moment, he was obsessed with taking her away. He wanted to take her with him, take this woman away, make her into his...

    Suddenly, a tranquil voice rang out, shattering the tension like a morning bell. ¡°Your Highness, what, what is going on?¡± The voice prompted the madness in Ao Mingyu¡¯s eyes to fade and he sobered up instantly. This was the pce, not his manor. There might be people somewhere who saw him with Ning Xueyan.

    Besides, even if Ao Chenyi didn¡¯t care for Ning Xueyan, he would never let someone kidnap his princess without doing anything. This was a matter of his reputation, and he might very well cause a bloody feud. No one knew what would happen if Ao Chenyi was infuriated; he was never one to y by the rules.

    He would not be able to counterattack Ao Chenyi if thetter targeted him. Their fight might even benefit Ao Mingwan in the end.

    He gradually calmed down as he weighed these consequences, but his expression sank when he looked at the grey-robed nun at the mouth of the path.

    ¡°Your maid has some nerve to disrespect me! Please discipline her properly when you return, Princess Yi.¡±

    He was addressing Ning Xueyan. Of course, he was also trying to exin why he pushed Lanning so hard that she fainted. With that said, he turned around and left with his servant.

    Once he left, Ning Xueyan ran up to Lanning and helped her up. ¡°Lanning! Lanning!¡± she cried, panicked.

    ¡°Let me have a look at her.¡± Senior Nun Jing Kong walked over to them and squatted down. She grabbed Lanning¡¯s hand and felt her pulse.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so worried, Your Highness. She lost consciousness, that¡¯s all. She¡¯ll be better when she wakes up and gets some rest,¡± Senior Nun Jing Kong said, pinching Lanning¡¯s philtrum with force.

    A couple of pinchester, Lanning gradually regained consciousness.

    ¡°Lanning, how do you feel?¡± Ning Xueyan asked impatiently. Lanning was her most capable maid, and also one who had apanied her throughout two lifetimes. Her feelings for her were different from other maids. She took Lanning with her to the pce, thinking there wouldn¡¯t be any danger, and left Xinmei to run another errand outside.

    She never thought she would run into Ao Mingyu in such a remote ce in the pce or that Ao Mingyu would behave like a deranged man. He dared to do something like this in the pce.

    ¡°Master, I¡¯m fine. Is Prince Xiang gone yet?¡± Lanning got back to her feet with Senior Nun Jing Kong¡¯s help and rubbed her head. Even though she was dizzy, her body wasn¡¯t hurt anywhere else. When she looked around and didn¡¯t see Ao Mingyu, she felt relieved.

    ¡°He¡¯s gone. Fortunately, Senior Nun showed up. Thank you!¡± Ning Xueyan turned around and saluted Senior Nun Jing Kong with a nod.

    Senior Nun Jing Kong nodded. ¡°It¡¯s no problem. You should get back, Your Highness. Small Jing¡¯an Temple is remote, so hardly anyone everes.¡±

    Ning Xueyan nodded, knowing that Senior Nun Jing Kong was warning her not to stay here for long. She helped Lanning up and together, they made their way back. Even though she didn¡¯t know why Ao Mingyu was acting so deranged, he must have sobered up by now and was unlikely to repeat his behavior.

    As expected, their journey back was smooth. When Ning Xueyan was about to reach the Emperor¡¯s pce, she ran into Ao Chenyi, who was on his way to meet her. He stopped walking when he saw a pale-faced Ning Xueyan supporting an even paler Lanning, his expression dark.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°We ran into Prince Xiang.¡± Naturally, Ning Xueyan knew what to say and what not to say in the pce.

    ¡°Did he hit Lanning?¡± Ao Chenyi narrowed his beautiful eyes, his pupils a pool of sinister coldness.

    Handing Lanning to Eunuch Zhu, Ning Xueyan walked over to Ao Chenyi and tugged at his sleeve. ¡°He wants to grab me, so Lanning stopped him,¡± she exined in a low voice.

    A murderous glint shed in Ao Chenyi¡¯s cold eyes. His sudden smirk was enough to cause a chill to run down one¡¯s spine. The slight mirth on his face was bright, yet cold.

    He turned around, wanting to return to the Emperor¡¯s pce.

    An anxious Ning Xueyan immediately threw herself at him, not caring that she was in front of others, and hugged his waist. ¡°He didn¡¯t touch me. Senior Nun Jing Kong showed up and he left after seeing someone else.¡±

    Sensing him struggling to get out of her hold, she held tightly onto his clothes. This was the pce and everywhere were the eyes and ears of the Emperor. If Ao Chenyi did anything that the Emperor could take advantage of, thetter would surely not let him off easily. The Emperor hadn¡¯t been able to do anything to Ao Chenyi all these years, simply because Ao Chenyi was able to make use of his opportunities.

 Chapter 614 - Basking in Glory with Yanâ€™er

    <h4>Chapter 614 Basking in Glory with Yan¡¯er</h4>

    Sinister coldness flickered in Ao Chenyi¡¯s beautiful eyes. The moment he saw the trace of sweat on Ning Xueyan¡¯s forehead, he knew that she was worried. He paused, turned around, and gently patted her shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t go to him directly. I do have business with His Majesty now, so let me get someone to send you home.¡±

    That said, he looked at Eunuch Zhu, who was still supporting Lanning.

    Lanning was putting up a strong front despite being in a bad condition. Her face was pale. Ning Xueyan knew she must get a physician to examine her as quickly as possible. Since she had achieved her goal of entering the pce to visit Senior Nun Jing Kong, it was time for her to leave.

    Still, she was worried. Ao Chenyi was used to getting his way and wasn¡¯t the kind who would suffer losses in silence.

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to beat Ao Mingyu up, are you?¡± she asked, her glistening eyes turning around.

    ¡°Rx. I won¡¯t look for him, and neither would I scold him.¡± Ao Chenyi let out an enchantingugh as an unfathomable, strange light gleamed in his long and narrow eyes. He didn¡¯t look angry anymore but his iciness had be worse. His handsome face, close enough that she could touch it, appeared demonic.

    He... He didn¡¯t seem like he would just chat nicely with Ao Mingyu!

    ¡°Off you go. Look at Lanning. If you dy any longer, you can forget about walking out of here with your legs.¡± Ao Chenyi turned the woman in his embrace around, somewhat impatiently, so that she was facing Lanning.

    Lanning forced a smile after seeing Ning Xueyan looking at her and put down the hand that she was pressing against her chest.

    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll leave the pce first. Chenyi, you can do whatever you want but please be careful. Remember; if you¡¯re so careless as to lose your life, I won¡¯t be able to maintain the position of Princess Yi.¡± Ning Xueyan turned her head to look at Ao Chenyi. Her glistening eyes seemed zed over but her expression was stern.

    Since she said she wouldn¡¯t be able to maintain the position of Princess Yi, that meant she wouldn¡¯t remain a widow for him. She would marry someone new!

    Ao Chenyi was initially stunned but a fire soon burned behind his pupils. ¡°Yan¡¯er, can you tell me something nice?¡±

    Although he knew he was fine, he couldn¡¯t help being angry at her words. They made him feel deeply unhappy.

    Ning Xueyan gave him a small push sulkily. She was frowning as she solemnly said, ¡°I don¡¯t care. In any case, you have to stay safe. If anything happens to you, don¡¯t even hope that I¡¯ll stay a widow for you. I¡¯ll find a new husband right away.¡±

    Such words were direct defiance of the teachings of aristocraticdies. Never mind aristocraticdies, even daughters of ordinary families would be repeatedly warned before marriage that they should prioritize their husband above all in their life. They would never say such improper words.

    His Yan¡¯er was, like a cat, throwing a tantrum and baring her sharp teeth. She even dared to threaten him! And yet, this made his heart all soft. He reached out and rubbed her hand gently as if he was caressing his dearest treasure.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll stay alive. I still want to bask in a lifetime of glory with you, Yan¡¯er.¡± Ao Chenyi looked down and used hisnky finger to gently tuck in a strand of her stray hair.

    His Yan¡¯er appeared delicate, but she was never truly weak. When he first gained an interest in her, it was her stubbornness, sharpness, and decisiveness that attracted him. This also turned her into his greatest worry. His life only feltplete and satisfactory with her.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be off then.¡± Ning Xueyan rxed after hearing his calm breathing and getting his promise. It might seem like she was looking forward to the glory that he promised, but his words were his show of sincerity. He made her feel loved. A small smile appeared on her face as she nodded and turned around obediently without another word. Lanning was in such a poor condition that they couldn¡¯t afford any dy.

    Eunuch Zhu had to stay beside Ao Chenyi, so thetter sent two other eunuchs to help Lanning out of the pce. He stared until Ning Xueyan was gone before turning around and walking gracefully into the pce. His little wild cat was too worried about him; when was he ever a reckless person?

    He had nothing but ways to deal with Ao Mingyu.

    As soon as Ning Xueyan reached the manor, she summoned the imperial physician. The physician examined Lanning and concluded that although her injuries weren¡¯t severe, she had mild internal injuries and needed a period of rest. Lanning couldn¡¯t do any heavy lifting during that time. It wasn¡¯t until hearing the physician¡¯s diagnosis that Ning Xueyan finally let out a relieved sigh. On their way back to the manor earlier, Lanning even coughed up blood.

    Ning Xueyan asked Mother Han and Mother Wang to set up a bed so that Lanning could recuperate in her house. She also ordered a young maid to prepare the medicinal soup for Lanning. She was so busy that she didn¡¯t even have the time to nap.

    Even so, she was so worried about Lanning that she didn¡¯t feel drowsy. By the time they finished dealing with Lanning¡¯s injury, her usual napping time had passed and she didn¡¯t feel like sleeping anymore.

    ¡°Your Highness, a messenger from Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor came. He said that your third sister has sent you a letter.¡± Mother Ruan brought in a letter for her.

    Ning Qingshan¡¯s letter? Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t think there was any business between them after the incidentst time. She frowned and said nonchntly, ¡°Qingyu, take the letter and help me thank Mother Ruan.¡±

    Qingyu stepped forward politely, took the letter from Mother Ruan¡¯s hands, and put it aside casually. Everyone in the Bright Frost Garden didn¡¯t like Ning Qingshan. The thought of such a young girl poisoning her adopted mother gave Qingyu and the rest the shivers.

    ¡°Anything else, Mother Ruan?¡± Ning Xueyan asked, smiling when she saw Mother Ruan not leaving after handing Qingyu the letter.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. Eunuch Ling from the outer courtyard wants me to ask you if we can let Third Young Lady Hua into the manor just this one time. His Highness ordered that we¡¯re not to let her in as we wish, so...¡± Mother Ruan said hesitantly, not quite able to finish her sentence. She didn¡¯t like Third Young Lady Hua all that much.

    Third Young Lady Hua was quite adorable when she was young, crying ¡°Brother Yi¡± while following Prince Yi around. She seemed clever too, which garnered the favor of a lot of people around her. Yet, she was all grown up and didn¡¯t have much to do with Prince Yi anymore. How could she still call him ¡°Brother Yi¡±? It would cause gossip.

    And at the banquetst time, a young girl like her went to the prince¡¯s Moon-embracing Tower all by herself. To Mother Ruan, this was deeply inappropriate. She was no longer a child. Imagine the things people would say about a girl visiting a man¡¯s courtyard on her own! How could she not understand that?

    Mother Ruan would have never asked Ning Xueyan if the request hade from Hua Qiuying herself. The problem was, it hade from Eunuch Ling. Both she and Eunuch Ling were gifted to Prince Yi by thete Emperor. They had been serving him since he was a child and were loyal and devoted to him.

    Their rtionship was good, too. Since Eunuch Ling had asked a favor from her, she had no choice but to do it for Hua Qiuying. She was quite depressed about it. Why did Eunuch Ling think that their master couldn¡¯t forget about Second Young Lady Hua? Why did he think that Third Young Lady Hua was gentle and adorable?

    She shared apletely different opinion. Their current mistress was the most suitable partner for their master. Being in the backyard, she could see that the prince treated Ning Xueyan differently than others. Compared to the rumors about the prince¡¯s love for Second Young Lady Hua, she would rather trust her own eyes.

    ¡°Why is she here?¡± Ning Xueyan blinked with a slight smile.

    Prince Yi¡¯s Manor had nothing to do with Chief Hua anymore. Moreover, there was also that scandal. Chief Hua¡¯s Manor ought to be preparing for Hua Qiuying¡¯s marriage. Whether or not she was a willing participant, Hua Qiuying was still caught in a scandal. Why would shee to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, instead of hiding and not seeing anyone?

    ¡°Back when Second Young Lady Hua was still His Highness¡¯ fiancee, she once set her eyes on a certain courtyard. They were about to wed at that time, so we refurbished the courtyard. Third Young Lady Hua also chose a nearby courtyard, and both yards were refurbished together. Butter on... Well, they were abandoned!¡±

    Mother Ruan exined. At that time, the wedding date had been set, so it was only natural for them to refurbish the manor. Hua Qiuying, still a child and the younger sister of the bride then, was also given a courtyard. Besides, there were many rooms and few upants in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, so it wasn¡¯t a big deal.

    ¡°There were a lot of things left behind. Both manors stopped allmunication after the engagement broke off, so some of Third Young Lady Hua¡¯s childhood things were left in our manor. Third Young Lady Hua said that she doesn¡¯t care for her things, but some of those things belong to her second sister. So, she wants toe in and take them with her.¡±

    Hua Qiuying had left those childhood things here for so long and yet, she wanted to take them now. Ning Xueyan sneered inwardly. Third Young Lady Hua¡¯s excuse was getting better and better! She hadn¡¯t forgotten that Ao Chenyi disliked everyone in the Hua Manor.

    It had been so many years, and those were childhood things at that. If some of those things truly belonged to Second Young Lady Hua, and important things at that, how could they be left at Prince Yi¡¯s Manor for so long? Bringing it up now was just an excuse.

    Still, she couldn¡¯t understand why. Hua Qiuying¡¯s marriage had been set. Was Hua Qiuying still entertaining hopes about Ao Chenyi? Ever since she heard Hua Qiuying calling Ao Chenyi ¡°Brother Yi¡± in a coquettish tone, she knew what Hua Qiuying was up to. Perhaps, she was doing so with Chief Hua¡¯s implicit permission.

    Chief Hua was indeed an interesting character. Of his three daughters, one married an influential official from the previous dynasty and another got engaged with Ao Chenyi. When that one died, he nned on making Ao Chenyi marry his third daughter and refusing to give up even when Hua Qiuying was in such a state. After all, she heard that the gentleman that Hua Qiuying got involved with wasn¡¯t from a big aristocratic family; his father¡¯s position in court wasn¡¯t that high too.

    ¡°Mother Ruan, take a few servants with you and pack everything up in that ce. I don¡¯t want to see hering here as she pleases,¡± Ning Xueyan said, not intending to be polite. Whatever Hua Qiuying was up to, she better not provoke her. She was never a good-tempered person...

 Chapter 615 - Hua Qiuyingâ€™s Scheme

    <strong>Chapter 615 Hua Qiuying¡¯s Scheme</strong>

    ¡°Older sister, this courtyard still looks the same as before. Can I stay here for a little longer?¡± Hua Qiuying looked at the courtyard in front of her with tears welling in her sadness-filled eyes, looking as if she was reminiscing.

    This was the courtyard that caught Hua Yueying¡¯s eye at the very beginning. Even among the courtyards in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, it was quite exquisitely built, especially with its refurbishmentter on. However, it was abandoned when the marriage fell through. When Commandery Princess Xianyun entered the manor, she once sent someone to inspect the courtyard. She didn¡¯t end up choosing this ce after hearing that it was Hua Yueying¡¯s pick, thinking that it would be unlucky.

    It meant that the courtyard was left empty with barely any visitors save for the asional servants who would drop by to clean. Everything was left exactly in its ce, though the arrangement waspleted by the servants at Prince Yi¡¯s Manor as Second Young Lady Hua never spent even a day here. The maid who was leading the way didn¡¯t think Hua Qiuying had anything worth reminiscing about.

    Hua Manor ought to be the best ce for her to reminisce about her sister!

    Unfortunately, she was just a maid and could not reject Hua Qiuying. She was sent here to lead the way for Hua Qiuying anyway. She nodded but continued to follow her around.

    Hua Qiuying entered the main room and paused, her gaze settling on one of the window sills inside. She wiped her eyes with a handkerchief and said in a low voice, ¡°This ce looks very simr to my Second Sister¡¯s courtyard at home. Well, this ce was refurbished to look like a copy of her courtyard. Brother Yi took the care to send someone over. I was curious, so I took a look then.¡±

    Her voice was low but it just so happened to be loud enough to reach the maid¡¯s ears. Still, she was just a maid and Hua Qiuying¡¯s words weren¡¯t directed to her. It went without saying that she stayed behind Hua Qiuying without saying anything, pretending that she was mute.

    Following those words, a seemingly nonchnt question emerged. ¡°Is Brother Yi around?¡±

    This question was for the maid. Hua Qiuying turned around to look at the maid, making it impossible for her to pretend to be mute anymore.

    ¡°His Highness is in the pce right now.¡±

    ¡°Then, is your Princess around?¡± Hua Qiuying asked.

    The maid wasn¡¯t from the Pear Flower Garden but she was aware of Ning Xueyan¡¯s napping habit. After thinking about it, she answered, ¡°Yes, but she might be taking a nap at this hour.¡±

    ¡°Not Princess Ning. What about the former princess, Commandery Princess Xianyun?¡± Hua Qiuying asked softly. ¡°Wasn¡¯t she conferred the position of the princess?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s now Consort Yun,¡± the maid replied with her head lowered. Although her expression was neutral, a glimpse of confusion crossed her eyes. Wasn¡¯t there an imperial edict? Why did Third Young Lady Hua look like she didn¡¯t know?

    ¡°Oh. Since the Princess is resting, can I meet Consort Yun? Consort Yun entered the manor as the princess and oversaw everything in the manor. I would like to ask her if she has seen a particr item. It belonged to my sister. It was brought here back when they were refurbishing this ce. We thought it would be fine since Second Sister would being here, but who knew...¡±

    Hua Qiuying¡¯s request was polite, but her voice appeared choked with emotion toward the end as if she truly loved her sister.

    ¡°Um... our consort doesn¡¯t receive guests.¡± The maid rejected the request, looking conflicted. Everyone knew that Consort Yun wasn¡¯t just demoted from her official position; she also tried to frame Princess Ning. Her freedom was restricted and not just anyone could meet her.

    ¡°Consort Yun can¡¯t receive guests? Why? Did Brother Yi lock her up?¡± Hua Qiuying looked surprised as if she had just learned that Commandery Princess Xianyun couldn¡¯t meet guests.

    The maid couldn¡¯t answer Hua Qiuying¡¯s question, so she said vaguely, ¡°It¡¯s inconvenient.¡±

    Hua Qiuying looked conflicted. After thinking about it, she suggested in a gentle voice, ¡°Then, can you bring a letter to Consort Yun for me? I just want to ask if she has seen the thing.¡± She fished out a piece of silver from her sleeve and handed it to the maid. ¡°It¡¯s just a question for Consort Yun. Nothing will happen.¡±

    The piece of silver was quiterge and heavy. The maid nodded and epted it calmly. ¡°Third Young Lady Hua, you can give me the letter. I¡¯ll deliver it to Consort Yun right away, but she tends to ignore people.¡±

    Commandery Princess Xianyun used to be Princess Yi, so it was only natural that she would be in a bad mood and get mad at the servants after being demoted to be a consort. Hua Qiuying thought this was normal. She would be very upset if she was in the same situation; she might even end up beating several servants to death with a rod.

    ¡°Just hand this letter to Consort Yun. Remember, you must hand it to Consort Yun directly. I¡¯ll be waiting for you here. If there¡¯s any reply, you can let me know directly.¡±

    Hua Qiuying took out a handkerchief and shook it on a nearby chair. She sat down and reminded the maid again. This courtyard would be cleaned periodically, so there wasn¡¯t much dust. There wasn¡¯t much dirt left on the chair with a quick clean using her handkerchief.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be on my way now.¡± The maid nodded. She looked around the room and hesitated. ¡°Third Young Lady Hua, I suggest that you don¡¯t move the things here for the time being. If you see anything you need, you can tell me to deal with it for youter. Her Highness will punish me otherwise.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You can leave. I don¡¯t need anything for the time being. I¡¯ll let you know what I need when you return.¡±

    Hua Qiuying waved her hand, urging the maid to leave.

    The maid nodded. She took the path on the left after stepping out of the courtyard. Hua Qiuying followed the maid to the door and was relieved after seeing the path she took. That was the direction of Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s courtyard. She remembered that there was another path for Ning Xueyan¡¯s Pear Flower Garden.

    She turned around, returned to the room, and sat down again.

    Coming here to find a lost item was, of course, an excuse and she had more than one goal to achieve. But there wasn¡¯t anything she could do except to wait here for a reply from Commandery Princess Xianyun. Besides, Prince Yi wasn¡¯t around so there wasn¡¯t any use for her to perform.

    How could she ept the fact that she would marry ackluster aristocrat¡¯s son for no good reason? Her father had kept her in the family for so many years just so she could marry someone with an extraordinary identity. He had wanted to keep her a little longer. It would be perfect if they could wait until they knew for sure who would win the throne, and marry her off to him.

    Unfortunately, she couldn¡¯t afford to wait anymore at her age. She must choose a husband now. Compared to Prince Xiang, she thought that Prince Yi would be the final victor. Her second sister and father were truly blind back then; they didn¡¯t notice that Ao Chenyi, who didn¡¯t have the throne, was evenly matched with the Emperor, who had the throne.

    How would Ao Chenyi turn out once he won the throne? He would be even more powerful and no one would be able to control him anymore.

    If the two were to bepared, Prince Xiang was ultimately weaker. He was barely able to resist Prince Yi with the support of the Emperor and Prince Fu. No matter how she looked at it, Prince Yi had a bigger chance of sess. That was why she was determined to marry him. So what if she couldn¡¯t be his princess immediately? With her talent, this wouldn¡¯t be a problem at all.

    Besides, she resembled her second sister in certain ways. If Prince Yi could be reminded of her second sister when looking at her, she would benefit as well. It shouldn¡¯t be a problem for her to win his favor.

    In the pce, she tried her best to be with Ao Chenyi. Under those circumstances, Prince Yi¡ªwho still missed her second sister¡ªwould not let her suffer. She also took the initiative to warn him, so he would know that she hadn¡¯tid out a trap for him. Yet, things changed. Instead of Ao Chenyi lying next to her, it was an inconspicuous man.

    She refused to marry such a useless man. With her talent and appearance, she should at least be the mistress of a manor. She should be deeply loved and live a life of glory and wealth. How could an ordinary man get in her way? She should be more sessful than her sister, so she couldn¡¯t reconcile with her current situation.

    That was why she would do this...

    What Hua Qiuying didn¡¯t see was the maid taking a detour and walking toward the Pear Flower Garden. She walked up to the gate and reported to the servant inside. Shortly after, Qingyu came out and led her in. Ning Xueyan was seated inside the room, flipping through a book casually.

    She waited until the maid finished bowing to her before asking, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be with Third Young Lady Hua right now? Why are you here?¡±

    ¡°I was with Third Young Lady Hua earlier, but she told me to send a letter to Consort Yun. She even gave me a piece of silver.¡±

    The maid took out the letter and piece of silver from her bosom and respectfully presented. Qingyu took the things and handed them to Ning Xueyan.

    The maid might not be from the Pear Flower Garden, but she was a trusted aide of Mother Ruan.

    The piece of silver was quiterge. Although it was a loose piece, it was at least 100 grams in weight. Ning Xueyan observed it for a little while before saying emotionlessly, ¡°Since she gave you the silver, it¡¯s yours to keep.¡±

    She reached out to grab the letter. Commandery Princess Xianyun and Hua Qiuying seemed to be two people from different worlds. It was a surprise that they would be in touch with each other. It seemed that Hua Qiuying hade to meet Commandery Princess Xianyun today. Even so, she hadn¡¯t heard that there was any connection between Lord Peace¡¯s Manor and Chief Hua¡¯s Manor.

    Chief Hua was said to be a very fair person who never allied himself with any factions. Since when did he start getting involved with Commandery Princess Xianyun, who was clearly in the Empress Dowager¡¯s faction? And at this time, too.

    Qingyu handed the piece of silver to the maid, who didn¡¯t dare to refuse. She knew that the Princess sincerely wanted to give the piece of silver to her, so she thanked Ning Xueyan and tucked it away in her sleeve.

    The letter seemedpletely ordinary; it wasn¡¯t put in the kind of scented, exquisite envelope that unmarried young women liked to use. The earthy-yellow envelope was inconspicuous. Had the maid not insisted that this was Hua Qiuying¡¯s letter, even Ning Xueyan would think that this was an ordinary letter that she picked up from the roadside.

    ¡°Your Highness, there¡¯s trouble! The Prince encountered an assassin and got injured!¡± A maid ran in, stumbling along the way, and reported what she heard to Ning Xueyan in a panicked voice.

    ¡°What? His Highness is injured?¡±

    Ning Xueyan stood up abruptly, her face instantly pale. She had forgotten all about the letter.

    ¡°Yes, they¡¯re taking the stretcher to the Moon-embracing Tower right now. Do you want to go and take a look?¡± The maid immediately wiped the sweat on her face. If she hadn¡¯t gone to take a look at the second door, the Princess might still be in the dark about this!

    ¡°All right, we¡¯ll go there right away.¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s mind was a mess. She nodded firmly and rushed out. A few stepster, she saw the maid who delivered the letter and quickly said, ¡°Go and tell Third Young Lady Hua that His Highness is injured. Her matter will have to wait.¡±

 Chapter 616 - Wounded by a Sword

    <h4>Chapter 616 Wounded by a Sword</h4>

    Ning Xueyan was walking so quickly that she was nearly running. Lanning followed closely behind her. She had sent Xinmei out earlier to see what was happening. Ao Chenyi was injured! How could he be injured? Wasn¡¯t he fine before she left the pce? What on earth happened? Were his injuries severe? Would he be all right?

    All she could think about was a bloody Ao Chenyi but her mind wouldn¡¯t allow her to think any further. She rushed toward Chuihua Gate but before she could get there, she ran into Xinmei on her way back. Xinmei told her that Ao Chenyi was at the Moon-embracing Tower. Hearing that, she headed in the tower¡¯s direction at once.

    On their way there, Xinmei didn¡¯t exin anything except that the Prince¡¯s men were heading toward the Moon-embracing Tower by the time she arrived. She didn¡¯t manage to see the Prince. This made Ning Xueyan more anxious.

    When they finally arrived at the Moon-embracing Tower, they saw the imperial physicians of the manor walking in and out of the building and a few eunuchs decocting medicine in the corridor. It didn¡¯t look right. The rest of the maids stayed outside the tower while Xinmei helped Ning Xueyan walk up the stairs, partially pulling her up throughout.

    In contrast to the bustling crowd below, the third floor was quiet. Yu Jian, who was guarding the door, smiled at Ning Xueyan when he saw her. He lowered his voice to say, ¡°Princess, His Highness is resting inside.¡±

    ¡°Is His Highness... doing all right?¡± Ning Xueyan had always been clever. Her expression eased after seeing the smile on Yu Jian¡¯s face. Yu Jian was wearing a rxed expression and smiling at her. More importantly, this was the third floor of the Moon-embracing Tower, a ce that no one else coulde.

    The physicians must have left after examining Ao Chenyi.

    ¡°Princess, you can go in and take a look.¡± Yu Jian stepped aside.

    Ning Xueyan entered the room, leaving Xinmei outside with Yu Jian.

    The moment she stepped inside, she smelled a bloody stench so pungent that she stood still and looked suspiciously at the man lying in bed. Ao Chenyi looked like he was in a bad condition.

    His outerwear, avish ck brocade, was set aside. All he was wearing was his in white innerwear, the ones that Ning Xueyan made for him.

    His face was pale and a few strands of hair fell on his beautifully-sculpted face. Under his longshes, his almond-shaped eyes were tightly shut. His lips were a little dry and pale. He was sleeping in a neat position, with two sped hands ced on his chest. This was a habit of his. Those who had never seen him sleep wouldn¡¯t have believed that a man like him would have such an orderly sleeping position.

    Of course, if they were sleeping together, he would hold her to sleep in a protective position.

    He was lying there asleep at that moment, looking serene and gentle without his mboyant outer brocade. His beautiful, exquisite face was also without its typical domineering expression. He looked like an elegant young nobleman reminiscent of a beautiful jade.

    Yet, Ning Xueyan would rather that he looked like usual, with his sharp air and all. Seeing him lying there so quietly made her heart tremble.

    She stepped forward and sat down by the bed. Reaching out to grab one of hisrge hands that he ced on his chest, she buried her face in it.

    Ever since she was reborn, she thought that she was strong and brave enough. She thought she could hold everything up. She was unafraid of other people¡¯s schemes and would protect those that she held dear. She could tread toward the future that she wanted, every step dangerous but stable.

    Thus, she thought that she could bear the burden of it all, and yet, she realized now that she was still afraid. It felt as if she had suddenly stepped on air and lost all of her support. Her mind was a mess and even her sense of judgment that she took pride in had slowed down. Before she knew it, tears were falling from her eyes.

    She felt... No, she felt nothing. She leaned into herself by the bed, allowing tears to wet his hand.

    His hand, still tucked in hers, suddenly moved. Then an arrogant voice reached her ears. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why are you crying so much? I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Ning Xueyan immediately raised her head. She looked at the handsome face with opened eyes with surprise, her tears all but forgotten.

    His long and narrow eyes were unreadable, even a little cold. Even so, she could still detect the softness of his expression through his eyebrows. She heard herself speaking with difficulty, ¡°You¡¯re... You¡¯re fine?¡±

    ¡°My shoulder was cut, but the wound has been treated. It¡¯s no big deal.¡± Using his other hand, Ao Chenyi pulled her up with the slightest bit of effort so that she was sitting on the edge of the bed.

    ¡°How did you get cut?¡± Ning Xueyan asked worriedly, grasping his hand. After they parted, he was supposed to head to the imperial study. Why would he be cut? Would that happen in the pce? This reminded her of the banquet before; it was also held at the pce. There were so many people after his life.

    Was this also an assassination attempt? Was the Emperor trying to assassinate him in the pce again?

    ¡°It happened after I left the pce, but it¡¯s all right. I wasn¡¯t the only one wounded. Ao Mingyu was worse off. I bet he¡¯s lying in bed unconscious right now.¡± Ao Chenyi raised an eyebrow at her. His ink-like pupils were lined with his usual arrogance as he cast her an enchanting look.

    He gave her the impression of a house cat that had done something to please its owner.

    A thought struck Ning Xueyan, causing her to widen her eyes. She stared at him, incredulous. ¡°You... You actually...¡±

    She couldn¡¯t finish her sentence. Looking at his contented expression, tears began to stream her face again.

    Having not expected her reaction, he immediately sat up and leaned against the bed frame. He grabbed Ning Xueyan¡¯s hands with his own and said softly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Yan¡¯er? Why are you crying out of nowhere? I¡¯m fine, am I not?¡±

    ¡°You... You¡¯re a madman... How can you do this? How can you?¡± Ning Xueyan suddenly lost her temper. In a fit of anger, she grabbed one of his hands and bit hard on it. Her worries, grievances, panic, and fear had turned into fury.

    ¡°Argh!¡± The pained cry beside her ear made her stop biting but she didn¡¯t let go of the hand in her mouth. She looked at him furiously, looking determined not to let him off until he gave her an exnation.

    ¡°Rx, I know what I¡¯m doing. Nothing will happen. He has tried to assassinate me more than once; I¡¯m just returning the favor today. We left the pce together and didn¡¯t go very far before we ran into the ¡®assassins¡¯. Both of us were injured and returned home. The physicians from the pce would likely pay a visit. They wouldn¡¯t rx until they know for sure.¡±

    Seeing that his hand was tucked between Ning Xueyan¡¯s cherry-red lips, Ao Chenyi smiled deviously. ¡°If the physician from the pcees and sees the two of us like this, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll find us very odd and exin it at length to the Emperor.¡±

    Immediately, his hand was released. Ning Xueyan quickly wiped his hand clean with her handkerchief. There was nothing unusual about his hand aside from the two rows of teeth marks that indicated that he had been bitten by someone. There was no mistaking it.

    ¡°Um... Would the physicianment about it?¡± Ao Chenyi seemed mostly fine, so what concerned her was the physician from the pce. Naturally, the physician wouldn¡¯t being here for Ao Chenyi¡¯s injuries. If anything, the Emperor would rather Ao Chenyi¡¯s injuries were so serious that he directly died.

    He took in her tear-welled eyes, with two droplets still hanging onto her fair and tender face, and the sophisticated and calm demeanor that she was putting on. The corner of his mouth curved into a smile. Such a Ning Xueyan was too adorable for words. It was so cute watching her trying her best topensate him after scratching him with her ws.

    He reached out and wiped the tears off her face with one hand. Still, her eyes were red. It was obvious that she had cried.

    ¡°You can say that you were so worried about my injury that you identally bit me,¡± he suggested.

    Under what circumstances would she bite his hand! Ning Xueyan frowned, finding this suggestion to be unspeakably odd. Instead of being worried about his injury, she bit him instead? It was unreasonable.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. No matter how unreasonable you are, you won¡¯t be worse than I am. Well, at most, they¡¯ll think we¡¯re not exactly loyal to each other.¡± Ao Chenyi raised his delicate brow and smiled happily.

    Naturally, he wouldn¡¯t let Ao Mingyu bully his woman. Since Ao Mingyu had the nerve to covet his woman, the former must be ready to bear the brunt of his anger. He made the arrangements before leaving the pce with Ao Mingyu. Both of them were injured together, so the Emperor wouldn¡¯t be able to find any evidence even if he suspected anything.

    Besides, he might be the Emperor and a father, he couldn¡¯t understand all of his son¡¯s thoughts. There was more than one who wanted the throne. It might even be Ao Mingyu¡¯s n to buy sympathy. Everyone knew that he was implicated in the cases involving Manor Xia. There might not be evidence against him but the cases were a stain on his reputation.

    The timing of the assassination was too coincidental.

    He wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to bully his woman!

    ¡°Is your injury really fine?¡± He seemed fine from his expression but Ning Xueyan was still worried. She might have been blushing at his words earlier but she swiftly pretended that she didn¡¯t hear anything. He was right. He didn¡¯t need any reason for his action and he was never predictable. It didn¡¯t matter that she did something out of line because the Emperor likely wouldn¡¯t care about it.

    Besides, she even bit Ao Chenyi¡¯s hand while he was injured. The Emperor might even think that she did a good job.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, but I won¡¯t be when the physician gets there.¡± Ao Chenyi looked at her with anguid expression. He took care to reassure her, lest she should be flustered by the physician¡¯s words.

    ¡°I get it. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Ning Xueyan held his hand firmly and nodded.

    While she was talking, she saw Xinmei rushing in. ¡°Your Highness, Master, the pce sent a physician over to examine His Highness.¡±

    ¡°Let hime in.¡± Watching Ao Chenyiy t and fold his hands on his chest again, she nodded and wiped the corner of her eyes with her handkerchief. There were still tears in her eyes...

 Chapter 617 - The Strange Princess Yi

    <h4>Chapter 617 The Strange Princess Yi</h4>

    The first thing the imperial physician saw after entering the room was Prince Yi lying unconscious in bed in his innerwear.

    A beautiful young woman was sitting beside the bed and wiping her tears with a handkerchief. When she saw himing in, she let go of Prince Yi¡¯s hand and stepped back to sit on a cedar chair. A maid stood behind her respectfully with her head lowered, looking like she didn¡¯t even dare to raise her head.

    Yu Jian stepped forward and said, ¡°Princess, this is Physician Xu. His Majesty sent him to examine our prince¡¯s injury.¡±

    ¡°Yes, please do so. He... He¡¯s still unconscious...¡± Ning Xueyan looked up, her eyes still red. It was obvious that she had cried and her voice was hoarse, too.

    The physician carefully observed Princess Yi. She was an exquisite beauty, if a little thin. She seemed to have suffered some congenital deficiencies. She lowered her head again after speaking, making it hard for him to see her expression.

    The physician saluted her before turning around and walking to the bed. He sat down on a stool by the bed and reached out to examine Prince Yi¡¯s pulse. Suddenly, he saw clear teeth marks on his hand. Taken aback, he stole a nce at Princess Yi, who still had her head lowered.

    He ced his fingers on Prince Yi¡¯s hand without changing his expression and closed his eyes for a moment. Then, he told Yu Jian, ¡°Can I check His Highness¡¯ shoulder injury?¡±

    ¡°The injury has been treated and bandaged. If you check it again...¡± Yu Jian said, hesitant.

    Everyone knew that you could easily tear a wound if you reexamined a bandaged injury.

    ¡°Rest assured that I¡¯ll just be looking at the medicine used. You don¡¯t have to open the bandage entirely, just spread it a little.¡± Given the Emperor¡¯s orders, the physician was obligated to properly examine Ao Chenyi¡¯s injury. Still, he remained polite as he said, ¡°The weather is getting warm. If the wrong medicine is used, his wound will be easily inmed.¡±

    The physician¡¯s politeness, as well as the fact that he was sent by the pce, made it difficult for Yu Jian to refuse. He looked at Ning Xueyan. Seeing that she was still lowering her head, looking like she wasn¡¯t going to interfere, he nodded.

    Besides, he was just a guard. If the Princess didn¡¯t say a word, he had no room to refuse the physician as a mere guard.

    The physician looked at the teeth mark on Ao Chenyi¡¯s hand calmly. The biting must have happened a short while ago. Upon closer look, the teeth were small and dainty. The size suggested that it was the work of a woman. And the only woman who could approach Prince Yi in this room was Princess Yi.

    He couldn¡¯t understand why she would bite Prince Yi when he was already this injured. Judging from the teeth marks, she hadn¡¯t been gentle either. Princess Yi was indeed a strange person.

    Still, he hadn¡¯te here for her but Prince Yi. Though bewildered, he pulled his attention away from the strange Princess Yi.

    Yu Jian pulled Ao Chenyi¡¯s shirt aside, revealing the thick bandages wrapped around his shoulder. He undid the knot and carefully unraveled the bandages, enough that it revealed the twoyers of blood-soaked gauze inside. Underneath was a wound just below Ao Chenyi¡¯s left shoulder. That was quite a dangerous part of the body to get hurt in.

    It was apparent that Ao Chenyi¡¯s injury was real and rather severe, too. It could have been life-threatening if the wound was just a few inches lower. It seemed that Ao Chenyi was truly injured, and almost fatally at that. It was no wonder he was still unconscious at the moment, yet to awake.

    Physician Xu put on a show of picking up some of the medicinal power with his fingers, putting it near his nose for a sniff, and nodding. He didn¡¯t dare to y tricks in this aspect. Everyone knew that Prince Yi was powerful and ruthless. If he dared to do anything to Prince Yi¡¯s wound, never mind him, not even his whole family would be spared.

    Just having the guard watching his every move closely beside him, he dared not to do anything to harm Prince Yi. He was only here to gather intel, not to be killed.

    ¡°It¡¯s decent medicine, just right for His Highness. I also brought some from the pce. Get a servant to take it from meter. The Emperor told me to bring it here. It¡¯s good for external injuries.¡± Physician Xu nodded and carefully bandaged Ao Chenyi¡¯s injury again.

    He then stood up and faced Yu Jian.

    ¡°Princess, should we...¡± Yu Jian looked at Ning Xueyan, who was sitting in the corner without a word. She was, after all, the mistress. Even though he was Prince Yi¡¯s trusted aide, his master was currently unconscious and the decision-making should be left to Princess Yi.

    ¡°Chief Guard Yu, get a servant to take the medicine,¡± Ning Xueyan said softly, nodding. Her expression was calm again and if it weren¡¯t for her red eyes, no one could tell that she was in grief. And if this young princess didn¡¯t seem so sincere, it would seem that she wasn¡¯t as sad as she looked.

    Physician Xu had heard the strange way how Ning Xueyan became Princess Yi. He looked at her curiously, and then saw Yu Jian nod and walk to the door. Yu Jian ordered the guard at the door to go down. Thetter nodded and left, presumably to retrieve medicine from the eunuch that the physician came with.

    Shouldn¡¯t this be Princess Yi¡¯s responsibility? Or was it that Prince Yi didn¡¯t trust her enough and would rather have a guard make such arrangements?

    ¡°His Highness needs to be taken care of but he¡¯ll likely wake up in a while. His injury is quite severe, so he needs to recuperate for some time. He must not do any strenuous exercise or his wound might tear.¡±

    Since Physician Xu was an imperial physician sent by the Emperor, he had to do his best to exin Prince Yi¡¯s condition. He picked out everything that could be said about the injury and told them all to Yu Jian.

    Yu Jian listened to him attentively and would even ask questions from time to time. His concern for Prince Yi was obvious, as evidenced by his frown and poor expression. On the contrary, Princess Yi kept to herself the entire time and said nothing, looking helpless. She sat there like she was part of the decoration while wiping her tears away with a handkerchief from time to time. She gave off a rather uncanny impression.

    She was Princess Yi. She should be asking the questions herself.

    And what was she doing, wiping her eyes nonstop? It was apparent that her tears had stopped, but by wiping her eyes repeatedly, she made them redder instead. It seemed quite fake. Of course, Physician Xu wouldn¡¯t think that she was putting on an act for him. That was because every time Princess Yi looked up, her gaze would fall on the chief guard.

    Even though Princess Yi seemed suspicious, he couldn¡¯t look at her any longer. After speaking to the chief guard, he packed up his medicinal box, ready to leave.

    Seeing that he was about to leave, Ning Xueyan stood up, as if she was about to head to the bed and check on Ao Chenyi.

    Yu Jian was about to see the physician out when he saw Ning Xueyan walking toward the bed. He stopped walking and looked at her with a smile. ¡°Princess, don¡¯t be so worried. Just sit on the side. Don¡¯t disturb His Highness¡¯ rest.¡±

    To think that Yu Jian would stop and say such words. Physician Xu couldn¡¯t help but take another look at the beautiful Princess Yi. Was her position in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor truly stable? He had the feeling that the chief guard was more influential than Princess Yi.

    ¡°All right. I¡¯ll wait for him on the side.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded and returned to the chair, looking unperturbed that a chief guard had just refused her to her face.

    Yu Jian said no more and gestured at Physician Xu. ¡°This way please, Physician Xu.¡±

    ¡°All right, thank you, Chief Guard.¡± Physician Xu nodded. Not daring to look anymore, he carried his medicinal box and followed Yu Jian out of the Moon-embracing Tower. By the time they reached downstairs, the guard from before had already taken the medicine from the pce¡¯s eunuch and added it to Prince Yi¡¯s ount. The guard then led Physician Xu and the eunuch out.

    Nothing was out of ce in the Moon-embracing Tower. Nobody panicked because of Prince Yi¡¯s injury and no processes were disrupted because of Princess Yi¡¯s arrival. It seemed that Princess Yi had little authority in the manor, Physician Xu thought, as he walked out.

    He couldn¡¯t have expected what happened where he couldn¡¯t see; as soon as he left, Ning Xueyan sat on Ao Chenyi¡¯s bedside and the man who was supposed to be unconscious had his eyes open. Xinmei left the room and guarded the door with vignce.

    From the top of the tall building, she watched Physician Xu and the eunuch leave Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    The Moon-embracing Tower allowed one to see the gate of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, and Xinmei had better eyesight than most people. She was able to see Physician Xu turning around to look at the tower now and then, looking confused. It wasn¡¯t until he disappeared out of view that she returned to her spot outside the room.

    After a while, Yu Jian returned as well. The two of them smiled at each other before retreating several inches from the door. Their masters ought to have no mood to see them at this very moment.

    Inside the room, Ning Xueyan stared at Ao Chenyi with a stern expression and even ignored his outreached hand. She pped his hand away and said angrily, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯re fine? How can you get so badly hurt?¡± She was also watching when the physician opened his bandages earlier. It wasn¡¯t until that moment that she realized his wound was quite severe. And he had the nerve to say that he was fine.

    Seeing that she wasn¡¯t giving him the time of the day and even pped her hand away, Ao Chenyi sat up and leaned on a cushion. He frowned as if he had identally touched his wound, and a pained look appeared on his face. His expression frightened her so much that all of her anger vanished.

    Holding his hand with a pale face, she asked anxiously, ¡°What happened? Did you identally pull at your wound? If you know you¡¯re badly injured, why are you still moving around? Do you not want to get better?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I was just anxious after hearing what you said.¡± Naturally, Ao Chenyi wouldn¡¯t admit that he did it on purpose or his little wild cat might just brandish her ws again. His enchanting eyes gleamed and a touch of pain colored his pupils. ¡°Yan¡¯er, I didn¡¯t intend to lie to you...¡±

    He looked like he was trying his best to endure the pain and give her an exnation. Looking at him like this, she couldn¡¯t allow him to continue anymore. She reached out to cover his mouth and said sternly, ¡°I don¡¯t care why you lied to me earlier, but you have to promise me that you¡¯ll recover well.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll take good care of my injury. The world is so chaotic these days. I have to stay alive to protect my Yan¡¯er.¡± He smiled slyly as he pulled her into a gentle hug. ¡°You did so well earlier, Yan¡¯er. I bet my suspicious brother will be left wondering again.¡±

    A familiar embrace, tinted with the smell of medicine, enveloped Ning Xueyan, turning her heart soft. His sudden predicament was all because of her. He was determined to protect her, and it was only right that she returned the favor.

    And the more suspicious the Emperor was, the better. She didn¡¯t want him to keep an eye on Ao Chenyi all the time; at least, she wanted to lead him to the wrong conclusion...

 Chapter 618 - The Assassination of Two Princes

    <strong>Chapter 618 The Assassination of Two Princes</strong>

    Inside the hall, the high and mighty Emperor looked coldly at Physician Xu as thetter knelt. ¡°He¡¯s really injured, and at a risky ce at that? He nearly lost his life?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the case. I took care to examine it myself. The wound is close to his chest. If it were anywhere lower, Prince Yi might not be able to regain consciousness so easily.¡±

    Physician Xu trusted in his medical skills, so he was able to speak with certainty.

    ¡°Is there really nothing odd about Prince Yi¡¯s Manor?¡± the Emperor asked, frowning. It seemed that he could stop suspecting Ao Chenyi of directing the assassination himself.

    ¡°No,¡± Physician Xu said, but added upon second thought, ¡°But... something seems off about Princess Yi.¡±

    The Emperor didn¡¯t expect Physician Xu to bring up Princess Yi. He was momentarily stunned, but soon asked, ¡°What¡¯s off about Princess Yi?¡±

    ¡°Prince Yi was unconscious when I was treating him, but I noticed fresh teeth marks on his hand. The bite must have been severe. It was obvious that someone used a lot of force in biting him, and that person was likely a woman. And the only one who could approach Prince Yi in the room at that moment was Princess Yi.¡±

    Physician Xu said. That was what confounded him at the time, so he shared his confusion with the Emperor.

    ¡°You meant that Princess Yi bit Prince Yi? While he was unconscious, at that?¡± the Emperor said, swiftly grasping the key point.

    ¡°But when I entered the room, Princess Yi was wiping her tears nonstop as if she was truly saddened. But I noticed that her eyes were red from all the tugging she did, but no tears fell from them. Even if she was crying, she was wiping her eyes far too often!¡±

    If Princess Yi was wiping her eyes without crying, she must not be actually sad. Under what circumstances would a woman put up such a pretense when her husband was so badly injured? The Emperor leaned back on his chair and closed his eyes. This was a strange situation instead. It wasn¡¯t something a woman with an injured husband would do.

    Unless she was faking her sadness and putting on a show for others.

    ¡°Afterward, I took out the herbs that Your Majesty bestowed to Prince Yi. It was the Prince¡¯s guard that took them. Princess Yi seemed unable to interrupt the entire time, even though it was as though she was the one who let the guard handle the matter.¡± Physician Xu couldn¡¯t understand why Princess Yi, with all of her power and authority, seemed afraid of the guard.

    The guard might not be ordinary, for he was the chief guard, but so what? The real mistress of the manor was Princess Yi. Moreover, the guard also stopped her from approaching Prince Yi. It was truly odd.

    He voiced out all of his suspicions and confusions, which made the Emperor frown and fall deep into thought.

    Unlike Physician Xu, he was sensitive to such things. The first thing he concluded was that Prince Yi and Princess Yi didn¡¯t have a good rtionship. That wasn¡¯t unexpected. It was said that Ao Chenyi abandoned both his princess and consort on his wedding night and visited his dear concubine instead. It was a p to both women¡¯s faces.

    No woman would be happy to encounter such a thing so shortly after marrying her husband.

    And it was aplete ident that the current Princess Yi got her position. It was more urate to say that Commandery Princess Xianyun was too much of a fool to cause such a situation. Looking at the situation now, the new Princess Yi not only had no feelings for Prince Yi but hated him too.

    This conclusion could be drawn from her hard bite on the injured Ao Chenyi¡¯s hand.

    It seemed that Prince Yi¡¯s Manor wasn¡¯t as indestructible as he thought. He had been worried about finding a recement for Xianyun, who proved to be useless, and wanted to nt more spies in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. However, it seemed that Ao Chenyi¡¯s biggest danger was right beside him. This was perfect.

    That woman would prove to be a good chess piece. If he used her well at the most critical point, he might just be able to kill Ao Chenyi and turn the situation around in the end.

    The Emperor had always been wary of Ao Chenyi. Even his methods in ascending the throne were disgraceful. To get the throne, he had promised thete Emperor that he would pass the throne to Ao Chenyi and that he wouldn¡¯t go back on his word. If he did, he would suffer the punishment of God.

    More importantly, there was more than one old minister who heard thete Emperor¡¯s will. These people were loyal to thete Emperor, so he was unable to do anything to Ao Chenyi first, unless Ao Chenyimitted treason. Not only that, there must be conclusive evidence of his wrongdoing. Until then, he must never touch Ao Chenyi.

    Of course, it would be best if someone killed Ao Chenyi.

    Unfortunately for him, Ao Chenyi had always been skilled and his guards were even more outstanding. Most of the hidden, secret, and trained guards that he sent didn¡¯t return. Almost all of them would die in Ao Chenyi¡¯s hands. It made him feel like there wasn¡¯t any point in sending assassins after Ao Chenyi.

    It made him quite regretful. He should have sent people to deal with Ao Chenyi when he first ascended the throne. Ao Chenyi was still young andcked power then. However, at that time, he had a more urgent enemy, the Empress Dowager.

    He owed a lot to that woman for being able to ascend the throne. She wanted to turn him into a puppet emperor. But how could he ept this? Thus, in his first few years as the Emperor, he turned all his focus on fighting the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager eventually died, leading to the decline of the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor. Their battle ended with his victory.

    But it was only then that he discovered that Ao Chenyi had already gathered enough power that he couldn¡¯t just do whatever he wanted to him...

    For as long as Ao Chenyi was alive, he wouldn¡¯t be able to pass his throne to his son. Recently, he was feeling more tired than ever.

    Physician Xu continued to kneel respectfully inside the quiet hall until a eunuch¡¯s voice broke the silence. ¡°Your Majesty, Physician Qin is back!¡±

    The Emperor opened his tired eyes to look at the floor below him and said emotionlessly, ¡°Let hime in.¡± Those two had left the pce together, but the one who should have died survived and the fate of the one who should live was unknown. He was quite worried. Compared to Ao Mingwan, Ao Mingyu felt more like an emperor. Ao Mingyu, at the very least, was crueler than Ao Mingwan. However, he knew very well that out of them all, Ao Chenyi was the one most suited for the throne.

    But, Ao Chenyi wasn¡¯t his son but a target that he must eliminate.

    Physician Qin was the imperial physician that was dispatched to Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor. He entered the hall, trembling, and knelt loudly. ¡°Your Majesty, Prince Xiang is in danger!¡±

    His words caused the Emperor¡¯s eyes to widen and turn red.

    Two princes were injured in an assassination attempt at the gate of the pce at the same time. Most importantly, one of the victims was Prince Yi. The news shocked the entire court, Ministry of Justice, imperial guards, and hidden guards of each aristocratic family, who set out to investigate the assassination attempt. The Emperor, determined to capture and punish the perpetrators, also issued a death order.

    Prince Yi was injured and unconscious!

    Prince Xiang was injured and unconscious!

    The two of them weren¡¯t ordinary princes, but the most promising candidates to be the next Emperor. Now, both were nearly assassinated. Was it Prince Fu¡¯s doing? After all, Prince Fu was the biggest benefactor of Prince Yi and Prince Xiang¡¯s deaths. He would be the only candidate for the throne.

    No one expected that Prince Fu, who always seemed to keep the lowest profile, would be the trickiest of them all. He was able to take down two of his most powerful opponents in one fell swoop.

    However, most people didn¡¯t believe that it was his doing because he didn¡¯t seem like such a capable person. Assassinations of Prince Yi would happen from time to time, but those assassins would all be in. It was like the incident at the pce thest time; everyone involved in the assassination ended up dying.

    Therefore, the one trying to assassinate Prince Yi must be someone even more powerful. That left the Emperor as the only viable suspect. Most ministers were well aware of the Emperor¡¯s intentions. They knew the Emperor was unwilling to pass the throne to Prince Yi. Could this be the Emperor¡¯s attempt to assassinate Prince Yi, while Prince Xiang was just a casualty?

    No one knew where such a rumor came from, but quite a lot of people believed in it. The biggest factor was Prince Yi¡¯s reputation as the King of Hell; he wasn¡¯t someone who could be easily assassinated. And after much deliberation, people believed that the only one capable of killing him was the Emperor.

    To quell the rumor, the Emperor worked even harder to trace the assassins. He even refuted the suggestion to strip Ao Chenyi¡¯s authority while he recovered from his injury. If he allowed this to happen, the rumor would immediately be verified. The veteran ministers, who had always been watching him with bated breath, would also balk and protest.

    And if Ao Chenyi suspected that it was his doing, thereby forcing the former into acting against him, his gain wouldn¡¯t be worth the loss.

    After all, his troops weren¡¯t as good as Ao Chenyi¡¯s troops. Ao Chenyi¡¯s troops were bestowed by thete Emperor. He felt quite useless as the emperor. He wanted others to think that Ao Chenyi was rebelling but Ao Chenyi¡¯s actual treason would be his nightmare. He didn¡¯t know who would emerge the victor in that scenario.

    Thus, even if Ao Chenyi was injured, he still retained his authority. Byparison, Prince Xiang¡¯s injury was so bad that he was still unconscious. The pce continued to send herbs and medicine to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor and Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor nonstop so that people would know that the Emperor was truly worried about their injuries.

    Inside the study of Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor, Xia Yuhang was so worried that he was pacing in the room. The assassination attempt on Ao Mingyu was so sudden that he couldn¡¯t immediately think of what to do next. And what made him most nervous was Ning Ziyan. When he visited her, she had been unwilling to bear all the responsibilities alone.

    No matter what he said, no matter how he persuaded her, Ning Ziyan was firm in her decision. When he visited her again, she refused to see him. This waspletely different from his expectation.

    How could that woman be so resolute? He should be discussing his next step with Ao Mingyu, but at this critical point, Ao Mingyu had an ident and fell into aa. How could he not be anxious? He even felt as though he had fallen into a trap.

    He gritted his teeth and stopped pacing. This wouldn¡¯t do. He couldn¡¯t allow himself to be captured...

 Chapter 619 - Hua Yunhengâ€™s Departure

    <h4>Chapter 619 Hua Yunheng¡¯s Departure</h4>

    Inside a gorgeous pavilion, lithe women decked in a colorful dress were dancing gracefully while two men watched from a tform. One of them was Wen Xueran, with his alluring smile and devastatingly handsome face. He looked even more beautiful than the dancers below.

    His ck hair was draped over his shoulder, lending him an androgynous allure. His wide robe made him look like an ancient schr, with a trace ofnguidness in its flightiness. Beside him was the elegant Hua Yunheng in a light-colored robe.

    The dancers were twirling around gracefully, their sleeves fluttering with every action, their dainty waists twisting from time to time, as they disyed their elegant figures. Instrumental music from both sides that apanied the performance made them look all that more delicate and beautiful. Upon closer look, the musicians were all beauties themselves. But dressed in men¡¯s attire, they looked more dashing instead.

    However, these women didn¡¯t catch the attention of the two noblemen above.

    ¡°I¡¯m going back.¡± Hua Yunheng put down the wine cup in his hand and looked solemnly at Ning Xueyan, whose eyes were narrowed.

    ¡°You¡¯re going back? Aren¡¯t you going to wait a little longer? Who knows, maybe it wasn¡¯t her who died in the Cloud Reflection Courtyard,¡± Wen Xueran repliedckadaisically, blinking his alluring eyes at Hua Yunheng.

    Neither of them believed his words.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if it was her. Even if she¡¯s alive, she might not even remember me anymore, and even if she does, she might just hate me. After all, if my family didn¡¯t spread the rumor that she might be the princess of the previous dynasty, Xia Manor wouldn¡¯t have set an engagement with her, and she wouldn¡¯t end up like this...¡±

    Hua Yunheng seemed calm but he couldn¡¯t hide the sadness in his eyes. He picked up the wine cup on the table and took another swig.

    Wen Xueran smiled and personally prepared a small cup of warm wine for him. Rolling up his long sleeves, he poured a cup for him and said thoughtlessly, ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. Ning Manor was in the wrong for trying to find another engagement when they had an engagement with me. I wasn¡¯t even dead, but Ning Manor wanted to kick me aside.¡±

    ¡°They probably thought you died in the war and didn¡¯t want to get Ying¡¯er involved in it again. Ying¡¯er is a good girl.¡± Hua Yunheng picked up the cup of wine in front of him and downed it again. He was in such a hurry that he couldn¡¯t help coughing.

    Getting tipsy, he leaned back and a wry smile appeared on his face. ¡°She¡¯s a good girl, always obedient and well-behaved. Had I insisted on marrying her that day, I could¡¯ve prevented everything. She¡¯s just a wonderful girl who doesn¡¯t know anything.¡±

    He was older than Ning Ziying and also knew the matter better. He knew that he came to Ning Manor to get engaged with her, so he had always taken care of her as if she was his wife. Although he was still a boy back then, he adored the innocent, naive, kind little girl from the bottom of his heart.

    He was also determined to marry her in the future!

    Yet, change was the only constant in the world. Upon hearing that someone else might be the Grand Elder Princess of the previous dynasty, his father immediately broke the engagement with Ning Manor and even spread the rumor that Ning Ziying might be the princess to the ambitious Minister Xia. Thus, his fate with her ended.

    Although he was reluctant to part with that adorable girl, he thought their rtionship was insignificantpared to his family and country. He listened to his family¡¯s advice and got engaged with another woman. He was still young anyway. He wasn¡¯t without any opportunity should he wait for a few more years.

    Once he was done with his family affairs, he would be able toe back and continue his rtionship with her.

    However, three years ago, her mother died. Once he heard the news, he sent his men here, only toe up empty. Ning Manor was deserted except for a bunch of ignorant servants. Ning Ziying went missing. He never thought that the first thing he heard about her in a long while was the news that her fate was unknown.

    The painful memory made Hua Yunheng stand up and throw the wine cup in his hand to the floor. He didn¡¯t want to feel the heartache of his hopeless love. The cup made a crisp noise as it shattered on impact. ¡°Xueran, I¡¯ll be going home first. Our opportunity hase now. Maybe God is helping us.¡±

    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll be waiting for your news!¡± Wen Xueranughed and apuded at Hua Yunheng¡¯s cup-smashing. He stood up as well. ¡°Take care, Brother Hua.¡±

    Indeed, the two of them couldn¡¯t be discovered together. Although Hua Yunheng had been keeping a low profile sinceing to the capital, he couldn¡¯t be sure that no one else was aware of his identity.

    ¡°Take care!¡± Hua Yunheng nodded, turned around, and left.

    Only Wen Xueran was left on the tform. He held a wine cup in his hand, still smiling. He flicked his long and wide sleeves and settled down again. The dancers and musicians below continued to perform wholeheartedly as if they didn¡¯t notice that their master¡¯s guest¡ª a guest that they didn¡¯t even know the face of¡ªhad departed. Without their master¡¯s order, they weren¡¯t allowed to stop.

    There was once a dancer who was pampered by their master. She stopped dancing as soon as the guests left, and ended up being sentenced to death by their master. Their master wasn¡¯t as harmless and gentlemanly as he looked.

    A woman in white appeared silently behind Wen Xueran and said respectfully, ¡°Master, Ning Qingshan sent a letter. She wants you to get rid of Princess Yi.¡±

    Wen Xueran leaned backnguidly, knocking the folding fan in his hand on the table. His long hair cascaded like a waterfall, partially covering his face, as faint mirth lit up his enchanting eyes. ¡°If I take Princess Yi away, I wonder if that counts as granting Concubine Ning¡¯s wish.¡±

    The woman in white was stunned, not understanding what her master meant. Although she had a crush on him and thought she understood him well, she was still confused at this moment.

    ¡°Do you mean to kidnap Princess Yi as a favor to Concubine Ning?¡± she asked with uncertainty.

    ¡°She¡¯s just a concubine. Why should I do favors for a lowly concubine? Or do you think that a lowly concubine, and a fake at that, has the right to discuss conditions with me?¡± Wen Xueran¡¯s expression sank. Its enchanting face immediately turned cold and hostile.

    The woman in white was dumbfounded and subconsciously lowered her head, her face pale and body shivering. She hadn¡¯t recovered from the whipping before. She thought that her master took care of Ning Qingshan and even sent her Death Guards because she was the princess of the previous dynasty. In the end, she found out that she was mistaken.

    Wen Xueran didn¡¯t notice her abnormality. His sculpted brows knitted into a frown as he struggled to make up his mind. He wanted to keep Ning Xueyan beside Ao Chenyi for that would benefit him the most. He viewed Ao Chenyi as his only worthy opponent, but now, he was beginning to hesitate.

    Was it because of Ning Xueyan¡¯s firmness in rejecting the matters of the previous dynasty? Or was it because he realized Ning Xueyan had a good impression of Ao Chenyi?

    No matter what it was, some things had already left his control. He had no idea when that woman entered his heart, but so what? He felt that she, as the second princess, should take responsibility for the previous dynasty even if she hadn¡¯t been a princess for even a day. She could only me it on the blood of the Xuanyuan n in her veins.

    But why did she seem not to care about losing her position as a princess?

    How could she not care? This should be her responsibility!

    Whenever he thought about this, he couldn¡¯t help but be furious. His engagement with the daughter of the former imperial family was decided between the Empress of the former dynasty and his mother. Although Ning Ziying wasn¡¯t expressly named as the candidate, she was the only princess at that time. Thus, it was decided that he was engaged to Ning Ziying then.

    Things were different now. With Ning Ziying dead, his fiancee ought to be Ning Xueyan. He was overjoyed when he learned of this. That girl, with her slight wariness and coldness, had wisdom and beauty different from most people. She was more to his liking than Ning Ziying.

    She was his fiancee, the one who could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with him. Ning Ziying, like a dainty flower who could only grow in a greenhouse, was too weak and unsuitable for him. Thus, to restore the former dynasty, he epted the fact that Ning Xueyan had to marry Prince Yi. If she was able to contribute to his great cause, he was willing to give her the position she deserved in the future.

    And yet, why couldn¡¯t he bear it anymore? He picked up the jar of wine and drank it straight without pouring it into a cup. He was so upset at this moment. The sweet wine trickled down his face from his beautiful lips, wetting his clothes. He felt as if some things werepletely out of his control now.

    Should he take her away? Should he not?

    Due to all the ruckus that Chen Hexiang made that day, the Ministry of Justice decided to conduct a public trial for Manor Xia¡¯s case. Ning Xueyan brought Xinmei and Qingyu to the ministry to watch the proceeding.

    Chen Hexiang¡¯s statement had gotten numerous parties involved, such as Xia Manor and Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. The newly-established Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor was also said to be involved. Someone had tried to assassinate Prince Xiang recently and no one knew if he had regained consciousness.

    The string of incidents was enough to attract everyone¡¯s attention and was considered to be the biggest uproar in the capital at the moment. Many people attended the trial. By the time Ning Xueyan¡¯s carriage arrived, the front of the Ministry of Justice was packed with pedestrians and a carriage couldn¡¯t pass. Thus, she ordered the driver to stop the carriage outside the building and Xinmei to go down and check the situation.

    ¡°Master, we can¡¯t see or hear anything from here.¡± Qingyu listened through the carriage window for a moment before pushing it open and taking a look outside. She couldn¡¯t see or hear anything at all. With so many people around, their carriage couldn¡¯t stop anywhere near the front. They could only stop the carriage a distance away.

    Never mind watching the trial, they wouldn¡¯t even be able to hear anything at this distance.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right. We¡¯re here just for a quick look. We¡¯ll make do with what we can see and hear.¡± Ning Xueyan, still seated, looked out of the window that Qingyu had opened. Today was the first day of the trial and for some inexplicable reason, she had the urge toe and see it. The people involved were all connected to her.

    Xia Yuhang, Ning Ziyan, Chen Hexiang. It was time for a clean break...

 Chapter 620 - Danger Outside the Ministry of Justice

    <h4>Chapter 620 Danger Outside the Ministry of Justice</h4>

    Chen Hexiang, being the intiff, was the first to arrive. Ning Ziyan was also brought to the court well in advance. Xia Yuhang, a reputable young nobleman and the son of Minister Xia, wasn¡¯t arrested and detained. Instead, the officers from the Ministry of Justice only brought him here today.

    Ning Xueyan stayed in the carriage, watching Xia Yuhang being herded through the crowd into the court. Someone pushed him just as he noticed her carriage, causing him to nearly fall. He was brought inside the Ministry of Justice, almost pathetically so, and the crowd soon filled the door.

    While the trial continued, Xinmei would return from time to time to report the development of the case. It wasn¡¯t an umon sight, for there were many people who found it inconvenient to leave their carriages. Many quick-witted servants and maids would run back and forth to deliver thetest news, so Ning Xueyan remained inconspicuous.

    Inside the court, Chen Hexiang had already produced her evidence. The poems that Ning Ziying and Xia Yuhang wrote together in the past were full of affection, especially in the former¡¯s verses. There was also a letter from Xia Yuhang to Ning Ziying, inviting her to an outing in the Cold Mountain Temple. It was unknown how the letter ended up in Chen Hexiang¡¯s hands.

    And the letter was likely the sweetest letter that Xia Yuhang had ever written. He imed that it was inconvenient for them to meet in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Even though they were engaged since they were children, the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was still the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. It was inconvenient for them to meet, so he invited her to the Cold Mountain Temple.

    Hearing the contents of the letter from Xinmei, Ning Xueyan thought for a long time before remembering what happened. Indeed, the past was a lifetime away. Even the things that she once cared deeply about, she could no longer recall them that well.

    She ought to care for that letter very much at that time. She had been overjoyed by the clear affection in Xia Yuhang¡¯s letter, so she put it away carefully and came up with an excuse to visit the Cold Mountain Temple. Naturally, Ning Ziyan didn¡¯te along that time.

    But how did Chen Hexiang get her hands on this letter? Was it when Chen Hexiang pushed her into the water, wet her clothes, and put on a show of helping her? This was likely. It seemed that Chen Hexiang had pushed her into the water because of Xia Yuhang¡¯s letter invitation.

    Chen Hexiang¡¯s pretentious disy of heroismter on, wanting to jump into the water to save her, was stopped by Xia Yuhang. Meanwhile, she nearly died there. Thinking about it now, it must be Chen Hexiang who told Xia Yuhang to write the letter. The affectionate words were, of course, a deliberate act to fool her.

    Thus, before she even knew it, Xia Yuhang had already abandoned her and hurt her once. She didn¡¯t even notice anything. How stupid.

    The following evidence was a few letter replies from Ning Ziying. They were, of course, addressed to Xia Yuhang. It was a wonder how they ended up with Chen Hexiang again. Chen Hexiang and Xia Yuhang must be deeply in love at that time, so it was natural that those letters would end up with the former.

    To think that in her past life, she thought that such a fickle-minded and selfish man was a good man! She must have been blind!

    The letters, put forth as evidence, werepared with Xia Yuhang¡¯s letters. The handwriting was found to be the same. There was nothing more that Xia Yuhang could argue. Meanwhile, Ning Ziyan also insisted that Xia Yuhang was aware that she and Madam Ling had killed Ning Ziying.

    Ning Ziyan said that it was the intention of both families for her to rece Ning Ziyan and marry Xia Yuhang. She took the wedding sedan to Xia Manor and had her red veil lifted. How could Xia Yuhang¡¯sck of surprise be exined otherwise? It was apparent that it was a ruse between the two families rather than the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor using their marriage as a plot against Xia Manor.

    Ning Ziyan¡¯s words were explosive. Although the wedding didn¡¯t go well because of Madam Ming¡¯s incident, Ning Ziyan¡¯s red veil was removed at the very least. So many people saw her in the bridal chamber. When Xia Yuhang saw that his bride was Ning Ziyan, his expression was calm. It was apparent that he was aware of everything.

    Having said and proved as much, the case was nearly irrefutable. Xia Manor and Xia Yuhang couldn¡¯t escape responsibility anymore. Back when he was dating these two women who promised to be with him for life, he probably never thought that they would retaliate against him so badly one day.

    Life was mysterious that way. Back then, these two women desperately tried to suppress her, steal her position, and kill her. And Xia Yuhang, wanting to benefit from her, put on an affectionate look and made these two women feel like he was a rare catch. He made it so that they would go all out in harming her.

    Now, they were all attacking each other. Even outside, she could hear the yelling and crying inside. She could also hear Xia Yuhang¡¯s angry voice.

    Could he no longer maintain his usual confidence andposure? What a pity for the nobleman who always put on a show of calmness and grace in front of others...

    Uninterested to hear any more of the trial, Ning Xueyan ordered for the carriage to leave the ce. The crowd outside the Ministry of Justice was getting worse. Since she was quite early, the crowd ended up gathering around her, making it hard for them to leave immediately. Moreover, the trial was reaching its climax and the onlookers were getting excited. All of them craned their necks for a better look, neither willing to give way for their carriage.

    Seeing this, Ning Xueyan put on her veiled hat and got out of the carriage. She started walking away with Xinmei and Qingyu guarding her, leaving the carriage near the monument.

    It was crowded, but fortunately, Xinmei was a martial artist and was able to use her body to force an empty path. Ning Xueyan followed after her, with Qingyu taking up the rear. The three of them walked out together.

    Suddenly, Ning Xueyan stopped walking and instinctively looked up. She had the nagging feeling that someone was looking at her, but when she raised her head to look, she didn¡¯t notice anything suspicious. On the other side of the Ministry of Justice was a row of shops. There were quite a lot of people looking down at the court from the windows above.

    Sensing that Ning Xueyan had stopped walking, Xinmei raised her guard and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Master?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. Let¡¯s go.¡± Ning Xueyan shook her head and continued walking behind Xinmei. There were quite a lot of people like them who couldn¡¯t leave in their carriages because of the crowd. Some impatient ones were also leading their servants out of the crowd. Theing and going of pedestrians were normal, so she didn¡¯t think that she stood out a lot.

    In particr, she also saw a youngdy walking forward, squeezed between two maids like herself. Unlike her, though, thedy wasn¡¯t wearing a veiled hat.

    Thetest development of the case made the verdict almost a foregone conclusion. Many shared the same idea as Ning Xueyan, thinking that there was no need to continue watching the trial anymore.

    Ning Xueyan continued to squeeze through the crowd behind Xinmei. The crowd was huge and the weather was hot, too. She hadn¡¯t gone very far before she started sweating. Even with Xinmei opening up a path for her, she moved forward with great difficulty. They were being pushed to the side, but they would be able to leave the crowd after walking past several more people.

    Wiping her sweat with her hand, she turned her head subconsciously and saw that youngdy from earlier almost making out of the crowd. Thedy raised her head at the same time. When she saw Ning Xueyan, she smiled. Perhaps it was because both of them were in a simr situation.

    Ning Xueyan smiled politely at thedy through the veil before turning around, wanting to continue moving forward. Suddenly, a thought ran through her mind. She stopped abruptly and turned her head in astonishment to look at thedy in white.

    Thedy in white was beautiful with alluring facial features. Her smile was as gentle as water, but that wasn¡¯t the most striking part about her. It was her sweat-free face. She came out of her carriage and squeezed through the crowd at almost the same time as Ning Xueyan. Ning Xueyan paid extra attention because she was also a youngdy like her.

    Ning Xueyan was sweating profusely along the way, never mind Qingyu behind her. Only Xinmei seemed untouched because of her martial arts. Yet, this woman was also sweat-free like Xinmei.

    How could Ning Xueyan not be shocked?

    They were so close that thedy in white would be able to grab Ning Xueyan if she reached out.

    rm bells rang inside her. She instinctively stepped aside and said anxiously, ¡°Xinmei!¡± She wanted to draw Xinmei¡¯s attention but in the end, she wasn¡¯t able to say anything.

    Thedy in white suddenly reached out and pped the back of Ning Xueyan¡¯s head. Amid Qingyu¡¯s horrified cries, Ning Xueyan went limp...

    Ao Chenyiid on the couch on his side, reading the document that was delivered to him. Of course, his injury wasn¡¯t as bad as people thought. The partial transfer of his authority was also a show for the Emperor¡¯s sake. He also knew that the Emperor wouldn¡¯t take his power now or he would never be able to get rid of suspicion.

    However, he was getting frustrated reading the document. He put down the file in his hand heavily as an unreadable emotion crossed his handsome eyes. Right about now, Yan¡¯er should be returning from the trial at the Ministry of Justice, but why wasn¡¯t there any news from her yet?

    ¡°Your Highness, the Princess is missing!¡± Yu Jian cried, rushing up the stairs covered in sweat. He immediately ran upstairs after receiving the coachman¡¯s report. Others might not know how important the Princess was to the Prince, but how could he not?

    Sure enough, that handsome face shed itsnguid expression, turning cold and murderous. He immediately sat up on the couch, his face as dark as an oing storm.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°I heard that a woman took the Princess away just as she was braving the crowd with the maids. The coach tried to get close but the crowd was so huge that the Princess was gone by the time he got there,¡± a frightened Yu Jian reported, staring at Ao Chenyi¡¯s sharp expression. His master had rarely gotten this angry ever since marrying the Princess.

    ¡°Let everyone investigate. Block all the streets and gates. Just say that there are Annan rebels in the hiding. Investigate everyone,¡± Ao Chenyi said, his face gloomy.

    He stood up and added, just as Yu Jian was about to go out, ¡°Investigate the princes and noblemen just as strictly. Tell them they¡¯ll be punished for colluding with Annan otherwise.¡±

    Nearly everyone knew that the King of Annan was about to rebel, so no one dared to get involved with anyone from Annan. It would be a crime of treason otherwise!

    ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Yu Jian ran out, chasing after Ao Chenyi.

 Chapter 621 - An Insignificant Concubine in Prince Xiangâ€™s Manor

    <h4>Chapter 621 An Insignificant Concubine in Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor</h4>

    When Ning Xueyan regained unconsciousness, all she could feel was pain all over her body. She touched the back of her head, unable to recognize where she was at the moment. She seemed to be inside an old firewood shed with some firewood scattered on the floor. Underneath her was arge piece of firewood, so the surface was still fairly soft. She sat up and saw that she was all alone.

    The first impression the ce gave her was that of an old firewood shed but the second, however, was a jail. It was a small room, with a tiny window high above. The whole ce looked gloomy.

    Hearing the noise from inside the shed, two repulsive-looking burly men opened the door and walked in. ¡°Hey, you woke up?¡± they said, looking at the woman sitting on the pile of firewood. It was apparent from their appearance that they were no gentleman.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s gleaming eyes blinked as she asked calmly, ¡°Who are you two?¡± Thedy who attacked her was skilled and followed her with a clear goal in mind. This was likely a premeditated attack, and naturally, not one that these two burly men that she didn¡¯t even know could n.

    ¡°Thisdy is a real beauty. Don¡¯t care who we are. We¡¯ll send you somewhere niceter. It¡¯s a jackpot for a prettydy like you.¡± One of the burly menughed, his voice lecherous. He looked Ning Xueyan up and down with lust in his eyes.

    ¡°You¡¯re sending me to someone? Who? Why don¡¯t I help you out? Since you¡¯re sending me to someone, you should find me a better family. That way, you¡¯ll gain more benefit,¡± Ning Xueyan said calmly.

    The men were stunned, having not expected a woman to remain soposed in such a situation. Then, their expression turned contemptuous.

    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re the kind who wants power and wealth. But what a pity. Even if a woman like you enters a nobleman¡¯s manor, you¡¯ll still be a titleless concubine. When your master gets tired of ying with you, he¡¯ll still send you away as a gift. Oh, but once your master is sick of you, you can have fun with us instead.¡±

    One of the men continued to speak in a lecherous voice. He took two steps forward until he was next to Ning Xueyan and reached out to touch her face.

    Ning Xueyan was rmed but didn¡¯t let it show. She sneered and pped the man¡¯s outreached hand away. Though there was a slight smile on her face, her expression was icy. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯d have you killed once I gain favor? Can you be sure that your master will be able to protect you?¡±

    Her facial features were exquisite and her smile emphasized how beautiful she was. However, her eyes, as unfathomable as bottomless pools, were so cold that they could freeze anyone. They also made people afraid of ignoring her words.

    ¡°Tsk, who do you think you are? You¡¯re just a ything. So what if I y with you before sending you away? After all, a famous prostitute in the brothel can sleep with one man one night and still get hired the next!¡± the burly man said unhappily.

    He reached out to grab Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Stop. Don¡¯t touch her for now.¡± The other man walked over with a gloomy expression and yanked the man squatting on the floor.

    The man retorted nonchntly, ¡°She¡¯s just a ything. They said anything¡¯s fine as long as we don¡¯t kill her.¡±

    ¡°Have you forgotten what we said earlier?¡± the man behind him said coldly.

    The man earlier seemed sheepish after getting chided. He nced at Ning Xueyan¡¯s beautiful face, feeling an itch in his heart. He had never seen a woman as beautiful as her. As that maid said, he wouldn¡¯t be able to get this chance again.

    ¡°They wouldn¡¯t know if neither of us speaks. It¡¯s not like this woman would say it herself!¡± he mumbled in dissatisfaction.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that your master wille back and punish you for your disobedience?¡± a cold voice emerged.

    The burly man in front subconsciously replied, ¡°All our master said was to send the target over. Why care about the rest?¡±

    The moment the words left his mouth, he raised his head and looked at Ning Xueyan in astonishment. He immediately covered his mouth.

    ¡°Honestly, you don¡¯t have to be so hasty. Do you think I wouldn¡¯t know who¡¯s sending me to whom? It¡¯s Prince Fu, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t know him. Since Prince Fu is interested in me, you kidnapped me as a gift for him. To make him do something, it seems? Or more precisely, it¡¯s your master who wants him to do something? I¡¯m just your bargaining chip. What a pity. I know Prince Fu very well.¡±

    Ning Xueyan smiled and spoke firmly.

    To think that this woman knew Prince Fu and was even familiar with him! Her words suggested that they didn¡¯t just have an ordinary rtionship. If Prince Fu found out that they attacked this woman, he would kill them. With Prince Yi and Prince Xiang in trouble, Prince Fu was the one most likely to win the throne.

    Seeing the two burly men standing in shock, Ning Xueyan chimed in leisurely, ¡°When does your master want me to be sent to Prince Fu? Hurry up. It¡¯ll be problematic if Prince Fu can¡¯t save your master.¡±

    What was wrong with this woman? How could she know everything?

    The two men¡¯s eyes widened even more as they stared at her in disbelief.

    Suddenly, they exchanged looks and stopped looking. The man behind fished out a pill from his chest and walked toward Ning Xueyan. Even from a distance, she could tell from the fragrance of the pill that it was an aphrodisiac. She couldn¡¯t believe that they would feed her such a pill. Her re turned sharp as she said, ¡°Xia Yuhang¡¯s subordinates are as useless as I thought. To think that you¡¯d even use such lowly medicine.¡±

    ¡°You...¡± This time, the men were truly stunned. How did this woman find out about their master¡¯s name?

    ¡°I suppose you don¡¯t know who I am. Are you trying to harm Prince Fu by sending me to him? You dare to ask for his help with this trick. Or did you think that it¡¯s not enough to have all of your n killed, so you want to add another one?¡±

    Mockery-filled mirth filled her eyes. It was the same look typically seen on Ao Chenyi¡¯s face. Her hands, resting on her knees, were tightly clenched. It turned out that Xia Yuhang had a back-up n, and this n involved her. The most ridiculous thing was that he insisted that she was Ning Ziying.

    Yet, when push came to shove, he didn¡¯t hesitate to kidnap her, drug her, and push her onto Ao Mingwan¡¯s bed. Perhaps, this was the condition for Ao Mingwan¡¯s help and only this condition could help him survive.

    Sure enough, Xia Yuhang was the most selfish and unkind of people.

    When one didn¡¯t have any conflict of interests with him, he would be an elegant nobleman doing decent things and speaking affectionate words. But when one¡¯s existence threatened his interests, he would mercilessly shed his mask of hypocrisy.

    He could swear a lifetime with you in one moment and tear you to shreds in the next.

    There was barely anyone who could harm her at this moment, Ning Xueyan thought. This timing, too, was suspicious. Ao Mingyu was still unconscious and Ao Mingwan wasn¡¯t that radical. The Emperor wouldn¡¯t make the move himself because of her ¡°discord¡± with Ao Chenyi. Wen Xueran¡¯s intentions were unclear but he wouldn¡¯t give her away when he wanted to restore the previous dynasty with her.

    That left Xia Yuhang as the only suspect in a dire situation. He was so desperate for help that he resorted to kidnapping, wanting to send her to Ao Mingwan. However, he wasn¡¯t around when Ao Mingwan mistook her and Ning Qingshan, so how did he find out that Ao Mingwan had feelings for her?

    ¡°No one knows if Prince Yi is dead or alive. Who knows if he¡¯ll regain consciousness? He doesn¡¯t have the time to worry about us. Prince Fu will be grateful to our master once we send you to him. Why would he kill us?¡± The two burly men sneered, having snapped out of their horror.

    ¡°Why are you still talking to her? Just feed her the medicine and send her away, and our job will be over!¡± said the one who looked lecherously at Ning Xueyan earlier.

    ¡°All right!¡± The other man didn¡¯t hesitate anymore. The more they hesitated, the more troublesome this would be. Their master had firmly ordered them to send this woman to Prince Fu¡¯s bed.

    Out of the blue, Ning Xueyan yelled, ¡°Wait, did Ning Qingshan interfere? Did she tell you that you¡¯re not viting your master¡¯s order as long as you don¡¯t kill me?¡± She must not take that pill or she would bepletely ruined. Concealing the tension in her eyes, she looked at the men angrily.

    ¡°Did you think an insignificant concubine in Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor can protect you? I¡¯m afraid even your master has trouble protecting himself now, let alone a lowly concubine. If you don¡¯t believe me, take a look outside. But don¡¯t me me for not reminding you. Even if you want to leave now, you might not be able to.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s words flustered the two burly men. What kind of woman was she? How could she know everything, even the collusion between their master and that concubine in Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor? How could she be so sharp-witted? And what did she mean, they couldn¡¯t leave?

    ¡°You don¡¯t believe me? Fine, one of you can go out and take a look. The other can stay. The streets are already filled with people. Who knows, they might investigate this ce very soon. I wonder if your master ever considered the possibility that he¡¯ll be arrested? If that Concubine Ning of yours ever thought about the possible consequences of this incident?¡±

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s expression turned cold and the corner of her lips curved into a sneer. She believed that the coachman saw her getting kidnapped. Even if he couldn¡¯t save her immediately, he would report it. Ao Chenyi would definitely take measures once he found out.

    The coachman that Ao Chenyi gave her at that time was no ordinary coachman!

    Meanwhile, Xia Yuhang was being detained at the Ministry of Justice and wouldn¡¯t being out anytime soon, resulting in theck of clearmand in this kidnapping. Ning Qingshan might be colluding with him, but she was a concubine in Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor and wouldn¡¯t be able to leave even if she wanted to, especially when her husband¡¯s survival was still uncertain.

    With these two factors at y, their loss meant it was her gain. All she had to do was persist for a while longer. She was sure that Ao Chenyi would find her.

    She seemedposed as she sat on a pile of firewood, a scornful smile on her face. Only she knew how tense she was, so much so that her body was stiff. Inside her sleeves, her hands were clenched. She tried her best to suppress her fear. No matter what, she must hold on until Ao Chenyi¡¯s arrival...

 Chapter 622 - Ning Qingshan Getting Her Just Desserts

    <strong>Chapter 622 Ning Qingshan Getting Her Just Desserts</strong>

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s firm words made the two burly men hesitate for a moment. They exchanged doubtful looks. One went out while the other stayed behind, watching her with an unreadable expression. She leaned on the pir beside her calmly and started closing her eyes as if she was taking a rest. She kept them partially open under her longshes, with just enough space to keep a vignt watch.

    The burly man who went out earlier returned shortly after and yanked hispanion. They started whispering in the corner of the shed, though it seemed more like arguing instead. Now and then, they would point at Ning Xueyan. Although their voices weren¡¯t loud, their argument was getting tense.

    Ning Xueyan seemed rxed, lying against the pir, but in reality, her whole body was tense. All of her attention was on the two big men. In a situation like this, she couldn¡¯t afford any mistakes as a woman. Xia Yuhang was still in the Ministry of Justice, so the only one who could issuemands and control these men remotely was Ning Qingshan.

    In other words, Xia Yuhang was allowing Ning Qingshan to haveplete authority over her fate. Given Ning Qingshan¡¯s hatred for herself as well as the opportunity to ruin her life, one man must be under Ning Qingshan and the other under Xia Yuhang. One thing for sure, however, was that Xia Yuhang could barely protect himself now. Byparison, Ning Qingshan might find it inconvenient toe out but she was still a concubine in Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor.

    Compared to Xia Yuhang, Ning Qingshan¡¯s deterrence ought to be stronger in this case.

    Suddenly, her hands on her knees rxed. She reached for her wrist and pressed a button there. Earlier, she remembered the jade bracelet that she was wearing. The jade bracelet was hers, but Ao Chenyi installed poisonced needles in it for herter on. She had never used them, so the bracelet nearly slipped her mind.

    The few poisonced needles inside should be enough to deal with these two.

    She gradually rxed, though she felt sticky with cold sweat.

    Sure enough, the dispute between the two men seemed to havee to an end. The one who smiled lewdly at her earlier pushed the other away and staggered toward her.

    ¡°Little beauty, I¡¯ll be straight with you. Since you know Concubine Ning, you should know that she doesn¡¯t like you. She told us to rape you before throwing your ruined body to Prince Fu. Of course, we¡¯ll be feeding you this pill before we send you over. In that state, Prince Fu will have to sleep with you if he wants to save you. And this matter will have nothing to do with us anymore.¡±

    Wearing a wretched smile, the burly man walked over and reached out to pinch Ning Xueyan¡¯s chin. The pill was in his hand.

    Ning Xueyan knew that Ning Qingshan would never let her go. That woman would definitely give her a worse oue than death. With a sharp glint in her dark eyes, she pressed the button on the bracelet. Once this man came a little closer, she would kill him with a single blow. As for his conspirator, he seemed easier to deal with than this one.

    All of a sudden, someone kicked the door open. The loud crash made the two burly men turn their heads in shock. This was a great opportunity. Ning Xueyan pressed the button on the bracelet again and several poisonced needles quietly struck the neck of the man in front of her. Meanwhile, the one standing at the door was kicking the other burly man.

    Almost at the same time, Xinmei appeared at the window. She curled up her body and flew in through the opening, sending the staggering man flying along the way.

    Her pale face only recovered some color after seeing Ning Xueyan. She immediately asked, ¡°Master, how are you doing?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m... fine.¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s entire body almost went limp. She saw Xinmei instinctively reaching out to hold her.

    The door was once again kicked open. Seeing the devastatingly handsome yet ice-cold man at the door, Ning Xueyan felt her tears falling for some reason. She cried softly, ¡°Chenyi.¡±

    The strength and calmness that she disyed earlier left her body almost immediately. She was just a frightened woman now.

    Ao Chenyi caught Ning Xueyan nearly the moment her body went limp. Looking at her pale, almost bloodless face and lips, as well the undeniable panic and fear in her expression, he felt a sharp stab of pain. He cried angrily, ¡°Bring Prince Xiang¡¯s Concubine Ning here! This pill is a reward for her!¡±

    No matter how strong and calm his Yan¡¯er was, he was still just a woman! How dare some people took advantage of his ¡°injury¡± to kidnap his woman!

    Behind him, Yu Yue silently motioned at two guards. The two turned around and left the shed.

    ¡°Master, who are these two?¡± Yu Jian asked quietly, looking at Prince Yi who seemed to be holding his most precious treasure. Both men were kicked so hard that they fainted, but one was poisoned. Without an antidote, he would never wake.

    ¡°Give him the antidote and then feed them medicine. I want them to be awake,¡± Ao Chenyi said gloomily. His magnificent face was murderous and cold. ¡°Since they have the nerve to do this, I¡¯ll let them do it well.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll handle it right away.¡± Yu Jian nodded respectfully.

    The focus on the capital was extraordinary today. First, it was Prince Yi¡¯s Manor dering that people from the Feudal Prince of Annan¡¯s Manor were causing trouble and that everyone needed to be investigated. Even the city gates were closed. However, the scope of the investigation was toorge and there were so many people in the capital, too. The investigation didn¡¯t go too well and ended up dragging on until nighttime.

    People were still wondering if it was true. Could it be that Prince Yi made up the story and fight against the Emperor because of the assassination attempt on him? No one could say that it was entirely impossible. Who knew if the unpredictable Prince Yi would do such a thing?

    However, everyone was soon left bewildered at another piece of news. When a group of sergeants reached an empty courtyard, they saw two naked men and a naked woman frolicking amid piles of firewood. They only stopped in a panic after seeing the sergeantse in.

    The woman curled up into a ball and grabbed a piece of firewood to cover herself.

    To think that the investigation on the Annan rebels also led to the discovery of two men and a woman! The scandal, of course, was more attention-grabbing than the rebellion of Annan. Moreover, the sergeants were all men. When they saw what was going on, they pointed at the woman andughed loudly. Then, one of them mentioned that she was Prince Xiang¡¯s new concubine.

    That rendered everyone speechless. They knew that this was no trivial matter anymore.

    Whether or not the concubine had a low status in Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor, she was nheless Prince Xiang¡¯s woman. They had to report it. Thus, everyone waited outside and ryed their report up the chain ofmand. It didn¡¯t take long for everyone to find out that one of Prince Xiang¡¯s concubines was caught red-handed fooling around with two men while he was in aa.

    If Prince Xiang was conscious, all they had to do was send a letter to him secretly. The problem was that he was unconscious, resulting in the news being spread from one to another. Naturally, the news got more and more exaggerated as it spread. What was initially two men soon became twenty, and the affair waster said to have happened right in front of Prince Xiang...

    When the news reached the Emperor, he was drinking tea in the pce. He was so shocked that the tea that had just entered his mouth immediately came out from his nose. He coughed violently.

    ¡°Your Majesty, please calm down. You must pay attention to your health,¡± a eunuch said, trembling as he patted the Emperor¡¯s back.

    The eunuchs behind him, as well as the pce maids, knelt on the floor. They could all see that the Emperor was furious.

    How he could not be angry? The son that he had the biggest hope was now tethering between life and death. What was this about his son¡¯s concubine cuckolding him? No matter who it was, it was extremely shameful for a man to be cuckolded by a woman. Moreover, this was Ao Mingyu, the great Third Prince, and the current Prince Xiang. How should Ao Mingyu face anyone from now on?

    The Emperor panted for a long time before calming down. He mmed his hand on the table and asked angrily, ¡°When did Prince Xiang marry that concubine?¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, please cease your anger. Do you still remember that Honored Consort Ya once told you about it? The Third Young Lady from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor might not have a good background, but she was devoted to Prince Xiang. Honored Consort Ya was touched by her devotion and allowed her to be Prince Xiang¡¯s concubine. She has just entered Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor a while ago.¡±

    The Emperor¡¯s personal eunuch remembered this, so he immediately exined it to him in his high-pitched voice.

    ¡°The Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Once again, it¡¯s the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Ning Zu¡¯an, Ning Zu¡¯an...¡± The Emperor was so angry that he felt as though blood was threatening toe out of his throat. There was no end to the scandals involving the Lord Protector¡¯s Manortely. Each of their daughters was more stupid than the other. Now, they even sent a bold and adulterous woman to Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor. He was so mad that he was ready to devour Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s heart.

    Seeing how furious the Emperor was, the eunuch exined, ¡°Cease your anger, Your Majesty. I heard that Concubine Ning isn¡¯t the Lord Protector¡¯s biological daughter. She¡¯s just adopted, so her identity isn¡¯t apparent. Moreover, Honored Consort Ya used to like her very much.¡± He wasn¡¯t worried that the Emperor would punish Ning Zu¡¯an, but that the Emperor would me him for not exining it well.

    The Emperor was at the peak of his rage at the moment. Even if the Emperor cut him alive, as a ve, he couldn¡¯t say anything about it.

    The Lord Protector¡¯s adopted daughter that Honored Consort Ya liked? With a reminder from his personal eunuch, the Emperor¡¯s mind cleared up and he remembered such a person. Honored Consort Ya used to praise the concubine highly and even repeatedly expressed her wish to make the concubine Prince Xiang¡¯s princess.

    Later on, things calmed down because of the incident with Lord Protector¡¯s second daughter and Ao Mingyu, only for the matter to be brought back up again after Third Young Lady Ning left the nunnery. Something went wrong during the drafting of new beauties, resulting in her losing her position as the princess and bing the consort instead.

    Her actions became increasingly unruly, and she dared to fight Ao Xian, Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. Thus, she was demoted to a mere concubine. The Emperor heard this from Honored Consort Ya.

    He didn¡¯t know if he should be grateful that Ning Qingshan¡¯s princess position was taken from her or if he should be angry that she cuckolded his beloved son.

    Forcing down his murderous rage, he said every word with his eyes wide open, ¡°Servants, bring Honored Consort Ya here.¡±

 Chapter 623 - Iâ€™ll Be Fine Because Youâ€™re with Me

    <h4>Chapter 623 I¡¯ll Be Fine Because You¡¯re with Me</h4>

    Ning Xueyan stayed dazed for a long time after waking up. It took her a while to recognize that she was in a familiar ce, the third floor of the Moon-embracing Tower and Ao Chenyi¡¯s room. Only then did the vignce in her eyes fade.

    ¡°You¡¯re up? How are you feeling?¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s voice reached her ears. It was a pleasant baritone voice that wasn¡¯t gloomy. If anything, it made her feel all soft on the inside.

    He had always been an introvert with great self-control. It was rare for him to show how he felt.

    Ning Xueyan leaned her head against him and said softly, ¡°I¡¯m fine. I just didn¡¯t expect Xia Yuhang and Ning Qingshan to be so crazy.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t lying. She did think that Xia Yuhang would be desperate enough to do something to save himself but didn¡¯t anticipate how far he would go. Just to get Ao Mingwan to help him, he kidnapped her and tried to send her to Ao Mingwan¡¯s bed.

    The reason he colluded with Ning Qingshan was easy to understand, too. Others might not understand their rtionship, but how could Xia Yuhang not? It was his best choice to get Ning Qingshan to deal with her while the Ministry of Justice was interrogating him. Whether Ning Qingshan would do anything to her wasn¡¯t within his consideration.

    ¡°Crazy, aren¡¯t they? Let them go crazy then!¡± Ao Chenyi ced his hand on Ning Xueyan¡¯s forehead and gently caressed it. There was an unreadable coldness in his eyes. The moment he learned that Yan¡¯er was kidnapped, no one knew how he nearly ruined everyone.

    He found relief only after he saw how she, despite being frightened and tense, raised the blood bracelet in her hand and aimed it at her kidnappers. His Yan¡¯er wasn¡¯t an ordinary woman of the aristocracy. She remained calm even in such a dangerous situation, searching for a beneficial way out.

    Still, that made him feel even more distressed. To think that the woman that he wanted to protect would end up in such a precarious situation.

    Ning Xueyan wasn¡¯t injured, but she was weak from using excessive strength before. Her body has always been frail, too. She was leaning against his chest in a daze at this moment, not noticing the sinister threat in Ao Chenyi¡¯s words.

    ¡°Don¡¯t sleep first. Get up and have some food before you sleep.¡± He reached out to pat her face.

    ¡°I don¡¯t feel like eating,¡± she replied softly.

    ¡°Eat something even if you don¡¯t feel like it. Come on, be a good girl and get up. Just have some porridge.¡± Knowing that she might not have an appetite, Ao Chenyi ordered the servants to prepare a bowl of light-tasting porridge.

    Though Ning Xueyan wanted to sleep, she couldn¡¯t win against the voice chattering beside her ear or the asional patting and pinching. It was as if she was a cat or dog. His little actions chased away all of her drowsiness. She had no choice but to get up and sit on the bed. After washing up with the things that Xinmei prepared, she took a few mouthfuls of porridge. Suddenly, she noticed something odd.

    ¡°Why is it so noisy?¡± The sky outside the window indicated that it was nighttime and yet, the entire manor was lit up as brightly as daytime. She could even hear the sound of collisions, simr to the collisions of weapons. Her mind instantly became clear and she grabbed Ao Chenyi¡¯s sleeve, asking in a panicked voice, ¡°Did something happen?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s all over. Yu Jian and the others are tying up the loose ends. It¡¯s just a few assassins,¡± he replied nonchntly.

    ¡°Assassins? Why are there assassins? Did the Emperor not trust you and send assassins after you?¡± Ning Xueyan became anxious. Why did assassinse at this time? To think that assassins woulde so shortly after she was kidnapped.

    Ao Chenyi helped her get to her feet, allowing her head to rest against his chest, and look out the window. ¡°It¡¯s all right. It¡¯s just some assassins, and they didn¡¯t juste to my manor,¡± he saidnguidly, looking out the window.

    Noticing something off, she calmed herself and asked, ¡°Did anyone die?¡±

    ¡°Just a couple of people who deserved death anyway. No harm is done. You should go to bed and get some good rest. Nothing will happen,¡± he said leisurely. Giving her a devious look, he added, ¡°Of course, if you¡¯re bored and can¡¯t sleep anymore, I can keep youpany and watch this wonderful show.¡±

    ¡°You did it?¡± Her pink lips fell open and her glistening eyes blinked as she looked at him. He hugged her without a word, gently and tenderly embracing her.

    ¡°Since someone has harmed my princess repeatedly, I¡¯ll have to at least fight back, don¡¯t I?¡± Ao Chenyi smiled, as calm as ever. His longshes, as light as butterfly wings, fell as he looked at her. His eyes seemed warmer this time.

    ¡°What if something happened to me this time... and I died?¡± Ning Xueyan gripped his sleeve even harder as if this was the only way she could break free from the shock and fear that she felt earlier. Truth to be told, she was afraid, very much so. But what use was fear in that kind of situation?

    If Ning Qingshan knew she was afraid, she would torture her even more!

    Even so, she coulde clean about her fear now. Her clear, beautiful eyes seemed clouded over as she looked hopefully at his handsome face.

    ¡°If I lose the love of my life, I don¡¯t see a need for this world to exist anymore. I think it¡¯ll be better for everyone to lose their loved ones and have their blood flow for a thousand miles.¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s voice was even, sounding as if everything was within his n, but the murderous desire in his words would make everyone who heard him think that he was as cold as a ghost from hell.

    He seemed so cruel that he would drag everyone he saw to hell.

    Ning Xueyan was stunned at first. This man was as bloodthirsty and ruthless as she expected. It was no wonder everyone called him a Demon King. If he lost his love, he would make everyone lose their loved ones as well and plunge them into hell. He had the kind of mentality where no one should be happy if he was upset.

    But she was heartbroken at his way of thinking. She felt so bad for him that she instinctively reached out to hug him. The darkness in his eyes told her that he wasn¡¯t joking. He was never one to shy away from such cruelty, and he would only ever do his worst.

    The fact that he would overdo it was what made her sad. This was how he had lived since thete Emperor¡¯s death. Now, he had given nearly all of his affection to her. Would he sink into pitch-ck darkness if he died, never to see the sun again?

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine because you¡¯re with me!¡± Ning Xueyan grabbed his hand, looking at him with a pair of misty eyes. Her gaze, however, was firm and warm.

    She would be fine with him around. He would protect her!

    Because of him, she wouldn¡¯t let anything happen to herself. She still had to protect him!

    That was what Ning Xueyan meant. Her words might seem to havee out of the left-field, but she knew that Ao Chenyi would understand her. He raised an eyebrow at her, but the tremendous coldness in his eyes gradually faded. He grabbed her hand and ced it lovingly on his lips before taking a bite, expelling the darkness within him.

    He was Prince Yi, a Demon King in everyone¡¯s eyes. Everyone thought that he was icy-cold and she was his weak princess. They thought that he was protecting her, but only he knew that she was the one guarding his heart ever since he fell for her.

    He carefully wiped her hands with a towel before carrying her to bed. He climbed into bed too, patting her soft body. ¡°Go to bed. Get a good night¡¯s rest and it¡¯ll be all over by the time you wake up tomorrow.¡±

    It was indeed getting quieter outside. There would be a burst of noise from time to time, but it wasn¡¯t as bad as before. She was exhausted today, so she gradually closed her eyes amid Ao Chenyi¡¯s gentle soothing. Sheid in his embrace, surrounded by his smell, and felt at peace.

    She had always been tense since her rebirth. Yet, somehow, she began to rxpletely and sleep sweetly around him.

    Even though he was cold and sinister, he still made her feel warm.

    Ao Chenyi lowered his head and looked at the woman in his arms without a word. She was holding onto his shirt with one hand, burying her head in his chest. Her fair and beautiful face, like that of jade, was still wearing a faint smile. Her curved pink lips seemed rxed. This showed that she truly trusted in him, and his heart was filled with joy at this.

    He leaned in and gently ced a kiss on her opened lips. He didn¡¯t dare to use so much force for fear of disturbing her sleep.

    Xinmei had left the room a long time ago, so the ce was quiet. Only the candlelight was flickering.

    Suddenly, there was a light knock on the door. Ao Chenyi put Ning Xueyan down gently and removed her soft little hand from his chest. He got up, sorted his clothes, and went out.

    Yu Jian was waiting at the door outside. He was about to make his report after seeing Ao Chenyi, but thetter red at him, making him shut up. He then followed Ao Chenyi to the window on the other side before Ao Chenyi started questioning him in azy voice.

    ¡°How did it go?¡±

    ¡°Everything has been dealt with. Since you¡¯re still injured, the assassins entered the manor as if it was their backyard. They were only chased away by the guards after running into a few of them. It¡¯s the same with Prince Xiang and Prince Fu. No one died. A few were injured, but made to retreat unscathed by the assassins.¡±

    Yu Jian made his report in a low voice.

    ¡°What about that side?¡± Ao Chenyi looked coldly out of the window, his gaze without any trace of warmth.

    Yu Jian paused for a moment before answering, ¡°Consort Yun was worried about your injury. When she came out, she was also injured by the assassins.¡± It was inevitable for Commandery Princess Xianyun to be injured, lest this consort who was demoted from the princess position to cook up another scheme. In the face of such an inevitable matter, Ao Chenyi¡¯s countermeasure was always to obliterate all possibilities.

    Even if nothing had happened yet!

    Ao Chenyi nodded, his gaze cold and gloomy as he stared out the window. ¡°Is it going well in Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The chaos happened mainly in the residences of the three princes. Some even said the princes had all died. The rumors are strife outside. The Emperor will likely send someone over to verify the news soon.¡±

    The simultaneous attack of the three princes most likely to seed the throne was a major incident. If the Emperor didn¡¯t send someone to check on the princes¡¯ condition, the spearhead of the rumors might very well aim at him. Not even an Emperor could stop the suspicion of his officials.

    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Ao Chenyi nodded with a faint smile on his face. ¡°Let them retreat and stay put until they get a new order.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m on it.¡± Yu Jian nodded, stepped back respectfully, and went downstairs.

 Chapter 624 - Chen Hexiang Leaves the Capital

    Chapter 624 Chen Hexiang Leaves the Capital

    Amotion swept through the capital as soon as the sun rose as another major incident followed the discovery of Prince Xiang¡¯s concubine having an affair with other men. There were assassins infiltrating Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor, and Prince Fu¡¯s Manor. It was said that quite a few were injured but the biggest number of dead bodies were found in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Prince Yi was so badly injured that he was still in aa and the guards were left without a leader. The assassins were able to take advantage of theck of leadership and exploited the loopholes.

    Fortunately, the three princes were well-protected and stayed safe.

    There was, however, another scandal. It was said that Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s granddaughter and Prince Fu¡¯s soon-to-be consort, Ya Moqin, was found beside Prince Xiang¡¯s bed. When the Emperor¡¯s men rushed to Prince Xiang¡¯s bed, they found Ya Moqin leaning against Prince Xiang¡¯s bed. What was most coincidental was that Prince Xiang was awake at that time.

    Though this scandal wasn¡¯t as rming as the adultery of Prince Xiang¡¯s concubine, it nevertheless made everyone feel speechless. Ya Moqin was about to be Ao Mingwan¡¯s consort. How could she stay in Ao Mingyu¡¯s room without anypanion? Even though they couldn¡¯t do anything because of Ao Mingyu¡¯s injury, no man could have epted this.

    Thus, Ao Mingwan didn¡¯t spare them either. He went straight to the Emperor¡¯s study, knelt, and asked for the marriage to be called off.

    If he could endure such a scandal, especially when the world already knew about it, he would lose the right to the throne. No man could ept it. Calling off the marriage was inevitable.

    It went without saying that the Emperor couldn¡¯t refute anything, not after such a scandal. Still, he had to save the face of Honored Consort Ya and Grand Tutor Ya. He couldn¡¯t just decide that Ya Moqin was indeed having an affair with Ao Mingyu. So, it wasn¡¯t easy to make a judgment.

    Still, Ya Moqin¡¯s shameless behavior had smeared the reputation of the imperial family. The Emperor was so annoyed that he ordered someone to head to Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor and reprimand her. He would deal with the matterter, for when it was more suitable. He would ignore it for now.

    Ning Qingshan, on the other hand, would be executed!

    She was supposed to be escorted to Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor and detained there until Ao Mingyu woke up and executed her. That was the Emperor¡¯s decision. He chose to wait for Ao Mingyu to wake up because he wanted Ao Mingyu to punish Ning Qingshan himself. A man would have to handle being cuckolded himself. However, Ning Qingshan somehow sneaked to Ao Mingyu¡¯s room and pleaded tearfully until he gave in.

    Ao Mingyu wrote a letter to the Emperor, pleading him to forgive Ning Qingshan and spare her life. When the letter arrived, a still-wounded Ao Chenyi happened to be in the pce to exin the assassinationst night. When the eunuch brought the letter in, it fell next to Ao Chenyi¡¯s feet. Ao Chenyi picked it up and nced at it before breaking intoughter. He then gave it to the Emperor.

    The Emperor read the letter with a dark expression.

    How could he not be angry? His son was pleading for forgiveness for a woman who cuckolded him! He remembered how Honored Consort Ya had repeatedly said that Ning Qingshan was a good woman and that she might be framed by another. Taking a look at Ao Chenyi¡¯s mocking smile, the Emperor became furious.

    He immediately ordered his men to head to Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor and execute Ning Qingshan on the spot.

    Was there anything more embarrassing than having Ao Chenyi witness his son willingly being cuckolded?

    Meanwhile, there were also results for Ning Ziying¡¯s murder. It had been proved that Xia Yuhang and Ning Ziying were engaged. Although Madam Ling and Ning Ziyan were the ones to kill her, Xia Manor and Xia Yuhang were notpletely clueless about it. They were so greedy for wealth that they stood by and watched them kill Ning Ziying.

    It was Minister Xia who proposed the engagement and he was also aware when he broke it off. Naturally, he also knew about Ning Ziying¡¯s murder. Thus, he was removed from his office as the minister and exiled to his hometown. Xia Yuhang¡¯s titles were all removed and he was barred from bing an official for life.

    Meanwhile, Ning Zu¡¯an was also med for not reporting about the murder. He was stripped from his posts and his title as the Lord Protector was also passed on to Ning Huaijing, his heir in the first ce.

    For the crime of stealing her sister¡¯s marriage and killing her, the ruthless Ning Ziyan was sentenced to beheading.

    Chen Hexiang was granted freedom for her contribution in exposing the truth, as well as money to return to her hometown.

    With Ning Qingshan dead, no one cared about Xia Yudong¡¯s murder anymore. No one gave Chen Hexiang any instructions, so she stopped pursuing it. She was very happy to not only escape with her life intact but also obtain arge sum of money. This was the best result she could get.

    With the victim gone, no one would pursue her case anymore. Not even Xia Manor said anything. Those in the Ministry of Justice, naturally, wouldn¡¯t seek trouble for themselves and try a case without evidence. Besides, the victim in question had already been executed. Even if they wanted to arrest her, they couldn¡¯t anymore.

    Thus, the matter was as good as over!

    The attempted assassinations of the three princes, one after another, caused a massive stir. The cases were studied over and over, but what the residents of the capital discussed the most was the adultery of Prince Xiang¡¯s concubine and the affair between Prince Xiang and Prince Fu¡¯s soon-to-be consort. With so many scandals up in the air, no one paid attention to a case without any evidence.

    It was under such circumstances that Chen Hexiang walked out of the Ministry of Justice with arge package on her back. Inside the package were five hundred taels of silver. This money was enough for her to live well without doing anything for the rest of her life. Besides, she was still young and beautiful. It was easy for her to find another husband.

    If Ning Ziyan¡¯s family wasn¡¯t so much better than hers, she could have be Xia Yuhang¡¯s wife without any trouble. She believed that it wouldn¡¯t take long for her to find an outstanding man. What did it matter if this man was married? With her beauty, she wouldn¡¯t lose to anyone!

    With such a thought, she entered a carriage nearby. She asked the help of an officer in the Ministry of Justice to find her a carriage yesterday so that she could travel all the way home in it. The price had been negotiated beforehand.

    The only one in the carriage was a coachman wearing a hat. She didn¡¯t pay him any attention. Why should she care what the coachman looked like? She was destined to be a wealthy person, marry a rich husband, and live a prosperous life in the future. She dared not to step inside the capital anymore.

    At first, she thought she would be able to live a worry-free life after getting her hands on Xia Yuhang. Who knew that she would almost lose her life in the end? The whole thing frightened her.

    The carriage was quite clean and was of a decent size. Even with her package, she would be able to lie down and rest inside. She told the coachman, ¡°You can go now.¡±

    The carriage started moving slowly but steadily.

    Chen Hexiang lifted the window curtain and looked at the scenery outside. The prosperity of the capital was a great temptation for her. That was also the main reason why she seduced Xia Yuhang in the first ce. Her beauty was enough to take pride in. Naturally, she had to marry a rich and handsome man.

    Gradually, the carriage left the capital and moved slowly down the road. Chen Hexiang put down the curtain and sighed. She would have nothing to do with the prosperous capital in the future, and this was quitementable. Thus, she sighed with considerable regret.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you think it¡¯s a pity?¡±

    Before she knew it, Chen Hexiang nodded. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a pity indeed. It¡¯ll be even better if I can stay here and find a rich and powerful husband!¡±

    Chen Hexiang was feeling rxed, knowing that her involvement with the Ministry of Justice was over, so she answered subconsciously. It wasn¡¯t until she finished speaking that she covered her mouth in shock. Her body began to shake. How could she forget that familiar voice?

    The coachman slowly lifted the carriage curtain and took off his hat. It was a gloomy-looking Xia Yuhang. He had lost his usual grace and splendor. The man in front of her was exuding an intense coldness not only from his expression but from deep within.

    The whip in his hand had long been reced with a long sword, and the tip of the sword was pointed at Chen Hexiang¡¯s throat. A drop of blood trickled down her neck.

    ¡°Bitch, how dare you think of going home safely after ruining my life!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not my fault. I didn¡¯t want to do this...¡± Chen Hexiang was so scared that she was shuddering. The muscles in her neck were stretched taut. She dared not move.

    ¡°Who sent you?¡± Xia Yuhang asked coldly.

    ¡°Someone from Xia Yudong¡¯s side. It¡¯s a woman that I don¡¯t know. She has something to do with Xia Yudong. She told me to report the matter...¡± Chen Hexiang was so desperate to save herself that she answered every question he asked. She didn¡¯t care for anything else. All she knew was that she couldn¡¯t provoke Xia Yuhang.

    In the end, she didn¡¯t manage to return home safely. Once Xia Yuhang got his answer, he brought her to the most vulgar of brothels. That ce was only visited byborers. No one treated her as a human. It didn¡¯t take long for her to die there...

    Honored Consort Ya¡¯s pce.

    There were only two people in the spacious pce, Grand Tutor Ya and his daughter Honored Consort Ya. The others were driven out.

    ¡°Father, His Majesty hasn¡¯t been visiting metely. I knelt in front of his study until I fainted the other day, but he still won¡¯t see me,¡± Honored Consort Ya said, looking sad. She was not just a woman now, but a mother. Losing favor in the harem wasn¡¯t just a problem for her alone. It would also impact her son¡¯s chance at seeding to the throne. How could she not be anxious? That was why she invited her father over.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so worried. The whole thing is suspicious no matter how you think about it!¡± Grand Tutor Ya was deeply worried for the past few days as well. He was frowning, looking much older than before.

    ¡°What was wrong with Moqin? Why did he show up at Yu¡¯er¡¯s room? How could you let her leave the manor?¡± Honored Consort Ya became furious at the thought of her son¡¯s two scandals. Both Ning Qingshan and Ya Moqin were her nieces and yet, they caused her such trouble.

    One cuckolded her son and the other cuckolded her fiancee with her son. Whichever it was, the damage on her son¡¯s reputation was tremendous. How could she not be angry?

    If this continued, her son¡¯s reputation would bepletely ruined. He could forget about inheriting the throne then and all of his efforts would be wasted.

 Chapter 625 - A Relative After All

    <strong>Chapter 625 A Rtive After All</strong>

    Ya Moqin somehow got wind of the news that Ao Mingyu¡¯s life was in danger that day, so she sneaked out of the backdoor and headed to Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor. The guards at the manor knew her, and thinking that she had business with the prince, they allowed her in. She made it all the way to Ao Mingyu¡¯s bed using the same excuse. Right at that moment, Ao Mingyu happened to regain consciousness.

    While she was serving him with tea and water, the Emperor¡¯s men arrived.

    In one massive stroke of coincidence, this scene was witnessed by everyone.

    ¡°Forget about Moqin. Her scandal isn¡¯t a big deal. But Ning Qingshan...¡± Grand Tutor Ya was simrly irritated at the mention of Ya Moqin, but she was nevertheless his granddaughter. Now that her granddaughter had lost her position, he should at least have her give birth to the heir.

    In a rare disy of disobedience toward Grand Tutor Ya, Honored Consort Ya said unhappily, ¡°Father, how can I exin it? If you hadn¡¯t sent Shan¡¯er to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor back then, this wouldn¡¯t have happened.¡±

    At the core of the matter, the adultery of her son¡¯s concubine wouldn¡¯t have happened had Grand Tutor Ya not sent Ning Qingshan to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Ning Qingshan was a wife-born daughter and much smarter than Ya Moqin. Honored Consort Ya thought that she was the only one who could help her son. Ya Moqin might also be her niece, but she wasn¡¯t good enough for her.

    Ya Moqin was like a madwoman. She didn¡¯t even think it through before running to Ao Mingyu¡¯s room. Not only did she sabotage Honored Consort Ya, but she also ruined Ao Mingyu¡¯s reputation.

    ¡°Forget about Ning Qingshan. What¡¯s there to say? She¡¯s already dead... She had always been a clever one. I thought if the Lord Protector adopted her, she would be able to marry Prince Xiang as Lord Protector¡¯s wife-born daughter and my granddaughter and give Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor massive support. Who would have thought that she would end up like this?¡±

    Grand Tutor Ya sighed. He had great expectations for Ning Qingshan and wanted her to marry Prince Xiang. Little did he expect such an oue. Both he and Honored Consort Ya refused to believe that she would have an affair with another man, but the problem was that Ao Mingyu had given her a lot of leeway at that time. She coulde and go with ease, and Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor was in chaos then.

    No one knew when she went missing and they had no way of investigating it either. As for the two men who had an affair with her, they were beaten to death on the Emperor¡¯s order that very night. Even if he wanted to investigate, he couldn¡¯t.

    ¡°Mother Luo said that Shan¡¯er was the princess of the previous dynasty and under someone¡¯s protection. I wanted to use these forces to aid Yu¡¯er but now that¡¯s just a pipe dream,¡± Honored Consort Ya said. She wanted to forgive Ning Qingshan because she was her niece and wouldn¡¯t do such a thing. Another reason was that Ning Qingshan imed that she had someone¡¯s support and that she was the former Grand Elder Princess.

    Honored Consort Ya and Grand Tutor Ya had been aware of this a long time ago. Ning Qingshan was their family, and naturally, they knew this was an unchanging fact. However, it was beneficial for them to have someone mistook Ning Qingshan for the Grand Elder Princess. They allowed her to misunderstand without reminding her, just so they could slowly gain control over that group of people and use them.

    Unfortunately, the people were cunning. They would disappear without a word at the slightest hint of disturbance on their end. Grand Tutor Ya didn¡¯t learn anything even after nting spies around Ning Qingshan, and those spies would always vanish like they did this time. He had a man tail Ning Qingshan, but that man did nothing during the incident and vanished again.

    ¡°Keep Mother Luo around for now. You don¡¯t have to tell her Ning Qingshan¡¯s true identity. Just let her misunderstand. She has seen a woman in white or whatever, hasn¡¯t she? We¡¯ll keep her around. Maybe she¡¯s still useful. But you can kill the two maids. I don¡¯t think they¡¯re that loyal to Ning Qingshan.¡±

    Grand Tutor Ya spoke slowly. Following the string of inexplicable events, the biggest victim was Ao Mingyu. His reputation was ruined because of his connection with the two scandals. His body was ruined and was still unable to get out of bed. His power was also damaged. Minister Xia, a secret ally of Ao Mingyu because of Xia Yuhang, had been stripped from his position and exiled to his hometown. This was a considerable blow to Ao Mingyu.

    ¡°All right. That¡¯s all we can do for now.¡± Honored Consort Ya nodded. She was helpless, too. She looked at Grand Tutor Ya and couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Father, if there¡¯s nothing wrong with Wu Yao, make it so that she¡¯s not living beside our manor. To put it bluntly, Shan¡¯er is gone and the truth about the former Grand Elder Princess has been revealed to be dead. There¡¯s no point in keeping her alive.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about this!¡± Grand Tutor Ya retorted, looking uneasy. ¡°She¡¯s a rtive after all. It¡¯s not nice to chase her away as soon as we finish using her.¡±

    ¡°A rtive? Father, my sister-inw has brought up the matter with me more than once. She heard that the rumors about Wu Yao are bad. A widow always invites a lot of gossips. My brother is the kind who would go wherever he pleases. Wu Yao seduced her brother-inw without caring for the reputation of my sister-inw and Manor Ya! You call her a rtive? You should think of a way to chase her away. We can¡¯t let a widow like her hurt my sister-inw¡¯s heart.¡±

    Honored Consort Ya might not like Ya Moqin, but she had to mention this matter no matter what. She had met Wu Yao before. She used to think that Wu Yao was a proper aristocraticdy and Wu Yao seemed gentle and elegant. The reality was that Wu Yao had no bottom line whatsoever. Honored Consort Ya had long known about Wu Yao¡¯s affair with her brother.

    She wasn¡¯t just doing this for her sister-inw but the reputation of Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor as well. Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor was her son¡¯s strongest backing. If rumors of a scandal were to spread, the first victim would be her son. She had no choice but to say this.

    ¡°All right, I get it. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± Grand Tutor Ya nodded, stood up, and excused himself.

    Honored Consort Ya¡¯s frown deepened as she watched her father leave. If she heard his father correctly, his voice was very harsh earlier. Were the rumors true? If they were, then it would be troublesome...

    Ning Xueyan woke up refreshed the next day, especially after hearing the rumors that Xinmei had ryed. She even had an additional half a bowl of porridge as she attentively listened to Xinmei repeat the rumors. This showed how good of a mood she was in.

    She was no Virgin Mary, after all. After what Ning Qingshan did to her, she felt very happy to see Ao Chenyi return the same favor to Ning Qingshan. She also knew why Ao Mingyu forgave Ning Qingshan; it was likely because Ning Qingshan revealed that she was the former Grand Elder Princess.

    She used her identity as a bargaining chip for her life.

    This wasn¡¯t a bad move by Ning Qingshan, and it was the right time too. If she revealed it and used it well, it might just save her life. However, what she didn¡¯t know was that almost everyone had already known that Ning Ziying was the former Grand Elder Princess. That meant that she was just a fake.

    Perhaps Wen Xueran made the same mistake at first, but he used that mistake to his advantage and manipted Ning Qingshan into thinking that she was the honorable former Grand Elder Princess. To her, using her identity as a bargaining chip was an undeniably good move, a nearpletely safe move.

    Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t realize how low of a value she had. She wasn¡¯t valuable enough for Ao Mingyu and Honored Consort Ya to risk everything. Perhaps, as a fake, she was still useful for drawing Wen Xueran out, but this purpose of hers wasn¡¯t enough to make Ao Mingyu and Honored Consort Ya go against the Emperor.

    So, Ning Qingshan died and she didn¡¯t figure out her real identity even until the moment she died. No one would risk much to save a fake former Grand Elder Princess like her.

    Ning Xueyan believed that Ao Chenyi had dealt with her kidnapping incident on her behalf. Her chastity would have been ruined after the kidnapping but fortunately, only Ao Chenyi and a few of their trusted aides knew. She wasn¡¯t at all worried that others would know about this.

    Xia Manor was over and done with. Minister Xia was no longer a minister. Xia Yuhang was stripped from honor and barred from ever bing a court official. With such a verdict, he had lost all hope of bing a court official. It would be the same even if Ao Mingyu became the Emperor; he could never disobey his father¡¯s will so tantly.

    Even if Ao Mingyu wanted to use Xia Yuhang again, he would have to do it in the dark. That was possible until Ning Qingshan¡¯s scandal was exposed. When Xia Yuhang and Ning Qingshan colluded to harm her, they must have met privately and discussed. It was unlikely that they didn¡¯t leave any clues behind. Ning Qingshan must have fallen into a trap.

    If Ning Qingshan was fine, Xia Yuhang could have imed that he was asking her about Ao Mingyu¡¯s injury. After all, he couldn¡¯t enter someone¡¯s residence as he pleased. But with Ning Qingshan gone, he would never be able to exin his role in the collusion clearly. It remained a question if Ao Mingyu would still use him without misgivings.

    The episodes of her past life, it seemed, hade to an end. From now on, her life would no longer revolve around revenge. That was also why she had an additional half bowl of porridge.

    She put down the bowl of porridge and wiped the corner of her mouth with a handkerchief. ¡°What¡¯s going on with Commandery Princess Xianyun?¡± she asked. Even now, she was more used to calling that woman Commandery Princess Xianyun. Xinmei said that Commandery Princess Xianyun was injured in the assassinationst night and among the dead were a few of her dowry maids and older female servants. It was said that the assassins misunderstood that Ao Chenyi was with her.

    Since she was in the Moon-embracing Tower, her Pear Flower Garden was naturally empty. So, the assassins went to Xianyun¡¯s Bright Mind Garden that was brightly lit at the time. They charged in and injured and killed several people in the chaos. Among the injured was Commandery Princess Xianyun.

    ¡°Master, she¡¯s fine. She just can¡¯t get out of bed for the time being. Mother Ruan has just reported back. The physician had visited the consort to bandage her wounds.¡± Xinmei nodded with a smile. She was on Ning Xueyan¡¯s side, so naturally, she was happy to see Commandery Princess Xianyun¡ªwho had harmed Ning Xueyan¡ªin bad luck.

    Ning Xueyan nodded and smiled, and her eyes narrowed. She stood up. ¡°Get ready. We¡¯re going back to the Pear Flower Garden.¡±

    The episodes of her past life hade to an end, but those of her present life were vivid in her mind. She hadn¡¯t dealt with Hua Qiuying¡¯s letter yet, had she? She couldn¡¯t believe that Ao Chenyi, with his stinky expression looking like someone owed him almost 1,000,000 taels, would still have such rotten suitors. It upset her indeed...

    Most importantly, this rotten suitor of his was no simple character either. Ning Xueyan, as Princess Yi, felt that she had the responsibility to remove this difficult suitor from the core.

 Chapter 626 - A Trivial Incident at the West Gate of the Manor

    <strong>Chapter 626 A Trivial Incident at the West Gate of the Manor</strong>

    Prince Yi¡¯s Manor was the only manor that stretched from north to the south on the street that it was located on. Its heavy mahogany door was tall and imposing. Each day, several guards would be standing still in front of the door. Just their appearance was enough to make visitors cautious.

    Whoever the visitor was, he or she would inevitably feel defeated in front of such a door and manor.

    The backdoor of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, also called the side door, wasn¡¯t located on the same street. In fact, there was more than one of them. The manor was sorge and upied such vastnd that several backdoors were prepared for the sake of convenience. There were three backdoors in the manor. For ease ofmunication, the one facing the east was called East Gate, the one facing the west was called West Gate, and the one facing the north was called North Gate.

    Food items such as fruits and vegetables were often brought into the manor through the East Gate. It was convenient to use that door as it was closer to the kitchen.

    Garden decorations such as trees and nts were brought in through the West Gate because that was where the masters¡¯ courtyards were. There was even a courtyard built especially for junk storage, so that was the most convenient option.

    When the maids and servants were on a small errand and found it inconvenient to leave through the front door, they would typically exit through the North Gate. That made the North Gate busier than the other side doors. Of course, some of them would also opt for the West Gate and East Gate for the sake of convenience.

    The East Gate would be busy at certain hours in the morning when the vegetables were delivered, but it would be deserted otherwise. That was even truer for the West Gate. No one would go there unless someone was doing repair work around the manor. It was enough for the servants to trim the nts and trees nted there. Introducing new species would require instructions from the masters.

    A girl, dressed like a maid, entered through the West Gate. Noticing her as soon as she got in, the older female servants guarding the door stopped her.

    One of the servants narrowed her eyes and said rudely, ¡°Where did youe from? What business do you have?¡± She had every right to be proud as a servant in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to see my cousin. She works for Consort Yun. She said she would give me something after I told her about her sickly father. Has she brought the thing?¡± the maid replied with a polite smile.

    ¡°Oh! You¡¯re Consort Yun¡¯s maid Hanyu¡¯s cousin. Yeah, there¡¯s something for you. Wait for a moment.¡± The servant became much more courteous the moment she learned the maid was a rtive of Consort Yun¡¯s people. Smiling now, she nodded and turned around to enter a small room nearby. She came out with a package.

    ¡°This is the package that Hanyu brought over. She said there are some clothes and pieces of silver inside. Take a look at it yourself.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much!¡± the maid replied politely.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, you don¡¯t have to thank me. Of course we have to take care of Consort Yun¡¯s personal maid!¡± the servant said, beaming. There was a trace of ttery in her eyes, but that was understandable. There were only really two mistresses in this manor and Commandery Princess Xianyun was once Princess Yi. Though she had lost the position, she might be able to regain it.

    The original consort became Prince Yi¡¯s princess and only wife. Commandery Princess Xianyun had, at least, started at a better position. It wouldn¡¯t be hard for her to be promoted to be a princess again. Regardless of the rumors about the current Princess Yi were slowly changing, there was one fact that could never be changed: her health had always been poor.

    Who knew if she would die one day? That would leave Commandery Princess Xianyun as the only mistress of the manor. Perhaps, Prince Yi might consider this and promote her again. No one could ever predict what would happen in this manor. The Prince had a habit of causing a lot of trouble, and the Emperor would typically not interfere and let him do as he pleased.

    The maid didn¡¯t immediately leave after taking the package. ¡°I heard there was an assassination attempt in your manor a while ago. Is everything all right?¡± she asked, chatting with the servant.

    ¡°Of course not! Several people died and many more were injured. But luckily, our masters are fine. The ones who died were all servants. That¡¯s the silver lining, I suppose.¡± The servant sighed as if she was still disturbed by the events. All servants knew that there would be big trouble if anything were to happen to their masters.

    If that were to happen, they would be implicated and the death toll would be even higher. The servant¡¯s words were reasonable.

    ¡°I hope Princess Yi wasn¡¯t frightened? I heard her health has always been poor.¡± The maid adjusted her clothes, looking ready to leave.

    ¡°Of course she was. Our Princess is frail. We don¡¯t even know how many days she¡¯ll stay unconscious after receiving such a shock.¡± The servant sighed. She seemed to be a loyal one. Knowing that a servant shouldn¡¯t discuss her masters¡¯ affairs so easily, she stopped speaking and walked back inside.

    Since the servant had gone in, the maid couldn¡¯t continue the conversation anymore. She turned around and walked out of the street that the side door was located on. From afar, she saw an ordinary carriage waiting for her. She looked left and right, making sure that no one was looking her way, before quickly entering the carriage. The coachman raised his whip and the carriage started to move. It went slowly like any other carriage on the street.

    Inside the carriage, Hua Qiuying looked at the maid nervously. ¡°How is it? Did you get the thing?¡±

    ¡°I got it, Third Young Lady! It¡¯s right here!¡± The maid nodded and handed the package to her.

    Hua Qiuying immediately opened the package. Her eyes brightened when she saw the clothes inside and she started unfolding them until she found a letter. It was a letter from Commandery Princess Xianyun.

    After she finished reading the letter, joy lit up her face and her brows rxed. Finally, she got in touch with Commandery Princess Xianyun.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to the pce!¡± she told the coachman outside.

    ¡°Yes!¡± the coachman answered. He changed the carriage¡¯s direction and headed toward the pce.

    Not even the coachman noticed the other carriage on the same street, following them slowly. However, the carriage stayed its course even when their carriage changed directions. It didn¡¯t take long before the carriage disappeared from their view.

    The carriage waited until Hua Qiuying¡¯s carriage disappeared before changing directions at a neutral pace. It took a turn back and entered Prince Yi¡¯s Manor through the West Gate. When the older female servant guarding the door saw the carriage, she ushered it in and quietly closed the door.

    Xinmei climbed down from the carriage, and then the coachman drove the carriage past her and toward the parking lot in front.

    When Xinmei arrived at the Pear Flower Garden, Ning Xueyan was reading an invitation letter from Heng Yuqing. More precisely, it was from the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor. Their invitation was powerful, even among the aristocrats.

    The invitation was for the birthday banquet of the Madam Dowager of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor.

    The Madam Dowager was said to be a female hero who fought on the battlefield back in the day. The former Lord Guardian owed his position to his wife¡¯s merits. Thus, regardless of how the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor was doing, people had nothing but praise for the Madam Dowager.

    The Madam Dowager was rumored not to interfere in her family¡¯s business anymore but she still maintained her prestige. She was respected even by the Emperor. Thus, the invitation for her 70th birthday banquet was also sent to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    Xinmei lifted the curtain and entered, saying, ¡°Princess, Hua Qiuying came personally. After reading the letter, she asked to be taken to the pce without another word.¡± She had the best hearing out of all the maids, so she could hear Hua Qiuying¡¯s voice even though thetter was inside a carriage.

    The pce? Confusion filled Ning Xueyan¡¯s glistening eyes. She was certain that Chief Hua didn¡¯t have any allies in the pce. Out of the hundred or so women in the harem, there were only two with the surname Hua and they were the least favored ones. Yet, Hua Qiuying looked as though she could meet her ally immediately.

    If Hua Qiuying could get an audience so quickly, that meant that the imperial concubine was a favored one. Moreover, when people peeked at Honored Consort Xia¡¯s face, they spected that she was connected to Chief Hua. With this, Ning Xueyan could be sure that Hua Qiuying was going to the pce to meet Honored Consort Xia and that Honored Consort Xia was connected to Chief Hua.

    Lanning noticed something interesting as well. She prepared a pot of tea for Ning Xueyan and asked in a low voice, ¡°Master, should we ask His Highness?¡±

    Lanning and Mother Wang wept for two days after hearing that Ning Ziying was avenged but recovered afterward. Lanning remained calm and considerate. Aside from trusting and respecting Ning Xueyan, she was also grateful to her. They would never be able to avenge Ning Ziying with their strength alone.

    ¡°No, don¡¯t disturb His Highness. It¡¯s no big deal.¡± Ning Xueyan shook her head. Ao Chenyi would look furious and resentful every time the Hua family was mentioned. It was obvious that he hated them. Since this matter had something to do with his ¡°unwanted love affair¡±, she thought it would be better to act on her own.

    As for Honored Consort Xia, she was certain that there was something fishy about her. She even had a wild idea, and that idea made her even more unwilling to get Ao Chenyi involved. Honored Consort Xia thought she didn¡¯t know anything, so that meant that she was the one working in the shadows.

    Honored Consort Xia might have an extraordinary position as the Emperor¡¯s beloved consort, but she also had a high status as Princess Yi. More importantly, no matter what happened, Honored Consort Xia would never be able to attack her openly.

    And of course, she would also be attending the birthday banquet of the Madam Dowager of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor.

    Ning Xueyan drank some tea and pondered while holding the cup. Only then did she say, ¡°Xinmei, tell Liu Feng to keep an eye on the backdoor of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor these few days. Tell him to report back if he sees anyone unusual.¡± Hua Qiuying¡¯s letter also mentioned the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor, so she must have set a trap there.

    If the mysterious Honored Consort Xia was truly who she thought it was, the former might also appear at the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor. That would cause a great shock. Of course, she had also dealt with the coboration details that Hua Qiuying entrusted to Commandery Princess Xianyun.

 Chapter 627 - Running into the Confined Heng Yuwan

    <h4>Chapter 627 Running into the Confined Heng Yuwan</h4>

    Fiddling with the hairpin in her hand and looking at it shine under the sun, an unconfident Heng Yuqing asked, ¡°Xueyan, what do you think about this hairpin? Is it pretty?¡±

    Knowing her grandmother was about to celebrate her birthday, she invited Ning Xueyan out to get her help in picking a gift for her grandmother. They were inside a popr ornament shop in the capital, a shop that spanned eight rooms. All kinds of gold and silver jewelry could be found here, enough to highlight the wealth of the shop.

    The aristocrats in the capital likeding here mostly because of the variety of the jewelry avable but also because of its novel designs. The shop would introduce a new series of ornaments and jewelry once in a while, which earned the favor of the aristocraticdies in the capital.

    Heng Yuqing was holding a set of opal ornaments. It wasn¡¯t the most expensive set in the shop but it was valuable for the detailed carving of the word ¡°Longevity¡± on every ornament. The craftsmanship was immacte, too. It was a good choice as a gift for one¡¯s elders.

    Ning Xueyan nced at the set of ornaments and nodded with a smile. ¡°This is a nice set. The hairpin is pretty, too. I think it¡¯ll match Madam Dowager very well. The set also looks well-thought and valuable as a gift.¡±

    Hearing her reply, Heng Yuqing immediately nodded and told the shop employee, ¡°Okay, this is it then. Wrap this up for me.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± the shop employee answered. Heng Yuqing¡¯s maid followed him to pay the bill.

    Heng Yuqing had been in a good moodtely. One could even say that it started ever since Concubine Yun lost influence. Once Concubine Yun lost her power, Heng Yuqing took Ning Xueyan¡¯s advice and changed the physician attending to her mother. She had her maternal uncle step forward and invite a famous physician. The physician was able to determine that her mother¡¯s persistent illness was the result of taking medicine that exacerbated her condition.

    The drugging, as an investigation revealed, was the work of Concubine Yun.

    When this matter was revealed, Lord Guardian tried to protect Concubine Yun and demand his wife conceal the matter with the excuse that it was her moral obligation as a woman. Concubine Yun even attempted suicide in the courtyard of the Lord Guardian¡¯s wife, nearly causing thetter to die from anger. Heng Yuqing sought help from Madam Dowager, whounched a powerful countermeasure. She sent Concubine Yun to a nunnery and ced Heng Yuwan on house arrest, putting the matter to an end.

    Later on, Lord Guardian¡¯s wife gradually felt better until she was able to sit up and deal with things. It went without saying that Heng Yuqing was able to rx once her mother was fine. She was, of course, grateful to Ning Xueyan from the bottom of her heart. Without Ning Xueyan¡¯s warning, her mother might very well be dead by now.

    When she heard about the assassination attempt in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, she became worried about Ning Xueyan. She used the excuse of choosing a gift for her grandmother to meet Ning Xueyan. When she saw that Ning Xueyan was fine, she rxed and started shopping around with her.

    Having bought her gift, Heng Yuqing pointed to the teahouse opposite her and suggested, ¡°Xueyan, why don¡¯t we rest in that teahouse in front and chat over tea?¡±

    Coincidentally, this teahouse belonged to Ming Manor.

    Ning Xueyan nodded. They waited for Heng Yuqing¡¯s maid to finish paying the bill and return with the set of opal ornaments before entering the teahouse opposite.

    They went up to the second floor. Upon seeing that it was their young master¡¯s cousin bringing another aristocraticdy with her, the shopkeeper courteously led them to a spacious private room with a window.

    ¡°It¡¯s empty today?¡± Ning Xueyan asked in astonishment after seeing that they were taken to the best private room in the teahouse. She noticed that the first floor of the teahouse was filled with guests. How could such a great private room be left empty?

    ¡°Rest assured, Your Highness. This room is indeed empty today. We kept it open for our young master and his guest, but his servant sent word that he won¡¯t being here. Isn¡¯t your coincidental arrival just perfect?¡± the shopkeeper said, smiling.

    What a coincidence indeed. Still, Ning Xueyan was disappointed not to see Ming Yuanhua. It had been a long time since she saw him. Although Ao Chenyi told her that her uncle was fine, she missed her uncle and cousin after not seeing them for so long.

    She thought she might be able to run into them during this visit, but it seemed that it was fertile. She thanked the shopkeeper and waited until he left before settling down beside the window with Heng Yuqing. The maids took the tea that the teahouse employees prepared at the door and poured two cups for their masters.

    ¡°Is this your cousin¡¯s teahouse?¡± Heng Yuqing asked curiously, twisting the handkerchief in her hands. She knew that Ning Xueyan¡¯s mother came from Ming Manor.

    ¡°Yeah, but he¡¯s not around,¡± Ning Xueyan said regretfully.

    ¡°Let¡¯s visit again next time,¡± Heng Yuqing said warmly. She had seen Ming Yuanhua from afar once. He was handsome and decisive. She had always preferred decisive men over soft-mannered gentlemen.

    ¡°Sure. We¡¯ll visit again next time.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled sweetly, having understood Heng Yuqing¡¯s enthusiasm. Perhaps it would be nice to have an efficient cousin-inw.

    Heng Yuqing became somewhat uneasy after seeing Ning Xueyan¡¯s smile. Although she was a frank person, she couldn¡¯t help but feel embarrassed as if her secret had been discovered by her friend. She immediately brought up another topic and asked, ¡°Is the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor doing all right?¡±

    She was asking about the transfer of the Lord Protector title. Ning Zu¡¯an used to be in his prime but had no choice but to pass his title to his son. His official positions were all taken away and he became a truly idle person. He must be feeling dejected over his fall from the pedestal.

    Ning Xueyan, however, was more than happy to see his fall from the pedestal. In her opinion, such an oue was perfect for a greedy sycophant like Ning Zu¡¯an. Now that he was free from actual power, he would not need to look for the troops of the previous dynasty. He would have all the time he needed to reflect on all the mistakes he made throughout the years.

    ¡°They¡¯re fine. My second brother is inheriting the title. He¡¯s the perfect candidate for it.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled faintly.

    The one suffering from the fall from the pedestal wasn¡¯t Ning Zu¡¯an alone. There was also Madam Dowager. Madam Dowager had been sending messengerstely, requesting her return. After Ning Huaijing became the new Lord Protector, Madam Yu was promoted as a wife and became Madam Dowager Yu. Madam Dowager must be upset to be on the same level as a concubine-maid.

    Madam Dowager wanted her to return home and support her, but what a pity. She never thought of supporting Madam Dowager. She rejected all of her invitations, saying that she couldn¡¯t leave home after experiencing a fright.

    Heng Yuqing was worried, but Ning Xueyan¡¯s sincere words and rxed smile made her smile. She didn¡¯t care for politics, but everyone in the capital knew that the noble Prince Yi¡¯s Manor was a dangerous ce to be in. If the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor made things worse for Ning Xueyan, she would be in a more unfavorable position.

    Suddenly, Heng Yuqing¡¯s maid pointed outside the window and said in astonishment, ¡°Huh? Young Lady, isn¡¯t that Second Young Lady Heng?¡±

    They were seated by the window and the street below was the same street that they had just been on. From their position, they could see the whole street, especially everything inside the gold shop opposite.

    And the person that the maid was pointing at was standing at the shopfront.

    Heng Yuqing took a look, her confused gaze falling on thedy underneath. Thedy had a maid with her. Both lowered their heads and looked inside, only revealing half of their faces. Looking at the profile of thedy¡¯s face, she did resemble Heng Yuwan. But, shouldn¡¯t Heng Yuwan be on house arrest?

    ¡°That should be Second Young Lady Heng down there!¡± Ning Xueyan leaned closer to the window for a look and nodded. Though she hadn¡¯t met Second Young Lady Heng much, she remembered her well. Thatdy downstairs was undoubtedly Second Young Lady Heng. However, she wasn¡¯t familiar with the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor. She gave Heng Yuqing a confused look. ¡°Can¡¯t shee out?¡±

    ¡°When Concubine Yun kicked up a fuss at my mother¡¯s courtyard, she was there too. She gave us so much trouble, whining and crying like her mother. My grandmother put her on house arrest for it and told her to relearn women¡¯s etiquette. Why is she out today?¡± Heng Yuqing said, confused.

    ¡°She looks like she¡¯s waiting for someone.¡± Heng Yuwan was still outside the shop. She turned her head to look outside. This time, everyone could see clearly that it was indeed Heng Yuwan.

    ¡°What is she up to now? No, I need to take a look. Xueyan, wait for me here. I¡¯ll go down and see what she¡¯s up to.¡±

    Heng Yuqing stood up. It went without saying she disliked Concubine Yun and her daughter. Her mother nearly died in Concubine Yun¡¯s hands and thetter even used her mother¡¯s life to force her into marrying Prince Yi. Their actions angered her.

    Thus, she immediately felt suspicious of Heng Yuwan after seeing her here. Were they trying to harm her mother again? She couldn¡¯t sit here and rx anymore.

    ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯ll be watching from here.¡± Ning Xueyan knew from Heng Yuqing¡¯s expression that she couldn¡¯t stop her. She nodded and pointed at her. ¡°Don¡¯t get too close to her lest she should notice you.¡±

    ¡°I understand!¡± Heng Yuqing nodded, exited the private room with her maid, and rushed down the stairs.

    Ning Xueyan continued to sit by the window, watching Heng Yuwan from above. Heng Yuwan seemed to be in a hurry. She looked around but didn¡¯t notice anyone. Thinking that she was being conspicuous, she led her maid into the shop and disappeared from Ning Xueyan¡¯s view.

    When she shifted her gaze, she saw Heng Yuqing walking out of the teahouse. Heng Yuqing didn¡¯t enter the shop, but hid in the neighboring shopfront instead, giving the door of the gold shop several cautious nces.

    If Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t know that Heng Yuqing was there to keep an eye on Heng Yuwan, she wouldn¡¯t have known what she was up to. A smile appeared on her face. Heng Yuqing looked like a careless girl but she was very careful. Her current performance was proof enough...

    Suddenly, someone appeared on the street below. Ning Xueyan couldn¡¯t help but frown. She didn¡¯t expect to see this person here.

 Chapter 628 - The Most Irresponsible Marriage Agreement

    <strong>Chapter 628 The Most Irresponsible Marriage Agreement</strong>

    It was none other than Hua Qiuying!

    When Ning Xueyan saw Hua Qiuying with her maid, she became certain that Hua Qiuying and Heng Yuwan showed up here one after another for a reason. They must be connected. After all, Hua Qiuying mentioned the birthday banquet at the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor in her letter to Commandery Princess Xianyun.

    Hua Qiuying peered into the shop before entering through the door. This time, Heng Yuqing waited outside for a moment and then followed suit with her maid. Ning Xueyan, in her seat upstairs, could no longer see any of them.

    Lanning was also looking out of the window, following her master¡¯s line of sight. They couldn¡¯t see them anymore. She thought for a moment before turning to Ning Xueyan. ¡°Young Lady, will Eldest Young Lady Heng be fine?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯ll be fine. Well, at most, they¡¯ll be ufortable to see her. Heng Yuwan and Hua Qiuying wouldn¡¯t do anything excessive in public. Besides, when we were shopping for jewelry earlier, I remember seeing a hall on the right. There are many seats there for you to sit down and look at the jewelry.¡±

    Ning Xueyan replied after thinking about it. If Heng Yuwan had sneaked out to meet Hua Qiuying, they would certainly find a ce to sit and talk. There were things that they couldn¡¯t discuss in front of shop employees, after all.

    ¡°Yes, I remember it now. There are indeed seats there. The shop even separated the seats with screens.¡± Lanning recalled the hall as well. When they entered the shop earlier, she was worried that her master would get tired from looking at the jewelry for too long and paid particr attention to the hall. She didn¡¯t mention it because her master and Eldest Young Lady Heng ended up finishing their shopping quickly.

    If Heng Yuqing was careful and sat behind the screen separating their seats, they wouldn¡¯t notice her.

    It wasn¡¯t guaranteed that she wouldn¡¯t be discovered, though. Ning Xueyan stood up with a frown. Perhaps she should go down and take a look as well. If something unexpected were to happen, she could at least give Heng Yuqing a hand.

    However, before she could even walk to the door, it was pushed open. Wen Xueran stood at the door, looking like the perfect gentleman, with a graceful smile lighting up his handsome face. His expression, however, was unreadable.

    Lanning instinctively stepped in front of Ning Xueyan and stared warily at Wen Xueran.

    ¡°Can we have a chat?¡± Wen Xueran raised his brow and smiled, looking as though he didn¡¯t see Lanning standing in front of Ning Xueyan. He seemed quite flirty and persistent, but he was already entering the room.

    ¡°Lanning, go out and guard the door.¡± Looking at him, Ning Xueyan knew that she had no choice but to have a chat with him.

    ¡°Master, I...¡± Lanning knew the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min, a man who usually carried an intense, bewitching charm. He would look at everyone with just a hint of seduction, but her intuition told her that he was a very dangerous one today.

    Ning Xueyan took a deep breath and said coldly, ¡°Go out!¡± The fact that Wen Xueran showed up so shortly after Heng Yuqing left showed that he had someone keeping an eye on her. Perhaps, his spy had been watching her since she came out or even the entire time. Something must have happened, but she wasn¡¯t worried that Wen Xueran would kidnap her at this time.

    To be fair, she wasn¡¯t all that useful aside from her identities as Princess Yi and the so-called princess of the previous dynasty. Everyone believed that the so-called medallion and treasures of the former imperial family existed, so they were desperate to find the former princess. Only Ao Chenyi and Wen Xueran knew that those things were long gone. The medallion and treasures were a myth.

    That meant that her identity as the daughter of the former Empress was worthless.

    Seeing that Ning Xueyan was furious, Lanning had no choice but to walk out of the room, close the door, and stand guard warily.

    Ning Xueyan waited until Lanning was outside before turning around and returning to her seat. Coincidentally, Wen Xueran took Heng Yuqing¡¯s previous seat.

    ¡°Do you have business with me, Princely Heir Wen?¡± Ning Xueyan looked at Wen Xueran expressionlessly. She thought she had made herself clear enough that she didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with him.

    ¡°Yan¡¯er, you¡¯re so cold-hearted. No matter what, I¡¯m still your fiance. Is it okay for you to break your promise?¡± Wen Xueran retorted jokingly, his voice sweet and soft like the affectionate whispers of a lover. He gave her a gentle, flirtatious look.

    ¡°Princely Heir, did you forget that I¡¯m a married woman now? It¡¯s only useful for you to call yourself my fiance when I was a maiden. It¡¯s toote for that now.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled, but her expression was icy. Whether or not he was her fiance, she wouldn¡¯t acknowledge it.

    If Wen Xueran truly wanted to marry her, he wouldn¡¯t wait until she married Prince Yi before telling her. Commandery Prince Min had such influence that if Wen Xueran were to ask for her hand in marriage early, Ning Zu¡¯an and Madam Dowager would only be more than happy to agree and develop a connection with their family. Moreover, they would just be giving away their least valuable daughter. It would have been the best kind of deal for them.

    Wen Xueran sighed. ¡°Yan¡¯er, you¡¯re so heartless. I had my concerns that stopped me from asking for your hand in marriage...¡±

    Ning Xueyan coughed to interrupt his exnation. She added, without any expression, ¡°I¡¯m afraid your engagement isn¡¯t with me, but Sister Ziying.¡±

    She didn¡¯t think that Wen Xueran¡¯s so-called marriage agreement was with her, in her current body as Ning Xueyan. After all, she wasn¡¯t born at that time. Who could know whether she would turn out male or female? If they didn¡¯t know, how could they set a marriage agreement between her and Wen Xueran? Moreover, the former Empress disappeared after giving birth to her.

    She believed that the so-called marriage agreement and fiance belonged to her previous self. Once she thought about how suggestive Wen Xueran had sounded when talking about Ning Ziying in the past, she could say that his words could never stand up to scrutiny.

    ¡°When thete Empress and my mother agreed on the marriage, they decided to make thete Emperor¡¯s daughter my fiancee,¡± Wen Xueran said vaguely. The corners of his beautiful lips were curved into a smile as he tapped the table. ¡°Ning Ziying is dead, leaving you as the only remaining kin of the former imperial family. It goes without saying that the marriage agreement is between you and me!¡±

    ¡°So, you...¡± It was just as Ning Xueyan thought. She sneered, wanting to get up and leave. This marriage agreement had nothing to do with her at all. Was there a marriage agreement more irresponsible than this one? It was as though Ning Ziying and Ning Xueyan couldn¡¯t find a husband and could only plead tearfully to marry Wen Xueran.

    When did a princess of the previous dynasty be so worthless? Even if her imperial family had fallen, she would never acknowledge this marriage agreement and let Wen Xueran choose a fiance that pleased him. This marriage agreement was never fair to begin with. Perhaps this agreement was only made because daughters were worthless.

    ¡°So, I want to take you away.¡± Wen Xueran¡¯s smile vanished and his entire self became sharp.

    Ning Xueyan was raising her cup to drink a sip of tea when she heard this. The liquid entered her trachea, causing her to cough uncontrobly.

    ¡°Why are you so careless? To think that you can even choke on tea.¡± Wen Xueran smiled helplessly. He stood up, wanting to go over to her and pat her back. She pushed his outstretched hand away while coughing. ring at him, she said, ¡°I... I¡¯m fine. Sit... down!¡±

    Since there was nothing between them, she didn¡¯t think it was appropriate for him to do something intimate to her.

    The light in Wen Xueran¡¯s eyes dimmed after seeing her obvious disgust. He sat down again with a smile. With his beautiful, amorous smile back, his delicate face became even more devastatingly handsome. There was almost no woman who could resist his smile or such a handsome man making such a suggestion in that gentle voice.

    He sounded so sincere and earnest.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to Annan. Come with me! I¡¯ll take care of you from now on. We can start all over again.¡±

    Unfortunately for him, Ning Xueyan wasn¡¯t like most women and didn¡¯t fall for his charm. She shook her head decisively as if she didn¡¯t see the anticipation in his handsome eyes and said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±

    ¡°Have you thought about what happens if Ao Chenyi fails? You¡¯ll die without even being buried. Ao Chenyi is still not as strong as the Emperor. There¡¯s Prince Xiang and Prince Fu, too, watching Ao Chenyi like a prey. You¡¯ll just be another sacrificial piece. If you stay here, the only thing that awaits you is death.¡±

    He looked solemnly at her, his smile gradually fading. There was a ripple extending through his beautiful pupils as he exined the cons of her situation.

    ¡°Thank you for your concern but no matter what, he¡¯s my husband. No matter his situation, I¡¯ll follow him wherever he may end up, as a wife should. So regardless of how the future may turn out, I¡¯ll face it with him.¡± Ning Xueyan looked at him, her gaze firm and expression neutral.

    The moment she saw how much he had done for her, she vowed that she would follow him from the bottom of her heart.

    To her, the so-called marriage agreement was more of an irresponsible joke. In her past life, she died because of the agreement, and in this life, she didn¡¯t need it.

    Suddenly, she remembered how Ao Chenyi was the only one who reached out and helped her at her most difficult time. His motives, perhaps, weren¡¯t pure at first. But it was enough for her at that time. His hand was the only life-saving rope that she could hold onto.

    She smiled as an unreadable emotion crossed her eyes. In her deal with Ao Chenyi, she was at least confident that she could fight Madam Ling with his help.

    Seeing Ning Xueyan¡¯s reaction, Wen Xueran lowered his head. His beautiful, flirty eyes were reflected on the surface of the clear tea; only this time, those eyes contained a trace of sadness and hurt.

    When he raised his head again, his expression was back to normal. His gaze was sharp as he looked at Ning Xueyan. ¡°Have you made up your mind?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I want to stay here with him.¡± Ning Xueyan took a deep breath and nodded. Her ink-like pupils were filled with tenacity.

    He looked at her quietly as if to etch her into his heart. He then stood up and walked out. ¡°All right. I¡¯ll be off then.¡±

    Ning Xueyan stood up as well and saw him off. Even though she seemed calm, she felt a faint twinge of sadness. She might not acknowledge him, but he was still his cousin on her mother¡¯s side. He was perhaps her only rtive in this world. Under her longshes, her eyes were damp and emotions rippled through her pupils.

 Chapter 629 - Sudden Change, Annanâ€™s Rebellion

    <h4>Chapter 629 Sudden Change, Annan¡¯s Rebellion</h4>

    Wen Xueran stopped at the door and said, without turning around, ¡°If... you¡¯re in trouble in the future, you cane to Annan and look for me.¡± Only then did he leave.

    He knew very well that they would have nearly no chance of meeting again after this meeting. He never took their so-called marriage agreement seriously in the past, for he nevercked women around him. Even the most cold-hearted women would show a shy, timid smile after meeting him.

    Yet, right now, all he wanted was for the woman behind him to leave with him. He wouldn¡¯t demand anything of her anymore.

    He had been mistaken from the very beginning. He thought it wouldn¡¯t matter even if she married Prince Yi, that she would follow him without hesitation after learning about her identity. He thought she was just a secret chess piece that he ced in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    Ao Chenyi was never a gentleman, and her health was so frail. Even if she would eventually grow up and blossom, she was still so young. She couldn¡¯t win against a mature beauty like Commandery Princess Xianyun, so she would never gain favor.

    But how did things turn out so differently than he nned...?

    ¡°All right.¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s soft voice came from behind him but it wasn¡¯t what he wanted to hear. He sighed, opened the door, and left without hesitation. If that was her wish, so be it...

    Seeing Wen Xuerane out of the room, Lanning took a step back and peered inside warily. She sighed when she saw Ning Xueyan standing there. She had been worried. Today, the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min seemed so dangerous.

    ¡°Come in, Lanning,¡± Ning Xueyan called out from inside the room.

    Lanning hurried in and looked her master up and down. She only felt truly relieved after finding nothing wrong with her. ¡°Master, is everything all right with Princely Heir Wen?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, he has said what he wanted to say.¡± Ning Xueyan shook her head. She didn¡¯t want to tell anyone about Wen Xueran¡¯s identity. Unlike her, any hint of Wen Xueran¡¯s identity could put his life in danger. She could leave the previous dynasty in the past but she wouldn¡¯t harm Wen Xueran when he didn¡¯t have any intention to hurt her.

    ¡°Then, are we still going?¡± Lanning asked, taking in her master¡¯s dim expression. Naturally, as a servant, she wouldn¡¯t pursue something that her master didn¡¯t want to talk about. That was why she changed the topic.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to go down. I¡¯m here!¡± The hidden door flung open, making way for Heng Yuqing and her maid toe in. When she saw Ning Xueyan standing near the door, looking stunned, sheughed.

    ¡°What a coincidence. I just happened toe up when you¡¯re about to go down.¡± Heng Yuqing thought Ning Xueyan stood up to find her.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯sshes fluttered and she was already back to normal. She turned around and took her seat again, asking curiously, ¡°How did it go? Did they notice you?¡±

    Heng Yuqing picked up the hem of her skirt and sat down opposite Ning Xueyan without hesitation. She first picked up the cup of tea on the table and took several sips before putting it down and wiping her mouth with her handkerchief. Only then did she reply proudly, ¡°They didn¡¯t notice me. They hid in a corner and chatted, but the seat behind their screen just happened to be empty. I went over and sat there. I waited until they left beforeing out.¡±

    ¡°Heng Yuwan and Hua Qiuying?¡± Ning Xueyan asked, smiling. There was a touch of coldness in her eyes.

    ¡°Yes, the two of them. I have no idea when they became such good friends. Hua Qiuying used to be the most arrogant girl who looks down on everyone! Never mind a concubine-born daughter, she wouldn¡¯t even pay a wife-born daughter any attention. She never respects anyone.¡±

    Heng Yuqing found this quite odd as well. The daughters of the Hua family were always known to be noble, and it was rumored that the only remaining daughter would be entering the pce as a consort. Of course, it was also rumored that she would be bestowed to the Third Prince or Fourth Prince as their princess. There was even a rumor that imed she would marry Prince Yi.

    Regardless of which rumor was true, Heng Yuqing always thought that Third Young Lady Hua would be marrying into the imperial family. Hua Qiuying rarely showed up in public and wouldn¡¯t attend most banquets. She didn¡¯t meet Hua Qiuying very often at banquets, but every time she saw her, Hua Qiuying would always have an arrogant expression. Even when Hua Qiuying spoke softly, the contempt in her eyes was unmistakable.

    Heng Yuqing didn¡¯t know when Hua Qiuying and Heng Yuwan became friends, but she didn¡¯t think that someone of Hua Qiuying¡¯s character would ever see Heng Yuwan as an equal. Even if they met, shouldn¡¯t Hua Qiuying pretend that she didn¡¯t see Heng Yuwan and ignore thetter?

    Ning Xueyan pondered for a while before saying, ¡°If one is being courteous, one must need the other¡¯s help. It seems that Third Young Lady Hua needs Second Young Lady Heng¡¯s help.¡±

    ¡°Seems like it. I didn¡¯t hear their conversation too clearly because they were speaking so softly. I think they mentioned Weiran Pavilion. From the sound of it, they wanted to meet someone in Weiran Pavilion. Hua Qiuying even reminded Heng Yuwan to prepare everything well. I didn¡¯t hear the rest,¡± Heng Yuqing said excitedly, patting the table with her eyes gleaming.

    ¡°Is Weiran Pavilion a secluded ce?¡± Ning Xueyan guessed.

    ¡°Exactly. It¡¯s a secluded ce, with few visitors on most days. I heard that it was close to the yard where my grandfather used to keep his weapons. My grandmother forbade everyone from going there. She always thought that even though my grandfather is dead, he might stille back and look at his old weapons.¡±

    Heng Yuqing nodded and exined. Only, she was left a little puzzled. ¡°What are two girls doing there? Besides, I never heard that Hua Qiuying knows swordsmanship!¡±

    Weiran Pavilion! That was the ce, it seemed. Hua Qiuying¡ªperhaps more precisely, Honored Consort Xia in the pce¡ªwas trying to ambush Ao Chenyi there! But could an imperial consort do this? Instinct told Ning Xueyan that this was all very odd.

    What exactly was Honored Consort Xia after, in the pce banquet thest time and the situation now?

    How could a consort be so courageous? Why would she dare look for Ao Chenyi and what could she do after meeting him? Even if Honored Consort Xia was who she thought it was, what good was meeting Ao Chenyi under such circumstances? What was she doing before, back when she stood a chance?

    ¡°Yuqing, can you lend me two maids that day?¡± Ning Xueyan asked, frowning. She had made up her mind. No matter what Honored Consort Xia was up to, she must firste up with a countermeasure.

    ¡°Sure, no problem. But why do you need two maids?¡± Heng Yuqing agreed but was still confused.

    ¡°Don¡¯t ask. Just arrange for the two maids to follow me as soon as I enter your manor. Get me two who are close to you.¡± Ning Xueyan looked up, revealing a beautiful pair of glistening eyes, and smiled widely.

    She was looking for Heng Yuqing¡¯s trusted aides, or perhaps, this matter couldn¡¯t be revealed to others. Heng Yuqing nodded, understanding what her friend meant. Her mother was overseeing the backyard of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor once again, and it was an easy task to find two trusted maids.

    The two of them settled the matter, chatted for a while, and then returned to their homes. Ning Xueyan was forbidden from returning homete, and there was also a rumor that Princess Yi was sick from fright. She had to pay heed to the rumor.

    It was lunchtime when she returned to the manor, so she sat down at the table and had lunch served. Then, she heard servants in the courtyard calling, ¡°Your Highness!¡±

    Why would Ao Chenyi be here at this time?

    Ning Xueyan put down her chopsticks and looked at the door. Sure enough, a handsome and towering figure was standing behind the bead curtain. ¡°I have such good timing toe right at lunchtime.¡±

    Ning Xueyan got up and asked Qingyu to reset the tableware. She was surprised that Ao Chenyi woulde here at this hour. Usually, Ao Chenyi would be dealing with work at the Moon-embracing Tower. He rarely came here at this time, especially right after she just returned.

    They had lunch inplete silence. Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t eat much but Ao Chenyi¡¯s appetite was great. He only stopped after finishing three bowls. Once they washed up, he pulled her aside and made her sit on the couch beside him. The maids quickly cleared the table. Everyone knew that the prince preferred to stay with Ning Xueyan when he was around and didn¡¯t like to have servants waiting on them.

    ¡°There¡¯s news from Annan that the three princes of Annan have officially rebelled!¡± Ao Chenyi grinned, anguid expression taking over his handsome face. No matter how she looked at him, he didn¡¯t look like he was talking about a major event that would shake the dynasty. He seemed as though he was asking if she had eaten today, looking as calm as if he was talking nonsense.

    Ning Xueyan was rendered speechless. She reached out and ced her tender, fair hand on his forehead. ¡°It¡¯s not burning!¡± she muttered to herself doubtfully.

    The next thing she knew, her hand was thrown off and her body was pressed on the couch. He climbed over her and pinned her underneath his body.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know whether I¡¯m burning or not, Yan¡¯er?¡± He raised an eyebrow at her. His delicate, thin lips were curved into a devious smile.

    Ning Xueyan felt that he was burning¡ªa burning fever, that was. Not only was his body heavy, but it was also scorching hot. He was so hot that she felt herself heating up as well. Her breathing and heartbeat were speeding up. In front of her was an erged view of a devastatingly beautiful face. That face was so charming that she was left even more breathless.

    The situation was dangerous. Ning Xueyan subconsciously pouted and pushed him, saying coquettishly, ¡°Chenyi, move aside. Tell me about Annan.¡±

    ¡°Forget that. Let¡¯s talk about us.¡± Ao Chenyi could tell that she was embarrassed and shy, but he didn¡¯t intend to let her off. He leaned in and nted a flirty kiss on her ear. He even went so far as to blow in her ear.

    Ning Xueyan was so flustered that she pushed him away. Her tender face was burning red. ¡°What... What is there to talk about us?¡±

    ¡°Of course there is. We haven¡¯t slept together since we got married. We have to get that sorted first, don¡¯t we?¡± Ao Chenyi said, sounding deeply dissatisfied. He even seemed wronged and matter-of-fact about it.

    How could he say that... in such a righteous way? Ning Xueyan felt that even her body was burning this time. She kept trying to push him away while stammering, ¡°An... Annan is more important.¡±

    She had been feeling horrified and solemn because of Annan¡¯s rebellion but those feelings were all gone! All she could focus on was pushing him away. To think that such words woulde out from his mouth! How could he say such words in front of her with such tant righteousness? Did he want her to say ¡°yes¡±, ¡°it¡¯s fine¡±, or something?

    She could hear his chuckle beside her ear, a burst of clear and alluringughter. The sound was so close to her ear. Pinned underneath him, all she could smell was him. She felt weak all over and even her outstretched hand was trembling...

 Chapter 630 - The Women Sent by the Three Princes of Annan

    <strong>Chapter 630 The Women Sent by the Three Princes of Annan</strong>

    Ao Chenyi watched how Ning Xueyan put up a strong front and how she was unable to say anything despite feeling awkward and peeved under his oppression. He stared at her red face as he pinned her underneath until he started to chuckle in a superb mood. He shifted his body sideways, his handsome eyes carrying a trace of affection.

    Of course, he could see that his little wild cat was being bashful, so bashful that her face was fiery red. Her little face was as red as the clouds at sunset, making her pale face look more lively than usual. Affection rippled through his heart, and he pulled her to his side, hugging her close.

    ¡°The Feudal Prince of Annan¡¯s rebellion has been in the works for a long time. The three princes of Annan were forced to surrender back then, and my father only epted them because their territory is close to the border and intersects with the nine barbarian states and they¡¯re the kind to use their fists rather than words. The nine barbarian states would invade us through their territory from time to time. The Feudal Prince of Annan would be useful there, guarding the border.¡±

    ¡°Back then, the Feudal Prince of Annan agreed to surrender under the condition of maintaining authority over the governance of Annan. My father had other enemies to consider then, so he agreed after some consideration. Therefore, the Feudal Prince of Annan is like a second emperor in Annan. They¡¯re so independent that they ended up rebelling.¡±

    Ao Chenyi broke out into a chuckle. His expression was calm as he looked out the window.

    ¡°If thete Emperor knew that Annan would rebel, didn¡¯t he take any countermeasures?¡± Ning Xueyan asked in astonishment, grasping the key point almost immediately.

    In other words, thete Emperor already knew Annan¡¯s rebellion was a matter of time when the Feudal Prince of Annan surrendered. He must have epted such a severe condition only because the country was unstable at that time. On the other hand, it was also in consideration of the nine barbarian states bordering the country. With the Feudal Prince of Annan taking the helm over Annan, it was as good as taking up the responsibility of reinforcing the border and fending off the nine barbarian states.

    That way, thete Emperor could transfer a part of his troops and horses to deal with his other enemies. It was a wise decision!

    But if the Emperor could think of these, Ning Xueyan was sure that he wouldn¡¯t sit still for Annan to rebel without any countermeasures. She looked up, her eyes glistening, and asked what she was curious about.

    Ao Chenyi reached out and grabbed her hand. Barely any time had passed but the temperature of his body was already much lower. His slender hand even carried a trace of coldness.

    ¡°The three princes of Annan each sent a daughter to the pce as consorts!¡±

    The three princes of Annan each sent a daughter to the pce as consorts? Ning Xueyan blinked, astonished. If the princes did indeed send their daughters to the capital,dies of their background were bound to be famous. But of all the noted consorts in the pce, Honored Consort Ya came from Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor and Honored Consort Shu came from a decent, even though not the highest-ranked, family. The others were even more unlikely to be thesedies.

    And based on her observation the past few days, the mysterious Honored Consort Xia might very well be another person that had nothing to do with the three princes of Annan.

    ¡°Where are they?¡± she subconsciously asked.

    ¡°They did enter the capital, but they¡¯re also dead now,¡± Ao Chenyi replied, the tone of his voice unreadable. ¡°They were assassinated the very same evening they were about to enter the capital. All three women died with their clothes in disorder. They were stabbed in the chest, and the wounds had the mark of the Dragon¡¯s Spring Sword that my father gave me.¡±

    ¡°Your Dragon¡¯s Spring Sword?¡± Ning Xueyan asked softly, looking at him. She subconsciously held his hand tighter.

    ¡°Yes. The Dragon¡¯s Spring Sword was given to me by my father. The wounds made by the sword are distinct. One can tell if he looks closely. My father wasn¡¯t in the capital at that time. The Empress Dowager and the current Emperor, as well as the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor, immediately imprisoned me and tried to extort an admission of guilt from me. They wanted to pin the me on me before my father could return to the capital.¡±

    Ao Chenyi spoke softly and his gaze seemed distant. He turned his hand over so that he was holding her hand instead and caressed it. His voice was so cold that it seemed to be shrouded in ice.

    Ao Chenyi must have been just a teen then! His mother met an early death and he was only able to follow his father around. He had no other rtives. It was said early on that Prince Yi was most likely to be the next Emperor, but the throne ended up with the current Emperor in the end, although there was a will appointing him as the Crown Prince.

    At that time, the three princes of Annan had just surrendered to the country. They sent theirmandery princesses over as a sign of goodwill. These princesses were to be imperial consorts, but also hostages. Everyone knew how important they were. They were the contract of the alliance between the court and the three princes of Annan.

    Killing the three princesses was akin to destroying the alliance. It was only natural for Ao Chenyi to be imprisoned and interrogated. Although he put it so lightly, she could tell how lonely he must have been. That interrogation couldn¡¯t have been as simple as it sounded.

    The then-Empress, now-Empress Dowager, was wholeheartedly on the current Emperor¡¯s side. There was also the influence of the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor at work. Since they wanted to frame him by pushing all the me on him, they would never show him mercy. Ning Xueyan felt a sharp stab of pain at the thought of this.

    She gripped his hand tightly and turned her head in pain. His beautiful eyes were cold, with the ruthlessness and murderous desire within filling her vision. He looked like a Demon King standing amid towering waves in a sea of blood. In his coldness was a touch of malice...

    ¡°The Empress Dowager and the others framed you?¡± she asked, frowning.

    Ao Chenyi looked at her quietly until he let out augh. The iciness in his eyes began to thaw and at that moment, he was no longer the tyrannical Demon King but a human again.

    ¡°Why are you sure that it wasn¡¯t my doing?¡± he asked curiously.

    The glimmer of mirth in his eyes made her let out a quiet sigh of relief. She didn¡¯t like it when he looked like that. Earlier, it felt as though he had no other emotions aside from bloodthirstiness and ruthlessness, and not even his feelings for her existed. She didn¡¯t want to see him like this.

    Even so, she wasn¡¯t afraid of him. She felt sorry for him. He must have barely survived at that time. The thought that he nearly didn¡¯t make it to meet her gave her heartache. She didn¡¯t care who he was, be it a god or a devil, as long as he was living well.

    ¡°The three princes of Annan sent the three women as a sign of goodwill to the court. Those women were worthless and they were supposed to enter the pce as imperial consorts in the first ce. It had nothing to do with you, so why would you kill people who have no connection with you? Besides, you were also a prince at that time, weren¡¯t you? Even if you wanted to kill them, you could have ordered your subordinates. Or were you so desperate to let the world know that you killed them with your conspicuous Dragon¡¯s Spring Sword?¡±

    Ning Xueyan looked at him, her longshes fluttering twice. Her tender and fair face was wearing a smile and her gaze was gentle but firm.

    Anyone with a brain wouldn¡¯t have done so. A man as two-faced as Ao Chenyi would never be that stupid. Even if he was young then, he would have senior strategists with him. Therefore, no matter how she looked at it, Ao Chenyi would never be so foolish as to personally kill those women with his sword.

    More importantly, the Emperor was not in the capital at that time. It was such a rare opportunity.

    Narrowing his eyes, Ao Chenyi let go of her fingers and helped her tuck a stray hair on her cheek. Anguid sneer appeared on his face. ¡°Even you can tell that I was framed, but the Lord Peace and the rest insisted that it was me. They refused to give me any chance to dispute it. Fortunately, my father made a sudden return to the capital, otherwise...¡±

    He didn¡¯t finish his sentence but she knew what he meant. She grabbed the front of his shirt so quickly that he couldn¡¯t help but lower his head. He might have spoken about the danger that he was in lightly, but she knew that if thete Emperor didn¡¯t make a sudden return to the capital, he would already be dead.

    Since the Empress Dowager and the Emperor wanted to frame him, they must have made aplete preparation. They would have countermeasures even if Ao Chenyi refused to admit the crime. However, thete Emperor¡¯s sudden return to the capital interrupted their n and left Ao Chenyi alive. Ning Xueyan¡¯s forehead was sweating as her fair fingers clutched onto the front of his shirt as she repeated this to herself.

    Fortunately, fortunately, he was still alive...

    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. It¡¯s all in the past.¡± Sensing her fright and uneasiness, seeing her now-pale face, Ao Chenyi reached out and caressed her head. He lowered his head, pinning her under him, and kissed her forehead, the tip of her nose, and finally her pink and ajar lips...

    A long whileter, Ning Xueyan once again leaned on his shoulder, curling up beside him. Her glistening eyes gradually opened and she looked at his blushing face with a secret joy. As long as he was here, as long as he was here with her, she didn¡¯t care for anything else. It didn¡¯t matter what he wanted to do. She was willing to be with him.

    He could be a god or a devil for all she cared. She was willing to stay with him!

    ¡°Because of this incident, my father rxed the previous condition a little, giving Annan even more freedom. Later on, my father fell sick and died soon after,¡± Ao Chenyi said emotionlessly. ¡°But before that, he left me a portion of forces so that I would at least have the power to protect myself no matter what happened to me.¡±

    Ning Xueyan could almost feel how difficult his every step must have been under those circumstances. He must have it a hundred times, a thousand times, harder than she did when she first woke up in the Bright Frost Garden. Whenever people talked about Ao Chenyi, they would only talk about how his influence could overturn the world, how he was bloodthirsty and cold. But who would have thought how difficult it must have been for an orphaned young teen to be a person who could stand up to the current Emperor?

    ¡°Will you be going to war?¡± Ning Xueyan asked nervously, her hand subconsciously holding onto his jade belt. She felt her heart jumping to her throat as she wondered nervously if he hade here at this hour to tell her about this.

    ¡°No, he won¡¯t let me lead the troops.¡± Ao Chenyi shook his head with a devious smile.

    He didn¡¯t say who it was but she knew that he was referring to the current Emperor. He was right, now that she thought about it. Ao Chenyi had a considerable amount of troops and horses under his name. If he went to the army camps andunched a coup at the same time, the court would have no power to control him. Perhaps, to the Emperor, dealing with Annan¡¯s rebellion was a much smaller matter than dealing with Ao Chenyi.

    ¡°Is he going to attack you?¡± A sudden jolt went through Ning Xueyan¡¯s mind. She raised her body, almost sitting up, and questioned him with widened eyes.

    Her question carried not even a hint of doubt!

 Chapter 631 - The Cause and Effect of the Thrice-Married Woman

    <h4>Chapter 631 The Cause and Effect of the Thrice-Married Woman</h4>

    It didn¡¯t make much for a wise person to understand the Emperor¡¯s feelings about Ao Chenyi. Ning Xueyan heard, way back when she was in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, that the Emperor was in poor health, a stark contrast to Ao Chenyi¡¯s youthful vigor. This was plenty of reason for him, especially when Ao Mingyu and Ao Mingwan weren¡¯t worthy opponents for Ao Chenyi.

    These factors made it very likely for the Emperor to use this opportunity to attack Ao Chenyi.

    The rebellion of the Feudal Prince of Annan would soon plunge the nation into chaos, allowing him to take advantage of the crisis for personal gain. If an incident were to break out during this time, it would be easier for him to deal with Ao Chenyi than in peaceful times.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right. He can¡¯t do anything to me.¡± Ao Chenyi patted Ning Xueyan¡¯s head. He could see the panic in her eyes. With anguidugh, he added, ¡°He still doesn¡¯t know about Annan¡¯s rebellion, but I already do. While he¡¯s focused on the women¡¯s quarters, I have already moved a few of my chess pieces.¡±

    Women¡¯s quarters? Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes brightened. Ignoring the hand that had been patting her hair, she raised her head. Her longshes fluttered like the wings of a butterfly, and underneath them, her beautiful and limpid eyes seemed shrouded in mist. She looked so adorable and lovely, yet her words struck the crux of the problem.

    ¡°Honored Consort Xia?¡±

    Staring at her sincere face, as harmless as a young creature, and the cunning mirth behind her limpid eyes, Ao Chenyi was taken aback. Soon, he couldn¡¯t helpughing. He rubbed her hair with strength until it was a mess. His kitten was too cute for words. How could there be so many expressions on her face?

    ¡°You¡¯re right. Honored Consort Xia, a woman who foolishly believes herself to be infallible.¡± His reply was direct, but his smile was meaningful. ¡°You can also call her Hua Yueying.¡±

    This answer didn¡¯t surprise Ning Xueyan. She had been working up to this conclusion the past few days because any other exnation for Hua Qiuying¡¯s pce entry didn¡¯t make sense. The incidents at the pce and Honored Consort Xia¡¯s mysterious background, too. It went without saying that the Emperor couldn¡¯t afford to let people know that he, as a monarch, stole the wife of his subordinate and younger brother.

    The scandal would ruin his reputation. That was the real reason why Honored Consort Xia had stayed so mysterious all these years!

    ¡°The Hua family has always been ambitious. They married their eldest daughter to a widowed influential officer of the previous dynasty, but unfortunately, their luck was poor. They hadn¡¯t married for long before the previous dynasty fell. His husband abandoned her as they fled, leaving her to die in the chaos,¡± Ao Chenyi exined carelessly. He picked up a strand of stray hair falling over her face and twirled it around his slender finger, looking idle.

    ¡°Chief Hua¡¯s second daughter entered the pce at twelve years old to serve the Empress. She was given the lowest rank among all consort candidates but before she could seduce the Emperor of the previous dynasty, the nation fell. Then, the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor and Hua Manor cooked up a scheme. The Empress Dowager took the lead in convincing my father to arrange my marriage with Hua Yueying.¡±

    Ning Xueyan was stunned. She rested her face on his hand and looked at him quietly. So, this was the truth behind the so-called engagement between Ao Chenyi and the imperial concubine of the previous dynasty. This incident was enough to show how capable Chief Hua was. He was able to live well in both dynasties and was even able to marry his daughter, who had already entered the pce, off to Ao Chenyi.

    No wonder people say that the Huadies would never marry an ordinary person. There was also the saying that the Huadies were noble.

    ¡°My father doted and trusted me even more after he ascended the throne, which made Hua Manor all that more eager to fawn over me. Hua Yueying kept visiting my manor under a variety of excuses, even bringing her then-young sister Hua Qiuying. I didn¡¯t like her, but because it was my father¡¯s intention, I allowed them to visit.¡±

    Ning Xueyan blinked. She didn¡¯t expect Hua Yueying to be so shameless as to visit Prince Yi¡¯s Manor before their wedding. The Hua family, unlike an upstart family like the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, was an aristocratic n spanning a hundred years. She recalled Hua Qiuying¡¯s manners and appearance. It didn¡¯t seem like she would do such a thing, and yet she did.

    Hua Yueying even used a variety of excuses to enter Prince Yi¡¯s Manor! The new dynasty had just been established at that time. Never mind her status as Ao Chenyi¡¯s fiancee. She was the woman of the Emperor of the previous dynasty and shouldn¡¯t be out and about. Yet, she used a bunch of excuses to visit Prince Yi¡¯s Manor in such a high-profile way. Perhaps, she wasn¡¯t too clever of a person!

    Ning Xueyan looked at Ao Chenyi¡¯s devastatingly handsome, taking in the mockery in his beautiful eyes. Realization dawned on her. She pulled at his sleeve in annoyance. Had Second Young Lady Hua truly fallen in love with him?

    This was entirely possible if Ao Chenyi didn¡¯t keep his face cold all year round, forcing the temperature around him to drop. Never mind that he had thete Emperor¡¯s favor and might very well be the next Emperor. Few women would be able to refuse him because of his face alone.

    That would exin why Hua Yueying did what she did.

    ¡°She... likes you, doesn¡¯t she?¡± she said, saying what was on her mind. She buried her head in his chest after she popped out the question, feeling her face burn from embarrassment. Did she really say that? Even she could hear the jealousy in her voice. Yet, she was just curious about the answer.

    She could hear his cold but pleasant voice and feel the shaking in his abdomen. She didn¡¯t have to look up to know that he wasughing joyfully. He wrapped his hands around her slender waist, enveloping her in a gentle hug. ¡°It¡¯s all right. The only one I like is Yan¡¯er.¡±

    Her face turned even redder, to the point that she felt that her temperature wouldn¡¯t being down any time soon. She didn¡¯t dare to raise her head but said coquettishly, ¡°Then, how did she ¡®die of illness¡¯ter on?¡±

    It went without saying that after understanding the context, she knew that Hua Yueying¡¯s ¡®death by illness¡¯ was just a reason, a reason to obscure the truth from the masses. The only factor that could have driven the Hua family to do so was benefit, in the same way that they had shamelessly ced Hua Yueying in the pce. Everything was for their benefit.

    As she expected, Ao Chenyi¡¯s reply solved the mystery for her.

    ¡°They med the murder of the three Annan women on me, imprisoning me and putting all the criminal charges on me. My father wasn¡¯t around, and death seemed imminent for me. The Hua family used Hua Yueying to get on his side, but she was still my princess-to-be at that time. They couldn¡¯t be too tant about it. Besides, my father was still alive. So they made up a story that Hua Yueying died of illness.¡±

    Ao Chenyi solved the mystery for her in azy manner. He spoke carelessly as if he was narrating someone else¡¯s story. When she quietly raised her head from his chest, he even gave her tender cheek a naughty pinch.

    ¡°Hua Yueying then followed the Emperor into the pce and became the mysterious Honored Consort Xia. She doesn¡¯t meet anyone on most days and never attends any banquets just to prevent people from recognizing her as Hua Yueying, who should be dead from illness. Chief Hua and Honored Consort Xia would really do anything for wealth and honor,¡± Ning Xueyan said.

    She blinked, pping Ao Chenyi¡¯s hand away. But, confusion soon set in her eyes. ¡°What does she want to do now? Does she want to meet you and tell you how much she regrets it and wants to get back with you?¡±

    When she was in the pce, she had the feeling that Honored Consort Xia was trying very hard to approach Ao Chenyi. Honored Consort Xia tried to meet her every time she entered the pce, saying that they were fated. That was, of course, an excuse. Honored Consort Xia deliberately summoned her at the banquet celebrating Prince Xiang and Prince Fu. The mess with Hua Qiuying must be her idea as well.

    And the maid who invited Ao Chenyi must have done so because Honored Consort Xia wanted to meet him. Why was she so sure that Ao Chenyi was willing to get back with her? That he didn¡¯t look down on her? Would she put on a show and insist that it was the Emperor who forced her?

    ¡°The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. Hua Yueying and her family think that they can have whatever they want and treat others like fools. A thrice-married woman thinks she¡¯s a treasure.¡± Ao Chenyi let out anguidugh, a trace of coldness appearing in his beautiful, half-closed eyes.

    Ning Xueyan had finished gathering her thoughts by now. Hua Yueying was indeed a thrice-married woman who wanted to get back together with Ao Chenyi. She must have heard that Ao Chenyi insisted on staying a bachelor for her, staying ¡°faithful¡± for many years. That was why she was so confident that as long as she met him and made herself out to be a pitiful person coerced by the Emperor, he would understand her predicament, forgive her, and bring her back to his manor again.

    It wouldn¡¯t be too hard to cook up a story of how she ended up reviving and getting lost among the people, especially when Ao Chenyi was so powerful. It was obvious which the better choice was: the rightful Princess Yi or the Emperor¡¯s favorite consort who could only hide behind the scenes, unable to meet anyone.

    Hua Yueying and her family, people who always understood what could give them the best advantages, knew which the superior position was.

    Hua Yueying had a shameful identity. It didn¡¯t matter if a shameful imperial consort could give birth to a son. The fact that she couldn¡¯t get pregnant after so many years also proved another thing. It was very likely that the Emperor didn¡¯t want her to give birth to his heirs. It didn¡¯t make sense that a favored consort didn¡¯t get pregnant otherwise.

    This factor alone would have been enough to sway Hua Yueying. The old and frail Emperor would never match up to a bewitchingly handsome man like Ao Chenyi. No matter how one looked at it, Hua Yueying had nothing to lose by getting back together with Ao Chenyi, especially when Ao Chenyi seemed to be full of love for her.

    Hua Qiuying, on the other hand, was just a chess piece for Hua Yueying to get in touch with Ao Chenyi. Of course, Hua Qiuying didn¡¯t know this. She was still dreaming about marrying Prince Yi earlier, not realizing that her sister was treating her like a tool. Otherwise, Honored Consort Xia wouldn¡¯t send her maid over just as Hua Qiuying was seducing Ao Chenyi.

    The people outside hadn¡¯t entered the room at the time. That meant that, ording to Honored Consort Xia¡¯s n, no one would see Ao Chenyi and Hua Qiuying together. Her maid would just happen to ¡°rescue¡± Ao Chenyi at that moment.

    No one would see Ao Chenyi, as Hua Qiuying expected. And Honored Consort Xia would once again appear before him as his ¡°benefactor¡±...

 Chapter 632 - Scheme; The Intentions of Qiongfeng Palaceâ€™s Honored Consort Xia

    <h4>Chapter 632 Scheme; The Intentions of Qiongfeng Pce¡¯s Honored Consort Xia</h4>

    Hua Yueying was the mantis who believed she could control any man, but what about the oriole? An idea sparked in Ning Xueyan¡¯s mind as she recalled his words earlier...

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be careful.¡± Sheughed. Her vibrant eyes blinked and she asked, ¡°When will the news of the Annan rebellion reach the capital?¡±

    ¡°In about three days,¡± he repliedzily, giving her a sidelong nce.

    ¡°Three days is plenty of time. In three days, it¡¯ll be the birthday banquet of the Madam Dowager of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor. I have to prepare a gift for her.¡± She sat up in one smooth movement. She had yet to pick a suitable gift. She couldn¡¯t afford to lose momentum as Heng Yuqing¡¯s close friend and a representative of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    She wasn¡¯t nning to impress everyone, but her gift must be better than the rest.

    ¡°I have chosen the gift. Tell Xinmei to get it from Yu Jianter.¡± Ao Chenyi wasn¡¯t going to let her go. He grabbed her hand on his chest and tugged with force. ¡°It¡¯s your nap time. Don¡¯t bother. It¡¯s not toote to get some rest and get the giftter.¡±

    He caught her off guard, forcing her to fall andnd on his body. Before she could react, she found herself in his arms with his slender but powerful hands wrapped around her.

    ¡°Hey, let me get up and tell Xinmei first.¡± She began to struggle but she could only do so weakly.

    ¡°What¡¯s the rush? Sleep with me. I¡¯m going to sleep now.¡± His words, as well his actions, left no room forpromise or negotiation. He closed his eyes, his longshes fluttering, looking like he was already asleep. His stubborn, childish demeanor rendered her helpless. Was this really the so-called Demon King?

    Honored Consort Xia¡¯s residence, Qiongfeng Pce, was one of the biggest pces in the imperial pce. It felt mysterious as it was home to the Emperor¡¯s favorite consort of many years. However, the rumors that Honored Consort Xia¡¯s possible connection with Hua Manor as well as her simr appearance to Third Young Lady Hua had prompted more pce maids and eunuchs than ever before to walk past the pce.

    New imperial consorts were even more curious about the Emperor¡¯s favorite consort of many years. They paid so much attention to Qiongfeng Pce that they even noticed that Third Young Lady Hua, who recently embarrassed herself at a banquet, entered the ce! Chief Hua followed suit as well. No matter how they looked at it, they were sure that Honored Consort Xia was connected to the Hua family.

    But why wouldn¡¯t she show her face?

    Honored Consort Xia was forced to make an appearance because of the maid incident, but only in the Empress¡¯ pce. It was said that the Empress, Honored Consort Ya, and Honored Consort Shu, as well as their trusted maids, were the only ones there. The others never saw her, and this made everyone in the pce all that more curious about her.

    The Emperor was keeping such a tight watch over Honored Consort Xia! How beautiful must she be for the Emperor to watch her so closely and not let anyone meet her?! Even the Empress had a hard time meeting her.

    However, there was a rumor that Honored Consort Xia would attend the birthday banquet of the Madam Dowager of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor.

    This was one of the many rumors circting, so no one knew if it was true. All it did was provoke more curiosity.

    ¡°You¡¯re really going to the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor?¡± Inside the hall, Chief Hua looked at her daughter with a frown.

    ¡°Why not? I have been staying in the shadows for so many years, but what did I get? A reputation for being the Emperor¡¯s favorite consort? Father, what I want isn¡¯t a position behind the scenes. What does it matter how loved I am?¡± Honored Consort Xia¡¯s expression carried a hint of malice. It was hard to believe that a woman as gentle and mild-mannered as she was would look this fierce.

    Chief Hua stood up and paced back and forth the pce. He couldn¡¯t help but stop and say, ¡°The Emperor still treats you very well...¡±

    ¡°He treats me well? In what aspect? He made me live in the pce all by myself as his favorite consort all these years. Does that count as treating me well? If he dies, am I supposed to die with him when I¡¯m still so young? Father, I¡¯m still young. I still have a bright future in front of me.¡±

    Honored Consort Xia interrupted her father with a hint of mockery in her voice.

    ¡°Silence! Do you want our whole family to die with you?¡± Chief Hua flew into a rage after hearing her sphemous words and chided her in a low voice. There might not be many people at the rear pce hall but they were still in the pce. If anyone were to hear such words, their entire family would be exterminated.

    ¡°Rx, Father. I won¡¯t say such words carelessly. When you sent me into the pce, you said this was the best opportunity for me. Not only could I bring our family wealth and honor, but my future child might be the next Emperor. What about now? Who can tell me what has gone wrong? I have stayed an invisible consort in the pce for so many years and the Emperor won¡¯t even let me give birth to his children. What honor has this given to our family? Who has any idea that the current Honored Consort Xia is the second daughter of the Hua family?¡±

    Honored Consort Xia became furious and her eyes were ice-cold. Her smile, however, was mocking as she looked firmly at Chief Hua. How could she not resent it when this was her own father¡¯s fault?

    She had been so happy when she got engaged with Ao Chenyi, so much so that she ignored the custom of an engaged couple not meeting before the wedding just because she missed him. She would find every excuse to visit him in his manor. She would dream about how blissful their lives would be after she married him.

    However, a sudden scandal threw him into prison and it was even said that he wouldn¡¯t be able to survive it. To break off her rtionship with Ao Chenyi and her family¡¯s connection to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, she obeyed her father and faked her death to get out of the situation. Later, she married Prince Qi, who was not yet the Emperor then.

    Then, she entered the pce and became Honored Consort Xia. The mysterious Honored Consort Xia was the Emperor¡¯s favorite consort but who would have considered why such a favored consort was still childless? The Empress was childless because of the Empress Dowager, but her? She was invisible in the pce, not because she was unwilling to meet people or unveil her identity as Second Young Lady Hua or tell people that her family was also rtives of the imperial family.

    It was because of her shameful identity as Prince Yi¡¯s fiancee. She shouldn¡¯t have been in the Emperor¡¯s harem at all.

    But was this her will? Did she want this? Did she want to be the Emperor¡¯s favorite consort who couldn¡¯t meet anyone? No! What she wanted was a high status that everyone would look up to, not a shameful identity that forced her to hide in the shadows like a mouse.

    She hated her situation so much.

    ¡°What if Prince Yi doesn¡¯t want you back?¡± Chief Hua was moved by his daughter¡¯s words. He had sent Hua Yueying into the pce out of hope that it would bring Hua Manor honor and wealth, but her embarrassing situation couldn¡¯t bring their family any benefit at all.

    Even so, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to agree with his daughter¡¯s thoughts at all. Prince Yi¡¯s reputation for being cold and heartless didn¡¯te out of nowhere. None of the many beautiful women sent to him ended up with any benefit. He was able to behead such beautiful women without any protective feelings for the fairer sex.

    ¡°If he doesn¡¯t want me back, who would he want? Third Sister? Father, Third Sister has lost all hope of entering Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Just give it up! Compared to her, I think I have the absolute advantage. Prince Yi stayed a bachelor for many years because of me. It¡¯s obvious he still has feelings for me. How can I bepared to those women?¡±

    Honored Consort Xia became impatient when she saw that her father was still hesitating. She knew very well what her father was nning. He wanted to send Hua Qiuying into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor and use her to maintain the rtionship between their family and Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, achieving the effect of an alliance marriage. She hated his n. It was all supposed to be hers; why should she give it to Hua Qiuying?

    She was confident that Hua Qiuying couldn¡¯t match up to her at all. Ao Chenyi was able to stay a bachelor for many years and turn a blind eye to other women because of her. This was enough to prove that he was sincere about her. She had visited him many times in the past, too. She was sure that they shared a mutual love.

    If it wasn¡¯t for that sudden scandal, she would be Princess Yi now. She wouldn¡¯t have to spend time with that rotten old man and live a shameful, hidden life.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention Qiuying anymore. If... If he brings you to his manor, take her with you... She¡¯s still your sister at the end of the day. You should help her when she needs it.¡± Sensing his daughter¡¯s grievances, Chief Hua sighed. He understood himself well and knew that she saw through his n. Both he and Hua Qiuying were unhappy about Hua Qiuying¡¯s marriage.

    How could such a man from such an ordinary household marry his beautiful daughter? He couldn¡¯t ept it.

    ¡°All right, Father. I promise you. Once I enter Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, I¡¯ll take Third Sister with me. You don¡¯t have to worry about her marriage. She¡¯s my sister, after all. In the future, whether it¡¯s my child or hers, I would take care of them like they¡¯re first wife¡¯s children.¡±

    Honored Consort Xia smiled when she saw that her father wasn¡¯t opposing her anymore. She gave her father a guarantee.

    This was her n all along, and for a good reason. The only reason she stayed childless after being in the pce for so many years was that the Emperor fed her a certain medicine. She didn¡¯t know if the medicine would affect her health, so she couldn¡¯t guarantee that she could give birth after entering Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    If she couldn¡¯t give birth, she would be able to care for Hua Qiuying¡¯s children as hers. On the one hand, she would be able to maintain her position, and on the other, she could maintain the rtionship between her family and Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. She took advantage of the situation to bring up this idea, and sure enough, her father was smiling again. The father-and-daughter pair was able toe up with the same goal after a happy discussion.

    Honored Consort Xia was pleased with this oue. The two of them talked for a while more before Chief Hua excused himself. She saw him off at the pce door and once he left, a smug smile appeared on her face. This wasn¡¯t the only card up her sleeve to attract Ao Chenyi. If he was willing to take her back, she would send him an even bigger gift.

    She believed that he wouldn¡¯t be able to refuse such a big gift. Simrly, he wouldn¡¯t be able to refuse to ept her...

 Chapter 633 - The Attention of Madam Dowager of the Lord Guardianâ€™s Manor

    <h4>Chapter 633 The Attention of Madam Dowager of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor</h4>

    The banquet at the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor was a bustling affair for two reasons: the status of the manor as well as the identity of the Madam Dowager herself. She was a female hero that was more respected than her counterpart in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. That was why she was able to receive everyone¡¯s approval even after so many years.

    Ning Xueyan left for the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor herself as Ao Chenyi had to stop by the pce first. Her timing was just right; she was neither early norte when she arrived. One carriage after another entered the gate of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor. Twenty servants¡ªten older female servants and ten young servants¡ªstood at the gate to receive guests.

    The sharp-eyed servants immediately noticed the carriage from Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. A clever older female servant went up to the carriage at once. No ordinary family would arrive with such avish carriage, never mind the handful of imperial guards standing beside it. The servant noticed the sharp gazes of the guards and knew that the one inside the carriage must be Princess Yi.

    She walked up to the carriage and asked respectfully, ¡°Is this Her Highness, Princess Yi?¡±

    Xinmei, who was walking beside the carriage, answered, ¡°Yes, we¡¯re from Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Our Princess is inside the carriage.¡±

    Upon hearing this, the carriages and servants beside Princess Yi¡¯s entourage slowed down and quietly made way. No one would be stupid enough to get in the way of Princess Yi¡¯s carriage.

    ¡°Greetings to Your Highness. Pleasee with me,¡± the servant said, pointing to another gate. The gate wasparatively less busy, but everyone could see that it wasn¡¯t meant for regr guests entering through the main gate of the manor. It was natural that Princess Yi would be led there.

    The coachman flicked his horse whip and followed the servant to the other gate. The carriage entered the manor and took several turns before stopping at a separate parking lot that the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor had prepared. The lot was conveniently close to the second gate, the Chuihua Gate, allowing them to enter the inner and outer courtyards as they pleased.

    Ning Xueyan exited the carriage with Xinmei¡¯s help. Before she could go anywhere, she heard a familiar voice. ¡°Cousin!¡±

    She turned around and saw Ming Yuanhua helping Mrs. Ming out of a nearby carriage. She immediately went up to them and said, ¡°Aunt, Cousin, you¡¯re also here.¡±

    This was her first time running into Mrs. Ming at a banquet. Mrs. Ming had been living a half-secluded life all these years, turning every invitation sent her way. She stayed the same whether Ming Feiyong was around or not.

    Mrs. Ming adored Ning Xueyan. She had met Ning Xueyan once when thetter was still a child, but afterward, Madam Ming became a concubine and grew estranged from her brother. Themunication between Ming Manor and the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was cut off. It wasn¡¯t until Ming Feiyong returned that they got in touch with Ning Xueyan again. Mrs. Ming liked her bright and sensible niece from the bottom of her heart.

    Ning Xueyan did everything well when she stayed in their manor before her wedding. Now that they had met again, she felt nothing but joy.

    The three of them exchanged a few words at the parking lot. Then, Ning Xueyan and Mrs. Ming entered the Chuihua Gate.

    Two clever-looking maids were standing beside the Chuihua Gate. One of them was Heng Yuqing¡¯s personal maid, who had seen Ning Xueyan many times. When she saw Ning Xueyan, she immediately stepped forward and saluted her with another maid. Ning Xueyan nodded and told them to follow her. These two must be the maids that Heng Yuqing prepared for her.

    This was the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor, after all. She was a stranger to this ce. If she needed to go somewhere or look for something, it was better to have someone familiar around.

    ¡°Aunt, why have youe to the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor today?¡± Ning Xueyan asked, supporting Mrs. Ming¡¯s arm with a smile.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t going toe but the Madam Dowager went through the trouble of sending me a second invitation yesterday. We used to be close, too. It would be embarrassing if I refused again.¡± Mrs. Ningughed as she exined how the Madam Dowager of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor sent a messenger to her manorst night.

    She had been hesitating, unsure whether toe. Her many years of habit had left her out of the circle of the aristocratic married women. It was because she preferred the quiet, but also because she was a nobledy of the previous dynasty. She wasn¡¯t an ordinary aristocrat either; she was amandery princess. Her identity was, more or less, quite awkward.

    In fact, most aristocraticdies of the previous dynasty tend to stay away from banquets. People tend to have different opinions about things sometimes. In particr, when it came to the previous dynasty, thedies wouldn¡¯t know what to say. It was best for them to skip the banquets.

    The invitation from the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor was another story altogether. The Madam Dowager was also an aristocratic madam of the previous dynasty herself, and a distant rtive of Mrs. Ming. It didn¡¯t feel right not toe. So, by the time the Madam Dowager sent a second invitationst night, she hesitated no more.

    ¡°Madam Dowager sent you two invitations?¡± Ning Xueyan asked, stunned. Her surprise was understandable. Two invitations were unheard of, especially when the second was sentst night. That meant the Madam Dowager thought of Mrs. Ming against night.

    What was it that made the Madam Dowager pay so much attention to a woman as low-profile as Mrs. Ming? She couldn¡¯t help but begin pondering.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened either. Maybe it¡¯s been too long since shest saw me. The elderly tend to be nostalgic.¡± Mrs. Ming smiled gently.

    That was reasonable enough, but still quite far-fetched. Moreover, Ning Xueyan heard that Madam Dowager was a female hero who could kill without blinking her eyes. She might be an elderly woman who stayed out of worldly affairs now, but she didn¡¯t seem like a person who would send two invitations.

    They found themselves at the reception area mid-conversation. Hearing that Princess Yi and Mrs. Ning had arrived, Mrs. Lord Guardian personally greeted them along with Heng Yuqing and Heng Yuwan. It went without saying that they couldn¡¯t keep Heng Yuwan on house arrest during an asion like this for it was a family matter at the end of the day. It didn¡¯t make sense for Madam Dowager to celebrate her birthday while her granddaughter was being locked up.

    ¡°Princess Yi, Mrs. Ming, I¡¯m surprised you would arrive together! Come in and have a seat.¡± Mrs. Lord Guardian went up to them with a bright smile. Herplexion was good and she seemed to have mostly recovered. She was sincerely grateful to Ning Xueyan because both she and her daughter would be in danger of losing their lives if it wasn¡¯t for her.

    The women exchanged salutes. Ning Xueyan looked at Heng Yuwan. It seemed that the domineering girl had be much quieter. Still, she didn¡¯t miss the trace of resentment in Heng Yuwan¡¯s eyes when thetter nced at her.

    Heng Yuwan must despise her because of what happened at Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t feel apologetic about it. If Heng Yuwan had even a shred of dignity, the scandal wouldn¡¯t have happened.

    ¡°You¡¯re too polite, Mrs. Lord Guardian. These two must be your daughters? They¡¯re very pretty.¡± Mrs. Ming hadn¡¯t paid attention to worldly affairs for many years. When she saw Heng Yuqing and Heng Yuwan, she assumed them to be Mrs. Lord Guardian¡¯s daughters.

    Mrs. Lord Guardian would be happy to hear someoneplimenting her daughter, but when that included Heng Yuwan, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to feel any joy. She could never feel any intimacy with the daughter of an enemy who tried to kill her, but she didn¡¯t dare to disobey Madam Dowager¡¯s request to have Heng Yuwan follow her around.

    Her smile faded after hearing Mrs. Ming¡¯s words. ¡°Mrs. Ming, you¡¯ve overpraised them. Mother mentioned you earlier. She said she misses you since she hasn¡¯t seen you in so long. She told me to bring you to her as soon as you arrive,¡± she said politely.

    Ning Xueyan stood beside Mrs. Ming quietly, feeling amazed. Madam Dowager of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor treated Mrs. Ming so unbelievably well. No matter how she thought about it, there was no reason for Madam Dowager to treat her aunt so politely. Those two might be distant rtives but that rtionship ought to be destroyed along with the previous dynasty.

    Even if the connection still existed, they wouldn¡¯t stay in touch for that reason and risk the suspicion of the current dynasty.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s uncle might be a general stationed at the border, but he was in the capital now. He wasn¡¯t a bigwig minister either. It didn¡¯t make sense for Madam Dowager to favor Mrs. Ming so much.

    Hearing Mrs. Lord Guardian¡¯s words, Mrs. Ming agreed to the request and turned around to tell Ning Xueyan, ¡°Princess Yi, I¡¯ll...¡±

    ¡°Go ahead, Aunt. I¡¯ll chat with Eldest Young Lady Heng and Second Young Lady Heng for a bit,¡± Ning Xueyan replied, smiling. An unreadable emotion flickered in her eyes. It seemed that Madam Dowager of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor was a sharp-eyed female hero. She once underestimated Madam Dowager for her failure in managing the backyard of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor.

    It seemed that Madam Dowager wasn¡¯t refusing to move, but biding her time instead... Madam Dowager was waiting to see who would be the final victor. It didn¡¯t matter to her who won. Both were her granddaughters but only the one strong enough to stay behind was the real thing!

    Indeed, she wasn¡¯t a simple person.

    Since Ning Xueyan had said as much, Mrs. Ming knew there wasn¡¯t use hesitating. She followed Mrs. Lord Guardian to Madam Dowager¡¯s courtyard behind, leaving Ning Xueyan with the two Heng youngdies.

    ¡°Xueyan,e with me. We can have a rest there, where it¡¯s quieter.¡± Heng Yuqing grabbed Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand warmly and led her to a reception hall nearby. In front of them was the main hall. Ning Xueyan, with her status as Princess Yi, ought to be brought there but most of the guests there were older married women. Ning Xueyan might have a high status but she was still so young. She would have little to talk to the women there.

    Therefore, she agreed with Heng Yuqing. She nodded and went to the side hall with her.

    To her surprise, Heng Yuwan followed after them without saying anything. She didn¡¯t seem to be overstepping the bounds of propriety, and besides, Ning Xueyan said she would chat with them both earlier. It appeared that Heng Yuwan was determined to follow her around today.

 Chapter 634 - Unspeakable â€œMisunderstandingâ€

    <h4>Chapter 634 Unspeakable ¡°Misunderstanding¡±</h4>

    ¡°Second Sister, go and entertain the other guests. You can leave Princess Yi to me,¡± Heng Yuqing said, smiling at Heng Yuwan.

    The side hall might be quiet, but there were still a handful of people, mostly youngdies and madams. The guests were young, however, and couldn¡¯t sit still. Most had likely gone on a stroll in the garden.

    ¡°Mother told me to keep Princess Yipany. How can I leave? Don¡¯t worry, Elder Sister. I¡¯ll just be listening. I won¡¯t disturb you both.¡±

    Heng Yuwan spoke with a neutral expression and sat down on one of the chairs, looking like she wouldn¡¯t be budging. Mrs. Lord Guardian had indeed said so, but Heng Yuwan¡¯s words made people uneasy. Bringing it up at a moment like this made it seem like Ning Xueyan and Heng Yuqing were bullying her and chasing her away.

    Ning Xueyan sat down on a chair, her brilliant eyes sweeping past Heng Yuwan¡¯s face, and said nothing. If she hadn¡¯t seen it, she would have thought Heng Yuwan was doing this because she wanted to irritate her and Heng Yuqing. She wouldn¡¯t even think that Heng Yuwan was hatching a n with Hua Qiuying.

    ¡°Yuqing, since Second Young Lady Heng isn¡¯t willing to entertain other guests, just let her stay,¡± Ning Xueyan said softly, helping her friend out of the situation. She smiled and indicated for Heng Yuqing to sit beside her. ¡°I was worried that Second Young Lady Heng wouldn¡¯t want to have anything to do with me. I feel better now that I see that isn¡¯t the case.¡±

    What happened to Heng Yuwan was quite the scandal. Even though no one spread rumors about it, bits and pieces of news still reached everyone¡¯s ears. Heng Yuwan knew this. When she saw a few youngdies in the side hall smiling meaningfully after hearing this, she turned red with shame and anger.

    She hated it. She hated the fact that such a scandal happened to her in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, forcing her to marry that useless yboy from the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor. With Ning Xueyan¡¯s words buzzing in her ears, she turned around to look at the rest. Every smile that she saw felt like mockery toward her, ridiculing her for being brought home pathetically that day.

    She was forced to ept that humiliating marriage. She was Lord Guardian¡¯s daughter and yet, forced to marry a yboy that she knew nothing about. Her eyes were filled with resentment.

    Her mother, Concubine Yun, had reigned over the backyard of their manor all these years. Mrs. Lord Guardian, even when she was healthy, couldn¡¯t do anything to her mother. Her father doted on her and brought her up as a wife-born daughter. She had always lived with her head up high. When had she ever been taunted this way?

    The incident at Prince Yi¡¯s Manor was the biggest scandal in her life, and the rest of her life was ruined because of it.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s provocation rendered her red immediately. Her face, however, soon turned green. She stood up and said, unable to hold her anger back, ¡°Ning Xueyan, what do you mean? You¡¯ve already ruined me that day! Hadn¡¯t you had enough?¡±

    Her loud voice drew the attention of everyone in the side hall to her. They wondered what had happened between Second Young Lady Heng and Princess Yi.

    ¡°What are you referring to, Second Young Lady Heng? Did I do something wrong to you? Could there be a misunderstanding? Why don¡¯t you tell me so I can reflect on whether I upset you so much that you¡¯d interrogate me in front of so many guests?¡±

    Seeing that she had angered Heng Yuwan, Ning Xueyan smiled sweetly and looked up. She looked at Heng Yuwan with a look of interest. Her words were polite and humble, but her expression and smile seemed to be mocking Heng Yuwan for herpse in manners.

    Today was the birthday banquet of Madam Dowager of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor. No matter how big of a problem there was, Heng Yuwan should have left it until after the banquet. Moreover, Heng Yuwan was going against Princess Yi. Both their statuses were evident to everyone. Heng Yuwan had no right to criticize Princess Yi; she was just digging her own grave!

    Heng Yuqing, who was sitting beside Ning Xueyan, caught on to her friend¡¯s game immediately. She put on an amiable expression and said, ¡°Second Sister, if you have any problems, just say it out loud. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s just a misunderstanding. There are so many youngdies and madams here. They¡¯ll be your judge.¡±

    Heng Yuwan nearly coughed up blood after hearing their orchestrated performance. How could she speak about that scandal? They had to work so hard to conceal the matter, so how was she going to reveal it herself? What was there to say? Was she supposed to say that she went to the outer courtyard in hopes of seducing Prince Yi and bing his princess?

    Or was she to say that she identally entered the men¡¯s courtyard and ended up with her current marriage?

    No matter what, it was still a scandal at the end of the day. How could she mention it herself, let alone asking the women to judge the situation? She was turning so red that herplexion was nearly purple. She looked at Ning Xueyan and Heng Yuqing with resentment before gritting her teeth and leaving with her maid. There were so many people in the side hall. Even if the two didn¡¯t say anything, she was too ashamed to stay anymore.

    The guests were dumbfounded to see Heng Yuwan making a sudden, angry exit. They didn¡¯t understand what was there to be angry about. Princess Yi¡¯s words were so courteous, and she even expressed her willingness to resolve any misunderstandings. They were rendered speechless by Heng Yuwan, who dared to scold Princess Yi.

    Heng Yuwan tried to humiliate Princess Yi out of nowhere. She should have weighed her status and whether she had this ability.

    Having watched Heng Yuwan leave in anger, Ning Xueyan stood up and expressed her wish to visit the garden with Heng Yuqing. Heng Yuqing, as the host and Lord Guardian¡¯s only wife-born daughter, couldn¡¯t leave but arranged for the maids to take her there. Still, she led Ning Xueyan out of the side hall and showed her the way.

    The same way would eventually take her to Weiran Pavilion.

    ¡°Xueyan, Honored Consort Xia is already here. My grandmother was apanying her earlier in her ce, but she¡¯s probably walking around the garden now. What will you do?¡±

    Heng Yuqing didn¡¯t know about Ning Xueyan¡¯s n but she couldn¡¯t help but warn her about Honored Consort Xia. After all, Ning Xueyan had asked her to keep an eye on the consort.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to Weiran Pavilion. Tell your maid to give Xinmei a change of clothing, the maid uniform of your manor,¡± Ning Xueyan said, pointing to Xinmei. She went out her way to bring all three of her maids with her. It wasn¡¯t strange or excessive for someone of her status to bring three maids anyway.

    ¡°All right. I¡¯ll tell someone to get her changed right away.¡± Heng Yuqing pointed to one of the maids that she sent to Ning Xueyan earlier, and the maid immediately led Xinmei away.

    The remaining maid led Ning Xueyan to Weiran Pavilion. There was still some time before Ao Chenyi would arrive, and Honored Consort Xia was likely not there yet. She must reach Weiran Pavilion before Honored Consort Xia.

    Meanwhile, she would ask the other maid to lead Xinmei, in her new maid uniform, to the side door and wait for Ao Chenyi there.

    Honored Consort Xia was very early. She hade to celebrate the birthday of Madam Dowager of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor on the Emperor¡¯s behalf. Not many realized that she hade because she was so early, so there wasn¡¯t much of an impact. She was also wearing a veil that covered half of her face, revealing only a pair of seductive eyes. Even if someone knew her, they wouldn¡¯t be able to recognize her.

    This was also an important factor as to why she dared to leave the pce and meet people.

    After excusing herself from the Madam Dowager¡¯s ce, she started strolling the garden with her two maids. She took an unusual path, making way to the quieter parts of the garden. The maid leading the way was just in front of her. It wasn¡¯t immediately obvious that the maid was taking her to a specific location.

    Of course, this maid belonged to Heng Yuwan!

    She was leading the way in a clever, subtle way that was undetectable to others. The long journey gradually led them to a quiet part of the garden. They could still see several madams and youngdies earlier, but they couldn¡¯t even see the maids and servants of the manor here, never mind the banquet guests. It was evident that they were in a very secluded area.

    All the noise earlier seemed to have nothing to do with this ce.

    Gradually, they couldn¡¯t even hear any voices from here. It was so quiet that there were no voices, only the sound of their hasty footsteps.

    Honored Consort Xia was excited. Her heart was beating furiously in a joyful and enthusiastic tempo. It was the sound of flowers blooming, a sound that she could sense with her whole being. Soon, very soon, she wouldn¡¯t have to be that invisible Honored Consort Xia. She would no longer have to hide in the shadow, unable to meet anyone.

    She could be the rightful Princess Yi and stand beside him. This had been her dream of many years. And as long as she pushed all of the me to the Emperor and her father, he would forgive her selflessness. When she thought about how he loved her so much that he would rather stay single than wrong her, she felt like her heart would jump out of her throat.

    Their situation was akin to seeing a rainbow after heavy rain. After so many tribtions, they could finally reunite as husband and wife.

    Moreover, to express her sincerity, she brought something that he would want. He would trust her more after seeing those things. He would be more willing to take her back to his manor and make her his princess. The current Princess Yi was no problem at all. If he wanted it, there was nothing that he couldn¡¯t do.

    From now on, she would live a happy life and ascend to the highest position of the nation with him.

    With such thoughts in mind, even her footsteps became more urgent. She felt so full of energy that the journey didn¡¯t feel long in the slightest. None of them noticed the silhouette shing past behind them.

    A sharp-eyed Yan Zhen immediately saw a man dressed in a ck brocade in a distant pavilion. Though the man was standing with their back against them, therge, red-spider lily embroideries on his robe were evident enough. So, she immediately pulled Honored Consort Xia¡¯s sleeve and asked, ¡°Your Highness, is that... Prince Yi?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s... It¡¯s him! He really came!¡± Honored Consort Xia was so overjoyed that she was about to cry. She quickened her steps. The moment she saw that tall figure, she knew it was him. Back in the pce, she would peep at him from the paths that he would take, so she was well acquainted with his figure.

    The thought of living happily with him in the future turned her face red and made her heart race. Her legs turned so soft that she nearly fell.

    Seeing her master¡¯s eagerness, Yan Zhen whispered in her ear, ¡°Your Highness, don¡¯t be hasty. Since he¡¯s here, that means he still cares for you.¡±

 Chapter 635 - A Heartbroken Honored Consort Xia Vents Her Feelings in Weiran Pavilion

    <strong>Chapter 635 A Heartbroken Honored Consort Xia Vents Her Feelings in Weiran Pavilion</strong>

    Weiran Pavilion was located near a courtyard, about a dozen of steps away from its gate. There was a small rockery near the corner of the gate. From where Honored Consort Xia was standing, she could see Ao Chenyi standing there alone with his hands behind his back, staring at the courtyard.

    Her two pce maids stood still, not moving an inch, and watched her walk up to Ao Chenyi step by step. She stopped inside the pavilion and stared at the figure. Taking off her face veil, she asked in a trembling voice, ¡°Your Highness, can you... can you still recognize... Hua Yueying?¡±

    She believed that he would be pleasantly surprised to hear her name.

    The man with the most handsome face she had ever seen slowly turned around, with a gaze so cold that he resembled a Demon King treading through the bloody hell. His icy gaze fell on her face as he looked at her like she was a lifeless object.

    Honored Consort Xia staggered, taking back her outstretched feet, and subconsciously stepped back. She adjusted her expression so she looked sorrowful, and allowed her tears to fall. With a tragic expression, she pressed her handkerchief against her mouth to suppress her tearful voice. ¡°Your Highness... I... I¡¯m the real Hua Yueying. When you were captured, I was... I was just a weak woman. Who could have I done? What else could I do? If I could have done anything to save you, I would have even if it killed me!¡±

    Honored Consort Xia sobbed as she spoke, her eyes brimming with affection. She made it sound as though she started serving the Emperor out of worry that Ao Chenyi would be in danger, and that she was forced to give herself up to her ¡°enemy¡± so Ao Chenyi would have hope of survival.

    In the script that she had orchestrated, she was the pitiful, affectionate protagonist who would stop at nothing to save her beloved from the enemy. Of course, she would put on a show of affectionate reunion at this moment. She was sure that, with such a show in ce, Ao Chenyi wouldn¡¯t disappoint her.

    She had her beauty, her testimonial, as well as his deep love. She didn¡¯t think their reunion would be difficult at all. What did it matter if Ao Chenyi didn¡¯t look quite friendly now? He had always been rumored to be cold and ruthless, and he seemed to have gained this reputation after she left him.

    It was obvious that he treated her differently.

    When Ao Chenyi ignored her and sat down by the stone railing in the pavilion, her weeping became even fiercer. She was a beautiful woman crying pitifully and saying loving words; any other man would have been moved by her deep affection.

    ¡°Your Highness, do you still remember our engagement? Do you remember how I secretly came to your manor to pick out my courtyard? I always thought we would spend the rest of our lives together, never to be apart. Back then, I¡¯ve already begun to embroider my wedding dress in secret. I dreamed of living in harmony with you, giving birth to your children, but... Who would have thought... things would turn out like this...¡±

    Honored Consort Xia was so sorrowful that she couldn¡¯t even talk anymore. She stared at Ao Chenyi, tears and reluctance brimming in her eyes.

    Ao Chenyi¡¯s red lips curved into a smile. Hisnguid voice drifted out of the pavilion as he asked, ¡°How did you enter the pce?¡±

    Having finally heard Ao Chenyi¡¯s voice, Hua Yueying immediately replied, ¡°Your Highness, you were framed for killing the three women from Annan and imprisoned at that time. Someone came and told me that if I want to save you, I would have to be with the Emperor. That was why I went to him. But who would have thought... we¡¯d be...¡±

    The Emperor was still a prince at that time and Hua Yueying¡¯s words were, of course, to gain Ao Chenyi¡¯s trust. She would say anything to earn his trust now. Besides, her goal ining here was getting back together with him. She would shove all the me on others. Her mistakes were everyone else¡¯s faults. She was the most affectionate, innocent party.

    ¡°What proof do you have?¡± Ao Chenyi chuckled and picked up a cup of tea from the table, looking cold and aloof.

    Proof? How could there be proof for such things? Hua Yueying was stunned by his question. She was the one who went to the Emperor herself. What proof could there be? Was she supposed to show him an invoice or something?

    Her eyes, however, swiftly lit up and she fished out a small package from her bosom. ¡°Your Highness, I have proof,¡± she said righteously. ¡°This is my proof, proof that I have never forgotten about you despite being in the pce for so many years. I have always been on your side.¡±

    ¡°On my side?¡± Ao Chenyi didn¡¯t look at the small package in her hand. His cold gaze fell on her face. The corners of his beautifully-shaped lips were curved into a murderous, cruel smile.

    ¡°Hua Yueying, I can¡¯t do anything about you being promiscuous and hooking up with men as you please, but I forbid you from using the title of my fiancee. You¡¯re my brother¡¯s beloved consort now. I don¡¯t care if you went to my brother or the other way around, but the fact that you¡¯re his consort can¡¯t be changed. It is time I announce to the world that my former fiancee didn¡¯t die of illness, but had eloped with someone else.¡±

    ¡°No... No... I... Your Highness, it¡¯s really not my fault... It¡¯s the Emperor... It¡¯s the Emperor who forced... The Emperor took advantage of the situation and took me away! It¡¯s really not my fault!¡±

    Hua Yueying cried out in panic as soon as she heard that Ao Chenyi wanted to publicize the matter. If the truth was made public, she would really be dead, and her family would copse with her. A woman was never meant to marry twice, but she married two men with such particr identities. Once everything was revealed, the Emperor would never admit that he had taken his younger brother¡¯s fiancee and would push all the me onto her.

    ¡°My brother isn¡¯t that kind of person.¡± Ao Chenyi shook his head and snorted in disbelief. ¡°Don¡¯t mar him.¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, how can you be so stupid as to believe the Emperor¡¯s words? How can you speak up for him? You care for your brother but when has he ever? Think about it. Thete Emperor wanted to make you the Crown Prince but look at your situation now. After the Emperor ascended the throne, he didn¡¯t even mention it. Your Highness, haven¡¯t you ever wondered why? It¡¯s obvious that the Emperor doesn¡¯t want to make you the Crown Prince!¡±

    Honored Consort Xia shook her head and cried sorrowfully, her tears falling down her face. To better gain Ao Chenyi¡¯s trust, she couldn¡¯t be bothered about keeping her voice down. Besides, Heng Yuwan said that there won¡¯t be anyoneing here. This ce was usually deserted and no one woulde.

    Of course, she wouldn¡¯t usually say such things, but she had no choice now. Before she knew it, Ao Chenyi had already controlled the rhythm of the interrogation.

    ¡°Hua Yueying, you can be promiscuous all you want, but you dare to nder my brother and ruin our brotherly affection. Did you think I wouldn¡¯t dare to do anything to you?¡± His voice, with a trace of coldness in it, was like a de of ice shing Hua Yueying¡¯s body.

    ¡°If I peel your skin and turn the better patches of your skin into a fan as a gift for my brother, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be pleased with what he sees.¡±

    His eerie words, coupled with his gloomy voice and chilling smile, made Hua Yueying feel as though a phantom w was reaching out for her, trying to peel her skin.

    No, this wouldn¡¯t do. She wanted to be Princess Yi and live a happy life. She couldn¡¯t just die here. She furiously racked her brain for a solution. Ao Chenyi refused to believe her and thought that she was an unfaithful woman while believing that the Emperor was a good person and remaining loyal to him. She must show Ao Chenyi proof and make him believe that the Emperor was lying.

    She must make him believe that the Emperor was a two-faced person trying to harm him. As long as he believed that the Emperor was evil, he would trust her and believe that she was forced into her current situation. This must be it. It must be.

    Ao Chenyi¡¯s words frightened and panicked her so much that she no longer cared about what she should or should not be saying.

    ¡°Your Highness, don¡¯t... don¡¯t scare me... I really want to return to you... If it wasn¡¯t for the Emperor... we¡¯d be husband and wife now... Your Highness, you must know that the Emperor truly wants to hurt you... The assassins at the pce a while ago, I... I¡¯ve seen a few of them. They¡¯re the Emperor¡¯s men... He... He was the one who sent assassins after you!¡±

    ¡°Commandery Princess Xianyun, too. The Emperor knew the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor was an ambitious bunch. Have you thought about why he let you marry Commandery Princess Xianyun instead of marrying her himself? It¡¯s all because he wants her to make a mess of your manor so he can deal with you! The assassination this time, too! Why would you get assassinated out of nowhere? Of course, it¡¯s because the Emperor wanted to kill you! Otherwise, how could you get injured when you¡¯re so good at martial arts? Prince Xiang¡¯s injury was just a trick to deceive others.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t lying. She did see a few of those assassins at the pce banquet with the Emperor. She even observed those assassins secretly when they attacked and confirmed that they were indeed the Emperor¡¯s men. The assassination was likely the Emperor¡¯s order. The rest were her spections, but she was sure that they were true.

    If the Emperor could try and assassinate Ao Chenyi once, he could do it twice. The Emperor had everything to gain by eliminating him; he would be willing to do so even at the cost of losing a son. Besides, Prince Xiang didn¡¯t really die. He was just injured and unconscious. In her opinion, the assassination was a trap the Emperor and Prince Xiang hadid for Ao Chenyi.

    ¡°Your Highness, this means that Prince Xiang¡¯s injuries are also fake! He worked with the Emperor to harm you! Don¡¯t be fooled by his gentlemanly facade. He has always been trying to kill you!¡±

    Hua Yueying cried loudly. These were all recent events and were far likelier to be believed than if she were to talk about the past.

    ¡°Nonsense! Bitch, you dare to have a rendezvous with Prince Yi and ry messages out of the pce... And you dare say such things.¡± An angry scolding came from behind Honored Consort Xia.

    Someone else was here? She was so shocked that she couldn¡¯t cry anymore. She turned her head and saw a group of women emerging from the path that she came from. The person standing in front of the group was dressedvishly; her beautiful face was twisted with anger as she red at Honored Consort Xia...

 Chapter 636 - Irrefutable Facts and Evidence

    <h4>Chapter 636 Irrefutable Facts and Evidence</h4>

    Honored Consort Ya¡¯s carriage entered the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor right after Prince Yi¡¯s carriage. One could assume that she was deliberately tailing him. The Emperor had sent her here to keep an eye on him and Honored Consort Xia. He said that Honored Consort Xia, apparently Prince Yi¡¯s spy, might pass him a message at the manor.

    Honored Consort Ya had always been wary of Honored Consort Xia. On the day she, Honored Consort Shu, and the Empress questioned Honored Consort Xia, thetter kept her veil on even in front of the Empress. This made them feel provoked.

    However, she had already received the Emperor¡¯s order. She couldn¡¯t very well bring up the incident again.

    Honored Consort Xia was able to keep her veil on, revealing only a pair of eyes, in front of the Empress. She also enjoyed the Emperor¡¯s protection. Truth to be told, Honored Consort Ya was jealous of her.

    Thus, the Emperor¡¯s order to visit the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor and catch the adulterous pair in action was a wee surprise. The Emperor even told her about their crimes. She was more than happy to execute his order. Just the fact that Honored Consort Xia was the Emperor¡¯s beloved consort was enough to make her feel danger. For her and her son, she must nip the problem in the bud. Honored Consort Xia being Prince Yi¡¯s spy just made her all that more eager.

    Honored Consort Xia and Prince Yi had some nerve to exchange information in secret!

    If she could catch them red-handed, that would be the end of them. Seducing and having an affair with the Emperor¡¯s consort, as well as secretly trading information to harm the Emperor, were crimes heavy enough to abolish thete Emperor¡¯s will of passing the throne to Prince Yi. These crimes were akin to rebellion.

    Once Ao Chenyi was out of picture, she was almost entirely sure that her son would be the Crown Prince. Ao Mingwan was no match for her son at all. This meant that her father and she would fulfill their long-time wish.

    She knew very well how many men she and her father had dispatched, how much effort they had put in, and how many schemes they had put together to make her son the Crown Prince. Honored Consort Shu¡¯s family wasn¡¯t as good as hers and without a strong backing, Honored Consort Shu couldn¡¯t fight against her at all.

    After her carriage stopped, she waited until Ao Chenyi was gone before stepping out.

    Then, she made a beeline for the Chuihua Gate. She failed to notice that, although Ao Chenyi had gone in, he left a guard near the gate. Seeing here out of the carriage, the guard immediately ran off to find Ao Chenyi.

    Worse still, she didn¡¯t realize how popr the birthday banquet at the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor was. Many old ministers who used to stay away from banquets were present. The first thing Ao Chenyi did at the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor was chatting with them. Some of them were no longer working in court, but they still trusted Ao Chenyi. Naturally, they also remembered thete Emperor¡¯s decree to make him the Crown Prince.

    Somewhere down the line, Ao Chenyi disappeared. When a few old ministers began looking for him, a maid of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor led them to a secluded corner of the manor, saying that someone had invited Prince Yi to a meeting at Weiran Pavilion. The Prince said that he weed anyone who wanted to see him to find him there.

    The maid was enthusiastic and even went as far as to exin that Weiran Pavilion was beside thete Lord Guardian¡¯s weapon depository. She said that perhaps someone had invited Prince Yi to check out those weapons. Her words piqued the interest of the old ministers even more, and they left with her.

    They entered the courtyard from a different door. The moment they stepped in, they heard a woman speaking. The ministers were surprised and wanted to leave. It wouldn¡¯t be convenient for them to stay and listen to Prince Yi speaking to who they assumed to be his woman.

    However, the maid said something that managed to keep them from leaving and even made them actively hide behind a wall and listen to the entire conversation.

    The maid sounded more as if she was speaking to herself. ¡°The woman who is speaking called herself Honored Consort Xia. Why haven¡¯t I heard that someone like her exists in the pce?¡±

    The ministers didn¡¯t hear what the woman was saying earlier; all they knew was that a woman was speaking. They were rmed after hearing the maid¡¯s words. The maid might not know about Honored Consort Xia, but they knew! Honored Consort Xia was the Emperor¡¯s mysterious beloved consort, one that no one could meet. What was she saying to Prince Yi?

    She even sneakily invited Prince Yi here!

    Why did they believe that Honored Consort Xia had invited Prince Yi here? Well, it was obvious. The maid said that the Prince had provided his whereabouts because he was worried that other guests wouldn¡¯t be able to find him. He had likelye here on someone¡¯s invitation to explore thete Lord Guardian¡¯s weapon depository. Honored Consort Xia, who had appeared out of nowhere, was likely the mastermind behind the invitation.

    The ministers didn¡¯t think the Emperor¡¯s beloved consort had any business meeting a Prince. They felt the need to listen to their conversation carefully, especially when the Emperor was being so vague about the Crown Prince appointment. Was this a plot against Prince Yi? They must know, for they were thete Emperor¡¯s loyal officials.

    Thus, they sent the maid away. They stopped at the courtyard wall nearest to Weiran Pavilion to eavesdrop.

    Honored Consort Ya wasn¡¯t aware of this. When she brought the gifts from the pce to the Madam Dowager of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor, she learned that another pce consort had done the same. The Madam Dowager didn¡¯t look all that happy and was even frowning. Her expression didn¡¯t look normal, to say the least.

    The Madam Dowager, leading a group of married women, walked up to the gate. When she saw a beaming Honored Consort Ya, she immediately stepped forward and saluted her.

    Honored Consort Ya reached out to support the Madam Dowager¡¯s arm. ¡°You¡¯re being too courteous, Madam Dowager. His Majesty sent his gifts along with Honored Consort Xia, but after she left, he thought he should send you more. That¡¯s why he sent me here. Well, I also wanted toe here and bask in your happiness,¡± she exined politely.

    Both women hade from the pce, bearing the Emperor¡¯s gifts. Yet, they came one after another. It was strange indeed. Even though Honored Consort Ya¡¯s exnation was reasonable, a few of the married women couldn¡¯t help but find it strange. The married women apanying the Madam Dowager were older than most, and of high status too.

    Mrs. Ming¡¯s status wasparatively weak, but her identity in the previous dynasty would have put her above them.

    Of course, no one would bring up the previous dynasty at this moment. No one was tactless enough to discuss it. They were well-mannered enough to maintain basic courtesy toward Mrs. Ming.

    After handing the Emperor¡¯s gifts to the Madam Dowager, Honored Consort Ya looked around and chuckled. ¡°Madam Dowager, do you know where Honored Consort Xia has gone?¡±

    Honored Consort Xia excused herself to take a walk earlier, so the Madam Dowager had no idea where she had gone at this point. She summoned a maid and asked her about it. It seemed that Honored Consort Xia had strayed off the beaten path, making her way northeast.

    Honored Consort Ya expressed her intention to find her fellow consort. The Madam Dowager, being the host, had to keep herpany and the group of married women also found it inconvenient to excuse themselves. Besides, a few of them werete to the party earlier. They decided to tag along out of curiosity about the mysterious Honored Consort Xia.

    To their surprise, someone pointed them toward Weiran Pavilion, saying that they had seen Honored Consort Xia heading that way. Honored Consort Ya led everyone to Weiran Pavilion in a grandiose manner.

    The moment they turned a corner and saw Weiran Pavilion, they noticed Honored Consort Xia standing outside the pavilion and holding something in her hands. Ao Chenyi was sitting in the pavilion, looking carefree. More importantly, they caught the tail of Honored Consort Xia¡¯sst sentence, iming that Ao Mingyu had tried to harm Ao Chenyi. These words immediately blew up Honored Consort Ya¡¯s temper.

    ¡°Nonsense! Bitch, you have some nerve rendezvousing with Prince Yi here and rying information out of the pce... You even dare... You even dare to say such things.¡±

    Honored Consort Ya was so angry that nothing seemed capable of calming her. She strode up to the pavilion and pped Honored Consort Xia hard across the face. She took advantage of the moment to snatch the thing in Honored Consort Xia¡¯s hands. Honored Consort Xia hadmitted a great crime just by saying those words earlier.

    ¡°Prince Yi, His Majesty has always treated you well. How could you nt a spy in the pce? Not only did you send this woman to the pce, but you even let her secretly attack His Majesty.¡±

    This time, her angry rebuke was targeted at the man in the pavilion, Ao Chenyi. She had a look of righteous anger as she shook the parcel that she got from Honored Consort Xia. Immediately, several letters and a small paper packet fell out. The paper packet looked like a medicine packet. Her eyes turned red. ¡°No wonder the Emperor¡¯s health has always been poor! You¡¯ve been drugging him, you wench!¡±

    Her words were so loud and shocking that they threatened to shatter the earth. Everyone present was stunned.

    Regardless of who it was, trying to murder the Emperor was a deadly crime!

    With so many witnesses and irrefutable evidence in hand, Honored Consort Ya felt confident enough to speak self-righteously. Still, she couldn¡¯t help but feel her courage dete after meeting those beautiful but cold eyes. Feeling as if she had fallen into a bottomless pond of icy water, she immediately looked away from Ao Chenyi¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Do you mean to say that I sent this woman to the pce, Honored Consort Ya?¡± Ao Chenyi asked, his voice cold.

    ¡°Are you denying it? Prince Yi, the evidence is undeniable. Look at this medicine. This wench must have used this to poison His Majesty. You gave her these things, didn¡¯t you?¡± Honored Consort Ya was certain that the paper packet contained the medicine powder that the Emperor told her about. She picked up the medicine packet from the floor and opened it. Sure enough, there was fine white powder inside.

    The Madam Dowager of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor looked gloomy as well, but she didn¡¯t say anything. She stood aside, watching everything calmly.

    Meanwhile, the other married women were shocked to hear such a shocking inside story. Some began to whisper among themselves. The attempted murder of the Emperor was no small matter. No matter how powerful and influential Prince Yi was, he would still be beheaded for daring to kill the Emperor.

    ¡°What about the letters?¡± Ao Chenyi asked coldly.

    ¡°Secret letters between you and this wench, of course. Speaking of which, does Princess Yi know that you¡¯re rendezvousing with this wench here?¡± Honored Consort Ya wrapped up the packet of white powder in her hand and handed it to her maid. Then, she looked at Honored Consort Xia with a sneer. Honored Consort Xia was being restrained and her mouth was stuffed with a handkerchief, preventing her from saying anything.

    The Emperor had repeatedly warned her to gag Honored Consort Xia the moment thetter was captured. Honored Consort Xia must not be allowed to say any nonsense.

    She wouldn¡¯t usually dare to do anything to Prince Yi, but the evidence was undeniable this time. There was no way that he could reverse the situation. That was why she spoke her mind freely.

    ¡°Are you referring to me, Honored Consort Ya?¡± Suddenly, a gentle voice resounded and captured everyone¡¯s attention. Everyone saw Ning Xueyan walking out from behind a rockery with two maids, smiling sweetly at Honored Consort Ya and the rest. ¡°Honored Consort Ya, do you think that His Highness will bring me along on a rendezvous?¡±

 Chapter 637 - Tit-for-fat Over a Packet of Poison

    <strong>Chapter 637 Tit-for-fat Over a Packet of Poison</strong>

    How could Princess Yi be here? Didn¡¯t Honored Consort Ya say that Prince Yi was rendezvousing with Honored Consort Xia? Her words suggested that they weren¡¯t only having an affair, but also plotting to murder the Emperor. So how could Princess Yi be nearby?

    Everyone was stupefied. They looked at Honored Consort Ya, then at Ning Xueyan. For a while, no one said anything.

    Honored Consort Xia, who had been putting up a struggle, was also dumbfounded. When she came here, Ao Chenyi was the only one she saw. That was why she was able to say such things. How could there be someone hiding behind the rockery?

    Honored Consort Ya was also stunned but she quickly recovered her senses and looked Ning Xueyan up and down with a dark expression. She had experienced so much, after all. Besides, Honored Consort Xia was the one who spoke of such private matters here without noticing a second person. Her shock was bigger to find out that there was another person here.

    Honored Consort Ya had always maintained her first impression of Princess Yi. Thetter was delicate and weak, seemingly sweet and even-tempered, but of not much use. She was the type of person that Honored Consort Ya disliked the most. She wanted her son to marry a wife that could help him. That was why she eventually convinced her son to forget about marrying such a useless woman.

    She waster proven to have a keen eye. Fifth Young Lady Ning was indeed a useless person; she even fainted twice on her wedding day. What a joke! She got her current position as Princess Yi by a dumb stroke of luck. She was just very lucky.

    Still, luck wasn¡¯t something that could be controlled. Thus, to Honored Consort Ya, Ning Xueyan was still an insignificant person.

    Today, however, she felt that she had made a serious error in judgment. The newly appointed Princess Yi was able to step forward and question her so sharply in front of all the high-status married women. She didn¡¯t look fearful in the slightest. Her eyes were calm as she maintained a neither servile nor overbearing attitude.

    A woman who could step forward and speak up bravely in such a situation was no ordinary woman. There was no way that she had just depended on ¡°luck¡±. Perhaps, everyone had underestimated the pitiful-looking Princess Yi.

    ¡°So, Prince and Princess Yi havee here together. Princess Yi is here while Prince Yi is meeting with Honored Consort Xia and giving her things!¡±

    Honored Consort Ya¡¯s expression darkened as she spoke to Ning Xueyan in a sharp voice, easily concealing the fact that she had used Prince Yi and Honored Consort Xia of having an affair. She led everyone to specte that Prince Yi was colluding with Honored Consort Xia to murder the Emperor. Of course, she would say that Princess Yi was here to be on the lookout. In other words, Princess Yi was also a co-conspirator.

    Naturally, a man wouldn¡¯t take his wife along when rendezvousing with his lover. But what if he was plotting a rebellion instead? It was only fair for a woman to go along with her husband¡¯s n. It was reasonable to say that Princess Yi was on the lookout for her husband¡¯s sake. This could also exin why Princess Yi was hiding behind the rockery.

    Ning Xueyan raised an eyebrow at the gloomy-faced Honored Consort Ya, who was refusing to let go of Ao Chenyi. She turned around to look at Ao Chenyi, who was still sitting inside the pavilion. He had been leaning against the railingnguidly ever since she showed up, his thin lips curved into a sinister smile, but saying nothing. He was leaving the matter here entirely up to her.

    Indeed, it was much easier for her to speak up in front of so many women. Besides, knowing his temper, he wasn¡¯t one to waste time exining to these women why he was here with Honored Consort Xia. The Emperor must have sent Honored Consort Ya here to use him because he knew that he wouldn¡¯t bother to exin.

    Since this was Yan¡¯er¡¯s n, he would let her deal with it.

    ¡°Honored Consort Ya, you started using His Highness of rendezvousing and having an affair with Honored Consort Xia the minute you came. Then, you said Honored Consort Xia is conspiring with His Highness to murder the Emperor. What gives you the confidence to frame His Highness so easily? Or are you so desperate that you¡¯ll stop at nothing to frame His Highness?¡± Ning Xueyan turned around and faced Honored Consort Ya with a cold smile.

    Seeing Ao Chenyi¡¯s carefree demeanor, she knew that he was leaving the matter entirely to her. This guy! Didn¡¯t he know that he was being used of the severe crime of plotting a rebellion?

    She had never dared to underestimate Honored Consort Ya, especially knowing all the actions that Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor had secretly taken. Grand Tutor Ya went as far as to pretend that his granddaughter was an orphan and send her to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Everything was for the sake of making Prince Xiang the Emperor. In other words, this scheme had already started many years ago.

    Aunt Xiang ought to be serving Madam Ming, but Honored Consort Ya made it impossible for Madam Ming to ept her. Honored Consort Ya was able to ensure her safety in the pce, if only a little, with Aunt Xiang beside her. Thus, Aunt Xiang was a person of importance.

    Ning Qingshan¡¯s existence was meant to let them exploit the troops under Ning Zu¡¯an to the highest degree and help Ao Mingyu gain a part of the military that would support him.

    Wu Yao, who had gone to Jiangnan to seek intel, must have done so on Grand Tutor Ya¡¯smand. He went to Jiangnan in search of the missing Grand Eldest Princess of the previous dynasty. With this princess in hand, Ao Mingyu would obtain additional wealth and strength. Of course, Grand Tutor Ya didn¡¯t know that those treasures were gone.

    The Eastern Pearls found in the Vice Minister of Justice¡¯s Manor were likely the result of a cooperation between Madam Ling and Honored Consort Ya. Back then, Ao Mingyu was supposed to marry Ning Yuling. The couple was so close that their families were about to discuss their engagement. If it wasn¡¯t for her, Ning Yuling would have be Ao Mingyu¡¯s princess and Ning Qingshan would have be his consort.

    What was it that changed the situation and made Ning Qingshan lose her rightful princess position? Of course, it was because Ning Zu¡¯an would show immense support for Ao Mingyu after marrying two of his daughters to him. It was also because there was another arrangement between Madam Ling and Honored Consort Ya. Perhaps, Honored Consort Ya was also involved in Madam Ming¡¯s death.

    Thus, Ning Xueyan wasn¡¯t at all polite when talking to Honored Consort Ya. She looked at her with a raised eyebrow, her expression rather provocative.

    Honored Consort Ya had never faced such an interrogation nor heard such rude words since entering the pce. Her expression immediately turned dark and she rebuked, ¡°Presumptuous!¡±

    ¡°Presumptuous? I don¡¯t think so! Honored Consort Ya, you¡¯re using His Highness of plotting a rebellion! Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re the one being presumptuous and impudent? What made youe here and use His Highness? Did someone give you such tremendous assurance that you¡¯d dare say such words?¡± Ning Xueyan retorted, without any trace of courtesy. Her expression had darkened as well.

    The married women present were keen-eyed people. They kept quiet and didn¡¯t interrupt the conversation. They looked at Ning Xueyan. Before the matter was straightened out, they wouldn¡¯t mess things up. Moreover, they also renewed their opinion of the typically gentle and weak Princess Yi.

    How could such a woman be useless and be Princess Yi on pure luck? The truth was obvious from how Prince Yi kept quiet after she showed up. He had given her full reign to handle the situation. His trust in her was evident. Princess Yi was indeed no ordinary woman!

    ¡°Princess Yi, the evidence is undeniable. What¡¯s the point of arguing?¡± Honored Consort Ya was fuming to have a woman much younger than her berating her. She pointed to the paper packet in her maid¡¯s hand and sneered. ¡°Look at this. This is the drug meant to kill His Majesty. He has been in poor healthtely. The imperial physicians said he¡¯s poisoned! What is this if not poison?¡±

    It went without saying that this was poison, and poison that the Emperor had personally arranged to have nted on Honored Consort Xia. Everyone in the pce ought to have heard of the Emperor¡¯s poisoning by now. Before long, the pce eunuchs woulde here and take Honored Consort Xia away. Once it was time for the confrontation of the two sides, Ao Chenyi wouldn¡¯t be able to escape responsibility.

    Even if his murder attempt on the Emperor was unsessful, he would still be stripped from his militarymand and exiled!

    Honored Consort Xia had long given up on struggling but after hearing Honored Consort Ya¡¯s words, her body went limp. She sat on the ground, shocked and regretful. Trembling, she looked at the paper packet in the pce maid¡¯s hand. Where did the paper packete from? Why did it appear inside her package? What did Honored Consort Ya mean when she said the Emperor was poisoned? She didn¡¯t know anything, she really didn¡¯t.

    All she wanted was to leave the pce and be with Ao Chenyi. All she wanted was to live a happy life with Ao Chenyi, never to live a shameful life where she had to hide and couldn¡¯t see anyone. When did the packet of poison appear in her package?

    Compared to Honored Consort Ya¡¯s agitation, Ning Xueyan seemed much moreposed. She nced at the paper packet that Honored Consort Ya was pointing to andughed. ¡°You seem familiar with poison of all kinds, Honored Consort Ya. Could it be that you had studied poison when you were in Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor?¡±

    How could a dignifieddy of an influential family study poison of all things? She even entered the pce afterward. The meaning behind Ning Xueyan¡¯s words was clear. It was enough to drag Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor into this conspiracy.

    ¡°Nonsense!¡± Honored Consort Ya retorted with a sneer.

    ¡°Nonsense? Is it because I said you¡¯re familiar with poison of all kinds? Then what nonsense are you saying? If you aren¡¯t even familiar with poison, why are you so sure the powder is poison? If you can tell that it¡¯s poison with a quick nce, and the same poison that the Emperor had, doesn¡¯t that make you a poison expert? It seems to me that you¡¯re not only familiar with poison of all kinds, but you¡¯re also very familiar with the Emperor¡¯s poisoning. You¡¯re so clear when the Empress doesn¡¯t even know anything about it!¡±

    Ning Xueyan paused for a beat. Then, she pointed to the packet of fine powder and spoke with a smile.

    It was true that one couldn¡¯t immediately tell what the white powder inside the packet was, much less that it was the same poison that the Emperor had. Forget about how Honored Consort Ya was so sure that the powder was the same as the Emperor¡¯s poison. Her knowledge of the Emperor¡¯s poisoning was strange enough, especially when no one here had heard about it. Did the Emperor trust Honored Consort Ya more than the Empress? Did this mean that the Emperor was set on appointing Prince Xiang as the Crown Prince?

    Of course, there was something suspicious about this. How did Honored Consort Ya recognize that the powder was the same poison that the Emperor was inflicted with? Did she already know about the packet of poison in Honored Consort Xia¡¯s hands? Perhaps, she had something to do with the packet of poison being there?

    Was she trying to frame Honored Consort Xia?

    The same thought urred to everyone. They noticed how Honored Consort Xia¡¯s mouth was sealed to prevent her from saying anything. Was this the show of framing an innocent usually seen in the pce? Only this time, it wasn¡¯t being orchestrated in the pce but at the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor instead, so that more people would be dragged into it?

    Considering this, everyone began to suspect Honored Consort Ya. This was very likely to happen. Honored Consort Ya would benefit greatly in the pce after removing Honored Consort Xia. The advantage of framing Prince Yi was even more apparent. She would do it to remove obstacles for her son¡¯s future...

    With all these factors at y, Honored Consort Ya had every reason to do this...

 Chapter 638 - What Could It Be If Not Poison?

    <strong>Chapter 638 What Could It Be If Not Poison?</strong>

    Honored Consort Ya was starting to panic under Ning Xueyan¡¯s sharp interrogation but she quickly harped on one key point. She said angrily, ¡°Do tell, Princess Yi, what it could be if not poison inside this? Should we ask the physician at the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor to examine it?¡± She was certain that the powder was poison, so she wasn¡¯t afraid of anyone examining it.

    The Madam Dowager of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor, who had been standing on the side, nodded at a trusted older female servant. The servant then ran out to summon the physician. It seemed that,e hell or high water, the medicine powder would be tested today. Since the matter happened at the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor, they had no way of escaping involvement.

    ¡°Won¡¯t we have to ask Honored Consort Xia that? Honored Consort Ya, do you dare to remove the handkerchief in Honored Consort Xia¡¯s mouth and let her speak for herself?¡± Ning Xueyan asked, raising her head. Since Honored Consort Ya had attacked Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, there wasn¡¯t any need for her to be polite to her.

    ¡°If we ungag her and she kills herself by biting off her tongue, will you take responsibility?¡± Honored Consort Ya refused to go along with Ning Xueyan¡¯s suggestion. Before she left the pce, the Emperor had repeatedly warned her not to give Honored Consort Xia the chance to bite her tongue off and kill herself or they wouldn¡¯t be able to implicate Prince Yi in this matter.

    Compared to her status in the pce, she was keener on eliminating Ao Chenyi. She refused to listen to Ning Xueyan and continued to gag Honored Consort Xia, not giving her the chance to kill herself. She had no ns of letting Honored Consort Xia go at all. One reckless move, and her n would fall through.

    ¡°Honored Consort Xia didn¡¯t rack her brain to meet His Highness just to bite her tongue and kill herself. But since you don¡¯t believe me, we can let the manor¡¯s physician test the powder before discussing anything.¡±

    Ning Xueyan turned around, choosing to ignore Honored Consort Ya and pretending that she didn¡¯t exist. She walked into the pavilion confidently, wrinkled her nose, and asked coyly, ¡°Your Highness, do you still want that woman?¡±

    She was referring to Honored Consort Xia.

    ¡°She¡¯s dreaming if she thinks an abandoned woman like her can return to my side!¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s line of sight followed the direction of Ning Xueyan¡¯s finger andnded on Honored Consort Xia. His eyes were cold enough to make Honored Consort Xia, who had copsed on the ground, shudder. How could she not realize by now that she had been tricked before leaving the pce?

    Where did the so-called poisone from? How could it be poison? Even though she wanted the Emperor to die, she had never poisoned him! She didn¡¯t dare to!

    ¡°Your Highness, she¡¯s quite pitiful too. It wasn¡¯t her will to be sent to the pce. Now, she¡¯s being framed under such circumstances too. This time, nine generations of Chief Hua¡¯s family will likely die as well.¡±

    Ning Xueyan sounded gentle, as if trying to persuade Ao Chenyi. She was no longer the fierce woman facing off Honored Consort Ya earlier. However, her words were even more shocking to everyone this time.

    Everyone turned to look at Honored Consort Xia. Honored Consort Ya had her gagged immediately upon arrival, contorting her face and making her look flustered. Her facial features were a little different from before, and no one had seen her before. Even if a few thought that she resembled Hua Qiuying, they didn¡¯t pay much attention because they thought that she might be Chief Hua¡¯s distant rtive.

    After hearing Ning Xueyan¡¯s words, even Honored Consort Ya couldn¡¯t help but look closely at Honored Consort Xia. This time, everyone was stunned after a close observation. Many of them had seen Hua Yueying before. Honored Consort Ya, in particr, used to be close to Hua Yueying. Upon closer look, she was sure that Honored Consort Xia was Hua Yueying.

    To think that Honored Consort Xia was Hua Yueying! How could Honored Consort Xia be Hua Yueying?

    One was an imperial consort who had the Emperor¡¯s favor for many years, and the other was Prince Yi¡¯s original princess. They seemed like people from twopletely different worlds, but how could they be one and the same? Could... Could it be that the Emperor had stolen his minister¡¯s woman? His brother¡¯s wife? Such a thing... Such a thing... To think that such a thing would happen...

    ¡°It¡¯s Hua Yueying.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Hua Yueying! It¡¯s definitely her!¡±

    ¡°How could she be... How did she enter the pce? Shouldn¡¯t she be dead?¡± Even theposed married women were caught off guard by such a sudden change in the situation. They were so shocked that they were muttering to themselves. This was simply unbelievable! How could the Emperor do something like this? It was too shameless of him!

    Honored Consort Ya was also stupefied. She was sure that she was looking at Hua Yueying. She blinked and stared squarely at that face. It was still Hua Yueying. Inside her sleeves, her fingers were trembling. Like everyone else, she never imagined that the mysterious Honored Consort Xia who had been living in the pce for so many years would turn out to be Hua Yueying.

    She was the Emperor¡¯s sister-inw!

    Even now, Honored Consort Ya¡¯s mind was a mess. Things were slipping out of her control. How could Hua Yueying be Honored Consort Xia? Suddenly, some old memories began to surface in her mind.

    Yes, Honored Consort Xia married the Emperor around the same time Prince Yi was imprisoned because of Annan¡¯s three princes. The sudden appearance of a woman in the manor even made the Empress, then still a princess, argue with the Emperor. However, the matter was soon dropped and all she knew was that the Emperor had a new woman, a mysterious one.

    All women entering the manor would have to serve tea to the legal wife properly and openly, and then meet the rest of the consorts and concubines. Honored Consort Xia was the only one to not serve the Empress tea, let alone meeting the other women in the harem. Even so, she was able to enter the manor and be an Honored Consort.

    Thinking about the timeline, it was just right for her to be Hua Yueying! Why else would she hide from everyone? The fact that the Emperor stole Prince Yi¡¯s princess was enough to make him go down in history for infamy. Historians would remark that he was an Emperor who put his country at risk for lust.

    How could the Emperor do such a thing?!

    Ning Xueyan paused for a moment before turning to everyone and saying, ¡°Second Young Lady Hua of the past has indeed be the current Honored Consort Xia. She invited His Highness here today to reveal her identity and convince him to take her away. It¡¯s a pity, though. She¡¯s no longer Hua Yueying, Second Young Lady Hua, of the past!¡±

    Unlike Ao Chenyi, she wouldn¡¯t be too proud to exin to the women and let the Emperor take advantage of their silence. Since the Emperor wanted to be the mastermind behind Hua Yueying, she would expose his scandal. This scandal couldn¡¯t be concealed just by gagging Hua Yueying!

    Of course, it wasn¡¯t convenient for Ao Chenyi to say this out loud, but the same couldn¡¯t be said for her. How could you expect a young and jealous princess to be dignified and magnanimous about this?

    Therefore, she even added toward the end, ¡°Honored Consort Ya, if you don¡¯t believe me, you can let Second Young Lady Hua speak for herself. Let her exin why she entered the pce.¡±

    ¡°No need. We can talk again after testing the medicine,¡± Honored Consort Ya replied coldly. No matter what, she wouldn¡¯t let Honored Consort Xia open her mouth and speak at this time. It went without saying that this was an unprecedented scandal of the times.

    ¡°All right then.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled and didn¡¯t argue. She sat beside Ao Chenyi and started chatting andughing with him, ignoring Honored Consort Ya and many high-status married women outside the pavilion. She treated them like air. This wasn¡¯t surprising for Ao Chenyi, but it was impressive that a weak woman like Ning Xueyan showed such an imposing manner. The oldest few of the married women began to have a different opinion of her.

    They were the sharp-minded and keen-eyed of the bunch. Not even a court minister would be able tough and chat so happily under such circumstances, but the always low-profile Princess Yi was able to do it. She wasn¡¯t a man but was more capable than one. Ning Xueyan was indeed worthy of bing Princess Yi, and perhaps the highest title as well. With her calm andposed manner, she was capable of standing tall in the imperial harem and ruling as the Mother of the Nation.

    It didn¡¯t take long for the physicians to arrive. There were two of them. Both picked up a pinch of the powder in the packet and carefully examined them. Eventually, the two of them exchanged looks and voiced out their conclusion. ¡°This is face powder, the kind used by women.¡±

    ¡°How could it be face powder? Servants! Where did the imperial physician go?¡± Face powder? Impossible! Honored Consort Ya¡¯s expression was dark as she ordered her maid to fetch the imperial physician. She hade to the manor with an imperial physician in tow, but didn¡¯t ask him to test the powder to stay out of the matter. But, the conclusion of the manor¡¯s physicians made her lose her cool.

    How could it be ordinary face powder? It was definitely poison!

    Now that things hade this far, the Madam Dowager of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor could tell the trick in the matter. She arranged for Honored Consort Ya¡¯s imperial physician to be brought here without another word. There was no doubt that their family had been implicated in this scandal at this point, so she was bound to find out the truth of the matter. She refused to let their family sink too deep into this scandal.

    The imperial physician came quickly enough, for he had been waiting to be summoned nearby the Chuihua Gate. Once he started working, everyone else except Ao Chenyi and Ning Xueyan stared closely at him as he examined the powder.

    ¡°Your Highness, this... this is indeed ordinary face powder, the kind used by women,¡± the imperial physician said respectfully to Honored Consort Ya.

    It was indeed face powder! How could this be? Wasn¡¯t it poison? The same poison that the Emperor was inflicted with! Honored Consort Ya immediately picked up the letters on the ground. If the poison turned out to be face powder, then fine. What about the information about the Emperor that was secretly ryed out of the pce? How could they be false?

    And yet, the letters were filled with nothing but affectionate love poems and depressing songs. There wasn¡¯t anything political at all. How could this be? Impossible! Weren¡¯t these letters said to be private letters smuggled out of the Emperor¡¯s study? Weren¡¯t there supposed to be a letter proving the collusion between Prince Yi and Annan?

    Honored Consort Ya stood up and staggered forward, so much so that she nearly fell. She allowed a pce maid to support her stiff body. How could... How could things turn out like this... No... This was impossible...

    ¡°I wonder where Honored Consort Xia, the former Second Young Lady Hua, shall we say, has the mood to quietly invite His Highness here. I ran into His Highness on his way here, so I came with him. I was strolling in the rock garden when Honored Consort Xia ran over and asked His Highness to take her away. She insisted that everything that happened was...¡±

    Ning Xueyan stood on top of the stairs and took in everyone¡¯s expressions. There was a faint smile on her face as she exined the matter, but her smile carried a trace of coldness and disdain. Toward the end, she even trailed off without finishing her sentence. Everyone understood what she was referring to and for a moment, silence fell over them.

    ¡°His Majesty has issued an imperial decree...¡± A drawn-out screech emerged from outside the courtyard.

    That was the voice that Honored Consort Ya had been anticipating earlier, but now, all she felt was despair.

 Chapter 639 - Even More People behind the Courtyard Wall

    <strong>Chapter 639 Even More People behind the Courtyard Wall</strong>

    Before Honored Consort Ya left the pce, the Emperor had already warned her to detain and gag Honored Consort Xia without saying anything the moment she saw her in the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor. Then, she would have to find the poison and use Ao Chenyi and Honored Consort Xia of rendezvousing. Her work would over once she used them of secretly poisoning the Emperor as well.

    The rest wasn¡¯t hers to worry about; all she had to do was hold on until the Emperor¡¯s decree came. By then, those in the pce would have discovered that the Emperor was poisoned and Ao Chenyi would be finished in that confrontation. As for Honored Consort Xia, well... The Empress would deal with a pce consort who hadmitted a crime.

    Everyyer of trap had been set. The entire scheme was quite an ingenious one. Knowing that the Emperor was beginning to attack Ao Chenyi, she was more than happy to lend him a hand. After all, it was obvious from the current situation that her son was the most likely candidate to be the next Emperor after Ao Chenyi.

    She was one of the Emperor¡¯s most trusted consorts. Even without him saying anything, she could sense that the Emperor wasn¡¯t in a good situationtely.

    Lately, all sorts of things had been happening to her son. The series of incidents even implicated Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor in it. She was reprimanded and neglected for it as well. Now that the Emperor had a task for her, she wouldplete it to the best of her ability for both her and her son¡¯s sake.

    Therefore, she hade with great confidence.

    Yet, why were things spiraling out of her control? Why was Ning Xueyan around when Honored Consort Xia and Ao Chenyi were rendezvousing? Why did the poison turn out to be ordinary face powder? And why did those private letters turn out to be Honored Consort Xia¡¯s love poems?

    It was dishonorable for a pce consort to write love poems to a prince, but why did this consort have to be the prince¡¯s original fiancee? What a great scandal it was for a monarch to steal his minister¡¯s wife and for a man to steal his younger brother¡¯s wife! With such a serious matter in mind, who cared how unreasonable it was for Honored Consort Xia to write love poems to Prince Yi? Those two were an official pair to begin with!

    Considering that she could still stand and talk when the situation had deteriorated to this point, Honored Consort Ya thought that she was cultured enough.

    ¡°The Emperor is poisoned. His Majesty asks that Honored Consorts Ya and Xia to return to the pce.¡± The eunuch saw that Honored Consort Xia was on the ground with her mouth gagged, looking like she had taken a huge emotional hit. Prince Yi was sitting inside the pavilion while Honored Consort Ya was standing before everyone and taking charge of the situation. Sure enough, the Emperor¡¯s expectations hade true.

    But why was everyone looking at him that way after hearing the imperial decree? He couldn¡¯t understand why.

    Shouldn¡¯t Honored Consort Ya answer him and take Honored Consort Xia back to the pce? Shouldn¡¯t Prince Yie along and visit the Emperor as well, taking the whole fiasco to the pce? Why was Honored Consort Ya giving him such aplicated look? Even though the eunuch was clever, he couldn¡¯t figure out the current situation. He gave Honored Consort Ya a look, hinting for her to exin.

    Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t seem to get his hint and continue to remain quiet.

    He looked at the rest and saw how calm they were. The Emperor was poisoned! It was a huge deal, so why didn¡¯t these people look surprised at all?

    ¡°Honored Consort Ya, hurry up and ept the decree!¡± the eunuch said in his high-pitched, sharp voice.

    Ning Xueyan had been watching the change in the situation inside the pavilion in a carefree manner. Suddenly, she shot a look at a maid who had quietly approached Honored Consort Ya. The maid was Xinmei decked out in the maid uniform of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor. She was the one who had led the old ministers to this ce. Of course, the other maid had shown her the way in advance.

    Everyone¡¯s attention was on the eunuch, so nobody noticed the change in Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes.

    After receiving Ning Xueyan¡¯s look, Xinmei flicked the pebble in her hand toward the overhanging part of the handkerchief inside Honored Consort Xia¡¯s mouth. The handkerchief loosened right away. Sensing the shift, Honored Consort Xia immediately spat the handkerchief out.

    It went without saying that she had heard Honored Consort Ya¡¯s usations. Under such usations, she and the entire Hua family would be struck with the great disaster of extermination. Byparison, her rendezvous with Ao Chenyi was a much more insignificant crime, especially when she was his original fiancee in the first ce.

    She thought that she would surely die this time, but little did she know, the situation was being reversed. The powder that Honored Consort Ya was so sure to be poison had turned out to be ordinary face powder. The letters that she smuggled out of the imperial study had be her own love poems. She was lying weakly on the ground when Honored Consort Ya picked up and read those letters, so she got a clear look as well.

    She didn¡¯t want to die. How could she die when she hadn¡¯t had a good life yet? An intense desire for survival prompted her to try her best to spit out the handkerchief in her mouth and exin for herself. No matter who was trying to kill her, she must let everyone know that she was Hua Yueying, her meeting Prince Yi was excusable, and she didn¡¯t poison the Emperor.

    Sure enough, she was able to spit the handkerchief out this time. She didn¡¯t even bother to stand up when she began to yell, ¡°I didn¡¯t poison the Emperor! I¡¯m Hua Yueying! I came to see Prince Yi because I felt sorry for him! It has been so many years... I¡¯m supposed to be the real Princess Yi!¡±

    Hua Yueyingid prostrate on the ground and cried bitterly as she spoke, losing her voice somewhere down the line. Still, she made her thoughts clear. Everyone¡¯s expressions changed.

    Even though everyone was suspecting it, nobody had truly voiced it out loud. Things were different now. Honored Consort Xia had made it clear that she was Hua Yueying, Prince Yi¡¯s former fiancee. Her entering the pce and bing Honored Consort Xia needed no exnation. It went without saying that the Emperor had acted improperly this time.

    Of course, it was also obvious to everyone that this situation was the Emperor¡¯s attempt to frame Prince Yi. That was why he used Hua Yueying to set up this trap. The poisoning was a lie. With so many people around the Emperor, how could he be so easily poisoned?

    The eunuch issuing the decree was one of the Emperor¡¯s trusted aides. He didn¡¯t know what had happened, so he thought Honored Consort Xia¡¯s words wouldn¡¯t lead to public suspicion. Thus, he angrily rebuked her, ¡°Nonsense! You¡¯re Honored Consort Xia! How could you be Hua Yueying?¡± He was about to order his two junior eunuchs to gag Honored Consort Xia once more.

    ¡°Hua Yueying? What a coincidence. My former fiancee, Chief Hua¡¯s second daughter, was named Hua Yueying, wasn¡¯t she?¡± Ao Chenyi saidzily. He stood up, disying his ck robe with blood-red red spider lily embroidery in all of its glory. His ice-cold gaze made everyone fearful of meeting his eyes.

    The eunuch had the feeling that something was wrong when he saw Ao Chenyiing over. He immediately turned around, his body trembling, and exined, ¡°Your Highness, Honored Consort Xia has gone insane. She¡¯s saying nonsense.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll enter the pce with Honored Consort Xia today and ask His Majesty about what happened back then. As for the poisoning, well, it seems that a proper investigation is needed.¡± A cold look appeared on Ao Chenyi¡¯s handsome face. His words made everyone shudder, and they felt as if a chill was running down their spine.

    It seemed that there would soon be a catastrophe in the pce!

    ¡°Your Highness, since it isn¡¯t poison, then the matter has nothing to do with you. It¡¯s better for me to take Honored Consort Xia back to the pce instead.¡± Honored Consort Ya had no choice but to step forward at this time. Things had gotten this bad now. The situation didn¡¯t go as the Emperor had nned, and all she could do was minimize the damage. Fortunately, most of the people here were women and the news hadn¡¯t reached the court yet. She must return to the pce immediately and consult the Emperor, but there was still time to think about how to minimize the impact of this scandal.

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it you who said this has to do with His Highness, Honored Consort Ya? His Highness was forced to bear the crime of conspiring to murder the Emperor. Barely any time has passed, and you¡¯re now saying His Highness is innocent? Whether he¡¯s innocent or not, we should discuss that in the pce. It¡¯s not something you can decide, after all.¡±

    Ning Xueyan took two steps forward and stood beside Ao Chenyi, looking like she was inplete support of him. Her glistening eyes swept back and forth as an idea came to her. She looked at the stiff-faced Honored Consort Ya and spoke to her with a gentle smile, every word showing her determination not to give in.

    She found this to be ridiculous. She had long guessed that Honored Consort Xia was being manipted but she didn¡¯t expect it to be the Emperor. The Emperor had really gone all out in setting out this trap. He must have truly consumed poison to y along in this show because not all imperial physicians were loyal to him.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be joining His Highness to stand witness for him,¡± Ning Xueyan said. She sounded soft and meek but her words were firm. She looked like she would support her husband no matter what he would do. She was standing beside Ao Chenyi, bravely and openly taking his side.

    The eunuch was beginning to realize that something was off. He said, stammering, ¡°But... But you¡¯re Princess Yi. How can you stand witness for him?¡±

    ¡°What about us... We can stand witness, can we not?¡± Out came a voice from the courtyard. Everyone turned around and immediately saw five to six furious-looking old ministers emerging from a nearby courtyard. They looked pale with anger. They had been eavesdropping from behind the courtyard wall and were only showing up after hearing the entire orchestrated show.

    Most of them had joined thete Emperor in building his dynasty and were loyal to him. The fact that they could be ministers meant that they were no ordinary people. Having heard the whole thing, they fully understood that the Emperor had stolen his younger brother¡¯s wife and now was trying to frame him. They had received thete Emperor¡¯s orders to guard Prince Yi, so how could they allow this farce to continue?

    When they heard the eunuch say that Princess Yi, as Prince Yi¡¯s family member, couldn¡¯t stand witness for him, they couldn¡¯t hold back their anger anymore and came out. They requested to enter the pce and stand witness for Prince Yi. Not only did they want to be his witnesses, but they also wanted to demand justice for him. Thete Emperor had decreed that Prince Yi was to be appointed as Crown Prince. How could he be bullied this badly? They, as veteran ministers, had let thete Emperor down. They would be too ashamed to meet him in the underworld.

    Seeing even more peopleing out of the courtyard, and powerful and influential old ministers at that, Honored Consort Ya felt true despair.

    The married women under the leadership of the Madam Dowager of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor recognized some of the old ministers to be their husband. They went up to their respective husbands and greeted them. As matters stood, the Madam Dowager¡¯s banquet couldn¡¯t go on any longer. Therge group of people left the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor in their carriages and horses and headed for the pce.

    This was a rude shock to the other guests who were still in the dark. So many old ministers and high-status madams had left. Some even saw a crying Honored Consort Xia being pushed around when she left. Honored Consort Ya¡¯s face was said to be even more ghastly than the weeping Honored Consort Xia. She had left with her face almost entirely stiff. Prince and Princess Yi too...

    No matter how one looked at it, it was obvious that something big had happened. The guests began to ask around in secret. To their amazement, they learned that the Emperor¡¯s mysterious beloved consort, Honored Consort Xia, was Prince Yi¡¯s former fiancee, Second Young Lady Hua. Before this, no one knew that Second Young Lady Hua had be Honored Consort Xia. Now that Prince Yi knew about this, he would surely cause a ruckus.

    Such an incident was, of course, an explosive piece of news. With the powerful Madam Dowager of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor and older madams gone, the news began to spread like wildfire. Before Ao Chenyi and the others even arrived at the pce, the news had spread out of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor, with all sorts of versions reaching every corner of the capital at an rming rate...

 Chapter 640 - Protect the Emperor, Quick, Protect the Emperor!

    Chapter 640 Protect the Emperor, Quick, Protect the Emperor!

    Some said the Emperor found ady that resembled Second Young Lady Hua to frame Prince Yi.

    Some said Honored Consort Xia was only a mysterious figure because the Emperor had wronged his younger brother.

    Some said Honored Consort Xia colluded with the Emperor to frame Prince Yi all those years ago and steal the throne that was supposedly his...

    Regardless, it became an undeniable fact that Honored Consort Xia was once Second Young Lady Hua.

    The rumor emerged from Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor, traveled throughout the capital, and then made its way out toward Annan...

    The Emperor was furious! Outraged!

    He had consumed a small amount of medicinal powder, enough to fake his poisoning. His body wasn¡¯t all that healthytely, so he wouldn¡¯t dare to take too much poison. Little did he expect there would be such a change in the situation.

    He was lying in his residence when it happened, looking like he had been poisoned, with a handful of imperial physicians serving him and prescribing medicine. With so many witnesses at Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor and Honored Consort Ya¡¯s discovery, Ao Chenyi would have no room to argue his innocence. Moreover, he knew his brother¡¯s temper well. Ao Chenyi wouldn¡¯t bother exining himself to a bunch of women.

    By the time the poison in his body kicked in, Ao Chenyi would no longer be able to exin even if he wanted to.

    This was the best time to remove Ao Chenyi that he could think of. Annan was in chaos and yet, most of the military power was in Ao Chenyi¡¯s hands. It was insufficient to deal with Annan with his strength alone, but he was afraid to send Ao Chenyi for fear of increasing thetter¡¯s power.

    Moreover, the older he grew, the more he felt weak and helpless. He felt as if his strength couldn¡¯t keep up with his will. Back then, he had fought many battles alongside thete Emperor and received many injuries. It didn¡¯t feel like much when he was young but he was increasingly aware of his powerlessness. Therefore, he must remove Ao Chenyi no matter what.

    Even though his three sons were capable, they weren¡¯t as experienced as Ao Chenyi.

    Thus, he decided to remove Ao Chenyi while he was still alive. He must pass the throne to one of his sons. Back then, he had worked with the Empress Dowager, Lord Peace¡¯s Manor, and Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor and spared no effort in murdering the three women from Annan and framing Ao Chenyi. It was all for the sake of the throne.

    He would never allow the throne to return to Ao Chenyi again.

    Hua Yueying hade to him on her own ord back then. It went without saying that he savored her without much consideration. He was just fooling around with her, after all. Once Ao Chenyi was dead and he was sick of her, the only thing that awaited her was death. He would never let anyone find out that Hua Yueying had abandoned Ao Chenyi to serve him.

    Who would have thought that Ao Chenyi would be so lucky to stay alive!

    Not only did Ao Chenyi survive, but thete Emperor even named him the Crown Prince before the former died. He couldn¡¯t ept this, so he kept Hua Yueying as his hidden trump card. He knew he could use her to deal with Ao Chenyi one day.

    Thus, Hua Yueying was given the title of Honored Consort Xia and became the most mysterious and favored consort in the pce. Of course, this was for the sake of pushing her out at the most critical moment.

    It went without saying that he wouldn¡¯t allow her to bear children. She was just a chess piece. She could receive his favor, but never his children.

    Like the Empress, she was allowed to stay at the top of the pce harem and be his Empress. But he would never allow her family to get strong enough to threaten his heir. Moreover, she was also a rtive of the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor. The powerful and tricky Empress Dowager was as good as his nightmare. That woman was hell-bent on monopolizing power and pushed the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor so high up that it was more powerful than the imperial family. It was unbearable.

    Therefore, he plotted her death. So what if the Empress Dowager had once wholeheartedly helped him ascend to the throne? He had never wanted to be a puppet emperor.

    His target used to be Empress Dowager, but he was concentrating all of his efforts on removing Ao Chenyi at the moment. His opportunity had finallye. Honored Consort Xia was getting restless. He had always known the type of person she was. She was a fence-sitter who would support whichever side that could give her honor and wealth.

    Ao Chenyi was rising in power at the moment. Bing Princess Yi was, of course, a better prospect than remaining a little-known Honored Consort Xia. Hua Yueying would surely take action.

    Thus, he arranged for those stolen private letters as well as mysterious poison powder to be put inside Honored Consort Xia¡¯s package. He used her to push the me onto Ao Chenyi. It was a clever, seamless n. As for Honored Consort Xia, well, he would deal with her once she returned to the pce. Nobody would discover her true identity.

    Once he removed Ao Chenyi, he would be able to focus on dealing with Annan and dering war against them. Once war broke out, who would care if Ao Chenyi was dead or alive? The whole nation would be in his hands once the war was over and he would be able to pass the throne to anyone he liked. Nobody would be able to say a word in protest.

    That was what he thought until he saw Honored Consort Xia entering the pce without being gagged and Honored Consort Ya walking in stiffly, looking like she had lost her soul. Behind them was a bunch of old ministers and their wives. By the time they were all inside the pce, he could only stare in shock.

    ¡°What... What¡¯s the matter with you all?¡± he asked, raising a trembling hand. He didn¡¯t just look weak lying on his sickbed; he looked like he was on the verge of death.

    ¡°Your Majesty, Honored Consort Xia is my former fiancee, Second Young Lady Hua. You have met her before. Can you tell me how she became your Honored Consort Xia?¡±

    Ao Chenyi and Ning Xueyan were thest to enter the pce. After a simple salute to the Emperor, he questioned the former with a neutral expression.

    ¡°Your Majesty, you forced me to follow you back then, you forced me to leave Prince Yi, and yet... I¡¯m still Prince Yi¡¯s fiancee. For so many years I¡¯ve been in the pce, he¡¯s still the only one that I long for. Prince Yi and I were forcefully broken up!¡± Honored Consort Xia knelt on the ground and wailed at the perfect timing.

    On her way here, she came to understand that she had likely fallen for the Emperor¡¯s trap. It went without saying that she would push all the me on him if only to survive and vent her anger. She also exined why she would secretly meet Ao Chenyi. She couldn¡¯t give up on him because they were forcefully separated.

    Under such circumstances, she might not end up dying. She was just a weak woman, after all. How could she have defied the most powerful prince at that time?

    However, if she was charged with murder, she and the entire Hua Manor would perish without a doubt. She understood this, so she became determined. She turned all of her fear of the Emperor into agitation and revealed the truth in front of everyone.

    If she failed to tell the truth in front of everyone, she would still die in the end.

    The Emperor didn¡¯t expect to see such a big change in the situation. Even Honored Consort Xia was brave enough to target him in front of everyone. In a hoarse voice, he rebuked angrily, ¡°Non... Nonsense...¡±

    His body was frail in the first ce. He consumed very little poison, but the effects were still kicking in. In other words, part of the poison had entered his bloodstream. It wasn¡¯t a strong poison, so he would only need to recuperate for a few days. However, with so much anger building up in him, he could feel his vision darkening.

    ¡°You dare to murder me. Servants, take this wench away...¡±

    He scolded while struggling to breathe.

    ¡°Your Majesty, are you trying to shut me up by killing me? How would I dare to murder you? What can I murder you with? With this?¡± Seeing that the Emperor was trying to silence her with death, Honored Consort Xia found an inexplicable strength to push Honored Consort Ya, who was standing in front of her, aside. She then tossed all the powder in the paper packet in her hands onto the Emperor.

    After everyone learned that the powder was just ordinary face powder earlier, they ignored the paper packet on the ground. Nobody knew when Honored Consort Xia grabbed the packet. She was so agitated that she threw all the face powder on the Emperor, mindlessly covering his head with it.

    In her opinion, her current situation was all the Emperor¡¯s fault. It was his fault that she couldn¡¯t be Princess Yi, she couldn¡¯t bear children, and she was forced into this state. He was also the one whoid out a trap for her without caring for their years of rtionship and sent her to a dead end.

    Hua Yueying was like a madwoman at this time. Nobody expected her to go berserk. She was still weeping moments ago, but her expression was fierce now. Like a lunatic, she threw herself in front of the Emperor¡¯s bed. She grabbed him with one hand and sprinkled all the powder on his body with the other.

    Everyone was too shocked to react.

    Ning Xueyan reached out to pull Ao Chenyi¡¯s hand. Like him, she was pretending that she didn¡¯t know anything. There was, however, a hint of mirth in her eyes. She was more than happy to see this wonderful show. The Emperor had always schemed against the people around him. He must have never imagined that one of his chess pieces would one day retaliate against him.

    Sensing Ning Xueyan tugging at his hand, Ao Chenyi¡¯s thin lips curved into a smile. He looked at the Emperor coldly, lookingposed.

    These powders were just ordinary powder to all those watching. They were, at most, face powder for women and posed no danger whatsoever. However, that wasn¡¯t the case for the Emperor. Thinking about how this life-threatening poison powder was inexplicably falling on his head, and he could even taste some of them in his mouth, he began to shout.

    ¡°Poison! It¡¯s poison! Servants, protect your Emperor! Quick! Protect your Emperor!¡±

    He didn¡¯t even dare to open his eyes. His eyelids were tightly shut, his hair was in disarray, and his face, hair, and body were covered in white powder. He was trembling in bed, screaming in a shrill voice. His voice shocked everyone awake. At this moment, he didn¡¯t look like an emperor at all. His fear of death and panic was unlike his usual grand, magnanimous demeanor in front of everyone.

    Seeing the panic in the Emperor¡¯s face, Honored Consort Ya said weakly, ¡°Your Majesty, those are just ordinary women¡¯s face powder! They¡¯re not poisonous!¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s poison, it¡¯s definitely poison. Hurry up and remove the poison from my body!¡± The Emperor was so panicked that he was an unsightly mess. He remembered the imperial physician telling him that consuming more of this poison would kill him, and this made him even more desperate. The astringent taste in his mouth meant that he had swallowed some of it. How could he not panic? How could he not dread?

    Several eunuchs had recovered their senses by then. They immediately pushed Honored Consort Xia aside, too upied to deal with her, and removed the powder from the Emperor¡¯s face, head, and body.

    Ning Xueyan watched this scene in secret mockery. The Emperor who had been hell-bent on hurting Ao Chenyi was just a cowardly and useless man. Even then, he still schemed against Ao Chenyi at every turn. It was no wonder thete Emperor wanted to pass the throne to Ao Chenyi. This man was unworthy of the throne!

    If it wasn¡¯t for the Empress Dowager and the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor, this man wouldn¡¯t be able to be the Emperor at all. Simrly, if it weren¡¯t for Ao Chenyi¡¯s influence warding off enemies, the nation under his rule wouldn¡¯t be so peaceful...

 Chapter 641 - Please Appoint Prince Yi as the Crown Prince

    <h4>Chapter 641 Please Appoint Prince Yi as the Crown Prince</h4>

    Once the Emperor made sure that his face was free from the powder, he became enraged that a mere woman had tossed powder on him in front of so many people. He opened his eyes the second that he could and screamed at Honored Consort Xia. ¡°Servants! Servants! Take this wench away and turn her...¡±

    Knowing that the Emperor wanted to turn her into mincemeat, Honored Consort Xia interrupted him with a slight sneer. ¡°Your Majesty, if the powder is poisonous, you would have already swallowed some from all that talking. Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡±

    Her words prompted the Emperor to shut his mouth. Even now, he felt the powder was poisonous. The sudden incident caught him off guard, and he was also aware that he had given Honored Consort Xia poison. That was why he lost hisposure so badly.

    ¡°Your Majesty, please exin why the seconddy of the Hua family, Prince Yi¡¯s fiancee, is in your harem.¡± Several old ministers and their wives knelt together.

    A few of the married women didn¡¯t enter the pce. After all, not even a titleddy could meet the Emperor so easily. The ones that remained, however, were the first wives of the ministers and could follow their husbands to the pce. On the one hand, they were worried about their husbands. On the other hand, they could also stand witness.

    ¡°Your Majesty, Second Young Lady Hua was Prince Yi¡¯s fiancee. How did she fake her death and enter the pce to be Honored Consort Xia?¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, is Honored Consort Xia telling the truth? Did you force Hua Yueying to serve you around the time when the three princes of Annan sent their women to the capital?¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, Honored Consort Xia said that she tried to meet Prince Yi because you stole her from him, forcing her to yearn for him for so many years without being able to meet him. She said that she had to make use of this rare opportunity to leave the pce and meet Prince Yi despite the risks. Is this true?¡±

    The ministers spoke up one after another, their usations sharp and direct. No matter which of their usations that the Emperor admitted to, he would forever be remembered poorly in history.

    Which Emperor would be willing to be remembered for infamy? And for such an immoral act, too.

    The Emperor¡¯s face, clean from powder, turned green and white.

    ¡°Is... this ordinary face powder?¡± Taking several moments topose himself, he finally returned to his senses. He turned around and questioned Honored Consort Ya with some difficulty. He remembered hearing such an exnation from her.

    ¡°It¡¯s... women¡¯s face powder. The letters were ordinary letters written by Honored Consort Xia to express her longing.¡± A faint mocking smile appeared on Honored Consort Ya¡¯s face, though no one knew it was contempt for herself or the Emperor.

    Was there anything more ironic than this? The Emperor thought he had her under control and all his n fully in line. Little did he know that he didn¡¯t have full control over things, not even this pce. How could Honored Consort Xia¡¯s powder be face powder otherwise? And those letters wouldn¡¯t just be sad love letters full of longing.

    Perhaps, the other imperial consorts would believe that a rendezvous with Prince Yi was a crime and a crime that could destroy both him and Honored Consort Xia. Nobody expected them to be an engaged pair, though one that was forcefully torn apart. Worst of all, the perpetrator was the Emperor before everyone.

    Thus, the crime became the Emperor¡¯s burden to bear, as was the scandal.

    Hearing Honored Consort Ya¡¯s reply, the Emperor felt as if something metallic was creeping up his throat. He tried his best to suppress the urge to cough up blood.

    He finally understood that his n to frame Ao Chenyi had failed. Worse, this incident even exposed an old scandal. It was a failure through and through.

    It was just as if he had been building a house and was so close topleting it, only to have it copse and turn into dust. Not only did the house copse, but its foundation was destroyed as well. How could the Emperor not be furious and frustrated? He pointed his finger at Ao Chenyi but couldn¡¯t say anything. His face was so pale that it was void of color.

    ¡°Your Majesty, please appoint Prince Yi as the Crown Prince,¡± the old ministers said in unison.

    They had said these words before, but at that time, the Emperor rejected the suggestion on the basis that he was brimming with vitality and it wouldn¡¯t be suitable to appoint a Crown Prince early. However, they had the Emperor¡¯s weakness now. There wasn¡¯t anything that he could say now that they were bringing it up again.

    He raised his head and looked at Ao Chenyi. Ao Chenyi looked icy and his eyes were unfathomable. Sensing him raising his head and staring at him, Ao Chenyi shed him a sly smile that made him feel as if he was plunged into a pool of icy water. Ao Chenyi then turned his attention on Honored Consort Xia, the smile on his thin lips turning malevolent. ¡°Your Majesty, please allow me to take Honored Consort Xia. I¡¯d like to question her in front of everyone as to why she pretended to die from an illness.¡±

    Question Honored Consort Xia in front of everyone? Ao Chenyi wanted this woman to say that he stole his brother¡¯s wife in front of everyone? The Emperor¡¯s fingers convulsed as he fell weakly on the bed. ¡°I hereby appoint Prince Yi as the Crown Prince!¡±

    Hearing his words, Honored Consort Ya couldn¡¯t even stand still anymore. She staggered a couple of steps and had to rely on a pce maid to regain footing.

    It was all over. Her many years of hope was over... He... He was forced to appoint Ao Chenyi as the Crown Prince. What about her Yu¡¯er! Both she and her father had spared no effort in trying to make her son the Emperor, and yet their n was foiled in Honored Consort Xia¡¯s hands. How could she feel resentful?

    Had she known earlier that Honored Consort Xia would ruin her n, she would have tried every way possible to kill her. She thought it didn¡¯t matter that Honored Consort Xia was favored because thetter didn¡¯t have children, and thus left her alone. She never imagined that Honored Consort Xia would have such an identity and be the trump card that would crush the Emperor at the most critical point.

    How could the Emperor be so foolish as to keep this woman by his side, and even thought of using her to frame Ao Chenyi? Did he think that nobody would know about this?

    To think that he had repeatedly told her that he would pass the throne to Yu¡¯er! Time and again, he had persuaded her father to send men to kill Ao Chenyi. For this, her father had offended a great many people...

    ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty!¡± The old ministers were overjoyed that their long-time wish had been granted. They wouldn¡¯t feel ashamed to meet thete Emperor even if they were to die now. They were over the moon, but the Emperor and Honored Consort Ya looked theplete opposite.

    The rest of the matters were much easier to handle. Now that the Emperor had said as much, it was only natural for him to write his decree lest he should change his mind. It was best to get this settled as quickly as possible. Thus, in front of the old ministers, the Emperor issued an imperial decree with trembling hands, appointing Ao Chenyi as the Crown Prince. It went without saying that Ao Chenyi had to leave the pce and ept the decree in his manor.

    ¡°Your Majesty, Honored Consort Ya used His Highness of colluding with Honored Consort Xia to murder you before she even saw what was in Honored Consort Xia¡¯s hands. Is this true? How does Honored Consort Ya know about the things in Honored Consort Xia¡¯s hands? Or is she already aware of what they are in the first ce?¡±

    Everyone was ready to leave at this stage. After all, the appointment of the Crown Prince was a major event and captured all of the ministers¡¯ attention. They thought it was an excellent deal to sacrifice Honored Consort Xia in exchange for forcing the Emperor into making the appointment. She was still the Emperor¡¯s consort after all. He had the final say in dealing with her.

    Since the Emperor had agreed to appoint Prince Yi as the Crown Prince, they were ready to take a step back as well. They were faithful servants at the end of the day, not traitors trying to force the Emperor to abdicate.

    Thus, none of them bothered mentioning Honored Consort Ya¡¯s usation against Honored Consort Xia.

    Upon hearing Princess Yi bring up the matter, several ministers looked unhappily at her. They thought that she was overdoing it. No matter what mistakes the Emperor had made, he was still the monarch. Moreover, the issue was between Honored Consorts Ya and Xia, so it was the Emperor¡¯s business. It was his freedom to deal with it as he saw fit.

    They might be unhappy but another person wasn¡¯t. Those words excited Hua Yueying so much that she grabbed the robe of the minister nearest to her. ¡°Honored Consort Ya conspired to kill the Emperor,¡± she cried. ¡°She tried to frame me for it. Please save me, my lord. If I stay here, I¡¯ll be silenced.¡±

    She had been kneeling on the floor with a pale face since venting her anger, looking out of it. She didn¡¯t even hear the rest of the conversation. Offending the Emperor in front of everyone, and in such a tant way too, meant that there was no way out for her but death.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s words reminded her that she couldn¡¯t let these people leave. The Emperor would never let her off otherwise. No one was on her side in this pce. She had no choice but to grasp the minister¡¯s robe tightly and wail. ¡°Conspiring to murder the Emperor is a serious event! Please hurry up and save the Emperor, my lord!¡±

    A murder conspiracy was different from a harem battle. It was a matter of politics.

    ¡°Nonsense!¡± Honored Consort Ya cried, gritting her teeth.

    ¡°If I¡¯m speaking nonsense, then tell me. How did you immediately recognize that the powder is poisonous, and they¡¯re the same kind that poisoned the Emperor at that? Doesn¡¯t this show that you¡¯ve long known about it? Or maybe, it¡¯s you who poisoned the Emperor and then nted the poison on me. It¡¯s just that something went wrong in between and I ended up with face powder. Honored Consort Ya, are you trying to murder the Emperor and seize the throne?¡±

    Hua Yueying said, refusing to let Honored Consort Ya argue her way out of this.

    Honored Consort Ya was so agitated that she almost coughed up blood. Her face was dark and malevolent. There was no way for her to exin this. She couldn¡¯t very well say that she had heard it from the Emperor, that the Emperor instructed her to do so, or that the Emperor told her to frame Honored Consort Xia and Prince Yi.

    ¡°Honored Consort Ya, you can¡¯t exin yourself, can you? I¡¯m right, am I not?¡± Honored Consort Xia said righteously. She turned toward the Emperor. ¡°Your Majesty, please sentence Honored Consort Ya. Not only did she frame me, but she also tried to harm Prince Yi. Prince Yi is the Crown Prince that you have just newly appointed. Honored Consort Ya is trying to seize the throne!¡±

    ¡°Servants, put Honored Consorts Ya and Xia in the prison of the Ministry of Justice. I¡¯ll personally interrogate them once I recover.¡± This time, the Emperor¡¯s fingers weren¡¯t the only thing shaking. He was so angry that his entire body was shuddering. Honored Consort Xia had charged at him like a madwoman earlier, and now she was referring to herself so intimately? She sounded as if she truly cared for him.

    However, the issue had evolved into a murder conspiracy against the monarch. He could no longer treat this as two pce consorts fighting over his favor. He gritted his teeth and said the words above.

    That was the end of it. Honored Consort Xia and Honored Consort Xia were hauled away. Ao Chenyi and Ning Xueyan returned to their manor to ept the imperial decree. The old ministers started preparing for Prince Yi¡¯s move into the Eastern Pce. The handful of married women under the leadership of the Madam Dowager of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor returned to the manor and continued with the banquet.

    Soon after they left, the imperial physicians in the pce began to panic. The Emperor was dizzy, the Emperor coughed up blood, the Emperor...

 Chapter 642 - An Invitation from the Empress in the Palace

    <h4>Chapter 642 An Invitation from the Empress in the Pce</h4>

    The news of Prince Yi¡¯s appointment as the Crown Prince sent a shock throughout all levels of society. No one thought that the Emperor would appoint a Crown Prince out of the blue.

    It had been so many years. The Emperor¡¯s intention was apparent to everyone, and it was clear that he was enemies with Prince Yi. To suddenly appoint Prince Yi as the Crown Prince was the Emperor¡¯s show of weakness. Moreover, the news from the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor had spread. Nearly everyone in the capital found out that the Emperor had stolen his minister and younger brother¡¯s wife.

    It was an hical crime that made the perpetrator look worse than a beast. To think that the Emperor would conduct himself like this! It was unbefitting of a monarch.

    Thus, the stubborn court officials submitted an officialint of misconduct, though they didn¡¯t dare to impeach the Emperor. They first impeached Chief Hua of the Imperial Academy of poor character. He had failed to educate his adopted daughter and stop her from marrying three different men. He also treated his daughter as a tool to cling to the rich and powerful, allowing her to marry anyone as long as they could bring wealth and honor.

    In ancient times, women tended to die fighting for their honor or following their husbands in death. It was the norm to have only one husband in a woman¡¯s lifetime. And yet, Hua Yueying was still living despite being married thrice. It was hical and enraging. The court officials demanded that the Emperor issue an imperial decree and punish Hua Yueying and her family.

    For a while, everyone in society was demanding the punishment of the Hua family. Chief Hua, who had always appeared refined and courteous in front of everyone, became akin to a rat on the street overnight. Never mind going to the court, he couldn¡¯t even leave his manor. The moment he stepped out, he would be covered in an unstoppable rain of rotten eggs and vegetables.

    Next thing he knew, Hua Qiuying¡¯s fiance came to end the engagement. He said that he couldn¡¯t marry the daughter of such a shameless family. To draw a line from Hua Qiuying, he went on to say that he had fallen into her trap that day at the pce. It was Hua Qiuying who tricked him into entering the room. He wouldn¡¯t have gotten engaged with a woman like her otherwise.

    His words made Hua Qiuying sound just like her sister, Hua Yueying. Everyone thought that marrying a daughter of the Hua family was unadvisable, for they would just be marrying a harlot rather than a wife. A daughter of the Hua family would plunge one¡¯s house into chaos and cause her husband to lose focus in work. Hua Yueying had even put the Emperor and Prince Yi into such a state.

    Some even said that Hua Yueying was the reason that the Emperor refused to make Prince Yi the Crown Prince all these years.

    ¡°Master, His Highness said not to prepare and take so much stuff over. He¡¯ll only spend the night there when he can¡¯t return, but he¡¯lle back whenever he can,¡± Lanning said, happily packing things up alongside Ning Xueyan. ¡°Master, you shouldn¡¯t pack that much either. Otherwise, His Highness wouldn¡¯t be able to return even if he wanted to.¡±

    She was even teasing Ning Xueyan, evidently in a good mood. She had been much livelier since Ning Ziying¡¯s case was brought to court.

    Ao Chenyi had just been appointed as the Crown Prince when the Emperor coughed up blood and fainted, rendering him unable to hold court sessions. Thus, the impeachment documents were sent to Ao Chenyi. He, as the Crown Prince, had to live in the Eastern Pce. However, both he and Ning Xueyan found it morefortable to live in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor so they chose not to move so soon.

    Ao Chenyi told Ning Xueyan to just bring a few necessities to the Eastern Pce. He would stay there if he was preupied and couldn¡¯te back in time. Otherwise, he would still return to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. He was just busiertely, being a newly-appointed Crown Prince at a time when the Emperor was in trouble.

    Besides, Ning Xueyan knew that news of the three princes of Annan¡¯s rebellion would soon reach the capital and amotion would break out. The people andyout of the Eastern Pce were unfamiliar to them. They might as well stay in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor and deal with contingencies there. So, she agreed with Ao Chenyi¡¯s suggestion. He would stay in the Eastern Pce now and then, while she remained in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor and kept everything the same.

    Hearing Lanning¡¯s teasing, a gentle smile appeared on Ning Xueyan¡¯s small and fair face. She knew that Ao Chenyi was worried that it would be inconvenient for her to suddenly live in the Eastern Pce. Moreover, the Eastern Pce had been set in the pce for years and most of the servants there were the Emperor¡¯s men. They would have to eliminate at least a portion of these hostile forces before they could live there safely.

    ¡°What¡¯s the situation in the pce? Did the Emperor¡¯s condition improve?¡± she asked. Yu Jian had visited and spoken to Lanning earlier, likely passing on Ao Chenyi¡¯s message. She was napping at the time, so Lanning didn¡¯t disturb her.

    ¡°The Emperor¡¯s condition seems quite serious. I heard that the cause was his injury many years ago. His illness red up because of the poison this time, and he even coughed up blood and hurt his heart and liver. I don¡¯t remember it that well; all I know is that he¡¯s not in a good condition. He¡¯satose most of the time. Even when he wakes up, he¡¯ll just be coughing up copious amounts of blood. The Empress is serving him on his sickbed.¡±

    Lanning stopped smiling and exined to Ning Xueyan in a low voice.

    An unreadable emotion flitted across Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes. The Emperor seemed to be in a dire condition! In his attempt to harm others, he had harmed himself as well. It was he who prepared and consumed the poison. He would probably be fine if it wasn¡¯t for the scandal exposure angering him. With all these factors added together, coupled with his fury, his illness weighed on him like a mountain. He was poisoned, too. It seemed that he was in grave danger this time.

    Ning Xueyan never liked the Emperor, a man who was determined to kill Ao Chenyi. So, she simply nodded as she listened.

    Xinmei lifted the curtains and stepped in. Having just returned from the outside, her forehead was covered in sweat. She looked like she was in a rush. The first thing she did was saluting Ning Xueyan and standing up. ¡°Master, someone came to the manor earlier and said that the Empress has invited you to the pce.¡±

    The Empress¡¯s invitation to the pce? This reminded Ning Xueyan of how, back in the Empress¡¯ pce, the Empress and Lord Peace¡¯s Madam tried to force her to ept Yun Luoluo. She frowned. She didn¡¯t think there was any reason they had to meet at this time. They were in two different camps. Under such circumstances, their meeting might evenplicate matters.

    ¡°Tell the pce messenger that I¡¯m ill in bed. Once I recover, I¡¯ll enter the pce and meet the Empress myself,¡± she said emotionlessly. She was holding on the sleeve of Ao Chenyi¡¯s robe as she folded it. These used to be his favorite robes, the imperial ones with red spider lily embroideries.

    Every time she saw him wearing these robes, he would give her a feeling of desteness and sharpness. He felt so distant that she felt somewhat sorrowful. That was why she didn¡¯t want to see him wear these clothes. She began to make ordinary robes for him and tucked these conspicuous robes¡ªclothes that made people fear him on sight¡ªaway.

    Now that he had be the Crown Prince, his robes no longer needed these dense, dark, bloody red spider lilies.

    ¡°That was what I told the messenger, too, but he said he wanted to meet Commandery Princess Xianyun too. He¡¯s asking for your permission, Master,¡± Xinmei said, wiping the sweat on her forehead. She had already refused the eunuch earlier because it wasn¡¯t a good time for her master to meet the Empress, but she didn¡¯t expect the Empress to target Commandery Princess Xianyun instead. Unable to make up her mind, she had to ask her master for her opinion.

    Those around Ning Xueyan still referred to Commandery Princess Xianyun by her bachelorette title, forgetting her title as Consort Yun. Nobody took her seriously as a consort anyway; she was still Commandery Princess Xianyun at the end of the day.

    The Empress wanted to meet Commandery Princess Xianyun? Ning Xueyan put down the robe in her hands. She had long known that there was some sort of an agreement between the two of them. Back then, it was the Emperor who advocated for Commandery Princess Xianyun to marry Prince Yi. When they entered the pce, she also noticed the intimacy between the two.

    The Empress¡¯ck of children, it seemed, was no coincidence either. The Emperor¡¯s fear of the Empress Dowager, as well as the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor, had driven him to leave the Empress childless and prevent the control of power by a rtive. He didn¡¯t want the new Empress Dowager to be as aggressive as the previous Empress Dowager and disturb the change of monarchs in the country.

    The Empress seemed unreconciled to this. For many years in the pce, she had put on a show of impartiality toward Prince Xiang and Prince Fu as if she was a fair matriarch of a family. However, neither Honored Consort Ya nor Honored Consort Shu was an easy opponent. Regardless of who won the throne in the end, her position as Empress Dowager was unstable.

    How should she remedy the situation when both weren¡¯t her sons?

    The two princes had mothers of high status, and all grown up as well. The Empress couldn¡¯t raise them by her side. The best solution was another child, and this child should grow up with her. However, despite the birth of new princes in the pce all this while, she had never asked for any of them.

    She watched the princes be born without doing anything, almost as if she wasn¡¯t ambitious for more and didn¡¯t care who the Crown Prince would be. It was as if all she wanted to be was an average Empress Dowager.

    Ning Xueyan never believed this. The Empress saw how ambitious thete Empress Dowager and witnessed how she helped the Emperor win the throne, only to end up dead. She would never let herself repeat the Empress Dowager¡¯s history, so she would conspire. And that conspiracy likely involved Commandery Princess Xianyun...

    ¡°Tell him that Commandery Princess Xianyun hasn¡¯t recovered from her injury. If the Empress wants to see her, she¡¯ll have to send someone to move her into the pce. But before that, she¡¯ll have to get His Highness¡¯ permission.¡±

    Ning Xueyan said softly. Despite her gentle expression, her eyes were cold. No matter what the Empress and Commandery Princess Xianyun were up to, she wouldn¡¯t let them meet at this time. Commandery Princess Xianyun was a prisoner in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor in the first ce. She was also injured on the leg. If she was willing to stay put in bed and recover from her injury, Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t mind leaving her be.

    Something was up if the Empress was trying to meet Commandery Princess Xianyun instead of tending to the Emperor in the pce. Or was Commandery Princess Xianyun more important than the ill andatose Emperor?

    She pushed the responsibility onto Ao Chenyi. He had always been harsh and direct when confronting someone. Moreover, if the Empress and Commandery Princess Xianyun truly had an agreement of some kind, she would never openly inform the Eastern Pce and let Ao Chenyi find out.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll ry your reply right away!¡± Xinmei nodded and turned around to leave.

    Ning Xueyan stopped her. ¡°When you¡¯re out, get a trustworthy maid to report to Commandery Princess Xianyun. Just say that the Empress sent someone for her.¡±

    It was better to let Commandery Princess Xianyun know than to block the news entirely. She had to know why the Empress wanted to contact Commandery Princess Xianyun. The dust had not settled yet, and the matters of the harem were crucial.

 Chapter 643 - A Threat; Commandery Princess Xianyunâ€™s Desperate Move

    <h4>Chapter 643 A Threat; Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s Desperate Move</h4>

    Sure enough, it didn¡¯t take long for Commandery Princess Xianyun to send someone to invite Ning Xueyan to her ce. Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t put up airs. She went over with Xinmei and Qingyu.

    ¡°Princess, can I meet the Empress? The Empress said there¡¯s follow-up business about my second sister¡¯s business. She¡¯s still my sister. I¡¯m also partially responsible for her current state. I¡¯ve wronged her.¡±

    Commandery Princess Xianyun went straight to the point the moment she saw Ning Xueyan. Her eyes were red when she spoke. She had one hand pressed on her chest, looking sorrowful.

    She couldn¡¯t hide the fact that the Empress had sent someone for her. Ning Xueyan, as Princess Yi, had an iron-grip over the backyard of the manor. Ning Xueyan was thest person she could conceal the matter from.

    Her words were wrought in emotion and sincerity, as well as her guilt toward Yun Luoluo. Those who knew the truth of the matter realized that Yun Luoluo had died in her hands. If she hadn¡¯t pulled the strings, a well-bred youngdy like Yun Luoluo would never act so arrogantly in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor and end up dying so tragically.

    ¡°Has your leg healed, Consort Yun?¡± Ning Xueyan nced at Commandery Princess Xianyun¡¯s leg, where there was a tight bandage wrapped over her thigh.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine... I¡¯m sure the Empress will grant me a sedan chair when I¡¯m in the pce.¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun smiled wryly.

    ¡°Are you sure the Empress has the time to meet you now? The Emperor is ill and there¡¯s so much happening in the pce that requires the Empress¡¯ attention. Is it really fine for you to visit now? Maybe you can tell me what it is about and I¡¯ll send a messenger over.¡±

    Ning Xueyan spoke with a neutral expression. Her ink-like eyes were staring at Commandery Princess Xianyun without moving away.

    Everyone knew that this was a critical time. Prince Yi¡¯s appointment as the Crown Prince indicated the defeat of the Emperor. Under such circumstances, Commandery Princess Xianyun and the Empress were in two different camps. Yet, they still wanted to meet. What gave Commandery Princess Xianyun the confidence that the Empress would be happy to see her and even grant her a sedan chair?

    After all, regardless of what kind of agreement they had in the past, the Emperor and Empress were at a disadvantage at the moment. This was evident to everyone. Commandery Princess Xianyun, whether she was Princess Yi or Consort Yun, was still in Prince Yi¡¯s camp. If something were to happen between the two of them at this point, the consequences would be severe.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun fell silent for a moment before looking at her legs with a wry smile. ¡°It¡¯s all right. I¡¯m just a consort, so there won¡¯t be a big impact on the situation. I¡¯m sure His Highness hates me too. If he finds me so difficult to deal with, he should let me go home. I¡¯m exhausted!¡±

    ¡°Whether it¡¯s the title of Princess Yi, Consort Yun, or even the future imperial consort, I don¡¯t want to fight for anything anymore.¡±

    Ning Xueyan nced at Commandery Princess Xianyun and saw the calm expression on thetter¡¯s face. Commandery Princess Xianyun looked disheartened. No one could have expected the great Commandery Princess Xianyun would marry Prince Yi and be Princess Yi, only to have her husband turn her into a joke by not visiting her on their wedding night. Then, after a series of incidents, she was demoted to the consort position. Now, her leg was also injured.

    For a proud daughter of heaven to fall into this state, it was indeed a big enough impact to render a person hopeless.

    But that was for other people. Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t believe that Commandery Princess Xianyun would be so emotionally fragile, especially from the fact that thetter was still trying to enter the pce. A disheartened person would never visit the pce again. Even though Lord Peace¡¯s Manor didn¡¯t have much influence left, it was still home to Commandery Princess Xianyun. She might have lost her sister, but she still had her mother.

    The first person she wanted to see wasn¡¯t her mother but the Empress. That was the most curious part of her behavior.

    ¡°Consort Yun, His Highness isn¡¯t in the manor right now. I can¡¯t decide for you. We¡¯ll talk again when His Highnesses back,¡± Ning Xueyan said, rejecting her offer with an indifferent expression.

    ¡°Princess, I¡¯ll leave the capital in the future and live on my own. No one will ever find me again. Either way, I can never win His Highness¡¯ heart and I don¡¯t have the strength to fight for anything anymore. I couldn¡¯t win against you when I was ambitious anyway. Now that I¡¯m like this, how could I hope to fight for anything? Please save me, Princess. I just want to live the rest of my life in peace.¡±

    Commandery Princess Xianyun said, refusing to give up. She looked at Ning Xueyan with tears brimming in her eyes. Her request went from meeting the Empress to leaving Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    In other words, she was promising not to appear in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor or the capital in the future. She would look for a quiet ce and live the rest of her life there. She was expressing her will not to partake in the matters of the imperial family, and even her willingness to give up everything to Ning Xueyan.

    After all, no matter what happened, Commandery Princess Xianyun had entered the manor as Princess Yi. Ning Xueyan, a consort-turned-princess, was bound to feel ufortable with her around. The change in princess and consort had never happened before. Ning Xueyan, as the current Princess Yi, was no doubt under some pressure.

    It would benefit Ning Xueyan if Commandery Princess were to disappear, and on her own ord at that.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun believed that Ning Xueyan would agree to her proposal because there were only benefits and no harm to her. This would leave Ning Xueyan as the only mistress of Prince Yi¡¯s harem. Even after Ao Chenyi became the Emperor, Ning Xueyan would undoubtedly be the Empress. No one would bring her up and suggest having two Empresses and the like.

    Her proposal would get Ning Xueyan out of her predicament, so she seemed calm and confident despite sounding pitiful. Any woman who wanted to dominate her husband¡¯s backyard would agree to this proposal. It was all that meaningful when concerning the imperial harem.

    ¡°I can leave a letter for His Highness. I¡¯ll tell him that it¡¯s my idea to leave and it has nothing to do with you.¡±

    She believed that these words were enough to convince Ning Xueyan right away. With this, Ning Xueyan would be able to eliminate her rival without doing anything. She would also gain a kind reputation from this.

    No woman would be able to refuse this.

    Ning Xueyan chuckled and stood up. ¡°You should get more rest, Consort Yun. Don¡¯t think about something like this,¡± she said politely. She turned around to leave as if she didn¡¯t want to talk anymore.

    Stunned, Commandery Princess Xianyun sat upright and stared at Ning Xueyan. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Worried that Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t understand her, she added, ¡°His Highness is yours alone from now on. I¡¯m not fighting with you anymore. I¡¯m leaving the Empress title to you. Don¡¯t you get what I¡¯m saying?¡±

    ¡°Ao Chenyi has always been mine alone. When have you ever won against me? And whether it¡¯s the future title of Empress or imperial consort, you shouldn¡¯t worry about it. I don¡¯t think the Emperor will hold on for much longer. You should stay out of the dangerous waters in the pce, Commandery Princess.¡±

    Ning Xueyan looked calmly at Commandery Princess Xianyun, her expression neutral.

    Her words were quite harsh. No matter what Commandery Princess Xianyun was up to, she wouldn¡¯t let her revolt at this time and affect Ao Chenyi. These few days were a crucial time for Ao Chenyi to consolidate his forces in the court. Ao Chenyi had to establish his authority as a future monarch and gain the approval of the fence-sitting ministers.

    Ning Xueyan believed that Ao Chenyi had every ability to achieve this, but it would be best if she kept the Empress and Commandery Princess Xianyun from causing trouble now. That was why she was so direct and harsh with her words.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun raised her head in anger, unable to maintain her calm expression. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Do you perhaps have a prior agreement with the Empress? Too bad, no matter what it is, you have to get it straight that you¡¯re you and the Empress is the Empress. The Empress will always be the mistress of the pce and you¡¯re still Prince Yi¡¯s consort in name. You¡¯ll affect Prince Yi if you cause trouble now. Or do you think that if something happens to you, the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor will still be safe?¡±

    Ning Xueyan said, her every word wrought with meaning. There was a cold smile on her face.

    ¡°Nonsense. Why... Why would I have an agreement with the Empress?¡± Commandery Princess Xianyun retorted loudly, her face red. She held onto the table, trying to stand up, only to realize that she couldn¡¯t. To her surprise, several maids of the manor looked at her without doing anything. Nobody tried to reach out to support her.

    She sat back down heavily.

    ¡°It¡¯s not up to me to say whether or not there¡¯s an agreement. You know the answer yourself. Of course, there¡¯s nothing I can do to stop you if you¡¯re willing to lose your life for the Empress. All I ask is that you think about the hundreds of people in the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor. I heard that there¡¯s your new-born nephew among them. If this angers His Highness, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll kill your whole family before you can get him in trouble.¡±

    Ning Xueyan spoke softly, looking down at Commandery Princes Xianyun. But the implicit threat in her words made Commandery Princess Xianyun shiver. She could risk her life, but the hundreds of lives in the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor? How could she act without considering them? She believed that Ao Chenyi would exterminate her family after finding out what she had done.

    Then, what was the point of all that she had done?

    This was the moment where she felt true fear. What frightened her even more was, however, Ning Xueyan. Ning Xueyan looked as gentle, calm, and serene as ever. There wasn¡¯t any hint of cruelty in her expression as if she wasn¡¯t talking about the death of the people in Lord Peace¡¯s Manor but a few chickens in the kitchen.

    No other woman had ever made Commandery Princess Xianyun feel fear from deep within, not even the Empress, Honored Consort Ya, or Honored Consort Shu. Nobody had ever made Commandery Princess Xianyun feel submissive, not even the ruthlesste Empress Dowager. She had always thought she would surpass thete Empress Dowager if she continued down the same path.

    Yet, at this moment, she became keenly aware that Ning Xueyan was the truly powerful opponent. Her gentle and delicate appearance was just a facade, an illusion that the Lord Protector¡¯s fifth daughter was a timid, useless girl.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s appearance had deceived everyone!

    And had she reached the end of the road?

    A trace of jealousy and resentment flickered in her dull eyes. Ning Xueyan hade and used the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor to threaten her. Worse of all, she had no choice but to be threatened...

 Chapter 644 - The Empressâ€™ Ambition

    <h4>Chapter 644 The Empress¡¯ Ambition</h4>

    ¡°Commandery Princess Xianyun couldn¡¯t make it?¡± the Empress asked angrily, mming her hand on the table. She didn¡¯t expect Ning Xueyan to be so domineering and defy her order. Had this happened in the past, Ning Xueyan would have been beheaded for her crime, but things were different now. The Emperor was very ill and all the authority was in Ao Chenyi¡¯s hands. Her words were no longer useful.

    She had nned to wait for Commandery Princess Xianyun to bear a son and find a way to make the princes and Ao Chenyi face-off until they lost their lives. Then, she would adopt Xianyun¡¯s son and make him the next Emperor. She would be the Empress Dowager, instead of the biological mother, Xianyun. A mere prince¡¯s consort couldn¡¯t bepared to her.

    Since the new Emperor would be young, she would be able to govern behind the curtain and take on the role of a regent. She would raise the child on her own, making him into an obedient adult thankful for her role in giving him the throne.

    A new-born prince would be a much better candidate than the grown-up Prince Xiang and Prince Fu. Xianyun might be the biological mother, but as a prince¡¯s consort, she wouldn¡¯t be allowed to enter the pce as she pleased. She would then assume the biggest power in a pce without Honored Consorts Ya or Shu. Moreover, Xianyun¡¯s son would have the backing of Lord Peace¡¯s Manor. Lord Peace¡¯s Manor was a much more dependable force than her weak family.

    It was all well and good until a major shift happened and knocked her off guard. She didn¡¯t know anything about the incident between the Emperor and Honored Consort Ya. By the time she figured out the situation and rushed here, the Emperor had coughed up blood and fallen into aa. His condition continued to worsen as he fell in and out of consciousness.

    Thest time he woke up, he had red at her and scolded, ¡°Hua Yueying, you bitch.¡±

    It was obvious that he couldn¡¯t recognize her anymore!

    She wanted the Emperor to recover. She couldn¡¯t afford to let him die, but his condition put her in despair. She knew that he couldn¡¯t hold on for much longer.

    In the past, there was indeed a pact between her and Xianyun. In the worst-case scenario, Xianyun must pave a way for her while she would do her best to protect the Lord Peace¡¯s Manor and its hundred years of legacy. This was also one of the major reasons why she had helped Xianyun marry Ao Chenyi. Both of them knew that Ao Chenyi and the Emperor were destined to be enemies; like fire and water, only one could remain.

    Now was the time that she needed Xianyun the most. The moment Xianyun arrived at the pce, she would take her to the Emperor and kill him. She would then arrest Xianyun and push the me onto Ao Chenyi. She would use him of sending Xianyun to the pce to kill the Emperor.

    No matter how much the ministers favored Ao Chenyi, he would still lose the throne for this. With the Emperor dead, he would be decapitated. She would then seek out the youngest prince in the pce and make him the Crown Prince. With Lord Peace¡¯s Manor on her side, she was confident that she could control the situation.

    After all, thete Empress Dowager had relied on Lord Peace¡¯s Manor to promote the Emperor to the throne. The manor might be weak now, but the influence of a powerful man would linger long after his death. She would flourish with their support. Honored Consort Ya, still imprisoned at the Ministry of Justice for her role in the murder attempt on the Emperor, was unlikely to make aeback. Honored Consort Shu wasn¡¯t strong enough, so Prince Fu didn¡¯t stand a chance either.

    She, with the honor of the Empress, wouldn¡¯t lose to them.

    Imperial pardons would follow after the enthronement of the new prince. She could easily arrange one for Xianyun.

    She already had a candidate in mind¡ªthe six-year-old Tenth Prince. A six-year-old boy was old enough to remember events, but a poor candidate was better than none. The prince¡¯s mother had a low status and wouldn¡¯t be able to fight against her in the future. The mother¡¯s family wasn¡¯t powerful either, so she would likelytch onto the opportunity given to her.

    The Empress sat by the Emperor¡¯s bed and formed the perfect n in her mind. However, she was in for a rude awakening. All was well in the pce, but Ning Xueyan stopped her messenger from seeing Xianyun. How could she not get mad?

    In anger, she said sharply, ¡°Let¡¯s go! Prepare the carriage! I¡¯m going to see Princess Yi!¡± She didn¡¯t think that Ning Xueyan would dare to refuse her in person.

    ¡°Your Highness, you can¡¯t go. You have to stay here and serve His Majesty. How can you leave now? Honored Consort Shu is leading the other consorts. If you leave, I won¡¯t be able to stop them froming in.¡±

    The Empress¡¯ personal maid tried to persuade her from leaving. The Emperor was in a dire condition. Nobody knew when something would happen to him. If he were to die while the Empress was away, nobody could bear the responsibility. Moreover, Honored Consort Shu and the other consorts were waiting outside. It would be disastrous if they took advantage of the Empress¡¯ absence toe in and make the Emperor write a will disfavorable to the Empress.

    The Empress stopped rushing out in anger. It was true that she couldn¡¯t leave!

    ¡°Servants! Send another person to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor and invite Princess Yi and Consort Yun to the pce,¡± she said resentfully, gritting her teeth. ¡°Tell them that I have something important to talk to them about but I can¡¯t leave the pce now. It¡¯s mostly about the Crown Prince. I¡¯m supposed to speak to the Crown Prince about this but I¡¯m still a woman after all. It¡¯s more inconvenient now than ever for me to meet another man.¡±

    If coercion didn¡¯t work, she would have to resort to persuasion. She believed that she would be able to lure Ning Xueyan here. If it was for something beneficial to Ao Chenyi, Ning Xueyan would surelye with Xianyun. It didn¡¯t matter if Xianyun didn¡¯te. There was still Ning Xueyan as her scapegoat! She would take Ning Xueyan to the Emperor and frame her all the same.

    Ning Xueyan, as Princess Yi, wouldn¡¯t be able to shed off her connection to Ao Chenyi even if she didn¡¯t admit it.

    The Empress had made up her mind. Since Ning Xueyan stopped her from meeting Xianyun, she would let the former take the me. No matter what, she was determined to drag Ao Chenyi down.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll send someone right away.¡± The maid nodded and left.

    However, it didn¡¯t take long for the maid to return and report Princess Yi¡¯s reply. Princess Yi said the Empress should say whatever she wanted to Ao Chenyi; she was a mere married woman who didn¡¯t understand politics. She told the Empress not toe to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor for her anymore.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s reply was polite but effectively kicked the Empress to Ao Chenyi¡¯s feet like a rubber ball. She didn¡¯t think that she could be able to fool him, make him visit the Emperor without any precaution, and frame him for murdering the Emperor.

    Helpless, she smashed a few pieces of chinaware and went back to serve the Emperor. It seemed that she would have to think of a different solution...

    The news of the rebellion of the feudal princes of Annan reached the capital on the morning of the third day and caused a furor. What followed was the princes¡¯ letter of condemnation.

    In their letter, they condemned the Emperor for being unkind and unjust. They imed that it was unforgivable for a monarch to take his brother¡¯s fiancee. Ever since he took the throne, he focused on politicking and currying favor instead of developing the nation. He was also unfilial for ignoring thete Emperor¡¯s will to make his brother the Crown Prince. The usations continued to pile up.

    Of course, the letter intended to express how unkind, unjust, disloyal, and unfilial the Emperor was. In conclusion, the Emperor was better off dead. If a man who deserved heaven¡¯s wrath continued to be the monarch, Annan would rebel. They still had a prince of the former dynasty with them. They were ready to restore the previous dynasty and overthrow the unkind, unjust, disloyal, and unfilial Emperor.

    It was a surprise that Annan issued the letter so shortly after Hua Yueying¡¯s scandal broke out, and they even included the scandal in it. Their response was fast.

    This was a rebellion and one that included the Emperor. Ao Chenyi and the ministers held a discussion and eventually decided not to inform the Emperor about it. They were afraid that he would die immediately!

    The discussion over themand of the troops took a long time. Many suggested Ning Zu¡¯an at first. Even though he didn¡¯t have an official post, he was Prince Yi¡¯s father-inw. He would be the imperial father-inw after Prince Yi ascended to the throne. They wanted to avoid offending him if they could.

    On the contrary, Lord Guardian suggested a different person, also a general¡ªMing Feiyong. Ming Feiyong was nominated because he had been defending the border for years and was a much more suitable candidate than Ning Zu¡¯an who had been in the capital all this while.

    Many found Lord Guardian¡¯s suggestion to be reasonable. Ming Feiyong was more experienced than Ning Zu¡¯an. The only reason he didn¡¯t have a higher rank was that he used to be the top scorer in the martial arts examination in the previous dynasty, and the Emperor didn¡¯t dare to put too much trust in him.

    It was different now. Ming Feiyong was Princess Yi¡¯s uncle and his loyalty wouldn¡¯t be questioned. Moreover, it was said that he doted on his niece. Compared to Ning Zu¡¯an who never cared about Princess Yi in the past, Ming Feiyong was more deserving of Princess Yi¡¯s respect. Ao Chenyi¡¯s trusted aides knew very well how much he cared for his princess.

    Therefore, more and more ministers found Ming Feiyong to be the better candidate.

    In the end, Ming Feiyong was appointed as the Great General responsible for leading the troops in the war against Annan. Ao Chenyi would keep watch from inside the capital andmand the court officials in the Emperor¡¯s ce.

    It was deep into the night by the time Ao Chenyi finished dealing with political affairs, but upon second thought, he decided to sneak back to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor with a few guards. He had been staying in the pce in the past few days, kept so busy that he couldn¡¯t even return home. He wondered what Yan¡¯er was up to.

    Ning Xueyan was still awake. She was sitting by the window with a robe draped over her shoulders, watching the moon in a daze. The news of Annan¡¯s rebellion had just reached the capital today. Ao Chenyi must be busy. Even though she didn¡¯t know the exact situation, she was worried if he had enough rest.

    He had learned the news three days earlier than the rest, but it was a hassle nheless to form the perfect countermeasure. The three feudal princes of Annan were no easy opponents. They were difficult to handle because they were so far away from the capital. Wen Xueran must be there as well. He was probably the prince of the previous dynasty mentioned in that letter of condemnation. A young prince with the blood of the former imperial family, even if he was just a member of the extended family, could inherit the throne at a time where there were no other imperial kins.

    He must havee to take her away that day. Unfortunately, they were ultimately on different paths and boats.

    She didn¡¯t tell Ao Chenyi about him. Regardless of it all, Wen Xueran was still her family. But this was the first andst time. If they were to meet again, she would take Ao Chenyi¡¯s side without hesitation. She had always been a cold-hearted woman who cared for those in her heart...

 Chapter 645 - Private Chat in the Dead of the Night

    <h4>Chapter 645 Private Chat in the Dead of the Night</h4>

    Ning Xueyan blinked after hearing several knocks on the window frame. Only then did she realize that Ao Chenyi was standing outside the window with his thin lips curved into a smile. His face looked handsome, almost enchantingly so, under the moonlight. There was a hint of impetuousnguidness in his expression.

    ¡°How did you get here?¡± Without even thinking about it, Ning Xueyan stood up and looked out the window. Rather than asking him when he appeared here, she was asking how he came in without alerting anyone.

    Ao Chenyi grabbed the sill and hoisted himself through the window,nding gently inside the room. ¡°I told them not to knock since it¡¯s sote. I came in myself,¡± he said matter-of-factly.

    Why was he acting like a thief when he was just returning to his own home? She was speechless that he had to sneak in through the window.

    She walked to the table, poured a cup of tea, and handed it to him. Even though he looked the same, she could see the trace of exhaustion in his eyes. These two days were likely the most important days of his life. There was much that he had to pick up, but everything wasn¡¯t settled yet. He must be exhausted.

    Ao Chenyi took the cup of tea and took a sip with a grin. He put it down and pulled Ning Xueyan into his arms. With augh, he said, ¡°Did anyonee and give you troubletely?¡±

    ¡°Well... The Empress tried to meet Commandery Princess Xianyun. Commandery Princess Xianyun wanted to return to her family. She said she¡¯ll leave us in peace while she bes a nun and lives on her own.¡± Sitting on hisp, Ning Xueyan reached out to knead his temples.

    ¡°She¡¯d be that kind? Bah!¡± He closed his almond-shaped eyesfortably as she kneaded his temples, but there was a sneer on his face.

    Sheughed. Commandery Princess Xianyun was a terrible actor. The two of them had never trusted her.

    ¡°She insisted that she¡¯ll leave the capital and promised that we¡¯ll never see her again so she won¡¯t mar our eyes. Of course, she also promised that she won¡¯tpete for you anymore. She even said that she¡¯ll leave the backyard to me so I can dominate by myself.¡±

    ¡°Ha, she tried to make my decision for me, but when has she ever joined my backyard? She¡¯s as arrogant as ever.¡± Ao Chenyi snorted unhappily, tightening his hold around Ning Xueyan¡¯s slender waist.

    ¡°Then, did anyone else try to steal you away?¡± she asked. Her gleaming eyes were filled with mirth.

    ¡°Who¡¯d dare?!¡± Ao Chenyi sneered.

    She didn¡¯t know where she found the courage to ask, but she did. Her unwavering gaze fell on his handsome face as she insisted, ¡°What if someone dares?¡±

    His eyes were closed, allowing his longshes to fall gently on his skin. Looking at his tall nose and thin, red lips, one couldn¡¯t help but think that he was worthy of being called a beauty. Of course, he was also a sharp person even when he was closing his eyes. Without a smile on his face, he looked somewhat demonic, preventing others from meeting his eyes.

    Naturally, that was for other people. Ning Xueyan had never feared him. She caressed his face calmly, wanting to tease him.

    Suddenly, he opened his eyes and looked squarely at her. He smiled and said, ¡°They can¡¯t steal me away even if they wanted to. I belong to Yan¡¯er!¡±

    His unwavering gaze made her blush out of nowhere. Without even thinking about it, she covered his eyes and protested shyly, ¡°Yeah, yeah, yeah. You¡¯re mine. No one can steal you from me.¡±

    His longshes felt ticklish as they pressed against her soft palm, but what was truly ticklish was her heart. It felt a little warm and sweet too.

    To her surprise, he nodded and said earnestly, ¡°Yeah, so you have to protect me! Don¡¯t let others steal me away!¡±

    She couldn¡¯t stop herself from bursting intoughter, and all of her pent-up frustration and nervousnesstely seemed to disappear with the sound. She moved her hand from his eyes and leaned onto his chest, sinking deeper into his embrace. She wrapped her other arm around his slim waist.

    Lying in his arms, she said in a low voice, ¡°I think there¡¯s a pact between the Empress and Commandery Princess Xianyun. Xianyun tried to leave the manor shortly after the Empress¡¯ messenger arrived. I felt like she was willing to do anything as long as she was allowed to leave.¡±

    ¡°The Empress is childless, but she¡¯s unwilling to repeat thete Empress Dowager¡¯s mistakes. She¡¯s worried that she, the first wife, won¡¯t gain any benefit whether Ao Mingyu or Ao Mingwan bes the Emperor. Remember, the Emperor¡¯s mother wasn¡¯t alive when thete Empress Dowager got her position. Even then, she only survived for three years. The mothers of both Ao Mingyu and Ao Mingwan are imperial consorts with high status. The Empress knows that if either of them bes the Emperor, she¡¯ll never benefit.¡±

    Ao Chenyi closed his eyes and spoke in a cold voice. He ced his chin on the top of her hair as he hugged her.

    It wasn¡¯t that difficult to guess what the Empress was thinking with thete Empress Dowager¡¯s precedent. The Empress, also childless, wouldn¡¯t support Ao Mingyu or Ao Mingwan. No matter which of them inherited the throne, she wouldn¡¯t be able to live well as their father¡¯s first wife.

    She wasn¡¯t close to them in the first ce, and their mothers, Honored Consorts Shu and Ya, were still alive. There wasn¡¯t any point in bing an Empress Dowager without real power.

    Thete Empress Dowager, with the help of Lord Peace¡¯s Manor, had wholeheartedly helped the Emperor obtain his throne but still lost her life early. It was all too easy to kill someone in the pce.

    ¡°Since the Empress is childless, why didn¡¯t she adopt one and raise him herself? The child will still have a high-status mother at the end of the day and can be the Emperor, no?¡± Ning Xueyan asked curiously. It was obvious that the Empress, like Commandery Princess Xianyun, wasn¡¯t the kind to sumb to fate. Even if she couldn¡¯t bear a child, she could adopt and raise the child of one of the many consorts in the pce.

    ¡°She¡¯ll need the Emperor¡¯s approval for that! If the Emperor won¡¯t let her give birth, why would he let her raise someone else¡¯s child? If she wants a son, she¡¯ll have to steal a child while the Emperor is too sick to talk. Then, she¡¯ll be able to make that childpete for the right to the throne.¡±

    Ao Chenyi spoke while caressing her lovely hair with his eyes closed. It was bedtime, so her long hair cascaded freely down her shoulders. Her lovely hair was lightly perfumed, which added immensely to his enjoyment.

    Ning Xueyan blinked and confirmed his words. ¡°So, now¡¯s her best chance!¡± Wasn¡¯t the Emperor currently unconscious? Even when he was awake, he wasn¡¯t in the right mind.

    ¡°Yeah. The Empress is likely the most powerful person in the pce at the moment. She can adopt anyone she wants, but the only suitable candidate is the Tenth Prince. The prince is still young and his mother has a low status.¡±

    Ao Chenyi nodded devilishly.

    ¡°Then what she was nning before was...¡± she immediately asked, realizing that she had forgotten a very important issue.

    No matter how capable the Empress was, she couldn¡¯t have predicted that the Emperor would fall into aa. No one could have seen iting. The Emperor wouldn¡¯t have fallen ill at this time if it wasn¡¯t for the series of events that happened. He might be old, but not so old that he would be on the verge of death because of an illness.

    ¡°The Empress might have a pact with Xianyun. Perhaps she was supposed to adopt Xianyun¡¯s son. I was just a prince, but after the Empress adopts my son, he stands a chance at bing the Emperor. When my father was alive, he once said that he would pass the throne to me. That means that my son will win over the old ministers, and they¡¯ll support the Empress¡¯ action. With the support of Lord Peace¡¯s Manor, the Empress will be the rightful Empress Dowager, and she¡¯ll also get the chance to preside over the court.¡±

    Ao Chenyi sneered. His long, narrow eyes seemed clouded over. The Empress thought that she had concocted the perfect n, but she left clues of her scheme all along. Back then, Xianyun had attempted suicide to marry him. It wasn¡¯t just for the Princess Yi position. Everyone knew that he wasn¡¯t the type to be kind to women. He always did things willfully, and there was also news of him having a ¡°favored concubine¡± in his manor.

    ¡°Ignore her. Don¡¯t meet her no matter what excuse she uses. It¡¯s enough to have me in the pce. And if Xianyun kicks up a fuss again, tell her that she¡¯s free to do so if she wants the entire Lord Peace¡¯s Manor killed,¡± Ao Chenyi said ruthlessly.

    Ning Xueyan raised an eyebrow. With a smile on her face, she said, ¡°Great minds think alike! Commandery Princess Xianyun behaved only after I threatened her with Lord Peace¡¯s Manor.¡±

    A trace of mirth appeared in Ao Chenyi¡¯s eyes as he imagined how Ning Xueyan threatened Xianyun with her fair little face wearing a stern expression. The more he imagined it, the cuter he found her. Emotions rippled through his pupils as he leaned in and gently kissed her delicate, snow-white earlobe. ¡°Yan¡¯er, I¡¯ve asked about it. Your body is ready.¡±

    She didn¡¯t immediately understand his words. When she raised her head in surprise and saw his gentle but naughty smile, realization dawned on her and her face turned red. She pushed him away and said angrily, ¡°You should be sleeping at this hour! You have to wake up early tomorrow.¡±

    This guy! They were talking about something serious just a minute ago, but now he was in the mood for lust.

    Ao Chenyi put on a look of shock as if he had just learned something shocking. He took two steps forward and pulled her hand, teasing her, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t these things be discussed when it¡¯s dead quiet at night? Or do you want me to say these things in public in broad daylight?¡±

    He even suggested discussing such things in public! She felt deeply embarrassed, especially after remembering his words earlier. He must have asked the physician about it. To think that a person like him would consult the physician about such a thing. Besides embarrassed, she also felt likeughing all of a sudden. She climbed into bed and covered her head with the quilt, but she was smiling.

    ¡°Oh, all right. I was just teasing you. You¡¯ll suffocate to death if you sleep like this. Don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t have strength for it now,¡± he saidzily, following her to bed. He pulled the quilt off her body and pulled her into his arms. He ced his head on top of her hair, adjusted his position, and closed his eyes.

    The woman in his arms was so soft and fragrant that he felt restless. However, he wasn¡¯t in a rush. He had persevered for so many days, so he wasn¡¯t going to be impatient now...

    Ning Xueyan found herself in his arms and enveloped in his smell. A trace of shyness appeared in her eyes but she didn¡¯t reject him. She closed his eyes and slept for a while in his embrace, but she soon opened her eyes and saw that he had fallen asleep. There was still a hint of mirth on his gloomy but handsome face, but he still looked tired. He probably never had a good night of rest since the day that they separated.

    She looked at him lovingly for a long time before cing her soft lips on the corner of his mouth...

 Chapter 646 - The Changes Inside and Outside the Palace

    <h4>Chapter 646 The Changes Inside and Outside the Pce</h4>

    It was early in the morning after that Ming Feiyong¡¯s army departed the capital. By the time Ning Xueyan woke up, Ao Chenyi was no longer beside her and even the bed next to her felt cold to the touch. She didn¡¯t know what time he had left.

    All was calm in the capital over the next few days. However, there was a rumor that the Emperor had passed away. This rumor was, of course, circting only among the ordinary folks. The Emperor was still in aa but he was undoubtedly alive. The Empress had been serving him the entire time, and several imperial consorts were guarding the door as well. Even though they couldn¡¯t meet the Emperor, they could see the imperial physicians going in to help change his medicine.

    It was tense inside the pce.

    The Emperor had many children, but few managed to reach adulthood. Most of his imperial consorts were without children. If something were to happen to him, they would be done for. Therefore, they refused to leave. They wanted to meet him and keep an eye on the situation, but the Empress rejected them at the door.

    Honored Consort Ya was imprisoned at the Ministry of Justice for her involvement in the murder conspiracy against the Emperor. That left the Empress and Honored Consort Shu as the only mistresses in the pce. Thus, the imperial consorts banded around Honored Consort Shu.

    With a calm face, Honored Consort Shu ordered one of the pce maids, ¡°Go and ask the Empress if we can see His Majesty.¡±

    The imperial consorts stared at the maid expectantly, but thetter soon returned to report, ¡°Your Highness, the Empress said that His Majesty is unwell and cannot be disturbed. She asks that you return to your pce and that it¡¯s enough that she stays here to watch His Majesty. The other consorts can also return and leave the task to her.¡±

    While the Empress¡¯ reply might sound pleasant, it was still a rejection! Honored Consort Shu stared at the tightly-shut doors in anger, cursing up a storm at the Empress in her head. She was in a more precarious situation than the other consorts. She had been the happiest when Honored Consort Ya got into trouble, but shock and fury followed when she learned that Ao Chenyi was appointed as the Crown Prince.

    The sudden change in the pce had caught her off guard. She had only ever recognized Honored Consort Ya as her opponent. Rather than Ao Chenyi, Ao Mingyu was the person who gave her the most pressure because of how much the Emperor valued him. His Wan¡¯er was great, but Ao Mingyu was still a little better.

    Moreover, the support that Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor could provide wasn¡¯t something that her family couldpete with.

    Her family¡¯s strength wasckingpared to Honored Consort Ya¡¯s family, and her rank in the pce was also lower than thetter¡¯s. Ao Mingyu had a very good reputation outside. To the Emperor, it seemed that Ao Mingyu was superior to her son. This made her feel quite disheartened.

    There wasn¡¯t anything she could do about it. All she could do was warn Ao Mingwan to be increasingly careful about everything and not just do things as per his liking.

    That was why she was so furious when Ao Mingwan said that he liked Lord Protector¡¯s Manor¡¯s third daughter. She even went as far as to mock Ning Qingshan in public. In her opinion, it was a stupid idea topete with Ao Mingyu over a woman. Everyone knew that the woman belonged to Ao Mingyu, even the Emperor. Ao Mingwan¡¯s interest would undoubtedly incur the Emperor¡¯s wrath, so she might as well dispel his idea early.

    Fortunately, he never brought that woman up again. He was quite busy during the consort drafting, perhaps out of interest in a certaindy. She didn¡¯t pay much attention because he could like any woman as long as it wasn¡¯t Ning Qingshan, and she wanted to find her son a wife anyway. She had only firmly rejected Ning Qingshan to prevent a direct conflict between him and Ao Mingyu.

    However, it took just a few days for him to lose interest for some reason and he stopped caring about the consort drafting. She thought that he was being a child, gaining and losing interest with a turn of his mind. When the Emperor expressed his interest to bestow an engagement on him, he said that he didn¡¯t care when she asked him about it in private.

    Of course, she was satisfied with his obedience. He didn¡¯t say anything either when she asked him to seek Ya Moqin¡¯s hand in marriage. Since Ao Mingyu didn¡¯t want Ya Moqin, she would get his son to marry her. Once the couple had children, she would like to see how Grand Tutor Ya would handle the matter. It was true that Ao Mingyu carried Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s blood, but so would Ya Moqin¡¯s children.

    She wasn¡¯t expecting Grand Tutor Ya to support Ao Mingwan. It was enough that a part of the people in Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor favored him. That way, her enemy would have less support while she would gain more help. That was the effect that she wanted. She was pleased that the effect was slowly manifesting. She wasn¡¯t in a rush because the Emperor appeared to be in decent health.

    Later, Ao Mingyu was badly injured and Ya Moqin sneaked into Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor. The two of them were found inside a room all by themselves with their clothes in disarray. Honored Consort Shu was so mad that she almost coughed up blood and all she could do was scold Grand Tutor Ya for not educating his children. Which nobledy would do such a shameless thing? Ya Moqin had cuckolded her son! For this, she had run into the Emperor¡¯s study and kicked up a fuss.

    Grand Tutor Ya was reprimanded for the incident. Honored Consort Ya knelt outside the imperial study as an apology and ended up fainting. Following these events, Honored Consort Shu felt that Ao Mingwan had increasingly good chances at obtaining the throne.

    Yet, at this critical time, the Emperor fell ill and the Empress refused to let her see him. Ao Chenyi was appointed as the Crown Prince out of the blue while her son was still the same idle Prince Fu. How could she let this be? Since the Empress wouldn¡¯t let her meet the Emperor, she would wait outside his room until she could see him.

    Therefore, she had been waiting outside the Emperor¡¯s residence for many days, leaving only to sleep. The other consorts took note of her attitude and voluntarily stayed behind to wait with her. They waited quietly for any news at all toe out of the residence, good or bad...

    Meanwhile, in Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor, Ao Mingyu could already sit up on the bed but hisplexion was still poor. Of course, anyone who was so badly injured, cuckolded, and inexplicably cuckolded another man, wouldn¡¯t be in a good condition. Worst of all, Honored Consort Ya had also been imprisoned.

    Most devastating of all was that the order hade from the Emperor. He couldn¡¯t protest the order no matter how much he wanted to.

    All that pent-up frustration caused a blister to form on his mouth. After a servant helped him lean against the bed frame, he looked coldly at Xia Yuhang. Like him, Xia Yuhang was no longer that gentleman from before. Xia Yuhang looked gloomy, and his usualposure had vanished.

    He was also in a shameful situation. Like Hua Manor, Xia Manor had also be an enemy of the public and a target of criticism. He used to be a nobleman with great fame in the capital, but his reputation was now in tatters. Nearly everyone who saw him would mock him. Even ordinary people whom he used to look down on would talk about how he canceled his engagement, with every word dripping with sarcasm.

    He was too ashamed to meet anyone! He felt as if everyone he met wasughing at him. Once upon a time, he was a famous gentleman known to be glorious and energetic, with a gentle and obedientdy beside him... This was all gone now. He was now a big joke in the capital.

    Worse, he had lost Ao Mingyu¡¯s favor because of what happened to Ning Qingshan. His future was almost ruined!

    Little did he expect that Ao Mingyu would send someone to see him out of the blue. Ao Mingyu invited him back to Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor and into his room. He thought that Ao Mingyu would never use him again because of Ning Qingshan. This was a pleasant surprise to him, so he would do his best to perform well.

    Ao Mingyu was hisst hope now!

    ¡°Your Highness, Prince Yi has all the political authority right now. You¡¯re in a bad condition, and Prince Fu¡¯s influence has always been weak. Prince Yi had likely consolidated all imperial power in his hands in the past few days,¡± Xia Yuhang said. He had thought it over on his way here. Like him, Ao Mingyu was also in a near-hopeless situation. That was why Ao Mingyu had invited him over.

    Being in a simr situation, they were somewhat of ¡°fellow sufferers¡± who could empathize with each other.

    ¡°My mother is still in prison, my father is in aa. Are we going to watch him control the court like this?¡± Ao Mingyu said furiously. He recalled how he had been injured out of the blue. In the past few days, he pondered a lot and what came to mind most frequently was him dragging Ning Xueyan.

    Shortly after that incident, he was stabbed outside the pce gates. The attack nearly imed his life but fortunately, he had leaned sideways with all his strength. Otherwise, he would have been stabbed to death. When he regained consciousness, he learned that Ao Chenyi had also been stabbed and injured. He didn¡¯t believe it. He felt that Ao Chenyi was involved in the assassination.

    And the cause was likely Ning Xueyan.

    This reason felt inexplicable even to him. He couldn¡¯t tell that Ao Chenyi liked Ning Xueyan in the slightest. Even so, hended on this conclusion after much thought. It didn¡¯t make sense otherwise. After all, no one had ever managed to injure Ao Chenyi in all previous assassinations, and Ao Chenyi was said to be so badly injured that he was still in aa.

    He had sent many assassinations after Ao Chenyi, as did his father. Ao Mingwan might not have many subordinates but he wasn¡¯t innocent either. So many assassins, one after another, tried to kill Ao Chenyi but no one had seeded. None managed to hurt him despite the great opportunity at the pce banquet previously, so how could he be injured right after leaving the pce? And badly injured, at that.

    No matter how bad Ao Chenyi¡¯s injuries were, they couldn¡¯t be worse than his. He was so close to never regaining unconsciousness, while Ao Chenyi had recovered enough to walk and run around. It was obvious that this was Ao Chenyi¡¯s doing. Did Ao Chenyi attack him because he tried to pull Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand in the pce?

    The assassination was rumored to be the Emperor¡¯s doing, but he didn¡¯t believe it. He knew his father well. His father had nothing but high hopes for him and would never injure him alongside Ao Chenyi. He even lost his life, after all. He didn¡¯t think it was Ao Mingwan either because Ao Mingwan didn¡¯t have the power to assassinate him and Ao Chenyi at the same time.

    And he was the least likely perpetrator of them all. With these factors in mind, Ao Chenyi stood out as the only person likely to do such a thing.

    However, he didn¡¯t have any proof. It was all his spection and before he could share his spection with the Emperor, a series of events happened. None of the events were happy events, and worst of all, his father eventually fell ill, his mother was imprisoned, and Ao Chenyi was made the Crown Prince.

    It all happened too quickly, and he was still stuck in bed recovering from his injuries. He couldn¡¯t even walk without help, much less do anything.

    He couldn¡¯t ept this, so he invited Xia Yuhang over...

 Chapter 647 - Scheming Again and Again

    <h4>Chapter 647 Scheming Again and Again</h4>

    ¡°What should we do now?¡± Ao Mingyu asked, going straight to the point, and looked at Xia Yuhang. He didn¡¯t have time to waste.

    Xia Yuhang thought about it before asking, ¡°Do you want to save Honored Consort Ya or deal with Prince Yi first?¡±

    ¡°Deal with Prince Yi!¡± Ao Mingyu replied coldly without hesitation. His mother was imprisoned but not charged with any crime. She wouldn¡¯t have the freedom to move and her living environment would be poor, but that was all. Saving her wasn¡¯t as important as dealing with Ao Chenyi.

    ¡°Now that Prince Yi is the Crown Prince, he¡¯s staying in the Eastern Pce. The Eastern Pce is undoubtedly heavily guarded right now. It won¡¯t be easy for you to deal with him,¡± Xia Yuhang replied, frowning. Ao Chenyi had outstanding guards. No assassin had ever seeded in hurting him. Now that he had be the Crown Prince, his protection would only increase. Prince Xiang wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything to him.

    Ao Mingyu lowered his head and said nothing. He knew how capable Ao Chenyi¡¯s guards were. Nearly all of his assassins were killed. This was also important evidence that led him to believe that the assassination outside the pce gates was a show that Ao Chenyi orchestrated.

    Seeing Ao Mingyu frown without saying anything, Xia Yuhang suggested, ¡°Your Highness, if we can¡¯t attack Prince Yi, we can target Princess Yi.¡±

    ¡°Target Ning Xueyan?¡± Ao Mingyu raised his head in surprise.

    ¡°Yes, her. I¡¯m sure most of the guards at Prince Yi¡¯s Manor have been dispatched to the Eastern Pce, leaving only some women and servants in the manor. Attacking Princess Yi will be much easier than attacking Prince Yi,¡± Xia Yuhang said.

    ¡°What¡¯s the point of attacking her? Do you think that my uncle will give up the throne for a woman?¡± Ao Mingyu couldn¡¯t help but mock Xia Yuhang. Even if he thought that the rumor that Ao Chenyi disdained Ning Xueyan was false, he knew that Ao Chenyi would never let go of the throne for a woman. Ao Chenyi¡¯s ruthlessness was evident. He had killed many of the beautiful women sent to him just because he found them unpleasant.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean, Your Highness. Ning Xueyan is Princess Yi and she represents his honor. If something happens to her, Prince Yi wouldn¡¯t just sit around and do nothing. He¡¯ll send men everywhere to look for her. Whether or not he likes her, he¡¯ll be humiliated if she gets shamed and vited. Knowing his temper, he¡¯ll send a portion of his forces to find her.¡±

    Xia Yuhang helped Ao Mingyu analyze the matter one by one. ¡°When Prince Yi sendsrge batches of men to find her, we¡¯ll spread the rumor that she has eloped with another man because she wants to escape his tyranny. We¡¯ll take advantage of the chaos to rile up the court officials. We¡¯ll say that Prince Yi is vicious and doesn¡¯t deserve the throne. As for the Emperor, we¡¯ll sneak in and...¡±

    Instead of finishing his sentence, Xia Yuhang made a shing gesture at his neck.

    His meaning was evident!

    Understanding the gesture, Ao Mingyu couldn¡¯t help but tighten his fists on the quilt. When he let go, his face was warped into a malevolent expression. A sharp look crossed his eyes after a while. He gritted his teeth and said, ¡°All right! We¡¯ll do as you say!¡±

    His father was getting old and no one knew he was dead or alive, anyway. Judging by the news from the pcetely, he seemed to be on the verge of death. Even if the Emperor didn¡¯t die now, he would be dying soon. He might as well help his son. When Ao Mingyu ascended to the throne, he promised he would pray for his father well.

    He would frame Ao Chenyi for his father¡¯s death and fake Princess Yi¡¯s elopement because of her tyranny. He was sure that these events would cause amotion in the court, and at that time, the ministers who favored him would take his side. What did it matter that Ao Chenyi was the Crown Prince?

    One could say that Ao Mingyu and Xia Yuhang¡¯s n was simr to the Empress¡¯ n. However, the former would be targeting Ning Xueyan while thetter was trying to use Commandery Princess Xianyun. They were using different methods to get the same oue.

    ¡°But I¡¯m afraid we can¡¯t use our subordinates right now.¡± Ao Mingyu frowned. He knew that he and Ao Chenyi were the strongest contenders for the throne. Now that Ao Chenyi had be the Crown Prince, his every action might lead to spection by others.

    There were a lot of people watching him right now, wanting to give him trouble to win Ao Chenyi¡¯s favor.

    ¡°You have your mother¡¯s family, don¡¯t you? Grand Tutor Ya might be older now but he¡¯s still a force to be reckoned with,¡± Xia Yuhang said with a dark expression.

    Grand Tutor Ya seemed determined to stay out of politics, but that was all an illusion. He had been plotting Ao Mingyu¡¯s sess all along. One could say that without his scheming, Honored Consort Ya and Ao Mingyu wouldn¡¯t be so influential all these years.

    This sort of invisible force was rarer than actual troops. Moreover, he had been patient for many years for Ao Mingyu¡¯s sake. It could be said that he had spared no effort for Ao Mingyu.

    ¡°All right. It¡¯s inconvenient for me to send someone. When you go home, send someone to tell Grandfather about my n. I believe that he¡¯ll find a solution.¡±

    Ao Mingyu had always respected his maternal grandfather, so he nodded after thinking about it. Under such circumstances, his grandfather was the only one that he could rely on. He could at least trust that his grandfather was wholeheartedly on his side, but he couldn¡¯t say the same for the ministers who used to support him.

    This was also why he was forced to get Xia Yuhang¡¯s help. He had to pretend that he didn¡¯t care about Ning Qingshan¡¯s incident to get Xia Yuhang to work for him again. It was only because he didn¡¯t have other subordinates that he could use.

    Xia Yuhang wasn¡¯t a good man. Ao Mingyu looked down on him, but he knew that Xia Yuhang was in the same boat as him. Under such immense pressure, Xia Yuhang was forced to take his side and his loyalty wasn¡¯t a problem. Therefore, he felt assured to use Xia Yuhang again.

    ¡°Your Highness, since people are keeping an eye on you, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll have people watching Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor as well. They¡¯ll likely find out if I send someone to meet Grand Tutor Ya,¡± Xia Yuhang said gloomily. No longer the elegant young nobleman from before, he gave off a sinister feeling instead.

    His words made sense. Ao Mingyu paced back and forth in the room and thought for a long time before stopping in front of Xia Yuhang again. ¡°Don¡¯t send your messenger straight to my grandfather. Send him to meet Ya Moqin¡¯s second aunt, Wu Yao, instead. She bought a small courtyard beside Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor after her husband died. The side door of her courtyard leads directly to Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor.¡±

    Not many knew this, only a few trusted aides in Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor and Wu Yao¡¯s courtyard.

    Many years ago, Wu Yao became a widow shortly after getting married. She soon left home with her dowry, saying that her husband¡¯s family didn¡¯t want her around, and came to Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor. She bought a small courtyard nearby and settled down there.

    Everyone thought that she was staying there because her older sister had married Grand Tutor Ya. It was natural for a widow to want to find someone to rely on, especially her older sister and sister-inw. There was, however, another reason for this.

    This didn¡¯t arouse anyone¡¯s suspicion at all. Even though Wu Yao would leave the capital and go on excursions with her maids now and then, she would live in seclusion after returning. For many years, she only stayed in contact with a handful of familiar faces.

    She would only visit Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor during the festivities. Most of the time, she stayed behind closed doors. It seemed that she had remained faithful to the memory of her husband.

    The truth was that she had sought shelter with Grand Tutor Ya immediately after her husband died. How could a widow leave her husband¡¯s home with her dowry unscathed otherwise? It went without saying that she had Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s help.

    Grand Tutor Ya had chosen her for two reasons. One, she was a low-profile person. Second, she was a noblewoman of the previous dynasty. She was famous even among the noblewomen of the previous dynasty and had been part of the smallwork of friends that the former Empress kept at that time. She could be considered a first-ss noblewoman.

    Of course, she was also aware of some of the former Empress¡¯ secrets.

    She was the best candidate to investigate the former Empress¡¯ affairs. That was why the side door of her courtyard would lead to Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor. They seemed like two families who weren¡¯t close, but in reality, they were in the same camp.

    Ning Qingshan¡¯s identity was also a secret. Ning Qingshan had been greatly favored as well. Without mishap, she would be the next Empress. Wu Yao¡¯s contribution had been one of the deciding factors. One could see how much Grand Tutor Ya approved and valued her.

    Ao Mingyu didn¡¯t n on telling Xia Yuhang about this, but Xia Yuhang was the only person who could do this for him. There was no better help that he could find.

    Xia Yuhang was surprised to hear about Wu Yao. He had heard about Madam Wu before. Madam Wu was said to live a secluded life and honored women¡¯s etiquette. Even though her older sister lived right next door, she didn¡¯t visit her every day. She could be considered a well-known madam.

    She had a good reputation in the capital. Everyone who mentioned her would praise her.

    Even though she didn¡¯t attend banquets, it didn¡¯t stop other madams in the capital from recognizing her as a role model.

    Recovering from his surprise, Xia Yuhang nodded and said, ¡°All right. I¡¯ll ask to see Madam Wu Yao in my mother¡¯s name.¡± This was the best that they could do in this situation. Of course, it wasn¡¯t proper for a young man like him to send a messenger to Madam Wu Yao, but he could do it under his mother¡¯s name.

    He had evene up with an excuse. Madam Wu Yao had a good reputation. Considering their family¡¯s condition, it made sense for his mother to express goodwill toward her.

    After the two of them reached an agreement, Xia Yuhang sneaked out of Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor through the backdoor. He was currently a public enemy, so it wasn¡¯t appropriate for him to enter and leave Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor. Simrly, he also sneaked back home through the backdoor. He didn¡¯t go very far before a maid dressed in ck ran toward him. ¡°Eldest Young Master,¡± she said in a panic, ¡°You¡¯re finally back! Hurry up and return! Madam is looking for you!¡±

 Chapter 648 - Wen Xueranâ€™s Return

    <h4>Chapter 648 Wen Xueran¡¯s Return</h4>

    ¡°What is it?¡± Xia Yuhang asked, stopping in his tracks.

    The maid in ck wiped the sweat on her head and said in a panic, ¡°Someone is... Someone is looking for you.¡±

    She was contradicting her previous words. He didn¡¯t immediately understand her intention, so he went straight to the point. ¡°Who is looking for me? Madam or someone else?¡±

    ¡°Someone came for you for an urgent business, Eldest Young Master. He has been taken to the study. Madam is panicking because she couldn¡¯t find you anywhere.¡±

    The maid was a clever one. She stopped stuttering and exined the matter to him.

    Who was looking for him? Why did his mother lead the guest to his study? Xia Yuhang was surprised. His mother never interfered in his business. Why did she take matters into her own hands and invite the guest in? Why was she desperate to find him? Did they have a special guest?

    He contemted for a moment before telling the maid, ¡°Tell my mother that I¡¯m back and on my way to the study.¡±

    If his mother was looking for him because the guest wanted to see him, he felt the need to meet that person.

    ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± The maid nodded. She wiped her sweat and turned around to leave.

    Xia Yuhang took the time topose himself before turning around and taking a small path leading to the outer courtyard. Seeing that the guest came here for him at this hour and his mother was impatient to find him, the person must not be someone ordinary.

    He was no longer the celebrated nobleman that he had once been. Not even his sycophants visited him, never mind his rtives. This could only mean that his guest was someone special, and someone not linked to Ao Mingyu.

    Suddenly, his heart skipped a beat and he subconsciously quickened his pace. When he realized this, he smiled wryly. What was he thinking? How could he be thinking of her?

    The door of his study was left slightly ajar. Standing in front of the door was his servant and an unfamiliar servant. Xia Yuhang frowned. He had never seen that servant before. He began to wonder if he had seen his guest before.

    ¡°Eldest Young Master.¡± His servant immediately stepped forward and saluted him after seeing him.

    The unfamiliar servant saluted him respectfully as well. His etiquette was on point. He must be a clever one.

    Xia Yuhang pushed the door and glimpsed a sapphire-blue satin robe. Men¡¯s robe made of such cloth tended to look excessively feminine, but it somehow made the man wearing it look handsome, strong, and carefree.

    The man was standing in front of a bookshelf when he heard the door opening. He turned his head and his pupils shifted beautifully. His gaze was seductive. Even a man like Xia Yuhang couldn¡¯t help but feel attracted to his charm. He was so surprised that he didn¡¯t immediately notice that he knew this man.

    He widened his eyes and couldn¡¯t help but stutter. ¡°What... are you doing here? Hadn¡¯t you already left?¡±

    Wen Xueran turned around and sat down on a wide chair. ¡°I can alwayse back, can¡¯t I?¡± he retorted, looking peacefully at Xia Yuhang with a smile.

    Xia Yuhang closed the door, purely on instinct, and stepped forward. ¡°You... You dare to show up here,¡± he said coldly.

    ¡°Why not? Even you dare to stay in the capital. Why wouldn¡¯t I dare toe?¡± Wen Xueran¡¯s smile turned even more charming as he acted as if he didn¡¯t notice Xia Yuhang¡¯s dark expression.

    Both were once noblemen in the capital. How could they not know each other?

    However, Wen Xueran was known to be a charming yboy while Xia Yuhang was known to be a promising nobleman. Their reputation was like heaven and earth, but now that they were meeting again, he felt a hit on his self-esteem. While he was nothing at all, Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min was no longer the same yboy from before.

    Wen Xueran was the prince of the previous imperial family and the new master of Annan. These two identities alone were enough to put Wen Xueran on a pedestal high above him.

    Xia Yuhang looked at Wen Xueran with aplicated expression. Once upon a time, he would feel superior whenever he ran into Wen Xueran. He felt that he, at least, didn¡¯t use his appearance to seduce youngdies from noble families and flirt with everyone.

    However, meeting Wen Xueran again made him realize that he wasn¡¯t only inferior to Wen Xueran in terms of identity. His so-called moral superiority didn¡¯t exist at all.

    ¡°Why... can¡¯t I stay in the capital?¡± Xia Yuhang sighed on the inside but maintained a cold expression on the outside.

    He was sure that he wouldn¡¯t like the reason Wen Xueran showed up at his manor. He could tell this much. Wen Xueran was rebelling against the court. It was no wonder that Wen Xueran¡¯s appearance in his manor would make his mother look for him in a panic.

    If someone were to see him in contact with Wen Xueran at this time, he would be implicating his entire family.

    ¡°Did you think Prince Xiang wouldn¡¯t me you for ruining the Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor? As far as I remember, the Grand Eldest Princess of the previous dynasty died in the Eldest Young Lady Xia¡¯s hands. Do you not regret anything at all?¡± Wen Xueran¡¯s smile was charming and frivolous.

    Wen Xueran sounded like he was teasing him, but he could keenly feel that Wen Xueran wasn¡¯t joking with him.

    Wen Xueran was telling the truth. Would Ao Mingyu not me him? Both of them knew the answer, but he had no choice but to believe Ao Mingyu under these circumstances. They had to work together and put their brains together. This was the advantage of smart men. They could put aside their differences for the time being and join hands.

    However, they both knew the truth. What they thought and what they said were two separate matters.

    Xia Yuhang¡¯s expression changed subtly. He sat on the chair opposite Wen Xueran andposed himself. He went straight to the point and said, ¡°Princely Heir Wen, just say what you want to say.¡±

    ¡°I want Ning Xueyan,¡± Wen Xueran said matter-of-factly, as if he was discussing a most ordinary event or that Ning Xueyan was an ordinary maid, not the Crown Princess.

    Surprised, Xia Yuhang couldn¡¯t help but retort, ¡°What do you want her for?¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t it benefit you and Ao Mingyu if I take her away?¡± Wen Xueran looked up and smiled. His smile was as enchanting and cunning as a fox. He didn¡¯t give Xia Yuhang any clues about Ning Xueyan¡¯s identity.

    His words aligned with the n that Xia Yuhang made up for Ao Mingyu, but Xia Yuhang didn¡¯t dare to agree so easily or rashly. It was apparent that Wen Xueran was no easy opponent.

    ¡°Forget it if you¡¯re not willing to tell me, Princely Heir Wen. Neither Prince Xiang nor I have the intention to target the Crown Princess. The Crown Princess is the Crown Prince¡¯s official wife. We can¡¯t approach her as we please. I ask that you leave immediately lest you bring trouble upon my family.¡±

    Xia Yuhang¡¯s eyes turned cold.

    Wen Xueranughed when he saw Xia Yuhang pretending to respect Ning Xueyan. The corners of his mouth were curved into a gentle, seductive arc.

    ¡°You¡¯re quite the jokester, Eldest Young Master Xia. Why don¡¯t you consider it? I¡¯ll be staying in the capital for a few days. If you and Prince Xiang are interested in working with me, I¡¯m sure we can aplish this task with considerable ease. You want Ao Chenyi¡¯s life, but all I want is Ning Xueyan. It¡¯s a good deal for both sides. Why don¡¯t you get it?¡±

    Wen Xueran stood up leisurely, not at all surprised at Xia Yuhang¡¯s refusal. Only then did Xia Yuhang notice that a female bodyguard in white was hiding in the shadow cast by his bookshelf.

    His attention had been on Wen Xueran, and the female bodyguard was hiding the shadows, resulting in a blind spot in his vision. He didn¡¯t notice a third person inside the study at all.

    It was a fierce-looking woman with seemingly good martial arts. She must be Wen Xueran¡¯s guard. Xia Yuhang felt deeply ufortable that a woman was looking at him so sharply.

    ¡°Farewell, Eldest Young Master Xia. If you¡¯re interested in meeting me,e to the Cold Mountain Temple. I believe you¡¯re familiar with the ce,¡± Wen Xueran said with a smile. His words stabbed straight at Xia Yuhang¡¯s conscience.

    How could he forget the Cold Mountain Temple? He would never forget the ce!

    ¡°You should leave immediately, Princely Heir Wen. If someone finds you, I won¡¯t be able to exin myself.¡± Xia Yuhang stood up and began to chase his guest out like a terrible host.

    Even so, both of them knew that they would be in trouble if Wen Xueran¡¯s whereabouts were exposed. Wen Xueran wouldn¡¯t be able to escape and Xia Yuhang would be in hot water too. Not only would the people in the capital suspect him, but those in Annan wouldn¡¯t spare him either. Therefore, Xia Yuhang didn¡¯t want anyone to find Wen Xueran, especially when Wen Xueran had dropped by his manor.

    It was obvious that Wen Xueran knew this as well. That was why he came to Xia Manor so bravely to meet Xia Yuhang. Since he had said what he wanted to say, he didn¡¯t waste any more time on Xia Yuhang and leave the manor with his female guard and servant.

    They had entered Xia Manor in their carriage, so they left in the same way.

    Once inside the carriage, Wen Xueran leaned against the soft couch and closed his eyes to rest.

    His female guard looked at him uneasily and then outside the window. In the end, she couldn¡¯t help but say respectfully, ¡°Master, you should return. You can leave the matters here to me and Xia Yuhang. It¡¯s not safe for you to stay here.¡±

    Wen Xueran¡¯s identity had be public knowledge, and both camps were currently at war. In her opinion, it was unwise for him to return to the capital at such a time. Even so, her master had insisted.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right!¡± Wen Xueran replied indifferently. He opened his eyes and looked at his female guard coldly. His gaze made her shiver and lower her head in a hurry. She couldn¡¯t even talk anymore.

    She felt a stab of guilt. She had handled Ning Ziying¡¯s affairs by herself, only to...

    However, Ning Ziying and Ning Xueyan were different people. It was evident that her master didn¡¯t care about Ning Ziying. She knew his feelings for the Crown Princess, so even though she was envious, she wouldn¡¯t dare to be careless.

    In the end, she knew that her master treated that woman differently or he wouldn¡¯t have traveled a hundred miles to return to the capital without caring for danger. She could still remember how determined he had been before they left.

    ¡°Make a detour,¡± Wen Xueran said emotionlessly. The chauffeur answered him and turned the carriage as ordered. The female guard put aside her thoughts. Seeing the new direction that the carriage was taking, her expression changed.

    ¡°Master...¡±

 Chapter 649 - Mysterious Madam Wu Yao

    <h4>Chapter 649 Mysterious Madam Wu Yao</h4>

    It took a long time for Xia Yuhang topose himself after Wen Xueran left. He walked back to the backyard calmly to meet his mother. Mrs. Xia let out a sigh of relief after hearing that Wen Xueran was gone. Xia Manor had fallen, and if their family was dragged into a rebellion, they would be damned.

    Everyone in Xia Manor, including Mrs. Xia, was like a bird that would be easily startled by a mere twang of a bow.

    After calming down his mother, Xia Yuhang returned to his study and ordered a maid working there to visit Madam Wu Yao with an invitation under Mrs. Xia¡¯s name.

    The invitation soon reached Wu Yao.

    Wu Yao was an alluring woman, seemingly only in her early thirties. Though she was not exactly young, she took such good care of herself that she still carried an elegant charm. She had a pretty face too. She picked up the invitation and read it. Then, without taking anyone with her, she headed for the side door in the back.

    The side door was usually under the supervision of an older female servant. Upon seeing Wu Yao by herself, she immediately opened the door. She locked the door after Wu Yao went in, sat on her stool, and looked around warily.

    The servant belonged to Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s manor, not Wu Yao¡¯s manor.

    The side door didn¡¯t lead to the side door of Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor, but a small courtyard. The courtyard was remote, but not secluded.

    Wu Yao had juste out of a closet when she found herself pulled into a pair of solid arms. She heard a chuckle in her ears. ¡°Babe, you¡¯re finally here. I¡¯ve sent several letters to you. I¡¯ve been waiting for a long time but didn¡¯t see you. You¡¯ve kept me waiting.¡±

    A hint of resentment crossed Wu Yao¡¯s eyes but she immediately put on a smile. She pushed the man¡¯s hands away and teased, ¡°Don¡¯t do this, Brother-inw. I have important business with the Grand Tutor.¡±

    She seemed to be flirting with him rather than really pushing him away, seducing the man even further. He felt soft all over. Not caring about her words, he pulled Wu Yao¡¯s clothes with an increasingly lewd smile. ¡°Leave that forter. I¡¯ve been waiting for you for a long time. If you didn¡¯t show up when you did, I would have ignored my father¡¯s words and looked for you directly.¡±

    While speaking, the man tore her belt away with impatience and force.

    ¡°Brother-inw, it¡¯s a letter from Prince Xiang. It¡¯s urgent. We can¡¯t dy it.¡± Wu Yao had always looked down on her yboy brother-inw, but she was no saint either. They had been having an affair for a long time.

    Though he had fallen for her charm, their affair was also the result of Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s strict supervision of his son. Grand Tutor Ya knew that his son was useless and didn¡¯t have high hopes for him. Even so, he refused to let his son ruin things for him and Ao Mingyu, so his son wasn¡¯t allowed to do anything that would harm Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor in the slightest.

    When Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s son met his charming sister-inw, he immediately fell hard for her.

    His sister-inw was a vixenpared to Ya Moqin¡¯s mother. She was exactly his cup of tea.

    His onlyint was that he couldn¡¯t do anything to his sister-inw even when she was living in their manor. He knew that his father wouldn¡¯t let him off otherwise.

    Therefore, even if he was a good-for-nothing yboy, he let go of her helplessly after hearing that she had a letter from the Third Prince. He was under his father¡¯s strict watch and knew that it was an important matter. Stretching out a hand and muttering helplessly, he said, ¡°Where¡¯s the letter? Give it to me.¡±

    Wu Yao straightened her clothes before retrieving the letter from her bosom and giving it to him. He took the letter and scanned it briefly before turning around and leaving. His father must be waiting for this letter at this time, so he didn¡¯t dare to dy. The situation in the pce was always changing at the drop of a hat. Even his sister was imprisoned at the moment.

    Though he was just a yboy of Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor, he could still tell how critical this moment was.

    If his nephew couldn¡¯t be the Emperor, their manor would lose much of its splendor.

    He couldn¡¯t be bothered to seek pleasure with Wu Yao anymore. He rushed forward with the letter in hand. Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s study was just right ahead. There was a good reason that the study was built there.

    The powerful Grand Tutor Ya was sitting inside the study, muttering to himself as he read a document.

    Hearing the knock on the door, he saw his son rushing in. He put down the document in his hand.

    ¡°Father, Prince Xiang sent you a letter.¡±

    ¡°Bring it here.¡± Grand Tutor Ya nodded. It was about time that Prince Xiang started taking action, he thought. He had been waiting for it ever since he received news that Prince Xiang was awake.

    ¡°Yes.¡± His son presented the letter respectfully.

    Grand Tutor Ya picked up the letter and read it. His expression turned solemn. The letter was from Xia Yuhang, but he expressed that his intention was also Ao Mingyu¡¯s intention.

    ¡°How is Qin¡¯er doing?¡±

    ¡°Father, Qin¡¯er is still being locked up. I heard that she cried and made a fuss for a while, but she¡¯s fine now. I think she¡¯s repenting!¡±

    The moment Ya Moqin returned after causing a scandal, Grand Tutor Ya sent someone to lock her up. Of course, Ya Moqin wasn¡¯t the kind to stay quiet. Knowing that Grand Tutor Ya had always doted on her, she wept and caused a fuss in her courtyard like an unreasonable child. She was determined to see Ao Mingyu. Grand Tutor Ya had to reprimand her sternly and beat a few of her maids to death to regain peace in the manor.

    ¡°She used to be good friends with Commandery Princess Muling, right?¡± Grand Tutor Ya nodded.

    The King of Yunnan¡¯s daughter, Commandery Princess Muling, had been staying in the capital for a long time. She was on good terms with all the youngdies from the noble and powerful families in the capital. Ya Moqin¡¯s status meant that she was destined to have known Commandery Princess Muling.

    ¡°Yes, Father.¡±

    Grand Tutor Ya looked at the letter in front of him and felt his eyes twitch. Then, he said gently, ¡°Tell Qin¡¯er toe here. I¡¯ll give her a chance.¡±

    One wouldn¡¯t tell from his expression that he was the current Grand Tutor of the court. He looked like a kind old man.

    ¡°Yes, Father.¡± His son didn¡¯t dare to go against his words at all, even if he didn¡¯t know why he had to tell Ya Moqin toe here.

    Ning Xueyan wasn¡¯t aware that Wen Xueran had returned to the capital. Though she was the Crown Princess, she continued to live peacefully in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. However, her peace had been shattered by an invitation.

    Ning Xueyan frowned as she looked at the name on the invitation, her eyshes fluttering. ¡°Madam Wu Yao? The woman who Ning Qingshan met before?¡± she asked Xinmei. She once instructed Xinmei to investigate Ning Qingshan and learned that Ning Qingshan would never visit Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor directly. Instead, Ning Qingshan would visit Wu Manor, which was beside Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor.

    ¡°Madam Wu has a good reputation. She¡¯s considered a role model to all noble madams in the capital. I heard that her husband used to be a schr-official from the previous dynasty, but died for the country. She requested to leave her husband¡¯s home, set up a new home with her dowry, and live independently. Even so, she continued to stay faithful to herte husband. Therefore, all the new nobles and nobles of the previous dynasty respect her.¡±

    ¡°Madam Wu used to be known as a talenteddy before she got married and had the admiration of many schrs. She rarely associated herself with other madams, but her reputation spreads far and wide. It¡¯s a surprise that she¡¯d throw a poetry exchange at this time,¡± Xinmei said, sounding disdainful.

    If her master hadn¡¯t instructed her to investigate Madam Wu Yao, she would have thought that thetter was a chaste, faithful woman. It took further investigation for her to learn that Madam Wu Yao was simply angling for fame.

    Madam Wu Yao made herself out to be a dignified woman but was in actuality the same kind of trash as Ning Qingshan. Both were hypocrites.

    ¡°Xinmei, do you think I should go?¡± Ning Xueyan leaned against the chair with a sneer. It seemed that Madam Wu Yao couldn¡¯t hold back from targeting her anymore. Was it because of Ning Qingshan?

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t go, Master. You¡¯re the Crown Princess now. That¡¯s a whole other level from your status as Princess Yi before. Why should you get yourself involved in this troublesome matter? I think you should just kidnap her if you want to know what she¡¯s up to. She¡¯s just a hypocritical, pretentious woman.¡±

    Xinmei never liked women like Ning Qingshan. She couldn¡¯t help but persuade Ning Xueyan not to go.

    In her opinion, her method was simple and rude, but most suitable for women like Wu Yao and Ning Qingshan.

    ¡°No, I¡¯ll go. Since Madam Wu Yao, a woman with such a ster reputation, is inviting me to attend her poetry exchange, I¡¯ll look cowardly if I refuse.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled with an unreadable emotion in her eyes.

    Poetry exchange? What a graceful name for a meeting. The whole affair was likely centered around elegance. If she were to embarrass herself at the poetry exchange, she would also taint Ao Chenyi¡¯s reputation.

    She was quite interested in meeting Wu Yao, whose voice was simr to Ya Moqin¡¯s. Her mother had been the one to receive Wu Yao when thetter first arrived in Jiangnan. Her mother had treated Wu Yao like a sister and allowed thetter to stay in their manor for some time. That time coincided with her mother¡¯s severe illness.

    Even though Wu Yao left before her mother finally sumbed to illness, she refused to believe that Wu Yao was innocent in the matter.

    Her mother had always been healthy when she was alive. In her opinion, even though her mother would mourn her father¡¯s early demise, she would never sumb to her illness so quickly.

    She remembered vividly that her mother had been well, except for some minor illness, when Wu Yao first arrived in Ning Manor. It was inexplicable how her mother¡¯s health suddenly worsened at a speed visible to the naked eye. By the time Wu Yao left, her mother couldn¡¯t even get up anymore.

    Ning Xueyan had been good and kind in her previous life, so she never suspected anyone. In this life, however, she wouldn¡¯t be so easily fooled.

    She had nned to meet Wu Yao soon. Who knew that Wu Yao would reach out to her first? This was the perfect coincidence!

    Wu Yao had always hidden behind Grand Tutor Ya for an unknown purpose, but it was evident that she was Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s most helpful female aid. She wondered if Wu Yao would still be that sociable, cunning woman from before. Now that Ning Qingshan was ruined, Wu Yao was unlikely to be patient anymore...

 Chapter 650 - Paper Had Become Expensive in the Capital

    <h4>Chapter 650 Paper Had Be Expensive in the Capital</h4>

    Ning Xueyan was surprised that Heng Yuqing was invited as well.

    The poetry exchange at Wu Manor was a bigger event than she thought, and the guests more influential than she expected. These people formed what felt like a politically-neutral faction of people and leaders who dared to criticize the monarchy. Some noble families and off-shoot imperial families sent their daughters as guests as well.

    Unlike the typical guest list full of rich, honorable, and beautifuldies, the women invited to the poetry exchange were known to be talented. One could say that most of the guests were from noble families, but somedies weren¡¯t invited despite their honorable families.

    For a moment, people in the capital took pride in receiving Madam Wu¡¯s invitation.

    Someone even said that this was the most meaningful gathering in the capital for the past tens of years. Theck of an invitation meant that thedy was vulgar and boorish. Initially, thedies who didn¡¯t receive an invitation were fine with it as they didn¡¯t have much talent.

    The rumors and spections, however, made them desperate to obtain Madam Wu¡¯s invitation.

    The entire capital seemed to be swept into amotion caused by the poetry exchange. People could be heard discussing the gathering that was about to happen very soon. Everyone felt that Madam Wu Yao was a woman with insight indeed, to be able to host such a gathering. The magnificent and unprecedented gathering turned out to be such a grand asion.

    The capital seemed to have buried its nervousness over the war. It used superficial peace to sweep away the tension that came with the war. The most popr topic was, of course, Wu Yao¡¯s gathering.

    To make themselves famous at the gathering, all thedies crowded ces like the book store. Even book stores stocked with leisure books for the literary became as packed as a marketce, and the customers were all nobledies who tended to stay home.

    Paper had be expensive in the capital¡ªa saying that meant everyone was making copies of popr books. This used to be a legend, but everyone in the capital hade to experience it.

    ¡°Thesedies aren¡¯t taking the pce examination, anyway. Why are they working so hard?¡± Cheng Yu looked at the carriagesing and going below while shaking the fan in his hand. Now and then, a carriage would stop and a lovely, pampereddy would climb inside with the help of a maid. Their voices were sweet, high-pitched, and pleasant.

    After the incidentst time, he no longer dared to call himself a distinguished talent. He ranked fairly high in thepetition this time and earned himself the title of Third-ranked Laureate. His talent wasn¡¯t beneath that of the First-ranked Laureate, but thetter was simply much older than him and the title of the Third-ranked Laureate must go to someone with better looks. Thus, he ended up with the title.

    He was waiting for a position from the Ministry of Appointments at the moment. The main problem was the recent war. Otherwise, the distribution of positions would have beenpleted a long time ago.

    However, he was pretty sure that he would be sent to the Hanlin Manor. After all, it was a prerequisite for a schr to graduate from Hanlin Academy if he wanted to be the Prime Minister.

    Therefore, even if the Hanlin Manor was a politically-neutral government office, it would have a bright future.

    ¡°They¡¯re nobledies who havee to read books.¡± Xia Yuhang was sitting on the other side of Cheng Yu. He looked rather gloomy,cking the vitality unique to young men, and gave off an almost-sinister impression.

    He met Cheng Yu when he visited Jiangnan. Back then, he was a reputable schr from the capital while Cheng Yu was simrly known in Jiangnan. They became fast friends. It was also thanks to him that Xia Yudong managed to befriend Cheng Yu. Otherwise, a talentless man like Xia Yudong would appear to be aplete good-for-nothing in front of Cheng Yu.

    Back then, Cheng Yu was arrogant and aloof. He wouldn¡¯t have bothered to befriend someone like Xia Yudong.

    When he fell into Xia Yudong¡¯s trap, he had run away in a fit of anger but lost his heart to the-then Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Ning Xueyan. However, she had be the Crown Princess and his ruler. He didn¡¯t dare to fantasize about her anymore.

    He had also be much more careful in his affairs than before.

    Xia Yuhang might have lost his reputation, but he was still a smooth-talker as always. He easily convinced Cheng Yu that he was framed and that one day, everyone would know that he was innocent.

    Cheng Yu had known Xia Yuhang for a long time, and thetter¡¯s elegance and charm were ingrained in his memory. He believed Xia Yuhang when thetter said so.

    He was apanying Xia Yuhang to the bookstore to not only check out new books but also to relieve boredom.

    ¡°A woman¡¯s virtue lies in having no talent. They shouldn¡¯t be disturbing others and causing trouble,¡± Cheng Yu said rudely. He had always prided himself on being a gifted schr, so he looked down on thediespeting to show off their talent. ¡°I heard Madam Wu Yao used to be a nobledy of the previous dynasty known for her talent. During those troubled times, she would be considered talented if she could recite a few poems!¡±

    ¡°I heard that Madam Wu Yao is quite talented. Some of her poems were spread around in the past. They¡¯re quite good.¡± It went without saying that he would support Madam Wu Yao. He knew that Madam Wu Yao arranged for the poetry exchange after he sent her that letter.

    ¡°It¡¯s outrageous that a sheltered woman, and a widow at that, would have the mood to write such romantic poems.¡± Cheng Yu sneered. He had read those poems too. Suddenly, he went up to the window when he saw the personing out of a carriage on the road below. He stared at the person carefully.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Xia Yuhang asked, looking at Cheng Yu in confusion. He continued to sit in his chair.

    Cheng Yu blinked and carefully observed the maid who was walking into the bookstore below. ¡°That maid looks familiar,¡± he replied, somewhat bewildered.

    ¡°You probably haven¡¯t met many maids in the capital. If you think about it carefully, I¡¯m sure you can remember who she is,¡± Xia Yuhang said nonchntly, with a hint of teasing in his expression. ¡°Do you perhaps have a nobledy that you¡¯re familiar with, Brother Cheng?¡±

    It was true that Cheng Yu hadn¡¯t met any nobledy sinceing to the capital. Xia Yuhang¡¯s teasing reminded him that the maid was Fifth Young Lady Ning¡¯s personal maid.

    Suddenly, he became filled with anticipation. Even so, he knew that he shouldn¡¯t continue the line of thought because he shouldn¡¯t be fantasizing anything about someone of Fifth Young Lady Ning¡¯s status. The Crown Princess wasn¡¯t someone that he could easily meet.

    No matter how rational he tried to be, he couldn¡¯t help but feel excited. ¡°I think it¡¯s a maid that I know. I¡¯m going to take a look.¡± He couldn¡¯t stop himself anymore and stood up. Even though he didn¡¯t have a chance to meet thedy of his dreams again¡ªperhaps it was more urate to say that they had never met before¡ªhe thought it was possible to ask about her current situation.

    The carriage was still parked there and only a maid hade out of it. There must be someone else inside. Could it be her?

    The idea of this made him even more excited. He didn¡¯t notice that Xia Yuhang was looking at him expressively, with his eyes filled with malice.

    By the time Cheng Yu returned to his senses, Xia Yuhang was smiling again. ¡°Since it¡¯s a maid that you know, thedy must be from a noble family. It¡¯s normal for you to go over and ask about it.¡±

    When Xia Yuhang spoke to Cheng Yu, he looked like he didn¡¯t know anything. He easily dispelled thest of Cheng Yu¡¯s misgivings. Cheng Yu stopped hesitating and put his folding fan on the table. He straightened his clothes solemnly and then walked away from where they had been reading in.

    This was a small space, separated from the public by only a screen. With fully-stocked bookshelves around them, it looked like a refined ce. It was the favorite ce of some elegant schrs.

    They could chat, read, and even drink tea here. This ce made them feel like elegant schrs from ancient times.

    That was a major reason why Cheng Yu would immediatelye over when Xia Yuhang brought it up nonchntly. Even though thepetition was over, he was still an outsider in the capital and didn¡¯t have other business to attend to. When Xia Yuhang invited him, he didn¡¯t turn him down. When he finished straightening out his clothes, he rushed downstairs.

    Even though he wasn¡¯t going to do anything, his heartbeat sped up and his cheeks reddened at the thought of thedy of his dreams sitting in the carriage at this very moment. Even his breathing was bing hitched.

    Ning Xueyan was indeed downstairs. It was rare for her to be here. She hade to find a certain book that was an encyclopedia of sorts.

    She came to find the book because she heard that it featured a broad range of topics and that Madam Wu Yao would likely use it as the basis of herpetition at the poetry exchange.

    She didn¡¯t want to get involved in such activities, but Heng Yuqing happened to visit her and mentioned it. Thus, the two of them stopped by the bookstore to pick out books together. They could take the chance to look around and dispel boredom.

    She didn¡¯t leave the carriage because she wasn¡¯t interested. She stayed inside with Heng Yuqing to chat, leaving the task of finding the book to Lanning.

    Lanning was literate as she used to be Ning Ziying¡¯s principal maid.

    She answered the order and left the carriage. She was about to enter the bookstore when she saw ady, seemingly of high birth, and a few maids walked past her like the wind. A handkerchief fell from thedy¡¯s hand andnded beside Lanning¡¯s foot.

    Lanning was a sharp-eyed person. She could immediately tell that the handkerchief was made of superb material. It wasn¡¯t something an ordinary family could afford. This meant that thedy earlier was a nobledy from a particrly distinguished family.

    Usually, Lanning would have picked up the handkerchief and returned it to thedy from earlier. Maids of nobledies, especially principal ones, tended to be very courteous. Picking up the handkerchief, chasing after them, and returning the handkerchief was an incredibly normal matter.

    However, Lanning looked at the handkerchief near her foot and picked it up. She turned around and returned to the carriage, where she respectfully told Ning Xueyan, ¡°Master, a handkerchief fell next to me. It belonged to a nobledy that I don¡¯t recognize.¡±

    Ning Xueyan was talking to Heng Yuqing inside the carriage when she heard the voice outside. Something flickered in her glistening eyes and she asked Xinmei to lift the curtain.

    ¡°Is it a nobledy that you¡¯ve never met?¡± The lifted curtain allowed Ning Xueyan to narrow her eyes at the handkerchief in Lanning¡¯s hands. Her eyes darkened with an unreadable emotion.

    A handkerchief, and a familiar-looking one at that.

    She found it familiar because she had handkerchiefs made from a simr material, and several at that.

    The Empress had bestowed the material to her when she visited the pce in the past. It was said that few in the pce had the material. It wasn¡¯t something that an ordinary nobledy could afford to use.

 Chapter 651 - The Fallen Handkerchief

    <h4>Chapter 651 The Fallen Handkerchief</h4>

    It would be easy to investigate which household such a material went to. The pce would have kept records of outgoing gifts.

    The Empress had bestowed the material to both her and Commandery Princess Xianyun, but she received only a small roll of the material. She ended up fashioning several handkerchiefs out of the material, which was why she found the current handkerchief so familiar. Lanning recognized it as well.

    Most families wouldn¡¯t be able to afford to use such material. Lanning had met many noblediestely, but she didn¡¯t know thedy earlier.

    Even more familiar was the cluster of orchid embroideries on the corner of the handkerchief. It was her master¡¯s favorite symbol. It was embroidered on some of her master¡¯s small decorative items.

    But, she didn¡¯t know why this symbol would appear on this handkerchief.

    ¡°Lanning, you can just put the handkerchief away.¡± Ning Xueyan smirked, staring out the window with a pensive look. The curtain was only partially lifted, so she couldn¡¯t see much of the outside world.

    ¡°Your Highness, if it¡¯s not yours, why put it away?¡± Heng Yuqing asked confusedly, looking at Ning Xueyan in surprise. She never paid attention to Ning Xueyan¡¯s personal items, so she didn¡¯t notice what was strange with the handkerchief.

    ¡°Since Lanning picked it up, she¡¯ll be the one to carry it. It¡¯ll be hard for anyone to say who it belongs to.¡±

    Ning Xueyan sneered and ordered Xinmei to put down the curtain again. When the curtain was just about to cover the windowpletely, a man rushed out and entered her sight.

    Her memory was superb, so she immediately recognized the man the moment that she saw him. He was the man beside Xia Yudong. Ning Qingshan and Xia Yudong were the ones trying to harm her at that time, so who was it this time?

    Cheng Yu stormed out, just in time to see Lanning turning away from the carriage. He couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh of relief. When he rushed downstairs, he thought that he would run into her on the stairs. Lanning had just left the carriage at that time, and he wouldn¡¯t have taken much time going down the stairs. It was normal for them to reach the stairs at the same time.

    To his surprise, he didn¡¯t see her on his way down. He began to panic. It wasn¡¯t until he rushed out and saw Lanning turning away from the carriage that he felt relieved. She wasn¡¯t gone. She just had business to attend to, which caused a dy.

    He didn¡¯t dare to run straight up to Ning Xueyan¡¯s carriage, so he strayed deeper into the bookstore and waited for Lanning toe. Little did he expect that Lanning would be summoned by the person inside the carriage before walking far. This time, he didn¡¯t have to wait for long. Lanning, having received Ning Xueyan¡¯s order, slowly walked over.

    He calmed down his erratic heart and took two hurried steps, stopping just right beside Lanning. Pretending as if he had just discovered her, he cried out in surprise and stopped in his tracks. ¡°What a coincidence, mydy. We met again,¡± he said with a look of astonishment.

    Lanning paused and looked Cheng Yu up and down with a frown. She took a while to say hesitantly, ¡°Sir, who are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m...¡± Her question was like a bucket of water over his fiery enthusiasm.

    Who was he? Was he supposed to say that he was the man whom Xia Yudong manipted to frame Fifth Young Lady Ning before?

    In all honesty, he and the Crown Princess weren¡¯t at all close, were they? Never mind her, even her maid was confused about his identity. Lanning stood there and looked him up and down for a long time before questioning him. It was obvious that she didn¡¯t remember him at all.

    His enthusiasm, coupled with Xia Yuhang¡¯s timely approval, had prompted him to rush out in hopes of getting a glimpse of her from afar. He was content to just speak a few words to her maid. However, Lanning¡¯s cold gaze and question immediately extinguished all of his passion. He was instantly sober.

    That was right. Who did he think he was? Even he was fooled at that time. They were both victims in that situation. No matter how he looked at it, whether logic or emotion-wise, he had no reason to see her.

    Lanning took a step backward courteously and saluted him. ¡°Sir, please step aside. I want to go upstairs and fetch a book for my master.¡±

    Stumped by her question, Cheng Yu had no choice but to step aside. He watched nkly as Lanning turned toward the stairs on the other side and slowly walked past him.

    Xia Yuhang¡¯s servant appeared at the top of the stairs. When he saw Cheng Yu wearing a vacant expression, he asked loudly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Young Master Chen? My master asks if you¡¯ve found the person that you¡¯re looking for.¡±

    The servant was standing at the top of the stairs, while Cheng Yu was right below. He had to raise his voice to reach Cheng Yu. This exnation was reasonable enough, but shouting inside the quiet bookstore was too attention-grabbing.

    Those who hade to the bookstore to read or find books stopped what they were doing and turned around to look at them. They also noticed Lanning, who had just reached the stairs.

    One was a nobleman in elegant attire and the other looked like a nobledy¡¯s maid. It was quite strange for the two of them to have any interaction.

    Lanning looked at the servant upstairs, stunned at his question. When she recovered her senses, she red at Cheng Yu, who was looking openly at her without realizing that he had be the center of attention. She was furious.

    No wonder her master told her to put the handkerchief away. Had shee in to find the owner of the handkerchief in vain, only to have this man stop her and the servant upstairs shout at the top of his voice, everyone else would have thought that her master was in an ambiguous rtionship with this man.

    They would have thought that her master was the owner of the handkerchief that she was carrying.

    If that happened, her master wouldn¡¯t be able to argue her innocence no matter how she tried.

    Understanding this, she admired Ning Xueyan even more. She took a deep breath and gave up the idea of going upstairs. She came to her senses and, under everyone¡¯s eyes, walked straight up to Cheng Yu. Then, she made a deep bow.

    She didn¡¯t try to hide anything. Following Ning Xueyan¡¯s order, she said confidently, ¡°Sir, you purposefully stopped me earlier, but now you¡¯re saying that you¡¯re looking for someone? Who is that you¡¯re looking for? Even though I¡¯m just a servant, I know a lot of people.¡±

    Cheng Yu didn¡¯t think that Lanning would turn around. He was overjoyed, believing that she had finally remembered him, and waited for her to approach him happily. He didn¡¯t expect to hear such words from her. He became tongue-tied as he stood there, unable to say a word in reply.

    ¡°Please be direct with your intentions, sir. Even if I can¡¯t help, my master might be able to.¡± Lanning stood right in front of Cheng Yu with an unyielding posture. She pretended as if she didn¡¯t know so many people were watching them.

    ¡°It¡¯s... It¡¯s nothing...¡± Cheng Yu stuttered.

    ¡°Nothing? But it doesn¡¯t seem so. You looked so worried earlier, sir. It was as if you have a lot of concerns. Could it be that you¡¯re involved in some kind of awsuit? Sir, this is the capital. If you¡¯ve identally offended someone, my master might be able to help.¡± Lanning looked at Cheng Yu sincerely and frankly. Even though there was a slight frown on her face, it just looked like she was worried about him.

    There were quite a lot of noblemen who came to the bookstore, and many of them recognized Cheng Yu. A few of them burst intoughter when they saw the distinguished schr, the current Third-ranked Laureate, looking awkward because of a maid¡¯s questions.

    One of them yelled, ¡°Eldest Young Master Cheng, voice it out if you¡¯re really in trouble. The maid looks like an enthusiastic one. She might just be able to help you.¡±

    ¡°Exactly! Eldest Young Master Cheng, why did you stop her? Why do you look so awkward now? Just voice your concerns. Don¡¯t keep confusing the maid about your intentions.¡±

    A few others couldn¡¯t help but speak.

    Even though everyone was talking andughing, no one suspected that Cheng Yu was looking for the maid or that there was a secret between Cheng Yu and the maid¡¯s master.

    The maid stood confidently in front of Cheng Yu, unafraid of the attention. She seemed quite imposing too and didn¡¯t look like she worked for an ordinary noble family. She seemed enthusiastic when she spoke. Even though she was pretty, it was clear that there wasn¡¯t anything ambiguous between the two of them.

    Cheng Yu hade to his senses as well. It was at this moment that he realized that he was the center of attention. He immediately blushed and said anxiously, ¡°I... I¡¯m truly fine. I mistook you for someone else.¡±

    ¡°Young Master Chen...¡± The servant at the top of the stairs was still trying to talk to Cheng Yu but was loudly interrupted by a smiling Lanning.

    ¡°Is this your servant, sir? He was so concerned about your affair that he even came out to remind you about it. It seems that you have plenty to be concerned about. If you¡¯re that concerned, please tell my master about it. My master might be able to get you out of your predicament.¡±

    Lanning was looking at the servant on the top of the stairs calmly, but her words were directed at Cheng Yu.

    Cheng Yu was never a fool. Running into Ning Xueyan just made him temporarily lose control and forget to be prudent. Moreover, he had always treated Xia Yuhang as a friend and saw him differently from his nominal friend, Xia Yudong. Hearing Lanning¡¯s words now, however, made him suspicious.

    He didn¡¯t tell Xia Yuhang anything when he spotted the maid earlier, and Xia Yuhang didn¡¯t ask him much about it either, looking unperturbed. Why would Xia Yuhang suddenly ask his servant to say such seemingly innocuous words and draw everyone¡¯s attention to him?

    Something was not right.

    Even if he wanted to ask about the former Fifth Young Lady Ning, he knew that he couldn¡¯t at this moment. The Fifth Young Lady Ning was now the magnificent Crown Princess.

    If a nasty rumor were to spread, it would harm both of them.

    Understanding this, Cheng Yu calmed down and eased his erratic breathing. He raised his head with a smile, looking polite, and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I mistook you for someone else. I thought you¡¯re my cousin¡¯s maid. It¡¯s nothing urgent either. I haven¡¯t met my cousin since she got married in the capital. You just looked like her maid at first nce.¡±

 Chapter 652 - What Is He up to?

    <h4>Chapter 652 What Is He up to?</h4>

    Xia Yuhang remained seated upstairs. The screen blocked only his vision, but not the noise. He heard Lanning¡¯s frank words clearly, as well as Cheng Yu¡¯s apology. His face turned pale with anger and resentment.

    He didn¡¯t expect to fail at generating rumors about Ning Xueyan¡¯s affair with another man in this rare meeting. That meant that he wouldn¡¯t be able to justify her disappearance as an elopement after kidnapping her. Moreover, he wasn¡¯t the only one involved in this scheme. Madam Wu Yao was in on it, too.

    He nned to have everyone witness Ning Xueyan and Cheng Yu¡¯s ambiguous rtionship in public. A maid running into Cheng Yu with a handkerchief in hand could be exined as Ning Xueyan ordering her maid to send the handkerchief to Cheng Yu, evidence that the two had known each other for a long time.

    Thus, if Ning Xueyan were to disappear one day, the reason that he had cooked up would be a serious attack on Ao Chenyi. It might even ruin Ao Chenyi¡¯s reputation.

    However, the situation had changed beyond his expectations. He had no choice but to send his servant outside and say something to nt the idea in everyone that Ning Xueyan and Cheng Yu had a suspicious rtionship. That much was enough. He nned to create a small rumor of an ambiguous rtionship. The customers at the bookstore were mostly schrs; they were the best at spreading romantic gossip.

    Once the rumor started to spread, Ning Xueyan¡¯s disappearance in the future would cause even greater humiliation to Ao Chenyi.

    However, he knew that his n had failed after hearing what Lanning said. There was nothing that he could say that would help, so he let out a low cough as a message to the servant to hold his tongue.

    The servant, hearing the noise from inside, said no more. He returned to his position behind the screen.

    Cheng Yu was able to exin why he had stopped Lanning earlier. He gave way without being asked to and Lanning continued walking up the stairs. She chose the book that she wanted, paid for it, and made her way back.

    Cheng Yu stayed downstairs with his hand sped behind him, seemingly walking around the bookshelves. His attention was still on Lanning. He tried to speak when she walked past him, only for her to interrupt him rudely.

    ¡°Young Master Cheng, I don¡¯t care what you¡¯re doing this for but please understand that your reasons are unjustifiable in front of His Highness, the Crown Prince.¡±

    Lanning kept her voice low as she walked past Cheng Yu, but the quiet sound still washed over his entire body like iced water. Even his heart was cold. He never felt more clear-headed in his life.

    The former Fifth Young Lady Ning¡¯s current identity could have put him, and even his entire family, to eternal damnation!

    Understanding this, he turned stiff. He could only watch nkly as Lanning walked past himpletely. Only then did he exhale slowly and returned upstairs with his body still stiff. He sat down in front of Xia Yuhang and looked squarely at him.

    Xia Yuhang felt guilty to receive his stare. He chose to tease Cheng Yu to cover up his uneasiness. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did a painting grow on my face?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no painting. I just feel like it¡¯s my first time getting a real glimpse of you after so many years,¡± Cheng Yu replied calmly and looked away. He picked up the cup of tea in front of him and took a gulp.

    Xia Yuhang¡¯s smile faltered.

    Cheng Yu put down his cup with force and stood up. He cupped his fist at Xia Yuhang and said frankly, ¡°Thank you for your hospitality, Brother Yuhang. Let¡¯s end it here today.¡±

    ¡°Brother Cheng...¡± Xia Yuhang stood up and reached out to stop him. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to chat with me? Why are you leaving so soon?¡±

    Cheng Yu turned his head and snorted. ¡°It hasn¡¯t been that long since I came but I¡¯ve nearly caused a terrible scandal that would ruin my family. If I stay here any longer, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to settle the matter even if I turn into minced meat.¡±

    His words carried deep meaning. Xia Yuhang¡¯s smile became frozen on his face.

    ¡°There are no fools here. I just didn¡¯t think that I¡¯d fall for your trap after getting in trouble because of your younger brotherst time. Brother Yuhang, you¡¯re a nobleman with a good reputation. It¡¯s not suitable for you to befriend a free-spirited person like me. I won¡¯t try to rise above my rank and be friends with you anymore.¡±

    Cheng Yu had figured out the cause and effect of the matter by now, so he was straightforward with his words. He had as good as pointed at Xia Yuhang¡¯s face and used Xia Yuhang of harming him. He was also humiliating Xia Yuhang by mentioning thetter¡¯s good reputation. It was true that Xia Yuhang used to have a good reputation, but he had be infamous after a series of incidents. He had no reputation to speak of.

    Cheng Yu was riled up, too. Xia Yudong had fooled him once here, and now Xia Yuhang had done the same. It was no wonder that everyone in the capital said that there were no good people in Xia Manor. He thought that people were misunderstanding Xia Yuhang but it seemed that Xia Yuhang would even betray a long-time friend. What else wouldn¡¯t he do?

    This time, Cheng Yu was thinking of severing their brotherhood.

    That was why he was so frank and impolite. After speaking his mind, he flicked his sleeves and left. He didn¡¯t bother looking at Xia Yuhang¡¯s dark expression.

    Xia Yuhang, with his good reputation, wouldn¡¯t have dreamed of receiving such treatment in the past. For a moment, his face turned darker and darker.

    Looking at his reaction, his servant said quietly, ¡°Eldest Young Master...¡±

    Now that things hade to this point, Xia Yuhang was too embarrassed to stay here anymore. He never thought that Cheng Yu would speak to him like this in public. This was a first for him. He felt too ashamed to face anyone. ¡°Ridiculous! We¡¯re leaving!¡± he said angrily, stomping his foot. He led his servant out of the bookstore through the back door.

    He headed straight for Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor. He wanted to tell Prince Xiang about Wen Xueran. Perhaps, Wen Xueran might turn out to be their trump card at the most critical moment...

    Lanning had returned to the carriage. She told Ning Xueyan angrily, ¡°Master, you were right. Someone hadid a trap for you. That servant looks familiar to me. I think he¡¯s Eldest Young Master Xia¡¯s servant.¡±

    When Xia Yuhang visited the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, he brought his servants with him and only a few of them were capable. She had met all of them, so when she recognized the servant earlier at first nce.

    ¡°What is he up to?¡± Heng Yuqing asked, looking stunned. Then, she said in disgust, ¡°To marry another woman, he abandoned his fiancee and even tried to kill her. Now, he¡¯s trying to harm you. What a terrible person. To think that my mother used to tell me that he¡¯s the best nobleman in the capital.¡±

    In the past, Xia Yuhang was indeed the nobleman with the best reputation in the capital. He was nearly every noblewoman¡¯s dream son-inw.

    ¡°For his benefit,¡± Ning Xueyan replied softly with augh. The corners of her mouth formed a sneer.

    She had barely interacted with Xia Yuhang since her rebirth. There was also no possible rtionship between them, so why would he target her now? Knowing his character, he must have done it for his benefit. When his interests were protected, he could be the most elegant nobleman with the manners of a distinguished schr.

    However, the moment that someone had conflicting interests with him, a selfish and conceited man like him wouldn¡¯t mind using others as stepping stones.

    She was just a noblewoman kept away in the boudoir. There wasn¡¯t much of a conflict of interest between them, but it was another story altogether when Ao Chenyi was involved. It seemed that Prince Xiang, who had just regained consciousness, couldn¡¯t lie still anymore.

    The only people who could scheme against Ao Chenyi were Ao Mingyu and Ao Mingwan.

    The previous investigation revealed that Xia Yuhang was very likely in Ao Mingyu¡¯s camp. She just didn¡¯t think that Ao Mingyu would still use Xia Yuhang without misgivings after Ning Qingshan¡¯s incident. If one were to put it nicely, one could say that Ao Mingyu was generous and forgiving. To be perfectly frank, however, Ao Mingyu was just as selfish as Xia Yuhang.

    Ning Qingshan was so evil that it was disgusting but she was sincere about Ao Mingyu. Didn¡¯t Ao Mingyu feel guilty at all now that she was reduced to her current state? He even trusted Xia Yuhang, who dragged Ning Qingshan into that situation. She must admit that she would sometimes feel that Ning Qingshan¡¯s feelings were a waste.

    Heng Yuqing didn¡¯t seem to fully understand Ning Xueyan¡¯s words but she respected thetter deeply after thetter helped her deal with Heng Yuwan and her mother. She nodded subconsciously, reached out for the book that Lanning brought back, and thumbed through it. ¡°Is this book that Madam Wu Yao is basing the poetrypetition at the banquet on?¡±

    It was quite a thick book with an index of various topics. Not only were there poems but also zither scores, chess endgames, and even ceremonial scores. The topics in the book were quite diverse. Some of the zither scores were iplete, so not many would usually read the book.

    The book was a useful encyclopedia, but as useful as it was, it was still an iplete product!

    It went without saying that the nobledies in the capital wouldn¡¯t like an iplete¡ªor more precisely, partially ruined¡ªbook like this.

    There were so many great zither scores that they could read, so many chess endgames that they could try and solve. And there was no shortage of poems, be it from the previous or current era, to read. It didn¡¯t feel right to choose this book.

    One might not even be able toe up with a poem after reading this.

    However, the circumstances were different now. Even though nobody knew what part of the book that Wu Yao would choose, there was no harm in reading and thinking about it beforehand. Perhaps, they might just discover something. It was better than being left in the dark.

    That was thedies¡¯ reasoning. Thus, the book that had always been unpopr in the capital suddenly became a hit. That was also an important reason why Ning Xueyan brought Lanning over as soon as she heard about the book.

    She was indifferent about such things but since Wu Yao had invited her, she would look as weak as the Crown Princess if she didn¡¯t attend. It wouldn¡¯t benefit Ao Chenyi. After all, Wu Yao was the representative of the politically-neutral faction.

    It wasn¡¯t an average banquet that she could avoid, and she was certain that Madam Wu Yao would give her trouble at the poetry exchange. There would be so many madams and youngdies at the banquet, and all eyes in the capital were on the event as well. If she were to embarrass herself there, she might make it difficult for Ao Chenyi to smoothly be the next Emperor.

    Therefore, she would attend the poetry exchange no matter what.

    Heng Yuqing was reading the book quietly when she cried out in surprise, ¡°Huh? This looks... a little...¡± She looked astonished.

 Chapter 653 - The Incomplete Zither Piece

    <h4>Chapter 653 The Iplete Zither Piece</h4>

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ning Xueyan returned to her senses and turned to look at the book in Heng Yuqing¡¯s hand, but didn¡¯t notice anything odd about it.

    ¡°It¡¯s strange. The copy of that I once read... didn¡¯t have this part,¡± Heng Yuqing replied uncertainly.

    ¡°What¡¯s missing?¡± Ning Xueyan asked, surprised.

    ¡°This part. Look, Your Highness... This part wasn¡¯t in the book before... I remember liking this piece a lot. I tried ying it, but couldn¡¯t finish it as the piece was iplete. I failed every time. It sounded as if the music had abruptly been cut off. It left me quite ufortable.¡±

    Heng Yuqing said, pointing at a zither piece.

    She was pointing at an iplete piece in the zither section, but the damage was minimal. Looking at the scope of the zither piece, there were very few missing verses. In other words, if one were to repeat the final verse of the piece, one might be able to treat this as aplete piece and y it as such.

    In her current life, Ning Xueyan rarely touched the zither and wouldn¡¯t have been able to notice the details. However, as Ning Ziying in her previous life, she was taught the four arts of zither, Go, calligraphy, and painting and was proficient in all of them. When she was living in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she lived a very quiet life where a day could pass without anything happening. She spent a lot of that time ying zither and writing.

    Therefore, when Heng Yuqing pointed at the zither piece, she noticed what was strange about it right away. She extended a fair finger to point to one of the verses in the piece and savored it for a moment. Hershes fluttered twice before she said with certainty, ¡°I think someone else continued the piece starting from this part.¡±

    Heng Yuqing looked at where Ning Xueyan was pointing to and carefully pondered the verses. She couldn¡¯t help butpliment, ¡°And it¡¯s a very clever addition too.¡±

    The piece called ¡°Longing of the Zither¡± was cut off about two-thirds through. This was apparent as the styles of the original and the addition werepletely different. The original piece was more melodious, but the additional verses were more sentimental and sorrowful.

    Heng Yuqing was quite an aplished yer herself. All she did was hum it under her breath for a moment to catch this.

    She remembered that the piece was cut-off at the same part. She wasn¡¯t a fan of such books, for there wasn¡¯t any way to y theplete piece. Even if she could finish it, she would feel like she was faking it and that didn¡¯t feel right to her. The piece was written by a yer before them, and it must be extraordinary if an iplete version was able to remain in the esteem of so many people.

    There were a handful of people who thought that they were talented and experienced enough to finish the iplete piece.

    However, they didn¡¯t make it because they weren¡¯t capable enough or their circumstances were different enough that their verses weren¡¯tpatible. Many reasons caused these iplete zither pieces to be an increasingly difficult puzzle to solve.

    The only reason Heng Yuqing was attracted to the zither piece in the first ce was that it was printed on the first few pages of the book. The pages before it was all iplete chess endgames, which made a woman like her feel powerless to solve. It went without saying that she would pay the zither piece more attention afterward.

    Moreover, the zither piece was quite original. Theposition was melodious and meant to be as fresh and clean as nature. It was a very attractive piece, especially to women in boudoirs.

    Heng Yuqing even yed the piece, wanting toplete it in her way. However, tried as she might, she couldn¡¯t y another tune after the cut-off or she would y an off-sounding tune. It was hard for her to produce a beautiful song, so she gave up after a few tries.

    She also lost interest to read the other zither pieces in the book.

    Reading the final verse again, she couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°A very clever addition, indeed.¡±

    It felt like a decent addition. She hummed it under her breath and the music continued smoothly and naturally. The sound was mellow and full, making her feel so excited that she wanted to try ying it again.

    ¡°Your Highness, if you practice this zither piece well and perform it at the banquet, you¡¯ll surprise everyone with a single performance. No matter what Madam Wu Yao is up to, you¡¯re in an invincible position. And the verses below ought to be easier than the ones on top.¡±

    Heng Yuqing made her suggestion.

    It was because of Madam Wu Yao¡¯s banquet that they bought this book. She wasn¡¯t familiar with Madam Wu Yao as they were from different circles of friends. There wouldn¡¯t be any connection between them if it was not for her mother. Her mother, upon hearing that Madam Wu Yao¡¯s invitation could make her value rise by a hundredfold, had looked everywhere for an invitation for her.

    After hearing Ning Xueyan¡¯s analysis that Madam Wu Yao might have ill intentions, she became unhappy about thetter.

    It went without saying that she would wholeheartedly take Ning Xueyan¡¯s side when making her suggestion.

    ¡°The verses below seem simple, you say?¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s longshes fluttered like the wings of a butterfly. She sounded quite surprised.

    ¡°Of course, anyone can tell that...¡± Heng Yuqing realized she had misspoken at the end of her sentence. She sounded like she was being sarcastic to Ning Xueyan. She immediately exined, ¡°I mean that it¡¯s hard toplete this zither piece but it sounds lovely when you y it. It¡¯s also easy to learn it.¡±

    ¡°In other words, anyone who knows the zither will be able to tell that the zither piece has been cleverly amended and can be easily learned in a few days?¡± Ning Xueyan asked, looking pensive.

    ¡°Of course.¡± Heng Yuqing nodded.

    ¡°It seems that our next step is to look for a zither.¡± Ning Xueyan let out a carefreeugh and leaned back. She sounded pleased.

    Ao Chenyi had never pursued elegant, schrly interests. Everyone knew that he was sharp and ruthless. It was said that the pce once bestowed him with a few singers and dancers. When they angered him, he smashed their instruments and beheaded them. Therefore, one couldn¡¯t find a good zither anywhere in his manor.

    ¡°I know of a decent zither store in the capital. They¡¯re known for their zithers. Not only do they have good craftsmanship, but you can sometimes find valuable antique zithers there.¡±

    Heng Yuqing immediately suggested a store after hearing Ning Xueyan¡¯s interest in finding a zither.

    ¡°Is it the most famous zither store in the capital?¡± Ning Xueyanughed as if she didn¡¯t quite believe it.

    ¡°Of course! The major noble families order their custom-made zithers from them. Their zithers not only look beautiful but sound lovely as well. But I heard that their craftsmanship isplicated, so their zithers are significantly more expensive.¡±

    Heng Yuqing exined.

    ¡°That¡¯s to say, I need to go to that zither store if I want a good zither?¡± Ning Xueyan sounded as if she was talking to herself. Under her lowered eyes, a dangerous glint was shing.

    She wouldn¡¯t be able to find a good zither in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, so if she wanted a good one, she would have to visit that zither store. Even though their zithers were expensive, she was now the Crown Princess and wouldn¡¯t care for such expenses...

    Ning Xueyan had never believed in coincidences. When it came to something like this, one or two incidents might be a coincidence, but not everything could be.

    Someone had nned for her to show up at the bookstore today. That man was likely sent by Xia Yuhang. Since Xia Yuhang could predict that she would show up early in the morning and wait to frame her, was there truly nothing wrong with this book that lured her here?

    A book with a fixed zither piece, a book with more zither pieces than other copies. The pieces were simple, which was precisely what a novice like her needed.

    Since no other had seen this book before, she could even say that she was the one who finished the iplete piece. She could stand out at Madam Wu Yao¡¯s banquet and establish a good reputation. She could show that she deserved the position of Crown Princess and destroy her reputation as a crass, uneducateddy because of her many years of imprisonment.

    It would be helpful to Ao Chenyi to marry a talented, elegant, and noble Crown Princess. He would at least win the approval of the politically-neutral faction.

    If there was such a simple, convenient way to win, why wouldn¡¯t she take it?

    Having made up her mind, she spoke to Lanning, who was sitting near the door. ¡°Lanning, tell the driver to take us to the zither store.¡±

    Lanning nodded and lifted the curtain just enough to speak to the carriage driver outside. The driver nodded. From where Ning Xueyan was sitting, she could faintly hear the driver say, ¡°I know the ce. It¡¯s just two streets away from here.¡±

    Lanning put down the curtain just as the carriage turned directions. The hooves of the horse resounded as the carriage moved through the gstone street.

    Earlier, two customers were wandering in the bookstore by themselves. They happened to exit the bookstore just as Ning Xueyan¡¯s carriage stopped outside and entered a small carriage nearby. What was even more coincidental was that the small carriage was following Ning Xueyan¡¯s carriage from a safe distance.

    The carriage followed suit when Ning Xueyan¡¯s carriage took a turn, but then swiftly surpassed them. Even Ning Xueyan¡¯s carriage driver didn¡¯t notice anything strange, thinking that it was an ordinary carriage. He nced at them before carefully driving the carriage forward.

    The seemingly ordinary carriage sped along the streets, took two turns, and stopped in front of a grand zither store.

    The two men rushed out of the carriage and into the store.

    The store wasrge, upying four of the typical shopfronts, and located on the main street of the capital. With its impressive shopfront and location at the mouth of the street, one could imagine how much money the owners made each day. The owners must be astonishingly rich or they wouldn¡¯t have been able to operate such a shopfront.

    Of course, no matter how great their zither craftsmanship was, it was an exaggeration to say that everyone in the capital approved of them.

    Still, the rich and influential in the capital sought out their zithers no matter how expensive they were.

    It was a universal truth that a good piece must be yed on a good zither. To the rich and influential in pursuit of elegance, money was not an issue.

    The two men rushed into the zither store until they entered a smallpartment in the innermost part of the store. When they took off their clothes, they turned out to be women.

    They changed into clothes that were put there in advance¡ªck skirts and small jackets. They helped each other put up their hair. From their appearance, it was apparent that they were maids.

    When they were done, they cast aside the men¡¯s clothing without much thought and walked out. They lifted the hem of their skirts and walked up the hidden stairs. Hidden stairs were not umon in stores, but they were meant to convenience employees, not customers.

    The two maids walked up the stairs, one after another. The second floor was also part of the zither store, where they kept some antique zithers with long legacies. There were good and bad zithers here. It depended on the customer¡¯s eyesight to pick a good one.

    One of the maids walked toward a door in a corner and knocked. The door opened, revealing two seated women to the maids.

 Chapter 654 - Meeting Ya Moqin Again

    <h4>Chapter 654 Meeting Ya Moqin Again</h4>

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s carriage continued moving toward the zither store at a steady pace. It didn¡¯t take them long to reach because it was so close. The carriage stopped and Ning Xueyan and Heng Yuqing got down one after another.

    A cold smile appeared on Ning Xueyan¡¯s face when she looked up at the sparkling store signboard. Since those people had put so much effort into luring her here, she would y along and find out what they were up to.

    Her thoughts were hidden from Heng Yuqing, who was pointing to the zither store and saying enthusiastically, ¡°Look, this is the store. Just look at the storefront. This must be the property of a top-tier noble family. I wonder which family managed to run it so well. There are many zither lovers in the capital, but all of them approve of this store.¡±

    Suddenly, a surprised voice resounded behind them. ¡°Huh? Isn¡¯t this the Crown Princess? Did youe to pick out a zither in preparation for Madam Wu Yao¡¯s banquet?¡± Ning Xueyan and Heng Yuqing turned around at the same time and saw Ya Moqining out of a carriage and spotting them. There was nothing wrong with her words but her attitude wasn¡¯t respectful in the slightest.

    This was the first time Ya Moqin appeared in public since her scandal with Ao Mingyu was exposed. Ning Xueyan couldn¡¯t help butment how thick-skinned this woman was. It was astonishing that Ya Moqin would take the initiative to speak to her under such circumstances, and with such a provocative expression too.

    Sometimes, she had to admit that Ya Moqin waspletely different from her prudent grandfather, Grand Tutor Ya.

    Heng Yuqing was no pushover either. When she heard Ya Moqin¡¯s sarcasm, she sneered and asked, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be staying in your manor and relearning etiquette, Eldest Young Lady Ya? Is it fine for you toe here?¡±

    Heng Yuqing and Ya Moqin had never gotten along. Heng Yuqing was superior in terms of nobility rank but lower in terms of actual power. However, the two never liked each other. They would get into a fight every time they met each other.

    ¡°You¡¯re just a spinster who can¡¯t get married.¡± Heng Yuqing¡¯s words struck Ya Moqin where it hurt the most, making thetter¡¯s expression turn sharp. She said coldly, ¡°What? Is there something wrong with me picking out a zither and ying a song? I wouldn¡¯t want to be you. No matter how great your zither ying is, no one is going to approve of you. Only elegant people can attend my aunt¡¯s banquet. You¡¯re not qualified.¡±

    Ya Moqin shook her hand at Heng Yuqing in a humiliating manner, looking disdainful.

    Ning Xueyan stood beside them in silence, but her eyes were cold.

    Ya Moqin seemed like she was targeting Heng Yuqing but was, in fact, mocking her. Everyone knew that she was imprisoned in the Bright Frost Garden for a few years and far from the elegant people that Ya Moqin spoke about.

    ¡°I¡¯m not elegant? Do you think you are then?¡± Heng Yuqing became furious and red at Ya Moqin.

    ¡°Of course I am. No one can beat my zither ying. Can you say the same?¡± Ya Moqin retorted rudely.

    Ya Moqin was indeed known for her zither ying. It was said that she impressed everyone at a banquet, gaining the admiration of everyone present. They said that Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor was indeed a ce that educated their children well, so much so that even Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s granddaughter turned out to be so remarkable. It was because of this that Ya Moqin became known as a talenteddy.

    Even though some were trying to fawn over Grand Tutor Ya, Ya Moqin¡¯s zither ying was undoubtedly decent.

    It was natural for her to brag about her zither ying.

    ¡°Challenge me if you dare. We canpete at my aunt¡¯s banquet. The loser will have to apologize to the winner in front of everyone. The loser will also dere that she¡¯ll back away whenever she runs into the winner,¡± Ya Moqin said, raising her chin arrogantly. Even though she was speaking to Heng Yuqing, her gaze wouldnd on Ning Xueyan now and then. The provocation in her eyes was evident.

    A clear train of thought had formed in Ning Xueyan¡¯s mind. She smiled and stopped Heng Yuqing, who was shaking with anger. She stepped forward with her eyes cold. It seemed that she needed only one nce to see through another person.

    Ya Moqin subconsciously took a step back under such a stare, only to realize that she was being a coward. She remembered that the current Crown Princess was once the good-for-nothing Fifth Young Lady Ning. Even when Ning Xueyan entered Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, she was just a consort and a concubine. Ning Xueyan was iparable to her, the great Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s granddaughter. She had no reason to fear Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Is the Crown Princess going to educate me on zither ying?¡± Ya Moqin raised her chin even higher.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare, Eldest Young Lady Ya. I¡¯m just wondering whether you¡¯ll enter Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor or Prince Fu¡¯s Manor in the future. I wonder which prince would be so lucky as to be able to enjoy your zither performance for the rest of his life.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled with a soft look in her eyes, but her words were ruthless.

    She didn¡¯t see the need to endure Ya Moqin¡¯s provocation. Ya Moqin, ady at the peak of her beauty, would forever see herself as the noblest of people. Ya Moqin thought that everyone was beneath her. Since that was the case, she would humiliate Ya Moqin with what thetter cared most about. Otherwise, Ya Moqin would start a big fight here.

    Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor had gone all out this time. They even let Ya Moqin out. Ya Moqin was so arrogant, overconfident, and ignorant that she might just blow up the matter and cause a big mess.

    This was evident from the fact that Ya Moqin was raising her voice and speaking so loudly that she drew the attention of the passersby.

    The passersby didn¡¯t dare toe close after hearing that Ning Xueyan was the Crown Princess, but that didn¡¯t stop them from perking up their ears.

    Ning Xueyan wasn¡¯t as thick-skinned as Ya Moqin. She wouldn¡¯t allow herself to stand in front of the store and receive everyone¡¯s attention.

    ¡°You...¡± Ya Moqin didn¡¯t expect that the gentle-looking Ning Xueyan would say such sharp words. Furious, she blushed and started to stutter.

    She had always thought of herself as a nobledy, and the onlydy that could match up to her cousin. She remained upset that Ao Mingyu wanted to marry someone else. In the end, she had to obey her grandfather and marry Ao Mingwan. She had no other choice. Yet, when she was found visiting her cousin, her grandfather flew into a rage and locked her up. This was beyond her expectation.

    What should she do now? Even she didn¡¯t know the answer.

    Marrying Ao Mingyu would be the best oue for her, but she knew that her cousin would soon marry his princess. She would be displeased to enter his manor as his consort, and her grandfather would never agree either.

    But if she didn¡¯t marry Ao Mingyu, she would have to marry Ao Mingwan. That was something that she didn¡¯t want, ever.

    Even so, no matter how annoyed she was about it, she knew that she was still Ao Mingwan¡¯s titr fiancee. It was hical for her to behave that way with her cousin. However, when she saw the look of disdain everyone was giving her, her face flushed with anger.

    Her rage climbed straight to her brain. She red at Ning Xueyan and demanded, ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    ¡°Does that matter? You should consider what Prince Xiang and Prince Fu mean instead, Eldest Young Lady Ya.¡± Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t spare any courtesy for Ya Moqin. No matter how thick-skinned Ya Moqin was, she didn¡¯t think that an unmarrieddy like her¡ªand one with such a recent, big scandal¡ªwould be willing to receive everyone¡¯s attention at this time.

    Ya Moqin couldn¡¯t take it even with her thick skin.

    It didn¡¯t matter why Grand Tutor Ya had sent Ya Moqin here. She wouldn¡¯t let Ya Moqin and Heng Yuqing get into a fight here.

    Heng Yuqing finally found a chance to be sarcastic to Ya Moqin. She immediately retorted, ¡°That¡¯s right, Eldest Young Lady Ya. It doesn¡¯t matter what we mean. It¡¯s just a mystery if the imperial family still wants a daughter-inw like you.¡±

    ¡°You... You two...¡± Ya Moqin was indeed sumbing to pressure. She could even hear the voices of the passersby now and then.

    ¡°Look at her. She dared to seduce two princes. She¡¯s no simple woman, I tell you.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not that pretty. Why is she so slutty?¡±

    ¡°Is this the extent of the education at Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor?¡±

    It hadn¡¯t been that long since Ya Moqin¡¯s scandal, so it was still a fresh piece of gossip. When Ning Xueyan mentioned it, everyone¡¯s attention fell on Ya Moqin. Never mind a nobledy, not even the daughter of an ordinary family would do such a thing.

    It was too scandalous.

    Therefore, many looked down on the immoral Eldest Young Lady Ya. When they saw that she was so audacious as to wander around in public and even provoke other people, they found her to be increasingly shameless. It was to the point that they began to suspect and criticize Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor.

    Ya Moqin didn¡¯t expect the situation to go out of her control. She was here to provoke Ning Xueyan and drag Heng Yuqing in while she was at it, but she ended up being too ashamed to stay here anymore.

    She shot a resentful re at Ning Xueyan before covering her face with a handkerchief and whimpering. Just as she started to cry, she pushed away everyone with the help of her two maids and ran back to her carriage. She got in and left quickly.

    Since Ya Moqin had left, Ning Xueyan and Heng Yuqing entered the zither store together. The crowd dissipated when they saw that the show was over. They didn¡¯t dare to follow Ning Xueyan in.

    The zither store was massive. The moment they entered, they saw shelf after shelf of zithers arranged in neat rows. There were all kinds of zithers here. When a store attendant saw new customers, he immediately walked up to them and led them in enthusiastically. All zithers seemed to have their pros and cons. For a moment, Ning Xueyan couldn¡¯t make up her mind which zither she wanted.

    Heng Yuqing was initially enthusiastic about choosing a zither but became dumbfounded after hearing the store attendant¡¯s introductions. It seemed that every zither was appropriate, but not at the same time.

    They couldn¡¯t pick out a zither that they liked at all.

    ¡°Miss, why don¡¯t you check out our selections upstairs? The zithers upstairs are antiques. Perhaps you can find something that suits you two there. Of course, if they¡¯re not your liking, you can choose to order a custom-made zither. We use only the best wood for our zithers here and you¡¯re free to decide the design.¡±

    It was apparent that the store attendant didn¡¯t witness themotion outside earlier. His words were pleasant and polite. He also addressed Ning Xueyan as Miss, indicating that he didn¡¯t know her identity at all.

    There were antique zithers upstairs? Ning Xueyan looked at the stairs with a frown.

    Even though the zither store wasrge, there weren¡¯t many customers. The stairs were even emptier. She couldn¡¯t hear any noise there at all. It was obvious that nearly no one went up and down the stairs.

    It seemed almost natural that she should head upstairs to pick out a zither...

 Chapter 655 - There Are Antique Zithers Upstairs

    <h4>Chapter 655 There Are Antique Zithers Upstairs</h4>

    There weren¡¯t many zithers on the second floor of the zither store, but all of them seemed to have significant histories behind them. Ordinary zithers wouldn¡¯t be able topare at all. These zithers were better suited for Ning Xueyan¡¯s current status as the Crown Princess. If she were to use an ordinary, nameless zither, she wouldn¡¯t be able to impress anyone.

    Therefore, no matter how skilled the store was at crafting zithers, her best option was picking out a famous antique zither.

    The quick-witted store attendant led Ning Xueyan forward, allowing her to look at all of the zithers.

    All the antique zithers were ced in the same area. Whether it was the table under each zither or the perfumed incense lingering in the air, all the details showed how valuable these zithers were.

    What attracted her the most was the antique zither resting right in the middle of them all.

    The location of the zither, the huge table beneath, as well as the extraordinary censer shaped like a dragon¡¯s head on the table, made the other zithers look like they were worshipping it.

    Anyone would have spotted the antique zither right away.

    Ning Xueyan was no exception. She raised the hem of her skirt and walked forward so she could get closer to the zither. She wanted a closer look. Heng Yuqing, a zither expert in her own right, couldn¡¯t stop herself from rushing over.

    After she had a clear look at the pattern and faint crescent moon imprint on the zither, she asked in surprise, ¡°Is this the Mark of the Moon?¡±

    The Mark of the Moon was a fine name for a zither, but the zither with such a beautiful name had a poignant story, a story that was spread among the people for years.

    Legend had it that Princess Chuyue of Jiang State fell in love with her country¡¯s State Preceptor Xuan Yin, but he couldn¡¯t marry for life because of his position as the State Preceptor. To stay with her beloved, Chuyue gave up her identity as a princess and served Xuan Yin as amon maid.

    The Emperor was furious to learn this. He forced an alliance marriage on Chuyue and shipped her off in the bridal sedan sent by Lin State. When their entourage passed the border of the two states, Xuan Yin sat behind the waterfall on a small mountain and yed the zither. He used the antique zither that he had personally made for Chuyue, the Mark of the Moon.

    When Chuyue heard the beautiful zither sound, she rushed out of the bridal sedan and wept sorrowfully. She bade Xuan Yin farewell from a distance and returned to the sedan, where she used a dagger that she had prepared and killed herself. The maids outside the sedan immediately lifted the curtain when they noticed that something was wrong, but Chuyue was beyond help. She was dead, like a wilted flower.

    When Xuan Yin heard that Chuyue had died, he put down the zither and jumped into the ancient waterfall behind him. He was in such despair that one of the zither¡¯s strings became loose after he yed his final tune. Fortunately, an unknown master fixed that stringter on.

    Tomemorate the pair of lovers, the Mark of the Moon became a story spread from generation to generation.

    Xuan Yin had been a zither expert who received the admiration of many during his time. His knowledge of zither was said to be unprecedented, surpassed by neither his predecessor nor his sessor.

    Later, Jiang State was destroyed in a war and the nine states expanded without restraint. Many years had passed without anyone ever seeing this zither again but its story continued to be spread, especially amongdies in the boudoir. They were so smitten with the lovers¡¯ story that even the zither called the Mark of the Moon became an undying tale.

    The zither became an eternal legend to everyone.

    And now, the legendary zither was sitting right in front of Heng Yuqing. She could even see the faint crescent moon-shaped mark that Xuan Yin carved for Princess Chuyue. How could she not be excited?

    She ced her fingers on the strings and gently pressed down. Immediately, a sharp and clear zither sound resounded. It was melodious and pleasant. Both she and Ning Xueyan could tell that this was a great zither.

    ¡°Crown Princess, what do you think about this zither? Coupled with the zither piece earlier, I¡¯m sure you will be able to impress everyone,¡± Heng Yuqing suggested, smiling at Ning Xueyan.

    With a great zither and a zither piece that no one had ever been able toplete before, even a novice would be able to impress anyone with a single performance.

    And this was what Ning Xueyan, the new Crown Princess, needed.

    It would benefit her and Ao Chenyi immensely if she could leave a good impression on the politically-neutral faction. Even though Ao Chenyi had be the Crown Prince, the past supporters of Ao Mingyu and Ao Mingwan were still sitting on the fence, waiting for a chance to give him trouble.

    If she could obtain the support of the politically-neutral faction, the improvement in their situation would be inestimable.

    ¡°It¡¯s a good zither,¡± Ning Xueyan said. She walked over and looked at the antique zither who seemed to be the star of the other zithers. Her longshes fell and a trace of coldness appeared in her beautiful eyes.

    ¡°But we don¡¯t know if it¡¯s authentic.¡±

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s authentic. Our master went through a lot to obtain this zither. He wouldn¡¯t have been able to encounter it without a good stroke of coincidence. This zither has only been here for two days,¡± the store attendant exined with a smile. He had heard how Heng Yuqing addressed Ning Xueyan, so he became increasingly deferential to thetter.

    ¡°Who¡¯s your master?¡± Heng Yuqing asked, surprised.

    ¡°Our master forbids us from telling anyone. I wouldn¡¯t dare to answer you,¡± the shop attendant replied, looking conflicted.

    Heng Yuqing wasn¡¯t all that curious who the master of the store was. She brought it up because of the flow of the conversation. Seeing the shop attendant¡¯s conflicted expression, she dropped the question. She was so enamored with the antique zither, Mark of the Moon, that she didn¡¯t notice the fleeting sly smile on the shop attendant¡¯s face.

    The sly smile was faint and fleeting but Ning Xueyan had been paying attention to him, so she caught it right away. Her eyes turned even colder.

    It was strange that a store attendant would be sufficiently respectful but not surprised at meeting the Crown Princess. It was as if he knew that she woulde all along. How suspicious. How could she not understand after seeing the somewhat smug smile on the attendant¡¯s face?

    Everything that happened today was one trap after another.

    They used that book to lure her out of the manor and into Xia Yuhang¡¯s trap. Then, that book lured her to the zither store and into Ya Moqin¡¯s trap. It went without saying that Ya Moqin wasn¡¯t there to argue with her and Heng Yuqing. If she was right, she was Ya Moqin¡¯s target.

    However, Ya Moqin¡ªor the mastermind behind Ya Moqin¡ªdidn¡¯t expect that she would so ruthlessly humiliate Ya Moqin and force her to leave. And the next trap was the antique zither named the Mark of the Moon.

    There was in fact a well-known secret about this zither!

    Ning Xueyan believed that this wasn¡¯t thest trap for her...

    The mastermind plotting all these traps for her was very cunning and apt. No ordinary person would be able topare. She believed that this was the doing of Grand Tutor Ya, who had been hiding in the shadows all along. However, Xia Yuhang¡¯s trap was likely another scheme, a scheme that he designed upon Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s plot.

    Both of them had likely not expected that Xia Yuhang¡¯s move would raise Ning Xueyan¡¯s suspicion and allow her to find so many clues.

    She also knew how conceited Xia Yuhang was. Xia Yuhang wouldn¡¯t have discussed this with Grand Tutor Ya, and Grand Tutor Ya would certainly not notice that she had discovered so many clues...

    ¡°Let¡¯s buy this zither then.¡± Trains of thoughts ran inside Ning Xueyan¡¯s mind. She looked as if she was truly moved by Heng Yuqing¡¯s words. However, she didn¡¯t walk over to test the sound of the zither. She simply stood on the side and observed the zither with a look of admiration.

    She looked just like a novice who was joining in on the fun, who only answered as such because of Heng Yuqing¡¯s words.

    Her response was befitting of her reputation for being a zither novice as well as the rumors circting about her outside. Even though her mother must have taught her, she must have been too weak-willed and only learned enough to form a shallow understanding of the zither. She waspletely different from other nobledies who were taught the zither from childhood.

    Heng Yuqing nodded. She looked at the zither and suggested, ¡°Do you want to try it?¡±

    She had plucked the string of the zither earlier and thought the sound to be sonorous. This was indeed a rare, great zither but Ning Xueyan was the one who would approve and buy it. So, Heng Yuqing suggested that she tried it.

    She never considered that with Ning Xueyan¡¯s ¡°talent¡±, there wasn¡¯t much Ning Xueyan could learn from plucking the strings. Ning Xueyan would just be putting on a show.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right. You¡¯ve tried it. Let¡¯s pack it up,¡± Ning Xueyan said, waving her hand.

    Her reaction was just as the store attendant had imagined. He was overjoyed but he didn¡¯t let it show on his face. He went up to Ning Xueyan and said apologetically, ¡°Lady, I¡¯m afraid... that¡¯s not possible.¡±

    Heng Yuqing raised her head and looked unhappily at the store attendant. ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°This... This zither has been booked by someone else,¡± the store attendant replied, stammering. He looked conflicted. He looked like he had more to say but didn¡¯t know where to start.

    ¡°What do you mean, someone booked it? Why do you still put it out for sale if it¡¯s been booked?¡± Heng Yuqing demanded, ring at the store attendant as expected.

    Ning Xueyan stood quietly with a slight smile as if she wasn¡¯t the one who wanted the zither.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not really booked. Thatdy only said that this zither is decent and she wants it, but she couldn¡¯t gather enough money for it at the moment. She told us to keep it for her until she has the money for it.¡± The store attendant smiled wryly. ¡°But two days have passed and thatdy hasn¡¯t shown up yet. If she doesn¡¯te soon, we don¡¯t know if we should keep the zither for her any longer.¡±

    So, a customer saw this zither and expressed her desire to buy it but didn¡¯t show up even after a few days. There was nothing wrong with the store owner selling the zither to someone else. After all, there was no proof or trace, so the zither belonged to the store owner. The store owner could sell it to anyone he liked.

    After hearing the story, Heng Yuqing suggested, ¡°Since she didn¡¯te, you can sell this zither to us.¡±

    ¡°But thedy had already booked it...¡± The store attendant became conflicted.

    ¡°Did she pick it up after booking it?¡± Heng Yuqing, a nobledy of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor, had never heard any store attendant reject them with such an excuse. Her beautiful eyes turned round in anger as she said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense that she doesn¡¯t let you sell it to someone else when she doesn¡¯t pick it up herself.¡±

    ¡°What doesn¡¯t make sense?¡± An elegant voice resounded from another side just as soon as Heng Yuqing finished speaking.

 Chapter 656 - The Fought-over Item

    <h4>Chapter 656 The Fought-over Item</h4>

    Ning Xueyan turned her head and saw a slim, graceful young woman walking up the stairs. Several maids surrounded her like stars crowding around the moon. Upon closer inspection, Ning Xueyan realized that she recognized that elegant, pure face. It was Commandery Princess Muling.

    ¡°Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Princess.¡± Commandery Princess Muling seemed surprised to her there. A conflicted look crossed her eyes. She was no longer Commandery Princess Muling of yesteryears and Ning Xueyan was also no longer Prince Yi¡¯s consort or the Lord Protector¡¯s daughter that she looked down on.

    ¡°You¡¯re too polite, Commandery Princess Muling,¡± Ning Xueyan said softly with a smile.

    Commandery Princess Muling wasn¡¯t just amandery princess, but Ao Mingyu¡¯s soon-to-be princess as well. Even though Ning Xueyan¡¯s status was higher than hers, it wouldn¡¯t do Ning Xueyan any favors to offend her now.

    The court was in a precarious state. Ao Chenyi had the absolute advantage in terms of power but Ao Mingyu was no pushover either.

    Commandery Princess Muling returned the smile. She turned her head and looked in the direction of the zithers before asking politely, ¡°What were you talking about, Your Highness? Was it the Mark of the Moon zither that I had my eyes on?¡±

    However, she made it sound as if the zither was supposed to be hers.

    Ning Xueyan sneered on the inside. She looked up and stared indifferently at Commandery Princess Muling. ¡°Eldest Young Lady Heng and I were examining an antique zither, but since it¡¯s yours, we wouldn¡¯t rob you of your love.¡±

    She grabbed Heng Yuqing¡¯s hand when she was done speaking, ready to leave.

    There wasn¡¯t any trace of her desire for the antique zither. It was as if she had mentioned buying the zither on a whim and wasn¡¯t interested in the famous zither at all.

    Her action astonished Commandery Princess Muling. Even Heng Yuqing was caught off guard. She widened her eyes at Ning Xueyan, not understanding why she would give up the zither all of a sudden. However, seeing the determined look in Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes, she sighed inwardly and prepared to leave with her.

    An uncertain emotion flickered in Commandery Princess Muling¡¯s eyes. ¡°Do you like the zither as well, Your Highness?¡± she asked, sounding confused.

    ¡°Not really. I only took a closer look at the zither because I heard it was inauspicious.¡± Ning Xueyan stopped in her tracks, her smile gentle and calm.

    Commandery Princess Muling was stunned to hear that the zither was inauspicious. She couldn¡¯t help but look at the Mark of the Moon zither with a gentle expression. ¡°You must be joking, Your Highness. How could this zither be inauspicious? There¡¯s a beautiful legend behind it. It¡¯s the witness of a moving romance.¡±

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s lips curved into an elegant smile. She stopped walking and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t know this zither is so lovely. I must have remembered it incorrectly. Since you like this zither so much, you should buy it. I¡¯m sure you would love to have it by your side.¡±

    It was evident that she was being perfunctory and had no real interest in the antique zither called the Mark of the Moon.

    ¡°How would I dare monopolize such a good zither? It¡¯s only when this zither is in your hands that it can be brought to the limelight again and let more people learn its beautiful story. I¡¯m just amandery princess and unworthy of this antique zither.¡± Commandery Princess Muling sighed and put on a worried look.

    The original owner of the Mark of the Moon was an emperor¡¯s daughter. With her status, Commandery Princess Muling was indeed not a suitable match.

    On the contrary, Ning Xueyan was the Crown Princess. Her status was above that of Commandery Princess Muling.

    Ning Xueyan shook her head with a smile and said softly, ¡°If you wouldn¡¯t dare monopolize such a good zither, why would I? Besides, I¡¯m mediocre at the zither. It¡¯s only when this zither is in your hands that it can be truly well-known.¡±

    She didn¡¯t seem at all interested in owning the well-known antique zither.

    Commandery Princess Muling took a look at Ning Xueyan¡¯s earnest expression andughed. She turned to the store assistant and said, ¡°When you put it that way, I¡¯m even less inclined to have this zither. Shopkeeper, please pack up this zither. We¡¯ll consider it my congrattory gift to the Crown Princess.¡±

    The store assistant had been waiting on the sideline all along. When he heard Commandery Princess Muling¡¯smand, he immediately and carefully put the antique zither into an old-fashioned zither case. He brought the case and handed it to Lanning, who was standing beside Ning Xueyan.

    Lanning didn¡¯t take it. She took two steps back and created a considerable distance between her and the zither case in the store assistant¡¯s hands. It went without saying that she wouldn¡¯t ept the zither on her ord before her master said anything.

    Unlike her, Heng Yuqing¡¯s eyes were bright. She leaned close to the zither case as if she was going to ept it on Ning Xueyan¡¯s behalf. In her opinion, Commandery Princess Muling was being sincere enough. Ning Xueyan would seem rude not to ept it.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid... it¡¯s not a good idea,¡± Ning Xueyan said, refusing the gift.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s clear that you like the zither. It would be rude if I were to take it. I have to give in to you,¡± Commandery Princess Muling said, smiling.

    If one didn¡¯t hear what she said upon entering, one would have thought she was being respectful and trying to give up a beloved object to Ning Xueyan.

    The intention waspletely different from how she had entered with vigor and expressed that she had her eye on the zither first.

    With her words, she turned Ning Xueyan from someone who coveted someone else¡¯s object to a noble person giving up her beloved object. Ning Xueyan was left speechless at the drastic change. She could sense the icy mockery in Commandery Princess Muling¡¯s expression. It was as she had expected. If she dared to express her desire for the zither, a person on even ground with her would express the same.

    Most importantly, this person would be the first to express the interest. That would make her, theteer, seem unreasonable if she were to fight Commandery Princess Muling over it. She wasn¡¯t technically wrong but if a store assistant were to prove that she was being a bully, she would bebeled a tyrant.

    And if something were to happen to the object that she fought for, she couldn¡¯t me it on anyone.

    Commandery Princess Muling must havee here for the same reason as Ya Moqin...

    Now that Ning Xueyan seemed uninterested, Commandery Princess Muling insisted on her epting the zither. It was as if she was rejecting Commandery Princess Muling¡¯s good intentions if she rejected the gift. Commandery Princess Muling even stated that it was a congrattory gift. Thinking about it, it was such a joke.

    Everyone knew Ao Chenyi and Ao Mingyu were fighting over the Crown Prince title. Not only was Commandery Princess Muling, Ao Mingyu¡¯s soon-to-be princess, not sad, but she even congratted Ning Xueyan. Ning Xueyan was speechless. She couldn¡¯t help but suspect her intentions.

    If she remembered it correctly, the man whom Commandery Princess Muling loved wasn¡¯t Ao Mingyu but Wen Xueran...

    ¡°Since you¡¯re being so generous, I¡¯d be rude not to ept it. Lanning, take the zither. When we return to the manor, ask Mother Han to send a generous gift to Commandery Princess Muling as thanks for her gift of friendship,¡± Ning Xueyan told Lanning softly, wearing a gentle smile.

    After receiving her order, Lanning stepped forward and took the zither case from the store assistant. She made a deep bow at Commandery Princess Muling and returned to her previous position.

    The two of them chatted a little longer before Ning Xueyan left with Heng Yuqing.

    Commandery Princess Muling stood at the top of the stairs and smiled as she watched Ning Xueyan leave. It wasn¡¯t until Ning Xueyan disappeared that her smile disappeared.

    The maid beside her said softly, ¡°Commandery Princess...¡±

    Commandery Princess Muling shook her hand and turned her head. She frowned as she asked the store assistant, ¡°Did she not take an interest in the Mark of the Moon when she came?¡±

    This was what confused her. The zither was the real thing. It took them a lot of effort to obtain the world-famous zither, and it was only by chance that they came across it. She thought no one would be able to resist the temptation of owning such a good zither. How could Ning Xueyan react that way?

    Was Ning Xueyan just prejudiced against the zither because she didn¡¯t like the legend?

    If that was the case, why did she so readily ept the zither in the end? Commandery Princess Muling couldn¡¯t understand Ning Xueyan¡¯s thoughts. Was she ying hard-to-get? Or was she truly uninterested and epted the zither because she had no choice?

    Ning Xueyan should have been hanging onto the zither after seeing it.

    ¡°She seemed interested when she came. When she first came in, she went out of her way to look at the zither. She even said she wanted to buy it,¡± the store assistant replied respectfully. His show of respect toward Commandery Princess Muling was more genuine than toward Ning Xueyan.

    In his opinion, he belonged to Mu Manor. It was natural that he wouldn¡¯t respect a Crown Princess who used to be a consort.

    The zither store was Mu Manor¡¯s secret business in the capital. Few people knew this, and not everyone working in the store was aware either. On the surface, the store belonged to an average well-off family and their friendship with influential officers was what allowed them to run the store in such a good location.

    Only a handful of trusted aides knew that the zither store belonged to Mu Manor. How could an average well-off family be so capable as to operate the biggest zither store in the capital otherwise?

    The store assistant serving Ning Xueyan was one of the few who knew the true owners of the store.

    Commandery Princess Muling shook her hand with a heavy frown, prompting her maids to leave. Only her private maid, who tried to speak earlier, stayed behind. It was only then that she lowered her voice and asked, ¡°Did the Princely Heire?¡±

    The store assistant peeked at the princess¡¯ expression before replying cautiously, ¡°No. He sent word that he¡¯s preupied and might not make it.¡± It went without saying that he knew a thing or two about the princess¡¯ feelings as her trusted aide. He also knew that she was working with Eldest Young Lady Ya for the Princely Heir¡¯s sake.

    But, was the Princely Heir right for the princess? He didn¡¯t dare to voice his opinion. He could only make his report carefully.

    A valuable antique zither fell to the floor with a loud crash. Commandery Princess Muling gritted her teeth with a pale face. She picked up the hem of her skirt and walked down the stairs. Since he didn¡¯te, she would look for him. How could he be so heartless when she was willing to give up the world for him?

    What was so good about Ning Xueyan? Ning Xueyan was already married and yet he couldn¡¯t forget her. She hated Ning Xueyan! She would never let that vixen off!

 Chapter 657 - Wu Yaoâ€™s Prayer Hall

    <h4>Chapter 657 Wu Yao¡¯s Prayer Hall</h4>

    Commandery Princess Muling wasn¡¯t the only one who resented Ning Xueyan. Another person also hated her to the point of wanting to eat her flesh and drink her blood...

    Ya Moqin returned to her manor after leaving the zither store in anger and shame.

    When she reached her manor, she changed her mind and ordered the carriage driver to take a turn toward Wu Yao¡¯s manor. She had always considered her maternal aunt to be the epitome of elegance. Not even her paternal aunt in the pce was as graceful as her. Most importantly, Wu Yao was kind and considerate.

    Wu Yao was unlike her paternal aunt, who liked to make her own decisions. Her aunt knew that she liked Ao Mingyu and they had grown up together, but still chose to break them up for the bigger picture. Her aunt made her give up the princess position and even the consort position because of Ning Qingshan.

    Ya Moqin couldn¡¯t ept this.

    Wasn¡¯t her bad reputation the result of her aunt¡¯s insistence on her n? The worst thing of it was that her grandfather agreed with her aunt and let her turn out this way.

    Ya Moqin would never examine herself for her faults. Rather, she would me it all on Honored Consort Ya and Grand Tutor Ya. She thought that Ning Qingshan was the reason she would be questioned to the point that she couldn¡¯t retort. If it wasn¡¯t for Ning Qingshan, she wouldn¡¯t be mocked today.

    She was so angry that she didn¡¯t feel like returning home and speaking to her grandfather. In any case, Ning Xueyan had entered the zither store and she had spoken to Commandery Princess Muling about her n. The Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min used to treat Ning Xueyan differently and even showed interest in marrying her. She was sure that Commandery Princess Muling would be furious about Ning Xueyan.

    Commandery Princess Muling¡¯s feelings for Wen Xueran weren¡¯t a secret among the nobledies.

    Neither of them expected that Commandery Princess Muling, who only had eyes for Wen Xueran, would marry Ao Mingyu while she couldn¡¯t even be Ao Mingyu¡¯s consort. She was upset about her oue with Ao Mingyu, but also furious at Commandery Princess Muling. If Commandery Princess Muling hadn¡¯t gotten in the way, she might just be Ao Mingyu¡¯s princess and wouldn¡¯t be trapped in her current situation.

    Ya Moqin got down from the carriage and entered Wu Manor in a fit of rage. She walked into the inner courtyard and asked, ¡°Is my aunt in?¡±

    The courtyard in Wu Manor was smallpared to most manors and her status didn¡¯t allow her to live in a spacious courtyard. Therefore, it didn¡¯t take Ya Moqin long to reach the inner courtyard.

    An older female housekeeper immediately went up to Ya Moqin after seeing her. ¡°Madam is in the prayer hall. Please wait here for a moment, Eldest Young Lady. I¡¯ll inform her right away.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother. I¡¯ll go and see her myself. Jeez, I wonder what she¡¯s thinking, being obsessed with praying. She should leave that to women in their seventies and eighties like my grandmother,¡± Ya Moqin said, turning around to walk in another direction.

    She knew that a prayer hall had been recently built in Wu Manor. It was located in the northwest corner of Wu Manor, in a secluded spot far from Wu Yao¡¯s room. She didn¡¯t know what Wu Yao was thinking. She couldn¡¯t understand why Wu Yao would be so devoted to praying.

    Even Ya Moqin, whose thoughts revolved around Ao Mingyu, could see that Wu Yao wasn¡¯t in the right state of mindtely. It was as if Wu Yao had be gloomy overnight. The look in her eyes when she stared at people had changed, but Ya Moqin couldn¡¯t remember when exactly this happened.

    It was likely around the same time as the incident at Ao Mingyu¡¯s manor.

    But what did that have to do with Wu Yao? Was Wu Yao depressed because she was in trouble? So depressed that she couldn¡¯t even smile anymore?

    This thought made her feel even closer to Wu Yao. Not even her mother was this worried about her after she got into trouble, yet her aunt could do this much for her. How could she not be touched? The more she thought about it, the more she felt that her aunt loved her.

    Her aunt wasn¡¯t like her mother, who treated her father and grandfather¡¯s words as gospel. Her mother had never considered her feelings.

    ¡°Aunt! Aunt!¡± When Ya Moqin arrived at the prayer hall, she went in without waiting for the maid to report to Wu Yao.

    Wu Yao was kneeling on a praying mat when she heard Ya Moqin¡¯s voice. She looked up, ced her palms together, and made a solemn kowtow before standing up. Her in white clothes made her look even paler. Herplexion was poor and the corners of her eyes drooped. Her face was the very picture of misery.

    Those who had seen her before would be in disbelief now. How could this gloomy woman be that friendly, gentle, and graceful Madam Wu?

    ¡°Moqin, why did youe?¡± Wu Yao put on an amiable smile when she saw Ya Moqin but when Ya Moqin wasn¡¯t looking at her, the smile turned cold and resentful.

    ¡°Aunt, I came to see you. I heard you built a prayer hall. Is it ready for use already?¡± Ya Moqin didn¡¯t notice Wu Yao¡¯s strangeness at all. Her smile was as carefree as usual. She had always visited Wu Yao¡¯s ce as she wished.

    She knew about the prayer hall but this was her first time here. Wu Yao had left the door ajar when she came out, so she pushed it open and entered the hall.

    The prayer hall wasrgely empty without even a statue of Buddha in it. There was only a censer with incense smoke rising in spirals above it. The ce felt tranquil but it was odd to have a prayer hall without a Buddha statue, especially when Wu Yao was kneeling inside so piously.

    Even stranger was the fact that the windows in the hall were covered with curtains. This made the room cold and sinister. It was truly odd.

    ¡°Aunt, you should open the curtains. How could you do anything in the dark? You can¡¯t even see properly.¡± Ya Moqin reached out, ready to pull the curtains open.

    An icy hand grabbed her hand, surprising her so much that she cried out in fear. It wasn¡¯t until she pushed the hand away that she realized it belonged to Wu Yao. Wu Yao was looking at her with a smile as if nothing had happened and the icy hand was all her imagination.

    The curtains were thin enough to let the light into the hall. Even so, the entire hall still seemed sinister.

    ¡°Don¡¯t open the curtains. You¡¯ll scare her. This is nice, just nice. No one will know and no one will harm her.¡± Wu Yao was smiling and her smile was gentler than usual, but that gentleness was a terrible match for the sinister mood in the hall. Ya Moqin could feel her hair rising on their ends.

    Wu Yao¡¯s words terrified her further. She could feel a chill running down her spine.

    ¡°Aunt... What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Ya Moqin asked carefully, keeping her voice low.

    ¡°I¡¯m alright...¡± Wu Yao reached out to grab Ya Moqin¡¯s hands but Ya Moqin was so spooked by her hand that she subconsciously evaded her and ran to the door. It wasn¡¯t until she saw the sun outside that she sighed in relief. She turned around and saw Wu Yao following her outside.

    She said, ¡°Aunt, let¡¯s talk outside. It¡¯s so gloomy and scary inside.¡± Wu Yao seemed a lot more normal under the sunlight and no longer gave Ya Moqin that strange, indescribable sinister feeling.

    Wu Yao nodded and followed her out of the ce. The two of them started walking toward Wu Yao¡¯s room. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did your n today not go well?¡±

    Wu Yao knew Ya Moqin well. She could immediately detect how sullen Ya Moqin was. So, she immediately showed her concern with a smile.

    ¡°Aunt, you all said that Ning Xueyan was cowardly and wouldn¡¯t embarrass anyone because of her status as the Crown Princess. But she humiliated me in front of so many people today.¡± Ya Moqin stomped her foot, angry at what happened earlier. She felt that she had been thoroughly humiliated today.

    ¡°It¡¯s all because of that slut, Ning Qingshan! Everything would be fine if she hadn¡¯t schemed to marry my cousin. She was the reason why Ning Xueyan was able to humiliate me.¡±

    The thought of Ning Xueyan reminded Ya Moqin of Ning Qingshan. Ning Qingshan might be dead but she still med it all on her. It was Ning Qingshan who pushed her to this state. Even dead, she wouldn¡¯t let Ning Qingshan rest in peace.

    A trace of mockery crossed Wu Yao¡¯s face but by the time Ya Moqin turned her head to look at her, her expression was gentle again.

    ¡°Was Ning Xueyan impolite to you?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! Before I could even get started, she was already provoking me. Her words were so nasty, too,¡± Ya Moqin said angrily.

    Wu Yao thought it over before saying quietly, ¡°Maybe she was upset about what happened between you and Prince Xiang.¡±

    Ya Moqin stopped in her tracks and immediately asked, ¡°What? Is there anything between her and my cousin?¡± She never knew that Ao Mingyu had feelings for Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Of course. Prince Xiang once tried to marry her. He still had feelings for her even after she was betrothed to Prince Yi. Maybe, she¡¯s the woman who really has Prince Xiang¡¯s heart.¡± Wu Yao sighed and tried to persuade Ya Moqin. ¡°Oh, alright. It¡¯s all in the past. It doesn¡¯t matter who Prince Xiang loves. It has nothing to do with you now.¡±

    Nothing to do with her? Ning Xueyan was the one who had her cousin¡¯s heart?

    These words were adding fuel to the fire, igniting Ya Moqin¡¯s anger.

    ¡°I knew that vixen was a piece of work! She keeps seducing one man after another! What a bitch!¡± Ya Moqin gritted her teeth, furious. She grabbed Wu Yao¡¯s hands and said in a panic, ¡°Aunt, you can¡¯t let that vixen win any favors at your banquet! You have to teach her a lesson! You have to drag that bitch down from her pedestal as the Crown Princess!¡±

    ¡°You want to teach her a lesson?¡± Wu Yao smiled.

    ¡°Yes! We have to teach that vixen a lesson,¡± Ya Moqin said resentfully.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not impossible but whether it works depends on your efforts. After all, she¡¯s the Crown Princess. You can¡¯t touch someone of her status.¡± Wu Yao sighed. She seemed eager to vent Ya Moqin¡¯s anger but helpless at the same time.

    Her expression agitated Ya Moqin so much that her eyes turned red. She was the respected granddaughter of Grand Tutor Ya. How could a lowly daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manorpare with her?

    ¡°Tell me, Aunt. I¡¯m listening. I refuse to believe that I¡¯ll lose to a vixen.¡± Resentment and jealousy crossed Ya Moqin¡¯s eyes.

 Chapter 658 - A Good Zither

    <h4>Chapter 658 A Good Zither</h4>

    The zither was ced on the shelf. From its color and luster, down to its other details, it was indeed a good zither that suited the well-known legend.

    It was the real Mark of the Moon without an ounce of forgery. Heng Yuqing had made sure of that when she took Ning Xueyan to a zither appraisal expert on their way home.

    The handful of well-known zither yers in the capital came to the same conclusion.

    In other words, this antique zither wasn¡¯t a fake. It was the real thing.

    The zither was sitting inside Ning Xueyan¡¯s room at the moment, right beside the iplete zither piece. One could hardly find the book containing the zither piece in the market anymore, and the remedied zither piece was as good as aplete one. Most importantly, the zither piece wasn¡¯t difficult to y.

    With these two advantages in hand, anyone with even the slightest zither proficiency would have leaped at the chance to perform. Madam Wu Yao¡¯s banquet was the gathering of politically neutral literary and talented young women, aplete one-eighty from typical banquets that prioritized riches, honor, glory, and splendor.

    The banquet would give her a chance to promote her status and dignity. From experience, she knew this sort of promotion was what she needed at the moment.

    Temptation was right before her.

    If she was the real Ning Xueyan, she might not be able to stop herself from going down the train of thought...

    But she wasn¡¯t just Ning Xueyan!

    Her knowledge of zither pieces was better than Heng Yuqing, who had been educated since young. She was able to detect the intention in the zither piece that Heng Yuqing couldn¡¯t and ponder more.

    Her mother had been proficient in zither, Go, calligraphy, and painting and owned a few out-of-print books from the pce. Since she had locked Ning Ziying in the inner courtyard and minimized contact with other people, she paid greater emphasis on the four arts. Ning Ziying was also a quiet person and enjoyed dabbling in zither, Go, and calligraphy.

    Her mother¡¯s careful education, the out-of-print books that only she had seen, as well as her talent, made her zither expertise in her past life far beyond that of nobledies who were carefully educated to gain fame for their talent.

    The continuation of the zither piece was decent but the problem lied in the piece itself. One could not y it at will, and if she were to finish the piece in public, the sound would be ¡°proof¡± of her crime...

    Ao Chenyi entered the room. He had been preupiedtely but no matter how busy he was, he would return to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor once to check on Ning Xueyan. His ornate robe trembled as he moved, his beautiful eyes on the Mark of the Moon resting solemnly in the room. His well-defined lips curved into a smile as he asked, ¡°Yan¡¯er, are you going to y the zither?¡±

    Few people knew that Ning Xueyan could y the zither, and y it well. She wasn¡¯t interested in the arts in her current life. She had spent all of her energy on protecting the people around her and getting revenge. Still, she had yed the zither in front of Ao Chenyi a few times.

    ¡°Not me. It¡¯s someone else who wants me to y the zither.¡± Ning Xueyan stood up and walked up to him. She stood on her tiptoes and adjusted Ao Chenyi¡¯s cape.

    ¡°Oh, I wonder who it is. But one thing for sure, that person must have something to do with Grand Tutor Ya.¡±

    Ao Mingyu seemed to have lost influence because of Honored Consort Ya. Moreover, Ao Chenyi¡¯s hold on the Crown Prince position seemed solid. Truth was, Ao Mingyu¡¯s influence didn¡¯t suffer all that much. With Grand Tutor Ya ying his strategist, he still stood a chance at rising again.

    This was especially true in this climate when Ao Chenyi had yet to ascend the throne. The elderly Emperor might be ill but he wasn¡¯t dead. History had proven howmon it was for a Crown Prince to be appointed only to be abolished, over and over.

    Ning Xueyan knew Ao Chenyi wouldn¡¯t be an easy opponent for Grand Tutor Ya and Ao Mingyu but it always paid well to be careful. She knew this much.

    When Ning Xueyan put down his cape, he grabbed her hand and pulled her to the couch. A fierce look crossed his face as he smiled and said, ¡°What¡¯s that old man up to now? Why don¡¯t I send my men to clean out his stronghold?¡±

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes, seemingly brimming with ice and snow, lit up with a smile. Her hand was still in Ao Chenyi¡¯s hold, so she shook his hand. ¡°It¡¯s alright, at least for now. You¡¯ve just be the Crown Prince. Now isn¡¯t the time for you to revolt. Since Grand Tutor Ya wants to orchestrate a show between women, why don¡¯t we let him seed for once?¡±

    ¡°But I don¡¯t want to!¡± Ao Chenyi sneered, a sharp glint shing in his eyes.

    ¡°It¡¯ll happen whether you want it or not. I noticed something but I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s true until I investigate it. I want to unveil the truth,¡± Ning Xueyan said softly, with a sweet smile on her face. She shook Ao Chenyi¡¯s hand again as if she was cating him, persuading him to agree with her n.

    Knowing that Ao Chenyi was worried about her safety, she said coquettishly, ¡°I have Xinmei and Liu Feng with me. They¡¯ll help me deal with this beautifully.¡±

    Emotion flickered in his eyes. He looked at her and replied,nguidly and helplessly, ¡°Should I send you a few more subordinates?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I don¡¯t need so many people for my n.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled, knowing that Ao Chenyi had given into her. She pulled him up by his hand and brought him to the antique zither called the Mark of the Moon.

    ¡°This is the antique zither, Mark of the Moon. Commandery Princess Muling gifted it to me when we were at the zither store. I didn¡¯t want it but she was so polite and insisted.¡± Ning Xueyan raised an eyebrow and said meaningfully, ¡°But since she was so persistent, I had no choice but to ept it.¡±

    She let go of Ao Chenyi¡¯s hand and ced her delicate hands on the zither strings, producing a melodious andnguid sound. She had just plucked a few strings without making much of a tune but it was enough to make one infatuated with the sound. Of course, it was partially because of the quality of the zither but Ning Xueyan¡¯s skill yed a part too.

    ¡°The sound is a little dull.¡± Ao Chenyi was a well-learned zither yer in his own right. It didn¡¯t take him long to notice the intricacy of the sound. A sneer appeared on his face as his beautiful hand grabbed Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand on the zither strings. ¡°I¡¯ll find out who was the original owner of this antique zither.¡±

    Ordinary people wouldn¡¯t be able to own such beautiful antique zither.

    The plotters had gone all out in using such an expensive zither. When he recalled the fact that they dared to harm Ning Xueyan, a sinister and blood-thirsty look appeared on his face. How could these people scheme against a woman who he couldn¡¯t even bring himself to punish? From the look of it, the scheme wasn¡¯t Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s n alone.

    Suddenly, he remembered the news he obtained the day before yesterday and his face became gloomier. How dare they try and steal his woman! They must have a death wish!

    ¡°Since you¡¯re going to investigate, I¡¯ll leave it to you. And if you¡¯re already doing me a favor, why not a second one? Can you help me find out what happened to Madam Wu Yao back then? How did her schr husband die? Where did he die? Why was she willing to stay faithful to her husband but chose to leave with her dowry instead of staying at her husband¡¯s home?¡±

    Ning Xueyan smiled softly, her eyes unreadable.

    There were still things that she was suspicious of but she became increasingly certain after seeing the current situation. What circumstances would make a woman change so drastically and step out of the shadows? Why would Wu Yao work for Grand Tutor Ya?

    Perhaps, a better question was why Grand Tutor Ya was willing to trust her.

    Was it simply because Wu Yao was a nobledy of the previous dynasty? Her status was rtively high among other nobledies of the previous dynasty, seeing as she was able to enter the private circle of Ning Xueyan¡¯s biological mother. But she wasn¡¯t the only nobledy who fitted the bill. What drew Grand Tutor Ya to Wu Yao? What made him trust her?

    Why would Wu Yao work for Grand Tutor Ya?

    Wu Yao was just a childless widow. What would she want? Even if she wanted to seek shelter from Grand Tutor Ya, she didn¡¯t have to go so far as to scheme for him.

    There must be another reason driving her actions and Ning Xueyan was slowly confirming her spection. Still, there was something that she needed to confirm.

    ¡°Alright. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll get someone to investigate it. You don¡¯t have to attend the banquet either. It¡¯s just a widow¡¯s banquet,¡± Ao Chenyi said coldly. A sinister smile appeared on his face when he abruptly pressed two fingers together and pulled the zither strings in the opposite direction.

    Ning Xueyan knew there was trouble when she saw his face. She immediately pulled him back and cried, ¡°Your Highness, don¡¯t...¡±

    ¡°Why should my Crown Princess fawn over a widow?¡± Ao Chenyi shot her an unhappy look. When he saw tears pooling in her beautiful eyes and flowing down her delicate face, he put his hand down helplessly and pulled her into a hug.

    ¡°I¡¯ll protect you, so you don¡¯t have to entertain those people.¡± He didn¡¯t even realize that he had softened his voice.

    ¡°I know.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded in his embrace, looking like an obedient child. Her heart was soft and mushy. She didn¡¯t understand why she cried either. It was as if she would turn coquettish every time she was with him. She felt upset and pitiful when facing his anger earlier.

    She wasn¡¯t like this before. It was because of Ao Chenyi that she became increasingly soft-tempered.

    For some reason, her mood improved significantly after he eased his attitude and a smile soon appeared on her face.

    Her longshes fluttered as she slowly closed her eyes and said firmly, ¡°But I want to deal with these backyard matters myself.¡±

    Yes, she liked Ao Chenyi. She liked the man before her.

    Before she knew it, the ruthless man who put her on the edge had slowly, quietly entered her heart.

    Ao Chenyi lowered his head and listened to her answer. Gentleness eased his face, warming up his icy expression from before.

    He tightened his arms around her with a soft smile on his beautiful lips. He could sense how the woman in his arms relied on him. Her wholehearted reliance improved his mood considerably. He lifted her chin and nted a soft kiss on her...

    ¡°Yan¡¯er...¡± A gentle murmur emerged from his lips, the sound imbued with his deep affection and happiness. It was almost as if he was going to make a tyrannical announcement. If she hadn¡¯t experienced this herself, she wouldn¡¯t have believed that a cold, heartless man like Ao Chenyi would have such a passionate side. He wouldn¡¯t have acted like this if he wasn¡¯t truly in love...

 Chapter 659 - The Banquet Officially Begins

    <h4>Chapter 659 The Banquet Officially Begins</h4>

    Madam Wu Yao¡¯s banquet went on as scheduled.

    But she didn¡¯t host the banquet at her manor, but a well-known courtyard in the capital that used to belong to Hua Yunheng, the famous Peach Blossom Ind. It was said that it had a new name now that Hua Manor wasn¡¯t the owner anymore.

    No one knew where Wu Yao heard that the new owners hadn¡¯t moved in yet, so she found a way to borrow the courtyard for a day. Thus, the banquet was held there.

    Ning Xueyan had been to the courtyard before, but she had entered through the side door then. She had never entered the courtyard through the main entrance. This time, a sharp-eyed servant immediately addressed her the moment her carriage arrived at the manor.

    ¡°Is this Her Highness the Crown Princess¡¯ carriage?¡± Ning Xueyan sat inside thevish carriage, feeling helpless. When she heard the voice outside, she indicated to Qingyu to answer.

    It was all because of Ao Chenyi¡¯s insistence that she came in such avish carriage. She would have refused otherwise.

    His arrogant persistence left her helpless, so she had to travel to the manor in the carriage that he prepared for her. The carriage was sovish that it was almost ostentatious.

    Thus, one didn¡¯t have to ask to know that she had arrived.

    Qingyu stepped out of the carriage and jumped to the ground. ¡°Yes, this is the Crown Princess¡¯ carriage,¡± she told the servant outside. Upon hearing that it was Ning Xueyan¡¯s carriage, the two carriages on both sides of the road gave way.

    After all, Ao Chenyi wasn¡¯t your average Crown Prince. He was the icon of power who was evenly matched with the Emperor when he was still Prince Yi. Now that he had be the Crown Prince, most people wouldn¡¯t even dare to offend him.

    Though people disapproved and even mocked the quiet Crown Princess for bing so high-profile all of a sudden, they dared not gossip out of fear of the Crown Prince.

    ¡°Pleasee this way, Your Highness,¡± the servant said cleverly, reaching out to guide the way. She pointed to the now-empty road that led straight to the main entrance.

    Before everyone¡¯s eyes, Ning Xueyan¡¯s carriage entered the main entrance and moved toward the Chuihua Gate in the back. The courtyard was sorge that walking was inconvenient for it would take far too long.

    The carriage entered the Chuihua Gate and stopped at a space nearby. Ning Xueyan got down from the carriage with Xinmei¡¯s help. Before she could stand firm and raise her head, she felt something knocking her from the side. She dodged purely out of instinct, but Xinmei was even quicker and pulled her aside, allowing her to avoid the maid in front of her.

    The maid seemed quite young.

    She had quite a pretty face but was thin and weak. She was so frightened that she immediately knelt at Ning Xueyan¡¯s feet. Trembling, she said, ¡°Please punish me, Your Highness.¡±

    Ning Xueyan looked at the wet footprints on the ground and noticed the sign of skidding. It was evident that the maid was careless while walking, causing her to slip and knock into her.

    Why would this maid appear here? Ning Xueyan looked at the handful of maids standing on the side of the empty ground and noticed that they were wearing the same clothes as the maid before her. Wu Yao must have brought these maids here to serve her guests. They must have been standing by earlier. Only God knew why this particr maid would slip and knock into her.

    ¡°You may rise,¡± Ning Xueyan said indifferently. She let go of Xinmei¡¯s hand and flicked her sleeves.

    ¡°Please, Your Highness! I really didn¡¯t do it on purpose! It was an ident. I was trying to help you down the carriage, but I slipped and fell.¡± It was as if the maid didn¡¯t notice that Ning Xueyan had pardoned her. She continued to kowtow to Ning Xueyan.

    In just seconds, her fair forehead became red and stained with mud.

    Ning Xueyan nced at Xinmei. Xinmei walked over to the maid and pulled her up from the ground. She used so much force that the maid was forced up despite still trying to kneel. The maid staggered and almost fell again.

    Xinmei looked at the maid with a cold expression and said harshly, ¡°Our master said that it¡¯s fine. You can go now.¡±

    She had spoken out of anger, so her voice was inevitably loud.

    Several carriages came to a stop at that moment. It seemed that they had just arrived.

    Suddenly, Ya Moqin¡¯s voice resounded.¡±Your Highness, don¡¯t be mad at a little maid. If anything is upsetting you, you can tell me and I¡¯ll let my aunt know. I¡¯ll have her educate this little maid who is stupid enough to offend you.¡±

    She didn¡¯te out of a carriage. It seemed that she hade after hearing that Ning Xueyan had arrived, to receive Ning Xueyan on her aunt¡¯s behalf. She appeared at the road crossing with several maids and her words were particrly pleasant.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes turned as cold as ice for a second but nothing showed on her expression. She smiled at Ya Moqin. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, you should inform Madam Wu Yao about this maid, Eldest Young Lady Ya. It¡¯s best not to use a rude and impetuous maid like her. It doesn¡¯t matter that she has offended me today. It¡¯ll be disastrous if she offends the pce consorts.¡±

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s reply made it hard for Ya Moqin to answer. Even Ya Moqin would have pretended to be kind in such circumstances, expressing that she didn¡¯t care for such a little maid¡¯s transgression. The maid had just slipped and knocked into her by ident. It was no big deal. Moreover, there were so many peopleing out of the carriages at the moment. She would fake it if only for their sake.

    However, Ning Xueyan dropped her usual gentle demeanor from before. She even sounded fierce and determined. This was beyond Ya Moqin¡¯s expectations.

    Still, she had to answer Ning Xueyan. This was something that she had brought up in the first ce.

    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll tell my aunt to educate them properlyter.¡± It was rare that Ya Moqin would go along with Ning Xueyan¡¯s words so pleasantly. She reached out, indicating for her servants to help the maid up. It was as if she was trying to drag the maid out of the scene.

    More and more carriages were stopping at the parking space. Many married women and youngdies had exited their carriages and were staring at them in surprise. They didn¡¯t know what had happened.

    Ning Xueyan sneered on the inside. Ya Moqin¡¯s action made it seem like she was the rude and arrogant one. Still, she noticed that the older servants were making a lot of big movements but using very little strength in dragging the maid out. They didn¡¯t go very far as they tugged at each other.

    ¡°Please spare my life, Your Highness! Please spare my life!¡± The maid struggled with all her might. She was falling back with every few steps, so she didn¡¯t move very far from her original spot.

    ¡°Let her go.¡± Ning Xueyan pointed at the maid with a fair finger and shook it with a smile. Her eyes were colored with mirth.

    Hearing her words, the two older servants immediately let go of the maid. The maid fell to the ground with tears flowing down her face. She gave Ning Xueyan a crazed look as she cried, ¡°Thank you, Your Highness! Thank you, Your Highness!¡±

    The maid even kowtowed twice at Ning Xueyan as she spoke, looking deeply grateful. She was looking at Ning Xueyan like she was looking at her savior.

    Even as she walked away, she would turn around often to look at Ning Xueyan while wiping her tears. If Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t know that the cause of this incident was something so trivial, she would have thought that she was truly the maid¡¯s savior.

    ¡°That was so kind of you, Your Highness. Look at how grateful the maid looked. I bet if you ask her to die for you, she¡¯ll be willing to,¡± Ya Moqin sighed.

    Ning Xueyan would be deemed kind if she let the maid off and arrogant if she didn¡¯t. Even though it was Ya Moqin¡¯s actions, the one bearing a poor reputation would be her. If she were to ruin her reputation among these politically neutral people, she wouldn¡¯t be able to improve it again. This must be why Ya Moqin was so sure that she would ask to spare the maid!

    Ya Moqin was always a self-centered person. How could she be so patient and put on such a show in front of her? It seemed that someone was instructing her...

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s red lips curved into a cold smile. Everything in this banquet was a trap, down to the wine and the feast. As she had thought, this was a terrible banquet!

    She looked around and saw the people ncing at her and the maid. She began to pay more attention to the seemingly ordinary maid.

    She gave Ya Moqin a slight nod. This time, she didn¡¯t say anything to her and entered with her maids.

    Her status as the Crown Princess put her above everyone. No one would say anything about her bringing a few maids with her.

    The banquet was held at the same ce where she met Wen Xueran thest time. Heavy curtains were installed this time, with a small tform built where peach blossom trees used to bloom. The tables and seats were arranged around the tform, forming a circr shape.

    Ning Xueyan was surprised to see several seats for men.

    Several screens were ced a short distance away from the women, carving out a space for the men. Basins of flowers were ced in the space between the screens. The arrangement was elegant withoutpromising on the separation of men and women.

    Still, the separation of men and women was weaker than usual. The handful of male guests sitting behind the screens were dressed inrge robes and wide sleeves, looking as elegant as schrs from ancient times.

    Several youngdies even walked over to the men¡¯s area, as if noticing someone. No one cared about their actions as if there wasn¡¯t anything wrong with it. No one berated them for not respecting the separation of men and women.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes became unfathomable when she noticed a man behind the screen. Her longshes fluttered like the wings of butterflies as she nced at the host who was talking to the men, Wu Yao. There was a pensive look on her face. It took her just one nce to know that Wu Yao was the woman who came to her manor all those years ago.

    Wu Yao was the woman who was once close to her mother, the woman who inexplicably appeared in her home.

    She was sure that Wu Yao¡¯s appearance wasn¡¯t a coincidence...

 Chapter 660 - The RiC.and Resourceful Madam Wu Yao

    <strong>Chapter 660 The Rich and Resourceful Madam Wu Yao</strong>

    Madam Wu Yao was speaking to a man in a wide-sleeved long robe when she saw Ning Xueyan arriving at the banquet. She quickly ended the conversation and walked toward Ning Xueyan.

    It went without saying that Ning Xueyan had the high status out of everyone present. Even if Wu Yao belonged to the politically neutral faction, she must show an attitude befitting of a host.

    ¡°Is this the Crown Princess? Please,e this way.¡± Wu Yao went up to Ning Xueyan with a bright smile.

    Ning Xueyan nced at Wu Yao with a smile, concealing the trace of coldness in her beautiful eyes.

    Even though she had taken notice of Wu Yao in her present life, this was still her first time meeting her. It had been a few years but Wu Yao hadn¡¯t changed much. She was still the same kind and gentle motherly figure. Perhaps, in her mother¡¯s opinion, Wu Yao was her good-tempered but unfortunate close friend.

    It was a pity that Wu Yao was so wicked.

    ¡°Madam Wu.¡± Ning Xueyan smiled.

    ¡°I¡¯m d that you¡¯re willing toe, Your Highness. It¡¯s my honor to have you attend my banquet. Please, take a seat there.¡±

    Wu Yao¡¯s smile was respectful but kind. Her expression was even more so sincere. People meeting her for the first time would have been attracted to her warm smile and considered her a friendly, considerate woman. One would easily let down one¡¯s guard in front of her.

    She was especially respectful when speaking to Ning Xueyan, and even led her to the main seat.

    It was obvious that the seat was the principal seat of the banquet.

    If Ning Xueyan, the Crown Princess of the nation, didn¡¯t take the seat, no one would be able to. Whether it was out of respect or friendship, she ought to take the seat. It was her obligation to.

    Yet, when she saw Commandery Princess Muling sitting near her, a thought sparked in her and her eyes turned dark. It seemed that she was truly fated with this princess. It felt as if she was running into the princess at every turn.

    ¡°We meet again, Your Highness.¡± Commandery Princess Muling stood up when she saw Ning Xueyan approaching and shifted her body sideways to make a salute. No matter what, her status was beneath that of Ning Xueyan and she would be in the lower generation after marrying Ao Mingyu. There was a distinction between them as the ruler and the ruled.

    Even so, she was not yet married and represented Manor Mu at the moment. Ning Xueyan had to show her some measure of respect too.

    She nodded at Commandery Princess Muling and then took the principal seat. Commandery Princess Muling took the side seat, with the host, Wu Yao, taking the other side seat.

    It was gettingte and most guests had arrived. The men wearing wide-sleeved long robes and tall hats in the men¡¯s area were mostly known for their talent. Few of them took official positions and those who did were just small-time officers, though with a great reputation.

    People tended to look at these famous and talented men with respect. Even the propriety between men and women wasn¡¯t as closely observed for they thought that these famous men wouldn¡¯t do anything to ruin their reputation. This was why no one raised an eyebrow when ady went over to talk to them earlier.

    The tform was well-tied to the ground, showing that personal performances were inevitable. One would truly be known as a talenteddy after gaining fame at this banquet. Nearly no one would give up on this opportunity, so most had brought their best tricks with them. Their maids were carrying musical instruments like zithers, dance clothes, or brush pen, ink, ink-stone, and the like.

    Commandery Princess Muling looked at what Ning Xueyan¡¯s maid, Qingyu, was carrying. In Qingyu¡¯s hands was a zither-like object. The case told her that it was the same Mark of the Moon that she gifted to Ning Xueyan. A sneer silently crept onto her face. To think that an insignificant daughter of the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor would dare topete with her.

    Ya Moqin was also a host in her own right, so she sat right beside Wu Yao. Her gaze would fall on the zither in Qingyu¡¯s hands from time to time. There was a smug expression on her face.

    When Ning Xueyan turned to look at her, she looked away and spoke to anotherdy as if she hadn¡¯t been paying attention to Ning Xueyan. Yet, when Ning Xueyan turned her head again, she would look at the former now and then.

    She was paying attention to Ning Xueyan¡¯s every move. Suddenly, she saw Ning Xueyan summoning one of her maids. She was increasingly alert. Though she seemed to be conversing with someone else, all of her attention was on Ning Xueyan.

    Unfortunately, she was too far from Ning Xueyan. Though they were only separated by Wu Yao, Ning Xueyan was sitting in the principal seat and she couldn¡¯t very well sit right beside her. Moreover, Ning Xueyan wouldn¡¯t be speaking loudly at this time. Ning Xueyan was giving her maid orders in a soft voice.

    Then, she saw the maid nodding and walking out.

    Ya Moqin immediately shot a look at a maid who had been standing by for orders. The maid nodded and cleverly followed Ning Xueyan¡¯s maid out.

    The one who left was Ning Xueyan¡¯s maid, Lanning. She was walking out in a panicked rush as if she had an urgent business.

    When she took a turn, she didn¡¯t see someoneing from another direction due to a blindspot. She crashed into a maid and the two of them fell to the ground together.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Lanning stood up and tried to help the maid up.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m fine.¡± The maid was dressed in the same clothes as the maids in the manor. Wu Yao had likely brought her here to serve her guests. Holding onto Lanning¡¯s hand, she got to her feet and patted her clothes. She smiled as if she didn¡¯t care for the mistake. She looked like a clever and easy-going girl.

    After she patted the dust off her clothes, she looked Lanning up and down and said frankly, ¡°Did youe with your master? Do you need to leave because of an urgent business? Should I show you the way? It¡¯s easy to get into trouble if you go around without knowing the ce.¡±

    It was Lanning¡¯s first timeing here, so it was natural for her to appear conflicted. She looked at the path that she came from and asked, ¡°Is this the path out of this ce?¡± It wasn¡¯t a good idea to offend anyone else, after all.

    ¡°You can go out using this path but there¡¯s a fork ahead. One leads to the owner¡¯s courtyard. Our master had simply borrowed this courtyard. The owner of the courtyard is a man and he¡¯s currently staying on the other side. Don¡¯t take the wrong path and go there.¡±

    The maid kindly warned Lanning.

    There wasn¡¯t just one, but several forks in the path ahead. Lanning hesitated. ¡°Um, elder sister, do you have time? Can you bring me out? My master wants to take something from our carriage.¡±

    ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll bring you out. If you go on your own, you might take the wrong path. It¡¯s not obvious when you¡¯re walking in but when you¡¯re walking out, you might really go the wrong way. But you have to wait for me for a little. I have to go up and send some fruits.¡± The maid smiled warmly and pointed to a tray that had been put aside.

    It was only then that Lanning noticed the bowl of fruits on the stone table beside her. The fruits were washed so clean that they almost sparkled. The maid might have been resting here after putting down the bowl of fruits when she took a turn and identally knocked into her.

    ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you here then!¡± Lanning nodded.

    ¡°No need. Come with me. There¡¯s a crossing ahead, where you can take a shortcut to the parking space. You must have wasted some time here. If you dy it anymore, your master might get angry at you. We¡¯re maids, and maids can¡¯t anger their masters.¡±

    Wu Yao¡¯s maid pointed to a nearby path. Indeed, there was a path near the arched door and it led to a different direction than where Lanning was heading.

    She knew that a maid should try her best to please her master. Lanning had indeed wasted quite some time here. She thought about it for a moment before nodding.

    Wu Yao¡¯s maid picked up the bowl of fruits and led Lanning down the shortcut. It didn¡¯t take long for them to reach another ce¡ªthe banquet. However, Lanning had taken the path near the women¡¯s area earlier but the maid was taking her down the path near the men¡¯s area.

    The bowl of fruits was meant for the male guests.

    Lanning stopped in her tracks.

    Noticing her hesitation, Wu Yao¡¯s maid smiled at her. ¡°Wait for me here. Once I finish serving the bowl of fruits, I¡¯ll show you the way out immediately. It won¡¯t take a lot of time.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll wait for you here.¡± Lanning nodded.

    However, the moment Wu Yao¡¯s maid left, Lanning disappeared as well. She turned around and returned to the crossing from before. Tracing her memory, she found her way to where their carriage was.

    It wasn¡¯t her first time here, after all. She had also paid attention to the paths when she came in earlier. Going out wasn¡¯t a challenge for her.

    She had just left when she saw a man rushing out with a maid. When they reached the previous spot and found no one there, the man couldn¡¯t help but turn around and look at the maid suspiciously. ¡°Where is she?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Strange! She was still here a minute ago. She summoned me, saying that she wanted to pass on a letter. Where did she go?¡± The maid was surprised too. She couldn¡¯t believe it, so she looked around at the crossing and even walked a few steps.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you wait here for a moment? I¡¯ll go and take a look. Maybe she thought it was inconvenient after waiting for a while,¡± the maid exined to the man.

    Her exnation seemed usible.

    The man nodded and stood still at the crossing. He took out the letter that he had been holding tightly.

    It was evident that the lightly perfumed letter was written by a woman. There was little content in the letter, but there was a painting of a woman inside. It was that painting that made hime out in a rush.

    He had seen many lovely women in his life, but that crudely-drawn painting was enough to show how devastatingly beautiful the woman was. What a rare beauty. Thus, he thought all the risk was worth it. That woman was almost legendary in her beauty, and she admired him... How could he not be moved...

 Chapter 661 - Drawing Lots to Decide Who Performs First

    <h4>Chapter 661 Drawing Lots to Decide Who Performs First</h4>

    The banquet had started. Unlike regr banquets, the guests were served fresh fruits, light dishes, and sweet fruit wine. Everything was meant to be mild-tasting.

    A maid presented a small tube filled with many polished bamboo sticks. The sticks were beautiful because of their careful engravings of all sorts of flowers.

    It went without saying that the tube of bamboo sticks was taken to Ning Xueyan first. The maid knelt respectfully in front of her, held the tube high, and waited for her to pick a stick. This meant that whether or not she wanted to perform, whether or not she was ready to perform, she would have to show the guests something after drawing a lot.

    On the surface, this was a show of respect. In reality, they were forcing her to perform.

    Ning Xueyan knew that Wu Yao wouldn¡¯t give her a chance to reject performing. She could guess as much after experiencing their little scheme with the zither.

    Thus, she smiled when the maid presented the bamboo tube. She grabbed the bamboo stick with a plum blossom craving and passed it to Linglong. Linglong looked at the number at the bottom of the stick and announced, ¡°Ten.¡±

    She was neither at the top or the bottom of the sequence. There were at least tens of youngdies present today. It was quite a good cement for her.

    The maid retreated and handed the bamboo tube to Commandery Princess Muling, Ya Moqin, the rest of the unmarrieddies, as well as several young madams.

    The married women in attendance were all young women. After all, the older ones wouldn¡¯t bother attending such events for a literary reputation meant little to them.

    After the maid finished deciding the sequence for the performancester, she retreated. Several maids appeared in her ce, and in their hands were a tray each. Inside the tray was a brush, ink, and a stack of white paper for the poem-writing portion of the poetry exchange.

    Some youngdies had brought their brush and ink with them, so they rejected the ones that Wu Yao prepared for them.

    The maids presented the trays filled with brush, ink, and paper before they stepped aside and waited for the women to finish writing their poems.

    Ning Xueyan took the inked brush from Lanning¡¯s hand and discreetly looked around. Neither Commandery Princess Muling on her left nor Ya Moqin on the right were looking at her. This made her surroundings seem particrly quiet.

    A few youngdies who knew each other were speaking in hushed voices, seemingly in a discussion. Wu Yao had also left her seat. It was as if everyone had selectively forgotten that the Crown Princess never studied much as a child and might not be able to write a poem at the moment.

    If she coulde up with a poem at a banquet like this, she would surely garner praise. But what if she couldn¡¯t? She would be humiliated.

    Ning Xueyan cast a discreet nce around her before she started writing. Even though Commandery Princess Muling couldn¡¯t see what she was writing, she couldn¡¯t help sneering on the inside at Ning Xueyan behaving like a schr. ¡°She sure knows how to put a front.¡±

    She had investigated Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor quite thoroughly recently. The Crown Princess was your typical case of an unlearned and uneducated person. Ning Xueyan had been living with her mother in semi-house arrest since young. There was no rumor about anyone teaching her. It would be surprising if she could write properly, never mind write a good poem.

    Just having poor writing would be enough to ruin Ning Xueyan¡¯s reputation.

    The banquet guests were famous schrs or talented literati. The men might not be high-ranking officers but they were known for their honesty. They would surely criticize Ning Xueyan ruthlessly after seeing her poem. They wouldn¡¯t spare her just because she was the Crown Princess.

    Then, Ning Xueyan would slowly be revealed as the uneducated and unskilled person that she was.

    Ning Xueyan quickly finished writing her poem. But instead of handing the paper to the awaiting maid, she handed it to Linglong. Linglong reached for the paper and folded it carefully, at just the right timing to block the prying gazes on Ning Xueyan from both sides.

    When the two women stopped looking at her, Linglong quickly folded another paper with Ning Xueyan¡¯s paper.

    On the surface, she seemed to be holding a single piece of paper. However, if one were to unfold it, one would realize that there were two pieces and two poems...

    Commandery Princess Muling and Ya Moqin curled their lips in disdain and turned their heads around. They thought for a moment before quickly writing down their poems. It wasn¡¯t hard for youngdies who were well-educated since young toe up with a poem.

    They might not necessarily impress with their poems, but they had the basics down at the very minimum.

    The other maids had retreated after receiving their respective poems. Only the maid near Ning Xueyan was waiting anxiously. She knew Ning Xueyan¡¯s status. Until Ning Xueyan said something, she wouldn¡¯t dare to say anything. She continued to wait with the tray in hand.

    Commandery Princess Muling, who had put the brush and pen aside, turned her head and grinned at Ning Xueyan. ¡°Your Highness, have you finished your poem?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded with a smile.

    ¡°If you¡¯re done, why aren¡¯t you handing it to the maid?¡± Commandery Princess Muling asked, sounding surprised.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a very good poem. I can¡¯t really bring myself to hand it over at the moment,¡± Ning Xueyan exined softly.

    ¡°But if you don¡¯t hand your poem over, they can¡¯t start the judging. You¡¯re the most important guest today. Your poem should be the first thing that they review. If you¡¯re the flower, we¡¯re all just leaves to adorn you,¡± a smiling Ya Moqin couldn¡¯t help but interject.

    She exchanged a nce with Commandery Princess Muling. Both of them smiled in tacit understanding.

    In their opinion, it was obvious that Ning Xueyan couldn¡¯t produce a good poem and had just scrawled some nonsense on the paper. They were sure that Ning Xueyan was embarrassed to hand the paper over because her poem was horrible. Thus, Ya Moqin was determined to force Ning Xueyan to hand in her poem.

    She made it sound as if the poem review couldn¡¯t start until Ning Xueyan handed her work over.

    Ning Xueyan nodded helplessly and asked Linglong to put the paper in the maid¡¯s tray. Once the maid got the paper, she immediately went after her counterparts and headed to the men¡¯s side so that the schrs could start the judging. They were the judges at the banquet today and shouldered the important responsibility of being honest.

    One poem after another was passed over to the judges. The men gathered and began evaluating the poems.

    The women¡¯s poems covered a variety of themes. Most were decent but ordinary. None was truly remarkable. A few even had the judges shaking their heads.

    One poem was particrly terrible. Not only was the poem unorderly, but the writing looked like it belonged to someone who hadn¡¯t written much.

    The terrible poem and handwriting made everyone shake their heads. Some began wondering which youngdy wrote such a bad poem. Wasn¡¯t she embarrassed to present this?

    To think that she dared to attend such a banquet! Did she have no shame or did she look down on them? Did she want to provoke them?

    Thus, they deliberately put the poem aside.

    Before attending the banquet, Madam Wu Yao had told them that a few uneducated youngdies insisted oning just because their families were powerful. These youngdies even forced Madam Wu Yao into inviting them. It went without saying that famous schrs like them looked down on such abuse of power.

    They were sure that the poem belonged to one of these youngdies. It would have been fine if the poem didn¡¯t reach them, but it did. So, they felt that there was no need to be polite. They swore on their reputation as famous schrs and the pirs of the politically neutral faction that they would ruthlessly criticize the shameless youngdyter.

    Then, they found a refreshing short poem. The beautiful piece of work swept their frustration away. They felt sofortable reading the poem that it was as if they had drunk a mouthful of iced water on a hot day.

    Naturally, the poem quickly garnered the judges¡¯ approval. They thought that the writer of such a poem deserved the title of a talented and erudite nobledy.

    Her plum calligraphy, in particr, made them nod and exim in admiration.

    A few of them recited the poem several times. The more they read it, the more charming and meaningful the poem became.

    The review of the poems came to a swift end. Three famous schrs, representing their counterparts, walked to the women¡¯s side under Madam Wu Yao¡¯s guidance. They informed the results to everyone present.

    ¡°There¡¯s a poem here that I want to talk about. I don¡¯t know who wrote it, but if I didn¡¯t see it myself, I would have thought that it was a maid scribbling nonsense. Not only was the writing terrible, but there were no nuances to the poem whatsoever! How could this be called a poem? I¡¯d never seen any woman write such a vulgar poem. I wonder which uneducated youngdy here wrote it.¡±

    It was no wonder that the men were famous schrs. They weren¡¯t afraid that their words would offend people. They looked at the faces of the youngdies without emotion, lookingpletely impartial.

    ¡°Uneducated? Who among us has never been uneducated? How embarrassing! If you can¡¯t write, you should have said so. Why write such a terrible poem? You¡¯re embarrassing us too.¡± The youngdies didn¡¯t know who the famous schr was referring to, but a few of them began looking around in suspicion because of his words.

    Thus, they began whispering and asking among themselves.

    They didn¡¯te up with any answers. Mostdies would receive a few years of education, especially the ones present. All of them had been carefully educated by their families. There was no way that they wouldn¡¯t write well.

    Several discussionster, someone mentioned Ning Xueyan. Everyone turned to look at Ning Xueyan in suspicion. All of them seemed more educated and talented than the Crown Princess. Moreover, they had known each other since young and seen each other¡¯s writing as well. Neither of them wrote poorly.

    Of course, Ning Xueyan was the exception. It was said that Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t receive any education when she was a child. She lived with her mother for most of her life and had never even met a decent teacher.

    It seemed that the new Crown Princess was the one most likely to write poorly ande up with a terrible poem at the banquet.

 Chapter 662 - Could This Poem Not Be Yours?

    <strong>Chapter 662 Could This Poem Not Be Yours?</strong>

    Nearly everyone was looking at Ning Xueyan. Not even her status as the Crown Princess stopped them from giving her mocking looks. How could a person of her caliber be the Crown Princess and the future Empress, the Mother of the Nation? What a joke!

    ¡°Your Highness, look...¡± Commandery Princess Muling turned around and looked at Ning Xueyan with a conflicted expression.

    ¡°Your Highness, should I go there and shut him up? How could he criticize the Crown Princess as he pleased?¡± Ya Moqin said angrily, looking indignant on Ning Xueyan¡¯s behalf.

    Emotion rippled in Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes. She was quite speechless at their performance. ¡°Eldest Young Lady Ya, let him criticize as he pleases. I don¡¯t know what does this has to do with me.¡±

    In Commandery Princess Muling¡¯s opinion, if Ning Xueyan was clever, she would have said the maid took the wrong paper instead of refusing to admit that it was hers. Even though no one wrote their names down, every paper was marked ordingly. Ning Xueyan couldn¡¯t just say that the poem was written by someone else. However, the more she refused to admit it now, the more embarrassed she would beter.

    ¡°Your Highness, isn¡¯t this poem yours?¡± Ya Moqin was so smug that she immediately rebutted Ning Xueyan after hearing thetter¡¯s reply.

    She was certain that the poem belonged to Ning Xueyan.

    She spoke so loudly and boldly that she attracted everyone¡¯s attention. Even the three famous schrs and their counterparts some distance away were staring in Ning Xueyan¡¯s direction.

    Ning Xueyan remainedposed under everyone¡¯s gazes. She smiled and said calmly, ¡°How do you know that the poem is mine, Eldest Young Lady Ya? Did you see me write it?¡±

    Her words shifted everyone¡¯s attention to Ya Moqin. Ya Moqin¡¯s face turned red after seeing so many people stare at her. She couldn¡¯t believe that Ning Xueyan was still refusing to admit her mistake. Ning Xueyan truly didn¡¯t know what was good for her.

    ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯re the only one here who can produce such disgraceful work.¡± Ya Moqin had always been domineering and conceited. With Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor and Ao Mingyu backing her up, she was so arrogant that she might not even show the princesses in the pce respect.

    Most importantly, she had always disliked Ning Xueyan. Even though Ning Xueyan had be the Crown Princess, she felt that Ning Xueyan was inferior to her. She tried to be polite and soft-spoken with Ning Xueyan because of thetter¡¯s status, but after Ning Xueyan provoked her, she couldn¡¯t hold back her anger anymore.

    This was especially true because she was in public. If she continued to stay silent, she feared that she would cough up blood.

    ¡°Disgraceful work? Eldest Young Lady Ya, did you see me write the poem, or did you know what I have written? How could you know everything so well when I didn¡¯t even know who the schr had criticized?¡± Ning Xueyan seemed tranquil. Under her longshes, her eyes were tinted with cold mirth as she looked at Ya Moqin¡¯s red face.

    ¡°You¡¯re the only one here who has never received formal education as a child!¡± Ya Moqin retorted loudly.

    Her words drew the secret acknowledgment of many people. The women present were all more or less cultured. Even those who weren¡¯t that well-learned had the basics down. The Crown Princess was the only exception. It was said that the Crown Princess and her mother lost the Lord Protector¡¯s favor when she was young, resulting in herck of education. It was very likely that she was the owner of that terribly-written, terriblyposed poem.

    ¡°Does not having a formal education mean I can¡¯t be well-educated? If that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s have the schr bring the poem here so we can all look at it. We¡¯ll see if you¡¯re framing me or if I¡¯m really the writer of the poem.¡± Ning Xueyan sneered, looking sharp and fierce.

    Her momentum shocked several of the youngdies who were whispering among themselves because of Ya Moqin¡¯s words. They immediately fell silent.

    It was only now that they realized that this was no longer the Fifth Young Lady Ning, who was said to be so cowardly that she wouldn¡¯t even dare toin about being bullied. She was the Crown Princess and Princess Yi. She was the wife of the powerful Prince Yi. No one could afford the responsibility of offending her and provoking Prince Yi.

    Besides, Prince Yi had be the rightful Crown Prince.

    It wasn¡¯t difficult for him to exterminate a family or an entire n.

    He had already done so when he was just a prince. It would only be easier for him now.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s irreverent attitude drove Ya Moqin mad with anger. She didn¡¯t realize that everyone was beginning to backtrack. She waved her hand at a nearby maid and said angrily, ¡°Fine. Servants, bring the poem here. Show everyone here the Crown Princess¡¯ great work.¡±

    The poem in question hadn¡¯t been presented yet. The famous schr was just voicing his unrelenting criticism of the work earlier. His words were so sharp that everyone felt ashamed.

    The maid went up to the schr, took the paper, and returned to Ya Moqin¡¯s side. Ya Moqin grabbed the paper and looked at the poem. She immediately sneered loudly and gave Ning Xueyan a provocative look. She deliberately held the paper up high and said, ¡°Everyone,e and read this. Can you stomach the Crown Princess¡¯ poem?¡±

    The few words scribbled on the white paper were uniform but the strokes were weak. One could even see brush streaks in several areas. It didn¡¯t look like the writing of a nobledy who had been educated since young.

    The poem was even worse than the handwriting. It was mediocre. Not only was it in and boring, but some verses didn¡¯t even rhyme. It was barely even a poem.

    ¡°Look, Your Highness. Is this your poem? I was right beside you. I saw you write this with my eyes. Or do you not have the courage to acknowledge a poem that you so courageously wrote?¡±

    Ya Moqin spoke with much satisfaction. She had never seen such a poem and such handwriting. The women here were more or less reputable. They couldn¡¯t have produced such a work. That meant Ning Xueyan was the only one capable of this. This emboldened Ya Moqin to speak even more.

    She even said that she saw Ning Xueyan write the poem herself.

    Ning Xueyan smiled at her. ¡°You saw me write this poem, Eldest Young Lady Ya?¡±

    ¡°Of course. We were so close to each other, so I took a look. I was quite impressed when I saw how quickly you wrote, but I have to admit that your education has been quite extraordinary.¡±

    ¡°So, you saw me use the brush and write this poem. Your eyes sure are sharp, Eldest Young Lady Ya. But what if this isn¡¯t my poem? Does this mean that you¡¯re trying to ruin my reputation?¡± Ning Xueyan asked calmly.

    The conversation had reached a point of no return. To make herself seem even more credible, Ya Moqin had no choice but to continue with gritted teeth. She sneered and said, ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯re being unreasonable. There¡¯s no conflict of interest between us. Why would I ruin your reputation? How would that benefit me?¡±

    Of course, this would benefit her! She wanted her cousin to realize how worthless and vulgar this woman was. How could her cousin fall for such a woman, to the point of longing for her? Whenever she thought about this, she would feel as ufortable as if a fire was burning inside her.

    A trace of resentment and jealousy appeared in her eyes. She swore that she would reduce Ning Xueyan¡¯s reputation to dust today.

    ¡°Are you upset at our Crown Princess because of what happened at Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor? But Prince Xiang¡¯s concubine wasn¡¯t our Crown Princess¡¯ biological sister. Moreover, she tried to hurt our Crown Princess too. She never treated our Crown Princess like a sister. Eldest Young Lady Ya, you shouldn¡¯t direct your anger at our Crown Princess.¡±

    Linglong took two steps forward so that she was standing beside Ning Xueyan. She sneered and spoke to Ya Moqin.

    Her words were intriguing indeed.

    There had been no conclusion about the engagement between Ya Moqin and Ao Mingyu even now. Ao Mingwan never said anything either.

    Regardless, it was a fact that Ya Moqin had been betrothed to Ao Mingwan and she couldn¡¯t be with Ao Mingyu anymore. It was inappropriate for her to get into a conflict because of Ning Qingshan, and even more inappropriate for her to hold a grudge against Ning Xueyan because of Ning Qingshan.

    Linglong¡¯s words immediately reminded everyone of Ya Moqin¡¯s shameful situation. Many began to look skeptically at Ya Moqin. After all, quite a lot of people knew how much Ya Moqin had pestered Ao Mingyu in the past.

    Was this all because of Ya Moqin¡¯s jealousy? Was she deliberately embarrassing the Crown Princess because of Ao Mingyu¡¯s concubine, Third Young Lady Ning?

    Thinking about it now, Ya Moqin was truly shameless. She had some audacity to appear in public after getting into such a scandal. The matter hadn¡¯t even settled. The Emperor might be furious about her, but couldn¡¯t be bothered to deal with her because of his illness.

    Still, whether or not the Emperor dealt with her, her scandal was a fact.

    Hearing those words, Ya Moqin felt as if she had been pped several times by Ning Xueyan¡¯s maid in front of everyone. How could she endure this? Her face turned a frightening shade of red as she pointed at Linglong. ¡°Where did youe from?¡± she said angrily. ¡°How could you interrupt when your master hadn¡¯t said anything? Servants! What are you waiting for? Drag this girl out and give her a good beating!¡±

    Ya Moqin had never been challenged at home. Due to his ns for her, Grand Tutor Ya had always turned a blind eye to her asional malicious act of beating a maid to death. He didn¡¯t pay much attention, thinking that Ya Moqin couldn¡¯t be kind when she was in the harem anyway.

    Hearing Ya Moqin¡¯s order, several maids behind her were ready to jump into action.

    Ning Xueyan mmed her hand hard on the table. ¡°Who dares to touch someone from the Crown Prince¡¯s Manor!¡±

    Her words put everyone in shocked silence. Ya Moqin¡¯s maids, who had been as arrogant as their master, realized at this very moment that they were facing the Crown Princess and the future Empress. They would be dead if they really charged at her! They turned pale at the thought of the terrifying Prince Yi. Some even began to shake in fear.

 Chapter 663 - As Expectedâ€¦

    <h4>Chapter 663 As Expected...</h4>

    Ning Xueyan stood up slowly. She wasn¡¯t tall, shorter than Ya Moqin even. Yet, when her face darkened and her beautiful eyes turned fierce, Ya Moqin felt a stab of uncertainty. Even the famous schrs were looking around. They were beginning to question their criticism of the poem. If the Crown Princess had truly written the poem, was it right for them to criticize her like this?

    Their fear wasrgely derived from the Crown Prince¡¯s ruthless reputation. Even if they were determined to be righteous schrs, they had to worry for the lives of their families.

    ¡°Eldest Young Lady Ya, you¡¯re just a daughter of the Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor. You have no right to discipline my maid.¡± Ning Xueyan looked at Ya Moqin with a grim expression. ¡°Since when do you have the right to discipline someone from the Crown Prince¡¯s Manor?¡±

    Ning Xueyan was so frank that she sounded like she was reprimanding Ya Moqin. However, no matter how one looked at it, Ya Moqin had overstepped her position earlier. The only person who had the right to discipline the Crown Princess¡¯ servants was the Empress.

    Everyone thought it was audacious and rude for Ya Moqin, a minister¡¯s daughter, to speak to Ning Xueyan that way.

    Ya Moqin¡¯s actions had been scandalous as ofte, too. She was impetuous to order her servants to discipline someone that belonged to Ning Xueyan. Who did she think she was? She had some nerve ordering her servants to hit the Crown Princess¡¯ principal maid.

    A strange silence fell over everyone as they focused on Ya Moqin. Even though no one said anything, their disdain was obvious from their eyes.

    The attention made Ya Moqin turn red in the face. She felt humiliated in front of everyone but she didn¡¯t know what to say either. The atmosphere was awkward.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t be angry, Your Highness. It¡¯s just a little game meant to entertain everyone. Let¡¯s not ruin the mood over something so trivial.¡± A joyful voice emerged from the side as a smiling Wu Yao walked up from behind the crowd, appearing to have just noticed themotion.

    It was natural for the host not to stay in her seat the entire time.

    Ning Xueyan nced at the familiar smile on Wu Yao¡¯s face. She might not have noticed it on most days, but looking at that gentle, amiable smile from this angle, she could see that smile oddly ovepping with that of a certain someone in her mind. Her longshes fluttered as a trace of apathetic mockery crossed her limpid eyes...

    As expected...

    This would exin why Wu Yao would be so desperate to attack her and help Grand Tutor Ya, to the extent of hiding her presence beside Grand Tutor Ya and keeping a low profile.

    This also exined Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s trust in her. There was indeed a strong connection between them. Grand Tutor Ya wasn¡¯t the type to trust someone easily, especially a widow seemingly without desire...

    Wu Yao had chosen her words very carefully. Not only did she manage to ease the atmosphere, but she also reminded everyone that this wasn¡¯t a serious matter. It was just Ya Moqin misspeaking. Besides, Ya Moqin had always been known to be arrogant and rude among the nobledies.

    Putting it that way, Ning Xueyan seemed to be making a big fuss.

    It was just a matter of Ya Moqin using a poor choice of words and offending her. Did she have to get so angry as to m the table and look as though she would drown the banquet in blood? It was an attitude unbefitting of a Crown Princess.

    Wu Yao¡¯s words managed to draw everyone¡¯s attention back to Ning Xueyan.

    ¡°Does this mean you think your niece¡¯s words are correct, Madam Wu?¡± Ning Xueyan smiled coldly, refusing to y along with Wu Yao¡¯s words.

    She made the deliberate choice of pointing out Ya Moqin¡¯s identity as Wu Yao¡¯s niece. She wanted people to know that Wu Yao was speaking up for her niece.

    Without waiting for Wu Yao¡¯s answer, she told Xinmei, ¡°Go and bring the paper here. I¡¯d like to see what the poem Eldest Young Lady Ya allegedly saw me write looks like. I want to know why she¡¯s so sure that it¡¯s my poem and insists that it¡¯s my work in front of everyone.¡±

    The paper had been in Ya Moqin¡¯s hand until she put it down on the table during the argument. Xinmei walked up to the table to fetch the paper and brought it back to Ning Xueyan.

    Ning Xueyan picked up the paper and quickly read the poem on it. She sneered and handed it to Wu Yao. ¡°Madam Wu, can you see if this mark is the same on my paper? I remember that you ordered your people to make a mark on every piece of paper. Tell your people to bring the stamps here. Let¡¯s see who the owner of this poem is.¡±

    When Wu Yao took the paper and looked at it, an embarrassed expression appeared on her face. She was the host of the banquet today and she had also marked these papers beforehand. Everyone had their uniquely marked papers. But coincidentally, this paper that seemed no different than the rest didn¡¯t have a mark on it.

    In other words, this paper had appeared out of nowhere and mysteriously found its way to the pile of poems.

    Sweat began to form on Wu Yao¡¯s forehead.

    It was a bad omen that she made such a careless mistake at the very start of her grand banquet.

    ¡°Servants, bring the distinguishing stamps here so we can verify.¡± Under such circumstances, she had no choice but to order her servants to bring the book that recorded the different marks.

    The book quickly reached Wu Yao¡¯s hands. Before the maids presented the papers at the start of the banquet, the papers had already been marked and registered in the book.

    Guests were not allowed to leave their names under their poems so that the famous schrs could have a fairer judgment. To make herself seem impartial, Wu Yao stamped and registered the papers on the spot. The book was left under the maids¡¯ care since, and no one had touched it until now.

    The process was as fair as could be.

    Of course, she nned such a fair process because she expected Ning Xueyan¡¯s poem to be terrible. She wanted to force Ning Xueyan to admit her mistake.

    She never imagined something like this to happen.

    The terrible poem didn¡¯t belong to anyone here. Every woman who participated in thepetition had found their poems. No one could have thought that Ning Xueyan¡¯s poem was the one in the schrs¡¯ hand; the schrs had been prepared to praise it as the best poem at the banquet and share their thoughts about it.

    When Wu Yao heard that the best poem belonged to Ning Xueyan, she stared at the mark on the paper over and over. But no matter how she stared, she couldn¡¯t find anything wrong with the mark.

    That was indeed the paper issued to Ning Xueyan. She remembered the mark on the paper very well.

    Ning Xueyan put the paper with the worst poem on the table and smiled coldly at Ya Moqin. ¡°Eldest Young Lady Ya, I have a question for you. You said you saw me writing on this paper. What¡¯s your motive? I wonder if you can bear the responsibility of framing a member of the imperial family.¡±

    Ya Moqin¡¯s face turned deathly pale.

    No matter how arrogant she was, she knew that she had been too hasty this time. She even said that she saw Ning Xueyan writing that poem just to sound credible. In reality, the poem didn¡¯t belong to Ning Xueyan. Ya Moqin was doubtful about the authenticity of this but she was aware that she was in trouble.

    Sensing Wu Yao¡¯s gaze on her, Ya Moqin gritted her teeth and knelt in front of Ning Xueyan with a resounding thud. ¡°Your Highness, I apologize. My eyes... yed a trick on me.¡±

    She sounded as if she was forcing her apology through gritted teeth. She could even taste the blood on the back of her throat. In her current state, she couldn¡¯t argue with Ning Xueyan anymore. There was no benefit to it all. Remembering Wu Yao¡¯s reminder from before, she had no choice but to endure this humiliation.

    She would let Ning Xueyan be smug for now. She and her aunt hadid an even bigger trap for Ning Xueyan after this...

    No one expected that Ya Moqin, who had always looked down on everyone around her, would admit defeat, kneel, and ask for Ning Xueyan¡¯s forgiveness.

    ¡°Eldest Young Lady Ya, if Madam Wu Yao didn¡¯t stamp the papers, would you have insisted that the poem is mine to ruin my reputation?¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s voice was still brimming with anger. No one could fault her for it. Anyone would be mad to be used and framed as such.

    Wu Yao, whether in her capacity as the host or an aunt, had to speak up for Ya Moqin. She stepped forward with a smile and respectfully saluted Ya Moqin. ¡°Your Highness, please spare her. She¡¯s still so young and ignorant.¡±

    Ning Xueyan epted her salute without shying away. She returned to her seat and said indifferently, ¡°Is she young? I think she¡¯s a little older than me.¡±

    Her response made Wu Yao¡¯s smile turn stiff. She realized her slip of the tongue. It was obvious that Ning Xueyan, the Crown Princess, was a little younger than Ya Moqin. She was so used to using age as an excuse that the words just slipped out of her mouth.

    She didn¡¯t expect Ning Xueyan to be so rude to her. Ning Xueyan had ruthlessly retorted her words, making her too embarrassed to continue.

    Still, Wu Yao wasn¡¯t like Ya Moqin. Her stiff smile immediately returned to normal as she said, ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. I have misspoken. You look so kind to me that you make Moqin look like an insensible child. It misleads me into thinking that Moqin is younger. But I¡¯m not the only one who worries about her attitude. Grand Tutor Ya is also concerned about her. It seems that just about anything slips from her tongue when she¡¯s anxious.¡±

    Wu Yao brought up Grand Tutor Ya discreetly to remind Ning Xueyan about Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s status. It would be inappropriate to punish Ya Moqin for this.

    Besides, this was neither a small nor big matter. It was trivial if you consider it to be a small conflict between women. Ning Xueyan would just look stingy if she insisted on punishing Ya Moqin. It wasn¡¯t an attitude that a Crown Princess should have.

    Ning Xueyan would have to consider Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s status. She couldn¡¯t really do anything substantial to Ya Moqin because of this. Moreover, Ya Moqin looked like she was repenting...

    Wu Yao was confident that Ning Xueyan wouldn¡¯t do anything to Ya Moqin. That was why she was able to maintain her gentle, amiable smile...

 Chapter 664 - The Performances Begin

    <strong>Chapter 664 The Performances Begin</strong>

    ¡°Lanning, help Eldest Young Lady Ya up.¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s eyes were unfathomable. A beautiful gleam was dancing in her pupils. Like the surface of ake in autumn, those eyes were beautiful but cold.

    Lanning answered her master¡¯smand and helped Ya Moqin to her feet.

    It went without saying that Ya Moqin wouldn¡¯t struggle at this time. She covered her face with her handkerchief, putting on a show of remorse as if she was truly sorry for her slip of tongue earlier. She acted as if she had misspoken out of agitation.

    Behind her handkerchief, a resentful smile appeared on her face. Ning Xueyan had no choice but to let her off now, but she would never let Ning Xueyan off.

    However, what Ning Xueyan said next turned her legs soft. She nearly fell.

    ¡°Eldest Young Lady Ya, please leave and get some rest. I¡¯ll forgive your slip of the tongue. The imperial family requires their daughter-inw to be magnanimous, dignified, and respectful. But regr families... Well, beauty would suffice.¡±

    Ning Xueyan looked Ya Moqin up and down, looking even more like a senior observing a junior. Her words, however, caused both Wu Yao and Ya Moqin¡¯s expression to change.

    Ya Moqin was betrothed to Ao Mingwan. That would of course make her a daughter-inw of the imperial family. What did Ning Xueyan mean?

    ¡°Your Highness, you...¡± Ya Moqin said angrily, unable to help herself.

    A man should choose his wife based on virtue and his concubine based on beauty. The imperial family had different requirements for their daughters-inw than ordinary families. Those included in the imperial registry were considered genuine daughters-inw. But daughters-inw who were only chosen for their beauty were, of course, the most ordinary concubines without much status.

    Ning Xueyan seemed to be in a good mood when she looked at Ya Moqin¡¯s indignant face. A smile appeared on her delicate face as she let out a long sigh. ¡°The Emperor and Empress hadn¡¯t decided how to handle your scandal at Prince Xiang¡¯s Manor, but...¡±

    She didn¡¯t finish her words. Instead, she looked Ya Moqin up and down with a smirk. ¡°You should stay home and rest for now. I believe the pce will send news soon. The Emperor and Empress will decide which family you¡¯ll end up with, Eldest Young Lady Ya.¡±

    Her words were straightforward but full of meaning at the same time. They left quite a lot to the imagination.

    Suddenly, everyone turned to look at Ya Moqin in disdain. It had been decided that Ya Moqin would marry Ao Mingwan, and yet it was now undecided who she would end up with. Since she was betrothed to Ao Mingwan, she was Ao Mingyu¡¯s sister-inw even if only in name.

    Yet, she didn¡¯t know who she would marry now. Everyone couldn¡¯t help but recall how she had betrayed her husband-to-be. When they saw how she had the nerve to appear in public, they felt that she was shameless. They didn¡¯t expect a household like Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor to allow something like this to happen.

    This felt like a taint on their reputation.

    Ning Xueyan was the Crown Princess, so no one thought she would be making up stories. Remembering what was going on in the pce at the moment, a few quick-witted guests felt that Ya Moqin had likely lost the imperial family¡¯s favor. In other words, it didn¡¯t matter which prince Ya Moqin would marry. She wouldn¡¯t be given a ce in the imperial family registry.

    That meant Ya Moqin would be an insignificant concubine without any status. To Ya Moqin, such a position was the worst kind of humiliation.

    Ya Moqin red at Ning Xueyan, her anger on the verge of explosion. Wu Yao was quick enough to grab Ya Moqin¡¯s hand and give her a look.

    ¡°Servants, take Moqin to rest.¡± Under such circumstances, Wu Yao knew she couldn¡¯t allow the argument between Ya Moqin and Ning Xueyan to continue. The conflict earlier could be chalked up to carelessness. Ya Moqin could be let off with a remorseful apology. But if she were to do it again, Ning Xueyan looked determined to teach her a lesson.

    It was said that the soft-tempered Crown Princess, a consort-turned-princess, gave no reason for concern. Wu Yao thought that even if Ning Xueyan wasn¡¯t truly soft-tempered, she would still have to act dignified and even-tempered in front of people.

    Little did she imagine that the Ning Xueyan was much fiercer than she anticipated. Ning Xueyan was able to defeat Ya Moqin with a few words and nearly provoked Ya Moqin into an outburst.

    Sure enough, she couldn¡¯t take the former Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector¡¯s Manor lightly. She had underestimated Ning Xueyan. A trace of coldness appeared in her eyes, but she was smiling again as she immediately ordered her servants to take Ya Moqin away, not giving anyone the chance to protest. Ya Moqin¡¯s emotion was entirely under Ning Xueyan¡¯s control. Ning Xueyan could make her angry and happy on a whim.

    The situation was unfavorable to Wu Yao. No matter what, she had to pull Ya Moqin out of the situation.

    Ya Moqin was still putting up a fight but stopped as soon as she saw Wu Yao looking at her and mouthing the words ¡°Prince Xiang¡± at her.

    She allowed a few maids to drag her out of the banquet.

    No matter how one looked at it, Ya Moqin was at fault as a betrotheddy. She couldn¡¯t very well stay here and continue arguing with Ning Xueyan.

    In Wu Yao¡¯s opinion, some things couldn¡¯t be rushed. Ya Moqin¡¯s desperateness had caused her to fall into Ning Xueyan¡¯s trap and express that she saw Ning Xueyan writing the poem. Even if Ya Moqin really did see Ning Xueyan writing the poem, she should have pretended that she wasn¡¯t sure. It wasn¡¯t toote for her to speak up after a conclusion was made.

    ¡°Your Highness, this is all my fault. You must be frightened. Please take a seat, Your Highness.¡± Wu Yao¡¯s bright smile was back on her face when she apologized to Ning Xueyan.

    Even though Ya Moqin was her niece, she wasn¡¯t present when the conflict happened. It would be inappropriate for Ning Xueyan to me her.

    ¡°You¡¯re too polite, Madam Wu. This has nothing to do with you. I¡¯m sure if you know that Eldest Young Lady Ya was caught in such a scandal, you would have persuaded her to stay away from the public.¡± Ning Xueyan waved her hand with a magnanimous smile, expressing that she would drop the matter.

    Wu Yao, however, looked like she had just swallowed a fly.

    Ya Moqin had yed host today, weing the guests on her behalf. Ya Moqin wouldn¡¯t have done this without her approval. In other words, she had allowed Ya Moqin to appear in public and openly wee guests even though she knew that Ya Moqin had ruined her reputation and the imperial family had not made anymands.

    This could be interpreted as Wu Yao¡¯s disrespect toward the imperial family or even Wu Yao¡¯s poor education. The fact that she treated a woman with a tarnished reputation so well made people doubt her behavior and nature.

    ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯m not too familiar with the details,¡± Wu Yao said, having no other choice. ¡°Your Highness, let us enjoy the performances next.¡±

    She pped her hands and a servant immediately invited the first guest performer to the stage. This way, she was able to subtly end the conflict.

    The first performer yed a zither piece that fitted perfectly with societal norms. It wasn¡¯t a remarkable performance but she was skilled enough that she was considered an expert among average zither yers. Her performance was met with apuse. Then, with the help of a maid, she got off the stage with a bright smile and returned to her seat gracefully.

    The second performer took the stage and then the third...

    The youngdies and madams put on all sorts of great performances, including dances, calligraphy, guzheng pieces, and zither pieces. It was apparent that they were the inheritors of hundreds of years of impressive legacy.

    The famous schrs nodded repeatedly at these performances to express their approval of Madam Wu Yao¡¯s extraordinary banquet. Even the more mediocre of performances would be considered awe-inspiring outside this banquet.

    ¡°Your Highness, listen to this zither piece. It¡¯s being performed so beautifully. It sounds like heavenly music. It¡¯s truly impressive that such a youngdy would be so skilled,¡± Commandery Princess Muling whispered to Ning Xueyan.

    The youngdy on stage was the eighth performer of the day. She seemed bashful as she yed the zither with red cheeks. Even so, her zither piece sounded as natural as flowing water. One could taste the beauty of zither from her sound.

    Most performers yed the zither. Though there were other performances too, there were only a handful of them. Suddenly, the banquet turned into apetition of zither ying.

    That was why Commandery Princess Muling said so.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s really well-done.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded. She nced at her zither case, which contained the Mark of the Moon.

    Drawn to the zither case by Ning Xueyan, Commandery Princess Muling smiled and asked, ¡°Are you ying the zither too?¡±

    Ning Xueyan nodded. She nced at her zither case again, with a little unease in her eyes this time. She looked as if shecked confidence in herself. If one were to recall the Crown Princess¡¯ life, one would immediately understand why she would be so uneasy. It was a mystery if her zither performance would gain everyone¡¯s approval with so many zither performances before her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Your Highness. With the Mark of the Moon on your side, I¡¯m sure your zither ying will surprise everyone,¡± Commandery Princess Muling said kindly, seemingly trying to bolster Ning Xueyan¡¯s confidence.

    Ning Xueyan hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°I¡¯m still afraid... I wouldn¡¯t be able to perform well.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all right. All you have to do is perform a zither piece that people aren¡¯t unfamiliar with. That will attract all of their attention. I¡¯m sure you cane out on the top if you y carefully.¡±

    Commandery Princess Muling smiled.

    The eighth performer stepped down midway into their conversation, leaving the ninth performer to take the stage. It would be Ning Xueyan¡¯s turn next. Several maids hurried toward Ning Xueyan. They were there to invite her to the stage under Wu Yao¡¯s order.

    Ning Xueyan nodded. She brought Lanning and Qingyu with her, leaving Xinmei standing near her seat.

    After seeing Ning Xueyan leave, a nearby maid quietly made her way to the men¡¯s seat with a new bowl of fruits. Xinmei had long taken notice of this maid under Ning Xueyan¡¯s hint.

    The maid had been carrying the new bowl of fruits for a long time but she didn¡¯t enter the women¡¯s area and serve it to the female guests. Instead, she went to the men¡¯s area.

    On the surface, there wasn¡¯t anything strange about her. However, there was a straight path to the men¡¯s area, allowing servants to serve the fruits directly to the male guests. The bowl of fruits shouldn¡¯t being from this direction.

    Xinmei looked around before stepping out quietly, withdrawing from Commandery Princess Muling¡¯s sight. Then, she walked toward the men¡¯s area as well.

    Many maids were walking around. Ning Xueyan had also brought two of her maids to the stage area, drawing much of the attention with her. No one noticed that she left Xinmei behind...

 Chapter 665 - Her Daughterâ€™s Identity

    <strong>Chapter 665 Her Daughter¡¯s Identity</strong>

    Ning Xueyan took the stage with two of her maids. It was her privilege as the Crown Princess. No one could criticize her even if she brought twenty maids, let alone two.

    Lanning took out the antique zither called Mark of the Moon and carefully put it down.

    Immediately, shocked whispers resounded. ¡°Mark of the Moon?¡± someone said. ¡°It¡¯s really the Mark of the Moon!¡± another said. Comments andments abounded.

    The women¡¯s stunned whispers rmed the men as well. When the famous schrs heard that it was the Mark of the Moon, a few couldn¡¯t help standing up and craning their necks for a better look.

    The Mark of the Moon was so famous that everyone couldn¡¯t help but focus on it.

    ¡°Is this really the Mark of the Moon?¡± a schr asked the schr beside him.

    ¡°It must be. The Crown Princess wouldn¡¯t use a fake.¡± The other schr nodded while staring at the zither on the stage. However, the stage was so far away that he couldn¡¯t get a proper look.

    A maid beside them smiled and interjected, ¡°That¡¯s indeed the genuine Mark of the Moon. The Crown Princess had just gotten it recently.¡±

    The schrs didn¡¯t care that the maid had just interrupted them. They weren¡¯t the kind to be concerned about enforcing the differences between a superior and subordinate. They didn¡¯t think that the maid¡¯s sudden interruption was improper either, so they nodded unconcernedly and went along with her words.

    ¡°So, the Crown Princess had just gotten it recently. It seems that she¡¯s determined to impress us.¡±

    ¡°I heard that this zither isn¡¯t that... auspicious,¡± the maid replied in a low voice. Her voice was soft, but it was enough to enter the two schrs¡¯ ears.

    One of them seemed to have thought of something. He frowned and looked at the zither on the stage. Looking worried, he said, ¡°It¡¯s probably not that...¡±

    His counterpart didn¡¯t notice anything wrong until he saw the schr¡¯s frown. He couldn¡¯t help but recall the maid¡¯s words. His face immediately changed as he muttered, ¡°It¡¯s impossible...¡±

    Both men looked deeply disturbed as they looked at each other. They seemed to have discovered an unbelievable secret. Emotions in their eyes flickered and they turned their heads, forcing themselves to look indifferent. However, one could easily tell that they weren¡¯t asposed as before.

    Even their seating postures seemed a little stiffer.

    They didn¡¯t notice that the maid who reminded them about the zither had quietly left the banquet area. There was a smug smile on her face as she turned around and took another path.

    What she didn¡¯t notice was that Xinmei had been quietly following her.

    The maid was so focused on the two schrs that she didn¡¯t notice Xinmei sneaking up behind her. The schrs weren¡¯t paying attention to what the maids were wearing, so they didn¡¯t notice that Xinmei was in different attire. They took a quick look at the maid before returning their attention to the stage. It went without saying that they didn¡¯t notice Xinmei.

    Xinmei¡¯s eyes shed as she watched the maid scurry away. Her steps became lighter and lighter.

    The maid took several turns before arriving at the gate of a small courtyard. She stopped walking and looked around. When she didn¡¯t see anyone, she entered the courtyard.

    Xinmei stood still under a tree. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that half of the tree branches hung over the courtyard wall. Her body moved quietly as she leaped on top of a branch and swiftly entered the courtyard...

    On the stage, Ning Xueyan sat down calmly. Lanning took out the book from before, found the page with the zither piece, and ced it in front of Ning Xueyan.

    Under the stage, Wu Yao had a hard time controlling her excitement. She watched Ning Xueyan coldly and couldn¡¯t help but smile smugly. She tightened her fingers around her bracelet. The bracelet had be her only keepsake.

    Had she known the oue, she wouldn¡¯t have let go of her daughter.

    That was her only daughter, who could have been the next Empress. Her daughter could have upied a lofty position and enjoyed glory and respect, only to end up that way instead.

    If it wasn¡¯t for her daughter, she wouldn¡¯t have sent away such a young child at Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s suggestion...

    When she remembered how her daughter¡¯s beautiful face had turned contorted and cold when she saw her again, she felt as if she had been stabbed in the heart. It hurt so much that she could barely breathe. That was her sweet-tempered, gentle, dainty, lovely daughter. It was all Ning Xueyan¡¯s fault that her daughter had such a miserable end.

    She would never spare Ning Xueyan.

    She wanted to see Ning Xueyan in an even more miserable state than her daughter. She wanted Ning Xueyan to wish that she was dead...

    Her daughter¡¯s death had rendered her many years of plotting useless. All of her perseverance, hard work, and effort had be in vain after her daughter died. Her daughter should have been the Crown Princess, the noblest woman in the world, the Mother of the Nation. Her daughter should have been the ruler of many, second only to the Emperor.

    When that time came, she would be able to reunite with her daughter as well. Both she and her daughter would be able to enjoy glory and wealth together...

    However, everything was ruined by Ning Xueyan. In return, she would also ruin Ning Xueyan.

    The melodious tune of zither rang in the air, carrying the urgent sound of rain with it, and immediately attracted everyone¡¯s attention. The performance had a beautiful piece, a finely-tuned zither, and a skilled yer. Everyone was drawn to the stage, including several famous schrs who were just listening absentmindedly before.

    They couldn¡¯t help but fall silent. A few of them, who hadn¡¯t paid attention to the performer before, asked around and found out that the zither yer was the Crown Princess who was said to have little education and talent. Suddenly, they felt like rumors must not be believed. If the Crown Princess was considered of poor education and talent, few at the banquet could be considered well-learned.

    The Crown Princess¡¯ poem had impressed them enough. Hearing her zither performance now made them nod and sigh in admiration even more.

    There was a chance that the Crown Princess had asked another person to prepare the poem beforehand, but she was ying the zither right before everyone¡¯s eyes. The schrs were paying attention to the sound. What a graceful sound it was! How could ite out from the hands of a woman with so-called poor education and talent? The rumors of the Crown Princess being uneducated and ipetent wereughable!

    Rumors were indeed not trustworthy!

    The tune was pleasant in the beginning, with a light and quick pace. Then, a sudden shift took ce as the tune turned worried and sorrowful. One couldn¡¯t help but feel a hint of despair from the tune as if there was a long-buried ache piercing one¡¯s heart. Everyone sank into a despairing mood as they listened.

    The two schrs who were reminded by the maid earlier began to feel restless. They looked at each other with pale faces.

    Noticing their peculiar behavior, another schr turned his head and whispered, ¡°What happened? Is there something wrong?¡±

    ¡°The Song of the Witch! This is the Song of the Witch!¡± the schr couldn¡¯t help but answer. When the answer left his mouth, his forehead became covered with sweat.

    ¡°What? The Song of the Witch?¡± The schr looked stunned at his counterpart¡¯s expression. When the realization hit him, he stopped up abruptly and imperceptibly raised his voice. ¡°How... How could it be the Song of the Witch?¡±

    The expression of every schr who heard him sank. They looked at Ning Xueyan on stage in astonishment. Even a few of them who had always conformed to etiquette perfectly was stunned.

    A strange silence fell over the men¡¯s area. One could even faintly hear heavy breathing from them.

    A schr finally said, ¡°Even if it¡¯s the same zither, I don¡¯t think... It might not be the case... It might just be a coincidence...¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯ve seen the damaged zither piece before. It¡¯s missing itsst few verses. Listen to the tune. Maybe it¡¯s not the same?¡±

    An eerie silence fell over the men again. A few of them suddenly stood up, turned around, and walked out. Two of them reacted so quickly that they pushed aside the table in front of them. In their panic, they identally overturned the bowl of fruits on the table. So frightened that they couldn¡¯t be bothered to maintain their usual etiquette, they started leaving as well.

    The remaining few responded as well. They went after their counterparts one after another.

    There weren¡¯t many male guests to begin with, and the famous schrs were the highlight of the area. Naturally, everyone¡¯s attention was drawn to them. When they saw the schrs getting up and leaving one after another with dark expressions, the women were shocked. They began to whisper among themselves as they looked in the men¡¯s direction.

    Wu Yao appeared in the men¡¯s area out of nowhere, just in time to stop a few of the schrs who were making a hasty exit.

    ¡°Sir, why are you leaving all of a sudden? The Crown Princess is still performing.¡± Wu Yao smiled, stopping them with her arm at a safe distance.

    The schr at the very front was forced to stop in their tracks. He wiped the sweat on his forehead and turned to look behind him. He, along with the schrs behind him, didn¡¯t know how to exin.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you not like the Crown Princess¡¯ performance? But is it all right for you to leave during her performance? You should leave after finishing the performance,¡± Wu Yao said, smiling.

    She looked as if she didn¡¯t see the panic on the men¡¯s faces. She continued to y the role of a weing host.

    The schr at the very front finally found an excuse and quickly said, ¡°Madam Wu, I... I have business at home. It¡¯s urgent. I need to leave immediately.¡±

    ¡°Madam Wu, my wife felt unwell today. I need to leave early.¡±

    ¡°I have business at home. My distant rtives are visiting. It¡¯s been a long time since we met, so I have to retire early.¡±

    ¡°I...¡±

    As expected of the schrs, they were able to quickly find an excuse for themselves. All of them expressed that they had to leave the banquet early to attend to their urgent business at home. They made it sound as though their family would be in trouble without them.

    In a nutshell, they had to leave no matter what.

    But, Wu Yao didn¡¯t give way even after hearing their excuses. She continued to smile and say, ¡°You should still leave after the Crown Princess¡¯ performance. If she finds out that you have left at this time, she¡¯ll be upset.¡±

    Her words were reasonable but at such a time, she sounded like she was adding fuel to a fire. This was especially true when she was standing there, looking like she wasn¡¯t going to give in. She looked determined to keep them here.

    The more cowardly one of the schrs couldn¡¯t stop himself from making an outburst...

 Chapter 666 - Fear and Panic

    <h4>Chapter 666 Fear and Panic</h4>

    These schrs might be famous and distinguished. They might look down on many rules and societal norms as men in the prime of their youth, but they were still ordinary people at the end of the day.

    When something threatened their lives, even the lives of their families, they would still panic and do something unexpected.

    The cowardly schr was a good example.

    When he saw Wu Yao refusing to let them go, he panicked and cried, ¡°Once the Crown Princess finishes her performance, we¡¯ll all die with her! We must leave now!¡±

    His voice was loud, and the men and women were only separated by a short distance. They used a path near the women¡¯s area on their way out, and themotion they made had drawn the women¡¯s attention. Therefore, everyone at the banquet heard his words.

    When the women processed those words, they exchanged looks. They didn¡¯t know what the schr meant. Could there be another meaning to Ning Xueyan¡¯s performance?

    ¡°What... What do you mean?¡± Wu Yao looked confused, too. She looked at the schr who spoke to her, and then at the schrs behind him.

    Suddenly, they heard a sharp and clear sound from the stage, forming a sharp contrast to the mournful zither tune. It was as if something had snapped. The sound frightened the schr so much that he nearly fell. ¡°The Song of the Witch! It¡¯s a witch song, the kind that sets a curse! Madam Wu, are you asking us to stay here and not leave until the end of the performance so that we can bring down our entire families with us?¡±

    The schr shouted and red at Wu Yao.

    His voice was urgent and sharp. He was so impatient that he couldn¡¯t hide anger from surfacing on his face. He was even tempted to forgo etiquette and push Wu Yao aside so he could leave.

    Unfortunately for him, Wu Yao was surrounded by her maids and older female servants. They happened to block his path. Even if he managed to push Wu Yao aside, he still wouldn¡¯t be able to leave immediately.

    The women were stunned to hear him mention the Song of the Witch. Then, a few of them who had heard the rumors stood up in a jolt. With a panicked expression, they turned to look at Ning Xueyan on the stage and picked up the hem of their skirts. They were in such a hurry that they nearly fell.

    A couple of women who didn¡¯t know what happened were asking around. ¡°A witch¡¯s song? What¡¯s that?¡±

    A youngdy who knew about the song of witches replied in a trembling voice, ¡°Don¡¯t... Don¡¯t you know about the Case of Jinghuai?¡±

    The women present were all well-educated. Hearing the youngdy¡¯s reminder, they remembered what happened and stood up in a panic. A few even knocked over the tables and the cups of tea on them, but they didn¡¯t even pay attention to their wet clothes.

    The Case of Jinghuai was one of the biggest cases ever recorded. The reason that the case was so well-spread throughout history was that not only did it involve noble families, but that all of those involved in the case were dead because of it.

    It was the case of the-then Crown Princess cing a curse using an antique zither. She had yed a song at a banquet to curse the-then Emperor, in hopes that the Emperor would die an early death and the Crown Prince would ascend the throne sooner. One of the zither strings snapped, signaling the sess of the curse. The Emperor had indeed died an early death.

    However, the-then Empress was also a powerful person in her own right. She managed to find out the truth the night before the Crown Prince took the throne. She immediately ordered for the arrest of the Crown Prince and Princess. Eventually, more and more people were drawn out. It was said that everyone who heard the Crown Princess¡¯ Song of the Witch was implicated in the matter. There were also those whose entire ns were exterminated because of it.

    The Empress was as ruthless as she was capable. The Crown Prince wasn¡¯t her son, so she didn¡¯t show any mercy on him. The case caused a few noble families to be exterminated. The nation¡¯s power weakened and the entire court was overturned. One could argue that without the Crown Princess¡¯ witch¡¯s song, the country wouldn¡¯t have ended up being destroyed.

    Because of this, the founding imperial family of the subsequent States became fearful of the Song of the Witch. They concealed the truth and destroyed the zither piece in question. They forbade anyone from using witchery to harm people.

    Even though the Song of the Witch had led to the extinction of an imperial family, some hid records of it because of how serene and beautiful it sounded. The zither piece continued to show up in the inheritance of certain noble families. Everything happened a long time ago, so people¡¯s fear of the Song of the Witch wasn¡¯t as strong as it used to be.

    At the beginning of the performance, some of the schrs even discussed how the Crown Princess was using the legendary antique zither, Mark of the Moon. The creator of the zither was State Preceptor Xuan Yin. He had used a secret technique to make the zither sound even nicer and even carry a mysterious force. It was said that one of the strings of the Mark of the Moon had snapped because of the Crown Princess in the Case of Jinghuai, not Xuan Yin.

    It was the Crown Princess who snapped the string and turned the mysterious force in the zither into a strong curse, causing the Emperor to die a quick death.

    Even though most thought that the mysterious force was just a rumor, it didn¡¯t stop some from spreading stories about it. More and more felt uneasy about the worshipping of supernatural beings.

    When people talked about the Mark of the Moon, most would talk about its beautiful legend. Even so, many still held a deep fear of the zither. In such circumstances, everyone at the banquet couldn¡¯t help but remember that legend.

    Whether or not the legend was true, everything happening at the moment coincided with what happened in the past.

    The Crown Princess ying the zither at a banquet, the ill Emperor in the pce, the childless Empress, the inauspicious Mark of the Moon, the sharp snap of the zither string that everyone heard earlier, as well as the strange zither piece all the schrs recognized to be the Song of the Witch fitted the bill.

    Did this mean that everyone at the banquet was on the verge of death...

    The thought of death pushed everyone who knew the case and legends into action. They began to run away. It wasn¡¯t just their lives in danger, but the lives of their entire ns. Back then, many noble families with hundred years of legacy were exterminated overnight, with their people beheaded.

    That was because the Empress didn¡¯t know who was in collusion with the Crown Princess. She acted decisively to capture everyone and counter the Crown Prince and Princess with a ruthless method. Many of the victims and their families were innocent.

    ¡°The Crown Princess is ying the Song of the Witch! Quick! Capture her!¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s trying to kill the Emperor! Fast! Servants, quick!¡±

    ¡°Help! The Crown Princess is ying the Song of the Witch to curse the Emperor...¡±

    Everyone was running away. Some were so panicked that they ran into each other. A few nobledies even fell after crashing into each other. They were so frightened that they yelped out loud.

    The tables were knocked over and the chairs were flung aside. The fruits fell and rolled on the ground, collecting ayer of dust.

    Cups of wine rolled down and crashed on the ground, soaking the earth with wine.

    Ning Xueyan had stopped ying a long time ago. She watched themotion under the stage with a slight smile.

    A group of imperial bodyguards rushed in from the outside. When they saw themotion, one of them yelled, ¡°What happened? We¡¯re imperial bodyguards from the pce! Did someone try to assassinate the Crown Princess?¡±

    The guard waved his hand as he spoke, stopping the guests from leaving.

    ¡°No one is trying to assassinate the Crown Princess! It¡¯s the Crown Princess trying to curse and assassinate the Emperor!¡±

    ¡°The Crown Princess is using the antique zither, Mark of the Moon, to assassinate the Emperor as an ancient person did!¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s the Crown Princess! The Crown Princess is trying to harm the Emperor!¡± Everyone¡¯s panic deepened after seeing the imperial guards. To prove their innocence, they began to exin the situation in loud voices and express that they had nothing to do with the Crown Princess.

    On the stage, Ning Xueyan continued to watch themotion underneath calmly. Her lips were curved into a slight smile as she epted a handkerchief from Lanning. She didn¡¯t look unperturbed as if what the guests were saying had nothing to do with her.

    ¡°What? The Crown Princess is trying to harm the Emperor?¡± the leader of the group of imperial guards shouted. He raised his head and looked at Ning Xueyan on the stage. He gritted his teeth as if about to order his men to capture Ning Xueyan.

    Ning Xueyan was just a newly-appointed Crown Princess. Compared to the Emperor, her importance was negligible.

    It was reasonable for him to order for Ning Xueyan¡¯s capture. But before he could make themand, a burst of rustling sounds resounded as arge group of imperial guards in the same attire burst in. The new batch of guards rushed forward and surrounded the stage, forming a protective circle around Ning Xueyan.

    Both groups of guards knew each other. The new batch of guards belonged to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor and now worked at the Crown Prince¡¯s Pce. The first group of guards was from the pce. However, with the Emperor being too ill to see anyone, their real master wasn¡¯t the Emperor. They were, in fact, Ao Mingyu¡¯s men. They were transferred out of the pce just to capture Ning Xueyan.

    However, they didn¡¯t expect Ao Chenyi¡¯s guards to arrive so quickly. Ao Chenyi¡¯s guards weren¡¯t like regr imperial guards. All of them were veterans who had survived countless battles. Their gazes were sharper than that of the regr imperial guards. Seeing them here and remembering Ao Chenyi¡¯s ruthlessness, the imperial guards were thinking of retreating.

    The imperial guards looked at their leader. Were they supposed to rush up the stage and capture the Crown Princess or not?

    The guards from Prince Yi¡¯s Manor were far superior to imperial guards who usually lived a good life.

    In an actual battle, they wouldn¡¯t be able to stop Ao Chenyi¡¯s guards.

    When one of Ao Chenyi¡¯s guards saw that there were guests still trying to run away, he brandished his sword and shed a youngdy who was screaming in fear. Blood immediately gushed out from her chest. He said coldly, ¡°If any of you run or scream, this is what will happen to you.¡±

    A strange silence fell over the banquet. Everyone¡¯s eyes were on the noble youngdy. Her face was contorted into a malevolent expression as she sumbed to death. There was still disbelief in her eyes. Even when she died, she looked like she didn¡¯t believe that the guard would kill her.

    Standing amid the crowd, Commandery Princess Muling couldn¡¯t help trembling. The dead youngdy had been sitting beside her just earlier. Thedy didn¡¯t even know what the Song of the Witch was, so she ¡°kindly¡± exined it to her. She never thought that thedy wouldy dead in a pool of blood in front of her in minutes.

    ¡°Commandery Princess, we... we should go back.¡± Her maid was also trembling as she tugged at her hand.

    ¡°No, let¡¯s wait and see.¡± Commandery Princess Muling gritted her teeth. She must not leave at this time. No matter how brave Ao Chenyi¡¯s guards were, the truth was apparent to everyone. Ning Xueyan wouldn¡¯t be able to bury this gossip. No matter how powerful the Crown Prince was, he wouldn¡¯t let himself get into such trouble for Ning Xueyan¡¯s sake!

 Chapter 667 - Is This the Song of the Witch?

    <strong>Chapter 667 Is This the Song of the Witch?</strong>

    Ning Xueyan hadmitted the crime of trying to assassinate the Emperor. One careless mistake, and even Ao Chenyi might be implicated. Everyone knew that they must steer clear of her at this time.

    The situation was finally under control. No one dared to run after seeing the noble youngdyy dead on the floor without knowing why. They were afraid that the blood-thirsty troops from Prince Yi¡¯s Manor would kill them too. These people had killed thedy without asking questions. That was enough to prove how bold they were.

    Even though most people at the banquet were educated people, they knew they couldn¡¯t do anything about the armed guards in front of them.

    A more courageous schr tidied his robe and stepped forward to talk to the first batch of guards. ¡°Sir, the Crown Princess performed the Song of the Witch to curse the Emperor. We tried to run away because we didn¡¯t dare to stay behind. We wanted to report the matter.¡±

    After all, the first batch of guards seemed much kinder.

    ¡°The Crown Princess wants to curse the Emperor?¡± The leader of Ao Mingyu¡¯s men had regained hisposure as well. His expression sank as he looked at the second batch of guards. He looked at Ning Xueyan on the stage and said sternly, ¡°How dare you do such a disgraceful and unfilial thing! What do you take the Emperor and Crown Prince for?¡±

    Ning Xueyan finally stood up and looked calmly at themotion underneath. A smile appeared on her face when she heard the guard¡¯s stern rebuke. When everyone¡¯s attention was on her, she asked, ¡°How did you know that I want to curse the Emperor? What makes you think I did something disgraceful and unfilial?¡±

    Another schr couldn¡¯t help but chime in, ¡°You used the antique zither, Mark of the Moon, and yed the Song of the Witch! We even heard the sound of a zither string snapping earlier! That would only happen in a curse on the Emperor¡¯s life! Why else would one of the strings in the Mark of the Moon snap all of a sudden?¡±

    They stood up and ran out after hearing the snapping of the zither string. Though they were panicking, they could still hear the zither producing a broken sound. The string must have snapped. In other words, Ning Xueyan¡¯s curse had worked. Just the thought of it bolstered the schrs¡¯ courage. They were so desperate to prove their innocence that they didn¡¯t even care for Ning Xueyan¡¯s status.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s expression turned cold. She looked at the crowd below and asked, ¡°I wasn¡¯t ying the Song of the Witch. What made you so certain that I was?¡±

    From where she was, she was able to notice things that others couldn¡¯t.

    Wu Yao didn¡¯t say anything but she would lower her head and move her lips now and then. Then, the schrs around her would speak up one after another.

    It went without saying that Wu Yao was provoking the schrs into saying something. It was simple considering how frightened the schrs were.

    The schrs might be famed for their intelligence. They were usually shrewd too. But under such circumstances, they had lost their usual wisdom and allowed Wu Yao to control them as she pleased.

    ¡°Do you think that no one knows about the Song of the Witch? Many of us here could tell that you had performed the Song of the Witch earlier! Your Highness, we don¡¯t know what you¡¯re up to but we have nothing to do with you. This is your scheme. Don¡¯t drag us into it.¡±

    The schr beside Wu Yao pointed to Ning Xueyan and scolded her in a fit of anger.

    On the stage, Ning Xueyan towered over them. A trace of coldness appeared in her eyes. If Ao Chenyi¡¯s guards hadn¡¯t arrived so swiftly and controlled the situation, the unified testimonies of the guests here would have been enough to warrant her capture. In the chaos, no one would be able to investigate if she had really performed the Song of the Witch.

    And she would have to bear the crime, whether she liked it or not.

    The worst crime in the nation was the crime of rebellion. History had recorded countless Crown Princes who died in the name of rebellion, and sometimes with their families too. Even their children would be killed. Emperors might be fathers, but they were never soft-hearted when it came to killing sons who tried to kill them.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s face darkened. She pointed to a few of the guards below and said, ¡°Go and bring the schrs here. Let them see if I have truly performed the Song of the Witch.¡±

    The guards epted themand and dragged a few of the schrs beside Wu Yao up to the stage.

    That immediately left a space around Wu Yao. Besides the maid behind her, other people were several steps away from her. She felt as though someone had suddenly put the spotlight on her, especially when Ning Xueyan was staring at her from the stage. Ning Xueyan¡¯s gaze was as sharp as a knife.

    It was almost as if Ning Xueyan could see into her soul.

    Wu Yao subconsciously shut her mouth and stopped speaking.

    The schrs were brought to the stage all the way to the zither and book containing the zither piece.

    The Mark of the Moon was right before them. The schrs were zither connoisseurs in their own right. When they saw the mark on the zither, they knew that the zither was the genuine Mark of the Moon. Their expressions turned darker.

    Upon closer inspection, they noticed that the strings on the zither were fully intact. This filled them with doubt. They had clearly heard the sound of a string snapping earlier. Was there something amiss? Had they mistaken the sound?

    With the shred of doubt taking root in their minds, they turned their attention to the zither piece and examined it carefully.

    Most of the schrs that Wu Yao had invited were well-learned academicians. They had studied this very zither piece themselves. Due to its infamy, a few even tried ying it in secret. That was why they were able to remember its characteristics so well.

    After they saw Ning Xueyan¡¯s zither piece on the table, their doubt deepened.

    ¡°No, this tune shouldn¡¯t be here.¡±

    ¡°No, this isn¡¯t how you y this verse.¡±

    ¡°There are a few wrong notes here. This is simr to the original piece, but they¡¯re not the same...¡±

    The schrs fell over themselves in their eagerness to voice their thoughts. The more they talked, the happier they looked. It wasn¡¯t until they pointed out every mistake that they realized how different this piece was from the original. The pieces might as well be two different works altogether. They had been rmed by the initial simrities, only to be led into a misunderstanding after. That was why they didn¡¯t notice the differences.

    The schrs rxed and exchanged looks. Then, they took two steps backward and bowed deeply to Ning Xueyan. ¡°We apologize for misunderstanding you, Your Highness. You weren¡¯t ying the Song of the Witch. You continued this piece yourself, didn¡¯t you? The beautiful tunes you made proves how extraordinary you are at the zither.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Your talent and skills are impressive. They¡¯re not what a regr well-breddy can hope to have.¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯re as smart as you¡¯re beautiful...¡±

    The schrs offered Ning Xueyan a plethora ofpliments mostly because they felt as if a huge burden had been lifted from them, but also because they were sincerely impressed by her talent and skills.

    This damaged zither piece was a well-known one. It might look simple but it was a challenge to finish it. Many had tried but their results always felt short of expectations. When the schrs saw Ning Xueyan¡¯s continuation, they couldn¡¯t help but feel amazed. It was so exquisite that they felt as if there was no room for criticism.

    Upon careful inspection, the styles corresponded well despite being of different styles. The continuation fitted the original piece very well.

    When they saw the fresh ink that formed the continuation, they knew that it was just recently left there. Ning Xueyan¡¯s talent was enough to gain their sincere acknowledgment.

    The Crown Princess was more impressive than she looked. Her beautiful poem that garnered their praise was enough to monopolize the limelight. Who knew that she would be able to continue the damaged zither piece in such a graceful and natural way?

    The drastic change in the attitude of the schrs on the stage stunned everyone below.

    Ning Xueyan epted the schrs¡¯ bows openly with a smile. She looked at the leader and said, ¡°Sir, please exin the truth to everyone. I don¡¯t want to put everyone in danger.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. I¡¯ll do as you ask, Your Highness.¡± The schr nodded repeatedly.

    Indeed, they weren¡¯t in danger since Ning Xueyan hadn¡¯t yed the Song of the Witch. This was a misunderstanding that needed to be solved.

    He picked up the zither piece that Ning Xueyan had put aside and walked to the fringe of the stage. He held the zither piece above his head and said loudly, ¡°The Crown Princess wasn¡¯t ying the Song of the Witch and her zither strings didn¡¯t snap either. If you don¡¯t believe me, you cane up here and see for yourself. Whoever dares to speak nonsense will be punished severely.¡±

    The schrs present were very well-known in the capital. Those who went up to the stage, in particr, were the cream of the crop and the pirs of the politically neutral faction. They were held in high esteem by many. The one who spoke had not just proven Ning Xueyan¡¯s innocence, but also warned everyone.

    Wu Yao was confused. She had spared quite the effort to invite these schrs here because of their reputation. She knew that their words would gain everyone¡¯s approval. But why were things going out of her control? Weren¡¯t both the zither piece and Mark of the Moon sent to Ning Xueyan?

    Why didn¡¯t Ning Xueyan y the Song of the Witch?

    The strings of the antique zither had been tampered with. Ning Xueyan wouldn¡¯t have noticed anything if she plucked it lightly, but the string would easily snap after countless plucking, especially when she was panicking. One was most likely to make mistakes when one was nervous.

    Ning Xueyan wasn¡¯t a skilled zither yer. Even if she poured her heart into practicing recently, she would still be prone to mistakes. Coupled with themotion of the guests below, she should have caused the zither string to snap. Moreover, Wu Yao also heard the snapping of a string loud and clear earlier. Yet, why were the schrs on the stage saying that the zither strings were intact? Why wasn¡¯t Ning Xueyan ying the Song of the Witch that she had ¡°gifted¡± her?

    However, she knew that it was inconvenient to say anything now. There weren¡¯t many people near her and Ning Xueyan seemed to be staring at her coldly all this time. She couldn¡¯t help but break out in cold sweat on her forehead. She never thought that the seemingly mild-tempered Crown Princess would have such a sharp and cold gaze.

    Fortunately, she had another card up her sleeve. She hoped that herst trap would ruin Ning Xueyan¡¯s reputation for good...

 Chapter 668 - The Empress Becomes His Spy

    <strong>Chapter 668 The Empress Bes His Spy</strong>

    The only other uneasy person in the crowd was Commandery Princess Muling. She couldn¡¯t help ncing at Wu Yao before looking away again, no longer trying to get close to thetter. She had been carefully and discreetly making her way toward Wu Yao earlier, but that would be a bad idea now.

    Even though Wu Yao didn¡¯t seem directly involved in the incident, it wouldn¡¯t stop others from wondering if the woman who had always kept a low profile was truly innocent. One could tell that the schrs on the stage were suspecting something by how they didn¡¯t even look at Wu Yao.

    Wu Yao ordered her servants to rearrange the tables and chairs and invited everyone back to their seats.

    Ning Xueyan walked down the stage with Lanning and Qingyu and returned to her seat. The first batch of imperial guards exchanged looks when they realized that themotion was over, ready to leave.

    However, the trouble was far from over. Something happened just as the guests took their seats again.

    Xinmei came in, dragging a maid and a man with a hand each, and tossed them on the space between the men and women¡¯s areas. ¡°I found these two hiding and attempting to harm the Crown Princess,¡± she told Ao Chenyi¡¯s guards. ¡°Please kill them now.¡±

    When the decent-looking man heard that Xinmei was going to kill them without asking anything, he yelled, ¡°Wait! Don¡¯t kill me! I¡¯m the owner of this courtyard. Is it wrong for me to be here?¡±

    ¡°I... I¡¯m Madam Wu Yao¡¯s maid. I went to borrow something from the courtyard¡¯s owner on Madam Wu Yao¡¯s behalf. Is that... not allowed?¡± The maid began to kick a fuss as well.

    Ning Xueyan leaned back as if she didn¡¯t hear their frantic exnations.

    ¡°How do you exin this? Why do you have a painting of the Crown Princess? Why did you write curse-like words under it?¡± Xinmei asked coldly, throwing a letter at them.

    In the crowd, Wu Yao¡¯s face turned pale. She subconsciously gripped her handkerchief harder, knowing that this was bad news. There had been one ident after another messing up her ns today. Ning Xueyan¡¯s maid had already exposed her final trump card before she could even use it.

    This caught herpletely off-guard.

    She was about to move her feet and step forward when she heard the courtyard¡¯s owner shout, ¡°This... has nothing to do with me! The maid gave me this letter. I didn¡¯t know that the person in the painting is the Crown Princess!¡±

    The courtyard¡¯s owner was a rich yboy who was tricked into checking out a beautiful woman by the letter. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t see anyone even after walking around. He had no choice but to leave in disappointment. Then, Wu Yao¡¯s maid came and said she saw the beautiful woman at the banquet. She told him that she would take him to the woman.

    Before they could leave, however, a maid appeared out of nowhere and beat him until he couldn¡¯t get up from the ground. The maid found the letter and scribbled some nonsense under the portrait right before their eyes. Then, she dragged the two of them over roughly.

    No matter how audacious the rich yboy was, he wouldn¡¯t have dreamed that the portrait that he saw was that of the Crown Princess. His courage deted even more after noticing the bloody sword of the imperial guard in front of him. He immediately pointed to the maid beside him and pushed all the me onto her.

    He became clear-headed once he saw the bloody sword. The maid said that the beauty fell in love with him and wanted to meet him privately, but how could the great Crown Princess be interested in him and even invite him for a meeting? He knew that he had fallen for someone¡¯s trap, a trap designed to kill him!

    Wu Yao immediately stepped forward and asked the pale-faced and trembling maid in a sharp voice, ¡°What is going on?¡±

    ¡°I... I...¡± The maid was so terrified that her face paled considerably. Unable to speak, she looked pitifully at Wu Yao. The pleading in her eyes was apparent.

    ¡°You... You¡¯ve gone too far! There¡¯s no enmity between you and the Crown Princess, be it yesterday or today. I have already exined what happenedst time. It was the family member of one of the Crown Princess¡¯ subordinates who injured your younger brother. It has nothing to do with Her Highness. I didn¡¯t think you would be so narrow-minded as to harm Her Highness. I... I can¡¯t save you this time.¡±

    Wu Yao sighed. Her words suggested that this incident was the result of the maid¡¯s grudge against Ning Xueyan and had nothing to do with her. Her face was filled with disappointment.

    ¡°Yes... Yes, Madam. It¡¯s me... I shouldn¡¯t have...¡± The maid¡¯s pale face took on a despairing expression but she seemed to have epted her fault in the matter. She was one of Wu Yao¡¯s trusted aides, so she naturally understood what thetter meant. If she didn¡¯t take the fall for this, her younger brother would be killed.

    The only thing that she could do now was try her best to protect her younger brother¡¯s life.

    Others might not know how ruthless Madam Wu Yao was, but she did. If she took the me for this, only she would be dead. But if she didn¡¯t, her younger brother and even her entire family would die on Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s orders. Nothing would change even if Madam Wu Yao got into trouble. Grand Tutor Ya wouldn¡¯t be so easily affected by this.

    It was because she understood this that she felt so hopeless.

    No one expected the famous Madam Wu Yao¡¯s banquet would end this way. Not only did it boost Ning Xueyan¡¯s reputation as an intelligent and talented woman, but it also ruined Madam Wu Yao¡¯s reputation. Even though it had no direct rtionship with Madam Wu Yao, the string of incidents that nearly killed the Crown Princess made people wonder...

    People wondered if Madam Wu Yao was truly as innocent as she seemed. Could she have an unspeakable rtionship with Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor?

    Could she be helping Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor to harm the Crown Princess and aid Prince Xiang?

    After Ning Xueyan left the banquet without another word, these suspicions began to fester among the guests. It went without saying that the banquet ended on a bad note.

    One could say that the reputable Madam Wu Yao had been brought to the limelight to be scrutinized by everyone. Her maid was also taken away by the imperial guards in the name of investigation.

    The incident happened so suddenly that Wu Yao could only watch nkly as her maid was taken away. It wasn¡¯t until everyone left that she rushed back to her manor and secretly made her way to Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s Manor with a gloomy expression.

    The news had reached Ao Mingyu as well. He discussed the matter with Xia Yuhang for most of the night. Xia Yuhang only left after midnight.

    This incident had caused the political situation to be even tenser. Many sensitive-minded people had already realized the oddity of the situation. They closed their doors early and waited to see the developments of the situation.

    A storm was approaching. Even the atmosphere felt heavy with nervousness.

    No one noticed that a lightweight carriage had secretly left the capital. Inside the carriage, Wen Xueran¡¯s eyes were filled with an indescribable serenity and loneliness.

    In the dark of the night, a group of men in ck attacked Prince Yi¡¯s Manor, where Ning Xueyan was staying by herself...

    They didn¡¯t realize that Ning Xueyan had secretly moved into the Crown Prince¡¯s Pce into two small carriages. The first carried Ning Xueyan, and the other carried Commandery Princess Xianyun. For as long as Commandery Princess Xianyun was Ao Chenyi¡¯s consort, Ning Xueyan wouldn¡¯t leave thetter behind. Since Ao Chenyi wanted them over, she would take Commandery Princess Xianyun with her.

    Fortunately, Commandery Princess Xianyun had been especially quiet ever since she was threatened with the safety of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor. She entered the carriage as told without even objecting.

    Only Xinmei stayed behind in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor to keep an eye on the Pear Flower Garden. Liu Feng would also be guarding the manor. Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t have to worry about her safety since she would be with Ao Chenyi, so it was the best option to have her two skilled subordinates monitor the manor.

    Ning Xueyan could also guess why Ao Chenyi wanted her to sneak into the Eastern Pce all of a sudden. Someone must be trying to use her against him!

    When they arrived at the Eastern Pce, Ao Chenyi¡¯s subordinates arranged a random amodation for Commandery Princess Xianyun on his orders. Ning Xueyan, along with her people and things, moved into Ao Chenyi¡¯s main courtyard in the Eastern Pce.

    Ao Chenyi wasn¡¯t around when they arrived. His eunuch said that he was busy and asked that Ning Xueyan have dinner by herself. Ning Xueyan wasn¡¯t surprised. She knew that he must be so preupied that he had little time for everything else, so she ordered for dinner to be served. To her surprise, all of the dishes were her favorites. Even dessert was her usual choice. She felt so warm on the inside that she ate more than usual.

    Ning Xueyan waited a long time for Ao Chenyi to return that night but supposed that he was still busy. So, she went to bed and somehow fell asleep by herself. When she woke up the next day, he was still nowhere to be seen. Instead, Xinmei reported that Prince Yi¡¯s Manor was burrizedst night.

    A group of men in ck had broken into the Pear Flower Garden and gone straight to the main room. However, their n was foiled when they were ambushed by Ao Chenyi¡¯s men. A few of them were even captured alive.

    ¡°Where are they?¡± Ning Xueyan wiped her mouth with a handkerchief and instructed Qingyu to take the things away.

    ¡°I think they¡¯re still with His Highness. They were captured and sent away the very same night. Liu Feng and I stayed behind but no one else came. But, I don¡¯t think any of the men in ck escaped,¡± Xinmei replied.

    Suddenly, Lanning ran in. Before she could say anything, everyone heard the sound of the gong from a distance. The gong rang one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine times...

    Ning Xueyan stood up in a jolt. The Jingyang Gong had resounded nine times to represent the fall of the ruler. Had the Emperor died?

    ¡°Master, His Highness asks that you change into white clothes and meet him at once. He also said to cover the courtyard in white because the Emperor had diedst night!¡±

    Ning Xueyan asked Xinmei to order the pce maids and eunuchs to bring out every piece of white clothing and hang them around the Eastern Pce, as well as to make and wear a white garment each. Then, she asked worriedly, ¡°He diedst night? What is going on?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure either. I met Chief Guard Yu earlier. All he said was that the Emperor¡¯s death seemed to be rted to Prince Xiang. Prince Xiang had sent assassins to murder the Emperor or something like that. I didn¡¯t really understand what he meant,¡± Lanning replied. The Emperor¡¯s sudden death had caught her off-guard too.

    Even though everyone knew that the Emperor was very ill, they didn¡¯t think he would die so quickly. It was said that he was still doing quite wellst night. Rumors in the pce had it that the Emperor stayed conscious longer than usual and that he looked like he would get better soon.

    Ning Xueyan nodded and stopped pursuing it. ¡°Tell them to first make mourning garments for His Highness and me, but they have to create garments for the rest quickly too,¡± she said. She knew this wasn¡¯t the time to pursue the matter. Ao Chenyi must have his contingency ns, too. She assumed as much ever since he secretly brought her out of Prince Yi¡¯s Manor and into the Eastern Pce.

    All she had to do now was put backyard matters in order.

    The Eastern Pce had its tailoring department. They worked quickly to prepare white cotton garments for both Ao Chenyi and Ning Xueyan. After dispatching someone to send the garment to Ao Chenyi, Ning Xueyan put on her own and went out with Qingyu and Lanning.

    Ao Chenyi, already dressed in his white garment, was waiting for her. The first thing he did upon seeing her was straightening her cor. Then, he took her to the back pce.

    The Eastern Pce was technically a part of the back pce, but the two ces were separated by a door. By the time therge entourage arrived at the Emperor¡¯s pce, the sound of weeping was already in the air.

    What surprised Ning Xueyan the most was that the one who took the central mourning position wasn¡¯t the Empress, but Honored Consort Shu.

    The Empress wasn¡¯t here!

    Ao Chenyi stopped in his tracks and grabbed Ning Xueyan¡¯s hand. ¡°Ao Mingyu sent assassins to kill the Emperor yesterday,¡± he said, briefly exining the situation to her. ¡°The Empress was his spy. She¡¯s currently detained in the prison. From now on, you¡¯ll manage all harem matters.¡±

    Now that the Empress was in trouble, Honored Consort Shu¡¯s status was effectively under Ning Xueyan. Moreover, Ao Chenyi was the Crown Prince at this very moment. Her authority as the Crown Princess had risen with it. It was normal for her to manage harem matters.

    She turned her hand around and squeezed Ao Chenyi¡¯s hand. She nodded at him, expressing her agreement and understanding without saying anything.

    Afterward, when Ao Chenyi was off to arrange the Emperor¡¯s funeral, Ning Xueyan brought all the imperial consorts, as well as all the concubines and female officials who were notified, to kowtow and weep before the Emperor¡¯s coffin. She had everything arranged well.

    Some of the older ranked madams took the opportunity during the downtimes of the mourning session to nod in approval of Ning Xueyan¡¯s arrangement. It seemed that the next Empress would be a very capable one. Though Ning Xueyan was young, she was able to handle emergencies well. They couldn¡¯t tell that she wasn¡¯t even fully fifteen years old yet.

    Some of them heard that Prince Xiang sent assassins to Prince Yi¡¯s Manorst night to kidnap Ning Xueyan. The assassins might have failed, but she still seemed soposed as if she hadn¡¯t just received a frightst night. It seemed that Princess Yi had the bearing of the Mother of the Nation.

    Ning Xueyan even prepared a dedicated ce for frail, elderly, or pregnant madams to rest. She told them to rest; all they had to do was weep a little at appropriate times. She gained much of their approval because of this.

    Both the frail and elderly madams as well as the young pregnant madams should have been weeping and mourning the Emperor¡¯s death with everyone. They didn¡¯t expect Princess Yi to be so kind and show so much concern for them. Those who saw her actions couldn¡¯t help but praise her for being magnanimous and kind.

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t expect her actions to garner the madams¡¯ approval. At the moment, she was sitting inside and listening to the news that Lanning had gathered for her.

 Chapter 669 - An Unexpected Accident

    <strong>Chapter 669 An Unexpected ident</strong>

    ¡°Master, I have asked around. Even though most people aren¡¯t very clear about it, I still learned a clue or two. It seemed that the Empress was involved in Prince Xiang¡¯s attempted assassination of the Emperor. That was why the Emperor died so easily. Honored Consort Shu happened to be guarding the door that night, so she discovered this and exposed the matter.¡±

    ¡°Prince Xiang¡¯s men didn¡¯t manage to get out in time. When they were detained, the Empress was still inside the Emperor¡¯s room. Then, Prince Xiang¡¯s men used the Empress of killing the Emperor and vice versa. Both sides turned on each other to no avail. Prince Xiang and the Empress are currently imprisoned to be punished after the Emperor¡¯s funeral,¡± Lanning said.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s shapely eyebrows wrinkled as she sank into contemtion. The Empress¡¯ intention to kill the Emperor was apparent from the moment she summoned Commandery Princess Xianyun to the pce. It was Ao Mingyu¡¯s assassination of the Emperor that caught her by surprise. The Emperor regarded Ao Chenyi as his opponent and repeatedly tried to assassinate him.

    But he was a decent father to Ao Mingyu and Ao Mingwan. He was especially kind to Ao Mingyu. He must have acknowledged Ao Mingyu as his sessor to educate him so painstakingly. It was a surprise that Ao Mingyu would assassinate the Emperor, a father who had always doted on him. Ao Mingyu was worse than a beast.

    What followed was the state funeral where the entire nation mourned, and Ao Chenyi¡¯s coronation. The ministers and officers kowtowed to Ao Chenyi right before the Emperor¡¯s coffin.

    The Emperor had personally appointed Ao Chenyi as the Crown Prince while he was alive. Therefore, there was no dissent despite theck of an imperial decree. Moreover, Annan had just waged war on them. The nation would be in a mess without a strong Emperor. Under such circumstances, Ao Chenyi was the best candidate to be the Emperor.

    Thus, Ao Chenyi¡¯s coronation followed the state funeral. Thete Emperor was in such ill health that the ministers were ready for the coronation of a new Emperor. It might have been sudden but the basics of the ceremony were well-prepared and the war against the three feudal princes of Annan was in stalemate.

    Ao Chenyi was the first to take charge of the war and continued to do so. Therefore, changes were minimal and the Emperor¡¯s death had little impact on the frontlines. Ao Chenyi was also a great military man in his own right, so he boosted the morale of the soldiers considerably.

    Thanks to him, the war became even more intense.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s coronation ceremony as the Empress was held at the same time as Ao Chenyi¡¯s coronation as the Emperor. The reason was simple. Ao Chenyi said, ¡°The country is at war. We don¡¯t have time to hold another coronation ceremony. Besides, there will only be chaos if we let the harem be without a master.¡±

    With that, all the ministers gave their approval.

    Since Ning Xueyan had be the Empress, it was only fair for her to move from Prince Yi¡¯s Manor to the Main Pce. She had never spent much time in the Eastern Pce anyway, so it was a swift move for her.

    Ao Chenyi didn¡¯t bring other women to the pce with him. During a war, austerity was key. His concubines continued to stay in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. When he sent away those concubines in the past, he kept only those who were his subordinates in the first ce. Those women were there to trick the Emperor but they were of no use anymore. They had left Prince Yi¡¯s Manor a long time ago, even though the public thought that they were still there.

    Commandery Princess Xianyun was still living in the Eastern Pce, with her injured leg making it inconvenient for her to mourn at the funeral. She was being confined in the Eastern Pce with the very same excuse. She wasn¡¯t allowed to go anywhere except her courtyard.

    Aside from the ongoing war against Annan, it felt as if the curtains had been drawn on a show. That was until Ning Xueyan received a letter from the Empress. She changed into simple clothing and visited her at the prison at the Ministry of Justice. The Empress had been convicted of murder and would be beheaded in autumn.

    ¡°You¡¯re here!¡± Inside the cell, the sallow-looking Empress was dressed in in white clothes. She watched Ning Xueyan walking toward her with a calm expression, her face void of both happiness and sorrow.

    Ning Xueyan nodded without saying anything.

    ¡°Do you find it strange that I wanted to kill the Emperor?¡± A wry smile appeared on the Empress¡¯ face.

    ¡°No. Hadn¡¯t you already conspired with Commandery Princess Xianyun in the first ce?¡± Ning Xueyan shook her head emotionlessly.

    Both the Empress and Commandery Princess Xianyun must have conspired against their husbands to gain benefit from the crisis.

    ¡°Do you know how the Empress Dowager died? The Emperor had someone strangle her to death with a white slip of silk. He had her strangled right before my eyes. I begged him to let her go. I begged him to consider her painstaking efforts in helping him get the throne and let her go but he still took her life.¡±

    The Empress¡¯ voice was trembling as if she was staring at the Empress Dowager¡¯s distorted face and eyes widened with resentment when thetter died. All she could do at that time was weeping on the floor and hugging the Emperor¡¯s thigh. She pleaded with him but could only watch helplessly as the Empress Dowager died in his hands. She was taken there on his orders to watch the execution.

    It was his warning to her not to develop any ideas.

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t respond. She waited quietly for the Empress to continue. She had already known that there was something wrong with the Empress Dowager¡¯s death. The Empress Dowager was still young when she died and the Emperor had just recently ascended the throne. How could she die all of a sudden? The Lord Peace¡¯s Manor dwindled in influence shortly after. Did their influence really weaken because of the Empress Dowager?

    ¡°Who could have imagined that the Emperor who had always made himself to look so filial would take the Empress Dowager¡¯s life that way? It was also his warning for me not to entertain any ideas unless it¡¯s a son that I¡¯ve raised since young. He was telling me that any prince I chose wouldn¡¯t favor me even if I help him get the throne!¡±

    The Empress could still remember that afternoon. That day, she huddled into a corner in the Empress Dowager¡¯s Pce and quietly stared at the Empress Dowager¡¯s malevolent corpse as she trembled in fear. No one came in because the Emperor ordered her to serve the Empress Dowager who had suddenly developed a severe illness.

    It wasn¡¯t until the evening that news spread that the Empress Dowager had sumbed to her illness and died.

    During that time, she was filled with fear and then panic. Toward the end, she felt a calmness that was brought on by despair.

    She swore not to repeat the Empress Dowager¡¯s mistakes. She wanted to live. Not only that, she wanted to hold power firmly in her hands. She was the Empress and the Mother of the Nation. That would make her the future Empress Dowager, and an authoritative Empress Dowager at that.

    She refused to scheme and plot just to benefit other people.

    Ning Xueyan contemted for a minute before asking, ¡°So, after that, you found a chance to lobby Lord Peace¡¯s Manor and Commandery Princess Xianyun?¡±

    Everyone knew that the Empress came from a powerless family but she was a rtive of the Empress Dowager. If the Empress Dowager died in the Emperor¡¯s hands, that meant there was enmity between the Emperor and Lord Peace¡¯s Manor. It wouldn¡¯t be hard for the Empress to use this to lobby Lord Peace¡¯s Manor.

    ¡°Yes. I told Lord Peace¡¯s Manor about Empress Dowager¡¯s death so that they would take my side. Unfortunately, they lost a lot of men because of the Emperor¡¯s coronation and the Emperor had also secretly killed a few of their people since. They weren¡¯t as powerful as before and couldn¡¯t push me to the same position as thete Empress Dowager.¡±

    The Empress closed her eyes and suppressed the resentment and rage inside her. She felt nothing but hatred for the Emperor. How could other women give birth to their children when she couldn¡¯t? It wasn¡¯t because of idents. She had never been pregnant even once. For this, she once sneaked out of the pce.

    Lord Peace¡¯s Manor found her a well-known physician and got her diagnosed. The physician said that she couldn¡¯t give birth at all. Her body had been made infertile a long time ago. She wanted so desperately to strangle the Emperor to death at that moment. The Emperor, having orchestrated the Empress Dowager¡¯s fate, wanted to see her repeat history.

    She refused to. Never in a million years would she do so.

    Therefore, she thought of raising other imperial concubines¡¯ sons. But the Emperor ruthlessly turned her down as soon as she mentioned it.

    The Emperor seemed determined to push her down the same path as the Empress Dowager. She couldn¡¯t ept this. She refused to sumb to fate without doing anything. That made her turn her attention to Commandery Princess Xianyun. Commandery Princess Xianyun was just as ambitious as she was, so they became immediate allies.

    ¡°So, you killed the Emperor?¡± Ning Xueyan asked, looking conflicted. She didn¡¯t know what she thought about the Empress. The Empress might have been helpless but she was ruthless too. It seemed that the Emperor had forced her hand but at the end of the day, she still conspired with Commandery Princess Xianyun to harm her.

    Still, she was confused as to why the Empress would kill the Emperor at this time. The timing didn¡¯t benefit them whatsoever. Commandery Princess Xianyun couldn¡¯t even leave, so it was useless for the Empress to kill the Emperor.

    ¡°Yes, I killed him. That devil woke up. He woke up! When he woke up, he tried to strangle me to death. I... I hate him. I wanted to strangle him... I wanted to kill him!¡±

    The Empress became agitated and grabbed onto the railing. Her eyes were wide open as she screamed.

    She hated the Emperor. She wanted nothing more than to see him die before her eyes. When she sat beside him as heid unconscious, the thought of reaching for his neck and killing him came to her numerous times. His death would end everything. But every time the thought came to her, she would stop and tell herself that it wasn¡¯t time yet. She had to wait. Perhaps there would be a chance soon.

    She didn¡¯t expect the Emperor to wake up all of a sudden. Her hands happened to be on his neck at that time. The Emperor seemed stunned to see her hands around him at first. Then, he subconsciously grabbed her hands to drag her down and ce his own hands around her neck.

    Thus, the two began to wrestle with each other without another word. They fell from the Emperor¡¯s bed together. The Emperor, weakened by his illness, was pressed under a quilt by the mad Empress until he suffocated to death. When the Empress sat in a corner and gasped for breath, Prince Xiang¡¯s men appeared and hacked the Emperor...

    ¡°So, it was all an ident?¡± Ning Xueyan asked softly. It wasn¡¯t until after hearing the Empress¡¯ exnation that she understood why the meticulous Empress would fail at the veryst minute. It was all because of an unexpected ident. No wonder people say that the Empress and Ao Mingyu were conspiring to kill the Emperor.

    The Emperor¡¯s dead body had strangtion marks left by the Empress and sword wounds left by Ao Mingyu¡¯s men. Both injuries were life-threatening.

    Of course, this wasn¡¯t why the Empress wanted to meet Ning Xueyan. There was something else she wanted to tell Ning Xueyan.

 Chapter 670 - About the Empress of the Previous Dynastyâ€¦

    <strong>Chapter 670 About the Empress of the Previous Dynasty...</strong>

    ¡°It was and wasn¡¯t an ident. He could only me himself. No matter what, he was the one who forced my hand and cornered me to this state. He ruined my everything. Him dying in my hands could be considered as his retribution.¡±

    The Empress began to look calm again. She turned her head and stared at Ning Xueyan with a trace of sadness in her eyes. ¡°I invited you here to ask you to let go of my family. It¡¯s all my fault and has nothing to do with my family. They¡¯re just a small and useless noble family. In exchange for their safety, I¡¯ll tell you a secret.¡±

    Her voice had lost her previous agitation and anger, leaving only a sense of helplessness. She had never put any hope in her family. She thought that she would be able to help her people after gaining power but now that she was in trouble, she was worried that her family would be implicated and sentenced to death.

    She had resented her family countless times for marrying her off to the Emperor. If she hadn¡¯t married him, she might have aplete family with a few adorable children. In the end, she had none of this. Even so, she couldn¡¯t just watch everyone in her family die with her.

    Since she was about to die, secrets didn¡¯t matter anymore. She would tell them all to Ning Xueyan as a favor in exchange for her family.

    She never considered whether Ning Xueyan would go back on her word. She was too tired to scheme anything. Let heaven decide!

    After Ning Xueyan left the prison, she went straight to the Main Pce and back to her residence. To her surprise, she found Ao Chenyi there. She pushed the heavy doors of her pce and ordered everyone else to stay outside. Then, she quietly entered the pce.

    Ao Chenyi was asleep on the wide bed with his head propped on a pillow. He had be busiertely because of the Emperor¡¯s funeral and his and her coronation. Even asleep, his shapely brows were knitted. He must be exhausted.

    Feeling a wave of heartache, Ning Xueyan sat down by the bed and gently eased the frown on his forehead. However, he woke up just as she stretched her hand and looked at her with his beautiful, icy, and sharp eyes. That frightened her. She stared back at him with her vibrant eyes widened, not daring to stretch her hand further.

    ¡°Chenyi, it¡¯s me!¡±

    When Ao Chenyi saw that it was Ning Xueyan, he rubbed his forehead. The iciness in his expression faded, reced by a look of gentleness. He sat up and leaned against the frame of the bed.

    Ning Xueyan turned to the side table and poured a cup of tea. She handed the cup to him and asked in concern, ¡°You must be tired, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Looking at him, she knew that he must have not slept well for a long time. During this time, she could count the times they met on one hand. Even when they met, they weren¡¯t able to spend much time together. Xinmei told her that he had been working through the night quite a few times without stopping to rest.

    Ao Chenyi had just be the Emperor and needed to worry about Annan¡¯s rebellion. It was good enough that everything was under control and he could take over so smoothly. Moreover, there was no dissenting voice from all levels of society whatsoever. His majesty as the Emperor was taking root quickly, a testament to his methods and capability. Even so, he was still a person. He would still get tired.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Everything has more or less settled. I¡¯ll have more time to spend with you from now on.¡± Ao Chenyi drank the tea calmly before returning the cup to Ning Xueyan and leaning against the bedframezily.

    ¡°How did the war against the three feudal princes of Annan go?¡± Ning Xueyan took the cup and ced it on the side table. She got up and returned to the bedside, where she massaged his temples gently to ease his fatigue.

    ¡°The war can¡¯t be rushed. Your uncle sent news that both sides are evenly matched. The war is ongoing, with small-scale battles here and there. Both sides win and lose some. I told him to hold on and not rush things. That will benefit us.¡± Ao Chenyi enjoyed Ning Xueyan¡¯s treatment immensely. His elongated, narrow, and almond-shaped eyes were closed under his longshes.

    ¡°How so?¡± Ning Xueyan asked, confused. Shouldn¡¯t it be more advantageous to be quick and counter Annan immediately?

    ¡°Even though the three feudal princes of Annan are strong, they can¡¯t bepared to an entire nation. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have surrendered back then and tried to recover for so many years. Both sides are the same. We look rxed on the outside but we¡¯re intense on the inside. In his will, my father said that Annan would eventually revolt. Whether it¡¯s my brother or me who would take the throne, he wanted us to keep an eye on every movement in Annan,¡± Ao Chenyi saidzily.

    ¨C

    ¡°That¡¯s why the three feudal princes¡¯ rebellion was within my expectations. I was able to prepare three days in advance, too. We can keep the war going but Annan can¡¯t afford to. On the contrary, it¡¯s the prince from the previous dynasty that they found that surprised me. Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min, Wen Xueran. Who could have thought that the yboy Princely Heir Wen Xueran would be a descendant of the former imperial family?¡±

    Ao Chenyi had just learned this recently. The prince was so well-protected by Annan that it was a challenge to even take the news out of the ce. Nobody would have thought that the prince of the previous dynasty would be so living well under the Emperor¡¯s nose all this while.

    Wen Xueran? Ning Xueyan paused and bit her lower lip. She looked at Ao Chenyi with hesitation and took her hands away from his head. Her hands curled into fists. Then, in a split second, a look of determination appeared on her face. She must tell him about it. Even if she neither care nor wanted to admit her identity as a princess of the previous dynasty, it couldn¡¯t change the fact that she was the princess.

    She wasn¡¯t like Wen Xueran. Once Wen Xueran¡¯s identity was exposed, Ao Chenyi could eliminate him with just a simple order. What about her? She was afraid and nervous but she knew she must tell him. It was one thing for her to tell him, and another for him to learn her identity through his investigations.

    Even if she didn¡¯t want to...

    She had no choice but to admit it!

    Ning Xueyan hesitated for a moment before asking, ¡°I... What if I¡¯m the posthumous daughter of the Empress of the previous dynasty?¡± Worried that Ao Chenyi wouldn¡¯t understand her, she went out of her way to exin, ¡°What if I¡¯m a princess of the previous dynasty? What will you do?¡±

    The wind was picking up outside the window, causing the brocade curtain to rustle. She stared at Ao Chenyi, refusing to think about the consequences of confessing the truth to him. She had always thought that he would protect her. She knew that he would protect her!

    ¡°So what if you¡¯re a princess of the previous dynasty? Are there any pros or cons to it?¡± Ao Chenyi didn¡¯t look surprised in the slightest. He didn¡¯t even open his eyes as if she had told him that she was an ordinarydy, not a princess of the previous dynasty.

    Were there any pros? Ning Xueyan thought about it for a moment. There were no pros at all. The so-called treasure was long gone. Whatever people imed that she had was just a rumor. Putting it this way, it seemed that her identity as a princess of the previous dynasty waspletely worthless. Wen Xueran was at least a man; he could im to be a descendant of the former imperial family. She was just a princess. Even if she wanted to rebel, she had no right to do so.

    Were there any cons? She thought about this too. It seemed like there weren¡¯t any. If she didn¡¯t reveal her identity as a princess of the previous dynasty, nobody would ever know her connection to the former imperial family. Nobody expected the Empress of the previous dynasty to have a posthumous daughter. Her former self, Ning Ziying the Grand Elder Princess of the previous dynasty, had died. The bloodline of the Empress was as good as over.

    Nobody would investigate the so-called little princess of the previous dynasty anymore. People only knew the existence of the Grand Elder Princess.

    ¡°There are neither pros nor cons.¡± Ning Xueyan shook her head honestly.

    Ao Chenyi couldn¡¯t helpughing when he saw how honestly she tried to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of her identity. His beautiful eyes opened as he reached out and pulled her into his embrace. He ced his hands on her slender waist, with his thin lips curved into a smirk. ¡°Stop thinking about it then. You¡¯re just my wife, my Empress. You have nothing to do with the previous dynasty.¡±

    She was just his wife, not a princess of the previous dynasty. She felt as if her heart had turned into mush. She felt as warm and soft as if she was soaking in a hot spring. Naturally, she understood what he meant. He didn¡¯t care about her identity as a princess of the previous dynasty and wouldn¡¯t guard against her because of it.

    She was his wife, as simple as that.

    Thinking about it again, he was right. There was no significance to being a princess of the previous dynasty. Even her biological mother had abandoned her. Never mind her, not even Ning Ziying had memories about the Empress of the previous dynasty.

    She had the feeling that the Empress of the previous dynasty wasn¡¯t alive anymore. That would exin why she handed her two daughters to other people. Whether it was in her previous or current life, her adoptive mothers had tried to conceal her identity. It must be because of the Empress!

    Otherwise, why would a mother abandon her children and never try to see them after so many years?

    Suddenly, sorrow crept into her heart. She leaned against Ao Chenyi¡¯s chest and closed her eyes. She suppressed the ache in her heart. She no longer had any family in this life. He was the only one who continued to take good care of her and bear the world¡¯s burdens for her.

    All because she was his wife, as simple as that. There was no other reason for it. It wouldn¡¯t change because of external reasons. It was enough for her to be herself.

    ¡°The Empress of the previous dynasty is dead by suicide. My father told me this when I was still young. She jumped from a cliff with a few of her female officers. None of them survived.¡± Ao Chenyi sighed when he noticed that Ning Xueyan was feeling sad. He sat up and hugged her close. His eyes were gentle and filled with adoration.

    ¡°I know.¡± Ning Xueyan closed her eyes, allowing her tears to fall on the front of his robe. She knew this. She had always suspected this, so she never tried to look for the Empress of the previous dynasty who gave birth to her. She could tell from the letter how much her biological parents had loved each other.

    If it wasn¡¯t for her, the person who had died in the fire for her country must have been the Empress herself!

 Chapter 671 - Whether an Emperor Needs Imperial Consorts

    Chapter 671 Whether an Emperor Needs Imperial Consorts

    Ao Chenyi didn¡¯t try to persuade her this time. This had bothered her for so long that she would continue to suffer for it if she didn¡¯t cry it out now. He held her tighter and allowed her to wet the front of his robe. She didn¡¯t brawl. All she did was close her eyes and let her tears stream down her face. When her tears finally dried, she sat quietly in Ao Chenyi¡¯s embrace for a long time.

    It was so quiet inside the room that she could finally calm down.

    Her hands were being held so tightly in Ao Chenyi¡¯s hand that she could feel the callus in his palm. He was Prince Yi, thete Emperor¡¯s beloved prince who grew up to be the infamous Demon King. Those who mentioned his name would often be frightened and rmed. Only she knew how difficult his life had been.

    Ao Chenyi was still young when he drew his elder brother¡¯s jealousy and suspicion. He was framed, imprisoned, and nearly died. His fiancee abandoned him at his lowest point, sought shelter with his elder brother, and became his elder brother¡¯s consort. This was a humiliation no man could bear and yet he couldn¡¯t say anything about it and sour his rtionship with the Emperor.

    The Emperor didn¡¯t obey thete Emperor¡¯s decree to make Ao Chenyi the Crown Prince. Not only that, he even made life difficult for Ao Chenyi at every turn and continued to send assassins after him. Ao Chenyi must have lived perilously under such circumstances. After all, the man who wanted his life upied the highest position in the nation.

    Even if the Emperor couldn¡¯t do it publicly, he had many ways to kill Ao Chenyi in secret.

    For many years, Ao Chenyi was forced to toe the line of bnce between him and the Emperor and scheme in secret. He seemed glorious as Prince Yi, with influence and power at his disposal. In reality, one misstep could cost him his life.

    Just as he took the throne, he had to work tirelessly to deal with Annan¡¯s revolt. She could see how exhausted he was but even so, he would still take the time to visit her. She understood his love and also sensed his wholehearted protectiveness over her.

    It wasn¡¯t because she was his Empress or Princess Yi. It was simply because she was his wife.

    She quietly wrapped her free hand around his waist. He had be thinner. All those political affairs and governmental work must have kept him busy.

    ¡°You must be tired. You can leave Prince Yi¡¯s Manor and the imperial harem to me.¡± She didn¡¯t want him to be so tired. Her heart ached for him. As his wife, she thought that she had the responsibility to put his backyard¡ªor more precisely, the harem¡ªin order so that he could focus on dealing with those who wanted to revive the previous dynasty.

    Suddenly, Ao Chenyi chuckled. His unfathomable eyes became lit up with mischief as he lifted her chin and gently wiped the tears off her delicate face. ¡°Yan¡¯er, you¡¯re mistaken. You¡¯re the only one who lives in the imperial harem. There¡¯s not much that you have to do.¡±

    His eyes were unprecedentedly clear as he looked at her. Suddenly, mirth appeared in his pupils like the blooming of the most beautiful flower.

    ¡°You¡¯re the only one who lives in the imperial harem?¡± Was she going to be the only resident in the imperial harem? Her long, curledshes shuddered twice as she widened her eyes.

    Did he mean that they would be loyal to each other for the rest of their lives? What a wonderful idea! Yet, she didn¡¯t dare to dream it. It was amazing enough that she had his heart...

    ¡°But, the ministers will criticize you for it!¡± It wasn¡¯t until these words burst out of her mouth that she realized how much she wished for it. Her desire even overwhelmed her reason. She blushed and lowered her head. Be it the previous or the current dynasty, all Emperors had their harem of imperial consorts and concubines. The Emperor of the previous dynasty was said to be deeply in love with his Empress but he still had many low-ranking imperial concubines.

    ¡°It¡¯s not the ministers who determine whether an Emperor needs imperial consorts, but the Emperor¡¯s power. In front of absolute power, no one will be able toment about my family matters.¡± The darkness that crept into Ao Chenyi¡¯s pupils swiftly clouded its previous limpidness. His unfathomable coldness gave her the impression that the room had be colder as well but she didn¡¯t let go of him. Her heart was warm.

    He sounded so firm. He was even able to express his thoughts on the matter in such a condescending manner. He had always been a domineering person. No one could force him to do anything he didn¡¯t want to. Even if he had be the Emperor and had many things that he couldn¡¯t do, he was still the most domineering Emperor in history.

    What woman wouldn¡¯t be tempted by a man like him?

    Ning Xueyan nodded firmly. She forbade herself from overthinking it and told herself that he was right. For as long as he was willing and wanted to protect her, he would be able to. He was domineering but never reckless.

    A touched look appeared on her still-teary face. She nodded with force. There was a burning look in her eyes that even she couldn¡¯t stop. Her bright eyes curved into crescents as she said, ¡°I understand!¡±

    She trusted him. Of course, she understood his feelings for her after being with him for so long.

    Ao Chenyi rubbed her hair, happy to see her break away from her sorrow. He titled his head and asked, ¡°Does it make you that happy?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± Ning Xueyan pouted her cherry-red lips matter-of-factly. What woman would be willing to share her husband with other people, even if only nominally?

    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Ao Chenyi chuckled, a rare gentleness creeping into his usually-sharp eyes.

    ¡°Well, you didn¡¯t say anything! I thought you like having many wives and concubines. You have so many concubines back in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor. Now that you¡¯re in the imperial pce, I thought you¡¯ll fill your harem with concubines so that you have many heirs in the future.¡± Hearing him teasing her, she rolled her eyes and raised her eyebrow. She knew all the ministers loved saying things like these.

    ¡°Is that so?¡± He thought about it for a moment before lowering his head and whispering suggestively in her ear, ¡°I¡¯m taking back my word. Can I take in a few concubines?¡±

    ¡°Dream on!¡± Ning Xueyan retorted, rejecting his suggestion without hesitation. She thumped on his chest and protested coquettishly.

    He grabbed her hand, turned over, and pressed her under his body. ¡°Since you¡¯re worried about my heirs, I think you can do more for me. You have to give birth to more children so that nobody will pester me about it. Otherwise, I¡¯ll have to take back my word,¡± Ao Chenyi said.

    He leaned in and gently bit her ear. She shivered at his touch, and her face turned beet-red. She tried to push him away, but with his body pressing on her, she didn¡¯t even have the strength to move him in the slightest.

    Before she knew it, he had reached into her clothes.

    His hand was a little cold. When it came into contact with her skin, she nearly yelped. She had to force herself to swallow the sound. Blushing, she red at him. ¡°You... You¡¯re the Emperor. How can you do this in broad daylight...¡±

    ¡°If I can¡¯t do this in broad daylight, can I do this at night?¡± Ao Chenyi raised an eyebrow as he stared at her, who was blushing so hard that she couldn¡¯t form a proper sentence.

    ¡°You...¡± Ning Xueyan was speechless. She was red with embarrassment and shame. How could she forget that Ao Chenyi was so brazen and fall into his trap?

    She bit her lower lip. She could sense his breathing bing heavier. Even though his expression didn¡¯t change, his body was bing unprecedentedly hot. He had always been cold and aloof. Even the air around him was several degrees lower than the air around other people. Yet, at this moment, she could keenly feel his warmth.

    Before she knew it, her eyes were closed and she stopped struggling. She liked him. She was willing to be with him for the rest of her life, so why should she reject him? She knew he would keep her health in mind. She knew he was an attentive, considerate man from the fact that he never did anything to her since she moved into Prince Yi¡¯s Manor.

    She believed that he wouldn¡¯t hurt her!

    She could feel him pressing down on her. Even with her eyes closed, she could sense his hot breath on her ear as he pressed his head onto the side of her neck. He didn¡¯t say anything, and his hands had stopped moving as well.

    After a long time, when her body was about to turn stiff, she secretly opened her eyes. She wanted to see what Ao Chenyi was doing.

    Her bright eyes were half-open as she peeked at his handsome face that wore anguid smile. She didn¡¯t expect him to lean against her shoulder and stare at her. She became so startled that she closed her eyes again.

    His pleasantughter reached her ears. She could feel the temperature of his body getting lower.

    Ao Chenyi sat up and pulled her up with him. With a yful smile on his face, he said, ¡°Forget it. We have to wait until you grow up a bit more so that nothing goes wrong.¡±

    Her limpid eyes turned red, and she nced at him with blushing cheeks. She knew it. This man seemed arrogant and aloof about everything, but he would never let anything hurt her if he was concerned. She didn¡¯t have to fear him at all.

    She believed that he would always protect her and never let her get hurt. A small but blissful smile appeared on her face.

    Before she could say anything, she felt him kissing the corner of her lips. He didn¡¯t go any further. ¡°The next time you tease me, I can¡¯t promise that I¡¯ll let you off so easily.¡±

    Her face turned beet-red. How... How dare he turn around and use her! What did he mean, teasing him? When did she tease him? It was he whom...

    Of course, she knew she could never beat him when it came to stuff like this. He would surely derail the topic, twist the truth, and embarrass her so much that she couldn¡¯t even raise her head.

    She decided to drop the topic so that she wouldn¡¯t feel so embarrassed. She took the initiative to lean on him and talked about more important business. ¡°The Empress said...¡±

    ¡°Thete Empress!¡± He interrupted rudely to correct her.

    ¡°Oh. Fine, fine, thete Empress it is!¡± Ning Xueyan pursed her lips and smiled. This man could be so stubborn at times. How adorable.

    ¡°Thete Empress told me a secret about Chenyuan Pce,¡± Ning Xueyan said with a proud smile.

    Thete Empress used to reside in Chenyuan Pce. Not even the Emperor knew the secret that she had shared with Ning Xueyan in exchange for her family¡¯s safety. This was her final wish.

    Though she was the Empress, she was forced to kill the Emperor. Her life was quite tragic!

 Chapter 672 - News from Ming Feiyong

    <h4>Chapter 672 News from Ming Feiyong</h4>

    ¡°The Empress discovered a secret tunnel under Chenyuan Pce by ident. She never told anyone about it. She even killed the maid that discovered the tunnel with her and apanied her in walking through the tunnel. In other words, she was the only one who knew about it,¡± Ning Xueyan exined.

    This was the Empress¡¯ secret. To prove it, she used Yun Luoluo¡¯s incident as an example. When Ning Xueyan was drugged in Chenyuan Pce, the Empress wanted to take her to a room. There, a man would sneak into the pce through the secret tunnel.

    If Ning Xueyan woke up and discovered herself in disheveled clothes in the presence of another man, she would surely panic. To protect her secret, she would surely agree with whatever the Empress wanted. The Empress wanted to use Ning Xueyan to force Ao Chenyi into epting his ¡°affair¡± with Yun Luoluo.

    Unfortunately, Ao Chenyi had appeared all of a sudden. She didn¡¯t dare to do anything with him around, so her n was foiled.

    Of course, she didn¡¯t realize that Ning Xueyan had noticed that her tea was drugged a long time ago. Instead of swallowing the tea, Ning Xueyan spat the tea on her handkerchief instead.

    When Ning Xueyan saw Ao Chenyi closing his eyes and keeping quiet, she continued, ¡°The Empress said that the Empress of the previous dynasty must have escaped using the same secret tunnel. She had used the tunnel many times and saw hairpins on the floor. Those must have fallen there when the Empress of the previous dynasty ran out of the pce.¡±

    That must be the same tunnel that she used to escape from the pce. Thinking about it now, the nation had fallen into enemy hands at that time. The imperial pce was on fire. The enemy must have rushed in by then. The Empress of the previous dynasty was pregnant with her then, making it impossible for her to escape through the pce gates. That meant the only way out was the secret tunnel.

    No one discovered the secret tunnel, so no one was able to track the Empress of the previous dynasty at that time.

    Ning Xueyan agreed with the Empress¡¯ spection.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the secret tunnel?¡± An unfathomable glint shed in Ao Chenyi¡¯s narrowed eyes.

    She patted therge bed with ornate carving and pointed behind it. ¡°Right behind this. There¡¯s a secret switch that will let you in.¡±

    ¡°There must be a switch on the other side too!¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s lips curved into a sinister smile.

    ¡°Yes, there¡¯s one on the other side too. The Empress said that she¡¯ll open the door from the other side if she¡¯s on her way back. It¡¯s very convenient. She kept this as her final resort.¡±

    This was meant to be the Empress¡¯ final resort, so she was the only one who knew about it. She just didn¡¯t expect the Emperor to wake up while she was pretending to strangle him and strangle her back. The situation changed so swiftly that she ended up strangling him to death without any preparation.

    In the end, the secret tunnel became useless to her.

    Ao Chenyi was so quick-witted that he immediately understood the purpose of the secret tunnel. His eyes turned dark and cold as he said, ¡°Stay in the side hall and keep this ce empty for now but make it look like you still live here. When youe here during the day, stay in the outer hall and have Xinmei watch this ce. Have Xinmei sleep here at night too.¡±

    He was rmed that there was a secret tunnel right behind Ning Xueyan¡¯s bed and that he didn¡¯t know anything about it. His expression turned ugly at the thought of Ning Xueyan being in danger because of this.

    Thete Empress imed that she was the only one who knew about the secret tunnel but he didn¡¯t believe her. But whether or not others knew about it, he was uneasy enough with the idea of having such a tunnel behind Ning Xueyan¡¯s bed. The fastest way to solve this was moving Ning Xueyan out of this ce.

    Afterward, Ning Xueyan moved into the spacious side hall of Chenyuan Pce. The side hall was empty even when the Empress used to live here. It was fit for living after some tidy-up. It was easy for her to go there too. She would sleep there at night and work in the outer space of the main hall during the day, where she would asionally receive high-ranking madams as guests.

    No one knew that Ning Xueyan¡¯s residence wasn¡¯t the main hall of Chenyuan Pce.

    After a few days of such arrangement, a piece of news came from the frontline. There had been a death that concerned Ning Xueyan. In all honesty, it wasn¡¯t bad news at all. She didn¡¯t feel much about it. It was simply news that Ning Zu¡¯an had died in the war.

    The reason for his death was his insistence on making achievements despite the situation. Ming Feiyong forbade him from going to battle but he insisted and even promised that he would return victorious. Before he could win the battle, he fell into an ambush by Annan and ended in a deadlocked situation. He died after a long and bitter fight.

    In all honesty, Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t feel anything about the news.

    Ning Zu¡¯an wasn¡¯t supposed to join the military campaign this time. He didn¡¯t even have any official positions left, so how could he have the chance to join the war? Yet, he insisted on fighting for the nation even if it meant leading a small squad. Of course, Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t believe that he would be so loyal to the nation.

    He had only insisted on going to war because he wanted to gain merit, be a minister, and regain his glory. He was, after all, not that old. Being Ning Xueyan¡¯s nominal father and Ao Chenyi¡¯s father-inw, he wouldn¡¯t be given just a small squad. He also had old friends in the military.

    Ning Zu¡¯an banked on this to turn the tide in his favor. He asked a few of his colleagues for help and knelt outside the Ministry of War so that everyone knew about it. This forced Ao Chenyi into allowing him to go to war and giving him the title of deputy general at the very least. He was still the Emperor¡¯s father-inw, after all. Ao Chenyi wasn¡¯t mad. He simply sneered and let Ning Zu¡¯an go to the frontline as a deputy general of the expedition.

    His death was the result of his overeagerness to perform. Ever since he married Madam Ming and made a promise that he never intended to keep, up to the point where he signed the papers, Ning Xueyan knew that all he wanted was to climb the ranks. He wasn¡¯t willing to be the idle father-inw of the Emperor.

    The deciding factor was that he had given his Lord Protector title to Ning Huaijing. One could say that he had nothing to his name except the title of the Emperor¡¯s father-inw. That was why he was so determined to make achievements. He probably didn¡¯t expect that he would die in Annan without achieving anything.

    After reporting Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s death, Xinmei fished out a letter from her bosom and handed it to Ning Xueyan. ¡°Your Highness, the General¡¯s messenger has a private letter for you. The letter was hidden in between the battle reports. His Majesty told me to bring it to you.¡±

    Ning Xueyan took the letter. Mirth flickered in her limpid eyes when she saw the seal on the envelope. She opened it and took out the letter inside. Her brows knotted as she read it.

    Ming Feiyong didn¡¯t mention much. Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s death was mentioned in passing. He said that Ning Zu¡¯an died after insisting on fighting. Neither of them liked Ning Zu¡¯an. Both chose to ignore the man who stepped on the Ming family to climb the ranks.

    Ming Feiyong had written the letter mostly to tell her about another matter. He said that someone saw Ning Huaiyuan in the military barracks of Annan. It seemed that Ning Huaiyuan had surrendered to the feudal princes of Annan. He warned her to watch out for Ning Huaiyuan. He didn¡¯t want Ning Huaiyuan to return someday and secretly harm her.

    She knew it! Ning Huaiyuan didn¡¯t die! She lowered her hand and put the letter back into the envelope. Her eyes dimmed as she sank into contemtion.

    Back when Ning Huaiyuan went missing out of the blue, she had the feeling that he had left the country. When Madam Ling got into trouble, he was demoted to be a concubine¡¯s son and an evil concubine¡¯s son at that. He had no chance of inheriting the Lord Protector position. Staying behind in the capital would just draw mockery from other people. He had no choice but to leave in dejection.

    Since he was gone, she stopped pursuing the matter. She just didn¡¯t think that he would seek shelter in Annan.

    At the end of the letter, Ming Feiyong also mentioned that the Princely Heir of the Feudal Prince of Annan was Childe Yueming of Jiangnan. Who could have imagined that the gentleman famous throughout Jiangnan for his temperament and talent, Hua Yunheng, would be the mysterious heir to the most prominent feudal prince in Annan?

    No one could have dreamed that the Princely Heir of the Feudal Prince of Annan would grow up in Jiangnan in Chu Kingdom instead of Annan.

    Ning Xueyan didn¡¯t have much opinion about Hua Yunheng¡¯s identity. In her previous life as Ning Ziying, she had an engagement with Hua Yunheng. That must be the work of the Feudal Prince of Annan. When they realized that she might not be the princess and there was a likelier candidate, they immediately abandoned the engagement and proposed another one.

    Hua Yunheng had left the Ning Manor at that time. That was also when Ning Ziying got engaged to Xia Yuhang.

    Everything could be exined as a coincidence, but also an inevitability. Whether it was the Feudal Prince of Annan or Xia Manor, both schemed to obtain the Grand Elder Princess of the previous dynasty and the benefits that she could give them: enormous riches and secret treasures, or perhaps a treasure map!

    Xia Yuhang had felt, inch by inch, all of Ning Ziying¡¯s brocades.

    Those at Xia Manor must have broken up her dowry and examined them piece by piece! But unfortunately for them, the so-called treasures were long gone and had nothing to do with Ning Ziying whatsoever. No matter how carefully Xia Yuhang investigated the matter, all his hard work was in vain.

    Some time ago, Hua Yunheng kept visiting the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. She was aware of this, but so what? Even if Ning Ziying once treated him like family, it was all in the past. Ning Ziying might not have been aware of what was at stake at that time, but she came to understand everything after she was reborn and investigated everything.

    It was for his benefit that Hua Yunheng wanted to marry her and then broke off their engagement. Simrly, it was also for his benefit that Xia Yuhang married her and watched Madam Ling and her daughter drown her in the lotus pond. She thought that Wen Xueran was much betterpared to them. Wen Xueran was much nobler and more respectful of her because he didn¡¯t make a big deal out of their engagement.

    When it came to engagements, the most genuine engagement was likely the one between her and Wen Xueran.

    At the very least, Wen Xueran didn¡¯t make use of the engagement and pretended that he was deeply in love with her even though he was just weighing her benefit to him and seeing if he needed to marry her for real.

    Of course, there was also the fact that Wen Xueran knew about the secret treasures. Even so, Ning Xueyan was still grateful to him. If he were to make a fuss about her identity as the posthumous daughter of the Empress of the previous dynasty, there would likely be some trouble for her...

 Chapter 673 - A Letter Within a Letter

    <h4>Chapter 673 A Letter Within a Letter</h4>

    The news of Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s death shocked everyone in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor. Even though the title had been passed onto Ning Huaijing, Ning Zu¡¯an was the patriarch of the family. Even without the title, he was still the most authoritative figure in the manor.

    Madam Dowager copsed as soon as she heard the news of his death. She became ill and bedridden, unable to get up.

    Ning Xueyan couldn¡¯t leave the pce freely due to her status as the Empress. She sent Qingyu and Mother Han to the manor and had them inquire about Madam Dowager¡¯s health in her ce. Mother Han returned to Prince Yi¡¯s Manor afterward while Qingyu entered the pce to report to Ning Xueyan.

    It was inconvenient for Mother Han to live in the pce because she had a son to take care of. Instead of entering the pce with Ning Xueyan, she stayed in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor as the housekeeper. Ning Xueyan was prepared to release her from the manor when the situation stabilized in the future. There were too many rules in the pce that would make life inconvenient for Mother Han.

    ¡°Your Highness, Madam Dowager is bedridden now. Even though she¡¯s still sane, the imperial physician that came with me said that she had suffered a terrible shock. Even if she makes a full recovery, she¡¯ll be confined to bed for the rest of her life.¡± Qingyu had taken an imperial physician from the pce with her when she visited the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor.

    The physician was there to examine Madam Dowager. No matter what, Madam Dowager was still Ning Xueyan¡¯s grandmother. Even if she couldn¡¯t leave the pce, it was still basic manners to send someone to check on Madam Dowager.

    When Ning Huaijing became the new Lord Protector, his biological mother Madam Yu became the new Madam Dowager as well. The original Madam Dowager became Madam Dowager Senior instead.

    Ning Xueyan nodded and asked, ¡°How is Second Brother doing?¡±

    Madam Dowager had lived her life centered around Ning Zu¡¯an and the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor so much so that she could sacrifice conscience and familial ties for them. However, everything that had supported her to this point was gone. Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was no longer in its heyday and the title ended up with Ning Huaijing, a grandson whom she wasn¡¯t at all close with. And now, even Ning Zu¡¯an was dead.

    Therefore, her breakdown came as no surprise.

    Ning Xueyan had never liked Madam Dowager. After all, she had watched and done nothing as people bullied and poisoned Madam Ming and Ning Xueyan. Even so, Ning Xueyan wasn¡¯t going to pursue it now. It wasn¡¯t necessary anymore.

    ¡°The Lord Protector is very calm. He told me to pass on a message to you, saying not to worry about the manor. He¡¯ll take care of everything. Madam Dowager is taking care of Madam Dowager Senior,¡± Qingyu replied.

    Qingyu and Mother Han had the matter investigated very well. It was true that the entire manor was thrown into chaos after receiving news of Ning Zu¡¯an¡¯s death. Madam Dowager fell ill shortly after and everyone in the manor fell into a panic. Afterward, Ning Huaijing stepped forward to bring the situation under control. It didn¡¯t take long for everything to return to order.

    His actions had relieved Ning Xueyan of her troubles. No matter what had happened, Lord Protector¡¯s Manor was still her family. If her family was in tumult, she wouldn¡¯t be able to perform her duties as the Empress with confidence.

    ¡°Oh, Your Highness, I ran into Madam Dowager Liu today. She told me to bring this letter to you.¡± Qingyu took out a sealed envelope from her bosom and presented it to Ning Xueyan.

    Ning Xueyan took the envelope, tore it open, and fished out a letter from within. To her surprise, this was a letter within a letter.

    This surprised her. She thought that Madam Dowager Liu wanted to talk to her about Madam Dowager Senior but the former was sending her another letter altogether. The letter within a letter in her hands was visibly old. Even the edges of the letter had yellowed and the ink marks on top of it were somewhat faded.

    When she read the letters on the envelope, she widened her eyes in shock.

    ¡°Qingyu, leave me. I want to be on my own.¡± After staring at the envelope in her hands for a long time, she waved her hand at Qingyu. Qingyu nced at her expression and then left the room quietly.

    There weren¡¯t many letters on the envelope. One could even say that there was barely anything at all because the only word that was written was: ¡°Yan¡¯er¡±!

    The handwriting was so beautiful. It was obviously the handwriting of a woman but it wasn¡¯t that of Madam Ming.

    Ning Xueyan had lived in Bright Frost Garden with Madam Ming for more than a decade. She had learned everything she knew from her, so she knew Madam Ming¡¯s handwriting very well. When she saw the handwriting on the envelope, she knew it didn¡¯t belong to Madam Ming but another woman.

    Who else would address her so intimately? Why would Madam Dowager Liu keep this letter from so many years ago? It must be from another woman.

    With trembling hands, she pinched the opening of the envelope. There was an indescribable sorrow in her heart. She felt as if a strange mood was threatening to burst out of her. Tears began falling before she could even open the envelope, obscuring her vision. She couldn¡¯t even see properly what the letter said.

    Ning Xueyan sat by the window for a long time, with her hands on the opening of the envelope. She couldn¡¯t find the strength to tear it open. In the end, she put it aside and used a handkerchief to wipe the tears on her face.

    She might keep some things under wraps but that didn¡¯t mean that she was unaware. Before her rebirth, she was weak and delicate. After her rebirth, she became much stronger. She would even say that she had trampled on her enemies along the way to get this far. However, she had never felt weaker than at this very moment. The letter was almost problematic. She wanted to read it but dared not to. She had the feeling that her premonition was about to be real.

    Was this from her biological mother? Didn¡¯t her biological mother leave after giving birth to her? Ao Chenyi had also said that her mother was likely already dead. Even though she was sad at that time, she wasn¡¯t truly in pain. She thought that she didn¡¯t feel very emotional because she hadn¡¯t even spent a day with her mother.

    Only now did she realize that her emotions weren¡¯tcking at all. The love that came from their blood ties was firm. Even if she had never met her biological mother, their love could never be severed.

    Her biological parents were a trauma that she could barely bring herself to revisit. She didn¡¯t dare to wonder why her mother gave birth to her and left soon after, why she left without writing to her for so many years, why she abandoned her two daughters, and why she disappearedpletely from the lives of her daughters.

    She had no memory whatsoever of her mother, whether in her current or past life. It was as though the former Empress never took her biological daughters to heart. That must be why she was able to leave so decisively.

    Ning Ziying¡¯s mother and Madam Ming had shown her maternal love, but she had never stopped thirsting for her biological mother. It was just that she never dared to think about it until the urge built up over the years. Even she was fooled into thinking that she didn¡¯t long for her biological mother.

    She picked up the envelope again and took out the letter inside. The letter began with: ¡°Xueyan, my child.¡± Her gaze swept past the length of the letter until she reached the signature at the end. It was signed as ¡°Mother, Suye.¡±

    She learned a long time ago that the Empress of the previous dynasty was named Han Suye. Sure enough, this was a letter from Empress Suye to her. This was a letter that her biological mother had left for her.

    She must have just been born when this letter was written because there was no news from the Empress afterward. What exactly was the Empress feeling when she left her behind? Ning Xueyan had the feeling that this letter was her mother¡¯s exnation for her...

    She bit her lower lip, suppressing the anguish inside her, and began to read the letter line by line.

    The letter was written in a rush and the handwriting was messy albeit beautiful. She could see that some ink marks were round and different. It was an easy conclusion to make that her biological mother must have been crying when writing this letter.

    The letter spanned three full pages. First, her mother told her that she had an older biological sister living in Ning Manor in Jiangnan named Ning Ziying. She urged Ning Xueyan to meet her sister if a chance presented itself. She could use her phoenix earring as evidence. The sisters each had one-half of the earrings.

    It would be good enough for the sisters to meet. They didn¡¯t have to worry about the rest. National politics and court upheaval had very little to do with women. Her mother wished for her daughters to live the rest of their lives happily.

    The changing of dynasties wasn¡¯t the result of a single cause. On the one hand, people were leading an armed rebellion. On the other hand, some people became spies for the rebels. When a nation ceased to be a nation, ruination was inevitable. The Emperor and Empress wanted to leave with their daughters, especially when the Empress was pregnant.

    Unfortunately, trouble started from within the pce. A traitor opened the gates, forcing the Emperor to meet his enemies in a battle and buy his wife and daughters time to leave. The Empress ran to the secret tunnel to escape the pce with her daughters, but before she could go far, she received news of the Emperor¡¯s death. She was so upset that she wanted to kill herself.

    A servant saved her and put on her clothes. The servant jumped into the sea of fire and martyred herself to buy even more time for the Empress. Only then did the Empress escape the pce.

    Fearing that their enemies would capture them in one fell swoop, the Empress sent the Grand Elder Princess to her close friend¡¯s home in Jiangnan, where the princess would be adopted. She also sent one-half of the phoenix earrings to Jiangnan, with the n of leaving the other half to her unborn child so that the sisters could reunite someday.

    Then, she sent the imperial guards who escorted her out of the pce to Madam Ming. With Madam Ming¡¯s help, she found her way to a manor outside the city and took care of her pregnancy there. Madam Ming also faked a pregnancy. What happened next was Ning Xueyan¡¯s birth. Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t give birth to a son that she had been hoping for but a little princess.

    The birth of a daughter ended all of her thoughts about the nation. She told Madam Ming to raise her daughter like an ordinary girl. The so-called enmity and grudges over the nation were in the past. Moreover, they shouldn¡¯t be shouldered by a little girl. Even though she couldn¡¯t ept the changing of dynasties, there was nothing she could do. What was most upsetting was the Emperor¡¯s death.

    If it weren¡¯t for the traitor in the pce, she wouldn¡¯t have to be separated from her husband by death. She had been ready to go after him in the afterlife but she was still pregnant at that time. Therefore, once she gave birth, she knew it was time to pursue her husband. This was her wish and had nothing to do with other people.

    However, even if she had the desire to die, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to give up her newborn daughter. She named her newborn daughter Xueyan. She hoped that her two daughters would be able to reunite one day and take care of each other...

 Chapter 674 - Madam Dowager Liuâ€™s Message

    <h4>Chapter 674 Madam Dowager Liu¡¯s Message</h4>

    It seemed that at this point of the letter, the Empress couldn¡¯t continue anymore. There were only tear stains on the paper, followed by wide empty spaces.

    Then, the Empress said how reassured she was that Madam Ming would be taking care of her newborn. Madam Ming would be a fine mother. She had also asked someone to watch over Madam Ming and the newborn. Their statuses in the previous dynasty had vanished like smoke. Time was always moving forward and the changing of imperial dynasties was inevitable.

    The only tragedy was the eternal separation of her from her husband, and of her from her daughters.

    The only reason she had written the letter was that she couldn¡¯t help herself. If she never said anything, her child would never know the truth. That would have been for the best. Yet, she couldn¡¯t ept this, so she would hand the letter to the person who would be looking after Madam Ming. If Ning Ziying¡¯s identity was revealed to the world one day, the letter should be handed to Ning Xueyan.

    She didn¡¯t want the sisters to miss the chance to reunite.

    As for the engagement that she had decided with her cousin, she would leave it to Ning Ziying and Ning Xueyan to decide whether to acknowledge it. They could ept the engagement if they thought it would be a good one. After all, the engagement was real. But if they didn¡¯t want it, they could ignore it. It would be fine because the two people who decided on the engagement had died.

    In the end, the Empress even said that the purpose of the engagement was for the good of two families. With the nation gone, the purpose was as good as defeated. She only wished for eternal happiness for her daughters. It was enough for her that they would grow up without worries and live happy lives.

    Both she and the Emperor didn¡¯t need them to take revenge and get drowned in a sea of resentment. They didn¡¯t want their daughters to force themselves into a corner and live unhappily.

    This letter ought to be the Empress¡¯ will. It was full of sorrow, anguish, and reluctance but there wasn¡¯t hatred. It was so calm that it was almost aloof. It was almost as if she wasn¡¯t a participant but a bystander. There was even a trace of helplessness in between the lines.

    By the time she finished reading the letter, Ning Xueyan cried even harder.

    If the Empress didn¡¯t truly love her daughter, why would she sound so aloof about the changing of dynasties? She made it sound as if it didn¡¯t matter at all but how could it not matter? She sounded like she was determined to bear the burden all by herself. She would leave all of the happiness to her daughter and take on all of the unhappiness herself.

    This was why when the Empress killed herself in pursuit of her husband, she left nothing but two daughters behind¡ªtwo daughters who didn¡¯t know anything.

    By the time Ao Chenyi returned, Ning Xueyan was still sitting quietly by the window. She continued to clutch the letter in her hands with red eyes.

    ¡°Is the letter from the Empress of the previous dynasty?¡± He had questioned Qingyu beforeing in. He knew that Ning Xueyan had been sitting inside the room in silence since getting a letter, forgoing even lunch. She even chased Lanning and the rest out when they tried toe in.

    Xinmei had been so worried that she looked for Ao Chenyi.

    Ning Xueyan turned her head when she heard his voice. Large drops of tears streamed down her face. Her voice carried an unprecedented uncertainty as she looked pitifully at him. Her eyes were full of anticipation as she asked, ¡°Did she love me?¡±

    ¡°She loved you but she was in a tough spot. On the one hand, there was her love for her children. On the other hand, there was her love for her husband. When she couldn¡¯t have both, she made the only choice that she could. Besides, she thought that you and your sister would be able to live like ordinary girls without her. She thought that no one would be able to discover your identities.¡±

    Ao Chenyi let out a quiet sigh, pulled Ning Xueyan into a hug, and gently consoled her. She looked as fragile as a porcin doll at the moment.

    Ning Xueyan, tucked away in Ao Chenyi¡¯s embrace, closed her eyes. She asked with uncertainty, ¡°Did she do that out of consideration for us?¡± Even if she had an answer in her heart, she still wanted to hear it from another person. She wanted to hear someone else confirm it for her.

    ¡°Of course. With her status and entourage of pce servants, she could be easily discovered by her enemies. Even if she gave birth to you and raised you, you could never live like an ordinary girl. You would have to live as a refugee with her, homeless and miserable.¡±

    Ao Chenyi reached out and gently caressed her beautiful hair. He could tell that she was gradually rxing under his constion because her body wasn¡¯t as stiff as before.

    Ning Xueyan stopped speaking and sobbed quietly. She didn¡¯t make any noise at first but she began to weep audibly. In the end, she became calm and nestled quietly in Ao Chenyi¡¯s arms.

    Ao Chenyi continued to hold her and pat her back gently. Once she had fully calmed down, he carried her and put her down on the bed with the lightest of movements. He pulled the quilt open and tucked her in.

    She had already cried herself to sleep.

    He kissed away the tear stains on her face gently and stared at her for a long time before turning around and leaving.

    Outside the hall, Xinmei, Lanning, and Qingyu were waiting.

    ¡°When the Empress wakes up, serve her lunch,¡± Ao Chenyi ordered. The three girls nodded. They were able to let out a sigh of relief at longst. Ning Xueyan was in such poor condition earlier. They had never seen her this quiet and not allow anyone to go in and apany her.

    It seemed that she was all better now. The three of them could hear her weeping her heart out earlier. She must be asleep now. It wasn¡¯t a bad thing for her to cry. If she had to bury all emotions inside her, she would be in trouble.

    Ning Xueyan slept for a long, long time. She didn¡¯t wake up until it was dinnertime. Hearing noise from inside the hall, Lanning immediately entered and helped her wash up. Outside, Qingyu and Xinmei ordered the servants to serve dinner.

    Usually, Ao Chenyi wouldn¡¯t have dinner with Ning Xueyan. Even if he dide, he woulde at a veryte hour.

    Lanning and the rest felt fully at ease after seeing Ning Xueyan eating the usual amount at dinner.

    When Ning Xueyan was done eating, she wiped her mouth with a handkerchief and told everyone except Qingyu to leave. ¡°Did Madam Dowager Liu say anything else?¡±

    ¡°She said that even though the truth about Miss Ziying isn¡¯t fully in the open, the injustice that she had suffered is at least revealed to the world. She said that it¡¯s a pity that you have never been able to meet Miss Ziying... so, she thought she should hand you the letter,¡± Qingyu answered.

    Qingyu didn¡¯t understand what Madam Dowager Liu said at that time. She could only repeat it verbatim to Ning Xueyan. When they were still living in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Madam Dowager Liu was one of the few who treated her master the best. Even though Madam Dowager Liu was just a guest at the manor, she would help the Bright Frost Garden whenever she could.

    ¡°All right. You can leave.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded. After weeping and falling asleep, she felt much more at peace.

    Sure enough, her two foster mothers were simply following the wish of her biological mother.

    Over the next few days, Ning Xueyan ordered people to send Commandery Princess Xianyun to the Great National Guardian Temple outside the city. The childless imperial concubines were all sent there to be nuns. Commandery Princess Xianyun had requested to be a nun there as well. Meanwhile, the ¡°concubines¡± in Prince Yi¡¯s Manor had all fallen ill and died in session.

    That left Ning Xueyan, the Empress, as the only person in the harem.

    Usually, ministers would do their best to persuade the Emperor to select and appoint more women as concubines and consorts. But the nation was in the midst of war. Never mind the Emperor not having the desire to do so, even the ministers didn¡¯t think that it was an urgent matter. Their war against Annan was more crucial.

    Therefore, the selection of new concubines and consorts was indefinitely postponed.

    The war against Annan had fallen into a stalemate. Even though the Annan military had prepared well for the war and was fighting under the name of the prince of the previous dynasty, it was no match for the long legacy of the current imperial family. The people had lived in peace and happiness for so many years that no one wanted another war. Moreover, Ao Chenyi¡¯s father had set aside arge number of troops and horses in preparation to fend off Annan.

    Ao Chenyi himself had never underestimated Annan. Therefore, Annan wasn¡¯t able to reap any benefits despite their sudden rebellion. In fact, it seemed as if they would eventually be defeated.

    Ming Feiyong fought a stable war and he had more troops in his hands than Annan. They didn¡¯t have to try and catch Annan off guard at all. They were able to win by pressing closer step by step.

    Soon, it was time for Ning Ziyan¡¯s execution. Then, it was the Empress and Xia Yuhang¡¯s execution. This was because Ao Mingyu and the assassin had insisted that the murder was all Xia Yuhang¡¯s scheme. Ao Mingyu and Honored Consort Ya were demoted to be ordinary people. Meanwhile, Grand Tutor Ya and his son were found in a rtionship with the widow Wu Yao. The scandal ruined Grand Tutor Ya¡¯s reputation and forced him to return to his ancestral home in shame. With that, his years of reputation as a neutral observer to politics were in shambles.

    Hua Yueying was sentenced to death by suicide and Hua Manor fell into decline. Chief Hua brought his third daughter back to their ancestral home all by themselves.

    Standing in sharp contrast was Ao Mingwan. He continued to be Prince Fu as he wasn¡¯t involved in many matters. After he took Honored Consort Shu out of the imperial harem, he became an idle prince and lived a carefree life.

    The day Xia Yuhang was beheaded, Ning Xueyan made a personal visit to witness the execution. She stood in the crowd with her face concealed and looked briefly at the pathetic Xia Yuhang before leaving. Xia Yuhang was someone who was only focused on his benefit.

    He got engaged with Ning Ziying for his benefit. He killed Ning Ziying, married Ning Ziyan, and then tried to harm her for the very same reason.

    His ¡°affection¡± was only true when it wasn¡¯t in conflict with his benefit.

    With this, the past was truly in the past. She was no longer Ning Ziying, only Ning Xueyan.

    She sat inside the carriage with Xinmei and returned to the pce. To her surprise, she found Ao Chenyi inside her room, waiting for her. What a rare guest he was! Usually, at this time, he should be dealing with government affairs in the main hall.

    Seeing here in, Ao Chenyi askedzily, ¡°Where did you go?¡±

    ¡°The execution ground.¡± Ning Xueyan put down the cape in her hands. The weather was getting cold. When she went out earlier, Lanning had her wear a cape.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you watch the whole thing?¡± Ao Chenyi checked the time. It wasn¡¯t time for the beheading yet. Ning Xueyan must have returned after taking a quick glimpse.

    ¡°It¡¯s not fun to watch,¡± Ning Xueyan replied honestly. She sat on the couch opposite Ao Chenyi. Her bright eyes sparkled as she thought of something, giving her a charming look.

    ¡°Why did you go if it¡¯s not fun?¡± Ao Chenyi raised his beautiful eyes and put down the document in his hand. ¡°You forgot an important day, didn¡¯t you, Yan¡¯er?¡±

    What important day had she forgotten about? She thought about it but couldn¡¯te up with any answers. She couldn¡¯t help but shake her head. ¡°I can¡¯t think of anything,¡± she said honestly.

    ¡°It¡¯s something very important to you.¡± Ao Chenyi gave her a hint.

    Ning Xueyan blinked in confusion. She really couldn¡¯t remember what it was. Moreover, when she looked at Ao Chenyi¡¯s shapely brows and beautiful, limpid eyes, she had the feeling that the matter wasn¡¯t important to her but him!

    She shivered and immediately indicated that she would think harder. She knew how unreasonable this man was. If the matter was truly important to him but she couldn¡¯t remember what it was, he wouldn¡¯t let her off easily.

    Her longshes fluttered as she tried her best to show that she was racking her brain for an answer...

 Chapter 675 - Coming-of-age Ceremony

    <h4>Chapter 675 Coming-of-age Ceremony</h4>

    ¡°Can you remember it now?¡± Ao Chenyi narrowed his eyes and knocked on their table with his slender fingers. His voice sounded a tad threatening.

    ¡°I... I really can¡¯t remember.¡± Ning Xueyan felt like she had thought of all the possible answers but she was stilling up empty. She had no choice but to admit her fault.

    ¡°You really can¡¯t remember?¡± His beautiful eyes curved into a charming arc and his expression was sinister. Sure enough, this was a bad situation to be in. She didn¡¯t even hesitate to grab his hand with a bright smile on her tender face.

    ¡°Even if I can¡¯t remember, you can still remind me, right?¡± She knew it would pay well to cajole this man.

    Ao Chenyi wasn¡¯t polite with her either. He turned his hand over and pinched her soft face. His expression had improved considerably. There was a faint smile on his face as he asked, ¡°If I tell you, can you really understand and remember what it is?¡±

    ¡°Of course I can!¡± Ning Xueyan nodded firmly. Only an idiot wouldn¡¯t be able to remember after being reminded!

    ¡°All right, that¡¯s what I want to hear!¡± Ao Chenyi nodded and raised his eyebrow with a naughty expression. He stood up, straightened his robe, and left just like that. He even seemed to be in quite a good mood.

    When Eunuch Zhu entered the hall, the first thing he did was saluting Ning Xueyan with a cheery expression. Then, he grabbed the documents that Ao Chenyi set aside and left.

    Ning Xueyan watched Ao Chenyi leave with a nk expression. She still didn¡¯t understand why he woulde here so early in the day and tell her such things, and with such a satisfied look too. What was he referring to?

    She couldn¡¯t understand, so she asked Lanning when she saw thettere in. ¡°Lanning, what does the Emperor mean?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know either. His Majesty came just as soon as you left. When he heard that you had left the pce, he just waited without saying anything. He only asked for a cup of tea from me. Then, he stayed inside and read his documents the entire time. When you returned, he even told us not to disturb you two.¡±

    Lanning was just as bewildered as her master. She couldn¡¯t fathom why the Emperor would wait for her master for so long only to say such mysterious words. She had been standing at the door along with Eunuch Zhu earlier, so she heard their conversation loud and clear. Even her master didn¡¯t know what the Emperor was talking about.

    That day, Ning Xueyan went to bedte. She wanted to wait for Ao Chenyi toe and question him but the man didn¡¯te. She had to fall asleep with confusion and frustration pent-up inside her. Worst of all, Ao Chenyi seemed to have disappeared after their conversation. He didn¡¯te back for three days straight.

    She was curious what he was up to so she didn¡¯t send anyone to invite him over. She wanted to see what he woulde up with next.

    When the morning of the fourth day rolled around, Lanning continued to help her wash up. She had just finished breakfast when she saw a group of maids enter deferentially in rows of two.

    They carried ornate clothes and essories boxes in their hands with bright smiles on their faces.

    Seeing the four pairs of maids in front of her, as well as more maidsing in after them, Ning Xueyanughed. She was interested to see what Ao Chenyi was nning.

    When eight pairs of maids finally entered the hall, she saw that they were carrying clothes, ornaments, and even delicate shoes. Then, Eunuch Zhu came in with a cheerful chuckle.

    He stopped in front of Ning Xueyan and bowed deeply to her. ¡°Congrattions, Your Highness. I hope you will celebrate today every year and live a long and happy life.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Why should I celebrate today every year?¡± Ning Xueyan replied calmly.

    ¡°Your Highness, the Emperor is throwing aing-of-age ceremony for you today.¡± Eunuch Zhu was smiling so widely that his eyes could barely be seen. It made the servants happy when their masters were harmonious. This was especially true for him because his master stopped exuding such sharp momentum all day ever since marrying Ning Xueyan, making every servant tremble in fear and not dare to misspeak.

    Was today her birthday? Was it hering-of-age day already? Ning Xueyan¡¯s limpid eyes widened. It seemed that she had been so busytely that she didn¡¯t realize that it was time for hering-of-age ceremony.

    ¡°The Emperor said he has already invited Madam Dowager of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor, some other prestigious Madam Dowagers, and a few young princesses to attend the ceremony. He even invited Eldest Young Lady Heng,¡± Eunuch Zhu said, smiling. The Emperor had been keeping busy the past few days, not for national affairs but the Empress. He felt that he had to let Ning Xueyan know how hard the Emperor had worked.

    ¡°The Emperor has been spending the past few days sending invitations, choosing materials, making your clothes, and selecting your essories. He picked it all himself.¡± Eunuch Zhu raised his head with a proud and contented look because he had contributed to the Emperor¡¯s efforts as well.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s gaze went from the ornate top to the beautiful matching skirt, a same-colored belt, as well as the shoes and socks. Immediately, her heart was warm and full of love. Ao Chenyi had personally selected and prepared all these for her. It wasn¡¯t something the Emperor or the gloomy Prince Yi of yesterday could have done.

    The only reason that this was possible was that he was Ao Chenyi, her husband!

    Was this the important day that he was trying to remind her of?

    Eunuch Zhu excused himself, allowing Lanning and the others to help Ning Xueyan put on her new clothes. Reflected in therge mirror was a dignified but charming woman. Ning Xueyan wondered if this was really her. From the corners of her eyes to her eyebrows, her face was lit with joy.

    She had celebrated hering-of-age in her previous life but only Ning Ziyan paid a perfunctory visit and became her witness. Nobody else from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor came. Even though she had sent invitations, nobody was willing to attend her ceremony. So, her ceremony was a quiet one with only a handful of people from the Cloud Reflection Courtyard in attendance.

    Xia Yuhang did appear in the end. When he found out, he gave the excuse that he had forgotten about hering-of-age day and promised that he would give her a present next time. He left shortly after with Ning Ziyan, leaving a girl celebrating hering-of-age in the deste Cloud Reflection Courtyard. She wept and began to suspect for the first time that there was a rtionship between Xia Yuhang and Ning Ziyan that she didn¡¯t know about.

    However, when Xia Yuhang persuaded her and Ning Ziyan pretended to be a good sister to her, she dropped her suspicion...

    It was different now. It was her who had forgotten about her birthday, not other people. Not only did Ao Chenyi remember her birthday, but he even invited everyone that shoulde. How could she not feel touched?

    When everything was ready and Ning Xueyan was perfectly dressed, she made her way to the main hall. Eunuch Zhu said that hering-of-age ceremony must be prepared with the utmost care. It was being held at the main hall of the Empress¡¯ pce.

    The hall was packed with distinguished guests. Upon seeing her, all the madams got up from their seats and bowed deeply to her. Only Ao Chenyi remained in his seat on the tform and smiled happily at her. His limpid eyes were full of emotions, lending a trace of gentleness to his handsome face.

    The host of theing-of-age ceremony was Madam Dowager of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor. She was widely known as the madam with the highest prestige in the nation.

    The hairpin bearer was one of Ao Chenyi¡¯s younger sisters, Princess Liuli. She was, however, older than Ning Xueyan and already married. This allowed her to be the hairpin bearer in the same generation as Ning Xueyan.

    The celebrant was another madam of high prestige. The guest of honor was someone that Ning Xueyan had never expected: Honored Consort Shu.

    Out of all the imperial consorts that remained, Honored Consort Shu was indeed the most high-ranking one. She had even given birth to a prince. It was most fitting to have her put the hairpin on Ning Xueyan for hering-of-age ceremony.

    Honored Consort Shu looked at Ning Xueyan with a conflicted expression. Ning Xueyan was once a young girl who seemed insignificant to her. It wasn¡¯t until her son repeatedly brought up Ning Xueyan that she began to pay attention to that girl. Even then, her impression of Ning Xueyan was that she was a fragile and harmless girl.

    When Ning Xueyan became Princess Yi, she thought that the former was lucky. The former was incredibly lucky to be able to be consort, co-wife, and finally princess in a short time. However, the girl was now a graceful andposed young woman standing in the hall with a calm and confident expression, carrying not even an ounce of timidness.

    She had erred in her judgment but perhaps that wasn¡¯t her fault. Everyone was fooled by Ning Xueyan¡¯s appearances and thought that she was just lucky. But how could it be pure luck that allowed her to win the heart of Ao Chenyi, who had never been kind to the fairer sex? It was obvious from the fact that he was so mild-tempered today.

    Honored Consort Shu sighed quietly and put the hairpin on Ning Xueyan¡¯s hair. She left after telling her a few words of blessings. She had stopped entertaining any ideas after seeing what happened to Ao Mingyu and Honored Consort Ya. All she wanted was to live an ordinary but peaceful life with her son. It wasn¡¯t a bad idea for her son to be an idle prince. Their days were pretty decent at least.

    After the hairpin rite, Ning Xueyan was led to the tform. She sat down beside Ao Chenyi. She was the Empress and couldn¡¯t be treated like an ordinary girl celebrating hering-of-age. It went without saying that she didn¡¯t have to bow deeply to the women who helped with the rite.

    The banquet had been ready a long time ago. Ao Chenyi entertained the guests with Ning Xueyan for a moment before standing up and leaving. It wasn¡¯t convenient for an Emperor to eat and drink with a bunch of women. He had just about reached the limit of impropriety when he left.

    Everyone in the hall rxed as soon as Ao Chenyi left. The madams and princesses weren¡¯t close to Ning Xueyan, and many were quite afraid. They had no choice but toe because of the Emperor¡¯s orders. To their surprise, Ning Xueyan was very gentle and polite to them.

    They didn¡¯t think that the seemingly weak and young Empress would be soposed and graceful. Though dignified, her every action hinted at her intelligence. They couldn¡¯t help but be impressed by her. Even Madam Dowager of the Lord Guardian¡¯s Manor who would never fake a smile at anyone was looking at her in admiration.

    The banquet ended at a veryte hour. Ning Xueyan waited until the madams, princesses, and Honored Consort Shu to leave before returning to the side hall. In the past few days, she had been spending time in the main hall during the day and returning to the side hall to rest. Of course, she would also sneak into the side hall for her afternoon naps.

    Taking off her ornate clothes, she soaked in the bath that Qingyu had prepared for her. It wasn¡¯t until she bathed that she was able to rx. Lanning helped her dry her beautiful hair. While waiting for her hair to dry, she read a book on the couch by the window. Before she knew it, she had fallen asleep.

    While asleep, she could faintly feel something sliding on her face. It tickled her so she subconsciously reached out and pulled it down with force...

    Then, she opened her eyes in shock.

 Chapter 676 - A Gentle Night

    Chapter 676 A Gentle Night

    Ao Chenyi was so close that his handsome face was all that Ning Xueyan could see, and he didn¡¯t look all that happy. Then, she realized that she had been holding tightly onto a strand of his ck hair.

    She flung her hand and hastily released the strand of hair in her hand. She even caressed the hair on his temples with a wide smile. ¡°Why are you here? When did youe? Why didn¡¯t you wake me up?¡±

    Ning Xueyan looked truly confused as if she really didn¡¯t know that she had grabbed Ao Chenyi¡¯s hair until it hurt.

    ¡°ying dumb, huh?¡± he said coldly, frowning at her. His slender fingers reached out and lightly pinched the wing of her nose.

    ¡°Ouch!¡± Ning Xueyan held her nose pitifully. Her limpid eyes seemed zed over as if brewing tears.

    ¡°Now you know it hurts!¡± Ao Chenyi¡¯s thin lips were curved into a smile. He was satisfied to see her not daring to voice her frustration.

    Ning Xueyan nodded firmly without saying anything, expressing her agreement.

    Of course she knew it hurt! But she dared not say anything, not when she had used so much force in grabbing his hair before. There might even be a few broken strands of hair left in her hand! If she didn¡¯t put on a pitiful act and buy his sympathy, he might not let her offter! For some reason, she found him to be quite dangerous today.

    And, when did he change his clothes? He had even bathed. It didn¡¯t make sense that he would go to bed now. It was barely getting dark out there!

    ¡°Do you remember what you promised me?¡± Ao Chenyi asked, raising a well-sculpted brow. His mood seemed to have improved.

    She shook her head firmly, again and again.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you promise that you¡¯d be obedient to me?¡± Ao Chenyi tugged at a strand of hair next to her ear with a bewitching charm. His beautiful and delicate face looked so charming that it would make anyone looking at him feel like blushing.

    Indeed, she turned red in the face. She continued to shake her head, though. She blinked her limpid eyes to indicate her confusion. ¡°When did I promise you anything?¡±

    Could he be referring to the inexplicable words he said when he inexplicably appeared here the other day?

    ¡°Yan¡¯er, you¡¯re the Empress. That¡¯s one matter that you can¡¯t go back on your word on,¡± Ao Chenyi said seriously. He stared at her with a grim expression and a faint smile.

    Feeling him pressing firmly on her body, Ning Xueyan blushed heavily. His smell lingered all around, and she could even feel his warm breath on her ear. She said with some difficulty, ¡°I¡¯m not going back on my word!¡±

    She was beginning to grasp what was happening. It was no wonder he came here and said those things the other day. Coupled with the asional sighing he would do with her, she would be a fool if she still didn¡¯t understand what he meant.

    ¡°What do you think?¡± He stopped his face right in front of hers and even used that devastatingly handsome face to cast a bewitching wink at her.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± she retorted with a red face. She was utterly surrounded by his smell.

    He lowered his head and gently bit the tip of her fair ear.

    Ning Xueyan could feel something exploding inside of her, prompting a terrible heat all over her body.

    ¡°I¡¯ve spoken to the physicians. They said you¡¯re fine now. I even had them examine you, and all of them said that you¡¯re in perfect health,¡± Ao Chenyi said. His words sounded inexplicable because they didn¡¯t seem to be connected to what he was saying earlier but Ning Xueyan understood them perfectly well. It was no wonder that the imperial physicians had been visiting one after another, wanting to examine her, several days ago!

    So, it was this shameless man¡¯s arrangement. He wasn¡¯t satisfied with the word of a single physician, so he sent a few more to examine her. How did the monarch of a nation, of all people, have the gall to ask something like that? And repeatedly at that?

    ¡°You... You¡¯re the Emperor! You can¡¯t be so shameless!¡± Ning Xueyan tried to look serious but thanks to her red face, her words weren¡¯t at all convincing.

    Her soft, red face just made her all that more pitiful.

    ¡°I¡¯m only shameless to you,¡± Ao Chenyi said softly. His voice was lower than on most days, but his eyes were unprecedentedly bright. He stared squarely at her, bringing with him a scorching heat. She couldn¡¯t help looking down, away from his burning gaze, and bit her lower lip helplessly.

    He kissed her gently, with a heartacheced softness. She peeked at him through her longshes and saw the gentleness and adoration on his handsome face. Suddenly, she didn¡¯t feel so embarrassed anymore. This was Ao Chenyi. He wouldn¡¯t hurt her. Moreover, he was her husband who truly loved and adored her.

    Before she knew it, she had already removed her hands from her chest. She put her hands around his neck instead and gently bit him there.

    ¡°Yan¡¯er, Yan¡¯er...¡± Instantly, Ao Chenyi became excited as if he had fallen for temptation. His eyes were bright and burning with desire when he looked at her. Then, he held her even closer and ced scorching-hot kisses on her, one after another...

    Outside the window, the darkness of the night was gradually dying the sky. And yet, noises wereing out of the initially quiet room. Their rapid breathing and gasping were echoing in tandem...

    When Ning Xueyan woke up, it was already the next day and Ao Chenyi was nowhere to be seen. She blushed when she remembered what happenedst night. She couldn¡¯t recall when she had fallen asleep. All she knew was that Ao Chenyi cleaned her up and hugged her to sleep afterward.

    ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯re finally up! I was going to call you if you still didn¡¯t wake up!¡± Lanning and Qingyu came in to help Ning Xueyan wash up.

    ¡°Exactly! You didn¡¯t even eat dinner yesterday,¡± Qingyu said unhappily. But when she saw the hickeys on Ning Xueyan¡¯s neck, she blushed and stopped speaking.

    Lanning was helping Ning Xueyan put on her dress, so the hickeys didn¡¯t escape her eyes either. She chuckled with a red face.

    She was very happy for Ning Xueyan. If the Emperor and Empress were blissful together, servants like them would naturally be happy too.

    After Ning Xueyan had her breakfast, Lanning reported, ¡°Your Highness, Aunt Xiang said that she¡¯ll stay with us once she has packed up. She said to tell you that you can rest assured in leaving the powder-making to her.¡±

    Aunt Xiang didn¡¯t leave when Honored Consort Ya was evicted from the pce. Ning Xueyan went out of her way to ask Lanning to invite Aunt Xiang to their ce. Lanning and the others were the few personal maids that she had, but they weren¡¯t young anymore. They could only spend a few more years in the pce before she would have to let them leave. She couldn¡¯t very well dy their marriages.

    She wouldn¡¯t let any of her girls down in this life, whether it was Ning Ziying¡¯s maid Lanning or the protective Qingyu or the faithful Xinmei who stood by her. That also meant she wouldn¡¯t let them sacrifice their lives for her. Moreover, she knew that Qingyu had a close rtionship with Mother Han¡¯s son, Han Dazhuang.

    She had never intended to bring Qingyu to the pce but the girl was worried about her safety. So, she brought Qingyu in with the n of letting her goter on. Mother Han had been working hard nearly her entire life, worried about her and Madam Ming. She should at least let Mother Han enjoy life with arge family filled with grandchildren. As for Lanning and Xinmei, she would let them decide for themselves!

    Aunt Xiang wasn¡¯t young anymore. It was usually impossible for someone her age to leave the pce. Moreover, Aunt Xiang was once her biological mother¡¯s trusted aide and had an inkling about her identity as a princess of the former dynasty, though she wasn¡¯tpletely sure. Moreover, Madam Ming had once saved Aunt Xiang. Back when she was still living in the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, Aunt Xiang had given her face powder prescriptions many times.

    No matter how she thought about it, Aunt Xiang was trustworthy.

    Ning Xueyan had once examined her reflection in the mirror. She realized that except for the eyes, her appearance in this life wasn¡¯t all that simr to her appearance in her past life. If one were to look at her eyes with the rest of her face covered, one wouldn¡¯t be able to tell if she was Ning Ziying or Ning Xueyan.

    Of course, her eyes in her present and past life weren¡¯tpletely identical. Ning Ziying¡¯s eyes were more gentle while hers were colder.

    Remembering Aunt Xiang¡¯s reaction when they first met, she spected that she looked more like her mother. Otherwise, Aunt Xiang wouldn¡¯t have made such a terrible gaffe. However, she wasn¡¯t willing to tell anyone about her identity as a princess of the previous dynasty, even to Aunt Xiang.

    The world only knew the Grand Elder Princess of the previous dynasty, and many had guessed that it was Ning Ziying. Since that was the case, there was no need to attract attention to herself.

    Besides, Aunt Xiang was much older. It was more convenient for her to deal with various matters in the pce.

    ¡°When Aunt Xiang arrives, show her around and help her get familiar with this ce. Let her handle everything that needs to be done outside the residence. You all can focus on serving me.¡± Ning Xueyan nodded and gave Aunt Xiang the position of the senior housekeeper of their pce hall. Lanning and the others were, naturally, the Empress¡¯ senior maids.

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡± Lanning nodded.

    Xinmei had rushed here in the morning. She had been sleeping in the bedroom of the main pce hall the past few days.

    ¡°Your Highness, I think I heard some noise yesterday but itsted only for a while. I don¡¯t know if I made a mistake or if someone came to the hall,¡± Xinmei said.

    Did someone reallye? Ning Xueyan frowned. She didn¡¯t really care about the secret tunnel in the Empress¡¯ pce hall because thete Empress said that no other people knew about it. Even so, she was more than happy to do as Ao Chenyi asked and ease his worries.

    ¡°Do you roughly know what time it was?¡±

    ¡°Sometime around midnight, I think? I woke up suddenly, and I immediately listened to any noise from behind. But nothing happened afterward. It was as if I was hearing things, but I don¡¯t think so.¡± Xinmei was quite confident in her ability.

    After so many nights spent in that bedroom, yesterday was the only time that she suddenly woke up in the middle of the night.

    ¡°Go and inspect the bedroomter. Don¡¯t enter the tunnel, just the opening. No matter what, they wouldn¡¯t show up in broad daylight.¡± After thinking about it, Ning Xueyan gave Xinmei her orders. No matter what was going on inside the secret tunnel, the best thing to do was to inspect the opening lest Xinmei was caught off guard.

    Besides, it was broad daylight. No one would attempt anything fishy at this time.

    ¡°Qingyu, I need you to go to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor and deliver some tonics to Madam Dowager in my ce.¡± Ning Xueyan had been sending medicinal ingredients to the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor in the past few days. Regardless of their rtionship, Madam Dowager was still her grandmother. Even if she didn¡¯t care for the old woman, she still had to do enough for the public¡¯s sake.

 Chapter 677 - Sudden Revolt in the Palace

    <h4>Chapter 677 Sudden Revolt in the Pce</h4>

    It didn¡¯t take long for Qingyu to return from the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor with a new piece of news. It was said that there had been a haunting in the prayer hall of the manor.

    Rumor had it that an older maid became ill from the fright of seeing a ghost.

    A long time ago, the Cloud Reflection Courtyard was said to be haunted too. No one dared toe close at that time, not even during the day. Even though the rumors died downter on, a few people who were deeply affected by the events said that the situation was still grave then.

    Therefore, even though only a maid had seen the ghost, the rumors spread like wildfire in the manor.

    The prayer hall used to be Madam Dowager¡¯s favorite spot. It waster used to imprison Madam Ling for some time. Now that Madam Ling was dead, everyone feared that she was the ghost. It was said that Madam Ling was an evil woman when she was alive. Even in death, she might be a malicious ghost. The situation was much worse than in the Cloud Reflection Courtyard.

    Ning Xueyan listened to the report carefully. She didn¡¯t treat it as just an interesting rumor. She looked at Qingyu and frowned. ¡°What did the maid see?¡±

    ¡°She didn¡¯t see anything. She said that a candle suddenly lit up in the prayer hall and that she heard a faint crying from inside. The maid is responsible for the prayer hall, so she remembered very well that the candle was unlit before. Naturally, no one could have gone there to cry.¡±

    The prayer hall was located in a secluded corner of the manor. Besides Madam Dowager, no one liked going there. Even if the servants of the manor were upset about something, they wouldn¡¯t have gone out of their way to visit that ce. They would be punished if they were discovered.

    The night came soon enough. The weather was poor today, and the sky was filled with dark clouds even at night. Ning Huaiyuan stood in front of arge boulder with a few men dressed in ck. They were on a mountain surrounded by rocks, so therge boulder didn¡¯t seem out of ce.

    ¡°Young Master Ning, are we going in now?¡± The boulder had been pushed aside with just the right force. Ning Huaiyuan looked at the newly-revealed opening with a grim expression. This was his fifth time returning to the capital since he left for good.

    He had personally requested to return to the capital this time. All he could do was focus on one obsessive thought: kidnapping Ning Xueyan. She hurt his mother and two younger sisters and rendered him miserably homeless. He wanted to ruin her and destroy her reputation in revenge.

    He wanted to take her to the frontline of two armies and tie her high up on the gpole! He wanted to see if Ao Chenyi could continue the war then!

    He would hang her, the Empress of a nation, high up in front of the two armies and use her to force Ao Chenyi into backing off so that Annan could be independent from Chu State and establish their own state. Even if she could return to the pce afterward, only death awaited her.

    Who would believe that the Empress would still be untouched after being kidnapped?

    His goal ining here was kidnapping Ning Xueyan. He desperately wanted to see her shocked and panicked face, to see her pleading with him tearfully, to see her kneeling at his feet...

    He wanted her to die...

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± They had explored the tunnel yesterday without any trouble. The secret tunnel was a piece of information that they learned from a maid of thete Empress who was left wandering in the wild.

    It was apparent that it had been a long time since anyone used the meandering tunnel. Under Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s leadership, the men in ck carefully made their way to their destination. Ning Xueyan must be asleep at this hour but Ao Chenyi might not be. It was said that Ao Chenyi had been working hard to reverse his image as the willful Prince Yi.

    He must still be awake at this time.

    That was what Ning Huaiyuan was thought, but he barely scratched the surface. Not only was Ao Chenyi in Ning Xueyan¡¯s bedroom, but he had arrived a long time ago. He brought his documents with him with the n of carving out a firm ce for himself in her residence from now on.

    The door of the secret tunnel opened quietly, and a man in ck poked his head out to look around. When he noticed nothing wrong, he gestured at the others inside the tunnel. The others nodded and exited the tunnel together.

    Ning Huaiyuan took the lead in walking past the bedhead, where he saw a small bulge on the bed. In the barely-lit room, he could see a woman¡¯s beautiful hair sprawled all over the pillow.

    He waved a hand and took a step behind. A man in ck walked past him and toward the person in bed, holding the handle of his saber. The n was to knock the person unconscious and take her out of the ce via the secret tunnel without alerting anyone.

    However, their n was thwarted by a surprise.

    The woman under the nket suddenly turned over, sat up, and grabbed the handle of the saber at an impressive speed. She pressed down hard on the skin between the man¡¯s thumb and forefinger, and the man immediately felt numbness and ack of strength in his right hand. The next thing he knew was that his saber was snatched by the woman.

    Before the man could cry out in surprise, a dozen or so imperial guards emerged out of nowhere in the hall and shed with the men in ck.

    Ning Huaiyuan didn¡¯t bring many men with him. He took only a few imperial guards on his long journey past the war frontline. The journey would have failed if there were too many of them, so they werepletely outnumbered by the many pce guards that appeared in front of them. It didn¡¯t take long for all of them to be captured.

    Candles were lit, brightly illuminating the bedroom.

    The imperial guards forced Ning Huaiyuan and his men to kneel.

    The doors of the main hall swung open, and Ao Chenyi slowly walked in with Ning Xueyan. The servants had fetched chairs a long time ago, allowing them to take a seat.

    Ning Xueyan looked at Ning Huaiyuan, who was forced to kneel on the floor. A trace of coldness crossed her eyes. When Qingyu mentioned the haunting at the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, she had a hunch that Ning Huaiyuan had returned. No one else would have gone to the prayer hall, never mind crying there.

    She had long known that Ning Huaiyuan hated her. Madam Ling was his biological mother. Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling were his biological sisters. Back then, he had helped Madam Ling to hurt her. She wasn¡¯t a saint and she would never dream of showing mercy to all living beings. It went without saying that she wouldn¡¯t save someone who tried to harm her.

    Ao Chenyi narrowed his eyes with a malicious expression. He looked at the kneeling Ning Huaiyuan and asked with some interest, ¡°Did Wen Xueran send you?¡±

    ¡°What does it matter if it¡¯s His Highness who sent us?¡± Ning Huaiyuan understood his situation well. Under such circumstances, death was inevitable no matter what he said. Thus, he chose to be stubborn and re at Ao Chenyi.

    ¡°It looks like Wen Xueran is the one who can¡¯t continue the war between us anymore. That¡¯s why he would try to threaten me with a woman.¡± A sharp glint shed in Ao Chenyi¡¯s eyes as he looked coldly at Ning Huaiyuan. His thin lips were curved into a slight smile.

    Ning Huaiyuan was stunned but quickly raised his head and retorted, ¡°Nonsense! His Highness just wants to end the war early out of concern for the people. I¡¯m sure you understand what a good deal it is to exchange a woman for world peace!¡±

    ¡°When you put it that way, Wen Xueran sounds like a good prince who is concerned about the wellbeing of the world,¡± Ao Chenyi repliedzily, with a hint of coldness in his voice.

    ¡°Of course!¡± Ning Huaiyuan said proudly. ¡°His Highness is of course a good prince who is wholeheartedly concerned for the world. Your Majesty, if you¡¯re still concerned for the world, you shouldn¡¯t bother with such trivialities. It seems that His Highness understands the big picture better than you do.¡±

    ¡°Oh. It seems that I need to thank you foring to kidnap my Empress, and thank Wen Xueran for rebelling and plunging the people of Annan into war for the sake of the world. I heard that Annan folks are living a tough life these days. Apparently, nine out of ten families there have lost everything! It¡¯s all thanks to Wen Xueran, I suppose. It seems that I really have to thank him.¡±

    Ao Chenyi¡¯s words were apanied by a malicious smile on his lips. In Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s eyes, the smile was as cold as it was bloodthirsty.

    Those words stupefied Ning Huaiyuan into silence. Wen Xueran was a major contributor to the rebellion of the three feudal princes of Annan. For him to make Wen Xueran out to be a saint, not even he could convince himself.

    ¡°Since Wen Xueran sent you here, I¡¯m sure he understands that you might note back!¡± Ao Chenyi waved his hand carelessly.

    A few imperial guards stepped forward and dragged Ning Huaiyuan out of the pce hall.

    ¡°Tyrant! How can you kill us without even asking questions? You¡¯re still Prince Yi, the Demon King from before! His Highness is the rightful Emperor!¡± Ning Huaiyuan had a hunch that things were about to go very wrong for him. He kept struggling while cursing Ao Chenyi. When he looked at Ning Xueyan, all he could see was apathy.

    Suddenly, he remembered how she had looked when she was young. She looked so gentle and pure under the plum blossom tree back then. He thought he had forgotten about these memories. He thought that he simply wanted her life to avenge his mother and sisters. Yet somehow, those feelings had crept into his heart without his realization.

    But, this wasn¡¯t too bad either. At least he wouldn¡¯t have to suffer from intense hatred every day and live a life worse than death. Many times, he would rather that it was he who died. That was why he insisted oning to the capital and kidnapping Ning Xueyan this time. It represented his determination to die after failing his mission.

    From now on, Ning Xueyan would be Ning Xueyan and Ning Huaiyuan would be Ning Huaiyuan. If there was a second life, he hoped that they would never meet!

    The imperial guards didn¡¯t let him say more and dragged him out with force. The Emperor had made his intentions very clear. These criminals should die as punishment for daring to touch the Empress. These guards were Ao Chenyi¡¯s trusted aides. It went without saying that they knew how much he cared for the Empress.

    These criminals should pay for daring to enter the pce and harm the Empress! If Ning Huaiyuan wasn¡¯t the Empress¡¯ brother, his whole family would have been killed!

    Ning Xueyan stood up when Ao Chenyi did and asked, ¡°Are we winning against Annan?¡± Ning Huaiyuan¡¯s words seemed to suggest that things weren¡¯t so simple.

    ¡°I think Annan¡¯s campaign is on itsst legs after dragging it out for so long. Wen Xueran can¡¯t afford to fight anymore. The nine barbarian states have sent their troops as well. Annan is stuck between our country and the nine barbarian states. It¡¯s hard for him to take even a single step.¡± Ao Chenyi nced at her with a slight smile. He grabbed her hand and led her toward the side hall.

    Ning Xueyan blushed, embarrassed that he was holding her hand in front of so many people. She looked around uneasily but she was feeling all warm on the inside, enough that her limpid eyes were gleaming. She saw that everyone was lowering their heads, pretending not to see or hear anything. She decided to toss her embarrassment out of the window and pretended that she didn¡¯t notice either, and followed him to the side hall.

 Chapter 678 (END) - Finale

    Chapter 678 Finale

    ¡°What will you do now?¡± Ning Xueyan had to take two quick steps to catch up with Ao Chenyi¡¯s pace. ¡°Destroy the nine barbarian states alongside Wen Xueran?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Ao Chenyi raised an eyebrow and smiled mysteriously. ¡°I¡¯ll negotiate with Wen Xueran.¡±

    Confused, she repeated, ¡°Negotiate?¡±

    ¡°The people of the nine barbarian states have always been different from those of the central ins. They¡¯re valiant and barbaric. For many years, they have wanted to invade us. If it weren¡¯t for the princes of Annan holding down the front, the nine barbarian states would have attacked us a long time ago. Annan troops have fought the nine barbarian states more than our troops did, and they have a better chance of winning too.¡±

    Ao Chenyi said calmly. He didn¡¯t like the nine barbarian states in the slightest. If it weren¡¯t his father forbidding him from going to the faraway hintend of the nine barbarian states, where death was almost certain, he would have attacked there back then.

    Ning Xueyan thought it over and asked, ¡°So, you¡¯ve decided to negotiate with Wen Xueran?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m going to wait for him toe and negotiate with me.¡± Ao Chenyi pulled her into the bedroom in the side hall. The rest didn¡¯te in with them.

    ¡°Will Wen Xueran send his men to negotiate with you?¡± Ning Xueyan replied in astonishment. She was sitting on hisp, with his hands wrapped around her slender waist.

    ¡°He will, most certainly. If he still doesn¡¯t at this rate, he¡¯ll be aplete fool.¡± Ao Chenyi held her slim waist carelessly, his fingers tracing the sides of her waist.

    Was Wen Xueran a fool? Of course not! No one would call a man capable of surviving under the Emperor of Chu¡¯s nose as a yboy young master without anyone realizing his identity a fool!

    She felt somewhat relieved. She didn¡¯t know how to quite describe her feelings about Wen Xueran. For some reason, she kept thinking about a question. If she was born a prince, would she have to bear the responsibility of reviving her dynasty? Would she have to do everything in her power to return power to her dynasty? However, the previous dynasty had fallen and the new dynasty was firmly in power. In reality, there was little chance of sess. There was no way that Wen Xueran didn¡¯t know this.

    Perhaps it was because of this feeling that she didn¡¯t want to see Wen Xueran concerned to a dead end!

    He was, at the very least, a descendant of the previous imperial family. He was still her older cousin connected by blood!

    Even so, this was only her hope. She drew a clear line between her private business and national affairs. Besides, her concern was based on an indescribable feeling. Perhaps, Wen Xueran only saw her as a chess piece that he could use. However, she did not see herself as one.

    That was why she never asked Ao Chenyi for details about Wen Xueran¡¯s situation. However, his suggestion seemed to be the best oue. The people had suffered enough from the war and desperately needed peace. It would be best if they could unite and fight the nine barbarian states together.

    ¡°What is it? Are you still thinking about Wen Xueran?¡± When Ao Chenyi saw her in a daze, he reached out and pinched her waist twice with an unhappy expression.

    She immediately pushed him and protested yfully, ¡°That tickles! Don¡¯t do that.¡±

    She was very ticklish, and her waist was her weakest spot. Every time he touched her there, she would feel likeughing.

    Unfortunately for her, Ao Chenyi didn¡¯t intend to let her go. He turned around and pinned her on the bed. When he tickled her waist, she tried to push and block him but she wasn¡¯t a match for him. Sheughed so hard that she teared up. In the end, she had to pull his hand to stop him from tickling her.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to get mad if you touch me again!¡± Ning Xueyan said. She tried to sound stern but she wasn¡¯t at all convincing. Her tender face was red from all the tickling and struggling, lending her a wonderful radiance. It didn¡¯t take much strength for him to produce such redness on her face. Her limpid eyes were clouded over, making her look as lovable as a flower.

    She was so beautiful that Ao Chenyi could keenly feel the temperature of his body rising. He was reminded of what happened yesterday. Though he wasn¡¯t fully satisfied, he didn¡¯t overdo it out of consideration for his little cat. Now that she had rested for an entire day, it was time for him to enjoy her. ¡°Don¡¯t get mad. Let¡¯s get something else instead, like a child for instance.¡±

    He got his hands out of her grasp without any difficulty and tore her outer garment open, making her gasp in surprise. It was impossible to stop him now, for he was pulling her clothes away piece by piece...

    ¡°You bear the child yourself!¡± Ning Xueyan¡¯s coquettish voice came from behind the fallen bed curtains.

    ¡°Sure, let¡¯s bear children, let¡¯s do it together. We can¡¯t let the ministers find out that we never did anything together, so let¡¯s hurry up and make up for lost time!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to!¡±

    ¡°Be good. You want to. Let¡¯s have a few adorable children who look like you, okay?¡±

    ...

    Sure enough, it didn¡¯t take long before Ao Chenyi¡¯s prediction came true. Only a month or soter, Wen Xueran sent his envoy, Hua Yunheng, to negotiate with Ao Chenyi. Ning Xueyan wasn¡¯t familiar with the details because she discovered that she was pregnant at that time. She stayed in her pce all day long to care for her unborn child. Ao Chenyi was as protective of her as a priceless treasure, so much so that he didn¡¯t even let her worry about a single thing.

    Not even Ao Chenyi expected that she would get pregnant so quickly. What made her happiest was how overjoyed he had been when he learned that she was pregnant. He was happy but also worried about hurting her. He didn¡¯t even dare to touch her. She never imagined that the once fearless Prince Yi, now the monarch of a nation, would be so happy and panicked one day.

    Ning Xueyan¡¯s morning sickness was quite severe. Ao Chenyi was worried that she didn¡¯t know how to take care of herself, so he invited Madam Ming to the pce to care for her. With Madam Ming keeping an eye on her, she ended up being ignorant about what was going on with Annan. It wasn¡¯t until the very end that she heard from Madam Ming that her uncle wasing home soon. It seemed that the war with Annan was over.

    It was one thing to dere the war over, but another to really put an end to it. It still took some time to wrap everything. Even after two months, Ming Feiyong¡¯s troops were still out there. Madam Ming was so worried that she couldn¡¯t help asking Ning Xueyan. It was only after Ning Xueyan asked Ao Chenyi that she learned the reason for Ming Feiyong keeping his troops there to negotiate with Wen Xueran.

    Annan would remain Ao Chenyi¡¯s territory while Wen Xueran and his men would retreat from Annan and fend off the nine barbarian states. Ming Feiyong and his troops would aid Wen Xueran in gaining a newnd from the nine barbarian states for him.

    When there were just the two of them, Ning Xueyan once asked Ao Chenyi why he was letting Wen Xueran live. He wasn¡¯t one to trust superficial reasons. Killing Wen Xueran was just a matter of time if the war was prolonged, even without the intervention of the nine barbarian states.

    Ao Chenyi didn¡¯t keep secrets from her either. He was keeping Wen Xueran so thetter could fend off the nine barbarian states. Compared to the people of the nine barbarian states, he thought that Wen Xueran was at least a human with ethics. If the people of the nine barbarian states were to invade, they would do nothing but kill and plunder, leaving behind a trail of destruction. Byparison, Wen Xueran wouldn¡¯t do that at the very least.

    And with Wen Xueran in front, the nine barbarian states would have defeated him before they could attack Chu Kingdom. This was the best advantage for Ao Chenyi.

    Thebined forces of Wen Xueran and Ao Chenyi were so strong that they swallowed nearly half of the territories belonging to the nine barbarian states. Great General Ming was able to return to court with a tremendous victory, with Ao Chenyi personally weing him at the city gate. It was apletely different scene from when he returned to the capital without any fanfare a few years ago. This time, he became a hero to the people.

    The chaos of war gradually died down with Ao Chenyi sessfully protecting his territory and Wen Xueran gaining half of thend belonging to the nine barbarian states. Wen Xueran established the Luo State and crowned himself Emperor there. His new country was located between Chu Kingdom and the nine barbarian states. What surprised people was that Ao Mingyu¡¯s fiancee, Commandery Princess Muling, ran off to elope with Wen Xueran. News of Wen Xueran¡¯s marriage came shortly after, but he ended up marrying a nobledy from the nine barbarian states. Princess Muling and a few other local nobledies became his consorts.

    With the war over, everyone turned their attention to the Emperor¡¯s family matters. The ministers began to worry that the Emperor was too lonely with only an Empress. Just look at the new Emperor of Luo! He appointed so many consorts after just ascending the throne. Ao Chenyi looked so pitiful inparison.

    Thus, the ministers began to implore that the Emperor should draft more beauties from all over the country into the pce.

    Now that the country was at peace, it was time to worry about the Emperor¡¯s family matters. After all, the Emperor¡¯s family matters were a national affair. However, the pile of letters addressed to the Emperor was somehow discovered by the Empress, and amotion soon broke out in the pce. It was said that the Empress nearly suffered a miscarriage, prompting the Emperor¡¯s anger. He ordered the ministers not to bring up the consort drafting while the Empress was pregnant. If anything were to happen to the Empress, he would kill nine generations of their families.

    The ministers stopped causing a fuss, knowing very well how ruthless the Emperor was. They didn¡¯t want to anger the Empress into a miscarriage. The Emperor was so merciless that he would make good on his word. Besides, it wasn¡¯t an urgent matter. They could always mention it again after the Empress gave birth to a prince!

    Ten monthster, Ning Xueyan gave birth. Hearing her pained screams inside the room, Ao Chenyi was so worried that he nearly tripped outside. Then, he stormed inside the room and held her hand. The bloodthirsty Demon King looked even paler than Ning Xueyan, who was giving birth. It wasn¡¯t until she finished giving birth with difficulty that he felt like he came back to life.

    The reason for Ning Xueyan¡¯s difficult birth was that she was giving birth to a pair of twins. Even though the imperial physicians had long thought that she might be having twins due to her bigger-than-normal belly and there was ample preparation for it, it was still her first time giving birth. It took her a long time and nearly scared Ao Chenyi to death in the process.

    Following the birth of two princes, Ao Chenyi had to issue imperial pardons as per tradition. Ning Huaiyuan, who was locked up in the imperial prison since the kidnapping incident, was released. When he was first captured, he thought his death was certain. He never thought that Ao Chenyi would let him live. Standing on top of the hill outside the Lord Protector¡¯s Manor, he stared at the manor for a long time before turning around and leaving with unsteady footing.

    He never returned to the capital again for the rest of his life...

    The moment the Empress finished giving birth, the ministers fell over themselves to persuade the Emperor to draft new consorts. Ao Chenyi pointed out a few ministers who were particrly insistent and asked them to exin properly why he had to draft consorts. Their answer was simple: for the sake of heirs. However, Ao Chenyi had plenty of reasons to refute them. He was now father to two princes. Even if he didn¡¯t have any more children in the future, the two princes were enough as heirs. Besides, he and the Empress were still young.

    If they wanted to, they could still bear more children in the future! He asked them if he was some kind ofscivious monarch who would fulfill his selfish desires in the name of consort drafting.

    His face was grim and malicious when he said this, scaring the ministers so much that they didn¡¯t dare to say anything. How would they dare call the Emperor ascivious monarch! That would be seeking death! Remembering his reputation for being fierce and ruthless, no one dared to go against his words, and the call for consort drafting gradually died down.

    Afterward, everyone began to ept that the Emperor would only have the Empress as his woman. After all, not everyone dared to confront the rage of the young Demon King. They would consider it the Emperor¡¯s personal affairs. Since the Emperor didn¡¯t feel upset about it, there was no reason for them to insist on provoking his anger.

    This was a personal matter, the Emperor¡¯s personal affairs! No one should be paying excessive attention to it! For the sake of everyone¡¯s safety, they should pretend not to see any request about any sort of consort drafting. Since it was the Emperor¡¯s personal affairs, he should have the final say about it!

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